ã€ŠThe Legend of Black Eyesã€‹


 Chapter 1 - A Prelude To War

    Independent Republic of Runemecia, outskirts of Teiro: Spring of the Red Moon.

    Two men sat in a horse drawn carriage bound to the city of Teiro. Everything about them suggested nobility. From the convoy that was escorting them to the Flame insignia of Prince Sylens riders carried, the two men were clearly diplomats. Teiro was part of the independent lands that refused to pledge fealty to the Auruun Empire.

    Prince Sylens sent two of his most trusted advisors to discuss a delicate matter with the Chancellor of Teiro. ¡°The prince has lost his mind,¡± one of the men inside the carriage spoke.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been through this Dima,¡± the other replied. There was a hint of reprimand in his tone. ¡°Let¡¯s not speak of the matter further. The prince must have his own reasons for sending us here.¡±

    ¡°Yes and I¡¯ll tell you what his bloody reasons are Nico,¡± the man named Dima said. He leaned towards Nico then whispered. ¡°All the men who are escorting us here? They¡¯re here to deliver us to that crazy chancellor. Sylens is handing us over to him!¡±

    Nico looked at his friend, compassion filled his heart. ¡°My poor Dima, you were always the stupid kind.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d you say?¡± Dima asked, infuriated.

    ¡°You always act on your emotions. If you feel that something¡¯s not right, you immediately assume that it is. Who did you talk to before we were sent to this mission Dima?¡± Nicholas Trebias was a wealthy tailor. He held contracts for military uniforms from most countries in the east. ¡°Who did you talk to Dima?¡± he asked again.

    ¡°There was a man the other night in the tavern,¡± Dima started. ¡°He told me about Sylens, how he lost his mind!¡±

    ¡°This man you met,¡± Nico said after a long sigh. ¡°How did he come upon such an accusation?¡±

    Before Dima could speak, a horn was blown outside. And the carriage came to an abrupt stop. ¡°Are we under attack?¡± Dima asked.

    ¡°Driver! What¡¯s happening out there?¡± it was Nico who spoke this time.

    There was no answer. The horn was blown a second time. ¡°What the hell is happening? Oy Driver!¡± Dima shouted. The driver seemed like a complete mute. In fact, there was no sound emanating from the world outside the carriage except for the horn and the occasional neighing of the horses.

    ¡°To hell with this, I¡¯m going outside!¡± Nico stood up then opened the door. The moment he stepped outside, the tailor saw all soldiers looking west fixatedly. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Nico asked. He had hired mercenaries to take them to Teiro. They were the best money could buy. At that moment, all the well-equipped soldiers were stuck in place, looking at something behind Nico.

    The wealthy tailor looked around. They were at the bottom of Drach Valley. The setting sun was in front of them. Tall cliffs surrounded them and the only way forward was to cross the Tack Trench. A road that signaled the end of Tinrian territory and the beginning of the Runic one.

    Despite the road being described as narrow by most cartographers, it could allow a hundred men to stand side by side without hindering their movements. When Nico looked at the trench, he saw a single file of armed men blocking their way. One of the men was slowly advancing towards them. The horns were the first signals used to warn soldiers then urge them to prepare for an attack.

    Nico smiled then got back to his carriage. ¡°This¡¯ll be over in a minute. Some bandits want to play heroes,¡± he announced to his worrisome travelling companion. The third horn was blown, then soldiers screamed in unison, a war cry that was supposed to intimidate the enemy.

    ¡°So tell me friend,¡± Nico addressed the scared Dima. ¡°Who was your source? There¡¯s no one to hear us now with all the shouting and killing out there.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t give me a name,¡± Dima started. ¡°He calls himself Darkstar. Funny name if you ask me. But he knows things. Some you don¡¯t even know Nicholas.¡±

    The wealthy tailor smiled. He pitied the naivety of his friend. Dima on the other hand scowled. Nico¡¯s white teeth and clean shaven face always irritated him. ¡°How do you always keep a calm demeanor? And what¡¯s up with those extravagant clothes you wear for a long journey?¡± Dima was now shouting.

    Nico could see that the man was frightened out of his wits. Dima suddenly jumped at Nico, grabbed him by the collar then continued shouting. ¡°He promised me he¡¯ll kill you with his own hands Nico! He threatened my family brother, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Dima fell back down to his seat then covered his face in shame.

    ¡°This man you say,¡± Nico spoke, his pitying smile had turned to a mocking one. ¡°He calls himself Darkstar, is that right?¡±

    Dima nodded. His face was still buried behind his enormous hands.

    ¡°Oh Dima, you poor bastard,¡± Nico put both his hands on his friend¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Are the men outside here for my head?¡±

    Dima nodded again.

    ¡°I¡¯ve hired the best mercenaries in the east.¡± Nico was trying to comfort his distressed friend. ¡°They won¡¯t be defeated so easily. Listen to them outside, they¡¯re holding their ground.¡±

    The two men extended their ears. There were but a few clashes of swords and thumps that could be heard outside. ¡°It sounds like it¡¯s almost over,¡± Nico announced. ¡°Care to have a look outside?¡±

    ¡°No brother, don¡¯t go out yet,¡± Dima pleaded. ¡°That man, you know not of his might.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Don¡¯t you hear them outside? They¡¯ve lost!¡± Nico was starting to get irritated. He was a calculating man. If he¡¯d let a stranger talk to the weakest link in his entourage, it was to eliminate the threat from its root.

    ¡°That man knew,¡± Dima spoke again. ¡°He knew I was your weakness. He knew you let him speak to me. Nico, brother I¡¯m sorry.¡± Dima¡¯s eyes were watery. At that moment, a sinister feeling enveloped the wealthy tailor. ¡°What¡¯s up with that look brother?¡± Nico asked.

    ¡°Black Eyes is here for us!¡± Dima shouted.

    The door was sprung open. Nico looked at the men outside. They were wearing simple leather armor unlike his steel clad warriors. ¡°Zedd we¡¯ve got ¡®em ¡®ere!¡± a man with a bony face shouted. His helmet almost hid his eyes. Nico could see that the man¡¯s thin nature wouldn¡¯t allow for any standard helmet or armor to fit. It looked like a scrawny teenager tried his lord father¡¯s armor for the first time.

    ¡°Ah Mr Trebias, what an honor!¡± a man¡¯s voice reached Nico¡¯s ears. ¡°Get him out here!¡±

    Nicholas Trebias was forcefully drawn out of his fancy carriage then thrown to the ground. His velvet kaftan was stained in blood and mud. His silk socks were wet and sticky. ¡°Get him to his feet!¡± the man named Zedd shouted. The scrawny little man obeyed and pulled the tailor up with surprising strength.

    Nico looked around. He had hired three hundred men to escort him to Teiro. None of them survived that day. ¡°I must say Nico,¡± the man named Zedd spoke again. ¡°I was disappointed by Julio¡¯s Band. Are you sure they¡¯re the best in east?¡±

    Nico was still confused. He didn¡¯t expect the soldiers he¡¯d spent a fortune on to be decimated. ¡°Who are you?¡± was the only sentence he could muster.

    ¡°I¡¯m your worst nightmare Mr Trebias,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°Or your divine blessing, today you have an important choice to make Nico.¡± The leader of the bandits approached the tailor. ¡°Look at me Nico!¡± he ordered.

    Nicholas Trebias raised his head and looked at the man who managed to defeat and trap him easily. ¡°What are you is the question you should be asking Nico!¡± Zedd said.

    The tailors pupils got wider, his heartbeat faster. The man¡¯s palms got suddenly sweaty and his knees felt weak. In front of him stood a man with the strangest eyes, his irises were pitch black. Where people had round dark pupils, Zedd had rectangular golden ones. Just looking at him would unsettle anybody.

    ¡°I¡¯m Zedd Darkstar,¡± he said. ¡°What¡¯s happening Nico? Cat¡¯s got your tongue?¡± Zedd asked as he gave a mocking smile to his shocked interlocutor.

    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Nico asked, his voice breaking in between words.

    ¡°Bring the other one out!¡± Zedd ordered. The man named Dima was dragged out as well. ¡°Look at you!¡± Zedd mockingly shouted. ¡°You¡¯ve gone and wet your pants!¡± All the soldiers exploded in laughter.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Dima, I won¡¯t hurt you,¡± Zedd approached the scared man. ¡°Unless you lie to me that is!¡± Zedd lifted Dima¡¯s face towards his. As soon as the poor man looked at Zedd in the eyes, he let out a frightened squeal.

    ¡°Take them! No need to clean up!¡± Zedd ordered as he whistled for his horse.

    ¡°Where are you taking us?¡± Nico shouted at Zedd as the bandits pulled him away.

    ¡°I¡¯m taking you back home Mr. Trebias,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°There¡¯s much for us to discuss.¡±

    The next day, the wealthy tailor and the minister of defense were brought to a secluded mansion in Bairn, one of the wealthiest cities in the Kingdom of Tinria. Zedd was munching on an apple while the two were tied to chairs opposite to him. There was no piece of furniture in the room save for the three chairs.

    ¡°How did you get us inside Bairn without being noticed?¡± Nico asked. He¡¯d been confined in the empty room ever since they arrived to the city. The man with black eyes hadn¡¯t spoken to them since they met in the valley. ¡°Every crate, every keg is inspected before being allowed inside Bairn,¡± Nico went on.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing Mr. Trebias,¡± Zedd interjected. ¡°I¡¯m the one asking questions here, and I intend to get answers. On the other hand, you won¡¯t get any from me.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you anything you piece of scum!¡± Nico shouted. ¡°You think you can intimidate me like poor Dima here?¡±

    ¡°Oh no, I don¡¯t Mr. Trebias,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°I¡¯m planning to put fear in your heart. You¡¯ll see soon enough.¡±

    A knock at the door then a man entered. ¡°We¡¯re ready Zedd,¡± the man announced.

    ¡°Thanks Tristan. Bring the boy in,¡± Zedd ordered.

    Tristan disappeared behind the door then reappeared shortly, a young man at his heels. ¡°Christopher Trebias, do you recognize the man in front of you?¡± Black Eyes asked.

    Christopher nodded. ¡°Thanks, you may leave.¡± Zedd ordered again. Tristan pulled the boy and led him outside.

    ¡°What are you planning to do with my kids, Black Eyes?¡± Nico asked.

    ¡°I told you Nico, I¡¯m the one asking questions here. Shall we begin?¡± Zedd stood then walked towards the tailor. He stood behind him then pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. Using the piece of cloth Zedd gagged the tailor. ¡°Now you won¡¯t disturb us with your endless questions!¡± he said as Nico shouted inaudible words.

    ¡°Tell me Dima,¡± Zedd turned towards the minister of defense. ¡°Your prince, have you found what he¡¯s hiding yet?¡±

    Dima looked at Nico with pitiful eyes. ¡°Please Black Eyes, I can¡¯t tell you. They¡¯ll kill me for it!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a dead man anyway. If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll slaughter all your family then I¡¯ll kill you. This is a serious matter Dima,¡± Zedd warned. ¡°Don¡¯t play with powers you can¡¯t comprehend.¡±

    ¡°Please Black Eyes-¡° a punch sent Dima¡¯s head bobbing sideways.

    ¡°Let me be clear Dima. You are a dead man!¡± Zedd said with a wide smile. ¡°If you wish to save yourself the trouble of watching your family die in front of your eyes, then you¡¯d better talk.¡± Zedd took out a knife then plunged it deep into Dima¡¯s kneecap.

    Dima¡¯s screams filled the mansion. ¡°I bet you¡¯ve never felt such pain in your life eh, minister of defense? I told you, your prince has gone soft. He¡¯d put people like you in charge of military operations?¡± Zedd slapped the unconscious Dima.

    ¡°Get up softy. We still have things to discuss. What¡¯s your prince hiding?¡±

    Dima looked once more at the shouting Nico. Perhaps the tailor was urging him to keep his mouth shut. Perhaps he was urging him to talk and spare himself the pain. A sharp pain brought the minister of defense back to his torturer. Zedd had inserted another knife between Dima¡¯s shoulder blades.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at him, he can¡¯t help you!¡± Zedd shouted. ¡°What¡¯s Sylens hiding?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details,¡± Dima shouted. The pain he was experiencing was far more than what he could handle. ¡°But I heard that he¡¯s found something under the castle. A weapon they say. Something even Emperor Avourel would kill to get.¡±

    ¡°Good boy,¡± Zedd praised. ¡°So the prince won¡¯t leave the castle until he finds out more about this weapon underneath the castle. Is that why he sent you to Teiro?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Dima said in between pants and cries of agony.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t so hard was it Dima?¡± Zedd asked. ¡°You could¡¯ve saved yourself all the torture and spilled the beans.¡± Zedd took another knife then slit the man¡¯s throat. Blood gushed out to the floor. Nico shouted as he watched his good friend¡¯s life being extinguished.

    ¡°Now your turn Nico!¡± Zedd announced as he turned towards the tailor. He dragged his chair opposite Nico then sat. ¡°I¡¯ll take your gag off now. Do you promise to be a bit quieter?¡±

    Nico nodded. Black Eyes took the gag off and let the tailor catch his breath.

    ¡°You killed him in cold blood you son of a bitch!¡± Nico shouted.

    Zedd let out a long sigh then put his sharp hunting knife into the tailor¡¯s right eye. ¡°I asked you to be quiet. But since you like elevating your voice, why don¡¯t you do it properly?¡±

    Nico let out a harrowing scream. His right eye was stuck to Zedd¡¯s knife. Zedd jerked the knife towards him. The eye followed and Nico screamed even further. The eye came out, attached to knife. Blood poured out and sinew dangled from the empty socket. ¡°Skoot!¡± Zedd said as he waved his right hand in front of Nico¡¯s face.

    The tailor was instantly petrified. He couldn¡¯t move or scream. He could feel the pain in his eye, his head, but he couldn¡¯t move or utter a word. ¡°I can cast some spells Nico. The one I¡¯ve cast on you immobilizes you. You can still feel everything, but you can¡¯t react or faint from the pain inflicted upon you.¡±

    Nico tried to fight the spell but that only resulted in a sharp pain in his brain. ¡°The more you resist, the more it hurts. I can soothe your wound so we can talk. Would you agree to this Nico?¡± Zedd asked. Nico tried to nod but only experienced more pain.

    ¡°Oh silly me!¡± Zedd said then slapped his forehead. ¡°Of course you want the pain to subside.¡± Zedd took a small pouch from his belt then took a glass vial. A crimson liquid filled the vial that Zedd poured on Nico¡¯s eyes. Soon after, the man¡¯s eye socket was covered in flesh and the bleeding stopped.

    ¡°This should stop the bleeding for the moment. You¡¯ll still experience some pain in your head, but that¡¯s to be expected.¡± Zedd waved his hand once more and the paralysis spell was released. ¡°Now let¡¯s talk calmly, or your nether regions are next.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything you want,¡± Nico said, panting heavily.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard everything from your friend Dima,¡± Zedd said. ¡°You have nothing of value to me, do you?¡±

    ¡°I know what kind of weapon Sylens is hiding,¡± Nico said.

    ¡°No you don¡¯t,¡± Zedd interrupted. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have sent you to Teiro if you knew. I wasn¡¯t even planning on abducting you. Truth is Nico, you¡¯re useless to me.¡±

    ¡°What do you want from me then?¡± Nico asked, his trousers were wet and stank of excrement, his feet were shaking heavily.

    ¡°Oh, look what you¡¯ve done Nico!¡± Zedd exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s unbecoming of a wealthy tailor such as yourself!¡±

    Zedd stood then walked behind the tailor. He bent towards the man¡¯s left ear then whispered. ¡°I lied when I said you were useless to me Nico. I need your largely connected organization to run a certain coup. But you¡¯re not the cooperating type, are you Nico? You¡¯re a loyal dog, to the end.¡±

    Nico shook his head, which resulted in even more pain. ¡°Black Eyes, I¡¯ll do whatever you want me to do. Please, enough of this!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you a nice story Nico,¡± Zedd went on, not paying any heed to the tailor¡¯s pleas. ¡°In the western continents, they speak of a powerful Hunter God who invited people to hunt in his realm. You¡¯ve surely heard of the Great Hunt of Ulmir, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s this going Black Eyes?¡± Nico asked.

    ¡°Answer the question Nico,¡± Zedd urged, his knife aimed at the man¡¯s nether region.

    ¡°Yes, yes I¡¯ve heard of it,¡± Nico replied.

    ¡°Ulmir hid something terrible in his realm, intended only for a certain chosen one. Nobody knows what it is, but rumor has it that it¡¯s a legendary weapon, capable of wiping out all life.¡± Zedd went back to his basket then picked up another apple. Nico, the most powerful merchant in the eastern continents was reduced to a sorry state. He didn¡¯t know what the crazy man with black eyes had in store for him.

    ¡°To protect the secret,¡± Zedd went on. ¡°Ulmir had entrusted the key to his vault to a terrible monster. People call him the Watchdog of Ulmir. But do you know what¡¯s the funny part?¡± he asked his captive.

    ¡°What?¡± Nico asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s a question I¡¯m willing to answer Nico. The Watchdog is no dog, it¡¯s a terrible Faery. You¡¯ve heard of these monsters right? They¡¯d eat your flesh before consuming your Life Force as well. And when they find nothing to hunt or eat, they fight each other.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get your analogy here Black Eyes,¡± Nico said.

    ¡°The Watchdog is the king of Faeries. He¡¯s bigger and stronger than all of them. But he¡¯s not invulnerable. If all the Faeries decided to team up on him, they¡¯d easily take him out. But they¡¯ve never done that, do you know why Nico?¡±

    ¡°Loyalty?¡± Nico asked.

    ¡°Fuck loyalty,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°The creatures are all linked to their king. If one tries as much as put a scratch on him, he¡¯d know it beforehand. The king will then summon said usurper and suck the Life Force out of him.

    ¡°Fear is the answer Nico. The creatures fear their king. To them, he¡¯s as strong as a God. They worship him. You worship Dhobor, don¡¯t you Nico?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the defeated man answered.

    ¡°Your stubborn ideals about loyalty to your cause, to your God, brought here today Nico. Christopher, your son-¡°

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare harm him!¡± Nico shouted.

    ¡°The hit to your nether regions will come soon Nico. Just let me clarify this to you. Your son is the one who wanted you dead. I allowed him a last look before I took your life.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the tailor said, shock apparent in his face.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be more useful to me. Your son¡¯s crooked. But he¡¯s also a coward. He hired me to kill you so he¡¯d take over the family business.¡±

    Zedd approached his victim once more and leaned to look at his remaining eye. ¡°Greed, Dhobor warns against it,¡± Zedd whispered. ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t educated your son in the right way Nico. The Faery finally got rid of its fear and devoured the king! Any last words?¡±

    ¡°I know what¡¯s in Ulmir¡¯s Domain!¡± Nico shouted before Black Eyes inserted his hunting knife between his legs. ¡°I know what the Watchdog is guarding.¡±

    ¡°Good for you,¡± Zedd commented then proceeded to cut the man¡¯s manhood. The mansion was filled with horrible screams as Zedd finished his victim off, slowly but effectively.

    An hour later, Zedd met with young Christopher Trebias. ¡°You¡¯re now the new owner of Trebias Entreprise. Serve us well, or I¡¯ll get creative in my ways to punish you Chris.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Zedd,¡± Christopher answered. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how happy I am that the old fart is dead. This won¡¯t be traced back to me, will it?¡±

    ¡°Relax,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°The only one who could spill the beans is you. If word reaches Sylens, I¡¯ll come for you. Stick to the plan and you won¡¯t have to worry about me. Are we clear?¡±

    ¡°Crystal,¡± Christopher answered.

    ¡°Goodbye for now,¡± Zedd said. ¡°We¡¯ll contact you when we need you. Tristan, escort this gentleman to his house.¡±

    The next day, news of the ambush in the valley and the disappearance of Dima and Nico reached the world. ¡°Black Eyes Strikes Again,¡± newspaper headlines said. ¡°Prince Sylens Orders a Nationwide Manhunt on Black Eyes.¡±

    Days went on, then months. Zedd was nowhere to be found in the entire eastern continent. He had vanished without a trace. The rumor about the man with black eyes died out, until it resurfaced in the western continents a few months later.

    Zedd Darkstar was a man with a plan. He would stop at nothing until his wish came true. By venturing west, Zedd was about to start a series of events the likes of which Planet Hera has never witnessed. The starting point was at Ulmir¡¯s Domain, four months after his abduction of Nicholas Trebias.

 2 - Witch Hunt

    Yanoku City, Commercial District: Summer of the red moon.

    Clamor and laughter filled the Lady Bug¡¯s tavern. It was almost midnight. The western city of Yanoku is famous for its Hunters¡¯ guild. Hunters from all over the continent gather every year for the Festival of the First Hunt. From scrawny young men to brutishly strong veterans, one could hear the sound of music filling the damp streets of the port city.

    Three brawny men sat in a booth at the farthest corner of the tavern. They each sipped their ale as they whispered to each other. The noise and festive environment in the tavern didn¡¯t seem to bother them. They needed a noisy place to keep curious eavesdroppers from listening in to their conversation.

    ¡°We must find the witch before the festival begins. We can¡¯t allow those magic users near Ulmir¡¯s gate,¡± a white bearded man named Alistair said. ¡°We must find her before Viraldo comes back.¡±

    ¡°A cheap trick she played, the master will be angry if we don¡¯t find her on time.¡± This time, it was Garland who spoke, the strongest man in the guild.

    ¡°I say we ask the Rats to track ¡®er for us. Rumor has it they got a good sniffer among ¡®em now,¡± intervened the third man.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it. Nothing good comes out of partnering with those thieves.¡±

    ¡°Al¡¯s right,¡± said Garland. ¡°Those thieves¡¯re just a buncha greedy opportunists. There¡¯s no world where the Three Headed Dragon becomes friends with them rats.¡±

    ¡°I may have a better idea,¡± Alistair said.

    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Garland, anxious. Both men leaned forward, interested in what their companion had to offer. They were desperate. The witch had stolen an important artifact from the guild then ran away. Garland was the main culprit in the matter. He called his two old comrades to help him solve this delicate situation.

    ¡°I met a young man in this tavern about a month back,¡± Al started. ¡°He has no affiliation to any guild but he¡¯s very resourceful. I introduced him to Dismas and he offered to pay me back whenever I called on him.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯ll that help find the witch?¡± asked Garland who started getting impatient.

    ¡°This young man, as I said, is resourceful. He knew things about this city, about our guild, I never even thought existed. His words were: If you ever need something, or someone found, I am your man,¡± Al went on, aware of the impatient nature of his friend.

    ¡°How do we contact this new friend of yours Al?¡± asked the third man.

    ¡°He gave me this candle,¡± Alistair took the item from a pocket inside his jacket then showed it to his friends. ¡°All we need to do is light it near a window in a high structure. He¡¯ll see it and come find us.¡±

    ¡°What strange thing. You sure it¡¯s a candle?¡± asked Garland.

    ¡°The wax moves about like a live snake!¡± The third companion looked fascinated, scared to some extent too. ¡°You gone and found a strange fella, Al.¡±

    ¡°I told you, he¡¯ll come in handy. I don¡¯t know what kind of power he has. But I know he¡¯s the man for our job.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± asked Garland.

    ¡°What¡¯re ye three talkin ¡®bout?¡± a drunken man approached the group, shouting at the top of his lungs.

    Silence suddenly fell. Everyone stared at the poor drunken fellow who dared interrupt the three hunters. Garland slowly got up, held the man from the scruff of his neck then threw him out a window. Laughter filled the tavern again and the festivities resumed.

    ¡°He shoulda known better,¡± some could be heard saying.

    ¡°Never talk to Garland unless yer invited to his table,¡± others murmured.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what those heroes are doing here. They got their own pub at the guild.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let them hear you say that, Garland will fling you to the city gates.¡±

    Talk about the three hunters went on for a while before the subject got reverted to the festival. Bards resumed their singing and the barman was compensated for the broken window by Alistair.

    The three hunters left the Lady Bug a short while after then headed towards the guild watchtower.. It was the highest structure in the Guild district and also Alistair¡¯s personal quarters. The man was the Three Headed Dragons¡¯ brains. His job was to compile data on legendary monsters that inhabited the eastern continent.

    ¡°Let me do the talking,¡± Al said as they walked towards their guild headquarters. ¡°This young lad is strange. Please don¡¯t lose your temper Garland. We don¡¯t want our only hope to refuse us.¡±

    ¡°Hah! He¡¯ll listen to reason, one way or another,¡± replied the brute.

    ¡°Not this one, old friend. He¡¯s stronger than our most mysterious hunters. The man gives me the creeps.¡±

    ¡°What makes you think he won¡¯t betray us?¡± the third companion asked.

    ¡°He has a certain moral code he abides by. I got to know him pretty well. He¡¯s a man of his word Zorah.¡±

    ¡°I trust your instinct, friend, unlike others who doubt everything,¡± Garland addressed Alistair as he shot a suspicious look at the man called Zorah.

    ¡°You know Garland, if you could think with your brains instead of that thing between your legs, we wouldn¡¯t be in this mess.¡± Zorah was the Three Headed Dragon¡¯s scout. Together with Al, they lead the guild intelligence team.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    Despite his large body, Garland was pretty quick to reach Zorah and placate him against a wall. ¡°If you learned to keep your mouth shut, you wouldn¡¯t have your skull bashed against this wall now.¡±

    ¡°Enough both of you!¡± Al intervened. ¡°That witch will hand the star back to us. There¡¯s no need to get into senseless arguments now.¡±

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right Al.¡± Garland let go of the scout leader, albeit with great reluctance.

    ¡°Zorah is right friend. That witch didn¡¯t even need to charm you with spells. You fell right into her natural charms the moment she joined the Sol hunt,¡± Alistair resumed.

    ¡°My contact will find her for us. Just let me do the talking, alright?¡±

    ¡°Why are we tagging along then?¡± asked Zorah.

    ¡°That young lad functions in a strange way. He¡¯ll know that I¡¯m not the only one involved in this matter. He¡¯d want to see us all.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d he want with Dismas anyway? The way I see it, this friend of yours can find anyone,¡± asked Zorah.

    ¡°He¡¯s looking for Mr. Smith,¡± Al replied. At the mention of this name, the two men¡¯s faces changed.

    ¡°Why¡¯d anybody look for that monster of a man?!¡± asked Garland. The strongest man in the guild was clearly shaken by the mention of that name.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask and I prefer to stay out of it.¡±

    ¡°Wise decision,¡± commented Zorah. ¡°Nothing good comes out of dealing with the devil itself.¡±

    ¡°Al, you sure it¡¯s wise to team up with someone like that?¡± asked Garland.

    ¡°It¡¯s either him or the rats.¡±

    ¡°Bah!¡± Garland answered, frustrated. ¡°Follow your guts. I just hope he¡¯s the lesser evil.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± interrupted Zorah. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with. Master can¡¯t come back and find the star missing.¡±

    The three hunters got into the old watchtower and inside Al¡¯s private study. Al lit up the strange candle then put it near the window after which the three sat down, waiting for the mysterious man¡¯s arrival. The chandelier that hung above the study was the only source of light in the room, save for the green flame emitted from the candle.

    After a short while, the candle fire turned bright red then suddenly got extinguished. The three hunters stared at the direction of the extinguished candle, surprised at this sudden change. A gentle knock on their door brought them back to reality. ¡°I¡¯ll open it,¡± Alistair whispered, unsure why he spoke faintly.

    ¡°Hello dear friend,¡± a deep voice reached the other hunters¡¯ ears.

    ¡°Zedd, please come in. Have a seat wherever you please.¡±

    ¡°How did he get in unnoticed?¡± Garland whispered to Zorah.

    ¡°I snuck in here of course,¡± answered the young man, surprising the two hunters. ¡°I assume you have some urgent matters to deal with Al.¡± Zedd seated himself beside the window that overlooked the Akhari castle, the largest structure in the city. He took the strange candle and pocketed it.

    Alistair filled some cups with ale then handed them to his friends and guest. The faint light from the chandelier barely illuminated the young man¡¯s face. ¡°You must be Garland,¡± Zedd started. ¡°The strongest hunter in the guild, it is an honor to meet you.

    ¡°And you¡¯re the famous scout, Zorah. Your work is quite admirable. How can I help the Three Headed Dragon¡¯s legendary hunters?¡±

    ¡°Legendary is but a title forced upon us by the guild apprentice hunters. We¡¯re but men who dedicated themselves to doing their job without losing any limbs,¡± Al started.

    ¡°Or our lives,¡± Garland intervened.

    ¡°Three wise men looking for a fool¡¯s help, I¡¯ll do my best to assist you. How about you tell me about the reason you¡¯ve summoned me?¡± Zedd asked. The tall hooded man eyed the hunters who called for his help. From under the hood he wore, Garland could only see the young man¡¯s golden shining eyes. ¡®Strange doesn¡¯t even do him justice. That man gives me the creeps,¡¯ he thought as he felt the young man¡¯s penetrating gaze read through his soul.

    ¡°Have you heard of the Purple witch?¡± Al asked.

    ¡°A headache to anyone who deals with her, what did she steal?¡±

    ¡°The azure star,¡± said Zorah.

    Zedd let out a long whistle before replying. ¡°She¡¯s hit the jackpot this time. Master Viraldo won¡¯t be too happy to hear about this.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s in Helton now. He¡¯s due here in three days. That witch has vanished without a trace. I was hoping you¡¯d help us locate her,¡± Al said.

    ¡°I can do that. Dealing with a magic user is no easy task even for hunters. You can rest assured friend, you¡¯ll have your star before Master Viraldo makes it back to the port.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll come with you. I wanna make that bitch pay,¡± Garland said.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t allow that. I prefer doing the tracking alone. Besides, I have a great use for that witch. You¡¯ll get your star back and you¡¯ll never hear from that woman ever again.¡±

    Garland turned to Al with a worried look in his eyes. Zorah didn¡¯t try to protest. He trusted Al with the decision making. There was no time to argue about the matter anyway. They needed to solve the situation quickly before their master came back with a foreign envoy.

    The Azure Star was the most valuable artifact the guild has ever possessed. It was actually an ancient dragon¡¯s eye. It represented the might of the guild and losing it would deal a great blow to their reputation. The three hunters were desperate for a solution.

    ¡°Very well, our priority is to get the star back. I don¡¯t care what happens to that witch as long as she never sets foot in this city anymore.¡± Alistair trusted Zedd to deliver on his promise.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have your star in two days. But I¡¯ll need the witch to be in the city for a few days.¡± the young man stated.

    ¡°What d¡¯ya mean?¡± Garland asked, agitated.

    Alistair shot a cold look at Garland before he composed himself then said. ¡°That witch has insulted our guild. We can¡¯t allow her in the city anymore.¡±

    Zedd smiled, revealing perfectly aligned white teeth. ¡°Surely, no one knows of what she¡¯s done. Otherwise you wouldn¡¯t have called me here Al. Besides, the witch won¡¯t show her face in the guild district. I¡¯ve rented a place at the Commercial District. She¡¯ll stay there. Her magic won¡¯t reach you since I will seal it while she resides here. Does that put your minds at ease friends?¡±

    Alistair looked at Garland, the restless. ¡°I guess,¡± the brute answered.

    ¡°Then it is settled. I¡¯ll depart at once.¡± Zedd revealed a final smile from under his hood.

    A chilling breeze suddenly engulfed the room. The candles were extinguished and darkness ensued. The moon was hiding behind the dark clouds. Alistair headed for the window then closed it. He was used to Zedd¡¯s unusual ways of dealing with negotiations.

    ¡°He¡¯s gone. Zorah, please light those candles.¡±

    ¡°That man chilled me to the bones,¡± Garland noted. ¡°How can you trust him so easy Al? Are we s¡¯posed to sit in ¡®ere waitin¡¯ fer some miracle?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re restless, I understand that friend. But have faith. I¡¯ve seen this young man in action. He¡¯s not like the rest of us.¡± Alistair closed the windows and got back to his seat by the big oak desk in his study.

    ¡°How¡¯d you describe him then?¡± Garland asked. ¡°There¡¯s evil in ¡®im. I could feel it in me soul.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve stopped labeling things long ago my dear friend. Zedd has an unusual power. I¡¯ve seen him take down ten of Dismas¡¯ men in a matter of seconds. I barely even blinked before they were all knocked out cold.

    ¡°His power is mysterious. It¡¯s better if he goes on his own. We¡¯ll only slow him down or alert the witch to our presence. You can rest assured friends, the star will be brought back to us.¡±

    ¡°As long as we get that damned eye back, I¡¯ll sleep like a baby. We¡¯ve no other choice but to trust that gut feeling you have. It never failed us before.¡± Garland finally gave up on his protests. ¡°I¡¯ll go drink myself senseless, you two get back to your educated conversations.¡±

    Garland left the two hunters and headed for the guild¡¯s common area. As the Bounty Master, his presence at the common area was required at all times. ¡°You don¡¯t trust me. But you can rest assured. That star should never leave this place. You know not of its true value. I will deliver it to you safely, you have my word.¡±

    The message reached his head, not his ears. Garland looked around, confused. There was nobody around, but Zedd¡¯s voice kept ringing inside his head until he reached the common area. ¡®What terrifying monster have we invited in our lives?¡¯ the thought kept coming back to Garland as he drank his fill, trying to chase the thought of the young man with the shining eyes away.

 3 - Slaughter in the Suburbs

    Outskirts of Sendra, a small town east of Yanoku: Summer of the red moon.

    Zedd was hard on the witch¡¯s trail. He knew that she was in Ash Lake, a city of outlaws. ¡®She planned her escape very nicely. But she left a trail behind. Lucky I met Dismas back then,¡¯ Zedd thought as he urged his mare to run faster.

    Zedd Darkstar was an unusual man. He had the body of a man in his twenties, but had the wisdom of an old scholar. He had the exuberance of youth and the wisdom of kings. What Zedd didn¡¯t possess was a family. He could barely remember what his own parents looked like.

    This was not because he never knew them. In fact, Zedd lived with his parents until the age of sixteen. Most times, people tend to remember experiences, and feelings, but never the details. Zedd remembered his mother¡¯s kind nature, his father¡¯s drinking habit. But he couldn¡¯t remember their faces or their voices.

    It¡¯s with this pain that Zedd woke up every morning. It¡¯s with this same pain that he was riding his mare towards Ash Lake. Zedd had been riding for half a day. He was planning on reaching Ash Lake by night. ¡®If I want to trap the witch, then I must catch her off guard,¡¯ he thought. Thinking and planning was his only way of forgetting pain. He¡¯d throw all the painful memories aside in order to plan his actions.

    ¡®It¡¯s good that I planted one of my Little Fairies in her belongings.¡¯ Zedd also had an unusual power. Not only was he a strong fighter, he was also a magic user of sorts. His magic was ancestral, more powerful than that used by sorcerers and witches in the four continents, but bound by strict rules.

    ¡°Riders,¡± Zedd whispered to himself. ¡°They¡¯re armed.¡± Zedd looked around. The road he was riding through was surrounded by rubble. He was in an old oasis. ¡°Water must have dried out. This must only mean one thing.¡± Bandits inhabited the place, robbing any unlucky traveler who happened upon the place.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t think the outlaws had become so bold. To get so close to Sendra, the Chancellor and his Custodians are getting sloppy,¡¯ he thought as he cast a spell to conceal his real face.

    ¡°Oy!¡± one of the riders shouted. ¡°S¡¯cuse me sir, we¡¯re lost. S¡¯pose you could show us the way?¡±

    ¡®Classic!¡± he thought as he scanned the approaching riders with his unusual eyes. ¡°I suppose,¡± Zedd shouted back. ¡°Approach, I¡¯ll even escort you to your destination if possible.¡±

    The three riders smiled. One of them had lost most of his front teeth. Another had a broken, swollen nose. ¡°Thank the Gods we found you kind sir.¡± The rider that first spoke reached Zedd.

    ¡°What happened to you?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°We was attacked kind sir. The bandits came at us from behind the walls. They was so many sir. We had to flee, leave our families behind.¡± The other two riders reached Zedd. Each of them stood on one side. He was surrounded.

    ¡°I assume,¡± Zedd started. ¡°That the bandits you speak of are hiding behind the pile of rubble that surrounds us, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes sir!¡± the first rider said, his smile even larger this time.

    Zedd let out a long sigh then looked at the three riders surrounding him. ¡°The story you just told me. Was it of a family you just robbed?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± the first rider, who was apparently their spokesperson and leader, said.

    ¡°Nothing, I just wonder what type of punishment I must use on you.¡±

    The leader of the bandits started laughing loudly. His laughter got louder and louder after which the other bandits followed. ¡°Ya mean to punish us? Us? Yer all alone mister? What can ye do?¡±

    Zedd swiftly swung his sword. His movement was unnoticeable. The moment the bandits heard the sword click, it was already sheathed. The leader¡¯s face was cut in half. The upper half slowly slid down to the side then, with a heavy thump, fell on the ground.

    The other bandits, terrified, all attacked at once. You may think it stupid, but it was the only reaction they knew. When frightened, you fight. Perhaps, with numbers and luck, one can prevail against the dark powers.

    Perhaps, by stomping one¡¯s feet hard enough, one could hope to kill the frightening insect that invaded their property. But what happens when the insect you meant to stomp vanishes?

    The two riders¡¯ swords collided. Zedd had vanished and reappeared behind the bandits that hid by the rubble. All of a sudden, high pitched shrieks filled the air. Blood painted the crumbling walls red. They heard feet scattering, trying to get out of the ongoing slaughter, but none came out. The riders, along with the other bandits on the other side, started panicking.

    From behind the rubble Zedd appeared again, slowly walking towards his prey. ¡°Who do you pray to when frightened?¡± he shouted at the petrified band of outlaws. ¡°Will you call for your mother?¡± Zedd instantly appeared beside one of the riders, pointing his sword at his lower parts. Nobody knew how he reached his target so quickly. To the others watching, it felt like he just vanished then reappeared next to the rider.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Will you pray that your God, whichever he is, would come and help you?¡± Zedd asked. His eyes were black, his pupils golden and rectangular. In his anger, he¡¯d forgotten to keep the concealing spell active.

    ¡°What? What are you?¡± the rider asked.

    ¡°Look at them eyes!¡± a bandit exclaimed.

    ¡°Tis the Devil, he got ¡®em black eyes!¡±

    All bandits started whispering, some called the man attacking them a Devil. Others called him a sorcerer. Zedd smiled then looked at the group of bandits in front of him. ¡°The Devil is a manmade concept. Go ahead and call me one if you¡¯d like. But I¡¯m far worse than your Devil.¡±

    The rider screamed. His high pitched wails penetrated his comrades¡¯ ears. Zedd had thrust his sword down at the rider¡¯s hip joint. With every twist of the sword, the man wailed and begged even more. The pain was unbearable. His friends could only wince at hearing his screams and pleas.

    Then it dawned on them. They were all going to die unless they fought back. They had to fight back or run. The only rider left was the first to understand the urgency of the situation. He kicked his horse, urging it to run as fast as possible. Zedd looked at the rider, trying to escape from the slaughter.

    ¡°Run boy! Run!¡± He shouted at the fleeing bandit.

    That day, news reached Sendra. A group of bandits had been decimated by a Devil. The word used to describe the group of brigands wasn¡¯t bandits though. The NewsCo decided to use a more appealing title. After all, NewsCo was a corporation. It wanted to sell its newspaper with attractive titles.

    ¡°Slaughter In Sendra¡¯s Suburbs!¡± Extra papers were issued and people started speaking of a Devil that targeted poor areas. Zedd however, had no idea of the news spread around him. If he¡¯d known, he¡¯d be delighted beyond measure.

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have shown them my real face,¡¯ he thought as he kept riding towards Ash Lake. ¡®But then again, they¡¯ll never be ready for it, might as well start now.¡¯ Zedd urged his horse to move faster. He was out of sight now. If he rode without rest, he¡¯d reach Ash Lake in two days. But he wanted to reach the Inn by nightfall.

    ¡°Pharah,¡± he said, addressing his magnificent mare. ¡°There¡¯s no one watching now. You can go all out. When you see the city gates, go back to your usual speed.¡±

    The horse neighed then started galloping. At first, the wind started caressing Zedd¡¯s face. But as the mare increased its speed, Zedd¡¯s eyes started watering. He closed his internal eyelids then continued observing the road. He had to reach the city before the witch suspected Dismas. ¡®She¡¯s paranoid. She¡¯ll no doubt suspect something. If I allow her any opening, she¡¯ll surely use it.¡¯

    For a month, he¡¯d been observing the witch. He¡¯d seen her with Garland on many occasions. Her energy readings were unusual, too pure for a witch in the Kozagan Desert. He knew she had a hidden agenda. But he couldn¡¯t get too close to her. She was wary of her unknown observer. ¡®Perhaps, that was what pushed her to steal the star and disappear. Perhaps I pressured her into stealing it in this fashion. It¡¯s not like her to leave a trail behind.¡¯

    Zedd was an unusual man. He also sought unusual humans to rally them to his cause. He was determined to see the empire fall, for personal reasons. He knew it wasn¡¯t the best motivational speech to convince someone to join him. But he had a different way to convince his potential recruits to join. The trap he was preparing for the witch was simple, yet completely out of her expectations.

    Yanoku City, Falcon¡¯s Nest, A Restaurant in the Commercial District

    Later that night, news of his slaughter reached the city. A man, dressed all in black, was sitting in the furthermost corner of the Falcon¡¯s Nest. He seemed to be enjoying his conversation over dinner with some lively people. A woman, wearing a dress too tight for comfort, approached him and whispered something in his ear.

    The man stood up, bowed to his companions and excused himself for a while. He had something to discuss with an uninvited guest.

    ¡°Lead the way,¡± he told the young woman.

    She led him upstairs, toward the lounge reserved for nobles and well-known council members.

    He got inside the lounge to find Alistair waiting for him, arms crossed, legs nervously sweeping the floor beneath him.

    ¡°Have you heard?¡± Alistair asked as soon as the man got in.

    ¡°Did you come all this way to discuss what we all saw on the extra papers?¡± the man asked. He was obviously annoyed by Alistair¡¯s impromptu visit.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know where he was heading,¡± Alistair said. ¡°I would¡¯ve warned you otherwise.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright Al,¡± Dismas cut in. ¡°Look, as long as he gets that damn eye back, I won¡¯t retaliate. To tell you the truth, the man gives me the willies.¡±

    ¡°He got to Sendra pretty quickly, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Dismas let out a heavy sigh, then raised an eyebrow at the hunter. ¡°I¡¯m not your confidant, Al,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ve already interrupted a pleasant meeting. Now if you¡¯d excuse me, I have guests to entertain.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Alistair said, almost begging the man to turn and look at him. ¡°I think we can use him.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Dismas asked.

    ¡°Think about it,¡± Alistair said. ¡°With a man as powerful as he is on our side, we can easily deal with the Viraldo situation.¡±

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t answered my question Al,¡± Dismas reprimanded. ¡°Be quick about it!¡±

    ¡°Here¡¯s what I think,¡± Alistair began, ¡°He will catch the witch and bring us the eye. I also think he¡¯ll ask for another favor from me. I can feel it. You know how I have a knack for this. Whatever he asks for, I¡¯ll ask him to help us.¡±

    Dismas seemed to think about this for a while. He looked down, holding his clean shaven chin with one hand, the other in his pocket.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said after a while. ¡°Say he asks for a favor, how will you make sure he doesn¡¯t turn you down?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where you come in,¡± Alistair said. ¡°He¡¯s asked you for something, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°He may have,¡± Dismas admitted. ¡°He asked for information that¡¯s hard to come by, even in my line of business. Very well, I see what you¡¯re getting at. I¡¯ll make sure I have what he wants by then.¡±

    Alistair¡¯s face beamed. ¡°I won¡¯t disappoint you,¡± he said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t,¡± Dismas agreed with an amiable smile. ¡°But be careful around that man. He¡¯s got unusual methods. He¡¯s more cunning that he lets on. One misstep and he¡¯ll figure you out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we can force his hand somehow,¡± Alistair said, his smile hadn¡¯t faded away.

    ¡°Do what you will,¡± Dismas replied. ¡°Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have important guests waiting for me.¡±

    Alistair nodded.

 4 - The Purple Witch

    The city of outlaws: Ash Lake: Summer of the Red Moon

    Zedd reached the city at dawn. He had been keeping his eyes on the witch for more than a month. He needed her powers to set his grand plan in motion. If it weren¡¯t for Alistair¡¯s request, he wouldn¡¯t approach her so soon. ¡®Her magic will make him easier to capture. I only need to convince her to let go of her stupid pride. I guess there¡¯s no need in delaying the matter any further.¡¯

    Zedd was standing in front of Osimir¡¯s Rest, the largest inn in the city of outlaws. The lobby was beautifully decorated with wooden carvings of laughing mermaids, dancing around a trident wielding man. ¡®Osimir, God of the sea: Do you really exist, I wonder?¡¯ he thought as he advanced towards the receptionist.

    ¡°Welcome to Osimir¡¯s rest, how can I help you today?¡± a fair young girl asked. Her melodious voice showed her dedication to her job. To Zedd, it was an indication of something else.

    ¡°You seem so happy to live and work in such a desolate place. This inn, among all others, doesn¡¯t seem to be touched by thievery or raids. How so?¡± he asked.

    The receptionist smiled, revealing her perfectly aligned teeth. ¡°This Inn is under lord Dismas¡¯s protection. No one would dare attack us, unless they want to suffer the consequences.¡±

    Zedd smiled back to the lady behind the counter. He wore brown trousers with black leather knee-high boots. On top, Zedd wore a boiled leather chest piece with a metallic spaulder harnessed to his left shoulder. He didn¡¯t wear a helmet. He¡¯d left his head exposed, perhaps as a warning to any who¡¯d think of attacking him. After the events in the outskirts of Sendra, Zedd couldn¡¯t allow any more delays.

    ¡°What would be the consequences one must suffer if, say.¡± Zedd leaned towards the receptionist then continued. ¡°He were to destroy your lord Dismas¡¯s Inn?¡± His last question came as a whisper. He was still smiling. Coupled with his strange black eyes, the man was frightening.

    The receptionist, frozen in place, couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Zedd¡¯s. ¡°Guards will be alerted. Then the offender will be punished accordingly. Certain death awaits every offender.¡±

    ¡°Good to know,¡± Zedd commented, his wicked smile still drawn on his face. ¡°When you look at a man like me, what comes to your mind?¡±

    The receptionist was at a loss for words. Zedd didn¡¯t look like much at first. When he had just entered the inn, he looked like an ordinary traveller. He wore a cheap set of armor. He was of average built, but taller than most. What scared the others away was perhaps what glued the receptionist in place. His irises were pitch back. Where normal humans would have circular pupils, Zedd¡¯s had a golden rectangular shape. Looking at him was akin to looking an otherworldly demon in the eye.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say sir,¡± the receptionist finally answered.

    ¡°I¡¯m visiting a friend. She took your biggest room,¡± Zedd said after a long fit of laughter.

    ¡°Ah Miss Haart, I¡¯ll notify her of your presence. Who should I say is visiting?¡± The receptionist¡¯s hands were heavily shaking at that point. She didn¡¯t know who or what she was dealing with.

    ¡°Mr Cornwall, she¡¯ll know who it is.¡±

    ¡°Please have a seat in our lobby. She¡¯ll be with you shortly.¡±

    ¡°Can someone tend to my horse? She¡¯s restless, so ask them to be nice to her.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir. Would you like anything to drink?¡±

    ¡°Just bring me the News Co. I¡¯ll read it while waiting for Miss Haart to arrive.¡±

    The receptionist rang a bell and summoned two brutes. ¡°Jake, please escort our guest to the lobby. Jim, tend to his horse. See that she¡¯s well fed.¡±

    Zedd threw a Silver Krown at the lady and thanked her before following Jake. ¡°How are things at the Aurunn Empire?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Tis bad sir. There¡¯s talk of invading the west.¡± The young brute answered.

    ***

    In the meantime, the receptionist, called Ada, went looking for Ms. Haart. A knock at the door and a woman¡¯s voice was heard: ¡°Come in.¡± The receptionist got in and briefly told her guest of the situation. ¡°Are you sure he said he was Mr. Cornwall?¡±

    ¡°Yes my lady, I¡¯m certain.¡±

    ¡°From your description, this man doesn¡¯t fit his profile at all. It doesn¡¯t sound like one of Al¡¯s men either. Tell him to come to me. If he gets any crazy ideas, I¡¯ll deal with him personally.¡±

    ¡°He sure looks like the man in the news,¡± the receptionist said.

    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s better to bring him here. I have enough materials here to trap and him and deliver him to Dismas.¡±

    ¡°As you say my lady, but remember my master¡¯s words. If this inn comes to harm during your stay-¡°

    ¡°I know what your lord¡¯s words were. Now, bring that man here.¡±

    The receptionist bowed then excused herself from the witch¡¯s spacious room.

    ¡®A stranger comes to visit me, and today, of all days! Perhaps the gods truly exist. They¡¯re probably laughing at me now.¡¯

    ***

    Zedd sat down on a comfortable sofa then started reading the news. ¡®That witch will walk right into my trap. Curiosity is indeed deadly. Now let¡¯s see what the resistance is up to.¡¯ The young man took the newspaper. What he found on the news though, delighted him. ¡®A Devil with black eyes huh?! That¡¯s bound to create some inconveniences for me in the future.¡¯

    He then started reading about the new power that has recently challenged the strongest empire in the four continents. He was in a good mood. The news of his latest slaughter were beautifully portrayed by the NewsCo writers. ¡°The Aurunn demon has reached Kozag¡±, another title said. ¡®News sure travel fast, at this rate, Al won¡¯t be too happy to see me.¡¯

    ¡°Emperor Avourel inaugurates the Gates of Mercy,¡± the next article title said. That title alone darkened Zedd¡¯s mood. ¡®He¡¯s opened the gate already. Not much time before he discovers the Pathway,¡¯ he thought as he read the news article.

    He wasn¡¯t allowed to give it much thought though, as the receptionist had already come back.

    ¡°Mr Cornwall, Miss Haart would like to see you in her chambers,¡± she announced.

    ¡°Very well, lead the way. Ask the bell boy to bring us some drinks. A strong spirit would be preferable.¡± Zedd put the newspaper aside and followed the fair lady. His mood had suddenly changed. ¡®Don¡¯t get emotional you bastard!¡¯ he mentally scolded himself. He hated witches, especially the cunning type. But he needed that one. There was no room for emotion in war.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    On the second floor of Osimirs¡¯ Rest, there was a room that occupied the entire left side of the building. Where four rooms would usually be stacked next to each other, one room had been rearranged to fit the whole space. The one occupied by the Purple Witch had all commodities: a private study, a meeting lounge and a private bathroom attached to the bedchambers. Zedd was shown to the meeting lounge.

    ¡°Miss Haart will be with you shortly,¡± the receptionist said before leaving the room. Zedd thanked her with a smile and a nod before turning his observing eyes towards the study.

    ¡°You can come out now, she¡¯s gone,¡± he said after the fair young lady closed the door.

    From the study she came out, smelling of jasmine and honeysuckle. She stood by the door, observing the mysterious man who borrowed the name Cornwall. She wore a velvet olive green robe. A necklace with a fist sized purple jewel hung on her neck. ¡°You¡¯re not Cornwall, what do you want?¡± she asked.

    The scent of her perfume invaded Zedd¡¯s nostrils. He took a deep breath, let the perfume¡¯s sweet aroma tickle his senses. Zedd then looked at the witch, his strange eyes fixating hers. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a seat? Or would you rather wait for our drinks to arrive?¡±

    ¡°I thought I asked you who you were. What do you want from me?¡± she asked again. Her face was stern, yet her heart was shaken. She clenched her fists as doubt started sprouting.

    ¡°Your little trick won¡¯t work on me. Please, have a seat,¡± Zedd asked once more. ¡°We have many things to talk about.¡±

    The witch bit hard on her lips. Her Acuity never failed her until that day. Her Charming spells wouldn¡¯t activate. That day, ever since she woke up, the witch couldn¡¯t muster any spiritual energy. ¡°You¡¯re not Cornwall,¡± she said.

    ¡°And you¡¯re not Miss Haart either,¡± Zedd quickly replied. His smile started irritating the witch. ¡°Sit.¡± Black Eyes tapped the armchair near him. ¡°Let¡¯s talk, I don¡¯t like repeating myself.¡± This time, Zedd¡¯s tone brooked no argument.

    Faux Miss Haart hesitated at the study door. She couldn¡¯t trust her mysterious visitor. Her magic seemed to be powerless against him. Zedd looked at the petrified witch. He let out a sigh then said.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been hiding here, not using your magic in fear of being found out. What you didn¡¯t realize,¡± Zedd paused a moment, stood and approached the witch, ¡°Is that you couldn¡¯t use magic since dawn. Please don¡¯t struggle. I mean you no harm.¡±

    ¡°What are you?¡± she asked, struggling to conjure up some semblance of magical energy.

    ¡°I¡¯m your divine blessing,¡± he answered, smiled, then went on, ¡°or your worst nightmare. You have an important choice to make today. You can¡¯t use your magic, and I know you¡¯re a sloppy fighter. I won¡¯t harm you unless you choose to resist.¡±

    ¡°A fancy way of telling me I don¡¯t have a choice in what¡¯s about to happen,¡± the witch bitterly said.

    ¡°Confusion fills your mind my lady. Do you wish to know how I managed to seal your magic?¡±

    Miss Haart nodded.

    ¡°What do you know of Aetherbane?¡±

    ¡°That I need to be either shot with it or drink something infused with it.¡±

    ¡°And yet, you have your ways of detecting the strange substance in food and drinks. What do the southerners say about Aetherbane?¡± Zedd started walking around the lounge, inspecting the numerous artifacts the witch had placed to embellish the plain room.

    ¡°What does a legend have to do with my sealed powers?¡±

    ¡°Everything my dear lady, everything,¡± Zedd said in an enthusiastic manner.

    ¡°Please enlighten me,¡± the witch asked.

    ¡°Perhaps another day, our drinks have arrived.¡±

    Shortly after, Jake knocked. He put two glasses of the strongest spirit they had on the coffee table. Zedd paid the young man and dismissed him.

    ¡°Should we get to business? Please sit, I won¡¯t bite,¡± the young man said with a mischievous smile.

    Zedd sat on the armchair then pointed his finger at the lady who hadn¡¯t moved from the study door. A gentle flick was enough to pull the witch next to her unexpected guest.

    ¡°I understand your wariness, but if I wanted you dead I wouldn¡¯t go through so much trouble of showing my face to everyone.¡±

    The witch, bound by invisible threads, sat on the sofa next to Zedd. The more she struggled, the tighter the threads became. The stranger¡¯s rectangular pupils stared at her.

    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± she asked, frustrated.

    ¡°I admire your strength of character and skills lady. I¡¯m here to discuss a delicate subject. I¡¯d rather have you converse with me without these restraints. I hope you¡¯ll be compliant. I¡¯d hate to resort to more,¡± he paused and squinted at the witch, ¡°brutish manners.¡±

    Miss Haart weakly nodded. The binds weakened her. It felt like they were draining the life out of her.

    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± she asked after the threads loosened.

    ¡°The eye you stole from my friends. I need it back.¡±

    ¡°What if I¡¯ve already sold it?¡±

    ¡°I would¡¯ve known, like I know it¡¯s in your bosom right now.¡±

    ¡°I went through a lot of trouble to get that damned star from Garland¡¯s watchful eyes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not an unreasonable man. I have something for you, something far better than a dead dragon¡¯s eye.¡±

    ¡°When I sell this star, I¡¯ll be rich enough to buy an island with servants. What can top that?¡± the witch asked with a smirk on her face.

    ¡°Freedom my lady,¡± Zedd answered with great enthusiasm. His expression quickly changed to one of anger when he spoke again. ¡°The empire is on our doors. I hear they have ships with wings. Crossing the ocean won¡¯t be so hard if they can fly over that stubborn snake. Where would you run when the empire comes knocking? Arsalan? I don¡¯t think you want to go back there.¡±

    ¡°You!¡± the witch suddenly got up, infuriated at Zedd¡¯s last words. ¡°How do you know about Arsalan?¡±

    ¡°Sit down!¡± Zedd retorted in a calm but imposing manner. ¡°I¡¯m offering you a lifetime opportunity here.¡± The young man flicked his fingers again and the witch was forcefully brought back on the chair. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get to important matters.¡± Zedd was back to his enthusiastic self.

    The Purple Witch, one of the strongest witches in the western continent was subdued with a simple finger flick. Never in her life has she felt so humiliated. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± she asked for the umpteenth time, frustrated.

    ¡°First, I¡¯d kindly advise you to use a different tone with me. Your life belongs to me now. I can extinguish it as easily as I subdued you.

    ¡°Second, I want that eye. My friends asked me to get it back to them as soon as possible, and I¡¯m planning to deliver on my promise.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s the matter of the rebellious Purple Witch. Despite the power you have, you use it to find a shortcut to an easier life. I call that laziness at its best.¡±

    The witch glared at Zedd in silence, afraid to utter another word to the devil in her presence.

    ¡°The empire has the Church¡¯s support. They¡¯ll be upon us soon. Viraldo has gone to negotiate a peace treaty that would save Yanoku. In two years, there will be no place left to hide. You know the emperor¡¯s opinion of magic users, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I know all of this already. The eye was to allow me to live two luxurious years before it all crumbles.¡± The witch finally regained her speech.

    ¡°How about fighting back?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°Hah! How are we to fight the Empire and the Church?¡±

    ¡°I have an army, and I plan on increasing its size considerably.¡±

    ¡°You plan to fight the empire? You¡¯re crazy.¡±

    ¡°Look at me and tell me what you see. Do you see a sane person?¡± Zedd leaned towards the helpless witch, looked her in the eyes, smiled then continued. ¡°Yes I am crazy. But I have a purpose and ways to fulfill it. Fight with me, and you¡¯ll live a life with no regrets.¡±

    ¡°How is my power useful to you? I can¡¯t hope to fight against the empire¡¯s wizards and automata?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you how to draw your power from the Primordial Lake.¡±

    Faux Miss Haart¡¯s pupils grew larger. The notion of drawing power from that ancient place was unfathomable.

    ¡°No one has ever been able to draw power from that ancient place,¡± she mocked. ¡°The strongest Wizards in history could only summon Aeons to fight by their side. On top of it all, they could only summon them for a short period of time.¡±

    ¡°The Church can easily do that, even the emperor has that power.¡±

    ¡°Listen sir,¡±

    ¡°Call me Zedd,¡± he interrupted.

    ¡°Listen Zedd,¡± The witch spoke again, ¡°I¡¯m but a simple witch. Why do you want to drag me into this?¡±

    ¡°You stole from the Three Headed Dragon. No one has ever tried such stupid endeavor, not even those filthy Rats. You underestimate your powers witch. I have a plan, and that plan involves wizards and witches. I can easily offer the same to others.

    ¡°You can either give me the eye then leave this place empty handed, or you can have power beyond your wildest dreams. What will you choose?¡±

    ¡°Can I take my time to consider the offer?¡±

    The question seemed to irritate Zedd. His brows furrowed and the invisible threads around the witch tightened, causing her to moan in pain.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like your attitude witch,¡± he said. His voice was an angry hiss. ¡°You have until noon today. After which I¡¯ll leave to Yanoku. If you¡¯re still willing, come with me. You¡¯ll be my guest of honor. No one will dare touch a hair on your body. If not, then I wish you a painless death when the emperor invades. Now, hand over that stone.¡±

    The witch reached into her bosom and took out a round blue stone. Zedd pocketed the item, thanked the woman then left.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be at the inn¡¯s tavern until noon. Come see me if you¡¯re willing to change this world.¡±

 5 - The Ritual of Sacrifice

    <u>Yanoku City: Summer of the red moon. One week before the Hunt.</u>

    The Administrative District of Yanoku houses two prominent religious figures. The first is the church of Dhobor, the Maker. The second is Ulmir, the Hunter God. During the Festival of the First Hunt, people gather from every corner of the Kozagan Desert to celebrate unity.

    One week before Ulmir¡¯s Gate is opened. The city organizes a sacrificial ceremony. The sacrifice is made to quell Ulmir¡¯s anger, to reduce the chances of sentient monsters crossing the Gate. After Zedd brought the star back to Alistair, the former asked him to join him at the celebration.

    Zedd stood next to Alistair in the street leading to the house of Ulmir. Most nobles and leaders of factions in the Kozagan Desert assembled at the temple to celebrate the First Hunt. Zedd, being Alistair¡¯s guest, was invited to assist to the Ritual of Sacrifice. Alistair represented the Guild on Viraldo¡¯s behalf. They were both seated in the front row. The Hunters¡¯ Guild was doing Ulmir¡¯s job, ridding the world of the beasts He hunted.

    ¡°Your decision to bring the witch along is quite unpopular friend,¡± Alistair said under his breath. Yanoku¡¯s chancellor was giving his usual long speech about unity and acceptance towards others.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care for popularity friend. That witch is my guest. She is under my control. I will take responsibility for whatever she may cause.¡±

    ¡°What would we do with your responsibility if she ends up creating chaos in the city?¡± Alistair asked.

    With a wave of his hand, Zedd dismissed Al¡¯s concerns. ¡°It won¡¯t come to that. I have my ways of controlling her.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re quite confident in your ability to keep her at bay.¡±

    ¡°It is not about control, but more about intimidation. The witch won¡¯t cause you any problems anymore. You have my word. ¡°

    ¡°And what about the mess you caused outside Sendra?¡± Alistair asked. He looked uptight ever since the two of them met a day back.

    ¡°What of it?¡± Zedd retorted. ¡°They were bandits. They attacked me, I killed them.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what the news said,¡± Alistair wasn¡¯t going to let go of the matter.

    ¡°I may have let one of the bandits escape. I needed some media coverage on this side of the ocean,¡± Zedd nonchalantly said.

    ¡°You¡¯re a strange one friend. Once can¡¯t begin to understand what you really think.¡± Alistair¡¯s words sounded like a compliment. But they betrayed his mistrust. Zedd wasn¡¯t going to let that detail go unnoticed.

    ¡°Why does this chancellor speak on behalf of Gods he never met? Yanoku has gone soft Al,¡± he said, trying to change the subject. Al had spoken his mind. There was no need for Zedd to pursue the matter any further.

    ¡°What do you know about Yanoku? About its Gods?¡± the hunter asked, intrigued and somewhat irritated.

    ¡°I was born here. All these Gods, their blessings and curses, I know all about them.¡±

    Zedd¡¯s answer left Alistair speechless. A man with his capabilities can never go unnoticed in the city of a hundred guilds. ¡°Whose son are you?¡±

    ¡°No one important,¡± Zedd answered in his usual nonchalant way. ¡°In any case, you won¡¯t know my family even if you spend the entire month reading the city¡¯s archives.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a mysterious man Zedd. I have to be honest with you, I don¡¯t like mysterious people.¡±

    ¡°But you like my usefulness.¡±

    ¡°That I do. We would never have retrieved the star if it weren¡¯t for you. I¡¯ll be eternally grateful for the service you¡¯ve done us.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not fool ourselves Al. You did me a kindness, I repaid it. You¡¯ve been taking care of administrative manners in the guild for so long. You¡¯ve gotten used to diplomacy. I don¡¯t like diplomacy. Tell me what¡¯s really bothering you. Why did you invite me to this boring event today?¡±

    As the chancellor¡¯s speech kept hypnotizing its audience, Alistair stared at the young man next to him. The old man fidgeted with his long white robe while thinking of how to phrase his question. ¡°I¡¯m telling you friend,¡± Zedd broke the silence. ¡°You can¡¯t cause me any offense, no matter what.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious,¡± Alistair said. ¡°I¡¯m the intelligence officer of the Three Headed Dragon. Yet, I have never heard of someone with your skills being born in this city. Surely, you could be useful to whoever manages to win your services. As far as I can tell, nobody¡¯s ever heard of you. Not even Dismas of the Underworld.¡±

    ¡°I can tell you,¡± Zedd looked at his friend with a mischievous smile, ¡°for a price.¡±

    The old man raised an eyebrow while casting a side glance at Zedd. He knew of his friend¡¯s habits, how he liked provoking everybody.

    ¡°I¡¯m a reasonable man Al. All I want is to take part in the Hunt.¡±

    ¡°Only natives can take part in the hunt,¡± Alistair had had enough of Zedd¡¯s provocative manners.

    ¡°And I am a native, friend. I can prove it to you, as long as you promise to get me access to Ulmir¡¯s Gate.¡±

    ¡°What do you hope to gain from taking part in the Hunt?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s something I cannot tell you. So what will it be?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee anything. It all depends on master.¡±

    ¡®You lie!¡¯ Zedd thought. ¡°After I¡¯m done telling you my story, you won¡¯t need to convince the old man.¡±

    ¡°Very well, come to my office after the sacrifice is over. I¡¯ve seen enough of you to get this old man curious. I¡¯ll listen to your story.¡±

    With a triumphant smile, Zedd nodded at Alistair then pretended to listen to the Chancellor¡¯s boring speech. ¡°I have some errands to run after this. I¡¯ll come find you in your office when you¡¯re alone,¡± he said after a moment¡¯s silence.

    The Chancellor¡¯s speech went on: ¡°There are five prominent gods in the Kozagan Desert. Their temples are scattered all around the sandy lands and beyond. The festival of the First Hunt celebrates unity between the gods. According to Athagar¡¯s tales, Ulmir, the Hunter God, saved the other four from a great calamity.

    ¡°The mischievous Devil had manipulated the five Gods into waging a destructive war that destroyed lush land of Kozag, reducing it to the desert we know and love today. The war lasted several decades. Life was destroyed. The remaining people hid in caves, in hopes that the war would bring the age of Gods to an end. Abnormal monsters were created to fight on behalf of the Gods in their never-ending war.

    ¡°Ulmir, in his wisdom, decided to hunt the Malignant Dragon that threatened all life on earth. It was the first time a God had decided to personally take part in mundane affairs. The dragon¡¯s blood filled the earth, nourishing it. Its flesh was given to the peoples of Kozag, feeding the hungry, offering them salvation.

    ¡°From death sprouted life. The Gods realized their error and united against the devil that threatened to destroy the world they worked so hard to build. The devil was subdued and banished to a world between worlds, neither dead nor alive.

    ¡°Since that day, we celebrate the First Hunt as a sign of unity and peace. Today, our champions fight to re-enact the First Hunt. The sacrifice represents our gratitude towards Ulmir. As our savior, we acknowledge him as the wise God thanks to whom our land still flourishes.¡±

    After the speech, the ceremonial procession started. All honored guests were led into the city¡¯s arena. Zedd was seated next to his friend in the front row, next to the nobles and other faction leaders. Five champions, representing the Gods, will have to fight to the death. Zedd observed the fighters with keen eyes. ¡°That boy with the axes, who does he represent?¡± he asked Alistair.

    ¡°His name is Cane Mos. He represents Ulmir.¡±

    ¡°So he¡¯s one of your boys then?¡±

    ¡°No he¡¯s not. He¡¯s an outcast,¡± Alistair bitterly answered.

    ¡°Did the Three Headed Dragon lose its place to an outcast?¡± Zedd was surprised at Alistair¡¯s answer.

    Ulmir¡¯s champion always stemmed from the Hunters¡¯ Guild. The fact that a young man could take the Three Headed Dragon¡¯s place at representing the Hunter God was unheard of.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°He was a hunter once, an outcast now. He has a tendency to overdo things. You¡¯ll see soon enough. He personally sought the chancellor to ask for a chance to take part in the sacrificial ritual,¡± Alistair explained.

    ¡°Then who lost their place to this fascinating individual?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°The boy worships Ulmir, The house of Ulmir finally accepted to give him their place at the ceremony. Outcast or not, they said that Ulmir loves all his creations. Viraldo didn¡¯t object. The empire is preparing to move west. I think the master was happy to leave his hunters out of this one.¡±

    ¡°Were the hunters as happy as their master I wonder?¡± Zedd mumbled.

    He was finally excited to watch a good show. The young warrior in front of him seemed strong. He had a special knack for sensing individuals with considerable power. ¡®If this boy triumphs, I¡¯ll need to recruit him to my cause, no matter the cost.¡¯

    ¡°The ceremony will start now. We¡¯ll talk after the Chancellor¡¯s speech.¡± Alistair turned towards the five champions, observing them with calculating eyes.

    ¡°Another one?! This man really loves talking.¡± Zedd crossed his arms, frustrated at the delay in beginning the battle.

    On the arena¡¯s right side, a high structure was built to accommodate the chancellor and his guests of honor. Warriors with war paint on their faces stood behind the guests. They held drums that extended from their hips to their feet. The chancellor got up then raised his right hand.

    Drums were beaten, silence fell over the arena. Each warrior came forward, presented his weapon to the statues of the Gods then retreated. First was a man called Gerard, he presented his sword and shield then offered them to the Goddess of Fertility Aella.

    A woman called Greta came second, clad in leather armor. On one hand she held a large oblong shield. On the other she held a spear. A red plume was attached to the spear head, a symbol of her affiliation to the God of Fire Na¡¯ar. She didn¡¯t wear a helmet though. Her short black hair couldn¡¯t conceal her missing ears, causing many whispers among the audience.

    Third, a halberd wielding man came. He towered over the other champions. His bare torso showed his strong muscles. Like a giant, he presented his weapon to Osimir, the God of Sea, then retreated without a word.

    ¡°That¡¯s Gedel,¡± Alistair said, noticing Zedd¡¯s intrigue. ¡°He¡¯s been Osimir¡¯s champion for almost a decade. Today he removed his armor in hopes of joining Osimir as one of his Fish Folk.¡±

    ¡°I wish Gedel a swift death then,¡± Zedd commented, still eyeing the young man called Cane.

    A young man came next. He held a great sword in his hand which he presented to Adle, the God of Justice. ¡°I offer thee my sword. Let thy servant die in glory, and join thy ranks as an angel of death.¡±

    Cheers filled the arena as the young man spoke. ¡°That¡¯s Herius, a noble¡¯s son. He went to fight without his father¡¯s consent,¡± Alistair explained.

    ¡°Rebellious children are the worst,¡± Black Eyes commented. ¡°Which family?¡± he asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s the son of Lucius the-¡°

    ¡°Perfume artist, I know. That man has the gods on his side, but not yours.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Alistair asked. ¡°Why do you like speaking in riddles?¡±

    ¡°Not now friend, my favorite champion is about to come forward.¡±

    Cane came forward, an axe in each hand. He wore leather greaves and leather wristbands. His upper torso was also bare, but he wore a bull helmet that concealed his face. The man was as tall as Gedel.

    ¡°What a big bear!¡± Zedd said in admiration. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s fast despite his weight? Please tell me he doesn¡¯t rely just on his brutish force.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen him fight once. Just you wait, his skills will surprise you.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean that you¡¯ll cheer for him too?¡± Zedd asked, like an excited child.

    ¡°No, my money¡¯s for Gerard. We call him the Jackal. He¡¯s a careful fighter, stings where it hurts then distances himself from his opponent: deadly tactic for tiring big beasts.¡±

    ¡°Will you bet on it?¡± Zedd asked. ¡°No scratch that. I¡¯ll make a prophecy, for I am good at those.¡±

    ¡°What are you not good at Zedd?¡± Al asked.

    ¡°At getting my prophecies to come true!¡± he exclaimed. He hurled his head backwards and roared in laughter.

    ¡°You¡¯re a funny one,¡± Alistair said with gritted teeth. ¡°What¡¯s your bet?¡± he asked, annoyed at his friend¡¯s strange sense of humor.

    ¡°Prophecy.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your prophecy?¡± Al asked again, after a long sigh.

    ¡°I predict that my friend Cane over there will slice your Jackal¡¯s neck.¡±

    ¡°What would I gain if that doesn¡¯t happen?¡±

    ¡°You set your price friend. You had something to ask me, had you not? If my prophecy comes true, then you¡¯ll do everything in your power to let me join the Hunt.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like gambling, but I have a favor to ask of you. I¡¯ll play along. The Jackal can¡¯t be defeated so easily.¡±

    ¡°Very well then, enjoy the fight and may the better fighter slice the other¡¯s neck.¡±

    After the presentation was done, the chancellor stood up and gave the signal to start the ceremony. Drums were beaten harder. The warriors took place, ready to lunge at each other. The drums stopped then the chancellor¡¯s voice rung throughout the place.

    ¡°The rules are simple. You will fight to the death. The first one to die will be our sacrifice to the Gods. Fight well for our Gods are watching you. Death is not the end, it is only the beginning. Our Gods, in their wisdom, will invite you to run wild in their realms, forever free from the worries our mundane world imposes on us. Now, fight!¡± With a downward motion of his right arm, the chancellor announced the beginning of the ceremony.

    Cane was the first one to lunge forward. Axes in both hands, he came at the closest warrior. ¡°Oh boy, I have a feeling the ceremony will be over quickly,¡± Zedd said, still excited to see what the young man was really capable of.

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the Jackal. No one here¡¯s willing to throw their life away so easily,¡± Alistair was also observing the two warriors. Cane filled him with dread. He was an unpredictable man.

    The Jackal had a sword on one hand and a shield on the other. The first swing came from Cane. With a heavy thump, the axe got stuck in the shield. The Jackal brought the shield closer to his body and charged at the unpredictable young man.

    ¡°At close range, this kind of charge will throw the boy off-guard. The fight will indeed finish quickly.¡± Alistair leaned forward to have a better look at the fight.

    Cane freed his hand from the stuck axe then stopped his charging opponent.

    ¡°What unnatural strength!¡± Alistair exclaimed. ¡°He managed to stop a charging opponent with one hand!¡±

    The two champions struggled in that position. Their fight was brought to a short halt. Gerard pushed Cane backwards while the latter tried to block the sword swings that came from behind the shield.

    Other gasps filled the arena. Another fight was taking place a few feet away. Two champions were ganging up on another while the Jackal and Cane struggled. Gedel, the lone fighter, had managed to evade the other two¡¯s attacks and injured Herius, the noble¡¯s son, in the process.

    ¡°Looks like there¡¯s another skilled fighter in there,¡± Zedd said. ¡°This ceremony brings the best out of people.¡±

    ¡°If we don¡¯t put up a good fight for the Gods, how are we supposed to show that we deserve their company?¡± Alistair asked, still observing The Jackal and Cane struggling.

    ¡°I love religion. People do crazy things in the names of Gods.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone hear you say that friend. People don¡¯t take too kindly to the ones who mock their beliefs.¡± Alistair¡¯s tone was solemn, almost reprimanding.

    ¡°I¡¯m not mocking anyone friend. I admire the strength people acquire when they fight for a cause. But what would remain once that cause dissipates?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s the greatest curse the Gods can inflict upon you. May Osimir guide our way,¡± Alistair commented.

    ¡°Gedel is strong. His halberd has the reach and the destructive power Herius¡¯ sword doesn¡¯t. It was wise of those two to team up against him,¡± Zedd was analyzing the fight.

    Gasps filled the arena another time. Herius was knocked unconscious. Cane had managed to strip the Jackal of his shield then flung it aside. The shield hit Herius in the head, knocking him out cold.

    ¡°That boy will have to live with the shame of losing consciousness during the ritual,¡± Alistair commented. ¡°His father won¡¯t be too happy about that.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll be happy to have his son return to him alive. Time will erase the shame. Things will move faster now that there are only four champions fighting. I still don¡¯t see your Jackal gaining the upper hand though. Cane is almost toying with your favorite champion. Does he have any ace up his sleeve? It¡¯s now or never.¡±

    ¡°Cane is insanely strong. Everybody knows that. But Gerard is an experienced warrior, he won¡¯t go down easily.¡±

    Zedd, not taking his eyes off the fighting champions, nodded. ¡°He¡¯s also quick on his feet. Cane hasn¡¯t landed a single hit on your Jackal Al. Do you know why?¡±

    Fidgeting with his hands, Alistair looked at the smiling Zedd. ¡°He hasn¡¯t attacked yet. He¡¯s just been running around Gerard to wear him down. Without his shield, Gerard can¡¯t use his hit and run tactics. Has he lost his temper so quickly?¡±

    ¡°Heh¡­heh¡­ heh¡­ That boy is crazy. I like crazy.¡± Zedd¡¯s smile expanded. ¡°He used your favorite champion¡¯s tactic against him. He¡¯s as big as a bear but he¡¯s surprisingly agile.¡±

    Cane had been dodging Gerard¡¯s attacks since he took the shield away. Missed attacks drain more energy and stamina. In the end, the Jackal was panting, struggling to hold up his sword.

    Just as the unpredictable boy was about to finish his opponent, Greta joined the fight.

    ¡°That one wasn¡¯t too happy her friend got knocked out,¡± Alistair said. ¡°I think your favorite will join Ulmir after all.¡±

    Noticing the opportunity, Gedel charged in.

    ¡°Gedel¡¯s angry too, Cane ruined his opportunity to die,¡± Alistair said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t bode well¡­¡±

    Cane was surrounded. He had to defend against three skilled fighters. ¡®One has a sword. The other has a spear and a buckler. The third has a halberd. How will you get out of this one young man? Don¡¯t disappoint me.¡¯ Zedd was surprised to find himself cheering for a stranger.

    In the meantime, the trio had surrounded Cane then slowly backed him up against the circular walls of the arena. ¡®Once their offensive starts, the outcome of the fight will be decided,¡¯ Zedd thought. He was anxious to see Cane triumph.

    It was the spear wielding woman who made the first step. The other two followed suit. The action happened too fast for ordinary eyes to fully comprehend what happened. What people saw was the Jackal, lying down on the ground while blood poured out of his sliced neck.

    ¡°What in Ulmir¡¯s name happened?¡± Alistair exclaimed.

    ¡°I won!¡± Zedd jumped to his feet, arms outstretched. ¡°I fucking won! My prophecy came true!¡± He was beside himself with excitement.

    ¡°Care to explain?¡± Alistair asked, annoyed at his friend¡¯s euphoria. ¡°And tone it down a bit will ya? Others are watching.¡±

    ¡°Apologies,¡± Zedd said loud enough for the audience to hear. After he regained his composure, Zedd sat down and started explaining. ¡°Cane avoided the spear thrust in an ingenious way. The wound on your favorite¡¯s neck was self-inflicted. Look at Cane¡¯s axe.¡±

    Alistair noticed the broken weapon. The axe was completely shattered. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°The boy managed to step on the spear, lodging it in the ground. Then the halberd and the sword came at the same time. Cane hit the halberd with all his strength, shattering his weapon in the process.

    ¡°That impact was enough to change the weapon¡¯s course, intercepting your Jackal¡¯s swing. Unfortunately for your friend, the deflected sword hit him right in the neck. That boy is reckless, crazy. I love how he fights.¡±

    Drums were beaten again, announcing that the ceremony had come to an end. The chancellor stood up, thanked the fighters for their spirit then dismissed them.

    ¡°Tonight, we shall celebrate peace between our races. Let the mead flow in the streets. Let the music fill our hearts. Let us eat and drink to peace, and to our benevolent Gods who look after us,¡± The Chancellor said. Cheers filled the arena then people started leaving.

    ¡°We shall talk tonight,¡± Zedd said. ¡°We have a week before the Gate opens. I believe your master will let me participate.¡±

    ¡°That depends on what you¡¯ll tell me tonight friend. I wish you good fortune. May Ulmir keep your head strong.¡± Alistair extended his hand towards Zedd.

    ¡°May Osimir light your darkest nights,¡± Zedd replied. Both men shook hands before taking leave of each other.

 6 - The Woman Called Agatha

    The desolate slums of Yanoku City: Summer of the red moon.

    Zedd left the arena then headed for the slums. There was an errand he had to run before looking for the man called Cane. People avoided the strange looking man that strode through the maze like streets of the slums.

    A foreigner who walked the slums always looked suspicious, and the hood that covered Zedd¡¯s face made people suspect him even more. He had to keep his identity hidden. The slums teemed with all sorts of people. On top of hiding his face behind a hood, Zedd had also altered his appearance with a spell. His black eyes were infamous in the Kozagan Desert. He didn¡¯t want to attract unwanted attention.

    Zedd soon reached the old marketplace. He approached an old woman who stood behind a stand with fresh apples on display. The woman looked at the hooded man with fright in her eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be wary, I¡¯m just here for the apples,¡± he said once he noticed the woman¡¯s distrust.

    ¡°How many do you want?¡± the woman crudely asked.

    ¡°Just two,¡± the young man answered.

    ¡°One silver Krown!¡± the old woman almost barked at him.

    ¡°A silver for two apples?! Lady you¡¯re outright ripping me off!¡± Zedd exclaimed.

    ¡°Take it or leave it. That¡¯s the price for not showing yer face.¡±

    With a sigh, Zedd took a silver Krown and handed it to the old lady. ¡°Do you know where Agatha¡¯s old apothecary is?¡±

    ¡°That place hasn¡¯t existed for twenty years my boy. Some gang has occupied the place since then. ¡®Tis their new base they says.¡±

    ¡°What happened to Agatha?¡±

    ¡°Who are you to ask about ¡®er?¡± the old woman was clearly not happy to speak to the outsider. But her curiosity got the better of her. ¡°People forgot her. She may be dead somewhere for all I care.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m an old relative. I¡¯m writing a book about our family. So I¡¯m curious to know where my great-aunt lived. I was hoping to find her alive and well. But if she died, then that¡¯s the will of the Gods.¡±

    ¡°I can tell you about ¡®er, for a price.¡± The old woman smiled. Her teeth were still miraculously in place despite her old age, albeit jaundiced and crooked.

    ¡®The moment you hear books is the moment you think of money. People never change,¡¯ Zedd thought. ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to provide. But how am I to know that you knew my aunt?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Oy Rollo!¡± the woman shouted at the stand opposite her. An old man selling spices on a wooden stall stood from his chair. ¡°What you want old hag?¡±

    ¡°Tell this fella here that I knows Agatha!¡±

    ¡°That old hag used to play near ¡®er shop all the time. She was but a sickly child then, pulled away from ¡®er sick mother¡¯s tits. Agatha fed her and took care of her for years.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Zedd asked, a bad feeling engulfed his entire being.

    ¡°Lyanna, what of it?¡± the old woman answered.

    From his coin purse, Zedd took a couple golden Krowns and handed them to the lady. ¡°That¡¯s more than you¡¯ll make in a month. Would you mind joining me for lunch? You can tell me all about Agatha.¡±

    The old woman greedily pocketed the coins then smiled, revealing her crooked teeth once more. ¡°I¡¯ll only eat in Meruka¡¯s restaurant. She makes delicious barbeques.¡±

    ¡®Your teeth will crumble before you could even chew on the charred meat,¡¯ Zedd thought. ¡°How about I take you to a nice place in the Financial District? I bet you¡¯d like that.¡±

    ¡°Hey, t¡¯was me who told you about that old hag¡¯s past. How about you take me with you?¡± the old spices vendor asked.

    ¡°Sell yer powder and shut it!¡± the old woman barked. ¡°Why¡¯re we still standing here?¡± Lyanna asked Zedd.

    ¡°How about packing up those apples?¡±

    ¡°Let them rot! Or let that gang take them, I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll get more tomorrow.¡±

    Zedd led the woman towards the Financial District. They soon reached an expensive restaurant in which they served delicious tender basilisk meat. The owner, Patel, welcomed his honored guest with reverence. The two were shown to a private room where they were served cold drinks before the food arrived.

    ¡°We can eat and talk in peace here. No one will disturb us.¡± Zedd was observing the old woman while sorrow gripped his heart.

    ¡°Young man,¡± she started, while sipping from a cold glass of date wine. ¡°Ya still got a question needs answering. Who are you? How do you know Agatha?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll answer your question shortly. There¡¯s something I want to know before that. Your name is Lyanna, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    The old woman nodded.

    ¡°Who named you?¡±

    ¡°My mother, bless her soul.¡±

    ¡°What was her name?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s all the questions about me?¡±

    ¡°Just¡­ Answer the fucking question, would you?¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± the old woman said in a childish tone.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Please, we says please when we asks a favor.¡±

    ¡°Please answer my question,¡± Zedd conceded with a heavy sigh.

    ¡°My mother¡¯s name was also Lyanna.¡±

    Zedd fell silent, for what appeared to be hours, the two sat down in silence. Lyanna didn¡¯t seem bothered by Zedd¡¯s silence. She just observed him while he furrowed his brows and tried to control his heavy breathing. A knock on the door brought the silent man to life. ¡°Come in,¡± he said.

    A man holding a plate full of exotic fruits entered. He was well dressed, a black silk caftan with a golden snake embroidered on the left side. His Handlebar mustache showed he was a man of nobility. Most nobles in Yanoku either wore mustaches or mutton chops.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Patel my dear friend, what is it?¡±

    ¡°A man named Tristan urgently requests to see you. He¡¯s waiting for you outside,¡± the owner of the restaurant said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not done here, let him wait. I¡¯ll call for him later.¡±

    ¡°Very well, I shall deliver your message.¡±

    ¡°And serve him some of your foreign drinks. That ought to loosen his tongue a little.¡±

    ¡°When¡¯re we gonna eat?¡± Lyanna asked. Her raspy voice and dirty clothes caused Patel to wince.

    ¡°Very soon my lady, basilisk meat takes time to be ready. But it¡¯s a delicacy everyone should try.¡±

    ¡°Forgive my guest Patel. She¡¯s a little impatient, and hungry.¡±

    Patel bowed to the man occupying his most expensive private lounge then left. ¡°Now shall we get back to Agatha?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°Why¡¯d you want to know about me mother?¡± Lyanna asked, not willing to let go of what had happened.

    ¡°I mistook you for someone else. A woman I loved with all my heart once. Does that satisfy your curiosity?¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m old, and you look like a thirty-something young man.¡±

    ¡°Agatha¡¯s miraculous tonics,¡± Zedd lied. ¡°Magic has strange ways of changing our bodies.¡± Zedd sighed as he looked at the woman in front of him. ¡°My aunt, bless her soul,¡± he went on. ¡±Saved my life and instructed me in alchemy. Thanks to her, I¡¯m a renowned scholar now.¡±

    ¡°Renew what now?¡± the old lady asked.

    ¡°Renowned, it means famous. I lost track of Agatha but I¡¯m interested in writing a book about her, about her past and her humble beginnings. Can you tell me what you remember of her? On top of the Krowns I handed to you, I¡¯m willing to pay you five more for your cooperation.¡±

    ¡°The way I sees it,¡± Lyanna started. ¡°My ¡®cooperation¡¯ is worth a lot to you. I know how it is with you educated fellas. You pays us folk little. You use us then work yer magic on them words. Next thing I knows, you as rich as the emperor. And I¡¯m stuck selling apples in that dirty pile of garbage they call a slum.¡±

    ¡°What do you want then?¡±

    ¡°I wants part of your profit, I wants a house and maids to wash these dirty old bones. I wants to each fresh apples and grapes. I wants to drink wine until it comes out of my ears and die.¡±

    ¡°Done,¡± said Zedd in his usual nonchalant tone.

    ¡°Done?¡± Lyanna asked.

    ¡°It means I will-¡°

    ¡°I bloody damn well knows what it means. I just don¡¯t believe ya!¡±

    ¡°Listen old hag,¡± Zedd leaned towards the old woman. His eyes flashed golden for a short moment. Old Lyanna caught a glimpse of the man¡¯s demonic eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like your attitude, and I¡¯ve put up with it long enough. Tell me what you know of Agatha, and I will deliver on my promise. No one ever doubted my word, and I¡¯m not gonna let an old bag of saggy flesh tell me otherwise. Now,¡± Zedd regained his composure and neutral tone again, ¡°Do we have an agreement?¡±

    Lyanna looked terrified, ghastly. All blood departed her body. ¡°What are you?¡± she asked.

    ¡°If you tell me about that woman, then I¡¯m your divine blessing. But if you keep asking questions, then I¡¯m your worst nightmare. Choose now and do it quickly, food is coming.¡±

    While the two ate, Zedd asked Lyanna more questions about Agatha, her life when she was younger, and the gang that took up residence in the slums. After the meal, Zedd paid the old woman for the information she has given him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to look for you in a week. It will take time to prepare the house and the maids you asked for. Not to mention the paperwork required for you to live in this district. Now go, I have other things to attend to.¡±

    Zedd sat down alone in the private room. ¡®Lyanna, how are you alive?¡¯ he was absorbed in thoughts of his past when Patel came in again. ¡°Sir, your guest?¡±

    ¡°Tristan! Yes, yes, please let him in.¡±

    ***

    In the meantime, the chancellor had called for an urgent meeting with the city nobles and faction leaders. They were the people who controlled Yanoku in the shadows. They called themselves the Scions. Eight people sat around a round table in one of Athagar Castle¡¯s spacious meeting rooms. One seat remained vacant.

    ¡°I called you here today to discuss what we¡¯ll do with Viraldo,¡± the Chancellor started after all his guests arrived.

    ¡°According to Alistair, the man went to negotiate some peace treaty with the empire,¡± the leader of The Children of Na¡¯ar, the strongest mercenary faction, spoke.

    ¡°Sakhin, what do your intelligence officers have to say about this?¡± the chancellor asked. He was addressing Sakhin Jabeer, the master of spies.

    ¡°Viraldo went to negotiate a peace treaty yes. The emperor was in Helton for the inauguration of the Gates of Mercy. The master met him there in secret,¡± Sakhin reported to everyone present.

    ¡°That bastard!¡± one of the nobles exclaimed. ¡°He thinks he can buy his own safety and neglect us all?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves,¡± a rich and influential merchant spoke. ¡°Do we know what terms he negotiated with the empire?¡±

    ¡°Sakhin, do you have any answer for Lucius here?¡± the chancellor asked.

    ¡°The empire will leave Yanoku alone during the invasion of the West.¡±

    ¡°In exchange for what?¡± the man called Lucius asked. ¡°Nothing¡¯s given for free, especially when it comes to the emperor.¡±

    ¡°The emperor will send half a dozen warriors to join the Hunt,¡± Sakhin answered.

    Murmurs of indignation filled the room. ¡°What does he think he¡¯s doing?!¡± some shouted.

    ¡°He means to bring disgrace to our nation by inviting those blood thirsty imperialists!¡±

    ¡°They surely have other plans. They mean to take whatever they find out about our city¡¯s defenses to their empire.¡±

    ¡°Gentlemen, please,¡± the chancellor urged. ¡°There¡¯s no need to give empty speculations now. I called you here today for a different reason.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s to discuss what we do to Viraldo,¡± the leader of the mercenaries said. ¡°I say we kill him for treason.¡±

    ¡°Mere days before the Hunt? The Three Headed Dragon won¡¯t be too happy about that,¡± Lucius, the perfume artist, said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think the Hunters would object to the execution of their master,¡± the chancellor commented, a smirk on his face.

    ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Frinz, the Alchemy Faction leader asked.

    ¡°Sakhin, invite our guest to the table,¡± the chancellor urged his master of spies.

    Sakhin obeyed then left the room. Shortly after, the master of spies reappeared with a man at his heels. ¡°Meet Alistair, the Guild¡¯s brains and true leader.¡±

    ¡°I suspected the old geezer to hide something,¡± a woman, clad in black leather, commented. Alistair shot a mean look towards the Thieves¡¯ Guild leader. ¡°I have nothing to prove to you Rats.¡±

    ¡°Come now Alistair, we¡¯re not here to throw insults at each other. We¡¯re here to speak of your betrayal,¡± the woman teased the Hunters¡¯ Commander.

    ¡°Jena, enough!¡± the chancellor intervened. ¡°We¡¯re here to discuss Viraldo¡¯s betrayal. Alistair is just doing what¡¯s right for this city. Go ahead friend,¡± the Chancellor urged Al. ¡°Tell us what your master has communicated.¡±

    ¡°The imperialists will arrive in two days. They¡¯ll be in the master¡¯s ship, six of them plus General Flavius,¡± Alistair reported.

    ¡°What do you suggest we do?¡± Jena asked.

    ¡°We kill him of course,¡± Alistair replied. ¡°The empire doesn¡¯t ask for empty favors. We can¡¯t harm the imperialists, but we¡¯ll have to punish Viraldo for his grave mistake.¡±

    ¡°Spoken like a wise man,¡± a man, who had been silent all along; said. All heads turned towards him.

    ¡°Got something on your mind Lord Dismas?¡± the chancellor asked.

    ¡°We can¡¯t harm the imperialists. That sly emperor sent a General to warn us. But the beasts in Ulmir¡¯s domain can. No outsider can get inside Ulmir¡¯s Domain. We¡¯ll be breaking our rules, but Ulmir won¡¯t,¡± Dismas explained to his audience.

    ¡°The empire has Rimbaldi¡¯s creations,¡± Jena said. ¡°They won¡¯t go down easily. I say they might even be able to reach the Second Phase.¡±

    ¡°May I suggest a different plan?¡± Alistair asked. All heads turned towards him.

    ¡°Go on,¡± Dismas said.

    ¡°I have someone who could rid us of those imperials. General Flavius won¡¯t trace it back to us.¡±

    ¡°Our mutual friend?¡± Dismas asked.

    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Alistair said.

    ¡°Who¡¯s this mutual friend you both speak of?¡± Jena managed to ask the question before the chancellor.

    ¡°He¡¯s the perfect man for delicate tasks,¡± Dismas answered. ¡°Nobody knows of his origins, or his affiliation. I don¡¯t like him, but he¡¯s useful. Besides, I have something he needs,¡± the Lord of the Underground Market announced.

    ¡°So by using him to rid us of the imperialists, we can just blame it on the beasts.¡± the chancellor stroke his chin as he thought. ¡°Do it Alistair. We¡¯ll deal with Viraldo ourselves.¡±

    ¡°As you wish your Excellency.¡± Alistair bowed then excused himself from the meeting room.

    ¡°One more thing Al,¡± Dismas spoke before the man could leave the room.

    ¡°Yes, my lord?¡±

    ¡°Our friend won¡¯t do us this ¡®kindness¡¯ for free now. He¡¯ll expect some handsome reward,¡± Dismas said to the room.

    ¡°He¡¯s already asked me to join the hunt,¡± Alistair replied. ¡°I¡¯ll grant him access in exchange of this favor.¡±

    ¡°Then you don¡¯t know him at all Al. He won¡¯t accept it,¡± Dismas reprimanded the Guild¡¯s Commander.

    ¡°What do you have in mind sir?¡± the Chancellor asked. Everyone turned towards Lord Dismas, expecting his advice.

    ¡°You can tell him I have a location on his target. He¡¯ll know what I mean.¡±

    ¡°Yes my lord,¡± Alistair said before bowing once more then leaving the room.

 7 - Lucky Audrey

    Yanoku City, Guild District, Alistair¡¯s Study: Summer of the Red Moon.

    Alistair¡¯s study was located on top of the highest tower in the guild. One could easily see the Athagar Castle from its windows, erected high atop the Administrative District. ¡°The chancellor¡¯s got too comfortable in that luxurious palace of his,¡± Zedd started. He was in a bad mood, his thoughts in shambles.

    ¡°Have you come here to complain Zedd?¡± Alistair asked.

    ¡°Did you know that a band of thieves has taken residence in the slums? They¡¯ve taken up more than half of the district.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the custodians.¡± Alistair was busy preparing for the Great Hunt. Applicants from the Kozagan desert had to be sorted and pre-selected based on their merits. Only the best would be allowed to go into the Gate.

    ¡°There was a time when the Three Headed Dragon kept the peace in the Guild District and the slums. What changed all of that?¡±

    ¡°Politics friend,¡± Alistair said as he sorted out applicants. He¡¯d sign some and put them to his right, or stamp others and sort them to his left.

    Zedd strode through Alistair¡¯s office, inspecting one artifact after the other. ¡°That¡¯s a strange one, is this Abrath¡¯s plume?¡±

    Alistair lifted his eyes from the pile of papers he had to sort out. ¡°You¡¯re a very knowledgeable man my friend. How do you know about Abrath?¡±

    ¡°I know everything about that vicious beast.¡± Zedd started humming a familiar melody. Alistair smiled then put his pen down.

    ¡°In the dark forest he lies,

    Light shining through his eyes,

    Our hero, the crestfallen knight,

    Approached the beast in the darkest night,

    What do you want?

    The beast asked,

    His fur white as snow.

    His face threatening with a fearful, gaping maw

    A despicable beast he was,

    Sharp fangs, tail and claws.

    My wife aches, pleaded the knight,

    Your venom would cure her blight,

    Very well, said the beast,

    Offer your light, for I need no feast

    The man spoke, rising the ritual keg

    Take my arm, take my leg.

    Take the job my family¡¯d never favor

    For my wife, my light, my savior.

    It is so that our hero lost his drive,

    He wouldn¡¯t dream, hope or thrive.

    In the end, our hero regained his wife,

    Together, they lived in constant strife.¡±

    Zedd finished and contemplated the great castle from the window. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you know this song,¡± Al said after a moment¡¯s silence.

    ¡°I was born here. If it weren¡¯t for some unfortunate events, I would never have left this city.¡±

    ¡°Most would be glad to leave these dry lands,¡±

    ¡°Most don¡¯t know what awaits them in the lush and green world outside this desert they deem heartless,¡± Zedd turned from the window, anger apparent from his knitted brows.

    ¡°What did you see that makes you so angry friend?¡±

    ¡°I saw what it¡¯s like to fight the empire, and its automata.¡±

    ¡°Is it as bad as they say?¡±

    ¡°They have large structures, as big as our ships. They look like golems, but no magic powers them. If they descend upon a city, only ash and rubble will remain. We don¡¯t stand a chance Al. Your master did the wisest thing, negotiating peace with them.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ve gone and brought a witch to our city, under imperial eyes,¡± Alistair wasn¡¯t too happy about Zedd bringing the Purple witch along.

    ¡°She¡¯ll be discreet. She doesn¡¯t want to lose her life to those imperialists. When are they due to arrive?¡±

    ¡°In two days¡¯ time, they¡¯ll come aboard Viraldo¡¯s ship.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, have you spoken to him yet?¡± Zedd asked. He was anxious to know if Alistair had secured him a spot for the Hunt.

    ¡°Not to him per se, but I¡¯ve secured you an entry ticket to the Hunt,¡± Alistair replied.

    ¡°I smell trouble,¡± Zedd said.

    ¡°You know how vulnerable our master is, don¡¯t you?¡± Alistair asked.

    ¡°Well, he¡¯s nothing like his father if that¡¯s what you mean,¡± Zedd replied. ¡°I bet Viraldo¡¯s little endeavor didn¡¯t sit well with the Chancellor.¡±

    ¡°If the king hears of this, Yanoku will pay a heavy price. It¡¯s High Treason,¡± Alistair got up from his chair then approached Zedd. ¡°Some people feel that Viraldo acted rashly. They don¡¯t like the idea of imperials getting into Yanoku.¡±

    ¡°What does this have to do with me Al? Get to the point.¡±

    ¡°I have secured you an entry ticket to the Hunt, but I¡¯d like something in return.¡± Alistair looked his friend right into his black eyes.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°You want me to deal with the imperialists before the Second Phase starts,¡± Zedd said. ¡°You want to make it look like an accident.¡±

    ¡°As usual friend, you get straight to the point,¡± Alistair went back to his seat, crossed his arms then looked at his friend. ¡°So, what do you say?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a hired thug,¡± Zedd dryly said.

    ¡°No you¡¯re not. But you have a purpose from entering Ulmir¡¯s domain. I won¡¯t ask what your motives are. All I ask is for you to rid us of six imperials. Given your set of skills, I don¡¯t think it would be a problem for you Zedd.¡± Alistair was still looking at his friend expectantly.

    ¡°Yes I have something to gain from entering Ulmir¡¯s domain. But if the condition to get what I want is to become your assassin, then I¡¯d better forget about my plans and leave this city at once.¡± Zedd looked at the Hunters¡¯ Commander with his black eyes. His facial expressions didn¡¯t change one bit.

    The Hunters¡¯ Commander felt naked, like the man in front of him was analyzing every thought that ever passed through his mind. He felt like an open book. The man with black eyes knew of all his little tricks.

    ¡°What if I throw in Lord Dismas¡¯ offer?¡± Alistair finally asked.

    ¡°What offer?¡±

    ¡°He said he has a location on your target. He says you¡¯ll know what he means.¡±

    ¡°Even that old rascal is part of the conspiracy eh? Tell him I prefer to get paid in advance. I won¡¯t endanger myself on the base of a promise.¡±

    ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll deliver the message.¡±

    ¡°As soon as you have it,¡± Zedd said then fumbled in his bag. ¡°Here¡¯s my candle. I trust you know what to do with this.¡± Zedd handed the strange black candle to Al. ¡°I¡¯ll come see you as soon as you have news for me.¡±

    ¡°Thanks friend, you¡¯re doing this city a great favor,¡± Alistair said after receiving the candle.

    ¡°From this day onwards, we are no longer friends. Friends don¡¯t ask friends to kill for them. You know that the empire won¡¯t let go of this matter.¡± Zedd looked at Alistair with his black eyes.

    The latter couldn¡¯t know what the mysterious man felt or thought. His calm demeanor changed into one with a dreary facial expression. His black irises and golden pupils fixed the Hunters¡¯ Commander, his mouth drew a cynical smile. Alistair felt like Zedd pitied him.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d feel this way Zedd.¡± Alistair sounded apologetic.

    ¡°What if I asked you to kill the Chancellor? How would you have reacted I wonder. Would you have accepted?¡± Zedd asked.

    Alistair thought for a while. ¡°It depends on why you want the Chancellor dead. If you¡¯re in a bind, I¡¯d feel obligated to help in any way I can.¡±

    ¡°There it is. The cunning diplomacy of an educated man,¡± Zedd exclaimed, loud enough for his voice to be heard outside Alistair¡¯s study. ¡°You take me for a fool Al. Minutes ago you were dismissing my plea against that gang in the slums.¡±

    ¡°You were merely expressing your concern,¡± Alistair interjected.

    ¡°A genuine concern mind you!¡± Zedd continued shouting. ¡°If you were the friend you claim to be, you would¡¯ve addressed my concern, not dismiss it for the sake of your selfish desires.¡±

    ¡°Selfish?¡± Alistair said. His tone was calm. One could feel he was trying to diffuse the situation. ¡°How is thinking of the future of Yanoku, our city, selfish?¡±

    ¡°We both know your primary concern is the position of Master. I¡¯ll take care of those imperials while the Chancellor and his band of merry Samaritans dispose of the treacherous Viraldo. Thanks to your help in the matter, the city will appoint you Master for the duration of the Festival,¡± Zedd slowly approached Al¡¯s desk, his eyes still fixated on his friend¡¯s.

    ¡°By the time most hunters who hate your guts come back from the Hunt, you¡¯ll have won the majority of votes allowing you to officially claim the position of Master. Am I getting this right friend?¡± Zedd emphasized the last word.

    Alistair was at a loss for words. He looked at Zedd, his mouth agape, but couldn¡¯t mutter a word.

    ¡°You¡¯ve backed me into a corner Al,¡± Zedd said. ¡°I don¡¯t like being used. But I need what your Lord has for me. After this is over, don¡¯t contact me ever again.¡±

    ¡°Everyone has a hidden agenda Zedd. You¡¯re using other people to fulfill your selfish desires. I do the same. We¡¯re both rotten to the core. What makes you think you¡¯re better than me?¡±

    ¡°Because I, dear friend.¡± With a single step, Zedd was behind Alistair.

    He pressed his hunting knife against Al¡¯s throat until the Guild Commander could feel the cold steel against his skin.

    ¡°I take care of my own dirty business. I don¡¯t send others to do it for me then take credit for it. I despise people like you Al.¡± Zedd let go of the terrified old hunter.

    ¡°You¡¯ve grown soft Al. That will be the end of you.¡± Zedd disappeared then reappeared next to the door. ¡°Goodbye for now. Light that candle when you have Dismas¡¯ answer. I¡¯ll only make my move if the answer is positive.¡±

    Zedd left the Hunters¡¯ Guild then strode through the hot streets of Yanoku. It was early evening, the hottest time of the day. Apart from Zedd, nobody walked the streets at that time, save for some unfortunate guards who were on duty.

    ¡®The chancellor has surrounded himself with fools,¡¯ Zedd thought as he headed for his house. ¡®They want to kill their guests. That¡¯ll only pressure the emperor into pushing for that research to end. They don¡¯t know who they¡¯re messing with.¡¯

    His thoughts of the empire and their might accompanied him through the city¡¯s streets. He was wandering aimlessly, lost in thought. When he came to, he was in the middle of Adle Plaza, a square in the middle of the Financial District.

    ¡®How did I ever get to this place?¡¯ he thought to himself.

    ¡°Zedd, stop daydreaming and bring your ass over here,¡± a female voice bellowed to him.

    Zedd looked at the direction from which the voice emanated. He saw a woman with brown hair looking at him from a window on the first floor. The plaza was empty. The water from the fountain in the middle rippled a hypnotic sound.

    ¡°Audrey, how lovely of you to meet me here, in this hot, stinky city,¡± he shouted at the woman.

    ¡°Yes, pleased to see you well and all Zedd. Now would you get your pretty ass here already?¡± the woman called Audrey said.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Zedd asked as he instantly materialized behind the woman.

    ¡°Gods I hate it when you do that!¡± she shouted at the man that had just teleported behind her.

    ¡°There are no real Gods. So stop with your nonsense,¡± Zedd replied. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    The young woman cast a puzzled look at the man with black eyes. ¡°I just wanted to pay you a visit. What¡¯s wrong with visiting my commander?¡±

    ¡°Audrey doesn¡¯t pay social calls,¡± Zedd said.

    ¡°You think you know me very well, don¡¯t you?¡± Audrey asked then chuckled.

    ¡°Good enough to know you¡¯re here for a bloody good reason. Spill it!¡±

    ¡°Smith has been sighted near Cherza,¡± Audrey said after the pleasantries had been exchanged.

    ¡°Well, that complicates things. Where are we with the Gates of Mercy?¡± Zedd asked.

    Audrey raised an eyebrow then said. ¡°I though Tristan was on the job.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t come all the way here to tell me about Smith, Audrey.¡±

    Audrey was Zedd¡¯s intelligence officer. She was a young beautiful woman with brown hair, black eyes and olive skin. She was a tough warrior and an excellent spy. That day, she wore a long beige dress that covered the entirety of her body, save for her head. Nobody knew who she was. She loved operating in the dark; stalk her prey instead of using diplomatic connections.

    ¡°Rimbaldi¡¯s the lead in the research facility at the Gates of Mercy. It¡¯s only a matter of time before they find the Pathway,¡± Audrey reported.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m still backed into a corner. I¡¯ll provide a distraction. See if you can find where Smith is hiding. He¡¯s the key to locking that passage,¡± Zedd ordered.

    ¡°What¡¯s your distraction?¡± Audrey asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see it soon enough. Follow the news on the Hunt once it starts,¡± Zedd suggested.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back at the empire when it starts airing,¡± Audrey said.

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll report to me first-hand the emperor¡¯s reaction.¡± Zedd mischievously smiled.

    ¡°What¡¯re you planning Zedd?¡± Audrey was concerned

    ¡°It¡¯s time for an old friend to acknowledge my existence,¡± Zedd answered.

    ¡°Are you sure you want him to know so soon?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point in hiding it?¡± Zedd¡¯s question was rhetorical. ¡°The moment I make my move during the Hunt, he¡¯ll know something¡¯s amiss. I¡¯d rather go for a preemptive strike.¡±

    ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing Zedd,¡± Audrey said. Her tone was almost desperate.

    ¡°Worry about your tasks dear. Leave the tactics to me,¡± Zedd said in a dry tone.

    ¡°Forgive me, I overstepped my boundaries.¡± Audrey knelt then bowed her head.

    ¡°Rise child, you¡¯ve only expressed your concern. I understand,¡± Zedd said with a calm, almost fatherly, voice. ¡°Now, let us not talk about this anymore. Find out where Smith is hiding, and don¡¯t let Rimbaldi out of your sight.¡±

    Audrey nodded, her black eyes watery. ¡°Where¡¯d you get that?¡± Zedd asked. He was looking at the necklace that slipped from beneath her robe as she stood.

    ¡°A woman in Helton gave it to me. I helped her free her child from the empire¡¯s clutch. It¡¯s beautiful isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Zedd looked at the necklace. It was a silver coin with a fox with three tails engraved on it. ¡°In some cultures, it¡¯s said to bring luck. I hope it does,¡± Zedd said. ¡°For all our sakes.¡±

 8 - Fiona, The Eternal Moon

    Villa Zevako: Summer of the Red Moon. Inside Zedd¡¯s residence, two days before the Great Hunt.

    ***

    The moon shone bright in the night sky. Through the skylight, moonlight reflected on the marble floor of the luxurious mansion. The man known as the Bloody Hound was staring at Zedd. ¡°Why are you here boy?¡± he asked.

    Zedd could only lower his eyes. He could see the man¡¯s sandals. His toe nails were well polished. ¡°You have broken the heavenly rules my boy!¡± the man shouted. His voice boomed in the empty marble hall. ¡°Now what am I to do with such a disobedient slave?¡±

    Zedd didn¡¯t hear the rest of the Bloody Hound¡¯s words. His mind took him to more painful thoughts. Soldiers, his own men, were being slaughtered as he stood there, tied and forced to watch. The woman he loved, protected and cared for, was tied to another post opposite his. She was used as target practice by the bored archers.

    ¡°You¡¯ll fight in the arena until you¡¯ve earned back what you owe me boy!¡± the Bloody Hound¡¯s words rung in Zedd¡¯s ears again. ¡°Death is too swift a mercy for you, ignorant boy!¡±

    ***

    ¡°Zedd! Zedd!¡± the Purple witch shouted. ¡°Oy! Quit ignoring me!¡±

    ¡°What do you want Purple?¡± Zedd asked, woken from his painful dream. He somehow felt grateful to the witch for waking him up.

    ¡°Stop calling me that too. I have a name you know.¡± The witch hated the name Zedd started using for her. Purple was for the color of the precious stone that always hung around her neck. It was a family heirloom she inherited from her mother.

    ¡°You have a name I don¡¯t like,¡± Zedd said, forcing himself to smile.

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°So I won¡¯t use it. Your name from now on is Purple, unless you want to choose a different name for me to call you by.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re annoying!¡± the witch exclaimed. Zedd had confined her in a house in the Financial District. She couldn¡¯t leave or use her magic. ¡°And I don¡¯t like this city. You said we were leaving after the Ritual. Why are we still here?¡±

    ¡°I said we¡¯ll leave after the Great Hunt. I¡¯m going to participate in the event.¡±

    ¡°They would never let you. You can claim you¡¯re a native but you can¡¯t prove it.¡±

    ¡°I hate to break it to you Purple. The Three Headed Dragon will let me take part in the hunt.¡±

    ¡°What?! How?¡±

    ¡°The emperor, in his vast wisdom, decided to impose a ridiculous condition on Viraldo. He¡¯d leave Yanoku alone if he sent a team of his warriors to take part in the hunt.¡±

    ¡°To what end? I can¡¯t see how that helps the empire in any way. They have more gold than they can count.¡±

    ¡°To humiliate the strongest guild in the west of course, he¡¯s a cunning man, difficult to read.¡±

    ¡°And because Viraldo will let foreigners take part in the Great Hunt, you¡¯ve found yourself an entry ticket.¡±

    ¡°Bingo!¡± Zedd said.

    He stood from the divan he was resting on then moved towards a wooden drawer. He took a multicolored feather then started contemplating it. Turning it from one side to the other, Zedd was fascinated by how the colors changed depending on the amount of sunlight that hit it.

    ¡°What do you know of Viraldo, Purple? Have you met him when you were planning to steal the star?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve met him once or twice. He¡¯s the reserved kind,¡± the witch said.

    ¡°The kind you don¡¯t like,¡± Zedd commented.

    ¡°The kind I can¡¯t stand. I don¡¯t like wasting my time on weak people, people that can be easily manipulated. He¡¯s bad sports,¡± the witch confessed.

    ¡°Why are you with me then?¡±

    ¡°Because you left me no other choice,¡± the witch bitterly answered.

    ¡°Where would you have gone after selling that eye?¡± Zedd was still playing with the plume. The witch was eyeing him from her seat near the balcony, greed apparent in her eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Perhaps the capital, I could have lived a good life with the money I was offered.¡±

    ¡°What happened to the island?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a fool Black Eyes. A woman suddenly buys an island. That¡¯s bound to attract unwanted attention.¡±

    ¡°You could¡¯ve gotten away with living in the capital,¡± Zedd admitted. ¡°Or perhaps Dismas would¡¯ve killed you or turned you to the empire. Everyone¡¯s got a hidden agenda.¡±

    ¡°Except you Zedd.¡± The witch said then smiled at him. She got up from the sofa she was lying down on then approached her mysterious captor. Her smile caused dimples to show on her cheeks. Her pupils were dilated, her eyes watery.

    Purple spoke, her voice filled with tenderness. ¡°You were honest with me from the beginning. You¡¯re not the type to have a hidden agenda, are you Zedd?¡±

    Zedd took a deep breath then locked eyes with the witch. His face reddened. His breathing got shorter.

    ¡°I have many secrets, like you my dear,¡± he said. ¡°My quarrel with the empire goes deeper than the simple need for freedom.¡±

    Zedd walked towards the balcony. With a swift move, he opened the door that concealed them from the outside world.

    ¡°Come, have a look at this,¡± he urged the witch.

    ¡°What? I¡¯m allowed in the balcony now?¡±

    ¡°The empire doesn¡¯t care about the witch in Yanoku now. Besides, the Chancellor and his counselors have more pressing matters to deal with.¡±

    Purple obeyed then stood beside Zedd.

    ¡°When you look at this city from up here, what do you see?¡± he asked.

    Zedd¡¯s villa was atop a hill in the Financial District. The balcony in which they stood overlooked the Commercial and Guild districts. A sea of brick houses presented itself to them.

    ¡°A bunch of brick houses, stacked next to each other. It¡¯s suffocating,¡± the witch answered.

    ¡°What about the people that live here?¡± he asked. ¡°You lived among them for quite some time.¡±

    ¡°Some are angry, frustrated and scared. Others are greedy, live in double standards or without standards at all. They preach one thing but do the complete opposite.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t we all do the same?¡± Zedd asked, the multicolored plume still in hand.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    The witch bit on her lips before letting out a faint ¡°Perhaps¡±.

    ¡°This city is on the verge of breaking apart Purple. The city I grew up in will soon be living in Civil War.¡±

    ¡°Please stop calling me that,¡± the witch, exasperated, said.

    ¡°The empire controls the water beyond the islands called Angel Wings,¡± Zedd went on, ignoring Purple¡¯s plea. ¡°Commerce is doing pretty badly. I saw ships that haven¡¯t left their docks for weeks. Fishermen are observing the sea, unable to set sail. Some report sights of that old Serpent, terrorizing the seas again.

    ¡°On top of all this, the empire requested that his forces join the Great Hunt.¡± Zedd sighed heavily.

    ¡°What¡¯s it to you? If this city falls or stays?¡± Purple asked.

    ¡°No one believes that I was born here. I don¡¯t believe it myself,¡± Zedd¡¯s voice was faint, almost a whisper. ¡°It¡¯s been so long, too long in fact, but not much has changed here. The same anger, the same disparities. It can¡¯t last long.¡±

    ¡°How old are you?¡± Purple asked. For some reason, she never asked her captor his age.

    ¡°Would you believe me if I told you?¡± Zedd said, still playing with the plume in his hand.

    ¡°Did you steal that from Alistair¡¯s study?¡± the witch asked.

    She could not conceal her greed any longer. The multicolored feather was a rare item, rumored to cure any sickness or injury.

    ¡°This is mine. I wouldn¡¯t steal from that coward,¡± Zedd dryly said.

    ¡°On this we both agree. Alistair is a coward, and that makes him dangerous.¡±

    Zedd turned, approached the witch then looked her in her beautiful hazel eyes. ¡°Consider this my payment for returning the star without treachery.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± the witch was perplexed, her cheeks suddenly turned red. ¡°What¡¯s this sudden change in behavior for?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± he said, smiling. ¡°It¡¯s as I said, payment for your cooperation. Do with it as you please, I don¡¯t care for it. But do me a favor and change that name of yours. Use your real name for a change. Your mother went through a lot of trouble naming you.¡±

    ¡°You assume too much Zedd. Darya is my real name,¡± the witch said, smiling.

    That name somehow irritated Zedd. She didn¡¯t know the reason for it, but she loved seeing him take a deep breath at the mention of the name. Besides, she had to irritate him in order to change the subject. She hated speaking of her past, especially of her mother.

    ¡°Fiona, the eternal moon, that¡¯s the name your mother gave you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say that name!¡± the witch shouted, her face contorted into an ugly grimace. Gone was her composed look, replaced by clenched teeth, furrowed brows and a wrinkled nose. Thunder rumbled in the sky, announcing a storm to come.

    Zedd looked up above. The previously clear sky was covered with heavy clouds. The weather instantly changed from hot and damp to cool and windy. Then, without warning, a thunderbolt landed in the garden.

    ¡°Incredible, the Aetherbane seems to have lost its effect,¡± Zedd announced to no one in particular.

    In a flash the witch jumped backwards, motioned her hands to form a hexagon then shot her arms forward.

    ¡°What the hell are you trying to do Purple?¡± Zedd asked. ¡°In your anger, you managed to call for an Aeon¡¯s help. That¡¯s a power you can¡¯t control yet. I just duped you into using your magic, and you fell for it!¡± Zedd exploded into unstoppable laughter.

    ¡°You,¡± Zedd went on after a while.

    He strode through the villa lounge, walking around the witch in circles. ¡°You can¡¯t use magic unless I will it. What we lack here is a semblance of trust. You want to know more about me? What you¡¯ve just done shows that you¡¯re looking for a weakness to exploit. I, on the other hand, only want what¡¯s best for both of us.¡±

    ¡°And what might that be?¡± the witch asked, angry but terrified of Zedd.

    ¡°A world without the empire¡¯s influence, they will not control our world. We cannot allow that!¡±

    ¡°And how will you achieve this impossible dream of yours?¡±

    ¡°All in good time my dear Fiona.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± The witch shouted at the top of her lungs. Thunder rumbled in the sky. Yanoku was enveloped in total darkness.

    ¡°Or what? You¡¯ll call that Aeon to help you? How will you achieve that?¡± Zedd asked, daring the woman to find an answer. The beautiful witch could only bite her red lips in despair. She didn¡¯t even know she could summon such powerful creatures. ¡°You should rejoice at the opportunity,¡± Zedd continued, his voice calmer this time. ¡°You now know that you can draw power from the Primordial Lake.¡±

    ¡°When will you deliver on that promise anyway?¡± she asked, remembering Zedd¡¯s promise about the so called Primordial Lake.

    ¡°You¡¯ll know about all my plans soon enough, and about the lake. We¡¯re expecting a guest, my final recruit before we leave these sandy lands. I¡¯ll explain everything when he arrives. He¡¯s coming up the stairs as we speak.¡±

    A few heartbeats later, someone knocked at the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Zedd said.

    The man called Tristan entered, followed by another man, big and large as a bear. ¡°Cane, how good of you to visit me,¡± Zedd said, smiling. ¡°I¡¯m glad you decided to come hear my offer.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d better start talking, shorty!¡± Cane said. The man¡¯s eyes were fixed on Zedd. He was ready to attack at any moment.

    ¡°Watch your mouth!¡± Tristan warned.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright Tristan. Has my messenger been rough with you?¡± Zedd asked Cane.

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Cane confidently announced.

    Zedd smiled at Tristan. ¡°Good to know. I have an important task for you my dear Cane; if you decide to join forces with me that is.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s in it for me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll clear your name in the eyes of man and the Gods.¡±

    ¡°Go on,¡± Cane urged.

    Zedd sighed then looked at his two guests.

    ¡°Cane, Darya,¡± Zedd said with difficulty, he really hated using that name. ¡°I approached you both because you have bad history with the empire. This is a quality I look for when I¡¯m recruiting people to join my army.¡±

    ¡°What army?¡± both Cane and the witch asked at the same time.

    ¡°Oh yeah I forgot to mention,¡± Zedd said, addressing the witch. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of the resistance, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    The witch nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m the infamous leader of the resistance. I plan on destroying that man whose sole ambition is to become the ruler of the world.¡± Zedd was smiling. His usual, never fading, cynical smile, could drive a person mad.

    ¡°Your army is weak!¡± Cane said. Perhaps the man hoped to erase that irritating smile from Zedd¡¯s face.

    ¡°Yes, for now,¡± Black Eyes admitted. ¡°But with a witch to organize our defenses and a berserker to lead the front lines, I say we¡¯ll be ready to invade and occupy Bairn.¡±

    The witch crossed her arms then looked at Zedd, a hint of sarcasm in her voice when she said, ¡°You want to invade and occupy a city governed by one of the Seven Princes. That¡¯s crazy!¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t hope to defeat the empire if we don¡¯t dream big, if we don¡¯t do something crazy,¡± Zedd said, imitating the witch¡¯s tone and body language.

    ¡°How big¡¯s your army?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°A thousand strong, and bound to get bigger,¡± Zedd answered.

    ¡°That¡¯s not nearly enough. Prince Sylens has an army of five thousand, not to mention his impregnable fortress,¡± the witch said in a patronizing way.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need a thousand soldiers to take the city, I need them to hold it,¡± Zedd said nonchalantly.

    ¡°What d¡¯you mean?¡± the bear asked.

    ¡°Soldiers are corrupt. They have their families to care for. Offer them enough gold and they¡¯ll switch sides, especially after they witness the Prince¡¯s defeat. What do the two of you say? Care to follow me into my crazy dream?¡±

    ¡°How will you take the Prince down?¡± the witch asked.

    ¡°The Prince will destroy himself from within. I will explain my plans in due time. For now, I need an insane amount of gold. War is expensive.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re joining the Hunt?¡± the witch asked.

    ¡°Precisely,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°And that¡¯s why I need our friend here.¡±

    ¡°What d¡¯ya mean?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°I mean that you will join me in the Great Hunt. You¡¯ll have a chance to witness my powers there. I¡¯m positive that you¡¯ll join forces with me afterward.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t. Yer an outsider,¡± Cane said, rubbing his neck.

    ¡°And yer an outcast,¡± Zedd retorted. ¡°But we¡¯ll both get to the Gate all the same. I have an agreement with my friends at the Hunters¡¯ guild.¡±

    ¡°What do you hope to achieve during that hunt Zedd?¡± the witch asked. ¡°There are strong monsters there, but which offering are you targeting?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m planning on hunting the biggest prey there is, Ulmir¡¯s watchdog.¡±

    Cane broke into a fit of laughter. ¡°Ya mean to kill the monster no one¡¯s ever killed? I like that! I¡¯m in. I like yer crazy thinking.¡±

    Zedd let out a victorious smile. ¡°Then it is settled. We shall prepare for the first leg of the competition. The empire will participate in the Hunt. Boy do I have a magnificent plan for them!¡±

    ¡°What do I do?¡± the witch asked.

    Zedd got up and approached her. He put both hands on her shoulders then smiled.

    ¡°You, my dear Purple, will read the grimoire in your room. I¡¯ll lift the Aetherbane that controls your magic flow. Practice with great caution, for the empire will be watching for any energy fluctuation. I won¡¯t be in the city, so I won¡¯t be able to shield you from him.¡±

    ¡°Him?¡± the witch asked.

    ¡°General Flavius,¡± Tristan spoke. ¡°He¡¯s here with the imperial escort.¡±

    ¡°A vicious man to say the least,¡± Zedd commented. ¡°He won¡¯t show you any mercy. The custodians won¡¯t intervene either. If you get their attention Purple, you¡¯re on your own.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that grimoire about?¡± The witch asked, ignoring the part about needing protection from Zedd.

    ¡°It¡¯s Archmage Grunwald¡¯s Grimoire, I trust you¡¯ll find it useful.¡±

    The witch was at a loss for words. The grimoire Zedd offered her was one of the rarest collections of magic scrolls to ever exist.

    ¡°I told you,¡± Zedd said, ¡°What we need is to trust each other. Study well witch, your powers will save us all.¡±

    Zedd asked Cane to follow him into his study. They both had to plan for the Great Hunt.

    ¡°The Gate will open in two days. We need to be ready to bring the watchdog down. Oh and Purple,¡± Zedd called for the witch who was already moving toward her room.

    ¡°Yes?¡± the witch turned around, still excited about the Grimoire.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be moving from here. Tristan will facilitate the logistics. Please cooperate.¡±

    ¡°Why are we moving?¡±

    ¡°The Hunt will end in disaster. I need to find a different way out of Ulmir¡¯s Domain. You¡¯ll understand when you see it. Tristan, please arrange for extraction.¡±

    ¡°As you wish my lord,¡± Tristan said. The man bowed then left the room.

    ¡°I can easily find you wherever you hide Purple. Don¡¯t disappoint me!¡± Zedd said to the witch. ¡°Follow Tristan¡¯s instructions, for your own good.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± the witch said. ¡°Translating the runes in those ancient scrolls is all that matters to me now. As long as I get a quiet place to study, I won¡¯t complain.¡±

    ¡°That will be arranged. I¡¯ll see you after the hunt.¡±

 9: Ulmirâ€™s Domain

    <u>Yanoku city, inside Zedd¡¯s villa: Summer of the red moon, two days before the Hunt. </u>

    Inside Zedd¡¯s study, bookshelves were stacked against the walls. From top to bottom, the walls were adorned with encyclopedias, Old Scriptures and even some Grimoires related to elemental magic. ¡°What¡¯re all these books for?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°Some fights are won with strength, others with one¡¯s mind,¡± the revolutionary leader answered.

    Zedd walked behind his desk, turned then said, ¡°Thanks to these books my dear Cane, we will achieve our goal. Look at the map on this desk. Memorize it like the back of your hand.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡± the big bear asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never participated in the Hunt. You¡¯ll need to know the layout of Ulmir¡¯s Domain.¡±

    ¡°Did you try the Hunt before?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°No, but I¡¯ve read and heard enough descriptions to know what to expect.¡±

    ¡°What happens during the Hunt?¡± the big bear asked again.

    ¡°The Great Hunt is an annual competition that tests every participant¡¯s skills. Every year, a Gate opens a passageway to what is known as Ulmir¡¯s Domain. The gate appears in one specific spot, at the heart of Sleigh Cave, the most mysterious place in the Kozagan Desert. Expect the unexpected,¡± Zedd said, his cynic smile always present in between sentences.

    ¡°Forget what you know of this world, for the Hunt is an event governed by an actual God,¡± he went on

    ¡°May Ulmir guide our way,¡± Cane prayed.

    ¡®No, not Ulmir, that God died long ago,¡¯ Zedd thought. ¡°Ulmir¡¯s domain is treacherous, full of nasty beasts the likes of which have never surfaced to our world.¡±

    ¡°Yes I heard stories,¡± Cane said.

    ¡°Hearing is one thing, seeing is another,¡± Zedd said while observing the map he had drawn on his desk. ¡°Alistair told me you¡¯re an outcast. What happened?¡± He knew of the big bear¡¯s past, but wished to hear it from him.

    ¡°Shit happened, as usual. I don¡¯t like thinking of the past.¡±

    ¡°As you wish,¡± Zedd said after a long sigh. ¡°Now tell me, what¡¯s the hardest prey you¡¯ve had to hunt?¡±

    Cane thought for a moment, ¡°Zhang probably, but that beast was just too big to handle. And there¡¯s Goradon,¡± Cane stroked his chin, absorbed in thought. ¡°Goradon¡¯s the hardest. It¡¯s quick, smart and it got elemental energy.¡±

    Zedd smiled approvingly. ¡°Zhang is just a poor misunderstood beast. It just wants to be like humans. There¡¯s no harm in stealing silk from time to time.¡±

    ¡°A contract¡¯s a contract,¡± Cane commented. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter what the beast thinks.¡±

    ¡°Oh but it does. The empire thinks we¡¯re savages, trying to resist the perfect system our ¡®savior¡¯ thought of. To them, we¡¯re no different than Zhang who steals silk to dress up like nobles.¡±

    ¡°Beasts have fangs, attack and kill without regret. They¡¯re dangerous,¡± Cane commented.

    ¡°Armies kill and invade,¡± Zedd replied. ¡°They rape women, kill children. They even destroy cities and civilizations. Have you ever seen a city after war had ravaged it?¡±

    Cane shook his head.

    ¡°There¡¯s but rubble and fire. Livestock is slaughtered. The live ones mourn their sorry state before thinking of their dead relatives. Women are raped, repeatedly. Children are taken away to the slaughterhouse or to be sold as slaves. Tell me, dear Cane, how are we different from the monsters you hunted for a living? We all kill indifferently. The victor always does as he pleases.¡±

    Cane remained silent, pondering at Zedd¡¯s words. ¡°We can change our minds,¡± he finally said. ¡°The beasts act on instinct. We think.¡±

    ¡°This is the first thing you need to forget about when entering Ulmir¡¯s domain friend. The beasts you¡¯ll encounter there, especially the strong ones, are highly intelligent. If you encounter any of them, you run and don¡¯t look back.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we hunting the strongest of the beasts?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°We are, but we can¡¯t hunt the Watchdog if we¡¯re dead, can we?¡±

    ¡°What d¡¯ya have in mind then?¡±

    ¡°Two things,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°First we plan. I have compiled data on the sentient monsters that appeared in Ulmir¡¯s domain. For five hundred years, only six have been sighted repeatedly.

    ¡°Second, we think of our reactions when the plan goes to shit.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the use of a plan then?¡± Cane mocked the mastermind.

    ¡°The plan helps us reach Ulmir¡¯s gate with minimal damage. Remember, it¡¯s a world we know little of. There will be a lot of variables we can¡¯t control.¡±

    ¡°You talk gibberish shorty. Use words I can understand.¡± To Cane, everybody was short. Even Zedd, who was taller than most, had to look up in order to speak to the big bear.

    ¡°Here, look at this.¡± Zedd urged his new recruit to look at the map he had drawn.

    ¡°The square you see in the middle is Ulmir¡¯s castle. Every hunter who successfully finishes the Hunt¡¯s First Phase will be led there. That¡¯s where the final fights take place. Our priority is to reach this place unscathed.¡±

    ¡°Unswhat?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°With no critical injuries,¡± Zedd clarified.

    ¡°What about the beasts we have to hunt?¡± he asked again.

    ¡°We only need to hunt one, present it to Ulmir as a team then enter the gate.¡±

    ¡°Why would we go in as a team?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°I need us to register as a team to cover my tracks.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t follow,¡± Cane commented.

    ¡°Of course you don¡¯t. I haven¡¯t explained everything to you yet. What do you think of the empire?¡± Zedd asked.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Y¡¯know damn well how I feel, I hate their guts,¡± Cane bitterly answered.

    ¡°I was asked to dispose of the imperialists that were granted access to the Hunt,¡± Zedd declared. ¡°It¡¯s an offense the empire punishes for greatly. I don¡¯t want them chasing me at the moment, so I¡¯ll be giving them a false lead.¡±

    ¡°Y¡¯mean to use me as bait?¡± Cane asked. His breathing got shorter. His eyes fixed Zedd¡¯s. The man was apparently angry.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you fight Cane. You¡¯re an excellent fighter. You think on your feet. And you¡¯re not afraid of death. These are rare qualities. I¡¯m not willing to let such a talent go to waste;¡± Zedd was trying to calm his potential partner¡¯s nerves. ¡°The imperialists will eat you up.¡±

    Cane raised an eyebrow, questioningly.

    Zedd approached his puzzled guest then said. ¡°The commanders in the empire have supernatural abilities, or weapons to be precise. Rimbaldi had developed some terrifying weapons to help the Empire conquer the world. Facing them in a one on one battle would mean certain death for you. I have better plans for you. I mean to defeat the imperialists alone. But if we enter the contest as a team, I won¡¯t be their prime suspect.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll suspect everyone,¡± Cane commented.

    ¡°They¡¯ll suspect me, especially after the Second Phase starts. But they won¡¯t be able to find me.¡±

    ¡°Yer confusing me black eyes.¡±

    Zedd smiled. He walked back to his desk then looked at the castle in the center of the map. ¡°What do you know of the Second Phase?¡± he asked.

    ¡°The chosen ones fight to the death until a champion is decided.¡±

    ¡°And who gets out of Ulmir¡¯s domain after the Hunt ends?¡±

    ¡°All the participants in the Second Phase,¡± Cane answered. It was common knowledge to all natives of the Kozagan Desert.

    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°Ulmir used his great power to create Avatars of the chosen fighters. The ones who die aren¡¯t the real bodies, but the fake ones created by Ulmir.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how Ulmir creates those Avatars?¡±

    ¡°Who am I to question a God¡¯s power?¡± Cane asked, offended at Zedd¡¯s question.

    Zedd¡¯s smiled then said. ¡°The Hunt will open your eyes Cane. You¡¯ll see. The body your God will create for me won¡¯t show the person you¡¯re looking at. I¡¯ll have a different body, a different face.¡± Zedd started explaining his grand scheme to distract the empire.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to tell you the rest. You¡¯ll experience it for yourself. All you need to know is that the King will help the empire capture me. After all, I¡¯ll be framed for murdering the imperialists. So your job would be to win the contest for me. For our sakes, you¡¯d better show the same resolution as the one you had during the Ritual of Sacrifice.¡±

    ¡°I always wanted to win that contest. You can count on me,¡± Cane said.

    ¡°But I¡¯ll need the gold you¡¯ll win. After all, I¡¯ll provide you with the biggest beast in the realm.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not after money Black Eyes. Winning the contest is something I swore I¡¯d do,¡± Cane said.

    ¡°I have something that would be of help to you during the Hunt,¡± Zedd said. He walked towards one of the cupboards then took a spherical object out.

    ¡°This is a Crux,¡± Zedd started. ¡°People in the empire use it on their weaponry and automata. Infuse it with Ether and you can shoot fireballs, lightning bolts and the likes from it. Here, look.¡± Zedd activated the Crux and a cool wind enveloped the study. The hot and damp room became cool. Cane took a deep breath then let out a long ¡°Ah!¡± of satisfaction.

    ¡°Even the air is cleaner when you harvest the wind from the highest mountain,¡± Zedd commented. ¡°Imagine if your axes were infused with fire? Or Wind? Or even Lightning? Your axes would¡¯ve burnt Gerard¡¯s wooden shield, not get stuck in it.¡±

    ¡°How does it work?¡± the big bear asked.

    ¡°Rimbaldi created Cruces that turn Essence, the energy harbored in Aether Veins, into elemental energy called Ether. He¡¯s a genius with no equal in all of Hera,¡± Zedd explained. He then walked towards the only wall in the study that didn¡¯t have bookshelves.

    ¡°This is my sword.¡± Zedd unsheathed a sword that was hanging on the wall. ¡°This one was imbued with lightning. One strike from it is enough to char any warrior, no matter the type of armor they¡¯re wearing. But it has a weakness.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°It needs to be recharged. Not all smiths are good at imbuing weapons with elemental energy. In the four continents, there are but two. One of them is Rimbaldi. He uses the Cruces. The other had disappeared without a trace long ago. He has a more mysterious, ancient power.¡± Zedd was actually looking for that smith to join his ranks.

    ¡°I¡¯ll lend you this sword during the Contest,¡± Zedd continued.

    ¡°What about you? How will you fight?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°I have my own weapons and techniques,¡± Black Eyes answered. ¡°You¡¯ll see once we get to the hunting grounds. What¡¯s important is that you follow my instructions to the letter. One mistake and you might lose your life needlessly.¡±

    ¡°What am I s¡¯posed to do?¡±

    ¡°The hunting grounds are divided into four parts,¡± Zedd replied. ¡°There¡¯s Ulmir¡¯s Garden, an unforgiving forest. That¡¯s the one you see here, south of the large square.¡± Zedd pointed at the map for Cane to see.

    Cane listened carefully to Zedd¡¯s plan. The Revolutionary leader explained how to get to Ulmir¡¯s Garden. ¡°I¡¯ll clear the area for us,¡± he told Cane as he explained their plan. ¡°The empire will surely head for the Faery Plains. There¡¯s an Aether vein there I¡¯m sure they¡¯d love to exploit. I¡¯ll take care of them before heading to the Garden.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that vein important?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°Later friend, you¡¯re new to this world. You¡¯ll get lost in information if I explain every little detail to you.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Cane admitted.

    ¡°No matter where you land, you have to find your way towards Ulmir¡¯s Garden. This is where the Watchdog sleeps.¡±

    ¡°And this Watchdog¡¯s stronger than the lizards, yes?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°Yes, stronger than any other beast in Ulmir¡¯s domain.¡±

    ¡°Why do we have to go through the forest then?¡± Cane asked. ¡°Can¡¯t we just find a strong beast like other hunters do?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯ll need the beast¡¯s strength,¡± Zedd answered. Cane raised an eyebrow at his host.

    ¡°I can¡¯t explain it all to you until you¡¯ve seen everything before your eyes. It¡¯s easier that way trust me. All I can promise is that you¡¯ll gain strength that all the gold in the world can¡¯t buy.¡±

    ¡°What am I supposed to do then?¡±

    ¡°Find your way to the Garden. If you land there, then look for me near the area where the trees touch the sky. But beware of small trees with tasty looking fruits. Don¡¯t pick any fruit in the Garden. You¡¯ll have enough water and food with you. Use it with the utmost care.¡±

    Zedd and Cane remained in the study for the remainder of the night. Food was brought to them by the many servants hired by the Revolutionary. At dawn two days later, both men left the house. Each took a different route to reach the Hunters¡¯ guild. It was there that the procession would start. Zedd¡¯s mind was racing, full of conflicted thoughts and ideas. ¡®How is she alive? Audrey, I hope you¡¯ll bring me good news from the east.¡¯

    In his confused state, Zedd didn¡¯t realize that his body took him to the guild automatically.

    ¡®Old habits die hard huh?!¡¯ he thought as he observed the magnificent building that hosted the hunters.

    ¡®How I resented this place as a child! I was pretty stubborn back then, and stupid.¡¯ He took a long look at the guild¡¯s oaken door, reluctant to open it.

    ¡°It¡¯s now or never Zedd,¡± he whispered, trying to encourage himself. ¡°The die is cast, the wheels are turning. It¡¯s time to reveal what the future holds for me.¡±

    Zedd pushed the main door that led directly into the Main Hall. Hundreds of warriors were assembled to start the procession towards Sleigh Cave. Garland was waiting for all the summoned warriors to assemble. Zedd made his way towards the strongest man in the guild.

    ¡°Garland! It¡¯s good to know the strongest warrior in the guild will be leading us towards the gates of doom.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t approve of your friend living in our city,¡± Garland angrily said.

    ¡°Sounds like Viraldo didn¡¯t let you drink this morning.¡± Zedd seemed unaffected by the hunter¡¯s bad mood.

    ¡°Leave me alone Zedd, I hate escort jobs and I don¡¯t like you. I can¡¯t handle two annoying things at once.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you start the procession then? The latecomers will have to run or miss their chance at dying to horrible monsters.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Garland stroke his long beard for a while. ¡°Those shitfaced bastards aren¡¯t here yet.¡±

    ¡°You mean the imperialists? I saw them leave early this morning towards the cave. They don¡¯t believe in our Gods, so why should they wait for our precious procession?¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Garland shouted. ¡°Are you sure black eyes?¡±

    ¡°Certain,¡± Zedd replied. ¡°Ask your master if you don¡¯t believe me. Oh wait! Where¡¯s your master?¡±

    Zedd asked an important question. Garland looked around, looking for the master of the guild. Viraldo had to give a procession speech before the Great Hunt started. It was every guild master¡¯s responsibility.

    The guild¡¯s main door was suddenly pushed open, bringing all the talk and laughter in the Main Hall to a halt. Alistair stood at the door, bloodied and badly wounded.

    The chancellor stood next to the injured man, his hair combed and pomaded. He was smiling, the custodians stood behind him, armed to the teeth.

    ¡°Viraldo is dead. He was found guilty of High Treason to our nation. For the sake of our city, I ask you to be obedient and follow my instructions. We don¡¯t want a bloodbath on the day of the Great Hunt.¡±

 10 - The White Fox Appears

    Outskirst of Yanoku, Summer of the Red Moon. The day of the Great Hunt.

    Garland was at a loss for words. He made to run for Alistair but Zedd stopped him. Angry, Garland turned towards Zedd. Before he could utter a word, black eyes spoke,

    ¡°Don¡¯t try anything stupid Garland. You may be the strongest hunter in the guild. But the chancellor has an army behind him. Keep it together and do the right thing.¡±

    Garland jerked his shoulder forward to get rid of Zedd¡¯s hand. ¡°They murdered master. D¡¯ya expect me to sit and watch?¡±

    ¡°I expect you to be smart about this. Viraldo brought this on himself. The chancellor fears the king more than the emperor. You should too.¡±

    ¡°Bah, I hate politics!¡± Garland was furious. ¡°I know damn well they¡¯re gonna kill me if I attack. But I can¡¯t help it.¡± Garland clutched his hands. His nails dug deep into his palm. ¡°They even hurt Al. I can¡¯t forgive them for this.¡±

    ¡°Give it up Garland,¡± Zedd urged. ¡°At least for now, the Chancellor is asking for an excuse to strip the Guild of its power. Don¡¯t give him that. Cooperate, at least for now.¡±

    ¡°Yer probably right Black Eyes,¡± Garland said. He sighed deeply then shouted to all the people present in the Main Hall. ¡°Put down your weapons. Our master¡¯s broken the rules and paid for it. We¡¯ll have elections after the Hunt.¡±

    The tension in the room subsided. The chancellor pushed the injured Alistair to his men.

    ¡°Take care of this one. Our quarrel was with your master, not him. It¡¯d be waste if this city lost two great men. Garland!¡± the Chancellor called for the strongest man in the guild. ¡°You can begin the procession. The imperials have gone there already. They¡¯ll be waiting for us at the cave.¡±

    Garland gave the order and all the appointed participants moved in an orderly fashion towards the Eastern City Gates. There were three hundred participants that enlisted to join the Great Hunt.

    Each participant was called a champion. The champions fought beasts in Ulmir¡¯s domain in order to get access to his courtyard. In order to be allowed into Ulmir¡¯s Courtyard, the champions had to hunt monsters then offer them to Ulmir in one of his altars. There were only thirty two altars, eight in each of the four regions.

    Zedd walked with the other champions toward Sleigh Cave. The procession was followed by drummers who announced the beginning of the Festival of the Hunt. People crowded the streets, cheering on their favorite champions. Among the participating champions, Zedd recognized some of the warriors that fought during the Ritual of Sacrifice.

    ¡®Only Lucius¡¯s son is missing,¡¯ he thought as he observed the people he walked with.

    Cane was among the crowd, far from Zedd. They agreed to enter the cave separately. Zedd didn¡¯t want the city council to associate them together.

    ¡®I hope he doesn¡¯t stray too far toward the courtyard,¡¯ Zedd thought as he observed Cane in the distance. ¡®I need to take care of those imperials first. Dismas will have to pay for using me this way.¡¯

    ¡°What did ya mean earlier?¡± Garland¡¯s voice brought Black Eyes back from his daydreaming. The strongest man in the guild was walking beside Zedd.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow.¡± Zedd looked at Garland with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°Ya asked me to wait, not attack. What for? Amaud broke the law. He shoulda arrested the master.¡±

    ¡°Do you honestly think that the chancellor gives two shits about the law?¡±

    ¡°Of course he doesn¡¯t,¡± Garland replied. ¡°Not after what he did.¡±

    ¡°The men you saw behind him are the law. Try to attack him and they will put you down. How will that help the guild Garland?¡±

    ¡°You saw what they did to Al, didn¡¯cha?¡± Garland¡¯s anger started building up again. His voice became louder.

    ¡°Al is alive. He¡¯ll get over the beating. Tell me Garland, what did you think of Viraldo?¡±

    ¡°He was a great man, the leader of the greatest guild that ever existed;¡± Garland answered proudly. ¡°And they done him in like a rat!¡±

    ¡°Viraldo invited the empire into the city. He gave them access to Ulmir¡¯s domain. Doesn¡¯t that make you angry? You didn¡¯t approve of me joining the hunt.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a different story Black Eyes. I don¡¯t like you. Six imperials won¡¯t last long in Ulmir¡¯s domain.¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s the center of the manipulation, you fool,¡¯ Zedd thought.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you agree that he broke the sacred rule?¡± he asked. ¡°He let the king¡¯s enemies, pagans, get access to the largest city in the Kozagan Desert. If the chancellor hadn¡¯t acted, the king would have. And believe me friend, more shoulders would be missing heads by then.¡±

    ¡°I know all that Zedd,¡± Garland interjected. ¡°But ya didn¡¯t answer the question. Why¡¯d you ask me to wait?¡±

    ¡°Because the guild needs you now more than ever, the Chancellor will surely try to get someone to become the guild¡¯s master. He¡¯ll need a puppet,¡± Zedd answered.

    ¡°And who d¡¯ya think is the puppet?¡± Garland asked.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I can only tell you what the Chancellor¡¯s thinking about. I can¡¯t guide you through it all,¡± Zedd dismissively answered.

    ¡°So you¡¯ve an idea?¡±

    ¡°I might,¡± Zedd said, still dismissive. ¡°Listen Garland,¡± Zedd turned towards the strongest man in the guild. ¡°Amaud is watching you. He probably suspects there¡¯s something happening between you and the mysterious man. There¡¯s danger all around you now. Don¡¯t talk to me again in public. After the Hunt, I¡¯ll come to have a chat with you, deal?¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Garland answered.

    ¡°You still don¡¯t like me, do you?¡± Zedd asked before Garland took leave of him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Garland dryly answered.

    ¡°Good, use the mistrust you have for me on everyone else. It might open your eyes a little.¡±

    Garland left Zedd then joined Amaud and his men. The Chancellor led the champions on Viraldo¡¯s behalf. The event that was usually exclusive to the Hunters¡¯ guild had fallen into the Chancellor¡¯s controlling hands.

    As the procession reached the cave, horns were blown to signal the champions to stop. It was midday when everyone stopped near Sleigh Cave. In the dry desert of Kozag, a canyon of pink rocks carved the way towards the most mysterious cave in the dry lands. The Chancellor stood on a cliff atop the entrance. Every champion could see him towering above them all.

    ¡°On this special day, and on behalf of the Hunters¡¯ guild,¡± Amaud said. His voice boomed around the dry gorge. ¡°I pray for Ulmir¡¯s blessing to guide you all. The Gate will open soon. We will call your name then you¡¯ll proceed into the cave.¡±

    General Flavious stood next to the Chancellor. He insisted on witnessing the special opening to Ulmir¡¯s Domain. Part of the reason behind the General¡¯s presence was also to ensure his men get to the Gate safely. Flavious was a careful man. He knew their presence irritated the citizens of Kozag. He was confident that the Kozagans wouldn¡¯t attack them though. They knew better.

    ¡°Each one of you will be presented with a bag,¡± the Chancellor went on with his speech. ¡°Within the bag, you¡¯ll find three days¡¯ worth of provisions. Use them well for you can¡¯t survive in Ulmir¡¯s domain without them. There¡¯s no edible food or drinking water in our Lord¡¯s terrible, plagued realm.¡±

    ¡°What do you think will happen to the imperialists?¡± Zedd heard a champion ask another.

    ¡°I hope the Watchdog eats them,¡± the other answered.

    ¡°The chancellor sure loves talking,¡± the first champion spoke again.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with that? First they kill the master, second they lead our procession? I say, Garland should¡¯ve ordered us to attack!¡±

    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± the other barked. ¡°Viraldo was rightfully killed, why should we follow him?¡±

    ¡°Relax, we¡¯re after the gold here,¡± the first champion to speak said. ¡°Who cares who lives or dies? Once the Hunt begins, I¡¯m heading straight for the altar. It¡¯s not about hunting the biggest prey, it¡¯s about who¡¯s first!¡±

    ¡°The bigger your prey, the more gold you¡¯ll get.¡±

    ¡°The smallest beast in Ulmir¡¯s garden will give me enough gold to leave these dry lands. Away from the heat and away from the empire¡¯s coming attack.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯ll you do with the gold?¡±

    ¡°Like I¡¯ll tell you that! Once the hunt starts, we¡¯re enemies.¡±

    ¡°Pff, you¡¯ll come to me asking for help I¡¯m telling ya. And when that time comes, I¡¯ll laugh in yer face.¡±

    Zedd listened to other champions planning their approach to the hunt. Soon, a rumbling underground brought everyone¡¯s talk to a halt. Even the chancellor stopped elongating his boring speech about valor and sacrifice.

    ¡°The gate is opening,¡± he said. ¡°Garland! Start the roll call!¡±

    Garland started shouting names. The imperialists went in first, in one group. Then others followed. Each champion stepped forward upon hearing his or her name. They¡¯d receive the provisions then slide into the dark cave. After half an hour, Cane was called to get inside the cave.

    ¡®Fare well friend,¡¯ Zedd thought. ¡®Don¡¯t forget the plan!¡¯

    An hour later, Zedd¡¯s name was called. He stepped forward, collected his bag then slid into the cave. Zedd looked at Garland before entering the place. Dismas stood behind Garland, smiling at Zedd.

    ¡®You made a bad move Dismas. You¡¯ll eventually pay for involving me in this.¡¯

    He advanced towards the entrance and looked down. There was a steep slope that led toward darkness. As he was about to jump into the dark cave, something else attracted his attention. At the cave¡¯s entrance, behind one of the numerous rocks, a fox hid.

    Zedd squinted, rubbed his eyes, then made another effort to look again. A white fox with three tails was observing him from behind the rocks. As soon as Zedd spotted it, the fox jumped into a hole in the ground then disappeared.

    ¡®I don¡¯t like this,¡¯ he though as he slid-down the dark cave. ¡®I have a bad feeling about this.¡¯ Zedd¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by a rumbling so loud it could burst one¡¯s eardrums. He could see a bright blue light in the distance from which the sound emanated. He was picking up speed. He even had to close his internal eyelids to stop dirt from coming in.

    The bright blue light in the distance announced Zedd¡¯s rapid approach towards the Gate. If he were to be tripped by the smallest rock, he could trip and miss his chance to jump at the Gate. At the end of the steep slope, there was a deep hole. Nobody ever knew what was hidden deep within. Nobody who ever fell could come back and tell the tale.

    Zedd got close to the Gate and readied himself to jump. As soon the end of the slope was visible, Zedd jumped at the Gate. Before Black Eyes could reach it though, a loud screech was heard. Even the people outside the cave were affected by it.

    ¡°That¡¯s bad news, isn¡¯t it?¡± the Chancellor outside asked Garland.

    ¡°That¡¯s what we get for allowing outsiders inside Ulmir¡¯s domain,¡± Dismas intervened.

    ¡°Your master allowed it,¡± General Flavious retorted.

    ¡°But Ulmir obviously isn¡¯t happy about it General,¡± Dismas said.

    ¡°What now?¡± the chancellor asked.

    ¡°If anything comes up, the guild will deal with it,¡± Garland announced. ¡°We¡¯ll wait a little before sending the next candidate.¡±

    After the screech subsided, Zedd found out that he¡¯d come to a sudden full stop. He was floating midair, unable to move. In fact, not only did he stop, everything around him ceased to move as well. The Gate no longer emitted its usual rumblings. The screech everyone heard before had vanished. Even the sand and pebbles that followed after Zedd¡¯s descent stopped moving midair.

    ¡°Why are you here Darkstar?¡± a voice, akin to the rumbling of thunder, asked.

    ¡°I was asked, quite nicely, to dispose of the outsiders that entered first,¡± Zedd casually replied.

    ¡°I can¡¯t allow you in, Darkstar. You¡¯re cursed,¡± the voice said.

    ¡°The gate has already opened. You can¡¯t close it either,¡± Zedd said. Time had stopped in order to allow for the two to speak freely.

    ¡°But I know where you are,¡± the voice replied.

    ¡°Yes, you do,¡± Zedd said. ¡°Outside your area of influence, but don¡¯t you worry Utar. I¡¯m coming for you.¡±

    The voice emitted a sound similar to multiple thunder rumblings at once. Zedd knew it was laughing. ¡°What can you possibly do against me Darkstar?¡±

    ¡°For now, nothing,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°But soon Utar, soon you¡¯ll feel my wrath. You¡¯ll pay for what you¡¯ve done.¡±

    ¡°You look different,¡± Utar spoke again.

    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who evolved over the past years Utar. You¡¯ll hear from me soon enough. Now would you please release your spell? If Omega finds out where you are-¡±

    At the mention of the name, thunder rumbled even louder in the cave. Soon after, the spell was released and Zedd resumed his jump into the Gate.

    ¡®I don¡¯t like this at all. Viraldo you son of a bitch, you invited doom upon us all,¡¯ Zedd thought after he landed in the Faery Plains. He was at the north section of Ulmir¡¯s domain. As soon as he landed, Zedd deployed his Fairies. ¡®Go little ones, find those imperials for me,¡¯ he mentally ordered them.

    ¡®When the emperor hears of the Darkstar in the west, Rimbaldi will probably figure out what the Pathway¡¯s for. I¡¯ll give them a good distraction. Then I¡¯ll destroy this realm and seal it forever.¡¯

 11 - The Faeriesâ€™ Wrath

    Ulmir¡¯s Domain, Faery Plains: First Day of the Great Hunt.

    The Faery Plains were vast. Travelling from one end to the other would take at least two weeks. Alternatively, travelling vertically towards the Altar was harder than most believe. Given the amount of provisions champions were provided, if one were to run through the area, they¡¯d exhaust all their water reserves before reaching the Altar. The plains were flat and green.

    One could see Ulmir¡¯s Castle towers in the horizon. Ulmir¡¯s domain was a flat circle with the castle in the middle. Each of the four zones was shaped like a giant triangle leading to the center. Crossing the triangle horizontally would take a tremendous amount of time. Going straight to the center of the circle was the wisest and fastest approach.

    ¡®The imperialists must have already made their move towards the vein. I just hope they didn¡¯t land too far from here,¡¯ Zedd thought as he walked around the green plains. Faeries inhabited the place. They were vicious beasts when angered. Nobody dared killing them. According to legend, they were Ulmir¡¯s servants. If a champion died in Ulmir¡¯s Domain, their souls would be embedded into the countless Faeries Ulmir creates. They were his soldiers for the upcoming war against the Devil.

    Zedd had a great affinity with Fairies. The ones he had under his control were different from the ones that inhabited Ulmir¡¯s Faery Plains. The little creatures Zedd employed had no offensive capabilities. They were mainly used for intelligence gathering and combat support. They looked like butterflies, except for the transparent wings they had.

    The ones flying above Black Eyes were a different, evil version of the Fairies known in popular folklore. They were as big as a regular human, but that was the only feature both races shared. They had wings and arms. At the end of their long hairy arms, Zedd could see nasty spikes claws. Their strong legs were muscular. Each one was larger than their torso. One kick could shatter bones.

    The most hideous feature of the Faeries though was their faces. They had deer muzzles and large antennae. Their eyes were oblong, like that of a snake. Their long sharp fangs could be seen glistening against the shining sun. ¡°Who would create such hideousness?¡± Zedd said out loud. ¡°Ulmir¡¯s time ended centuries ago. The one controlling these beasts now has no sense of class or beauty.¡± Zedd was disgusted by the flying monsters he witnessed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see how I¡¯d fare against one of them.¡± Zedd unsheathed his sword then hurled it at one of the flying monsters. A deafening screech traveled though the flat plains. The Faery was impaled by Zedd¡¯s sword then fell. As the flying monstrosity approached the ground, Zedd shouted ¡°Zeus.¡±

    Lightning enveloped the Faery, burning it to a crisp. Zedd ran towards the falling monster then shouted a spell. ¡°Soul Trap!¡± The fairy was surrounded by a blue light. Right after that, the beast¡¯s body started twisting inside the transparent blue sphere of light. Its burnt skin started crumbling, peeling until only its flesh was visible.

    A dark substance started oozing out of the beast. It was neither liquid nor solid. If one were to touch it with their bare hands, the substance would vanish without a trace.  Zedd raised his arms forward then shouted ¡°Absorb!¡±

    The dark substance flew out of the beast and toward Zedd. Before the dark pile of smoke reached Zedd, he took out a fist sized diamond then led it in with the spell. ¡°Time to disappear,¡± Zedd said then ran the opposite side of the Faery¡¯s corpse.

    Minutes later, other Faeries that were alarmed by their fallen comrade¡¯s cry arrived. Even more screams and screeches filled the Faery Plains. Their cries expressed their grief at the fallen comrade and a vow for revenge. The message spread through the flat plains. No living creature would be kept alive. Once a Faery died, its comrades would kill everything in their path.

    That was their way of exacting revenge. They don¡¯t bother looking for the killer. They kill everyone present in the flat plains.

    ***

    Far away from that spot, a team of six warriors turned around. ¡°That sounds like trouble,¡± one of them announced.

    ¡°Someone was dumb enough to attack the Faeries,¡± another said.

    ¡°We need to get out of here,¡± another warrior urged. ¡°The Faeries will go on an endless rampage. We¡¯ll be dead before we reach the castle.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the nearest area, Gavin?¡± a man in ebony armor asked.

    ¡°The Four Seasons, ten leagues to the east,¡± the man named Gavin answered. ¡°Should I deploy the Mobeel Lieutenant Brahms?¡±

    ¡°How much time do we need?¡± Brahms asked.

    ¡°Five minutes,¡± Gavin answered as he fumbled in his heavy bag. He took out a small metallic orb, put a Crux against it then activated it. The orb started expanding. Its charcoal gray color started dimming, changing into a clear transparent gray.

    ¡°You heard the man,¡± Brahms shouted at the others. ¡°Get in formation. Hold your ground until the Mobeel is deployed!¡±

    ***

    ¡®So the imperials were in the plains after all,¡¯ Zedd thought when his Fairies relayed the message. ¡®It looks like they¡¯re about to run away.¡¯ Zedd sped up his pace. His running speed was three times faster than the average human. Despite his superhuman speed, Zedd wouldn¡¯t reach the imperials before they deployed their Mobeel.

    ¡®This works perfectly. I¡¯ll let them taste another kind of defeat before I kill them all.¡¯ Zedd had a habit of talking to himself. He loved devising his plans as if he was speaking to someone else. Somehow, he felt that discussing tactics with himself helped him review them, see if there were any miscalculations.

    The Faeries were hard at Zedd¡¯s heels. He was in an open flat field. There was nowhere for him to hide from the flying monstrosities. He ran past all the creatures that inhabited the Plains. He was too fast for them. The moment they caught a glimpse of him, he would have already disappeared from their sight. He was more worried about the flying cloud of Faeries behind him.

    In the vast green plains, any monster that appeared on the Faeries¡¯ way would be reduced to dust. They attacked in groups and sucked the life out of every living creature they encountered. Even the bone marrow was sucked out. Zedd knew of their might, but having a chance to kill just one was worth the risk.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    By extracting the substance from the Faery, Zedd could enhance his sword even more. ¡°Silver, did you locate the vein?¡± he asked. Silver was the name of one of Zedd¡¯s four Alfa Fairies. They were the ones from which most other little creatures stemmed. During their creation, Zedd made sure to have each Alfa Fairy equipped with the right features.

    Silver had three pairs of wings. The hind wings were shrunk in order to provide for more fluid navigation in the air. Zedd made the wings shrink to act as gyroscopes, which improved Silver¡¯s maneuverability and speed. On top of their unique features, Alfa Fairies were of tremendous help to Zedd. They could empower him or heal him using their dust. If someone needed to weaken Zedd considerably, they¡¯d have to eliminate his Alfa Fairies first.

    An image of a stream reached Zedd¡¯s mind. His mind was connected to all his creatures. They were the web and he was the spider, waiting for his prey to fall for his numerous traps. While the imperials were preparing their escape, Zedd was heading towards the Aether Vein they were ordered to drain.

    Zedd had about twenty leagues to run. ¡®The Faeries¡¯ wrath should last at least two hours. The distraction I created should be enough,¡¯ he thought as he ran at full speed towards the vein. ¡®Rimbaldi has knowledge even I am jealous of. How does that old bastard get access to so much information?¡¯

    Rimbaldi was the lead scientist in an organization called HISC. Their emblem was a snake coiled around an apple. HISC had allied itself with the empire ever since Emperor Avourel Aurunn the First sat on the throne. Whatever Rimbaldi and his organization were planning, their interests would have been the same as the emperor¡¯s. Zedd knew they were looking for a place called the Pathway. He couldn¡¯t allow them to reach it, no matter the cost.

    ¡®If I have to make my presence known to Avourel, then so be it,¡¯ he thought as he ran at full speed towards the vein. ¡®But I can¡¯t allow them to use the vein here. Audrey, you¡¯re a lifesaver.¡¯

    Screeches reached Zedd before the horde arrived. By the time the horde was in sight, Zedd had travelled ten leagues already. Behind him were at least two dozen Faeries. If he kept running, he¡¯d cross another two leagues before the hideous creatures caught up to him.

    Two leagues later, the Faeries descended on the man who caused chaos. Unfortunately for the flying monstrosities, Zedd didn¡¯t have time to waste. He jumped on the first Faery that came at him then punched it hard enough to send it flying on the group behind it.

    ¡°Take that!¡± he shouted. That little surprise bought Zedd enough time to jump on a disoriented Faery and behead it. ¡°There are too many of them,¡± he murmured as he jumped back down on the ground.

    Realizing that their enemy was not ordinary, the Faeries split in two groups. The first dozen landed and surrounded the man, while the others stayed airborne.

    ¡°That complicates things.¡± Zedd two handed his sword, pointed it upwards then shouted ¡°Zeus!¡± Lightning crackled around the weapon. In an instant, lightning spread all around Zedd. The man with black eyes stood in the middle of a lightning sphere.

    One of the airborne Faeries plunged down towards him. Faeries didn¡¯t care if they died trying to avenge their fallen comrades. Because killing another would only result in enraging the others even more. Not many of them ventured far away from the flat plains. Their duty was to protect the Aether vein.

    Provoking the Faeries was akin to causing the apocalypse. Kill one of them and they¡¯ll go rampaging for hours. Kill two of them and they¡¯ll extend their slaughter to three days. Kill three of them and their fury will be unleashed to the world. Because of this, nobody had ever attempted to infuriate them. The myth that spread about their fury pushed people to fear them. If a Faery is attacked, everybody runs and hides away from the plains. Zedd¡¯s plan relied on this detail.

    As the Faery was about to hit the lightning sphere, Zedd created an opening large enough to accommodate the flying monster. He then closed the lighting prison as soon as the Faery was allowed inside. The Faery, disoriented, fell face first to the ground. Zedd didn¡¯t lose time. He plunged his sword deep into the Faery¡¯s chest. Despite their large and fearsome appearance, Faeries were weak to lightning.

    The lightning element that coated the sword made piercing the beast¡¯s tough hide easy. All the beasts surrounding Zedd let out deafening screeches. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯ve got me cornered!¡± Zedd shouted at the creatures. ¡°I¡¯m the one doing the execution today, not you!¡± Zedd shouted a spell at the dead Feary. The creature¡¯s hide was peeled then burned off. When only the flesh remained, Zedd enveloped it with a blue light then started extracting the dark substance once more.

    All Faeries shared a special connection through their Alfa. Their creator had made them that way. His realm was hiding something sinister. Only scary beasts like the Faeries were capable of keeping that secret buried. If a visitor wanted to access Ulmir¡¯s secret, they¡¯d have to summon the leader of the Faeries, Ulmir¡¯s Watchdog. Zedd had to kill as many of the Watchdog¡¯s kin as possible.

    The faithful dog watched over Ulmir¡¯s secret even after his death, hence the name. Overtime, people got used to referring to it as the Watchdog. For hundreds of years, the Wathdog had hidden itself in the depth of Ulmir¡¯s Garden. The Hunt that happened every year was not important to the Alfa Faery.

    After the Fearies finished screaming, they swarmed the lightning prison. Two Faeries instantly got charred then fell to the ground.  All the other beasts stopped in their track. They¡¯d realized the prison¡¯s danger. Despite their monstrous looks and the stories told about them, Faeries weren¡¯t the brightest of sentient monsters. But at the same time, their numerical advantage wasn¡¯t something to underestimate.

    All the Faeries took flight and observed Zedd¡¯s cage from above. The one in front of the line looked at Zedd for what felt like an eternity. Zedd could tell that the Faeries were preparing something suicidal. In hopeless situations, the best course of action would be to ensure your enemy¡¯s destruction, even if it takes you with him.

    The Faery smiled at Zedd, revealing sharp fangs and two rows of teeth. It had oblong gray pupils. Zedd was taken aback by that hideous smile. He knew what that show of teeth meant. The Faery¡¯s eyes changed to red. It instantly plunged on Zedd¡¯s lightning cage, only to get cut and burned all over.

    The moment the Faery died, another plunged at the cage. It landed in the same spot and met with the same fate as the previous one. Soon after, more Faeries started falling down. It rained Faeries that day. It took ten bodies to weaken the cage. The remaining Faeries let out a victorious cry then plunged again. At that moment, a bright light blinded the flying monsters. The first three in the line didn¡¯t have enough time to react. A lightning bolt had pierced through them, killing them instantly.

    ¡°You presumptuous pieces of shit!¡± Zedd shouted. ¡°You think I¡¯d let you carry out your suicide plan without having any counter-measure?¡± Using Zeus, Zedd had blinded the creatures then sent a lightning bolt at them. The sword he had was unique. It could store up to three elements at once. Zedd could freely alternate between each element.

    At that moment, six Faeries were flying above his head. The bolt he used to kill three of them was the last he could use of the lightning element. ¡®This will make killing them harder.¡¯ Zedd heard other loud screeches. Far away in the distance, more creatures were flying towards him. ¡®I only have two minutes before reinforcements arrive! I guess there¡¯s no choice.¡¯

    Zedd took out the diamond on which he stored the dark substance then strapped it to his belt. ¡°Discord!¡± he shouted. The dark energy started leaking from the diamond then flew directly into Zedd¡¯s sword. He horizontally swung the weapon towards the flying Faeries. A black shockwave filled the sky above Faery Plains that day. The flying creatures above Zedd were reduced to dust. The reinforcement that was heading their way was gravely injured. Most had lost more than one limb.

    ¡°Who dares threaten my master¡¯s domain?¡± a high pitched voice rung through the Faery Plains. Earth started rumbling, and all the remaining Faeries in the flat plains screamed in unison.

    ¡°Oh shit! Time to run,¡± Zedd shouted. He unsheathed his sword, pocketed the diamond then ran towards the Aether vein. ¡°We won¡¯t fight yet Watchdog. I need you to get angry, frustrated.¡±

 12 - The Alfa Faeryâ€™s Defeat

    Ulmir¡¯s Domain, Faery Plains: First day of the Hunt.

    Ulmir¡¯s secret was intended for someone special. The Watchdog¡¯s mission was to wait for the Hunter God¡¯s chosen one to arrive in order to reveal it. The tradition of the Hunt that continued even after Ulmir¡¯s death didn¡¯t trouble the Alfa Faery. The only way to draw it out was to threaten the realm¡¯s existence.

    Zedd had done just that. He needed the Watchdog in order to get the key to Ulmir¡¯s inner courtyard. The Watchdog couldn¡¯t allow Ulmir¡¯s domain to be destroyed before the chosen one arrived.

    Zedd¡¯s visit to the Faery Plains was mandatory for two reasons. The first was the slaughter he had prepared for the flying monstrosities. The second was the Aether vein. Zedd was after power. In order to achieve his goal, he needed an inconceivable amount of Essence. He had been preparing to assault Ulmir¡¯s domain for months.

    Zedd ran as fast as his feet could carry him. Behind, he could hear the Faeries screaming, searching for the one who slaughtered their brethren. ¡°Show yourself murderer!¡± the high pitched voice filled the entire flat plains.

    ¡°He¡¯s here already?¡± Zedd shouted. ¡°Man I need to move fast!¡±

    Zedd kept running towards the stream that was projected to him by Silver. He had to reach it and access the vein. Something caught the running man¡¯s attention which caused him to come to an abrupt stop. In front of him, Black Eyes saw the fox again. Its fur was snow white and it had three tails. As soon as their eyes met, the fox created a hole in the ground then disappeared into it. When Zedd arrived at the fox¡¯s spot, the hole was nowhere to be found.

    ¡°There you are!¡± an angry, high pitched voice, spoke behind Black Eyes.

    ¡°Shit!¡± Zedd cursed. He turned around to look at the Alfa Faery. The monster towered over him, rendering his surroundings dark.

    ¡°You dared slaughter more than two dozen of my kin!¡± the creature snarled at Zedd, revealing threatening sharp fangs. It opened its hideous muzzle then extended its spiked tongue at Zedd. The tongue cracked like a whip. Black Eyes barely had time to dodge the supersonic attack. The spiked tongue hit him on the right shoulder.

    Pain seared through Zedd¡¯s body. His right arm became completely numb. His sword hand was rendered useless. The Faery coiled its abnormally long spiked tongue, ready to attack again. Zedd was at a clear disadvantage. ¡®I have to do something before it attacks again,¡¯ he thought while clenching his teeth.

    Pain obscured his thoughts. He could only think of moving away from danger. Facing the beast without his sword hand could only mean his untimely death. Zedd extended his left arm towards the beast, drew an eight pointed star then shouted ¡°Bhola!¡±

    A bright light flashed at the Alfa Faery¡¯s eyes. The beast immediately retreated then covered its body with its enormous wings. ¡°Vanish!¡± Zedd shouted. A few leagues away, he was standing near a stream, panting.

    He was bleeding heavily. The Watchdog¡¯s attack had lacerated his right shoulder and biceps. He could see bones peeking behind the torn flesh. He tried to move his right fingers, to no avail. ¡®I¡¯ll bleed to death if I don¡¯t get this situation under control.¡¯

    He couldn¡¯t risk using anymore spells. His Life Force was escaping his body. He needed to heal his injuries fast. ¡®Lucky I was close by,¡¯ he thought as he fumbled through his pockets. With great difficulty, his hands found the cleansing solution he sought. He took the oblong shaped phial then poured it on the injured arm.

    The cracked bones mended. Flesh started reconstructing, slowly but surely. ¡®That thing will be here soon,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Concentrate Darkstar! Concentrate!¡¯ he had to urge himself to calm down, to steady his breathing. Zedd stabilized essence flow in his body then urged himself to move.

    Black Eyes drew a series of complex shapes in the air while reciting an incantation in the Ancient Language. Seconds later, the water in the stream dried out. A hole opened in the ground and Zedd jumped inside. Water flowed again and the stream regained its usual flow. There was no trace of the entrance to the vein anymore.

    The Watchdog arrived at the stream moments later. The creature¡¯s oblong pupils went from gray to red in an attempt to scan for abnormal energy expenditure. It could see a recent activity near the river, but it couldn¡¯t pinpoint Black Eyes¡¯ exact location. It could see blood on the river bank, but not being able to pinpoint Zedd infuriated it.

    Far below the Alfa Faery, Zedd was falling into the void. The moment he jumped in the hole, he felt a foreign force pulling him downwards. His arm was still heavily bleeding, dangling by a single thread. He was starting to lose consciousness. ¡®One misstep Darkstar! One careless movement, and you¡¯re on the verge of death?!¡¯ a voice, his voice, rung inside his head.

    The solution he had applied managed to heal most of his wounds. But casting a spell in the middle of the healing process hurt him even more. His wounds reopened and the bleeding became faster. Zedd suddenly felt a gentle force push against his body. He slowly opened his eyes to see what happened.

    In front of him, Zedd could see a fluorescent plant. He had landed in a cave below Faery Plains. ¡°About seven feet tall and five feet wide,¡± he murmured. ¡°It looks like a tree root. But it doesn¡¯t supply just the trees with life.  For the Aether vein is the canal through which all Life Force is distributed.¡± Zedd was quoting the Book of Life, one of the many encyclopedias he kept in his library. Pain brought him back to reality though. His wounds hadn¡¯t healed. He had to act quickly before he lost all hope.

    Zedd advanced towards the Aether vein. He had to draw energy from it if he wanted to heal his critical wounds. Something caught Zedd¡¯s eyes and made his heart skip a beat. ¡°You again!¡± he shouted at the white fox that stood near the vein. Because of the light emanated from the plant, Zedd didn¡¯t notice the fox before. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    The fox looked at Zedd with its round crimson eyes. It remained in place, blinking but never taking its eyes off the man with black eyes and rectangular pupils. Its three tails bobbed right and left. ¡°Are you not capable of speech? Or are you just acting like a mute?¡± Zedd asked.

    The white fox blinked once more at Zedd, then walked towards the vein. He tried to run after the animal but his body wouldn¡¯t respond. He was reduced to walking, panting, trying to reach that mysterious animal. As soon as the strange animal came in touch with the vein, it disappeared. ¡°What the hell is up with that?¡± Zedd was frustrated. ¡°Every time this little shit appears, something bad happens. I gotta act fast!¡±

    Black Eyes extended his left arm then touched the vein. For any mortal, that would be a fatal move. Too much Essence injected into a frail body at once would kill it. But Zedd was no ordinary mortal. He touched the vein then started redirecting the Essence towards his injured arm. Bones were mended. Flesh was reconstructed. Black Eyes had fully recovered and the vein didn¡¯t lose any of its fluorescence.

    Zedd looked around the underground cave he was in. The Aether vein shone a bright light, illuminating the area around it. Apart from the vein, there was nothing of great value in the cave. Zedd found a rock large enough to conceal his body then sat behind it.

    He sat in a lotus position then spent a minute stabilizing his breathing, redirecting the Essence flow in all his Conduits. After that, Zedd started projecting his soul out of his body. In order to store more energy inside his body, Zedd had to strengthen his soul first. The process was tedious and dangerous. If someone found his inanimate body, he¡¯d be in grave danger.

    Zedd¡¯s soul was transparent. It had no apparent limbs. He was just a pile of transparent smoke with a face. To a critical eye, this meant that Zedd was but a beginner Assimil. But the same critical eye would notice the shining fragment on the soul¡¯s forehead. That was Zedd¡¯s source of power.

    Zedd¡¯s ethereal form started absorbing energy from the vein. The bright light from the vein started flickering. He was sucking the Life Force that fed the entire flora of the Faery Lands. This wouldn¡¯t have been possible if the imperialists had reached the vein first. They¡¯d only harvest part of the energy stored inside, not all of it. But Zedd wasn¡¯t the empire. He was the man who¡¯d eventually destroy Ulmir¡¯s Domain.

    As the plants above the vein started withering, the Watchdog became suspicious. ¡°After the vein, are we?¡± the Alfa Faery shouted. ¡°No one steals from Ulmir, no one!¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    The beast screamed, calling for its kin to join it. The other Faeries heard the screech then flew towards their leader.

    ***

    Far from the vein¡¯s position, the six imperialists that decided to flee the flat plains realized something was amiss. ¡°Stop the Mobeel,¡± the leader shouted. ¡°Look at all the Fearies,¡± he urged his men.

    All soldiers got out of the metallic carriage that was transporting them then looked at the sky. Minutes ago a Faery horde was chasing them. There were at least a dozen of them. They all abruptly stopped then flew away. ¡°Looks like they¡¯ve stopped chasing, is it over?¡± one of them asked.

    ¡°No, they¡¯re regrouping. They¡¯ve found a common enemy,¡± the leader, named Brahms, said.

    ¡°Are these beasts even capable of such a feat?¡± the Mobeel pilot said.

    ¡°Yes Gavin, they have a leader,¡± Brahms answered. ¡°If that monster called for them, it only means one thing.¡±

    Brahms jumped inside the Mobeel then shouted at his men. ¡°Come! We¡¯ve no time to waste. Somebody beat us to the vein!¡±

    Everyone got inside the Mobeel. Gavin put his hands on a glass monitor in front of him then directed it to turn around. Rimbaldi¡¯s technology relied on harvesting energy from veins in order to use it to power his automata. The Mobeel was one of the numerous automatons Rimbaldi created. Using a Crux, the machine could be linked to the pilot¡¯s mind. Wherever Gavin willed the Mobeel to move, it would follow. The Crux only required elementary magic proficiency. Gavin was the only mage in the team, and a mediocre one at that.

    ***

    Back at the Aether vein, Zedd was still absorbing energy. The more he absorbed, the dimmer the light became. If the imperialists saw what Zedd was doing, they¡¯d be horrified. The man with black eyes didn¡¯t mean to borrow some energy. He was planning to suck it dry. If he succeeded, a great catastrophe would fall upon the Faery Plains.

    Above Black Eyes, the Alfa Faery was gathering its followers. The champions who were about to be devoured by the vicious beasts were saved at the last minute. Most decided to flee the flat plains that very same day. Besides the imperialists, only one team remained in the area. Three champions observed the Faeries that covered the sky that day.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s gone and pissed the Watchdog;¡± the oldest man in the group said. He had a dark complexion. He was tall and wore steel armor.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors of a vein beneath the plains. Vik, do you think someone might¡¯ve found it?¡± the second man asked. This one looked younger. He had red hair, green eyes and wore chainmail.

    ¡°My money¡¯s on those imperials. If they drain the place of energy, Ulmir¡¯s domain will suffer,¡± the man named Vik answered.

    ¡°Wanna check it out?¡± the third companion asked. This one had black hair and a large nose, his most distinctive feature.

    ¡°The Watchdog¡¯s there,¡± Vik said. ¡°Our prey¡¯s formidable this year boys. May Ulmir guide our way!¡±

    The three ran towards the source of the commotion. In the meantime the Mobeel was at full throttle, heading towards Ulmir¡¯s Watchdog. The imperialists had clear orders. They were to harvest the energy in the flat plains. Whoever tried to steal from them had to suffer the consequences.

    The two teams reached the stream at the same time. The Watchdog towered above all beasts in the flat plains. Its brown hide and abnormally large head made it look like a disgusting flying cow. It had long fangs that protruded from its deer-like muzzle. Multiple horns grew from several parts of its forehead. Each of them interlocked, creating a bizarre bony cone that resembled a rhino¡¯s horn. Every part of the Alfa Faery¡¯s body was a deadly weapon.

    Each of its leather wings covered at least two leagues. It arms and legs had sharp claws that threatened to cleave the earth itself. The only reason the Alfa Faery hadn¡¯t attacked Zedd¡¯s location was because of the vein. If the beast accidentally hit it, the Faery Plains would be reduced to ash.

    Brahms looked at the monstrosity in front of him then shouted at his men, ¡°Get in formation! We have to bring this thing down and fast. Whoever¡¯s draining that vein is below us!¡±

    ¡°What do you think Vik?¡± the boy in red hair asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re not helping imperialists!¡± he answered. ¡°Let them weaken the beast, we¡¯ll deal with it then.¡±

    The three champions retreated a few paces. At least a thousand Faeries were flying above their heads but none attacked them. ¡°That beast is preparing for something. Better be on our guard, let the imperialists do the job for us,¡± the man with the abnormally large nose said.

    The Watchdog was busy collecting energy from the Faeries that flied above its head. The imperialists surrounded the monster then began the offensive. ¡°Chains!¡± Brahms shouted. Two soldiers took their Bowguns then shot the beast. The bullets split in three midair then surrounded the monster¡¯s leg.

    A chain was embedded inside the fist-sized bullet. As soon as it split, the chain surrounded the Faery¡¯s leg then lodged itself deep underground. ¡°Fire!¡± Brahms shouted another command. Gavin, the pilot, used the gun attached to the Mobeel, aimed it at the beast¡¯s head then fired. A red glass sphere left the muzzle then broke on the Faery¡¯s hideous face.

    Fire engulfed it, causing the beast to let out a loud screech. ¡°Spears!¡± Brahms gave the order, took his spear then hurled it at the beast¡¯s wings. Two other soldiers did the same.

    ¡°They¡¯re not stupid, those imperialists,¡± Vyk commented as he watched the fight.

    ¡°What will they do about the swarm above?¡± the man with red hair asked.

    ¡°Cage!¡± Brahms shouted. Gavin had already prepared the device when Brahms shouted the command. All the other soldiers ran to the Mobeel after hearing the command. A metallic case was thrown by the monster¡¯s feet. After it opened, thunder rumbled across the sky, dark clouds started gathering.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t bode well,¡± Vyk announced to his companions. ¡°Red, protect us!¡±

    The man with red hair shouted a spell after which a light screen surrounded the three champions. ¡°It¡¯s about to get bloody,¡± the man with the large nose announced, a smirk on his face.

    The clouds in the sky condensed, the entire plains became dark. Lightning suddenly rained down on the entire area. Indiscriminately, it killed whatever came in contact with it. The Faeries started dropping like flies. The Watchdog screamed in pain with every hit.

    ¡°The magic shield will break if we stay here,¡± Red shouted to his friends. ¡°Their attack will increase in potency soon enough.¡±

    ¡°Fools!¡± Vyk mumbled under his breath. ¡°There¡¯s no stopping the watchdog now boys. We should retreat, slowly now!¡± The three champions started walking back, away from the lightning shower.  They knew something the imperialists didn¡¯t. The Watchdog was the Alfa Faery. This meant that the beast could merge with all of its kin, recalling them to form his ultimate form.

    ¡°Nose, can you fly us away from here?¡± Vyk asked.

    ¡°Five to six leagues at most,¡± the man with the large nose answered. Everybody called him Nose ever since he was a child. He was used to the nickname.

    ¡°That¡¯s more than enough,¡± Vyk replied. ¡°Red, try to keep that shield up, I don¡¯t intend to die just yet.¡±

    ¡°Are we leaving the Watchdog then?¡± Red asked.

    ¡°It will get angrier which will make killing it harder, almost impossible,¡± Vyk explained. ¡°It¡¯s best we go to the Canyon, there are beasts big enough to get us to the Courtyard. It¡¯s the only safe place in Ulmir¡¯s domain now.¡±

    The three flew away from the beast¡¯s location while the imperialists hid in the Mobeel. The metallic rolling structure was equipped with a rod. It allowed them to evade lightning strikes and collect energy at the same time. ¡°How much time do we have until the Aeon¡¯s attack?¡± Brahms asked Gavin.

    ¡°Judging from the concentrated hits the rod has taken, I¡¯d say it¡¯s coming now;¡± Gavin answered.

    ¡°Will it kill the beast?¡± one of the soldiers asked.

    ¡°No one can tell,¡± Gavin answered. ¡°Aeon attacks are powerful, but we¡¯re not Summoners. We artificially provoked the attack. There¡¯s no telling how strong it would be.¡±

    ¡°Plus,¡± Brahms interjected. ¡°The Watchdog is a Vassal-class Familiar. Only a true Summoner can defeat that beast in one hit.¡±

    In the sky above the Watchdog, a circle of light seemed to push the clouds away. The Alfa Faery looked up. A lightning bolt descended on the creature. Its leather wings got torn in all places. Its knees gave way. The Alfa Faery fell, face first on the ground. Then the remaining Faeries screamed. This time, their voices were different. Instead of the deafening screech, their screams were akin to a lion¡¯s roar. In the clearing sky, thousands of lions roared in unison.

    Earth shook. The soldiers inside the Mobeel were shaken by the sudden development. Brahms opened the door to have a better look at what was happening outside. A dark substance oozed out of all the Faeries in the sky.

    ¡°They¡¯re transmitting their Life Force to their leader!¡± Brahms shouted at his companions. It was impossible to hear anything with all the roaring that shook the earth itself.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do against that!¡± Gavin shouted back. ¡°We have to retreat! Lieutenant, do you hear me?¡±

    ¡°We have orders!¡± Brahms reminded the pilot.

    ¡°Orders we can¡¯t deliver if we¡¯re dead. We have to retreat!¡± one of the soldiers intervened.

    ¡°There¡¯s no time to waste Lieutenant!¡± Gavin shouted. ¡°Are you coming?!¡±

    Brahms looked at the Faeries with contempt. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving here without results. We can beat this thing! Nothing can stand in the way of the Empire!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s insane,¡± the soldiers murmured.

    ¡°Gavin, I¡¯m not throwing my life away here,¡± one of the soldiers shouted at the pilot. ¡°Let him die for all we care. If don¡¯t get the vein this year, there¡¯s always the next.¡±

    ¡°General Flavious won¡¯t punish us for our tactical retreat,¡± another soldier told the pilot. ¡°We can¡¯t let foreigners get their hands on our technology, can we?¡± the soldier went on.

    ¡°Brahms! Staying here is foolish!¡± Gavin shouted. He¡¯d decided it was his last warning to the lieutenant.

    Brahms only fixed the Faeries, transmitting all their Life Force to their leader. It was impossible to get close to the beast. The Faeries¡¯ roar created a sound barrier around them and their leader. The lieutenant didn¡¯t seem to hear Gavin shouting at him. The revival of the Watchdog was fascinating. As the dark substance was transferred into the Alfa Faery, its body underwent a complete transformation.

    Its body started shrinking. The Watchdog¡¯s dark brown hide started disappearing. Instead it was replaced with silver skin. The creature¡¯s shoulders and wings shone a golden light. Its monstrous face shrunk. It became that of a human. It had a pointy chin, long pointy ears and almond eyes. The Alfa Faery slowly rose from the ground. It was no longer large and enormous in size. It shrank to a humanoid size. Its golden wings flapped about, creating a sudden gust. Brahm¡¯s body was thrown backwards.

    As soon as the lieutenant landed, he rolled backwards to avoid any retaliation. ¡°Get in formation!¡± he shouted at his men. Brahms stood up, unsheathed his great sword then looked around. It was at that moment Brahms realized, ¡°I¡¯m fucked!¡±

 13 - Kandisha, The Hyena

    Ulmir¡¯s domain, Faery Plains: First day of the Hunt.

    The Mobeel was gone. Gavin had pleaded with the lieutenant to retreat, but Brahms was in a trance. When he came back to his senses, his comrades were gone. ¡®I can hold my ground against Vassal-class Familiars,¡¯ he thought. ¡®But this one¡¯s gone and evolved to Lord.¡¯

    ¡°I had no quarrel with you. Yet you tried to destroy me,¡± the Watchdog spoke. ¡°You must have conspired with whoever is down there to drain the vein. Unforgivable!¡±

    The Faery disappeared then immediately materialized behind Brahms. ¡°Dash!¡± Brahms shouted. A bright light shone in his boots. The lieutenant jumped forward then ran. The technique he used allowed him to run a league in under ten seconds. ¡®Damnit¡¯ he thought. ¡®I have to get out of the open fields!¡¯

    ¡°There¡¯s nowhere to hide here!¡± The beast said as if it had read through his thoughts. ¡°I, Vaneel, King of the Faeries, shall strike you down then deliver my Lord¡¯s vengeance upon your accomplices.¡±

    Vaneel flapped his wings then took flight. He extended his right arm towards the sky then clutched his fangs. Dust started gathering around the clutched fangs then began solidifying. In the meantime, Brahms was still using Dash to get away from the Faery¡¯s reach. ¡®At this rate, I¡¯ll be out of Ether before I get out of its range,¡¯ he thought as he saw his Ether reserves draining rapidly.

    Vaneel had finished solidifying his projectile. The lance he held was made of Faery Life Force. As the king of the Faeries, Vaneel could absorb then manipulate his kin¡¯s Life Force at will. Once absorbed, Vaneel could manipulate the Life Force energy inside him however he wanted.

    If the lance he made manages to hit Brahms, it will drain his Life Force. Vaneel could reabsorb the energy again then use it for another attack. The lieutenant was right to fear the beast. He was no match for it. Vaneel flew after the terrified Brahms. ¡°These plains are flat,¡± the king shouted at the lieutenant. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere to hide. And you can¡¯t outrun me!¡±

    Vaneel materialized in front of Brahms once more. Brahms jumped to the side then shouted ¡°Bhola!¡± Vaneel wasn¡¯t going to let the same trick fool him twice. He flapped his wings then evaded the flashlight attack. The king of Faeries hurled his lance at the fleeing lieutenant. The lance got through his body then impaled him to the ground. Little by little, the ebony armor turned to dust. The man¡¯s body deflated. His skin withered and his eyes turned to dust.

    The silver lance glowed as it absorbed Brahms¡¯ Life Force. ¡°Return,¡± Vaneel said. The lance turned into a dark substance then flew towards the king of Faeries. ¡°It looks like I found your fleeing friends.¡± Vaneel flew towards the Life Force energy he could feel to the east but came to a sudden stop.

    ¡°I sense evil energy coming from the vein.¡± Vaneel flew at full speed towards the place he was supposed to protect. Below him, the green grass and dangerous colorful flowers withered and died. The entire flora seemed to have its life snuffed out at once. The springs were dried out, earth dried and cracked.

    From the place where the vein was buried, a man with black eyes and golden pupils emerged. He floated in the air without wings. A dark smoke swirled all around his body. No light could penetrate it, if felt like it could pull anything into an endless void.

    ¡°Die!¡± Vaneel shouted as he flapped his wings faster. He instantly created a lance and hurled it at Zedd.

    The spear emitted a loud boom as it broke the sound barrier. In a flash, the spear threatened to pierce through Zedd¡¯s body. Black Eyes dropped to the ground and the spear continued its linear trajectory. ¡°It seems the Watchdog had tricks up its sleeve as well!¡± Zedd announced to the king of Faeries.

    ¡°You killed my subjects, then destroyed my world,¡± the king announced as he materialized behind Zedd. ¡°I shan¡¯t forgive this offense!¡± The king brought down his claws Black Eyes but couldn¡¯t hit the man with black eyes. ¡°Vanish!¡±

    A sharp pain soared through the king¡¯s body. Zedd had anticipated the king¡¯s attack and mimicked his attack. He teleported behind Vaneel and tore his leather wings. ¡°Discord!¡± Zedd shouted. The sword was instantly covered in a dark substance. With a quick upward motion, Zedd cut the Faery¡¯s right wing.

    Vaneel wasn¡¯t going to let the puny mortal who attacked him do as he pleased. He willed his left wing to move backwards which hit Black Eyes and projected him away from the king. ¡°Now we can fight on equal footing!¡± Zedd announced to the Faery with a wide smile on his face.

    ¡°You think you can beat me?!¡± Vaneel shouted. ¡°The Essence you drew from the vein will soon dissipate, you can¡¯t hold it in for long!¡± Vaneel extended his right arm towards his left wing then cut it off. ¡°You can take my wings if you want!¡± he announced to Black Eyes. ¡°But you still won¡¯t beat me.¡±

    Vaneel retracted his sharp fangs and clutched the wing bone. The golden bone shone bright and the leather wing disappeared. ¡®Fuck!¡¯ Zedd thought. The Faery had many hidden weapons and skills. ¡®I should¡¯ve torn them both to pieces.¡¯ The wing had disappeared. A shining, golden sword appeared in its stead.

    The king of Faeries dashed towards Zedd then swung his sword. Zedd managed to avoid the attack by a hair¡¯s width. ¡®Good! Come to me at close range,¡¯ Black Eyes thought as he observed Vaneel. He couldn¡¯t underestimate the beast. One misstep and he¡¯d be dead meat.

    ¡°I almost killed you once,¡± the king announced in the middle of his flurry of attacks. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely finish the job this time.¡±

    Zedd was still dodging all the Faery¡¯s swings. He was sure the king was still toying with him, waiting for the Essence he absorbed to dissipate. Zedd had about two minutes before the excess Essence dissipated. He knew he was living on borrowed time. He had to change to tide of events as soon as possible.

    Vaneel swung his sword at Zedd once more. The latter dodged again and again, waiting for an opening. The Faery¡¯s swings were fast, impossible to see with the naked eye. Zedd relied on his sharp senses and extensive combat experience to predict the monster¡¯s swings. He could block the beast¡¯s attack with his sword, but he didn¡¯t want to risk it. If the Faery¡¯s sword was imbued with Essence, it could easily break his weapon.

    All of a sudden, the king of the Faery¡¯s swings stopped. ¡°Discord!¡± Zedd shouted again. Dark energy enveloped Zedd sword again, and the Faery roared. A dark purple liquid poured out from its armpits. Zedd only needed a few swings to learn of the beast¡¯s pattern of attacks. He waited for the beast to retract its sword and swing again. He had but a split second to counter-attack. It was more than Black Eyes needed. A quick thrust pierced the Faery¡¯s armpits, blocking the next swing and hurting Vaneel in the process.

    ¡°You took me for a mortal Watchdog!¡± Zedd announced. His sword started sucking the Life Force out of Faery. The sword that could store up to three elements greedily fed on the Faery¡¯s life force. It was a dangerous endeavor, but it was the only way to weaken the beast.

    ¡°And you take me for a Dog, Black Eyes!¡± Vaneel said then attacked.

    ¡°Vanish!¡± Zedd shouted as he dodged the Faery¡¯s sharp claws. ¡®Calculated!¡¯ He thought as he appeared a few paces away from Vaneel.

    The king of Faery¡¯s followed up on his attack. The injury he received didn¡¯t seem to bother him at all. He vanished and reappeared behind Zedd. Black Eyes turned around and blocked the beast¡¯s swing with his sword. ¡®This one¡¯s annoying,¡¯ he thought as he struggled to repel his attacker. Both swords clashed and remained interlocked for a few seconds.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Vaneel pushed his opponent backwards while Black Eyes struggled to keep a firm footing. ¡°Your Essence¡¯s dissipating. I can see it!¡± The king of Faeries told the struggling Zedd. ¡°How long do you think you can keep this up?!¡±

    Zedd activated his legs¡¯ muscles then dashed forward, throwing the unsuspecting Faery out of balance. The perfect moment to land a counter attack is when your opponent¡¯s succumbed to the law of gravity. Without his wings to help him get out of the situation, Vaneel fell to the ground. Zedd sword didn¡¯t allow the Faery any respite. Black Eyes slashed the king¡¯s chest, cut off his right arm and lacerated his left leg before his body hit the ground.

    ¡°Your weakness Watchdog!¡± Zedd spoke as he stood above the Faery. ¡°Is your vanity!¡± Zedd swung his sword again and cut the Faery¡¯s left arm.

    ¡°You¡¯re a peculiar one Watchdog,¡± Zedd went on. ¡°I¡¯m cutting every limb off your body, yet you don¡¯t utter a word. You can¡¯t call your Faeries here either. They all died to provide you with strength.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m no dog, you puny mortal!¡± Vaneel shot a dark look at his butcher.

    ¡°Of course you are!¡± Zedd shot back. He thrust his sword in the Faery¡¯s chest. ¡°You¡¯re but a Familiar. You obey your masters¡¯ instructions without question.¡± Zedd pushed his sword a little further down the beast¡¯s chest.

    ¡°I¡¯ll soon severe one of your Essence conduits. I don¡¯t need to tell you what¡¯ll happen after that,¡± Black Eyes told the mutilated Faery.

    ¡°Familiar, dog,¡± the Faery finally spoke. ¡°Why do you insist on calling me that?!¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re one,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°Although I can¡¯t understand why you stubbornly keep on obeying your dead master¡¯s command.¡±

    ¡°You take me for Ulmir¡¯s Familiar?¡± Vaneel asked with a smirk. Purple liquid oozed out of every possible hole in his body. The king of Faeries broke into a fit of laughter.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Zedd, alarmed and puzzled, asked.

    ¡°Ulmir died long ago, his familiars are gone.¡±

    ¡°Then who¡¯s your master?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°You ignorant mortal!¡± The bleeding Faery exclaimed.

    ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong dog. I¡¯m-¡°

    ¡°Vaneel,¡± the king of Faeries interrupted. ¡°The name¡¯s Vaneel.¡±

    ¡®Vaneel,¡¯ Zedd thought for a moment. ¡®Never heard this name before.¡¯

    Noticing Zedd¡¯s confusion, Vaneel spoke again. ¡°Ulmir stole this realm from my master long ago. I rejoiced at his murder.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re working for Utar now?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°That slimy bastard will never get his hands on the Fragment!¡± Vaneel shouted.

    ¡°Fragment you say?¡± Zedd said. For the first time in years, Zedd felt he had a way to reach his ultimate goal. ¡°Where is it hidden?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Vaneel answered. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t tell you even if I did.¡±

    ¡°A pity!¡± Zedd pushed his sword deeper into the Faery¡¯s chest then shouted ¡°Discord!¡±

    The Essence conduits inside the beast¡¯s body were severed. The Faery¡¯s body started inflating. A dark smoky substance came out of it. Vaneel had absorbed the Life Force of thousands of Faeries. Once his conduits were severed, he was at the verge of exploding. Zedd jumped backwards, picked up Vaneel¡¯s sword then ran.

    A few moments later, the king of the Faeries exploded. Dark matter spread in a radius of ten kilometers (about two leagues). ¡®The plains are about to collapse, I have to get out of here and fast,¡¯ Zedd thought as he ran away from the blast¡¯s location. To

    ***

    Far away in the west, Cane had landed in the worst possible location: The Four Seasons. Zedd had warned him about the place. It was called that way because one could experience all seasons in the span of a day. He was standing on top of a hill, overlooking a lush forest teeming with dangerous monsters. ¡°Hey! You!¡± a voice called out to the big bear.

    Cane turned around to see two champions walking towards him. It was cold and windy. The dark clouds announced an upcoming storm. ¡°You¡¯re the one who knocked my good friend unconscious!¡± Cane took another look at the man who had just spoken to him. It was Gedel, Osimir¡¯s champion during the Ritual of Sacrifice. Cane recognized him by the halberd he held in his right hand.

    ¡°They had the upper hand you know,¡± Gedel went on. Cane observed the approaching champion in silence. He knew the man¡¯s intention. The big bear unsheathed the sword Zedd lent him.

    ¡°Let our weapons talk then!¡± Gedel barked then smiled.

    Osimir¡¯s champion dashed towards his opponent, halberd on one hand, a round shield on the other. Gedel¡¯s companion stood in place, not willing to get mixed up in their fight. ¡®Thank the Gods,¡¯ Cane thought. ¡®I don¡¯t want to spend the energy in this sword on them.¡¯

    Gedel brought his halberd down, Cane dodged right and dashed towards his opponent. Osimir¡¯s champion swung his halberd towards the big bear. That was a halberd¡¯s strength, reach. If one could avoid the downward slash, there were always swings that could slow the opponent down, sometimes even kill them.

    Cane¡¯s reflexes were sharp though. The big bear anticipated such a tactic and blocked the swing with his sword. ¡®What an amazing sword!¡¯ Cane thought. The halberd shaft was made of metal. Despite that, the strong swing couldn¡¯t leave a dent on the sword.  The force of the wielder¡¯s swing was strong enough, however, to propel Cane to the side.

    The latter quickly recovered then dodged another slash from the halberd. Every time he tried to shorten the distance between him and Osimir¡¯s champion, the halberd got in his way. Gedel was still using the same tactic, slash and swing. ¡°You can¡¯t get near me!¡± Gedel shouted. ¡°You used me to kill the Jackal! I won¡¯t forgive you for it! Run all you want. In the end you¡¯ll make a mistake.¡±

    Gedel kept swinging his weapon, pushing the big bear away. ¡°That bitch behind me¡¯s providing me with energy. I can¡¯t tire,¡± Gedel barked again. ¡°You on the other hand.¡± He pushed his halberd forward in a thrusting motion. Metal clanged as Cane blocked the attack at the last minute. ¡°You¡¯re a nimble one for your size!¡± Gedel shouted as he thrust his halberd again.

    Cane was in a pickle. He couldn¡¯t approach his opponent. At the same time, he couldn¡¯t keep on dodging and blocking forever. Any false step could mean his death. Getting tired would soon lead him to make one. Cane looked at his sword. He was fighting against two, one of them could use magic.

    ¡®Always remember¡¯ Zedd¡¯s voice rung through Cane¡¯s head. If you¡¯re in bind, change tactics. My sword shouldn¡¯t be the first thing you think about. It must always be a last resort. This means when you¡¯re about to die, not tired of a fight.¡¯

    Cane jumped back. He had to try a different approach. Gedel followed. Confident he had the upper hand in the fight. He swung his weapon downwards, aiming for Cane¡¯s legs. Cane jumped backwards again then ran to the side. ¡®I gotta flank him, rid him of that shield too.¡¯

    Gedel didn¡¯t let the big bear get any respite. He followed his swing with a vertical slash that missed the big bear by centimeters. Cane retreated once more. ¡®Come on you bastard! Swing!¡¯ he mentally urged Gedel. Sure enough, the halberd was swung. Cane jumped to avoid the low attack then threw his left arm forward.

    Dexterity was one of the reasons Zedd decided to hire Cane¡¯s services. A dexterous fighter could turn the tide of a battle instantly. With incredible precision, the big bear had thrown a knife at Gedel¡¯s left collar bone.  Despite having a big round shield, Gedel didn¡¯t respect the fundamentals. He didn¡¯t keep his shield up at all times. Cane had noticed the opening and took advantage of it.

    The moment Osimir¡¯s champion shouted in pain, another knife hit his right hand. Cane had eagle eyes. He was an excellent sharpshooter. Every hunter learned to shoot arrows and throwing knives while preparing for the Guild¡¯s Hunter Tests. Cane had come out on top in all Hunter Tests during his admission.

    The halberd fell, Gedel took out the knife that was embedded in his collar bone then shot a dark look at his opponent. The man expected to intimidate Cane with his dangerous stare. Alas, Gedel was surprised to see his opponent right in front of him.

    The big bear thrust his sword in the man¡¯s gullet. ¡°You could¡¯ve joined your God if you chose to fight me!¡± Cane said as Osimir¡¯s champion lost consciousness.

    ¡°Ya wanna fight too?¡± he asked the one who provided Gedel with support.

    ¡°P-please,¡± the woman blabbered. ¡°He, he forced me to help him. I don¡¯t want to fight. I want to hunt beasts.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯re you still here?¡± he asked.

    ¡°What?¡± the woman asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s dead! Ya coulda run away when I offed him,¡± Cane hadn¡¯t dropped his guard yet.

    ¡°Look man, I don¡¯t want any trouble okay?¡± the woman raised both her hands in the air. She wasn¡¯t wielding any weapon.

    ¡°Then ya better start walking,¡± Cane retorted. ¡°Walk back now. No funny ideas.¡±

    ¡°You seem to mistrust me,¡± the woman said. Her voice broke in between words.

    ¡°Walk now!¡± Cane ordered.

    ¡°You don¡¯t trust me, do you?¡± the woman asked.

    ¡°I know ya,¡± Cane started. ¡°He didn¡¯t force ya to follow him, ya forced him ta fight. Yer Kandisha, the hyena!¡±

    The woman chuckled, Cane heard her melodious voice beneath her mask.

    ¡°Leave!¡± Cane urged the woman, raising his sword at her.

    ¡°Alright, alright!¡± the woman said. ¡°But I¡¯m warning you. I will take that toy from your hands!¡±

    ¡°Leave!¡± Cane repeated.

    The woman started backing away. Her arms still raised in the air.

    ¡°Walk back, slowly. Any false move and I put a knife in yer eyes!¡± Cane warned.

    ¡°Do you know why they call me the hyena?¡± Kandisha asked.

    ¡°Stop talking and walk away!¡± Cane shouted.

    The woman started laughing. Her laughter travelled through the air, carried by the winds that started picking up speed. The storm was imminent. ¡°You can¡¯t shoot me!¡± she shouted at Cane. ¡°You can¡¯t harm women, can you?¡± she asked in a mocking tone. ¡°Well, too bad. Gedel was dead before he attacked you. I¡¯m a mage that loves the dead!¡± Kandisha shouted.

    Gedel was standing behind the unsuspecting Cane. His halberd came crashing down, as thunder rumbled in the sky.

 14 - Leons, The Support Fairies

    Ulmir¡¯s Domain, Canyon Labyrinth, Night of the first day of the Hunt.

    Zedd was watching the dark sky above him. He managed to escape the Faery plains right before it collapsed. ¡®I¡¯ve gone and destroyed the whole place,¡¯ he thought, a wide smile on his face. ¡®Utar won¡¯t let this go. He¡¯ll come for me soon enough.¡¯

    Zedd was lying under a tree. Its fluorescent fruits hung on all branches. ¡®From here, the fruits look like the aurora I saw in the north, dancing with the stars!¡¯ he thought, amused. Ulmir¡¯s Domain didn¡¯t have any real stars. The night and day cycles were artificially provoked. ¡®According to Vaneel, this realm wasn¡¯t created by Ulmir. The deception this false God had used is incredible!¡¯

    Zedd knew one thing or two about Hera¡¯s Gods. During his childhood, he used to worship Osimir, the God of Sea. He was a fisherman, devoted to his job. At an early age, he had to work to provide for his family. His father had lost himself to ale.

    The first thing he¡¯d do after waking up was drink. He¡¯d keep on drinking until he passed out somewhere in Yanoku¡¯s slums. Then his younger sister would search for him in the darkest corners of the slums, drag him over to the house, bathe him then put him to sleep.  Black Eyes loved his father nonetheless, but he¡¯d grown to pity him over the years.

    Zedd¡¯s sick mother couldn¡¯t leave her bed. His sisters were too young to work. His older brothers had abandoned them. Zedd worked hard to keep his family together. If it weren¡¯t for Agatha¡¯s potions, his mother would have died before he could come of age. He worked in a fishing vessel that traveled to the high seas. Remembering all that Zedd broke into unstoppable laughter.

    Zedd promised to only remember the good about his family. He¡¯d promised himself to never think of the bad.

    ¡°Look who we have here!¡± a voice woke Zedd from his trip to nostalgia land.

    ¡°It¡¯s that Devil the papers talked about Vyk!¡± Red said.

    Three men were standing over Zedd. The one on his left had a dark complexion and wore steel armor. The one the right had nothing unusual about him, except his large nose that stuck out like a sore thumb. The one in the middle had red hair and wore long dark green robe.

    ¡°Whacha doing here mister?¡± Nose asked.

    ¡°You like to stick your large nose into others business, doncha?¡± Zedd asked. He was lying on the ground, his arms crossed behind his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s a nice sword you got there,¡± Vyk said. ¡°Mind if we borrow it?¡±

    ¡°Vyk Rednose!¡± Zedd shouted. ¡°The famous mice that hide in the sewers and feed on scraps.¡±

    ¡°Watch yer mouth Black Eyes!¡± Red warned.

    ¡°What?¡± Zedd asked. ¡°You think you have the upper hand?¡±

    Vyk unsheathed his sword and put it against Zedd¡¯s exposed throat. ¡°What would you call it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I call it being stupid,¡± Zedd nonchalantly answered. ¡°Let me ask you Vyk,¡± do you know where you¡¯re standing?¡±

    ¡°On top of you,¡± Nose answered. ¡°Ready to slit your throat if you make a move!¡±

    ¡°Red,¡± Zedd called out. ¡°Look above you. Tell these ignorant assholes what you see.¡±

    The man with red hair obeyed. ¡°Vyk,¡± Red pulled the armored man from the shoulder. ¡°We need to leave, now!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d listen to his advice if I were you,¡± Zedd urged.

    ¡°What do you see Red?¡± Vyk asked.

    ¡°Look and see for yourself!¡± Red urged.

    Vyk looked up and noticed the fluorescent fruits above him. ¡°Antenna Lure?¡± he mumbled. ¡°What are they doing here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m as baffled as you are Vyk,¡± Zedd answered. Vyk turned around to look at his captive then jumped backwards, the other three followed suit.

    ¡°Bouh!¡± Zedd shouted then started laughing. ¡°You attack me and I release the fruits on the tree,¡± he announced to the trio. ¡°Red can confirm that I¡¯ve attached my Essence signature on the fruits. One move and they fall on your heads. You all know what will happen after that, don¡¯t you?¡±

    If those fluorescent fruits fell over, a giant monster would surface and swallow them all. ¡°You¡¯ve ruined a great sentimental thought for me!¡± Zedd told the three men. ¡°You¡¯ve made me really angry! And for what?! A fucking sword?!¡± Zedd shouted.

    ¡°Listen Black Eyes,¡± Vyk started. ¡°We made a mistake. We¡¯ll leave you be now. No harm done!¡±

    ¡°We ain¡¯t leaving!¡± Nose interrupted. ¡°He don¡¯t want to die!¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Red shouted at Zedd, almost pleadingly. Then he barked at his friend: ¡°Shut your trap you big nose!¡± Nose tried to argue but the leader shot him a stern look.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Red turned towards Vyk and pulled him backwards. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d listen to your friend if I were you Vyk!¡± Zedd said with smile.

    The leader motioned with his head and the three started backing away. ¡°It¡¯s good to listen to your teammates¡¯ advice,¡± Zedd told the retreating men. ¡°It shows you¡¯re a great leader.¡± Black Eyes smiled at them then started advancing. His movement took them aback.

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t allow you to leave!¡± Zedd shouted. ¡°You provoked me, tried to cut me open while I lay there, unarmed. You¡¯re the scum I hate most in this world!¡± Zedd jumped at Nose then relieved him from his head. ¡°Now Run!¡± he shouted at the other two.

    Red and Vyk didn¡¯t have to be asked twice. They ran as fast as their feet could take them, each on a different direction. ¡°Run little mice run!¡± Zedd shouted at them. ¡°If I see you again, I¡¯ll be sure to give you my best!¡± Black Eyes started laughing hysterically.

    After a while, Zedd willed his Fairies to disassemble. He¡¯d been using them to create a fluorescent like fruit. This was something he thought of when he created his little creatures. His drew his inspiration from the Photons. They were little creatures that resembled fireflies. They were used to transmit live images from the contest in the Second Phase of the Hunt to Yanoku.

    His reconnaissance Fairies could create glowing light around their bodies to imitate Photons in some continents, and fireflies in the others. Using that ruse, Zedd scared his attackers. ¡®Who says I¡¯m unlucky?¡¯ he thought. ¡®I was using the little ones for entertainment.¡¯

    After Vyk and Red were out of sight, Zedd sat down in a lotus position then started meditating. ¡®The energy I absorbed had quickly evaporated,¡¯ he thought as he closed his eyes. ¡®If there¡¯s a vein in here, there has to be a root. This realm isn¡¯t very big. The root must be somewhere close.¡¯

    Zedd stabilized his breathing then started cycling his Essence through his Conduits. Essence was the energy that allowed all to live. Every planet had an Essence Core through which all energy was distributed via roots. The closer one got to the core, the bigger the roots became. Closer to the surface, the roots got smaller to form Aether Veins. The one Zedd sucked dry supplemented all Faery Plains with Essence.

    Black Eyes could absorb the Essence from the vein but couldn¡¯t make it his own. In order to do so, one needs time to assimilate it then integrate it in his own Essence flow. Zedd lacked an important feature to do so. He was incapable of assimilating Essence due to his weak soul. He¡¯d used the vein to recover some of the damage done to it, then absorbed the rest for the fight against Vaneel, without assimilating it.

    He was resting under the tree, due to exertion. If the three attacked back then, he would have no means to repel the three of them at once. He resorted to intimidation and bluffing to turn them away. He was lucky to have used his Fairies to act as an aurora.

    ¡®Travelling to Hera was more difficult that I thought it to be,¡¯ he thought after three hours. He finished cycling Essence through his Conduits. Without a stable Essence Flow, Zedd couldn¡¯t use his abilities to their fullest. ¡®I¡¯ve damaged my soul trying to reach this planet.¡¯ Zedd stood up and walked forward. He felt the wind caress his face in that dark, starry night, then dashed. Wind howled against his ears as he picked up speed. He was heading for Ulmir¡¯s Garden. ¡®Vaneel reached me very quickly¡¯ he thought as he ran. ¡®The legends say the Watchdog resides in the Garden, not in the plains.¡¯

    Something didn¡¯t add up. Despite Vaneel¡¯s power, he couldn¡¯t have reached Zedd so quickly. Flying from the Garden to the Plains should¡¯ve taken more than a few minutes. He couldn¡¯t teleport in his first form. ¡®The Watchdog must be in the Garden.¡¯ He regretted not taking care of the imperials. But Vaneel was about to explode, he had to get away to the nearest area, the Canyons. ¡®Imperials will have to wait. I¡¯ll take care of them during the Second Phase. Alistair won¡¯t like it. Neither will Avourel.¡±

    Zedd crossed the Canyon that night. He was bound to reach the Garden by midday the next day. ¡®I¡¯ll have to draw the real Watchdog out! No matter the cost!¡¯

    ***

    In the Four Seasons, Gedel had brought his halberd down as thunder rumbled in the sky. The weapon hit the rocky ground then emitted a loud clang. ¡°What?¡± Kandisha was perplexed. Cane was pulled to the side by an unknown pulling force. ¡°You have familiars?!¡± the woman exclaimed.

    Cane was as surprised as the woman. ¡°What?¡± he said.

    ¡°What do you mean what?¡± Kandisha shouted back. ¡°Are you playing dumb boy?¡± The woman raised her hand then Gedel chased after the disoriented Cane. He tried to raise his sword to block the attack but his reaction time was slow. Before the halberd split his head open, Gedel was pulled back then fell to the ground.

    That was like a wake-up call for Cane. The big bear stood then dashed towards the masked woman. He thrust his sword at her chest but Kandisha repelled it with her daggers. Cane swung his sword, aiming for her neck, but the woman repelled the attack once more. ¡®She¡¯s stronger than I thought.¡¯

    Cane was forced into a face-off. One of them was bound to make the first move. That move would decide the outcome of the battle. Each of them covered their weaknesses pretty well. In two seconds, each one decided on their course of action.

    Gedel¡¯s body was struggling against the Fairies that kept him on the ground. Zedd had ordered some of his support Fairies to tail Cane and provide him with help. He wasn¡¯t willing to lose a skilled fighter during the Hunt. In fact, he wanted him to get stronger, by meeting stronger opponents and dangerous beasts. But he didn¡¯t wish for him to die. For that he¡¯d equipped him well and kept watchful eyes on him.

    Kandisha was the first to move. She went for the big bear¡¯s ribs. She noticed that the man didn¡¯t protect that area very well. She was right. Cane relied on fast, well placed and timed attacks. If one got in his range, he¡¯d engage them with a flurry of attacks to force a mistake then punish them for it.

    If someone were to counter his attacks, forced him to think before he moved, he¡¯d be the one making a fatal mistake. Kandisha was going for that mistake. Cane was taken aback, but was saved once more by Zedd¡¯s equipment. The big bear knew the situation was dire.

    He activated the lightning element on the sword. What Zedd hadn¡¯t told him was that the sword had another feature. In order to protect the wielder from friendly fire, the sword was made to sense and detect its owner¡¯s Essence print. By offering the sword to Cane, he became its owner.

    Once the lightning element activated, the sword moved on its own. It struck Kandisha with a lightning bolt to the neck, stopping her inches from Cane. The masked woman was electrocuted. Holes appeared on all her body. Then she fell to the ground. The Fairies released their hold on Gedel¡¯s corpse then flew towards Cane.

    The big bear was writhing on the ground. The electroshock hit indiscriminately. Cane wasn¡¯t the sword¡¯s rightful owner after all. He was affected by the attack, albeit not in the same intensity as Kandisha. Zedd, the novice smith, omitted the detail concerning Essence print. When the Fairies relayed the message to him, Black Eyes was baffled.

    ¡®Tsk!¡¯ a voice inside his head told him.

 15 - â€˜Tsk!â€™

    Zedd ran through the Canyons, following the directions his Fairies had given him. Cane was critically injured and it was because of him. ¡®I won¡¯t let you die friend, not like that,¡¯ he thought as he ran as fast as his legs could take him.

    ¡°Red,¡± he shouted once the red haired man came into view. ¡°Don¡¯t run! I can easily catch you!¡±

    The man with red hair turned around to see Black eyes materialize in front of him. He hadn¡¯t used any teleportation spell. His running speed was supernatural. He managed to cross the gap between him and Red in seconds.

    ¡°Listen Black Eyes,¡± Red started. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to steal that sword from you I swear.¡± The man¡¯s face was pale. Fear gripped his heart. Red took the rumors he read on the news to heart. He¡¯d been following the story of the Devil with black eyes since it first appeared out in the east. The moment the man relaxing under a tree opened his eyes, Red realized he was doomed.

    ¡°What¡¯s done is done,¡± Zedd said.

    ¡°Please Black Eyes,¡± Red pleaded. ¡°It was Vyk¡¯s idea, it¡¯s him you want. I can deliver him to you!¡±

    ¡°Stop talking Red Hair!¡± Zedd barked the order. ¡°You¡¯re a mage aren¡¯t you?¡± he asked after Red finally stopped throwing excuses.

    ¡°Y-yes!¡± he answered.

    ¡°I need you to open a portal to the Four Seasons,¡± Zedd told him.

    ¡°We¡¯re in Ulmir¡¯s domain Black Eyes. The portal will be unstable. You might not survive it.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Zedd confessed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know how to get there. I¡¯ve never seen the Four Seasons.¡± Red looked at Zedd with eyes that spoke countless pleas.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you where you need to go. I¡¯ll project the route to you. Will that be enough?¡± Black Eyes asked.

    ¡°Even if you do, the portal won¡¯t hold. This realm is too unstable to create a portal within it.¡±

    ¡°Then I have no need of you.¡± Zedd drew his sword and shouted ¡°Zeus!¡± Electricity crackled as it enveloped the sword.

    ¡°Take me with you,¡± Red pleaded. ¡°I can stabilize the portal while we¡¯re travelling through it.¡±

    ¡°What are the chances of success?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°Dim, but it¡¯s better than stabilizing it from here.¡± Red lied. Zedd knew it. He also knew his odds of reaching the Four Seasons were close to null. But he had to try. He couldn¡¯t let his friend die because of his stupid decision.

    ¡°Silver, show him the way!¡± Zedd ordered his Alfa Fairy.

    A butterfly-like creature approached Red. Its transparent wings and the luminescence of its body left him in awe. The Alfa Fairy landed on Red¡¯s head then projected the trajectory into his mind.

    ¡°Get to work red hair!¡± Zedd ordered.

    ¡°We won¡¯t have enough Essence to reach the place Black Eyes,¡± Red announced.

    ¡°I¡¯ll provide support. Just get focus on stabilizing the portal!¡± Zedd barked at him.

    Red drew circles, hexagons and octagons in the air while he recited a spell in the Ancient Language. Soon enough a dark hole appeared out of thin air. The hole rotated and expanded until it could accommodate a human inside. As soon as the portal appeared, Zedd held Red from the arm then jumped forward, into the unknown. ¡®Oh Luck! I know you hate me,¡¯ Zedd muttered a silent prayer. ¡®But for once in my lifetime, make it right!¡¯

    Zedd felt his lungs compress. His body was being crushed by the invisible force of the Void. In complete darkness, he willed his body to move then squeeze Red¡¯s arm. As soon as he confirmed the mage was still beside him, Zedd started supplementing him with Essence. A few heartbeats later, the two landed heavily on the rocky ground of the Four Seasons. The dark hole rotated faster as it shrunk. Soon enough, it disappeared without a trace.

    Cane was lying down unconscious. The Fairies tried to stabilize him, but their role wasn¡¯t to heal, just to provide support. If Zedd hadn¡¯t reached him when he did, Cane could¡¯ve lost his life.

    ¡°A friend?¡± Red asked.

    Zedd approached the unconscious big bear, took out a cleansing phial then injected him with it.

    ¡°Protect him with your lives,¡± he told the little Fairies that flew above the unconscious man.

    In the meantime, Red was observing the scene. ¡°It looks like there was a fight,¡± he announced to Zedd. ¡°Your friend had a tough one to fight. I recognize this mask.¡±

    Black eyes approached the charred corpse. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± he asked.

    ¡°They call her the Hyena,¡± Red answered. ¡°By the looks of it, your friend was fighting against two.¡± Red hair pointed towards Gedel who was a few paces away from them.

    ¡°What could¡¯ve burnt her skin like that?¡± Red stroked his clean shaven chin.

    Zedd looked for the sword then, after locating it, walked towards it. ¡°And it looks like your friend was hit by the same attack that killed her,¡± Red went on with his analysis.

    Black Eyes picked the sword up then inspected it. Red observed the man as he rotated the sword from left to right. The sword shone in a clear sky-blue color. It finally recognized its rightful owner.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve lent your magical sword to your friend,¡± Red spoke. His eyes were wide, a look of shock and horror in his face.

    ¡°What of it?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°That sword must have your own imprint. Did you bother changing it when you handed it over to that big bear?¡±

    ¡°He can¡¯t use magic. His conduits are still locked,¡± Zedd answered.

    ¡°Then how did he activate it?¡± the mage asked. There was a hint of mockery to his tone.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°There¡¯s an emerald in the sword pommel,¡± Zedd replied. He threw the sword at Red. The latter jumped back the moment the sword lodged itself in the ground. ¡°See that? The precious stone in the pommel can store Essence. I¡¯ve left my friend here with a lifesaving treasure.¡±

    ¡°And he used it to save his life, yet it nearly killed him,¡± Red retorted. ¡°For such a knowledgeable man, you¡¯ve made a horrible mistake Black Eyes.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t start!¡± Zedd warned. His eyes were fixated on Red. His arm was aimed at the sword. One move from the mage and Zedd would activate the lightning element in Hum. The sword was indeed connected to its owner. Zedd knew he¡¯d made a mistake, but his ego wouldn¡¯t allow another to point it out to him.

    ¡°Tsk!¡± Red said as he looked the other way.

    The action happened fast. As soon as Red uttered that hateful word, Zedd impulsively struck. His sword cut the mage¡¯s head. Zedd held the head from its long red hair, threw it in the air then kicked it. The head was sent high in the air before  it landed and tumbled down the hill. ¡°I hate that word!¡± Zedd shouted at the rolling head.

    Black Eyes went back next to his friend then sat cross legged. There wasn¡¯t much he could do at that moment. He needed to wait for his friend to recover before making his next move. ¡°Silver,¡± he called. ¡°Look for those imperials for me. They¡¯re here somewhere. Soon as you find them, notify me. I have to blow off some steam.¡±

    Zedd closed his eyes then stabilized his Essence Flow. Memories from his past started flowing back. He saw himself in a realm where giant whales flew in the sky. The tree of life towered above every living being, even above the Everlasting Dragon. He was sitting by a lake made of lightning, motioning his arms in different directions.

    He was manipulating the alloy he inserted in the lake using magic. Every time he turned and shaped the piece of metal, he¡¯d hear a ¡°Tsk!¡± behind him.

    An old man, in golden shining armor, sat on a rock behind Black Eyes. He watched him shape and beat that metal into submission for days. Every time he¡¯d infuse the weapon with lightning, he¡¯d hear it.

    ¡°Tsk!¡±

    For days, ¡°Tsk!¡± was the only sound Zedd heard besides the crackling of lightning bolts. Every time he managed to will the metal to bend to his will. He¡¯d celebrate with an innocent smile on his face. The he¡¯d hear it.

    ¡°Tsk!¡±

    He thought long and hard about the shape of the weapon he wanted to make. He had to picture the sword in his mind. Every detail counted. It took him countless sleepless nights of studying swords, axes, spears. He wanted to make the perfect weapon.

    He studied and memorized in order to create his perfect sword. Then he finally did it. He managed to give the sword its final shape. He raised the weapon in the air to admire its perfect color. Then he heard it.

    ¡°Tsk!¡±

    He grew tired of it. It irritated him to a fault. He¡¯d been warned about the man in golden armor. He was not to interfere with him or attack him. ¡°If you value your life, don¡¯t let that bold, old geezer get under your skin,¡± his master warned.

    He ventured into the Goblin¡¯s Lair to find the precious stones. He came back unscathed, with two abnormal stones in his hands. He triumphant smile and his master¡¯s praises stopped with they heard it.

    ¡°Tsk!¡±

    After six months of hard work, Zedd had finally managed to create two incredible swords, Usurper and Hum. After six months of constant ¡°Tsk!¡± the man in golden armor spoke to Zedd for the first time. ¡°Hollow swords befitting a hollow Idea!¡±

    ¡°Shut your trap!¡± Zedd had had enough. He had to give that old man a piece of his mind.

    The old man only chuckled. He looked at the man with black eyes then said. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll shut it. But don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. You¡¯ll kill your friends with those swords, greenhorn.¡±

    An image of a spherical Mobeel reached Zedd¡¯s mind, snatching him away from his reveries. ¡®Delay them for a while,¡¯ he mentally ordered his Fairy, Silver. ¡®I¡¯ll send the Leons to lend you a hand!¡¯

    Zedd stood up, approached his injured friend then started a long, complex incantation. ¡°I can¡¯t heal you with magic yet friend. Your body won¡¯t take it. But I can burry you so they won¡¯t find you,¡± he said after he hid Cane underneath the earth. Zedd left half his support Fairies to look after the big bear as he descended the hill.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your injury, I wouldn¡¯t have the chance to execute these soldiers here and now,¡± he spoke to an imaginary version of Cane that walked beside him. Zedd was a lonely man after all. He didn¡¯t care for many people. But the ones he cared about were untouchable. And he¡¯d gone and put his friend in perilous danger. He felt deeply responsible for what happened.

    ¡°You won¡¯t die!¡± he kept repeating as he ran towards the imperials.

    Gavin and his friends were in a dire situation. Zedd¡¯s reconnaissance Fairies, the Leons, attracted a hideous monster¡¯s attention towards the imperials. The beast called Ayala was vicious, struck when the enemy least expected it. She loved fluorescent Photons and followed them everywhere they travelled. The Leons imitated the Photons and brought the beast to the Mobeel¡¯s location.

    The rolling spherical object hit the monster in the leg. The beast looked down at them then let out a deafening scream. The Fairies disappeared. The beast looked around for her beloved Photons but couldn¡¯t see them anywhere. Ayala was furious.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± one of the imperials asked.

    ¡°Brahms would¡¯ve known,¡± another answered.

    ¡°There¡¯s no time for this, turn the Mobeel around Gavin. Flavious warned us about this place. Let¡¯s leave!¡±

    ¡°Coward!¡± Gavin shouted. ¡°It¡¯s because of you that we lost Brahms, Sergeant Drevo!¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Drevo retorted. But before the Sergeant could go on, the team felt their Mobeel being lifted off the ground.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Gavin exclaimed. The pilot ran to his station then monitored the glass screen. A second later, a shot was fired and their Mobeel fell to the ground. Every one inside the machine was disoriented. The sphere tumbled to the ground as another deafening scream filled the lush forest.

    ¡°Men!¡± Gavin shouted at his comrades. ¡°Prepare to attack. Deploy, now!¡±

    The men obeyed and left the safety of their rolling structure. They all had drawn their weapons, ready to teach the beast outside a lesson. Ayala looked at them with large compound eyes. Like a fly, Ayala had thousands of visual receptors inside its eyes. ¡°This beast won¡¯t be easy to surround,¡± Gavin shouted at the men. ¡°Blitz!¡±

    The five warriors took up arms and started their attacks at once. Bowguns were fired and lances were hurled at the beast¡¯s eyes. Gavin shot the beast once more using the cannon attached to the Mobeel. Before any hit connected, the beast had already vanished from sight. It jumped high above the trees to avoid all the attacks.

    Gavin shot once more. The projectile hit the beast and exploded into countless fire bombs. Like Fireworks, each explosion echoed through the forest. The beast took all explosions to the face and chest, but landed unharmed nonetheless.

    ¡°Shit!¡± Gavin cursed. ¡°Cut her legs!¡± he shouted at the others while he changed Cruces in the cannon. ¡°I need ten seconds,¡± he told them. ¡°Hold her for ten seconds then I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±

    The imperials were well equipped for the Hunt. Rimbaldi wanted them to locate a vein and extract its Essence. In Virgin realms like Ulmir¡¯s Domain, the energy stored in the vein was purer than in Hera. He needed that energy for his new flying ships. Hera was corrupted with greed, war and countless bloodshed.

    Man killed man. Man slaughtered animals and hunted beasts for sports. All those negative vibes that plagued the planet corrupted the Essence in the veins. In a realm where beasts lived in harmony, except for a week every year, the Essence stored was purer, devoid of man¡¯s corruption and ambition.

    Rimbaldi needed that purity for his flying ships. Corruption could lead to malfunction. Malfunction would lead to death. The scientist wouldn¡¯t leave anything to chance. He wasn¡¯t that kind of man.

    The imperials fought Ayala while Gavin changed the Crux in the cannon. Ten seconds later, he shouted ¡°Duck!¡± then shot the projectile. A gray sphere was launched towards Ayala then exploded midair. The resulting shockwave cut all the trees in a two miles radius in half. Tree barks, branches and different types of nuts and fruits fell to the ground, resulting in tumultuous reverberations.

    ¡°Is it dead?¡± Gavin asked. The soldiers outside the Mobeel slowly stood. Chaos surrounded them. In front of them, Ayala was still standing. Its fangs protruded from the horizontal split she had for a mouth. It opened it, sinew and sticky substances were attached to each end of the opening.

    The monster had covered herself with multiple protective layers of wood. ¡°She¡¯s an elemental beast,¡± Sergeant Drevo announced.

    ¡°She¡¯s got wood!¡± a merry voice told the unsuspecting soldiers.

    ¡°Discord!¡±

    A black aura filled the clearing. The beast was cut clean. Its upper half flew upwards, rolling in the air. Green blood showered the distressed soldiers.

    ¡°Who goes there?¡± Gavin shouted.

    ¡°Your worst nightmare!¡± Zedd answered.

 16 - Drake

    Ulmir¡¯s Domain, the Four Seasons, Second Day of the Hunt.

    During the bad times, Zedd resorted to religion to alleviate his pain. He visited Osimir¡¯s temple every day. On the altar, Zedd would always give offerings. Sometimes it was a jewel he¡¯d found in the sea. Others it was his last meal of the day. Osimir blessed those who¡¯d forsake their most precious things to their God.

    It was because of that blessing that all of Zedd¡¯s misfortune started. It was because of that blessing that Zedd vowed revenge on all the Gods.

    His first step was to destroy Ulmir¡¯s domain. ¡®I don¡¯t care what Vaneel said. The destruction of this realm is symbolic.¡¯ Black Eyes was absorbed in thought. ¡®Whether the place belonged to the Hunter God or not, it will cease to exist shortly.¡¯ He stood up and approached his injured friend. He inspected his pulse and was pleasantly surprised. Cane¡¯s injuries were healed, his breathing had stabilized.

    The big bear opened his eyes then looked at the man with black eyes. ¡°What¡¯re ya doing here?¡± he asked. His voice was hoarse. His face was pale, and he could barely move his arms.

    ¡°There was an accident,¡± Zedd said. ¡°Don¡¯t move, you should rest.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± the big bear asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. For now, you have to rest do you hear?¡±

    Cane seemed to ignore Zedd. ¡°How long have I been ¡®ere Black Eyes?¡±

    ¡°A few hours, you were badly injured. If I hadn¡¯t showed up here on time, you would¡¯ve died. Now close your eyes and rest. You¡¯ll need to sleep for a few more hours before you¡¯d recover.¡±

    ¡°How will ya reach the Watchdog?¡± Cane asked, still insisting on getting some answers.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later. You need to rest. And it¡¯s not safe here. Now, let¡¯s go,¡± Zedd extended his arm towards Cane then helped him get up.

    ¡°We¡¯ll use this piece of technology to get to Ulmir¡¯s Garden.¡± Zedd pointed at the Mobeel he acquired from the imperials. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised at how stable it is inside,¡± he went on as he led the big bear towards the rolling sphere. ¡°You¡¯ll sleep like a baby. Come, let¡¯s get inside.¡±

    Inside, the sphere could accommodate eight soldiers. Zedd got in then led Cane towards the benches soldiers sat on. ¡°I¡¯ll strap these belts to you now,¡± Black Eyes told him. ¡°You¡¯ll be stable here, nothing would harm you. Get some rest until we reach the Gardens.¡±

    Zedd finished then took the pilot¡¯s seat. He put his hand on the Crux then injected it with Essence. The Mobeel started moving and Zedd started laughing. ¡®This stuff is amazing when it¡¯s in your hands!¡¯

    An hour ago, Zedd took care of all the imperials he was asked to execute. Thinking back about it, he thought he had overdone it a little. He didn¡¯t mean to provoke them to the point where everything got out of hand.

    ¡®I might¡¯ve been angry,¡¯ he thought as he drove the Mobeel towards the forest with gigantic trees.

    ¡®I might¡¯ve taken it a bit too far.¡¯ He remembered the imperials¡¯ faces. Their eyes looked at him with horror as he struck them repeatedly.

    ¡®I might¡¯ve taken out my anger on them.¡¯ It all started with Dismas. That shit faced bastard humiliated him. He made him into an assassin for hire. He wasn¡¯t going to let that slide.

    When he arrived at the imperials¡¯ location, Zedd was thinking of all that. He thought of how he was used by the city council and that slimy bastard. He thought of how he almost got himself killed. He remembered Red¡¯s reprimands, and how he beheaded him. Then he heard it!

    ¡°Tsk!¡±

    He was standing atop Ayala¡¯s corpse. He looked at the soldiers that were both delighted and apprehensive. His last sentence meant that he wasn¡¯t there to save the day. ¡°Blitz!¡± Gavin shouted. ¡°He¡¯s just a man. He got lucky with that monster! Attack!¡±

    All soldiers attacked at once. Bowguns were shot. Lances were thrown. And Gavin shot the projectile from his cannon. As bullets, lances and the projectile drew close to Zedd, he shouted ¡°Vanish!¡± All weapons and projectiles collided then exploded. Zedd teleported behind the imperials and kept watching them with dark eyes.

    The lances were blown back due to the explosion. One landed near a soldier¡¯s foot. The other missed Gavin by a hair¡¯s width. The third lance was heading towards Zedd. Black Eyes lifted his arm then caught the weapon midair. ¡°Of course, my luck would want to fuck me just when I was about to have fun!¡±

    Zedd hurled the lance at Sergeant Drevo. The weapon whistled by his ear and sliced it in two. The man held his injury and howled in pain.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Gavin asked. ¡°You know who we are, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the attitude I hate about you.¡± With a dash, Zedd reached the pilot in an instant. ¡°Imperials and their mighty protector,¡± he told Gavin as he fixed him with his black eyes. The pilot felt like he was fixing a demon in the eyes. It was hard to keep looking at rectangular pupils that shone bright gold.

    ¡°What now?¡± Zedd asked. ¡°Won¡¯t you call for daddy Avourel? Or will you pray to Dhobor?¡±

    ¡°What do you want from us?¡± Drevo suddenly shouted. He was holding his head, trying to stop the bleeding. ¡°We never met! I¡¯m sure I¡¯d remember a face like that!¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Zedd turned towards the Sergeant.

    ¡°I only meant,¡± Drevo blabbered. ¡°I only meant that you¡¯re unique!¡±

    ¡°Unique how?¡± Zedd asked as he dashed at the injured man. All the others were glued in place. They didn¡¯t dare move or attack. The man with black eyes was very fast. If they missed their attack, they¡¯d risk hitting a teammate. Zedd took his sword out then put it on the Sergeant¡¯s neck. ¡°Unique how?¡± he repeated.

    ¡°He only meant that you¡¯re powerful!¡± a soldier interfered. ¡°Nobody can forget someone as powerful as you.¡±

    Zedd smiled then jumped in the middle of the clearing. He was surrounded by five soldiers. ¡°Listen up!¡± he shouted as he dropped his sword to the ground. ¡°I¡¯ve been ordered to kill you all. No survivors are allowed.¡± Zedd turned towards Gavin then smiled. His white teeth, coupled with those strange black eyes of his, made his smile eerie, otherworldly.

    ¡°You see, it¡¯s nothing personal.¡± He turned towards another soldier then spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m offering you an opportunity,¡± he told the soldier then turned towards another. His movements were deliberately slow. He wanted his words to go beyond the soldiers¡¯ ears. He wanted his words to reach their hearts.

    ¡°Convince me to let you go!¡± he told the soldier. His eyes landed on Devron once more. ¡°Or fight me! I¡¯ll only use my hands. I won¡¯t touch the sword.¡±

    Black Eyes slowly turned towards the Mobeel¡¯s pilot. ¡°Decide now!¡±

    The soldiers looked at each other then jumped at the man with black eyes. Zedd had underestimated them enough. He even dropped his weapon to humiliate them. They¡¯d die rather than live with the shame of being humiliated and not fighting back. Zedd admired their resolution.

    Two soldiers remained behind while three charged Black Eyes. They swung their swords in unison then missed. Zedd had jumped backwards to dodge. He was toying with them. One of the gunners shot him as he initiated his jump backwards. It was a well-timed attack, one that could¡¯ve critically wounded Zedd.

    Invisible threads pulled him backwards then helped him perform a backflip. The bullet missed him by inches. His Fairies anticipated the attack and helped him evade it. ¡°You¡¯re not the only ones with support fire!¡± he shouted at the soldiers.

    The gunners in the rear were swept away from their feet. Zedd jumped above the three swordsmen then landed atop a gunner. Zedd lifted the soldier by the collar then looked him in the eyes. ¡°Have you ever tasted a punch, powerful enough to destroy a tree?¡± The frightened soldier shook his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s peaceful,¡± Zedd went on. ¡°It would feel like that bullet if it hit my head.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t beg for my life!¡± the soldier said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to.¡± Zedd punched the man so hard his head bounced off the floor then heavily fell again. Blood oozed out from the poor gunner¡¯s orifices. ¡°I hate guns!¡± Zedd jumped at the second Bowgun wielder then held him from the shoulders.

    ¡°What about you little man?¡± he asked. ¡°Would you beg for your life?¡±

    The gunner fixed Zedd with eyes full of hatred and determination. Their general had warned them about a threat. He was sure that the people of Yanoku wouldn¡¯t take kindly to their mission. The gunner wasn¡¯t going to beg for his life. He was a pride soldier, willing to die with dignity.

    All he needed to do was to try and buy some time. His comrades were already approaching Zedd. They could surprise him and wound him. Or they could at least force him to let go of the gunner. He could¡¯ve just blabbered something to the impatient man. Instead the gunner had accepted his fate. Although he was too young to die, he accepted that his time had come. He accepted his death with a ¡°Tsk!¡±

    Zedd punched the kid and sent him flying miles away. That expression was the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back. Zedd went fully berserk. He had heard that expression twice that day. And every time he heard it, he remembered his mistake. Every time he heard it, he remembered the old man¡¯s smirk as he mocked his swords. He couldn¡¯t take it.

    Zedd jumped at the swordsmen then kicked one in the face. The poor man¡¯s head bobbed to the side at an abnormal angle. It looked like his neck had extended and his head peeked from beneath his armpits. Then swordsman fell to the ground.

    Sergeant Devron realized the dire situation he was in. He pushed Gavin at Zedd then started running. He was dreaming. Yes, after their escape from the plains, they spent the night inside their Mobeel in the Four Seasons. He was still dreaming, he thought. It was just a horrible nightmare. Soon he¡¯d wake, and see his teammates again.

    All he saw was Zedd¡¯s face as he appeared out of thin air. ¡°Going somewhere friend?¡± the man with black eyes asked. The Sergeant backed away slowly. His eyes frantically moved in all directions. He was looking for an opening. ¡°This is no dream Sergeant!¡± Zedd told him.

    ¡°Your friends are dead! And you¡¯re next!¡± Zedd jumped at the Sergeant and punched him lightly in the stomach. The Sergeant¡¯s body flew upwards then he landed on his knees. He was coughing wheezing, trying to catch his breath. ¡°Hurts doesn¡¯t it?¡± Zedd knelt down then held Devron¡¯s face in both hands.

    ¡°Why do you fight Sergeant?¡± he asked. The man looked at him with eyes that communicated deep hatred.

    ¡°To rid the world of the likes of you!¡± Devron answered.

    ¡°How would you do that?¡± Zedd asked. ¡°By running away to the woods?¡±

    The Sergeant fell silent. Only the sound of his rapid breathing remained in the forest at that moment. Far away, a beast could be heard roaring. The earth shook, announcing a fierce ongoing fight nearby. ¡°You could¡¯ve avoided this you know,¡± Zedd said.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t supposed to be here!¡± Zedd punched the Sergeant hard enough to send him flying above the cut trees. ¡°May you find a better life in the next one!¡± he shouted at the flying corpse.

    ¡°Now, what shall we do with you?¡± he asked as he looked at the pilot.

    One hour later, Zedd had forced the pilot to give him access to the steering screen. One cannot tell of the horrible things Black Eyes had subjected the pilot to. As the fight between monster and champions raged around the speeding Mobeel, Zedd was heading towards Ulmir¡¯s Garden at full speed.

    ¡®I must find a way to get the Watchdog to show up,¡¯ he thought as he directed the spherical tank to move faster. ¡®At least my luck didn¡¯t turn sour today!¡¯ he happily noted. ¡®I wonder how long it¡¯s been since I had such a lucky streak!¡¯

    For some reason, whenever one thinks this way, calamity follows. The roaring of beast fighting hunters intensified. The sound seemed to get louder and louder. Zedd activated the Mobeel¡¯s Skylight and the gray metal became transparent. In front of him, a dozen champions were fighting a giant beast.

    It looked like a wyvern, but it didn¡¯t have wings. It was about thirty feet tall and fifty feet long. It walked on all fours. On each leg it had sharp metallic claws. It was covered in scales that looked like dried earth. Its head had two pointy horns that were as large as an average tree trunk.

    The hunters had the beast tied down. Zedd stopped the Mobeel to observe the fight. Eight hunters were pulling on ropes while the other four tried to climb atop the wyvern without wings. Zedd looked at the monster. Something felt familiar about it. He felt like he¡¯d seen it somewhere before.

    ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± the message reached his head, not his ears. ¡°I can smell you across the realms,¡± the beast¡¯s voice went on. ¡°I¡¯ve been chasing you, trying to reach the Gardens before you. I was surprised to feel your presence in here, all of a sudden.¡±

    Zedd finally recognized the voice. ¡°Drake!¡± He said.

    ¡°I¡¯m coming for you Stalwart!¡±

    The beast roared once again. It started wiggling, fighting the ropes that tied it down. Then with a loud ¡°Snap! ¡° all the ropes were cut at once. The four champions that attempted to climb the monster held on for dear life as Drake stood on all fours. It slowly turned towards the Mobeel then opened its mouth. A fireball, the size of a miniature star, was hurled at the transparent Sphere.

 17 - Vaneelâ€™s Corruption

    Ulmir¡¯s Domain: Four Seasons, Second Day of the Hunt. Minutes Before the Torrential Rain.

    ¡°Cane! Get up!¡± Zedd shouted while he drove the Mobeel away from the angry wyvern. The large monster was covered in clay scales. It would seem easy to dispose of at first, but imagine trying to drill holes in tough a ground that regenerated constantly.

    No matter how many times you hit it, break it, put holes in it, you¡¯ll never reach the bottom. In order to do so, you¡¯ll need to change its structure. Zedd needed at least another fighter alongside him to dispose of the beast called Drake.

    ¡°Stalwart!¡± The beast¡¯s voice reached Black Eyes¡¯ head. ¡°I¡¯ll devour you whole and take that fragment off of you!¡±

    Drake had long scaly legs. Each scale was covered with heavy layers of clay. With each leap the beast took, it would rain clay rocks. The beast would land and make the earth tremble, then leap again. The hunters that clung to the wyvern were flung aside long ago.

    The moment Drake fired at Zedd the first time, all other champions attacked. They were adamant on bringing the beast down. That distraction bought Zedd enough time to turn the Mobeel around and run. Drake was bad news. He knew the beast would deal with the champions in a matter of seconds then come for him.

    Rimbaldi¡¯s vehicle had taken the blast head on but  didn¡¯t get heavily damaged. It had a strong protective barrier. ¡®One more hit from that thing and we¡¯ll burn to ashes,¡¯ Zedd thought as he guided the rolling sphere through the forest. ¡®Silver, how long until we reach the edge of the forest?¡¯ he asked his Alfa Faery. A mental picture reached him of an eagle view above the forest. He had about twenty miles to reach the edge.

    The Mobeel was fast. And with Zedd¡¯s Essence to support it, it could go even faster. Despite all that, he couldn¡¯t get away from the running wyvern. The beast had caught his imprint and ran after him.

    ¡°What is it?¡± a drowsy Cane asked.

    ¡°Get your shit together buddy. We¡¯ve got a real problem after us!¡± Zedd shouted as he took a sharp turn, through the thickening trees.

    Cane unstrapped the belts then got up with great difficulty. ¡°Where are we?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Look behind you, you¡¯ll understand,¡± Zedd told him as he willed the machine to turn again. He was trying to slow the beast¡¯s movements by getting between the trees. Drake had caught up to them. The clay covered wyvern was running after them, smashing the trees on its way with its sharp claws.

    ¡°Look in that drawer beneath the bench,¡± Zedd told the big bear. ¡°You¡¯ll find the imperials¡¯ medicine.¡±

    ¡°Imperials?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ve no time,¡± Zedd interjected. ¡°Take that medicine and get ready to fight.¡±

    Cane obeyed. Beneath the bench there was a wooden case with a snake engraved on top. It was the Highly Intelligent Scientific Community¡¯s emblem (HISC). ¡°I¡¯ve opened the case,¡± Cane said.

    ¡°Look for green vials,¡± Zedd instructed him. ¡°Take one and inject it in your bloodstream.¡±

    Cane did as he was told. The green liquid spread through his body, invigorating him. All the energy he¡¯d wasted during his fight against Gedel and Kandisha was restored. The big bear walked towards Black Eyes at the piloting station. ¡°What do I do?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll activate manual aim for the cannon. You sit there,¡± Zedd motioned to a lone chair behind them. ¡°That beast is weak to water. You¡¯ll find some Water Cruces in their ammunition case. I don¡¯t know how many they have. But shoot them all at the beast¡¯s legs and head. It¡¯ll weaken him a bit.¡±

    Cane sat on the chair. Zedd placed his hand on a round button on his piloting station then activated manual aim. The cannon, which was mounted above Zedd¡¯s head, moved to the back. The chair got elevated to the cannon¡¯s level. ¡°Ready!¡± Cane shouted as he held the mounted cannon by its triggers, each on one hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try to keep it steady,¡± Zedd shouted. ¡°How many water Cruces you found?¡±

    ¡°What do they look like?¡± Cane shot back.

    Zedd sighed heavily then instructed Cane on how to find the Cruces.

    ¡°There¡¯re ten of them!¡± Cane said.

    ¡°Make the best of it!¡± Zedd shouted as he sped off, ahead of the monster chasing them.

    ¡°You¡¯ll pay for what you did!¡± Drake¡¯s voice reached Zedd again.

    ¡°Incoming!¡± Zedd shouted. ¡®Of all the places he could be sent to, he landed here?¡¯ he thought as he tried his best to stay clear of the beast¡¯s fireballs.

    The beast was following Zedd¡¯s imprint. It could pinpoint his location and chase him for eternity. Long ago, Zedd had teamed up with a group of mages to banish the old wyvern to a different world. Little did he know, the beast was sent to Ulmir¡¯s Domain.

    A fireball landed near the Mobeel then exploded. The resulting shockwave pushed the machine sideways. ¡°I can¡¯t shoot if we keep moving like this!¡± Cane shouted.

    ¡°I know!¡± Zedd shot back. ¡°Just aim at that fucker. I¡¯ll create an opening.¡±

    Zedd stabilized the Mobeel then kept driving it in a single line. ¡°Now!¡± he shouted after the beast appeared behind them, mouth agape. Cane pulled the trigger and a Crux, filled with water element, was shot at the beast¡¯s head. As soon as the transparent crystal sphere touched the monster¡¯s horn, it exploded.

    The hard clay got wet then started falling off. ¡°Again!¡± Zedd urged. Cane shot once more and more water covered the wyvern. The beast abruptly stopped then started shaking its head. ¡°Don¡¯t stop shooting!¡± Zedd shouted at Cane.

    The big bear shot once, twice, thrice. The beast roared. All the monsters in the forest, big and small, stopped whatever they were doing then looked at the direction of the sound. It was an ancient roar, calling its kin for support. Luckily for Black Eyes, there were no other clay covered wyverns in the area.

    ¡°The storm will soon reach us!¡± Zedd announced. ¡°I¡¯m almost out of the woods. Once we¡¯re in the open, we¡¯ll engage the monster head on!¡±

    Cane turned around and nodded. Zedd injected more Essence in the Mobeel, urging it to move faster. ¡®Rimbaldi¡¯s a genius!¡¯ he thought as he drove away from the angry Drake. The wyvern had stopped. Clay had gotten into its eyes. After shaking everything off, the beast started running after Zedd¡¯s imprint.

    ¡°Listen Cane!¡± Zedd started. ¡°This beast¡¯s after me. Long ago, I couldn¡¯t beat it. But with your help we¡¯ll be able to offer it to Ulmir!¡±

    ¡°What about the Watchdog?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°For all we know, the Watchdog might not even exist. We have a good opportunity here. Let¡¯s make the best of it.¡±

    Cane nodded then turned towards the approaching monster. ¡°I only have four Cruces left!¡± he announced.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost out. Just hit its legs. It¡¯ll slow him down some.¡±

    Cane obeyed then aimed for the wyvern¡¯s long legs, two Cruces for each front leg. Mud formed and Drake slid then fell down, face first.

    ¡°Hah! Take that!¡± the big bear shouted. ¡°It¡¯s down Zedd, let¡¯s finish it off!¡±

    ¡°Not yet friend, this one¡¯s on a different level. We¡¯ll have a better chance when it rains.¡±

    Zedd kept going through the forest. Silver was flying above them, guiding the man with Black Eyes towards the nearest exit. Drake needed only a minute to recover. His clay hardened once more then he started running after his sworn enemy. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere to run Black Eyes,¡± the wyvern¡¯s ancient voice reached Zedd¡¯s head. ¡°I can sense your imprint through the realms. Just give me that fragment and be done with it.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    Zedd cursed under his breath. He was close to the forest¡¯s exit. ¡°Cane,¡± he called. ¡°Once we¡¯re out, we spread out. Beware of that wyvern¡¯s tail. One hit and you¡¯re dead, you hear?¡±

    As soon as the Mobeel was out of the woods, Zedd turned towards a hill large enough to accommodate them. The clouds above were dark. Lightning illuminated the sky while thunder emitted its terrible rumbles and roars. Black Eyes stopped the Mobeel atop the hill then exited the vehicle.

    ¡°I¡¯ll draw the wyvern away from the Mobeel,¡± Zedd told Cane. ¡°You run the opposite side. I¡¯ll probably be its primary prey, that thing hates me. So you run. Then when I start fighting, you come back to the Mobeel and provide support. Shoot it with everything you¡¯ve got.¡±

    Cane nodded then made to run away from the Mobeel. ¡°Where¡¯s my sword?¡± he asked. ¡°Zedd took the golden sword he took from Vaneel¡¯s corpse then handed it to Cane.

    ¡°This one¡¯ll be more efficient!¡±

    Cane took the sword then ran. Zedd ran the opposite side, just as the wyvern appeared. ¡°That vehicle could only take you this far eh?¡± Drake¡¯s voice told Black Eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s see what the Stalwart¡¯s learned over the years.¡±

    Drake jumped then landed on all fours in front of Zedd. It bared its sharp teeth at him. It mouth was gigantic, Zedd felt like an ant in front of the beast. Its gaping mouth looked like a cave, its numerous rows of teeth looked like stalagmite. One bite and Zedd would be reduced to minced meat.

    From the depth of the gaping maw, a bright light appeared. ¡°Screen!¡± Zedd shouted. The support Fairies surrounded him then cast a light screen around him. Drake shot a blazing fireball at his opponent. An explosion, loud enough to alert even the champions in the Garden, was heard.

    ¡®Shit!¡¯ Zedd thought as half the Fairies that cast the protection spell were burnt to ashes. ¡®That Mobeel had more protection than my Fairies!¡¯

    ¡°Discord!¡± Zedd shouted as he horizontally swung his sword. A dark shockwave emanated from the sword then hit the large wyvern head on.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got some new toys Stalwart!¡± Drake said. ¡°But not strong enough!¡±

    The dark energy Zedd¡¯s sword emitted had cut deep. Zedd could see the monster¡¯s muscle tissue. Drake¡¯s scales were cut. Even the monster¡¯s tough skin was opened by the attack called ¡®Discord¡¯. But the blow wasn¡¯t strong enough to slice Drake in two. The monster¡¯s muscle tissue regenerated and the clay scales reappeared.

    The beast shot another fireball. Zedd had enough time to avoid the attack though. He jumped to the side as the fireball landed in the ground with a large boom. Black Eyes didn¡¯t waste time looking at the aftermath of the impact. He knew it¡¯d create a hole large enough to create a swimming pool.

    Black Eyes ran behind the beast, towards its dangerous tail. It was nine feet long. Its cut was as sharp and effective as a diamond¡¯s. Zedd couldn¡¯t risk getting hit. His Fairies wouldn¡¯t be able to protect him from it either. His only aim was to get the beast to turn around, away from the Mobeel.

    The beast slowly turned, following Zedd¡¯s movements. It hurled its fireballs at him, continuously. If it weren¡¯t for his abnormal speed, Zedd would have been turned to ashes long ago. He dodged another fireball then jumped forward, trying to get closer to the wyvern. Silver had notified him that Cane was back at the Mobeel.

    As Drake was about to strike Black Eyes with its sharp claws, a Crux hit him in the right hind leg. Cane used explosive Cruces. That small distraction was enough for Zedd to jump at the wyvern¡¯s face. He swung his sword as he shouted ¡°Discord!¡±

    This time, Zedd made sure his sword made contact with the beast¡¯s horns. The moment the hit connected, the horns were cut off clean. ¡®That takes care of that!¡± Zedd thought as he landed then avoided the wyvern¡¯s retaliation.

    ¡®I¡¯ll have to rely on other elements,¡¯ he mentally noted. The diamond in which he stored Life Force was empty. He¡¯d exhausted all the energy he absorbed from the Faeries. He could no longer use Discord.

    Cane shot the beast once more in its hind legs.

    ¡°Silver, get him out of there!¡± Zedd mentally ordered his Familiar. The butterfly-like creature summoned all the remaining support Fairies then pulled the Mobeel to the side, right before Drake¡¯s Fireball landed.

    Zedd took one of the fallen horns then hurled it with all his strength at Drake¡¯s front leg. The pointy horn broke through clay and hard skin. Blood showered the ground as the wyvern roared in pain. ¡°You¡¯ve learned some new tricks Stalwart!¡± the beast told him. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize that body of yours!¡±

    ¡°It was bound to happen Drake,¡± Zedd told the wyvern. ¡°I¡¯m not the Stalwart you knew. I¡¯ve also learned to use the environment to my advantage.¡± Thunder rumbled. Then water drops started falling on the open field. ¡°What an Idea!¡± the wyvern exclaimed. Its hoarse, ancient voice started vibrating in Zedd¡¯s mind. The wyvern extended its mouth horizontally. Its fangs and teeth were placed against each other, making for a terrifying sight. ¡®Is he smiling?!¡± the thought crossed Zedd¡¯s mind.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny Drake?¡± Black Eyes asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ve grown strong Stalwart, evolved!¡± the beast answered. ¡°But you¡¯re not the only one to do so. You¡¯ve kept me here, trapped for nearly a century. I¡¯ve longed for this moment. I¡¯ll show you what terror really looks like!¡±

    Then is rained. Water started washing away all the clay that covered the wyvern¡¯s body. ¡°Shoot, now!¡± Zedd shouted at the top of his lungs. Cane obeyed then shot all the Cruces stored in the Mobeel in rapid succession.

    Lightning, fire, and shockwaves that could cut a mountain in half covered the wyvern. Zedd used vanish to teleport near the Mobeel. ¡°Cane,¡± he called. ¡°Silver has my magic imprint. She¡¯ll take you to the Garden.¡±

    ¡°Wut?!¡± the big bear angrily barked.

    ¡°The fight isn¡¯t over. We gave it everything we¡¯ve got but that damned thing¡¯s evolving.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯ll you do?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s an old grudge that has to be settled. I¡¯ll take care of this monster by myself.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Cane shouted. ¡°I¡¯m here to fight, even if it kills me.¡±

    ¡°This is for your own good friend,¡± Zedd retorted. His eyes were fixed on the cavity they left on the ground. ¡°If lightning, fire and even that slicing Crux Rimbaldi made can¡¯t kill him, then it¡¯s best you leave. Things will get hairy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving Black Eyes!¡± Cane protested. ¡°You can¡¯t force me!¡±

    ¡°I can,¡± Zedd nonchalantly said. ¡°But I won¡¯t. I can¡¯t teach you anything by sending you away from tough fights. But remember this friend.¡± Zedd turned around then looked at his friend with his black eyes. ¡°I will go all out in this fight. Don¡¯t get in my way or you¡¯ll get hurt!¡±

    Cane nodded, drew the golden sword Zedd had given him and got in stance.

    ¡°Here he comes,¡± Black Eyes announced.

    From the deep hole, evolved Drake came. He was flying without wings, his terrible true form revealed to the world. It didn¡¯t have any skin or hide. Red muscles could be seen covering the monster¡¯s bones. His torso was covered in vermillion, meaty muscles. His pectoral muscles extended outwards. His Apollo¡¯s belt pointed downwards in a V shape. It stood on its hind legs. Its front legs transformed into arms. Drake¡¯s new hands didn¡¯t have any claws. Instead, the beast had long bones protruding from its elbows.

    The monster had a skeletal face. It had but one eye in the middle of its forehead. There was no cavity that indicated the presence of a nose. Its mouth was wide open. It didn¡¯t have any teeth, just four long fangs. It towered above its opponents. Zedd estimated the beast was at least ten feet tall. On its back, long pointy bones protruded in all direction. He looked like a flayed hedgehog with a ghastly face.

    The beast extended its right arm forward then shot an invisible shockwave at Zedd. Black Eyes willed his support Fairies to create a protection screen. ¡°Cane, don¡¯t do anything stupid!¡± he warned as he dashed towards the evolved Drake.

    The shockwave hit as Zedd was about to reach the skeletal chunk of meat. The support Fairies all fell to the ground, and Zedd was pushed backwards. Blood trickled from his forehead. ¡®Shit! How strong can he become?¡¯ he thought.

    In an instant, Drake appeared behind Cane. ¡°You¡¯re the one who cost me my horns!¡± the beast shouted. Its voice had a metallic ring to it. The beast went for a punch. Cane instinctively turned and blocked the attack with Vaneel¡¯s sword. Bone hit gold and the two remained interlocked for a second.

    Realizing his opponent¡¯s strength, Cane moved his legs to the side then pushed. The punch was deflected to the side. As it landed on the ground, Cane jumped backwards. The resulting impact created a large hole on the ground. ¡°You killed Vaneel?¡± the beast asked. ¡°Impressive! Perhaps you¡¯ll entertain me a bit longer!¡±

    Drake followed Cane then struck with the bones in his elbows. The white bones turned pitch black then clashed against Zedd¡¯s sword. Zedd had jumped to intervene. The attack was so fast that Cane didn¡¯t even see it coming. ¡°Your quarrel¡¯s with me Drake!¡± Zedd barked at the meaty skeleton.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who killed Vaneel then?¡±

    Zedd smiled then pushed the monster away. ¡°Zeus!¡± he shouted as he brought his sword downwards. A lightning arrow was shot from the sword, towards Drake. The skeletal beast raised its left arm then caught the bolt midair.

    ¡°Your Familiars died Black Eyes. Try to block this.¡± Drake, bolt still in hand, released his Essence. Electricity crackled and the bolt got larger. From an arrow shaped lightning strike, it evolved into a lance as the beast hurled it at Black Eyes.

    ¡°Electricity travels through water, does it not?¡± Drake asked as the bolt left his hand. ¡°I wonder what¡¯ll happen to your friend once he¡¯s hit!¡±

    Zedd jumped at the electric lance and deflected it. His left arm felt numb as his sword hit the powerful lightning spell Drake hurled at them. In the meantime, the skeletal beast flew behind Cane and got ready to attack.

    Little did the beast know, Cane was a stubborn fighter. He was like a rare metal. It only shone bright under constant pressure. With keen eyes and fast reflexes, Cane learned to fight the odds and come out victorious.

    The moment the big bear saw Zedd deflecting the lightning spear, he turned around and thrust his sword blindly. The golden weapon was driven through the skeletal beast¡¯s leg.

    ¡°Let go of the sword!¡± Zedd shouted at Cane.

    The big bear obeyed just in time. The sword¡¯s bright gold color changed into dark purple. Zedd jumped next to his friend then pulled him out just in time. Drake had swung his closed fists at the big bear. That attack almost flattened him.

    ¡°Vaneel¡¯s corruption!¡± Drake said as he pulled the sword away. The beast¡¯s muscle tissue started changing color. The wound caused by the sword inflicted Vaneel¡¯s corruption, a poison that eats away at one¡¯s Life Force, much like the lances he created.

    ¡°You took away his abnormal speed friend,¡± Zedd told Cane. ¡°It¡¯s time to strike back now!¡±

    ¡°You should¡¯ve aimed for the head!¡± Drake said as he cut off his leg.

 18 - Spirit Fragments

    Ulmir¡¯s Domain, Four Seasons: Second Day of Hunt.

    Rain kept pouring down. The water on which Zedd relied had become unimportant. The skeletal beast looked at Zedd with its strange vacant face; a pale skull with one eye and a gaping mouth with four fangs. ¡°You should¡¯ve aimed for the head!¡± Drake repeated. The cut-off leg wiggled in the ground while another was reconstructing.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep him busy,¡± Zedd turned around and held the big bear by the shoulder ¡°You look for an opening, grab that sword then aim for the fucking head!¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± Cane shouted back.

    Zedd dashed towards Drake then showered him with a flurry of sword swings. The beast¡¯s backbones suddenly stretched then attacked Black Eyes. Each bone countered Zedd¡¯s swings. They moved about like snakes then lunged at Zedd from all angles.

    Black Eyes was fast. This was the first time he¡¯d taken a fight seriously in years. The Faery Vaneel he¡¯s fought before was also strong, but Zedd had excess Essence to use before it all dispersed. He went all out against the king of Faeries, without the need to think of his reserves.

    While he was exchanging fast blows with Drake, he was feeling his energy dropping. The exertion from keeping the lightning elemental coating on the sword was beginning to weigh on him. ¡°Show me how strong you¡¯ve become Stalwart!¡± Drake¡¯s metallic voice rang through the hills. The monster extended its arms outwards then roared.

    The metallic roar forced Zedd back. He put his arms forward as he tried to resist the sound wave but was pushed even further back. Drake stopped roaring then jumped at Zedd. If he went on defending, the beast would soon gain the upper hand and finish him off. Besides, his sword could only take some successive blows before it broke. He coated it with lightning to provide extra elemental protection. But it didn¡¯t seem to work.

    Usurper, Zedd¡¯s sword, had three forms.

    Zeus summoned the lightning element. Zedd could coat the sword with it to attack for as long as his Essence could hold. He could also, with extra energy consumption, shoot lightning arrows.

    Discord relied on Life Force to attack and directly hit the target¡¯s vital spots. Life Force was a fickle matter. It can only be extracted from dying or recently dead bodies. Zedd had found the best way to harvest it long ago. While forging Usurper, his only thought was to utilize Life Force as an element.

    But the task proved to be more difficult than expected. And with all the ¡°Tsk!¡± he¡¯d been hearing, he just went for a plan B. He¡¯d extract the Life Force into a precious stone (in his case a diamond), then inject it into the sword. The process takes some time, but the results were incredible.

    Fuujin, on the other hand, summoned the wind. Zedd refrained from using it since it usually went overboard. The element would suck his Essence with no restraints as soon as he released it. But Drake was coming at him in full speed. He couldn¡¯t defend forever.

    ¡°Fuujin!¡±

    The sword suddenly howled as wind enveloped it. Drake¡¯s bones landed on Zedd sword. Every strike from Drake¡¯s whip-like bones was swiftly swept away. The blows didn¡¯t even land on the sword. They were simply blown away. The energy expenditure required to keep the wind element stable was high though. Zedd never mastered the element completely. The wind he activated was like a wild mare, difficult to break.

    ¡®Only in the hardest of times should you resort to this,¡¯ his master¡¯s voice rung through his head. ¡®Perhaps it could save your life. Perhaps it could kill you.¡¯

    Zedd was in a bind. He felt his sword getting heavier. It won¡¯t be too long before he¡¯d make a mistake.

    ¡®It¡¯s at that moment, that you should push your limits. Break that barrier that always nags and nags: You can¡¯t! It¡¯s over!¡¯

    Zedd pushed on. He was fighting two enemies: The unstable element that surrounded his sword, and the bones that constantly whipped him. He needed to stabilize the Essence Flow that was being devoured by the element. ¡®Once you activate it again, I won¡¯t be there to save you,¡¯ the voice went on. ¡®Be sure to master it or die trying!¡¯

    Zedd reinforced his legs and stood his ground. He had to win the element over. It was either that or lose the Fragment to Drake. He wasn¡¯t about to let the thing that transformed his life get taken away. Zedd closed his internal eyelids and fixed the beast¡¯s whips.

    With those lids closed, Zedd could see and sense all life signals and Essence prints. He needed to find an opening. Drake was very fast, relentless. If he kept this up, Zedd would soon lose his life. He felt the energy being drained from him. He had reached a point of no return, so his eyes observed.

    His arms moved where he sensed an increase in energy. Drake was manipulating and shaping his bones to attack in that sort. ¡®Only about a minute left,¡¯ Zedd thought. His arms started feeling heavy. His legs gave sings of fatigue, they¡¯d soon start shaking. Zedd deflected the attacks. Each deflection was accompanied by a gust of wind that pushed the bones away.

    ¡°You can¡¯t keep this forever,¡± Drake¡¯s metallic, hoarse voice spoke. ¡°I can sense you¡¯re getting tired. Why don¡¯t you accept and give it up?¡±

    With great difficulty, Zedd managed to send an order to Silver. He needed a fraction of a second to execute his plan. Silver flew over the ten foot tall beast then landed on its bony forehead. The oldest trick in the book fooled Drake. The monster stopped for a second to check on the fly that dared land on him.

    Zedd thrust his sword forward and poured all his Essence into it. Wind whistled as a spear shape shot out towards the skeletal monster. The sharp wind hit the beast in the chest. It sliced the pectoral muscles and broke ribs, revealing its beating heart. ¡°Now!¡± Zedd shouted.

    Cane threw the golden sword at the open heart. It was only a matter of seconds before the wounds would close again. The sword whistled through the air then hit the target. Vaneel¡¯s corruption activated and the heart was the first organ to be affected.

    ¡°Soul Trap!¡± Zedd shouted before the beast fully succumbed to the corruption. A dark, smoky substance left Drake¡¯s body then flew towards Black Eyes. Zedd took his diamond out again then directed the energy towards it.

    As the beast¡¯s body melted due to the corruption, a shiny fragment floated in the air. ¡°Discord!¡± Zedd shouted then swung his weapon up in the air. A dark shockwave was sent to the air and the wind element was replaced. Zedd let out a long sigh. ¡®Damnit,¡¯ he thought after a while. ¡®That was a close one.¡¯Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Black Eyes fell to his knees panting. The Fragment that floated in the air suddenly started moving then flew towards him. The fragment hit him head on then embedded itself on his forehead. Zedd started writhing on the ground. It seemed he was resisting the shock that resulted from the thing that attacked him.

    Cane ran to his friend. He knelt next to him then held him up in his huge arms. They¡¯d won a tough battle, but it didn¡¯t seem to be over for Zedd.

    ¡°Oy! Black Eyes!¡± he shouted. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into ya.¡± He slapped the man, trying to awaken him from his state. Then something hit him. Cane felt like electric currents had been activated all over his body. If felt like he was being electrocuted. But there was no pain. In fact Cane felt reinvigorated, stronger.

    After what seemed to be an eternity, the seizure stopped. Cane had fallen to the ground. He was panting, laughing. He never felt stronger. It felt like his body had been remade. He felt his body with his hands. His body was unaffected by the electric attack, but he felt different. He could move every muscle, control their intensity and the way he wanted them to contract.

    The big bear stood, walked for a little while then punched the ground. Earth shook then started cracking.

    ¡°Incredible!¡± Zedd¡¯s voice commented. ¡°You¡¯ve got one too!¡± Black Eyes stood up then looked at the cracks on the ground. ¡°That¡¯s why I sensed something in you, it was a Spirit Fragment!¡±

    ¡°Say again?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°You have,¡± Zedd started. ¡°Or rather had,¡± he corrected, ¡°a dormant power.¡±

    Cane raised his eyebrows and shrugged.

    ¡°The shining thing you saw floating in the air, remember it?¡±

    Cane nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s called a Spirit Fragment.¡±

    ¡°Spirit?¡± Cane asked. ¡°Like a soul?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much,¡± Zedd said. ¡°The Spirit Fragments are part of ancient souls. They belonged to a long forgotten race. Nobody knows who they were or why they disappeared.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it do?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°If you¡¯re lucky, it¡¯ll grant you power beyond measure,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°If you¡¯re unlucky, it¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    ¡°And I didn¡¯t die,¡± the big bear pointed out.

    ¡°No you didn¡¯t. Not because the Fragment I absorbed didn¡¯t want you to. It was because the one you carry rejected the attack.¡±

    ¡°What d¡¯ya mean?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re a strong man, and a skilled warrior. How was training when you were but a child?" Zedd asked.

    Cane hated Black Eyes for always changing the subject when important matters were being discussed. But there was no arguing with the man with black eyes. He¡¯d keep pestering him with questions; completely unrelated to the subject at hand. The big bear heavily sighed then answered. ¡°Same as fer everyone, tough.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you receive some kind of special treatment?¡± Black Eyes emphasized the last two words.

    ¡°My master liked me,¡± Cane said.

    ¡°And so he should have. You had a Spriti Fragment that allowed you to comprehend things, see what the others cannot. And you were fond of fighting I presume, you wanted to be a great hero, a famous hunter.¡± Zedd said. He was smiling, the kind of smile that spoke of mockery.

    ¡°Don¡¯t start Black Eyes,¡± Cane warned.

    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to provoke you friend,¡± Zedd interjected. ¡°I¡¯m merely showing you what your master should¡¯ve seen long ago.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Cane said.

    ¡°You¡¯d better take a seat, this should take some time.¡± Zedd invited his friend to sit inside the Mobeel. Both of them walked towards the rolling sphere.

    ¡°What¡¯d you do to get that beast to drop its guard?¡± Cane asked as they walked back to the Mobeel.

    ¡°I almost sacrificed a dear friend,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°Luckily, I landed the hit quickly and you thoroughly finished the job. Silver thanks you!¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s this Silver?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s my Familiar, a creature I made long ago to serve and protect me,¡± Zedd answered.

    ¡°Where is Silver now?¡± Cane asked.

    Zedd mentally called for the Alfa Fairy. The butterfly-like creature landed on Cane¡¯s shoulder. The big bear, frightened, almost slapped the little creature away. ¡°That¡¯s Silver,¡± Zedd said, holding Cane¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t hit her, she¡¯s exhausted.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a she?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°It must be difficult for you to recognize their sex,¡± Zedd retorted, amused. ¡°Yes, Silver is a female. She¡¯s my trusted Fairy. She always obeys orders and watches my back. And she¡¯s the reason for our great victory today.¡±

    ¡°We lost the beast¡¯s body though,¡± Cane noted.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Black Eyes waved his hand in the air, as if dismissing Cane¡¯s remark. ¡°We¡¯ll get another monster. Let¡¯s get inside shall we? We need to get to the Garden.¡± Zedd urged Cane to get inside the sphere. Black Eyes sat at the piloting station then started driving towards Ulmir¡¯s Garden.

    ¡°So what¡¯s a Fragment?¡± Cane asked as he sat next to Zedd.

    ¡°Those souls,¡± he started, ¡°as I said, belonged to ancient beings. Let¡¯s call them Ancient Gods for the sake of simplicity.¡±

    ¡°Older than ours?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°You can say that,¡± Black Eyes answered as he directed the Mobeel towards the Garden. ¡°They were ancient, powerful beings.

    ¡°Nobody knows why, but they mysteriously vanished, one after the other. All people know was that the Ancient Gods just disappeared one day. Although they were immortal, rumors started spreading that they¡¯d actually died.

    ¡°Centuries later, people noticed that some individuals were granted superhuman powers. It didn¡¯t take scholars long to start studying the phenomenon. That time was called the age of Gods. People started popping up all over the four continents. They were strong, and had powers close to those of the Gods legends speak of.

    ¡°Some became powerful warriors. Others were legendary wizards and witches. Then there were the kings and emperors. Over time, their tales were exaggerated until people started venerating them as actual Gods. The Fragments granted a person power. And it was up to them to develop it into something extraordinary. Those exceptional people developed into mighty individuals, hence the title of God.¡±

    After Zedd finished his speech, Cane sat beside him in silence. He pondered at Black Eyes¡¯ words before he commented. ¡°So yer saying that our Gods, even Ulmir who created this realm, were people like us?¡±

    ¡°It might be difficult for you to accept it but yes,¡± Zedd answered in his usual nonchalant way.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡± Cane looked at Zedd, a defiant air about him. ¡°Ya sound like those pagan witches and sorcerers Black Eyes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m merely telling you a story. Whether you believe it or not is up to you.¡± Zedd turned to look at his friend. The rolling sphere was heading towards the Garden at full speed. ¡°I never expected you to believe me anyway. But perhaps what you¡¯ll see at the Garden, and later in the castle, will change your mind a little.¡±

    ¡°Whatever you say Black Eyes,¡± Cane said, dismissively. ¡°I don¡¯t like you after all.¡±

    Zedd heartily laughed at the big bear¡¯s words. ¡°Very few people do big guy, very few people do.¡±

    The two rode towards the Garden in silence after that. Cane couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the new power he just discovered within him. He couldn¡¯t believe Black Eyes¡¯ words, but what he¡¯d seen with him pushed him to question things.

    In all his life as a hunter, the big bear had never seen transforming monsters. Hell, he¡¯d never seen beasts change their attack patterns mid-fight either. Perhaps by sticking with Black Eyes, he¡¯d find answers to what happened to his master.

    The sky was getting darker when they arrived to the Tall Trees of Ulmir¡¯s Garden. ¡°We¡¯ll have to split up once we get to the Garden,¡± Zedd announced.

    ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a monster here that I¡¯d like you to hunt.¡±

    ¡°What will ya do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll draw it out for you,¡± Zedd answered with a smile. ¡°She¡¯s the biggest monster in the region, and the heaviest.¡±

    ¡°Stronger than that big pile of rock and clay?¡± the big bear asked, worried.

    ¡°Yes and no. Drake had good defenses, this one doesn¡¯t. But I have to warn you, she packs heavy punches. Try not to take too many of them.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯ll ya draw it out?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill as many of her children as I can,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°Once we¡¯re inside, Silver will guide you through the dense forest. Once she stops, you sit and collect your strength. You¡¯ll know when Queen Mushroom comes out for dinner.¡±

    ¡°And after I defeat her?¡±

    ¡°I have something I must do in the Gardens,¡± Zedd explained. ¡°Once she¡¯s down, Silver will let me know and I¡¯ll come to you. We¡¯ll take the fallen body and deliver it to the Altar.¡±

    ¡°Ya won¡¯t fight with me Black Eyes?¡±

    ¡°I think you can handle that one,¡± Zedd replied. ¡°I¡¯ll need my full strength once we get to the palace. I trust you¡¯ll enjoy discovering your newfound strength.¡±

 19 - Queen Mushroom

    Ulmir¡¯s Garden, Second Night of the Great Hunt.

    Two champions walked through the dense dark forest people called Ulmir¡¯s Garden. One of them, a man named Otis, wore ring mail on top of black boiled leather. The great sword strapped to his back showed he relied on brute strength. Fighting dangerous monsters often relied on quick and decisive blows.

    Beside him walked a woman clad in steel armor that looked custom-made to fit her slim body. She held a shield on one hand, and a spear on the other. Both champions looked weary. Thirst and hunger were a champion¡¯s biggest threat. The provisions they were given were to last for three days if their owner was savvy.

    Although the place they were in was called a garden, it didn¡¯t have any of its features. Trees extended towards the sky, obstructing most of the sunlight from reaching the ground. It would take at least a hundred men to surround each tree trunk. Rivers of poisoned water provided refreshment to monsters that didn¡¯t seem to be affected by it.

    The flowers that grew in the Garden were also abnormal. Some would target live bodies to hunt and consume. Others had toxic spores that could transform any who inhaled it into a mindless berserker. After all, Ulmir¡¯s Domain was filled with danger. Those who venture inside the realm should be ready for death.

    Then there were plants that looked like normal trees. They would trick you into thinking they¡¯re ordinary. From a distance, one would see ripe fluorescent fruits dangling from the branches. To those who hadn¡¯t been savvy with their supplies, the fruits will look like salvation. Try to pull on them though, and a large monster would appear from below the ground. The plant is just its antenna. Any who touches it ends up devoured.

    ¡°Greta,¡± the man named Otis called out. ¡°We¡¯re not alone round here.¡±

    The brute was right. Everywhere the two looked, they could see shining eyes watching them from behind the tall dense trees. ¡°Gremkins!¡± Greta cursed under her breath. ¡°I¡¯m tired of these fuckers following us all around!¡± she said, frustrated.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Otis asked.

    ¡°We make camp here. We cover our ground, let them come to us.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what they¡¯re waiting for woman. Are you out of your mind?!¡±

    The two had been running around the Garden for two days. The little Gremkins were vicious creatures. Two days ago, they were a team of six champions. Two of them vanished the first day without a trace as they attempted to pursue the small creatures with sparkling eyes.

    The second day, the remaining four attempted to capture a large monster. The Gremkins struck again. They attacked in great numbers and in extraordinary speed. Two of them were taken unaware and died on the spot. Greta and Otis fought hard to get out of the perilous situation. Both of them thanked their lucky stars as they met miles away from the ambush site.

    ¡°If we don¡¯t fight back, we¡¯re as good as dead Otis.¡± Greta didn¡¯t like being surrounded. But they didn¡¯t have any other choice. ¡°We either fight them here, push them back, or we die trying.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯re too many of them,¡± Otis protested.

    ¡°Would you rather die in your sleep?¡± Greta asked. ¡°Then you should¡¯ve stayed home big guy.¡±

    ¡°They have an advantage Greta. They can see in the darkness. Look at them teasing us.¡±

    ¡°Aim for the eyes,¡± the woman barked at him. ¡°And stop whining! Only the worthy can enter Ulmir¡¯s Castle.¡±

    Greta took a throwing knife from her belt then threw it at one of the Gremkins. A thump was heard then deafening shrieks followed. All the little creatures attacked at once. Otis and Greta stood back to back, swinging and thrusting in the darkness. A claw hit the woman in the face. Another penetrated the big brute¡¯s legs which pushed him to cry out in pain.

    ¡°Warriors die weapon in hand!¡± he shouted as he swung even harder.

    Every swing cut two or three creatures at once. Greta on the other hand had all her senses activated. She¡¯d look for eyes and prick her ears for any movement around her. They stayed there for five minutes. To them, it seemed like hours had passed.

    All of a sudden, a bright light flashed above them. All the little creatures shrieked and retreated behind the Tall Trees, away from the blinding light.

    ¡°Who goes there?¡± Otis angrily shouted.

    ¡°Relax friend,¡± a voice told them. ¡°I¡¯m ¡®ere to help, if possible.¡±

    ¡°Then show yourself!¡± It was Greta who shouted the order this time.

    ¡°Long as ya don¡¯t attack woman,¡± the voice said.

    ¡°Show yourself, then we¡¯ll see about that,¡± Otis barked in the darkness that filled the forest. His leg bled profusely, he could barely stand straight.

    ¡°Right ¡®ere!¡± A man, as tall and as large as a bear showed up behind them.

    ¡°You!¡± Greta shouted as soon as she caught sight of Cane. ¡°What¡¯re you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hunting monsters for our God!¡±

    ¡°You know him?¡± Otis asked his companion.

    ¡°She stabbed me with that spear at the Ritual,¡± Cane answered.

    ¡°And he miraculously dodged it. Why did you help us?¡± Greta didn¡¯t trust Cane.

    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for a monster to show up,¡± the big bear answered. ¡°Join me and I¡¯ll help ya with the Gremkins.¡±

    ¡°You?!¡± Greta sarcastically asked. ¡°What can you do against those little shits that we haven¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Ye¡¯ll see if ya help me with the beast I¡¯m hunting.¡±

    Greta looked at her companion. Both exchanged wary looks. Nobody trusted other champions they hadn¡¯t teamed up with prior to the Hunt, and for good reasons. ¡°Talk it out,¡± Cane urged them. ¡°But yer on the clock, the little shits¡¯re coming back.¡±

    ¡°To hell with it Greta, I¡¯m in!¡± Otis was the first one to offer his help.

    ¡°I guess we don¡¯t have a choice, do we? It¡¯s either help or get stuck here forever.¡±

    Cane smiled approvingly. ¡®One day with Black Eyes and I¡¯m imitating him¡­ Great,¡¯ he thought as he looked up at the Alfa Fairy Zedd sent with him. Silver glowed in the darkness, like a firefly then flew at the Gremkins that approached in the darkness.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Greta asked. ¡°They¡¯re sensitive to light, but that thing will attract bigger prey here.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry earless,¡± Cane told the woman. ¡°The other beasts are busy somewhere else.¡±

    The big bear followed the Alfa Fairy. Every little creature it revealed, Cane smashed it with a single punch. ¡°Spread out, this tiny creature will illuminate the area for us!¡± Cane shouted at Greta and Otis.

    Together, they proceeded to killing the little monsters. Silver had flown in the air then glowed even brighter. The entire area, in their immediate vicinity, was illuminated. The Gremkins died, one after the other. Those who realized the horror fled the scene, never to return and stalk the three champions.

    ¡°Don¡¯t chase after them!¡± Greta shouted as she saw Otis chasing the fleeing ones.

    After the situation got under control, the three warriors sat in a clearing in the middle of the Tall Trees. ¡°What¡¯re you hunting?¡± Otis asked Cane.

    ¡°I dunno yet,¡± Cane answered.

    ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know?¡± Greta could only function with a precise plan. ¡°We only have one day left.¡±

    ¡°I have a partner,¡± Cane told the champions. ¡°He¡¯s busy keeping other beasts away from ¡®ere. Soon as he does his little magic trick, the monster¡¯ll show up.¡±

    ¡°And you trust this partner of yours?¡± Greta asked.

    ¡°Yeah I do. You two of ya¡¯ll get along very well,¡± Cane mockingly said. ¡°He loves being in control, and he never breaks a promise. The beast¡¯ll show up.¡±

    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Otis asked.

    ¡°We rest, eat and drink,¡± Greta answered. ¡°You should look into that wound too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take first watch,¡± Cane offered. ¡°I don¡¯t feel tired yet. Ye two sleep, I¡¯ll wake ya if something happens.¡±

    Greta looked at the big bear warily. She was also injured. She thought the fight against the Gremkins was her last. ¡°Where¡¯re your axes?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I tossed ¡®em away. These two are all I need,¡± he said as he looked at his hands.

    ¡°You smashed the Gremkins with your bare hands,¡± Otis said as he bandaged his injured leg. ¡°What are you?¡±

    ¡°I dunno,¡± Cane honestly replied. ¡°I was told I had some superpower. But I dunno what it is yet. All I can do is smash things with these two hands.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    ¡°That¡¯s more than enough,¡± Otis replied. ¡°You saved us today.¡±

    ¡°He needed us to help him fight that monster he spoke of,¡± Greta intervened, gritting her teeth.

    ¡°Enough Greta,¡± Otis shouted. ¡°We¡¯ve lost too many of our friends to those beasts. Accept other people¡¯s help, as Na¡¯ar accepted Ulmir¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re comparing apples and oranges big guy. I don¡¯t trust this man.¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Otis replied. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get some shut eye.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll wake ya if anything happens,¡± Cane told the large brute then turned and looked at the woman with no ears. ¡°Ya should get some sleep too. If ya don¡¯t wanna help later, don¡¯t. Go find yer own prey to catch.¡±

    With a ¡°humph!¡± Greta turned the other side and stubbornly kept watch over her companion. She¡¯d had a tough couple of days. She found herself thinking about her friends that died to the Gremkins and how she couldn¡¯t save them. Soon enough, her eyes started getting heavy. She fell asleep sitting, hugging her knees.

    The tradition of the Great Hunt started centuries ago. Overtime, people made it a religious festival, mostly because of the prize money one could get from completing the challenge. It was greed that got people to participate in the Great Hunt. And because of that greed, the objective of the Hunt changed in people¡¯s minds. The Hunt referred to the beasts hunting humans, not the other way around. It was due to religion and Ulmir¡¯s deception that the idea of the Hunt changed among humans.

    The realm was unforgiving. There was no edible food to be found or wild animals to be hunted. Greta¡¯s stomach growled as she sat next to Otis, sleeping. Cane fumbled in his bag and took out some dried fish and some pears. He placed them next to the two champions and waited for them to wake up.

    The rest they desperately sought was brought to a sudden halt. Screams and wails in the distance woke the two champions.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Otis asked as he jumped up, winced in pain then sat down again.

    ¡°Take it easy on the leg,¡± Cane urged. ¡°That must be my partner. I dunno what he¡¯s planning, but it¡¯ll draw the monster we¡¯re seeking ¡®ere.¡±

    Greta listened to the screams in the distance. ¡°Those are humans screaming. Is killing other champions part of your friend¡¯s plan?¡±

    ¡°Could be,¡± Cane answered. ¡°Half the time, I can¡¯t say what he¡¯s thinking.¡±

    ¡°Those are definitely champions screaming Greta, sounds like a terrible fight¡¯s happening,¡± Otis commented.

    ¡°Eat,¡± Cane urged the two champions as he pointed for the food he offered them. ¡°I¡¯ve got extra, picked them from Gedel¡¯s corpse.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯d you meet him?¡± Greta asked. ¡°I wanted to kill that brute myself.¡±

    ¡°Kandisha beat ya to it;¡± Cane answered. ¡°Eat, you¡¯ll need your strength. If that¡¯s not my partner, we¡¯ll need to fight and soon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be of much help,¡± Otis declared. ¡°My leg¡¯s killing me.¡±

    ¡°Can ya shoot?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m good with a bow,¡± the brute replied. ¡°But not the best.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good enough.¡± Cane took a cylindrical object from his bag then handed it to Otis. ¡°We took this from the imperials. You just aim and press the trigger here.¡±

    ¡°Imperials?¡± Greta cut in.

    ¡°Long story,¡± Cane interrupted. ¡°Eat and get ready. We¡¯ll need to fight very soon.¡±

    The two champions reluctantly obeyed. They were hungry, their supplies were drained to the last crumb. They chewed on the dry fish and the fruits like two starving beasts. Screams and wails kept reaching them in the distance. Earth rumbled and the tall strong trees shook. A fierce fight was happening in the distance. In the dark forest, it was hard to estimate how far the slaughter was from their position.

    They sat in silence for hours. The noise in the distance started subsiding after daybreak. Greta and Otis had had enough time to eat and rest. Cane sat beside them, guarding his potential partners. As sunlight got filtered by the dense tree branches high above, the ground around Cane started shaking.

    ¡°Wake up!¡± he shouted.

    Greta opened her eyes, threw her arm to the side then grabbed her spear. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she shouted.

    ¡°Something¡¯s coming at us and fast. Get Otis behind a tree or something.¡±

    The woman with two missing ears obeyed. She pulled her friend away from the clearing then joined Cane. ¡°Whatever¡¯s coming at us will be tough to kill,¡± he told her as he adjusted a belt around his torso.

    ¡°What we¡¯re doing is crazy,¡± Greta complained.

    ¡°You still got time to turn tail woman,¡± Cane barked at her. ¡°I¡¯m not forcing ya to stay.¡±

    ¡°Greta never runs,¡± she shouted.

    ¡°Then shut yer trap and be on yer guard. The beast coming at us¡¯ll eat Grumkins for breakfast.¡±

    Before Greta could shoot something back at the big bear, the earth around them shook even more. Heavy thumps could be heard behind the trees in front of them. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s big,¡± Greta pointed out.

    ¡°And it¡¯s running,¡± Cane replied. ¡°Soon as we see it, we surround it. Let limpy leg shoot it wherever he can.¡±

    The Tall Trees shook. The big and sturdy plants were easily moved aside as a giant beast made its way towards the clearing. ¡®Queen Mushroom can sense Life Force signatures,¡¯ Zedd¡¯s voice echoed in Cane¡¯s mind. ¡®The scent of blood puts it into frenzy. If she smells her kin¡¯s blood, mixed with that of humans, she¡¯ll come looking. And you¡¯ll intercept her and deal with her.¡¯

    Cane and Greta observed the monster that walked towards them. ¡°What in the five hells is that?¡± Otis shouted behind them.

    The trees that were pushed aside by the monsters creaked. The ground below them shook as roots, as big and large as small hills, emerged. ¡°What the fuck did you get us into Cane?¡± Greta asked. It was the first time she addressed him by name.

    ¡°What will you do with a mountain of gold?¡± Cane asked as he got ready to attack.

    ¡°We gotta survive first then think of the gold stupid!¡± the heavily armored woman shouted.

    ¡°It¡¯s big, it moves,¡± Cane started. ¡°But it¡¯ll bleed. And if it bleeds, it dies!¡±

    Tall Trees swayed right and left as Queen Mushroom advanced towards the tiny humans below its feet. Cane took the belt he strapped to his torso then held it high up. The creature could be heard sniffing high above. Then a loud growl reached the champions¡¯ ears.

    ¡°The fuck¡¯re you doing?¡± Greta slapped the belt from Cane¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Get it angry, make it stupid. These were my instructions. If ya got time to argue, use it to attack the monster¡¯s foot.¡±

    Greta cursed, shot a dark look at Cane then ran for the beast¡¯s left leg. Cane ran the opposite side as he shouted at Otis. ¡°Don¡¯t bother aiming, just shoot.¡±

    The Tall Trees that the beast swept aside provided the three champions with enough sunlight to see where they were running. Greta could see a giant oblong pink shape in front of her. Assuming it was the monster¡¯s foot, she thrust her spear inside it. The weapon easily tore through the soft substance the monster¡¯s foot was made of. ¡®Damnit, I can easily cut through this but the thing doesn¡¯t even notice what I¡¯m doing,¡¯ the thought as she kept on thrusting her spear repeatedly.

    By the fifth stab, the beast raised its foot. Greta held on for dear life as Queen Mushroom tried to shake the annoying human away. ¡®What the hell are you doing Greta?¡¯ she kept asking herself as her body was dangling in the air. She looked below her and saw Cane pounding at the ground below the monster with his bare hands.

    Otis blindly shot the Bowgun. The weapon was equipped with piercing bullets. Each hit created a hole big enough for a human to get inside it. The monster finally howled in pain, then started furiously stomping on the ground.

    Greta was thrown aside. Her armor dented and folded in some parts. With great difficulty, she stood up, unbuckled her breast plate then threw it aside. ¡®Fucking luck!¡¯ she cursed as she unbuckled the rest of her armor. ¡®This thing¡¯ll kill me before it protects me.¡¯

    A heavy thud brought her attention back at the beast. When she looked up, Greta saw Queen Mushroom on its knee in the clearing. Cane¡¯s punches cracked the ground, and the beast¡¯s stomps broke it. Its left leg was stuck in a hole underground. Its right knee was on the floor. The beast howled as it tried to yank its stuck leg out.

    ¡°What is this?¡± Greta heard Otis shout as he kept shooting.

    What she saw was a large pink torso from which multiple mushrooms protruded. The torso was moving up and down. ¡®Is this thing panting?¡¯ she thought as she walked towards the monster.

    ¡°Oy!¡± Cane shouted. ¡°Quit daydreaming and help me break this leg!¡±

    Cane was still pounding at the monster¡¯s left leg. Greta drew a Dirk she carried on her then ran towards the big bear. ¡°How¡¯d you do that?!¡± she asked when she got closer to him.

    ¡°I dunno,¡± Cane answered in between punches. ¡°Now help me break this fucking leg before it moves again.¡±

    With every yank the beast gave to its left leg, two punches and meager slices from the Dirk were given. ¡°Otis!¡± Greta shouted. ¡°Can you see us?!¡±

    ¡°I can hear ya!¡±

    ¡°Then shoot at me, this thing won¡¯t budge if we don¡¯t attack together!¡±

    ¡°Ya trying to kill us woman?!¡± Cane exclaimed.

    ¡°All we need to do is move behind it and keep attacking. That thing you gave Otis hurts it, you¡¯ll see.¡±

    Otis obeyed and shot the Bowgun. Large holes were created at every impact. ¡°Well fuck me sideways,¡± Cane shouted. ¡°That thing really packs a heavy punch.¡±

    The beast growled and howled. It tried to yank its left leg out of the hole but the injuries caused by the piercing bullets rendered its leg useless.

    ¡°Incoming!¡± Cane shouted as he jumped back.

    Greta looked up. The thing that was descending on their head resembled a hand. It was covered in thorns, ivy and mushrooms, lots of them. Cane pulled the earless woman from the shoulder just in time. The giant hand landed, and the ground shook. Cane and Greta were standing between the beast¡¯s fingers.

    ¡°How fearless are ya?¡± Cane asked as he jumped at the Ivy that dangled from the monster¡¯s hand. Greta looked incredulously at the big bear then imitated him.

    ¡®This is insane,¡¯ she told herself as the beast retracted its hand.

    ¡°It¡¯ll strike again!¡± Cane shouted as they were yanked upwards. ¡°Find something to jump to. Don¡¯t stay in ¡®er hand or ye¡¯ll get squashed!¡±

    Cane started nimbly climbing up the ivy that covered the beast¡¯s hands and arms. Greta watched the big bear move quickly from one finger to the back of the hand, then to the beast¡¯s gigantic arm. He looked like an ant escalating a human body. Wind whistled in her ears as the Queen moved her hands upwards. Greta, with sheer willpower, urged her limbs to move too.

    ¡°Fuck you Cane!¡± She shouted but the wind didn¡¯t carry her words to the big bear¡¯s ears. ¡°This¡¯ll better be worth it!¡± Greta defied her fears and started climbing. After all, her fear of death overcame her fear of heights.

    In the meantime, Otis shot two more bullets before shouting ¡°I¡¯m out!¡±

    Nobody heard him.

    Cane and Greta continued their escalation. With incredible speed, Cane managed to reach the monster¡¯s shoulder. Greta on the other hand, was stuck in its belly. She tried to get away from the hand before Queen Mushroom attacked the floor again. But missed her jump and plummeted at break neck speed towards the ground. Luckily for her, the monster bent forward to smash her hands and Greta was caught in its belly area. Sharp thorns tore her clothes and cut her arms and legs.

    Cane reached the monster¡¯s neck then stopped to have a better look. ¡°Disgusting!¡± he exclaimed as the beast¡¯s horrible face unveiled itself to him. Queen Mushroom was fifty feet tall and twenty feet wide. Its body was made of a soft squishy substance, covered with thorns, ivy and millions of mushrooms. It was called Queen Mushroom because her body was covered with fungi. What Cane saw that day confirmed what Zedd had told him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not even sure I can call that a face!¡± The big bear waved his hand in front of him to repel the beast¡¯s nocuous fumes. Queen Mushroom didn¡¯t have a face per se. In the area where the face should¡¯ve been, there were multiple holes. They contracted inwards rapidly then abruptly stopped. The holes suddenly grew in size then a loud shriek pierced Cane¡¯s eardrums.

    From the obscure orifices came multiple spiky tongues which had mouths at their tip. If Cane got hit by one of those, he¡¯d be ripped apart then eaten. Before the multiple tongues could attack the big bear though, the beast threw its head backwards and howled in pain.

    Cane took advantage of the opening then punched the beast on the throat, once, twice, thrice. The beast howled even louder after every hit. ¡®Fall you bitch! Fall!¡¯ he mentally shouted as he kept delivering blow after blow. His strength had indeed exceptionally increased. With every punch, the beast¡¯s head would be flung to one side.

    Greta struggled against the thorns and Ivy that grew on the monster¡¯s body. She was full of scratches but she managed to find an old wound on the monster¡¯s belly and reopened it. That alone provided Cane with a precious opening. She was trying to climb up in order to help Cane. She stopped to catch her breath then looked at Otis¡¯ direction.

    Her eyes got wider as they fell on a pool of blood and sinew instead of the last of her friends. She was saved because the beast attacked Otis. The beast leaned forward to attack the shooter. Her heart beat faster, the world spun around her. She was reminded once again of her fear of heights. Then, when she was about to let go and fall to her death, she saw him.

    Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Cane was plummeting towards the ground in front of her eyes. Otis was reduced to sinew soup. The beast had slapped the annoying bear with its gigantic hand and rendered him unconscious. The man whose strength astonished Greta was brought down with a single hit. And the strong fighter who stood by her side since the beginning of the Hunt was squashed.

 20 - Lure The Queen

    Ulmir¡¯s Garden, Third day of the Great Hunt. At the foot of the Tree of Life, before Cane¡¯s fight against the Queen.

    ¡®The monsters should be an easy task,¡¯ Zedd thought. ¡®I need to observe their routine then decide when to strike.¡¯ While he had his eyes closed, Zedd sent his Little Fairies to do some reconnaissance. Through his connection with the fairies, Zedd could see through their eyes. ¡®The man with the strange helmet, get on his shoulder. I want a better look.¡¯

    The fairy Zedd spoke to, approached the man then settled behind his shoulder blades. ¡®Good, stay there. Zedd extended his soul into the Fairy. This allowed him to be present with his soul. The only vulnerability would be if the fairy died, Zedd would die as well unless he pulls off his soul before impact.

    Fairies were respected in the lands of Kozag. Most people believed them to be the spirits of dear dead ones. They believe the fairies come to them to pay them a visit, and express their love. Nobody would dare kill a fairy in the Desert. In Ulmir¡¯s Garden, the contestants took them for dead warriors who were stuck in the Garden with no way out. Luckily for Zedd, he was able to find a secluded spot from which he spied on other teams.

    ¡°Halvard!¡± a warrior with a rough voice shouted.

    ¡°What?!¡± the man named Halvard shouted back from under his helmet. His voice was also rough, almost cracked. He was the man the fairy had landed in.

    ¡°We should stop, take a break. The others¡¯re tired.¡±

    ¡°If we stop we die Rufus. There¡¯s no water to drink ¡®ere

    ¡°The plants ¡®ere are toxic, don¡¯t you see? We must stop, and think. We must find a way out of this hell, before we all die.¡±

    Halvard seemed to think a while. Zedd ordered the fairy to move closer towards Halvard¡¯s shoulder. He wanted to have a better look at the man called Rufus. ¡®I think I¡¯ve heard this voice before. Rufus, that rings a bell but I don¡¯t seem to remember.¡¯

    As the fairy climbed on top of Halvard¡¯s shoulders, Zedd remembered. Rufus, also nicknamed the Mad Strangler was a mercenary. Zedd encountered him once in a tavern on his way to Yanoku.

    ¡®I can sense evil powers controlling that man¡¯s fate,¡¯ Zedd thought as he observed the Mad Strangler. ¡®But how will they get out of here? Even if they get out, they have inhaled enough spores already.¡¯

    ¡°We¡¯ll stop. But we can¡¯t stop for long. The air ¡®ere is heavy. I can hear m¡¯lungs screaming,¡± Halvard finally said.

    Zedd willed his soul to come back to him. The fairy had also had spores attached to its body. He dreaded to think what beast it could become. ¡®If I draw the other teams towards this one, things might end up in slaughter.¡¯

    Zedd called all his fairies back then opened his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s see. I have a corrupted team. Then I have two others that are fighting each other. The remaining teams are as lost as the others.¡± Zedd was thinking out loud as he devised his plan of attack. ¡°The corrupted ones were near the man eating mushroom area. They¡¯ll probably go berserk there. In the meantime,¡± Zedd let out a wide smile. ¡°I¡¯ll try and leave some hope for the worthy. If they survive, then it¡¯s fated.¡±

    Zedd got out of the cave then ran towards the Antenna Monsters¡¯ area. From afar, he could see a team of six warriors approaching. The darkness that enveloped the forest didn¡¯t hinder his eyesight. With his internal eyelids closed, Zedd could see better in darkness. He could detect life forms from the spiritual energy they exuded. If the sunlight was bright, the radiated energy wouldn¡¯t be clearly visible.

    Other people had to use a spell, or drink some strong potions in order to activate this type of sight. And even if one were to activate it, it would only be for a limited time. Zedd on the other hand had the Seer¡¯s eyes. He could see the flow of spiritual energy in the air without the need for potions or spells.

    Six people approached the area on which many small fruit trees were scattered. Tall Trees provided a good hiding spot for Zedd as he observed the warriors¡¯ curious looks towards the antennae that looked like trees. ¡®Go on, take one,¡¯ Zedd mentally urged.

    ¡°Looks like we can eat those,¡± one of them said.

    ¡°How can you trust these plants? After all we¡¯ve seen here in this Garden? Oi, One Eye, what d¡¯you say?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes turned towards the man named One Eye.

    ¡°I can¡¯t see with this fucking darkness in ¡®ere. But they look like good ol¡¯ normal plants to me. Hell, I¡¯m starving.¡±

    ¡°One eye said it,¡± one of the men spoke. Zedd could see that the speaker had the better armor. ¡®That one looks like the leader,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°If One Eye says we can eat it,¡± the leader continued. ¡°Then it¡¯ll probably kill us.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll die starving anyway brother,¡± One Eyed said. ¡°At least we¡¯ll die with our bellies full.¡±

    ¡°No you won¡¯t,¡± Zedd said loud enough for everyone to hear.

    ¡°Who goes there?¡± the leader asked.

    ¡°Someone with your best interest at heart,¡± Zedd answered.

    ¡°What d¡¯ya want?¡±

    ¡°I want you to kill someone for me,¡± Zedd said, ¡°Or something¡±, he corrected. His voice rang across the forest. It was too dark to see farther than three paces. The six warriors found each other and formed a defensive circle. They all looked around trying to find the mysterious man who spoke to them.

    ¡°What do we gain from it?¡± asked the leader.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you food, and water. I¡¯ve got plenty of it.¡±

    ¡°Forgive me friend,¡± the leader started. ¡°But how can we trust yer word?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t let you to touch that plant, did I? Now I¡¯m warning you that you¡¯re standing on a monster¡¯s head.¡±

    All the warriors scattered from where they stood. They had seen too many scary things in the forest. The stranger¡¯s words didn¡¯t surprise them. ¡°Watch that insect approaching the plant,¡± Zedd¡¯s voice rang through the forest again. All the warriors turned towards the plan they had just escaped from. A glowing insect was indeed flying towards it.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    As soon as the poor creature made contact with the plant, earth cracked. In an instant, a giant head charged out from beneath the ground. It immediately opened and closed its mouth at surprising speed. The beast bit only the air though. The insect was killed by the monster. But since it didn¡¯t feel like it devoured a prey, the monster looked around frustrated.

    ¡°It might have made it angry, sorry fellas,¡± Zedd said.

    ¡°Oi, what are you playing at?¡± the team leader shouted, angry and exasperated.

    ¡°Brother, we gotta get outa here!¡± One Eye urged the leader.

    The moment the beast stayed above ground, the situation had turned hopeless for the team. The monstrous head emerged from the ground then the rest of its body followed. It was at least thirty feet tall. Its entire body was devoid of all flesh. It had paws instead of hands, but the beast stood on two hind legs. It looked like it was all but bone.

    Its face, or rather skull, was hideous. It had many eyes on its entire forehead, peeping from behind pentagonal holes. Its forehead looked like a honey comb. From each pore peeped an eye, moving in all directions.

    From its mouth protruded sharp fangs. When it opened it, one could see that it had several rows of teeth. The monster looked like a ghastly apparition, save for the colorful tree like antenna that grew on top of its head. The beast shouted, a sharp screech came out. Everyone in a three miles radius heard the sound of the infuriated beast.

    The monster saw the first human then caught him with astounding speed. The voice of their brother in arms, shouting as the beast bit on his flesh, sent chills down everyone¡¯s spines. Zedd had disappeared by then, leaving the warriors to their fate.

    ¡°Aella have mercy,¡± the leader whispered. ¡°Listen Men! We got in ¡®ere to fight. We¡¯ll fight for our Gods, and for the glory of meeting them. Fight well! Don¡¯t let no monsters scare ye. We¡¯re here to hunt, and this ¡®ere is our prey.¡±

    The other warriors shouted in unison then charged at the monster. Annoyed at the interruption, the strange beast threw what remained of the fallen comrade on the approaching attackers. Blood and sinew covered those who were hit by the body. Sharp fangs tore through two warriors before they could even swing their swords.

    The beast stopped then stood on all fours. Its numerous eyes turned in all directions. It swung its arm to the left and hit a warrior who was trying to sneak attack it. The warrior was flung back. His body slammed hard against a tree trunk. The monster didn¡¯t stop at that, but it jumped on the warrior as he slammed against the tree.

    The beast landed on all fours on the trunk, crushing the poor soul beneath its sharp claws. The beast used the momentum to jump to the opposite side where One Eye was trying to escape. The beast¡¯s claws dismembered the one eyed warrior.

    The leader of the band had given his speech to motivate his comrades. What he also desired was to send them like lambs to the slaughter as he ran away. ¡®That fucker did it on purpose,¡¯ he thought as he blindly ran through the trees. The Antenna Lure area had the highest density of tall trees. Because of how tall and ancient the trees were, their roots had emerged above ground. They were sometimes as large and tall as hills.

    Antenna Lure monsters hide beneath the roots. Unwary travellers might touch them by mistake if, say, they were running away from some monster. The leader accidentally happened to be one of those unwary travellers. While one Antenna Lure was eating his comrades, another split him in two with one bite.

    Zedd proceeded towards the Man-Eating Mushroom area. He had another surprise planned for the teams that were bound to meet there. ¡®Cane make it quick friend. We¡¯ve only got one more day to go,¡¯ he thought as he reached the Man-Eating Mushroom area. There were three teams camping in there. For most people who entered Ulmir¡¯s Domain through the Garden, the Man-Eating Mushrooms felt like the easiest prey.

    The Mushrooms were as tall as normal trees. They were mainly carnivores. Humans were their favorite meal. But humans had learned how to kill them long ago. That was why three teams were stationed in the area. Mushrooms had no defense. They were strong and fast. But they could easily get injured. A sharp sword could cut through their bodies like butter.

    The hardest part was to capture then kill them. Ulmir didn¡¯t take well to beasts missing limbs. The offering had to be perfect. Zedd had additional data on the mushrooms though. If the toxic spores reached them, they go berserk. At the moment he arrived to the area, the contaminated team was closing in on his location.

    Zedd walked towards the first unsuspecting team. They were preparing their traps and logistics. Three hunters had climbed a tall tree to cut their branches. ¡®They mean to use the branches to facilitate Mushroom transportation to the Altar. They¡¯re the ones that have to go first.¡¯

    ¡°Hello travelers,¡± Zedd announced his presence to the three hunters who remained on the ground.

    ¡°Who goes there?¡± one of the hunters shouted. The other two unsheathed their weapons and looked at their visitor.

    ¡°I¡¯m not here to fight,¡± Zedd announced.

    ¡°Bullshit! Everyone¡¯s here to fight,¡± one of the hunters shouted at him.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not everyone. I¡¯m just here to warn you.¡±

    ¡°Warn us of what?¡± a fourth hunter appeared from behind a tall tree.

    ¡®The Seventh member of the team and the leader,¡¯ Zedd thought. ¡°There¡¯s another team on its way here. Competition is about to get fierce.¡±

    ¡°Why would you tell us?¡± the leader asked.

    ¡°Just to get your hunters down here, they¡¯re in bigger danger,¡± Zedd replied.

    ¡°They¡¯re up there. Nothing can touch ¡®em.¡±

    ¡°I tried,¡± Zedd commented as he made to move away from the area.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you make another move!¡± One of the hunters warned. He had his bow nocked and ready to shoot.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you join us friend?¡± the leader asked. ¡°You¡¯ve taken the trouble of warning us. Let¡¯s have something to eat. We¡¯ve got plenty of food ¡®ere.¡±

    ¡°Not interested. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± Zedd turned his back to the hunters and started walking.

    ¡°Wrong choice,¡± the leader said as the archer loosened his arrow.

    Zedd moved to the side, the arrow whistled in the air. With a thump, the arrow lodged itself into a mushroom¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ll have your hands full friends,¡± Zedd announced to the four hunters. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now. Good luck and all!¡±

    Zedd vanished into thin air, leaving the angry mushroom to fight against the hunters. ¡®So Cane arrived eh?¡¯ he thought after receiving a mental message from Silver. ¡®It¡¯s about time. The Queen will soon wake up.¡¯

    In the area Zedd had just left, Mushrooms were fighting the hunters. The dangerous thing about the Man-Eating Mushrooms was that they attacked in groups. If one of them is heard screaming, then everyone should evacuate the area.

    The beasts were easy to defeat. But against a large number of them, death was the certain outcome. The group of hunters Zedd visited had a surprise for the Mushrooms though. Their teammates who had climbed the tall trees heard the commotion down below. They started raining broken logs at the beasts while their comrades attempted to scale the trees. Against a swarm of Mushrooms, the only way out for them was to climb.

    Unfortunately for the fleeing hunters, the corrupted team had joined them. Attracted by the sound of screaming Mushrooms, they quickly reached the battleground. ¡°What in Aella¡¯s name is this?¡± the leader of the hunters asked.

    What the hunters saw wasn¡¯t a group of hostile warriors. They saw a group of decaying corpses heading their way. There were strange plants growing from every orifice the hunters had. The plants wiggled and emitted strange noises, akin to a newborn baby squealing for the first time. With each squeal, the plant would emit toxic spores that spread in the air.

    ¡°Men!¡± the leader shouted. ¡°Run for your lives. Do what you can to reach the Altar. We¡¯ll improvise something once we get there.¡± Sensing danger, the leader could only urge his teammates to escape. There was no way for them to beat the mushrooms and the approaching infected hunters.

    Misfortune had struck the poor bastards, and it struck them hard. The infected hunters had already spread the spores in the air. The Mushrooms got affected and went completely out of control. The tall tree was shaken heavily. The hunters could no longer keep their strong grip over the tree branches. The ones who had been high enough fell to their untimely death. The ones who attempted the climb fell to the Mushrooms mouths.

    That day, infuriated Man-Eating Mushrooms had a feast of human meat. Zedd had managed to rid himself of the competing teams in Ulmir¡¯s Garden. By the time the Mushrooms had finished their slaughter, Zedd was already back at the Tree of Life.

 21 - Queen Mushroom, Down.

    ¡®What am I doing?¡¯ Greta thought as she climbed towards the Queen¡¯s head. She told herself many times to cling to the monster, hide until it was safe for her to climb down. But her body moved without her consent. She recovered the dirk that was stuck at the beast¡¯s open wound. Unlike when she cut its legs, the beast actually bled from the wound in the stomach.

    Perhaps that was the reason the monster¡¯s whole body was covered in thorns and vines. No matter how much Greta tried to cut her way towards the Queen¡¯s body, the vines and mushrooms always intercepted her. ¡®Who could¡¯ve hurt this monster so bad?¡¯ she found herself thinking.

    The vines became unusually slippery the closer she got to the Queen¡¯s shoulders. They almost seemed like they were avoiding her, letting her grab on sharp thorns. Despite all the pain and the bleeding, Greta still moved forward. ¡®What am I doing?¡¯ she kept asking as her hands found new thorns to hang onto. ¡®Poor Otis¡­¡¯

    She tried to push that memory away, but it kept flashing back in her mind. No matter how strong one could be, witnessing a friend reduced to sinew soup was bound to leave a scar. ¡®That bastard!¡¯ she gritted her teeth and climbed on, determined to see this hunt through. She was angry, mainly at the man that brought them into this unfair fight.

    She was even angrier that he stupidly died in front of her. There was nobody she could direct her anger at but the Queen. ¡®It¡¯s kill or die weapon in hand Greta!¡¯ she mentally repeated, like a prayer. She was getting close to the beast¡¯s head. The monster had already concluded its fight with them. It was walking somewhere. Greta couldn¡¯t tell where, with all the swinging and dangling she was subjected to.

    Rays of sunlight hit her face as she finally reached the monster¡¯s left shoulder. She looked at the Queen in utter disgust. The Queen¡¯s square neck held the most hideous head Greta had ever seen. Circular muscle tissues, much like an anus, contracted and retracted as the beast breathed. A dark squishy liquid slid from each orifice. From time to time, she could see one of its barbed tongues lash out from the holes at a giant bird and swallow it. The hole from which the tongue came would open up to accommodate whatever the beast caught.

    Greta was devising a plan of attack when the beast came to a complete halt. It suddenly started stomping its feet furiously. Greta almost lost her balance and fell off to her death like Cane did. She held on to thorns again. The pain she experienced only allowed her to remember her anger. She held on with both hands and started climbing again.

    She hadn¡¯t fallen far. She would be by the monster¡¯s neck in no time. But then what to do?

    The monster was still stomping on the ground when Greta felt like she had dropped in altitude. She looked down to see the beast on its knees. Its arms were extended towards the rapidly approaching ground. ¡®Oh, sh-¡® the impact knocked the poor woman off the beast¡¯s shoulder, onto the ground. She fell on her back, didn¡¯t feel any pain. She immediately passed out as air forcefully exited her body.

    ¡°Ya think that could kill me?¡± Cane shouted as he tore through the Queen¡¯s back. He was holding Greta¡¯s spear, used it as a climbing accessory. ¡°Ya got bones you freaky bitch!¡± he shouted as he thrust his spear on the beast¡¯s back. The force he applied to each thrust cut through vines and thorns and reached the flesh. The Queen howled and lashed its tongues in all directions. Alas, they were not long enough to reach the big bear.

    ¡°Scream all ya want,¡± he shouted as he kept climbing. ¡°I¡¯ll kill ya, just wait.¡±

    Cane had managed to break the Queen¡¯s legs. As he attempted to climb back up, the beast was trying to repel him in all possible ways. When she tried to roll on her back, the big bear punched it so hard he plastered the monster to the ground. He had become insanely strong. He couldn¡¯t believe it himself.

    As the giant mushroom covered creature wiggled in the ground, Cane reached the back of its head. It looked like a mushroom cap. It had scales, harder than steel. The barbed tongues moved in the air like snakes, looking for the intruder. Cane clutched the spear on one hand then landed a heavy punch on the beast¡¯s head. The hard scales clicked as they came in touch with each other. The beast¡¯s hideous face hit the ground then bounced off of it.

    ¡°How¡¯d ya like that?¡± Cane landed another punch, then another. Queen Mushroom wailed as the successive punches drilled her head in the ground. The barbed tongues tried to reach the big bear. Every time they got close, Cane would punch the beast one more time. It felt like he had found the monster¡¯s blind spot.

    ¡®Fucking scales,¡± he thought as he punched even harder. ¡®Come off already!¡¯

    With two broken legs, the colossus couldn¡¯t get up. But it still had some fight left in it. As Cane was ready to land another punch, the Queen¡¯s head performed a hundred and eighty degree turn. The snake-like barbed tongues were all retracted. Liquid still oozed out of the creature¡¯s orifices.

    ¡®What the-¡®

    Cane didn¡¯t have time to process the shock. As soon as the monster turned its head towards him, all its disgusting holes opened up at once. The barbed whips lashed out at the big bear and hit him right in the chest. Cane was propelled in the air then landed among vines and thorns.

    Upon landing, he inspected his body to find that there were no apparent injuries. ¡®How the hell am I still alive?¡¯ was the thought that recurred as he tried to stand up. But the Queen wasn¡¯t finished with the big bear yet. The vines and thorns moved and enveloped the man¡¯s limbs. He was tied up to the beast¡¯s back. The plants tightened around his arms and legs, threatening to break his bones.

    They started to creep towards his torso, and around his neck. ¡®Move ya bastards!¡¯ he urged his arms. The more he struggled, the tighter the binds became. In a matter of seconds, he¡¯d choke to death as the thorns break through skin and flesh, he estimated. ¡®If you find yourself in a tight spot, close your eyes and breathe, calmly,¡¯ Zedd¡¯s voice resonated in his head. Black Eyes didn¡¯t send him to fight that colossus unprepared.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    The big bear, noticing the dire situation he was in, forced his eyes shut then started breathing slowly. With each breath in, his muscles would relax and the vines would restrain him even tighter. He knew he¡¯d die in seconds, but Zedd never failed him. He had to do as he was told.

    By the tenth breath, the vines had covered his body and thorns enveloped his throat. The Queen was about to order her mushrooms to release their spores when she felt her grip on Cane getting looser. The monster struggled and willed its vines to coil faster and hold the man down but to no avail.

    Then Queen Mushroom howled and wailed again. Her screams reached Ulmir¡¯s Courtyard. Cane stood up, covered in Ivy and thorns.

    Beneath the dangerous plants, the big bear¡¯s body glowed bright red. It looked like all the veins in his body lit up. He thrust the spear he still had in hand at the monster¡¯s body then a large hole appeared. ¡°Ya can¡¯t kill me!¡± the big bear shouted, his voice muffled by all the plants that covered him.

    Like a hostile parasite, Cane got inside the beast¡¯s body, through the hole he¡¯d just created. The beast rolled left and right. Tall Trees shook and with them, the entire Garden shook. It felt like an earthquake had just hit the area.

    In an altar near the border between Ulmir¡¯s Garden and the Canyon Labyrinth, an old man looked up. ¡°This year¡¯s definitely troublesome,¡± he said in a worried tone. ¡°First someone destroys the entire Faery Plains, and now this¡­¡±

    Closer to the fight scene, two warriors were struggling to keep their monster atop their made up wooden cart. ¡°What the fuck is happening?¡± one of them shouted, trying to keep the cart steady. ¡°We gotta hurry,¡± the other replied. ¡°I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about this.¡±

    All around the Garden, the Queen¡¯s wails signaled doom to the hunters. Those who had already offered a monster at the Altar listened to the beast scream from the Courtyard. ¡®Someone¡¯s got a Fragment over there.¡¯ A man sat upon an ivory chair overlooking the Courtyard from a high tower. His herculean body looked small as he sat on a God¡¯s Throne. ¡®The day has come when someone¡¯s attempted to bring down the Queen. What to do?¡¯ He scratched his white hair as the Queen¡¯s screams reached their peak. ¡®She¡¯s in trouble, and so am I¡­¡¯

    Cane found his way inside the beast¡¯s body. His body glowed red. Under his skin, thick red lines travelled from his abdomen to every nerve he had. His strength and reflexes were enhanced. He slashed with the spear, creating large holes inside the Queen.

    He was digging a tunnel, from the Queen¡¯s back to her belly. No one could survive such an injury, not even a colossus. With each thrust, a strong shockwave would follow and create a hole large enough for Cane to walk through. When the Queen stopped screaming, Cane was staring at the ground.

    With a heavy sigh, Cane looked up. ¡®Time to climb up again.¡¯ His body was still glowing red. Even his eyes reddened, allowing him to see the beast¡¯s Essence conduits. Their violet color was fading.

    ¡®Essence is the power that feeds the soul. Every living being has one,¡¯ Zedd¡¯s voice resonated in his head as he climbed up.

    With the Queen dead, lying on her stomach, Cane had to climb back up to whence he came from. He couldn¡¯t risk using more Essence. He was reaching his limit, he could feel it. ¡®If you feel your arms and legs getting heavier, it must mean you¡¯ve exerted your Essence.¡¯

    Black Eyes was right. He¡¯d overdone it. But it got the job done. He needed to find a place to sit and meditate. At least that would restore his Essence Flow from its berserk state. He¡¯d think of recovering the wasted energy after meeting Zedd.

    ¡®Speak of the devil!¡¯ Cane thought when he finished his ascension.

    Zedd was sitting next to the tunnel, playing with a pear. He¡¯d throw the fruit in the air, then recover it using some invisible thread. He¡¯d toss it again then playfully rotate the fruit midair with his threads.

    ¡°How was your first real hunt?¡± Black Eyes asked as he extended his arm to help the big bear up.

    ¡°I gotta be honest with ya.¡± Cane was panting as he finally climbed out of the hole he¡¯d created. ¡°It was fun!¡±

    Zedd heartily laughed then patted the man in the back. ¡°Life isn¡¯t worth living if there¡¯s no fun.¡±

    ¡°I thought I was a goner, but then I remembered that breathing thing ya told me,¡± Cane said as he struggled to keep his breath calm.

    ¡°You¡¯ll need to apply it now friend. Or you might faint,¡± Zedd retorted. ¡°Sit, your conduits will pop if you don¡¯t calm your Essence distribution.¡±

    Black Eyes guided the big bear through the process. After fifteen minutes, the bright red color disappeared and Cane was back to normal. ¡°How¡¯re we s¡¯posed to get this thing to the altar?¡± he asked after opening his eyes.

    ¡°Your mind wasn¡¯t clear,¡± Zedd reproached. ¡°Don¡¯t let your emotions get the better of you. Control your flow, keep the supply steady or you¡¯d risk imploding. It¡¯s alright for now. But in serious fights, it¡¯s the line that separates life and death.¡±

    ¡°Serious fights?¡± Cane jumped up, his mouth agape. ¡°I nearly lost m¡¯life there. What¡¯s a serious fight for ya?¡±

    ¡°Well-¡±

    ¡°Yeh know what? Forget it. I don¡¯t think I wanna know.¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Black Eyes waved a hand in the air dismissively. ¡°I¡¯ve got the Mobeel ready for transportation.¡±

    ¡°That small thing barely holds six people in,¡± the big bear argued.

    ¡°Do you know who made that small thing?¡± Zedd asked. His black eyes fixed the big bear. He was slightly grinning, that condescending smile slightly irritated Cane.

    ¡°Why should I care?¡± he defiantly asked.

    Zedd heavily sighed. ¡°I¡¯d better show you.¡± He stood up then approached the edge of the Queen¡¯s body. ¡°Ya don¡¯t like lessons anyway,¡± he said before jumping off, playfully imitating the big bear.

    Cane followed his friend and jumped down. He was no longer afraid of such leaps. His body had grown in strength, speed and resistance. ¡®I really like this new me,¡¯ he thought as he landed without difficulty.

    ¡°This is the Mobeel.¡± Zedd was pointing towards a large metallic rectangle. It was larger than the Queen and even longer. It was made of numerous carts, linked together by silver bolts.

    ¡°Wut?¡±

    ¡°Rimbaldi, the mad genius, is behind this incredible invention,¡± Zedd said with a wide smile. ¡°It¡¯s called memory alloy, a rare type of metal that¡¯s rumored to stem from shooting stars. Each platform is linked to another by a flexible bolt. You¡¯d think they¡¯re rigid, but I¡¯ve got to tell you, they bend in impossible angles.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s that gonna help?¡± the big bear asked.

    ¡°It¡¯ll help in sharp turns, especially when we need to navigate the thickening trees near the Altar. Now, shall we go?¡±

    ¡°What about her?¡± Cane pointed at an injured woman. Her clothes were but tatters. She seemed to have lost a lot of blood, perhaps even poisoned.

    ¡°She¡¯s dead, or nearly there. What about her?¡± Zedd retorted.

    ¡°They can save ¡®er there, right?¡±

    Black Eyes let out a heavy sigh, walked towards the woman then carried her over his shoulder. ¡°Your good heart will be your end Cane.¡±

    They walked in silence as Zedd oriented the Mobeel towards the Altar of Offering.

    ¡°How¡¯d he get his hands on it? This alloy,¡± Cane asked after a while

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid explaining will just be a long boring lesson for you friend. You¡¯ll see it for yourself anyway, soon as we get out of here and reach the empire.¡±

    ¡°Yer still willing ta fight those bastards eh?¡± the big bear asked.

    ¡°My will never faded,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°Every day, my will gets stronger and stronger!¡±

    ¡°And you say the empire is stronger than these monsters.¡±

    ¡°Cane,¡± Zedd addressed the big bear in all seriousness. ¡°Where¡¯s this going?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I wanna fight ¡®em with ya,¡± Cane answered.

    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± The big bear could hear disappointment in Zedd¡¯s tone. ¡°We¡¯ll speak of this after the Hunt is over. Now would you carry this person you wanted to save? I¡¯ve got a machine to handle!¡±

 22 - Stalwart

    Helton City, Winter of Blond Moon. The Crucible: Several Years ago.

    I¡¯ve always loved fighting. My father told me stories of his glorious hunts, and I listened intently. I was so absorbed by his heroic deeds that I never considered second guessing him. As a child, my world revolved around training. Archery, close quarter combat, sword fighting, my hero taught me everything I needed to know. But one day, all my beliefs came crashing down on me.  One day, my father, my hero, lost a battle. And with it, my hero faded away.

    ¡°You¡¯re up boy!¡± I heard that disgusting voice tear me away from my trip down memory lane.

    I hated that man. Not because he was a despicable warmonger. Not because of the fact that he organized underground death fights for the entertainment of the elite. I hated him simply because of his face. He had one of those faces one can¡¯t bring himself to like, no matter how hard they tried.

    ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me now,¡± he told me as he inspected every inch of my body with his enormous hands. That sixth finger on his left hand always intrigued me. ¡®Does it move by itself?¡¯ I found myself wondering every time he did his little inspection thing, his weird fetish.

    ¡°I have a lot of important guests tonight,¡± he told me as his hands were getting comfortable in my nether regions. ¡°Some will want to use this heavy thing of yours. Be sure to keep it intact when the drums are beaten tonight, eh?¡±

    He smiled, revealing his broken teeth. How did anybody this ugly come to control the world¡¯s most dangerous underground organizations is beyond me. I couldn¡¯t answer him though. You don¡¯t speak to the Bloody Hound unless you¡¯re asked to. After an uncomfortable inspection and a couple of slaps, the Bloody Hound finally released me to the Pits.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone with your guts boy!¡± the despicable bold man shouted at me as I was walking towards the arena. I was a fighter, a martial artist. That¡¯s what they liked to call us. Truth be told, I was a pig sent in for slaughter. Sword in hand, I had nothing on to protect me. Even that had to be earned.

    ¡°When you fall into the Hound¡¯s hands, it¡¯s kill or get killed,¡± a prisoner told me yesterday on the way to this godforsaken hole. ¡°I even heard they send your corpse to those interested in, you know, fucking the dead!¡±

    That prisoner died an hour ago. I found myself hoping they¡¯d just throw him to the dogs. I don¡¯t imagine I¡¯d feel something after being dead, but I wouldn¡¯t want anybody touching my corpse inappropriately. Thinking back on it now, I find it funny how I started thinking of someone else as I walked to death¡¯s door.

    It was my turn to be sent to my death. I had a rusty sword on my right hand, and loincloth covering my private parts. ¡°I don¡¯t want your cock getting cut in half,¡± the Hound told me as his guards threw the dirty cloth at me. ¡°Bad for business,¡± he explained as he laughed.

    The Iron Gate opened and I was welcomed with cheers and bright lights. After spending hours in the darkness, it was hard getting used to light again. I heard them all cheering, shouting words I couldn¡¯t comprehend. My eyes were fixed on one thing, the hulk in front of me. I had to look up to see his face, even when he was a few paces away from me.

    But I didn¡¯t see a face. I saw an iron helmet. On his left hand he held a heavy looking shield. On the right, he held a broadsword, the kind that¡¯ll take me two hands to hold. He wore iron armor and he was ready for slaughter. I was naked, a rusted sword in my hand. It was then that I heard what the audience was saying.

    They were begging him to spare the face. They were asking for a clean cut, a swift beheading. Perhaps they were tired of the boring show. After all, I wasn¡¯t supposed to be the main event. The Hound found his place among the audience then looked at me with his mocking eyes. He gave the signal and the iron hulk ran at me.

    Part of me wanted to die that day. Another part kept thinking of what could be done to my body if I died. The broadsword was heavy. I knew that one hit would finish me. The audience expected an execution, and I was willing to give them one. The broadsword came at me at full speed, threatening to show the world my insides.

    I dodged to the right. My body mechanically moved. I never liked brutes who charged in without a single thought, underestimating their opponents. I was a soldier, a mercenary. I wasn¡¯t going to make that mistake. The missed swing left the brute open. He¡¯d lost his balance and so I rightly punished him for it, cut him behind the knee. Blood gushed and the heavily armored brute fell to the ground, face first.

    When you fight a duel, one must always be wary of their weaknesses. I was the underdog. One hit could¡¯ve killed me. It was easy for him to underestimate me, like he did for the ones he¡¯d executed before me. I cut his other knee pit just to be sure. I could hear the audience gasp at the sudden, unpredicted, development. When I put my rusty sword through the man¡¯s throat, I made sure to look the Hound in the eyes.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡®You put me into this. I¡¯ll make sure I disappoint you all the time!¡¯

    I heard the drums beat then guards escorted me outside the arena. The look I saw on the Hound¡¯s face was priceless, better than the death I thought I welcomed. I was led through tight dark corridors. The walls were made of gray bricks. Every now and then, we¡¯d pass by a door through which a fighter would peek from then shout some intelligible words. The guards would then shove their long wooden sticks through the small holes in the doors, hitting whoever dared speak in the face.

    After a long walk and countless turns in those dark serpentine corridors, I was pushed inside a cell. I only had enough space to lie down in there. An iron bucket was conveniently placed at the corner of the cell. We all know what that was used for. After that short, but eventful fight, sleep had finally found me. That long awaited sleep was cut short after the Hounds guards came to pick me up again.

    I was led into the arena, where I was to meet six fingers again. Nobody dared call him that. I was brave enough to think of it, but not stupid to say it out loud. ¡°You cost me a lot of money boy!¡± I heard him say as soon as I stepped into the empty arena. The fights must have finished. How long have I been asleep?

    ¡°Thanks to your little stunt, my lovely clients want to see more of you,¡± he said as he slowly walked around me, inspecting me with his observing eyes.

    ¡°You seem strong,¡± he went on. ¡°A slim build, but a nimble fighter you are. Too bad the Church wants you dead. I might¡¯ve considered making a champion out of you. What do you think boy?¡±

    He was addressing me, I had to answer him. But I didn¡¯t know what to say. I knew I deserved to die. But my survival instincts were too strong to let me go without a fight. The bald ugly man was staring at me expectedly.

    ¡°This is the Crucible, and you¡¯re its master,¡± I replied. ¡°Whoever comes in never leaves, not without your consent. The Church will never know I¡¯m still alive.¡±

    ¡°What are you suggesting then?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good with a sword. I can entertain your guests better than those good for nothings with iron armor.¡±

    ¡°What did you do to the Church to be sent this way?¡± the Hound asked me. From the way his eyes anxiously looked at me, I knew curiosity had gotten the better of him. ¡°If the Church wanted you to know, they would¡¯ve told you. Why the sudden interest?¡± Words came out of my mouth before I could stop them.

    My face stung from the punch I received. That bastard¡¯s guard had one hell of a strong blow. ¡°You belong to me now, boy.¡± He loved reminding us of the hard truth. ¡°You talk back to me this way next time, and you¡¯ll be missing a tongue.¡± He was threatening me. I took it as good news.

    ¡°Do I make myself clear?!¡±

    ¡°Yes, master,¡± I replied.

    ¡°You¡¯ll start training with the other fighters tomorrow. I¡¯ll have you fight in a fortnight. You better be ready boy. It won¡¯t be like today!¡± With a wave of his hand, six fingers sent me away with his guards as an escort.

    I was led to a different place though. This one really felt like the prison from back home. It was a spacious room where many people were stacked next to each other. They all slept on the floor. They had but a dirty loincloth to cover their private parts.

    ¡°Sleep,¡± one of the guards that shoved me in instructed. ¡°And leave the fighting for the pits!¡±

    I got in. My legs were shaking. I could barely raise my arms. Fatigue had taken its toll. I dragged myself to the only available free spot, the middle of the spacious cell. There was a lone torch, lit behind the bars that imprisoned us. I carefully navigated my way to the center of the room then lay down.

    In prison, one had to prove his strength on the first night in the cell, lest they wanted to become someone¡¯s plaything. In the Crucible, everyone actually slept. No one paid attention to the newcomer. They were all tired from training or just too glad they survived the fight they had.

    I lay there, thinking of the Church and their treachery. I¡¯d never questioned the Gods before. But after what happened, not only did I doubt them, but I had also forsaken them. They¡¯d taken everything away from me, yet they denied me death. Taking my life didn¡¯t work out for me either.

    I tried stabbing a dagger into my stomach. The weapon miraculously broke before even reaching me. I tried throwing myself over a cliff but I was caught by vines or webs. I tried to hang myself but the rope got cut every time I kicked the bucket. I was doomed to live a miserable life. I even believed I had died and got sent to some kind of hell.

    ¡°Get up, new blood!¡± I heard someone shout as I felt a hard kick dig deep into my ribcage. When I opened my eyes, I saw all the prisoners standing. ¡°Guards will come soon. You¡¯d better be standing when they come for us!¡±

    The man who spoke to me was thin. I could see bones showing off against his skin. His legs were so slim I¡¯d mistaken them for arms at first. There were some white lines in his shaggy hair and rough beard. Dark circles made his eyes look hollow. Even the loincloth he wore had to be adjusted every now and then to keep it from falling off.

    ¡°I¡¯m Eli,¡± the man told me as the guards approached.

    ¡°Call me Stalwart,¡± I said.

    ¡°That¡¯s a funny name if I¡¯ve ever seen one,¡± he seemed amused.

    ¡°Quit yer yappin and get in line!¡± The guards had reached us.

    ¡°Hey you! What¡¯re you still sleeping fer?¡± One of the prisoners hadn¡¯t gotten up in time. Eli looked at me with concern in his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t move, don¡¯t blink¡± he whispered. ¡°You¡¯re a stone, don¡¯t let them notice you.¡±

    The guards opened the door then dragged the sleepy head from his feet. ¡°Stand up!¡± one of the guards shouted at him. None of the other prisoners dared move a muscle. The frightened prisoner couldn¡¯t stand, not because he was tired, but because of fear. I know that because of what happened next.

    Four guards surrounded the poor soul. One of them helped him get on his feet. The other three proceeded to deprive him of the ability to walk. They used their thick wooden sticks to break his bones. Everyone watched without as much as a blink. I heard him shout and beg for mercy. He¡¯d told them he was tired from training, but the guards only laughed as they reduced his knees to a squishy bubble.

    I wasn¡¯t new to the horrors of prison. But I wasn¡¯t used to the prisoners¡¯ silence either. That kind of treatment would¡¯ve caused a few laughs here and there. Some would even be cheering for the one getting a beating, urging him to fight back. But in the Crucible, the guards reigned supreme.

    That morning I knew, I was definitely in hell, unable to leave or die. I was destined to suffer forever.

 23 - Ulmirâ€™s Courtyard

    Ulmir¡¯s Domain, Third Day of the Great Hunt, In Front of the Altar of Offering.

    ¡°Listen Cane,¡± Zedd addressed his friend as they walked towards the Altar of Offering. ¡°The reason why I didn¡¯t help with the Queen was to prepare these two gifts.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not changing my mind Black Eyes,¡± Cane replied. He had worn one of those stubborn faces only big guys could pull off. There were thick creases on his forehead. His eyes looked at the floor fixatedly as he walked. And his breathing got ragged every time he wanted to speak of his new resolution.

    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to dissuade you,¡± Zedd retorted. ¡°It appears you¡¯ve already made your decision.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Cane answered. He looked like a huge kid brooding.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had the chance to kill one of those Lantern Lures while you fought the Queen.¡± Zedd took out a small bag from his belt then extracted a long bone from it. It bent in the shape of a crescent moon. Its pointy end looked threatening.

    ¡°This is a Lantern Lure¡¯s claw,¡± he explained. ¡°I can make any weapon you want from it.¡±

    ¡°Back up a bit now would ya?¡± Cane replied, somewhat shocked. ¡°Let¡¯s first talk about the little trick ye¡¯ve just done. Ya just pulled that huge thing out ova coin purse.¡±

    ¡°Oh that?¡± Zedd dangled the small purse in front of his black eyes. ¡°That¡¯s a bottomless bag, my second gift to you.¡±

    ¡°Bottomless bag?¡± Cane repeated. He extended his hand to inspect the small purse. It was made of brown leather, with a silver thread used to close it.

    ¡°How do you want your weapon?¡± Zedd asked after his friend finished inspecting the purse.

    ¡°Ya mean ye¡¯ll make the weapon now?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve already prepared it for Transmutation.¡± Black Eyes smiled as he turned the claw left and right. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of it, I believe?¡±

    ¡°Tis what Ulmir¡¯s High Priest uses to give us the prize,¡± Cane replied.

    ¡°Precisely,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°I¡¯m impressed you know of it Cane. Not that I underestimated your knowledge, but this kind of magic is quite ancestral.¡±

    ¡°Master told me about it,¡± the big bear clarified.

    ¡°I wonder how your master never found out about your Fragment then,¡± Zedd said pensively. ¡°I guess it¡¯s a topic for another day. We¡¯ve reached the Altar.¡±

    Both men stopped before a stone structure. In front of them a sculpture, twenty feet high and about nine feet wide was erected. It depicted a man standing atop a monster three times his size. He had a spear lodged into the monster¡¯s skull. Its mouth was open, showing sharp pointy teeth. If one looked closely, they could see the spear inside the monster¡¯s mouth.

    The man in the sculpture wasn¡¯t clearly visible though. Years of erosion and encounters with giant monsters erased his facial features, stripped his mighty armor from the precious stones that embellished it long ago.

    ¡°Kinda looks like a big insect with a lion¡¯s head.¡± Cane was inspecting the sculpture while Zedd was unstrapping the giant Queen.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Felicore, a merciless hunter beast,¡± Black Eyes explained while he resumed unstrapping the Queen. ¡°Ulmir hunted the Felicore, the most vicious hunter in this realm, to mark his supreme reign over these lands. Now help me with this one, will you?¡±

    Cane took his eyes off of the stone statue then walked towards Black Eyes. ¡°Ya think she¡¯ll survive?¡± he asked as Cane carried Greta behind the sculpture. Zedd cast a spell to carry the Queen and place her in front of the sculpture.

    ¡°Positive,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°Once inside, Ulmir¡¯s priests will heal her wounds. She¡¯ll participate in the Contest with us.¡±

    ¡°Ya don¡¯t look happy about it,¡± the big bear observed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really mind. Whether she lives or dies depends on her, a bit on luck too.¡±

    ¡°Yer working hard to convince me to stay in the team,¡± Cane slowly put the injured woman down against the castle¡¯s outer wall.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were capable of sarcasm. I¡¯m pleasantly surprised Cane. Quitting is your decision. I¡¯d rather not talk about it now.¡± He was busy levitating the Queen towards the Altar.

    ¡°A war hammer,¡± he announced as he turned around to look at Zedd¡¯s progress. The gigantic creature was floating above the statue, being slowly lowered on top of the Altar.

    ¡°Excellent choice,¡± Black Eyes commented. ¡°This claw is stronger than steel. You can keep that bottomless purse too. It¡¯ll come in handy.¡±

    After the Queen¡¯s body was deposited, both men noticed movement in the statue. The monster towered above the stone sculpture. Zedd got closer to the statue to observe it. The sculpted man moved his stone spear out of his prey¡¯s head then poked the Queen with it.

    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Zedd whispered.

    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s melting.¡± Cane walked beside Black Eyes and observed.

    ¡°It¡¯s actually absorbing it. Something tells me that¡¯s how it measures its weight.¡±

    ¡°Something tells me it¡¯s doing something else,¡± Cane retorted. ¡°And I don¡¯t like the look of it.¡±

    The monster¡¯s body started shrinking as the spear in the sculpture glowed brightly. After a while the wall against which Greta lied started rumbling. Both men turned to see a stone gate being slowly raised.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost time,¡± Zedd announced as he took a last glance at the shrinking monster. He walked back to the Mobeel, recovered the claw next to it then turned to Cane. ¡°There won¡¯t be any magic imbued in your weapon. At least you won¡¯t have to worry about friendly fire during the Contest.¡±

    ¡°Magic¡¯s not allowed in the Contest,¡± Cane said.

    ¡°Another reason why I shouldn¡¯t put anything on it, besides, you don¡¯t know how to put your own imprint on weapons yet.¡± Zedd started reciting a spell in a language Cane couldn¡¯t comprehend. The curved claw slowly started straightening. After a while, Cane could see the sharp claw expand then shrink in rapid succession. Before the Queen¡¯s body was completely absorbed, Zedd was finished with his transmutation.

    ¡°War hammers rely on brute force. But what happens when some strong fella with a shield parries you? I¡¯ve made some adjustments.¡± Zedd held the weapon high for Cane to see. ¡°Meet Lucerne, a hammer and an axe at the same time. Plus,¡± Zedd handed the Lucerne to Cane then continued. ¡°It can also be used to stab opponent. I kept the sharp end of the claw intact for this purpose.¡±

    The big bear inspected the weapon curiously. ¡°Bone seems strange at the bottom,¡± he told Black Eyes.

    ¡°For a solid grip,¡± he answered. ¡°You can store it in the Bottomless Bag I gave you.¡±

    Zedd took Usurper out then inspected it. After the fight against Drake, the sword had sustained heavy damage. Despite the rare metal he used in forging his weapon, it still couldn¡¯t withstand all the pressure he put it into. He needed a master smith to look into it, lest he¡¯d lose it forever.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with yer sword?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°I mistreated it. Put it under a lot of stress. Perhaps I¡¯d find a master smith inside the castle,¡± he said jokingly. He coated his weapon with a transparent aura.

    ¡°Whatcha doing there?¡± the big bear asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m coating it with a protective spell. It contains my aura imprint,¡± he answered. ¡°I won¡¯t use it during the Contest but I won¡¯t let any incompetent fool touch it. Only a master smith could break it.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll take our weapons?¡±

    ¡°Then how would you fight dummy? They take them to give you a choice when your time comes to fight. Take your weapon or choose one from their armory.¡±

    ¡°Black Eyes,¡± Cane said as he looked down. ¡°Thank you for the gifts, but-¡°

    ¡°For the last time Cane,¡± Zedd interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to dissuade you. You¡¯ve made your choice and I respect that. Use what I¡¯ve given you during the Contest. It might even save your life.¡±

    ¡°What d¡¯ya mean?¡± the big bear raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°This realm hides a secret. I don¡¯t know what it is but I know Rimbaldi¡¯s looking for it. When the Empire notices that their soldiers didn¡¯t make it for the Contest, they¡¯ll accelerate their plan.¡±

    ¡°What plan?¡± the big bear asked.

    ¡°I thought you were out,¡± Zedd answered, amused.

    Noticing his friend¡¯s questioning eyes, Zedd went on. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of the Gates of Mercy I presume.¡±

    ¡°They say it leads to some ancient tomb or something.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s partly true. But beneath the ancient tomb, there¡¯s a portal that leads to another world. My sources say it leads to Dhobor¡¯s Lost Domain. The Empire wants to get its hands on it.¡±

    ¡°And ya don¡¯t wan¡¯em to find it,¡± Cane commented.

    ¡°They don¡¯t know what they¡¯re doing,¡± Zedd said, gritting his teeth.

    ¡°Why¡¯d you kill the imperials then?¡± the big bear asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s something I can¡¯t tell you about just yet,¡± Black Eyes answered. ¡°Believe me friend, you can¡¯t deal with two revelations at once.¡±

    ¡°What d¡¯ya mean? Everyone knows the Empire¡¯s up to something,¡± Cane said defiantly.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I was implying friend.¡± Zedd approached the opening door. ¡°The Queen¡¯s almost completely absorbed. A barrier¡¯s blocking us from accessing the door. I guess it has something with the offering. In any case, we¡¯ll have to get in soon. What did your master tell you about Transmutation?¡±

    ¡°Not much,¡± Cane answered. ¡°Why d¡¯ya ask?¡±

    ¡°I have a secret of my own,¡± Zedd replied. ¡°I¡¯m about to reveal it to the world today.¡±

    Zedd turned to look at the big bear. His black eyes had vanished, replaced by blue, normal human eyes. His auburn hair slowly changed into dark blond. Where his nose had a sharp edge, he now had a round one. His face had become square while it was oval before.

    ¡°Da fuck?¡± the big bear was out of words. Those two were the only ones he could utter.

    ¡°Transmutation can also be applied on humans,¡± Zedd explained. ¡°But it¡¯s very difficult, almost impossible.¡±

    ¡°But ya can do it as easy as ya lifted that giant Queen in the air.¡±

    ¡°Hard to explain, but yes, I can do it easily. I¡¯m limited to two forms. I can¡¯t change into anything else.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯d you change now?¡±

    ¡°Avourel knows this face. Seeing it will shake him to the core.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s yer plan to distract the Emperor?¡±

    ¡°We should go in,¡± Zedd urged. ¡°Greta won¡¯t make it if we stay here longer. The Queen¡¯s been completely absorbed. And it seems we¡¯ve been granted access.¡±

    ¡°Ye¡¯ll tell me more about this when we get inside,¡± Cane said as he followed his friend inside.

    ¡°You¡¯re out, remember?¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Cane answered.

    ¡°One more thing,¡± Zedd said as they walked through the stone corridors. He was carrying Greta on his shoulder this time. ¡°Don¡¯t call me by my name once we reach the Priest.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t understand ya most times Black Eyes. What should I call ya?¡±

    ¡°Stalwart,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°Myles Stalwart.¡±

    Their footsteps echoed through the tunnel as they walked. In the distance, Cane could see a light, signaling their destination was close. As soon as both men emerged outside the dark corridor, a man fully clothed in blue welcomed them.

    He wore a robe similar to the ones monks used in Yanoku. His face was hiding beneath a large hood. His long sleeves covered his hands. The bottom of the robe swept the floor as the priest walked towards them. ¡°Welcome to Ulmir¡¯s Castle. You are the fifteenth team to arrive.¡±

    ¡°Fifteen?¡± Cane asked. ¡°So few?¡±

    ¡°There was an incident in the Faery Plains on the first day of the Hunt. High Priest Utar is investigating it as we speak,¡± the Priest answered. His face was completely hidden by the hood. It felt like a shadow was speaking to them.

    ¡°Your friend needs help,¡± the Priest went on. ¡°Follow me, I¡¯ll show you to your quarters. She¡¯ll receive treatment in there too.¡±

    Both men followed the Priest as he guided them through narrow, windowless corridors. There was nothing exceptional about them, except for the magic lanterns that illuminated them. They looked like glowing colorful crystals. Their light spread through the tunnel walls, painting the gray walls blue, violet and green.

    The priest led them to a large open square then stopped. Everywhere they looked, they saw tunnels leading to the place. Myles counted thirty two. They felt the heat of the place. There was no trace of wind in the arena. The silence that inhabited the place was unnerving. If felt like an abandoned historical monument. Only a chirping sound could be heard somewhere in the high towers that surrounded the Courtyard.

    ¡°This is the courtyard where the Contest will be held,¡± Myles said.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the Priest confirmed. ¡°You haven¡¯t introduced yourselves.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Cane Moss,¡± the big bear answered.

    ¡°I¡¯m Myles Stalwart,¡± Zedd spoke. ¡°This one here¡¯s called Greta Sweeney.¡±

    ¡°The Contest will start soon. I¡¯ll show you to your quarters after you¡¯ve taken a good look at the square.¡±

    ¡°What fer?¡± Cane asked. ¡°We¡¯ll be fighting here every day.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll fight in the Courtyard yes, but it won¡¯t look like this. You¡¯ll know soon enough.¡±

    ¡°We can go now,¡± Myles said. ¡°Greta needs treatment.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll receive the best treatment there is,¡± the priest retorted. ¡°Follow me now.¡±

    The man in the hood walked through more narrow corridors. Myles and Cane had to quicken their pace to follow him. After climbing serpentine stairs that made Cane¡¯s head turn, the priest finally stopped. He was standing in front of a sturdy oaken door. The door was pushed open, revealing a spacious room with four cylindrical glass containers placed in each corner.

    ¡°Put her in one of these vats,¡± the priest told Stalwart.

    Cane was about to object when he saw Myles obeying. He approached the container and the glass opened. The cylinder was split in two, allowing Myles to put the unconscious Greta inside. Once placed, the glass door closed then a transparent liquid started filling the cylinder.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°The liquid will heal her,¡± the priest answered. ¡°It¡¯ll put her to sleep then create another body in her image.¡±

    ¡°The same happens to all contestants,¡± Myles added.

    ¡°Indeed. Your clone will fight in the Courtyard to the death. Once you sleep, your body will be reconstructed in a room near the arena. Your soul will be transferred to it and you¡¯ll fight using your avatar. If you die during the contest, you¡¯ll be transferred to the guest room where you¡¯ll watch the rest of the fights.¡±

    ¡°Will High Priest Utar be there?¡± Myles asked.

    ¡°Certainly,¡± the Priest replied. ¡°High Priest Utar supervises the fights and decides on the outcome if the battle comes to a stalemate.¡±

    ¡°What about Lord Ulmir?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°The Lord rarely shows up during the Great Hunt,¡± the Priest answered. ¡°He oversees it from above, but never shows himself during the Contest. Now that we¡¯ve had a situation in the Faery Plains, I fear our Master has his hands full.¡±

    ¡®You lie!¡¯ Myles thought.

    ¡°I understand,¡± Cane said. He looked disheartened.

    ¡°Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have matters to attend to. Will you please hand over your weapons and the woman¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ll store them for you. You¡¯ll be free to use whatever weapon you¡¯d like in the Contest. Should you require your own, it will be immediately provided.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t we come pick them up with our avatars ourselves?¡± Myles asked.

    ¡°You can¡¯t leave this place unless you lose a fight,¡± the priest explained. ¡°No one is to enter the room either unless one of you loses. Our Lord¡¯s commands.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± both men simultaneously replied. One¡¯s intent was genuine, while the other was mocking. Cane handed his new Lucerne while Myles handed Usurper. The weapon was dangerously dented. I required extra care or it would break at any moment.

    The Priest collected Greta¡¯s weapons then made for the door. ¡°Enjoy your stay, and may Ulmir guide your way.¡±

    The priest left then closed the door behind him. Cane heard the door getting locked from the other side. ¡°Looks like we ain¡¯t going nowhere.¡± He turned to look at Myles. ¡°Gods yer new face shocks me. Is this what ya looked like before?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Myles answered.

    ¡°Who were you?¡±

    ¡°Nobody in particular,¡± he answered. The only thing that hadn¡¯t changed in him was the shape of his mischievous smile. ¡°But I¡¯m somebody the Emperor knows very well.¡±

    ¡°What makes ya sure he¡¯ll come looking?¡±

    ¡°Because showing this face is just part of a bigger plan.¡± Myles moved towards one of the glass containers.

    ¡°This thing will read through your body.¡± He was talking about the vat, trying to switch the subject. ¡°It analyzes it down to the bone structure. The body you¡¯ll use will be the same as the one you have now. But it won¡¯t have the effects of the Fragment. Those avatars can¡¯t use magic.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why magic isn¡¯t allowed in the Contest?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ll have to rely on your skills and usual strength.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I signed up fer!¡± Cane said, he clenched his fists together, hard.

    ¡°Then get in the container.¡± The glass cylinder closed as soon as Myles got inside.

    ¡°Good luck!¡± Cane said as he got inside the vat too.

    ¡°Ha!¡± Myles exclaimed. A transparent liquid was released and the man with a plan closed his eyes. He was smiling when the liquid completely covered him. His body felt lighter. His consciousness started drifting away as he was put to slumber.

 24 - Skinny Eli

    Helton City, The Crucible, Summer of the Red Moon.

    ¡°Nait my good friend,¡± a bald man excitedly welcomed his guest.

    ¡°Theodore,¡± Nait smiled. The dimples in his cheeks were deep. He looked like a child innocently smiling at his friend. ¡°Thank you for receiving us. I¡¯d like to introduce you to my friend.¡±

    The man moved aside, revealing another, wearing a long red robe behind him. He had a brown goatee. His brown hair was perfectly pomaded backwards. He smelled of Narcissus and wore black eyeliner. ¡°Your Excellency,¡± Theo knelt in reverence.

    ¡°Rise,¡± the man spoke. ¡°It¡¯s quite an establishment you¡¯ve got here.¡±

    They were standing near a rail that overlooked the arena. The red robed man looked around. Comfortable looking armchairs were aligned in an orderly fashion around the arena. Each row was perfectly placed below the one above it. No one could obstruct the other¡¯s visual field.

    The arena was large enough to host Monster versus Monster fights. ¡°Theodore provides bodies for our organization,¡± Nait addressed the senator from the Empire. Nait had short black hair but no beard, just a thin, long mustache. He had a dark gray complexion and unusually large eyes. Coupled with his small round face, the man named Nait looked like an adorable baby seal. ¡°He¡¯s behind many of our great successes.¡±

    ¡°I am pleased to hear it,¡± the senator said as he walked around the comfortable seats, inspecting them. ¡°You are a fortunate man, Theodore Avalange. We have an offer which should cover every favor you owe us.¡±

    ¡°Your Excellency,¡± Theo bowed. ¡°You honor us with your words. We merely provided whatever meager help we could.¡±

    ¡°Nevertheless,¡± the spy replied. ¡°Chancellor Amaud sent us some Photons to watch the Contest. I would be interested to see if the team we sent to Ulmir¡¯s Domain would come out victorious.¡± The spy turned to look at the owner of the Crucible.

    ¡°What do you think? Bloody Hound? Can we watch the fights in your arena?¡±

    ¡°Your Excellency,¡± Theodore looked bewildered. ¡°This place is secret you see? A large convoy coming this way would surely attract some attention.¡±

    ¡°I shan¡¯t be present to watch the Contest here. The Emperor has arranged for that in his castle,¡± the senator interjected. ¡°Invitations will be sent to some individuals, powerful ones. They will be instructed to make their way here as discreetly as possible. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find this venture quite lucrative. My own men will ensure that. So tell me Mr Theodore, are you willing to work for me?¡±

    ****

    Helton City, The Crucible, Spring of the Blond Moon. Several years ago.

    I sat by the small canal, washing my dirty feet. The bath was reserved to those with lieutenant privilege. The captains could have their own private rooms. The general had access to a woman every week. He was everyone¡¯s target. I didn¡¯t have any. I didn¡¯t even have a plan to get out of this dump.

    It wasn¡¯t the best place to live. But I didn¡¯t have the energy to even think of getting out. I was provided one meal per day. I¡¯d be training for most of the day, or fighting in the pits. At the end of the day, my body would drag me to the bed I shared with twenty other Lieutenants. Eli was one of them. Despite his light weight, he was an able fighter.

    We sat together in the bath, rubbing the dead skin off.

    ¡°You heard the stories they say about Kerlov?¡± Eli whispered to me. His hair was much shorter now, his beard shaven. He had even put on some muscles. Lieutenant rank suited him.

    ¡°General Kerlov?¡± I asked. ¡°I heard he escaped.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t,¡± Eli whispered. ¡°Keep your voice down will you?¡±

    ¡°Why? there¡¯s nobody here,¡± I retorted.

    ¡°The walls have ears stupid.¡± He leaned closer to me then whispered once more. ¡°I heard the Hound caught him. They¡¯ve put him in a cell in the frozen floor.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no frozen floor and I don¡¯t care whether Kerlov escaped or not.¡± I was tired of this topic. It¡¯s been two weeks that Eli was trying to convince me. ¡°I have no intention of escaping.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a family? Someone you care about? Everyone has someone, or something to return to.¡±

    ¡°Not me,¡± I answered. ¡°I don¡¯t care if I lived or died.¡±

    ¡°Then why do you fight? Huh? You¡¯ve won twenty consecutive fights, enough to earn you a lieutenant rank. Why didn¡¯t you just make a mistake and died?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± I replied. I knew it was a typical answer to give, but it really was complicated.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what it is Stalwart,¡± Eli was no longer whispering. ¡°You were wronged, real bad. And now you think that your salvation is death. But you¡¯re wrong. You don¡¯t want to die. Your body fights despite your indifference.¡±

    ¡°You talk quite eloquently for a prisoner,¡± I said, trying to change the subject.

    ¡°Not everyone here was caught as a criminal. Some people are sent here to die,¡± he replied. ¡°I assume you know that already.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± I replied, fixing the floor with my eyes as I scrubbed my left leg.

    ¡°I did my homework on you Stalwart.¡± Eli pulled me by the shoulder. He had that look on his face that spelled trouble. ¡°You¡¯ve been sent here by the Church. What did you to them Stalwart?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I was captured in the sewers leading to the Rats¡¯ headquarters. Me and the rest of my crew were either sent here or killed in action.¡± I went back to my scrubbing.

    ¡°Not even the Hound knows why you were sent here,¡± Eli went on. He was clearly bent on discussing the subject. ¡°I got this from one of his guards.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯d you get one of those heartless bastards to talk?¡± I asked. I didn¡¯t believe a word he said, but I was intrigued. How did he find out about the Church?

    ¡°Stalwart, look at me.¡±

    I turned.

    ¡°When you look at me, what kind of man do you take me for?¡±

    ¡°At first I thought you were some petty thief, at death¡¯s door.¡±

    Eli chuckled. ¡°What do you think of me now?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a good fighter,¡± I frankly said. ¡°I must admit, I was surprised by your skills with daggers.¡±

    ¡°I was a merchant. Some people didn¡¯t want me in the picture. I knew too much.¡± Eli turned to his stone scrub, picked it up and started rubbing his left arm vigorously. ¡°They staged a murder and got me pinned as the murderer. Instead of sending me to the gallows, they sent me here.¡±

    ¡°Easy on the scrubbing,¡± I warned. ¡°You might peel the dead and live skin away.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to die a miserable and slow death Stalwart. I need to get away from here, no matter the cost.¡±

    ¡°If you intend to recruit me to your cause, then forget it.¡± I wasn¡¯t going to bend. I had no intention of escaping.

    ¡°Perhaps not today Stalwart, but I¡¯ll definitely get you to join my cause.¡± Eli finished scrubbing his upper body then turned with his back to me. ¡°Mind scrubbing my back?¡±

    The conversation returned to talks about our upcoming fights. I was relieved he decided to give up, albeit temporarily. I was tired from training. I had no energy to argue any further. I liked the bath after dinner since nobody came to it. But Eli had followed me one day and started sharing the spacious place with me.

    ¡°If you win tomorrow, you¡¯ll have access to the Crucible,¡± Eli said.

    ¡°Same goes for you,¡± I answered as I finished scrubbing his back.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    ¡°We¡¯ll end up being enemies then.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered, handing him my scrubbing stone then turned my back to him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill you Stalwart,¡± he said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you can. You¡¯re a skilled fighter, but I¡¯m better.¡±

    ¡°Would you kill me then?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about it.¡±

    Eli handed me the stone back after he¡¯d finished the scrubbing. He took a wooden bucket, filled with hot water, then poured its content on his head. His naked body revealed deep scars on his back.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think of escaping if you tell me about those scars,¡± I heard myself say.

    Damn my disobedient tongue! I didn¡¯t mean to ask him that. Perhaps I meant it, but I never wanted the words to come out. Eli turned towards me, a large smile on his face.

    ¡°The men that staged my murder tortured me for the knowledge I hold.¡± He sat on a built-in stone chair and held the bucket by the aqueduct. Hot water filled it as he sat there, brooding.

    ¡°Did you give them what they wanted?¡± I asked. It was too late. There was no harm in getting additional info.

    "I told them some, but kept most to me.¡± The bucket was full. He poured the scalding hot water on his head once more. ¡°They whipped me, for days. They had my toenails pulled off with a pincer. They broke some of my teeth and kept me famished. But when I had the chance to get back from the dead, I didn¡¯t hesitate friend.¡±

    I looked at the naked man in front of me, hot water dripping down from his body. ¡°What will you do once you get out?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Do you know which moon we¡¯re in?¡± he answered my question with another. I hated when people did that.

    ¡°Blond Moon,¡± I answered. ¡°What does it have to do with anything?¡±

    ¡°The next one will be the eighty second moon Stalwart. You know what that means.¡±

    ¡°I know a rumor when I hear one.¡± This conversation was turning towards superstition. I didn¡¯t like superstition.

    ¡°It¡¯s no rumor Stalwart. That guard told me the Church sent you here. Then you must know what they¡¯re capable of.¡±

    ¡°I have an idea yeah. I never want to speak of it.¡± Words I didn¡¯t believe in left my mouth.

    ¡°I know you¡¯ve suffered Stalwart,¡± Eli sat next to me. ¡°Go to sleep now. Think about it. I don¡¯t want to fight you. And I know you don¡¯t want that either. We can escape Stalwart. We can start a new life, or get revenge if we want to. I know a way out. Just think about it. You promised.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± I blurted out. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll think about it. Now would you stop bringing that subject up?¡±

    ¡°For today,¡± he said. ¡°Tomorrow we have a tough fight.¡± He stood up, found his towel then wrapped himself with it. ¡°Think, don¡¯t let your fear take control.¡±

    I finished taking my bath shortly afterwards. Outside, the guards found me and escorted me to the cell I shared with the other Lieutenants. Everyone was already asleep. I lay in my bed, Eli¡¯s words still echoed in my mind.

    ¡®Don¡¯t let your fear take control.¡¯

    What does he know about fear? He was only tortured for some information. Perhaps they hurt his family to make him talk too. But that was nothing compared to what I¡¯ve experienced. Thinking about it made me shiver. I felt cold sweat on my forehead. My legs were shaking. I didn¡¯t even try to calm them.

    The Church of Dhobor didn¡¯t play around. They never make threats or torture anybody. They punish and they do it brutally. That night, I didn¡¯t get any sleep. I was afraid of closing my eyes and dreaming of that horrible day.

    Damn you Eli. I don¡¯t want to think. I don¡¯t want to remember. I want to fight until my muscles are sore. I want to get it all out, that anger, that helplessness. I only sleep when my body¡¯s drained. You¡¯ve gone and reminded me of the very thing I tried hard to burry. You¡¯ve gone and made me think. I really didn¡¯t need a sleepless night before my decisive fight.

    Morning arrived quicker than I imagined. My body mechanically left the bed and led me to the canteen where all fighters ate. The Bloody Hound allowed fighters to have two meals before their fight. He needed us with enough energy to entertain his guests.

    Besides, if someone¡¯s needed after the fight, they¡¯d better have the strength to carry out the assignment. So far, I¡¯ve been sent to two women who required the assistance of the stick between my legs. I did what was needed of me. I was pathetic I know. I tell myself the same every morning. Today was no exception.

    I was hoping to have my meal in peace when Eli found his way next to me. ¡°You look horrible,¡± he said as he got comfortable on the wooden bench.

    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk about it. Can you let me eat in peace today? Please?¡±

    ¡°I just came by to wish you luck in the fight. I¡¯ll leave you be.¡± The man moved a bit further from me then got back to his bowl. He religiously devoured the food while I stared at mine, unable to put anything in my mouth.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need luck,¡± I replied. I picked up a spoon and forced myself to eat. ¡°Luck doesn¡¯t seem to work in my favor.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Eli retorted. His mouth was stuffed. Bits and pieces flew in the air then landed on the table in front of him as he spoke. ¡°You¡¯re still alive, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Not thanks to luck,¡± I said. My heart was beating fast. I was angry. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep or the frustration I accumulated overnight thinking about the Empire. ¡°But because of a curse. I¡¯m to stay forever in this hell, unable to live or die, always suffering.¡±

    Eli looked at me with pity in his eyes. ¡°Use that anger in your fight Stalwart. We¡¯ll talk later.¡± He got up then headed out, mostly to the armory. He had to get ready for the fight. I did too. I quickly finished my meal then left. My sword needed sharpening. I didn¡¯t know if my armor had been mended or not.

    Lieutenants had the right to choose a set of light armor of their choosing. I went for boiled leather. It¡¯s sturdy and it doesn¡¯t hinder my movements.

    ¡°Morning Stalwart,¡± the smith, Jory, said. He was a jolly fellow. He was bald and had a long brown beard. He knew everyone by name, from Lieutenants to the Major General. ¡°Your armor¡¯s been mended. Will you be needing anything else today?¡±

    ¡°My sword needs sharpening,¡± I replied.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already taken care of that boy,¡± He told me. ¡°You have a tough fight today.¡± He looked at me with those caring eyes of his. He¡¯s always given me extra attention. I always wondered why. ¡°Captain Hawk knows how to handle his axes,¡± he said as he fumbled in the drawers beneath his counter.

    He drew a folded set of leather armor then handed it to me. ¡°I¡¯ve made that thing you asked me for,¡± he added with a smile. ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll fetch it with your sword.¡± He left me by the counter and disappeared behind the door that led to his workshop.

    ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better,¡± Eli snuck in behind me. He had a habit of showing up uninvited. ¡°I¡¯d say Jory¡¯s quite fond of you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± he replied. ¡°Beware of the kind man, that¡¯s all I came here to say.¡±

    ¡°Are you jealous because he lets his minions deal with you but addresses me in person?¡± I asked. My anger and lack of sleep didn¡¯t allow me to keep my thoughts to myself.

    ¡°I¡¯m worried,¡± Eli said with pain in his eyes. ¡°You think you know this world, but you refuse to open your eyes to it. Beware of people who¡¯re nice to a fault.¡±

    ¡°Funny you should say that.¡± I looked him in the eyes. I knew he sensed spite in my words and in my eyes. ¡°You fall in the same category.¡±

    Eli sighed, looked at me one more time then left the armory. He was holding his daggers under his armpit. ¡°You¡¯re waging war against yourself Stalwart,¡± I heard him say as he left the place.

    Jory came back with my sword and some bones in his hand. ¡°I¡¯ve attached them together using fine steel threads,¡± he told me as he handed the sword and bones. ¡°I respect your devotion Stalwart. The master doesn¡¯t allow Lieutenants to have iron and steel armor, but there¡¯s nothing about bones.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Jory,¡± I said then took my bone spaulders in my hands.

    ¡°Attach one end around your armpits and the other around your wrists. They¡¯ll hold.¡±

    After thanking the kind smith, I took the new equipment then left the armory. I had to reach the fighter¡¯s lounge. We waited for our turn to enter the slaughtering grounds. The pits were the place where fighters holding Captain rank or below fought. Once one is promoted to Major, they can fight in the Crucible, the tournament of the elite. Win a thousand consecutive battles and the Bloddy Hound will grant you freedom.

    I sat there for hours. Fatigue started taking its toll. My eyes started getting heavy but I was woken by the crowd¡¯s screams outside. I was twelfth to go. Ten battles had already taken place. Eli was next, and I was to fight after that.

    ¡°You look terrible,¡± he said as he passed by, heading for the door to the arena. ¡°Make sure you finish your fight quickly. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t make it otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Worry about yourself,¡± were the last words I shot at him before the door closed behind him.

    Eli won that fight. He was going to be promoted as Captain. He¡¯ll have the right to fight the preliminaries to the Crucible.

    ¡°Stalwart, you¡¯re next!¡± a guard shouted.

    I got up, dragged my heavy feet towards the arena. Bones rattled beside me as I walked. I clenched my sword then got outside, to the bright lights and loud screams. Some of them shouted my name. Others urged the captain to make me suffer. I guess I helped many people lose a fortune here.

    ¡°Next Fight,¡± an announcer sitting near the fighting pit announced. ¡°Lieutenant Stalwart against Captain Hawk. May the best fighter win!¡± Drums were beaten, announcing the start.

    Captain Hawk was clad in iron armor. He held a weapon I¡¯ve never fought against, a sickle with a chain attached to it. The end of the chain had a spiked ball, much like the ones found in Morningstars. One well-placed hit and my bones will shatter. I¡¯ve seen him break rocks with it in training.

    The captain circled around me. His chain was already rotating in the air. I couldn¡¯t allow him to control the fight¡¯s pace. I made the first step but was forced to jump to the side. The chain missed my right shoulder by an inch. The man in iron armor smiled at me. His bronze skin glowed under the blinding lights that illuminated the arena.

    He jumped forward and directed his chain towards my head. I miraculously dodged to the right but the spikes hit my spaulders, shattering its bones. I flinched as the spikes tore the leather and grazed my skin. But I had to endure. I jumped forward and swung my sword at the captain¡¯s exposed throat.

    He wore iron armor but no helmet.

    It was stupid.

    I didn¡¯t know where the sickle appeared from. I was so focused on slicing his neck that I forgot about the weapon in his hand. The sickle caught my weapon and deflected it away. My body fell forward. I had lost my balance. I could taste blood mixed with dirt as my face made contact with the ground.

    I turned around just in time to see the spiky ball heading toward my face. The world became dark. I heard the audience gasp then someone shout. I couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying. I passed out with the memory of the sickle chain aiming for my head.

    ***

    When I came to, I was lying on a feather bed. The right half of my face was heavily bandaged. When I realized I could open my right eye, I tried to inspect it with my hand. ¡°Don¡¯t move, you¡¯re heavily injured,¡± a familiar voice spoke behind me.

    ¡°Where am I? How am I still alive?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I had to call in some extra favors. You lived to fight another day Stalwart.¡±

    ¡°Jory?¡± I finally recognized the voice. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have.¡±

    ¡°On the contrary, it¡¯s a pleasure having you around Stalwart.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure¡¯s mine,¡± I retorted. ¡°I never thought I could have a friend in this dark place.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± Jory stood to my left. I could finally see him. He was completely naked.

    ¡°What the-¡± I asked.

    Deep down, I knew what the smith meant. I just kept pushing the thought away. I hated it when Eli was right. I was lying down on a feather bed. I was naked, my arms and legs were bound.

    ¡°I called in some favors to save you Stalwart,¡± he answered. ¡°You¡¯re going to repay my kindness in kind.¡±

    Naked Jory put a cloth around my mouth and tied it tight. ¡°I¡¯m coming boy, whether you¡¯re ready for it or not.¡±

 25 - The Contest Begins

    Kami, a Port City in the Kozagan Desert. Summer of the Red Moon, Beetle Flower Tavern.

    ¡°What are we doing in this dump Tristan?¡± the Purple Witch asked. She was wearing a gray traveller¡¯s cloak and brown leather trousers. She sat cross legged at a table on the farthest corner from the Photon Monitor. Her black leather boots shone as sunlight reflected on them. ¡°Ever since we left Yanoku, all we¡¯ve been doing is change from one uncomfortable, mosquito infested inn, to another.¡±

    ¡°Forgive me my lady,¡± the man named Tristan answered. His exposed head revealed a face of noble features. His chiseled jaw was hidden beneath a five o¡¯clock beard. His golden hair fell over his shoulders. ¡°We have to remain hidden from prying eyes.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re doing a fine job exposing your face like that,¡± the witch retorted.

    ¡°I have one of those faces that don¡¯t require hiding,¡± Tristan answered with a smile.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Fiona frowned.

    ¡°Your idea of being a spy stems from earnestly following stories in books that are sold for profit,¡± the blond handsome man said.

    ¡°Then how would you describe the perfect spy for me?¡±

    ¡°We hide in plain sight. We¡¯re coach drivers, fishermen, bartenders. We¡¯re the ones who watch your every move when you think you¡¯re safe.¡± Tristan turned his eyes away from the corner of the inn and looked at the witch.

    ¡°You see the woman with the loose clothes over there?¡±

    ¡°The whore who¡¯s been on every man¡¯s lap, including yours?¡± the witch asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s an assassin. Don¡¯t worry she¡¯s not here for you.¡± Tristan had to calm the witch¡¯s nerves. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing my lady. Master doesn¡¯t appoint me to missions I can¡¯t accomplish.¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s your mission?¡± Fiona asked. She was holding a glass of some strong spirit. Tristan told her it was made from fermented dried figs. She took a sip then shuddered. ¡°I don¡¯t like this shitty place,¡± she complained. ¡°And I don¡¯t like this shitty drink!¡±

    ¡°Perhaps what you¡¯ll see soon will take your mind off of things,¡± Tristan said. ¡°Today¡¯s the first day of the Contest. Don¡¯t you think the Inn¡¯s more crowded than usual?¡±

    ¡°It completely skipped my mind. Here I was, wondering why you¡¯ve dragged me away from my solitude and studies.¡±

    Tristan smiled, revealing perfectly aligned white teeth. He leaned towards the witch then whispered. ¡°Today might mark the day we run from Kozag.¡±

    ¡°Finally!¡± Fiona replied. ¡°What might push us away from this godforsaken fairy land?¡±

    A buzzing sound brought all the laughter and loud discussions in the tavern to stop. Fiona raised her head towards the bar¡¯s counter. Multicolored lights started flickering on top of the arranged bottles and kegs. Then an image of a tiled courtyard appeared for all to see.

    ¡°The Photons that people get from Ulmir¡¯s domain are simply fascinating creatures,¡± Tristan said.

    ¡°Oh please, they¡¯re just Familiars created by one of Ulmir¡¯s pets,¡± Fiona retorted.

    ¡°Could you create something like it?¡± Tristan asked, defiantly.

    The witch bit her lower lip then cursed under her breath. ¡°No, only Archmages can do that. Where¡¯s your master?¡±

    ¡°Smooth,¡± Tristan commented. ¡°I hope he gets to fight first. He told me he¡¯d make sure of it.¡±

    ¡°And how would he do that?¡± the witch asked. She decided to follow Zedd because he intrigued her. After he left for the Hunt, she took her time considering her options. She didn¡¯t fear the man with black eyes anymore. But she feared the empire. If Zedd could show her they have a chance at fighting back, she assumed she would follow him.

    ¡°He¡¯d be the last to make the offering,¡± Tristan answered. ¡°The champions are coming out.¡±

    People started talking to each other. They were concerned by the number of champions that made it to the Contest. Everyone knew casualties were bound to occur, but nobody expected them to exceed two hundred. After the devoted fanatics finished their counting, they¡¯d announced to a baffled audience that only sixty four champions stood in the Courtyard.

    ¡°This promises to be a short Contest,¡± Tristan told the witch.

    ¡°This never happened.¡± Fiona was as surprised as the rest of the people in the Beetle¡¯s Flower. ¡°It¡¯s too much for a coincidence. Do you think he¡¯s behind this?¡±

    ¡°He may have thinned the herd a little. But I suspect Ulmir¡¯s monsters helped too.¡±

    ¡°What do you think will happen?¡±

    Fiona looked anxious. When Tristan turned to look at her, she was biting her fingernails.

    ¡°He promised something spectacular. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s got in mind. But I know I¡¯m to take you to safety if I get the signal,¡± Tristan told the witch, perhaps to calm her nerves. Few contestants making it to the second phase was a bad sign. To the people of Kozag, it meant Ulmir¡¯s anger. To Fiona, it meant a celestial calamity.

    ¡°What¡¯s the signal?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll see soon enough.¡± Tristan smiled then turned to look at the Monitor, full of multicolored shining bugs. Putting them together, and providing the right lighting and color, would constitute an image. They were much like pixels to a picture.

    All sixty four champions who¡¯d made it to the Second Phase were brought out to the Courtyard. Fiona could see the High Priest, dressed in white, standing atop a wooden platform. He stood several feet higher than the champions.

    Photons transmitted live images from inside Ulmir¡¯s Castle. The Alfa Photon resided in the Castle and fed on its abundant Essence. Priests harvested its children then sent them with champions to the lands of Kozag after the end of the Second Phase. Thanks to them, the people of Kozag could see through the eyes of the Alfa.

    The giant insect was looking at High Priest Utar at that moment. People in Kozag and others in a faraway country were watching the beginning of the Contest. High Priest Utar spoke and everybody in the two realms listened.

    ¡°In the name of our Lord and Savior, I welcome you all to Ulmir¡¯s Castle.¡± Utar had a pale face with sharp cheekbones and narrow eyes. His scruffy white hair had been pomaded. It glistened against the sunlight.

    ¡°This year, sixty four Champions made it to the Castle. It is an unprecedented number, but I assure you, our Lord is not angry with us. Special Circumstances have weaved a chain of event that led all of you here.¡± The High Priest got closer to the edge of the platform, then jumped down among the contestants.

    ¡°Our Lord has instructed us to make this year¡¯s Hunt harder, for he had a vision, a prophecy!¡±

    The people in the tavern and all around Kozag listened intently. Fiona¡¯s hear beat faster. She suspected something to have changed in the air since last spring. Since then, she couldn¡¯t seem to get rid of this bad feeling that always haunted her. After the High Priest¡¯s declaration, her heart skipped a beat.

    ¡°We will need to reduce your numbers further for the final test. The winner will gain not only fame and gold, but a gift from the Hunter God himself!¡±

    Cheers filled the tavern. The Alfa Photon¡¯s prying eyes seemed to travel from face to face, showing every champion¡¯s reaction to the news. Fiona saw her traveling companion frown then curse, quite vehemently.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°In order to reduce your numbers for the final stage,¡± the High Priest went on, ¡°there will be preliminaries. You will fight to the death on a one on one fight. May the best prevail, and may Ulmir guide your steady hand.¡±

    Utar raised his hands and all champions left the tiled square with the exception of two fighters. One of them had dark blond hair and blue eyes. He was holding a long sword and wore a green tunic with dark green trousers. A white cloth belt was strapped around his waist.

    The other was a head taller than the blond fighter. He wore a red tunic strapped to red trousers with a white cloth belt. He held a spear in one hand and a wooden shield on the other.

    ¡°First Fight, Stalwart against Gervaise,¡± Utar¡¯s voice rung through the Courtyard.

    At those words, the tiled square disappeared. It was replaced by a forest with dense trees. The two fighters stood in a clearing in the middle of the woods. It was nighttime and the full moon illuminated the Champions¡¯ new arena.

    ¡°Fight!¡± The High Priest¡¯s voice reverberated throughout the forest.

    ¡°That¡¯s master,¡± Tristan pointed at the swordsman.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t your master have unusual eyes?¡± the witch asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s a man of many secrets. I¡¯m afraid this signals our departure from these sandy lands you hate so much.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why you wore that horrible face! What a relief!¡± the witch let out a sigh of liberation. ¡°When do we leave?¡±

    ¡°Right now,¡± the spy answered. ¡°Or would you like to watch the fight first?¡± Tristan asked, his eyes fixated on the Photon Monitor.

    ¡°I think it would look rather peculiar that we leave at the beginning of the fight,¡± she said, as if talking to herself.

    Cheers filled the inn and Fiona looked up at the screen. Gervaise was on the ground, his weapon a few paces away from him. His hand was profusely bleeding as Myles stood above him. A bright red light shone above the forest. It was Utar¡¯s execution signal. Stalwart thrust his sword down Gervaise¡¯s gullet.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s decided for us then.¡± Tristan stood, threw a couple of Copper Krowns on the table then left the inn with Fiona on his trail.

    ¡°Where are we heading?¡± she asked after they left the clamor behind.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you once we¡¯ve arranged our departure.¡± Tristan led the witch through the city¡¯s cobbled streets, towards the port.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you tell me now?¡± She held the man by the shoulder.

    Tristan stopped then looked around him anxiously. ¡°There are eyes and ears all over the city my lady. It¡¯d be best if we quickened our pace.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem thrilled about your master¡¯s appearance,¡± she said after letting go of him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not fond of the one he chose to appear in,¡± Tristan said.

    ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯ve never seen that face before in my life.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t, but someone more powerful than you and me has. And I bet his rage knows no limits at this moment.¡± Tristan led the witch through more narrow streets. After a while, the man with golden hair stopped, looked around then addressed Fiona.

    ¡°Have you seen any imperial in the Courtyard?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t really taken the time to inspect every face there was, especially with the color coded uniforms they wore. Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°The emperor and his men took the time, and they haven¡¯t found their men. The first fight proved that something went horribly wrong for the emperor¡¯s men. This means we¡¯ve got to disappear immediately.¡±

    ¡°What does this have to do with us? Nobody knows who you¡¯re working with anyway.¡± The witch started feeling anxiety creeping up on her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything on the boat,¡± Tristan said then started walking again.

    ¡°The boat?¡± she asked. ¡°We¡¯re sailing again?¡±

    The last time, they took a ship from Yanoku. The witch didn¡¯t enjoy the trip. She dreaded the upcoming one.

    ***

    The Citadel, Summer of the Red Moon. Inside the Emperor¡¯s castle.

    When he first heard the name Stalwart, Emperor Avourel only glanced at the screen in front of him. He was busy arguing with the General of the Army. They were sitting in a spacious room with a long table that could accommodate a thousand guests. On his right sat a woman wearing a tight purple dress. Her large hazel eyes were fixated on the screen, on the boy with dark blond hair.

    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty,¡± the woman said. ¡°Is that really him?¡±

    Avourel took another glance at the screen then his pupils grew larger. ¡°That¡¯s inconceivable!¡± he exclaimed.

    The room fell silent. Everybody present was looking at the emperor. They¡¯d never seen him make that baffled face.

    ¡°Your grace,¡± a man wearing a dark green suit ornamented with many medals said. ¡°Who might that be?¡±

    ¡°Myles Stalwart,¡± Emperor Avourel, the first of his name, answered. ¡°He¡¯s a man I killed more than seven decades ago.¡±

    ¡°He surely kept his youth,¡± the woman who first spoke commented.

    ¡°Spare me your sarcasm dear aunt. I¡¯m in no mood for jests.¡±

    ¡°Apologies, your grace,¡± the woman said. ¡°He looks like the man you killed. It must surely be a coincidence.¡±

    ¡°He is the spitting image of Stalwart,¡± the Emperor rose from his seat, infuriated. ¡°First we hear of the destruction of the Faery Plains. Then our soldiers, that Rimbaldi equipped for war mind you, did not make it to the Contest. Then this? I don¡¯t believe in coincidences. General,¡± Avourel called the man in green. ¡°Call Flavius, have him return to the Citadel immediately.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we investigate what happened to our soldiers?¡± the General of the Army asked.

    ¡°Utar will conduct his own investigation in the realm. We shan¡¯t let those pagans know what we¡¯re plotting.¡±

    ¡°What do we do with Stalwart?¡± Avourel¡¯s aunt asked.

    ¡°Contact Utar, have him interrogate him. Use whatever means necessary to get what we need from him.¡±

    ¡°Your wish is my command,¡± the woman rose, curtsied then left the room.

    ***

    Ulmir¡¯s Castle, First day of the Contest. Inside the Champions¡¯ Training Arena.

    Cane had just come back from his first fight. Myles was sitting on a wooden bench, sharpening the long steel sword he used. The big bear wore a gray tunic and gray trousers. The winners of the first round were to wait in the training arena for all the preliminary fights to end.

    ¡°Looks like you had it easy for the first fight too,¡± Myles said as soon as the big bear sat near him.

    ¡°I¡¯m calling her Rage,¡± Cane said, brandishing his Lucerne in the air.

    ¡°It¡¯s a she now.¡± Myles crossed his arms then smiled.

    ¡°I like ¡®em hotheaded, aggressive. This one¡¯s no different.¡± The big bear was still observing the weapon. ¡°It¡¯s light too, but cuts deep.¡± He turned then looked at his friend. Myles could read gratitude on his friend¡¯s face.

    ¡°Not sure you¡¯re still talking about weapons there,¡± Myles sheathed his long sword then got up. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be seen together. I¡¯ll reach you after the Hunt has ended.¡± The young man with dark blond hair left the bench towards the armory.

    Cane sat on the bench, still enamored with his new weapon. During his last fight, his mind was somewhere else. He was thinking of Myles¡¯ skills. He¡¯d seen him fight first. His moves were graceful, his execution flawless.

    ¡®Even without magic and he¡¯s leagues above me,¡¯ he thought as he observed his mysterious friend disappear within the crowd.

    He made a wrong move during the fight and almost paid dearly for it. But he instinctively moved the weapon to parry the attack, almost as if it were an extension of his arms. The ease with which he manipulated the weapon astounded him. The rage with which he attacked and defeated his enemy surprised him even more. ¡®When I¡¯m carrying this, it feels like all my rage comes out in the arena. I''m a different person with this piece of transformed bone.¡¯

    A loud commotion made him look away from the Lucerne. Armored guards stormed the training arena then left the place with Stalwart. ¡®The fuck¡¯s he planning this time?¡¯ Cane thought as he observed his friend being taken away. ¡®Don¡¯t talk to me or come near me during the Contest,¡¯ Zedd¡¯s words resonated in his mind. He¡¯d told him about this in Yanoku. Black Eyes had even anticipated his arrest.

    ***

    Minutes later, Myles was led into a dark room in the dungeons beneath the castle. He was seated on a metallic chair. His hands and legs were tied up. His head remained free. When he looked up, Stalwart noticed that the ceiling above him shone a bright light. There was no trace of brick or mortar up there. ¡®An Aether Root,¡¯ he thought as Utar sat opposite him.

    ¡°Myles Stalwart,¡± the Hight Priest addressed him. ¡°Your appearance has made some people pretty anxious.¡±

    ¡°My master never thought I should take part in the Hunt. I¡¯m not sure why this would get me arrested?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t have much time to waste on you.¡± The High Priest extended his hand forward and placed it on Myles¡¯ head. ¡°With this spell, I¡¯ll only need to ask the questions.¡±

    Myles was breathing heavily, his heart beat faster than ever before. ¡°Don¡¯t fight it,¡± the High Priest said. ¡°It will sting a little.¡± Utar recited a spell in the ancestral language while Myles was writhing in place. His binds pinned him, made him unable to resist.

    ¡°Do you know a man called Avourel?¡± Utar asked as Myles started screaming.

    ¡°You hate him, I can see it.¡± With the spell, Utar could read through Myles¡¯ mind. He only needed a stimulant to find a path towards his memories.

    ¡°How did you reach the castle?¡± Myles was screaming, resisting the electric current that surged through his brain.

    ¡°You tricky little shit!¡± Utar shouted. ¡°Your silver tongue let you get in with the winning team, and you didn¡¯t even need to fight!¡±

    Myles felt the High Priest dig deep into his memories. He tried to resist but couldn¡¯t. His Essence wasn¡¯t as strong and ample as Utar¡¯s. He couldn¡¯t use any protection spells or redirect his mind into false thoughts. The truth would be revealed to the High Priest, he knew it as he writhed in pain in that metallic chair.

    The spell wriggled inside Myles¡¯ soul like worms travelling through self-made tunnels beneath the ground. The doors behind which he kept his most cherished and traumatizing memories were kicked open. He had become an open book for the High Priest to read through. Minutes later, Utar released his spell.

    ¡°Release him,¡± he said. ¡°Take him back to the vat. I apologize for this harsh treatment. You shall be well compensated for this inconvenience.¡±

    When Myles was captured, guards disposed of his avatar. He was then moved from his container to the interrogation chamber.

    ¡°I¡¯m free to go?¡± Stalwart was shaking. Sweat covered his entire body. His mind was in shambles.

    ¡°You sound surprised,¡± Utar said.

    ¡°Ulmir¡¯s word is final. I didn¡¯t think He¡¯d let me go,¡± Myles said while the guards were cutting him loose. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d make it out of here alive.¡±

    Utar waved his hand at the guards, stopping them from releasing Stalwart. ¡°You have something to feel guilty about?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the purest of men. I¡¯m cunning, nosy to a fault. I like drinking and indulge in debauchery. I¡¯m ashamed even to speak of it. The only way for me to earn redemption was by winning the Contest. I thought Ulmir had finally sentenced me.¡±

    ¡°We mistook you for an imposter,¡± Utar smiled. ¡°Perhaps you deserve a second chance.¡±

 26 - Great

    Ulmir¡¯s Domain, First Day of The Contest. The Champions¡¯ Lounge.

    High Priest Utar sat on an ivory chair. Despite his height and herculean built, he looked small in the throne that served as a seat for Gods. A shadow appeared in front of him, out of thin air.

    ¡°What¡¯s the status?¡± the shadow asked in a rough voice.

    ¡°Someone drained the Vein of its Essence,¡± Utar replied. ¡°My gut feeling says it¡¯s Darkstar. He¡¯s left trails all over the realm. He¡¯s been to the Canyons, the Four Seasons and the Gardens. I don¡¯t know how one man is capable of all that.¡±

    ¡°This Darkstar will be the end of you Utar,¡± the shadow paced through the Lounge as it spoke. ¡°How do you know he¡¯s here?¡±

    ¡°I know the Darkstar¡¯s Fragment when I sense it. But this one seemed weaker than the one I encountered long ago. My guess is that Vaneel killed him when he self-destructed.¡±

    ¡°This man knew about Omega, he wouldn¡¯t die easily to a Lord Class Familiar. He must be lurking somewhere. Find him! Next time it won¡¯t be me who pays you a visit.¡±

    The shadow disappeared, leaving Utar alone in the Lounge. A large monitor in front of him relayed live images of the Contest.

    ¡°Javad!¡± Utar shouted.

    A short thin man appeared shortly afterwards. He knelt then bowed. His head almost touched the well-polished marble floor as he did so. ¡°Reverend Father, what are your orders?¡±

    ¡°Monitor every champion in the Castle. Put extra men to guard their rooms and their original bodies. I want every movement to be reported to me immediately.¡±

    ¡°Right away, Reverend Father.¡± The man made to leave but the High Priest stopped him with a hand wave.

    ¡°Have you sent the Ayala Sample to the mad scientist?¡±

    ¡°We have. He says he¡¯ll have something for us by the morrow.¡±

    ¡°Stay on Darkstar¡¯s trail. I want to know where he was last seen. I don¡¯t care how you do it. Now go.¡±

    After Javad was dismissed, Utar let out a heavy sigh then walked towards the large monitor in the Lounge. Photons were small insects that resembled fireflies. Their tiny bodies could emit all colors. If they were to be linked together, they wouldn¡¯t just transmit the images their Alfa relayed. If they all shared a mental link, they could relay what they could see to other monitors as well, Utar¡¯s observation monitors. It was that way that the High Priest kept a tight grip on Ulmir¡¯s Castle.

    ¡®If Darkstar¡¯s here, it must only mean one thing,¡¯ Utar thought as he inspected the images relayed to him. He¡¯d put Photons in every War Chamber and every Champion¡¯s room. They had an intruder in the realm and they had to find him. ¡®Perhaps he can lead us to the Fragment. But if he had actually died against the Faery, then I¡¯d have expended our resources for nothing but a goose chase.¡¯

    A shadow appeared behind Utar.

    ¡°Your Excellency,¡± the High Priest said as he turned around. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°Stalwart,¡± the emperor¡¯s aunt said in a callus voice.

    ¡°He is not the Stalwart you seek. I¡¯ve been thorough, searched through his soul.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be,¡± the shadow played with its dark hair. ¡°The resemblance is uncanny.¡±

    ¡°Would you like us to dispose of him? Just to be sure?¡± Utar asked.

    ¡°No, I do not want Kozag to suspect anything. What about the soldiers?¡±

    ¡°Killed by Darkstar, a man I once hunted. He¡¯s a ruthless, cold blooded killer.¡±

    ¡°Have you apprehended him?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid his trail has gone cold your Excellency. My men are looking for him as we speak. He couldn¡¯t have left this realm. We would know it otherwise.¡±

    ¡°I want this man apprehended and delivered unto our hands.¡±

    ¡°Yes your Excellency. We shall find him before the end of the Contest.¡±

    ¡°I trust your Lord has also expressed concern regarding this matter.¡± the woman¡¯s shadow got closer to the High Priest. ¡°I¡¯d get to work if I were you¡­¡±

    The shadow disappeared, leaving the High Priest gnawing on his fingernails. ¡®He will kill me if I don¡¯t find Darkstar,¡¯ he thought while observing the monitor. ¡®Or worse¡­¡¯

    ***

    Back at the Training Arena, Myles¡¯ new avatar had found his way to the armory.  Utar gave him a token to be delivered to the Quartermaster. He stood by the wooden counter, waiting for his turn.

    ¡°You¡¯re a skilled one,¡± a voice behind him spoke. ¡°Who¡¯s your master?¡±

    Myles turned around to see a bronze skinned man. He was wearing purple clothes and had a yellow belt around his waist.

    ¡®Vyk, you slimy bastard, you survived!¡¯ He was the man who tried to steal his sword back in the Canyon Labyrinth. He was a veteran who took part in the Hunt multiple times. Alas, the man had never won the Contest. He always came back, each time with a different team at his heels, in hopes of wining the gold.

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Stalwart turned then looked for the Quartermaster who seemed to be arguing with a woman.

    Myles felt a tap on his left shoulder. He turned to see a fist closing in on his face. It only took him a fraction of a second to fully comprehend what was about to happen. The punch landed. Stalwart stumbled back and fell against the counter.

    ¡°What d¡¯ya think you¡¯re doing?¡± a man with a chiseled jaw and long black hair asked. ¡°No one talks to my friend like that.¡±

    Myles swept the blood from his mouth. He looked at the two bullies with burning eyes.

    ¡°All fighting¡¯s done in the arena!¡± The Quartermaster suddenly appeared behind them. He held a smoking pipe between his blue lips. ¡°Gotta blow off some steam? Use the dummies, they don¡¯t fight back.¡±

    Vyk and his friend scoffed then walked away. ¡°This ain¡¯t over!¡± the bully shouted at Myles.

    ¡°Get lost!¡± was Stalwart¡¯s answer.

    ¡°Nasty bunch these two,¡± the Quartermaster spoke after they left. ¡°Name¡¯s Great, what can I do you for?¡±

    He was a short man, five feet tall at most. There was a hole instead of his left eye. A nasty scar traveled from his forehead to his lower jaw. When he smiled, he revealed blackened teeth, rotten by the herbs he always put in his smoking pipe. There was something stuck between his front teeth. It was quite eye-catching.

    ¡°Great? That¡¯s your name?¡± Myles asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m good at what I do, yeah I¡¯m Great. What¡¯s it to you?¡± the short man retorted. He took a long puff from his pipe then released blue smoke from his long nose.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised, that¡¯s all, never heard this name before.¡±

    ¡°Well buckle up kid, you¡¯re in for a whole lot of shit names in this hole.¡±

    ¡°The High Priest gave me this.¡± Myles produced the token from his pocket then handed it to the short man.

    ¡°What d¡¯ya do to earn such a gift?¡± the Quartermaster asked, impressed.

    ¡°Rather what has been done to me,¡± Myles commented. ¡°What do I get with this?¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°Private quarters and all the holes you can put your thing in.¡± He took a puff from his pipe, smiled as fumes left his nostrils then spoke again. ¡°How d¡¯ya like ¡®em?¡±

    ¡°Come again?¡± Myles asked.

    ¡°You were offered one night in Heaven by the High Priest himself. I¡¯ll get someone to get ya there. Ya can think of your likings then. We¡¯ll produce ¡®em to ya however ya like ¡®em. Bald, with tits or without, heck we can even get ya those little furry ones if ya like.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up with your accent? It¡¯s all over the place.¡±

    ¡°The one thing I¡¯m not good at kid. Otherwise they¡¯d call me Perfect.¡± Great started laughing. His lungs wheezed as he struggled to catch his breath.

    ¡°You¡¯re not great at staying healthy either. That thing will kill you.¡±

    ¡°My grandmother, bless her soul, lived to be two hundred. Ya wanna know her secret?¡± the Quartermaster said as he took another puff from his pipe. Blue smoke left his nostrils as he exhaled.

    ¡°She smoked that shit you put in your lungs?¡± Myles asked, uncertain.

    ¡°For two centuries, that old hag¡¯s always minded her own fucking business. Now ya mind yours boy or you won¡¯t get any of those titties the High Priest promised ya.¡±

    ¡°I was led to believe the Quartermaster has to obey the High Priest¡¯s orders.¡± Myles was trying to intimidate the man called Great.

    ¡°Bad move kid. Utar gave me no order. He simply handed you a useless piece of wood that I happened to toss away and forget who gave it to me. How¡¯s that?¡± Great smiled. The piece of meat stuck between his front blackened teeth was peeking at Myles. It irritated him but he couldn¡¯t risk offending the Quartermaster any longer.

    ¡°I apologize for my playful behavior,¡± he finally conceded.

    Great took another puff then released a smoky serpent. It didn¡¯t look like a trick done by a smoker. The serpent looked alive. It flew to Myles, its blue scales shone as it hit his face then dissipated. ¡°So how d¡¯ya like ¡®em?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s trade,¡± Myles answered. ¡°I¡¯ll let you have the token if you tell me how you managed to produce that snake.¡±

    Great¡¯s eyes widened. His pipe fell to the ground, his mouth agape. ¡°Ya sure? We have the best playthings in all six realms. The best Ulmir¡¯s magic can produce.¡±

    ¡°That snake got me more interested than all the tits Ulmir can provide.¡±

    ¡°Well I¡¯ll be damned kid. Why d¡¯ya throw a night in Heaven away?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do just great in my stead. So how about it?¡± Myles asked. ¡°Will you tell me about the snake?¡±

    ¡°Not today big boy,¡± the Quartermaster answered. ¡°Come see me tomorrow before they swarm the place. I¡¯ll tell ya about it when there¡¯re less ears and eyes.¡±

    ¡°Enjoy your night in Heaven then,¡± Myles answered. He took another token from his pocket and handed it to Great. ¡°While we¡¯re waiting for your revelation. Could you have a look at my sword? Here¡¯s the token I was given if I were to retrieve it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m no smith,¡± the Quartermaster took another puff then released the blue snake again.

    ¡°I just want you to look at it. You seem like a wise warrior. You might tell me who can fix it for me.¡± Myles leaned towards the Quartermaster. ¡°It¡¯s quite rare, and well protected. I wouldn¡¯t recommend inspecting it with Essence.¡±

    ¡°How am I to take a look at it then?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll understand once you see it. Oh and I¡¯ll need a bigger sword than this one. I¡¯ll come collect it tomorrow. Have a Great night!¡±

    Myles left the Training Arena towards the Green Quarters. Champions were separated by color in the preliminary round. The survivors would be provided better accommodation and a change of gear the next day, if they survive it.

    After dinner, Stalwart found his bed then lay down. He needed to take a rest after the long eventful day he¡¯d had. He didn¡¯t have his original body after all. He needed to eat and drink to survive and recollect his strength.

    ¡°Your fight didn¡¯t even last ten breaths,¡± a young man popped up beside him.

    Myles sighed heavily, reluctantly opened his eyes then looked at the newcomer. ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Can you teach me some of your tricks? I swear I¡¯ll never use them against you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Eric,¡± the young man asked. There was something peculiar about his eyes. Myles noticed a red light flickering in the pupils as the young man spoke.

    ¡°Are you after the prize?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± the young man proudly replied. ¡°But I don¡¯t think I can win against you. I saw you fight, you¡¯re brilliant.¡±

    ¡°This is a fighting contest boy.¡± Myles sat on the bed, pulled Eric by the collar towards him then said. ¡°We fight to the death here. If it weren¡¯t forbidden to kill you here, you¡¯d be missing a head right now. Go sleep, and leave me the fuck alone! Do I make myself clear?¡±

    The young boy nodded then quickly retreated.

    ¡°What a fucking day;¡± Myles blurted as he lied down again. ¡°Fucking stupid day!¡± He closed his eyes and sleep soon came to him.

    He dreamed of a woman¡¯s voice gently whispering in his ears. She¡¯d lick his lips then gently bite them. Her soft hands caressed his chest, counting the scars he¡¯d gotten during his countless battles. Her moist breath and soft kisses gave him Goosebumps. Her gentle fingers travelled from his arms to his chest, then down to his abdomen. She was teasing him. He liked it more than he expected.

    He couldn¡¯t recognize who she was but he had a feeling he knew her. There was something about her voice, that part where it just seems to break when she speaks excitedly. He could smell her body as she came closer to him, breathing down his neck. He felt her soft fingers following the scars on his back, shoulders and abdomen.

    ¡°That¡¯s a new one,¡± he heard her say as she touched one of his scars. ¡°Where¡¯d you get it?¡±

    ¡°Last month during the siege on Awamiran,¡± he heard himself answer. He tried to hold her by the chin, get a closer look at her. But he couldn¡¯t move. He was definitely having a strange dream. ¡°He was a giant of an armored man,¡± he was still speaking, answering her question. ¡°His halberd almost cut me in half.¡±

    ¡°Glad you¡¯re lucky,¡± the woman giggled as her fingers travelled down towards his lower abdomen. ¡°Luck always brings you back to me.¡±

    ¡°Like a moth drawn to fire,¡± he heard himself jokingly say. He grabbed her from the back then swiftly turned her around. He was finally able to move in this strange dream.

    Or was he?

    At second thought, Myles realized that his body moved on its own. He was reliving some memory he promised himself to bury. The woman beside him, he remembered, was his lover eons ago. The voice he heard wasn¡¯t hers though.

    He had her pinned down. When he looked at her face, it suddenly became blurry, a messy bunch of flesh without any facial features to it. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± he asked after finally realizing he wasn¡¯t, technically speaking, dreaming.

    ¡°You¡¯ve avoided me today,¡± the voice told him. ¡°I don¡¯t do well with rejection.¡±

    ¡°I-¡° Myles started but was immediately interrupted by the faceless woman. She put her index finger on his lips then spoke.

    ¡°You offered your place to that one eyed dwarf?¡± she was shouting.

    ¡°Could you just-¡°

    ¡°I rule this world Stalwart!¡± the faceless woman stood. Her naked body towered above him. He couldn¡¯t even see her face anymore. She was like a mountain and he was lying by the base. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Are you one of Utar¡¯s little messengers?¡± Myles asked. ¡°From here, I can see your dark galaxy pretty clearly.¡±

    The woman disappeared then reappeared by his right shoulder. She was as small as his Fairies this time. ¡°You¡¯re an insolent little shit, aren¡¯t you?¡± she wishpered in his right ear.

    ¡°And you¡¯re that kid Eric, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯ve verified my dreams now. Go tell Utar I¡¯m just as perverted as the guy in bed next to me.¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡± the little woman disappeared, transformed into the young man who had just spoken to him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like Marons. I can smell them even without my original body. Now get lost. I¡¯ve got a tough fight tomorrow.¡±

    The creature left Myles to his comfortable dreams about his family and old friends. The night went by quicker than he¡¯d hoped it to be. When morning broke, he had to drag his feet to the breakfast table. He was offered stale oatmeal with fruits on top. He mechanically chewed on the food then went to the Training Arena.

    ¡°How was your night?¡± he asked the Quartermaster who came to greet him.

    ¡°Best night of my life!¡± Great answered. ¡°Yours?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t complain,¡± he answered. ¡°Will you tell me about the snake before people start barging in?¡±

    ¡°I can give ya my memories if ya help me with something. I bet it¡¯s better than me telling ya a lousy story.¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t our agreement,¡± Myles protested.

    ¡°Well I can tell ya a story alright. But I can give ya better,¡± Great leaned in closer, looked around him to make sure no one was eavesdropping or observing them. ¡°A memory, a fragment, what d¡¯ya say?¡±

    ¡°What do you want in return?¡± Myles asked. ¡°And stop looking around like a paranoid lunatic. You¡¯ll attract more attention.¡±

    ¡°Get me out of here.¡±

    Myles saw fear in Great¡¯s eyes. ¡°The Quartermaster wouldn¡¯t ask to leave this heaven if it weren¡¯t serious. What¡¯s happening?¡±

    ¡°Utar¡¯s monitoring everyone. He¡¯s watching right now but I¡¯m godamn sure he¡¯s not suspecting ya.¡± The Quartermaster whispered. Photons could relay clear images but their hearing wasn¡¯t the best. They needed to be close enough to hear whispers.

    ¡°Why do you want to escape now?¡± Myles¡¯ eyes narrowed, large creases formed between his eyebrows.

    ¡°There¡¯s an intruder in the Castle. He¡¯s already caused trouble last night. But ya were sleeping wanted boy. Eyewitnesses put ya in bed when the attack happened.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question yet.¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯m getting at is yer hiding something. Yer sword has a strange air about it. I inspected it last night. I don¡¯t care what it is, but as of now, yer buying my silence pretty boy.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like blackmail one eye!¡±

    ¡°And I don¡¯t like danger.¡± The Quartermaster lit up his pipe, took some puffs then resumed talking. ¡°There¡¯s an old saying. Necessity is invention¡¯s bloody momma. I¡¯m necessitating an exit from this tight spot yeh put me into. And you seem to be needing the memory of that long slimy snake. Get me outa here, and the fragment¡¯s yours.¡±

    ¡°Hand me a sword,¡± Myles suddenly blurted. He¡¯d heard footsteps approaching the Arena.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Myles looked at the Quartermaster with an air of seriousness about him. ¡°I said hand me a fucking sword. It¡¯d be better than yesterday¡¯s.¡±

    Great disappeared behind the numerous ails on which weapons and armor were aligned. He came back a minute later holding a great sword, sheathed in a black leather scabbard. Upon returning, the Quartermaster saw two other champions at the counter, waiting to be served. Myles pretended to inspect the sword while the two champions retrieved their weapons.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get the sword out of your hands. Utar won¡¯t come for you or suspect you, how about that?¡± Stalwart asked after the champions left.

    ¡°It¡¯s a start,¡± Great answered. ¡°I still wanna get out of ¡®ere.¡±

    ¡°Hand me one of those great swords you hang out back,¡± Myles said.

    ¡°It¡¯s too heavy for an avatar,¡± Great warned.

    ¡°I¡¯m stronger than most,¡± Myles answered. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ll only swing it a few times.¡±

    Great disappeared then reappeared carrying a heavy chunk of steel. ¡°This one¡¯s used to slay dragons boy. What d¡¯ya think ye¡¯ll do with it?¡±

    ¡°Make an impression.¡± Myles smiled then lifted the heavy sword with two hands. He managed to keep it up for more than ten seconds then was forced to drop it. It was too heavy. ¡°Pretty good,¡± he said as he inspected it. ¡°There will be a signal by the end of the Contest. Follow it and you¡¯ll leave this realm. You¡¯ll only get one chance so you¡¯d better make it on time.¡±

    With those words, Myles left the Quartermaster to his worries. He wanted to take his new weapon for a spin.

 27 - Intruder

    Ulmir¡¯s Castle, Second Day of the Contest.

    Cane stood in the tiled square. In front of him was a woman wearing indigo clothes with a yellow belt strapped to her waist. The day before, thirty two champions had been eliminated. Sixteen were going to be eliminated on the second day. Cane¡¯s fight was the second. According to Greta, the woman in front of him was nicknamed Vixen. She was cunning and ruthless.

    During the preliminary rounds, fighters weren¡¯t allowed to have any piece of armor. They could choose their own weapons. But all they were allowed to wear were cotton tunics and trousers. Cane wore gray and the Vixen wore indigo. They both eyed each other, awaiting the High Priest¡¯s signal.

    Cane held the lucerne in both hands. He was trained to become a master martial artist. Due to a series of unfortunate events, the big bear found himself forsaken, outcast. The Hunt was his chance to prove his valor. If he won the Contest, he¡¯d be accepted within the House of a Thousand Swords.

    Zedd¡¯s invitation to join him was amusing at first. But after he¡¯d seen the enemies Black Eyes had, his life as an outcast didn¡¯t seem so bad at all. He¡¯d rather live as an outcast, living off scraps, than deal with the monstrosities Zedd had on his trail.

    The tiled square disappeared, replaced by a wooden platform, raised high in the air. Sand dunes extended to the horizon. The weather was hot and the air dry. Cane forced himself out of his reveries. The Vixen held two curved sword in her hands. She was the one to make the first move. She managed to cross the gap between her and the big bear with tremendous speed. She knew the big bear had a weapon that relied on range. Getting into close quarters combat was her best option.

    She swung each weapon individually, one swing, two, three. To the audience watching in the Kozagan Desert and elsewhere, the woman¡¯s moves looked blurry. Cane dodged every attack at the last possible second. He was relying on his instinct and years of combat experience to read through the woman¡¯s moves.

    The dangerous part about the preliminary phase on the Contest was that Champions didn¡¯t have any protection. Receiving a blow would greatly expedite their demise. Cane didn¡¯t move from his spot. He was nimbly dancing around the swords. The element of surprise on which the Vixen relied had failed her.

    With a kick, Cane drove the bottom of his Lucerne between the woman¡¯s legs. With a muffled groan, the Vixen jumped back. Cane smiled then started thrusting Rage in her direction. Thrusts weren¡¯t the easiest attacks to dodge, especially with a long weapon like the Lucerne.

    In his mind, Cane could clearly picture his previous fight against Gedel. He didn¡¯t want to make the same mistakes as the giant man he fought.

    ¡®Don¡¯t let her get close to ya. And don¡¯t use the same attack twice.¡¯

    He kept repeating those words as he continued his relentless offense. Sometimes he¡¯d aim for her legs, others he¡¯d go for the chest or the head. He had to get the woman to question herself, and to drop her guard down.

    ¡®Greta warned me about this one. Can¡¯t take her lightly.¡¯

    Greta wasn¡¯t happy with how her hunt ended. Zedd was out of sight. He couldn¡¯t even blame it on him since Greta had never seen the man with black eyes. Besides, even if he were to show her Myles, something told him she wouldn¡¯t believe him. The man with blond hair seemed to act differently than the Black Eyes he knew.

    He aimed another thrust at the woman only to see her jump back and repel the attack with her swords. He stumbled forward as the weight of the weapon pulled him to the ground. He shouldn¡¯t have wandered in thought during a serious fight.

    ¡®That¡¯s not good,¡¯ he thought as he saw the Vixen dashing towards him.

    Momentum was key in a duel. The one who controlled it had the upper hand, and eventually emerged victorious. The Vixen immediately jumped at Cane, brandishing her weapons in the air.

    Cane mustered all the strength in his forearms to pull Rage towards him then drove it upwards. The Vixen brought her swords towards her upper body to shield her from the Lucerne. Its blunt hammer collided with the twin swords, which sent the woman a few paces backwards.

    The big bear followed with a downward slash which hit the floor, resulting in a loud thud. Cane wasn¡¯t done however. He advanced towards the retreating Vixen and thrust his weapon. The Vixen had no choice but to dodge, but an immediate swing almost caught her off-guard. Weapons clashed and the impact forced the woman to the ground. She fell on her back and lost both swords.

    Cane quickly advanced towards the Vixen then, with a downward thrust, attempted to finish her off. The Vixen rolled backwards just in time to avoid Rage¡¯s pointy end. Cane felt a slight tingle in his left thigh. He looked down to see a throwing knife deeply lodged inside. When he looked up, the Vixen was already dangerously close to him. Her open palm was aiming for his gullet.

    He would¡¯ve suffocated, died a horrible death if he had allowed her to land that attack. The big bear dropped his weapon and his martial artist instinct kicked in. With a swift counter, Cane managed to clutch the woman¡¯s hand then break it. She didn¡¯t even have time to scream as two punches broke her front tooth and dislocated her jaw.

    Cane pulled the knife from his thigh then shoved it up her throat. The Vixen gurgled on her own blood as she writhed on the ground. Cane picked up his weapon then limped towards the infirmary. The tiled square came back into view and Priests came to take the body away.

    ***

    In the Training Arena, Myles was testing his new sword while Cane¡¯s fight was being aired on the Photon monitor. ¡®Not bad, this one handles better than the previous one,¡¯ he thought as he swung his sword at a straw dummy.

    Spending time in the Training Arena helped Myles collect information on the Castle. Champions weren¡¯t allowed to roam freely within Ulmir¡¯s residence. They had to be escorted at all times. He tried talking to some guards in the morning but they all seemed to be in bad weathers. The Contest on the monitors wasn¡¯t even drawing the non-fighting Champions¡¯ attention.

    Talk about the intruder filled the arena. Those who didn¡¯t feel like training were offered food and refreshment in the common area. They all talked about the intruder. Myles swung his sword, executed some pirouettes as he listened to two sparring partners discuss the latest rumor.

    ¡°They say the High Priest has already captured the culprit,¡± one of them said as he swung his sword.

    ¡°Nah, I heard he got the wrong one, offered him a night in Heaven!¡± the other replied after he dodged the attack. ¡°Lucky bastard!¡± he exclaimed then bashed his mace on his opponent¡¯s shield.

    ¡°I say he¡¯s already earned his prize.¡±

    The two kept sparring while talking about the rumors of the intruder. Myles gathered that the intruder had infiltrated a restricted area but was chased off immediately. The reason it was big news was because nobody has ever attempted to infiltrate the restricted areas since time immemorial. The fact that the intruder escaped made matters worse for the Priests.

    Nobody knew who he was or where he came from. All Champions were in bed when the break in happened. Guards went on complete lock down, inspected every room but couldn¡¯t find any trace of the intruder. Myles gathered that the High Priest was conducting the search himself.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Myles noticed that the champions¡¯ attention had veered towards the monitors again. Cane had just finished his fight. Myles looked up to see the next contestant. It was Vyk. The man wore his usual tunic and trousers but had traded his white belt with a yellow one.

    ¡°I hear it¡¯s his tenth attempt at the Contest,¡± Myles heard someone say.

    ¡°They say he¡¯s learned some new fighting technique this year. He says it¡¯ll help him win this time,¡± another shouted. Everyone in the training arena started laughing.

    ¡°A tenth of my winnings says he¡¯ll fall now!¡±

    Someone started the bet, and the training arena was filled with clamor and laughter. The general agreement was that Vyk would be this round¡¯s loser. The disappointment in their faces was priceless to look at. Myles observed them, staring at the monitor in silence. Vyk had managed to counter his opponent¡¯s attack then slashed his wrist. He injured and disarmed his enemy in one attack then finished him the next.

    ¡°Stalwart! You¡¯re up!¡± A guard came to retrieve Myles from the Training Arena.

    When he reached the large square, High Priest Utar was watching from the monitor in the Champions¡¯ Lounge. A shadow sat on the throne while Utar stood next to it.

    ¡°Six hundred years Utar,¡± the shadow spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve occupied this realm for six hundred FUCKING YEARS!¡± His rough voice boomed through the lounge. The highest tower in the Castle shook. Myles looked up, dread filled his heart.

    ¡°And now some ant decides to creep in, without my consent,¡± the shadow went on. He¡¯d regained his composure by then. ¡°You find him Utar and you find him now. He knows something. Take him alive. I¡¯ll do the extraction myself.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Darkstar,¡± Utar reported.

    ¡°I WILL NOT-¡° the shadow screamed again. He stopped, seemed to take a deep breath then continued. ¡°How do you know it¡¯s this Darkstar you fondly speak of?¡±

    ¡°I looked into the vault,¡± Utar replied. ¡°There was residue of his Fragment print. He¡¯s got a unique one. I¡¯ve been hunting him for decades.¡±

    ¡°Utar,¡± the shadow¡¯s voice started getting louder again. ¡°You were exiled once because of your obsession. Perhaps you think of this place as your prison. But you are being provided for. If you fail to capture this little insect, I¡¯ll make sure you rot in the Well. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Utar replied with a hushed voice. After the shadow disappeared, the High Priest let out a heavy sigh. He took out a handkerchief from the internal pocket on his robe then wiped his sweaty brow.

    ¡°Javad!¡± he called for the short man again.

    ¡°Yes your Reverend.¡± The short man ran towards Utar then prostrated.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯ve got news for me,¡± the High Priest spoke, or rather shouted aggressively.

    ¡°Your Reverend,¡± Javad¡¯s voice was shaking as he spoke. ¡°We¡¯ve combed the palace, but there was no sign of the intruder.¡±

    ¡°You take care of the Contest,¡± Utar spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll go look for him myself.¡±

    The tiled square on which Myles stood changed into a large green field. It looked like the Faery Plains, only this one didn¡¯t have any flying creatures in the sky. The bully from the day before was his opponent.

    ¡°Told you it wasn¡¯t over kid,¡± the bully spoke as he licked his scimitar.

    Myles smiled. A voice inside of him urged him to drop the weapon and finish the prideful bastard with his fists. But that would attract too much attention he¡¯d worked hard to avoid. Besides, there was lot on his plate at that moment. The tower that shook earlier didn¡¯t bode well with him.

    ¡°Next fight,¡± a voice different than the High Priest¡¯s announced, ¡°Stalwart against Diggles.¡±

    Diggles held his sword closer to this chest, ready to counter at any moment. Myles held a sword as big as he was and twice as heavy. Diggles knew he¡¯d only need to dodge one attack in order to finish the fight.

    He slowly circled around Myles. Stalwart two handed his great sword and followed his opponent with his eyes. ¡®He¡¯s careful, but proud, too proud,¡¯ he thought while the man completed a full circle.

    Myles¡¯ arms started shaking. The weapon¡¯s weight was too much for him to handle. If he could use his original body, he knew he could hold the sword with one hand. But using an avatar was different, and the sword weighed heavily on him.

    Myles¡¯ opponent didn¡¯t miss the hint. He knew he had a golden opportunity to finish the fight. Diggles jumped then sent a rapid blow towards Myles jugular. The attack was repelled by the great sword and the bully immediately somersaulted away.

    His eyes widened in surprise. He didn¡¯t think Myles was capable of such a feat. He made sure he kept his eyes on the young man with dark blond hair. He couldn¡¯t risk a counter attack. One swing from that giant slab of steel would instantly kill him.

    ¡°You can¡¯t dodge when you¡¯re airborne.¡± Diggles heard his opponent say. He hadn¡¯t landed yet when Myles was upon him. The great sword threatened to open his skull. The bully lost his footing as he landed then stumbled to the ground. That misfortune turned out to be his life-saving move.

    The sword landed between his legs, dangerously close to his manhood. Myles pushed the sword forward cutting through the grass and the moist soil. Diggles howled as his body was cleaved in half by the sharp great sword.

    The fight quickly ended for Stalwart again. After the plains disappeared and the Courtyard came into view, Myles headed for the common area. He was tired of the Arena.

    ¡®Tongues loosen up after a couple of drinks, especially after the euphoria of passing the preliminary stages. There has to be someone who knows something about the current situation in the castle.¡¯

    Myles quickly reached his destination, escorted by five guards. ¡®Utar will soon make a horrible mistake. I should give him something to quell his master¡¯s anger.¡¯

    There were ten champions in the common area already. A bronze skinned man sat in a table sipping his ale. ¡°Mind if I take a seat?¡± Myles smiled amiably as he asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not taken,¡± Vyk answered. ¡°You just killed the man I was keeping it for.¡±

    ¡°He fought well.¡± Stalwart dragged a chair along the floor then sat opposite Vyk. ¡°You wanted to know about my master yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I like your style. The one who taught you must be the real deal.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you agree to an exchange.¡± Myles leaned forward, looked the bronze skinned man in his eyes then whispered. ¡°I heard it¡¯s not your first time here, is it?¡±

    ¡°Gimme a name first.¡± Vyk crossed his arms and leaned back on his chair.

    ¡°Mushtabah,¡± Myles was still whispering. ¡°I can introduce you to him after the Hunt.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to take your word for it?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡± Myles leaned on his chair, called for a waiter then turned towards Vyk. ¡°I¡¯ve also heard you like rare trinkets, swords, baubles, anything worth selling in the underground market.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯d you hear all that?¡± Vyk asked.

    ¡°People talk. It¡¯s a small world, and a veteran like you ought to bring some whispers and gossips here and there.¡±

    ¡°What you got for me?¡±

    ¡°I found a sword on the border between the Canyons and Ulmir¡¯s Garden. I think it¡¯s magic, but I couldn¡¯t verify it. I¡¯m no magic user myself.¡±

    A woman arrived to take Myles¡¯ order. She wore a tight ivory dress. Her hourglass figure was brought into light thanks to how the dress clung to her body. Her cleavage threatened to tear the dress apart any second. Stalwart ordered a glass of date wine then dismissed the waitress.

    ¡°You handle yourself pretty well with a sword. You don¡¯t need magic,¡± Vyk said after the waitress left.

    ¡°I handed it to the Priest when I arrived. Here,¡± Myles took a wooden token from his pocket then handed it to Vyk. ¡°Great¡¯s a good friend, he¡¯ll know I sent you. Once you¡¯ve verified the weapon, come talk to me.¡±

    ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Vyk asked. The young man in front of him had gone through the trouble to hand him a precious weapon. He felt obligated to help him.

    ¡°There¡¯s a rumor about an intruder.¡± The waitress came back to deliver the wine. Stalwart thanked her with a kind smile then turned to Vyk. He sipped his wine while looking at the champion, his eyes filled with expectation.

    ¡°Ah yes,¡± Vyk chuckled. ¡°I hear even High Priest Utar couldn¡¯t find him. He suspects some fella with black eyes.¡±

    ¡°A lot of people have black eyes over here, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve met the man with black eyes. It¡¯s not his pupils I¡¯m talking about. It¡¯s his entire eye. He¡¯s got some weird golden pupil too. Looks like a fucking devil goat.¡± Vyk leaned towards Myles then started whispering. ¡°I think the sword you¡¯re giving away belonged to him. I tried to steal it from him in the Canyons. It¡¯s the only magical sword I¡¯ve come across in the Canyons, nearly lost my head.¡±

    ¡°What do you think happened to this man?¡± Myles asked.

    ¡°I sure hope he died.¡± Vyk let out a cynical smile. ¡°For all our sakes.¡±

    ¡°You know, there¡¯s something that bugs me about all that.¡± Myles asked for some ale for Vyk then went on. ¡°One man managed to infiltrate this mystical Castle. Nobody could find him and the High Priest is suddenly not overlooking the Contest. My humble mind suggests there¡¯s something hidden in this palace.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just rumors kid.¡± Vyk happily accepted the ale when the waitress in the tight dress brought it to him. ¡°You¡¯d do well to forget about it all together.¡±

    ¡°Then you can forget about the sword and my introduction to Mushtabah,¡± Myles retorted.

    ¡°You¡¯re a persistent kid, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious is all,¡± Myles innocently answered.

    ¡°Whatever¡¯s hidden in this Castle, Ulmir has hidden it somewhere nobody would think of. If you don¡¯t value your life, I suggest you pay the Lounge a visit.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious, not suicidal,¡± Myles retorted. ¡°I¡¯ve satisfied my curiosity.¡± He stood up, extended his hand towards Vyk then said. ¡°I¡¯m Stalwart.¡±

    ¡°Vyk,¡± the bronze skinned man answered. ¡°Thanks for the gift boy. I hope you¡¯d keep your word.¡±

    ¡°Oh certainly Vyk. I¡¯m nosy to a fault. I like to know things or they keep bugging me, like an itch in my back where I can¡¯t get my hands to reach and scratch it. You were the helpful friend that came along and scratched my back.¡±

    Myles stood then left the common area. Guards were about to escort him to his new quarters. He¡¯d passed the preliminary stage. He had the right to a private room.

    ¡°I have information on the intruder,¡± he told the guards.

 28 - Tormenting Hell

    Helton City, Summer of the Blond Moon. The Crucible. Several Years Ago.

    Two weeks had passed since that incident. Every night, the sisters would come and change my bandages. They¡¯d sometime dress me and deliver me to that hateful smith. I was his plaything. His guards took care of subduing and binding me. This was my proof. I had died, now doomed to live in eternal agony. This was my hell.

    I was lying on my bed after another bout with the smith. I blankly stared at the ceiling. I couldn¡¯t feel anything anymore. My mind was blank. Perhaps even my heart had stopped beating. I felt like a meat stuffed puppet. I didn¡¯t have the right to speak or fight back. I¡¯d get a blunt mace to the ribs or knees if I a dared struggle.

    I heard hinges complain as someone pushed the door to my cell. Eli came to visit me twice since I was enclosed in this hateful place. Today was his third visit. He sat next to me, arms crossed. They¡¯d just removed my bandages. He looked at my shriveled body and fractured arm. I was missing an eye too. It took him one glance before he looked away.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry brother,¡± he said in a whisper. He was looking at the ground.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything. It was all my fault,¡± my voice was coarse. I could barely move a muscle. ¡°They won¡¯t let me fight again, will they?¡±

    ¡°The Hound isn¡¯t known to give second chances. I heard the guards talk. They say your execution¡¯s late because of some fella.¡± He was still looking at the ground.

    ¡°The smith?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We all know what Jory did to you Stalwart. No one¡¯s happy about it, but it¡¯s the nature of this place. The one delaying your execution goes by a different name though.¡± Eli looked at me. It wasn¡¯t pity I saw in his eyes.

    I saw something terrible, foreboding. I didn¡¯t want to know who it was. I wanted to shield myself from the terrible truth. But my curiosity was stronger than my fear. Like a moth drawn to fire I asked. ¡°Then who is it?¡±

    ¡°His name¡¯s Samuel Kristo. Do you know who he is?¡±

    My heart skipped a beat. I almost jumped up but my injuries reminded me of my current state. ¡°The fuck¡¯s he doing here?¡±

    ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d tell me,¡± Eli answered me.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you. Help me sit, my back¡¯s sorer than my grandmother¡¯s.¡± With some extra help, I managed to straighten up. I looked at my not-so-skinny-anymore friend in the eyes. His resolve and hate never faded away. ¡°When will he arrive?¡± I asked.

    ¡°They say in two days,¡± he told me. ¡°What¡¯s in your mind Stalwart?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that rumor you wanted to tell me about?¡± I asked, ¡°the one about the moons.¡±

    ¡°Stalwart, with your current condition-¡°

    ¡°Just tell me,¡± I urged. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything reckless.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, but you¡¯ve got to tell me who¡¯s this Kristo first.¡±

    Ah an ultimatum, how I hated those! ¡°Fine,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s a childhood friend. I hear he¡¯s become quite influential around the world.¡±

    ¡°You mean he¡¯s not here to watch your execution?¡± Eli was smiling.

    How could anybody genuinely care about a stranger? We were but pigs destined for slaughter. I never cared about anyone in this dump. But this man cared and visited me. I never thought I¡¯d make such a friend under these circumstances.

    ¡°The moon,¡± I insisted. ¡°I answered your question, now¡¯s your turn.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll tell me about your friend after that, won¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll get to see by yourself anyway. Just, please Eli, we¡¯re running out of time,¡± I glanced at the door, worried that the guards would barge in at any moment and take him away.

    ¡°There are three moons that show up in the sky every year right?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes, Blond, Azure and Red,¡± I answered.

    ¡°And there¡¯s the Pale Moon,¡± Eli said then stopped, expecting my incredulous reaction.

    ¡°Go on,¡± I urged.

    ¡°You won¡¯t mock my theory again?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. Tell me what you know. I¡¯ll explain everything later.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just,¡± I swore I saw disappointment in his face, ¡°I¡¯m used to people dismissing my theory. I always prepare a detailed sales pitch for it.¡±

    ¡°Eli, please get to the point.¡±

    ¡°The Pale, or Eternal Moon is rumored to grant you any wish. You can become stronger than the Archmage himself.¡±

    ¡°And you know how to summon it,¡± I commented.

    ¡°How do you know it needs to be summoned?¡± Eli asked, his eyebrows raised.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Mother used to tell me. I never believed her stories.¡±

    ¡°What makes you believe them now?¡±

    ¡°Samuel¡¯s coming to ask for my help. He¡¯s done it before and he¡¯ll do it again,¡± I answered. ¡°Say, do you want to get out of here?¡±

    Eli looked at me, horrified. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± he tried to whisper as much as an angry man could. ¡°You trying to get us killed?¡± he was whispering this time, his voice almost inaudible.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean escape.¡± I started laughing but pain reminded me to stay calm. ¡°Sam is here to take me out. I suspect he¡¯ll try to summon the moon this time.¡±

    ¡°The Hound will never allow it,¡± Eli protested.

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate Kristo,¡± I retorted. ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s not famous now, but I believe in him. I¡¯m certain he¡¯s here to take me out.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten awfully hopeful again,¡± Eli said. He¡¯d noticed the improvement in my mood. ¡°After all you¡¯ve been through¡­¡±

    ¡°What Jory did is nothing. You clearly don¡¯t know what the Church is capable of,¡± I was shouting. I only realized it when my voice echoed in the cell I was kept in.

    ¡°The Church sent you here. You think your friend will be allowed to easily walk away with two prisoners?¡±

    ¡°Do you want to get out of here?¡± I asked again.

    ¡°But what you¡¯re suggesting is madness!¡± Eli screamed.

    The door to my cell opened and two armored men got in. ¡°I need an answer,¡± I told him as the guards escorted him out.

    ¡°Yes!¡± he told me before the door closed.

    The night went on. I was alone in my cell. The Sisters came to empty my shit pot then left me to deal with my thoughts. Kristo came to get me out of this place. If there¡¯s anyone who¡¯d hate the Church more than I do, it would be Sam. And if the Hound had delayed my execution because of him, it would only mean that he succeeded.

    By the time roosters started crowing, I was dreaming. I saw myself in a small hut by the woods. A woman sat on a chair on the other side of the table. She¡¯d scattered some old bones, and now she was reading through them. I sat there quietly. I didn¡¯t believe in fortune telling. My men talked me into it, I remembered.

    ¡°You¡¯ve killed your first man when you were but a boy,¡± the woman said in her hoarse voice. She rolled the ¡°r¡± and emphasized the ¡°t¡±. Her smooth raven hair fell behind her shoulders. Her purple eyes looked at me. I didn¡¯t know what she thought of me. But I knew what I wanted from her.

    ¡°You live a violent life,¡± she went on. ¡°You¡¯re probably thinking of raping me right now. Your men would never listen to you. They¡¯d rather slit your throat here than lay a finger on me.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why anyone should fear you. From where I sit, your neck looks easy to break,¡± I said while smiling. I wasn¡¯t always like that. I had to pretend in order to blend in. Next thing I know, I wasn¡¯t pretending anymore.

    ¡°Your mother must miss you,¡± the fortune teller told me.

    ¡°My mother¡¯s dead,¡± I retorted. I felt anger building up.

    ¡°Your mother¡¯s been taken care of. That boy with fair skin still brings her medicine.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to take your word for it,¡± I mockingly commented.

    ¡°You can see for yourself,¡± she glanced at the bones then at me. Was she inviting me to look at my own fortune?

    ¡°Those bones belong to the dead,¡± I said. ¡°The dead don¡¯t talk!¡±

    ¡°Just look at them,¡± she urged. ¡°The witch you took to the island saw something in you. I see it now.¡±

    ¡°How do you know about that?¡± I¡¯ve never told any of my men about that episode of my life.

    ¡°Look at the bones Stalwart,¡± the fortune teller told me.

    I only glanced at them but what I saw made me look even more. I saw the oldest of my sisters, laughing as another man offered her flowers then kissed her on the cheek. I saw my friend helping my bedridden mother get up, made her drink the medicine then cleaned her frail body. My useless father was blindly looking for his bottle. He¡¯d just woken up.

    Tears trickled down my cheeks. The fortune teller had become a blur. I felt my men put their arms around mine and pull me away from the chair. I struggled and shouted, I wanted to see my family. I wanted to look at them, forever.

    ¡°Time to change your clothes Stalwart;¡± a woman¡¯s voice reached my ears.

    I looked around me and saw the cell. My bones ached and my heart bled. I was back to that depressing dump.

    ¡®Not for long!¡¯ I told myself.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked the Sister.

    ¡°Jory requires your presence,¡± the Sister answered. My heart sank.

    ¡°Has Eli come to see me when I was asleep?¡± I asked.

    ¡°For the last time Stalwart,¡± the Sister said as she covered my private parts with clean linen. ¡°No one¡¯s come to see you since you lost the fight. Jory wouldn¡¯t let them.¡± The Sister pitied me. I could feel it in her voice.

    ¡°You belong to him now Stalwart. You¡¯d better be a good boy. I don¡¯t like the sight of blood,¡± she told me as she helped me put my clothes on.

    I was led to a spacious dining room. A crystal chandelier hung on the ceiling. A solid oaken table stood between me and that piece of shit. He carefully cut his meat then picked it up with a silver fork. He looked at me, smiled then started chewing. I wished I could smash that round nose of his. I wished I could shatter his knee as he almost did to mine. Instead, I sat next to him when he invited me to.

    ¡°You look crestfallen Stalwart,¡± he said as he chewed on his rare meat. ¡°Cheer up kid. You¡¯d be dead if I didn¡¯t save you back then.¡±

    ¡®I wish I died back then,¡¯ I found myself thinking.

    ¡°The kindness you¡¯ve done me can never be repaid,¡± I said instead. I was taught these words by the Sisters. They warned me that he¡¯d cut my legs and keep using me if I refused to cooperate. I would¡¯ve chosen that, but I realized that the stupid smith was feeding me better than the Hound.

    ¡°The kindness I¡¯ve done you?¡± the smith scoffed. ¡°I paid a fortune to keep you alive. The Church wants you dead boy. Do you think the Hound would easily hand you over to me?¡±

    Meat was served on my plate. I couldn¡¯t look at the man. I feared revealing my rage and hate towards him. I didn¡¯t want him to suspect anything. I wanted to die. I never signed up for repetitive rape. And if I couldn¡¯t die, then I¡¯d kill everyone around me. I¡¯d burry this place underground or die trying. But I needed my strength to do so. There was a price I had to pay to kill Jory after all.

    ¡°Look at me when you¡¯re spoken to boy!¡± Jory violently stabbed the meat on my platter. The thought of shoving the silver knife in his eye was appealing. I fought hard to chase the angry thoughts away then looked at my captor, my tormentor.

    ¡°Apologies my lord,¡± I said. ¡°I had a nightmare. My thoughts are in shambles.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve learned to speak properly.¡± Jory smiled. He let go of the knife, picked another from the table then resumed eating. ¡°You should eat. I have a pleasant night planned for us.¡±

    I had no appetite, especially after thinking of what that man had in store for me. I reluctantly picked the knife, directed my anger at the piece of meat in front of me and chewed on it. I had to rebuild my strength.

    ¡°You still have to learn how to eat properly boy,¡± he said. He flicked his finger and a guard appeared next to me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hit the face,¡± he told the brute. ¡°It¡¯s already ugly as it is.¡±

    I felt the mail gauntlet strike my right ribs. I took the hit without flinching, lest another punch unleash hell upon me. It hurt but silence was better than groaning. The deranged smith smiled then dismissed the guard.

    ¡°Remember your manners boy, always!¡± he warned as he finished his plate. He stood up then left towards his study.

    ¡°Finish your meal. The guards will escort you to the garden. Today¡¯s a full moon. I hear our feral instinct becomes unstable during such nights. It shall be glorious!¡±

 29 - Find the Key Holder!

    Ulmir¡¯s Castle, Third day of the Contest.

    Myles sat in a small rectangular cell in the dungeons. The Aether root glowed above his head. Utar sat in front of him inspecting him with careful eyes. He was captured and escorted to the dungeons minutes before his fight.

    ¡°Here we are again Stalwart.¡± The High Priest looked angry. ¡°It seems trouble follows you everywhere you go.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I was brought here again,¡± he replied with a playful tone. ¡°You said I was innocent.¡±

    ¡°When I searched your memories before, I didn¡¯t see anything about a magical weapon. I bet your insolent smile will disappear after I get what I want from you.¡±

    ¡°Is - Is it about the sword?¡± Myles stuttered. ¡°I just found it on the ground, I swe-¡°

    ¡°Spare me your theatrics Stalwart,¡± the High Priest interrupted. ¡°The Empire suspects you. You¡¯ve been involved with some nasty business here in the Castle. It can¡¯t be just a coincidence.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything. I¡¯m just curious. Master always told me to mind my business.¡± Myles looked down, depressed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one more time,¡± Utar grabbed Myles by the throat. His pale skin, sharp cheekbones, coupled with the dark spots beneath his eyes, made him look like a horrifying ghost. ¡°How did you get the sword?¡±

    ¡°You can use that spell on me again,¡± Myles answered. ¡°You¡¯ll see that I¡¯m telling the truth.¡±

    ¡°I can do that. But I can also subject you to agonizing pain then use the spell to extract your memories.¡± Utar tightened his grip around Stalwart¡¯s neck. ¡°I¡¯m in a bad mood you see, I need to blow off some steam.¡±

    The High Priest let go of Myles then walked towards a wooden table behind him. ¡°Physical injuries can be healed. We just need to put you back in the tank and you¡¯ll instantly regenerate.¡±

    ¡°I told you the truth I promise,¡± Myles pleaded. ¡°I never met the sword¡¯s owner. I just found it there.¡±

    ¡°Why did you gift it to Vyk?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m nosy. I heard he knows things so I asked him about the intruder.¡± Myles legs were shaking. His gaze was fixated on Utar¡¯s legs.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use the sword yourself?¡± The High Priest sat back on his chair. He was holding an embalming tool. ¡°I think I¡¯ll start with your teeth, or fingernails. Oh better yet, let¡¯s see how you can handle your toenails being forcefully pulled away. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll do it as slowly as I possibly can.¡±

    Myles suddenly started howling in pain. ¡°It¡¯s just one fingernail. Wait till we go for the others. I bet it¡¯ll hurt!¡±

    The young man struggled to remain conscious. Utar grabbed him from the neck then slapped him a couple of times. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use the sword?¡±

    ¡°It was sealed with powerful magic. I was afraid it¡¯d kill me!¡± Myles struggled to find his words. He was panting, the pain he was experiencing was worse than he¡¯d anticipated. ¡°Master always told me not to relay on my Essence, says I have weak Conduits.¡± He felt another toenail being torn away then howled. His voice broke then he started coughing, wheezing.

    Utar slapped Stalwart then grabbed him by the chin. ¡°Stay with me, you still have answers to provide. Why did you offer that specific sword to Vyk?¡± He tore another fingernail, this time it was the big toe. Myles¡¯ screams echoed through the empty dungeon halls.

    ¡°He likes collecting trinkets. I was told he¡¯s a Rat or something.¡± Stalwart was struggling to keep his eyes open. He was forced awake by another spasm.

    Utar had pinched his finger a bit too tightly. He broke it.

    ¡°Last question, whether you go back into the vat depends on your honest answer. Failure to do so means you¡¯ll be delivered to my master. I¡¯m a kitten compared to him.¡±

    The High Priest clapped his hand to get the fainting Myles to concentrate. ¡°Have you ever seen a man with black eyes and golden rectangular pupils?¡±

    ¡°What nonsense is this? I¡¯m gonna die for a man with goat eyes?¡± Myles was talking to himself.

    ¡°ULMIR, IS THIS HOW YOU TREAT THE ONES FAITHFUL TO YOU? I THOUGHT WE WERE PROTECTED IN YOUR REALM. HOW WOULD YOU APPROVE OF THIS?¡±

    He fainted immediately after his outrage. Utar was at a loss for words. Myles had hit a nerve. If he captures the wrong person, his master will punish him severely. ¡°Take him away,¡± he ordered. ¡°Heal him then wipe his memory. We can¡¯t risk him running his mouth off. Send his avatar to the next stage¡¯s location. Keep his room shut and put extra guards near his original.¡±

    Stalwart was taken away. Utar sat in the cell. He felt rage building up. ¡°Darkstar, you¡¯re the reason behind my misery. I will not let you get away this time. I¡¯m not going to the Well!¡±

    ***

    The Citadel, Summer of the Red Moon. Inside the Emperor¡¯s Castle.

    Avourel sat on a solid mahogany chair ornamented with precious stones. The man, considered by many to be the most powerful ruler in Hera, was frowning. His brown hair had been perfectly swept upwards. His strong jaw and refined nose gave him an air of nobility. He wore black velvet with a crimson cape attached to his shoulders via golden threads. He wore multiple rings on his fingers, each ornamented by a gigantic precious stone.

    He was in the throne room. Tapestries, on which the sigil of the flying lion was sewn, hung on all the walls and pillars. The throne was erected atop marble stairs. Everyone who requested an audience with the Emperor had to stand below him.

    He was receiving guests, diplomats and wealthy merchants to discuss state matters. Since morning he¡¯s been listening to concerns regarding the rising taxes. A wealthy tailor by the name of Christopher Trebias was leaving the throne room as a raven haired woman stepped in. She was wearing a loose emerald silk dress. The dress had side openings that extended from her hips to the ground. Her chest was almost bare, save for the threads that struggled to hide her breasts.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    ¡°What kind of attire is this dear aunt?¡± Avourel asked as soon as the woman stopped below the stairs and curtsied.

    ¡°It¡¯s fashion, your grace. I happen to be face of fashionable women in the entire eastern continent. I must wear my own designs with pride. That¡¯s how I¡¯ve built my fortune.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you sent me that insufferable Trebias? He¡¯s been nagging about a riot in Bairn for weeks. He¡¯s even got some senator¡¯s head turned.¡±

    ¡°I have something to cheer you up,¡± the emperor¡¯s aunt said, a large smile drawn on her face. She moved aside then clapped her hands. A cloaked woman entered the room, knelt then removed her cloak.

    ¡°She¡¯s a spy who had brought important news. I urged her to deliver them to you herself.¡±

    ¡°Rise,¡± the emperor ordered.

    The woman rose. She was wearing beige pants tucked into black leather boots. The hood that used to conceal her face was taken off, revealing red hair. Freckles stained her round cheekbones. Her brown eyes shone a bright hopeful light. She was honored and glad to be in the emperor¡¯s presence, the most powerful man in the four continents.

    ¡°Speak,¡± the man she revered ordered.

    ¡°I managed to track the trail Master Rimbaldi provided me. It led to Cherza.¡±

    ¡°Why does my aunt feel it is vital that I know of this?¡±

    ¡°The man I tracked to Cherza is a smith. I couldn¡¯t sense any Essence in him, but his work is flawless. I bought a dagger from him and presented it to Master Rimbaldi. He says it¡¯s divine¡±

    Avourel rose from the throne then walked down the steps.  His crimson cape swept the floor as he slowly descended the marble stairs.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he was standing in front of her. His brown hair shone against the sunlight that found its way through the large windows of the throne room.

    ¡°Faith, your Imperial Majesty,¡± the spy answered then curtsied.

    Avourel chuckled. He held the spy from her chin and raised her head. ¡°You¡¯ve done well. Do you have a family in the Citadel?¡±

    ¡°I grew up in Brynsk your grace, a small town in the Kingdom of Vitia.¡± Faith looked at her emperor. She felt his strong hands holding her. She never thought she¡¯d be standing before him one day.

    ¡°Your family will be provided for and moved to the Citadel. Contact the scientists, they will send you to Cherza well-equipped. I want everything directly reported to me. If the smith sneezes I want to know. If he shows attachment to anyone, I want to know of it. I want to know where he drinks, where he spends his days and nights. I want detailed reports of his every move, is that clear?¡±

    ¡°Yes your grace.¡±

    ¡°Leave,¡± Avourel released his grip on the girl.

    He turned to look at his aunt and her revealing outfit. ¡°You are invited to dinner at my table tonight.¡± The woman bowed then left the room.

    The emperor walked back up the steps, picked up his crown then turned to look at his minister. ¡°Who else is on the list?¡±

    ¡°No one your grace, we¡¯re done for the day. There¡¯s a report from General Bradford in your study.¡±

    ¡°Very well, I shall get to it.¡±

    Later that day, Avourel met with his aunt around dinner.

    ¡°Any news from Utar,¡± he asked as soon as she arrived.

    ¡°He says the boy is just an improbable coincidence. He searched his soul. He has never seen your face before.¡±

    ¡°What about our soldiers?¡±

    ¡°Utar sent some samples to Rimbaldi. He says they belong to the same person who caused a mess in the Gardens. Utar suspects he was also behind the destruction of the Faery Plains.¡±

    ¡°Have you found out anything on your own?¡± the emperor cut the boneless chicken on his plate and started eating.

    ¡°I have,¡± the woman answered. ¡°I¡¯m certain you will not like it.¡±

    ¡°Go on,¡± Avourel urged before he took another bite.

    ¡°The readings Rimbaldi got from the samples he received from Ulmir¡¯s Domain match those of the individual the press started calling the Devil with Black Eyes.¡±

    ¡°How could you be so sure?¡±

    ¡°I took a sample myself after the revolt five years ago.¡±

    The emperor stopped eating. He looked at his aunt with fury in his eyes.

    ¡°Something¡¯s not right,¡± he finally said after a long silence. ¡°Contact Utar again, have him open another portal. I want you in there, you¡¯re a better tracker than that lunatic.¡±

    ¡°He will not approve,¡± the woman protested.

    ¡°And I will take the blame for it. I have a bad feeling about this. First our soldiers are killed. Then we see a ghost in a Contest that¡¯s dangerously low on contestants. And then you inform me that this Darkstar Utar is obsessed with might be the Devil we¡¯re after. Do you really believe this to be a coincidence?¡± he was standing now, banging on the mahogany table. His hair had become messy and his clothes displaced.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t your grace. I¡¯ll contact Utar right away.¡± Agatha stood up then made for the door.

    ¡°Stay,¡± the emperor shouted before his aunt reached the exit. ¡°Let¡¯s have a pleasant dinner first, as family. We haven¡¯t had one of those in ages.¡±

    ***

    Back in the Castle, Utar was interrogating Vyk. The man had encountered Zedd before. The High Priest saw it in his memories. He was trying to understand when the famous thief and collector met his nemesis. He needed to know if it was before or after the Faery Plains were destroyed.

    ¡°So my suspicions were right!¡± he said after he was done inspecting the thief. ¡°He was resting when you lot ambushed him. You don¡¯t steal from a man like him.¡±

    He was pacing around the little cell, organizing his thoughts. ¡°Perhaps the Lizards got him. Even I can¡¯t beat them if they attack in great numbers. Maybe that¡¯s how Stalwart happened upon his weapon. Lizards don¡¯t like weapons that are imbued with magic.¡±

    A knock on the cell¡¯s door interrupted his chain of thought. ¡°WHAT?¡± he shouted in anger.

    Javad entered the room then knelt. ¡°Your Reverend, we have a situation at the Castle!¡± the short man announced.

    ¡°What situation?¡± Utar aggressively shot at the Priest. ¡°What can¡¯t wait until I¡¯m done with my interrogation?¡±

    ¡°The ch-ch-champions¡¯ avatars have d-d-disappeared,¡± the Priest said. His knees were shaking.

    ¡°What do you mean disappeared? Where?¡± the High Priest held Javad by the collar then elevated him toward his face. He was dangling in the air. ¡°WHERE?!¡±

    ¡°We d-d-don¡¯t know, Y-Y-Your Reverend., their originals a-a-are still asleep in their t-t-tankers.¡± By the time he stammered out his answer, the Priest had wet his pants.

    Just as Utar was about to shout out more insults at Javad, a guard came running to the cell. ¡°Your Reverend, the Monitor! It shows all the champions!¡±

    The High Priest let go of Javad then strode out of the cell. ¡°Clean this mess up and lock him inside,¡± he ordered as he left the dungeons. With quick steps, Utar made for the Champions¡¯ Lounge. He reached the spacious lounge to see a shadow sitting on the throne.

    ¡°What¡¯s this High Priest?!¡± the shadow asked.

    Utar looked at the Monitor. Sixteen Champions sat in a room, around a long wooden table. They all looked as confused as the High Priest. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± he whispered, incredulous.

    ¡°Welcome dear Champions,¡± a feminine voice was heard saying. The shadow at the throne grunted. Utar¡¯s heart jumped. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all confused, asking yourselves, what happened to good old Utar? Well, tell ya what! I took over!¡±

    The shadow stood from the throne then approached Utar. ¡°I can¡¯t enter the realm High Priest. Whoever stole your champions is in there with them.¡±

    ¡°Mercy my Lord,¡± Utar dropped to his knees. If he could touch the dark shadow, he¡¯d kiss its feet.

    ¡°I heard you captured someone for interrogation. There should be fifteen champions in there. Find that woman before I can break into the barrier that blocks me from reaching you.¡± The shadow disappeared, leaving Utar frantic.  He looked at the screen again. The woman¡¯s voice was still talking.

    ¡°I¡¯ve come up with the best contest there is. We¡¯ll play a game of hide and seek!¡± the woman chuckled. She seemed to enjoy herself a little too much. ¡°Ulmir¡¯s domain has a hidden door you see. I¡¯ve led you all through it while your High Priest was busy on some goose chase. Today, your worthless lives belong to me!¡±

    The woman broke into uncontrollable laughter. ¡°Only one of you is allowed to leave, unless you show me how brave you are.

    ¡°You¡¯ll live here for seven days. During one week, your job will be to find the key holder. There¡¯s a way out for all of you, you see. But it¡¯s inside one of you. Only he or she knows about it, the rest of you don¡¯t.

    ¡°Find the key holder. Kill him, or her, then you can all leave together. Or hold on to the key and survive for seven days. If the key holder survives one week, then he or she will leave while you become my food!¡±

    As if the day couldn¡¯t get any worse, a guard burst into the room again.

    ¡°Your Reverend,¡± he knelt then removed his helmet.

    ¡°What?!¡± the High Priest turned, exasperated.

    ¡°We inspected the bodies in the tankers, they¡¯re not the originals. She swapped them before taking them there.¡± The guard pointed at the room on the Monitor.

 30 - Find the Key Holder - Part 2

    Ulmir¡¯s Domain, Fourth Day of the Contest.

    Beware the mysterious key holder,

    To him, you¡¯re only cannon fodder.

    He can leave in a week,

    Unless you get Him to speak.

    Loosen his tongue a little,

    Leave this realm after you solve the riddle.

    But meals you cannot miss,

    Lest death offers you one last kiss.

    Heed my words oh chosen ones,

    For they will be spoken only once.

    I¡¯ll make you plump and juicy,

    For with food I am very choosey.

    Weapons inside the mansion are forbidden,

    Leave the house, seek the one chosen.

    Find the key holder,

    Lest you serve as cannon fodder.

    The song finished and the woman¡¯s voice faded away. Everyone looked at each other with careful eyes. Food was served in front of them. Myles was the first to dive in.

    ¡°How can you be so calm after hearing what she¡¯s told us?¡± one of the champions addressed Stalwart.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry, my body¡¯s only fed on that liquid they covered us with,¡± Myles answered in between mouthfuls.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± a woman asked.

    ¡°Those who can control the Essence in their Conduits can tell you. We¡¯re using our original bodies, not the avatars.¡±

    Myles declaration caused quite the uproar. Everybody was checking whether or not they could use their Essence. As soon as one of the champions realized he could use magic, he jumped at Stalwart.

    ¡°You seem to be awfully calm about this whole mess. I¡¯d say you¡¯re the one carrying that so called key!¡± The champion made to attack. He conjured an illusory sword then plunged it at Myles but his head exploded into tiny bits before the weapon could land a hit.

    ¡°No weapons in the mansion!¡± Myles declared. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear her words? I suggest everybody calms down and eats something to regain some energy. I bet we¡¯ll need it.¡±

    ¡°Where the fuck are we?¡± a woman with silver hair screamed.

    ¡°We¡¯re in uncharted territory,¡± a white haired man answered. ¡°Lord Ulmir¡¯s punishing us for allowing outsiders inside the realm!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it got to do with us?¡± the woman retorted. ¡°It was the chancellor¡¯s decision, and Viraldo. The coward! Why¡¯re we being punished for it?¡±

    ¡°Cannon fodder!¡± This time, it was a man with slick black hair that spoke. He had dark, thick sideburns. He was wearing a long black leather coat and brown leather armor underneath ring mail. He wore green eye shadow. His pink cheekbones made him look rather peculiar.

    ¡°Ulmir wants to make a point to his Priests and people. The whole world¡¯s watching us. We¡¯ve set our own Lord against us by allowing strangers into his realm.¡±

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Greta asked.

    ¡°We find the key holder,¡± Myles said in a manner that suggested it was a simple matter. ¡°One of us must make a sacrifice to the Hunter God. Whoever holds that key is requested to step forward, offer his soul to our Lord and Savior, and get us out of here. The Hunter God¡¯s anger will subside and we¡¯ll be allowed to resume our Contest. How about it?¡±

    Stalwart smiled at the fourteen contestants.

    ¡°How do we know it¡¯s not you?¡± the old man who spoke before asked. ¡°Rebeus had a point. You seem awfully calm about this whole mess we¡¯re in.¡± He was speaking of the man whose head had just exploded into tiny pieces.

    The other champions nodded in agreement. Some of them, especially the woman with silver hair, shot him a dark look.

    ¡°I¡¯m being rational,¡± Myles answered. ¡°I do not have the key. So instead of getting worked up, I¡¯m stuffing myself before I go looking for the key holder. Nothing was said about the use of violence outside the mansion. If the key holder doesn¡¯t step forward, I¡¯ll make sure I get it out of him, or her when the doors open.¡±

    ¡°Blondie¡¯s right,¡± the woman¡¯s voice, their captor, echoed in the mansion halls. ¡°Besides, if you make it to lunch alive, I¡¯ll give you a hint regarding the key holder.¡± The woman laughed teasingly then her voice faded away.

    The white haired man started eating and the rest followed. Cane observed Myles with careful eyes. This situation wasn¡¯t discussed when they planned for the Hunt. He was improvising, and the big bear didn¡¯t know whether he spoke truly or he was bluffing. He didn¡¯t wish to lose his life. The way he looked at it, only one survivor would be allowed to leave the mansion.

    After the fifteen champions ate to their fill, the doors leading outside sprung open. Myles stood, looked at everyone then said. ¡°We can resolve this situation quickly if one of us can perform a Soul Search spell.¡±

    Everybody looked around waiting for someone to say they do, but nobody spoke. ¡°A shame,¡± the white haired man finally said. ¡°I have another proposition.¡± The champions looked at the old man with expecting eyes.

    ¡°We¡¯ll all walk outside in an orderly fashion. We¡¯ll each present ourselves then subject ourselves to a full body search. We¡¯ll ensure no one leaves unless he or she has been thoroughly searched.¡±

    ¡°Excellent idea!¡± the man with black slick hair commented. ¡°Let the old perverted freak lay his shriveled fingers all over your body.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± a woman, wearing an emerald cloak, asked.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I say only one of us can leave this place alive,¡± the man answered. ¡°It¡¯s like the Contest, only this time, death really counts. The winner would be the one who manages to kill everyone. He¡¯s bound to find the key eventually!¡±

    ¡°Yer mad!¡± Cane interjected. ¡°We can leave this place together, given we use our brains!¡±

    ¡°Coming from a hulking brute!¡± the slick haired man scoffed. ¡°Only thing you seem capable of is using your fists.¡±

    ¡°Wanna try ¡®em on?¡± Cane strode toward slick hair.

    ¡°Be my guest,¡± he mockingly answered. ¡°I¡¯d be glad to see if you¡¯ve actually got brains after your head explodes!¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± the woman in the emerald cloak intervened. ¡°I¡¯m with white hair. We shall agree to a full search.¡±

    ¡°Name¡¯s Guss,¡± the old man interrupted.

    The woman briefly looked at Guss then went on: ¡°Women will search women and men will do the same for each other. The key holder will be dealt with and we¡¯ll leave this dreadful place.¡±

    Everyone seemed to agree to this plan except slick hair. They all left the mansion then stood in a circle outside.

    ¡°I¡¯m Myles,¡± the man with dark blond hair said then stepped forward. ¡°Since you all suspect me, I reckon I should go first.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Guss,¡± the white haired man said then stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ll search you.¡±

    After a careful examination, Guss let go of Stalwart then declared, ¡°he¡¯s clean.¡± Myles stood back within the circle and allowed the rest to be searched. Cane came next and was declared clean. Guss was searched as well. Then came the woman wearing an emerald cloak.

    ¡°I¡¯m Vivian,¡± she said as she stepped forward.

    ¡°And I¡¯m Rose,¡± the woman with silver hair said. ¡°I¡¯ll do the inspection.¡±

    Both women examined each other and came out clean. When the slick haired man¡¯s turn came up, he announced his name. ¡°Name¡¯s Vegat! I¡¯m not your man!¡± he announced as he stepped forward.

    As soon as Guss approached him however, Vegat bolted. He mumbled some spell and a force shockwave blasted the champions away, allowing him to get away. He ran towards the woods that surrounded the mansion.

    ¡°Sounds like trouble!¡± the woman, their captor¡¯s voice reached their ears. She spoke in a teasing tone. ¡°Better go after him!¡±

    Myles sprung back to his feet then went after Vegat. The rest of the champions followed suit.

    ¡°Let¡¯s split up,¡± Guss suggested. ¡°We¡¯ll have a better chance finding him if we cover up more ground.¡±

    Everybody seemed to agree with the old man. Each ran in a different direction. Those who took the same path teamed up, looking for the one they suspected as the key holder. Myles ran towards the thick trees that surrounded the mansion then stopped. He closed his eyes then activated his senses to pinpoint Cane¡¯s location. He knew his Essence Print now. He could find him wherever he went.

    A moment later, he caught up to the big bear then intercepted him.

    ¡°What happened ter not bein¡¯ seen together?¡±

    ¡°What happened? You mean aside from being captured by an unknown entity?¡±

    ¡°What d¡¯ya mean?¡±

    ¡°I was visited by a Maron a few nights ago. She invaded my dreams but I thought she worked for Utar.¡±

    ¡°I dunno what the fuck yer talkin¡¯ about! Speak words I can understand.¡±

    ¡°Marons are powerful entities. They¡¯re not linked to the Hunter God. In fact, they used to be his sworn enemies.¡± Myles walked to a tree then punched a hole in it. The hole immediately reconstructed. ¡°We¡¯re trapped in an illusion somewhere inside the Castle. Utar won¡¯t find us on time.¡±

    ¡°All we gotta do is catch that bastard Vetor right?¡±

    ¡°Vegat,¡± Myles corrected. ¡°It¡¯s not as simple as you think.¡±

    ¡°What d¡¯ya mean?¡±

    ¡°Before we were abducted, I kinda got in trouble with Utar. I dragged another champion along with me, to get me out of trouble.¡± Myles was pacing back and forth between two trees.

    ¡°So? How ¡®s it complicatin¡¯ things?¡±

    ¡°The champion I dragged along was still detained in the dungeons when we got here, I¡¯m sure about it. There should be fifteen champions in here, not sixteen.¡±

    ¡°So whoever trapped us here¡¯s with us?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m quite certain yes,¡± Myles answered. He was still pacing back and forth between the trees. It made Cane nervous.

    ¡°Can¡¯t it be this Vegat fella?¡± Cane blurted out. ¡°Ya saw him, he just took off.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s a she. Whatever reason she has for hiding, she doesn¡¯t want to reveal her true identity to the world. So she ran, at the cost of being suspected.¡±

    ¡°Then who¡¯s the key holder?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to ask you about,¡± Myles retorted. He stopped his pacing then approached Cane. ¡°I¡¯ve been in detention ever since I arrived to the Castle. You on the other hand, were on the clear. You must know most champions who cleared the preliminaries.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember most faces,¡± Cane said, dejected.

    ¡°We¡¯ll wait for lunch time here. There¡¯s no reason to rush after Vegat. If they find her, they¡¯ll kill her and that¡¯s that. They won¡¯t find the key then get back to square one.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go find Greta,¡± Cane announced. ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing ya at lunch.¡±

    Myles sat under one of the trees then closed his eyes. ¡°Suit yourself. You¡¯ll only be wasting precious energy.¡±

    The big bear bolted away, looking for the woman with no ears. Stalwart sat under the tree, pricking his ears for suspicious sounds. Hours went by in silence. Myles heard the occasional shouting of the champions in the distance.

    They¡¯d been on the slick haired woman¡¯s trail for hours. They must¡¯ve crossed path with her since Myles heard cries then explosions. People shouted in frustration after the explosion echoed. Myles assumed they¡¯d lost the woman¡¯s trail again. That was the only unusual sound he¡¯d heard before lunchtime. Myles sat in complete silence until he felt his body become unusually light.

    Next thing he knew, he was sitting at the long table. Only twelve champions remained. Myles let out a sigh of relief when he saw Cane and Greta sitting side by side on the table. Vegat was present too, to most champions¡¯ surprise.

    ¡°You evaded death quite admirably,¡± the woman¡¯s voice rung in the champions¡¯ ears. ¡°Remember, no fighting¡¯s allowed in the mansion.¡±

    Guss, who was about to hurl himself at the key holder, stopped dead in his tracks. Food magically appeared on the table, roasted chicken, grilled basilisk meat, Buffalo wings and so much more.

    ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy the feast before we discuss the clues shall we?¡± the woman asked as the twelve remaining champions looked at each other suspiciously.

    Myles was the first one to dig in again. Everyone else looked at him devouring a Buffalo wing. He didn¡¯t seem to care about what happened that morning at all.

    ¡°Why are you still not concerned?¡± Guss asked.

    ¡°Whoever¡¯s trapping us here clearly wants us to kill each other. You all panicked when Vegat ran away, assuming she¡¯s got the key ¨C Oups, did I just say she?¡±

    Vegat turned beet red. Guss turned around to look at the slick haired woman.

    ¡°What do you mean she?¡± Rose, the silver haired woman, asked.

    ¡°Inspect her if you want, Miss Rose,¡± Myles replied. ¡°You¡¯ll understand why Miss Vegat had to run away. I just don¡¯t understand why she¡¯d risk her life over public exposure. It certainly is better than death.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± Vegat cried out.

    ¡°No!¡± Myles stood up. ¡°We¡¯re all trapped here, with no way out unless we work together. And you just wasted half a day for all of us. You even got three of us killed. For what? You afraid your lord father would find out you¡¯ve been disguised as a boy all your life?¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s this going Myles?¡± Vivian asked.

    ¡°The rules are simple,¡± Stalwart replied. ¡°We don¡¯t fight inside the mansion. This is a test for our brains. Instead of using force to flush the key holder out, we should stay indoors, talk it out. The secret traitor¡¯s tongue will slip, make a mistake. And we¡¯ll be there to kill him or her, then get out of this place.¡±

    ¡°Keep watch on everyone,¡± Vivian commented. ¡°That might work.¡±

    ¡°How do you suggest we get this key holder to slip his tongue?¡± Guss asked.

    ¡°We each speak of our preliminary fights,¡± Myles answered. ¡°Tell us how it went and how you succeeded. The others will be able to confirm your whereabouts before and after the fight. We were all kept under watchful eyes. If the story doesn¡¯t add up, then we¡¯ve found our key holder.¡±

    ¡°You start!¡± Rose said. The silver haired woman didn¡¯t trust Myles and did everything to show it. ¡°You¡¯ve been apprehended by guards twice! Mind telling us why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a funny story really.¡±

    Myles told the other champions his story, including the token Utar offered him and the erotic dream he had. Little did they know, the Photons relayed their images to the whole Kozagan Desert. Everybody learned of his torture at Utar¡¯s hands. He was about to tell them about Vyk and their second torture when the woman spoke.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got a smart one here, kudos to you!¡± Myles stopped talking. Everybody listened to the woman speaking.

    ¡°Time for a little hint, I¡¯d even throw in a little surprise for all of you. There are two keys in this place. One is with the key holder. I hid the other somewhere, perhaps inside the mansion, or in the forest around it. I can¡¯t seem to remember.¡±

    ¡°What kinda game are ya playin¡¯?¡± Cane cried out. ¡°Lord Ulmir knows of this?!¡±

    ¡°Your God has nothing to do with this boy!¡± The woman¡¯s voice changed into a hissing whisper. ¡°You¡¯ve played long enough in this realm of mine! It¡¯s time I had some fun.¡± The woman chuckled then added. ¡°Find the second key and you¡¯ll be out of here when the week ends. You won¡¯t even need to find the key holder!¡±

 31 - Priest Utar

    Helton City, The Crucible, Summer of the Blond Moon, Several Years Ago.

    I was sitting in my cell when the guards came in. I was to be escorted to Jory¡¯s quarters. He lived in the Crucible¡¯s farthest, and smallest, wing. The Hound knew of his fetishes. I heard the guards say it the other day at my door. I couldn¡¯t sleep so their conversation caught my bored ears.

    They said the Hound let me become Jory¡¯s puppet as long as the smith kept me alive. On second thought, it was stupid of them to discuss such things near my cell. Perhaps they didn¡¯t think I was capable of rebelling. But I¡¯ve had enough. I could deal with torture, but not this miserable life.

    Three guards were taking me to Jory. The smith had even loosened his grip around me. He used to have six guards escorting me. After I became docile, he started allowing me more freedom. I was bidding my time, observing everything around me. I didn¡¯t want to leave the place no, I wanted to satiate this rage that¡¯s been gnawing at my insides.

    Not tonight!

    I mentally repeated, over and over, as I followed the guards toward the accursed wing. We walked through narrow corridors then up serpentine stairs. I grew quite accustomed to the road I took every day. You see, I was to be kept in the deepest dungeon of the Crucible. I was presumed dead, nobody was supposed to see me wandering the halls.

    Luckily for the smith, the wing he occupied in the Crucible was near the Asylum, a sealed building. Nobody dared enter the place without permission from the Hound himself. I was kept underneath the Asylum. Every night, the smith would send his men to fetch me then lead me to his chambers.

    Jory had it all, a spacious study filled with forgotten books, a private garden in which he conducted his rather secret affairs. He even had his own torture chamber. But he never thought of keeping me inside his wing.

    He must have had an ulterior motive for this. His reputation as an exceptional smith and conman was what assured him a place inside the Crucible, a place forged in fire and solidified by an influential network. He wouldn¡¯t mindlessly decide to keep me beneath the Asylum.

    ¡°Jory¡¯s got a guest today,¡± one of the guards told me as we walked through the empty corridors of the Asylum. He wore simple brown studded leather armor. He rubbed his hands against his arms, as if hugging himself then continued. ¡°You¡¯re to show your best behavior tonight. You might even earn an early release to your cell, Jory¡¯s words.¡±

    ¡°Master will not be disappointed,¡± I answered.

    Whenever we walked through the Asylum, I could hear wind howling through the barren walls and empty cells. Night after night, the howling of the wind intensified. Tonight, the air was exceptionally cool. The guards must have noticed it too for they quickened their pace.

    ¡°This place gives me the willies,¡± one guard said. I looked at him. He was shivering. He quickened his pace and we all followed. His leather boots hit the cobbled floor quite furiously.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why master doesn¡¯t keep this brat in his own cells,¡± another guard spoke. He shot me a dark look. I looked down, gritting my teeth. I wanted to rip their throats and feast on their blood.

    ¡°I¡¯m even surprised the kid hasn¡¯t offed himself yet,¡± the third guard told the others. ¡°We¡¯re better off without him. I really hate coming through this haunted crazy house every night.¡±

    ¡°I say we off him here and now, tell Jory he tried to escape,¡± one of them suggested.

    The three of them stopped then looked at me. I could tell what they were thinking. Their eyes studied me with great interest, as if they¡¯d seen salvation in me.

    ¡°That¡¯s actually not bad. We¡¯ll stay in the warm tower, wasting our money on whores and ale.¡± The guard who first spoke to me laughed. He slowly walked towards me while his hand drew a hunting knife from his boots. ¡°How do you reckon we should do it?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s rough him up a little, say he put up a fight,¡± another guard stood to my right then cracked his fingers.

    I walked back trying to buy some time. I could disarm the guard, take his hunting knife. I¡¯d be able to kill one or two but the third would finish me. I was surrounded and backed into a corner. The three guards had forced me into an old cell in the Asylum. Its broken window allowed the icy wind inside.

    The first punch emptied air from my stomach. I groaned in pain but didn¡¯t fall.

    ¡°What an ugly bastard!¡± one of the guards shouted before kicking me in the ribs. I couldn¡¯t breathe. I fell to my knees, struggling to find some air. It felt like all air had vanished from around me, deserted me. I inhaled but couldn¡¯t seem to feel anything fill my lungs.

    Another punch to my face placated me to the ground. The icy floor brought my senses back. I could breathe again. I could feel the cold cobble stones sticking to my tongue. I even saw my frosty breath in the air.

    ¡°One eyed freak!¡± then another kick hit me in the stomach.

    Despite the visible cold, I didn¡¯t feel any of it. They say people feel cold when they¡¯re about to die. I lay on my back, watching the guards leaning towards me. One of them grabbed me by the collar then pressed his sharp knife against my throat.

    ¡°Any last word puppet?¡± he asked as he got ready to finish me.

    ¡°What the?¡± one guard squealed.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    The guards turned around to see a ghost. Well I thought it was a ghost at first, given her ethereal form.

    A woman floated above us all. We could see her naked body solidifying. Her transparent arms became solid ice. Her naked torso glistened as the yellow moonlight reflected on it. To me, she looked like the light at the end of the tunnel, my salvation.

    I heard the guards scream. There was a thud beside me. I turned to see a decapitated arm, firmly clutching a sword beside me. The guard¡¯s head fell on my laps. The other two tried to escape but met with the same fate. I looked up in horror at the ghost that had just slaughtered three guards. I wasn¡¯t a superstitious person, but I¡¯ve encountered this kind of powers before. I¡¯ve seen it destroy lives before my very eyes once.

    The woman was gone. I was sitting in a pool of blood, holding someone¡¯s head above my legs. A high, shrill scream tore me out of my daze. A sister looked at me in horror then darted towards the Asylum¡¯s exit.

    A click clack sound echoed in the empty Asylum¡¯s corridors as the sister ran to inform her master. Something strange saved my life that day. But I took the blame for killing the guards. Jory was furious.

    What pushed the sister to go through the Asylum that night? That was something I found out about later. For the first time in years, I considered myself lucky.

    Jory ordered the sisters to take care of me. Later, I heard he threw the guards at the dungeons and at the Asylum¡¯s door to the Pit. It was punishment for letting this happen. Some weren¡¯t even on duty that night, but Jory¡¯s fury knew no bounds. He¡¯d sent half his men to the Pits that day.

    They¡¯d become just like me, knowing that made me feel happy. I¡¯m not denying it, I loved hearing of their defeat and agonizing deaths. The sister who chanced upon us that night told me. She became my new friend in that god forsaken place. She was sad most times, but she spoke to me.

    I was thoroughly cleaned, my beard was shaved and I even wore perfume that night. Jory had a guest that requested to see me. He should¡¯ve punished me that day, but his guest insisted I were present during dinner.

    When I was led to the dining room, I saw Jory fervently discussing some subject with his guest. He was a tall muscular man. He wore a long silk, sleeveless white kaftan. His white hair was pomaded backwards. He had sharp cheekbones and hollow eyes. The moment he laid eyes on me, he made a disgusted face.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t remember him to be this ugly!¡±

    The smith turned silent then shot me a vicious look. He then smiled at me and invited me to sit. His expression had instantly and drastically changed. He spoke to me as though I were an honored guest.

    ¡°Mr. Stalwart, meet Priest Utar,¡± Jory pointed at his guest. ¡°I trust you know him already.¡±

    How could I forget the man who threw me to this hell? I hated everything about him. From his sharp cheekbones to his hollow eyes, the man put fear in my soul. I saw him smile. His jaundiced teeth brought back awful memories.

    ¡°I paid Avalange a visit this morning. Imagine my surprise when I found out you were still alive,¡± Utar spoke to me. He was inspecting me with his eyes. ¡°It seems what Jory¡¯s done to you is far worse than death.¡± He chuckled, lightly and continuously. I felt chills run down my spine.

    I was scared. My feet were shaking. My bladder had suddenly decided it wanted to burst. I looked away, trying to avoid his calculating gaze. Then I saw a young man sitting beside the Priest. He wore simple black attire. I didn¡¯t know if I saw pity or mockery in his eyes. Utar saw that I¡¯d noticed the young man.

    ¡°I trust you recognize this young man, Stalwart,¡± the Priest said. ¡°When I heard you still lived, a brilliant idea came to mind.¡±

    Jory was eagerly listening to the Priest. From the happy expression he wore on his face, I knew he wasn¡¯t in trouble. This could only mean that my misery was about to turn into despair.

    ¡°Look at this young man Stalwart, perhaps you¡¯d forgotten him. Who would blame you? You haven¡¯t seen him in ages.¡±

    That face looked familiar. It felt like I¡¯ve seen him somewhere before, but I couldn¡¯t really tell where or when. The young man looked down. He was nervously fidgeting with his black clothes. I dug deeper in my memories, trying to remember who he was.

    ¡°Perhaps with a little help, let me refresh your memories. What was the last place you visited before my men caught up with you?¡±

    Although a few months had passed since I was captured by the Church, to me it felt like years. So many horrible things had happened. I couldn¡¯t recall where I was before my capture.

    ¡°Forgive him, Father.¡± Jory gave me a little nudge under the table. ¡°The boy seems to have forgotten how to use his tongue.¡±

    ¡°I heard he caused quite the commotion before we arrived,¡± the Priest commented.

    ¡°Speak boy,¡± Jory said with clenched teeth.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Father,¡± I finally answered. ¡°I can¡¯t seem to recall who the young man beside you is.¡±

    ¡°Splendid,¡± Utar cried out. ¡°You¡¯ve taught him some manners.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like insolent and rude playthings Father. I had to beat some sense into him, the old fashioned way.¡± Jory was boasting, his chest was puffed up like a proud peacock. ¡°They all struggle at first. But I like breaking the tough ones. The more they struggle, the better!¡±

    Utar laughed then turned to look at the young man beside him. ¡°Go on, tell him who you are.¡±

    ¡°Myles,¡± the young man spoke for the first time. ¡°It¡¯s me, Sam.¡±

    The name echoed in my head. I felt weak in the knees. My stomach turned. Cold sweat broke down my spine. Hazed memories came back to me, of a friend I once considered a brother.

    I remembered him visiting me in prison. I remembered him hiding me from the Church. I remembered him going out during curfew to fetch us some food. I remembered the Custodians¡¯ whistle and how my best friend was caught and tortured.

    ¡°Mr Kristo here, led you to us Mr Stalwart. You can blame the death of your family and your loved one on him,¡± Utar spoke. ¡°When I heard you were still alive, I thought it would be brilliant if I¡¯d shown you the man behind your capture and misery. He¡¯s a member of our Church now.¡±

    The hateful Priest smiled then leaned on the table. He looked blissful, abnormally happy. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it a brilliant idea Jory?¡±

    The smith nodded, a bit too fervently.

    ¡°What do you think Stalwart? I personally think of myself as the genius of my age!¡±

    ¡°I personally think you¡¯re the strongest Priest in Hera,¡± Sam spoke. His voice pierced through me like sharp needles. ¡°They should make you Prince.¡±

    I felt my heart beating faster. All the anger and the rage I had tried to control surfaced back at once. I struggled to remain seated. That Priest was bad news. I swore I¡¯d exact my revenge one day. But I just couldn¡¯t act immediately. Utar had some supernatural powers. I¡¯ve seen him use them before. I was no match for him.

    The Priest heartily laughed. Sam looked at me with misty eyes. I knew it was pity then. The bastard sold me off then pitied me. I wished he¡¯d taken my place. He would know that the look he wore didn¡¯t help calm my anger.

    ¡°This man here killed three of my guards today,¡± Jory told the Priest.

    ¡°Naughty boy,¡± Utar replied. He picked up a bunch of grapes and started popping them in his mouth. ¡°What do you plan on doing Jory?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you a favor. It would help teach this insolent boy a lesson.¡±

    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± the Priest seemed to enjoy the conversation, as long as it revolved around my suffering.

    ¡°Could you possibly help me hire that famous herbologist?¡±

    ¡°I could,¡± Utar answered. ¡°But you¡¯ll have to tell me what you have in store for this poor soul.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps after dinner, over a cup of tea?¡± the smith proposed.

    Utar let out a mischievous smile then nodded. ¡°Very well, now would you please take this eyesore away? I can¡¯t stand the look on his eye!¡±

 32 - Augustine Pickerin

    The Crucible, Summer of the Blond Moon. Several Years Ago.

    Six guards escorted me back to my cell. Security had been tightened around me once more. I was led to my cell then two Sisters came to undress and clean me. I was tied up of course. I wasn¡¯t allowed to be close to any sharp object. After I¡¯ve been cleaned and changed, guards tied me up to my bed.

    Sleep wouldn¡¯t come.

    I found myself thinking of my best friend. I was furious. I haven¡¯t felt that way since Utar captured me. You see, I¡¯m guilty of a crime I didn¡¯t even know I committed. Five years ago, I ran with a band of mercenaries, The Jolly Riders. We were a bunch of misfits, young and angry. Society had forsaken us. Leader brought us together.

    I was banned from my native city, never to step foot in it again. Leader found me at the border to the Akari Kingdom. It was a much bigger and stronger nation back then. They were fighting a new rising power; a country called Auruun. They declared themselves empire but the world wasn¡¯t willing to accept it yet. We were hired to repel a regiment while a certain baron made his escape to the capital.

    The city in which the battle took place had been raided by the opposing forces. It was no village really. Under the reign of the baron, the place had flourished. It became an important trading crossroad. High walls surrounded he city, defending it from invaders.

    Even that didn¡¯t stop Aurunn. They sacked and pillaged, raped and drank to their fill. Their lieutenant was a ruthless man. He believed that in order to get his men to follow his every command, he was to satisfy their thirst in every possible way.

    Leader was a cunning strategist. He poisoned the ale reserves and burned the city¡¯s grains. The regiment had to face us in battle if they didn¡¯t wish to starve inside the city¡¯s enclosed walls. We were outnumbered three to one, but we came out victorious.

    It was during that battle that everything I touched started turning to ash. I had a lover you see. We were allowed to have one as long as we held an important position within the Jolly Riders. She was the most beautiful girl I¡¯ve ever laid eyes on. Her name was Elleandor and I fell in love with her at first sight.

    During the battle, we managed to break through the city. I taught Elleandor to fight. She rode beside me that day when we broke through the city¡¯s defenses. Little did we know, the Lieutenant had a surprise for us. A cannon shot was heard as soon as we set foot inside he large plaza. I fell off my horse and lost sight of her.

    I remember shouting Elle, while I frantically turned around me. I prayed she¡¯d survived the ambush. A large pillar had fallen after the explosion. It cut the plaza in two halves. I had to run to the other side to look for my beloved. I killed everything that came my way. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ve done it. My mind could only think of retrieving her.

    When I finally reached the other side, I heard her screams emanating from inside a house. I kicked the door open to see at least a dozen of my own men trying to have their way with her.

    I wouldn¡¯t allow it!

    I was captain of the rear guard. My commands were not to be ignored. But they were twelve, emboldened by the promise of a warm hole to let their babies loose in. They all rushed at me, I slaughtered the lot. Leader wouldn¡¯t approve of this. I killed my fellow men for a slave I kept to warm my bed.

    ¡°I see darkness in your heart boy,¡± a whisper tore me out of my nostalgic dreams.

    I looked around frantically. I was tied up to my bed, I couldn¡¯t move around freely. I couldn¡¯t even see who was talking to me.

    The ghost who saved me earlier materialized above my head. The room turned cold. My frosty breath concealed the ghost every time I exhaled. ¡°Who are you?¡± I finally asked.

    ¡°Neither friend, nor foe,¡± she replied.

    ¡°What do you want from me?¡±

    ¡°I have a proposition to make;¡± she replied. She got closer to me. Her transparent face almost touched mine. I could feel the room temperature dropping. ¡°You seem to be in a bind. I can help you leave this dreadful place.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t reckon ghosts offer help out of the goodness of their hearts.¡±

    ¡°No we don¡¯t,¡± the woman answered. Her voice was still a whisper. I felt Goosebumps creeping up on me. I didn¡¯t know if it was because of the cold or the dead woman floating above my head. ¡°I¡¯ve lost my body long ago, and I intend to reclaim it.¡±

    ¡°How do you think you¡¯ll manage that?¡± I asked. Ghosts were known to survive for years without a body. If they couldn¡¯t reclaim theirs, they¡¯d risk turning into the most hideous monsters; the stronger their grief, the bigger the monstrosity.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you leave this place, then you¡¯ll summon me in Milogac. It¡¯s an island south of the Akari Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been warned not to trust a ghost¡¯s promise,¡± I retorted.

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll keep suffering,¡± the ghost told me with a most disturbing smile. ¡°I know what the smith has in store for you.¡±

    ¡°Why did you help earlier?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I was feeding,¡± she casually replied. ¡°You¡¯re not tasty,¡± she then hissed at me.

    ¡°Can you travel freely around the Crucible?¡± I heard myself ask. I felt a sudden boldness overcome me.

    ¡°I won¡¯t spy for you kid,¡± the ghost answered, reading through my mind.

    ¡°You said you can get me out of here.¡±

    ¡°I can help you escape, yes.¡±

    ¡°How? The Crucible is built above a rock in the middle of a cursed lake.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ve never heard of secret passages boy?¡± The ghost floated above me, smirked then went through me. It felt like a bucket full of ice was suddenly poured over me.

    ¡°Where?¡± I asked.

    The ghost reappeared above my head. She looked at me dumbfounded. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be called secret passageway if everybody knew where it was, would it?¡±

    ¡°I thought you could travel around the Crucible, inspect every little corner.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°I never said that,¡± the ghost looked away from me, her arms crossed.

    ¡°How would you help me escape then?¡±

    She suddenly flew dangerously close to my face then hissed, ¡°Give me the smith!¡±

    ¡°As long as get to feed him his cock, then I have no objection,¡± I answered.

    ¡°There¡¯s something else. There¡¯s something I want you to get before I kill the smith for you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Jory kept my vertebrae in his study. Get it for me, then I¡¯ll kill the bastard!¡± The ghost chuckled then flew away. She went through the ceiling then disappeared. I felt drowsy moments after that. Sleep finally blessed me with its presence. I dreamed of the woman I loved and the best friend who betrayed me.

    ***

    Two weeks went by and I was escorted to Jory¡¯s dinner table again. He had some special guest he wanted me to meet. As I was led to a table filled with delicacies, I saw a raven-haired woman sitting on the smith¡¯s right. She wore a crimson and black dress. A pearl necklace hung on her neck. I counted at least two dozen pearls.

    I sat on the chair opposite the woman. She had bright yellow eyes I couldn¡¯t look away from. Her sweet perfume invaded my nostrils. Her hair danced around her shoulders as she turned towards me. She looked at me, blinked a couple of times then spoke.

    ¡°What an ugly specimen you¡¯ve got here Jory.¡±

    The smith chuckled. He looked at me with tenderness in his eyes. I struggled to hide my disgust and anger. ¡°He almost got his head cut clean if I hadn¡¯t interfered. I like to think of him as my prot¨¦g¨¦ as they say in Boligne.¡±

    The woman laughed. Her melodious voice was like music to my ears. I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from her. Her black corset tightly hugged her bosom, the silver threads in the bodice shone against the bright lights emitted by the magic crystal chandelier.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name boy?¡± she asked me.

    I stared at her, my mouth agape.

    ¡°Gods! The boy forgets his manners!¡± the smith cried out. ¡°Close that goddamn mouth of yours boy, and answer the question!¡±

    ¡°Myles, my lady,¡± I answered. ¡°Myles Stalwart.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Augustine Pickerin,¡± the woman extended her hand. I stood, gently picked her fingers then kissed them. Augustine smiled, the dimple in her chin widened as she revealed her perfectly aligned teeth to me. Her eyes shone, which made her abnormally attractinve. ¡°My friends call me Agatha.¡±

    ¡°Miss Agatha specializes in Herbology,¡± Jory told me. ¡°I¡¯m told her miraculous medicine can regrow organs. Would you like to know why she¡¯s here?¡±

    ¡°Yes, master,¡± I answered. I didn¡¯t say it out of curiosity though. Even if that woman could heal my face, I didn¡¯t think Jory would bring her here for me. I answered simply because I had to. When master Jory entertained guests, I had to follow a strict script. My role was to entertain, provide a subject of discussion.

    ¡°I heard of this prodigious herbologist when I was in Boligne a few years back. They told me she was famous for her special concoctions that helped some parts of the body grow in size, if you catch my meaning my sweet Stalwart.¡±

    The woman chuckled. ¡°I see you like teasing your little playthings master Jory.¡±

    The smith looked at her. I swore I saw spite in those slits he calls eyes. ¡°I paid a hefty price for him. Why would I deny myself the pleasure of seeing his horrified face?¡± The smith started laughing hysterically. His face became pink then red. The laughter had changed into a cry for help. It appeared Jory was choking on something he¡¯d just eaten.

    Agatha swiftly got up then stood behind the smith. Her crimson dress fluttered behind her as she graciously moved. She placed her left delicate hand on his back then hit it with a closed fist. Jory let out a long sigh of relief after he finally managed to catch his breath. I should have cursed the damned woman, but I found myself sincerely thanking her. I didn¡¯t want the bastard to get out choking on an olive seed.

    I wanted to kill him with my own hands.

    ¡°Thank you dear,¡± Jory finally said.

    ¡°You should be careful with the Devil Gar!¡± the woman warned ¡°They¡¯re delicious fish, but their bones have a tendency to choke people to death. Many poor souls turned blue after carelessly devouring the tender meat.¡±

    ¡°I should fire that incompetent cook!¡± Jory was fuming. ¡°I specifically asked for the bones to be completely removed. Is he trying to kill me?!¡±

    How would we all rejoice! I found myself thinking.

    I got up then bowed to Agatha. ¡°You¡¯ve saved master,¡± I said. ¡°You have our sincerest thanks!¡± Agatha chuckled and Jory shot me a dark look.

    ¡°You wish I choked on that bone you little devil. Just you wait. I have a glorious night planned for you tomorrow.¡±

    Dinner went on. Jory and Agatha spoke about the state of the world. I heard that Auruun had invaded Vitia and was planning to expand its territory. Everybody hailed it as a rising power, not to be trifled with.

    After dinner, I was sent to my cell without paying a visit to Jory¡¯s private chambers. Agatha was going to be busy with him that night. Her miraculous concoctions gave immediate results. I knew Jory had something planned for me. He hadn¡¯t punished me for the dead guards yet.

    ¡°It¡¯s horrible what they¡¯ve done to you,¡± the sister told me as she undressed me. I was to be tied up in my cell. I didn¡¯t have the right to change my own clothes or bathe myself. The smith feared I¡¯d hang myself with my own clothes or try to kill myself with a scrubbing stone. She had prepared my bath and was leading me to it.

    ¡°What were you doing there when you found us?¡± I asked. She was the one who found me holding a guard¡¯s head on my laps.

    The sister fell silent. She poured hot water on my shoulders then started scrubbing my back. She didn¡¯t speak until she was done with my upper body. ¡°I was going to meet Dieter,¡± she said in a whisper. Her hands were trembling.

    ¡°Who¡¯s Dieter?¡± I asked. I never knew anybody by name. It¡¯s not like they introduced themselves to me. Imagine a guard who has to stand watch over a puppet, introducing himself out of the blue, for no bloody reason! That would be crazy right?

    Sorry, back to our story.

    ¡°He was guarding your cell when the others took you to master Jory,¡± she answered then broke into an unstoppable sob.

    ¡°I guess by your sobbing, that Dieter was also sent to the Pit.¡±

    ¡°Poor Dieter,¡± the sister said in between sniffs. ¡°My sweet Dieter never hurt a soul. He just landed the job because his cousin works for the Hound.¡±

    ¡°Never call him that out loud,¡± I heard myself screaming. ¡°Walls have ears you know.¡±

    The sister looked at me with utter disgust.

    ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say you¡¯re angry with me for something I¡¯m not sure I committed.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your fault!¡± the sister shouted at me. The scrubbing stone hit me between my legs. I squealed like a seal being clubbed to death, I¡¯m not ashamed to admit it. The stone was rough and heavy. I swore it tore some of my skin as it crushed my balls.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t provoke them I swear!¡± The sister was ready to land another blow before I held her from the shoulders.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t they punish you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°They didn¡¯t know I was going to see Dieter, I couldn¡¯t tell them. Jory would make my life miserable.¡± She started sobbing again.

    So you saved your skin and blame me for it? Great!

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Zoey.¡±

    ¡°Do you hate the smith Zoey?¡±

    ¡°I fear him more than I hate him,¡± she answered.

    ¡°What if I killed him? Would you help me escape the Crucible? I know a place where we could disappear. No one¡¯ll find us.¡±

    Zoey looked at me in silence. She lowered the scrubbing stone she threatened to attack me with then bit on her lips.

    ¡°Where¡¯s this place?¡± she asked.

    Yes! I got her.

    ¡°It¡¯s called Milogac. It¡¯s an island south of the Akari Kingdom. There¡¯s a man there, they call him the Vanisher. Help me get out of here, and I¡¯ll take you there with me.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that Vanisher require payment?¡± Zoey wasn¡¯t going to risk her neck for nothing. She needed to make sure my plan was foolproof.

    ¡°I saved his life four years ago. He owes me a big one.¡±

    ¡°How will you kill him?¡± she asked.

    ¡°The question should be when,¡± I retorted. ¡°Tomorrow, Jory will summon me again. He¡¯s got some procedure done to his prick. I¡¯ll feed it to him before we leave this godforsaken place.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too soon,¡± the sister protested.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been on some romantic escapades with your beloved I presume. Guards and sisters are not allowed to get close. You had to hide to enjoy each other¡¯s company. You and your beloved must¡¯ve had secret places to fornicate in. If we don¡¯t move tomorrow, we won¡¯t be able to surprise him anymore.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯d you say that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want a giant prick up my ass Zoey! Don¡¯t think for one moment that I enjoy it. I¡¯ve been bidding my time. Jory had become sloppy. It¡¯s either I kill him tomorrow or completely shatter. I can¡¯t take anymore humiliation. Help us start a new life Zoey.¡± I gave her my best version of a hurt puppy. The sight of a one eyed man begging for help was unpleasant.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be in his study,¡± Zoey said. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to sneak in there. The bastard has a secret passageway from his study to a hidden cave below the Crucible. He¡¯s got a small boat there.  Dieter and I used it more than once.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± I answered. I felt lighthearted for the first time in months. ¡°Do whatever you can to get into that study tomorrow. I¡¯ll give that bastard a taste of his own medicine!¡±

 33 - Nightmare

    Ulmir¡¯s Domain, Fourth Day of the Contest, The Champions¡¯ Lounge.

    Utar was frantically running towards the vault. Something had disrupted Essence distribution inside the Castle for about an hour. The vault had an auto-lock system. If the energy inside the realm were to be depleted by some catastrophic event, the vault and its contents would be sealed in the void.

    The High Priest drew some complicated symbols in the air then the round metallic door started moving. Once inside, Utar inspected all the treasures. He¡¯d hidden Darkstar¡¯s sword inside the vault, in an attempt to draw the intruder towards it. After the Essence distribution suddenly ceased, the vault and the corridor leading to it were automatically locked.

    Utar waited by the archway leading to the vault for nearly an hour. He was clutching something in his arms. He hugged it tight, as though he were afraid to lose it. He was sure he¡¯d caught the intruder this time. His surprise knew no bounds when he found the sword on its shelf, as he had left it. Nothing was taken from the treasure trove that hid some very powerful weapons and artifacts.

    Javad stood next to the High Priest, his eyes bulged out at the sight of the contents of the vault. Nobody was allowed inside the place apart from the High Priest. Utar had made an exception that day. He didn¡¯t want to lose sight of Darkstar. He walked to a shelf then carefully placed the rectangular frame on it.

    He closed his eyes then inspected the place. He could sense residual foreign energy in the vault.

    ¡°Whoever caused all of this is good at covering his tracks,¡± Javad announced, as if to add salt to injury.

    The High Priest¡¯s eyes were full of disdain as he shot a dark look at Javad. ¡°Do you think this is a joke?¡± he shouted. ¡°Nobody knows how to enter this vault except for me and the Lord Supreme. Spare me the praises and help me track this bastard.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be looking into what¡¯s happening with the Contest?¡± Javad asked.

    ¡°If I don¡¯t find the intruder, I may never be able to stop whatever had happened to the champions,¡± Utar answered, exasperated. ¡°I have a strong suspicion the two events are related.¡±

    ¡°Your Reverend,¡± a guard spoke behind the metallic round door. ¡°Lord Supreme summons you to the Lounge.¡±

    ¡°Find a trail Javad,¡± Utar ordered as they both left the vault. ¡°I¡¯ll go deal with Lord Supreme¡¯s anger!¡±

    The door closed behind the two. No one could explain what happened at the vault. Utar was about to have a hard time explaining the situation to his superior.

    ¡°What did you put in the vault?¡± Javad asked.

    ¡°Something that must be put out of sight,¡± Utar replied.

    ***

    An hour ago at the mansion, Myles had finally convinced Cane and Greta not to look for the second key. After lunch was over, everybody was magically transported back to their last known location. The existence of a second key pushed everybody to rush outside, looking for a needle in a haystack.

    Myles tracked Cane and Greta then convinced them to move to the mansion. They were sitting in a library, by a fireplace. Bookshelves that reached the ceiling surrounded them.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s manipulating us into playing a dangerous game,¡± he told them. He¡¯d managed to convince two other champions to give up on the search. One of them was Vivian, the other was a man named Karp.

    ¡°How do you know we¡¯re being manipulated?¡± Karp asked.

    ¡°Remember when I told you about the High Priest¡¯s torture?¡± Myles asked back.

    They all nodded.

    ¡°Utar had captured somebody else, another champion by the name of Vyk.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Vivian cried out. ¡°I remember people betting on him losing the fight. He surprised everybody by copying the move you made during your first fight. I didn¡¯t see him with us in here. Then how come there were sixteen of us at first?¡±

    ¡°My guess is that whoever, or whatever, brought us here had sent in some impostor,¡± Myles explained. ¡°We¡¯ll wait for dinner then make a roll call. If we identify the impostor, I bet we¡¯ll find the key.¡±

    ¡°How are we to do that?¡± Greta asked.

    ¡°Each of us will speak about their preliminary fights. We¡¯ve all had to fight twice to get here. But the impostor didn¡¯t. It¡¯s a matter of details. Lies always rely on embellishing the details. Allow me to demonstrate. Greta, how was your first fight?¡±

    ¡°He held a sword, I had my spear. He tried to attack first. I stabbed him on the foot then pierced his heart. Poor thing started on the wrong foot.¡± She smiled as she told her story.

    ¡°See that? Short and to the point. Someone who hasn¡¯t been in the fight will try to give us more details, make us believe his ordeal was real.¡±

    ¡°What if they like boasting?¡± Karp asked.

    ¡°No one would boast unless they feel comfortable enough to tell an extravagant story. We want to save our skin at this moment. We¡¯ve no time to think how our opponent may or may not have thought during a fight that happened three days ago. If somebody talks too much, it only means they have the key.¡±

    ¡°Ya talk too much,¡± Cane interjected.

    ¡°Some of us need to keep a cool head. You obviously panicked, looking for an elusive key,¡± Myles retorted.

    ¡°He¡¯s got a point though,¡± It was Karp who spoke this time. ¡°What guarantee do we have that you don¡¯t have the key?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve searched me before.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not enough. You may have hidden it somehow.¡± Karp narrowed his eyes as he got up then approached Stalwart.

    The walls in the library suddenly shook. Everyone looked around to see the bookshelves flashing, like unstable images Photons sometimes relayed.

    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Vivian shouted.

    ¡°This keeps getting weirder and weirder,¡± Greta commented.

    The bookshelves around them kept flickering revealing darkness and stars behind them.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°We¡¯re definitely having a bad dream,¡± Karp shouted.

    The room stabilized after a while and everything went back to normal. Fire crackled in the fireplace. Books were neatly stacked in their shelves. It was as though nothing had happened. The champions however, looked around them anxiously. They didn¡¯t have enough time to process the shock since they were teleported back to the dining room.

    ¡°Welcome back my little dearies,¡± the woman¡¯s voice rung through the entire mansion. ¡°I see that some of you have met quite a terrible fate. The one you thought to be the key holder ended up dead, killed by one of you. I wonder if Vegat really had a key on her. Hehe¡­¡±

    There were only ten champions left. Guss looked in all directions. He seemed lost, agitated. They ate in silence. Nobody dared speak of what happened to the woman. They were curious of course, but they didn¡¯t trust each other.

    If one asked about Vegat and the key, a game of accusations would follow. They¡¯d bark at each other endlessly before they were teleported again, chasing after some elusive key. After the main course was cleared, dessert comprised of chocolate pudding was served.

    ¡°This here¡¯s a delicacy from Boligne my dearies. Melting Pots they¡¯re called,¡± their captor told them. ¡°Have a go at it, perhaps this would be your only chance. Some of you might not even make it through the night.¡±

    They were all trapped and they knew it. Myles had seen something back at the library, but he couldn¡¯t fully understand what he saw. He cleared his throat. Everybody turned toward him.

    ¡°There¡¯s something I should tell you all. I think I know where we are.¡±

    ¡°Well spill it out then,¡± Rose, the silver haired woman urged. ¡°Six of us have lost their lives already.¡±

    ¡°Five,¡± Vivian intervened.

    ¡°What d¡¯you mean five?¡± Guss asked. ¡°I see ten champions around this table.¡±

    ¡°Do you remember a dark skinned man called Vyk?¡± Vivian was addressing Guss. Her nostrils flared. She was nervously tapping on the table.

    ¡°Yeah I remember he ¨C¡° The white haired man¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°He won the second fight at the preliminaries, didn¡¯t he? I remember betting on him with the others at the Training Arena.¡±

    ¡°Have you seen him since we appeared in this cursed mansion?¡± Myles asked.

    Silence ensued. They all looked at each other, trying to find the intruder. They all understood that an impostor was among them, perhaps killing champions as the day went by.

    ¡°There was no key,¡± Myles told them, ¡°at least not in our possession. Someone¡¯s sitting among us as we speak, looking us straight in the eyes and telling us: I¡¯m going to kill you all. And if you don¡¯t wish to have your throats opened, I suggest you stick to my plan.¡±

    ¡°What would this impostor,¡± Rose scoffed. ¡°gain from killing us? And how will staying in the mansion save us from whoever¡¯s after us?¡±

    Cane was religiously devouring the Melting Pot as he listened to the others argue. Noticing his hunger, Greta happily handed him her part of the pudding. He thanked her between grunts then kept eating.

    ¡°Weapons are not allowed in the mansion,¡± Myles intervened. ¡°Failure to obey the rules results in instant death. We¡¯ve seen it happen to Rubeus.¡± Stalwart stood up then started pacing around the table.

    ¡°Now if somebody wishes to harm us, they¡¯d need to use brute strength. I¡¯m sure loud grunts in the corridors would reach us before the killer gets his job done. We all know how to fight. Better yet, let¡¯s stick together, in this room.¡±

    ¡°Dinner time will soon be over,¡± the woman¡¯s voice told her captives. ¡°And you¡¯ll be sent to the forest. I must warn you, nasty beasts go out to hunt after dark. I suggest you make it back to the mansion before the last bell chime.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s playing us, pushing things forward,¡± Guss cried out.

    ¡°Everybody!¡± Myles shouted. He needed everybody to pay attention to his words. ¡°We need to get back here before the last chime. If one of us fails to do so, he or she will be presumed dead or a potential impostor. If you linger long in the forest, you risk ¨C ¡°

    Myles vanished.

    ¡°We risk what?¡± frustrated champions blurted out.

    ¡°I think I know what he meant,¡± Vivian answered. Before she could explain, she suddenly vanished as well. The other champions cursed their rotten luck. They were teleported away from the mansion one after the other.

    Outside, the sun had almost reached the horizon. The tall trees around the mansion blocked most of it from reaching the ground. It started getting dark. Myles heard low grunts behind him. Everywhere he looked, he saw fleeting shadows surrounding him. He could see their shining eyes, but the rest of their bodies were just a blur.

    He quickened his pace, trying to reach the mansion. Whoever was behind this trial, she did her best to ensure they would lose. The shadows, Myles suspected, were incomplete bodies. They were perhaps some dark entity that only hunts at night. Stalwart wanted to believe that story.

    Something else bothered him though. It felt like a fleeting thought. Every time he felt closer to get to a conclusion, he¡¯d be missing an important clue, something he knew but couldn¡¯t remember. The shadows that danced around him didn¡¯t let him focus. He wanted to attack them, go after them, but that would only slow him down.

    ¡®I need to reach the mansion and fast, before the bell ¨C¡® The first chime echoed through the forest.

    ¡°Oh and by the way dearies, there are only three chimes!¡± the woman¡¯s voice said, taunting. ¡°You have about ten seconds before the doors close, and the safety of the mansion denied!¡±

    Myles ran at full speed. The creatures that surrounded him gave him an ominous feeling. They circled around him as they floated in the air. Sometimes they got closer. Other times they danced around the trees. Myles couldn¡¯t see what was in front of him. The shadows obstructed his vision. He followed the sound of the second chime.

    He had about five seconds left.

    The shadows started chuckling. Some had high pitched voices. Others had low, deep ones. Myles could now see their large eyes materializing in front of him. They were as wide as a full grown pumpkin. They shone a bright golden light. They resembled a goat¡¯s eye, but these had a different feel about them. They scared him, repulsed him as well.

    The third chime echoed through the forest. The doors to the mansion closed.

    The shadows laughed hysterically then cleared away from around Myles. He could see the mansion, a few paces away from him. The door was closed, and the shadows were taking form behind him. He turned around to see humanoid shadows walking toward him.

    They held dark swords that Myles barely noticed. It was dark. He could only see the golden eyes staring at him behind the trees. They ran at him, Myles turned tail and dashed towards the mansion. He could at least see what¡¯s attacking him in the clearing. There was still some light reflected in the sky, just enough to see where the attacks came from.

    Myles stopped near the main door then turned to face the approaching shadows. They all had black goat eyes with golden pupils. Black lightning crackled around the sword they held. One of them, still a few paces away from Myles, swung his sword. A black shockwave left the sword then lunged at Myles with tremendous speed. He barely dodged the attack when another shadow appeared before him.

    Myles dodged to the side. With impressive flexibility and dexterity, he snatched a sword from the shadow then punched it. His hand went through the shadow¡¯s forehead then left from the back side. Myles lost his balance then fell to the ground.

    The door to the mansion behind him was badly damaged due to the sword swing that missed him earlier. He was lying on the floor, his left shoulder hurt badly. All the shadows stood around him. Their eyes shone brightly. They didn¡¯t speak, only laughed. They all stood around him, sword in hand¡­

    Waiting.

    They didn¡¯t attack, they just stood there. They continuously laughed while observing Myles with their peculiar eyes. It was getting darker and darker. The last rays of dusk disappeared from the sky, replaced with night. Some shiny dots on the dark carpet called space shone weakly. The shadows started merging with the world around them. Only their eyes remained, dark balls floating around his injured body.

    Myles looked at the sky, searching for a constellation. He needed a hint, as to where he was. The stars in the distance flickered. Myles saw some extinguish while others popped up on the other side of the carpet.

    Something wasn¡¯t right.

    The shining eyes floated closer to Myles. They blocked his field of vision. Everywhere he looked, he¡¯d see golden rectangular pupils. They all got together, aligned themselves next to each other. Each golden rectangle attached itself to another. Soon enough, Myles was looking at a large dark ball with a large golden rectangle in the middle.

    The ball covered the sky. It turned left and right, looking for something. Its golden rectangle seemed to flicker, as if it were blinking. The ball slowly turned towards Myles and winked at him. Myles body felt lighter, his eyelids grew heavier. He fought the sleeping sensation that seemed to overwhelm him, to no avail. He was sinking, and the feeling of floating into nothingness seemed appealing.

    The rectangle blinked again.

    Myles saw it.

    It was visible for only a fraction of a second but it was enough for him to understand. He fought the pain in his shoulder then stood up. What he¡¯d seen jolted him up from whatever hypnotized him. He gave himself a couple of slaps then looked around him.

    He was no longer in the forest. He was inside the mansion. Eight other champions slept beside him. They all seemed to be having a nightmare.

 34 - Holi Tribulations

    Myles counted eight champions, each lying on a separate bed. They were writhing in place. Some of them were moaning, others screamed incomprehensible words. He was the ninth champion.

    One was missing.

    ¡®I woke up because of sheer dumb luck,¡¯ he thought as he inspected each champion. ¡®At this rate one of them will die before waking up. Damn Marons!¡¯

    Myles was thinking, trying to remember how their captor managed to put them all to sleep at once. ¡®She must have slipped it in our food,¡¯ he thought, pacing between the sleeping champions. ¡®But it doesn¡¯t make any sense. The food we are provided isn¡¯t real. This place isn¡¯t real. How did she ¨C ¡®

    Myles stormed out of the room. Whoever was manipulating them retreated somewhere else. Besides, he managed to escape her clutching grip. The only way for her to subdue him again was to show up at the mansion. He ran to the dining room.

    They were held in a guest room at the right corner of the mansion. The dining room was located in the middle. Myles ran past plain corridors. There were but gray brick walls surrounding him. If he¡¯d wandered alone in the mansion before, he would¡¯ve surely found the few paintings that hung here and there particularly strange.

    In fact, the whole building had a strange air about him. Some walls bent to an ¡°S¡± shape, others didn¡¯t even connect with the ceiling. The dining room on the other hand was perfect. The solid oaken table on which they dined felt real. The painting of the mansion by the hill didn¡¯t move about like the others. Myles checked under the table.

    ¡°Classic!¡± He exclaimed, cursing himself for not thinking about it earlier. There was a trap door underneath the table. Myles cleared the dining room then made to open the door. As his hand approached the handle, a feminine voice behind him spoke.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do it if I were you.¡±

    Myles turned around. He couldn¡¯t say a word. He was too petrified, perhaps even too shocked to speak. The woman who stood in front of him was someone he knew. He never expected the impostor to be hidden in front of him, in plain sight.

    ¡°What? Cats got your tongue?¡± the woman asked.

    The question seemed to slap him awake.

    ¡°How did you do it?¡± he asked after he finally regained his speech.

    ¡°That¡¯s your question? Really?¡± the woman walked toward a chair, pulled it near Myles then sat. ¡°I¡¯m but a copycat, a poor one at that.¡± She crossed her legs and leaned back against the chair. ¡°Of course, you know who it is I¡¯m talking about, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Myles lied.

    ¡°How about we have a little chat?¡± The woman was playing with her long black hair. ¡°You answer my questions and I answer yours.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m as boring as they come. There¡¯s nothing I can help you with, woman pretending to be Greta.¡±

    ¡°On the contrary Mr Stalwart, you are the very person I seek.¡± The woman flicked her hand and a chair appeared behind Myles. ¡°Please, sit. I¡¯ll tell you about me, myself and I if you tell me a little bit about yourself.¡±

    Myles took a seat. He adjusted his clothes then gave Greta a calculating look. He looked her right in the eyes. A flickering red light shone from time to time within her light brown eyes. Her hair had grown longer too.

    ¡°How about this?¡± Myles raised his index finger and pointed it at Greta. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what you are, and you guess who I am. The winner ¨C Well the winner gets nothing. Let¡¯s not make this a contest shall we?¡±

    ¡°Afraid you¡¯d lose Stalwart?¡± Greta was grinning. Her ears had miraculously grown back. They were longer, and pointy this time around.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯d involve powers that can¡¯t be trifled with,¡± he retorted. He didn¡¯t want to enter a lost game either. He wasn¡¯t sure what the woman in front of him was. ¡°Let me take the first guess.¡± Myles leaned forward, grinned back at the impostor then went on.

    ¡°You invoked the Holi Tribulations, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Greta looked away. She bit on her lips, as if struggling to keep her mouth shut.

    ¡°You can¡¯t lie during the Tribulations,¡± Myles said, as if reading through her mind. ¡°Or are you trying to bite your lips to keep them from opening up? You know you have to answer Greta!¡±

    ¡°What gave me away?¡± The woman asked. She looked saddened.

    ¡°Luck I guess,¡± Myles answered. ¡°I really thought you were a Maron at first, but now I¡¯m not so sure.¡±

    ¡°Even if you¡¯ve figured it out, you can¡¯t leave this place, not without a key.¡±

    ¡°A key that you must have! In fact, you have two of those.¡± Myles stood up then walked near Greta. ¡°You¡¯ve broken the rules, you know that,¡± he whispered to her ears.

    ¡°You thought you¡¯d make short work of us. If I hadn¡¯t woken up, perhaps you would¡¯ve succeeded!¡± Myles went back to his chair then sat down. ¡°Release my friends, impostor. You can¡¯t keep them locked up when somebody¡¯s figured your little charade.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t catch me!¡± Greta shouted. Her voice had changed. There was a strange ring to it. It was as if many people, men and women, spoke at once. Greta shot her arms upwards then a bright blue light emanated from them. Myles had to close his eyes to shield them from the blinding light. When he opened them, Greta had gone.

    He remained seated, observing the trap door, their way out. Footsteps echoed in the distance. Soon enough, eight champions stormed inside the room. They all looked panicked, scared out of their wits.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Vivian asked. Her emerald cloak had fallen off. She was wearing a ruby red blouse which only covered her shoulders and bosom. Her abdomen was bare, revealing a silver bird brooch attached to her belly button.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°I was chased by angry chicken all night!¡± Cane said in between huffs and puffs. ¡°I couldn¡¯t use me legs or arms. I was like a worm, running from giant chicken with teeth. Scary stuff!¡± Cane shuddered then continued. ¡°Almost got devoured by one, I thought I¡¯d died. Then I found myself sleeping on a bed.¡±

    ¡°You got off easy,¡± Karp spoke this time. ¡°I was chased by these strange insects. They were humongous, covered the sky, even hidden the setting sun.¡±

    ¡°Hang on,¡± Rose intervened. ¡°I was running away from walking frying pans. But it was all during the night.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you were dreaming!¡± Myles spoke loudly enough for everybody to hear him. ¡°We were drugged, put to sleep then imprisoned in our worst nightmare.

    ¡°Our worst fears materialize in front of us, chase us until it kills us. Fact is, if you die in a dream but don¡¯t wake up, you die for real. I thought I was a goner too, but I saw something ¨C something that proved it was all a dream.¡±

    ¡°What did you see?¡± almost all champions asked at once.

    ¡°I saw a painting, a lion, with wings that covered the entire sky. The majestic animal was roaring as a volcano was erupting behind it.¡±

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± Guss asked, frustrated.

    ¡°I saw the same painting in Ulmir¡¯s Castle, down to the smallest detail. There was a crack on the painting¡¯s frame. I don¡¯t know how I saw it, but that somehow helped me wake up.¡±

    Vivian noticed the trap door next to which Myles sat. She approached him, pointing at the contraption on the ground. ¡°Does this mean what I think it means?¡±

    ¡°What does it bloody mean?¡± Guss screamed.

    ¡°Look around you old man,¡± this time it was the silver haired woman, Rose, who answered. ¡°How many of us do you see?¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s that earless woman?¡± Karp asked.

    ¡°Nah,¡± Cane blurted out. ¡°She must be held somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Do you honestly believe that?¡± Vivian paced around the room. ¡°It all makes sense now.¡±

    ¡°What does?¡± a tall and slender man asked. ¡°We¡¯ve been looking for a way out since we got here. Everything seems to be getting more and more complicated around here. Can somebody please explain what¡¯s happening to us?¡±

    Myles got up, dragged the long oaken table across the floor then sat back down. ¡°It¡¯d be better if everybody sat down. The situation¡¯s far worse than you think.¡±

    The eight champions obeyed. Cane didn¡¯t take his eyes off of Myles. In fact, all champions¡¯ eyes seemed to be fixed on him.

    ¡°I have good and bad news, which would you like to hear first?¡± he asked after everybody was seated.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear the good,¡± Rose was the first to answer. Her voice was like a shrill, difficult not to wince at. ¡°I don¡¯t think my heart can take any more bad news.¡±

    The others nodded.

    ¡°Good news is, I know how we can get out of here, the trap door beneath the table.¡± Myles pointed at the secret hatch. ¡°As you may have all noticed, we are missing a champion. I¡¯ve had the chance to speak with her while you all slept. I convinced her to release you from your nightmares.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s that earless woman, Greta.¡± Vivian pointed out.

    ¡°Impossible!¡± Cane shouted. ¡°That woman fought Queen Mushroom with me. She couldn¡¯t use any magic then. Could¡¯ve saved her life, instead of lying on the ground, bleeding.¡±

    ¡°That woman is no longer Greta,¡± Myles intervened. ¡°A dark entity inhabits her body now. Which brings me to the bad news, we¡¯re in grave danger.¡±

    ¡°What d¡¯ya mean inhabits?¡± Cane still couldn¡¯t believe Greta was the impostor.

    ¡°Have you heard of the Holi Tribulations?¡± Myles asked the people in the room, not paying Cane any heed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve read something about it in some book,¡± Karp answered. ¡°But I never understood what the whole thing¡¯s for.¡±

    ¡°Oy!¡± Cane stood, pounding on the table. ¡°What d¡¯ya mean inhabits?¡±

    ¡°It means that Greta died Cane, perhaps before we got her inside that vat. Something dark lurked in the Castle, awaiting a chance. It appears we provided it by bringing an injured woman inside.¡±

    Cane let his heavy body fall back to the chair. He looked dejected.

    ¡°What does this dark entity want?¡± Guss asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s where it gets complicated I¡¯m afraid,¡± Myles answered.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Vivian was worried when she asked the question. Her legs were moving up and down, she tirelessly tapped the table.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only heard some stories from my master. I¡¯ve never really taken part in any Holi Tribulation,¡± Myles said.

    ¡°What the hell are these Tribulations?¡± the tall slender man asked.

    ¡°They¡¯re some sort of trials,¡± Myles explained. ¡°Master told me that the host of the trials is the one who initiates it. Killing the initiator earns you some great treasure. He never told me what it was.¡±

    ¡°And if we don¡¯t kill this so called initiator?¡± Rose asked this time.

    ¡°Then we all die.¡±

    Everybody fell silent. They were watching the trap door that could potentially lead them out of the mansion.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t we open it?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°Because we need a key, you heard her say it at first. The Holi Tribulations are trials with strict rules. The initiator, or the host, puts the rules of the game. In this realm, rules are absolute, not even the host can break them.¡±

    ¡°Then how come she trapped us in our nightmares?¡± Vivian asked.

    ¡°She got us all believing it was part of the trial, bitch never even mentioned we were participating in the Tribulations. Technically, she didn¡¯t break any rules. But when I miraculously woke from the nightmare, her charade could no longer exist. If she kept you asleep, she would¡¯ve died herself.¡±

    ¡°And what would she gain from all of this?¡± Vivian asked once more.

    ¡°Life,¡± Karp answered.

    ¡°Life?¡± Guss cried out. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Master told me these dark creatures feed on Life Force. It is an element like many others. But it¡¯s the most unstable one, most complex. Understanding it is nigh impossible, which makes Life Force spells the most dangerous. Wouldn¡¯t you agree Vivian?¡± It was Myles who provided the information this time.

    ¡°What he says is true,¡± the woman said. ¡°I was trained in witchcraft. Although I never became a full-fledged witch, I know a thing or two about Ancestral Magic. Life Force is indeed an element that can be harnessed, even absorbed.  But why does this entity need it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an old story,¡± Karp answered before Myles could. ¡°I read that the Old Gods had their souls explode into different fragments when they died. It is rumored that one could use these Old Gods fed on Life Force. People soon realized they could absorb the Fragments, make them part of their soul. But maintaining a Fragment was costly.

    ¡°In order to activate a Fragment¡¯s full power, you need to feed it Life Force. The Holi Tribulations were games played by the Gods in which the winner takes all Life Force in the realm. They¡¯d wager their territories in a game that sometimes lasted millennia. The winner takes it all, while the loser gets forgotten over time. It¡¯s rumored that these very games were the end of the Old Gods.¡±

    ¡°My master told me the same story,¡± Myles confirmed. ¡°We can leave through this trap door. But we can only do so by finding the key holder, or the one hidden somewhere in this realm. If we die before retrieving the key, whatever¡¯s holding us here will become immensely powerful. Good news is, she¡¯s not a Goddess yet. We must kill her, retrieve our key and leave this place before it¡¯s too late.¡±

    ¡°What are we waiting for then?¡± Guss blurted out. ¡°Let¡¯s go find her!¡±

    ¡°Where will we look?¡± Karp asked.

    ¡°I dunno,¡± Guss answered, dejected.

    ¡°Let¡¯s split up,¡± Vivian proposed. ¡°We split in two teams, search the entire mansion.¡±

    ¡°Excellent idea,¡± Myles pointed out. ¡°There are two keys that open that trap door. We¡¯ll have a better chance finding them if we split up.¡±

    ¡°What if they¡¯re outside?¡± the tall slender man asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ll worry about that later,¡± Myles said dismissively. ¡°We still have six days to find that damned key.¡±

    The champions split in two teams. One was led by Myles, the other by Vivian. They both seemed knowledgeable enough to know where to look. Cane was in Vivian¡¯s team, he refused to join Myles.

    Guss, Karp, Rose and Slender joined Stalwart.

    Cane, a short stout man called Pip and a thin girl called Lillin joined Vivian.

    ¡°Listen up everyone,¡± Myles addressed all nine champions. ¡°Stay on your guard. She knows we¡¯re onto her. She¡¯ll try to trick us by all necessary means. Look for abnormalities. Study the things that appear to be out of this world. We¡¯ll automatically be sent here for breakfast. The rules are absolute. Stay alive until then. May Ulmir guide your way.¡±

 35 - The Rogue Scion

    Two days had passed and the nine champions didn¡¯t find a single clue as to where the key was hidden. They were all sitting at the long table. It was dinner time. The world outside was as dark as their thoughts. Myles was playing with a spoon, spinning it atop the wooden table. A ring with a ruby, as big as a walnut shone in his left hand. The rest were eating in silence or brooding, their appetite had failed them.

    That morning, Guss had vanished while his team was going through some tunnels underground. He didn¡¯t show up for lunch or dinner.

    ¡°Something¡¯s been bothering me ever since he disappeared,¡± slender man spoke, breaking the heavy silence. ¡°Don¡¯t we all magically teleport to the dining room?¡±

    ¡°We do,¡± Vivian answered. She had given up on her cloak. It hindered her movement, her words. ¡°I remember the initiator saying weapons weren¡¯t allowed in the mansion. She didn¡¯t say anything about fighting with bare fists though.¡±

    A shrill laughter filled the dining room. ¡°Splendid!¡± the initiator spoke for the first time in two days. ¡°That doesn¡¯t help you find me though.¡±

    ¡°Shut yer trap!¡± Cane shouted.

    ¡°A bit hurt we lost a friend, are we?¡± the initiator commented. ¡°Don¡¯t worry big guy, if worse comes to worst, I¡¯ll allow you a heavenly night with your Greta before I take your life!¡± Laughter filled the mansion again. It took some time for the woman¡¯s haunting, taunting laugh to fade away.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Rose asked. ¡°We¡¯ve combed the place and we¡¯ve found nothing, zilch!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s been here,¡± Myles let go of his spoon then looked at the remaining eight champions. ¡°How else would you explain Guss¡¯ disappearance? There¡¯s something else that really bugs the fuck outa me. Greta was here when the initiator spoke to us in this dining room. If they¡¯re one and the same, how was she able to speak without her voice emanating from the body she inhabited?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no spell for that?¡± Karp asked.

    ¡°Not that I know of, no,¡± Vivian answered. ¡°Myles, you might be onto something. What¡¯re you thinking?¡±

    ¡°I think we¡¯ve approached this from the wrong angle. Instead of dealing with the rules, trying to find the keys, we should focus on who, or what¡¯s keeping us here.¡±

    ¡°And how will that help us get out of here?¡± Slender asked.

    ¡°If we know what we¡¯re dealing with, we might have a chance at finding where she hides.¡± Myles was about to speak again when Vivian interrupted.

    ¡°He¡¯s right. We¡¯re being tested by some unknown entity. This mansion feels strange, incomplete. Why didn¡¯t I think of this before?¡±

    ¡°What should we do then? What to look for?¡± Rose was anxious. The day before, she got into a heated argument with Guss.

    The old man told them they were wasting their time, following one man¡¯s words. He still suspected Myles to be the key holder. Rose argued that Guss was just an old man, who followed an outdated thinking process. The argument got to a point where Guss dared the woman to go outside. He wanted to show her how outdated his process thinking was by beating it into her.

    ¡°She can see and hear us. She must have planted something inside the mansion that allows her that. Perhaps even the Pho ¨C ¡° Myles suddenly stood up. He stormed out of the dining room while the others followed him with questioning eyes.

    ¡°Oy! Where¡¯re ya headin¡¯?¡± Cane made to follow him but Rose held him by the arm.

    ¡°Let him follow his crazy ideas,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe Guss was right. He might be the one playing us. Didn¡¯t it cross your minds?¡±

    ¡°Choo getting at?¡± a short stout man by the name of Pip asked. He was the quiet type, spoke only when necessary.

    ¡°Yesterday I defended him in front of the old man. Next thing we know, the one who suspects him most disappears. Don¡¯t you think it a little too convenient?¡±

    ¡°He was the only one who didn¡¯t fall asleep, like we did,¡± Slender commented.

    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Vivian retorted. ¡°He told us ¨C ¡°

    ¡°He told us what we needed to hear Vee!¡± Rose blurted out. ¡°I¡¯ve seen how he walks about, inspecting cracks between the walls. I say he¡¯s leading us around, playing us while time ticks. We¡¯ve only got four days left!¡±

    ¡°You,¡± Pip pointed at Cane then went on, ¡°I saw the look you giv¡¯im. Nuffing but hate and mistrust! D¡¯you know who he is?¡±

    Everyone looked at the big bear expectantly. Cane stared at his empty plate. Despite the difficult situation they were in, Cane never missed a meal. Vivian told him he loved food more than life itself just the other day. He happily agreed to it. After Pip asked him about Myles, Cane¡¯s happy demeanor during meal times vanished.

    ¡°He knows summat!¡± Pip shouted (though squealed would be more accurate).

    ¡°Cane,¡± Vivian held the big bear by the hand. ¡°Do you know who Myles is?¡±

    ¡°Go on big guy,¡± Rose urged. ¡°Or do you love Blondie more than food?¡±

    Cane shot the woman a spiteful look. He clenched his fists together, unwilling to talk. Everyone watched him in silence. There was no getting out of it. He didn¡¯t even know why he kept quiet. He also suspected Myles. Ever since they got inside Ulmir¡¯s Castle, he¡¯d been acting strange. He took a deep breath, exhaled then talked.

    ¡°I met ¡®im before the Contest. He helped me carry the monster to the Altar.¡±

    ¡°What monster?¡± Karp asked.

    ¡°A big ugly shroom, almost as high as the castle walls,¡± he answered. ¡°It nearly killed me, almost took Greta with ¨C I suppose she took Greta with ¡®er.¡±

    ¡°Did he help you beat that thing?¡± Rose asked.

    ¡°No, but ¨C ¡°

    ¡°So he didn¡¯t even help you fight the thing, but you let him join you. For free?¡± Rose¡¯s voice was rising, almost to a sharp shrill.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± Cane answered.

    ¡°As complicated as it was with that girl Vegat? She cost us three lives just because it was complicated.¡± Rose gestured in the air, in a motion suggesting quotes. ¡°You saw how he blamed that poor girl. Don¡¯t be a fool Cane Moss. Tell us what you know of that man.¡±

    Cane gritted his teeth. His fists were clenched even tighter, to the point where his nails dug into his callus hand. As he was about to speak, they heard footsteps then Myles walked into the room.

    ¡°Look at this,¡± he said, brandishing a shiny thing in the air.

    ¡°Is that a Photon?¡± Vivian asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s watching us from afar. She must¡¯ve snuck in to get rid of Guss.¡±

    Myles smiled happily. He was expecting some praise, at least a surprised reaction. But the others cast their dark gazes at him. They looked at him, squinting, gritting teeth. Rose was the worst of the bunch. Her breath had gotten ragged. Her feet shuffled in the ground, like a bull ready to charge forward.

    ¡°What¡¯s with all the funny faces?¡± he asked, backing away. His arms were thrown forward, as if to repel the negative energy that invaded him.

    ¡°How do we know you didn¡¯t kill Greta?¡± Rose asked.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°How do we know ¨C ¡° Rose furiously advanced, her right index thrown forward. ¡° ¨C that you didn¡¯t kill her, disposed of her body as you did with Guss? And you¡¯re the one playing us!¡± Her last sentence was pronounced in such fury that Myles was showered with spit.

    ¡°Look,¡± Myles took a step backwards then continued, ¡°I understand you haven¡¯t seen that woman ever since I confronted her. But she¡¯s around, watching us as we speak. She wants this. She¡¯s manipulating us to fight each other.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wut someone¡¯d say if ¡®e were about ter die!¡± Pip shouted.

    ¡°He¡¯s trying to convince us to stick together. He¡¯s scared, we¡¯ve cornered him!¡± Rose shouted at the other champions. Pip had really helped her there. She pointed at Myles as she screamed, her shrill voice penetrating their eardrums.

    ¡°He¡¯s the only loser here now. If you let him manipulate you, spin his web of lies, we¡¯ll stick together alright. But we¡¯ll start disappearing, one by one. And we¡¯d still stick together again, until he¡¯s the only one left.¡±

    ¡°I say off¡¯im!¡± Pip squealed.

    All champions advanced at once. Myles started backing away, fast. Vivian was the first to reach him. She turned her back to him, flung her arms aside then yelled. ¡°STOP!¡± Cane was second to stand next to Vivian. He also blocked the others from reaching Myles.

    ¡°We have no proof he¡¯s the initiator;¡± Vivian shouted at them. ¡°Do you really think he¡¯d be the impostor, and yet tell us about Greta? Don¡¯t you think it stupid for an evil entity that wants us all dead?¡± The champions started eyeing each other. Doubt had settled within their eyes, except Rose, Pip and Slender.

    ¡°See that?¡± Rose screamed at the others. Her shrill voice was unpleasant to hear. ¡°His schemes run deep, this sly fox! He¡¯s bewitched your minds, gained your trust! And now you¡¯re like sheep to the slaughter.¡±

    ¡°I believe in this case, the accused should speak for himself,¡± Myles spoke.

    His voice was louder and deeper than Rose¡¯s. ¡°You speak about me, as if I wasn¡¯t here, listening to you. You didn¡¯t even let me answer your questions. Can¡¯t you even listen? Try it, you¡¯ll find its effects on your doubtful hearts, liberating!¡±

    Rose gritted her teeth, she made to speak but Myles interrupted her. ¡°We¡¯ve listened to your accusations long enough. Don¡¯t you think these people, who you claim I manipulate, should listen to my side of the story? No? Let¡¯s put it to a vote.¡±

    Myles raised his hand then spoke again. ¡°Those in favor of listening to me, instead of that raving woman, raise your hands.¡±

    Rose, Pip and Slender were the only ones who didn¡¯t.

    ¡°I can¡¯t convince you that I haven¡¯t killed Greta,¡± he started. Cane looked at him with slits instead of eyes, he still suspected him of killing the woman. Myles was merciless and cunning. A part of him urged him not to trust Myles, or Zedd, or whatever he called himself.

    ¡°I can¡¯t convince you that I didn¡¯t kill Guss either. I¡¯m not going to hide it from you. This situation quite suits me.¡± Champions started whispering to each other.

    Rose shouted a ¡°I told you so!¡± to Pip to which he nodded.

    ¡°Not the strongest argument to start with I know,¡± Myles went on. He looked at Vivian, Karp, Lillin then Cane. They all frowned at him, unsure why he¡¯d spoken in the first place. ¡°But I can tell you this. You can kill me now and be disappointed because I have no key. Or you can wait for me to reveal what I¡¯ve found out. Then make your own decisions.¡±

    Myles turned around then disappeared inside a corridor. Rose pushed her way through and followed the cunning man. The rest followed quickly after.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Rose asked as she followed Myles through a corridor whose walls were shaped like an ¡°S¡±. Myles didn¡¯t answer. He quickened his pace instead then turned through another, narrower corridor.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Rose shouted. ¡°The fuck¡¯re we going?¡±

    Myles took yet another turn. All the other champions trotted behind him. He took what must have been ten more turns before he stopped. They were standing in yet another corridor. The walls around them were puzzle like. Some pieces appeared to be missing.

    ¡°We must¡¯ve lost her by now,¡± Myles said.

    ¡°Lost who?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be brief about this. The thing that imprisons us here is a dark entity called a Scion. Master told me a story about them once. They¡¯re vicious, extremely cunning and most of all, very dangerous. We might not be dealing with a Goddess, but we¡¯re dealing with something much worse!¡±

    ¡°And why did you bring us here specifically?¡± Vivian asked. ¡°And what¡¯s that on your hand?¡±

    Myles held the shining object in the air. ¡°This is a corrupted Photon, specialty of the Scions. They¡¯re exactly as you suspected Vivian,¡± he answered while holding the shining object between his index and thumb. ¡°The Scion controls these little creatures now. She¡¯s watching our every move. My guess is, she doesn¡¯t have any form at the moment, just borrows it from dead ones.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯re we supposed to find her then?¡± Rose asked.

    ¡°Challenge it, fight it!¡± Myles answered.

    ¡°How? You just said she has no form,¡± Vivian retorted.

    ¡°Scions are creatures without form. They only take shape in spaces where Ancient Magic is active. That¡¯s where their strength really shines. Or at least that¡¯s what master told me. They¡¯re Rogue Fragments.¡±

    Everybody looked at him questioningly, except Vivian who cleared things out. ¡°It¡¯s what happens when Spirit Fragments, part of Old Gods¡¯ souls, gain sentience. But I¡¯ve read it was just a rumor.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t believe the story master told me either, it didn¡¯t make any sense. But what¡¯s happening to us now only proved me wrong. What we¡¯re dealing with is a Scion that specializes in corruption.¡±

    Everybody looked at Myles questioningly again.

    ¡°My master made sure I was up to date on my readings. I know things.¡± He looked irritated at the distrustful gazes everybody gave him. ¡°This mansion is just the Scion¡¯s memory of this place ¨C or something else entirely. All I know is that it¡¯s deliberately incomplete. Hence the weird shaped walls, the wooden floors merged with cobble stones and all that.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s not Greta?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s dead all the same friend. You went looking for her on the first day right?¡±

    Cane nodded.

    ¡°Did you find her?¡±

    ¡°Nah, she found me, matter of fact.¡±

    ¡°There was an explosion that day. Many people died. She must¡¯ve died with the others. The Scion took her appearance then came to you. Have you ever seen her eat?¡±

    ¡°Nah, she always offered me her food. She didn¡¯t have an appetite.¡± Cane¡¯s pupils grew larger. It slowly dawned on him that he¡¯d been talking to a ghost, happily accepting her chocolate pudding.

    ¡°How do we find this Scion?¡± Karp asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe this is her territory. My guess is, we¡¯re trapped in another world, a dream perhaps or an old memory.¡±

    ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Vivian was the most interested of the bunch. What Myles revealed to them seemed to ring some bells.

    ¡°Her memory of this place is hazy. She¡¯s using a real place in Ulmir¡¯s Castle to replicate the mansion. Her lair must be somewhere within the forest.¡±

    ¡°You said that we¡¯d lost her earlier,¡± Vivian said.

    ¡°What the hell are you listening to him for?¡± Rose shouted. ¡°He¡¯s filling your silly brains with fairy dust, useless shit!¡±

    Myles fixed the silver haired woman with furious eyes. He clenched his fists and urged himself to calm down.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to look for her lair in the forest,¡± he told everyone. ¡°You¡¯re free to follow me and find your own answers. Or you can stay here. Wait for the Scion to finish you.¡±

    Myles walked back a few steps, distancing himself from the others. ¡°I have no time to convince you all I¡¯m not the initiator. Those who wish to come with me, step forward. Those who want to follow that raving woman, stay where you are.¡±

 36 - Fying Lion

    Cane, Vivian, Lillin and Karp followed Myles. Pip and Slender stayed with Rose. The silver haired woman pulled her companions away, urging them to look for the second key. Myles and the others went to the mansion entrance. As they reached the large dining room, Vivian cleared her throat.

    ¡°We still don¡¯t know where to look,¡± she said as the others turned to look at her.

    ¡°The forest?¡± Karp said.

    ¡°It¡¯s too big, too dangerous. I¡¯ve seen Dremond get dragged by something then disappear without a trace. That wasn¡¯t a dream, he¡¯s not here.¡±

    ¡°What do you suggest?¡± Myles asked.

    ¡°While we explored the mansion in the past couple of days, I saw a pattern. The strange walls had no furniture, no paintings or tapestry. The rooms and corridors in good condition had some strange paintings. I¡¯ve seen the same colors, same patterns repeat themselves. I didn¡¯t connect them all until we came back here now.¡±

    ¡°What did you see?¡± Lillin, the youngest champion among them all, asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s better to show you.¡± Vivian pointed at a painting in the dining room, of a mansion on top of a hill. A bright star glistened above the forest, twisting and distorting the space around it. ¡°I believe we¡¯re here!¡± she said.

    ¡°A painting?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°A painted world, to be more precise,¡± Vivian answered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know how to react to that!¡± Karp exclaimed. ¡°We¡¯re trapped inside a fucking painting?¡±

    ¡°A world inside a world, brilliant!¡± Myles started pacing around the dining room. ¡°First she gets us to the painting, unnoticed. Then she traps us inside a dream world. Vivian you¡¯re bloody brilliant!¡± Myles ran to the woman, held her by the cheeks and kissed her forehead.

    ¡°What got you so riled up?¡± Vivian asked. The look she cast at Myles was quite confused.

    ¡°The Scion is weaker than I¡¯d imagined. She invoked the Holi Tribulations in a different world, hidden from the High Priest¡¯s control. She¡¯s not to be underestimated though. She¡¯s weak, which makes her desperate and extremely dangerous.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± Vivian pointed out. ¡°The pattern that repeats itself in most paintings, I can see it in this one too.¡±

    ¡°Where is it?¡± Myles turned towards the painting, took it off its frame then spread it on the table.

    ¡°Here,¡± Vivian pointed at a faint orange light between the trees. ¡°It¡¯s well hidden, almost imperceptible.¡±

    The five champions smiled. They knew what to look for. Between the trees there was a small clearing. One only had to look at the large painting long enough to see a faint light that emanated from the clearing. By a small stream, a wooden shack could be seen. It was perfectly represented in the painting, along with the chopped firewood by the door, and the mutilated guard dog.

    ¡°That¡¯s where we should be going,¡± Myles told the others. ¡°Look, up here in the sky.¡±

    He pointed at the star in the painting.

    ¡°It¡¯s bright red,¡± Cane noted.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what will point us to the right direction.¡± Myles was beaming. He¡¯d finally found a clue.

    Vivian was still looking at the painting, frowning. Myles turned to see her absorbed in thought. She didn¡¯t seem to be as happy as the others.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Myles asked.

    ¡°I think we should split up again,¡± the woman said.

    ¡°We¡¯ll put ourselves in greater danger,¡± Lillin protested. She was a thin young girl. She looked like a teenager who hadn¡¯t fully grown yet. Her long cornrow braided hair touched her hips as she moved about.

    ¡°There are two keys. If we don¡¯t take them both, the Scion will still have a chance to escape. In order to kill her, we¡¯d have to trap her here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s right,¡± Myles said while stroking his non-existing beard. ¡°Do you know where to look?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here in the mansion. She¡¯s killed one of us. Maybe he was close to reaching the answer. We all know Guss secretly sought the second key.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay with ¡®er,¡± Cane proposed. ¡°We¡¯ll have a better chance to fight ¡®er.¡±

    Myles squinted at Cane then smiled. The frown he cast at the big bear had disappeared as soon as it appeared. Only Vivian was able to notice it.

    ¡°Keep your eyes open and your ears pricked. If she suspects you¡¯re getting close to the key, she might come after you. We¡¯ll keep her busy outside though. Most of us here can use some spells.¡±

    Cane and Vivian nodded then disappeared inside the mansion. Myles, Karp and Lillin went outside. The air was cool as tree branches danced about. Lillin let the breeze hit her face as he took a deep breath in.

    ¡°This all feels surreal,¡± she said. ¡°The air should be clean, but it feels stuffy. The cool breeze almost feels artificial.¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Myles said as he advanced forward. ¡°We¡¯re inside a painting. If someone were to watch us from outside, he¡¯d see our bodies moving inside the canvas. We have to hurry. We can¡¯t allow her to get her hands on the second key.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be cheating?¡± Lillin asked.

    ¡°The rules don¡¯t say anything about holding two keys at once. Her game is full of holes,¡± Karp was the one to answer. He looked tense, prepared for the worst.

    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Myles moved inside the forest and the others followed. ¡°We need to trap her in her own game. Take the two keys away from her, and we¡¯ll win the game.¡±

    ¡°She said find the key holder,¡± Lillin told them again.

    ¡°Yes, your point?¡± Karp said, quite irritably.

    ¡°If we find her, we win. There¡¯s no need to look for a second key.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°What¡¯re you suggesting?¡± Karp asked once more. This time, he was intrigued.

    ¡°LOOK OUT!¡± Myles shouted then dived to the side. The others did the same. A large dark ball was hurled at them. After missing all its targets, the ball soared to the air then circled around in the sky.

    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s coming back!¡± Karp shouted as he backed away.

    ¡°RUN!¡± Myles shouted then bolted away, inside the forest.

    The large ball turned towards the champions then followed them. The trees that blocked its way were reduced to smithereens. ¡°This thing touches us, we¡¯re toast!¡± Karp shouted as he ran at full speed.

    ¡°Split up!¡± Lillin shouted. ¡°She¡¯ll stay on one of us while the rest can go find the shack.¡±

    Myles immediately changed course and ran to the right. Lillin took the left and disappeared within the woods. Karp kept running forward, hoping the ball would follow the others. He felt it approaching him, faster than before. Everything around him froze as the dark orb¡¯s aura came closer. Karp jumped forward then turned towards the ball. He shot his arms forward then shouted ¡°Inferno!¡±

    A firewall, big enough to defend a city, was instantly erected between Karp and the large dark sphere. As it collided with the wall, sizzling sounds were heard. Karp felt the wall slowly losing its effectiveness. He had to do something of he¡¯d be devoured by the freezing dark sphere. White fumes stemmed from the fire wall. The dark sphere flew backwards then charged at the wall again.

    A cracking sound was heard. Fire hissed through the cracks, like a wild animal escaping captivity. Karp tried to subdue the flames to his will but found himself incapable of doing so. The energy he poured into the spell felt like a stream pouring into the ocean.

    ¡°Bloody hells!¡± he murmured. Karp released his control over the spell then ran for it. Fire crackled as it crept outside the wall. It looked like a beast pushing its way out. Its fiery tentacles lashed at the ball, repelling it. More cracks appeared. They spread at a dangerous speed until they covered the entire wall.

    It shattered in a loud explosion which was heard inside the mansion.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Vivian said as the walls around them shook.

    ¡°Something bad¡¯s happening,¡± Cane answered. ¡°You sure this¡¯ll work?¡±

    ¡°Positive,¡± she answered. ¡°You look anxious, is something bothering you Cane?¡±

    ¡°I dunno,¡± he answered. He was looking at his feet, shuffling them on the wooden floor. ¡°It¡¯s a feeling, a bad one.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you insisted on leaving your friend?¡± Vivian asked, trying to meet the big bear¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°He¡¯s ¨C not ¨C my ¨C friend,¡± he answered. ¡°He¡¯s something else. I get a bad feeling looking at him.¡±

    ¡°You suspect him like the others?¡± Vivian asked. ¡°Cane look at me. You have to tell me what¡¯s on your mind. It might save our lives.¡±

    ¡°Yer a smart one,¡± he said after finally detaching his eyes from the ground. He looked at her. Large creases had formed between his eyebrows. ¡°What d¡¯ya know of Transmutation?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a dark art, ancient magic too. Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°I saw Myles turn from one man to another. He told me he could switch between two forms,¡± he answered. ¡°Black Eyes, the man he was before, he¡¯s someone I respected. He was strong and mighty smart too. But this one, this one gives me bad chills. Never felt like this in the other¡¯s presence.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible for a man to change into another Cane, not in that fashion. That¡¯s never happened, and it never will.¡±

    ¡°D¡¯ya mean I¡¯m lyin¡¯?¡± Cane retorted, huffing and puffing.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m saying you¡¯ve been deceived. One can transform into an object, to hide. But human Transmutation is final. It¡¯s a stage that one has to go through in order to attain Godhood. There¡¯s no switching between two bodies. At best, one can transform into an animal, but never into another sentient being.¡±

    ¡°So? What does it mean for us?¡±

    ¡°Myles and the man with Black Eyes are two different beings,¡± Vivian answered.

    ¡°That¡¯s insane!¡± he retorted. ¡°I saw ¡®im change in front of my eyes.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how he managed to pull it off. Is this man with Black Eyes a wizard?¡±

    ¡°He said he could use magic, but he said he¡¯s no mage.¡± Cane was lost. He hoped that by telling Vivian, he¡¯d manage to get some answers. She seemed knowledgeable.

    ¡°Did he have anything magical on him? Like a wand, or a scepter? Something to channel magic through?¡±

    ¡°Swords count?¡± he asked.

    ¡°In rare occasions,¡± Vivian replied. Her arms were crossed. She looked at the ground, tapping her feet. ¡°Only ancient and dark magic can produce swords that serve as catalysts.¡±

    Cane answered. ¡°He had some creatures he called familiars too.¡±

    ¡°Familiars?¡± Vivian almost shouted. ¡°He said that? His words, not yours?¡± She grabbed Cane by the shoulders. She was frantic.

    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into ya?¡± Cane pushed her away then straightened his clothes. ¡°Yeah, his words, not bloody mine.¡±

    ¡°How many did he have?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I dunno,¡± Cane answered. He was scratching his head. ¡°He had one, very powerful. Called ¡®er Silver. He¡¯s had others who shielded us against Drake, then the ones who protected me against Kandisha.¡±

    ¡°Drake?¡± Vivian was now screaming. ¡°You¡¯re the ones who defeated Drake?¡±

    ¡°Yeah why?¡±

    ¡°Did you know that we were hunting him when you intervened? The thing got all riled up then killed all of my friends. I survived because his attention was focused on a strange sphere.¡±

    ¡°We were ridin¡¯ that thing,¡± Cane told her.

    ¡°Drake is a powerful monster,¡± she started but was interrupted by Cane.

    ¡°We killed the bugger ta see ¡®im return from the dead. Monstrous hedgehog he was, with sharp bones and regeneratin¡¯ limbs.¡±

    ¡°When¡¯s the last time you saw your friend with Black Eyes?¡± Vivian asked.

    ¡°Before we got inside the Castle.¡±

    ¡°And before that? Did you get separated?¡±

    ¡°Yea, for a while. He didn¡¯t fight the Queen with me.¡±

    ¡°We must find the key, now!¡± Vivian strode through the corridor in which they stood. She took three turns before stopping in front of one of the strange paintings she saw before.

    ¡°Look for ones like this!¡± she told Cane who was right behind her. ¡°There should be about sixteen, each for a champion that got inside the painted world.¡±

    ¡°What? Ya want us to split up?¡± he said.

    ¡°Yes, your friend is out there, wreaking havoc. He means to get out alone. He¡¯d kill us all if we don¡¯t get the key!¡±

    ¡°You sure?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s as you suspected, but I don¡¯t have enough time to explain it all to you. He¡¯ll soon find the key bearer, kill her then come for us. Go! Find the other paintings. Find eight of them then meet me in the dining room. Got it?¡±

    Cane nodded then darted the opposite way. Vivian stormed through the halls, corridors and countless empty chambers of the mansion. Seeking and collecting the strange paintings.

    Outside, the wild fire had spread through the forest. Multiple dark spheres hovered above the woods. They could be seen from afar, lunging down at the burning trees then launch back at the sky. There were about twenty dark spheres, battling the wild fire.

    Karp had made it out unscathed. He ran away from the fire. He didn¡¯t know where he was or where he was headed anymore. All he wanted was to leave the painted world. But the shack was hidden among the trees, by some stream no one could seem to find. As he ran, he heard a strange noise coming from his right, much like a twig snapping.

    He stopped to investigate it. Rose emerged from the trees, holding a long sword. Pip was behind her, a dagger in his hand. Slender was nowhere to be seen. Karp looked around him, trying to find a way to escape. Fire crackled behind him. Rose and Pip blocked his way forward. He suspected Slender to be lurking somewhere in the forest.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Stalwart?¡± Rose asked in her shrill screaming voice. ¡°We only want him. Just tell us where he went.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Karp answered. ¡°We split up soon as those black balls attacked.¡±

    ¡°Then I have no need of you,¡± Rose announced.

    Karp heard something whistling to his right. He turned but didn¡¯t see a thing. In fact, he seemed to have lost his sight. Sharp pain signaled he¡¯d been injured. His hands touched a wooden shaft as he inspected his right eye. An arrow had pierced through his eye. Karp fell to his knees. Another arrow pierced his chest.

    The wild fire roared in the distance. The world around the champions seemed to have taken a new orange color. The wild fire roared again, this time louder. Trees burned and the forest seemed to fall to a raging spell that got out of control.

    Then the most unexpected thing happened. The world had gone dark all of a sudden. In the sky above, everyone could see a flying lion, roaring as a volcano behind it erupted. Its wings covered the sky, exactly as Myles had told them. There was a visible crack on the silver frames around the painting. A face came and obstructed their vision. Everybody saw him, with his sharp cheekbones and hollowed eyes. Utar was observing them.

    He looked at the champions for a short while then retreated, leaving them admiring the flying lion. The canvas floated in the dark sky for a few seconds then disappeared. The forest was back to normal. The floating dark balls hovered above the woods for a short while then disappeared. There was no trace of the wild fire though. Rose, Pip and Slender looked at each other in disbelief.

    ¡°Fuck was that?!¡± Rose whispered. She couldn''t tear her eyes from the clear sky.

 37 - Darkstars Deception

    Ulmir¡¯s Castle, Champions¡¯ Lounge. Seventh day of the Hunt. Moments Before The Dark Orbs Attack.

    A dark haired man sat atop the ivory throne. A silver brooch was attached to his long navy blue cape. It depicted a snake coiling around a sword which was lodged into a human skull. He had long bony fingers on which multiple rings with precious stones shone. His medium length, pitch black hair was driven backwards. There was a glittering blue sword strapped to his waist.

    He didn¡¯t look pleased.

    The Photon Monitors had stopped working. They could no longer see what was happening in the mansion. They¡¯d stopped working ever since Myles had spotted the corrupted Photons. The Alfa Photon had somehow fallen ill. It was an unprecedented event that pushed the Lord Supreme to break through the barriers to Ulmir¡¯s Domain.

    At least a hundred Priests knelt before him. Their hoods were taken off, revealing all their faces. Some had scales instead of skin. Others had whiskers instead of mustaches. Some had thick fur on their arms and faces. Utar was in front, on the ground, on both knees.

    ¡°I¡¯ve left this realm in your hands Utar,¡± the man spoke. His deep voice reverberated against the Champions¡¯ Lounge walls. ¡°Never before has this realm witnessed such calamity. Not even in Ulmir¡¯s time, and He was a sloppy God. What can you say, High Priest, that might quell my anger?¡±

    The man spoke in a calm tone. In spite of his hushed tonality, his voice was heard all around the room. To all who listened, they felt chills fill their whole beings. Unlike the cold that resulted from low temperature, the chills they felt were different. It felt like being constantly watched by something in the dark, something that threatened to deprive you of all happiness.

    Their bodies felt cold. Their limbs froze in place. They could only look at their Lord Supreme, awaiting their punishment. For seven days, an intruder roamed the castle with impunity. It set a precedent unlike any other.

    ¡°No one stays hidden from the Church for this long,¡± the Lord Supreme said. ¡°No one except ¨C¡° he paused a moment then shot his arms forward. Ulmir¡¯s body was flung to the air. The man with dark hair flicked his fingers then Utar¡¯s body floated toward him.

    ¡°You were a promising specimen Utar,¡± Lord Supreme told him. Terror filled Utar¡¯s face as he floated in front of the man called Lord Supreme, rotating helplessly. He mumbled some inaudible words while the man kept talking. ¡°You were almost made Prince if it weren¡¯t for that hateful obsession!¡±

    ¡°My Lord,¡± Utar stammered as he finally spoke. ¡°It¡¯s him, it¡¯s Darkstar!¡±

    ¡°Tell me Utar,¡± Lord Supreme threw the High Priest to the floor, face first. ¡°Do you know why I¡¯ve exiled you here?¡±

    Utar stood with difficulty. His nose was broken. He had lost a tooth too. He knelt again, bowed his head then spoke, ¡°No my lord, it is not my place to question your wisdom.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve always been smart, courteous and diplomatic, sometimes even to a fault. I knew you were hiding something from me, so I brought you closer, promoted you to higher ranks.¡±

    ¡°My lord, I would never hide anything from you,¡± Utar said. His mouth was swollen. The words he spoke were distorted.

    ¡°But you have, dear High Priest, you have.¡± The Lord Supreme¡¯s voice penetrated Utar¡¯s soul. He felt cold, almost frozen. His body could still move but his soul wouldn¡¯t allow for a single drop of Essence to circulate. He felt naked, without powers.

    ¡°Only one has escaped the Church¡¯s clutch since its inception and you were behind it. The one you call Darkstar is the very same person you let go. What¡¯s got you so obsessed with him?¡± Lord Supreme¡¯s question was rhetorical. He didn¡¯t wait for Utar to answer but went on.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been mulling over this question for many years, while you stayed here, overseeing one of my richest farms. I observed you study that painted world. Javad here told me you took it to the vault.¡±

    ¡°With the intruder looming about, it wasn¡¯t safe to keep it in the hall,¡± Utar blabbered.

    ¡°Putting it in the hall marks it as important you fool!¡± Lord Supreme got up from his throne then approached the High Priest. ¡°You have one day to find this intruder, Utar the Seeker! Show me to the vault now. I need to have a look at something.¡±

    Utar led the Lord Supreme to the vault. The latter went to inspect a painting opposite the one containing the flying lion. There was a mansion surrounded by a forest in it. On the lower right corner of the canvas, there was a small shack by the stream. The door was ajar. A mutilated dog lay by the chopped firewood.

    Lord Supreme put his hands on the frame then whispered some words in the ancient language. He was frowning while the spell took effect. Ripples went through the whole picture then everything inside it seemed to spring up to life. Trees moved inside the painting as the wind blew. There were some tiny people walking through the woods.

    ¡°There¡¯s a Rogue Scion here,¡± he told the High Priest. ¡°We can¡¯t interfere now or we¡¯d put the whole realm in danger.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll die if they stay inside,¡± Utar mumbled under his breath.

    ¡°I tried to pull them out, but I¡¯ve been repelled by some dark Orbs. The Scion¡¯s triggered the tribulations!¡±

    ¡°What? How is it even possible?¡± Utar took a closer look. He saw six champions running around the forest. A wild fire ravaged the trees and threatened to destroy the entire painted world. ¡°Someone¡¯s triggered a wildfire there too.¡± He was squinting at the picture.

    ¡°Better say they died in Ulmir¡¯s trial than be the reason behind their demise.¡± Lord Supreme pulled the High Priest from the shoulder. ¡°You can¡¯t risk them seeing you. It might trigger a catastrophic event. I¡¯ll extinguish that fire. Let¡¯s hope the game is easy enough. Best case scenario, we¡¯ll have a survivor to announce as the winner of the Contest.¡±

    ¡°And the worst case?¡±

    ¡°They all die and we blame it on Ulmir¡¯s anger. What was Avourel thinking anyway? Bringing his men to my farm?¡±

    ¡°He always complained about the lack of pure Essence in Hera,¡± Utar answered. ¡°He says it slows their progress.¡±

    ¡°That is a matter to discuss with the emperor himself. He could¡¯ve asked me instead of playing childish games with Kozag.¡± Lord Supreme¡¯s dark green eyes fixed the High Priest with silent fury. He pointed his long index finger at Utar then said. ¡°You on the other hand, have to provide results, immediately!¡±

    ¡°What are your orders, my lord?¡±

    ¡°Bring this Painted World to the Champions¡¯ Lounge. Whoever makes it out of there must be apprehended. Search their memories then report to me immediately.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±

    Lord Supreme turned to leave the vault when a shiny object caught his attention. ¡°What¡¯s this sword?¡±

    ¡°It belongs to Darkstar,¡± Utar replied.

    ¡°How did it get here?¡±

    ¡°I took it from a champion who claimed he¡¯d found it near the Garden.¡±

    ¡°Did he?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve searched his memories, he didn¡¯t lie.¡±

    ¡°Did he see the sword¡¯s owner?¡±

    Utar took a few steps backwards, his head was bowed down. He couldn¡¯t look his lord in the eyes. ¡°I was about to search his memory when he started ranting about his suffering to Ulmir. I couldn¡¯t risk the Photons to come looking.¡±

    ¡°Photons wouldn¡¯t have come if you learned to control them,¡± Lord Supreme barked at Utar. He grabbed him by the collar then brought him closer to his face. ¡°You¡¯ve become weak High Priest. So you let that boy go? Like you did for Darkstar?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes,¡± Utar weakly answered.

    Lord Supreme closed his eyes and moved his head around, as if sniffing the air. ¡°His sword has his Fragment Print. I can sense him somewhere in this castle¡­ and everywhere!¡± Lord Supreme let go of the High Priest.

    ¡°Is this how he¡¯s been deceiving you?¡± Lord Supreme asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve gathered all the trackers, my lord. We should be able to pinpoint a location. He managed to elude me alone. One second he seems to be above the Lounge, the next he disappears to the common room.¡±

    ¡°What do you know about this Castle Utar?¡± Lord Supreme asked as he inspected the sword in his hand.

    ¡°Nothing much, my lord,¡± the High Priest replied. ¡°Ancient Magic keeps it functioning, defended from the beasts outside.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Supreme Lord excitedly said. ¡°This Castle¡¯s older than Ulmir. It¡¯s even older than me. Isn¡¯t that fascinating?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Utar was looking down, crestfallen.

    ¡°There¡¯s a secret here, well hidden. I spent years searching for it but never found it. It¡¯s well guarded you see, by a faithful Watchdog. The first time I arrived to this realm, I battled the beast. It was a fierce creature, powerful. I couldn¡¯t beat it so I¡¯ve sealed it in that painting when I took over.¡± Lord Supreme pointed at the flying lion painting.

    ¡°That thing is flying inside that painting, waiting for someone to feast upon. If you want to trap your Darkstar,¡± Lord Supreme threw the sword inside the painted world then clapped his hands, as if he¡¯d just gotten rid of some old dusty piece of furniture, ¡°put him in a difficult situation.¡±

    Lord Supreme smiled for the first time ever since he got to Ulmir¡¯s Domain. His almond shaped green eyes fixed Utar. ¡°Let¡¯s see him come retrieve it now. There is no leaving this Painted World without defeating the Watchdog.¡±

    He led Utar outside then headed to the Lounge. Utar carried the mansion painted world with him. Lord Supreme sat on the throne once more, crossed his legs then beckoned Javad, the cowardly Priest, forward.

    ¡°I want daily reports, from you and the High Priest. I¡¯ll be gone for now. The mad scientist has discovered something grand, his words.¡± Lord Supreme adjusted his long navy blue cape then addressed the High Priest.

    ¡°Utar, find Darkstar. I trust you¡¯ll have good news for me tomorrow.¡±

    With that, Lord Supreme created a portal and disappeared within it. The lounge grew quiet. High Priest Utar muttered something and his nose got adjusted. His missing tooth grew back.

    ¡°I want this painting surrounded by guards, day and night. Should anyone emerge from that canvas, notify Lord Supreme at once.¡±

    ¡°Your Reverend?¡± Javad asked. His feeble voice was now replaced with a confident tone. His voice was loud enough to get everyone¡¯s attention. Nobody dared speak to the High Priest this way, not even in Lord Supreme¡¯s presence.

    Utar slowly turned toward the Priest, cast his questioning cold gaze on him then answered, ¡°Father?¡±

    ¡°Where are you heading?¡±

    All the other guards and Priests let out faint gasps. Utar has never been questioned by his underlings before. The question coming from Javad, the most cowardly Priest, was an even bigger shock. Utar¡¯s brows knitted even tighter. His fists were clutched and his nose wrinkled into an ugly grimace. The room grew quiet. The High Priest stared at Javad with livid eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve summoned the trackers to my quarters, you should come too,¡± he finally said.

    Father Javad bowed to the High Priest then followed on his footsteps, smiling. They left the Champions¡¯ Lounge then headed for Utar¡¯s private quarters, at the tower above the vault. They took several turns through narrow corridors, climbed serpentine stairs that made Javad¡¯s head turn until they finally reached a large, sturdy oaken door.

    With a wave of his hand, Utar opened the door then strode inside. Ten cloaked men were sitting around a square, marble anteroom. They all sat cross legged, humming a strange chant. Utar asked Javad to steer away from the circle. The High Priest raised his hands. Two shiny balls flew into the air, dissolved into mist then cast a transparent aura around the trackers. It looked like a transparent half sphere.

    ¡°There¡¯s a reason they call me the master tracker,¡± he told Javad. ¡°No one can do the job better than I, Utar the Seeker.¡±

    The High Priest approached the transparent screen then touched it. Ripples traveled from the point of contact, throughout the half sphere. An image slowly appeared on the screen, detailing Ulmir¡¯s Castle.

    ¡°This is us,¡± Utar pointed at a small room atop the castle towers. He flicked his fingers and the room became bigger. ¡°I can see everything I coat my Essence with. You can see me pointing at the screen. Here, have a look.¡±

    Javad came closer. He could see himself standing near Utar, looking at the screen. The sight made him feel dizzy.

    ¡°Some decide to use Familiars, conjure the Primordials and borrow their powers. I took a different path, long ago. I can manipulate my Essence as though it were an extension of my will.

    ¡°With the help of the Photons, nothing escaped my watchful eyes ¨C until Darkstar came into the picture. He eluded me twice. I will not allow him to run from me any longer. With the help of these trackers, we will definitely pinpoint his location.¡±

    ¡°Why are you chasing after Darkstar?¡± Javad asked. ¡°Your Reverend,¡± he added after he noticed Utar¡¯s dark look.

    ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern Father.¡± Utar spread his arms and placed them on the screen. He closed his eyes and seemed to concentrate for a while. Images of the castle halls flashed in front of Javad. He could see the guards surrounding the painting at the Lounge. Great was releasing dancing smoke snakes from his mouth in the Training Arena. The common room¡¯s maid was cleaning the wooden empty tables.

    Images flashed before Javad at a faster rate, until they became a blur. Colors danced at the screen. It looked like paint had been splashed at a rotating sphere in a disorderly manner. Everything seemed to turn to white. A room slowly came into view, expanding, zooming. It was as if they walked towards it.

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible¡­¡± Utar muttered then took a few steps backwards. He released the spell and the mist screen disappeared.

    ¡°What is it, Your Reverend?¡± Javad piously asked.

    ¡°Stay here!¡± Utar yelled at the trackers. ¡°Notify me if anything changes.¡±

    The High Priest turned then shoot a ¡°Follow me!¡± at Javad. He disappeared behind the oaken door and the Priest ran after him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Utar muttered as he walked down the serpentine stairs. He kept descending, Javad behind him, until the paintings and tapestries that hung on the walls disappeared. Windows seemed to become rarer until they disappeared too, replaced by magic crystals. They shone in different colors, casting their light on the gray walls. They soon reached a tunnel, sealed by a magic door.

    ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± Utar muttered. He punched the wall beside him, cracking it. Bricks seemed to falter, threatening to bring the whole tunnel down. ¡°He¡¯s been hiding right next to us. Not even Lord Supreme suspected it¡­¡±

    Javad placed his hands on the wall then muttered a few words. The wall was back in place but Utar still hadn¡¯t calmed down. The High Priest raised his hands once more and cast a spell in the Ancient Language. Green lights flickered in the tunnel.

    Sharp sounds, akin to that of a guillotine being brought down, were heard all around the tunnel. The magic door that sealed the tunnel could slice any intruder into fine, thin pieces. It had to be unlocked using a spell only Lord Supreme and the High Priest of Ulmir knew.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Javad muttered. ¡°Didn¡¯t we search the place many times before?¡±

    ¡°His Fragment imprint was all over the place when I scanned the palace before. This time, it¡¯s fixed. It doesn¡¯t move about, doesn¡¯t disappear. It¡¯s there, stable, unmoving. He¡¯s trapped in the vault, I can sense him. We relied on all our senses except sight.¡±

    Utar quickly reached the vault door then opened it. Inside, there was no trace of Darkstar. Nothing had changed in the vault except the mansion Painted World that had been taken to the Lounge.

    ¡°Javad, I didn¡¯t bring you along to stand idly by,¡± Utar said.

    ¡°What are your orders, Your Reverend?¡±

    ¡°I have but one simple command.¡± Utar was smirking as he turned to look at the Priest. He moved fast, too fast for Javad to react on time. The Priest was grabbed by the scruff of the neck then flung into the painted world in which the flying lion was imprisoned.

    ¡°Fare thee well,¡± Utar said as the Priest disappeared inside the canvas. ¡°Bring Darkstar with you. I trust you won¡¯t fail our Lord Supreme.¡±

 38 - Myles Attacks

    The Mansion Painted World, Five days into the Holi Tribulations. Seven days into the Contest.

    Seven Champions sat around the long dining table. It was lunch time and they weren¡¯t even close to finding the shack. The atmosphere was heavy inside the dining room. Rose, Pip and Slender sat on one end, while Myles and the others sat on the other.

    Nobody talked about what happened to Karp. Nobody talked about anything as a matter of a fact. Even the woman who used to taunt them, throw in some clues to disorient them, had grown silent. Only the sound of cutlery banging against ceramic plates was heard.

    Cane evaded Myles¡¯ gaze. Vivian on the other hand met with his calculating eyes multiple times. She only needed to give him her most charming smile, to see him look away in embarrassment. ¡®He¡¯s got a weakness after all,¡¯ she thought as she saw him turn red at her seductive gaze.

    After dessert was served, Rose and her gang disappeared. Myles beckoned the others to move away from the dining room. They followed him into an empty room, away from eavesdroppers. After Cane closed the door, Lillin was the first to speak.

    ¡°They killed Karp!¡± she told them. ¡°I saw them shoot an arrow in his eye, then another in his chest. Must¡¯ve been Slender. He¡¯s a good archer.¡±

    ¡°Where did they get the weapons?¡± Myles asked.

    ¡°We found the armory when we explored the mansion in teams,¡± Vivian answered. ¡°We couldn¡¯t get anything out of it though. All weapons were humming violently as we approached the exit. So we left them there and closed the doors.¡±

    ¡°A force spell isn¡¯t considered offensive. They could¡¯ve blown a hole in the wall. Where was the armory?¡± Myles was frowning, he wasn¡¯t happy about this sudden development.

    ¡°There were windows in the room, now that I think of it,¡± Vivian said. ¡°We could clearly see some tall pine trees.¡±

    ¡°That must be the eastern wing,¡± Myles said.

    ¡°How do you know so much about the mansion?¡± Vivian asked. She was smiling. She rapidly blinked at Myles when he looked at her. She looked like infatuated with the blond man.

    ¡°I inspected the mansion from outside. It¡¯s more like a small house really. It¡¯s surprisingly bigger on the inside. Anyway, I took my time observing the place. Pine trees grow on the eastern side.¡± Myles was frowning as he answered, although slightly pink at the cheeks. He slowly walked toward Vivian and sniffed the air around her.

    ¡°I sense some¡­ distrust in the air,¡± he finally said. ¡°Did you have a change of heart? Perhaps you¡¯d like to join Rose and the others?¡±

    Vivian looked him in the eyes then smiled. ¡°I just find your acute sense of observation fascinating.¡± She leaned against him and stroked his cheeks with her fingers. ¡°I have a thing for clever boys you see.¡± She giggled as Myles awkwardly tried to get away from her.

    She held him by the chin and brought him closer to her. Her eyes sparkled as they met his. She was smiling. Her cheekbones developed a pink shade. She looked down at his lips then sighed. Cane and Lillin looked at each other awkwardly.

    ¡°I can never doubt you!¡± Vivian let go of Myles and turned away, arms crossed. ¡°These are no manners to speak to a lady!¡±

    Myles was staring at Vivian, his mouth agape. ¡°I didn¡¯t think ¨C Forgive me, my lady.¡± He ceremoniously bowed then waited for the woman to turn around. As soon as she turned to look at him, he held her hand and kissed it.

    ¡°Apology accepted,¡± she said with her nose held high. A triumphant smile drew itself on her pretty face. ¡°Now, can we get back to the matter at hand? Did you find the shack?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Myles answered. ¡°We were immediately attacked by some dark spheres. One hit would turn anybody to dust. Karp conjured up some fire wall but it went out of control. The bad news, we saw Utar in the sky. The good news, I saw the key, shining within the forest when Utar appeared to us.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Vivian asked.

    ¡°I saw a shining object in the distance. When you were looking at the sky, admiring Utar¡¯s face, I took a look around. And I saw the key. Everything around us had gone transparent, except the key. I could see it, bright as day.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how to get to it?¡± Vivian asked.

    ¡°Yes, I have a vague idea,¡± he answered.

    ¡°Did you see where the other key was?¡± she asked once more.

    ¡°I only had enough time to see the first one. Utar disappeared as soon as he appeared.¡±

    ¡°A shame,¡± Vivian said, looking dejected. ¡°We¡¯ll keep looking for the key here. I think we¡¯re getting close to finding it.¡±

    ¡°Cane,¡± Myles called for his friend. ¡°Come lend me a hand against the Scion.¡±

    Cane, who had been avoiding Myles¡¯ gaze ever since they got inside the empty room, looked up. ¡°I can¡¯t fight ¡®er Stalwart,¡± he answered. ¡°We were pretty close ya see¡­¡±

    ¡°Never took you for a sentimental, friend.¡± Myles was frowning again.

    ¡°A lo¡¯a things ya dunno about me, friend.¡± Cane was standing with his legs spread. His fists were closed.

    Myles scoffed then turned away. ¡°I can take care of her by myself.¡± He shot a last glance at Lillin then told her, ¡°stay with them if you¡¯d like.¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    Stalwart left the room then headed for the forest outside. As soon as he left the main door, he heard footsteps following behind him. Rose, Slender and Pip were running after him. Pip and Rose had their arms crossed as they ran. Their lips were moving rapidly. They were reciting some incantation.

    Myles stopped right in his tracks, turned to look at his assailants then shouted ¡°Bhola!¡± with his arms outstretched. A blinding light shot towards the three. They all had to close their eyes and cover them with their hands. When they finally judged it safe to open them, Myles had already disappeared.

    ¡°We stick together until we find him!¡± Rose shouted at the other two then all of them ran for the woods. The trees around them were tall. Their branches were large enough to conceal an average sized human. They walked in silence. Pip and Slender were nervously looking around. Rose walked with her eyes closed and arms crossed.

    Slender had a blue aura surrounding his hands, while Pip had created a red protection screen around the three. A twig snapped and Rose opened her eyes. They shone a golden light which projected itself between the trees. Pip released the protection screen and Slender conjured a lance which he threw at the golden light.

    A clank was heard then a thud. They ran toward the noise, zigzagging through the trees. They soon reached a tree trunk in which the lance was firmly inserted. ¡°He ran for it!¡± Rose announced then dashed forward.

    ¡°Follow the footsteps!¡± she barked at the others as she ran.

    They quickly arrived in a clearing where Myles was holding a tree branch. He looked at them, a serious air about him.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± he told the three champions. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to fight you. But you¡¯ve forced my hand!¡±

    Myles held the branch high for the others to see. They all snorted at the sight of the large stick. Myles on the other hand knelt down to collect a fist sized stone. Pip slowly walked to the right, trying to surround his target. Slender stood in place. The blue aura still coated his hands. Rose went left. They were slowly surrounding Stalwart as he observed them with mocking eyes.

    ¡°I never really had a chance to go all out with this.¡± He was muttering to himself, looking at the objects he held.

    ¡°Do you still deny it?¡± Rose yelled at Myles who stood holding a small rock and a stick. ¡°Do you still deny being the key holder?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have it,¡± Myles calmly answered.

    ¡°¡¯Nuff talkin¡¯ woman, get ¡¯im!¡± Pip said then hurled his arms forward. A fireball, the size of a melon, shot towards Myles. The latter threw the stone he held at the projectile. The fireball exploded midair as the rock easily went through it, like a hot knife going through butter. Pip let out a loud squeal. Fire dissipated in the air, revealing the stout man, holding his leg and grunting. Rose and Slender jumped back a few paces. They eyed the young man with worried looks.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have messed with me,¡± he said as he slowly turned toward the silver haired woman. The branch he held slowly transformed into a wooden sword.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t your usual practice sword Rose,¡± he told her as he slowly approached her. Slender released another lance. Myles casually deflected it with his wooden sword. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you shortly,¡± he told the tall man as he cast a quick glance at him.

    Slender watched Myles approach the silver haired woman with apprehension. The lance he conjured couldn¡¯t be deflected that easily. One could only defend against it with a protective screen or dodge it. Deflecting it with a weapon, and in Myles¡¯ case, a wooden one, was unheard of.

    Pip wasn¡¯t willing to wait for Myles to finish them off one by one. He muttered an elementary healing spell then ran for Myles, a red protective screen around him. Myles somersaulted behind the stout man then cut his magic barrier. The protective screen immediately broke. Pip¡¯s face was white, ghastly. He never expected his defense to be broken so easily.

    Myles thrust his wooden sword through Pip¡¯s stomach. With a grunt and another push, the sword peeked through the stout man¡¯s back. Pip fell to his knees as Myles put a leg on the man¡¯s face and wrenched his sword free. Rose and Slender were watching the fight unfold, rooted to the ground.

    ¡°I can change the shape of things you see. I can turn anything into a deadly weapon if I choose to. Now your turn,¡± Myles said then dashed at Rose. The woman raised her arms just in time to block a swing which targeted her head.

    ¡°Not bad, you can actually block this.¡± Myles smiled then swung again. Rose dodged the second attack and made to counter, only to meet Myle¡¯s knee headfirst. She stumbled back to the ground, bleeding. Just as Myles was about to finish her, he heard a whistle coming from behind. Had he been a fraction of a second late to dodge, he would have been skewered.

    But he dodged and turned to look at his assailant with such fury that Slender stopped, frozen with another conjured lance in his hand. He knew he had to hurl it at his enemy to finish him. But something made him stop. It wasn¡¯t a conscious decision but an impulse. Somehow, he knew his enemy would dodge the attack again. He had a really bad feeling right there and then.

    Myles turned away from the silver haired woman then headed for Slender. The tall man held the conjured lance in both hands and got ready to fight. From the corner of his eye, he saw Rose running for it. He didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it though, Myles was already in range.

    Slender thrust the lance at his enemy who dodged it swiftly and advanced. Myles didn¡¯t expect the tall man to swing in the air as he executed a butterfly kick. His conjured lance followed the flow and unexpectedly swung at Myles. A clank was heard and the phantom lance dissipated as it hit the wooden sword. There were a few paces between them now.

    ¡°Seems like you can¡¯t keep up the sword for longer than a few seconds,¡± Myles said as he inspected his own wooden sword. Cracks had formed on the weapon, causing him to flinch.

    Slender produced another lance then lunged at Stalwart. When he got close to melee range, the tall man hurled his lance forward then produced another. Myles dodged one attack to see another pointy blue shape aiming for his head. He brought the wooden sword just in time to repel the attack.

    Myles fell to the ground with thud. He frowned at the broken weapon he held in his hand then flung it aside. He looked around him, trying to find something to grab and transform. Slender must have read his thoughts as he produced another lance and hurled it at him. Myles dodged and avoided the projectile by the skin of his teeth.

    He rolled on the ground as another conjured lance hit the ground on which he had landed. Slender had reached him by then and tried to kick him. Myles blocked the attack then twisted the man¡¯s leg until a loud crack was heard. Slender shouted at the top of his lungs while Myles jerked his leg all around.

    Slender fell down, howling and flailing his arms about in the air. Myles was standing above him, looking pretty pleased with the man¡¯s wails and cries.

    ¡°Now let¡¯s see.¡± He broke Slender¡¯s other leg then started circling around him. ¡°It¡¯s such a waste to kill you. Great fight though,¡± he said with a wide smile. ¡°Credit must be given when credit is owed. You my friend, are one helluva fighter.¡±

    Slender looked at him with angry eyes. He was grunting as his blood was being drained by the earth below. He tried to adjust himself against a truck but his strength failed him. Blood trickled down his nose too. He looked beaten, worn out but not defeated. He was still flaring his nostrils and grunting at Stalwart.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry,¡± Myles said as he knelt next to him. ¡°I¡¯ll make it quick.¡± He walked a few paces away from Slender. The tall man could hear Myles footsteps getting farther and farther. He lay alone in there, his face against the brown earth. He could taste copper mixed with dirt in his mouth. His eyes were getting heavy ¨C

    BAM!

    Myles had just slammed a large rock on the tall man¡¯s head which gave under its weight with a crunching then slurping sound. Myles chuckled at the sound of it.

    ¡°Quick! Don¡¯t you think?¡± He asked the headless corpse.

 39 - The Key Holder

    The trees were dense inside the forest but that didn¡¯t bother Myles. He was heading for a general direction, not for the shack¡¯s exact location. Earlier when Lord Supreme inspected the Painted World, Myles saw that the stream ran along the western edge of the forest. He only needed to find that and follow it to the shack. The initiator¡¯s silence during lunch earlier proved she was hiding.

    He pricked his ears for movements behind the trees. He didn¡¯t go after Rose. By the time he was done fighting Slender, the silver haired woman was long gone. Tracking her would take him more time than finding the shallow river.

    ¡®Those dark orbs must¡¯ve been some kind of defensive mechanism.¡¯ Myles dreaded those dark spheres. He had never seen such magic before. Not even his master was capable of such a feat. He feared that the one casting the orbs was the initiator.

    ¡®This means that the Scion is weak,¡¯ he was grinning from ear to ear. ¡®I wonder what kind of power a Scion has anyway¡­¡¯

    Absorbed in his thoughts about the Scions and the Holi tribulations, Myles didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d just crossed a shallow stream. It was only when he¡¯d realized that his trousers felt heavier and feet colder that he stopped. He turned back to find the river then followed it downstream. The painting showed the shack to be near the right corner of the frame.

    ¡®Vivian ¨C That vixen suspected something.¡¯ He was still absorbed in thought as he walked along the stream. ¡®Cane is also acting distant, does he suspect something too?¡¯

    Above him, the sun had already begun its descent. He had until dusk to find the key holder. He¡¯d have to fight the Scion too. The others were searching for the second key, or had already found it. Rose was lurking somewhere in the darkness, trying to assassinate him. He was risking a whole lot keeping the charade going, at that irritated him.

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to it in the first place. Does he think he owns us?¡¯ His thoughts had taken him to darker places. He cursed under his breath then broke into a trot then a sprint. ¡®They might¡¯ve found the key and hidden it from me. I can¡¯t confront them, not without revealing my true identity.¡¯

    He suddenly came to a full stop as he noticed a small wooden shack on the other side of the stream. ¡®She must have covered this place with protection spells,¡¯ he thought while observing the place. The mutilated dog was at the door, flies buzzing around him. It was exactly as in the painting.

    ¡®What would master do in this case?¡¯ He stroked his chin while devising a plan of attack. The door to the shack was wide open. Nobody peeked out of it though. It looked too quiet, too normal. Myles took a stone then threw it at the small house. It flew in the air then disappeared halfway through. It looked like it collided with a soft surface then disappeared inside it.

    He took another stone, transformed it into an arrowhead then threw it. The stone changed back into its previous form as it came into contact with the soft surface. As soon as its transformation was complete, the stone got absorbed and disappeared.

    ¡°Aetherbane!¡± he hissed. ¡°That¡¯s how you want to do it then?¡±

    He stared at the empty small house. There was a protective screen around it. No magic could enter it. The transformation magic he relied on was rendered useless. He slowly advanced toward the invisible protection screen. It was at the opposite bank of the stream. He cursed himself for not paying the armory a visit. He didn¡¯t know who or what he¡¯d fight right after crossing that barrier.

    ¡°So be it,¡± he said with a heavy sigh.

    He walked forward, crossed the shallow stream then soon his hands came in contact with a soft substance. He pushed on then emerged on the other side. A woman, as tall as Myles, stood before him. She wore a plain green dress. Her ample thighs peeked under long cuts on each side of the dress. A long blue cloth was tightly wrapped around her waist. She stood before him in a fighting position.

    ¡°You¡¯re not Greta anymore,¡± Myles said as he got in position too. The woman was holding a curved sword. Myles heart sank as he realized the troublesome situation he¡¯d just put himself in.

    ¡°You¡¯re unarmed,¡± the woman answered. She didn¡¯t have one voice. It seemed as though a thousand voices were speaking at once.

    Myles walked around the woman. He made sure he kept a good distance from her. He frantically looked around for the wood chopping axe.

    ¡°You¡¯re weak,¡± he told the woman as he circled around her.

    ¡°You assume too much, child,¡± the thousand voices answered.

    ¡°You could¡¯ve attacked as soon as you realized I wasn¡¯t armed.¡±

    ¡°I told you boy, I need answers.¡± The woman dashed forward, taking Stalwart by surprise.

    He dodged the curved sword¡¯s pointy end in the nick of time, but found himself lying on the floor. The Scion had used the sword thrust as a feint then kicked his legs off the ground. She was standing above him, her sword pointed at his throat.

    ¡°We have time for a brief talk before one of us dies,¡± she said with an eerie smile.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Myles tried to move but the sword followed, ever so threatening.

    ¡°For starters, what¡¯s a Fairy doing here, so far from home?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a Scion,¡± Myles answered. ¡°You should know, even if you¡¯re just a fragment!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll soon be whole,¡± the thousand voices answered. ¡°We¡¯ll soon overthrow that usurper and take our rightful place!¡±

    ¡°Overthrow? You¡¯re so weak you can¡¯t even use magic. You rely on tricks to gain power. Do you really think the Game Master will overlook your treachery?¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    The woman suddenly let go of her sword then grabbed Myles by the throat. He was levitated off the ground. His feet kicked the air as he suffocated. ¡°Insolent!¡± The voices echoed inside Myles¡¯ head. ¡°Answer our question!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ¨C a ¨C Familiar!¡± he answered. ¡°My master¡¯s Darkstar.¡±

    The woman let go of Myles who fell to the ground panting and coughing. The woman was looking at him, her eyes wide open. Noticing her shock, Myles instantly dived at the sword. He swung it at the woman who blocked it with her forearm. Blood splattered Myles face.

    The Scion didn¡¯t seem to mind the injury. She looked at Myles with her eyes wide open. ¡°Your master¡¯s a bad man,¡± she told him. ¡°He¡¯ll be punished first when we take back what¡¯s ours!¡±

    Myles poked at the Scion with the curved sword. He soon found himself rotating in the air. He didn¡¯t even know how he was disarmed. The Scion was holding the sword in her left hand this time, and she was quickly advancing. Her right arm was bleeding but she just didn¡¯t seem to care.

    Myles quickly retreated, looking for the axe. He was near the shack¡¯s entrance. The Scion was just a few paces away from him when he got inside and closed the door behind him. He needed a second¡¯s delay, just enough to find something to defend himself with. What he saw inside the small wooden hut made him forget the danger outside.

    There was a replica of the mansion atop a wooden table. The roof and ceilings had been removed to allow for an eagle eye view from the sky. Myles saw little drawings representing his friends inside the building. They were all in one room. They were sitting on the floor with some pictures scattered around them.

    ¡°Did you really think the door could stop us?¡± a thousand voices spoke behind him.

    ¡°They have the second key!¡± Myles said.

    ¡°All you have to do is take ours now, and be free!¡±

    Myles turned around to look at the Scion. ¡°I know why you fear him, my master. To be frank, he scares me too.¡±

    ¡°But he doesn¡¯t own you!¡± the thousand voices said. ¡°Join us! Bring us the second key and we¡¯ll break the seal that binds you to him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be long dead before you do that woman. I¡¯m not stupid.¡±

    ¡°Oh but you are,¡± the voices answered. They spoke in different tones and paces. Listening to them speak could give you a headache. ¡°When the game ends, the Game Master will give us our rewards. We shall pick you too, unbound, free.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not escaping one form of captivity to land into another!¡± Myles took the mansion¡¯s replica then threw it on the woman¡¯s face. One swing from the sword was enough to slice it in half. But that¡¯s all Myles needed, a chance to start his attack.

    He tackled the woman, breaking the hut¡¯s door as he slammed her against it. They both fell outside, the scimitar a few paces away from them. Myles stood on top of the woman, holding her by the collar. He started punching the woman, even landed some elbow jabs on her. With every punch her head would bob sideways. She laughed all the while, thousands of hisses and wheezes that chilled the bones.

    Myles felt a slap in his elbow joint. A kick at his ribs ensued then he found himself rolling on the ground.  He immediately stood up and got in position to fight. His eyes searched for the scimitar but couldn¡¯t find it. He slowly moved his eyes toward the Scion, dreading what he¡¯d see.

    She didn¡¯t have the weapon either.

    The woman smiled then jumped at Myles. She aimed a kick at his head, which he dodged dexterously. He answered with a jab aimed at her lower jaw, which she parried and punished. Myles felt his head bobbing sideways as the woman¡¯s elbow hit him with full force.

    She followed the elbow attack with a kick to the knee. Myles fell down to feel the woman¡¯s heel on his face. He was thrown a few paces away, face first into the dirt. The assault would have continued if Myles hadn¡¯t anticipated the woman¡¯s next move. He turned on his back just in time to see her plunging down at him, feet first.

    He blocked the attack then flung the Scion aside. He quickly got up and went after her. She was already in position, ready to counter any attack. Myles gave a feint with his left shoulder. The woman raised her hand to block then Myles launched a low cross, toward her ribs. His fist was slapped away though. The momentum carried him downwards before he stopped himself. He looked up to see the woman smiling.

    He had dropped his guard.

    He saw her foot approaching his face rapidly. It happened in a flash. But to him it went in slow motion. Not the kind of slow motion in which he could act, but the kind during which his body was immobilized, helplessly watching doom approaching. His nose made a cracking noise. He felt his teeth breaking. The taste of copper filled his mouth.

    He fell to the ground once more. He opened his eyes to see the woman standing above him. She kicked him once in the ribs then stomped on his stomach twice. All air left his body. He tried to move but his body refused to do so. The woman¡¯s moves were fast and decisive. He tried to punch her legs, get her on even grounds. But she held his arm and twisted it at a dangerous angle. She then sat on top of him; put her knee on his gullet as she observed him with mocking eyes.

    ¡°Presumptuous,¡± she told him with a voice akin to a thousand whispers. ¡°You should have looked for the second key.¡± Her knee was getting heavier and heavier on his throat. He was losing consciousness. Myles did the only thing he could think of in this desperate situation.

    He shoved his bony fingers between the woman¡¯s legs.

    A thousand voices shrieked, sending chills down Myles spine. The woman fell back down and Myles rose to his feet. He didn¡¯t have time to hesitate. He kicked the woman between the legs, causing more loud shrieks then kicked her in the face, throwing her at the ground. He sat on top of her chest, pummeling her to death.

    The woman¡¯s head bounced against the floor as Myles landed punch after punch. She wasn¡¯t going to give up easily though. Her legs suddenly sprung up then wrapped themselves around Stalwart. She pushed them forward.

    His back was immediately brought to the ground, with the woman sitting on top of him. His legs were bent at a dangerous angle. The woman was about to deliver her revenge when he threw his arms around her torso and rolled to the side.

    They were struggling on the ground for what seemed an eternity, trying to gain the upper hand. Water splashed as they reached the stream, turning one another from one side to the other. They kept exchanging punches all the while. Their faces were swollen but their will to fight never faded.

    The Scion had finally gained the upper hand. She was sitting on top of Myles¡¯ back, holding his face below the shallow water. He could feel pebbles and mud collect around his nostrils as he struggled to wrench himself free from her clutching hands. They had left the Aetherbane zone as they struggled.

    Myles hands flailed about as life was being snuffed out of him. He tried to reach her in every possible way. He tried swaying to throw her off. It didn¡¯t work. He tried to push with his hands upwards but she always punched his head back inside the muddy water. He¡¯d swallowed a couple pebbles in his two last attempts to break free.

    As he was punched down for the third time, his right hand landed on a solid object. He mustered all the strength left in his left arm then pushed with all his might. The woman wasn¡¯t pushed aside though, only slightly elevated above his body. But that was enough for him to quickly turn around and land on his back.

    He used the momentum to hit her temple with the stone, which he transformed into a sharp arrowhead.

    The woman tilted to the side then rigidly fell to the water. Myles got up, coughing, wheezing. He spat for what seemed an eternity, trying to get all the mud he¡¯d swallowed out. He felt thirsty, but couldn¡¯t drink the water from the stream. It disgusted him.

    He went to the woman then inspected her neck, looking for a pulse. Her body shone a bright light then a glowing golden ring flew out of it. The golden object floated in the air then hurled itself at Myles. It went through his ring finger and settled there. The glow instantly disappeared.

 40 - Game Over

    The Mansion Painted World, Five days into the Holi Tribulations. Seven days into the Contest.

    Cane, Vivian and Lillin were sitting on an empty floor. They had spread sixteen paintings in front of them. They spent the last hour collecting the missing ones. With Lillin¡¯s help, the search went faster than anticipated. They had sixteen canvases; all looking similar save for some small imperceptible changes. They had stripped all the paintings from their frames and tried aligning them together, like a piece of puzzle.

    Cane gave up on the task when he couldn¡¯t differentiate between indigo and violet. He just called them purple. Vivian and Lillin were still arranging some pieces together while Cane was looking out the window.

    The sun was getting closer to the horizon. It had already hugged the forest trees. It was calm outside, unlike in the morning. He wondered if Myles had died. He was surprised to find himself hoping he had.

    Lillin let out a faint gasp. Cane turned around to see Vivian beaming. Her smile painfully reminded him of Greta. She didn¡¯t deserve to die, not in this unfair goose chase. Lillin opened her mouth to speak but a movement by the paintings stopped her. They looked down to see all the paintings moving closer.

    The canvases expanded and magically attached themselves to each other. By the time they stopped moving, a pentagonal picture presented itself to the three champions. It looked like an abstract painting. Dark colors hugged each other in the background while warmer colors danced around a golden orb in the middle.

    The orb slowly detached itself from the canvas. It slowly transformed into a ring then flew at Vivian. It went through her ring finger, shone once more before it settled. She was holding the second key. A silver ring with a ruby incrusted on it.

    ¡°What now?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°We wait for dinner,¡± Vivian answered. ¡°The sun has almost set.¡±

    ¡°Should we head to the dining room?¡± Lillin asked.

    ¡°We should wait here. There¡¯s something we need to discuss.¡± Vivian looked tense. She looked at Cane with nervous eyes.

    ¡°You said the man with Black Eyes had familiars?¡± she asked the big bear.

    ¡°Yes, what of it?¡±

    ¡°Familiars?¡± Lillin looked confused.

    ¡°Not now,¡± Vivian apologetically looked at the teenage girl then turned to Cane. ¡°Did he happen to say what they were? Not their names, but their nature.¡±

    ¡°He called ¡®em Fairies,¡± Cane answered.

    ¡°Did they look like the ones from the Plains?¡±

    ¡°How should I know? I¡¯ve never been there.¡±

    ¡°Did they have some kind of hide, fangs or sharp claws?¡±

    ¡°Nah, they were small as a butterfly!¡±

    Vivian fell silent. Her eyes had involuntarily widened. Her nostrils flared. Her eyebrows shot upwards. Surprise and terror filled her pale face now.

    ¡°Butterfly Fairies?¡± Lillin asked. She looked quite upset by Cane¡¯s words. ¡°They¡¯re ¨C But they¡¯re cursed¡­¡±

    Vivian exchanged worried looks with the teenage girl. She looked as upset as Lillin was. She tried to utter some words but they failed her. Cane kept looking at the woman, urging her to speak her mind. At long last, she managed to spill the beans.

    ¡°There are two kinds of fairies,¡± Vivian spoke in a whisper. She struggled to breathe steadily. ¡°The ones in Ulmir¡¯s domain are known for their ferocity and their terrible wrath. But the small ones¡­ The small ones are a bad omen¡­ the ones Black Eyes presumably controls are far worse than the Faeries in Ulmir¡¯s domain.¡±

    ¡°I heard the guards confirm it. They were all destroyed,¡± Lillin commented.

    ¡°The little ones saved my life twice,¡± Cane muttered.

    ¡°Be that as it may,¡± Vivian knelt beside Cane. Her eyes were trying to find his. ¡°They might be docile, especially in their master¡¯s presence. But they¡¯re cunning creatures; the very definition of mischief.¡±

    Cane was looking at Vivian¡¯s clear brown eyes. ¡°What¡¯s that gotta do with anything?¡±

    ¡°The man with black eyes is the same one NewsCo spoke about before the Hunt. The Black Eyed Devil, is that right?¡±

    ¡°I dunno,¡± Cane answered. ¡°Never read a newspaper in my life.¡±

    ¡°Clueless!¡± Vivian, exasperated, said. ¡°The Black Eyed Devil¡¯s an old prophecy from the southern continent.¡±

    ¡°I was told it was destroyed long ago,¡± Lillin interrupted.

    ¡®What¡¯s up with her and destruction?¡¯ Vivian found herself thinking. ¡°Did they happen to tell you why it was destroyed?¡± she asked. Her eyes challenged the teenage girl to say yes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve asked,¡± Lillin said, her voice but a faint whisper. ¡°But they¡¯ve told me to never speak of it, for the Devil¡¯s always listening.¡±

    ¡°Right they are,¡± Vivian ruffled the girl¡¯s hair then went on. ¡°The Old Prophecy says the Devil will come to destroy the world. Our punishment for destroying the land we were entrusted to keep.¡±

    ¡°To keep?¡± Lillin looked confused. ¡°By who?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea!¡± Vivian smiled then shrugged. ¡°But the prophecy also speaks of the Devil¡¯s servants, nasty little creatures. They specialize in deception. They look adorable and defenseless. They lure people into loving and trusting them, before they ¨C ¡° Vivian slid her index finger across her neck.

    ¡°The Devil died long ago,¡± Cane was frowning, his arms crossed. ¡°Our savior defeated ¡®im.¡±

    ¡°The funny thing about history, it always repeats itself.¡± Vivian commented. ¡°Prophecies are old stories we hear but always choose to ignore.¡±

    She lowered her head then turned around, towards the windows. She looked out into the quiet forest as she played with her hair. Cane and Lillin observed her expectantly. It took her a while but when she spoke, her voice was low.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in fortune telling. But I can¡¯t help but see the state of decay our world had reached. A part of me dreads this Devil. We have an old story in our house you see. I won¡¯t bore you with the details but the gist of it is that the Devil is always among us. He¡¯s imprisoned in a dark, cold world, bidding his time.

    He¡¯ll break through the barrier one day then come terrorize us once more. Sometimes, I sense chills in the air, even during dry hot days. It feels as if all my fears had surfaced at once. The funny thing, I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m afraid of.¡±

    She turned to look at Cane. He never imagined he would see that smart, composed woman look so frightened. ¡°When I look at Myles, I feel the same fear. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m afraid of. But something, maybe intuition, tells me he¡¯s bad news. There¡¯s something about him that gives me the willies.¡±

    ¡°How do you know he¡¯s not dead?¡± Cane sprung up to his feet. ¡°Did ya hear anything since the explosion?¡± He was pointing at the woods outside. He looked out the window to see Myles rapidly approaching the mansion. His face was swollen, his clothes wet and in tatters. He also saw Rose quickly catching up to him. She had a bow and quiver strapped around her back. A long sword was also strapped to her waist.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Com¡¯ere, quick!¡± he beckoned to two ladies to the window.

    Myles had just reached the clearing before the main door, when an arrow missed his left ear by a hair¡¯s width. Rose was running his way.

    ¡°We should giv¡¯im a hand,¡± Cane told the other two. Lillin bit her lower lip while Vivian shook her head.

    ¡°If I didn¡¯t have a special disliking for Rose, I would lend her a hand.¡±

    ¡°Are you for real?!¡± Cane was shouting. ¡°We wouldn¡¯ave found the key if it weren¡¯t for ¡®im!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve found the key because we looked, Cane. It was me who told you about the Painted World, remember?¡±

    ¡°What now? He¡¯s an enemy?¡±

    ¡°Why are you defending him?¡± Lillin interjected. ¡°You don¡¯t trust him, yet you place your life in his hands. That¡¯s plain dumb!¡±

    ¡°Watch yer mouth little one!¡± Cane was easy to provoke. ¡°I don¡¯t like hitting little girls!¡±

    ¡°Try me!¡± Lillin yelled back. ¡°Did the victory against the mushroom get to your head? We all fought to get here!¡±

    ¡°Cane!¡± Vivian interrupted before they started barking at each other again. ¡°Myles has the key, I can see it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Both of them yelled simultaneously.

    ¡°This ring means I have a key. I think that¡¯s how I can see the other one flashing inside his body.¡±

    ¡°Then why isn¡¯t it over?¡± Lillin asked.

    ¡°Beware the key holder, to him, you¡¯re cannon fodder.¡± Vivian was repeating the song the initiator sang for them when they just arrived. ¡°He can leave in a week, unless you get him to speak.¡±

    ¡°So the way to get out of here is to get all the key holders to confess to it?¡± Lillin asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re a sharp one,¡± Vivian said.¡± I believe you got the gist of it. No killing has to be involved,¡±

    ¡°But we know Myles has it, ya told us.¡±

    ¡°He has to confess it.¡± Vivian looked outside the window. Myles and Rose were exchanging blows. He managed to disarm her and now they were struggling on the ground.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem ready to confess,¡± Lillin commented. ¡°At least not to her.¡±

    ¡°Listen Cane,¡± Vivian turned away from the window and held the big bear by the shoulder. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t confess to having the key, then he¡¯ll try to fight us after dinner. The sun has almost set. We¡¯ll soon teleport to the dining room.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the initiator dead?¡± Lillin pointed out.

    ¡°Yes, but the Holi Tribulations don¡¯t end when the initiator dies. They end when all the conditions to victory, or loss, have been met.¡±

    ¡°And the rule is to survive seven days,¡± Cane muttered.

    ¡°Unless Myles confesses to having the key, yes,¡± Vivian was looking at the pentagonal canvas, thoughtful.

    ¡°But ¨C¡° Lillin was interrupted by Vivian before she could continue.

    ¡°We need to think of a way to defeat him. He¡¯s defeated the Scion, which means he¡¯s stronger. I don¡¯t even think we can defeat him.¡±

    ¡°I can,¡± Cane said with a clenched jaw.

    ¡°You two fought before?¡± Lillin asked.

    ¡°Do you know what powers he has?¡± Both women were staring at the big bear with questioning gazes.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the man with black eyes, then we¡¯re all dead,¡± Cane answered. ¡°But he¡¯s not. Black Eyes never makes mistakes.¡±

    ¡°What makes you so sure?¡± Vivian was squinting at him.

    ¡°If it were ¡®im, we¡¯d never even suspect ¡®im.¡± He cast a grim gaze at both women then went on. ¡°D¡¯ya remember the intruder?¡±

    ¡°Myles was arrested by the guards. I saw them take him from the Training Arena. I think they suspected him,¡± Vivian answered.

    ¡°Black Eyes predicted that, ya see. He planned everythin¡¯ . Told me teh stay away from ¡®im in the Contest.¡±

    ¡°And where¡¯s he now?¡± Lillin had her hands on her hips.

    ¡°I dunno,¡± Cane was looking down, like a brooding big child. ¡°I dunno anythin¡¯ anymore. All I know is that I was on the ground, Black Eyes had a knife on my throat. He¡¯s fast and scary strong.¡±

    ¡°I have something else to add,¡± Lillin said while holding her arm in the air, like a student asking for permission to speak. Cane and Vivian turned to look at her at the same time.

    ¡°The song in the beginning, it said we should solve a riddle, and beware of the key holder. We¡¯ve found the key. Assuming we defeat Myles, or get him to confess, what then? What will happen to the ones who don¡¯t have a key?¡±

    The empty room grew quiet. Outside, Rose was screaming her lungs out. Cane and Vivian didn¡¯t even turn to look at Myles tearing the woman¡¯s heart out of her open back. They were thinking of what the little girl had just told them.

    ¡°There has to be some kind of exit. If this is a painted world,¡± Vivian was muttering to herself. ¡°Then the exit must be by the painting. But we held the painting in our hands and nothing happened to either of us.¡±

    ¡°The song also says the key holder can leave within a week. But nothing of the others who didn¡¯t have a key,¡± Lillin added.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make you plump and juicy,¡± Vivian was still muttering. ¡°For with food I am choosey.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s bad, right?¡± Lillin made an ugly grimace, a mixture between hopelessness and terror.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that bad,¡± Vivian answered.

    ¡°What¡¯s bad?¡± Cane asked. He was clueless.

    Before any of them could answer, they felt their bodies getting lighter. They felt drowsy. Their eyelids grew heavy and their consciousness slowly faded away. They opened their eyes to find themselves in the dining room. Myles was sitting there too, his arms crossed, smiling.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got the key!¡± he said with a wide smile that surprised everyone else. His face was swollen, his hair greasy. His clothes were torn at different spots too. His smile soon disappeared when he saw the others looking at him with grim faces.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with you all?¡± He suddenly yelled at them. ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing but bring you one piece of good news after the other. And yet, you always find a way to frown and scowl!¡±

    ¡°Did you get to speak to the initiator?¡± Vivian asked.

    ¡°Was it Greta?¡± Cane intervened before Myles could answer.

    ¡°Was she in the shack?¡± Lillin said, as if to keep the custom of questioning interruptions. Myles looked at them, bewildered.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t Greta,¡± he told Cane.

    He then turned towards Lillin then said ¡°She was in the shack.

    ¡°But she coated it with Aetherbane. We had to fight the old fashioned way ¨C ¡± He slapped a fist into his palm as he told Vivian.

    ¡°Did you speak to her before you fought?¡± Vivian insisted.

    ¡°Have some compassion woman,¡± Myles protested. ¡°At least congratulate me for doing you all a great service. Oh, and I took care of those bigots for you too, thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°We saw you murder Rose,¡± Vivian said in a cold tone. ¡°Did you speak to the initiator?¡±

    Myles let out a long sigh before he answered. ¡°I asked some questions. She answered with her fists, and kick, and fists again ¨C Damn she was a tough one.¡± He shuddered, scratched his greasy hair then went on. ¡°She only mocked me for fighting her alone. Those were the only words she spoke." He cast a dark look at Cane, who looked down.

    ¡°This complicates it,¡± Vivian said.

    ¡°What do you mean? You didn¡¯t find the key?¡±

    ¡°We have,¡± Lillin answered.

    ¡°Who has it?¡±

    Vivian raised her hand.

    ¡°We should be leaving the place¡­¡± Myles grabbed a bowl of hot cabbage soup then started filling his spoon.

    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to solve a riddle,¡± Lillin spoke. ¡°It¡¯s in the song. The one the initiator sang for us when we arrived.¡±

    ¡°In other words,¡± Myles said between two spoonfuls of cabbage soup, ¡°only Vivian and I can leave this place, unless we solve the riddle that is. Right?¡±

    ¡°Correct,¡± Vivian answered.

    ¡°Do you know what the riddle is?¡± he asked her before finishing his bowl and filling another.

    ¡°It¡¯s the whole song,¡± Lillin answered.

    ¡°Not entirely, the song tells us to beware of the key bearer. We¡¯re then supposed to get the key bearer to speak then solve the riddle. It¡¯s like doing things in a specific order. Vivian and I hold the key. The key holder can leave in seven days, in which case the others die, cannon fodder. If the others manage to unmask him or her, then the confession part is over.¡±

    ¡°Then why aren¡¯t we leaving?¡± Lillin asked.

    ¡°Under the table,¡± Cane said. He was religiously devouring some animal leg. It looked like a chicken¡¯s but it was ten times bigger.

    ¡°Ha!¡± Myles exclaimed. ¡°Leave it to Cane to provide us with the perfect, yet simplest, answer.¡±

    Vivian stood up. She grabbed the dining table from each corner and tried to push it aside.

    ¡°What d¡¯ya think yer doin¡¯?¡± Cane asked.

    ¡°Pushing the bloody table aside?¡± Vivian replied. She must have noticed Cane frowning since she immediately added. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    Cane let go of the meat he was devouring, looked at Vivian while chewing. ¡°We¡¯re eating!¡± He barked as chunks of meat fell off his mouth, onto the table.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we just move it aside then keep eating?¡± she exasperatedly asked. Cane mumbled something with his full mouth which sounded like ¡®no can do¡¯.

    They had their dinner as they waited for him to finish eating. Vivian sipped the food. She wasn¡¯t in the mood for dinner. Lillin carefully picked up some vegetables, avoiding gravy and meat all the while. She placed them before her then stared at them, unable to eat. Cane didn¡¯t seem to mind them as he enjoyed a crimson looking pudding. Myles had finished his meal and was humming the initiator¡¯s song when he suddenly sprung to his feet.

    ¡°Cane, would you mind holding the pudding in your hands? We¡¯re short on time here.¡±

    Cane held the pudding on one hand while taking spoonfuls with the other. The others cleared the table then moved it aside. Myles and Vivian made to open the hatch at the same time.

    ¡°We¡¯re both key holders,¡± he told her. ¡°We should both touch it at the same time and open it, just to be sure.¡±

    Vivian nodded and the two held the trap door by its circular handle. They tugged and pulled with all their might but the hatch wouldn¡¯t budge. When Cane finished eating, he tried helping them, pulling both their bodies while they held on tight.

    The wooden door gave a moan before it moved. A box was hidden underneath the trap door. Myles and Vivian carried it on top of the table then opened it. They saw a painting of a mansion on top of a hill. It was identical to the one they¡¯d seen in the dining room. But this one had a strong aura emanating from it.

    ¡°Are you coming?¡± Myles yelled at Cane. He had already found another pudding to devour.

    With a low grunt, Cane gave up on the dessert he¡¯d just started then reached the others. Together, they put their hands on the painting at the same time. They felt their bodies getting lighter. A drowsy feeling enveloped them and they all closed their eyes then fell into blissful sleep.

    ¡°Welcome,¡± a cheerful voice rang inside their heads. ¡°My name is¡­ well it¡¯s too complicated for your folks to pronounce it. Just call me Game Master.¡±

 41 - Game Master

    ¡°Welcome,¡± a cheerful voice rang inside their heads. ¡°I am the Game Master.¡±

    They opened their eyes to see themselves floating in the void. Tiny shiny dots illuminated the dark space. The voice that spoke to them seemed to come from everywhere. They heard it coming through their ears. But they also heard the voice ringing inside their heads. They didn¡¯t know where it emanated from.

    Myles looked around to see the Scion floating in the air with them too. Then he turned the other way to see the others observing the Scion too. He spoke but no sound came out of his mouth. The others were also shouting something. But it just looked like it, the sound was inexistent.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± the voice said in a tone that suggested disappointment. ¡°You¡¯ve interrupted my perfect winning streak at Devil Snare for this?¡±

    ¡°Forgive me Game Master,¡± a deep voice said. ¡°I was only ¨C ¡°

    ¡°Where¡¯s Fort?¡± the first voice that spoke asked, irritated.

    ¡°He gave up on the games long ago master, don¡¯t you ¨C¡°

    ¡°Oh shush!¡± the first voice interrupted. ¡°Plain creatures, do you see what I¡¯ve become?¡± he asked.

    Everyone stared at the stars in the distance. They looked helplessly puzzled.

    ¡°Well,¡± the voice spoke after a short while. ¡°Might as well be done with it, what do you want?¡±

    The others tried to speak but no sound came out still.

    ¡°Ah yes, yes. Forgive me, where are my manners?¡± The voice said. ¡°You must be lost. You¡¯ve never taken part in the Tribulations, have you? I¡¯ll deal with that rogue Fragment first. I¡¯ll be with you shortly.¡± The Scion instantly disappeared while the others witnessed a scene unlike which they¡¯ve never seen.

    All of a sudden, shooting stars surrounded the four winners of the Holi Tribulations. They all felt a sudden jolt as they were propelled forward. They saw stars with some circular rocks, big and small orbiting them. They saw a star extinguish then absorb everything around it.

    They saw a tribe of cat looking people, chasing each other¡¯s tails. They saw a knight in shining armor take a sword out of a rock. They saw apes wielding strange bows and raging war against humans who lived in tall castles. They saw different landscapes and races until everything became a blur. Then a voice, the first one to address them, spoke as an old man materialized in front of them.

    ¡°I¡¯m the Game Master,¡± he said. ¡°You can call me Qil-Al for simplicity¡¯s sake.¡±

    The others looked at him, bewildered. They were in space, witnessing some things they weren¡¯t sure were real. The old man looked at them one by one, smiling all along. He slowly approached them then waved his hand aside. The dark space in which they floated instantly disappeared. They were now standing in a marble hall, filled with gigantic paintings.

    ¡°This here¡¯s the history of this game,¡± Qil-Al explained as the others looked at the paintings around them.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± Vivian asked. They¡¯d finally regained their speech.

    ¡°This place has no name,¡± the old man replied. ¡°We created it to tell a story, and to send a warning.¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Myles was looking around frantically as he asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m the Game Master, that¡¯s all you need to know.¡± Qil-Al looked like your average grandpa. He had a medium length white beard and long white hair. He wore a gray suit and a bowtie. His black shoes shone even in the absence of light.

    ¡°Why are we here?¡± Vivian was looking at the paintings, trying to understand what they were about.

    ¡°You¡¯re here to receive your prizes of course. You¡¯re my beloved champions, and you¡¯ve won me two precious rings. Speaking of which ¨C ¡° Qil-Al spanned his fingers and the two rings which were in Myles and Vivian¡¯s possession flew from their hands. They slowly landed on the old man¡¯s palm as he smiled triumphantly.

    ¡°You¡¯ve taken care of a Rogue Fragment, and a Scion at that. You have my sincerest thanks.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a Rogue Fragment?¡± Lillin asked.

    ¡°You ask too many questions,¡± the man retorted. ¡°I¡¯m the Game Master, not your encyclopedia.¡±

    ¡°But you know a lot of things,¡± Vivian interjected. ¡°Why bring us here if it weren¡¯t to provide us with answers?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what you¡¯re entitled for.¡± Qil-Al was walking through the corridors, holding his hands behind his back. ¡°Any other question will be met with silence.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell us why we¡¯ve been summoned to the Holi Tribulations then?¡± Myles asked.

    ¡°Look at the paintings,¡± the man urged. ¡°Tell me what you see.¡±

    He led them through the marble hall. He¡¯d stop from painting to painting and allow the others to have a good look at them. He was like a guide in an old museum. They saw shadows of men wearing golden armor. They produced lightning bolts out of thin air, and caused tidal waves. They saw thousands of golden armors, floating in the air and raining hell down upon other shadows. They looked smaller but they had a greater numerical advantage. There were millions of them.

    In another painting, they saw spells raining down on the millions of shadows below. They were sure they¡¯d see them all obliterated in the next. But the spells fell on an invisible barrier then appeared to have dissipated. They walked around the marble hall, inspecting all the pictures.

    After their attack failed, the golden armor shadows were enraged. They raised their hands in the air then produced a large rock that covered the earth with a grim shadow.

    ¡°Long ago, two powerful races raged an endless war,¡± the old man spoke as the others observed the paintings. ¡°We call them the Monarchs and Scions. The Scions were a race with minimal affinity to magic. Monarchs were their complete opposite. For years, their war ravaged the entire known universe.

    ¡°Scions had developed weapons and armor to protect themselves from the mighty magic of the Monarchs. As you could see in the paintings, the Monarch¡¯s magic was useless against the millions of Scions they fought.¡±

    ¡°But they look like they¡¯re losing here,¡± Lillin pointed at the painting where a meteorite was sent to obliterate the shadow army.

    ¡°Look at what happened next,¡± Vivian suggested. They all moved to the next painting to see a magnificent view. The characters in the painting seemed to move by themselves as if in real life.

    ¡°This is a Painted World that retells the story of the first war,¡± Qil-Al explained.

    They saw one tiny shadow emerge from the crowd. With one jump, the shadow was upon the rock then smashed it to smithereens with one punch. Myles looked at the exchange with amazement. He never imagined one person could do such a thing.

    ¡°The Scions won the first war and acquired some of the Monarchs¡¯ powers,¡± the old man went on. Myles saw the small shadows jump on the golden armors. There was a skirmish after which most golden armors plummeted to the ground. There was a glowing ethereal form that left the golden armors then went inside the Scions.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Monarchs died, their souls were restrained by the Scions¡¯ handmade machines. They used the strong magical souls to ravage the worlds around them.¡±

    They moved to another painting, unmoving this time. It showed people wearing extravagant clothes and a man wearing a crown addressing them. They moved to another picture to see an army that extended to the horizon.

    ¡°Scions were an intelligent race. Their technology was unrivaled, unique. Look here,¡± the old man urged the others to look at the next painting.

    They saw flying machines in the air and tall chimneys that produced thick smoke. They saw the flying machines in subsequent works. They flew in the dark empty space and landed on different lands. They also saw people populating those planets, the new lands.

    ¡°The Scions¡¯ entire civilization was built on war and blood. The realm they lived on had gone dry. All resources were mined. The land was ailing, dying. So with their new powers and intellect, the Scions sought other realms. They built ships that could travel through the air and into other realms, other planets.¡±

    Qil- Al led the others from the hall towards a spacious room. A blue light came through the window and into their faces. The room they were standing in had a hologram in the middle. It shone a bright green light at Qil-Al¡¯s orders then started producing live images.

    ¡°The Scions had built large ships with wings on them. They travelled through the dark space and into the unknown.¡± The old man explained as the others looked at the screen in front of them. Myles and the others saw the Scions land on many small rocky orbs then colonize them. They spread at a dangerous rate, corrupting and killing all the other races that lived on the other lands, or turning them into servants that worked under constant pressure.

    ¡°Then came the time of the endless war,¡± Qil-Al said as the pictures switched to large ships in space battling the golden armored mages. The mages didn¡¯t seem to be affected by the dark cold space. But the small Scions wore strange suits of armor that covered their entire body. They also had smaller ships, shooting projectiles at the protection screens the Monarchs had in place.

    ¡°The two races fought for three millennia. The Scions had found a way to cheat death. They were weaker than the great mages, but they were resilient. They killed more Monarchs than any other race. They even threatened to exterminate them.

    The Monarchs, in a last attempt to defend themselves against the evil Scions, spoke the forbidden words. The world had gone dark, all life forms extinguished. Their souls, now scattered in every corner of the dark universe, the last of the Monarchs and Scions were doomed to wander the void aimlessly.¡±

    Myles and the others saw the dark space being extinguished. Stars exploded then destroyed everything around them. Others disappeared into tiny dots that absorbed everything around them. The fighting Monarchs and Scions though, had exploded into tiny shiny pieces.

    ¡°From the lost souls of the old races, a new life had begun. And to those of us, who exist outside the boundaries of time, fell the responsibility to keep this world from chaos. Galactic scale wars could only happen under strict rules. And so the Holi Wars were created.

    ¡°You can only gain power by playing games against us. If you win, we allow you more time in this universe. You lose and we take everything from you.¡±

    ¡°What did you take from the Scion?¡± Vivian asked.

    ¡°She offered the Painted Worlds in Ulmir¡¯s domain and those two rings. The second painting wasn¡¯t hers to give. So I took the Fragment as my own now.¡± The old man was smiling. His clear blue eyes read through everyone before him. His smile suddenly faded as he seemed to remember something important.  ¡°I believe you had had enough of my ramblings. Besides, I am ready for another game of Devil Snare.¡±

    Myles and the others found themselves standing in a field covered in white flowers. A refreshing cold breeze hit their faces and soothed their minds. They slowly woke up from their daze. What they had just seen and heard was mind blowing to say the least.

    ¡°You are the winners of the shittiest Holi Tribulation game I¡¯ve ever seen ¨C or been told about ¨C Anyway, you have met the conditions for victory, this calls for a celebration.¡± The old man¡¯s voice was mechanical. It seemed as though he was bored to death.

    ¡°Now let¡¯s see¡­¡± he looked at Myles then beckoned him forward. He observed him with his clear blue eyes for a long while as he circled around him, sniffing the air and looking at Myles from head to toe.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s Familiar, are we?¡± Qil-Al said. ¡°Your master¡¯s in the other painting the Scion offered me, you know.¡±

    ¡°What sort of prize do we get from the Holi Tribulations?¡± Myles asked as the man kept circling around him.

    ¡°Oh I don¡¯t know,¡± Qil-Al casually answered. ¡°It¡¯s usually Fort who takes care of this. Now let me see. You don¡¯t have a special liking for your master, do you?¡±

    ¡°Not particularly,¡± Myles mumbled under his chin.

    ¡°But he¡¯s given you life,¡± Qil-Al whispered in Myles¡¯ ears. ¡°He¡¯s made you a sentient life form whereas Fairies are faithful servants, never to think for themselves.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Well it¡¯s not my own life, is it?!¡±  Myles replied, melancholy apparent on his face.

    ¡°No matter,¡± the man replied with a casual flick of his hand. ¡°You¡¯re sentient life form now. I can free you from him. Would you like that?¡±

    Myles weakly nodded.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work like that Fairy,¡± Qil-Al stood in front of Myles then straightened his bowtie. ¡°Say it out loud. Say you want to break free of your master¡¯s bonds.¡±

    ¡°I- I want to break free of my masters bonds!¡± Myles blurted out.

    There was a clicking sound then Myles straightened up. He was beaming.

    ¡°Done!¡± Qil-Al answered. ¡°And since I¡¯m feeling especially magnanimous today, you can keep that Fragment your master entrusted you with. Where would you like to land?¡±

    ¡°Say again?¡± Myles asked. He was too happy to feel the bonds around him breaking that he didn¡¯t pay attention to the old man¡¯s words.

    ¡°You were trapped in a Painted World that is now my property. I¡¯ll have to send you somewhere after you receive your prize. Where would you like to land?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want them to hear,¡± Myles said as he looked at the other three.

    ¡°So be it, think about it and I¡¯ll oblige.¡±

    Myles closed his eyes and thought of the place he wanted to be sent to. The man snapped his fingers and Stalwart instantly disappeared.

    ¡°Then to the one who¡¯s found the second key,¡± Qil-Al turned to look at Vivian. ¡°The misunderstood witch, your soul¡¯s as virgin as they come.¡± Qil-Al walked around the woman as he did for Myles. ¡°Would you like power, or knowledge?¡±

    ¡°Power,¡± Vivian answered.

    Vivian¡¯s skin turned violet as a foreign aura embedded itself in her body.

    ¡°I¡¯ve gifted you a Spirit Fragment from the Monarchs. Make it your own,¡± Qil-Al urged, ¡°unless you end up like the one who imprisoned you.¡±

    Vivian felt her body with her hands. One could tell she felt stronger, reinvigorated.

    ¡°Think of where you¡¯d like to land. I¡¯ll send you there.¡±

    Vivian closed her eyes. Qil-Al snapped his fingers once more then the woman disappeared.

    ¡°And now, let¡¯s deal with you.¡± Cane and Lillin looked at each other questioningly, unsure of whom the old man spoke.

    ¡°You two didn¡¯t technically win the game. But you¡¯ve helped. I suppose I should reward you or Fort will have my hide for this.¡± He turned to look at Cane then went on. ¡°You suspected your friend yet defended him out of loyalty. I see you already have a Fragment.¡± The voice sounded delighted at its new discovery. ¡°Have this.¡±

    A book materialized in front of Cane. It floated in the air, unaffected by the laws of gravity. It had an emerald, leather cover with golden letters on the side. Cane tried to read the book¡¯s name but couldn¡¯t decipher the language.

    ¡°Go on, open it!¡± the old man urged.

    Cane did as he was told. A blinding light shot out of the book and enveloped Cane¡¯s head. His gruff hair fluttered upwards for a while. When he came to, Cane felt that he¡¯d learned something important.

    ¡°You doubted your friend but never took action against him. For that you¡¯ve earned precious knowledge. Making that Fragment yours shan¡¯t be such a hard task after all.¡± The voice chuckled as Cane stared, wide eyed, at the air.

    ¡°And finally, the little girl who refuses to give up, your resilience can¡¯t earn you anything worthy though.¡± The voice went quiet for a long while. Lillin was lost in thought as she contemplated the white flowers that surrounded them. It was a pretty sight to behold. She wished she had visited this place under different circumstances.

    ¡°I know!¡± the man suddenly sprung back up to life, smiling. ¡°I can sense deep hatred and an unbending will to prove yourself. Here, take this.¡±

    Two wooden sticks floated in the air before Lillin. They each had a handle near the top. A scaly snake with long whiskers was engraved in each weapon. ¡°A Tonfa!¡± Lillin happily exclaimed.

    ¡°And not any Tonfa,¡± the voice commented. ¡°Go on, give it a whirl!¡±

    Lillin held the weapon then swung it in an uppercut motion. A gust followed that flattened all the white flowers in front of her. The plants sprung up to life again after a while and Qil-Al resumed his speech.

    ¡°It¡¯s strong here since it freely borrows from the energy around it. You¡¯ll have to learn how to use it effectively back in your world. It¡¯s Scion technology, worthless to me but perhaps useful to you.¡±

    ¡°What happened to the Hunt?¡± Lillin asked.

    ¡°You can go back there and finish the Contest if you want. But I have to warn you, a great calamity is about to hit the entire realm. I¡¯d steer clear of it.¡± The old man hurriedly looked at a watch that instantly materialized in his hand. ¡°Look at that! My turn is about to end!¡±

    ¡°Close your eyes and think of where you¡¯d like to go!¡± the man¡¯s voice suddenly changed into one of urgency. ¡°I have a game to get back to. I¡¯ve served my purpose here, good luck and all that!¡±

    Cane closed his eyes and tried to think of a place. He felt drowsy again then fell asleep. When he came to, he was inside the Champions¡¯ Lounge. At least a hundred guards surrounded him, aiming their sharp spears at him.

 42 - Time Trap

    Ulmir¡¯s Domain. The Flying Lion Painted World. A Few Hours Before the End of The Tribulations.

    After being thrown inside the painting, Javad landed on a rocky surface. There were small black stones everywhere around him. He inspected some to find them dangerously sharp. In the distance, he could see some ponds from which a gray smoke emanated. High up above, he heard the roars of the flying lion. He looked up to see the creature circling the air. Its roar filled the air as it soared the sky.

    The sky above him got dark and the wind even picked up speed every time the gigantic beast flew above him. It didn¡¯t seem to mind Javad¡¯s presence though. Perhaps it didn¡¯t even notice him. The beast flew above the Priest once more and Javad noticed something he hadn¡¯t before. Wherever the beast flew, a trail followed.

    Drops of blood showered the ground as the lion flew by. Someone had injured it, badly. Was it Darkstar? Was he really inside the Painted World? Javad didn¡¯t know what to think. He looked around for a sign of life. There were but some dead plants and melted rock. The High Priest was sure his deadly enemy was inside. But Javad wasn¡¯t as good a tracker as Utar. He didn¡¯t even know where to start from.

    ¡®Utar will pay for his treachery,¡¯ he thought as he walked around the area. He could see the volcano in the distance. The earth beneath him was rumbling. He didn¡¯t want to approach the mountain of doom just yet. He had to make sure Darkstar wasn¡¯t lurking somewhere. The only sounds he could hear were the howling of the wind and the lion¡¯s wings flapping in the air.

    He heard the creature roar then heavily land on top of a cliff made of obsidian rocks. The creature walked about in a circle then curled up into a ball. Its wings covered its entire body. It was too big of a monster not to notice. One could only gaze at it for hours, taking in all its glorious form.

    Javad was doing just that when he felt a sharp object pressed against his back. He slowly raised his hands in the air then attempted to look back. The sharp object was thrust a little further in his back and Javad looked forward.

    ¡°Who - who are you?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Any sudden moves and I¡¯ll chop your leg off,¡± the voice said. ¡°Throw your weapon to the ground, kick it back then slowly turn toward me.¡±

    Javad did as he was told. He slowly turned to look at his assailant. He saw a man, a head taller than he was. He wore boiled leather under ring mail and held the strangest sword. He could tell it was Darkstar¡¯s sword from the azure light that shone from within.

    The cracks had disappeared however. The sword now shone a blue light. The brightness of the light changed as an immaterial shape danced inside the weapon. It was definitely a divine weapon from the looks of it. ¡®How did Utar not sensed this?¡¯ he found himself thinking as the man searched him thoroughly.

    Javad detached his eyes from the sword to look at the one pointing it. He didn¡¯t care about the man¡¯s auburn hair or his other facial features, for the man had the strangest eyes. They were pitch-black with rectangular pupils that shone a bright golden light. Javad¡¯s breathing got ragged. Sweat covered his forehead as the man before him inspected him with his strange eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s a Priest doing here?¡± Zedd asked. He didn¡¯t look intrigued. It looked as though he were enjoying this situation. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you in the vault with Utar. You must be Javad, the coward.¡±

    ¡°Y-you¡¯re not s-s-supposed to be h-here!¡± Those were the only words Javad could mutter. His mind was in shambles. He could only think of the man in front of him and how he¡¯d deceived everybody else. He didn¡¯t even understand how he managed to get inside the Castle unnoticed, let alone to find his way inside this Painted World.

    ¡°As well as that!¡± Zedd pointed behind the Priest. Javad turned back to see the lion, still curled up and sleeping. He turned to look at Zedd who was smiling, still inspecting him with his peculiar eyes. The man flicked his fingers then Javad¡¯s sword flew into his hand. ¡°You¡¯ve interrupted a jolly conversation I was having with our dear beast. He asked me to get rid of you first. Any last word?¡±

    ¡°W-w-wait!¡± Javad yelled before Zedd could attack. ¡°I-I know a secret way out of the castle. I can help you get away from Utar.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Zedd asked, his sword still pointed at the Priest. Black Eyes looked at the sleeping beast then at Javad again. ¡°You must be good with Miracles I presume?¡± Miracle was the name given to healing magic, the kind that mends bones and reconstructs muscle tissue.

    ¡°I was instructed in the art,¡± Javad answered. ¡°I¡¯m not as good as Lord Supreme, but I can mend broken bones.¡±

    ¡°Excellent!¡± Zedd pointed his sword forward, urging the Priest to move.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Javad asked.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°We¡¯re paying my friend there a social call.¡±

    Javad instantly turned around and shouted a ¡°What?!¡± at Zedd. His fear had overcome his cowardice and for that he got a good smack that made his teeth clatter. Zedd pushed the Priest forward then continued walking.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make this harder than it already is,¡± he told the Priest in a saddened tone. ¡°Heal the beast and we all leave. It¡¯s simple.¡±

    ¡°What if it eats me?¡± Javad answered once more.

    ¡°Are you bleeding?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Javad was moving slowly towards the flying lion. Sharp obsidian stones nicked his leather boots. If he kept walking in that field, he¡¯d be bleeding in no time. It felt like walking toward a mountain since the beast had covered the entirety of the obsidian hill with its enormous body.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not bleeding, it won¡¯t eat you. Besides, it¡¯s not hungry,¡± Zedd was still pushing the coward priest forward, urging him to move faster.

    ¡°How would you know?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m only answering your questions since I¡¯ve been alone for quite a while. Otherwise I would have cut your leg and offered it to the lion as a peace offering.¡±

    ¡°Peace?¡±

    ¡°He might be a bit angry at me you see. I didn¡¯t know he could speak, so I attacked him. We had a conversation in which he threatened to eat my brains last. But I convinced him I came in peace.¡±

    ¡°How did you manage that?¡±

    ¡°Like this!¡± Zedd threw a punch that landed on the poor priest¡¯s back. Javad felt his body being propelled forward. His body landed among the sharp stones and rolled forward at a dangerous speed. He felt his left arm getting cut open. A warm liquid poured over his right eye as he kept rolling. The whole world seemed to have transformed into a complicated jumble of black and gray.

    Then he came to a complete stop.

    Zedd was standing above him. He had stopped the Priest¡¯s continuous rolling above the sharp obsidian rocks. ¡°Heal yourself before you bleed to death,¡± he urged him. His deep voice gave the priest a bad feeling. Zedd helped Javad sit then the Priest started chanting. He didn¡¯t have time to waste. He could feel his body aching. Open wounds throbbed as blood left them.

    ¡°Great mother above, merciful and magnanimous, feel our woes and deliver us from our suffering. Heal our wounds and grant us strength, for we shall spread your name across the stars and in the oceans below.¡±

    A bright golden light shone above the priest. The wound above his right eyes immediately mended. His lacerated legs instantly recovered and his messed up hair got back in place. Even the priest¡¯s clothes regained their original form.

    ¡°You really are a good healer!¡± Zedd happily exclaimed. ¡°I pack a heavy punch you see. Big cats don¡¯t usually bend easily, but they fear strength. He spoke to me after I pounded him. Alas, he was too injured to trust me. Now, if you want to leave this place, I suggest you come with me and we heal that monster.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s a colossus. Healing my tiny body¡¯s one thing, but healing a mountain¡­ I don¡¯t think I can do it.¡± Javad protested.

    ¡°You¡¯re just afraid to get close to it,¡± Zedd retorted. ¡°I assume Utar threw you here, is that right?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Javad replied.

    ¡°And I assume he¡¯d finally realized I was here. So he asked you to bring me back to him. Lord Supreme was here too. So he doesn¡¯t trust the High Priest anymore and turned to you, to report to him Utar¡¯s every move. But pray tell me, dear Priest, how will you leave this place after you capture me?¡±

    Javad looked at Black Eyes helplessly. He bit his lips and remained silent. Zedd noticed the Priest¡¯s puzzled look. He let out a victorious smile then spoke.

    ¡°You think Utar has some special spell to observe what we¡¯re doing here. You think he¡¯d come for us as soon as you capture me. But you see, dear Priest, there¡¯s no leaving this place without mister lion¡¯s permission. Surely Lord Supreme told you that, as he told Utar as well.¡±

    Javad looked up, his pupils were dilated and his mouth was involuntarily open. ¡°It can¡¯t be,¡± he said in a whisper.

    ¡°You know the ways of the church, dear Priest. They¡¯re ruthless and cunning. You¡¯ve been used to serve a greater purpose. The Contest had gone awry for reasons nobody understands. They need a scapegoat, and that would be me and you, unless we work together.¡±

    As a Priest, Javad¡¯s job was to take care of contestants and keep the realm secure. He had to go for expeditions outside the castle to calm the Faeries during their wrath. During this year¡¯s hunt, his miracles were needed to help calm the beasts. But when he finally arrived to the Plains¡¯ border, he watched it get blown to smithereens due to Vaneel¡¯s Corruption. If it weren¡¯t for his miracles, he would¡¯ve died too.

    ¡°I would never become a devil¡¯s ally!¡± Javad spat at Black Eyes. His eyes had suddenly switched to hatred and spite.

    ¡°Whoa, whoa, what¡¯s that attitude about?!¡± Zedd exclaimed. ¡°Why do you call me a Devil? What do you know about me?¡±

    ¡°Utar fears you and despises you. You destroyed the Fairy Plains and killed the Imperials. You used treachery to get inside our realm, despite the High Priest¡¯s warnings. You escaped his watchful eyes for days for reasons we don¡¯t know about. Everything about you spells mystery. What should I call you if not a devil?¡±

    ¡°Call me Darkstar! It¡¯s a fitting name for someone dark and mysterious like me, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a name fitting a dead man,¡± the Priest retorted.

    ¡°Whatever you say, Priest! So you intend to stay here forever?¡±

    ¡°You can kill me if you want,¡± Javad answered. ¡°But I won¡¯t help you get out of here. You¡¯ll starve or that flying beast will eat you. There¡¯s nothing to eat or drink here.¡±

    ¡°Tell me, Priest,¡± Zedd started, emphasizing the last word. ¡°What do you know of Painted Worlds?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re worlds inside a painting. They have a life inside, like in our worlds. You¡¯ll soon run out of energy, and there¡¯s nothing to eat here.¡±

    ¡°Painted Worlds obey different rules, Priest. It really depends on who created them. This one¡¯s special, you see. It seems to be stuck in time.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean stuck?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a loop that repeats itself. The lion told me before you arrived here and interrupted us.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°So unless you choose to help us heal the beast, we won¡¯t ¨C ¡°

    Zedd stopped talking and the Priest felt his body being forcefully pulled into the air. It felt like a vacuum was pulling them upwards. The flying lion was pulled in the air too and everything became a blur.

    Javad was back where he started, staring at the obsidian rocks and the ponds with gray smoke. A flying lion had just flown above him as blood drops rained on the ground. It felt like a d¨¦j¨¤ vu. He couldn¡¯t tell if he¡¯d already lived this experience or not. He couldn¡¯t even remember why he was standing there.

 43 - Remember

    Ulmir¡¯s Domain. The Flying Lion Painted World. A Few Hours Before the End of The Tribulations.

    Zedd approached the Priest silently then pointed his sword at him. He searched him then invited him to go find the flying lion together. He told him how he wanted to heal the creature in order to get it to speak. It was the way for them to leave. As Zedd was trying to get the Priest to trust his word, the world around had suddenly got blank.

    They were standing in their initial spot again, only they didn¡¯t know about it. The Priest observed the lion fly above while Black Eyes ambushed him and took his weapon. They were on a loop, doomed to repeat the same actions while time in the world outside slowly ticked away. Utar had gone back to his seat by the Champions¡¯ Lounge and Ulmir¡¯s champions were fighting to get out of the mansion.

    Zedd was leading Javad toward the lion again. They had been repeating this cycle for so long without even realizing it. This time, as Zedd was about to punch the Priest and smash him against the sharp obsidian rocks, something caught his eye. A fox, white as snow, was standing on a rock a few paces away from them.

    It was easy to recognize the animal for its color highly contrasted that of the world around them. Zedd gave up on attacking the Priest and went to investigate what he¡¯d just seen. As he approached the animal, he realized that the fox was looking at him. It fixed him with its red eyes while its three tails bobbed from one side to the other. As Black Eyes got closer, the animal quickly turned around and dived at the ground.

    A small hole instantly materialized below the fox and it disappeared into it. As he reached the place, Zedd couldn¡¯t find any trace of the hole. The steep rock on which he was standing now only contained black shining obsidian. Javad caught up to Black Eyes then stood beside him.

    ¡°What did you do to the lion?¡± he asked. They were just speaking of how Zedd had injured the gigantic creature.

    ¡°What?¡± Zedd asked. He was disoriented. The sight of the white fox disturbed him greatly.

    ¡°You were about to answer a question,¡± Javad answered. He saw that Zedd was looking at an exact spot on the ground. He looked at it as well and saw some runes engraved on it. ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°These are old runes from a forgotten language. Their presence here are extremely peculiar to say the least.¡± Zedd was still looking at the runes.

    ¡°Can you read them?¡± Javad asked. He could see the man with Black Eyes looking at the runes, but his facial expressions didn¡¯t change. ¡°

    ¡°Yes,¡± Zedd answered. He was frowning this time.

    ¡°Well, what does it say?¡± the Priest knelt beside the runes and inspected them. They looked like they had been carved into the rocks using some very sharp object.

    ¡°Look at the sky and remember,¡± Zedd answered.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a message, it must mean something.¡± Zedd looked at the flying lion in the distance then at the sky. The beast was still sleeping, not minding the world around it. ¡°We should move.¡±

    He turned toward the Priest, grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him forward. Javad cast a dark look at Zedd but obeyed nonetheless. The man with Black Eyes took his weapon. Besides, there was no need for him to fight back. Even Utar feared the man, despite his shameless boasting, Javad always suspected the High Priest was lying.

    ¡°What do we need to remember?¡± Javad asked as both of them moved forward.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions now, Priest. Just move and keep your focus on those healing Miracles of yours.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we finish that beast already? The both of us could easily bring down an injured sleeping lion.¡±

    Zedd smacked the Priest with the back of his sword. The metal rang as it hit Javad in the head. The Priest scratched his head furiously before turning at Zedd, frustrated. ¡°What did you do that fo ¨C ¡°

    He didn¡¯t have the chance to continue his outraged speech since the time loop activated again. Zedd ambushed the Priest and took his sword again. He led him through small, sharp obsidian rocks while explaining to him the situation with the lion.

    Again, as he made to attack poor Javad, Zedd noticed something in the distance. It wasn¡¯t the white fox this time. It was more like an after image, of something leaving the place. Zedd inspected the rock and found the runic message. As soon as he saw the engraving on the ground, Zedd invited the Priest to sit down.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t we going to heal the lion?¡± Javad asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s something we need to discuss, Priest. But I need you to do something for me. We obviously can¡¯t leave this place easily. So I¡¯ll need you to follow my instructions. Please tell me you will cooperate.¡±

    Javad looked at Black Eyes, perplexed. Before he could ask anything, Zedd put his index to his lips.

    ¡°Find a way to ask questions without really asking them. This place is keeping us here. I think I know the reason behind it but I can¡¯t tell you unless you don¡¯t ask any questions.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°But how am I ¨C ¡°

    ¡°Tut, tut, tut!¡± Zedd exclaimed, covering the Priest¡¯s mouth with his hand in the process. ¡°I said no questions.¡±

    Javad nodded rapidly at Black Eyes who removed his hand carefully. He couldn¡¯t risk the Priest asking any more questions. They both looked at each other in silence for about a minute. Neither could speak. Zedd¡¯s mind was racing with possibilities and theories. Javad¡¯s head hurt as he thought how to formulate his question best.

    ¡°Explain in words I can understand,¡± he finally said.

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to have a conversation between two strangers who know nothing about each other. This place is testing us, or playing with us. I very much prefer the latter. Painted Worlds aren¡¯t known for being kind.¡±

    ¡°And wha-¡° The Priest wasn¡¯t allowed to speak further as Zedd jumped on him again.

    ¡°Look at the sky and describe what you see for me,¡± he said as he held the Priest on the ground. ¡°It¡¯s imperceptible, but if you spot it, then you¡¯ll understand.¡±

    Javad nodded and looked up. The sky above was clear, save for a few oddly shaped clouds. The sun shone bright in the blue sky. There was no lion to obstruct the view this time. ¡°I see a clear sky, that¡¯s all,¡± Javad finally said.

    ¡°Now try to remember the painting as you saw it first. Remember every detail then try picturing it here. See if you spot the difference this time around.¡±

    Javad closed his eyes to concentrate better on the task at hand. He remembered the High Priest clutching it as he took it to the vault. He remembered the flying lion that covered the entire sky with its wings. He also remembered the volcano erupting, covering the ground around it with molten lava.

    ¡°The volcano should be erupting,¡± Javad said after he opened his eyes.

    ¡°Precisely,¡± Zedd answered after letting go of the Priest. ¡°And I assume we¡¯re trapped here because we ask too many questions.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask it but you know what I mean Darkstar.¡±

    Zedd picked up a rock from the ground then scribbled something in the runes he¡¯d seen before. After he finished, he turned to look at Javad. ¡°This here¡¯s an experiment,¡± he said as he pointed at the runes. ¡°For both our sakes, I hope it works.¡±

    ¡°Darkstar, please explain,¡± Javad asked.

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to work with me. I thought you took me for a devil,¡± Zedd retorted with a twisted smile.

    ¡°What does this have to do with anything?¡± Javad retorted, frustrated. ¡°One moment you say we¡¯re trapped. And the next moment you¡¯re bringing up this devil theory of yours. What gives?¡±

    Zedd scribbled on the ground again then looked at the Priest. ¡°You¡¯ve just asked two questions. We should be resetting but it hasn¡¯t triggered yet. Perhaps it really doesn¡¯t have anything to do with questions.¡±

    ¡°You really have no idea on how to get out of here,¡± Javad said.

    ¡°You see, dear Priest,¡± Zedd said then got up. He threw the obsidian stone far away then started walking the opposite way. ¡°I¡¯m not the type to go around without a plan. I like control, and I love knowing what¡¯s happening around me. The difference between you and me, dear Priest, is that my mind is open to all possibilities, whereas yours is limited to your world, your High Priest and your Lord Supreme.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s this going Darkstar?¡± the Priest stood up then followed the man with Black Eyes. They were heading for the lion once more. Zedd looked up at the sky once more then kept walking forward. Javad had broken into a trot to follow Zedd who started walking faster.

    ¡°Hey Darkstar,¡± Javad yelled at the man who ignored him. ¡°Where are we heading?¡±

    Zedd turned around, looked up at the sky then at Javad. ¡°Definitely not the questions,¡± he said as the Priest caught up to him. They were standing near a pond which emitted some strange gray smoke.

    ¡°What is it then?¡± the Priest was panting when he caught up to Black Eyes. ¡°And since it¡¯s not about the questions, what is IT?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you get a funny feeling about this place?¡± Zedd asked back. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel like you¡¯ve been here before?¡±

    ¡°Now that you mention it, maybe I have.¡±

    ¡°That white fox was definitely on to something,¡± Zedd said as he paced around the pond.

    ¡°What white fox?¡± Javad asked. ¡°There¡¯s no living thing around.¡±

    ¡°White fox? Did I just say white fox?¡± Zedd ran at the pond and put his hand in the liquid it contained. He felt a slight tingling sensation then nothing. When he removed his hand, it was completely gone.

    ¡°What the flying devil is that?¡± Javad asked.

    ¡°Acid rain, by the looks of it,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°Now may be the time for your Miracles, Priest.¡±

    The Priest ran around the pond apprehensively. When he reached Black Eyes, he didn¡¯t start chanting. He tried kicking him inside the acid pond instead. Zedd nimbly dodged then held the cowardly Priest by the arm. He flung him in the air, over the pond and onto a steep rock.

    Javad landed on his back with a funny noise. As the Priest landed, all the air left his body. The Priest tried to say something, maybe groan in pain but the sound never left completely. Only a high pitched whinny was heard. Zedd snorted as he tried to stabilize the spreading acid. He took Javad¡¯s sword and cut his forearm too.

    ¡°Priest,¡± Zedd yelled. ¡°I do not wish to fight you at this moment. You are a blessing from heaven, literally. Don¡¯t waste your second chance at life.¡±

    ¡°Second chance?¡± Javad stood up with difficulty, squinting around, trying to find his footing. ¡°You¡¯re my last, impossible chance. It¡¯s because of you that I¡¯m in this mess.¡±

    ¡°And if you follow my instructions, we¡¯ll find a way out of this mess. Now hurry over here and give me back my arm!¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t do a thing unless you explain what¡¯s happening here,¡± Javad said stubbornly. He was standing on the opposite bank of the pond, crossing his arms and looking at Black Eyes.

    ¡°From the d¨¦j¨¤ vu we¡¯ve experienced,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°I¡¯d say we¡¯re trapped in a time loop. I was privileged enough to experience it once. Not a pleasant experience I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    ¡°How do we get out of here?¡± Javad asked.

    ¡°Time is unstable, dear Priest, unpredictable. It¡¯s not like we can ask time why it¡¯s trapped us in a loop. All we need to do is figure it out ourselves.¡± Zedd was wincing, panting.

    He was losing blood with no healing items on him. He didn¡¯t want to use any healing spell. It would certainly help stop the bleeding but spells were dangerous when time was involved. He couldn¡¯t risk telling the Priest. Javad was a coward. He would use any opportunity to try and take Zedd down.

    ¡°And your way of figuring things out is by healing that lion?¡± Javad went on with his interrogation.

    ¡°You know what!¡± Zedd yelled, frustrated. ¡°Forget it, stay here and find your way out. I¡¯ll take my own path and see who gets out first. But I¡¯m warning you, dear Priest. If I get out of here first, I¡¯m destroying this Painted World.¡±

    Zedd advanced towards the flying lion at full speed. The Priest went after him, fighting gravel and sharp obsidian stones. Gravity was indeed deadly. If Javad made one wrong move, he¡¯d find himself sliding towards one of the dangerous, acid ponds. Zedd¡¯s arm was bleeding profusely as he ran towards the flying lion who didn¡¯t seem to mind them at all.

    ¡°Darkstar!¡± Javad shouted as he carefully navigated around two acid pools. ¡°Come back here. I¡¯ll help ¨C ¡°

    Both men came to a complete stop. They felt their bodies being forcefully levitated. Zedd cursed as he saw the earth beneath him move backwards. His arm grew back and Javad¡¯s sword left his belt. He was standing near an acid pool as the lion flapped its gigantic wings and flew away. Its hind leg was injured and bleeding heavily.

 44 - Sacrifice

    Ulmir¡¯s Domain. The Flying Lion Painted World. A Few Hours Before the End of The Tribulations.

    Zedd observed the lion fly away. They had just managed to speak to each other, halt the fight, when a newcomer came falling from the sky. He silently crept behind him as the latter was busy observing the gigantic lion flying away. He successfully managed to strip the Priest of his weapons then led him towards the injured beast.

    A Priest was good news, especially one from Dhobor¡¯s Church. They had the power to heal any wound. As the thought of injuries crossed Zedd¡¯s mind, a mild throbbing on his right hand made him look down. It felt like phantom pain, something he was all too familiar with. But he seemed to have forgotten why he felt that way.

    ¡°Stop!¡± he ordered Javad who was walking in front of him.

    ¡°W-what is it Darkstar?¡±

    ¡°I have a strange feeling we¡¯ve been here before. And don¡¯t speak unless you¡¯re spoken to.¡± He smacked the poor priest with the back of his sword. The metallic ring his sword emitted as it hit Javad in the head seemed to have woken something inside of him. He looked around frantically. He didn¡¯t know what he was looking for, but he had a feeling he¡¯d recognize it.

    Javad slowly turned around to look at Darkstar. The man was frowning, scanning the area around them. Zedd looked up at the sky then frowned again. ¡°Something¡¯s not right around here,¡± he said then motioned the Priest to move forward with the pointy end of his sword. As Javad turned around and started moving, he heard Zedd¡¯s voice again.

    ¡°Stop! Let¡¯s go there!¡± He was pointing at a steep rock in the distance. Javad didn¡¯t protest but did as he was told. The obsidian stones around them made them move slowly. One slip up could cause severe lacerations which wouldn¡¯t be easy to heal. Zedd didn¡¯t rely on the Priest to heal him. He knew the coward would relish at the opportunity to see the famous Darkstar perish.

    Upon reaching the steep rock, Zedd inspected it to find different kinds of scribbles in the old runes. ¡°I knew it!¡± he yelled, which caused the Priest to jump from fright.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Javad asked, pointing at the runes.

    ¡°Cryptic messages, they point us to the right direction¡­ I think.¡±

    ¡°What do they say?¡±

    ¡°Let me see,¡± Zedd went for the longest arrangement of runes then read it for the Priest. ¡°Look at the sky and remember.¡±

    ¡°Remember what?¡± the Priest asked.

    ¡°Oh look, the other one says: ¡®Ask the Priest to shut it!¡¯ isn¡¯t that funny? I think it¡¯s hilarious.¡±

    ¡°Who could have written these?¡± Javad wasn¡¯t too pleased with Zedd¡¯s teasing.

    ¡°Remember where you are¡­¡± Zedd was reading the other lines, not minding the Priest¡¯s numerous questions. He had a riddle in front of him that needed solving. ¡°The day is long¡­. These are warning messages!¡±

    ¡°From whom? And would you kindly answer my questions?¡± Javad was yelling this time, trying to make his voice heard.

    ¡°Your interrogation hinders my focus, Priest. I¡¯ll explain everything once I¡¯ve made sense of this. Now would you please shut it? I¡¯m trying to concentrate here.¡± A smack to the head made the Priest focus on the pain rather than Darkstar.

    Zedd kept circling around the runes, trying to decipher the messages he¡¯d written, but forgotten. He was taught to read and write the runes by an old friend. They were rumored to withstand time, however it changes.

    He was kneeling next to the first rune, inspecting the writing and the carving depth when he suddenly sprung back up. The first message was engraved deeper than the others. He had found his first clue.

    ¡°What I¡¯m going to tell you might not be pleasant to hear, Priest,¡± Zedd said. Javad looked at him with fearful eyes. ¡°We¡¯re trapped here, with possibly no way out. We can¡¯t starve or die of old age. We could die, I think, but it¡¯s highly unlikely.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Javad asked.

    ¡°The lion flew at me when I just arrived. I fought back and injured him during our first exchange. I didn¡¯t realize the beast could speak then. But when it spoke to me, I realized I was in for more than what I bargained for. Then you arrived and interrupted our pleasant conversation. The beast asked me to dispose of you, which I think I couldn¡¯t do.¡±

    ¡°Why do you speak in the past tense Darkstar?¡±

    ¡°Well at least you managed to notice that, credit given. Anyway, we¡¯re trapped in a time loop that we can¡¯t get out of. The beast is more dangerous than I thought. We can¡¯t really fight it. We have to defeat it, sure. But we can¡¯t fight it. We stand no chance that way.¡±

    ¡°You do realize,¡± Javad started, looking annoyed, ¡°that you sound like a raving madman, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Tell me, dear Priest,¡± Zedd started. ¡°What do you know of Ulmir¡¯s secret?¡±

    ¡°How do you know about that?¡± Javad asked. The question earned him another smack from Zedd¡¯s sword.

    ¡°Answer the question, Priest. I am in no mood to answer irrelevant remarks.¡±

    ¡°I am a Priest Darkstar,¡± Javad finally answered. ¡°They tell me nothing. Only the High Priest is allowed such knowledge.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Zedd and Javad were walking away from the flying lion. They were actually walking the opposite way. The Priest was about to ask Black Eyes about it but the pain in his head reminded him to keep his mouth shut. Zedd was looking at the volcano as they walked away from the beast.

    ¡°You¡¯ve surely heard of the Watchdog, haven¡¯t you?¡± he asked the Priest as they both reached a large field with multiple acid pools in it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard tales, like everyone else,¡± Javad answered as he looked at the strange smoke that left the ponds.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the way you looked at this painting in the vault, Priest.¡± Zedd nudged his companion with the pointy end of his sword, urging him to move toward the pools. ¡°You know something and your Lord Supreme knows it too. Why do you think Utar threw you in here in the first place?¡±

    ¡°How do you know so much about us?¡± the question left Javad¡¯s mouth before he could stop it. Another smack followed and Javad felt his head turn.

    ¡°It¡¯s a funny thing pain,¡± Zedd said as they both navigated through the acid pools. ¡°It teaches us to fear things we don¡¯t understand. You know not to touch fire because you¡¯ve experienced its burns once or twice in your childhood. And you¡¯ll learn to fear me as we try to solve this Painted World¡¯s riddle.¡±

    Javad was busy massaging his throbbing head. He was being used by the man with black eyes for reasons he had yet to know about. He was forced to follow him because of his cowardice, of his fear of death. They kept walking in silence for quite a while. Javad¡¯s refusal to answer didn¡¯t seem to bother Darkstar. He was actually humming some song as he occasionally nudged the priest to move forward.

    ¡°I¡¯ll answer your question,¡± Zedd finally said. ¡°But I¡¯ll need you to tell me something I don¡¯t know about Watchdog, or about Ulmir¡¯s Domain. Do we have an agreement?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Javad answered. He ducked as he spoke, afraid to get another smack in the head. Zedd heartily laughed before speaking again.

    ¡®You answered too quickly, you stinking coward!¡¯ Zedd thought but kept it to himself. He needed some information he hoped the Priest had.

    ¡°Speak then,¡± Darkstar urged. ¡°Do you think I¡¯d reveal my secrets before getting paid?¡± He smacked the poor Priest in the head and the latter fell to his knees, holding his head and whimpering. ¡°Oh stop it! You can easily heal yourself. Fear has really taken complete control over you, Priest.¡±

    ¡°What do I get if I tell you about the Watchdog?¡±

    ¡°You get nothing,¡± Zedd answered nonchalantly. ¡°You know nothing of the beast. Or rather, you think you know something where in reality, you know nothing.¡±

    ¡°Then why ask me?¡± Javad asked then ducked.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to learn to avoid all my attacks, at all times, Priest.¡± Zedd said, brandishing his sword in the air. ¡°If you want to avoid getting a huge lump over your head, I suggest you man up a little.¡± Zedd invited the Priest to sit on a small rock between the acid pools. He urged him to heal himself.

    After the Priest finished his healing chant, Zedd spoke again. ¡°I ask you since I want to know what kind of myth circulates about the dog inside the Castle.¡±

    The Priest looked apprehensively at Black Eyes. He was afraid to speak and say something that would displease his tormentor. Noticing Darkstar¡¯s frown and questioning gaze. Javad swallowed his saliva with a loud noise then spoke.

    ¡°They say the dog keeps a secret older than Ulmir himself. I heard the Hunter God was killed by our Lord Supreme long ago, before he took over this realm. The dog, however, didn¡¯t belong to the Hunter God and kept guarding whoever occupied this realm long ago.¡±

    Javad¡¯s answer caused Zedd to make an irritated face. Darkstar let out a long sight before he answered.

    ¡°What you said is partly correct. The Watchdog never belonged to Ulmir. Nobody knows who it belonged to, really. Some say it guards a treasure. Others say it keeps an ancient evil at bay. All I know is that your Lord Supreme never managed to defeat it. But I know that he managed to leave this Painted World unharmed.¡±

    Noticing Javad¡¯s intrigued look, Zedd clarified. ¡°I was in the vault when he spoke to Utar about this. I even heard them speak about some Holi Tribulations happening on the other Painted World.¡±

    ¡®How do you know all this?¡¯ The question was stuck in Javad¡¯s tip of the tongue. But he decided not to speak. He didn¡¯t want to experience that pain again. Instead, he looked at Black Eyes in silence, waiting for him to finish his speech or ask a question. Surely enough, Zedd had another question to ask.

    ¡°Can you think of something¡­ strange¡­ that happened in the Castle before the hunt? Or during previous hunts? Anything that could be useful, answer this question and I promise I¡¯ll tell you my secret.¡± Zedd smiled and bobbed his head to the side. He loved teasing people that way. Looking at his strange eyes was scary enough. Looking at the man tilting his head to the side and smiling was unsettling, even terrifying under some circumstances.

    Javad made an effort to think, but couldn¡¯t find anything useful to tell his tormentor. ¡°Master Utar had always kept the peace in this Castle. I can¡¯t think of anything out of the ordinary, except this year¡¯s Hunt of course.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t it strike you as too much of a coincidence?¡± Zedd asked. ¡°I mean, one intruder was enough to worry about. But two, plus the Alfa Photon getting sick, that¡¯s something Ulmir¡¯s Domain has never experienced.¡±

    Javad nodded.

    ¡°I managed to evade your watchful eyes thanks to a neat little trick, transmutation,¡± Zedd told the Priest. At hearing Zedd¡¯s words, Javad clutched his fists together hard.

    ¡°I have a familiar, who I think you know, Myles Stalwart. He¡¯s a Fairy to whom I gifted a Transmutation Fragment. He¡¯s been using it very well ever since ¨C ¡°

    Zedd suddenly dropped to the ground, writhing and screaming his lungs out. Javad saw this as the perfect opportunity for to strike his tormentor. But before he could attack, he saw Zedd¡¯s veins turn purple and his eyes bulge out. Perhaps the man was dying. Perhaps it was his biggest chance at finding the Watchdog himself.

    Javad retrieved his sword from Zedd¡¯s belt than darted away, zigzagging through the acid pools. Zedd on the other hand was still writhing on the ground. Images flashed before his eyes as he felt something being wrenched out of his very soul. His saw himself as a young boy with dark blond hair. He saw himself running away from Utar and his best friend who were chasing him.

    He saw himself reach an island with two companions, a ghost and a raven haired woman. He saw them treating his fever and his wounds. He saw himself meeting other people and fighting multiple monsters. Then he saw a man with Black Eyes training him and educating him. He listened intently to the man who gave him a life and a purpose.

    Then everything went blank. Zedd opened his eyes. He was still in the Painted World. His head hurt badly. His vision was a blur as he looked around for the Priest. Javad was running toward the volcano. Darkstar cursed his bad luck as he struggled to stand up. It felt as though part of him was ripped apart.

    ¡°Myles,¡± he mumbled under his breath. ¡°Shit, they¡¯ve taken him away from me.¡±

    Zedd immediately found a rock on which he sat in a lotus position. He closed his eyes and stabilized his breathing before getting up again. He looked for Javad who seemed to be still running for the volcano.

    ¡°That coward knows something after all. I should really stop bullying people!¡± he told himself. It was more like a reprimand, a negative note to oneself.

    ¡°You either torture or you manipulate. Bullying gets you nowhere boy!¡± a womanly voice echoed in his head. Zedd was about to find himself absorbed in his memories, if it weren¡¯t for the flying lion whose wings were flapping above him. Zedd looked up to see the lion slowly lowering itself toward him.

    ¡°Well done, Darkstar!¡± the lion¡¯s voice reached Zedd¡¯s mind. ¡°You¡¯ve sacrificed something dear. You may pass.¡±

 45 - Look at The Sky, and Rememberâ€¦

    ¡°I Pass?¡± Zedd asked out loud. ¡°Pass where?¡±

    ¡°The fire mountain has opened its doors for you Darkstar,¡± the lion instructed. His voice resonated within Zedd¡¯s mind. ¡°Head for the base, find the door to Fort¡¯s secret and leave this realm.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean I don¡¯t have to fight you?¡± Zedd looked at the creature¡¯s hind leg, it was good as new.

    ¡°You have already defeated me Darkstar. I¡¯m a creature of time. I exist to halt your progress unless you remember.¡±

    Zedd looked at the lion flying above him in silence. He tried to push his thoughts and questions away, in fear that the flying creature would read them. He had to keep talking, lest his luck turns sour.

    ¡°I have one more question before I leave for the base,¡± he said. The lion emitted a strange vibrating sound inside Zedd¡¯s mind. He assumed it was a grunt. ¡°Are you the Watchdog the tales and songs speak of? Are you the one guarding Ulmir¡¯s secret?¡±

    ¡°Ulmir?¡± the lion asked in an amused tone. ¡°He couldn¡¯t remember. I had to throw him out when a new candidate arrived, tried to kill me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the one who calls himself Lord Supreme,¡± Zedd said. ¡°He¡¯s the leader of the Church of Dhobor, the Maker. Are you saying he didn¡¯t remember as well?¡±

    ¡°He never listened. Fools always attack first. I despise his kind. Threw him out, never allowed him in ever since.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Zedd asked. The creature intrigued him, he felt as though he¡¯d known him before.

    ¡°Names are irrelevant aspiring one. Seek Fort¡¯s secret, leave this realm. That Priest will never bother you again.¡±

    The lion flew away and Zedd contemplated it heading for the other side of the volcano. The creature reached the summit, let out a roar that shook the earth then landed somewhere out of sight.

    Zedd walked toward the base of the volcano, thinking all the while of the lion¡¯s words. What was he supposed to remember? He knew he had realized the time loop and the trap they were in, but he never realized how he managed to get past it. He found himself thinking of Myles and the conversation he heard Utar and Lord Supreme have.

    Before he joined Cane to transport the Queen to the Altar, Zedd had summoned his trusted Fairy. He had gifted the Fairy a fragment of his own soul then infused him with another Fragment that contained the power of Transmutation. Fragments are, after all, parts of souls. Finding the Monarch¡¯s or the Scion¡¯s Fragment was akin to finding a priceless treasure. They contained the power and the knowledge of the ancient ones.

    Zedd had instructed Myles to change him into his sword. It was a complicated spell that required both knowledge and an immense reserve of Essence. They had been practicing this spell for months. He had also altered the Fairy¡¯s memories to escape Utar Soul Search spell. He¡¯d been thorough with his plan, thinking of every possible outcome and its counter measures.

    But Darkstar didn¡¯t think a sentient Fragment could summon the Holi Tribulations. He didn¡¯t think Myles would come victorious, nor did he think that he¡¯d lose his most powerful ally and Familiar. The thought of losing Myles saddened and angered him at the same time, for creating Familiars takes tremendous effort and time.

    Creating Familiars involved infusing them with one¡¯s own spiritual power, a Fragment of their soul. Before creating his Alfa Fairies, Zedd had encountered countless monsters and strong opponents.

    He managed to strip most of his enemies of their most valuable Fragments. Alas, Darkstar couldn¡¯t make them all his own. A Fragment has to be assimilated into one¡¯s soul for them to be completely active and functional. Souls also had frequencies, like everything else that existed in the wide universe. If one Fragment didn¡¯t resonate well with one¡¯s own soul, its assimilation would be impossible.

    Because of this, he had to improvise. He was lucky enough to be introduced to Familiar summoning. He made a pact with the dreadful Fairies and created three Alfas. Myles was one of them. He named it after himself, a reminder of his old life, a motivation to move forward and never give up.

    Zedd had reached the foot of the volcano when he realized that he¡¯d been too absorbed in his thoughts. He stopped to look at the large rocky surface before him. Javad was nowhere to be seen. He saw him run towards the base a few hours ago. He assumed the flying creature had taken care of him as it promised.

    ¡°Now,¡± he said out loud as he inspected the mountain with his peculiar eyes. ¡°If I had to hide something valuable and dangerous, where would that be?¡±

    He walked around the base, scanning every nook and cranny of the place. There was a volcano above him, which meant that caves were bound to exist underneath the sharp obsidian stones. ¡°What did I have to remember?¡± he asked himself again. He felt that it was a crucial clue to finding the entrance.

    He spent hours circling the large mountain, trying to find a way inside. As he did so, he also tried to think of what happened before he met the Priest. He could remember everything except that precise moment.

    He remembered Lord Supreme throwing him inside the Painted World. Javad wasn¡¯t in the vault back then. He remembered ambushing the Priest after he landed. But he couldn¡¯t remember what happened before that. ¡°The devil is in the detail,¡± he constantly reminded himself. He needed to think of everything.

    ¡°How did I managed to ambush the Priest? Now let¡¯s see, he was watching the lion fly away. Fly away¡­ fly away¡­ away from what?!¡± Zedd¡¯s eyes widened as he seemed to have remembered something important, something so simple he had to slap himself for forgetting.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    The lion was flying away after they had both spoken. The intruder interrupted their conversation and Zedd was asked to dispose of him. His memories seemed to slowly come back to him. The lion asked him to sacrifice something dear in order to access the secret.

    ¡°But why did he ask me to dispose of the Priest?¡± he was talking to himself again. ¡°Was it to distract me? I don¡¯t believe such an ancient creature would resort to such petty maneuvers. But no matter, food for thought. I remembered the conversation now. Myles was taken away from me without my consent, but I don¡¯t think that should¡¯ve mattered to him¡­¡±

    Zedd looked up at the sky then remembered the scribbling on the steep rock. Look at the sky and remember. It then hit him. It felt like being thunderstruck. The answer was in front of him all the time, yet he never really thought about it. Look at the sky and remember.

    If one had to look at the painting from outside, they¡¯d see the volcano erupting. The lion was flying above it as it erupted. He had to remember that and the creature¡¯s words. Sacrifice something dear.

    ¡°In order to reach the secret, I had to make an offering. Myles being detached from my bonds meant that I had already made the sacrifice, at the foot of the mountain. But I still can¡¯t find the ¨C¡°

    Zedd had finally understood. He started his ascension toward the volcano¡¯s mouth. A door, he had to find one door while the mountain had opened many doors. Javad disappearing from sight meant that he¡¯d found one of the doors that led to something terrible, Zedd estimated. If one needed to reach the base of the mountain, he¡¯d need to get through its heart.

    ¡°So the chosen one was never fated¡­¡± Zedd thought as he escalated the dangerous rocks. ¡°Lucky I was in the vault, I¡¯d absorbed enough Essence to destroy that Lion in a minute. Reaching the base shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    Meanwhile in the Champions¡¯ Lounge.

    Utar was sitting on the throne, observing Cane from above. The Painted World had disappeared without a trace, only Cane remained. He was a reminder that this year¡¯s Hunt had failed miserably. The Kozagan authorities had been trying to contact the High Priest for days, to get news of their Contestants.

    Utar tried to calm Ulmir¡¯s devotees by telling them it was all the Hunter God¡¯s will. That He didn¡¯t want the world outside to interfere. But seeing Cane emerge as the only survivor was the last drop. He had to contact Lord Supreme once more. He sat, observing the big bear in silence, waiting¡­

    ¡°Umm¡­ Your Reverend,¡± Cane spoke after a long while. It was the first time he¡¯d spoken in such an eloquent manner. Utar looked at him then nodded, giving him permission to speak. ¡°Won¡¯t we start the ceremony? No one¡¯s coming out. I¡¯ve seen them all die or disappear without a trace.¡±

    ¡°The Photons are sick. We¡¯ll wait for someone to come fix everything for us before we start the ceremony,¡± Utar answered. His voice was mechanical. He didn¡¯t seem to care about what happened in the Hunt anymore. His mind was somewhere else. ¡°You may go to the common room, drink and eat while we wait.¡±

    Utar waved his hand again and five guards surrounded the big bear. He was escorted to the common room in which he was offered some exotic fruits, three platters full of grilled meat and an ale keg, all for himself. The beautiful maid served him the food and stayed by his side. She was stroking her long hair as she eyed the champion with admiring eyes.

    ¡°You must be strong,¡± she told him while he chewed on the delicious grilled meat. ¡°I heard you were the only survivor from this year¡¯s hunt.¡±

    Cane answered with a grunt.

    ¡°Oi!¡± a voice yelled from behind the big bear. ¡°Doncha have some wiping teh do?¡±

    It was Great, the one eyed Quartermaster. He was speaking to the maid, chasing her away from the champion¡¯s table. The maid shot the Quartermaster a dark look.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you shining your swords or axes, or whatever you Quartermasters do?¡± she spat at him.

    ¡°The Hunt¡¯s over, bring me a horn of ale while yer at it!¡± Great answered as he seated himself next to the big bear.

    The maid stormed out of the common room. She had given the Quartermaster the finger before she left. ¡°Get your own drinks! One eyed freak!¡±

    ¡°Feisty little one ain¡¯t she?¡± he asked Cane who was still busy eating.

    ¡°She¡¯s alright,¡± Cane answered after taking a big gulp from his ale. ¡°Why dya come ¡®ere? I don¡¯t need a midget for company.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah go on, finish what she started!¡± Great protested. ¡°I can get yeh better anyways. She¡¯s just a maid ¡®ere. Wait til yeh see the real beauties.¡±

    ¡°Whaddya want?¡± Cane let go of his meat then looked at the short one eyed man.

    ¡°That boy them blond hair and blue eyes, did he die?¡±

    ¡°I dunno,¡± Cane truthfully answered. ¡°Now get lost!¡±

    Great looked crestfallen as he obeyed. He dragged his feet toward the exit door when he heard the big bear beckoning him again.

    ¡°What did he promise ya?¡± he asked after the Quartermaster arrived.

    ¡°How dya know he promised anythin¡¯?¡± Great asked back.

    ¡°He¡¯s a little devil. He disappeared without a trace if that¡¯s what ye wanna know.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Great said. ¡°May I?¡± he said as he looked at the keg by Cane¡¯s feet.

    Cane filled a horn and handed it to the Quartermaster. He then invited the Quartermaster to share his food. As it turned out, Great was good company. Cane had a good laugh hearing stories about champions from previous Hunts. The Quartermaster told him about the harem the High Priest kept and how he would, on rare occasions, offer champions a one night in heaven.

    ¡°He offered that blond fella a night in heaven and he refused it. Can yeh imagine? To refuse such delights¡­¡±

    ¡°I say he¡¯s stupid!¡± Cane said as he swayed right a left, bellowing at the top of his lungs. ¡°Oi! Bar maiden, come ¡®ere!¡±

    The big bear turned around looking for the beautiful girl with long black hair but she was nowhere to be seen. He remembered that Great had upset her and pushed her to leave. With an angry, contorted face, he turned to look at the Quartermaster.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get my prize, and ya won¡¯t even let me have her! What am I supposed to do now? Fuck yer eye socket?¡±

    Great immediately sprung up from his chair and backed away. In his drunken state he stumbled on something and fell down. The sight of a short disfigured old man falling and rolling on the ground caused Cane to roar in laughter. The maiden stormed the room to find Cane laughing while Great retreated away. She could tell the old Quartermaster was terrified of the big bear.

    It took a long time for Cane to assure the old man that he wasn¡¯t interested in his empty eye socket. The maiden¡¯s presence helped calm the old man¡¯s nerves as well. Guards outside had peeked from the open door to inspect the commotion too but soon got back to their duties after realizing it was just two drunks shouting inaudible words at each other.

    Great finally joined Cane and the maid at the table after he¡¯d calmed down. The maid had eyes only for the mighty drunk champion. The woman brushed all the Quartermaster¡¯s taunts aside. She was adamant on staying near the big bear. In the end, Great decided to call it a day. Before he left though, Cane pulled him aside. He looked surprisingly sober for someone who had almost emptied an ale barrel on his own.

    ¡°I learned that Blondie was acting on orders. If yer lucky, his master¡¯ll show up. Speak to ¡®im, he might help.¡±

    ¡°No one¡¯s here but you champion,¡± Great protested.

    ¡°There¡¯s always the intruder,¡± Cane replied then went back to his table. The beautiful maid was waiting for him, gently stroking her hair and smiling amiably.

 46 - Darkstar Lands

    Ulmir¡¯s Castle, The Champions¡¯ Lounge. One Day After Cane¡¯s Arrival.

    Lord Supreme sat in the throne room, observing the High Priest with livid eyes. He arrived a few hours ago, after receiving news of the end of the Holi Tribulations. It was a very unpleasant surprise to find out that the Painted World had disappeared without a trace. Lord Supreme had found many treasures in Ulmir¡¯s Domain ever since he took over.

    ¡°Have you sent the other champions back to their lands?¡± Lord Supreme asked the fearful High Priest.

    ¡°Yes my lord,¡± Utar answered. ¡°We¡¯ve also taken the liberty of altering their memories. They now think they¡¯ve been sent back early on the Hunter God¡¯s orders.¡±

    ¡°Very well, I¡¯ve also taken the liberty of preparing a speech for the Kozagans. Make sure your delivery is convincing.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Utar answered then bowed.

    ¡°Have you checked the other painting?¡± he asked the High Priest. They were the only ones sitting in the spacious room. Multiple statues and paintings of champions of old decorated the place. They were a reminder of Ulmir¡¯s era and his tradition of the Hunt.

    ¡°Nothing new to report, my lord,¡± Utar answered. He dropped his white robe for a gray sleeveless one. A silver brooch with a snake coiled around a sword hung on the left side of his chest.

    ¡°Tell me, High Priest, how much time have you got left?¡± Lord Supreme asked with a nasty grin on his face.

    Utar looked at his lord with frightful eyes. That man knew everything about him, except the secret he fought hard to keep away from him. ¡°About fifty years, my lord,¡± he answered. His voice was faint, almost a whisper. His hands shook and sweat covered his forehead.

    ¡°You do realize that the gate to the Holi Wars will soon open. Without my consent, you will not be able to participate.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Utar answered. He was clenching his fists and jaw. He knew what awaited him now what the Contest was over.

    ¡°I had a little talk with the Alfa Photon,¡± Lord Supreme suddenly changed the subject. ¡°She said she¡¯ll order her little ones to resume their work. Everything should be operational by the afternoon. I want that champion ready for the ceremony. We need to get him out of here as soon as possible High Priest. Our silence has lasted long enough.¡±

    ¡°What about Darkstar, my lord?¡± Utar risked asking the question. He had nothing to lose anyway. Lord Supreme seemed to have taken his decision.

    ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s in the Painted World?¡± Lord Supreme asked.

    ¡°Yes, my lord. He hasn¡¯t moved yet.¡±

    ¡°What about Javad?¡±

    ¡°I can still sense him there too. I¡¯m confident he¡¯ll be able to bring the intruder back with him.¡±

    Lord Supreme squinted at Utar. He slowly stood from his chair then walked towards the High Priest. When he reached him, he grabbed him by the collar, looked him straight in the eyes then smiled. When Lord Supreme spoke, his voice was filled with anger and malevolence.

    ¡°All these years in this place have made you soft High Priest. I was right to take you away from Avourel, you were a bad influence on him. This is not a game Utar! I specifically asked you to find the intruder, not Javad.¡±

    ¡°But ¨C¡° Utar stammered. ¡°He volunteered to look for Darkstar my lord. He said it was his honor to bring him to you.¡±

    ¡°You lie, High Priest!¡± Lord Supreme was shouting. His voice shook the entire tower on which the Champions¡¯ Lounge was situated. ¡°The Alfa Photon stopped working because you let this whole mess happen. She only agreed to work with us today, for the ceremony¡¯s sake. Unless you produce that intruder in the next twenty four hours, I¡¯ll make sure you rot in the Well.

    ¡°All those years High Priest, scheming and collecting trophies, look at what it has come to. You disappoint me Utar. Find this Darkstar or your head will decorate these walls by tomorrow!¡±

    Lord Supreme walked away from the room. He muttered a spell and a portal manifested in front of him. Lord Supreme turned to look at the High Priest. ¡°Make sure you practice the speech I gave you. It¡¯s important we get Kozag¡¯s support!¡±

    As soon as he disappeared behind the portal he created out of thin air, Utar let out a long sigh. He decided to jump inside the Painted World after the ceremony was over. It was either that or get sent to the Well. Lord Supreme¡¯s powers were terrifying. It was thanks to his mastery over death and life that he ruled the planet with an iron fist. Utar summoned his guards and asked them to get Cane ready. He then went to his study to change and get ready for the speech.

    ¡®Darkstar sure picked up a bad time to show up,¡¯ he thought as he climbed the serpentine stairs that led to his private quarters. ¡®What¡¯s Javad doing anyway? I saw Darkstar before he entered this realm, he didn¡¯t seem as strong as I first met him. Capturing him should be an easy task, even for someone as cowardly as he is.¡¯This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    With these dark thoughts, Utar entered his study. The place was buzzing with Photons that observed every move he made. ¡®Lord Supreme has finally decided to take matters into his own hands.¡¯ It was at that moment that Utar realized he was in a dreadful situation.

    He couldn¡¯t leave the realm without his master¡¯s approval. In fact, nobody could. Lord Supreme knew everybody who worked in Ulmir¡¯s Castle by name. He had handpicked them to keep the realm he¡¯d captured safe and ripe for harvest. Not only did Utar allow an intruder inside the Castle for the first time in six hundred years, but he also allowed the intruder to destroy the entire Faery Plains.

    As he put on his white ceremonial robes, Utar¡¯s heart picked up speed. He now knew he was doomed. Even if he found Darkstar, there was no guarantee that Lord Supreme would allow him to live. He finished getting dressed then picked up the speech his master had prepared for him and started rehearsing.

    Cane on the other hand was being prepared for the ceremony by a dozen fair maidens. The previous night was the best night of his life. The maid from the common room introduced him to her friends. They were all infatuated by the champion who survived. The things he¡¯d done that night, he bet even Darkstar couldn¡¯t top them. And to think he landed in Ulmir¡¯s Castle by coincidence.

    When Qil-Al asked him to think of a place to go to, his first thought was of his house near Yanoku¡¯s eastern gates. But remembering Black Eyes and the adventure he had lived since he met him, Cane found himself thinking of Ulmir¡¯s Domain and the Castle. Luckily, Lillin didn¡¯t think the same. He was announced as the winner, and what a winner he was!

    The fair maidens prepared Cane for his big ceremony while showering him with kisses. Some of them had red, fiery hair. Others had jet black hair with the widest eyes he¡¯d ever seen, clear blue and sparkling. They smelled of roses, lilac and gooseberries. Their skin was soft to the touch. And their lips¡­ their lips were so delicious he could kiss them all night.

    He wished he could just stay there. As far as he was concerned, he had died and was sent to heaven. But the dream had to end and he was being prepared to leave the realm. After they were done preparing him, they all led him to the Courtyard. They kissed him farewell then left to their private quarters.

    Cane was now dressed like a king. He wore a white tunic with a navy blue vest on top. His navy blue trousers were attached to his waist with a brown leather belt. His brown leather shoes shone as the sunlight reflected on them. His big and muscular body was now well hidden underneath the neat clothes.

    Utar soon appeared in front of him, slowly walking in his direction. A buzzing sound could be heard above them as the Alfa Photon watched their every move. It was broadcasting to the entire Kozagan Desert and to the Empire. Utar was holding a black sword on his hand. When he reached the champion, he urged him to kneel.

    Cane, religious as he was, put one knee on the ground and looked at the High Priest. Utar touched the big bear¡¯s head with the sword then spoke. ¡°In the name of Ulmir, the Hunter God, protector of this realm and the realms below, I proclaim you winner of this year¡¯s Great Hunt.¡±

    Cheers filled the courtyard. Every Priest and every fair maiden came to watch the ceremony. Utar asked Cane to stand up. He then produced a small pouch from his pocket then handed it to the winner. It looked exactly like the one Zedd had given him before they entered the Castle, a bottomless space in which one could store anything.

    The High Priest urged Cane to inspect the content of the purse. When the big bear snuck a peek inside, his heart skipped a beat. He saw so much gold that it could cover a hill. He looked up at the High Priest, a large smile drawn on his face.

    ¡°You¡¯ve hunted one of the biggest preys in our Lord¡¯s Domain. I congratulate you for your courage and devotion. Leave this realm, and know that your name will be remembered forever, Cane Moss.¡±

    Cane could hear the maidens giggling behind him. He produced a sly smile as Utar began chanting a foreign incantation. The air in front of the High Priest started compressing then swirling. Soon enough a Portal was created and Cane was led outside. Utar then turned toward the Alfa Photon. The speech he had worked so hard to memorize had decided to go for a little vacation.

    He opened his mouth but no words came out. He was sure that millions of people were watching him, expecting some comforting words from their God and savior. Everybody thought that Ulmir had forsaken them for allowing foreigners take part in the Great Hunt. His mission was to speak on behalf of the Hunter God and reassure his audience.

    However, before Utar could mutter a word, a loud rumbling shook the entire castle. It seemed as though Ulmir¡¯s Domain was shaking in its entirety. Utar cursed his bad luck. ¡®An earthquake? And today of all days?¡¯ he thought as he frantically looked around.

    To the people watching from the comfort of their homes or in the multiple taverns in Kozag, the situation looked hopeless. They had received a word from their local temples that the connection to the Photon had been reestablished. They were watching the final ceremony in hopes of seeing their loved ones triumph. All they saw was Utar trying to keep a footing as the ground shook below him.

    Then the sky above the High Priest darkened. Utar looked up and the look of terror and surprise on his face was broadcasted to the world to see. They saw the High Priest mutter some words. The devoted fanatics translated it to everyone watching in taverns and inns. The words were: ¡°What the fuck is that?!¡±

    The Courtyard was soon filled with guards and hooded Priests who observed the sky apprehensively. Even the Alfa Photon looked up, revealing the incredible scene for everyone. A ship that covered the entire sky flew in the air. Its cannons were aiming at the ground below. Everyone watched as the ship slowly advanced until it came at a complete stop above the Courtyard.

    They saw a small silhouette jump down and crash land amidst all the guards and Priests. Everyone present covered their eyes as rubble and dust filled the air. When everything cleared, they saw what had just fallen from the sky. A hooded man, wearing boiled leather underneath ring mail slowly stood then looked around. Guards pointed their spears at him while the priests got ready to attack.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Utar asked loud enough for everyone to hear.

    The man took his hood off, revealing a man with Black Eyes and golden pupils. He looked at the High Priest with a nasty grin. Some jumpy guards tried attacking him but their weapons broke before they could even reach him. The man with black eyes looked at everyone around him then at the Alfa Photon above who was following his every move.

    ¡°I¡¯m your worst nightmare!¡± he told Utar.

    ¡°And your divine blessing,¡± he continued as he turned to look at the fair maidens.

 47 - Mothership

    Flying Lion Painted World. Before the Ceremony.

    Zedd stood at the crater, observing the molten lava below him. He knew what he had to do, but he had to calculate his jump accurately. By closing his internal eyelids, Zedd managed to see the Essence distribution inside the mountain. Lava, like fire, was an element. Elements were conjured using Essence. All Zedd had to do was to find where the Essence ran weaker than the rest.

    ¡®This Painted World is a pocket dimension, frozen in space and time,¡¯ he thought as he observed lava bubbles pop and release fetid smoke. ¡®Whoever created this space had hidden his treasure very well.¡¯

    Zedd shook his arms and legs and got ready for the jump. He could see the areas where Essence was weak, but jumping through them meant changing his course midair. Whatever was hidden inside the mountain was worth all the trouble however. Zedd had been looking for this place for almost a century.

    Now that he stood above danger, he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d found the place just yet. After all, the secret weapon of the Monarchs was a myth that nobody dared pursuing. Zedd on the other hand knew it was a fact. He¡¯d seen visions and memories of ancient Monarchs. All of them pointed to Ulmir¡¯s Domain, or in other scriptures, Fort¡¯s lost realm.

    ¡®Lucky Utar put me in the vault instead of keeping me near him,¡¯ Zedd thought with a large smile. He took a last breath then jumped down, into the skin melting fire pot. He couldn¡¯t fly, but he could change his course midair by using some trickery. One misstep and he¡¯d find himself swimming in lava, even Darkstar couldn¡¯t survive that.

    Essence, Zedd learned dictated the rules of the world. If lava was weak at some spots, it meant that some other, stronger, energy was interfering with it. Perhaps that was what blocked the volcano from erupting. Zedd plunged towards the first spot. As soon as he felt the air getting cooler, Black Eyes activated a spell called Dash, the one Brahms (leader of the imperial forces in Ulmir¡¯s Domain) used to escape from Vaneel.

    The spell allowed Darkstar to create a pushing force beneath his feet. The surface beneath him was irrelevant since the spell bounces off the air and pushes the user forward. Using this spell multiple times, Zedd managed to travel from one air pocket to the other. It was a dangerous endeavor which looked, on paper, like suicide.

    To whomever watching from the crater above, they¡¯d see Darkstar plunging inside the lava and disappearing. Zedd, however, had found an air tunnel inside the liquid fire and navigated through it. One misstep, one extra push and he¡¯d melt down excruciatingly.

    The deeper he got, the sharper the turns became. If felt like the designer of this tunnel wanted to kill whoever attempted the descent. Zedd however kept navigating through the sharp turns nimbly. He came close to death twice but managed to adjust his course. After what seemed like an eternity, Darkstar finally managed to see the ground below.

    He gently landed on an ethereal tunnel. Lava circulated around him as walked toward the base of the fire mountain. It felt like he was walking inside a gigantic aquarium. Instead of water and fish swimming all around him, Zedd could only see liquid fire¡­ and eyes.

    It didn¡¯t occur to him to watch his surroundings before. He was busy navigating the difficult sharp turns to notice them. They were swimming around the tunnel looking at him, unblinking. The sight was unsettling to say the least. No matter how powerful a person could get, there was no escaping the wrath of the elements. ¡®If this tunnel breaks, I¡¯d be their next meal¡­¡¯

    Surely enough, Zedd saw the transparent tunnel around him cracking. ¡®Why does this always have to happen?¡¯ he thought as he started running, dashing through the long straight, transparent corridor. The creatures seemed to become agitated. They slammed against the transparent tunnel and cracked it even more.

    Black Eyes felt heat getting in through the cracks. Soon, the whole tunnel would collapse and he¡¯d find himself trapped with no way out. ¡®Mending this thing might make it unstable,¡¯ he thought as he dashed even faster. He could see the end of the tunnel ahead of him. There was a cave by the mountain walls. He only needed to reach that.

    He was a few paces from reaching the place when he heard the sound of glass shattering. He didn¡¯t have to look back to understand what was happening. He felt the suffocating heat chasing him. It felt like you¡¯ve just opened the windows on a hot dry air. All the coolness in the tunnel was replaced by suffocating heat.

    Screams followed and the whole mountain shook. The fire creatures were swarming the tunnel and Zedd had only but one choice, Vanish. He activated the spell and found himself near the cave entrance. He risked one last look behind him. Thousands of magma creatures with shining eyes were swimming toward him. The lava was but only three paces from him when he entered the cave. A large slab of metal slid down the cave entrance with a loud bang, sealing Black Eyes inside.

    He swept the sweat from his forehead then looked around. He was in a vast cold room with a scepter in the middle. He estimated that at least ten warships could be fitted inside. The magma creatures behind the closed door shrieked and banged at it furiously. The earth around Darkstar shook. Everything before him became a blur as the earth shook even more violently. Then Zedd heard a loud explosion. The volcano had erupted.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Zedd approached the scepter, or rather, swayed right and left as he attempted to reach the scepter. Rocks rained down on the room which threatened to collapse at any moment. He tried vanishing next to the weapon but realized that he couldn¡¯t use magic inside. Perhaps that was why he appeared in front of the cave entrance instead of inside it.

    He fought to keep balance as he walked forward. The ground beneath him began to crack under the falling rocks weight. He had to reach the object before he was propelled outside, like the rest of the magma creatures. At long last, he was near the object. When he made to touch the thing, everything stopped. It felt like time and space both had seized working.

    Zedd couldn¡¯t move or think. He could only observe the object slowly levitating in the air then approach the man with black eyes. Then as sudden as everything stopped, the world resumed moving around him. The mountain still rumbled and rocks still rained down above his head. Zedd grabbed the scepter then felt his entire body being pulled out from its place.

    It felt like he was shrinking in size then expanding at rapid intervals. The scepter he held didn¡¯t change at all. His face contorted and his teeth clattered as he shrunk and expanded. He was in agony but couldn¡¯t even utter a word. The world before him spun at a dangerous speed. He knew he was teleporting, but didn¡¯t know where to.

    When he came to, Zedd felt a significant drop in temperature. He was lying on top of wooden floor, the scepter tightly clutched in his left hand. He stood and looked around him. He was inside some cabin. He forced his body to stand then stumbled to the cabin door. Upon opening it, Zedd gasped. His eyes sparkled and his smile was never any wider. He had finally found what he was looking for, the Mothership.

    The largest ship ever constructed by the all-powerful Monarchs was under his command. He climbed toward the captain¡¯s deck then looked at the world below him. Only clouds surrounded the flying ship. Zedd looked around in amazement. He¡¯d never been so high in the sky before. The feeling of having the cold winds caress ones face was priceless, especially after his previous bout with the magma creatures.

    The captain¡¯s helm in front of him looked like a seven pointed star. Strange metallic objects intertwined to form the star with seven points. But from what Zedd had found out about the Mothership, the helm was an eight pointed star. He looked at the scepter in his hand then understood what to do. He inserted the object inside the star and watched it move by itself and find its rightful place.

    The helm started rolling then detached itself from the ship. It kept rotating in the air, shrinking in size until it became the size of a walnut. The eight pointed star floated in the air, shining a bright golden light. Zedd touched the object then all his senses seemed to have awakened at once. It felt like his brain was on fire. Before his open eyes, millions of images flashed.

    He could see the first construction of the ship. He saw the architects arguing about the type of weaponry they could use. He saw people being instructed on how to navigate the ship, make her fly and soar the skies. He saw the galactic map installed in the captain¡¯s cabin. It seemed like he was given complete command over the ship, as its captain and rightful owner.

    Zedd walked down toward the cabin in which he first landed. It was small room, compared with size of the ship. He headed for the desk in the middle then prompted the galactic map.

    ¡°Welcome aboard the Mothership,¡± a voice greeted him. It sounded more like a screech than a voice really. ¡°Mothership scanning for lifeforms,¡± the voice went on. ¡°Captain identified, Zedd Darkstar, formerly known as Myles Stalwart. What would you like to do captain?¡±

    ¡°Can we change your voice for starters?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°Certainly,¡± the voice answered. Its screeches caused Zedd to wince involuntarily. ¡°Scanning for voices to choose from, please wait.¡± Zedd crossed his arms and looked around. He still couldn¡¯t believe he managed to find the mother of all ships. ¡°There are three trillion voices to choose from. Would you like me to switch to manual navigation? You¡¯ll be able to choose the voice that best suits your preferences.¡±

    ¡°Just¡­ choose one, randomly, and quickly. You sound like two machines humping¡­¡±

    ¡°Is this to your liking sir?¡± the voice spoke once more. It sounded like a man in his forties, deep and confident.

    ¡°Better!¡± Zedd exclaimed. ¡°Now pray tell me dear voice, where are we?¡±

    ¡°We are flying above Lord Fort¡¯s Domain. It seems it has sustained heavy damage over the years.¡±

    ¡°How long have you been stationed here?¡± Zedd asked. He didn¡¯t understand why nobody¡¯s seen such a large ship. Especially since Ulmir¡¯s Hunt had been a tradition in the lands of Kozag for more than six hundred years.

    ¡°Calculating,¡± the man¡¯s voice said. ¡°This ship has been stationed here for three thousand six hundred and forty two years. Any more questions sir?¡±

    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t anybody found out about you in all these millennia?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re hidden in plain sight sir. The only way to reveal the Mothership¡¯s presence is by order of the captain, or if the ship is in outer space.¡±

    ¡°Is this realm important to the Monarchs?¡± Zedd asked. He hoped the ship would say no. His plans depended on this.

    ¡°You should know that sir, you are the captain,¡± the voice answered, deep and monotonous.

    ¡°Oh right, the memories that passed on to me after I touched the scepter.¡± Zedd concentrated on the information that flashed by his mind. He had received billions of years¡¯ worth of memories. His brain, however powerful and quick it was, couldn¡¯t process everything so quickly. He concentrated on Ulmir¡¯s domain, only to find out it was a hiding place for the warship.

    Whoever left the scepter inside the Castle didn¡¯t leave behind his memories, Zedd could only surmise it was a desperate attempt to hide the weapon from the Scions. He opened his eyes then ordered the interface to load the weapons. He had a plan to set in motion. And since Ulmir¡¯s Domain wasn¡¯t Monarch territory, Zedd felt free to go all out with his new toy.

    ¡°Where are we now?¡± he asked. ¡°The exact location of the Mothership, I mean.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re anchored above the Castle,¡± the voice answered. ¡°Would you like me to destroy it?¡±

    ¡°No wait,¡± he answered. ¡°The moment isn¡¯t right. We¡¯ll wait for them to give the prize then we¡¯ll strike.¡±

    ¡°As you wish sir,¡± the voice answered. ¡°Would you like to see what¡¯s happening inside the Castle?¡±

    ¡°Can you do that?¡± Zedd asked, pleasantly surprised.

    ¡°I can sense a watchful familiar in the castle. A Monarch¡¯s request cannot be refused.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean that you speak their language too?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Then show me what¡¯s happening in the Castle. And keep the Photons on me when we finally make our presence known.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡± The voice answered.

 48 - My Name Is Zedd Darkstar

    Yanoku city, Athagar Castle. The Courtyard A Few Moments Before Darkstar Lands.

    The castle bells had struck three times, announcing the end of the Hunt. Five of Ulmir¡¯s Priests stood before Chancellor Amaud who seemed to be fuming. Alistair, the newly appointed interim master sat in a round table with other Faction leaders. They all watched the outcast win the tournament while the other champions, who had made it to the mansion, disappeared without a trace.

    ¡°We don¡¯t hear from this High Priest for days then this happens!¡± Amaud was yelling at the Priests. ¡°This is unprecedented, what happened in the Hunter God¡¯s Domain?¡±

    A tall bony man advanced, wearing brown loose robes that threatened to fall off at any moment. Amaud didn¡¯t know how the clothes stood in place. The man was so thin no standard robes could fit him. When he spoke, he had a deep voice that startled everybody, even Dismas, the underground market leader.

    ¡°We have been told that Lord Ulmir wasn¡¯t pleased with the imperials¡¯ participation in the Hunt. The elimination of the contestants was a warning, to never disobey the Hunter God again.¡±

    Amaud didn¡¯t look pleased with the answer. He frowned and grunted some words beneath his double chin. The audience in the room could only hear something like ¡®fucking Viraldo¡¯ and ¡®cursed.¡¯ He lifted his heavy head, looking at the interim master of the Three Headed Dragon.

    ¡°What do you make of this Alistair?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no denying the word of a God, your Excellency. All we can do is receive the outcast and absolve him of all his past crimes against our land. After all, he¡¯s shown tremendous will power and skills.¡±

    To these words, the Chancellor frowned even harder. Fat creases formed around his nose and on his enormous forehead. Amaud turned to look at Dismas with pleading eyes. The powerful and influential man responded with a faint smirk then spoke. His voice was composed and calm as he gave his opinion on the matter.

    ¡°I think we should follow Alistair¡¯s counsel. Our people are scared, the city¡¯s falling to ruins. We have more pressing matters to deal with than a few sacrifices to an angry God.¡±

    ¡°Watch your tongue,¡± a priest hiding beneath a brown cloak barked. ¡°The Hunter God isn¡¯t like your other ordinary Gods. His anger can expand toward us. We don¡¯t want our lands swarming with monsters now, do we?¡±

    ¡°Why would a powerful, omniscient God get angry over a few words spoken by a mortal?¡± Dismas retorted with a larger smirk. ¡°You people are uptight. Loosen up a little. Your God had his fun, killed many of our people. If he kills us all, who will help him in his war against the Devil?¡±

    ¡°That enough!¡± Amaud barked before another priest could intervene. ¡°We¡¯re not here to discuss our religious beliefs. Will Ulmir¡¯s House give us its support?¡± he asked the five priests.

    ¡°We are here to spread the word of our God and protect his lands. You have our unconditional support, your Ecxellency,¡± the tall thin man answered.

    ¡°What about you?¡± Chancellor Amaud turned toward Jena, the leader of the Thieve¡¯s Guild.

    ¡°Those slum mice have nothing to do with us, your Excellency. We steal from the undesirable rich, and we don¡¯t share with others.¡± Jena was wearing a plain green dress. Gone was her playful demeanor.

    A bloody riot had torn the slums apart two days ago. Everybody blamed the band of thieves for stirring up trouble, and related them to the Rats. With the Photons not working anymore, nobody had any distraction from the chaos in the slums.

    Just as Jenna was about to talk about how devoted her guild was to the city¡¯s protection, Alistair gasped and pointed at the large monitor in the room. ¡°What is that?!¡±

    Everybody turned to look at the Photon Monitor. They saw the Mothership appearing out of thin air, covering the entire sky. They saw a tiny figure appear in the sky and crash land inside the Courtyard, amidst the guards and Priests. Dismas squinted at the screen. He blinked twice, rubbed his eyes and shook his head. He still didn¡¯t believe what he was looking at.

    ¡°What¡¯s he doing there?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I thought he died with the imperials.¡± Alistair commented.

    ¡°Who the hell is that?!¡± Jena and Chancellor Amaud asked at the same time.

    Dismas shot Alistair a dark look that suggested calamity. He looked at the Chancellor then explained the situation. Amaud, who was finally able to link the dots, observed the screen with increasing curiosity.

    ¡°I saw him speak to Garland before the beginning of the Hunt,¡± he told Alistair.

    ¡°Garland never liked him. I guess Black Eyes tried to get on good terms with him.¡±

    ¡°To what end?¡± the Chancellor asked. ¡°We really don¡¯t need any other distractions.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about this,¡± Dismas said before Alistair could speak. ¡°This man is dangerous. With an entrance like that, I bet he was behind the deactivation of the Photons.¡±

    ¡°What do we do?¡± a priest asked as Zedd repelled the first guards to attack him.

    ¡°We watch,¡± Dismas answered. ¡°If the High Priest can¡¯t stop him, then no one else can.¡±

    ***

    Back at Ulmir¡¯s Castle, all the fair maidens and the Priests backed away, leaving Utar and the guards to deal with the intruder. Utar was the angriest among the lot. The man who had ruined his career stood before him, threatening to make things even worse for him. He motioned the guards to stand back and advanced toward Darkstar.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked.

    Zedd looked at the High Priest with a large smile on his face. He clicked his finger and the Alfa Photon jumped from its place at the tower, landing in the courtyard with a loud crash. All guards retreated. Those who weren¡¯t fast enough were flattened under the giant insect¡¯s hairy feet.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    The insect that refused to obey Utar¡¯s command for many years, had moved on a click of a finger. Not even Lord Supreme could do that. The large insect had gigantic wings that produced strong gales of wind. Its enormous red eyes moved about, observing Zedd once then moving on to Utar the next. At a close distance, it was easier to hear what the two were talking about.

    ¡°Making an impression,¡± Zedd answered after the commotion ended.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Utar hesitated to attack. Every time he tried to take a step, a look at the buzzing insect and the giant ship above him made him hesitate.

    ¡°This place, this realm, they don¡¯t belong to the Hunter God!¡± Zedd shouted loud enough for all to hear.

    This statement seemed to irritate most Priests and guards surrounded him. They all advanced toward Black Eyes and surrounded him, shouting ¡°Blasphemy¡± all the while. Darkstar didn¡¯t move an inch. He just smiled as he observed them all.

    ¡°You dare come into our Lord¡¯s Domain!¡± Utar started, his voice as loud as Zedd¡¯s, ¡°You dare kill our guests, the imperials, inciting the anger of our Lord and Savior. Then you say blatant lies about Him, unforgivable!¡±

    ¡°Unforgivable!¡± the others echoed after their High Priest.

    ¡°Then where is he?¡± Zedd asked. He was still calm, not showing any sign of alarm or fear. ¡°Where¡¯s your God? Ask him to come and save you.¡±

    ¡°Save us? From you?!¡± Utar mocked. The guards burst out laughing as their leader finished speaking.

    ¡°Oh yes, laugh all you want,¡± Zedd retorted. ¡°But don¡¯t forget to look up. This ship has all its weaponry aimed at this castle. The protective layer that used to shield you from monsters was actually hers.¡±

    Zedd pointed at the Mothership then clicked his fingers. Cannons were shot and the whole Castle rumbled and shook. The fair maidens squealed and ran for their lives while guards struggled to keep their footings. The craven ones ran for it. Others, still in shock contemplated the ship above raining hell down upon them.

    The Mothership¡¯s cannons didn¡¯t send cannon balls down at the Castle. They sent huge lightning bolts and magma rocks that destroyed everything they touched. Some cannons even sent some light beams whose destructive powers were stronger than magma.

    ¡°WHERE IS YOUR GOD NOW?¡± Zedd asked as the whole Castle started crumbling.

    Utar cursed then dashed at Black Eyes. He wasn¡¯t about to let him run amok without trying to stop him. The High Priest conjured a red lance in his hands then jabbed it toward Zedd. Black Eyes nimbly dodged to the side then jumped backwards as another jab missed his jugular. He threw his left arm aside and conjured his lightning sword, Hum. Usurper was badly damaged after the fight against Drake. He had kept it hidden in Cane¡¯s bottomless purse.

    The lance and the sword collided, sparks of lightning shot out of the sword as it collided against the High Priest¡¯s weapon. The lance, Zedd knew, was a legendary weapon Utar had stolen years ago. It was capable of bending reality to its will, given the wielder had completely mastered it.

    The fight between the two was broadcasted to the whole world to see. The saw flashes and sparks, then the two people standing a few paces away from each other. When they stopped, most guards remaining in the Courtyard charged Darkstar. Utar yelled at them to stop but they didn¡¯t pay him any heed.

    To most people¡¯s horror, they saw all guard being either decapitated or charred beyond recognition due to the sword¡¯s lightning damage. With Zedd wielding it, the weapon showed its true colors.

    ¡°WHERE¡¯S YOUR GOD?¡± he shouted again as he sent a lightning bolt toward the High Priest, which he blocked with his lance.

    ¡°I¡¯m Lord Ulmir¡¯s High Priest,¡± Utar answered. ¡°I¡¯m the peace keeper, defender of the realm!¡±

    Utar held his lance with both hands then started reciting an incantation. ¡°Oh Father who art above, shield us from evil. Guard us against the ones who mean us harm. Grant us your strength to fight the Dark. Provide us wisdom, and soothe our hearts.¡± The High Priest opened his eyes then pronounced one more word.

    ¡°Annihilate!¡±

    A crimson aura enveloped the lance like smoke. The world behind Utar rippled, as if a stone had just fallen into a watery surface. From beneath the ripples, more lances appeared. They didn¡¯t have a solid form, only phantoms. Zedd counted at least three dozen. They all peeked from the rippled before they all hurled themselves at Darkstar.

    Zedd smiled then raised his hands in the air. Hum was levitating, pointing at Utar as Zedd cast a spell too. ¡°Flora of the east, show your strength!¡±

    The ground below Darkstar rumbled. The tiles of the Courtyard broke and dirt rose above ground, forming a thick defensive barrier. The phantom lances hit the rising dirt with loud thumps then dissipated. Utar summoned more and more lances then hurled them at Zedd¡¯s defensive barrier.

    The more the phantom weapons hit the barrier, the thinner it became. Dust filled the air and the Alfa Photon flew a few paces away from the fight, to avoid stray projectiles and give the audience a better look at the fight. To the ones watching from in the monitors, they saw Darkstar move away from behind his defensive spell then lunge at Utar.

    Hum followed Zedd. It looked as though it flew out of its own accord, hovering above its owner¡¯s head. Darkstar quickly reached the High Priest, whose vision was impeded by the cloud of dust that filled the Courtyard. Zedd kicked the High Priest in the face, sending him flying sideways. He instantly disappeared then appeared behind Utar, who was flung in the air, his back bending at a dangerous angle. Darkstar jumped once more then kicked the High Priest, placating him against the broken tiles.

    The Phantom projectiles stopped and Utar¡¯s lance lay on the ground, several feet away from him. Zedd on the other hand, refused to attack any further. He just walked slowly toward Utar, watching him struggling to stand. The High Priest¡¯s leg shook heavily. The last impact had drained him of his strength.

    Zedd grabbed the High Priest by the collar. He knew he had to act before Utar regained his strength again, but the opportunity he had was too good to miss.

    ¡°Oh please, High Priest,¡± Zedd pleaded as he held the weak Utar in the air. ¡°Please call for your God. I¡¯d love to see his wrath. I¡¯d love to see him destroy this ship of mine.¡±

    Utar cursed under his breath. He knew Lord Supreme wouldn¡¯t come for the rescue. The man would never risk exposing himself for one realm. The High Priest knew he had no other choice but to fight, fight until he could no longer move his limbs.

    He kicked Zedd between his legs. Darkstar looked down, then up at the Priest. ¡°What¡¯re you doing? You think we¡¯re children messing around.¡±

    Zedd threw a powerful punch at the High Priest, a punch strong enough to destroy a marble pillar. Utar¡¯s head bobbed backwards then came back to its initial position. The High Priest wasn¡¯t going down without a fight. He mustered all his strength then hit Darkstar¡¯s elbow joints with all his might.

    Black Eyes let go of the High Priest but his levitating sword had the last say. Hum charged the High Priest and lodged itself deep within his gullet. It went from one side then left the other. Gurgling, battling to stay alive, Utar put his hands on his throat, trying to stop the bleeding. He wheezed as the life was snuffed out of him.

    The Mothership¡¯s cannons had stopped bombarding the castle. Everyone watched the High Priest fall to his knees, then to the ground, bathed in his own blood. Darkstar turned toward the Alfa Photon, smiling.

    ¡°Today marks the end of Ulmir¡¯s era, and the web of lies you¡¯ve been subjected to. To the people of Kozag I say this, I am not your enemy. I may be your savior, but I shall not be your hero. Look for me when your land needs help most. I¡¯ll be there, repelling the evil empire that wants you all to become its slaves.

    ¡°Open your eyes. Use your minds. Your Gods don¡¯t exist, but evil does, and it has many faces. Don¡¯t worship Gods, but worship life. You were born free. Don¡¯t let anybody take this away from you. And if you still don¡¯t believe me, watch this God¡¯s world crumble before your eyes.¡±

    Zedd turned toward the Priests, fair maidens and workers. He instructed them all to come to the Courtyard, stand next to him if they wanted to live, or stay in the Castle and die with this world. Great, the Quartermaster, many Priests and all the fair maidens joined Zedd who levitated them on top of the ship.

    The devoted ones stayed behind as the Mothership blew Ulmir¡¯s Domain to smithereens.

 49 - The Great Escape - Part 1

    My name is Zedd Darkstar and this is my story. I wasn¡¯t always a goat-eyed freak. I was a boy with many dreams, one of which was to become my country¡¯s hero. I joined the mercenaries and fought for our freedom. But due to a series of unfortunate events, I was banned from the desert, doomed to roam the world, never to see my family again.

    Now let¡¯s see, where did we stop last when I was telling you my story? Ah yes, I was planning my escape from the Crucible, away from that hateful man¡¯s clutches. Well, here you go, listen to my story as I direct this Mothership toward our world. I¡¯ve just destroyed the world known as Ulmir¡¯s Domain. Travelling back to Hera might take some time.

    So sit back and enjoy my story. It resumes one night before my escape. I have just told Zoey, the Sister, to meet me in Jory¡¯s study.

    That night, I lied on my bed, awaiting sleep. My mind¡¯s eye kept flashing imaginary scenarios before me. I saw myself ravaging through the deserted asylum, disposing of all the guards while I shouted Jory¡¯s name. I was angry, for the first time in years. I wanted to rip the man apart, teach him a lesson he¡¯d never forget.

    It was in the midst of my daydreaming that the ghost came to me again. She looked at me with her pearly white eyes, smiling. You know you¡¯ve seen the worst this world has to offer when the sight of a smiling ghost makes you happy. I met her gaze with my remaining eye, I had lost one during my defeat against the captain in the Fighting Pits.

    ¡°We¡¯re leaving this place tomorrow,¡± I told her.

    ¡°I know. Anything you need me to do?¡± she asked. She spoke in an eerie whisper, the kind that¡¯d send chills down one¡¯s spine.

    ¡°Eli, my friend during my fighting days, can you find him?¡± I asked. I didn¡¯t even know why I wanted that skinny man to escape with us. He was nice to me I guess.

    ¡°Your friend is in the opposite wing of this building,¡± the ghost answered after she flinched. ¡°You can¡¯t be nice to people who¡¯ve never even given you a thought.¡±

    ¡°I know Jory has a secret passageway out of here,¡± I answered. That bitch wouldn¡¯t move without incentive. ¡°Your bones, they¡¯re also in his study, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°You know that already.¡±

    ¡°I might forget about them if my good friend isn¡¯t around to remind me.¡± I risked enraging a ghost, but I knew she was in a bind. She would never have asked me for help if it weren¡¯t for that.

    The woman¡¯s gaze pierced through me. I could clearly see that she didn¡¯t like blackmail, but I already started it. There¡¯s no backing down now. ¡°Why do you want to help this Eli?¡± the she finally asked.

    ¡°He always wanted to escape. But this place is worse than any prison. Just point the way for him, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll manage on his own.¡±

    ¡°Betray me Stalwart,¡± the ghost got closer to me. I could feel the wind get cooler. My nostrils hurt as they breathed in. ¡°Betray me, and I¡¯ll make sure your death is more painful than Jory¡¯s!¡±

    The ghost whirled around then disappeared. I heaved a heavy sigh then resumed contemplating the ceiling. I needed Eli for my future plans. As I lay in my bed for many nights, a plan had materialized before my mind¡¯s eye. Our escape, and disappearance, relied on that skinny man. I wondered what he¡¯d been up to.

    Did he get access to the Crucible? Was he now a Captain? Nevertheless, I was sure that Eli would jump at the occasion. Running away from this hell was everything he spoke about.

    I barely slept that night. When Zoey came to change my linens the next day, I told her what to do. Killing Jory wouldn¡¯t be easy. I needed a weapon, and I needed the guards to be distracted. I was surprisingly calm about the situation. Escaping the Crucible was deemed impossible. That¡¯s why Utar sent me here. Killing me didn¡¯t satisfy him I suppose.

    Revenge is best served in a cold platter.

    I plotted my revenge for days before I saw what he¡¯d done to my helpless family. Because of the Priest, I lost everything I held dear in life. And Sam, that spineless motherfucker! Why did he help me in the first place? He should¡¯ve left me to my sorry state. Priest Utar was known for his ruthlessness. I angered the Church of Dhobor once you see. And because of that, Utar was asked to dispose of me.

    Long before my life turned sour, I was a mercenary. I suppose I¡¯ve already told you that many times before. I also told you about the girl I cared for. I found her amidst the chaos of war and cared for her. Little did I know, the war we fought against Auruun at the time was because of her.

    The Church of Dhobor the Maker, was the largest and most structured religious organization in all of Hera. They had their own army, and controlled the powerful country of Auruun. The higher ups needed an intermediary to speak to their God, Dhobor. They called them Listeners. They were all young ladies with the gift to hear God¡¯s words. They¡¯d convey His orders to the Cardinal who has the ultimate mission of upholding divine laws.

    My biggest mistake was taking a potential Listener under my wing. The helpless girl I saved was destined for the Maker. By defeating Aurunn armed forces, our mercenary band had made quite a name for itself. But by taking the potential Listener under my wing, I put all of my comrades in a dire situation. Priest Utar was ordered to take matters into his hands. He decimated our entire band, made me watch as he slaughtered them all. It was the first time I¡¯ve seen the supernatural.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Your friend will find a way to join us tonight,¡± a shrill voice reached my ears. The ghost had returned to my cell.

    ¡°What time is it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°About midday,¡± the ghost answered. ¡°Your friend isn¡¯t fighting tonight. He said he knew his way around the Crucible. He¡¯ll join us in the smith¡¯s wing.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll need a weapon. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll need to fight my way inside Jory¡¯s study.¡± I knew the ghost was desperate for help. I didn¡¯t know why she¡¯s chosen me for the mission, but it suited me. All I needed was a little help, and we¡¯ll all be off.

    ¡°Make it to Jory¡¯s tonight and use your eyes Stalwart,¡± the ghost said before she disappeared.

    I waited in my cell for what seemed an eternity. Never have I thought about my life more than that day. It¡¯s funny how you¡¯d think about everything and anything when time seems to have stopped. I tried counting the seconds, shut my eyes just for a little while, to no avail. I was too excited, perhaps even a bit scared. Alright I admit it, I might have been a scared, but I didn¡¯t think about it.

    I didn¡¯t have any other choice, did I? My humiliation lasted longer than any could take. It was either fight or die trying. In my mind, I didn¡¯t think of dying. I refused the idea. All I could think about was how I would get rid of the guards. Multiple scenarios flashed before my eyes. And in calculating my odds, time flew by. Night had settled and Zoey came to my cell to prepare me for the big night.

    ¡°Jory imprisoned Agatha too,¡± she informed me. ¡°He says the Priest let him have her.¡±

    ¡°I have a funny feeling,¡± I said. ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen that woman somewhere, but it all seems like a distant memory.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure about tonight?¡± she asked. Her fingers trembled as she tried to close the buttons of my jacket. Jory wanted me looking like a Boligne noble. Zoey told me he had some scenario planned for me and the Herbologist.

    ¡°Just find your way inside his study,¡± I answered. ¡°And relax. You look awfully suspicious, looking around like that. If everything goes south, tell them you hid in the study until the situation was under control. Does that put your mind at ease?¡±

    She nodded nervously.

    ¡°Zoey,¡± I called. She¡¯d been looking down ever since she got in to change me. ¡°Look at me woman!¡±

    She raised her head. Her eyes spoke of fright and uncertainty. I couldn¡¯t have that. Our entire escape plan relied on her.

    ¡°A chain is as strong as its weakest link,¡± I told her. ¡°Don¡¯t be the weak link that destroys our plan. Jory got your lover killed, don¡¯t forget that. You¡¯ll be free as soon as we get out of here. You¡¯ll live your life as you always intended. Did you get what I asked you for?¡±

    Zoey produced a shiv from under her long robes. I put the weapon under my jacket and patted it with great satisfaction. I felt safer with it.

    ¡°Now go, tell them I¡¯m ready. Don¡¯t look back until you reach the smith¡¯s wing.¡±

    Zoey made to leave the cell but I held her back. ¡°Don¡¯t fuck things up for us Zoey. Keep your mouth shut and hide yourself well. Soon as you see us coming through the door, open the secret passage. We won¡¯t have much time. Now act normal and stop fidgeting.¡±

    The Sister left and guards arrived soon afterwards. There were six of them, clad in leather armor with short swords strapped to their belts. As we climbed the stairs that led from the dungeons to the asylum, I took my time devising a plan of attack. The ghost was strongest in her territory. I must attack there and hope for assistance.

    ¡®Use your eyes Stalwart,¡¯ her words echoed inside my head.

    We reached the empty corridors. Our footsteps echoed through the deserted building. Icy wind slapped our faces as we made our way toward Jory¡¯s quarters. The guard to my left seemed scared of the place. The one in front of me seemed to have quickened his pace as soon as we reached the asylum.

    ¡°I hear this place is haunted,¡± I told the guards. ¡°Did you know it was a ghost who killed the guards last time? I didn¡¯t even touch ¨C ¡°

    ¡°Shut up sex doll!¡± one of the guards barked at me. It was the one on my left side. I knew he¡¯d lose it.

    ¡°I¡¯m not making this up. How could I have a weapon? I¡¯m never allowed to move freely in my own cell!¡±

    The guard made to hit me. He thought he¡¯d teach me a good lesson. But I had something else planned for them. The action had to happen fast. I had to be precise and decisive. With one eye missing, my field of vision was limited. But I was an experienced fighter. Jory fed me well. I had recovered my strength.

    I blocked the guard¡¯s attack then put the shiv Zoey gave me into his gullet. The other guards¡¯ initial shock gave me a few seconds advance. I relieved the dead soldier of his weapon, cut two guards in their legs before they could draw a second breath. The one in front of me was the second to fall. It was easy to pierce through his leather armor.

    I ran a few paces forward, dual wielding short swords as the others ran, and limped toward me. I threw one sword at a guard, hitting him in the eye. The one closest to me was brought down with two strikes. One hit cut his fingers and the other slit his throat. The remaining two had badly injured legs. Disposing of them was an easy task.

    ¡°Impressive!¡± the ghost spoke as she floated above me.

    ¡°Thanks for nothing!¡± I replied, panting. ¡°Will you help me hide their bodies now? Jory will suspect something if I¡¯m late.¡±

    ¡°You could take their armor, disguise yourself as one of them,¡± she said, still floating and smiling.

    ¡°How will I disguise the missing eye?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Fair point,¡± the ghost answered. ¡°Go, I¡¯ll dispose of these ones.¡±

    I ran to the smith¡¯s quarters. Two guards were waiting for me at the door.

    ¡°T-t-there¡¯s something in the corridors,¡± I screamed at them, my legs shaking, my eye twitching in all directions. ¡°G-g-ghost! The others are in trouble!¡±

    They left me there and ran to the asylum. I hoped the mischievous ghost would take care of them. I jumped as I heard footsteps to my left.

    ¡°Are they gone?¡± It was Zoey.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll go in and you follow, as discreetly as you can.¡±

    The Sister nodded and we both got in. We pushed the large wooden door open then barricaded it. We had to slow the guards down. I wasn¡¯t going to let bad luck interfere with me that day. I had to get out of this hell, and I was determined to see my plan through.

    Jory was already waiting for me in the dining room. I heard him yell some orders while muffled moans interrupted his speech. As I got inside, I saw the Herbologist tied to a chair. Her clothes were torn. I could see a breast dangling down her previously elegant dress. She looked awful.

    Jory gave me his largest smile as he stood in the dining room, naked. His member had grown in length and width. Agatha¡¯s done a really good job with him. I bet she got a taste for it as he took his new thing for a test drive.

    ¡°Well my boy,¡± he said as soon as I got inside the dining room. ¡°It¡¯s time I punished you for your attacking my own men.¡±

    If only you knew what I¡¯ve done to your men today too. You¡¯d be livid, you old perverted fuck!

 50 - The Great Escape. - Part 2

    Jory stood naked in the middle of the dining room. The large rectangular table was set aside leaving more room for the old man to realizes his sick fetishes. Despite old age, he was in good shape. He slowly walked to the table, picked a small bell then rang it. He was calling for his guards. There was no time to lose.

    I dashed at the old man then threw a punch, as hard as I could. I felt my knuckles crush his jaw but the old smith¡¯s head didn¡¯t even budge. He just looked at me, smiling and revealing his perfectly white teeth.

    ¡°What the hell d¡¯you think you¡¯re doing?¡± he asked as he threw a punch back at me.

    His knuckles hit my stomach. I felt air leaving my stomach but I didn¡¯t have enough time to take the sudden development in. He kicked me in the knee, bringing me to the floor then landed another punch. This time he hit my face, the face he hated looking at. Then another punch landed on my left, missing, eye.

    I quickly found myself lying on the ground. The old man standing above me, his manhood dangling, dangerously close the ground.

    ¡°I¡¯ve paid a hefty sum to get you pretty boy,¡± he said as he pummeled me with his hard fists. It¡¯s no joke being hit by a smith. I underestimated that old perverted man. He was strong, and a good fighter at that. The whole world turned misty around me. I felt like losing consciousness. It felt like the right thing to do, but something soft, and extremely disgusting, brushed against my lips.

    I grabbed the thing with both hands, clinging on it as if my life depended on it. The dining room filled with howls and loud shrieks. I tugged as hard as I could while the old man kept punching me, trying to get me to stop. I tugged even harder. It was the only thing keeping me going, remembering the hate and humiliation. Even when my body threatened to stop moving, my resolve to get out of this place kept me going.

    Jory suddenly stopped moving. I felt a warm liquid shower my entire body then a heavy object fell on me. I opened my swollen eye with great difficulty. Jory was lying on top of me, unmoving. I struggled to move him aside then blinked. The slightest movement in my eye caused intense pain and a stream of tears.

    Agatha, the Herbologist, was standing above us. Her binds were undone and she was carrying a silver, bloodied dagger. She was panting. Her previously lush and smooth hair was now disheveled. She had a black eye and blood trickled down the corner of her mouth. She was half naked, but she was smiling.

    ¡°What are you doing lying down there?¡± she asked. ¡°The guards will be with us soon.¡±

    ¡°How did you?¡± I asked. I couldn¡¯t even formulate a complete sentence. My body aches and my bones refused to move.

    ¡°She helped me escape while the two of you struggled,¡± she said, pointing at Zoey.

    I stood up, albeit with great difficulty. Our brawl was messy, and I took in more punches that I anticipated. I took the knife from Agatha then cut the old smith¡¯s gigantic manhood then shoved it inside his ass. I had some help from the Herbologist who seemed as disgusted by the smith as I was. We left him there, lying in his own blood, with his own dick dangling from his arse.

    We heard bangs at the smith¡¯s main door. Guards had rushed in there after they heard his screams and wails.

    ¡°Your fight must¡¯ve attracted their attention,¡± Zoey shouted, hysterical. ¡°What do we do now?¡±

    ¡°We stick to the plan,¡± I told her. ¡°Where is she?¡± I asked afterwards, looking all around.

    ¡°She¡¯ll be here soon,¡± Agatha answered.

    ¡°What? You know who I¡¯m talking about?¡±

    ¡°Do you think she¡¯d rely on you alone? She got in touch with me yesterday, after this old fuck imprisoned me!¡± She kicked the smith¡¯s corpse as hard as she could.

    ¡°Miss me?¡± we heard the chilling voice above us. The guard¡¯s shouts and bangs at the door had stopped. ¡°I have a surprise guest for us!¡±

    Eli came storming inside the room, skinny but slightly red in the face.

    ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of them,¡± he announced. ¡°Why did you barricade the doors? If it weren¡¯t for her, I¡¯d be a dead man.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± I replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d come. You were late and we had to avoid guards rushing in while I took care of this old fart.¡±

    ¡°Are we leaving?¡± Agatha interrupted. ¡°Leave the small talk for later!¡±

    We dashed toward the old man¡¯s study. Once inside the room, we were greeted by an unsightly scene. There were human heads aligned in jars. They all looked serene and sleeping. We also saw different animal heads, mounted on the walls. One of them was a blue drake, a ferocious beast that terrorized the lands of Vitia some twenty years ago.

    ¡°There it is!¡± the ghost told me, pointing at a pile of bones, neatly stacked on top of a velvet cushion.

    ¡°What is that?!¡± Zoey shouted. ¡°This place always gives me the creeps.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my vertebra,¡± the ghost answered. ¡°Take it with you, or I won¡¯t be able to leave this place.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    While I rummaged around the room for a bag, Zoey pulled a book from the old man¡¯s library. The wooden bookcase shifted then slid to the side, revealing a hidden passage.

    ¡°What do we do once we¡¯re out?¡± Agatha asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m heading for Milogac,¡± I said. ¡°So is she,¡± I pointed at the bag of bones underneath my armpit.

    ¡°That¡¯s very far from here,¡± Agatha and Eli said at the same time.

    ¡°It¡¯s better than staying in their area of influence,¡± the ghost interfered. ¡°You¡¯ll be caught before you can dream of a better life!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve been chased by the Church and Auruun for many moons. They¡¯d never give up. Our only hope is to get into Akari territory.¡±

    Eli, Agatha and Zoey exchanged worried looks. They didn¡¯t have enough time to decide as we heard a loud crash behind us. The doors had been breached. Eli had barricaded the doors again as soon as the ghost let him in. The guards would be upon us in no time.

    ¡°Go inside!¡± the ghost ordered. ¡°I¡¯ll close this secret entrance behind you. But beware! This is as much as I can do for you. I¡¯ve pushed this ethereal form too far already. Go and don¡¯t look back.¡±

    We all got inside the hidden passageway. It was narrow. Two people could walk side by side their shoulders scraping against each other. As soon as we were all in, the ghost closed the door, and the study got back to normal. We heard guards shouting behind us. The satisfaction I felt at killing the old man exhilarated me.

    ¡°We should walk slowly and silently,¡± I whispered to the others. ¡°At least until we¡¯re at a safe distance from earshot. Then we run, as fast as we can.¡±

    They all obeyed, and we walked through a slippery floor. The tunnel was round, as if dug using some sophisticated machine. Eli walked in front, followed by Zoey then Agatha. I was last, holding the rear guard. I hoped the guards wouldn¡¯t know or notice the secret entrance. I prayed the secret was buried with its owner, but I doubted it.

    We had to leave the place as soon as possible. But making noise would¡¯ve brought the guards¡¯ attention to us. We¡¯d be sitting ducks in case they found out about us. They wouldn¡¯t even need to aim. The tunnel went on a straight line. They¡¯d only need to shoot. We walked for an eternity until the guards¡¯ voices died out. Once we deemed it safe enough to run we dashed for the exit.

    ¡°How long until we reach the marketplace?¡± I whispered to Zoey.

    ¡°Not long now,¡± she answered. ¡°We used to sneak in by night and come back by dawn. We¡¯ll be in the city in no time.¡±

    ¡°Guards will ring the alarm,¡± Eli said. ¡°They¡¯ll soon close the city gates. Security will be tough to go through.¡±

    ¡°I have a cousin in the city,¡± Zoey said. ¡°Maybe we can hide there until it dies out.¡±

    ¡°That would be stupid,¡± Agatha intervened. ¡°They¡¯ll soon find us. We must keep moving.¡±

    ¡°But how will we avoid them then?¡± Zoey asked, frustrated.

    ¡°I know a way,¡± I told them. ¡°I was captured in the city sewers. I was hiding there for days, there are very few patrols in that area.¡±

    ¡°Those Bloaters will have us for breakfast!¡± Zoey protested. Bloaters were hideous monsters that lived underneath the city.

    ¡°We can fight,¡± Eli answered.

    ¡°They¡¯re sensitive to smell,¡± I interrupted. ¡°We need to cover ourselves with excrements, they won¡¯t turn our way.¡±

    ¡°Excellent idea,¡± Agatha replied. ¡°Let¡¯s all escape this shitty place, looking and smelling like shit.¡±

    ¡°Got any better ideas?¡± I didn¡¯t like her tone. Besides, I didn¡¯t like the woman. I had a feeling I¡¯ve seen her somewhere before. But my memory was hazy. The trauma I¡¯ve lived before my capture made me forgetful.

    ¡°Not really,¡± Agatha answered. ¡°But I can get rid of that hideous smell once we¡¯re out of danger.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Eli said. We could see the end of the tunnel. There was a barred door in front of us. ¡°Locked!¡± the skinny man said, or rather shouted in frustration.

    ¡°Step aside!¡± Agatha pushed her way to the front, put her hands on the lock then mumbled something. The door was unlocked as if by magic.

    ¡°How did you do that?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ll speak of this later,¡± she answered then got out.

    We followed the Herbologist and found ourselves in an old building, a warehouse by the looks of it. Large crates were stacked against each other in a disorderly fashion. Before we could take another step though, we heard some voices in the distance.

    ¡°Comb the place. We can¡¯t allow them to go far. The Bloody Hound will have our hide.¡±

    Shit! They were already onto us.

    Agatha beckoned us closer. ¡°We need to walk slowly and keep huddled together. Do you know where we can access the sewers?¡± she asked Zoey.

    The sister nodded. ¡°How will we slip past them?¡±

    ¡°Just stay near me. I¡¯ll make us nearly invisible. But it won¡¯t muffle the sound of our footsteps. Any sudden movement and the spell will be broken. It¡¯ll be difficult, so stay close or we¡¯ll be caught. I¡¯d rather die than go back to that cursed place. Utar will pay for this!¡±

    We all grouped around the woman who was muttering something I couldn¡¯t understand. As soon as she was done, she ordered us to move. We held each other by the hand, walking as slowly and silently as we could. Guards were flipping crates and barrels over, searching every nook and cranny of the place. When we reached the warehouse main door, we found it closed, to our greatest dismay.

    Eli whispered something to Agatha, who nodded grimly. Agatha led us behind a tall row of wooden crates then ordered us to stay put. We stood there, holding our breath and expecting the worst.

    The skinny man broke free from our group and we saw him run to the side of the door. He held a small wooden barrel then hurled it at the main door. The barrel emitted a loud noise as it crashed against the door then Eli ran back to us, as fast and silently as he could. We heard many footsteps running to the main door then it was pushed open. At least a dozen guards stood in front of the warehouse. Agatha cursed profusely.

    ¡°Where are they?¡± one of the guards screamed. His voice echoed through the large empty building.

    ¡°Who did that?¡± another guard asked. The ones inside the building came running to the door to find their comrades looking at the air, bewildered.

    ¡°Did you do that?¡± one of them asked.

    ¡°No, we were searching the place. It¡¯s too big for such a small party. They might be anywhere!¡± the one answering sounded frustrated.

    ¡°Two of us will guard the door, the rest of us will help search. We can¡¯t stay here forever.¡±

    We saw them scatter, leaving only two guards at the door. Zoey turned to us and said it was her turn to help the group. She broke off and crept behind the guards. We didn¡¯t know what she had in mind but we were desperate for help. All I knew was how to kill others. Killing the guards would only leave a trail. I hoped Zoey knew what she was doing.

    She reached the first one and poked the back of his neck with her fingers. She immediately ran for the second and did the same then beckoned us to move forward. She was standing in the open. The guards didn¡¯t seem to mind her presence.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± I asked when we reached the entrance.

    ¡°Put them to sleep, I¡¯m a doctor of sorts.¡±

    ¡°We should keep going,¡± Agatha urged us. Her face contorted into an ugly grimace. She looked tired. ¡°It¡¯s hard to keep this spell going. Where¡¯s the sewer entrance?¡±

    ¡°Around the corner of that street,¡± Zoey pointed forward. We had about two blocks to walk before we reached our next objective.

    ¡°There they are!¡± We heard a voice say from within the warehouse. We turned to see a guard pointing at us.

    What happened to invisibility spell?!

 51 - The Great Escape - Part 3

    ¡°Run!¡± I heard Eli shout. My feet moved involuntarily, but before I could make a step Agatha stopped me. Zoey wrenched Eli by the shoulder as well. We were pulled aside, behind another building opposite the warehouse. The guards were running our way but Agatha didn¡¯t let go of me. She just pressed her index finger against her red lips.

    We pressed our backs against a wall in a narrow alley. Guards stormed past us, following our phantoms that had long disappeared. We waited in the dark for what seemed an eternity, pricking our ears for approaching footsteps. When it all calmed down, Agatha released her spell then fell to her knees. She looked beautiful even when out of breath (I still don¡¯t trust her, I just don¡¯t know why I¡¯m attracted to her.)

    ¡°We escaped by a hair¡¯s breadth!¡± Eli exclaimed. ¡°How did you know they weren¡¯t on our trail?¡± he asked Agatha who was still panting heavily.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know. But we had to gamble it. We can¡¯t get into the sewers with guards on our heels.¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right,¡± I said then turned to Zoey. ¡°Lead the way Sister. We¡¯re still not in the clear.¡±

    ¡°Wait for her to recover at least,¡± the Sister protested. ¡°She¡¯s the reason we¡¯re still free.¡±

    ¡°No he¡¯s right,¡± Agatha intervened. ¡°We must keep going, no matter what!¡±

    The Herbologist stood up then, with our help, walked toward the sewers. We snuck around; making sure guards weren¡¯t looking our way. I thought of splitting up, to attract less attention, but it seemed like an invitation for disaster. So we hid in the shadows, waiting for the guards to clear a path for us.

    People were peeking from their windows on the top floors. We tried hard to avoid detection. We didn¡¯t want them reporting our whereabouts to the patrolling guards. After all, we were escapees from the Crucible, the place that held the most dangerous criminals in the entire western continent.

    The entrance to the sewers was about a block of buildings away. Guards usually didn¡¯t go near the sewers. Anybody foolish enough to get inside would be beaten to death by Bloaters. They were hideous creatures that fed on human excrement and garbage. It was the reason why Helton was the cleanest city in Tinria.

    Zoey led us silently to the entrance. It was near the market exit. It was where merchants, butchers and the likes threw their garbage. The place we were about to enter was rich territory for the Bloaters. Agatha took care of unlocking the gate. She whispered again some words I couldn¡¯t understand and the lock opened with a faint ¡®click!¡¯

    Using her ¡°magic¡± took a toll on her. It was visible in her shortness of breath and sweaty forehead. She was beautiful nonetheless and I beat myself for admiring that. I also didn¡¯t like admiring a half-naked woman who was about to get raped by a madman. One inside she locked the door again then turned to us.

    ¡°I ran out of Essence,¡± she said. ¡°Can¡¯t-use-magic-anymore.¡±

    ¡°Essence?¡± Eli and I asked.

    ¡°Later,¡± Zoey barked at us then beckoned us to move forward.

    It took us some time to get used to the darkness inside the sewers. When we started moving our steps emitted loud splashing sounds. I urged the others to find a place to stop and camouflage ourselves. It was a disgusting matter but we had to do what was needed in order to leave the city. Guards wouldn¡¯t get close to the sewers unless they figured we had really escaped the city, or so I hoped.

    We got busy smearing excrement on our clothes and, sadly, our faces.

    ¡°Are you sure this won¡¯t incite them to eat us instead?¡± Zoey asked, disgusted.

    ¡°They¡¯re living, moving shit Sister,¡± I answered. ¡°I lived among them for about three months.¡±

    ¡°Why would anyone do this?¡± Agatha asked. I could tell by the look on her face that she despised me.

    ¡°I had my reasons,¡± I answered, trying to look mysterious and cool. There was nothing cool about hiding in the sewers, covered in shit, I suppose.

    ¡°Where do we go?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re below the Marketplace,¡± I said. ¡°We should head south. We¡¯ll reach the outlet by the lake. From there, we should head west, toward Dunstead. We must avoid large cities, or any city for that matter. Our posters will be everywhere by daybreak.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not familiar with the landscape in Tinria,¡± Zoey said. ¡°I¡¯ve never left the Crucible ever since I arrived here.¡±

    ¡°I used to live in Boligne,¡± Agatha answered. ¡°I¡¯ll rely on you to lead the way.¡±

    ¡°Will you go back to your country?¡± I asked, suddenly interested in the woman¡¯s plans.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll go with you to Milogac,¡± she answered, to my relief.

    ¡°There¡¯s no time to waste then,¡± I said then looked at Eli. ¡°You¡¯re with us?¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Are you kidding? Milogac is the place to be.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Zoey asked. ¡°What¡¯s in Milogac?¡±

    ¡°The Blond Moon will soon fade away,¡± Agatha said. ¡°If we¡¯re lucky, the Eternal Moon will grace us with its presence this year.¡±

    Groans in the distance interrupted our conversations. I motioned everybody forward, urging them to keep silent. ¡°Bloaters don¡¯t speak. If we meet them on our way, just look in the air and act lost. Let¡¯s just pray we don¡¯t meet an overgrown female. They know their herd. They¡¯d send all of them after us.¡±

    We walked in silence through the serpentine maze, covered in shit and feeling less human every step. We soon came across some Bloaters. They were a head taller than us, but much more disgusting. Their slimy bodies left a disgusting trail behind them. Their eyes were hidden beneath layers of garbage and shit. If one of them opened its mouth to groan as it moved beside you, you¡¯d faint because of the fetid smell.

    Shouts and screams in the city above us reached us every time we walked beneath sewage caps. Guards were deployed everywhere, looking for the escaped prisoners. We heard some of them curse their rotten luck for being deployed so late to look for walking corpses.

    We walked, our heads turning everywhere, looking lost and stupid. We fooled the guards and escaped under their noses, literally. But we had to fool the beasts that would cherish the opportunity to chew on our bones. The further we walked toward the southern drain, the denser Bloater population became.

    We reached a point where we had to squeeze our way through. We couldn¡¯t stop, Bloaters didn¡¯t stop moving. They moved around the entire sewage system, eating and cleaning the place. They were nature¡¯s way of dealing with humans¡¯ growing population. Helton was famous for being the cleanest city, but nobody cared to look at the growing Bloater population beneath them.

    Zoey let out a feint whimper when we reached the Bloater horde. Agatha winced as she pushed her body against the swarming disgusting creatures. She got the lion¡¯s share of excrement, with her torn clothes and all. We had reached the middle of the horde when we heard a loud growl in front of us. My heart skipped a beat when I realized what it was.

    A few paces before us stood a gigantic piles of growling garbage. It looked like an oversized worm that grew two sets of eyes and a large mouth with pointy teeth. The female Bloater looked at us as it growled. I looked at the others who started panicking. I furtively pointed with my fingers to the side. We didn¡¯t have to move toward her. Our destination was beyond a small tunnel to the side. All we had to do was to keep clear from her.

    The female Bloater grunted even louder. The other, smaller creatures turned toward their leader, looking at her intently. I started pushing my way through, a bit too eagerly. We couldn¡¯t linger there any longer. That gigantic thing would soon realize there were intruders and send her horde against us. We stood no chance.

    Eli followed closely behind me. Agatha was beside me, a couple Bloaters away, followed closely by the Sister. We were already getting tired. We smelled bad and I started sweating, of all things! I couldn¡¯t walk any faster. I saw Zoey pulling on Agatha¡¯s arm. The Herbologist did her best to calm the panicking Sister but Zoey was clearly losing it.

    All we had to do was make ten more steps and we¡¯d be on the narrow tunnel, away from the horde. But Zoey kept whimpering, her voice getting louder every time she brushed against one of the disgusting creatures. I saw Agatha tug on the Sister¡¯s sleeve then shoot her a stern look. Zoey tried to bite on her lips but she bit on excrement and let out a sudden shriek.

    All the creatures, including the female Bloater, turned their way. I chanced a quick glance toward them, Agatha and Zoey had disappeared. The Herbologist must¡¯ve used another spell, despite her sorry state. Eli and I kept going.

    Only five more steps to go¡­ Four¡­ Three¡­ Two¡­ One¡­

    The female Bloater let out a loud groan and all the creatures followed. Eli and I tried our best to imitate their scream. We kept moving, furtively. We were close at the narrow tunnel¡¯s entrance. There were two creatures moaning and growling in front of us.

    They looked at us and grunted a bit more. Eli grunted back, furiously. The Bloaters looked strangely surprised. I never thought I¡¯d witness such a peculiar scene. A sac of shit with two large eyes blinking. Their eyelids were comprised of garbage and excrement too. They smelled horrible. A smell we couldn¡¯t get accustomed to.

    The two creatures suddenly opened their mouths. Eli took a dagger from his belt and stabbed one of them in the neck. I instantly followed his example. We didn¡¯t even know if those monsters could bleed or get killed that way, but we had to try. Fortunately, their eyes closed and their screams never reached the leader.

    Agatha and Zoey were waiting for us on the other side of the tunnel. We dragged the beasts with us and put them on the ground.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Agatha whispered.

    ¡°I guess we don¡¯t have their putrid breath!¡± Eli answered. ¡°We should get moving, Fast!¡±

    We quickened our steps. Agatha was panting all the way. The last spell she used to conceal herself and Zoey from the beasts took its toll. Zoey looked apologetically at the Herbologist as she helped her walk forward. We walked through the narrow tunnel and growls behind us got weaker and weaker.

    A fresh wind brushed our faces, signaling the end of our journey through the sewers. I found myself praying that no guards stood on the entrance, lest all our efforts go to waste. Agatha was limping now. She helped us get so far, so Eli and I carried her. She put her shoulder around us as we dragged her along toward the fresh air.

    We finally reached the drain. The air outside was cool and refreshing. Eli snuck a peek outside to make sure no guards were patrolling the area. As we suspected, none of them came close to the disgusting place. Heltonese didn¡¯t like filth. They were proud of the fact that their city was the cleanest. They wouldn¡¯t get close to the sewers, even if their lives depended on it.

    We put Agatha against a rock. The city gates were erected high above us, hugging the sky. We could still hear the bell tolling inside. Guards must have been still searching for us.

    ¡°We have to move fast if we want to get away from their search patrols,¡± I told them as Agatha sat on the rock panting and wheezing.

    ¡°She¡¯s tired,¡± Zoey protested. ¡°I¡¯d have lost my life if it weren¡¯t for her.¡±

    ¡°So help her,¡± Eli urged. ¡°Find some medicinal herb around her or something.¡±

    The drain we got out of was near the lake. Different plants grew nearby. Zoey looked around then at Agatha. ¡°What do people do when they run out of Essence?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I usually need to eat and rest. But we haven¡¯t got time,¡± Agatha answered. She looked at us then beckoned us closer. ¡°Just help me move. Once we¡¯re out of trouble, I¡¯ll rest a bit.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we wash first?¡± Zoey asked.

    ¡°Good point,¡± Eli answered. ¡°But the guards stationed by the Lake will see us. We¡¯ll have to sneak past the Fiverto Checkpoint. We¡¯ll get to Gangja river by then. We¡¯ll wash then I¡¯ll go steal some clothes for us. For now, we keep moving.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Agatha answered then asked me to help her stand up. I happily obeyed and helped the woman move. We had to get out of the open fields before sunrise or we¡¯ll be exposed to the guards hunting us. We had about two hours before that happened. I helped the Herbologist move while Eli led the way, mindful of patrols that could ambush us.

 52 - Unexpected Help

    The sun was rising when we reached Fiverto Checkpoint. We had found a stream by which we cleaned ourselves. Eli stole some clean clothes from a farm on our way. By the time we reached the checkpoint, a haunted forest welcomed us. It surrounded the small village we had to go through. For those willing to cross Gangju River to Dunstead Province, they¡¯d have to go through security checks.

    But we were wanted. We couldn¡¯t risk being seen by the guards. We left the ladies in a clearing while Eli and I went to have a closer look at the place. We were hiding by some bushes, observing early risers going through security checks. A wooden gate, almost ten feet tall, halted the travelers¡¯ progress. On the eastern side of Fiverto, the river stood as a natural barrier. Gangju River was a hundred feet wide. Anyone willing to cross to Dunstead Province will have to hire a ferry or a bark from the village.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± the skinny man asked me.

    ¡°There are more guards patrolling the roads now. I¡¯m sure more of them are stationed by the docks. If we are to cross the river, we¡¯d need to find a smuggler.¡±

    The reason why Helton was never taken was because of the natural formations that surrounded it. The city was built on the eastern bank of the lake it was named after. Lake Helton was so big it could be considered a sea. All-around said lake, lush forests, teeming with abnormalities, stood untouched for ages. Those crazy enough to venture into the haunted forests by night would never live to tell the tale, except the lucky few. It was easier to travel through by day, but crossing to the other side required a boat or a bark.

    ¡°Agatha can¡¯t support us with her magic unless we help her recover,¡± I told my skinny friend.

    ¡°What do you suggest?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°You were a merchant long ago, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said, squinting at me.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you use your special charms to get us a pass inside?¡±

    ¡°I killed more guards than you have friend,¡± Eli said. ¡°My poster will be larger than yours. I bet my face is on every wall of every tavern and inn by now. Besides, you need another pass to cross the river.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back then,¡± I said, frustrated. ¡°We cannot risk being seen in broad daylight. We¡¯ll spend the day inside the forest and attempt the crossing by night. Nobody¡¯ll come looking.¡±

    ¡°Are you mad?!¡± Eli whispered angrily. ¡°There are things in there! The forest will kill us if we stay here overnight.¡±

    ¡°You forget that I¡¯ve been on the run from the Church for ages. I know this forest very well, as long as we keep our voices down and our noses out of trouble, the monsters will leave us alone.¡±

    ¡°How did you cross the river when you first came here?¡±

    ¡°A smuggler put me in a barrel then threw me down the river as we got closer to Fiverto,¡± I answered. ¡°Not my proudest moment, but I lived.¡±

    ¡°What about that Sister?¡± Eli asked.

    He had a point. Zoey was scared of her own shadow. The monsters in the forest hated sudden movements. If they noticed we were invading their territory, we¡¯d be reduced to minced meat. I looked at people passing by, presenting their pass and being allowed inside. Even if we managed to steal a pass from them, our faces, especially mine, were easily noticeable.

    We went back to the ladies by the clearing. Agatha was lying against a tree, sleeping. Zoey paced around her nervously. She looked like a ghost. Her face was pale and she wouldn¡¯t stop fidgeting with her clothes. When she saw us, her face brightened up a bit. She came running at us.

    ¡°She¡¯s passed out. I don¡¯t know if she¡¯d ever wake up again.¡±

    I patted the bag of bones I strapped around my torso. The ghost had been silent ever since we left the Crucible. The effort she made to help us escape pushed her to disappear. I hoped she would reawaken, at least for a few minutes, and help us cross that checkpoint, or at least help Agatha or something.

    ¡°What do you know of Essence?¡± Eli asked Zoey.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s what people use to conjure spells. But I don¡¯t know how to use it. I was never taught how to channel that energy.¡±

    ¡°But what happens when you run out of it, as it happened with her?¡± Eli said, pointing at the Herbologist.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure,¡± the Sister answered. Her eyes were misty and her lips quivered as she spoke. ¡°I heard people go into a comatose state unless some mage reawakens them. She needs help. Oh it¡¯s all my fault¡­¡±

    Zoey started crying. Eli and I stood there, watching her whine and sob helplessly. I hated crybabies! I didn¡¯t even know how to react to tears. Eli cleared his throat then spoke.

    ¡°She did that to save our lives. If it weren¡¯t for your whimpering, we¡¯d all be here in one piece. She would be tired, sure, but at least conscious. So stop your crying and help us think. The monsters in the forest will hear you and come looking. I won¡¯t stick around to protect you. You can be sure of that.¡±

    Zoey looked up. She had suddenly stopped her crying, replaced it with glaring stares at the skinny merchant. Perhaps he was harsh with her, but at least it got the job done.

    ¡°Zoey,¡± I said, my voice calm and soothing, or at least I tried to make it sound like it. ¡°You¡¯re the healer, what can we do to help her recover some strength? If she can move, she won¡¯t slow us down.¡±

    Zoey wiped her tears away and took a haughty stance. ¡°Some types of fish, Gilly to be precise, can help with recovery,¡± she said. ¡°There are also some medicinal herbs, but they don¡¯t grow around here. If you can find Rosemary and Thym, I might be able to make a soothing tea for her. But we¡¯ll need to wake her up too. Some Rosemary Essential Oils would do.¡±

    ¡°Eli, I think we¡¯ll need to sneak into Fiverto¡­¡± I said, slowly turning toward the skinny man, looking apologetic.

    ¡°How do you reckon we¡¯ll manage that?¡± he asked, incredulous.

    ¡°We need the medicine, there¡¯s no way we can make the oil ourselves. Besides, if we go fishing by the river, we¡¯re bound to be spotted.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯re supposed to leave them alone?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°No, you¡¯ll stay here with Agatha. I¡¯ll sneak inside the village with this one,¡± I said pointing at the Sister.

    ¡°What? Why should I go?¡± Zoey asked, her voice a little too loud.

    ¡°Shhh!!¡± Eli and I snapped at her.

    ¡°We¡¯re far from earshot but the monsters don¡¯t like sudden noises here,¡± I explained. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re the one who knows what we need. Will she be alright if we stay here until nightfall?¡±

    ¡°She should be fine I guess,¡± Zoey answered. ¡°She can¡¯t stay unconscious for more than two days though. She¡¯d need to sustain her body too, or she¡¯d die of starvation and thirst.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go fetch some water,¡± Eli volunteered. ¡°I guess our best shot is to sneak in by night.¡±

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.¡°I¡¯ll go find us a way to get in, unnoticed,¡± I told the Sister. ¡°Stay by her side and calm down. Pacing around her hysterically will only attract unwanted attention.¡± I took a step toward the village then turned to face the Sister. ¡°And don¡¯t wander off. We¡¯re deep enough inside the forest. Patrols won¡¯t come near this place. But monsters might show up at any moment. We won¡¯t be safe until we leave this forest and this country.¡±

    I headed for the village. A wooden wall surrounded Fiverto. Scaling it by night would be easy for me, but I wasn¡¯t sure if the Sister could do it. Besides, the checkpoint was teeming with thieves and smugglers. They had their secret entrances where they¡¯d transport illegal goods. All I needed to do was find them.

    As I walked through the thick trees, I heard murmurs. I knew what it was. I¡¯ve dealt with their kind before. People called them Whisperers, creatures that lived in the dark.

    Every object and body casts a shadow. The Whisperers were creatures that inhabited shadows. Getting infected by one of those meant losing your life, no matter how strong you are. They slowly creep into your body and destroy it from within. They were parasites that lived by invading other living bodies.

    I looked around me, the trees had decayed and even the ground seemed rotten. I slowly backed away, cursing under my breath. The closest part to the western city walls was infected by Whisperers. Hearing their murmurs was the first warning. I had to leave their territory immediately before attracting their attention.

    ¡®We can¡¯t stay here by night,¡¯ I thought. ¡®They¡¯d swarm us and we won¡¯t even be capable of fighting back.¡¯

    I slowly backed away until the trees regained their usual texture and the ground became greener.  I looked around trying to remember the general direction I had to go to. The sun was to my right and I had to go east, toward the river bank. I slowly made my way to my destination, wary of unexpected whispers or movements in the trees above.

    There were two kinds of abnormalities I had to steer away from, Whisperers and the Homopraelia. The latter were monkey like creatures that ambush unwary travelers who dared enter their territory. They were excellent fighters with gigantic bodies, twice as tall as a normal human being and three times larger.

    By midday, I reached the river bank. I saw workers by the docks, carrying heavy boxes and chatting happily. Guards patrolled the docks and the area outside, near the walls. I hid behind tall trees observing a patrol that had just passed by me.

    They were talking animatedly about some subject. I had a strong suspicion it was about us. I crept behind the trees and through tall bushes, following them at a safe distance. Information was key to survival. I had to eavesdrop a little.

    ¡°Marlo says they caught them this morning,¡± I head one of them say.

    ¡°Marlo loves the law!¡± another bellowed. ¡°He¡¯d lick the commander¡¯s arse if it meant getting a promotion!¡±

    ¡°Well, he said it, didn¡¯t he?¡± the first one retorted.

    ¡°I say they¡¯re long gone by now. Why d¡¯you think we¡¯re stationed here today? Look at them,¡± the guard pointed with his chin toward the travelers at the dock, ¡°prancing about as if they owned the place!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re pay our wages,¡± a third voice intervened.

    ¡°Speak of the devil!¡± the first voice I heard said. ¡°Tell him Marlo, tell him what you heard this morning.¡±

    ¡°They caught the one eyed freak,¡± Marlo answered. ¡°They say a Priest from the Church was after him. He caught him this morning, said he was trying to fool the guards at the Checkpoint.¡±

    ¡°Fool!¡± another man joined in the conversation. ¡°The Priest¡¯s here, aye. But he didn¡¯t catch nobody. The Bloody Hound called ¡®im in. A mean look about ¡®im, the Priest, got a young boy with ¡®im. Says he¡¯s looking for his aunt too.¡±

    The guards¡¯ voices died away as they moved toward the western gate. I didn¡¯t dare follow any further, but what I heard made my heart jump. A Priest was after us now huh? It must be Utar. The boy accompanying him must be Sam, that spineless son of a bitch. The situation had become much more complicated. Utar was an excellent tracker. I didn¡¯t expect him to be on our trail so fast. This was bad, really bad.

    A twig snapped behind me. I jumped backwards, ready to fight, but I couldn¡¯t see a thing. The forest was as still as ever. Wind blew overhead, leaves rustled about, but there was no sign of any movement. Another twig snapped to my left. I turned again but didn¡¯t see a thing. Who was playing with me? I¡¯d lost my left eye. By the time I turned around, whoever caused the noise would have already disappeared. I wanted to scream at them but thought better of it. I stood there, looking around nervously.

    ¡°Stalwart?¡± a soft, misty voice said behind me. ¡°Boy have you gotten ugly!¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± I shouted. I didn¡¯t like being played.

    ¡°Easy to irritate as always,¡± the voice said. ¡°Look in front of you silly.¡±

    I looked, but I could only see trees and fungi growing at their base. The bag of bones strapped to my torso started rattling. Then, unexpectedly, a figure materialized in front of me. She was wearing blue satin robes. Her long silver blond hair almost touched her hips. She had large emerald eyes that observed me with a calculating gaze. She held a straw basket to her wide hips which was filled with different kinds of mushrooms.

    The woman smiled, then slowly walked toward me. ¡°What happened to you pretty boy?¡±

    ¡°Do I know you?¡± I asked. The question didn¡¯t seem to please the woman. She frowned. Her thin eyebrows frowned slightly.

    ¡°You¡¯re in real danger here,¡± she said. ¡°Are you alone?¡±

    ¡°I thought I asked who you were,¡± I insisted. Although I felt I could trust this woman, I couldn¡¯t listen to my heart. I¡¯ve done this many times, and I paid dearly for it. But for some reason, the sight of her calmed my anxious heart.

    ¡°Your name¡¯s Myles Stalwart,¡± the woman said in her misty voice. Her perfume invaded my nostrils. I suddenly felt calm, as though nothing worried me anymore. ¡°I helped cure your mother ages ago in Yanoku. I¡¯m quite offended you don¡¯t remember me silly boy. It¡¯s me Raiya.¡±

    Raiya, that name rang a bell. But my memory was hazy. I could only remember some things from my past, most of them sinister. But I remember a woman helping my bedridden mother. I felt immense gratitude toward this woman who called herself Raiya, but I didn¡¯t know why. Perhaps she was telling the truth. Noticing my mistrust, the woman spoke again.

    ¡°Utar¡¯s after you. It¡¯s only a matter of time before he finds you. I can help you disappear. Are you here alone Stalwart?¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°Lead me to them, there¡¯s no time to waste.¡±

 53 - Head North

    I led the woman toward the others. Why was I doing it? I couldn¡¯t tell you even if I wanted to. Who would lead a complete stranger, who had just called me by my first name, to my unconscious friend? Could I even call that woman a friend? If it hadn¡¯t been for Jory trying to have a go at her, she wouldn¡¯t have joined our escape team.

    I was rambling and I knew it. The only comfort I found in leading Raiya to Agatha was the fact that I felt I could trust her. Not a radical thought process I know, but at this point, I¡¯d take any help I could get.

    We quickly reached the clearing in which Agatha lay unconscious. Zoey was sitting beside her, biting her nails. As soon as she heard approaching footsteps the Sister raised her head. She looked at me with relief. But the moment Raiya appeared; her smile vanished, replaced by an ugly frown.

    ¡°Relax,¡± I said, ¡°she¡¯s friendly.¡± Zoey¡¯s questioning eyes lingered on mine. She looked panicked now. She stood next to Agatha, shielding her with her arms outstretched, as if that would work against a witch.

    ¡°What happened to her?¡± the woman called Raiya asked, jerking her head toward Agatha.

    ¡°She helped us escape,¡± I answered, ¡°used too much Essence then fell asleep.¡±

    Raiya knelt beside the Herbologist then ran her hands on her body. A blue light covered the Herbologist while the witch chanted.  Agatha¡¯s body twitched but her eyes remained closed. Raiya didn¡¯t look alarmed though. She kept chanting as she ran her hands along the unconscious woman¡¯s body. The blue light followed wherever the witch¡¯s hands landed.

    Zoey ran to me.

    ¡°What is she doing?¡± she hissed. Her face was contorted into an ugly frown.

    ¡°Helping, I suppose,¡± I said.

    ¡°What do you mean, you suppose? Do you know that woman?¡±

    ¡°No more than I know you. But she can be trusted.¡±

    ¡°How would you know?¡± Zoey was now yelling, her voice echoing through the trees. Gods and heavens above! I hate this kind of behavior. One moment she¡¯s begging for help then complains the minute I bring someone to heal the unconscious Agatha.

    ¡°I advise you to keep your voice down,¡± Raiya said in a patronizing tone. Thank the gods she was the one to speak. All I could think of was smacking this silly Sister in the head. I guess I¡¯m not good at managing this kind of situations.

    ¡°We don¡¯t want to wake the Homopraelia, do we?¡± Raiya went on, addressing the Sister with a wicked smile.

    ¡°What¡¯s Homopraelia?¡± Zoey turned to me for answers. Why do I have to answer that? I had bigger things to worry about, Utar for instance. I just wanted a minute¡¯s silence to think of a way to get out of this. Zoey kept glaring at me. I could sense her questioning eyes even though I wasn¡¯t looking at her.

    ¡°Big gorillas,¡± I answered, suppressing the urge to tie her there and leave her to the monsters. ¡°They¡¯re agile and dangerous. They hunt at night and hate those who wake them before hunting time.¡±

    I was fixing the witch, aware that Zoey was glaring at me, trying to get me to look at her. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to meet her eyes. I didn¡¯t want to answer more nagging questions. I knew the witch couldn¡¯t be trusted. I only met her a few minutes ago, yet I felt I knew her. Besides she called me by name, she must¡¯ve known me before I was captured by the church. If someone had the power to hide us from Utar, it was her. But would she help for free?

    Raiya, that name rang a bell. I felt gratitude toward her, not for offering to help us now, but for something I couldn¡¯t remember. It was the same feeling I had for Agatha. That sense of familiar attachment and deep hatred. But I didn¡¯t feel I hated the witch. I decided I could trust her, despite the fact that I didn¡¯t remember her. What was happening to me? Why couldn¡¯t I remember everything from my past?

    ¡°Where¡¯s Eli?¡± Zoey asked, her voice piercing my eardrums. Can I have a moment¡¯s respite please? I¡¯m trying to think. Zoey was tugging at my sleeve, still barking in my ears, asking about Eli.

    ¡°Keep it down will ya?¡± I snapped. ¡°Those big monkeys can crush a boulder with one hand. Imagine what they¡¯d do to us.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Eli?¡± she whispered.

    ¡°I dunno, he said he¡¯d fetch some water. He¡¯ll be here shortly.¡± I went back to staring at the witch. She was still examining Agatha. I hoped that by staring long enough, I¡¯d remember something about her. But nothing came. My head started throbbing instead. I looked away. The forest was quiet, too quiet in fact. I couldn¡¯t even hear birds chirping in the distance.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to take her to my house,¡± Raiya suddenly broke the silence. The blue light had stopped shining on top of Agatha¡¯s body. The witch stood up, urging me with her eyes to get moving.

    ¡°We can¡¯t go just yet,¡± I said. ¡°My friend went to the river.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s on his way here,¡± Raiya answered then frowned. ¡°Help me carry her please,¡± she went on. Her tone had changed into one of urgency.  This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°You can sense someone coming but you can¡¯t levitate her with your magic?¡± Zoey asked. I could sense sarcasm in her voice.

    ¡°We can leave this one here,¡± Raiya told me as she pointed at the Sister. ¡°Homopraelia love virgin blood.¡±

    At those words Zoey went scarlet. I looked at her incredulously. A virgin?

    ¡°What¡¯s with that? I thought you used to escape with your lover for some love making time!¡± I asked.

    ¡°And I thought you were taking us to Milogac, to disappear and have a new life,¡± she retorted. ¡°But you¡¯ve just been following some bones¡¯ orders.¡±

    She had to bring this into the conversation. What¡¯s up with her anyway? She¡¯d become snappy ever since we left the sewers. I¡¯m not even sure she trusts me anymore.

    ¡°Fiery, this one,¡± Raiya had just walked beside us, glaring at the Sister.

    She cast a quick glance at the bag of bones I had strapped around my torso. The bones rattled briefly then came back to their inanimate state. Raiya¡¯s glance at the bones spoke of great interest, but she didn¡¯t voice it. Instead she looked at me, fixing the empty socket in which my right eye used to be.

    ¡°Your friend¡¯s arrived,¡± she said as we heard some movement by the bushes in the east. Raiya started looking around, fat creases formed between her eyebrows.

    Eli emerged behind a tree, looking ghastly. He looked at the witch then at me. His face was muddy and his clothes wet. There were some scratches on his face and arms, the result of some stray branches I suppose.

    ¡°Almost got caught by a patrol near the river,¡± he explained. ¡°I ran as quickly and silently as I could. Who¡¯s she?¡±

    ¡°He says she¡¯s friendly,¡± Zoey barked, arms akimbo, frowning at me. Now I¡¯m starting to get pissed. Who was she to cast judgments? She couldn¡¯t even fight to save her life. We¡¯ve all been doing the hard work here. If it hadn¡¯t known about the hidden passage in the Crucible, I wouldn¡¯t have brought her with us.

    ¡°We should get going,¡± Raiya said.

    ¡°Where?¡± Eli asked, slightly out of breath. I could tell he was running.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do anything for her here,¡± the witch said after shooting a brief glance toward Agatha. ¡°Besides, the patrols by the river are the least of your worries right now.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Eli asked. His head was darting between me, the witch and Zoey.

    ¡°Tell them,¡± Raiya urged me.

    ¡°Utar¡¯s here,¡± I said, ¡°heard some guards talk about him while I was looking for a way inside Fiverto.¡±

    Eli swore and stomped on the ground. He held his wet hair and pulled it as he muttered every nasty word that came to his mind. I understood him. Utar wouldn¡¯t let us get away. I shot a quick glance at Raiya. Please let her help us! I found myself praying. If there are gods, please let her help us!

    ¡°What¡¯s up with him?¡± Zoey asked, looking bewildered at the raving Eli. ¡°Who¡¯s this Utar?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a Priest,¡± I answered. ¡°He was Jory¡¯s guest before Agatha arrived. Remember him? White hair, sleeveless shirt, he was ¨C ¡°

    But my voice was drowned by a sudden shriek that pierced the silent forest. We stood in place, frozen as the earth beneath us shook and the trees around us rustled furiously. From the sound of it, something angry had just woken up. But we weren¡¯t loud enough to wake the Homopraelia that slept at least a hundred feet away from us. That was where the shriek came from.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t manage to shake them off,¡± Raiya told Eli. ¡°They¡¯ve woken the Homopraelia, it¡¯s the easiest way to get rid of you, or at least get you to leave the forest.¡±

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Zoey asked, her shrill voice piercing my eardrums once more.

    ¡°I have a hidden house not too far from here,¡± Raiya answered. ¡°It¡¯s a big tree, surrounded by poppies, you can¡¯t miss it.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯re you telling us about your hideout?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°We might get separated,¡± the witch answered. ¡°In case that happens, you must find the tree before nightfall. No matter what you do, do not stay in the forest after sunset. Either find my house or get out of here, you don¡¯t know what prowls in the darkness.¡±

    You bet! I thought. Those dark creatures would turn us into brainless meat sacks.

    ¡°Stalwart,¡± Raiya called out to me. ¡°Some help please?¡± she was standing beside the unconscious Herbologist.

    I carried Agatha on my right shoulder and we followed the witch. The trees around us still rumbled. This time we heard distant shouts and dogs barking. Great! How fucking marvelous! Guards were patrolling the edge of the woods while those giant gorillas wreaked havoc in the forest. We either get eaten or captured. Utar, you sly bastard!

    As their shrieks and stomps got louder, we heard more of Homopraelia waking up in the distance. There must be at least two dozen surrounding us now, looking for the source of the disturbance.

    ¡°How did they wake them without getting inside the forest?¡± Eli asked as he dragged Zoey behind him. The Sister grew silent. In the face of danger she wasn¡¯t noisy anymore.

    ¡°Utar,¡± the witch hissed as she led the way. We were zigzagging through thick bushes and tall trees. ¡°He¡¯s grown in power ever since he summoned the tribulations. But he knows you¡¯ve got help. He doesn¡¯t want to get inside the forest until he¡¯s assessed the situation.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Later,¡± Raiya hissed at me. ¡°We have bigger fish to fry.¡±

    ¡°What does she mean?¡± Zoey¡¯s shrill voice reached us. She was trailing behind as Eli dragged her.

    ¡°Utar will surely pinpoint our location any time,¡± Eli answered. ¡°He¡¯s an outstanding tracker.¡±

    ¡°The Homopraelia waking up around us means he¡¯s already found us,¡± Raiya told us. ¡°He¡¯s playing with us, leading us to some ambush he¡¯d laid somewhere inside the forest. We have to split up.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± All of us shouted at the same time.

    ¡°It¡¯s either that or getting surrounded,¡± Raiya said. ¡°Keep heading north and you¡¯ll eventually find the tree. Leave the Sister with me, she can¡¯t defend herself.¡±

    ¡°What about this one?¡± I said, pointing at the woman I carried on my shoulder.

    ¡°You¡¯re a big strong boy Stalwart. I¡¯m sure she weighs like a feather,¡± Raiya answered with a smirk. Damn you woman, carry her yourself. See how heavy a feather can become when you have to walk around on uneven ground.

    I nodded nonetheless.

    ¡°On my mark,¡± Raiya said, pulling Zoey toward her. ¡°You take the right,¡± she told Eli, ¡°and you go left,¡± she told me. ¡°We¡¯ll keep going forward. Pull them toward you, get them to scatter then come looking for the tree. It¡¯s big and surrounded by poppies, remember. I can stun those big monkeys, but I can¡¯t take them all on. It¡¯s more trouble than what it¡¯s worth. I have to get home first then I¡¯ll be able to lead you to me.¡±

    I was about to say something but a loud crash behind us made me forget everything. A gorilla, so tall its head brushed against the tree branches above, stood behind me. It bared its fangs at me then swung its enormous hand to snatch me. I heard Raiya shout something then a yellow light brushed past me and blasted the gorilla a few paces away. The Homopraelia lay on the ground motionless.

    ¡°GO!¡± the witch shouted at us then quickly turned on her heels, dragging Zoey alongside her.

 54 - Trapped

    I ran left, pricking my ears for any movement by the bushes or behind the trees in the distance. I had to be careful not to run into anything I couldn¡¯t handle. The sun was heading for the horizon, which made it harder to see. Raiya told us to go north. In the thick forest and the interlocking branches, I could barely see the sun above. I couldn¡¯t rely on that to pinpoint the direction I had to follow.

    The river was behind me, that much I knew, so I was running west. I had to keep going that way for at least a mile before changing course. I had to drag as many oversized gorillas behind me as I could. The witch was right after all. If we allowed them to surround us, we¡¯d be minced meat.

    My ears gave a sudden jerk at the sound of rustling behind me. I heard the stomping before I saw the monster that was tailing me. Each step it took covered the distance I struggled to keep between us. Then I heard another shriek to my left. Great! I couldn¡¯t handle one, how was I supposed to take care of two of them? I didn¡¯t even have a weapon!

    The two monsters growled as they approached me. I was running at full speed, as fast as I could while carrying the unconscious woman on my shoulder anyway. I couldn¡¯t fight them. I couldn¡¯t outrun them either, not with Agatha slowing me down. I had to get rid of her, hide her somewhere safe until I led those monsters away from her.

    Or, for a brief moment I had a fleeting thought, I could leave her as bait and save my own skin. I brushed the morbid idea away. I wouldn¡¯t stoop so low as to leave a defenseless woman at their mercy. Besides, the Homopraelia were hunters, they wouldn¡¯t accept easy prey. It would only make them angrier. They¡¯d take their hunt more seriously and reach me in no time. At least now I had a fighting chance.

    They were about a hundred paces away from me now. They¡¯d cover it in three steps. I threw Agatha between two shrubs near a forked tree. I would remember that one. There was no other tree like it around here. Then I ran the opposite side, toward the monsters. As soon as they saw me, both of them stopped.

    They looked at each other, then at me. They bared their teeth at each other and growled. One of them muttered something. I could only hear loud snorting and growling. Were they talking? Was that growling noise their speech I wondered. The two monsters turned to look at me then resumed their speech once more, more fervently this time. They seemed to be fighting.

    Slowly, I tried stepping away. I didn¡¯t know what they were talking about, perhaps who should get me first. But as long as it kept them busy, I didn¡¯t mind. I backed away, careful not to arouse their suspicion. One of them was now gesticulating, its enormous arms flailing in the air. The other growled then pushed the monster away.

    They were definitely fighting. It was my chance to get away. Careful not to lose sight of them, I kept backing away. Now the one who was pushed away retaliated with a heavy punch. I shuddered at the thought of being on the receiving end of that blow. The receiver, however, didn¡¯t seem affected by the strong punch. It retaliated with one of its own.

    It was my signal to get away. They were about to get busy, it was my chance to disappear. But a deafening scream glued me to the spot. The gorilla¡¯s head was thrown sideways after the punch. It was looking straight at me, realizing I was trying to escape. The two monsters exchanged worried looks then ran toward me, their hands outstretched. It looked as though they were racing to catch me. Each of them snarled at the other as they extended their enormous hands to get a hold of me.

    I dived beneath them as they jumped. Their size was also their weakness. They looked as though they moved in slow motion, which gave me a split second head start. I heard them crash behind me. Then a pair of legs fell heavily around me. I was almost crushed by their huge bodies. I quickly glanced at them before running away. To my surprise, both monsters hadn¡¯t tried to stand up. They also stopped growling which meant something unexpected had happened.

    I cautiously approached them, ready to tail it if one of them but twitched. But none of them moved. They lay on their stomach, their right arms outstretched, and their left hugging each other. It was a peculiar scene if I¡¯ve ever seen one. Both gigantic gorillas lay sleeping on the dirt, hugging, their foreheads butting each other.

    When I dived below them, they must¡¯ve knocked one another unconscious.

    I heartily laughed while I carefully walked past them, looking for Agatha. My happiness was cut short as a voice behind me spoke. It was unmistakably human. I jerked around. A young boy was leaning against a tree, arms crossed. He was smiling, the kind that says ¡®I¡¯ve got you!¡¯

    ¡°What a lucky strike!¡± the young boy said then let out a long whistle. I recognized him as the boy who accompanied Utar when he visited Jory the other day. My heart sank. If he was here, it only meant that the Priest was nearby.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Relax,¡± the boy said, as if reading through my mind. ¡°He¡¯s not here, not yet anyway.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I barked at him. I felt a sudden urge to attack, relieve him of his head. I didn¡¯t know where that feeling came from. But as I tried think about it, my head started throbbing. Damn you memory!

    ¡°I was ordered to capture you of course,¡± Sam said matter-of-factly.

    ¡°Well, here I am,¡± I said. ¡°Come and get me.¡± My voice didn¡¯t come out as confident as I wished it to be though. The boy must have noticed it as his pursed lips widened in a nasty smile. ¡°You can¡¯t beat me Myles, not anymore.¡±

    ¡°Try me!¡± I said then dashed at him. What was I trying to accomplish? Vent my anger and helplessness at a stranger? I didn¡¯t know. All I knew was that I wanted to fight. The Homopraelia were too big for me.

    I was able to pick a fight with someone my own size at last.

    The boy didn¡¯t move though. He waited for me to reach him. I swung my right fist at him, aiming for his ribs. I felt my arm swing in the air. Momentum carried my legs forward. I almost fell but I managed to recompose myself. I stopped and looked around. The boy had vanished from sight. How was he doing that?

    A punch to my left cheek woke me from my reveries. That bastard was aiming for my blind spot. I aimed a blind swing to my left, trying to get him off me. I missed again. I felt his leg hit my knee pit and I fell to the ground. The boy appeared in front of me, grinning.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening Myles?¡± he asked. ¡°Lost your touch?¡±

    I jumped at him but he managed to slip past me again. That bastard! He was playing.

    ¡°I told you M, you can¡¯t beat me!¡± he spoke behind me. I turned around and made to jump at him but -

    I didn¡¯t cross half the distance that separated us when he raised his arms and muttered something. I was frozen in place, one foot in the air and the other slightly touching the ground. He slowly walked toward me. I struggled to move or look around. My eye was fixed forward. My mouth was still open. I couldn¡¯t even move a finger.

    ¡°Nasty scar!¡± he said walking around me, eyeing me with an air of superiority. ¡°You know M, I used to respect you. You were my idol. It all seems like a distant dream now. I even find it silly, that I used to look up to a failure like you.¡±

    What was he talking about? Why was he calling me by my initial? I knew he betrayed me. His name was Sam, I think. My memory hasn¡¯t been acting properly ever since I was captured by Utar. I wasn¡¯t even sure that was the time when it started acting up. But that¡¯s as far as I could remember without getting splitting headaches. This boy here, I could remember from my dreams. I dreamt he helped me once.

    When Utar announced Sam had betrayed me, I could only feel rage toward him. The same rage I was feeling right now. There was also a feeling of frustrating helplessness on the side. I tried talking, but no words came out. Whatever he¡¯s done to me, I couldn¡¯t move or speak. I even felt lightheaded, as if I couldn¡¯t breathe anymore.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the Herbologist?¡± he asked. ¡°We didn¡¯t find her at Jory¡¯s study.¡±

    I tried speaking, but I was still frozen, my tongue felt glued to the floor of my mouth.

    ¡°Oh, apologies,¡± Sam said then clicked his fingers. My eye started darting left and right it made my head spin. Air invaded my mouth and nostrils. It felt as though my organs started working again.

    ¡°I almost killed you in my hurry. Relax, you can¡¯t move but at least you can breathe now. Where¡¯s the Herbologist M?¡±

    ¡°What do you want with her?¡± I asked.

    ¡°So she¡¯s with you somewhere,¡± he deducted. The bastard! I played right into his trap. ¡°I¡¯ll let you go if you tell me where she is.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t your master sense her?¡± I said. My body was still frozen in space. No matter how hard I tried to move, my limbs wouldn¡¯t answer. To make matters worse, my head was throbbing violently.

    ¡°Don¡¯t play games M!¡± Sam yelled then smacked me on the back of my head. The bright side about being immobilized, I realized, was that I couldn¡¯t feel pain. Otherwise my head would¡¯ve hurt worse.

    ¡°You¡¯d feel all the pain at once, as soon as I release the spell,¡± Sam said, still circling around me.

    ¡°What do you want from the Herbologist?¡± I stubbornly asked. I wouldn¡¯t give her up even if it cost me my life. I only did it to annoy him, out of spite. Who was he to act so high and mighty?

    ¡°You really don¡¯t remember a thing, do you?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Remember what?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know who Agatha is? After all she¡¯s done for you and your useless family?¡± He had stopped moving. He was looking at me with utter disgust now. Who wouldn¡¯t? I was badly disfigured.

    ¡°Get to the point,¡± I said, irritated.

    ¡°Give me the woman, and you walk free,¡± he said.

    ¡°Your master will catch me anyway,¡± I retorted. He was either toying with me or trying to find the woman before Utar could. But why? Did he hope to hide her from him? Why would he do that?

    ¡°He says you¡¯ve got some help, you might escape his clutches after all.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s in it for you? Why is the woman so important to you?¡±

    A punch to the face made my eye look sideways. It was stuck looking at the forked tree, not too far from us. Agatha lay there. But, for some reason, Sam didn¡¯t bother looking around. It took me a while before I could will my eye to look at him again. He looked furious, a bit stressed too, perhaps scared.

    ¡°She¡¯s my aunt you dumbass!¡± he said, his voice quivering. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time M. Tell me where she is.¡± There was a note of panic in Sam¡¯s voice now.

    The boy was trying to save someone he cared about. That was good news I guessed. How do you save someone from Utar anyway? It didn¡¯t matter, but I could get myself out of this perilous situation.

    ¡°Are you telling me you¡¯re here against your master¡¯s wishes?¡± I asked. It was my turn to grin. I had the upper hand in the negotiation this time. I bet my smile wasn¡¯t a pretty sight to behold, for Sam¡¯s bushy eyebrows tightened and his eyes pursed into a slit.

    Another punch to the stomach, I didn¡¯t feel a thing. A kick between my legs followed then Sam spoke again. ¡°You don¡¯t have much time either M. Give me my aunt and I¡¯ll let you go.¡±

    Before I could answer, Sam¡¯s expression greatly changed. His confidence was replaced with utter horror. A cracking noise behind a tree was heard. Then a figure, tall and muscular emerged. He had long white hair and wore a white, sleeveless shirt.

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing boy?¡± Utar asked.

 55 - Sisha

    Utar stood behind Sam as the latter slowly turned to look at his master. Gone were his playful behavior and his haughty attitude. He was now shaking from head to toe as the white haired man stared down at him. Utar cast a quick glance over Sam¡¯s shoulders and saw me hanging in the air, immobilized. He let out a nasty smile that made my stomach churn.

    ¡°You¡¯ve caught the boy,¡± Utar said, brushing Sam aside to walk over to me. ¡°Let¡¯s see, what was his name again?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Myles,¡± Sam answered, crestfallen.

    ¡°And why did you disobey my orders and risk your life to catch this one? Better yet, why didn¡¯t you notify me the moment you captured him?¡±

    Sam stayed silent. He looked at the ground, his legs still shaking.

    Utar clicked his fingers and the spell Sam had put on me was released. My legs stumbled and I felt my knees heavily collided with the ground. The pain I experienced was much stronger than that of knees colliding with the floor. My head throbbed and my stomach gave out a cry for help. Worst of it all was the pain I experienced in my nether region. I clutched it with both hands as I tried to stifle a cry of pain.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been torturing him for information,¡± Utar deducted. ¡°Are you looking for your aunt Sam?¡± The Priest made a sound that resembled a ¡®tut tut tut!¡¯ then walked straight toward the bushes where I hid Agatha. He pulled the woman from her hair and raised her in the air.

    ¡°Unconscious, must have used too much energy to escape Jory¡¯s clutches. Speaking of which,¡± Utar looked at me in disdain, ¡°you¡¯ve killed a dear friend of mine. You¡¯ve personally offended me. For that, you shall be severely punished.¡±

    He flung the woman at Sam¡¯s arms then muttered some words I couldn¡¯t understand. I felt my body levitating in the air then turn toward the Priest. His white hair was flowing in the air without wind. His brows were furrowed as he looked at me with utter disgust.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see how you¡¯d react if I crushed your bones.¡± He raised an arm and twisted it, but before anything could happen, a loud crash was heard behind the Priest. Utar lowered his hand and looked around.

    A Homopraelia had just landed behind him, unconscious. The Priest retracted his arm, as if beckoning me to come closer. To my surprise I flew right at him and followed behind. I had lost control of my own body. His spell was stronger than the one Sam used on me. I could tell because I felt my toes brush the ground beneath me.

    Utar¡¯s eyes were still fixing the monster. I felt my body land on the ground then I started walking behind him. Not matter how hard I tried to resist, my body would still move unwillingly. My headache had just become worse. I couldn¡¯t believe such splitting headaches existed. I had to stop resisting, but I couldn¡¯t. It felt like trying to move both eyes in opposite directions, impossible. (I can still remember what having two eyes felt like!)

    I watched the Priest walk toward the beast as some vines began entangling my body. They magically sprouted from the ground. They wrapped around my legs and chest, binding me. I could move again, the spell Utar had cast was released. But I couldn¡¯t wriggle out of my binds. From the corner of my eye, I saw a green figure flash past Utar. Raiya, with her silver blond hair and long green dress, was standing opposite the Priest.

    ¡°The boy stays!¡± Raiya told the Priest in a determined tone. I let out a long sigh of relief. There was some light at the end of the dark tunnel after all. The witch was friendly. She¡¯d gone through all the trouble to come and save me. Eli and Zoey weren¡¯t with her though.

    ¡°He¡¯s been sentenced to death!¡± Utar said. ¡°Dhobor¡¯s word is absolute!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about your God¡¯s words,¡± Raiya retorted. ¡°The boy stays.¡± Utar didn¡¯t attack. I could tell he was weighing his options.

    ¡°What¡¯s so important about this boy anyway?¡± Utar asked. ¡°You¡¯d risk offending the church for him?¡±

    ¡°Why should I be scared of your church anyway?¡± Raiya retorted.

    ¡°It seems to me,¡± Utar said, ¡°that you¡¯re not aware of the nature of his crime.¡±

    Raiya didn¡¯t answer. It meant she didn¡¯t.

    I didn¡¯t.

    Utar smiled. I could tell by the slight twitch his ears made.

    ¡°The boy harbored and hid a Listener from Dhobor,¡± he said. ¡°He managed to keep her away from us for one moon.¡±

    Raiya frowned. That couldn¡¯t be good news, could it? What was a listener? I strained my brain to think. Think you bastard! What was a listener? Why did that earn me a life sentence?You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°I owe him a great deal,¡± Raiya said. ¡°Now, would you step aside, let me release the boy? Or does it have to get ugly?¡±

    ¡°A witch threatening a Priest of the Church,¡± Utar scoffed.

    ¡°Not a witch,¡± Raiya retorted. She raised her left hand and drew a circle in the air. I could see a golden thread following her hand then the circle started spinning. It grew larger and larger, then a dark purple cloud filled it.

    A strong wind blew from the cloud that had just formed within the golden circle. It threatened to blow us all away. The vines holding me became looser. I felt as though I was going to fly away. Utar, on the other hand, didn¡¯t move. I glanced at Sam who seemed to struggle to keep a hold of his unconscious aunt.

    The wind stooped howling as suddenly as it started blowing. Then, a figure emerged from the dark cloud. At first I saw a feline face. It had long white whiskers and dark gray furs. Its mouth was wide, extending from one ear to the other. It had sharp, pointy aligned teeth. Then its whole body got out of the dark cloud.

    I was looking at a gigantic cat and dog hybrid. That¡¯s as close as I could come to a comparison. It had long white whiskers and a muzzle akin to that of a wolf. Its eyes shone a bright golden light.

    It had a strong muscular body. Its bicep was twice as big as I was. Its forearm was longer than a great sword, which was also covered in dark gray fur. It had pink paws, about the only adorable thing about this abomination. It stood on its hind legs, thick and muscular, and stomped the ground as it walked out of the dark purple cloud.

    When the beast spoke, it felt as though many people were whispering in my ear at the same time. I learned, later on, that it was a form of psionic communication. The beast spoke to Raiya. I could gather that it was asking about food. She pointed at the unconscious gorilla and the cat devoured it heartily. It started by ripping the body apart, using its sharp claws then munched the meat, pretty noisily I should add.

    ¡°You¡¯re a Warlock!¡± Utar muttered.

    ¡°Will you hand me the boy?¡± Raiya asked, ¡°or does it have to get ugly?¡±

    ¡°Who is it?¡± Utar said, his chin pointing at the cat.

    ¡°Shisa!¡± the eerie whisper of the feline creature reached my ears, or was it inside my head? I couldn¡¯t tell.

    The Priest raised his hands. The vines loosened even more then disappeared. He waved a hand forward and I was flung at Raiya. I looked at the Priest who was looking at me darkly. I could tell he reluctantly let go of me.

    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Raiya asked. She was smiling now. I felt safe for the first time since I got thrown in the Crucible.

    I shook my head.

    Utar started backing away, casting nervous glances at Shisa, who was still devouring the Homopraelia. ¡°I couldn¡¯t show him my full strength until he showed up,¡± Raiya whispered to my ear.

    The Priest motioned to Sam to move away. The boy looked as though he¡¯d lost an important fight. Utar was scowling. I looked at Agatha in Sam¡¯s arms. I knew what awaited her. Suddenly, I felt as though I had to save her.

    ¡°Can we take her too?¡± I asked Raiya.

    Sam looked relieved at that question. Utar stopped right in his tracks. He slowly turned to look at me, then shot a brief glance at Sam, who immediately looked down. Raiya shot me a patronizing look.

    ¡°Saving you was for free,¡± she whispered, ¡°saving her will cost you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pay, no matter the cost,¡± I answered. Little did I know, the cost to a witch, or in this case a warlock, didn¡¯t imply money.

    Raiya looked at Utar expectantly.

    ¡°I¡¯m still hungry,¡± Sisha said.

    ¡°There are two more over there,¡± I told the cat, jerking my head toward the two Homopraelia who tried catching me earlier. The cat¡¯s eerie mouth widened. I didn¡¯t know if it were smiling or baring its fangs at me for speaking to it without permission. Sisha walked toward the monsters and busied itself, ripping them apart.

    Utar and Raiya were having a staring contest. The Priest was struggling with something inside his own twisted mind.

    ¡°Dhobor won¡¯t be happy about this,¡± he warned.

    ¡°That¡¯s your problem to deal with,¡± Raiya retorted.

    ¡°He hates interference.¡± Utar was now clutching his hands into a tight fist.

    ¡°And I hate wasting time over meaningless threats,¡± Raiya said. ¡°You know what happens here after dark, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Utar cursed. He motioned with his head toward Sam and the boy brought the Herbologist over. I held her then placed her over my shoulder. Sam muttered some thanks under his breath then backed away.

    ¡°If that is all,¡± Utar said, beckoning Sam near him. ¡°I¡¯ll just ¨C ¡°

    ¡°Not so fast,¡± Raiya interrupted. ¡°Remove your imprint from this boy.¡±

    That was more than Utar could handle. He raised his hand and started muttering some spell. But before he could finish it, Raiya swiped her arms in the air. I felt a strong wind brush past us then hit Priest. Utar was flung backward at breakneck speed. His flight was brought to an abrupt stop as he hit a tree.

    The tree trunk gave a threatening cracking sound as Utar stood up, brushed the dust off his white robe then looked at me then at the witch. He started muttering another spell but another wave from the witch¡¯s hand and he was flung sideways. This time, he broke several trees, going through each trunk, before his body was heard falling with a heavy thud.

    ¡°Go to your master,¡± Raiya ordered Sam.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get the hell out of here!¡± she barked. ¡°Utar won¡¯t be unconscious for long.¡±

    ¡°What about Sisha?¡± I asked.

    ¡°He¡¯ll take the meat with him,¡± Raiya answered.

    ¡°Can¡¯t I just eat him?¡± Sisha¡¯s voice reached my head.

    ¡°And risk Dhobor¡¯s army on our heels?¡± Raiya yelled. ¡°Take your food and disappear. I¡¯ll call for you when this is all over.¡±

    Sisha stood, blinked at the witch then started fading away. A strong gale threatened to break the surrounding trees apart, then the cat was no more.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Raiya barked at me.

    I did as I was told. I carried Agatha and followed the witch. We ran through the darkening forest. The sky above us had turned bright orange, announcing the sun was about to set. We didn¡¯t run for long though as we quickly reached a vast clearing. A large tree, larger than any I¡¯ve seen before, stood in the middle of a green field. Poppies embellished the place, their red petals gleaming as the last sun rays brushed past them.

    Raiya stood before the tree and drew some strange symbols. The earth below us rumbled as the tree suddenly came to life. Its trunk opened up as though it had a mouth, large enough to accommodate a full grown Homopraelia. Raiya walked in then beckoned me over. I followed suit then found myself inside a large house. The opening closed behind us and the outside world disappeared from sight.

 56 - Safe, At Last...

    We were in the middle of a spacious living room. Sofas, carved or magically transformed, were aligned around an empty space. They formed a rectangle if looked at from a above. There was a high table with a wooden bowl on top in the corner of the room. Strange fumes, purple and green, exuded from it. Raiya pointed at a sofa to my right, ¡°place here there,¡± she said then walked to the wooden bowl.

    ¡°Won¡¯t Utar find us here?¡± I asked as I walked over the sofa and gently placed the unconscious woman.

    ¡°Oh, right,¡± Raiya said then walked to a painting, the exact replica of the tree we just got into. Her hands touched the canvas and I saw, to my astonishment, that the painting moved. She swiped her hand to the left and an image of a different forest appeared. The place looked slightly different, with pine trees rather than rosewood. The painting flashed red and Raiya swiped her hand once more.

    She kept doing so, forest after forest appeared then disappeared, until she smiled at a picture with sal trees, tall and filled with green leaves. Her palm hit the painting then the house trembled. My body swayed left and right. I held onto the sofa beside me to avoid falling. It felt as though an earthquake had suddenly hit. I looked up, the crystal chandelier that hung above us rattled, threatening to fall above our head. When the movement stopped, Raiya looked at me with a triumphant smile.

    ¡°Let him look,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re far from reach now.¡± She revealed a smile of satisfaction which, coupled with her twinkling emerald eyes, made her look like a beauty, straight out of fairy tales.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± a shrill voice came from behind me.

    I turned around to see Zoey. I¡¯d forgotten about her. After the encounter with Sam and Utar, it seemed I have forgotten about the Sister and Eli. Zoey still wore that disdainful look upon her face. Her fine nose didn¡¯t look attractive anymore. Instead, I found myself focusing on her overly long eyebrows and her protruding front teeth, which made her look like a mutated rodent.

    ¡°Somewhere near the Sayang river,¡± Raiya replied then turned to focus on another matter.

    She took some herbs, shells and some other material I couldn¡¯t recognize then started grinding and cutting by the high table at the corner.

    ¡°We¡¯re in the western continent?¡± Zoey asked. Was she always this loud?

    Raiya nodded.

    The realization slowly dawned on me. We¡¯ve just crossed an entire ocean. How can someone ever achieve such a feat? But then I remembered that I was standing in a house which was built inside a tree.

    ¡°If you could cross an ocean with a wave of your hand,¡± I said, ¡°why did we run from Utar then?¡±

    ¡°Utar¡¯s just a pawn,¡± Raiya answered, still grinding and cutting. ¡°We don¡¯t want the whole church looking for us.¡± She took the pile of crushed shells and grinded herbs, added them to the bowl then turned to me. ¡°Trust me, you don¡¯t want the entire church as your enemy,¡± she stopped for a while, smiled then continued, ¡°but you¡¯ve already done that, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    I looked at the ground, part of me felt ashamed, the other part felt wronged. What was a Listener anyway? Why did my actions set the whole church against me? I couldn¡¯t tell despite straining my brains to find an answer.

    ¡°What did he do?¡± Eli asked. I was happy it wasn¡¯t Zoey who spoke this time. I don¡¯t think I could¡¯ve taken more of her shrieks.

    ¡°It¡¯s not my secret to tell,¡± Raiya answered. ¡°Know this though,¡± she said before Eli or Zoey opened their mouths to protest, ¡°if you insist on him telling you, you¡¯d have made the church your enemy as well. You¡¯re fugitives from the independent state of Helton. Don¡¯t go and make your situation worse.¡±

    I gave Raiya a look that meant I was immensely grateful. She replied with a furtive wink. The bowl in the table started emitting popping sounds. Raiya turned to take care of it and silence came back.

    Eli was looking around, Zoey walked to Agatha and stood beside her, frozen. The house, hidden inside the large tree was quite warm. There was a wooden spiraling staircase leading upwards and downwards. The ceiling on top of us was ornamented by crystals, bathing the entire place in twinkling, colorful lights. This place was much bigger in the inside.

    Raiya was done making her concoction then headed for the Herbologist. She was holding a small chalice. ¡°Lift her head up, help her drink this,¡± she said, holding the chalice closer to Agatha¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Zoey asked.

    ¡°Something to help her recover strength,¡± Raiya answered. I held Agatha¡¯s head up and Raiya held the chalice to her lips. Zoey, on the other hand, had another say in the matter. She slapped the cup away, frowning at all of us. An opaque liquid filled the floor. Raiya looked at it disapprovingly. The look in her eyes at that moment resembled the one she gave Utar before she attacked him.

    ¡°You¡¯d blindly entrust her life to this stranger?!¡± she yelled at me. ¡°We don¡¯t even know who ¨C ¡°

    Raiya flung her arm aside and the Sister was levitated in the air. She flew backwards then was slowly seated on one of the numerous sofas in the living room. She opened her mouth and screamed some more, but no sound could be heard. She couldn¡¯t move either, as I saw her struggle to stand, her face turning beet-red. That¡¯s how I looked to Sam as he tried to get Agatha¡¯s location out of me.

    The witch ¨C no warlock ¨C picked the chalice then went back to the high table, filled it, and came back to Agatha. I held her head up then closed her nose as soon as the liquid filled her mouth. Agatha swallowed the concoction. Raiya stood up, looking satisfied.

    ¡°Now then, let¡¯s talk about your ordeal,¡± she said then clicked her fingers. The spell binding Zoey was released and the latter started screaming, telling Raiya where she could shove that chalice filled with the foul substance she had made. Raiya only chuckled at her remarks then threatened to sew her mouth shut, to which the Sister responded with a resolute, yet brooding silence.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with that bag you have around your chest?¡± Raiya asked as she turned to me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you answer some questions, I believe, we all have for you,¡± I said, glancing at Zoey then Eli, who was still looking around, mesmerized.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    ¡°Shoot,¡± the witch said as she sat on a checked, black and white sofa.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± to this question, both Eli and Zoey looked at me, their mouths agape.

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know who she is?¡± Zoey cried out. ¡°Yet you brought us here?!¡±

    ¡°She saved our lives,¡± I retorted. ¡°She just pulled me out of Utar¡¯s clutches. I thought I was a goner.¡± Zoey crossed her arms, still not willing to trust the warlock.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t remember, do you?¡± Raiya said, a kind of sad smile on her face. That¡¯s the second time somebody had asked me this question today.

    ¡°You know him?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°I bet she charmed him, using her wicked witchcraft!¡± Zoey barked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about both of you, save for your names,¡± Raiya told Zoey and Eli. ¡°Whereas I know quite a lot about him,¡± she said as she jerked her head toward me. ¡°Have a seat, let¡¯s have something to drink and mull things over. Wine?¡± she asked, retrieving a bottle from a cabinet near the high table. She also produced four glasses then came back to the sofa.

    ¡°I must admit,¡± she said after she sat down and crossed her legs. Her ample thighs showed beneath the cuts of her green dress. ¡°I¡¯m intrigued, nobody forgets seeing me, nobody!¡±

    ¡°I bet!¡± Eli muttered under his breath as he settled on a burgundy chintz couch. I sat next to him, frowning. I didn¡¯t know how Raiya would react to that remark. To my surprise, she had let a shadow of a smile appear on her oval face.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had a lot to deal with,¡± I retorted. ¡°How do you know me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zoey intervened. ¡°What do you know about him?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember you looking so disfigured, for starters,¡± Raiya said. ¡°A shame, you were such a handsome boy. But your aura¡¯s quite unique. I could sense you miles before you entered the forest.¡±

    ¡°Get to the point, will you?¡± Zoey snapped.

    Raiya shot an annoyed look at the Sister. But she got to the point nonetheless. ¡°We met in Yanoku. It feels like an eternity now. I helped cure your bedridden mother, remember?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember much about my family,¡± I admitted, sadness gripping my heart. ¡°All I know, I acquired from my dreams. I often dreamed of my past when I lay on my cell in the Crucible. I can¡¯t really picture my parents¡¯ faces.¡±

    ¡°Did Utar wipe your memories before throwing you in the Crucible?¡± Raiya¡¯s question wasn¡¯t addressed to anybody in particular. She played with her sliver blond hair, absorbed in thought. ¡°No matter, we¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± She said dismissively after a while.

    She waved her hand and coffee tables sprung up from the wooden ground before us. The empty space in the middle of the aligned sofas was now filled with tables to hold our glasses. She clicked her fingers and the bottle sprung up, flew in the air then filled our glasses.

    ¡°Why did you help us?¡± Eli asked the witch. She didn¡¯t answer. Instead, she kept looking at Eli and the glass of wine before him. Eli¡¯s eyes widened, as if he understood something I didn¡¯t. He picked up the glass, sniffed it then tasted the rose liquid. He nodded his head in appreciation then raised his glass to the warlock.

    Raiya smiled, Eli urged me to drink too. Where were my manners? I guess Sam beat them out of me. I sipped from the wine too then raised my glass to our host. The wine was sweet yet had a slightly sour aftertaste. It was cold enough to be enjoyed. I guess she chilled it using her magic. The woman smiled then spoke at last, ignoring Zoey completely.

    ¡°This boy helped me acquire a grimoire, a book of spells, long ago. I couldn¡¯t have done it without him. It¡¯s only natural that I help him now, and by extension you, especially with Utar hard at your heels,¡± she said then smiled at me. Her large emerald eyes twinkled as my remaining one crossed hers.

    ¡°Can we trust her?¡± Eli said looking at me.

    ¡°My turn now,¡± Raiya said. ¡°I¡¯ll answer your next question after you answer mine.¡±

    I nodded at Eli then looked at the witch expectantly.

    ¡°Where did you get this bag?¡±

    ¡°It belongs to a ghost, she helped us escape,¡± I answered. Eli was going to ask her something but I stopped him. I had a feeling the woman would consider it her next question. The warlock smiled, sipped from her cup then looked at Zoey. Her eyes flared as they met Zoey¡¯s. ¡°A Sister, are you? I bet your order will be looking for you. I shudder to think of what they¡¯d do if they ever catch you.¡±

    Zoey glared at the witch in silence. Her hands formed a fist, her brows knitted into an ugly frown.

    ¡°Tell me what you know about me,¡± I told her, breaking the staring contest.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s your question?¡±

    I nodded. It was the only way to get her to talk longer. Tell me more about my past, I needed to remember. Apart from my dreams, thinking about my past only gave me headaches.

    ¡°You¡¯re Myles Stalwart,¡± the warlock said after taking another sip from her ros¨¦. ¡°Your mother¡¯s name is Lyanna, your father¡¯s Tibault Stalwart. He was a famous hunter during his time. He was a stupid drunk when I saw him,¡± the part about my father made her pretty face contort into a grimace of disgust. She shook her head, as if to chase the memory of my father away, causing her long smooth hair to fly in all directions.

    ¡°You have two sisters and two brothers. You possess powers only your father, and later on myself, know of. I offered to teach you magic when you suddenly committed a heinous crime and were imprisoned.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Eli gasped at me. ¡°Was it the same one Utar¡¯s chasing you for?¡±

    ¡°I dunno,¡± I lied. ¡°I remember Utar chasing me for some crime I committed, but I can¡¯t remember if this is the one.¡± The part about the crime surprised me. I didn¡¯t know I had committed another crime, other than ¡°stealing¡± a Listener from Dhobor. But I knew this one was different. Call it intuition or an internal feeling that told me those two crimes were different.

    ¡°Not that crime,¡± Raiya retorted. ¡°You killed someone,¡± she went on. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you who it was. You have to remember it, lest you lose your mind.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zoey spoke. Her voice was quivering. She was afraid the witch would punish her for speaking out loud.

    ¡°My turn,¡± Raiya smiled at us. Zoey let out an exasperated sigh. Raiya ignored it. ¡°What did the ghost want in return for her help?¡±

    ¡°She wanted me to take her bones to Milogac,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± the witch said playfully as she stroked her long silver blond hair back into position. Both Eli and I looked at her, our mouths slightly agape.

    Zoey was still brooding, shooting disapproving looks at us. ¡°What¡¯s interesting?¡± she asked before I could stop her.

    ¡°Milogac is important you see,¡± the witch answered with a smirk. ¡°It¡¯s this cycle¡¯s location for the beginning of the Holi Wars.¡±

    ¡°The Holi what?¡± Zoey asked.

    ¡°Not so fast,¡± Raiya retorted. ¡°It¡¯s my turn now. Do you remember that woman?¡± she asked me, pointing at Agatha who was still unconscious.

    ¡°No,¡± I answered, ¡°I only feel something when I look at her, admiration¡­ and hatred¡­ deep rooted hatred. Sam, the boy with Utar told me she was his aunt. I know he was my friend, but I can¡¯t remember how important of a friend he was to me. Why did the ghost ask me to go to Milogac?¡± I had to ask the question before Zoey asked something irrelevant.

    ¡°The Holi Wars grant their summoner a wish. The ghost must have something important to offer in exchange for her life back. Do you know anything about the Holi Wars?¡± this time, Raiya asked all of us. She looked at each of us in turn after she finished her question.

    ¡°I know the legend passed down upon my family members,¡± Eli answered. ¡°The gist of it is that the winner gains godly powers. Whoever finds the Holi Grail gains tremendous powers, becoming an immortal in the process.¡±

    ¡°Why did you offer to teach me magic?¡± I asked. Zoey hissed then slumped back in her seat. I ignored her. I never knew about magic until I saw Utar use it. Now Raiya tells me I could use it? Perhaps I¡¯ve lost more of my memory than I reckoned.

    ¡°Because you have a knack for it Stalwart,¡± Raiya said. ¡°It runs in your blood. I¡¯m sure you can still use. But the first step would be to recover your memories.¡±

    ¡°I hope there¡¯s a way to recover them,¡± I said. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a question,¡± I added, noticing Raiya¡¯s raised eyebrows.

    ¡°It¡¯ll take time,¡± she said. ¡°And it¡¯s a tedious process. What can you offer me in return?¡±

    ¡°We still have to settle a price for saving Agatha,¡± I said. I could feel Eli¡¯s stare from the corner of my eye. I decided to ignore it. I¡¯d explain everything later.

    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to talk about this later,¡± Raiya said then stood. ¡°I have an unexpected visitor. Make yourselves at home. Sleeping quarters are upstairs. Don¡¯t bother going downstairs. You can¡¯t access any of the doors.¡±

    She left us and walked past the main door. We heard the tree rumbling then everything went quiet.

    ¡°Now what?¡± Eli asked.

 57 - Love, Rage and Manipulation

    We spent the following days in Raiya¡¯s tree house. Agatha was slowly recovering. She woke up on the second day of our stay. Although weak, she seemed grateful for the help. Zoey warmed up to the warlock ever since Agatha woke up. Not that Raiya cared, we barely saw her during the first week of our stay anyway. She usually spent her time outside or in her private quarters, beneath the living room.

    Problems arose on the fourth day. Eli decided to head to town. He was still willing to go to Milogac and decided to find his own way there. Riaya didn¡¯t stop him, but she didn¡¯t allow Zoey outside. The argument got so heated I feared Raiya would feed the Sister to Sisha.

    Agatha intervened however, siding with Raiya. The Sister was wanted. Her organization, affiliated to the goddess Aella, was present throughout Hera. She¡¯d be caught the moment she steps foot in civilization.

    As for me, I buried my head in books. Raiya told me that Milogac was out of bounds to all non-magic users. Going there in my current state was akin to suicide. I believed her. So I started reading on magic, Essence and Conduits, all of which were foreign subjects to me. I tried to find something about the Holi Wars, about the Church too. Although I escaped, I wasn¡¯t out of the woods yet.

    Eli on the other hand argued that Raiya was trying to keep us imprisoned, so he set off on his own. I didn¡¯t really object. The man became distant ever since we left the eastern continent. For four days, he barely ate or sat with us in the living room.

    He stayed in his room. I¡¯d hear him mutter something at night as I walked by his door. It was gibberish for all I knew. The language he spoke was foreign. When he left, my shoulder felt heavier. I didn¡¯t know I felt responsible for him until he left. But no matter, I wasn¡¯t his knight in shining armor. He could take care of himself.

    On the fifth day, Raiya came to my room. She¡¯d never done that. Something about the way she looked at me made my heart jump. Something was wrong, I knew it, I felt it. She sat on a divan in the bedroom she generously provided and crossed her legs. She kept staring, I didn¡¯t speak. I didn¡¯t know what to say although I racked my brain to think of something.

    All I could think of were her emerald eyes, her wide hips and her long hair that brushed against them as she walked. My heart started beating faster, and I felt sweat on my palms. She wasn¡¯t talking yet. What did she want?

    My eye fell on the black leather corset she wore on top of a white shirt. Her ample bosom was peeking from beneath the already tight shirt. I realized I¡¯d been staring so I looked up. She was still there, staring at me, unmoving. Did she realize I was staring? Was she upset about it? The smell of her perfume invaded my nostrils then. I inhaled all of it. I was now swimming in a world of beauty and tenderness. Nothing could ruin my mood, unless I ruin hers.

    ¡°Myles, we need to talk about those bones you keep,¡± she said at last.

    ¡°What about them?¡± I said, dreamily I must add. I barely heard what she said. But I willed myself to concentrate. She needed my help and I was willing to oblige.

    ¡°Was there any sign of the ghost since your escape?¡±

    ¡°No, the bones rattle from time to time. I don¡¯t even know what that means.¡±

    ¡°It means she¡¯s trying to communicate something,¡± Raiya clarified, ¡°which means she¡¯s restless.¡± To that statement, the bones, which I kept in an old trunk, rattled violently.

    ¡°And why would you assume that?¡± I asked, casting a nervous look at the trunk.

    Raiya didn¡¯t answer. I looked around and found her staring again. It didn¡¯t help that she was wearing lipstick. It didn¡¯t help that my cheekbones felt as though they were burning. It didn¡¯t help that I inhaled that perfume again and felt like a love-struck puppy. She brushed her silver blond hair aside then spoke.

    ¡°Ghosts hate witches, but they fear warlocks. Since I¡¯m one, I don¡¯t believe she¡¯d show willingly.¡±

    ¡°Er, okay?¡±

    She smiled, and my world brightened. ¡°I¡¯m saying she¡¯s got something to hide. She didn¡¯t ask to go to Milogac for nothing.¡± The bones rattled again and I looked away. The trunk had moved slightly to the left. Wait a minute, something was actually wrong. That perfume, I know it. I can¡¯t remember where I¡¯ve smelled it before, but I know it.

    I looked at Raiya once more. Oh gods and heavens above! Why do they wear such tight outfits? Why torture us then reprimand us for unintentional goggling? The perfume¡­ Aaaah bliss!

    ¡°The ghost wants to go to Milogac,¡± I said. ¡°Maybe...¡± the perfume again, can I have her handkerchief? I¡¯d sniff it all day! Oh yeah, I was talking to her. ¡°Maybe the ghost didn¡¯t know about the Holi Wars.¡±

    ¡°Do you even know what the Holi Wars are Myles?¡±

    ¡°Some make-a-wish fairy tale,¡± I answered. Can I make a wish too? I know exactly what I¡¯d ask for.

    The bones rattled again, this time more violently. I looked around and the trunk had moved. It was no illusion this time. It actually changed positions. I felt the perfume creeping up to my nostrils once more.

    ¡°Stop it!¡± I snapped.

    ¡°Stop what?¡± Raiya innocently asked. Her large emerald eyes were fixed on mine. She tried to charm me some more but I¡¯d figured out her trick.

    ¡°You know what I mean,¡± I said. My voice came out harsher than intended. No wait a minute, that¡¯s exactly how I wanted it to sound. She¡¯s still playing with me, that Roosa¡¯al!

    Raiya brushed her hair to the other side and blinked at me. She feigned ignorance, and I was starting to believe her. Was she the one moving the trunk? Or was it moving by itself?

    ¡°What is it Myles?¡±

    I glared at her. ¡°You¡¯ve done this before, haven¡¯t you?¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°What is ¡°this¡±? You don¡¯t make any sense,¡± she said. She concealed her smile very well. She was definitely playing.

    ¡°Back in Yanoku, when you were Viraldo¡¯s guest. You tried charming me, the same way you¡¯re doing now. The perfume, I can¡¯t forget that perfume¡­¡± I stopped for a while. Then it occurred to me. I can¡¯t forget the perfume¡­ forget¡­ Yanoku¡­ The Desert and the dry weather¡­

    Raiya was smiling. Her dimples carved deep holes on her cheeks. She was more beautiful than ever. Her shining eyes brought me hope. I was recovering, I remembered who she was. And suddenly, the feeling of gratitude made sense. She¡¯d given my little sister a chance to have a caring mother. I could never forget that debt.

    ¡°But, why the treachery?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I needed to be sure,¡± Raiya answered. ¡°I didn¡¯t know whether your memory loss was self-induced or caused by Utar.¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s your verdict?¡±

    ¡°Self-induced.¡±

    ¡°Is it bad?¡±

    ¡°It could have been worse,¡± Raiya¡¯s smile didn¡¯t fade. It felt as though I finally reunited with an old friend. She did owe me her life. And she repaid the debt beautifully.

    ¡°Can I regain all of it?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, still smiling. That felt like a mountain¡¯s been lifted off my back.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Next week is the equinox. There will be a feast and mages, witches and wizards from all over Sayang will come to celebrate. We¡¯ll attempt recovering your memories then.¡±

    ¡°Why wait until the equinox?¡± My heart was still beating fast. Not as a result of the enchantment, but of excitement.

    ¡°If you attempt the process alone, it could kill you. If Sisha or I try to help you, we might kill you as well. Our energy signatures are different. You don¡¯t have enough to sustain a trip down memory lane, and I can¡¯t support you with my own.

    ¡°Our only choice is to go to a big gathering, where people with all kinds of energies will unite. You¡¯ll be able to tap into the energy in the air and make it your own. With that, you¡¯ll attempt to get all your memories back.¡±

    ¡°Attempt?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t go through the details with you now. You have a parasite that needs getting rid of.¡±

    ¡°What? Do you mean?¡± I glanced quickly at the trunk.

    ¡°It¡¯s only a theory, but we can¡¯t rule it out.¡±

    ¡°What do we do?¡±

    ¡°I need you to listen to me, and keep an open mind,¡± her smile had vanished. We were back to serious matters.

    I nodded.

    ¡°The Holi Wars aren¡¯t legends passed down through families. They¡¯re real, and they¡¯re not a make-a-wish fairy tale. They¡¯re worse, far worse than you could imagine. Going in there unprepared means eternal suffering. You don¡¯t die when you lose in the war. You reincarnate as lower tier beast, destined to be slayed by champions over and over.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow. All of this sounded Kasmuk to me. In other words, a language I couldn¡¯t understand. (Would you look at that I¡¯m remembering stuff now!) But I didn¡¯t interrupt. I kept my mouth shut and urged the warlock to keep talking.

    ¡°Each Cycle, the Eternal Moon is summoned for the Holi Wars. The Eternal Moon chooses its champion depending on the offering. If the summoner¡¯s offer isn¡¯t sufficient, the Eternal Moon takes his life and the life of his companions, as well as all their bloodline. However, if your offering is accepted¡­¡± Raiya bit on her lower lip. It wasn¡¯t the enchantment this time. That woman was a beauty beyond compare. ¡°¡­well you receive the Holus.¡±

    ¡°Holus?¡± I asked. I couldn¡¯t contain my curiosity.

    ¡°It¡¯s a source of power,¡± Raiya explained, albeit with an exasperated sigh. ¡°The one holding the Holus is considered a God walking among mortals.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not so bad,¡± I said. ¡°What¡¯s this got to do with the ghost?¡±

    ¡°I thought I said no interrupting.¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± How can I not interrupt while she keeps shooting bizarre concepts at me?

    ¡°The Holus, as I said, grants its holder godly powers. However, the fusion between the Holus and the summoner takes time, about four months. If the summoner dies before that, the Holus disappears forever. That¡¯s where other champions come into the picture. There is a way to get into the Holi Wars without summoning the Eternal Moon.¡±

    I arched my eyebrows questioningly. Raiya smiled, grateful that I didn¡¯t interrupt.

    ¡°Other champions are summoned to repel the Holus holder. Do that and you shall reap outstanding rewards, legendary armor and weaponry, celestial and divine spells, a sorcery Orb for storing pure Essence, the list goes on. But that¡¯s not all, if you beat the Holus holder you get to participate in the other Wars.¡±

    ¡°But there won¡¯t be another war until the next cycle,¡± I interrupted.

    ¡°That¡¯s the beauty of it. You get a chance at extending your lifespan. It¡¯s the lifelong struggle of humanity. How can one live forever?¡± Raiya waited for me to answer.

    ¡°You mean, there¡¯s a way to become an immortal?¡±

    ¡°The easiest method is to merge with the Holus. You¡¯ll become powerful and immortal. The other method is to survive three Wars in a row. You¡¯ll be granted a Holus and power beyond mortal limits.¡±

    That sounded nice and useful but, ¡°why wouldn¡¯t they just summon the Eternal moon and keep ahold of the Holus then? It¡¯s easier, as you said.¡±

    ¡°The summoner of the Eternal Moon is usually considered the Dark Lord. He, or she, would be unleashed upon the world, to finish it off with his or her newly acquired powers. Every apocalypse has a doom knight. The Holus is doom, the knight is the summoner. Let them merge and they¡¯ll bring the world to an end. Nobody wants to be the death bringer. It pays off to be a hero.¡±

    ¡°And if you survive three Wars?¡±

    ¡°The organizers gift you a Holus with pure energy. The one the summoner gets is filled with darkness. Be the hero and no one will come fight you for the well-deserved Holus.¡±

    ¡°Organizers?¡± I thought these things happened because of nature and fate. Who would organize such a barbaric war?

    ¡°They¡¯re deities,¡± Raiya answered. ¡°According to legend, each one of them had accumulated nine Holi, that¡¯s the plural of Holus. They¡¯d ascended to a different form of being. They don¡¯t need those puny cores containing energy. They need entertainment.¡±

    ¡°So they¡¯d set us off to fight each other?¡± How twisted can this get? People worship gods, thinking they were merciful. And here I am, hearing that they love watching us fight!

    ¡°Really, Myles?¡± Raiya raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯ve spent all your life fighting. You¡¯ve seen what happens in the Crucible. People love watching others fight. We¡¯re no different from them.¡±

    Damn she was right. But why was she telling me all this? I asked her and she explained.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that the ghost means to finish our world?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t speak for her, but it¡¯s the best theory I could come up with.¡±

    ¡°And you need me in order to speak to her.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Not only that, if she¡¯s truly willing to summon the Eternal Moon, then it means she¡¯s linked to you somehow.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel docile?¡± Riaya asked. ¡°The others are sitting here restless, while you spend your time reading and sipping tea.¡±

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± I didn¡¯t feel like going out, that¡¯s true. But that was only because I chose to. Nobody influenced me to do it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go out,¡± Raiya said then stood up. ¡°Look, we¡¯re in a different continent, the Church can¡¯t get to you. Let¡¯s go to town and have a drink. You¡¯ll enjoy it.¡±

    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m fine.¡± I answered. The town sure sounds nice. But I have everything I need here. I have my books and food. Why bother going out?

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s just go for a walk around the house. We won¡¯t go far. There are some beautiful flowers I wanted to show you.¡± Raiya wasn¡¯t going to let this go. I felt anger building up. Why wouldn¡¯t she leave me alone? I said I was fine.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just bring them to me?¡± I asked.

    ¡°If I picked them, they¡¯d wither and die immediately. Come,¡± she extended her hand toward me. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    The hand of the woman I admired a few minutes ago became the source of my anguish. ¡°No, really, I¡¯d rather stay here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Raiya insisted. Her hand was still outstretched. ¡°I¡¯ll be here with you, besides, Sisha will join us.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know why I did it, but I slapped her hand away. I hit it so hard I felt my palm hit the bone underneath the flesh. I heard a mental hiss in my mind and felt lost, dizzy, angry, enraged.

    ¡°LEAVE ME ALONE!¡± I heard myself shout. But the voice I heard wasn¡¯t mine, it was a mix between a man and a woman¡¯s, deep and angry, really angry!

    ¡°Sopor!¡± Raiya shouted as she pointed her hand, the one I hit, at me. My head suddenly felt heavier and my eyelids closed without my consent.

 58 - Exorcism, Overwhelming Feelings and Memoriesâ€¦

    ¡°Why would she fear you?¡±

    I was lying in bed, in shackles. Raiya was standing over me. She gave me her brightest smile although I could sense she was worried. She didn¡¯t blame me for what happened yesterday. But she told me that her cat demon, Sisha, didn¡¯t like me anymore.

    I didn¡¯t only slap her hand away, but I almost damaged her Essence Conduits. Sisha didn¡¯t like that. He took it as direct provocation. I didn¡¯t like the situation either. I wasn¡¯t in command of my own body.

    ¡°She fears me because I can get her out of you,¡± Raiya explained. ¡°I can draw her out, get the answers we need.¡±

    ¡°You want to make sure she¡¯s the doom knight, don¡¯t you?¡± I also wanted to know. I was in danger. The ghost intended to possess my body then use it to summon the Eternal Moon. If Raiya didn¡¯t show up, I don¡¯t know what would become of me.

    ¡°There¡¯s also the matter of the possession. An exorcism is in order.¡± Upon hearing that, the rage inside of me exploded once more. I fought to break the shackles that bound me to bed. I felt my body convulsing. I was jumping up and down, muttering all sorts of swears and threats. My voice was hoarse, as was my throat when I awoke several hours later.

    ¡°What should I do?¡±

    It was dark. Raiya had cast a sleeping spell on me again. I¡¯d slept for over seven hours! I felt weak, exhausted although I didn¡¯t make any effort.

    ¡°She¡¯s draining your life force Myles.¡± Raiya could no longer conceal her worry. ¡°I had Sisha take a look at you while you slept.¡±

    ¡°What does he say?¡±

    ¡°Drink this,¡± she said as she handed me a phial. My nostrils flared as I brought the thing closer to my lips. My eyes stung. Whatever it was, it was strong enough to cause such a reaction. Raiya wasn¡¯t as patient as I was. I was sniffing the phial and attempting to summon the courage to drink it. She shoved the phial down my throat and forced me to swallow.

    ¡°There, you should feel a slight tingling by your spine.¡±

    I felt it alright. It was rather invigorating. My eyes widened and I felt my body get warmer. Raiya smiled again. There was no concealed worry behind it.

    ¡°What was that?¡± I asked. My muscles weren¡¯t sore anymore. I started feeling my legs, and my head felt lighter.

    ¡°I temporarily suspended the link between you and the ghost,¡± Raiya answered. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Sisha, you¡¯d be gone now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll remember to thank him when I see him,¡± I said. That cat demon had his uses after all. ¡°But how did she manage to possess me?¡±

    ¡°She entrusted her life to you and you accepted, out of chivalry I guess. That¡¯s a bond no witch, warlock or sorcerer can break.¡± Raiya sighed. ¡°Where are the Priests when you need them?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there something I can do?¡± I asked. We couldn¡¯t ask the Priests for help of course. They were the next big threat to my life, after the ghost.

    Raiya¡¯s worry showed on her face again. She bit on her lower lip. The twinkling lights in her eyes had disappeared. She looked outright downcast. ¡°You¡¯ll have to hand her to me, willingly.¡±

    ¡°How am I supposed to achieve that?¡± I asked. ¡°Just say the word?¡± That was wishful thinking and I knew it.

    ¡°If only it were that simple,¡± Raiya said. ¡°You¡¯ll have to say the word, yes, but you¡¯ll have to do it while the link between your two souls isn¡¯t suspended.¡±

    ¡°This means that I¡¯ll have to fight her for it,¡± I said.

    ¡°At this point, both your souls are struggling to keep hold of the body. Hers is strong, fueled by anger. She must have something she wants. She couldn¡¯t have survived this long without a body otherwise.

    ¡°She¡¯s good at what she¡¯s doing as well. If I didn¡¯t realize something was amiss, you would be completely assimilated.¡±

    ¡°I feel fine.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s thanks to the potion I gave you. Once the effect wears off, you¡¯ll be on your own against her.¡± Something about the way she said those last words didn¡¯t bode well with me. I didn¡¯t see her frown this way before. Not even when she wrenched me out of Utar¡¯s grip. ¡°She¡¯s stronger than you, and there¡¯s little I can do to help Myles.¡±

    That doesn¡¯t sound good, not good at all. It¡¯s as if bad decided to get worse. And along the way, bad made a mistake which made worse mutate into a form of catastrophe¡­ I don¡¯t even know how I¡¯m supposed to fight. I voiced my concern.

    ¡°What do you remember of me now?¡± Raiya asked.

    How will that help?

    ¡°I think I remember everything,¡± I answered. ¡°From the day I took you to that island to the day you helped my mother get on her feet. Then I¡­¡± more memories came flooding in.

    ¡°Darya!¡± I suddenly yelled then tried to get up. The shackles kept me pinned to bed though. I was still a danger to myself and everyone else then¡­

    ¡°What about Darya?¡± the warlock urged me to keep talking.

    ¡°I killed the man who¡­¡± I remembered it now as if it were yesterday. My older sister worked in a tavern. She was a beautiful young girl of eighteen at the time. The tavern, up in the Commercial District, was always full. Sam (that bastard!) always teased that the tavern was full thanks to Darya¡¯s presence. She was cornered in the slums one night and taken advantage of. It was the same night Sam and I sailed with Raiya to that island.

    When I came back, I couldn¡¯t contain my rage upon hearing the news. I killed the man who cornered her. As it turned out, he was a noble. I was sent to the mines, to work until my body couldn¡¯t take it any longer. That was why I never learned magic. Raiya had to leave Kozag after that and I never saw her again.

    Raiya looked at me approvingly. ¡°Use that memory,¡± she said. ¡°Remember your sisters, and your sick mother. Don¡¯t let go of that thought. Burn it in your brain, engrave it in your bones. That¡¯s the only way for you to get rid of the parasite that is taking over.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Now then,¡± Raiya caressed my forehead. Was that pity I saw on her face? She carefully avoided the scars on the left side of my face. ¡°I¡¯ll put you asleep again. When you get up, you¡¯ll be in my private quarters downstairs. I prepared a ritual for the exorcism. I¡¯ll explain everything then.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°You know something about me,¡± I said before she cast that sleeping spell. ¡°You know something and you chose to hide it from me.¡±

    ¡°Do you trust me?¡±

    I didn¡¯t know how to answer that. ¡°More than I trust the others in this house,¡± I finally said.

    ¡°Then do as I say, and fight! Sopor!¡± I felt drowsy again then fell asleep.

    ***

    The lower level was dark. Only small crystals hung on the walls of the long, arched corridors. The faint light emitted by the crystals didn¡¯t help illuminate the windowless halls. That level was the complete opposite of the ones above it.

    I tried to move and only heard metallic clings. I looked around and found out that I was tied to a stretcher. I was floating in the air, my body completely covered in chains tightened around me.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± I heard Raiya speak. She was walking. I could tell from the sound of her heels hitting the wooden floor. ¡°Don¡¯t struggle, speak or think of anything. You¡¯ll wake her. We¡¯re not there yet.¡±

    Easy for you to say!

    The moment you asked me not to do any of those, the only thing I could think of is doing them. Now I have an itch I can¡¯t scratch. Now I have the urge to stand up and relieve myself. Now I¡¯m thinking about my ordeal and how to deal with it. How am I supposed to not think of all this? I started to panic. My breathing got ragged and my eye darted in all directions.

    Raiya noticed this and asked me to focus on the surroundings. What was there to focus on but dim lights and dark corridors? I felt as though I was led to a dark prison cell in a forgotten dungeon.

    Raiya led me through yet another dark corridor then into a room, filled with a panoply of taxidermy, animals and demonic creatures. There was even a baby unicorn and a winged snake!

    So that was the submerged part of the iceberg!

    Just what kind of experiments did the warlock conduct in these lower levels?

    I waved the question away. Now wasn¡¯t the time to think about this. Raiya stopped before a creature that looked like an oversized rhinoceros. Since they were large creatures to begin with, imagine what this one looked like! She pulled on something and I heard a click. The wall behind the animal rumbled, revealing a secret door. We took some stairs that led us even further down.

    As we descended the stairs, my ears picked up another noise, some faint breathing and muffled footsteps.

    We were now standing in a brightly lit room. The sudden change in lighting almost blinded me. Sisha was already waiting for us, walking around the room in all fours. So that was the source of the additional noise¡­

    How did he get in there? There must be some other entrance to allow him, unless he could teleport as well¡­

    I had something else to worry about though. The bones in the trunk (it was floating beside me, I¡¯d only realized that) had finally found a way to jump out and scatter on the floor. Spine discs rolled off the ground, trying to leave the room. But the door slammed shut and I heard, somewhere inside my head, a bone-chilling hiss. Raiya explained later that it was Sisha¡¯s laughter.

    The cat-dog hybrid jumped at the bones and started playing with them, kicking them around. He looked like a cat playing with cotton balls, biting, scratching and kicking.

    ¡°Leave it to him, he¡¯ll get them to obey,¡± Raiya called for me from the other end of the room.

    The place resembled a prison cell. I saw metallic bars at the ceiling and followed them with my eye. They surrounded the place. I suddenly felt claustrophobic.

    I hated prisons!

    The room was big enough to accommodate the cat demon though, who was a ten foot tall monster. Sisha had to walk on fours, but that didn¡¯t seem to bother him. He was still rolling on the ground, playing with the bones that tried to escape. In the middle of the room, Raiya drew a pentagram then placed some leaves on every point of the star.

    Sisha was done playing with the bones and was kicking them to the center of the pentagram. As soon as all of them were gathered, Raiya willed a fire and ignited the leaves at once. A bright blue flame ensued while the bright crystals that illuminated the room suddenly extinguished.

    A shrill scream filled the room. Sisha curled in front of the pentagram and observed the bones with his oblong eyes. ¡°She¡¯s coming out,¡± he announced to us. I don¡¯t think I can ever get used to this type of communication. It doesn¡¯t feel the same as speaking actual words. It feels like you get the gist of an idea, that your own brain translates into words.

    I felt her coming back, trying to gain control. Raiya pushed me inside the pentagram as well. She released the chains that bound me and I stood up. The stretcher floated back besides the warlock. I was standing there, feeling my arms and legs with my hands, massaging them. The chains had squeezed the juice out of my bones¡­

    ¡°Good luck,¡± Raiya said. ¡°Push her to her bones. Take control of your body and banish her. Sisha and I will take care of the rest.¡±

    ¡°MURDERER!¡± I suddenly yelled. My voice was again hoarse and distorted.

    ¡°Oooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!¡± I was screaming at the top of my lungs. I was trying to say something but the words didn¡¯t come out. My brain felt disoriented. Too many words, in languages I knew and others I didn¡¯t, tried to come out at once. I felt dizzy, didn¡¯t know what to say. So the only thing that came out was another ¡°AAAAAAAAAARGH!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARHG!!¡±

    I was pulling on my hair. Somewhere in the distance, I heard Raiya call out to me. She was telling me something I couldn¡¯t hear. I tried to focus on her, but my mind was in shambles.

    What I experienced next was difficult to explain in words. It¡¯s like experiencing an emotion. We give it words to describe the intensity, but we never come close to describing how it really feels. So here goes, me trying to tell you how it felt to battle a ghost who was close to completely possessing my body.

    Firstly, I wasn¡¯t in control. It felt like observing my body from above. Only, I wasn¡¯t above. I was still inside actually, but I had the feeling that I was detached from my own body. I saw, or rather felt, my arms and legs twitch. But I didn¡¯t order them to do so. I felt thoughts, obscure and morbid, invade my mind. All I could think of was to kill.

    I wanted to kill everyone on sight. I needed to kill them, to quell this rage inside. They¡¯ve all wronged me, those puny, stupid, simple-minded humans! They deserve to die. They deserve to be exterminated. I tried standing up. It was time for me to start killing. I couldn¡¯t wait until the end of the year.

    I¡¯ve waited long enough! I heard myself say. Or was it me? What was happening?

    I tried to move but couldn¡¯t. Damn this weak body! Who¡¯d choose to possess a body of a loser, if they weren¡¯t desperate? It didn¡¯t matter. As soon as I complete the possession, I¡¯ll change it to fit my desires. After all, I could shape-shift.

    That warlock seems like a good target. But her cat demon is strong. I need to assimilate more. I¡¯ll devour those ladies too, consume their life force.

    Yeeeeeees, that¡¯s good. Oh yes! Then I¡¯ll go on a rampage. Devour everything! KILL THEM ALL!

    I had to go south, beyond the desert. Hmmm¡­ maybe I¡¯ll stop by Yanoku, pay them a visit. Wait, why would I do that? I want to kill, not visit. And what¡¯s with this sudden sadness?

    Why am I feeling this?

    Where¡¯s my rage?

    Who am I?

    Shit, this is getting trickier!

    Be gone!

    Your foul stench is poisoning this new body of mine. I¡¯ll kill everyone in that city of yours. I¡¯ll find your family, this Darya and Lyanna you keep thinking of. I¡¯ll cut off their heads and hang them on a banner. Their heads will fly behind me, a warning to any who dares challenging me!

    That should do it! How about it huh?!

    NO!

    I was fighting back. I was in control again.

    I won¡¯t let you lay a finger on them! Not under my watch!

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you control me! Get out! GET OUT!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just thinking that boy! You have to say the word, remember?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll say the word. Just you watch!¡±

    ¡°Go ahead, say it. SAY IT! Show me what you¡¯ve got boy!¡±

    I tried speaking. My mouth felt as though it didn¡¯t want to obey. My muscles weren¡¯t mine anymore. I tried. I willed my jaws to move. I willed my lips to come together. I willed my tongue to roll and help me articulate¡­ but nothing. All I could hear were screams of agony.

    ¡°You¡¯re almost there boy.¡± That was Sisha. I could feel him invade my mind. I tried pushing him out. ¡°Don¡¯t struggle or you¡¯ll lose your mind. I¡¯m trying to help here.¡±

    ¡°BEGONE DEMON!¡±

    ¡°Myles!¡± It was Raiya this time. ¡°Fight her! You¡¯re almost there. We¡¯ll provide you with some-¡°

    A bone chilling scream pierced my dull ears. I opened my eyes for a split second to see, to my horror, what caused the scream. Zoey stood behind Raiya. The warlock was bleeding. Zoey had stabbed her with a dagger. Her large front teeth showed as she gave me her version of a triumphant smile. How did she get here? Was she following us?

    Shit! That was the noise I heard before. Demons, especially the feline kind, muffle their footsteps. I couldn¡¯t have heard him walk or breathe¡­

    What does she think she¡¯s doing?

    ¡°No!¡± I heard Raiya shout to Sisha before I started screaming as well. I lost control again. I felt her take over. Was it my imagination? Or was she getting stronger?

    ¡°Don¡¯t let your mind wander off boy! You¡¯re mine now!¡±

 59 - Evangelica Grant

    The ghost wasn¡¯t only getting stronger, but I was also getting weaker. My body wouldn¡¯t respond to my commands anymore. My thoughts were in shambles. At this point, I didn¡¯t know whether it was me or the ghost shouting. Raiya was lying on the ground. Sisha had done something to incapacitate Zoey. She was floating near the ceiling, rotating as if gravity had no hold over her anymore.

    Raiya was reciting some incantation I couldn¡¯t hear. It felt as though I was swimming in a tank, helplessly drowning and observing the world around me. I couldn¡¯t hear what was happening outside. I could only struggle to stay conscious.

    ¡°Possession was easy,¡± the woman¡¯s voice told me. I could hear her clearly. She sounded like my inner voice. ¡°It¡¯s time to move to the next step. I¡¯ll assimilate your soul and make you mine. There¡¯s no need to fight. I¡¯ve seen your memories. You¡¯ve suffered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time you let someone stronger fight in your stead? I¡¯ll kill Utar. I¡¯ll make him suffer a thousand deaths. Just relax, it won¡¯t take long. It¡¯s easier this way.¡±

    The idea of giving up was appealing, I wouldn¡¯t lie. The words she spoke rang true. Utar was so far my biggest nemesis, the nightmare I could never get rid of. He haunted my nights and my waking hours. If she could beat him, and a part of me told me she could, I¡¯d die happily.

    ¡°Just relax,¡± she told me again. ¡°Recall your happiest memory, picture it, live it. It will all be over in a flash. You won¡¯t feel a thing.¡±

    I obeyed.

    I chased the thought of Utar away, the memories of the Crucible and the smith. I focused on the woman I loved, the one who changed my world, for better and worse. I saw her smile at me. I saw her caress my forehead as I lay in bed, feverish.

    My eyes felt heavy and I closed them. It was nice to feel her warm touch again. I let myself get carried away. This was definitely the happiest day of my life. The woman I thought hated me, was taking care of me now. My body ached in several places but I didn¡¯t care, for she was here for me. She decided to stay!

    I remember that day. It was after the battle for Izhor, a city at the border of the Akari Kingdom.

    The battle went without a hitch. Our plan worked and we took the city easily, too easily. We were ambushed on our way back to the commander¡¯s quarters. A boulder fell over our heads and killed twenty of my comrades. I escaped but fell down a cliff. The fall almost killed me, but I was retrieved by the scouts sent by the commander.

    I opened my eyes to look at her again. They say that eyes can speak a thousand words. I wanted to speak to her, tell her how grateful I was for her companionship. What I saw however was a young man. His face was smeared in blood. His blue eyes were opaque, dead. He looked at me and I felt a cold chill take over my entire being.

    The young boy¡¯s brown, ruffled hair was drenched in blood too.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked.

    ¡°What does it look like I¡¯m doing? I¡¯m dying!¡±

    ¡°Get up!¡±

    ¡°Leave me alone. I¡¯m comfortable the way I am, thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°Get up!¡±

    ¡°I said LEAVE ME ALONE!¡±

    ¡°We cannot let her take us!¡± voices, hundreds of them, said in a chorus. ¡°You still have to avenge us. We fought for you. We died for you Stalwart!¡±

    ¡°GET UP!¡± the young boy screamed.

    Why did they want me to fight?

    I liked it here. I could see her again. I only needed to picture her clearly, remember her name. She¡¯ll come to me and we¡¯ll be together at last, forever.

    ¡°Get up!¡± I heard her voice now. She stood near my motionless body. I was lying on my back, in darkness, in an endless void. ¡°Get up you bastard! Don¡¯t you dare leave me here to rot!¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ll die here and join you at last.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s taking us away,¡± the voices said again. There were fewer of them.

    I looked around. I saw their faces and remembered my men. Many were missing. The others were slowly vanishing.

    ¡°Get up!¡± the bloody boy told me again. ¡°Where¡¯s your anger? Where¡¯s your rage?¡±

    Who was he? I squinted at him. I felt I¡¯d seen him before.

    ¡°Get up, my stars! Fight for us, you swore to avenge us!¡± It was her again. I looked at her, then at the young boy. She had a nasty wound in her belly. Her beautiful face was cut in different places.

    ¡°Get up and FIGHT!¡± the boy ordered. I remember him now. That was me, an angry, desperate version of myself.

    ¡°Why did I want to fight? Please help me remember.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± answered the choir whose number kept decreasing. ¡°Avenge us Stalwart. Don¡¯t let her take us. We don¡¯t want to be forgotten.¡±

    ¡°Then help me remember!¡± I screamed at them.

    ¡°Oi, boy,¡± the ghost¡¯s voice reached me again. ¡°I thought I told you to relax!¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked her. ¡°Who are you? Why do you want my memories?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want them,¡± she answered. ¡°I need to assimilate you. I can¡¯t have you fight back. I¡¯ll make you part of my soul. I¡¯ve taken your body. It¡¯s time I took your soul. And for that, I need to erase all your memories.¡±

    Oh hell no! You¡¯re not taking them away!

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you!¡± I told her. My voice rang in the empty void I found myself standing in.

    ¡°Oh?¡± the woman said then materialized in front of me. She looked like a teenager. She couldn¡¯t be older than twenty. She had short black hair and a fierce look in her eyes. ¡°What will you do about it?¡±

    ¡°Probe her,¡± the younger version of me said. ¡°Dig deep into her past, as she¡¯s doing to yours now.¡±

    To this, the woman only laughed. Her voice echoed in the void. She looked at me and I could sense the fury in her voice. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do now, Myles Stalwart. You¡¯ve put up a good fight, but it¡¯s over now. You¡¯re almost mine now.¡±

    ¡°How do I probe her?¡± I asked myself.

    ¡°You share a common enemy, and a common tormentor. Start with that!¡± I answered.

    ¡°Hah!¡± the ghost scoffed. ¡°You don¡¯t even know my name! How will you manage that?¡±

    ¡°Evangelica Grant,¡± the younger version of me said. ¡°Your subconscious didn¡¯t let her take over without a fight! I wouldn¡¯t let her!¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    The young woman¡¯s eyes widened. The rage and determination on her face were replaced by fear and doubt. Her eyes narrowed as she got closer to me.

    ¡°How did you find out?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Do it,¡± young me urged. ¡°Concentrate on that name. Subdue her.¡±

    ¡°Be-quiet-and-disappear-from-my-sight!¡± the woman said. She had flung her arms forward and strangled young me. I saw my ghost from the past vanish as she absorbed him into her own body.

    We were in the void inside my consciousness. The knowledge suddenly came flooding to me. I remembered the rage and the desperation. I remembered the injustice I suffered and witnessed. Then I knew what to do.

    I jumped at the woman and attempted to strangle her. She slapped my arms away and jumped backwards. ¡°Maybe you can fight back,¡± she said, grinning. ¡°But can you keep up?¡±

    She turned around and flew away. I was left in the void. I tried to follow. I ran after her but she was faster. I ran as fast as I could. For every step I took, she widened the distance between us by double, sometimes even triple. I tried to fly, but my body felt heavy. I was indeed getting weaker, and she was getting stronger, much stronger.

    I tried to remember, but what was there to remember? Who was I? Why did I want to fight back? Who was I going to fight back? I felt lost. This place was too dark, too cold. My legs wouldn¡¯t carry me anymore. I fell to my knees. My eyelids suddenly grew heavy¡­

    Cold¡­ too cold¡­ maybe I¡¯d just close my eyes for a while. All will be good after I take a rest. I didn¡¯t need to sleep, a short nap will do.

    My eyelids closed.

    Darkness again, I wanted to escape the void, not stay in it. Why can¡¯t I just die in peace? Would you please let me go?

    ¡°No.¡±

    My eyes sprung open. The strangest animal stood before me. It was looking at me with its crimson eyes. I saw its tails, three of them, bobbing left and right. It blinked, turned tail then started walking away.

    ¡°Wait,¡± I called for it. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    The strange fox turned to look at me again. Then it walked away. I willed my legs to move and followed.

    ¡°Where are you going? What do you want from me?¡±

    The fox didn¡¯t seem to care. It just kept leaping, left and right, as it advanced.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing but darkness here!¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere to go!¡±

    The fox kept going. I hated being ignored. I followed, this time trotting, the fox had picked up its pace. Darkness surrounded us, silence haunted us. We walked and walked for what seemed like an eternity. The fox kept ignoring my calls.

    I had stopped twice to lie down and sleep. But the cheeky fox came and scratched my back, rather painfully, and ran away. I chased after it. Every time I got closer, the stupid animal leapt then landed a hundred feet away. I had no choice but advance. I couldn¡¯t sleep, stop, or turn back. The white fox wouldn¡¯t let me.

    How long must I keep going? How long must I suffer this cheeky bastard¡¯s taunts?

    I was about to give up once more but a light in the distance caught my attention. The fox was running toward it this time. It stopped to look at me then ran again for the light.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I heard a woman¡¯s voice echo through the void.

    I ran after the fox.

    ¡°Stop!¡± the woman ordered.

    I ran faster.

    ¡°Stop it! You won¡¯t find anything there!¡±

    I willed my legs to move faster, to break their limits. My heart was racing. My mind became clearer.

    ¡°Stop!¡± the woman yelled. ¡°Don¡¯t go there!¡±

    Why? There¡¯s nothing to find there, is there? I begged my legs to support me, to run even though they didn¡¯t feel like it. The fox had disappeared inside the light. I had to reach it too. I could see it getting closer, growing in size.

    Then I heard a sigh. ¡°So be it,¡± the woman said.

    With a pop, I saw her appear behind me, floating in the void. I looked back at the light. It wasn¡¯t far now. All I had to do was outrun her. She couldn¡¯t catch me.

    She mustn¡¯t catch me!

    I ran faster, and she flew toward me. She was getting closer. At this rate, I wouldn¡¯t be able to reach the light. I begged my legs to break their limit. I asked my lungs to give us more air.

    ¡°There¡¯s no air here stupid!¡± a young girl told me.

    ¡°Lyanna?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve always wanted to fly brother.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t have wings,¡± I complained.

    ¡°Neither does she,¡± Lyanna said.

    I turned back and saw the woman. Her arms were outstretched. She was getting real close. I could feel her fingers scrape against my hair.

    ¡°Fly brother,¡± Lyanna urged me.

    I kicked the surface beneath me. Then I realized that I wasn¡¯t standing on any surface to begin with. I was in the void, where no law applied. I flew upward and avoided the woman¡¯s clutches. She flew past me and almost got swallowed by the light. I could see that she did everything in her power to avoid it.

    ¡°Now go,¡± Lyanna urged. ¡°Embrace the light. Banish the she-devil, and avenge us!¡±

    The woman managed to avoid the light and was flying back at me.

    ¡°Remember her name!¡± Lyanna urged.

    I looked at the light and at the woman flying toward me. Her name slowly formed in my head. It sounded like angel, no, Eve.

    She was getting closer.

    Eva, it started with Eva. ¡°Evangelica!¡± I yelled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare speak my name!¡± the woman yelled back. Her voice was hoarse and quite metallic.

    I remembered hearing that voice. Then I realized she was the one trying to assimilate my soul into hers. ¡°Evangelica Grant!¡± I said once more.

    The light expanded and the woman had no choice but to soar higher to avoid it. I felt warmth engulf me. My eyes opened and I took a deep breath.

    I was back.

    I¡¯d won!

    ¡®Say the word!¡¯ a voice whispered inside my head.

    ¡°GET OUT!¡± I screamed. But instead of my usual voice, I heard a high pitched one. I had a woman¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Your grace?¡± a man asked.

    What? Where was I?

    I looked down. I was wearing an elegant black gown. My hands were smaller than I remembered them to be. There was something peculiar about my field of vision. Wait a minute, I know what was wrong. I closed my right eye.

    I could still see the world around me¡­

    I was sitting in front of a mahogany desk. A pile of papers stood tall, hiding the man who¡¯d just spoken to me. I picked up a document with my small hands and inspected it. The name Arkadia was written across the top of the paper.

    ¡°Your grace,¡± the man spoke again. He stood and I could finally see his face. His white short hair and gray beard suggested his age. He was wearing a golden vest underneath a long, crimson overcoat. The collar of his shirt was higher than I liked it to be, but that was the way of nobility in Arkadia.

    ¡°Leave me,¡± I said. I couldn¡¯t get used to the voice that came out.

    ¡°As you command,¡± the man said, a thin crease between his eyebrows. ¡°But we need the signed document.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± I barked. I picked up a pen, signed the damn paper and put my seal on it. When I handed him the document, the man smiled, bowed low then left.

    I was left alone at last. I stood up and looked around. The room I was in was vast. There were multiple bookcases aligned against the wooden walls. The tapestry on the wall suggested it was of foreign origin. No silk of this quality was produced in Arkadia.

    How did I know all of this? And what is Arkadia?

    I walked toward a small cabinet and pulled the door open. I saw a carafe filled with a dark brown liquid. I poured some for me and opened another, smaller, cabinet. It was surprisingly cold inside and, the moment I opened it, a bright light illuminated it. My frail hands reached out and picked up some ice cubes that I put on the glass.

    I sipped from it, flinched. This was some strong shit! I took my glass and turned toward the large glass window in my study.

    This place was my study?

    Oh yes, of course it was! What¡¯s happening to me today? I guess those sleep-substitution pills don¡¯t work as well as the natural thing. I observed the city from the window. The view from up here was strikingly beautiful. I could see the capital from above. No other building in the city could come close to my estate. I was, after all, the empress of the greatest nation there was!

    My eyes caught my reflection off a the large window. I got closer to have better look at my face. Dark circles surrounded my eyes. I sighed, sleep deprivation wouldn¡¯t help anybody.

    Hold on a minute! I¡¯m a woman? Wasn¡¯t I supposed to be a man?

    Oh right, I was fighting back. She was taking over, assimilating, whatever that meant. Now I¡¯m in her memories I guess¡­

    ¡°Your grace!¡± a woman suddenly burst inside the room.

    ¡°Yes Vera?¡± I heard myself say.

    (I wasn¡¯t in control then. I was just an observer. Very well, let¡¯s observe who this Evangelica Grant is.)

    ¡°The council has called an urgent meeting,¡± Vera reported.

    ¡°What for?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re not invited,¡± Vera said. ¡°I have orders to keep you here. The council has provided the Agency sufficient evidence to prove you¡¯re a threat to our nation.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Please, your grace,¡± Vera pleaded. ¡°Don¡¯t make it harder than it already is. Sit tight, the meeting will be over and I¡¯ll personally provide you with the minutes.¡±

    ¡°I will not be ordered to stay in while my council conspires to overthrow me. I¡¯m not crazy, I just need to sleep.¡± It¡¯s true. Last week I snapped at the general assembly. I hadn¡¯t slept in over a week. I got into a heated argument with a senator. I lost it and punched the old man in the face. I broke the poor man¡¯s nose. Sleep deprivation is a dangerous thing.

    (I landed in a weird episode of her life!)

    I ran to the woman called Vera and seized her by the shoulders. ¡°Vera, don¡¯t let them manipulate you too.¡±

    ¡°Sit, your grace,¡± Vera urged. ¡°They can¡¯t prove anything unless they have sufficient evidence. They provided enough to keep you locked up here. Please, don¡¯t make this hard on me too.¡±

    ¡°No Vera,¡± I said. ¡°I must end this. Those senile old men like their seats. I urged them to retire two days ago. Leave their seats to a new generation, capable of leading this nation to further, better accomplishments. I will not ¨C ¡°

    My body suddenly felt numb. I couldn¡¯t move or speak. I could only think of the energy that burst through me, immobilizing me. It was painful, but I couldn¡¯t shout or react to it. It was overwhelming. My body vibrated as I muttered some muffled screams. Then the pain disappeared and I slumped down the ground.

    My last sight was of the rod Vera held. It crackled as blue bolts were emitted from it. I was electrocuted, subdued.

 60 - He Who Angers You Conquers You

    The city of light, Arkadia, was a technological marvel. Buildings scraped the sky and cars drove themselves. There were some that dared challenge the sky as well. I watched them soar, aligned in an orderly fashion, as I stood by the large window in my study. I didn¡¯t need such a big space to sign papers and give imperial orders.

    But this was all the space I was allowed. I was prisoner in my own building. I was prisoner in my own empire. Guards stood day and night by my door. Cameras, little magic eyes that worked using something called electricity, watched my every move.

    That night, I was watching the illuminated skyscrapers that adorned the capital. My people thrived because I allowed technology vulgarization. Arkadia, the city of light as many people called it, was my treasure, the culmination of my hard work. And today, I knew, I would rule no longer.

    What happened you ask?

    The Church happened. Dhobor and his followers polluted my people¡¯s minds. And to think I allowed them in while the entire council voted against them. You reap what you sow. But what have I sown? I only allowed my people to communicate with other cultures. We only grow stronger by learning from others. I never wanted this.

    The council ruled me unfit to govern our great nation today.

    I was to be led to an asylum for the mentally unstable. How ironic! The visionary ruler, the woman who stood above men, was manipulated. They played me like a fool and there was nothing I could do about it.

    I observed the flying cars, our best achievement to date. They were clean and environmentally friendly. If I had one regret that would be not seeing our new project come to life. One little orb to provide the whole capital with renewable energy. One little Orb to unite all the remaining independent states and end the war.

    The Church and their Pontiff provided us with the Orb. For all the good that made! It took us years to figure how it worked. And when we finally did, they obliterated my science division and manipulated the council to expel me.

    I was still watching the flying cars, smiling. I felt a tear trickle down my cheeks. Injustice, that¡¯s the beginning of corruption and the end of our dream. What would become of my people? What would ¨C

    The flying cars started dropping like flies. Explosions broke the silence of the night. Some skyscrapers took on fire. I stood there, frozen; as I watched the flames rise higher and higher. There were other explosions at the edge of town.

    That was our energy reactor!

    In case of catastrophic shutdown, the whole city would be reduced to rubble and ash.

    I willed my legs to move and ran to the door. I pounded at it, kicked and screamed. There was fire in the city. Something malfunctioned. I had to warn them, I had to get my people out. We still had time. We had an emergency evacuation protocol. We could get all citizens out of the city before ¨C

    Another explosion on the other side of the city.

    The Orb! That¡¯s the Orb research facility!

    The door to my study opened and I saw the Pontiff. My heart sank. His young apprentice was trailing behind. How I hated that smug smile he always wore to our meetings.

    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± I asked. I knew they were behind it all. What were they after?

    ¡°We came to ask you the very same thing,¡± the Pontiff said. I heard the clanking of armor and guards, armed to the brim, stood behind him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I said. ¡°Stop playing games with me Sullivan!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one playing games Evangelica,¡± he said. I swear I could see a hint of a smile, a slight movement of his pursed lips to the side. ¡°You gave the green light for the Orb launch. I warned you. The energy was unstable. And now you¡¯ve led us all to a terrible situation.¡±

    What¡¯s he talking about?

    ¡°I didn¡¯t order anything,¡± I told him. I took on my superior air. I¡¯ve trained long and hard to perfect this stance and, what I like to call, my imperial voice. ¡°I¡¯m no longer empress, remember?¡±

    ¡°You gave the order to launch the Orb before the council voted you out Evangelica.¡± The Pontiff this time smiled.

    There was something about his sharp incisors that made me fear that man. I was the empress; leader of the greatest nation there ever was or ever will be. Fear was part of the job, but it was methodic fear, the kind that helps you move forward, invent and overcome obstacles. But Sullivan¡¯s smile brought in a different kind of fear, the primal kind. The one you feel when you know something¡¯s watching you in the dark, and there¡¯s nothing you can do to counter it.

    ¡°Utar!¡± Sullivan called to his apprentice. How I loathed that slimy bastard! He had no talent to speak of, except maybe, the ability to stick up to his elders and gain their favor. ¡°Bring them here!¡±

    ¡°Your wish is my command, your Eminence,¡± Utar said with a low bow then disappeared.

    I stood my ground. My eyes fixing the Pontiff as we waited for whatever they¡¯d prepared for me this time around. I counted two dozen guards behind Sullivan. They were all my personal guard once. My eye met Vera¡¯s. She was the tallest and the strongest of them all. The look she gave me was that of despair. Her misty brown eyes quivered as she answered my stare and shook her head apologetically.

    I had a bad feeling about this. I heard footsteps echoing in the marble hall outside. Then the members of my council arrived, led by Utar and followed by Rimbaldi, the lead scientist of project Orb.

    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this Eva?¡± Vlad, the elder, asked.

    ¡°As I told the Pontiff here, I do not know what you¡¯re referring to Vlad.¡±

    ¡°What about this?¡± The elder showed me a document that bore my sigil and signature.

    My eyes darted through the lines. I read the imperial order as fast as I could, absorbing its content. I never signed for this. Who would order the release of all the unstable energy in the Orb? I¡¯m not as crazy as they think I ¨C

    It dawned on me. I looked up to see a shadow of a smile on Sullivan¡¯s face. Utar, who stood behind Rimbaldi, didn¡¯t try to conceal his smirk. My feet moved on their own. I had grabbed hold of Utar and bit hard on his neck. A coppery taste filled my mouth as the apprentice¡¯s screams filled the room. My hands curled into fists and I was beating, throwing them at the man who helped doom my own people.

    I felt strong hands pulling me away.

    ¡°Gerroff me, you crazy bitch!¡± Utar cried out. I¡¯d broken his nose. His neck was bleeding profusely. My heart leapt at the sight of his bloody face. I wished I could destroy more than the nose but the guards¡¯ grip on my arms was firm.Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°Your Eminence,¡± Vlad said. ¡°What do we do? The city¡¯s about to be blown to smithereens.¡±

    Your Eminence? You¡¯re following them now Vlad? Not too long ago, you rejected them fiercely, threatened to overthrow me if I allowed them in.

    ¡°Take her to the dungeons,¡± Sullivan said. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this.¡±

    The Pontiff turned on his heels and disappeared. It was the first time I¡¯d seen someone teleport. I didn¡¯t think it was possible. What have I allowed in my country?

    ¡°Take her,¡± Vlad ordered. ¡°I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d lose such a brilliant mind to madness.¡±

    The guards led me to the dungeons. Vera took the lead. I implored her to believe me. I didn¡¯t do it. I¡¯d never hurt my people. But the evidence was against me. I¡¯d signed the order. Everybody saw the document. When did that happen? I wondered as they dragged me downstairs. I was thrown in a small cell, the ones we kept for traitors.

    It was three feet high and three feet wide, just enough for a person to curl up in. It was the worst kind of cells, reserved to the worst kind of criminals. I curled up in a ball and cried. I don¡¯t remember crying as much as I did that day. But then again, I didn¡¯t know what Sullivan and his pet Utar had in store for me.

    I spent more time in that little cube than I thought I would. They threw food my way through a small gap, which closed immediately after. I didn¡¯t have a bucket in which I could relieve myself. I got used to the stink and the dampness of the windowless hole by now. All I was left with were my thoughts.

    Nobody came to visit me except Utar, and sometimes Pontiff Sullivan. They informed me that they¡¯d saved the capital, no thanks to me. I didn¡¯t know how much time had passed since that incident. They¡¯d fed me once a day. But I lost count after sixty. Utar had just visited me not too long ago, telling me the city was slowly recovering. My trial would soon take place.

    Trial¡­ Hah!

    I wished he¡¯d just leave me alone with my thoughts. I¡¯ve served this great nation for thirty years. I was the youngest empress to ever take the throne, and the first woman in a hundred years. For thirty years we¡¯ve worked tirelessly for one purpose, the betterment of humankind. We developed technologies only madmen would conceive of. Life expectancy had reached an all-time high. I was fifty years old, yet looked, and felt, like a twenty year young woman.

    I was revered and respected. Now look at me, a traitor! I was accused of genocide¡­ Genocide!  I couldn¡¯t figure out how the Church managed to falsify my signature. But then I remembered that day after the incident. I punched a senator, I was a nerve wrack. I hadn¡¯t slept for days. I signed a document I thought was intended to delay the launch of the Ord.

    Stupid! Stupid Eva!

    Stupid¡­Stupid¡­Stupid! I let my guard down in a pit full of vipers. I guess I deserved that.

    The door to my cube sprung open. I shielded my eyes from the blinding light. The guards shielded their noses from the nastiness I lived in now.

    ¡°Get up!¡± Vera ordered. ¡°It¡¯s bath time!¡±

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    ¡°Your trial¡¯s in an hour. You need to get ready.¡±

    Guards dragged me off. I smeared the floor with excrement as they pulled me along the prison corridors. I heard the other prisoners yell all sorts of insults at me.

    ¡°You reek!¡±

    ¡°Madwoman!¡±

    ¡°Take her head!¡±

    They all wanted me dead. I was the one who locked them up anyway. I understood their anger.

    They led me to the showers, sprayed and scrubbed the filth off of me. They gave me a blue jumpsuit, standard prison attire, then led me to an armored van. I was to be escorted to court. My legs, I realized, didn¡¯t obey me anymore. I stood before the van and its steely armored doors opened. I couldn¡¯t step in. It felt as though my legs were made of lead.

    I wanted to look proud, to march off to my death sentence without looking defeated. But my will faltered. I wasn¡¯t proud to die a traitor. I didn¡¯t want to die. My head bobbed forward and a sharp pain brought me back to reality. My knees hit the floor and I realized that I¡¯d been hit.

    ¡°Get on the damn van,¡± Vera ordered.

    I got up and obeyed. My trusted bodyguard had turned against me. I dragged my feet forward, and climbed the steps, into another cage. Vera sat on the opposite side. Two guards sat on either side of me. One of them hit the van and the vehicle started moving. I heard the sirens of the motorcycles escorting us.

    Vera looked at me, anger flashed in her brown eyes.

    ¡°Simo¡¯s dead,¡± she told me. ¡°You killed my child.¡±

    That felt like an old wound had just reopened. The child I welcomed into my office, took care of, and sometimes lectured. That innocent soul had been murdered in cold blood, and for what?

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it Vera,¡± I pleaded. I felt a warm liquid fall down my cheeks. My eyes stung and my vision became blurry.

    ¡°Save your lies for the court!¡± Vera snapped. ¡°People died Eva, too goddamn many!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t sign that order,¡± I said, my voice stuck to my throat. I did sign the order, I just didn¡¯t know what I was signing. How could I be this na?ve?

    I wanted to tell her, warn her about Utar and the Pontiff. But before I could open my mouth again, I saw Vera¡¯s closed fist approach my face. The vehicle spun and sparks ignited in front of my eyes.

    I¡¯d thought Vera had punched me. But the vehicle kept spinning. Vera fell on top of me as the guard to my right hit the ceiling. Or was it the ceiling? I couldn¡¯t tell anymore. I was bound to the spot, so I wasn¡¯t affected by the accident. When the commotion ended, I head the door open. I saw some hooded men. They moved quickly and decisively. They shot the guards and dragged me outside.

    I felt the warmth of blood on my forehead. I tasted it in my mouth.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± one of the hooded men shouted to his friends. I didn¡¯t know who they were and why they were attempting to break me out. I didn¡¯t know if I should be grateful or worried. They dragged me a few feet away from the van then helped me to my feet.

    ¡°Your grace, can you move?¡± one of them asked.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked. ¡°Why did you help me?¡±

    ¡°Your grace, we don¡¯t have much ¨C¡°

    The hooded man fell to the ground, motionless. Chaos ensued after that. Bullets flew in the air. I dropped to the ground, to avoid any strays that might end me, right after I¡¯d escaped. Wait, why did I want to escape? Where could I go anyway? The whole nation probably wanted me dead! And I probably deserved this fate¡­

    The shooting stopped. I opened my eyes and looked around. My saviors, all of them save for one, were dead.

    ¡°I got her!¡± the remaining one yelled. He pointed his gun at me. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± he warned. ¡°Twitch, and I shoot. Speak, and I shoot. If you as much as look at me the wrong way, I shoot! Understood?¡±

    I nodded.

    He shot me in the leg.

    ¡°I warned you!¡± he said then hit himself with the back of his gun. ¡°They won¡¯t object if I say you put up a fight. Now, don¡¯t fucking move!¡±

    That was it, injustice. The moment it starts is the moment our nation falls. I lay on the ground in agony until I heard footsteps approaching. More guards arrived, led by none other than Utar. He looked at me, bloody and in pain, then at the hooded man.

    ¡°She tried to escape,¡± he said.

    Utar nodded. He was smiling. The hooded man nodded.

    The guards aimed their weapons at the man but Utar ordered them to stand down. ¡°We knew they¡¯d try to help her escape,¡± he said.

    Who were they?

    ¡°He was our inside man.¡±

    Pontiff Sullivan arrived shortly after. He towered above me as I held my leg, trying to stop the bleeding. The Pontiff was accompanied by Vlad. They both looked at me gravely.

    ¡°Take her to Caesar Plaza,¡± Vlad ordered.

    ¡°No! Not there!¡± I begged. ¡°I¡¯m not a traitor Vlad. I didn¡¯t sign that order! It was him. It was Sullivan.¡±

    ¡°Tut tut tut¡­ mad until the very end, aren¡¯t you?¡± Vlad said. ¡°Take her! We¡¯ll call in for an extraordinary assembly!¡±

    Caesar Plaza, that¡¯s where all citizens gather to witness a traitor¡¯s execution, I didn¡¯t do it. Why wouldn''t anyone believe me? I clawed and bit them. I had to get away. I¡¯m not dying as a traitor. I had to clear my name. Pontiff Sullivan, Utar, I¡¯ll take your lives myself, I swear it.

    I swear it to all the gods, old and new. I¡¯ll slit your throats and feast on your beating hearts. I¡¯ll destroy this world you so dream of controlling. Why wouldn¡¯t anybody see their treachery? I devoted my life, sacrificed everything for this nation. I never married, never let mundane worries keep me from my duty.

    And for what?!

    To be executed as a traitor?!

    Oh hell no!

    I snapped. I wrenched myself from the guard¡¯s clenches and ran at Sullivan. The pain in my leg was excruciating, but I didn¡¯t care. I picked up a gun and fired. I emptied the magazine as I aimed at the Pontiff. I was a good shot. I trained as a sniper you see. But all my bullets missed. They hit Vlad, the man who¡¯d shot me before, and several other guards. Sullivan and Utar, on the other hand, were unharmed.

    I shot him again.

    ¡®Click!¡¯

    ¡®Click!¡¯

    ¡®Click, click, click, click, click!¡¯

    ¡°NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!¡± I screamed as the world around me melted away.

    ¡°NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!¡± I screamed again. That bastard! Sullivan was smiling! I saw him smile right before a rifle butted me in the head.

    I opened my eyes again. Raiya was standing over me.

    ¡°Say the words now Myles,¡± she urged.

    Feebly, slowly, my lips moved. I muttered the words and the ghost materialized in front of me. She was angry, desperate. She was crying. I knew it through the connection we shared. The link that was now breaking apart.

    ¡®Don¡¯t tell them my name!¡¯ she begged before her spirit was absorbed by her bones.

 61 - Bloodline

    Raiya looked weak. She¡¯d lost a fair amount of blood. Zoey was still floating in the air, unconscious. Sisha wanted to tear her limbs apart but the warlock stopped him. She wanted to know why the Sister had followed them and tried to kill her.

    ¡°How did you overcome her?¡± Raiya asked after I retrieved my strength.

    ¡°Honestly, I think I got lucky,¡± I answered.

    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing,¡± Raiya retorted. ¡°You can¡¯t beat assimilation out of sheer dumb luck.¡±

    I was about to say something when Raiya turned to look at her cat demon. From the expression she wore, Sisha must have delivered some bad news.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± she said, frowning at the cat. I wasn¡¯t included in their psionic conversation this time.

    Raiya swore. It was the first time I heard her mutter such heinous words. ¡°Tell him I¡¯m coming,¡± she told the cat then turned to me.

    The creases between her eyebrows got thicker. Her dilated pupils spoke of indecisiveness and¡­ fear? She bit on her lower lip, hesitated to say something, cleared her throat then spoke.

    ¡°Myles, did you happen to know who the ghost was?¡±

    I shook my head. I didn¡¯t know why I did it. Eva begged me not to tell them her name. But I was under no obligation to respect her wish. I did it nonetheless. Raiya didn¡¯t seem convinced by my lie though. She nodded at me anyway, looked nervously around then spoke again.

    ¡°I can¡¯t let him probe you,¡± she said. ¡°I can¡¯t put you in artificial sleep either, he¡¯d know it.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s he?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter now,¡± Raiya snapped. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Myles. I don¡¯t have much time.¡±

    I didn¡¯t have enough time to react either. The moment she muttered those words, Raiya swung her fist and hit me behind the ear. I fell down, my eyes slowly closing. As I drifted between consciousness and slumber, I heard her last words. ¡°If you wake up and he¡¯s still here, don¡¯t open your eyes. You hear me Myles? Don¡¯t open them, don¡¯t move, don¡¯t twitch. Lay still and let me do the rest¡­¡±

    I woke up later to the sound of a heated argument. I recognized the first voice as Raiya¡¯s. The second one belonged to a man. They were speaking fast and in hushed voices. I strained my ears to eavesdrop on them. I did as the warlock said. I didn¡¯t move, open my eyes or groan as a sharp pain seared through my brain. She¡¯d hit me pretty hard to knock me unconscious.

    ¡°You can¡¯t have him Theolonius,¡± Raiya said. ¡°Do you know who he is?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare take that tone with me woman!¡± the man warned. ¡°He¡¯s a nobody, he happened to be possessed by a strong soul. A soul we desperately need.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t even know who she was,¡± Raiya retorted.

    ¡°She¡¯s managed to escape the Well long enough. That should tell you how strong she is,¡± the man said.

    ¡°But what if we¡¯re wrong?¡± the warlock asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s a problem we can easily solve,¡± the man said. ¡°I¡¯ll probe him and get the information out of him.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll die in the process,¡± Raiya said.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, he¡¯ll just be another soul sacrificed for the greater good.¡±

    ¡°Theo,¡± Raiya said. I could tell she was close to begging the man from her wavering voice. ¡°This boy is wanted by the Church. I barely wrenched him off Utar¡¯s clutches.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve grown weak Raiya!¡± the man retorted. ¡°Are you telling me you struggled to take out a simple Priest?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Raiya retorted. That must have hurt her feelings since her voice was louder this time. ¡°But the simple Priest, as you put it, told me the crime this boy is accused of.¡±

    ¡°Pray tell me,¡± the man said, ¡°of what heinous crime was he accused of? I¡¯m sure he stole a goat from a farmer or gave an offering to some pagan god Dhobor doesn¡¯t approve of.¡±

    ¡°He stole a Listener from Dhobor,¡± Raiya said.

    Silence¡­

    A long, uncomfortable and awkward silence ensued. The man didn¡¯t speak. I could hear their breathing. I could even hear their hearts beating. I suddenly felt I could slightly picture them in front of me. Although faintly, a mental image of man and woman standing opposite each other formed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Eva told me. It was definitely her voice. Was she still inside me?

    ¡°Don¡¯t extend your senses toward them,¡± she warned. ¡°We¡¯ll speak later, but lie still for now and don¡¯t try to see what he looks like. He¡¯ll know you¡¯re awake.¡±

    I tried to reply but I felt a slight nudge in my brain. ¡°You¡¯ve inherited some of my powers after our struggle. I¡¯m not inside you anymore. We¡¯ll speak later. Now shut it down before he senses it.¡±

    I tried to think of something else.

    ¡°I think I felt something,¡± the man suddenly said, breaking the silence. ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s still unconscious?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t risk probing him. That¡¯ll kill him and we won¡¯t be able to turn him over to the Church,¡± Raiya said.

    What? Turn me over?

    ¡°How much time do you need?¡± the man asked.

    ¡°He might snap out of it today or, if worse comes to worst, in two days. If she didn¡¯t assimilate him, I¡¯ll be able to get a name out of him. I¡¯ve earned his trust.¡±

    ¡°How much time?¡± the man urged.

    ¡°A week,¡± Raiya said.

    ¡°You have four days,¡± the man said. I heard footsteps approaching me. He was now standing in front of me. I could feel his eyes trained on me. I was tempted to open them, look at the man who wanted to turn me over to the Church. But a feeling of foreboding kept me from doing so.

    ¡°No matter what you do, I forbid you to let that ghost assimilate him. Sullivan is one thing, but suffering the wrath of the entire Church for a mere boy isn¡¯t worth the trouble, not before the Holi Wars.¡±

    Raiya didn¡¯t answer.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°Do you know this boy?¡± the man suddenly asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve helped him long ago,¡± Raiya answered. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to him that I got my hands on Archmage Grunwald¡¯s grimoire.¡±

    ¡°The blessed boy,¡± the man mused. ¡°I see why you¡¯re attached to him.¡±

    Raiya didn¡¯t answer.

    ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± the man asked.

    ¡°Zedd Darkstar,¡± Raiya answered. Why would she lie about my name?

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ This boy is indeed strange. He might have absorbed some of the Listener¡¯s powers,¡± the man said. It suddenly grew warm near my face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch him,¡± Raiya blurted out.

    ¡°Afraid I¡¯d steal him from you? Time witch?¡± the man mockingly asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t go by that name anymore,¡± Raiya protested.

    ¡°Right,¡± the man answered. ¡°Apologies, Sisha,¡± he was speaking the demon cat now. ¡°Anyway, get me the ghost, and her bones,¡± the man spoke again. His tone had reverted to formality. ¡°You can have the boy if you wish. But get this thing over with. I don¡¯t want her in your hands longer than need be. Sullivan might find you.¡±

    ¡°As you command,¡± Raiya said.

    The man stayed in the room for a moment before he turned and walked away, the echoing of his footsteps getting farther and farther away. Raiya came back a few minutes later.

    ¡°He¡¯s awake,¡± I heard Sisha¡¯s strange voice inside my head. ¡°He¡¯s heard the entire conversation. The interesting bits anyway.¡±

    ¡°So he has,¡± Raiya said.

    I opened my eyes. There was no need to pretend anymore.

    ¡°Hand me over to the Church?¡± I said. I couldn¡¯t contain the anger in my voice.

    Raiya raised her hand to interrupt my upcoming tirade. ¡°Before you jump to conclusions, I have no intention of handing you over. I had to get Theolonius to calm down. He would¡¯ve probed you, just to get a name.¡±

    ¡°Probe?¡± I asked.

    ¡°He¡¯d get into your thoughts and memories. He¡¯ll search everything and he wouldn¡¯t do it nicely either. You¡¯d lose your mind in the process, and he¡¯d simply execute you after that.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s this Theolonius anyway?¡±

    ¡°The most powerful wizard in the eastern continent,¡± Raiya said. ¡°He¡¯s also the head of the Covenant. Every wizard, witch, warlock and mage has to answer to him. Nothing major can be done in this continent without his knowing.¡±

    ¡°Why did he come here?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear us talking?¡± Raiya said, exasperated. ¡°He wants her, and I wasn¡¯t willing to hand her over, not yet anyway.¡±

    I felt a nudge in my brain, as if someone was trying to speak to me. But her voice was faint and weak. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± is all I could hear.

    ¡°She¡¯s speaking to him,¡± Sisha said. Damn cat, can I have some privacy, please?

    Raiya¡¯s eyes widened. She walked toward me, helped me up and ruffled my hair. ¡°You¡¯ve done a great job today Myles. She¡¯s there now,¡± she jerked her head toward the pile of bones inside the pentagram. ¡°She can¡¯t harm you anymore.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why she tried to possess me,¡± I said.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t try Myles,¡± Raiya retorted. ¡°She succeeded. She was trying to assimilate you.¡±

    ¡°Take all my memories away, make my soul hers, is that it?¡± I asked. I remembered what Eva told me as I fought to keep my memories. I remembered her past and shuddered. She didn¡¯t have it easy either.

    ¡°And you fought back,¡± Raiya said, beaming. ¡°I know you saw her past. That¡¯s the only way for you to reverse the process. But,¡± Raiya¡¯s brows furrowed, ¡°no matter what you saw, that doesn¡¯t justify her actions. She was willing to take your soul. She was willing to take away everything you cared about. Do you know what happens when the assimilation is complete?¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°Every memory will be wiped out. You¡¯ll remain inside her, although just a shell. You¡¯ll be obedient and you¡¯ll helplessly watch her live the life you were supposed to have. It¡¯s worse than death Myles.¡±

    ¡°My life right now is worse than death,¡± I retorted. Did she really think I¡¯d be happy to hear that? ¡°I keep escaping from deadly experiences, one after the other. I can¡¯t seem to catch a breath.¡±

    ¡°Would you rather have a normal life?¡± Raiya asked.

    ¡°That would be nice, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± I retorted. ¡°Have a family, a home to return to. Living on the run isn¡¯t living. It¡¯s surviving Raiya!¡±

    ¡°Well, get comfy kid, because it¡¯s not getting any easier!¡± Raiya spoke as if she blamed me for something.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± my eyes narrowed.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t like it,¡± Raiya said.

    ¡°Try me!¡± I challenged.

    ¡°The kid¡¯s made up his mind,¡± Sisha intervened. ¡°Tell him, he might like the surprise.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I picked up. ¡°What the cat said.¡±

    ¡°I have a plan, and it involves you. That man, Theolonius, wouldn¡¯t give up until he¡¯s got his hands on the bones.¡±

    ¡°How is that my problem?¡± I asked.

    ¡°She knows who you are,¡± Raiya said. ¡°You must know who she is as well.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see where this is going,¡± I retorted.

    ¡°What¡¯s the name I gave Theo when he asked me about your name?¡±

    ¡°Come to think of it, why did you lie?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not discussing this yet,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll need you to tell me about her first.¡±

    Her? She means Eva?

    ¡°What¡¯s that gotta do with anything?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Everything,¡± Raiya answered. ¡°Do you think Theolonius would risk a war against Sullivan over a pile of bones?¡±

    ¡°War? What do you mean war?¡±

    ¡°Sullivan¡¯s after you Myles, Utar reported that he¡¯d failed to capture you. He¡¯d also reported that a pile of bones was missing from Jory¡¯s study. The pile of bones, according to my sources, was entrusted to the smith for safekeeping, before you and Eli stole it anyway. Sullivan had given them to Jory himself. Why do you think Jory had so much influence?¡±

    ¡°Sullivan¡­¡± I faintly muttered. ¡°Pontiff Sullivan¡¯s after me?¡±

    ¡°Aha!¡± Raiya exclaimed. ¡°So you know who Sullivan is!¡±

    ¡°Of course I do. I¡¯ve been chased by the Church for ages. I¡¯ve grown to learn a lot about them,¡± I lied.

    ¡°No Myles, you could have learned many things but the name Sullivan isn¡¯t one of them.¡±

    My eyes narrowed. What was she getting at? I didn¡¯t say a thing though. I¡¯d lied and I¡¯d made a poor job of it. I wasn¡¯t willing to dig a deeper grave. I raised my eyebrows, urging the warlock to explain.

    ¡°Sullivan, like Theolonius, is the leader of a powerful organization. Both don¡¯t want the publicity. They¡¯d disappeared from the spotlight some hundreds of years ago,¡± Raiya explained.

    A hundred years was a long time, but some hundred years? Was this witch (or warlock, whatever) playing with me? Can there be such people?

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen his face, haven¡¯t you?¡± Raiya said, waking me up from my stupor.

    I nodded.

    ¡°Then you¡¯re in deeper trouble,¡± Sisha was the one to speak this time. ¡°Both Sullivan and Theolonius are after each other. If the bone is who we think she is. Theolonius will use her to expose the Pontiff.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re in great danger Myles,¡± Raiya said.

    ¡°You¡¯re in danger?¡± I scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re a demon, and she¡¯s a warlock. You can teleport, go anywhere you like!¡±

    Raiya crossed her arms and looked at me, frowning, her left foot tapping on the floor.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Wut?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± she repeated. She was dead serious.

    ¡°Myles Stalwart,¡± I answered.

    ¡°No,¡± Raiya retorted. ¡°From now on, your name is Zedd Darkstar.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked.

    ¡°What do you know, or remember, of your father¡¯s family?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve lost my memory remember?¡±

    ¡°You seem to remember your family name, though,¡± Raiya retorted.

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± How many times must I repeat this question today?

    ¡°Your father was banished from the family for marrying a thief. His name, as well as his kids¡¯, was burned off the family tree after he partnered with a foul beast to save your mother¡¯s life. And after all his sacrifices, your mother got sick again.

    ¡°I managed to help her on her feet. But I couldn¡¯t save your father. He was a broken man, a shell without a soul. You may be able to remember it all one day. But let me tell you this Darkstar,¡± she put a great emphasis on this last one, ¡°that man who came to visit us today felt it. If he gets back here once more and finds you in this house. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll know. And that would only mean one thing for you: Death.¡±

    ¡°Why would a stranger want me dead?¡± I asked. ¡°I mean beside the whole wanted by the Church thing.¡±

    I had a bad feeling about this. My stomach lurched even before Raiya spoke. My knees felt weak and my eyes watered. I knew what she was about to say and I couldn¡¯t stop her. I didn¡¯t want to stop her. That man¡­ I knew him¡­ well¡­ part of me recognized him. I¡¯m sure the same happened to him as well. But he must¡¯ve decided to ignore it.

    ¡°That man,¡± Raiya said. ¡°The head of the Covenant and the most powerful wizard in the world is Theolonius, Theolonius Stalwart, the father who banished his son, the grandfather who vowed to wipe the dirty bloodline from its root. Your name is Zedd Darkstar. I¡¯ll help you disappear today. Tell him I handed you over to the Church.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯d know if you do that,¡± I said.

    ¡°He knows you¡¯re wanted. He just doesn¡¯t know who you really are. What¡¯s a commoner by the last name Darkstar to the great and ancient Theolonius Stalwart? He won¡¯t pursue the matter.¡±

    ¡°What do I do then?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I have a friend at the Church. I¡¯ll hand you over to him. He¡¯ll help you disappear from both the Church and Covenant.¡±

    ¡°What about her?¡± I glanced at the bones of Eva.

    ¡°I have to hand her to him,¡± Raiya said. ¡°I wish I could keep her and run some experiments. But the old geezer wouldn¡¯t have it. She¡¯s a powerful tool to be used in a devastating war.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I take her with me?¡±

    ¡°Theolonius will kill me then come looking for you. I can¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°When do I leave?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯ll make some preparations,¡± Raiya answered. ¡°You have two days. Get some rest. You¡¯ll need all the energy you can muster.¡±

 62 - Unexpected Gift!

    Ever since I lost my memories, dreams had become my trusted ally. After I managed to banish Eva to her bones, Raiya let me retreat to my room and get a well-deserved rest. Too many revelations to deal with, too much information thrown at me at once, I didn¡¯t know how to deal with them. My body felt heavy. My head buzzed.

    I lay on my bed and closed my eyes. Images of Eva begging her bodyguard to believe her flashed before me. Images of a man, relying on a wooden crutch to move flashed before me as well. His gray hair was greasy. His unkempt beard hid his throat.

    ¡°Whacha lookin¡¯ at?¡± he snapped at me.

    ¡°Get your shit together dad!¡± I snapped back. ¡°How long d¡¯you think you can keep this up?¡±

    ¡°Shut yer trap,¡± he yelled. His front teeth were missing. The rest were yellow, decaying. He limped forward, one leg hopping while the crutch acted on behalf of the missing one. ¡°Yer no son of mine!¡± He reached me, gave me the most disdainful look I could remember, and leaned on the windowsill.

    He swung his cane over my head. I didn¡¯t block it or try to avoid it. The wooden crutch landed on my head with a loud thump. I stung, badly, but I didn¡¯t flinch. I allowed him to hit me. I wouldn¡¯t allow him to see me react to the pain.

    ¡°Get your bottle and get lost!¡± Darya, my sister, came storming inside the room.

    The man who was my father looked at me with great contempt. He snatched the bottle that lay next to my feet, tried to get up but his cane slipped. I sprung up to my feet and caught him before his head hit the floor. How I wished I¡¯d just let him bite the dirt¡­ but it¡¯d kill mother, I knew it.

    He wrenched himself off my grip, gave me another contemptuous look then stormed out of the house, as fast as his leg and support crutch could take him anyway.

    ¡°Why do you always have to provoke him?¡± Darya snapped at me.

    ¡°Why do you always protect him?¡± I yelled back. ¡°He¡¯s a drunk, sister! Half the city owes him money. The other half wants him dead. It¡¯s a wonder he manages to get back to us every day.¡±

    ¡°Be nice to him, alright?¡± Darya¡¯s voice became gentler. The dark circles that started forming around her eyes were proof of the sleepless nights she spent looking for that drunkard! I hated it. Why does he get to act like a child while we, his children, get to take care of him?

    ¡°He¡¯s our¡­ Myles don¡¯t! ... Oh my sweet child¡­ Forgive me¡­¡± Everything started getting distorted. It was always this way, as far as my dreams were concerned.

    ¡°Kin of our kin,¡± a voice suddenly spoke to me. This wasn¡¯t one I recognized as family. ¡°Blood of the venomous king,¡± the voice went on, or should I say voices? ¡°Seek us where the land embrace the seas, where the dead come to mourn, where the living come to hunt. Accept this gift, speak the forbidden truth! Stay off the beaten path, seek the fox that plays the luth ¡­¡±

    I opened my eye. I was sweating, breathless. It was still dark outside. I instinctively leaned to the side of the bed and felt the floor with my hand. I was looking for the trunk in which I hid the bones. Instead, my hand touched a small crystal object. It was pointy and quite sharp. I closed my fist around it and brought it closer to my eyes.

    The object glowed dark purple. I looked like a snowflake. What was that?

    The dream I just had was one of the strangest I¡¯ve ever had. The voices I heard spoke like Sisha did during our psionic conversations. Speak the forbidden truth? What did that mean?

    The door to my room burst open. Raiya strode in. I hurriedly hid the object under the blanket and looked at the warlock, an air of surprise about me.

    ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Raiya asked.

    ¡°Hear what?¡± I lied. I heard something alright, but I wasn¡¯t sure she was speaking of the same thing.

    ¡°Never mind then,¡± Raiya said. I couldn¡¯t see her clearly in the darkness. I had asked her to turn the bright crystals off. They prevented me from having a restful sleep. ¡°Why are you awake?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Nightmares,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Family again?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Forget them,¡± she went on. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve lost your memories. Theo mustn¡¯t know who you are, understood?¡±

    ¡°Why are you afraid of him?¡± I asked. ¡°I mean you¡¯re a powerful warlock now. You¡¯ve got Sisha to watch your back too.¡±

    ¡°What good did that do?¡± Raiya snapped. ¡°Zoey could¡¯ve killed me if she weren¡¯t sloppy with her execution¡­¡± Raiya was about to leave when she suddenly stopped. ¡°Mind if I stick around for a while?¡±

    So she heard the same thing too. She must suspect I heard it too. Did she know I lied? She had a knack for telling. She wouldn¡¯t be willing to stay if she didn¡¯t suspect something.

    She didn¡¯t receive the gift I had. Something must¡¯ve happened to push her to storm in like that. I adjusted myself on the bed, making sure I was sitting on the snowflake crystal I received. I didn¡¯t want Raiya to see it. Something inside of me told me the warlock wouldn¡¯t let me keep it.  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°What have you got in mind?¡± I asked. I heard Raiya click her fingers then the crystals were brought to life. Ambient light filled the room, deep blue, the kind that didn¡¯t hurt the eyes.

    ¡°Zoey told me everything,¡± Raiya said. ¡°Agatha, the woman you begged me to free and help, convinced her to follow us and stab me.¡±

    Nothing surprised me anymore. ¡°Did she tell you why Agatha wanted you dead?¡±

    ¡°I have my suspicions,¡± Raiya said. ¡°That¡¯s why I need your help. Before you leave, can I ask you to get it out of her for me? She owes you for saving her life. That¡¯d be my payment for saving her at your request.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just torture her for it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Utar wanted her dead,¡± Raiya said. ¡°Her nephew works for the church now. There has to be a reason behind this assassination attempt. If I torture her and end up killing her, I might not be able to get the information I need.¡±

    The schemes run deep between Church and Covenant. I had to play their game if I ever wished to get out of this with my life. I decided to play along. She believed I didn¡¯t hear a thing after all.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know how to bring up the subject,¡± I protested.

    ¡°You¡¯ll figure it out,¡± Raiya said, smiling. She ruffled my hair then headed for the door. ¡°Try to get some sleep, she said. Or would you like me to cast a sleeping spell on you, Zedd?¡±

    I didn¡¯t like the way she said my new name. I didn¡¯t even like my new name. Why would I be called after a letter?

    ¡°I haven¡¯t left this place yet,¡± I protested. ¡°Call me M ¨C¡°

    ¡°Your name is Zedd Darkstar,¡± Raiya firmly said. ¡°You¡¯d better get used to it, if you want to keep that head of yours.¡±

    She snapped her fingers once more and the room was engulfed in darkness. I slumped back into my bed, held the crystal snowflake in my hand and started turning it around my fingers.

    ¡°Zedd Darkstar! Humph!¡± I scoffed. ¡°Oh I¡¯m willing to keep my head. But I won¡¯t be relying on your for that! You may forget my name, but I won¡¯t! I¡¯m Myles, Myles Stalwart. Nobody would ¨C ¡°

    The glass object flickered. Its color changed from dark purple to white to dark purple again. Unbearable pain seared through my veins. My head throbbed and saliva drooled over my mouth. I fell to the floor, flailing and struggling to draw breath. My eye rolled in all directions. Let the pain stop! Let the pain stop!

    The pain stopped and I was standing in the strangest of places. This day keeps getting weirder and weirder. I was standing in endless white, literally. Everywhere I looked, white welcomed me. There was nothing but emptiness here.

    ¡°Hello?!¡± I called out, uncertain.

    ¡°Stalwart!¡± multiple voices replied at once.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± I yelled.

    ¡°Your divine blessing,¡± a lone voice answered, ¡°and your worst nightmare,¡± all the other voices sneered as one.

    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Can I catch a breath, at least once in my lifetime?

    ¡°We do not want, we do not desire,¡± the voices answered.

    ¡°We merely provide help to the most unfortunate,¡± a lone voice said. I turned right, at the voice¡¯s direction, but was only welcome by emptiness.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for help!¡± I yelled at them.

    Laughter! Eerie, Goosebumps inducing laughter ensued. All the voices laughed at once. They were mocking me, then they started jeering and taunting.

    ¡°Who do you think we are? Gods?¡± the voices said.

    ¡°We merely act according to our nature,¡± the lone voice spoke again.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired of being led around?¡± another voice spoke this time, to my left. This one was mocking, mimicking a wimpy child¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you wish you had the power to fight back?¡± a lone voice, again, said behind me.

    Wherever I turned, I was welcomed by emptiness.

    ¡°Oh daddy, please don¡¯t hit me!¡± the voice mocked again.

    ¡°Mummy! Please wake up,¡± another one added.

    ¡°My stars, my love,¡± another one said. This one was kind, tender. It reminded me of someone I loved. It soothed my heart. ¡°My stars, my love, would you please stop WHINING?!!¡±

    I turned around¡­

    Emptiness¡­ Nothing but white and the eerie laughter of a thousand voices.

    ¡°Show yourselves!¡± I yelled.

    ¡°WE DON¡¯T SHOW OURSELVES TO THE UNWORTHY!¡± the voices screamed as one.

    ¡°Seek the fox,¡± a lone voice, the first one to speak to me and the kindest, said. ¡°He¡¯ll provide answers.¡±

    ¡°If he wants to,¡± all the other voices said mockingly. Then they started laughing again. I felt dizzy.

    ¡°Use the power we entrusted you, the gift of time will help you,¡± the kind lone voice said.

    ¡°Zedd!¡± Raiya was slapping me senseless. ¡°Zedd wake up!¡±

    I opened my eye. I was lying on the wooden floor. ¡°What happened?¡± I asked. I swept drool off scarred cheek. I felt slightly embarrassed as Raiya looked at me, a disgusted grimace on her face.

    ¡°I heard you scream from my study,¡± Raiya explained. ¡°Your nightmares have intensified.¡± She was worried, genuinely so.

    Oh Raiya, I don¡¯t know whether to trust or fear you!

    ¡°My father was beating me with a stick,¡± I said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get him off me, I couldn¡¯t fight back. My arms were heavy and my other limbs refused to obey.¡± I gave the best impression I could of a man in pain. Raiya winced at the ugly sight I must have provided. A one eyed disfigured young man who¡¯s on the verge of tears. I bet that pushed her to lay off questioning me.

    ¡°That¡¯s good news,¡± she said. I looked at her, mouth agape. What did she mean, good news?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Raiya said, noticing my surprise. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. I only meant that you have a good excuse to talk to the Herbologist now.¡±

    Again with the schemes! I hated schemes!

    Raiya went on, telling me how I should approach the Herbologist and ask her to help me reduce my nightmares. I wasn¡¯t listening anymore. I was thinking of the voices I heard, of the emptiness I saw. That wasn¡¯t a dream. I knew how my flashback dreams felt like. That experience felt real. And the snowflake crystal¡­ it had disappeared!

    I looked at Raiya who had suddenly grown silent. Her mouth was open, her pupils were dilated. She didn¡¯t move. Her hand was outstretched, almost touching my shoulder. But it never reached it. I squinted, waved my hand in front of her face.

    Nothing.

    ¡°Raiya?¡± I asked. ¡°Hellooooo!¡±

    Nothing.

    I looked around. The world around me grew silent. I got up and approached the window. The trees outside started shedding their leaves, autumn was approaching. I squinted at a tree, not too far away from Raiya¡¯s house. I saw a leaf that had just got detached from its branch, floating in the air, motionless.

    I went back to the warlock, tapped her on the head. She didn¡¯t move or react. I went to the bookcase in the corner of my room and reached for a book. The book detached itself from the shelf and landed in my hand before I could even touch it. I placed it back then went outside. The hall was silent. Agatha was a few paces away from me. She was sneaking up to my room, probably to eavesdrop on our conversation. Then I heard the sound of a clock ticking inside my head. I suddenly knew what to do.

    I ran back to Raiya, lay down on the floor as I had been before. The ticking of the clock intensified, got faster, then faded away.

    ¡°¡­ suspect anything!¡± Raiya said then beamed at me.

    ¡°You say I¡¯ve been screaming loudly,¡± I said.

    ¡°Yes, loud enough for the people of Sayang to hear you,¡± Raiya answered.

    ¡°What makes you think she isn¡¯t trying to listening in on us?¡± I whispered.

    Raiya grew silent. She frowned then let out a nasty grin.

    ¡°You must see Agatha, my dear boy,¡± Raiya said, her tone had quickly veered to one of formality. ¡°She¡¯s the only one capable of helping you. Dreams and nightmares aren¡¯t my domain of expertise.¡±

    I smiled and nodded at the warlock. ¡°I¡¯ll try to see her today. I don¡¯t feel good right now. I¡¯ll go get some breakfast before I pay her a visit.¡±

 63 - The Scheming Game

    Breakfast was unnerving. I could feel two pairs of eyes watching me from a distance. Raiya was desperate to know why Agatha needed her dead. Agatha, I suspected, wanted to know if Zoey had survived. I had a bowl of stale oatmeal and drank a cup of fruit juice then decided to head back upstairs. I needed to test this new ability of mine before I attempted to play the schemers¡¯ game.

    Before I reached the door to my room though, I heard Agatha calling for me from behind. ¡°Myles, my dear boy, can I have word?¡±

    I turned and gave the Herbologist my brightest smile. ¡°Yes?¡± I innocently asked.

    ¡°Raiya told me your nightmares have intensified,¡± she said, walking slowly toward me. Raiya didn¡¯t tell you anything. You overheard us, you slimy Herbologist.

    ¡°Y-yes,¡± I stammered. I looked at the floor, downcast.

    ¡°Perhaps I can help you with that,¡± she said. She nervously smiled.

    She walked closer. My nostrils flared as her sweet perfume invaded them. She tried hard to conceal the creases between her eyebrows, to look calm and composed. Looking at her now made me realize how very similar she was to the warlock. They both had long hair. Hers was raven black while Raiya¡¯s was silver blond. They both smelled sensational.

    Where Raiya had a way of walking and speaking that gave her authority over anyone standing before her, Agatha had those bright yellow eyes one couldn¡¯t look away from. They hypnotized and made you listen to her speak.

    Both women put a great deal of attention to their looks and the way they moved. Had I not been charmed by Raiya before, I¡¯d have accepted to follow her instantly.

    ¡°I was thinking of taking a bath first,¡± I said. ¡°Would you mind waiting for me until then? I won¡¯t be long.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be in my room,¡± Agatha said, her face clearing up. ¡°Come and pay me a visit when you¡¯re done, will you?¡± She smiled and my heart jumped. Gods I hated this weakness. I couldn¡¯t speak to a woman long enough without feeling this primal urge nudging at me¡­

    She gave me another bright smile, turned heel and walked toward her room. Her black knee-high boots hit the ground noisily as she walked away. She was wearing brown leather pants, tightly wrapped around her round, perfectly shaped bottom. My eye followed it until she reached her room and opened the door.

    The Herbologist turned once more to look at me. I quickly averted my gaze and tried to look at her eyes. She gave me a look that suggested she knew what my eye has been following. I wished she¡¯d just stop it and move along.

    She stopped alright, a half smile drawn on her face, one leg in the corridor, the other inside her room. The world had grown terribly silent around me. I walked toward the Herbologist. The closer I got, the stronger her perfume became. It felt as though it surrounded her, shielding her to some extent. I looked up and down at her.

    Did these women workout to shape their bodies so? Or was it magic? She didn¡¯t seem to realize I was close to her, eyeing her with my great interest.

    I definitely had to master this ability!

    I decided, that day, that I¡¯d leave this house without Raiya¡¯s help. I couldn¡¯t rely on her or on her trusted Priest from the Church. I wouldn¡¯t sit back and let others lead me wherever they wanted to. I wouldn¡¯t trust this Herbologist either. It was high time I relied on myself.

    Tick¡­tick¡­tick¡­

    The clock started ticking. I went back to my initial position and trained my eye on the Herbologist¡¯s. ¡°Don¡¯t take long,¡± she said then slyly winked at me. I smiled back, nervously then walked away.

    I went to my room and opened the adjacent door that led to the bathroom. I filled the wooden tub with hot water. Raiya had installed some sinks that heated the water and others that emitted large, multicolored bubbles. I got undressed and went inside the bathtub. I needed some privacy to start practicing. What¡¯s better than being naked and washing the dirt off me?

    ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± a voice rang inside my head.

    ¡°Eva? How¡¯re you doing that?¡± I thought I¡¯d banished her.

    ¡°Riaya¡¯s off somewhere with her cat demon. She doesn¡¯t suspect I can still talk to you.¡±

    ¡°Why are you talking to me anyway?¡±

    ¡°I need your help.¡±

    Everybody needed my help nowadays. Did I become the wish granter all of a sudden? I remained silent. I played with the bubbles and let the hot water soothe my aching bones.

    ¡°Myles!¡± Eva spoke again. ¡°Theolonius can¡¯t have me,¡± she pleaded. ¡°Please, I need your help.¡±

    ¡°How am I supposed to do that?¡± I asked. ¡°Raiya wouldn¡¯t let me near you. I can¡¯t leave this place without her consent anyway.¡±

    ¡°Yes you can,¡± Eva said.

    ¡°No I cannot,¡± I protested. ¡°She makes sure her house is locked every time she leaves. Eli tried that before. That¡¯s why he asked her to let him leave.¡±

    ¡°I heard her talk to that demon cat,¡± Eva said, abruptly changing the subject.

    ¡°So what?¡± I retorted. ¡°She always speaks to that demon of hers.¡±

    ¡°They spoke of you,¡± Eva said. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have any friends from the Church. She¡¯s contacted your friend, Sam, that was his name? He¡¯s a native of the eastern continent. The Church is sending him over to take you. They won¡¯t object to let him in at the Aslanor border.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s in it for Sam? Why would he risk coming to hostile territory? You don¡¯t make sense Eva!¡±

    ¡°Think about it boy!¡± Eva snapped. ¡°I heard them talk about him before they left. They¡¯re setting up a meeting with him near the city of Sayang. I suspect he¡¯s already here. Raiya said she had something he¡¯d kill to retrieve.¡±

    Agatha! Damn it! That warlock¡¯s playing with us all. She¡¯s setting me on a fool¡¯s errand to waste my time until Sam gets here.

    ¡°You said there¡¯s a way to get out of here without Raiya¡¯s consent?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Did you hear those voices yesterday?¡± Eva asked back.

    ¡°What¡¯re you talking about?¡± I didn¡¯t tell the warlock about it and I wouldn¡¯t tell anybody else either.

    ¡°The tree folk spoke to the chosen one yesterday,¡± Eva said.

    ¡°Tree folk?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s an old legend,¡± she replied. ¡°I learned about it when I stayed in Jory¡¯s study. He had some strange books I tell you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the legend?¡± I asked, a bit too eager to sound simply curious.

    Eva stayed silent for a while. Damn I blew it.

    ¡°You¡¯re the chosen one?¡± she said.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Well, fuck it¡­ might as well tell her. ¡°What¡¯s the legend?¡± I repeated, stalling until I got my answer back.

    ¡°What did they give you?¡± she asked back.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I replied. ¡°Get to the point or I¡¯ll end this conversation.¡±

    Eva remained silent. I scrubbed my limbs and washed my hair. If she wasn¡¯t willing to talk about it, I wouldn¡¯t force it out of her. I was desperate for some answers sure, but I¡¯d never owe anybody any more favors. She¡¯d either tell me or I let her get handed to the man she feared.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I won¡¯t tell you how to leave this tree without being spotted.¡± Now she¡¯s threatening. She must be desperate. Why¡¯s my grandfather so scary? I wondered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe your story about Raiya handing me over to Sam anyway,¡± I retorted. I wouldn¡¯t submit to blackmail. ¡°She¡¯s done nothing but help me, ever since I met her. You on the other hand, helped me then turned on me. You tried to assimilate me, remember?¡±

    ¡°What makes you think she¡¯s not trying to do the same?¡± Eva asked.

    I didn¡¯t. I knew she had something to hide. That was why I wasn¡¯t willing to stick around and wait for her help. I didn¡¯t trust people to whom I owed favors, not anymore.

    ¡°Faith,¡± I answered. ¡°I have faith in the warlock.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯re as na?ve as I thought you were!¡± Eva snapped.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Sisha¡¯s eerie murmurs intervened.

    Shit, were they listening in on us?

    ¡°Will you control your ghost?¡± I asked the cat demon. ¡°She¡¯s refusing to admit defeat.¡±

    ¡°Raiya and I are coming soon. Shut her down if she ever tries to contact you again, is that clear?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered then shut him down as well.

    I got out of the bath, got dressed and headed for my room. I picked up a book from the bookcase and dropped it down. I focused on the object falling and urged it to stop. ¡®Stop!¡¯ I mentally repeated. ¡®Stop!¡¯ ¡®Stop!¡¯

    And the book stopped mid-air. I started counting, ten seconds, twenty, thirty¡­ the clock started ticking and the book resumed its fall. Thirty seconds, that¡¯s not enough¡­

    I picked two books this time and threw each on opposite directions. I urged them to stop and the world around me came to a halt. I picked them up and placed them back in place before the clock started ticking again.

    I was given a gift. It was useful, sure, but not as useful as I wished it to be. No matter! I had to make do with what I got.

    I picked up a dozen books this time. I had a new idea. I threw them all in the air and urged them to stop. I worked as fast as I could. I managed to stack four books back in place before the clock started ticking again¡­

    ¡®Stop!¡¯ I mentally urged once more.

    The books started their descent for a fraction of a second then halted. I picked four more and stacked them back. The clock started ticking and spell wore off.

    ¡®Stop!¡¯ I took the remaining two and put them back.

    When the spell subsided, I felt weak and empty on the inside. My knees shook and my head throbbed lightly. I went down to the living room and filled my rumbling stomach before I went to Agatha¡¯s room.

    On my way there, my mind raced with multiple possibilities for my escape. I didn¡¯t need that pile of bones to escape. I didn¡¯t need the attention either. But if she were right and Sam was indeed on his way here¡­ I¡¯d be delivered to the Church I fought hard to get away from. I reached the door and knocked once. Agatha¡¯s melodious voice beckoned me to get in.

    The room was bathed in lavender scent and a smoke that would make one¡¯s head turn. The Herbologist had closed all curtains, extinguished all magic crystals. There was no source of light save for the brazier she lit in the middle, near her four poster bed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve made some preparations,¡± Agatha said as soon as I closed the door behind me. ¡°Please, lie on my bed. Bad dreams often haunt us, leave us vulnerable. I might be able to h ¨C ¡°

    The world turned still again. ¡°Give her what she wants,¡± a voice whispered. It was the same voice that spoke to me in that empty white world.

    ¡° ¨C elp you. Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ve burned enough herbs to ward bad spirits off.¡±

    ¡°T-thank you,¡± I stammered, my eye was fixed on her cleavage. I didn¡¯t try to hide it this time.

    ¡°Now, now,¡± Agatha said. She came to me, gave me a startling tight hug. It lasted long enough for me to feel my manhood getting stiff. I haven¡¯t been in a woman¡¯s company for too long I guess¡­

    ¡°Sit, lie down and let me do the rest,¡± Agatha urged.

    I didn¡¯t move. I didn¡¯t want her to see the thing that pushed against the flap of my trousers.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be ashamed of who you are, Myles,¡± Agatha said. ¡°You¡¯re a man in the presence of a beautiful woman. It¡¯s only natural to have such a reaction.¡± She gave a quick glance in between my legs. ¡°Now, lie still, we haven¡¯t got much time.¡±

    I obeyed. I lied on the bed and felt her hands running through my chest. ¡°Relax, my dear boy,¡± she said after I tried to wrench myself away. ¡°This is a simple massage to steady your breathing and help you calm down.¡±

    Her hands unclipped the buttons of my shirt. I felt her soft skin caress my chest, applying gentle pressure on my pectoral muscles. Now her fingers were running down toward my stomach, near my navel. My breathing didn¡¯t get steady. It became shallow, if anything.

    ¡°The way to fight your demons is to make them look benign,¡± Agatha¡¯s melodious voice reached me. ¡°How long has it been since you¡¯ve touched a woman?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I dunno,¡± I answered. I urged my member to calm down. The more I fought, the stiffer it became. Please don¡¯t notice¡­ Please don¡¯t notice¡­

    I shot a tentative look at the Herbologist. Her raven hair had fallen over her eyes. Her soft, swollen bosom peeked at me from beneath the tight leather vest she wore. She met my eye and smiled. Well¡­ that didn¡¯t help at all. Her sweet scent invaded my nostrils and I lost control. I was stiff and I couldn¡¯t think straight.

    ¡°Good,¡± Agatha whispered. I could feel her warm breath near my left ear. Her lips grazed my skin and I felt my body temperature rising. ¡°Don¡¯t fight who you are. Don¡¯t reject your own nature. Acceptance is the first step to healing¡­¡±

    Her voice suddenly grew fainter. It seemed as though she was speaking from within a well. Her voice struggled to reach my ears. My eyelid grew heavy and my breathing had surprisingly calmed down.

    ¡°Finally!¡± the lone voice, which spoke to me yesterday, said. ¡°What took you so long?¡±

    ¡°Where am I?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Irrelevant,¡± the voice said. ¡°You¡¯re nowhere, and everywhere. The woman is probing your memories as we speak.¡±

    I frowned. I willed myself to wake up but the voice interrupted.

    ¡°Let her,¡± the voice said. ¡°She¡¯ll find what she wants, nothing more, nothing less. And in return, she will give you what the warlock wants.¡±

    ¡°How will that help?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ll gain their trust,¡± the voice replied. ¡°Don¡¯t attempt to escape yet. Learn more about their plans. And when the time is right, speak to the root of the tree.¡±

    ¡°How will I get there?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Use our gift,¡± the voice said.

    ¡°I can¡¯t use it properly,¡± I protested. ¡°It¡¯s either that or you gave me a faulty gift.¡±

    ¡°The gift is a good as its user¡¯s skill, boy. Train hard. Use it in your dreams.¡±

    ¡°Dreams?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Train to control your dreams, you¡¯ll find that this world will provide great training grounds to improve the gift you were given.¡±

    ¡°How am I supposed to do that?¡± I asked, frustrated.

    ¡°You¡¯ll only know when you try, boy!¡± The voice said. ¡°Our time is up. Learn to control your dreams. Or our efforts would have been for naught!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re done here,¡± Agatha¡¯s voice said. It was clearer this time.

    I opened my eye. The woman was sweating. Her raven hair stuck to her forehead. Her yellow eyes fixed me with a triumphant look. I couldn¡¯t help but admire her beauty. ¡°So Zoey failed,¡± Agatha said, wrenching me off my daydreams.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I sent Zoey to kill the warlock, she failed.¡±

    ¡°Why tell me this?¡±

    ¡°Because I know you don¡¯t trust Raiya either,¡± Agatha let out a nasty grin. It¡¯s as the voice said. She trusted me now. Perhaps she thought she could use me, manipulate me.

    ¡°Are you going to send me to kill her too?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Agatha replied. ¡°But you could sneak into her study and steal those bones she got off of you.¡±

    Always about this ghost¡­ Nobody knows who she was, but they all seem to have developed a special liking to her.

    ¡°Why would I bring them to you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Because I can get in touch with my nephew and get the Church to come and destroy this tree. I¡¯ll help you escape before they reach you. I¡¯ll fake your death, and the Church will never look for you anymore.¡±

    ¡°Utar will find out,¡± I protested. In truth, I wasn¡¯t worried about Utar. I was worried about his boss and my grandfather. Faking my death wouldn¡¯t work.

    ¡°Once he gets his hands on the bones, he¡¯ll forgive me and forget about you, trust me.¡±

    ¡°Raiya knows you¡¯re after her,¡± I said.

    ¡°I know,¡± Agatha said.

    I narrowed my eye. She was too relaxed for someone who knows she¡¯s in danger. Besides, I felt she wasn¡¯t as good at this scheming game as Raiya was. She quickly confessed her intentions to me. I decided to use her. I might get a chance at meeting Raiya downstairs, tell her what I learned. I¡¯ll find the root if I manage to slip by using my time-stop.

    ¡°She¡¯s asked me to find out why,¡± I said.

    ¡°Tell her I was offered a Pardon.¡±

    ¡°Pardon? What did you do?¡±

    ¡°I stole something from the Church,¡± she answered.

    I raised my eyebrows. ¡°That¡¯s a crime punishable by death,¡± I said.

    ¡°My crime¡¯s not as big or as bad as yours though,¡± the Herbologist teased. ¡°You stole a Listener and made her your concubine. Bad boy Stalwart!¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± I said then tried to stand up. My member was still as stiff as it was before I lost consciousness.

    ¡°You should do something about that,¡± Agatha teased, looking down.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell Raiya about your motivations,¡± I said, trying to adjust myself and get rid of the uncomfortable boner. ¡°She¡¯ll suspect you, but she won¡¯t make a move unless she knows she¡¯s on the clear.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Agatha replied. The smirk on her face from teasing me had disappeared. ¡°She¡¯ll put me in her dungeon, you know that.¡±

    ¡°I saved your life once,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s more than you deserve.¡±

    The woman suddenly jumped on me, grabbed me by the collar and started screaming. ¡°YOU DON¡¯T TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT I DESERVE, TRAITOR. YOU HAVE IT EASY, YOU FORGOT YOUR PAST AND YOUR CRIMES!¡±

    ¡°Get off me!¡± I pushed her away and got to my feet.

    Agatha was on the floor. She jerked her head toward me and smiled. Her bright yellow eyes spoke of mischief and triumph. ¡°That should convince her!¡± She whispered as she jerked her head toward the door.

 64 - A Wolf In Sheeps Clothing

    Raiya¡¯s Tree House. Time until the Priest from the Church arrives: one day and a half.

    It was afternoon when I left the Herbologist¡¯s room. I was nowhere closer to finding a way out of this place than I was of understanding the nature of the power I just received. The words I heard last night before I woke up to find that crystal, reverberated in my mind. I spoke the forbidden words, albeit by coincidence. I received the gift of power. Now I had to find a place where land meets the seas.

    Or did I have to find it? Why should I follow some unknown murmurs? I vowed to never owe anybody any favors¡­

    I found myself wondering if I could leave this tree without their help. My legs mechanically took me to my room. I found myself sitting on my bed, hands tightly curled into fists. I hated this feeling of helplessness. I was in a warlock¡¯s house. A house I couldn¡¯t leave without her permission. A Priest from the Church would be here in two days. I didn¡¯t have much time to devise a plan of escape.

    Time!

    No I mustn¡¯t rely on a gift given by a stranger. I needed to think of another way. Perhaps I could simply ask Raiya to let me leave.

    I got up and headed for her study. She¡¯d been eavesdropping on my conversation with Agatha earlier. Both women were conspiring against each other. I had to use that to my advantage.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I heard Sisha¡¯s eerie whispers invade my mind. I was taking the stairs leading to her study.

    ¡°I have some news for Raiya,¡± I said. ¡°Tell her I spoke to Agatha.¡±

    Hisses and growls ensued. ¡°Very well, come in,¡± the cat demon¡¯s whispers reached me once again. I heard a door creaking below the stairs. When I reached it, bright lights welcomed me. The dark corridor we once took had disappeared. There was only a room, as spacious as the living room above it. Raiya sat in a desk, scribbling something on long parchment.

    She stopped what she was doing and hurriedly stacked the parchment in a drawer as soon as I came in. She looked at me and smiled. The two women were indeed too similar¡­ I bet they¡¯d make a great duo if they cast their differences aside. Raiya threw her long hair over her shoulders then spoke.

    ¡°Sisha tells me you got the Herbologist to speak.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know whether she was feigning ignorance or she genuinely didn¡¯t know what I spoke about with Agatha. I couldn¡¯t risk telling her what I saw. When Agatha motioned with her chin toward the door earlier, I¡¯d stopped time and inspected the hall. Raiya was indeed behind the door, listening in on us.

    ¡°She reckons I¡¯ll team up with her against you,¡± I said. I tried to remain calm. I had to show her I was on her side. At least for now, since I didn¡¯t have any better choices.

    ¡°So? Get on with it already!¡±

    ¡°She thinks I can steal the ghost¡¯s bones,¡± I said. ¡°She has a way to contact the Church and get them to come and collect them.¡±

    ¡°And you believe her?¡± Raiya asked.

    ¡°The Church will risk offending the Covenant for the bones, won¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°I believe so,¡± Raiya answered. ¡°But what will happen to you then?¡±

    ¡°She said she¡¯d fake my death. The church will be delighted to have the bones back. She thinks they¡¯d forget about me if that happens.¡±

    Raiya seemed thoughtful for a while then spoke. ¡°Do you believe a word she says?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I believe her,¡± I said. ¡°She stole something from the Church. She didn¡¯t say what it was, but you know their rules. That¡¯s why she was sentenced to death, or to be handed to Jory anyway. She¡¯s willing to do whatever it takes to be pardoned.¡±

    ¡°What do you suggest?¡± Raiya asked, jerking her head sideways. Was she speaking to me or to her demon?

    I remained silent for a while until the cat said, ¡°she¡¯s talking to you boy,¡± then I cleared my throat to speak.

    ¡°She wants to be imprisoned. I suggest you don¡¯t do it.¡± Raiya let out a vicious smile. So she¡¯s heard everything we spoke about¡­ She cast a quick glance at the parchment she¡¯d been writing on. I had to risk it now. I won¡¯t have any better chances. By my calculations, I had about twenty seconds to get to her drawer. That was more than enough.

    ¡°So what do you ¨C¡° The world stopped moving.

    I ran to her drawer and drew the parchment she was writing on. I didn¡¯t bother reading it. I stuffed it under my shirt and ran back to my initial position.

    ¡° ¨C suggest we do?¡± Raiya finished her question.

    ¡°She¡¯s trying to manipulate me to turn her in,¡± I replied. ¡°My guess is that she needs something from your dungeon, perhaps the bones. She might think she has a way of escaping the tree house without your knowing.¡±

    ¡°Sharp boy!¡± Sisha said. His whispers made me feel as though a sharp needle stung my brain.

    ¡°Stop it Sisha!¡± Raiya snapped. ¡°Forgive him, he¡¯s a bit on edge today. Truth be told, we¡¯re all on edge today.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked. The witch cast a quick glance at the drawer. Shit I mustn¡¯t let her see that. Stop! Stop!

    I fumbled under my shirt and took the parchment out. It was worn and creased. I unfolded it and read it quickly. I only had enough time to skim through it. Words like tree people, this year¡¯s champions, unusual news from Zvedin by the east¡­ Zedd lies¡­

    The clock started ticking. Shit I only had ten seconds left! I ran to the drawer and stuffed the parchment in then ran back to my initial position.

    The witch looked at the parchment and frowned. I shouldn¡¯t have done that. I should have developed my skill further before attempting this. Raiya looked up and the creases between her eyebrows tightened.

    ¡°Why are you out of breath?¡± she asked.

    She¡¯s onto me, shit. Shit, shit shit shit shit! Say something, think of something clever to say. Tell her something, Anything!

    Raiya was looking at me apprehensively. I hadn¡¯t said a word and I couldn¡¯t think of anything either. My mind suddenly became blank.

    ¡°Helloooo! Anybody there?¡± Raiya waved her hand toward me.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡®Snap out of it, will you?¡¯ a kind voice spoke to me. I recognized it as the one that gave me the gift of power. I shook my head. I had a pretty good excuse in mind now.

    ¡°When Sisha spoke to me, I felt a needle pierce through my brain. My heart¡¯s been racing ever since. I suddenly felt tired and breathless.¡± I heard the cat demon¡¯s hisses in my mind. It disturbed me even more. I fell to my knees, trembling all over.

    ¡°Stop it!¡± Raiya yelled.

    ¡°That¡¯s what it feels like to withstand my clear voice!¡± Sisha mocked. His voice was clearer in my mind now. It wasn¡¯t a whisper anymore. It was a clear, deep hoarse voice that spoke to me, a terrible thing to hear as well. It felt as though the echo of the loudest voice you could imagine vibrated in your mind.

    I clutched my head and screamed. Raiya ran to me and put her hands on my aching head. She muttered something and the pain subsided.

    ¡°I broke the link between you and Sisha,¡± Raiya said. ¡°Come on, get up!¡±

    She helped me on my feet and led me to a chintz armchair in her study. I let my body fall and took a long sigh of relief.

    ¡°What was that?¡± I whispered. I was out of breath, gasping for air that seemed to have deserted me. I thanked my stars for my ability to improvise. I was rid of Sisha and Raiya didn¡¯t suspect me anymore. She was worried now, two birds with one stone!

    ¡°Demons have strong minds,¡± Raiya explained. ¡°They usually keep their voices down when communicating with lesser spirits. He¡¯s not in a good mood today.¡± Raiya stroked my hair then went on. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Zedd. I shouldn¡¯t have let him in on our conversation!¡± She wasn¡¯t speaking to me this time. She was shouting at the air, probably for Sisha to hear.

    ¡°Is he still here?¡± I asked.

    ¡°He shut me down too,¡± Raiya said. ¡°He¡¯s probably gone to the forest to hunt. He¡¯ll cool off in a bit.¡±

    ¡°I feel weak,¡± I lied. It was now or never. I didn¡¯t underestimate Raiya. But with the cat gone, I could read more of that parchment.

    ¡°Stay here,¡± Raiya said. ¡°I think I have something for you to eat in this office.¡±

    Raiya went for a cabinet on the opposite side of the armchair. She had her back to me. My heart raced. I was about to do something risky. My hands trembled and my feet wouldn¡¯t respond. I urged myself to calm down. Now wasn¡¯t the time to second guess and overthink.

    ¡®Stop!¡¯

    Raiya was frozen in place. That was my queue.

    I stood up and dashed to the drawer. I put the paper on the floor this time. Raiya would think she dropped it when she rushed to save me from Sisha¡¯s terrible voice. I was thinking of plan B before the A. Plan A consisted of putting the parchment back where it belonged.

    I skimmed through the parchment¡¯s content then went back to place. It was a tedious process. I thanked the heavens I asked Raiya to get me something to eat. On one hand, she had her back to me as I ran, back and forth, between the armchair and the foot of the desk. On the other hand, she¡¯d brought me some food to replenish my strength after the spell had emptied me.

    The contents of the parchment, although unfinished, disturbed me greatly. I couldn¡¯t show the warlock that I despised and didn¡¯t trust her anymore. Thank the gods I was tired and had a good reason for it. When the warlock finally regained her seat by the desk, she cast a quick glance at the parchment and found it in its drawer, half closed as she had left it.

    I ate the biscuits she handed me and drank the entire carafe of peach juice.

    ¡°Feeling better?¡± Raiya asked after a while.

    I nodded. ¡°Have I paid back my due?¡± I asked. I was referring to the payment for saving Agatha¡¯s life.

    The warlock smiled and nodded. ¡°Can I bother you with another request?¡± she asked.

    She was definitely trying to keep me busy. The contents of the parchment confirmed my suspicions. ¡°I was willing to ask you for a favor myself,¡± I said. ¡°Perhaps we could consider your request payment for my favor?¡±

    ¡°What is it you want?¡± Raiya asked.

    ¡°Teach me about magic.¡± I said.

    ¡°We won¡¯t have time for that I¡¯m afraid,¡± Raiya said, dismissively. ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted the Priest I told you about. He¡¯ll be here tomorrow by nightfall.¡±

    So soon?! I fought not to show my surprise.

    ¡°Then just give me the general directives,¡± I said. ¡°I won¡¯t get in your way.¡±

    ¡°Why the sudden interest?¡± she asked. Shit, was I too straightforward?

    ¡°This last bout with Sisha made me apprehensive,¡± I said. Thank you cat demon for being in a bad mood today! ¡°I want to at least learn how to defend myself against probes and strong minds trying to invade mine.¡±

    Raiya¡¯s expression changed from that of mild interest to that of intrigue. I was afraid I¡¯d blown it up. The warlock was too careful, unlike Agatha who played a game she wasn¡¯t good at. Raiya¡¯s eyes fixed mine for quite a long time. Perhaps it was a second, I don¡¯t know, but to me it felt like an eternity. An eternity in which her large emerald eyes asked me: what are you getting at Zedd Darkstar?

    Gods I hated that name. From all the names she could pick, she picked that one. She finally looked away, down at the piece of parchment that protruded from the half closed drawer. She knew I lied to her about hearing those voices, but she had no way of confirming it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you open your Conduits,¡± she finally said.

    ¡°Open what?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Conduits, they act like veins for your blood. Instead of blood, magic Essence flows through them. But you won¡¯t fully open them unless you regain your memories.¡±

    ¡°What do they have to do with my mastering of magic?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that, Zedd,¡± she bit on her lower lip and quickly glanced at the parchment. ¡°I¡¯ll instruct the Priest to help you regain what you lost.¡±

    ¡°Can I just leave this place without the need of an escort?¡± I asked. I had to confirm my suspicion. I was a prisoner here. I just had to get her to say it. That would put some pressure on her too. With some luck, she would forget about me, not to arouse my suspicions. It would also give me some more time to plan my escape, I hoped.

    ¡°The Church will be upon you in minutes,¡± Raiya answered. ¡°You can¡¯t hide from them without a proper disguise.¡±

    ¡°And the Priest will offer that?¡± I rose from my chair. My knees wobbled as I attempted to get closer to the warlock¡¯s desk. I used that spell too many times. I fought not to show my weakness. Raiya would suspect I used magic. The cat demon¡¯s voice wouldn¡¯t have affected me that badly.

    ¡°How can you be sure,¡± I went on, ¡°that the Priest won¡¯t turn me over to his superiors?¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t,¡± Raiya said, sounding a bit annoyed by my questioning.

    ¡°According to you, my crime is worth a war between the Covenant and the Church. What makes you certain that this Priest won¡¯t use me to his advantage?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that Zedd,¡± Raiya retorted. ¡°Besides, He won¡¯t know you by your real name.¡±

    ¡°My real name is irrelevant,¡± I blurted out. ¡°They know the one eyed freak that escaped the Crucible. They know what I look like and my crime. What¡¯s a Listener anyway?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that either,¡± Raiya said. She became stern and quite scary to tell you the truth. ¡°Do you want my help or not?¡±

    ¡°Help me open my conduits,¡± I said. ¡°And let me leave without an escort. I¡¯m in a different continent now. I can take care of myself. I¡¯ll help you with that request of yours in exchange.¡±

    ¡°Where would you go?¡± she challenged.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay away from big cities. I¡¯ll hide in caves until the Holi Wars are over. They won¡¯t be looking for me after that.¡±

    Raiya smiled, or rather smirked. ¡°I can help you with one or the other, which one would you like?¡±

    My heart sank. An ultimatum, either I get some more Essence to, hopefully, help me master my new ability or I leave the tree house. Accepting the former would mean I needed to use magic more than I needed to leave this place. This, I suspected, would expose my secret.

    Leaving this place without opening my conduits had its drawbacks too. Sisha could find me in the woods and capture me again. Something told me the warlock didn¡¯t need my services any longer: the parchment I read, although incomplete, was proof of that. The warlock was smart, too smart. I had to get to my objective without arousing her suspicion.

    ¡°Forget it,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t do well with ultimatums. I¡¯ll go with that Priest of yours. You can forget about my help with Agatha as well.¡±

    I turned on my heels and went for the door.

    ¡°This is goodbye then,¡± Raiya said as my hand touched the door handle.

    I opened the door and left without a word. I took the stairs to the living room, feeling as though I swallowed a mouthful of ash. My throat felt dry. The living room upstairs seemed to turn around me. I haven¡¯t accomplished anything. This scheming game was too much for me. I had nothing to offer. I was still a prisoner here. My fate was sealed. I was about to be handed to the Church by the very person who saved me from it.

    ¡°Or you can find out how Agatha¡¯s contacting the Church and blocking my probes from reaching her room.¡± Raiya had suddenly appeared in front of me.

    ¡®Good job,¡¯ the lone voice that spoke to me after I received the gift said. ¡®She suspects the other woman now.¡¯

    ¡°What do I get in return?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I might ask the Priest to stay where he is for a while,¡± Raiya said.

    ¡°And you¡¯ll help me open my conduits?¡±

    Raiya frowned.

    ¡®Too much?¡¯ I thought.

    ¡®Give her time,¡¯ the kind voice answered.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Raiya reluctantly said. ¡°Only if you tell me how Agatha¡¯s tricking me. You have until nightfall.¡±

    The woman with long silver blond hair dissipated. ¡®She was using an astral projection,¡¯ the kind voice said. ¡®Get to work or you¡¯ll never leave this place a free man.¡¯

 65 - Agathas Little Secret

    Raiya¡¯s Tree House. Time until the Priest From The Church Arrives: One day and a half.

    Reports of the tree people migrating east toward Zevin have flooded our network. I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ve already chosen their champion. This is bad news E, we cannot let double S get their hands on the artifact. We still don¡¯t know anything about the ghost I captured. T didn¡¯t help either. He couldn¡¯t sense anything in that room, not with Zedd clouding his judgment.

    I highly suspect Zedd of lying. The voices were clear last night. They were close and they¡¯ve made their choice. I¡¯ve sent for P. As soon as he gets here, I¡¯ll leave the forest and disappear until ¨C

    This is the gist of what I read in that parchment. Raiya¡¯s playing on different fronts. She was writing initials, this only meant one thing: she was a spy. How would I know? You will ask. Well let me tell you, I¡¯ve learnt a great deal from my stay with Jory.

    It was a difficult time of my life but I¡¯ve learnt something along the way. Spies wrote in code in case their letters were intercepted. The only one who knew about my name being Zedd was my grandfather.

    Spies love playing on different fronts. They¡¯d make you feel they¡¯re on your side, but the moment you trust them is the moment you find a knife against your throat. I just didn¡¯t think Eva, the ghost, would use the same tactic on me. I let my guard down once. I wasn¡¯t willing to repeat the same mistake. Jory paid for his mistake with his life. I almost lost mine to Eva as well.

    It was imperative that I leave this tree house. I couldn¡¯t do it without the warlock¡¯s help either. Doing it alone meant that I had to find some root and speak to it. That¡¯s what the kind voice told me. But the kind voice didn¡¯t tell me how to overcome the obstacle of the interchanging lower floor. Raiya had doubled her security measures. She wouldn¡¯t let me out of her sight. I had to use her to my advantage then.

    There was the other issue with the warlock. She suspected me. I was certain she wouldn¡¯t let me leave without an escort despite giving her word for it. Come to think of it, she only promised to delay the inevitable. I had to rely on myself and this new ability of mine to get out. I needed to open my conduits. I needed the warlock, but only this once.

    One problem at a time Myles, you have to get your priorities straight. Don¡¯t overthink.

    I headed for Agatha¡¯s room. I had to think of a way to fool her without her knowing. She was the easiest target of them all. Raiya kept her cards close to her chest. Agatha was willing to part with some in order to gain something better.

    The common factor between the two women was Eva¡¯s bones. It was wise of me to respect her wishes and not divulge her name to the warlock. I had a bargaining chip I could use. Both wanted the bones. The Church probably knew who they belonged to. At least Sullivan did. Whether he chose to share the name with the others or not wasn¡¯t my concern at the moment.

    I couldn¡¯t let Agatha contact Utar or anyone else from the Church. That would only mean trouble for me. Or would it? Perhaps some chaos would help me slip away, unnoticed.

    I knocked at the door and heard Agatha¡¯s melodious voice beckoning me over. The room was stuffy. Multicolored fumes danced in the ceiling. The curtains were pulled over the windows, as I left them the last time I was here.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever open your windows?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Why?¡± Agatha¡¯s reply was accompanied by her brightest smile. ¡°It¡¯s not like you can¡¯t breathe in here.¡±

    I hoped that was sarcasm.

    ¡°I told Raiya everything,¡± I said, looking for a place to sit. Her four poster bed was the only option I had. I remained on my two feet. I wouldn¡¯t risk the Herbologist trying to seduce me again. She¡¯d only get what she wants and leave me with aching balls.

    ¡°What did she say?¡± Agatha asked. She was feeding some herbs to her brazier. The fire turned from orange to green to bright blue then to orange again.

    ¡°She¡¯s tightened her security, for one,¡± I replied.

    ¡°How?¡± The Herbologist wasn¡¯t looking at me. She was absorbed in her ritual or whatever she was doing. That was a good opportunity.

    ¡®Stop!¡¯

    I looked around, this time to my leisure. I didn¡¯t need the Herbologist to suspect anything. If Agatha was hiding something in this room, she was bound to keep it in her possession.

    I¡¯d find out about it and tell Raiya. That¡¯d earn me private classes and I¡¯d be rid of the Herbologist at the same time. Something caught my eye, beneath the brazier. But I was out of time and the smoke around me started moving again. What were we talking about again? Oh, right, the security upgrade!

    ¡°I went to see her earlier. I only found her office in the lower floor. No corridor, no multiple doors that lead to gods know where.¡±

    Agatha jerked her head toward me. She was frowning, that meant trouble. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°I told you, I spoke to her, told her about your plans to steal the bones and deliver them to the Church.¡±

    Agatha stood. Her eyes were fiercely studying me. What¡¯s gotten into her all of a sudden? ¡°Do you take me for a fool Stalwart?¡± she yelled.

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± I said. I urged my racing heart to calm down.

    The only problem about plotting against these women was that I didn¡¯t know the extent of their powers. Agatha was weaker than Raiya. But she wasn¡¯t a famous Herbologist for nothing. Did she notice something?

    ¡°She¡¯s not here to capture me, is she?¡± Agatha said. ¡°She must¡¯ve asked you to do something else for her, spy on me, get me to tell you how I contact the Church.¡±

    For a second there, I thought the Herbologist had figured out my secret. I frowned whereas I should be laughing. I was relieved that she didn¡¯t find out about my secret. I wasn¡¯t surprised she figured out Raiya¡¯s plan though.

    ¡°Raiya wants to keep me here,¡± I said. I tried to sound hurt, slightly angry at the warlock too. ¡°Spying on you for the first time was repayment for saving your life. Either way, Raiya and I reached an impasse. She wouldn¡¯t let me leave on my own, so I wouldn¡¯t help her.¡±

    Agatha backed away. She still had some doubts, I could feel it. But she was looking at the floor, as though thinking of something sinister. It occurred to me, for the first time since Raiya saved her, that she was also a prisoner in this house.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°What does Raiya want with you anyway?¡± I asked.

    The Herbologist looked up, lost and confused. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s been keeping you here ever since you recovered. Why didn¡¯t she let you and Zoey go?¡±

    Agatha began laughing. She was hysterical. She just threw her head backwards and howled, like a madwoman.

    ¡®Stop!¡¯

    I ran to the brazier and removed the cloth that hid what was underneath. There was a tiny marble ball, or crystal, I couldn¡¯t tell. It was cloudy on the inside. I was sure they¡¯d move if I didn¡¯t stop time altogether. Come to think of it, the ticking of the clock started already. I jumped back into position and watched the Herbologist continue her hysterics. This time limit¡¯s starting to annoy me.

    I made sure she was still laughing when I cast a quick glance at the marble ball. The clouds indeed moved. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You know nothing, boy,¡± Agatha replied. Her face was still contorted into a funny grimace. ¡°Yet you try to play this game of cat and mouse. I¡¯ll tell you right away, you¡¯ll fail miserably.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow,¡± I said. I gave the sternest expression I could muster. It wasn¡¯t convincing I guess since the Herbologist guffawed.

    It took her quite some time before she could control her laughter. In the meantime, I busied myself studying the marble ball she kept under the brazier. I tried picking it up and it burned me. I had to keep my right hand clutched for the remainder of our conversation.

    The marble ball was peculiar to say the least. It emitted a strange glow when I picked it up. I was afraid it had broken my spell when I dropped it from my hand. To my greatest relief, Agatha¡¯s mouth was still open. Her hands were still clutching her stomach as tears trickled down her yellow eyes. I carefully pushed the ball under the brazier and returned to my position.

    ¡°All you think about is getting out of this tree,¡± Agatha said after the laughter subsided. ¡°It¡¯s the end of the world, stupid! I¡¯m looking for a safe place to survive. For now, this tree house is our best option. But everything will change after the bones are handed to Raiya¡¯s mysterious guest.¡±

    I didn¡¯t need to follow up on that. I knew what would happen. Agatha will be at Raiya¡¯s mercy after my grandfather gets his hands on the bones. She was safe here, as long as the bones didn¡¯t change hands. On the other hand, I wasn¡¯t safe, no matter how you put it. I could see it clearly now. I was a puny pawn to be used by either side. I¡¯d be handed to my grandfather for execution or to the Church, for execution.

    My time was up. I¡¯ve helped Raiya get her hands on the bones. Giving her Eva¡¯s name would only make my situation worse.

    ¡°How sure are you,¡± I said, ¡°that my fake death will be convincing?¡±

    ¡°Oh?!¡± Agatha¡¯s smile got wider than ever. ¡°You¡¯re turning against your savior now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m willing to do whatever it takes to survive,¡± I said.

    ¡°I can¡¯t get you a Pardon,¡± Agatha said. ¡°But I can guarantee that Utar will consider you dead.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your condition?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The spirit in those bones has managed to possess you,¡± Agatha said. ¡°I¡¯m sure she tried to assimilate you too.¡±

    Was this common knowledge I wasn¡¯t aware of?

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Did you get her name?¡± Agatha asked.

    Damn woman! I¡¯ve underestimated her.

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± I asked. I needed to know why everybody was obsessed with her name. I also needed to stall. I didn¡¯t quite know how to get out of this situation.

    ¡°Everything, you silly boy,¡± Agatha replied. She had a haughty attitude about her now. Like one who had the upper hand on me. ¡°Tell me her name,¡± she went on, ¡°and I guarantee that Utar will look the other way. You¡¯ll be considered dead, nobody¡¯ll come looking.¡±

    Fuck you and fuck that greedy smile of yours!

    I didn¡¯t say a word, but my silence spoke for me. The smile on Agatha¡¯s face disappeared. She was looking at me now with such fury I swore she was thinking of every possible way to rip my throat with her bare hands and watch me choke on my own blood.

    I knew because I was looking at her the same way.

    Greed! I abhorred the concept and loathed people who adhered to it. The rage that boiled in my insides intensified as images, clear as day, flashed before my eyes. I saw the Herbologist hand me some potions. I saw her smile as Utar took me away. I saw her hold Sam by the shoulder, shaking her head as I screamed and yelled at the greedy woman.

    That bitch! I remember her now.

    ¡°Aunt Agatha¡¯s Apothecary!¡± I said, my voice filled with such rage that it came out loud, booming across the room. I strode toward her. The Herbologist¡¯s eyes widened. Her pupils grew in size and her voice stammered when she spoke.

    ¡°Y-y-you remember?!¡± she asked.

    I nodded. I was getting closer, thinking of ways to make her suffer the way I suffered. She walked backwards, her hands outstretched toward mine, as if to slow me down.

    ¡°Myles, my dear boy,¡± she said. Her voice was gentle now. ¡°Please¡­ Please, I didn¡¯t mean to! I had no choice!¡± She was backing away. Her back hit the wardrobe against the wall. I was upon her, ready to choke her to death, to rip her throat open with my own teeth.

    ¡°Augustine?¡± A voice, Utar¡¯s, filled the room. ¡°Augustine, are you there?¡±

    I looked around. The voice was coming from the brazier.

    A sharp pain soared through my back. Agatha had attacked me. I tried to reach with my hands but couldn¡¯t touch the knife that was lodged deep within my back.

    ¡°Utar,¡± Agatha was yelling as she ran for the brazier. ¡°He knows her name,¡± she screamed. ¡°Myles Stalwart, the boy you were chasing, he knows the ghost¡¯s name. He¡¯s here with me, he¡¯s trying to ¨C ¡°

    I kicked the woman in the face, as hard as I could. She let out a harrowing screech, so loud I had to cover my ears. The pain in my back reminded me of the knife that was still deeply lodged in. I advanced toward the Herbologist, willing to take her life, then and there.

    ¡®Get out of here,¡¯ the kind voice spoke to me. ¡®NOW!¡¯

    The multicolored smoke that filled the room suddenly moved. It swirled and danced about. I saw, to my surprise and utter horror, a shape forming above the brazier. Utar, the bastard was here?!

    ¡®Stop!¡¯

    I cast one last glance at the Priest then ran for the door.

    No wait!

    The clock was ticking¡­ I had to remove that marble ball from the Herbologist¡¯s possession.

    One moment¡¯s hesitation and the situation turned ugly. I ran for the marble ball. The clock stopped ticking and time resumed as it had been. I lunged for the marble ball, ignoring my pain.

    WHAM!

    I let out a painful cry. My lungs filled with blood. I was propelled backward by some spell and landed on the floor. And to make the situation worse, the knife had disappeared inside my torso. I couldn¡¯t move or speak. I watched, as my eye slowly closed, Utar take shape. His body was transforming from smoke to flesh and bone.

    I had to do something, lest all my efforts turn to dust.

    ¡®Stop!¡¯

    Nothing! Utar was still materializing before my eyes. My body ached. I heard myself wheezing. My heart slowed. I was going to die here, choking on my own blood.

    No way! That¡¯s the fate I reserved for Agatha, that backstabbing bitch!

    ¡®Stop!¡¯ I willed my entire body to concentrate.

    Nothing! I could see the Priest¡¯s white hair now.

    ¡®Stop!¡¯

    Nothing¡­

    I tried to get up. It felt as though my entire body conspired against me. The pain I felt immobilized me. I coughed and a warm, coppery liquid filled my mouth.

    ¡®Stop!¡¯

    Shit!

    ¡®Stop!¡¯

    Shit!

    ¡®Stop!¡¯

    Shit!

    Shit!

    Shit!!!!!

    ¡®You can¡¯t solve a problem by repeating the same faulty solution!¡¯ the kind voice told me.

    ¡®Then¡­ help¡­ me¡­ you¡­ smartass!¡¯ I replied.

    ¡®Concentrate on your wound,¡¯ the voice said. ¡®Help yourself on your feet!¡¯

    I got it!

    I willed my unresponsive mind to think of the wound and the bleeding then screamed: ¡°STOP!¡±

    I coughed more blood, but the pain subsided.

    ¡°You can¡¯t stop this, Stalwart,¡± Utar said. Half of his body had materialized. ¡°The entire Church will come here after I take down that warlock!¡± Utar started laughing hysterically. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do boy!¡±

    ¡°Watch me!¡± I gritted my teeth and stood up.

    ¡®Stop!¡¯ and Utar¡¯s smile froze.

    I ran for the marble ball, grabbed it and ran out of the room. It burned through flesh and soon, I was certain, through bone. But I didn¡¯t care. I had to stop whatever they were doing.

    The bleeding had resumed by the time I closed the door. I knew I had about ten seconds before the stop spell on Utar and Agatha would subside as well.

    ¡®Shisha,¡¯ I called out psionically, at least I hoped I did. ¡®Sisha please, if you can hear me, the church is here! We¡¯re in danger.¡¯

    I fell down, face first, in the empty hall of the second floor. The marble ball had almost burned a hole in my hand but I didn¡¯t care. I wouldn¡¯t let that Priest come in here. The ball rolled down the hall. I heard it clatter as it fell down the stairs. My eye finally closed and I lost consciousness.

 66 - Painful Memories and The Promise af a Better Future

    There¡¯s an old saying in my hometown: Refuse a loaf of bread, and you¡¯ll beg for half of it. I was about to be offered something I shouldn¡¯t refuse. For the first time in my life, I heeded the elder¡¯s warnings.

    I woke up to Raiya¡¯s voice. She was reciting some incantation. Upon noticing I¡¯d woken up, she smiled and stopped the recitation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± she said after I attempted to stand up. ¡°You¡¯re still weak.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± I was surprised at my own voice. It was apparent that I was indeed very weak. I tried to remember what had just happened. Then it hit me. I tried to stand once more but the warlock caught me.

    ¡°Lie still,¡± she ordered.

    ¡°Utar!¡± I cried out. ¡°Did he?¡± I couldn¡¯t finish the question. A sharp pain reminded me of the knife that Agatha stuck in my back and the Priest materializing out of smoke.

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be having this conversation if he had,¡± Raiya said. ¡°You¡¯ve saved the day today Zedd.¡±

    Not again with this name!

    ¡°What of Agatha?¡± I asked. I felt rage boiling in my insides at my mention of her name.

    ¡°She¡¯s locked up,¡± Raiya said. ¡°Zedd,¡± she went on and I winced, ¡°you¡¯ve done me a favor today that I can¡¯t repay. I¡¯m in your debt once more. If the Priest had come, not only will this tree of mine get destroyed, but we¡¯d also have lost an advantage in the upcoming war.¡±

    Again with the war and the plots! I wished they¡¯d just leave me out of it. But I was in no mood to argue, nor was I in the best shape to stand and try to leave on my own. I tried to move my shoulder and groaned. The pain wasn¡¯t as intense as it had been before I lost consciousness.

    ¡°I¡¯ve done my best,¡± Raiya said, wiping her sweaty forehead. ¡°I¡¯ve reattached the muscle tissue and stopped the bleeding. It¡¯s all up to your recovery speed now. You¡¯ll be able to walk, but you can¡¯t use a weapon before you completely recover.¡±

    ¡°How long?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I¡¯d say about a fortnight,¡± Raiya said.

    A Fortnight?!

    ¡°What will we do if the Church comes?¡± I asked

    ¡°When the Church comes,¡± she reiterated. ¡°They¡¯re definitely coming. Whatever Agatha told the Priest, it¡¯s gotten them riled up. I have reports from the east telling me the Church is moving against Arsalan as we speak.¡±

    . ¡°Can¡¯t you do something?¡± I asked. ¡°Numb the pain or give me some of your magic potions. I can help.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already done something Zedd,¡± Raiya sternly continued. ¡°How about a thank you for saving your life?¡±

    ¡°Thank you for saving my life,¡± I said, albeit reluctantly. It¡¯s not like I was ungrateful or anything. I¡¯d just hated myself for not saying so before the reminder.

    ¡°Humph!¡± Raiya mumbled something about being too late and I hated myself even more.

    Never forget your manners Zedd ¨C I mean Myles. See? I can¡¯t even think straight now.

    ¡°Get some rest,¡± Raiya said. ¡°Sisha and I have captured Agatha. Utar¡¯s summoning wasn¡¯t complete, and thanks to your warning, we now have her little orb.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean that Utar¡¯s dead?¡± I said, hopeful.

    ¡°That type of summoning, unlike teleportation, doesn¡¯t conjure the real body, just an avatar,¡± Raiya answered. ¡°He¡¯s still around, unfortunately. If he managed to get here though, even as an avatar, he would cause irreparable damaged before I could dispose of him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s rounding up a team as we speak. They¡¯ll be here. I can¡¯t say when, but I¡¯ve sent for reinforcements.¡±

    ¡°Reinforcements?¡± I said then muffled a groan, even speaking hurts now.

    What is she expecting?

    ¡°Sleep, Zedd,¡± Raiya retorted. ¡°This isn¡¯t your fight anymore. You have what you wanted. I had to open your Conduits to allow your body to heal. Your wounds have closed. With some luck, you¡¯ll recover in less than a fortnight.¡± She gave me a weak smile then continued.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you managed to get away from Agatha, and steal the orb in the process. But I¡¯m grateful for that. I spoke to Sisha and decided I¡¯ll teach you about magic. I¡¯ll point you the right way and you¡¯ll have to practice on your own.¡±

    My eyes widened.

    ¡°We¡¯ll speak later,¡± Raiya said as she noticed my eagerness to ask questions. ¡°I have bigger fish to fry now.¡±

    She turned on her heels and stormed out of the room. I was left alone in the darkness. It was night already, I had just noticed. How long have I been asleep? Not long, I figured, or Raiya would¡¯ve mentioned it.

    I felt a slight tingle in my brain. Someone was attempting to contact me. I concentrated on that tingle then felt, not heard, a voice echoing in my brain.

    ¡°Hey kid!¡± It was Sisha. I recognized the whispers. ¡°Thanks for the warning, glad you¡¯re alive.¡±

    The connection was cut short and I was left wondering if I¡¯d suspected those two for nothing.

    No.

    They still had their own hidden agendas and secret plots. I was better off alone. Raiya had opened my Conduits. I had to find a way to get on my feet and get out of here, before the Church arrives.

    It was high time I learned how to use magic too. I needed to develop that ability I gained. I tried to move but an unbearable in my shoulder urged me to lie down again. I groaned and let my head sink into the pillow. It hurt, swinging a sword with this injury is impossible.

    Raiya said the opened Conduits could help me heal faster. How do I do that? I hoped she¡¯d come back already and start teaching me. She must be busy getting information out of Agatha now. I shuddered to think of what the warlock would do to her. But then I remembered what I suffered thanks to her. She deserved it.

    I fell asleep thinking of the Herbologist. I hoped Raiya would leave the finishing blow to me. That Herbologist had wronged me in every possible way¡­

    ***

    Dreams again¡­

    I was inside a cave now. I was pacing around a small fire I¡¯d built earlier that day. It was nighttime and I was expecting someone. I was exhausted, probably from riding for three days without rest. I didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d been gnawing on my fingernails. But the observing part of me in the dream saw the things I ignored back then due to anxiety. There was a nasty gash by my left thigh, but it didn¡¯t hinder my movement so I didn¡¯t bother cleaning it.

    I heard footsteps at the edge of the cave and I drew Namyra, my sword. I hid in a crevice by the cave and waited, holding the sword before my eyes. The sword also needed cleaning. There were still some patches of blood that began clotting on it. I was pressed for time though. I couldn¡¯t afford the luxury to rest, eat or take care of my own hygiene, let alone my sword.

    The footsteps intensified then I heard a familiar voice. ¡°Abrath the wonderful,¡± the voice said. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    I unsheathed the sword and came out of hiding. It was the secret passphrase Sam and I agreed on. He stood before me, holding a bundle in his arms. He was out of breath. Dark circles started forming underneath his eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s the situation in there?¡± I asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s in the city,¡± Sam replied. ¡°This is all I could smuggle out for you.¡±

    He handed me the bundle which contained some bread and dried fish. I realized I was starving and started devouring the food without much munching.

    ¡°You look terrible,¡± Sam said, carefully observing me.

    ¡°You think?¡± I replied. ¡°I thought I looked like a knight in shining armor!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to vent your anger at me brother,¡± Sam apologetically said. ¡°I¡¯ve arranged for your family¡¯s escape. They¡¯ll come out the western tunnel by dawn.¡±

    ¡°Western tunnel?!¡± I exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous. They can¡¯t cross the entire city without being captured by guards.¡±

    ¡°Not everybody agrees with the Church brother,¡± Sam replied. ¡°Viraldo¡¯s arranged an escort for them. Remember Alistair, that young hunter who¡¯s been trying to recruit us into the Three Headed Dragon?¡±

    I remembered the bloke. ¡°What¡¯d you get the hunters involved for?¡± I snapped, bits of bread flew off my mouth.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Sam replied, still sounding apologetic. ¡°He volunteered to help, said he owed your father his life.¡±

    ¡°Well fuck me sideways!¡± I almost lost it! ¡°Next thing I know, the damn Chancellor¡¯s involved in sneaking my family out.¡±

    ¡°Myles,¡± Sam was on the verge of dropping to his knees and begging me to calm down. ¡°You haven¡¯t slept in days. You¡¯re on edge, I know that. But we¡¯re doing all we can to get them out. Utar¡¯s vicious. He¡¯s got the entire city guard under his command now.¡±

    I stood and got closer to my best friend. Rage was building up inside of me. My eyes spoke of fury and despair. My nose was pulled higher, causing fat wrinkles to meet the already fat creases between my eyebrows. I knew I was being rude to Sam, but I couldn¡¯t help it.

    ¡°Utar had slaughtered my men and is now targeting my family,¡± I said. My voice echoed in the empty cave. ¡°I swore I¡¯d have his head, even if it¡¯s the last thing I do!¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Understand?! How could you?¡± I retorted. A mocking smile automatically appeared on my face. ¡°Have you ever had your entire squad slaughtered before your eyes?¡±

    ¡°No, but ¨C ¡°

    ¡°Or better yet,¡± I let out a nervous laugh then went on, ¡°have you been promised that your family was next? Ordered to run in order to save them?¡±

    ¡°Myles, please!¡± Sam said, glancing down at my right hand.

    I was clutching my sword tightly. Did he think I¡¯d attack him?

    ¡°How will you get them out of sight after they leave the tunnel?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d take care of that,¡± Sam replied. ¡°We¡¯ll get them out for you and ¨C ¡°

    ¡°That¡¯s as good as surrendering to Utar!¡± I yelled. ¡°Are you saying I should surrender?¡±

    ¡°No, but ¨C ¡°

    ¡°We have the upper hand since Utar doesn¡¯t know where my parents live. We¡¯re lucky the Chancellor never cares about the people in the slums. But as soon as word gets out, and you can be damn sure it will, they¡¯ll be missing heads!¡±

    ***

    ¡°Calm down!¡± A voice said.

    ¡°What?¡± I shot back. I looked around and realized I was no longer in the cave. I was in that empty space, where everything was white. My voice had no echo. I could barely hear myself speak. It felt as though my ears were clogged by something.

    ¡°Fear controlled you,¡± the kind voice spoke again, clearer and louder. I recognized it this time. ¡°You acted rashly and got your family killed in the process.¡±

    ¡°How would you have done it?¡± I asked. ¡°And where are we?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re in a world created for the champions¡¯ training,¡± the voice replied.

    ¡°Champion?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Champions¡± the voice reiterated. ¡°Lord Minsec has chosen you to fight on his behalf during the upcoming Holi Wars,¡± the voice replied.

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    ¡°You think so little of yourself Stalwart,¡± the voice said.

    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± I retorted. ¡°I think little of you, of all you people and strange voices that always want something from me.¡±

    ¡°Like you wanted your friend Sam to save your family for you?¡± The voice retorted.

    ¡°That¡¯s different!¡± I objected.

    ¡°How?¡± The voice said.

    ¡°For starters, he was my friend. We knew each other since we were children. I don¡¯t know you. I don¡¯t even know what you look like!¡±

    ¡°Humans¡­¡± the voice said. ¡°Your obsession with appearance is beyond me¡­¡±

    I heard a sound akin to waves smashing at the foot of a cliff. Then out of nowhere ¨Cfunny I should say that since I was in the middle of nowhere ¨C a man appeared. He had a long white beard and a bald, shiny head. He looked serene, like the benevolent grandfather who¡¯d always be there to advise you in your most difficult times.

    ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± he said, ¡°you know what I look like now.¡±

    I stared long enough to make the situation quite awkward.

    ¡°Hurry up and make your mind,¡± the old man said. ¡°We haven¡¯t got much time.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I said.

    A long sigh and a look of extreme exasperation later, the man replied. ¡°My name is too long to be remembered. You can call me Dif!¡±

    ¡°Dif?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the first syllable in my name,¡± the old man said. ¡°Can we get to business now?¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯d you wait until now to show yourself?¡±

    ¡°Because your Conduits were clogged, the warlock has taken care of that.¡±

    ¡°How can you exist here without her knowing?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a grain of sand to my Lord¡¯s eyes, Stalwart. Can we get to serious matters now?¡±

    ¡°Wh-¡° My mouth slammed shut before I could ask the next question. I felt my teeth clatter and my head vibrated. The pain was real. This wasn¡¯t a dream.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this,¡± Dif said. ¡°Your training has to begin now if we¡¯re to get you ready to compete in the Wars. Your conduits have opened, which means that the energy from the Fragment will soon collide with yours. You have to control that.¡±

    I shook my head. Muffled groans and sounds exited through my nostrils.

    Dif raised a questioning eyebrow then my mouth was opened again. ¡°What if I refuse to cooperate?¡± I said.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have just one champion,¡± Dif said. ¡°We have many candidates and we choose the most appropriate one for the task. If you refuse to cooperate, I¡¯ll take that Fragment out of you and gift it to someone else.¡±

    ¡°Then do it,¡± I challenged. I didn¡¯t believe a word this grandpa said.

    ¡°You¡¯ll die in the process,¡± the man retorted.

    ¡°Better than serving some Lord I never met,¡± I said, still not believing.

    ¡°How about this,¡± Dif said. ¡°I¡¯ll help you get out from the upcoming invasion. In return you promise to at least participate in the first task.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better if I show you,¡± the man said. He waved his hand and the whiteness around us dissipated.

    We were standing in the middle of a camp. Tents, at least two dozen, were erected in a clearing inside some woods. I saw pine trees, that was probably somewhere north.

    ¡°The Church is using fixed portals to travel,¡± the man said. ¡°They¡¯re now in the Republic of Kasmur, north of Aslanor. You are in Sayang, the eastern province of Aslanor in case you didn¡¯t know. They¡¯d be here in a month if they ride. But they¡¯ll be teleporting through another portal by dawn. They¡¯ll be here tomorrow at noon.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t fight!¡± I said.

    ¡°And you shouldn¡¯t,¡± Dif replied. ¡°These men are after the bones. They¡¯ll destroy the tree you¡¯re in to get to their goal. Imagine what would happen if he finds you around.¡± Dif motioned with his chin toward a man in the crowd.

    ¡°Utar!¡± I swore. The Priest had become my nightmare, my nemesis.

    ¡°If I go along with your plan,¡± I said. ¡°Will I become strong enough to kill him?¡±

    ¡°It will take years of practice and diligence,¡± Dif replied. ¡°But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s an issue for the Priest. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll still be around. He¡¯s a resilient old man, almost a hundred.¡±

    ¡°A hundred? How can a man live that long and remain strong?¡±

    ¡°Clueless,¡± Dif shook his head then sighed. ¡°Utar¡¯s the weakest of the bunch, just so you know,¡± he went on. ¡°There are others, older, that look as though they were twenty.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it in Eva¡¯s memories,¡± I mumbled.

    ¡°With my help and your talent, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll grow strong enough to take part in the Holi Wars in four months.¡±

    ¡°If I live that long!¡± I scoffed.

    ¡°Do you want to live, Stalwart?¡±

    ¡°I want my vengeance,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Are you willing to do what it takes to have it?¡±

    ¡°By that,¡± I said, ¡°you mean follow your instructions and participate in the Holi Wars?¡±

    ¡°Survive the Undertaking, then participate in the War and survive it,¡± Dif reiterated.

    ¡°What happens if I lose?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You die.¡±

    ¡°And if I win?¡±

    ¡°You gain strength and legendary weapons. You¡¯ll be strong enough to challenge the Church.¡±

    ¡°Utar?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Def said. ¡°It¡¯s too early to say.¡±

    ¡°When do we start?¡± I asked.

    The man waved his hand and whiteness welcomed us again. ¡°After you recover your strength,¡± he said.

    ¡°That won¡¯t happen soon,¡± I protested. ¡°Raiya said I needed two weeks.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because she doesn¡¯t know you have a Fragment,¡± Dif retorted.

    ¡°How will that Fragment of yours help?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s yours now, unless you die or do something to upset me. The Fragment is an additional source of the energy called Essence. I¡¯ll teach you how you can harvest it from your surroundings and store it in the Fragment,¡± Dif said. ¡°You¡¯ll use it to heal yourself then. But before that, you¡¯ll have to merge its energy with yours.¡±

    ¡°And that will be faster than letting my body do the work?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re smart enough, and I believe you are, you should be able to swing a sword come sunrise,¡± the old man said.

    ¡°What do I do?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It usually takes about three months to master the basics of this method,¡± Dif said. ¡°But as the old saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. I¡¯ll give you the general directives. If you want to survive, you¡¯ll have to find your own way.¡±

    ¡°What happened to helping me getting out of this?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You ask too many questions and you¡¯ve upset me. Let this be your first lesson. Lord Minsec wouldn¡¯t approve of arrogant champions. Do it on your own, and if you survive then you¡¯ll be considered worthy to undertake the first task.¡±

    Way to turn things around, sly old man! I didn¡¯t have a choice though.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin!¡± I said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll transfer my knowledge of Fragment Assimilation and energy harvesting to you. Upon waking up, make sure you go over everything before you start practicing.¡±

    I nodded.

    The old man vanished from sight and I felt as though I was falling through an endless hole. I woke up with a start. My shoulder reminded me to stay still, but the knowledge my brain had just received kept me from doing so. It kept pouring in as if a dam had just been opened and water bust through. It was a lot to handle.

 67 - Fusion Requires Acceptance

    It was still dark outside. I still had some time before the Church arrived. My only concern was filtering the information that has just poured into my brain. A lot wouldn¡¯t do it justice. I¡¯d received more than I could handle. I had a full library in my mind that I could access with a single thought, or so I hoped.

    There was something about breathing exercises. There was also something about Veins and Aether and Fragments of the Primordial Souls. I decided to let it all in instead of trying to look at each in detail. I had just received the knowledge of a thousand books, at once. I was beginning to get worried then. What if I couldn¡¯t access the information at will?

    To my surprise, and great relief, I could!

    Well¡­ to some extent¡­

    Try to think of every book you¡¯ve read since you were a child. Can you remember each of them in detail? If yes, congratulations you¡¯ve got a solid memory. If not, then welcome to the club!

    I couldn¡¯t even remember my own past, let alone everything that old man poured into my brain. I could recall bits and pieces though. That was a good start. I thought of Minsec, the lord Dif spoke about, and received a mountain load of data.

    Many believed him to be a forsaken god who rejected the old ways and bloodshed. There were other things about this Minsec I didn¡¯t bother checking. When you¡¯re faced with more data than you can handle, the first reaction is ignore it. Who¡¯s got the time to read through all of this anyway? I had other pressing matters to attend to. So I redirected my thoughts toward my injury.

    ¡®How can I speed up my recovery?¡¯

    ¡®How can I speed up my recovery?¡¯

    I repeated that question at least twenty times. Solutions came to mind, some more impossible and extravagant than the others.

    ¡°Narrow it down Myles!¡± I urged myself.

    ¡®I¡¯m a novice, and I¡¯m injured. How can I speed up my recovery?¡¯

    ¡°Mix any variation of Aconitum with Apple Cider and mice vocal chords ¨C¡±

    No, no, no, I didn¡¯t need that. Agatha would offer her left kidney and perhaps both eyes for the information I have now. But it was useless to me. I was no Alchemist or Herbologist. I needed a simpler method.

    Think Stalwart, think!

    ¡®I¡¯ve just received a Fragment and I have to merge its energy with my own.¡¯ I concentrated on that bit for a while, filtering all the complicated answers until I found one I could work with.

    ¡°Close your eyes and stabilize your breathing,¡± the instructions read.

    I did as I was told.

    ¡°Breathe in from the nose, breathe out through the mouth. Make sure you take in as much air as your body allows.¡±

    I tried that, but my injury kept me from doing so.

    ¡°Pain is inevitable, but it¡¯s your choice to fight it, or accept it.¡±

    Easy for you to say! Try accepting the sensation of a thousand needles piercing your back.

    It took me several attempts but I finally managed to calm down and accept the pain nudging at me. The thought of Utar marching on us kept me going.  I didn¡¯t have a choice, did I? Necessity was indeed the mother of everything!

    ¡°Keep breathing until your teeth get numb. Your nose will let in cleaner air and you¡¯d feel your lungs and belly inflating more than usual. Your Conduits will expand then, allowing for more Essence to flow through.¡±

    How long was I supposed to do that? I didn¡¯t know. But it was better than hunting mice vocal chords or harvest licorice fed Brangus bull balls. Dif probably gave me all this information to mess with my head, or to show off. I didn¡¯t care either way, I had to get on my feet and fast.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    I kept breathing, chasing thoughts away. It was harder to focus on the task at hand while my mind thought of the approaching doom. But I endured until I achieved complete silence.

    I felt the numbness. Then the unexpected happened. I could feel some sort of energy flowing through my entire body. I felt it circling from my toes to my head and then to my toes again.

    ¡°Follow the energy stream. Find where it gets stuck.¡±

    I kept breathing steadily and followed the energy as I did so. It clogged somewhere near my right shoulder blade. I focused on that area then realized there was a tear through which the energy exited the stream, wasted into the air. I focused on that part to get some more instructions.

    ¡°Redirect your energy through a different Conduit. Don¡¯t let it flow through there, lest it all goes to waste. It takes more time to recover wasted energy than harvest new one.¡±

    It took me a long while, but I managed to redirect the energy through a different Conduit. It felt as though I was looking for a faulty pipe through which water was seeping. I had to find the source and shut it from there.

    ¡°Once the Conduit is shut, you can begin repairs. Concentrate on your entire system. Picture the Conduits as if they were in front of you. You¡¯ll soon see the power source. Direct a single stream of power through the conduit and focus on reconstructing. The results depend on the intention of the user.¡±

    I saw two power sources. One was close to my navel. The other was connected to my spine. The first one had a red glow to it while the second was dark purple. That was the Fragment. I remembered the snowflake crystal¡¯s color. It emitted a stronger aura but only gave little energy. It looked as though my own energy blocked it from being distributed to my Conduits.

    ¡°If you have a Fragment,¡± the instructions inside my brain poured in. ¡°Draw from it, and send the energy solely through the damaged Conduit. Beware of excessive drawing before full fusion.¡±

    That was the trickiest part. Every time I tried to do so, the energy from the Fragment seeped through the other conduits and collided with my own. They weren¡¯t fully compatible. I learned it the hard way. I started convulsing the moment the two energies collided.

    ¡°In case of seizures, be sure to stop drawing from the Fragment immediately. Failure to do so will cause brain damage, and death.¡±

    Oh how wonderful! That¡¯s why Dif instructed me to go over the instructions more than once I guess¡­

    I focused on the energy in the Fragment and tried to pull it away, keep it in its safe zone. It didn¡¯t obey. My entire body was shaking. I felt saliva trickle down my mouth. My heartbeat quickened and I was starting to choke on my own vomit. This escalated really quickly!

    I forgot about the breathing exercises. I forgot about emptying my mind of all thoughts. I only wanted one thing: for it all to stop and for me to survive this. I mustered all the energy I had to push myself to the side. Lying on my back was a bad idea now. I can take the pain that seared through my back. I had to. I wouldn¡¯t choke to death.

    I lay on my side and accepted the pain. I was out of the woods, for now. I concentrated once more on my Conduits. I couldn¡¯t let this power struggle continue. I saw the dark purple energy colliding with the red. There was no backing down now. I had to solve the situation or die.

    How many times have I scraped death so far? I lost count.

    Was this one of those times? Yes, I was sure of it. I had to believe I could survive this. I didn¡¯t want to die, not yet anyway. I was only beginning to get things under control.

    I focused all my will into the red energy, my energy. I pushed the Fragment¡¯s away. It felt like two magnets repelling each other. The resulting force from the collision expanded my Conduits and threatened to tear them apart.

    ¡°More than one torn Conduit will ultimately lead to death, if not dealt with immediately,¡± the instructions said.

    And here I was, thinking it¡¯ll just feel a slight tickle if I failed to contain this situation. *Sigh¡­*

    I kept pushing the dark purple energy away. The Conduits were expanding dangerously. I was lucky to have pushed myself to the side. Otherwise I¡¯d have choked on my own vomit. The convulsions were back, more violent. I could barely stay conscious to fight the invading foreign energy.

    The more I pushed the more my Conduits expanded. The Fragment was stronger than I was. Fighting it would only mean my death, but what other choice did I have? I summoned more energy from my core and pushed harder. The power struggle was now isolated to one Conduit, near my spine: a dangerous place to be injured in.

    Cracks appeared on the Conduit, I was running out of time. I pushed harder, but that only resulted in double the resistance. Everything turned red and purple before me. I couldn¡¯t see the Conduits anymore. In fact, I¡¯d lost all sensations. I felt the claws of darkness scraping my back. Death was knocking at my door and I was unwilling to let it in.

    But for how long?

    My body stopped trembling. I heard a loud, continuous buzzing sound in my ears. The power struggle seemed to have ended, and I¡¯ve lost it. The purple energy was seeping through, pushing my own away. My Conduits expanded and swelled to an unprecedented degree. I felt surprisingly lighter.

    It¡¯s that sensation again, of being light and devoid of worries. It¡¯s funny how in your dying moment, while you¡¯re drawing your last breaths, clarity hits. I understood what I had to do. But the harder I tried to take action, the harder my body fought back.

    It felt like being exhausted from doing physical work for an entire day, yet struggling to stay awake. Your body just forces your eyes shut.

    I knew sleep would come. I also knew that I shouldn¡¯t accept it, that it meant eternal slumber. But it somehow didn¡¯t matter. Death felt like a maiden¡¯s kiss at that moment. It was bliss and happiness. It was dangerous yet immensely appealing. I was smiling, welcoming my unsolicited visitor.

    ¡°Fusion requires acceptance,¡± information poured in again.

 68 - All Healed and Sealed

    ***

    I was a little creature, a mouse of some sort, trapped in a labyrinth, running though large tunnels. I was a beacon created for a specific purpose I was told not to think about. I didn¡¯t have the luxury of time for thoughts though.

    A dark purple liquid was chasing me. I stop and I die, take the wrong turn and I die. I realized I knew the labyrinth pretty well. All I had to do was take the right turn. But I also realized along the road that my memory was hazy. It felt as though I was beginning to forget the map of the labyrinth.

    I ran faster, fear gripping my heart. I squealed like the little mouse I was as some of the purple liquid touched my tiny toes. It burned like acid. I had to run faster, lead it to the place it needed to be. The walls of the labyrinth around me emitted some acrid smoke. The situation didn¡¯t bode well.

    I turned right at the next intersection. It felt as though some voice, deep within the confines of my tiny brain, was leading me the right way. I ran some more until I reached another intersection, the dark liquid still following. The downside about being a mouse is that you quickly run out of breath. The upside, I was slippery. The liquid wouldn¡¯t reach me if I kept dodging left and right.

    I took another turn, to the left this time. I had to keep going, I was getting close, I could feel it. I had to keep the liquid chasing me. It mustn¡¯t turn its attention toward the labyrinth walls, or the other thing. I mustn¡¯t think of the other thing! That was the plan. The energy could destroy the walls and then I¡¯d be submerged, dead. I wouldn¡¯t allow that, I mustn¡¯t.

    Wave after wave crashed at the intersection. The liquid was filling the entire tunnel. I had no choice but to run faster. My tiny lungs couldn¡¯t take that. I urged them, I begged them to endure and carry me forward.

    ¡®Just a little further,¡¯ I begged. ¡®We¡¯re almost there.¡¯

    I ran and ran, for what felt like an eternity, until I reached my destination. There was a large hole through which the liquid would fall and seep away. I had to jump it, get away with my life. The liquid won¡¯t reach me. I¡¯ll be watching it from the other side, trying to submerge me but unable to. Thank the gods for gravity. Thank the gods for my tiny body and my solid, springy legs.

    I picked up speed, despite my lungs protesting, and jumped. Higher and higher I went. For a fragment of a second, it felt like I was flying. I was smiling. I felt free, free from the danger behind me, free from worries and pain. I landed at the edge of the hole and fought to regain my footing. I succeeded.

    I stood, facing the raging dark aura, smiling. It was heading my way, getting larger and larger as it approached. The walls of the labyrinth wouldn¡¯t take it any longer. My safe haven, my home, would be destroyed. This hole was my only chance.

    ¡®Come on you bastard!¡¯ I urged the dark liquid to arrive.

    ¡®Come and get me!¡¯

    And it obliged. It came rushing in, burning the walls as it closed in on me. Then it fell. Down the hall it went. My smile couldn¡¯t have been wider! I let out a long sigh of relief and looked up at my nemesis.

    My smile immediately vanished. The hole was getting larger. The corrosion from the dark liquid spread through the other walls and was eating away at them. My heart began beating faster. My legs hurt and my heart ached even more. The dark purple liquid suddenly found a way to overcome the barrier. Numbers trumped the obstacle. There was too much of it to seep through one tiny hole.

    I couldn¡¯t create another either. Doing that would mean the destruction of my home. I had another pressing matter though. The liquid was coming my way again. I knew what to do. I had to run again. It would take some time but at least I¡¯d be safe. The other thing was already doing its job.

    I mustn¡¯t think about it, I reminded myself. I shook the thought away and ran.

    I had to drag the liquid back to its origin. I received the instruction from the voice deep within. The helpful voice was always there for me. It ensured my survival for so long. It wouldn¡¯t let me down, I knew it.

    So I ran again. Up I went and the liquid followed, raging, destroying. The walls wouldn¡¯t take any more of this. I had to run faster. If only I had more legs. Better yet, if only I had wings. But I had none. I had to make do with what I had. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    I turned right, then left, then right again. Now I was ascending, then I was descending. I didn¡¯t know for how long I¡¯ve been running. I stopped caring about that a while ago. I had to survive. And that meant ignoring the pain, fighting through it. The dark liquid was getting closer now. The walls around me were stained purple.

    Lead it to its source. That was my primary directive. I had a feeling everything would get better once I¡¯ve done that.

    ¡®Don¡¯t think of the thing,¡¯ I urged myself.

    I suddenly found myself faced with a new problem. I didn¡¯t remember where I was or where I needed to go. It felt as though the connection I shared with the helpful voice disappeared. That wasn¡¯t good, not good at all¡­

    The liquid was upon me. It swept me away and I felt my fur burn first. I was drowning in acid. I screamed and swallowed it all. More pain and more suffering¡­

    The last thing I saw was a giant crystal structure at the end of the tunnel.

    ***

    I opened my eyes, panting. What a strange dream!

    I inspected my back and was pleasantly surprised. The pain had disappeared. I waved my arm around. It was fully operational! I couldn¡¯t believe it.

    I immediately sat down and regulated my breathing. I concentrated on my Conduits and I soon could picture them with my mind¡¯s eye. They were cracked and badly damaged. But only my energy flowed through them.

    My plan had worked!

    I had to lure the Fragment¡¯s energy away, and I needed to do it fast. So I created a concentrated ball of my own energy inside the Conduit in which the power struggle happened. I lured the energy away, while I repaired the damaged ones as soon as the Fragment¡¯s energy went past. The tricky part was to avoid the damaged Conduit long enough to allow the Fragment¡¯s energy to flow though my entire body.

    It did one lap around then I led it back to its source though the torn Conduit. I had to weaken it before I sealed it inside. I learned enough about repairing the cracked Conduits. I used that knowledge then led the Fragment¡¯s energy through the torn one. As soon as the harmful energy was sealed, I went back and repaired the critical damage.

    I¡¯d hit two birds with one stone. I weakened the strong energy from the Fragment by leading it into the tear then took my time repairing it as the Fragment chased the bait.

    I got up after I made sure everything was under control. I shouldn¡¯t attempt fusing with the Fragment unless I¡¯m not under any pressure. I was sure the fusion would take a tremendous amount of time, which I didn¡¯t have.

    I remembered Utar and his posse. I looked out the window to see that the sun had already risen. By its position, I had about two hours until midday. It was now or never. I had to leave this place without being spotted.

    Freezing time must be my last resort as well.

    I learned, again the hard way, that freezing time required drawing energy from the Fragment. Once my Conduits were opened, I couldn¡¯t use the ability freely. You know the risk by now¡­

    I carefully stepped out of my room and crept through the corridor. The rooms were empty by now. Agatha was imprisoned somewhere, probably beside Zoey. Eli had left a week ago. It feels as though years have gone by since then. I debated whether I should get in touch with Raiya or not. I could ask for Agatha¡¯s head. I still haven¡¯t forgotten about my revenge.

    ¡®Oh, you¡¯re awake,¡¯ a voice reached out to me.

    Upon contact, I felt the Fragment¡¯s energy struggling to burst through the seals I¡¯ve put. Damn you ghost! Are you trying to kill me?

    ¡®What do you want?!¡¯ I snapped.

    ¡®You¡¯re leaving,¡¯ she said, ¡®sneaking out, are we?¡¯

    ¡®There¡¯s no we,¡¯ I retorted. ¡®You¡¯re on your own now!¡¯

    ¡®Come on!¡¯ the ghost gave a semblance of a grunt then went on; ¡®we can help each other out!¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯ve been through this before, haven¡¯t we?¡¯ I said.

    I had just reached the stairs. Raiya would definitely by in the lower floor by now. I had to step lightly now.

    ¡®I won¡¯t try to possess you this time, I promise.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m leaving you behind,¡¯ I firmly said. ¡®You¡¯re her problem now.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll tell the demon you¡¯re awake then,¡¯ she retorted in a childish tone.

    ¡®Here¡¯s the thing,¡¯ I replied. ¡®Sisha won¡¯t attack me. He and the warlock owe me. But you¡­ I¡¯m not sure what¡¯ll happen if he finds out you¡¯re trying to contact me again.¡¯

    ¡®Myles, please,¡¯ the ghost went on. ¡®We share a deep connection now. You know why I fought so hard to survive, even in this weak form! And I know more about your past than you do. We can help each other out. I know you want to.¡¯

    ¡®No I don¡¯t,¡¯ I retorted. ¡®Please go away now. They¡¯ll detect me if you keep talking.¡¯

    ¡°Myles!¡± Raiya¡¯s voice reached me from behind.

    Shit!

    ¡®They can hear you speak, but they won¡¯t hear my voice!¡¯ Eva said. ¡®Don¡¯t reply. We¡¯ll speak soon. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll convince you to take me with you.¡¯

    Like hell I would! I ignored the ghost and turned to look at the warlock.

    ¡°You¡¯ve recovered?¡± she looked astonished.

    ¡°I had a good night sleep. I woke up like this!¡± I said, grinning and waving my arm around.

    Always keep your cards close to your chest and feign ignorance when somebody suspects you. Look stupid and they believe you. Give sound and solid alibis and they¡¯ll suspect you even further.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be with Agatha downstairs, torturing her for information.¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± Raiya answered. ¡°It¡¯s just a projection, see?¡± she waved her hand and her body blurred as it moved. ¡°What¡¯re you sneaking around for?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I heard something when I looked out the window earlier,¡± I lied. ¡°I couldn¡¯t see anything so I came down to have a closer look.¡±

    Raiya frowned. I didn¡¯t take my own advice I guess¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± she suddenly hissed then cursed. ¡°Get down here! Quick!¡±

    I heard a door creak at the foot of the stairs.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±

    ¡°The Church is already here,¡± Raiya replied. ¡°Damn it! We have to fight!¡±

    WE?!

 69 - The Cursed Offering

    Raiya was waiting for me at the door. The long, unending dark corridors were back into view again. I wished I had such a structure in my possession. Imagine what I could do with it, where I would go using it¡­ the possibilities were endless.

    ¡°Stop daydreaming and focus here Zedd,¡± Raiya said.

    I turned to see her scowling. The dark expression she wore reminded me of the upcoming doom.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we just teleport away?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Do you think Utar will come unprepared for this possibility?¡± Raiya snapped. ¡°Reinforcements should be here any minute,¡± she went on. ¡°We can¡¯t let them take this vessel.¡±

    ¡°Vessel?¡± I asked. ¡°You mean this tree¡¯s a ship?¡±

    ¡°You thought it was a real magic tree?¡± Raiya¡¯s mocking snort; raised eyebrows and condescending look made me blush. ¡°You¡¯re more na?ve than you let on Darkstar.¡±

    ¡°Stop it with that silly name already,¡± I barked at her. ¡°We¡¯re going to die here, might as well call me by my real name.¡±

    ¡°Na?ve,¡± Raiya mumbled, ¡°clueless¡­ After all you¡¯ve been through, you¡¯re willing to let others know who you really are? Your real name has power Darkstar.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the harm in that?¡± I protested. Maybe she was right, but I was stubborn to a fault. I wouldn¡¯t let her lecture me without fighting back. ¡°It¡¯s not like anything worse than being imprisoned, handed to a perverted old man, escaping then falling into the hands of a manipulative witch who wanted nothing but to use me and throw me to the dogs, could happen!¡±

    ¡°Manipulative?¡± her eyes narrowed to slits.

    Yeah¡­ I said that! Call me stupid now¡­

    ¡®We don¡¯t have time for bickering,¡¯ Sisha intervened.

    Thanks my stars for Sisha! I swear I felt a strong killing intent coming from the warlock. I should stop taking mental notes about politeness and diplomacy. I should seriously consider applying instead of giving mental advice to myself .

    ¡®What¡¯s the situation?¡¯ Raiya asked the cat demon.

    I was included in the psionic conversation. I wished I wasn¡¯t. My mind took a great hit. The energy from the Fragment almost broke all the seals I¡¯d put on it. I faltered for a second there, which the warlock didn¡¯t miss. I suspected it was her intention to destabilize me like that.

    ¡®They¡¯re fifty strong,¡¯ Sisha answered. ¡®I give them an hour before they reach us.¡¯

    Raiya swore, a tirade filled with rage and frustration followed. I would spare you the dirty details. All I can say is that I¡¯ve never seen the warlock angrier.

    ¡®You take to the woods,¡¯ she ordered Sisha. ¡®Zedd and I will organize the defenses here. We¡¯ll hold them off while you flank and reduce their numbers. We can¡¯t wait for reinforcements.¡¯

    ¡°Wait a freaking moment,¡± It was easier for me to speak than hold a psionic conversation. My own Essence was draining rapidly just listening to those two. No wonder I almost fainted when Sisha revealed his own voice. ¡°How am I supposed to fight against Priests from the Church?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re good with a sword,¡± Raiya said.

    ¡°How will that help? They have spells!¡± I objected.

    ¡®Their spells won¡¯t help them if you thrust your sword deep within their hearts,¡¯ Sisha replied.

    ¡°But I have to get close enough,¡± I said, still unwilling to take part in their skirmish. I wouldn¡¯t get mixed in all of this. ¡°Besides, Utar¡¯s there. He¡¯d kill me if he caught a glimpse of me.¡±

    ¡°How do you know Utar¡¯s here?¡± Raiya asked.

    Really woman? Now of all time you¡¯re interrogating me? Shit, she wouldn¡¯t let go of her suspicion, even in this dreadful situation.

    ¡°I assumed he¡¯d be the one leading the men here,¡± I answered. ¡°Seeing as he almost invaded us yesterday.¡±

    Raiya narrowed her eyes, looking at mine intently. I challenged her gaze until she whipped her hair to the side and walked off. ¡®Meet us in the interrogation chamber,¡¯ Raiya told the demon. ¡°Follow me,¡± she ordered with a side glance toward me. ¡°We have unfinished business there.¡±

    The warlock strode through the dark corridor and I followed, almost to a trot.

    ¡°How will I deal with their magic?¡± I asked, refusing to let go of the subject.Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°I¡¯ll cast protective spells on you. You¡¯ll be fine as long as you keep away from their line of fire.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re fifty, Raiya,¡± I protested. My voice broke as I did so. ¡°Fifty! How would I stay out of their line of fire?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re seriously pissing me off now Darkstar!¡± Raiya warned. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate a warlock and her demon companion!¡±

    I gulped. I didn¡¯t utter another word. It was wise to let the warlock deal with her anger on her own. I¡¯d just be pouring oil to an already raging fire if I spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep them busy. You and Sisha will sneak up on the unwary and take them out. How¡¯s that for a plan?¡± she said after a long, uncomfortable silence.

    ¡°I suppose I can work with that,¡± I said.

    ¡°Good, now let¡¯s get going!¡±

    We reached a double wooden gate that Raiya pushed without touching. The doors slammed open and I found myself staring at an actual prison. Rows of metallic bars extended as far as my eye could see. The place was dark, damp, and smelled of mold and decay. Raiya clicked her finger as she stormed through the prison corridor. Magic crystals above lit up, showing the place in all its horrific glory.

    I saw a skeleton dangling from a gibbet above me. The floor on which we walked was tainted red, probably from dragging tortured prisoners to and fro. What was this warlock up to? I didn¡¯t realize she delved into such dark arts. I dreaded her now more than ever.

    Why would the Church fight the Covenant over a pile of withered bones? I say they should fight for this vessel instead. That¡¯s what I would do if I were as power hungry as they were.

    Anyway, back to our subject¡­

    There were only two people in cages, the live ones anyway. Zoey was in one, and Agatha two prison cells away. Zoey¡¯s clothes were but tatters. She was chained up against the dark wall. Blood had dried over her face. She looked ghastly, like someone who¡¯d lost a tremendous amount of weight overnight.

    Raiya waved her arm and the door to Agatha¡¯s cell swung open. She dragged the unconscious Herbologist out and levitated her with a spell. She then walked toward the end of the bloody corridor. We soon found an iron door. Looking at it made me realize it hid something terrible behind.

    There were some strange runes and drawings of little creatures gnawing on human bones. Raiya placed her hand on the door and the runes flashed red. Then the door swung open. She threw the Herbologist in then followed. I hesitated for a moment, unsure. What if the warlock wanted me dead too, or worse?

    Sisha was waiting for us inside. There was an eight pointed star drawn on a bloody floor. Bones, withered clothes, sinew and even some feathers littered the place.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever clean up?¡± Raiya said out loud.

    The cat only purred and wiggled its giant tail. I saw him open his gigantic mouth and lick his shiny, pointy teeth. I shuddered. Shivers ran down my spine as I realized what was about to happen.

    ¡°We need an offering to the Netherworld,¡± Raiya turned to me and said. ¡°It will grant Sisha a power-up for the remainder of the day.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s the offering?¡± I asked, jerking my head toward the floating unconscious body of Agatha.

    Raiya nodded.

    ¡°You might think of me as a manipulative witch,¡± she started ¨C I may have replaced a letter before, but it saved my life I guess ¨C ¡°but I know how much you hate this woman. The kill is yours if you wish to, but Sisha won¡¯t get the necessary power-up if the offering¡¯s dead.¡±

    ¡°What will happen to her afterward?¡± I asked.

    ¡®She¡¯ll be the king¡¯s problem,¡¯ Sisha answered. ¡®You don¡¯t want to know what¡¯ll happen to her.¡¯

    Shivers down my spine again¡­

    I nodded. ¡°Take her,¡± I said. ¡°Killing her won¡¯t bring my family back anyway.¡±

    Raiya smiled then nodded at Sisha. The latter got inside the eight pointed star along with the Herbologist. A bright blue screen immediately encircled them. The spell binding Agatha was released and the Herbologist woke up. She looked around for a moment, dazed and confused. Then she looked up and saw the cat demon¡¯s open mouth. His sharp teeth threatened to rip her to shreds.

    ¡®Welcome to hell,¡¯ Sisha¡¯s voice reverberated inside my head. ¡®Say hi to the king for me, will ya?¡¯

    Agatha looked at me then at Raiya. Her frightened eyes spoke a million words. I couldn¡¯t help but feel pity for the Herbologist. I wouldn¡¯t want to be in her position. At least I had a chance to fight back. What chance do you have when you¡¯re handed to the demon king?

    ¡°Myles, my dear boy,¡± Agatha came closer to the screen. She tried putting her hands against it but she winced as it burned her.

    Raiya started reciting an incantation in a language I¡¯ve never heard before. It sounded rough. I didn¡¯t need to understand the words to realize what was about to happen.

    ¡°Please,¡± Agatha went on again. Her voice had reached a high pitched note, close to hysteria. ¡°Don¡¯t let them do this to me, my dear boy. I saved your mother. She¡¯d be dead long before this witch arrived if it weren¡¯t for me.¡±

    ¡°She died anyway,¡± I replied. My cold voice surprised me. Remembering this woman¡¯s betrayal made me forget about pity.

    Raiya was still reciting. A small hole appeared on the ground then started expanding. Sisha, the big monstrous cat, was standing on all fours. His paws were strategically placed on the extremities of the eight pointed star, dangerously close to the blue screen.

    Agatha looked at the hole that just appeared and her eyes widened. Her mouth fell open and I saw terror in her face. I never thought I¡¯d see someone this fearful. The woman who was willing to backstab me even when backed into a corner was now sobbing helplessly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t deserve this,¡± Agatha went on. ¡°Please, my dear boy, you can still stop this. I¡¯ll give myself to you willingly. You can torture me, kill me if you want. Anything but this, I beg you please!¡±

    I fought the urge to help her. We needed her if we were to repel the Church posse. I wasn¡¯t proud of giving her over. Thinking back on it now, I grew to accept the shameful things I¡¯ve done in my life. This one was but a grain of sand in an endless desert.

    The hole expanded, large enough to accommodate the Herbologist. Sisha purred then spoke, real words, for the first time since I¡¯ve met him. The walls around us shook as the cat demon spoke those foreign, harsh words.

    I heard a terrible voice respond. My entire being shook, as the walls around us did, while the voice kept talking. Agatha clutched her head in both hands and started screaming in agony. A strong wind blew from the hole then started sucking the Herbologist in. Agatha threw me a last look of despair.

    I didn¡¯t say a word. My eye met hers and for a moment, a tiny fraction of a second, I was willing to help her out. Her hands clawed the wooden floor. Her nails broke as she was dragged down to her doom.

    ¡°BLOOD TRAITOR!¡± she screamed at me before she was completely sucked in. ¡°YOU¡¯LL PAY FOR THIS ONE DAY STALWART. I WON¡¯T DIE HERE. I¡¯LL COME BACK FOR YOU AND HAUNT YOU. CURSE YOU AND CURSE YOUR TAINTED BLOOD!¡±

 70 - The Calm Before The Storm

    ¡°Now what?¡± I asked the warlock after Agatha was sucked into gods know where.

    ¡°We prepare,¡± Raiya replied. ¡°I¡¯ll lead you to the armory.¡±

    We took the bloody corridor again. I caught a glimpse of Zoey, unconscious and obviously starving. I averted my gaze to find Raiya observing me with careful eyes. Zoey was no longer my concern. I wasn¡¯t about to try and save her while she was the reason I was almost completely assimilated. I knew how to hold a grudge. And I was stubborn enough to not let go of it.

    Don¡¯t judge me!

    ¡°Sisha will need some time to absorb the energy he¡¯s about to receive,¡± Raiya said as we left the prison. The double gate closed behind us with a loud creak. ¡°Our job is to keep them busy until he can teleport behind them and¡­¡± she made a gesture with her hand that was meant to imitate an explosion, ¡°BOO! Surprise surprise!¡± She grinned triumphantly.

    ¡°Utar would¡¯ve told them you have a cat demon on your side,¡± I objected. Her smile dissipated. Why do I always have to fuck things up? I really can¡¯t help it, can I?

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know how powerful my ¡°companion¡± is,¡± she said. ¡°When I came to your rescue, I only used Sisha to intimidate him. They¡¯ll know what he¡¯s capable of real soon.¡± She gave a smirk that caused me to shudder. Sisha was a formidable beast. I didn¡¯t know what he was capable of either. I guessed I was about to find out.

    I shrugged. ¡°What are our chances?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Always worrying,¡± Raiya retorted with a loud, disapproving tut-tut. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of your exploits during the war against the Akari Kingdom. Cheer up! We can get through this if we put our minds together.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you heard about my ¡°exploits¡± as you call them,¡± I said, mimicking quotes with my fingers. ¡°But I haven¡¯t heard a thing, or remembered for that matter¡­¡±

    ¡°So you still haven¡¯t regained your memory,¡± Raiya said. She sounded a bit too disappointed for someone who knew I was amnesiac.

    ¡°How would I regain it? You haven¡¯t delivered on your promise after all.¡±

    ¡°The Equinox,¡± Raiya said absentmindedly. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this after this is all over. We¡¯re here.¡± We were standing before yet another sealed door. Raiya waved her hand and I heard a click that suggested the door had been unlocked.

    ¡°Get in,¡± she instructed. ¡°Pick up whatever you need but don¡¯t leave the room until I come fetch you.¡±

    I raised a questioning eyebrow.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get lost in this labyrinth,¡± she obliged, waving her hand at the endless dark corridor before my eye. ¡°I have to prepare too,¡± she went on. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a jiffy.¡± She turned and left in a hurry. I stayed there until the echoes of her footsteps died out.

    I looked around nervously. Maybe I¡¯d be able to sneak away while Sisha and the warlock had their backs turned. But where would I go? The corridor was dark, too dark to make out anything in detail. I couldn¡¯t see anything special about the doors either to help me find my way through. Without Raiya¡¯s help, I¡¯d probably get lost and end up somewhere I shouldn¡¯t.

    I sighed then decided to get in.

    When I pushed the door open, rows of swords, spears, maces and war hammers welcomed me. Why a magic user would need all of this in a fight was beyond me. But it suited me. I didn¡¯t know any spells except the time stop. I didn¡¯t know how to direct my Essence properly either. It was better to keep it that way and rely on the things that have never failed me: a good sword and shield.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    I browsed the collection of swords Raiya had kept in her armory. I had to find the perfect fit. Between balance, grip, weight and width, I couldn¡¯t find one that really spoke to me. I had to try at least a dozen before I found one that somewhat met my requirements.

    I took it for a spin¡­ too long¡­ I¡¯m not used to this length. Besides, if we¡¯re fighting in the woods, it might get stuck in a tree. I tossed it away and resumed my search for the perfect sword.

    ¡®I can show you the way out,¡¯ Eva¡¯s voice came rushing in without permission.

    ¡®I gotta learn to shut you off,¡¯ I mentally barked at her. ¡®Don¡¯t you know how to knock?¡¯

    ¡®The empress never knocks!¡¯ she retorted.

    ¡®You¡¯re living in the past Eva,¡¯ I said. ¡®Now would you kindly leave? I have to get ready for a fight I¡¯m not sure I can win.¡¯

    ¡®You don¡¯t have to fight them,¡¯ Eva whispered, like the voice of temptation that comes at the most unsolicited time. ¡®I¡¯ve mapped this area while those two were busy with tortures. I can lead you to the secret exit.¡¯

    ¡®Say I leave,¡¯ I said as I picked up another sword, twelve inches long by my estimation. ¡®There¡¯s nowhere I could go with the Church surrounding the place.¡¯ I gave the sword a good swing.

    Grip: great.

    Length: not bad.

    Sharpness: can cleave a head in one swing.

    Width: good enough. It won¡¯t break if it clashes with another weapon, gods forbid.

    I decided to go with this one. I didn¡¯t have time to test every weapon there is.

    ¡®You can support the warlock from behind with bow and arrow,¡¯ Eva whispered. ¡®Sneak out while they¡¯re all busy fighting.¡¯

    ¡®And you think it¡¯s wise to sneak out while there are fifty men upon us,¡¯ I retorted.

    ¡®With your Fragment,¡¯ Eva said, ¡®I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll sneak past them without attracting attention.¡¯

    ¡®Can¡¯t use that!¡¯ I said as I picked up a buckler. Always fight light and avoid incapacitating attacks. Riposte when you can then kill with one attack. A long fight only leads to exhaustion, and results in an untimely death. That was my motto. I hated big clunky armor. And long swords I couldn¡¯t swing in tight areas.

    ¡®I can show you how,¡¯ Eva whispered.

    ¡®What¡¯s in it for you?¡¯

    ¡®Take me with you,¡¯ Eva said.

    ¡®Again with this obsession with leaving,¡¯ I replied. I was trying out a leather vest. I prefer light armor which offers me more maneuverability around opponents. ¡®I understand that you don¡¯t wish to be used by others. But I just can¡¯t help you. Can¡¯t trust you.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t take my bones then,¡¯ Eva said.

    ¡®What¡¯re you on about?¡¯ I had put the armor on, and even found an eye patch to hide the empty socket I had for a right eye.

    ¡®They all seek my bones and my soul,¡¯ she replied. ¡®I wouldn¡¯t give them the satisfaction of getting my complete soul. I¡¯m willing to part with a Fragment of my soul if you take me with you. I¡¯ll even help you learn some useful spells....¡¯ I ignored her and buckled the vest. ¡®Take my Fragment and I¡¯ll help you control that offensive energy.¡¯

    How did she know? Damn she¡¯d hit a sensitive spot. Some part of her was still inside me, I suspected¡­

    ¡®Fragments are dangerous,¡¯ I said after I swung my sword around. My movement was good. The armor I picked fit perfectly. I was somewhat confident about my chances now. ¡®Besides,¡¯ I went on, ¡®you know as much about magic as I do. I¡¯ve seen your memories.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯ve seen the most painful one,¡¯ Eva retorted. ¡®Don¡¯t presume anything about me, you ignorant twat!¡¯

    ¡®That was uncalled for!¡¯ I said, sounding hurt ¨C or thinking I did, anyway, however that worked ¨C ¡®Where are your imperial manners?¡¯

    ¡®Think of my proposition,¡¯ Eva ignored my comment. ¡®She¡¯s coming now. Good luck.¡¯

    ¡®Can you really help me control the Fragment?¡¯ I called out before she cut the link between us.

    ¡®I¡¯ll help suppress its harmful energy as best I could. But you¡¯ll need to trust me to do so. Our energies will collide and you won¡¯t be able to contain the situation. If you trust me, our energies will eventually synergize.¡¯

    ¡®How do I get your Fragment then?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t trust her, but I had to weigh in all options.

    ¡®Disappear somewhere in the woods during the fight. I¡¯ll be in touch.¡¯

    I heard footsteps then the door to the armory swung open. Raiya stood there. She¡¯d changed her long dress with black trousers and a black corset, tightly wrapped against her bosom. She¡¯d worn a leather jacket on top. Her riding boots looked new, polished and shiny. She¡¯d adorned her neck with a beautiful necklace with a formidable purple, fist sized gemstone.

    She wore black eyeliner around her eyes. Her long hair was tied in a chignon. She held a five foot mahogany staff in her right hand. Her left hand had a golden chain tightly wrapped against the wrist. The chain then coiled around her forefinger, where a golden snake head covered the tip. She looked like the most beautiful messenger of death, ready to unleash hell.

    ¡°Come on,¡± she ordered. ¡°They¡¯re in the woods. We have the element of surprise now.¡±

 71 - The Danger that Lurks Within The Woods

    The worst thing about starting a fight of this scale is waiting. You know your life¡¯s at risk. You know you might lose a finger, a hand, a leg or your head. But you chase these thoughts away. You know that as soon as the fighting starts, these thoughts will vanish. But you just can¡¯t help but think about the possibilities, the endless morbid possibilities.

    Raiya had coated me with protective spells. As long as I didn¡¯t get hit with more than a spell at once, I should be fine. But when did I ever catch a break? I couldn¡¯t rely on protective spells. I had to rely on my senses and hope they¡¯re sharp enough after I¡¯ve lost my breath and my arms and legs ached. Fights aren¡¯t an easy business. Unlike popular belief, you get tired quickly.

    Fighting a duel is one thing. Fighting a war is another. I didn¡¯t know that then, I¡¯d lost most of my memories, remember? And a war was coming. The fifty soldiers heading our way were preparing a nasty surprise for us.

    I hid above a tree, away from sight, between thick branches and falling leaves. Thank my stars they hadn¡¯t shed everything yet. Raiya waited for the posse to get to the tree, her vessel, her pride. She said she¡¯d defend it with her life. No living soul would be allowed inside without her permission. I reminded her of my grandfather and was almost granted an early release from fighting duty. She was in a really bad mood. I pitied the fool who¡¯d engage her first.

    Footsteps, loud and mechanical, reached my ears. They all moved in one rhythm, one fashion. We had an organized unit heading our way. Well, maybe not just one¡­.

    Sisha had given us their numbers, but he didn¡¯t specify whether they moved in one unit or not. In fact, they had divided into three. I heard them approaching the tree from the north, east and west. Their stomps reverberated throughout the forest, scare tactics, typical¡­

    They aimed to surround us. How foolish of them. Picking them off, now that their numbers have been divided, was going to be easier, or so I hoped.

    I was hiding in the north section of the woods. I saw the first squad approach, fifteen of them. Most of them were heavily armored. Some wore heavy iron armor. Others wore some silver plates on their shoulders. The rear guard was comprised of two archers behind three iron clad soldiers.

    Their leader I could easily spot. He was marching in the front, for starters. He wore a golden breastplate. You don¡¯t see that very often. His leg guard was also coated in gold. His shoulders had spaulders from which sharp spikes protruded. How he managed to walk with all this weight? That¡¯s because he was a giant of a man, seven foot tall, as wide as a full grown maple tree trunk.

    He held a war hammer, as tall as he was. I shouldn¡¯t attack that one head on.

    I made a mental note of everyone¡¯s equipment. There was one, among the lot, that didn¡¯t wear any armor, just a long navy blue robe. He held a withered long pole in his right hand. It looked like a dead miniature tree that had miraculously preserved its white, frail branches. That was a mage. I mustn¡¯t approach him unless he¡¯s engaged in something that would completely take his focus off his surroundings.

    But first, I had to deal with the four, silver plated guards that surrounded him.

    The leader raised a clutched fist and the party stopped, right beneath me.

    ¡°Why have we stopped Gervais?¡± the mage asked.

    ¡°Orders,¡± the leader grunted. ¡°We¡¯re to wait until Father Utar makes contact.¡±

    ¡°These weren¡¯t our initial orders,¡± the mage protested.

    ¡°The western unit¡¯s missing two paladins,¡± the leader said. ¡°Would you like to venture deeper inside this forest, into warlock territory now?¡±

    ¡°We have the element of surprise,¡± the mage went on, not showing the slightest bit of fear or dread. ¡°Each team has sufficient magic users to swarm her and end this fight before it starts.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s already started, you fool!¡± the leader retorted.

    ¡°Two paladins for the head of one warlock, and the ultimate treasure the Church could ever get its hand on!¡± the mage went on, not willing to take no for an answer apparently. ¡°Let me contact Father Utar, I¡¯ll convince him that our plan is the fastest way to get rid of the warlock.¡±

    They kept arguing while the other soldiers observed, standing like marble statues. I admired their discipline.

    ¡®Paladins are the ones wearing silver armor,¡¯ Eva¡¯s voice reached me.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡®What about the golden one?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®The ones in golden breastplates are paladins that represent the Holy Order,¡¯ Eva replied. ¡®They lead raids against enemies of the Church. They¡¯re good in both melee combat and spell casting. The silver plated ones are usually assigned in escort or protection missions. They cast protective spells that shield harmful spells, hexes and even physical damage. You want to take them out first if you wish to reach the mage.¡¯

    The mage was still arguing with the leader, who categorically refused to let him contact Utar.

    ¡®Why do mages ally themselves with the Church?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®Don¡¯t talk too much or you¡¯ll attract their attention,¡¯ Eva said. ¡®The mage can detect psionic conversations.¡¯

    I didn¡¯t answer. I didn¡¯t want these heavily armored men to swarm me, while I hung on a tree branch, waiting for archers to skewer my studded armor. I could certainly take one or two arrows to the chest and come out with bruises. But leather won¡¯t take more than that before it tore then arrowheads will certainly find their way toward my flesh and bones.

    The paladin in golden armor swung his arm forward and the squad followed.

    ¡®I¡¯ll talk you though it,¡¯ Eva said after a while. ¡®As soon as they leave, you can start with the sharpshooters. They stay behind to provide back up.¡¯

    ¡®They¡¯ll hear me coming,¡¯ I said.

    ¡®Then use your stop spell,¡¯ Eva retorted.

    ¡®Easy for you to say,¡¯ I grunted. ¡®The moment I use it is the moment the Fragment attempts to take over and destroy me once more.¡¯

    ¡®Then let me help,¡¯ she said.

    ¡®You¡¯ve helped enough,¡¯ I retorted. ¡®Now watch and learn!¡¯

    I carefully climbed down the tree and followed the squad. Archers were trailing behind, looking left and right. They looked pretty nervous for a rightful army fighting for justice. They were invading foreign territory after all. They should be nervous. They feared the warlock. Anybody would fear someone who possesses powers they couldn¡¯t hope to comprehend.

    When trying to lure someone out, it¡¯s essential that you keep your tactic simple. Don¡¯t complicate and don¡¯t overthink. I silently followed them from behind, a small rock tightly squeezed within my palm. I reached a boulder large enough to conceal me. I hid there then threw the rock against a nearby tree.

    The archers turned around, I heard their boots squishing against the dead leaves. Side-note, learn to walk silently through the woods if you wish to keep your element of surprise. They both turned back and resumed their march. I threw another rock, a bit further, into a bush. The archers turned back once more.

    ¡°What¡¯s the hold up?¡± I heard a voice ask. It wasn¡¯t the leader. He didn¡¯t seem to notice that the others have stopped yet.

    Good.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± one of the archers answered. I heard their hurried footsteps, trying to keep up with the advancing squad.

    I threw another rock, farther this time.

    The archers stopped and turned once more.

    ¡°Did you hear that?¡± one of them whispered.

    ¡°Probably some stupid animal, scaring us for nothing,¡± the other replied. ¡°I¡¯ll go check it out.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± one of them said. ¡°We don¡¯t want to fall behind.¡±

    ¡°What if it¡¯s the thing that¡¯s been snatching the paladins in the west?¡±

    ¡°Then we fight it as a team,¡± the other retorted.

    Did they realize that their team had already advanced far enough?

    I carefully snuck from behind the boulder and used the large tree trunks to conceal my thin corpulence. I wasn¡¯t the heaviest of fighters, and that always worked to my advantage, especially in this situation.

    ¡°Come to think of it,¡± the archers were still talking, ¡°where is our team?¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡± one of them swore.

    ¡°Watch your language!¡± the other hissed.

    Is this really the time to think of language? Why am I complaining, their bickering bought me enough time to get closer.

    ¡°Oh right,¡± the archer that swore said. ¡°Oh merciful God above, accept thine sinful creature¡¯s ¨C ¡°

    I didn¡¯t let him finish his prayer. Sorry, if there was a god, I hope he¡¯d take you in with open arms. All that matters is your intention, right?

    I thrust my sword through the nape of his neck, and out his open mouth it came. His companion didn¡¯t have time to shout or warn the others though. I moved as fast as my two nimble legs could take me. I was in my element now. Murder and blood, nothing exhilarated me more. The archer backed away, fumbling in his quiver for an arrow.

    Too late¡­

    I was already before him. I swung my sword which decapitated the poor soul instantly.

    Sharpness: Excellent!

    I wiped the sword clean and moved the two archers away and inside a large bush. I wouldn¡¯t want the others to backtrack and follow my trail. I took a bow and snatched a quiver from the headless archer. He had a composite bow, quite smart for a squad that was about to fight in the woods. Long bows required strength and time to nock and loose. Composite bows could be used while on the move.

    I wasn¡¯t a good shot, but it could save my life eventually. There¡¯s no harm in carrying light weaponry anyway.  After I made sure I had well hidden the corpses of my victims, I strode through the woods in pursuit of my next targets.

    I soon reached them and found out, to my glee, that they¡¯ve stopped once more.

    ¡°Where are the two archers in the rear guard?¡± the leader asked.

    ¡°They went to investigate some strange noise by some bushes a while ago, sir,¡± a soldier in iron armor answered.

    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t this been reported to me?¡± the leader yelled and approached the rear guard. ¡°Mage, come here!¡± he ordered.

    The man in blue robes and his escort made their way to the back.

    ¡°Can you sense them?¡± the leader, called Gervais, asked.

    The mage closed his eyes and seemed to concentrate.

    ¡®Sorry Stalwart,¡¯ Eva¡¯s voice suddenly said. ¡®I¡¯ll have to invade you once more!¡¯

    I felt my consciousness fade away for a while. I was back in that black space in which nothing existed. I was about to start protesting when the forest materialized in front of me. I was gone only for an instant.

    ¡°They¡¯re dead!¡± the mage said. ¡°I can¡¯t sense the killer though.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s bad!¡± the leader said. ¡°Let¡¯s move,¡± he bellowed for the others, ¡°stay in formation and don¡¯t stray without my permission! Utar¡¯s reached the warlock¡¯s location, it¡¯s time we attacked!¡±

    I exhaled a long sigh of relief. I was almost caught! I should¡¯ve thought of their probing abilities¡­

    ¡®Still unwilling to let me help?¡¯ Eva asked.

 72 - The Fledgeling Assassin

    Magic must be feared. Use it carelessly and it consumes you. Use it confidently and it might still backfire against you. After my last experience with the Fragment¡¯s energy colliding with mine, I began fearing it. I didn¡¯t know any spells, save for the Fragment¡¯s. The only thing I could do with my own Essence was to hold a psionic conversation, like the one I was having with Eva right now.

    ¡®I¡¯ll let you help me, if you answer some questions truthfully,¡¯ I said. I emphasized the word truthfully.

    ¡®Are you sure we have time for this?¡¯ she mocked.

    ¡®The way I see it,¡¯ I replied, trying to sound patient and confident, ¡®you either answer my questions as briefly and as quickly as you can, or I die in this fight and all your hope of escaping vanishes.¡¯

    ¡®Being a smartass now, are we?¡¯ Eva retorted. ¡®Go ahead. I don¡¯t have much choice, do I?¡¯

    ¡®How do you still contact me without anyone noticing?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®You took that painful memory of mine with you. You lived it and completely assimilated it. Part of me¡¯s within you now. Think of it this way, I¡¯m another inner voice inside this fucked up brain of yours.¡¯

    ¡®Uncalled for,¡¯ I said, hurt by her gibe. ¡®How will I receive your Fragment? What are the risks?¡¯

    ¡®There are no risks as you¡¯ve already taken apart of me,¡¯ she answered. ¡®You have another Fragment inside of you that you¡¯re not aware of.¡¯

    ¡®What since when?¡¯ That was an unexpected development. ¡®I don¡¯t remember accepting anything from you.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t offer anything,¡¯ she replied. Was that spite in the tone of her voice? ¡®My soul doesn¡¯t even suspect I¡¯m gone. You took it forcibly when you kicked me out, right after you lived through my memory. The Fragment¡¯s not completely assimilated, that¡¯s why you still hear my voice. But it¡¯s present within your soul. How do you think you easily managed to repel that harmful energy before?¡¯

    ¡®It was your idea?¡¯

    ¡®Let¡¯s call it our idea,¡¯ Eva replied. ¡®I¡¯m part of you now. I can only hope to regain my original self after this is all over.¡¯

    ¡®Then how come the others can hear me speaking to you?¡¯

    ¡®Because you still think you¡¯re talking to my ghost by the bones, stupid,¡¯ she answered. ¡®Now can we get to thinning the herd?¡¯

    ¡®Not so fast,¡¯ I said. ¡®What are the risks of taking you with me? You haven¡¯t answered that!¡¯

    ¡®Reject me and my Fragment will fight back. I¡¯m a tiny one, but imagine what two Fragments fighting you at once can do. You haven¡¯t gained full control yet.¡¯

    ¡®How do I do that?¡¯

    ¡®Training and meditation, not the perfect time to do that now,¡¯ her answers had become shorter. She was still hiding something.

    I scraped my brain to think of the information I¡¯d just received.

    ¡®How do I achieve complete assimilation of a Fragment?¡¯ I asked, not Eva, but the library Dif had poured inside of me not too long ago.

    ¡®Meditation and practice,¡¯ the information came in like a bucket of cold water.

    ¡®To put your mind at ease,¡¯ Eva intervened. ¡®I can¡¯t risk fighting you. My Fragment will split into smaller, tinier Fragments. It will be near impossible to track them all down if I ever try to get back to my own soul. I¡¯m a drop of water, in the sea that is your soul. The best I can do is blend in, lest I pollute everything and make the water undrinkable. Do you get the analogy?¡¯

    I nodded. ¡®You¡¯re basically saying that if I die, your chances of going back to your origin are impossible.¡¯

    ¡®Yes,¡¯ she said. ¡®Anything else your highness wants to know?¡¯

    You tried to trick me you bitch, again! If I¡¯d agreed on taking your bones, you¡¯d have attempted to take over my body again. I¡¯ll fully assimilate you, give you a taste of your own medicine, just you wait!

    ¡®I can control the energy flow from the time Fragment,¡¯ she went on after noticing my silence. I somehow could think and separate my own thoughts from hers. Don¡¯t ask me how, I just could. ¡®You won¡¯t have thirty seconds of time stop though. I can give you ten at best. Can you work with that?¡¯

    ¡®I suppose so,¡¯ I answered.

    ¡®Can we get to business then?¡¯ she was exasperated. Or was it me? Shit I¡¯m losing my mind¡­

    ¡®Let¡¯s do this!¡¯ I said then emerged from behind the bushes I was hiding in. The squad was near the tree house now. I had to move fast and effectively. No worries there, I had the upper hand, at least for now.

    ¡®Can you give me ten seconds as soon as we get close?¡¯ I asked.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡®Why?¡¯ Eva asked back.

    ¡®Taking out the mage first will give us a considerable advantage,¡¯ I explained.

    ¡®How will you do that?¡¯ she asked. ¡®You can¡¯t get close enough without the time spell discontinuing. You¡¯ll be surrounded.¡¯

    ¡®I have a bow remember?¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re a lousy shot,¡¯ she retorted. ¡®I¡¯m part of you remember? I know what you¡¯re capable of, and what you suck at!¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m not using the bow to kill the mage,¡¯ I said. ¡®I¡¯m not that stupid. I need a distraction.¡¯

    ¡®Then who will you shoot?¡¯

    I smirked. ¡®Read my mind and you¡¯ll understand the plan,¡¯ I said.

    Eva stayed silent for a while. When she spoke, her voice was cheerful. ¡®You¡¯re a sly fox Stalwart. I¡¯ll provide support. But after this we disappear, is that clear?¡¯

    ¡®I was allowed outside, and your Fragment is within me, what other reason do I have to get back in?¡¯

    I snuck behind the trees and soon reached the squad. I revised the plan once more before I gave the signal to Eva. The soldiers were twenty feet away from the clearing in which Raiya¡¯s tree lay. I put my buckler against a tree, I wouldn¡¯t need it for what I was about to do. My heart raced in anticipation.

    Do you know that feeling you get, that everything will go according to plan? It¡¯s like certainty suddenly dawns on you. You know you¡¯re about to execute the perfect plan, and nothing¡¯s about to ruin it for you.

    ¡°RAIYA O¡¯CHERAN!¡± Utar¡¯s voice reverberated throughout the forest. ¡°TIME WITCH TURNED WARLOCK, PART OF ARSALAN¡¯S WIZARD COVENANT! COME OUT NOW, AND WE MIGHT CONSIDER A PEACEFUL NEGOTIATION!¡±

    What was I talking about? Fuck my lucky stars!

    ¡°FAIL TO DO SO,¡± Utar went on, ¡°AND WE¡¯LL UNLEASH HELL UPON THIS FOREST!¡±

    BOOM! A loud explosion was heard in the western side of the forest.

    ¡°What was that?!¡± the leader of the squad I was tailing blurted out. ¡°That¡¯s not part of the plan.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s their answer,¡± the mage said. ¡°She¡¯s not coming peacefully.¡±

    ¡®Now!¡¯ I told Eva. Gods bless my lucky stars!

    The world stopped and I moved. I ran to the rear guard. Their iron armor had a weakness I had to exploit. I reached the first one in a second, and thrust an arrow between his shoulder plates. The sword got in without resistance. I smiled.

    I went to the second one and inserted an arrow, deep within his shoulder as well. I had five seconds left, enough to put one more arrow and disappear. I went back behind a tree, just in time to hear the soldiers¡¯ screams of agony.

    The leader, Gervais was his name, turned around to see his comrades trying to reach for the sharp object that pierced their flesh.

    ¡®Again!¡¯

    The world stopped once more. I had five seconds this time. The ten second time stop wouldn¡¯t work twice in a row. Hell, I wasn¡¯t sure we could do two more five second stops without the Fragment¡¯s energy going erratic.

    I ran to the first soldier, and put an arrow in his neck. Blood tried to spurt out but it was stopped as well. I ran back behind the tree and waited.

    ¡°Aaaaaaargh!¡± the soldier screamed then fell with a heavy thump.

    The others lost control. They jerked left and right, their eyes trained on the trees in the distance. The silver plated paladins surrounded the mage, holding their heavy shields higher.

    ¡®That¡¯s your cue,¡¯ I told Eva.

    I felt darkness envelop me once more. It didn¡¯t last more than two seconds but it felt like an eternity for me. When the forest materialized once more before my eyes, the mage was speaking to the leader.

    ¡°I can¡¯t sense anybody,¡± he reported. ¡°He must be at least a hundred feet away from us. We¡¯re dealing with a sharpshooter with eagles eyes here!¡±

    The leader swore, to his comrades¡¯ greatest astonishment and low grunts of disapproval. I didn¡¯t understand what the fuss was about. Why not swear? To keep your souls clean? You¡¯re already killing and butchering people because they wouldn¡¯t agree with your own belief. Your souls have already gone to the dark side.

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic,¡± the leader told the others. ¡°Get the injured in the middle and keep a tight formation. We have to meet the others in the middle. The protection barrier will take care of the rest then.¡±

    ¡®Again!¡¯ I told Eva. It was more like thinking about it really. I wasn¡¯t speaking or holding a psionic conversation anymore. The ghost was right. I¡¯d kept part of her during our fight for existence. I could think and transmit my thoughts to her. And I could also stop some of my thoughts from reaching her. I suspected she could do the same.

    I learned not to trust anybody anymore.

    ¡®You¡¯ll have to let me rest later,¡¯ she said. ¡®I can¡¯t cast these in rapid succession and keep the Fragment¡¯s energy at bay.¡¯

    ¡®I understand.¡¯

    Time stopped once more and I quickly jabbed the injured guards in the neck. By the time I was back behind the tree, the squad, reduced to ten now, was running toward the clearing. They¡¯d raised their shields high in order to avoid any more arrows from above. Little did they know, the arrow weren¡¯t shot from a distance.

    I caught myself giggling behind the tree. That¡¯s the way of a coward, you may think. That¡¯s the way of the assassin who¡¯d found a good exploit, I¡¯d say in my defense.

    Panic can make people act erratically. That¡¯s what I was going for. I needed the silver plated paladins to lose their focus and give me a chance at taking out the mage. I ran after them, they weren¡¯t looking behind now. They were certain the sharpshooter was far away.

    A huge shadow skimmed past the leader and blocked their path.

    ¡®Good job kid,¡¯ Sisha¡¯s eerie voice reached me. He was standing before them. He had grown in size. Sharp, spiky bones were protruding from his paws now. He had two sets of sharp claws on each leg. His gray fur emitted a dark aura, sparkling like bolts of lightning as it danced around him. The soldiers looked up at the giant demon. I heard some squeal as they pointed and screamed ¡®monster!¡¯

    The mage yelled some instructions to his paladin escort who immediately held their maces high. Their weapons, along with their shields, shone a bright golden light. A protection screen enveloped them.

    Shisha only laughed. I could tell by the strange hisses that buzzed through my mind. He swung his monstrous claw and the leader¡¯s war hammer flew in the air. His body was cleaved in half. His golden breastplate was smeared in blood as it rotated in the air too. His head fell beside my feet. What monstrous strength!

    ¡°Call for reinforcements!¡± One of the silver armored paladins shouted at the mage.

    Sisha blinked at them and another explosion ensued. I was loud enough to make my ears buzz. But there was no bright light, no fire. The dark energy that enveloped Sisha had engulfed the mage and the four paladins protecting him. When it all subsided, only the mage remained standing, his clothes torn and his hair burned off.

    He raised his strange staff and shot a bright red beam into the air. It reached the sky then exploded into numerous tiny fragments. The mage fell, face first, right after that.

    ¡®Reinforcements are coming,¡¯ Sisha told me. ¡®Hold this place and dispose of the rest.¡¯ He was speaking of the remaining five soldiers. ¡®I¡¯ll have to intercept them before they get too close.¡¯

    The cat demon leapt off, past me, and inside the forest. The five remaining soldiers turned to follow the monster¡¯s movements and noticed me, standing behind them, sword in hand.

    Shit, I forgot my buckler!

 73 - In a Precarious Situation...

    How do you fight five heavily armored soldiers and win?

    You don¡¯t.

    I was lucky I was fighting them in a pretty open and vast environment. When the odds are against you, you make them work in your favor. Don¡¯t just stand there lamenting your rotten luck. There¡¯s no such thing as luck, just bad circumstances during which you choose either to react or complain. I chose the former.

    For the five soldiers in front of me, seeing me was bliss. The demonic cat had leapt off to intercept the reinforcement. They were out of the woods, (no pun intended.)They had a fighting chance and, I suspected, a fleeing one as well. They didn¡¯t lose much time in trying to surround me, cut off all exits. They knew I¡¯d try to run away and use the trees to my advantage.

    ¡®Can you help?¡¯ I asked Eva.

    ¡®Not if you want to have your Conduits blow up,¡¯ she replied.

    ¡®Thanks for nothing.¡¯

    I tailed it.

    The others followed, pretty fast for the weight they had to carry along with them. I heard another explosion near the tree house. Raiya must be fighting with the Priest and his escort. I wished I could watch their fight. I might¡¯ve learned a thing or two from them. But I had more pressing matters to deal with at that moment.

    I heard armor clanking behind me. I risked a quick glance. There were only two on my trail. The other three had vanished. I suspected they were trying to use the trees to their advantage too. Too bad they were wearing noisy armor. I smirked. This fight is a win if I plan it correctly.

    I saw the blue light before I felt an incredible force blow me off my feet. I landed on my back a few paces away. A childish squeak left me as my back heavily hit the ground. I turned to the right and my eye widened. I¡¯d missed a broken branch by inches. It was pointy and sturdy enough to skewer any part that had landed on it.

    Death lurks in every corner¡­ I had yet played a trick on death. I still wouldn¡¯t say I was lucky to miss the broken branch. The spell caster¡¯s aim was off, that¡¯s all.

    Wait a fucking moment, spell caster?

    I got up with difficulty, searching for the sword I¡¯d dropped. Arrows were scattered on the floor around me. I collected them as I went. My ear buzzed and the whole world rotated around me. What the hell did he hit me with?

    ¡®That was a soul mass spell,¡¯ Eva instructed. ¡®A nasty spell if I¡¯ve ever seen one. They rely on their own soul energy to hit you. One well-placed hit and you¡¯re dead. You¡¯re lucky the warlock coated you with protective spells.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll remember to thank her later.¡¯ I¡¯d finally spotted my sword. I wavered as I tried to reach it. My legs weren¡¯t responding properly anymore.

    ¡°Didja kill ¡®im?¡± I heard one of the soldiers call out.

    ¡°I guess we¡¯re about to find out!¡± the other replied.

    I heard the latter¡¯s voice closer to my position. I¡¯d barely managed to get my hands on the sword. Shit, this is going to be tough.

    ¡®Some help here?¡¯ I mentally said.

    ¡®I am helping,¡¯ Eva retorted. ¡®That spell almost let the Fragment¡¯s energy loose. You¡¯ve got to do something about this later.¡¯

    ¡°Sunovabitch!¡± I heard someone shout. The soldier I¡¯d heard earlier was already standing before me. ¡°How are you still alive?¡±

    He was as surprised as I was actually. His voice was a bit hoarse, as though he were out of breath.

    ¡®The spell takes a lot of Essence to cast, and a part of your soul,¡¯ Eva whispered. ¡®He wanted to kill you in one shot then escape this place.¡¯

    ¡®Roger that!¡¯

    I mustered all the energy inside of me and ran at the beast with iron armor. Scare tactics always work¡­ given you use them in the right moment.

    ¡®Take it easy!¡¯ Eva urged. ¡®Your own Essence is still unstable.¡¯

    ¡®Worry about blocking the Fragment¡¯s,¡¯ I retorted. ¡®I¡¯ll worry about mine.¡¯

    The armored soldier took a step back. I had him! I swung my sword at his head. The latter brought his shield up to block. That¡¯s what I was waiting for. I felt the Essence storm inside my Conduits. It felt like the tips of my fingers grew numb. I didn¡¯t have time to think of it at that moment though. I had to get rid of the pile of iron in front of me.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    I kicked him in the leg. The weakest part when you¡¯re wearing heavy armor is your knee pit and inside the elbow, the places armor doesn¡¯t always cover. Since I couldn¡¯t reach that to immobilize him on time, I went for the side of the knee. I heard a crunching sound as my foot connected. I¡¯d hit as hard as I could then drove my entire weight down.

    The man wailed as his leg bent in an unnatural angle. He looked at me as he helplessly stumbled to the ground. His shield fell to the side. His eyes peered at me from behind his visor. They spoke of terrors unseen. He knew what was about to happen. His friends were still running toward us. I didn¡¯t waste any more time. I couldn¡¯t hear this one coming before. Maybe others could muffle their footsteps too.

    I drove my sword through his visor. The squelching sound his eye made when the tip of my sword connected made me wince. I was pretty sensitive when it came to eye injuries ever since I lost one myself. I put my weight on the sword and drove it forward. The man screamed his lungs out. The others heard and picked up speed. I head their noisy iron plates hitting each other violently as they tried to reach their fallen comrade.

    When they did, he was on the ground, bloody and lifeless. I was gone.

    At a close distance, using a bow and arrow wasn¡¯t going to be much of a problem. I was hiding behind a nearby bush. I could aim with one eye. The first shot caught one in the neck, right between the bottom of his helmet and the shoulder plates. They should really think of full body armor that protects the entire body. I don¡¯t think anybody could make something like this though. You won¡¯t be able to move!

    The poor soul didn¡¯t know what hit him. He put his hand on the arrow. Tried to pull it out then realized it was too late. The way his body fell to the ground was eerily funny. His friends watched him fall in horror. The thought of the sharpshooter with eagle eyes must¡¯ve come back to their minds. They stood back to back, holding their shields closer to each other.

    Three left! You can do it Stalwart.

    I couldn¡¯t afford waiting for them to make up their minds. They were looking around frantically, turning in place, their eyes trained on the trees in the distance. They were panicking. I had to keep it that way. They wouldn¡¯t try to look for me if they¡¯d lost their logical thinking abilities.

    I shot another arrow. It missed them by a hair¡¯s width.

    Damn it!

    I shot another which missed them by an even narrower margin.

    Fuck it! I¡¯m a really lousy shot.

    ¡°Keep moving,¡± one of them ordered. ¡°Retreat behind the trees, don¡¯t move in a straight line. We have to find the one that killed Roland first!¡±

    They were looking for me huh?! It was time I made a move. I shot another arrow. I didn¡¯t bother aiming this time. I just needed it to go near them, to scare them.

    It connected.

    Son of a bitch! Now that I¡¯m not aiming properly?

    One of them wailed as the arrow hit him in the shoulder blade. The exact same spot I manually inserted arrows in. What are the odds? It takes a sharpshooter with eagle eyes to do that.

    ¡®You got lucky,¡¯ Eva said.

    ¡®Shut up!¡¯ I snapped at her then ran at the disoriented soldiers.

    They were scared, out of breath, and I had the element of surprise. And what a surprise!

    The saw me running at them from behind a nearby bush, the injured one was still wailing while another tried to wrench the arrow away. It must hurt like a motherfucker. I¡¯ve had arrows hit my legs before. I¡¯ve also had a penknife deeply lodged in my right shoulder blade, just a day ago. I knew the pain and I didn¡¯t sympathize.

    I reached the first soldier who was trying to shield the others, keep me busy until they get the arrow out.

    ¡°These are our own arrows!¡± the one trying to pull the projectile out blurted out.

    The soldier facing me must¡¯ve seen the compound bow hanging loosely at my shoulder as I ran.

    ¡°Motherfucker!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°He¡¯s the sharpshooter!¡±

    ¡°Language!¡± I snapped at him. ¡°Didn¡¯t your Priest teach you properly?¡±

    ¡°Forget about the arrow Alan, help kill this son of a bitch!¡±

    I had two heavily armored soldiers to deal with at the same time. I didn¡¯t like my chances. I was a good fighter, but I only had a few spots I could hit and cause damage. Whereas they only had to swing and connect, especially the one called Alan. He held a Morningstar! Do you know what that thing could do to my chest, legs or head? Any hit and I¡¯d be mashed potatoes.

    Why the hell did I leave my buckler behind?

    ¡®Like that would help against the spikes!¡¯ Eva retorted.

    ¡®Shut up! I¡¯m trying to concentrate here!¡¯

    Alan reached me first. The bastard still had some energy left. He was a hulk of a beast, as tall as the dead leader and even larger. I felt like a child dealing with bullies in the slums of Yanoku. There was this kid named Sergei ¨C

    Hey look at that! My memory¡¯s coming back. Now¡¯s not the time for it though. Focus Myles, F-O-C-U-S!

    The first swing missed me by an inch. I felt one of the spikes scrape against my cheekbones. I heard the other soldier move behind me. Shit! My chances of survival were getting dimmer.

    ¡®Eva!¡¯ I was willing to beg for help now.

    ¡®You¡¯re on your own boy,¡¯ she replied. ¡®If I help you we die.¡¯

    I dodged another heavy swing then jumped to the right just in time. The other bastard had a two handed sword. He almost cleaved me in half.

    ¡®We die if you don¡¯t help me,¡¯ I told her imperial highness.

    ¡®You¡¯re good on your feet, make them waste energy!¡¯

    What did she think I was doing? Dancing to entertain them?!

    I had just dodged another swing from the Morningstar when I felt a dark and ominous presence behind me. Something told me to roll forward, and I did. Thank the gods for light armor. The heavy sword hit the ground with a thump. Dust filled the air and leaves scattered. I felt the impact of the sword in the back of my head. I shuddered to think of what would¡¯ve happened if that hit me¡­

    ¡°Slippery little shit!¡± the swordsman cried out.

    I heard a grunt behind me and my sword was suddenly thrown to the side. Iron arms surrounded my throat and tried to break my neck. From the heavy grunts, I realized it was the injured soldier, the one whose back I¡¯d just put an arrow in.

    ¡°Get ¡®im!¡± he called for the others. ¡°Now!¡±

 74 - A Survivor Fights Dirty

    I was in a real bind there, quite literally. The injured soldier had a surprisingly strong grip¡­

    Do you know the difference between a good fighter and a survivor? A survivor fights dirty. A survivor does what it takes to come out on top, breathing, and in one piece. Alan was closing in on me, brandishing his Morningstar in the air as if to tell me, this is the last thing you¡¯ll see before you kick it.

    And I kicked it. Not died, but kicked the bastard who held me in the foot. He swore but tried to keep me pinned to him. I wasn¡¯t about to let that Morningstar disfigure me. I was already ugly. I didn¡¯t need a worse face job! The kick gave my elbow the extra inch it needed to nudge the soldier in the ribs. He let out a weak squeal. When injured, you can¡¯t control your reactions, especially when you have an arrow scraping against your rib cage and filling your lungs with blood.

    That was my queue. I kicked him once more in the foot before the Morningstar came crashing down.

    I felt the hands that gripped me loosen up.  I ducked just in time. I heard a sinister cracking sound. The Morningstar hit the soldier in the chest and crushed his breastplate. Holy hell this Alan is freakishly strong!

    I rolled away from danger and picked up my fallen sword in the process. The bow was nearby too. I picked it up and threw it across my torso. It might get handy, who knows.

    The injured soldier stumbled back as Alan let out a frustrated grunt. The swordsman had already changed course and was running toward me. I stood my ground. Against this bastard, I had a fighting chance. My small sword wouldn¡¯t block his swing but it can deflect it. I had to use whatever minute opportunity I got. I couldn¡¯t keep running from both. They¡¯d eventually surround and kill me. The brute was holding his sword with both hands above his head as he ran toward me.

    An overhand swing, I can deal with that, albeit with some difficulty. The sword would probably come in a diagonal downward swing. He wouldn¡¯t bother aiming at a specific spot. One hit would be enough to kill or at least severely damage any part it touches. I positioned myself sideways, like a Boligne fencer, and held my sword forward. Its tip pointed toward my assailant.

    The great sword will have the strength of its wielder, backing it up from the moment it leaves the overhand position until the middle of the arc. I jumped back to buy some more time, to hit the sword in its weakest spot.

    The swing came, as predicted. I had to put enough force into the counter, but not too much. I shouldn¡¯t risk damaging my own weapon. I swung my sword sideways just in time, with just the amount of force required. It needed to be perfectly placed for my counter to work.

    Once it went beyond the second middle of the arc, gravity would be doing the rest of the job. That was when I had to hit. I had to be far enough for this to work though, hence the previous jump backwards. I hit the tip of the great sword as soon as it was beyond the second middle of its arc. I¡¯d deflected it pretty easily, sending the wielder stumbling forward in the process. That¡¯s the beauty of Boligne fencing, use the wielder¡¯s force against him.

    ¡®You didn¡¯t expect that, did ya?¡¯ I scoffed as I danced around him and slashed his tendons. The soldier wailed and tried to swing his sword at me. Too bad he didn¡¯t have anything to put his weight on to turn and swing. He stumbled and fell, face down.

    By the time my counter landed, Alan was already too close for comfort. I couldn¡¯t finish what I started. I risked another slash at the other tendons then ran back. I wouldn¡¯t risk him following us then holding me by the feet or something. I had to learn from my previous mistakes. I ran toward the trees, away from the injured soldiers, away from Alan who was slower than me.

    ¡°I¡¯LL KILL YOU!¡± Alan screamed at me. He was running now, huffing and puffing as he did so.

    Great! Lose your temper and get tired. I¡¯ll find a way to slice your tendons then finish you up at my leisure. For now I had to retreat, make him think I was scared, tired. I wasn¡¯t. I¡¯d preserved my strength pretty well. I was quite proud of that.

    ¡®It¡¯s your Essence providing support,¡¯ Eva commented. Was she reading my thoughts now?

    ¡®You¡¯re allowing me to do so,¡¯ she spoke again. ¡®Don¡¯t lose focus!¡¯

    Alan was dangerously close. He swung his Morningstar and I dodged. I escaped death by the skin of my teeth. No surprises there, it seems narrow escapes from death was today¡¯s theme. Another swing, downward this time, missed my left leg.

    I jumped out of the way and ran behind the trees. There was no way I could block or try to deflect this weapon. My sword will get caught in the spikes. I¡¯d lose my grip, or worse, lose my balance and fall victim to Alan¡¯s gigantic hands.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    I feared his iron gauntlets as much as I feared the Morningstar. Both were deadly.

    ¡®Can you help now?¡¯ I asked Eva.

    ¡®Don¡¯t ask this question anymore,¡¯ she said. ¡®Unless you have a way for me to quickly regain Essence, you have a day before you can use the time stop again.¡¯

    Shit!

    ¡®Can¡¯t I lend you my own?¡¯

    ¡®You won¡¯t be able to move then,¡¯ she replied. ¡®WATCH OUT!¡¯

    Too late¡­ I saw the Morningstar heading for my chest. It was all going in slow motion. The kind where you see the inevitable coming, and there¡¯s nothing you can do about it.

    ¡®Fuck it! ONE SECOND!¡¯ Eva¡¯s voice reverberated in my mind.

    One second was more than enough. I bent my back backward. The Morningstar missed but managed to rip my leather armor open. Damn this thing was sharp! I rolled backwards and felt like an earthquake had hit. My entire being shook. My legs faltered and I fell to my knees.

    ¡®I¡¯m on it,¡¯ Eva told me. ¡®I¡¯m growing weak Stalwart. I¡¯ll borrow some of your energy.¡¯

    Shit! Now of all times, I had to battle the energy inside?! ¡®Do what you have to do,¡¯ I told her. ¡®Just leave me enough to move about. This bastard¡¯s strong!¡¯

    Try to move when your body refuses to¡­ It¡¯s a tough thing to do I¡¯m telling you, especially when you see a hulk stomping the ground toward you.

    Move damn it!

    My body wouldn¡¯t respond.

    Alan was getting closer.

    Three more steps!

    I tried to get up but my legs were suddenly pinned in place.

    Two more steps!

    Death was looming over me. Will I be able to escape this one? I began to doubt it¡­

    He was now in striking range. His Morningstar brandished a good three heads above me.

    BOOM!

    An explosion was heard in the distance. It came from Raiya¡¯s direction. Alan looked to the side. Something, or someone, was flying toward us. It zoomed past us and landed against a tree trunk. The body that hit the trunk bent at an unnatural angle. We heard bones crack even though we were a good ten feet away.

    BOOM!

    Another explosion and the sky rained men above us. What the hell did that woman do?

    Alan turned to me. His eyes, visible underneath his visor, were uncertain. I¡¯d regained control of my body. Thank you, your imperial highness.

    ¡®I¡¯m tired,¡¯ she said. ¡®I¡¯ll hold the Fragment off, but you¡¯re really on your own now.¡¯

    I grabbed a handful of dirt then threw it at Alan¡¯s visor. The latter fought to take the dirt off. I used the opportunity to go around him. His spiky mace missed me by inches. He was strong, and had good reflexes.

    BOOM!

    A fierce fight was taking place by the tree. I had to do my part. Filled with a new resolution, I jumped behind a tree. Alan had taken his helmet off. He was a handsome beast of a man. He had the usual square face I associated with big, walking chunks of meat. His brown hair was cut quite short. It was curly, rolled inside and messy. His big nose was even bigger due to his flared nostrils.

    ¡°You think you can slow me down with cheap tricks?¡± He yelled at me, looking in all directions.

    ¡°Nah,¡± I replied, peeking from behind the tree. ¡°I¡¯m trying to kill you!¡±

    I¡¯d drawn the bow. Thank my stars I didn¡¯t lose it when I fell backwards earlier. My shot missed, or perhaps Alan dodged, didn¡¯t know, didn¡¯t care. I was aiming for the head. It¡¯s difficult to do so when you¡¯re out of breath. So I just went for another scare tactic.

    Why did I praise myself for preserving my strength earlier?

    ¡°Your cheap tricks won¡¯t work against me!¡± Alan ran toward the tree.

    Ha! Won¡¯t work my ass! That was exactly what I was aiming for. Alan reached the tree trunk and I ran around it. He turned back to chase me, and I ran the opposite side. It was a cheap trick, I wouldn¡¯t deny it. But cheap tricks usually work, especially with desperate men, trying to avoid calamity.

    Another explosion ensued from Raiya¡¯s direction. Another body landed not too far from us. I bet Alan wasn¡¯t confident in taking the warlock anymore. He was probably trying to get rid of me so that he could retreat.

    ¡°Where will you run if you kill me?¡± I asked. I ran around the tree again, peeked at him, shot gibes then ran the opposite side once more. I enjoyed that, I wouldn¡¯t deny it. He was stupid enough to follow me around.

    ¡°There¡¯s nowhere to run,¡± I said once more as I kept running around. ¡°The demon cat will get you.¡±

    Alan ran faster to intercept me then swung his spiked mace as soon as he caught sight of me. That was what I waited for. I jerked backwards, just in time for the Morningstar to hit the trunk. I saw a spike dangerously close to my eye. Another had already poked the inexistent one.

    That was one of the rare times I was glad I¡¯d lost an eye. Alan grunted, frustrated, and tried to pull his weapon away. The force with which he swung the weapon caused it to stay stuck, deep inside.

    I smirked and slashed the palms that tried to wrench the Morningstar off. Alan let go of the weapon with a loud grunt. He clenched his injured hands into fists and swung at me. I ducked just in time then slashed the inside of his elbow. The soldier winced.

    He was a tough one, I¡¯d give him that. He wouldn¡¯t give up despite the heavy injuries he¡¯d already sustained. A heavy punch made red stars sparkle in front of my eye. I had enough reflexes to dodge the second attack then step sideways.

    Alan stumbled forward. He had tried to tackle me but I managed to dodge, even in my hazy state. My sword found the pit of his right knee and slashed it open. Alan fell to the ground, his brown hair a mess, and mingled with fallen leaves. I pulled him from his curls and cut his throat open. A nasty business, but it was the surest way to end this messy brawl.

    ¡°Stalwart?!¡±  A voice called behind me.

    Oh no!

    No, no, no, no, no, no!

    I turned around, as slowly as I could. I didn¡¯t want to look at the person whose voice I recognized. It was as though turning slowly would delay the inevitable. But I didn¡¯t care. I didn¡¯t have the energy to deal with him now. I hoped against hope it was just a vision, my mind becoming delusional. I was drained, tired and, well, not in the mood for another life and death situation¡­

    Did Raiya send him flying over here? Damn he was a tough one to survive that fall!

 75 - Flash Forward

    Above the Icy Northern Continent, Summer of the Red Moon, Present Day: Aboard the Mothership.

    ¡°Oi Zedd,¡± Great called out from behind a sealed door. ¡°Zedd,¡± he called out again. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡±

    ¡°Coming,¡± Black Eyes yelled back. He was busy preparing a little surprise for his invited guests.

    Zedd Darkstar, the man with peculiar black irises and golden, rectangular pupils in the middle, was a man of very talents but a humble beginning. He swore, years ago, to rid the world of the leaders that corrupted it. He didn¡¯t care about the price he¡¯d have to pay, what mattered most was reaching his objective.

    The door in front of which the ex-Quartermaster of Ulmir¡¯s castle stood, sprung open, revealing a tall man with black hair and a demonic demeanor. Zedd took a long breath in then exhaled with an air of satisfaction about him.

    ¡°Call everyone on deck Great,¡± he said. ¡°I have an announcement to make.¡± Black Eyes disappeared behind the door before the one eyed Quartermaster could utter another word.

    ¡°Fuckin¡¯ cocksure,¡± Great muttered as he ordered his legs to move toward the ship¡¯s deck. He stood by the captain¡¯s wheel, jumped on the railing then bellowed to everybody in the ship. ¡°Gather round you sorry ass motherfuckers!¡± Great always had a foul mouth, there was no changing it. ¡°Your savior¡¯s callin¡¯ for yeh!¡±

    Zedd had destroyed Ulmir¡¯s domain under the watchful eyes of every Kozagan and the emperor of Auruun, the largest country in the western continent. He gave the people on Ulmir¡¯s Castle a choice, join him or die. Those who felt they had nothing to do with his quarrel against Ulmir¡¯s Priests, joined in. Those who felt the need to protect their lord¡¯s domain died with the realm.

    There were about two dozen fair maidens, ten priests and five guards. They all gathered on deck on Great¡¯s request. The Quartermaster had made sure to remind Zedd of Myles¡¯ promise. Myles, the familiar Zedd had on his side, had won the Holi Tribulations then got rid of the bind that linked him to his master. Zedd however, decided to honor his familiar¡¯s word. He had something to gain from it anyway.

    The people gathered by the deck. Murmurs of dissatisfaction and intrigue filled the place. Most of them shivered as they left the coziness of the guest cabins. The northern continent was a cold place. Temperatures seldom rose above sub-zero.

    The fair maidens gathered in a separate crowd, eyeing the others with great disdain. They¡¯d been sent to Ulmir¡¯s domain under Lord Supreme¡¯s orders, against their will. They were, in other words, slaves to the previous High Priest: Utar. They despised the other priests and guards most of all. The men always regarded them as objects to be used for their own pleasure.

    If it weren¡¯t for Utar¡¯s monopoly on the maidens, every man in the castle would¡¯ve had their fun with them. Now that they were out of trouble, they didn¡¯t want to mingle with the ones they disdained so.

    ¡°What are we doing Great?¡± one of Ulmir¡¯s priests bellowed. ¡°We¡¯re freezing our asses here!¡±

    Great didn¡¯t have to answer though. The door to the captain¡¯s cabin, below the quarterdeck, sprung open once more. Zedd was pulling two large, oblong structures behind him. Each one was hollow on the inside with silver coating on the edges.

    ¡°Gather around everyone,¡± Zedd called out as soon as he came out. He was walking with both hands behind his back. The two structures floated as they followed him closely from behind. As soon as Black Eyes reached the main mast, he raised his arms and the structures softly landed.

    ¡°I have here,¡± he started, ¡°two teleportation panels. One will lead you down there,¡± he pointed at the ice desert below. ¡°The other will lead you to the city of Yanoku. I believe most priests are eager to report back to their house.

    ¡°However,¡± he called out before any could mutter a remark, ¡°the portal to Yanoku is faulty.¡± He smiled in his usual nonchalant way. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say it¡¯s faulty, I¡¯ve just been tinkering with it a bit. If you intend to tell your masters about this ship¡¯s capabilities, you can be sure that you will not reach your destination. You might find yourself in Helton, at the Crucible doors. Or you might find yourselves in the Citadel, to answer Emperor Avourel¡¯s questioning. I assure you, he won¡¯t be nice about it.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    He looked around at the priests and guards. None dared meet his gaze. His eerie eyes scared them.

    ¡°To the fair maidens in here,¡± he went on. ¡°I will not keep you here against your will. But I must warn you about joining the world we live in today. Your presence there may cause an uproar I¡¯m not sure anybody can deal with at the moment.¡±

    The two dozen maidens gave Black Eyes a contemptuous look, which he answered with his most charming smile. To everyone present however, it looked like a demon trying to look friendly. Demons were not the friendly type. No one could accept that.

    ¡°I have, however,¡± he went on, ¡°a safe place for you. You¡¯ll have your own land, no living soul would dare come near you unless you give them permission.¡±

    To these words, the ladies exchanged intrigued looks.

    ¡°The time to choose sides is now,¡± Zedd went on. ¡°You either join me or leave this place while you can. I don¡¯t do well with traitors. You¡¯d wish Avourel caught you if you ever think of betraying me.¡±

    ¡°Betray you how?¡± a guard called out from the crowd. ¡°We don¡¯t even know your intentions.¡±

    ¡°And I had a very good reason for hiding it from you. If you¡¯d like to join a good cause against the powers that threaten to crush us all, join me. If you want to keep on living, with your usual boring lives, then step into this portal and go.¡±

    The guard that spoke earlier advanced. ¡°I¡¯ll go to Yanoku,¡± he said. His chin raised high, his chest puffed out like a cock trying to assert dominance. As soon as his eyes met Zedd¡¯s though, his shoulders slouched and his chin pointed at his throat. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind,¡± he added.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Zedd said with a smile, ¡°as long as you allow me to probe you.¡±

    ¡°Probe?¡± the soldier asked.

    ¡°Nasty process,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°Resist and you may lose your mind. Give in and I¡¯ll erase the memory of ever meeting me. You¡¯ll live the monotonous, boring life you want in Yanoku, without arousing anyone¡¯s suspicions.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll probe me too!¡± the guard protested.

    ¡°Cooperate then, and they¡¯ll find nothing. You¡¯ll be cleared, and forgotten.¡±

    ¡°What if I refuse?¡± the guard asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ll go down there,¡± Zedd pointed at the northern continent below. ¡°Find your way to green land and report what you¡¯ve found out about me. I won¡¯t guarantee your survival though.¡±

    The guard cursed under his breath. ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice then, do I?¡±

    ¡°You had a choice,¡± Zedd reiterated, ¡°and you chose life. Don¡¯t waste it. You could¡¯ve stayed with the others and died. But here you are, alive. Make the best of it!¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± the guard finally conceded.

    ¡°Stay still,¡± Zedd instructed. ¡°You¡¯ll feel a slight tingling, don¡¯t fight it. It will be over in a second.¡±

    Black Eyes placed his hand on the man¡¯s head. He closed his eyes and a black aura enveloped his body. The man seemed to convulse for a moment but it didn¡¯t last. Zedd let go of him then smiled. He waved his hand and the portal to Yanoku activated. The guard was thrown in and the portal was deactivated again.

    ¡°Next,¡± Zedd called out.

    A fair maiden advanced. Her fair skin, hourglass figure, and long black hair were her dominant features. She looked like every modern man¡¯s dream. Fair, beautiful, and with the innocent eyes that made her look vulnerable. Anybody would fight to win her heart and good graces.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not have you leave,¡± Zedd said in fatherly tone.

    ¡°I don¡¯t take orders from a freak!¡± the maiden spat out.

    ¡°I¡¯m only saying this for your own good,¡± Black Eyes went on, ignoring her gibe.

    ¡°I want to leave,¡± the maiden said, determined but unwilling to meet Zedd¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°So, do you accept to be probed?¡± he asked.

    She nodded.

    ¡°Very well,¡± Zedd said after heaving a heavy sigh.

    ¡°Next!¡± he called out, after the probing and teleportation were done.

    A priest came next. He tried to attack their benefactor, their savior.

    It was a stupid move! Zedd made sure he¡¯d teleport his head to Ulmir¡¯s temple door.

    ¡°Anyone else wants to resist?¡± he asked, his hands bloody. He¡¯d wrenched the man¡¯s head out with his bare hands. No one else showed resistance after that.

    In the end, only ten maidens remained. All priests and guards had left too.

    ¡°Now,¡± Zedd called out to the maidens and Great, who said he had nowhere to go and wanted to fight along Zedd. ¡°Go back to your quarters. Our trip will take twelve hours. Get some rest. I¡¯ll call for you when we arrive.¡±

    The maidens left the deck to their rooms. Great was about to leave too when Zedd called him over. ¡°Not you!¡± he said. ¡°You stay here with me. There¡¯s a promise you have to fulfill.¡±

    Great turned around. Zedd towered above him. Compared to the man with Black Eyes, Great looked like a Dwarf from the ancient northern myths and legends. ¡°What can I do yeh fer?¡± Great asked.

    ¡°What did you promise my familiar?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°A Fragment,¡± the Quartermaster replied, ¡°summat of a fairy tale really.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Zedd raised his arms and the teleportation portals floated in the air. ¡°Over some tea maybe?¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡± Great answered, beaming at Darkstar. He was the only happy passenger aboard the ship.

 76 - Osmen, The Feathered Serpent

    Zedd and Great got into the captain¡¯s cabin, a spacious room filled with artifacts, paintings and books, rows and rows of bookshelves aligned themselves along the square walls of the cabin.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything!¡± Zedd ordered as Great was about to inspect the round table on which the Galactic map could be summoned. Great raised his hands in the air, whistling as he did so.

    ¡°What did you show my familiar,¡± Zedd said as he beckoned the ex-Quartermaster to a seat on the opposite side of his desk, ¡°that made him promise you freedom?¡±

    ¡°All business like and straight to the point, eh?¡± Great asked. ¡°What about some tea first? Butter me up before I spill the beans!¡±

    Zedd smiled and obliged. He summoned a tea pot from a cupboard near the captain¡¯s desk. The pot settled on a stove which Black Eyes ignited with a spell.

    ¡°While we patiently wait for your tea,¡± Zedd said. ¡°How about you tell me about Ulmir¡¯s Quartermaster first? How about this for buttering up?¡±

    Great shrugged. He pulled a smoking pipe from a pocket inside his tweed jacket, lit it up then started puffing. ¡°I come from a family of giant dwarves,¡± he started.

    ¡°Don¡¯t jest!¡± Zedd interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m not my familiar, nor am I your benefactor, at least not yet.¡±

    Great¡¯s playful demeanor instantly disappeared. He frowned, took another puff from his pipe then shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m nobody, really. I was an apprentice at me pa¡¯s smithy. Wasn¡¯t good with a hammer,¡± he took another puff then went on, ¡°kicked me out after I ruined a good sword! Old bugger he was!¡±

    ¡°How did you end up in Ulmir¡¯s Castle?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°Took part in the Great Hunt,¡± Great answered. He was about to throw his ash on the floor when he met Zedd¡¯s foreboding gaze. The latter produced a bucket and pushed it at the Quartermaster¡¯s feet. ¡°A bloke got a lucky hit after the hunt ended,¡± Great went on with his story. ¡°Held a nasty grudge after I hit ¡®im that one. I hammered ¡®im to the knee then spilled ¡®is brains on the floor,¡± he took a puff then laughed out loud.

    ¡°That woulda shown me pa!¡± he went on after the laughter subsided. Zedd only watched, his face unchanged. ¡°Couldn¡¯t use a hammer he says, ha! I broke the bloke¡¯s knee, when his spear almost pierced my throat. He never forgave me for it.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t win the Hunt, but after it ended, the poor fella attacked. I got this to remember ¡®im fer!¡± he pointed at his missing eye. His blackened teeth showed from under his bushy mustache as he smiled. ¡°He lost ¡®is ¡®ead fer it!¡±

    ¡°So they kept you in the castle to treat your wounds?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t grow me eye back,¡± Great hissed. ¡°But they offered me a job. It was better than going around the desert, tryin¡¯a make a livin¡¯!¡±

    ¡°Why did you want to leave?¡± Zedd asked.

    To this question, Great¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Why¡¯d yeh destroy the place?¡± he said. ¡°Twas the right thin¡¯ ta do, thas¡¯all! That Lord Supreme fella, he gave me the creeps every time he came for a visit!¡±

    ¡°Do you know who that is?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°Not the faintest idea,¡± Great replied. ¡°I¡¯d like to keep it at that, if yeh don¡¯t mind!¡±

    Zedd adjusted himself on the chair. ¡°Riding with me means you¡¯ll get to know things. Things most people wouldn¡¯t want to know. Are you sure you¡¯re in for the ride?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a big fight comin¡¯, and I ain¡¯t joining the losing side!¡± Great replied.

    ¡°Then you should know who Lord Supreme is.¡±

    ¡°Maybe another day huh?!¡±

    Zedd nodded. ¡°What makes you sure I¡¯ll be the winning side?¡± he asked with a grin.

    ¡°The losin¡¯ side¡¯s with the people,¡± Great retorted. ¡°A big war¡¯s looming about, I can feel it me old bones. And in war, the innocent and helpless die first. I ain¡¯t sticking around with them fools who left. I¡¯m a Quartermaster. I¡¯ll be safe as long as I make meself useful!¡±

    ¡°Wiser words have never been spoken,¡± Zedd said, his grin even wider. ¡°Make yourself useful and you¡¯ll have my protection. Think of betraying me and I¡¯ll make sure losing one eye wasn¡¯t your life¡¯s tragedy.¡±

    Great shuddered.

    ¡°So,¡± Zedd said, cheerful, ¡°tea¡¯s ready!¡± He flicked his hand and the tea pot floated then landed beside Great. Two cups had appeared, one before Zedd and the other in front of the Quartermaster. The teapot floated and served each a cup then went back to its initial place, above the stove.

    ¡°How about you tell me about that promise of yours?¡± Zedd asked after Great took a sip from the tea and nodded approvingly.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Great took a deep puff from his pipe then released a blue smoke. The smoke slowly materialized into a serpent with beautiful, tiny wings. It floated in the air and went straight for Zedd, whose black eyes widened.

    Zedd remained silent for a while, observing Great¡¯s unfading grin. His frown spoke a thousand words.

    ¡°Don¡¯t like my magic trick?¡± Great asked.

    ¡°Do you know who that snake is?¡± Zedd hissed, his eyes but slits at that point.

    ¡°Tis an old tale from my village,¡± Great answered. ¡°I get you don¡¯t like the sight of it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the details you put into it,¡± Zedd retorted. ¡°You have some magic in you, yet you waste it in smoke tricks!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong about that?¡± Great asked, taking another puff.

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Zedd said, raising a hand to stop the Quartermaster. ¡°Don¡¯t release that snake again!¡±

    Great let out a long, white smoke from his nostrils then raised a questioning eyebrow at Zedd.

    ¡°Has anybody seen you do this trick before?¡± Black Eyes asked, ¡°except Myles, of course,¡± he added.

    ¡°Everybody at the Castle,¡± Great answered. ¡°Twas my way of providing entertainment in slow days.¡±

    ¡°No wonder Utar kept you around,¡± Zedd said. ¡°To make such an exact replica, it means you¡¯ve seen the snake before, am I right?¡±

    Great nodded.

    ¡°Where, if I may ask?¡±

    ¡°Met ¡®im on my way to Kozag, years ago,¡± Great answered. ¡°I¡¯m not from the desert yeh see? I was born in Angon.¡±

    Zedd let out a long whistle. ¡°You¡¯ve come a long way,¡± he said. ¡°And let me guess, Great isn¡¯t your real name, is it?¡±

    The Quartermaster flinched.

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask for your real name though,¡± Zedd asked. ¡°I¡¯ll find out eventually, but I won¡¯t ask.¡±

    ¡°Appreciate it,¡± Great replied.

    ¡°Did you meet the snake at sea?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°How¡¯d yeh know?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve met him before,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°There was a time when I was a sailor. Our ship met a disastrous storm. The snake saved me but killed everyone else. I didn¡¯t know why until years later. It¡¯s safe to assume the same happened to you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Great answered. ¡°Only difference, I dunno why he bloody kept me alive. Never forgot ¡®is scales and ¡®is wings though. Great thing with its gigantic sharp fangs, and the tongue¡­¡± Great shuddered, ¡°the sharp tongue that¡¯d pierce a ship¡¯s hull in the blink of an eye!¡±

    ¡°Do you wish to know his name?¡± Zedd asked.

    ¡°Osmen,¡± Great answered. ¡°I know ¡®is bloody name. Although I wish I didn¡¯t!¡± Noticing Zedd¡¯s questioning eyes, Great added, quite exasperated. ¡°I can read yeh know!¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯d you find his name? I don¡¯t know of any books, none that remain unburned though, that mention him!¡±

    ¡°Ulmir¡¯s Castle had a library,¡± Great said. ¡°The biggest I¡¯ve ever seen. Tis there I found the book.¡±

    ¡°It all connects now¡­¡± Zedd said, thoughtful. ¡°What did the book say about him?¡±

    ¡°I offered teh give yer familiar the memory, a Fragment,¡± Great said, taking another puff and releasing white smoke. He wouldn¡¯t release the snake anymore, not with Zedd frowning at him in that fashion. ¡°I don¡¯t need such a memory to haunt me days! Take it, let the cursed knowledge haunt you too.¡±

    Zedd stood and approached the Quartermaster who was sitting on the opposite side of his desk. ¡°Are you sure you want to part with it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Gladly!¡± Great replied.

    ¡°So be it,¡± Zedd put his hand on the Quartermaster¡¯s head, as he did for the others he¡¯d sent to Yanoku. ¡°Think of the day you met Osmen. I¡¯ll do the extraction. Don¡¯t fight it!¡± he told Great before he started the process.

    The little man¡¯s body glowed snow white while Zedd¡¯s body had a dark aura enveloping it. Both energies collided for a moment before Zedd¡¯s energy took over. It penetrated Great then merged with it. A moment later, everything went back to normal.

    ¡°I made sure not to invade your personal memories,¡± Zedd said after the extraction was done. ¡°Your energy¡¯s pure, who taught you magic?¡±

    ¡°A priest yeh killed in the Castle,¡± Great answered. ¡°He wasn¡¯t a friend, so don¡¯t beat yerself about it.¡±

    ¡°I never do,¡± Zedd replied. ¡°Remorse isn¡¯t my strong suit.¡±

    ¡°Didja find what yeh wanted?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure I repay this debt properly,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°You may need a rest. The extraction might have drained your energy. I tried to be careful, but your initial resistance almost killed you.¡±

    Great indeed looked exhausted. Blood had drained from his face. He was clearly out of breath, incapable of standing from his seat.

    ¡°Drink the tea,¡± Zedd urged. ¡°You¡¯ll feel better after that. But make sure you get enough rest.¡±

    Great nodded. ¡°One o¡¯ these days,¡± he said after taking a sip. ¡°Ye¡¯ll have teh tell me about yer story!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing interesting, really,¡± Zedd answered, smiling warmly at the Quartermaster. ¡°It¡¯s bloody, filled with betrayals and tough times. You won¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like stories where the righteous wins, if that¡¯s what yer afraid of!¡± the little man retorted. ¡°Everyone¡¯s gotta deal with something. It takes a great deal to make a man heartless.¡±

    ¡°You bet,¡± Zedd replied. ¡°Now off you go. I¡¯ll wake you when we get to our destination.¡±

    Great reluctantly obeyed. He clearly wanted to know about Zedd¡¯s past.

    ¡°How about I tell yeh my name?¡± Great said, his hand on the door knob. ¡°Will yeh tell me yer story?¡±

    ¡°I might,¡± Zedd answered. ¡°But not today, you gave me a great deal to mull over.¡±

    Great nodded, opened the door then left.

    ¡®Osmen,¡¯ Zedd thought as he was left alone in his private quarters. ¡®You¡¯ll soon be mine.¡¯ He looked at a parchment he¡¯d spread on his desk. It contained a poem of some sort.

    ¡®The Holi Wars are in two years. I¡¯ll make sure I weaken them before it starts!¡¯

    ***

    The parchment read as follows:

    To you, dear reader, who¡¯s been following my story, here¡¯s the rest. Make sure you¡¯re well seated, for it is a damn long one. If you thought my story so far had been tragic, yeh ain¡¯t seen shit! (I like to borrow words and expressions from others.)

    The Holi Wars were about to start, and I was in dire situation. I won¡¯t let the suspense eat at you, here¡¯s the rest. But before I start, here¡¯s a song by the people of Angon I¡¯d like you to mull over.

    The Phoenix withers and dies,

    The Roosa¡¯al invade your lives.

    Beware the vicious Wild Hunt,

    Their weapons, sharp and blunt.

    Kill ten and them you shall join,

    The Holi Wars is where you¡¯re going.

    If the Ori Sisters you dare challenge,

    The threads of fate you must scavenge.

    Lure them with the golden flute,

    Sneak past them and steal their fruit.

    But if light shines bright in your eyes,

    Seek the three legged bird in the skies,

    Don¡¯t you let him hear your cries.

    Osmen awaits in Mount Condurr,

    Don¡¯t cower, step back or surrender.

    The pure Unicorn will give its blood,

    Willingly, lest you drown in mud.

    And Abrath, the Venomous King,

    Will give its plume,

    If you forsake everything.

    The phoenix rises from ash,

    Finds the chosen one,

    Thus the champions clash,

    And the summoning is done.

 77 - Mighty Opponent

    I slowly turned to face the one who¡¯d just spoken to me. I recognized his voice but hoped against hope that it wasn¡¯t who I think it was.

    ¡°Myles?¡± he asked again. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Sam stood a few paces away from me. He was wearing light leather armor too, unlike the soldiers I¡¯d just dealt with. But Sam knew magic, much more than I did anyway. I stood there, frozen, silent. Sam looked at my feet, he saw Alan, swimming in his own blood.

    ¡°Did you do that?¡± he asked.

    I didn¡¯t answer. I was thinking of a way to get out of this. Raiya¡¯s protections won¡¯t last after the last spell I endured. I didn¡¯t know what Sam was capable of either. I tightened my grip around the short sword, as if that would help¡­

    Another explosion was heard near the tree house. Sam looked in that direction then turned to me.

    ¡°She¡¯s strong,¡± he said. ¡°But Father Utar will subdue her. He¡¯s forgiven my aunt for her crimes. Thanks to you, we can save her and have the treasure you stole from the Crucible.¡±

    Save her? She¡¯s already gone my dear Sam. And I hoped I could do the same for you too. But I wasn¡¯t confident I could take you on. I didn¡¯t have a choice though. I had to fight. There was nowhere to run either, not against Sam.

    My memories of him had come back after my last bout with Agatha. I remembered how we used to be close friends. I remembered how I trusted him, and how he betrayed that trust. I couldn¡¯t forgive him for that. I wouldn¡¯t run. I¡¯d fight and I¡¯d make damn sure I win, even if the odds were against me.

    ¡°Willing to fight me M?¡± he asked. ¡°You do know that sword of yours can¡¯t reach me, don¡¯t you?¡±

    I¡¯d noticed that he didn¡¯t move either. Perhaps the fall had injured him more than he cared to admit. He talked too much too. Last time we met, he didn¡¯t waste time in paralyzing me. He was now trying to scare me with mere words.

    I advanced toward him. I made sure I stayed a few paces away from him while I circled around, sword in hand. Sam smirked as his eyes followed my every move. I had about a second to get my plan into motion. I had to get him to drop his guard. The tree trunk in which one of my loose arrows landed was about three steps away (I was out of arrows). I couldn¡¯t let him notice that.

    ¡°What makes you certain that Utar will keep his word?¡± I asked.

    Sam wasn¡¯t willing to move yet. He was probably too weak to move, or recovering. Either way, I didn¡¯t want to start a fight I had no hope of winning yet.

    ¡°Utar is a man of his word,¡± Sam said. ¡°He vowed to capture you and the warlock. And here he is, in foreign territory, risking war against Arsalan.¡±

    ¡°You give that Priest too much credit,¡± I said. Only one more step. He mustn¡¯t see the attack coming. ¡°He won¡¯t save your dear aunt though.¡± I added then met his smile with a nasty grin of my own. I know how to make an ugly face, especially with the torn eye patch and the scar on the right side of my face.

    Sam narrowed his eyes at me. I had his attention. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Your aunt put a knife into my back,¡± I said. I was now standing in front of the tree. The arrow was behind me. I only had to reach out for it, and hope he doesn¡¯t react too quickly. ¡°She had to be punished,¡± I went on. ¡°You have Utar to do the punishing for you, I have her!¡± I jerked my head toward the tree house.

    Another explosion that shook the earth ensued this time¡­

    Sam looked at the tree¡¯s direction, it was my queue. I wrenched the arrow off the tree and then pulled my bow. It¡¯s amazing how fast you could do things when you¡¯re determined. When Sam had looked back at me, his face was contorted in uncontrollable anger. I was counting on that, anger blinds us. I loosened the arrow at his knee but I only hit his thigh.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Sam winced and let out a painful cry. I grinned at then dashed toward him. He was weak, unable to defend himself properly. I wasn¡¯t going to let that opportunity pass. I reached my ex-best friend and swung my sword, aiming for the head. I didn¡¯t have the time or the energy to elongate the fight.

    ¡°Vent!¡± I heard Sam mutter. The next I know, I was flying backwards. My back slammed onto the ground and I felt the air forcefully burst out through my mouth and nostrils.

    ¡°I may have weakened,¡± he said as I was trying to pull myself up. ¡°But I won¡¯t allow you the satisfaction of landing another blow. Fool me once, M!¡±

    He pulled the arrow away, slowly. I winced at the sight of it, but he didn¡¯t. His fierce eyes fixed me with an unrelenting gaze. He still had some magic in him. Just how much Essence did he have? I couldn¡¯t tell. Mine was very limited. On the other hand, he might not have the same problems I have.

    I dashed once more, my head buzzing and my feet almost wobbling. I struggled to keep them steady. I had to finish this fight before I fainted. This time, only my rage kept me sane, kept me from giving up and falling on my knees. I wouldn¡¯t let this bastard get the upper hand. He may be strong, but I¡¯m not backing down, not against him, not against anybody from their damned Church!

    ¡°Medea!¡± Sam muttered after he pulled the arrow away. I made to swing my sword but thrust it instead. He dodged it. I was amazed at his perception. No one could dodge a thrust like that, not after I¡¯d given a slight feint. I felt his boot dig deep into my abdomen. I coughed out, and blood was mixed with the air that left my mouth.

    ¡°You overestimate yourself M!¡± Sam yelled.

    I fell on my knees, gasping for air. What the hell was that? A kick?  It felt like I was hit by a ram!

    ¡°It¡¯s time I showed you what real power looks like!¡± By that time I could only see his riding boots. ¡°But before that, you¡¯ll tell me what happened to my aunt!¡±

    I felt his hand close in on my throat. I was suffocating already. I didn¡¯t need him to choke me as well. Shit¡­ I¡¯d really underestimated him.

    ¡°Father Utar says I¡¯m only on the early stages of development, you see?¡± he said, his fingers clutching my throat tighter and tighter. The world around me grew silent. I prayed for some help from Eva, but she wouldn¡¯t respond. I was tempted to use the Fragment¡¯s energy, despite the risks. But I was already losing consciousness, I couldn¡¯t concentrate.

    Sam let go of me and I slumped back on the ground, coughing, wheezing.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter M?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Can¡¯t take a little beating?¡± He kicked me again.

    My back hit a tree trunk and my vision became blurry. I watched his silhouette slowly approach me. I tried to take deep inhales, stabilize my breathing. But I couldn¡¯t. My heartbeat was getting fainter. I gasped for air but it seemed as though it had fled my immediate vicinity. I tried to stand but my body complained furiously.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been given the gift of power,¡± Sam said as he knelt beside me. ¡°In the early stages, my strength couldn¡¯t match the warlock¡¯s. I¡¯m confident Father Utar will subdue her though. But meeting you here must¡¯ve been fate.¡±

    My vision cleared and my breathing started regulating. I could see him clearly now. He hadn¡¯t changed his hairstyle ever since I knew him, slick, slightly shaved to the side. He¡¯d grown some sideburns now, which made him look like a bandit from the forgotten cities of the desert. His square jaw was clenched as he tilted his head, observing me with careful eyes.

    ¡°What happened to my aunt Stalwart?¡± he asked. I felt his knuckle in my stomach. This hurt more than the previous kick. I thought I¡¯d burst an intestine there.

    ¡°Where is my aunt?¡± he asked again then brought his hand to my shin, in a chopping motion.

    I felt the bone crack and I screamed. I never thought I¡¯d scream like that before. The fracture was sudden, painful, but the punch that came after it, to my face, made me forget about the previous agony. He was talking, probably asking me about Agatha. But I couldn¡¯t hear a word he said. I felt a warm liquid seep down my left ear.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Agatha?!¡± Sam asked again. He¡¯d changed positions. He was standing to my right now, right in my blind spot. He held me by the throat and was about to deliver another punch but a loud crash nearby made us both look sideways.

    Sisha, the gigantic demon cat had just fallen a few paces away from us. His fur was painted red. I saw him struggle to stand. The dark energy that enveloped his gray fur was faint now. He hissed as a  giant shadow concealed the sky above us. Sam let go of me and got to his feet.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk later M,¡± he said, ¡°if you get out of this alive.¡± I saw apprehension and fear in his eyes. Sam looked once more at the sky then ran, toward the warlock and her tree house.

    I couldn¡¯t stand. I couldn¡¯t bend my body either to have a better look at the sky. But I heard a strange sound. Wind howled around me and my hair danced about as a strong gale blew past me. Sisha was terribly worn out. His right hind leg had a nasty gash. Purple blood flowed from it abundantly.

    I flinched as I willed my body to bend forward and look up. Then I saw it, high above us. It was giant flying lizard, with two legs and a pair of leather wings. It even wore custom made armor, azure blue, which covered its long neck and legs. I squinted at the base of its neck.

    There was someone riding it!

 78 - War of Monsters

    As incredible as the scene before me was, I couldn¡¯t enjoy it. Not with my bone fractured, not with my stomach churning as if I¡¯d swallowed acid. Sisha limped away from the flying wyvern. I heard the rider mutter some words, but he was too far away for me to clearly hear what he said. The wyvern beat its wings then dived at the demon cat.

    Its sharp talons dug deep into the demon¡¯s back. Sisha howled, his cries made my blood curdle. I saw the wyvern beat its wings then carry the demon high up. Sisha landed heavily on the ground, which shook beneath me. I couldn¡¯t move or think of doing anything. I couldn¡¯t escape either.

    The Church reinforcements had arrived, and what reinforcement! And I thought Raiya had a powerful ally to her side. These guys had flying lizards. I was thankful they didn¡¯t breathe fire, or didn¡¯t deign the fight important enough to do so. Either way, I wasn¡¯t going to burn alive here. But was I going to live through this to tell the tale? I didn¡¯t know.

    (You do, thank the author for it.)

    Sisha limped away from the wyvern again. The power-up he¡¯d received from the demon king wasn¡¯t enough to beat this thing. Our chances of survival were close to null at that point. I realized this and wished the wyvern would breathe fire. I didn¡¯t want to get captured by the Church, not again. Sam would be furious about what had happened to his aunt. And given his abnormal strength, I didn¡¯t want to fall into his hands.

    The wyvern had beaten its wings again and gained some altitude. It was about to dive at Sisha. I could tell the demon couldn¡¯t take any more hits. Blood spurted out his back, hind legs and even his mouth. The mighty cat was now reduced to a frightened pussy, limping away from danger.

    The wyvern dived again and hit an invisible wall. The resulting crash was unsightly. Its wings folded forward and hit its rider in the head. The rider fell with a loud clank. Who would wear heavy armor while riding a wyvern? One fall and you¡¯d be dead! Stupid¡­

    Raiya appeared next to her demon. I didn¡¯t know when or how she managed to reach Sisha. But I saw her caress his fur, where patches of pink flesh showed. She suddenly jerked her head back and spotted me.

    ¡®You alright Zedd?¡¯ she psionically asked.

    ¡®Broken leg and some wounds,¡¯ I answered. ¡®Nothing serious, take care of him first!¡¯

    ¡®Stay there,¡¯ she ordered. ¡®And no matter what happens, don¡¯t move!¡¯

    ¡®I can¡¯t even if I wanted to,¡¯ I replied.

    ¡®I¡¯ll come for you when this is all over,¡¯ she said, reassuringly.

    How did she hope to come out on top? I was about to get my answer sooner than I expected.

    What I saw defined my lifestyle for many years to come; Raiya, coming to help her demon and companion. The powerful warlock I knew nothing of, was about to show the entire world what she was really capable of. It was an astounding display of power really. I¡¯ll never forget my astonishment from that day.

    First, I saw her untie her hair then cut it with a dagger she carried around her waist. Her hair was at shoulder length now. She held her silver blond hair then recited an incantation that was meant to empower her magic. I learned that later on, after the fight ended.

    Her hair was instantly engulfed in a crimson fire. The fire burned brighter, the more it consumed the warlock¡¯s hair. Sisha let out a terrible howl that echoed through the entire woods. Then Raiya, with her short hair and her leather attire, jumped over the cat, riding it. Then I saw the transformation.

    Sisha¡¯s tail grew in length, about ten feet. His back had spikes protruding from it. His muzzle elongated. His dog side had taken over. His paws became larger and his double row of claws, longer. Sisha howled once more and the wyvern cowered.

    I saw a shadow jump on top of the wyvern. The rider wasn¡¯t hurt after all. I needed to get used to the world of magic and their magic armor too. I was still a simple warrior, used to the things I¡¯ve experienced. This was all new to me.

    I was watching a fight between Raiya, riding her newly transformed demon, and an unknown rider and his flying wyvern.Stolen novel; please report.

    I still couldn¡¯t see them winning. How could they, when their opponent had the advantage of being airborne?

    I caught something move behind the warlock with the corner of my eye. I turned to look at it in more detail. Utar, heavily injured, was leaning against Sam. They both watched the fight, unwary of my presence. Maybe luck had to do something with this after all¡­

    The wyvern was the first to move. It dived once more at Sisha. The latter jumped aside, avoiding the attack. He slashed with his long claws but the wyvern¡¯s armor absorbed damage. Raiya wasn¡¯t a spectator however. I saw her direct her long staff at the wyvern¡¯s belly. The flying lizard was then forcefully propelled forward and forced to land on its two feet.

    Sisha didn¡¯t let the distraction go to waste. He immediately turned and jumped at the beast, his giant fangs closing in on its throat. Blood showered the floor and the nearby trees. Sisha¡¯s lower fangs had closed in on the wyvern¡¯s throat. His upper fangs however, got stuck on armor plates. I heard both creatures howl and grunt. I didn¡¯t know who was in pain or who had the upper hand.

    I prayed it was my side.

    Raiya waved her staff once more and sent a blue aura toward the rider. The rider waved a wooden stick he held and deflected the attack. It was monster versus monster and mage versus warlock.

    Looking at Utar¡¯s state, I was sure that Raiya¡¯d come on top. And she did. Another blast from her staff and the mage was propelled off the wyvern. He was flying backwards, rapidly, heavy with his iron plates, toward Sam. The latter merely punched the rider in the back and sent him flying a good twenty feet away, on the opposite direction.

    Holy hells! Was he holding back against me?!

    The rider fell behind me with a loud clank. I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d recover from that blow. Sam was about to run for the wyvern¡¯s rescue, but I saw Utar pulling him back and shaking his head. What happened next was both fascinating and terrifying.

    Raiya jumped on the wyvern and started pounding at its armor with her staff. The strong, gigantic armor was now flying in all directions while the wyvern wailed and screamed. Sisha¡¯s jaws tightened around the wyvern¡¯s neck, which was now screeching and bellowing. A loud snap later and the wyvern stopped moving.

    Raiya jumped back onto the demon and directed it toward me. I was swept away from the ground by some levitating spell then placed next to the warlock.

    ¡®It¡¯s not over yet,¡¯ Raiya psionically said. ¡®I¡¯ll take you to the tree house. You¡¯ll find some potions in the living room. Take the ones that say regeneration and ether. Don¡¯t drink more than one.¡¯

    ¡®What do you mean it¡¯s not over?¡¯ I asked. But what happened next answered my question. The sky above us darkened. The sound of wings beating against the air signaled another incoming wyvern. But with Sisha and Raiya teaming up against them, I was certain they¡¯d come out victorious again.

    How wrong I was.

    As the warlock urged Sisha to speed up toward the tree. The sound of wings flapping above us intensified. By the time we reached the clearing, I counted five wyverns in the air.

    ¡®Take those potions,¡¯ Raiya instructed. ¡®And run downstairs. Find a door that says Biarkh. There¡¯s an underground tunnel that should lead you out of this country, out of harm¡¯s way.¡¯

    ¡®What about you?¡¯ I asked. I¡¯d suddenly grown fond of this woman. This happens when somebody risks their lives to save yours.

    ¡®Don¡¯t mind us,¡¯ Raiya replied. ¡®We¡¯ll survive this.¡¯

    Somehow, I didn¡¯t believe her.

    We reached the tree and it opened its big mouth then swallowed me in. Raiya went back to fight. I was left alone inside. My leg hurt, but I was at least out of trouble. Not for long though, if I couldn¡¯t manage to leave as instructed.

    I limped toward the high table in the living room. There was a closet next to it I knew Raiya hid potions in. My broken leg kept reminding me of the impossible task ahead. Suddenly, walking in a straight line required more effort than lifting a hundred pound rock. I persevered as the sounds of explosions outside intensified.

    Raiya was outside fighting a war whose stakes I couldn¡¯t comprehend. I was caught in the middle then I met an old friend whose herculean power was beyond comprehension. I was having a bad dream, a real nightmare I couldn¡¯t wake up from.

    ¡®Snap out of it!¡¯ Eva¡¯s voice reached deep within me.

    ¡®Now you wake up!¡¯ I snapped.

    ¡®I was keeping your weak ass from imploding. Now stop whining and get those potions. We might not have enough time to escape!¡¯

    I gritted my teeth and fought the excruciating pain. I was crawling, using one knee to hop on and my two arms for support. The injured leg lagged behind. I couldn¡¯t even lift it. So I let it sweep the floor, causing me to flinch every time I made a move.

    A loud explosion echoed in my ears. It sounded too close for comfort. Then another ensued. The tree shook violently. I¡¯d lost balance and fell on my nose. A loud cracking noise made me forget about the explosion outside. I was bleeding and my pain was renewed, this time around my nose.

    The tree shook again after yet another explosion. I heard cheers outside. Many people, hundreds by the sound of it screamed outside. What had happened? I wanted to know but my leg wouldn¡¯t let me reach the potion cabinet, let alone the window to sneak a peek.

    BOOM! Another explosion sent me rolling forward. The tree swayed back and forth dangerously.

    ¡®Zedd, if you can hear me, make haste,¡¯ Raiya¡¯s psionic message reached me. ¡®We won¡¯t last longer¡­¡¯

    I had rolled near the window. I struggled to stand and looked outside. Hundreds of paladins had surrounded the tree. Raiya was on the ground, Sisha was beside her. I didn¡¯t know which one had it worse. I looked up, and to my horror, I realized she¡¯d been fighting more than five wyverns at once. The Church wasn¡¯t going to give the bones up¡­

    ¡®Hurry up Myles!¡¯ Eva¡¯s voice urged me.

 79 - War of Monsters - Part 2

    Before Myles¡¯ fight against the Church soldiers:

    Raiya stood firmly in front of her tree house, waiting for Utar to show up. She didn¡¯t fear the Priest as much as she feared further retaliation. She knew she¡¯d be on her own unless a High Priest or, gods forbid, a Pontiff showed up. Sisha had just told her he¡¯d taken care of the western squad. She hoped Zedd would be up to the task assigned. She knew he hated that name, but he¡¯d thank her for it one day.

    ¡®Go check on the boy,¡¯ she instructed the cat demon. ¡®Provide help if needed, but leave him some challenge. He¡¯s our only hope.¡¯

    Sisha answered with a soft purr.

    ¡°RAIYA O¡¯CHERAN!¡± She heard Utar¡¯s voice and recognized it. Was he trying to intimidate her with a meek voice magnifying spell? ¡°TIME WITCH TURNED WARLOCK, PART OF ARSALAN¡¯S WIZARD COVENANT! COME OUT NOW, AND WE MIGHT CONSIDER A PEACEFUL NEGOTIATION!¡±

    She shook her head, disappointed. She knew as much as he did that there was no possibility for peaceful negotiations. The Church wanted to get their hands on the offering as much as the Covenant. She was lucky to meet the boy when she did.

    ¡°FAIL TO DO SO,¡± Utar went on, ¡°AND WE¡¯LL UNLEASH HELL UPON THIS FOREST!¡±

    Raiya started pounding her staff on the ground. The spot she chose to teleport to didn¡¯t come from a whim. The forest wasn¡¯t too far from Theolonius¡¯ mansion. It also harbored the secret caves the Children of the Forest used long ago, before this world became what it is today. She had a secret escape route, should she need to use it.

    She pounded her staff once more and the trap was set. Let them come, she thought. I¡¯ll show them what real terror means.

    Screams echoed from the northern side of the forest. Sisha had come to Zedd¡¯s rescue. It was only a matter of time before Utar showed up. Raiya looked up as a red beam shot straight for the sky then exploded into tiny red sparks. She swore and chewed on her lower lip.

    ¡®They¡¯re sending for reinforcements,¡¯ she told her trusty companion, the demon who would swallow her whole if given the slightest opportunity. It took wit and incredible power to control such beings, especially the feline kind. ¡®Go intercept the ones you can. Don¡¯t get into fights you can¡¯t win.¡¯

    Sisha purred back.

    Stupid cat! She swore. She was certain he¡¯d go and get himself in trouble. Then she¡¯ll have to save him and weaken herself in the process. She suspected it was the cat¡¯s intention. Demons never put themselves in danger unless they had a secret motive behind that. Weakening his master and swallowing it meant Sisha could gain incredible power, and evolution.

    ¡°Raiya O¡¯Cheran,¡± Utar¡¯s voice snuck into her ear, a cold, eerie whisper. She looked to her left, Utar and twelve paladins were walking toward her. She recognized them by their shiny armor and haughty demeanor. ¡°Do you think you can beat us?¡± he motioned, his arms open as if to welcome an old friend, to his friends behind him.

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll take this tone if it weren¡¯t for your big guys backing you up?¡± Raiya shot back.

    Utar shrugged. His pursed, purple lips curled into a cruel smile. She never really knew the Priest, but she hated him already. He wasn¡¯t wearing any armor. His sleeveless shirt allowed him to show off his thick forearms and defined biceps on which tattoos glowed gold.

    ¡°Where¡¯s my aunt?¡± a voice, young and quite squeaky, came from behind the Priest.

    ¡°You must be Sam,¡± Raiya said. ¡°Your friend remembers your betrayal now.¡±

    ¡°Can I kill her?¡± Sam asked Utar in that childish, haughty attitude young people adopt when they gain a semblance of power. This only served to annoy the warlock.

    Utar shook his head. The foreboding look her gave the young man spoke of warning and firm authority.

    ¡°Let him come,¡± Raiya said, pursing her lips into a mocking smirk. Nothing would give her more pleasure than incapacitate this self-righteous, overconfident brat!

    Sam answered her smirk with a determined look. He eyed her as though she was his mortal enemy. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder at the kind of brainwashing the Church did to new recruits. The boy couldn¡¯t be older than twenty five. They were sending him to the slaughter house and for what? A pile of withered bones? At least the Covenant wouldn¡¯t send young apprentices to war, unprepared.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see what she¡¯s prepared for us first,¡± Utar told Sam, a fatherly smile replaced his previous stern look. His eyes twinkled as he looked at the young boy. Raiya had a bad feeling about this. Her womanly intuition never failed her when it came to bad feelings. She hoped it did, just this one time. Something about the unspoken bond between those two made shivers run down her spine.

    ¡°At her!¡± Utar ordered and the armored paladins charged. They wore the same armor but wielded different weapons. Some had maces, others had great swords. One of them was carrying a big slab of rock over his shoulder. She didn¡¯t want to get hit by that.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Luckily, she had prepared. Vines sprouted from the ground and caught most paladins by the feet. She¡¯d copied Utar¡¯s binding spell. She met his gaze and smiled, as if to tell him show me what you can do best!

    Utar waved his hand and the vines started loosening. Raiya didn¡¯t flinch or react though. That was the response she expected from the Priest. She pounded her staff at the ground and it cracked. More vines followed, thorny, thick, and emitting a foul poisonous smoke. They were clawing their way out when Utar swore and advanced toward the trap. He motioned Sam to stay put.

    The heavily armored paladins had regained their composure by then. One of them managed to shoot the restraining vine with a fire spell which caused it to retreat underground. Raiya smiled, this was exactly what she was hoping for. Make them angrier, she prayed. Make them deadly.

    Other paladins followed the first one¡¯s example. Utar bellowed at them to stop. He knew what would happen if the vines were hurt. But it was too late. A loud screech reached them from underground. More cracks appeared and, in an earthshaking explosion, a formidable creature appeared.

    Its main body was larger than the tree house. It blocked the others from reaching Raiya. Its long tentacles were the thorny vines that appeared before. It looked like an oversized sack that grew sharp teeth at its crater. It didn¡¯t have any eyes or animal features to speak of, just multiple vines protruding from it and sharp teeth that showed at the top. A purple fume would leave its crater every time it struck at one of its assailants.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Mandragora!¡± Utar yelled at the others. ¡°Step away from it, now!¡±

    By the time Utar had reached the paladins, two of them were already seized by its thorny vines. He called out to them, asked them not to attack any further but none listened. They were too scared, too stressed to heed the Priest¡¯s warning. So they attacked. They hacked with their swords and shot spells at the plant¡¯s main body.

    The plant stomped the ground with its tentacles every time a fire spell hit. It wasn¡¯t pleased with the retaliation. Utar pulled the other paladins away. They watched as the Mandragora squeezed the juice out of the armored men. Blood seeped from between their armor plates. Their screams filled the clearing. Soon enough, sharp thorns found their way inside the captured paladins¡¯ bodies. Their screams intensified, the interval between each shortening by the minute.

    Soon enough, the clearing grew quiet and the giant plant threw the two armored men into her inflated sac. Munching sounds ensued. Utar fought to keep the paladins away from the plant. They were screaming at the which, threatening to avenge their fallen comrades. Utar ordered them to stand down. There was no use fighting it, angering it any further.

    ¡°It¡¯s eaten now,¡± he told them. ¡°It will go back underground to nap and digest what she¡¯s just ingested.¡±

    But the plant didn¡¯t move. It stood there, barring their way to the warlock¡¯s. Utar gritted his teeth then straightened up.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter Utar?¡± Raiya was now floating above the plant. They all looked at her in utter disgust. ¡°Can¡¯t take out a little plant now, can we?¡±

    She wanted to annoy them, draw them nearer. As long as she could thin the herd a little more, she wouldn¡¯t have to use her own power to fight them all.

    ¡°Sam, my boy,¡± Utar called out. Sam walked beside his master. ¡°I¡¯ll create an opening, you send this foul beast somewhere it can¡¯t disturb us.¡±

    Sam nodded.

    Utar¡¯s arms moved in a precise, rehearsed manner. He first brought the left arm upwards, pointing at the sky, then motioned the other one down, pointing directly at the ground.

    ¡°Oh Lord who art above,¡± he started. ¡°Cleanse this world from the filth that looms in the darkness.¡± Utar¡¯s arms joined together, aimed at the Mandragora. ¡°Show us the light,¡± he went on. ¡°Bless us with thine holy aura. Help us banish the spawns of darkness.¡±

    All paladins joined in for the last prayer: ¡°May we one day find the righteous path!¡±

    A bright light shone between Utar¡¯s hands. The light instantly intensified, its size multiplied a hundred fold then shot at the Mandragora. The plant hissed and its thorny vines flailed about, hitting the ground in all directions. Raiya swore under her breath and immediately got out of the way.Sam dashed toward the plant and landed a heavy punch on its main body.

    Its giant frame was lifted off the ground. Then, as though it had been hit by a sudden gale, its body instantly flew in the air, a hundred feet away. A loud crash was heard in the distance.

    ¡®What terrifying strength!¡¯ Raiya¡¯s eyes widened upon witnessing the power display. She tightened her grip around the staff, holding it in both hands, and waited for the paladins to come. She¡¯d hoped to reduce their numbers more. She didn¡¯t want to waste her energy on the first wave. She was sure more would come before the Covenant decided to intervene.

    Sam was the first to charge her, despite Utar¡¯s orders to fall back.

    ¡°Presumptuous!¡± Raiya shot at the young man who was but a few feet away from her.

    Sam quickly reached the warlock and swung a heavy punch toward her. A loud clank was heard as the young man¡¯s punch hit the metallic staff. There was no sudden gale, not propelling force. Earth cracked below the two but the warlock didn¡¯t move. She smiled then swung her staff, whose color had become bright red now, at the young man¡¯s head.

    ¡°NO!¡± Utar yelled and pulled his arms toward him, as though he was holding an invisible rope. Sam¡¯s body was pulled away at the last possible second. The swing missed him by an inch but the resulting shockwave almost obliterated him. Sam landed in his master¡¯s arms, blood seeping from his nose and his entire body glowing bright red.

    ¡°You¡¯ve given him a gift of power!¡± Raiya exclaimed.

    ¡°Stupid!¡± Utar yelled at the boy who was now lying on the ground, somewhere between consciousness and deep slumber. ¡°Get up and stabilize your breathing! Break rank again and you shall answer to His Eminence!¡±

    Sam obeyed. He shot a terrified look at the warlock then retreated behind the trees.

    ¡°Attack!¡± Utar ordered and the paladins charged.

    The first one to reach the warlock swung his great sword at her, targeting her ribs. She easily deflected the attack then drove the end of her metallic stick at the man¡¯s breastplate, which cracked then broke into tiny pieces. Raiya¡¯s staff glowed purple before she swung it at the paladin. The latter was propelled in the air with such force that it intimidated the rest, which stopped right on their tracks. The unlucky paladin was out of sight in a second.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Dhobor¡¯s finest warriors?¡± Raiya called out to them, her red lips curled in a mocking smile. ¡°Afraid to take on a woman?¡±

 80 - War Of Monsters - Part 3

    During, and after, Myles¡¯ fight against Alan:

    There were suddenly ten people attacking the warlock at once. They first made sure to surround her. Her back was to the tree. She was facing a semicircle of ten paladins, Utar and Sam, who had just recovered. Raiya couldn¡¯t help but be apprehensive of the young man. Her last attack, although it missed, should have at least knocked him out for a day.

    Utar stood behind the semicircle, probably to provide support. He could use offensive miracles. That earned him the title of Priest. She kept a constant eye on him while she extended her senses toward the others. She didn¡¯t need to see their attacks, she could sense where they¡¯d hit before they could do so. Only trouble was, if surrounded, she wouldn¡¯t be able to track all their movements.

    Utar couldn¡¯t be underestimated. One false move, one moment of inattention, and he¡¯d punish her for it. She didn¡¯t know what to expect from the opposition but she had faced worse odds. Their shiny armors wouldn¡¯t protect them against her powerful magic. She suspected they¡¯d been sent here first to weaken her though. She wasn¡¯t willing to go all out from the get go.

    ¡®My staff will do for now,¡¯ she thought as the others slowly advanced toward her, apprehensive. ¡®I¡¯ll only resort to spells if there¡¯s no other way around it.¡¯

    The standoff between warlock and paladins lasted only a few seconds; few seconds during which each one studied the environment and decided on a plan of attack. The first to move was a paladin holding a mace. He ran at the warlock and swung his blunt weapon at her head. Raiya easily parried the attack but was forced to jump sideways to avoid a shiny beam Utar had cast.

    The Priest was providing support, in the form of offensive miracles, while the others attacked. Sam, on the other hand, didn¡¯t move; Utar¡¯s orders probably. Despite his abnormal strength, he was no match for Raiya. She knew it and Utar knew it.

    Another paladin attacked immediately after the warlock stepped to the side. She avoided his long sword by a hair¡¯s width then drove her staff through his stomach. A muffled sound was heard, akin to a large boulder falling above a dune, then the paladin was propelled backward. He flew higher and higher then disappeared in the woods.

    After Raiya¡¯s counterattack, all hell broke loose. Paladins attacked at once, followed by Sam despite Utar¡¯s protests. The only one thrilled about this situation was the warlock. She remained in place then pounded her staff against the ground.

    Utar wouldn¡¯t be able to provide them with support fire. He might miss and hit one of his comrades. The staff shone a bright light then, to her assailants¡¯ surprise, a shockwave blew past them. It didn¡¯t feel like an offensive spell at first.

    But Raiya¡¯s genius could be summed up like this. She¡¯d use spells that didn¡¯t require much Essence to be cast. Those spells, although harmless in nature, could be powered up by injecting just a little more energy into them. The spell she¡¯d cast was usually cast by house maids; a gust of wind to blow the dust away. Increase that tenfold and you have a warlock¡¯s version. Not demanding for a magic user of her level, but deadly if used under the correct circumstances.

    The paladins and Sam felt their feet depart the ground. They felt an immeasurable force push them back and into the air. A loud exploding sound ensued and they were all gone, in an instant. Raiya turned to look at the Priest. ¡°I can create strong winds,¡± she explained as the Priest stared at her in both admiration and apprehension. ¡°This one simulates the booming thunder and the gale that comes with it. Powerful, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Utar shrugged. ¡°Simple,¡± he retorted, ¡°yet made powerful by drawing energy from the Dark Aether.¡±

    ¡°Stop it with that dark energy, white energy nonsense,¡± Raiya snapped. ¡°You people love making distinctions to create disparity. Does it help you feel better about slaughtering others for your cause?¡±

    ¡°It is the only cause!¡± Utar was now yelling. ¡°But there¡¯s no arguing with the mistress of darkness.¡±

    The Priest didn¡¯t seem in talking mood anymore. He put his arms forward and another beam of light shot toward the warlock. One flick of her staff however, was enough to repel the spell, dissipate it even. Mircales weren¡¯t very strong if cast without reciting the entire incantation. Utar could imitate the effect, by simply using his intention. That earned him Raiya¡¯s respect at least.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Give me your best shot, Priest!¡± Raiya barked then dashed at Utar.

    The Priest, taken aback, jumped backward then shot another beam which was reflected once more with Raiya¡¯s spinning staff. She was upon him in no time, swinging her staff at all his weak spots, knee caps, collar bones, ribs, throat. Utar could barely keep up. He had to conjure an ethereal sword to repel the warlock¡¯s attacks. He didn¡¯t expect her to be efficient at close quarters combat.

    The surprise hadn¡¯t hit the Priest yet, however. As Raiya swung her staff at his knee cap for the third time, Utar felt the ground shake beneath him. He deflected the staff as his conjured sword ran out of energy. The ground shook once more and vines appeared once more. Utar quickly muttered a spell and directed both hands at the ground.

    The ground exploded and vines scattered all around the clearing. The Priest released a sigh of relief upon realizing there was no Mandragora. But the warlock had only used the vines as a distraction. Utar looked up to see her hair floating in the air while a dark purple aura manifested around her. Soon enough a hail of dark, glass shards rained upon the Priest.

    Utar conjured up a shield at the last minute. The hail rained down on him, relentless, dangerous. Raiya flung her arms forward and let her staff float in the air while the dark shards rained down on the Priest. She muttered another spell and the staff started rotating, rapidly, in the air. Utar¡¯s eyes widened in horror, he could barely keep his shield up. Now the warlock was attempting to finish him off for good.

    Mustering all his strength and willpower, Utar chanted another miracle. ¡®Lord Dhobor, light our way and defend us against the forces of the dark.¡¯ It was a simple miracle actually. But it depended on the caster¡¯s faith. And Utar¡¯s faith was among the strongest, unfaltering. He stood and looked the warlock in the eyes. Her staff was now rotating so fast one couldn¡¯t see it clearly, just a blurry circle in the air.

    The glass shards hadn¡¯t stopped raining down on the Priest. His magic shield, although strengthened, wouldn¡¯t hold much longer. He cursed his bad luck. How strong could that woman be? Utar¡¯s hatred for the dark arts only intensified.

    Raiya drove her arms upwards and the circle began crackling. In addition to the dark aura that surrounded the staff, it was coated now with lightning. The warlock then pushed her hands, her hair flying behind her without wind. The rotating staff hurled itself at the Priest, who was still observing the warlock with unyielding resolution.

    Staff clashed with the shield and another loud explosion filled the entire forest. Utar was propelled backwards into the woods. Raiya held her right hand to the side and her staff came back floating to its rightful owner.

    ¡®Trouble¡­¡¯ a message from Sisha instantly reached her.

    Raiya immediately opened a portal and teleported to where Sisha was. The cat had communicated his location psionically.

    ¡®Shit, Sisha,¡¯ she swore as soon as she reached him. ¡®What did I tell you about not getting into trouble?¡¯

    ¡®There¡¯s more trouble like that coming,¡¯ the cat told her as she inspected his wounds. ¡®It¡¯s not good. I didn¡¯t see any sign of reinforcement from our side either.¡¯

    Raiya swore under her breath. There was no more time to hesitate now. The power-up Sisha had received could only take him that far. The offering wasn¡¯t strong enough. She took a dagger and cut her hair.

    It pained her to see so much of it go away but hair held power when it came to witchcraft, a craft she had been introduced to ever since she became a warlock. She muttered a few words of sacrifice and offering in the demon language and her hair lit up. The crimson fire that devoured her hair was powering up Sisha.

    ¡®Get up,¡¯ Sisha told her. ¡®I¡¯ll need your support since these puny lizards have riders.¡¯

    That surprised the warlock. Demons, especially the feline kind, never accepted to be mounted. But these were perilous times. They needed a desperate solution. Raiya climbed up and, together with her demon companion, defeated the flying monster. They managed to get Zedd inside just in time. When they¡¯d both reached the clearing, half a dozen wyverns were flying above them.

    ¡®Now what?¡¯ she asked the demon.

    ¡®Now you take care of those riders while I have dinner!¡¯ Sisha replied.

    Raiya jumped back down and aimed her staff at the wyverns in the sky. She couldn¡¯t risk being attacked. These creatures could hurl fireballs. She suspected the only reason they didn¡¯t do so was because of the tree behind her.

    She exchanged one last look with her demon before she started firing hail down on the others. Sharp, dark glass shards targeted wyvern and rider alike. Some managed to cover themselves with shields on time. Others took the spell head on and shrieked as each shard penetrated their bodies.

    It wasn¡¯t the best approach, but it was enough to break their formation. The shards that didn¡¯t hit the riders and the creatures evaporated before they reached the ground. One wyvern, however, got the worst of it. Its deafening screech was muffled by something that seemed to be stuck at its throat.

    ¡®Sisha get out of the way!¡¯ Raiya ordered. Then, with a circular motion from her staff, created a shield to protect herself.

    The fireball came hurtling down the ground. The ensuing explosion almost melted the warlock down. Her shield was immediately broken and she had to struggle to conjured up another one in an instant, then keep it stable while molten fire ate away at it.

 81 - War of Monsters - Part 4

    While Myles was inside the tree house:

    For the first time in ten years, Raiya felt in danger. Death loomed above her. How far was the Church willing to go in order to retrieve their treasure? All out! That¡¯s what Raiya was thinking as the Wyvern¡¯s molten fireball subsided.

    She was still facing five flying lizards. She heard cheers coming from the woods, somewhere up north. They were approaching her position, rapidly. ¡®It¡¯s now or never, dear old companion,¡¯ she told Sisha. ¡®I¡¯ll go all out, if I ever fall in battle, take me and disappear.¡¯

    Sisha purred softly in response. ¡®I¡¯ve grown fond of you little woman. I wouldn¡¯t want to eat you today. Stay strong, show them the strength that subdued me!¡¯

    Raiya couldn¡¯t help but smile. Being praised by a demon was a rarity. Being praised by one who¡¯d jump at the first opportunity to consume your body was unheard of. She straightened up, looked at the wyverns in the sky then at Sisha.

    ¡®I¡¯ll create an opening,¡¯ she said. ¡®Make sure you terrorize them!¡¯

    The riders up above screamed in unison, they got into formation and their wyverns opened their deadly jaws at once. Five fire balls were hurled at the witch. She held on to her staff which now glowed green, focused all her energy then pointed it at the upcoming projectiles. It all happened quickly, too quickly for the naked eye to completely understand it.

    An ethereal bird flew off the staff to meet the projectiles. The bird, a representation of the wild winds, repelled the fireballs, sending them crashing all around the tree and away from the warlock.

    Raiya sent yet another bird at the flying creatures. It was easier to target the bigger threat than focus on the smaller riders. The bird quickly reached the wyverns then exploded. A strong gale blew them apart. Each rider struggled, along with his mount, to stay airborne. One of the bunch, an especially apt pilot, managed to readjust his mount on time then hurled another fireball at the warlock.

    Raiya didn¡¯t have enough time to react. She conjured up another bird which exploded immediately upon release. The fireball hit the tree, which swayed dangerously to the left. By the time the commotion was over, something else had happened.

    Sisha had leapt on a wyvern, dug his sharp claws in its belly and his spiky fangs in its throat. Wyvern and rider came hurtling down while Sisha jerked his strong neck right and left. Blood seeped out from the wyvern which was struggling to kick the demon away. Its sharp talons had finally found the demon¡¯s back and hit it.

    Talons hit flesh and sharp spikes but the demon didn¡¯t let go until it bit a sizeable chunk off the creature¡¯s neck. The rider fell to the ground and the wyvern lay on the ground, its wings flapping about helplessly. It was losing too much blood and the rider, afraid, terrified, was backing away.

    Although the cat demon was injured, he leapt at the rider and swallowed him in one, quick bite. The nasty gash left by the wyvern¡¯s talons was instantly healed. Sisha turned to the other four wyverns remaining, and snarled.

    Raiya was lying on the ground, destabilized. The previous gust of wind she released to repel the fireball had hit her as well. She squinted at her companion, tried to warn him but her mind was in shambles at that moment. Her ears buzzed and her legs wobbled. The remaining riders didn¡¯t give her time to breathe either. The wyverns had come back in formation, wings flapping, jaws wide open.

    Sam appeared from behind the trees. Sisha hadn¡¯t notice the boy sneaking up on him. He was too focused on the wyverns that threatened to obliterate the warlock. One punch from the young man and Sisha went flying, rolling down the scorched earth next to his companion and master.

    More fireballs came at them. This time, the riders made sure to order their mounts to fire more than one projectile. Each Wyvern shot three fireballs in rapid succession. Raiya dug deep into her mind, in search for her connection with the demon, and she found it. She summoned a strong shield, half a sphere, around them. Her energy and Sisha¡¯s were now working in harmony, powering up the shield.

    The fire balls hit, exploded and shook the earth. Myles rolled down the ground as he tried to crawl toward the potion cabinet. He looked out the window and saw the warlock and her demon on the ground. The odds didn¡¯t favor them at all. Two more riders and their mounts had joined the fight. Hundreds of paladins had now surrounded the tree house.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Raiya urged the boy to get out of there. She didn¡¯t think they¡¯d make it either. She¡¯d decided to go all out. If she was going to fall then, she¡¯d preferred to go down in a spectacular fashion. She got up, dusted her leather trousers and looked at the army that surrounded her.

    ¡°YOU THINK YOUR NUMBERS SCARE US?!¡± She screamed. She took a long look around her. There were hundreds of armored paladins, eyeing her with their weapons held high and their shields brought closer to their chests. They feared her, and they were right in doing so.

    ¡®Sisha get the hell up,¡¯ she screamed at her cat demon. ¡®We¡¯re being made to look like fools in front of a bunch of fanatics with sticks and clubs! GET UP!¡¯

    ¡®Jeez you¡¯re a scary woman,¡¯ Sisha replied. ¡®What¡¯s your plan?¡¯

    ¡®There¡¯s no goddamn plan!¡¯ Raiya answered. ¡®Go all out, take those flying lizards out! No holding back!¡¯

    Sisha let out a long, eerie howl. His elongated, dug muzzle had creased and his sharp fangs glistened as sunlight fell upon them. His hind legs tensed. One could see the defined muscles underneath his shaggy gray fur. The dark aura that previously died out was now back. The demon let out another howl then started speaking, for the first time since they¡¯d given Agatha up as offering.

    All the paladins surrounding the forest held their heads, fell to their knees and started screaming. Sisha opened his mouth and aimed it at the flying lizards. The wyverns, realizing danger out of primal instinct, started flapping their wings and retreating despite their riders¡¯ protests. Some, who had bonded well enough with the creatures, heeded their warnings and let them fly away from danger.

    The others, four of them, struggled to keep their creatures in formation. That¡¯s the trouble with well-bred soldiers. They obey all orders to the letter, no room for improvisation. The demon cat-dog hybrid released a dark beam from his mouth, the same beam that had obliterated the mage and his escort earlier.

    The flying creatures started dropping down like flies. Only two remained.

    ¡®I leave the rest to you,¡¯ Sisha told the warlock. ¡®I need time to recover now.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t take long,¡¯ Raiya said. ¡®And stay out of their firing range.¡¯

    She then charged the bewildered paladins. Two were down before the others could regain their composure. Demonic language affected people differently. For saints and the pure of heart, demon language could destroy the person, render them insane. Raiya took advantage of the opening her demon companion had created.

    It was a stunning display of power. A warlock going all out, against a hundred armored paladins, coated with protections against deadly spells. What they weren¡¯t protected against, however, was Raiya¡¯s devastating melee combat prowess.

    She¡¯d been assisting hunters in the Three Headed Dragon¡¯s guild long ago, before she¡¯d met Myles for the first time. She learned to fight like a hunter then. After summoning the demon Sisha, she¡¯d learned more about handling a warlock¡¯s staff. She was, in other words, a one man¡¯s, more precisely a woman¡¯s, army.

    She was surrounded by twenty warriors now. They all hacked at her but she didn¡¯t care. She dodged, danced around their blades, maces and war hammers, and counterattacked. Each hit dealt by the warlock sent the victim flying backwards and into his comrades. The bout lasted about a minute during which the two remaining wyverns rained hell down upon the demon.

    Sisha had the ferocity of wild dogs and nimbleness of the untamable bobcats. He¡¯d leap out of range the instant the fireball left any wyvern¡¯s throat. Frustration grew among the invader¡¯s ranks. Paladins were already retreating, afraid of the psychotic warlock who repelled all their attacks with her magic then pounded at them with her mighty staff.

    ¡°Leave her to me!¡± a cold voice rung from behind the numerous rows of paladins.

    Everybody, upon hearing that voice, made way for its owner to approach. They immediately moved aside, as thought they¡¯d already rehearsed that as a battle formation. A man, tall and devoid of armor, walked slowly toward the warlock. He had no special features to speak of, save for his aura that exuded dominance. Raiya felt it and her heart sank.

    On the other side of the battle field, Sisha had regained some of his strength and went on the counteroffensive. He¡¯d leapt on one of the wyverns and torn its right wing. He couldn¡¯t finish the job though as the other creature came to intercept.

    In the air, Sisha didn¡¯t have the upper hand, but he managed to ground the second monster as well. He¡¯d leapt off the first wyvern, crushing its rider beneath his enormous legs and sharp claws, then somersaulted and bit the second on the neck, bringing it down as gravity did the rest.

    He was now facing two angry and injured dragon kin. They circled him, hissing and producing fumes from their flared nostrils. Sisha growled and snarled, threatening to attack as soon as an opening was provided.

    He was running out of time though. Raiya¡¯s sacrifice had given him a chance to use a devastating spell which, in retrospect, should have been well planned. They didn¡¯t hit all wyverns, and here he was now, facing two of them while feeling his consciousness slip away.

    Around Raiya, a circle had been created. All the remaining paladins, close to eighty, were watching as the man with the cold voice, black hair and oppressive aura approached. He was a High Priest. Raiya could tell from his white attire and, most of all, from the energy reading he gave. She was now too weak to deal with him and he knew it. That was probably why he waited until then to attack¡­

 82 - War of Monster - Part 5

    The situation outside was, to say the least, fucked up. I had found my way to the cabinet and extracted the potions from within. My bones were mending and, with Eva¡¯s help, I was recovering some of my strength. What was happening outside was completely out of expectations. I never thought the Church would come at us with such force.

    ¡®Just how important are you to these people?¡¯ I asked Eva, who had been helping me cycle my own Essence through all Conduits, except for the ones where I had broken bones. That one needed to heal first before I could cycle energy through it once more. I shouldn¡¯t interfere with the potion¡¯s effect, Eva told me.

    I couldn¡¯t move, not yet anyway. But the urge to leave this place and never come back, stayed with me. I was thinking of a way to accelerate my recovery, but came up with nothing. So I resorted to helpless prayer.

    ¡®Dif, if you can hear me, please show up. Your champion¡¯s in real trouble!¡¯

    No answer.

    I swore and pounded at the high table beside me. The last time I looked out, Raiya was surrounded. There was a man before her who spelled nothing but real fucking calamity. The door that says Biarkh, that¡¯s where I needed to go. I couldn¡¯t sit around here waiting for them to come and find me. By then, I was certain Raiya was a goner.

    I didn¡¯t know much about magic, but after defeating so many wyverns then destroying more than two dozen paladins, Raiya couldn¡¯t have any more energy left. She was fucked, and so was I unless I decided to ¨C

    ¡®Crawl!¡¯ Eva finished the thought for me.

    ¡®How will I descend those spiraling staircases?¡¯

    ¡®Fall down,¡¯ Eva said. ¡®You¡¯ll get some bruises, but it¡¯s better than Sam¡¯s punches, don¡¯t you think?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll break my leg again,¡¯ I said. ¡®Then I¡¯ll have to crawl back here ¨C¡®

    ¡®Raiya¡¯s a goner Stalwart!¡¯ Eva said. ¡®Take what you need from here, and go! We¡¯re both fucked if we stay here!¡¯

    ¡®I thought you wanted to get back to your soul by using me.¡¯

    ¡®There¡¯s no going back into my own soul unless you willingly give me up,¡¯ Eva said.

    She sounded annoyed. But I¡¯d almost lost all hope, a broken leg and a bunch of Church paladins outside. How am I supposed to react? All composed and stuff? Hell no! I panicked like every young man who¡¯d just witnessed a great display of might and magic for the first time. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d survive any of this, so I freaking panicked.

    I couldn¡¯t help but think of all the manipulation I was subjected to prior to this bloody skirmish. I was sure Eva was playing an angle there. I was sure the Church had their own motives to capture this tree and find the withered bones of the dead empress. The only thing I wasn¡¯t sure of anymore was what I had to do.

    I was no match for the people outside. I had to find a door in the labyrinth downstairs. I wasn¡¯t even sure where I¡¯d end up if I¡¯d ever taken that escape route Raiya had pointed out. So don¡¯t blame me for whining! What would you have done if you were in my shoes? Run, probably. That¡¯s what I did anyway. That¡¯s what people generally do when faced with improbable odds.

    I gritted my teeth and crawled, pricking my ears for any sudden development outside. The paladins were screaming, cheering. Raiya was in trouble. There were no sounds of explosions anymore. All I could hear now were grunts, snarls and Sisha¡¯s painful cries and howls.

    I crawled until I reached the spiraling staircase. I went down, head first, and let gravity do the rest for me. I felt the sharp ends of each stare scrape against my ribs then my knees. Pain came back as my injured leg fell on each step. I gritted my teeth and endured, hoping against hope that I don¡¯t get any critical injury.

    I reached the bottom, with bruises but no serious wounds. I was lucky. I had to admit it. Anything could¡¯ve gone wrong, but it didn¡¯t. I came out with minimal damage then crawled toward the dark labyrinth downstairs. The dark corridors looked foreboding. Endless rows of doors were aligned on each side. I didn¡¯t know where to start.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°If only there were some railings on the walls. I could at least use them as support,¡± I mumbled under my breath as I hopped on one knee while my injured leg trailed behind.

    I heard a soft, rumbling sound. To my surprise, the walls had suddenly sprouted railings.

    ¡°Go forward,¡± Raiya¡¯s voice reverberated in the corridor. ¡°Count twenty doors to your right then open the next one.¡±

    Was that a message she recorded to guide me here?

    ¡°Emergency protocol activated. Vessel will shut down in ten minutes.¡±

    It¡¯s good I decided to crawl down when I did. I learned later that Raiya was losing her fight against the High Priest. She activated the emergency protocol in order to keep all intruders from pillaging her treasure trove. She¡¯d learned that from an Archmage¡¯s Grimoire I helped her retrieve long ago.

    I struggled to get ahold of the railings and hopped toward my destination. In this type of situations, pain becomes immaterial. You feel it but you push on. Adrenaline pushes you forward, forgetting about your worries and ailments. I counted the doors to my right. One¡­ I hopped further. Two¡­ I hopped even faster. Five¡­ I had to reach that door no matter what.

    ¡°Eight minutes until shut down!¡± Raiya¡¯s voice echoed.

    I hopped and hopped, ignoring the sensation of fire burning through my calf, ignoring the splitting headache that came to join the pain party. Ten doors¡­ I was getting close.

    ¡°YOU!¡± the highest pitched voice scared the living daylights out of me. I stumbled and fell. I looked back to see Zoey, a ghost of her former self, standing, arms akimbo. She still had the energy to give me that attitude.

    ¡°You¡¯re still alive?¡± I asked. I knew she was, but I tried to sound surprised. After all, I had nothing to do with her imprisonment.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± She asked. ¡°I heard some explosions¡­ What¡¯s happened to you?¡± She had just noticed that I couldn¡¯t stand on two feet.

    I struggled and stood once more, railings to the rescue. ¡°The Church is here,¡± I told her. ¡°Stay here if you want. They will find you and rescue you.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the witch?¡± she asked. ¡°And where¡¯s Agatha?¡±

    ¡°Agatha¡¯s dead,¡± I answered then turned my back to the Sister. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. I don¡¯t wanna find out what shut down means.¡±

    ¡°WAIT!¡± Zoey barked. Gods her high pitched voice hurt my ears!

    ¡°What now?!¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to dilly-dally here!¡± I¡¯ve done enough of that already¡­

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it to you? Your friends are here. They¡¯ll save your ass!¡±

    ¡°They are not my friends!¡± she said, emphasizing the words not and friends.

    ¡°What? They won¡¯t be happy you helped us escape?¡± I asked. ¡°They don¡¯t even know it was you!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± Zoey said. She slowly approached me. I had realized how weak she was then, by the way her feet threatened to give up on her any second as she walked. ¡°Can I come with you?¡±

    ¡®Don¡¯t!¡¯ Eva warned.

    ¡®Why?¡¯ I asked. ¡®It¡¯s not like she¡¯s capable of any mischief in her state.¡¯

    Eva didn¡¯t answer. I took it as her way of reproaching me but I didn¡¯t care. Zoey annoyed me, but I didn¡¯t really hate her. Perhaps the annoyance I had before was caused by the possession. I was slowly substituting annoyance by pity. Zoey was also manipulated by Agatha. She almost lost her life for it.

    ¡°Follow me,¡± I said. ¡°I know a secret way out of here.¡±

    Zoey nodded.

    ¡®Five minutes left until shut down!¡¯ Raiya¡¯s voice reminded us of the urgency of the situation.

    ¡°Where will the secret way take us?¡± Zoey asked.

    ¡°Far away,¡± I hoped. ¡°We¡¯ll only know when we take it. Going out the main door isn¡¯t an option.¡±

    Zoey didn¡¯t ask any more questions. She followed me as I hopped forward, counting the doors as I went. I¡¯d reached twenty when I started second-guessing. Was it the twentieth door or the twenty first?

    ¡®Twenty first,¡¯ Eva answered. She sounded like a brooding child. I ignored her and hopped forward, toward salvation.

    We reached the door by the time Raiya¡¯s voice made a sudden announcement.

    ¡®Shut down canceled. Initiating scrambling sequence.¡¯

    I leaned against the door and opened it. I stumbled inside and found myself rolling forward, helplessly. By the time I¡¯d stopped, the world around me was spinning dangerously. I felt dizzy and my headache intensified. Zoey ran after me. She knelt beside me and inspected my leg.

    ¡°How did you break it so?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Long story,¡± I answered. ¡°I was in a fight against an old friend. He thought it was funny to leave me in the forest to be devoured by the Church¡¯s foul beasts.¡±

    Zoey ran her hands around my shin. ¡°It¡¯s healing. How did that happen too?¡±

    ¡°Raiya¡¯s potions,¡± I answered. I winced as Zoey applied more pressure on the broken shin. ¡°Easy!¡± I cried out.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t move,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯ll heal in an hour or so.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have a bloody hour!¡± I said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the announcement? The Church might have forced her to stop the shut down.¡±

    ¡°Or she might have won!¡± Zoey retorted.

    I snorted. My head gave me a painful reminder to not let air out of my nostrils so suddenly. ¡°There are hundreds of them outside,¡± I told her. ¡°They have fucking wyverns!¡±

    Zoey¡¯s face fell.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect that, did you?¡±

    She shook her head. I sympathized with how she felt. I felt pretty desperate myself.

    ¡°Help me up,¡± I said. ¡°We should get moving.¡±

    Zoey nodded and offered me her frail shoulder to lean on.

    ¡®Zedd,¡¯ Raiya¡¯s psionic message reached me. ¡®If you can hear me, it means you¡¯re still inside. Hurry up. Something worse than the Church has arrived!¡¯

 83 - War of Monsters - Part 6

    Monsters, the real monsters, are the people that had just arrived at the battleground. But before we go into describing them and going into detail about their might and powers, let¡¯s rewind a bit. Indulge me for a while, will you? You¡¯ll enjoy this part.

    First off, let¡¯s see how Sisha ended up against two angry wyverns.

    The two creatures circled around their opponent, fumes protruding from their nostrils. Their riders were trying to heal their critical injuries. One was profusely bleeding due to the cat-dog demon¡¯s bite. The other had a perforated belly.

    They couldn¡¯t throw fire at the demon lest they drain their own bodies of energy and die out of exhaustion. ¨C Wyverns weren¡¯t as efficient as dragons in the art of fire breathing, you see. ¨C Sisha wasn¡¯t better off either. He¡¯d exerted himself too much. He was snarling at the beasts, trying to scare them off. In truth, he dreaded starting the fight. He¡¯d be instantly flanked. He didn¡¯t favor his odds.

    One look at Raiya, struggling against the High Priest, and anger flared within him. Nobody could take down his master except him. Nobody should have that honor. The woman who managed to subdue him thanks to talent and wit can only die because he desired it. Raiya was having a bad time though, trying to repel the High Priest¡¯s powerful magic. She couldn¡¯t land a single hit. He sensed she was running low on Essence by then.

    ¡®Use the damn jewel,¡¯ he told her through the permanent link they shared.

    ¡®I can do it,¡¯ she answered. ¡®I can beat him without your precious jewel.¡¯

    She was a stubborn one, that woman. He hated that about her, but couldn¡¯t help but admire her for it. She¡¯d usually come up with the most unexpected solutions in times of need. But this time, the situation needed a pragmatic solution, not unfaltering willpower.

    ¡®He¡¯s stronger and has more energy than you do. Use the jewel woman!¡¯

    Their argument could¡¯ve lasted longer. But they both had pressing matters to deal with. The wyverns noticed the demon¡¯s moment of inattention and charged him. By placing himself between the two beasts, Sisha had an advantage they weren¡¯t aware of. He may have been out of juice, but his fighting spirit never faded.

    The first wyvern to jump at the demon was the one in front. Its gaping mouth closed in on his throat while the one behind went for his hind leg. Sisha tensed. He wasn¡¯t about to let mere lizards with wings have their way with him. One sweeping motion from his tail and the wyvern behind him had to jump back. He answered the other¡¯s attempt to bite him with a good smack with his double range of claws.

    The creatures weren¡¯t fully healed by then, and they almost sustained more damage. Their riders, desperate to finish the fight, started casting their own spells at the demon. They combined their efforts and cast a paralyzing spell at Sisha. If he had been in good shape, he would¡¯ve repelled the spell. But he wasn¡¯t. He was immobilized for about ten seconds. A short period of time during which, if faced with deadly dragon kin, one can get in real trouble, or die.

    Both wyverns were upon the demon instantly. One had its jaw tightly clenched around the demon¡¯s thick neck. The other had managed to take a good bite at his hind leg. They were pulling, while Sisha struggled to break free of the spell. Ten seconds went by and Sisha was howling, screaming in agony. He had to get rid of the riders, they were the brains and the wyverns were the brawn.

    In his pain and anger, Sisha forgot about his master. The curses he spoke in his native tongue damaged the riders¡¯ minds, and everyone else¡¯s, save for the High Priest. He was strong and full of energy. Raiya was now at his mercy. She¡¯d taken damage from Sisha¡¯s harsh words too. Her mind wasn¡¯t as strong as it was before the fight started.

    The riders fell off, clutching their heads in agony. Demonic speech had this effect on weak mortals, as the demon king would put it.

    Another sweep from Sisha¡¯s tail and its spikes hit the wyvern behind. One screech and another tail blow later, the wyvern had retreated. Sisha managed to gouge one of its eyes out and opened its throat. The only one left to deal with was the one tightly clutching his own throat and trying to pull him away.

    He was bleeding. He knew he didn¡¯t have much time left before he¡¯d fall unconscious, perhaps to never wake again.

    On the other side of the woods, Raiya was now being levitated off the ground. Her feet flailed about helplessly as the High Priest demonstrated his might to his subjects.

    ¡°Look at how she squirms,¡± he told them. They all laughed in unison, mocking the woman they feared minutes ago. ¡°Do you want to watch her beg for her life?¡± he asked.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    The others cheered. Raiya was suffocating. Whatever spell the High Priest had put on her, she couldn¡¯t break out of it. She struggled to move her limbs, get her hand closer to her throat. The purple jewel she put around her neck wasn¡¯t for show. It was actually a source of secondary energy. She wished she¡¯d never resort to it. But now was the time. It was either die at the hands of this man or risk her life to get out of it.

    The High Priest noticed her desperation and attempt to reach the jewel. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked. ¡°Trying to protect your precious stones although you¡¯re on the verge of death? Women¡­¡±

    All the other paladins guffawed.

    Raiya gave the High Priest a look of contempt and utter disgust. It was perhaps this remark that helped her make her mind. She touched the jewel and uttered one word, albeit with great difficulty.

    Surgat!

    The warlock¡¯s hair rose upwards, as though wind was blowing, or as though she was falling through an endless pit. Her staff, which the High Priest had thrown away earlier, came flying back to her hand. It shone a fiery purple color. The High Priest took several steps back. He had lost control of his binding spell.

    Raiya¡¯s silver blond hair had also changed into purple. She sent a zapping bolt toward the wyvern against which Sisha struggled. The creature fell to the ground. Sisha let out a triumphant howl and leapt on the other creature. He clawed, bit and ripped the wyvern¡¯s wings then went for the throat. Raiya on the other hand, calmly walked toward her opponent.

    Her eyes were now two purple orbs within which purple lightning bolts flashed and zapped. She started by a weak bolt which she sent at the High Priest. The latter countered it with a wave of his hand. Then, immediately after, she shot a second projectile. The High Priest stumbled back upon repelling that attack. His eyes widened at the terrible sight in front of him.

    Raiya was no longer the woman he fought earlier. This one seemed like a spirit of the old Monarchs whose paintings he¡¯d seen on the Church¡¯s headquarters. Her staff now looked like a primordial lightning rod used to summon the might of the heavens. He was scared and bewildered at this woman¡¯s prowess in finding rare treasures. The Church was right to attack this tree house.

    Raiya didn¡¯t stop at weak lightning bolts however. She didn¡¯t speak or bother mocking the others now. She just raised her hands in the air and thunder rumbled. The sky immediately darkened and hundreds of lightning bolts rained down upon them. Paladins and Priests alike ran away from the area of effect.

    Those unfortunate to have reacted slowly were charred. Their golden armor was a good catalyst for the lightning element that zapped them. The High Priest took most damage though. Raiya had concentrated all her efforts on sending a giant blast of purple lightning bolts his way.

    With her arms still up in the air, she summoned lightning to hit her. A concentrated beam fell on the warlock, which she seemed to absorb. The High Priest cursed and jumped back, ready to counterattack or flee if need be. Raiya brought her hands together. Countless thin webs interlocked to form a lightning sphere that crackled dangerously.

    The purple ghost that used to be the warlock looked at the High Priest then pushed her hands forward. A giant beam ensued, shot at tremendous speed. The world darkened and the beam traveled forward, destroying everything on its path.

    By the time the warlock was done, there was a wide road that split the forest in two. All trees, creatures and humans that were on its way were instantly obliterated.

    ¡°You¡¯re a tough one,¡± the High Priest said. He had managed to get out of the way on time to evade the deadly spell. He was in a sorry state nonetheless. His hair had burnt off. His white clothes were now but patches of cloth haphazardly covering different parts of his body.

    Raiya was now on her knees, back to normal. The boost she got from the jewel allowed her only one devastating attack. If she used it one more time, her body wouldn¡¯t take it and she¡¯d implode. The High Priest was now limping slowly toward her. Raiya struggled to send a psionic message to her vessel, ordering it to shut down.

    She wasn¡¯t going to let these fanatics take her treasures. The tree initiated the shutdown sequence and Raiya¡¯s lips curled into a cruel smile.

    ¡°What have you done?¡± The High Priest asked. He was still limping toward her. Rage showed in both the way he looked at her, and the tone of his voice.

    ¡°You¡¯ll¡­ get¡­ nothing!¡± Raiya said. Her smile was still cruel, triumphant. ¡°NOTHING!¡±

    The High Priest limped toward her and held her by the collar. ¡°You will give us what¡¯s ours!¡± he said. His face had contorted into a grimace of anger and despair combined.

    ¡°You can¡¯t make me do anything,¡± Raiya said.

    ¡°That defiant look in your eyes will soon fade away,¡± the High Priest said. ¡°Master must¡¯ve seen the carnage you¡¯ve caused. He¡¯ll be here soon.¡±

    Master? Raiya¡¯s face fell. Her defiant look indeed disappeared. He could only mean one person by that word, and that was the Pontiff. She could deal with a High Priest if she were in full strength. But she¡¯d never face a Pontiff and come out on top, not even with Sisha¡¯s help. Hell, even the demon king feared that man.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± a gentle voice spoke behind the warlock. ¡°If Pontiff Sullivan¡¯s here, I might as well interfere.¡±

    It was Theolonius Stalwart, the strongest wizard in the continent. He was a tall man, with gray hair and a gray beard that was nicely trimmed. Some say he was a hundred years old, others say that he was two hundred.

    Others, close supporters of the wizards, claim that he was over a millennium. Truth be told, only Theolonius knew how old he was. And he wasn¡¯t about to divulge the information to anybody, not even to the writer.

    He was wearing an elegant three piece gray suit, black tie and a white collared shirt. All in all, he was a classic fella. He¡¯d never miss the opportunity to show it, even though he was about to lay waste to the entire forest. He stood behind the warlock, looking at the High Priest with his hands behind his back.

    ¡°Let her go,¡± he urged the High Priest. ¡°You have one second.¡±

    The High Priest immediately let go and jumped away.

    ¡°Run for your master,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t come back unless you have an army backing you.¡±

 84 - War of Monsters - Part 7

    Although grandpa Stalwart had just arrived to save the day, Raiya couldn¡¯t feel but dread this new development.

    ¡°What are you doing here Theo?¡± she asked after the High Priest had run for help.

    ¡°I¡¯m saving what you couldn¡¯t,¡± he replied. He was walking around the clearing, inspecting the damage dealt on the tree house. ¡°I didn¡¯t allow you to use this vessel to get it destroyed,¡± Theo went on. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t overruled your shut down, my grandson would¡¯ve died in there.¡±

    That was a sudden development Raiya didn¡¯t expect, or rather, hoped would never happen. Hope was the first step toward damnation. You don¡¯t hope for things to go the way you want them to. You make damn sure they don¡¯t happen. Work hard, betray friends, step on others on your way to glory, if you¡¯re not prepared to do so then forget about it. Live a normal life where your choices wouldn¡¯t haunt you until the last of your days.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t think I¡¯d notice?¡± Stalwart asked. ¡°His blood may be stained, foul, but he¡¯s family after all. What did you hope to achieve by hiding him?¡±

    Raiya didn¡¯t answer, couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°You¡¯re not making your situation any better,¡± Stalwart said.

    ¡°Why would you bother with a child you don¡¯t even love, or care about?¡± Raiya asked.

    ¡°Because he¡¯s family,¡± Theo answered.

    ¡°Family?¡± Raiya asked. ¡°Who would target his own family? His father¡¯s dead! The child shouldn¡¯t be punished for his father¡¯s sins!¡±

    To this, Theolonius remained silent for a while. He seemed to be mulling over the warlock¡¯s words.

    ¡°Let¡¯s put this to the test, shall we?¡± he asked.

    ¡°DON¡¯T YOU DARE YOU SNIVELING FAILURE OF A LORD!¡± Raiya was suddenly on her feet, advancing toward the wizard.

    Theo¡¯s lips curled into a fatherly smile. He didn¡¯t look offended by the warlock¡¯s outburst. On the contrary, it amused him.

    ¡°The child shouldn¡¯t be punished for his father¡¯s sins,¡± Theo repeated the warlock¡¯s words then started chuckling. ¡°I¡¯m not punishing the child for his father¡¯s sins. His father¡¯s never done anything to offend me.¡±

    ¡°You lie!¡± she said. ¡°You know as much as I do, that he¡¯s had a pact with the beast.¡±

    ¡°The pact is irrelevant,¡± Theo said. ¡°The boy caused his parent¡¯s death. He brought shame to our family.¡±

    ¡°And he must die for that?!¡± Raiya asked. Her throat was dry now, she couldn¡¯t stand the sight of the man before her.

    ¡°Oh no, I wouldn¡¯t kill him for that, no no no,¡± Theo said. ¡°I¡¯ll teach him a lesson he¡¯ll never forget. No one dares to bring shame to our family name like that.¡±

    ¡°Then you should¡¯ve helped!¡± Raiya snapped. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you help when your own son was at death¡¯s door?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t question my decisions,¡± Theo said. His voice had switched from calm and composed to cold and threatening. ¡°No one gets to interfere in family matters, not even you, spy!¡±

    ¡°I ¨C ¡° Raiya started but was interrupted by Theolonius¡¯s hand wave.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like talking about the past, not now anyway. Bring me the boy Raiya, and you shall live to see another day. I can¡¯t sense him anymore.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s far gone by now,¡± Raiya replied. ¡°You won¡¯t get your hands on him. You don¡¯t deserve him. He¡¯s a fighter, a survivor. What have you done to get this far? Steal from your elders?¡±

    Raiya had gone a bit too far this time. Theolonius¡¯s eyebrows knitted together. He gave her a threatening smile, advanced toward her and fixed her green eyes long enough to cause her to avert her gaze.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you what I managed to achieve by stealing from my elders.¡± He raised his hands in the air and started reciting an incantation.

    Praise the light. Praise its power and might. I beseech thee, grant us strength. Grant us the Sword of Smite. Your enemies shall cower and hide, for they will be blown by the tide, of your power, your light, your pride. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Pride of the Sun!

    Raiya¡¯s eyes widened. Theolonius using miracles? That was something she could never foresee.

    The strongest wizard in the world started glowing brightly. Raiya had to shield her eyes from the bright light that threatened to blind her. A few heartbeats later, the world came back to normal. Raiya stood facing the wizards, her mouth agape.

    ¡°How can you use miracles?¡± she asked.

    ¡°The Church gave them that name and brainwashed people¡¯s minds toward its use,¡± Theo answered. ¡°Magic is magic, the nomenclature doesn¡¯t really matter as long as you can create the extraordinary from a simple thought, or prayer, or incantation. The methods differ, but the end result is the same, magic!¡±

    Theo smiled then looked at the cat demon that was lying near the tree entrance, licking his wounds.

    ¡°Your cat had it rough against the wyverns,¡± Theo said.

    ¡°He¡¯s a tough one,¡± she replied. ¡°He¡¯ll live.¡±

    ¡°Not if I happen,¡± Theo said. His eyes had this coldness about them now. He looked like a man determined to reach his goal, and he¡¯d do whatever it took to do so.

    Raiya¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Talk to him,¡± Theo said. ¡°Ask him how he feels.¡±

    Raiya obeyed. ¡®Sisha,¡¯ she said through the psionic link they shared. ¡®How are your wounds?¡¯

    ¡®Festering,¡¯ Sisha said. ¡®Not a good sign, is it?¡¯

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Raiya yelled at the warlock.

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty useful to me alive,¡± Theo answered. ¡°Sully¡¯s almost here. You¡¯ll have to make a quick decision. Tell me where my grandson is and your demon friend lives. Fail to do so and his wounds will fester, puss will soon come out and he¡¯ll rot before he even draws his last breath.¡±

    ¡°Your grandson doesn¡¯t like ultimatums,¡± Raiya said. ¡°I¡¯d do well to learn from him.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re refusing to cooperate?¡± Theo asked.

    Raiya met his cold gaze with an unrelenting one.

    ¡°Shame,¡± Theo said. ¡°I may be a cruel wizard, leader and lord, but I¡¯ll grant you one last word with your companion. Make it fast.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious Theo,¡± Raiya said. ¡°He¡¯s done nothing to anger you. He¡¯s been protecting your beloved vessel for crying out loud!¡±

    ¡°You have one minute,¡± Theo said then looked at the horizon. ¡°Sully¡¯s coming with an army backing him up. What does he hope to achieve?¡±

    ¡°Theo, please,¡± Raiya said. ¡°The demon king won¡¯t be happy about this.¡±

    ¡°Then let the demon king join this lovely meeting,¡± Theo said. ¡°Old friends becoming enemies, don¡¯t you find it romantic?¡±

    ¡°Theo¡­¡± Words got stuck in Raiya¡¯s throat. She loved her demon companion although he¡¯d cherish the first opportunity to devour her. She wouldn¡¯t give him Myles¡¯s position either. He was too important to give up.

    ¡°Thirty seconds Raiya,¡± Theo said. ¡°I wonder if he¡¯d brought another Pontiff with him. That would make things even more interesting.¡±

    ¡°Theo, please¡­¡± Raiya was begging now.

    ¡°Why do you insist on defending the boy? Twenty seconds.¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s alright Ray,¡¯ Sisha told the warlock. ¡®The demon king wouldn¡¯t show up, not for me anyway. Don¡¯t give him the boy¡¯s location. We had a good run, didn¡¯t we?¡¯

    ¡®No, I can¡¯t give you up for him!¡¯

    ¡®Yes you can,¡¯ Sisha said. ¡®Make sure he survives. And make sure you do too, for her sake, for our sake. Good bye dear friend.¡¯

    ¡°He¡¯s heading to Biarkh!¡± Raiya blurted out. She couldn¡¯t see her friend rot and die before her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s heading to Biarkh¡­ Please don¡¯t kill Sisha!¡±

    Theo smiled. ¡°It¡¯s amazing really,¡± he said, ¡°what we can do when our loved ones are threatened.¡±

    ¡®What did you do?!¡¯ Sisha immediately asked.

    ¡®I can¡¯t live with another loss, dear friend. The boy will live, I¡¯m sure of it.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯ve ruined our plans!¡¯ Sisha¡¯s tone was reproachful.

    ¡®You can devour me when you get stronger, but now¡¯s not the time to argue. Go protect the entrance. There¡¯s nothing you can do here.¡¯

    ¡®She¡¯s right,¡¯ Theo interfered. ¡®Did you really think I wouldn¡¯t be able to listen in on your conversation?¡¯

    Raiya chewed on her lower lip.

    ¡®The cat¡¯s going nowhere!¡¯ Theo said. ¡®Sully and his company will arrive in two minutes. I¡¯ll go take care of my grandson in the meantime. I¡¯ll be back in a flash.¡¯

    Theolonius Stalwart wasn¡¯t a man to be taken lightly. When he sets his mind on doing something, there¡¯s no stopping him unless the heaven¡¯s tore and descended upon him. He strode toward the tree house and ordered it to open its doors. He quickly got in and disappeared downstairs.

    He didn¡¯t need to head toward the door leading to the tunnel. He only summoned it to appear before him. The tree vessel was his property after all. He¡¯d lent it to the warlock to spy on other nations for him. The door to Biarkh soon appeared before him and the wizard pushed it open. There was no sign of Myles but he knew he couldn¡¯t have gone too far.

    There were some stairs that led to an underground tunnel. Theo descended them and was about to enter the tunnel when the most peculiar creature appeared before him. A fox, whiter than white, with crimson eyes and three tails, barred the wizard¡¯s way.

    ¡°Shoo!¡± Theo waved his hand at the fox. His intention was to send a light beam that would instantly kill the animal. To the man¡¯s bewilderment, his spell didn¡¯t work.

    ¡°You¡¯re the real thing then, aren¡¯t you?¡± he asked.

    The fox blinked.

    ¡°Will you let me pass?¡±

    The fox waved his tail right and left.

    ¡°My grandson¡¯s in there,¡± Theo said, putting on his most charming smile. ¡°I just ¨C¡°

    He wasn¡¯t allowed to finish his sentence. In the blink of an eye, Theo found himself standing outside, facing the warlock.

    ¡°What?¡± he looked around him.

    ¡°Did you find him?¡± Raiya asked.

    ¡°Did you put him there?!¡± Theo asked back.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Raiya said. ¡°Sisha¡¯s still there, recovering. He¡¯s already asleep.¡±

    The creases between Theo¡¯s eyebrows got thicker. ¡°What the hell does he want with him?¡±

    ¡°He? Who are you talking about Theo?¡±

    ¡°Never mind that now,¡± the wizard said. ¡°Sully and his friends have arrived.¡±

 85 - War of Monsters - Part 8

    In the region of Sayang, east of the Arsalan Kingdom, on the last day of the summer of the Blond Moon, two of the most powerful men in Hera faced each other.

    They both had the look and the attitude of a caring grandfather. One looked like a classic fellow who¡¯d inspire confidence in his men, and fear in his opponents. The other looked as though his happy days were long past him. A hundred men stood behind him. They were armed and ready for the battle of the century.

    ¡°Theo, my dear old friend,¡± Pontiff Sullivan was the first to speak. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d come.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s skip the frivolous formalities Sully,¡± Theo answered. ¡°We both know there¡¯s something in that tree. I was pretty lucky to snatch it from under your nose. I¡¯m not giving it back now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not fight you for it,¡± Sullivan said.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Nari?¡± Theo asked. ¡°She never leaves your side.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try my patience old friend,¡± Sullivan threatened. ¡°Give us what¡¯s ours, and we¡¯ll leave. We don¡¯t need to turn this place into a battleground.¡±

    ¡°It already has, dear old Sully. I¡¯ve come here to stop you. Perhaps today¡¯s the day one of us finally dies.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t beat the Church on your own Theo. Don¡¯t make me do this.¡±

    ¡°Look at us.¡± Theo smiled. His eyes twinkled, as though he were thinking of some old pleasant memories. ¡°Bickering like foolish children, the bones stay here. I know what she is now. Your plan could¡¯ve worked Sully. Too bad my little spy here ruined it for you.¡±

    ¡°Must we always try to kill each other?¡± Sullivan asked.

    ¡°You try.¡± Theo smiled. ¡°I only repel your weak attempts. I don¡¯t hate you old friend. It¡¯s a pity you refused to join me back then.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you bring up the past now!¡±

    ¡°She was a necessary sacrifice Sully. I would¡¯ve done it to my own family, you know that.¡±

    Sullivan vanished then appeared behind Stalwart. A sword materialized in Sullivan¡¯s hands and the latter thrust it toward the old man¡¯s nape. The attack missed when Theolonius tilted his head to the side. One step was all it took for the wizard to step away from the attempt on his life.

    ¡°Raiya my dear girl,¡± Theo said. ¡°Take your cat and go inside. Things are about to get out of control here.¡±

    He held his hand above his head. A staff materialized and repelled Sullivan¡¯s next attack.

    Raiya¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of the two weapons. Sullivan¡¯s sword had a blue aura around it. It made the weapon look like a phantom, not a solid object. Theolonius¡¯s staff on the other hand, had a fist sized ruby at its tip. It looked as though the metal with which the staff was made had coiled itself around the jewel.

    ¡®They¡¯re both carrying Great Weapons,¡¯ Raiya thought as she slowly retreated. Staying around those two while their weapons clashed was dangerous. They both had contradicting auras. Sully¡¯s sword was pure, although menacing.

    ¡®The sword of justice,¡¯ Raiya suspected.

    Theo¡¯s staff was something she¡¯d never seen before. But she recognized it was a Great Weapon from the aura it emitted. Nothing about it felt just or benevolent. It wasn¡¯t there to protect its owner. It was there to devour enemies, the sort of forbidden weapons that are buried deep underneath the ground. Grandpa Stalwart scared her even more.

    Raiya retreated and woke her demon companion. ¡®Let¡¯s get out of here,¡¯ she  said through their psionic link. ¡®We can¡¯t stay here when this fight escalates.¡¯

    ¡®Good thinking Raiya,¡¯ Theo¡¯s voice invaded them once more. ¡®Take the tree and get west of here. I¡¯ll come for you when this is all over.¡¯

    ¡®They¡¯ve blocked teleportation,¡¯ Raiya informed her leader.

    ¡®Not for long,¡¯ Theo said. Something about the way he said it sent chills down the warlock¡¯s spine. ¡®Go now. Hide inside while I bring all their defenses down.¡¯

    Raiya ordered her cat to move and both of them strode toward the tree, as fast as their injuries could take them anyway.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let them get away!¡± Pontiff Sullivan ordered his men. ¡°I¡¯ll hold this old man down. Take care of the warlock and BRING ME MY TREASURE!¡±

    ¡°You overestimate your powers Sully,¡± Theo said.

    He jumped away from another swing then vanished. He was standing in front of the warlock. He drew a line on the ground and held his staff to his chest.

    ¡°Cross this line and you die a painful death. Stay back and watch, and no harm shall befall you.¡±

    Of course, when you¡¯re part of a group of angry, armed and armored, men, you don¡¯t really take an old man¡¯s advice. Although you should¡­

    He¡¯s in the battle field, keeping the leader you fear busy. He¡¯s old and his skin had wrinkled. This only means he¡¯s survived a great deal more than you did. But you don¡¯t listen since you¡¯re in the heat of the moment.

    You cross the line and you know what heat really means.

    All those who crossed the line immediately fell to the ground. Their screams echoed through the forest. It sounded like someone who¡¯s been burned alive. They frantically attempted to remove their helmets and armor. It was too hot to wear this kind of stuffy protection anyway.

    As soon as they removed their helmets, the others stopped right in their tracks. They looked at their comrades then threw their weapons down and started backing away. The ones unfortunate enough to have crossed the line were still screaming, rolling on the ground and trying to fight off the pain.

    Their skin had started peeling off, revealing the boiling muscle tissue underneath. Their eyes fell off their sockets. Their hearts would soon stop, but not before their kidneys and lungs fail first. The first step of their agony was pain, and the sound of their howling. The second step was faint whining. They all fell to the ground, struggling to breathe, wheezing. Then there was silence.

    Sullivan materialized in front of the line his old friend had drawn.

    ¡°You can control the light now?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t control anything Sully,¡± Theo answered. ¡°That¡¯s what you fail to understand. That¡¯s what led your heart to quiver and give up. You don¡¯t control magic. You let it flow through you. You use it to your ends, but ¨C you ¨C just ¨C don¡¯t ¨C try ¨C to ¨C control ¨C it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in no mood for your lectures Theo.¡± Sully said then turned to his men who were still backing away. ¡°He¡¯s just one man,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t let this little show intimidate you! I¡¯ll keep him busy, go get the bones!¡±

    Sullivan charged, sword in hand and past the line. His skin didn¡¯t burn, but that was due to his strong spirit and ample Essence. He could fight the effect of the spell using his own aura. The others couldn¡¯t do the same unless he managed to keep the old man busy enough to forget about the spell¡¯s area of effect.

    Theolonius, however, wasn¡¯t a man who could be fooled easily. He dodged the Pontiff¡¯s first swing by jumping in the air. He remained there, floating, his staff in both hands and brought toward his chest, as though he were hugging it.

    ¡°Use your miracles Pontiff!¡± Theo said. ¡°You can¡¯t win without your strong spells and the gift of Dhobor.¡±

    Sullivan knew, however, that he couldn¡¯t use his strong spells without obliterating his own men.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make it easier for you,¡± Theo said. ¡°This staff here, I stole from Omega, long ago.¡±

    ¡°Theo don¡¯t!¡± Sullivan said. He¡¯d understood what the staff was the moment Theo said the name Omega.

    Grandpa Stalwart was now holding the staff in one hand, examining it like an appraiser examines some old artifact. ¡°It feeds on fear, you see. And your men now fear me. They fear the heat that could burn them from the inside. They don¡¯t know they haven¡¯t known what true fear feels like though. How about we show them huh? Old friend?¡±

    Sullivan flew to meet his old friend in the air, but it was too late. Theolonius let go of the staff whose ruby glowed brightly. It felt like it could sense the others¡¯ presence. It soared through the air then landed among the fleeing paladins, High Priests and Priests. A sudden explosion blew the trees off their roots and caused a red orb, large enough to accommodate a thousand men, to form.

    Everyone caught within its radius was immobilized. Utar and Sam, who¡¯d stayed behind earlier, had just arrived at the place of carnage. They watched in horror as the men inside the orb were hit by constant red sparks that went through their bodies without injuring them. It looked as though lightning was zapping through them.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be over soon,¡± Theolonius told his friend. ¡°You can go all out now. You don¡¯t need to worry about their safety, oh benevolent leader!¡±

    Sullivan took one final look at his men. Realizing there was no saving them, the Pontiff landed and brought his sword to the air. ¡°You might have stolen some of our secrets Theo,¡± he said. ¡°But you can¡¯t match our faith. Dhobor is a sympathetic god, but what you get in return for his help only depends on your faith.¡±

    ¡°Oh spare me the theatrics and get on with it,¡± Theolonius snapped. ¡°I want to see why you betrayed me. Show me the power that Dhobor promised.¡±

    Meanwhile, Raiya was watching the fight from inside the tree vessel.

    ¡®He¡¯s provoking the Pontiff to see what kind of power the Church holds,¡¯ Sisha told her.

    ¡®He¡¯s crazy,¡¯ Raiya answered. ¡®He¡¯ll destroy us all!¡¯

    ¡®Do you know why the demon king never fights Stalwart?¡¯ Sisha asked.

    ¡®Because he¡¯s a madman?¡¯ Raiya said.

    ¡®Mad man or genius,¡¯ Sisha replied. ¡®What¡¯s the difference? He can learn everything about a spell by just seeing it once. You call him a thief. The king calls him the greatest wizard in history. He¡¯d rather go to war against Dhobor than fight one on one against Stalwart.¡¯

    ¡®What if he dies observing the Pontiff¡¯s miracle?¡¯ Raiya asked.

    ¡®Then he dies,¡¯ Sisha replied. ¡®Why do you think the king was against our alliance? He knew you worked for him. He told me to always fear the man, never fight him, for fighting him meant divulging our secrets to a madman, a thief, a genius.

    ¡®You heard him call all forms of extraordinary display of power ¡®magic¡¯. He firmly believes it. He might be right. It takes talent and a degree of craziness to combine all elements. A normal mind can¡¯t take all knowledge and stay sane. Perhaps he¡¯s insane, and I hope for our sake that he is. Because if he¡¯s not, then the bones we¡¯re giving him will be the end of us all. The Eternal Moon will embrace him, and we¡¯ll all die.¡¯

 86 - War of Monsters - Final Part

    Back at the clearing, Pontiff Sullivan had raised his sword in the air and prayed for Lord Dhobor¡¯s assistance. Soon after, the sky darkened. Clouds filled the air and lightning lit up the sky. Thunder rumbled, announcing something ominous. Then the clouds split, allowing sunlight to fall directly on the Pontiff.

    Sullivan¡¯s body glowed. His sword went from blue to golden then to pure white. It looked like a piece of metal that had been put under fire for long enough to change form. Sullivan had also changed. Large ethereal wings sprouted from his back. He was wearing the kind of armor you¡¯d expect from God¡¯s angels. He¡¯d grown in size too. And his voice¡­ His voice when he spoke sounded as though it came from all directions.

    ¡°You¡¯ve offended the lord and protector of this realm. You shall suffer the consequences of your folly. Die now and know that our lord forgives you. Resist and you shall know terror!¡±

    Theolonius clapped, slowly and loudly enough for the transformed Pontiff to hear.

    ¡°Impressive,¡± he said. ¡°Dhobor can transform your puny mortal body by merging your soul with that of an Aeon. That¡¯s something I¡¯ve got to learn!¡±

    ¡°You refuse to give in,¡± Sully¡¯s echoing voice said. ¡°Dhobor¡¯s mercy on your soul!¡±

    The angel looking Aeon charged the wizard.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Theolonius yelled and the angel was immobilized. The spell was nothing like the one Myles used beforehand. The spell only stopped the angel, nothing else around it.

    ¡°By now my staff must¡¯ve fed on your men,¡± Grandpa Stalwart went on. ¡°Let¡¯s see what I¡¯ll become if I emulate the effect of your spell. I¡¯ll tweak it a bit to fit my needs. It won¡¯t be copying, or stealing, if it¡¯s changed a bit, will it?¡±

    Theolonius recalled his staff which had left a pile of withered mummies in golden armor behind it. He raised his right hand to catch it while the angel struggled to fight the effect of the spell.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fight it Sully,¡± Theo urged his friend. ¡°Light can¡¯t beat time. But you know that already!¡±

    Theolonius held the staff in the air and focused his intention on emulating the miracle Sullivan had just cast. The result was, to say the least, spectacular. Dark clouds filled the sky once more. Purple and blue lightning filled the sky. This time, the clouds didn¡¯t part. They kept condensing, building more friction, resulting in louder thunder, and brighter lightning bolts.

    The time stop spell subsided and Sullivan resumed his charge. His gigantic size wasn¡¯t synonym with slow movement however. Sullivan swung his sword so fast a naked eye couldn¡¯t follow it. But Theo did. Stalwart moved gracefully around his opponent who was now slashing the air.

    Realizing his attempts to land one hit were futile, Sullivan changed tactics. His beat his ethereal wings in the air and gained altitude. His glowing sword swung downward then, toward the wizard, and a shockwave ensued. It was so bright it lit the dark clearing in which they fought. Theo cursed. He knew the shockwave would kill him upon impact. And his summoning hadn¡¯t ended yet.

    He raised his hands in the air and a thick lightning bolt descended on the ground, blocking the shockwave. The explosion that followed flattened the trees in a three miles radius. Everything was scorched.

    The withered mummies of the fallen paladins had turned to dust. Utar and Sam were lucky enough to retreat before calamity fell. The tree vessel didn¡¯t escape the explosion either. Its door was now blown open.

    All windows on the ship were blown apart and the living room at the ground floor was now a scorched mess. Raiya had known the two would butt heads and create chaos and retreated downstairs before the devastating exchange of spells began. After the explosion had subsided, Raiya began the teleportation process.

    ¡°You persist on fighting back,¡± Sullivan¡¯s voice echoed through the forest again. ¡°But know that your attempts will only result in failure!¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you like to believe,¡± Theo answered. He held his arms in the air and his evil staff flew back to his right hand. ¡°I like to change people¡¯s beliefs though,¡± Theo went on. ¡°Call it a nefarious habit of mine.¡±

    At that point, all clouds in the sky were now filled with thick lightning bolts. A storm raged above the two old friends. Theolonius raised his staff in the air then smiled at the angel before him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see which one is stronger,¡± he said, ¡°the original, or the copy!¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    All lightning in the sky, blue and purple, gathered in one spot, above the wizard. Then with a thundering boom, it descended upon Stalwart. The earth below him had gone, only an endless pit showed then. Clouds suddenly parted and the world was back to its usual sunny afternoon feel.

    Before the angel of Dhobor, a terrifying creature stood, or floated in the air to be more accurate. He was twice the size of a human being. He wore dark armor with sharp, pointy ends at the shoulders. His helmet had a horn in the front, as though he was a rhino ready to charge. His wings were at least ten feet wide. He flapped them as he flew in the air. The staff Theo had been using was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°What an amazing spell!¡± Theo¡¯s voice boomed across the entire forest. ¡°I feel as though I gained a new level of power. There¡¯s no blood in me, just Essence! Is that how it feels to be a celestial?¡±

    ¡°DIE!¡± Sullivan¡¯s angel charged. He swung his sword multiple times and two dozen shockwaves hurled themselves at the transformed wizard.

    Theo opened his arms, as if to embrace them. The shockwaves landed and the sound of explosions filled the forest, devoid of life now. If looked at from above, the forest looked like it had been hit by a giant meteor. Everything had burned off and died in a neatly formed circle.

    The explosions resulting from the shockwaves hitting Theo¡¯s body took care of the rest of the forest. Five hundred acres were reduced to dust and ash. The tree vessel Theolonius was so proud of had already teleported away. By the time the explosions subsided, Theolonius came out from behind the dust, unscathed.

    ¡°This is phenomenal!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°But enough dilly dallying, it¡¯s time to strike back!¡±

    Theolonius Stalwart brought his hands together and rubbed them, creating friction. A tiny dark orb, filled with dark energy, formed around them, which he shot directly at the angel. The angel retaliated with another swing and shockwave, which was absorbed by the orb, then grew larger.

    Stalwart laughed heartily. ¡°You can¡¯t stop this now Sully. Retreat and go cry to your lord. The bones are mine and so the world will end!¡±

    Sullivan answered with his mighty sword. He swung it at the orb. If one shockwave wouldn¡¯t do it, he might as well go for rapid successive ones. And he did. He swung his sword, sending multiple shockwaves at the orb which absorbed all of them and grew in size. It was a large sphere now, advancing slowly toward the angel who realized then the dire situation he was in.

    Sullivan beat his wings and retreated. If he couldn¡¯t diffuse the orb that was sent toward him, he might as well defeat the caster. He flew around the orb and toward Theolonius. He threw his sword toward the dark creature Stalwart had become, folded his wings and dived.

    ¡°Going all out eh?¡± Theo asked. ¡°You¡¯re as na?ve as I remembered you Sully!¡±

    With a flick of his index finger, the orb changed course and charged at the sword. It swallowed it whole and stood between the angel and his opponent.

    ¡°Darkness absorbs everything,¡± Theo said. ¡°Imagine if it transformed everything it absorbed into its own energy and threw it back at you? I don¡¯t suppose your enhanced body could take it.¡±

    Sullivan abruptly opened his wings and came to a full stop.

    ¡°Stop it Theo,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll destroy us all!¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be pretty?!¡± Theo asked. ¡°You broke my heart when you betrayed me old friend. I don¡¯t want to kill you until you witnessed the consequences of what you¡¯ve done.¡±

    Theolonius flicked his finger and the orb started advancing toward the Pontiff. ¡°Once it touches you,¡± he said, ¡°this place will no longer exist. I might lose my land, but I¡¯ve gained more power than I could¡¯ve hoped for today. Mix some darkness with light, and what do you have? Chaos!¡±

    Sullivan beat his wings once more and retreated. ¡°You¡¯ve gone mad!¡± he yelled at his old friend. ¡°Talia wouldn¡¯t have wanted this!¡±

    ¡°Talia¡¯s dead,¡± Theo answered. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be here if she wasn¡¯t!¡±

    Theolonius waved his hand and the orb picked up speed, following the angel as he zigzagged and maneuvered in the air. A dark energy crackled as the orb followed the angel at breakneck speed while Stalwart laughed.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we all mad dear old friend?¡± he called out to the angel. ¡°The world is doomed, might as well get it over with!¡±

    ¡°Not like this Theo,¡± Sullivan yelled back. The orb was now getting dangerously close. He dreaded to think of what would happen if it exploded now and then.

    ¡°Say hi to Talia for me,¡± Theo said. ¡°I¡¯ll be joining you soon.¡±

    Theolonius clicked his fingers, ordering the orb to explode, but nothing happened.

    A gigantic crimson bird materialized in front of the orb and swallowed it.

    The world had gone dark for the third time that day. Theolonius looked at the bird shrink. Then fire engulfed it and it instantly turned to ash. He felt gravity pull him downward and the effect of the spell faded away. He landed on both feet while his armor and wings dissipated, and so did the angel. Old man faced old man and they both looked at the dark sky above them.

    The Blond moon was now standing before the sun, obstructing its rays from reaching them. Light mixed with darkness and chaos ensued. From the light ring that remained around the moon, one could see darkness seeping. Then a song broke and the entire world heard it. The voices that sang it weren¡¯t in harmony, but they all sounded the same, playful and happy.

    The Phoenix withers and dies,

    The Roosa¡¯al invade your lives.

    Beware the vicious Wild Hunt,

    Their weapons, sharp and blunt.

    Kill ten and them you shall join,

    The Holi Wars is where you¡¯re going.

    If the Ori Sisters you dare challenge,

    The threads of fate you must scavenge.

    Lure them with the golden flute,

    Sneak past them and steal their fruit.

    But if light shines bright in your eyes,

    Seek the three legged bird in the skies,

    Don¡¯t you let him hear your cries.

    Osmen awaits in Mount Condurr,

    Don¡¯t cower, step back or surrender.

    The pure Unicorn will give its blood,

    Willingly, lest you drown in mud.

    And Abrath, the Venomous King,

    Will give its plume,

    If you forsake everything.

    The phoenix rises from ash,

    Finds the chosen one,

    Thus the champions clash,

    And the summoning is done.

 87 - Aftermath

    Outskirts of Sayang, Kingdom of Arsalan:

    Sam lay on the ground writhing in pain while Utar knelt beside him, chanting a healing miracle. Thanks to his apprentice, the Priest had managed to escape the forest unscathed. The fight between Pontiff Sullivan and Theolonius Stalwart was devastating. The entire forest was now dust and ash.

    Sam had carried his master out of harm¡¯s way. He wasn¡¯t injured by the last shockwave that decimated the forest. He was a healthy boy before the eclipse, before the song. Everything changed since then. Sam fell to the ground, screaming his lungs out, crying out for help. No matter how many miracles Utar tried on his apprentice, none worked.

    So Utar knelt near the young man, and kept chanting, helping him through his pain. He was both worried and excited for him. He knew he¡¯d been chosen to compete in the Holi Wars, but against whom? He looked at the battleground¡¯s direction, hoping the Pontiff had retrieved the bones. Competing against that madman meant doom. He didn¡¯t favor anyone¡¯s chances.

    Sam groaned and brought the Priest¡¯s attention toward him.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Utar whispered. He was afraid to startle the new champion. ¡°Sam, my boy, how do you feel?¡±

    Sam opened his eyes and squinted at the man beside him.

    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been chosen, dear boy.¡± Utar beamed at his apprentice. He felt a mixture of pride and apprehension. Having a new champion to train wasn¡¯t an easy task. Power easily corrupts them.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said. He tried to get up but his muscles gave in under his weight.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Utar urged. ¡°You¡¯re still adjusting. Do the basic breathing exercises we¡¯ve been practicing.¡±

    Sam obeyed and lay down on his back. He regulated his breathing and concentrated on the energy running through his Conduits. After a dozen calculated breaths, Sam opened his eyes. His breathing had become ragged. His heart beat faster than ever before.

    ¡°How is this possible?¡± he asked his master.

    ¡°What? What¡¯s possible?¡± Utar was as puzzled as his apprentice.

    ¡°The Fragment¡¯s gone,¡± Sam answered, ¡°yet, I feel more powerful than before.¡±

    Utar¡¯s lips extended into the widest smile he could pull off. ¡°You¡¯ve completely merged the Fragment into your soul!¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s no stopping us now boy. Not even with that madman summoning the Moon.¡±

    ¡°But,¡± Sam looked at his master, bewildered. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it took months, even years to fully merge with the Fragment?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand it more than you do boy,¡± Utar replied. ¡°But we have to get to Mount Condurr now. If we are to beat that madman, we¡¯ll need Osmen¡¯s help.¡±

    ¡°When do we go?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Now, if you¡¯re willing,¡± Utar said. His smile hadn¡¯t faded. ¡°We¡¯re in enemy territory here. The Church will be delighted to hear from us once we get back from that mountain.¡±

    Terre Beilly, The Capital of the Independent Republic of Boligne:

    A girl named Heda woke up after a horrific nightmare. She groped around for her glasses but her hand caught a strange object. It was the golden fruit she¡¯d just dreamed of.

    ¡°Linda!¡± she called out from her bed.

    Soon after, a tall woman in a maid dress rushed in through the oaken double door, into Heda¡¯s room. ¡°Yes, ma dame,¡± she said and curtsied.

    ¡°Get my father here,¡± Heda said. ¡°Tell him I¡¯d dreamt of the song.¡±

    ¡°Yes ma dame,¡± Linda bowed low then hurried out.

    Heda was then left to her thoughts. She was a young woman, twenty moons, and quite tall compared to other women in her country. She was of noble birth, and lived in a mansion at the highest hill of Terre Beilly. She stormed out of bed, naked as her mother bore her. She stood by the window overlooking the city below, fruit at hand.

    What was that she¡¯d just seen? Her father had been managing the family affairs ever since his father died forty moons back. He¡¯d done a great job at that. Why would his business fall? Better yet, why would Boligne fall to the country they resisted for so long?Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    That song she heard didn¡¯t bode well after all. The women, or to be more accurate the crones she saw told her of her fall and her country¡¯s destruction. Unless she could do something about it¡­ They¡¯d given her the fruit, asked her to come and seek them. But where would she even begin the search?

    She shook her head and her short red hair scraped against her lean shoulders. She mustn¡¯t think of all that. What nonsense was that anyway? Sisters of fate, who¡¯d believe that? She waited for her father by the window, observing the sleeping city. Then something caught her eye. There were hurried movements by the market place at the city center.

    She pushed her forefinger against her nose, a reflex most people who wear glasses have. She¡¯d wanted to have a better look at what was happening down there. She realized, to her astonishment and joy, that she didn¡¯t need glasses anymore. She could now see perfectly. She could even see what was happening in the market place in detail.

    A woman, who¡¯d been dancing as she observed her, caught her attention even more. She sensed death looming about her. Heda opened the window and leaned against the sill to have a better look. The fresh breeze of early morning, right before dawn, hit her face and made her short red hair flutter.

    She enjoyed it. It had been so long since she¡¯d ever dared open that window. She¡¯s been a frail, sickly girl ever since she dreamed of the song for the first time, three months ago. Now, she felt as though a new life had been injected into her. She looked at the woman once more. She was still dancing with a bunch of other men, all drunk, all possibly willing to get some privacy with the dancing lady.

    A man advanced and caught the woman by the hips, swaying her right and left. She¡¯d taken the advance quite positively. They danced and laughed, while his jealous drunken fellows watched them from the corner of their eyes. Then suddenly, one of them advanced, knife in hand. He¡¯d first stabbed the woman in the neck, then in her stomach, then in her back, several times.

    He went for his friend but the latter was stronger. He¡¯d wrenched the knife out of his friend then proceeded to gouging out his eyes before cutting off his manhood.

    ¡®Boligne has indeed fallen,¡¯ Heda thought.

    She turned away from the window then headed to her wardrobe, picked up a night gown and put it on. Her father was on his way. She also knew he was about to knock at her door.

    ¡°Come in,¡± she called out before her father had put his knuckle on the oaken door.

    ¡°Did you hear it too?¡± her father asked as soon as he got in.

    He¡¯d noticed his girl¡¯s been out of bed. Then he noticed the open window and his daughter¡¯s calm demeanor. He rushed to the window, his face contorted in a grimace of anger and reproach.

    ¡°Must I always tell you to never open this window?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Relax, papa,¡± Heda said. ¡°I can see the mole on your upper lip. Take this statement and mull it over.¡±

    The father stood there, eyeing his daughter. His face relaxed into a smile. Then tears streamed down his neatly trimmed beard.

    ¡°But, but how?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Maybe we should ask your friend, Stefan?¡±

    ¡°That man will never step foot in this house again!¡± her father hissed.

    ¡°Papa,¡± Heda spoke. She tried to sound tender, helpless and in need of her father¡¯s protection. ¡°I¡¯ve had the strangest dream tonight. Only Stefan can give us answers.¡±

    ¡°That man almost killed you Heda!¡± her father protested. ¡°I will hear of this no longer!¡±

    ¡°Before you go,¡± the girl said before her father turned and stormed out of the room. ¡°Come observe this with me.¡± She motioned to the window she had opened.

    ¡°What is there to see but filth and immigrants crowding our streets?!¡± he asked.

    ¡°Life!¡± Heda answered. ¡°And death, desire, ambition, fury, lust, the list goes on papa. I¡¯ll show you why I need Stefan, and you¡¯ll agree to bring him over once you see this.¡±

    The father obeyed. This new version of his daughter delighted and scared him at the same time.

    Forest of Sayang, the Arsalan Kingdom:

    ¡°Here we are again, old friend,¡± Theolonius addressed the Pontiff. ¡°We don¡¯t seem to succeed at killing each other.¡±

    ¡°Not for lack of trying,¡± Sullivan muttered. He was tied down, face on the burnt dirt.

    ¡°I never wanted to hurt you,¡± Theolonius said.

    He was collecting some ash in a phial. Theo always carried phials and other empty vessels with him. You never know what you can stumble upon, he¡¯d repeatedly tell his followers.

    ¡°Yeah, you just want to kill me,¡± Sullivan said. He was struggling to free himself from the binds. The more he struggled, the tighter they became.

    Theolonius chuckled. He sealed the phial in which he collected the ash of the fallen Phoenix then turned to his friend.

    ¡°I do want to kill you,¡± he said. ¡°But not until you witness the destruction of this world.¡±

    ¡°Why not leave it to Eva?¡± Sully asked. ¡°She¡¯s got the same motives as you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, perhaps,¡± Theo answered. ¡°But not the same powers, or vision. My world will be better after I reconstruct it. Your continuous speech about humans being weak and deserving of pity, mercy¡­ Who are you kidding Sully? Look around you!

    ¡°We¡¯ve destroyed an entire forest to get our hands on a pile of withered bones! What will you do now? Pray that your god will forgive you? We are wicked, evil. We deserve to die, every last one of us!¡±

    ¡°But not you!¡± Sully retorted. ¡°Not the great Theolonius Stalwart, the man who conquered death! The man whose vision is to create yet another world ruled by fear from a tyrannical god!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what humanity needs!¡± Theo said. ¡°Don¡¯t you see it now? We fight for power. We pursue our dreams while the clock ticks for each and every one of us. What if we didn¡¯t have dreams, huh? What if we just lived for the sake of the betterment of this world? We can¡¯t live without rules Sully. And we can¡¯t live without a ruthless enforcer of said rules!¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re the enforcer?¡± Sully scoffed.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Theo said. ¡°This will strike you as crazy. Most people call me crazy. Hell, even my devoted followers call me the madman to my back. You don¡¯t see me crying over it. I have a vision of a perfect world, where there is no hierarchy. Everyone¡¯s equal, and everyone uses magic for the betterment of this planet we¡¯ve spent countless millennia destroying!¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t take people¡¯s free will Theo!¡± Sully said. ¡°It¡¯s in our nature. You can¡¯t beat nature Stalwart!¡±

    ¡°Watch me!¡± Theo said. ¡°I¡¯ll be sending you to your masters now,¡± he went on. ¡°Say hi to Nari from me.¡±

 88 - Let the Adventure Begin

    Hey, you haven¡¯t forgotten about me, have you?

    Yes it¡¯s me, Myles Stalwart, or Zedd Darkstar for those of you who feel like I should appropriate the name now. You know what happened before the eclipse, I don¡¯t. I was busy running through tunnels underground. I¡¯d heard Raiya¡¯s message before. She¡¯d told me later that gramps was after me. So I tailed it, as fast as my leg could take me anyway.

    Zoey¡¯s been a great help ever since we escaped through the tunnels. But the place you¡¯ve found at us now was quite puzzling, to say the least. We¡¯ve been underground for quite a while now. There was no source of light around us, save for some luminescent fungi that grew on the ceilings of the caves we strode through.

    We¡¯ve reached a crossroads of sorts. By then, we were both hungry and thirsty. The explosions in the ground above have seized to reach us. I wondered what had happened, but I had no time to think of that now. Thirst was our first enemy. There was some dew on the different rocks or dripping from the stalactites above us. But it wasn¡¯t enough. It was merely sufficient to keep us from getting completely dehydrated.

    Then that seizure hit me out of nowhere. I¡¯d never forget the feeling of all my muscles tensing up at once. I tried to move and warn Zoey but for the life of me, it seemed I¡¯d forgotten how to speak or even move. I felt my back hit the ground then darkness engulfed me.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re back!¡± Dif¡¯s voice woke me.

    ¡°What? Where am I?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Snap out of it Stalwart!¡± Dif said. ¡°I had to shut you down. I had to get your full attention, for the task at hand is extremely difficult.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I want you to remain calm and listen to what I have to say. Your grandfather¡¯s gone and triggered the Holi Wars. I admire his resolve, really.¡±

    ¡°I never even knew I had a grandfather until three days ago,¡± I protested. Three days ago¡­ That seemed like a long time since he came to visit Raiya.

    ¡°Be that as it may,¡± Dif said. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to talk about your long lost family, Stalwart. We have to talk about your first trial.¡±

    ¡°Trial?¡±

    ¡°Each Primordial chooses a champion to fight in the Holi Wars,¡± Dif said. ¡°You¡¯re a candidate for lord Minsec, remember? My lord is very choosey. He doesn¡¯t like to bestow his gift to anyone without prior studying. You have your dear grandfather to thank for that.¡±

    ¡°I told you. I have nothing to do with my grandfather¡¯s follies,¡± I protested.

    ¡°We will not judge you for your grandfather¡¯s mistakes, Stalwart. Nor will we judge you for your fathers.¡± The old man materialized in front of me. ¡°I know you like to have a face to talk to. So here I am. You can ask me all the questions you have after I explain what you have to do.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± I said.

    I couldn¡¯t help but think of my wicked family. We were all simply fucked up. My grandfather might take the winner¡¯s prize though. After all, my father only wanted to save his beloved. As for me¡­ Well, I remember being the cause of my family¡¯s death. But that¡¯s as far as I can go for now.

    ¡°As Lord Minsec¡¯s candidate, you are to reduce the number of candidates for Lord Qil¡¯Al,¡± Dif said.

    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± I interrupted.

    Dif gave me an exasperated look, coupled with an equally exasperated sigh, but I didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°I need to know who these people are,¡± I went on. ¡°I haven¡¯t been properly introduced to this world of magic you see. At least tell me what I¡¯m dealing with here, please?¡± I added the last word so that the old man doesn¡¯t shower me with knowledge I couldn¡¯t possibly assimilate at once. It¡¯d be better to hear it all from the horse¡¯s mouth.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you the brief version,¡± Dif said.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t have asked for better,¡± I commented.

    ¡°Very well then,¡± Dif straightened up then started speaking. ¡°There are eight lords that once stopped a calamity from ending the universe as we know it. They fought against two very powerful races: the Monarchs and the Scions. The Monarchs held wisdom and mighty magic, while the Scions had technology to their side.

    ¡°You¡¯d think magic would win against technology, but you haven¡¯t seen what the Scions came up with. For every Scion the Monarchs killed, a hundred of their own were lost. They had mighty weapons that could decimate entire planets.¡± Dif stopped, shuddered, and went on.

    ¡°This is when the Primordial Lords interfered. They couldn¡¯t stand idly by and watch those two races destroy each other and the universe. They eradicated them all. When you die, dear Stalwart, your soul dies with you, unless it¡¯s sent to the Well of Souls to be purified.

    ¡°The Primordial Lords refused to send these megalomaniacs through the reincarnation cycle. Instead, they destroyed their souls, which exploded into Fragments of different sizes. Each one of them contained knowledge of the Monarchs or Scions they belonged to, eons ago. Some even had spells incrusted in them, or the knowledge to create wondrous machines and come up with revolutionary technology. What you get now as a Fragment of power, is part of ancient souls that died fighting a war aimed to destroy all life.¡±

    ¡°But why give us the Fragments then?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You can assimilate a Fragment to become part of your own soul,¡± Dif explained. ¡°Once you die, and go through the Well of Souls like everybody else, the Fragments of the Monarchs and Scions die out. Recycling at its best.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s the point of these Holi Wars?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought they meant the apocalypse.¡±

    ¡°Not everything went right with the process of destroying all souls,¡± Dif said. ¡°The Primordial Lords failed to destroy two souls. One belonged to the king of Monarchs. The other belonged to a war criminal from the Scions, although war criminal is putting it lightly.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± I asked. ¡°What happened to them?¡±

    ¡°They evolved,¡± Dif said. ¡°We don¡¯t know where they hide. By summoning the Eternal Moon, we hope to find the source of the Holi that are usually given to the summoner. We know one of the two lost souls offers a Holus to the summoner, but we don¡¯t know which.

    ¡°What we know is that the Holus is an evolved form of the Fragment. It offers both immense knowledge and power, to the holder. If we don¡¯t deal with the holder of the Holus in three months, the planet in which you live now will be erased from memory.¡±

    ¡°And my own grandfather wants to do that!¡± I said.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Dif answered. ¡°He may be a madman, but he¡¯s a powerful one. If he gets the Holus, your planet will die.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°I get that we¡¯re all in danger. But can you tell me why I have to participate in a trial to win the graces and favors of your lord?¡±

    ¡°Stalwarts,¡± Dif whispered. ¡°Minsec is also your lord now!¡± he said in an air of authority I could only associate with the Priests of the Church of Dhobor.

    ¡°Unless I fail in his trials,¡± I said. ¡°I remember you saying there¡¯s more than one.¡±

    ¡°Then make sure you don¡¯t,¡± Dif said. ¡°You¡¯re my responsibility now.¡±

    ¡°What do I have to do?¡± I asked. I was getting tired of this conversation to tell you the truth. I¡¯ve had enough things to mull over now.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you assimilate that Fragment of yours,¡± Dif said. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to use better spells and the Essence from the Fragment will strengthen your Conduits.¡±

    ¡°Your Fragment almost killed me,¡± I blurted out.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you didn¡¯t go through all the instructions,¡± Dif replied. ¡°I specifically told you to do so.¡±

    ¡°You could¡¯ve just told me how to do it,¡± I said. ¡°It would¡¯ve saved us time.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have learned how dangerous tampering with power is, would you?¡±

    He made a good point. I had to give him that.

    ¡°What do I have to do now?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to absorb the first Fragment you got,¡± Dif said. ¡°That woman who was trying to possess you, you¡¯ve stolen a fragment of her soul, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°You have three conflicting energies inside of you. I¡¯ll lock the time Fragment from interfering with you now. I¡¯m talking to you though it, by the way. You won¡¯t hear from me unless you¡¯ve completely assimilated her.¡±

    ¡°How will I do that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The same way you¡¯ve stolen it,¡± Dif answered. ¡°Dig deeper into her memories, appropriate them. Make them your own. You might learn one or two things from her ordeals.¡±

    ¡°Will you contact me when I¡¯m done?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to eliminate the first threat first,¡± Dif said. ¡°Your first target is a candidate of Lord Qil¡¯Al. He¡¯s a threat to our cause. Take the last tunnel on your left, follow the sound of water. You¡¯ll soon bump into him. He controls death, he¡¯ll be easy to find.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to do that and assimilate Eva¡¯s Fragment?¡±

    ¡°And you have a fortnight to do it. I suggest you wake up and get to work. You have all the information you need. Your time stop spell can¡¯t be used until you complete the first tasks, understood?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Then wake up,¡± Dif said. ¡°That woman¡¯s dying of worry.¡±

 89 - Moondust

    ¡°Myles!¡± I felt a gentle slap across my left cheek. ¡°Myles! Get up!¡±

    Another slap, it stung badly this time.

    ¡°Ow! Quit it already!¡± I said. I opened my eye to see a skinny Zoey looking at me, all worried. She was a scaredy-cat after all.

    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked, her high pitched voice back at it again. If only she could quiet it down a notch, I wouldn¡¯t be annoyed by her presence then.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said. ¡°I haven¡¯t fully recovered, that¡¯s all.¡±

    I got to my feet. To my surprise, and Zoey¡¯s, I had fully recovered. There goes my lie¡­

    I carefully walked around. My leg was fine, as though Sam hadn¡¯t broken it with one chop. Good, I could walk faster.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I said. ¡°We have a long way ahead of us.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡± she asked. ¡°Look around you, which way should we take?¡±

    ¡°That one,¡± I said. I pointed at the one Dif had told me about.

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Zoey asked. She really didn¡¯t know when to give up. But then again, we both just escaped death. I understood her concern. I was trying hard not to get annoyed by her. I still attributed my earlier dislike of her to the possession.

    ¡°Listen carefully,¡± I said. ¡°Can¡¯t you hear water rippling in the distance?¡±

    She walked closer to the tunnel and strained her ears. After a short while she turned to me. ¡°I can hear something, but I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s water.¡±

    ¡°Where else would you go?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s the best lead we¡¯ve got. Where there¡¯s water, there¡¯s life.¡± I said those words, but I didn¡¯t believe them. If Dif was to be believed, some champion would be lurking down those tunnels. I hoped I wouldn¡¯t run into something I couldn¡¯t handle though.

    Zoey gave me a resigned look then nodded. ¡°Alright,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you. Don¡¯t leave me behind if something shows up. I helped you escape after all. Remember that.¡±

    Was she saying these words out loud for herself? Or did she really think I¡¯d leave her behind? I chased the thought away. Now wasn¡¯t the time to think of this frail weak lady.

    ¡°We have to move,¡± I said. ¡°As soon as we get to higher grounds, we¡¯ll find a village or a city for you to settle in. I¡¯m heading to dangerous places. I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t want to stick around to find out what that means.¡±

    ¡°As long as you get me out of here,¡± Zoey replied, ¡°you won¡¯t hear me complain.¡±

    I prayed to all the gods, old and new, that she¡¯d be a woman of her word. I couldn¡¯t deal with more of her babbling.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move!¡± I said.

    We took the tunnel to my left and, according to Dif¡¯s instructions, followed the sound of rippling water. The glowing fungi on the walls provided a semblance of lighting. So we managed to get to the other side without trouble. The trouble began when we actually reached the stream.

    We were filling a flask I had on me with drinkable water when I heard a voice in the distance. A man, middle aged by the sound of it, was speaking to someone I couldn¡¯t hear. I asked Zoey to hide behind a rock and went to inspect it. The darkness of the cave provided excellent hiding spots for eavesdroppers.

    ¡°Where is it Florian?!¡± the middle aged man asked. I snuck a peak from behind the rock I chose to hide behind. The man was barely visible by the faint light emitted by the glowing fungi. I couldn¡¯t see the other though.

    ¡°You think you can steal from me?¡± the middle aged man asked again.

    My eyes had already adjusted to darkness. Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t see who he was speaking to.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the goddamn Moondust!¡± the man yelled. ¡°I know you took it. Where did you hide it?¡±

    I saw him approach a boulder near the stream. Whoever he was speaking to must have been tied up since I didn¡¯t see any movement.

    ¡°Tell me, and I¡¯ll spare your beloved Shanya!¡± the middle aged man went on. ¡°Tell me, and you won¡¯t suffer when I-KILL-YOU!¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    No answer.

    By then, I was starting to wonder if the man hadn¡¯t been speaking to himself in the dark. I decided to get closer, have a better look from a different angle. The rippling water muffled the sound of my footsteps as well. I could safely get closer and see what the fuss was about.

    I hid in between stalactites and observed the man, who was now about ten paces away from me. He was holding a scimitar. It struck me as odd. Scimitars weren¡¯t the weapon of choice in this region. People used long swords, staffs, daggers, but never scimitars, not in Arsalan. I strained my eye to find who he was talking to.

    And I found him, or her, I wasn¡¯t sure. It would be more accurate to use ¡°it¡± in this case though. As the person the man was talking to was already dead. There was no smell of rotting flesh, so the corpse must¡¯ve been fresh.

    I heard a loud splash on the other side of the stream, and the other man heard it too.

    ¡°Who goes there?¡± the man asked. ¡°Is that you Shanya? Trying to rescue your boyfriend now, are you?¡±

    Shit! I told her not to move.

    The man was quicker than me. He ran, faster than I¡¯d given him credit for, and seized a soaked Zoey by the collar. He put his sabre around her throat and led her to the boulder. She was trying to fight the middle aged man. She tried to wrestle him off but he overpowered her. He was bigger and, more importantly, had a sharp weapon at hand.

    What was she thinking?

    ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this you fool!¡± she screamed. ¡°My friend¡¯ll come for you. You¡¯ll see!¡±

    Oh great! Involve me too. And while you¡¯re at it, why don¡¯t you tell him where I¡¯m hiding?

    Come to think of it, please don¡¯t look my way! Please don¡¯t tell him where I was hiding. The only way to get out of this was to take him by surprise.

    ¡°Your friend, eh?¡± the man asked. He was mocking her, I could tell by the way he led her to the boulder and laughed. ¡°Do you mean this one?¡± He was showing her the dead corpse.

    Zoey remained silent. She knelt beside the body and inspected it. She looked around, unsure if it were me apparently. Then, somehow, she spotted me. Our eyes met and I shook my head. I put my index finger on my lips. I hoped she¡¯d understand this simple gesture.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Zoey screamed at the middle aged man. I was glad I wasn¡¯t on the receiving end of that high pitched voice, for once.

    Her outburst earned her a whack from the man¡¯s backhand. ¡°Look at this Florian,¡± the man said after Zoey fell beside the corpse. ¡°A friends reunion! How convenient!¡±

    He knelt beside Zoey and held his scimitar to her throat. ¡°Tell me where he hid the Moondust, and I let you live.¡±

    ¡°Go fuck yourself!¡± Zoey answered. I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d had the balls to pull that off. But it was my queue.

    I snuck behind the man and caught his arm before he struck the Sister once more. He was startled by my sudden appearance. That gave me the second¡¯s advantage I was hoping for. I wrenched the scimitar off his hand and thrust it deep in his throat.

    ¡°What took you so long?¡± Zoey asked after I wiped the sabre on the man¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± I said. Gods! She could at least thank me for saving her stupid ass.

    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean to be rude,¡± Zoey said.

    Well, that took me by surprise.

    ¡°I-I was just scared, sitting behind that rock all by myself.¡± She seemed genuinely apologetic.

    I smiled, although I knew she couldn¡¯t tell it was one with all the darkness that surrounded us and the ugly scars on my face. ¡°How about some trust next time?¡± I asked. ¡°I needed to know what we were dealing with.¡±

    ¡°And you took your jolly time checking on this crazy man,¡± she said. Here we go again, with her reproachful remarks¡­ ¡°What was with him anyway?¡±

    ¡°I assume he¡¯s gone crazy from consuming too much Moondust, or lack thereof¡­¡± I answered.

    ¡°Why would anyone try that thing anyway?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a drug,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s addictive. You can¡¯t beat the cravings once it¡¯s in your system. You¡¯ve seen what it does to a person¡¯s mind when not consumed.¡±

    ¡°You seem to know quite a lot about it.¡±

    ¡°Is that sarcasm I hear?¡±

    ¡°Oh quit it!¡± Zoey said. ¡°Thanks for saving my life by the way.¡±

    ¡°You have good manners after all!¡± I said. I had a feeling I¡¯d regret it the moment I said it though.

    ¡°Whatever,¡± Zoey replied. ¡°Can we get out of here please?¡±

    ¡°Not until I¡¯ve searched these fools,¡± I said. ¡°They must know where we are. Or at least have a map or something. I have a feeling nobody comes to this place unwillingly.¡±

    I searched the middle aged man first. Apart from his scimitar, he only had an empty phial that used to contain the drug. The one tied up to the boulder had a notebook however. I snatched it off him and got close to a glowing mushroom.

    I browsed it quickly. The information it contained was worrying to say the least.

    ¡°Here, check this out,¡± I told the Sister who was pacing about.

    ¡°The lost city of Orcupolis lays deep within this labyrinth. If we find it, our money problems will be over. I¡¯ll finally be able to build Shanya the castle she wants. The Children of the Forest are rumored to have fled underground when the first man settled above. Legend says that they¡¯ll grant any wish to the one who finds their secret hideout. I just hope Finegas doesn¡¯t do anything stupid.¡±

    ¡°How does this help?¡± Zoey asked.

    ¡°Wait,¡± I replied. ¡°There¡¯s more. This is a diary. Look at the last entry.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve finally reached the last row of tunnels. It took us months to map this out. I¡¯m worried about Finegas. He¡¯s run out of Moondust. He¡¯s become erratic and easily irritable. I hope we can find this city soon. I can¡¯t deal with the swarm of living dead that haunt this place.¡±

    ¡°This can¡¯t be good,¡± Zoey said. ¡°Can it?¡±

    ¡°Judging from his corpse,¡± I pointed at the man called Florian, ¡°he¡¯s been dead for less than a day. This means they¡¯ve just got here. If we¡¯re lucky, we should find the city they were looking for.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡± Zoey asked.

    ¡°Umm¡­¡± I started. ¡°Look behind you. It should probably provide a good incentive.¡±

    Zoey turned around then jumped back in surprise. Florian, the first man to die, was now standing before us. He slowly approached us. He knelt and picked up the scimitar I left lying on the ground. Shit, I shouldn¡¯t have left it there¡­

    ¡°Join us!¡± he said in a hoarse voice.

 90 - Rise of the Undead

    ¡®You can¡¯t fight this,¡¯ Eva¡¯s voice reached me from within.

    ¡®Are we on talking terms now?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®Is this the time for jests?¡¯ she said.

    Maybe not, I shrugged.

    ¡®Don¡¯t give me that!¡¯ Eva snapped.

    ¡®Give you what?¡¯ I asked. I feigned ignorance. The dead hunk of meat was advancing toward us slowly. I had some time for petty remarks.

    ¡®Do you think you can kill the undead?¡¯

    ¡®Seeing as he¡¯s already dead,¡¯ I said, ¡®I think not.¡¯

    ¡®Then why are you still standing here?¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t wanna run and realize he can,¡¯ I said. ¡®If I can¡¯t kill him, might as well incapacitate him.¡¯

    Eva remained silent for a while. ¡®Good point,¡¯ she finally conceded.

    Didn¡¯t see that coming huh? Empress of the city of light! I had some brains after all.

    Here¡¯s the gist of the situation. I had a walking dead before me. I had left my sword in the forest earlier. Raiya picked me up but forgot to pick up my weapon. I wore studded leather armor, but it wouldn¡¯t protect me against a thrust attack. I had to first disarm the walking corpse then chop his legs off, assuming his friend doesn¡¯t awaken in the meantime. Knowing my rotten luck ¨C yeah I started believing in luck, slightly now ¨C the other would soon awaken.

    Zoey tugged at my arm. ¡°What do we do?¡± she asked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t do anything,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll get rid of him. Then we run. Don¡¯t fall behind, you hear?¡±

    ¡°Join us¡­¡± the walking corpse said. If that was the only thing he could say, I¡¯d consider myself lucky today. Repeating the same words over and over again only meant he couldn¡¯t think properly.

    ¡®Lord Qil¡¯Al,¡¯ Dif¡¯s words echoed in my mind. ¡®Controls death.¡¯

    At least the old man gave me a heads up. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d run into the champion so fast. But at least I knew what I was dealing with, to some extent that is. Seeing the corpse rise meant I was dealing with a nercromancer. How strong was he? I didn¡¯t know. But I was sure I¡¯d soon find out.

    The walking dead was getting closer. His movement was clunky and slow. I took a deep breath and charged. There was no point in waiting anymore. The enemy I was facing wouldn¡¯t feel pain. It was either cut his legs off or behead him. I decided to do both.

    He swung at me. I thought I had things under control but realized that with one eye, I couldn¡¯t easily foresee the attack in the darkness. I felt the weight of the sabre against my abdomen. Thank the gods for studded armor.

    The swing wasn¡¯t strong enough to cut through the first layer of leather. And the leather was sturdy enough to reduce the damage I took. I winced but endured. It was nothing compared to Sam¡¯s kicks and punches anyway. I held the saber from its handle and shoulder bashed the undead. He stumbled backwards, unarmed.

    I swung as hard as I could. The blade, to my dismay, got stuck in the man¡¯s neck.

    Shit! Not sharp enough!

    I put a leg on the man¡¯s chest and wrenched the scimitar away. I swung again, and again, and again. Four swings! It took four of them to cut a man¡¯s head off. Imagine how painful that could¡¯ve been if he were alive. I didn¡¯t bother cutting his legs down. I just broke his knees. I was pressed for time, and for a good reason.

    As soon as the first corpse was dealt with, the second rose. I kicked him and swept him off his feet, then proceeded with the beheading. By the time I was done, I was out of breath. That scimitar was more trouble that it was worth. But it was the only weapon I had so far. I took it, pulled Zoey by her hand and into the only tunnel that led away but not back to where we came from.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Aaaarrghhhh¡­¡± I faint voice reached us from behind as we were about to enter the tunnel. I looked back and saw, to my horror, the corpses crawling toward us. Their heads were probably the ones moaning.

    ¡°We gotta get the hell out of here!¡± Zoey screamed.

    I winced. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get used to her high pitched, panicked screeches.

    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re doing,¡± I said, ¡°in case you haven¡¯t noticed.¡±

    We ran through yet another dark tunnel that led us toward darkness and the unknown. My senses were on high alert. I hoped nothing would jump at us out of the blue. I didn¡¯t have the means necessary to deal with it. I started cursing the day I lost my eye.

    ¡®What was that about assimilating me?¡¯ Eva asked as I led the Sister through darkness.

    ¡®Can we talk about it another time?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®You found it convenient to joke around earlier while in danger,¡¯ she retorted. ¡®Why shouldn¡¯t I do the same?¡¯

    ¡®This is different,¡¯ I protested. ¡®I was thinking of a plan of attack. Now I need to focus, or get ambushed and die here.¡¯

    ¡®I have a space in which you can speak to me too, you know,¡¯ Eva said.

    ¡®I¡¯ll be sure to use it once we¡¯re in the clear,¡¯ I replied.

    ¡®Promise?¡¯

    ¡®Promise, now will your highness please shut it so I¡¯d concentrate?¡¯

    ¡®Pff¡­¡¯ was her answer. But she at least let me focus all my energy on not being ambushed.

    As we walked, I heard noises here and there. I asked Zoey about it, but she didn¡¯t seem to have noticed them. Perhaps she was too afraid to concentrate on anything. We walked, not too slow, but not too fast either. I didn¡¯t want to stumble upon a swarm of moaning undead. I pricked my ears and urged my eye to see more than it could. My nose was at work too. If there were other undead, perhaps older, I¡¯d smell them a mile away.

    The unexpected happened. It always happened to me in this fashion. I¡¯d concluded that later on. Something good will happen, immediately followed by something equally bad, or the other way around. It wasn¡¯t really consistent with the order of things, whatever ¡°it¡± was¡­

    I started to feel some kind of presence around me. That was by the time we¡¯d reached another crossroad. We had only two choices this time: either go right or left. I felt two slow creatures creeping up behind us. They were as slow as snails. The second presence, or presences, I felt was at the tunnel to the right. There were too many for me to count. But I felt an ominous aura emanating from them.

    ¡°Left,¡± I told Zoey and pulled her toward the safe tunnel.

    I couldn¡¯t sense anything to my left. Which was good, right?

    Wrong!

    This is where it gets ugly. The tunnel was a dead end. My new adventure started with a desperate fight for survival. Can I catch a break?

    ¡°They¡¯re trapped!¡± A voice echoed through the tunnels. ¡°Get them! Make them join us!¡±

    Definitely not¡­

    ¡°Myles?¡± Zoey¡¯s voice made me wince again. ¡°Why do I get the feeling that I¡¯m always doomed in your company?¡±

    Sigh¡­

    ¡°Stay behind me,¡± I told her. ¡°I¡¯ll create an opening. As soon as I do, you run like hell, do you hear?¡±

    She nodded. Thank you Zoey for the guilt trip. That was the last thing I needed.

    I¡¯m not the kind of guy who¡¯d protect the lady when in need. Nah, that sort of things exist in books where heroes have a resolve of steel. I was as selfish and bad as they come. That¡¯s probably why I fell into Raiya¡¯s manipulative hands. I may have deserved it. But the innocent and weak Zoey didn¡¯t.

    I was feeling pretty chivalrous that day, mainly because of the defeat I suffered at Sam¡¯s hands¡­ and feet. You start questioning your motives when you suffer an overwhelming defeat. I also felt I had to give her an opportunity to run.

    I¡¯d convinced her to run away with me from the Crucible after all. I¡¯d manipulated her as much as Raiya and Agatha had. I led the Sister through the tunnel and back to the crossroad. By then, not only could I feel the dead walking toward us, I could smell them.

    ¡®You can sense them now?¡¯ Eva asked.

    ¡®It somehow just happened,¡¯ I answered.

    ¡®That could be useful,¡¯ she said.

    ¡®Care to elaborate?¡¯

    ¡®You don¡¯t feel their presence and aura,¡¯ she explained. ¡®You feel the one belonging to the necromancer. They¡¯re dead, they can¡¯t have an aura. Find the link between them and the necromancer and cut it. That should slow them down considerably.¡¯

    ¡®Won¡¯t it kill them permanently?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®No, he¡¯s got tools to create links with the dead. It takes time to get the links working. So cutting them will at least buy you some time.¡¯

    ¡®Got it,¡¯ I said. ¡®And thanks!¡¯

    ¡®When did you become such a gentleman?¡¯ Eva asked, amused.

    ¡®No time to talk now,¡¯ I said. I must admit I felt quite irritated by her remark. ¡®Gotta save our asses now.¡¯

    I ran into the tunnel, Zoey close behind me. I knew where I had to go. Those dead men were slow. I had hoped I would get them before they reached the tunnel¡¯s exit or, in their case, entrance.

    The tunnel was long, and the anticipation was killing me. Zoey was panting behind me. But I urged her to keep going. We had to get there before the tunnel was sealed. I¡¯d fight better if I had an open area to maneuver around. I¡¯d reached the mouth of the tunnel just in time.

    I had to cover my eye as soon as I stepped into the unknown. The place that welcomed us was pretty spacious actually. There were some holes above ground that let some of the setting sunlight in. The undead seemed to avoid it. I could finally see them clearly.

    My happiness was cut short however. As my eyes got adjusted to the new lighting, I saw that I was facing at least fifty undead. All armed and slowly marching toward us. Beyond them was a large brass door.

    ¡°Zoey,¡± I turned to the Sister. ¡°I¡¯ll keep them busy, you run to the light. They don¡¯t like it. Stay there until I¡¯m done fighting. Or run to the door and hope it opens. Anyway, if I die, you¡¯re on your own.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said.

    What was that for?

 91 - To Kill an Undead

    The undead don¡¯t like light.

    It was a na?ve conclusion I¡¯d made by seeing them avoid the sunlight that slithered through the holes above us. In truth, most undead I was facing feared the light. But those were the weakest kind.

    I had to deal with about fifty of them while Zoey stood behind me watching and hoping I¡¯d come out on top. The plan was to send her to the area where sunlight concentration was the strongest.

    So much for wishful thinking! I had a dull scimitar on one hand, and about fifty undead to deal with. They were slow. At least that was a good sign. I took my time observing them though. Rushing in without a plan meant death.

    ¡®Just concentrate as you¡¯ve done earlier,¡¯ Eva told me. ¡®You¡¯ll be able to sense the link to their master.¡¯

    ¡®I can feel it alright,¡¯ I said. ¡®But it¡¯s not just one link. It¡¯s some kind of web that runs through their limbs.¡¯

    ¡®Can you feel a concentration of energy that holds the webs together?¡¯ she asked. ¡®Some kind of core, or the center of the web if you like.¡¯

    ¡®It changes from one undead to the other,¡¯ I said.

    ¡®He¡¯s good!¡¯ Eva said. I swore she was praising our enemy. I could somehow feel her emotions¨C she didn¡¯t speak to me in words you see. I¡¯m just translating the gist of our connected thoughts.

    I was getting used to the smell of rotten flesh by then. The walking corpses that targeted me weren¡¯t fresh, unlike the ones I encountered before. Some had pretty solid armor though. Their swords glistened against the sunlight as they walked toward me.

    ¡°Myles,¡± Zoey shrieked behind me. ¡°They¡¯re getting closer!¡±

    ¡°Just¡­ Stay calm, would you?¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of a plan of attack!¡±

    ¡°Your plan won¡¯t work if they surround us,¡± she said.

    She had a point, as much as I hated to admit it.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said. ¡°The ones to our right seem weak enough. They¡¯re not wearing any armor and they seem more decayed than the others. I¡¯ll create a path for you and you run for the light near that brass door. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Zoey answered. ¡°Would you hurry it up then?¡±

    Oh the tirade of insults I¡¯d kept to myself! As soon as we¡¯re out of here, she¡¯s on her own! I had decided.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fall behind,¡± I said then rushed to our right.

    There was no need to slash and cut at that point, I needed to get to the light as well. If only I could use the stop spell then. That would¡¯ve made things a bit easier. Zoey was at my heels. I shoulder bashed, kicked, and pushed the slow walking corpses away. Zoey followed, shrieking every time one of them tried to grab her.

    ¡°Come on,¡± I yelled at her, ¡°don¡¯t fall back or you¡¯ll never reach the light!¡±

    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m doing?!¡± she shrieked.

    Even the undead stopped upon hearing her high pitched voice. Perhaps it was an illusion after all, since they kept on extending their withered arms toward us, but I liked to believe it was true. Her voice was annoying. It overshadowed every other quality she might have had.

    We struggled for an eternity, me being the bodyguard, Zoey the escort. But we finally reached the light. And the undead didn¡¯t follow.

    ¡®They¡¯re already rotten,¡¯ Eva told me. ¡®They don¡¯t want the sun to make it worse for them. You¡¯re lucky Stalwart.¡¯

    ¡®Lucky would mean finding the door behind us unlocked,¡¯ I said.

    ¡®That¡¯s wishful thinking,¡¯ Eva retorted. ¡®Wishful thinking can only get you killed. We need to deal with them before more join the party.¡¯

    ¡®Any suggestions then?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®Use the pointy end of your saber,¡¯ she said. ¡®Poke them and break the links. That¡¯d slow them down more.¡¯Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    I didn¡¯t have any better ideas, so I followed the advice.

    ¡°Stay here!¡± I told Zoey before leaving the safety of sunlight. ¡°Once they follow me, run to that door. See if it¡¯s open.¡±

    She nodded.

    I ran outside the ring of light and among the army of undead. The first one to come at me was an old man. His white beard was still attached to his half eaten face. I stabbed him in the stomach. I felt the link inside him weaken, but the old man was still moving, gesticulating with his outstretched arms. I put my leg against his chest and wrenched the sabre away then brought it again on his skull.

    The old man fell to the ground and crawled toward my legs. I wrenched the sword away once more, but only half of it came out. I looked at the broken sabre, dejected, and threw it aside.

    ¡®This won¡¯t work!¡¯ I said. Panic started rising within me. Others were joining the party. If I¡¯m surrounded, I¡¯ll surely join them.

    ¡®Hey, you¡¯ve recovered some of your own energy,¡¯ Eva said.

    ¡®Yeah, so what? I don¡¯t know any spells.¡¯

    ¡®You don¡¯t need spells against these beasts,¡¯ she said. ¡®Get away from the swarm now. I¡¯ll explain what you can do then.¡¯

    I obeyed. I shot a quick glance at Zoey, who was hugging herself and looking around frantically. I ran toward the tunnel from whence we came. I had put a good distance between me and the slow marching swarm. They¡¯d diverted their attention from Zoey. They couldn¡¯t reach her yet, so they all turned toward me.

    I was closer to the armored ones by then. But if Eva had a plan that could help me defeat these walking chunks of meat, I was willing to take my chances.

    ¡®If you can sense them,¡¯ Eva said, ¡®that means you can sense your energy coursing through your Conduits.¡¯

    I looked at my hands, arms and legs. ¡®Yeah, I can feel them.¡¯ There was a web of interconnected bright lights. It looked as though my veins shone brightly. But these weren¡¯t my veins. They were the Conduits through which Essence flowed.

    ¡®Try concentrating the energy on one hand;¡¯ she said.

    ¡®How will I do that?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®Gods!¡¯ Eva swore. ¡®Are you sure you¡¯re a Stalwart?¡¯

    ¡®What does that have to do with anything?¡¯

    ¡®Just concentrate on bringing the energy to one spot, like you did when the Fragment almost destroyed you.¡¯

    ¡®Alright;¡¯ I said. I took a deep breath and concentrated. I felt the energy running through my body then tried to redirect it to my right hand. It took some retries, but I¡¯d managed it after three attempts.

    ¡®Impressive,¡¯ Eva said. ¡®You didn¡¯t steal this Fragment of mine by sheer dumb luck after all.¡¯

    I¡¯d claim the opposite, but she was praising me, who am I to argue?

    ¡®Now, with that concentration of energy on one hand, try hitting one of those undead. It doesn¡¯t matter where you land the hit. Their links aren¡¯t that strong after all.¡¯

    ¡®Got it,¡¯ I said.

    I had about two dozen armored undead coming my way. They were slow. In retrospect, I could only attribute this to luck now. There are fast undead, clever ones too. These ones were as dumb as a novice like me could hope for.

    I ran for the first one and punched him in the face. His head bulged then expanded to dangerous proportions. Then, in an explosion of blood and sinew, the corpse fell to the ground, inanimate.

    ¡°KILL HIM!¡± the voice that spoke earlier said.

    ¡®You¡¯ve overdone it a bit,¡¯ Eva commented. ¡®You¡¯re wasting too much energy in one punch. We just want to severe the link, not fill the place with foul smelling sinew.¡¯

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with that?¡¯ I asked. I landed another punch and another skull exploded.

    ¡®You¡¯ll drain all your energy before you take them all out, that¡¯s what¡¯s wrong,¡¯ Eva explained.

    She was right. I¡¯d already started feeling the energy depletion. It was worse than running for two miles straight, at full speed. I wouldn¡¯t be able to keep this up. But I didn¡¯t know how to control the Essence flow yet.

    ¡®This is what I call experiential learning,¡¯ Eva said as I landed another heavy punch.

    My fist landed on iron armor. The armor cracked and the undead grinned before his insides blew up.

    ¡°Thought you¡¯d get away with this, did ya?¡± I sneered.

    ¡®You¡¯re tense,¡¯ Eva said. ¡®Magic can only be used properly when relaxed and in control.¡¯

    ¡®Are we really in control?¡¯ I asked. I kicked another undead and sent him stumbling back. I hadn¡¯t concentrated my energy so nothing happened though.

    ¡®You have to believe it, or your Essence will get out of control. You don¡¯t want that to happen. Watch out, some have swords.¡¯

    I turned to see two undead brandishing their swords in the air. I punched the nearest undead and waited for the swordsmen to arrive. The first one swung at my ribs. I jumped back and was caught by two undead that were waiting for this kind of opportunity.

    Their grip was surprisingly firm. I struggled to break free but their feet were firmly planted on the ground, no matter how many times I tried shaking them off. The two swordsmen were getting closer. The others closed the circle and I was completely surrounded.

    I concentrated my energy on both legs and stomped the two holding me. Their legs broke and I was free just in time to duck. The sword missed me by inches then effortlessly slid through a corpse¡¯s armor. The latter exploded and I heard a roar of rage echoing through the cave.

    The necromancer wasn¡¯t happy I suppose.

    ¡®These ones are stronger than the rest,¡¯ Eva said. She was speaking about the swordsmen.

    ¡®How did he do that?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®You can channel essence through objects you hold,¡¯ Eva explained. ¡®This necromancer¡¯s good,¡¯ she went on, ¡®really good. We can¡¯t linger here Stalwart!¡¯

    ¡®No shit!¡¯

    ¡®Disarm them,¡¯ she said. ¡®I¡¯ll provide some help. It might hurt you since our energies haven¡¯t completely merged together. But it¡¯ll keep us alive.¡¯

    ¡®Alright then,¡¯ I said. ¡®As long as the other Fragment¡¯s sealed, we can do this.¡¯

    I instantly felt Eva¡¯s energy seep through my Conduits. We would have collided if I didn¡¯t retract my own from her way.

    ¡®Reinforce my arms,¡¯ I said. ¡®I¡¯ll leave those Conduits empty for you. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡¯

    ¡®Sure you can do it Stalwart?¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯ll only know if we try.¡¯

 92 - Beautiful Teamwork

    The way I saw things at that moment was that either I get rid of all the undead or die trying. Firstly, I really didn¡¯t want to die. Secondly, I didn¡¯t want to join their ranks. I didn¡¯t see myself as a puppet to be used by some necromancer who chose to hide in the dark. I wouldn¡¯t accept it.

    ¡®Don¡¯t attack yet,¡¯ Eva urged me. ¡®I¡¯m still adjusting my Essence within your arms.¡¯

    ¡®How long?¡¯ I asked as I dodged another swing from the swordsmen. I was running out of space to evade their attacks. With all the outstretched hands around me, I had but a few paces to dance around the sword swings.

    ¡®Give me a minute,¡¯ she said.

    I dodged another swing. I tried to disarm the swordsman but Eva stopped me before I did so. ¡®You can¡¯t use your hands without sending some Essence through them. Don¡¯t interrupt what I¡¯m preparing!¡¯

    ¡®Is that minute over?¡¯ I asked. It¡¯s funny how one minute seems to stretch into eternity when you¡¯re waiting for something crucial to happen.

    ¡®Just¡­ focus on evading their attacks,¡¯ Eva said. ¡®You have two legs, don¡¯t you?¡¯

    I was no Angon martial artist either! I wouldn¡¯t be able to land deadly kicks like they did, with their crazy agility and speed of execution.

    But now wasn¡¯t the time to argue. I had to make do with what I had. I saw something flash before my eyes. I had just escaped death and I didn¡¯t even know how I¡¯d achieved it. Damn these undead. I had no more room to move around in. Then an idea came to mind.

    I focused the energy on my calves and hamstrings then jumped. If I could use it to kick, why not do the same to jump?

    It was a great idea. But the execution was fairly poor. I¡¯d put too much Essence on my legs and so, I soared higher than I¡¯d anticipated. It all happened in slow motion. I was in the air. Some fifty heads were following my flight with their mouths open. They made for a ghastly display.

    I realized I was beginning to fall. There was no escaping gravity. I was about six feet on top of them. The landing wouldn¡¯t be pretty. So I chose the easiest way for damage control. I landed on the pile of undead that awaited me below. I¡¯d reinforced my legs to reduce the impact and the result was amazing.

    I crushed an undead skull then slowly rose to meet the rest. They started moaning and turned to surround me once more. But Eva had signaled that she was ready. My counterattack ¨C sorry, our counterattack ¨C was about to begin.

    ¡®Open your thoughts to me,¡¯ Eva said. ¡®We¡¯re almost one. I¡¯ll be able to predict what you want to do and apply it on the field.¡¯

    Many counter arguments came to mind. I didn¡¯t have time to argue though. I just did as I was told. Four undead surrounded me. I picked the closest and thought of punching him hard in the face. My right arm moved. My fist was already closed and heading for the undead. It was an unnerving experience to say the least. I could control every part of my body except for my arms.

    They moved as I wanted them to. But it wasn¡¯t me doing the moving.

    ¡®You¡¯re moving them, dumbass!¡¯ Eva said. ¡®Yes, I can read your thoughts because you¡¯ve opened them to me. And I can move your arms as though you¡¯re the one doing so. Stop spacing out and focus on attacking.¡¯

    I obeyed. I held the closest undead by the hair, pulled him toward me and introduced him to my right fist. The latter fell to his knees. I kicked him and sent him rolling toward his brethren. He didn¡¯t move anymore.

    ¡®I can apply enough Essence to incapacitate them,¡¯ Eva said. ¡®We¡¯ll be able to come out on top if you move efficiently. We don¡¯t need to blow their body parts up to know they won¡¯t rise again.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll let you think of the energy we spend then,¡¯ I said. ¡®Leave the fighting to me.¡¯

    ¡®Agreed.¡¯

    I turned to the undead behind me. By then a plan started to form. I could defeat them all without moving much or worrying about getting surrounded. I started the execution right away. I pulled the next undead from the crowd and landed a heavy punch in his abdomen. This one didn¡¯t wear any armor. The punch easily incapacitated him.

    I went for the next and landed another punch in the head. I was aiming for the area with most concentration of energy. The necromancer had made different links to every puppet he controlled. It was an ingenious way for confusing the enemy. If you behead them and it works for you once, there¡¯s no guarantee that it would work again. But I could feel their weak points and I aimed for that.

    I had defeated about ten of them. I selected the ones that would allow me to cut in line actually. I¡¯d pick the first in front, punch him then throw him at his friends to the side. It slowed them down and allowed me to move forward. I had to get out of that circle of death.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    No matter how much they grabbed me or attempted to slow me down, I fought back. Eva and I made a great team. She knew exactly what I wished to do next and executed it nicely. I almost got ambushed by a crawling corpse, and another who tried to pull me to his side. While I stomped at the corpse below, Eva had beautifully wrestled out of the second and pulled him toward me instead. My elbow landed in his groin then I sent him flying toward his friends.

    By the time I got outside the ring of death, I¡¯d disposed of fifteen undead, give or take. I wasn¡¯t keeping count, but I¡¯d thinned the herd a bit. Now it was time to execute my new plan.

    They were all haphazardly heading toward me. I couldn¡¯t allow them to surround me anymore. So I went for a preemptive strike. I moved left and right, and disposed of the ones in the front. Thanks to the previous miscalculated jump, I¡¯d left the armored undead in the rear.

    I created a line of corpses that either slowed the others down, or urged them to move to the side, toward the opening I¡¯d purposefully left. My plan was simple, lead the armored undead into a single file. No two swordsmen should attack me at once, not while I didn¡¯t have a weapon of my own to repel their attacks.

    ¡°I see what you¡¯re doing,¡± a voice, the necromancer¡¯s no doubt, echoed in the cave. ¡°I won¡¯t let you do as you please, not when I¡¯m close to reaching my goal!¡±

    What is he going to do, come down here himself? I mentally mocked. But the necromancer had a different idea all together. All the decaying corpses suddenly fell to the floor. Only five swordsmen, with their armor in good condition, remained.

    ¡°Finish him!¡± he ordered. And the five swordsmen ran at me.

    They actually ran! Armor clanking and swords in the air, they scattered around me then circled me in a fighting stance I couldn¡¯t recognize. Their swords were pointing at me, as though they were preparing to skewer me. Their feet spread, in line with their shoulders. They slid toward me, slowly, carefully.

    ¡®We¡¯re so fucked!¡¯ Eva exclaimed. ¡®Look at their eyes!¡¯

    They shone a fiery blue light. When I tried to sense the concentration of energy, I found out that it had doubled, maybe even tripled.

    ¡®The bastard¡¯s gone and concentrated all the other energies into these five capable fighters,¡¯ I told Eva.

    ¡®What do we do?¡¯ she asked.

    ¡®Studded armor won¡¯t hold against thrusts,¡¯ I said. ¡®Is he the one controlling them?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®Is it important?¡¯

    ¡®Very,¡¯ I answered. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen that stance before. If these are soldiers, fighting with their own memories, then you can assume the worst. They know their discipline more than I do. And they¡¯d generally have a way to counter my every move.

    ¡®But if it¡¯s him, there¡¯s a chance he knows nothing about sword fighting. So I might still snatch a weapon from them and fight back.¡¯

    ¡®Memory is stored in the soul,¡¯ Eva said. ¡®They¡¯re brainless, soulless soldiers. At least humans are. There are other sentient creatures that qualify as undead. If he could control them, I guess we¡¯d be already dead.¡¯

    ¡®Then it¡¯s settled. Make sure you do everything I think about.¡¯

    ¡®What will you do?¡¯ Eva asked.

    ¡®Improvise!¡¯

    ¡®What?!¡¯

    ¡®Just do what say,¡¯ I said. ¡®Now¡¯s not the time to strategize.¡¯

    ¡®Make sure ¨C¡®

    ¡®We¡¯ll live, Eva. Don¡¯t underestimate my fighting skills.¡¯

    One of the five soldiers had a cracked breastplate. I decided to go for that one. He was the weakest link and gods know I could use a break.

    ¡®Make sure you provide more energy into the next punch,¡¯ I told her highness before I reached the first undead.

    The others noticed I moved and ran to intercept me. I was faster though, and I had years of fighting experience to back me up. I reached the weakest link who tried to stab me with his rusted sword. Thrusts are easily countered if you expect them though. The necromancer didn¡¯t know that. He was about to learn a thing or two about actual sword fighting.

    I stepped to the right the moment the undead moved his shoulders to thrust. It was a simple disarming technique really. All I had to do was move to the side as the sword passed by me. My palm hit the lower jaw of the undead, destabilizing him. He didn¡¯t die though. These one were though.

    I managed to snatch the sword away in the process then landed a punch at his left temple. That did the job.

    ¡®Eva, we can¡¯t afford to waste time on two hits,¡¯ I said then turned to face the others. Two came from my right, one on the left, and another took his time to go around me. The necromancer was determined to see me fall.

    ¡°You¡¯re a strong one,¡± his voice echoed in the cave again. ¡°I need to have you! You¡¯ll do nicely. Yeeees, you¡¯re the one I¡¯ve been looking for.¡±

    ¡®You have four punches before I run out of Essence,¡¯ Eva said.

    ¡®That¡¯s all I need,¡¯ I retorted and turned to face the one creeping up behind me.

    I wasn¡¯t a sword master, but years in the battlefield teaches you to be efficient. My muscles actually remembered all the work. I only had to observe and let my arms and legs guide me through the process.

    The one behind me was the easiest target. Why? Because the necromancer always won on account of surrounding and backstabbing his enemies. I understood that much from observing how he led his army of undead around. He¡¯d focus on that one and give little to no attention to the others, which slowed them down a bit.

    He tried to stab me and I countered it with the rusty sword I¡¯d snatched. Then a heavy punch to the chest and his armor broke. I thrust my weapon deep inside, targeting the core of the threads that controlled the corpse. He fell down then I turned to face the remaining three.

    All in all, this encounter was easier than I¡¯d anticipated. I got rid of them all before Eva ran out of energy. I felt her Essence retract and move to the Fragment which was near my left kidney.

    ¡°Now that you don¡¯t have any more external source of energy,¡± the necromancer spoke again. ¡°It¡¯s time to finish this!¡±

    Wait, what?

    ¡°Rise, my beautiful Ofelia!¡±

    A flash of green behind Zoey then I saw an apparition, perhaps a ghost, materialize. She was definitely a corpse. Her clothes were but tatters. Her lower jaw didn¡¯t exist. It was the way she died I guessed. Somebody must¡¯ve chopped it out for her. She had a bright green shimmer about her, giving her an ethereal look.

    Then she screamed. I was blown away and landed heavily on my back. Now Zoey¡¯s shrieks didn¡¯t seem so bad.

    ¡®Banshee!¡¯ Eva¡¯s faint voice told me.

 93 - Ghosts of the Past

    The banshee didn¡¯t give me time to grasp the situation I was in. She flew toward me and screamed once more. I jumped to the side just in time to avoid her deadly sound wave. I heard a rock behind me shatter as a result. My ears were ringing and my sight was growing dim. Things had just turned real ugly, real fast.

    I tried to sense the link this undead shared with her master. There was link, buried deep underneath the creature¡¯s own Essence. I was dealing with a stronger opponent, and had no way of fighting back, save for the rusty sword I snatched from one of the puppets earlier.

    The banshee dived at me once more, screaming her lungs out. I rolled to the side but the sound wave caught me and propelled me backwards. My back hit something and I felt the air forcefully leave my lungs. I fell down, panting. My head started throbbing. I already started feeling the exhaustion from the previous fight against the horde. I wouldn¡¯t last long against this one.

    Zoey had fallen unconscious in the circle of light. The banshee hadn¡¯t bothered with her.

    ¡®Those undead will come back you know,¡¯ Eva¡¯s faint voice told me.

    ¡®I can¡¯t even deal with this one,¡¯ I replied. ¡®Do you know how we can repel a banshee by any chance?¡¯

    Silence.

    ¡®Oy, Eva! Don¡¯t disappear on me like this!¡¯

    Nothing but a faint sigh reached my consciousness.

    The banshee had flown full circle and was charging me right now. I could tell she was going for another shriek that would knock all senses out of me. I was preparing to lunge to the side but the scream didn¡¯t come. Instead, the ghastly creature flew right at me and landed a heavy punch at my temple.

    I felt her foreign energy seep inside my brain. I heard her screams deep within me. Pain, suffering, and death surrounded me. I held my head and screamed. Then I fell to my knees and my eye closed.

    ¡°Hey,¡± a gentle voice called out to me. ¡°Wake up! It¡¯s not your time yet.¡±

    I opened my eye. I was in a dimly lit cave. A chandelier, crudely attached to the side of the cave, was the only source of light. I tried to move but the rattling of chains made me realize I was restrained. I was held against a wall, naked. My hands and feet were bound. I was beautifully crucified.

    To make matters worse, my head throbbed. I brought my tongue to my lips and realized they were cracked, dehydrated. How long was I asleep?

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake,¡± the necromancer¡¯s voice reached my ears. ¡°Your friend had escaped,¡± he said. ¡°You were sent by those nasty Children after all!¡±

    ¡°Friend?¡± I asked. My voice was so hoarse I didn¡¯t even recognize it.

    ¡°You¡¯ll soon talk,¡± the necromancer said. ¡°My sweet Ofelia brought you here alive for this purpose. What do the Children want with me?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the fuck you¡¯re talking about,¡± I said. ¡°Did mere children beat you?¡±

    ¡°Open the door,¡± the necromancer ordered some shadowy figure beside him. The metallic door creaked open. A short, stout man appeared under the candlelight. I was honestly taken aback by this. I expected the mighty necromancer to be a bit more intimidating.

    The man I had in front me was balding, his three day beard had a grayish tint to it, suggesting his age. He wore a long black robe that rustled and swept the floor as he moved.

    ¡°You¡¯ve caused quite the ruckus back there,¡± he told me. ¡°But you couldn¡¯t possibly fight my sweet Ofelia. Tell me what the Children want with me, and I¡¯ll grant you a painless death.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know any children,¡± I said.

    ¡°Marcus,¡± the necromancer called out to the shadowy figure that was still standing outside. ¡°Teach this brat a lesson about honesty.¡±

    The shadowy figure growled then advanced toward me with heavy steps. The candlelight had finally brought his tall figure to light. He was a big brawny corpse. He wore a pair of withered gray trousers. His chest was bare. I noticed some crude stitching work on his neck and chest. This corpse had seen better days.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    The puppet called Marcus grunted and walked in front of me. I knew what was coming, but I wasn¡¯t prepared for it anyway. My head hurt and any punch would send a jolt of pain to remind me to stay still. That was exactly what happened. I muffled my groans however. I wouldn¡¯t give this old creep the satisfaction of seeing me suffer.

    Another punch followed, then another, then another. Each one felt like a brick had been smashed against the back of my head. Eva had gone silent. The Fragment of time was locked and Dif decided to disappear on me once more. I was alone in this, dealing with a head splitting headache and hard punches from a poorly stitched corpse.

    ¡°Punches don¡¯t work on this one,¡± the necromancer said. ¡°Perhaps we should get a bit more¡­ creative.¡±

    The grin on the old man¡¯s face sent shivers down my spine. I wasn¡¯t ready for more suffering. I thought I had had my share of imprisonment and torture. What is it with old men and torturing the young anyway?

    ¡°Ofelia,¡± the old man called out.

    The banshee soon sprung up from beneath the ground. She looked at me with her hollow eyes. Her non-existent lower jaw creeped me out to tell you the truth. She was wearing a torn white dress, which had black spots everywhere. She flew toward me. Her cold, muddy hands touched my head. I heard her scream at first then I heard other people wail and cry. My head throbbed even more and the pain became unbearable. I screamed in turn. Then I felt myself losing consciousness.

    ¡°Let him mull this over.¡± I heard the necromancer say as he beckoned his gooneys to follow him. My eye closed and I was bathed in darkness once more.

    The smell of death surrounded me. People screamed, some cried, and some wailed. I saw a man engulfed in fire, running wildly around, trying to fight the flames that devoured him.

    ¡°You must remember,¡± I heard a gentle voice call out to me. ¡°You can¡¯t escape your past forever.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± I yelled. I looked around, left and right, up and down. There was no sign of the woman who¡¯d just spoken to me.

    ¡°Remember who you are Myles. It¡¯s the only way out of this!¡±

    I looked around me once more. There were too many dead people to count. The live ones mourned their dead. Their houses had burned and their life had changed, forever.

    ¡°Hey,¡± a man¡¯s voice this time called out to me. ¡°You alright?¡±

    I glanced at the person to my left. I had just realized that my left eye was back in place.

    Where am I was the question I wanted to ask, but I knew better. I was again dreaming of my past. This episode of my life filled me with dread. I didn¡¯t want to explore it, I could tell. That voice asked me to face the past. Perhaps she was right. There were obvious consequences to my previous actions and my past. I was paying for them now and didn¡¯t even understand why.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I answered the man who was still eyeing me with intrigue.

    ¡°The captain wants a word,¡± the man said. ¡°I suggest you go now. He doesn¡¯t like to be ignored, you know.¡±

    I nodded and headed for the tents outside the village. We were in a village by the way. My memory started coming back now. We¡¯d just raided it and repelled the Auruun forces. Our job was to hold this strategic place until reinforcements arrived.

    I knew what was waiting for the remaining people of this village. Those who died were actually blessed. The able men will tirelessly work for the captain. Young women will be passed on to lieutenants and their men. Children will either be made into soldiers or executed. The captain didn¡¯t like to have more mouths to feed.

    I was in a small alley when the sound of a girl screaming caught my attention.

    ¡°Please,¡± she said. She was obviously begging my men to leave her alone. Not a chance, I thought. They¡¯d been fighting for days. They were like rabid dogs now. Any woman would do.

    ¡°Shut yer trap,¡± a man answered. I heard him slap her and she moaned in answer. Oh she shouldn¡¯t have done that.

    ¡°Please, you don¡¯t have to do this!¡± she said.

    There was no point in begging actually. She should just accept the inevitable and get on with it. I was about to keep going for the captain¡¯s tent when I heard one of the men scream in agony.

    ¡°That bitch bit me!¡± he cried out. ¡°I¡¯ll show ya!¡± I heard another slap then a scream. This time it wasn¡¯t the girl¡¯s.

    ¡°You bitch!¡± one of the men yelled. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    I followed the sound of the girl struggling, and my men, two by the sound of it, teaching her some manners. Their voices led me to a small wooden house that hadn¡¯t been consumed by the flames. I got in.

    I saw a young girl, long black hair, dark skin and dark eyes. Her thighs were ample and to die for. One of my men had her pinned on a table while she struggled. The other lay on the ground, in a pool of blood. Upon closer inspection, I realized that his prick had been cut off.

    I looked at the girl and my man struggling against her. His right arm was bleeding. I looked at the girl and realized she was holding a hunting knife. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. I liked fighters.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± I asked.

    Both of them hadn¡¯t noticed me when I got in. They were both struggling to save their lives anyway. My man looked at me, his eyes filled with fear. Then the girl stabbed him in the neck. Blood spurted out of his mouth and he rigidly fell to the ground.

    The girl stood, knife in hand, looking at me with ferocious eyes. Her torn clothes revealed milky white breasts. Her face was smeared in blood. Her wet hair was sticking to her forehead. I couldn¡¯t help but admire her resolve.

    ¡°You want to fight me too?¡± I asked.

    She screamed then dashed toward me. I only stepped to the right and tripped her. She fell, face first, to the ground.

    ¡°The men you killed were useless,¡± I told her. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you, but my captain might want revenge for the men you killed. You either follow my advice, or die after every man in this camp has a go at you. What do you say?¡±

 94 - The Spy from Auruun

    I woke up due to my throbbing head. I was back in that cell, back in imprisonment. It¡¯s quite disconcerting to describe how regaining lost memories feels. That dream was the catalyst. I¡¯d finally managed to recall everything. The happy memories came rushing in first, then the sad and bad ones followed. I choose not to disclose anything to you at the moment though. What I was about to do is far more interesting than a sob story anyway.

    I pulled at the chains restraining me and started screaming. The chains rattled and the rusted cuffs restraining me dug deep into my flesh. I was bleeding, but what¡¯s a bit of pain to what I had in store for the lord of the undead? Oh how I wished I had this kind of resolve when that smith asserted his libido on me¡­

    I¡¯ve made enough noise to get Marcus¡¯s attention. He came waddling to my cell and groaned. He hit the metallic doors and they made even more noise. That was enough to get the necromancer¡¯s attention.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on in there?¡± I heard his voice booming all around us.

    There was a minute of silence after which the necromancer gave an approving hum. ¡°You¡¯re awake at last,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll be right over.¡±

    Soon enough, I saw the balding stout man make his way to my cell. The door creaked open again and he stood before me, smiling as though he¡¯d just won the freaking war.

    ¡°Ready to talk now?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why Qil¡¯Al would give you his power,¡± I said. ¡°No wonder you¡¯re just a candidate. Look at you, hiding behind puppets you forced into obeying you, pathetic!¡±

    That statement alone made fat creases form in the man¡¯s forehead. Coupled with the wrinkles on his balding head, it made for a funny scene. Especially that I was looking at him from above.

    ¡°Kill him!¡± he ordered his stitched up puppet.

    ¡°Here we go again,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re only sitting in the shadows, giving orders. That¡¯s why a bunch of children have made a fool out of you. Nobody fears a coward who hides in the shadows!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not children you moron!¡± the necromancer yelled. ¡°It¡¯s a title they¡¯d given to themselves. They¡¯re an old race, older than you and me, and all our ancestors combined!¡±

    Thank you for the information you lousy bastard!

    ¡°And why would you fight such an old race?¡± I asked. ¡°You clearly don¡¯t know how to organize your soldiers, let alone wage war against an old and organized race.¡±

    Marcus was in front of me by then, ready to snap my neck. The necromancer waved his hand, and the sack of meat stopped. I had him.

    ¡°Are you telling me that you don¡¯t know who they are?¡±

    ¡°I assume they live beyond that brass gate,¡± I said. ¡°I just happened to wander into these tunnels by mistake. Geez old man! You raised that man I killed from the dead. You must¡¯ve seen us coming from the wrong side.¡±

    The necromancer remained silent. Silence, I learned throughout the years, is a form of communication. The old man didn¡¯t have a full grasp over the undead he raised. Perhaps he needed to create some form of bond with them before he could see things through them.

    That must be why he¡¯d sacrificed many of his men to concentrate the energy on five of them earlier when we fought. He couldn¡¯t control all of them efficiently.

    Nevertheless, I had to be careful. I didn¡¯t know much about his powers. I had to learn more if I needed to get out of here alive.

    ¡°Why was your friend rescued by the Children then?¡± he asked.

    ¡°They like women?¡± I said. I forced a smile and my lips cracked. ¡°I don¡¯t know why they deemed her life worth saving. All I know is that they left me here to die. How important can I be to them?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the one asking questions here!¡± the old man barked.

    And you¡¯re doing a pretty poor job at that! I thought.

    ¡°Let¡¯s assume I work for them. These children know how to keep your army of undead at bay. They at least managed to keep the banshee away until they saved that woman who was with me. Why didn¡¯t they banish the banshee and come to my rescue? Better yet, why didn¡¯t they send a team of well-trained warriors, instead of a frightened woman and a one eyed warrior who can¡¯t see in the darkness?¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    The necromancer remained silent for a while, mulling over what I¡¯d just said.

    ¡°Then you know nothing of the Children?¡± he asked.

    This is where it got tricky. If I say no, then I¡¯m sentencing myself to death. If I say yes, the old man will soon realize my treachery and try to kill me. Either way, I was at the losing side. I needed time to adjust and speak to Eva. I also needed to regain my energy and drink some water, for Aella¡¯s sake!

    ¡°They haven¡¯t sent me to kill you,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve never met them before nor do I know what they look like. But I know a thing or two about strategies. I can draw them out in the tunnels. I guess you want to access their city, is that right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need your counsel,¡± the necromancer retorted. ¡°I need intel, and since you can¡¯t provide any, you¡¯re more useful to me dead than alive.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong!¡± I said. ¡°Qil¡¯Al doesn¡¯t bestow his gift to just one champion anymore. I assume you have a time limit to reach the city, am I right?¡±

    ¡°How does he know so much?¡± I heard the necromancer mumble under his breath. He turned to me, tried hard to look down on me then said. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°My friends call me Zedd,¡± I said. ¡°I was a spy working for king Auruun during the war against the Akari.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a spy from Auruun doing in Aslanor?¡±

    ¡°How about this?¡± I asked back. ¡°I will help you get into that city, and you¡¯ll help me get out of this country. I was spying on Stalwart, I take it you¡¯re familiar with that madman¡¯s reputation. A fight broke between Wizard and Church. I had to run.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what the commotion above ground was?¡± the necromancer asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°How did you get out?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I found some tunnels in the forest of Sayang. I took them and hoped for the best. Clearly, I hadn¡¯t hoped enough since I ran into you!¡±

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t take it out on me,¡± the necromancer said. He was now on the defensive. ¡°I guess a spy from Auruun can do the job though. You think you can open that door for me?¡±

    ¡°How about some water first?¡± I asked. ¡°And some food, perhaps some clothes too. I don¡¯t like leaving these hanging for too long.¡± I glanced at my nether region.

    ¡°You¡¯re an unusual character Zedd,¡± the necromancer said then chuckled. ¡°Get him down Marcus,¡± the man ordered. He gave me a warning look then, before the undead let me loose, he said. ¡°Don¡¯t try anything funny or Ofelia will take care of you.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t dare disturb Lord Qil¡¯Al¡¯s plans to save humanity,¡± I said in all seriousness. These people venerated the superpowers that granted them gifts. I had to respect that in order to blend in.

    Marcus undid the chains and the old man threw me a key to open the cuffs around my wrists.

    ¡°Name¡¯s Lemien,¡± he said.

    ¡°Lemien?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°And to think you¡¯ve acted all surprised when I said I was from Auruun. What¡¯s a Bolignois doing so far from home?¡±

    ¡°Boligne doesn¡¯t approve of necromancy,¡± I said.

    ¡°Yes, and Stalwart does,¡± I said, a hint of sarcasm to my voice.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this over a warm meal and some wine, shall we?¡± Lemien turned on his heels and strode outside the cell. I followed. Food and wine sound good. I was starving and my head wouldn¡¯t stop throbbing.

    We were in a spacious cave underground. Water streamed down at the bottom, I could tell by the sound, not by seeing it actually. We walked past many cells. The necromancer had established a lair somewhere inside the web of tunnels under the Sayang region. Some cells were actually well built, compared to the one I was kept in.

    ¡°What¡¯s the dungeon for?¡± I asked. I was still walking around naked, not that anybody minded. They were all dead, who would care if I let my manhood loose in here? Besides, Lemien was used to meddling with corpses. I was but another sack of meat to him.

    ¡°They were built by the Children of the Forest,¡± Lemien answered. ¡°After they retreated from the ground above, they built this place to hold the rebels. Some of them considered their retreat cowardice. They were imprisoned and tortured here. Now they lay here, unused and in ruin. These dungeons haven¡¯t been used for thousands of years.¡±

    I nodded and followed the man through intertwined tunnels. The darkness in the place wasn¡¯t so bad after you get used to it. We soon reached some stairs and started ascending.

    ¡°The Children¡¯s architecture was the main reason I visited these tunnels in the first place,¡± Lemien informed me. ¡°They managed to build cities underground. They even managed to set up an ecosystem that helped them thrive. Most people don¡¯t even know they still exist. But they¡¯re here, waiting for humanity¡¯s extinction.¡±

    ¡°Which is not too far off,¡± I said. ¡°Stalwart has the means to destroy the world now.¡±

    Lemien stopped right before we reached the door to his quarters.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Stalwart¡¯s going to summon the Eternal Moon,¡± I said. ¡°I guess your task seems more urgent now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± the man mumbled under his breath, scratching his gray beard as he did. ¡°Stalwart¡¯s a mighty wizard, if he gets the Holus, then we¡¯re all doomed.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope I get to my country before the start of the war,¡± I said.

    ¡°Why? What can your country do against him?¡± Lemien asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s something I can¡¯t tell you I¡¯m afraid,¡± I answered. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. If you help me get out of here, I¡¯ll be sure to mention your name to our king. The Church won¡¯t know about you either.¡±

    ¡°I heard your king doesn¡¯t fully trust the Church,¡± Lemien said. ¡°Very well, let¡¯s get you something to wear first. We¡¯ll speak about our partnership then.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, grinning from ear to ear.

    ¡®You can¡¯t kill him yet Myles,¡¯ Eva¡¯s voice reached me.

    ¡®As if,¡¯ I said. ¡®Why would I kill him?¡¯

    ¡®Isn¡¯t that what Dif told you?¡¯

    ¡®And I¡¯m supposed to follow a stranger¡¯s orders?¡¯

 95 - Resolutions

    We got inside Lemien¡¯s private quarters. The first thing that caught my eye though were the numerous skulls he¡¯d put around. I got the feeling I was walking into some kind of catacomb. Then there were the seats and tables made entirely out of bones.

    ¡°You had some time to kill here,¡± I said after a long whistle. ¡°Were all these your previous subordinates?¡±

    ¡°Believe it or not,¡± Lemien said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t behind this grim d¨¦cor. I may be able to control death, but I was a doctor once. I don¡¯t approve of using bones for furniture.¡±

    ¡°Yet you didn¡¯t change the place.¡±

    ¡°Why would I?¡± Lemien said. ¡°This place is a treasure trove. Don¡¯t touch anything by the way. Some things here can kill you.¡±

    I retracted the hand that was about to pick up a skull.

    ¡°So, who decorated this place?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The last warden of this prison,¡± Lemien answered, ¡°and the reason the Children closed this section off entirely.¡±

    ¡°Genocide?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite sharp,¡± Lemien said. He looked at me with approving eyes. ¡°I guess you¡¯re a spy after all.¡±

    I chuckled. I didn¡¯t blame him for doubting me. ¡°So where¡¯s my gear?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to stick to prisoner attire here,¡± Lemien said. ¡°Your gear is well kept by yours truly, but unless I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll follow my instructions to the letter, I¡¯m not willing to give it to you just yet. I hope you understand.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°There,¡± Lemien pointed to a trunk by the corner of the room. ¡°You¡¯ll find something that fits you there, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    I picked some navy blue trousers and a white tunic which didn¡¯t have many holes. I found some clean undergarments. I took it as today¡¯s second win. Being alive was the first, obviously. I¡¯ll spare you the details of sweating while wearing dirty undergarments.

    ¡°So,¡± Lemien addressed me after I¡¯d finished changing. ¡°How will you help me get into the city?¡±

    ¡°The clothes you¡¯ve given me fit the situation perfectly,¡± I said.

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll send some of your puppets after me while I run toward the door. It¡¯ll have to be believable, so Ofelia may have to play a role in this.¡±

    ¡°You mean to get inside without me?¡± I didn¡¯t like the look of his narrowed eyes.

    ¡°My job as a spy is infiltration. If you want to get inside the city and win, you¡¯ll have to know everything about the enemy. Do you know how many warriors they have? Do they have some defense mechanisms against intruders? Do they have any magic user who could be a threat to you?¡±

    Lemien remained silent.

    ¡°You¡¯re fighting a war, yet you don¡¯t know anything about strategies and troop organization,¡± I said. I let that sink in for a while. I needed him to feel as though I was indispensable.

    ¡°So you want me to let you in,¡± Lemien said. ¡°What guarantee do I have that you¡¯ll come back?¡±

    ¡°What guarantee do we have that this plan will work?¡± I asked back. Change the subject while you think of something clever to say Stalwart.

    ¡°They saved your friend earlier,¡± Lemien said. ¡°They will surely save you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think they¡¯ll suspect I¡¯m on your side? They¡¯re wary of you Lemien. They would¡¯ve attacked you if they weren¡¯t. We should always go in with the assumption that they¡¯re onto us.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°What do you suggest?¡±

    ¡°I have something of mine I¡¯ll be willing to trade for your banshee,¡± I said.

    ¡°You want me to give up Ofelia?¡± Lemien¡¯s voice had increased in volume.

    ¡°Just¡­ listen to me, will you? I¡¯m not suggesting you give her up for nothing.¡±

    ¡°What are you suggesting then?¡± Lemien asked.

    I had to phrase this delicately. I couldn¡¯t have him refuse me now.

    ¡°You¡¯re Lord Qil¡¯Al¡¯s candidate,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have your reasons for joining the Holi Wars, so does my country. What I learned from the encounter between Stalwart and the Church changed everything. How about I tell you who has the Fragment of Lord Minsec? Better yet, how about I deliver her to you?¡±

    ¡°Her?¡± Lemien asked. ¡°You mean?¡±

    I nodded, a large grin showed on my scarred face.

    ¡°What¡¯s in it for you?¡± Lemien asked. ¡°You were probably escorting her away from Stalwart when you found yourselves in this predicament.¡±

    ¡°I was stealing her from Stalwart,¡± I said. ¡°He probably doesn¡¯t care about her anymore. He¡¯s got what he needed for the summoning. I need to report to the king. The girl had just become immaterial, to tell you the truth.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still not sure about this Zedd,¡± Lemien said. ¡°How will you deal with the Children? They must have some way of getting the truth out of you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where you precious Ofelia comes,¡± I said. ¡°If I defeat her in front of their door, they will welcome me with open arms. They probably didn¡¯t save me because the banshee was out to get me anyway.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Lemien scratched his beard as he took the information in. ¡°They could banish her, but they never managed to defeat her. That would lower their defenses.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a great spy,¡± I told the necromancer. ¡°They¡¯ll let me in, and I¡¯ll find a way of sneaking Zoey out, along with intel on their defenses and the layout of their city.¡±

    Lemien still seemed undecided.

    ¡°You can control the dead, right?¡± I asked.

    He nodded.

    ¡°Then how about this,¡± I leaned forward, all business like. ¡°You teach me how to defeat that banshee of yours. In the meantime you make a small corpse that I can smuggle inside, a mouse would do. You¡¯ll have ears and eyes on the inside as well. You¡¯ll be sure of my intentions then. And,¡± I added before the necromancer could object, ¡°even if they still suspect me, you¡¯ll have your little creature to do the scouting for you.¡±

    ¡°That would take some time to prepare,¡± Lemien said.

    ¡°There are no rats around here?¡± I asked.

    ¡°There are, in abundance,¡± Lemien answered. ¡°But I need to prepare a link with the corpse that the Children won¡¯t sense.¡±

    ¡°I can sense Essence,¡± I told him. ¡°I learned a thing or two from my days serving the great Theolonius Stalwart. I may be able to test the links you create.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I could¡¯ve come up with a better pan,¡± Lemien admitted. ¡°Alright then, you have your dinner. I¡¯ll go prepare some test subjects.¡±

    I nodded.

    Lemien rang a bell and a woman in a maid outfit came to the room. She was carrying a silver tray on which different dishes were aligned, all dried meat and fruit though. But I didn¡¯t object, I was starving and I didn¡¯t have any other choice. I looked at the woman in front of me warily though. Her skin was ghastly white. I didn¡¯t like the groans she gave me either.

    ¡°I prepare the meals myself,¡± Lemien said. ¡°They only deliver the food.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said then dug right in.

    Lemien left the room to prepare his test subjects while I devoured the food heartily. Oh the sweet taste of sour wine running down my throat! I didn¡¯t think I would be this happy about gulping down sour wine and munching on dried meat. But I was, and my body thanked me for it. My head seemed to clear a bit as well.

    ¡®What are you playing at?¡¯ Eva¡¯s voice echoed inside of me.

    ¡®What does it look like?¡¯ I said. ¡®I could easily kill him, but what if he had a way to revive himself? I can¡¯t be sure unless I know everything about this doctor from Boligne.¡¯

    ¡®What happened to you while you slept?¡¯ Eva asked. ¡®You¡¯ve even closed many of your thoughts. I hardly recognize you.¡¯

    ¡®I remembered,¡¯ I told the empress as I munched on some dried meat and gulped it down with a large glass of wine. ¡®It¡¯s a topic for another day. Now we have two pressing matters to discuss.¡¯

    ¡®What?¡¯

    ¡®I want to participate in the Holi Wars. Perhaps Dif has gone silent, but I¡¯ll deliver this necromancer to him and get the power of the Fragment back.¡¯

    ¡®What about me?¡¯

    ¡®I wanted to suggest a fusion. Part of the empress is still in you. I don¡¯t know much about her or how she knew so much about Essence and its manipulation. It would help if I could. I¡¯ll leave your consciousness alone if I can help it. But I want your power.¡¯

    ¡®Why ask for permission?¡¯ Eva asked.

    ¡®Because I don¡¯t want to fight you for it,¡¯ I said. ¡®I don¡¯t want to waste my time on fighting useless battles for now. The enemy¡¯s Lemien, not you.¡¯

    ¡®Very well,¡¯ Eva said. ¡®Your argument¡¯s quite reasonable. What do you expect of me?¡¯

    ¡®Let me into your space,¡¯ I said. ¡®I¡¯ll learn from you, and perhaps find a way to leave your consciousness intact.¡¯

    ¡®You really don¡¯t want to assimilate the fragment of my soul?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯d rather not,¡¯ I answered. ¡®I¡¯m still struggling to rearrange all my memories. I don¡¯t want to add yours to the equation.¡¯

    ¡®When do we start then?¡¯ Eva asked.

    ¡®You agree then?¡¯

    ¡®As long as you keep your promise,¡¯ she answered. ¡®I may be but a fragment of my former self, but I¡¯ll fight back if provoked.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll be gentle,¡¯ I assured her. ¡®We start after I fill my stomach.¡¯

    ¡®Very well.¡¯

    What Eva, and Lemien for that matter, didn¡¯t know was that I had a library in my mind too. Remember all the things Dif poured into my poor brain? I was ready to use it all to achieve my own goals. I wouldn¡¯t hurt the fragment, but if worse comes to worst, I had to make sure I was ready to fight back.

 96 - Synergy

    ¡°Is there any room I can use for some quiet meditation?¡± I asked Lemien.

    I had finished eating when Lemien strode into the room. He informed me that he¡¯d need at least a day to have different test subjects ready for our infiltration. I was going to use my free time to communicate with Eva and try to assimilate her Fragment. I needed the extra Essence it would provide.

    ¡°I have a guest room upstairs,¡± Lemien answered. ¡°But before you go, I have some questions I need you to answer for me.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s about my mission for Auruun,¡± I said but was immediately interrupted by a wave of Lemien¡¯s hand.

    ¡°No, I prefer to stay out of it,¡± he said with an amiable smile. ¡°When you fought against my men earlier, you had an external source of energy. I can sense it in you now too. Do you have a soul Fragment too?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered unblinkingly. I was prepared for this. If I could sense the Fragment inside of him, why wouldn¡¯t he?

    ¡°Where did you get it?¡± he asked. I could sense he still didn¡¯t trust me enough.

    ¡°Stalwart,¡± I answered. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, care to have a seat? I¡¯ll try to be brief about it.¡±

    Lemien obliged. I had to put his doubts to rest. Luckily, I had my lie ready.

    ¡°Do you know how many spies Auruun sends to Aslanor every year?¡±

    Lemien shook his head.

    ¡°Twenty to fifty,¡± I answered for him. ¡°Do you know how many come back?¡±

    ¡°None?!¡± he tentatively said.

    ¡°Right,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s because of the mad wizard. There¡¯s no escaping him. No matter how you cover your tracks and hide your most terrible secrets, he¡¯s bound to find them.¡±

    ¡°Then how did you escape him?¡± Lemien asked.

    ¡°I told him the truth,¡± I said. ¡°Sending spies to Aslanor had become a death sentence to most spies in the Auruun Kingdom. The king would send a spy who failed some mission or another to spy on the mad wizard. If they succeed, then glory will await them. If Stalwart unmasks them, then they were just a pawn to be sacrificed.¡±

    ¡°So you told Stalwart you were a spy?¡± Lemien asked.

    ¡°I even told him the king wanted to steal the offering he meant to use for the summoning,¡± I said.

    ¡°What did he do then?¡±

    ¡°He put a vengeful spirit inside of me, left me to fight for my life. Either the spirit possesses me and I die, or I fight it off and I gain something in return.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Lemien¡¯s eyes got wider. ¡°You survived a possession?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Wasn¡¯t difficult really,¡± I said, trying my best to sound cool and composed. ¡°You just have to keep your head strong.¡±

    ¡®Pfffft!¡¯ I heard Eva snort. I ignored it.

    ¡°What happened next?¡± the necromancer asked.

    ¡°I fought back, by giving the vengeful spirit a taste of its own medicine. It was trying to assimilate my soul. So I struck back and did the same. I ended up with a Fragment of my own.¡±

    ¡°Impressive!¡± Lemien couldn¡¯t hide his amazement. I felt pretty proud and scratched my head awkwardly.

    ¡®You got lucky;¡¯ Eva retorted, as if to erase the smug smile I had on my face.

    ¡°I can see you tell the truth,¡± Lemien said. ¡°The Fragment you bear isn¡¯t as strong as the ones granted by the Lords.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    He stood, cast me a look of admiration then said, ¡°Go upstairs, first door to your right. You¡¯ll be able to meditate in peace.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said then got up in turn.

    ¡°Should you need to eat,¡± Lemien called out to me as I started climbing the stairs, ¡°just ring this bell. The maid will bring you a full platter.¡±

    I thanked the necromancer once more and went upstairs.

    ¡®Na?ve schmuck!¡¯  Eva said.

    ¡®Na?ve sch-what?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®It¡¯s a word we have back home, means foolish, idiot.¡¯

    I reached the room indicated by Lemien and got inside. It was small cave devoid of furniture, save for a straw bed by the right side. I sat on the floor, legs crossed, and started regulating my breathing.

    ¡®Are you ready, your highness?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®Come at me anytime you like,¡¯ she said.

    I focused on my Conduits and soon found the little energy I had left. The last fight against the horde of undead drained me of Essence. Eva suffered as much as I did. The situation didn¡¯t seem promising in case we had to immediately fight some strong enemy, but it was adequate for what we were about to do.

    I willed my Essence to move toward Eva¡¯s Fragment. Our energies gave different readings. I was sure they¡¯d collide the moment they came in contact with each other. But that was the goal behind this exercise. I had to force synergy. It was the only way for me to get into her space and start the assimilation.

    Since we were both weak, our fight wouldn¡¯t be life threatening. If Eva feels like her energy¡¯s fading rapidly, she¡¯d have no choice but to retreat to the Fragment. If I felt as though I was losing the fight, all I had to do was retreat, recollect myself them come again.

    The process usually takes days, months even, to grasp. But I didn¡¯t have that much time. I relied on Eva¡¯s consciousness to force synergy between our Essences. We soon collided and my body immediately felt rigid. I fought to keep breathing regularly. It was the key to gaining the upper hand in this struggle.

    I kept breathing, steadily¡­ in¡­ and out¡­ in¡­ and out¡­

    Our energies kept colliding, like two magnets of the same pole. I felt cold sweat break on my forehead. My back started aching. I couldn¡¯t feel my legs anymore. I had to endure though. Fight through the pain and push back. Eva didn¡¯t give me any quarters either. She was testing me, I suspected. But I pressed on until I finally managed to push her toward her Fragment, and in she went.

    Then the hard part began.

    It was like laying siege on a city. You can¡¯t retreat or show weakness, lest the enemy counterattacks and takes you by surprise. I kept pounding at the Fragment. I could envision it with my mind¡¯s eye, a tiny snowflake in the sea that was my soul. Most of my Essence came from the soul. But to channel it into energy to be used in magic was a different matter. I¡¯ll probably have time to explain it another day.

    I kept pounding at the snowflake. I was already feeling tired, but there was no going back. I had to get this over with today. Time went by and I had finally managed to crack the snowflake. Then my energy started seeping in, and with it, my consciousness.

    I found myself in a spacious room, a four poster king size bed in the middle. The curtains were pulled and I couldn¡¯t see whether or not a person slept in there. I approached it nonetheless, and drew the curtains open. A lady, short hair, fair skin and eyes the hue of the forest, lay there in a silk evening gown.

    Her perfume reminded me of spring during my childhood when I¡¯d sneak around the streets of Yanoku, up in the Administrative Disctrict, to witness the Courtisan Parade.  Oh how my eyes twinkled when I looked at those ladies I considered goddesses.

    ¡°Eva?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Surprised?¡± she asked back.

    Her cupid bow lips curled into a smile that made the world around me change colors. I was imagining things, of course, but that¡¯s how I felt. I was her before, but I guess I saw the world from her eyes. Now that I experienced things from my side, the woman in front of me stirred the hormones I kept buried inside. My mind revved and my heart pounded against my chest.

    ¡°I-¡° I stammered. ¡°Never mind, we have other matters to discuss now.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve penetrated my Fragment,¡± she said. ¡°What else is there to discuss? You¡¯ve reached your goal.¡± She smiled again and I almost forgot what I wanted to talk to her about.

    ¡°Nice choice of words,¡± I said. ¡°Why did you fight back so vehemently?¡±

    ¡°I needed to know I was entrusting my energy to someone deserving,¡± she said. Her voice played a tune in my ears that made me forget what I was doing there in the first place.

    ¡°And what¡¯s your verdict, your imperial highness?¡±

    She smiled. Her eyes twinkled and she heaved a sigh. That voice of hers, not too harsh, not too gentle. It had a hint of hoarseness about it, not too hoarse, just enough.

    Was she playing the sex angle on me? Damn women!

    ¡°So?¡± I urged her. ¡°Use words, I don¡¯t do well with nonverbal signs.¡±

    ¡°What changed you?¡± she asked.

    ¡°My past,¡± I said dryly.

    ¡°Oh quit it with that aggressive attitude, will you Myles?¡± she said. ¡°You want synergy? Come and achieve it!¡± then she gave me another smile that blew all logical thinking off my mind.

    ¡°You¡¯re here through your Essence, your soul,¡± she went on. ¡°We have physical representations because that¡¯s what makes it easier for us humans to communicate. But if you want synergy, then we¡¯ll need a different form of communication.¡±

    She made sure to emphasize every word she said next with theatrical pauses. ¡°The ¨C non ¨C verbal ¨C kind!¡± then she smiled at me again.

    Is this really what my subconscious wants? Imperial sex?

    ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s what I want,¡± Eva said jokingly. ¡°I must admit, I find the new you quite mysterious!¡± she chuckled and her voice carried me to a world of happiness and lust.

    Ah, what the hell! I needed that synergy after all.

 97 - Sebyan

    Sordid affairs apart, I regained my senses to soiled undergarments. So much for rejoicing at finding clean ones earlier¡­ I sighed then got up. A squishy liquid brushed up against my groin and I felt shame nibbling at the tip of my ears. They were hot. I imagined my skin had turned crimson.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ Eva¡¯s voice teased me. ¡®You were enjoying it a minute ago.¡¯

    That¡¯s because it was in the heat of the moment. Now that I opened my eyes and realized I was alone, I felt as though I had one of those early pubescent dreams and woke with a hard stick poking out of my trousers, swimming in shame. It didn¡¯t help that what I felt was real. It usually does in this kind of dreams.

    ¡®Well,¡¯ Eva said, still teasing, ¡®take it however you want, but you¡¯ve got your synergy. Well, part of it anyway.¡¯ She chuckled and her voice reminded me of the dream. Shame came rushing in again, overshadowing the synergy we¡¯ve just achieved.

    I sat back down. I didn¡¯t need to go out just yet. I closed my eyes once more then regulated my breathing. My Essence had actually become denser. I felt slightly more powerful. The energy flowed more seamlessly throughout my Conduits, and Eva¡¯s energy mingled with mine just fine. There was some friction here and there, but as long as our opinions didn¡¯t differ, we weren¡¯t going to have any problems.

    I needed two or three more session with the empress to achieve complete synergy. The thought of it alone made my heart race. I quite enjoyed the dream, or whatever that was anyway, but I didn¡¯t enjoy the aftermath as much. I needed to clean myself and see if Lemien had finished preparing his mice puppets.

    I left the room and headed downstairs. The room that belonged to the prison warden was now bathed in incense. The smell made my nostrils flare and my eye water. It was rather too strong for my liking. I looked around for the necromancer who was nowhere in sight. It was the perfect chance to snoop around. I reminded myself not to touch any suspicious object though.

    ¡®Try sensing them out,¡¯ Eva suggested.

    ¡®Why haven¡¯t I thought of that?¡¯

    ¡®You were too hungry to think,¡¯ she said. I didn¡¯t like the emphasis she put on the word ¡°hungry.¡± I had to suffer her jeers in silence though. I¡¯d achieved my goal, partly anyway. There was no need to beat myself over it.

    I extended my senses toward the skulls, scattered haphazardly around the room. Some of them exuded some kind of deadly aura. Looking at them made my hair stand on end. I couldn¡¯t fathom what they¡¯d do to whoever was foolish enough to meddle with them. I was more interested by the aura one of the books emitted. It was stacked in a bookcase near the stairs I¡¯d just come from.

    It didn¡¯t emit a deadly aura per se, but it was quite foreboding. I approached it, careful not to touch anything yet, then tilted my head to the side to read the title: ¡®Sebyan: A History,¡¯ it read. That was a name I¡¯ve never heard before. Something about the book intrigued me enough to chance a furtive touch.

    ¡®Nothing would happen,¡¯ I reassured myself. ¡®I¡¯d just nab it a bit. If I feel any resistance, I¡¯d back away immediately.¡¯

    My hand reached for the book, and I felt it calling for me. It felt as though it was inviting me to pick it up, read it, fill my head with its content.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you,¡¯ Lemien¡¯s voice wrenched me out of the dazed state I was in.

    Unfortunately, I was feeling a little jumpy after all that¡¯s happened earlier. My forefinger dabbed the book. I felt a slight tingling sensation then something got ahold of me. My muscles convulsed and a foreign presence spoke.

    ¡°Who dares awaken the ¨C¡° but the voice died out as soon as it spoke.

    I opened my eye to find Lemien carefully stacking the book back in place. He was wearing leathery black gloves. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to frighten you.¡±

    Humpf! Frighten me? I just didn¡¯t hear him come in, that¡¯s all. I voiced that. It sounded like a lame excuse but it was the best thing I could come up with under the circumstances. Lemien gave me an understanding smile which irritated, rather than comforted me.

    ¡°What was that anyway?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand it either,¡± Lemien said. ¡°I¡¯ve spent days and countless sleepless nights trying to break through its defenses.¡±

    ¡°That was a defense mechanism?¡± I asked, ¡°from a book?¡±

    ¡°Sebyan is the old name of the Children of the Forest,¡± Lemien explained. ¡°Knowing their history would be like reading through them, uncovering their secrets. Whoever left that book here, left something behind to defend it. I don¡¯t know what it is, but I¡¯ve found a way to shut it down.¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°How?¡± I asked.

    Lemien gave me a smile that meant: yeah, like I¡¯d tell you that, then turned away. ¡°Don¡¯t try to sense these objects,¡± he told me. I could tell his advice was sincere. ¡°Most of them draw you out then try to kill you. In the five years I¡¯ve been here, I only managed to uncover a small portion of the Sebyan¡¯s history. They¡¯re a mysterious bunch, I¡¯m telling you.¡±

    ¡°Any chance with the mice?¡± I asked.

    He extended a gloved hand toward me. ¡°Care to have a look?¡±

    I refused the hand and stood by myself. I¡¯ve suffered enough humiliation today. I won¡¯t lower myself to accept his hand either. It was putting myself beneath him, I wouldn¡¯t give him that satisfaction. He didn¡¯t seem to mind it either. He just shrugged and headed for the library at the other end of the room, where a secret door had been left open.

    He disappeared inside then came back, carrying two metallic masks. Each had eye holes and a beak, like a crow¡¯s.

    ¡°Put this on,¡± he said.

    I arched an eyebrow at him.

    ¡°The smell of rot and decay down there is nauseating,¡± he explained. ¡°This will also keep any airborne virus from reaching you.¡±

    ¡°Why the grim looking mask though?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s convenient,¡± Lemien said. ¡°We store incense on the beaks, it keeps the smell downstairs from reaching you.¡±

    I approached the necromancer then immediately understood the reason behind the strong incense in the room. A nauseating smell came rushing to my nostrils from downstairs. It smelled like rotten eggs. Only they had fallen on a rug then left to dry and spread its foul smell on every hair. Imagine that then put that carpet somewhere moist, leave it there for a while then come back and smell it. You¡¯d faint if your stomach doesn¡¯t churn and force you to curl in a ball and retch before that happened.

    I winced and immediately went for the mask.

    ¡°How do you live with that smell?¡± I asked. My voice carried a tone of indignation I didn¡¯t mean to express, but it came out all the way.

    The necromancer shrugged. ¡°You get used to it,¡± he said. He put the mask on as well and went downstairs.

    I followed through dark, winding stairs. I made sure to test every step I took. It was especially dark in that tower we descended. The walls were crumbling. I¡¯d put my hand on the wall at first then my hand wrenched a brick out. Lemien deemed it appropriate to warn me against the state of the place just then. I cursed internally.

    We soon found ourselves in a square room, lit by blue candles on a crystal chandelier that had seen better days. The place reminded me of the room we sacrificed Agatha in. I wondered what became of Raiya and her demon.

    Gramps had arrived when I just got into the tunnel. That was perhaps when my senses started developing. I sensed him following us in the tunnels but he gave up as soon as he started. I wondered what made him stop then. Perhaps he¡¯d realized this was the Children¡¯s territory. Perhaps he thought I was as good as dead here. It suited me anyway.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Lemien was waving his hand before my eye. ¡°Where did you go?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Oh, I was lost in thought for a moment,¡± I said. ¡°This room reminded me of a sacrificial altar one of the witches had in Aslanor.¡±

    Lemien chuckled. ¡°I should be honored, to be compared to such prodigies of the art.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re not?¡± I caught on.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say I have bad history with wizards,¡± Lemien said.

    I shrugged. He had something to hide and I wasn¡¯t one to pry, openly. ¡°What do we have here?¡± I asked. I was looking at a long table on which different wooden boxes were aligned.

    ¡°I want you first to sense what¡¯s inside each box,¡± Lemien said.

    I looked at him questioningly but obliged nonetheless. He was either testing me or testing his prowess at hiding his link with the dead. Out of six boxes, I couldn¡¯t sense the link in two. I pointed it out and the necromancer smiled. He put the four boxes away and opened the remaining two.

    There were two dead rats in there. One of them looked eerily alive. Its chest heaved as though it was breathing. I tried to sense that one. I could only feel a tint of power seething from it. The other, however, had clear links to it.

    ¡°You¡¯ve certainly outdid yourself with that one,¡± I said. I had a sinking feeling, watching the rat that looked almost alive. ¡°But I can still sense your presence in it.¡±

    ¡°Where do you sense my link?¡± Lemien asked.

    I made to pick up the dead rat when Lemien caught my arm. ¡°Don¡¯t touch them,¡± he said. ¡°Most of them feed on the failed experiments. This one¡¯s a fresh corpse, full from nibbling at others I¡¯d experimented on earlier. You don¡¯t want to know what it bears.¡±

    I shuddered. ¡°The link is somewhere in its tiny head,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s faint, but I can still feel it.¡±

    ¡°How about now?¡± Lemien asked then poked the rodent with a stick. The creature sprung up to life and started moving around the box frantically.

    I concentrated on the dead animal but couldn¡¯t feel a single link. How did you do that? I wanted to ask, but knew better.

    ¡°That¡¯s a perfect subject for our infiltration.¡± I said.

    Lemien puffed his chest proudly.

    I observed the rat for a while longer. How did he achieve that? Most dead creatures walked awkwardly. I looked at the other one and confirmed my suspicions. It didn¡¯t take me long to put one and one together.

    ¡°This one¡¯s alive!¡± I said.

    ¡°Not for long,¡± Lemien replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s dying,¡± I concluded. ¡°You planted the seed of a link in this dying rat. Impressive!¡±

    Lemien scratched his balding head with his gloved hands. ¡°They fight death when asleep,¡± he explained. ¡°The mark is more evident then. But once they¡¯re up and about, the link disappears. They won¡¯t suspect a thing.¡±

    ¡°How long do we have until it dies?¡± I asked.

    ¡°A day or two,¡± he said. ¡°I can give it something to extend its life. But we¡¯ll need to be ready in three days at the most.¡±

    I nodded.

    This man¡¯s knowledge and cunning was beginning to scare me. If he managed to hide his link in this fashion, what else was he hiding from me? The seed of paranoia was already planted, but now it had just sprouted. I fought hard to conceal my apprehension from the necromancer. I was glad I was wearing a mask then.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time I taught you how to get rid of a banshee,¡± he said, his chest puffed out. His bald head, coupled with the creepy mask he wore, made him look like a villain for once.

    ¡°You should probably keep that mask on when you face your enemies,¡± I said.

    ¡°Why?¡± Lemien asked.

    ¡°Intimidation,¡± I said. ¡°You look like the grim reaper, sent by death to collect the soul debt.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case?¡± Lemien said then laughed.

 98 - Lemiens Scheme

    Banshees are generally considered omens of death. They¡¯d appear in front of you, ghastly and terrible, then wail and point, predicting your impending doom. To fight them, you must have a strong heart, and the will to fight death.

    They can¡¯t kill you. They can hit and scratch, but never kill. They can, however, push you to kill yourself, or go insane, which will lead you to kill yourself. The trick to defeating a Banshee was to have a strong spirit. Your past must not torment you. Your will to live must be stronger than your fear of death.

    ¡°It¡¯s all good on paper,¡± Lemien told me. ¡°But it¡¯s harder in practice. You don¡¯t know what kind of memories Ofelia will bring forward.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t know unless we try,¡± I told him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask her to go easy on you,¡± Lemien said. ¡°But don¡¯t expect her to follow my instructions to the letter. She¡¯s different from the others under my command.¡±

    That much I could tell by myself. ¡°Just summon her,¡± I said. ¡°We haven¡¯t got much time to waste.¡±

    ¡°You need to rest first,¡± Lemien said. ¡°You¡¯ve spent an entire night meditating. It¡¯s impossible to tell the passing of time here, but I keep a watch on me.¡±

    An entire night? I still didn¡¯t believe my ears.

    ¡°Did you just say an entire night?¡±

    Lemien nodded. ¡°You must have a strong Fragment,¡± he said. ¡°Did it put up a good fight?¡±

    I smiled. ¡°You have no idea.¡± I recalled the details of what had happened. The taste of her moist lips, the way her thighs felt to my touch, soft yet firm when they pulled me toward her. I chased the memories away. I could already feel my breath shortening.

    ¡°Is there any place I could use to clean up?¡± I asked. I still had to rub the shame away.

    ¡°You can use the bath upstairs,¡± Lemien said. ¡°It¡¯s the second room to your left. I¡¯ll have Christine prepare it for you.¡±

    Christine, of course, was the name of the corpse in a maid outfit.

    I gave him an approving nod then sat on one of the chairs in the anteroom. The feeling of human bones against my body was unnerving. It¡¯s one thing to be friends with a necromancer, but it¡¯s another to be surrounded by walking corpses and furniture made of dead people¡¯s bones. Lemien had fallen silent for a while. I looked at him and his eyes seemed out of focus. He regained his senses a short while after then looked at me.

    ¡°The bath should be ready in a few,¡± he said. ¡°How about some good wine? You can tell me about your adventures in the land of the wizards.¡±

    I graciously accepted and the necromancer poured us two glasses of red wine. I waited for Lemien to drink first. I wasn¡¯t taking any chances. This one tasted and smelled different. It was sweeter, with just the right amount of sourness. That was the expensive kind. The kind you keep for joyous occasions, or to celebrate some event.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you stories if you agree to share some of yours too,¡± I said, sipping the wine.

    ¡°What would you like to know?¡± he asked.

    There was something about his smile that didn¡¯t bode well with me. It was the kind of sourir, as the Bolignois put it, that slimy, spineless bastards usually give when they try to please someone. His eyes didn¡¯t speak the same language that his face did. It was as though he was trying too hard to be the good guy, the helpful fella who¡¯d lend you a hand to get out of a pinch; the helpful fella who would help you and ask for nothing in return.

    Only he will, in due time. His eyes were dark while his smile was all sparkles. I didn¡¯t like that, not one bit. Perhaps it was paranoia, perhaps it wasn¡¯t. But after all I¡¯ve been through, who would blame me? I was also playing an angle. It¡¯s only fair that he¡¯d do the same.

    ¡°How did a doctor become so obsessed with death?¡± I asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the kind that helps people escape it?¡±

    ¡°My story¡¯s the same as everyone who eventually delves into necromancy,¡± Lemien answered. ¡°I lost a loved one, and lost my drive. I tried to bring her back then heard of Lord Qil¡¯Al. If I win the upcoming Holi War, he¡¯ll grant me a wish. And I can bring her back from the dead.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s as simple as that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°If you call winning the Holi Wars simple,¡± Lemien said.

    ¡°With Stalwart, nothing seems so simple anymore,¡± I mumbled.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°How is he like?¡± Lemien asked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard tales of the great Stalwart, but I never had the chance to meet him.¡±

    ¡°The misfortune,¡± I corrected. ¡°You don¡¯t meet Stalwart by chance. He¡¯s a calamity that would make your worst day seem like a walk in the park.¡±

    I was being dramatic. I knew nothing of my grandfather, but talking about him in this fashion would only spark questions about his madness. I wasn¡¯t ready to answer any questions about his specific powers.

    ¡°He¡¯s that bad, huh?¡± Lemien asked.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not talk about him, if you don¡¯t mind. Thinking about him makes my blood run cold.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Lemien said. ¡°What do you want to talk about then?¡±

    ¡°I want to know why you stayed here for five years,¡± I said. ¡°I find it hard to believe that the Children never tried to chase you out.¡±

    ¡°They tried,¡± Lemien said. He had finished his first glass then poured himself another. He took a long gulp then threw his head backward, looking at the ceiling. His forehead wrinkled into a thoughtful frown. ¡°They chased me through these tunnels for days. If it weren¡¯t for Ofelia, I would never have lived this long.¡±

    ¡°The banshee saved you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°She tried to turn me into a psychotic killer,¡± Lemien replied, chuckling at the thought. He took another sip then went on. ¡°My resolve to beat death apparently chased her away. The Children ran at the first encounter with the fairy. They couldn¡¯t stand the sight of her.¡±

    ¡°Fairy?¡± I picked up.

    Lemien¡¯s eyes widened. He said something he shouldn¡¯t have. It was the wine, I suspected. I could kiss the man or woman who invented wine at that moment. Its ability to turn tongues loose was astounding. He turned away, seemed to focus on something by the library then turned to me.

    ¡°Your bath is ready. We¡¯ll continue this discussion later. I¡¯ll go check on the rats in my lab. Make sure you eat before you take some rest. You¡¯ll need all your energy against Ofelia tomorrow.¡±

    That¡¯s one way of cutting the conversation short. I could tell the necromancer admired the banshee. I had this feeling that he was hiding something. He wouldn¡¯t let me kill her that easily.

    What was the catch? I had to find out before we were ready for infiltration.

    I went upstairs and found the bathroom. The maid called Christine had filled a wooden tub with scalding hot water. I found her waiting for me as soon as I got in. She put some neatly folded towels in a wooden bench, bowed then left.

    That was a very Bolignois thing to do Lemien!

    I scooped up some of the hot water into a small basin and drowned the linen of my undergarments in it. I made sure to clean it despite the burning water. I put it to dry on the bench then, next to the towels. I went into the tub next and let my head rest on the taller extremity. Eva spoke to me then.

    ¡®What do you make of him?¡¯ she asked.

    ¡®He won¡¯t give us that banshee,¡¯ I said. ¡®I may have given him a dangerous idea by suggesting the infiltration angle.¡¯

    ¡®Do you know anything about fairies?¡¯ she asked.

    ¡®Heard tales,¡¯ I answered. ¡®They¡¯re terrifying creatures, cunning too.¡¯

    ¡®Why keep you alive though?¡¯ she asked once more.

    ¡®That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to wrap my head around,¡¯ I replied. ¡®He¡¯s not willing to give me the banshee. That much I¡¯m certain of right now.¡¯

    ¡®He admires the thing,¡¯ Eva said.

    ¡®You could feel it too, huh?¡¯

    ¡®Yes, he also seemed to regret letting slip she¡¯s a fairy.¡¯

    ¡®That gives me something to work with,¡¯ I said. ¡®Let me think for a while.¡¯ I shut my thoughts away from her. She seemed offended by the abrupt shut down but I was sure I¡¯d make it up to her later.

    I tried to recall everything I knew about fairies. The library Dif had poured in me earlier was useful that way. Information came flooding in.

    ¡®I found it,¡¯ I told Eva after I opened up to her again.

    ¡®Nice of you to leave me hanging!¡¯ she scorned.

    ¡®Listen to what I have to say,¡¯ I told her. ¡®This might cheer you up.¡¯

    I received some kind of ¡®Uhu!¡¯ feel from her. She was still scowling. I ignored it.

    ¡®Fairies are creatures of nature, independent from the Primordials. This means that the link Lemien shares with the banshee, although she¡¯s considered undead, has nothing to do with the Fragment of power he possesses.¡¯

    ¡®What does that mean for us?¡¯ she asked.

    ¡®If the fairy likes me better,¡¯ I said. ¡®She¡¯d break her vow with the necromancer and follow me instead.¡¯

    ¡®What¡¯s the catch?¡¯ she asked.

    ¡®I have to offer her something more appealing than Lemien,¡¯ I said. ¡®She¡¯s an omen of death. Lemien must be sacrificing bodies for her. Be it animals or humans. He might have been behind the death of the two we met earlier. Remember the drug addict?¡¯

    ¡®Lemien doesn¡¯t have anything to offer her now,¡¯ Eva said. ¡®Except¡­¡¯

    ¡®You guessed it right,¡¯ I picked up where she left, ¡®except me. The bastard¡¯s preparing something. He¡¯s feeding me, asking me to bathe, and putting my mind at ease. He wants me to let my guard down so he¡¯d send his fairy to haunt me, turn me into some kind crazy killer. That¡¯s delicious food for banshees.¡¯

    ¡®I told you he¡¯s good,¡¯ Eva observed.

    ¡®Not good enough,¡¯ I retorted. ¡®I can¡¯t kill him yet. He¡¯s the key to leaving this place. Besides, Ofelia might take offense if I took out her only source of food. There¡¯s no telling how she¡¯d react.

    ¡®I might be able to get rid of him, but I¡¯ll get lost in this maze and probably die of hunger or thirst, if Ofelia doesn¡¯t get to me first. I must get past that brass door. The people behind it won¡¯t open it unless I showed them I deserved to be admitted.¡¯

    ¡®What will you do then?¡¯ she asked.

    ¡®We¡¯re going at it again tonight,¡¯ I said.

    ¡®What?¡¯ she asked. ¡®That¡¯s too soon. We must give our Essence time to get used to the synergy we¡¯ve already established.¡¯

    ¡®I can¡¯t beat the banshee with what little we¡¯ve achieved Eva,¡¯ I said. ¡®She won¡¯t come tonight, I¡¯m certain of it. Lemien¡¯s still preparing his big act. He will show me that my plan will work. He¡¯ll give me some advice on how to repel the banshee, but he¡¯ll omit the critical details.¡¯

    ¡®Let me guess,¡¯ she said. ¡®You already know how to beat her.¡¯

    ¡®I wish,¡¯ I said. ¡®I have nothing to offer her, nothing better than what Lemien¡¯s offering anyway. I can bring our fight to a stalemate at best.¡¯

    ¡®Then what will you do?¡¯

    ¡®Get stronger, pick things up from Lemien then hope for the best,¡¯ I said.

    ¡®That¡¯s your plan?¡¯ she asked, a bit revolted.

    ¡®Do you have any better ideas?¡¯ I asked. ¡®I¡¯m all ears!¡¯

    She fell silent for a while then I caught a hint of a sigh.

    ¡®Wash yourself first,¡¯ she said. ¡®And make sure that linen is dry. You¡¯ll need it again tonight.¡¯

    ¡®As your imperial highness wishes,¡¯ I said.

 99 - Wails and Bad Memories

    I must have spent half a day with Eva in her Fragment, trying to reach perfect synergy. By the time we were done, we were halfway there. My Conduits felt stronger, and my loincloth wetter. I sat down in that dark room with a single bed, sleepy and soiled. I didn¡¯t have time for sleep though. There was something I needed to confirm with the necromancer.

    Before I left the room, I made sure to consult the library Dif had bestowed upon me. The old man probably thought it would be misleading to provid me with such an enormous amount of information, but it came in handy. I managed to find more information about banshees. The fair folk weren¡¯t the nicest of the bunch. That was due to the fact that humankind had actually invaded their home, more on this later.

    I learned that banshees couldn¡¯t be banished unless someone with magic related to the light element was present. In other words, I needed the Church¡¯s miracles. There was nothing about defeating them, but there was useful information on how to recruit them, make them join my cause.

    As I suspected, banshees fed on fear from death. Ofelia served the necromancer because he could provide her with enough nutrition. I had nothing to offer, but I could repel her if I showed resolve. That much I had, I was sure of it.

    I stood, fought the shameful sensation that overwhelmed me as a cold, sticky liquid brushed against me, then headed down. I made a mental note of washing my undergarments as soon as the lesson with Lemien was over. I reached the anteroom downstairs. Lemien was reading a book whose leather cover could use some washing, maybe replacement.

    ¡°Good of you to finally grace us with your presence,¡± the necromancer said as soon as he caught sight of me.

    ¡°I overslept, I guess,¡± I said. ¡°How long was I asleep?¡±

    ¡°Twenty hours,¡± Lemien replied.

    ¡°That much?¡± I asked. I felt drowsy just speaking of sleep. I hadn¡¯t slept since my imprisonment, and even that little sleep was filled with nightmares.

    ¡°Ready to learn about banshee slaying?¡± Lemien asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s now or never,¡± I replied then took a seat beside him. I took a look at the book he was reading. The cover had something peculiar about it.

    ¡°It¡¯s an ancient book I found here,¡± Lemien said. ¡°One of the few I managed to salvage.¡±

    ¡°What is it about?¡± I asked. I couldn¡¯t take my eye off the engraving at the cover. It had some kind of animal. The cover was so old the engraving was beginning to fade away, but I could make out the three tails quite clearly.

    ¡°It speaks of the Primordial Lords,¡± Lemien said. ¡°Did you know that they were behind our settlement in these lands?¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± I asked.

    ¡°This book depicts us as agents of evil,¡± Lemien explained. ¡°It says we¡¯re their creations, sent to these lands to banish the Sebyan, even exterminate them.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what they think of us? That¡¯s a bit extreme, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Not according to this book here,¡± Lemien retorted. ¡°It says the Primordials claimed these lands as their own. Those who accepted were granted power beyond their imagination. Those who refused were banished, chased, and eventually killed.

    ¡°The Sebyan decided to run and hide underground. Only a few of them remained then. They hid and focused on survival, reproduction. This book speaks of their survival, and how they met the Primordial that would eventually shield them against the evil Lords.¡±

    ¡°One of the Primordials helped them?¡± I asked. My eye was still fixed on the three tails in the cover.

    ¡°That¡¯s the tale anyway,¡± Lemien said then closed the book. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it, to tell you the truth. Our mission has always been to save humanity against beasts and external threats.¡±

    ¡°And necromancy will help us achieve said peace,¡± I retorted. The words left my mouth before I could stop them. I had a feeling Lemien wouldn¡¯t appreciate my jeer.

    Lemien, on the other hand, just shrugged. ¡°It all boils down to the same thing. Those who die leave for the Well of Souls. I only use their bodies, vessels for their souls, to my ends. There¡¯s nothing wrong about that.¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± I replied. I wasn¡¯t ready to argue good and evil with a necromancer. ¡°What¡¯s that thing in the cover?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Oh, it caught your eye too?¡± Lemien said, amused. ¡°They say it¡¯s the Primordial who betrayed his brethren. No one knows what he really looks like, but he usually takes the shape of a white fox with three tails. That¡¯s as far as the tale goes, but I never met anybody who¡¯d actually met him.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡®You have now,¡¯ I thought.

    I gave the necromancer a mocking grin instead. ¡°It¡¯s like the people who believe in Dhobor, the god of light who¡¯d never appear to his faithful.¡±

    ¡°You get the gist of it,¡± Lemien said then chuckled. ¡°Now,¡± he went on in all seriousness, ¡°shall I summon Ofelia?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to teach me how to defeat her first?¡± I asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s no point in doing so if you can¡¯t repel her morbid thoughts,¡± Lemien said. ¡°First you silence her. Then I teach you how to defeat her.¡±

    ¡°What about her wails and those sound waves she sends?¡±

    ¡°They only affect you if you¡¯re scared of her,¡± Lemien said. ¡°First you must close your mind to her. Then we¡¯ll see about spells and other things to defeat her.¡±

    I nodded. Lemien was also hiding something, and he was taking his jolly time studying me. I may have severely underestimated him.

    Lemien summoned the banshee immediately after. Ofelia appeared before me, ghastly, terrifying. She turned her cold gaze at me, and I felt shivers run down and up my spine. Her faint wails reached my ears.

    ***

    I heard ¡®her¡¯ voice then, pleading, cut off in between sobs.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let him break you,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll always be with you. You haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t always be with him when you¡¯re dead!¡± he told her. I saw him whip her back. That hateful sound, that crack that announced pain and suffering. I wasn¡¯t at the receiving end though, she was.

    ¡°Stop it,¡± I begged. ¡°Stop it! I know I shouldn¡¯t have taken her. But I didn¡¯t know. None of us knew!¡±

    ¡°You signed your death sentence the day you defied the Church,¡± he told me in his arrogant, demeaning tone. I heard the whip crack again, and I heard her wails.

    I held my head with both hands and screamed. I couldn¡¯t take this any longer. I had to do something. I had to save her, save my friends who were being helplessly slaughtered. But I couldn¡¯t move. I was tied down.

    ***

    Then I realized I could hold my head even though I was tied down. I opened my eye and the gloomy anteroom of the necromancer welcomed me. I was lying on a couch made out of bones. Lemien was observing me, scribbling down some notes.

    ¡°You¡¯re finally awake,¡± he said after I sat up. ¡°I told you, it¡¯s more difficult to shut her down in practice than in theory.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it again,¡± I asked.

    ¡°You may lose your mind if we don¡¯t allow you time to breathe, recollect your thoughts.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time,¡± I said. ¡°I wasted enough sleeping,¡± I added. It was a lie. The reason why Ofelia easily got under my skin was probably because I lacked sleep.

    Lemien observed me with a calculating eye. He let out a heavy sigh, put down the quill and the scroll he wrote on then stood up. ¡°Very well,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll summon her again. But make sure you¡¯re ready this time.¡±

    I could tell he enjoyed seeing me faint like that. He even made sure to place me on a couch and observed me while he took notes. I wished I could use the time stop spell now and see what he was writing. But there was no use in hoping. Dif and his Fragment had shut me out completely. I tore a page from Dif¡¯s book and waited for the banshee to appear again.

    ¡°Ready?¡± Lemien asked.

    I nodded.

    Ofelia appeared out of thin air, a green glow following her as she moved toward me. She looked at me and I felt as though her eyes were drawing me to her. I heard her faint wails once more, but reminded myself to push them away. I tried sensing her, and I saw ample energy seeping through her.

    I managed to feel the connection she had with the necromancer. It was faint, buried deep within the sea of the banshee¡¯s Essence. She had more Essence than me or the necromancer. She was strong, really strong. She approached me. Her faint wails weren¡¯t working on me anymore. I knew she was about to up her game. I braced myself for impact.

    She was now inches from me. I could see the flesh dangling from her upper jaw. It was the part from which her lower jaw had been wrenched free. She eyed me now with interest. It was as though she admired my resolve. And then, without prior warning, I heard a deafening scream.

    I tried my best to resist it.

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t flinch,¡¯ I mentally repeated. ¡®Don¡¯t flinch. Don¡¯t flinch. Don¡¯t flinch.¡¯

    I clenched my fists harder. I felt my nails dig deep into my skin. I wanted to take a step back, at least to reduce to intensity of her long, uninterrupted scream. My ears were already ringing. My eye started watering. There was a breath to her scream, putrid, awful, eye stinging. I endured all of it. I endured the harrowing thoughts that came rushing in.

    ***

    Death had indeed followed me everywhere I went ever since I was a teenage boy. I¡¯d killed my first man at the age of thirteen. I remembered it now clearly. I¡¯d helped Raiya retrieve a book of spells. I went back home to find my older sister in tears. She¡¯d shut me down when I asked what was the matter.

    Sam came to me later. He told me the story. He told me how that noble son had ambushed her in the street at night. She¡¯d rejected him many times before. But that day was a day too many. He¡¯d gotten drunk and forced himself on her. The Custodians didn¡¯t interfere. He was a noble after all, wealth and power protected him.

    I couldn¡¯t accept it.

    I stalked the bastard for three days. I learned everything about his habits. Then I ambushed him in the same street he¡¯d ambushed my older sister in. The stupid man thought he could overpower me. I was a sailor. Despite my young age, I was strong, muscular and taller than average. I wanted to give him a lesson, that he shouldn¡¯t take advantage of helpless girls.

    In my anger though, I punched him so hard his head wobbled back and hit a wall. Blood smeared the wall as the noble slid down to the floor, lifeless. I panicked. I ran from the crime scene but was soon found out and arrested. There was no trial, no interrogation. I was directly sent to the prisons outside Yanoku, to work on the mines until I drew my last breath.

    ***

    I opened my eye and found myself lying on the same couch again. I gritted my teeth, frustrated.

    ¡°Again!¡± I told the necromancer, who was again scribbling on his scroll.

    He raised a questioning eyebrow.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ve taken quite a hit. You¡¯ve been crying some names in your hysteric state. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d snap out of it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m stronger than you think,¡± I said, defiantly. ¡°Again!¡±

 100 - Third Times a Charm

    Lemien, despite warning me against summoning Ofelia one more time, brought up the banshee. I could see her floating before me, three to four feet away. She observed me with hungry eyes this time. I was tired.

    My eyelid was growing heavier by the minute, but I could still see the hunger in Ofelia¡¯s eyes. It spelled danger. I was getting tired, and sloppy. It might be dangerous to undertake another bout with the fairy, but I was adamant on seeing this through to the end.

    ¡®You should probably give it a rest,¡¯ Eva said. Her voice had a hint of worry to it. I ignored the sound advice and nodded at the necromancer.

    Ofelia glided toward me, green glow and fairy dust following. The smell of death and decay that emanated from her was nauseating, especially at a close distance. We were now looking eye to eye.

    I saw the hunger more clearly. I even felt her energy invading me. It was primal, raw, hungry. It also flowed different than us, humans. While we had Conduits to regulate Essence flow, her body seemed made only of energy.

    ¡®Are you sure you want to do this?¡¯ Eva asked. ¡®She¡¯s strong, dangerous.¡¯

    ¡®Lemien will eventually have her devour me,¡¯ I said. ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure it was his plan all along.¡¯

    ¡®We can always use his benevolence and try it again tomorrow,¡¯ Eva retorted.

    ¡®If I back away now,¡¯ I replied, ¡®the seed of doubt will be planted in my soul. She¡¯s strong, scary. Allow me some time to think of her strength and I might back away.¡¯

    ¡®Make sure we live then,¡¯ Eva said. She understood my point.

    If I¡¯d allowed the fairy a single opportunity, I was sure she¡¯d drain me whole. She was standing before me, breathing down my neck. I didn¡¯t step back though. I didn¡¯t flinch, even when she screamed and wailed. I stood there, facing her. I¡¯d armed myself with the memories of Utar. I suffered too many losses under his command. I was determined to see him suffer, die. I wasn¡¯t going to give up on that goal.

    The banshee¡¯s wails got louder. She screamed and I felt a putrid breeze ruffle my hair. I concentrated on Utar, on my grandfather who I barely knew. The first one wanted me dead, and I wanted the same for him too. The second one was strong, far stronger that I could imagine. But I wondered why he¡¯d want me dead. At that moment, under pressure from the banshee¡¯s screams and awful breath, I¡¯d decided that I¡¯d fight back.

    What if he¡¯s strong? What if others feared him? I was family. If he could achieve greatness, so could I. He was made of flesh and bones, like everyone else. What could be so special about him, except for experience and knowledge?

    Ofelia, realizing she couldn¡¯t make my memories of death and guilt show up, put her gnarly hands around my throat. I felt them gently squeeze then I felt her energy seep through my Conduits.

    It was time to shine, time to strike back.

    I allowed her energy to get in. In theory, the banshee was ten times stronger than I was. But in practice, magic was a whole lot different. Spells are usually channeled through emotions and memories. I was about to try a binding spell. It was suicidal, but it would allow me to gain the upper hand.

    Why would I go to such extremes you ask? It¡¯s because I couldn¡¯t trust the necromancer any longer. He had a fairy to his side. Nobody would give such a creature up on a whim. I had to try that spell, but to achieve it, I needed a catalyst.

    It was this that differentiated a good wizard from a bad one.

    Essence was the source of power. Knowledge was required to channel that power into a spell. But knowledge and Essence alone weren¡¯t enough. You¡¯d need a catalyst. That¡¯s why most wizards and sorcerers use wands, staffs, and scepters as catalysts. They are made for such purpose. Each imbued with raw energy from nature to channel some type of element or another.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    I didn¡¯t have any of those, but I had my memories and a strong desire to live and see my vengeance carried over. Feelings and desires were also another form of catalyst. They were raw, unpredictable. Most wizards wouldn¡¯t rely on them easily unless they were in a bind. The stronger the emotion they felt, the better the outcome would be.

    That¡¯s again on paper.

    How would you define a strong emotion? What would you compare it to? What if another emotion came in to interfere with it? You needed to focus wholly into one experience, one desire, one emotion.

    I chased the thought of my grandfather away. I focused on Utar. I focused on the day he imprisoned me, before Raiya came to the rescue. I went back further in time. I thought of the day he captured me and my men. I thought of how he tortured everybody, whipped some and dismembered others. I thought of the rage I felt that day, the injustice.

    No, not the injustice, I chased that thought away.

    I concentrated on my rage, on Utar whipping the woman I grew to love. She was strong, capable. She learned how to fight and raided with us. We formed a formidable team together. We were highly sought after as a band of young mercenaries, but that woman held a secret she didn¡¯t even know about.

    She was Listener for Dhobor. From the name, you can guess what she had to do. She¡¯d be raised in the Cathedral in the Citadel. She¡¯d learn about the word of Dhobor and assist the Pontiffs in hearing the Lord¡¯s words. Listeners had great foresight. She had it too. She had even predicted our doom one night, after a terrible nightmare.

    It never occurred to me that the war we fought for the Akari Kingdom was actually to protect the Listener from the Church. Remember that dream I had the other day? The one about the girl who was about to be raped by my own men? She was the one. We fought a battle to protect her, yet she didn¡¯t even know about it.

    The Akari thought her dead. I¡¯d rescued her and trained her to be a warrior. We then became lovers. All seemed to be going our way until the day Utar arrived, with three of his companions. The companions stood aside and watched one man slaughter our hundred men army. Utar was strong, terrifying. He took joy in torturing the man who¡¯d snatched the Listener from the Church, in other words, me.

    He killed my men and raped my beloved. He whipped her to death then decided to go for my family. The rage I felt toward him now was stronger than ever. I needed that bastard to pay. He¡¯d compelled my closest friend to turn against me. He tortured and killed my own family. I wanted to get stronger. I wanted to kill the man who changed my life for the worst, forever.

    ¡°What can you offer me in return?¡± a soft, misty voice asked me.

    ¡°Freedom,¡± I answered.

    ¡°I am already free,¡± the voice replied.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be,¡± I retorted, ¡°if I release the spell I have prepared.¡±

    ¡°Empty threats,¡± the voice said, amused.

    ¡°Look deeper into me,¡± I urged her. ¡°Everybody around me dies, but I alone remain. Despite my young age, I¡¯ve experienced more than a handful. How would you like to be stuck in a world of rage and fury?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have what it takes to release such a spell,¡± she said.

    ¡°You may be right,¡± I said. ¡°But imagine what would happen if it worked. Better yet, imagine what would happen if it doesn¡¯t. Don¡¯t mess with a desperate man!¡±

    ¡°You want my power to exact your revenge,¡± the voice said. ¡°But you won¡¯t offer me anything in return?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather go insane and take you down with me,¡± I said. ¡°Fairies aren¡¯t known to make fair deals.¡±

    ¡°I refuse,¡± the voice said.

    ¡°Then suffer,¡± I replied.

    I released the energy I had accumulated by fusing with Eva¡¯s Fragment. I concentrated on my hatred, my rage. I pushed all of it toward the energy the banshee had used to invade my body. I felt them collide, quite violently. My knees shook, but I ignored them. I didn¡¯t have time to worry about my body at that moment.

    It was do or die.

    Our energies collided and the fairy fought back. She tried to push me away, invade my body and reach the source of all Essence. If she reaches it, I will die. I wasn¡¯t going to give in. All the preparations I¡¯ve made. All the sleep I sacrificed and the long hours I spent with Eva were for that purpose.

    I reminded myself of my parents¡¯ death, of little Lyanna lying on the floor, blood seeping down from her tiny mouth. I thought of Utar¡¯s swing and how he beheaded the innocent child. I thought of their heads on poles, displayed atop the city¡¯s gates. I thought of Sam and his betrayal. I remembered all the pain, the anger, the rage. I pushed forward and the Banshee backed away.

    I was winning, but it was just the beginning. The banshee was fighting back, but the real battle won¡¯t start until I get inside of her. Her energy was different from mine. I had to battle that, and in order to do so, I needed my emotions, my catalyst, to be strong and concentrated.

    I don¡¯t know how long we struggled until I managed to push her back into her body. When I followed, I felt as though I plunged into cold water. All the emotions died away. My anger was replaced with helplessness. I felt death around me. I felt the despair and fear everyone feels before life is snuffed out of them.

    My rage had died, and the memory of Utar was lost. I was now swimming in an ocean of icy-cold water. I felt like a tiny ant, trying to battle an elephant.

    ¡°Show me your resolve, mortal,¡± the banshee¡¯s soft voice said. It¡¯s unnerving how her inner voice was different from her deafening wails. ¡°Live through this, and I am yours to command. Fail, and I shall devour your soul.¡±

 101 - Alluring Death

    ¡®Myles, what the hell are you doing?¡¯ Eva asked. Her voice was a faint echo in the vast sea that was the banshee¡¯s soul.

    ¡®What do you want from me?¡¯ I snapped at her. ¡®Leave me alone,¡¯ I told her. It felt good there, no worries, no anger, no pain. I wanted to stay there forever.

    ¡®Fuck it!¡¯ I heard her voice echo again.

    It felt as though I was being sucked out of that place. I didn¡¯t want to. I fought back. I hung to the feeling of serenity and well-being that enveloped me there. Death wasn¡¯t that bad after all. You don¡¯t need to worry about mundane affairs anymore. You just die and everything goes away. It was an alluring concept. I just wanted to stay there.

    ¡®Goddamnit!¡¯ Eva¡¯s voice was becoming a tad clearer then. ¡®Wake up, you oaf!¡¯

    What was she so negative for? I couldn¡¯t understand her. From where I stood, or floated, I couldn¡¯t understand her frustration. Life was ugly. Death was better.

    ¡®I am not letting you drag me down with you!¡¯ Eva yelled at me. ¡®Come out this instant!¡¯

    ¡®You go ahead and leave,¡¯ I told her. ¡®I¡¯d rather stay here a little longer. It¡¯s been so long that I didn¡¯t sleep. Let me take a nap here, it¡¯s peaceful.¡¯

    ¡®Yeeees,¡¯ Ofelia¡¯s soft, melodious voice told me. ¡®Stay here with me. You don¡¯t need to worry about anything anymore.¡¯

    ¡®See?¡¯ I told Eva. ¡®She¡¯s nice. She knows how I feel.¡¯

    ¡®What about Utar?¡¯ Eva told me.

    She probably wanted to stir something inside of me. I chuckled. ¡®He¡¯ll also die one day,¡¯ I told her. ¡®Death comes to all of us. What¡¯s the point in fighting it?¡¯

    ¡®What¡¯s she doing here?¡¯ Ofelia asked.

    In that endless sea that was the banshee¡¯s soul, I saw her emerge. She was the most beautiful fairy I¡¯ve ever laid my eye on. Her long auburn hair brushed against her wide hips. Her oval face, her lips, red, exuding strong life force, curled into a charming smile. I unconsciously let out a faint ¡°Aaah!¡± upon looking at her.

    ¡°Come to me, my dear boy,¡± Ofelia told me. ¡°Let me show you around. Death is ugly to the living. It¡¯s not as much to the ones who¡¯ve crossed to the world beyond.¡±

    I took a step toward her. I heard Eva cry out to me. I ignored her and took a second step. With each step I took, I felt a weight being thrown off my shoulders. I felt lighter. I felt younger, stronger. I was floating now toward the fairy. Why wouldn¡¯t people want to die? I loved this feeling!

    I glided to the fairy.

    ¡®Oh no you don¡¯t!¡¯ Eva immediately materialized in front of me.

    I recognized her face, her cupid bow lips. I thought I knew what they tasted like. I felt drawn to her. I could barely remember her now. I knew her name. I knew I was connected to her. I knew her suffering and pitied her. She deserved to die too. She¡¯ll be all the happier for it.

    Ofelia materialized next to her, and I was faced with two choices.

    ¡°Choose her,¡± Ofelia told me, ¡°and you¡¯ll live a life full of suffering, anger, and injustice. Do you really want that?¡±

    I shook my head in denial.

    ¡°Go with her,¡± Eva said, ¡°and you¡¯ll forget everything. Do you really want to give up on Utar, on your vengeance?¡±

    ¡°How will vengeance help him?¡± Ofelia asked. ¡°Look at him. He¡¯s only seen pain and suffering in this life. Do you want him to live through more? You¡¯ve done the same to him if I¡¯m not mistaken!¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t me!¡± Eva protested.

    ¡°Oh yes, right,¡± Ofelia replied. ¡°It was the evil you. You¡¯ve changed now. But let me ask you this, how are you not evil now? You¡¯re trying to deny him salvation. That¡¯s what he wants. Go on. Ask him.¡±

    Eva turned to me. She raised an eyebrow and her wide eyes urged me to speak. I didn¡¯t know what to say though. Death was alluring. Who wouldn¡¯t want to forget their worries, their woes? Who wouldn¡¯t want to just erase it all in one snap of a finger?

    ¡°Death is easy,¡± Eva told me after a long silence. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯re the type to go for the easy route!¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°What do you know about me?¡± I snapped at her. ¡°What gives you the right to judge me?¡±

    Eva smiled.

    ¡°I know you very well, Myles Stalwart!¡± Eva said. ¡°You¡¯re the coward who hid while his parents were slaughtered. You¡¯re the helpless kid who watched his men die, one by one and didn¡¯t even try to save them. You just curled in a ball and cried, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    I felt anger boiling inside. How dare she? If she had to deal with that Priest, she wouldn¡¯t be sitting on the judge¡¯s chair, acting high and mighty. Then I remembered. She had dealt with Utar. I smiled back at her.

    ¡°What about you?¡± I said. ¡°Oh almighty empress! Did you forget how the same man played a nasty trick on you? Don¡¯t tell me you forgot how you shot innocent people, driven with blind rage. You¡¯re as guilty as I am. You let those people inside your country. You led them to their doom!¡±

    I let my words sink in for a while. Eva averted her gaze, looking down at her feet. She chewed on her lower lip and I remembered the taste of sweet cherries. There was something about her I couldn¡¯t remember clearly.

    With the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of the fairy, smiling. I nodded at her with a smirk on my face. She nodded back.

    ¡°At least I fought back,¡± Eva said. She was brooding now, like a wounded animal who just wouldn¡¯t give up. ¡°What did you do? You cried yourself to sleep every night. And now you¡¯re willing to let the death of your parents go unavenged? What would they think of you?¡±

    ¡°The dead have no desires,¡± Ofelia answered for me.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I picked up. ¡°What she said.¡±

    ¡°Yet you¡¯re alive,¡± Eva retorted, addressing me. ¡°What are your desires?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± I asked. ¡°I want to stay here. I¡¯ve never felt so peaceful in my entire life.¡±

    ¡°You have,¡± Eva said. ¡°You¡¯ve felt peaceful once, loved, desired.¡±

    I snorted.

    ¡°Remember Utar,¡± she told me. ¡°Remember the hate you bear him and the reason behind it.¡±

    ¡°How about you leave me the fuck alone?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I will,¡± Eva said, ¡°as soon as you remember.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll indulge you.¡±

    ¡°NO!¡± Ofelia snapped at the both of us. ¡°I¡¯ve allowed this charade to go for far too long. It¡¯s time I banished this she-devil to whence she came.¡±

    ¡°Afraid he¡¯ll find out the truth?¡± Eva said, mockingly. ¡°Afraid he¡¯ll recover his resol ¨C¡°

    She wasn¡¯t allowed to finish her sentence. She was immediately banished. Ofelia floated beside me. She smelled of the forest, of dirt after the first rain of autumn. I liked that smell. It reminded me of something I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on.

    ¡°Shall we go?¡± she asked. Her melodious voice made me forget everything. I was at a loss for words. I looked at her, mesmerized, hypnotized by her beauty. I nodded and followed.

    There was nothing for us in this vast green sea. But I got the feeling she was leading me somewhere beautiful. I wanted it to be the woods where I first¡­

    what was I thinking about again? My memory started acting up again. Or did it? I could clearly recall the bad events that transpired during the siege on Yanoku. I could clearly recall the day Sam betrayed me.

    The anger I felt was immediately subdued by the fairy¡¯s gentle smile. Her large emerald eyes made me feel as though everything would be alright. I smiled back and followed her. We floated further, deeper. I could feel the concentration of energy somewhere deep within the sea we floated in. I wanted to go there, I sped up. It was easier to float when Ofelia accompanied me.

    Then I heard a voice, familiar, rough. ¡°Did you do it?¡±

    ¡°He was tougher than I¡¯d imagined,¡± Ofelia¡¯s melodious voice said.

    ¡°Be quick about it,¡± the other voice said. ¡°My specimens won¡¯t survive another day.¡±

    Specimens¡­ That voice was very familiar.

    It felt like the other woman who¡¯d spoken to me earlier. What was her name again? Damn memory. I could only remember bits an pieces now.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter dear boy?¡± Ofelia asked.

    I inhaled deeply. I loved her smell. It reminded me¡­ Oh man! I couldn¡¯t remember anymore. I had to remember!

    ¡°Where will I go after I die?¡± I asked the fairy.

    ¡°You won¡¯t go anywhere, dear boy,¡± the fairy said. ¡°You¡¯ll stay here with me. You¡¯ll be happy, forever.¡±

    ¡°Forever?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Why, yes,¡± she said. She gave me another brilliant smile and I sighed in admiration.

    ¡°Why do you smell like the forest?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Is this how I smell to you?¡± she asked back, amused. She chuckled a bit and her voice bathed me in serenity. ¡°I smell different to everyone who entrusts their life to me.¡±

    ¡°Why do I smell the forest in you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It will all become clearer once we reach the center,¡± she said then floated further.

    She¡¯d just dismissed my question.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me now?¡± I said. I wanted that memory. It pained me to forget it. I didn¡¯t want to lose it. ¡°Why am I happy when I smell the forest, and the dirt?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be better if I showed you,¡± Ofelia said. She waved her hand, beckoning me, urging me to follow her. But I stayed put.

    ¡°Once I die, I¡¯ll forget everything,¡± I told her. ¡°I want to remember before I die. Grant me this one wish, will you?¡±

    She frowned, and for a fraction of a second, I saw her true face. I saw her missing lower jaw, the flesh dangling from the upper one. I saw her dirty hair and her withered white dress. Then I remembered and I stepped back.

    The smell of the forest still lingered about my nostrils. I hung to that feeling, that memory. I saw her face and I remembered her voice, her giggles. I remembered how happy she was and how she made me a better person.

    ¡°You won¡¯t take this away from me!¡± I told her. My fists were clenched and my eye fixed the fairy with an unrelenting gaze.

    I mentally prepared for the spell I had memorized for emergency cases. I needed a strong catalyst back then. I had used my anger, but it wasn¡¯t as pure as the happiness I experienced with the woman that changed my life.

    I clung to those memories. Everything came back to me, the touch of her soft skin, the taste of her rosy lips, the sound of her laughter and the harshness of her remarks. I collected all those thoughts, everything I loved about her, and cast it all toward the fairy.

    ¡°Electo!¡± I yelled.

    I felt my body being drawn back, away from the fairy. Ofelia screamed, her sharp wails penetrated my ears but I didn¡¯t flinch. I¡¯d survived the worst, and I wasn¡¯t about to give up now.

    When I came back to my senses, I was surrounded by a dozen undead, Lemien, and the banshee.

    ¡®Welcome back to hell,¡¯ Eva¡¯s voice echoed inside my head.

    I smiled.

 102 - Unexpected Reunion

    I looked from right to left. Lemien¡¯s jaw had reached his knees. He didn¡¯t expect me to get out of the fairy¡¯s bind after all.

    The undead around me were all well-equipped and heavily armed. The necromancer was preparing for a worst case scenario though. He¡¯d led me through this path all along. I guess the banshee was hungry for more than simple human thoughts. She¡¯d found in me the happiness to snuff out, the rage to consume, and the will to live to cut short.

    I¡¯d read about this in the books Dif had poured into my mind. Banshees were the lowest kind of leeches. They¡¯d stick to humans, threaten them with impending doom and feed on their emotions. I was almost a goner if it weren¡¯t for the few happy memories I cherished. Thank the gods, old and new, that I remembered my past life and previous ordeals.

    Now I was presented with a new challenge. I couldn¡¯t hope to bring every single undead down. Their master loomed close, he was powering them up. I felt the link to their master, stronger, brighter.

    ¡®How will we get out of this one?¡¯ Eva asked me.

    I didn¡¯t have time to answer though, Lemien cut my thoughts short.

    ¡°It seems you managed to repel my Ofelia after all,¡± he said. His tone had changed. He was no longer the stout old man I looked down on. He had a new air about him, arrogant, haughty. He studied me with a demeaning look. His lips curled into an evil grin, triumphant.

    ¡°You can¡¯t escape my army though,¡± he said.

    ¡°What¡¯s your goal anyway?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯ve offered to help you infiltrate the city, wipe those Sebyan out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely convinced,¡± Lemien said. Damn that old doctor! He read through me after all. ¡°How about you let Ofelia in?¡± he said. ¡°It will be painless. You¡¯ll be my puppet. You¡¯ll look alive and the infiltration you suggested will have more chances of success.¡±

    I stared at the old man. The banshee floated beside him, green, ethereal, ugly. His bodyguards groaned; their eyes hollow, devoid of life.

    ¡°I gotta hand it to you Bolignois,¡± I said. ¡°Your plan seems more plausible than the one I came up with.¡±

    ¡°So what say you?¡± the necromancer asked. ¡°Submit to Ofelia and you won¡¯t know pain. You¡¯ve seen how it is with her.¡±

    ¡°How about I die instead?¡± I asked. ¡°Your plan won¡¯t work if I¡¯m a lifeless puppet to raise from the dead.¡±

    ¡°I will come up with another plan,¡± Lemien said. ¡°Besides, your idea with the mice has inspired me.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have the time to come up with new plans though,¡± I said. I forced myself to smile. I needed to look confident, demeaning as well. I needed the necromancer to doubt his plans. ¡°Your mice won¡¯t live long enough to infiltrate the city. They¡¯ll be disposed of as soon as the Sebyan figure out they¡¯re dead, or sick. What happens when you run out of time, I wonder?¡±

    Lemien¡¯s jaw tensed. A strong killing intent emanated from his dead eyes. He could¡¯ve killed me right there, but he needed me. I could sense his despair. But I still couldn¡¯t see a way out of this.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like to think of failure,¡± Lemien said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work that way. I do what has to be done to reach my goals. I will get you to submit to Ofelia, whether you like it or not.¡±

    Shit! He was about to change tactics with me. I didn¡¯t want to hang naked in a cell again. I thought of my soiled undergarments. The shame of having the necromancer discover that as he prepared me for torture¡­

    I don¡¯t think he¡¯d need to torture me after that. The shame was enough.

    It¡¯s funny how your mind goes straight to these thoughts when you¡¯re about to face death. How are you supposed to think anyway? You know there¡¯s a high chance you¡¯d end up dead in the next few seconds. Your mind just goes blank and you think of the stupidest thing.

    I sighed.

    ¡°Why be nice to me though?¡± I asked. ¡°Why the act? You offered me food and shelter. You even offered me a hot bath. I don¡¯t think that was for nothing.¡±

    ¡°Ofelia doesn¡¯t like dirty food,¡± Lemien replied. ¡°She doesn¡¯t like depraved ones either, be it of sleep, food, or water.¡±

    ¡°What does she say about me now?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°Never mind that,¡± Lemien said. ¡°The dead don¡¯t have the right to ask questions. Kill him!¡±

    It all happened too fast for me to react on time, or to react effectively. By the time Lemien issued the order, two undead rushed toward me. One of them came from my blind spot. I dodged at the last possible moment. Eva was also screaming orders at me. I couldn¡¯t think straight, nor could I act on time.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    The moment I dodged the first attack, another one ensued, from the opposite side this time. I felt the sharp end of a sword scrape against my shoulder. I felt the stinging sensation of flesh being cut open. I felt the rush of blood. Then pain came howling through my mind. I winced and reminded myself to focus.

    I was injured, that was the best start I could hope for. The two undead swung once more. One had a large Morningstar. The other held a sword, too large to be real. I don¡¯t know how I managed to slip past them, but I did. I was thin and nimble enough to get out of that tight spot.

    The Morningstar hit the ground where I stood seconds ago. The sword hit the other undead¡¯s head. I heard the clank of metal against metal. I didn¡¯t have the time to look back though. I had more enemies coming my way. The banshee rose in the air as well. She was preparing to scream her lungs out at me.

    ¡°Interesting fellow, this one,¡± the voice of an old man told me.

    ¡°Dif?!¡± I asked out loud.

    I looked around for the old man. Everything around me had grown still. The banshee was floating above me, her chest inflated. More than eight undead were rushing at my direction, two feet away. Their weapons were brandished, ready to cut me down, or beat me to death, whichever came first.

    ¡°I can¡¯t always save you Stalwart,¡± Dif said. ¡°You have ten seconds. I suggest you make haste.¡±

    His voice died out as fast as it had appeared. I looked at one of the undead. He was carrying a long sword, too heavy for my liking, but it would do nicely. I snatched it out and ran for the door. The moment I was outside, I headed downwards. There was a steep cliff by the side of the tower. If I was careful enough, I¡¯d be able to climb down, toward the running water.

    ¡®What happened?¡¯ Eva asked.

    ¡®Dif came to the rescue,¡¯ I said. ¡®He gave us a head start, short, but it¡¯s better than death.¡¯

    ¡®Where do we go now?¡¯ she asked.

    ¡®We head for the brass door,¡¯ I said. ¡®We have to get inside the city, and out of this man¡¯s reach.¡¯

    ¡®Need I remind you that we don¡¯t know the way?¡¯ Eva said.

    ¡®We have to follow the water,¡¯ I said. ¡®It¡¯s down there, somewhere.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s too dark to see,¡¯ Eva protested. ¡®Be careful not to break your neck.¡¯

    ¡®It would have already been broken if it weren¡¯t for Dif,¡¯ I retorted.

    Up in the tower, I heard the necromancer roar in rage. I heard him order his army to look for me. Things had gone from worst to worse. I had a head start and I intended to make good use of it. I was bleeding, but the injury wasn¡¯t too deep to hinder my movement. I strapped the long sword to my waist and started descending. What I was doing was suicidal, but running through the corridors of that dungeon meant instant death.

    ¡®They¡¯ll find traces of your blood,¡¯ Eva said.

    ¡®Have you seen the place?¡¯ I retorted. ¡®It¡¯s full of corpses. They¡¯ll lose my trail the moment they leave the tower. Besides, undead are stupid.¡¯

    The necromancer was cunning, but at least I knew he was no tactician. He wouldn¡¯t chase after me himself either. He was a coward, and he knew I was armed. He wouldn¡¯t come looking for me himself, or so I hoped.

    I descended toward the water. I was climbing down some rocks when I heard the undead growl above me. They were looking actively. I swore under my breath. They might have found the trail after all. Perhaps Lemien was controlling them directly, looking through their eyes.

    I plastered myself against the obsidian rocks and waited for the first wave of guards to pass by. There was no sign of Ofelia yet, I took it as a good sign. The banshee would be able to sense me if I was close enough.

    I didn¡¯t try to extend my senses outwards either. I didn¡¯t want to end up being discovered. I kept climbing down. I made sure each gap I gripped was sturdy enough before I let go and went further down. The descent must have taken a long time but I managed to finally reach the water.

    My legs were shaking heavily. My head pounded angrily. Lack of sleep had decided to come and join the party too. I saw double. ¨C Funny I should say that since I had but one functional eye. ¨C I pressed on though. I followed the stream and pricked my ears for any sudden movements.

    ¡®Myles,¡¯ Eva¡¯s voice reached me from the depths of my subconscious. ¡®Oy, Myles!¡¯

    ¡®What is it?¡¯ I asked. I could barely walk in a straight line.

    ¡®Open your eye damnit!¡¯

    ¡®What?!¡¯ I asked. ¡®I¡¯m wide awake, see?¡¯

    I made to widen my eye, and was surprised by it actually opening. I had actually been sleepwalking. The moment I opened my eye was the moment I¡¯d forced myself to jump back. I had reached an extremity through which water fell. I looked down and pricked my ears. I could barely hear the water hitting rocks at the bottom. The fall was steep, dangerous, deadly. Had I kept walking through that path, I would have been dead.

    ¡®Shit, Eva! Thanks for the heads up!¡¯

    ¡®Try to stay awake, alright?¡¯ she told me.

    ¡®You can count on it,¡¯ I said.

    The rush of adrenaline had allowed me some minutes of lucidity. I looked around me. The tunnel I¡¯d been walking through was deserted. I could no longer hear the other undead growling. I may have taken the most obvious route, but Lemien may not have thought about it. I had to climb down after all, who would try such a suicidal act while they¡¯d just escaped death?

    I would!

    I heard a stone fall somewhere behind me. It rolled down the rocky floor and clattered as it did. I immediately expanded my senses outward, looking for whoever was tailing me. I felt a faint aura. Someone, alive, was watching me from a distance. I couldn¡¯t go back down, lest I fall to my death. There was only one way to go, and that was toward the unknown observer.

    I knew the person was alive. I couldn¡¯t sense Lemien¡¯s link. Besides, the live ones had a different feel to them. You could feel their emotions too. This one was apprehensive, ready to fight too, if it came to that.

    ¡°Hello!¡± I said. I made sure my voice wasn¡¯t too loud for any undead to hear us in the distance. ¡°I know you¡¯re watching me. I¡¯m not with the necromancer. I¡¯ve just escaped from his tower.¡±

    The other person, somewhere in the darkness, tensed up. I could feel his or her resolve to attack.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight, okay?¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m injured, I can barely walk. But I know what the necromancer¡¯s preparing. I can prove useful.¡±

    No answer.

    Oh, what the hell?! Was I hallucinating?

    ¡°Myles?¡± a familiar voice reached me. ¡°Is that you?¡±

    ¡°Who is it?¡± I asked back. I had to struggle not to scream.

    ¡°Stay there,¡± the voice said. It belonged to a man. Something told me I knew him, but I couldn¡¯t remember him clearly. ¡°I¡¯ll come over. Don¡¯t move.¡±

    ¡°Eli?!¡± I said. ¡°Is that you?¡±

    ¡°Just, don¡¯t move alright?¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything once I reach you.¡±

 103 - Elis New Home

    I stood still, waiting for the invisible observer to reach me. I could sense him getting closer now.

    ¡°Will you stop extending your senses outwards?¡± he asked. ¡°We don¡¯t want that banshee to find us.¡±

    He had a point, but I didn¡¯t stop just because he asked. I needed to know who I was dealing with. I was tired too, wary. I waited for the person I thought was Eli to approach. Despite my excitement to meet an old friend, I didn¡¯t feel like dropping my guard. I spurted his name out on a whim. I thought I recognized his voice, but I wasn¡¯t certain it was him.

    He eventually reached me. I could see his skinny silhouette approach. Under the faint light of the glowing mushrooms at the cave, I saw him beam at me.

    ¡°You look terrible old friend,¡± he said. It was Eli, I couldn¡¯t believe my eye or my ears.

    ¡°How?¡± I asked. I couldn¡¯t think of anything else to say.

    ¡°Not now,¡± he said. ¡°We need to get you out of here. The security in the dungeons was raised to critical. They¡¯re looking for you, and if we stay here, they¡¯ll eventually find us both.¡±

    ¡°Where to go then?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Stay close,¡± Eli instructed. ¡°There are traps here. It¡¯s a miracle you survived them. I thought he¡¯d already turned you, seeing as you walked and all¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, right,¡± I said. ¡°I hadn¡¯t slept in¡­ well¡­ I don¡¯t know how long.¡±

    ¡°We have to move,¡± Eli said. ¡°Stay close and don¡¯t wander off.¡±

    I nodded.

    Eli led me though narrow tunnels, filled with cobwebs and scurrying mice. We had to crawl through some, while the undead groaned all around us.

    ¡°How did you manage to stay alive?¡± Eli asked me after a while. He was still keeping his voice down, even though we were practically out of earshot.

    ¡°I played a little act on the necromancer,¡± I said. ¡°Can we talk about this later? It¡¯s a long story, and I don¡¯t think you want us to linger here for long.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve actually reached our destination,¡± Eli said.

    I looked around. There was nothing but interconnected tunnels and glowing fungi. I saw some skeletons and some dried up corpses. Did he live here? I voiced my concern.

    ¡°Oh no,¡± Eli replied then chuckled. ¡°I live with the Children of the Forest, in their city.¡± His brows furrowed. I looked at him and he averted his gaze, toward his feet, which twitched nervously. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll easily allow you inside though.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked. ¡°They let Zoey in.¡±

    ¡°It took a lot of convincing to get her in,¡± Eli said. ¡°Ella disobeyed orders and opened the door. That brief opening allowed us to get her. But we couldn¡¯t get to you on time, not with that banshee wailing at us. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d make it.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t either,¡± I admitted. ¡°The necromancer had other plans for me though.¡±

    ¡°What kind of plans?¡± Eli asked.

    Here we go again, that look of distrust¡­ He was trying to sound genuinely concerned though, I would give him that. I knew he was also concerned about the necromancer and his schemes. I couldn¡¯t blame him. But I was beginning to faint from exhaustion. Lack of sleep can make you real grumpy.

    ¡°If I don¡¯t tell you about his plans,¡± I said, ¡°you¡¯ll cast me out, leave me here, is that it?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much,¡± Eli replied. His crude honesty shook me up.

    ¡°Why do the Sebyan fear him anyway? He¡¯s just one man.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call them that!¡± Eli warned. ¡°They don¡¯t like that name.¡±

    ¡°Why? I¡¯ve seen it in their books.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± Eli replied. ¡°Listen, the Children don¡¯t like humans. They took me in because they believe I am their salvation. I¡¯m treading on a thin line here. If I¡¯m to bring you to their city, I must know that you¡¯re no threat to them.¡±

    ¡°Look at me!¡± I protested. ¡°Do I look like someone sent by the necromancer to decimate them?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t like humans,¡± Eli said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re with the necromancer or the bloody fox. They won¡¯t like the sight of you. I¡¯m already in trouble for saving Zoey, and she¡¯s not making her case any better.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± I muttered. I remembered the way she always complained and her annoying shrieks. ¡°I must kill that necromancer though.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Why?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°I think I can tell you, but only you,¡± I said. ¡°If you promise not to divulge what I¡¯m about to tell you, I¡¯ll speak the truth.¡±

    Eli thought about it for a minute. We heard stones clatter in the distance. The undead were scouring all tunnels by then.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Eli said. ¡°Don¡¯t expect me to lie for you. I won¡¯t tell them anything, but you¡¯ll have to come up with a good story if you want to keep your head where it belongs.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside first,¡± Eli suggested. ¡°We don¡¯t want them to overhear us.¡±

    He felt with his hands around a boulder. I saw him insert his right arm, elbow deep, inside the boulder. Then a click was heard. We were standing in a branching path. Tunnels led to this place from all directions. Apart from the large boulder in the middle, there was another rock, leaning against a cave wall.

    The rock sprung into life and moved aside. Eli led me in then pulled a lever from the inside. The rock went back into place and we were completely shut from the tunnels outside. He led me forward. The tunnel we were in was as dark as the ones we¡¯d left, but it was cleaner. There were no cobwebs, no mice, no dried up corpses and stray skulls.

    We walked for about ten minutes when Eli stopped and turned to face me.

    ¡°Stay here,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll be back with some light.¡±

    He disappeared inside the tunnel then came back a minute later, carrying a torch. The firelight blinded me at first. I shielded my eye for a minute until my pupil was kind enough to limit the upcoming light.

    ¡°Tell me now,¡± Eli said. ¡°Why do you need the necromancer dead?¡±

    ¡°Do you know anything about his powers?¡± I asked.

    ¡°All we know is that he¡¯s a threat to this society. He tried to get in long ago, under the pretense of being a doctor.¡±

    ¡°He is a doctor,¡± I said. ¡°A mad one, but a doctor all the same.¡±

    ¡°Banshees are the Children¡¯s mortal enemy,¡± Eli said. ¡°He allied himself with one. They didn¡¯t allow him in. He vowed revenge.¡±

    ¡°How long ago was that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Some two years back,¡± Eli said. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°And he was a necromancer, back then?¡±

    ¡°Not as good at reanimating the dead as the past two weeks,¡± Eli said. ¡°Since I¡¯ve been admitted to the city, he attacked the main gate thrice. The growing number of undead he controls is unnerving. The Children have raised their alert level too. They won¡¯t take in any visitors. I was supposed to be the last.¡±

    ¡°It all makes sense now,¡± I said.

    ¡°What does?¡± Eli didn¡¯t seem to understand the situation just yet.

    ¡°You seek to summon the Eternal Moon,¡± I said.

    ¡°I sought to,¡± Eli replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be granted the power and responsibility to destroy the world. Even if I happened to agree to those terms, I don¡¯t really have anything worth offering.¡±

    ¡°You seem to understand the concept pretty well,¡± I said. ¡°It will make it easier to explain.¡±

    Eli raised a questioning eyebrow.

    ¡°I was offered a chance to take part in the Holi Wars,¡± I said. ¡°My first opponent is the necromancer.¡±

    ¡°You were offered a gift of power?¡± Eli said. I couldn¡¯t help but take pleasure in seeing his reaction. His eyes widened, his jaw fell to the ground, and most of all, he squeaked like an excited child.

    I nodded.

    ¡°And you must defeat that necromancer? I thought champions worked together to bring the summoner down.¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­¡± It was my turn to feel confused. ¡°Why would we work together?¡±

    ¡°The summoner receives some kind of super power, right?¡± He said. ¡°In all the previous Holi Wars, there¡¯s no account of a champion defeating the summoner singlehandedly.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s something to worry about later,¡± I said. ¡°I received a gift of power from some Lord called Minsec. I can control time with it, but my powers are locked for now. I can¡¯t use them unless I defeat the necromancer.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s odd,¡± Eli said. I could tell he was second guessing me right now.

    ¡°The one who gave me the Fragment says Minsec and Qil¡¯Al have different candidates for the Holi Wars. Only the worthy can acquire the Fragment and use it to defeat the summoner.¡±

    ¡°It works in our favor though,¡± Eli said.

    ¡°Our?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m part of the Children of the Forest now. I may be human, but they embraced me among them.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s contradictory,¡± I said. ¡°I thought they hated humans.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± Eli replied. ¡°Follow me now. They might not like the fact that I brought you here against their will. So keep your mouth shut unless you¡¯re spoken to, alright?¡±

    ¡°Do I have any other choice?¡± I shrugged then followed.

    We went through the tunnel, which led to some kind of basement. The immediate change of scenery left me speechless.

    Gone were the dark cave walls. Gone was the smell of mold and rotting corpses. I was surrounded by marble walls that shone against torch light. There were some wooden barrels, stacked against the walls. I could also see heavy looking sacks lying atop the numerous barrels and crates.

    ¡°What is this place?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re beneath the temple,¡± Eli answered. ¡°We¡¯re about to go upstairs, please don¡¯t provoke them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not Zoey,¡± I reminded my skinny old friend.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a hard couple of days¡­¡± Eli sighed. ¡°She told me you saved her from the warlock.¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± I said. ¡°I needed someone to help me reach the tunnels before my luck turned sour.¡±

    ¡°Why her?¡± he asked. ¡°You could¡¯ve brought that Herbologist. She was nice.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this later,¡± I said. ¡°There is much you don¡¯t know.¡±

    Eli pushed a wooden door open and led me up some stairs. The moment we emerged, we found ourselves in a circular building. There were a dozen statues, at least ten feet high, erected in front of shrines. Candles burned atop each, releasing a pleasant smell. I raised my head to look at the closest statue.

    It was of¡­ some kind of creature. It had canine fangs protruding from its lower jaw. Its formidable torso was bare, revealing well-developed, toned muscles. It was the body of a male, I guessed from its shape and its large pectoral muscles. The statue held a scythe, as tall as it was. Its blade shimmered against the candle and torchlight.

    I looked at Eli, ready to ask him about the statue, when I saw its real life replicas, standing before me. There were five of them. They brandished their spears at me and spoke in a language I couldn¡¯t understand. I made out the words human and puppet, but that¡¯s all I could understand.

    They didn¡¯t look pleased. It was exactly as Eli predicted. My skinny friend spoke to them in the same harsh language. He stammered here and there, but his message got to them. They lowered their spears except for one. He wore some shoulder pads made out of human bones. His bare skin was dark green. His arms were larger than my thighs. He thrust his spear at my throat.

    I felt it gently press against my skin and tear it open. I bled but I didn¡¯t back away. I stood my ground. I let the spear have a taste of my lowly human blood. The warrior¡¯s enormous mouth twisted into some form of grotesque smile. Rows of jaundiced teeth showed, along with another set of sharp fangs, hidden under his fat upper lip.

    ¡°Human,¡± he said. His voice was hoarse, threatening. ¡°Come to chief!¡±

 104 - Deadly Sneeze

    I was led out of the temple. Five guards escorted me, along with Eli, through stone steps and into a cobbled street. The city I found myself in was, to say the least, amazing. I never thought I¡¯d see an underground city. It never even occurred to me that they existed. The temple was perhaps its most outstanding building. I didn¡¯t have the luxury of time to stop and look at it though.

    I was led through a plaza with a large marble fountain in the middle. Strange, multicolored flowers surrounded a green garden in which marble benches were neatly placed. The three tailed fox was depicted quite realistically on the fountain too.

    Jets of cold water left his three tails to fall into the fountain, and around it. I shivered as the cold liquid landed on my forehead when we passed by the giant water source. The animal¡¯s red eyes were two large oblong rubies.

    ¡°Move,¡± a guard grunted at me then hit me with the hilt of his spear. I couldn¡¯t detach my eye from the fox that saved me from Eva¡¯s possession.

    ¡®This is quite the view, isn¡¯t it?¡¯

    ¡®Speak of the devil,¡¯ I mentally replied. ¡®Where did you go?¡¯

    ¡®I let you have your reunion in peace,¡¯ Eva said. ¡®I didn¡¯t feel any ill intent coming from him either. I preferred to stay out of it.¡¯

    ¡®What a considerate empress,¡¯ I joked.

    ¡®My consciousness says I¡¯m an empress,¡¯ Eva retorted. ¡®But everything else says I¡¯m part of you now.¡¯

    ¡®Not entirely though,¡¯ I said.

    ¡®Well, you¡¯d better get to work then,¡¯ Eva said.

    ¡®Miss our meetings?¡¯ I teased.

    ¡®I don¡¯t think you have the energy for it,¡¯ she retorted.

    ¡®We¡¯ll see about that, after I get some sleep.¡¯

    ¡®Let¡¯s hope they don¡¯t make it eternal,¡¯ Eva said. She had to go and remind me of the possibility of death.

    ¡®I¡¯m used to being in danger,¡¯ I said. ¡®When was the last time I wasn¡¯t running away from death?¡¯

    Eva chuckled. ¡®If all goes well, you might have to face it this time.¡¯

    ¡®Here¡¯s hoping,¡¯ I said.

    I felt cheerful. It was perhaps the atmosphere around this underground city. It may have been built underneath the ground, but it was luminous. Remember those glowing mushrooms on cave walls? Imagine them now bigger, larger.

    Imagine a jelly fish, sparkling in the water, swimming upward as it beat its thin tentacles. Then give it a mushroom shape and leave the tentacles hanging. These were the source of light in this city. They floated everywhere. Some had an orange-red glow to them. Others had a bright blue glow. Each district was differentiated by the color each giant, floating mushroom emitted, or so I guessed anyway.

    We reached a building on top of which a mushroom with thin tentacles nested. This one emitted a dark blue light. I was asked to stand before the marble stairs that led inside. The door to the building was closed. There were some runes etched on a marble board on top. I figured they meant Chief House or something of the sort.

    I heard the guard, whose spear almost pierced me earlier, speak in a harsh tone. Their foreign language had barbaric feel to it. In other words, there was too much rolling of the ¡°r¡± and some explosive sounds too. The door creaked open. Eli was led in first. I was asked, quite aggressively, to stay put and wait.

    I took the opportunity to look around some more. I had forgotten about the narrow tunnels and dark caves now. This place had a majestic feel to it. It felt serene too, peaceful. It felt as though the earth had moved aside and allowed for a big sphere, the size of a castle, with its inner and outer walls, to form. I could hear water rippling somewhere in the distance.

    Everywhere I looked, I saw high marble walls and glowing mushrooms. There was a spot, far away in the distance, that had some sunlight, pouring in from an unseen hole above ground.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    I suddenly felt as though someone, or something, was watching me. I turned around to see a cloaked, tall creature advance toward me. It had red glowing eyes that pierced through my soul. It felt as though this person, or creature, immediately knew who I was, and what I was doing there.

    ¡°You bear a gift of power,¡± the creature said. It had a hoarse voice, similar to that of the Sebyan I met in the temple.

    I nodded. There was no need to hide it from this one. I felt as though he knew everything. He just wanted to hear me say the truth.

    ¡°You know your purpose then,¡± he said. He rolled his ¡°r¡± pretty harshly. His ¡°t¡± was accentuated, sounding almost like a rough ¡°d¡±.

    ¡°Is this where the fox lives?¡± I asked. I couldn¡¯t help but think of all the symbols I saw around the city, and in their books in Lemien¡¯s tower.

    ¡°This is up to you to find out,¡± the cloaked Sebyan said. ¡°Survive your trial first,¡± he went on, ¡°then come and see me. Remember what you heard the day you received your gift.¡±

    The cloaked Sebyan kept staring at me for an uncomfortable period of time, then turned on his heels and left me standing, facing the steps. The door creaked open a few heartbeats later and I was asked to come in.

    I climbed the stairs, thinking of what he¡¯d just told me. The way he looked at me was unnerving. I didn¡¯t like the feeling I got from it. He also spoke of trial and survival. I sighed. I really couldn¡¯t catch a breath. All I wanted was to lie down somewhere and sleep.

    I got inside. Fire crackled in the middle of the hall I was admitted to. A large kettle hung above it. Warm smell of boiling broth invaded my nostrils, and caused my mouth to water involuntarily. My stomach growled and protested. I had to chase the thought of warm food away.

    A dozen Sebyan stood above. I was in a long hall meant for tribe meetings. They all stood in front of tall chairs and turned to look at me the moment I got in. They wore multicolored wool robes. Their hoods were drawn, hiding their faces. Their long sleeves hid their crossed arms. They observed me with keen eyes, which all glowed yellow.

    ¡°Come forward, human,¡± one of the cloaked Sebyan said. ¡°Let us have a closer look at your face.¡±

    I approached the observing committee. I made sure I held my chin high and puffed my chest. The previous encounter with that warrior told me the Sebyan didn¡¯t like weakness. I walked past the delicious smelling broth and into the torchlight. I felt like I was standing in court, awaiting judgment from people who stood a good three feet above me.

    I heard their murmurs as I stood before them, pausing as I looked at each one of them. I couldn¡¯t understand what they said, but I could read their tones. They definitely did not like me. I caught a glimpse of Eli, standing behind the Sebyan in the middle.

    ¡°What is your purpose from coming here?¡± the one in the middle asked.

    ¡°I heeded the call,¡± I said. The idea came to me almost instantly. It was perhaps because of that Sebyan earlier. He reminded me of a song I¡¯d almost forgotten.

    ¡°What call?¡± another one asked. I could tell this one was female. Her voice was slightly gentler than the ones I¡¯ve heard so far.

    ¡°Seek us where the land meets the seas, where the dead come to mourn, where the living come to hunt,¡± I said. I was referring to the song I first heard when I received the Fragment of time. It was a long shot, but I hoped it would do the job.

    The cloaked Sebyan exchanged glances. The one in the middle, the chief I assumed, removed his cloak. This one had a long brown, braided beard that extended to his chest. His long hair was braided and tied backwards. The side of his head was clean shaven though. Two small horns protruded from his forehead, adding to his intimidating lower fangs.

    ¡°Finish the song,¡± the chief urged me.

    ¡°Accept this gift, speak the forbidden truth! Stay off the beaten path, seek the fox that plays the luth,¡± I said.

    ¡°What¡¯s the forbidden truth?¡± the chief asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken it,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯m not about to repeat it to strangers, whom I thank for not killing me by the way.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever met the fox?¡± the chief asked.

    ¡°This is stupid,¡± another cloaked Sebyan said. I could tell he was a male from his harsh voice. ¡°Anyone can repeat a stupid song!¡±

    ¡°Have you ever met the fox?¡± the chief repeated his question then shot a warning glance at the cloaked Sebyan.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered.

    ¡°What did he tell you?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± I answered. ¡°He just hit me on the head a couple of times.¡±

    The chief threw his head backwards and laughed. His voice boomed across the hall while his brethren watched in brooding silence.

    ¡°Give this man a room and a hot meal. See to his wounds too. I¡¯ll come and talk to you later.¡±

    I thanked the chief for his trust. My lips curled into an involuntary smile. I didn¡¯t think things would go that smoothly with them. Then I remembered Lemien and how I was easily led to believe he was a na?ve schmuck, if I may steal Eva¡¯s words here.

    Two guards came to escort me and I turned to follow. The Sebyan I left behind me were arguing quite vehemently. I caught a short glimpse of Eli who winked at me.

    My nose tickled at the scent of warm broth. I rubbed the bridge of my nose, calming my stomach and urging it to be a little more patient. I felt the tickling get more intense. Then I sneezed. The hall grew silent. I lifted my head to look at the guards whose eyes expressed utter terror.

    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± the Sebyan who protested earlier screamed.

    ¡°I just sneezed,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s probably just the dust, or the smell of warm food.¡±

    I sneezed again, and again. This wasn¡¯t helping. For some reason I couldn¡¯t understand, my sneezing scared the living daylight out of these people.

    ¡°Cover your noses and mouths!¡± the chief ordered. ¡°Take him to prison and send that human healer to see him!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I protested. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± The ¡°n¡± I was supposed to pronounce came out as a ¡°d¡±. Did I really catch a cold? Was I sick?

    ¡°No!¡± the one who first protested against me yelled. ¡°Kill him now! Burn him! We can¡¯t allow him to contaminate our people!¡±

 105 - Three Tailed Fox

    I was led to another cage. I think prisons love me. They just can¡¯t get enough of me, can they? I was thrown in the cell. The metallic door slammed shut behind me. The guards left me with some harsh words before they left. I didn¡¯t understand them anyway. I just shrugged.

    My stomach growled and my knees wobbled. I thought of the broth I missed and the warm food I might have had. My mouth watered and I felt despair fill my entire being. What did I do to deserve all this? I just sneezed. I didn¡¯t even feel sick. There was no fever, no shivering. Why did they get scared of a little sneeze anyway?

    I sneezed again. Cold sweat ran down my spine. I suddenly felt cold. My head grew heavier than it already was. I felt numb.

    ¡®There, there,¡¯ Eva said. ¡®Want to come to me for a hug?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m in no mood for your jest, your imperial highness.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t be like that,¡¯ Eva retorted.

    ¡®Your seductive voice won¡¯t work on me unless I¡¯m in your personal space, you know,¡¯ I said.

    ¡®At least they didn¡¯t kill you,¡¯ she said, ¡®or burn you alive.¡¯

    ¡®Is that supposed to make me feel better?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®Yes,¡¯ Eva said. ¡®Get some sleep. There¡¯s that animal skin on the floor.¡¯

    The prison cell was barren, save for a bed wrap on the floor. It called to me, asked me to lie down and cover myself. Maybe if I huddled inside it, I¡¯d feel better upon waking up.

    ¡®Come to think of it,¡¯ I said as I obeyed. ¡®Do you think they breed animals here?¡¯

    ¡®How would you justify their woolen robes then?¡¯ Eva asked. ¡®It¡¯s a pity you don¡¯t get to explore the city.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t remind me,¡¯ I grunted.

    ¡®Sleep,¡¯ Eva urged. ¡®Que sera, sera!¡¯

    ¡®Hmmm, when did you learn Bolignois?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know, Stalwart.¡¯

    I lay on the bed wrap and closed my eyes. Sleep came almost immediately. It wasn¡¯t the restful bliss I hoped for though. I felt delirious. My eyes were closed, but my body twitched right and left. I felt my skin burn against my flesh. No position I chose to sleep in was comfortable. Voices spoke to me, indistinct, angry, desperate. I shook my head to chase them away. My bones ached as well. I just wanted to sleep peacefully. Then everything stopped.

    I was standing in a dark place. I couldn¡¯t see past my two feet. My second eye was back and I realized I was dreaming again. I walked around. The echoes of my footsteps were my only company. I reached out to Eva, but she couldn¡¯t hear me, or wasn¡¯t there at all. I walked further, but nothing changed. I knew I had to go further. Don¡¯t ask me how, I just did.

    So I pressed on. My feet went click-clack with every step. I was wearing wooden sandals. Sandals! What weird part of my subconscious liked sandals? I didn¡¯t know. I felt ashamed of myself as I walked, looking down at my feet, at the overgrown nails protruding from my toes.

    When I looked up, seconds later, I saw a bright light in front of me. I shielded my eyes with my right arm as I continued to walk forward. The light subsided after a while then I saw the pretty little animal. The white fox observed me with its crimson eyes, its tails bobbing sideways playfully.

    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± I asked.

    The strange animal didn¡¯t respond. It just kept bobbing those fluffy tails, blinking at me as it did.

    ¡°Are you some kind of God?¡± I asked.

    It swung its tails furiously.

    ¡°Are you an animal then?¡±

    I swung its tails once more, with more ferocity.

    ¡°Then I don¡¯t know what the fuck you are and what you want from me!¡± I shouted.

    It jumped in place, turned its tails at me then ran forward.

    ¡°Hey!¡± I yelled. ¡°Wait! I¡¯m not done with you dammit!¡±

    I ran after the sly fox.

    Have you ever tried running after an animal? If yes, could you catch it? The most obvious answer would be no. You¡¯d be huffing and puffing before you know it. The animal would stop, leagues away, and look at you, taunting your slow human legs. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    To make matters worse, I was in a dream world. You can¡¯t really run while you¡¯re dreaming. Your legs suddenly turn into jelly. You try your hardest, knowing full well that you can run faster, but your legs won¡¯t respond. They¡¯d just wobble helplessly in the air, as if you were attempting to run underwater.

    Every time I thought of giving up my pursuit, the freaking fox would surprise me with a pat on the head. It would hop away then, leaving me behind. When I stopped responding to its pats, it struck me, pretty hard, in the back of my head. The dream wouldn¡¯t end either. I had no choice but to follow.

    I ran after the damn fox for what seemed an eternity. After many pats and some strong hits to the back of my head, we reached another bright light. The sly animal disappeared inside and I followed.

    I saw a little kid. His legs were crossed, and his back hunched. It was me. I must have been five or six back then. I sat, looking at the man I recognized as my father. He was younger, sober. His eyes had this special light to them. He was proud, hopeful, beaming. He was telling me a story of the time he beat a sorcerer in a duel. I watched him with that look of admiration I forgot I had for him.

    My father only knew some basic spells. Magic was never his strong suit. He¡¯d always tell me how he had disappointed his own father, but that he didn¡¯t care. He knew how to deal with mages, and that was with a solid knife thrust, between the fifth and fourth rib.

    Why was the fox showing me this specific memory? I had made sure to bury the memories of my father along with his deformed body.

    We were sitting in the living room of our small shack in the slums. It was hot outside. Sitting by the shade inside the house was actually worse than being outside. Despite the open windows, I remember how it felt clearly, stuffy, damps from the river that flowed right beside the city, and it smelled of garbage and human shit.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fill the boy¡¯s head with your idea of glory,¡± my mother¡¯s voice reached me from the kitchen door.

    I looked at her, and I felt my heart jump to my throat. I didn¡¯t like seeing her, nor did I like seeing that inflated belly, bearing my little sister. She smiled at me, the kind of smile that makes your worries disappear, the kind that lets you know there¡¯s an adult around there for you, ready to hug you and lift any weight off your shoulders.

    I wanted to run to her, hug her and tell her I was sorry. But I couldn¡¯t move. I was a silent observer, stuck in a memory I didn¡¯t wish to revisit.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± my father protested.

    ¡°Yeah, mum,¡± I said. ¡°I want to hear more!¡± I sounded too excited.

    There was a time when I looked up to my father. There was a time when I aspired to become a hunter, just like him. I wanted to slay dangerous beasts and claim the glory.

    ¡°You should study, find a stable job at the Administrative district,¡± mother told me.

    Her gentle voice and the serious look on her face betrayed her background. She was an excellent thief, from what I gathered later on. I bet she didn¡¯t want her children to grow up the same way she did.

    ¡°Look at Liam,¡± she went on. ¡°He¡¯s an apprentice with Lucius now. He¡¯ll grow up to become a fine perfume artist. He¡¯ll be able to afford a nice house for his family. Wouldn¡¯t you want that?¡±

    ¡°I want to kill monsters,¡± I replied, a little too eager for a child who didn¡¯t know how deadly monsters were.

    ¡°Let the child dream,¡± father protested. ¡°Leave the bureaucrats and the merchants to their boring lives and their petty schemes.¡±

    Mother gave him a scornful look, and father swallowed his next words.

    ¡°Well, kiddo, it seems story time is over.¡± He gave me his brightest smile, lifted me up and kissed me on the cheek. ¡°Viraldo and I are going for an elite class bounty hunt. Our trip may take some weeks. Be good to your mother, alright?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°You¡¯re almost a full grown man now,¡± he lied. ¡°You take care of your sister. Your brothers couldn¡¯t care less about her.¡±

    Mother protested, but it was father¡¯s turn to frown at her. It was true that my older brothers only cared about themselves. Father gave me one last look. His happy-go-lucky demeanor had disappeared.

    ¡°You are my son, you hear? Don¡¯t let anybody take that away from you,¡± he told me. ¡°And you make sure you grow up a Stalwart. Don¡¯t follow on your brothers¡¯ footsteps, you hear?¡±

    I nodded once more.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go sprouting nonsense now,¡± mother protested. ¡°Let the kid have a child¡¯s life. He¡¯ll worry about training later.¡±

    Dad nodded and gave his wife a passionate kiss. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± He gave the little girl that grew in my mother¡¯s belly a hearty kiss.

    ¡°When did I ever worry?¡± mother said, jokingly. ¡°Go, and don¡¯t let Viraldo get under your skin.¡±

    ¡°You got it!¡±

    Father strapped his long sword around his back, buckled the throwing knives around his waist, then made for the door. He gave me one last glance, winked, then left.

    That was the last time I saw him happy. Upon coming back from the hunt, he had lost his leg. Viraldo took the position of master, the one that was promised to Tibault Stalwart. I guess this was what broke him, led him to excessive drinking and the downfall of our happy little family.

    I was sucked out of that memory and into darkness again. The three tailed fox was there, looking at me with his oblong crimson eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re a nasty animal,¡± I told him. I knew he¡¯d understand me, he just wouldn¡¯t answer. ¡°Why show me all this?¡± I asked.

    Silence¡­

    I expected that answer. It didn¡¯t stop it from being outright infuriating.

    ¡°Speak dammit!¡± I yelled and stomped my feet. The wooden sandals thumped at the dark surface I was standing on. Now I was even angrier. Why oh why was I wearing sandals?!

    The fox swept his tails at me and a strong wind carried me away. I flew, slowly at first, then I picked up speed. I felt my hair ruffle. My clothes flapped against my back. Then the wind stopped, as abruptly as it started. I fell down, deeper, faster. I didn¡¯t know when I¡¯d land but I braced for impact.

    ¡°He¡¯s no longer delirious,¡± I heard a familiar female voice say. ¡°His fever has gone down.¡±

    My body jerked, as thought I¡¯d just fallen to the ground. I opened my eye to find Zoey and Eli observing me with worried looks over their faces.

    ¡°Welcome back,¡± Eli told me. ¡°I thought we¡¯d lost you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I said. My voice was cracked, too hoarse. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°You came down with the flu,¡± Eli said. ¡°Lucky Zoey figured it out quickly.¡±

    ¡°How long was I asleep?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Three days,¡± Zoey said. ¡°I thought you¡¯d never open that eye of yours.¡±

 106 - Nag, The Prophet

    I spent one more day in that hateful cell, covered and cared for by Zoey. She¡¯d told me that my sneeze had released the sickness into the air. The Chief Hall was sealed. All the people who were on guard duty that day were quarantined.

    You might have guessed it already, but the Sebyan were weak against human disease. For some reason their immune systems couldn¡¯t fight it properly. In case it spreads, it might kill everybody who lived there.

    ¡°That¡¯s odd¡­¡± I told Zoey. My voice was still hoarse. My bones ached too.

    ¡°What¡¯s odd?¡± she asked me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember ever falling sick like this.¡±

    It slowly dawned on me. My brain wasn¡¯t as active as I wanted it to be. It took me some time, but I managed to piece it all together. That spineless doctor! He was smarter than I¡¯d given him credit for. Once more, he played me and led me right where he wanted. I felt like a puppet, and the words spoken by the first guard I met at the temple rung in my head.

    ¡®It¡¯s as much your fault as it is mine,¡¯ Eva said. ¡®I should¡¯ve seen through him. Welcome back by the way. I thought we were goners.¡¯

    ¡®What happens to you if I die?¡¯ I asked. It just occurred to me. ¡®Will you explode into tiny fragments?¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s the most possible outcome,¡¯ Eva said. ¡®I don¡¯t have much to offer you, unlike that Fragment of time. So perhaps those Lords, collectors of Fragments, won¡¯t consider scooping me up.¡¯

    ¡®What happens to a Fragment once it explodes?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®How should I know?¡¯ Eva retorted. ¡®This is my first time as a Fragment, you know.¡¯

    ¡®Fine,¡¯ I said. ¡®What do you think we should do against Lemien?¡¯

    ¡®There¡¯s nothing we can do if we can¡¯t get out of this cell,¡¯ Eva said.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Zoey¡¯s high pitched shriek made me jump. ¡°Still alive?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Thanks for all this,¡± I said.

    She had been taking care of me for four days. None of the Sebyan healers, or guards for that matter, dared approach my cell. The entire prison block was sealed. They sent the human healer, Zoey in case you¡¯re wondering, to tend to me. Dark circles had formed around her eyes. I could clearly see that she hardly slept.

    ¡°Eli should be here soon,¡± Zoey said. ¡°He went to speak to that chief. He fought against the entire council. They wanted to burn you alive you know.¡±

    I shuddered. ¡°Who would blame them?¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m death incarnate, walking on two feet, spreading disease and suffering.¡±

    ¡°It was just the flu,¡± Zoey complained.

    ¡°Which could have killed them all,¡± I retorted.

    Zoey looked the other way. ¡°Speaking of which,¡± she said.

    Her shriek was now replaced with a hushed voice. I didn¡¯t like the feeling I got from hearing it. She turned to look at me. The look of worry she gave me made my heart sink a few inches toward my stomach. Something about the way she looked at me told me she was about to deliver bad news.

    I sighed. ¡°Just get on with it,¡± I said. ¡°How many of them died because of the flu?¡±

    ¡°Thirty have been quarantined,¡± Zoey said. ¡°Seven have died, including a healer and two children.¡±

    ¡°Seven in three days?¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s a deadly flu.¡±

    ¡°Deadly sneeze,¡± Zoey corrected. ¡°If you were allowed to stay inside the city for just a few more hours, the virus would have spread everywhere. There would be no stopping it.¡±

    ¡°Then how am I not dead?¡± I asked. ¡°And don¡¯t tell me Eli fought to protect me. He¡¯s a human as well. They wouldn¡¯t have listened to his pleas after children died.¡±

    ¡°Eli wouldn¡¯t tell me,¡± Zoey said. ¡°In any case, he should be here soon.¡±

    ¡°And why are you still here?¡± I asked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you go get some sleep or something?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to leave your side,¡± she answered. ¡°I¡¯m a prisoner now, just like you.¡±

    I was surprised to hear her say that. Not that I didn¡¯t expect this, but I didn¡¯t expect her to say it in that fashion. She didn¡¯t blame me. She didn¡¯t look at me and shriek. She just said it as though it was information to be passed down.

    ¡°You¡¯re not mad at me?¡± I asked. I couldn¡¯t help it.

    ¡°No,¡± Zoey said.

    Did Aella¡¯s star fall over the ground and the world ended? How in the world was she not mad at me? I didn¡¯t have much time to think of this though. The door to my cell was sprung open and Eli came in.

    ¡°Can you stand?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I believe so,¡± I said.

    I tried to move but my body protested. I felt shivers run down my spine. I pressed on and stood up nonetheless. I couldn¡¯t lie around doing nothing anymore. Eli studied me with a calculating gaze. There were two creases that ran along the bridge of his nose, up toward his forehead. Even though he looked at me, his face rested, those creases didn¡¯t disappear.

    ¡°There¡¯s someone who wants to talk to you,¡± Eli said.

    ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m allowed outside?¡± I asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± he replied. ¡°He won¡¯t risk bringing you out to the city in your state.¡±

    I followed Eli out of the cell and into the prison block. He led me through the empty corridors and up some stairs. I was led inside a spacious office. A cloaked figure sat on a tall marble chair, reading some book he picked up from the library.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re awake,¡± he said as soon as I got in. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡±

    I obeyed and sat on a chair opposite him.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± he asked.

    ¡°The fever¡¯s dying off,¡± I said. ¡°I can move about just fine.¡± That last part was a lie. My body ached, perhaps from fighting the disease.

    The man removed his hood, revealing a horrible face. I thought the Sebyan were different, a little uglier than us, humans, but they had an intimidating physique. This one could intimidate and horrify you at the same time. One of his lower fangs was broken. The horns on his forehead were longer than those of the chief¡¯s. They coiled around at the top, like a ram¡¯s.

    He had a nasty scar that ran across his face, from forehead to lower jaw. He was bald. He had tattoos on his bare head that signified something, something I dreaded just by looking at them. I didn¡¯t know what they meant though. I just got this foreboding feeling as soon as I laid an eye on them. His eyes were crimson red. I remembered him then. He was the cloaked Sebyan I met before I got into the Chief Hall.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Eli tells me you go by the name Myles,¡± he said.

    I nodded.

    ¡°Well, Myles, we have much to discuss, you and I.¡± He motioned to Eli with his head and my skinny friend left the room, shutting the door behind him.

    ¡®He¡¯s going to kill us,¡¯ Eva told me. ¡®You know how executioners are nice to people they¡¯re just about to murder? I get that feeling from him.¡¯

    ¡°You can call me Nag,¡± he said.

    ¡°Nag?¡± I echoed back.

    ¡°My full name¡¯s N¡¯gairi Larbee Botheecha,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll find it easier to call me Nag, I suppose.¡±

    ¡®See? He¡¯s being all friendly while you caused his people¡¯s deaths. This doesn¡¯t bode well Myles.¡¯

    ¡®If he¡¯s willing to talk,¡¯ I said. ¡®This means he¡¯s willing to offer me something. Let¡¯s just wait and see.¡¯

    ¡°Nag it is,¡± I said while I forced a smile. ¡°How can I be of assistance?¡±

    ¡°First off,¡± Nag said then pulled out a bottle from behind the tall chair, ¡°let¡¯s drink to your health.¡±

    He poured a glass for him, sipped from it then offered me a glass of my own. I gulped the content heartily. I instantly felt my ears buzz. Some kind of warmth seeped through my entire body.

    I felt rejuvenated, stronger, as though I wasn¡¯t sick the past few days. I saw the world with a different eye. Everything had more color. Even the air was visible to me then, dancing in multicolored patterns, even though it was only for a little while. The smell of dust on the books was stronger. The books themselves spoke to me. They told me of their stories, their makers. It all came and went in an instant, but I loved that fleeting feeling.

    ¡°Our healers will have my head for this,¡± Nag said. ¡°So don¡¯t tell anybody you¡¯ve drunk this, alright?¡± He gave me another grotesque smile. It was difficult to get used to their faces, their dark green skin, and their protruding fangs. This one in particular didn¡¯t make it easier for me.

    ¡°What was that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°A rejuvenating potion,¡± Nag said. ¡°It will help you recover faster. You may even find yourself able to think clearly. It has a positive effect on the human brain. On the other hand, it only helps our bodies recover. That¡¯s all we can use on the men and women you poisoned.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t poison them,¡± I protested. ¡°I didn¡¯t even realize I was sick.¡±

    ¡°But you were,¡± Nag said, ¡°herein lies the problem. My people want your head. They want to see you burn. They want to hear you scream while fire eats your frail body. I don¡¯t suppose you want that, do you Myles?¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I speak in the name of our savior,¡± Nag answered. ¡°He sometimes conveys his words to me, and I transfer them to my people. I¡¯m a messenger of sorts.¡±

    ¡°Savior, do you mean the fox?¡±

    ¡°He likes that form,¡± he answered. ¡°Animals don¡¯t speak, he says.¡± Nag let out a wheezing sound. I took as a chuckle.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re some kind of prophet?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The title isn¡¯t important,¡± Nag said. ¡°I can hear his words. I dream of him sometimes.¡±

    ¡°I assume you¡¯re here against your chief¡¯s wishes,¡± I said.

    ¡°The chief doesn¡¯t tell me what to do,¡± Nag replied.

    ¡°Something tells me I¡¯m alive to fulfill some kind of purpose,¡± I told him.

    ¡°I need information first,¡± Nag replied. ¡°Eli tells me you escaped the necromancer.¡±

    ¡°Not before he injected me with the flu,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t know when or how he did it. But he must have planned this all along.¡±

    ¡°Did you get a good look at the dungeons he lives in?¡± Nag asked.

    ¡°I know my way around his tower,¡± I said. ¡°I know how to banish the banshee that allied itself to him too. But that¡¯s all I can provide you with.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how to kill him?¡± Nag asked.

    I remained silent. That question insinuated too many things. First of all, the necromancer couldn¡¯t be killed using the good old conventional methods. Second, the Sebyan have tried to kill him before but failed. Third, they needed my help to kill the necromancer. I had to come up with something clever to say, if I wanted to avoid the fire.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know, do you?¡± Nag said.

    ¡°I know he has a time limit to enter your city,¡± I said.  ¡°It has to do with his participation in the Holi Wars.¡±

    The prophet went silent. He stroked his long beard, mulling things over. ¡°How long?¡± he asked. ¡°How long should we keep him out?¡±

    ¡°Eight days,¡± I told him, ¡°Nine at most.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s become more aggressive,¡± Nag said. ¡°He stormed our doors yesterday. Scouts say his puppets are gathering again, near the city gate.¡±

    ¡°Do they use the tunnels to spy on him?¡± I asked. Something was bothering me about all this. I had a feeling Lemien was planning something bigger. Injecting me with the flu didn¡¯t sound like a master plan.

    The prophet eyed me for a while. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Call it a hunch,¡± I said. ¡°I can help you defeat the necromancer,¡± I said, ¡°but there are things I must know before I tell you about my plan.¡±

    ¡°Ask away,¡± Nag said. ¡°After all, you¡¯re alive because you can be useful. Outlive it, and you shall burn at the main plaza.¡±

    ¡°Do you have livestock in the city?¡± I asked.

    ¡°How is that relevant?¡± Nag asked.

    ¡°Just indulge me, please,¡± I said. That potion helped me regain my senses. My mind worked perfectly, even better than before. I felt I¡¯d figured Lemien¡¯s plan.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he answered.

    ¡°Do you have rat problems?¡± he asked.

    The prophet¡¯s eyes widened. I guess it was the equivalent of a raised eyebrow, seeing as they didn¡¯t have any.

    ¡°Scouts reported an increased activity among mice and rats in the tunnels, why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Did any of your men get bitten? Or did any of the rodents get inside the city?¡±

    ¡°Not that I know of,¡± the prophet said.

    ¡°Then you should get to the bottom of it,¡± I said. ¡°My sickness was a distraction.¡±

    ¡°Explain,¡± Nag urged. His voice had changed. His breathing had become shorter.

    ¡°He knew you¡¯d react to my sickness that way. Perhaps he also knew you¡¯d lock me up, burn me as well. He also attacked your front door to draw your people out to scout for further attacks. But he didn¡¯t expect you to keep me alive I guess.¡± I was smiling now. That potion rejuvenated my senses, and gave me extra brain power as a bonus.

    ¡°He¡¯s planning to spread plague and disease among your men. It will first start with me. Then it will spread, and more of your people will die. You¡¯ll blame it on human sickness. You won¡¯t notice until your own livestock starts to die. By then, he would have created his own army within the city.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying there¡¯s another disease spreading in the city?¡± Nag asked.

    ¡°The necromancer showed me his experiments on rats. He¡¯s controlling the sick ones, guiding them through the tunnels. As soon as one of your men gets bitten, or your livestock, which will make matters worse, it¡¯s the beginning of the end for all of us.¡± I hid the fact that I might have given Lemien the idea.

    The prophet pounded at the chair and yelled some harsh words I took as swears in his own language. He got up, handed me the potion and strode for the door. ¡°Keep that well hidden,¡± he said. ¡°Eli will tell you what to do once I¡¯ve convened a meeting with the council.¡±

    He opened the door, told Eli something in his native language then turned to me one more time. ¡°I have a message to deliver to you.¡±

    I assumed the message was from the silent fox. I looked at the Sebyan intently.

    ¡°Assimilate,¡± he said. He put on his cloak then left me sitting there.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I called out for him. ¡°That¡¯s it? That¡¯s the freaking message?¡± but Nag was gone.

    ¡°Fucking animal!¡± I mumbled under my breath.

    ¡®It seems he doesn¡¯t like to speak at all,¡± Eva said. ¡®Where have you seen him?¡¯ she asked. ¡®I heard you say that to the chief earlier.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll tell you about it later,¡¯ I said. Eli had stormed into the room. His fat creases hadn¡¯t faded.

    He escorted me back to my cell. I found Zoey on the ground, sound asleep. ¡°She hardly slept the past three days,¡± Eli informed me. ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can. I don¡¯t know what you told Nag, but he doesn¡¯t look pleased at all.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll tell you everything during the meeting,¡± I said. ¡°I suggest you make haste.¡±

    Eli nodded and left me in the cell. He didn¡¯t close the door behind him though. I guess nobody would want to get inside the entire prison, since I was death incarnate to them.

    I sat on the floor near Zoey and thought about the Fox¡¯s message.

    ¡®Do you think he meant you by that message?¡¯ I asked Eva.

    ¡®Maybe,¡¯ she answered. ¡®What will you do about it?¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯ll proceed as planned,¡¯ I told her. ¡®I will leave your consciousness alone, but merge your energy with mine.¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t think it will work,¡¯ Eva said.

    ¡®Does that mean you¡¯re willing to give up on your memories,¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®I exist because of them,¡¯ she told me. ¡®I know part of me lives in those bones, but that part is somewhere else, oblivious to my existence. You may find it silly, but giving up my memories feels like dying to me.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re not giving me a straight answer there, your highness.¡¯

    Eva was about to say something but a booming voice overshadowed hers.

    ¡°CHILDREN OF THE FOREST,¡± I recognized Lemien¡¯s voice. If I could hear it, it meant that everyone else could. ¡°BY NOW, MOST OF YOU MUST BE SUFFERING. I GRIEVE FOR YOU, BUT YOU BROUGHT THIS UPON YOURSELVES. I CAN CURE YOU, I CAN HELP YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEMS GET BETTER.¡±

    There was silence after that. The necromancer let his words sink in. He knew how to use pauses to accentuate his speeches. Damn that doctor!

    ¡°SEEING AS YOU REFUSED ME BEFORE, I¡¯M WILLING TO OFFER YOU A DEAL. I WILL SAVE YOUR CHILDREN. I PROMISE THEY WILL HAVE A BRIGHT FUTURE ABOVE GROUND. BUT TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO GIVE YOURSELVES TO ME, WILLINGLY.

    ¡°YOUR DEATHS WILL BE PAINLESS. YOU¡¯LL SERVE MY PURPOSE, AND I¡¯LL MAKE SURE TO REPAY YOUR VALIANT SACRIFICES. YOU HAVE MY WORD. NO FURTHER HARM SHALL BEFALL YOU. GIVE YOURSELVES UP, AND YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR FUTURE GENERATIONS, WILL LIVE PEACEFULLY ABOVE. SUNLIGHT WILL REACH THEM. THEY¡¯LL THRIVE AND THANK THEIR ANCESTORS FOR THEIR SACRIFICE.¡±

    Another eerie silence.

    ¡°YOU HAVE ONE DAY. THINK ABOUT MY OFFER, OR DIE A MOST PAINFUL DEATH. EITHER WAY, YOU SHALL BECOME MY SOLDIERS, MY LOVELY STRONG PUPPETS.¡±

 107 - Rogue Spy

    <u>Jango City, Kingdom of Aslanor. </u>

    In one of the shady alleys of Dogma District, there¡¯s a bar named Vanessa¡¯s Corner. It¡¯s neither a big bar, nor popular. The only outstanding feature it has is its strange layout. It had thirteen pillars, thirteen stools at the crooked, wooden bar, thirteen tables and thirteen windows. It¡¯s mostly empty during the day. That¡¯s when a cloaked customer decided to pay Vanessa¡¯s Corner a visit.

    ¡°Table at the corner,¡± Vanessa, the owner, said as soon as the customer stepped foot inside.

    She was a homely, buxom woman, two features that don¡¯t stick together most times. She had long dry hair which she usually kept knotted in a ponytail, save for the threads that usually fell over her forehead. Her eyes were spaced out unevenly. Her large nose bridge didn¡¯t do her any favors either. It stood out, wide as it is, drawing everyone¡¯s eyes away from her large bosom and into her nose.

    She cast a wary look at the cloaked customer, a female by the looks of it, that just came in, and got busy preparing two large pints of ale.

    The customer made her way to the furthermost corner of the bar, and settled there. She didn¡¯t take her hood out. Most people who visit Vanessa¡¯s Corner decide to remain hidden. There are too many prying ears and nosy individuals in the city. This shady bar was the only place they could hold secret meetings without arousing too much suspicion.

    Vanessa came to the cloaked customer soon after. She put two pints on the sticky wooden surface and settled across on the other side of the table.

    ¡°Why the hell have you come here?¡± Vanessa asked. Although the bar was practically empty, she decided to whisper.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know where to go,¡± the customer answered. She had a sweet voice that betrayed her ruthless nature. ¡°Do you have any news?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s angry,¡± Vanessa replied. ¡°He vowed to find you and rip your head from your shoulders with his bare hands. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s exaggerating.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he is either,¡± the cloaked customer answered. ¡°Any other news?¡±

    ¡°None,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°Why did you do it?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Trust me old friend,¡± the customer said. ¡°The less you know the better.¡±

    ¡°I know a lot of things, old friend,¡± Vanessa replied, stressing the last two words. ¡°I know, for starters, that what you¡¯ve done is high treason. The entire fucking kingdom is looking for you, yet you barge in here, not a care in the world. Have you gone mad?¡±

    ¡°I told you,¡± Vanessa¡¯s old friend replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t know where else to go.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Vanessa softened up a bit, ¡°you can¡¯t stay here, that¡¯s for sure.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± she replied. ¡°Listen, I need to get to Biarkh. What¡¯s the word about the Queen¡¯s road?¡±

    ¡°Riddled with knights, wizards and sorcerers,¡± Vanessa replied. ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll get to the next village, let alone Biarkh.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to hire a ship then,¡± the customer said.

    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Vanessa yelled and pounded at the table. Some of the brown liquid spilled on the already dirty surface. When she spoke next, it was in a faint whisper. She knew her place was under surveillance.  ¡°Are you out of your mind? You can¡¯t cross the sea to Biarkh. You know what lurks in those vicious waters.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve done it before, haven¡¯t I?¡± her cloaked friend said. ¡°Besides, the Holi Wars are about to start. I¡¯m running out of time.¡±

    ¡°Just give him the damn bones,¡± Vanessa cried out. ¡°Do you really think he¡¯ll summon the moon anyway?¡±

    ¡°You know what they call him,¡± she replied. ¡°He¡¯s mad alright, and he¡¯s even crazier than you think. I can¡¯t forgive him for what he¡¯s done either. He¡¯ll summon the damn moon anyway, with the bones or without.¡±

    ¡°You started it Raiya,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have disappeared on him like that.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me by name!¡± Raiya whispered angrily.

    ¡°Yeah, sorry,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°Got carried away for a second there.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll destroy us all!¡± Raiya cried out. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, do you?¡±

    ¡°Get what?¡± Vanessa answered. ¡°That he wants to destroy the Church and all its followers? With the Holus, he¡¯ll be able to do it. He¡¯s already strong, imagine what he can achieve with that power.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°See?¡± Raiya said in a bitter tone. ¡°That¡¯s what he wants everybody to think. Even our stupid king believes him now. You people don¡¯t know anything about that moon.¡±

    ¡°What is it then? Do you think he¡¯s mad enough to destroy everything? We know he wants to bring his woman back. Besides, despite his madness, he¡¯s our best shot against the Church.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s using the desperate lover angle to fulfill his goal,¡± Raiya said. She looked at her friend from underneath her hood and sighed. ¡°The less you know, the better. If he suspects you know something, you¡¯re as good as dead.¡±

    ¡°Raiya,¡± Vanessa said. She reached her hand out toward her old friend, who retreated. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked. ¡°What mustn¡¯t I know?¡±

    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t catch me,¡± Raiya said, ¡°he won¡¯t get his hands on them. You won¡¯t have to worry about anything then.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being all mysterious and fishy,¡± Vanessa cried out. ¡°Why come to me then?¡±

    ¡°I needed information,¡± Raiya said. ¡°Do you know of anyone who can get me to Biarkh by sea?¡±

    ¡°No one¡¯s suicidal enough to try it,¡± Vanessa said, chewing on her lower lip.

    ¡°The Holi Wars have started, that hateful snake won¡¯t be there,¡± Raiya said. ¡°I just need someone who can navigate the high seas. Anybody would do, really.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re that desperate?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what¡¯s at stake here,¡± Raiya said.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you won¡¯t bloody tell me,¡± Vanessa retorted.

    ¡°You have a customer,¡± Raiya said, abruptly changing the subject.

    ¡°Then you¡¯d better go out back,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°Wait for me in our usual spot. I¡¯ll try to find someone for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Raiya said then took the door behind the counter, and into the back alley.

    <u>Asamaru, Capital of The Kingdom of Aslanor.</u>

    The king sat on an elegant mahogany chair, with cushions at the base to soften the hardness of the wood. The cushion had grown flat though, due to the countless hours he spent sitting on that chair, listening to his councilors bicker and fight about everything and nothing. Today though, he had a special visitor. Theolonius Stalwart, the man he feared and hated.

    The wizard was wearing his usual three piece suit. This time he had opted for navy blue, coupled with a striped tie, golden threads on top of black velvet. He wore a large ruby ring on his thumb, and another, silver, on his ring finger. The latter bore the sigil of his family, a coiled snake with wings pointing upward.

    ¡°How have your men not caught her yet?¡± Stalwart asked as soon as he was admitted to the king¡¯s study and council meeting room.

    ¡°I should ask you the same,¡± the king shot back. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be better at tracking than all my wizards combined.¡±

    ¡°She had cast a concealing spell,¡± the wizard said. ¡°It¡¯s a simple one, bound by an unbreakable vow with her cat demon.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ve gone and killed the damn cat!¡± the king glared at Stalwart.

    Despite his fear of the mad wizard, the king had to act like a monarch, reprimand when necessary, praise too, if need be. He knew that Stalwart wouldn¡¯t react badly to his reproaches either. The mad wizard needed his men now, to find the witch that betrayed him.

    ¡°I entrusted her to you,¡± the king went on. ¡°You knew how vindictive she was, yet you¡¯ve gone and killed her partner. How will we answer to the demon king as well? I bet he¡¯s preparing his revenge now.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about him,¡± Stalwart said. ¡°Sisha isn¡¯t worth a war against us.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be sure of that,¡± the king retorted.

    ¡°If it may put your mind at ease,¡± Stalwart replied. ¡°I can summon him here to have a little chat.¡±

    The look the king gave Stalwart was nothing short of utter horror. ¡°Are you out of your mind?!¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard?¡± Stalwart said. ¡°Most people whisper it behind my back.¡±

    ¡°Summon the demon king and you¡¯ll reduce our country to ashes,¡± the king said. ¡°You know he doesn¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t object to me doing it,¡± Stalwart said.

    ¡°Be that as it may,¡± the king retorted, ¡°we cannot risk it.¡±

    ¡°You wanted to know if he¡¯d retaliate for killing a mere cat,¡± Stalwart said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it,¡± the king said, dismissively. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on catching that rogue spy.¡±

    ¡°We have leverage against her,¡± Stalwart said.

    ¡°For the last time Theolonius,¡± the king said. There was a hint of royal warning in the tone of his voice. ¡°We are not using her. The girl barely remembers her mother.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re doing this to get at the mother,¡± Stalwart replied. ¡°The girl is immaterial.¡±

    ¡°I am not murdering an innocent child!¡± the king yelled.

    ¡°She¡¯s more useful to you alive than dead,¡± Stalwart said. His tone was calm, only the king could understand what the mad wizard insinuated by that statement.  He looked at the wizard, his eyes but narrow slits then.

    ¡°One more word about the girl, Stalwart,¡± the king threatened in an angry whisper.

    ¡°I have tirades prepared, poems, songs if you wish,¡± Stalwart said with a benevolent smile.

    ¡°THIS IS NOT A TIME FOR JESTS!¡± The king had risen from his chair and pounded on his desk so hard that papers flew around. His golden chalice, which was still full of the grape juice his servants prepared, flew off the desk and fell to the ground with a loud clatter.

    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m one to joke around, your grace?¡± Stalwart said. He remained calm despite the visible popping vein by the king¡¯s temple. ¡°It¡¯s either use the girl, or use your kingdom,¡± Stalwart went on. ¡°Choose one.¡±

    The king sat back down, thoughtful. ¡°We¡¯ll find her,¡± he told the mad wizard. ¡°I¡¯ve already posted notices all over the country. Come hell or high water, we¡¯ll find her!¡±

    ¡°And if we don¡¯t?¡± Stalwart asked.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do it Stalwart,¡± the king said. His face grew tired. It was the face of someone who¡¯d been through too many ordeals, seen too many atrocities, done terrible things, and he was tired of it. ¡°For the life of me, I cannot do it.¡±

    ¡°Then let me,¡± Stalwart suggested. ¡°Let me lift that weight off your shoulders.¡±

    The king shot Stalwart a puzzled look. ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± he said. ¡°Leave me now, I have much to consider.¡±

    ¡°Your grace,¡± Stalwart said. He bowed, a little too ceremoniously, then left.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be the end of us¡­¡± the king mumbled under his breath after Stalwart left. ¡°He won¡¯t rest until he kills us all.¡±

    The king rang a bell then a servant came storming in. He wore black trousers, a black vest on top of a white button down shirt. His hair was grey, neatly trimmed and pomaded backwards. ¡°Your grace.¡± He bowed as soon as he got in.

    ¡°Bring the girl here,¡± the king ordered. ¡°And call for Ser Hubert. Tell him to meet me in the dungeons below the castle. He¡¯ll know what it¡¯s for.¡±

    The man bowed deep then retreated, his back to the open door. He didn¡¯t turn until he left the room and closed the door behind him.

 108 - Mission From the Chief

    Half a day had passed and I didn¡¯t hear from Eli or the prophet. Zoey was still sleeping when I decided to meditate. Things in the city were bound to turn sour. Lemien¡¯s speech must have stirred things up. I didn¡¯t favor my chances of survival anymore.

    He threatened to kill everybody in the city. Some of them had already died, and they blamed me for it. I was certain they¡¯d want me dead. If not to eliminate the threat of disease, it would be for retribution, for the lives my flu had cost them. I wasn¡¯t willing to go down like that. If I were to die, I¡¯d die fighting. Who knows? I might get lucky and find a way to escape too.

    Eva shared my concern too. She wasn¡¯t willing to sacrifice her memories, but she wasn¡¯t willing to explode into tiny fragments either. Dif still believed in me somehow. I knew it because he interfered to save me from Lemien once. I couldn¡¯t rely on that hope alone though. I had to make sure I was ready to fight, break through their lines and make a run for it.

    Then there was the last message left by that mysterious fox. Assimilate he said. I needed Eva¡¯s strength, as well as the other Fragment¡¯s. It was now or never. There was no time for dream sex anymore. It was time to impropriate Eva¡¯s memories.

    I had told her becoming one with me meant I¡¯d remember who she was. That was better than exploding and getting lost in the spirit world. She reluctantly agreed to open up to me. She realized the danger we both were in by then.

    I don¡¯t know how much time had passed after I started the assimilation process, but when I came to, Zoey was sitting opposite me, observing me with keen eyes. I felt stronger, sure, but the assimilation process was harder than I thought it would be.

    To make matters worse, or better, I couldn¡¯t judge then, Eva¡¯s Fragment had a new feel to it. It felt stronger, ready to fight back vehemently. It felt even stronger than the time Fragment Dif had blocked from me. I had triggered something that made Eva¡¯s soul fragment fight back.

    I had to live through her memories, understand everything she went through, and remember every little detail of it. This last part was crucial. In order to make her energy mine, I had to understand Eva completely. It was the only way to make her energy, and mine, merge. It was the only way to achieve true synergy. But doing that triggered some unforeseen development in the Fragment.

    ¡®It¡¯s not easy to understand a lonely empress, don¡¯t you think?¡¯ Eva joked after I opened my eye.

    ¡®I think we have some things in common,¡¯ I said. ¡®It felt like you were hiding something from me though.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯d broken through all your defenses before, remember? Remember how you fought back and snatched this Fragment from me too? You shouldn¡¯t push it,¡¯ Eva said.

    ¡®Mine was a forceful invasion,¡¯ she went on. ¡®What you¡¯re doing is gentle. There are things I¡¯m ashamed of. The memory you¡¯ve taken from me is the one I¡¯ve always tried to bury. Even after my death, even after I turned into a vengeful spirit, I couldn¡¯t let myself remember those episodes of my life. I need time to allow you to see them.¡¯

    ¡®We don¡¯t have time, Eva,¡¯ I protested.

    ¡®And I have no control over this,¡¯ Eva shot at me. ¡®I¡¯m willing to cooperate, but those memories have been buried for years. You can¡¯t expect me to bring them back, just because you asked.¡¯

    ¡®What¡¯s up with all the resistance I feel from you then?¡¯

    ¡®Assimilation is tiring,¡¯ she said. ¡®I made sure to possess you before, to lower your guard and to have you trust me. I had one shot at it, and I needed to do it quickly and ruthlessly. You have the chance to take it easy though. Don¡¯t push or my spirit will fight back. I can¡¯t control my reflexes. Think of it as my subconscious, it still exists in spirit form. I can¡¯t control my reaction when you try to assimilate my soul.¡¯

    ¡®I think I understand,¡¯ I said.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Zoey interrupted our inner conversation. ¡°You¡¯ve been sitting like this for an eternity.¡±

    ¡°Any news from the world outside?¡± I asked.

    ¡°A red eyed one came to see you. He saw you in that posture and left. He told me he¡¯ll be in the office upstairs.¡±

    I got up, and immediately made for the open door.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Zoey asked before I left the cell. ¡°I heard people shouting and angry voices outside while you sat there, not a care in the world.¡±

    ¡°If we¡¯re lucky,¡± I told her, ¡°we¡¯ll survive this. They want my head, well, they want to see me burn, and I assume they want the same for you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a calamity Myles!¡± Zoey suddenly screamed at me. ¡°You know, I was relieved to see you alive, but you had to go and ruin the mood for me. Death looms over you, only it strikes the ones surrounding you. Can¡¯t you spare us all and just give up?¡±

    Her words shook me greatly, I wouldn¡¯t lie. She was a coward, fearful, but at least she knew me better than any of the Sebyan around here.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I said, swallowing my anger. ¡°But even if I give myself to them now, you¡¯ll surely be next.¡±

    ¡°Damn you Stalwart!¡± Zoey screamed again.

    A sudden rush of anger and adrenaline pushed her off her feet and toward me. I saw the punch coming but I didn¡¯t try to dodge it. She had frail hands after all, she¡¯d only hurt herself. And she did. She hit me on the jaw then winced in pain.

    ¡°You promised to get me out of here, somewhere safe!¡± she screamed even louder. She didn¡¯t realize her voice hurt me more than her weak punch. ¡°Make good on that promise!¡±

    ¡®Keep screaming at me like that and I¡¯ll be tempted to deliver you to Lemien,¡¯ I thought.

    ¡°You¡¯re safe here for now,¡± I told her. ¡°Sit tight and wait for me to come back.¡±

    ¡°What if you don¡¯t?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Then pray that your lucky stars will spare you my painful death.¡±

    I stormed out of the room before she could utter another word. I headed for the room upstairs. It wasn¡¯t difficult to find anyway, straight through the corridor and up the stairs. I soon reached the prophet and found him pacing around the room, talking to himself like a lunatic.

    ¡°What does my fate look like?¡± I asked as soon as I got in.

    ¡°Grim,¡± Nag answered. ¡°I see you followed the fox¡¯s advice.¡±

    ¡°They still want to see me burn, huh?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The chief believes your story,¡± Nag said. ¡°But the other members of the council aren¡¯t too keen on believing you. They don¡¯t ¨C¡°

    ¡° ¨C like humans, I know,¡± I said.

    ¡°I was going to say that they don¡¯t like you, just you. They find the healer useful, while your friend Eli has proved his loyalty to our people.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the best bit of news I¡¯ve heard ever since I got to the tunnels,¡± I said cheerfully.

    ¡°They want to see you burn!¡± Nag protested.

    ¡°And I was being sarcastic!¡± I said. ¡°All joking aside, I assume they haven¡¯t stormed this prison block because you have something to do with it?¡±

    Nag nodded. ¡°I¡¯m following orders,¡± he said. ¡°But people won¡¯t believe in our savior for long. Death looms about, threatening to take them all away. To make matters worse, our savior¡¯s gone silent. Except for the one word he conveyed to you yesterday, and some choice words of warning to our chief, he hasn¡¯t spoken to me in five decades.¡±

    ¡°One day had passed since Lemien¡¯s speech?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Almost,¡± Nag replied then frowned at me. ¡°That¡¯s all you picked up from what I said?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re referring to the fox¡¯s silence, then you¡¯re lucky he even spoke to you. I¡¯ve never heard his voice before.¡±

    Nag¡¯s shoulders slouched. He regained his composure after a while and assumed a serious expression, or, a more serious one, since their rested faces always gave me the impression that they were about to attack.

    ¡°The chief wants you to get out of the city,¡± the prophet said.

    ¡°I¡¯m banned now?¡± I asked. ¡°I guess it beats being burned alive.¡±

    ¡°No. Not banned,¡± Nag corrected. ¡°He wants you to sneak into the necromancer¡¯s tower.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ll meet with Eli after our meeting,¡± Nag said. ¡°He¡¯ll lead you out and explain the mission. Fail to return by sunrise, and our secret door won¡¯t open to you.¡±

    ¡°How am I supposed to know when it¡¯s sunrise?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s freaking dark in those tunnels!¡±

    ¡°Eli will explain everything,¡± Nag said. ¡°Do you have any weapon of choice you¡¯d like me to bring?¡±

    ¡°Do you have anything made out of gold?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯d prefer it to be sharp, a sword, a dagger, even a small knife would do. I won¡¯t object if it¡¯s blunt, but it won¡¯t do the job as well as a sharp one.¡±

    ¡°Why would you need a weapon made of gold?¡± Nag asked.

    ¡°Lemien relies heavily on the banshee,¡± I explained. ¡°I can kill the fairy with a weapon made of gold. They hate it. A chain or a blunt instrument will not injure her enough, but it will at least keep her away from us.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s this Lemien?¡± Nag asked.

    ¡°Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. It¡¯s the necromancer¡¯s name.¡±

    ¡°I will see what I can do about the weapon,¡± Nag said. ¡°Anything else you¡¯d need?¡±

    ¡°Some armor, studded leather would do. Oh, and a sword, not too long, not too broad, I don¡¯t want it to get stuck against a cave wall.¡±

    ¡°Go to your cell now,¡± Nag said. ¡°Meditate until Eli gets to you. Getting rid of the banshee will cripple the necromancer. I will convey this to the chief. Maybe there¡¯s still hope for you after all, Stalwart.¡±

 109 - The Church Moves

    That day, Eli and I left the city through the secret tunnel underneath the temple. The underground city had more secret tunnels and doors than I¡¯d initially thought. There was one that led from the prison blocks to the temple. Eli pushed a large portrait of some famous Sebyan ancestor and we found ourselves in a pitch dark tunnel. He led me from there to the temple then we snuck into the other secret path, and outside the city.

    ¡°Nag managed to get you this,¡± Eli told me after we left. He produced a long golden chain from his pocket.

    ¡°That will do, I guess.¡± I reluctantly took the chain and stuffed it into a bag Eli had provided me with earlier. ¡°I had hoped for something sharp, but gold is gold. It will hurt the banshee.¡±

    ¡°Anything else, your highness?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°As a matter of a fact, yes,¡± I replied, ignoring his sarcasm. ¡°How did you end up with these people?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s speak as we walk,¡± Eli said. ¡°Most of the necromancer¡¯s forces are in front of the main gate. We don¡¯t need to worry about any ambush on our way to the dungeons.¡±

    ¡°Except the banshee,¡± I cut in.

    ¡°Except the damn banshee,¡± Eli agreed.

    ¡°What will the Children do about Lemien¡¯s threat?¡± I asked. I made sure to use the correct word. Eli hated it when I used Sebyan.

    ¡°They will fight back,¡± Eli replied. ¡°Your information was real handy by the way. The Chief found out that some scouts had been bitten by rats. He had to put them down though.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re only helping Lemien by creating more corpses he can add to his army,¡± I protested.

    ¡°They¡¯re not stupid,¡± Eli scorned. ¡°They burn their dead. Besides, trying to cure those of unknown diseases will only result in more sick people, and more corpses. The situation can get out of hand real quick.¡±

    ¡°And how will they fight the necromancer?¡± I asked.

    ¡°They fought him before,¡± Eli said. ¡°But that¡¯s beside the point. They¡¯re providing us with a distraction. We need to get into the tower and find the source of Lemien¡¯s powers.¡±

    ¡°The source of his powers,¡± I replied, ¡°is inside him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about the Fragment,¡± Eli retorted. ¡°That bastard won¡¯t die no matter how many arrows the Children have put in him.¡±

    ¡°And you think that¡¯s because he has something hidden in his tower?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s the most likely theory we¡¯ve got,¡± Eli said. ¡°Ngairi says Lemien must have some container to store part of his soul in. Death champions are always like that.¡±

    ¡°Nag sure knows a lot of things,¡± I said.

    ¡°We¡¯ll only know once we get there,¡± Eli said.

    ¡°Right, will you tell me how you ended up here now?¡± I asked.

    Eli gave me a wry smile.

    ¡°You know how Raiya let me out to find my own way to Milogac? Well, she had actually set her cat demon after me. She probably didn¡¯t trust I¡¯d keep her secret safe.¡±

    ¡°What secret?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Her location, her name, her looks,¡± Eli replied. ¡°She probably didn¡¯t want anybody to know where we were after we escaped the Church.¡±

    ¡°Well, the Church found us alright,¡± I said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Later,¡± I cut in. ¡°You tell me first, I¡¯ll tell you my story afterward.¡±

    ¡°Well, that huge cat was after me,¡± Eli went on. ¡°I noticed him at the last possible moment. I was lucky it was a cat, not some blood thirsty hound. It toyed with me. My legs bled so much that night I almost fainted on many occasions.¡±

    ¡°Sisha can be really vicious,¡± I commented.

    ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± Eli said. ¡°It almost ate me on many occasions. It retreated each time though, giving me a head start to run away. I got tired of running, I almost gave up. If it hadn¡¯t been for Ella, I would have. She had been scouting for her people that night when she found me, lying on the withered tree leaves, ready to die.¡±

    ¡°Ella?¡± I asked.

    ¡°One of the Children scouts, an outstanding warrior too,¡± he replied. ¡°The Children felt the forest cry to them, call for help. She found me and pulled me down the tunnels. For some reason that cat demon didn¡¯t follow us. I was admitted into the city, and asked to tell them of what happened up there.

    ¡°They were ready to launch an all-out attack on the tree house. But they had a ritual before going to war. They prayed to their ancestors, and heard their answer. That hadn¡¯t happened in almost a century, they told me.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    We were walking through the dark tunnels by then. I could hear the sound of rippling water getting closer and closer. We were near the area I landed in after I climbed down, out of the necromancer¡¯s reach. Eli had grown silent for a while. When he resumed speaking, his voice was faint, sad.

    ¡°They took me for some kind of herald then,¡± Eli went on. ¡°It¡¯s funny if you think about it, how life can mistreat you one moment, then throw the most unexpected gift at you the next. The Children took me in, fed me and taught me their language.

    ¡°They also told me about the Holi Wars, and the Eternal Moon. Then the necromancer attacked, and we heard the commotion above us. Then you showed up, out of nowhere and repelled the necromancer¡¯s army all by yourself.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve had a busy couple of weeks too,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s strange how so much can happen in a few days.¡±

    Eli nodded. ¡°What happened up there anyway?¡±

    ¡°I think I have time to tell you about it,¡± I said. ¡°Are the dungeons still far from here?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to walk a little bit further, yes,¡± Eli replied.

    I proceeded to tell Eli about what happened that day. As I told my extraordinary tale of survival, and the monsters I witnessed, I wondered if Sam and that hateful Utar survived the explosions that ensued after I escaped through the tunnels¡­

    <u>Citadel, Capital of Auruun. The Great Cathedral of Dhobor. </u>

    Sullivan sat in a round table with seven other Pontiffs. He had donned a long ivory robe that swept the floor as he walked. It was the official attire Pontiffs had to wear inside the Cathedral. An urgent meeting was called by the Bishop, the head of the church and the only person admitted into Dhobor¡¯s forbidden realm.

    Sullivan¡¯s mind took him back to the forest in Sayang and his fight against his old friend. Other Pontiffs around him were busy discussing the latest news they received regarding the candidates for the upcoming Holi Wars.

    ¡°It seems the seven Lords have all granted their gifts this year,¡± a woman who sat beside Sullivan spoke.

    She was addressing him, but the man didn¡¯t reply. His fingers were fidgeting, playing with the cuffs of his robe. There were seven golden threads, expertly sewn around the cuffs. Sullivan ran his fingers up and down, feeling the fine lines that represented his rank.

    ¡°Hey, Sullivan!¡± She waved her hand before his eyes. Sullivan¡¯s eyes seemed to regain focus. He looked at the woman beside him, bewildered.

    ¡°What?¡± he said in a croaked voice.

    ¡°Keep worrying like that and you won¡¯t make it to the end of the year,¡± she said.

    She gave him her brightest, most comforting smile. Her curly locks had fallen in front of her right eye. Coupled with her genuine smile and twinkling brown eyes, it was a sight to ease any man¡¯s aching heart. Sullivan¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change though. He was still brooding, crestfallen.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen what he¡¯s capable of,¡± Sullivan said. ¡°Utar has disappeared too. I fear Stalwart¡¯s got him, along with our only hope to win this war.¡±

    ¡°Have some faith,¡± the woman reproached. ¡°What example are you setting for the others? The Bishop¡¯s in there right now. He¡¯ll soon come out, and we shall know the truth.¡±

    ¡°It seems Sullivan¡¯s lost his nerves,¡± one of the Pontiffs shouted from across the table. Three golden threads showed on his right shoulder, a symbol that represented his rank among other Pontiffs.

    ¡°It also seems,¡± he added, ¡°that he¡¯s lost a battle in angel form.¡±

    The others whispered quite angrily at the mention of Sullivan¡¯s defeat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to them,¡± the woman beside him whispered. ¡°They just want your rank, and your miracles.¡±

    ¡°For all the good it would do against him,¡± Sullivan replied. It was obvious that he was crestfallen. It took him years to master the angel form miracle, only to be toppled by Stalwart.

    The room suddenly grew quiet as the northern gate was opened. A middle-aged man emerged. He was wearing a long navy blue cape on top of the standard ivory robe of the Church. If you happened to cross him in the streets, you wouldn¡¯t think much of him. He was rather short for Auruun standards, almost six feet tall. His stern eyes were probably the only outstanding feature about him.

    He looked at everyone in the room, making sure he took in all their faces, before he took a seat at the table.

    ¡°Sullivan has fought valiantly against a terrible foe,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the words of the Lord through his most faithful Listeners. We¡¯re lucky Utar had just brought us a new one. I might think of giving him your position, Baldwin.¡±

    Baldwin was the Pontiff who had just mocked Sullivan for losing his nerves. He opened his mouth to protest but the Bishop cut in, ¡°The Lord doesn¡¯t approve of vanity, nor does He approve of ridiculing others to help your rise in rank. Do that again and I shall send you to Lacralia. They¡¯re in need of preachers for the Lord, I hear.¡±

    Baldwin swallowed his words in a loud gulp. ¡°Apologies Sullivan,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to offend you back then.¡±

    ¡°None taken,¡± Sullivan replied.

    The Bishop approved Sully¡¯s reply with a smile.

    ¡°Now then,¡± he said. ¡°The Listeners tell me all seven Primordial Lords have chosen a champion. Some even decided to have candidates fight each other for the position of sole champion. Do you know what that entails?¡±

    The room grew even quieter. One could hear his own heart beat amidst the eerie silence that had just settled. The woman sitting near Sullivan suddenly cleared her throat.

    ¡°Yes, Nari?¡± the Bishop said.

    ¡°It means they fear this year¡¯s summoner,¡± she said. ¡°Your Eminence also said that seven Primordial Lords are taking part in this war. This hasn¡¯t happened in centuries, millennia even.¡±

    ¡°Perceptive and well-read as usual,¡± the Bishop smiled. ¡°Although Lord Dhobor, praise be upon his name ¨C¡±

    ¡®Praise be upon his name,¡¯ the other Pontiffs echoed.

    ¡° ¨C despises the Holi Wars,¡± the Bishop went on, ¡°He informs us that the Church will take part in it as well this year.¡±

    ¡°Does this mean we already have a champion?¡± Nari asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the Bishop replied then turned to Sullivan. ¡°You may have noticed that your Priest has vanished, along with his apprentice.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Eminence,¡± Sullivan said.

    ¡°Your Priest¡¯s an ambitious one,¡± the Bishop said then smiled. ¡°His apprentice, Samuel Avourel, has received the gift of power from Lord Osmen. They¡¯re heading to Mount Condurr as we speak.¡±

    Excited whispers broke the eerie silence that had previously settled in the room.

    ¡°However,¡± the Bishop broke in. ¡°This is not cause for celebration yet. As you may all know, Pontiff Sullivan has brought us the most ominous news we¡¯ve heard in years. Someone as powerful as Theolonius Stalwart cannot, must not, exist.¡±

    The Pontiffs nodded in silence.

    ¡°To this end,¡± the Bishop said. ¡°I will personally seek this wizard and deal with him myself. These are the Lord¡¯s orders. I will also have to seek his family, eradicate it. Pontiff Sullivan will join me in this venture, as well as Pontiff Nari. I leave the Cathedral in your care, Cardinal Edric.¡±

    Cardinal Edric stood up and bowed to the Bishop.

    ¡°Very well then,¡± the Bishop went on. ¡°We cannot allow Stalwart to summon the moon. If he doesn¡¯t, the moon will surely accept a lower sacrifice. We will deal with whoever receives it then. For now, gather all the information you can on other champions. We will win this war and appease our Lord¡¯s worries.¡±

 110 - Mysterious Voice in the Tower

    By the time I finished telling Eli of what happened in that forest, we had reached the bottom of the tower. Eli was pretty shaken by my accounts of the war between the Church and Raiya. I¡¯d omitted to mention my relationship to the strongest wizard in the western continent. Eli wasn¡¯t a native of our lands, he wouldn¡¯t have heard of him anyway, or so I hoped. I had just mentioned his name once too.

    ¡°Do you think the necromancer will be up there?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s not the vanguard type, if that¡¯s what you want to know,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be in his tower somewhere, looking through the eyes of his undead army.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± Eli said. ¡°From what I heard, he only appeared twice before the city gate.¡±

    ¡°That speech he gave earlier though,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯ll probably be ready to make an appearance, if things go his way. He¡¯ll want to make sure the Children see the terrorist that wants to kill them all. If you ask me, it¡¯s a sure way to spread panic among the ranks.¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯ve already intercepted his attempts to kill people on the inside,¡± Eli said. ¡°Don¡¯t you think he¡¯s bound to notice something¡¯s amiss?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s only one way to find out,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s no point in discussing probabilities by now, is there?¡±

    Eli nodded. His determination to see our plan through showed on his face.

    ¡°You feel you owe these people your life, don¡¯t you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I do owe them my life,¡± Eli replied. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Ella, I¡¯d be dead by now.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you owe your life to Ella, but not to the Children,¡± I said.

    ¡°They accepted to have a human share their food, their living quarters,¡± Eli retorted. ¡°It¡¯s not just Ella, the Children are good people. It¡¯s a pity our races hate each other.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this something of the past?¡± I asked. ¡°They seem pretty sure that humans will attack them the moment they emerge from these dark tunnels.¡±

    ¡°Have you seen them?¡± Eli asked. ¡°If it were under any other circumstance, wouldn¡¯t you attack them on sight?¡±

    ¡°I would run, probably,¡± I admitted. ¡°They¡¯re scary, especially when they have spears aimed at your throat.¡±

    ¡°Their magic is limited too,¡± Eli said. ¡°Fighting toe to toe against humans would only lead to their doom.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the heart of the matter, don¡¯t you think? They¡¯re as guilty as we are.¡±

    ¡°Care to explain?¡± the look Eli gave me made me shudder.

    ¡°The first thing the Sebyan did ¨C¡°

    ¡°Children,¡± Eli corrected. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you? They don¡¯t like that name.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see any of them around here,¡± I said. ¡°Do you?¡±

    ¡°I respect their wishes,¡± Eli said. ¡°Whereas you don¡¯t seem to care, these people saved your life too.¡±

    ¡°No, you did.¡± I said. ¡°But that¡¯s beside the point. What I¡¯m saying is that the Children¡¯s first reaction was hostility. You can¡¯t expect to negotiate peace if you start with hostility.¡±

    ¡°Do you really believe that?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°No. I believe that in order to achieve peace, you have to fight. You have to gather your people and ignite that fire in them, push them to fight for freedom, for the right to live above ground. The Children don¡¯t want that though. They hide underground and blame humans for their misery.¡±

    ¡°If they fight, they die,¡± Eli protested.

    ¡°They¡¯re already dead,¡± I said. ¡°Nobody knows who they are. I never even knew they existed until I stumbled upon them here. They¡¯re forgotten, it¡¯s as good as being dead, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Eli went silent. I saw him struggle to bring up some valid arguments. Each time he¡¯d open his mouth, he immediately curse and fall silent again.

    ¡°Why are we talking about this anyway?¡± he asked. He looked frustrated now.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t understand your infatuation with these people,¡± I said. ¡°You gave up on your dream to help them do what? Live underground for more centuries?¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°That necromancer¡¯s a real threat, not only to the Children, but to humans as well,¡± Eli protested. ¡°What if he wins this battle? What if he goes above ground, with an army of undead Children at his heels?¡±

    ¡°More people will die,¡± I answered. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking though. I know why I¡¯m fighting this necromancer. I know what I want to do after I defeat him. What¡¯s your plan after all this is over?¡±

    Eli fell silent again. He rummaged in his brain for an answer before he looked at me, confused. ¡°I haven¡¯t given it any thought,¡± he said.

    ¡°Do you think those Children will let you leave this place after all this is over?¡± I asked. ¡°After all, you know too much about them. They might not want their existence to be revealed to the outside world.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting we run from here?¡± Eli asked, a look of complete bewilderment in his face.

    ¡°N-no,¡± I stammered. I didn¡¯t expect this question to tell you the truth. ¡°I¡¯m willing to see this thing through, but I¡¯m not sure the Children will appreciate our efforts. After we win, their fear from eradication will subside. They¡¯ll start thinking of the human problem. You said it yourself, they don¡¯t like our kind. Why do you think we¡¯re here, and not some mighty warrior of their clan?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like what you¡¯re insinuating, Myles.¡± Eli¡¯s tone was that of warning.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like it because you¡¯ve been thinking about it,¡± I retorted. ¡°The idea¡¯s there, in the back of your head, nagging. You appreciate one Sebyan¡¯s help. This shouldn¡¯t apply to all of them.¡±

    Eli winced at my mention of their taboo name, but didn¡¯t ask me to refrain from using it.

    ¡°Can you stop beating about the bush and tell me what this is all about?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said. I gave him my most determined, serious look. ¡°By beating the necromancer, we outlive our usefulness. I certainly do. The people in that city don¡¯t care about the fox or what the prophet tells them. You¡¯ve been able to keep me from burning since I have information on Lemien. I survived captivity. Once this is all over, there is no stopping them from burning me at the stake.¡±

    Eli¡¯s incredulous look took me aback. He threw his head backwards and roared in laughter.

    ¡°Is this what you¡¯re concerned about?¡± he asked. ¡°The Children value strength. You¡¯ve already showed them what you¡¯re capable of, when you fought the necromancer¡¯s platoon by yourself. They fear and value your strength. They won¡¯t execute you when you help them eliminate the threat, they¡¯ll celebrate you.¡±

    ¡°After all you¡¯ve been through.¡± I sighed. ¡°You said it yourself. They fear me. You kill the ones you fear to ascertain your own strength. Why do you think they attacked Lemien in the first place?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s associated himself with a banshee,¡± Eli replied matter-of-factedly.

    ¡°Banshees are harmless, unless you allow them to stay too close to you,¡± I said. ¡°They kept Lemien outside, and the man vowed revenge after he received his new powers. He wants power. They want to survive. Once this is all over, they¡¯ll still want to survive. They¡¯ll see me as a threat to be eliminated.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re paranoid,¡± Eli said.

    ¡°We¡¯re getting nowhere here,¡± I blurted out. ¡°Let me ask you this. When this is all over, will you let me leave?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Will you let me leave? I have no intention of going back to that underground city. I¡¯ll help you defeat Lemien, and after this I¡¯m gone.¡±

    Eli chewed on his thin lips for a while. ¡°I don¡¯t understand your suspicion,¡± he said. ¡°I won¡¯t object to you leaving. I don¡¯t know how they¡¯ll react to their potential hero turning his back to them though.¡±

    ¡°You be the hero,¡± I said. ¡°I have no intention of staying around to find out how they¡¯ll treat a human one.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Eli said. ¡°You do what you feel is best for you.¡±

    ¡°Glad we agree on this,¡± I said. ¡°Now then, shall we climb up?¡±

    We proceeded to climbing the rocks at the foot of the tower. It was a slippery ascent. Eli and I almost fell to our death on many occasions. We were halfway through when I noticed the tower¡¯s crumbling walls.

    ¡°Hey,¡± I whispered, ¡°we can probably squeeze through there.¡±

    I was pointing to a small gap in the decaying wall. I only managed to see it because of the faint light that wormed its way out of it.

    ¡°Where do you think it¡¯ll lead us?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s find out,¡± I replied.

    It was hard enough to climb the rocks and find safe spots to dig our feet and hands in. Scouring the rocks sideways was even harder. I was lucky Eli was in front. He could see the gaps better and point them out to me as he advanced toward the gap.

    By the time we reached the wall, we were sweating. It had become even harder to keep a solid grip. Eli climbed on top of a rock, which led directly to the gap, then helped me up. We heard two voices speaking. I recognized one as Lemien¡¯s, but I couldn¡¯t identify the second.

    We peeked from the small gap to see the necromancer standing before an eight pointed star. It resembled the one Raiya used to sacrifice Agatha. A golden chalice, filled with a dark liquid, stood on top of an old altar. The second voice emanated from there. It was the kind of steely voice that would send shivers down one¡¯s spine. I felt lucky I wasn¡¯t on the receiving end.

    ¡°Forgive me, your grace,¡± Lemien was talking in a hushed tone. He sounded scared out his wits.

    ¡°I¡¯ve invested too much into this,¡± the other voice said. ¡°If you don¡¯t deliver them to me in two days, consider our deal forfeit.¡±

    ¡°Your grace,¡± Lemien fell to his knees, pleading. ¡°Our plan didn¡¯t work, it appears the human has escaped death, and blame.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡± the voice asked.

    ¡°T-t-t-the mice have been killed, burned. I can¡¯t sense my link to them anymore.¡±

    ¡°How is that an indication of the human escaping death?¡±

    ¡°I-I-I,¡± Lemien stammered. His knees were shaking. No, scratch that, he was shaking from head to toe.

    ¡°Speak, human!¡± the voice ordered.

    ¡°I wanted¡­¡± Lemien¡¯s voice was shaky. ¡°I wanted to make sure my link was undetectable. I might have shown him the mice we experimented on.¡±

    An angry roar that shook the tower and its crumbling walls ensued. ¡°YOU DID WHAT?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, your grace,¡± Lemien said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think the Sebyan would keep him alive long enough for questioning.¡±

    ¡°You air-headed, dim-witted, fatuous, half imitation of a necromancer! I gave you a banshee to scare the Sebyan. I gave you a healthy human to use as a decoy. I even showed you how to use the banshee to possess him, yet you failed to use the tools at your disposal. Do you expect me to get here and win this battle for you? You have two days, do you hear? TWO DAYS! Don¡¯t disappoint me again.¡±

 111 - Trouble in the Kitchen

    We waited for Lemien to regain his composure and leave the room before we made our way in. The Bolignois had taken the cursed chalice with him. Just looking at it filled me with dread.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Eli hissed at me.

    ¡°How should I know?¡± I asked back. ¡°The star on the ground looks like the one Raiya used to sacrifice the Herbologist,¡± I said.

    ¡°Do you think he was speaking to a demon?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°No, demons have a different language. Lemien would die just listening to it.¡±

    ¡°Then what was that?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the Primordial Lord of death either,¡± I said, more to myself than to Eli. ¡°Something¡¯s not right about this whole thing. Lemien isn¡¯t the brains behind this operation. Who was the Sebyan¡¯s mortal enemy before they hid beneath the ground?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Eli said. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something we don¡¯t know about this battle for survival,¡± I said. ¡°Either way, standing here and talking about it will just get us killed. Let¡¯s look around. If we don¡¯t find anything useful, we should go up, toward the anteroom.¡±

    Eli nodded and busied himself looking around.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything that looks suspicious,¡± I warned. ¡°There are too many cursed items in this tower.¡±

    Our search turned out uneventful. We left the grim-looking room and headed upwards, toward the anteroom.

    ¡°It¡¯s a miracle this tower¡¯s still standing,¡± Eli whispered as we carefully climbed the stairs.

    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± I said. ¡°This reminds me, we should find the necromancer¡¯s lab. That¡¯s where he used to keep his infected mice.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°Leave no stone unturned,¡± I replied.

    Finding the lab was harder than we¡¯d imagined. The first door we opened led us to a small cell, six feet in height and about three in width. We found another room with many stacked boxes and barrels, covered in moss and mold. The most excitement we got was when we stumbled into a dirty kitchen.

    The place was damp, and smelled of rotten meat. It was fairly illuminated though. A chandelier hung on top, with more than a dozen candles casting their lights on the ground. Eli let out a disgusted grunt the moment we stepped foot inside. Two long tables stood before us. Somebody had stacked all kinds of dirty utensils on top, most of them covered in soot and cobweb.

    ¡°No one¡¯s touched this place in a while huh?¡± Eli whispered in between muffled coughs.

    ¡°I really hope this kitchen¡¯s a forgotten one,¡± I mumbled under my breath.

    I remembered the food I ate in this tower, and my stomach churned. The place looked unused, yet smelled of rot and decay.

    ¡°Let¡¯s look some more,¡± I said. ¡°My nose tells me we¡¯ll find something.¡±

    ¡°I hate to think of the something we¡¯ll find,¡± Eli grumbled.

    The kitchen was indeed hiding more than dirty utensils. We walked beyond the large tables, making sure we didn¡¯t stumble into anything. If one casserole were to fall, everything else would follow. Imagine the ruckus that would cause. Lemien and his bodyguards will be at us before we could reach the door to escape.

    Beyond the tables was a large wooden, mossy door. Eli shot me a worried look and I nodded, encouraging him to push it open. We found ourselves in a circular dining room. Tables were cleared off the middle though, stacked against the walls. The place was dark, save for a lone candle at the other end of the room.

    The smell of rotting corpses invaded our nostrils. We both lurched forward and put our hands to our mouths. I barely held the dried meat Eli had given me before we left the city. Eli wasn¡¯t that lucky.

    He bellowed in agony as he relieved himself of his breakfast. I winced as I watched the poor soul struggle to stand straight. Every time he¡¯d stand and think it was over, the smell would invite itself into his nose. He¡¯d bend forward again and vomit some more.

    The commotion we¡¯d just caused didn¡¯t disrupt the noise I had heard upon entering the room. It was a steady, repetitive grunt. I pricked my ears to hear more of it. With Eli bellowing beside me, it wasn¡¯t easy to find the source of the sound. Fortunately, Eli¡¯s stomach had nothing to reject anymore. The man stood back up, struggling to keep a straight posture.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Do you hear that?¡± I whispered.

    Eli stood still for a while, pricking his ears to listen in as well. ¡°Sounds like someone, or something, grunting.¡±

    ¡°Do you hear the thumps too?¡±

    Eli nodded.

    We both looked toward the lone candle in the distance. It was too dark to make out anything but a bulky shape, moving about.

    ¡°What is that thing?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°I say it¡¯s something we must not bother,¡± I answered. ¡°There¡¯s nothing of value here,¡± I went on. ¡°We best back away and look for the necromancer¡¯s lab.¡±

    Eli agreed. His stomach agreed even more vehemently. He was pinching his nose, trying to stop the nasty smell from invading his nostrils again. We backed away slowly, making sure our steps were as silent as possible. The door behind us opened with a loud creak. That wasn¡¯t our doing. We weren¡¯t near the door yet.

    We turned slowly to see the undead maid staring at us.

    I moved quickly and immediately. I ran at the undead and punched her in the gut. That was where Lemien had established his link to this corpse. The link broke, but I had punched the poor maid a little too hard. Her body folded as she flew backwards and into the utensils.

    Casseroles hit pans, and pans hit plates, mugs, pots, cauldrons. Everything fell to the ground. I covered my ears as the loudest clattering sound you could ever hear announced intruder presence in the tower. The noise went on for an eternity. I found myself praying for it to stop, but the clattering went on, and on, and on¡­

    ¡°Great!¡± Eli yelled over the pounding utensils. ¡°Fan-fucking-tastic!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hit her that hard,¡± I protested. ¡°She was surprisingly light!¡±

    My protest, and yelling, boomed in the empty room as the clattering utensils had finally stopped. An eerie silence settled then. We could no longer hear the thumping or the regular grunts.

    ¡°Umm¡­ Myles?!¡± Eli said, tentatively.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I answered.

    ¡°I think we should run.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    I turned around to look at Eli. He was fixing the other side of the room with eyes wide open, horrified. The candle had finally cast its light on the thing we heard earlier. I saw a hulking giant look at us, a cleaver, about ten feet long, in hand. He wore a bloodied apron around his inflated torso. His eyes had a blue glow to them. He pointed his heavy cleaver at us and grunted.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± I told my skinny friend. ¡°Last one to make it to the door dies!¡±

    Then I dashed toward the already cluttered kitchen. I kicked everything that stood in my way, attempting to reach the door before that giant caught up. I heard Eli yell at me but I chased the thoughts away. That thing was too big to fight. One misstep and I could die. I wasn¡¯t going to stand around and fight it. Let Eli handle it if he wanted, or at least serve as decoy.

    I was first to reach the kitchen door. Before I could stretch my arm toward it to open it, the door swung open. One of Lemien¡¯s bodyguards barred our way out. I heard more hurried footsteps, running toward us. More undead showed up. There were three bodyguards standing at the kitchen door then.

    ¡®Oh boy, aren¡¯t we in trouble!¡¯ Eva commented.

    I backed away, slowly, sword already unsheathed. Eli bumped into me. He was about to start yelling but the sight of the armored bodyguards silenced him.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± he whispered. ¡°What the fuck do we do?¡±

    ¡°Can you sense their energy?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°I can¡¯t use it for long though,¡± he answered.

    ¡°Then make sure you remember where the link to their master is,¡± I said. ¡°Each one has a different spot.¡±

    ¡°You want me to fight them while you run?¡± Eli protested.

    ¡°You can¡¯t fight the big one behind us,¡± I said.

    ¡°Neither of us can,¡± Eli said.

    ¡°We only have one choice here,¡± I retorted. ¡°Do you want to die?¡±

    ¡°Not today, no.¡±

    ¡°Then stand your ground and fight. With some luck, we can finish these three off before the giant decides to join in. We do that, and we run for the stairs. The stairway¡¯s too narrow for his size. He won¡¯t follow.¡±

    ¡°Fuck!¡± Eli yelled. ¡°Why is always like this with you?¡±

    ¡°Shut up and fight!¡± I yelled back. ¡°Take the one to the right. I¡¯ll take care of the other two.¡±

    I dashed at the two armored undead. I could feel the link they shared with their master. One had it in the heart area, the other somewhere in his right thigh. Both were heavily armored, hitting those links would prove harder if I took any hit as well.

    To make matters worse, as if on cue, the giant stormed into the room. He kicked the pans and cauldrons out of his way. One sooty cauldron caught Eli at the back of his head and the latter fell unconscious.

    I didn¡¯t have time to worry about my unconscious friend as a sword had missed my only remaining eye by inches. I immediately retaliated with a shoulder bash, which sent the undead toppling backward. I slashed at the next one, hitting him behind the knee. That was a sure way to bring him down for an execution. He remained standing though, and swung his sword at my exposed neck.

    I deflected the sword and went for his jugular as well. My sword connected and I felt it cut through rotten flesh. The undead only grunted and advanced toward me. A punch from his steel gauntlet made my eye roll, and red sparkles danced before me. I was clearly on the losing side. My sword fell to the side, and the undead was coming for the kill.

    A strong wind to my left lifted my hair up. The undead that was about to skewer me was cut in half. The giant had brought his cleaver down and missed me. The undead bodyguard didn¡¯t escape decapitation though. He was cut in two symmetrical, vertical halves. The cleaver turned sideways and I felt a sudden urge to duck.

    The cleaver immediately swung sideways. If it weren¡¯t for that sudden intuition, I would¡¯ve been sliced in half. The undead that was about to finish the unconscious Eli, suffered the fate I¡¯d just escaped.

    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± I heard Lemien¡¯s voice echo through the tower stairs. ¡°You have to kill the live ones! Not my men!¡±

    The giant brute grunted in response.

    I crawled toward Eli, collecting my sword on the way, and slapped him awake.

    ¡°W-what?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Get up!¡± I hissed. ¡°We have to get out of here!¡±

    The giant had just noticed us, as though Lemien was controlling him then. He saw us then held his cleaver in both hands, ready to reduce us to minced meat.

 112 - Fire In The Hole

    The downward swing missed Eli and me by inches. It landed between my legs, sending rubble and dust into my eye. My heart jumped, adrenaline spiked at this sudden escape from death. I rolled backward and got to my feet. Eli struggled to his feet and got behind one of the long tables. Two more undead bodyguards joined the party, clad in steel armor plates and holding large swords, too big to be allowed. They stood by the door, barring our way out.

    ¡®What¡¯s the plan here?¡¯ Eva asked.

    ¡®Swords won¡¯t be effective against them,¡¯ I said. ¡®They won¡¯t die unless I break the link they have to Lemien.¡¯

    ¡®You can always slow them down,¡¯ she said as another swing from the huge cleaver came my way. I dodged to the side, and saw a cauldron split in half.

    ¡®What do you suggest we do about this one?¡¯ I asked. ¡®Lemien¡¯s got a good grip on him, yet he seems out of control.¡¯

    Eli jumped out of the way as a swing from the cleaver targeted him. The table split. Splinters flew in the air and the chandelier above us swayed dangerously.

    ¡®I got an idea,¡¯ I said.

    I ran at the giant undead and swung at his tendons. My sword his the hulk¡¯s foot and a loud clang was heard. His feet were harder than steel. That was bound to create problems.

    I felt a giant knuckle at my ribs. My feet left the floor, and I felt my body travel from one end of the kitchen to the other. I crashed against the open door then rolled into the empty dining room. I had at least two cracked ribs, one nasty gash at my right thigh, and my head pounded. The room turned, my legs swayed as I tried to get up.

    ¡°What the hell is that thing?¡± I asked no one in particular.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t you see his fangs?¡¯ Eva asked.

    ¡®Shit!¡¯

    ¡®Indeed.¡¯

    My head had stopped pounding then. I ran toward the lone candle by the end of the dining room, it was our only hope, to end this fight and block further undead from swarming us.

    ¡®Do you think it¡¯s wise you trap yourself here?¡¯ Eva asked.

    ¡®This is a dining room,¡¯ I said. ¡®There must be another door to let prisoners, or guests, in here. No one¡¯d come through the kitchen.¡¯

    I took the candle and walked back to the kitchen. I didn¡¯t know if Eli had managed to survive the fight, but I couldn¡¯t run. I would risk extinguishing the candle. I heard another crash in the kitchen as I got closer. I squinted. Eli was still dancing around, miraculously avoiding the undead Sebyan¡¯s swings.

    ¡°Eli!¡± I screamed at the top of my lungs. ¡°Get in here, quick!¡±

    Eli looked at me. He saw the candle in my hand and jumped forward to avoid another cleaver attack. He reached the dining room just as I reached the door. I threw the candle at the splinters that resulted from the Sebyan¡¯s rampage. Fire started spreading. It wasn¡¯t enough to start a big fire though.

    The giant Sebyan caught sight of us and pounded his heavy legs on the ground.

    ¡°I need a distraction,¡± I told Eli.

    ¡°Are you out of your mind? I¡¯ll get trapped inside too.¡±

    ¡°Just stay near the door. Avoid two hits. That¡¯s all I ask.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s already asking too much,¡± he mumbled.

    ¡°Can you hit the chandelier?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll lose my sword in the process,¡± Eli complained.

    ¡°Then do as I say,¡± I retorted. ¡°Stay near the door. The moment I bring it down, run like your life depended on it.¡±

    ¡°Fuck you Stalwart!¡± Eli complained but obeyed.

    He went inside and the undead Sebyan focused his efforts on him. The other undead guards stayed near the door. They were probably ordered by Lemien to stay away from the cleaver¡¯s range. I took the golden chain from the bag. I didn¡¯t want to show it to Lemien, but that was our only choice.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    I looked at the hanging chandelier. It was a risky endeavor. I was a lousy shot. Throwing a flailing chain at the chandelier, hoping it would coil itself around its rusty supports, was farfetched. But that was the only way to get rid of the undead.

    I threw the chain at the chandelier. My first attempt was met with failure. Eli was also having a hard time against the Sebyan. I threw the chain once more and missed. The chain had only hit one of the candles and extinguished it.

    ¡®Focus, Myles, Focus!¡¯ I repeated internally.

    Eli had just avoided another attack. This time it was a surprise thrust. He had jumped to avoid the upcoming cleaver then landed on its blunt end. He was lucky, despite the childish squeal he made as his balls hit the steely, thick surface of the cleaver.

    I threw the chain one more time. Third time¡¯s a charm, right?

    It connected, and even coiled around the rusty support. It was firm enough for me to jerk it toward me, hard. The chandelier swung as the undead Sebyan retracted his cleaver. His weapon hit my chain and I was hurled forward, into the room.

    The chandelier fell down with a loud crash. Candles rolled down the ground and met the scattered splinters. Eli retreated back to the dining room and yelled for me to follow. I tried to yank the chain off the chandelier. The damn thing got stuck. I hadn¡¯t thought of that when I tried to bring the thing down¡­

    ¡°Come on Myles,¡± Eli yelled. ¡°Leave that damn chain behind.¡±

    How could I? It was the only thing I could use against the banshee. I tried to yank the chain once more. The Sebyan had noticed me then. He swung his giant weapon at me and I jumped back. I had to let go of the chain to avoid his deadly attack. I ducked under another swing. Fire started devouring the place.

    I yanked the chain once more and I felt it loosening on the other end. That damned Sebyan wouldn¡¯t let me pull it off in peace though. He rushed toward me. I felt his big, gnarled hands close around my throat.

    My body slammed against the wall. I could see the Sebyan¡¯s blue eyes scan me. His fangs were yellow, black in some spots too. He grunted at me and I head Lemien¡¯s voice echo in the tower stairs.

    ¡°You just can¡¯t get enough of me, do you?¡± he asked. ¡°How about you stay with my Sebyan slave here, burn to death as you should have when you entered the city?¡±

    The undead¡¯s grip around my throat was getting tighter. If he applied just a little more pressure, my neck would snap. I felt blood rush to my head. Air had become harder to breathe. My legs flailed in the air while I tried to get out of this pickle.

    My eye started stinging too. Fire had become even fiercer. The smell of burning, moldy wood was suffocating. I had to get out of there, but how could I, with the Sebyan¡¯s tight grip around my throat?

    Eva was screaming something at me but I couldn¡¯t hear her. Everything became foggy before me. I could barely keep my eye open.

    ¡®Use your goddamn Essence!¡¯ Eva¡¯s screams finally reached me.

    In one last effort to get myself out, I focused on the Sebyan¡¯s energy. I saw Lemien¡¯s links to his body. There was a higher concentration of energy in the undead¡¯s arms, possibly to control the amount of pressure he applied around my throat.

    With every last ounce of willpower I had, I concentrated my Essence around my arms. I brought them down on the Sebyan¡¯s elbows and heard them crack. A large amount of Lemien¡¯s energy got out of the pore through which the undead¡¯s bones protruded. I fell to my knees, wheezing. Eli came running toward me, and started pulling me away.

    ¡°No,¡± I said in between coughs and wheezes. ¡°Grab that chain, I can crawl away.¡±

    Eli¡¯s frustrated look didn¡¯t convince me to accept his help though. ¡°Grab the fucking thing and let¡¯s go!¡± I shouted.

    I crawled away, on all fours, as Eli obeyed. By the time I reached the dining room, fire had engulfed the kitchen. Eli pulled me away from the burning room and the toxic smoke. We were both coughing by then, but we got rid of that giant monster.

    ¡°You had to go and complicate things for us!¡± Eli reprimanded. He was smiling though.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think my punch would send that undead bitch flying,¡± I said. ¡°Lucky we could burn that giant motherfucker.¡±

    ¡°What now?¡± Eli asked. ¡°We¡¯re trapped here.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± I replied. ¡°There has to be a door here that leads outside.¡±

    ¡°YOU¡¯LL PAY FOR THIS!¡± Lemien¡¯s voice boomed in the tower. ¡°I¡¯LL FIND YOU! MARK MY WORDS, I WILL FIND YOU!¡±

    ¡°Good luck with that,¡± I mumbled. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I told Eli. ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee this tower will hold once the fire spreads.¡±

    The fire in the kitchen provided us with enough light to spot the other door. Eli handed me the hot golden chain and I put it back in my bag. We ran for the door and out into a crumbling corridor. There was a metallic gate at the other side.

    As I suspected, the room we were in was meant for prisoners. Rats scuttled away from us, between the rusty bars that miraculously survived the years of decay. The walls around it were all old, crumbling. Some bricks were missing here and there.

    ¡°Come on,¡± I told Eli. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here. Lemien will send his goonies after us.¡±

    We ran for the metallic gate and squeezed past a fissure at one of the walls. By the time we crossed to the other side, we heard the scuttling of feet, getting louder as we advanced. There were numerous cells around us. Most of them were in no condition to be used to hold prisoners. They held corpses though, smelly, rotten, buzzing with flies and swarmed by rats.

    ¡°They¡¯ll be here any second,¡± Eli said. ¡°We won¡¯t have time to escape.¡±

    ¡°Then we blend in,¡± I said.

    Eli looked at me, horrified. ¡°Oh hell no!¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve done it once with you Stalwart, that¡¯s more than enough.¡±

    ¡°What other choice do we have?¡± I retorted. ¡°We don¡¯t know how many there are. Let¡¯s just hide and assess our chances of success.¡±

    ¡°Why does it always have to be this way?¡± Eli moaned.

    One more person was complaining about the misfortune they meet in my company. They were probably right, but I didn¡¯t have the time or the energy to think about it. I urged my skinny friend to hide in a cell, behind a pile or rotten corpses. He complied reluctantly.

    We hid behind the pile as the sound of footsteps got louder. More than two dozen undead reached our position. They looked around for us. They didn¡¯t have the ability to sense Essence in others, I considered that a small win. I was perhaps lucky, after all.

    ¡°OFELIA!¡± I heard the necromancer roar. ¡°FIND THEM FOR ME!¡±

    I spoke too soon¡­

 113 - Below the Tower

    ¡°I have a plan,¡± I whispered to Eli.

    Crouching behind a pile or corpses, Eli looked at me, his face contorted into countless grimaces. I didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or act serious. He definitely hated it there.

    ¡°Another suicidal attempt to burn this place down?¡± Eli whispered back.

    ¡°We can¡¯t stay in here,¡± I told him. ¡°The banshee will find us, and we don¡¯t have enough space to run around and dispose of those undead.¡±

    ¡°What do you suggest we do then?¡±

    ¡°I can banish Ofelia for a little while,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to take care of the undead in the meantime then get the hell out of sight. We¡¯re nowhere near finding a way to dispose of Lemien.¡±

    Eli cast a quick glance at the prison corridors. Undead soldiers were running around, looking for the intruders. They weren¡¯t the bright sort, we were very close, yet they didn¡¯t think of inspecting the piles of corpses thoroughly.

    ¡°There are more than a dozen out there,¡± Eli said. ¡°We can¡¯t let them surround us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll draw them out of here,¡± I said. ¡°You wait here until they all run after me.¡±

    ¡°What will you do about the banshee?¡± Eli asked.

    ¡°I told you. I¡¯ll buy us sometime then we get rid of the search party.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll come back, you know.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get to it,¡± I said. ¡°Now get ready.¡±

    Eli wanted to tell me something but I had already run out of the cell. There were about fifteen soldiers around us. I could easily dispose of them singlehandedly, but I had to stick to the plan. Something told me Lemien had an ace up his sleeve. I wasn¡¯t going to run straight into his trap.

    ¡°Hey!¡± I yelled at the undead. ¡°Looking for me?¡±

    I ran for the other end of the corridor. More undead emerged from behind the cells. They groaned and moaned as they ran after me. They were faster than the ones I¡¯d encountered the first time, near the city gate. I dodged the outstretched hands, shoved others back inside the cells they were searching, and kept running.

    The number of undead following me increased. I could hear their footsteps echo behind me. I didn¡¯t stop until I reached the end of the grim passageway though. I turned back to see them all running, yelling incomprehensible words at me. Behind me was a passageway leading to some stairs. In front of me was a horde of undead, cluttering the corridor.

    I spotted Eli emerge from the cell behind them. It was time to act.

    I didn¡¯t need my sword for what was about to transpire. All I needed were my fists and some Essence to empower them. I aimed for the links the undead shared with their master. I punched the first one and felt the link break. Again, I¡¯d put too much strength, or Essence, in my blow. The undead flew backward, toppling a row of others with him as he went.

    The undead didn¡¯t stop, they kept coming my way. I was hoping on that. Eli wasn¡¯t good at sensing their links as much as I was. I hoped he¡¯d thin the herd from behind while I beat the others to a pulp. It was going well before I heard other footsteps approaching from the stairs above me.

    A green light shone bright between the undead Eli and I were beating. Ofelia emerged, ghastly, terrible, wailing. Eli clutched his head and started screaming. The remaining undead spotted him and turned to face him. I had to act fast.

    I clung to the memory of my beloved, to her smile, to her smell, to the way she made me feel. It was difficult to bring those memories back and filter the pain and sadness away. Ofelia must have realized what I was attempting since she glided toward me.

    The presence of a banshee is unnerving to say the least. Looking at her face alone is enough to erase all memories of happiness you¡¯ve ever had in your life. Fortunately, I had but a few, and I made sure to cling to them tightly. Eli was still screaming his lungs out in the other side of the corridor. I wondered what the banshee had showed him.

    She was inches from me then. My happy memories began blurring. I heard wails, and the sound of a whip cracking. I chased those thoughts I way and urged myself to focus. Ofelia was close, observing me with those hollow eyes. I shot her a determined look. I wasn¡¯t going to lose to her this time. She knew it too, since she decided to inflate her chest. She was getting ready to blow me away. It was now or never.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°Electo!¡± I shouted, hands outstretched, legs firmly planted on the ground.

    The banshee screamed at the same time. My banishing spell collided with her supersonic wave, and a loud explosion ensued. The last thing I heard was the banshee screaming, an otherworldly, painful, goosebump inducing, scream. The ground below us cracked. Then it gave way. Undead and living fell down. I felt the air leave my lungs. My stomach jumped to my throat. My jaws tightened, and my hair ruffled. We were falling, and I didn¡¯t know where we¡¯d land.

    I broke the cold surface of the water and sank, deep. My body rolled uncontrollably. I¡¯d hit something here and there. I took an incredible amount effort to keep my mouth shut, and the air inside. I kept rolling for an eternity. No matter how much I tried to fight back, the current was stronger than me. Then something hit me in the back and propelled me forward.

    I stopped moving after a while. I couldn¡¯t tell how long though. For a moment there, I thought I¡¯d died. My heart was beating faster than it had ever been before. I only knew I was alive after I¡¯d taken a good gulp of sour water.

    The urge to cough it out required a tremendous amount of willpower to repress. I swallowed the liquid and braced myself for ascent. I was still alive, apparently unhurt. I beat my legs against the viscous liquid, trying to reach the surface.

    There were more things arriving behind me. I couldn¡¯t see well because of the darkness, nor could I hear what was happening above. I just beat those legs frantically. The surface must have been close, I couldn¡¯t have been carried that far below. The air inside my lungs was screaming to be let out, to get something new to keep that heart of mine beating, to keep my brain functional.

    Oh the agony of waiting to reach the surface¡­

    I kept telling myself it was near. I had to encourage my limbs to keep beating. Who would do it otherwise? I couldn¡¯t think of the banshee, Lemien, or the undead then. All I could think of was the morbid possibility of drowning. My lungs were at their limit. It was too dark to see any light reflecting on the water surface either.

    My heart started beating against my chest. It felt as though it was inflated now, too weak to keep going. My head had grown fuzzy. Only the silence of the deep water surrounded me. It was me and my heartbeat¡­ slow¡­ going ¡°Tudum¡­Tudum¡­Tudum¡­¡±

    In retrospect, it was that rhythm that kept me going. I listened to it, while I urged my lungs to stay patient. I begged my limbs to keep beating. It was actually the calmest I¡¯ve ever felt in a long while.

    It was me against Mother Nature. It was very simple, live and surface, or drown and die. It was simpler than scheming, fighting against foes you knew nothing about. It was raw, primal.

    My hands finally broke the water surface, and you can¡¯t imagine my joy at breathing fresh air. I inhaled for the longest period of time my lungs could allow, and they allowed for much more than usual. I was looking up, laughing hysterically.

    ¡°Myles?¡± I heard Eli¡¯s voice calling out to me.

    I looked around but couldn¡¯t see my skinny friend.

    ¡°Eli?¡± I called back tentatively. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything in this darkness.¡±

    ¡°Just follow my voice,¡± Eli said. ¡°There¡¯s a ledge you can climb onto here.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said. ¡°Just keep talking. I¡¯ll head your way.¡±

    I extended my senses toward him, just to be safe. It was my old friend alright. I started swimming toward him.

    ¡°What happened up there?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I tried to banish the damn banshee,¡± I said. ¡°She tried to shout me to death. Our forces collided I guess, and the explosion brought us here.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re lucky there was water underneath the tower then,¡± Eli said. I swam toward his voice every time he spoke. It was then that I realized something was amiss about it. He was panting a bit too heavily.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Something hit me when I fell underwater,¡± Eli said. ¡°I dunno what it was, but my leg¡¯s bleeding, quite heavily.¡±

    ¡°Keep talking,¡± I urged him. His voice was getting louder, closer.

    ¡°That freaking banshee man,¡± he said. ¡°The moment I saw her, I started hearing things, seeing things¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the effect she has on people,¡± I said. I swam further. I could make out some dark shape ahead of me. ¡°Never allow her to get to you. She¡¯s nasty.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Eli said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen things I struggled to forget about. I couldn¡¯t take it man.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s gone now,¡± I said. I was near him then. ¡°Would you lend me a hand?¡±

    Eli stretched a helping hand and helped me up. We were on a wide platform, some old road by the looks of it. There were cobble stones on the floor, stretching forward.

    ¡°Let me have a look at your wound,¡± I said as soon as I got up.

    ¡°Here,¡± Eli pointed to his left thigh.

    ¡°That¡¯s a sword cut,¡± I told him. ¡°Maybe one of those undead cut you while we plummeted down here.¡±

    ¡°Could be,¡± Eli replied.

    ¡°Can you walk?¡±

    ¡°If you help me,¡± he said.

    I didn¡¯t need to ask him how he survived. I knew full well what the need to survive does to a person. Adrenaline rushes through our system and we fight, struggle to the last breath. I helped Eli up and we followed the road. It didn¡¯t take us much time to reach the end.

    A vast stone gate blocked our way. Fortunately, the passing of time, and perhaps water erosion, didn¡¯t do it justice. I squeezed through a gap then helped my injured friend in. We found ourselves in a spacious place. There were lit torches, scattered around the numerous pillars that presented themselves to us.

    ¡°What is this place?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Looks like some old water cleansing cistern,¡± Eli replied. ¡°See the vault in the ceiling? It¡¯s still standing, despite all the erosion around us. I¡¯ve seen something like this back in my hometown.¡±

    We moved forward, our footsteps echoing through the empty place.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s definitely living here,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯d better be on our guard.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s look around,¡± Eli said. ¡°I need someplace to lie down and tend to this wound too.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t look far,¡± a voice, childish, reached us from behind the pillars.

    We turned to our left. There was a Sebyan, the smallest one I¡¯ve ever seen, looking at us with keen eyes. He didn¡¯t have any fangs. His dark green skin was wrinkled. His white hair extended to the floor. His beard was neatly trimmed, hiding his wide square jaw.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Name¡¯s Boon Jeema,¡± the tiny Sebyan said. ¡°Your friend¡¯s badly injured. Why don¡¯t we take care of that first?¡±

 114 - Boon Jeema

    We followed the tiny Sebyan through the arches and into a small, well-kept room. There was a small fireplace in there. I put Eli on one of the bed wraps near the warm fire while the old man went to retrieve his tools from a chest he kept in the corner.

    He took a curved needle and some threads that looked too worn, too old to hold straight. He came back to us, limping on one foot, holding the needle and threads on one hand, jaundiced bandages on the others.

    ¡°What happened up there?¡± Boon Jeema asked me after he came back.

    ¡°What does it look like?¡± I asked back. ¡°There was a fight and we fell down the tower. We ended up here. By the way, what is this place?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an old monastery,¡± Boon Jeema said. ¡°Are you prisoners?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± Eli answered. ¡°How long have you been here old man?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember,¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯ve been tasked to take care of this place, as my old man before me has.¡±

    ¡°Do you know who controls the tower up there?¡± Eli asked in between groans.

    ¡°Stay still,¡± the old man said. ¡°I¡¯ll use some of our old magic on you. Whatever hit you, it wasn¡¯t clean. Your wound might fester if we don¡¯t take care of it immediately.¡±

    Boon Jeema cleaned Eli¡¯s wound then proceeded to stitching it together. He whispered something in their harsh language and the old looking threads straightened. They had a bright blue glow about them then.

    Eli winced and groaned but he endured it. I sat there, watching the old Sebyan. There was this purity about him, as though he didn¡¯t know what had happened between the necromancer in the tower, and the Sebyan in the city. He didn¡¯t look stressed or concerned for his life. He was happy to busy himself in bandaging my friend, as though it was something he did for a living.

    Once he was done, he gave Eli a sleeping potion. He said it would help if he took a short nap, allowed his body to recover. I knew the effect of Sebyan potions on us. I hoped Eli wouldn¡¯t sleep for too long. We still had a mission to accomplish, although we didn¡¯t know how to get back up there yet.

    ¡°How old are you?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°I lost count after a hundred,¡± Boon Jeema replied. ¡°It¡¯s hard to keep track of time down here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been down here for more than a hundred years?¡±

    ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t remember,¡± he said.

    ¡°Why did you help us?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re your favorite race.¡±

    ¡°I only had fish and mice for company for decades,¡± Boon said. ¡°You¡¯re the first form of sentient life I¡¯ve met since I was asked to care for this monastery.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just leave?¡± I said. ¡°Your people are in trouble up there, didn¡¯t you know?¡±

    ¡°They can take care of themselves,¡± Boon replied. ¡°The three tailed fox protects them.¡±

    ¡°The three tailed fox hasn¡¯t spoken to them in years,¡± I retorted.

    ¡°How do you know?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Ngairi told me,¡± I replied. ¡°We came from the city,¡± I said. ¡°We have a mission to accomplish in this prison.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s this Ngairi you speak of?¡± he asked. ¡°And who would allow a human inside the city? That¡¯s blasphemy.¡±

    ¡°A lot has changed old man,¡± I replied. ¡°You¡¯ve been here for far too long.¡±

    He smiled, revealing crooked teeth. His face wrinkled even more, which made for a harrowing sight. His eyes, like every other Sebyan, had only one color. His were bright yellow, no pupils, no irises, just a yellow sphere.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°How do we get back up there?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the old Sebyan replied.

    I felt my jaw fall. I was at a loss for words. He was surely joking, right? Old people have this kind of twisted humor. My mouth opened and closed. I looked for words to say but couldn¡¯t utter any of them.

    ¡°What do you mean, you don¡¯t know?¡± I finally asked.

    ¡°They generally send you down here,¡± Boon said. ¡°You don¡¯t go up unless they decide to. There¡¯s no way to leave unless you can fly.¡±

    ¡°Who are they?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The chief and his council,¡± he said.

    ¡°But the chief and his council are younger than you are. Don¡¯t you think they would have forgotten you existed?¡±

    The old Sebyan burst out laughing. He wheezed as he tried to recollect himself and catch a breath. What was so funny about my remark? And why oh why did I need to fall in these situations? Why do I always seem to find myself in one pickle after the other?

    ¡°They most certainly have,¡± the old Sebyan said. ¡°But I like it here. I never felt the need to leave this place. It¡¯s peaceful here. I have enough food. I have water beside me, and a clean stream on the other side. Why would I go up there and fight to survive?¡±

    ¡°Were you exiled here old man?¡± I asked.

    The Sebyan smiled approvingly. ¡°I don¡¯t think of it as exile anymore.¡±

    ¡°So this is still the prison,¡± I said.

    ¡°You¡¯re a sharp one,¡± he said.  ¡°It¡¯s a form of prison, to hold the traitors. But that was a very long time ago. I doubt Tao Zhar remembers me either.¡±

    ¡°Tao Zhar?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You know him as the warden,¡± Boon said.

    ¡°There¡¯s no warden,¡± I told him. ¡°There are no Sebyan up there.¡±

    The word came out before I could repress it. The old man looked at me with some kind of expression. It was hard to tell with his strange eyes and his brow-less forehead.

    ¡°How do you know that name?¡± he asked. ¡°Did Tao put you up to this?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know who this Tao is,¡± I said.

    ¡°Then why would you bring this name up?!¡± he was screaming now. I shot a quick glance at Eli. He was still sleeping, undisturbed by the old Sebyan ¨C Sorry, Child ¨C shouting.

    ¡°I saw it on an old book,¡± I said. ¡°It had the three tailed fox in its cover.¡±

    ¡°So Tao set you up to this after all!¡± the old man rushed at me.

    I fell on the floor, the old Sebyan standing atop my chest. I didn¡¯t know how he produced that knife of his, but it was hardly pressed against my throat. ¡°Since when did Tao make alliances with you, soft skin?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong idea old man,¡± I said. ¡°I really don¡¯t know who this Tao is.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb!¡± he roared at me. ¡°You came from up there. He threw you here to convince me to join him, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Old man,¡± I said, trying to sound calm. ¡°You don¡¯t know shit about what¡¯s happening up there. How about you put that knife down, and we talk?¡±

    ¡°How about I slice your throat?¡± the old man retorted. ¡°If I manage my resources well, you¡¯ll both provide a year¡¯s worth of food.¡±

    ¡°Fuck this,¡± I mumbled.

    The old man was lighter than the brute I¡¯d fought earlier. Sure, he had a knife. Sure, one wrong move and I could die, but I¡¯ve had enough of explaining myself. I made sure I moved quickly and decisively. I slapped the old man¡¯s hand away, as hard as I could. I felt the knife cut me then fly to the other side of the room.

    I hit the other arm and rolled to the side. I was bleeding, but it wasn¡¯t life threatening. The old man lost his balance and fell to the floor. His face hit the ground and I heard him squeal. I got up, pulled him by his long hair then turned it around his throat. Blood seeped from the fresh wound in my throat. I pulled harder, until I heard the old Sebyan gasping for breath.

    ¡°How about we talk now, huh?¡± I asked. ¡°We might find a way to help each other. Hell, my friend here respects your people. He¡¯ll probably beat the shit out of me if he woke up to see this. What say you?¡±

    The old man tapped my shoulder.

    ¡°I want to know I can trust you old man!¡± I warned and tightened my grip around his long hair, which started to gain a new crimson color.

    The old man fumbled in his pockets and drew a hunting knife. He threw it far away then tapped me on the shoulder once more.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time old man,¡± I warned. ¡°I still don¡¯t trust you. Are you seriously willing to suffocate? I won¡¯t bleed out that fast!¡±

    He started emptying his pockets. His hands trembled as he threw more knives, thin threads, a small hammer and some weird looking bone shiv. I let go of the old Sebyan then. The old man fell to his knees, coughing. He looked at me and I could tell he¡¯d love nothing but to kill me. There was no need to read through his facial expression, I could feel his killing intent.

    ¡°What is it with you people and that name?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s the name you humans have given us!¡± he replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a fucking word!¡± I said.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand,¡± the old man said. ¡°Why did Tao send you here anyway?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know who the fuck this Tao is,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s dead for all I know. There¡¯s a human controlling the tower now. And I intend to kill him.¡±

    ¡°Human?¡± Boon said. He smiled then started laughing. I winced at him. My wound stung, and blood seeped out of it with every heartbeat. ¡°How can a human control that tower?¡± he went on.

    I was about to tell him about Lemien and his gift of necromancy, but Ofelia interrupted our conversation. She appeared out of thin air. Her terrible face landed on mine, then she turned to look at the old Sebyan.

    ¡°What¡¯s a banshee doing here?¡± the old Sebyan screamed. ¡°Is this your doing, human?¡±