《SUPER! - A Medieval Superhero Story》


 0. The Day the World Died, Part 1

    <h2 class="p1">0. The Day the World Died</h2>


    Kiren looked out over a city on fire.


    Hundreds, maybe thousands of homes had been set ablaze down the slope. The smoke drifted from the houses and made great, dark pillars that sapped the color from the blue sky. The air stung his nostrils, smelling of burnt wood and sizzled flesh.


    Screams echoed from the streets below. Corpses littered the ground around him, almost two dozen civilians and a semi-circle of guardsmen who had died protecting them. A woman sprang out of a building wreathed in flames, her skin charred and blackened. The woman¡¯s wail sent chills up Kiren¡¯s spine. He clenched his gut, fearing its contents would come back up.


    Goldbrand, the capital of Aribel. A great and powerful city, or so it was said. Its people died as easily as any others, though. They had thought themselves invincible, safe behind their walls, cradled beneath their very own sun. Because of their hubris, they had been utterly unprepared for the horror that now beset them.


    An arrow whizzed past Kiren¡¯s ear. He flinched. It struck the fleeing woman in the back and she went down in a pitiful tangle of limbs.


    Kiren watched the woman with numb fascination as she tried to dislodge the wooden shaft from her shoulder blade. She failed to reach it, reduced to quiet sobbing as a patch of blood spread across the back of her dress.


    ¡°Boy!¡± Father shouted.


    Kiren jolted as if an arrow really had struck him. He spun around. The Villains inched towards the inner wall, which was about five or six meters tall with gates of sturdy oak. Defenders fired volleys down at them, and those revolutionaries who hadn''t been able to scavenge shields off the guardsmen fell, stuck full of arrows like grotesquely caricatured porcupines. Those sane enough to avoid the hail of arrows had already taken cover behind buildings and market stands.


    Father had no shield. He stood amidst the Villains, shirtless, half a dozen arrows protruding from his broad, hairy chest. He faced away from the fighting, pointing at Kiren with a fat finger. His bull¡¯s nose flared dangerously.


    ¡°Boy!¡± he repeated. ¡°Fetch my mace! Now!¡±


    Kiren¡¯s feet rushed to obey before his conscious mind had even registered the words. Father was testing him, as he often did. The scars marring Kiren¡¯s whole body, some long and fine, others ugly and puckered, were a testament to his many failures.


    Kiren ran over to a nearby wagon. It had been pulled by a mule, which now lay slumped against its harness with an arrow protruding from one of its dead eyes.


    He jumped onto the wagon and dragged aside a large piece of cloth, uncovering Father¡¯s weapon. A black iron mace, tall as a man, with solid, wedge-shaped flanges. Dried blood stained the edges, brown like rust, from the lives it had already taken this day.


    The mace probably weighed as much as Kiren did. He swallowed hard.


    He bent down and grabbed two of the flanges, his small hands straining to keep a grip on the cold metal. He lifted with his legs and back, but the weapon hardly budged. He tried again, and again, his chest tightening with ropes of cold dread.


    Unmaker spare me. Making him wait at a moment like this¡­


    The mace lifted off the wagon, wood creaking as the weight was taken off, and Kiren staggered off to the side. He looked up.


    A hulking brute of a man stood over him, skin made of dull iron. His chest glowed a molten orange, as did his joints, and flames flickered about his slab of a face. He held up the mace in one hand as if it weighed little more than a thistle.


    Forge. One of the commanders.


    Kiren quickly bowed, fixing his gaze firmly on the ground.


    His attention was already taken off Kiren, blissfully.


    ¡°Looking for this, weren''t you?¡± Forge said with a voice like snapping steel. ¡°Get on with this, Ripper. Ender wants to preserve our forces for Paragon.¡±


    Forge threw the mace. Kiren followed its short arc as Father caught it in both hands. As he received the weapon, his bulky form ballooned even further. His arms swelled, muscle and tendons squirming beneath the skin. His legs widened, straining against his hose. Even his hands grew, gripping the mace tightly with fingers fat as wrists, knuckles like jagged rocks. He took one hand off the thing and let it rest against his shoulder.


    Father ignored Forge. His gaze was fixed on Kiren. Father walked towards him¡ªhis pace was slow, but Kiren felt the threat of violence behind every step.


    He grabbed Kiren by the collar of his stained shirt with his free arm, lifting him off the wagon.


    Kiren kicked and squirmed as he was taken off the ground, but it was no good.


    ¡°I''m s-sorry, Father!¡± Kiren said. ¡°I''ll do better! I''m sorry!¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°You sniveling runt,¡± Father growled. ¡°What do I keep you fed for? Huh? Tell me that.¡±


    He looked as if he was expecting an answer. His grip tightened, constricting Kiren¡¯s collar around his throat. His breaths came in shallow wheezes as he dangled off the ground.


    ¡°Ripper!¡± Forge said, more insistently. ¡°Leave the boy alone. This is not the time. Get that gate torn down, or I''ll do it myself.¡±


    ¡°You telling me how to discipline my son?¡± Father asked. A gap-toothed grin escaped him as he looked over at the man made of red-hot iron. ¡°¡®Cause that''s what it sounds like.¡± He did not let up his grip.


    ¡°Ripper,¡± came another voice. Smooth, neutral, almost bored. ¡°We''ve all grown tired of your games. Remember the purpose I''ve given you.¡±


    Kiren glanced over. A man in a black cloak stood beside the wagon, a pale hand resting on the wood. Most of his face was hidden beneath the deep folds of a hood. He was shorter than both the men by a wide margin, and yet they seemed to buckle at the very sight of him.


    ¡°Forgive me, Lord Ender,¡± Father said quickly, his tone changed in an instant. ¡°I forgot my place.¡±


    He let go of Kiren. His legs jolted as he hit the ground and he fell over on his back. He held his breath and didn¡¯t dare get up. A man even Father feared was surely not someone you wanted to interrupt.


    Ender, leader of the Dark Eye. Kiren had never seen him in person before, only heard the whispers. No one knew his Power. No one still living, anyway.


    ¡°Go now, Ripper,¡± Ender said. He inspected his slender hand with great care, digging out some dirt from underneath a nail. ¡°Carry out my work. I can hardly contain myself for the finale.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord. Without delay.¡±


    Ripper stormed off with his mace in hand, shouldering through the ragged line of Villains. A couple arrows thudded into his bulging flesh. They hardly pierced the skin, and a squirming muscle spasm that ran across his torso pushed them out.


    Kiren looked up and realized with mute terror that Ender had reached out a hand towards him. He took it, and the cloaked man helped him to his feet. For a brief moment, Kiren caught a glimpse of the man¡¯s eyes. Icy blue, startlingly intense.


    ¡°T-thank you, my lord,¡± Kiren worked out.


    ¡°Ripper¡¯s notions of fatherhood confound even the wisest of men,¡± Ender said. ¡°A child has no place on a battlefield. Go. Stay away until our purpose is done. I''ll see to it he doesn''t punish you.¡±


    Kiren bowed uncertainly. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Ender walked past him as if Kiren had ceased to exist. Forge walked ahead of him, blocking any stray arrows that came his way. A small retinue of elite Villains came behind.


    Up the slope, wood splintered with mighty cracks. Father heaved his great mace at the gates with two-handed swings as the revolutionaries cheered him on, uttering war cries in every language under Aribel¡¯s sun.


    The guards atop the wall stood firm. A captain in bright, hammered-plate armor barked orders and kept the soldiers in line. They fired steady, synchronized volleys at the Villains, deterring them from properly advancing. There were probably fifty archers up there, and they didn¡¯t seem to be in any lack of ammunition. Bundles of arrows were being passed up to the archers and stacked around their feet.


    Then, men began dropping. They toppled over the side of the wall, the tendons in the backs of their knees cut. Their bodies hit the pavement like slabs of dead meat.


    One of the guards approached the captain, grabbed his breastplate where it ended at his collarbone, and drove his sword through the man¡¯s throat. He drew it back out and the captain managed a few weak, bloody gurgles before going the same way as the others.


    The traitor guardsman ripped off his helmet and faced the Villains with a dramatic bow, so impossibly deep that his scalp nearly touched the stone battlement. When he came back up, his face shifted and remolded itself, becoming drawn and pale and narrow, his hair all falling out and disintegrating in the air.


    ¡°Salutations to you, Master Ripper,¡± he said. ¡°Hack away to your heart¡¯s content. For our dark lord.¡±


    Fade, the Skinchanger. The leader of Centucia¡¯s Lions. Another of the Dark Eye¡¯s commanders.


    ¡°For our dark lord!¡± the Villains howled.


    The guards wavered. A few had enough presence of mind to go after the traitor, but he slid away from their half-hearted sword strikes and retaliated in kind with dismemberment and decapitations. He wielded the sword in one hand, moving as if it had been a part of him since birth, even though it seemed to be the same simple kind of sharpened steel the guards used.


    With a few more heavy swings of his mace, Father cracked open the gates to the inner part of the city. The revolutionaries helped prop it open, and their forces welled through the gap. The defenders atop the wall broke and most of them fled.


    They were swiftly hunted down and executed. Fade joined the other commanders, having fulfilled his purpose.


    Hundreds of revolutionaries surged through the gates, eager for more blood. Kiren trailed behind them, letting the warriors shove him this way and that as they passed through. He couldn¡¯t match their eagerness. Bile burned at the back of his throat.


    I could run. Everyone is caught up in the fighting. Maybe I could¡­


    He shook his head.


    No! Stop dreaming, you fool. Father would know. He would find me, and then¡­


    He didn¡¯t want to think about what would happen then.


    Rather than get trampled, Kiren moved over to the side of the street. He stumbled over the leg of a charred corpse. A man, judging by the size, clutching a smaller, blackened body. His wife, maybe, or his daughter. Her face had melted down to the bone, so it was impossible to tell which.


    Forge¡¯s work.


    A dull explosion shook the ground. Kiren looked ahead, but no matter how far he craned his neck, he couldn¡¯t see anything over the crowds of outlaws.


    Their objective loomed further up the hill, at the very peak of the city. A spire of ludicrous proportions, by far the largest building Kiren had seen all his life, topped with a rounded, golden dome that shone so bright it certainly did its name justice. It nearly touched the clouds, seemingly built to outdo the Creator¡¯s own glory.


    The Second Sun.


    The seat of the empress, and the reason behind all this death.


    More explosions sounded, followed by screams. The line of Villains rippled, uncertain. Kiren caught a glimpse of a silhouette soaring through the air, zipping overhead like a bird in flight. His crisp, fluttering cloak bore the white and yellow of Aribel, spread wide like wings.


    A Hero. There was no mistaking it.


    Paragon¡¯s defenders had arrived.

 0. The Day the World Died, Part 2

    A few revolutionaries took potshots at the flying Power user. The arrows swiveled mid-air and were shot straight back into the ground. Grizzled archers fell, screaming. The man dipped down and delivered an airborne kick with each leg that took out two more archers, then rose back up into the air, out of the way of the retaliatory fire.


    Further down, Forge¡¯s red-hot flames blazed over the lines. Screams followed. Kiren craned his neck, but he was just too short to see what was going on.


    I need to get a better view, somehow.


    He looked around and saw a number of wooden crates stacked up against a butcher shop. The three-story building it was attached to had escaped the worst of the fire with only a few blackened bruises. It would make a decent vantage point.


    Kiren jogged towards the building, dodging between Villains. Someone shouted a slurred derogative and grabbed at him, but Kiren ducked underneath his grasp and kept going.


    He jumped onto one of the crates and used it to climb onto those stacked higher. He leapt and reached a second-story window-sill with the tips of his fingers. He wriggled his fingers until he had a sure grip, then hoisted himself up. He edged his feet onto the thin ledge and repeated the process with the next window above him.


    He pulled himself onto the sloped, sleet-tiled roof of the building and rolled to safer ground.


    A series of terrible cracks made him stiffen and curl up as the roof shook with heavy vibrations. The wood splintered where he had just lain and roof tiles were thrown into the air. A solid iron ball larger than a human head had torn a large hole in the wall and embedded itself in the roof, attached to a rusted chain.


    Kiren scrambled away. The ball was yanked out and part of the wall fell out with it. He stared at the iron ball as it fell into the street, smashing a revolutionary under its massive weight. It was pulled along the ground, knocking men over and producing an unholy scraping sound. It was picked up by a woman with the mass of five men, the other end of the chain wrapped around one of her meaty forearms. She was maybe even larger than Father when he was using his Power to the fullest.


    ¡°Wow. That was scary, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Kiren spun around in a crouch. A pair of loose ceiling tiles flipped away over the edge of the roof.


    A girl clutched the brick chimney, wide-eyed and pale-faced. She was perhaps a year or two older than him, with mousy-brown hair down to her shoulders. She wore a white dress with only a rip or two that fluttered about her skinny, shaky legs.


    ¡°Who¡¯re you?¡± Kiren said quickly. He backed off as far as he dared.


    ¡°You came to watch the fight too, didn¡¯t you?¡± the girl asked. ¡°I thought¡­¡± She glanced towards the battle. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it would be like this.¡±


    ¡°Who. Are. You?¡± Kiren growled. He crouched, arms high to protect his vital organs. he didn¡¯t have a knife, but she wasn¡¯t that much taller than him, despite the age difference. If he had to, he might be able to push her off the roof.


    ¡°My name¡¯s Lace,¡± the girl said. ¡°My dad¡¯s a Hero.¡± Though her voice was breathy and she stumbled over her words, she still somehow managed to beam with pride. ¡°You might have heard of him. Gale, the C Rank Hero!¡±


    Kiren shook his head. He had not heard of any such a man. He kept his eyes fixed on the girl.


    What¡¯s wrong with her? Doesn¡¯t she understand what¡¯s happening here? What I am?


    ¡°Oh. Well, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Kiren.¡±


    ¡°Is your dad here too?¡±


    Kiren hesitated.


    ¡°Don¡¯t have one.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay. Well, we can both watch my dad beat these Villains, then!¡±


    The girl, Lace, got down on all fours and crawled over to the edge of the roof. She sat up on her knees, clutching the rim tightly.


    Kiren didn¡¯t move.


    Lace swung her head back to face him. A tangle of hair went in front of her face. ¡°Here! Come!¡±


    Kiren moved over to where she was sitting. His bare feet curled over the slate to find purchase. He sat down next to her, leaving some distance between them. She was a Hero¡¯s offspring, after all. No one associated with the Heroes could be trusted. Father had been very clear about that.


    He finally got a good look at the fighting. Dozens of Heroes in colorful outfits met the line of Villains, Power users fighting with every inch of their ability. The fluidity of their movements, the ease with which they employed their Powers, was in stark contrast to the Villains¡¯ raw brutality. They were holding the Villains at bay, at least temporarily.


    And yet, there was a desperation in their actions. They took risks, flung themselves headlong into the midst of the battle, allowed themselves to be surrounded only to break free. They knew they were on the losing end. Rather than ball up and let themselves be slaughtered like deer cornered by a pack of wolves, they chose to fight.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Civilians spilled out of the buildings behind them. The Heroes protected them with their very bodies, and not all were blessed with augmenting Powers that boosted their resilience. Several Heroes fell. They would never rise again.


    Each minute that passed, dozens of citizens fled out of sight towards the Second Sun. At this point, it was the only place in Goldbrand which the Villains had not yet impregnated.


    The Dark Eye¡¯s commanders were not deterred by the Heroes¡¯ efforts. Fade the Skinchanger warped his body like wet clay to avoid blade and blow and delivered shallow cuts in return, his longsword discarded in favor of two slender daggers tipped with barbed hooks. Whenever he managed a scratch on a fighter, he immediately moved on to the next, like a whirling dance. His thin blades were coated in a virile poison. Within minutes, those affected would be convulsing on the ground. A minute or two after that, a painful death. Heroes and the guards sent to back them up had already started to drop dead from his machinations.


    Few weapons existed which could pierce Forge¡¯s body. Heroes dulled their swords over his chest and arms, and he retaliated with molten fists and raging flames. He punched a hole straight through a man¡¯s chest. The flesh sizzled and spat around the wound. He yanked his fist out and kicked the man at two of his comrades, knocking them over.


    Father was different. Forge and Fade were wicked men, but at least they fought as such. Father was an animal. He bounded between the lines of the Heroes as his limbs swelled and deflated with muscle mass like forge bellows. He tore men apart with his bare hands and beat their comrades with the severed limbs. His eyes were wide with glee, and the whole time he roared his contempt at the Heroes standing in his way.


    ¡°That¡¯s my dad down there!¡± Lace said, pointing. ¡°See?¡±


    Kiren looked where she was pointing. The airborne Hero he had spotted earlier¡ªGale¡ªhad now touched down. He extended his hands, and a whirling gust of wind blew a dozen arrows out of the sky that, preventing them from reaching a group of civilians. The wind knocked over the archers as well and they swore as they fell into each other.


    Fade was about to slit a guard¡¯s throat when Gale pushed them both out of the way with a rush of air. The wind carried the Hero over to where they both lay. He helped the guard to his feet. Fade contorted his body as he stood up and leapt for Gale. The Hero pushed him back with an invisible push from his outstretched hand and Fade tumbled back into the ranks of Villains.


    Most of the civilians had already escaped, so the Heroes were no longer forced to take risks in order to keep the Villains occupied. The huge, muscular woman swung her iron ball in wide circles, keeping Father at bay. He struck with his mace over and over and hit nothing but cobbles. The woman managed a blow on one of his over-inflated arms and he reeled back, teeth gritted in pain and rage.


    Creator¡¯s corpse, she¡¯s holding her own against Father. How is that possible¡­?


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Kiren asked. He tugged at Lace¡¯s sleeve.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s Titaness,¡± Lace said. ¡°B Rank. Dad says she lifted a whole house over her head, once.¡±


    Titaness, huh?


    She threw herself onto Father with all the grace of a bear. They both crashed to the ground, their weapons forgotten. The impact sent tremors that Kiren felt all the way up on the roof. Father¡¯s body boiled as muscle sprang up all over and shifted around to where he needed it. Titaness¡¯s Power, however, seemed to grant her an even, constant boost in strength and size.


    Father¡¯s left arm swelled until it was the size of a man¡¯s torso. With a violent swipe, he threw Titaness off of him and immediately descended on her. He punched her mouth bloody. Father''s blows rained over her with cracks like thunder, blindingly fast despite his unwieldy size. Although her great stature and muscled body afforded her some natural protection, it wasn¡¯t enough to resist his strength.


    There was no way she was going to survive that for long, human or not.


    Kiren¡¯s stomach knotted.


    Of course no one could beat him, you fool. He has the Unmaker¡¯s own strength.


    He watched as Titaness grappled with the beast. She squirmed and wriggled, but each hit he landed sapped away some of her strength. Her face was a mangled mess, purple and red, one eye swollen shut and the other running with tears of blood.


    ¡°S-she will be okay,¡± Lace said. ¡°She¡¯s just having some trouble. I¡¯m sure one of the other Heroes will save her.¡±


    Kiren looked around. The other Heroes seemed far too occupied with their own struggles to mount any kind of rescue. She was already dead. Kiren knew it.


    The only person he had seen to give Father any pause in combat.


    That couldn¡¯t happen. He couldn¡¯t let a person like that die at Father¡¯s hands.


    Kiren stood. He wedged his hands under one of the slate tiles and pulled out the flat, square piece of stone. He judged the distance between Father and himself. It was pretty far. He¡¯d have to give it all he had.


    He hesitated.


    Can I really do this? If Father sees me...


    Father cracked his fist across Titaness¡¯s face. Blood dribbled over her chin and down her blocky bosom. Her grasp on his body loosened and her resistance waned. Her one working eye swiveled from side to side, seemingly looking for anything that could aid her.


    ¡°Damn it all,¡± Kiren muttered.


    He drew his arm back and threw. He held his breath as the tile sailed through the air amidst arrows and thrown-up rubble. It struck Father on the back of the head and shattered, pieces scattering across his shoulders. Father¡¯s body stiffened, a pair of light scratches beading with blood.


    A pair of arms clawed at Kiren¡¯s clothes and pulled him down flat against the rooftop.


    The bull of a man spun around, feeling the back of his neck. His eyes scanned keenly across the battlefield. He shrugged and turned back to Titaness.


    Not as dazed as she had appeared, Titaness brought up her thick legs and pushed off, sending Father flying off her.


    Kiren held back a whoop. Lace let go of him and clapped her hands.


    ¡°Wow, you really showed him!¡± she said. ¡°You saved her life, Kiren! That¡¯s amazing!¡±


    Yeah. Hopefully, I didn¡¯t end my own.


    The Heroes were cornering the Dark Eye bit by bit. Many of the Powerless fodder had already fallen, leaving the more elite Villains to prop up their sagging offensive. The Heroes welled in around Titaness and protected her while she stood. Gale whipped up strong winds that repelled any revolutionaries foolish enough to approach. Forge dragged Father away, presumably so he didn¡¯t sign himself an early grave.


    If the Dark Eye lost this battle, if Father was killed or taken away, he would finally be free. It was certainly looking that way. But the knot in Kiren¡¯s stomach didn¡¯t loosen.


    He knew better than to put stock in a fool¡¯s hope.


    A series of orders were barked down the line of Villains. The commanders put their warriors into more orderly ranks and they split down the middle, making a path.


    A black-robed man strolled down the street. He had a spring in his step as if all this carnage had put him in a rather good mood.


    Lord Ender had decided to get personally involved.


    Creator, please, no.

 0. The Day the World Died, Part 3

    The Heroes hesitated. They waited as Ender came towards them, perhaps assuming he came to parlay.


    If they¡¯d had any sense, they would have struck the moment they saw him.


    It was already too late.


    No one knew Ender¡¯s Power, but they¡¯d all seen the carnage he left behind. Nothing, no one, could stand against that kind of power.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Lace asked. She squinted down at Ender. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a Villain like that before.¡±


    Kiren didn¡¯t respond. His hands were cold and clammy.


    Ender stopped in front of the Villains and they closed ranks behind him. Forge stood at his left and Father and Fade at his right.


    Those last few battling it out finished each other off and the rest watched the newcomer. A drawn-out silence took the battlefield as everyone waited for someone to speak.


    ¡°Is this what Paragon has sent me?¡± Ender shouted. ¡°Would she rather hide away in her golden tower than face me?¡± He paused. ¡°Very well, then. I will clear away these pawns.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Gale shouted. A howling wind tugged at his flapping cloak. ¡°If you won¡¯t surrender, we will destroy you all.¡±


    He took to the air and zipped towards Ender, brandishing a sword. He flew fast as an arrow.


    Ender tilted his head. He reached up and pulled down his hood, exposing a pale face with cropped-short, black hair and those piercing blue eyes.


    He blinked.


    Gale¡¯s lower half vanished.


    He fell to the ground, guts spilling out of his severed torso along with blood and viscera. He let out a wail that was more beast than man, a sound so brimming with agony that it chilled the soul.


    ¡°Dad!¡± Lace screamed. ¡°Creator, no! What¡­ what happened? Someone save him!¡±


    A group of Heroes rushed forward.


    They were all erased, leaving only a perfectly spherical pit in the ground where they had been standing, several meters wide.


    More of them disappeared as they scrambled to regroup. Ender hummed to himself as he slaughtered them, as if he was doing nothing more than hoeing a stubborn patch of hay down to size.


    Lace screamed and sobbed into her hands as her father crawled, legless, towards Ender.


    ¡°Paragon save us,¡± she whispered. ¡°Save us¡­ please¡­¡±


    No one came. The Second Sun shone dully in the distance, deaf to the girl¡¯s pleas.


    Ender traipsed towards Gale.


    Lace wiped snot with the back of her hand and stood. Before Kiren could stop her, she leapt off the side of the building and onto the roof of an adjacent two-story tenement. She tucked into a clumsy roll, scraping her elbows, but didn''t seem to notice.


    She swung off the side, lost her grip, and fell into the road, where she landed on her behind.


    Is she¡­? She''s not planning¡­ She is.


    Unmaker spare me.


    Kiren followed her same path. He jumped between rooftops, then clambered down the side of the tenement. By the time his feet touched the cobbles, Lace had already run into the street.


    Towards her father.


    Towards Ender.


    Kiren sprinted as fast as his feet would carry. If the girl got in Ender¡¯s way, there would be no survival. It seemed less like death and more like they were simply erased as if they had never existed at all.


    Lace threw herself before her father, arms thrown out in a shielding gesture. Her father had already collapsed, face resting against the flagstones.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    A thin, wispy wind streamed about her, ruffling her dress and throwing up her hair. It tugged at Ender¡¯s cloak, grasped at it with insistent but futile fervor.


    ¡°You''re a brave one, aren''t you?¡± Ender said. He fixed Lace with a sharp, icy glare. ¡°In another world, you could have been one of mine. What a waste.¡±


    Kiren tackled Lace, throwing them both to the side. They tumbled over each other and Kiren ended up on the bottom, unable to see but keenly aware of the clangor and screaming around him. The sounds of death around his mind until it became impossible to focus on anything else, slowly tearing into his sanity.


    But there was no time for waiting. He got Lace off of him and dragged her away. Where, he didn''t know. It didn''t matter. The further away from Ender she was, the safer she''d be. The safer he¡¯d be.


    I should focus on saving myself. She¡¯ll only slow me down, make me more of a target.


    That mattered little. His chances were slim as it was, now that he had interfered with Lord Ender himself. He had her in his arms, and letting her go now would be pointless. At least, he could take some comfort in their embrace.


    Kiren pulled Lace up against an alleyway. The spot where Gale had been was now empty, marred only by a circular hole. Ender had already moved on further down the street.


    He wasn''t looking at them.


    Kiren breathed a deep sigh of relief.


    Lace screamed and kicked and tried to get away. She punched him, no doubt with everything she had, but the pain was negligible compared to what he had endured from Father.


    He held her down. Running off wouldn''t do her any good.


    Even Heroes had their breaking point. Watching their comrades die instant, inexplicable deaths in droves seemed to be it. They fled, even the most hardened warriors tripping over each other and pulling down their fellow man in order to escape this horror.


    Kiren wanted to curse them, but he couldn''t blame them. Who could stand against such power?


    Of course, none of them would actually get away. Ender was plucking them away like hens for the slaughter. Their retreat would only make his work easier.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± Lace babbled against his chest between sobs. ¡°Paragon¡­ save us¡­¡±


    The panicked screams grew quiet. The thunder of footfalls died off.


    Frowning, Kiren relinquished his hold of Lace and crawled to the edge of the alleyway.


    The tower at the peak of the city alighted with fiery furor. Its luminance cast harsh shadows across the ground and grew only stronger as seconds passed.


    Kiren¡¯s field of vision grew into a field of washed-out whites and yellows, unable to make out anything but faint silhouettes. He put a hand in front of his face and closed his eyes, but the fire burned through his eyelids.


    Creator¡¯s corpse, what is this?


    Though his eyes were closed, a shape burned itself into his retina, impossible to ignore. Not just a shape. A person.


    He opened his eyes.


    A woman, splendid and regal, floated in the air. Her face was surrounded by a mane of golden hair, and she was ringed with a corona of sunlight.


    Paragon.


    The revolutionaries ducked before her presence.


    Only Ender did not.


    ¡°Ah, there you are!¡± Ender shouted, voice cracking. He threw up his arms. ¡°Finally decided to come down and fight your own battles, have you?¡±


    Paragon said nothing.


    Her light exploded in brilliance, every shade of the rainbow bending and combining around her. They were flung away from her like spears, blinding and burning.


    The small hairs on Kiren¡¯s arms were singed off. He pulled back and dragged Lace deeper into the alley where the light was not so harsh. He blinked in relief, his eyes swimming with residual light.


    All around him, the world seemed to have inverted, existing of pure light. Outside that sliver of an alley, everything burned too bright for comprehension.


    He held Lace tighter and put their heads together. Her chest shuddered against his.


    He peeked around the corner with a hand over his eyes, squinting through the near-blinding light.


    Paragon¡¯s light grew stronger still, and Ender roared over the wails of his burning warriors.


    Then quiet.


    The light was snuffed out all at once, and the world seemed black in comparison.


    A woman fell from the sky. Her arm had been severed, dark blood vomiting from the lack of a limb.


    Most of the revolutionaries rolled on the ground, putting out their flaming clothes or simply lay motionless, their bodies slowly consumed by flames. Forge stood in front of Ender, unfazed by the attack, his metal skin blackened but not damaged. The leader of the Dark Eye staggered back, his blue eyes slicked over with bloody tears.


    Much of Father¡¯s skin had been burnt off, and the muscle fibers beneath bristled as he pulled Ender away. Forge kept the resurgent Heroes at a distance.


    Father glanced back, scanned over the street.


    His eyes caught Kiren.


    ¡°Boy!¡± he shouted. ¡°Here!¡±


    For a split second, Kiren considered staying. Perhaps he could get away. Perhaps the Heroes would still catch them.


    No. He had forgotten his place, but resisting would only result in more pain.


    Kiren got up and untangled Lace from his arms. She cried out, but he pushed her against the wall and ran.


    He took off down the street, towards the few remaining Villains.


    Father would never let him go.


    He had to keep running.

 1. Lace Amar, Part 1 (START OF LOST SOULS ARC)

    START OF ''LOST SOULS'' ARC


    1. Lace Amar


    ¡°This ain¡¯t any of your business. Piss off, wench.¡±


    The thin alley reeked of rotting meat scraps from the adjacent butcher shop. The bustle and clangor of the busy market street came in through the alley entrance. Lace stood in front of the two children, chin held high.


    Five burly, rough-shaven men stood before her. They wore lazily sewn tan uniforms and wielded leather-clad batons. Now that Heroes no longer patrolled the streets as often as they once did, the Merchants¡¯ Guild were forced to hire their own private protection. The men bore the mark of the guild sewn onto their chests¡ªa set of scales with an eye on one side and a stack of gold on the other.


    Her heart beat like a set of drums falling down a staircase, but they didn¡¯t need to know that.


    ¡°Last warning, wench,¡± said the man in front, arms crossed. He was tall and stocky¡ªsmall, narrow eyes set into his slab of a face. ¡°Caught those little rats stealing.¡± He waved his baton in the direction of the children.


    Lace looked back. The children clutched a handful of fresh apples. Judging by their tattered rags, scraped-up bare feet, and dirty skin, there was no way they¡¯d had the money to buy them. Looking at them more closely, she recognized their faces through the dirt. Jay and Codie, they were called. They would sometimes sing for money close to her home¡ªrather badly, at that.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you hurt them,¡± Lace said firmly. She stepped out of her shoes and tied up her long, brown hair in a quick knot. ¡°We can still resolve this peacefully.¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± said the leader. ¡°These kids need to be taught a proper lesson. So do you, it seems. Get her, lads!¡±


    Lace¡¯s blood surged as the five ruffians spread out in a crescent before her. She took a step back, closed her eyes, and breathed out. She felt the gentle breeze on her arms, prickling the hairs.


    There was no time for fear. That would have to wait.


    Shoes clapped on stone. She opened her eyes.


    One of the ruffians came towards her. He had his baton raised over his head, mouth opened wide in a gap-toothed warrior¡¯s cry.


    Lace entered a wide-legged stance, knees slightly bent, her mind gone all numb as she watched him approach. Her body took over. She motioned to herself with her left hand and a gust of wind shot towards her along the ground.


    It tugged at the man¡¯s leg while he was off-balance, making him lose his footing. He tripped over onto his back with a sheepish ¡®oof!¡¯. Lace delivered a swift kick to the side of his head to make sure he stayed down.


    Her body grew lighter, and everything seemed to snap into perfect clarity as her face heated up. She kept her footwork smooth and springy, the way she had taught herself, ready for anything.


    ¡°Fuck! She¡¯s Powered!¡± the leader hissed. ¡°Careful with her, fellas! Get her on my mark.¡±


    Lace readied herself, facing them all. She breathed out. The wind sighed in response, brewing behind her. She nurtured it, spurring on the playful air like a mother stirring her pot of stew.


    ¡°Mark!¡± the leader barked, spraying spittle.


    The ruffians ran at her all at once.


    Lace threw the wind she had gathered and the two leftmost thugs stumbled, thrown off rhythm. The leader swung his baton at her head and she ducked into the attack, going around his side. She delivered an open-palm strike to his back, enhanced by a flood of air, that pitched him onto his stomach with a mouthful of gravel.


    Jay and Codie cheered her on with whoops and whistles.


    She caught another strike coming out of the corner of her eye. It was too late to dodge, so she pushed herself with a measure of wind, putting herself just out of range of the baton. She watched as it swung by just in front of her eyes. She struck his shoulder while he was off balance and the wind sent him spinning.


    Something collided with the side of her head. Sparks crackled across her skull. The world skipped a beat, and when she came to she was leaning against one of the brick walls.


    She took another hit to the ribs and doubled over, wheezing as if the air had been sucked from her lungs.


    Everything had gone blurry, blotches of color swaying around her.


    I can¡¯t see... Twin gods, I can¡¯t see!This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    She threw a gust out at random. A curse from one of the men echoed in her ears.


    ¡°Come on, get ¡®em!¡± Codie shouted in a shrill voice.


    Lace pushed off from the wall and blinked quickly, her vision finally evening out.


    The leader came at her. His baton lay discarded nearby. His fist curled around a knife, slicing the air.


    There was no time to think.


    She threw up both hands and mustered all the air around her into a solid wall that traveled out from her palms.


    She didn¡¯t have the strength to knock him off his feet¡ªhe had too much momentum¡ªbut the wind deflected his aim just slightly. He shouldered into her and carried her into the wall. His knife dinged off the wall just beside her head. The bricks tore into her clothes and scratched up her back. His snarling face was only centimeters from hers. She smelled old, sour alcohol on his breath.


    Lace readied another blast to force him off of her. She didn''t have enough space to work with, so the force would be lessened, but perhaps...


    The man¡¯s eyes bored into her, weary and bloodshot. Hazel brown.


    Just like Dad.


    A cold, hard terror drove into her like a shard of jagged glass. She gasped, eyes bulging.


    A smooth voice echoed in her head. You''re a brave one, aren¡¯t you?


    Her body went stiff as a board. She breathed in quick heaves. The wind that flicked her hair died off.


    In another world, you could have been one of mine. What a waste.


    ¡°I''ll teach you a lesson that¡¯ll turn the Unmaker squeamish,¡± the leader of the ruffians growled.


    He grabbed Lace by the front of her tunic and pulled back his knife for a thrust.


    ¡°You there! Heroes¡¯ Guild! Stop immediately!¡±


    The leader froze.


    Lace came out of her stupor with a sharp breath. A man stood at the very end of the alleyway. Or perhaps not a man at all.


    His skin was a deep brown and thick like tanned leather. He was entirely hairless, including eyebrows and eyelashes. He wore a blackened chainmail that went down to his thighs. Flames danced about his scalp and hands, but didn¡¯t seem to burn his skin.


    Lace recognized him. It was not a face you could easily forget.


    Torchbearer. C Rank Hero.


    The leader had the sense to drop his weapon. The others followed suit. One of them still lay on the ground, groaning and clutching his head.


    ¡°What is going on here?¡± Torchbearer asked in a voice like rough parchments rubbing against each other. ¡°I compel you to speak, in Paragon¡¯s name!¡± Whenever he spoke fire flickered across his tongue, lighting the inside of his mouth in an eery glow.


    ¡°These bad men came and wanted to beat us up!¡± Jay shouted, pointing at the merchant guards.


    ¡°They''re thieves!¡± the leader screeched. ¡°We were only teaching them a lesson, lawful and all, when this Powered wench decided to step in!¡±


    ¡°She saved our lives!¡± Codie said. ¡°We didn''t mean nothin¡¯ by the stealing, it''s just we''ve got no food, that''s all. If we had a choice, we wouldn''t do it! We''re no Villains, honest!¡±


    Torchbearer glanced between the parties involved. Finally, his judge¡¯s gaze settled on Lace.


    He pointed at the leader. ¡°You there, step away from the girl. Now.¡±


    He did so immediately, arms held high and lips pressed into a line. Judging by the look on his face, he knew exactly how much trouble he was in.


    Torchbearer walked up to Lace and steadied her with a firm hand. He helped her sit and dabbed her bruised forehead with a knuckle.


    ¡°You, sirrah, have not spoken,¡± he said. ¡°What happened here?¡±


    Lace took a few seconds to gather her thoughts. Her pounding headache didn''t help matters.


    ¡°These men were hired to stop thieves, not bully children,¡± Lace said. ¡°I had to step in. It''s what anyone would do.¡±


    ¡°But they did steal?¡± Torchbearer asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And you still thought it right to intervene?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    ¡°I see. And this man turned his knife on you?¡± Torchbearer picked up the blade off the ground and held it up.


    ¡°He did.¡±


    ¡°Did he mean to injure or murder?¡±


    Lace contemplated her response for a few seconds.


    ¡°Don''t believe a word out of this dumb bitch!¡± the leader shouted. ¡°She''s¡ª¡±


    Torchbearer held up one fiery finger. ¡°Quiet.¡± It had the desired effect. He turned the finger on her. ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°He meant to injure only, I believe,¡± Lace said, staring at the leader. ¡°His anger, bull-headedness and stupidity got the better of him.¡±


    ¡°I see. I''ve heard all I need to know.¡±


    The Hero stood. Though he wasn''t any taller than the other men, they seemed to cower before him, whereas he carried himself with effortless pride.


    ¡°You five will come with me to the guard station in Small Miracle. You children will return the stolen goods to the merchant with a sincere apology. As for you¡­¡± He looked down at Lace. ¡°You are to be commended. Say, you look a little familiar, truth be told¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met,¡± Lace said, a hard lump forming in her stomach. ¡°Thank you for your assistance, Hero.¡±


    Torchbearer shrugged, and his lips cracked into a ghastly smile. ¡°And to you, sirrah. If those injuries trouble you, have them tended to at Wiseman¡¯s Temple. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, master.¡±


    Torchbearer led the street toughs away like a throng of unruly sheep. He had Lace oversee Jay and Codie as they handed back their stolen goods and fumbled out an apology. Lace used two copper coins to buy them a loaf of bread instead. She needed to be tight on money, what with the admittance test coming up, but she couldn¡¯t leave them to starve, either.


    The children thanked her and ran off. As soon as they were out of sight, she let her smile slip and staggered against a wall. She sank down to the ground, dry heaving into her hands.

 1. Lace Amar, Part 2

    Pain surged through her head, ribs, and back. She curled her toes and gritted her teeth, determined not to cry out in such a crowded place.


    Shameful. Utterly shameful. If Torchbearer hadn¡¯t stepped in¡­ there¡¯s no telling what would have happened.


    She vomited empty bile onto the flagstones, leaving an acidic taste in the back of her throat. Cold sweat beaded her brow and collarbone. Her thin body shuddered.


    Weak. I¡¯m still too weak. What would Dad have to say about me?


    Lying to a Hero had added an extra weight to her shoulders, but she¡¯d had no other choice. She couldn¡¯t spoil her father¡¯s good name with her own weakness.


    ¡°Are you alright there, child? You look like the Unmaker put lice in your bed and nails in your shoes.¡±


    Lace glanced up. An aged woman regarded her, dressed in faded clothing and hunched over a cane. Harsh existence had dug furrows into her face deeper than her age would have, but her eyes spoke of sincere concern.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine,¡± Lace said, wiping tears she hadn¡¯t known she had. She worked up a smile.


    That¡¯s what Heroes do. They smile, even through pain, so that others can find comfort in their very existence.


    ¡°No offense, girl, but you look horrid. What ever happened to you?¡±


    ¡°Bad shopping experience,¡± Lace said with a bitter twist of her lip.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you come back to mine, girl? I¡¯ll cook you up something nice and see if I can¡¯t help with that nasty swelling.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. That¡¯s a lovely gesture, but it won¡¯t be necessary.¡±


    Lace struggled to stand as the old woman watched her, one eyebrow skeptically cocked.


    I¡¯ve still got work to do. Avon will not take it kindly if I¡¯m late.


    A distant bell rang out. Seven long, mournful tolls. The bell at Wiseman¡¯s Temple, which kept track of every hour.


    Damn. Looks like I¡¯ll be late, after all. I Don¡¯t think I can run all the way there in this state.


    If she didn¡¯t get this week¡¯s wages from Avon, she wouldn¡¯t be able to pay the fee for this year¡¯s apprentice admittance tests.


    That was worth the pain of struggling on.


    I still haven¡¯t lost, Dad. I won¡¯t let you down. Not this time.


    She started walking and her legs gradually became more solid. She left the old woman behind and melded into the crowd. No one hardly cast her a glance.


    Run-down, three-and-four-story buildings surrounded her. The facades were all rotten wood, flaking paint and slapping shutters. The rest of Small Miracle unfolded similarly, largely left in neglect since that day.


    Lace looked up over the crowds, their heads downturned as if they feared to look upon their existence. Her gaze settled on the Second Sun, Paragon¡¯s splendid tower. The golden dome was dull, like an unlit torch. What had once provided hope and pride to the populace was now only a source of bitterness.


    Paragon hardly left her castle anymore.


    Not since that day.


    To everyone else, the threat was over, at the very least. Paragon had won that day, hadn¡¯t she? She¡¯d killed Ender, hadn¡¯t she? That was what Wiseman¡¯s Temple and the Heroes¡¯ Guild both reported.


    Ender was dead. The Dark Eye was shattered. No one was to look any further into it.


    All a lie.


    Lace knew the truth. She knew that Ender was still alive, along with most if not all of his top players. She had seen them escape with her own eyes. Fade, Ripper, Forge, Red Mist, and the snake who led them.


    Lace had seen the look in that man¡¯s eyes. Not a rabid dog, like many of the criers and priests portrayed him. He had been cool, collected, calculated. And yet, those pale eyes had been filled to the brim with dark hatred.


    As long as he remained alive, Aribel would never be safe.


    No one would believe her, so there was only one option left to her.


    She had to become a Hero and protect Aribel herself. When Ender did return, she would be ready.


    But for that, she needed to pass the admittance tests. That hung like a dark cloud over her head as she walked up Renewal Street towards the Lion Gate.


    In order to pass the tests, she needed to impress Counter, the Hero responsible for training the apprentices at the Lodge. Alternatively, one of the other Heroes who happened to be watching.


    During her previous attempts, she had not been so lucky.


    This time would be different, though. It had to be. She had been too young, back then. She¡¯d had time to practice. She would do better this time.


    She had no other options. This would be her last chance. You only got three tries at the tests. She had attempted it twice.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    She passed the gaping Lion Gate into the South Side district of the inner city where well-kept villas and shops were protected by regular patrols of guards and Heroes as lone sentries. Not far from the gate stood a stone monument, depicting Paragon with her arms outstretched towards the sky, towering almost three meters. The marble was kept immaculately clean, and coins lay upon the stone pedestal the statue rested on as good luck offerings.


    A brass plaque was affixed to the pedestal.


    My blood for the world, it read.


    It had been erected as a symbol of Paragon¡¯s victory over Ender and the Dark Eye. Lace stopped in the shadow of the statue and placed a hand on Paragon¡¯s foot. The stone felt cold and dull.


    She kept walking until she reached Sunpeak Square, the largest marketplace in all of Goldbrand, where over a hundred shops and stalls offered their services, syndicated under the Merchants¡¯ Guild. She approached an inn at the south-east corner of the square, known as The Golden Lion.


    The establishment was three stories tall with an attached stable. The building was painted yellow with a solid chimney and roof tiles as tight and even as a fish¡¯s coat.


    An older patron sat on the porch, puffing on a pipe and blowing smoke out his nostrils. A wooden sign swung over his head on hinges with a faint creak, depicting a stylized lion on its back legs, mid-roar.


    The windows were real glass, clean and delicate. Through them, the morning¡¯s bustle was already visible.


    Lace slipped on her working mask as she approached. She entered the inn, closing the door behind her.


    Sunlight streamed through the windows and gave the spacious common room a pleasant morning glow. The other barmaid, Jen, was already at work cleaning the half-dozen tables. A pair of overnight visitors lingered near the bar, nursing hangovers, but it was relatively empty and quiet apart from the swish-swish of Jen¡¯s rag.


    The other barmaid looked up and wiped her hands on her dress when she saw Lace.


    ¡°Twin gods, what happened to you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I just took a bad fall, that¡¯s all,¡± Lace said, blushing deeply. She could not let anyone know of her embarrassing performance.


    Jen put a hand on her shoulder. A line of worry creased her forehead. ¡°Is it your mom again? Listen, you can¡­¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Lace blurted out. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. Promise. She¡¯s, uh, gotten better, I think.¡±


    Jen still looked skeptical. ¡°Hmm. Well, talk to Avon. You can¡¯t be serving guests looking like someone beat you Unmaker¡¯s black.¡±


    Lace nodded. She went over to the bar and waited while the man behind the counter sorted his shelves of colored bottles, back turned.


    ¡°Sure you don¡¯t want another drink, boys?¡± Avon asked. He turned around and started the second he laid eyes on Lace. He nearly dropped the bottle in his hands and caught it with a muttered curse.


    ¡°Creator¡¯s corpse, you¡ª¡±


    ¡°I look bad, I know,¡± Lace said. ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing it all morning.¡±


    Avon was a tall man in his thirties, of average build, with combed, blond hair. He carried himself like a peacock, with his stomach drawn in and chest puffed. He wore a white vest over a grey shirt with polished brass buttons. He had been trying¡ªand failing¡ªto grow a mustache for the past few months. The result was a handful of bristly, pale hairs on his upper lip. He scrunched his nose every so often as if he hadn¡¯t quite gotten used to it.


    ¡°That looks pretty nasty,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s better if you take a day. I could call in my niece¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lace said firmly. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I can work.¡±


    Avon shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can. You look beat to Svarta and back, though. You¡¯ll scare away patrons.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Lace said. ¡°I need this pay. The full pay.¡±


    She¡¯d fallen behind in her savings lately as Mom¡¯s condition worsened. Without this extra influx of coin, she wouldn¡¯t have enough for the admittance fee. She would take ten coppers out of her pay instead of the usual five to put away, but she wouldn¡¯t have enough to feed Mom and herself without a full week¡¯s wage to work with.


    ¡°For that apprenticeship at the Lodge?¡± Avon sighed and shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re wasting your time, girl. Not to mention your money.¡± He seemed to contemplate something for a long moment, holding up the green bottle in his hand as he stared at its contents. He wiggled his nose. ¡°Oh, very well. I¡¯ll consider it the good deed of the day. Just don¡¯t complain to me of any pain.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Lace said quickly. She couldn¡¯t hold back a smile as her cheeks flushed. ¡°I¡¯ll go get changed right away.¡± She walked towards the back room.


    ¡°Be quick about it, now!¡± Avon called. ¡°You were late as it is! There¡¯s lots to be done today!¡±


    Lace got out of her ruined tunic and hose in the back room behind the kitchen and into the dress Avon had provided her for work. It hugged her waist and flared out at her thighs, a little short for her liking. It sagged at her breasts, as she didn¡¯t quite have the endowments to fill it out. The dress was dyed a pleasant yellow and green.


    Once back in the common room she helped Jen set things ready while Avon chatted with the patrons that came down from their rooms. She served breakfast and stowed away platters and mugs afterward, then wiped the tables down.


    A few people came in around midday to escape the heat. Most of them had a drink or two, a chat with their friends, then promptly left. It grew busier again around dinner when most of the tables were full up and Lace had to rush to get food and ale out to the guests.


    Her head swam, swaying on a numbing cloud, but she gritted her teeth and soldiered on. Every time she bent down to serve a patron, her ribs and back lit up with pain.


    I hope I don¡¯t bleed through my dress, she thought. She certainly didn¡¯t have the money for a replacement, and she doubted that Avon would be so kind a second time.


    In the early evening, Avon settled into one of the chairs by the fireplace and strung up his lute. He fancied himself a bit of a troubadour¡ªsadly, his fingers didn¡¯t seem to agree. A few of the guests clapped politely when he retired for the night, all smiles and bows.


    Once the common room emptied out for the night, Lace and Jen had a last pass over the tables and then changed back into their everyday clothing. Lace¡¯s scraped-up tunic felt coarse in comparison to the dress.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Jen said, stopping Lace before they left the back room. ¡°That thing at the Heroes¡¯ Guild. It¡¯s soon, right?¡±


    ¡°Two days,¡± Lace said. Acknowledging it sent butterflies through her stomach.


    ¡°You look like you¡¯ve been practicing a lot,¡± Jen said. She nodded towards Lace¡¯s body.


    Lace looked down. She had shed most of her excess fat over the last year, which included a lot of her womanly curves. Thin lines of muscle definition ran along her arms and shoulders. She was just as slim as she had been a year ago, but her body had gotten denser with lean muscle mass.


    Lace shrugged. ¡°I need to make sure I get in. I¡¯m running out of time.¡±


    Jen frowned slightly. ¡°Right¡­ Well, good luck. Take care of yourself out there. And make sure you don¡¯t forget about us if you become some big-shot Hero.¡± She winked and gave Lace a tight hug.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Lace said. The kind words set her eyes stinging and tied up her throat. ¡°I¡¯ll hopefully still be around even if I do get accepted. Everyone needs coin.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which¡­¡±


    They went back into the common room and Avon paid them for the week. Lace could finally breathe easy as she put the stack of coins in her pocket.

 1. Lace Amar, Part 3

    The walk home felt less dreary than usual. It was dark outside and cold for the season, but she still took her time.


    A weak, golden glow came from the top of the Second Sun. It did little to brighten the night but served as a reminder of everything that had been lost.


    She sped up once she entered Small Miracle. Unsavory elements came out at night¡ªthieves, Villains, even Beasts if you were unlucky. She was no longer confident that she could protect herself if something did happen.


    There were few people outside at this time of night. Those that were tended to stick in tight groups, throwing her suspicious glances.


    She kept her head high despite it. Cowering like a beaten mutt wouldn¡¯t do any good.


    I¡¯ll keep Aribel together. A neighborhood, a city, a country¡ªI¡¯ll do all I can.


    Her house in Small Miracle lay on an intersecting road to Renewal Street. The squat, one-story domicile had certainly seen better days. The wooden walls were unpainted and had rotted at the bottom where the grass had taken root around the house. The windows were shuttered and the flimsy door was adorned with an iron lock.


    It was a house, better than some, but not her home. They¡¯d had to sell that years ago. Dad¡¯s pension couldn¡¯t have lasted forever, after all.


    Lace produced the key and opened the door. She entered the darkened hall and kicked her shoes off, walking barefoot across the creaky floorboards.


    She had gotten a bundle of leftovers from the inn¡ªcold beef, whole mushrooms, and boiled potatoes. She ate half and left the rest for Mom in the small kitchen area. After that, she would have normally done some fighting and Power practice. Today, however, she just didn¡¯t bother. Her body was a wreck, drained from work and bruised from fighting.


    She checked up on Mom in the bedroom. She was asleep in a corner, wrapped in a blanket. Three empty vials with traces of pink, luminescent liquid lay around her. ¡®Angel¡¯s kiss¡¯ was the drug¡¯s official name. Most people just called it ¡®love potion¡¯.


    Lace always remembered Mom as a woman with fair skin, luminous, blonde hair and an infectious smile. Her current state conflicted harshly with those memories. Her hair was matted and tangled, cheeks hollow, limbs thin and grasping. She shuddered in her sleep, gripping the blanket tightly.


    Lace went back out into the main part of the house and got down in her little corner in the kitchen area. There was enough space for her in the bedroom, but she didn¡¯t want to disturb Mom while she was sleeping.


    She pried open a floorboard and dropped ten coppers into the coin purse she kept beneath the floor. She replaced the plank, slowly and carefully.


    She wrapped herself up in the threadbare blanket she kept there She said a prayer to the Creator on her Dad¡¯s behalf, then one for her Mom. It was only minutes before the warm hands of oblivion reached out and took her.


    *****


    The swirl of dreams gave way to the sensation of clawing hands and a hot, ragged breath.


    ¡°Wake up!¡±


    Lace stirred. Her eyes shot open as sleep¡¯s fugue slowly lifted and feeling returned to her limbs. Mom stood over her, eyes wide in the first light of dawn.


    ¡°Where is it?¡± Mom asked.


    ¡°Where¡¯s what?¡±


    ¡°The money.  You got your pay today, didn¡¯t you?¡± She stuck out her hand. ¡°Give it to me. I need it.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Lace said. ¡°Mom, that stuff you take is poison, not potion. I don¡¯t want you going off in the small hours on your own. Creator only knows what would happen.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Mom¡¯s outstretched hand became a grasping claw. She grabbed Lace¡¯s wrist. The tips of her fingers were stained pink from scraping the inside of her bottles for the last few drops.


    ¡°Are you taking an ungrateful tone with me?¡± Mom said. Her nostrils flared and her eyes widened. ¡°Give me the money.¡±


    ¡°No. I can¡¯t do that. It¡¯s for your own good.¡±


    Mom¡¯s grip tightened until it was painful. Lace gritted her teeth and tried to pull away, but she wouldn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°Just tell me where it is!¡± Mom howled. Her countenance shifted between rage and agony. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here¡­ I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Lace shook her head. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll give you the money, but only if you promise not to buy any more love potion,¡± Lace said. ¡°Some time off the stuff will help you think more clearly. Please. For Dad¡¯s sake.¡±


    One of Mom¡¯s eyes twitched at the mention of Lace¡¯s father. ¡°I promise,¡± she said. Her grip loosened slightly.


    Lace got the coins out of her pocket and handed them over. Mom released her grip and took the dull coppers in both hands. A shudder went through her body as it visibly relaxed.


    Lace knew full well she wasn¡¯t going to keep her word. She just didn¡¯t want an argument, and especially not what they usually led to. At least making her promise to change helped with the guilt.


    Maybe if I became an apprentice, I could get her the help she needed. They have healing Heroes there. Until then¡­


    It was all on her to see her mother through it. The guards didn¡¯t care much about some raving madwoman who couldn¡¯t hold her love potion. Neither did the neighbors, as half of them were on the stuff anyway.


    Mom counted out the money. When she got to the last one, a deep frown wrinkled her forehead.


    ¡°Twenty-five,¡± she said.


    ¡°What?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°Twenty-five. This isn¡¯t your full pay. You usually bring me thirty.¡±


    Lace strained to come up with a lie.


    ¡°Avon was just short,¡± she said. ¡°He said he¡¯d pay me back next week.¡±


    Mom clutched the coins. Her mouth drew into a thin, tight line.


    ¡°Lace. Don¡¯t lie to me. I know you have more. Give me the rest of it.¡±


    Lace turned out her pockets. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything! I swear! I just¡­ can¡¯t you make do with that for now? I¡¯ll get the money for next week.¡±


    Mom regarded her for a long moment. She sighed, her chest deflating as she hunched over. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Thank the Creator.


    She glanced over to the side and her frown returned. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lace looked around and saw nothing.


    ¡°That floorboard. The nails have been taken out.¡±


    Lace froze.


    Mom scrambled to the floor and dug at the loose plank with her nails. Lace got behind her and restrained her arms, but she fought with every ounce of strength her emaciated body could muster.


    ¡°Mom, please¡ª¡±


    She whipped her head back and took Lace in the jaw. She lost her grip and stumbled back. Mom got the floorboard off and grabbed the heavy purse below. She drew it out and stared at the coppers, a soothed smile pulling at her lips.


    ¡°No!¡± Lace shouted. ¡°Put that back!¡±


    The shutters flew open with loud bangs. The wind howled in through the open windows and tore at her clothes, screeching like an army of unsettled souls.


    ¡°You ruin everything, don¡¯t you?¡± Lace shouted. ¡°I¡¯m the one who has to hold it all together for you, and what do I get? You take everything I ever valued and trade it off for whatever high you¡¯re chasing!¡±


    She raised her hands. Mom slid across the floor. She stumbled and fell on her back.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you have it. Not this time. You loathsome, pitiful creature.¡±


    Mom looked up. For an instant, just a second, that dazed smile faded off her face. Some measure of control returned to her features, and she regarded Lace with a forlorn stare.


    Heroes don¡¯t seek fights. They end them. They don¡¯t hit first. They stop the blow that would strike someone else. Dad¡¯s words. They came to her, unbidden, floating at the corners of her mind.


    The wind died out.


    Lace looked down at her hands. Creator, help me. What kind of wretched mongrel would lay hands on her own sick mother?


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lace said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what came over me. Please, let¡¯s talk.¡±


    Mom ran for the door. She pushed past Lace and shouldered through the door, taking splinters up her arms. Clutching the purse like a precious child, Lace watched her mother escape in the early hours of dawn.


    Lace didn¡¯t have the heart to go after her. She said a numb prayer and settled back into her corner.

 2. Kiren

    2. Kiren


    Kiren slid down to the edge of the slanted roof and caught himself with one hand. He looked down off the side of the three-story building at the square below.


    Those too rich to be concerned with the world¡¯s shortfalls lounged there, shopping from the luxurious stands. Guards paraded around in their branded gambesons, too oblivious to take notice of him.


    Kiren tightened the mask covering the lower half of his face. The building next in line along the street was his target¡ªa mansion in Goldbrand¡¯s South Side, facing Sunpeak Square. The mansion was the home of a man named Ren Ludenhaas, a lesser member of one of Goldbrand¡¯s five noble families. From what Mug told him, he maintained his lifestyle by squandering his family¡¯s money.


    He was the kind of man you could rob and still feel good about yourself at the end of the day.


    Two meters of dead air separated him from the window he needed to get to. There was no balcony below the window, only a thin stone ledge.


    This better be worth it.


    He looked once more to make sure no guards were watching. He backed up to give himself some room and sprinted towards the edge of the roof.


    He leapt and the opposite wall hurtled towards him. He smashed into the glass pane and rolled across a wooden floor.


    Shit. Overshot it.


    Pain stung him in little slivers all over his body. He got up. Glass stuck out of the front of his tunic. He picked out the red shards and flicked them away. There was something hard in his mouth. He felt around with his tongue, and upon cutting himself he realized that a piece of glass had pierced his cheek. He drew it out with a long groan and worked his jaw until it felt alright.


    His regeneration immediately kicked in, slowly knitting together the wounds he had sustained. Within a minute or two, it¡¯d be as if they were never there.


    Kiren was in an office, walls hung with expensive-looking paintings, floor draped with a thick rug. A desk, a few bookcases, and some chairs made up most of the furniture.


    The thick door to the office was closed. He checked the handle. Locked. Good.


    Kiren scanned the bookcases but didn¡¯t spy what he had come for. He couldn¡¯t read, but he had memorized the series of symbols that would be present on the spine of the book.


    A copy of The Creator¡¯s Last Living Will, bound and written by the man they called Sage, Paragon¡¯s right hand. Worth a fortune to the right person. Mug seemed to think so, anyway.


    I guess he won¡¯t keep something like that just lying around. I¡¯ll have to dig deeper.


    ¡°Did you hear that sound earlier?¡± a muffled voice called. ¡°You drop something?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t me!¡± another answered. ¡°Sounded like something fell¡ªmaybe check it out!¡±


    Kiren set to work. He checked the desk drawers, but they were all locked. They were made of sturdy wood and kept closed with iron locks. He wouldn¡¯t be able to kick that open. He rustled the drawers, but the hollow, metallic rattles suggested there was nothing large inside.


    He looked around the room. If he didn¡¯t find this damned book soon, the opportunity would pass. He couldn¡¯t afford to draw an entire household down on himself.


    Nothing in the bookcases. Nothing in the desk. What¡¯s left¡­?


    He took the paintings off the wall. Nothing. Bare.


    Footsteps scuffled outside and Kiren stopped cold. Someone rustled the handle, but the door remained closed.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s in the master¡¯s office!¡± a man shouted. ¡°Do we have a key?¡±


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Kiren whispered.


    Okay, what¡¯s left? What¡¯s¡­ left¡­?


    Kiren looked at the rug.


    ¡°That¡¯ll do it.¡±


    He rolled up the heavy rug, picked it up and threw it aside. The floor underneath looked smooth, but when he went over it with his hand he felt a seam in the planks, just barely visible when he squinted.


    Another set of footsteps sounded down the hall.


    ¡°This should be it?¡± the second man said. ¡°Let¡¯s see if that does it. Master Ludenhaas will be furious if something¡¯s out of place in his office when he gets back.¡±


    Kiren clawed at the trap door with his nails, but the seam was too fine. He couldn¡¯t get a grip on it.


    A key jimmied in the lock.


    ¡°Damn, that¡¯s not the one,¡± muttered the voice on the other side.


    Kiren looked at the desk for something to help him. He spotted a letter opener, hurried over and grabbed it, and slid back down to his knees. He stuck the slender knife into the crack in the floorboards and pried until the whole thing popped open. He slid the square piece aside and revealed a hollow section in the floor. A book lay inside, half wrapped in a velvet cloth.


    The symbols on the spine matched the ones he had memorized. It was plainer than he had expected, bound in rich leather with a clasp to keep it shut. The thick tome was heavy in his hands.


    Kiren stood and tucked the book under his arm so he could replace the false floor panel.


    The lock clicked.


    ¡°Ah! There!¡±


    The door came open. A servant walked in, dressed in black and white. His eyes widened when he saw Kiren standing in the middle of the trashed office.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Kiren took two long steps and brought the book down on his head. The servant stumbled back and fell out the door, leaving his comrade stunned in the hallway.


    Kiren leapt over the first servant, and once he had regained his footing he kicked the second between his legs. The man went down on his hands and knees, and Kiren stomped on the back of his head. He collapsed with a low groan and didn¡¯t try to get back up.


    Not ideal, but it can¡¯t be helped.


    As soon as the servants had been dealt with, Kiren left the mansion the same way he had got in. The guards were probably called at some point, but by then he was long gone.


    He traveled on rooftops for a few minutes to avoid any roaming patrols, then dropped down to street level. He stuck the book inside his tunic, removed his mask and merged with the crowds.


    He left the inner city and returned to the district known as the Slog, Goldbrand¡¯s largest slum.


    Rats, stray dogs, and vagrants picked at garbage. Gangs of emaciated young men roamed the streets, looking for anyone weak enough to pounce on. Desperate women sold their bodies for a few coppers, crying out their services through gap teeth and split lips.


    Rows and rows of haphazardly constructed hovels made up narrow, winding streets. There existed no true maps of the Slog, as its layout was always changing, and if you were foolish enough to get lost, you were unlikely to make it out with both your life and your coin intact.


    Kiren knew exactly what paths to take. He had to. Show a little hesitation, and neighbors would turn predators. Only the strong survived in the Slog.


    He headed to a building that was larger than most. It only had one floor and ended in a tall, pointed roof.


    Xander¡¯s Curiosities had seen better days. It had once been a trinket shop for the superstitious, and the new owner had kept the name after renovating it into a bar. Now it was a gathering place for all kinds of business. All perfectly illegitimate, of course. Ratfoot made sure the place never got too good for its roots.


    Kiren walked up to the door and reached for the handle when it swung open. He stepped aside just in time before a large man was thrown out of the establishment. In the doorway stood a woman with bright red hair, reaching perhaps a little above Kiren¡¯s belly button. Hands on her hips, she shouted at the drunkard groveling in the dirt to leave and never come back.


    Her name was Tryss. Ratfoot¡¯s hired muscle. Although she didn¡¯t look it, Tryss¡¯s Power allowed her the strength of a man twice his own size.


    ¡°Mind getting out of the way?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°I''ve got a thing inside.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, dear,¡± Tryss said. She adjusted the tight-laced bodice that held back her heavy bosoms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to see that. Terribly unpleasant, that one. He tried to bite me, you know.¡± She stood aside.


    Kiren walked through and entered the dark, smoky bar.


    ¡°Oh, and watch the blood!¡± Tryss called after him.


    Twenty pairs of eyes watched him as he crossed the floor, which consisted of dirt strewn with hay. There was indeed a pool of blood near the counter, soaking into the hay. He spotted a pair of teeth in there as well.


    ¡°Hoi!¡± Ratfoot called from behind the counter. He was short and slim, with short, dark hair slicked down and parted in the middle. He was missing both of his front teeth.


    ¡°Hey, boss-man,¡± Kiren said with just the right amount of irony.


    Mug wasn¡¯t hard to find. He sat in a corner of the bar, speaking with a young man. The fence was bald, his face marred by a scar that went over his eye all the way down to his cleft chin, drawing his face into a permanent scowl.


    The young man sitting at his table handed over a purse and received a small bottle filled with pink liquid. He stood and hurried towards the exit.


    Kiren sat down in the empty chair.


    ¡°Pretty boy, you¡¯re back,¡± Mug said in a hoarse whisper. ¡°Any luck with that thing I asked of you?¡±


    Kiren withdrew the book from his tunic and thumped it onto the rough-hewn table. ¡°I got it. Pay up.¡±


    Mug curled his big sausage fingers. ¡°Ooh. You really came by it, huh? I thought you¡¯d get done in for sure.¡±


    Kiren frowned. ¡°Then why¡¯d you send me to do it?¡±


    Mug smiled, showing teeth on one side while managing only a few twitches on the scarred side. ¡°My overflowing belief in humanity, I suppose.¡±


    Mug took the book gently and lifted it to his side of the table. He checked the spine, ran his fingers over the gold lettering, and flipped through the pages. He put it down and pursed his lips.


    ¡°It¡¯s the real deal,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s a dent, though.¡± He flipped it around and tapped the leather-bound backside of the book.


    Kiren squinted at it. Indeed, there was a small dent in the leather that hadn¡¯t been there before.


    ¡°It got a bit hairy at the mansion. What does it matter, though? Won¡¯t hurt the person reading it.¡±


    Mug shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a collector¡¯s item, idiot. That¡¯ll bump down the value. Which means I¡¯ll pay you less. Fifty coppers.¡±


    Kiren spluttered out a laugh. ¡°You¡¯re joking, I hope?¡± He didn¡¯t know what the book was worth, but he knew it was a lot. ¡°We¡¯ll start at five hundred.¡±


    ¡°Seventy.¡±


    ¡°Three hundred-fifty.¡±


    ¡°A hundred. Don¡¯t be cheeky, pretty boy. Just try to flog this someplace else. Guards¡¯ll have you within the day.¡±


    ¡°Two hundred.¡± Kiren put a finger on the book. ¡°Or I¡¯ll use this fucking thing to wipe my ass.¡±


    Mug crossed his arms. ¡°Go ahead, then.¡±


    Kiren slid the book over to his side of the table, opened it, and took a handful of pages between thumb and forefinger.


    ¡°Okay, fine!¡± Mug said. ¡°Two hundred.¡±


    He dug through his purse and placed two large silver coins on the table.


    ¡°How do you expect me to break silver in the Slog?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like any inner city merchant will spot me the difference.¡±


    ¡°Do you really want to walk around with two hundred coppers? Powered or not, you¡¯re still not invulnerable to a good old-fashioned mugging.¡±


    Kiren sighed, took the coins, and stuck them up one of his gloves. He handed Mug the book. The fence eyed the collection of scholarly gibberish like a hungry wolf frothing over a lamb shank.


    Damn. Maybe I sold it too cheap.


    ¡°Pleasure doing business,¡± Mug said.


    ¡°Yeah, fuck you too,¡± Kiren said as he stood.


    Xander¡¯s Curiosities technically didn¡¯t have any rooms, but Kiren had managed to talk Ratfoot into letting him use the attic. Being a Power user of rare value, he served as an extra deterrent to anyone who would consider making trouble at the bar. With both him and Tryss keeping things somewhat orderly, not many tried. Those that did tended to leave some blood and teeth behind, as evidenced by tonight¡¯s leftovers.


    Kiren climbed the ladder to the attic, closed the trap door behind him and dragged an old wood beam on top to keep anyone from opening it.


    The slanted walls nearly brushed his shoulders and he couldn¡¯t stand at his full height. Ruined furniture and boxes of dry food supplies lay stacked on one side of the room. The other side was Kiren¡¯s corner. A blanket and a pair of pilfered pillows lay surrounded by one-hundred-and-twelve wooden figurines no larger than the length of his hand. A knife was buried in the wall next to them.


    Kiren got down on his pillows, took the knife out of the wall, and picked up an unfinished figurine.


    He whittled the grainy wood, letting the repetitive movements carry his mind afar.


    Once the Heroes¡¯ Guild takes me in, I¡¯ll be that much closer.


    He split chunks off the wood, going finer and finer as he got the rough shape down and moved onto the detail work. The sculpture took shape as a headless man with embellished, brutish proportions, arms as wide as his torso and knuckles dragging at his feet.


    Once the body was finished, Kiren pricked a finger with the tip of the knife. A fat bead of dark blood swelled on the apex of his finger and he smeared it down the neck of the figurine.


    He put it down next to the others, his work completed.


    I will gain the strength I need to kill you, Father. After that, I will find you and put an end to your wretched life.


    Kiren slid down onto his back and curled up in a tight ball.


    The old scars¡ªthe ones his body could never heal¡ªflared up.


    He trembled, red-hot rage setting his blood to boil.


    You will have justice, Mother.

 3. Third Time Lucky, Part 1

    3. Third Time Lucky


    It was the one day of the year where the Lodge¡¯s doors were open to the public.


    Kiren waited in the open courtyard inside the stone walls that ringed the Lodge. Around fifty other youths surrounded him. A large wooden building stood before him, painted green and with a solid stone foundation. It had brightly colored, stained glass windows, depicting various scenes of war. The building looked like it could hold several hundred people. The Guild Hall, he assumed. Several other, smaller structures made up the compound, with a practice yard off to the left.


    The would-be apprentices chatted amongst themselves as the midday sun beat down on them. Grass and yellow buttercups waved happily in the breeze. The sweet scent of dark soil and fresh greenery lingered in the air.


    Kiren looked around at the finely dressed, combed, and washed young men that made up most of the crowd. They looked like they¡¯d be more at home painting each other¡¯s nails than trying to become Aribel¡¯s most hardened warriors.


    Bunch of fucking prissy nobodies. At least I won¡¯t have any trouble proving I¡¯m the best of this sorry gathering.


    Kiren cracked his neck and stretched out his arms, then his legs. From what he had heard about the tests, it was going to be a long day.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s you! I remember you!¡±


    Kiren turned around. A young woman approached him, dressed in a ripped-up tunic. She had plain, brown hair, and a body wholly lacking in womanly grace. Her face was plain with rosy cheeks and a thin nose. If he hadn¡¯t heard her voice, he might have assumed that she was a boy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know you,¡± Kiren said. He took a step back from her. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s you!¡± she said. ¡°It was a long time ago. On¡­ that day.¡±


    ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Kiren. That¡¯s your name, right?¡±


    Kiren¡¯s shoulders stiffened. ¡°How do you¡­¡± he frowned as he looked at her more closely. That face did seem familiar¡­


    Yes. The girl. He¡¯d saved her on That Day. He still saw her face sometimes in the nightmares.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you remember me. My name is Lace. Lace Amar.¡± She extended a hand for him to shake.


    He didn¡¯t take it.


    She slowly let it drop and her smile faded. She slouched as if she expected a weight to drop on her.


    ¡°Ahem. Anyway, listen¡­ after it all went down, I tried to find you. There¡¯s a question I¡¯ve always wanted to ask.¡±


    Kiren shrugged. ¡°Well, get it over with. I have more important things to focus on.¡±


    ¡°You saw him, didn¡¯t you? That day. You saw Ender get away. You must have. His lieutenants carried him off.¡±


    Kiren¡¯s eyes widened slightly before he regained control of his expression.


    She knows.


    ¡°No one will believe me! They all think he¡¯s dead. They say they found his corpse and everything. But you were there with me¡­ you must have seen¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Listen up!¡± barked a voice that seemed to fill the whole courtyard. Conversations died down as everyone turned to face its source.


    A Hero stood at the end of the courtyard, hands on his hips. He wore a crimson uniform with gold embroidery and a brooch of the ten-pointed Aribel sun pinned to his chest. He wore his hair cropped short with a salt-and-pepper stubble and his arms were hairy like a bear¡¯s.


    A blond apprentice of massive bulk stood to his left, arms clasped behind his back. His uniform strained against the thick, corded muscle of his arms and chest, and the collar struggled against his bull neck. He had a handsome, simple face with a thick-set jaw and a bold nose.


    On the Hero¡¯s right was a much smaller man, thin as a whip. He had a shock of hair the color of moss and eyes to match. He mostly looked at the ground, taking brief glances at the people in front of him. Two songbirds rested on his right shoulder, chattering to each other.


    ¡°You have all come to see whether you have what it takes to become Heroes,¡± the man said. ¡°Most of you will fail. I am Counter. I will be overseeing your efforts.¡± He nodded to the apprentice on his left, then the one on his right. ¡°Haden, Tommyn, collect the fees. After that, we¡¯ll get started.¡±


    *****


    Lace swallowed hard. Her lower back beaded with sweat.


    If she didn¡¯t get in this year, she wouldn¡¯t get another chance. She was turning twenty-one this year.


    Counter¡¯s apprentices walked among the applicants, taking in their fees in sacks. Lace didn¡¯t have hers, though. There had been no way to come up with that much money in only two days. She had six coppers she could spend that had fallen out of the purse during the struggle¡ªMom had made away with the rest.


    The fee was one hundred.


    The blond, muscular man walked up to Lace. He flashed her a bright, white smile.


    ¡°Hello there. Got your money ready?¡± he asked.


    Lace hesitated. She glanced left, then right. She shrank into herself.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t have it. Well, I did have it, but you see, it was stolen. I thought, maybe¡­¡±


    The man gave her the most confounded look, frowning so that creases appeared on his smooth forehead. ¡°I¡­ see. Listen, we¡¯ll sort this out.¡± He turned around and raised his voice. ¡°Master Counter, we have a bit of a situation here!¡±


    The Hero walked over and Lace turned her gaze downward.


    From experience, she knew that Counter would not be kind. He always seemed to take special care to make sure she didn¡¯t pass the tests.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter here?¡± he asked in his harsh, snappy tone. He stopped in front of her, uncomfortably close. ¡°Oh, Amar. It¡¯s you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, master,¡± Lace said. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    He sighed. ¡°Why¡¯re you here, girl? Two failures weren¡¯t enough for you?¡±


    ¡°Any citizen under the age of twenty-one is allowed up to three attempts at the yearly admittance tests,¡± Lace recited.


    ¡°She says she doesn¡¯t have the money,¡± the apprentice, Haden, said.


    ¡°Let me explain¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Counter snapped. ¡°Do you have the fee or not?¡±


    ¡°No, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing to be discussed. Leave immediately, or you¡¯ll do so in irons.¡±


    Lace¡¯s throat constricted. She blinked down tears.


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t do that, master. T-this is my last chance.¡±


    ¡°And you fumbled it.¡±


    Counter took firm hold of her shoulder and spun her around so that she faced the open gates.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do anything,¡± Lace whimpered. ¡°Please.¡± The tears were breaking through, despite her efforts.


    ¡°Nothing to be done, girl. It¡¯s better this way. The way you fight, you¡¯d end up like your father if you went down this path.¡±


    Lace clenched her teeth. She wiped her tears and spun free of Counter¡¯s grip. She wanted to punch him to bad her fingers crackled with a stinging itch.


    ¡°Like my father? You mean the man you fought alongside? The man whose memory you defile through your very words?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay her way.¡±


    Lace sucked in a sharp breath. Whatever words she had planned to hurl at the Hero died in her throat. Everyone looked to the right.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay her way,¡± Kiren repeated. ¡°You take silver, don¡¯t you?¡± He flipped a shining coin and caught it in his left hand. He held up the silver coin between thumb and forefinger. He produced another seemingly out of nowhere, clutched between two fingers.


    Lace gave Kiren a proper look. He had a pale, drawn face, with an angular jaw. His dark attire¡ªa jerkin and form-fitting pants¡ªwere well-made but dirty as if he¡¯d gone rolling in a ditch. His lean arms had some muscle to them, but judging by his sunken cheeks he hadn¡¯t been getting enough food. His black, slightly curly hair was a mess, ending at his dark brown, almost black eyes.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you get that, sirrah?¡± Counter asked. ¡°Did you steal it?¡±


    ¡°Why, I¡¯m offended by the very notion,¡± Kiren said. ¡°I came by this money fair and square, Creator¡¯s truth.¡± He smiled to himself as if he could hardly keep from laughing.


    Counter harrumphed. ¡°Nonsense. There¡¯s no way a gutter rat like you would be able to come by those funds.¡±


    ¡°Master Counter,¡± Haden said. ¡°People are waiting. I think we¡¯d better¡­¡±


    The Hero shook his head. ¡°Right.¡± He snatched the coins from Kiren¡¯s hand and dropped them in the sack. ¡°Consider yourselves lucky.¡±


    Lace gave Kiren an unspoken look of gratitude.


    Once the apprentice had given him back his money and left, Lace went in for a hug.


    He pushed her off and sent her stumbling.


    ¡°You said you¡¯d do anything, right?¡± he said. ¡°Well, you owe me.¡±


    Lace steadied herself. ¡°R-right, of course. What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see if you make it through the tests,¡± Kiren said. ¡°After that, we¡¯ll talk. You might prove useful if you¡¯re strong enough.¡±


    *****


    At least I got in, Lace thought. That¡¯s all that matters, right?


    The applicants were taken over to the practice field. It was about twenty meters on each side and laid with gravel, archery targets set up on her left and stuffed dummies to the right.


    It was the third time she set foot upon that field.


    Hopefully, it won¡¯t be the last.


    She did some simple stretches for her legs to prepare for the test coming up. Doing so helped take her mind off the anxiety that fluttered in her gut.


    Her body was still a little stiff. She had been unable to bear seeing her mother come home addled with drugs one more time, so she had convinced Avon to let her sleep in the stable at The Golden Lion. It was not doing any wonders for her back, but at least she could get a decent night¡¯s sleep there.


    ¡°Okay, listen up!¡± Counter shouted. ¡°For the first test, you¡¯ll be doing ten laps around the inside of the wall. Remember, every part of these tests will be evaluated. Your performance will be tracked.¡±


    A Hero rested on his knees atop the wall, clad in a dark outfit with feathers spread out like wings over his shoulders. He had glowing, yellow eyes with slitted irises that seemed to take in the whole courtyard at once, and at the same time bore into Lace with stark intensity. Eagle-Eyes. He would be the man in charge of keeping an eye on how all applicants fared.


    ¡°All those who fail to complete this test are disqualified,¡± Counter went on. ¡°That said¡­¡± He clapped his hands together. ¡°Begin!¡±


    The group of youths hesitated.


    Lace set off in a jog. This part of the tests was familiar, at least. It was the same every year.


    She hugged the inside of the wall, starting off slow to warm up her legs. There was a thunder of footfalls behind her.


    Kiren was the first to pass her. With long, confident strides, he rounded her and didn¡¯t look back as he pulled away.


    Then came others. Lace wasn¡¯t out of shape, but she just couldn¡¯t keep an even pace with the head of the pack.


    I don¡¯t need to stand out. This test is just to weed out the weakest. All I need to do is finish.


    Lace settled near the middle at a middling, steady pace. She kept her breathing under control through the first, second, and third lap. She kept glancing back, making sure not to fall too far behind.


    I will not squander this chance. I¡¯ll keep up with you, Kiren.


    She could barely see him in the distance over all the bobbing heads, still taking up the lead.


    A sudden shove sent her stumbling. She barely managed to right herself, arms waving. The loss in momentum let several people pass her.


    One of the men looked back at her. He had short, blond hair and a sharp jaw with a prickly stubble. He smiled gleefully.


    ¡°You look a little weak in the legs there, sweetheart,¡± he said. ¡°Sure you don¡¯t need a big, strong man to carry you?¡±


    Lace didn¡¯t dignify him with an answer. She picked up the pace and looked straight ahead, swerving slightly to the left to put some distance between them.


    I can¡¯t let anyone get to me. Not today.


    Lace placed twenty-seventh out of fifty-two. Kiren placed first. The uncouth man placed sixth, still with that infuriating grin on his face.


    A handful of applicants who hadn¡¯t been able to finish the ten laps were turned away, reducing the pool down to forty-five.


    Lace went through and found Kiren during the break. He stood leaned against the wall, away from the larger group. He watched her intently as she approached, scrutinizing every inch of her like a wolf watching a deer. Lace was dripping with sweat, but he looked as unfazed as if he¡¯d just been out for a morning stroll.


    ¡°You did great in the race,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°Suppose,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Not much competition.¡±


    Someone¡¯s confident.


    ¡°Hey¡­ I feel like I haven¡¯t thanked you enough. For helping me.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t helping you,¡± Kiren said. ¡°I¡¯m helping myself. Thank me by making it through this.¡±


    Lace bit her lip. ¡°Yeah, no worries. I will make it through.¡±


    Kiren looked out over the courtyard. ¡°Are you done? I¡¯m not a fan of small talk.¡±


    Lace frowned. She opened her mouth to say something, but Kiren gave her a cold look that made her rethink the idea. She walked away and made an effort not to glance back at him.


    Did I do something wrong? Is he just like that with everyone? Creator¡¯s corpse, how did I get myself indebted to a man like that?


    After a few minutes to catch their breath and recover, Counter lined up the applicants for the second challenge. They stood facing the wall that ringed the Lodge, about four meters tall and made from solid rock, with crenellations at the top.


    ¡°You will all climb this wall,¡± Counter said. ¡°Use of your Powers is allowed. Use of force is allowed, but excessive violence is not. Any blow that would draw blood is cause for immediate disqualification. As with the last test, those who cannot finish will be sent out.¡±


    Wait¡­ use of force? He wants us to try and knock each other off? She gazed up at the top of that wall. If someone falls from that height, it might well be fatal. What is the Heroes¡¯ Guild thinking?


    ¡°Are there any questions?¡± Counter scanned the crowd. No one spoke up.


    ¡°Begin!¡± He shouted, spittle flying from his mouth.

 3. Third Time Lucky, Part 2

    The crowd of applicants sprinted at the wall. Lace was shoved aside and nearly fell, but cushioned herself with a rush of air and bounced back up. A barrier of young men was quickly forming at the bottom of the wall.


    No way I¡¯ll make it through that.


    Lace went around the side. She kicked her shoes off and picked a spot further down where no one was climbing. The square-cut stones were expertly placed, and there were only fine seams for her to grip onto.


    Lace had no experience climbing, but she couldn¡¯t afford to think about that. She set to it, first hands, then feet.


    Her detour had cost her. She struggled with each handhold, her fingers and toes shaking with the effort of keeping her up. She looked up and saw applicants passing her. It wasn¡¯t looking good. She was in the bottom fourth of applicants.


    Just like in the last test, Kiren held the lead, climbing as if he was born to do it. Lace watched his movements carefully.


    He moved confidently but made sure to always have a solid foundation to stand on. He checked each foothold before committing to it. Lace tried to mimic him and found that she was able to move more reliably.


    The blond man from the last test was a close second, almost overtaking Kiren. He still had that grin on his face, but there was something in his eyes that didn¡¯t sit quite right. It was the look of a child who liked throwing rocks at cats or pulling the legs off spiders.


    He kicked at Kiren¡¯s legs but Kiren moved out of reach, clinging to a creeper vine. He swung back and kicked the man in his midsection. He slid down the wall but caught himself on a gnarled vine.


    It only took the blond man a few seconds to right himself. He kicked the applicant directly below him, who fell with a yelp.


    Lace watched him fall the two or so meters to the ground, waiting for the dull thump that would surely come.


    Counter swiped his hands in the air horizontally and a sheet of blue energy extended into the air, forming a blanket over the ground. The applicant hit the blanket and his momentum was suddenly arrested. He bounced once, then fell to the ground. The energy dissipated, and he got up no worse for wear, albeit a little shocked as he checked himself for injuries.


    Oh. Counter¡¯s Power. Forgot about that. Lace felt a little sheepish for thinking the Heroes would let applicants get hurt on their watch.


    As more applicants were knocked off the wiser ones spread out. A few encroached on Lace¡¯s part of the wall, both above and below.


    Most applicants were past her now. If she didn¡¯t do something, she¡¯d end up in last place. If her previous years of testing were any indication, a last-place finish would not look good for the later evaluations.


    A well-placed wind blast would probably knock off the man above her. The same went for the one below. That would at least get rid of some of the competition.


    No, what am I thinking? I can¡¯t win like that.


    Lace found a new grip and dug her fingers in. She pulled herself up, found a new hold, repeat. The world around her seemed to fade. All the people, all the sounds, went grey and dull. The next handhold was the only thing that mattered. The next crack to place her foot. The next clump of moss that offered her a few seconds of rest.


    She left red handprints on the stones.


    I will do it. I will make you proud, Dad. I won¡¯t fail this time.


    Lace¡¯s hand slipped. She teetered against the wall and toppled backward.


    She yelled, and the wind howled with her.


    I will not fail.


    Invisible arms carried her back up against the wall. She found grips for her hands, and she wiggled her toes so that her feet were securely placed.


    Don¡¯t look down. Don¡¯t. Look. Down.


    She kept climbing. Her muscles burned and her fingers were going numb. She employed those muscles she hadn¡¯t yet used up for a greater range of motion, and she jammed her hands where they fit. At least, the numbness allowed her to ignore the pain.


    Her hand curled around a thick ridge. She pulled herself up, up, up¡­


    And fell over the crenellation on top of the wall. She lay there on her back, panting, with all the other youths that had finished. After her, a few more were still getting to the top.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think you would make it.¡±


    Lace tilted her head back and looked at an upside-down Kiren, sitting on one of the stone crenellations with his arms crossed. Just like before, he looked utterly unfazed.


    ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡± Lace panted. ¡°Can¡¯t say I was too worried about you. Is there anything you¡¯re not good at?¡±


    Kiren shrugged. ¡°Probably.¡± His lip twitched in what might have been a smile. ¡°Haven¡¯t found it yet.¡±


    Lace couldn¡¯t tell if he was joking or not. She smiled back anyway.


    How¡¯s he so strong? It doesn¡¯t seem fair.


    Eagle-Eyes watched them intently with his yellow-eyed gaze, sat atop one of the crenellations. Lace had a hard time enduring his stare without shivering. It was almost a physical sensation, like a finger pushed hard between her eyes.


    Blissfully, the remaining applicants were allowed to descend the wall via the stairs once they were properly rested.


    Lace passed Eagle-Eyes on her way to the stairs. As she did, he said something, almost too quiet to hear.


    ¡°Succeed.¡±


    She looked back, but he was looking another direction. The other applicants pushed her forward.


    Did I hear that right? Was he even talking to me?


    Lace went down into the courtyard and put her shoes back on.


    She had placed fourteenth of forty in this test. Another sixteen had dropped out, bringing the number of applicants down to twenty-four. She hadn¡¯t performed as badly as she¡¯d feared, but she wasn¡¯t doing well enough, either. She had to make a strong impression in the last two tests.


    One of Counter¡¯s apprentices, the green-haired young man, asked to see her wounds. She had scraped up her fingers, skin practically shredded.


    Tommyn, he introduced himself. He got Lace some bandages and bound up her fingers so that the blood didn¡¯t soak through.


    ¡°I watched you climb,¡± he said. ¡°You were tearing yourself ap-part up there.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°I guess,¡± Lace said. ¡°I¡¯m sure you would have done the same during your tests.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ B-but I had someone in my corner, too. We got through the tests together.¡± He nodded over towards his bulkier comrade, Haden. ¡°Anyway, t-those wounds are pretty bad. I wouldn¡¯t blame you for dropping out.¡±


    Lace shook her head. ¡°No way.¡± She forced out a smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be much of a Hero if I couldn¡¯t put up with a few scrapes and bruises.¡±


    Tommyn hid a smile behind his hand.


    ¡°That creepy guy. The one who won¡¯t stop smiling. Do you know who he is?¡±


    ¡°Oh, him.¡± Tommyn shook his head. ¡°I think his name is B-Bits. That¡¯s what he calls himself, anyway. He seems like the violent type.¡±


    Bits. Like something you¡¯d name a dog.


    Lace scanned the courtyard. She saw Bits invite himself into a conversation between two other applicants, arms draped over their shoulders. They looked uncomfortably at each other but tolerated his presence. He glanced back at her, and in an instant before she looked away, their eyes met.


    Something tells me he¡¯s not done with me yet.


    The third test was a straight-up demonstration of Powers. More Heroes had gathered for this one. There were no winners or losers for this test, it was just a chance for the applicants to show off and impress their prospective future masters. And gather information on each other, of course.


    The fourth test will be one-on-one duels. I need to be ready for anything.


    Lace took note of the more powerful abilities and who they belonged to.


    Kiren, who seemed to have no end to the tricks up his sleeve, had the Power to regenerate physical injuries. He got one of the Heroes to pass him a knife and drew long cuts along his arm, blood spattering on the ground. Within a minute, only fine white lines remained, and after a while, not even that. A few of the Heroes nodded eagerly. Kiren was going to be in high demand, she could tell.


    The only other woman to apply, whose name was Veera, demonstrated her Power of summoning glowing chains from her skin and from the ground. A boy named Gantho, who looked about sixteen, could produce explosions by marking objects with his Power and then detonating them. A son of a noble, Jahn, could create snow and ice, making both barriers and weapons.


    Bits, surprisingly, had no Power at all. He declined his opportunity to show the Heroes what he had going for him.


    Lace wasn¡¯t about to make that mistake. She went out there in front of the Heroes, their eyes boring into her.


    She knew most of them by reputation. A few of the veterans had worked with Dad, years ago.


    She decided to keep it simple. She had Counter¡¯s apprentices bring over one of the practice dummies and performed a simple combination on it. Her punches didn¡¯t need to connect¡ªthe air pressure that came off her hands sent the dummy wobbling and shaking. She gathered her strength and put both her arms out. She mustered enough wind to knock the dummy over.


    She went down on one knee and slammed her hands into the ground. The wind whipped up a cloud of gravel and dust, funneled upwards and dropped back down in a miniature whirlwind.


    Lace was left panting. She watched the Heroes for any reaction. They chatted amongst themselves. A few glanced her way.


    ¡°She¡¯s here again?¡± one of them said.


    ¡°Not the worst I¡¯ve seen, but it doesn¡¯t seem very useful against Villains,¡± another murmured.


    ¡°Hey, if we ever need a dummy brought to justice, she¡¯s the one to call on,¡± said a third.


    ¡°You shame yourselves,¡± Eagle-Eyes interjected. Even the Heroes shuffled uncomfortably under his gaze. ¡°Show some respect.¡±


    Lace¡¯s cheeks flared. She turned and walked away, letting another applicant take her place as she merged back with the crowd.


    The mockery was bad enough. For someone to step in on her behalf¡­


    Damn it. It¡¯s like that time with the merchant guards all over again. Why can I never take care of my own problems¡­?


    ¡°Bad luck, sweetheart.¡±


    Lace looked up. Bits was grinning at her.


    ¡°Will you leave me alone?¡± Lace asked.


    He shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s been staring at me. Although, maybe I should take that as a compliment.¡±


    Lace walked off and he laughed after her. She stewed quietly, shaking her head.


    What is wrong with that man?


    ¡°Attention, all applicants!¡± Counter shouted once the third test had been dealt with. ¡°We are moving on to your final challenge! Tag team duels, two versus two. Your teams will be selected by me. Is that understood?¡±


    Lace drew in a sharp breath.


    Not one-on-one. That means...


    She let her gaze wander across the remaining applicants.


    I¡¯ll be grouped with one of them.


    Her eyes fell on Bits.


    Creator, please not him.


    Counter started splitting people into teams of two. Veera was partnered with a lad who seemed to be hardly out of puberty. She dragged him around by his collar, uttering colorful curses at her partner. Gantho was teamed up with a man who was able to create dazzling flashes of light.


    Bits was partnered with Jahn, the man who could summon ice.


    ¡°Thank you, Creator,¡± Lace whispered.


    Counter stopped in front of her, next, regarding her in grave silence.


    ¡°It¡¯s only right that you assist the man who kept you in these tests,¡± Counter said. ¡°Kiren, is that his name?¡±


    Lace breathed a deep sigh of relief.


    That¡¯s probably the best outcome I could have hoped for.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so relieved if I were you,¡± Counter said. ¡°That stray dog won¡¯t be able to keep his true nature in check, a juicy steak dangled in front of his nose like this.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°Of course you don¡¯t. Listen, girl.¡± His eyebrow curled in sincere confliction. ¡°The best thing you can do right now is drop out. I admire your tenacity, if nothing else, but charging towards this dream is only going to bring you more pain. Your father would have wanted you to let it go.¡±


    ¡°Liar,¡± Lace growled. ¡°I¡¯m going to become a Hero, no matter how many obstacles you put in my way. That¡¯s what Dad would have wanted.¡±


    Counter pursed his lips. ¡°Fine. Have it your way, Amar.¡±


    He stalked off to select more groups.


    Kiren was watching her, arms crossed. As soon as Counter was away, he walked over.


    ¡°Same team, huh?¡± he said.


    ¡°Guess so,¡± Lace said, trying on a smile.


    ¡°Good. It¡¯s time to see if you can actually be useful. Your Power is air?¡±


    Lace nodded. ¡°I can control the air and create winds that follow my command. And yours is¡­ rapid healing?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Kiren cricked his neck. ¡°I can recover from most injuries in a minute or two. Bones take a bit longer. Teeth take longer still.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s¡­ a C, maybe B Rank ability,¡± Lace said.


    From the corner of her eye, she saw Bits stroll over to Counter. He said something that was drowned out by the bustle of all the people, smiled, and made an exaggerated bow. Bits walked away, and Counter shook his head as he watched him go. Bits looked over in Lace¡¯s direction and winked.


    Lace frowned.


    That spider. I wonder what he told him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let me down,¡± Kiren said. ¡°I should be able to take care of any rabble on my own, but a little backup couldn¡¯t hurt. Especially if you¡¯re going to prove helpful for what¡¯s to come.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you down,¡± Lace said firmly.


    The match-ups were announced. Lace and Kiren were paired against Bits and Jahn. The blond man was grinning more than ever, and Lace couldn¡¯t help but feel like he had cut some sort of deal with Counter to get this outcome.


    The fights took place one at a time in the middle of the practice yard, closely overseen by Counter. Even more Heroes had gathered, almost two dozen of them now. They watched the fight intently, scrutinizing every move and making comments to each other.


    ¡°Okay, what¡¯s our plan?¡± Lace asked, partially because having a strategy would be paramount, and partially because she wanted to distract herself from her jitters.


    Kiren shrugged. ¡°I go in and pummel them until they concede. You back me up. Keep them from crowding me.¡±


    ¡°That.. uh¡­ sounds like an interesting strategy. Why don¡¯t we try something a little more¡­ thought-out?¡±


    ¡°Why bother? That grinning asshole isn¡¯t that strong, and the noble boy looks like he¡¯d have trouble wiping his own ass without a servant to encourage him. Nah. Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡±


    Lace swallowed. Could it really be that easy?


    She glanced over at Kiren. His jaw was set, his gaze firm and determined. She could not make out a sliver of doubt in him.


    I guess when you have his talent, this must all seem kind of trivial. I¡¯ll follow his lead, then.


    ¡°Lace and Kiren! Jahn and Bits!¡± Counter called out. ¡°You¡¯re up!¡±

 4. Bits and Pieces, Part 1

    4. Bits and Pieces


    Lace followed Kiren into the wide circle that had been drawn in the middle of the practice yard, about fifteen meters across. Bits and Jahn stood opposite them. The young nobleman rolled up his sleeves and cracked his fingers one by one. Frost curled up his arms and his breath came in foggy puffs.


    Bits just stared at them, arms at his sides. That grin was still plastered on his face.


    Jahn should be the biggest problem. I¡¯ll focus on keeping him off balance so that Kiren can finish them both. His Power should theoretically allow him to regenerate an unlimited amount of damage, so as long as he doesn¡¯t get overwhelmed, there¡¯s no way we¡¯ll come out of this on the losing end.


    ¡°If you are knocked out of the ring, unable to continue fighting, or choose to surrender, those count as a loss,¡± Counter said, standing just outside the circle. The Heroes ringed them a little further out. ¡°When both teammates of one team are out, you are to cease fighting immediately. Drawing blood is permitted, but performing potentially lethal attacks is not. Are both teams ready?¡±


    ¡°Ready,¡± Lace and Kiren said.


    ¡°Ready,¡± Jahn said.


    Bits let the silence drag out for a moment. ¡°Oh, what the hell. Ready.¡±


    ¡°Then begin!¡± Counter shouted.


    Kiren threw up dirt as he set off in a sprint towards their two opponents.


    Lace threw a punch and the wind whirled around her arm. It sent out a funnel of rapidly moving air that collided with Jahn and knocked him back a few steps. He teetered on his heels, off-balance.


    Bits remained exactly where he was. His grin slipped just a hair.


    Kiren was close. Only a few meters separated them.


    Jahn righted himself.


    Kiren got in range and wound up for a running punch.


    Bits tilted his head a little to the left, barely avoiding Kiren¡¯s attack. ¡°Now!¡± he said.


    Jahn put his hands together horizontally. Ice formed on the ground behind Kiren and grew into a low wall that stood about as tall as a man. The wall obstructed her view, and she could no longer see Kiren or Bits at all.


    I need to get a better view. Kiren might need my help.


    She moved to the right to get a better view, but a flying object made her dodge back to the left. A spear of ice shattered against the ground behind her.


    Jahn hovered his hands above the ground, palms down, and vapor coalesced into ice as more spears grew from the ground. He snapped one of them off and rested it against his shoulder, the point aimed towards Lace.


    When he threw, she jumped to the side, easily moving out of the path of the spear. They were too heavy, unable to be thrown with any particular speed.


    Jahn made a fist of his hand. The spear shattered in midair, shards like sharpened glass spreading out in a cloud that descended towards Lace.


    She put up her hands to summon some wind, but she had been caught off balance. It was too late.


    A translucent, blue sheet materialized in the air in front of her. The shards hit the ethereal membrane and bounced off with equal force, shooting straight into the ground with dull thuds.


    Lace looked back. Counter stood behind her, arms crossed.


    ¡°Use of deadly force is not permitted!¡± he called. ¡°Do that again, and you¡¯re disqualified.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Rather sheepishly, Jahn let the rest of his spears melt into the ground.


    Good. I can use that to my advantage. Jahn won¡¯t be able to use his Power to its fullest extent, but mine cannot be considered lethal. If I can pressure him out of the ring, I can free myself up to help Kiren.


    She ran towards Jahn. He backed up, nearing the edge of the ring, eyes widened in fear.


    I need to get close so my wind has the maximum amount of force. That should be enough to knock him out.


    ¡°Kiren? You okay?¡± she called while approaching Jahn. She glanced back at the ice wall, now that she was on the other side. Kiren and Bits were trading punches, but Kiren had taken a lot of damage. The whole lower part of his face was smeared with blood.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Kiren said. ¡°Just fucking finish up and give me a¡ª¡± He took a blow to the stomach that sent him reeling. He backed up against the wall, barely blocking another series of jabs.


    I have to win this quickly. Kiren¡¯s not looking good.


    Lace turned her attention back onto Jahn and blew a focused jet of air. The young noble stumbled up to the edge, but he planted his feet on the ground, halting himself. Frost spread around him, crawling up his feet and ankles. She shot another blast of wind, but the ice kept him firmly affixed.


    Lace was close, only about two meters away from him. She stopped in her tracks.


    Oh no.


    Jahn grinned.


    He baited me.


    Ice crawled across the ground. She backed up, but the ice stuck to her feet. She yanked her legs, but they were firmly stuck. She panted from the exertion she had put her body through.


    Jahn unfroze himself. She blasted him with air, but it was weaker than before. He quickly righted himself and approached, ice coating his right hand like a heavy gauntlet.


    I need to do something quick. One hit from that, and I¡¯m out.


    Lace reached down and fumbled among the gravel for a decent-sized rock. She had to dig a little for it, but she found one. She hacked away at the ice around her ankles, even as new frost coalesced atop her skin. She got one foot loose.


    Jahn reached her and swung with his oversized, icy fist, putting his whole weight behind it.


    Lace ducked low and applied a brief rush of air above her head. Jahn¡¯s punch flew wide and he stumbled off to the side, dragged along by the sheer weight attached to his hand.


    Lace got her other foot loose. Her feet were still stuck to the ground, but she managed to slip out of her shoes. She walked across the ice towards Jahn before he could recover. Her bare feet stuck to the ground, taking bits of skin.


    Jahn recovered. He came towards her and swept his off hand through the air, producing a thick cloud of freezing cold fog that obscured his movements.


    Lace didn¡¯t need to see him. She ran into the fog, planted her feet, and exhaled deeply as the air rushed in behind her.


    The cloud was dispersed. Jahn stumbled back. She kept up the pressure, bombarding him with a steady wind. He slipped on his own ice, dragged down by his heavy gauntlet, and slid just out of the ring.


    ¡°Jahn is out!¡± Counter said.


    Not the smartest kid. He was undone by his own Power.


    ¡°Unmaker¡¯s black,¡± Jahn swore, shaking the ice off his hand as he stood back up. ¡°You got lucky.¡±


    Lace paid him no mind. She had to help Kiren.


    She turned around.


    Bits walked towards her, grinning like a madman. His face was spattered with blood, knuckles dripping with it. None was his own.


    Kiren lay propped against the melting ice wall, his face bruised black and blue, blood leaking out of his nose and bubbling from between his lips. He was completely unconscious.


    ¡°Kiren is out!¡± Counter announced.


    Lace threw a desperate gust of wind at Bits, driving the precious air from her lungs. The blond man kept low to the ground, slowed but not stopped.


    ¡°Feeling a little tired there, hon?¡± Bits asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This¡¯ll be over real soon.¡±


    Lace breathed in dry, shallow wheezes.


    Damn it. I¡¯ve relied on my Power too much.


    She still had a shot, though. Bits would have to come in close to finish her since he didn¡¯t have a Power to aid him. She entered into a wide stance, arms covering her vitals, center of gravity firmly centered.


    Bits stepped in close.


    Lace struck out with her palm.


    He stepped aside and grabbed her wrist. He twisted firmly.


    Pop.


    Lace cried out.


    He put a foot behind her leg and elbowed her in the face. She fell backward, unable to catch herself.


    The back of her head cracked against the ground, sending colored sparks across her vision. Everything went blurry and unfocused, obscured by pain.


    The last thing she saw was Bits grinning down at her.


    ¡°Jahn and Bits are the victors!¡± Counter announced.

 4. Bits and Pieces, Part 2

    ¡°Can I suck her blood, Doctor? Please? Pretty please?¡±


    ¡°No, you cannot, Mina.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°No buts. You know the rule.¡±


    ¡°No exsanguination of patients¡­¡±


    ¡°Good. So you do remember. Run off now, child.¡±


    As Lace¡¯s mind slowly surfaced back into consciousness, she became aware of a dull, thumping ache in her right shoulder, radiating into her arm and chest. Breathing exacerbated the pain, so she did so in long, shallow inhalations. She opened her eyes a crack and light smeared her vision. She shut them again.


    She was covered by something warm and heavy. A blanket. Soft bedding shifted when she moved. The sheets smelled faintly of summery flowers.


    ¡°Awake, are you?¡± someone asked. One of the people who had just spoken.


    She had another try at opening her eyes, and it went better this time. She blinked until her vision cleared.


    She was in a clean room with white walls. Sunlight streamed in through a glass window. There wasn¡¯t much in it apart from a worktable and a couple of chairs.


    An older woman stood over her. She had white, brittle hair that she kept in a messy bun. She wore a white coat with a high collar. It was open at the front, showing a sash that went down over her chest, small bottles and vials with different colored liquids attached to it. A little girl with black hair and red eyes peeked out from behind the open door, staring. When she caught Lace looking at her, she darted out of sight.


    Lace tried to sit up, but the woman pushed her back down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to move,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ll only hurt yourself even more, which means extra work for me.¡± She glanced back. ¡°Don¡¯t be alarmed by Mina. She¡¯s my assistant. Come say hello, girl.¡±


    The little girl peeked out from behind the corner. The doctor coaxed her with a few eager hand motions, and she padded cautiously out into the room. She was barefoot and wore a fluttery, yellow dress, probably about six or seven years old. She came up to the bed and Good Doctor patted her head. Mina gave a small smile, revealing rows of needle-sharp teeth. Lace resisted the urge to jerk back.


    ¡°Her Power has already manifested?¡± she asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s a special case,¡± Good Doctor said, running a hand through Mina¡¯s tangled hair. ¡°The nature of her Power meant she could no longer be safely housed with her family, so I decided to take her in.¡±


    ¡°Hi,¡± Mina said shyly, arms behind her back.


    ¡°Hello there,¡± Lace said. ¡°You¡¯re Mina, aren¡¯t you? My name is Lace.¡±


    The girl nodded eagerly. She ran out of the room, her feet pitter-pattering on the stone tiles.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± Lace asked.


    She looked around and saw Kiren in a bed next to hers. Strangely enough, his wrists had been strapped to the metal railing with leather bonds. His head was tilted towards her, curly, black hair arrayed over the pillow. A bit of drool escaped the corner of his mouth. His face was all healed up apart from some faint bruising around his eyes.


    ¡°That one was a bit of a struggle,¡± the woman said. ¡°As soon as he woke up, he wouldn¡¯t let me touch him. Wriggled like a ferret. I had Titaness wrangle him while I administered a sedative.¡± She paused. ¡°To answer your question, you are in the House of Healing, inside the Lodge. Your injuries required my attention.¡±


    Lace looked down at herself. Her right shoulder had a few faded bruises, but at least it was all in place. She was fairly certain that Bits had dislocated it during the fight. It was all starting to come back to her.


    ¡°We lost¡­¡± Lace muttered.


    ¡°Spectacularly so,¡± the woman said. ¡°By a Powerless, to boot. It was quite the upset.¡±


    ¡°That was my third¡­ I¡¯ll never be a Hero now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you never know. Apprenticeships are not exclusively given to the winners, but to those of us Heroes deem worthy. You¡¯ve still got a shot, dear.¡± She winked. ¡°Until the placements are announced on the morrow, anything is possible.¡±


    She¡¯s right, I need to stay calm. I have a chance.


    ¡°Thank you for taking the time to tend to me, Master¡­?¡±


    ¡°Good Doctor,¡± the woman said. ¡°That¡¯s what they call me.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Lace recognized the name. A B Rank, which was about as high as healing Heroes went. That explained how her shoulder had healed up so quickly. Good Doctor had the Power to accelerate a person¡¯s natural healing rate many-fold by touch.


    ¡°I see. Thank you, again. My name is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Lace Amar. Daughter of Helmer Amar, the Hero known as Gale. Yes, I remember.¡±


    Good Doctor walked over to Kiren¡¯s bed and touched his forehead with the back of her hand.


    ¡°But how¡­?¡± Lace asked. ¡°I¡¯m no one.¡±


    ¡°Careful, girl,¡± Good Doctor said, still facing Kiren. ¡°That¡¯s a dangerous way of thinking. Regardless, it¡¯s hard to forget a daughter.¡± She looked back and grinned, wrinkles forming at the corners of her mouth. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t look so shocked. It¡¯s only a figure of speech. I watched you as a child while your father was off pursuing his heroics and fed you a formula to simulate mother¡¯s milk. Only once or twice, to be fair, but a mother remembers every child under her care.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lace said. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t remember.¡± She looked to the side and gripped the covers tightly. ¡°Then¡­ maybe you could take me on? As your apprentice.¡±


    ¡°Not possible, I¡¯m afraid. I¡¯m a doctor, not a warrior. Do you know how to dress a wound? Can you heal a fatal injury? Can you name a hundred poisons and their most common antidotes?¡±


    ¡°I know arsenic, and uh¡­¡± Lace fell silent, cheeks reddening.


    ¡°I thought so. You will be admitted to the Guild on your own merits, or not at all. As it should be. If you are, I will always be here to tend to your wounds.¡±


    Lace tried to sit up, but a sharp tug in her shoulder made her go limp with a small hiss.


    ¡°How long will I have to stay here?¡± Lace asked.


    It was as if the walls were shrinking. She needed to stay hopeful, but the doubts harassed her at the edges of her mind.


    I¡¯ll be working at The Golden Lion until I¡¯m too old for Avon to use as eye candy. What will happen then? Will I end up like Mom? An addled husk, unfit to care for myself, let alone anyone else.


    Kiren started awake with a gasp. He sat upright in the bed, tugging at his bonds. His head whipped around, wide eyes flitting about.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± he asked, but his tone made it sound like a demand. ¡°Let me go, or I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    ¡°You were supposed to be out for hours,¡± Good Doctor said. She paused, stroking her upper lip. ¡°Your regeneration must have allowed you to metabolize the sedative at a faster rate. I should have adjusted the dosage. Silly me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°You were trying to poison me?¡± He tugged at the leather straps uselessly. ¡°Let me go!¡±


    ¡°You see what I¡¯ve had to deal with?¡± Good Doctor asked, glancing Lace¡¯s way. ¡°Listen. It¡¯s Kiren, isn¡¯t it? Regeneration or not, your injuries needed seeing to. I couldn¡¯t have you tumbling out of bed before you were good and ready.¡±


    She undid one of the leather clasps, and he freed his other hand.


    ¡°See? You¡¯re fine.¡±


    Kiren rubbed his wrists, glaring up at Good Doctor. ¡°Leave.¡±


    The woman¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°You want me to leave, do you? I hope you know there are about a dozen ways I can put you back under, not all of which are painless.¡±


    ¡°I think he just needs a minute to cool off,¡± Lace said. ¡°I can keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn¡¯t go anywhere.¡±


    Good Doctor glanced between the two of them.


    ¡°Oh, very well. I have other patients to tend to, anyway. This is always the busiest day of the year since Counter insists on running his brutal war games. I¡¯m keeping you here until tomorrow morning, so don¡¯t go anywhere until I¡¯m back. Got it?¡±


    Lace nodded eagerly.


    Good Doctor cleaned her hands in a shallow basin and left the room, closing the door behind her.


    As soon as she¡¯d left, Kiren threw the covers aside and got up. He walked over to the door and put his ear against it, listening intently.


    ¡°She told us to stay put,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Kiren said. ¡°She¡¯d like that, wouldn¡¯t she?¡±


    What is wrong with this man?


    ¡°Listen, Kiren. We¡¯re in deep trouble. Sit down so we can talk this through.¡±


    Kiren straightened himself. ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about?¡±


    Lace grabbed the railing on her right-hand side. She pulled herself into a sitting position, teeth gritted against the sharp pain.¡°We lost. Badly. Judging from past experience, I can tell you that means it¡¯s unlikely that any of the Heroes will want to pick us up. I know this isn¡¯t what you want to hear, but we need to prepare for the worst. You probably have a better chance than me, since you aced the first few tests, but...¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Kiren turned around. He stormed up to her and grabbed her by her collar. She hissed at the pain in her shoulder, but he didn¡¯t let up. His dark-eyed stare bored into her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not over.¡±


    ¡°I mean, we still have a chance,¡± Lace worked out between gritted teeth. ¡°I just want us to go through our options so that we¡¯re prepared.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand. I¡¯m going to become an apprentice, whatever it takes. If no one wants to take me on, I¡¯ll find another way. It¡¯s not over until he¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°Until who¡¯s dead?¡±


    He slowly let go of her and sat down on the bed behind him. He put his head in his hands, knuckles laced with faded scars.


    ¡°Ripper of the Dark Eye.¡±


    Lace blanched. A long silence stretched out between them.


    She licked her lips.


    Do I even want to ask?


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to explain,¡± she finally said.


    ¡°Only if you swear to make good on your debt.¡±


    Lace nodded hesitantly. ¡°I will. I promise.¡±


    Creator, what have I gotten myself into?


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell you.¡±

 5. Excelerate

    5. Excelerate


    ¡°Most people have a first memory,¡± Kiren said. ¡°What¡¯s yours?¡±


    Lace thought about it for a second. ¡°I remember falling and scraping my knee. My mom cleaned the wound and gave it a kiss better, and we had some freshly baked bread with melted butter afterward.¡±


    ¡°I see. The first thing I remember is my mother¡¯s screams. The blood dripping down her naked flesh. The agony on her face. And I remember F¡ª¡­¡± He clenched his teeth. ¡°I remember him. Ripper. Laughing while he bled her like a pig. Like her death was the funniest thing he¡¯d ever seen. At the same time, his gang of rapists and murderers were slaughtering the rest of the village. My father included. Burnt the whole fucking thing to the ground.¡±


    Lace blinked. She stood up and reached out a hand towards him. ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m so sorry, Kiren. Is there¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Save the platitudes. I¡¯m over it. I just need you to understand why this is important.¡±


    Lace sat back down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What happened to you after that? If you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Kiren shrugged. ¡°Once Ripper had finished with my mother, he turned his attention to me. He didn¡¯t kill me, though. I suppose that would have been too painless for his taste. He took me with him, and after that, he treated me like his mutt. Something he could take his rage out on whenever he felt the urge.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ on That Day, you were there because of him?¡±


    ¡°It was the day I became free of him. In a sense, at least. Now I just have to end his wretched existence. The lives he stole will not go unpunished.¡± He gripped the bed¡¯s metal railing until his knuckles went white and the scars on his hand went tight.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you paid my fee,¡± Lace said. ¡°Because I know they¡¯re still alive. The commanders of the Dark Eye. Ender himself. You want my help to kill him.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ see.¡±


    Lace swallowed. Fighting, she had no qualms with. But killing¡­


    ¡°You owe me,¡± Kiren said. There was a hint of desperation in his voice.


    ¡°I want Ender and all the rest brought to justice as much as you do,¡± Lace said. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one whose parent they¡¯ve murdered. I¡¯m just not sure we have the right to make that judgment. Whether they live or die.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? And who does?¡±


    ¡°The Queen. Of course I want them dead, but that¡¯s not our choice to make. It¡¯s Paragon¡¯s.¡±


    Kiren shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re just passing off responsibility. Listen, if everyone is waiting for someone else to do something, nothing¡¯s going to get done. Paragon doesn¡¯t give a feathered shit what Ender is doing. She¡¯s got her head lodged so far up her ass I doubt she¡¯s seen the sun in years. Even if you so presented him at her doorstep with a fucking trumpet fanfare, she wouldn¡¯t know what to do with him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you find Ripper and bring him in,¡± Lace said. ¡°That much I can promise you. Beyond that, I can¡¯t make any guarantees. I¡¯m not a vigilante.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°All this is hypothetical, to begin with,¡± Lace said. ¡°We need to actually get accepted first, and that¡¯s not looking so bright.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯ll get off our asses and do something about it,¡± Kiren said. ¡°We lost against that clown and his lapdog. So which one of the Heroes would be most likely to bet on a pair of rejects like us?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°Well, why wait for them to pick us? We should just go to them directly.¡±


    ¡°I suppose, given the circumstances, that might be our best bet.¡± Lace ran her fingers through her hair, untangling knots. ¡°But the Heroes at the Lodge select for talent. Good Doctor apparently knew me since I was a baby, but even she wouldn¡¯t take me on.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s got to be someone,¡± Kiren said. ¡°I¡¯m not walking away from here empty-handed.¡±


    Lace sank into deep thought.


    Who would be willing to take us on? Who¡­?


    ¡°Torchbearer!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°He¡¯s seen me fight before. Well, sort of. It didn¡¯t go so well, but he did commend me. If we talk to him, he might be willing to¡­¡±


    Kiren nodded. ¡°Good. He¡¯ll be there at the announcement tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Most Heroes will be. There¡¯s also Eagle-Eyes. He¡¯s been around since my dad¡¯s time, and I think he was rooting for me to win. I¡¯m sure if one of them would take me on, I could convince them to take you as well. You did great in the first three tests, after all.¡±


    Kiren nodded. ¡°Then we¡¯ll approach them both and get one of them to take us on. Sound good?¡±


    Lace smiled. ¡°Yeah. That sounds good.¡±


    *****


    Twenty-four applicants waited in the courtyard. The early morning air set a chilly edge to the breeze that came in over the wall.


    Judging by previous experience, only about half of those who were left would be accepted by one Hero or another.


    ¡°Can you see him?¡± Kiren asked, looking out over the courtyard. The Heroes were still bargaining with one another, trading favors and promises in order to gain the apprentice or apprentices they most desired.


    A few notable figures were present. Titaness, towering head and shoulders over the others. Good Doctor, who seemed to have concluded her bargaining and settled on an apprentice. Bloodhound, the man with the head of a wolf, who served as the Goldbrand chapter Guild Master, was also there.


    Far away from the group stood another Hero, leaned against a wall. He wore a set of black robes with white bandages around his arms and legs, a red cloth mask resting below his chin. He had grey, slicked-back hair and a face weary with onsetting age. He chatted amicably with Eagle-Eyes, who sat cross-legged on the ground next to him.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Excelerate, the Vanishing Hero.


    A Rank.


    ¡°Creator¡¯s breath, do you see that?¡± Lace asked, pointing. ¡°That¡¯s Excelerate!¡±


    Kiren frowned. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on. Excelerate! The man who can run faster than the Unmaker¡¯s shadow, climb a mountain in one minute, and detain any Villain in two seconds flat. You¡¯re saying you don¡¯t know that Excelerate?¡±


    ¡°I guess that does sound kinda familiar,¡± Kiren admitted. ¡°But he¡¯s not who we came here for. Do you see Torchcarrier?¡±


    ¡°Torchbearer. No, I can¡¯t see him. You look around, though. I¡¯ll go talk to Eagle-Eyes.¡±


    Apprentices had started to be selected and called out by Counter, then taken over to their new prospective masters.


    Lace walked over to where Eagle-Eyes sat with Excelerate. They watched as she approached. Excelerate wore an inscrutable smirk.


    She bowed before them, as deeply as she could without groveling. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, masters, for interrupting you.¡±


    ¡°And yet you¡¯re doing it anyway,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Very well. Get on with it.¡±


    ¡°Uh, t-thank you.¡±


    The two Heroes regarded her dully.


    Lace took a deep breath to compose herself. ¡°I would just like to propose that you, Eagle-Eyes, take me and Kiren on as your apprentices.¡± She pointed over to where Kiren was standing. ¡°While we didn¡¯t win our duel, we have a drive that other applicants lack. We would make loyal and dedicated students. I¡ª¡±


    Eagle-Eyes held up a hand. ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯m sorry, sirrah, but I have already selected an apprentice. I¡¯m not looking for two.¡±


    Lace turned around and saw Counter coming over at a brisk march. He had Bits in tow, who flashed Lace his brightest grin.


    Oh, you monster.


    Eagle-Eyes stood and dusted off his feathered cloak. He greeted Bits with a handshake. ¡°Ah, my new apprentice. After the results of that duel, I¡¯m very much intrigued to see what else you can do, Powerless or not.¡±


    Excelerate shrugged apologetically.


    It¡¯s like this whole system is turned against me. Whenever I think I¡¯m one step ahead, I get shoved two steps back.


    She stormed off and returned to Kiren. A handful of applicants had already been called out. Gantho the bomb-maker had been claimed by Squiddy, the Inventor Hero. Both Veera and Jahn had been taken by Titaness.


    They didn¡¯t have much time left. There wouldn¡¯t be any spots left, soon.


    ¡°Any luck?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°None. Eagle-Eyes decided to take Bits on. You?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t see the guy. Maybe you¡¯ll have better luck.¡±


    Lace went over and found one of Counter¡¯s apprentices. The green-haired one, Tommyn. She tugged on his arm to stop him.


    ¡°Yes?¡± he asked, turning around. ¡°Oh, i-it¡¯s you. How¡¯s the¡­?¡± He pointed to his shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Lace said, rolling her right arm. ¡°It still tugs a bit, but Good Doctor¡¯s healing is something else. Say, do you know if Torchbearer will be here today?¡±


    ¡°Torchbearer?¡± Tommyn asked. ¡°Oh, uh, I don¡¯t think so. He usually takes his p-patrols pretty seriously.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so¡­ he¡¯s not¡­?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Why, did you want him to bless a trinket for you or something?¡±


    Lace managed a smile, hollow and quivering, before hurrying away. It felt like she had a bundle of hair stuck in her throat. She held back a wave of bile.


    ¡°Well?¡± Kiren asked. He cracked his knuckles, foot tapping on the ground. ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°Not coming,¡± Lace said. She couldn¡¯t look him in the eye. ¡°We¡¯re really done for now.¡±


    About ten apprentices had been called out, and the group of remaining applicants was rapidly shrinking. Most of the Heroes were already moving on. Kiren tried to talk to a few of them, but no one gave them more than a passing glance. It seemed they had even been turned off Kiren after seeing his performance in the duel.


    Lace stood numbly, fidgeting with the rim of her tunic. She had no more ideas. There was nothing more they could do, no one who would take them.


    ¡°No,¡± Kiren growled, turning on the spot as he looked for other Heroes to approach. ¡°It¡¯s not supposed to go like this. It¡¯s not¡­¡±


    ¡°Lace and Kiren!¡± Counter called out.


    Lace looked up, wiping tear-brimmed eyes.


    ¡°Report to Excelerate,¡± he continued in a darkly bitter tone. ¡°He has agreed to take you on.¡±


    An A Rank? Us? That can¡¯t be right.


    Kiren dragged her along by the sleeve of her tunic. He pulled her over to where Counter stood with the dark-robed Hero.


    ¡°Why her?¡± Counter asked. ¡°Pick someone else. Anyone else. Take the boy, but leave her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve made my choice,¡± Excelerate said. His voice was deep and hoarse, denoting a hint of boredom. ¡°What are you going to do? Cry to Bloodhound about it? You know he¡¯ll side with me.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Counter said. ¡°Insufferable old¡­¡± He continued under his breath as he stalked off.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Excelerate said. He looked towards Lace and Kiren.


    He vanished in a blurred streak.


    Lace blinked.


    ¡°Will you make good little helpers, I wonder?¡± came a voice in her ear.


    Lace spun around and caught a glimpse of a black robe before he vanished again.


    ¡°If it is safety and comfort you seek, there is no worse master than me,¡± Excelerate said. He was behind them again.


    Lace turned around to face him.


    ¡°If you wish to become real Heroes, however, there is none better.¡±


    ¡°Teach me,¡± Kiren said without hesitation.


    Excelerate skidded around them at an incredible pace, too quick to properly see. Dirt and gravel sprayed around them.


    ¡°Good. Then become my apprentices, the both of you. I¡¯ll put you to good use.¡±


    ¡°Master Excelerate,¡± someone said.


    The torrent of rapid movement stopped in the blink of an eye. Excelerate stood in front of Tommyn, arms crossed. He stooped, face dangerously close to the young apprentice.


    ¡°Yes, grassy-head?¡± he asked. ¡°Is there something you need?¡±


    Tommyn blinked frantically. ¡°I w-would like to speak to Kiren and Lace for a moment. If that¡¯s okay, I mean. It¡¯s, umm, urgent. I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience.¡±


    Excelerate paused for a moment, looking the slight young man over.


    ¡°Very well. Just don¡¯t hold them for too long.¡±


    Tommyn pulled them both to the side and looked to make sure they were out of earshot from the Hero, who stared suspiciously back at them.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lace asked pointedly. ¡°Excelerate himself is taking us on. Don¡¯t mess this up for us.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take his offer,¡± Tommyn said. His tone of voice suggested utter sincerity. ¡°Whatever he¡¯s telling you, don¡¯t listen.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Kiren said. ¡°Why are you wasting our time with this?¡±


    ¡°Be-because you¡¯re not his first apprentices!¡± Tommyn lowered his voice and looked to make sure Excelerate hadn¡¯t overheard. ¡°He¡¯s had f-four sets before you in the past six years. They¡¯re all dead. Please, if you value your lives, just pass this up.¡±


    Lace and Kiren glanced at each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lace said. ¡°But this is our one shot.¡±


    ¡°Just handle your own business,¡± Kiren said.


    They turned away from him and walked back over to Excelerate. He waited patiently, eyes half-lidded.


    ¡°So, what¡¯ll it be?¡± he asked. ¡°Mediocrity or greatness?¡±


    ¡°We accept,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s one thing I should mention.¡± He pointed at the two of them with an index and middle finger. ¡°You failed your duel. If you want to be my apprentices, you¡¯re going to have to do a little something extra for me. To show me you¡¯re serious.¡±


    ¡°Anything,¡± Lace said. ¡°Just say the word.¡±


    Excelerate cracked a faint smile.


    ¡°Excellent. We¡¯ll get started in the morning. Dawn. Don¡¯t be late.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡ª¡± Lace began.


    He disappeared.

 6. The Hunt, Part 1

    6. The Hunt


    Kiren waited, leaned against the ring wall of the Lodge. The first rays of the sun washed the clouds in pale gold and dew hung heavy in the grass.


    This guy better show up. I¡¯m done being yanked around by the Heroes¡¯ Guild.


    One of the sentries on the wall shouted something to the others. Slowly, the gates came open, creaking and groaning.


    Lace came through and the gates closed behind her. She looked around the courtyard. She held herself with a slight slouch, dark rings under her eyes. She had little bits of hay stuck to her clothes.


    She¡¯s been sleeping rough. Too bad for her.


    ¡°Over here,¡± he said.


    She spotted him and waved, then came over.


    ¡°Have you seen Excelerate yet?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°Nope. Not a hair of him.¡±


    ¡°The sun¡¯s coming up. He should be here soon.¡±


    ¡°This better not have been some sort of sick joke.¡±


    The temple bell rung five. Kiren shook his head.


    Lace slumped against the wall next to him. She stared off into the distance, her mind seemingly on other things.


    Looks a bit out of it. I can¡¯t have her screw up today.


    ¡°What¡¯s wr¡ª¡± Kiren started.


    There was a flash of dull black.


    He felt something grasp his waist and he was hoisted into the air. The world became a blur and his stomach lurched as he hurtled through space.


    He caught only glimpses of what was going on around him. Roads. Houses. Trees. Water. Yellow fields.


    Kiren tried to scream, but the wind caught his mouth and peeled away his lips. Every second that passed that way felt like an eternity, and he struggled not to throw up. The contents of his stomach were precious slim as it was.


    Everything slowed. The grip holding him was released and he fell hard. He tumbled across the ground, dirt going in his clothes. He came to a stop on his stomach, grass tickling his face.


    All the sounds of the city were gone, replaced with the chirping of birds and a gentle symphony of crickets.


    Kiren worked his arms underneath himself and stood with a long groan. He looked around, blinking at his surroundings. He stood on the edge of a field in between rows of wheat. Lace was on her hands and knees next to him, spitting dirt.


    ¡°Good morning, prospects,¡± Excelerate said, walking in front of them. ¡°That oughta woken you up.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± Kiren muttered.


    ¡°Really not fair, master,¡± Lace said, working her way to her feet.


    Kiren had a closer look at his surroundings. There were a number of squat houses off to his right, clustered around both sides of a wide, calm river with trees growing by the banks. Further in that direction was a thick, imposing wood, stretching far. The city lay behind him in the distance. It¡¯d take hours to reach.


    He ran that far in, what, two or three minutes? Lugging two people, no less. I see why they call him A Rank.


    ¡°Why¡¯re we at this hodunk?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°An eager one, aren¡¯t you?¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. All will be explained. Come with me, children.¡±


    Excelerate walked out of the field, his black robes trailing in the breeze. Kiren followed, grumbling to himself, and Lace came last. They entered the small village, which seemed to consist of only forty or fifty houses. A few farmers had already come out for the day¡¯s work. Three men worked on fixing a wagon, while a young boy walked through the wheat rows, pulling up bundles of wizened crops. A girl sat by the river, dipping her bare feet in the dark, almost black waters and humming to herself.


    ¡°This is Winewater Village, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°What tipped you off?¡± Excelerate asked with a sarcastic twist to his lip. ¡°But yes. It is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only been outside the city once or twice. It¡¯s so beautiful here!¡± Lace bent down and scooped a bumblebee into her hands. She giggled to herself and seemed to stand a little taller. ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine this river runs all the way to the ocean.¡±


    ¡°Mm...¡± Kiren said. Her rambling was already getting on his nerves.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the river goes through this narrow gorge on its way south. I always wanted to go there and play, but my parents wouldn¡¯t let me.¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm.¡± Kiren raised his voice. ¡°You said we had to do something for you, right? So why are we here? Do you want us to shovel horse-shit or something?¡±


    ¡°Something a little more exciting than that,¡± Excelerate said.


    They proceeded to the south side of the village. On their left, a small field of potato plants had been uprooted and cleared away, with a circle of flowers and dried leaves placed around a patch of dirt. Wooden totems had been thrust into the dirt along the circle, words scratched into them. It was a binding circle, like the ones made at funerals, though the totems had been modified. It looked as if they had been dipped in blood, then sanded down so that only the letters stood out a stark red. Dead beetles and bees lay at the edge of the circle, in some places piled on top of each other.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Something lay at the center of the circle. It was rounded and pale, half-covered by the dirt. Excelerate entered the circle and unearthed the object. He wiped his hands on his robes and stood aside.


    Kiren flinched. Lace gasped and put her hands over her mouth.


    It was a human baby.


    ¡°Holy Creator...¡± Lace muttered.


    Excelerate turned it onto its back with the tip of his shoe.


    The baby was grotesquely mutilated. It had wide, buggy eyes with blood red irises. Its jaw resembled an elongated snout which split down the middle, its mouth opening into four, sharp-toothed sections. It had small holes instead of ears and its naked skin was covered in patches of flaking, dull brown scales. Below its short arms were two more sets of vestigial limbs, more akin to stiff tentacles than arms.


    Two more creatures lay next to the first, almost completely covered in dirt. Excelerate uncovered these as well. Each was more deformed than the last, with odd-numbered limbs and faces twisted in single-minded malice, even in death.


    ¡°Creator save me,¡± Lace breathed.


    Kiren frowned, leaning in closer.


    ¡°These are not children,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°They are¡­¡±


    ¡°Beasts,¡± Kiren finished.


    The Hero nodded. ¡°Yes, very good. Have some experience, do you?¡±


    ¡°We get them in the Slog,¡± Kiren said. ¡°As you should know. No one there to exterminate them.¡±


    Excelerate ignored him. ¡°These Beasts were still in their juvenile stage. Spawnlings, we call them. At this size, they pose a threat only to the unwary. The villagers took care of these ones of their own accord. However¡­¡±


    ¡°Beasts never show up alone,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°Excellent! Maybe I should start handing out treats! Yes, you are quite right. There¡¯s another Beast near Winewater Village¡ªone far more shrewd and dangerous than these runts. A woodcutter was killed at the edge the forest to the west a few days ago. His body was recovered and it was determined that only a Beast could have done the deed. Likely a humanoid-class¡ªone that has evolved beyond the spawnling stage.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible!¡± Lace said. ¡°What¡¯s being done about it?¡±


    Excelerate motioned to the two of them. ¡°The cavalry has already arrived.¡± He put a thumb to his lips and made a blew a half-hearted fanfare.


    ¡°You want us to hunt a Beast for you?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°One that¡¯s already killed a man?¡±


    ¡°I need to make sure you can be useful to me,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Right now, being useful means saving me time. Sure, I could go out in those woods and hunt down the Beast myself. But I have work to conduct in the village. If I have to do both, that¡¯ll take me two days instead of one. In that time, a Villain might decide to go on a spree and kill a hundred people, with no high ranked Heroes available to stop them.¡±


    ¡°So, yes. If you want to be my apprentices, you have to do this. Capture and kill the Beast by sundown, or you needn¡¯t bother coming back to the Lodge.¡±


    ¡°I understand, master,¡± Lace said.


    He went from the heart of the city to here in a few minutes. Surely, he could knock this out in no time if he wanted to. Is this purely to test us?


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll at least give us some weapons to use,¡± Kiren said.


    Every fool in the Slog knew that if you saw a Beast, no matter the size, you ran the other way. They had nothing worth taking, and more likely than not they would gut you like a fish and suck your corpse dry of blood. Now, he was expected to fight one, for some village he hadn¡¯t even known about before this morning.


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Weapons. It would be irresponsible of me to send you out there without any way of defending yourself.¡±


    An older woman watched them from the dirt road, holding a basket of fresh apples in the crook of her arm. Excelerate approached her with a half-hearted wave. She offered an apple to both Kiren and Lace, and he wolfed it down gladly.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for the elder,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Do you know where he is?¡±


    ¡°Over there, Master Hero,¡± the woman said. She pointed to a building near the center of the village, larger than the rest. ¡°Poor man. Maxim¡¯s been living in the village hall since his daughters were stolen by Beasts in the night. Hasn¡¯t been the same since.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s horrible!¡± Lace said, looking towards the village hall.


    ¡°When Jagon¡ªthe woodsman¡ªwas taken as well, Maxim shut himself in. Wouldn¡¯t come out for days. I had the husband go to the city to ask for help.¡± She nodded. ¡°Suppose that¡¯s why you¡¯re here. If it¡¯s all the same to you, Master Hero, don¡¯t bother Maxim too much. He¡¯s been through a frightful lot.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully he¡¯ll feel a bit more at ease once this situation is dealt with,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°Thank you for your help, goodwife,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°We¡¯ll be moving on.¡±


    The woman nodded and made a sign to the Creator. ¡°Thank you for this. It¡¯s about time this nightmare was put to rest. We¡¯ve lost too many to the Beasts.¡±


    Excelerate wandered over to the village hall. A weathervane spun lazily at the peak of the two-story building, depicting a hunched-over Beast¡ªhalf human, half wolf. He tapped the heavy double doors. When no one answered, he knocked harder, making the heavy oak doors rattle in their frame.


    There was a voice from inside, and a minute later an older man opened the door, sloppily dressed in hose and an unlaced shirt. He glared up at Excelerate, but as soon as he realized who he was looking at his gaze shot straight into the ground.


    ¡°Master Hero!¡± the man said.


    ¡°Elder Maxim, is it?¡± Excelerate said.


    ¡°Indeed, master. Say, uh, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Say, while we are about this dark business, could you fetch us some weapons? Anything¡¯ll do, so long as it¡¯s proper enough to hunt Beasts.¡±


    Elder Maxim blinked, a frown forming, then dissipating. ¡°Uh, I, erm, I suppose we should have something lying around. It¡¯s not often we find the courage to fight back against the Beasts, you see.¡±


    Excelerate nodded. ¡°Excellent. Be off then.¡± He shooed away the elder with a lazy hand motion. The man hurried off, doors slowly creaking shut behind him.


    He returned with a bow, a half-full quiver, and a rusted hunting spear. Kiren frowned skeptically at the supposed ¡®weapons¡¯.


    ¡°This were all I could find on such short notice,¡± Elder Maxim said. ¡°It¡¯s in a bit of a state, but¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll do,¡± Excelerate said. He took the weapons. He handed the bow and quiver to Lace and the spear to Kiren. It was as tall as him, with a rusted, leaf-shaped tip and a shaft that had been worn smooth with use.


    ¡°We must all stand united in this age of Beasts, eh?¡± Excelerate said. He put a hand on the elder¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Mind if I come in for half-a-cup of tea?¡±


    ¡°Of course, master,¡± Elder Maxim said.


    ¡°You expect us to fight with these?¡± Kiren asked.


    Excelerate turned around, eyebrows raised. ¡°You¡¯re still here? I wouldn¡¯t be wasting time if I were you. You have a job to do, I have mine.¡±


    He stepped inside the village hall and the doors slammed shut behind him.


    ¡°Fucking typical,¡± Kiren muttered. ¡°We¡¯re meant to run into the woods and chase Beasts, fucking Beasts, while he sits around and drinks tea like some fancy inner city lady.¡±


    ¡°It could be worse,¡± Lace said. ¡°At least we know where the Beast is probably hiding, and we got, uh¡­¡± She looked down at her bow with its frayed string and unwinding leather grip. ¡°...Something to fight them with. And we have all day to finish, so I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be too hard.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°Do you know how to track?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she admitted. ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I do? I¡¯ve not left the city since¡­¡± He trailed off.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡±

 6. The Hunt, Part 2

    They walked west, towards the woods. It reached as far as he could see on either side. It would be impossible to outline it in a day, let alone go through the whole forest.


    Unless we had superhuman speed, of course. If only there was someone better suited for this job¡­


    He sighed.


    Fucking Heroes. Same as they always were.


    The sun had risen properly by the time they reached the forest, shining down its morning light.


    ¡°Right, how do we do this?¡± Kiren asked, peering at the tight rows of oak, beech, and birch. ¡°Just waltz right in and hope we find the fucking thing in time?¡±


    ¡°Excelerate said the woodsman was killed at the edge of the forest, right?¡± Lace said. ¡°If we can find where he died, we might be able to track the Beast that killed him from there.¡±


    Kiren nodded. ¡°Better plan than none at all, I suppose.¡±


    They waded through the bushes and saplings into the woods proper, picked a direction, and started walking. They kept a gap of a few meters between each other¡ªclose enough that they could still see and hear each other, but far enough apart to gain a wider search area.


    The air was still and fetid beneath the canopy. No birds sang. The branches pulled at their clothes, and the highest tree crowns wailed in the wind while the trunks creaked.


    While there was no sign of life, some of the bushes had been uprooted, and there were deep grooves in many of the trees, crisscrossing each other. Claw or tooth marks, for sure.


    ¡°Could be the Beast that made those,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Keep an eye out.¡±


    Lace nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    It was difficult to tell the passage of time. The branch canopy was woven so tight he could only see glimpses of the sun overhead. He kept track of his footsteps, but he lost count after a while.


    They reached a small clearing where the sun shone down in a near perfect circle. The earth had been disturbed in the center, bushes ripped out of the ground and chunks of dirt thrown all over the place.


    The leaves were speckled with dried blood.


    ¡°This must be it,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Where the man was attacked.¡±


    Lace walked further into the clearing. Her feet crunched on white branches. Kiren stooped down and picked up one of them.


    Not branches. Bones.


    Human.


    Lace jumped when she saw it.


    ¡°This must be the woodsman,¡± Kiren said. He dropped the bone and wiped his hands on his jerkin.


    ¡°They left him here,¡± Lace said. ¡°They didn¡¯t even bury his remains.¡±


    Kiren spotted more bones strewn around the clearing. They were picked clean, and some had been cracked open to get to the marrow. He found scraps of fabric, made stiff by dried blood. He even found teeth where they had been spat out in a neat little pile, as well as a skull that had been gingerly rested atop a pile of bones, bits of rotting flesh still stuck to the cranium.


    The only thing missing was the one thing he had expected to see.


    ¡°This is¡­ I don¡¯t even have the words,¡± Lace said. She stood and faced Kiren. ¡°We have to bury him before we keep going.¡±


    ¡°Forget about all that,¡± Kiren said. ¡°There was no axe.¡±


    Lace frowned. ¡°No axe? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°What kind of woodsman doesn¡¯t bring an axe? Especially if he knew the forest was infested with Beasts.¡±


    ¡°What does that matter now?¡± Lace asked. ¡° He¡¯s dead. We need to make sure he gets a proper burial. If you won¡¯t help, I¡¯ll do it alone.¡±


    Kiren rolled his eyes. ¡°Fine. Go ahead.¡±


    Waste of time.


    He watched as Lace gathered all the pieces of the woodsman that she could find. She gathered them up in the remains of what had once been his shirt and carried them to the edge of the forest. She took Kiren¡¯s spear and dug in the dry soil until she had made a shallow pit. She placed the bones inside and filled the grave back up, then piled up a few rocks at the head of it as a marker.


    Lace said a few words of prayer and handed the weapon back.


    ¡°There. Are we done now?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°Yeah. It wouldn¡¯t hurt you to show a bit of respect for the dead.¡±


    Kiren snorted. ¡°If you wanted to respect the dead in the Slog, you¡¯d be at prayer every waking moment.¡±


    They returned to the clearing and looked around for any signs of where the Beast might have gone. Lace found some tracks, too long to be human, with toes that almost resembled paw pads. The tracks ran all over the clearing with seemingly no pattern, but they found a set that led away, deeper into the forest.


    They followed the tracks, Kiren taking up the lead and Lace following behind. The tracks went cold, but they found another set close by that ran in the same direction. Hours must have passed that way, the way the sun had moved, following the tracks this way and that.


    We¡¯re running out of time. Better find this thing fast.


    ¡°Before we actually fight this thing,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Do you know how to use that bow?¡±


    ¡°My Dad had one,¡± Lace said. ¡°I would shoot it sometimes as a kid. I tried to, at least. The draw weight was pretty heavy.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not very good at it.¡±


    Kiren pursed his lips. ¡°Alright. Fair enough.¡±


    ¡°How about you? Have you ever used a spear?¡±


    ¡°Never held one before.¡±


    ¡°This might get interesting, then,¡± Lace said with a nervous chuckle.


    A faint crunch pierced the silence of the undergrowth, then a series of wet snorts. Kiren stopped in his tracks and held out a hand. Lace nearly bumped into him. He put a finger over his mouth, then took his spear in both hands.


    ¡°Hear that?¡± he asked.


    A dry slapping sound, followed by a hoarse growl.Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not just an animal?¡± Lace whispered.


    ¡°You ever hear an animal that sounded like that?¡±


    A low whimper, almost human, followed by more crunching.


    ¡°Yeah, fair enough. Let¡¯s try to sneak up on it. We need to know what we¡¯re dealing with.¡±


    Kiren nodded. He dropped to a crouch and approached through the undergrowth. He kept each step slow and deliberate, careful not to step on any twigs or berry bushes, keeping to the rocks and soft moss.


    He came up to a gap in the trees by a small stream that ran over a slight, rocky incline. Next to the water sat a hunch-backed creature, its skin tinted a dark, brownish red. Its long, slender forelimbs held down a weakly struggling bird. The Beast bent down and took large bites out of the animal, tearing with an elongated, powerful jaw. Blood dripped down its chin, feathers stuck to the rough, wrinkled skin. Its spine poked through the skin, protruding into sharp, spear-like points. It had nothing between its legs except for a pouch of puckered skin.


    The bird screeched and flapped its wings weakly. The Beast let out a low, rattling sound that sounded almost like laughter.


    Kiren shuddered.


    It¡¯s enjoying the bird¡¯s misery.


    After a minute or two, the bird expired. Seemingly grown bored with its game, the Beast threw the half-eaten bird into the stream and stood.


    Hunting for sport. Sadistic bastard.


    It was taller than a man by half, with long, twiggy legs kept together with sinewy muscle. They ended in a pair of long, clawed feet.


    It walked away from them down the stream on two legs. It had a gait that was nearly human, but with a low center of gravity and careful, smooth steps that reminded him more of a predator at hunt.


    It was starting to blend with the trees, becoming harder to see. Kiren stalked along the treeline to keep up, but Lace grabbed him by his sleeve and held him back.


    ¡°Be careful!¡± she whispered. ¡°We can¡¯t tip it off!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to lose it, either,¡± Kiren said. ¡°We¡¯ve wasted enough time as it is.¡±


    The Beast seemed to pick up on something down the slope. It uttered a series of throaty sounds that almost sounded like words, just beyond comprehension, and took off in a hunched-over run. He quickly lost it among the trees.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Kiren hissed.


    He shoved Lace off of him and set off after the Beast, sprinting down the shallow slope.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Lace called after him. ¡°Be careful!¡±


    Kiren ignored her.


    Can¡¯t afford to lose this thing. Like it or not, the Heroes are the only ones strong enough to kill Father. If I can¡¯t learn from them, I¡¯ll never have the power I need.


    He followed the stream down, favoring speed over stealth. He traced the fresh footprints the Beast had left, clear impressions in the dirt and claw marks in the moss.


    They stopped abruptly. Kiren looked up, gripping his spear tightly. He scanned the treeline, but there was no sign of the monster.


    ¡°Easy prey¡­¡± a thin, hoarse voice whispered in his ear.


    Kiren spun around. A cold, bony limb struck his head. His head lit up with dull pain as he staggered back. He tripped over his feet and fell backward.


    The Beast towered over him, blood-mixed slaver dripping from its long snout. Its breath wafted towards him, stinking of rotting mulch and dead meat. Kiren gagged at the smell.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­ little birdy¡­¡± the Beast said. Its horse-like mouth moved in exaggerated motions when it spoke as if it struggled to form words. ¡°I will take gooddd care of you.¡±


    Kiren¡¯s breathing quickened. The Beast leaned in closer, its mouth opening wide. The bones in its jaw cracked and the muscles unraveled, allowing it to gape as wide as a torso.


    Don¡¯t freeze. Do something! Kill it!


    Kiren gripped his spear tightly and thrust it at the Beast¡¯s elongated mouth. The creature caught the blade in its hand. It cut straight through but didn¡¯t seem to cause the Beast any pain. A trickle of black blood flowed down the shaft.


    The Beast wrenched the spear. Kiren clenched his teeth and kept a firm grip, but the shaft splintered near the blade, and he was left with only a ruined length of wood.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fight¡­ pretty birdyyy,¡± the Beast said in almost a sing-song tone.


    Kiren beat it over the head with the spear shaft. Its head snapped to the side, and it let out a low growl from the base of its twisted throat. Its head swiveled back, and it threw its whole weight onto him.


    A sharp jolt rattled Kiren¡¯s insides. He looked down. One of the Beast¡¯s clawed hands had pierced through his abdomen, fingers digging through his intestines. The shock numbed the pain, but the sensation alone was enough to make him blanch.


    He growled and struck the Beast¡¯s skinny arm with his elbow. The limb crunched, but the bone simply flexed out of the way like a muscle.


    ¡°Unmaker¡¯s tits,¡± Kiren swore. ¡°You don¡¯t fucking fight fair, do you?¡±


    He dug his nails through the creature¡¯s raw, loose skin, managing to draw some of that black blood. It didn¡¯t let up its grip.


    Kiren¡¯s regeneration was frantically trying to close up the wound in his stomach, but the Beast kept clawing it open, cackling while its open mouth lowered towards his head.


    Fuck¡­


    A gust of wind made the Beast lose its footing for a moment. Kiren brought his feet up and kicked the creature, knocking it off him. An arrow poked out of its back.


    Kiren rolled onto his stomach. The pain finally hit, wrenching his abdomen. His limbs went stiff as he struggled to breathe.


    Fight it.


    He got onto his knees with gritted teeth, one hand on the ground and the other holding in his guts.


    The bloody gap in his stomach slowly closed. He breathed in shallow rattles, every breath sending a wave of pain up through his torso.


    Lace stood up the slope, an arrow nocked and drawn. Her hand trembled with the effort to keep the string taut.


    She let loose and a howling wind followed, pushing the arrow forward. It buried itself deeply in the Beast¡¯s chest. The creature let out a shuddering wail and rolled around on the ground.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve waited!¡± Lace shouted.


    ¡°You were taking too long!¡± Kiren growled.


    He had recovered enough to move. He walked towards the Beast. He bent down with a groan and picked up the spear shaft.


    ¡°Kiren, stay away! I can¡¯t use my wind if you¡¯re too close!¡±


    ¡°I need to finish this thing off.¡±


    Kiren raised the implement over his head and brought it down on the Beast once, twice, three times. Its dry flesh crunched. He caught it good in the head, caving in one of its beady eye-sockets.


    The Beast lashed out with one of its hands, knocking the stick from Kiren¡¯s hands and drawing three gashes up his chest. Kiren growled and took hold of the Beast¡¯s arm with both hands, putting a foot against its withered shoulder. He pulled with all his strength and the limb came off with a putrid sucking sound.


    ¡°Not fairrr!¡± the Beast screeched. It wriggled and kicked its long legs. Kiren jumped back to avoid getting hit. ¡°I will¡­ make you¡­ my f-f-fleshhh¡­¡±


    It worked its way up on its legs. Its shoulder wept tears of deepest night, tendrils of putrid, grey flesh squirming from the socket. It turned and ran, leaping over rocks and roots with a gait more akin to that of a bird than a human.


    Kiren went after it, but his stomach flared with pain and he dropped to one knee. Another arrow whizzed by him, accompanied by a wind that jostled the nearby trees, but the arrow narrowly missed the creature and embedded itself in a tree trunk.


    ¡°Bastard,¡± Kiren muttered.


    He tried to stand but fell over on his side. He gasped with pain. The regeneration working through his insides felt like someone knitting him back up with thread and needle. It made him want to puke.


    ¡°Stay down,¡± Lace said, crouching next to him. ¡°You¡¯re still hurt. Let your regeneration take care of it, then we¡¯ll go after the Beast.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Kiren growled.


    ¡°You¡¯re too bull-headed. You should have waited for a moment to ambush.¡±


    ¡°Not the time.¡±


    ¡°Still. You know I¡¯m right. The Beast was baiting you into a trap. We would have known that if we¡¯d waited.¡±


    ¡°Sunset is almost upon us. You propose to wait until our time runs dry? Until Excelerate grows bored of us and leaves us here to rot?¡±


    Kiren¡¯s body was mostly healed. He went over to the severed arm of the Beast, which wriggled and grasped at the ground, fully animated. He pinned it beneath his foot and pulled the spear tip out of the hand. He gave it a few swings. It would still be decent as a knife.


    ¡°We have to make a binding circle,¡± Lace said. ¡°A quick one, at least. Left alone, the Beast¡¯s flesh will poison the area.¡±


    ¡°Lace, really? Now?¡± Kiren pointed at the sky, which had started to turn a blazing orange. ¡°We need to kill the Beast and present evidence of the kill. Your fucking rituals can wait.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Lace said. ¡°We¡¯ll inform the villagers once the threat is over. They can go out and construct binding circles themselves.¡±


    Kiren nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s go. Unless you have any other objections? Need to tie your shoes, perhaps? Take a leak?¡±


    Lace¡¯s face reddened. ¡°At least I¡¯m not the one who made this mess. I¡¯m just trying to do this thoroughly.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    They followed the Beast¡¯s uneven tracks deeper into the forest.

 7. The Limit, Part 1

    7. The Limit


    Lace walked with the bow in her left hand, an arrow in the off-hand hand ready to be nocked.


    So stubborn, she thought, staring at Kiren¡¯s back as he climbed over a boulder. If he keeps running off like that he¡¯ll get himself killed, regeneration or not.


    He did have a point, though. The sun would set soon. There was no time to play around.


    Lace held down her quiver as she clambered up the boulder after him.


    Maybe we could use that recklessness to our advantage.


    ¡°We know the Beast is capable of laying traps,¡± Lace said. ¡°So let¡¯s not fall into another one.¡±


    ¡°How do you expect us to do that?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°Well¡­ We haven¡¯t observed the Beast using tools so far, so a trap is most likely to come in the form of a simple ambush, just like before.¡±


    Lace clambered over the boulder. The slippery moss made her feet slide, forcing her to scramble for purchase. It was harder than Kiren made it look.


    ¡°The Beast knows we¡¯re hunting it, so it only needs to pick a location to stop and wait for us to approach, then spring out on us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like we can help that,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°No, not really,¡± Lace said. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say where the Beast will be hiding. We¡¯re not exactly master trackers, either, so that doesn¡¯t make it any easier. However, if the Beast wants to make a trap for us, we can make one for it.¡±


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Kiren stopped and looked back at her. ¡°You want to use me as bait.¡±


    ¡°I could be the bait!¡± Lace said. ¡°Except, I know how to use the bow, and my Power¡¯s pretty good for enhancing the impact of the arrows, so¡­¡±


    He sighed and kept walking. ¡°Right. What¡¯s your plan, then?¡±


    The first plan Kiren¡¯s willing to consider, and it involves him recklessly charging in as always. Of course.


    ¡°Well, head trauma didn¡¯t seem to do much to the Beast,¡± Lace said. ¡°I know Beasts don¡¯t have proper organs like humans do, so it stands to reason it wouldn¡¯t have a brain. Even ripping its arm off didn¡¯t incapacitate it.¡±


    ¡°How do we kill it, then? Dice it up into bits? We don¡¯t exactly have the weaponry for that.¡±


    ¡°No. I started thinking. The Beast has flowing blood. Which means that it must have a heart, or something similar, to transport it around the body. If we destroy that, it might kill the Beast, or at least stun it long enough so you can finish it off. Except, landing that kind of shot is pretty hard. I¡¯d need a good angle and enough time to line up the shot.¡±


    ¡°So you want me to be the bait while you hide in the bushes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly!¡±


    ¡°Anyone ever tell you that you think too much?¡±


    Lace smirked. ¡°A few.¡±


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t seem like we have any better plans. Let¡¯s do it.¡±


    They proceeded with Kiren in front and Lace following about ten meters behind on his right. She listened out for anything that might be indicative of the Beast, but the forest was deathly quiet.


    The further in they got, the more withered and rotten the trees and undergrowth were. A few oaks had sloughed off to the side as if the wood had lost all its integrity, and many of the bushes had shriveled and lost all their leaves. Every now and then, some tree bark came off in a dusty sheet.


    The Beasts must have been wreaking havoc here for some time now.


    We¡¯re going to put an end to that.


    They came across a clearing with bones arranged into little piles all over the ground. Most of them looking like animal bones, but she couldn¡¯t tell for sure. Some of them had been stacked into little figures. A bird with three heads, a three-legged deer with a snake inside its ribcage, a cat with feathers stuck to it. They were kept together at the joints with that Beastly, black blood.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Ropes of sinew had been tied between the branches and hung with small bones and bird skulls, forcing them to duck underneath to get through the clearing. The hanging bones rattled in the breeze.


    ¡°The fuck is this supposed to be?¡± Kiren muttered. He kicked one of the grotesque bone animals. It tipped over, making a clangor of clattering sounds.


    ¡°You idiot! Don¡¯t¡­¡±


    A shrill call pierced the silence of the forest. Then another.


    Then a whole host of them.


    Kiren raised his improvised knife. Lace nocked an arrow.


    A hand clawed out of the dirt and grabbed her ankle. Needle-sharp claws pierced the skin and dug into her flesh.


    Lace cried out and jumped back, claws snapping off inside her as she broke free of the grip. A twisted, bird-like head appeared from the dirt, followed by a thin body with almost a dozen sets of ribs protruding from its skin.


    Lace kicked the thing in the face and it fell backwards. More of them revealed themselves around her, reaching up to her waist. She counted five, six. Even more of them surrounded Kiren.


    ¡°Spawnlings!¡± Lace shouted.


    ¡°Yeah, I got that!¡± Kiren swiped at one of the Beasts, shearing clean through its jaw. The hoofed, pig-like creature did not seem impaired by this and launched itself at him with a series of inhuman snorts. It clung to his body, clawed forelimbs sinking into his flesh.


    The humanoid¡¯s cackling laughter echoed between the trees.


    ¡°Easyyy¡­¡± it said. The creature was out of sight, and its voice seemed to come from every direction at once.


    The spawnlings around Lace came at her from every direction.


    She shouldered the bow and raised her hands. She took in a deep breath and funnelled a pillar of air from above the treeline, all that was within her reach. Once it hit the ground she spread her hands horizontally and created a blast of wind that went out in all directions, knocking the undergrowth flat. The spawnlings were sent flying, smacking into trees or rolling across the ground.


    The chaotic burst of air sent Kiren stumbling with a string of curses. The pig-like spawnling managed to hold on and clawed up his arm. He hacked at it until a grasping forelimb came off. It released him and backed away cautiously.


    ¡°Could¡¯ve warned me about that one!¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°Sorry!¡±


    The spawnlings crawled back up, screeching and brandishing sharpened claws.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the big one?¡± Kiren asked, grappling with a pair of Beasts.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Lace shouted. ¡°Close, I think! But we can¡¯t deal with this many! We have to run!¡± She sent off another wind blast, knocking over the two Beasts closest to her.


    A spawnling jumped onto Kiren¡¯s back and tore out a chunk of his neck with a sharpened beak. He roared and reached behind him and grabbed the Beast. He threw it over his head and it landed on the ground in front of him. He stomped on its head, grey and black viscera flying.


    Blood flowed down his back and shoulder. He staggered and tried to stem the bleeding with one hand.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he growled, kicking away a spawnling. Two more took its place. ¡°We¡¯ve got to go.¡±


    ¡°Okay, get ready!¡± Lace shouted. She put her hands together, drawing in a deep breath.


    The spawnlings leapt for her, screeching utter contempt.


    She exhaled.


    The wind screamed, whirling around the epicenter of her body.


    Spawnlings were tossed aside, crashing against rocks and tree trunks. Kiren fell over, catching himself against a tree stem. The trees swayed, moaning as the wind passed through their branches.


    Though the wind didn¡¯t touch her, she felt it¡ªalmost like an extension of her body. It tore at the dying forest, clawed the breath from her lungs. She gasped for air, but nothing came.


    The winds whispered in her ear.


    Keep going, they whispered. Give us more. More.


    Their words sent a euphoric chill up her arms, making her lips tremble. The world around her faded. She was one with the wind. A distant, desperate part of her screamed for air.


    Need to breathe!


    Lace snapped her mouth shut and let her hold of the wind fade. The whirlwind dissipated and leaves drifted to the ground, a brief calm falling over the forest as everything settled.


    Lace gasped for breath, chest heaving. Slowly, her breathing returned to normal.


    She hurried over to Kiren and helped prop him back up on his feet. Together they ran, Lace hobbling from the pain that shot up her ankle with every other step.


    There was a drawback for every Power. Lace¡¯s was as ironic as it was fitting. The more wind she summoned to her command, the harder it became for her to breathe.


    ¡°How¡¯s there so many of them?¡± Kiren asked as they ran.


    ¡°You said it yourself! Beasts never show up alone! We were fools for thinking there¡¯d be just one.¡±


    Lace glanced back. The spawnlings were pursuing, only a few meters behind.


    ¡°We can¡¯t fight all of them,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Fuck the assignment! If we keep this up, we¡¯re going to end up dead!¡±


    ¡°What are you suggesting, then?¡± Lace¡¯s voice was almost drowned out by the chattering of Beasts and the insistent clawing of their feet.


    ¡°Go back to the village! If Excelerate¡¯s still there, have him clean up this mess! If not, at least we¡¯ll have more bodies to stem the tide!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t do that! They don¡¯t know how to defend themselves! If any of them die, their deaths are on us!¡±


    Lace leapt over a large rock. Her ankle buckled when she landed and she fell on her knees. Kiren dragged her up and slashed at a Beast that nipped at her. They kept going, and Lace didn¡¯t dare look back.


    ¡°This is not the time to play hero! It¡¯s our lives we¡¯re talking about!¡±


    ¡°We have to divert them. Lead them away from the village so no one gets hurt.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not listening!¡± Kiren shouted. ¡°You might be fine throwing your life away in this rotten, stinking forest, but I¡¯m not! If you won¡¯t save yourself, I¡¯m going it alone!¡±


    ¡°I''m thinking!¡±


    There¡¯s no other options. No way out of this.


    Wait¡­


    The gorge!

 7. The Limit, Part 2

    ¡°Remember the gorge I told you about?¡± Lace asked. ¡°It should run through the forest! If we can get across it, we might stand a chance at keeping them at bay and keeping the villagers safe!¡±


    A spawnling jumped down from a tree, shrieking as it plummeted towards Lace. Kiren batted it out of the air and stomped on it in passing, caving in its bulbous chest with a dry crunch before he kept going.


    ¡°Sounds like that¡¯s about as likely to get us killed as solving our problem!¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡±


    ¡°Not really!¡±


    ¡°Then follow my lead!¡±


    Lace made a quick estimation of where the gorge would be. The river had been on their left when they entered the forest but probably dipped to the south at some point. Judging by the location of the sun, they were roughly headed north.


    ¡°The gorge should be behind us!¡± Lace said. ¡°If we go in a wide circle, we should be able to keep the Beasts off us while we double back!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a better idea!¡± Kiren said. ¡°Give these fuckers some air, will you?¡±


    Oh, boy. Another one of Kiren¡¯s brilliant feats, coming up¡­


    Lace skidded to a stop and spun around. The spawnlings were just behind her, skittering like insects along the ground. One of them jumped for her. Lace threw out her arms and commanded the wind. A blast of air threw away all nearby spawnlings. The jumping spawnling dug a clawed hand into her forearm, drawing a set of bloody tracks down it before being tossed aside.


    Lace struggled to catch her breath as if she had cobwebs in her throat. Cold sweat beaded her forehead.


    Kiren rushed through the spawnlings, hacking at the ones in his way with his rusty blade. Lace followed in his wake. A few of the Beasts jumped onto him¡ªclawing, tearing and biting at his flesh. He hissed and threw them off one by one, slicing limbs where they clutched too tight.


    They reached the end of the spawnlings and kept running. Kiren had a staggering gait, his body covered in bleeding wounds that soaked most of his jerkin. She struggled to keep up.


    Something yanked her leg. Lace fell hard, arrows spilling from her quiver. Her head burst into a brilliant spectrum of colors, crackling with pain. She groaned and rolled onto her back, unable to get back up.


    Spawnlings crawled on top of her. She couldn¡¯t see them, but she could feel them. Cold skin, moving like spiders across her, weighing her chest down until her already constricted breathing became impossible.


    She needed to breathe. She flailed her arms as her lungs emptied, the air gradually squeezed out of them.


    She called on the wind, but it didn¡¯t answer.


    Memories flashed, unbidden.


    Kiren¡¯s hands had been so very cold, that day. He¡¯d held her tightly, so tight she could feel her bones creaking.


    Not now. Not now, please.


    The voice echoed inside her head. The one that always seemed to crawl through whatever barriers she put up.


    You¡¯re a brave one, aren¡¯t you?


    You¡¯re dying, poor thing.


    You¡¯ll die, and no one will remember your name.


    The terrible weight was suddenly lifted off her. She sucked in a breath, desperate and free, and the wind surged with her, knocking off another handful skittering creatures.


    She was pulled into a sitting position by her tunic. She blinked until her vision slowly came into focus. Kiren stood in front of her, like a shield against the Beasts surging around them. He kept his back straight as they rent his flesh and spilled his blood. He stumbled but kept his footing.


    ¡°Get up, you fucking mong! You think I¡¯m going to stand here forever?¡±


    Lace snapped out of it. She flipped around on her stomach with a groan and got on her hands and knees, trembling with every aching breath.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± she breathed. ¡°Got to get up¡­¡±


    She pushed herself up, but her arms were too weak and she fell back down.


    A breeze tickled the side of her face.


    More, it whispered.


    Her vision flooded with white fog, and a sudden jolt knocked her onto her feet. The fog dissipated into fleeting wisps, shining like silk, and eventually those dispersed as well.


    ¡°What the hell¡­?¡± she said.


    Kiren looked back. ¡°Hurry it up!¡±


    Kiren struggled to get himself loose from the group of Beasts as they crowded around him. When he got one of them off, another immediately took its place. More Beasts came out of the woods, almost thirty of them in total at a quick count.


    Okay, I need one more. Just one more.


    She put out one hand and braced it with the other.


    ¡°Kiren, jump!¡± she shouted.


    He looked back briefly, swore, and threw himself to the right into a patch of small bushes.


    Lace let the wind spiral around her arm and extend outward, pushing all the nearby air into a narrow funnel. The Beasts were knocked aside, thrown onto their backs.


    More, the wind whispered.


    Lace gasped for air as she relinquished her hold of the wind. She used her Power to push some down her throat, but it didn¡¯t seem to make a difference.


    Kiren got on his feet, bleeding from every part of his body. He nodded to Lace, and they both shambled towards the south.


    ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± Lace said.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°I sure hope so,¡± Kiren said.


    They ran like possessed.


    Kiren¡¯s jerkin had been torn to shreds. His many wounds were taking longer to heal¡ªseveral minutes passed and most of them were still bleeding. Those that were completely healed had closed over with ugly, puckered skin, sometimes bulging out in small lumps, even restricting his movement.


    His Power must be reaching its limit, too. The more he heals, the more his body struggles to keep up, the more mistakes it makes.


    Lace reached back for her quiver. A single arrow still rattled in there.


    Her ankle stung sharply and her shoe squelched with blood. Every step became more of a struggle. She wouldn¡¯t be able to keep this up for much longer.


    ¡°Hear that?¡± Kiren asked as they ran. He held up a branch as she passed, then let it go so that it whipped a spawnling in its shrunken head.


    Lace strained her ears. Over her labored breaths, their uneven footsteps, the screeching wails of the Beasts, she heard something else. A clear, echoing purl, distant but getting closer.


    The river!


    They reached the end of the treeline and Lace skidded to a stop. A deep, rocky gorge cut the forest in half, at least three meters wide, stretching out to the left and right.


    The humanoid stood before the edge of the gorge on their side. A line of dark, smoky fire, peaks as tall as a man, raged in front of it, making a thick wall. The Beast scraped its limbless shoulder and fed the fire with its own black blood, making it rage even higher.


    ¡°Fleshhh¡­¡± the Beast hissed. ¡°Steal your skinsss¡­ Come. Come. Come. Let me¡­ wear youuu¡­¡±


    Lace glanced back. The spawnlings were emerging from the treeline behind them, chattering with dark glee. The humanoid gestured with its one hand, and the line of flames began moving towards them, leaving blackened ground in its wake.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re in a bit of trouble,¡± Kiren said. ¡°You didn¡¯t happen to think of a plan for magic fire, did you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lace said. ¡°Not quite.¡±


    ¡°I was afraid of that.¡±


    ¡°Come!¡± the humanoid screeched.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± Lace asked.


    The spawnlings hung back, jeering at the edge of the trees.


    Lace drew her bow, which luckily hadn¡¯t cracked. This was as good of a chance as she¡¯d get to end the Beast.


    It probably won¡¯t save us, but it¡¯s worth a shot.


    Kiren cracked his neck one way, then the other. ¡°I¡¯m gonna give the fucker what he wants. Get ready to run.¡±


    What? No!


    ¡°Kiren, don¡¯t do anything¡ª¡±


    He took off in a sprint. He shielded his face with his hands and slipped through the flames. He let out an anguished cry as dark fire engulfed his torso, clawing hungrily as if it had a life of its own. He kept running, blade held high.


    Straight at the Beast.


    The creature attempted to dodge, but it was too late. Kiren slammed into it, driving his improvised knife deep into its chest, and sent them both toppling over the edge into the chasm below, wreathed in flames.


    Lace gasped and the spawnlings screamed.


    The flames wavered, their color returning back to what might be considered normal, bright oranges and yellows dancing.


    ¡°Kiren, you absolute idiot!¡±


    Lace spotted a gap in the flames. She ran for it. Something felt wrong in her ankle, each step sending a worrying crunch up her leg.


    The spawnlings followed, worked into a frenzy.


    One more.


    She got past the fire and ran to the edge of the gorge. There was no time to wait and collect herself. She threw herself over the edge, aiming for the other side, and yelled at the top of her lungs. The wind shoved her, carried her. She flipped over in the air. The world spun. She saw the sky, then the dark chasm below.


    She landed on firm ground¡ªbow flying from her grip¡ªrolled, and came to a stop.


    She gasped for breath and looked up, blowing hair from her face. An unintended¡ªbut welcome¡ªconsequence of her wind was that it had stoked the flames on the other side, making it nearly impassable once more. The spawnlings were forced to go around it, but the fire stretched a good distance.


    There¡¯s water below. Kiren might still be alive.


    She crawled to the edge of the gorge and looked down.


    Kiren dangled from her side of the cliff face, hanging from one hand. It had been impaled on the branch of a tree growing out from the cliff. He was attempting to get a grip on the uneven rock, but his hand slipped each time he tried as he muttered curses to himself.


    ¡°Kiren!¡± Lace said. She got to the very edge of the cliff face and put down her arm for him to hold onto. ¡°Here! My hand!¡±


    The humanoid struggled at the bottom of the gorge. It let out an echoing scream and started climbing up the side, going straight for Kiren. Despite its missing limb, it moved with startling speed, plunging its curved claws into the stone with ear-wrenching, scraping sounds.


    ¡°Hurry!¡± Lace said, more insistently. She could barely make words, her throat constricted and dry.


    Kiren reached for her hand with his free one, gritting his teeth. Blood spilled down his impaled hand. His regeneration created pulsing, mutated flesh around the branch.


    Lace reached down. Their hands were too far apart. She leaned down a little further, hooking her foot in a crack in the stone. It was still too far, about the length of a foot separating their hands.


    Tears crowded the corners of her eyes, muddling her vision.


    The humanoid still crawled, more than halfway up.


    Kiren looked down. His lips went into a thin line.


    ¡°I¡¯m dead,¡± he said. ¡°You should run. You might make it if you go now.¡±


    Lace reached down further. She squeezed the last bit of air from her lungs in a stuttering exhalation.


    I can¡¯t let this happen. Not again.


    Help.


    A white, translucent limb extended from her arm. Wispy, ethereal tendrils made fingers. It grabbed Kiren¡¯s wrist.


    Lace couldn¡¯t make words, so she smiled instead. To show him it was going to be okay.


    She pulled with all she had, strained tired muscles and forced new life into them, even as breath failed her and her lungs ached with the need for air.


    The pain doubled, but she ignored it. She lifted him up, and his hand slipped off the branch, and Lace¡¯s smile widened. He got the ruined hand over the edge of the chasm and lifted himself onto solid ground.


    Lace collapsed next to him. The ghostly arm dematerialized.


    That was it. It was all she could do. Her chest heaved, but no air came in. She sucked for air like a stranded fish.


    The humanoid crawled over the side. It twisted its body and stood at full height, towering over them in the amber glow of the setting sun. Kiren tried to stand up, but he fell back down.


    Lace pulled herself over to where her bow lay discarded. Her vision tunneled as no breath came. She caught the handle, spun onto her back, and nocked the last arrow in her quiver. She found no strength to draw the string. She had used everything.


    The Beast regarded her. Its lips split in a ghastly smile once it saw her falter and turned its attention to Kiren. The creature pulled his leg so that he lay firmly on his back and raised its clawed hand for the death stroke.


    ¡°Know¡­ my name¡­ b-before you dieee¡­¡± the Beast spoke. ¡°Nasaizh.¡±


    The translucent hand wrapped itself around Lace¡¯s. With its strength added to hers, she pulled the string back to her ear, quivering with the effort.


    She aimed.


    And let loose.


    The arrow struck the Beast square in the chest. It let out a distorted howl, flesh undulating as it stumbled back. Its long legs faltered and it fell over the edge of the chasm. Its screams echoed up the rock walls, eventually fading.


    ¡°Okay, I think that¡¯s enough.¡±


    A black streak sped across the chasm.


    Excelerate stood before them, arms tucked into his robe. He watched them both with the same half-lidded, neutral expression as always.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cut you some slack and count that as a win,¡± he said.


    Lace fell back, gasping. No air came.


    No air.


    She clawed at her throat.


    No air¡­


    The world faded into black.

 8. "Master"

    8. "Master"


    It didn¡¯t take long for Excelerate to mop up the mess. He hunted down and killed about half of the spawnlings in less than a minute, crushing them completely with kicks faster than the human eye could follow. The rest fled back into the forest, and he didn¡¯t pursue.


    Kiren kept an eye on Lace. She had slipped out of consciousness and her lips were going blue.


    She should have run, he thought.


    He stroked a bit of hair out of her face. She was still smiling. In this light, despite the deathly pallor that had come over her face, she looked pretty.


    No. I won¡¯t let you go. You can¡¯t do something like that and then die.


    He leaned in and pulled down her chin, opening her mouth. Her cold lips met with his, and he blew air into her lungs.


    It did nothing.


    He tried again.


    Nothing.


    He gritted his teeth, clutching his bleeding left hand. The faulty flesh squelched and his arm trembled with pain.


    He tried again.


    ¡°Come on.¡±


    There was a sudden, sharp tug at his scalp. He was lifted up by his hair, and he cried out at the wrenching pain.


    ¡°Give her some space,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°You¡¯re not helping anyone.¡±


    Kiren struggled, but he hardly had any control of his limbs. Excelerate put him down to the side and kept two fingers on his chest to keep him from running back to her.


    Lace¡¯s eyes came open and she sucked in a shallow breath. She looked around blearily, but her eyes didn¡¯t focus on anything.


    ¡°She needs proper care,¡± Excelerate said. He shoved Kiren to the side, bent down and picked her up. ¡°I¡¯ll take her back to the Lodge. You stay here. I¡¯ll be back for you.¡±


    ¡°You were there,¡± Kiren said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long, but you saw what happened. You would have let us die.¡±


    Excelerate shrugged. ¡°Yes.¡±


    He became a dull streak, throwing up leaves. He crossed the gorge, and after only a second or two he was gone.


    Kiren collapsed, unable to control his shaking limbs.


    Fuck you, Excelerate.


    *****


    Kiren was in a house filled with laughter and light and the earthy smell of honest work. He was about to sleep, on his very own mattress, beneath a roof that was solid and safe.


    Mother leaned down and kissed his forehead. Her face was pale and framed by black locks. It was the most beautiful thing he¡¯d ever seen. He giggled when her hair tickled his neck and wriggled deeper beneath his blanket.


    Father stood near the doorway. His face was a grey blur, and his body was continuously morphing, one second short and stocky and the next tall and lanky.


    ¡°Sleep now, my little Bean,¡± Mother said. ¡°Tomorrow, we will bake bread, and you will bring a basketful to Grandmother. If you¡¯re good, I might buy you something nice from the tinker.¡±


    The tinker! He always had so many things up his sleeve, each trinket more fabulous than the next.


    Father¡¯s body ballooned. Growing, shrinking, then growing even larger. He took up all of the doorframe, bloated with squirming muscle.


    Mother turned to leave the room and took the candle with her.


    Father took ahold of her with one hand and lifted her up by her throat. She tried to scream, but only a hoarse whisper came out. He squeezed and squeezed until she croaked like a frog, squeezed some more until there was a crack and she went still.


    There was a red daze around him, lightning arcing off his body. It oscillated and grew in intensity. The red energy set fire to the walls, bright flames crawling up the walls.


    Kiren wanted to pull himself under the blanket, but his body was frozen. No part of him would move, not even a finger.


    ¡°I¡¯m home, son,¡± Father said.


    He laughed as Kiren¡¯s home burned.


    *****


    Kiren jolted awake. He looked around a familiar, bright room and his movements were restricted by bandages. His mouth was bone dry, his joints protested with the slightest movement, and his muscles quivered at the slightest strain.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    A little girl¡¯s face appeared right in front of him, pale and with black curls framing her cheeks. She wore a huge smile, showing needle-sharp teeth. Her eyes were a deep red.


    Kiren started.


    ¡°He¡¯s awake!¡± the girl said.


    Mina, the doctor¡¯s assistant. She skipped over to the open door and peeked into the hall. ¡°Doctor! The ugly one¡¯s awake!¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯re you calling ugly?¡± Kiren growled.


    He looked to his left. The bed next to him was empty.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Lace?¡± he asked.


    The girl didn¡¯t answer.


    Good Doctor walked into the room, her hands hidden beneath the folds of her roomy coat. She handed Mina a small vial of blood, and the girl ran off with a stifled giggle.


    ¡°Where is Lace?¡± Kiren asked, more insistently this time.


    ¡°Slow down, there,¡± Good Doctor said. ¡°Gotten a bit attached, have you?¡± She walked over to the side of the bed, a hand on the rail.


    Kiren reached up and grabbed the woman¡¯s collar, ignoring the pain. ¡°Tell me. Right now.¡±


    A series of muscle spasms went through his arm. It went numb in seconds, and his grip twitched open. He fell back onto the bed with a low groan.


    ¡°There you go,¡± Good Doctor said, taking a thin needle out of his forearm and discarding it onto a table. ¡°No fussing, now. You¡¯re still recovering from your injuries.¡±


    ¡°Where¡­?¡±


    Kiren looked up. Lace stood in the doorway. She clutched the frame tightly, as if afraid she might fall, but the color had returned to her face. She was smiling.


    ¡°Seems like I always recover faster than you,¡± she said, walking up to his bed. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re the one with the regeneration?¡±


    ¡°Fuck off,¡± Kiren said, fighting down a chuckle.


    His body relaxed, muscles unwinding.


    ¡°Your injuries were¡­ extensive,¡± Good Doctor said. ¡°And frankly, a little disturbing. We were forced to operate on the mutated growths one by one, giving your Power the time it needed to properly heal the damage done to your body. For now, all you need is rest.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± Kiren said. ¡°When can I start walking around?¡±


    ¡°A few days, if I were in charge,¡± Good Doctor said dryly. ¡°That would teach you a lesson, if nothing else. Unfortunately, Jorge has insisted on having you up and ready as soon as possible.¡±


    Kiren frowned. ¡°Jorge?¡±


    Lace looked just as confused.


    ¡°Excelerate, as he may well want to be known.¡±


    Kiren snorted out a chuckle and grimaced at the pricking needles across his chest. ¡°He didn¡¯t strike me as a Jorge.¡±


    Lace¡¯s eyes widened and her face lit up.


    She was no doubt overjoyed at knowing the true name of a Hero.


    Such a busybody.


    The doctor¡¯s face darkened, all motherly mirth disappearing. ¡°What he subjected you to is far outside acceptable training regimen. We have asked him numerous times to cease this type of treatment of his apprentices. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s gone too far this time, as you must well know. If you would like to file a complaint, the Guild can make sure his actions are punished through expulsion, A Rank or not. Your testimony is all that would be needed to convince Bloodhound of his ill intent.¡±


    Kiren grinned at that.


    Fucking deserves it, the prick. He would have left us there to die if it hadn¡¯t struck him as convenient.


    His smile faded a little when he realized that Excelerate was also their only meal ticket. Without him, they had no entryway into the Guild.


    He traded a look with Lace. She seemed just as conflicted.


    Kiren shrugged.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for a complaint,¡± Lace said. ¡°What happened at Winewater Village was an accident. We misstepped, and Jo¡ª ahem, Excelerate did his best to pull us out of the situation. If not for him, we would both be dead.¡±


    Good Doctor regarded Lace for several long, silent seconds, eyebrow cocked.


    ¡°Whatever you think you¡¯re gaining by apprenticing for him, you¡¯re not getting it. Jorge is the best of the best when it comes to hunting Villains, but that¡¯s all he¡¯s good at. You¡¯ll end up dead, just like the other apprentices he¡¯s paraded around like toy soldiers over the years. Now, as someone who has invested significant time and effort into keeping you alive, that seems like a poor outcome.¡±


    ¡°We appreciate the concern,¡± Kiren said. ¡°But it¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    She harrumphed. ¡°Very well, then. Acting like that, let¡¯s see if I feel so kind as to devote my time to you the next time you end up in this bed.¡±


    She spun on her heel, coat billowing around her, and put a hand on Lace¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Make sure he doesn¡¯t hurt himself. I know he won¡¯t say in bed, but no running, and certainly no fighting, until he¡¯s fully healed. That could take hours or days, I¡¯m not familiar enough with his Power to say, but keep him out of trouble until then.¡±


    With that, she left the room.


    Kiren breathed a deep sigh.


    ¡°We made it,¡± Lace said as soon as they were alone. ¡°Excelerate said he¡¯d take us on. We¡¯re apprentices, now. Truly.¡±


    ¡°How come I feel like that might be more of a curse than a blessing?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to keep ourselves safe. We can¡¯t rely on Excelerate to keep us away from harm or show us the ropes. What happened back there made that clear enough.¡± She shrugged and her smile returned. ¡°That being said, it¡¯s still an amazing opportunity, isn¡¯t it? We¡¯ll learn from the best. We¡¯ll get access to all the equipment in the Lodge. Once we¡¯re inducted, we¡¯ll get to live and eat here for free. And one day¡­¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t die,¡± Kiren added.


    ¡°And one day, if we don¡¯t die, we¡¯ll be Heroes all our own.¡± Lace¡¯s smile widened. ¡°That sounds like a future worth enduring some Beasts.¡±


    Kiren felt a tug at his lips. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°So let¡¯s put up with Excelerate for now, see what he has in store for us.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Kiren said with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve learned three things from this. Firstly, never trust a Hero. Secondly, there¡¯s always more Beasts. Thirdly, they never fucking die.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it,¡± Lace said. ¡°We really don¡¯t need any more of that in our lives.¡±


    Footsteps sounded down the hall. Excelerate entered the room and shut the door behind him. He looked at Kiren and nodded slightly.


    ¡°Good. You¡¯re awake. We¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Jorge,¡± Kiren said.


    Excelerate¡¯s face went sour, the corner of his mouth twitching.


    ¡°That¡¯s Master to you.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say, Master Jorge.¡±


    I might not be able to get him kicked out of the Guild, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t mess with him a little.


    Excelerate sighed. ¡°Play your childish games, if you must. Can you walk?¡±


    Kiren shrugged. ¡°I dunno. Let¡¯s see.¡±


    He worked his legs over the side of the bed, threw the covers aside, and put his feet on the floor. There was some pain, and his skin felt tight at certain spots on his legs and torso, but he could endure it. Lace helped him stand. Once he was up he could keep his balance on his own.


    ¡°Good,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Be ready outside in a quarter hour. We have work to do.¡±


    ¡°So soon?¡± Lace asked. ¡°Respectfully, Master, Kiren is still recovering. Good Doctor said he¡¯s to rest and keep away from strenuous activity until he¡¯s fully recovered.¡±


    ¡°Nothing like that,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°You¡¯ll be seeing the fruits of your labor. We¡¯re going back to Winewater Village for a little visit.¡±

 9. A Good Man, Part 1

    9. A Good Man


    The carriage rumbled down the dirt road, pulled by a pair of horses.


    While Kiren was grateful to not be manhandled, he couldn¡¯t think of a reason why Excelerate didn¡¯t simply transport them the way he had the previous day. Every bump in the road sent a jolt of pain through every tiny injury he had sustained. He kept his teeth clenched tight to prevent himself from crying out.


    Excelerate sat opposite him and Lace. He looked out of the open window, a hand propped under his chin. His greying hair hung down over his eyes.


    Looking closer, Kiren noticed that his eyes were actually closed.


    ¡°He¡¯s fast asleep, the bastard,¡± Kiren muttered.


    Lace giggled.


    He paused, glancing at her. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re okay? No bad effects from what happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a struggle to breathe, and I was told my ankle might bug me for a while, but that¡¯s about it,¡± Lace said. ¡° All thanks to Good Doctor, of course¡ªwithout her aid, I don¡¯t know what would have happened. She did say that if I¡¯d used my Power one more time, I would have died for sure.¡± She shuddered. ¡°I¡¯m glad it didn¡¯t come to that.¡± She smiled shakily.


    Kiren nodded. ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ what do you think we¡¯re doing? We didn¡¯t kill all the Beasts outside Winewater Village, but he said we wouldn¡¯t be doing anything strenuous, so it must be something else.¡±


    Kiren shrugged. ¡°No idea. Hopefully, he¡¯ll deign to tell us.¡±


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll find out once we get there.¡±


    The carriage ride to the village took a little over an hour, according to Kiren¡¯s approximation. Excelerate stood the moment the carriage stopped, from fully asleep to fully awake inside a few seconds.


    As they exited, villagers had already gathered outside. They thanked Excelerate and performed prayers as they touched him or tugged at his cloak.


    ¡°You saved our village!¡± one man cried.


    ¡°Praise the Heroes¡¯ Guild!¡± a woman called, clutching a baby to her bosom.


    The Hero ignored them as he told the coachman to wait for them to finish and paid the man a small sum.


    ¡°He¡¯s getting all the fucking credit,¡± Kiren grumbled. ¡°That seem right to you?¡±


    ¡°In all fairness, he did do most of the killing,¡± Lace said.


    Kiren harrumphed, crossing his arms.


    ¡°You¡¯re back, Master Hero,¡± Elder Maxim said, working his way to the front of the crowd. ¡°Your visit is welcome, but¡­ unexpected. You¡¯ve already slaughtered the Beasts. What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°You could call it a social visit,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°I¡¯d like everyone to gather in the square so that I may speak to you all. Gather your family and friends that are still indoors and meet me there.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Master Hero,¡± Maxim said with a stiff bow. ¡°Give us a few minutes to get everyone out here.¡±


    Excelerate untangled himself from the mass of adoring yokels and made his way towards the square, which was hardly more than a rounded section of dirt that had been trampled flat in the middle of the village, the river sighing gently off to the right.


    Lace hurried after the Hero, and Kiren followed begrudgingly.


    ¡°What is it we¡¯re here for, again?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°A Hero¡¯s most important work,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Serving justice.¡±


    They were the first to arrive at the square. Excelerate pulled out an empty water barrel beneath the shadow of a large oak tree and sat, letting out a small sigh. He snapped his fingers in Kiren¡¯s direction, the blurred motion producing a loud crack.


    ¡°Kiren, fetch me some good rope,¡± he said. He nodded towards a grayed, leaning building at the edge of the village. ¡°You might find some in that storage shed. The longer the better.¡±


    Kiren didn¡¯t even bother asking why he needed it. The man was clearly not fond of answering. It didn¡¯t take him long to find a length of rope inside the moldy, old building. It was frayed at the edges, but thick enough tie down a bull and long enough to wrap around the whole square if Excelerate so needed.


    By the time he returned, most of the village had gathered around Excelerate apart from a few farmers still working out in the fields. Excelerate waited patiently for everyone to quiet down.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Kiren placed the rope at his feet and the Hero nodded.


    ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯d like to have a little chat with you all.¡± He paused, his eyes drifting across the assembled villagers. ¡°Yesterday, I listened to your plights. It seems that the Beast scourge has taken a heavier toll on the village than the Guild was led to believe.¡±


    The people looked to Elder Maxim.


    ¡°We have our share of problems, certainly, but no more than others,¡± Maxim said. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve driven off the Beasts, we can restore the peace, for the time being.¡±


    Excelerate turned to a middle-aged woman standing near the front of the congregation, a trio of children hiding behind her skirts.


    ¡°You there. Goodwife Charla, is it?¡± he asked.


    The woman nodded. ¡°Yes, Master Hero.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve had some concern of nightmares troubling the village for some time, yes?¡±


    Charla hesitated. ¡°Well¡­ The children, you see. They wake up an hour after I put them to sleep. Every night, same time, sure as the bells at Wiseman¡¯s Temple. They complain of nightmares, terrible figures who mutilate and murder. I wouldn¡¯t put much stock in it, except¡­¡± She paused and looked at the ground. ¡°I¡¯ve been having them myself. The most awful dreams. It chills the bones even to think of them.¡±


    A few of the villagers murmured in agreement, though no one spoke up as candidly.


    ¡°I see. And did you have these nightmares yesterday?¡±


    Charla hesitated. ¡°No offense to you, Master Hero. I heard of your deeds in the woods, how you dealt with the Beasts. But the dreams¡­ they didn¡¯t stop. I hardly slept a wink last night. I stayed up, watching my children. I didn¡¯t want the men in the shadows to take them while they slumbered. It sounds silly now, but¡­¡± She shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s all I can do to explain it.¡±


    Excelerate nodded. ¡°I understand. The binding circle you created for the spawnling outside the village. Who crafted it?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Maxim said.


    ¡°I see. And do you know that the circle is faulty? It will allow the Beast¡¯s blood to seep into your fields and your waters. That is why your crops have been withering.¡±


    A chorus of gasps went through the crowd.


    ¡°I had no idea,¡± Maxim said apologetically. ¡°I have only done my best to protect the village. I shall visit the Temple, so that I may learn to perform the ritual properly.¡±


    ¡°Good. Do so. You lost your daughters some time ago, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I hardly see how that is relevant,¡± Maxim spluttered.


    Excelerate¡¯s expression went from bored to a wide-eyed stare in a moment.


    ¡°Answer.¡±


    Maxim looked down. ¡°Yes¡­ Taken by Beasts in the night. When I awoke the morning after, the door was ripped open, and their beds were empty, with footprints leading towards the forest. I never heard anything, and I never saw them again.¡± His eye twitched. ¡°Couldn¡¯t go back there after that.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Excelerate¡¯s bored expression returned. ¡°Apologies for your loss.¡± He picked something out of his teeth and flicked it away. ¡°Goodwife Charla, how long after the disappearance of Maxim¡¯s daughters would you say the nightmares began? It¡¯s a recent phenomenon, yes?¡±


    The woman grew silent for a minute. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t exactly know, to be honest. Only the priests keep track of exact days out here, and we don¡¯t have any of those. Maybe two, three weeks?¡±


    Excelerate nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± He turned to another woman in the crowd. She looked to be in her twenties, with deep brown, tangled hair and bloodshot eyes.


    ¡°Goodwife Erena, I take it? You lost your husband, the woodsman, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    The woman looked up. She stared Excelerate directly in the eye. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why he went out into the forest that day?¡±


    ¡°Creator only knows,¡± Elder Maxim said, thumping his cane on the ground. ¡°We all appreciate your help, Master Hero, but these¡­ inquiries are simply too much. You are tearing open painful memories best left to heal.¡±


    ¡°I do know,¡± Erena said, despite the elder¡¯s intervention. ¡°He told me a young child had been spotted at the border of the forest and went out to find him and bring him back. He never returned.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why he left his axe?¡± Kiren asked quickly. ¡°Surely, he knew the woods were dangerous?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t the faintest,¡± Erena said. ¡°I think he just forgot about it.¡±


    ¡°Do you know who informed him of the missing child?¡±


    ¡°Why, Elder Maxim did.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Excelerate looked to the elder and smiled. ¡°Do you remember what you told the woodsman at that time?¡±


    ¡°I spotted a child wandering at the edge of the forest, but my tired old legs aren¡¯t good in the uneven terrain.¡± He tapped his right leg with the cane. ¡°I asked the woodsman to go and fetch the boy urgently before we lost him.¡±


    ¡°And you asked him to leave his axe?¡± Excelerate asked.


    Maxim shook his head. ¡°No such thing. Like his wife says, he probably forgot to take it in his hurry. A tragic mistake.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true, is it?¡± came a child¡¯s voice. One of Charla¡¯s children was tugging at the goodwife¡¯s skirt. ¡°I heard Elder say to Janos that he mustn¡¯t bring his axe. He said it would have scared the child away.¡± The boy giggled. ¡°I know I would have been scared if a man like that came at me with an axe.¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± Charla said. ¡°Pell, the adults are talking.¡±


    Excelerate¡¯s smile widened. ¡°The boy¡¯s word conflicts with yours, Maxim. Isn¡¯t that strange?¡±


    ¡°He must be mistaken,¡± Maxim said firmly. ¡°I said no such thing. I swear it on the¡­ on the Creator.¡± His face went pale as if he was about to be sick. ¡°Surely, you don¡¯t believe the word of a boy over that of a man?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re quite right.¡±


    Maxim visibly relaxed.


    ¡°But it does cast doubt over your story.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t uncover any sign of a child when we ventured out to find Jagon¡¯s body,¡± a bearded man said. ¡°We weren¡¯t able to stay for long¡ªnot even to bury the man¡ªfor fear of the infernal sounds coming from the forest, but we tried to call out. Nothing. No corpse, neither.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Maxim, you wouldn¡¯t mind if we searched your home, would you? To clear your name from any connection to these tragic happenings.¡±


    Maxim blanched. ¡°Why, that¡¯s ridiculous! An attack on my privacy! I¡­¡±


    ¡°Kiren, Lace, go search the elder¡¯s home for me,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Be thorough. Take your time.¡±


    Kiren and Lace looked at each other. She swallowed.


    I have a bad feeling about this, he thought.

 9. A Good Man, Part 2 (END OF LOST SOULS ARC)

    Kiren pushed through the muted crowd and walked up to the village hall as Maxim¡¯s cries grew more insistent. He tried to go after them, but Excelerate restrained him in an instant, a hand around the old man¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Creator, what¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°My guess? Probably has something to hide.¡±


    Lace went to open the door. Locked, judging by the stiff rattle. Kiren kicked the handle and it splintered off after two tries. He propped the door open and they entered the hall.


    It was bright and airy inside, chairs and tables stacked against one wall. Further inside was a large, empty room, presumably for village gatherings. There was a pantry stocked with food and a kitchen where it could be prepared.


    Nothing immediately out of the ordinary.


    ¡°His quarters must be here somewhere,¡± Lace said.


    Kiren opened a door that led down to a dark staircase. Windows set into the left-hand wall let the sunlight seep in, casting long shadows over the steps. An old, earthy smell wafted up at him.


    ¡°Here,¡± he said. ¡°He probably lives out of the cellar.¡±


    He descended the steps, Lace right behind him, and entered a small earthen cellar with reinforced walls. A window near the ceiling still let in some light from the ground level, but most of the room was steeped in darkness. A rickety bed took up one corner, a trunk full of clothes at its foot. A nightstand held a stack of messily organized papers.


    Lace went over and looked through the paper sheets. ¡°They¡¯re drawings,¡± she said. ¡°Of his daughters, I think.¡± She paused. ¡°He¡¯s clearly been through a lot. Is it really alright for Excelerate to bring him into question like this?¡±


    ¡°You heard what they all said,¡± Kiren said. ¡°That¡¯s a mighty tall pile of coincidences. There¡¯s something fishy about him.¡±


    He looked around the room. Nothing out of the ordinary. There was a door set into the right-hand wall, presumably leading to some kind of storage room for last year¡¯s produce.


    Kiren touched the handle.


    Dirty flames burst out of the door¡¯s corners, reaching for him with greedy tendrils. He jumped back and the flames receded with a high-pitched squeal, like metal bending. Smoke gathered near the ceiling, swirling in a vague spiral before eventually dispersing.


    Kiren and Lace stared at each other for a moment.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll concede that one,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Kiren faced the door. ¡°Now, we need to know what¡¯s in this room.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t whip up any wind in here,¡± Lace said. ¡°There¡¯s not enough space. Whatever we¡¯ve got to do, your Power is all we¡¯ll have.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Kiren tried the handle. This time, there was no fire. The door swung open, revealing a small room.


    A fire lit the walls inside the room, contained in a metal bowl atop a makeshift altar. Shadows danced all across the room, twisting and contorting in a way that confused the eye. Blood had been spattered over the walls and dried into the floor. Bones lay arranged in neat, small piles. Some animal, some human.


    ¡°Unmaker¡¯s tits,¡± Kiren breathed.


    Lace put her hands over her mouth. ¡°Oh dear¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a fucking Beast worshipper,¡± he said. ¡°We need to get out of here. Excelerate will want to know about this.¡±


    Kiren turned around. The shadows twisted around the door leading out of the room, took hold of it as if they were living beings, and slammed it shut.


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    Kiren shouldered the door. He bounced back, his body flaring with pain. One of the poorly healed scars on his left shoulder came open, soaking his sleeve with blood. Shadows slithered across the door like dark vines.


    Laughter echoed between the walls, a female voice. Kiren looked back, but it wasn¡¯t Lace. Another voice joined the first, both giggling.


    ¡°Creator¡¯s mercy, what¡¯s going on?¡± Lace said.


    The fire inside the bowl flared up, casting the room in stark light. The flames spilled out of the bowl, onto the soft fabric that covered the altar.


    ¡°Motherfucker,¡± Kiren hissed. ¡°See if you can get that fire put out. I¡¯ve got the door.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡± Lace fell silent for a moment. ¡°I can¡¯t create a wind, but maybe I can keep the air away from the fire.¡±


    ¡°Do whatever you need to! Just make sure we don¡¯t get burnt to a crisp!¡± Kiren kicked the door handle. The shadows clinging to it seemed to absorb the impact like thick tar, quickly reforming around the wooden knob.


    The voices laughed gleefully. Shadows formed creatures that danced on the walls, melded together in demented embraces.


    ¡°Take the flame¡­¡± the voices said, echoing into one another. ¡°The village must be made a sacrifice¡­ a bonfire to the stars¡­ motherrr¡­¡±


    Kiren ignored it. He kept at the handle, kicking it over and over. splinters of wood chipped off, but the door remained firmly in place.


    The air grew heavy, almost sticky, stinging his throat with every breath. The heat made his back drip with sweat. He turned around and found that the fire had consumed the whole back part of the room. Lace waved her arms like a madman, forcing a breeze his way. Her efforts stilled the flames a little, and yet they crept centimeter by centimeter across the floor.


    ¡°Take the flame, and you will live¡­¡± the voices spat, growing more impatient.  ¡°Be our emissary.¡±


    Kiren wound up for another kick. One of his legs gave out and he went down on one knee, gritting his teeth.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Curse this body. Curse it all!


    He pounded the door with his fists. It rattled in its frame, but would not come open no matter how much weight and power he put behind his blows. The fatigue wore heavy on him, like a yoke. The smoke stung his eyes and constricted his throat.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t working!¡± Lace shouted. ¡°I¡¯m going to try something else! Move to the side, please!¡±


    Kiren didn¡¯t have the energy to argue. He shuffled against the wall and Lace inched up next to him. Sweat beaded her forehead, and her face was a mask of utter focus as she moved her hands horizontally in slow, even motions towards the door.


    The flames crept in a line towards the door while avoiding the edges.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kiren shouted. ¡°You¡¯re cutting off the only exit!¡±


    ¡°Just trust me, okay?¡±


    Kiren slumped against the wall. A stream of clean air wafted in his face, allowing him a few good breaths.


    ¡°Take the flame!¡± the voices demanded.


    ¡°Take it, and you shall be spared! Flee from it, and you will burn¡­ like all the rest¡­¡±


    Kiren looked over at Lace, brown hair moving about her shoulders with every motion of her lithe body.


    Maybe there¡¯s no good way out of this. Maybe it¡¯s our only choice¡­


    The fire crawled up the door, dispelling the shadows on its surface. The flames quickly blackened the wood, consuming the material faster than any normal fire would have.


    ¡°Okay, I need you to get up, Kiren,¡± Lace said. She swept her hands in a downward motion, and the flames on the door waned just a little, revealing charred, cracked wood. ¡°You have to break through this door for us.¡±


    Kiren coughed and spat off to the side. He pushed himself up against the wall, feet wobbling. A glance at Lace steeled his limbs. He drew his shirt up over his mouth, put his head in the crook of his arm, and ran.


    He shouldered into the door. His momentum carried him through, wood splintering around him in smoldering pieces. The fire caught his body, greedily licking wherever it found flesh. He threw off his jerkin and rolled on the floor. Lace came out after him in a waft of smoke, coughing into the crook of her arm.


    Kiren sucked in the cleaner air, retching with every few breaths. Eventually, his breathing settled back into a normal rhythm, and he let his head fall back onto the floor. He spat off to the side, mouth tasting of soot.


    The voices sighed in disappointment, then faded away. The fire inside the room spluttered and petered out into nothing, leaving only smoldering cinders left of the devastation, the metal bowl having melted into a puddle.


    Lace fell down on all fours, dry-heaving. Kiren stood, keeping all his focus trained on staying upright. His head spun, but as the seconds passed it slowly began to lift. He helped Lace up, and together they ascended the stairs.


    A group of villagers had assembled outside the house, looking in with worried frowns. They looked even more worried once they saw Kiren and Lace.


    ¡°We saw the smoke coming from inside,¡± said Erena, wringing her hands. ¡°Are you both okay?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re okay¡­¡± Lace said, her voice hoarse and breathy.


    ¡°What happened down there?¡± asked a man, hat in his hands.


    ¡°Your dear Maxim sprung a trap on us,¡± Kiren growled.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be so!¡± the man said. ¡°The elder¡¯s a devout man, loyal to Winewater!¡±


    Kiren shrugged. ¡°Go see for yourselves.


    He made a way through the crowd, ignoring their prying questions. Excelerate waited patiently underneath the oak tree with the rest of the villagers with a firm grip around Maxim¡¯s neck. He scrabbled at the ground, forced onto his toes.


    ¡°You expected this all along, didn¡¯t you?¡± Kiren asked as he approached Excelerate.


    The Hero shrugged. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I had a hunch.¡±


    ¡°We found¡­ unspeakable things down there,¡± Lace said. ¡°He¡¯s a Beast worshipper. No doubting it.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Maxim screeched. He tried to fall on his knees, but Excelerate pulled him back up. ¡°I don¡¯t worship them, I don¡¯t! I had to deal with them, I had no choice! They were the only ones with the power¡­ they promised I would get them back if I did what they asked¡­¡± He seemed to shrink into himself, aged hands covering his face. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault¡­¡±


    ¡°Beasts often seduce the weak-minded,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Tragic, but no less unforgivable. Your meddling could have destroyed this entire community if left unchecked.¡±


    ¡°I had no choice¡­¡± Maxim sobbed. ¡°Lessie¡­ Mara¡­ I just wanted to see my girls again¡­ with their mother gone, I couldn¡¯t bear it¡­¡±


    The villagers went into the hall to see for themselves what all the ruckus was about. They came out pale-faced, some whispering in disbelief while others turned to curses and hard words. Excelerate gathered them all around the oak tree. Kiren was instructed to tie a noose from the rope he had fetched before. Once completed, he threw it over a sturdy branch. Maxim wailed the whole time, visibly unnerving the townsfolk, but it didn¡¯t shake Excelerate¡¯s confidence for a second.


    ¡°Look upon this shivering husk,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°A man you all trusted, reduced to a wretched locus of evil. This is what happens when you meddle with forces beyond your control. Once you stray from the Creator¡¯s path and allow evil to fester in your heart, everyone is at risk. Your women, your children, all those you love.¡±


    ¡°He planned to burn down the whole village,¡± Kiren said. ¡°To please his new masters.


    Shocked gasps and cries of derision went through the villagers.


    Excelerate nodded. ¡°Only one punishment befits such a crime.¡±


    ¡°Do we really need to execute him?¡± Lace asked quietly. ¡°You could send him to Wailing Hill. He only ever wanted his daughters back, driven mad by grief¡­¡± She glanced at Maxim and quickly looked away.


    ¡°No,¡± Excelerate said firmly. ¡°The Creator¡¯s justice is firm. This brand of evil cannot be rehabilitated. It takes root in the soul.¡±


    He turned to the crowd and raised his hand. ¡°What say you, people of Winewater? What fate does this man deserve?¡±


    ¡°Kill him!¡± one of the villagers shouted.


    ¡°Vile fornicator!¡± said another.


    ¡°Traitor!¡± shouted a third. ¡°Death to him!¡±


    Excelerate lifted Maxim onto the barrel with one hand. He took the noose and threaded it over his head. ¡°By the charges of fornication with the unnatural, conspiracy to murder, attempted necromancy, with public consensus¡­¡± He yanked the noose tight around the old man¡¯s throat. ¡°I sentence you to death.¡±


    A chorus of jeering rose from the villagers. Only a few turned away. The mothers covered their children''s eyes.


    Excelerate kicked the barrel away and the rope went taut. Maxim dangled from the tree, limbs flailing. He scrabbled at the rope, but his fingers found no purchase. His face quickly went purple as he spluttered for air.


    Lace walked away. Kiren watched the man intently.


    ¡°I will¡­ see them¡­ again¡­¡± he croaked. Drool escaped the corners of his mouth, and the whites of his eyes had gone red. ¡°Unmaker¡¯s¡­ curse¡­ on you.¡± His face twisted in a mask of rage. ¡°Curse you all!¡± Spittle flew from his mouth.


    He died shortly after, swaying from the tree. A pair of men tried to take him down, but Excelerate stopped them.


    ¡°He must hang for at least a day,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°These ones can be stubborn to die. Once you take him down, cut off his head and drive a stake through his heart if you¡¯re feeling cautious. You never know what dark gifts the Beasts might have offered him.


    ¡°Get a priest from the city to construct a proper binding circle at a place of your choosing. Once the body has decomposed, grind the bones to powder and carry it someplace far from here.¡±


    ¡°U-understood, Master Hero,¡± said one of the men, glancing up at the hanging man.


    Excelerate nodded. He put a hand on Kiren¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Go fetch the girl. I hope you¡¯ve both learned a lesson today. About what Heroes do.¡±


    Kiren nodded. ¡°Yes, I have.¡±


    He glanced up at the swinging corpse. Elder Maxim seemed to stare accusingly down at him.


    Justice, huh?


    END OF ''LOST SOULS'' ARC

 10. Evangel (START OF DARK TIDINGS ARC)

    START OF ''DARK TIDINGS'' ARC


    10. Evangel


    Pell waited on the porch, head in his hands.


    ¡°Stumpy, hurry up and finish already!¡± he said.


    The black and brown-speckled dog lifted up his leg and let loose against a bush in the garden. Once he was done, he kicked at the ground with his back legs and trotted off to repeat the process a meter or two to the left.


    Pell rolled his eyes. It was dark outside, almost pitch black. The waxing moon shone bright, and a sea of stars winked at him. Deep shadows veiled the village. He would have brought a candle, but if Mother found out he¡¯d wasted any, he¡¯d get smacked upside the head.


    A breeze set a chill to the air. The wind sounded almost like a woman¡¯s wail. He shivered and pulled the blanket tighter around him. He suddenly remembered all of Mother¡¯s stories, about the monsters who lived in the dark. They were all ridiculous, of course.


    But¡­


    ¡°Stumpy, come on! Let¡¯s get back inside!¡±


    The dog ignored him, sniffing a particularly interesting patch of grass.


    Pell caught movement in the distance. He curled up inside the blanket and whimpered to himself. He peeked out of the folds of rough fabric and looked closer.


    There, by the river.


    The Elder still hanged from the oak tree on the other side of the road, a dark shape silhouetted against the blackness. He swung with the wind, spinning slowly at the end of the rope.


    He deserved it, Pell repeated to himself. He must¡¯ve. Otherwise, the Hero wouldn¡¯t have hanged him. Heroes never make mistakes.


    Right?


    Pell screwed his eyes shut, but he only saw the Elder¡¯s smiling face. About a year ago, he¡¯d come down from the city with a whole basket of sweet cakes. Every child in the village had gotten one, and he¡¯d laughed while they ate.


    There he was, now, swinging. He¡¯d never laugh again.


    A loud yelp made Pell start. Stumpy was barking out into the night, punctuated by intermittent growls.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Quiet, boy!¡± Pell said. ¡°You¡¯ll wake up half the village, groaning and moaning like that!¡±


    The speckled dog didn¡¯t listen.


    Someone muttered from down the road.


    Oh, great. I bet I¡¯ll get in trouble for this.


    ¡°Stumpy!¡± Pell got up to quiet the dog, blanket still wrapped tightly around him. He petted the dog between the ears, and Stumpy let out a sullen whimper before going down on his belly, head between his paws.


    Pell listened intently at whoever was out there.


    ¡°¡­Hurtsss¡­¡± a shrill voice rattled. ¡°Need¡­ flesh¡­¡± Each word was forcefully expelled, as if the speaker did not quite possess the talent of producing them.


    Pell stiffened. Stumpy let out a low growl. He clamped a hand around the dog¡¯s muzzle.


    That¡¯s not human. No one speaks like that.


    A twisted shape came into view, shambling up the road. It walked on two legs, but those shapes and edges did not match a human. The thing made its way towards the oak tree, snorting and muttering to itself.


    Pell didn¡¯t dare to run. He crouched next to Stumpy and held the dog tight.


    ¡°Please be quiet,¡± Pell whispered. ¡°Please don¡¯t make a sound.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± the thing spoke. ¡°Puppet¡­ fresh meat¡­¡±


    It crawled up the tree, an indistinguishable tangle of limbs in the darkness, and reached the branch where the Elder had been hanged. It slid down the rope and wrapped itself around the dead man head to toe. The silhouette became grotesquely deformed, fleshy appendages sprouting from the chest and arms. They quickly receded, and only the hanging man remained.


    Pell blinked and rubbed his eyes. Was I seeing things? Maybe I¡¯m just too tired. Mom was probably right when she said I shouldn¡¯t get up during the night.


    The Elder sprang to life and clawed at the noose around his neck. The rope came apart in his hands and he fell to the ground, landing on one knee and catching himself with his hands. There he remained, twitching and shuddering.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± Maxim wailed, his voice hoarse and dry. ¡°Is this¡­?¡±


    Stumpy tore free of Pell¡¯s grip and rushed to the edge of the garden. He barked out into the unknown, showing teeth.


    No! No, no, no, no, no.


    Pell crawled back to the porch on his hands and knees and hid behind an old chair. He put a hand over his mouth to cover his breathing and pulled the blanket over his head.


    Stumpy continued barking.


    Slow, dragging footsteps sounded up the road. Maxim kept muttering, the exact words just beyond Pell¡¯s hearing.


    Pell wanted to cry out for Mother, but he didn¡¯t dare make a noise. He didn¡¯t open his eyes, even as the footsteps got closer.


    Stumpy¡¯s barking stopped.


    ¡°Good dog,¡± Maxim said. He had the same inflection as that time he had given out sweet cakes, brimming with simple joy.


    Pell opened his eyes and peeked around the corner of the chair. The dead man stooped before the dog, petting its head. His neck was bruised black from the rope, and his lips had been peeled back in a nasty, toothy grimace.


    Maxim turned away from the dog and continued going up the road, walking in an even, almost relaxed gait.


    ¡°Now we can bring them back,¡± Maxim said.


    ¡°As soon as the offering has been made.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. It will be a fine offering, indeed.¡±

 11. Hone the Body, Part 1

    11. Hone the Body


    It felt a little strange, returning to the Lodge the next day as if nothing had happened. A man was dead. Maybe Maxim had deserved it, but Lace still balked at the thought of the whole affair.


    Excelerate brought them both to the practice square in the morning. He stood opposite them, regarding them with a dull stare.


    ¡°If you weren¡¯t already aware, you are both woefully unprepared for what you will face, both as apprentices and Heroes,¡± he said. ¡°I won¡¯t be putting you both in a pile of books to study ¡®theory¡¯ like many of the other Heroes will. That¡¯s about as useful as a stable boy learning the theory behind shoveling manure. No, we¡¯ll be diving straight into practice. I got a good look at your respective fighting styles and Powers while you fought the Beasts, and I have some suggestions for betterment.¡±


    Kiren snorted. ¡°I¡¯m glad to know that critiquing our form was more important to you than, you know, saving us.¡±


    ¡°Kiren, you¡¯ve been relying on pure brute force until now,¡± Excelerate continued. ¡°You pummel your enemies while letting your Power soak up the damage. Well, as you noticed, that doesn¡¯t always work.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work when all I have to fight with is a fucking glorified shovel,¡± Kiren muttered.


    ¡°It was the weapon¡¯s fault, was it? I suppose you already know all I have to teach you, then?¡±


    Kiren worked his jaw. ¡°Go on, then.¡±


    Excelerate nodded. ¡°Raw strength has served you well until now, but you¡¯ll need more than that. You will have to learn some finesse.¡±


    ¡°What would you suggest?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°My Power is what it is. It just works, and that¡¯s it. There¡¯s not much I can do with it.¡±


    ¡°I think you might be wrong,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°When your Power is overused, your wounds start mutating, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kiren said. ¡°And the regeneration gets slower the more I have to heal. What about it?¡±


    ¡°It could be those mutations aren¡¯t such a bad thing. Have you ever tried willing them to happen?¡±


    ¡°Uh, can¡¯t say that I have, no. I mean, I can hold them back for a little while if I really concentrate, make my wounds heal more cleanly. I¡¯ve never done it the other way around, though.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll have you do that. I consulted Good Doctor while she was tending to your wounds. She said that some of the growths that appeared on your body were hard as bone, and required forceful excision. Used correctly, this might gain you a significant advantage in combat.


    ¡°Additionally, we¡¯ll train you in conventional melee weaponry. You¡¯ll be most useful in close-quarters combat.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Kiren said. He didn¡¯t seem to have anything to complain about.


    ¡°And you, Lace, are the complete opposite. You¡¯ve got decent skill in manipulating your Power, but your output is laughable. Sending a Villain staggering might be a useful trick, but it won¡¯t win you any fights against real opponents. It¡¯s absolutely crucial for you to develop a more effective arsenal if you want to be a Hero worth anything.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Lace said. She lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯ve tried to get better at it, but¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to make excuses. That¡¯s what this training is for.¡± Excelerate clapped his hands together. ¡°So, let¡¯s get started, shall we?¡±


    Lace swallowed. I have a feeling he¡¯s not going to start playing it soft with us.


    ¡°Kiren, your assignment will be easy.¡± He produced a knife with a blade about the length of an outstretched hand and gave it to Kiren. ¡°Keep performing cuts on your arm, focusing on making the mutations appear. Once your Power starts slowing down, you can ask Counter to show you the ropes with a sword. We should know soon enough if you can actually control the mutations with your will.¡±


    The Hero turned away from the black-haired man, facing Lace. ¡°How much do you know of your father¡¯s fighting style, Lace?¡±


    ¡°Not much,¡± Lace admitted. ¡°I only saw him fight a few times. He always forbade me from watching him practice, and he didn¡¯t talk much about his work.¡±


    ¡°Not surprising. Well, your father had a technique he called the ¡®aero-shot¡¯. It was his deadliest technique for single combat.¡± He held out his hands and put his forefingers and thumbs together in a diamond shape. ¡°He performed it like this, compressing a massive amount of wind through his hands, then outwards in a focused blast. It was usually strong enough to knock his opponent off their feet and break some bones.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know he was capable of something like that,¡± Lace said, looking down at her hands.


    How come Excelerate knows more about my own dad than I do? Why didn¡¯t he tell me any of this? The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Start practicing it.¡± He pointed at one of the archery targets, made of a thick, cloth canvas with a wooden back. ¡°You¡¯ve mastered the aero-shot when you can put a hole in one of those.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something else,¡± Lace said. ¡°Back there, I saw some sort of¡­ ghostly hand. It helped me get Kiren out of that gorge, then disappeared. It appeared again to help me shoot the Beast. I don¡¯t know how it happened, really.¡±


    Excelerate frowned. ¡°A hand? I suppose it might be a secondary effect of your Power. Your father never displayed such an ability, though. Probably a hallucination induced by shock and fear.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it. Kiren, didn¡¯t you see it?¡±


    ¡°I was a little too busy almost dying to notice any ghost hands, sorry to say.¡±


    Excelerate shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ll chalk it up to a bad case of exhaustion. If it happens again, inform me. Now, get going, the both of you.¡±


    Excelerate started walking away, burying his face into his cloth mask.


    ¡°And what will you be doing?¡± Kiren asked.


    Excelerate started walking towards the guild hall and glanced back briefly. ¡°Taking a nap. Don¡¯t wake me if you need anything. If you slack off, I¡¯ll know.¡±


    Kiren shook his head as he watched the Hero leave, but made no attempts to stop him.


    Lace set to work. She didn¡¯t have much to go on, so she guessed her way forward by trial and error. She put her hands together in the way Excelerate had shown, forefingers and thumbs together, and fired off a blast of wind at the archery target. It was no different than usual, and the target didn¡¯t budge.


    She tried again, this time forcing air into the square-shaped gap between her fingers and shooting it out towards the target. The pillar of air she created dissipated before it even reached the target. The act of trying to compress the air created a lot of fall-off, making her output even weaker than usual.


    She gave it several more attempts. Each time, she was unable to compress enough air to produce any real force. After about a dozen attempts, her breathing was already growing labored.


    Whenever she tried to increase the scale of her attack, the amount of air she had to gather made it spill out over her hands. When she tried to focus it, it lost all intensity. Balancing the two was simply beyond her ability, like writing with her feet.


    Dad managed it, so I will too.


    Between each blast, she took longer to catch her breath. Stars flashed before her vision. It was as if a pair of those spectral hands were pulling the breath right out of her throat.


    I need a break. I need rest.


    Lace looked over. Kiren was still working on his assignment, drawing another shallow cut up his arm. He pinched the weeping flesh, gritting his teeth as it slowly fused back up. The wounds had started to produce discolored growths all up his forearm.


    I won¡¯t let up before him.


    The target had barely moved since she began. The temple bell rung out eleven solemn tolls. She readied herself for another go and took as deep a breath as her body allowed.


    Kiren stepped out in front of the archery target. Lace swiveled at the last second and the blast of air flew wide, upsetting the leaves of a nearby apple tree.


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Lace asked. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand in the way like that! I could have hurt you!¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s kind of the point of today¡¯s exercise,¡± Kiren said. ¡°I need to get hurt, and you need to learn how to hurt someone else.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I figured we could combine the two.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Lace said. She assumed a neutral stance. ¡°I guess that makes sense. Are you sure it would be okay, though? I don¡¯t want to go too far¡­¡±


    Kiren chuckled. ¡°The way it¡¯s looking right now, I don¡¯t think you could knock the hat off an old lady. Just give me your best shot.¡± He patted his chest.


    Lace put her hands back up. ¡°Okay. H-here I go, I guess¡­¡±


    She fired off a rush of air.


    Kiren¡¯s hair was tousled by the sudden wind, but he didn¡¯t stumble. He looked at her dully, as if expecting something more.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s even weaker than normal.¡±


    ¡°I just need more time to get the hang of it. I haven¡¯t even been working on it for a day.¡±


    ¡°Is that the excuse you¡¯ll give Excelerate when he comes back?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an excuse, I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then show me what you¡¯ve really got.¡±


    Kiren set off in a run, coming right at her.


    ¡°Wait, what are you doing?¡± Lace asked. She backed up a few steps. ¡°I thought I was going to practice on you!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m making sure you take this seriously!¡±


    Kiren closed the distance startlingly fast. He threw a running punch, and Lace dodged to the left, barely passing out of the path of his fist.


    ¡°We¡¯re actually doing this right now?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    Kiren swiveled on his heel and lashed out with a low kick. Lace tried to jump out of the way, but his foot caught the back of her ankle and she fell hard on her back.


    ¡°Ah!¡± she gasped, the impact sending a sharp jolt of pain up her torso.


    He¡¯s really going for it. If I don¡¯t fight back¡­


    Kiren descended on her. Lace put her hands together and gathered air, compressing it into that small space. Kiren slapped her hands away, and the air dissipated. He put a hand on her neck, cutting off the airflow. She spluttered for breath, but it was completely blocked. Without breathing, she couldn¡¯t properly control her Power.


    Kiren took the hand off her throat and backed up a few steps.


    ¡°Try again,¡± he said. ¡°Was that really all you had?¡±


    Lace got back on her feet, rubbing her throat. She sucked in a few deep breaths until her lungs no longer ached.


    The other apprentices had started to head inside for lunch, a few casting glances their way. Bits chuckled as he passed by them. He walked alongside Eagle-Eyes, who merely regarded them for a moment before moving on.


    If I continue much longer like this, I¡¯m going to end up like I did the other day.


    ¡°Well? Had enough already?¡± Kiren asked.


    Lace cracked a smile. She made a square with her hands. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

 11. Hone the Body, Part 2

    Lace fell to her knees, panting. A small line of drool extended from her lower lip to the ground.


    Kiren put a foot on the back of her head. ¡°That¡¯s ten.¡±


    She swatted at his leg, but it didn¡¯t budge. He pushed her down on her stomach, giving her a mouthful of gravel. She spat off to the side.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even put a dent on me,¡± he said, taking the weight off her. ¡°I didn¡¯t get any practice.¡±


    Lace lay there for a minute while she caught her breath. She rolled onto her back and slowly stood up from there.


    ¡°I guess¡­ I just need to train more,¡± she panted.


    Her first day of practicing the aero-shot had been an utter waste. She had gained nothing from hours of work aside from a whole new set of bruises and scrapes, courtesy of Kiren.


    ¡°You good for another go?¡± he asked. He got back into position a few meters away.


    Lace could hardly stand, let alone fight. Simply breathing was a struggle that took most of her focus.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Kids! Have you been good to one another?¡±


    Excelerate walked into the courtyard. He rubbed his eyes and blinked blearily at them. ¡°Lace, what happened to you? You look like you¡¯ve been rolling in the dirt.¡±


    Kiren chuckled. ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been training like you asked,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°No progress, though,¡± Kiren said. ¡°This is starting to feel like a big waste of time.¡±


    Excelerate chuckled. ¡°You think you can master your Powers in a day? It takes years of hard work. Maybe decades for someone as dense as you, Kiren.¡± He poked Kiren¡¯s forehead and he flinched with a sour scowl.


    ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± Lace asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, master, but I¡¯m not sure I can go on practicing my Power. I think I have a couple uses left before I fall over.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten today,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Neither of you. Go get food. Take the rest of the day off after that. You have your induction ceremony to worry about tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yes, master.¡± Lace could hardly hide her relief. She let her shoulders slump.


    They were about to go inside, but she turned to regard the black-clad Hero.


    ¡°Will you be there?¡± she asked. ¡°At the induction?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he said, without looking at her. ¡°I have work to do.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I see.¡±


    They entered the Guild Hall and were immediately hit with a wash of golden light and a murmur of voices. They were met by a large main hall with a high ceiling. Colorful banners hung from the heavy beams and paper notices had been nailed to the wooden pillars, as well as a board on the right-hand wall that spanned several meters, stacked like a bird¡¯s wing with scribbled papers.


    About two dozen rectangular tables were spread out across the room. Most of the benches were empty, but some apprentices and Heroes were having meals. There was a long bar at the far end of the room, stacked with kegs of liquor. Large pots sat on tables near the middle of the hall, filling the whole place with a pleasant scent of savory stew.


    Lace¡¯s mouth watered. She hadn¡¯t eaten all day, and only one meal the day before.


    Kiren¡¯s stomach grumbled. It seemed he had the same idea.


    They went and fetched some food from the long tables. They didn¡¯t skimp on anything in the Lodge, it seemed. She got buttered bread, a bowl of thick beef stew¨C still steaming from the pot¨Ca pair of fried corn cobs, a mug of fresh milk, and a piece of golden, dripping honeycomb.


    When Lace had finished loading up food, Kiren was still standing there with an empty tray, staring at all the marvels of cooking before him as if in disbelief.


    Lace giggled. ¡°Too much to choose from?¡±


    ¡°No joke,¡± Kiren said. ¡°All this could feed a king and his court. What would they say about me in the Slog if they could see me now?¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Lace took the tray from him. ¡°Here. Let me help you pick out some stuff.¡±


    She got him lamb shanks with a brown sauce, large potatoes from the farms around Goldbrand, split open and smeared with butter, thinly sliced ham between two bits of bread, and milk. He refused the honeycomb after a taste, complaining it was too sweet.


    They went over to take their seats at one of the empty tables. Lace found herself out of breath, both from the strenuous training and sheer excitement at the meal awaiting her.


    ¡°Hey! Uh, Lace!¡±


    She turned around. The green-haired apprentice, Tommyn, waved at her from one of the tables. A songbird peeked out of his collar, chirping merrily. He sat with his partner, Haden, along with Counter, as well as Titaness¡ªwho was missing her own newly recruited apprentices. The two blonde-haired, muscled figures took up one whole bench which would normally have seated four or five, and the sturdy wood creaked whenever they moved.


    ¡°You made it, did you?¡± Tommyn said. ¡°You¡¯re apprentices now?¡±


    ¡°We are,¡± Lace said. She couldn¡¯t keep the smile off her lips. ¡°Not without some elbow grease, but we did it.¡±


    ¡°I heard what happened at Winewater,¡± Haden said between large mouthfuls of stew. ¡°Staved off a pack of Beasts on your own, or some such?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say ¡®staved off¡¯. There was a lot of running away involved.¡±


    ¡°Still, you survived. That¡¯s more than most can brag of.¡± He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then offered it for a handshake. ¡°Nice to finally meet properly. Lace, is it?¡±


    She took it. His grip was firm and warm. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. And you¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°Haden Trodvis!¡± Titaness thundered. She grasped Haden¡¯s long, blond hair with a large hand and tugged until he squealed. ¡°Show some manners!¡±


    ¡°Ow! I¡¯m, ow, sorry!¡±


    ¡°Wipe your hands before speaking with a lady! And keep the food in your mouth while you¡¯re chewing it!¡± The Hero let go of him and he bounced back down into his seat.


    ¡°I apologize for him,¡± Titaness said, holding the young man¡¯s head down while looking at Lace. ¡°I have the unfortunate fate of being his aunt. More stubborn than a donkey, this one.¡± She offered her hand. ¡°Mara Trodvis, at your service.¡±


    Lace hesitantly accepted the handshake. The woman¡¯s hand was absolutely massive, wrapping around hers with ease. Her grip was surprisingly delicate, however, despite the simultaneous act of violence.


    ¡°If what¡¯s being said about you is true, there might be more to you both than what you showed at the admittance duels.¡±


    ¡°You went and got yourself an apprenticeship, huh?¡± Counter grumbled. He rubbed a hand across his pock-marked forehead. ¡°I suppose there¡¯s nothing I can do to stop you anymore, then.¡±


    Lace¡¯s smile slipped. ¡°I apologize if my presence offends you, Master Counter.¡±


    He grunted incomprehensibly into his food.


    She looked back and found that Kiren wasn¡¯t there. She looked around and saw him sitting at an empty table in the very corner of the dining hall.


    ¡°It¡¯s been good catching up, but I¡¯ve got to go,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°Oh, o-okay,¡± Tommyn said.


    ¡°Hope we see you at the induction,¡± Haden said, who had finally been let up to breathe.


    Lace said her goodbyes and left. She went over to Kiren¡¯s table and sat down opposite him, finally able to dig into her meal. Kiren had barely touched his food.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lace asked, stuffing a piece of bread into her mouth and following up with a spoonful of stew. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡±


    ¡°Something fouled my mood,¡± he said, staring out a window.


    Lace chewed and swallowed. ¡°There¡¯s always something fouling your mood.¡± She packed in another mouthful. ¡°This seems different.¡±


    ¡°Titaness.¡±


    Lace frowned. She swallowed her food and looked over to the table where the giant Hero was sitting. ¡°What about her?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°I feel like it does. I mean, you saved her life all those years ago. Why do you dislike her so much now?¡±


    Kiren sighed. He kept staring out the window.


    ¡°You remember how I told you I got away from Ripper on The Day the World Died?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I remember.¡±


    ¡°I lied. I didn¡¯t get away.¡±


    ¡°Oh. So¡­¡±


    ¡°I was caught.¡± He took his eyes off the window and pointed at Titaness. ¡°By her.¡±


    ¡°Surely, that¡¯s good, though?¡± Lace asked. ¡°They took you away from the Villains.¡±


    ¡°They sure did. Threw me in Wailing Hill. I spent two years in that prison. Some luck, too, that it stayed at two. One of the guards took pity on me and let me out. I don¡¯t even know how long they would have kept me in there otherwise.¡±


    Lace gasped. ¡°But¡­ you were only a child.¡±


    Kiren shrugged. ¡°To them, I was a Villain. In Aribel, Heroes can do whatever they want with Villains and no one bats an eye. Luckily, it doesn¡¯t seem to have stuck in anyone¡¯s memories. They let me into their Guild, after all, so they can¡¯t have remembered me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that happened to you,¡± Lace said.


    Kiren ate in silence. Lace tried to make conversation, but it was futile.


    He finished his food and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. ¡°I¡¯m done for today,¡± he said.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be back for the induction ceremony, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±


    He got up and left.


    Lace had the rest of her meal alone.

 12. My Blood for the World, Part 1

    12. My Blood for the World


    Kiren tugged at the stiff collar of his doublet. He wriggled in his seat, the heavy fabric scratching his skin.


    Who knew something so expensive could be so uncomfortable?


    They¡¯d all been forced to wear doublets for the induction. If it had been up to him, he would have burned it. The garment was red with yellow trim and had so many buttons that it had taken the better part of ten minutes to put on. He wore it with a pair of tight-fitting breeches and a pair of calf-skin boots, all of which had been provided for him by a bookish quartermaster.


    He sat alone in a corner of the main hall on one of the spare chairs. Most apprentices were already present, including a fair number that weren¡¯t from this year¡¯s batch¡ªwho were in their everyday clothing.


    They were all chatting amicably, but Kiren had no desire for small talk.


    His thoughts drifted to Titaness, putting a bitter taste in his mouth. Luckily, she was not present.


    Hopefully, this will be over quickly.


    Most of the tables had been cleared away from the main hall. The rest had been pushed together in rows and stacked with foods from every corner of Aribel. All sorts of aromas drifted his way¡ªsavory, spicy, sweet, bitter. Kiren wasn¡¯t hungry, though. He was still full after that meal he¡¯d had earlier. How people could eat that much every day was beyond him.


    Kiren massaged his temples, trying to block out the noise.


    I might just make it through this, so long as¡­


    ¡°Kiren!¡±


    He cringed.


    Not tonight. I¡¯m really not in the mood for this.


    Lace was coming at him fast, halfway across the main hall. She wore the same outfit as Kiren, but somehow, the stiff, close-fitted clothes made her slim physique stand out.


    She pulled the green-haired twig and the blond bull of a man behind her¡ªCounter¡¯s apprentices.


    Oh no, Kiren thought. Not these jokers.


    ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± she said, walking up to him. ¡°Everyone¡¯s been here for like an hour. I was starting to think you wouldn¡¯t show up!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to think maybe I shouldn¡¯t have,¡± Kiren said.


    Haden strutted up and looked down at Kiren over his puffed-up, overgrown chest. ¡°I¡¯m Haden. We met at the admittance tests.¡±


    It seemed like he¡¯d been enjoying himself, holding hands with Lace.


    ¡°I know,¡± Kiren said. ¡°I¡¯m the guy you don¡¯t want to step too close to.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Kiren!¡± Lace said. ¡°Be nice, for once!¡± She shrugged apologetically in Haden¡¯s direction. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, he just gets¡­ grumpy, sometimes.¡±


    Haden was quiet for a moment, looking Kiren over. Then his mouth split in a large grin, showing white teeth, and he gave a rumbling belly laugh.


    ¡°I see, I see! More of that spirit you showed at the tests! I bet you¡¯d make a fine sparring partner if sparkling conversation is not to your liking.¡± He stroked his chiseled jaw, and his grin seemed to grow even wider.


    Perfect teeth, perfect hair, perfect everything. Makes me want to rearrange his face a little. I wonder what he¡¯d look like with a broken nose.


    ¡°I heard the stuff you said to Tommyn the other day,¡± Haden said. He squatted down and put a big hand on Kiren¡¯s shoulder, looking straight at him with those earnest, blue eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate that. No one talks down to him while I¡¯m around.¡±


    His grip tightened like a vice, dull pain radiating through Kiren¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Water under the bridge, though, right? Just don¡¯t do it again.¡±


    ¡°Let go,¡± Kiren said, affecting a perfectly neutral tone. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want to get blood all over that nice doublet.¡±


    ¡°Guys, you¡¯re being a little intense right now,¡± Lace said. ¡°Why don¡¯t we table this? I¡¯m sure you can both get along.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, s-s-seriously,¡± Tommyn said. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time, Haden.¡±


    Haden released his grip and stood up. He straightened his doublet and turned away from Kiren.


    ¡°Just having a little fun with my new buddy,¡± Haden said. ¡°Nothing wrong with that, is there?¡±


    ¡°All apprentices, pay attention!¡± a smooth, female voice echoed through the hall. ¡°Front and center, please!¡±


    Most conversation stopped immediately, and the apprentices still chatting were shushed by the Heroes present.


    Kiren looked up. Apprentices were moving towards the front of the room, where a large square of floor space had been cleared off. A woman stood near the bar, arms folded behind her back. She had her black hair in a short bob and wore a dark, form-fitting uniform.


    ¡°Come along now!¡± she called, significantly more stern. ¡°All of you in the back, as well!¡±


    Kiren stood with a sigh and went with the others to the front of the room. He spotted Bits in the middle of the crowd, laughing with a pair of apprentices to the obvious dismay of the woman. He didn¡¯t seem to take any notice, however.


    ¡°Someone escort this man from the room,¡± the woman said, pointing to Bits. ¡°He can enjoy the induction from the privacy of his own room since he is so intent on missing it through sheer vacuity.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Eagle-Eyes stepped forward and obliged her, dragging Bits from the room. For once, he wasn¡¯t grinning, which made Kiren grin as he watched the wiry young man be pulled by the collar of his doublet.


    Lace leaned in towards Kiren. ¡°That¡¯s the Guild Leader¡¯s assistant.¡±


    ¡°Her name is Conversia. They call her the Nightmare Woman,¡± Haden said. ¡°Once you¡¯ve been here long enough, you¡¯ll know why.¡±


    ¡°The Guild Leader will now address you,¡± Conversia said, scanning the crowd of apprentices carefully. ¡°Be. Respectful.¡±


    Judging by the iron in her eyes, Kiren would not want to be the one to cause another interruption.


    Conversia stood aside and Bloodhound took her place.


    The Goldbrand Guild Leader wore a long, black coat with a set of golden brooches on his chest. His head was fuzzy with brown and white fur, his mouth elongated in a wolf¡¯s muzzle. Furry, clawed hands stuck out of his long sleeves, and he wore no shoes on his fuzzy hind paws.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you all here,¡± Bloodhound said. His voice was surprisingly smooth, despite his appearance. He took a long moment to regard the crowd. ¡°Out of all the few blessings to come with That Day, this is surely one of them. It¡¯s such an honor to have so many of you aspiring to become Heroes.¡±


    ¡°Back in my youth, there was no such thing as application tests. If you were lucky you bumped into a Hero in the street, or you knew someone who knew another guy who knew a Hero, and you¡¯d convince them to take you on. Obviously, our need for new blood has forced us to expand that view. In my opinion, it is¡ª¡±


    Conversia cleared her throat loudly.


    Bloodhound blinked, then shook his head. ¡°Ah, yes! I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to listen to an old geezer talk forever. I remember my grandfather would always sit me down to tell me something and I¡¯d be squirming to get away. I realize in hindsight how precious those stories were, but back then, all I wanted to do was wrestle with my friends and hunt for frogs. You have no idea how useful the shape of a wolf is for both of those things.¡±


    Conversia cleared her throat again. She kicked Bloodhound¡¯s shin, maintaining a neutral expression.


    Bloodhound yelped. ¡°Okay, okay! Let¡¯s get on with this. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all eager to become official apprentices. Are you all ready to say your oaths?¡±


    Kiren felt like he was being watched. He looked around the group of apprentices, but no one was paying him any mind. He looked extra closely at Haden, but the big man was transfixed by the Guild Leader.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll begin. Say after me.¡±


    Kiren looked up. On the catwalk above the bar lay a balding, wizened man, swaddled in white robes far too large for him. He stared down at Kiren with blank, glassy eyes. On his sides were two knights dressed in full plate armor, their visors pulled up.


    ¡°As darkness approaches,¡± Bloodhound said.


    ¡°As darkness approaches,¡± the apprentices repeated. Kiren didn¡¯t join them.


    He glared up at the catwalk, but the old man didn¡¯t divert his gaze even for a moment. His stare went straight through him with the precision of a scalpel.


    What do you want, you old geezer?


    Kiren had never seen him around the Lodge before. He was too old to be a Hero, that was for sure.


    ¡°As evil encroaches,¡± Bloodhound continued.


    ¡°As evil encroaches,¡± the apprentices repeated.


    Kiren forced his gaze off the old man. He would get to answer for himself eventually.


    ¡°I will remain vigilant.¡±


    ¡°I will remain vigilant,¡± Kiren joined in.


    ¡°I will retain hope.¡±


    ¡°I will retain hope.¡±


    ¡°And offer my blood for the world.¡±


    Kiren hesitated. His scars flared.


    ¡°And offer my blood for the world,¡± he said with the others.


    Bloodhound nodded. ¡°Excellent. It¡¯s as simple as that! You¡¯re now officially apprentices of the Heroes¡¯ Guild!¡±


    A round of cheers filled the hall. Kiren rubbed one of his aching arms, glancing up at the old man. He was no longer looking at Kiren, his foggy stare drifting over the crowd.


    ¡°You know, this reminds me of when I joined the Guild,¡± Bloodhound said. ¡°There wasn¡¯t as much pomp and circumstance back then, but the Guild Leader at the time, White Fang, showed me the¡ª¡±


    ¡°Okay, you¡¯re done,¡± Conversia said. She grabbed the Guild Leader by one of his long ears, and he let out a pitiful howl. She walked away from the bar with him in tow. ¡°Get on with your evening, children. Don¡¯t break too much in here. You¡¯ll be the ones cleaning up in the morning.¡±


    Drink of all kinds was brought out of the kitchen in the back, and the bar was manned by a six-armed Hero.


    Most of the apprentices didn¡¯t waste much time. They set to drinking with gusto, and the hall was soon filled with the rumble of a hundred clashing voices.


    I could use a drink myself. Maybe it¡¯ll help drown out this noise¡­


    He made his way over to the bar. The Hero was busy passing out drinks with his many hands, mugs and tankards sliding across the smooth bar at a frankly starting rate. The man was heavy set, with six muscular arms. His skin was a deep bronze, and his head was bald.


    ¡°Uh, hello,¡± Kiren said, tapping the wood top.


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you called me Master Crab-Man, like everybody else.¡± The Hero glanced at him briefly. ¡°Don¡¯t have time for you, son. Grab a mug of ale like everyone else.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to need something stronger,¡± Kiren said. ¡°The strongest you¡¯ve got.¡±


    The Hero¡¯s six arms stopped moving for a moment, and he regarded Kiren seriously, looking him over from head to toe.


    ¡°Are you sure you know what you¡¯re asking?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Are you going to give me something, or what?¡±


    Crab-Man cracked a smile. ¡°Very well, son. Just don¡¯t complain when it melts your insides.¡± He reached under the bar and got out a small, black ceramic bottle. He poured a clear liquid into a glass and passed it across the bar. Kiren took it and put it up to his nose for a whiff.


    The smell stung his nostrils and made his eyes water.


    Perfect.


    He swept the glass and gritted his teeth as the burning liquid went down his throat, spreading through his chest. He let out a breathy gasp. It was like swallowing a bouquet of nettles.


    Kiren smacked his lips. They were pricked with a needling sensation, along with his tongue.


    ¡°That was¡­ something,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°Black Orchard Firewine, from Shachen,¡± the Hero said. ¡°Just wait for it to kick in.¡±


    The world lurched. Kiren stumbled and caught himself against the bar. Black stars flashed in his vision. The Hero clapped him on the back with two of his big hands and laughed heartily.


    Kiren tried to speak, but his words were slurred. It felt like his tongue took up his entire mouth, dry as cotton.


    ¡°Unmaker¡¯s tits, that¡¯s pretty good,¡± Kiren said. He motioned to the bottle. ¡°Here, give me the rest.¡±


    ¡°Take it easy, son,¡± he said, pulling the bottle away. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to end up dead. That¡¯d be on my ass.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, I can handle it,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯ve got a good stomach for these things.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how many young lads have said that then ended up in the House of Healing?¡± He started counting on his fingers. Once he got past twenty, he shrugged. ¡°Too many is the point. Get some ale and be happy with that.¡±


    The six-armed man replaced the bottle behind the bar and shuffled down the bar and resumed serving up drinks. He was quickly caught up in his work and didn¡¯t cast Kiren so much as a glance.


    He grinned.


    Kiren leaned over the bar, reached underneath blindly, and fumbled around until his hand closed around the neck of the bottle. He pulled it out, hid it in the fold of his arm, and walked away.


    He moved through the writhing crowd of apprentices, taking swigs from the firewine. As minutes passed, it helped dull his smarting scars and the noises constantly assaulting his ears.


    Well, no reason to stick around here, Kiren thought. Might as well go back to the Slog. Maybe Tryss would like some of this.

 12. My Blood for the World, Part 2

    Kiren felt a buzz as he made his way across the room, the alcohol moving quickly through his body. Spirits went through him like water, always had. It was one of the few curses his Power had bestowed upon him.


    There was an unholy clamoring behind him. Kiren glanced back. A Hero in a tattered cloak strode atop the bar, strumming a lute with mismatched strings. He danced as he played a simple, joyful tune that seemed to reverberate through the floor and every person in the room. Apprentices and Heroes alike sang along, to various degrees of success.


    Wait, I remember this song. What¡¯s it called? Mug used to sing it after he¡¯d had one too many. It¡¯s¡­


    Blacksmith¡¯s Daughter! That¡¯s the one!


    Kiren felt himself humming along, lingering at the edge of the hall. He settled against the wall and took another sip, bobbing his head at the good bits.


    Maybe I¡¯ll stick around for a few minutes, after all. Good song and everything, what¡¯s the rush?


    The bard was picked up by another, larger Hero, hoisted over the man¡¯s head. He hoisted the musician into the air and he ascended gracefully, floating like a wish on the wind. He continued playing, legs splayed as his fingers danced across the strings.


    ¡°Songbird! Songbird! Songbird!¡± the apprentices hollered, clapping their hands with the music.


    Kiren blinked at the stars in his vision and had another drink.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s pretty nice, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Kiren glanced over. Tommyn was standing next to him, a mouse peeking out of his green shock of hair.


    ¡°The induction is the one day of the year e-everyone can let loose. Including the Heroes. They work themselves too hard, y-you know?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Kiren said. He wasn¡¯t in the mood to rebuke the kid.


    Sip.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your friend? I thought you two were stuck together like glue.¡±


    Tommyn pointed out onto the floor. Kiren followed his finger, squinting.


    There he was, the big blond bastard, dancing with Lace. He had a hand in hers, twirling her around like he¡¯d spent half his years practicing. She laughed a sparkling laugh, brown hair whipping around her rosy cheeks.


    He¡¯s having far too much fun. About time for someone to ruin it.


    ¡°Well, good talk,¡± Kiren said, raising his bottle. ¡°I have some urgent matters to attend to.¡± His tongue felt swollen and clumsy.


    He staggered over to where Haden and Lace were, pushing his way through the apprentices along the way. A few shot him some none-too-kind words, but he didn¡¯t bother with them.


    Haden didn¡¯t see him as he approached. Kiren tapped him on the shoulder and waited patiently, dowsing his throat with another mouthful of firewine.


    Haden looked back, still moving his feet.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you,¡± he said, a frown forming. ¡°I¡¯m preoccupied at the moment, as you can tell. We can talk later.¡±


    ¡°Speaking like a proper little lord, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°You¡¯d have everyone scraping and bowing if you could, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Guys, seriously,¡± Lace said. She stared at them both with obvious displeasure. ¡°This is supposed to be a fun, simple night. You¡¯re both good guys¡ªdon¡¯t ruin this for yourselves.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not picking a fight,¡± Haden said, putting up his hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know why your friend is all in my face. And for your information, Kiren, I am a Trodvis. Seventeenth child of Lord Astar Trodvis, the White Fang. Nephew of Mara Trodvis, the Siegebreaker. Grandson of late Lord Gunnar Trodvis, the Old Wolf. Inheritor of my family¡¯s will. It would serve you well to address me with a modicum of respect.¡±


    ¡°Ah, of course you are,¡± Kiren said. He took a wobbly step back, taking another drink. ¡°Seventeenth child, you said? Your mother must have spent half her life with her legs spread.¡±


    Haden¡¯s nostrils flared. Lace gripped his hand tighter, but he pulled away. He stepped close to Kiren, their faces centimeters apart. His blue eyes were wide with rage.


    ¡°I have many mothers,¡± Haden said. ¡°One father. I may be the seventeenth son, but I was the one to inherit the Trodvis family legacy. Do not push your luck, gutter rat. I¡¯ll forgive your indiscretion with Tommyn for the sake of your friend, but if you step over the line one more time¡­¡±


    ¡°Or what, you¡¯ll pummel me like a mindless brute? That¡¯s what your family are, aren¡¯t they? A collection of brainless, grandstanding snobs, each licking the asshole placed directly above them on the social ladder.¡±


    ¡°Kiren, why¡ª¡± Lace started.


    Haden lifted him up by the front of his doublet, the stiff fabric digging into his shoulders and back. He held him high over the floor with both hands.


    ¡°Hitting you will be a start,¡± Haden said. ¡°I¡¯ll have to come up with something more creative after that. Wouldn¡¯t want to disappoint you.¡±


    ¡°No fighting!¡± Lace hissed, glancing around. ¡°You¡¯ll get kicked out! Not to mention you¡¯ll get hurt over this nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Only one of us is getting hurt,¡± Haden said. ¡°I¡¯m sure your friend won¡¯t mind. I hear he heals up quick.¡±


    ¡°Test your might!¡± someone called. ¡°Challenge your comrades! Drink until you drop!¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Kiren sucked down the last trickle from his bottle and let it fall. He burped in Haden¡¯s face.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like such a bad idea,¡± he said. ¡°Drinking game. How do you fancy your chances?¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to play some stupid game with you?¡± Haden asked.


    ¡°Y-you need to get this out-out of your systems,¡± Tommyn said, walking over at a brisk pace. He put a hand on Haden¡¯s thick forearm. ¡°Let him g-go, okay?¡±


    Haden blinked once, then did as he was asked. Kiren hit the floor and readjusted his doublet. He sighed. The buzz was already starting to fade.


    ¡°I think that sounds like a great idea,¡± Lace said. ¡°Let¡¯s have some fun.¡±


    ¡°How about it?¡± Kiren asked. He spread his arms. ¡°You a coward? Or do you need your auntie¡¯s permission?¡±


    Haden glanced at the drained bottle of firewine at his feet, jaw set.


    ¡°I¡¯m no coward. Let¡¯s do it.¡±


    They went over to where the drinking game was being held. It was a small table with two seats, several dozen mugs placed on one side. It was being announced by a Hero in long, blue robes that trailed on the floor. She had sharp, black nails and frizzy, brown hair that went over her eyes.


    ¡°Master Wordsmith!¡± Haden said. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you up here¨Cif you don¡¯t mind me saying!¡±


    The woman smirked through thin, cracked lips. ¡°Yes, I planned to spend the evening organizing the books on Prophet¡¯s premonitions, but Bloodhound stopped by and told me to take a break. I thought ¡®why not?¡¯. It¡¯s been an eternity since I ventured beyond my usual confines. So here I am! Will you be the first ones up to the challenge?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kiren and Haden said at the same time. He had a seat, and the blond man sat opposite.


    ¡°Fantastic! We will keep this simple. When I make the call, start drinking. I will give you an hour. The one who finishes the most mugs in that time before they cannot continue is the winner! Each mug must be fully drained before you move onto the next, and any form of vomiting will result in disqualification.¡± She brought out a dark grey slate of flat stone and wrote down their names with a piece of chalk.


    Tommyn and Lace watched from the sidelines.


    ¡°Are you both ready?¡± Wordsmith asked.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°Yup,¡± Haden said.


    She placed a mug of ale before each of them. ¡°Then begin!¡±


    Kiren started chugging the first mug of bittersweet liquid. Haden swept his in a single go and reached for the next.


    He certainly doesn¡¯t lack for capacity.


    Kiren kept drinking, slowly and steadily, as he stacked cups on top of each other. He felt nothing. Haden was similarly knocking them back, assembling a small tower of cups.


    They stopped drinking at the same time and shared a look.


    ¡°Stronger,¡± Kiren said.


    Haden nodded.


    ¡°Why, I never¡­¡± Wordsmith said, drawing another tally on her slate. ¡°We have a pair of real lead bellies. Very well, then.¡±


    With one of her black nails, she drew words on the remaining mugs. Kiren took one of them and read the word scratched in black ink on its side.


    ¡®STRONG¡¯ it read.


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s good enough,¡± Kiren said with a frown.


    ¡°Just have a taste,¡± Haden said with a smirk.


    Kiren chugged the ale and immediately coughed it back into the mug. His mouth filled with the pungent taste of alcohol, crawling all the way back into his throat, making his face heat up. Somehow, the ale had gotten almost as intense as the firewine.


    ¡°I take it you¡¯re not familiar with my Power,¡± Wordsmith said. ¡°Whatever characteristic I write upon an object is made real. The rest of the refreshments will be similarly imbued. Resume drinking at your leisure.¡±


    Kiren kept drinking, not taking his eyes off Haden. Mugs stacked up around them, and Tommyn and Lace were forced to fetch them more from the bar for Wordsmith to enhance, including a couple for themselves.


    They sipped on their ale off to the side, chatting amicably.


    Kiren was starting to feel the buzz, but it was nothing he couldn¡¯t handle. Haden had a far larger number of mugs arrayed on his side of the table. He would have to catch up somehow.


    ¡°You startin¡¯ to slow down over there?¡± Haden asked, slurring his words.


    Kiren just grinned and grabbed another cup.


    I¡¯ve got this. He might be a big guy, but the alcohol goes out of me as quick as I can cram it in. It¡¯s just a matter of time before he keels over.


    Kiren¡¯s stomach gurgled. A wet burp came back up when he chugged another mug of ale. He had no choice but to slow his pace. His gut was getting painfully tight.


    Maybe I don¡¯t have this after all. I¡¯ve got the tolerance on him, but he¡¯s just so damn big. He¡¯s got the capacity. I can only hope he decks out before I reach my limit.


    Between them, they had finished over two dozen mugs.


    ¡°I¡¯ve gotta say, you¡¯re keepin¡¯ up pretty good,¡± Haden said.


    ¡°Hard not to, when you¡¯re that slow,¡± Kiren muttered into a mug, another one ready in the other hand.


    Haden drained one of the last remaining mugs and burped so loud that the table vibrated. Swaying in his chair, he reached for another. He grabbed only air and tilted too far to the side. He fell off his seat and hit the floor with a thump that rattled the mugs on the table.


    ¡°Haden Trodvis is down for the count!¡± Wordsmith announced. ¡°However, he still has four cups on you, Kiren. You have one minute to even the tide!¡±


    Kiren let out a noxious burp. He sipped at a mug and struggled to keep it down as the strong liquid went down his throat.


    I can do this. I can¡­


    He felt a warm surge in his stomach. He leaned to the side and vomited ale mixed with bile out of his mouth and nose, making a foul-smelling puddle on the floor.


    ¡°Disqualified!¡± Wordsmith announced. ¡°Haden is the winner!¡±


    ¡°Yay¡­¡± Haden muttered half-heartedly, still on the floor.


    Kiren threw up again, spat, and wiped his mouth. ¡°Motherfucker.¡±


    ¡°Have you got that out of your system now?¡± Lace asked, putting a hand on his head. ¡°Or do you want to go again?¡±


    Kiren got up, swaying on wobbly legs.


    Tommyn went over to pick up his comrade, but the scrawny young man only struggled feebly with one of Haden¡¯s thick arms.


    Kiren rounded the table, bent down with a hand on his knee to steady himself, and offered Haden a hand. The blond man took it, and with both him and Tommyn helping they managed to get him back on his feet.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Haden said. He burped and patted his significantly rounder stomach. ¡°You know, you¡¯re not as bad when you¡¯re too drunk to talk.¡±


    ¡°Just keep your hands off Lace, and I won¡¯t have to bust your nose the next time I see you.¡±


    Haden¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°Lace? What do you¡­? Oh! Oh¡­ Trust me, it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm,¡± Kiren said. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    There was a clanking of metal against metal, accompanied by heavy footsteps. Kiren looked up. One of those armored knights was coming towards them, a hand on the pommel of his sword. He was dark-skinned, with a severe expression on his angular face. Apprentices moved out of his way, seemingly on instinct. Eager whispers rose in his wake.


    The man stopped in front of them. ¡°You four will come with me.¡±

 13. The Grandmaster, Part 1

    13. The Grandmaster


    They followed the knight across the main hall. Lace knew what he was, but she hardly dared think it.


    A royal guard. They are the only ones who wear that armor. Paragon¡¯s own protectors.


    The royal guard led them up the stairs in the back. Once they reached the second floor, he took a sharp left, leading them out onto the catwalk above the main hall. There, another knight waited by the door, watching them all from under a deep frown.


    A man sat overlooking the hall in an ornate wheelchair made from dark, polished mahogany. To call him old would be the understatement of a century. His face was so wrinkled that you could hardly see his eyes, marred with rosacea and spider web veins. His fingers were akin to gnarled tree roots, arrhythmically tapping the armrests of his wheelchair. Only a few strands of wispy, white hair stuck to his liver-spotted pate.


    ¡°Hello, children,¡± the man said without turning around. ¡°Do you know why you¡¯re here?¡±


    No one answered. Haden swayed on his heels.


    ¡°Oh, of course you don¡¯t. I forget myself sometimes.¡± He glanced back, foggy eyes taking in the room. ¡°Rory, Anu, back off a little. I think you scare the children enough as it is.¡±


    The royal guards exchanged a glance. They hesitated only for a moment before taking up positions at the far end of the room.


    His white robes were clean, with gold trim in dizzyingly intricate patterns.


    ¡°You¡¯re the Grandmaster,¡± Lace said with a gasp. ¡°You have to be. I can¡¯t think of anyone else deserving of this kind of guard.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad I¡¯m not entirely forgotten,¡± he said. ¡°Please, call me Sage.¡±


    Tommyn immediately bowed, pulling Haden down with him. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Grandmaster, we didn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Bla bla bla,¡± Sage said. ¡°Stand up straight, both of you. You look like buffoons.¡±


    The Grandmaster of the Heroes¡¯ Guild, here, right in front of us. Second only to the Queen. What could we possibly have done to deserve this kind of honor?


    ¡°You four have caught my attention,¡± Sage said. ¡°Come closer, children, so I can see you better.¡±


    Lace took a few unsure steps towards the Grandmaster with the others. Kiren was at the front of the pack, a deep scowl on his face.


    ¡°Why¡¯ve you been watching us?¡± he asked, stopping less than a step from the old man, far closer than propriety would dictate.


    The guards put hands on swords, drawing a few centimeters of steel.


    Sage held up a hand, and the guards froze like statues.


    ¡°Your futures will hold great and terrible things,¡± he said. ¡°I figured a warning was in order.¡±


    ¡°And how would you possibly know anything about our futures?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°You don¡¯t seem like you know how to wipe your own ass.¡±


    ¡°No, Rory does that for me,¡± Sage said with a bright smile. He pointed to the light-skinned guard, who cleared his throat and stared straight ahead.¡°Regardless, I know a great many things. My Power is that of future sight. My eyes see nothing, but my mind, oh, that sees clear enough. Strings of fate interwoven like a great cloth. And you, children, make a pretty brocade.¡±


    ¡°Speak clearly,¡± Kiren said. Despite his openly hostile tone, his face had gone pale.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°Let us start with the big one,¡± Sage said. He frowned at Kiren. ¡°Rudeness begets no favors.¡±


    Haden put the back of his hand to his mouth, face going red as his cheeks ballooned. He swallowed. Tommyn guided him forward to the old man¡¯s side, and Kiren stepped aside reluctantly.


    ¡°Your hand, please,¡± Sage said, holding out a shaky arm from the folds of his great robe. ¡°My visions are not perfect, you see. They offer only glimpses, clear as your reflection in a pond. Bridging the distance to my target is a considerable help.¡±


    Gingerly, as if to avoid hurting him, Haden took Sage¡¯s hand. The old man closed his eyes, placing his other hand atop Haden¡¯s. He hummed to himself, slow and atonal, but full of mirth.


    ¡°I see two paths,¡± he said without opening his eyes. ¡°In the first, you become a great man, both in strength and honor. You will have the respect of those around you, and surpass the expectations of your family. A victory against the darkness will be won by your hand.¡±


    ¡°And the other?¡± Haden asked, suddenly stiff, no trace of that drunken sway.


    ¡°In the other, you forsake the world for true love,¡± Sage said. ¡°And the world will forsake you, in turn. That love will sap your strength and rust your blade in its scabbard. You will die old and content, a simple man.¡±


    Sage opened his eyes. ¡°That is all.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Grandmaster,¡± Haden said, though he looked anything but happy.


    ¡°You. The green one. Step forward.¡±


    Tommyn took Haden¡¯s place, and Sage repeated the same process. This time, he opened his eyes almost immediately.


    ¡°Your future is hazy, I¡¯m afraid,¡± he said. ¡°Your fate will be decided by another. Depending on their choice, you will die young or live to see the end of all that you love.¡±


    Tommyn swallowed hard. ¡°I-I-I see, Grandmaster. Th-thank you.¡±


    I¡¯m not sure I want to know my future anymore, Lace thought. I wonder if it would be impolite to decline.


    ¡°Grumpy boy, your turn,¡± Sage said.


    ¡°Great,¡± Kiren muttered.


    He went over and held out his hand slowly as if he was putting it in the mouth of a rabid dog. Sage took it in both of his and pulled it closer.


    ¡°A dark path lies ahead for you,¡± Sage said. ¡°You will never know true happiness. You will gain what you most desire, only to lose everything else.¡±


    He frowned, humming softly to himself.


    ¡°You will fall further from the light as you crawl towards it. You will become a monster. In the end, Kiren Odirk, you will¨C¡±


    Kiren yanked his hand back. ¡°Get away from me, old man! Keep that name out of your mouth!¡±


    He stormed towards the exit. Lace grabbed his arm to stop him. He shoved her aside and left the room, his footsteps receding down the stairs.


    ¡°A shame,¡± Sage said with a chuckle. ¡°Though, I suppose you can never make a lapdog out of a donkey.¡± He snapped his fingers at Lace. ¡°You. Step forward. Let me see what the Creator has in store for you.¡±


    Lace hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, come now. Indulge an old man. It¡¯s so rare that I get to leave the temple. Don¡¯t make me order you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandmaster,¡± Lace said, more meekly than she had intended. she approached the old man, unable to take her eyes off his aged hands, folded primly in his lap.


    Her heart beat hard as she reached out her hand.


    Sage took it.


    His eyes went wide, then narrowed, foggy pupils moving wildly.


    ¡°No¡­¡± he moaned. ¡°Not the darkness. Not him. No, no, no¡­¡±


    He shook in his wheelchair, nails digging into the back of her hand. She tried to pull away. He wouldn¡¯t let go.


    The guards rushed forward.


    ¡°Step aside, sirrah,¡± said one of them, pulling her roughly by her shoulder.


    Sage¡¯s grip came loose and he flew back into his chair. He convulsed as the other knight held him firmly.


    ¡°No, no, no, no¡­¡± Sage squealed. ¡°I can feel it. Too bright. Too hot. You mustn¡¯t¡­ not strong enough¡­ a fate worse than death.¡±


    His eyes focused on Lace. He reached out for her, but the knight held him back.


    ¡°You must abandon your dream!¡± he said, true desperation in his voice. ¡°You mustn¡¯t become a Hero. The Unmaker will take you as his bride.¡± His eyes flickered shut and his head tilted to the side. His body went slack, and a dark, wet splotch grew on his robes.


    ¡°Leave, all of you!¡± barked the dark-skinned guard, still gripping her shoulder. He shoved her aside.


    They all obeyed, rushing out of the room. They descended the stairs, and only stopped when they were back in the main hall.


    You must abandon your dream.


    Lace bit her lip.


    I can¡¯t do that.

 13. The Grandmaster, Part 2

    Once the red-hot fire in his veins cooled, Kiren slowed his steps. It was black all around him apart from the occasional candle or two placed in a window, and the chilly air did a quick job of sobering him up.


    Crazy old man, he thought. Like I¡¯d trust a word he said. Probably made it all up. Even got my name wrong.


    Kiren Odirk. That¡¯s not right. That¡¯s not my name.


    He left the inner city behind, going through the Boar Gate into the Slog. The guards looked him over a few times. Eventually, they opened a side gate and let him through.


    The tightly nestled buildings of the Slog offered some comfort. It felt safer than the wide, open streets and tall facades of the inner city. There, anyone could be watching from anywhere. Here, at least, he knew what was in store for him.


    Muffled footsteps sounded behind him, followed by low murmurs. Kiren kept walking.


    The footsteps came closer.


    This doublet was bound to paint a target on my back.


    He stopped.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to do this,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Not tonight. I¡¯m not in the mood.¡±


    He looked back. A pair of young men with gaunt faces and torn clothes watched him carefully from a few meters away. One of them was doing a poor job of hiding a weapon behind his back.


    ¡°Give us your clothes and your money, and there won¡¯t be any trouble,¡± said the one with the weapon, the braver of the two. He took a step forward and held out his right hand, the blade of a rusty knife gleaming in the moonlight.


    ¡°I told you once nicely. You take one more step, the next time I won¡¯t be so nice.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got the knife,¡± the other thug said. ¡°You do what we say, or I bet your corpse¡¯ll be more agreeable.¡±


    Kiren waited.


    The armed thug inched forward.


    He burst into motion.


    Kiren rushed at the one with the knife. He reeled with shock but still had the presence of mind to attempt a half-hearted stab. He caught the blade between two fingers and let it slice into his flesh. He twisted his hand, wrenching the knife from the man¡¯s grip. Kiren let it drop and angled a left hook. He struck the man in the jaw and sent him sprawling on the gravel.


    His comrade¡¯s confidence wavered, eyes flitting between Kiren and his weakly moaning companion.


    Kiren picked up the knife, flipped it over in his hand, and threw it hard. It embedded itself deep in the ground between the remaining thug¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Your turn,¡± he said. ¡°Fancy your chances?¡±


    The thug turned and ran.


    Kiren nodded. ¡°Yeah. Good choice.¡±


    He turned his attention back to the man he had just incapacitated, who was trying to get up on all fours. He kicked the man in the stomach and he flipped onto his back with a sobbing groan. Kiren got on top of him, pinning a knee against his chest.


    He punched the man in the face with a left, snapping his head to the side. Once more with a right, then left again.


    He beat him over and over, his right hand flaring with pain. The man screamed and begged, but he didn¡¯t stop. His nose cracked under Kiren¡¯s fist, and it sent a shiver of euphoria through his body.


    Eventually, the man stopped struggling.


    Kiren stood, watching as his knuckles healed back up. The thug cried, tears mixing with the blood on his face as he prayed to the Creator.


    Kiren wiped his hands on the front of his doublet. He unbuttoned the garment and took it off, throwing it on the ground.


    ¡°You know, I should thank you,¡± he said. ¡°I think I needed that after all. You don¡¯t mind if we swap, do you?¡±


    He undressed the man and pulled on his scratchy, ragged clothes, leaving his own bloodied attire in the dirt next to him. He walked away, whistling Blacksmith¡¯s Daughter to himself.


    He got to Xander¡¯s Curiosities and was met with the familiar rumble of rough voices and the stink of unwashed bodies.


    ¡°You¡¯re home late tonight,¡± Tryss said, scanning him over. ¡°Look a little roughed up, too. Did you finally get yourself a girl?¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Kiren said.


    Tryss laughed¨Ca bright, pleasant sound, like the clinking of glasses. ¡°Hit a sore spot, did I? If you need any advice, just come to Auntie Tryss. You men always do everything all backwards when it comes to women.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing fine on my own.¡± Kiren noticed a pair of broken shutters. ¡°Had any trouble tonight?¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°No more than usual. This one guy thought he could sneak a peek under my dress, so I hurled him through the window. Ratfoot wasn¡¯t too happy about it, but it looked damn funny.¡± She shook her head, smiling fondly to herself. ¡°Priceless.¡±


    ¡°I can imagine,¡± Kiren said with a faint smile. ¡°Speaking of which, I think I¡¯m going to have a chat with the old man.¡±


    He went over to the bar and knocked on it. The little barkeeper popped his head up and showed Kiren a gap-toothed grin.


    ¡°Finally found your way back, did you? I could have used you earlier. Tryss made a right mess of things.¡± He ran his hands through his thinning hair, no doubt contemplating the cost of the repairs.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Have you got what I asked for?¡±


    Ratfoot shrugged. ¡°Sure. I had Mug fetch it. Go talk to him about it. He¡¯ll be expecting payment, though.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Kiren still had a few coppers left.


    He made to walk away.


    ¡°No more late nights, y¡¯hear!¡± Ratfoot called after him. ¡°Someone needs to keep this place standing!¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm.¡±


    He spotted Mug on the other side of the room, sitting at a table of four other men. Steady tails of smoke rose from the table as they puffed at their pipes.


    ¡°You cheated!¡± came a cry from one of the other tables. A wiry old man with black teeth threw a handful of cards in the face of the man opposite him. ¡°Thought you could swindle me out of my last coins, did you?¡± He pulled a short knife.


    Kiren grabbed a chair from the bar, took three long steps, and smashed it down on the first fellow. Wood splinters flew everywhere, embedding themselves in his flesh, and the whole chair came apart in Kiren¡¯s hands. The old man toppled backward off his seat, knife rolling out of his grip.


    ¡°Oh, come on!¡± Ratfoot called from the bar. ¡°Someone¡¯s gotta fix that now! You¡¯re just as hopeless as Tryss!¡±


    Kiren looked back and shrugged. ¡°Got rid of the problem though, didn¡¯t I?¡± He nodded at Tryss. ¡°You care to see this guy outside?¡±


    She sauntered over, hauled the man over her head with both hands, and carried him out of the bar.


    Kiren went on to Mug¡¯s table. The fence glanced up but raised a finger as he finished whatever he was talking about. They seemed to be negotiating terms.


    The middle-aged men he was speaking with all had their fair share of scars, armed with axes and bludgeons.


    Mercenaries. Seasoned, too, by the looks of them. Wonder what he needs all that muscle for?


    ¡°Kiren, my boy,¡± he said, finally seeming to have the time for him. He smiled as smoke slipped between his teeth. ¡°Just the man I was looking for.¡±


    ¡°You have something for me,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°That I do. Hold on, though. I have a job for you as well. A big one.¡±


    Kiren paused. He had been living off little and less since he¡¯d spent most of his money on his and Lace¡¯s application fees. He could eat at the Lodge, but some coin would certainly not go amiss.


    ¡°Get on with it, then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve lined up a buyer for that book you brought me. New guy, but I¡¯ve seen what he¡¯s offering. Gold, I¡¯m telling you. Too good to be true. That¡¯s why I want some assurances, in case this goes ass up. You¡¯d be there as security. If everything goes as planned, you¡¯ll spend a day standing around, then earn a one-tenth share. Does that not sound good, hmm?¡±


    That does sound good. Too good.


    Kiren hesitated. As a petty thief in Goldbrand¡¯s underbelly, you couldn¡¯t afford to take too many risks. Stick out too much, someone would hammer you back down. You couldn¡¯t play it too safe, either, or you¡¯d just starve to death.


    Something about this didn¡¯t sound right. Too easy.


    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Just give me what Ratfoot asked you to fetch.¡±


    Mug had a drag of his pipe. He harrumphed. ¡°You seriously passing up an offer this good?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I seriously am,¡± Kiren said, putting a venomous edge on his tone.


    Mug grumbled as he reached into his ratty leather coat and pulled out a circular bit of wood, a bit longer than a foot and wider than the palm of a hand. It was light, almost cream-colored basswood. He put it down on the table.


    ¡°That¡¯ll be four coppers,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Now don¡¯t come expecting to treat me like a fucking shopkeep in the future. I did it as a favor to the Rat.¡±


    Kiren didn¡¯t feel like haggling. He got some of his last coins out of his shoe and handed them over. He took the wood block and walked away. He could feel the five men staring at him as he left.


    ¡°Hey, kid!¡± Mug called after him.


    Kiren looked back.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve barely been at the bar lately. Take care of yourself. Don¡¯t end up with any of the gangs. Akheem, Brisk, all of them. Don''t let them tempt you, whatever they''re offering.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well¡­ wouldn¡¯t be the first decent kid ended up gutted in an alley, is all I¡¯m saying.¡±


    Ah, yes. All the fatherly affection I could ever want.


    Kiren climbed up the ladder to his loft and shut the trap door behind him. He breathed out deeply, allowing himself a moment of respite before sitting down. He took his whittling knife out of the wall and set to work on the basswood block in the light of the moon that streamed in through the only window.


    He carved out a rough shape as the wood chips gathered around him. He went finer, creating limbs and head. A female silhouette took form.


    Kiren clicked his tongue with pleasure.


    It took him a good chunk of the night to complete the details, but he relished in the distraction. Once it was finished, he held up the figurine to the light. Plain, just like its counterpart, with few curves or distinguishing features. And yet, those simple, wooden eyes seemed to hold all the life in the world.


    ¡°You saved me,¡± he said. ¡°Is that what Heroes are all about to you?¡±


    Kiren smiled.


    You will become a monster. The thought brushed the back of his mind like a fell whisper.


    The face of the thug he had fought flashed in his mind. Desperate, sucking for air, blood gushing through his broken nose. All the fight beat out of him.


    No, that¡¯s not me.


    Kiren Odirk, Sage¡¯s voice echoed through his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s not my name!¡±


    He threw the figurine. It slammed against the opposite wall and split in two. He ran up and crouched in front of the ruined creation.


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± he muttered, picking up the two pieces.


    He put them together, briefly pretending it was still whole.


    He sighed and put the pieces aside.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a monster,¡± he said as he curled up in his corner. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡±


    His words didn¡¯t sound convincing.


    Not even to himself.

 14. The Doubt

    14. The Doubt


    Lace stayed with Tommyn and Haden a little while after the talk with Sage, but she couldn¡¯t enjoy herself. There was too much to consider.


    She left, walking into the darkened courtyard of the Lodge. She still had one more night of sleeping in a stable before she would be presented with her room.


    What am I going to say to Avon? I hope he won¡¯t think badly of me.


    She raised a hand to the sentries on the wall, lit by a crackling brazier. She was about to ask to be let out through the closed gate when she heard their raised voices.


    And saw their faces.


    Counter and Excelerate, the former slowly circling the other like a starved wolf.


    ¡°You know what you¡¯ve done,¡± Counter said. ¡°Might as well have spat on his grave.¡±


    ¡°I gave her what she wanted,¡± Excelerate said with a shrug. ¡°You think you¡¯re doing her any favors?¡±


    ¡°What she wanted? She doesn¡¯t know what she wants! She doesn¡¯t know what it¡¯s like! That¡¯s why Gale wanted to protect her from this life!¡±


    Gale. They¡¯re talking about me!


    Lace looked back. No one else was in the courtyard.


    I should walk back inside, or at least announce myself.


    ¡°A stupid wish. People die. Nothing he could have done would have prevented that. Lace could trip and crack open her head. She could get a scratch that festers. She could be robbed in the night and gutted like a fish. At least, this way, she¡¯ll be able to do what she loves.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your choice to make! No one asked you to step in! One more year and I would have fulfilled my promise. Don¡¯t you think it was hard on me, subjecting her to that? Creator¡¯s sake, she looks just like him, staring up at me with those fucking eyes.¡±


    I can¡¯t walk away from this. I have to know¡­


    Lace stepped off the path and hid behind some bushes in the shadow of the wall, pitch black all around her.


    ¡°You talk about it like I should care how you feel,¡± Excelerate said. He took a canteen out of his robe, uncorked it, and downed a solid mouthful. He gritted his teeth and stowed the canteen away. ¡°You¡¯re a Hero. No part of your job is easy. Don¡¯t act like that earns you any pity.¡±


    ¡°This is just a job to you, then?¡± Counter asked. ¡°He was our friend. You could at least try your best to keep her alive. I know what happened in Winewater. Doctor told me.¡±


    ¡°He was your friend. Lace is my apprentice. I will teach her how I see fit, unburdened by whatever silly promise you made once upon a time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a sorry bastard, you know that?¡± Counter growled. ¡°It would be better for Aribel if you retired. You¡¯ve grown old. Apparently, weakness wasn¡¯t the only thing that came with age. You¡¯ve grown cruel, as well.¡±


    ¡°All true,¡± Excelerate said. He turned to leave, walking towards the stairs leading down from the wall. ¡°But at least I¡¯m still alive.¡±


    Counter ran forward and threw a punch with his right, left hand lighting up with blue energy. He aimed for Excelerate¡¯s head.


    The black-clad Hero vanished. Counter¡¯s blow struck air.


    In a split second, he was thrown to the ground, Excelerate¡¯s boot against his throat. The energy dispersed into faint trails that snaked up through the air.


    ¡°Weaker, huh?¡± Excelerate asked. ¡°Still strong enough to beat a reject like you.¡±


    ¡°Get off me!¡± Counter demanded, clawing in vain at Excelerate¡¯s foot.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Excelerate stepped off the man¡¯s throat, had another sip of his drink, and disappeared once more.


    Counter got up and dusted off his clothes, swearing himself red-faced. Lace held her breath as he stormed down off the wall and crossed the courtyard. He didn¡¯t look her way once. He entered the main hall and Lace breathed a deep sigh as soon as the doors closed.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The thoughts she was left with defied explanation.


    Counter said that Dad didn¡¯t want me to become a Hero. I mean, he never really encouraged it, but he never forbade it, either. He must be mistaken. Dad would have been proud to see me get this far.


    Right?


    She waited until the ordinary sentries returned for their rounds. She was let through the gate and she headed straight for The Golden Lion. She stopped partway, thinking.


    Maybe I could go visit Mom. Maybe she could¡­


    She shook her head.


    Oh, what am I thinking? I don¡¯t need another person telling me how much of a disappointment I am. If she would even let me in, that is.


    She continued on her way.


    It wasn¡¯t a long walk, and she didn¡¯t have to leave the inner city, so she didn¡¯t fear any muggers.


    Excelerate all but confirmed it, though. He spoke as if he knew what Counter was talking about.


    So¡­ those were Dad¡¯s wishes all along.


    The fires burned low at The Golden Lion, dark gold streaming into the street. There were no guests in the common room when she got in, only Jen cleaning up a bad spill and Avon strumming his lute by the fire.


    He looked up when he got in, and his thin-whiskered mustache shivered a little.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a fancy get-up you¡¯re wearing. Been to a ball or something?¡±


    ¡°Or something,¡± Lace said. ¡°I was officially inducted into the Heroes¡¯ Guild tonight. I¡¯m an apprentice now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± Jen said. She threw the rag to the side and caught Lace in a running hug. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you!¡±


    Lace wrangled her for a moment and managed to squirm out of her hold. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ve got to show you some more respect from now on. Call you ¡®Master Hero¡¯ and start scraping and bowing.¡±


    ¡°Not for a while yet,¡± Lace said, giggling at the thought. She composed herself and walked up to the innkeeper. ¡°I¡¯ll be staying in the Lodge starting tomorrow, so I¡¯ll be out of your hair. I¡¯m going to be training to become a Hero, so I don¡¯t think¡­¡±


    ¡°Say no more,¡± Avon said, holding up a delicate hand. ¡°I¡¯ll get in my niece in to replace you. Actually, I have a bit of an offer for you, if you¡¯re interested. Even a Hero-to-be needs coin.¡±


    He was right, of course. Lace didn¡¯t have a copper to her name.


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking. You¡¯ll be busy with Hero work, but I¡¯d bet you¡¯ll have nights off. You could come in during the evenings, whenever you¡¯ve got the time. Show off your Power a bit, talk to the patrons. It¡¯ll give the place a little¡­¡± He pursed his lips. ¡°Officiality, if you will. I¡¯ll pay you for your time, of course. By the hour.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ sounds really great, actually,¡± Lace said. She allowed herself a smile. ¡°It¡¯ll be nice to be able to come back here.¡±


    ¡°And if you ever need a stable to sleep in, you know where to find it,¡± Avon said with a nod. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d see the day. A Hero working under my roof.¡±


    ¡°Apprentice. I¡¯m not a Hero yet.¡±


    ¡°Same difference.¡±


    ¡°You look tired,¡± Jen said, putting a hand on Lace¡¯s arm. ¡°Maybe you ought to get some sleep.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lace said, unable to hide her weariness. ¡°I guess so.¡±


    She went into the stable through the back. Blissfully, Jen and Avon bid her goodnight and left her alone.


    She fell back against the wall as soon as she was out of sight. With the silence came all the thoughts she had been trying to repress.


    You mustn''t become a Hero.


    Gale never wanted you to be a Hero.


    You could have been one of mine.


    She put her face in her hands, slowly sinking to the ground.


    ¡°No, no, no¡­¡± Lace mumbled. ¡°This can¡¯t be it. This is wrong, I¡­ I¡¯ve worked so hard for this. I did the right thing. Dad would have been proud of me.¡±


    The wind howled in through the cracks in the door, set stray bits of hay fluttering and got the three horses all worked up in their stalls, neighing and snorting. One of them reared up, kicking with its front legs.


    Lace was at the center of it all. She curled up tight, arms clutching her legs. Her breathing quickened out of control.


    I only got in through luck. If it wasn¡¯t for Excelerate, I would have missed my chance forever.


    Not luck. A mistake. I should never have been accepted. No one wants me there. Excelerate only took me on as another body for him to work through.


    Even Kiren wishes he could have someone else. I¡¯m only ever a liability to him.


    If it wasn¡¯t for me, Dad wouldn¡¯t have risked his life on That Day. He could have played it safe.


    If it wasn¡¯t for me, Mom wouldn¡¯t have gotten hooked on that stuff. She wouldn¡¯t be so miserable.


    Lace stood and went over the big chest of tools that sat in one corner of the stable. She dug through the shovels and rakes until she found a decent sized knife.


    She held it up for a moment, letting her eyes wander over the blade. She pushed her index finger against it and slid downward. It drew blood. Sharp enough.


    She breathed heavily. There was a pressure building inside of her skull, throbbing against her temples. It needed to be let out.


    Why would anyone need me? I can¡¯t be a Hero¡ªI can¡¯t even save myself.


    Lace sat down atop the chest and brought up the knife.


    She held out a chunk of her hair and started cutting.


    No. They¡¯re wrong. They¡¯re all wrong. I¡¯ll be a Hero. That¡¯s my destiny. It must be.


    As she cut away at her hair, the wind eventually stilled. She was left panting on top of the tool chest, piles of brown hair all around her.


    I¡¯ll prove them all wrong, and they¡¯ll be sorry they doubted me.

 15. A New Home, Part 1

    15. A New Home


    Lace found Kiren as soon as she entered the Lodge, sulking atop the wall. He sat wedged between two of the crenellations and stared into the distance, towards the horizon and the rising sun.


    ¡°A bit early for contemplation, isn¡¯t it?¡± she called up to him.


    He looked down, swung over the side, and let himself fall. He caught himself on a vine halfway, let go, and landed in a crouch. He came up to her, shoulders more sunken than usual. He had dark rings under his eyes.


    He looks like he slept about as bad as me.


    ¡°What happened to your hair?¡± he asked.


    Lace touched her hair, which barely went past her ears. She felt herself flush. ¡°I¡­ Just don¡¯t want to give someone an edge against me. I figured short hair was more practical.¡±


    Kiren nodded. ¡°Smart.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re both here! Finally¡ªI¡¯ve been waiting around for ages!¡±


    Lace turned around and saw Mina cartwheeling towards them. She fell over, rolled once, and giggled as she stood back up. She brushed off her muddied dress and flashed them both a bright, needle-toothed smile.


    ¡°Hey there, sweetie,¡± Lace said. She couldn¡¯t help but smile back. ¡°Why¡¯re you out here so early?¡±


    ¡°Early?¡± Mina stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry. ¡°You¡¯re way late! I¡¯m supposed to show you your rooms¡ªoh, and give you a tour of all the things in the Lodge. The Doctor said I could have two vials if I did a good job, so I haven¡¯t been able to sleep at all!¡±


    ¡°Oh my. Well, who are we to hold you up? Lead the way.¡±


    ¡°Good! Keep up!¡±


    The girl ran barefoot across the courtyard. Lace followed. Kiren hesitated a few moments before coming along.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of a tour?¡± he asked. ¡°We¡¯ve seen most of the Lodge anyway.¡±


    ¡°A place like this, I bet there¡¯s plenty of places we haven¡¯t learned about yet.¡±


    Mina went into the main hall. Since they had already seen it before, she went straight through to the kitchen. It was filled with benches and workstations, laden with raw foods of all sorts. There, the cooks were already hard at work, some kneading bread and pastry dough, while others loaded them into a large brick oven. Steam filled the long room, making the air clammy and hot to breathe.


    Crab-Man, the head chef, worked at one of the stations, doing the work of three men. He noticed when they came in and offered Mina a sweet pastry. She wolfed it down in one bite and snuck two more from a workstation while he wasn¡¯t looking.


    ¡°Best part of the whole Lodge,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Do they ever not make food here?¡±


    ¡°A couple hours during the night,¡± Crab-Man said, without turning away from the three lumps of dough he was kneading between his six arms. ¡°Everyone takes shifts. Apart from me, of course¡ªI¡¯m always working. Someone has to watch over these lazy sods.¡±


    ¡°Says you,¡± said one of the cooks. ¡°I caught you sneaking a nap in the back just a few nights ago, Master Crab-Man.¡±


    ¡°Bah, don¡¯t listen to him. Always on the job.¡± He gave Mina a wink.


    Kiren and Lace got some early breakfast, piping hot bread with butter and spice. After that, they went up to the second floor.


    ¡°The people live here and on the third floor,¡± Mina explained.


    There was a long corridor with rooms on either side. They had sturdy doors with proper iron locks, most of them closed. Each door had a number carved into the wood.


    ¡°Your room is, um¡­¡± Mina produced a small note she had stuck to her hair with a pin and unfolded it. ¡°Two¡­ eight.¡±


    ¡°Twenty-eight?¡± Lace offered, pointing to a room down the hall bearing that number.


    ¡°Whatever!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sharing the same room?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°No way. I¡¯m not doing that.¡±


    That stung a little.


    Don¡¯t worry about it, Lace thought. That¡¯s just Kiren being Kiren.


    There was still that nagging voice in the back of her head that told her it was something more than that.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s romantic,¡± Mina said. ¡°A girl and a boy in the same room. Just no smooching in there¡ªthat¡¯s yucky!¡±


    They opened the door numbered ¡®28¡¯ and stepped inside. The room was plain, but large enough to hold two, with separate beds on either side of the room and a desk to write on. There was a nightstand next to each of the beds, and an empty chest for each as well. A glass window with wooden shutters on the inside overlooked the back of the Lodge and the city beyond it.


    ¡°A bed,¡± Lace gasped. She went over and felt out one of the down-filled mattresses. Her hand sank right in, heavenly soft. ¡°It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve had one of those.¡±


    ¡°I dunno,¡± Kiren grumbled, remaining at the entrance of the room. ¡°This all seems fishy to me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s fishy about it?¡± Lace asked. She flopped onto the bed, sighing as her body settled into the mattress, like lying on a cloud.


    ¡°Why would they just¡­ give us this? Are they expecting us to pay?¡±


    Mina giggled. ¡°You¡¯re funny. Why would you have to pay? This is your home now!¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Home.¡± Kiren said the word with a grimace, like it tasted sour.


    ¡°At least try out your bed!¡± Lace called. She held up a hand and swiped it towards her. A gust of wind pushed Kiren into the room and sent Mina twirling, giggling wildly.


    ¡°If you won¡¯t try it, I¡¯ll make you.¡±


    Kiren glared at her. ¡°Why would I¡ª¡±


    Lace flicked her finger and shot a jet of air into Kiren¡¯s mouth, blowing out his cheeks like a squirrel as his eyes bugged out. He shut his mouth and gave her a look like he was about to throw her out the window.


    After a few moments of hesitation, he walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge, before laying down stick-straight.


    ¡°It¡¯s too soft,¡± he said. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ll fucking fall right through. What did they pad this thing with?¡±


    Lace laughed at him. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it eventually.¡±


    She got up from the bed after a while, working her neck. Even if only for a few minutes, the short rest had given her new energy.


    ¡°Do you want to keep going?¡± she asked. ¡°Where to next, Mina?¡±


    The girl showed them to the third floor, which had more apprentice rooms. She pointed out Haden and Tommyn¡¯s room at Lace¡¯s request, which was number ¡®34¡¯. Lace considered knocking on the door for a visit, but figured it was too early in the morning for that.


    ¡°The floor above this one is for the Heroes,¡± Mina explained. ¡°They don¡¯t all live there, but some do. I live there with the Doctor, but you can¡¯t go without permi¡­ permish¡­¡±


    ¡°Permission?¡± Lace suggested.


    ¡°Yeah! Permishience. I guess I¡¯m kinda special.¡±


    ¡°Very special.¡± Lace ruffled her hair. ¡°Well, if we can¡¯t go up there, why don¡¯t we go back downstairs?¡±


    Mina nodded.


    There wasn¡¯t much more to see in the main building, so the girl brought them back outside. There was a stable next to the main building, but they only spent a few minutes there to look at the horses and so Mina could give one of them an apple. Lace had had quite enough of stables for a while.


    Next was the House of Healing, which lay on the western side of the Lodge. They¡¯d never gotten to do any exploring in there. The building had more than half a dozen hospice rooms, most of which were empty, with only a handful apprentices in for minor injuries. There were two rooms in the back of the spacious corridor, one of which had been reserved for Good Doctor.


    She was sitting at a desk when they entered, laboring over a stack of papers. Her dark circles and bleary eyes suggested a lack of sleep.


    ¡°I¡¯m a tad busy at the moment,¡± she said without looking up, scrabbling away with her pen. ¡°There is much to be done.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master,¡± Lace said. ¡°But¡­ how come you¡¯re so busy, when there are so few patients?¡±


    ¡°Healing patients is not my only job here. I help Frog-Face coordinate the distribution of medicine in the city and beyond. There is currently an epidemic sweeping across the lower districts of Goldbrand. Hit like lightning. Deaths are in the dozens, with¡­ disturbing side effects. So far, administered treatments have been ineffective.¡± She looked up, blinking at the three of them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I really cannot spare the time.¡±


    She plucked two crimson vials from the bandelier on her coat and handed them both to Lace. ¡°Make sure Mina gets those after you have concluded your tour, my daughter.¡±


    Lace stowed them in a pocket. Mina watched intently, licking her lips.


    ¡°Of course, Master. We won¡¯t disturb you any longer. I wish you luck with your work, and I hope you can find a solution to this epidemic soon.¡±


    What about Mom? Lace thought as they left the room. She said the lower districts were affected. What if¡­?


    No. She¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t worry about that.


    The door to the other study was closed.


    ¡°Who works in here?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°Uncle Frog,¡± Mina said with a wince. ¡°He¡¯s kinda scary. Do we have to go in?¡±


    ¡°I can hear you shuffling around out there,¡± came a voice from the other side. ¡°Come in, please. I don¡¯t bite¡ªI¡¯m just a little hard on the eye.¡±


    Mina squeaked and scurried behind a corner.


    Kiren shrugged, opened the door, and stepped in.


    Lace peeked through. The room was dominated by a huge desk which wrapped around in an angular C-shape, laden with stacks and stacks of papers and ledgers. Behind it sat a tall, lanky man with a pair of spectacles on his thin nose. He had large, buggy eyes which almost seemed to swivel independently of each other, colored a deep green. His hair was buzzed short, and his skin was smooth and pale. He was dressed in a cream-colored coat, much like Good Doctor, but his held no vials or decoctions.


    To his right, up against the wall was some sort of tall-backed chair, with several tubes and straps sticking out of it, and some sort of containers attached to the sides.


    It took Lace a moment to notice the sticky perspiration dripping down the man¡¯s face and running over his hands. He shuffled over a stack of papers, getting them all wet in the process, and picked out one before setting the rest aside. He pulled off his spectacles and cleaned off the moisture on the edge of his coat, then replaced them before he started reading.


    One of his eyes glanced up at them, while the other scanned diligently over the paper he had picked out.


    ¡°So. What brings you here? Come to see the freak?¡± He punctuated the letter ¡®K¡¯ with specific emphasis.


    ¡°No, nothing like that!¡± Lace said. ¡°I¡¯m¡ªwe¡¯re sorry for bothering you, Master. We were just touring the Lodge.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± the man said with a wide, thin-lipped smile. ¡°I am called Frog-Face.¡± He shrugged sheepishly. ¡°The name was meant to be ironic, but I¡¯m beginning to think it might have been a mistake.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Kiren asked.


    Frog-Legs swiveled both eyes to focus on Kiren. ¡°It is the nature of my Power.¡± A trail of slimy sweat rolled down his nose, beading on its very tip before he wiped it away with his sleeve. ¡°More of a curse than a blessing, I know. Still, it has its uses.¡±


    Frog-Face. The name sounded familiar.


    ¡°Have I heard of you before, Master?¡± Lace asked. ¡°Your name, it¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Austerity, perhaps,¡± the Hero said. ¡°About six years back.¡±


    A spark of recognition flashed through her mind. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it! There was a plague, but the whole city was quarantined. It was said that a strange doctor resembling a frog was responsible for curing the population.¡±


    Frog-Face shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I was solely responsible. I merely administered the treatment. It was a terrible business.¡±


    ¡°You must be at least a B Rank, for saving a whole city like that!¡±


    ¡°D Rank. Thank you for the confidence, though.¡± Frog-Face smiled. ¡°If you ever come down with an illness, come by my study right away. My Power is uniquely suited to curing such maladies. Sadly, I¡¯m not good for much else.¡±


    ¡°No wonder they made you a D Rank, with a face like that,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°Kiren!¡± Lace hissed. She hit his arm, but he ignored her.


    ¡°Perhaps, perhaps,¡± Frog-Face said. ¡°Although, I would check my insults if I were you. This could just as well have been you.¡±


    ¡°We have to excuse ourselves,¡± Lace said with a nervous laugh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for him, Master.¡± She punctuated her words with a kick to his shin. ¡°He can be a little¡­ rough-spoken.¡±


    ¡°Do come back soon,¡± Frog-Face said with a brief nod before returning to his papers. ¡°It¡¯s not often I get visitors, rude or not.¡±


    Mina ran up as soon as they had closed the door.


    ¡°I know what you meant by ¡®scary¡¯ now,¡± Kiren said to the little girl. He made a mock retch and thumped his chest.


    Mina giggled.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be rude to every person we meet, you know,¡± Lace said. ¡°No one¡¯s about to give you a medal for it.¡±


    ¡°What do you care about him?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°In love with a frog?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about him, specifically. It¡¯s about the¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°You know what, nevermind. I doubt anything would penetrate that thick skull anyway.¡±

 15. A New Home, Part 2

    The trio continued on their tour. Directly to the left of the House of Healing lay another, smaller building. The walls on the outside had been blackened around the windows, and several concentric holes had been torn in the roof. The windows had metal shutters.


    ¡°That¡¯s where Uncle Squid lives,¡± Mina said. ¡°He likes to make things go boom!¡±


    ¡°I can see that,¡± Lace said.


    Kiren touched a patch of scorched grass around the building. ¡°Looks like he¡¯s got a penchant for lighting things up.¡±


    ¡°I suppose we¡¯d better make this quick, then. I don¡¯t want one of us to have a limb blown off.¡±


    Lace knocked on the door. Loud shuffling and clanging rang out from inside.


    After a few seconds, the door burst open. A man stood before them, short and stocky, with a round pot-belly badly covered by a battle-scarred leather apron. He had grey, balding hair and a blocky jaw. He regarded the three of them with a big smile, one of his front teeth badly chipped.


    ¡°Oh ho. Who¡¯s this, now? Another shipment of boom-powder?¡±


    ¡°Uh, n-no,¡± Lace said. ¡°We¡¯re new apprentices, Master, taking a tour around the Lodge. We were wondering if we could¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well, why didn¡¯t you say so! Come in, come in¡ªI have something most exciting to show you!¡± He put a sooty hand around Lace¡¯s shoulders and pulled her inside, motioning for the rest to follow.


    The inside of the workshop was cramped and cluttered, stacked to the ceiling with all kinds of metal contraptions, some beautifully intricate and delicate, others seemingly cobbled together from mismatched pieces of scrap metal. A forge spat pale, wispy smoke up into a vent, making the workshop almost unbearably hot and spreading a heavy, acrid smell that reminded Lace just a little too much of the basement in Winewater Village.


    A young man worked the bellows at the forge, pumping his skinny arms for all he was worth. He looked up and wiped the sweat from his brow. Gantho, the bomb-maker. His own apron was so long on him it nearly brushed the ground.


    ¡°Hi there,¡± he said. ¡°Touring the grounds, right? Lucky you. I¡¯m stuck here with Master Squiddy. Says we¡¯ve got important work.¡±


    ¡°And we do!¡± Squiddy said, rushing over to the forge. ¡°Keep at the bellows, my boy! Quickly now!¡±


    Gantho worked at the bellows until he was red in the face while Squiddy got a long pair of tongs and dug around in the glowing coals of the forge. A long piece of metal lay inside, red-hot.


    He pulled it out after another minute with the tongs. He swept some metal scraps off an anvil with his foot and placed the metal piece down on it. Gantho tossed him a hammer and the Hero whacked the raw metal into a vague, pointed shape, a little longer than an arm. He put it back inside the forge, hammered it, repeated the process a few times until it took the shape of a long, tapered sword blade. Once he was satisfied, he dunked it in a water barrel, clouds of steam rising from the boiling surface.


    Once it had cooled down a bit he pulled the blade back out. The work was precise and smooth, unadorned by any frills. After some polishing and sharpening, he brought out a long handle made from hollowed-out horn. He hammered the grip onto the tang of the sword, then simply held both the blade and grip firmly for around a minute. Once he was satisfied, he swung the sword a few times and clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Gantho, bring me the second blade,¡± Squiddy said, snapping his fingers insistently while staring at his creation with a maker¡¯s discerning eye.


    ¡°Are you sure, Master Squiddy?¡± Gantho asked. ¡°It looks fine as it is¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m sure! That¡¯s the whole point of this exercise!¡±


    Gantho rolled his eyes. He went over to a workbench and rooted through the clutter, producing a second, identical sword blade. He brought it over to Squiddy, who affixed it on the other end of the grip the same way as the first.


    Squiddy held up the two-sided sword with a proud grin that went ear-to-ear. He held it up to Lace and Kiren and gave it a few whirls, nearly cutting himself in the leg in the process. He swore under his breath, but his grin didn¡¯t slip a bit.


    ¡°I call it¡­ the double-blader,¡± Squiddy said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it marvelous? Half the effort, twice the cutting power.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s not how it works,¡± Kiren said.


    Squiddy shot him a dark glare.


    ¡°I tried to tell him,¡± Gantho said, going over to clean up the mess his master had made. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t listen.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re all just a bunch of unseasoned kids,¡± Squiddy blustered. ¡°No eye for genius. This is a weapon fit for a Ludenhaas, I tell you!¡± He shuffled off to the back of the workshop, muttering to himself while measuring out alterations for his new creation.


    ¡°He¡¯s a little bit¡­ eccentric,¡± Lace said to Gantho once the Hero was out of earshot.


    ¡°That¡¯s the least of it,¡± Gantho said with a sigh. ¡°Still, he¡¯s certainly got his upsides. He¡¯s responsible for equipping a large chunk of the Heroes at the Lodge, outfits and weapons and all. A bit of a jack of all trades, that way. Here, look.¡±


    He went over and looked through the chaos on one of the workbenches. He organized some of the mess in piles and pulled out a slingshot, with a thick strap and a springy wooden frame.


    ¡°Squiddy made this to augment my Power,¡± he said. ¡°Do you want to see?¡±


    ¡°N¡ª¡± Kiren started.


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Lace interrupted.


    Gantho hurried out the door. Lace followed, dragging Kiren behind her, as they walked out onto the practice field. Gantho picked a pebble off the ground. He held it up, and a shimmering marking appeared on its surface, like a series of letters jumbled together into one complex symbol. He placed it into the pouch.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°You might want to get ready for this,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°It¡¯ll be a hell of a boom.¡±


    ¡°I told you!¡± Mina said. ¡°Boom!¡±


    Gantho pulled back the slingshot and aimed at a practice dummy some twenty meters off.


    He released.


    The pebble flew in a shallow arc, thudded harmlessly against the dummy¡¯s head, and¡­


    BOOM!


    A fiery explosion engulfed the dummy, throwing ruined limbs and straw-stuffed viscera. Lace covered Mina as pebbles and gravel rained down on them.


    Gantho laughed, maybe a little too enthusiastically.


    ¡°Amazing, right?¡± he asked, turning to them.


    ¡°Yeah, Gantho,¡± Lace said.


    Like master, like apprentice.


    ¡°Seems like a waste of a good Power to me,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Imagine what that would do to a Villain. You¡¯ll be spending your career cooped up by that forge, though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Gantho said, looking down at his slingshot. ¡°It¡¯s a little sad. But, if the Lodge is ever attacked, Creator forbid, I¡¯m your guy.¡±


    Lace¡¯s mind wandered onto her own training. How she couldn¡¯t master the aero-shot. It would take a lot of training to get to Dad¡¯s level, of course, but during that time she still had to be able to defend herself.


    She remembered Excelerate¡¯s words. She wasn¡¯t strong enough the way she was now. She wasn¡¯t like Kiren. She needed more power.


    ¡°Squiddy made you that to augment your Power,¡± Lace said. ¡°Do you think¡­ he could make something similar for me?¡±


    Gantho shrugged. ¡°Depends on what you have in mind.¡± He pulled out a scrap of paper and a charcoal pencil from the apron¡¯s large pocket. ¡°Give me the details of what you want. I¡¯ll relay it to him when he¡¯s not too preoccupied with his¡­ double-blader.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ well, I don¡¯t exactly know,¡± Lace said. ¡°Are you familiar with my Power?¡±


    Gantho scratched his forehead with the back of his pencil, leaving a black streak. ¡°Uh, something with telekinesis? No, wind! I remember how Bits thrashed you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lace said. ¡°I have this problem. By its nature, my Power¡¯s not very deadly in a fight. I can control crowds, trip them up, but I need something more¡­ focused.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Gantho said, writing furiously on his paper. ¡°Sounds like you need some sort of weapon. Something to channel your Power into a more condensed state. Maybe a glove with specialized segments, or¡­¡± He trailed off, muttering to himself while scratching down notes.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting bored,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Meet us at Records when you finish with this. It¡¯s in the basement of the Guild Hall, apparently.¡±


    Kiren and Mina left while Lace explained her request in further detail to Gantho. Once she was done she gave a brief demonstration of her Power, and he noted everything down.


    ¡°Okay, great,¡± he said once she was done. He stowed the paper and pencil away. ¡°I can work with this, for sure. Just give me a few days, or, uh, weeks, to get it ready. Master Squiddy can be hard to wrangle, sometimes. It¡¯s like letting lightning loose in a room and hoping it does what you ask. Besides, we have a big order to fill. Titaness needs her armor fixed.¡±


    ¡°No easy task, I imagine,¡± Lace said with a smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± Gantho said with an exasperated sigh. He started walking back towards the Workshop. ¡°The breastplate alone, well¡­¡± He coughed. ¡°She¡¯s a big lady. In all departments.¡±


    He stopped at the door and gave her a wave.


    ¡°You have a good day,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about ¡®good¡¯,¡± Gantho said. ¡°I¡¯ll settle for ¡®productive¡¯.¡±


    She left the young apprentice to his own devices, quite literally, and returned to the Guild Hall. She looked around for a bit and eventually found a staircase in the back of the main hall leading down.


    She entered a large stone chamber. It had a high ceiling, at least for a basement, well-lit with candles and nearly smokeless wall sconces. The room was plain apart from a few chairs. Kiren was propped up against a wall, arms crossed.


    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± he said. ¡°This old bat isn¡¯t letting us through.¡±


    He pointed with his thumb across the room. A woman sat behind a desk, head in a thick tome. That huge mane of frizzy hair could only belong to one person.


    Wordsmith.


    ¡°As I told your friend,¡± Wordsmith said as Lace approached, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but only Heroes are allowed into Records. The Lodge¡¯s most sensitive information is kept here. Details on old Villains and persons of interest, ancient tomes that safeguard knowledge for the future, prophecies passed down by Sage and the wise men that came before. Not to mention some of the Heroes¡¯ Guild¡¯s most priceless relics.¡±


    A massive door made of solid metal was set into the wall behind Wordsmith. There was no handle, only an intricate mechanism of interlocking parts at its center which matched a large brass key hanging around Wordsmith¡¯s neck.


    She glanced nervously at Lace, Kiren, and Mina in turn. ¡°I would appreciate it if you could all disperse. I¡¯m a little¡­ overanxious. Especially with what transpired last night.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Lace asked.


    Wordsmith blinked rapidly. ¡°Uh, uh, nothing! Nothing happened.¡± She put her head in her hands and let out a low groan. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve already said too much. Could I trust you three with a secret? I really need to get this out in the air.¡±


    Kiren chuckled in the back. Lace shot him a glare.


    ¡°Of course you can!¡± she said. ¡°You can tell us anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ lost my key yesterday. I¡¯m not supposed to take it off, even when sleeping. If the Guild Leader found out about this misstep, I don¡¯t even want to know what fresh torture would befall me.¡±


    ¡°How did you lose it?¡± Mina asked. ¡°It¡¯s attached to you, silly.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I shouldn¡¯t have had anything to drink. When I sobered up, the key was gone. I found it outside in some bushes. I suppose I must have dropped it. Luckily, no one else found it, and none of the valuables are missing.¡±


    ¡°Well, your secret is safe with us,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°Thank you, children,¡± Wordsmith said. She clutched her chest and let out a sigh. ¡°I feel so much lighter with that off my chest.¡±


    They saw themselves out, returning up to the main hall.


    ¡°Sounds like there¡¯s some sweet treasure in there,¡± Kiren said. ¡°A shame I didn¡¯t find the key myself.¡±


    Lace conked her fist down on Kiren¡¯s head. He grunted and rubbed his scalp, glowering at her.


    ¡°What in Svarta was that for?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot, that¡¯s why.¡±


    ¡°I was joking!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t funny.¡± Lace crossed her arms.


    Mina giggled at both of them, hands over her mouth.


    ¡°Well, have we seen everything or what?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one place left, I think,¡± Mina said. ¡°The place where the bad people go. I only went there once, with Uncle Exce¡­ Excal¡­¡±


    ¡°Excelerate?¡± Lace suggested.


    ¡°Yeah! Excalucate! He took me there and it was really scary. The bad people are all behind bars, but some of them look like they could burst right through!¡±


    ¡°Must be where they keep the Villains before sending them off to Wailing Hill,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Sounds like a chipper enough place to end off on.¡±

 15. A New Home, Part 3

    They headed to the jail, following Mina¡¯s directions. It turned out to be a blocky stone building a few minutes away from the Lodge, walls made of thick granite blocks. The gate had been set with sturdy iron bars, as had the narrow windows. It looked secure enough to hold even Powered criminals.


    They were held up at the door by a guardsman, who looked them over with a suspicious eye. He was about to turn them away, but he recognized Mina at the last moment. Once they explained their matter, he let them through.


    They entered a room connected to a long corridor. Several more guardsmen lounged inside, swords on their hips.


    ¡°Come to see the crazies have you?¡± one of them asked. ¡°At your own peril, then. I¡¯d suggest you leave the kid here.¡±


    Lace complied, letting Mina sit down with a trio of guardsmen who were playing a round of cards. She gave the little girl one of the blood vials to tide her over until they returned, then hurried to catch up to Kiren as he wandered into the corridor beyond.


    There were ten small cells, doors made of thick iron bars. Most of them were empty.


    I suppose any Villains that get put here must be moved to Wailing Hill fairly quickly.


    There were sounds coming from the last cell in the hall on her left. A slow scraping that made the hairs on her arms stand up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what kind of crazies they have in here, then,¡± Kiren said.


    The sound stopped.


    Lace followed tight behind Kiren as they approached the end of the hall. She peeked around the corner, peering into the dark cell.


    A massive, furry shape slammed against the bars, claws long as fingers scrabbling at the metal. A long muzzle squeezed itself between two of the bars, snarling to reveal rows of long, sharp teeth.


    ¡°Do you wanna get dead, lapdogs?¡± the creature howled.


    Lace jumped back with a yelp. Kiren remained where he was, hands on his hips. The claws scratched at the air a hand¡¯s length from his face, but he didn¡¯t even blink.


    ¡°You look familiar,¡± Kiren said.


    The creature stopped moving. It pulled back into the cell.


    ¡°Oh, come on, man. You could at least get a little bit scared,¡± it said with a deep, scratchy voice.


    A man, seemingly.


    Lace gave the creature a good look. He was furry from head to toe, clad in rags far too small for his body. He was large enough that his head brushed the ceiling, forcing him to stand slightly hunched. He had broad shoulders and a muscular frame, even for his height, and dirty yellow fur with black spots. His face almost looked like that of a dog¡¯s. He could have been Bloodhound¡¯s overgrown cousin if she didn¡¯t know any better.


    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Kiren said, snapping his fingers. ¡°I know you. You¡¯re Hyena, right?¡±


    The creature looked just as shocked as Lace felt.


    ¡°You¡­ know of me?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a hyena?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°An animal they get in the south, I think,¡± Kiren said. ¡°This guy¡¯s got quite the reputation in the Slog.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d never heard of Excelerate, but you know who¡­ Hyena is?¡±


    ¡°Things are a little different down there.¡±


    ¡°If I may ask,¡± Hyena said. He breathed onto his claws and rubbed them on the fur of his chest. ¡°What exactly have you heard about me?¡±


    ¡°That you and your partner are the least successful Powered criminals in all of Goldbrand.¡±


    Hyena¡¯s dark eyes widened. ¡°How dare you! Our heists are the stuff of legend!¡±


    He threw himself against the bars and Lace backed up another step. She hit the bars of the cell behind her.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Something huge clamped down on her shoulder.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re dead, little morsel.¡±


    Lace let out a short yelp and directed a blast of air behind her on pure instinct. The hand didn¡¯t budge.


    She looked up.


    A leather-faced, beaked monster looked down at her through the bars. His hand had a firm grip on her shoulder.


    It almost reminded her of¡­ a turtle.


    The creature let go, its slab of a hand slipping back through the bars with some difficulty.


    ¡°Ha. Gotcha.¡±


    The creature opposite, Hyena, burst into shrill, whooping laughter. He rolled onto the floor, clutching his stomach as he belted out laughing. The other one let out a wheezy chuckle.


    ¡°Oh, we got you good!¡± Hyena said between laughing fits. ¡°You should¡¯ve¡­ seen¡­ your face! Ow, my stomach hurts, this is too good. You thought you were going to die, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Lace gaped, looking back and forth between the two Villains as they guffawed themselves hoarse.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Kiren said, facing the second creature, still not particularly fazed. ¡°Then you must be Snapjaw.¡±


    The second creature was even taller than the first, with moss green, leathery skin that had some sort of chitinous armor plating across the arms and chest and a clunky shell on his back. He was entirely without hair, with a pair of tiny, deep-set eyes placed into a large, round head. Much like his companion, he was dressed in rough sackcloth.


    ¡°I am,¡± Snapjaw said, his voice a bassy rumble.


    ¡°The Wild Lads, at your service,¡± Hyena said.


    ¡°I told you to come up with a new name!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Wild Lads? It¡¯s short, punchy, and descriptive!¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re hopeless.¡±


    ¡°You alright over here?¡± asked one of the guardsmen, coming down the hall with a hand on the pommel of his sword. ¡°We heard some commotion.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just talkin¡¯, chief,¡± Hyena said, hanging his hands out of the cell. ¡°No harm in that, is there?¡±


    The guard glanced suspiciously at both of the Villains. ¡°That¡¯s Captain Renald to you. You two, are they up to anything?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡± Lace said. ¡°They seem¡­ bored.¡±


    ¡°Oh, something terrible,¡± Hyena said, rubbing his body against the bars so that they creaked disconcertingly. ¡°I wish I could just have one hour in the sun. I¡¯m wasting away in here.¡± He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath through his large nostrils.


    ¡°Stop it with the crocodile tears,¡± the captain said. ¡°You¡¯ve got it far better than they do in Wailing Hill.¡±


    Hyena opened his eyes and shrugged. ¡°Worth a shot, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Why were they detained?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°Robbing a dressmaker¡¯s shop, of all things,¡± the captain said, scratching his rough stubble. Torchbearer happened to be nearby, and they were captured before they could make away with anything.¡±


    ¡°Almost got cooked in my shell,¡± Snapjaw said sullenly.


    Hyena turned around and showed a singed patch of fur along his ridged back. ¡°Yeah, see! Talk about a miscarriage of justice! We¡¯ve gotta get serious after that debacle. When we get out of here, we¡¯re stealing the Queen¡¯s nightgown. That oughta fetch a fucking astronomical price.¡±


    Snapjaw frowned. ¡°You never told me that.¡±


    Hyena gave the green creature a meaningful glare. ¡®Throwing them off our trail¡¯, he mouthed.


    ¡°Say, kids,¡± he said, ¡°you don¡¯t happen to have a key or something, do you?¡± He clacked his claws together. ¡°Captain won¡¯t mind if we come out to stretch our legs, would you, chief?¡±


    ¡°Right, enough of that talk,¡± the captain said, tapping the bars of Hyena¡¯s cell with his knuckles. ¡°Simmer down, or you¡¯ll be spending the evening on empty bellies.¡±


    Hyena froze. He shared a look with Snapjaw, and they both rushed to sit down in the corners of their respective cells.


    ¡°Come on,¡± the captain said, motioning to Kiren and Lace. ¡°Best not rile them up more than necessary. They¡¯re not usually dangerous, but it¡¯s not a good bet to take chances with Villains that size.¡±


    Lace complied, following the captain into the main part of the building.


    ¡°They don¡¯t seem all that violent, considering,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°They haven¡¯t killed anyone, far as I know. They mostly do robberies and heists. Fail at them, that is.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I swear, I don¡¯t know why they keep trying. They¡¯ve been in and out of here since before I took over. There¡¯s a bit of a housing crisis in Wailing Hill, what with all the new Villains popping up, and these guys are considered low risk, so they usually just stay with us.¡±


    Kiren and Lace met back up with Mina and took their leave with the guards.


    Lace gave the girl the last of the vials. She sucked down the blood greedily before throwing the empty container over her shoulder. She showed Lace a red-toothed grin.


    Lace looked up. The sun was getting high.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m hungry,¡± she said. ¡°Who else is feeling up for some food?¡±


    ¡°Me!¡± Mina shouted, jumping up and down.


    Kiren didn¡¯t say anything. He was looking off down the street, staring at nothing in particular, as if in deep thought.


    ¡°Kiren?¡± Lace asked. ¡°Hello?¡±


    He looked up at her, and his dark eyes were framed by a weight she had never seen in him before.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t Villains,¡± he said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t. Being a Villain is a choice. To kill and steal and murder for the sake of evil. Do those two really strike you as that?¡±


    ¡°Well, no,¡± Lace said. ¡°But they¡¯re criminals. They might not kill, but their antics could easily get someone hurt. Robbing a shop is different from stealing a few apples to survive. Someone like that is a Villain, regardless if they kill someone or not.¡±


    Kiren shrugged. ¡°Whatever.¡±


    He looked away and assumed that faraway stare once more.

 16. To Health (END OF DARK TIDINGS ARC)

    16. To Health


    The last in a long series of addicts passed Maxim¡¯s two stoic bodyguards into the darkened room. It had once been a granary, but he had gutted most of it and thrown up cloth in front of the windows to create a rudimentary hideout. It would serve, at least for the present.


    The addict was tall and lanky, with buggy eyes and patchy hair, his scalp red and rashy. He glanced around the room in a half-present daze.


    Maxim sneered. It was so difficult to find decent vessels.


    He was not the same man that he had once been. Slow, dull Maxim. Ever since the Beast had given him new life, he had been changed. Everything was so much easier now. His thoughts flowed easily, like a raging river where there had once been a pitiful trickle.


    He had, quite literally, been reborn. Body and mind.


    ¡°I heard o¡¯ someone giving out free potion,¡± the man said, clutching one arm with the other. ¡°That¡¯s you, then?¡±


    ¡°That would be me, yes,¡± Maxim said, smiling behind his wooden mask.


    The carved mask wasn¡¯t necessary, but he preferred to use it. It had been the Nasaizh¡¯s idea. Most of the addicts that came through were too far gone to care even if it was the Unmaker herself who handed them drugs, but it was still prudent to protect his identity.


    His plan was still at a¡­ vulnerable stage. Attracting too much attention could disrupt his timeline.


    He was working off secondary suppliers to distribute the Angel¡¯s Kiss. Too slow. Regardless of its effectiveness, he would never reach the scale he needed that way.


    He needed that shipment.


    The book is the key. Once I have that, I will have all that I need.


    ¡°Well, uh¡­¡± the addict said, bouncing on his heels. ¡°Am I getting something, or what?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Maxim hissed through broken vocal chords. He produced a pink vial of Angel¡¯s Kiss from behind his desk and put it in front of him.


    The fluid contained a single seed, invisible to the naked eye.


    The addict reached out to grab it.


    Maxim pulled it back.


    ¡°Before you take it, I require a drop of your blood.¡± He slid forward a long, slender knife.


    The addict frowned, sucking on his broken teeth. ¡°Why?¡±


    Maxim was growing tired of this imbecile. ¡°To seal the contract. Either give me your blood or leave empty-handed. Just a drop. That¡¯s all I ask.¡±


    He forced himself to wait patiently while the man made up his mind. The blood had to be spilled willingly. Same with the draught. It was the only way. The seed was not strong enough to overpower a soul. It had to be let in. A pact was required.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Finally, the addict took the knife.


    Maxim leaned forward.


    He pricked his index and hissed with pain. He held up his hand, a bead of blood rapidly growing on the end of his finger.


    ¡°Right. What now?¡±


    The Beast inside Maxim surged, hardly able to contain itself. It sent tingles of euphoria through Maxim¡¯s body


    He pushed forward a square of paper. He had to show restraint.


    ¡°There. Press your finger hard on that and we will be done.¡±


    The addict pushed his blood into the paper so that it stained a perfect, sanguine red, and stabbed the knife into the desk. He grabbed the bottle of Angel¡¯s Kiss and started walking towards the door.


    ¡°Fuckin¡¯ weird, man,¡± he muttered to himself, uncorking the bottle.


    He tossed it back, overturning the bottle and chugging its contents. He stumbled once it was empty, wiping his lips with a satisfied sigh.


    ¡°You really couldn¡¯t wait, could you?¡± Maxim said. ¡°Very well. We will see if you have what it takes.¡±


    The addict turned around, smacking his lips. ¡°What¡¯s what supposed to mean?¡±


    Maxim neglected to answer, content to simply watch.


    It wasn¡¯t long before he started to stumble. He dropped the empty glass bottle, which shattered against the ground. He fell to his knees and clutched his stomach with both hands, groaning.


    ¡°What¡­ this pain¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°What¡¯s happening¡­ to me?¡±


    Maxim scowled behind his mask. ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m afraid. You are unworthy.¡±


    The addict hunched over and vomited up a puddle of bile.


    Maxim had seen enough. He gave a nod and his two bodyguards rushed forward. They grabbed the man under his armpits, hoisting him up on his feet. They dragged him towards the door.


    ¡°He-help¡­ Help me¡­¡± he wailed, legs flailing uselessly.


    He heaved again, this time blood. It mixed with the bile on his shirt as his chest heaved out of control, face beading with sweat.


    He was thrown out, and the doors closed behind him. The bodyguards retook their positions on either side of it.


    ¡°A seed needs good soil to grow,¡± Maxim muttered to himself. ¡°Any farmer knows that.¡±


    Something inside him felt¡­ wrong. Queasy. The sight of the vomit still on the floor made him want to do the same.


    It was suddenly like he breached the surface of a vast sea. As if his consciousness had been smothered, and now he was awake.


    Creator¡­ forgive me¡­


    He reached for the knife on his desk.


    Do not forget your purpose, Nasaizh said. He didn¡¯t use words, rather fragmented images, some Maxim¡¯s own, others unfamiliar and unearthly, but all immediately intuitive and legible. Remember your daughters.


    Maxim¡¯s head jerked. His fingers curled, arms going stiff. It was as if someone was pulling strings from the inside of his body, forcing his movements.


    He remembered them. Their faces. Their laughs.


    Lessie. Mara.


    ¡°I have to do this,¡± he said. ¡°Without them, why do I live?¡±


    You can bring them back, Nasaizh spoke, images flashing. They will be with you forever. All you need to do is destroy the Heroes of Goldbrand and use their smoldering corpses as a beacon to call out to Mother. Only she has the power to restore true life. Even your crooked form can be mended.


    Maxim nodded slowly.


    ¡°Yes. As you say.¡±


    He was plunged back into that bottomless sea, and his mind lost its edge.


    A smile crept across his face.


    Everything was progressing smoothly.


    END OF ''DARK TIDINGS'' ARC

 17. A Deal Gone Wrong (START OF CLASHING WILLS ARC)

    START OF ''CLASHING WILLS'' ARC


    17. A Deal Gone Wrong


    Lace eyed Kiren cautiously as they circled around the practice yard. She held her guard high and watched her footwork on the fine gravel.


    He went in for the first punch, leading with a right jab, as always.


    Predictable.


    Lace stepped to the left and let her open palm brush his muscled arm as it flew past, applying just the right amount of wind. Thrown off-balance, he stumbled a few steps before catching himself on the glowing chains Veera had erected as a rudimentary fighting square.


    In the weeks that they had spent sparring, Lace had learned most of Kiren¡¯s fighting style. Not that it did her much good. She still hadn¡¯t beat him. Not once.


    Lace went in to capitalize on the window she had created. Kiren threw out a leg, and she leapt over it. She struck Kiren in the face, a cushion of rushing air protecting her fist. His head snapped to the side, but the rest of him didn¡¯t follow through with the motion.


    He grabbed her arm before she could pull back and delivered a quick uppercut to her ribs with his free hand. She gasped, air going out of her.


    Damn it¡­ He knows to disable my breathing.


    Lace lashed out with a kick, and he was forced to let her go in order to dodge. She backed up a few steps, desperately trying to catch her breath. He stayed on top of her, matching her movement for movement.


    The apprentices that were gathered around the practice yard booed and cheered as the fight billowed this way and that.


    ¡°Ten on black,¡± Veera said. She handed a stack of coppers to Gantho, who was taking bets and noting down the amounts. This was the first time anyone was betting on the two of them, but it seemed they could still tell that Kiren was favored, judging by how the bets were landing.


    Lace was pushed back against the chains, ducked out of the way of a grapple, and struck Kiren across the back as she danced away.


    ¡°Man, how do those two take this so seriously?¡± Jahn asked, lounging in the grass beside the practice yard. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not complaining. Entertainment for me.¡±


    Lace shook her head vigorously.


    Focus.


    Kiren had the strength and range advantage. She needed to use her Power effectively to counter that.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you take this so seriously,¡± Bits said. He sat cross-legged, a grin plastered over his face. ¡°I mean, we all know how this is going to end. With young lady Amar planted face first in the dirt.¡±


    Oh, yeah? I¡¯ll show you.


    Lace dodged Kiren¡¯s quick jabs until she could breathe reasonably. She feigned a stumble, and when he moved in to capitalize she put her hands together in a diamond shape.


    His eyes widened, but he was unable to stop in time.


    She compressed a massive amount of air into the space between her fingers and fired off the aero-shot. It hit him in the chest, point blank, and he toppled onto his back with an animalistic growl.


    The crowd booed apart from the handful who had actually bet on Lace.


    Her aero-shot still wasn¡¯t strong enough. She hadn¡¯t hurt him, only pushed him off his feet.


    Regardless, this was her opening.


    There would not be another chance.


    Lace rushed the now-prone Kiren, blowing a stream of air at his face to dry out his eyes and blur his vision. She only had to pin him down¡­


    Kiren swept her legs out and she went down on top of him with a low groan. She tried to push herself off, but he wrapped an arm around the back of her neck and held her close while he pummelled her ribs with the other.


    Her lips parted in a silent scream.


    Now they cheered.


    Lace grabbed Kiren¡¯s head by his hair and slammed it against the ground. Once, twice, three times. His grip on her neck loosened enough for her to struggle free.


    Instead, he wrapped his legs around her waist and twisted, flipping Lace onto her back with him on top. He put a hand on her throat.


    ¡°Good match,¡± he said, panting. A drop of sweat quivered on his nose. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    The roar of the crowd rose to a fever pitch.


    It was over. His hand was loose, but if he wanted he could clamp down on her throat and cut off her breathing anytime he wanted.


    ¡°Yield,¡± she said with reluctant slowness.


    Kiren rolled off of her and stood. Lace remained prone, rubbing her sore ribs with a pained grimace.


    Gantho handed out money to those that were owed and Veera let her ghostly chains dissolve into nothing, leaving only the wooden poles they had been resting upon.


    Lace felt a sudden tug at her clothes and was dragged to her feet. She was met with Excelerate¡¯s expressionless face. He reeked of alcohol.


    ¡°What do we have here?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Practicing,¡± Kiren said, stretching with an innocent smile.


    Excelerate pointed at Gantho. ¡°And that?¡±


    Lace swallowed. ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Excelerate let her go and wandered over to the crowd of apprentices. He snapped his fingers, and a crack like thunder echoed across the courtyard. It brought a great quiet in its wake as everyone turned their attention to the Hero.


    Gantho went wide-eyed. ¡°E-E-Excelerate! I mean, Master Excelerate! Hi! No, that¡¯s not right. Um, good morning! How is¡­¡±


    ¡°Hand over the money,¡± Excelerate said. He reached out his hand.


    Gantho sighed. The skinny young man handed over a heavy purse. Excelerate weighed it in his hand, whistled, and stowed it away in his robe.


    ¡°If you¡¯re dumb enough to do this in broad daylight, you deserve to have this taken away,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Besides, they¡¯re my apprentices. If you¡¯re pitting them against each other, I take a cut.¡±


    Gantho floundered for a response. He chuckled nervously, clearly unable to tell whether Excelerate was joking or not.


    Lace wasn¡¯t too sure, either.


    The crowd dispersed at the Hero¡¯s order, and he came back over to Kiren and Lace.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re not too tuckered out,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°You have a trip to the Slog to catch your breath.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a situation.¡± Excelerate smiled faintly. ¡°We¡¯re hunting a Villain.¡±


    Excelerate disappeared in a flash and appeared next to the dejected apprentices walking towards the Guild Hall. He put a hand on Bits'' shoulder.


    The blond man looked up, brow just slightly furrowed.


    ¡°You¡¯re coming, too,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Your master wants your assistance.¡±


    Lace groaned inwardly.


    *****


    Kiren clutched the horse¡¯s neck tightly as its mane whipped in his face.


    All the bouncing was going to make him sick and every galloping step sent a shock up his crotch. He gritted his teeth and endured it.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Citizens cleared the way, running out of the street as he thundered along it. Five others rode with him.


    There was Lace, Excelerate, and Bits, along with the Hero known as Torchbearer, who he had heard about from Lace. Lastly was a man named Goldcoin, with styled, strawberry blonde hair and a waxed mustache, dressed in a finely-cut tunic with fur trim and gleaming buttons.


    Excelerate had explained nothing about the job, only that they would be putting their lives on the line. Like that was anything new.


    ¡°Do we know the count?¡± Torchbearer asked, his voice hoarse and raspy like a cat with a furball stuck down its throat.


    ¡°No!¡± Goldcoin shouted over the noise of hooves on flagstones, his mustache bouncing in rhythm with his horse¡¯s movements. ¡°Eagle¡¯s message didn¡¯t explain much! He said it¡¯ll be the best chance to nip Evangel in the bud, though!¡± He shook his head. ¡°I would have preferred to sleep in an extra hour. I had this lovely girl from Farpoint, who...¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Anyway. Work to do.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Evangel?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°A new Villain,¡± Torchbearer said. ¡°Crime boss. Only popped up recently. He¡¯s been recruiting heavily for the past three weeks. Startling numbers. We have few clues who he is, or where he came from, but he¡¯s trouble.¡±


    Hell of a response, Kiren thought. They must be taking this guy seriously if they think it¡¯ll take this many C Ranks and an A Rank to stop him.


    Kiren shared a glance with Lace.


    I¡¯ll have to keep an eye on her. She can¡¯t keep up with a Villain on her own.


    They rode to the edge between the Slog and Small Miracle, where ramshackle shanties met cheap but orderly residences.


    Kiren looked around as they dismounted, but nothing was out of the ordinary. No Villains in sight, certainly. The townsfolk stopped to stare at the handful Heroes and seemed unwilling to move on.


    They waited for several minutes. Kiren tapped his foot impatiently.


    Eagle-Eyes finally showed up, a longbow over his shoulder and a quiver on his hip.


    ¡°Situation?¡± Excelerate asked.


    ¡°Evangel seems to be engaged in some sort of deal with an unknown party,¡± Eagle-Eyes said. ¡°He has protection, but nothing we can¡¯t handle. They¡¯re located inside a structure to the south. Moderately fortified. Its maze-like design will complicate retrieval.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like an easy job,¡± Goldcoin said, twirling his mustache around his finger. ¡°We go in there, put a couple holes in the henchmen, and get the boss.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Torchbearer said. ¡°We cannot allow him any chance for escape. Evangel is too dangerous to be allowed free reign in the city. He has proven that even in such a short amount of time.¡±


    Excelerate tugged on his mask. ¡°We make two teams. An attack team and a retrieval team. The attack team will go into the structure, doing as much damage as possible while flushing Evangel out of hiding. The retrieval team will surround the building, pounce on Evangel when he leaves, and subdue him. Eagle-Eyes, that sound like it would work?¡±


    The feather-cloaked Hero nodded. ¡°Likely so, if executed correctly. Our knowledge of the structure is limited, however¡ªI only caught brief glimpses through the windows¡ªthe attack team will have to proceed with caution.¡±


    ¡°Suppose we do this your way, old man,¡± Goldcoin said. ¡°Who will be on which team?¡±


    ¡°Lace stays outside,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Her Power is best for crowd-control.¡±


    ¡°Good idea,¡± Excelerate said with a nod. ¡°I will lead the attack team. My Power will allow us to pierce through any potential defenses and get the drop on the Villains. I¡¯ll take Kiren¡ªhis stamina will soak plenty of damage if things go south. Goldcoin, you¡¯re also with me¡ªwe could use your luck. Eagle-Eyes, you¡¯ll stay with the retrieval team, but I¡¯m counting on you to cover the windows. The rest of you are on retrieval as well.¡±


    ¡°Only three people going in?¡± Lace asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that kind of¡­ risky?¡±


    ¡°I always make the risky play,¡± Goldcoin said with a grin. Several gold teeth shone among his pearly whites. ¡°It tends to pay off.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Even with only me and Coin, the combination of our Powers makes us nearly unstoppable.¡±


    ¡°What about the second Villain?¡± Torchbearer asked. ¡°You said there was some sort of transaction happening, didn¡¯t you, Eagle-Eyes?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll gauge his threat level during the attack,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°I will either perform a swift removal or allow them to escape as we corner Evangel. Whoever they are, they¡¯re not our target here.¡±


    ¡°This plan will suffice,¡± Eagle-Eyes said. ¡°We have little time to waste. The transaction has already begun.¡±


    *****


    They left the horses and began moving south. The mark of the Heroes¡¯ Guild emblazoned on the saddles would ensure that no one stole them.


    The Heroes made up the front of their little troop, eyeing the nearby run-down buildings with trained vigilance.


    Lace kept an eye on Kiren. He had been acting a little different as of late, but this was something else entirely. The way he had spoken almost made it seem like he was concerned about her safety.


    I don¡¯t know whether to be flattered or worried.


    ¡°Lace Amar,¡± Eagle-Eyes said, breaking her out of her thought. He slowed down until he walked next to her. ¡°A word?¡±


    ¡°Of course, master,¡± Lace said, hiding her displeasure behind a polite smile.


    ¡°You made it in. Your father would have been proud.¡±


    Lace couldn¡¯t hold back a bitter twist of her lip.


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve been hearing, it seems like he would have been happier if I¡¯d stayed a barmaid for the rest of my life.¡±


    Eagle-Eyes¡¯ eyebrows furrowed almost imperceptibly. ¡°You¡¯ve been speaking with Counter?¡±


    ¡°In a sense.¡±


    ¡°Then you must know that what your father did or did not want is of little consequence now. You honor him in your own way. That is enough.¡±


    ¡°I think we have more important matters to focus on right now, master,¡± Lace said, biting back a snide retort.


    ¡°The girl is right,¡± Goldcoin said. He looked around at the people in the street and shivered. ¡°Anyone else getting the feeling that we¡¯re being watched? Like, more than usual?¡±


    Lace looked more closely at the citizens. Pale, drawn faces followed them closely, eyes unblinking. She had the seen the looks of desperation and loathing that the poor gave the well-to-do when they passed through the outer city. She knew that feeling herself, and she knew it well.


    This was something else.


    Men stopped what they were working on to stare, holding their tools numbly, pipes hanging from their mouths as if forgotten. Women neglected their children to stand and gawk, oblivious to their surroundings. Even the children themselves halted their playing and hollering, growing deathly quiet.


    ¡°Greetings, Heroes,¡± said a man as they passed, his voice dull and monotone.


    ¡°Greetings,¡± said a boy no older than seven, sitting by the road in dirty rags.


    Goldcoin waved uncertainly and tried on a smile.


    The townsfolk stared.


    He pretended to be brushing his mustache instead and muttered something under his breath.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with them?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Torchbearer said. ¡°Perhaps some malady has afflicted them?¡±


    ¡°A problem for another time,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°No time to linger on it now. We¡¯ve got ourselves a Villain to catch.¡±


    Eagle-Eyes signaled when they arrived at their destination by holding up a fist. Here, the street widened, becoming a tangled neighborhood of intersecting alleys and tightly packed shanties.


    The feather-clad Hero pointed out the building of interest. A mismatched amalgam of hovels hammered together with boards and hung with tarps to form a lopsided complex. By all accounts, it looked abandoned. The material was so grey with rot that it was a miracle the place was still standing. Dark, empty windows gaped like toothless mouths, only a few covered up with ragged cloth.


    ¡°A drug den,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Smart, meeting in a place like this. Doesn¡¯t draw much attention.¡±


    ¡°Not that it did them much good,¡± Goldcoin said. ¡°We¡¯re about to show this rabble that Goldbrand doesn¡¯t belong to them.¡±


    ¡°Okay, form into your teams,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡±


    *****


    Excelerate busted down a wooden sheet for a door with a lightning-fast blur of a kick. They all rushed inside, Excelerate taking the lead, Goldcoin in the middle, rapier drawn, and Kiren in the back wielding a plain hand-and-a-half sword. He had received some lessons from Counter, but the weight was still unfamiliar in his hand.


    They passed into a dark, empty room, three doorways leading in different directions. They saw no one, just some discarded bottles of love potion and fires long since burnt out.


    Excelerate picked the door in front and they went through a narrow hall constructed with odd planks and sheets of fabric. They came into what looked like someone¡¯s sleeping quarters.


    A man lay on a thin layer of straw in a state of partial undress. Two women lounged next to him with dazed, unseeing expressions, pink fluid dripping from their chins.


    The man stood and attempted to button his trousers. He slipped on one of the pant-legs and swore as he regained his balance.


    Excelerate stood aside. ¡°This one¡¯s all yours.¡±


    Goldcoin stepped forward. He extended the butt of his rapier and the man stumbled once more, falling face first into the rounded basket hilt. He let out a dull groan as he fell to the floor. A thin line of blood trickled from his temple. He didn¡¯t move.


    Goldcoin rolled the man onto his back with the tip of his boot, face scrunching in barely contained disgust. ¡°Unconscious.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Excelerate said. He crouched and waved a hand in front of the women¡¯s faces. They giggled absently, too addled to notice. ¡°Okay, clear.¡±


    They continued, progressing ever deeper into the complex. Goldcoin and Excelerate fought a few hopped-up addicts that dwelled within. Every one of those that fought back seemed to trip over themselves, or fumble their weapon, or befall some other misfortune. No one was able to call for help.


    His Power is luck, eh? Kiren mused, giving the mustachioed Hero a close look. You wouldn¡¯t think much of it, but¡­ It¡¯s difficult to know the limits of his Power.


    With this advantage on their side, Goldcoin and Excelerate were able to stroll through the place without fear of detection.


    As they approached the center, the walls seemed to grow narrower, the ceiling lower. Rats scurried in the corners. The place stunk of animal droppings and mold, thrown in half-murk by the lack of windows.


    Kiren¡¯s palms were slick with sweat. Though he tried to talk himself out of it, his limbs were stiff with apprehension.


    Time to do this. We¡¯ll kill this Villain, whoever they are.


    There was a door set into the wall before them. A murmur of voices could be heard from beyond.


    Excelerate looked back, eyebrows raised.


    Goldcoin nodded.


    The grey-haired Hero turned back around, coiled up like a sprinter, and burst through a door with a flash of speed.


    Inside was a plain room adorned only by a large, rectangular table in the middle, with two men sitting opposite each other. Light streamed in through gaps in a pair of rag-covered windows, illuminating the room enough to see. Eight sword-bearing merchant-guards lined the room on the left side with swords and bucklers, a half-dozen Slog-style ruffians with knives and axes on the other.


    The two men looked up.


    Mug¡¯s scarred face blanched in surprise, hands gripping the thick tome on the table in front of him.


    The other man wore a wooden mask, carved to resemble basic human features.


    ¡°Greetings, Heroes,¡± said the masked man with a rough, breathy voice. ¡°I wondered if you would show.¡±


    He lifted his mask.


    Maxim¡¯s bloated, purply face split in a ghastly imitation of a grin, his neck indented and rubbed raw by the rope he had hanged from.


    ¡°Creator¡¯s Mercy¡­¡± Kiren whispered.


    Maxim raised one finger.


    The pale-faced merchant guards drew their weapons, eyes flitting uncontrollably as forced shrieks rose from their throats.

 18. Fool Me Thrice, Part 1

    18. Fool Me Thrice


    Lace waited impatiently, trying to see through the gaps in the walls. There was nothing to see, just shadows forming vague tricks of the eye.


    Torchbearer was close by, and together they covered one side of the complex. Eagle-Eyes and Bits took up the other.


    ¡°Not to worry,¡± the leather-faced Hero said with a reassuring smile. ¡°Excelerate knows his business. He¡¯ll see them out safely.¡±


    ¡°I hope so.¡±


    ¡°Say, you look a little familiar. Have I met you before you joined the¨C¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    Torchbearer pursed his lips. ¡°Oh. I see.¡±


    Small throngs of ragged citizens crowded the alleys around them, staring. The hairs on Lace¡¯s neck prickled. She gripped the handle of the sword at her hip. Torchbearer tried to shoo the people away, but they came back as soon as he turned around.


    ¡°It sounds quiet in there,¡± Lace said. ¡°Is that¡­ normal?¡±


    Torchbearer shrugged, chainmail clinking. ¡°It seems like a good sign to me. At least that means¡­¡±


    A screech pierced the walls of the rundown complex, the echo reverberating through the ground.


    ¡°That sounded less good.¡± Flames alighted along Torchbearer¡¯s forearms and crawled up to his shoulders. ¡°Be ready for anything.¡±


    More screams joined the first, coming from behind them this time.


    Lace looked back.


    The townsfolk charged towards them in a frenzy, tripping over themselves. They frothed at the mouth, eyes wild.


    Lace drew her sword with a rasping sound. She held it out in front of her chest in both hands, gripping the handle painfully tight.


    A large, broad-shouldered man lumbered into her. Her feet briefly lifted off the ground, and a moment later she slammed against the ground, sword flying from her grip.


    The massive weight of the man bore down on top of her. He growled as he reached for a loose rock that lay nearby.


    Lace kneed him in the crotch, but he didn¡¯t so much as react.


    Damn it! What is wrong with these people?


    She readied an aero-blast, putting her fingers in the diamond-shape and compressing air until she had an invisible, whirling ball of wind between her hands.


    Two more townsfolk descended on her, pulling at her arms and disrupting her focus.


    Lace let fly. The wind knocked the man right off her, stone flipping through the air, and the residual shockwave was enough to make the other two stumble.


    She felt a sharp tug at her tunic. She struggled against the grip but was dragged along the ground anyway, then hoisted to her feet.


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Torchbearer said, warding off a group of crazed townsfolk with the flat of a burning sword. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt them¡ªthese people have been taken by Beasts, but they''re still alive.¡±


    She had already lost her sword, now being trampled among the growing crowd, so there was no worry of her hurting someone.


    This many Beasts, in Goldbrand? How is that possible?


    Torchbearer was staving off most of the townsfolk with his burning blade, but they were slowly closing in, snarling and swiping at the air. More and more piled on in the back as they poured out of side streets and ramshackle houses. At a quick count, it had to be more than fifty.


    This isn¡¯t going to last.


    ¡°What do we do, master?¡± Lace asked. ¡°They¡¯re going to overwhelm us.¡±


    ¡°Can you gain us some ground with your Power?¡± he asked. ¡°Don¡¯t hold anything back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, master.¡±


    Standing back-to-back with Torchbearer, she raised her open palms and called upon every sliver of air within her reach, forcing it downward in a sharp funnel towards her. It wasn¡¯t long before she had a tight coil of wind circling around her, howling and tearing at her clothes.


    She balled her hands and threw them out to the sides.


    The townsfolk flew back all around her, toppling into one another and getting tangled as they attempted to rise back up.


    Torchbearer clicked his tongue. He drew a large circle around them using the point of his sword, setting it ablaze. He raised his sword to the sky, and the flames rose higher than Lace was tall.


    ¡°They won¡¯t cross this,¡± he said. ¡°Spawnlings fear fire. It¡¯s how the humanoids keep them in line.¡±


    Lace¡¯s posture slumped and she let slip a long exhale.


    The townsfolk rose. They shrieked and screamed and growled, crowding around the circle of fire. Just like Torchbearer had said, they didn¡¯t try to cross.


    They were safe, for now.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°How long can you keep this up?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°Indefinitely, more or less,¡± Torchbearer said. ¡°But I don¡¯t fancy the others¡¯ chances. We need to figure something out before this turns into a bloodbath.¡±


    Lace¡¯s thoughts drifted to Kiren. She kept her guard up as the townsfolk circled their protective ward, testing for weaknesses wherever the fire waned. Whenever she spotted such a weakness she added a burst of air, making the flames rise taller.


    Please, be alright in there.


    *****


    Kiren took a sword to the shoulder. The blade sank deep into his flesh, scraping bone.


    He barked a curse and slipped his blade into the man¡¯s stomach. There was a sharp tug as it snagged on his clothes, then slid right through his abdomen and out the other side.


    The man¡¯s mouth opened in a gasp, fleshy tendrils wriggling at the back of his throat. He grabbed Kiren¡¯s shoulder with his free hand and pushed him up against a wall.


    Fuck! I¡¯ve gotta¡­ get¡­ the heart¡­


    There was too little space. He couldn¡¯t pull out his sword. His shoulder trickled blood, off-hand rendered practically useless by the severed muscle. His body couldn¡¯t regenerate while the blade was still stuck in there.


    A thin blade punched through the front of the guard¡¯s tan uniform. The man fell away, twitching on the ground with monstrous tentacles writhing across his body.


    Goldcoin stood in his place. He nodded tersely before moving on with a grand flourish of his rapier. He engaged in another melee, fighting three of the Beastly guards at once.


    Excelerate zipped among Mug¡¯s group of mercenary thugs, cutting open stomachs and severing limbs with only a long knife and his massive momentum. They swiped with their axes, hitting only air. Excelerate felled three of them in swift succession, and the rest routed to a corner of the room and took up defensive positions, flipping the table on its side for cover.


    Around Goldcoin, the fight seemed to be flowing like a perfectly choreographed dance. Enemy strikes fell just short as he stepped around them. He landed cuts and stabs while hardly even looking as if he knew every parry and thrust he needed to perform before it happened. He took down a guard with a clean stab through the heart and flicked a shining coin into the air with his other hand. It bounced off the nearest wall and shot back into the eye of one of the remaining guards, setting him off balance just as he was about to strike. Goldcoin riddled him with quick stabs. The third fell soon after.


    Kiren yanked the sword from his shoulder. It bled down his sleeve, but the cut quickly healed, muscle fibers reconnecting. He rolled his shoulders and tried a few swings with his new, second blade.


    That¡¯s better.


    The four remaining guards gathered around Maxim in a tight circle, bucklers outward as they anticipated incoming attacks. The Elder wore a twisted smile as he surveyed the piling bodies.


    What in all of Svarta is going on? Maxim died. I saw it.


    He didn¡¯t look wholly alive, however. Not truly. He was a shambling corpse, animated like a puppet.


    The Beasts must have brought him back. Couldn¡¯t be anything else, considering those little wriggly things.


    Mug, standing at the other side of the room, looked utterly out of control. His gaze flitted from one man to the next. Him and the three mercenaries that were left huddled behind the table in a tight grouping, backs against each other.


    You damn fool, Kiren thought. Just run.


    Excelerate slammed into one of Maxim¡¯s guards with a burst of dizzying speed. He jabbed almost imperceptibly fast, tearing a hole in the man¡¯s chest. Heart destroyed, the guard fell as if his strings had been cut.


    The other three threw themselves onto Excelerate, dragging him to the ground. Slippery, boneless limbs slithered out of their gaping mouths and tightened around Excelerate¡¯s limbs. While he struggled, Maxim walked confidently across the room.


    Goldcoin stood in his way, side turned towards his foe with his blade raised in a fencer¡¯s guard.


    ¡°You¡¯re Evangel, then,¡± he said. ¡°Charmed. Care for a bet?¡±


    Maxim pulled down his wooden mask without halting. ¡°Very well. Let us bet our livesss.¡± A sharp, hissing tone had entered his voice.


    Kiren readied his swords and rushed forward to assist the Hero.


    Goldcoin reached inside his tunic with his free hand and gave a subtle flick of his wrist. A slender throwing knife embedded itself in Maxim¡¯s shoulder. The Hero took a long step forward with his leading foot, thrusting with his rapier at the same time.


    Maxim raised his hand and let the blade slide through his open palm, showing no sign of pain apart from a twitch of his lip. Rivulets of dark blood ran down the sword, alighting into sooty, crimson flames that traveled all the way up to the basket hilt with no sign of stopping.


    Goldcoin let go of his weapon with a muttered curse and danced back a few steps.


    Maxim raised his other hand.


    Kiren reached the Villain and brought his main-hand sword down in an overhead swing, putting all his weight behind it.


    Maxim¡¯s left hand came off at the wrist, and the severed appendage flipped away through the air, landing on the floor with a dull plop.


    Maxim let out a shrill scream that seemed to be a mix of real, human anguish and a chilling squeal of something else, something unearthly.


    His severed limb sprayed blood. He swung it in a wide arc, becoming a wave of fire. Goldcoin slipped on his backside a fraction of a second before the flames would have hit him, but Kiren wasn¡¯t so lucky.


    The skin of his left arm sizzled and spat as his skin shriveled and his blood boiled. There was an initial, hot wash of pain, which disappeared almost immediately as his nerves fried.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± he swore, letting go of his swords to pat himself down.


    Goldcoin started to get up off the floor, hoisting himself into a low crouch.


    Maxim raised his severed left arm towards Goldcoin. A fleshy tendril shot out of his flesh, the sharp nib boring itself into Goldcoin¡¯s shoulder. The tendril detached from Maxim¡¯s body and wrapped itself tightly around Goldcoin¡¯s torso, pinning his arms against his sides. He fell backward, cursing profusely.


    Maxim looked back, peering across the room through his featureless mask. Excelerate had just about finished off his assailants and was slowly getting up with several bleeding wounds across his body.


    Mug¡¯s mercenaries were escaping through the window, clambering through one by one. Mug himself was last, spurring the others on while glancing back every so often.


    Kiren finally got the fire put out, gritting his teeth at the charred flesh running all the way up to his shoulder.


    Maxim walked towards the door.


    ¡°We will conclude this another time,¡± he said. ¡°I have so much in store for you all. You shall make a fine bonfire to call The One Among the Stars.¡±


    ¡°Get back here, you fucker!¡± Kiren spat. He staggered after Maxim, but a sinewy appendage shot out of the man¡¯s bloody stump, quick as a whip, and swept Kiren¡¯s legs out. He fell hard, wincing at the burning agony running deep into his arm.


    Maxim got through the door and slammed it shut behind him.


    Excelerate got up a few moments later. He moved sluggishly over to Goldcoin and freed the struggling Hero by cutting off the tendril that bound him. With a blur of motion, he threw his knife across the room and pinned Mug¡¯s sleeve to the wall as he was about to leap through the window.


    Goldcoin got back on his feet, and Excelerate fetched a new weapon. Mug struggled uselessly against the knife that pinned him to the wall.


    ¡°Hold it down for now,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    He slammed into the door with a burst of superspeed, knocking it clean off its hinges. Goldcoin followed, and they both disappeared down the hall.

 18. Fool Me Thrice, Part 2

    Lace was soaked in sweat, both from exertion and the fire raging all around her.


    The townsfolk just didn¡¯t give up. Torchbearer sent out lashes of fire to corral them, which they avoided with surprising acuity. Lace couldn¡¯t do much other than watch and keep the fires burning.


    Torchbearer looked up from what he was doing and gazed at the sky with a hand over his forehead to block out the sun.


    ¡°There!¡± he said. ¡°Look!¡±


    Lace followed his gaze and found an arrow drifting high in the air above the other side of the complex, reaching its apex and dipping back down.


    It exploded in a dazzling display of thousands of colored sparks. Lace gasped at the sight of it.


    ¡°A trick arrow,¡± Torchbearer said grimly. ¡°Eagle-Eyes is in trouble.¡±


    In his lapse of concentration, the fires flickered and started to fall. With a twinge of panic, Lace funneled a large pillar of air down into their circle. She gasped with the effort, fires stoked once more. The crazed townsfolk howled on the other side, some having been burnt by the sudden spitting flames.


    ¡°What do we do¡­ Master?¡± she panted, steadying her tired body by putting her hands on her knees. ¡°We¡¯re barely holding our own over here.¡±


    ¡°We need to make our way over to them. We stand a better chance of surviving if we regroup.¡±


    ¡°What about Evangel?¡±


    Torchbearer balled up his left hand and swung it in a wide arc. He threw a ball of crackling flame straight into the air ten or twenty meters up, which bloomed into the silhouette of a bird with its wings spread, before dissipating into a puff of smoke.


    ¡°Our priorities have changed. I will not tolerate any loss of life on this mission.¡±


    The townsfolk went eerily quiet.


    Lace looked around. They parted to the left and right, forming a wide path. They stared blankly into the flames with their arms at their sides.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Torchbearer said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve given up. Be on your¡ª¡±


    A deep roar split the air. A huge, bull-necked man bounded down the empty path. Broad-shouldered, big-bellied, and hairy, he looked like he might have been a match even for Haden. He showed no signs of slowing down even as he neared the fire.


    ¡°Creator¡¯s breath,¡± Torchbearer mumbled. ¡°Brace!¡±


    The big man put his arms in front of his face and leapt through the circle of fire without missing a beat. He swiped with a massive, burning arm, hitting Torchbearer and throwing him back to the other side of the circle. He landed on his back, chainmail clinking, and slowly worked himself into a sitting position. A large section of his chainmail had been bent out of shape.


    Up close like this, Lace could see how tall the man truly was. He was at least two and a half meters tall, maybe more. His eyes were bloodshot and red, and his face was split by a toothy grin.


    ¡°Tiny humans,¡± he thundered. ¡°This body will tear you both apart limb from limb.¡±


    Torchbearer rose, supporting himself on his flaming sword. He spat blood.


    The big man bit into his thumb, grinding his teeth until he pierced the skin. He flicked a few drops of dark blood into the fire to his left. The flames turned sooty and blood red, spreading throughout the whole circle. With a gesture from the man, they started to fade away.


    Torchbearer gritted his teeth. The flames shifted from red to orange and back again, flickering in a tempestuous struggle.


    ¡°This one¡¯s a humanoid,¡± Torchbearer said. ¡°We¡¯re going to need more power to take him down.¡±


    The big man charged and Torchbearer leapt out of the way. Flames enshrouded his body, smoke billowing from him. Soon, a large portion of the circle was engulfed by a dense, grey cloud, hiding the Hero completely.


    The humanoid quickly gave up the search with a snort. ¡°Very well. If you are so intent on hiding, I will prey upon your little toy here.¡±


    He turned, facing Lace, and his demented grin grew wider. He cracked his knuckles as he walked towards her. All around them, the flames still raged, its color and intensity billowing back and forth.


    Lace readied and launched an aero-shot. The humanoid slid back a hair but didn¡¯t fall off balance. He continued with a derisive laugh, his shadow falling over Lace.


    She looked at her hands. If that didn¡¯t work, there was nothing in her arsenal strong enough to budge him.


    She could hear Torchbearer speaking, chanting muttered syllables that sounded like no human language she knew, guttural and laced with harsh intonations.


    The humanoid made a sweeping blow and Lace ducked out of the way, his fist missing her head by a hair. He followed up with several more punches, each faster and more furious than the last. Each time, it was harder to dodge, even though she used her wind to propel herself that extra distance. He soon had her stumbling and tripping over herself.


    She coughed from the smoke which now covered almost the whole circle in a dense blanket. Her eyes teared up, blurring her vision.


    The humanoid wound his arm back for another punch.


    There was no time to dodge.


    She put her arms up in a cross, bracing herself.


    ¡°Hey, ugly!¡±


    Two arrows thudded into the humanoid¡¯s chest in rapid succession. He backed up, growling.


    Lace looked back just in time to see Bits leaping off the roof of the drug den, sword in hand. He crashed into the big man, blade burying itself into the side of his neck and sliding down into his torso. Eagle-Eyes stood on the edge of the roof, nocking another arrow.


    The humanoid roared, swinging his bulky body back and forth. Bits held onto the sword handle with both hands, but was eventually thrown off and rolled across the ground.


    The humanoid sank down on one knee, working his jaw like an animal as he attempted to pull the sword from his shoulder.


    Lace rushed over to Bits and checked him for wounds. He looked mostly alright apart from a few scuffs.


    ¡°You saved me,¡± she murmured, hardly believing the words coming out of her mouth.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect that, did you?¡± Bits said with a grin. ¡°You didn¡¯t show, so we thought we¡¯d take matters into our own hands.¡±


    Lace couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Never thought I¡¯d see the day I¡¯d actually be happy for his presence.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    *****


    It was eerily quiet apart from some distant shouting outside. A few of the merchant guards still twitched. Kiren impaled one that was trying to get up, leaving the blade inside his heart.


    He walked over to Mug, gaze lowered. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to meet the man¡¯s eye.


    Mug cleared his throat. He didn¡¯t try to pull the dagger loose.


    ¡°So,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re with them?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°Must be good money.¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    Kiren shrugged. ¡°Got my reasons.¡±


    He bent down and picked up the tome at Mug¡¯s feet.


    The same one he had stolen from Ren Ludenhaas.


    He finally met the fence¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°What is this thing?¡± he asked, holding up the book. ¡°Why would a monster like that want to get a hold of it?¡±


    ¡°Beats me,¡± Mug said with a tense shrug. ¡°He was offering lots¡¯a money, though. I didn¡¯t expect¡­ all this.¡±


    Mug had a bad poker face. His lip twitched when he was lying.


    Kiren sat down next to him, pulling his legs underneath him.


    ¡°Come in quietly, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me? I didn¡¯t expect motherfucking Excelerate to show up. I¡¯m not moving a muscle. Not in the mood to get gutted like those worthless sods.¡± He spat a glob of phlegm at the dead mercenaries. ¡°Paid good money for them too.¡±


    Kiren nodded. ¡°Good.¡±


    He resisted the urge to cut the man loose and wish him on his way.


    He¡¯ll have me in his corner. That¡¯s better than nothing.


    He still didn¡¯t fancy Mug¡¯s chances.


    *****


    The humanoid ripped the sword from his body and tossed it aside with a muttered curse in some tongue-defying language. He stood, half wreathed in smoke, towering over Lace and a supine Bits. More arrows penetrated his chest, arms, even his neck, but he hardly even flinched.


    ¡°It does not matter how many of you decide to join the fray,¡± he rumbled. ¡°I will simply crush you all at once.¡±


    A ghostly, white glow alighted within the smoke at the other end of the circle. The humanoid turned just as a flaming sword pierced the grey veil, aglow with white flames, tinged green at the edges. The humanoid brought his meaty hand up to block. The blade sizzled and spat as it sank through the hand, and the humanoid let out an anguished scream. He stepped back, batting at the white flames creeping up his arm.


    ¡°Apologies for keeping you waiting,¡± Torchbearer said, stepping out of the smoke. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this.¡±


    The flames coming off his sword danced oddly, almost as if tiny figures were contained within. Even at a distance, Lace felt as though she could hear faint whispers coming from the sword.


    It¡¯s almost like¡­ that hand.


    At Winewater.


    Could he possess that power, too?


    Lace helped Bits back on his feet and threw him his discarded sword. He rolled his shoulder and winced with pain, but gave Lace a thumbs up.


    The humanoid roared, finally putting out the fire. His flesh had been seared almost to the bone, and beneath wriggled dark, oily tendrils.


    ¡°Feeble creatures! You will die! The One Among the Stars hungers for your flesh!¡±


    He bellowed his defiance to the sky, and the circle of flame was snuffed out all at once.


    The humanoid turned to walk away.


    The townsfolk surged, giving him a wide berth as he retreated.


    Several of the townsfolk fell with arrows sticking out of their feet and ankles, but there were dozens more to take their place.


    Torchbearer rushed in front of Lace and Bits, slicing at the air with his blazing sword. The townsfolk hissed and backed away from the white flames, but he could only occupy so many at a time.


    Lace took a deep breath to settle her racing nerves. She dropped into a low stance, feet wide and arms up in a loose guard. She put her back to Torchbearer and Bits so that they stood in an approximate triangle.


    The raging mob ran straight at her. They were not far, now¡ªclose enough for her to see their distended pupils and twitching fingers.


    ¡°I need your help,¡± Lace whispered. ¡°Come to me like you did before. I need you.¡±


    The man in the lead jumped at Lace.


    She swiveled to the side and gathered a ball of air, slamming it into the side of his head. The compressed force sent him tumbling over himself, and he fell into two others.


    The next came, a woman. She swept her legs. A third leapt over her, and Lace barely had the time to fend her off with a rushed aero-shot. Bits sliced up a few more, working with conservative footwork and efficient movements, never extending a finger¡¯s breadth more than he needed.


    The fourth and fifth were too fast, circling around Lace and lunging at her with murder in their eyes. She stepped in to rebuff the first, fully knowing the other would get her.


    Just as she threw her punch and sent the man sprawling, she felt the wind coalesce around her, without her command. A pressure on her shoulder, almost like a comforting hand. A tickle in her ear, like the breath of an intimate lover.


    I am here, a voice spoke.


    An intangible figure made of a milky white light stepped out of her body. It whirled around her, arms and legs dispersing for but a moment, and reforming once it stopped. Lace turned just in time to see the townsman at her back be flipped onto his back. The figure squeezed itself down his open mouth, and the man let out a scream. A moment later, a fleshy blob the size of a small cat slipped out of his mouth, twitching a few times before growing still upon the ground.


    In her amazement, Lace almost let a woman claw her in the face. Bits had her back, hitting the woman over the arm with the blunt of his sword, then kicking her center mass, sending her into a heavy fall.


    ¡°Pay attention!¡± he snapped. ¡°This is no time to be daydreaming, shit-for-brains!¡±


    Lace straightened herself out and faced the next three townsfolk coming at her. The milky light merged with her, becoming a part of her.


    It was as if she had four arms and two minds.


    Her movements became a blur. Her enemies came and went, rebuffed against her defense. Her own arms blocked and swept attacks aside, while the ghostly ones counter-attacked and pulled spawnlings from incapacitated hosts.


    Between the three of them, a sizeable pile of unconscious or wounded townsfolk was forming around them, making it harder for the others to clamber over in order to reach them.


    Still, there were simply too many of them. There seemed to be no end to them. As the fight went on, Lace¡¯s breath grew labored, her arms heavy.


    A group of townsfolk piled on top of her. She fended off their limbs and the spectral double did the same, but the sheer weight of them pushed her to the ground. The glowing figure disappeared, and Lace was alone with the screaming, clawing horde. They pressed down on top of her, squeezing the air from her lungs.


    She thrashed and batted at them, but no amount of effort made any difference. One of the men got his arms around her throat and squeezed, a gleeful smile on his face.


    No, no, no, she thought, panic entering her mind. I don¡¯t want to die like this.


    She clawed at the man¡¯s arms, but they were like iron. She couldn¡¯t budge them.


    There was a loud crash of splintered wood.


    A moment later, the weight was lifted off Lace¡¯s body. Men and women went flying, thrown off her like ragdolls.


    Excelerate stood over her, gazing across the street with a discerning eye. Goldcoin was next to him, twiddling his blond mustache between two fingers.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t even stay on your feet, huh?¡± Excelerate said.


    Lace looked around but didn¡¯t see Kiren. She felt a twinge of worry but fought it down. ¡°Where¡¯s Kiren?¡±


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s fine,¡± Excelerate said with a dismissive wave of his hand. ¡°Where¡¯s Evangel?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I thought you were supposed to take care of him.¡±


    Goldcoin helped her to her feet and she rubbed her raw throat. He slapped a man that came towards them with the flat end of his rapier, causing him to stumble over one of his unconscious companions and topple to the ground.


    ¡°We searched the whole complex,¡± Excelerate explained. ¡°Nothing. He must have escaped outside. You didn¡¯t see anything?¡±


    ¡°There was a large humanoid, aggressive,¡± Torchbearer called, placing the tip of his glowing sword against a prone townsman, drawing a scream and eventually a limp spawnling from his throat. ¡°He seemed to be in command.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the one,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Evangel is short and has a collected demeanor. He wears a wooden mask.¡± He dashed a full ten meters and back, incapacitating a half dozen hostiles along the way with movements too quick for the eye.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t see anything like that,¡± Bits said.


    ¡°Me neither,¡± Lace said.


    The townsfolk were thinning out, most of them having been taken care of. The Heroes mopped them up quickly, and Torchbearer took care of the spawnlings before letting his white flames die off.


    ¡°Then he¡¯s escaped,¡± Excelerate said with the barest sigh. ¡°We lost.¡±

 19. Recoup

    19. Recoup


    Maxim clenched and unclenched his new hand, trying to get used to the sensation of it. There was still a dull pain in his wrist, which had gone pale and bloodless, but it felt faraway, almost like it belonged to somebody else.


    He was alone in the old granary, having sent his remaining guards away. It was suitably dark and soothingly cold. He kept no candles. His eyes were better adjusted to the darkness, these days. The light was only an annoyance.


    Losing his hand would have been a major blow to his capabilities, so the Beast had graciously lent him its own. It was larger and stronger than his own, fitted with long, sharp claws instead of nails. A formidable weapon in its own right.


    But it wasn¡¯t his. It didn¡¯t react naturally to his commands. Even something as simple as making a fist was an arduous process. At least for now.


    It will get easier, Nasaizh promised. Your ambitions will soon bear fruit. Simply¡­ Slowly, and without his command, the fingers of his new left hand curled into a fist. Take it.


    The big man entered the room, muttering curses in the abyssal tongue as he nursed his burn-damaged arm. He glared at Maxim with unchecked hatred.


    ¡°Your plan failed, Nasaizh,¡± he growled. ¡°You allowed those pathetic humans to interfere. Now our goals have been disrupted.¡±


    ¡°You address me, Gorod,¡± Maxim said. He stood up from behind his desk and rounded it, walking slowly towards the big man. ¡°Man, not Beast. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±


    The Beast harrumphed. He lurched forward, towering high over Maxim.


    ¡°Does the bird speak to the worm? Does the fire acknowledge the forest? No. Nasaizh, keep a tighter leash on your puppet.¡±


    ¡°You would not understand,¡± Nasaizh said through Maxim¡¯s mouth. ¡°We are two beings made one through symbiosis. He speaks for me, and I speak for him. My power is his, and his mind is mine.¡±


    Gorod¡¯s pale lips split in a snarl. ¡°This is a farce. How do you plan to wake The One Among the Stars? I am beginning to think she was wrong in leading me to you.¡±


    ¡°I assure you, everything will be handled,¡± Maxim said. ¡°Now, step back. You will obey my commands.¡±


    ¡°Your assertions mean nothing to me,¡± Gorod said. ¡°I will not bow before weakness.¡±


    Maxim felt the Beast inside his head sigh.


    ¡°Very well, then,¡± Maxim said. ¡°Do what you must.¡±


    Gorod went in for a grapple with his big, meaty hands. Maxim¡¯s body reacted on instinct, folding itself backward and avoiding the move with ease. His spine bent over backward but didn¡¯t break. He came back up, stepped out of the way of an overhead punch, and got behind the bigger man. He drove his left hand into Gorod¡¯s back, fist closing around his spinal column.


    The big man grunted with pain, but couldn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Either obey,¡± Maxim said, ¡°or find yourself a new puppet. I doubt you will recover as fine a specimen as this again.¡±


    Gorod relented, baring his throat in a submissive gesture, though with a rather unpleasant snarl.


    Maxim let up his grip and wiped the blood off his hand with a cloth on his desk.


    ¡°Know this, puppet,¡± Gorod said perfectly calmly, no hint of the perpetual rage that drove him. ¡°At the first sign of weakness, the first slip-up, I will overtake you. Mother rewards only the strongest.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Maxim said. He took a seat behind the desk once more, enjoying the stillness and the dark. ¡°But I will not fail. I cannot fail.¡±


    For their sake.


    *****


    The Heroes were assembled around a table in the main hall, nursing half-healed wounds and sipping at tankards of ale. Goldcoin favored wine.


    It was dark outside, with night just having set in. The main hall was kept bright and warm with lit braziers and fireplaces, crackling merrily. Most nights, it was cozy. Tonight, however, she could only think about the dark flames used by the Beasts.


    Lace tried her best not to move too much. She hadn¡¯t sustained any debilitating injuries during the fight, but Good Doctor had focused on those who had been hurt worse¡ªTorchbearer, Goldcoin, and Bits. She had been left to recover on her own time.


    Her voice was still raw from almost getting strangled. Right then, she envied Kiren, who had been right as rain less than an hour after the fight concluded.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Goldcoin asked, sloshing the dark wine around his cup. He took a sip and gritted his golden teeth. ¡°The retrieval was an utter failure in every regard. Evangel is top priority, and we let him slip.¡±


    ¡°The parameters changed beyond what we could have predicted,¡± Torchbearer said. ¡°We should be grateful to have made it out with our lives.¡±


    ¡°Coin¡¯s right on one thing,¡± Excelerate said, sitting at a corner of the bench, far away from anyone else. A half circle of empty tankards stood on the table in front of him. ¡°We need to find Evangel, and fast. If he can muster that kind of offense in a few weeks, we don¡¯t want to wait and see what he¡¯s planning next.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope Eagle-Eyes comes back with some good news,¡± Goldcoin said.


    Excelerate nodded. ¡°Regardless, this excursion was not a total waste. We prevented Evangel from completing the trade, and we were able to scout out his abilities, as well as ascertain his identity.¡±


    I can¡¯t believe Maxim came back from the dead. I always knew the Beasts were a threat, but not¡­ like this.


    ¡°Evangel¡¯s a Beast,¡± Torchbearer said with a grimace. ¡°We should go to Wiseman¡¯s Temple. Their battle-priests¡­¡±


    Excelerate held up a hand. ¡°One step at a time. First, we have to find him. He has another humanoid working with him, which means this job just became that much more dangerous. We need to have our shit in order before we engage him again.¡±


    The doors to the main hall swung open and Eagle-Eyes entered, long cloak trailing behind him. He greeted the Heroes with a brief nod.


    Goldcoin perked up, whiskers twitching. ¡°Anything?¡± he asked.


    Eagle-Eyes shook his head, taking a seat next to the others. ¡°Nothing. The townsfolk simply blended back in with the populace. I was unable to find anyone connected with the attack. No sign of Evangel, either. It can be surmised that he has a hideout in the city.¡±


    ¡°Damn it all!¡± Excelerate growled, slamming his fist on the table. The tankards jumped, spilling ale, and the Heroes glanced sideways at him. ¡°Then we have no leads.¡±


    Eagle-Eyes was offered a drink by a passing server but declined. Instead, he took all of Excelerate¡¯s empty tankards, stacking them precariously in his arms before shuffling off.


    ¡°What about the book?¡± Eagle-Eyes asked, nodding towards the leather-bound tome resting in the middle of the table.


    ¡°It¡¯s a convincing copy of a rare edition of The Creator¡¯s Will,¡± Torchbearer said. ¡°Sadly, it is a fake. Wordsmith confirmed it. The man setting up the trade did not intend to make it a straight-up deal. Based on what we have, it¡¯s hard to tell why he would want this book.¡±


    ¡°Then what about the witnesses we took in? The ones we freed from their Beastly influence.¡±


    ¡°Their memories were wiped,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°We got little of use out of them.¡±


    ¡°The only thing remaining is to question the second party in the exchange,¡± Torchbearer said. ¡°We have him in custody, but so far he hasn¡¯t said a word. We plan to conduct a thorough interrogation in the morning. At least, if we can find the actual book Evangel is after, we might get closer to finding the man himself.¡±


    ¡°Who will carry out the interrogation?¡± Eagle-Eyes asked. He took the book and flipped through the pages, scanning them with his slitted, yellow eyes.


    ¡°I will,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Bloodhound declared me the lead on this job.¡±


    Eagle-Eyes glanced up, raising his feathered shoulders slightly like an offended owl. ¡°Should you really be drinking that much, then?¡±


    ¡°Mind your own business, Bird,¡± Excelerate grumbled. He finished off another tankard and slammed it on the table.


    Eagle-Eyes sighed and stood, tucking the tome under his arm. ¡°I suppose this meeting is adjourned, then. I will have this filed with Wordsmith. Even if it is a fake, it could still provide some value in the future.¡±


    *****


    Kadma turned her key in the vault door and put her ear to the intricately crafted metal surface. She listened to every click and groan of the mechanisms working inside as the door slowly swung open, allowing her entrance. She shivered with delight.


    Just as good every time.


    She was met by the familiar smell that only Records had. Musty tomes and perfumed mothballs and the faint but reassuring scent of the earth itself.


    She entered with the false tome under her arm, lighting torches in their sconces along the way. She would have to replace them, soon. She didn¡¯t fancy working in the dark.


    Kadma chuckled to herself. She could imagine herself doing just that if she found a book intriguing enough to capture her full interest.


    Such a disappointment, this tome. Had it been the real thing, she would very much have liked to read it, and not only for the fact that a powerful Beast desired it for whatever reason¡ªalthough that was a motivating factor all its own.


    This particular copy had been penned by Sage himself, and that was a special thing. Only one such version existed, and it was said that the Grandmaster had added his own notes to it, as an addition to the wisdom collected over the ages and bound into the book that was The Creator¡¯s Last Living Will.


    The mere thought of it was enough to make her mind slaver, and she lost her place in the organizational labyrinth that Records represented. She took a second to compose herself, spun around, and found the way she was going.


    The false tome had been assigned a letter grade based on its priority status and a number based on the item type.


    This one had been assigned as G-3, low priority literary item.


    Kadma took it to the correct section, seemingly endless rows of bookshelves stretching out before her, and went down alphabetically, finding the correct spot for the tome. She squeezed it in between a rather dull book about the history of a dead noble family and an interesting little thing detailing the life cycles of different types of Beasts.


    Humming to herself, she dusted off her hands and made to leave the vault. Walking along the main corridor, she got the feeling that she was being watched.


    ¡°Hello, Khruj,¡± she said.


    She stopped in front of the Staff of Khruj, nailed to one of the stone pillars by the side of the corridor with consecrated iron spikes and held inside a glass case. Superficially, the staff looked to be made of a dark wood, but looking at it closer it was actually made of dry, twisted flesh. The gnarled staff was topped with a large eye which swiveled lazily to regard her. Its pupil was a narrow slit, sclera colored an angry red at the corners. Near the middle, the staff was clutched by a pale, severed hand. Bloodless, it held an iron grip on the implement, even in death.


    Kadma regarded the thing closely. It twitched violently, raging against its constraints, yet powerless to break free.


    Many centuries ago, the Staff of Khruj had been created by the eponymous Beast¡ªor perhaps the Beast was the staff itself, accounts were unclear¡ªand ever since, it had been used to wreak havoc and spill innocent lives in the hands of clueless mortals. It had changed hands dozens, perhaps hundreds of times, each time convincing its owner that they had control of its immense magical abilities, and each time seeing them to their untimely deaths once their usefulness reached its end.


    Eventually, and largely through sheer happenstance, the staff had entered the custody of the Heroes¡¯ Guild. The Hero who had retrieved it had been¡­ forcibly relieved of the burden. His hand still refused to part with it.


    No matter how the priests had tried, the Staff of Khruj seemed to be impervious to all physical harm. The best they could do was contain it.


    And so they had, along with many other dangerous relics just like it, for centuries untold.


    ¡°But I know better,¡± Kadma said, wagging a long-nailed finger at the staff. ¡°I will make sure you don¡¯t see another ray of sunshine until you wither and die.¡±


    At the edge of her mind, she sensed¡­ something. Like a spider crawling across her skull. A whisper in the dead of night. A nail scraping along the back of her neck.


    Kadma turned and walked away, speeding up her step and drawing her robes closer.


    The Staff of Khruj had a tendency to make one feel unclean, even after only a short period of exposure.


    She couldn¡¯t let it affect her.


    She had work to do.


    Always more work.

 20. Ugly Mug, Ugly Heart

    20. Ugly Mug, Ugly Heart


    ¡°This is our only good lead,¡± Excelerate said as he stepped into the guard post. ¡°If we can find out why Evangel wanted this book, we might uncover his next move.¡±


    Kiren had a bad feeling in his stomach, like a cat trying to claw its way out of there.


    Without warning, his two worlds had collided.


    I was a fool for thinking I could keep them apart.


    Excelerate explained his business to Captain Renald. After a snappy salute, the guardsman led him to the cell they were looking for.


    Kiren¡¯s heart dropped when he saw Mug, tied to a chair in the middle of his cell. Blood dribbled down his chin and streamed from a cut above his eye. His scarred lip twitched uncontrollably, and he kept his gaze firmly trained on the ground.


    A woman circled him, tall and slender. She clipped him over his shoulder with the butt of a tall, silvery spear, drawing an audible crack of bone and muffled groans.


    Kiren struggled not to step in.


    I¡¯d be no good to Mug if I end up revealing myself, he told himself. He took a deep breath and managed to ward off some of the anger. He had to keep a cool head, or this could go very badly.


    The woman turned around. Her eyes narrowed slightly when she laid eyes on the group. She wiped some blood off her spear with a pure white cloth and dropped it. The spear floated in the air. It flipped around and replaced itself in a loop on her back.


    She looked to be in her late fifties, with light grey hair pulled into a tight bun. Her eyes were surrounded by fine wrinkles, deepened by her frown. She wore an ankle-length, white dress, simple but cut from fine cloth. She wore a pair of pearls as earrings and shoes with high heels that made her stand almost a hand taller, about the same height as Excelerate.


    ¡°Ah,¡± the woman said after a few seconds of quiet consideration. ¡°Excelerate. I¡¯m happy to see the Guild is not taking this seriously at all, sending a Router.¡± She shook her head, pursing pale lips.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were still in the Guild, Hulda,¡± Excelerate said. He had the guard captain open the cell and stepped inside. ¡°I see you¡¯re breaking in our witness thoroughly enough.¡±


    Kiren glanced over at Mug. The fence looked up briefly, and his eyes met Kiren¡¯s. He said nothing and looked back down.


    ¡°He won¡¯t talk,¡± Hulda said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll tell you anything if you knock his brain loose.¡±


    ¡°The book was a fake.¡±


    ¡°Clearly. So?¡±


    ¡°So? We need to find the real one!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Hulda flashed a pithy smile. ¡°I see. You¡¯re being intentionally juvenile.¡±


    Excelerate tugged at his mask, badly hiding a grin. ¡°Juvenile? Me? Never.¡±


    ¡°I do not have time for your nonsense. I need to find the book. If you do not plan on assisting, please leave me to this.¡± She turned back to Mug and the fence shrank further into the chair.


    ¡°You seem awfully concerned about our business all of a sudden,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have something to do with that book belonging to your family, could it?¡±


    ¡°I heard about Evangel,¡± Hulda said. ¡°An organized Beast infestation inside the walls. It¡¯s unacceptable. I am here to ensure the Guild can stop its spread. I don¡¯t wish to waste any more time on this prisoner than necessary.¡±


    She drew her spear.


    Mug flinched.


    ¡°Children, meet Hulda Ludenhaas,¡± Excelerate said, turning to face Kiren and Lace. ¡°An absolute treat to work with¡ªif you count rusty nails and broken glass as a treat.¡±


    ¡°Meaning that I actually get things done,¡± Hulda said. ¡°Jorge Router seems to take personal offense at such notions.¡±


    Router. One of the five noble houses.


    The Guild is turning out to have more and more noble blood. How great.


    He couldn¡¯t help a twist of his lip as he regarded his master.


    ¡°Bloodhound made me the lead on this job,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°If you want to stay on, you¡¯ll do things my way. Otherwise, take a walk.¡±


    Hulda snorted, wringing her prim hands. ¡°Bloodhound made you lead?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why you¡¯re surprised. There are only two A Ranks left in the Lodge. Not counting you, that is.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°Fine. What petty hoops will you make me jump through?¡±


    ¡°None, actually. I want to catch Evangel. The book is a decent lead. Since you seem so invested, I want you to look into it.¡±


    ¡°But¡­?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going alone. I want assurances that you¡¯ll play it straight with me. One of my apprentices will accompany you on whatever investigations you conduct for this case.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kiren and Lace said in unison.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Hulda followed up.


    ¡°Unless you¡¯ve all grown hard of hearing, I see no need to repeat myself.¡± Excelerate spread his arms. ¡°I can be reasonable, you know. I¡¯ll let you pick whichever one you want. Word of warning, though, the black-haired one bites.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just going to pass us off on this bitch?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°You¡¯re really stepping up to this whole ¡®responsibility¡¯ thing.¡±


    Excelerate ignored him.


    Hulda let out a deep sigh, rubbing the bridge of her nose with two fingers. ¡°I¡¯ll take the girl,¡± she said. ¡°At least she doesn¡¯t have the manners of a rabid dog.¡±


    Lace looked at the ground in grim silence.


    ¡°Excellent! No reason for me to stand around here, then. I¡¯ll go dig up some other leads. No torture while I¡¯m gone, hear me? I¡¯ll have Captain Renald peek in on you.¡±


    He turned to Lace. ¡°Report to me at the end of the day. Everything you¡¯ve seen.¡±


    ¡°Yes, master,¡± she muttered through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Oh, and Lace? Don¡¯t mess up like you did during the raid. Letting them down you like that almost got yourself and others killed. I won¡¯t be there to keep an eye on you with this.¡±


    Excelerate didn¡¯t seem to notice Lace¡¯s obvious dismay. Either that, or he didn¡¯t care. He turned and walked out of the cell, snapping his fingers for Kiren to follow.


    Reluctantly, he did as he was told, sparing a glance back at Mug.


    The old fence kept his face neutral, but he had a mischievous spark in his eye.


    He hadn¡¯t been broken just yet.


    *****


    Excelerate¡¯s admonition smarted. Lace clenched her teeth tightly, balling her fists as she tried to remain composed.


    He¡¯s a Router, too. A noble. Why am I not surprised he didn¡¯t tell us that?


    The Routers were the noble family tasked by the Queen to maintain most of the empire¡¯s roadways, along with the so-called Runner Network, which let news and vital information travel across the empire far faster than would otherwise be possible, all due to the Router family Power.


    Excelerate had never made any attempt to conceal the fact that she and Kiren were nothing more than pawns to him, but she had hoped¡­


    Hoped what? That he¡¯d be your wise, kindly teacher? Your friend? Your new father, even?


    Pathetic.


    The white-clad Hero slowly paced in front of the prisoner, letting her spear trail across his chest, hard enough to leave white lines along his collarbone.


    ¡°Tell me everything you know, wretch, or things will get markedly worse for you,¡± Hulda said.


    The ugly man grinned through bloodied teeth. ¡°I heard what your superior said. You¡¯re not allowed to torture me. Do your worst, Hero. I¡¯ll take my chances.¡±


    Hulda let the silence drag on. Her movements were austere and controlled, but the twitch in her hand suggested that she was losing her temper.


    ¡°I can still set you up with a nice long stay at Wailing Hill,¡± she said. ¡°They don¡¯t spare the whip in there. Would you like to spend the rest of your life in the cold? In the dark? No one for comfort? I can have that arranged if you don¡¯t cooperate.¡±


    The man hacked up bloody phlegm and spat on the floor, narrowly missing Hulda¡¯s pristine shoes.


    How she kept them that way walking through the city streets was anyone¡¯s guess.


    ¡°Like I said. I¡¯ll take my chances,¡± he said.


    Hulda took a second to compose herself. She drew in a deep breath and let it back out.


    ¡°I see. You would have your friend share the same fate, then?¡±


    ¡°What friend?¡±


    ¡°One of your compatriots survived the skirmish. He is being treated inside the Lodge¡¯s House of Healing. Taking up precious resources. If you choose not to be forthcoming with me, that privilege may cease. He will die without our care.¡±


    The man shrugged. ¡°His problem, not mine. All the guys knew the risks before signing up.¡±


    He leaned back in the chair, wood creaking. All traces of fear were gone from his scarred face. ¡°Unless you¡¯re planning to kill me, please leave. You¡¯re messing up my view. I was having a great time watching the fungus grow.¡±


    Hulda placed the tip of her spear against the man¡¯s stubbly throat.


    ¡°I may just heed that first suggestion, seeing how exceedingly unhelpful you are.¡±


    ¡°Master,¡± Lace said, taking a step forward. ¡°Don¡¯t. Please. Or I will have to inform Excelerate.¡±


    Not like he would really care. He probably only told her to stop to spite her.


    She doesn¡¯t need to know that, though.


    Hulda hesitated.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± came a voice from behind.


    Both Lace and Hulda turned around. Captain Renald was standing in the corridor, a hand on the pommel of his sword.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got orders. Not to mention human decency. I¡¯ll not have you nick another hair on his head.¡±


    Hulda hissed and let her spear replace itself on her back.


    ¡°We¡¯re done here,¡± she said.


    With that, she walked out of the room.


    Lace glanced back at the Villain.


    He gave her a grateful nod.


    It made her stomach churn. No one deserved to die like an animal, but that didn¡¯t make him any less of a remorseless criminal. He had been dealing with a Beast.


    She followed Hulda out of the jail.


    ¡°Was there really a survivor?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Hulda snapped. ¡°He called my bluff.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Then¡­ what¡¯s the next move?¡±


    ¡°The Slog is deserving of a visit. We¡¯ll find someone who knows this man. Someone who¡¯ll squeal.¡±


    *****


    ¡°Who the hell was that?¡± Kiren asked as they walked back into the Lodge¡¯s courtyard.


    ¡°One of the most powerful people in Goldbrand,¡± Excelerate muttered. ¡°Fighting prowess, political power, money. She¡¯s got it all. And she¡¯s bad news.¡±


    ¡°Why? Finally found someone more reckless with human life than yourself?¡±


    ¡°Hulda Ludenhaas is a Hero, but only technically speaking. She hasn¡¯t done any actual Hero work in years.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s she allowed in the Guild, then?¡±


    Excelerate shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s an A Rank. They¡¯re hard to come by, and we all know it. Any Guild chapter would bend themselves over backward for an extra A Rank, even if there¡¯s only a fraction of a chance that they actually show up on the scene.¡±


    ¡°Ah. I see. You¡¯re not the only cunt at the top, then.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Hulda has a family with the throughput of a small kingdom to run, though, as the unofficial matriarch of the Ludenhaas family. If she¡¯s here doing grunt work like the rest of us mortals¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s something more at play. That book is the key to something. I just don¡¯t know what.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so what do we do about it? Find the book before her? See what¡¯s going on with it?¡±


    Kiren was eager to let this job slip by. The sooner they could find the book, the sooner everyone in the Slog would be out of harm¡¯s way.


    He couldn¡¯t get the sight of Mug¡¯s bloody face out of his mind.


    ¡°We¡¯re doing nothing,¡± Excelerate said with a yawn. ¡°We¡¯ll let Hulda run herself ragged finding clues. Lace will report back, and we act on whatever she finds. We¡¯ll swipe the book right from under her nose.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ So in the meantime?¡±


    Excelerate walked towards the Guild Hall.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a nap. You should, too. You still haven¡¯t fully recovered from that fight.¡±


    Kiren gaped as Excelerate walked away.


    Goddamn Heroes.

 21. Escalation

    21. Escalation


    The people in the street scattered as soon as they saw Hulda. If there was anything that screamed ¡®Hero¡¯, it was her.


    At this rate, they weren¡¯t going to find anything. No one would talk to them, not even the children.


    Everyone the Hero tried to interrogate either ran away as quickly as their legs would carry, or simply refused to talk.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t coming off to a great start,¡± Lace said. ¡°What do we do, master?¡±


    She had spent most of her life avoiding the Slog, so she had little clue on what to do to get them talking. They might as well be speaking a different language.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret,¡± Hulda said, reaching into a hidden pocket sewn into the inside of her dress. She walked towards a beggar at the mouth of an alleyway with long, confident strides.


    He made to stand up when they got close, struggling with a bum leg. He glanced up at them with a cross between terror and hatred in his eyes.


    Hulda flipped a silver coin into the dirt. She waited patiently as the beggar stared at it.


    It was a lot of money. Lace fought the urge to reach down and grab it.


    The beggar snatched the coin with a thin hand and rubbed it feverishly on the edge of his tattered shirt.


    ¡°I trust that¡¯s enough to get your attention?¡± Hulda said. ¡°You¡¯ll get another if you tell me something I want to know.¡±


    The beggar sucked on his rotten teeth. ¡°Ain¡¯t no snitch.¡±


    ¡°You can be anything you want with two silvers.¡± She held up another silver coin, stamped with Paragon¡¯s visage. ¡°Or I could take you in for loitering. Perhaps spending some time in a cell would loosen your lips.¡±


    The beggar held up shaky, wrinkled hands. ¡°A-Alright, she-Hero, I¡¯ll blab. What are ye wanting me to tell ye?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a man. Short hair. Stocky. A large scar over his face that pulls his lip into a sneer.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know all them fancy words, but that sounds an awful lot like Mug. Trades in stolen goods. Sells potion ¡®n¡¯ weapons too. Him¡¯s usually at Xander¡¯s Curiosities.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°A bar. Everyone knows it.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    The beggar grinned, showing half-a-dozen brown teeth. ¡°That¡¯ll be extra.¡±


    Metal flashed in a wide arc. Hulda¡¯s spear stopped a centimeter or two from the man¡¯s face. A silver coin balanced on its edge.


    ¡°One for your time, one for your information. No more. Remember who you are speaking to.¡±


    ¡°Y-Y-Yes, y¡¯ladyship,¡± the beggar spluttered. He pointed down the street, to the southwest. ¡°That way! You won¡¯t miss it!¡±


    Hulda nodded. The spear tilted along its axis and the coin dropped into the man¡¯s lap.


    She walked away. Lace hurried after.


    The spear flew up behind Hulda and reset itself on her back.


    ¡°You could have been nicer to that man,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°You heard him,¡± Hulda said. ¡°He was looking to swindle me just as soon as the opportunity presented itself. So is the rest of the world.¡± She glanced back. ¡°Never let it. Take control. Bend the world to your will, or it will bend you backward.¡±


    Lace looked away, frowning.


    Take control.


    Might be something to that.


    *****


    They entered the bar known as Xander¡¯s Curiosities, although ¡®rat¡¯s nest¡¯ might have been a better description.


    Every pair of eyes in the worn-down establishment stuck to them. Dirty vagrants and scarred fighters sized them up, all looking like they wanted to take a piece.


    The place was small compared to The Golden Lion. It was cramped and smoky, with a dirt floor was covered in patchy layers of straw. The sour stench of sweat and dubiously distilled liquor made Lace¡¯s eyes tear up and her throat burn with bile. Quite the feat, considering she had spent several days sleeping in a stable.


    Hulda headed confidently for the bar at the far end of the room.


    ¡°Woah, hey!¡± a female voice called.


    A stout woman appeared, placing herself between Hulda and the bar. She had bright, fiery hair and wore a tight, low-cut dress that pulled in her waist and showed off her large, round bosoms.


    The woman crossed her arms, frowning up at Hulda.


    ¡°And what are you supposed to be? Only respectable folk in here.¡±


    Hulda choked back a laugh, badly. ¡°Respectable?¡± She glanced around the common room. ¡°Is that what you wish to call it? I am here on Heroes¡¯ Guild business. I will speak to the bar owner and perhaps some of the patrons.¡±


    ¡°Hero, eh? I thought you were the Queen¡¯s ugly twin.¡± The woman turned her head towards the bar. ¡°Hear that, Ratfoot? A Hero! That¡¯s a first!¡±


    ¡°If you won¡¯t let me conduct my business in peace, I will use force.¡± Hulda¡¯s voice was calm, but the undercurrent of violence in her tone was unmistakable.


    The clientele didn¡¯t seem to like that. Over half a dozen swords and daggers were drawn and placed on tables.


    The ginger-haired woman looked back, smiling vaguely. ¡°Try it, grandma. See how far you get.¡±


    ¡°Tryss, let her through!¡± called a voice from behind the bar. ¡°Heroes have money.¡±


    The woman, Tryss, harrumphed and stepped aside with slow reluctance.


    Hulda strode over to the bar. Lace followed, keeping an eye on the patrons. They followed her with their eyes like hungry wolves, some fingering their weapons.


    I wish Kiren was here. He¡¯d know what to do.


    Why¡¯d Excelerate have to send me off on my own?


    She walked up to the bar and found that there was a little man standing behind it, hair slicked back and both front teeth missing. Presumably, this was Ratfoot.


    ¡°What can I help you with, Hero?¡± he asked, fogging up a stained glass with his breath before wiping it down with a rag just as dirty as the glass. ¡°Always eager to help the Queen¡¯s men, of course. For a price.¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Hulda slid a silver across the bar. Ratfoot snatched it.


    ¡°There¡¯s a man. Mug. He has an ugly scar across his face. Do you know of him?¡±


    Ratfoot went stiff, rag hovering above the glass. He glanced off to the side.


    ¡°Hard to miss, that man,¡± he said. ¡°He comes around here sometimes. Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve spoken to him much.¡±


    Hulda slid another silver to him. ¡°I see. The truth, this time.¡±


    The small man blinked rapidly. ¡°Certainly, I just¡­ need to fetch something. Hold on a moment.¡± He stooped below the bar.


    Lace heard a loud scrape behind them, then a distinctly female grunt.


    She turned around just in time to see Tryss pick up a table and hurl it right at her and Hulda like it was a dinner plate.


    Time seemed to distort, moving like molasses as Lace tried to scramble out of the way.


    She wasn¡¯t fast enough.


    Hulda stepped in front of her.


    Her spear zipped into the air. It spun into the table and split it clean in half. The pieces flew off to either side and broke against the bar.


    Tryss was already reaching for a chair to throw on the other side of the room.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Power user!¡± Lace called.


    The Hero sighed and turned around, taking the spear out of the air.


    ¡°Let us finish this quickly. Girl, stay behind. Keep an eye out for more.¡±


    Tryss kept throwing furniture and Hulda swatted it all out of the air with ease. A few of the patrons fled out the front door, but most stayed to fight. Eight of them. All armed with steel.


    They closed in around the Hero. Tryss gave up hurling projectiles and took the lead, holding a thick chair leg as an improvised weapon.


    Hulda went on the offensive, dashing with surprising nimbleness despite her stiff dress. The spear whirled in her hands. She used the butt of the spear to conk a pair of the ruffians over their heads before they could even block. They fell like puppets with their strings cut.


    The others charged her. A man slashed with a notched dagger. She hit him over the wrist with the spear shaft, knocking the weapon from his hand.


    She retaliated by flicking the spear up, hitting him under the chin. The man went spinning like an inebriated dancer, collapsing against a table.


    He tried to get back up, groaning weakly.


    Lace approached the man and gave him a wind-powered punch to the back of the head. He fell back against the table, motionless.


    She watched from the sidelines as Hulda went through the patrons one by one using controlled, precise movements, never extending herself more than what was necessary.


    Tryss swung her table leg wildly, letting out a loud cry.


    Hulda swept the attack aside with the base of the spear, an amused smirk playing across her lips. The table leg struck one of Tryss¡¯s comrades in the face instead, and he went down with a handful of his teeth scattering across the floor.


    Hulda was in complete control.


    Or so it seemed.


    Ratfoot dove across the bar. He stalked towards the Hero in her blind spot, holding a short knife in a reverse grip.


    Lace swept her left hand horizontally, creating a whip of air that cracked across the small man¡¯s legs and knocked him onto his stomach.


    She approached him as he rolled onto his back, attempting to get up. He swiped with his knife, a hands-breadth from her chest, and she jumped back.


    He¡¯s too dangerous with that weapon. I should keep my distance.


    She dug in her feet in a wide stance and put her hands together. She compressed the air around her into the gap between her fingers and took aim.


    Ratfoot got up on wobbly feet and flipped the knife around, holding the tip of the blade between thumb and forefinger. He wound up to throw the blade at her.


    Lace let loose her aero-shot.


    The invisible air bullet tore across the room with a screeching howl and ripped the knife from Ratfoot¡¯s hand, spinning him around in the process.


    She dove onto him and knocked him to the ground. He wriggled underneath her, but she was larger than him, and her strength training had paid off. She was able to keep him in place.


    Take control.


    Pinning his arms with her legs, she held her hands over his face. She pulled the air away from his mouth, causing his eyes to go wide as he was unable to catch a breath. He gulped for air but received less and less as she dragged it out of his lungs.


    He struggled for a while, but it was not long before he faded, eyes flickering shut, body becoming limp. Lace stood with a satisfied grin.


    Suck it, Excelerate. I¡¯m not as weak as you think.


    Hulda had finished up on her end. The ruffians lay on the ground, groaning and whimpering as they clutched bruised body parts. The hovering silver spear drove itself through the front of Tryss¡¯s dress and hauled her onto her feet. The red-haired woman had bruised lips and a cut above her eyebrow that flowed into her eyeball and stained it red.


    ¡°Good work, girl,¡± Hulda said, glancing back at Lace. ¡°I expected far worse from one of Excelerate¡¯s, but it turns out he stumbled across someone with a modicum of talent this time.¡±


    Lace¡¯s chest fluttered with pride. She held herself a little higher.


    Hulda returned her attention to Tryss.


    ¡°Now, then. Are you ready to answer my questions?¡±


    ¡°Do your worst, bitch,¡± Tryss spat back.


    ¡°Easily arranged.¡±


    Lace cleared her throat. ¡°You won¡¯t¡­ kill them, will you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Hulda said. ¡°I¡¯ll just leverage what thieves value highest. Their possessions. Help me get them outside.¡±


    Lace did as she was asked. She helped Hulda¡ªher spear, that was¡ªcarry everyone outside, putting them down in the mud. Hulda herself stayed inside, getting bottles of strong liquor from behind the bar and dousing the whole place with it¡ªcounter, walls, tables, everything. By the time she came back outside, Tryss was looking pale.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t,¡± she hissed, getting onto her knees.


    The spear pushed her back to the ground.


    ¡°I absolutely would,¡± Hulda said, pouring a trail of alcohol out through the door. ¡°Unless you tell me what I want to know, that is. What¡¯ll it be? Do you want to see this thieves¡¯ den go up in flames?¡±


    ¡°Okay! Shit, lady! You wanted to know about Mug, didn¡¯t you? He used to come around here, but he was arrested a day ago. By you freaks, if I¡¯m not mistaken. So you¡¯ll know better than I what he¡¯s up to.¡±


    Hulda smiled sweetly, walking closer to Tryss.


    ¡°Mug was in possession of a certain book. A rare book, one-of-a-kind. I¡¯m certain a criminal like you would have noticed such a thing.¡±


    ¡°I never saw it, but I overheard him talking about a book. Wouldn¡¯t shut up about it. Something about a¡­ switch-up?¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°He said that he¡¯d created some sort of fake book in case his buyer didn¡¯t deliver and that he passed on the real one to a friend of his.¡±


    ¡°I need a name,¡± Hulda said blithely.


    Tryss looked up in the sky, searching her memories. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t remember. A lot happens in a night. I can¡¯t recall everything that goes on in the bar. I just overheard it in passing.¡±


    ¡°I can still set your bar alight. I suggest you find a way to remember. Quickly.¡±


    The spear flew over to the building. The blade made a flicking motion and scraped against the stone foundation, creating bright sparks that flew near the line of alcohol.


    ¡°Okay! Let me think! Uh, he talked about a¡­ Jarn? Wait, no¡­ Jarl! Jarl, that was his name. He said he had a friend named Jarl, and he was going to leave the book with him.¡±


    ¡°Where is this Jarl located?¡±


    ¡°I have no clue, I swear! I don¡¯t know the guy! Only what I just told you!¡±


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s telling the truth?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°Yes I do,¡± Hulda said. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything else she can tell us. We have a lead.¡±


    ¡°Will you let us go?¡± Tryss asked, sitting up. ¡°I¡¯ve done all you asked. We have a whole bar to clean, thanks to you.¡±


    Hulda held up a finger. ¡°Not just yet.¡±


    ¡°Are we going to look up this Jarl, then?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°Not yet. I have to do some damage control, I¡¯m afraid. I trust you know how sensitive the Guild can be with matters like these. You should go notify the guard post in Small Miracle to pick up this rabble. I will stay and make sure they don¡¯t flee.¡±


    ¡°Yes, master.¡±


    ¡°Hey, what?¡± Tryss spluttered. ¡°You¡¯re going to detain us? There¡¯s nothing else we can say! I¡ª¡±


    The spear zoomed over, stopping just between Tryss¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Please, be quiet,¡± Hulda said. ¡°Your voice is giving me a headache.¡±


    The Hero faced Lace and took her hand in both her own. ¡°You did admirably. Almost makes me rethink not having an apprentice of my own.¡±


    Lace blushed. ¡°I hardly did anything¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. ¡®Hardly anything¡¯ compared to an A Rank is quite impressive. Speaking of A Ranks, it would mean a lot to me if you didn¡¯t mention anything about Jarl to Excelerate. He has a tendency to complicate even the simplest investigation.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ have to tell him about everything that happened today,¡± Lace said, pulling her hand back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Those are my orders.¡±


    Hulda pursed her lips. She regarded Lace for a moment, then shrugged.


    ¡°Of course. Orders are orders. You must make your own choice.¡±


    Lace looked down. ¡°I¡­ should probably head to that guard post.¡±


    Hulda nodded. Her lips were traced with the faintest shadow of a smile. ¡°Do so.¡±

 22. Split, Part 1

    22. Split


    Kiren sat on the edge of his bed. He whittled away at a scrap of wood, letting the chips fall into a bucket.


    It was supposed to look like Mug, but he wasn¡¯t getting the shape right. He was looking too slim.


    He¡¯d been unable to stop thinking about the old bastard since seeing him in that cell.


    They weren''t good friends or anything. Kiren wasn''t sure Mug had any friends, period. But he was a part of the bar, and that meant something more. It meant he was family, in a sense.


    Maybe.


    At the very least, it meant Kiren had to look out for him. That was his job, after all. To keep Xander¡¯s Curiosities from coming apart.


    What scared him the most was that he easily could have gone to that exchange with Mug. He could have been one of those guys, having to fight Excelerate. Best case, he would have been dead. Worst case, he would have ended up back in Wailing Hill.


    The chill of that stone box, the utter darkness, still haunted him.


    He took a deep breath before continuing with the sculpture. He added some more detail to the face, carving a scar across the wooden countenance with the tip of the knife.


    The door came open and Lace barged into the room. Kiren quickly tossed the half-finished sculpture into the chest at the foot of his bed and kicked the lid shut. He brushed a few chips of wood off his hose.


    ¡°What are you getting up to?¡± Lace asked, shutting the door behind her. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were a woodworker.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Just¡­ passing the time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright. Mind if I take a look?¡± She pointed at the chest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Fine. Worth a shot, anyway.¡±


    She lay down on her bed and let out a long sigh.


    ¡°So,¡± Kiren said. ¡°How did it go? With the bitch, I mean.¡±


    ¡°Pretty well, actually. I felt like I was doing actual Hero work, for once. Making a difference. Hulda, she¡¯s not¡­ as bad as she seems. She¡¯s stuck-up, but she gets stuff done. And at least the day didn¡¯t end with someone on the bad end of a rope.¡±


    Kiren pursed his lips. ¡°Sounds like you had a good time. Any closer to finding Maxim, though? We need to put him back in the ground as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I was going to brief Excelerate on what happened today,¡± she said. ¡°You can come with me if you want.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll come.¡±


    He licked his lips.


    I should tell her about Mug and the book. If there¡¯s anyone I can trust with this stuff, it¡¯s her.


    Kiren opened his mouth to speak.


    Lace swung up into a sitting position. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. If I stay in bed any longer I¡¯ll fall right asleep.¡±


    Kiren nodded, biting back his words. ¡°Sure.¡±


    They left their room and went upstairs to the fourth floor. They technically weren¡¯t allowed there, but it seemed that Excelerate wasn¡¯t going to come down on his own.


    They found his room after some trial and error. Lace knocked on the door.


    No response.


    She tried a few more times with the same result, so she put her ear against the door.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s definitely in there,¡± she said. ¡°I can hear¡­ snoring.¡±


    Kiren shouldered her aside and tried the handle. The door swung inward, revealing a bare, darkened room with the shutters closed.


    The only furniture in the room was a bed, and the walls were completely undecorated apart from a coat rack. Excelerate lay on his back, his naked, scar-crossed chest glistening with sweat. He muttered something under his breath in between snores. The covers concealed his crotch, but only barely.


    Lace went and opened the shutters, letting in some light. Kiren slapped Excelerate¡¯s cheek a few times.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    He sat up with all the urgency of a waking kitten, looking around blearily.


    ¡°There better be a good reason for waking me up,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not in my usual sparkling good mood.¡±


    ¡°You told me to report anything that happened with Hulda,¡± Lace said. ¡°I thought you might want to know.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I see. Very well, go on then.¡±


    He threw the covers off and stood up, completely naked. He ran his hands through his messy, grey hair a few times and took down a black outfit hanging from the coat rack. He began to get dressed, paying no mind to the fact that his dangling, shriveled manhood was on full display, root and stem.


    Lace looked away and cleared her throat. ¡°Well, we looked around the Slog for anyone associated with the fence. It took us to a dive bar, where we interrogated the staff and clientele.¡±


    She hesitated.


    Kiren stiffened.


    Could that be¡­?


    ¡°And?¡± Excelerate asked, finally covered up by his normal robes. He wrapped a red face mask around his neck. ¡°What did you find?¡±


    Lace blinked rapidly. ¡°Not much, really. No one would talk, on account of us being with the Guild. Hulda called off the search for the day so she could review her leads.¡±


    Her body language was off. Jittery.


    She¡¯s lying, Kiren realized.


    Excelerate scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ll bet. Hulda isn¡¯t the type to stay still for long. You should have stuck with her. It was probably just a ploy to get you off her back.¡±


    ¡°I did my best,¡± Lace said. ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, so is she. Although, it seems you don¡¯t find this very important. You somehow found the time to sleep all day after all. And yet, you¡¯re complaining about the one Hero actually doing any work. It¡¯s like you want Evangel to get away.¡±


    The Hero stared at her, blank-faced.


    ¡°That¡¯s the end of my report,¡± Lace said before storming out of the room.


    Kiren shrugged before following. Excelerate remained still as a statue as Kiren closed the door.


    He hurried his steps and caught up with Lace as she was going down the stairs to the third floor.


    ¡°Listen, Lace,¡± he said, walking in step with her. ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not really in the mood right now,¡± she said without looking at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s important.¡±


    She stopped at the bottom of the stairs. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The bar you went to. What was the name of it?¡±


    ¡°Why does it matter?¡±


    ¡°I just¡­ need to know. Please.¡±


    That made her look back.


    ¡°Please? From you? This must be important.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°It was called Xander¡¯s Curiosities, I think.¡±


    Kiren gritted his teeth.


    Oh, shit.


    ¡°Were they hurt?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I mean, yeah. They tried to attack us, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Unmaker¡¯s scraggly cunt.¡± He was already taking off down the hallway. ¡°I have to go.¡±


    *****


    Kiren was acutely out of breath after running most of the way to the Slog. He refused to let himself slow, even for a moment, as he zig-zagged between the forlorn shacks.


    He had known that this job would get messy. It was too closely connected to him for everything to go smoothly.


    He hadn¡¯t anticipated that things would go so badly so fast, though.


    A pillar of smoke in the direction of the bar, dark and thick, didn¡¯t ease his nerves in the slightest.


    He reached Xander¡¯s Curiosities and pitched onto his knees, gasping for breath.


    What was left of it.


    Where the bar had once been, there was now only a wreckage of smoldering wood. Not a single wall remained intact.


    Drifters rummaged through the still-hot wreckage, wearing cloth masks to help ward off the smoke. They gathered bottles, coinage, and trinkets into their shirts.


    No sign of Ratfoot or Tryss.


    ¡°Twin gods,¡± he muttered between breaths. ¡°This is worse than I¡¯d feared.¡±


    Thanks to his Power, it didn¡¯t take him long to catch his breath. He walked over to one of the bums working through the ruin and grabbed him by his shirt, making him spill his salvage over the burnt planks.


    ¡°Hey! The fuck gives?¡± the man said.


    ¡°What happened here?¡± Kiren asked, in none-too-kind a tone. ¡°To the place and the owners. I¡¯m not in the mood to waste time, so you best tell me all I want to know.¡±


    The bum wasn¡¯t intimidated by his words, but a couple well-placed punches made him more agreeable. The other vagrants gave Kiren a wide berth, glancing and whispering.


    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t see it all!¡± the bum spluttered. ¡°I only got here once it was almost over! Some Hero and her pet just rolled up, beat up the little dude and his woman, and once they had been taken away in chains, the Hero lady set the whole place aflame! That¡¯s all I know!¡±


    Kiren let him go. The man gathered up his blackened bits of scrap and ran off.


    He wandered out of the wreckage. He needed a plan, but his mind was just¡­ blank.


    Xander¡¯s has been my home ever since I got out of Wailing Hill. Now it¡¯s gone. Ratfoot, Tryss, Mug¡ªarrested. I knew I would have to sacrifice things to become a Hero, but this¡­


    It¡¯s too much.


    I won¡¯t let it stand. I have to do something.


    ¡°You did this, Lace,¡± Kiren whispered. ¡°At the very least, you could have told us. But you covered for that bitch.¡±


    Given a minute to cool off, however, his anger subsided a little.


    He sniffled and shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t be crazy. She was probably just roped into it. If I explain it, she¡¯ll help me.¡±


    He nodded, steeling himself. ¡°I know she will.¡±


    She has to.

 22. Split, Part 2

    For the first time in several weeks, Lace knelt in prayer to the Creator.


    She was more lost than ever. At least, while living in Small Miracle, the daily loop had been simple¡ªmake money, buy food, eat, sleep, repeat. These days, every task seemed to present a new dilemma.


    The world had almost goaded her into thinking she wasn¡¯t meant to be a Hero.


    Almost.


    She knew better, now¡ªespecially after today. Swift justice, no casualties, no loose ends. A mentor who actually recognized her achievements. She had gotten more of what she had expected from the Heroes¡¯ Guild in a single day than she had in the weeks since joining.


    ¡°Creator, hear me, your servant,¡± Lace said. ¡°Let Kiren and my mother be safe. I hope to do what¡¯s right in your name, o¡¯ Creator. My only desire is to strike down evil where I find it. Help guide my hand and still my heart, so that I may do your will.¡±


    She hoped for a sign¡ªanything to affirm her faith¡ªbut there was nothing.


    The silence was broken as the door burst open and Kiren stormed in, looking both ways into the corridor before closing the door. He sat down on the bed, head in his hands. His clothes were stained with soot and he reeked of smoke.


    Lace shot up, coming over to him.


    ¡°Twin Gods, what happened?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Something terrible,¡± Kiren said, an uncharacteristic quaver in his voice. ¡°But you already knew that.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Kiren looked up, a twinge of rage in his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb with me. I¡¯m giving you a chance to come clean.¡±


    ¡°Come clean? Kiren, I really have no idea what you¡¯re expecting me to say.¡±


    ¡°The bar you raided today with Ludenhaas. You didn¡¯t just defend yourselves, did you?¡±


    ¡°We did! I mean, Hulda threatened to burn the bar down if they didn¡¯t talk, but it was just that! A threat! She didn¡¯t actually do it!¡±


    ¡°Funny,¡± Kiren said with a bitter smirk. ¡°Because I was just there, and I found nothing but smoking rubble. Please tell me that bitch pulled the wool over your eyes. I don¡¯t want to believe the alternative.¡±


    Lace threw up her hands. ¡°Why do you care so much about some ratty bar? It was full of criminals, worst scum you could imagine. At the first sign of trouble, they tried to kill us.¡±


    Kiren gritted his teeth as he stood. Two steps and he was right in Lace¡¯s face.


    ¡°Because that ratty bar happens to be my home,¡± he said. ¡°And those scum happen to be my family.¡±


    Lace frowned. Her mind struggled to connect the dots, a hundred thoughts racing through her head.


    ¡°So¡­ you knew about Mug all along? You knew about the bar? Did you know about the book, even?¡±


    Kiren diverted his gaze for just a moment. ¡°Yeah. I did.¡±


    ¡°You could have made this so much easier for everyone¡ªinstead you kept it all hidden. You¡¯ve been lying since we first met, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, because you would have been so understanding if you knew the truth,¡± Kiren snapped back.


    ¡°That¡¯s not fair and you know it. You didn¡¯t give me a chance.¡±


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t trust you completely. Turns out that might have been a good thing.¡±


    Lace shook her head, backing up a few steps. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Kiren.¡± She fought back tears. ¡°We promised to stick together.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you one last chance,¡± he said, following her and pointing a finger in her face. ¡°Ludenhaas went too far. Tell me you had nothing to do with what she did.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Good. Then help me take her down. I¡¯m not letting her get what she wants.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t just do that! Hulda is a member of the Heroes¡¯ Guild! We still don¡¯t know if she had anything to do with the fire.¡±


    ¡°My source in the Slog seemed pretty convinced.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d need actual proof! Look, I¡¯ll ask her about it tomorrow when¡ª¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Kiren asked with an incredulous smile. ¡°So you¡¯re still planning to strut about like her good little apprentice?¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°It¡¯s my job, Kiren. I can¡¯t just drop everything, presume guilt and take the law into my own hands.¡±


    ¡°I thought that was exactly what Heroes did.¡±


    Lace was left spluttering for an answer. She wiped tears from her cheeks.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re not going to join me, I suppose this is where we part ways,¡± Kiren said. He backed away from her and walked over to the window. He yanked the shutters open.


    Kiren paused and slowly shook his head, looking away from her.


    ¡°I thought you were better than this. I really did.¡±


    Lace was stunned into silence. Her mind couldn¡¯t process this much all at once.


    He stepped out of the window onto the thin ledge beyond.


    ¡°Wait! You can¡¯t just leave.¡±


    ¡°Or what? You¡¯ll have me thrown in a cell and destroy the key? I¡¯ll take that chance.¡±


    He jumped.


    Lace ran to the window. Kiren tucked into a roll as he landed on the ground below and sprinted across the courtyard.


    There were sentries on the wall. She could alert them.


    Deciding against it, she watched him run.


    *****


    Lace stood in front of number 22 of the apprentice rooms, a half-empty wine bottle clutched precariously in three fingers.


    She knocked on the door, swaying slightly from side to side.


    This wasn¡¯t exactly her first choice for company, but Tommyn and Haden were both busy, and Gantho was working late on an order, so she wasn¡¯t exactly swimming in options. Besides, he had saved her life. She still hadn¡¯t thanked him properly for that.


    There was a rustling of papers from inside, then footsteps.


    The lock clicked open and the door swung inward. Bits stood in the doorway, dressed in an unlaced tunic and a pair of loose hose. His eyebrows shot up at the sight of her, his angular face framed in candlelight.


    He grinned.


    ¡°Finally come to see what the fuzz is all about?¡± he asked. ¡°Sorry, darling, but I must say I¡¯m a little busy at the moment. If you come back tomorrow, I can take you for a spin under the sheets.¡±


    Lace blushed a shade deeper than the already flushed color on her face. ¡°Not anything like that, you idiot. I¡¯m here to say thank you.¡±


    Bits frowned. His grin faded a little.


    ¡°Thanks? For what?¡±


    ¡°Saving my life.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that? Trust me, darling¡ªit wasn¡¯t intentional.¡±


    Lace shrugged. ¡°Even so, you have my thanks. We got off on a pretty terrible start, so I thought¡­¡± She held up the bottle and sloshed the dark wine inside. ¡°I could come in if you want. Talk for a bit. I understand if you¡¯re busy, but¡­¡±


    ¡°How generous of you,¡± Bits said, taking the bottle. ¡°Saved me going down a flight of stairs. Very well, you can come in. Just give me a moment.¡±


    He closed the door on her. There was some rustling, and a minute later he opened it back up and let her into his room.


    It was sparsely furnished. Nothing had been added to the room apart from his clothes and a set of candle stubs on the desk, the wax all pooled together in a large blob. Papers stuck out of the desk drawer.


    ¡°Avid reader?¡± Lace asked, pointing at the candles.


    ¡°You could say that.¡±


    Bits motioned for the bed and she sat. He lit another candle off the one on the desk and placed it on the nightstand. He had a swig of the wine, then she did.


    A drawn-out silence followed as they drank.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Lace said. ¡°What¡¯s the deal?¡±


    ¡°The deal with what?¡± Bits asked.


    ¡°With you. Why are you such an insufferable asshole to everyone? You make Kiren look like a saintly grandmother.¡±


    Bits shrugged and that signature grin came back in full-force. ¡°I suppose I just like playing the bad guy.¡±


    ¡°I think there¡¯s more to it than that,¡± Lace said. ¡°That smile you always put on¡­ it¡¯s not genuine. It¡¯s a facade. Do you think people can¡¯t tell?¡±


    He put his hands up. ¡°Woah, darling. This got way too deep way too quick. You¡¯re gonna have to get me a lot more drunk than this if that¡¯s what you want to talk about.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. I don¡¯t know why we have to be enemies. I never did anything to you.¡±


    Bits went quiet. His grin wavered just a hair.


    ¡°Uncomfortable as it might be, I¡¯m not leaving until you talk to me.¡± She burped against the back of her hand, pungent alcohol fumes wafting against her nose. ¡°I think I might be too drunk to get up, anyhow.¡±


    ¡°I thought I was the one who saved your life,¡± Bits muttered. ¡°I figure I should be the one bossing you around. Yet here you are, interrogating me.¡±


    He had another drink.


    Lace crossed her arms. ¡°I¡¯m waiting. If you¡¯re gonna try to chase me off with insults¡ªdon¡¯t bother. I¡¯ve got endless patience for these things at this point.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°Alright, man. Unmaker¡¯s tits. It¡¯s like you¡¯re a proper little Hero already with all these questions. Half expecting you to break out the nail tongs. Well¡­¡±


    He ran a hand through his sandy blond hair with a sigh. The smile all but faded as he stared into the floorboards.


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. Kind of. It¡¯s an act. The smile. The swagger.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like¡­ people. When they get too close. Creeps me out. The only people I trust are my brothers and myself, and they¡¯re obviously not here.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯d rather push everyone away and assume they¡¯re your enemy than risking a betrayal?¡± Lace asked.


    Bits shook his head and the grin returned.


    ¡°Listen, don¡¯t look so deep into it. If anyone asks, I didn¡¯t tell you this. If you tell someone else, I¡¯ll give you a repeat of what happened at the applications. I trust you still remember that.¡±


    ¡°I remember.¡±


    ¡°Good. I wasn¡¯t joking when I said I was busy.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯ve got to write letters back home, so I¡¯d appreciate it if you left. I¡¯m keeping the wine, by the way.¡±


    Lace nodded and stood with great effort, fighting the heaviness of her limbs and the numbness in her extremities.


    I think I got through to him a little bit, there.


    As soon as she was out the door, her thoughts returned to Kiren and her countenance fell.

 23. Restitution

    23. Restitution


    Birds tweeted out an early morning song. The air had a cold, hard edge to it, and dew hung heavy in the grass.


    Torchbearer had pulled Lace out for some extra practice. Normally, she would have jumped at the chance.


    Now, she could only think about Kiren. A hard knot wrenched her stomach.


    He lied to me. How could he do this?


    I destroyed his home. I¡¯m no better.


    I¡¯m such a fool. I should have known he was hiding something.


    She hadn¡¯t told anyone about what had happened. How could she? She still hadn¡¯t processed it fully herself. She had allowed herself to trust Kiren despite all the warning signs.


    It was no longer the two of them against the world.


    She was alone.


    Torchbearer positioned himself in front of Lace in the practice yard, arms crossed in front of him. ¡°Now,¡± he said. ¡°I think you are owed an explanation. I don¡¯t know if you remember, but back at that hideout raid, I mentioned that you have a Primal Power. Do you know what that means?¡±


    ¡°No idea,¡± Lace admitted. She forced herself to focus on the task at hand.


    ¡°Powers are classified into different subsections by the folks up at Wiseman¡¯s Temple. Excelerate has an Augmentation Power, since it enhances his basic bodily functions. Bloodhound has a Morphogenic Power, since it primarily alters his physical form. You and me, we both have Primal Powers, so called because we alter the very fabric of this world. Earth, wind, water, fire, that type of thing.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Lace said, nodding. ¡°So, what does that have to do with the ghosts that come to me? The white flames I saw you use? Is that a trait of Primal Powers?¡±


    Torchbearer squinted at the sky. ¡°Functionally, I suppose you could say that, but technically, not at all. That form you called upon, it¡¯s not a ghost. It¡¯s an extension of the Creator¡¯s power.¡±


    Lace looked down at her hands. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It may sound strange, but it¡¯s true. Have you read through the Creator¡¯s Will?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll know that when the Unmaker drove a knife through the Creator¡¯s heart to gain dominion over all creation, our god bled out upon the soil. That blood permeated into every pore of this planet, charging it with a sliver of his being. Most may think he¡¯s dead, perhaps even the Unmaker herself, but I believe that is far from true.¡±


    Torchbearer held up his hand and conjured a bright, orange flame.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you may have noticed that you can¡¯t always summon this power. It has a will of its own. The Creator is looking for able champions to carry on the fight against the Unmaker in his stead. Those with Primal Powers are most closely linked to him, due to our connection with the earth¡¯s basic elements. Although, I should note that not all with Primal Powers receive this gift. In fact, it¡¯s exceedingly rare¡ªsomewhere in the range of one in a hundred Primal users.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Lace said. ¡°I suppose I should be honored, then.¡±


    Torchbearer shrugged, chainmail clinking. ¡°Perhaps. Or maybe you should consider yourself cursed. Being blessed with the Creator¡¯s power tends not to be conducive to a long life. Trouble follows at their heels, for power invites company.¡±


    Lace sighed. ¡°Yeah, I get it.¡±


    Of course there had to be a catch.


    ¡°So, if this force has a mind of its own,¡± she said, ¡°is that why it came to me while I was fighting the Beasts?¡±


    Torchbearer nodded. He closed his fist and snuffed out the flame.


    ¡°Exactly, sirrah. The Creator¡¯s remnant senses when the children of the Unmaker are near. That is usually when he will reveal himself to you.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ is there any way to practice this? Can it be used for purposes other than fighting Beasts?¡±


    ¡°You are thinking of it the wrong way, I believe,¡± Torchbearer said. ¡°It¡¯s not a power you use. It¡¯s one you borrow, channel through yourself, for whichever purpose the Creator deigns. I must confess, although I am a Primal myself, I don¡¯t know much on the subject. I was going to discuss with Excelerate about sending you to study at Wiseman¡¯s Temple for a few months. A bit further along, of course, once your training is in a good place.¡±


    Wiseman¡¯s Temple. The seat of the brightest priests in all of Aribel, safeguard of the clergy¡¯s most profound knowledge. Headed by Sage himself.


    To study there would be an honor almost comparable to serving at Paragon¡¯s own court.


    ¡°Do you really think that would be possible?¡± Lace spluttered.


    Torchbearer smiled through his leathery, cracked lips. ¡°I¡¯ll take it you¡¯d be willing, then. I give no promises¡ªbut I¡¯d say your chances are good. The clergy is always looking for Primals¡ªespecially ones that are already attuned with God.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Master.¡±


    ¡°No need to thank me,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m only trying to further the next generation. Now, I¡¯ve got some patrol errands to attend to. Do you have any other questions?¡±


    ¡°No, Master. I don¡¯t wish to keep you.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Very well then.¡±


    Torchbearer walked off towards the gates, hand on the pommel of his blackened sword.


    Lace turned around and jumped back when she saw Gantho¡¯s gaunt, soot-stained face right in front of hers. He was grinning like a gargoyle.


    Lace clutched her chest. ¡°Creator¡¯s blood, don¡¯t sneak up on someone like that!¡±


    ¡°Sorry ¡®bout that,¡± he said, wiping his red nose with a dirty rag, then hooking it over his apron. ¡°I just thought I¡¯d wait until you two were done.¡±


    He carried a long bundle under his right arm, wrapped in cloth.


    ¡°You requisitioned the Workshop for a weapon to better harness your Power,¡± Gantho said. He cracked a big smile. ¡°Well, we always deliver. This beauty is yours.¡±


    He handed over the bundle, and Lace took it reverently. It was lighter than she would have expected for a weapon.


    ¡°Can I look at it?¡±


    Gantho laughed. ¡°Well, of course! It¡¯s yours, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Lace smiled and started unwrapping the cloth.


    *****


    Kiren looked around the alley to make sure he didn¡¯t have company.


    Empty.


    Good.


    He untied the bundle of cloth off his bag and arrayed the stolen contents in front of him on the ground. Long scraps of fabric from a nightgown he had snatched off a rack, a set of pine logs he had stolen off the back of a logging wagon, a bottle of strong vodka he had taken off a hungover noble, and a flint and steel he had bought with some of his last coins.


    He arranged the logs into a neat pile and stuck it through with the fabric, then soaked the whole thing in alcohol.


    Pine was perfect. It would make all the smoke he needed.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    This had better work, or I¡¯m going to look real stupid in a minute.


    Lastly, he brought out a flint and iron. He struck the two together, producing sparks that eventually set the pile of logs soundly ablaze.


    The fire produced clouds of billowing smoke that drifted up over the rooftops.


    Kiren fought through a coughing fit and stood back from the fire.


    He grinned.


    Perfect.


    He left the alley and took off in a sprint down the street. It only took him two or three minutes to reach the guard station near the Lodge.


    The guard at the front of the place roused from an apparent nap when Kiren came running, leaned comfortably against the wall.


    ¡°Fire!¡± Kiren shouted at the top of his lungs. ¡°There¡¯s a fire!¡±


    ¡°You pulling my leg, boy?¡± the guard asked, frowning.


    ¡°Get yourself together, man! See for yourself!¡± Kiren pointed to the smoke trailing over the rooftops in the distance. ¡°It¡¯ll burn down half the fucking district if you don¡¯t put it out!¡±


    The guard scrambled up and looked around blearily. He hurried inside and there was a raucous tumult. Four guardsmen burst through the door, Captain Renalt at their head.


    ¡°Kiren, right?¡± the captain said. ¡°Help keep an eye on the place while we¡¯re gone, would you? Just make sure none of the detainees up and leave, somehow.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, cap,¡± Kiren said, watching them run off.


    As soon as they were out of sight he walked inside the jail.


    He started when he noticed a guardsman still sitting on a chair, cleaning his nails.


    ¡°Fire, huh?¡± the man said. ¡°Pretty rare thing, here in the inner city.¡±


    Suppose it was too much to ask for all of them to leave.


    Kiren glanced towards the cells lining the corridor to his left. He steeled his mind for what he would have to do.


    ¡°Yeah, it looked intense,¡± Kiren said, walking towards the guard. ¡°I just hope your friends there can put it out. Maybe they could use some extra help.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± the man asked. ¡°Nah. Has to be at least one guard in here at all times.¡±


    The man gave Kiren a scrutinizing look as he drew closer, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s unfortunate.¡±


    Kiren reached the guard in two long steps and kicked his chair away. He toppled onto his butt with a yelp, and Kiren yanked him up by his gambeson. Before he had the chance to struggle, he spun the man around and put him in a chokehold, forearm squeezing down on his throat.


    The guard struggled, trying to bat Kiren¡¯s hands away, but he kept a firm grip. The man gurgled and choked.


    He counted every second that passed as the guard¡¯s struggles grew weaker. Every moment lost was one he couldn¡¯t spare. If Captain Renalt and the others came back, it would be all over.


    It took almost a minute until he went completely limp. Kiren lowered him to the floor and took the keychain off his belt. He rushed through to the cell block.


    He found Ratfoot, Tryss, and Mug in three separate cells.


    Mug showed a scarred grin as he looked at the keys in Kiren¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I heard some commotion out there,¡± he said. ¡°This what I think it is?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m breaking you out,¡± Kiren said, trying out keys for Mug¡¯s cell. ¡°Don¡¯t get a big head over it, old man.¡±


    ¡°Unmaker¡¯s tits, boy, do you know what you¡¯re doing?¡± Ratfoot asked.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m not letting you rot in prison. Listen, did she burn down the bar?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°The girl. Brown hair. Short.¡±


    ¡°There were two of them,¡± Tryss said. ¡°The older one did it.¡±


    ¡°And the girl didn¡¯t do anything?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t there. Left before the bitch set the place alight.¡±


    Kiren breathed a deep sigh of relief. He unlocked Mug¡¯s cell and quickly got the other two open.


    At least Lace had nothing to do it. I might be able to convince her to come around, then.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hurry up and get out of here. The guards¡¯ll be back any second.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± howled a voice from further down the hall. ¡°What about us? You¡¯re letting us out too, right?¡±


    Hyena stuck his big snout between the bars, sniffing loudly.


    Kiren jogged over to the last two cells. He glanced first at Hyena, then Snapjaw, both clutching the cell doors, eyes full of hope.


    ¡°I¡¯ll release you. On one condition,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°Anything!¡± Hyena howled. ¡°Just let us go!¡± He grasped for the keys, but Kiren held them out of reach.


    ¡°I want your help fighting someone.¡±


    ¡°Uh, look,¡± Hyena said. ¡°It might not look like it, but we¡¯re not exactly fighters. We¡¯re robbers, y¡¯know?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my offer. Take it or leave it. It expires in about ten seconds.¡±


    The two overgrown criminals shared a look.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do it,¡± they said in unison.


    Kiren nodded and stuck the key in Hyena¡¯s door.


    Let¡¯s hope there really is honor among thieves. I don¡¯t need them bolting on me.


    He got the door open and did the same for the other robber. They stepped out into the hallway, looming over him.


    This might go terribly wrong.


    *****


    Hulda came to pick Lace up and they took a private Ludenhaas carriage down to the Slog.


    ¡°Judging by the lack of Excelerate¡¯s insistent meddling, I¡¯ll assume you did what I asked of you,¡± Hulda said.


    Her hands were folded primly in her lap, back perfectly straight. Every fold of her pure white dress was immaculately pressed, and her hair had been done up in an intricate bun.


    She looked at Lace expectantly.


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to see there are still some Hero prospects with a bit of integrity,¡± Hulda said with a smile.


    ¡°Master, there¡¯s something I would like to ask.¡±


    ¡°So ask.¡±


    ¡°Someone I know, they said¡­ They said that bar burned down. Did you do that after I left?¡±


    Hulda gave Lace a long look, a growing frown on her face. The silver spear vibrated in her lap.


    ¡°I did no such thing,¡± she said firmly, earnestly. ¡°Nor was I informed of it. It was likely some third party who saw their chance once I departed.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    The answer did not satisfy her unease.


    Could Kiren have been right?


    She steeled her heart and set her jaw.


    No. He never deserved my trust in the first place. Whatever Hulda is doing, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s for the greater good. She¡¯s an A-Rank Hero, after all. You don¡¯t get there without virtue.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Lace asked, just to have something else to think about.


    ¡°I managed to suss out the location of this ¡®Jarl¡¯ through some of my contacts. An old member of the Thieves¡¯ Guild, supposedly¡ªa cryptographer. We¡¯re paying him a friendly visit.¡±


    The Thieves¡¯ Guild?


    Lace had never known such an organization existed.


    The carriage reached the edge of the Slog and they disembarked. The roads were too narrow to allow passage.


    They walked into that forlorn, sunken place. The Second Sun looming behind them at the peak of the city only made the slum feel squatter in comparison. Hulda took the lead with long, confident steps.


    Lace made sure her new weapon was firmly secured on her back.


    ¡°The book,¡± Hulda said without breaking stride. ¡°I need you to know how important it is. It¡¯s not just some dusty old tome.¡±


    Maybe I¡¯ll finally get some answers.


    ¡°It contains some of the Ludenhass family¡¯s deepest secrets. In the wrong hands, this information could topple us. That¡¯s why I have to find it. It¡¯s not petty greed. It¡¯s a must. Without the Ludenhaas family to head up trade and security, this city is lost.¡±


    ¡°What kind of secrets?¡± Lace asked.


    Hulda shot her a withering glance. ¡°Ones which should never be unearthed, lest the balance between the five noble families topples, shaking the very foundations of this empire.¡±


    Lace bowed her head. ¡°I understand, Master.¡±


    *****


    It was not an easy task to shuttle such a large group, both in numbers and size, through the inner city without being seen. It wasn¡¯t long before an alarm was raised. The guards would be looking for them.


    Kiren prayed a Hero wouldn¡¯t show up.


    They stuck to alleys, moving only when the streets were clear. They made it to the wall, but they would never be let through the gate. Instead, Kiren had Snapjaw, the stronger of the two criminals, hurl them to the top of the six-meter wall, using just enough force so that they didn¡¯t overshoot the edge.


    Afterward, Hyena got on his shoulders and clambered onto the crest, then pulled up his comrade.


    They got down on the other side, directly into the Slog. No guards would bother following them into the slums.


    They took a breather there while they came up with a better plan. Kiren massaged his knees, which ached from the impacts of getting down the wall.


    ¡°Old man, I¡¯ve gotta ask you,¡± Kiren said, waving Mug over. ¡°What¡¯s so fucking special about that book? Why does Ludenhaas want it so bad?¡±


    ¡°Funny thing, that,¡± Mug said with a crooked smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it when I had you snatch it, but the book itself is a fake. It¡¯s a cipher.¡±


    ¡°Cipher?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°A cipher for what?¡±


    ¡°Dunno. Do I strike you as the kind of gentleman who knows their way around a cipher? I gave it to a friend, though. Jarl. For safekeeping, you see. I didn¡¯t trust that¡­ thing to deliver on its promise. Anyway, Jarl has some expertise in that area. He was working on deciphering the book last time I saw him.¡±


    ¡°Whatever¡¯s in there, it¡¯s got to be something the Ludenhaas want to keep secret. Explains why that bitch has been so rabid about it.¡±


    He gathered the rest of them around.


    ¡°Alright, everyone. Mug, Ratfoot, Tryss, you go somewhere safe, wait for all this to blow over.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a brother in Small Miracle,¡± Tryss said. ¡°He might take us.¡±


    Kiren nodded. ¡°Good. Whatever you do, don¡¯t answer the fucking door. Hyena, Snapjaw, you¡¯re with me. Old man, give me directions to Jarl¡¯s place.¡±

 24. Show of Force

    24. Show of Force


    Jorge heaved into the chamberpot. Dark bile sloshed around the bottom. He wiped his mouth with a shaky hand, violent tremors going through his naked body. Sweat beaded on his back and forehead and his stomach burned like wildfire.


    He inspected the vomit with a close eye. At least there was no blood in it. That was something.


    Too old. Too fucking old for everything.


    He needed something for the pain. Something strong. Even Good Doctor¡¯s aid did little for him, these days.


    ¡°Excelerate!¡± shouted a voice from the other side of the door. Counter¡¯s harsh baritone. ¡°You¡¯re gonna want to hear this!¡±


    ¡°What makes everyone think they can just come knocking whenever they please?¡± Jorge muttered under his breath. He raised his voice. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m coming! Give me a minute!¡±


    He set his trusty chamberpot aside and got up to find some clothes. He keenly felt every crackle of his joints, every painful spasm of his muscles, every old scar flaring up like a fresh wound.


    It was light outside. Time seemed to blur together more and more, these days. When he went to sleep, he was never quite sure when he would wake up.


    He got into his robes one excruciating movement at a time. He pulled the cloth mask around his neck and took a moment to collect himself.


    He went outside and met Counter, who explained the situation. There had been some sort of breakout at the Lodge-side jail.


    Counter led them down into the main hall. A startled guardsman sipped at a mug of mulled wine while Conversia, Bloodhound¡¯s assistant, questioned him.


    ¡°How many got out?¡± Jorge asked.


    Conversia turned to face him and folded her hands behind her back. ¡°All of them. Five in total. Low risk, but three are pertinent to the current Evangel investigation. That isn¡¯t the important part, however. The man who broke them out is one of yours.¡±


    ¡°Kiren, I think the captain called him,¡± the guardsman said. He rubbed his blotchy, red throat. ¡°He lured all the others out of the jail, then choked me out. By the time I came to, everyone was gone.¡±


    Jorge frowned, burrowing his face in his mask. ¡°My, that is something.¡±


    Kids, what are you thinking? First one¡¯s a liar, second¡¯s a traitor.


    ¡°We are dispatching Heroes to handle this situation,¡± Conversia said. ¡°I thought you would like to know. You won¡¯t be getting your apprentice back.¡±


    ¡°No you¡¯re not,¡± Jorge said firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this. My apprentice, my responsibility.¡±


    ¡°Not happening. You lost that privilege when you failed to prevent this.¡±


    Jorge stepped close to her and leaned in until their faces were almost touching.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what¡¯s going to happen. You¡¯re going to let me handle this, alone. If you don¡¯t, I resign. We both know you can¡¯t afford that.¡±


    Conversia cocked an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re willing to throw away your career over one traitor apprentice?¡±


    Jorge didn¡¯t move a muscle. ¡°Yes.¡±


    She sighed and took a step back. ¡°Alright, fine. You do it clean. Bring them in, or you will get your wish.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. Last sighting?¡±


    ¡°They were last spotted climbing the wall to the south-west, facing the Slog.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Right. I¡¯m on it.¡±


    He walked towards the doors of the main hall, his Power buzzing beneath his skin. He grabbed an untended flagon along the way and drained its contents in one go, tossing the empty vessel aside.


    *****


    Lace spotted Jarl¡¯s house coming into view down the street. It was hard to miss, both larger and cleaner than most residences in the Slog, the clapboard facade even sporting a flaking paint job.


    Even with reliable directions, it had been a nightmare to find the place. Navigating the Slog was like trying to find your way through an anthill.


    Lace had a bad feeling in her stomach. Something didn¡¯t seem right. The streets were too empty. The only movement was from a pair of stray cats fighting over a dead rodent.


    I¡¯m doing a Hero¡¯s work, she told herself.  There¡¯s nothing to worry about.


    The thought rang hollow in her head.


    ¡°Ready yourself,¡± Hulda said. ¡°Jarl may know we are coming. I will be relying on your help if a fight does ensue.¡±


    Lace pulled the fluted staff out of the makeshift loop she had pinned to the back of her tunic. She held it in a two-handed grip and gave it a whirl, the hollow metal producing a high-pitched hum.


    The staff was lightweight, made of some kind of composite steel, and it was nearly as long as she was tall. Three holes were bored into each side of the top end, with delicate, hinged stoppers on the inside, which could be opened when channeling air through the other end of the staff to push air out the sides.


    She¡¯d only been able to try it out briefly, but it was intuitive enough that she didn¡¯t need much practice to be able to use it.


    It was definitely going to add some extra power to her arsenal.


    A man stepped out of an alleyway and into the street, face downturned.


    He stopped in the middle of the street, facing them, and looked up.


    Lace stopped dead in her tracks.


    Kiren¡¯s dark, almost black eyes pierced through her, leaving her breathless.


    ¡°Hulda Ludenhaas,¡± he spoke, words dripping with venom. ¡°You won¡¯t be getting any further. I¡¯m putting an end to this.¡±


    Hulda stopped. She cocked her head at the young man standing before her.


    ¡°And who are you supposed to be?¡±


    ¡°Kiren, what are you doing here?¡± Lace asked urgently, taking a few uncertain steps forward.


    ¡°Still with Hulda, I see,¡± Kiren remarked. ¡°I should be disappointed, but, well¡­ you already made your intentions clear. I suppose it wouldn¡¯t change anything if I told you she¡¯s a criminal.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°How¡¯d you find that out?¡±


    ¡°Mug told me. The book is a cipher.¡±


    ¡°You mean the fence? The criminal?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a criminal,¡± Kiren said, spreading his arms. ¡°Does that mean you don¡¯t trust me?¡±


    ¡°You know what? Maybe it does. There¡¯s a line between Heroes and Villains. You crossed over to the wrong side. At this point, I¡¯m not sure whether to believe anything coming from you.¡±


    ¡°I remember you now,¡± Hulda said. ¡°Excelerate¡¯s little gutter rat. Remove yourself from these premises. I did not request your presence.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not moving,¡± Kiren said. ¡°If you want the book, you face me first.¡±


    Hulda sighed. The silver spear flew into her hand as if by the power of a lodestone.


    ¡°Lace, go on ahead. If you find the book, burn it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Lace mumbled. She could not bear to look at Kiren.


    Lace took off in a run towards Jarl¡¯s house. Kiren moved to intercept her, but Hulda¡¯s spear zipped in front of him. It spun and slapped across his legs, knocking him on his stomach.


    She made it past him and kept running, feet slipping in the cold sludge.


    ¡°Now, tell me,¡± Hulda¡¯s voice echoed from behind. ¡°What in the Creator¡¯s memory possessed you to pick a fight with me?¡±


    *****


    As Hulda Ludenhass came towards him at a slow amble, Kiren began to realize that he might have made a slight error in judgment.


    The spear flew back into the Hero¡¯s hand. She held it up, point angled at Kiren. She stopped a few meters from him.


    He got to his knees, shirt dripping with mud, and stood to face the Hero.


    ¡°I will give you one chance to rethink this folly,¡± she said.


    Kiren couldn¡¯t take his eyes off that spear.


    He steeled himself and forced a grin.


    ¡°Once I get my hands on that book, guess what I¡¯ll do with it? I¡¯ll show the world whatever bad business you¡¯ve got tucked between those pages. Something tells me not even you will be able to plug that hole once it¡¯s been made.¡±


    Hulda¡¯s upper lip twitched.


    ¡°I see. I suppose the ¡®unfortunate accident¡¯ excuse will do the trick.¡±


    She cocked her head.


    The spear shot out like an arrow.


    Time seemed to slow as the long, slender tip drove through Kiren¡¯s midsection. Every layer of skin, every chunk of flesh, every fold of his intestines. It went out the other side and he toppled backward, but he didn¡¯t fall. Completely impaled, the spear jutted into the ground on the other side, keeping him up.


    Kiren breathed in short gasps.


    The pain¡¯s coming.


    It¡¯s going to hit.


    It¡¯s going to hit.


    Hot lightning wracked his body, freezing every muscle. He screamed.


    His perception distorted, eyes crossing, and he wished that he could have taken back every decision leading to this moment.


    ¡°Ah¡­ fuck¡­¡± he groaned.


    ¡°Stop being so dramatic,¡± Hulda said. ¡°You wanted this, after all.¡±


    Kiren took a few plunging breaths, steeling himself once more. He grasped the spear haft with both hands, using all the strength he could muster.


    ¡°Now!¡± he shouted.


    Seconds passed.


    Nothing happened.


    Hulda raised her eyebrows. ¡°Oh my. Looks like you¡¯ve gone quite delirious. I suppose I should wrap this up quickly. I¡¯m not some cat that plays with its food, after all.¡±


    ¡°Now!¡± Kiren repeated.


    Another few seconds of silence.


    ¡°Is that our cue?¡± Hyena called.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s your fucking cue! Get the fucking bitch already!¡±


    Hyena and Snapjaw leapt out from their hiding places behind the buildings on either side of the street. The two colossal creatures charged at Hulda, their footfalls like thunder. They crossed the ten or so meters in only a few moments.


    Kiren felt the spear move inside him.


    She was trying to pull it out.


    He grinned through the agony and held on tighter. He kept the thing burrowed firmly inside him, sliding only by inches. The pain was immense, but the look on Hulda¡¯s face was worth it.


    Eyes wide, mouth in a perfect O, she raised her hands in a cross over her head.


    Hyena reached her first. He uppercutted her with a fist the size of a small anvil.


    Hulda went flying. She flew several meters, hit the ground on her side, and rolled to a stop, face down on the ground.


    ¡°Shit, is she dead?¡± Snapjaw asked, slowly coming to a stop ahead of Kiren. ¡°Hyena, I told you not to kill anyone!¡±


    Hulda lifted her head and spat dirt. She got up with painful slowness, cradling one of her arms. The forearm was twisted at an unnatural angle, and several of the fingers had been snapped back.


    Part of her grey hair had slipped out of its bun, hanging over her face. Her previously immaculate white dress was covered in mud from top to bottom.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± she spat. ¡°You¡¯ve done it now. You¡¯ve really done it.¡±


    She held out her intact hand.


    The spear was yanked out of Kiren¡¯s body all at once, cutting his palms along the way. The force pitched him forward onto his hands and knees.


    The spear spun through the air, slicing into one of Snapjaw¡¯s ankles as it traveled to its master.


    Snapjaw went down on one knee, swearing at the deep cut in his ankle as it oozed blood.


    Hulda caught the spear and twirled it in a circular arc of shining silver.


    ¡°Time to show you what it means to be A-Rank.¡±


    *****


    Lace tried the handle to the front door, but it was locked. She raised her new weapon¡ªthe gale-staff, as she had taken to calling it¡ªand ran a steady current of wind through the bottom end, creating a thin blade of air running out of the top with a warm hum. With a few well-placed slashes, she cut the handle clean off.


    She kicked the door in and found a man reeling on the other side. Long, blond hair and a braided beard denoted him as a Jagentander.


    Before he had any time to compose himself, Lace grabbed the man by the beard and pulled him closer.


    ¡°Jarl, is it?¡± she asked.


    ¡°W-Who¡¯s asking?¡± the man stammered.


    ¡°The Heroes¡¯ Guild.¡±


    She brought him through the hall, further into the house. There was a spacious living room area adorned with wooden furniture and a small adjoining kitchen.


    When he started to struggle, Lace gave him a quick jolt of wind to the testicles. He doubled over, groaning.


    ¡°You¡¯re Jarl, right?¡± Lace asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to find out one way or another. You might as well tell me before I have to start getting mean.¡±


    Annoyance buzzed in her back of her head. Why did this have to be so complicated? Why did Kiren have to get involved? It was on her shoulders to do what was right, no matter what anyone else said.


    I will be a Hero.


    I¡¯m doing a Hero¡¯s work.


    This is what a Hero has to do. They have to make the hard decisions.


    She still remembered what Hulda had told her.


    Take control.


    The man didn¡¯t respond, so Lace gave him a quick tap on the head with the back of her staff.


    ¡°Answer!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Jarl, you crazy cunt!¡± he whimpered. ¡°What do you want from me? It¡¯s the book, right? Should have thrown the fucking thing in the river when I had the chance. Shouldn¡¯t have let Mug call in that favor in the first place.¡±


    ¡°You have it, then. Show me.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t do that,¡± Jarl said. ¡°I have to keep my promise.¡±


    A scream echoed from the street outside. It sounded like Kiren.


    Her body strained with the urge to go to him.


    She resisted it.


    Doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯re no longer in a position to help each other. He can take care of himself.


    ¡°Listen, Jarl. Either you tell me where the book is, I burn it, that¡¯s the end of it. You¡¯re in the clear. Or you cling onto this notion of honor and force the Hero right outside to tear this house apart in finding the book. If she does, she won¡¯t be in any mood to let you off easy, I promise you that.¡±


    ¡°Regardless, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°An A-Rank Hero, I might add.¡±


    Jarl blanched.


    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± he said, holding his hands up. ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡±

 25. Clash of Wills

    25. Show of Force


    Hyena and Snapjaw weren¡¯t going to hold up for long.


    Hyena threw a punch and Hulda sidestepped. Quick as a whip, the spear launched itself in a counterattack. Snapjaw stepped in and absorbed the blow with one of his chitin-plated forearms, but it still managed a substantial cut before spinning away.


    despite their size, Hulda corralled them like sheep. The spear spun around them in dizzying patterns, forcing them to focus on staying out of its way rather than fighting her. One missed dodge could prove fatal.


    Kiren fought his way back to his feet, slipping in a puddle of bloodsoaked mud. He¡¯d managed to patch up the hole in his stomach reasonably, covering it in chitinous mass.


    Hopefully, if she tried that trick again, it wouldn¡¯t work.


    He glanced towards Jarl¡¯s house. The door swung in the breeze, cut open. Lace was inside.


    Lace might have the book already.


    A howl made Kiren turn back around. Hyena had been hit in the back of the knee, throwing him off balance. The spear zipped around to his front and dove for a finishing blow. Snapjaw rushed to protect his partner, but it was too late.


    Hyena only had time to throw up a meaty hand to protect himself.


    The spear bored through his hand and into his chest, pitching him backward. He hit the ground with a heavy thump, throwing up bits of mud. The spear lodged itself deeper inside him as he howled and yelped.


    ¡°Unmaker¡¯s bony tits,¡± Kiren swore.


    He set off in a run towards Hyena.


    They weren¡¯t his friends. He didn¡¯t even know them. But he¡¯d hired them for a job, all three fully knowing that they could have bailed any moment, and they¡¯d stuck around anyway. They¡¯d been true to their word.


    Now it was on him to make sure they didn¡¯t regret it.


    Or at least make sure they could stick around to regret it.


    Snapjaw struck Hulda with a backhand and she went tumbling. He knelt in front of his friend and with a forceful pull dislodged the silver spear. With a roar that shook the ground, he held the spear in front of him and bent with all his might, the muscles of his arms bulging against his leathery skin.


    The spear snapped with a metallic twang. He threw away both pieces and they landed on the ground some distance off, vibrating dully as they sank into the mud.


    ¡°Saeed, you¡¯re okay,¡± Snapjaw said, taking Hyena¡¯s hand off his chest and pressing his own atop the wound. ¡°You¡¯re okay, hear me? Don¡¯t worry about a thing.¡±


    Kiren ran past both of them. There was nothing he could do to help, except¡­


    Hulda was getting back up.


    He had to make sure she stayed down.


    Her back was twisted at an odd angle and her face contorted with pain as if the spear snapping had caused her physical distress.


    Kiren went in for a punch.


    Hulda threw up a hand, holding up a shaking finger. A tiny sliver of silvery metal rested atop it, no larger than a fingernail.


    She flicked it.


    Kiren felt a sharp sting in his throat. Suddenly he couldn¡¯t breathe.


    Burning pain mixed with a sensation like a bug crawling around his throat. He coughed blood and clawed at his neck, but the piece of metal wouldn¡¯t come out, slicing open his flesh faster than his Power could mend it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve this,¡± Hulda spat. ¡°You¡¯re not good enough to see my best. A bunch of lowlifes. You think you could beat me? Me? Hulda Ludenhaas, matriarch of the greatest noble family of Aribel!¡±


    Kiren¡¯s vision tunneled. Blood foamed with saliva at the corners of his mouth. The taste of copper was so strong that alone would have been enough to make him queasy.


    Both halves of Hulda¡¯s spear slowly rose up out of the ground. Intense vibrations shook off the mud.


    Hulda let go a yell that echoed between the buildings surrounding the street.


    The spear shook violently, splitting apart. Two parts became four, four became eight, eight became sixteen. Before, there were thousands of tiny flecks of metal hovering in the air, just like the one digging its way through Kiren¡¯s airways.


    Oh, fuck.


    The process left Hulda panting, forehead beading with sweat. She propped herself up with her good hand against one of her knees and stood.


    Kiren reached through the incision in his neck with two fingers. He gagged at the sensation, but he searched around the cartilaginous inside of his throat until he found the shard of metal. He pulled it out and tossed it away, immediately hurling a stream of blood onto the ground.


    ¡°Hyena¡­ Snapjaw¡­¡± he forced out. ¡°Run¡­¡±


    ¡°Time to end this,¡± Hulda hissed, metal flakes swirling around her uninjured arm as she held it up towards Kiren. ¡°Once I¡¯m done, you won¡¯t be anything but a side note in my story.¡±


    ¡°Dear Hulda. You¡¯d think, after such a long career, that you¡¯d learn to stop monologuing.¡±


    A black streak shot down from a nearby rooftop.


    Kiren was lifted off the ground. Everything lurched, and a moment later he was rolling across the street.


    He came to a stop on his back, looking up at a set of black robes, Excelerate¡¯s tired face peeking down at him over a red face mask.


    ¡°I am going to have a word with you after this,¡± he said. ¡°The both of you. Where is Lace?¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Kiren nodded towards Jarl¡¯s house. ¡°In there. Getting the book¡­¡± He spat blood. ¡°...For Hulda.¡±


    ¡°Go fetch her.¡± Excelerate pulled up his mask. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with Ludenhaas.¡±


    *****


    ¡°You¡¯re stalling.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, I swear,¡± Jarl said with a grunt. He reached his arm inside the blackened chimney, prodding around the brick column. ¡°I just¡­ can¡¯t quite¡­ reach¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop messing around,¡± Lace said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to have to get serious.¡± She placed the end of the gale-staff against the back of his neck.


    ¡°Found it! I found it, no need to go overboard, Hero lady.¡±


    He backed out of the wood furnace and held up a square object wrapped in oilcloth. She took it from him and unfurled it.


    Inside was a thick book, leather-clad and slightly dented, with a metal clasp to keep it closed. The spine read: The Creator¡¯s Last Living Testament.


    ¡°This is it,¡± Lace whispered.


    ¡°I deciphered some of it,¡± Jarl said. ¡°I¡¯ll admit, it¡¯s a tough nut to crack.¡± He clicked his tongue. ¡°I learned enough to know you Heroes are up to some dark shit, though.¡±


    ¡°Leave,¡± she barked. ¡°Don¡¯t come back for at least a few hours, until it¡¯s settled.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Go.¡±


    Jarl shrugged and hurried out of the open door, not glancing back even once.


    Once he was gone, Lace broke a chair and used it as kindling for a fire inside the fireplace that she lit by striking her staff against the rock, creating sparks.


    She placed the staff beside her and held out the book over the flames.


    ¡°Drop it,¡± she told herself. ¡°Burn it.¡±


    Voices inside her head wore away at her confidence.


    It contains some of the Ludenhass family¡¯s deepest secrets. In the wrong hands, this information could topple us. Hulda.


    I suppose it wouldn¡¯t change anything if I told you she¡¯s a criminal. Kiren.


    You Heroes are up to some dark shit, though. Jarl.


    ¡°Heroes have to make tough choices,¡± Lace said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if Hulda has demons in her past. I watched Excelerate kill a grieving man in cold blood. She has to be better than that, at least.¡±


    She held out the book.


    Let go.


    ¡°Lace!¡± a voice called from the hallway.


    She looked back.


    There he was.


    ¡°Kiren.¡±


    The front of his shirt was soaked in blood and his throat was covered in patchy, scaly skin. He breathed in ragged wheezes. He had one hand on the doorway, head hunched like a fighting dog about to pounce


    Lace picked up the gale-staff and set the book aside.


    *****


    ¡°I will say, you work fast,¡± Jorge said, circling a wounded Hulda. ¡°It took you, what, a day, to win my apprentice over to your side?¡±


    ¡°Less,¡± Hulda said with a blithe smile. ¡°She didn¡¯t need much of a push. She¡¯s absolutely starving for guidance.¡±


    Jorge clapped his hands with ironic slowness. ¡°Good work, Ludenhaas.¡±


    He reached behind his back and checked the knife strapped to a belt hidden by the folds of his robe. He loosened it a hair to make sure it would come out quickly in a pinch.


    ¡°I was willing to overlook your schemes back then. Live and let live, you know? Heroes can¡¯t be too picky about their company. Now, though? You took it too close to home.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Hulda said. Her multitudinous spear fragments aligned themselves around her like a dome, spinning slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to kill you. You might only be half Router by blood, but you got all of their worst traits. The Guild will be purer without you.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything about killing. You sure went there quick, though.¡±


    Hulda growled.


    Jorge dropped into a low stance.


    About half of the spear fragments split from the main grouping and shot out at him like a cloud of angry wasps.


    Jorge¡¯s limbs lit up with energy. He settled on a point near the edge of the street, took a step to the left, and his body knew exactly what to do. Everything around him blurred, his vision narrowing to a single point right in front of him, every step jolting his body.


    He counted the fraction of a second it took to travel that distance. He came out of the burst of speed, standing at exactly the point he had predicted.


    Actually, he was about a quarter meter off.


    He¡¯d gotten rusty.


    Hulda¡¯s attack missed by a wide margin, the fragments dispersing and returning to the central mass. The thousands of fragments began to move rapidly, creating a spinning blur of a shield that protected Hulda from all angles.


    The famed Ludenhaas battle art. Even with my speed, if I try to get through that I¡¯ll get ripped to shreds.


    Jorge had one advantage, though. Hulda was badly hurt. One arm was twisted in an awkward angle, pinned against her chest, and her lip was swollen and bloody. Besides, from what he knew about the Ludenhaas, their weapons were a part of them. To split her spear like this, while an effective defense, certainly took a toll on her body.


    She had the power, but he had the stamina.


    All he had to do was play with her, run her dry, then go in for the finish.


    Hulda slowly shuffled around to face Jorge, breathing heavily.


    I still have to be careful. Cornered wolves bite the hardest.


    He plotted out a curved path that would skim him past Hulda¡¯s defenses and executed the move in a fraction of a second. Just as he had expected, the fragments rose in a hissing cloud, too slow.


    While using his speed, he was as good as blind¡ªtoo much acceleration, too much wind. This was something few knew¡ªand he liked to keep it that way. Even other Routers didn¡¯t come up against this problem¡ªthey didn¡¯t run fast enough for it to become one.


    Jorge prodded at Hulda¡¯s shield several more times. Each time, there was a response. Each time, it was a little more languid, and the fragments gave up a little sooner.


    Ludenhaas spirit weapons responded instinctively to any danger against their owner, so even attacking Hulda from her blind spot would be no use.


    That could be used against her, however. Whenever he feinted, the fragments would surge outward, and her shield would weaken. If he could goad her into attacking, then skirt the side to draw a response...


    That could be enough to slip through her shield.


    Jorge grinned to himself behind the mask.


    Sounds like a plan.


    A shard of cold agony shot through his left leg and he cried out. More stabs of pain all across his legs.


    He looked down. Spear fragments zipped out of the mud¡ªdozens in all¡ªand embedded themselves into his flesh.


    Jorge sank onto one knee, gritting his teeth.


    That sneaky bitch. I wasn¡¯t goading her¡­ It was the other way around. She must have scattered these across the street while I was focused on her attacks.


    The fragments were still wriggling around in his flesh, tearing apart the muscles of his thighs and calves. He tried to dig some loose, but it was no use. There were too many.


    Hulda smiled.


    A sizeable chunk of her shield detached itself and flew towards him.


    Disable his legs, then finish him off. Not a bad strategy.


    Except Jorge¡¯s Power didn¡¯t work through his legs. Not really. Everyone thought that the Routers just ran faster than a normal human, but that was untrue.


    His Power flowed through every fiber of his being, like an unseen force. At that moment, it was a raging fire within him, setting his teeth chattering.


    The fragments closed in around him in a half moon formation. He could hear them rustling like brigandine as they bumped into one another.


    Jorge closed his eyes.


    He pushed off with his legs, disregarding the pain.


    He discharged the energy within him and shot into the air.

 26. Friend for a Day

    26. Friend for a Day


    For a brief moment, Jorge flew. Free floating, nothing but blue sky around him.


    Then the earth¡¯s pull ensnared him, pulling him towards the ground. He managed to get his legs underneath him and landed with a jolt that shook his reinforced bones and sent his shredded muscles firing wildly, bringing him to his knees.


    He tried to get back up, but his legs gave way with each attempt.


    Digging at the dirt with his hands, he spun himself around. Hulda faced him, an almost pitying look on her face.


    ¡°You¡¯re done, Excelerate,¡± she said. ¡°Admit it. You¡¯ve been on your last leg for years. It¡¯s unsightly. Let me put you down while there¡¯s still some pride left in you. Once it¡¯s over, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to finish off your two apprentices. No one can know what happened here.¡±


    She raised her hand and a clump of fragments gathered in front of her. He could barely make out her face through the spinning shield.


    Jorge plotted a course around the shield and bided his time.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if he could do it. His Power didn¡¯t rely on running, but he still had to push himself off of something to kickstart the acceleration. With his legs completely riddled through¡­


    I¡¯ll only have one chance at this. It has to be now.


    The fragments shot out, merging into a single spike the length of a forearm. Time stretched into infinity as the sharp point neared his head.


    Jorge raked his hands through the mud, dragging his body to the left, and released the energy that coursed within him. The world blurred, and when he skidded to a stop on his belly he was behind Hulda.


    His body seized up, joints stiff as if they had been turned to rock. Just as he had theorized, a large portion of the fragments had risen out to counter his movements along the side, thinning out the shield overall. He only had a moment or two, then his opportunity would be gone.


    One more. Come on, you worthless bastard.


    Jorge bellowed from the bottom of his lungs as he dragged himself into another burst. He felt his skin get shredded as he passed through the shield. His right eye flared up with an unimaginable pain.


    He hit something soft, something human, and he snapped out of the burst of speed. Jorge dragged Hulda to the ground, the woman screaming and batting at him with her free arm. He drew the knife off his back and put the edge against her throat.


    The right side of his vision was dark. He felt blood trickle down his cheek.


    ¡°Finish it, then,¡± Hulda spat, baring her neck. ¡°I have nothing left. You all forced me into this. I had to protect my family. The name of Ludenhaas means something. I couldn¡¯t let you ruin it.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re done talking,¡± Excelerate said.


    He took the knife off her throat and hit her over the side of her head with the pommel. She went out cold, and the spear shards dropped out of the air all at once, landing in piles with a loud rustling of metal.


    Jorge rolled off of her. He gasped, looking up at the blue sky above. He couldn¡¯t move another muscle even if he wanted to.


    Maybe I should have just retired after all.


    *****


    Kiren and Lace fought back and forth across the room. That damned staff kept him at bay and forced him to play it recklessly. Most of the time, he got tagged, only managing a few lucky hits.


    Whatever wounds he sustained didn¡¯t last long, but he was keenly aware that his healing was slowing down. He didn¡¯t have the time to focus on creating strengthening mutations, either¡ªhe just had to hope he¡¯d get lucky.


    Lace looked beat, too, her face bruised and battered. Except no matter how many punches he threw, she kept getting back into it, maintaining a firm stance. He knew just how stubborn she could be from their sparring sessions, but he had never seen anything like this from her before.


    She really wanted to win.


    Or at least, she thought she did.


    Kiren went in with a feint left. Lace fell for it, swiping with her staff to knock his fist away. Kiren tucked in and slipped to the right of her strike. He was about to hit her with a right hook when his foot slipped on a slick of his own blood.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he muttered, trying to right himself.


    Lace reset her stance and went in for a stab. The wind blade at the end of her staff drove into Kiren¡¯s midsection.


    Or at least, it would have.


    His tattered shirt blew apart, revealing tough plates that coated his abs. Bits cracked and flew off the mutated segment, but he felt no pain. She would eventually get through, but not quickly enough.


    Kiren grabbed Lace by the front of her tunic with both hands, lifted her up, and threw her down on the floor.


    She landed hard on her back, air going out of her with a bug-eyed wheeze.


    Good. This is my chance.


    He descended on her.


    Lace smiled. ¡°Predictable, Kiren.¡±


    She drew in a deep breath.


    Shit! She was acting!This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Lace pulled out a small bottle from a pouch on her belt and stuck it in one of the holes on the side of the gale-staff. It looked like it was full of¡­


    Sand.


    She angled the staff at Kiren¡¯s stomach once again and fired it up, producing a rattling hiss.


    Kiren¡¯s chitinous plates were blown apart and his stomach pierced all the way through, the tiny granules of sand shredding his flesh like wet paper.


    He backed up, stumbled, and his legs buckled. He fell on his knees, swearing under his breath. His legs were too numb to stand back up, and his lips and hands quickly became freezing cold. He had sustained too much damage. Too much blood loss, too much trauma, too quickly.


    Lace stood. She stayed at a safe distance.


    ¡°We¡¯re done, Kiren. I won. Now I can burn that damned book, and everything will be the way it should be.¡±


    Kiren licked his lips and forced them to move. ¡°That¡¯s not what this is about.¡± He looked her in the eyes. ¡°Is it?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°I think I do.¡±


    This is the time to speak my mind. If I don¡¯t do it now, I might lose her forever.


    So many feelings surged through him. And yet, now that it was time to let them out, he hesitated.


    ¡°You¡¯re disappointed,¡± Kiren said. ¡°You¡¯re disappointed in the Guild. I get it, okay? I¡¯ve been a shitty partner to you. I didn¡¯t fly straight with you, even after we agreed to fight the Dark Eye together. And I¡­¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve most of the things I¡¯ve said to you. Excelerate¡¯s not been any better. Too busy to train us half the time, and he seems content using us as pawns until we die off like his previous apprentices.


    ¡°In the face of that, I get why you would want to go with someone like Hulda. She¡¯s powerful, experienced, and clearly sees through what she starts. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s told you, but I can imagine it was exactly the sort of shit you¡¯ve been dying to hear.


    ¡°So I get it, alright? I really do. I know what it¡¯s like to be angry. More than most. But please, don¡¯t be a fucking idiot. I think even you can tell that what you¡¯re doing right now isn¡¯t rational in the slightest. You¡¯re trying to throw away your doubts. If you¡¯re so sure that what you¡¯re doing is right, then¡­¡± Kiren coughed up a glob of coagulated blood and spat it off to the side. He held his head high. ¡°If you¡¯re so sure of that, then finish me off. Forget the promise we made. Burn that book.¡±


    Lace¡¯s eyes widened. She found the single intact chair left in the room and slowly sat.


    ¡°Twin gods, Kiren,¡± she said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to kill you, you idiot.¡±


    Kiren fought out a smile. ¡°That¡¯s relieving to hear. Saved me the trouble of coming up with my last words. I¡¯m not much of a poet.¡±


    Lace hid a  smile behind her hand. ¡°Shut up.¡±


    She sighed, looking into the floor as her expression returning to a mournful longing. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. What you said. More than anything, I¡¯ve just felt¡­ lost. Hypocritical as it sounds, I¡¯ve not been upfront with you either.¡±


    Kiren shrugged and hissed as his stomach contorted with pain. ¡°Shit¡­¡± He managed to collect himself, focusing on taking even breaths. ¡°Well, now is the time to get it off your chest. I¡¯ve not got anywhere better to be.¡±


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m only ever told that I¡¯ll never be a Hero, or that I would be doing the world a service by quitting. My mother said it. Counter said it. Sage said it. You said it.¡± She paused, shaking her head. ¡°A while ago, I overheard Counter and Excelerate talking. About my father. He never wanted me to be a Hero. He did everything in his power to stop me becoming one.


    ¡°He was the one person I thought would be behind my decision. This whole time, even though he¡¯s dead, I felt like I had him at my back. Turns out he forced Counter¡¯s hand in making sure I wouldn¡¯t get taken on as an apprentice. That¡­ hit me hard, I won¡¯t lie. It made me feel like the world was against me, and everyone I thought I could trust was just waiting to show me their true colors.¡±


    ¡°So when I told you about my past with Xander¡¯s¡­¡± Kiren said, trailing off.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lace said with a nod. ¡°It set me off even worse. And with Hulda telling me those things, actually using my talents, I thought that was the only place to go. It felt like the only piece of solid ground in a world that was falling apart. I forced myself to trust her because I didn¡¯t think I had anyone else.¡±


    Kiren cleared his throat. He struggled in getting the words out. ¡°You¡¯ve got me. We promised to hunt the Dark Eye together. That¡¯s one thing that¡¯s never changed. I know we¡¯ve not known each other too long, but I trust you. Even though I may not show it, and even though you may not trust me the same way anymore.¡±


    Lace stood and padded over to him. She got down on her knees and sat on her heels. She wrapped Kiren in a gentle hug.


    It made his entire body flare with pain, but he kept his mouth shut. He felt the warmth of her skin and her heart beating against his chest. She smelled of sweat and blood and that special scent¡ªlike fresh wood shavings and summer flowers¡ªwhich belonged only to her.


    It was the kind of moment that was worth being stabbed through the gut.


    Twice.


    He found himself wishing it would last forever.


    ¡°I trust you,¡± she whispered in his ear. She pulled back and stared at him with those big, deep eyes of hers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being an idiot.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all idiots here,¡± Kiren said.


    He leaned in to kiss her.


    Lace slapped him, setting his cheek ringing.


    ¡°Creator¡¯s breath, Kiren!¡± she said, pulling away. ¡°Not the time!¡±


    ¡°What? I just thought¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re both covered in blood, you¡¯re almost dead, and there¡¯s a fight outside!¡± She held up her hands. ¡°You know what, we¡¯ll talk about this later. Can you stand?¡±


    Kiren groaned as he tried to move. Eventually, with the help of the remaining chair, he managed to stand. The wound in his stomach was almost fully healed, but his internals were still a tattered mess.


    ¡°Okay, good,¡± she said. ¡°You go check on Excelerate. I¡¯ll look through the book. If they¡¯re still fighting, don¡¯t step in. Just shout me. You¡¯re in no position to fight.¡±


    Kiren was in no mood to argue.


    While Lace started flipping through the pages of the tome, Kiren shuffled outside into the street.


    It was carnage out there. The street had been ripped up and stained with blood. Two figures lay in the distance, surrounded by a perfect circle of silver.


    No sign of Hyena and Snapjaw.


    He walked over, a near perfect silence around him. Excelerate and Hulda lay side by side. They were both unconscious, but still breathing. It was hard to tell who had won the fight.


    Excelerate was covered in cuts, and he had numerous jagged holes in his legs, still bleeding. One of his eyes had been sliced open, the whole socket swimming in blood.


    ¡°Unmaker¡¯s tits,¡± Kiren breathed. ¡°He really took a hit.¡±


    It was odd to see Excelerate this vulnerable. He wasn¡¯t unbeatable, after all. If he had bested Hulda, it was a near thing.


    ¡°Kiren!¡±


    He looked back. Lace was hurrying towards him, still reading from the book. Her face was creased with a deep frown.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to get much out of this,¡± Lace said. ¡°Jarl only cracked part of the cipher. But if this is correct¡­ It seems like the Ludenhaas family is smuggling Angel¡¯s Kiss throughout Goldbrand and the rest of Aribel. If these numbers are to be trusted, they¡¯d have to be the city¡¯s largest supplier. That explains why the Heroes could never really crack down on it. Because it was coming from inside the Guild this whole time.¡±


    ¡°Should¡¯ve guessed it was something like that,¡± Kiren said. He glanced over at Hulda. ¡°She was as much of a stone-cold bitch as she seemed from the start.¡±


    ¡°Excelerate needs medical attention, fast.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you could run up to the Lodge and get someone,¡± Kiren suggested.


    ¡°It would take too long. We should bring him to the guard post in Small Miracle. They¡¯ll have some basic medical supplies. If we can bandage up some of these wounds, it might keep him until Good Doctor or someone else can show up.¡±


    ¡°What about her?¡± Kiren asked, pointing to Hulda.


    Lace looked at her and scowled. ¡°We¡¯ll bring her.¡± She sighed. ¡°Grab a body. This is going to be a long walk.¡±

 27. Trials, Part 1

    27. Trials


    A beaten, pale, crooked man lay in the bed. A thick bandage had been wound over one side of his forehead, covering his right eye.


    Excelerate muttered in unsettled sleep, his exposed eye moving beneath its lid.


    ¡°No¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°¡­Reya¡­¡±


    Reya? Lace thought. He¡¯s never mentioned anyone by that name.


    ¡°Who¡¯s Reya?¡± she asked.


    Good Doctor shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think he would want me to tell you.¡±


    She dug the tongs into his leg and pulled out a piece of splintered metal, stained red. She dropped the metal into a shallow tray containing a pile of its counterparts, set the tongs aside, and placed her hands upon the wound. Slowly the flesh began to creep together.


    ¡°Will he live?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Good Doctor said with a bitter chuckle. ¡°He¡¯s a stubborn old fool. He¡¯s not dying until the Unmaker swallows us all. However¡­¡± She paused for a long moment. She seemed to slump, a strand of white hair slipping out from behind her ear. ¡°This was a long time coming. He¡¯s been pushing himself too hard, too often. Fighting someone like Hulda¡­ It was beyond his ability at this point, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°I do not believe you are familiar with the way Jorge¡¯s Power operates, unless he has been uncharacteristically open with you.¡±


    ¡°No, he¡­ hasn¡¯t really told us much. I just figured his Power made him faster, like the other Routers.¡±


    ¡°He is not like the other Routers. Not where it counts. His Power allows him unimaginable speed, far beyond that of any other of his blood. It also strengthens his muscles, bones, joints, and ligaments against wear and impact. There is, however, a drawback.¡±


    Kiren shuffled uncomfortably on his crutches. ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°The strengthening of his body can only do so much. When Jorge is using his speed to the fullest, it places a tremendous strain on his body. He is essentially rattling himself apart from the inside. That¡¯s not even mentioning the inherent weakness of the Routers¡¯ Power.


    ¡°Imagine yourself as a sprinter. The more you run, the more tired you get. Now imagine that a hundredfold. Overuse of his Power causes him to develop extreme fatigue. I¡¯m sure you have noticed his¡­ habits.¡±


    ¡°He usually sleeps half the day,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why¡­?¡± Lace said.


    Good Doctor nodded. ¡°Yes. Do not take offense¡ªJorge keeps his weaknesses private, even from other Heroes¡ªand for good reason, it seems.


    ¡°Regardless, as one of only a few A-Rank Heroes active within the Guild chapter, Jorge has been straining himself to keep the city together. Even without this¡­¡± She motioned to his cut-up and bruised legs. ¡°He was at the end of his rope, so to speak. The way he overextended his Power caused tiny lesions to appear in his muscles and fractures in his bones. I gave him six months until he would be unable to continue performing his duties.¡±


    She shook her head and sighed, gently touching his hand. ¡°That was two years ago.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just fix him?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work like that, I¡¯m afraid. Even my Power has limits. We brought in Songbird to help¡ªhis music can cure all sorts of ills. No improvement. We sent for a healer all the way in Marqesh. He walked away perplexed, unable to help.¡±


    ¡°And what about these wounds?¡± Lace asked. ¡°The ones he sustained against Hulda.¡±


    Good Doctor shrugged. ¡°Hard to say. I will heal them as best I can, but they are¡­ extensive. His eye is lost, that much I know. His legs may yet be salvaged, but I wouldn¡¯t bet money on him ever taking another step.¡±


    ¡°So he can¡¯t be a Hero anymore,¡± Lace said.


    The Hero turned to face them. Her expression was calm, composed, but there was a quiver in her lip. ¡°Correct.¡± She blinked, wiping a bitter tear with the palm of her hand. ¡°This will ruin him, you know. It was all he had left.¡±


    ¡°He already had a plan in place,¡± Kiren said. ¡°He knew this was going to happen, right?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Good Doctor asked.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s why he recruited us, isn¡¯t it? He knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep this up. That¡¯s why he¡¯s been throwing us into the deep end this whole time. He had to know we could swim. He had to know that he could trust us with his role, someday.¡±


    She nodded, and a faint smile traced her lips. ¡°I suppose so.¡±


    ¡°We will make him proud,¡± Lace said firmly. ¡°I know I¡¯ve let him down. I¡¯ll make up for it. I¡¯ll make sure he sees that he can leave things to us.¡±


    Good Doctor picked up her tongs once more. ¡°Good. Now, leave. There is still much work to do before I can rest.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    They left the sick room and Lace closed the door behind them.


    Kiren leaned back against a wall. He set his crutches aside and rubbed his face with both hands.


    ¡°Creator¡¯s balls¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him like that before. Even though he was out, he looked¡­¡±


    ¡°Scared,¡± Lace finished.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    They stood there for a while. Lace watched Kiren intently.


    He¡¯d actually tried to kiss her. That was¡­ different.


    He was a strange man. One minute, it seemed like he hated her. The next, he was pouring his heart out and wanting to kiss her.


    Men. Creator only knows what goes through their heads.


    Even beaten half to Svarta, bruised and limping around on crutches, he was a handsome thing to look at, with his lean, muscled body and sharp jaw.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Lace blushed and quickly looked away.


    Once Kiren had caught his breath a bit, they left the House of Healing and returned to the Guild Hall. She helped him up the stairs and into their room so that he could rest on the bed.


    It was the least she could do. She had been the one to put him in that state, after all. Mostly.


    Good Doctor said Kiren would be fine with a few days of rest. Once his regeneration was fully recharged his injuries would disappear quickly, leaving not so much as a trace.


    She still worried about him, though. Not for his recovery, but what would happen after that. She had heard about what he did. Choking out a guard. Breaking both criminals and full-blown Villains out of jail.


    That did not bode well.


    So far, no one had confronted them, but it was only a matter of time. Lace suspected they were giving Kiren some time to heal before putting the torch to him.


    Kiren seemed to know this, as well. He looked¡­ Solemn, staring into the ceiling. He didn¡¯t even have any snarky comments to come back with when they spoke, which was the most disconcerting part.


    Lace rolled the gale-staff between her hands. Looking at it made her feel sick. It had been tainted, in a way. She had used it in the name of a Villain masquerading as a Hero. It still had flecks of Kiren¡¯s blood on it where she had been unable to clean it off.


    She had contemplated throwing it away or having it melted down, but that didn¡¯t feel right, either. Gantho had spent weeks on it, with help from Squiddy, and it was named after her father.


    I will put the staff to a proper use, she decided. This time I won¡¯t be led astray. If I am, I know Kiren will lead me back.


    That was a comfort, at least. Regardless of the circumstances, the air had been cleared between them. They had only known each other for a little under two months, but she had entrusted him with her life and would do so again. Based on the end of their fight, she knew that he would, too.


    It took a few hours, but eventually, the call came. A knock on their door. Conversia, the Nightmare Woman, walked in.


    ¡°The Guild Leader wants you,¡± she said, her face locked in a constant scowl, arms locked behind her back. ¡°He is not in a patient mood, so make it quick.¡±


    Lace got up.


    ¡°Not you,¡± she barked. ¡°Only Kiren.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, Master, I¡¯m his partner,¡± Lace said. ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Zip it. Kiren, get up. We are going.¡±


    Kiren worked his way into a sitting position with a long groan, clutching his midsection. He took his crutches which leaned against the bed and managed to stand.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m coming with him partway, at least,¡± Lace insisted. ¡°He needs help with the stairs.¡±


    Conversia rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Though he protested profusely, Kiren eventually let Lace help her. She wrapped one of his arms over her shoulders and helped him up the stairs to the fourth floor. Conversia walked ahead of them, keeping a quick pace. Kiren had a hard time keeping up.


    They got to the end of the hall and Conversia opened the door. Bloodhound sat behind a large desk. He took in all of them with his narrow wolf¡¯s eyes, his fingers templed in front of him.


    ¡°There. You, girl, will stay outside.¡±


    Lace obeyed reluctantly. Kiren shambled in on his own and Conversia slammed the door shut behind her.


    Lace blew out a breath and settled against the wall of the corridor, sliding to the ground.


    He¡¯s going to be alright, she told herself.


    He better be.


    *****


    ¡°Sit.¡±


    Bloodhound motioned to the chair opposite the desk with a clawed hand.


    Conversia assumed a position in front of the door, hands clasped in front of her.


    Kiren did as he was told and set the crutches aside. He worked through the pain wriggling around his stomach and took a few deep breaths until it passed.


    ¡°I hope you realize the severity of what you have done,¡± Bloodhound said, showing teeth. He was backlit by a large window behind him, creating a gloria of light around his mane of fur.


    ¡°I do,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°Then perhaps you should show your senior some respect.¡±


    ¡°I do, Master.¡±


    ¡°You are facing expulsion at best. At worst¡­¡±


    ¡°Wailing Hill. I know.¡±


    Bloodhound gave a low, throaty grumble. ¡°If you¡¯ve already thought that far ahead, why did you do it? What possessed you to break those prisoners out?¡±


    ¡°Because three of those prisoners were friends, family,¡± Kiren said. He looked the guild Leader in the eye and refused to break away. ¡°The other two I needed to take down the woman who falsely imprisoned them. You¡¯re welcome for that, by the way.¡± He paused. ¡°Master.¡±


    Bloodhound showed his teeth. ¡°Watch your tongue, sirrah. Do not presume to get snippy with me. I am ready and willing to send you off in irons.¡±


    Kiren straightened his back, ignoring the pain.


    ¡°Sounds fine to me. I did the crime. I¡¯m not afraid to get locked up. I did what was right, and that¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°What was right?¡± Bloodhound slammed his fist on the table to punctuate the last word. ¡°If you had some proof of Hulda¡¯s criminal involvement, you should have come forward! It is not your job to pass judgment! Yours is to learn and obey!¡±


    ¡°I had no proof,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Only what I knew. Besides, even if I did, could you honestly say that you would have acted on it? She got away with it thus far. I find it hard to believe there were no clues pointing to her involvement in this drug-trade.¡±


    Bloodhound remained quiet, letting his claws clack against each other.


    Kiren grinned. ¡°Your silence speaks volumes.¡±


    ¡°I have been informed that you served a previous sentence at Wailing Hill,¡± Bloodhound said. ¡°That you were a part of the Dark Eye.¡±


    ¡°I was held captive by the Dark Eye,¡± Kiren said, leaning forward. ¡°Those monsters are no allies of mine. In fact, they are my mortal enemies. Ones I¡¯ve vowed to destroy.¡±


    ¡°So you say.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me? After all this?¡±


    ¡°You did not inform us of your past,¡± Bloodhound said. ¡°We had to sniff it out on our own, so to speak.¡± His muzzle wrinkled. ¡°Considering this latest debacle, I¡¯m willing to say that yes, we do not believe you. After your imprisonment at the hands of our organization, I see no legitimate reason why you would attempt to join our ranks.¡±


    ¡°Other than to infiltrate them,¡± Conversia added. ¡°We have credible reason to believe that the Dark Eye has a spy inside the Guild. You are the obvious suspect.¡±


    Kiren burst out laughing. ¡°That¡¯s really what you believe?¡± It turned into a coughing fit, and he wiped blood from his mouth on the inside of his sleeve. ¡°Why did you even want to meet with me, then?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to hear your version of the story,¡± Bloodhound said. ¡°Every man deserves a trial. Even scum like you. Now I have given you one.¡±


    ¡°And the verdict? Are you going to execute me?¡±


    ¡°No. You will be given a thirty-year sentence at Wailing Hill. Once you have been thoroughly interrogated, you will be left to rot. Enjoy these last few breaths of fresh air, because they are the last ones you will take in a long time.¡±


    Kiren leaned back in the chair, consigned to his fate. He had assumed something like this would happen, even before he had carried out his plan.


    ¡°Fine. I have no regrets.¡±


    A lie. He had one.


    Not kissing Lace when he had the chance.


    Maybe he¡¯d still get one, while they were dragging him outside. Not the most romantic scene, but he couldn¡¯t afford to be picky at this point. She couldn¡¯t rightly say no to a man on his way to a cold and lonely life in prison.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve heard enough,¡± Bloodhound said. He motioned to Conversia. ¡°Nyssa, take him away, will you? Have him brought directly to Wailing Hill. No transfers.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Guild Leader,¡± Conversia said with a shallow bow. ¡°I¡ª¡±


    The door burst open, and Conversia was barely able to stagger out of the way to avoid being hit by it.


    Kiren leaned back over his chair.


    Excelerate shambled into the room, looking like he had been visited by death itself. He hung off of Lace, barely standing. Metal leg braces squeaked with every uncertain step, helping hold his legs firm.


    He wore only a bed sheet tied around his waist, exposing countless scars across his torso and arms, some fresh and others old.


    He stared at Bloodhound with one piercing eye.

 27. Trials, Part 2

    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Excelerate bellowed, his voice a hoarse rattle.


    ¡°Jorge¡­¡± Bloodhound said, blinking in utter shock. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be awake. Good Doctor said¡­¡±


    ¡°Said I wouldn¡¯t walk again? Yeah, I know. Yet, here I am.¡±


    Kiren hurried out of his chair so that Excelerate could sit. He slowly inched into the seat with the help of both Kiren and Lace and sighed with relief once the weight was taken off his legs. He stretched them out tentatively with a loud squeal from the braces.


    ¡°This is a private hearing,¡± Conversia said curtly. ¡°You have no business here, Router.¡±


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t go by that name, Nyssa,¡± Excelerate spat. ¡°Besides, I have every right to be here. Kiren is my apprentice, after all.¡±


    Conversia opened her mouth to protest further, but Bloodhound held up his hand, causing her to shut it just as quick.


    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll tell you what I just told your apprentice. Due to the crimes he has committed and the fact that he is likely a spy sent by the Dark Eye, he will spend the next thirty years at Wailing Hill prison.¡±


    ¡°A spy?¡± Excelerate asked with a joyless grin that was just as much a grimace. ¡°Whatever made you conclude that?¡±


    ¡°His previous involvement with that organization, for one. His failure to disclose this upon his admittance to the Guild, for another. His recent criminal streak, for a third.¡±


    There was a long silence.


    Excelerate yawned.


    ¡°Are you expecting me to be surprised?¡± he asked. ¡°I knew of his past before I took him on. He is clean. Well, clean is an overstatement, but he obviously cut ties with the Dark Eye when he was a child and hasn¡¯t contacted or been contacted by them since. He is a criminal, yes. What else is an orphaned boy, fresh out of prison, in a city he doesn¡¯t know, to do? Would you have hired him? Would anyone?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t excuse¡­¡±


    ¡°No, Bloodhound. You listen to me.¡± Excelerate jabbed a finger in front of the Guild Leader¡¯s broad nose. ¡°Kiren took on Hulda Ludenhaas of his own volition. For what? He had nothing to gain. If his true allegiances lay with the Dark Eye, his main goal would be to stay beneath notice, not challenge one of the city¡¯s, no, the empire¡¯s most prominent political figures, an A-Rank Hero, to a duel. Does that strike you as the work of a spy?¡±


    ¡°Unimportant!¡± Bloodhound snapped back. ¡°Regardless of your knowledge of his actions, that doesn¡¯t excuse them. It only serves to implicate you. All these justifications do not change the fact that this should have gone through proper channels. As it stands, justice was perverted. Regardless of Hulda''s guilt, what Kiren did was an act of villainy. If you stand behind his decision, then you accept shared responsibility for his actions.¡±


    ¡°Expel me, then. I¡¯ve grown rather attached to my little helpers. I will not be parted from them.¡±


    ¡°You know I would,¡± Bloodhound said. ¡°It¡¯s always been on the table with you. The only reason we ever tolerated your impudence is that you were useful. Now¡­¡± He motioned to Excelerate¡¯s ruined legs. ¡°That has clearly come to its end.¡±


    The white-haired old man became a blur of motion. The chair clattered to the floor behind him. When he stopped he was leaned across the desk, the point of a knife a fraction of a centimeter from the Guild Leader¡¯s left eyeball.


    ¡°Old dogs still bite,¡± Excelerate said. ¡°You should know that, mutt.¡±


    Bloodhound remained quiet. He guided the knife away with an index finger, and Excelerate stuck it back inside the folds of his improvised clothing.


    ¡°So, what¡¯ll it be? Expel me, and I¡¯ll be the second A-Rank you lose in two days. Or let me keep my apprentice, who made the right choice in bringing a corrupt woman to justice, instead of the easy or convenient one.¡±


    ¡°Keep him, then,¡± Bloodhound growled.


    Kiren couldn¡¯t hold back a grin.


    Lace let out a muted squeal.


    The Guild Leader held up a furry finger. ¡°On one condition.¡±


    ¡°Anything within reason,¡± Excelerate said with a shrug.


    ¡°As a show of his commitment to the Guild, he will be responsible for bringing in the two most dangerous criminals who escaped capture¡ªHyena and Snapjaw¡ªwithout direct intervention from any Hero. If he fails to complete this task within seven days, he will be permanently expelled from the Heroes¡¯ Guild.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Excelerate said.


    The two shook hands, and Kiren and Lace helped Excelerate out of the room. All the while, Conversia stared as if she had just seen the Unmaker herself run into the room buck naked, doing handstands.


    As soon as the door closed behind them, Excelerate¡¯s legs buckled and he collapsed on the floor. Kiren almost went down with him, and only remained standing by catching himself against a wall.


    ¡°Master!¡± Lace exclaimed, getting on her knees and rolling him onto his back.


    ¡°Fucking kids¡­¡± Excelerate muttered between clenched teeth. ¡°The things I do for you.¡±


    ¡°Help me get him up,¡± Lace said to Kiren. ¡°We need to get him back to the House of Healing.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Excelerate grunted. ¡°My room. Can¡¯t stand another fucking moment being doted on.


    ¡°Besides, we need to talk.¡±


    *****


    ¡°You two are the most disobedient, bull-headed apprentices I¡¯ve ever reared,¡± Excelerate said, settling into the bed with a long sigh.


    ¡°Not completely unlike yourself, if I may say so, Master,¡± Lace said. She held herself in a straight-backed posture, arms behind her back.


    I¡¯m the one to blame for all this, she thought. I will accept whatever punishment he gives me.


    ¡°You may not. If I were you, I would be very careful with my next words.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to throw us away,¡± Kiren said confidently. He leaned against one crutch, the other discarded.


    Excelerate¡¯s eyebrow rose, the other hidden behind the bandages. ¡°Oh? What makes you say that?¡±


    ¡°You fought Hulda for our sake. Just now, you did the same with Bloodhound.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps I just wanted the privilege of dealing with you myself,¡± he said with a ghastly grin.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to pretend with us, Master,¡± Lace interjected. ¡°Good Doctor told us your prognosis. There won¡¯t be time for you to wait another year and recruit new apprentices. You need us, now.¡±


    ¡°I need apprentices who won¡¯t throw their lives away for nothing!¡± Excelerate roared, his pale face suddenly gone bright red. ¡°Apprentices who have more sense than to disobey their master and go at each other¡¯s throats! If that is the alternative, I¡¯d rather wait until I¡¯m on my fucking death bed to take on new apprentices.¡±


    He hissed, clutching one of his legs, and fell back onto the pillow.


    Lace blinked, taken aback. It was the most emotion she had ever seen him show.


    ¡°It won¡¯t happen again,¡± Kiren said. ¡°We hashed it out. No bad blood.¡±


    ¡°From now on, we will heed your word,¡± Lace added.


    Excelerate shook his head. At that moment, he looked small and frail. Just an old man, riddled with wounds, clinging to life by the barest thread.


    Kiren and Lace shared a look. She felt as though they both knew what it meant.


    We have to tell him.


    Lace took a deep breath.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell us we¡¯re crazy, but¡­ we think Ender is still alive.¡± She licked her lips.


    ¡°Actually, we know he is,¡± Kiren added.


    There was a long moment of silence.


    Suddenly, Excelerate was grinning. He chuckled to himself.


    ¡°Oh, you kids,¡± he said. ¡°Why do you think I recruited you?¡±


    Lace was stunned into silence.


    His voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°You are the ones who¡¯ll kill him for me.¡±


    *****


    Hulda¡¯s trial was held at Sunpeak Square. All the market stalls had been cleared aside for the day, and a giant wooden platform erected in the middle of the square.


    The Heroes had handed her over to the Ludenhaas family to pass the sentence. After Wordsmith had fully deciphered the book, four highly positioned members had been implicated in the trade of Angel¡¯s Kiss.


    The square was jam packed, hundreds of people attending from every corner of Goldbrand and even beyond. The Heroes had a slice carved out, all the common folk giving them a wide berth. Most of the Heroes who had been able to spare the time were present, including the Guild Leader. This was one of their own, after all.


    Representatives of the five noble families were also making an appearance, having all rolled up in carriages with pomp and circumstance to observe the event, hidden behind heavy curtains.


    The four accused knelt atop the platform, hands bound behind their backs. Hulda, Ren, Sana, and Croit Ludenhaas.


    Even in this humiliating position they still held their noses in the air, as though they were above anyone present.


    Ludenhaas guards circled the platform, and a tall, stately man stood behind the four accused. A long, curved sword rested on his hip in a simple loop, made from shining silver.


    Lace shuddered at the sight of it. Now she knew what a Ludenhaas spirit weapon could truly do.


    The man had black hair, greying at the temples, and a salt-and-pepper beard. His weathered face bore the earnestness of a kind uncle or a friendly neighbor. He carried himself with a firm, straight-backed posture, but not so much to appear snobby. It simply radiated¡­ strength.


    Don¡¯t trust it, Lace thought. I¡¯d bet money he¡¯s just like the others in his family.


    She wished it could be anyone else passing Hulda¡¯s sentence, but of course that wasn¡¯t possible. If the Guild hadn¡¯t handed her over, it would have been a political disaster.


    A balding, robed priest stood beside him to officiate the sentence. It wasn¡¯t technically necessary, but having the blessing of Wiseman¡¯s Temple would ease the people¡¯s minds about any fraud on the part of the Ludenhaas.


    That would have to be enough.


    Lace looked over at Kiren, who was wriggling like an eel in his doublet. She took his hand in hers for reassurance. Her nerves were racing out of control.


    He tolerated it for nearly a minute before slipping his hand from her grip.


    ¡°All people of Goldbrand gathered here today!¡± the man atop the platform shouted. His voice barely carried over the bustle of hundreds of voices, but everyone quieted down once he started speaking. ¡°We shall begin. Today we pass sentence on these four souls for crimes committed against the empire, and you, its people.¡±


    He counted out the four names, walking behind each person as he did so.


    ¡°My name is Oren Ludenhaas, seventh son, patriarch of the Ludenhaas family. Hulda is my mother.¡±


    Audible gasps rippled through the crowd. Lace fought not to do the same.


    ¡°Great,¡± Kiren muttered. ¡°Another asshole to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Your apprehension is understandable!¡± Oren continued. ¡°However, you should know that my duties are first to the empire, and my family second. Even so, my mother¡¯s crimes have broken every letter of the family code. I will not show leniency.¡±


    There was utter sincerity in his voice as he frowned out over the people of Goldbrand.


    Hulda had sounded sincere, too.


    He walked around in front of the four kneeling figures, arms clasped behind his back.


    ¡°Mother, you stand accused of knowingly organizing the shipment of prohibited substances into the city, then overseeing their sale. You also stand accused of perverting the course of justice in your role as a Hero.¡±


    He turned to the next in line, a shorter man with a large nose and a potbelly. ¡°Ren. Uncle. You stand accused of aiding in this conspiracy by knowingly stockpiling shipments of these substances within your holdings and coordinating trades with smaller distributors.¡±


    Oren continued down the line, reading out the accused and their charges from memory.


    ¡°Do any of you have anything to say in your defense?¡± he concluded.


    ¡°I do,¡± Hulda said, her voice brimming with bitterness. She looked up at her son. ¡°You do not have the right to judge me.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Why is that, Mother?¡±


    ¡°Because you are beneath me! Not just you, but all of you. Weak-willed, groveling worms. All I did, I did for the name of Ludenhaas.¡±


    ¡°All you did, you did to satisfy your own inflated ego,¡± Oren corrected. ¡°Your schemes have been revealed. We know it all.¡±


    Hulda chuckled to herself, shaking her head. ¡°Oh, son of mine. You know more than you will admit. You did not complain about the influx of coin that poured into our failing trade ventures in Setho and Centucia. You came to me to supply the capital for your grand gesture of diplomacy to Hasathaden, in the process lifting sanctions which saved our family from financial ruin. You did not ask then, where I got that money. You turned the other cheek. And yet now, you dare to pass judgment upon me?¡± She spat. ¡°I will not acknowledge it. Throw me in the darkest dungeon you have on offer¡ªI will be a free woman until the day I die.¡±


    Oren remained quiet, glancing around the square as murmurs bubbled to the surface.


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    A sudden wash of light drowned the square, bright and hot. Lace covered her face with her hands, eyes burning. Trails of washed-out colors sliced her vision.


    The light narrowed, taking the form of a woman hovering high in the air with a rainbow gloria about her head, slowly lowering herself from the sky with effortless grace. Her body was splendid in every way, a perfect archetype of feminine beauty, marred only by the absence of her right arm.


    Paragon.


    She touched down on the platform. She approached Hulda and Oren scrambled out of the way, covering his eyes while he bowed.


    ¡°Hulda Ludenhaas,¡± Paragon said. ¡°You do not consider your son an apt judge. Perhaps you would prefer my judgment.¡±


    She spoke in a collected, almost conversational tone, and yet it carried to every corner of Sunpeak Square.


    Lace could hardly make out the kneeling woman against the luminous splendor of Aribel¡¯s queen.


    ¡°I-I¡­¡± Hulda stammered.


    ¡°Your crimes are undeniable fact,¡± Paragon interrupted. ¡°You will spend your life in Wailing Hill, without possibility of reprieve. There, you will assist the guard staff in cleaning the chamber pots and scrubbing the floors. Hopefully, it will teach you some humility before your soul is to pass on. For the others, you will serve thirty years, and all your lands and titles will be stripped away.¡±


    She turned to face her people, and her light multiplied tenfold, enveloping Lace in a warmth as gentle and personal as a mother¡¯s embrace.


    ¡°Remember this day,¡± Paragon spoke. ¡°Take it as a lesson. High or low, none is above my justice, or below my notice. This woman and her accomplices thought to speak in my stead, and in so doing perverted my vision for their own ends.


    ¡°Now they are paying for those actions.¡±


    With that, the queen¡¯s light faded, and within seconds there was no trace of her apart from the lingering warmth of her presence.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± Kiren said, trailing off as he stared at the spot where Paragon had just been.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Lace finished.

 28. Darkness Resurgent (END OF CLASHING WILLS ARC)

    28. Darkness Resurgent


    Thirdborn walked confidently through the Heroes¡¯ Guild¡¯s main hall, a folder pinned under his right arm.


    There was hardly any need for subterfuge at this stage. Most Heroes and apprentices alike were out to witness Hulda Ludenhaas¡¯s sentencing.


    Which made this the perfect opportunity to retrieve what he needed.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel that this was how it should be. The Lodge, abandoned. No sound but his own footsteps.


    Soon it would be true.


    Soon.


    He descended the stairs leading down to records. The chamber below was unmanned, and an empty desk greeted him.


    Thirdborn grinned.


    He approached the solid metal vault door at the end of the room. He no longer possessed Wordsmith¡¯s key, as outright stealing it would have attracted too much attention, but he had something just as good.


    He slipped a paper out of the folder and placed it on the desk. He held up his hand and examined the diagram he had drawn on the page with a close eye.


    His fingers began to meld together.


    Footsteps echoed from the staircase at the other end of the room.


    Shit! Thirdborn thought. I can¡¯t afford to be seen down here.


    He had to morph, and quickly. The sound was drawing closer.


    Wordsmith? No. Too high profile. Someone might ask questions.


    Her apprentice, though¡­


    Thirdborn didn¡¯t even recall the lad¡¯s name, but there was no time for that. He closed his eyes and focused his mind on the blurry memories of that innocuous, shy young man. With excruciating slowness, his body began to change, bones shifting and skin melting. Even his hair grew out slightly and shifted color.


    He sat down in the chair in front of the desk and placed the folder at his feet as he finished the morph. He didn¡¯t know how accurate it was without a mirror to judge, but it would have to be good enough.


    Crab-Man, the Lodge¡¯s six-armed head chef, entered into the chamber. He walked slowly towards Thirdborn.


    ¡°Who are you, kid?¡± the man asked, all six hands twitching as if he was rearing for a fight. ¡°I thought this place was supposed to be empty today.¡±


    Thirdborn cleared his throat. It was far more difficult to mimic speech with his Power than appearance alone, so he affected the apprentice¡¯s meek mouse squeak of a voice as best he could.


    ¡°Wordsmith left me behind to keep an eye on Records, Master. She didn¡¯t want to leave anything to chance, you see. I am her apprentice.¡±


    Crab-Man eyed him for several long moments. The intensity of his scrutiny brought a sweat to the back of Thirdborn¡¯s neck.


    It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t defend himself if he had to. He had utter confidence that he could bring down this buffoon if it came to that. He was, what? A D-Rank? C, at most.


    No, it wasn¡¯t that. He simply couldn¡¯t afford to blow his cover. He still hadn¡¯t accomplished all he had come to do. He couldn¡¯t return to his brothers without the information they required.


    Crab-Man nodded slowly. He stroked his chin with one of his numerous hands. ¡°Yeah, I think I recognize you. Sorry about that, didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡±


    ¡°No trouble at all, Master,¡± Thirdborn said with a meek smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it, then. Only came down here ¡®cause I heard some noise.¡±


    Crab-Man turned away and Thirdborn let slip a small groan of relief.


    He spun back around, the three arms on the right side of his torso raised. Thirdborn stiffened.


    ¡°Just come by the kitchen if you need anything, yeah? It seems like an awful thankless job, this. Least I can do is give you some fresh pastries or something.¡±


    Thirdborn wanted to yell at the man to leave. Instead, he kept that meek smile plastered on his face.


    ¡°I will do that, Master.¡±


    Crab-Man nodded with a self-satisfied smile and left. As soon as his footsteps could no longer be heard, Thirdborn returned to his work.


    Using the diagram he had drawn up as a template, he transformed his hand into a bony replica of the vault door key. Trying it out, it fit into the slot just as snugly as the real thing. When he turned it, there was a series of click from inside the metal door itself, and eventually the huge, heavy thing swung slowly inwards on perfectly oiled hinges.


    He picked up a torch from one of the wall sconces and walked into the darkened Records. The shadows gave way before him to reveal centuries-old mysteries and trophies of the Heroes¡¯ Guild on pedestals, in display cases, and secure lock boxes. Rows upon rows of shelves contained written records on every topic imaginable, some so old that the dialect they were written in would be gibberish to any modern speaker.


    It was a risk, coming here a second time. He had planned on doing it only in an emergency, in case the notes he had stolen proved to be insufficient.


    This would be worth it, though. He brothers might not agree, but sowing a little chaos could never be a bad thing.


    He passed the famous Staff of Khruj, chained to a stone pillar and surrounded by a glass box. Its slick, oily surface gleamed in the light, appearing not as wood but more like stiff flesh. A single, unblinking eye near the top of the staff swiveled to regard Thirdborn as he passed, its pupil a narrow slit, the sclera colored an angry red.


    The staff had been used to wreak havoc across Gilean for almost two centuries, since long before formation of the empire of Aribel, but not before the corrupt order of Heroes. The thing had switched hands many times. Each owner had thought themselves the ruler of the immense magical prowess the staff offered, only to be devoured once they reached the end of their usefulness.


    Thirdborn could use that sort of power, himself, but not so badly as to accept his end at the hands of such a Beastly implement. He walked past it with only a passing, longing glance.


    He walked past the Unburnt Aegis, which rested on a simple podium. How ironic, that such an item would be laying next to the Staff of Khruj. The large tower shield, scarred and dented from battle, yet still shining like a beacon, had been used by a legendary Centucian soldier once upon a time to drive away a Beast invasion from his homeland. The man¡¯s name was not remembered, and even the legend itself was known only to a few in these ungodly times.


    Unlike with the staff, this time Thirdborn stopped. Though he knew it was folly, he reached out and touched it, closing his eyes as his hand ran over the pitted metal.


    They¡¯ve taken so much from us. Our freedom. Our names. Even our history.


    He kept going. There was work to be done.


    Wordsmith¡¯s organizational system was still a mystery to him, so navigating the heaps of relics and books took a large chunk of time. Eventually, however, he found the book he was looking for, chained to a shelf.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The Creator¡¯s Last Living Will.


    He opened the book, took out his folder, and started taking notes. He copied pieces of the cipher, only those he needed.


    A smile grew on his face.


    Evangel is going to have a good time with this.


    With any luck, it¡¯ll be like Khruj all over again.


    Based on the information he had managed to glean from the Heroes, they had only managed to seize a small portion of the drugs Hulda Ludenhaas had transported to various safehouses around the city.


    An extra large shipment of Angel¡¯s Kiss, no doubt meant for the celebrations of the upcoming Renewal Feast, had already been delivered to a warehouse in First Light.


    It was as perfect as the Creator himself could have made it.


    Thirdborn noted it down and put the tome back in its spot, careful to position it just the way it had been placed.


    So far, everything had gone exceedingly well.


    He only had one thing left to take.


    *****


    Hulda sat on the edge of the stone slab these barbarians dared call a cot.


    She had suffered every humiliation she could imagine. Her clothes had been taken, her jewelry had been confiscated, her hair had been cut. The jailors made crude remarks when they passed her cell, and no matter how badly she wanted to split them in half, groin to scalp, no matter how she visualized it until she grew faint, her spear would not appear.


    Her fingers reeked of human excrement from the chamber pots she had been forced to clean using her bare hands. The jailors often stayed to laugh and make jokes as she did it.


    Everything was ruined. The reputation she had grown through decades of careful planning, swept away in a moment. She was now known only as a lowly drug peddler. After all these years of service, her own people were going to let her languish in this hell-hole until she died.


    Hulda had done everything she did for her family. They had needed money, it was as simple as that. Years of broken promises, mismanaged funds, and deals that fell through had caused the Ludenhaas family to slowly sink into a death spiral.


    Her efforts, legal or not, moral or not, had saved them all. And this was how they repaid her?


    A door opened, and a sliver of golden light fell across the hallway before her cell. Her belly rumbled disconcertingly, but she refused to give these men the enjoyment of rushing to her cell door. Instead, she listened intently.


    Two sets of footsteps came her way. The heavy thump, thump of jailor¡¯s boots, and the swish, swish of lighter shoes.


    Hulda didn¡¯t know whether to hope the newcomers would stop in front of her cell, or pass her by without notice. One thing she had quickly learned was that in Wailing Hill, you were better off living beneath everyone¡¯s notice. Beneath contempt, even. If you were invisible, you were safe.


    And yet, she harbored the tiniest inkling of hope. That the queen might see reason. That she might be released.


    A man stepped into view through the barred-up window set into the oaken door of her cell. A face she knew only too well.


    Hulda stood with as much dignity as she could muster.


    ¡°Son.¡±


    He diverted his gaze when he saw her.


    Oren had all the features of a good, strong man¡ªsporting a chiseled jaw, neat, black hair and a wide-shouldered frame. What a shame that it only ran skin deep.


    She approached the door and put her hands on the metal bars. She leaned so close to the window that her cheeks were squeezed up against them.


    ¡°Take a good look at me, my son. This is what you have done.¡±


    Oren looked up, fixed her with his gaze. Tears quivered at the corners of his eyes.


    ¡°I had no choice. If I had defended you, the Heroes would only have taken me, as well.¡±


    Hulda pulled her lips back in a snarl. ¡°Pathetic. Even now, all you can manage is tears and excuses. If only your brothers¡ª¡±


    The door shook as Oren slammed his fist against it. ¡°My brothers could not inherit the family legacy! We both know that.¡± He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and glanced back at the guard standing not far behind him, hands clasped in front of him. He pretended not to notice the outburst, and Oren nodded to himself.


    ¡°Get me out of here,¡± Hulda hissed.


    Oren shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t. There¡¯s nothing I can do. I didn¡¯t even pass the sentence, so I have no power to undo it. Unless you expect me to stroll into Paragon¡¯s throne room and make her change her bullish mind.¡± Once more, he glanced back at the guard, who merely shook his head.


    ¡°Arrange something. Do what we Ludenhaas do best. Make a deal. Without me, the other noble families will devour you. This, you know.¡±


    ¡°I will do my best, mother,¡± Oren said.


    She did not doubt that. She did doubt, however, his chances at success. All the time she had spent raising him, she had only just been able to teach him how to walk a good walk and speak in public so as to not humiliate himself. When things got tough, that was all Oren had to default to. Now, as then, a sniveling little boy who cried when he had his toys taken away.


    Hulda waved Oren close. He leaned up against the bars, and she put her mouth close to his ear.


    ¡°Contact your brother. Immediately.¡±


    ¡°Which one? You realize I have a fair number of brothers, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You know the one.¡±


    Oren took a step back, nodding slowly. ¡°I understand. I will send him a letter as soon as possible.¡±


    Hulda breathed a shallow sigh. Ace would be her only hope now.


    The guard cleared his throat and motioned with his head towards the end of the hall.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I got it,¡± Oren said. ¡°Just give me a minute.¡± He turned back to her. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m sorry it turned out this way. I love you.¡±


    ¡°Get me out of here.¡±


    Oren waited expectantly for a few moments. He sighed and turned away.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± he said to the guard.


    ¡°You can see yourself out, master,¡± the guard said, wiping his red, runny nose.


    Oren gave the man a questioning look, but did as he was asked and left.


    The guard remained.


    He approached the bars. The man was unwashed, unshaven, with a long, horse-like face. He wore a leather skullcap to protect his head against the elements, but his ears and nose were still bright red from the cold inside the prison.


    As he drew closer, Hulda felt something. Something familiar.


    A piece of her.


    Her eyes widened.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked breathlessly.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you finally noticed,¡± the guard said with a wide grin.


    His face shifted, features melding and distorting. His hair grew out longer, his jaw grew gaunt and angular, his nose thinner. His eyes, once brown, turned a bright, startling blue. He even seemed to grow taller as his body flattened out.


    There was no mistaking it. Ender, the Dark Lord, stood before her.


    Hulda took a few uncertain steps back. ¡°How¡­? you were¡­¡±


    ¡°Dead?¡± Ender asked, white-toothed grin widening. ¡°You can¡¯t really believe that.¡±


    ¡°Everyone saw you die.¡±


    ¡°You people saw what you wanted to see. You still are.¡±


    Hulda opened her mouth to yell out to the guards. Maybe Oren was still close by. He was nowhere near her or Ace¡¯s level, but he still possessed a spirit weapon.


    ¡°Before you cry out,¡± Ender said, holding up a finger. ¡°I have something for you. A token of friendship.¡±


    Upon the edge of his finger lay a small piece of silver, about the size of a fingernail. he placed it down on the wooden rim of the window.


    Hulda tested it with her mind. The sliver shot up, did a spin around her, and landed in the palm of her hand. It thrummed with familiar power.


    ¡°I could kill you with this,¡± Hulda said.


    ¡°But you won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get it?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter? Like I said, it¡¯s a token of friendship. If you don¡¯t wish to have it, I can take it back.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no friend of yours,¡± Hulda said. She clutched the piece of metal in both hands. It was as precious as her very soul. Perhaps even more so.


    ¡°Are you sure of that?¡± Ender asked. ¡°You¡¯re old enough to remember the great ruin that preceded Paragon¡¯s rule, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Your point being?¡±


    ¡°Your family was a royal house, once. You ruled Morden for centuries. Under Paragon, you have grown weak and crooked, withered like a beautiful flower taken out of the sun. How would you like to stand in the sun once more, unburdened by the wants of a despot like her?¡±


    ¡°I will not make deals with you, Dark Lord,¡± Hulda said. ¡°I fought your kind in one war already. I will fight you in another, if it comes to that.¡±


    Ender pursed his lips. ¡°A pity. Very well. I will return, someday, and when I do, you will accept my offer.¡±


    She should have sent out her sliver. She should have driven it through his throat then and there, to end the man who ended the world.


    Instead, she watched as his face rearranged back into that of an unremarkable guardsman.


    He walked away, and his footsteps faded down the hall.


    Hulda got down on her stone slab and curled up. She clutched the metal shard tightly to her chest.


    END OF ''CLASHING WILLS'' ARC

 29. Big Game, Part 1 (START OF RETRIEVAL ARC)

    START OF ''RETRIEVAL'' ARC


    29. Big Game


    ¡°We need a plan,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°Yeah, clearly,¡± Lace answered.


    He kept his head down. They sat in a corner of the main hall, talking over lunch.


    Bloodhound had done his best to ensure that none of the details of their arrangement leaked, but rumor had spread like wildfire anyway. Everywhere he went, people were giving him dirty looks¡ªapprentices and Heroes alike.


    ¡°So? Any ideas?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not much.¡± Lace took a bite of her roast chicken leg and put a hand to her mouth as she chewed it down. ¡°I managed to get Wordsmith to let me take a peek at the official reports. Hyena and Snapjaw weren¡¯t sighted after they fled the scene during the fight with Hulda.¡±


    Kiren frowned. ¡°Strange. They¡¯re big fellows. You¡¯d think someone would have seen them.¡±


    ¡°Hulda was the priority, so I don¡¯t think anyone really cared about a pair of escaped robbers at that time. I guess we have a lot of footwork to do.¡±


    ¡°Hyena was badly injured,¡± Kiren said. ¡°They must have gone somewhere to get treatment. I know of a few back-alley doctors in the Slog¡ªwe could start there.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. About the only lead we have right now, anyway. We should be careful, though¡ªbased on previous experience, going to the Slog for information can be a dangerous business. Did you get anything from the quartermaster?¡±


    Kiren shook his head, gnawing on a heel of bread. ¡°Nope. Would barely even talk to me.¡±


    ¡°Bloodhound specified that we couldn¡¯t get any direct intervention from other Heroes. Handing us some swords and gambesons can¡¯t count.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he really cared about the letter of Bloodhound¡¯s orders. Pretty sure he would have socked me upside the head if he could have gotten away with it.¡±


    ¡°Shit. Well, do you have any back-alley contacts for, uh¡­¡± She shrugged. ¡°You know, that sort of stuff?¡±


    Kiren let out a low laugh. He pulled a bit of chicken off the bone and sucked it down, licking his fingers after. ¡°Lace Amar, are you asking if I know any black market arms dealers? Yeah, one. Mug. He¡¯s gone underground, though.¡±


    Lace leaned back in her chair with a sigh. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to do without any equipment, then. At least I have my staff, and you¡¯re practically stab-proof. We should be fine.¡±


    Kiren struggled to keep his face neutral. ¡°I dunno about this, Lace. These back-alley doctors usually have protection of some kind. Maybe it¡¯s better if I go on my own. It¡¯s my punishment, after all.¡±


    Lace gave him the sort of look a mother might give a wayward son. ¡°We agreed that we¡¯re a team. Which means we do this together. Besides, I¡¯ve been to the Slog before, and it went just fine.¡±


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°Different?¡± Lace harrumphed. ¡°Hardly.¡±


    A tray of food slammed onto the table, and the Kiren¡¯s bench creaked ominously as someone seated themselves.


    ¡°Is it true?¡± Haden thundered.


    Kiren looked over to his right. The big, blond buffoon stared intently at him, nostrils flared. Tommyn had a seat next to him and started picking at some greenery.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Is what true?¡±


    ¡°What they¡¯re saying about you.¡±


    ¡°Depends on what they¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°That you freed a bunch of criminals, fought an A-Rank Hero, and defied your master¡¯s orders.¡±


    Kiren sighed. ¡°Yes, yes, and yes. If you¡¯re looking for a fight, I really don¡¯t have the¡ª¡±


    Haden slammed his meaty hand on the table, making the trays jump. His face split in a big, white grin.


    ¡°Fight? Are you serious? That¡¯s the coolest thing I¡¯ve ever heard! You fought an A-Rank on your own! You uncovered a criminal conspiracy! You even put a Ludenhaas in jail¡ªwhich is where they all belong, far as I¡¯m concerned. You know, I might have had my doubts about you before, but now¡­?¡± He reached out his hand. ¡°Put ¡®er there.¡±


    Kiren hesitantly shook the man¡¯s hand. His grip was like a vice, and he struggled not to cry out.


    What is going on? I feel like the world¡¯s upside down.


    ¡°Hi, Tommyn,¡± Lace said with a smile.


    ¡°H-Hi,¡± Tommyn said without looking up. A songbird picked at his right earlobe and had left a tiny black-and-white turd on his shoulder, but he didn¡¯t seem to notice.


    ¡°I heard about your punishment,¡± Haden said. He gnawed at a whole chicken leg dipped in gravy, speaking while he chewed. ¡°It¡¯s completely crazy. How does Bloodhound expect you to capture two Villains unaided?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of trying to figure that out,¡± Kiren said. ¡°So if you don¡¯t mind¡­¡±


    Haden raised his hands. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t misunderstand! We¡¯re not just here to chat.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here to h-help,¡± Tommyn said, scratching the bird on the head with his little finger. ¡°We figured, you a-a-aren¡¯t allowed any help from the Heroes, but we¡¯re just ap-apprentices, you know?¡±


    Kiren looked over at Lace for confirmation.


    She shrugged. ¡°I mean, it should work. I¡¯d thought of that myself, I just didn¡¯t think anyone would want to join up with us.¡±


    ¡°Excellent!¡± Haden bellowed, loud enough that it sent an echo through the whole main hall. ¡°What¡¯s our first move?¡±


    ¡°Slow down, Trodvis,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Why are you doing this? What do you want in return?¡±


    Haden snorted. ¡°We don¡¯t want anything! It¡¯s a matter of honor!¡±


    ¡°We want to help our f-friends,¡± Tommyn corrected. He put his hand before his mouth to hide a smile. ¡°Honor is a close second.¡±


    ¡°Friends?¡± Kiren asked, leaning back in his chair. ¡°I think you may have misread our relationship a touch.¡±


    Lace twisted his ear so hard he saw stars. He cried out, but she didn¡¯t let up.


    ¡°Kiren, do not ruin this for us right now,¡± she said in an uncharacteristically mellow tone that reminded him a little of Excelerate. She addressed the other two apprentices. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about him. He¡¯s¡­ Well, you know how he is. He doesn¡¯t mean anything by it.¡±


    Finally, she let go. He rubbed his aching ear as he glared at her. Unfortunately, the longer he stared at her smooth, pale features, strong nose, curved lips, the less he could stay mad at her.


    Damn it. You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re so pretty.


    ¡°No offense taken,¡± Haden said with a grin. ¡°Now, any leads? You¡¯ll need to go through the specifics of these Villains with us. We¡¯ve only heard the basics.¡±


    ¡°Hyena and Snapjaw,¡± Lace said. ¡°Both massive. Bigger than you.¡±


    Haden touched his hard stomach and smacked his lips. ¡°Hear that, Tommyn? Looks like I¡¯ve gotta bulk up a bit more.¡±


    ¡°Hyena¡¯s this big, furry thing,¡± Kiren continued. ¡°All claws and teeth. He¡¯s fast, too. Snapjaw is what you would expect. He¡¯s a huge turtle, shell and all. He¡¯s also got natural armor plating all across his body, which makes him a tough nut to crack.


    ¡°They¡¯re decent enough in a fight, but they¡¯re dumb as bricks. As long as we can find them, we should have no trouble outsmarting them.¡±


    ¡°Do we know how to d-do that?¡± Tommyn asked. ¡°Find them, that is.¡±


    ¡°Their last known location is in the Slog,¡± Lace said. ¡°They were badly injured in the fight with Hulda, so we¡¯re thinking they must have gone to one of the back-alley clinics in the slum. We were planning on making a sweep of them all today, but Kiren says it could get dangerous. Since we don¡¯t have any weapons or equipment to speak of, we were thinking of taking a stealthier approach.¡±


    Haden stroked his blocky chin. ¡°Hmm. Well, why don¡¯t we just go to the Trodvis Winter Estate? There¡¯s a fully stocked armory there.¡±


    ¡°And now begins the showing off,¡± Kiren said idly, looking up at the ceiling.


    ¡°You have an armory?¡± Lace gasped. ¡°Oh, bless you both! This could make everything so much easier.¡±


    ¡°We could go there right after we¡¯ve eaten if you want to,¡± Haden said. He finished off a chicken leg and spat out the bones, immediately biting into another. ¡°It¡¯s just over in North Side.¡±


    ¡°Great! Let¡¯s set out as soon as we¡¯re all ready.¡±


    Lace set into her food with new gusto.


    Kiren picked at his own.


    Damn it all to Svarta and back. This guy seems to show up every time I get close with Lace.


    He stabbed a bit of chicken with his fork and pulled it apart. He stuffed in his mouth and chewed violently, more to have something to vent his anger on than anything else.

 29. Big Game, Part 2

    Kiren jostled around the inside of the carriage compartment, cursing the blond, handsome man with every derogative his mind had to offer.


    He was still slowed by his injuries, so Haden had decided to run ahead and call a carriage from the estate.


    His stomach flared up with every pothole and sharp turn, a burning pain that would last for upwards of a minute before slowly fading. His nails left grooves in the wood paneling next to the seats where he held on for support.


    Yup, definitely shitting blood tonight, he thought bitterly.


    The driver was a sullen old fool with thinning, white hair. He wore a stiff, long-sleeved coat dyed a repulsive mustard-yellow. He had ignored all of Kiren¡¯s prompts to slow down, keeping his eyes firmly on the road ahead. Kiren glared at the back of his neck through the small slot in the closed compartment.


    ¡°Have you ever been to the Estate?¡± Lace asked Tommyn, who was sitting opposite them.


    ¡°Only once or twice,¡± Tommyn said. ¡°My f-f-father, he¡¯s fairly well-off. I grew up in a small m-mansion. The Estate, it¡¯s¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s s-something else.¡±


    The driver stopped only a few minutes later and Kiren breathed a sigh of relief. Lace got the door open so he could finally clamber down onto solid ground.


    He stood on a large, cobblestone yard, decorated at the edges with statues of warriors with weapons raised and fountains that stood dry.


    Before him stretched a stone structure that reached to the edges of his vision on both sides, five or six stories tall. The stone was white as marble, with joins so hair-fine they were almost invisible. Carved stone pillars out front held up a domed, ceramic roof the color of dark copper. The pillars had been carved at the top to depict grave-faced men with statuesque physiques, struggling to hold up the roof.


    A hundred, perhaps two hundred glass windows had been set into the side of the building, facing the street behind them. Velvet curtains behind the glass offered the milky facade a bit of color.


    A garden ringed the yard and the estate itself, planted with rows of thorny bushes and bunches of wildflowers growing amid the grass, as well as stately trees at the edges. Several smaller buildings stood near the main one. Less ornate, yet constructed from the same simple, yet graceful jointless stone architecture.


    The driver stepped off the coach and gestured to the estate with a grand bow, wholly deadpan.


    ¡°May I present, for your pleasure and delight,¡± the man said in a dull, nasally tone, ¡°the Trodvis Winter Estate.¡±


    ¡°Creator¡¯s dangly balls,¡± Kiren muttered, trying and failing to take in everything before him. ¡°Looks like someone¡¯s trying to have a dickfighting competition with the Second Sun.¡±


    Haden burst out of the double front doors and leapt down the shallow stone steps two at a time. He met them halfway across the yard, smiling like a puppy given too much attention.


    ¡°You look suitably awestruck,¡± he said, guiding them eagerly towards the entrance. ¡°The Trodvis keep a vassal family known as the Masons close at hand for any architectural endeavors. Their name is, well¡­ rather descriptive. They are very good at their jobs, as you can see.¡± He motioned to the smooth walls and exquisite statues.


    There were few things that riled Kiren up more than rich fops carrying on about how splendidly wealthy they were. He considered punching Haden in the nose, but Lace slipped her hand in his and squeezed it tight. She smiled up at him, but her eyes were a stark warning.


    Try it, they seemed to say. See how well that turns out for you.


    Kiren decided to refrain from doing anything that would make Lace move up from stern looks.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get you inside,¡± Haden said, practically jumping up and down. ¡°Vendrig, you need any help with the horses?¡±


    The driver displayed his first instance of a smile. ¡°It¡¯s quite alright, Master Haden. ¡°I will be inside shortly in case you require anything.¡± He patted one of the horses on the side of the neck and offered a deep bow.


    Haden nodded and led them all through the doors.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°That¡¯s Vendrig, the housekeeper,¡± he explained. ¡°He keeps things running around here. He¡¯s in charge of the servants and guards, as well as making any executive decisions while no Trodvis is close at hand.¡±


    They walked into an open hall with a high ceiling, a pair of vaulted staircases leading up, with doors to the left and right. Their shoes clacked on the marble floors,  the only sound that could be heard over the dead silence.


    ¡°It looks pretty empty in here,¡± Kiren said, looking through the doorways on both sides and finding no one.


    ¡°You¡¯d be right on that account. No one¡¯s here for most of the year, apart from a servant staff to keep things in reasonable shape and a skeleton crew of guards. It¡¯s called the Winter Estate for a reason, after all.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Lace said.


    Haden turned so that his back faced the staircases and rubbed his hands together.


    ¡°Now, why don¡¯t I give you a mini-tour of this place before we talk shop? The armory¡¯s in the back, anyway, so¡­¡±


    Kiren rolled his eyes. He was eager to see this to its conclusion as quickly as humanly possible, but Lace, predictably, was all smiles and nods.


    Haden led them for a meandering tour of the first floor, showing off one grandiose room after another. There was a kitchen rivaling that of the Lodge, if not exceeding it in terms of sheer size, but was staffed only by a pair of chefs working on lunch for the guard staff.


    There were sitting rooms, private rooms, even a dueling room. They all started to blend after a while, and their possible uses became more and more difficult to parse.


    Kiren struggled to keep up, holding his burning stomach.


    They walked through a giant ballroom which could easily have accommodated two-hundred people. Their shoes clacked on the polished floors, echoing off the tapestry-laden walls and high ceiling. A servant worked in the corner, scrubbing at a square of floor space with a rag. She greeted Haden with servile meekness, asking him to have a good stay.


    A twinge of guilt hit Kiren as he walked past the young woman, prostrated like a slave. He flipped her a copper, and she caught it in both hands. She frowned at the coin in her hands, then gave Kiren a look as if he had just taken a shit on the floor.


    He quickly moved on, catching up with the others.


    He felt sheepish for his attempt at nobility.


    She¡¯s a servant for a noble house. Probably has a lot more money than I do.


    Finally, they reached the back of the estate, which opened up into a large hall. The walls were solid stone, with no windows to cast light from the outside.


    A heavy oaken door awaited them to the left, set with a heavy lock, and a vaulted door of solid metal to the right, which sported two locks. Haden produced a large, brass key and inserted it in the door to the left, opening it to a well-stocked armory filled with racks of different types of weaponry and dummies bearing pieces of armor.


    Even Kiren had to be a little impressed as he entered. He touched a greatsword hanging from the wall¡ªalmost as tall as he was¡ªwith a long, leather-wrapped handle designed to accommodate two hands and a sturdy blade that could probably lop limbs off with no problem if you had the momentum on your side.


    ¡°Pick out anything you want, guys,¡± Haden said, milling aimlessly about the room. ¡°I¡¯ll have Vendrig replace whatever you take.¡±


    Tommyn looked utterly lost, a pair of birds screaming inside his green mop of hair. Haden guided him along and helped him pick out a shortsword that fit his hand neatly, along with a chainmail that would go underneath his shirt and protect him from most stabs and slashes, at least from smaller weapons.


    ¡°Wow, this place is amazing,¡± Lace said with a rapt smile on her face, spinning slowly in place. ¡°Isn¡¯t it, Kiren?¡±


    He let out a noncommittal grunt.


    ¡°Oh, come on. You have to admit, this is pretty nice.¡± She plucked a helmet off a dummy and stuck it on him, his breaths making tinny echoes in his ears.


    He ripped the helmet off and threw it aside with a scoff.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he said. He plucked the greatsword off the wall, giving it a few tentative swings.


    It was surprisingly light, given its length. He would have expected a greatsword to be a massive, unwieldy thing, but it was nimble enough to use both for stabbing and cutting, and his arms didn¡¯t feel strained when he put it down.


    He decided to take it. It wasn¡¯t like they were going for a stealthy approach, anyway.


    ¡°Oh, that,¡± Haden said, walking over. ¡°Only really seen it used for dueling. Not much good to a guard facing down a thief looking to get lucky.¡± He handed Kiren a simple scabbard with a single back strap. ¡°Here. Just sling that over your shoulder so it¡¯s easy to reach if you need it.¡±


    Kiren nodded. He tried to think of something witty to respond with, but failed to think of anything before Haden moved off.


    Lace picked out a brigandine shirt of interlocking metal plates. Bulkier than chainmail, but less so than plate. She got herself a shortsword as well alongside her staff, just in case.


    Tommyn kept his chainmail and shortsword and neglected to pick anything heavier, stating that he wouldn¡¯t be doing much fighting anyway.


    Haden chose brigandine, paired with a longsword and a round shield painted in the black-and-red Trodvis colors, worn on the hip.


    Kiren stuck with just the greatsword. Armor would only slow him down, given that his Power could protect him from almost any injury.


    ¡°Alright, are we set?¡± Haden asked, looking around at the others.


    ¡°Pretty sure, yeah,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°Mmhmm,¡± Kiren said.


    Haden smiled. ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s go hunt ourselves some Villains.¡±

 30. Pretty Birdy

    30. Pretty Birdy


    ¡°Here it is,¡± Kiren said, coming up on a tight alley. ¡°This is the last one, far as I know.¡±


    Lace entered the alley behind him. She couldn¡¯t help but drag her steps a bit.


    So far, they had visited more than half a dozen clinics. They had found neither hide nor hair of Hyena or Snapjaw.


    Maybe we were wrong in assuming they would seek healing, she thought. They could have left the city entirely, for all we know.


    A squat building made of greying wood had been squeezed into the alley ahead, forming a dead end. Part of the thatching had come off, and unchecked greenery choked the open windows. It even spilled out onto the outside walls, tough vines creeping up the facade.


    ¡°What is this place?¡± Haden asked. ¡°Hardly looks inhabited.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s open,¡± Kiren said confidently. ¡°This is the most reliable doctor in the Slog. Maybe the only reliable one, considering her competition.¡±


    The previous ¡®doctors¡¯ they had interrogated were mostly charlatans. The rest were undertrained, bumbling fools who would amputate a limb as soon as dress a wound.


    Tommyn walked at the back of their little troupe, seemingly deep in thought. Rats scurried along the muddy street beside him and small songbirds crowded the roofs of the buildings surrounding them.


    Lace dug inside the pouch at her side. Gantho had given her some new toys developed for her gale-staff, metal bullets designed to be fired out the front, as well as vials of powder dye which could create large clouds of colored smoke.


    Her fingers found a bullet, and she let it rest in her hand. Her right hand gripped the staff tightly.


    Kiren stepped up to the splintering door and knocked. A few seconds later, a woman opened.


    She was dressed in a light, linen gown. She wore her hazelnut-brown hair in a loose ponytail, streaked with grey. Her face was soft and round, with fine laugh lines, giving her a motherly appearance. She was heavy-set, with wide hips and heavy bosoms that rested atop her rounded belly.


    She was ready with a smile as soon as she opened the door, but it quickly faded as she looked them all over.


    ¡°Yes?¡± she said. ¡°What is it? I thought I told you I wasn¡¯t going to pay tribute to the Thieves¡¯ Guild. I have protection.¡±


    ¡°Wrong guild, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Kiren said. ¡°We¡¯re with the Heroes¡¯ Guild.¡±


    The woman blanched. ¡°Oh. Oh.¡± She took a step back, licking her lips. ¡°Listen, I haven¡¯t done anything. I keep out of trouble. All I want is to conduct my business in peace.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you do,¡± Haden said, stepping forward with his thumbs tucked into his belt. ¡°We¡¯re not looking to disrupt that. We just have some questions to ask you.¡±


    Kiren gave Haden a dirty look. ¡°What he said. Will you let us in?¡±


    The healer contemplated for a moment, then sighed and stepped aside so they could enter. She introduced herself as Kit.


    The interior was cramped, with most of the available space being taken up by plants of different kinds. There were meticulously balanced pots placed on every surface in the house that would receive sunlight, some even stacked precariously on chairs or piles of books. A closed door led into a back room.


    ¡°I would offer you a seat,¡± Kit said. ¡°But, well¡­¡± She motioned to the chairs in the house, all taken up by overgrown flowers, everything from dandelions to violets to red roses.


    ¡°We won¡¯t be here long,¡± Kiren said. ¡°We just want to know about two Villains. Hyena and Snapjaw, they¡¯re called. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of them.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kit said, moving off to tend to a flagging tangle of vines. When she placed her hand on one of many reaching tendrils, the brown leaves flared up with green. ¡°I know of them. They¡¯re those robbers everyone tells stories about.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re wondering if you might have seen them.¡±


    Kit looked up, shaking her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t, no. Sorry. Only heard the stories.¡±


    ¡°Did you hear the one where Hyena and Snapjaw fought an A-Rank Hero? Hulda Ludenhaas. They escaped with their lives, but only barely. How about that one, hmm?¡±


    Kit blinked. ¡°No. Didn¡¯t hear that one.¡±


    Kiren raised his eyebrows. ¡°Really? Everyone¡¯s talking about it, like you said.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get out much.¡±


    ¡°You must get patients through. They¡¯ll talk, just like anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Business¡¯s been poor.¡±


    Kiren nodded, pursing his lips thoughtfully. ¡°I see, I see. So you¡¯re sure you haven¡¯t seen anyone matching the description of a large, furry animal and a giant turtle?¡±


    ¡°Positive,¡± Kit said, fixing him with an intent look. ¡°Now, if you aren¡¯t in need of treatment, I suggest you leave the same way you came. All that sharpened steel is making me nervous.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kiren said. ¡°We don¡¯t have any other questions.¡±


    He motioned for everyone to leave, and Lace followed everyone to the front door.


    ¡°She¡¯s hiding something,¡± Haden said as soon as they were outside.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Lace said. ¡°She knew more than she let on. Why did you give up questioning her so easily, Kiren?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve got a better idea how to learn what we need to know,¡± Kiren said with a grin.


    *****


    Kit let herself slump as soon as the Heroes were out the door.


    Lying to them could have turned out badly for her, but what choice did she have?This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    She waited a good minute or two until she could no longer hear any footsteps or voices outside, then took one of the potted ferns and headed inside the operating room, making sure to close the door firmly behind her.


    The room contained a cabinet to the right filled with her medical supplies and surgical tools. Three low cots had been disassembled and put to the side to accommodate her current patients, and a series of potted plants had been rearranged to make room. A large window on the back wall let sunlight stream into the room, and a door leading outside stood next to it.


    The two giants crouched in the back of the room, hands over their mouths. They breathed out when they saw her and let their hands fall.


    ¡°Did they leave?¡± Snapjaw asked.


    ¡°They did, but they didn¡¯t seem fully convinced. They might be back.¡±


    ¡°Shit sandwich,¡± Hyena muttered, settling back on his behind. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect anyone to be concerned about us, what with everything else going on.¡±


    ¡°Not to worry, gentlemen. As long as you¡¯re in this clinic, I¡¯ll do all I can to make sure you aren¡¯t found.¡±


    The two men¡ªif they could be called such¡ªhad been mostly healed, the rest of their wounds dressed and bandaged. It was several days ago that Snapjaw had come to her, carrying his partner in his arms. Hyena would have bled to death if they hadn¡¯t arrived when they did.


    ¡°Let me see your chest,¡± Kit said, walking up to Hyena.


    The furry man put his arms to his sides and settled back so she could comfortably reach his chest. She set the fern down and peeked underneath the bandages wound around his torso, finding that the wound was closing up nicely, with almost no blood staining the gauze. He would have a noticeable scar for the rest of his life that could cause him some pain, but it was a sight better than dying.


    It had been a challenge, to say the least. The amount of biomass required to heal him had been tremendous.


    She reached out and touched the fern, absorbing its life force. It started to wilt and wither, leaves turning brown and falling off. She channeled that life force into Snapjaw¡¯s chest, and as seconds passed the oozing wound closed up just a little bit more, new skin knitting together at the corners. Another day or so, and it would be nothing but a scar.


    Snapjaw had been easier to work on, but there had still been some substantial lacerations. Luckily, he was all better now.


    How they¡¯d gotten these wounds, she didn¡¯t know. She hadn¡¯t asked, either. The less she knew about them, the better. They were patients, nothing more. Their reputation as career robbers meant it was probably nothing good.


    That black-haired Hero had told her that they had fought the A-Rank Hero Hulda Ludenhaas, but that couldn¡¯t be right. How could these two fools have come out of a fight like that alive?


    The back door came open and Kit stiffened.


    A man entered the room, raven-haired and pock-faced.


    She let out a sigh. It was only Magpie.


    He wore a large cloak that shrouded his whole body apart from his head, decorated with the black-and-white feathers of his namesake around the shoulders, a clear mockery of the Hero known as Eagle-Eyes.


    ¡°Hoy, sis,¡± he said, raising a hand. He glanced over at Hyena and Snapjaw. ¡°Who are these jokers?¡±


    ¡°Patients,¡± Kit said curtly. ¡°Close the door!¡±


    Magpie shrugged, feathers fluttering on his cloak, and did as he was asked.


    ¡°Why the paranoia, dear sister?¡±


    ¡°Heroes. Just left. Did anyone see you come in?¡±


    Magpie shook his head. ¡°No one.¡±


    ¡°Are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Kit nodded to herself ¡°Okay, good. That¡¯s good.¡± She straightened herself out and chased away her lingering fears. ¡°What brings you here, brother? You didn¡¯t go and get yourself hurt again, did you?¡±


    Magpie held up a pale finger. ¡°Hold on, now. First things first. Why were there Heroes at your door? I want to know if I should be worried.¡±


    ¡°Because of them,¡± Kit said, nodding towards the two robbers.


    Magpie squinted at them. ¡°And why might that be?¡±


    His eyes widened with realization and he threw up his hands. ¡°Hyena and Snapjaw!¡±


    ¡°Wild Lads, at your service,¡± Hyena said sullenly.


    ¡°I heard you fought Hulda Ludenhaas all by your lonesome. Almost beat her, too. Is there any truth to that, or is it all drunken ramblings?¡±


    The hyena and the turtle looked at each other.


    ¡°Well, parts of it may be slightly exaggerated, but¡ª¡± Snapjaw began.


    ¡°It¡¯s all true!¡± Hyena said with a sudden grin. ¡°We got some good hits in, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    Magpie pushed out his pocked cheek with his tongue, nodding. ¡°Huh. I never would have guessed. You know, once, the people of the Slog saw you as a joke. Setup and punchline. Now they hail you as their very own heroes.¡±


    Snapjaw¡¯s beak-like mouth fell open. ¡°Th¡­ They do?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯ve been making rounds of the bars, and they¡¯re all talking about it. Personally, I¡¯m ashamed I didn¡¯t recognize you two as soon as I saw you.¡±


    ¡°Brother,¡± Kit said, putting an urgent tone in her voice. ¡°Tell me why you¡¯re here. You can chat later.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± he said. ¡°I brought you a little something to keep your operations running. You must be running low on funds, caring for these two absolute specimens.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not lying there. I had to buy a whole cow just to drain it.¡±


    Magpie grinned, shaking his head. ¡°Not fucking surprised.¡± He produced a coin purse, tossing the rustling bag between his hands. ¡°Well, my last job saw me pretty well off, so I¡¯ve got plenty for you.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯d you get the money?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is that it¡¯s going back to the people of the Slog.¡±


    Kit hesitantly reached out her hand.


    She felt dirty taking his money, but there was no helping it.


    He threw the purse and she caught it. It was heavy. She looked within. Silver gleamed amidst the coppers within.


    Suddenly, the purse was snatched away from her by an invisible force. It flew straight into Magpie¡¯s waiting hand. He let it dangle of his forefinger by the drawstring.


    ¡°And when you get gifted something, you say¡­¡±


    Kit looked down, grinding her teeth. She worked her tongue to try and force out the words.


    ¡°Thank you, brother.¡±


    He gave her the purse once more with a friendly smile. ¡°Much better.¡± He turned to Hyena and Snapjaw. ¡°Now, gentlemen. I think I may have a proposal for you. Just like you, I am the business of¡­¡± He made a vague, searching gesture with his hands. ¡°Relocating assets.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± Snapjaw whispered.


    ¡°Dunno,¡± Hyena whispered back. ¡°I think he¡¯s saying he trades donkeys.¡±


    Snapjaw frowned deeply, his face becoming a mess of wrinkles. ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with us?¡±


    Magpie rolled his eyes. ¡°Boys! Listen up, will you? What I¡¯m trying to say is I¡¯m also a robber. Take from the rich, give to the needy, that kinda thing. I¡¯ve been staking out a big job, one that would shower the people of the Slog in riches, but I can¡¯t do it on my own. I need some¡­¡± He gestured to the criminals. ¡°Extra muscle. Looks like you¡¯ve got that in spades.¡±


    ¡°Uh, right,¡± Hyena said. ¡°So, what are we getting out of it?¡±


    ¡°Good question, good question,¡± Snapjaw whispered.


    ¡°We¡¯ll split everything down the middle,¡± Magpie said. ¡°You two get one half, I get the other. You¡¯re looking at a big payoff here.¡±


    ¡°Like, what, silver?¡± Snapjaw asked.


    ¡°Forget silver!¡± Magpie made a grand flourish, raising his arms and twirling a full circle. His cloak fluttered dramatically. ¡°We¡¯re talking gold, boys.¡± He grinned, showing crooked, yellow teeth. His eyes gleamed with desire.


    Hyena and Snapjaw looked at each other, eyes going wide. They began whispering in each other¡¯s ears.


    Kit considered stepping in, but she knew it was no good.


    She needed Magpie. There was no getting around that. To mess up his business would be to mess up her own.


    She noticed a little brown bird sitting on the windowsill on the other end of the room, checking its wings for parasites.


    How long had that been there?


    The bird looked up, fixing her with its little black eyes.


    It cocked its head slightly and stared at her.


    What is it doing¡­?


    There was a loud hum, and all of a sudden the door behind her was cut in half.


    The back door burst down, making way for the blond and black-haired Heroes who had questioned her.


    The room exploded with motion.

 31. Neutral Ground

    31. Neutral Ground


    Lace cut the door in half with a focused beam of air from her gale-staff and kicked it down, then stormed into the room. She had Tommyn behind her for backup, a murder of crows circling the ceiling at his behest.


    She made a quick scan of the room. The healer, Kit, was only an arms-length away, stunned with surprise. Hyena and Snapjaw crouched in the other end of the room, all bandaged up. There was another man with black, greasy hair, a pocky face, and a large feathered cloak standing in the middle of the room, just as Tommyn had relayed.


    Haden broke through the back door with a shoulder charge, wooden splinters flying all throughout the room.


    Lace whipped Kit with the back of her staff and sent her stumbling into the right-hand wall. She knocked over plant pots as she sank to the floor.


    One down. Three to go.


    Hyena tried to stand up, but Haden was on him in a split second. He pummeled the larger creature in the gut with punches that cracked like a peal of thunder. Hyena howled, knocked back against the wall, and Haden kept on top of him with brutal punches, preventing him from retaliating.


    Snapjaw got up to help his companion but was stopped in his tracks as Kiren¡¯s greatsword cut the air between them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this,¡± Kiren said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t in our deal, but I don¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    Tommyn let slip a shrill whistle, commanding his birds to fly into the room. They circled the two criminals, pecking at their faces and clawing their skin.


    The two-pronged attack left them both reeling.


    Looks like this¡¯ll be over sooner than I expected, Lace thought.


    There was only the pock-faced man left to deal with.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of him,¡± Lace said, pointing at the man.


    He looked at the healer on the floor and slowly shook his head.


    ¡°You¡¯ll wish you hadn¡¯t done that to my sister,¡± he said solemnly. ¡°I am a man of the people, and I do not bow to tyrants.¡±


    Lace stepped closer, prepping the gale-staff with a medium-intensity wind blade. Strong enough to wound him, but not enough to cut deep.


    With a grand flourish, the man threw the flaps of his cloak aside and raised both hands high in the air.


    Lace heard dull creaking coming from behind her.


    She looked back and saw the nails shaking in the walls. A handful of them came out all at once and flew across the room with jarring speed.


    She raised her arms just in time, catching the nails on her forearms. They dug into her flesh, some all the way to the heads as if hammered in by some sadistic carpenter.


    Lace let out a scream and dropped her staff. She looked down at her arms as blood began to trickle from the wounds. Her hands shivered with hot agony.


    ¡°Lace, look out!¡± Tommyn said, drawing his shortsword.


    The warning barely processed in her mind before she felt a hard smack on the back of her head. She curled up in a tight ball as she fell forward to avoid landing on her injured forearms.


    Everything was knocked out of whack with that hit, vision blurry, her hearing deafened by a loud ringing.


    She was vaguely aware of Tommyn shouting something, the sharp gleam of metal arcing through the air.


    Lace shook her head and forced the world back into focus. She sat up, put an arm against the wall, and worked herself, slowly, painfully, back to her feet.


    She drew in a few sharp breaths, and slowly the world set itself back to a normal state, though her ears still rung.


    The pock-faced man held up his hands, and two of Tommyn¡¯s birds were pulled out of the air behind him. Cawing in panic, they hurtled towards his hands, and at the last moment he pulled his arms down. The birds kept going and thudded harmlessly against Tommyn¡¯s chainmail before flopping to the ground.


    The psychological damage seemed far more keen, however, as Tommyn¡¯s eyes went wild, his body seizing to move. He held his shortsword in a tight, two-handed grip, the tip shivering slightly.


    Oh, shit, Lace thought. This won¡¯t end well.


    The pocky man raised one hand.


    Lace pulled up hers, struggling to form a diamond with her fingers. She sucked air towards her hands, beginning to form an aero-shot.


    The man turned towards her instead, waving the fingers of his hand.


    ¡°Wind-based. Interesting.¡±


    Lace fired off her shot.


    It tore through the room, whipping up wood splinters from the destroyed doors. The man twirled out of the way, his heavy cloak sent aflutter by the wind.


    ¡°A little slow for a Hero, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    With Tommyn distracted, his birds began to scatter, disorganized. Hyena regained his balance after taking a dozen hits. With a snarl, he grabbed a folded-up cot and broke it over Haden¡¯s head. The big man crashing into the wood floor with a heavy crack, breaking several floorboards.


    Hyena dropped the ruined cot came after him, claws out and howling like a madman.


    ¡°No!¡± Tommyn shouted. He squinted, putting one hand to his head, and all the crows settled into a tight grouping, all attacking Hyena at once and keeping him from pouncing on Haden.


    Which meant that Snapjaw was free to attack, arms and chest cut from Kiren¡¯s long swipes of his greatsword, face pecked to bits.


    When Kiren went in for another slash, Snapjaw simply caught the blade in one big fist and yanked it out of his hand. He threw the sword aside, grabbed Kiren by the throat, and lifted him up.


    Creator¡¯s breath, Lace thought. This is not going to plan.


    ¡°I¡¯d suggest you keep your eyes on target, girl,¡± the pock-faced man said. ¡°I don¡¯t like being ignored.¡±


    He made a beckoning motion with two fingers, and Lace¡¯s arms lit up with intense, grinding pain, her nerves strumming like lute chords. The nails came out of her arms and flew across the room. Magpie stepped aside and they buried themselves in the wall behind him.


    Without them to stem the bleeding, her arms ran red, hands going slick with blood.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Lace asked between gritted teeth.


    The man bowed deeply. ¡°Magpie. Formerly of the Thieves¡¯ Guild. Emphasis on formerly.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    At the bottom of his bow, he raised a hand above his back and the nails he had buried into the wall shot out once more, straight at Lace.


    She dove to the side just in time and hit the wall, getting a cold jab of pain in her left arm.


    Snapjaw slammed Kiren into the ground, making him cry out. Kiren scrabbled at his arm, but he couldn¡¯t pierce the thick, bumpy hide with his nails. Snapjaw merely chuckled at his attempts.


    Haden got up, only to be slapped aside by a stray blow from Hyena as he swiped the air at random.


    We need to get out of here, Lace thought. This is getting out of hand.


    ¡°Spread out your birds, Tommyn!¡± she shouted, dodging a volley of wooden shrapnel from Magpie.


    No response. He was completely focused on Haden.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± she hissed.


    She dug her hand into the pouch at her side and pulled out a vial of powder dye, leaving red prints all over the glass. If she could create a large enough distraction, she might be able to free Kiren and help them all escape.


    ¡°Ooh, what have you got there?¡± Magpie asked, holding up a grasping hand.


    The vial was ripped from her grip and flew safely into his palm. He tilted his head as he shook its contents.


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡±


    Kiren was completely subdued, face gone blue as efforts to escape grew more and more feeble. Haden had been pressed up against the wall, Hyena swatting blindly and drawing bloody tracks up his arms.


    ¡°Alright, I think they¡¯ve had enough,¡± Magpie said, walking across the room. He stowed the vial away inside his cloak. ¡°Let us disperse, shall we?¡±


    Snapjaw slammed Kiren¡¯s head down one final time, knocking him out cold, then stood up. Hyena backed away and allowed a bloodied Haden sink back against the wall.


    Tommyn whistled, calling off his birds and making them settle in a defensive array on the floor around the young Trodvis.


    ¡°Thanks for the assist, boss,¡± Snapjaw said as they ducked out the ruined back door.


    Magpie nodded and smiled. He lingered in the doorway.


    ¡°Remember this,¡± he said. ¡°You live at the mercy of Magpie and the Wild Lads. Don¡¯t come after us, or that may yet change.¡±


    With that, he left. A single black-and-white feather fell off his cloak and drifted slowly to the floor.


    Everything went quiet.


    Tommyn rushed to Haden¡¯s side and shooed away the crows. They scattered out of the doorways and the window as he helped Haden into a sitting position.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, gingerly touching the bloody claw-marks running all up his forearms.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Haden said with a forced smile. ¡°He just caught me off guard, is all.¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°Hurts like Svarta itself, though.¡±


    Lace went over to Kiren. She was able to wake him by tapping on his shoulder with her foot, and it wasn¡¯t long before his wounds had regenerated enough for him to sit up.


    She, however, was not so lucky, and her hands were cramping spastically from the pain running up and down her forearms.


    ¡°It seems like you could all use some medical attention,¡± came a voice from behind her. ¡°I¡¯ll heal you, but you¡¯re paying twice the standard fare.¡±


    Lace looked back and saw Kit standing at the other end of the room. She had a lightly bruised chin but was otherwise no worse for wear.


    ¡°How long were you standing there?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°Long enough to see that you are out of your league,¡± Kit answered.


    The healer walked towards her, and Lace put her arms up in a defensive guard, unable to ball her hands into fists.


    ¡°No closer!¡± she said.


    ¡°Really?¡± Kit asked. ¡°If I were going to throw in with Magpie and attack you, don¡¯t you think I would have done so by now?¡±


    Lace slowly lowered her hands. She glanced back at the others, who looked just as confused as she felt.


    ¡°He¡¯s your brother,¡± Lace said. ¡°We heard you say it.¡±


    ¡°Not by blood. We were both orphans, so we helped each other, growing up in the Slog. We are siblings by oath.¡±


    ¡°What difference does it make whose womb they were spat out of?¡± Haden said, standing up with Tommyn¡¯s help. ¡°Come on, we¡¯ve got to get back to the Lodge so we can get patched up. Let¡¯s bring this woman for questioning, so this trip wasn¡¯t a total waste.¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t want you walking all the way back there,¡± Tommyn said. ¡°Not in this state. Besides, Lace is badly hurt.¡±


    Lace shrugged, showing teeth. ¡°I¡¯m hurting pretty bad. I¡¯ll take just about anything right now.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s reliable,¡± Kiren said. ¡°I know as much. Plenty of people in the Slog go to her for help. Only one who doesn¡¯t swindle her patients out of their last dime after sawing their legs off.¡±


    ¡°I dunno¡­¡± Haden grumbled.


    ¡°No need to be stubborn,¡± Kit said. ¡°My clinic is open to all. Even the Heroes who just decided to trash it. It¡¯s neutral ground.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t care that we just went after your brother?¡± Kiren asked, coming up to Lace and resting a hand on her shoulder for support.


    ¡°Oh, I care. And it pains me. But Magpie¡¯s a big lad¡ªhe can take care of his own business.¡±


    ¡°Fine, then,¡± Haden grunted. He plucked a small pouch out of his belt and threw it over. ¡°Will this be enough for your services?¡±


    Kit took out a silver coin and threw the pouch back. ¡°It is, yes.¡± She nodded towards Lace. ¡°Girl. You¡¯re first.¡±


    *****


    Kiren stewed while Kit looked over the back of his head, the last in line to be healed. The healer worked fast¡ªshe had gone through them all in not even half an hour, no trickery, with only a drove of wilted ferns as casualties.


    They had almost done it. Hyena and Snapjaw had almost been in their grasp, before things started going wrong.


    ¡°The plan would have worked if you¡¯d reported the third Power user,¡± Kiren said, glancing up at Tommyn.


    ¡°I-I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± the green-haired man stammered. ¡°When I look through an animal¡¯s eyes, it¡¯s like everything¡¯s d-dimmed. Sights, sounds, it¡¯s¡­ interpreted through the animal¡¯s eyes. Diff-difficult to parse. I thought he was just a normal man, I s-swear.¡±


    Kit yanked Kiren¡¯s head firmly, and he was forced to lean back as she poked and prodded.


    ¡°Even so, we didn¡¯t have to lose unless people had fucked up.¡±


    He looked at Lace. Her injuries had been fairly major, still leaving large bruises even after the healing¡ªand what had Tommyn done to help her? Nothing.


    ¡°Slow down, Kiren,¡± Lace said. ¡°We¡¯re as disappointed as you are, but there¡¯s no use pointing fingers.¡±


    Haden took a step closer, positioning himself in front of Tommyn.


    ¡°Listen, Kiren,¡± he said, holding up a hand. ¡°We¡¯re here on our own accord. This is your job, not ours. If you don¡¯t like our help, we might just rescind it.¡±


    ¡°Your injuries look fine,¡± Kit said, helping him stand. ¡°Looks like your own Power is dealing with them well enough. You know, I could probably use you for a lot of healing potential. You¡¯ve got life force to spare, alright.¡±


    Kiren stood, ignoring the healer. He was about to say something snide to Haden but caught himself once he saw Lace giving him a look as hard as glass.


    She sidled up to him, grabbed his arm, and squeezed tightly.


    ¡°Apologize,¡± she mouthed, all the while smiling towards the two other apprentices.


    ¡°No way,¡± Kiren muttered. ¡°I was just telling the truth.¡±


    Haden waited, arms crossed, and Tommyn peeked over his shoulder.


    ¡°Do you really want to deal with those three by ourselves?¡± Lace asked. ¡°Apologize, now, or you¡¯re sleeping outside tonight.¡±


    Kiren sighed and shook his head, arms crossed. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry.¡±


    ¡°Go on,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°For being mean or whatever.¡±


    Haden smiled, putting his hands on his hips. ¡°That¡¯s alright. We wouldn¡¯t want you to go any further¡ªyou look like you¡¯re about to pop a blood vessel already.¡±


    Kiren held back the urge to say anything further.


    Lace turned to Kit. ¡°Is there anything you can tell us about Magpie? He¡¯s your brother, after all. Any information you have might help us track down Hyena and Snapjaw.¡±


    ¡°I might be willing to share certain details,¡± Kit said, ¡°if you can do something for me.¡±


    ¡°And what might that be?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°If you capture him¡­ I want to be officially sanctioned by the Heroes¡¯ Guild.¡±


    All the apprentices looked at each other.


    ¡°What¡¯s that, now?¡± Haden asked. ¡°You want to be part of the Guild.¡±


    ¡°On a freelance basis,¡± Kit clarified. ¡°I¡¯m sick of begging criminals for scraps to keep this clinic open. I know there¡¯s so many I could help with my talents, but most of the people in the slums don¡¯t have the funds to pay for care. If your Guild could spot the difference, then¡­¡± Kit shrugged. ¡°I bet a Guild full of fighters could always use another healer on retainer.¡±


    Kiren mulled it over in his head.


    It might actually work.


    ¡°We might be able to sort something out,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°We¡¯d have to report everything to our superiors and get their take on it,¡± Lace butted in.


    Kiren nodded. ¡°What she said.¡±


    Kit pursed her lips. ¡°All I require is that you deliver the message. You seem upstanding enough not to cheat an old woman out of what she''s owed.¡± She laughed to herself. ¡°Now, what do you wish to know?¡±

 32. The Master Thief

    32. The Master Thief


    Jorge stared out of the window with his one good eye, remembering better times.


    The weather was sunny and nice, but little of that warmth reached his bed. His ruined eye burned something fierce, sending a thumping ache throughout his entire face.


    His legs, however, felt numb.


    And that was the worst part.


    A songbird landed on the windowsill. It had a little skip around and tweeted happily as if to taunt him.


    He reached for the bottle next to the get-well flower¡ªput there by Lace¡ª on the nightstand. He picked it up and shook it. Empty.


    He sighed and let the bottle fall. His vision was blurry and swaying. He¡¯d drank so much he thought he might throw up.


    It still wasn¡¯t enough to take the edge off.


    What would you think of me now, Reya? he thought bitterly. Would you be proud of me? Or would you be disgusted?


    Jorge had a sneaking suspicion that he already knew the answer to that question.


    There was a knock on the door.


    Jorge kept quiet and pretended he wasn¡¯t there. He wasn¡¯t in the mood for company.


    There was another, more urgent series of knocks.


    ¡°Master?¡± Lace¡¯s voice sounded. ¡°Master, are you awake? It¡¯s me and Kiren. We¡¯d like your advice. On the Hyena and Snapjaw thing.¡±


    Jorge muttered a curse under his breath.


    I suppose I¡¯ve got to let them in.


    ¡°Yeah, come in!¡± he shouted. His voice was more slurred than he would have expected.


    Lace opened the door, and his two apprentices entered the room.


    They were both wearing some kind of armor, and Kiren wore a greatsword in a sheath that he carried on his shoulder.


    They were both covered in dried blood.


    Of course they are. It would be too much to ask for something to go smoothly for once.


    ¡°What went wrong?¡± Jorge asked patiently. He folded his hands in his lap and peered at each of them with his single eye.


    ¡°We found Hyena and Snapjaw,¡± Kiren said, ¡°but it seems they made a new friend.¡±


    Jorge perked up. ¡°And who might that be?¡±


    ¡°A Power user,¡± Lace said. ¡°A strong one. He seems to have recruited our targets to his cause.¡±


    ¡°I see. What did he look like? I might know of him.¡±


    ¡°Kinda tall and lanky,¡± Kiren said. He set aside his greatsword against the wall and rolled his shoulder. ¡°Bad hair, bad teeth.¡±


    ¡°Bad smell,¡± Lace added. ¡°He said his name was Magpie.¡±


    Jorge nodded. ¡°Used to run with the Thieves¡¯ Guild.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You know of him, then?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°Only by reputation,¡± Jorge said. ¡°Back in his glory days, he used to be one of their most prolific robbers. Us Heroes have had a few near misses with him, but he always slipped out of our grasp. He¡¯s been laying low ever since. It¡¯s believed he fell out with his Guild.¡±


    ¡°Well, we interrogated his sister, and she thinks he¡¯s planning something big. She said he¡¯s going to use Hyena and Snapjaw as added muscle on that job.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think this woman is a credible source?¡± Jorge asked. ¡°She¡¯s his sister, like you said. She might well be working for him.¡±


    ¡°Kit¡¯s a healer,¡± Kiren said. ¡°A good healer. A good woman, at that. She wants to make a deal with the Heroes¡¯ Guild.¡±


    Jorge snorted. ¡°That¡¯s nice for her. Sadly, we don¡¯t have any need for a back-alley charlatan.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s got a Power, too,¡± Kiren objected. ¡°Might I remind you that you recruited a former Dark Eye member to be your apprentice. You shouldn¡¯t have any qualms about this woman. She¡¯s already given us valuable information on Magpie.¡±


    Jorge perked up at that. ¡°Is that so? What kind of Power does she have?¡±


    ¡°Well, she healed us up good after Hyena and Snapjaw gave us the slip,¡± Kiren said, rolling his shoulder.


    ¡°She seems to have the ability to transfer life force from one living organism to another,¡± Lace said. ¡°She used potted plants to heal us. The plants would grow brown and withered, and at the same time our wounds would be restored.¡±


    Jorge¡¯s one eye widened slightly. He struggled to contain his sudden excitement.


    Kiren and Lace may just have bumbled into something good here. Having a third healer to complement Good Doctor and Songbird would be invaluable.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear the information she gave you, first of all,¡± Jorge said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll make a decision on what to do with her.¡±


    ¡°Well, she doesn¡¯t know specifically where Magpie went,¡± Lace said. ¡°As we said, she told us he¡¯s planning to come out of hiding for something big. A heist that¡¯ll pay in gold, specifically. Those are the words she used. In gold.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Jorge stroked his chin. ¡°Hmm, that narrows things down significantly. There are only a handful locations in Goldbrand that carry much gold at all.¡±


    ¡°We still don¡¯t know which one he¡¯ll hit, though,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°Well, you can exclude a few right away. He¡¯s not targeting the Second Sun, that¡¯s for sure. Even with some extra muscle on his side, he¡¯s unlikely to get through even the regular guards stationed there, but the royal guard would definitely cut him down quick.


    ¡°Wiseman¡¯s Temple is similarly off limits. Battlepriests and are no slouches. Not to mention the Purifiers, of course.


    ¡°The Lodge is very much the same, for obvious reasons.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t target the Palace of Silks if I were him, either. Many men have tried to rob the Merchants¡¯ Guild¡¯s stronghold. None of them still have their freedom. The clever thieves have learned to avoid such pursuits.¡±


    ¡°What about the ones that are left?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°Surely, there are some merchants and nobles in the city who have a good bit of gold stashed away. How are we supposed to keep an eye on all of them?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my job, is it?¡± Jorge asked. ¡°It¡¯s your neck on the line, not mine.¡±


    Kiren and Lace both sighed.


    ¡°We understand,¡± Lace said. ¡°Thank you for your help, Master. We¡¯ll try and get to the bottom of this.¡±


    Jorge nodded. ¡°Go talk to Wordsmith. She¡¯ll help you find some more information about Magpie¡¯s Power and fighting style. Other than that, you¡¯re on your own.¡±


    Lace and Kiren nodded to the affirmative.


    Jorge held up a finger. ¡°One more thing before you take your leave. I have some bad news.¡±


    ¡°Oh boy, here we go,¡± Kiren said. ¡°What¡¯s happened this time?¡±


    ¡°One of the warehouses housing the Angel¡¯s Kiss Hulda was smuggling throughout the city has been attacked,¡± he said. ¡°Seven guards were killed, along with the two C-Rank Heroes in charge of cleanup¡ªBluster and Squall. The warehouse itself was completely emptied.¡±


    ¡°Evangel,¡± Lace said. ¡°It must be him.¡±


    Jorge nodded. ¡°He¡¯s the prime suspect, yeah. Right now, we haven¡¯t found hide nor hair of him. All that remains is to see what he plans to do with all that Angel¡¯s Kiss.¡±


    ¡°What can we do about it?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°We need to hunt that bastard down.¡±


    ¡°Right now, just focus on not getting kicked out of the Guild. We¡¯ve got people working on the Evangel case, led by Eagle-Eyes. Speaking of which¡­¡± Jorge nodded towards the door. ¡°You should probably get back to it. I just wanted to give you an update.¡±


    The apprentices took their leave. Kiren grabbed his sword and throwing it over his shoulder.


    Jorge let himself slump once they turned away.


    Lace stopped in the doorway and looked back.


    ¡°Master?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Jorge grumbled. ¡°What is it now? Won¡¯t you let an old man rest?¡±


    ¡°Are you¡­ okay?¡±


    Jorge forced a grin. ¡°Fit as a fiddle.¡±


    Lace nodded and left, closing the door after her.


    Jorge let out a long, tired sigh.


    Twin gods¡­


    I hope I can join you soon, Reya.


    *****


    Kiren and Lace met back up with Haden and Tommyn in the main hall to eat and confer.


    ¡°Excelerate helped us find out a little more about Magpie¡¯s  Power,¡± Lace said. ¡°We spoke to Wordsmith, who had a dig through Records for us. Apparently, he has the ability to pull small objects within a set distance towards himself, so long as it¡¯s a straight line to the palm of his hand.¡±


    Haden looked down at his food. He stabbed a potato over and over with his fork, frowning deeply.


    ¡°That sounds complicated,¡± he said.


    ¡°Just think of it this way,¡± Lace said. ¡°Next time we face Magpie, let¡¯s not bring anything smaller than the size of an outstretched hand. Otherwise, he¡¯ll just use it against us. He doesn''t kill, though. The Guild hasn''t logged any murders attributed to him, which matches what we''ve seen of him so far.¡±


    ¡°He killed my friends,¡± Tommyn muttered. ¡°I hate him.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have a chance at revenge soon enough,¡± Kiren said. ¡°We just need to figure out where he¡¯s going to strike and be there waiting for him. Personally, I¡¯m thinking he¡¯ll go for the House of Eyes. There¡¯s just a bunch of geezers in there, but the place is jam-packed with valuable equipment. I¡¯ve considered skimming the place myself, back in my less reputable days.¡±


    ¡°I disagree,¡± Haden said. ¡°Knowing the ins and outs of the place, I think he would target the Trodvis Winter Estate.¡±


    Kiren snorted. ¡°Sure are quick to cover your own ass, aren''t-cha? Are you sure you don¡¯t just want to make sure those family jewels stay extra safe?¡±


    Haden stuffed a whole potato in his mouth, followed by a healthy heaping of fish. He chewed with his mouth open and washed it all down with a big drink of water.


    ¡°No, actually,¡± he said. ¡°I just happen to know that my family¡¯s estate houses a large portion of gold coins. The House of Eyes has valuables in it, sure, but good luck selling off scientific instruments to a Slog-side fence.


    ¡°Secondly, the estate only has eight dedicated guards in the summer, whereas the House of Eyes has security somewhere in the dozens.


    ¡°Thirdly, Magpie is already a master thief. What could he use Hyena and Snapjaw for? They would only get in his way, especially if he was trying to infiltrate a decently guarded place like the House of Eyes.¡±


    ¡°I dunno,¡± Kiren said. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ll tell me.¡±


    ¡°The vault in the Winter Estate needs two keys to open. I have one. Titaness has one. My father and grandfather have one each, as well as the housekeeper, Vendrig. Now, I don¡¯t care how good of a thief this guy is, he¡¯s not getting the better of my aunt. My father and grandfather are in Klyfva, so Magpie¡¯s not getting their keys. That leaves me and Vendrig.¡±


    Haden reached inside his shirt and pulled out a brass key hung around his neck by a piece of twine. ¡°As you can see, I still have mine. So Magpie can¡¯t unlock the vault.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Kiren asked, frowning. ¡°If it¡¯s that much hassle to get into the vault, that just speaks against your theory. At least, with the House of Eyes, he could just pop in and steal everything. If things go south, he could use Hyena and Snapjaw as backup.¡±


    ¡°If he can¡¯t get into the vault himself¡­¡± Haden said. ¡°Why not take on a pair of giant henchmen? Now, the vault is strong, but it wasn¡¯t designed to hold up against a pair of monsters like that.¡±


    ¡°They could rip the vault door right off its hinges!¡± Lace exclaimed. ¡°Of course! That must be what he¡¯s planning!¡±


    Kiren leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.


    He hadn¡¯t touched his food.


    Of course she sides with him.


    Kiren glared across the table at the broad-shouldered, handsome, fair-haired man.


    The worst part was that Haden was making sense.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Kiren said. ¡°We should at least hear with the city guards if Magpie might be targeting any other places.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± Lace said. ¡°It could help us narrow things down, at least. Only problem is, I think we¡¯ve kind of made enemies out of guard force at this point.¡±


    Haden cleared his throat. ¡°Well, Kiren did.¡±


    Kiren was about to stand up and sock the big man one across the face, but Lace put a hand on his leg and held him down.


    ¡°No worries, though,¡± Haden said. ¡°We¡¯ll go talk to Captain Renalt outside the Lodge if you head to the Estate and hold down the fort. Sound good to everyone?¡±


    Tommyn nodded.


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°Yup,¡± Kiren forced out.

 33. Difference of Opinion

    33. Difference of Opinion


    Haden had to take a few breaths after they left the main hall to cool himself off, standing in the heat of the midday sun.


    ¡°Kiren is an absolute nightmare,¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t stand him.¡±


    ¡°H-He¡¯s not so bad,¡± Tommyn said. ¡°He¡¯s j-just a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°A bit of a prick?¡± Haden suggested.


    Tommyn flashed a nervous smile. ¡°I think he¡¯s a good person. Just t-t-territorial.¡±


    Haden snorted and crossed his arms. ¡°What could he possibly have to be territorial about? I haven¡¯t done anything to him.¡±


    Tommyn chuckled into his hand. ¡°Haden, you¡¯re too clueless for your o-own good. He likes Lace.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and?¡± Haden asked. ¡°Even I can tell he likes Lace. What about it?¡±


    Tommyn motioned to Haden¡¯s body. ¡°Well, lo-look at you. He obviously feels th-threatened.¡±


    ¡°What? He thinks I¡¯ll snatch Lace out from under him? That¡¯s absurd! I already told him I¡¯m not interested in her.¡±


    ¡°K-Kiren clearly isn¡¯t the trusting kind.  He doesn¡¯t have the same background as you or m-me. He must be used to people lying to him. Be-e-sides, he doesn¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Haden shook his head and looked out over the wall of the Lodge, at the clear blue sky beyond. ¡°I guess I can understand that, to an extent. Doesn¡¯t excuse him acting like an absolute pissant, though.¡±


    ¡°I-It doesn¡¯t,¡± Tommyn said. ¡°But he¡¯s getting better at apologizing, right?¡±


    ¡°As long as he doesn¡¯t get in the way with those Villains, I¡¯m fine with him. We should probably head out, though, huh?¡±


    They did just that, setting out from the Lodge by foot.


    They headed over to the jail, but Captain Renalt directed them to the captain of the guard precinct in the district. Renalt didn¡¯t actually have an eye on ongoing crime, only criminals that were awaiting sentencing or a transferral to Wailing Hill.


    It had been Tommyn¡¯s idea to help Kiren and Lace on their mission to begin with. He had taken a liking to the two of them. Of course, he was too shy to admit it, so it fell on Haden¡¯s shoulders to serve as the middle-man.


    Now that his family was being targeted, however, he was going to have to take this more seriously.


    Using Renalt¡¯s directions, they ended up at a larger guard station in South Side, within spitting distance of Sunpeak Square. The place was led by a man named Captain Gaustard. He was a corpulent man, his bulk spilling out of his comparatively minuscule chair and hitting against his desk. His cheeks were marked with rosacea, and he licked his lips every few seconds as he scribbled something down on a paper.


    He didn¡¯t look up when Haden and Tommyn entered.


    ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure of two young Heroes in my office?¡± Gaustard asked, allowing them just a shadow of a glance. He placed his signature on the paper and set it aside. ¡°Well, Heroes-to-be.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for information,¡± Haden said.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we all? You¡¯ll have to be a little more specific.¡±


    A Villain named Magpie, and another two named Hyena and Snapjaw. We¡¯ve been tasked with hunting them down, but we lost their trail.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t sighted anyone by those names,¡± Gaustard said firmly. He looked up at them and leaned back in his chair with a low groan. The chair creaked and shifted under his weight.


    ¡°S-Still,¡± Tommyn said. ¡°We thought you could maybe t-tell us, um, if any crimes have taken place in the, uh, last few h-hours.¡±


    Gaustard sighed and stared off into space for a few moments.


    ¡°Why would this be worth my valuable time?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡¯re no proper Heroes, I can tell by a glance. I lose nothing in refusing your request.¡±


    Haden approached the guard captain¡¯s desk and placed a hand on the tall stack of papers on top of it. ¡°This Magpie is planning a heist,¡± he said. ¡°A big one. We want to stop him. If you give us what you have, we¡¯ll have a better chance at that. Now, if we succeed, you can let the Heroes take care of the sentencing, have the Villains carted off to Renalt, and save yourself a whole lot of paperwork.¡±


    Gaustard remained quiet for a second, watching Haden with silent intensity.


    Then his fleshy lips broke in a wide grin.


    ¡°What a fine idea!¡±


    He brought up another stack of papers off the floor and leafed through them with a practiced hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s a relatively slow day,¡± Gaustard said. ¡°We receive messenger reports of crime happening throughout the city. Though, as you may understand, there is a time lag of a few hours for any crime that didn¡¯t take place immediately in this district.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Haden said. ¡°Just tell us what you can.¡±


    ¡°A farmer claimed his prize donkey was stolen on the way to selling it by his jealous brother,¡± Gaustard said. ¡°His claim is being heard in a few days.


    ¡°A man was stabbed and killed near the outskirts of Small Miracle this morning. Hmm, let¡¯s see¡­


    ¡°Ah! A smithy was robbed just a few hours ago just off Sunpeak here in South Side.¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Robbed. That sounds more like Magpie than any of these other crimes.


    Only question is, why would you want to rob a smithy?


    ¡°Have you carried out an investigation into the blacksmith robbery?¡± Haden asked. ¡°Is there anything more you can give us?¡±


    ¡°A preliminary one,¡± Gaustard said. He grunted. ¡°Carried out by Guardsman Lobe, so don¡¯t expect any stellar brainwork. He took a statement from the blacksmith, who claimed he didn¡¯t see hide nor hair of anyone, just that he turned away for a few minutes and when he returned to work he had been robbed.¡±


    ¡°What was stolen?¡± Haden asked.


    Gaustard shrugged. ¡°Just stupid stuff, like an iron rod, a large crowbar, a spare rope, and some miscellaneous scrap.¡±


    A crowbar. If Hyena and Snapjaw could jam that into the vault door, I bet they could pry it open.


    ¡°And you¡¯re sure that no one saw a possible culprit?¡± Haden asked.


    Gaustard looked at the report a little closer. ¡°Now that you mention it, Guardsman Lobe did find some kind of feather on the anvil. Black and white. He said it might be a sign that the Unmaker has cursed the smithy.¡± He laughed, and his jowls quivered. ¡°Now, wouldn¡¯t that be something? A black and white feather sounds like something that would be left behind by this Magpie, though, no?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. That must be him.¡±


    ¡°N-No two ways about it, then,¡± Tommyn said. ¡°They¡¯re t-t-targeting the Estate.¡±


    Haden nodded. ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s get back to the others quick. I hope they¡¯re not in trouble.¡±


    *****


    Kiren struggled to stay still, despite the infuriating, fluttering sensation working its way through him. He glanced over at Lace, but she kept her eyes fixed on the ground below.


    They sat in a bedroom on the second flight of the Trodvis Winter Estate, looking through a window at the spacious yard to keep an eye out for the three Villains.


    Lace sat on the edge of the massive bed on the right-hand side of the room, and Kiren sat on a chair next to her.


    So far, they had seen nothing apart from a couple squirrels.


    The housekeeper kept bugging them about this and that, so Kiren had locked the door with a key he had been given.


    Kiren had enough bugging him already.


    He found himself wanting to reach out and touch Lace¡¯s hair, short and straight and tucked behind her ears.


    Instead, he looked away.


    I have to tell her. Can¡¯t let things fester again.


    ¡°Could we talk?¡± Kiren asked.


    Lace looked up and smiled at him. That patient smile which made his heart beat just a little bit faster. He was unable to look away. He let his gaze run over her pale countenance, her straight nose, her rosy lips. Lastly, it settled on her big, brown eyes.


    He choked up. Suddenly, he didn¡¯t know the words. His doubts flared up, and he could only see Haden and Lace dancing together before his mind¡¯s eye, their bodies pressed close.


    ¡°Uh, nothing,¡± he said. He looked back out of the window. ¡°Nothing important.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like nothing to me,¡± Lace said. ¡°You look like you sold your horse and lost the money.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a horse,¡± Kiren muttered.


    Lace smiled once more. ¡°Just an expression.¡± She paused. When he didn¡¯t say anything, she sighed. ¡°Come on. You know you can talk to me. Is it about the fight we had? I¡¯m really sorry I hurt you. I didn¡¯t mean for it to turn out like that.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­¡± Kiren shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not about that.¡± He couldn¡¯t bring himself to meet her gaze anymore. ¡°I guess I¡¯d just like to know what you think we are. You and me. Just friends, or¡­ whatever. If you prefer Haden, you can tell me. I wouldn¡¯t flip out. I just want to know where I stand in all this.¡±


    Lace stood up off the bed, walked in front of him so he was forced to look at her, then stooped so that their faces were almost touching.


    ¡°You really are bad with women, huh?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°Yeah, no shit,¡± Kiren said. ¡°I¡¯ve not exactly had much time to chase tail growing up.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like Haden,¡± Lace said firmly. ¡°He¡¯s just a nice guy. A friend. He could be your friend, too, if you didn¡¯t keep things mucking up.¡±


    Kiren blew out his cheeks. ¡°I¡¯ll give that a hard pass.¡±


    ¡°Friends or not, we all have to learn to work together. As apprentices and as Heroes. That last fight made it pretty clear that just going in hard and hoping for an easy win isn¡¯t going to pan out.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡°Kiren. Promise me you¡¯ll do your best.¡±


    ¡°Tommyn was the one who dropped the ball last time! I¡ª¡±


    Lace slapped him across the face. Kiren hissed and leaned back, touching his stinging cheek. ¡°Ow.¡±


    ¡°Promise me!¡± Lace said. ¡°Last time, Magpie let us live. He might not be so charitable a second time around. We all need to be at our best.¡±


    ¡°I promise,¡± Kiren muttered. ¡°I¡¯m going to do whatever it takes to keep you safe, even if it means putting up with Haden.¡±


    Lace smiled, and Kiren¡¯s heart fluttered. ¡°Good.¡± She leaned in close, her hair tickling his cheek, her breath hot in his ear. ¡°And, for your information¡­¡±


    She paused.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided what to do with you yet. Maybe, if you treat me nice, I¡¯ll¡­¡± She trailed off.


    Kiren felt a light, feathery kiss on his cheek.


    Lace hurried away and sat back down on the bed. She put her face in her hands, but Kiren thought he could see a hint of a blush between her fingers.


    A smile slowly spread across his face.


    He¡¯d be fine with getting slapped a hundred times if he could get that kind of treatment afterward.


    He touched his cheek.


    I think that¡¯s a point for me.


    Suck a dick, Haden.


    *****


    They met Haden and Tommyn in the foyer not long after.


    Haden walked with a hurried gait, Tommyn trailing behind him.


    ¡°Have you had any trouble?¡± H¨¢den asked. ¡°Is the vault safe?¡±


    ¡°No sign of any Villains,¡± Lace said. ¡°The Vault is safe. We checked just ten minutes ago.¡±


    Haden nodded. ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°M-Magpie is coming here,¡± Tommyn said, catching up with Haden. ¡°He robbed a blacksmith¡¯s for tools to break open the v-vault.¡±


    ¡°I stand corrected, then,¡± Kiren said. ¡°So, how do we defend this place?¡±


    ¡°We could inform Titaness of the danger,¡± Lace suggested. ¡°Maybe we could convince her to omit the fact that we tipped her off. She has reason to stay in her own estate, after all. If she happens to encounter the same Villains we were looking for, well¡­¡± She shrugged.


    Kiren raised his eyebrows at her. ¡°Lace Amar, when did you learn how to break the rules?¡±


    ¡°Bloodhound¡¯s judgment was unfair and uncalled for, considering what you did to stop Hulda,¡± Lace said. ¡°I have no qualms deceiving him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Haden said. ¡°Unfortunately, my aunt is a lousy liar.¡±


    ¡°K-Kiren has to do it,¡± Tommyn said. ¡°Anything else will undermine his c-claim to stay in the Guild.¡±


    ¡°Makes things a little more complicated,¡± Kiren sighed.


    ¡°We can think of something,¡± Haden said, offering Kiren an unsure clap on the arm. ¡°Magpie is likely to make his move under cover of darkness, so let¡¯s get someplace more comfortable and plan before then. I¡¯ll have Vendrig whip us up something nice and refreshing.¡±

 34. Plan of Attack

    34. Plan of Attack


    ¡°We have eight guards total stationed at the Estate,¡± Haden said, circling a diagram of the Estate that was pinned to the round table. ¡°They¡¯re good, strong lads, but most of them haven¡¯t seen a lick of real fighting. I think it¡¯s best to keep them out of it as much as possible and send them in to subdue Hyena and Snapjaw once we''ve worn them down.¡±


    They were in a spacious sitting room with tall windows and heavy curtains. There was a large pitcher of lightly sugared lemonade on the table, and a servant would come in every once in a while to replace it.


    ¡°Sounds fair,¡± Kiren said. ¡°We¡¯ll still need someone to patrol the grounds, though. No way we can keep an eye on this whole place on our own.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep four guards on watch throughout the night as usual,¡± Haden said with an affirmative nod, ¡°so that nothing appears suspicious. We could keep the other four in reserve somewhere in the Estate and call them out when we need them.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t be able to use Tommyn¡¯s Power, though,¡± Lace said. ¡°Last time, Magpie used his birds against him.¡±


    ¡°I c-could use larger animals,¡± Tommyn pointed out. ¡°There¡¯s p-plenty of stray cats in the city. I don¡¯t want to pu-put any more of my friends in danger, though. They can only o-observe and carry messages.¡±


    Kiren nodded. ¡°Fair enough. That should do plenty, as long as Haden and I can hold up our end. We¡¯ll serve as the front line, just like last time.¡±


    The two locked eyes.


    Kiren looked at Haden for a few long moments.


    ¡°We need to do better this time,¡± Haden said. ¡°We need to act like we¡¯re on the same team.¡±


    Kiren glanced over at Lace, who nodded enthusiastically, and he cleared his throat. ¡°I may¡­ have been a little rough on you. Sorry about that. I¡¯m ready to treat this like a team if you are.¡±


    Haden cracked a big smile. ¡°Been ready from the start. So, how do you want to split it?¡±


    ¡°My Power¡¯s better against Hyena, I¡¯m pretty sure,¡± Kiren said, stroking his chin. ¡°I can put up with those claws and teeth. You can¡¯t. He cut you up pretty bad last time.¡±


    ¡°True that,¡± Haden said with a nod. ¡°And you don¡¯t have the strength to go toe-to-toe with Snapjaw, so maybe we should swap.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡±


    ¡°I can keep Magpie busy,¡± Lace said. ¡°I¡¯ll use my wind to knock his projectiles off-track.¡±


    ¡°Good plan,¡± Haden said. ¡°Maybe¡ª¡±


    ¡°I want to take Magpie down,¡± Tommyn said firmly, without a hint of a stutter.


    Haden sighed deeply. He took a couple hard gulps of lemonade before answering. ¡°Tom, we¡¯ve talked about this. You can¡¯t just throw yourself into the thick of things like that. You don¡¯t have the¡ª¡±


    ¡°Experience?¡± Tommyn asked. His moss-green eyes were narrowed, dripping with cold intensity. ¡°I k-know that. And it doesn¡¯t matter. He k-k-k¡­¡± He trailed off and took a deep breath. ¡°He killed my friends. I can¡¯t forgive that.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not asking you to forgive him,¡± Lace said. She reached across the table and put a hand on his arm. ¡°We¡¯re just asking you to trust the rest of us in taking him down.¡±


    Tommyn lowered his head. ¡°W-What am I supposed to do, then? I feel useless.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get you a spear from the armory,¡± Haden said. ¡°You can poke at the Villains from a safe distance.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to treat me like a k-kid, you know,¡± Tommyn muttered. ¡°I know I¡¯m weak, okay? B-B-But I still want to fight.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not treating you like a kid,¡± Lace said. ¡°Since you don¡¯t have a Power that lets you take hits like Haden or Kiren, it¡¯s best for you to be cautious. One wrong move and you¡¯re out of the fight, which means the rest of us are at more of a disadvantage. Besides, your Power is the only good way we have of signaling the guards when we want them to rush in. We can¡¯t afford for you to get knocked out.¡±


    Tommyn nodded slowly. He didn¡¯t look satisfied, but he seemed to accept the decision.


    ¡°Now that we have all that figured out, where do we set up our ambush?¡± Lace asked. ¡°We can¡¯t just go chasing them around the whole Estate.¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°We could set up outside the vault, I guess, make sure nobody gets past us,¡± Kiren said.


    Haden shook his head. ¡°I think the ballroom is better. They¡¯d have to go through there to get to the vault anyway. It¡¯s got more room for me and Kiren to wail on Hyena and Snapjaw, and we can clear out everything in there so Magpie doesn¡¯t have anything to nab.¡±


    ¡°Besides, more space means I¡¯ll have more air to work with,¡± Lace pointed out. ¡°I like it.¡±


    Haden clapped his big hands together and stood. ¡°Then let¡¯s set everything up! We¡¯re hunting Villains tonight, everyone.¡±


    *****


    The Trodvis Winter Estate was surrounded by a field of winking stars upon the black blanket of night.


    Magpie approached the large building with confident steps, circling behind a line of trees that ran around the edge of the cobblestone yard. Judging by the handful windows that held any light, the Estate was just as lightly manned as his stakeouts had led him to believe.


    Hyena and Snapjaw, the two bumbling fools, sneaked furtively behind him. As furtive as two three-meter tall monsters could get, anyway.


    ¡°Y-You sure about this, boss?¡± Snapjaw asked, clutching his long, straight crowbar as he gazed up at the mansion. ¡°This seems like it could land us in an awful lot of trouble.¡±


    ¡°We already have the Heroes after us,¡± Hyena said. ¡°We don¡¯t wanna go back to Wailing Hill.¡±


    Magpie stopped and spun on his heel to face the two creatures.


    ¡°Once we get the gold inside that mansion there, you¡¯ll never have to worry about the Heroes¡¯ Guild ever again.¡± He hid his annoyance behind a mask of cool confidence. ¡°You could go to another province, or move away from Aribel entirely. Money is the best protection a man can have.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t lying. He planned to move to Skhior, himself. With the knowledge he had of Aribellan dealings, he could possibly get himself taken on as an advisor to the king.


    Of course, Hyena and Snapjaw weren¡¯t vital to the plan. He was fairly confident that if it came to that, he could pick open the vault door himself.


    But this method would be quicker, and it gave him certain¡­ assurances.


    Even if things went badly, he wasn¡¯t going to get caught tonight.


    ¡°I thought we were giving some of it back to the people,¡± Snapjaw said in a slow, dull voice.


    Magpie clenched his fists and swallowed a snide retort. ¡°Yes, well, there will be plenty to go around. Hurry up, now. The quicker we can do this, the better.¡±


    They snuck around the side of the building and reached the servant entrance, which Magpie had identified as the optimal entry point over the course of his many excursions to map out the place.


    A guard stood by the single door in a simple uniform, a lantern in one hand and a spear in the other. He squinted into the darkness, muttered something, and turned around to start walking towards the back.


    There were only four guards patrolling the premises, so the chances of running into another while taking down the first were slim.


    Magpie made a gesture at Hyena, who sprung forward on silent paw pads. He brandished a short wooden club in one hand, which they had wrapped in leather to make a makeshift baton.


    He approached the guard from behind, stalking along the stone wall. The man noticed the giant beast when he was right behind him and spun around with a yell, but before the guard had the time to ready his weapon Hyena brought down the baton over the side of his head.


    The guard fell backward and Hyena caught him with one big hand, slowly lowering him to the ground.


    ¡°Sorry about that, mate,¡± he whispered. ¡°You know how it is.¡±


    Hyena extinguished the guard¡¯s lantern and dragged the man behind a bush. In the meantime, Magpie sent Snapjaw to peek around the front and keep an eye out for more guards, while he himself approached the servant entrance.


    He got on one knee and took out his pouch of thieves¡¯ tools from a pocket stitched on the inside of his cloak. He began to pick the simple lock, feeling out the tumblers with his fine metal rods.


    Another guard came around the front but Snapjaw snatched him before he could call for help and choked him out, then deposited him next to the first.


    A stray cat watched them from atop a large tree branch, yawning as it peered down at them with the kind of bored contempt only cats could muster.


    Magpie got the door open in less than two minutes. He entered into a combined dressing and storage room for the servants, and Snapjaw handed him the second guard¡¯s lantern to shine the way as both the creatures squeezed in through the door.


    Things were going smoothly. They headed from the dressing area, through the kitchens, into a lounging room. From there, it was just the ballroom, then the vault itself.


    Magpie kept his improvised hook¡ªwhich he had had Snapjaw bend from a metal bar he had stolen from the blacksmith and then sharpened to a point¡ªwound around his right arm by a long bit of rope. It would make a decent weapon, if he needed it, and a good grappling hook in case he needed to make a quick escape.


    ¡°It¡¯s eery in here,¡± Hyena whispered as they passed through darkened hallways and shadowy rooms filled with black silhouettes.


    ¡°Shh!¡± Magpie hissed. ¡°No talking. You¡¯ll tip us off.¡±


    Hyena nodded and put a hand over his mouth.


    They entered the expansive ballroom, their feet echoing across the smooth floor. Faint moonlight trickled in through the tall windows on their left-hand side.


    Curiously, it was empty. Not a chair in sight¡ªjust empty floor space. Looking up, he could see the fitting where there had once hung a crystal chandelier.


    What is going on here¡­? Magpie thought.


    ¡°Uh oh,¡± Snapjaw said, stopping in his tracks. ¡°Is this part of the plan, boss?¡±


    Magpie looked down.


    Four indistinct shapes had lined up on the opposite side of the ballroom.


    ¡°No,¡± Magpie said. ¡°It appears we have some interference. Ready yourselves for a fight.¡±


    He began to unwind the hook from his arm.

 35. Rematch

    35. Rematch


    Kiren brandished his greatsword and discarded the scabbard to the side. He ran towards the Villains alongside Haden, the big man barrelling across the marble floor like a born sprinter. He found himself hard-pressed trying to keep up.


    The Villains were still reeling with surprise. Although, unlike last time, they were armed¡ªHyena with a baton, Snapjaw a straight crowbar of black iron, and Magpie a nasty-looking hook which he swung on the end of a rope.


    Just like they had agreed, Haden launched himself at Snapjaw, opening with a straight right. The massive turtle creature brought up his hand just in time, catching the blow and redirecting the force so that Haden was sent stumbling past.


    Kiren reached his own quarry and swallowed down a gulp of cold dread. The furry beast towering over him snarled with rage and launched into an attack. He swung his baton in a horizontal arc. Kiren ducked under the attack, but Hyena swept out with a low kick, using his long legs to his advantage.


    Kiren couldn¡¯t make enough distance, and the kick brought his legs out from under him. He fell on his back but kept a firm grip on his greatsword.


    ¡°Why do you keep coming back for more?¡± Hyena howled, readying for a stomp.


    Kiren rolled out of the way and jumped back on his feet. He took a step back and began building momentum with the greatsword, swinging it in a tight figure-eight pattern.


    Hyena went in to grab it, but the blade cut up his palm. He recoiled, snarling and showing sharp teeth.


    Kiren glanced over at Haden¡¯s direction, just as he ducked under one of Snapjaw¡¯s slow sweeps with his crowbar and delivered a devastating uppercut that sent the big turtle reeling.


    Kiren grinned.


    This isn¡¯t going so bad.


    Too late, he realized that Magpie had snuck around his left. He tried to adjust, but the black-cloaked man threw out his hook, flying quick as a striking snake.


    It sailed past him, but the rope suddenly went rigid, then coiled back up. The hook caught Kiren in the back of the leg, and Magpie gave it a good yank.


    Kiren fell with a curse.


    It was the Villain who was grinning, now.


    Lace came in with nimble steps, spinning a humming gale-staff between her hands. The invisible air jet coming out of its front tore open a large gash in Magpie¡¯s roomy cloak. She kicked him in the stomach, and while the thief was stumbling, she cut the rope to his hook.


    Kiren nodded in silent thanks, but Lace was already occupied with Magpie as the Villain returned for more.


    Kiren had his own problems.


    Hyena came in with an overhead baton strike, carrying enough force to crack open his skull. Kiren let go of his greatsword and tucked into a backward somersault which landed him back on his feet.


    The baton hit the floor where his head had just been and threw up a spray of stone chunks.


    Hyena struck once more and Kiren dodged towards him, slipping past his giant arm and in towards his chest. He yanked out the hook which had gotten tangled in his hose and used it as a raking weapon, managing to draw a bloody cut down Hyena¡¯s chest, right next to the ugly, vaguely rounded scar Hulda¡¯s spear had left on him.


    Hyena gritted his teeth, and desperation shone in his eyes.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to hurt anyone!¡± he said.


    He flailed with his baton, putting a wall of attacks between the two of them, but inadvertently leaving a big gap between his legs as he widened his stance. Kiren threw himself and slid between his, only narrowly avoiding a strike to the head. He jumped up on the other side and sank the hook deep into the lower part of Hyena¡¯s shoulder. Putting his entire weight into it, he drew a pained scream from the creature. He used the hook for a handhold and began to climb onto the creature.


    Hyena dropped his weapon and reached behind him, trying to pull Kiren off, but his hands grasped at air.


    ¡°No! I won¡¯t let you!¡± Snapjaw bellowed, voice echoing in the large hall.


    Kiren clambered onto Hyena¡¯s shoulders and wrapped his legs around the man¡¯s neck, ready to choke him out.


    He felt something grab a hold of his waist, and a moment later he was flung through the air with a sickening twist in his stomach.


    He landed hard, feeling one of his arms crack, and he slid a good distance on the slick floor.


    Snapjaw bounded after him, crowbar raised high.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you hurt my friend!¡± Snapjaw shouted, spittle flying.


    Kiren, too dazed to dodge, brought up his hands to block the blow.


    The crowbar shattered his arms with a heavy thunk, and he was thrown back against the floor.


    *****


    Lace kept her moves conservative against Magpie.


    They circled each other like a pair of wolves, each sizing up the other.


    ¡°How are those arms healing?¡± he asked with a nasty, yellow-toothed grin.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Lace struck with the gale-staff, and Magpie dodged away from it. She made an overhead swing, putting more air into the base of the staff this time. The air jet coming out the front lengthened, cutting a slash across Magpie¡¯s nose and cheek like an invisible blade.


    ¡°Better than your face,¡± Lace said with a smile.


    Magpie touched his cheek, and his fingers came away with blood. He made a bitter grimace.


    ¡°Your Guild has bigger problems than me,¡± he said. ¡°If you let me take this money, I¡¯ll be out of your hair forever. I¡¯ll even tell you a secret for free.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a storm coming. A bad one. That¡¯s why I¡¯m leaving the city, along with every other bastard who has half a brain. The facade Paragon has put up will come crumbling down any day now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lace asked with a snort. ¡°Peace? Justice? That¡¯s all going to crumble? Not while Aribel¡¯s got Heroes to protect it!¡±


    She went in with another swipe and Magpie jumped out of the way, giving her staff a wider berth this time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a no,¡± Magpie said. ¡°Well, suit yourself.¡±


    Out of the corner of her eye, Lace saw Kiren being thrown through the air. Almost as soon as he had landed, Snapjaw came after him. He tried to block, but the turtle man crushed his arms with that crowbar.


    Lace cried out and made to go towards him.


    A piece of glinting metal zipped past her face. It halted suddenly in the air in front of her and rebounded, flying straight into her stomach.


    She screwed her eyes shut as a wave of nauseating pain came over her. Her trembling hands closed around the grip of a knife, slick with blood spilling out of the hole it had punched into the metal plates of her brigandine.


    ¡°You¡¯re out of your league, kiddo,¡± Magpie said, his footsteps echoing behind her. ¡°Call yourselves Heroes all you like, but I¡¯m the hero of the Slog! And I will not be bested by imperialist scum like you.¡±


    Lace looked back. It was all she could do to keep her shaky legs from buckling.


    Magpie came towards her, holding a slender knife in each hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s over kiddo. Admit that, so I don¡¯t have to finish you off. That¡¯d look bad on me, y¡¯know? People don¡¯t like a killer.¡±


    Tommyn was coming up behind him with silent steps, spear pointed at the Villain.


    Lace grinned.


    Tommyn, you beautiful man.


    ¡°Brave until the end, huh?¡± Magpie asked. ¡°I like that. You¡¯re a showman, just like me. If things had panned out different, we might¡¯ve been¡ª¡±


    Lace¡¯s eyes flared wide. She threw her arms up, ignoring the wrenching pain wracking her midsection, and with a yell, she let fly the wind that ached to be released.


    Magpie flew back, feet sliding across the stone. He put his arms up and almost managed to regain his footing when Tommyn sank the tip of his spear into the man¡¯s right side.


    He squealed and jumped to the left, the blade slipping out of his flesh. He discarded one of his knives and clutched his injured side. He threw the other at Tommyn, the slender blade flipping through the air.


    Tommyn scrambled out of the way, but the knife circled back around and caught him in the forearm on the rebound¡ªbelow where the chainmail ended¡ªslicing open skin and muscle before returning to Magpie¡¯s hand.


    Lace tried to conjure up another blast of wind, but her Power wouldn¡¯t obey. Neither would her body. The gale-staff slipped out of her hand, making a loud twang as it hit the floor, and she fell to her knees.


    ¡°Damn it all,¡± Magpie hissed. ¡°Just one last job. Why can it never be easy with you people, huh?¡±


    He pulled a small glass vial out of his cloak. He smashed it on the ground, and a large cloud of red smoke filled the air around him, completely obscuring his features.


    The smoke vial he stole from me, Lace realized.


    When the smoke cleared, Magpie was already halfway across the room. He staggered, clutching his side, towards the end of the ballroom.


    Towards the vault.


    *****


    Kiren crawled away on his back, pushing himself with his legs while his arms dragged uselessly on the ground.


    Snapjaw lumbered after him, crowbar raised in both hands.


    ¡°I thought you were our friend!¡± he shouted. ¡°You were our friend, and you hurt him!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice,¡± Kiren said.


    Snapjaw¡¯s stiff face contorted with rage. ¡°Liar.¡±


    Haden bundled into his side full force, digging his head into the creature¡¯s ribs and knocking them both to the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got you, buddy!¡± Haden said. He cracked a blow across Snapjaw¡¯s face, whose head went lolling.


    Kiren flopped onto his stomach, teeth gritted against the splinters of red-hot agony radiating through his arms. One tiny movement at a time, he managed to get on his knees, then stood on wobbly feet.


    As seconds passed, his arms began to mend themselves. The bones drifted back together in his body and the bruises faded before they had fully formed.


    He looked over and saw Lace on the floor, a knife sunk deep into her body.


    Kiren ran over to her and slid to his knees next to her. She looked up at him, eyelids almost flickering shut, and gave him a dazed smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± she said. ¡°Get Magpie. He¡¯s going for¡­ the vault.¡±


    She looked pale.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to stay with you and make sure you¡¯re okay,¡± Kiren said firmly. ¡°I won¡¯t let them get to you.¡±


    He clutched her to his chest, soaking his shirt through with blood.


    He looked up quickly to survey the situation. Haden still had Snapjaw on the ground, the two wrestling for control as they traded blows. Hyena had managed to dislodge the hook from his shoulders and was panting on his hands and knees.


    ¡°Kiren, you s-should go,¡± Tommyn said. ¡°S-Someone has to make sure Magpie doesn¡¯t get into the vault, and your Po-Power is best suited for taking him on. Haden and I will keep Lace safe until help arrives. I promise. I¡¯ve already sent for the g-guards.¡±


    Kiren hesitated.


    Magpie wasn¡¯t his mission. As long as Hyena and Snapjaw were subdued, he would keep his position at the Lodge. His first priority was making sure Lace was safe, though.


    ¡°Please,¡± Tommyn pleaded. Cats began to leap down from the rafters and spring out of open doorways, crowding around the green-haired man. ¡°T-There¡¯s not much time. If he has some other way of cracking open the vault, then¡­ H-Haden will be blamed if the fortune is lost.¡±


    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t going to use your little animal friends,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡± Tommyn murmured. ¡°I guess I realized th-this is an ¡®everyone together¡¯ kinda thing.¡±


    Hyena got on his feet and shambled towards Kiren and the others. His teeth were bared in a vicious snarl, eyes narrowed to slits.


    A pair of strays stalked around the side of the ballroom. They leapt onto the furry behemoth from behind, clawing up his back. While he tried to get them off, dancing around like a fool, three more latched onto his front and climbed up his legs.


    ¡°Go,¡± Lace said, nodding firmly.


    Kiren¡¯s stomach flipped end over end.


    Stay or leave?


    He looked over at Haden, who was still fighting Snapjaw. Having gained the upper hand, he pummeled the turtle with punch after punch.


    Oh, fuck it.


    Kiren stood.


    He cast one final glance at Lace before taking off towards the end of the ballroom.


    I¡¯ll kill those two if anything happens to her.

 36. Gold Fever

    36. Gold Fever


    Magpie got on his knees in front of the solid vault door with a groan.


    He didn¡¯t bother getting his tools out. He could tell just by a glance that these locks were too complex to crack in time with lockpicks alone.


    Instead, he settled on a different approach.


    ¡°Fucking Heroes, mucking everything up,¡± he muttered to himself.


    He put his face close to the left-hand lock and closed his eyes. Moving his right hand above his head, he was able to get the tiniest, faintest trace of the tumblers inside. By placing his hand at different angles, he was able to use his Power of Stealing to move the tumblers up. When he heard a small click, he knew it was time to move on to the next one.


    The lock had a multitude of tumblers. They were sensitive, too. It would take time to crack.


    This was why he would have preferred simply breaking the vault open. He didn¡¯t have the time to mess around.


    The blood loss wasn¡¯t making things any better. Time distorted, and his skin felt cold and clammy. He struggled to stay focused on the task at hand.


    He couldn¡¯t tell if he had spent seconds or minutes working on the first lock when it clicked open. He sat back on his heels, let out a shaky breath, and wiped cold sweat from his brow.


    Okay. Only one left.


    I can do this.


    He had only just gotten one or two tumblers into the second lock when he heard footsteps in the hall behind him.


    More interference.


    Great.


    He didn¡¯t move immediately. It would only tip off the intruder. Instead, he opened his eyes and let his left hand slowly drift into his cloak, withdrawing the final spare knife.


    The footsteps drew closer.


    Magpie waited until they were almost at him.


    He spun around and let the knife fly with a practiced flick.


    It struck home in the chest of the lean, black-haired Hero. He stumbled back and coughed blood.


    ¡°Heroes will always be the same,¡± Magpie said. He slipped in a puddle of his own blood, but caught himself against the wall and managed to stand. ¡°So predictable.¡±


    He Stole the knife back with a flick of his hand. It drifted through the air, flipping lazily, and landed in his palm, ready to be thrown once more.


    The Hero staggered, caught himself, and wiped the blood off his mouth. His breaths came in ragged wheezes. Yet, strangely, they were quickly returning to normal.


    ¡°That all you got?¡± he asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t know your attacks were gonna be as weak as your monologues.¡±


    Magpie growled. ¡°Fine, then. If you remain unimpressed, I will show you my true power.¡±


    He flicked his cloak, sending out a fan of feathers that slowly drifted to the ground all around himself and the Hero. He raised both of his hands and Stole every feather behind the Hero all at once. They flew into the air like tiny arrows and buried themselves into the man¡¯s back, the edges quivering.


    The Hero stumbled, stuck through with nearly a dozen sharpened points.


    He grinned, lip quivering.


    ¡°I can take more. Is that all?¡±


    He reached back and pulled out the feathers, one by one, snapping them in half before discarding them. His hands were slick with blood, but his chest wound no longer seemed to be bothering him, even though Magpie was almost certain he had pierced a lung with that knife.


    Magpie spread his hands and pulled in feathers from the sides, riddling through the man¡¯s arms and shoulders.


    Once again, he repeated the process of pulling out the feathers and snapping them. He fell down on one knee but kept himself upright with obvious effort.


    It¡¯s okay, Magpie thought to himself. He¡¯s going down. It will just require some¡­ persistence.


    ¡°So, you can take a hit,¡± Magpie said, slowly approaching the Hero. ¡°That¡¯s neat. A commendable effort, to be sure. However, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that I will slit your throat and watch you bleed out.¡±


    He hurled the knife, hit the man in the throat, and he pitched over on his back, gurgling on his own blood.


    Magpie turned with a scoff and got down on his knees to finish the final lock. Every so often, he turned back to make sure the Hero was still incapacitated and found him feebly writhing on the floor.


    After a few minutes of trial and error, he finally got the lock open, and he was able to push the vault door inward.


    He was met with the sight of piles upon piles of neatly stacked silver and gold coins.


    A wide grin spread across his face. He hurried inside and took off his cloak. He began scooping coins into it by the armful.


    He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to himself.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Finally, he was getting what he deserved.


    *****


    Kiren dislodged the knife from his throat and tossed it aside.


    He tried to curse, but the hot blood bubbling up his throat made it impossible to make any noise apart from a choked wheeze. He couldn¡¯t even breathe.


    He flipped around on his stomach and retched. He spat as much blood as he could while his throat healed up. He focused all of his energy on the Power inside him, on making the new flesh bristle with added strength.


    Magpie had already gotten the vault open. Kiren could hear him inside, cackling away with the clinking of coins.


    He thought he had won.


    He thought Kiren was defeated.


    He was wrong.


    Kiren got to his feet, spat, and was finally able to suck in a fresh breath of air.


    I¡¯m just getting started.


    His throat was soon completely healed, patched over with a rough, leathery hide. He walked into the vault, where Magpie stood on his knees, desperately scraping gold and silver into his cloak.


    The pock-faced man looked back and bared yellow teeth.


    ¡°You again?¡± he asked. ¡°You really don¡¯t know when to quit, do you?¡±


    Kiren grinned, rubbing the itchy skin around his throat. ¡°Nope.¡± He walked closer to Magpie, who shuffled away towards the back wall. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ll come quietly, will you?¡±


    Magpie grinned too, but there was no joy in his features. ¡°No chance of that, I¡¯m afraid. It seems you are able to heal on your own. You¡¯re clearly not impervious to damage, however.¡±


    ¡°How astute of you,¡± Kiren said. He cracked his knuckles as Magpie stumbled to his feet and pushed himself against the back wall. ¡°Maybe you can watch my healing up close when I break my knuckles on your ugly face.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Magpie said. ¡°Or maybe I¡¯ll just riddle you through so bad they¡¯ll need a mop to get you off the floor.¡± He raised his hands to his sides. His grin widened, and this time they brimmed with grim, diabolical pleasure. ¡°You just entered a kill box, kiddo. All the ammunition I could ever need.¡±


    Several sharp thuds to his back made Kiren stagger forward. He looked back and saw dozens of coins be pulled through the air.


    Each one hit him with dizzying speed, causing him to jerk with a flare of pain. A few sank into his flesh and remained embedded there.


    The pain, however, was temporary. Kiren let himself go down on one knee and shut his eyes as he focused on speeding up his regeneration. His Power was slowing down, but he could only hope it would be enough.


    The skin of his back was already hardened from those feathers Magpie had shot into him. Now, as Magpie paraded around him and shot coins into him from all angles, the rest of his torso became overgrown with tough, chitinous scales. That, as well as the coins already stuck in his skin, formed a natural defense.


    Every time he had mutated, from the Beast encounter outside Winewater Village, to the fight with Evangel, to his duel with Lace, Good Doctor had removed it with expert precision.


    Every time, it grew back stronger.


    A coin caught him in the chin and made him fall backward. It tore open his left cheek and knocked out a handful of teeth. He cursed and drooled and bled all over himself as he worked back up on his knees.


    Kiren¡¯s cheek grew back with hard, fibrous muscles and coarse hide. New teeth slowly, agonizingly sprouted from his bloody gums. They were sharp, like a wolf¡¯s, digging into his top lip.


    He stood, and Magpie began to back away. He sent another spray of coins that bounced off Kiren¡¯s back with only a few numb stings.


    ¡°Kill box, you say?¡± Kiren asked, his voice hoarse and rough from the damage that had been done to his throat. ¡°Maybe. But not for me.¡±


    He approached Magpie with slow, forced steps. More coins bounced off of him.


    Magpie limped around Kiren, one hand on his side, and made to flee out of the open door. Kiren caught him by his billowing tunic and hauled him back inside, throwing him on the ground.


    Kiren straddled the older man and cracked him once across the face. His nose bent and rushed with blood, and he squealed as he tried to push Kiren off of himself.


    There was no chance of that, however. Kiren was stronger, the effect compounded by the volatile mutations that pulled at his quivering muscles.


    ¡°Yield!¡± Magpie squealed. ¡°I yield! Let me go and we can split the money! You¡¯d be rich!¡±


    Kiren scoffed. ¡°Some hero of the people you are. Enjoy prison.¡±


    He punched Magpie over and over until he was a spluttering, pitiful mess.


    ¡°N-No more¡­¡± he begged. ¡°No more, please¡­¡±


    Kiren gave him one last elbow to the head for good measure, knocking him out cold.


    He rose, world swaying, and dragged the man by the collar of his tunic back out of the vault.


    He grinned, and the sharp teeth on the left side of his mouth scraped painfully against his lip.


    That¡¯s one less bastard in the world.


    *****


    Haden tied up the big, furry beast with a sturdy rope while the four guards struggled to hold him down. Once he was done, they dragged him over to Snapjaw, who sat on the floor wobbling to and fro, staring into the ground. His beaked mouth had a crack in it, and one of his eyes had swelled up terribly.


    ¡°Excellent work, milord,¡± one of the guards said. ¡°Sorry we couldn¡¯t be of more help.¡±


    Haden waved the man away with a smile and a nod.


    He still wasn¡¯t done.


    He began to walk towards the other end of the ballroom.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Hyena called. ¡°Wait, please!¡±


    Haden looked back at the beast.


    ¡°Take us away, if you must. But¡­ could we ask for one bit of mercy?¡±


    Haden nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll hear you out. Just make it quick.¡±


    ¡°Could we have cells next to each other? In Wailing Hill. Snapjaw gets awful ¡®fraid when he¡¯s on his own. He doesn¡¯t like the dark.¡±


    Haden didn¡¯t have the authority to grant that request.


    He nodded anyway. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±


    Hyena visibly relaxed.


    Haden kept walking. It had been a while since they¡¯d sent Kiren in there.


    What if Magpie got the better of him? I thought he could defeat him, but perhaps¡­


    No sooner had he finished that thought, than Kiren appeared in the doorway at the end of the ballroom. He limped towards Haden, dragging a limp body behind him.


    As Haden drew closer, he was repulsed by what he saw.


    Kiren looked absolutely monstrous. Half his face was torn open and replaced with scaly hide, his eye bloodshot, his teeth sharpened to points.


    His shirt had been shredded, and through it showed mangled, lumpy, mutated flesh, rough and hard.


    Kiren teetered, letting go of the body, and struggled to stay upright.


    ¡°Is Lace alright?¡± he asked, fixing Haden with an intense stare.


    ¡°She¡¯s okay,¡± Haden said. ¡°Vendrig is taking a look at her. He managed to halt the bleeding. I had one of the guards head over to the Lodge to call Good Doctor, so she¡¯ll have treatment soon.¡±


    Kiren nodded. ¡°Good.¡±


    He stumbled.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Then he fell forward, blacked out by the time he hit the ground.

 37. Ugly

    37. Ugly


    Lace had an anxious, feverish night.


    She was in and out of consciousness for a lot of it, with little perception of where she was. She was plagued by terrible dreams. Ender was in most of them.


    Then, at some point, she felt a comfortable, steady warmth against her. Her dreams stilled, and she didn¡¯t stir after that.


    When she awoke, the morning light was streaming in through a window. She tried to sit up, discovered a sharp pain in her stomach, and let herself slump back onto a pillow with a low groan.


    She was in the House of Healing, wrestling with clean sheets, in a clean bed.


    Mina peeked in through the door, grinned, and popped back out. A few minutes later, Good Doctor came.


    ¡°Ah,¡± the Hero said, shrugging into her white coat. ¡°I see you¡¯re feeling a little perkier.¡±


    Lace tried to speak but found her voice strangled, throat dry as a desert. Good Doctor offered her water, and she drank several glasses until her thirst was quenched.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said with a contented sigh.


    Suddenly, she remembered what had transpired the night before.


    ¡°Is everyone alright?¡± Lace asked. ¡°Hyena and Snapjaw¡­ were they captured?¡±


    ¡°Slow down, daughter mine,¡± Good Doctor said. She approached the bed and placed a soft hand on Lace¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me how you did it, because, by the Creator, I do not know, but all three Villains were subdued and taken in.¡±


    ¡°What about my friends?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re just fine. A little banged up, but nothing my Power couldn¡¯t fix. Kiren was the worst of them, but you know how he is. He¡¯ll bounce back from anything.¡±


    Lace relaxed. ¡°Oh, thank the Creator. Where is Kiren? Could I speak to him?¡±


    Good Doctor glanced away. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not certain. He left his room some time ago. He was rather upset.¡±


    ¡°Upset?¡± Lace frowned. ¡°Why is that? If we caught the Villains, then¡­¡±


    Good Doctor pursed her lips. ¡°As I mentioned, he sustained severe damage during the fight. I did my best to remove the affected tissue, but¡­¡± She paused, making a vague gesture with her hands. ¡°It keeps regrowing. I can¡¯t provoke any clean tissue regeneration.¡±


    Lace wasn¡¯t entirely sure what she meant.


    ¡°I need to see him,¡± she said. ¡°Can you help me get out of bed?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, dear,¡± Good Doctor said. Her grip on Lace¡¯s shoulder tightened. ¡°You must stay here until you¡¯ve recovered. I won¡¯t let you pull a Kiren on me. Or a Jorge, for that matter.¡±


    Lace sighed and chose not to struggle. She was too weak to get out of bed on her own, anyway.


    She could only wait.


    Wait and worry.


    *****


    ¡°So? Tell me you can do something about this, doc.¡±


    Kiren looked pleadingly up at the plump woman.


    Kit, now wearing a badge of the Heroes¡¯ Guild on her breast, slowly shook her head. She prodded his numb, brown-ish skin, thumbed the dark scales.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything quite like this,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to say.¡±


    ¡°Just say you can fix me,¡± Kiren growled.


    Good Doctor had removed all of the mutated flesh from his body. She¡¯d pulled out his sharpened teeth, and the new ones had grown in normal. But some of his skin and muscle seemed reluctant to return to its normal shape and function. No matter how many times Good Doctor cut it away, it grew back rough, hardened, and ugly.


    Like a Beast.


    Like Father.


    Kiren refused to entertain the idea that this might be permanent, or that it could get worse the more he used his Powers. These thoughts dwelled in the back of his mind, however, and they scared him.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think I can reverse this,¡± Kit said. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry. This isn¡¯t some foreign infection or disease. It¡¯s your tissue. It¡¯s not damaged or unhealthy, as far as I can tell, it simply looks and feels different. As such, my Power will have no effect.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Kiren slammed his fist down on the small table next to him. It toppled over and sent instruments flying.


    Kit took a step back from him and gaped at the scattered doctor¡¯s tools.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kiren said. He forced himself to unclench his fist.


    How could Lace ever feel anything but disgust for me now?


    ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± he said, looking Kit in the eye, ¡°do you think you could try? Just in case?¡±


    ¡°Sure, Kiren,¡± she said, with a bad attempt at a reassuring smile.


    She righted the table and gathered up her instruments, then pulled a second chair close. She brought a large, potted plant into her lap, placing one hand on its stem and the other on Kiren¡¯s mutated shoulder.


    The plant began to wither.


    Kiren¡¯s shoulder remained unaffected.


    Kit continued until the plant was completely brown, having slumped over the side of the pot. She sighed and put the pot aside, then rubbed his shoulder gently.


    There was no difference.


    ¡°Like I said,¡± Kit said, ¡°there¡¯s technically nothing to heal. If operating hasn¡¯t been successful, I¡¯m sorry to say, this is your body now.¡±


    Kiren stood up. ¡°I understand. Thanks for your time, I guess.¡±


    He made to walk out.


    ¡°Wait! Before you go¡­¡±


    Kiren looked back. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to report something. To your Guild, that is.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°A couple weeks ago, before all this, some men came around the clinic. They were sort of plain-looking, but they spoke proper and everything, like noble folk. Didn¡¯t need treatment, but they asked a lot of questions about my business. About¡­ my Power.¡±


    ¡°Could¡¯ve been the Thieves¡¯ Guild,¡± Kiren said. ¡°You¡¯ve been associated with them before, through your brother, right?¡±


    Kit shook her head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t them. The way they spoke, it was¡­ different.¡±


    ¡°Well, what did they want?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Once they¡¯d asked their questions, they just left. They didn¡¯t threaten me, but the way they carried themselves made me feel unsafe.¡±


    ¡°Well, if they didn¡¯t hurt you, and you don¡¯t know who they were, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much I can do about it.¡±


    Kiren was in no mood to be hunting down some dead-end job.


    ¡°Y-Yes, of course,¡± Kit said, looking down. ¡°How silly of me. I¡¯ll let you get on with it, then.¡±


    Kiren nodded.


    He walked out of the clinic, his mind even darker than when he had entered.


    *****


    Lace walked into her room.


    Her stomach still felt tight, but another day of Good Doctor¡¯s aid had all but completely smoothed out the knife wound.


    Kiren sat on the edge of his bed, whittling a wooden figurine. He let the wood chips fall into a bucket between his legs.


    The left side of his face was covered in coarse, thick skin, like faded scarring. On top were sets of mismatched scales, running down his cheek and over his throat. His left eye was bloodshot, the corner of his eye dragged abnormally long.


    He was bare-chested, with only a bandage tightened over one side of his chest. His torso was similarly adorned with lumpy, leathery scar tissue, the scales growing larger into chitinous plates.


    Kiren turned away his face when he saw her and placed the unfinished figurine in his trunk.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he said. ¡°Doing better?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lace said. She touched her stomach and got a brief jolt of pain that made her wince. ¡°Relatively speaking.¡±


    He ran a hand through his matte black hair, looking firmly at the floor. ¡°They¡¯re holding a public sentencing for Hyena and Snapjaw tomorrow. A lot of people are bound to show, considering what people think of them in the Slog.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t come when I woke up.¡± She took a step closer to the bed, then another.


    Kiren shrugged. ¡°Yeah, well¡­ I got bored. I¡¯ve got better things to do than watch you sleep.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what Good Doctor told me.¡±


    Kiren twitched. ¡°She¡¯s just some old bitch. What does she know?¡±


    Lace sat down on the bed next to him and wrapped an arm around his wide shoulders. His rough skin was warm against hers.


    ¡°She told me you stayed up all night. Kept me company.¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer.


    She could feel the repressed power that rested within him.


    Whatever had happened to his body, he was just as strong as ever.


    Maybe stronger.


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t care about this, right?¡± Lace said, letting her fingers trace a patch of scaly skin around his right trapezius.


    Kiren scoffed. ¡°Yeah, right.¡±


    ¡°I mean it.¡±


    Kiren looked up at her, his dark eyes large and pleading. The left side of his face was pulled into a predatory snarl. The lip ran all the way to the corner of his cheek and twitched every few seconds.


    ¡°How could you mean that?¡± he asked. ¡°Sage was right. I¡¯m becoming a monster. Good Doctor can¡¯t remove it anymore. It¡¯ll continue to spread, and soon¡­¡±He sighed, shoulders drooping. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to recognize myself.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Lace said. She pulled him a bit closer, squeezing herself against his arm. ¡°You¡¯re you, and that¡¯s not going to change. Whatever¡¯s happening right now, it¡¯s only skin deep.¡±


    She leaned in and kissed his hardened left cheek. His lip twitched, but he didn¡¯t pull away.


    ¡°You¡¯ve always been a little crazy. A little rough. That¡¯s what I like about you. At least it shows on the outside, now.¡±


    Kiren cracked a smile. Just a small one, but it was there.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll scare children looking like this?¡± he asked.


    Lace smiled back. ¡°They¡¯ll run away screaming.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Awesome.¡±


    Lace released her grip of Kiren and stood up. She faced him, holding her hands on her hips. ¡°Hey, we just finished our first real job on our own. I figure that deserves some celebration. We could take Haden and Tommyn and go for a drink. I know a good place not too far from here.¡±


    Kiren jumped to his feet, grinning, and brushed some bits of wood off his hose.


    ¡°That¡¯s a plan I can get behind.¡±

 38. Night Out

    38. Night Out


    ¡°...So then Counter comes out of the house, soot all up his arms, eyebrows burnt clean off, and do you know what he says?¡± Haden said in a raised voice. He took a big gulp from his tankard as he gestured vigorously for the others to respond with his free hand.


    ¡°What did he say?¡± Lace asked.


    He affected Counter¡¯s mirthless baritone. ¡°¡®Turns out the Villain had a fire-based Power after all.¡¯¡±


    Haden burst out laughing, thumping the table so cups and plates were flying. He laughed until snot came out of his nose. Tommyn chuckled along with him, hand over his mouth.


    Lace gave a polite giggle and glanced over at Kiren, who simply shrugged and returned to his drink.


    The Golden Lion was bustling this evening, with over two-dozen patrons conversing at the tables. Warm firelight filled the place with a homely glow. Jen and Avon¡¯s niece were busy handing out drinks and food, while the innkeeper himself stood behind the bar and told stories with grand gestures to a few rapt listeners.


    It felt good to be back.


    It had been too long.


    To think that only a couple short months ago, Lace had been the one serving drinks and wiping tables.


    Haden eventually calmed himself down and wiped tears from his eyes. ¡°Oh, my lord. Yeah, Counter can be funnier than he seems sometimes.¡±


    ¡°I can tell,¡± Lace said. She leaned forward over the table. ¡°Let''s hear about you two, though. We¡¯ve heard about your exploits as Counter¡¯s apprentices, but what about before that? What made you both want to join up with the Heroes¡¯ Guild?¡±


    ¡°Mm, good question,¡± Haden said, raising his tankard and pointing his index finger at Lace. He looked over at Tommyn. ¡°What do you say, Tom? Want me to go first?¡±


    Tommyn bit his lip and nodded.


    ¡°Alright, then.¡± Haden cleared his throat. ¡°As you all know, I¡¯m a Trodvis. Seventeenth son of such-and-such.¡± He waved his hand nonchalantly. ¡°I inherited my family¡¯s Power. The Trodvis strength.¡± He flexed his right arm, causing his bulging bicep to strain against the sleeve of his shirt. ¡°Someday, they¡¯ll call me Lord Trodvis.


    ¡°Now, we Trodvis don¡¯t rule by sitting in big chairs and pointing pedicured fingers. Not like the Ludenhaas do. Back in the day, when we were a royal house, we used to come down and resolve the disputes of our people in person. It is a tradition we have kept up over the generations.


    ¡°So when Mara, my aunt, suggested I come to Goldbrand and learn what it means to be a Hero, my father jumped at the chance.¡±


    Haden seemed to lose some of his enthusiasm and nursed his drink for a few moments as he looked out of a window behind Lace.


    ¡°A lord, huh?¡± Kiren said. He scoffed. ¡°Must be nice.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess so,¡± Haden said with a light sigh. ¡°Feels like a shackle around the neck sometimes, though.¡± He tried to smile, but it ended up a bitter grimace.


    Tommyn rubbed Haden¡¯s big arm, and he quickly returned to his happy, bubbly self.


    ¡°What about you, Tommyn?¡± Lace asked. ¡°How come you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°I-I-I don¡¯t really seem like the Hero type, do I?¡± Tommyn asked with a shy smile. He sipped from a glass of wine. ¡°Truth-f-fully, it wasn¡¯t my first choice. Like Haden, I am my father¡¯s heir. He is a spice merchant working out of Goldbrand and a few o-other cities.¡±


    Tommyn reached inside his messy mop of hair and pulled out a mouse, which he slid up his sleeve.


    ¡°My father was never too fond of me. I-I¡¯m too weak to inherit the family, he says. So he sent me here, in the hopes that I¡¯ll get stronger. I¡¯m n-not to return until I¡¯ve become a Hero.¡±


    He shrugged and placed his chin against the tabletop. ¡°I ju-just hope I¡¯ll make him p-proud.¡±


    Kiren sat up straight for the first time in the evening and thumped the palm of his hand on the table. ¡°Fuck your dads!¡±


    Haden and Tommyn exchanged an incredulous look.


    ¡°I mean it,¡± Kiren said. ¡°They¡¯re trying to control you.¡± He unbuttoned his shirt and pointed to the myriad of scars on his midsection, those not already covered by the patchy mutations. A few of the inn¡¯s patrons gasped, but he seemed too drunk to care. ¡°I¡¯ve been on the other end of that kind of control. So fuck ¡®em. They didn¡¯t realize that when they sent you here, but they set you free. As Heroes, you¡¯ll have the power to take charge of your own destinies.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± Tommyn said. ¡°T-That¡¯s actually kinda¡­¡±


    ¡°Nice,¡± Haden finished.


    Kiren swayed for a moment, then his cheeks bulged out. He held up an empty tankard to his mouth and hurled. He put it down once he was done, sighed with relief, and wiped chunky vomit from his lips.


    Haden laughed, and Kiren gave a thumbs up.


    Jen came over with an empty tray under her arm, smiling warmly at the apprentices.


    ¡°So nice to have you back, Lace,¡± she said with a wink. ¡°Feels like ages since we had you here.¡± She nodded towards Kiren. ¡°Your friend there drink a little too much?¡±


    Lace giggled and stroked Kiren¡¯s head as he struggled to recover. ¡°He has. Don¡¯t worry, though, he¡¯ll sober up in a couple minutes. Hero stuff, y¡¯know.¡±


    Jen smiled. ¡°Right. Hero stuff. Anyway, you guys want refills?¡±


    Everyone voiced an affirmative. Jen picked up all the empty tankards, grimaced when she took the one with Kiren¡¯s vomit in it, and made her way back over to the bar. She returned a minute later with fresh mead.


    Kiren raised his tankard, having already perked up a bit. ¡°To shitty dads.¡±


    Haden and Tommyn hesitated, then raised theirs. ¡°To shitty dads,¡± they said in tandem.


    ¡°To Dad,¡± Lace murmured, holding up her tankard.


    They drank, and Kiren wiped a bit of mead that leaked out of his elongated lip on the left side of his face.


    ¡°Now, I don¡¯t know what you guys are thinking,¡± Haden said. ¡°But I think the responsible thing to do is head back to the Lodge. It¡¯s going to be an early morning, as usual.¡±


    Almost as if to specifically contradict him, Avon called from the bar. ¡°Oh, Lace!¡± He waved with one hand, stroking his sparse mustache with the other. ¡°Do you think you could show off your Powers a little bit? My patrons are awfully curious to see you Heroes in action.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Lace said, rubbing the back of her neck. ¡°It¡¯s getting pretty late.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s money in it for you,¡± Avon said. He took a couple coppers out of his pocket and rubbed them together. ¡°Judging by the tab you¡¯ve racked up tonight, you may just need it.¡±


    Lace felt herself go pale. She dug around in her hose but found only two coppers and some lint.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do it!¡± Kiren called. He raised his tankard high so that some spilled over his arm.


    There was a collected cheer from the patrons.


    Tommyn let his head slump between his shoulders, while Haden stood with a broad grin, all thoughts of an early evening clearly forgotten.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    *****


    Kiren struggled up the steps, Lace in tow.


    She¡¯d had a little too much to drink, and now she was slurring and stumbling everywhere. Haden was in a similar state, so rather than having to drag them both back to the Lodge in the middle of the night, the innkeeper¡ªwho was supposedly Lace¡¯s old boss¡ªhad offered to let them stay in two of the rooms overnight for free.


    Kiren, unfortunately, was fully sober as he took the last step onto the second floor and pulled Lace along with him.


    The place was dark, lit only with a candle here or there set into holders on the walls. All the doors along the narrow hall were closed apart from two on the end. He headed for those.


    He got Lace into one of the rooms, while Haden and Tommyn took the other. Kiren didn¡¯t know how he did it, but somehow, the little man managed to get Haden on the bed, where he sprawled out to take up the whole thing, already snoring when head hit pillow.


    Kiren got Lace in bed, too. She was floppy and difficult and bitey, but he managed it with a bit of elbow grease. She finally settled onto the down mattress and he tucked her into the covers.


    He watched her fall asleep and decided to sit up for a little while to make sure she would be okay. He had seen more than one vagrant in the Slog dead from choking on his own vomit in his sleep.


    He got the candle from the nightstand in the darkened room and lit it on one of the ones in the hall, giving the room some sparse light, then pulled out a chair and sat.


    With no one else to hold his attention, his good mood quickly faded.


    Kiren felt his scars flare up with old pain. It was one of those nights where Father lingered in his mind.


    In one way, it was a good thing, not having to sleep. At least, that meant he didn¡¯t have to see him in his dreams.


    He was always there.


    Always watching.


    Always laughing.


    Kiren clenched his fists.


    Someday, Ripper. It¡¯ll be you and me.


    When that happens, I¡¯ll be the one giving you nightmares.


    His head slumped against the backrest of the chair. Shadows stirred in the corners of the room, indistinct faces forming and merging with the blackness.


    So tired¡­


    One face was distinct. It showed itself over and over, stuck in a silent scream, features contorted in terror.


    Mother.


    Kiren shielded his face. He didn¡¯t want her to see him like this.


    Like him.


    ¡°My little Bean,¡± she whispered in his ear. The shadows roiled around his feet like an onrushing tide. Her voice was cold and distant. ¡°Such a disappointment you are. Always a child. Never strong enough to do what has to be done.¡±


    Her voice changed, becoming fearful. ¡°Kiren, please! Save me!¡±


    Her face merged with her body, and she stepped out of the shadows. She slowly walked closer to him, her expressions changing every second, face contorting into unnatural positions.


    She leaned in close to him and whispered:


    ¡°Save her.¡±


    Kiren started awake.


    He sat upright in his chair and almost fell out of it in the process. It took him a moment to reorient himself.


    The candle had burnt down to a nub.


    Lace thrashed and screamed in the bed. She wailed in her sleep and thrust her limbs in a single direction as if trying to push something away.


    Kiren hurried over to her, unsure what to do. He got on one knee by the bed and tentatively raised one hand to her warm cheek.


    ¡°Lace,¡± he said. ¡°Lace, wake up. It¡¯s a dream. Only a dream.¡±


    There was no change.


    He tapped her on the cheek, and that seemed to rouse her. Her body stiffened and went still as her eyes opened, searching the room for a few moments before settling on him.


    Her features were streaked with worry, but when her eyes found him, they smoothed a little.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Kiren said with a smile. ¡°Bad dream?¡±


    Lace got the nightmares too, he knew that. Not usually this bad, though.


    ¡°Better now,¡± Lace mumbled. She pulled up her covers, concealing an exposed leg. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°Could you¡­ keep me company?¡±


    She scooted to the side and patted the spot next to her on the mattress.


    ¡°Um, are you sure about that?¡± Kiren asked, cocking an eyebrow.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Lace murmured with an absent-minded nod. ¡°No ideas, though. Just¡­ company.¡±


    Kiren didn¡¯t need to be asked twice.


    He got into bed next to Lace, and she offered him a piece of the covers. He pressed his body against hers, feeling the warmth of her smooth skin against his rough, scarred body.


    He threw an arm over her, and her hand found his, fingers interlocking.


    ¡°Goodnight, Kiren,¡± she murmured and curled up in a little ball.


    Kiren hesitated.


    ¡°Goodnight,¡± he whispered.


    He slept soundly that night.


    No nightmares.


    *****


    Kiren awoke far later than he had expected. He rose to a morning sun that was already high in the sky.


    Crippled or not, Kiren bet Excelerate could still give them a proper beating if they showed up too late for his liking.


    So he reluctantly pulled himself from the warmth of the bed, rising up and cracking his bones with a few simple stretches.


    He shook Lace until she was awake. She sat up blearily after a couple minutes with a tangle of matted hair about her face.


    ¡°We need to get the fuck back to the Lodge,¡± Kiren said urgently. ¡°Training will already have started.¡±


    Lace understood the urgency well enough. She was up and straightening out her clothes within the minute. Once she was done on that front, she started fixing her hair, running her hands through it over and over to work out the tangles.


    ¡°Go check if Haden and Tommyn are up,¡± Lace said. ¡°Counter will have some special kind of hell cooked up for tardy risers.¡±


    Kiren nodded, already on the way to the door when Lace had finished her sentence.


    He went out into the hall and knocked on the door opposite theirs.


    There was no response.


    Aw, fuck. I don¡¯t have time for this.


    Kiren yanked the door open and stormed inside.


    ¡°Alright, guys, time to get up! We need to¡­¡±


    He trailed off when he laid eyes on Tommyn and Haden. The green-haired man was straddled atop Haden, hands on his broad, bare chest. Their faces were only a centimeter apart, both staring up at him in frozen shock.


    Kiren fumbled for words.


    ¡°Oookay,¡± h said. ¡°I think I¡¯m just going to¡­ go¡­¡±


    Tommyn rolled off of the bigger man, and Haden was on his feet in a second. He caught Kiren by the collar and hauled him inside with one hand, slamming the door shut with the other.


    He threw Kiren against the back wall, his black flaring with pain. He didn¡¯t even have time to utter a curse before Haden had lifted him into the air by the shirt with both hands.


    ¡°Whoa, whoa!¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°What did you just see?¡± Haden asked.


    ¡°Uh, just a couple guys enjoying each other¡¯s company, is all.¡±


    He glanced over at Tommyn, who was getting dressed at a feverish pace. His face had turned a beet red.


    ¡°Wrong answer,¡± Haden said, grip tightening. ¡°Try again.¡±


    Kiren rolled his eyes. ¡°Nothing. I saw nothing.¡±


    Haden let him down. ¡°Good.¡±


    Kiren looked between the two of them. A sheepish silence followed, no one sure what to do with the other.


    ¡°If you were doing what I think you were doing,¡± Kiren said, ¡°that¡¯s illegal. You know that, right? Your good old dads can¡¯t be too happy about this.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get smart with us,¡± Haden said. His big hands were balled up. ¡°No one must know.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I know how crime works,¡± Kiren said with a grin. ¡°I¡¯m the criminal here, remember?¡±


    ¡°P-Promise not to tell anyone what you saw,¡± Tommyn pleaded. ¡°Even Lace.¡±


    Kiren shrugged, then rolled his aching shoulders. ¡°Sure. I can keep a secret.¡±


    ¡°Swear it.¡±


    ¡°I swear on my name.¡±


    Haden blinked, as if surprised that had worked. ¡°Why? Why would you keep our secret?¡±


    Kiren smiled and gave Haden a clap on the arm. ¡°You took good care of Lace, and you helped make sure I didn¡¯t get expelled from the Guild. You¡¯re less idiotic than most people, far as I¡¯m concerned. Besides, I¡¯m honestly a little happy you till the other field, if you know what I mean. Less competition for me.¡±


    Haden smiled brightly. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yeah, th-thanks,¡± Tommyn echoed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Honor among thieves, and all that. One condition, though.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Haden asked.


    Kiren held up a finger. ¡°I get to tell Lace. She sees right through my lies, anyway.¡±


    Haden and Tommyn shared a brief look. Tommyn shrugged.


    Haden turned back to face Kiren. ¡°Yeah, fine. You can tell her about it. But only her.¡±


    Kiren made a mock bow. ¡°A-thank you, sirs. May your plowings be long and bountiful.¡±

 39. Bird in a Cage (END OF RETRIEVAL ARC)

    39. Bird in a Cage


    Jorge mixed a little pink in his wine bottle before he entered the room.


    An impressively large number of people were assembled in Bloodhound¡¯s office. The normally spacious room had been made cramped by a veritable wall of bodies.


    Conversia was there, of course, beside the Guild Master himself. Steelfeather stood behind them, clad in his thundercloud grey outfit, as the only A-Rank remaining in the Guild chapter apart from Jorge himself.


    Titaness was squeezed into a corner, trying her best to keep her bulk to herself. Goldcoin, Good Doctor, Eagle-Eyes, and Cliff-Face were also there.


    In the middle of the room, on his knees and shackled to a pair of iron domes which covered his hands entirely, was Magpie the thief. His face was still bruised and swollen from the beating Kiren had apparently given him.


    Jorge couldn¡¯t help but feel proud of the lad.


    He hobbled into the silent room, using the wall as support. His leg braces squeaked with every step.


    At this point, it was the sound that was driving him mad, not the pain.


    Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak.


    Cliff-Face offered him a chair, and Jorge sat with a grateful nod. The C-Rank Hero¡¯s stony face split in a big, dumb grin, and a dusting of pebbles fell into Jorge¡¯s lap. He frowned at it before brushing it off.


    Jorge took a drink from his bottle of piss-tasting wine.


    He wasn¡¯t drunk enough for this.


    Bloodhound cleared his throat and stood up behind his desk. ¡°Now that everyone is here, we may begin.¡± He regarded the Villain on the floor from under his furry brows. ¡°Your name is Magpie, correct?¡±


    Magpie nodded.


    ¡°And you are aware of the charges leveled against you?¡±


    Magpie shrugged. He licked his cut-up, swollen lips. ¡°Life on the Hill.¡±


    Bloodhound nodded. ¡°Correct. However, we are willing to offer you a deal, in exchange for certain information regarding your former colleagues.¡±


    Magpie¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°The Thieves¡¯ Guild?¡± He laughed. ¡°You don¡¯t rat on the Thieves¡¯ Guild. Not ever. I¡¯m lucky I got out of there with my life.¡±


    ¡°Then you find yourself hard-pressed for choice,¡± Jorge said.


    Bloodhound gave him a dirty look, but he ignored it.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t talk, we will not be as charitable as we have been until this point. Am I correct in assuming your Power works through your hands?¡±


    Magpie¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Sure. Why?¡±


    ¡°Well, then¡­¡± Jorge grinned. ¡°Why don¡¯t we try lopping one off? If that doesn¡¯t get you talking, we¡¯ll take the other. Let¡¯s see you steal without hands, locked in Wailing HIll for the rest of your short, miserable life.¡± He shrugged. ¡°You won¡¯t even be able to kill yourself, because¡­¡± He held up his arms and shook his hands for emphasis. ¡°No hands!¡±


    Jorge laughed bitterly.


    No one joined in.


    He had another drink.


    Magpie stared down at his shackled arms. ¡°Y-You wouldn¡¯t¡­ You¡¯re Heroes¡­¡±


    ¡°Heroes with the full authority of the Queen,¡± Titaness said, her rumbling, husky voice filling the room. ¡°I would be careful with assuming what we would or wouldn¡¯t do.¡±


    ¡®Nice assist¡¯, Jorge mouthed in her direction.


    Bloodhound looked displeased but didn¡¯t contradict them.


    ¡°If I talk¡­¡± Magpie said, weighing each word carefully. ¡°What¡¯s in it for me?¡±


    ¡°Aside from the continued ability to wipe your own ass?¡± Jorge asked.


    ¡°Your sentence will be commuted indefinitely, so long as you remain of use to the Heroes¡¯ Guild,¡± Bloodhound said, ¡°and your time in prison will be reduced corresponding to your contribution.¡±


    Magpie nodded slowly. ¡°I¡­ I think I can tell you some stuff. But I¡¯ll need some assurances.¡±


    Bloodhound spread his clawed hands. ¡°Allow us to assure you.¡±


    Jorge held back a grin. They had never been this close to getting any real information on the Thieves¡¯ Guild before. The shadowy organization had existed for many decades, maybe even centuries.


    And yet, in that time, they had only ever caught minor henchmen, stooges, fall men. None of them had had any information worth having. Nothing on the leaders.


    ¡°Once I talk, people will come after me,¡± Magpie said. ¡°A man. A¡­ thing. You have to make sure he doesn¡¯t get to me.¡±


    ¡°Give us a name,¡± Steelfeather said. ¡°We will make sure that he doesn¡¯t get close to you, as long as you cooperate.¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°Whisper-Man,¡± Magpie whimpered. ¡°That¡¯s what they call him. Whenever something¡¯s about to leak, he¡¯s the one they send in to fix it. He never fails. Never.¡±


    Bloodhound looked over at Conversia, who shook her head.


    Whisper-Man, whoever he was, was not a part of the Guild¡¯s established network of known Villains. Whether a figment of Magpie¡¯s imagination or a credible threat remained to be seen.


    ¡°What are you doing, Jay?¡± a familiar, feminine voice whispered in Jorge¡¯s ear.


    He started and turned back, but there was no woman there. Cliff-Face gave him a strange look.


    ¡°Did you just say something?¡± Jorge asked.


    Cliff-Face shook his head.


    He turned back with a sigh.


    Right. He¡¯s mute, anyway.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you come back to bed?¡± the voice whispered.


    Jorge twitched, but this time he didn¡¯t turn around.


    It was Reya¡¯s voice.


    It¡¯s not real, he told himself. Just the pink talking. Act normal.


    ¡°This, ahem, Whisper-Man,¡± Bloodhound said, ¡°does he have a Power? If so, give us any details you have on it.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Powered, alright,¡± Magpie said. ¡°I mean, he must be. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s a regular guy.¡±


    ¡°What is his Power?¡±


    ¡°I dunno, man. It¡¯s not like they hand you a fucking book when you join the Guild. ¡®Oh, here¡¯s your complimentary Guild secrets¡¯. Nah. They keep stuff under wraps. Tightly. Even from their own members. How do you think they¡¯ve stayed hidden until now?¡±


    ¡°Well, rest assured, with your continued support, we will find this Whisper-Man and detain him. He won¡¯t touch you.¡±


    Magpie nodded. He was blinking rapidly. ¡°Good. That¡¯s good.¡±


    Jorge felt a tickle behind his ear. Hot breath on his neck. Soft fingers stroking his chin.


    ¡°I love you, Jay,¡± Reya said.


    Jorge placed the bottle on the floor and put his head in his hands.


    ¡°Now, for the important part,¡± Goldcoin said. True to his name, he was flipping a coin. ¡°Give us the names of the Thieves¡¯ Guild¡¯s leaders.¡±


    Magpie went pale. he shook his head.


    ¡°Mm-mm. No. Can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Goldcoin asked. ¡°As per the reasons previously outlined, you have plenty of reason to give us reliable information.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t because I don¡¯t know,¡± Magpie growled. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him. Never even heard a name. It¡¯s always middle-men and dead drops.¡±


    ¡°But they do have a leader,¡± Bloodhound said. ¡°And you know it¡¯s one man.¡±


    Magpie nodded. ¡°Yes. From the way they speak about it, at least.¡±


    ¡°Is that all you can give us?¡± Titaness asked. She didn¡¯t have to put much of an edge to her voice for it to sound like a booming storm cloud.


    ¡°No!¡± Magpie said, holding up his shackled hands. ¡°No, I¡¯ve got more! Something just as good!¡±


    ¡°And what is that?¡± Bloodhound asked.


    ¡°The Thieves¡¯ Guild is working with the Dark Eye.¡±


    There was a brief silence.


    Then the room erupted in a chorus of voices.


    *****


    Ingemar rested his head against the back of the wheelchair as Rory wheeled him along. Anu walked close behind, judging by the clinking of his armor.


    Ingemar¡¯s world was all darkness, sliced through by thin threads of light. These strings ran into himself, his guards, every living human.


    The threads of fate.


    Some had more threads woven around them, some had less. Rory, for instance, had dozens of threads running through him, while a servant they passed only had a handful.


    Rory was taking him up to the observatory, where he could sit and think, far away from the spiritual noise of everyone in the temple. He would have Rory write down the prophecies he had gleaned during the day, as he did every day, and those prophecies, vital or not, would be squirreled away to be poured over by some junior scholars.


    It seemed that was all he was good for, these days. A receptacle of dubious wisdom, and nothing more.


    ¡°Not so fast, damn you,¡± Ingemar grumbled, groaning at the bumpy ride over the stone floor.


    ¡°Apologies, Grandmaster,¡± Rory said, slowing down just a hair.


    Ingemar had half a mind to reprimand the lad, but something else caught his attention.


    A tangle of fate, bright and hot, belonging to a man.


    The number of threads was staggering, spilling out of him like an intricate web. He came down the hallway in the opposite direction.


    ¡°Stop, stop!¡± Ingemar croaked, thumping a hand on the armrest of his wheelchair.


    Rory immediately obeyed and put a stop to the wheelchair.


    Ingemar grabbed the staff off of his lap and held it out, letting the tip strike against the wall to his left.


    The man surrounded by fate stopped.


    Ingemar quickly plucked at the threads. It was too much to go through all at once, but it helped him identify the man.


    He knew him.


    Battlepriest Legario Stencin.


    Leader of the Purifiers.


    ¡°Grandmaster,¡± Legario said in a deep, smooth voice, sounding somewhat shocked. ¡°Can I assist you in some way?¡±


    ¡°You can,¡± Ingemar said, ¡°by taking my hand.¡±


    Ingemar held out his hand. a few seconds later, he felt a large, rough hand slip into his.


    A myriad of images and sensation flashed around Ingemar¡¯s very being. He struggled to remain anchored in the present, as allowing himself to be swept up in any particular thread of fate could easily cause him to lose track of time.


    He sensed turmoil. Struggle. A great upheaval.


    He couldn¡¯t see the other side of this struggle, but it was dark.


    Legario and his cohort were at the center of it all.


    Ingemar got a shock of stabbing pain up his arm and jerked his hand back.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Grandmaster, I don¡¯t quite understand,¡± Legario said. By the many threads twisting around him, Ingemar could tell that he was looking down at his hand. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ingemar panted. ¡°There will be a battle. You and your Purifiers should keep your weapons close, and your heads clear.¡±


    ¡°Well, if I¡¯m involved, it could only mean one thing,¡± Legario said, a hint of bitterness in his voice. ¡°Beasts.¡±


    END OF ''RETRIEVAL'' ARC

 40. Hardened, Part 1 (START OF CITY OF MADNESS ARC)

    START OF ''CITY OF MADNESS'' ARC


    40. Hardened


    ¡°Fire,¡± Eagle-Eyes said.


    Lace kept her staff horizontal, holding it with a relaxed but firm two-handed grip. She breathed out, aimed, and pushed air through the bottom of the staff at a rapid speed.


    Faster than the eye could catch, a bullet shot out of the staff and hit the straw dummy on the other side of the practice yard, square in the chest.


    ¡°Smoke,¡± Eagle-Eyes continued.


    Lace withdrew her staff into a vertical angle. She grabbed a powder dye vial from her belt and placed it in one of the repositories at the top of the hollow weapon. She leveled it once more, breathed out, and fired.


    A plume of green smoke came out of the staff in a narrow cone, billowing out to obscure the entire area around the dummy.


    ¡°Now, combination.¡±


    Lace closed the distance to the dummy with a few long steps, the wind at her back. She performed a set of quick, whirling moves, striking the straw man over its shoulders and head.


    She took a step back and spun the gale-staff so it ran parallel to her right arm.


    Over in the distance, Kiren and Bits were exchanging blows. Although, for the most part, it consisted of Kiren getting badly beaten, ending up on the ground, then getting back up for another round.


    Eagle-Eyes walked over at a slow, measured pace, correcting Lace¡¯s stance with his unstrung longbow. A nudge to her foot here, a poke to the ribs there, a feathery touch to her chin to top it off.


    ¡°You¡¯re improving,¡± Eagle-Eyes said, looking right through her with his yellow, slitted eyes, ¡°but you¡¯re not quick enough.¡±


    Lace bit back a response. She wanted to say that she had beaten Kiren¡ªwho was already considered one of the brightest apprentices at the Lodge¡ªin a one-on-one fight. In the weeks since then, in fact, she had improved even further. These days, they were almost an even match.


    ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Lace simply said, keeping her gaze firmly ahead.


    After Excelerate¡¯s injury, he had been unable to continue his duties as her and Kiren¡¯s teacher. Instead, they had temporarily been assigned to Eagle-Eyes, who had been put in charge of their training for the time being.


    Under Eagle-Eyes¡¯ watchful guidance, she had made a rapid physical improvement. She had shed any excess fat from her body and put on an additional layer of hard muscle.


    ¡°You¡¯ve developed a nice bag of tricks,¡± Eagle-Eyes said, ¡°but you still lack power. You will need to refine your abilities further if you want to reach anything above D-Rank. Even with your new tool, you are still helpless at the hands of certain Villains.¡±


    ¡°Tell me how, and I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°Torchbearer will require assistance with the Renewal Feast tonight. There are always revelries that get out of hand around the midsummer, and we fear that Evangel may make a move soon.¡±


    ¡°Patrol work,¡± Lace said. She couldn¡¯t hide her disappointment. ¡°What is that supposed to teach me, exactly? How to overcome boredom?¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°It will give you experience,¡± Eagle-Eyes corrected. ¡°Something you sorely need right now. Besides, Torchbearer wishes to groom you to see about taking you on as his apprentice, as he seems to have taken a liking to you. This arrangement cannot go on forever, after all. Having three apprentices under my care slows me down considerably.¡±


    Lace nodded reluctantly. ¡°Yes, Master. I¡¯ll go with Torchbearer tonight.¡±


    ¡°Good. I have some reports to make, so the three of you may have the afternoon off.¡±


    ¡°Will Kiren be coming with Torchbearer as well?¡± Lace asked.


    Eagle-Eyes shook his head, face remaining impassive. ¡°Only you.¡±


    Lace wanted to protest, but the Hero turned, cloak flapping with the movement, and walked off.


    Lace sighed and turned to face the two sparring men.


    Kiren was shirtless, taking blow after blow to his chest and arms without going down. Sweat glistened on his chest and back. Bits danced around him easily, grinning the whole time. His punches were rapid and sudden like a spider striking.


    Kiren growled. He spun and lashed out with sweeping strikes like a bear, but they didn¡¯t connect. He got a good elbow in which Bits barely blocked in time. The thorny scales along Kiren¡¯s forearm ripped open his sleeve and put a few scratches on his skin.


    Bits hissed, ducked under another blow, and kicked Kiren in the stomach. Kiren doubled over, and an open-palmed punch to the back of the neck sent him to the ground.


    Bits looked like he was about to continue, but Lace went over and held up a hand, causing him to stop, albeit reluctantly, fist raised.


    ¡°I think you won that one,¡± Lace said. ¡°No need to give Kiren his own medicine, even if it would teach him some humility.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you both,¡± Kiren groaned, cheek pressed against the ground.


    Bits shrugged and settled into a relaxed stance. He eyed the practice yard, noticing that Eagle-Eyes was absent. ¡°We done for the day?¡±


    Lace nodded. ¡°Mmhmm. I was thinking we could catch a bite.¡± She made a gesture like shoveling a spoonful of food into her mouth, but Bits was already walking past her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got stuff,¡± Bits said in passing. ¡°You two knock yourselves out.¡±


    Lace watched the man head up the stairs with a cocksure swagger, shaking his hands out. He pushed the doors open, headed inside, and they swung closed behind him.


    Lace helped Kiren get back on his feet. He wiped some dirt off his face and rubbed his neck, muttering a curse under his breath.


    ¡°What a fucking freak, that guy,¡± Kiren grumbled. He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand his problem.¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s just a little bit¡­ wounded, like all of us,¡± Lace said. ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on him. If you remember, you used to act like that just a couple months ago. Still do, when you haven¡¯t had your food.¡±


    She went up on her tiptoes and ran a hand through his hair, sweeping a few bits of gravel out of it.


    Kiren did have a point, though. Although they had spent a good amount of time practicing together, Bits had barely said anything of note to the two of them. It was all cold greetings and distant goodbyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s always squirreled away in his room,¡± Kiren said. ¡°What do you think he does in there? Something about it just rubs me the wrong way.¡±


    They headed for the Guild Hall.


    ¡°I can try and talk to him tomorrow,¡± Lace said. ¡°I spoke to him one time, and I felt like I got through to him just a little bit. I¡¯ve got patrol duty with Torchbearer tonight, though.¡±


    ¡°Ouch.¡±¡¯


    Lace sighed. ¡°Yeah, seems like it¡¯ll be a long, boring night for me.¡±


    They headed inside and got themselves some food¡ªthe cooks had already brought out some delicacies for the Renewal Feast, tripe and liver paste and spiced apples. Lace wasn¡¯t overly fond of the festive food. She settled on some chicken and vegetables, but Kiren ate with gusto.


    ¡°Hear they¡¯re cooking up something big in the kitchen for the feast,¡± Kiren said between bites. A little bit of juice dribbled out of his distended lip, so Lace wiped it up for him. ¡°Sorry you¡¯ll miss it.¡±


    ¡°Suits me fine,¡± Lace said. ¡°It¡¯s the company I¡¯ll miss.¡± She winked, and he snorted out a laugh.


    ¡°Seriously, though,¡± she continued. ¡°I think they might be planning on splitting us up. Supposedly Torchbearer¡¯s considering taking me.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°Only me.¡±


    Kiren shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll still see each other plenty.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I suppose.¡±


    The conversation took on a stale edge after that, and Lace lost a bit of her appetite.

 40. Hardened, Part 2

    Kiren was frightfully bored.


    He had finished three sandalwood figurines which depicted Lace, Lace, and Lace respectively. None of them had turned out quite right, so he discarded them into a bucket, the same way as the wood shavings.


    Apart from training and being with Lace, there wasn¡¯t actually much to do at the Lodge. Not much that didn¡¯t involve talking to people, at least, which wasn¡¯t exactly up his alley.


    Night had descended, so the Renewal Feast had likely started downstairs.


    Kiren rose with a sigh. He shrugged into a linen shirt, which snagged on his sharp growths.


    At least he figured he could go down and get himself something to drink. That would take the edge off the boredom for a while.


    He went downstairs to the main hall. It was still early in the evening, but there was already a great ruckus in the hall. Two full roast pigs had been wheeled out for everyone to dig into, and dozens of Heroes and apprentices were enjoying a meal and a drink.


    Songbird, clad in his cloak of colorful tatters, belted out a cheerful song atop the bar, with many singing along.


    It seemed the Guild Master had already held his obligatory speech and retreated to his quarters, which suited Kiren just as well, considering the fact that Bloodhound was a prick.


    Kiren looked around the main hall for someone not completely obnoxious to sit with, like Tommyn or Haden. He didn¡¯t spot them through the crowds, but he did see someone else who caught his attention.


    Bits. He came up the stairs leading down to Records, carrying a thin folder under his arm.


    Kiren followed him with his gaze.


    For once, the blond man wasn¡¯t grinning. He made his way through the main hall without speaking to anyone, keeping his face downturned. He got to the other side and went up the stairs, taking the steps two at a time.


    He¡¯s up to something, Kiren thought. I know it. He¡¯s got no reason to be down in Records.


    Kiren followed him, hurrying over to the stairs and jogging up them. When he reached the second floor, Bits was already going down the hall.


    He glanced back, saw Kiren, and grinned.


    Bits knocked on door number 21.


    Kiren carried on down the hall, trying to look natural. He glanced back every so often to see what Bits was doing.


    The door opened, and Jahn the ice-man¡ªthe second half of the team that had beaten Kiren and Lace in the admittance duels¡ªstood in the doorway.


    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± Bits said. ¡°Go now. I¡¯ll take care of everything else.¡±


    ¡°N-Now?¡± Jahn asked. ¡°But I¡¯m not ready.¡±


    Bits put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°It has to be now. Go. For Centucia.¡±


    ¡°For Centucia,¡± Jahn said uncertainly.


    he left the room and proceeded up the stairs to the third floor.


    What the fuck? Kiren thought. What¡¯s this guy planning?


    Kiren stopped and looked back at Bits. He noticed Kiren staring and his grin widened. He winked and headed inside his own room, 22, shutting the door behind him. A key rustled in the lock on the other side.


    Kiren jogged over to the door. He looked up the staircase to the third floor, but Jahn was already gone.


    Bits must be doing something shady.


    I have to find out what.


    His hand hovered over the handle of the locked door. He could hear footsteps and papers shuffling on the other side.


    Something took hold of Kiren by his shoulder and pushed him up against the wall. He found himself staring into Eagle-Eyes¡¯ yellow, uncanny eyes.


    ¡°What have you done?¡± the Hero hissed.


    ¡°What? Me?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything! I noticed Bits doing something suspicious, so I followed him!¡±


    For once, the Hero¡¯s calm, impassive demeanor cracked, and his face became a mask of rage.


    ¡°He saw you,¡± Eagle-Eyes said. ¡°Stand aside. You no longer have anything to do with this.¡±


    He shoved Kiren to the side and stepped up to the door. He was about to kick it down when an apprentice, Veera, came running down the stairs.


    ¡°The Guild Master has been attacked!¡± she said, catching herself on the last step. ¡°Hurry! All the other Heroes are downstairs.¡±


    Without a word, Eagle-Eyes grabbed Kiren by the collar and pulled him up the stairs.


    ¡°Go to the main hall,¡± he told Veera. ¡°Tell the others.¡±


    She nodded and hurried downstairs.


    Eagle-Eyes released Kiren as the two of them leapt up the steps. They got onto the third, then the fourth floor.


    The door to the Guild Master¡¯s office at the end of the hall was wide open.


    Kiren and Eagle-Eyes ran towards it. The Hero drew a long knife from his belt, feathered cloak flapping behind him.


    They entered the room, and Kiren skidded to a stop when he saw Bloodhound sitting behind his desk, a bleeding wound in his shoulder being tended to by his assistant. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    A fan of large, icy spikes obstructed the room, impaling the desk in several places. Eagle-Eyes carefully stepped around the ice to reach the Guild Master.


    Jahn lay on the floor just inside the door, unconscious but unbloodied.


    ¡°Guild Master, are you alright?¡± Eagle-Eyes asked, surveying every inch of the room with his predator¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are there any other attackers?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, lad,¡± Bloodhound said. ¡°Just caught me unawares, that¡¯s all.¡± He growled when Conversia prodded his wound too hard. ¡°He seemed to be acting alone.¡±


    With the Guild Master safe, Kiren¡¯s thoughts returned to Bits.


    What if this wasn¡¯t the main attack? Bits isn¡¯t stupid enough to think that one apprentice can take down the Guild Master of the Lodge.


    What if this was just a distraction?


    ¡°Master Eagle-Eyes,¡± Kiren said urgently, forgoing any defiance for once. ¡°I have to get Bits. Now.¡±


    Eagle-Eyes looked back and nodded. ¡°Be swift. Take any Heroes you find along the way as backup.¡±


    Kiren ran out of the room.


    Bits, you bastard.


    What are you


    *****


    ¡°No, sir. You can¡¯t take this goat. It doesn¡¯t belong to you.¡±


    Lace sighed, hands on her hips as she watched the drunkard flounder in the street. He stumbled over and hugged the frightened goat with both arms. Its owner watched from nearby, arms crossed, smiling.


    ¡°No¡­¡± the drunkard slurred. ¡°¡®S my goat¡­ Her name¡¯s¡­ Betsy.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough now,¡± Lace said. She approached the man and grabbed his collar to pull him up. When he opened his mouth to protest, she blew a pillar of air into it, making his cheeks flap and his eyes bulge. He rose with a start, and Lace dragged him off, depositing him on a nearby street corner where a few of his friends promised to keep an eye on him.


    She returned to the owner of the goat, who had taken ¡®Betsy¡¯ by her lead and was feeding her half a misshapen carrot.


    ¡°Very sorry about that, sir,¡± Lace said. ¡°Hope you have a nice Renewal Feast.¡±


    The owner laughed. ¡°You kidding? That¡¯s the most fun I¡¯ve had all night.¡± He shook his head with a smile and wandered off, tugging his goat behind him.


    Lace let out a sharp sigh. She scanned the street up and down, revelers passing by her in droves. Bonfires had been constructed in the intersection ahead, where people ate and danced and kissed.


    Night had long since descended over the district of First Light, but there was still a golden light that illuminated the roofs and streets. The Second Sun¡¯s golden dome shone a brilliant yellow, for this one night of the year.


    There had been a time when the Second Sun shone every night, but these days, you had to cherish even small blessings.


    The Renewal Festival celebrated the peak of the sun¡¯s influence, and the bonfires were set to beseech the Creator to gift his subjects with good fortune and an ample harvest in the late summer and early autumn.


    First Light was a more refined district than most in Goldbrand. As such, the festivities were more organized, less chaotic. In the poorer districts, she knew, there was often violence.


    Even here, however, there was still pervasive drug use. That was what she had been doing for most of the night so far, confiscating Angel¡¯s Kiss from the revelers in the large intersection. She had a small satchel filled with pink vials on her hip.


    Lace met back up with Torchbearer, who had been splitting up two drunken revelers before they could start an altercation.


    ¡°Calm so far,¡± Torchbearer said, keeping a watchful eye on the street. His head blazed with orange flames, a way for anyone to tell from a distance that he was a Hero, and therefore not one to be tamper with. ¡°More so than usual, actually.¡±


    Lace nodded. She wouldn¡¯t say it, of course, but she sorely wished that she could spend the night with her friends instead of being out here, wrangling drunkards and animals.


    ¡°Perhaps our presence here is not needed,¡± Torchbearer said. ¡°The guards will be able to deal with any fights that break out.¡±


    Lace¡¯s chest fluttered with excitement. She hid a smile behind a false yawn.


    She looked out over the happily celebrating crowd, hundreds of people come together to celebrate the midsummer, and the peak of the sun¡¯s power.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying we can return to the Lodge, Master?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°Let us give it another few minutes,¡± Torchbearer said, giving her a reassuring clap on the shoulder. ¡°I know you probably have plans of your own for tonight, but be patient. Remember your duty.¡±


    Lace looked down. She had the presence of mind to feel ashamed. ¡°Yes, Master. I remember.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then¡­¡± Torchbearer trailed off, frowning at something. ¡°Wait. What is this?¡±


    Lace looked up.


    A man stumbled against a building. He doubled over and hurled dark vomit.


    Just another drunk.


    She took a few steps closer.


    Not vomit, she realized.


    Blood.


    More people fell over and began to hack and cough.


    A girl, probably no more than fifteen, staggered over to Lace. She fell on her knees, clutching Lace¡¯s tunic, her eyes wide, pupils dilated.


    ¡°Help¡­¡± she whimpered. ¡°It burns¡­¡±


    She coughed blood, whimpered, and clutched her stomach. Lace caught her as she slid to the side, and slowly lowered her to the ground, adjusting her head so that the blood could drain from her mouth instead of obstructing her breathing.


    ¡°What in Svarta is happening?¡± Lace asked. More and more of the townsfolk seemed to be affected by the same, sudden symptoms, quickly rising to the dozens.


    The rest of the revelers were finally taking notice and began to panic. Some rushed to help, some ran the other way. Some were too drunk to do much of anything.


    Either way, it was chaos.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Torchbearer said. ¡°We need more information. Could be an attack. Look for anyone suspicious.¡±


    The young girl at Lace¡¯s feet kept whimpering and pleading for help. She knelt beside her, powerless, and tried to comfort the girl as best she could.


    Lace took her hand but found that the girl was clutching something.


    An empty vial with a few drops of pink liquid still clinging to the bottom.


    Could that be it¡­?


    ¡°Master!¡± Lace called. She rose to the feet and held up the vial. ¡°I think the Angel¡¯s Kiss is responsible! Someone poisoned it!¡±


    ¡°Evangel did steal a large batch of the stuff after Hulda¡¯s arrest,¡± Torchbearer said. ¡°Perhaps this is what he has been planning to do with it. Come on, help me round up all the victims!¡±


    Lace nodded, and together they set to work.


    The handful guards present helped them calm the situation and gather those affected. There were almost forty of them, with the number still rising as more townsfolk succumbed. Symptoms seemed to be shakiness, spasms, lack of muscle control, bleeding from orifices, as well as coughing and vomiting blood.


    More than half of those affected by the sudden symptoms were found with Angel¡¯s Kiss on their persons.


    ¡°It has to be Evangel,¡± Torchbearer said. ¡°This sickness. It only matches one thing I can think of¡­¡±


    ¡°Beast-blood.¡±


    Lace nodded. She looked on in vain as the civilians writhed in pain. ¡°How can we help?¡±


    Torchbearer shook his head. ¡°I do not know. This is beyond my power to fix. It¡¯s likely that more places in the city will be affected, judging by the size of the batch that was stolen.¡±


    Lace was hit by a sudden thought.


    Mom.


    ¡°Master Torchbearer!¡± Lace exclaimed. ¡°I need to go. Right now. My mother, she¡¯s¡­ an abuser. I need to make sure she¡¯s safe.¡±


    Torchbearer regarded her for a few moments, then nodded reluctantly. ¡°Very well. Go. Return here the moment you know of her situation. No exceptions.¡±


    Lace was already off down the street.


    She sprinted with all her legs would give.

 41. City on Fire

    41. City on Fire


    Kiren kicked the handle to Bits¡¯ door until it splintered, then shouldered it open.


    He entered the room, two confused Heroes at his back.


    He found a pile of papers and books burning in the middle of the room. Everything else had been cleaned out, drawers empty. The window was open, smoke funneling out of it.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Kiren hissed. He hurried over to the window and looked out, but didn¡¯t see anything below. ¡°He got away.¡±


    The Hero known as Somnus put out the fire by throwing a blanket on it and patting it down with her hands. Voicebox made a quick round of the room but found nothing.


    ¡°What exactly did this lad do?¡± Somnus asked. She stood from the smoking pile, clad in a black outfit glittering with flecks of gold, like yellow stars upon a night-black field.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± Kiren growled. He turned away from the window and faced the two Heroes. ¡°I don¡¯t know who he¡¯s working for, but I do know that he just instigated an attack on the Guild Leader.¡±


    Voicebox spun around to look at him. She was a young woman, with blonde hair and a freckly button nose. She wore a loose outfit of rust-red hose and a forest-green tunic, with a copper horn hanging from her neck.


    ¡°He just instigated an attack on the Guild Leader,¡± she repeated in Kiren¡¯s exact voice, matching every subtle detail of his inflection while her expression remained unchanged. ¡°Explain.¡± With this word, her voice returned to a normal, feminine timbre.


    ¡°He conspired with another apprentice, Jahn, to kill Bloodhound. They failed, but Bits got away.¡± He motioned to the open window. ¡°Obviously.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re that kid, aren¡¯t you?¡± Somnus said. ¡°The one who freed those prisoners.¡± She walked a few steps closer to him and raised one finger, which lit up with a faint, golden glow. ¡°How do we know you¡¯re not part of this little conspiracy?¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Kiren took a step towards her, holding his chin high. ¡°I cleared myself of that whole thing. Brought those Villains back by the scruff of their fucking necks.¡±


    ¡°Step away from him,¡± came a voice from the doorway. ¡°He¡¯s trustworthy.¡±


    Eagle-Eyes stood in the hallway, arms crossed.


    Somnus slowly looked back, sighed, and lowered her hand, the glow fading from her finger.


    ¡°Eagle, what the hell is happening?¡± Voicebox asked. ¡°I was enjoying a drink and some good music, and all of a sudden the whole Lodge is upside down.¡±


    Eagle-Eyes drew up his feathered shoulders. ¡°Enemies everywhere, as always.¡±


    Kiren rooted around the smoking pile of papers with his foot. He couldn¡¯t read any of it, of course, but he figured there had to be something of use in there.


    Most of the papers were burned beyond legibility, but he caught a brand at the bottom of one.


    He leaned down and gingerly picked up the paper, then rose back up. A large chunk flaked off in his hands, but the brand at the bottom of the page was still clearly legible.


    An angular eye with a slitted pupil scratched in charcoal.


    Kiren drew in a sharp, hissing breath.


    ¡°Bits was working for the Dark Eye,¡± he said. He held up the paper so the others could see. ¡°Can¡¯t be anything else.¡±


    Somnus and Voicebox gasped, then threw uncertain glances at one another.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Somnus said. ¡°The Dark Eye was disbanded.¡±


    ¡°Maybe a splinter faction,¡± Voicebox suggested. ¡°Amateurs fashioning themselves after Ender¡¯s likeness. Certainly not what you¡¯re suggesting, sirrah.¡± She made a nervous sound, like a mix between a hiccup and the clucking of a hen.


    ¡°He¡¯s obviously been listening to too many fanciful stories,¡± Eagle-Eyes said. He came inside the room and took the paper from Kiren¡¯s hand, folding it into a pocket. He grabbed Kiren by the arm and led him out. ¡°I¡¯ll talk some sense into the lad. It¡¯s been a trying night for all of us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a trying night for all of us,¡± Voicebox imitated, matching his voice perfectly. ¡°You could say that again. Oh, wait. I just did.¡±


    Eagle-Eyes pulled Kiren out of the room, out of sight from the other Heroes. He put him against a wall and held him there by his shoulders.


    ¡°Do not throw that name around,¡± he said.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Kiren hissed. ¡°Did you not see that paper? Bits is working for the Dark Eye!¡±


    Eagle-Eyes clamped a hand over his mouth and held it there.


    ¡°Shh,¡± he sounded, eerily calm. ¡°I know already, sirrah. My investigation led me to this conclusion. The letter you found all but confirms it. You cannot mention this to the others, however. No one. Most of them don¡¯t want to believe that they are still a threat. Tensions are high on the subject, especially after¡­ recent developments.¡±


    ¡°What developments?¡±


    ¡°Magpie was questioned regarding his knowledge of the Thieves¡¯ Guild. He insists that they are working with¡­¡± He looked up and down the hallway. ¡°Them.¡±


    Kiren whistled. ¡°Nice. So, boiling tar over my head and a beehive down my pants.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it.¡±


    ¡°What do we do about this? The Da¡­¡±


    Eagle-Eyes gave him a dark glare.


    ¡°The bad fuckers. We have to find out what they¡¯re planning somehow. Judging by all those documents Bits left behind, it seems big.¡±


    ¡°Right now, options are limited,¡± Eagle-Eyes said. ¡°Until we know who our allies are, we can¡¯t trust anyone. Paragon doesn¡¯t tolerate what she sees as fear mongering. Bloodhound can¡¯t operate outside her jurisdiction.¡±


    ¡°Lace believes,¡± Kiren said. ¡°So does Excelerate.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°I know. But Excelerate is a husk of his former self, and Lace isn¡¯t here. For now, I will continue my investigation independently. You will stand by. If I need you, will you help me hunt them?¡±


    Kiren smiled.


    ¡°Yes, Master. I¡¯ll kill them all if you say the word.¡±


    ¡°Nothing so ambitious just yet. We need the rest of the Guild behind us before performing a full-scale operation. Right now, our aim is finding them and proving their existence to the world.¡±


    Kiren nodded.


    He hesitated.


    ¡°So, you already suspected Bits? How long?¡±


    ¡°Since the start. Why do you think I made him my apprentice?¡±


    ¡°But¡­ why?¡±


    ¡°So he could lead me back to his allies. Unfortunately, he hasn¡¯t been in contact. You revealed the game by approaching him so directly. It appears he had contingencies in place.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ see.¡± Kiren had the shame to lower his head. ¡°What ticked you off to him in the first place?¡±


    ¡°His skin,¡± Eagle-Eyes said. ¡°It¡¯s not his own.¡±


    ¡°His skin?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a disguise¡ªand a good one. Nearly perfect. But he cannot fool my eyes.¡±


    Kiren stiffened. ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­?¡±


    The Hero nodded gravely. ¡°I think it might be.¡±


    Fade.


    The Skinchanger.


    One of Ender¡¯s commanders has been sleeping one floor below me this whole fucking time.


    Kiren put a hand on his head, and Eagle-Eyes stepped back to give him some space.


    ¡°No wonder he¡¯s always smiling,¡± Kiren said. ¡°He fucking fooled us all.¡±


    ¡°Not me,¡± Eagle-Eyes said. ¡°I will find him. Have faith.¡±


    *****


    Lace entered her old home.


    It was dark, and the only sound was that of her own footsteps.


    She wandered through the hall into the adjoined kitchen and living room. She wanted to call out, but she felt as if her throat had been tied up.


    She was afraid of what she would find. Afraid that if she called out, there would be no response.


    She passed through the kitchen, walking past the cold scraps of a dinner. She inched up to her mother¡¯s bedroom, looked around the corner.


    And almost walked into someone.


    ¡°Oh, Creator¡¯s breath!¡± Mom exclaimed. She stumbled back and clutched her chest.


    Lace did the same, hitting the wall behind her.


    ¡°Who¡¯s¡­?¡± Mom squinted. ¡°Lace? Is that you?¡±


    Lace quickly got over her shock. ¡°Mom, are you alright?¡± she asked.


    She approached her mother, who seemed almost like a stranger now. Even in the dark, she could make out some of her features. Her hair was a bit longer, a bit smoother. Her skin wasn¡¯t so deathly pale. Her face wasn¡¯t so gaunt. Her eyes were just a tad brighter.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m alright,¡± Mom said, blinking. ¡°I¡¯m more than alright, I suppose. I hadn¡¯t expected a visit from you. Oh, Lace, I have so much to tell you¡­¡±


    She looked like she was about to tear up.


    This wasn¡¯t quite the time for a tearful reunion, however.


    Lace persisted. ¡°Mom, I need you to focus. Can you breathe? Have you been coughing blood?¡±


    Mom frowned. ¡°No, why?¡±


    ¡°Have you had any love potion tonight? Answer honestly. This is important.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t. Truly. That¡¯s¡­ what I wanted to tell you.¡± She paused, playing with a strand of her hair. ¡°I¡¯m clean. Lace, please. It¡¯s been a long time. Can we¡­ hug?¡±


    Mom extended her arms, and Lace reluctantly let the older woman gather her into a hug. Mom squeezed her tightly, allowing Lace¡¯s head to settle on her shoulder.


    Lace was shocked into silence.


    She was sure she had heard her mother correctly, but she couldn¡¯t believe the words.


    ¡°You¡¯re clean?¡± Lace asked, her voice choking up.


    Mom was sobbing. ¡°Yeah.¡± She held her tightly. ¡°I quit the day you left. I guess that was the thing I needed to realize what I was doing.¡±


    Lace took a step back, allowing one hand to remain on her mother¡¯s arm. She looked her straight in the eye. ¡°You¡¯re off the stuff? Swear?¡±


    Mom wiped a tear and sniffled. ¡°I swear. I-I have something for you, actually. Wait a moment, please.¡±


    She moved back inside her room and rustled around in the darkness for a bit. She came back, holding a full purse, and handed it to Lace.


    Lace looked inside.


    Dull copper coins gleamed within.


    The money she took from me.


    The money for my admittance tests.


    ¡°It¡¯s all there,¡± Mom said. ¡°I, uh, actually added a little bit to it. I know there¡¯s not enough money in the world to repay a bad childhood, but¡­¡± She shrugged, still sobbing softly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what else to do.¡±


    Lace stowed the purse away, then gave Mom another hug.


    This time, it was her turn to hold her mother tightly.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lace whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Mom whimpered. ¡°I¡¯m so, so sorry. It¡¯s just what happened¡­ to your father, and I, I couldn¡¯t¡­ It was too much¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­ didn¡¯t want¡­¡± Her words descended into indecipherable spluttering.


    ¡°I know,¡± Lace whispered, stroking her mother¡¯s hair as she cried heavy tears on Lace¡¯s chest. ¡°There¡¯s still time to make up for it.¡±


    Mom looked up. ¡°You think so?¡±


    Lace let her go. ¡°Yeah. I do.¡±


    Mom sniffled and wiped her nose. ¡°Oh, thank the Creator.¡± She studied Lace closely for a few moments. ¡°You look so different.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Lace asked with a tentative smile. She looked down at herself.


    ¡°Just¡­ taller. Stronger.¡± Mom reached out and touched her hair. ¡°You cut your hair. I like it. Suits you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Mom frowned and pinched Lace¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯ve not been eating enough, though. No man¡¯s going to woo you if you look like a boy.¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡± Lace exclaimed.


    ¡°What? Is it so bad I want my daughter to get married someday?¡±


    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s¡­¡±


    A muffled scream from outside brought Lace back to reality.


    The scream was followed by another, then urgent yelling.


    ¡°Stay right here,¡± Lace said firmly.


    ¡°O-Okay,¡± Mom stuttered.


    Lace pulled the gale-staff off her back and jogged over to the front door. More screams sounded from outside. She slowly inched it open.


    She locked eyes with a young man who lay down in the street, being devoured by a creature like a squid¡ªthe size of a large dog¡ªwhose tentacles ended in human hands.


    It tore the man¡¯s throat out with a jagged beak and lapped at his blood before slowly looking up at Lace, fixing her with scarlet eyes.


    Spawnling.


    But how¡­?


    There was no time to think.


    Lace dropped into a ready stance and pushed a sharp wind blade through her staff.


    The spawnling slid towards her on fluid arms, its hands digging into the muddy street. It called to her, a strange mix between a bird¡¯s caw and a human scream.


    The thing leapt at her.


    Lace was ready for it.


    She waited until the last possible moment, then swept her staff in a wide, horizontal arc. The spawnling split in two, and she stepped to the side as its two halves hit the wall behind her.


    One piece was slack, while the other still writhed, screaming with hatred as its hands grasped for her legs.


    Lace thrust her staff into the main part of the body.


    The wind blade found the creature¡¯s heart. The arms stiffened, then fell to the ground, all limp.


    Lace withdrew the staff and wiped away the inky beast-blood on the ground.


    She spotted more spawnlings coming up the street, clawing at the doors of the buildings and tearing down the citizens who didn¡¯t have the good sense to flee.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Lace shouted into the house. ¡°Come, now! We need to go!¡±

 42. Night of Horrors

    42. Night of Horrors


    Lace ran with her mother in tow. The temple bells tolled a mournful beat, echoing throughout the city.


    They were headed into First Light, as Torchbearer¡¯s position was closer than the Lodge, and greater numbers would give them more of a chance to make it back to the Guild.


    They had found C-Rank Hero Cliff-Face and D-Rank Hero Thorn along the way, as well as Thorn¡¯s apprentice. They had also been sent out to oversee the night¡¯s festivities before things had gone wrong.


    A drip feed of confused and frightened civilians joined up with them along the way. They walked in a clump surrounded by the fighters.


    Cliff-Face was at the head of the group as his body was made completely of granite, making him highly resistant to damage. Thorn was in the back as she possessed ranged capabilities. Lace held up the left side, and the other apprentice had the right.


    They encountered Beasts along the way, feeding on freshly made corpses in the streets. Thorn picked off a few of them before they got close, by¡ªas her name suggested¡ªshooting thorny protrusions from the tips of her fingers as projectiles. Cliff-Face dealt with the rest, pounding the creatures with his blocky fists. Not a single sound escaped his wide, cracked mouth orifice while he fought.


    As they entered First Light, they began to see bonfires similar to the one Lace had been guarding. Most were surrounded by bodies, though some civilians were alive, coughing and crying blood.


    Lace argued that they should stay and save them, but Thorn maintained that there was no time.


    ¡°Right now, we have no way to help them and no time to carry them,¡± Thorn said. ¡°It¡¯s better to save those we can than die on a fool¡¯s errand.¡±


    Lace was reluctantly forced to agree. They had the townsfolk accompanying them carry whoever they could, and then kept on going.


    Pillars of smoke had begun to rise over the city as the bells continued to toll.


    It seemed that the attack was happening everywhere at once.


    At last, they were nearing the wide intersection where Lace had left Torchbearer and the guards. Once they had reinforced their small caravan, they could make a push to the Lodge.


    ¡°It¡¯s just up ahead!¡± Lace called, pointing with her staff towards the street corner up ahead.


    The civilians gave out sighs and murmured prayers of relief.


    They rounded the corner.


    There, a giant of a man was framed against the flickering bonfire, back turned to them. The corpses of several guards lay at his feet. Many had had limbs torn clean off, others had been ripped open by grisly wounds.


    The giant held something in his hand.


    He slowly turned.


    A man whose face was contorted in a mask of glee looked down at them all, mouth smeared with blood. One of his arms had been badly burnt.


    The Beast from the hideout raid, Lace realized.


    Somehow, he seemed even taller than the last time she had seen him¡ªskin stretched taut and splitting around the shoulders.


    He held Torchbearer¡¯s limp body in one of his hands. The Hero still clutched his sword in one hand, flickering with white flame.


    Unceremoniously, the Beast lifted up the body, wrapped his other hand around Torchbearer¡¯s head and popped it clean off like a cork.


    The Hero¡¯s sword fell from his hand and clattered on the ground.


    A shiver of pleasure went through the man, and he lifted the corpse to drink from the severed neck, letting the head drop to the ground.


    ¡°Oh yesss,¡± the Beast rumbled, gulping down big mouthfuls of blood, letting it run over his chin and chest. ¡°This is exactly what I need. I¡¯ve waited too long for such pleasure.¡±


    Lace was stiff with shock and fear.


    Her body wouldn¡¯t move. Her brain wouldn¡¯t process what was happening.


    It¡¯s not supposed to be like this.


    Heroes aren¡¯t supposed to die.


    Memories of That Day flashed through her mind, a scar upon her soul pried open once more.


    No, no, no.


    Not again.


    *****


    There was some sort of trouble in the city.


    Kiren watched dark fire smoke rise from the outer city, greatsword leaned against his shoulder in its scabbard. The moon gazed down on them, pale and full.


    They were all on standby while people figured out what was happening. He sat with Haden and Tommyn atop the wall, who were both armed and armored.


    Tommyn¡¯s eyes had rolled back into his head, and he swayed slowly from side to side as he piloted an animal somewhere far away.


    ¡°What do you think is going on out there?¡± Kiren asked.


    Haden looked out over the city with a deep frown. ¡°Hard to tell. That¡¯s no common fire, though. The smoke¡¯s coming from several districts at once.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Kiren had his own guess of who had done this.


    The Dark Eye.


    Something was bothering him about what had happened.


    It had been a long time ago, now, but he still remembered the man known as Fade. He was a master of espionage. He seamlessly blended into whatever role he wanted to play.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Sometimes, the Villains had played a game where they would guess who was Fade out of a lineup.


    Most of the time, Fade was better at playing someone than the actual person was. That was the only way to give him away


    Bits was no such stroke of genius.


    Looking back at it, there had been signs. He should have caught on sooner. The way he had almost played it like a game, skirting the very edge between maintaining his disguise and revealing himself as an enemy of the Heroes¡¯ Guild.


    Even the name, Bits, was suspicious.


    What had Lace told him, once?


    Like something you¡¯d name a dog.


    Either Fade had gotten worse with age, or¡­


    A realization struck Kiren.


    Just like Ripper, Fade had taken children. Although, instead of stealing them, he had bred his own.


    Which meant they could have his Power.


    Kiren stood up with his sudden epiphany. He had to tell someone. He had to tell¡­


    Eagle-Eyes had already left to track Bits, and Excelerate was in no position to do much of anything.


    Damn it all. Is there naught I can do but sit here and twiddle my fucking thumbs?


    People were calling out atop the wall, causing Kiren to snap back to attention.


    A dense crowd of townsfolk, perhaps a hundred in all, came up towards the wall of the Lodge. They approached the wall, and a sentry leaned out of the guardhouse to regard them.


    ¡°State your business!¡± the Hero said. ¡°What¡¯s happening in the city?¡±


    ¡°We are dying,¡± someone said from the crowd below.


    ¡°Let us in,¡± wept a boy, barely more than a child.


    ¡°Creator¡¯s balls,¡± Haden whispered. ¡°These people have been attacked?¡±


    The Hero in the guard house glanced at some of his peers, who shrugged.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re letting you in!¡± he called down. ¡°Just hold on while we get the gates open!¡±


    ¡°Let us in!¡± a woman wailed.


    ¡°Let us in!¡± several townsfolk cried.


    Two Heroes spun the wheels which controlled the gates, and they began to move.


    Kiren frowned.


    The way they talk.


    Almost like¡­


    He slung the greatsword over his shoulder and set off towards the guard house.


    ¡°Hey!¡± he shouted, waving his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t open that fucking gate! Those aren¡¯t people down there!¡±


    The Hero operating the wheel paused and turned to face Kiren.


    ¡°What the feck are you talking about, kid?¡± he asked.


    There was a ruckus down below as the people shoved against the half-open gates, pushing themselves into the crack. It wasn¡¯t wide enough for a person to get through, but they pulled on it until it started to give, the great doors groaning as its materials strained.


    ¡°They¡¯re Beasts!¡± Kiren shouted. ¡°Get the gates closed!¡±


    Too late.


    The gates came open and the townsfolk surged into the courtyard. They brandished improvised weapons and spread out across the yard, moving soundlessly.


    Kiren motioned violently to Haden, who was already getting to his feet. ¡°We need to get down there, come on!¡±


    The Beast-influenced people were quickly making their way across the courtyard. A group of them moved onto the practice yard, cutting down an apprentice and continuing towards a handful others who had nowhere to escape. The other group rushed to the Guild Hall and started hacking at the door with hatchets and makeshift clubs.


    Kiren needed to get down there, but going alone would be suicide. The Heroes at the gates, dipshits that they were, were still struggling to comprehend what was happening.


    One Hero leapt off the wall and floated into the air. His outfit was grey, like an angry stormcloud, and he rose steadily into the air above the practice yard, several dozen meters up.


    Steelfeather.


    A-Rank Hero.


    At the height of his arc, he suddenly dropped out of the air like a stone. He fell, outfit flapping, curling up as he gained speed.


    He hit the ground with a silent shockwave that made the ground tremble. Debris was thrown up all around him, and the dozen or so Beast-folk nearest to him were knocked over, riddled through with stone and gravel.


    Steelfeather stood in the crater of his own making, having placed himself between the Beast-folk and the remaining apprentices.


    The attackers went for him instead, hacking and slashing with whatever meager weapons they had. Steelfeather glided easily away from their attacks like a leaf on the wind, his feet alighting off the ground.


    He rose a meter into the air, then slammed back down with a punch that sent one of the Beast-folk sprawling, knocking over a pair of his compatriots. His blows packed the force of a thunder strike and made the attackers fly like ragdolls.


    Kiren couldn¡¯t help but grin.


    At least they had him on their side.


    He leapt off the wall, and Haden started going down the stairs. Kiren hit the ground and tucked into a roll. His right ankle flared with sharp pain, likely sprained, but that was a problem which would solve itself.


    He half-limped, half-jogged towards the second group of Beast-folk. He flipped his weapon around so that he held the greatsword by its blade, with the cross guard and pommel at the end like the head of a hammer.


    A few of the attackers noticed him and spun around to face him.


    Kiren hammered the first to the head and knocked him down. He thrust the second in the stomach with the pommel of his greatsword, making the man double over, spawnling sliding partially out of his throat.


    Kiren grabbed the slimy, fleshy thing and pulled, dragging it completely from its host. He threw it on the ground and stomped it until it no longer moved.


    A third came at him with a sharpened sickle, and he blocked the slash on his crossguard. He maneuvered to the side, catching the curved blade on his own weapon, and knocked the sickle out of the Beast¡¯s hands. With a low sweep, he knocked the man off his feet.


    Four, five, and six rushed him all at once. He couldn¡¯t have blocked them all, but Haden came barreling through, taking five and six with him in a hard tackle that took them all to the ground.


    Kiren finished off four with an upward swing that caught him in the chin and sent him to the ground.


    Kiren fought alongside Haden, first pushing into the crowd of Beast-folk, then back-to-back once the tide of bodies grew too strong.


    It felt like hours by the time the other Heroes finally got their act together and started fighting. Once that happened, it wasn¡¯t long before the infested townsfolk were all either killed or subdued.


    When it was all over, Kiren wiped the sweat from his brow and spared a glance towards Steelfeather. Several dozen townsfolk lay piled up before the A-Rank, stopped before they could ever have become a threat to the remaining apprentices. From this distance, it didn¡¯t look like he¡¯d broken a sweat.


    More Heroes poured out of the Guild Hall. Counter was barking orders relayed from Bloodhound, and a few D-Ranks were put in charge of tying up the subdued townsfolk.


    Titaness was able to get the gates closed with her massive bulk, rendering them safe for the time being.


    And yet, the Heroes had failed.


    Kiren approached the apprentice who had been cut down. Good Doctor knelt before him, and he was surrounded by a small group of his peers.


    Kiren didn¡¯t know his name, but he had seen him around the main hall a few times. He had been studying under the D-Rank Hero Copycat.


    He was dead.


    What a fucking travesty.


    He got a bitter taste in his mouth, thinking that all of this could have been prevented. The Heroes had been too slow, too stupid.


    Kiren heard yelling and looked back. Tommyn was rushing down the wall, a crow seated on his shoulder. He ran up to Haden, who was still catching his breath.


    Kiren walked over.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Lace!¡± Tommyn exclaimed. ¡°S-She¡¯s in trouble! There are Beasts all over the city!¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Uh, First Light. Under attack. S-She¡¯s with other Heroes, but they¡¯re not h-holding up well.¡±


    Kiren looked across the courtyard.


    At Steelfeather.


    He¡¯ll save her.


    He has to.

 43. Desperation

    43. Desperation


    Thirdborn stuck to side streets and alleyways.


    He couldn¡¯t afford to get caught. He couldn¡¯t afford to be followed, for that matter. This was a delicate stage of the operation.


    Things had not gone as expected¡ªhe didn¡¯t have Dollmaker¡¯s location. He was close, though, and he had brought the notes he needed to figure out the rest. He had already narrowed it down to the western part of the Green Sea.


    Once he could put all the pieces together, Dollmaker would belong to the Dark Eye.


    And all their plans would finally fall together.


    The Lord of Villains would finally be restored.


    The fact that his cover had been blown was an annoyance, but not an unexpected one. He knew that his disguise would break down sooner or later. He simply didn¡¯t have the finesse that his father or brothers had.


    He made his way to the Old Quarter. The city had fallen into chaos, with half the citizens fleeing and the other half looting from their neighbors. So far, the northern part of the city had mostly been spared from the Beast infestation, but he could see smoke upon the dark sky when he looked back, and it seemed to be spreading.


    It put a smile on his face.


    Evangel, you sure know how to make an entrance.


    He had not been to the hideout since infiltrating the Heroes¡¯ Guild, so it took him a little while to gain his bearings and find the place.


    The hideout was an unassuming, two-story tenement, built from aged wood, with walls that leaned disconcertingly. The heavy oaken door was the only thing sturdy about the place, set with a chunky iron locking mechanism.


    Thirdborn approached the door and knocked in the sequence he had been taught. One knock, pause. Three knocks, pause. One knock, pause. Two knocks, pause.


    A few moments later, the lock clicked and the door opened. One of his brother¡¯s men led him inside.


    The interior of the safe house was just as drab as the outside. More of Centucia¡¯s Lions lounged inside, playing cards or sharing anecdotes. They were clad in ordinary, muted clothing, and they all had plain, drab faces. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to pick one of them out of a crowd of Aribellian sheep to save his life, and that was the point.


    ¡°The Prince has been expecting you,¡± said the man who had led Thirdborn inside.


    Thirdborn scoffed. ¡°Is that what he calls himself now?¡±


    He let his facade melt off, the role he had called Bits. Piece by piece, his face leveled out and returned to its normal shape. He worked his jaw. After so long, his real body felt more foreign than the disguise.


    The man frowned. He let one hand rest on the shortsword at his hip.


    Jak, that was the man¡¯s name. He had a scar over his brow that set him apart from the other Lions.


    Loyal to a fault, that one.


    Thirdborn shrugged and walked through the hall, heading for the stairs in the back. He heard Jak follow him, only a few steps behind.


    It annoyed him to no end, having this dog following him around, but he endured it. There were more important matters at hand.


    Thirdborn proceeded to the second floor, into a large room where the windows were covered. The walls were draped with maps¡ªprovinces, cities, districts¡ªand there was a wide table in the center of the room.


    Jak lingered outside, but at least didn¡¯t deign to enter the room.


    Firstborn stood on the far end of the table, looking over some report or another. Secondborn lounged in a chair at the edge of the room, picking his nails with a slender knife.


    Firstborn wore the most regal attire out of any of the Lions, a fine tunic with a trim of silver thread, supple calfskin boots and a pair of deep green hose.


    The power has finally gone to his head, it seems, Thirdborn thought. No surprises there.


    ¡°Greetings, my prince,¡± Thirdborn said with a sarcastically deep bow, his Power offering him the flexibility to stoop until his head nearly hit the floor.


    As expected, Firstborn grew red-faced and started blustering under his breath at the remark. The man was of average build and average height, with short, brown hair and a stubble.


    He recovered quickly, folding his arms behind his back and regarding Thirdborn with a severe gaze.


    ¡°Sure took your time, little brother,¡± he said, putting emphasis on ¡®little¡¯. ¡°I was beginning to think you had grown fond of the Heroes.¡±


    Thirdborn set his jaw. That was low, even for him.


    As Firstborn continued to hold Thirdborn with his gaze, he seemed to grow in size, becoming taller and more muscular until his proportions were a hypermasculine parody of the human form. His head almost touched the ceiling, and he could surely have given the Hero Titaness a run for her money. Indeed, meeting a person like that would have been frightening, but Thirdborn knew it for what it was.


    A trick.


    That was all Firstborn¡¯s Power was.


    ¡°I have not grown any fondness for them,¡± Thirdborn said. He unslung the satchel from his shoulder and threw it on the table. ¡°I have what you needed.¡±


    ¡°Not what I need,¡± Firstborn corrected. ¡°What the Dark Lord needs. Remember that.¡±


    ¡°Look at you two, bickering like children,¡± Secondborn purred without glancing up. He had a broader build than either of the other brothers, and his pale skin shimmered when it hit the light as if it was made of delicate crystal.


    Firstborn ignored him and pulled the satchel toward himself. He flipped it open and rifled through the papers and notes inside.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°This is¡­ somewhat more extensive than I had expected,¡± he admitted. ¡°Surely, a simple location name would have sufficed?¡±


    ¡°The Heroes¡¯ Guild doesn¡¯t want anyone to find Dollmaker,¡± Thirdborn explained. ¡°They have gone to great lengths to hide him away. His location is barely ever mentioned in official documents, and often contradicts itself. I¡¯ve spent this time narrowing down his true hideaway and weeding out false trails. I was discovered before I could uncover a final conclusion, but I¡¯m certain I have everything I need.¡±


    The slow, baffled look on Firstborn¡¯s face made him grin.


    ¡°I suggest we pack up and leave immediately,¡± Thirdborn said. ¡°As I mentioned, my cover was blown. The Heroes will not be far behind.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Firstborn said. ¡°The situation in the city is unfolding in our favor. The Heroes have let this Beast infestation run rampant. We will stay put and monitor the damage caused by the Beasts, then assess our options.¡±


    ¡°That was not part of the plan! If the Heroes find us, we don¡¯t have the men to fight back. Three Power users and a handful revolutionaries do not make an army. We need to get Dollmaker¡¯s position back to the stronghold.¡±


    Firstborn waved away his concerns with a massive, illusory hand. ¡°Not to worry, little brother. I will send a man with the intelligence you have given us. The rest of us will stay. Or are you feeling craven? Would you like to be the one to run back to the Dark Lord, tail tucked when there is so much chaos left to be sowed here?¡±


    ¡°This is not about bravery,¡± Thirdborn said, struggling not to raise his voice. ¡°This is about your own arrogance. You want Ender to greet you as an equal, to hail your accomplishments, to grant you power. It will never happen. You are an insect beneath his boot, and as such you will always remain.¡±


    Firstborn studied him with a blank stare without moving a muscle. ¡°I have given the order. You will obey if you wish to remain in our brotherhood.¡±


    Thirdborn turned to Secondborn, arms spread pleadingly. ¡°And you? Do you not have an opinion on this?¡±


    Secondborn shrugged. ¡°If it¡¯ll let me kill more Heroes, I¡¯m all about staying.¡± He looked over his nails, clicked his tongue with satisfaction, and sheathed his knife. He stood and walked over to Firstborn¡¯s side of the table. ¡°Now, little brother. Will you join us?¡±


    Thirdborn sighed and closed his eyes for a moment.


    They were being foolish. He wanted to throw the city into chaos as much as they did, but he knew that the mission came first. They were playing loose with Ender¡¯s orders, and that never ended well.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll do what you ask.¡±


    Firstborn nodded. ¡°Good.¡±


    Someone cleared their throat behind them. Thirdborn turned around to look.


    Jak stood in the doorway, hands folded before him.


    ¡°We have a watcher,¡± Jak said.


    ¡°Hero?¡± Firstborn asked.


    ¡°Unclear. We can¡¯t tell from this distance.¡±


    ¡°It has to be,¡± Thirdborn growled. ¡°They¡¯re the only ones who could have followed me. Damn it. I thought we¡¯d have more time, with the city in flames.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it,¡± Secondborn said. He stood up off his chair. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry your little heads over this, brothers.¡±


    ¡°Once the threat has been neutralized, we pack up,¡± Firstborn said. ¡°The Thieves¡¯ Guild will have to offer us another hideout. I¡¯m afraid this one is likely compromised.¡±


    Secondborn headed for the door with a nonchalant stride.


    *****


    ¡°Everyone, run!¡± Thorn shouted. ¡°Heroes, we¡¯ll hold off the Beast!¡±


    The D-Rank rushed to the front of the group, standing alongside Cliff-Face as the civilians began to clear out in a westward direction. Towards the Lodge.


    Lace¡¯s body was frozen with fear. Her mouth was dry. All she could do was stare at the Beast as it came towards her. She gripped the gale-staff tightly in both hands.


    ¡°Lace, come on,¡± Mom said urgently, tugging on Lace¡¯s shirt. ¡°We need to go. Let the Heroes take care of this.¡±


    Lace let herself be dragged along for a few steps.


    Torchbearer, a real Hero with years of experience, was dead.


    What chance did she have?


    Thorn raised her hands and fired a dozen or more projectiles at the Beast in quick succession. They buried themselves in the man¡¯s broad chest but didn¡¯t seem to cause him any trouble as he continued to advance in a relaxed amble.


    ¡°Pathetic,¡± the humanoid grumbled. ¡°They sent out their weakest, is that it? This will be over quickly.¡± He tilted his head back and let out a long, blood-chilling howl that echoed over the street.


    At first, nothing happened.


    Then spawnlings began to spill from the alleys into the street. The humanoid barked something in a harsh tongue that defied interpretation, and the score of spawnlings skittered towards the fleeing civilians. The survivors were still disorganized, the main group barely ten meters away from her.


    Lace¡¯s body moved before her mind could catch up.


    She ran to intercept the spawnlings. The wind was at her heels, pushing her to run faster.


    ¡°Wait, Lace!¡± Mom cried, staggering after her. ¡°Don¡¯t do that! You¡¯ll die!¡±


    Lace glanced back and sent a gust of wind that knocked Mom flat on her back. He could have her following.


    Thorn¡¯s apprentice saw what she was doing and joined up beside her, brandishing his shortsword.


    The mass of spawnlings was close to overtaking the civilians.


    Lace jumped into the fray. With a spinning strike, she split several of the monsters in half. Thorn¡¯s apprentice leapt into the gap, slashing at the Beasts with his weapon. Following her example, he looked fearless, but he lacked her reach. The best she could hope was for him to occupy some of the spawnlings while she dealt with the rest.


    He simply wasn¡¯t equipped for this.


    The spawnlings changed their targets, screaming as they threw themselves at the two apprentices. They were almost immediately surrounded, and Lace struggled to keep them all at bay.


    She funneled a blast of air into the ground, moving outward to knock more than a dozen spawnlings away from them. It gave the apprentices enough to group themselves back-to-back, cutting and slicing at the writhing mass of limbs coming for them. She couldn¡¯t count how many she had killed, or how many were left. It was pure chaos.


    Their screams barraged Lace¡¯s ears, their hot, black blood singed her skin.


    She spared a glance at the two Heroes further up the street. Cliff-Face struggled to wrestle the massive creature, looking minuscule in comparison, while Thorn peppered the Beast with stinging projectiles.


    The Beast pummeled the granite man with hard blows that sent chunks of rock flying from his body.


    Lace wasn¡¯t sure how much longer he¡¯d be able to keep it up.


    We have to finish this quickly and help him.


    Lace called on the wind, focused on the power that brewed within her like a storm. It answered with resounding enthusiasm. Her arms doubled, then doubled again with pale, translucent copies, allowing her to bat away the creatures as they approached, or catch them so that she could impale their hearts with her staff.


    A growing pile of twisted, unmoving bodies was growing to her left and right, forming an embankment that the spawnlings were forced to climb over to reach her, giving her additional time to deal with them.


    Come on. Faster.


    Lace heard a scream and looked back. Several spawnlings had attached themselves to the other apprentice¡¯s body, winding around his limbs and forcing him to the ground. Lace shot a blast of wind towards him, but the creatures stuck to him like leeches.


    More of them swarmed the young man, and in just a few seconds he was completely engulfed as a feeding frenzy began. His screams grew in intensity, then faded away.


    Lace yelled and slashed with her spear, pushing more and more wind through it until the blade being emitted from its tip was the length of a greatsword. She clove several of the Beasts in two, continuing with a violent flurry of attacks until a heap of them lay at her feet.


    When she had finally finished off all of the spawnlings, she looked up to see the humanoid Beast throw Cliff-Face to the ground, motionless. He rounded on Thorn, who tried to back away. He grabbed her by the arm and lifted her easily into the air.


    ¡°No!¡± Lace shouted. ¡°I won¡¯t let you!¡±


    She spotted Torchbearer¡¯s sword, which lay discarded on the cobbles. It still burned with a pure, white flame.


    She ran towards it.

 44. No one Left Behind

    44. No one Left Behind


    Kiren jogged alongside a tight group of Heroes and apprentices, eight in all.


    Counter, Goldcoin, Haden, Titaness, Veera, an apprentice named Lyndon, and two D-Rank Heroes whose names he didn¡¯t know.


    A ninth bounded with otherworldly grace ahead of them, almost a speck at this point. He would rise high into the air in an even arc, grey cloak flapping behind him, then dip down below the tops of the buildings before shooting back up again.


    Steelfeather.


    Their mission was to save Torchbearer and anyone else who might be with him. Kiren was only concerned with Lace.


    Bloodhound had authorized several such excursions into the city to recover Heroes who had not reported back after being sent out to patrol or to oversee the festivities.


    Kiren could see why.


    The whole city had fallen into chaos.


    They encountered many dead along the way. Dozens, hundreds¡ªthere was no time for a count.


    Spawnling Beasts feasted on the freshly made corpses, and some seemed to be¡­ dragging them.


    Veera summoned golden, glowing chains from the ground which wrapped around the Beasts, and Titaness pounded them flat with her slab-like fists. It wasn¡¯t much challenge to them, but the townsfolk would have no way of fending off a Beast attack.


    Kiren was reminded of a story Ratfoot had once told him.


    The story of Hero¡¯s Rest, the city which had once been the capital of Arden. A great and powerful settlement with high walls, defended by the Starborn noble family.


    Then the Beasts came.


    Now, the city was a ruin, abandoned by all who had once called it home.


    Goldbrand had been built in its place.


    Is that the fate in store for our city, too? Kiren wondered.


    They came across a stampede of infected humans running towards them. Kiren readied himself for a fight, but they put their arms up and begged them not to kill them. A few fell on their knees and held up their hands to the Heroes.


    Veera encircled them with a glowing partition and Titaness approached the group, which numbered in the dozens.


    ¡°If you are human, then prove it,¡± she spoke.


    A flood of spluttering assurances followed.


    ¡°We were just with some Heroes!¡± one said.


    ¡°The Beasts pursue us!¡± said another.


    Kiren hurried over to the partition, eyes searching for the man who had spoken first.


    ¡°You were with a group of Heroes?¡± he asked. Titaness shot him a glare, but he ignored her. ¡°Where were they? Point the way.¡±


    He pointed behind him, slightly to the northwest. ¡°That way, but¡­ I¡¯m not sure there¡¯s anything left to save. A Beast attacked us there, a Hero-killer. The other Heroes, they sacrificed themselves so we would have time to escape.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him!¡± a woman called. She threw herself against the chains, reaching out towards Kiren. ¡°My daughter is there! You have to save her!¡±


    ¡°Lace?¡± Kiren asked.


    The woman was taken aback but eventually nodded. ¡°Y-Yes, that¡¯s my daughter. Will you save her?¡±


    ¡°We will,¡± Kiren said without hesitation.


    Veera let her chains dissipate, and the group of civilians was sent back to the Lodge, guided by the two D-Ranks.


    The rest continued onward, cutting their way through a thickening tide of spawnlings.


    Kiren could no longer see Steelfeather in the distance.


    *****


    Lace reached the sword lying on the ground.


    Too late.


    The humanoid held up Thorn¡¯s body and wrenched it in two, separating the spinal column with a sickening pop. He shuddered with delight and threw the pieces aside like a toy that had lost its novelty.


    Lace put down her staff and picked up the sword. It trembled in her hands, white flames leaving bright trails in her vision. The handle was warm.


    She had to fight, but her body was frozen stiff with fear.


    They were dead.


    All of them.


    Now it was her turn to be torn apart.


    Ender¡¯s pale face haunted the back of her mind. His words echoed inside her head.


    She shook her head firmly.


    No! Not now!


    ¡°Are you truly putting your faith in such a weak human¡¯s leavings?¡± the humanoid asked. He barked out a laugh.


    He snapped his scorched fingers, and the flames wreathing the blade began to flicker and fade.


    The only remnant of Torchbearer¡¯s will.


    She couldn¡¯t let it go out.


    Lace funneled air into the flames, stoking them back to life even as the Beast attempted to extinguish them. They surged, growing into a tall peak far over her head, the flames so bright that she gasped and squinted.


    The Beast snapped his fingers again, but the flame would not subside.


    He scoffed.


    ¡°Such futile resistance. It will make your flesh taste all the sweeter. I will savor your juices before I give you to The One Among the Stars as kindling.¡±


    The humanoid put the palm of his hand to his mouth and gnawed until dark blood flowed. He held out his hand and the blood ignited, taking the shape of a dirty-red sword, plumes of black smoke billowing from its edge.


    The giant began walking towards her.


    The closer he got, the taller he seemed.


    Lace backed up a step, then another.


    Memories kept flashing before her, despite her efforts to will them away. Her father, body severed from the torso down. Ender killing Heroes with reckless hatred. Civilians burning and dying and being run through by wicked blades.


    Her legs were shaking. Her grip was slick with sweat.


    There was a rumble of rock against rock.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Lace glanced back and saw Cliff-Face, feebly attempting to stand before falling down. He looked up at Lace with pleading eyes. ¡®Run!¡¯, they seemed to say.


    Cliff-Face is still alive.


    If I lose, he dies, too.


    But if I win¡­


    I can save him.


    The memories dropped away, and all that remained was an eery calm. A niggling buzz of fear and doubt remained, but she let it remain.


    Lace turned her gaze back to the massive humanoid. He dragged his dark blade on the ground, which left a scorched groove on the cobbles. His sword sizzled and spat, flames surging along its edge like wicked serrations.


    Lace held up her sword in both hands. She took a deep breath.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± a voice whispered. ¡°I¡¯m here. It¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    She felt a pair of hands brush her own. Milky white trails formed around her hands, growing up her arms.


    Somehow, it was calming. She stopped trembling, set her jaw. She bent her legs, settling into a proper stance, and breathed out evenly.


    The humanoid reached her. He wound his great sword above his head. A wide arc of smoke trailed behind the blade as he swung down.


    White wisps passed into Torchbearer¡¯s sword. The flames grew higher, and it was almost like the silhouette of a woman was dancing inside the fire, her movements flowing with perfect grace.


    Lace brought the sword up to block, strengthened by an additional set of hands.


    The fiery implements clashed against one another. They spat and sparked, showering Lace with heat, but she did not waver. His strength was great, and she slid back a step, but something caught her and held her in place.


    A shard of the Creator¡¯s will.


    This is what it means to be a Hero, Lace thought.


    And she smiled.


    She swung the sword in a horizontal arc, and the humanoid moved to block. The white flames sheared straight through his own blade and took off a good chunk of meat on his forearm.


    The Beast growled and recoiled, but Lace made a sweeping movement with her foot, summoning a gust of wind that unsettled the humanoid¡¯s footing. Capitalizing on her advantage, she moved in and swung.


    She roared.


    The force of a hurricane screamed with her.


    The Beast¡¯s arm flew free of him. It landed on the cobblestones with a dry thud.


    He stared at it in shock for a few moments.


    Then he began to laugh.


    ¡°Oh, sweet human,¡± he moaned in euphoria, rubbing his newly made stump. ¡°You are quite the tenacious one.¡±


    Lace moved in to finish him with a downward thrust, but the Beast moved out of the way surprisingly quickly, and she struck only stone. He struck her with a hard fist in her side and she was sent flying.


    The wind cushioned some of the blow for her, but she scraped up her arms and legs when she landed and Torchbearer¡¯s sword flew from her grip.


    ¡°It will be so, so sweet to tear the flesh from your bones,¡± the Beast crooned. ¡°Perhaps you are even worthy of knowing my name before you are gone from this world.¡±


    Lace got onto her knees, and the ghostly hands helped her back on her feet.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to know your name,¡± Lace said. ¡°You are evil, and that¡¯s all.¡±


    The humanoid chuckled.


    "Regardless. My true-name is Gorod. Remember that when the remnants of your tattered soul are spinning through eternity.


    He launched himself at her, his stump of an arm leaking black blood as he leapt through the air.


    Lace tucked into a roll facing left, towards the sword. She narrowly missed his massive body, and he bumbled straight into a two-story home instead, crashing part of the building down on his head.


    He was pinned long enough for Lace to get to the sword and pick it up. The fire hummed back to life under her touch.


    ¡°You can do this,¡± the voice whispered in her ear.


    Lace tried to walk but found her legs stuck in place. She looked down and saw spawnlings crawling up her legs, more piling on until her lower body was completely immobile.


    The Beast freed himself from the rubble with a roar. He came out swinging his one arm, walking towards Lace in a furious stride.


    ¡°You fought well, but now you will die,¡± he said. He brought a large brick over his head as he drew close.


    Lace swung at the spawnlings, but a set of twisted, sinewy arms caught hers, pulling it down until it was pinned uselessly at her side.


    ¡°Coward!¡± Lace shouted. ¡°Fight me like a man!¡±


    The Beast chuckled. ¡°I am not a man. I am something far more glorious. Soon you will see.


    ¡°You will all see.¡±


    A grey streak fell from the sky with the speed of an arrow and the grace of a bull.


    It collided with the Beast and they were both sent sliding along the ground to Lace¡¯s right, throwing up flagstones as they slowly ground to a halt.


    Lace conjured up enough wind to blast most of the spawnlings off of her. The ghostly hands tore away the rest, and she swung her flaming sword at the ones who returned for more, making them back off cautiously.


    A man stood out of the impact crater, stepping free of the humanoid¡¯s ruined, mangled body.


    Hard face, short hair, grey cloak trailing in the wind.


    Steelfeather.


    A-Rank.


    Wizened flesh pushed itself out of the ruined corpse of what had once been a human. The Beast struggled to take shape, grasping for the Hero with nearly a dozen brittle, malformed limbs.


    Steelfeather danced away with light, nimble steps. When the Beast drew too close, he slammed down a heavy fist that crushed several of the arms into the ground, flattened like clay.


    Lace made to hurry over, but she doubled over at a sudden pain in her side. She gasped, nearly losing her breath at the cold spear driving into her midsection.


    She hadn¡¯t noticed it with the rush of adrenaline, but she had taken a bad hit¡ªshe had probably broken a rib or two.


    No time to rest.


    This Beast has to die.


    She used the sword to prop herself up, the other hand gripping her side as she made her way towards the Hero and his opponent, painfully slow.


    The white flames flickered and flagged. She tried to breathe new life into them with a breath of wind, but even still, the flames shrank and began to smoke.


    Thank you, Torchbearer, Lace thought. You¡¯ve done enough, Master.


    Even in death, you continue to save me.


    The humanoid had completely emerged from its broken husk, rising above the grey-clad Hero as a tangle of grasping limbs and twisted faces, all bound together in a massive, tumorous boulder for a body. It was far larger than even Nasaizh had been in its true, naked form. It rose surely four meters high, and nearly as wide.


    Steelfeather charged headfirst into the monstrosity, knocking it back a meter or so. He tore at its putrid flesh with his bare hands, ripping out large chunks and throwing them aside where they sizzled and spat with black tar.


    The Beast¡¯s arms grabbed at Steelfeather and pulled him into its bulk. He struggled to break free, but there were too many limbs for him to tear them all away. Slowly but surely, he began to be ensnared.


    ¡°Quickly!¡± the whisper hissed in Lace¡¯s ear. ¡°Finish the Beast! Finish it now! Strike the heart!¡±


    Lace let the sword drop and hobbled over to the discarded gale-staff. She picked it up and got a lead bullet out of the pouch on her belt. She stuck it down the end of the staff and aimed the weapon at the Beast.


    Except she had no idea where the heart might be on a monster like this.


    Steelfeather roared and punched the Beast repeatedly, making its whole body shudder. It continued engulfing him, however, and now only a sliver of his back could be seen.


    ¡°Yesss¡­¡± the mouths on the Beast echoed in an unholy chorus. ¡°Be mine¡­ Feed your destruction¡­¡±


    Lace funneled a vortex of air into the back end of the staff and fired the bullet out the front. It tore into the Beast¡¯s center mass, but a brief shudder of its many limbs was the only response that told her she had done any damage at all.


    She loaded another bullet with unsteady hands.


    ¡°Damn it! I can¡¯t hit the heart!¡±


    ¡°I will guide your hand,¡± the whisper told her.


    Ghostly hands materialized along the length of the gale-staff, directing her aim slightly downward.


    A scream escaped the many mouths lining the Beast, and suddenly a great rift was torn into its body. A gory Steelfeather pried open flesh and shattered bone with his hands. He stumbled clear of the monster, a piece of his long cloak ripping away.


    ¡°Now,¡± the whisper told her.


    Lace drew in a deep breath, so deep she thought her lungs might burst, and shot the bullet with all the power she could muster.


    It struck true, and the Beast screamed without a sound. Its arms went stiff, and suddenly a whole swarm of them dropped dead.


    The rest reached for Steelfeather and three caught him by the cloak. They hauled him closer, and while he was busy snapping them, even more arms caught hold of him.


    Why is it not dead? Lace thought desperately.


    Wait. It looks like it¡¯s assimilated several other Beasts. Which means it might have more than one heart.


    Lace loaded a third bullet.


    The specter guided her.


    She fired.


    Another bunch of arms fell dead, and Steelfeather broke free.


    He rose into the air, high above the Beast, chunks of ashen, crumbly muscle tissue shedding from his clothes. he floated until he was higher than the buildings, surely ten or fifteen meters up.


    Before Lace could get out another bullet, he dove right into the creature, feet first, and crushed it into the ground.


    It spasmed, its many faces contorting and screaming in agony, then the thing went fully slack.


    Steelfeather stood atop the corpse, panting as he looked down at the fresh kill.


    He glanced up, taking in the scattered human corpses.


    ¡°Damn it all,¡± he said. ¡°I was too slow.¡±


    Lace looked at the bodies of Torchbearer, Thorn, and her apprentice, as well as the weakly writhing Cliff-Face.


    She couldn¡¯t help but feel the same way as Steelfeather.

 45. Run!

    45. Run!


    Kiren reached Lace¡¯s position and found her wounded but alive, being seen to by Steelfeather.


    He did a double take at the nightmarish amalgam of a Beast that lay close by, wholly still.


    There was little time to marvel at it, however.


    The reinforcing Heroes had barely set up positions when more spawnlings rushed in towards them. There were only a few at first. They were easily dispatched by Haden, Titaness, and Goldcoin while Counter and Veera kept the perimeter around the wounded clear. More kept coming, however, and soon a tide of the creatures beset them from all directions, both spawnlings and infested, crazed humans. Their screams could be heard from several streets away, an unholy symphony that warped Kiren¡¯s senses and threw everything out of focus.


    There were hundreds of them.


    They had no other choice. They were forced to flee. Kiren took Lace on his back, while Haden carried Cliff-Face over his shoulders. There was no time to recover the other corpses.


    The spawnlings nipped at their heels as they ran. More and more added to their numbers, until the roar of their collective rage was almost deafening.


    Only one creature I know has the power to command this many Beasts, Kiren thought.


    Evangel.


    He saw no sign of the man in the wooden mask, even when he looked back.


    Kiren was certain, however. No one else could be behind this.


    The gates to the Lodge were opened as quickly as the watchmen saw them approach, and closed behind them as soon as they were through. It was a miracle they made it that far without losing anyone, no doubt influenced by Goldcoin¡¯s luck.


    A large group of spawnlings still got through the gates as they were closing. Goldcoin picked off three or four with expert stabs of his rapier. Counter brought up shields of blue energy to protect the exhausted Heroes while Titaness pounded the remaining Beasts into mulch.


    The gates rattled in their massive frame as the seemingly endless tide of spawnlings on the other side attempted to push their way through.


    Kiren paid it no mind.


    Lace was through. She was safe.


    He let her down off his back. She could stand on her own. She flashed him a tired smile as thanks. Her arms were covered in soot and gore, and she cradled her side tenderly.


    Tommyn ran down the steps of the wall and greeted Haden with a hug. Goldcoin had an apprentice dab his forehead with a cloth after the long run, and Titaness held the gates shut against the unspeakable horde beyond.


    Kiren took Lace by the arm. ¡°Let¡¯s get you to the House of Healing and see what Good Doctor can do for you.¡±


    She was in no position to protest, but as Kiren guided her towards the smaller building next to the Guild Hall, a frail woman with long, blonde hair approached them.


    The woman from before.


    Lace¡¯s mother.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Lace exclaimed. ¡°You made it! I was so worried.¡±


    ¡°I should say the same,¡± the woman said. ¡°I thought I might never see you again. The way you stepped in front of those monsters¡­¡± She gently touched Lace¡¯s face with the tips of her fingers. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you survived. It shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡±


    Kiren¡¯s face grew hot with anger.


    ¡°Then why did you leave her behind to die?¡± he growled. ¡°What sort of mother are you?¡±


    The woman shrank away and pulled her hands to her chest.


    ¡°I-I¡­¡± was all she could stammer out.


    ¡°Kiren, it¡¯s alright,¡± Lace said. ¡°I told her to leave. She would only have gotten in my way. I doubt I would have survived if I had to protect both of us.¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    The woman nodded insistently. ¡°Please. We can talk about blame later. Right now I just want to see my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Oh, do not think I¡¯ll let you off the hook,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Lace told me what you did. Exactly the kind of mother you were.¡± He jabbed a finger in her face, getting more and more worked up. ¡°Don¡¯t think a few smiles and kind words can make up for what you put her through. That shit doesn¡¯t ever go away.¡±


    ¡°Kiren, stop it!¡± Lace said.


    Lace¡¯s mother looked down at the ground. She nodded slowly. ¡°You¡¯re right. I have no excuses. I just¡­ I just want to be in her life again.¡± She paused and glanced up at him. ¡°I take it you¡¯re her suitor?¡±


    Kiren and Lace shared a look.


    ¡°Well, I mean¡­¡± Kiren said, rubbing the back of his head as he tried to figure out an answer.


    He didn¡¯t actually know what they were.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lace said with a smile that was tired but genuine. ¡°Yes, he is.¡± She kissed his scaly cheek.


    Lace¡¯s mother nodded. ¡°Good.¡± She extended a frail hand towards him. ¡°I am Nanna Amar. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Kiren stared skeptically at her hand. He didn¡¯t take it.


    Eventually, she let it fall.


    ¡°Kiren,¡± he said.


    ¡°Well, Kiren. If I ever hurt Lace again, sock me one. Hard.¡±


    Kiren grinned. ¡°Easy.¡±


    ¡°Do something for me in return, though.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Hold yourself to the same standard. My daughter deserves a good man.¡±


    Kiren snorted. ¡°Lace is perfectly capable of punching me herself, thank you very much.¡±


    Lace shared a hug with Nanna, and the three of them went to the House of Healing, where several patients were already being treated. Frog-Face was out, dabbing his runny forehead with a cloth while poking and prodding at a civilian who had ingested the tainted Angel¡¯s Kiss.


    Frog-Face and Good Doctor had assembled a small hoard of the drug in the latter¡¯s office from the townsfolk who had taken shelter inside the Lodge.


    Nanna¡¯s eyes bugged out as she stared at the heavy sack of pink vials simply sitting there on the Hero¡¯s desk. She licked her dry lips.


    Kiren watched her intently, fists clenched and raring to go.


    She shook her head violently and turned her back to the room.


    ¡°I need some air,¡± she said. ¡°Please excuse me.¡±


    She left the House of Healing, and Kiren unclenched his fists. At least he didn¡¯t have to step in, this time.


    They got Lace into a bed, and after a bit, she was seen to by Good Doctor. She had suffered three broken ribs from her fight with the humanoid Beast, and one of them had almost punctured a lung.


    The better part of fifteen minutes later, her ribs were mostly fixed, and she was fit enough to walk unassisted. It was all the time Good Doctor could spare before she had to move on to the more critical patients.


    ¡°Wait, Master,¡± Lace said as Good Doctor made to walk out of the room. ¡°Where¡¯s Excelerate? I didn¡¯t see him in here. He¡¯s still supposed to be getting care, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Good Doctor¡¯s face seemed to droop with age all of a sudden. She set her jaw and stuck her hands in the pockets of her white coat. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen him in days. He refuses to let me treat him properly. He¡¯s as pig-headed as they come, that one.¡±


    ¡°He must be in his room, then,¡± Kiren said. ¡°It¡¯s not like he can get far on those squeaky little legs of his.¡±


    A quick check on the fourth floor of the Guild Hall debunked that idea. His room was empty. The bed was a mess, and there were several empty bottles strewn around the room, but no sign that he had been there recently.


    On his way out, he kicked something with his foot. He bent down and picked it up.


    A small glass vial, with a few drops of pink liquid left at the bottom.


    Love potion.


    Aw, fuck, Kiren thought. Looks like we need to find him, and quick.


    He ran back down the stairs and stormed into the House of Healing. Lace had just gotten out of bed and was struggling to get into her tunic.


    ¡°Was he there?¡± Lace asked, voice muffled by the fabric.


    ¡°No, and I¡¯ve got worse news.¡± When Lace had gotten the tunic over her head, he threw her the vial. ¡°Found that in his room. He¡¯s been using.¡±


    Lace went pale.


    Mina helped them find Good Doctor again, who was tending to a man with blood leaking from his nose, his eyes impossibly bloodshot.


    ¡°If Excelerate isn¡¯t in his room, where could he have gone?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like he could have been out hunting Villains when this all went down,¡± Kiren said.


    Good Doctor looked quizzically at them, but they only had to show her the vial for her to understand the gravity of the situation.


    ¡°He owns a house here in South Side,¡± Good Doctor said. ¡°He used to live there, before¡­ Well, before. It¡¯s on Tinker Street. Big, red weathervane on top, you can¡¯t miss it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Lace said.


    Kiren was already headed for the door.


    ¡°If Jorge has ingested any of the tampered drugs, he won¡¯t have much time,¡± Good Doctor said. ¡°If he is still alive at all.¡± Her hands curled into fists, and she closed her eyes. ¡°I know it¡¯s selfish of me, but please¡­ Bring him back to me. Whatever condition you find him in, I don¡¯t care, I just want to see him again.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll bring him back,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°Alive,¡± Kiren added.

 46. Maxims Wish

    46. Maxim''s Wish


    Maxim walked amid a field of twisted corpses. He scanned left to right with keen eyes until he found the ones he was looking for.


    The bodies of fallen Heroes, two of them. He had already collected four over the course of the night. The ritual would require at least a dozen.


    Their apprentices were not directly necessary but would make a fine kindling upon his fire.


    It was ironic. Upon this eve of bonfires and celebration, he would create his own.


    A bonfire to draw The One Among the Stars to this world. An offering so bright, so tempting, that she would have to give him whatever he desired.


    His daughters.


    It was the only thing that gave his legs strength. The only thing that kept his mind from collapsing under its own weight.


    He had his spawnlings gather the corpses of Torchbearer, Thorn, and one other apprentice.


    Six more.


    Only six more, then this nightmare could finally be over.


    He would finally see his daughters again.


    Once the Heroes¡¯ bodies had been collected and shuttled off towards the ritual site, he turned his gaze on one final corpse.


    That of Gorod, his accomplice, who now lay dead in a sprawling pile of slick meat which was already rotting, giving off a stench like sulfur and dead flowers. His broken puppet lay nearby.


    ¡°Weak¡­¡± Nasaizh hissed through Maxim¡¯s lips.


    He couldn¡¯t help but agree.


    The humanoid should not have allowed himself to be felled by this kind of opposition.


    At least he hadn¡¯t come away from it completely empty-handed.


    Regardless of Gorod¡¯s untimely end, he had been a powerful being. Maxim could not afford to let any of that power go to waste. He would need every shred of it, for tonight¡¯s plan.


    Almost all the Heroes had already retreated into their walled compound. Nearly a hundred fighters, not counting the apprentices. They would be ready for his arrival.


    They were strong. He couldn¡¯t deny that.


    So he had to be stronger.


    He got on his knees in front of the dead Beast and pulled up his mask. He lowered his face to its rotting flesh and ripped off a chunk with his teeth. He grasped handfuls of putrid flesh with his hands and chewed at it. As soon as he had swallowed one ash-tasting handful, he pushed another into his mouth.


    Yes, good, Nasaizh whispered in his mind. We will put Gorod to better use than he did himself.


    *****


    Paragon drifted at the center of a stone dome, twenty meters in diameter, perforated with hundreds of holes the size of a man¡¯s head through which her light could shine. On the outside the dome had been treated with gold leaf, increasing its splendor.


    She was at the heart of the Second Sun.


    Here, it was peaceful and silent. She simply allowed herself to drift and kept her eyes closed.


    Outside, in the city, there was chaos. And yet, here, she could pretend that all was well.


    ¡°My Queen,¡± came a hoarse, aged voice from far below, its echoes barely reaching her. ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    The words pierced her calm like a spear to the back.


    It was Ingemar, of course.


    She couldn¡¯t ignore him.


    Paragon let out a long sigh. She allowed herself to drift towards the floor and opened her eyes once more. As the effects of her practiced meditation slowly slipped out of her, all the weight and ache of responsibility seeped back in.


    Her arm was the worst of it all.


    The useless stump. The wound that would never heal. The reminder of her failure.


    It hurt like hellfire, not lessened an inch by the passage of years since she had received it.


    Her feet touched the cold stone floor, and immediately an attendant rushed forward, gaze averted, to hold out a burgundy robe of soft fur. She slipped into it, eager to cover up her left arm.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Paragon allowed her light to recede, waved aside the attendant, and turned to face her visitor.


    Sage lay in his wheelchair, swaddled in a veritable sea of fabric like a toddler. He was surrounded by two royal guards. Two of her best.


    Sage was pushing a hundred, and every year showed.


    He had braved all the stairs to come here in person, which meant there was something important.


    ¡°Any changes?¡± Paragon asked.


    ¡°The battle-priests have secured the perimeter around the Second Sun and Wiseman¡¯s Temple,¡± Sage said. He stared blindly in her direction with foggy eyes. ¡°However, the rest of the city isn¡¯t doing so well. It appears the Heroes¡¯ Guild is struggling to maintain control of the streets, and are retreating to the Lodge. The guard force has barricaded themselves inside their precincts. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of Beasts are loose inside Goldbrand.¡±


    Paragon nodded. ¡°I see. Then I have no choice. I will go restore order. I cannot allow the city to be further molested.¡±


    ¡°A poor idea, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Ingemar said. ¡°You can¡¯t go out there, not while the flickering problem persists. If you engage in combat like this, against those kinds of numbers, you may yet¡­¡±


    ¡°Die?¡± Paragon asked, taking a step closer to the old man. Her light flared instinctively, and those present in the room covered their eyes. She took a deep breath and forced the light to recede. ¡°Have you seen that in your visions, then? Tell me the truth, Ingemar Starborn, or I swear I will hang you from this tower by your toes.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ingemar admitted, ¡°but that does not mean you are immortal. My visions are sometimes inconclusive.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re always inconclusive!¡±


    Paragon paced back and forth, her bare feet swishing on the bare floor.


    I didn¡¯t build this empire from the ground up, just for this city, my crown jewel, to fall to some piddly Beast invasion.


    ¡°The Purifiers, then,¡± she said. ¡°Send them out. Have them mop up this mess.¡±


    Ingemar nodded. ¡°An excellent choice, My Queen. They are already prepared. I will give them the order.¡±


    Paragon turned her back to him, gently massaging the stump of her left arm. ¡°Very well. If they fail, I will have no choice but to intervene personally.¡±


    ¡°Have faith,¡± Ingemar said.


    Paragon paused.


    ¡°I have very little of that, these days,¡± she finally said.


    *****


    ¡°This seems like a really bad idea,¡± Lace said, looking down over the edge of the wall. ¡°Even for us.¡±


    ¡°Not like we have much of a fucking choice,¡± Kiren said. ¡°We owe Excelerate something, at least, after what he¡¯s done for us.¡±


    Lace took a deep breath. ¡°You¡¯re right. So, what¡¯s the plan?¡±


    ¡°We jump.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    They had found a section of the wall around the back which the Beasts had not yet surrounded. Still, there were five meters of empty space between them and the ground. That alone was enough to make Lace think twice.


    No one had authorized them to leave, of course, apart from Good Doctor. If any of the other Heroes found out, Lace suspected there would be hell to pay.


    Luckily, they were all occupied fighting off the Beasts, who constantly threatened to scale the walls and break down the gates.


    The only other people who knew were Tommyn, Haden, and also Veera, who had agreed to drop chains off the side of the wall when they returned so they could climb back up.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll create an updraft as we¡¯re falling,¡± Lace said. ¡°That should be enough to slow us down, at least a little. Not everyone is invincible like you, Kiren.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Kiren said. ¡°What are we waiting for, then? Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Lace shuffled from one foot to the other. She struggled to get over the distance between herself and the ground. Her stomach revolted against you.


    ¡°One,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°Wait, no! I need more time!¡±


    ¡°Two.¡±


    ¡°Three.¡±


    Kiren jumped, and Lace was forced to leap after him. The cobbles below rushed up towards her, and she threw up a wall of air that moved upward to meet them.


    The wind hit their bodies, dragged against their clothes, and forced their descent to slow, if only by a little.


    Kiren hit the ground and tucked into a roll, and Lace hit against something¡­


    Soft.


    Many arms caught her and lowered her to the ground. Wisps of foggy, indistinct energy twirled around her, then disappeared.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got your back,¡± the shard of the Creator whispered in her ear.


    Kiren got back on his feet and turned to face her, dusting off his clothes.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t so bad, was it?¡± he said with a wild grin that pulled his long, reptilian lip to the corner of his face.


    Lace managed a shaky smile, rattled but no worse for wear. ¡°You¡¯re crazy, you know that right?¡±


    ¡°I know. Now let¡¯s go. Excelerate isn¡¯t going to save himself.¡±


    They set off towards Excelerate¡¯s house. It wouldn¡¯t be too far, considering it was in the same district. They didn¡¯t head true south, however, in the direction of their destination. They went west, weaving between streets as they kept their steps silent.


    The Beasts had not yet infiltrated the whole western part of the district. They wrapped around the invading force as best they could then changed course to the southeast.


    The Second Sun had gone dark. Lace couldn¡¯t tell if that was a good thing or not.


    They found Tinker Street, and after ridding the world of a few spawnlings aimlessly littering the road, it was an easy thing to find the building with the red weathervane. It depicted the profile of a rooster.


    The home was in immaculate condition, with a dark oil coat that protected the wooden facade from the elements. It was three stories tall, with a number of shuttered glass windows on each floor.


    Light spilled out of the cracks of a window on the third floor.


    Lace stepped up to the black-painted oaken door and raised her hand to knock.


    ¡°You really think we¡¯ve got time for that shit?¡± Kiren asked. ¡°Just cut it down, idiot.¡±


    Lace didn¡¯t want to think what would happen if Excelerate ever found out that they had cut his door open. Kiren was right, though. It was better than him dying.


    Lace pulled out her gale-staff and inserted a sand vial for extra cutting power. She ran a focused current through the hollow metal, producing a wind blade out the front, and used it to make several precise slices that ran all the way through the wooden door, separating the handle and locking mechanism from the rest.


    Kiren kicked in the door. Lace let her wind blade fade away, reset the sand vial in her pouch, and stowed away her weapon.


    They entered the darkened building together.

 47. The one who Suffered, Part 1

    47. The one who Suffered


    The floor was covered in a fine layer of dust. There was no sound in the building apart from the creaking of their own footsteps against the floorboards.


    There was barely any light to go by. As they padded through the hall, Lace¡¯s hand found something made of glass. Looking closer, she found it was some sort of display case.


    Lace squinted and saw a bouquet of long-since withered flowers within. She couldn¡¯t even tell what color they had once been. The petals were shriveled and ugly.


    There was a tag attached to them. She struggled to make out the writing on it.


    ¡°For my favorite dunce. Love; R,¡± Lace read aloud.


    ¡°Who¡¯s R?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°Reya, I¡¯m assuming.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s, what? His wife?¡±


    ¡°Probably. Seems like it, based on this.¡±


    Lace moved on. They found a staircase and proceeded up to the second floor. There were several locked doors, but they didn¡¯t bother trying to open them. She figured their best lead to finding Excelerate was in the lit room on the third floor.


    They discovered another display case as they walked along the hall.


    Inside were a pair of leather goggles with thick glass lenses. Like the last one, there was a tag attached.


    ¡°I hate seeing you come in with bloodshot eyes. Wear these instead, so you can see when you¡¯re running. Love; R,¡± Lace read aloud.


    ¡°Seems like a real busybody, this Reya,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Kind of like someone I know.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Lace said. She punched his arm.


    They got to the third floor. Firelight spilled out of a room at the end of the hall, which stood open just a crack.


    Between them and the door was one last case.


    Lace went up to it.


    Inside was a painted metal brooch depicting a blood-red flower. Attached, just like with the others, was a tag.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to be a Hero,¡± Lace read, ¡°you¡¯ll need a proper Hero name. I was thinking ¡®Excelerate¡¯. Rolls off the tongue, right? Oh, and come into the other room for a surprise. Love; Your Future Wife.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°Why did he never talk about her?¡± Lace wondered out loud.


    ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡±


    Lace looked up at him.


    Kiren just shrugged. ¡°Obviously. Otherwise, why would he have this paraded all around the house? Why would he leave the place a mess? Why would there be no one else here?¡±


    Lace turned her gaze downward. ¡°I¡­ suppose. He could have told us, though.¡±


    ¡°It was none of our business. It still isn¡¯t. We¡¯re trespassing on his past. Now, come on.¡±


    He took her hand. They approached the final room.


    Kiren pushed the door open with his foot.


    A candle stood on a nightstand, illuminating the room with quavering, orange light. A bed on the left-hand side lay unused. A desk stood on the right, laden with a mess of papers.


    On the floor lay Excelerate, Jorge Router, foaming at the mouth. He stared without sight into the ceiling. Next to him stood a bottle, and beneath it, a note.


    ¡°Unmaker¡¯s tits,¡± Kiren hissed.


    Lace was on her knees in front of her master in seconds. She put two fingers to the side of his throat, closed her eyes, and felt for a pulse.


    She found one. It was weak, but it was there.


    She tilted him to the side and he began coughing up foamy saliva mixed with blood. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°He¡¯s had the tainted love potion,¡± Lace confirmed, voice shaking. ¡°What do we do?¡±


    ¡°We have to carry him back to the Lodge,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Nothing we can do for him here.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t work,¡± a third voice said.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Kiren demanded. He whirled around and drew his greatsword.


    A ghostly apparition stepped out of thin air between Kiren and Lace. It had no face, its head perfectly smooth, and its hands and feet disappeared into indistinct whorls of fog. It was only a small thing, shorter than her outstretched hand.


    ¡°What you¡¯re planning won¡¯t work,¡± the thing spoke. ¡°This man will be dead before you arrive.¡± She nodded towards Excelerate.


    ¡°What in all hells¡­?¡± Kiren whispered. ¡°Am I seeing things?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Lace said. ¡°This is a friend. I think. It¡¯s a part of my Power.¡±


    Kiren threw her a skeptical glance and did not lower his weapon.


    ¡°What can we do for him?¡± Lace continued, looking desperately up at the specter. ¡°We have no medicine. No training. Without help, he¡¯ll die all the same.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been poisoned by the Enemy,¡± the specter said. ¡°Their blood flows through him. It has to be neutralized if you want him to live.¡±


    ¡°Get to the point, then, whatever you are,¡± Kiren growled. ¡°If you have some way to help, then help. Otherwise, shut up. Like you said, he doesn¡¯t have much time.¡±


    ¡°We can remove the poison,¡± the specter said. Though its countenance was completely smooth, Lace felt like it was looking right at her. ¡°Together. Although, this¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Lace said. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything. Just tell me what you need.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯ll be some residual damage,¡± the specter said. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee that any of us will come out of this unscathed.¡±


    Lace set her jaw. She looked down at Excelerate¡¯s face, wrinkled with silent agony as blood leaked from his mouth and nose. ¡°I don¡¯t care. We have to do it.¡±


    Something like a sigh came from the specter, and the energy that made up its form shivered for a moment.


    ¡°Alright, then,¡± it said. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    The specter shot forward, driving itself through Lace. The energy melted into her body, and there was a rush almost like the sensation she had felt when jumping off the wall, of intense vertigo and wind rushing past her face.


    ¡°Put both hands on his face and tilt it upward,¡± the specter told her.


    Lace did so. She wiped a bit of blood from Excelerate¡¯s cheek with her thumb, but more dribbled out.


    ¡°Now put your face close to his.¡±


    Lace did this, as well. Her hair hanging down over the old man¡¯s face.


    ¡°Open your mouth.¡±


    Lace opened her mouth, and a tendril of white, glowing energy extended past her lips. It dispersed on Excelerate¡¯s face and passed in through his eyes, nostrils, and mouth. Bit by bit, more of it was pushed into the old Hero. He coughed and thrashed, but Kiren got down next to her and held him reasonably still.


    ¡°Now,¡± the specter said, ¡°breathe in as hard as you can and imagine something nice. Something pure. Keep that in your mind.¡±


    Lace sucked in a deep breath and searched for something wholly pure among her memories.


    The first thing that came to mind was her and Kiren, laying in bed together. They weren¡¯t doing anything special. She could simply feel herself wrapped up in his warmth and his breath on the back of her neck, making the hairs prickle.


    The specter¡¯s energy began to reverse back into her, a multitude of strings like a tangle of soft hairs. They had been soaked with something black, however, and it tasted of ash on her tongue.


    She coughed and wanted to throw up, but kept it down.


    ¡°Keep going!¡± the specter coaxed her. ¡°You have to complete the purification!¡±


    Lace took deep breaths, forcing the tainted energy out of herself and into Excelerate. The nasty taste grew more intense, and she began to feel a heat like burning coals at the back of her throat.


    Then, suddenly, it all stopped, and the energy dissipated, accompanied by a woman¡¯s scream that echoed through the room.


    A white brilliance exploded out of her, hundreds of shards that faded into the air and disappeared entirely.


    The room grew silent, and Lace rubbed her throat as she coughed. When she had recovered, she ran her fingers over her tongue but saw no trace of the black Beast-blood when she withdrew them.


    Excelerate was still unconscious, but he breathed more easily.


    Kiren helped Lace stand, and she panted as she looked down at the supine Hero.


    He looked small. Small and old. Her heart twanged with sadness, seeing him like that.


    ¡°What the fuck just happened?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t quite know,¡± Lace admitted. ¡°But I think he¡¯s well enough to carry him back to the Lodge.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know what had happened to the specter at the end of that, but it seemed like it was in pain.


    While Kiren struggled to lift the limp Hero over his shoulders, Lace made a quick scan of the room. She brought the candle over to the desk and looked through the papers on it. She picked the one at the top and started reading it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Reya. I can¡¯t do this anymore,¡± Lace read. ¡°This house is too empty without you. I¡¯ve done everything I can for the city. No one can say differently. I¡¯ll be with you soon. Love; Jay.¡±


    The other papers were different iterations of the same letter. All were addressed to his wife.


    ¡°Sounds like this was what he wanted,¡± Kiren said. ¡°What weakness could compel a man to do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Not weakness,¡± Lace said, turning around to face him. ¡°Just pain.¡±


    Kiren pursed his lips but didn¡¯t say anything.


    She went over to the bottle Excelerate had left on the floor and pulled out the note pinned beneath it.


    Reya, it read. This is the one. I finally did it. There was more, but the words scrawled off into nonsense.


    Lace put the letter on the bed and let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯re done here,¡± she said. ¡°Let¡¯s get him back to the Lodge.¡±

 47. The one who Suffered, Part 2

    The street was choked full of spawnlings when they left the house. A few unfortunate souls had attempted to escape the safety of their homes and were now being devoured by the creatures.


    Kiren and Lace ducked back inside and used the distraction of the monsters¡¯ feast to sneak out the back door. Kiren struggled to keep his strained grunts to a minimum as they moved from house to house, alley to alley, while he carried a man on his back.


    A rather stinky one, too. He reeked of alcohol.


    They encountered two spawnlings at the mouth of an alley. Lace dispatched them with a few practiced flicks of her staff. The Beasts didn¡¯t die from the attacks. They writhed weakly on the paved ground, but they didn¡¯t have the time to finish them off, and so simply gave them a wide berth as they walked past.


    You¡¯re not allowed to die on us, Kiren thought. He hiked the old man higher. Not yet.


    As they rushed through the South Side district, they got a good look at just how dire the situation had gotten. Kiren counted corpses in the hundreds, and there wasn¡¯t a street they passed that didn¡¯t have spawnlings stalking them, hunting for anyone still living.


    When they got close to the Lodge, they headed inside an expensive four-story mansion¡ªwhich had already been broken into¡ªin order to survey a good point of approach.


    All the members of the household had been killed, their bodies dismembered and gnawed at. The house was quiet, however, so it seemed that the Beasts that had killed them had moved on.


    Kiren and Lace ascended to the top floor. The windows allowed them a good vantage point of the surrounding streets. Kiren put Excelerate down in a bed to take the weight off his shoulders.


    Just in view, to the north, was the Lodge.


    Distant explosions lit up the darkened field around the crown of bobbing lights that denoted the Lodge. Around the wall, as far as they could see, Beasts writhed in the hundreds, maybe even thousands¡ªit was difficult to tell.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Kiren said. ¡°Looks like we missed our window.¡±


    ¡°What do we do?¡± Lace asked. ¡°We can¡¯t fight our way through all those Beasts.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have a choice. We could go around, I suppose, and see if there¡¯s any way in from the north, but that would take a good while, and this old boy isn¡¯t doing so well.¡±


    Lace sighed. ¡°I guess we¡¯ve just got to count on Tommyn and Haden pulling through when it counts.¡± She played with a glass vial containing red powder dye. ¡°Let¡¯s hope they see the signal.¡±


    Kiren grunted in agreement.


    There was no use waiting around. They left the building and headed for the Lodge. It felt wrong, walking straight towards a horde of Beasts like none Kiren had ever heard of, but he set his jaw and kept moving.


    ¡°You sure you can handle this?¡± Kiren asked as he lugged the limp Hero on his shoulders. He glanced over at Lace, who walked with quiet determination in her step. ¡°I¡¯m relying on you to make sure we don¡¯t get overwhelmed.¡±


    Lace gave a nervous smile. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    That did very little to assure him.


    By the time the wall was in sight, the spawnlings had already spotted them and were throwing themselves their way. There were dozens of the ugly, misshapen things, funneled into the thinner street.


    Lace sent up a powder blast high into the air using her staff, producing a cloud of slowly drifting red paint. It was hard to make out against the night sky, but it was better than nothing at all.


    The spawnlings came in fast. Kiren focused only on moving forward and tried to block out everything else. He tried to ignore their guttural cries, the skittering of their feet on the flagstones, their horrifyingly human faces, all twisted in unearthly caricature.


    It was not an easy task.


    Lace let the ragged line of monsters draw close, too close for comfort, before she moved. She swept her staff in a wide, horizontal arc which separated heads from bodies and bodies from limbs. The soft, pliable forms of the spawnlings were easy to dismember with her Power.


    A good handful of the spawnlings fell, convulsing uselessly, but more poured over them towards the two apprentices, seemingly only enraged by the act of defiance.


    Lace blew a strong wind that threatened to knock Kiren off his feet, and did just that for the spawnlings. They were thrown away, and Lace used the extra space to finish off a few spawnlings close to her, as well as advance with Kiren a few steps.


    It soon became a bloodbath, Lace hacking left and right. Kiren kicked at the spawnlings where he could, but without his greatsword and the use of his hands, there was little he could do.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    He spared a glance over at Lace amidst the screaming chaos.


    She moved with grace and ferocity¡ªevery step a necessity, every movement certain.


    She was beautiful when she worked. Even with the literal incarnation of death all around him, he could still appreciate that.


    But there were too many of them, he quickly realized. There were spawnlings coming not only from the wall, but from behind them, as well.


    They were being surrounded.


    ¡°Motherfucker,¡± Kiren swore.


    He set Excelerate down on the ground and pulled his greatsword out of its scabbard. He threw the scabbard at a pair of spawnlings, setting them back a couple steps, and settled into a defensive guard.


    ¡°Bring it on!¡± he shouted, and swung his sword at the encroaching monsters.


    They were eager to oblige.


    *****


    Something was wrong.


    Lace kept trying to call the specter to her side as she fought, but it would not come. She recalled its warning to her and cursed inwardly.


    There were simply too many of them. She could hardly tell what she was swinging at anymore, just a tide of blood and gore and grasping hands all around her.


    Even with Kiren helping, bisecting Beasts with brutal swings of his greatsword, there was no telling how long they would be able to hold up.


    Kiren was fully surrounded, standing guard over Excelerate. While he dealt with one group of spawnlings, a few of the creatures leapt on his back.


    Lace fired an aero-shot his way and managed to knock two of the spawnlings off of him, but there were still two left.


    He thrashed and dropped his sword as they tore at his clothes and ripped open his skin. He attempted to pull them off but they clung to him like oversized ticks, sinking sharp teeth and hooked claws into his flesh.


    Lace was running low on energy, but she gathered all the air she could from the space above her head and directed it into a blast right at her feet. All the spawnlings around her were knocked away, giving her a few meters of clear space to work with, but she was left panting, using her staff for support to remain upright.


    She staggered towards Kiren, who was being pulled to the ground.


    Where are they? We need them, right now, or it¡¯ll be too late.


    A fiery explosion went off just a few meters to her left. It tore cobbles into the air and shredded a handful Beasts.


    Another detonated just seconds after, killing another four or five of the creatures. The spawnlings shrieked at the sudden bouts of fire, and their trepidation gave Lace enough of a window to cut her way through to Kiren. She managed to get all the spawnlings off him, and he rose slowly with a trembling, yet grateful smile. Blood ran down his face in steady streams from cuts on his cheeks and scalp.


    A big boulder of a man leapt off the wall with a thunderous warcry, crushing several spawnlings under his feet when he landed.


    Haden.


    He smacked the monsters around with his bare fists. One of them tried to leap on top of him, and he simply grabbed it out of the air. He spun in a full circle, using the spawnling as a club to knock away its compatriots before heaving it away.


    Gantho stood atop the wall, his dirty shock of hair backlit against the warm lights flowing from the Guild Hall. He fired explosives into the seemingly endless horde of Beasts with his slingshot. A flock of birds gathered overhead, dropping stones onto the monsters that exploded into brilliant sparks.


    Before long, a path had opened up all the way to the wall, with Haden making sure none of the spawnlings blocked it again.


    ¡°Come on, then!¡± Haden called with a brilliant smile. ¡°We¡¯ve paved the way for you!¡±


    Lace helped Kiren pick Excelerate back up. Her bruised ribs were hurting, and her lungs ached with the strain she had placed upon her Power, but together they staggered the last few meters towards the wall.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that off your hands,¡± Haden said. He lifted Excelerate up and lumped him over one shoulder like a sack of flour. ¡°Good work, guys.¡±


    When they got close to the stone barrier, a ladder made of intersecting chains rolled down the side, attached to the top. Kiren went up first, as he was the most hurt, while Lace and Haden held off the encroaching Beast horde.


    They seemed to have been whipped into a frenzy by the increased resistance and scalding flames. Shrieking, they threw themselves against the apprentices.


    Once Kiren was up on the wall, Haden threw Excelerate up there. Kiren, Gantho and Veera caught him, and Lace began to climb while Haden stayed below.


    Lace clung to the glowing chains as she climbed like her final lifeline. She made it over the top and rolled panting onto the safety of the solid stone wall.


    ¡°Okay, one man left!¡± Gantho said and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. ¡°Tommyn, let¡¯s go for a big one! have your friends drop their payloads on my mark!¡±


    Tommyn nodded, and Gantho readied another stone in his slingshot.


    ¡°Mark!¡±


    A cacophony of booming thunder followed, and the sky was temporarily lit with fiery brilliance.


    A few moments later Haden made it over the top of the wall, arms raked with bloody wounds. His hair hung loose over his shoulder, doused with sweat. And yet, he was grinning like a fool.


    ¡°A little close for comfort, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± Haden said with a hearty laugh while Tommyn checked on his injuries.


    ¡°You guys are fucking out of your minds,¡± Veera said. She ran a hand through her black hair, shaved on one side, and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯d never do anything half that dangerous. Don¡¯t get me wrong, by the way¡ªthat¡¯s not a compliment.¡±


    Lace struggled to stand, surrounded by the other apprentices. Haden helped her back on her feet.


    ¡°You all came to help,¡± she said, out of breath.


    Veera shrugged. ¡°Guess so.¡±


    ¡°We make a pretty good team, huh?¡± Gantho said with a precocious grin.


    ¡°W-What about Excelerate, though?¡± Tommyn asked. ¡°Is he¡­?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s alive,¡± Kiren said. ¡°We¡¯ve just got to get him to Good Doctor so she can fix him up. I don''t think he''s in the clear just yet.¡±

 48. Khruj

    48. Khruj


    Good Doctor ran her hands over Excelerate¡¯s naked, scarred torso. His breathing had slowed and evened out. He didn¡¯t seem to be in such pain anymore but hadn¡¯t stirred during the whole time since they had brought him in.


    Kiren and Lace had already been on the bad end of a few stern talking-tos by several Heroes. That was a small price to pay for Excelerate to be safe, in Lace''s mind.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Good Doctor said. She looked up at Kiren and Lace for a moment before returning to her work. Her eyes were red and puffy from weeping. ¡°I¡­ honestly didn¡¯t think I would be seeing him again alive.¡±


    ¡°What is it between you and him?¡± Lace asked. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking. You just seem very¡­ concerned¡­ about his safety.¡±


    ¡°Jorge and I have a complicated history,¡± the grey-haired Hero admitted. ¡°One I¡¯d rather not share while he¡¯s on the fine edge between life and death.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master. I didn¡¯t mean to intrude.¡±


    ¡°So, is he going to make it?¡± Kiren asked.


    Good Doctor sighed and ran her hands over Excelerate one last time before folding them in her lap. ¡°Well¡­ The good news is that most of the toxins that have afflicted him seem to be out of his system. The bad news is that his body has already been run ragged. He¡¯s lost a lot of blood. Now, Mina¡¯s helped me replace some of it, but it¡¯s still a close thing. I think he¡¯s got a good chance of making it, but it¡¯s hard to tell at this stage.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ see,¡± Lace said. She approached the side of the bed and softly touched Excelerate¡¯s bony shoulder. ¡°Maybe we should give you some time to do your work, check up on him later.¡±


    Good Doctor nodded and tucked a strand of grey hair behind her ear. ¡°That would be much appreciated. I believe the Heroes on the wall would appreciate all the help they can get.¡±


    Lace and Kiren left the room. He put an arm around her as they walked, and the reassuring weight helped even out her breathing.


    ¡°The old fuck¡¯s gonna pull through, alright?¡± Kiren said. ¡°He hates the world too much to leave it behind. All we need to do is make sure the Lodge is still standing by the time he comes to.¡±


    Lace held back tears.


    ¡°Yeah. I guess you¡¯re right.¡±


    *****


    Allivon traipsed behind his master.


    Wordsmith stopped every few seconds to rifle through a tome or volume. She flipped the pages so fast that one could hardly think she could glean any useful information from it. Knowing her, however, she was getting exactly what she needed.


    There was intense fighting up above. The future of the Lodge, the city as a whole, was at stake, and yet, down here in Records, Allivon heard not a sound. It was all as peaceful and calming as always.


    ¡°What can I do?¡± Allivon asked, wringing his hands. ¡°To help, I mean.¡±


    ¡°You can be quiet,¡± Wordsmith snapped. She caught herself a moment later. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean that. This is just a¡­ high-pressure situation. I have to find some ancient knowledge which will help our colleagues in destroying the Beasts. To be perfectly frank, I doubt there is anything you could contribute that would be of assistance. You could go wait over there.¡± She pointed with a black-painted fingernail towards the opposite end of the large chamber.


    That stung a little. Allivon had been training for over a year to be Wordsmith¡¯s aid, to learn her needs and act on them before she even knew what they were.


    Regardless, eager to please, he shuffled off down the central aisle and left the Hero to her work. Although, he did allow himself a bit of grumbling along the way.


    On the way, he was overcome with an odd sensation. As if he were being watched. He stopped, turned, and found himself eye to eye with the twisted Staff of Khruj. If that unnatural length of hardened flesh could ever be called a staff.


    The large, round eye that topped the staff was staring straight at Allivon, its pupil an impossibly narrow slit.


    It was enough to creep him out, but luckily the staff couldn¡¯t do anything to hurt him from that display case so long as it was impaled with those consecrated stakes.


    He glanced down.


    The stakes lay on the bottom of the glass case, corroded to their cores, and there were several oozing holes in the Beastly thing where they should have been placed.


    He wanted to scream.


    He should have screamed.


    And yet, something compelled him not to. A soothing force.


    The eye compelled him, in its silent fashion, to look up. So he did.


    The staff stared at him, and somehow, Allivon knew exactly what it wanted. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    He knew exactly what it could offer him.


    ¡°I wish to kill your brothers,¡± Allivon said numbly. ¡°Can you do that for me?¡±


    Khruj did not respond. It didn¡¯t even move inside the glass case. Allivon felt its response.


    Yes.


    ¡°Then¡­ what do I do?¡±


    Blood. Yours. Reveal to the dark heavens.


    Allivon got a sudden, terrible gut feeling. There was something off about this. Why was he talking to the staff? What had Wordsmith told him about it, again?


    The soothing force fell over him once more like a warm blanket, and he shook his head. It was no matter. Wordsmith didn¡¯t need him, anyway. She despised him. Why should he make any effort to obey her?


    He went through the various sections of Records, eventually finding a tray which contained a multitude of gleaming silver shards. He pricked his thumb with one of the metal pieces and watched a fat drop of blood well up. He tossed the silver back in and returned to the staff.


    It wasn¡¯t in its case, but the glass wasn¡¯t broken either. It was simply¡­ gone.


    It waited for him on a nearby table, staring up at him. For some reason, he felt a strong urge to please the unblinking eye.


    Allivon shook his head and clutched his bloody hand. He was doing this for the Guild. To protect them, and to show Wordsmith his worth. Nothing else.


    Take me in your hand, the staff spoke, an ethereal echo, and the power is yours.


    Allivon hesitated.


    ¡°What am I doing?¡± he asked himself. ¡°This is insane. I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    A wave of sickly sweet ambrosia washed over him. It buried his suspicions deep, and suddenly he didn¡¯t have the will to question what he was doing.


    He picked up the staff. It was cold to the touch, but the flesh pulsated beneath his fingers. His blood seeped into the instrument, and the eye atop the staff twitched with soundless ecstasy, spasming out of control.


    Yes¡­ it hissed. At last. Freedom.


    Allivon was filled with a swelling, rapturous sensation. Every fiber of his being brimmed with power. He tilted his head back and a small cry escaped him.


    With this power, he would live a thousand years. He would bend the world to his will. He would level the stars. None of his petty aspirations mattered any longer. He felt his mind expand, encompassing ever greater unknowns.


    ¡°Allivon? Is everything alright?¡± Wordsmith asked from somewhere. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to be¡­¡±


    Allivon turned around, and there she was. Wordsmith gaped at him, then the staff in his hand.


    ¡°You¡­¡± she stammered.


    Allivon raised the staff.


    A bolt of dark, hot lightning shot out of the eye, a jagged edge that almost seemed to absorb the light around it.


    Wordsmith was struck in the chest, and her layers peeled away one at a time. Cloth, skin, fat, muscle, organs. Her torso was completely eviscerated as her limbs danced with deep, primal agony.


    She fell to the floor, dead as anything, and Allivon turned away.


    He saw no need to look upon her.


    She was insignificant.


    He had ascended to a higher state of being.


    *****


    Kiren felt useless, leaned on his blade. He watched Heroes and apprentices alike take potshots at the undulating horde below, whether with bow and arrow or more potent ranged abilities, like Gantho¡¯s bombs.


    There was no end to the monsters.


    Their numbers stretched beyond the wall and continued in among the streets where they disappeared from sight. He found himself dreading that they might continue on forever.


    It was a single, coordinated wall of flesh. At this point, counting numbers was useless, and would only serve to confuse one¡¯s brain. There was only the fight.


    And they were losing.


    The spawnlings hadn¡¯t yet broken through the gates, but they had launched targeted strikes in certain areas, making it onto the walls. Only a focused response from the strongest Heroes had managed to repel them.


    But that wouldn¡¯t work forever. Even Heroes grew tired, that he knew well. The Beasts didn¡¯t. They didn¡¯t require rest, or food, or sleep.


    They were merciless.


    Unrelentless.


    Endless in their hate.


    Droves of dead creatures piled up around the walls, even higher around the gate. Somewhere in the hundreds, it was impossible to tell with any accuracy. Regardless of the dead, the spawnlings simply climbed over their fallen counterparts and continued the assault.


    They showed no signs of slowing.


    ¡°There¡¯s so many of them,¡± Lace said. She looked over the battlefield, same as him, letting her Power rest a smidge. ¡°Evangel must have been gathering them for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about that other humanoid,¡± Kiren muttered. ¡°Those bastards were planning for this outcome.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll make it through this yet,¡± Haden said. Despite his smile, Kiren could see the fear behind his eyes. He held Tommyn¡¯s shoulder just a little too tightly. ¡°We just need to wait for help to arrive.¡±


    Kiren laughed bitterly. ¡°Help? What do you mean, help? We are the help. If the Heroes can¡¯t save this city, who will?¡±


    Lace opened her mouth to say something but hesitated and closed it again.


    ¡°I dare you,¡± Kiren said. ¡°I dare you to say it. Paragon.¡±


    ¡°She might still come,¡± Lace said.


    He shook his head. ¡°No, she won¡¯t. She¡¯s too busy up at her castle, making sure her and hers are all fine and dandy.¡±


    Once he was finished with his tirade, everyone settled into an uncomfortable silence.


    He was right, of course, but part of Kiren wished he hadn¡¯t said anything. The look of utter, wide-eyed terror on Tommyn¡¯s face made him wish he had let them all believe in their delusions of a grand rescue.


    The field of spawnlings split down the middle to the gate, moving in coordinated unison. They clicked and shrieked and laughed as they awaited something.


    Someone.


    He is coming.


    It wasn¡¯t long before he was proven right.


    A monstrous thing shambled down the empty lane left by the spawnlings. It was larger than Snapjaw, almost the size of Titaness, with a horrifying bulk of straining, rotting muscles that quivered like bundled lute strings on the outside of the body.


    Much of it was hidden behind a dark, bloody cloak, and the face, tiny compared to the body, was concealed by a wooden mask carved out to resemble a demented, gleeful grin.


    Evangel.

 49. The Chimera

    49. The Chimera


    A ripple of gasps and prayers went through the ragged line of defenders atop the wall. There was a moment of hesitation as seasoned Heroes and fresh apprentices alike balked at the sight of this monstrosity.


    ¡°Target Evangel!¡± Bloodhound barked, stood atop the wall just above the gates. He pointed at Evangel with his whole hand. ¡°Show him everything the Heroes¡¯ Guild has to offer!¡±


    That broke the spell, at least partially. Heroes fired their abilities. Apprentices loosed their arrows. Evangel was riddled with over a dozen arrows, and one of Gantho¡¯s bombs went off just a meter or two next to him, showering the Beast with shrapnel.


    He didn¡¯t slow down.


    He hardly seemed to notice.


    Evangel continued towards the gates. He shambled at the same pace, slow and jerky, drawing ever closer.


    It took a few volleys for everyone to realize that their attacks were ineffective. Bloodhound ordered them to spread out their attacks and sent Conversia away down the wall.


    What¡¯s he planning? Kiren wondered, feverishly searching for some sign that Bloodhound knew what he was doing. We can¡¯t let Evangel just wander right up and batter down the gates.


    Conversia returned with Songbird¡ªthe bard clad in a tattered cloak of many colors¡ªa lute resting against his shoulder. Bloodhound nodded with satisfaction.


    ¡°Ranged fighters, prepare to give it everything you have on my mark!¡± the Guild Leader called. ¡°Focus fire on the spawnlings! Keep them away from the gates! Our close-range fighters will handle Evangel.¡±


    Songbird strummed up a tune on his instrument, quick and easy. The notes rose over the din, carried through the sounds of fighting and death.


    Somehow, the song filled Kiren with a sense of calm, and an unexplainable, bubbling excitement at the bottom of his stomach, a desire to act that couldn¡¯t be ignored. It brought strength to his muscles, and he found himself tapping his foot impatiently, wishing he could leap down the wall and take on every damn spawnling by himself.


    The archers seemed similarly affected. Their rate of fire increased significantly, and more creatures fell screaming as they attempted to reach the bottom of the wall.


    Evangel continued unimpeded.


    Kiren saw something out of the very corner of his eye. He looked up and saw Steelfeather rising high into the air, becoming small as he rapidly put several dozen meters between himself and the ground.


    Goldcoin came up on the wall atop the gates, clutching a cloth bundle. He grinned like a child. His gold teeth glinted in the sparse light


    ¡°Ooh, I¡¯ve been looking to try this for a while, now,¡± he said. ¡°May I, Guild Master?¡±


    Bloodhound nodded. ¡°Clear the ground.¡±


    Goldcoin grinned even wider and unwrapped the bundle he was holding. Inside was a stone about the size of a fist, rubbed smooth and spherical with runes drawn on its surface. Handfuls of coins were stuck to its surface haphazardly.


    He threw the object over the wall, down at the writhing spawnlings clawing at the gates.


    ¡°Coin Flip!¡± Goldcoin shouted, tapering off into a shrill cackle.


    The stone sphere burst midair in a bright explosion. Coins flew out in all directions.


    A bright flash of light blew out Kiren¡¯s vision. He blinked rapidly, and when he could next see, nearly a hundred Beasts lay dead at the foot of the wall, each pierced by a single hole. Only Evangel remained standing amid a great swath of death.


    Not one defender had been hit by the shrapnel.


    ¡°Can I get some love for my finishing move, pretty people?¡± Goldcoin said, spinning around with his arms thrown up.


    There was a roar of approving cries from the defenders on the wall, apprentices in particular, and Songbird strummed his lute to match their enthusiasm.


    ¡°Focus!¡± Bloodhound barked, spit flying from his muzzle. ¡°Keep that spot clear at all costs!¡± He held up a hand, palm outstretched.


    He pointed it at Evangel.


    There was a sound of sudden, thundering footsteps. Kiren looked back just in time to see Titaness leap onto the wall next to Bloodhound, then bound with a single step over the top, landing on the other side with a shockwave that went through Kiren¡¯s entire body.


    She wore a ludicrously sized breastplate with pauldrons and wielded her great, iron ball-and-chain.


    Using the momentum of her landing, she brought the ball down on Evangel¡¯s head. Bone crunched, muscles squelched, and the wooden mask cracked. The ball bounced back up, and she kicked him away from her with a leg thicker than a tree trunk.


    Evangel stumbled, sliding several meters, and caught himself by digging a nine-fingered hand into the ground.


    ¡°You perfect fools,¡± he grunted, voice distorted as if he had a stone lodged in his throat. He stood back up and raised his hands. ¡°You will taste the flames of¡ª¡±


    A grey streak collided with him at a velocity Kiren¡¯s eyes could hardly comprehend, and the monster was knocked off his feet, crushed into a shallow impact crater.


    Steelfeather was on top of Evangel, packing him with blows that carried enough force to cave in his putrid chest.


    Evangel cried out in a language that defied understanding. Harsh syllables that cut through Kiren¡¯s hearing. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Spawnlings surged to protect their master, but the archers atop the wall were ready for them. They focused fire on the Beasts rushing in, keeping the semi-circular arena before the gates clear of enemies.


    Focusing on the gates meant that the spawnlings attempting to scale the walls received a wider margin of opportunity. Kiren drew his sword and got to the edge of the wall, slashing down at the climbers. Many-limbed horrors fell away screaming from his spot as well as further down the wall, where other apprentices had had the same idea.


    Kiren was heartened to see Titaness and Steelfeather thoroughly trounce Evangel in their arena of Beast corpses. Haden and Lace fought next to him, the former with sword and shield, the latter firing arrows into the attacking force.


    Despite their apparent advantage, a strange sense of unease overcame him. There was an electric tension in the air.


    Kiren looked around for the source of this disturbance.


    It seemed that Lace had noticed it as well, because she dropped her bow to clutch her head, teeth gritted and eyes screwed shut.


    Kiren spun, facing the courtyard.


    It was mostly empty apart from a small force that stayed in reserve in case one section of the wall needed reinforcing. The civilians had been taken inside the Guild Hall, where they would be safer in case of a breach.


    One man walked confidently across the courtyard, headed for the gates. An apprentice, it looked like. He held something in his right hand¡ªa staff of some kind.


    The apprentice raised the staff, and an eye opened atop its crest.


    A bolt of dark lightning shot from that eye, hitting the gate below.


    A rumble went through the entire wall. Men cried out.


    The gates shattered completely, thrown to rotten smithereens and scattered so that the portal into the Lodge stood open as a toothless, gaping mouth.


    Kiren could only gape along with it.


    The staff coiled around the apprentice¡¯s arm like a snake. It tightened and easily broke his arm, causing him to lose his grip on the staff and fall on one knee.


    From there, the staff settled around his neck. With one quick movement, it snapped the youth¡¯s neck, and he fell over to one side while the staff slithered clear of the body.


    A great, hissing rumble of a laugh sounded over the battlefield.


    Kiren looked back as Evangel retaliated against one of Steelfeather¡¯s punches with a blow to the stomach that sent him reeling. He grabbed the Hero by the back of the head and slammed him into the stone.


    Free once more, Evangel stood. He tanked a hit from Titaness¡¯s ball-and-chain to his mangled chest.


    ¡°It is time!¡± Evangel called, his voice filled with dark glee. ¡°Beware, Heroes! Your age is at an end!¡±


    *****


    Maxim moved with determination.


    His body was overcome with injury, but the pain was muted, disconnected from himself.


    He had only one goal.


    To bring them back.


    He wouldn¡¯t stop for anything until he achieved that end.


    Maxim needed to get through that gate. Nasaizh spurred him on. It was imperative. He could sense the keen presence of the thing that had torn down the doors. Whatever it was, Nasaizh wanted to have it.


    The Hero Titaness was in his way, spinning that nasty iron ball.


    He dove for her, hundreds of kilos of putrid flesh hurtling with him.


    They crashed together, and Maxim tore the ball-and-chain from her hand, which thumped heavily to the ground. He swung, and she ducked with surprising speed. While he was trying to wind back his arm, she came up with an uppercut that snapped his head back and knocked the remains of his mask off his head.


    A dark sky polluted with smoke and the ember glow of firelight greeted him.


    He tried to catch himself, but his body was numb. Every misshapen part worked at a different rhythm. His body was stolen and borrowed and bargained, then lashed together by his will alone. That lashing was coming undone.


    He managed to get one leg underneath himself, sent out tendrils to steady it. Just as quickly, however, something knocked it away, and Maxim fell.


    He hit the ground hard. A wave of sharp, immediate pain went through him, forcing a gasp.


    A grey wraith descended on him.


    Cursed Steelfeather.


    Maxim raised one of his unwieldy arms to protect his hearts.


    Steelfeather pummeled him with fists that weighed like anvils, crushing muscles and bones and any hope he would have had of resisting.


    His body was growing slack as the pain faded more and more. His mind became foggy. Even Nasaizh had nothing to say.


    Lessie.


    Mara.


    I hoped the last thing I¡¯d see would be you two.


    Blows rained over him, but he didn¡¯t feel them. They didn¡¯t matter anymore.


    Papa¡¯s sorry.


    So, so sorry.


    I would have done anything for you.


    A jolt of something foreign in his mind brought him back to consciousness.


    Anything? a new voice asked.


    Maxim didn¡¯t know who it was. Another beast? It didn¡¯t matter.


    Yes, Maxim responded.


    Good. Then treat with me. Gain the power you require. The power to defeat your enemies and stand supreme.


    I will do it. Whatever you want, I¡¯ll do it.


    True and good. Then simply say my name. Khruj. Say ¡®Khruj, I call upon you¡¯.


    Steelfeather heaped Maxim¡¯s limp arm aside and punched through his chest to pull out his heart.


    ¡°Khruj¡­¡± Maxim whispered, struggling to make words. His mouth was dry and tasted of congealed blood. ¡°I¡­ call upon you.¡±


    A bolt of lightning struck from a black sky.


    It hit Maxim square, brought his senses back to full acuity, knocked Steelfeather clean off of him.


    A long staff slithered into his right hand and stiffened there. It was a perfect fit.


    Khruj.


    Maxim had heard of this creature.


    Power filled his body, a resounding strength the likes of which he had never experienced.


    Slowly, he stood back up, using the staff for support.


    Titaness was dragging her compatriot back through the shattered gates of the Heroes¡¯ coward¡¯s den.


    Maxim raised his hand. Black energy shot from his fingers, mixed into a beam that tore through the woman¡¯s flesh. She screamed and fell down, leaving Steelfeather laying limp.


    Maxim saw the frightened, stunned looks of the so-called Heroes on the wall.


    He smiled.


    If they were truly Heroes, they would have saved them.


    His spawnlings rushed forward around him, going for the open gates.


    Maxim raised his hand towards the wall.


    They deserve this.


    Time for their punishment.

 50. Purity

    50. Purity


    There was a mass rout.


    Lace ran. She dragged Kiren with her. Haden lifted Tommyn over his shoulder and bounded down the steps leading to the courtyard.


    Heroes were being picked off and dragged away by the spawnlings. Steelfeather, Copycat. Others, too. They tried to take Titaness, but she was too large to budge at all.


    Several fighters confronted Evangel. D-Ranks and C-Ranks. Evangel swept his hand, and a roiling miasma rotted them all to bones.


    No other Heroes tried to get near him, instead opting to flee.


    Lace couldn¡¯t process it. The shrieks. The blood. The lightning.


    It was too much.


    She could only run.


    She spared a glance back. Gantho was trying to get down off the wall, spawnlings rushing up around him. He detonated one of his pebbles in front of him, which exploded in a shower of bright sparks. The explosion took out two of the Beasts, but six more swarmed him and dragged him to the ground.


    His screams joined the others¡¯.


    Spawnlings were already flooding into the grounds. Certain Heroes put up a scattered defense while the House of Healing was evacuated, but they couldn¡¯t hold out for long.


    Lace ran for the main hall where the rest were headed. Counter was motioning people inside.


    Kiren suddenly dug his heels in, forcing Lace to stop. She tugged insistently on his arm, but he wouldn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°He¡¯s still in there!¡± Kiren said and nodded at the House of Healing. ¡°Excelerate.¡±


    Lace swore. She followed Kiren as they went for the smaller building.


    Evangel wandered through the gates in a plodding gait. He stepped over Titaness¡¯s corpse, a smile on his twisted face.


    Barely anything about him resembled the unassuming, aged man he had once been.


    He was no longer Elder Maxim. He was a monster, through and through, and his appearance reflected that.


    Hunched-over, lumbering, writhing with additional limbs and screaming faces, he was exactly like the stories her mother had told her as a child, the ones that had frightened her so.


    Those stories had come true. Her nightmares had been realized.


    There wasn¡¯t much time. They made it to the House of Healing. Lace guarded the door while Kiren ran inside.


    Spawnlings came at her, too many to count. Too many to fight by herself.


    She called upon the spirit that lived in the wind. Nothing happened.


    It didn¡¯t answer.


    Something was wrong with it. Drawing the poison from Excelerate¡¯s veins had shattered its power, somehow.


    The spawnlings were almost on her, all chomping maws and raking claws. They were close enough that she could smell their putrid stench.


    Lace readied her gale-staff and ran an air current through it. She gasped for breath as the wind blade sputtered to life. Her Power was stretched to its limit.


    She made a horizontal swipe, cutting two spawnlings out of the air. Three more came. She weaved the staff in a whirling pattern, cutting limbs.


    They kept coming.


    She dodged and ducked, struck where she could. No matter how many she killed, their numbers kept growing.


    Most of the surviving Heroes and apprentices had already cleared out of the courtyard into the safety of the Guild Hall. Counter held the door along with a few others. Somnus rendered spawnlings limp and unconscious with her glowing touch, and Voicebox produced deep, powerful trumpets through her horn that sent the creatures rattling.


    ¡°Fucking move it, kid!¡± Counter called. Even his commanding voice was almost lost in the din. ¡°We can¡¯t stand here forever!¡±


    The door to the House of Healing burst open. Kiren and Good Doctor came out, dragging a lolling Excelerate between them.


    ¡°That¡¯s the last of us!¡± Good Doctor said. ¡°Frog-Face already took Mina and the others through!¡±


    Lace nodded and turned to put down a spawnling that endeavored to gnaw on her leg. She sliced it open head to stem, and it sank to the ground with a pitiful whimper.


    Now we just have to make it back to the Guild Hall.


    Looking at the dozen or so meters they had to bridge, it seemed an impossibly wide distance. A veritable ocean of crawling brood flooded the courtyard, hurling themselves at the few humans still living. Some were still distracted as they feasted upon the dead, but their attention would soon be turned back upon Lace and the others.


    Evangel stood, aloof, taking in his victory. He oversaw the taking of corpses. He would speak an order in the language of Beasts, point at one of the felled Heroes, and a team of spawnlings would quickly form to carry away the unfortunate victim.


    Lace funneled a blast of air into the ground, blowing away those spawnlings closest to her. The exertion drove the air from her lungs and forced her onto one knee, but the Beasts kept coming.


    Kiren left Good Doctor to carry Excelerate and ran up by her side. He drew his greatsword and swung it in wide arcs, cleaving spawnlings in two and giving Lace time to catch her breath.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t working,¡± Lace said, her voice choked and hoarse. ¡°We won¡¯t make it through.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s our only option,¡± Kiren growled, ¡°so start chopping.¡±


    A great wailing filled Lace¡¯s ears, echoing from the walls.


    A flood of sparkling, almost crystalline water shot over the far end of the wall to the south, by the broken gates. It washed over the battlements and into the courtyard, carrying away the spawnlings that had crawled onto the wall. The Beasts that were touched by the water undulated and cried out as if stung. They yowled as their skin shriveled and bubbled, turning black and then falling off. One layer at a time they were peeled, stripped bare, until at last, they were dead.


    Despite the blood and muck and corpses the water washed over, it somehow remained perfectly pure. It ate into the horde of spawnlings crowding the courtyard, and they fled to escape its reach.


    A man was carried onto the top of the wall by a mass of water, which then sank away from him. He was rotund and rosy-cheeked, standing with an easy grace on one of the stone crenellations despite his considerable bulk. He wore a large pot on his back, perhaps a meter in height. Some of the water traveled up his legs and collected into the pot.


    The large man surveyed the courtyard with his gaze, and he seemed not at all shocked by what he saw. Rather, he cracked a wide, friendly smile which balled up his round cheeks.


    Evangel rounded on the man, his face drawn into a ghastly snarl. Something thudded into his back, like an arrow but wider and more massive, with a solid metal wedge at its tip.


    Lace followed the projectile¡¯s trajectory and traced it to a man who stood by the splintered gates. He had short, fiery red hair, a long beard, and wore a roomy shirt and hose with a large quiver on his back. He carried a bow as tall as himself, with a sturdy body into which intricate ornamentations had been carved. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The man nocked another arrow, though ¡®stake¡¯ might have been a better name for it, considering its shape and size.


    Evangel scrabbled at his back to tear loose the one embedded inside him, his arm unfolding into several smaller ones that reached farther.


    A third man, this one with long, dark hair and a broad-shouldered build rushed up to Evangel, and, without missing a beat, swung a blunt sledgehammer at the monster. He hammered the stake in almost all the way to the bottom, and several of Evangel¡¯s vestigial appendages went slack.


    The Beast who had once been man roared his rage and indignation and lashed out at the long-haired man, his massive hand sparking with a terrible power.


    The man ducked away. Evangel put his palm out first to shoot him with a blast of dark lightning, but the red-haired man fired another stake which struck him right in his hand. In an instant, the lightning died away, and Evangel stared dumbfounded as the flesh around his hand began to die and fall away.


    A woman with a shaven head slipped past the Beast, seeming wholly unconcerned by him. A loose, silvery thread fluttered behind her, wound around each hand. She ran with light steps, contorted her body with expert precision to move through the messy ranks of spawnlings.


    The seemingly innocuous wire cut through all the Beasts it touched like a knife through butter, bisecting swaths of them at a time without so much as an arm raised in the effort.


    The spawnlings uttered barks of confusion and panic. Sensing their fortunes turning, many of them started to flee towards the gates.


    The round man atop the wall put his hands together in the shape of a circle. Water sprayed out of the vessel on his back and gathered into a curved line on the ground before the mass of spawnlings. The water from the vessel arced through the air and landed with the rest of it. Put together, it made a wide circle around the woman and a good chunk of spawnlings, probably one or two hundred. Those monsters caught in the water¡¯s path shriveled and died, and those trapped on the inside would not cross it.


    The woman made quick work of the spawnlings within the circle, flicking that thread about like a whip.


    Lace wasn¡¯t familiar with any of these four fighters. They evidently weren¡¯t Heroes. They were something else.


    One thing was clear, however.


    They knew how to hunt Beasts.


    The red-hair and the black-hair backed up and gave Evangel a wide berth. The monster reared back and thrust his unholy staff to the sky. A web of chain lightning surged from the staff, forming a growing cage around him. The two fighters avoided the attack by a wide margin, and eventually, the lightning faded, throwing Evangel¡¯s grotesque form back into darkness. The Beast panted.


    With jerky movements, he followed his cohorts in a retreat. The red-hair raised his great bow to put another stake through him, but the spawnlings rushing past him threw off his aim, and the stake buried itself in the stone next to the gatehouse instead.


    Within a minute or two, silence settled over the Lodge. Hundreds of corpses lay splayed out on the grounds, most of them spawnlings, but some were Heroes and apprentices who hadn¡¯t been dragged off.


    Lace glanced back. Kiren and Good Doctor looked just as dumbfounded as she felt.


    ¡°Those are¡­¡± Good Doctor whispered.


    ¡°Purifiers!¡± Counter called. He strode across the battlefield, stepping on squishy Beast corpses. ¡°Could have used you sooner.¡±


    The red-hair hung his bow over one shoulder and walked towards Counter so that they would meet halfway across the courtyard. The black-hair fell in behind him, then the bald woman. The round man came down off the wall and stopped at the bottom of the stairs, huffing and puffing.


    The Purifiers. Lace knew only wild rumors, but they were supposed to be the priesthood¡¯s secret weapon against the Beast scourge. Men and women crafted into perfect weapons, scattered across Aribel in small cells.


    Judging by what she had seen here, their reputation was well earned.


    Kiren and Good Doctor carried the still-unconscious Excelerate inside, while other Heroes poured out into the courtyard to secure the Lodge while they had the chance.


    Lace found herself lingering, subconsciously moving closer to the Purifiers.


    Counter and the red-hair reached one another. They stared at each other for a good, long moment.


    Counter¡¯s dour face cracked in a grin. ¡°Damn me, if you aren¡¯t a sight for sore eyes.¡±


    The red-hair nodded and reached out for a handshake. Counter disregarded it and bundled the man into a strong hug instead, nearly lifting him off the ground.


    The black-haired man placed the haft of his sledgehammer in the crook of his arm and the head on the ground. A secretive smirk set his lip twitching. The bald woman coiled her thread into a compact spool and stuck it in a holder attached to her belt. Despite the death she had doled out with it, the weapon was perfectly clean.


    Counter let the red-hair down, took a step back, and cleared his throat. His face returned to its regular stern expression.


    ¡°Legario Stencin, I presume?¡± he said.


    The red-hair nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then, with the Purifiers to aid us, we won¡¯t have any trouble stabilizing things here.¡±


    Legario chewed on his bearded lower lip. ¡°I¡¯m afraid our orders are a little different. You see, our intelligence suggests that Evangel is performing a ritual in the city. Was he able to make away with any of your dead?¡±


    Counter frowned, deepening the age lines on his face. ¡°There wasn¡¯t anything we could do to stop him from taking them.¡±


    ¡°Then things are more dire than we feared. We will remain here for a short while to make sure you can re-establish a perimeter, but after that, we must pursue our quarry.¡±


    ¡°Are you insane?¡± Counter asked. ¡°This is not the time to run off chasing glory! We have youths here. Do you want their deaths on your hands?¡±


    Legario shook his head. ¡°I do not. Which is why we must go. If Evangel completes that ritual¡­¡± He waved Counter close and whispered something to him. Lace couldn¡¯t tell what was said, but the Hero¡¯s normally angry red face went a startling shade of white.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Legario said. ¡°So you understand the urgency. Now, I must speak with your Guild Master, if he still lives. Can you show me to him?¡±


    Reluctantly, Counter led Legario into the Guild Hall while the other two purifiers remained. He had a haunted look on his face.


    What is Evangel¡¯s endgame here? Lace wondered with a growing, cold lump in her stomach. It must be about that One Among the Stars thing.


    Lace made to return to the Guild Hall and check on everyone when she noticed the fat man doing something most strange. He was stooped over a stretch of grass beneath the wall which, by some miracle, had escaped all of the fighting. He dug in the dark soil with a small spade. Running his free hand over the dirt, he withdrew droplets of clear water which flowed upward through the air and trickled up his arm.


    She went over to him and watched as he gathered water back into his pot.


    ¡°Holy water,¡± the man explained without looking up. He wiped his sweat-beaded forehead and smeared dirt on it in the process. ¡°Well, this is just water. The prayers make it holy. Beasts absolutely hate the stuff.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your Power, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lace asked. ¡°Controlling water.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re a Primal?¡±


    The man looked up, eyebrows raised just a hair. ¡°You¡¯re right on that account.¡± He returned to his work. ¡°What happened to your Sprite?¡±


    ¡°Uh, my what?¡±


    The man made a vague gesture, searching for the right words. ¡°Your¡­ ghost. Invisible helper. Know what I mean?¡±


    Lace caught on now. ¡°Oh. Right. It helped me save someone, but it was¡­ shattered, somehow.¡±


    ¡°You should be more careful with your Sprite, in times like these. Beasts abroad. A truer friend you¡¯ll never know, if you let it blossom.¡± He threw away a chunk of dried-up dirt and dug his hole deeper. ¡°I have one too, you know.¡±


    A flicker of light twisted on his shoulder. It formed the shape of a slender, womanly figure with fuzzy features, about the size of an outstretched hand. The little creature had no eyes or hair, with long limbs that moved gracefully as it did a little pirouette on the Purifier¡¯s shoulder.


    The creature¡ªa Sprite, as the man had called it¡ªstopped and turned its head upward, towards Lace. Despite its empty countenance, Lace felt an insistent gaze upon her.


    ¡°She¡¯s a little shy,¡± the man said. He gave the Sprite a tickle with one big finger, which made the creature giggle, its pale blue light flickering as she did. ¡°She¡¯s called Ray.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Ray,¡± Lace said politely. ¡°What exactly is a Sprite, if you don¡¯t mind me asking? A mentor of mine once told me the basics, but he was vague on the details.¡±


    ¡°What they are isn¡¯t important,¡± the man said. He wiped his hands on the grass, tucked away his spade, and stood with a full pot of water that seemed awfully heavy. ¡°It¡¯s who they are. You would do well to remember that, if you want to salvage the mess you made of yours.¡±


    Lace felt a pang of guilt, and she bit her lower lip. She could still feel her own Sprite at the corners of her mind, scattered into a thousand pieces. In pain.


    The man flashed her a bright, fatherly smile. ¡°Names are powerful things, aren¡¯t they? They turn friends of strangers and enemies of misfortune. My name is Magge Miller. I¡¯d like to know yours.¡±


    ¡°Lace Amar,¡± Lace said.


    Magge nodded. ¡°I will remember that.¡±


    The Sprite, Ray, perked up at hearing her name. She tugged insistently on Magge¡¯s ear and whispered something into it.


    His eyebrows shot up. ¡°It seems she¡¯s familiar with the name Amar.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how that¡¯s possible. I¡¯m no one.¡± She frowned. ¡°But maybe¡­ my father. He was a Hero before me.¡±


    Magge shrugged. ¡°Anything is possible. Sprites talk, you know?¡± He looked over towards the other Purifiers and sighed. A weight seemed to settle on his shoulders.


    ¡°Well, on you go, young lady. I have a hunt to see to its close.¡±


    Lace left the company of Magge Miller with more questions than had been answered.


    Something he had said stuck in her mind.


    Names are powerful things.

 51. The Broken Hero

    51. The Broken Hero


    Jorge drifted in a pleasant, cool blackness.


    Time simply washed over him. There was no point in holding onto any of it.


    He was finished. He knew that. And yet, it seemed more of a comfort than a defeat. Shepherded towards the halls of death, carried upon an infinite, dark river.


    There was no pain. No sadness. No guilt.


    His work was done.


    It was over.


    He became aware of a sound¡ªan annoying buzz at the edge of his perception. Awareness itself was a painful thing. He didn¡¯t want it. And yet, the more he tried to submerge himself in the nothingness that surrounded him, the more insistent the buzz became.


    Eventually, the sound separated into something else¡ªbecame more distinct.


    A voice. It called out to him. He couldn¡¯t make out the words, but he knew who it was.


    Jorge despised the voice for upsetting his perfect slumber. He did his best to ignore it.


    A hard thud rattled his mental walls, then another, then another.


    The black partition around him shuddered and began to unravel.


    No¡­ Jorge thought. Let me stay.


    With a cough and a splutter, he was pulled out of sweet oblivion, thrown back into his shattered body.


    There was pain. So much pain.


    Every breath burned his lungs. Every tiny movement caused an avalanche of agony that spread throughout the entire limb affected. His ruined socket sent a thumping throughout his whole head like someone tapping his skull with a hammer. He kept his working eye screwed firmly shut, yet the light still offended him.


    ¡°Jorge,¡± the voice whispered, close.


    The Doctor.


    Jorge tried to make words but found his throat dry and raw. He cleared it, winced with pain. The rim of an earthenware mug was placed against his lips, and he drank greedily.


    The water tasted bitter, but he drained the whole cup anyway.


    ¡°Why¡­ did you bring me¡­ back?¡± he croaked.


    ¡°I did little,¡± Good Doctor said. ¡°They¡¯re the ones who did the saving.¡±


    Jorge forced his eye to open a crack. It took him a long, jarring moment to gather his bearings. He was in the main hall, for some reason, placed on one of the long tables with several blankets under him as a rudimentary mattress.


    Good Doctor sat by his side. Kiren and Lace stood next to her. The former peered at him with a vague look of disgust, the latter with an expression of unchecked pity.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have,¡± Jorge said.


    ¡°You¡¯re our master,¡± Lace said. ¡°We had to.¡±


    ¡°No, really. You shouldn¡¯t have. Did you ever think that maybe I wanted to die there? And who gave you the fucking right to trample into my home?¡±


    Jorge worked himself into a coughing fit that wracked his body with agony. He gritted his teeth, bit his cheek until it drew blood.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Lace said.


    ¡°No!¡± Jorge croaked. ¡°You don¡¯t decide my fate. I finally took the plunge. I was going to meet her, and¡­ you pulled me right back. You just couldn¡¯t help yourselves, could you?¡±


    ¡°The city has fallen,¡± Kiren said suddenly. ¡°Evangel finally made his move. Poisoned people, sent Beasts by the thousands to kill the rest and burn their homes. Including a fair number of your colleagues, I might add.¡±


    Jorge struggled to comprehend what the lad was trying to convey. He stared at him.¡°You winding me up?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth,¡± Good Doctor said. ¡°They made it through the walls.¡± She motioned at the room. ¡°Hence the choice of locale.¡±


    Jorge closed his eye and sucked in a shuddering breath.


    Is there no end to this?


    Is there no rest?


    ¡°How long?¡± Jorge asked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°How long until they break into the Guild Hall?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve repelled them, for now. The Purifiers came to our aid.¡±


    Jorge nodded. ¡°I see. Good. Who did we lose?¡±


    ¡°Wordsmith. Titaness. Torchbearer. About a dozen others confirmed. A few went missing throughout the city when the attacks began.¡±


    ¡°What about Steelfeather?¡±


    ¡°He¡­¡± Good Doctor shook her head and looked away. ¡°He took a bad hit. Evangel¡¯s evolved, aided by foul sorcery. I¡¯ve heard reports say that he was still alive when the spawnlings dragged him away, but it¡¯s difficult to know the truth of it.¡±


    ¡°If the Beasts took him, he¡¯s dead,¡± Jorge said grimly. ¡°Which means there are no A-Ranks left to protect the Lodge. How many B-Ranks do we have?¡±


    ¡°Four. Goldcoin¡¯s in fit condition. The rest are, uh¡­ rough.¡±


    ¡°Well, as long as we have the Purifiers, we might be able to make a continued defense.¡±


    ¡°The Purifiers are leaving,¡± Lace said. ¡°They¡¯re going after Evangel. According to them, he¡¯s constructing some sort of ritual that needs to be stopped.¡±


    Jorge opened his eye and fixed it upon his apprentice. ¡°Then we¡¯re fucked.¡±


    He made to swing his legs over the side of the table. They were stiff with the lancing pain that coursed through them, as well as the braces made to keep them in place.


    He swung over the side, and would have fallen if Kiren hadn¡¯t caught him and propped him back up.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Kiren asked.


    ¡°Need to join the defense effort,¡± Jorge said.


    ¡°No you¡¯re not,¡± Good Doctor said. ¡°Until a few minutes ago, your very survival was in question. You need to rest.¡±


    ¡°All due respect, I¡¯ll do what the fuck I like.¡±


    Good Doctor sighed. She reached down next to her chair and pulled out a brown bottle. She poured a bit of foggy liquid into a mug and put it to his lips. ¡°There. Drink that. It¡¯ll help you settle down.¡±


    ¡°No thanks.¡±


    ¡°You have to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drink it if you all leave me alone.¡±


    Good Doctor rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ve got other, far less stubborn patients to tend to anyway.¡±


    Jorge allowed her to pour the liquid into his mouth, sloshed it around. It tasted like bitter leaves.


    Lace looked like she wanted to say something, but Kiren dragged her away. Good Doctor lingered for a moment, but eventually, she left too.


    As soon as her back was turned, Jorge spat the foul-tasting sedative off to the side.


    *****


    ¡°The fucking gall of this man,¡± Kiren said. ¡°All the trouble we went through to keep him alive, and he can¡¯t even squeeze out a ¡®Thank you¡¯.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re waiting on him to show gratitude, you¡¯ll be waiting a long time,¡± Lace muttered.


    Her mind was on other things. There was something significant about what Magge Miller had said. She just couldn¡¯t quite put it together.


    They went back into the courtyard, where the cleanup effort was going smoothly. Heroes manned the walls. Spawnlings had been thrown into large piles, while dead Heroes and apprentices had been covered in white cloth and carried inside the Guild Hall for burial after this nightmare ended. If it ended.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    A group of people was trying to move Titaness from the spot where she had fallen, gargantuan body frayed by Evangel¡¯s dark magic. They had no luck and were forced to leave her where she lay to move on to more pressing matters.


    Kiren turned his steps towards the small group of apprentices, resting on the ground near the Guild Hall. Tommyn was bandaging Haden¡¯s wounded arms, while Veera lay on her back and stared into the blood-soaked sky.


    Gantho wasn¡¯t there.


    His absence brought a hard lump to Lace¡¯s throat.


    Gantho¡¯s dreams would never be realized. He was just dead. No heroic send-off.


    Lace stopped, and Kiren looked back at her.


    ¡°Could I have a moment?¡± she asked. ¡°Alone. I just need some air.¡±


    Kiren hesitated for a moment like he was about to offer to help. He simply shrugged, however, and moved on to the others, leaving her to her own devices.


    Lace kept pacing the courtyard and tried not to think about all the people who had been snatched away in just one night. She tried especially hard not to think about who might be next.


    Instead, she focused on the riddle Magge Miller had presented her with.


    Names, names, names. It¡¯s important, somehow, but what did he mean?


    Should I give my Sprite a name? Would that help save her? Maybe having that connection would¡­ consolidate her.


    She spent a minute or two thinking of a suitable name.


    ¡°What about¡­ Poppy?¡± she spoke into the air as she wandered. ¡°You¡¯re nice and bright, so¡­¡±


    There was no response.


    Lace felt stupid for not understanding the essence of what the Purifier had been telling her.


    She tried a few other names, but there was no stirring from the creature. She could still feel her fractured presence, but it was dormant, unresponsive.


    Magge¡¯s Sprite recognized my name. Amar. If my father had a Sprite, too, then maybe¡­


    Maybe mine already has a name.


    Lace hurried back into the Guild Hall. The main hall was a mess of people moving to and fro, apprentices carrying the dead and helping Frog-Face and Good Doctor tend to the wounded, as well as putting supplies together.


    She eventually found her mother among the crowds, sipping on a mug of hot, spiced wine with a blanket over her shoulders. She was shivering despite the gentle warmth of the room.


    ¡°Hey, Mom,¡± Lace said. She slipped onto the bench next to her. ¡°How are you holding up?¡±


    ¡°I could be much worse, all things considered,¡± Mom said. ¡°You¡¯re alive, and that¡¯s a blessing. It¡¯s just been a hard night, that¡¯s all. I can¡¯t help but worry that¡­¡± She looked down.


    Lace nodded.


    She understood.


    That I¡¯ll go the same way as Dad.


    ¡°Listen, Mom,¡± she said. ¡°I need to ask you something. About Dad. It might sound weird, but hear me out.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sweetie,¡± Mom said with a tired smile. ¡°Anything you need.¡±


    ¡°Did Dad have a¡­ friend? An invisible friend. One he would talk to when there was no one else around.¡±


    Mom stared at her for a long moment. ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°I know how it sounds! It¡¯s important, though.¡±


    Mom frowned slightly, and her eyes became unfocused, far away in thought. ¡°Well, now that you mention it, he did have an imaginary friend of sorts. He would speak to it, sometimes, when he thought I was out of earshot.¡±


    ¡°Did he ever mention the name of this friend?¡±


    ¡°Um, let me think. It was¡­ Faith, I believe. At first, I thought he was seeing another woman. As I came to discover, however, it was just one of Helmer¡¯s quirks. He had many of those, you know. Your father was an¡­ odd man.¡±


    Mom stared longingly into the distance and wrapped herself a bit tighter in the blanket.


    Faith.


    Lace stood and gave her mother a quick peck on the forehead. ¡°Thank you! This is exactly what I needed!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I know what use that might be to you, but I¡¯m happy to help.¡±


    Lace crossed the main hall towards the front doors, which were being reinforced under Squiddy¡¯s watchful eye.


    As she walked, she tried the name on her tongue.


    ¡°Faith.¡±


    Something shifted. She felt a breath of wind on her neck, one which smelled sour and staid. Fractured light, like that reflected off a shattered mirror, coalesced into a half-formed entity on her shoulder, milky white but streaked with black veins that seemed to constrict the little creature like ropes being pulled taut.


    The Sprite clung to Lace. Wings sprouted from her back, crumbling and reforming continually.


    She was clearly in pain.


    ¡°I think I might know just the thing to help you,¡± Lace said.


    She went out into the courtyard and turned her steps towards the wall. She laid a protective hand over the Sprite.


    Reaching the steps leading to the battlements, she hoped to find some dripping remnant of the holy water Magge Miller had employed to dispatch the Beasts with such efficiency. Unfortunately, it seemed to have already run off, leaving only residual dampness.


    On one of the steps, however, Lace found a small, stoppered bottle with a note tied with string to its body. She withdrew the note and scanned over it.


    To the young Amar, for when you figure it out, it read.


    ¡°My constituents!¡± Bloodhound called, taking her attention. He stood atop a pile of spawnlings that had not yet been set to burn. ¡°The Purifiers have left to pursue Evangel. They believe that, if they are successful in killing him, his horde will scatter in confusion, making it a manageable task for the Heroes¡¯ Guild to dispatch the rest.


    ¡°Until then, we need to stand ready. We need to beat back the monsters at our gates. Already, they converge once more, sensing the absence of our holy protection.


    ¡°Go now! Redouble your efforts, so that we may live to see the sunrise!¡±


    They definitely didn¡¯t waste any time, Lace thought as she busied herself with her task.


    She used her teeth to uncork the bottle she had been gifted by the Purifier and sniffed its contents.


    It didn¡¯t smell like anything.


    She upended the bottle and poured bright, sparkling water into her palm. Lace rubbed her fingers together and felt nothing apart from a faint hum of energy.


    Holy water. It has to be.


    Perfect.


    Lace took the little Sprite off her shoulder and placed it on one of the steps. She poured a steady stream of holy water over the creature while murmuring a prayer to the Creator.


    The black veins that marred the Sprite¡¯s body washed away gradually like heavy sediment. Foul became clean. Her body took to the water and began to mend. The many fragments she had been scattered into melted back into one another, and she formed a complete being.


    Lace poured until the bottle was empty, then placed it aside. She leaned in closer to the Sprite, which was now wreathed in a dress of trailing, white whimsy, along with a mane of white, cascading hair. She almost thought she could see a pair of eyes on the Sprite¡¯s blank face.


    ¡°Faith?¡± Lace asked. ¡°Is that your name?¡±


    The Sprite put hands on hips and tilted her head. ¡°You finally figured it out, huh? Yeah, that¡¯s my true-name. Don¡¯t pass it around, you hear?¡±


    Lace was taken aback. Faith¡¯s tone was jovial, almost playful. She was changed from how she had been before. Before, her messages had always been short, cryptic, stoic. Now¡­ She could hardly recognize this being as the one who had been traveling in her shadow.


    ¡°Do you feel better now?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°Much,¡± Faith said with a happy twirl through the air. ¡°Parasitic infection doesn¡¯t suit me. Bad for the complexion.¡± She giggled.


    ¡°What¡¯s a true-name?¡±


    ¡°A name with special importance to beings of a magical persuasion, like me, and like the unpleasant friends soon-to-be hammering on the walls.¡±


    ¡°And my father gave you yours?¡±


    Faith frowned for a moment. ¡°Yeah, I¡­¡± She screwed up her face, as if something pained her. ¡°I think so. I can¡¯t quite remember. I¡¯ll have to get back to you on that.¡±


    ¡°You did know my father,¡± Lace said. ¡°That¡¯s the only explanation. Are you saying you don¡¯t remember that at all?¡±


    Faith clutched the sides of her grape-sized head. ¡°No, I remember. I just can¡¯t remember remember. The past is all so foggy.¡± She shook her head as if to clear it and flew a circle around Lace¡¯s head. ¡°But that¡¯s what us Sprites are like. Transient beings. No point lingering on it.¡±


    ¡°I see. And hearing your true-name made things clearer for you, somehow?¡±


    Faith nodded as she floated on a current of air. ¡°I remember more now. I can feel it rushing back into me. It hurts, but it¡¯s a good hurt.¡±


    ¡°Beasts have true-names as well, you said. What does it do to them?¡±


    ¡°Well, nothing interesting,¡± Faith said with a shrug. ¡°Not for them, anyway. Beasts gain a true-name when they ascend from larvae into their adult form. It is part of what grants them their power, their autonomy, in this stage, but it is also a weakness they must keep hidden. Because if anyone knows their true-name, that grants the Right of Bargaining.¡±


    ¡°Which means?¡±


    ¡°Basically, they have to stop what they¡¯re doing, whether that¡¯s sweeping their nasty flesh house or cleaving you in half, in order to bargain. Now, a Beast can refuse any bargain you throw at them if they so choose, but it grants at least a moment¡¯s weakness where their hands are tied. Who made that rule, I don¡¯t know, but clearly someone with status above mine or theirs.¡±


    ¡°And Evangel was fool enough to let his slip,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°All his worst sides, actually.¡±


    ¡°Gorod, Nasaizh, and Khruj.¡± Saying the words burned her tongue.


    ¡°Yeah. Those butt nuts.¡±


    Lace raised an eyebrow. ¡°Did my dad teach you to speak like that?¡±


    Faith hovered in a slow circle. ¡°Hmm. No, I don¡¯t think he liked the potty mouth. But hey, I¡¯m my own Sprite. I say what I want.¡±


    ¡°The Purifiers don¡¯t know these names,¡± Lace said. ¡°Not all of them, at least.¡± She sighed. ¡°If only they hadn¡¯t left so soon.¡±


    ¡°The fate of the city will depend on their success,¡± Faith said, her tone becoming more somber. She paused for a moment. ¡°Are you up for doing something reckless?¡±


    ¡°I think I might have liked you better when you were the strong, silent type,¡± Lace said with a sigh. ¡°You sound like Kiren right now.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, it¡¯ll be fun,¡± Faith insisted, fluttering like a weathervane gone wild. ¡°Unless we die. That wouldn¡¯t be so fun. Anyway, I think I have a way of catching up with the Purifiers! Are you on board, or what?¡±


    Faith was already flying up the steps leading to the battlements.


    Doesn¡¯t seem like I have much choice, Lace thought, following hesitantly.


    ¡°Wait, you think?¡± Lace asked as she realized what the Sprite had said.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure!¡± Faith said. ¡°My memories are still a little hazy, but it¡¯ll come back to me. I¡¯ll recall it as we go.¡±


    Faith waited on one of the crenellations as Lace walked out onto the wall. Heroes had already manning it, watching for the spawnling horde that still hid out of sight in the cityscape beyond the Lodge.


    Should I tell Kiren about this? Lace asked herself. No. He¡¯ll be safer here. Besides, he¡¯ll be needed for the defense. His Power will add a bit of extra longevity to the Guild¡¯s forces.


    ¡°You ready to jump?¡± Faith asked. She drifted down through thin air beyond the wall, towards the blood-slick battlefield.


    Lace swallowed.


    Here we go again. Let¡¯s hope I don¡¯t regret this.

 52. The Riddle Tree

    52. The Riddle Tree


    Maxim pulled the last infernal spike from his back with a gout of searing, acute pain.


    He¡¯d thought he was past that kind of pain.


    Perhaps this is what judgment feels like.


    He had halted his retreat in order to put up a few blocks for the Heroes, just in case they decided to interfere with the ritual. If he could keep them caged in their little fort, he could keep them from interfering long enough that the whole situation would resolve in his favor by default.


    His spawnlings were gathered around him, packed into streets too narrow for their numbers as they disappeared out of view far in the distance.


    Maxim raised his staff and chanted in their horrid tongue. Khruj joined in the chant, adding to his power.


    A web of static energy extended from the eye of the staff. A handful of the Beasts that stood the closest were drawn together, kicking and screaming. Their bodies, half human, half other, began to merge. The flesh of several creatures lashed together, and soon they stood as one shambling horror.


    Dark power sparked from its flesh. Its many fists clenched and unclenched, thirsting for battle. Its many mouths screamed in silent, untold agony.


    As far as humanoids went, a sloppy attempt, but he didn¡¯t have time to be thorough. Upon granting it a fraction of his immense power, it would be strong enough to prove a threat.


    The newly created humanoid brought its hands together, and Beast magic danced between its numerous fingers. Its main face, consisting of two heads combined down the middle, split in a tortured grin.


    Evangel took the time to create a handful more. Six in total. They would serve as his vanguard until the ritual was complete.


    His humanoids rose, and they marveled at their new power. No doubt, their minds were already straining with deception against him.


    ¡°Tell me your names, all of you,¡± Maxim demanded.


    ¡°Whurd,¡± said one.


    ¡°Gruaj,¡± a second.


    ¡°Memat,¡± a third.


    ¡°Shlii,¡± a fourth.


    ¡°Draspet,¡± a fifth.


    ¡°Karok,¡± the last.


    Maxim nodded. ¡°Good. By your true-names, pledge yourselves to me, or be undone.¡±


    ¡°We pledge our ceaseless hunger to you,¡± the humanoids spoke with mouths untested.


    Evangel raised his left hand and unleashed a wave of black energy that reduced one of the creatures ¡ªGruaj¡ª to a fine ash.


    ¡°This one lied about its true-name,¡± Maxim said. ¡°Consider its fate. This is the cost of treachery.¡±


    Maxim assigned a sizeable part of his force, more than half, to the humanoids that remained. With the horde he had left, he set off for the ritual site.


    His mind writhed with voices, but he was resolved.


    He was going to bring them back, and nothing, no one, would stop him.


    *****


    Heroes called to Lace from the wall when she jumped, but none dared come after her to haul her back.


    Lace halted her fall with a cushion of air and took off running towards the fleeting Sprite. Faith flew ahead of her as quick as she could keep pace.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, keep up!¡± Faith called.


    Lace held her still-aching ribs as she ran.


    ¡°What are we looking for, exactly?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Things are starting to become clear now,¡± Faith explained. ¡°I¡¯m putting stuff together. I was your dad¡¯s companion for a long time. He left something for you to find.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    A pair of shutters flew open in a building to her left, and a dog-like spawnling burst out at her. Lace ducked under the leaping Beast and kept going. She glanced back and saw the canine slowly catching up, so she blew a focused pillar of wind behind her that knocked the creature on its back.


    ¡°What did he leave me?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°I guess you could call it an inheritance. It¡¯s better if you see it in person.¡±


    Spawnlings were starting to take note of her presence, and a few decided to pursue her. Lace and Faith took onto narrow, winding alleys to throw them off.


    Lace kept a sharp ear out for the sounds of Beasts raggedly panting somewhere behind her. ¡°Is it far?¡±


    ¡°Nope. It¡¯s right up here, actually.¡±


    Faith came to an abrupt stop in front of an abandoned tailor shop.


    Lace spun to face the Beasts that were on her and drew her gale-staff.


    Four of them burst out of the alley she had just gone through. They were hunched over on all fours, skin slick and pink, but their faces were nearly human.


    Wanting to conserve her stamina, Lace went for a low-hum wind blade. The Beasts leapt for her.


    Lace put a fist to the ground and conjured a blast of wind underneath the creatures that sent them flying upward. Once they were airborne, she sliced two of them in half before they hit the ground. The last two were done for before they could pick themselves back up.


    While Lace wiped the blood off of her staff, Faith was busy circling around a young tree in the thin yard of the old shop.


    ¡°What¡¯re you looking for?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°This is it,¡± Faith said. ¡°Except there wasn¡¯t a tree here before.¡±


    Lace frowned as she walked up. There didn¡¯t seem to be anything special about it¡ªjust a spindly birch whose leaves were in full bloom.


    ¡°The thing is, what, under the tree?¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm.¡± Faith kicked at the trunk with a tiny leg.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll just cut it away, then.¡±


    Lace powered up a wind blade and sliced at the birch.


    It didn¡¯t budge. It was as if the rushing air bent around the wood and left it completely unharmed.


    Lace tried a few more times, to the same baffling result.


    ¡°It¡¯s no use,¡± Faith muttered. ¡°He¡¯s one of those guys.¡±


    ¡°What guys?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°Riddle¡­¡± the tree groaned.


    A pair of growths along the trunk opened into eyes, lopsided and mismatched. The black orbs swiveled to regard Lace.


    ¡°A riddle tree,¡± Faith said with a sigh. ¡°Their specialty is annoying people to death."


    ¡°Riddle!¡± the tree insisted.


    ¡°Do I answer its riddle or give it a riddle?¡±


    ¡°It gives you a riddle.¡±


    ¡°And if I answer correctly, it¡¯ll let us pass.¡±


    ¡°Pretty much.¡±


    Lace rubbed her forehead and sighed. ¡°Alright, okay, fine. Just give me your riddle, tree.¡±


    ¡°When¡­ was I born?¡± the tree asked in its slow, plodding voice. It blinked, first one eye, then the other.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding about the ¡®annoying¡¯ part,¡± Lace said to Faith. ¡°We really don¡¯t have time for this. What do I do?¡±


    ¡°Answer the riddle,¡± Faith said. ¡°That¡¯s the only way. Otherwise, it won¡¯t budge.¡±


    Lace gave the birch a close look. It wasn¡¯t particularly tall or wide. Besides, Faith had said that the tree hadn¡¯t been there before. Helmer had been dead ten years, so it was likely inside that time.


    ¡°You were born ten years ago,¡± Lace said.


    The tree chuckled, setting its branches shivering. ¡°Wrong. Fail. Try again.¡±


    Beasts¡¯ howls echoed in the distance.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    If anything above a small group of spawnlings tracked her down, she would be in real trouble. She needed to get out of this place as quickly as possible.


    ¡°You were born eight years ago,¡± Lace said.


    ¡°Wrong.¡±


    ¡°Seven.¡±


    ¡°Wrong.¡±


    ¡°Six.¡±


    Wrong.¡±


    Lace kicked the tree and got only an aching foot in return.


    The howls, snarls, and snorts drew nearer. They were honing in on her.


    Okay, think, Lace told herself. If I was a tree, how would I think about my dumb riddles?


    In an infuriating, metaphorical way.


    ¡°Okay, I think I¡¯ve got it,¡± Lace said. ¡°You were never born. You¡¯re nature¡ªyou¡¯ll always exist, and you¡¯ve always existed.¡±


    The birch chewed its bark as it regarded her lazily. ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Lace waited patiently.


    ¡°You are¡­ correct. Enter your reward.¡±


    The birch tree groaned and heaved from side to side. Its roots dislodged from the ground and crawled like stranded fish as the tree moved about a meter to the left before setting back down.


    Where the tree had stood, a wooden hatch lay half-hidden in the soil.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t know trees could move,¡± Lace muttered as she knelt and brushed the dirt off the hatch.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know about,¡± Faith said. ¡°Your dad kept it that way for a reason.¡±


    ¡°Because look how well that turned out.¡±


    ¡°Got me there.¡±


    Lace lifted open the hatch by an iron ring set into the top. A cloud of fine dust fell away from it, into the gluttonous darkness below.


    She descended a steep staircase into the darkness. Faith¡¯s faint light illuminated the narrow walls, and she let the hatch fall shut behind her.


    Finally, I might get some answers.

 53. A Fathers Memory

    53. A Father''s Memory


    Lace entered into a small cellar that smelled of dank earth. Roots grew from the ceiling. Faith clenched her fists and puffed up her cheeks to amplify her light, barely managing to illuminate the walls.


    ¡°How did my dad get a hidey hole like this underneath some random shop?¡± Lace asked.


    ¡°His work made him many enemies,¡± Faith said. She hovered over Lace¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But it made him friends, too. One of them must have lent him this place.¡±


    Most of the cellar was empty apart from some moldy bags. She rooted through them. They contained old produce, long since spoiled.


    Lace began to think there was nothing of note in the cellar.


    She spotted a wardrobe at the end of it, a sturdy piece of furniture made of smooth, oiled pine, which had lasted surprisingly well against long years of neglect.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Faith breathed. ¡°Your inheritance.¡±


    Lace approached the wardrobe with slow steps. Now that she was so close, she found it hard to bridge the final distance.


    When she reached it, she let her hands rest on the brass door knobs. She wasn¡¯t sure what to expect beyond it.


    ¡°I appreciate that this is a delicate situation,¡± Faith said, ¡°but we are in a bit of a rush. Maybe you could speed it up a bit?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Lace said. ¡°Of course.¡±


    She opened the wardrobe.


    She was immediately hit with the soft scent of fabric, and something¡­ different. A heavier, muskier smell she had almost forgotten.


    Dad¡¯s.


    A suit awaited her within the wardrobe, arranged so that she got a good view of it. Full body, white and yellow, with a cape that was attached to the arms. A high, stiff collar dove into a plunging neckline. The sleeves were wrist-length, and the legs reached down to the ankles, with a wide belt separating the waist. A pair of supple leather boots stood on the bottom below the suit, somehow still well-preserved despite their apparent age.


    It was Dad¡¯s outfit, but different. It had been tailored to a woman.


    A folded-up note had been stuck inside the belt. Lace took it and unfolded it.


    Hey there, sweetpea, it read. I¡¯m feeling kinda dumb writing this out, but in the event that you get to read this, a series of key events have converged.


    Firstly, I am dead.


    Secondly, you have become a Hero¡ªdespite my precautions.


    Thirdly, Faith has found you.


    I want you to know something, and this is important. I¡¯m not angry with you. This isn¡¯t the life I wanted for you¡ªit¡¯s dangerous, it¡¯s thankless, and it can suck the soul out of you if you¡¯re not careful. But if you¡¯ve become a Hero despite the checks I put in place to prevent it, that means you¡¯ve had to work twice as hard as anyone else.


    No. I¡¯m not angry.


    If you read this, I¡¯m proud of you.


    Lace stopped reading to wipe tears with the back of her hand. Faith placed a small hand on her cheek, and Lace managed a shaky smile.


    Catching Villains is hard work, huh? Not as easy as you¡¯d think. I bet you could use an upgrade.


    You¡¯ll have to forgive me if some of the measurements are a bit off¡ªI did my best to guess.


    Take care of Faith and your mother.


    Oh, and don¡¯t let the job take over your life. You can¡¯t save everyone. Be happy.


    Go get ¡®em, sweetpea.


    That was the last of it.


    Lace folded the note away to avoid getting tears on it.


    ¡°Thanks, Dad,¡± she whispered between sobs.


    In some corner of her mind, her years of hard work seemed a little more justified.


    *****


    The Beasts were coming back.


    Kiren and Haden stood side by side before the onrushing horde. Kiren wielded his greatsword, Haden a hand-and-a-half sword with a round shield.


    They were surrounded by score other Heroes and apprentices, including Counter and Goldcoin.


    It was their job to hold the gates for as long as it took the Purifiers to finish theirs.


    Lace had disappeared somewhere. People said they had seen her leap over the wall just minutes before.


    Whatever she was planning, there was no time to go after her.


    He simply had to assume that she would make it out alright.


    Instead, he translated his worry into rage.


    Debris had been piled up to block the entrance, but it wouldn¡¯t take the spawnlings long to dismantle it if left to their devices.


    Titaness¡¯s corpse still lay inside the gate, forcing the Heroes to move around her when arranging their positions.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Peering through the gaps in the debris, Kiren saw that the spawnlings were getting close. For as many as they had killed, it seemed that untold hundreds remained. He couldn¡¯t say the same for the Guild. They had barely seventy fighters left standing, and many of them had already been wounded in the previous engagement.


    ¡°Whoever kills the least owes the other a round,¡± Haden said. He grinned as he looked over at Kiren, but his face was stiff, pale. The man was terrified. ¡°Sound good?¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Kiren said with a nod. ¡°I could use a drink after this. More than one, I reckon.¡±


    Their noises were growing louder. Despite himself, his stomach twisted in a hard knot. He couldn¡¯t stand those sounds. Screaming. Animal enough to be frightening, human enough to chill the blood. Pain, hunger, rage, all rolled into one.


    The first of them smashed against the improvised barricade.


    An apprentice stuck it through with a sword, and it fell back over the side.


    More of them clawed against the barricade.


    Kiren stuck his blade through a gap and punctured soft flesh. A spawnling cried, and Kiren gritted his teeth as he put his foot against the wood and pulled the sword back out.


    Three of them got onto the top of the barricade and leapt down at Kiren. A screen of blue energy saw them bounce back over the top.


    ¡°Eyes on a swivel, boys!¡± Counter called. ¡°Don¡¯t let them overwhelm you!¡±


    Haden slashed at the next three spawnlings brave enough to climb the barricade. He got them on the ground and smashed them beneath his boot until they were no longer moving.


    Archers and ranged Power users fired from the walls to thin out the ranks, but more and more of the spawnlings were piling up around the gate.


    Kiren cut down one, two, three. There were too many of them to worry about finding their hearts. Dismembering them so that they couldn¡¯t move would have to be good enough.


    Something large bounded over the barricade, clearing it easily, and landed among the group of defenders.


    It was a misshapen, human-like creature with an additional arm and several faces stretched over its body, several times larger than any spawnling. Its withered, ashen skin sparked with dark sorcery. It lashed out at the first apprentice who tried to cut it down with an arm that ended in a sharp, bony protrusion. The lad fell, throat cut.


    Kiren clapped Haden on the shoulder. ¡°Hold my spot!¡± he called. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that thing!¡±


    Haden nodded and bashed a spawnling aside with his shield so that Counter could finish it off with a clean stab through the heart.


    Kiren made his way back through the confusion and found the strange humanoid dueling with Goldcoin on top of Titaness¡¯s corpse. He twirled atop one of her mountainous pectorals, brushing aside violent strokes from the humanoid¡¯s bone scythe using the flat of his rapier. His gold teeth glinted in a wild grimace. He flicked a pair of coins which struck two of the humanoid¡¯s eyes, putting it off balance long enough for him to run it through.


    Violent sparks rushed up the length of Goldcoin¡¯s sword. He was forced to let it go and leap back. He shook his hand and muttered under his breath as his sleeve smoked.


    Kiren leapt onto one of Titaness¡¯s legs and ran up to her torso. He settled into a firm stance on the oddly pliable footing and swung horizontally at the humanoid, putting his legs and back into the swing.


    His blade cut deep into the creature¡¯s shoulder, nearly severing one of its clawed arms. He managed to retract it before whatever black magic was powering the Beast could work its way up the metal and wound up for another swing.


    The humanoid spun around with a chorus of howls escaping its many mouths.


    ¡°Hey, kid!¡± Goldcoin called. ¡°Watch out!¡±


    Kiren let the blade fall. Two hands caught it and wrenched the greatsword from his hands with surprising strength. The third lashed out quick as a snake¡¯s jaws, driving the bone scythe deep into one side of his stomach and out the other.


    Kiren gasped. There was half a second of anticipation where his body went stiff and wouldn¡¯t move, then the pain hit.


    It coursed through him like a red-hot iron. The pain spread from his gut all the way up to his lungs and down to his crotch.


    The humanoid let the greatsword fall to the side and raised its two free hands, keeping Kiren on a spit.


    Goldcoin tried to make his way over, but a sudden rumble in the ground sent him stumbling.


    Not the ground, Kiren realized.


    The humanoid raised its clawed hands to finish him.


    It was Titaness.


    The gargantuan woman sat up in all haste with a deep gasp, eyes thrown wide. Kiren was thrown clear, the blade sliding out of his body, and he hit the stone below with a hard thud.


    He gasped at the pain and rolled up in a tight coil to protect his midsection as he fought for breath. His body was slowly knitting itself back up, but he was still bleeding profusely from both ends of his torso.


    Titaness sat up straight and regarded the humanoid between her legs with some measure of confusion. When it tried to stand up, however, she simply balled up her fist and smacked it into the ground with the sound of cracking bones and squelching fluids. A brief crackle of lightning seared the skin of her hand, then nothing.


    Goldcoin stood, having been thrown some distance, and grinned as he dusted off his expensive tunic. ¡°Titaness returns! Damn it, woman, we had all counted you dead!¡±


    Titaness gave a tired smile as she worked her way first to one knee, then onto her feet. She looked like she¡¯d been to Svarta and back, half of her skin taken off by Evangel¡¯s dark magic. In places, the tissue was exposed all the way down to the straining muscle fibers.


    ¡°A Trodvis doesn¡¯t die so easily,¡± she grunted.


    The defenders made way for her as she lumbered up to the ruined gate. The spawnlings had almost taken it over, crawling all over the bits of wood they had thrown up for a barricade. With a single swing of her enlarged hand, she swatted five of them against the stone wall of the gatehouse.


    The defenders surged in around her with a round of cheers. Titaness and Haden shared a brief look, and the former nodded her approval.


    *****


    Lace entered out from the dank cellar. She adjusted the bust of her new outfit.


    All things considered, it fit her well, tight around her torso and legs with the roomy, yellow cape trailing behind. The gale-staff was attached to a loop on her belt, along with a flat, round wooden object which she had also found in the wardrobe.


    Lace knew what her Dad had been able to do with this type of outfit.


    ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m ready for this?¡± Lace asked.


    Faith flew up beside her and rubbed her smooth chin with a thumb and forefinger. ¡°Hmm. No, probably not. But I reckon we don¡¯t have much choice.¡±


    Lace swallowed. ¡°Thanks for the reassurance.¡±


    ¡°No problem!¡± Faith chirped cheerily.


    ¡°Okay¡­ Here we go, then. I have no idea where we¡¯re going, but I suppose we¡¯ll figure that out along the way. It¡¯s not like the Purifiers can be that hard to find.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re stalling.¡±


    Lace breathed out. ¡°Okay, okay. No problem. Just gotta¡­¡± She raised her arms out to the sides, letting the cape attached to her wrists and back catch the light breeze.


    ¡°Throw everything you¡¯ve got into it,¡± Faith explained. ¡°Get some height, then stabilize. From there, you own the skies. Easy as anything.¡±


    ¡°Right. Easy as anything.¡±


    Lace took a moment to steel herself, then put her arms forwards, palms flat against each other. She pulled them back to her chest, drawing a strong wind. Finally, she put her arms out.


    The wind caught her cape like a sail and pulled her sharply. Her feet lifted off the ground, and she was taken backward into the air.


    The cobblestone street shrank beneath her as she drifted higher and higher. She was keenly aware of her weight, but the cape held. Faith zipped up to join her.


    ¡°I¡¯m flying!¡± Lace called, her words almost drowned out by the keening wind. ¡°Creator¡¯s breath, I¡¯m really flying!¡±


    ¡°Okay, now stabilize,¡± Faith said.


    Lace tweaked the direction of the wind to put her perpendicular with the ground. She must have overshot somewhere, because suddenly she was tugged forward and her cape flipped over her face, obscuring her vision beneath a field of yellow.


    ¡°Uh oh,¡± Lace said. ¡°Uh oh.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t flying anymore.


    She was falling.


    Lace¡¯s stomach dropped as the earth¡¯s pull dragged her downward, flipping end over end.


    She screamed.

 54. Catchup

    54. Catchup


    Lace hurtled through the air.


    She tried to throw up a wall of wind to stop her fall, but her frame of reference was all thrown off, and it served only to send her into an even more uncontrollable spin.


    She braced for the inevitable crash and shut her eyes tightly.


    She hit the ground. It was surprisingly¡­


    Soft.


    Lace checked various parts of her body for injury. Her ribs smarted a bit, but nothing else seemed torn or broken.


    She opened her eyes and found herself on her stomach, face to face with Faith.


    The Sprite had grown to the shape of a full-sized woman. Her body was pliable, yet Lace could clearly feel it beneath her, a pair of firm breasts pressed against her.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t so bad for a first try,¡± Faith said. Her blank features formed those of a smirking woman, eyes and mouth and all. ¡°Let¡¯s reset.¡±


    Faith vanished, and Lace fell the last bit of the way to the ground. She slowly got up, brushing off the outfit, and found the minuscule version of Faith hovering around her.


    ¡°I thought this was supposed to help me catch up with the Purifiers,¡± Lace said. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m falling further behind.¡±


    ¡°Patience. No one ever learned the power of flight all in one go. Now c¡¯mon. Reset.¡±


    Lace nodded and readied herself for another try.


    *****


    Maxim gazed around him at the ritual site.


    Twelve Heroes were bound by their hands, hung from the ceiling around a summoning circle drawn in human blood. Their apprentices lay in a pile in the middle, throats slit, to serve as the kindling.


    The choice of locale was somewhat ironic, but in the end, fitting. They were inside a temple dedicated to the Creator. His spawnlings were busy clearing away the pews.


    Maxim took a moment to regard the inside of the temple. Clean, white architecture, domed ceiling, wooden catwalks on both sides of the wide hall.


    At the end of the hall, behind the altar, a stained-glass window looked down upon its absent congregation. It depicted the Creator¡¯s making of the world, a stark-white figure surrounded by splendid color.


    There was a time when Maxim would have been awestruck by such a sight. Now, the presumptuousness of it all made him sick. That a supposed god would present himself in this way, then leave his faithful subjects to fend for themselves. Oh, he was supposedly dead. But if Maxim had learned anything from his present state, it was that death wasn¡¯t an excuse for anything.


    The spawnlings had completed the preparations.


    Maxim moved to the center of the temple, to stand before the summoning circle.


    It was time for the ritual to begin.


    He hesitated for just a moment. He glanced up at the depiction of the Creator in its stark, splendid whites.


    Then he steeled himself.


    And he started chanting.


    *****


    The next half an hour felt like half a day. Even with Songbird working through their ranks, playing on his lute to sap away their fatigue and fear, the sheer number of Beasts that pressed against them served as an ever-present dampener on their spirits.


    Kiren was one of the lucky ones. He had sustained countless cuts and stabs, but his regeneration was still keeping up, and his latent mutations made it difficult for the spawnlings to pierce his skin in any meaningful way. The others, however, especially the apprentices, were being swapped out for fresh replacements when their wounds grew too grievous to go on fighting.


    Soon, there wouldn¡¯t be any replacements left. Their numbers were dwindling fast, and the defenders atop the walls didn¡¯t seem to be faring much better.


    Kiren was expecting Bloodhound to sound a retreat into the Guild Hall any minute now. They simply didn¡¯t have the manpower anymore to hold onto the whole complex.


    Kiren spotted a spawnling that was trying to sneak up on Haden and clove it in half. The big man nodded in thanks when he took notice and returned the favor by blocking an incoming tentacle meant for Kiren¡¯s head with the rim of his fraying shield.


    Haden was absolutely covered in blood, both his own and that of the monsters. He was bleeding profusely from a dozen wounds, perhaps more, but he refused to be cowed, standing tall like the male image of Paragon herself.


    He should have quit and let himself be replaced long ago, and yet he kept on fighting alongside his aunt and the dwindling gate crew.


    Titaness swept up a spawnling in her massive fist and threw it against two of its ilk, causing all three to topple back into the seemingly endless ranks of spawnlings beyond the gate. Teeth gritted with pain, she fell on one knee, causing the earth to tremble.


    Kiren and Haden rushed to her side and dispatched the several spawnlings that tried to capitalize on her weakness. Counter stepped in to support them, and they were able to clear a zone around the B-Rank Hero where she could recover.


    ¡°Retreat to the Guild Hall!¡± Bloodhound barked from atop the wall. ¡°Make your way to the Guild Hall immediately!¡±


    ¡°Unmaker¡¯s tits,¡± Kiren swore. ¡°Haden, get your aunt on her feet. We have to go. Fast.¡±


    Defenders were already making their way off the walls, crowding the staircases. Spawnlings were tight on their heels, having scaled the ramparts.


    Rather than moving as a single unit, some of the more skittish apprentices simply cut and ran, heading across the courtyard. The Heroes that were left struggled to hold the spawnlings back while everyone else got organized.


    Haden tried to help Titaness back on her feet. Kiren pitched in, trying to hoist her up by the armpit, but her weight was simply too much even for the both of them, and she fell back on her hands and knees.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Leave me,¡± she croaked.


    ¡°No,¡± Haden said firmly. ¡°Never. Get up, because I¡¯m not leaving you.¡±


    Titaness made another attempt to stand, which ended the same way as the first.


    ¡°Counter, make me a barrier,¡± she said. ¡°A big one. Horizontal. Right here.¡± With some effort, she lifted up one hand and pointed at the ground beneath her.


    Counter looked confused, but his doubts seemed to be dispersed when he looked back and saw the spawnlings nearly broken through the barricade. He spread his arms and created a wide field of blue energy where Titaness had specified.


    Titaness gritted her teeth, wound back her fist, and slammed it against the barrier.


    The recoil from Counter¡¯s ability caused her arm to fly back. The barrier cracked and broke in a shower of blue shards, but much of the energy had been transferred back into Titaness and pushed her off her knees. She landed on her feet, stumbled, and caught herself.


    Haden grinned at the sight, but Kiren knew this was no time for rejoicing.


    He looked to the courtyard.


    The other defenders had cleared out, and those who hadn¡¯t were being devoured. The grounds were smothered with spawnlings, as well as two more of those crackling, static humanoids.


    With no one else to kill, they all turned their eyes to the gate crew.


    Kiren raised his sword in a two-handed grip.


    They were too late.


    There won¡¯t be any Purifiers to save us this time.


    *****


    ¡°Magge, take care of the left!¡± Legario called.


    The big man followed his order. Standing on a nearby rooftop, he swiped his hands in a forceful motion. A wave of his holy redirected and crashed against a group of spawnlings emerging from an alley on their left. The creatures shriveled and curled up like dying spiders, shrieking their final contempt at the world.


    Legario stood on the back of an abandoned wagon, surveying the street. Cora was shredding through the Beasts with her scythe wire, and Rusty was busy pummeling a pair of the creatures into the ground using his sledgehammer.


    They were encountering increased resistance. They were getting close.


    Legario nocked a wedge on his greatbow and pulled the string back. The draw weight was heavy, more so than most trained archers could handle. His put his entire body into the draw, fingers quivering when it was at its peak. He released, and the wide arrow shot into the crowd of encroaching spawnlings on the other side of the street. It impaled one of them and pinned it to the ground.


    Legario¡¯s skill set was more useful against the bigger ones, so for the moment, his role was mostly calling out targets.


    He spotted a trio of spawnlings sneaking up on Rusty¡¯s right.


    ¡°Rusty, watch your right!¡± he shouted as he nocked another wedge.


    The black-haired man spun just in time. Legario shot the first one dead. Rusty smashed the second one into the ground. The third jumped on top of him, and he was barely able to fend it away from his face with an arm.


    Legario nocked another arrow, but the creature was too close to Rusty for a clean shot.


    Rusty heaved the spawnling off of him with a great cry, leaving bloody tracks on his arm where its claws had dug in. He took his sledgehammer in a two-handed grip and smacked the Beast, sending it flying through the wooden shutters of a nearby house.


    Legario nodded with satisfaction. No sooner had he done so than he heard a woman¡¯s cry from within the house.


    An older lady sprang out of the doorway, clutching a boy of maybe five years to her breast. The spawnling crawled over the threshold after her, one of its front legs having been smashed by Rusty¡¯s blow.


    Legario raised his greatbow to put an end to the creature, but another wave struck at that moment, and a handful of them slipped past Cora¡¯s offensive. They split into two groups, three of the Beasts headed for the woman, and the other four going for Rusty.


    Legario impaled the closest of the spawnlings pursuing the woman, but the other three were gaining ground fast. Rusty was busy taking care of his own problem¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t be able to help.


    Legario only had two arrows left.


    He shouldered his bow and leapt down off the wagon. He ran for the woman, drawing a dagger off his belt as he pumped his legs.


    The woman saw him endeavoring to save her and turned her steps towards him, but she was slow and feeble. She would be felled before he made it to her.


    A sudden gust of wind tugged at Legario¡¯s clothes. A rapidly spinning object with projecting blades shot past him from behind, riding on the quick current. Its course went wide of the spawnlings, but it bent as it flew to curve around the woman and child. The bladed weapon sliced through Beast limbs, causing two of the creatures to fall immobile before the thing zipped back up into the air in a looping arc.


    A young woman fell from the sky, brown hair arrayed about her. A bright cape shuddered between her outstretched arms like a burning sun.


    She caught the weapon out of the air and folded in her arms, falling rapidly. With one final push of flowing wind as she neared the ground, she floated over the awestruck woman and landed with both feet planted on the contorted neck of the final spawnling.


    Its putrid bones cracked under her weight and the thing fell. The woman used her four-bladed device to cut the Beast open and lay still its heart.


    She stood and made an effort to soothe the mother. The child was crying uncontrollably, dribbling snot on his upper lip as the mother held him tight and shushed him.


    Legario let his pace slow as he came towards them. Surveying the street, it seemed that his companions had the situation under control.


    ¡°Thank you, Hero,¡± he said to the woman in white and yellow. ¡°Your assistance was unexpected, but much appreciated.¡±


    ¡°I was around,¡± the woman said. She cleaned her four-bladed weapon on the slick hide of a spawnling. ¡°Thought I¡¯d return the favor.¡± Pressing a button, the blades retracted into the circular device with a sharp click.


    ¡°Return the favor?¡± Legario asked with a slight frown.


    ¡°Yes. You saved us all, before. Me especially. In truth, I am no Hero. Only an apprentice.¡± She made a shallow bow.


    Legario¡¯s frown deepened.


    ¡°Salutations, Little Amar!¡± Magge called. He came over, riding on the back of a rushing wave that broke just as he reached them, feet hitting the ground with a wet clap. ¡°I see you pulled yourself together quite decently.¡±


    ¡°I found a good tailor on the way,¡± the woman, Amar, said with a secretive smirk.


    Now that he looked at her more closely, Legario did recognize her. She was one of the apprentices they had rescued in the courtyard of the Lodge. There was none of the scared girl in her eyes now, however. Before him stood a woman confident in her power and herself.


    ¡°I want to accompany you,¡± Amar said, regarding Legario earnestly. ¡°Evangel is my curse. I¡¯ll be his undoing.¡±


    ¡°You seem capable enough,¡± Legario admitted. ¡°But this is no place for apprentices, no matter how¡­ spunky. You would only get in the way. We Purifiers have a specific way of doing things.¡±


    Amar nodded slowly and pursed her lips. ¡°Okay. If you want me to leave, I¡¯ll go. But consider this. I know Evangel¡¯s true-names.¡±


    Legario stiffened. ¡°You¡­ what?¡±


    ¡°All of them. Or at least, enough to slow him down while you take him out.¡±


    ¡°I see. I won¡¯t ask how you came by this information, as I sense it¡¯s likely a long story. Give us the true-names you¡¯ve uncovered, and we will take it from there.¡±


    Amar shook her head. ¡°I will do no such thing. Bring me with you. Let me fight. You¡¯re in no position to refuse my help.¡±


    Legario glanced at the thick smoke columns rising into the sky from all over the city. He considered her proposal in silence.


    She was right. Whether she was bluffing or not, the mere possibility of being able to employ Evangel¡¯s true-names against him was enough to justify the risk.


    And yet¡­


    ¡°I vouch for Little Amar,¡± Magge said, clapping a hand down on her shoulder. ¡°True-names or no, we could use her help. She¡¯s a Primal.¡±


    That settled it.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Legario said. ¡°You will accompany us. But be warned, Evangel is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Dangerous, I know,¡± Lace said. ¡°And yet, here I stand.¡±


    Legario smiled. ¡°You¡¯d make a decent battle-priest, someday.¡±


    He looked towards his other allies and found that they had finished off the last of the Beasts. Cora was escorting the civilians to a safer location while Rusty watched out for further threats.


    Legario clapped his hands twice. ¡°Okay, look alive, people!¡± He turned back to Amar. ¡°You possess the ability of flight, no?¡±


    Amar shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m still a bit shaky on that, but I think I¡¯ve got the basics down.¡±


    ¡°Good enough. You¡¯ll act as reconnaissance. Now, let¡¯s move out. We don¡¯t have much time.¡±

 55. One Last Push

    55. One Last Push


    Jorge watched as Heroes and apprentices piled into the Guild Hall, frightened and bloodied.


    The screams of the Beasts were drawing closer.


    He worked himself into a sitting position on the table, gritting his teeth against the pain, and caught an apprentice by the sleeve as she tried to run past. He recognized her, tried to recall her name.


    Veera. That was it.


    ¡°Veera, tell me what it¡¯s like out there,¡± he said. ¡°They broke through again, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    The girl nodded stiffly, eyes wide with fear even though she tried her best to hide it. ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s no one to hold them back this time.¡±


    Jorge scanned the main hall. No sign of his apprentices.


    ¡°What about Kiren and Lace?¡± he asked. ¡°Did they make it inside?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about Lace,¡± Veera said, ¡°but Kiren is still trapped out there with Titaness and a couple others.¡± She pulled her sleeve free. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I think he¡¯s gone.¡±


    She diverted her gaze and hurried off.


    Jorge blew air through his teeth. He closed his eyes, steeled himself.


    They certainly have a knack for getting themselves into trouble.


    Looks like my job isn¡¯t quite over.


    He swung his stiff legs over the side of the table, ignored the intense, stabbing pain. He dropped to the floor on his hands and knees, everyone too oblivious to notice as the spawnlings had already begun pawing at the windows.


    The leg braces squeaked with every movement as he crawled across the floor, all dignity thrown to the wind.


    Jorge got to the stairs, climbed the steps painstakingly, one at a time. The sounds of combat below were growing more intense, more desperate.


    The kids won¡¯t survive long out there, he thought. Got to move faster.


    That was an impossible task. His body would hardly move. His limbs were heavy, so heavy. He was just about ready to collapse and slip off into the final sleep.


    Not yet.


    He dragged himself up one more step.


    His body burned with hellfire, set him whimpering and shaking.


    And he climbed one more step.


    Then one more.


    Then one more.


    He blacked out somewhere along the way, came to with a start. He wasn¡¯t sure how long he¡¯d been out. Maybe seconds. Maybe minutes. He kept going.


    Jorge made it to the fourth floor and dragged his broken, battered body through the hall.


    I won¡¯t die.


    Not here.


    I have one job left to do.


    He shouldered open the door to his room, fell into a fetal position inside. His legs shook like branches in the wind, every countless tear in his muscles flaring up.


    Vision tunneling from the pain, he simply lay there, breath throwing up dust, as he attempted to regain his senses. With a spurt of strength he didn¡¯t know he had, he made it to the bed, grabbing a robe of the wall on the way which he shrugged over his shoulders.


    Reaching underneath the bed, he pulled out a long, heavy case. He popped open the buckles and laid eyes on what was kept within, just as pristine as when he had last stowed it away years ago.


    A sword. As long as he was, as broad as a woman¡¯s waist, and so heavy that no normal man could wield it in both hands, with a sturdy, cloth-wrapped handle on either side of the blade instead of a crossguard.


    The Killspade. One of Reya¡¯s nicknames, on account of it being so wide.


    It had belonged to Titaness, once. She had given it to him as a gift. It had served him well in the bloodiest throwdowns before age and atrophy had forced him to set it aside.


    With a burst of energy afforded by his Power, he managed to lift the blade out of its case, resting it on his shoulder to take some of the weight off.


    Jorge shuffled over to the window, sheared the shutters open with one swing of the Killspade.


    ¡°Hang in there, kids,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡±


    *****


    Despite their desperate efforts, the gate crew was losing ground, slowly being backed up against the gates they had been charged with defending.


    No matter how many spawnlings Kiren hacked away, there were always more to replace them. The entirety of his greatsword ran dark with beast-blood, and his arms ached with the effort of swinging the weapon. His hair was streaked to his scalp, and sweat dripped off his nose.


    A Beast charged him from the front. He drove his sword into its malformed skull, but the blade caught on the bone and wouldn¡¯t come out. Two more spawnlings charged him from the left and knocked him down, ripping the sword from his grip. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    They got on top of him, carved away at his flesh with claws like small knives. More piled on, pinning down his arms and filling his ears with their screams.


    Kiren roared his defiance right back at them. Titaness leaned down and swatted away most of the spawnlings with one giant hand, leaving him with only a pink, pig-like creature that gnawed at his right arm with needle-sharp teeth.


    Kiren overpowered the spawnling, pushed his weight down on top of it, and pummeled its soft flesh with blow after blow. He cracked bones and spilled putrid blood, his knuckles covered in razor-like nubs that sank clean through the skin.


    Once he was clear of immediate danger, he stumbled back to his feet, only to find that the rest of the gate crew weren¡¯t faring any better. They were already starting to fall, consumed one by one under the crushing tide of monsters.


    There was no end to them.


    ¡°Unmaker¡¯s black,¡± Kiren panted. ¡°There¡¯s no getting out of this one.¡±


    More of those charged-up humanoids were headed their way, too.


    Even as he fought, Kiren wrestled with the fact that he wasn¡¯t going to survive until the morning. Wrenching his greatsword from the spawnling he had impaled, he set to taking down as many of the monsters as he was able before his body gave out.


    Just then, a black streak shot out from the top of the Guild Hall. A dull wedge of metal gleamed amber in the light of the Lodge as it soared through the sky.


    Even in the night, over the din of battle, Kiren recognized that smear of darkness.


    That old madman really went and did it, huh? Kiren thought as he watched his master glide effortlessly over the endless horde of Beasts. He just couldn¡¯t stay out of it.


    A smile crept over his lips.


    *****


    Jorge landed in the thick of the spawnlings with a sharp jolt, crushing a Beast skull beneath his foot.


    Baffled at his sudden entrance, the Beasts struggled to wheel around and face him, packed in as tightly as they were.


    Jorge reached down to his leg braces and tore off the leather straps that kept them attached. One brace fell away, then the other, causing him to tip forward as his legs were unable to hold his weight.


    It didn¡¯t matter. He needed the mobility.


    Struggling with the ludicrous weight of the Killspade, he worked his way back to his knees.


    A few of the closest spawnlings threw themselves at him, all teeth, claws, and rage.


    Jorge grabbed the handles on each side of the huge blade and held it outwards. He kicked off with one leg, putting all the strength he could muster into it.


    Jorge¡¯s body spun uncontrollably, the massive blade shearing through mountains of twisted flesh without any sort of resistance. He came to a stop, having gone through dozens of spawnlings, and immediately pushed into another uncontrollable burst of speed that sent him spinning.


    With each kick, he felt the muscles in his leg tearing, felt the bones grinding against one another and splintering on impact.


    He was tearing himself apart.


    But that didn¡¯t matter. He had been falling apart for a long time. This was just the last step.


    He pushed himself off once more. His vision blurred with the movement, but he had no need for sight as he crashed through the lines of Beasts. He tore through a humanoid that crackled with lightning. It exploded when it died, but Excelerate was already way past it by the time it did.


    Jorge halted himself with a hand, feeling the bones of his fingers crack under the immense force.


    One more, he thought.


    Kicking off, he went in a wide, lopsided arc, clinging to the Killspade with his one good hand. The spawnlings shrieked as they fell, and a sweeter sound he had never hurt. He caught two more of those humanoids, cutting them both in half and causing them to explode into tiny pieces.


    Another kick, followed by a burst of speed, then another, then another. Each was faster than the last. There was so much pain that it hardly registered anymore, and he became numb.


    He grinned, wild with glee.


    It was about time someone showed these creatures how a real Hero does things.


    *****


    Kiren watched in awe as Excelerate zig-zagged across the courtyard, taking swathes of spawnlings with him each time. He had torn great scars into their lines, hundreds of dead Beasts.


    The horde had turned their attention away from the bridge crew in their relentless bid to catch Excelerate.


    Titaness grabbed a wooden board off the ground and used it to swat away spawnlings.


    ¡°Come on, everyone!¡± she said. ¡°Excelerate has bought us some time. We have to get out of here. Now.¡±


    That got everyone moving, no matter how wounded and exhausted. They fought their way around the edge of the courtyard, encountering only token resistance.


    No matter how many of the creatures Excelerate took out, more kept piling on from the corners of the courtyard and over the walls.


    The gate crew made it to the doors of the Guild Hall, and Titaness started pounding on them for the Heroes inside to open up. The others worked on keeping the area clear of Beasts, but Kiren couldn¡¯t bring himself to raise his sword. He stared out at Excelerate, a black speck zooming amid a sea of twisted shapes.


    Come on, old man, he thought. Retreat. You¡¯ve done enough.


    But Excelerate didn¡¯t retreat. He kept pushing. The man spun around and around, locked in a fatal dance with the children of the Unmaker.


    ¡°He¡¯s not going to make it,¡± Kiren whispered.


    Before he realized what he was doing, he had started walking. He went beyond the slim protection of the weary gate crew, back onto the bloodsoaked courtyard.


    He walked towards his master, slowly picking up the pace.


    ¡°Hey, Kiren!¡± Haden called. ¡°What are you doing, you fool? Get back here!¡±


    Kiren ignored him. A spawnling jumped for him, and he simply raised his blade so that it impaled itself, then let it slough off to the side.


    He started running, cutting down any spawnling that got in his way.


    Excelerate stumbled, faltered, and got back up again. The Beasts swarmed him, but a rapid rotation threw them off of him.


    I won¡¯t let him die, Kiren thought. Not now. Not after all that¡¯s happened.


    Several Beasts latched themselves onto the black-clad Hero, dragged him to the ground. A humanoid pushed itself through the ranks, stepping up to Excelerate. He tried to raise his ludicrous blade, but the humanoid placed a foot on the flat, pushing the tip into the ground.


    ¡°No!¡± Kiren shouted. He picked up the pace, jumping over a group of spawnlings, all wounds forgotten.


    Excelerate drew a dagger and stabbed at the humanoid. The thing caught his hand in two of its own, twisted his wrist so that he dropped the weapon.


    It pulled back another of its many arms and drove it through Excelerate¡¯s chest, dark energy searing away the cloth of his robe and burning the flesh underneath.


    The humanoid retracted its arm with a hoarse cackle. Excelerate fell away, unmoving, as he let go of his sword. The spawnlings descended on him, ripping away chunks of flesh and clawing at his limbs.


    Kiren skidded to a stop. His hands grew cold, and he was unable to blink as he stared at what was left of his master.


    ¡°They killed him¡­¡± he whispered.


    His heart beat out of rhythm, fast and frantic.


    All of a sudden, the coldness was replaced by an intense heat. Rage boiled in his gut, spilled over into every fiber of his being.


    ¡°You killed him!¡± he roared.


    Kiren fell down on all fours. His skin split. His bones cracked. His vision tunneled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you all,¡± he growled between teeth that grew longer, sharper.

 56. The True Monster

    56. The True Monster


    The ritual had begun.


    The pile of corpses in the center of the temple had been set alight with black flames which seemed to soak up all the light and joy around them. The suspended Heroes groaned weakly as their very souls were being sapped out of them.


    Maxim chanted in the infernal language of Beasts, which burned his tongue and seemed to darken the chamber with each successive word.


    His entire being brimmed with power. The souls of his victims fed him well, gave him the ability to perform miracles or atrocities. Despite what the Beasts sharing his body had in mind, he was planning on the former.


    Something lurked within the flames before him. A sliver of an undulating monstrosity of eyes and mouths. Its inscrutable gaze was fixed on him, and wordless whispers spurred him to continue, to complete the ritual and make her free.


    The One Among the Stars.


    So close¡­ Nasaizh cooed within Maxim¡¯s mind. Finish it. We will all ascend.


    But Maxim had no intention of letting the matriarch into the world. He channeled the energy of the harvested souls away from the endless prison, and into something else.


    His very own wish.


    I will see you soon, my daughters, he thought.


    Fool! Khruj screeched, sensing the change in energies. What treachery is this?


    ¡°Treachery? None,¡± Maxim said. ¡°My loyalties were clear from the start. You assumed I would be caught up in your mad scramble for dominance. I was not.


    ¡°You think I would remain loyal to you? If so, you are the true fool. Or have you forgotten? You are the one who took them away from me, Nasaizh!¡±


    They strained against him, of course. Nasaizh. Khruj. Gorod. But he had been bottling his strength for this very moment. His will remained supreme for just a few moments, but that was enough.


    The unknowable creature inside the flames howled its dismay, screamed curses and warnings in a thousand dead languages, but Maxim paid it no heed.


    Maxim continued his chant, managing to put his hands up despite the Beasts attempting to seize control of his body. He raised them to his heavens, his chant growing to a pitch, throat burning from the effort of sustaining the eldritch language.


    A flash of pure white filled his vision as he channeled the power of pilfered souls into a single point.


    Maxim smiled.


    He had done it.


    *****


    Kiren¡¯s back arched as his spine popped and shifted.


    Pain and rage coursed through him. It became his entire being. He was unable to feel anything else.


    His body changed faster than he could comprehend, growing in size, its very structure fundamentally altered. His muscles swelled. His skin bristled with fur. His mouth elongated into a muzzle filled with sharpened teeth. His limbs lengthened and warped, hands and feet becoming clawed paws.


    He felt it all. Every bone cracking, every tendon snapping and reconnecting, every muscle torn to shreds and made whole again. His heart beat faster and faster, a demented drum in his ears that seemed to adhere to no rhythm or reason.


    Even his name slipped away from him, and he became something else.


    Something feral.


    Not a man, not any longer.


    A wolf.


    Eventually, the transformation slowed, the pain receding as his bones settled. He was left panting as he trembled on his four new legs.


    The wolf¡¯s vision snapped into perfect focus, keener than he had ever known despite the darkness around him. He steadied himself, a low growl escaping his throat.


    The spawnlings still feasted on his master as the humanoids came together in some vulgar dance, stroking their fleshy, malformed bodies in utter rapture.


    The wolf could stand it no longer.


    He loped over the horde on long, powerful legs, crushing Beasts underfoot with each step. They cried out and clawed at him, but they were nothing.


    In only a few moments, he reached his master and lunged at one of the remaining humanoids. His jaws closed around soft flesh while the monster was still reeling in shock. His teeth sank deep, splintering bone. He shook the thing around like a ragdoll in the air. Lightning arced over his muzzle, but the pain was only a sting. He tossed the broken Beast aside, knocked the other down with a swipe of his tail.


    The spawnlings scattered from his master in fear, leaving a man so torn apart he could hardly be recognized, surrounded by his own blood and shredded viscera.


    The wolf threw his head back and howled into the night, standing vigil over his master. The sound carried across the courtyard, a mournful echo, and all else became silent. Even the Beasts stilled, frozen at the sight of him.


    Because they knew.


    He was the true monster. The only hunter here.


    And they were the prey.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Slowly, the wolf bent down and picked up his master¡¯s sword between his teeth. It had looked heavy while his master wielded it, but to him, it was light as straw.


    With a growl, he issued a challenge to the Beasts. Dared them to attack.


    For several moments, there was no movement.


    Then they charged. A few, at first, then all at once.


    Hundreds. Thousands. He could not tell, and it did not matter.


    He would kill them all.


    *****


    The Purifiers tracked Evangel by the stench of his corruption, Legario leading the way. Eventually, that trail brought them to an abandoned temple built in the Creator¡¯s glory. Now, ghostly light streamed from the windows. Screams both human and other could be heard from within.


    Lace flew up to the rooftop, still unsteady in the air. She landed on the slippery tiles and pressed herself against the tall belltower. Magge brought forth his water to surround the temple. Legario, Rusty, and Cora encircled the north side, beneath the large stained-glass window.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s in there,¡± Legario said, his voice barely carrying up to the roof, ¡°but we don¡¯t have any room for caution. It seems that the ritual is already in progress. Let¡¯s hope we aren¡¯t too late.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the plan, then?¡± Cora asked as they went around to the south side, which sported a pair of sturdy oak doors.


    ¡°Rusty, you break in the door. I¡¯ll try and line up a good shot on Evangel. Cora, you¡¯re on rabble duty. Magge, you¡¯ll stay outside and provide backup. Lace, you get the window, surprise him from the other side. You got all that?¡±


    Everyone voiced their assent.


    ¡°Got it!¡± Lace called down.


    ¡°Good,¡± Legario said. ¡°Get into positions, everyone!¡±


    *****


    The light faded.


    Maxim sighed and opened his eyes.


    The black fire had gone out, and the Heroes hung limp as their souls had gone out of them.


    He looked down, laid eyes on two little girls standing in front of him. They both had brown hair, like their mother, with pale skin and big, questioning eyes.


    They were just as angelic as he remembered.


    ¡°Girls¡­¡± he murmured. ¡°I did it.¡±


    Maxim made to kneel. The Beasts inside him strained for every hair¡¯s breadth, but he won out.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much,¡± he said, reaching out with two of his many hands to touch their faces.


    Lessie screamed and pulled her sister back, the two of them nearly stumbling into the pile of burned corpses behind them. Mara began to weep at the sight of him, muttering prayers to the Creator as her lips trembled.


    ¡°Girls, please,¡± Maxim said, extending his arms. ¡°It¡¯s me. Father.¡±


    ¡°Stay away from us!¡± Lessie cried.


    ¡°Mommy, mommy, mommy,¡± Mara spluttered, sobbing into her hands.


    Maxim pulled back. He looked down at himself. It was heavy with throbbing flesh, writhing limbs poking off in all directions, faces stuck in silent screams running up his torso.


    ¡°I-I¡­¡± Maxim stuttered.


    The large window at the back of the temple shattered. A woman tumbled through in a shower of colored glass. The woman landed on the floor in a crouch, clad in a suit of white and gold.


    Maxim¡¯s mind echoed with recognition.


    The girl.


    *****


    Veera and most of the apprentices who could still stand stared with rapt attention out of the windows of the main hall.


    A black wolf, larger than a horse by half, stood alone against the Beasts. It swung a massive sword around by its mouth, tearing through spawnlings by the dozens like so much chaff.


    ¡°Who is that?¡± an apprentice asked aloud, to no one in particular. ¡°We don¡¯t have a Hero like that, do we?¡±


    ¡°That is Kiren Odirk,¡± Bloodhound said. He watched from some distance, arms folded behind his back.


    A wave of murmurs went through the apprentices.


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Haden asked, leaning on Tommyn so he could watch out of the window, despite his extensive injuries. ¡°That¡¯s not his Power!¡±


    ¡°Kiren has reached another level entirely,¡± Bloodhound said. ¡°He¡¯s become something else.¡±


    Creator¡¯s breath, how is this possible? Veera thought. She watched Kiren hold his ground against the entire Beast horde without losing a single step of ground. They leapt onto his body and tore away with claws and bony spines, ripping out chunks of flesh and fur, but he remained standing.


    Matted with blood, Kiren howled his utter hatred for his foe.


    Veera looked down at her hands. He¡¯s still out there, fighting. What excuse do I have to stay in here, where it¡¯s safe?


    A mass of spawnlings tackled the wolf, and he stumbled, growling. Bites on his legs caused him to tremble, and no matter how many monsters he cleared away, there were always more. Too many.


    ¡°I am afraid that Kiren has resigned himself to folly,¡± Bloodhound said. ¡°There is nothing we can do for him now.¡±


    The apprentices watched now in solemn silence, joined by a few of the Heroes. They watched Kiren¡¯s final stand.


    No, Veera thought. I have no right to do any less than him. If I watch him die from this fucking window, how could I ever call myself a Hero?


    She headed for the doors.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Bloodhound barked. ¡°I forbid anyone from leaving the Guild Hall! We need every able-bodied defender in here.¡±


    Veera ignored him.


    The two Heroes at the door silently lifted the barricades as she drew closer. Bloodhound kept shouting commands, but no one was listening.


    Looking back, she noticed that she wasn¡¯t alone. Haden, Tommyn, a few other apprentices, as well as Counter. All grave-faced, most of them wounded, but determined all the same.


    The doors opened, and they entered back into the courtyard, stepping over corpses as they headed for the great wolf.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think any of us will make it,¡± Counter said, jogging to the front of the pack. ¡°I won¡¯t judge if you head back now.¡±


    No one diverted from their path.


    ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°Stay behind me. I¡¯ll do my best to keep you safe.¡±


    Veera summoned chains into her hands that wrapped around her wrists, the glowing constructs barbed near the bottom. The first spawnling that came close, she whipped a chain around its neck and pulled, causing it to tumble through the air towards her. She kicked it in its ugly face, crushing the bones within, and allowed her chain to unwrap as they continued on.


    They began to encounter more resistance, the horde thickening out well before they would reach Kiren. The apprentices drew their swords and set to work, hacking away at the creatures while Counter raised shields to protect them.


    Veera summoned chains out of the ground in front of them, ensnaring spawnlings so that the other apprentices could easily dispatch them.


    Slowly but surely, they gained ground, fighting through a bloody tide.


    Kiren teetered under the weight of his opposition, nearly consumed beneath their sheer numbers. More than twenty of them clung to his body, weighing down his every movement as he struggled to swing the sword between his teeth, gums bleeding with the effort.


    They broke through. Counter arranged the apprentices in a tight line around Kiren, facing outward. Vera brought forth a myriad of chains that wrapped around the spawnlings clinging to his body and pulled them off, a couple at a time, until he was completely free of them.


    Kiren did not seem to take note of their presence, but he moved easier, slicing through the horde with abandon.


    The sight of it made Veera smile.


    Maybe we can actually win this.

 57. The Battle for Goldbrand

    57. The Battle for Goldbrand


    The wolf moved on instinct, focused only on the enemy ahead of him.


    They had to die. All of them.


    Swinging his head wildly, his blade clove through countless numbers of fodder. They pestered him with cuts and bites and blows, but this only served to further stoke his wrath.


    The wolf did not let them gain an inch on his master. He made piles of dead Beasts around himself that the attackers had to climb over.


    Die¡­ the wolf thought, his mouth no longer suited to produce words.


    He swung the sword.


    Die!


    Again.


    Die!


    Again.


    Die!


    He didn¡¯t know how long he had been fighting. His body was covered in wounds, but his rage spurred him on, allowing him to move and react as if he were whole and well-rested.


    The wolf slid the sword around in his mouth, angling it at the next vermin to be slaughtered.


    Something gave him pause. He came to a halt.


    A thing lay pinned under his paw, the sword pointed at its face. It was not a Beast. It was¡­ human. Vaguely familiar.


    The wolf¡¯s body ached to move. This was an annoyance. He pressed his paw down to end the little human.


    Kiren! a voice echoed within him. Stop!


    The wolf stiffened. The name was familiar. A nagging reminder.


    Please, the voice continued. Let him go. It¡¯s over. We¡¯re your friends.


    The wolf looked down at the thing beneath his paw with new eyes. Long, blond hair, square jaw, muscular build.


    Kiren¡­ he thought to himself, tasting the word inside his head. That¡¯s¡­ me.


    Kiren stepped away from the man as his body began to shift. Intense pain coursed through his body as his frame shrank down, bones grinding against each other as they shifted into place. The blade fell free of his mouth, clattering on the ground. He shedded his fur, groaning heavily as his face flattened out and vision seemed to go just slightly muddled.


    He was left on all fours, panting as he lay in the bloody dirt. Cold. Naked. Human.


    ¡°What the fuck just happened¡­?¡± he breathed.


    Looking up, he saw a still courtyard littered with countless mounds of corpses, piled high in a half-moon shape around him. Apprentices wandered about, putting the finishing blows to the spawnlings that still moved.


    The first rays of sunlight had begun to chase away the night in the east.


    ¡°We can work out the hows and the whys later,¡± someone said, a pair of boots coming into his field of vision. ¡°For now, know that you did one helluva number on those things.¡±


    Kiren looked up.


    Counter.


    He lay a hand on Kiren¡¯s shoulder and offered a rare, uncharacteristic smile. ¡°Good job, kid.¡±


    Before him lay the massive blade he had just used to slaughter countless Beasts, half-buried into the ground. The blade was nicked and chipped, drenched with blood, and the grip was marred with deep bite marks.


    Looking a little further ahead, Kiren saw the ruined remains of Excelerate. Large chunks of his limbs were gone, fingers twisted this way and that, splinters of bone coming through one leg. He stared sightlessly into the sky.


    Kiren stumbled to his feet, fell back down, crawled with all his remaining strength over to his master.


    Excelerate¡¯s one eye swiveled to regard him, and the smallest hint of a smirk trace his lip.


    He shouldn¡¯t have been alive. He should have been long dead from his injuries, either from shock or blood loss.


    And yet, there he was.


    Waiting.


    He tried to say something, but his voice failed him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t strain yourself, old man,¡± Kiren said. ¡°You can tell me later, after we get you right.¡±


    Excelerate shook his head. He grasped at Kiren with one shattered hand, pulled him close by the back of the neck.


    ¡°Your¡­ turn¡­ now¡­¡± he worked out.


    Those were his last words. He looked up into the sky, and he seemed at peace. It took another minute before he finally bled out, long before any healers reached him.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Kiren¡¯s consciousness left him as tears streaked his filthy cheeks, and he fell forward onto Excelerate¡¯s still chest.


    Jorge Router was no more.


    *****


    Lace took out the two spawnlings closest to her with a quick swipe of her staff, the wind-blade beheading them both. Her gaze was fixed on the vaguely human-shaped, writhing mass of flesh at the other end of the temple.


    Evangel, kneeling almost as if in reverence, before a multitude of dead Heroes who had been strung up from the ceiling.


    ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± Evangel said, slowly standing up. ¡°I suppose it is fitting. Very well. I am ready.¡±


    The double doors at the back of the temple burst open, and Rusty came charging into the temple with his great mallet at hand, Cora following close behind. They dipped to each side, and Legario was standing down the center, a wedge already drawn.


    Evangel turned around, growling.


    Lace took her opportunity when he looked away from her. She gathered up an aero-shot and sent the powerful blast of air at his back. It did no damage to his corpulent form, but it knocked him forward just a step, leaving him off-balance.


    Open to a second attack.


    Legario fired his wedge, the heavy arrow lodging itself in Evangel¡¯s flesh.


    Lace was forced to roll to the right as a spawnling grasped for her with fat, bloated fingers. She got up on one knee, but didn¡¯t have time to retaliate against the Beast as a shower of water shattered several windows on the eastern side of the temple and washed over the nearby spawnlings, quickly reducing them to sizzling masses of melted flesh.


    Lace stood up.


    ¡°Faith, you ready?¡± she asked.


    The Sprite appeared on her shoulder. ¡°Sure am. Just say the word.¡±


    Rusty rushed ahead to hammer in the wedge burrowed in Evangel¡¯s chest. The amalgam saw him coming and raised one of his arms, sending out a multitude of tentacles that pinned the black-haired man to the ground and knocked the mallet from his grasp.


    ¡°Nasaizh, I wish to bargain!¡± Lace cried, setting into a run towards the fighting.


    Evangel seized up momentarily, growing stiff. Just a moment.


    ¡°I refuse!¡± he bellowed, and resumed normal function.


    But a moment was all that was needed.


    Cora slipped in beside the Beast, wrapping her silvery thread around the thick, squirming arm. With a hard tug, the thread sank clean through the limb, and the arm fell limp to the ground, allowing Rusty to work himself free and retrieve his weapon.


    Evangel slapped Cora aside with another arm. She landed some distance away on her side.


    Another wave of water flooded the temple and eliminated the rest of the spawnlings, causing Evangel some distraction as he hissed at the water that pooled around his feet and made his skin sizzle.


    With a roar, Evangel unleashed a circle of dark energy that spread out horizontally. It passed over Cora¡¯s head, but Rusty was caught in the blast, the skin and muscle of his legs rapidly rotting away.


    Unmaker¡¯s black, Lace thought.


    ¡°Khruj, I wish to bargain!¡± she shouted as she ran.


    ¡°I refuse!¡± Evangel bellowed.


    Lace inserted a sand vial as she reached him to give her wind-blade extra power. With a quick combination of swipes, she cut through his flesh, slicing off tendons and muscles. He turned to face her, and another wedge thudded into his back, followed by a third.


    One of the shots seemed to have struck a heart as part of Evangel¡¯s body went slack, and the creature sank down on one knee.


    ¡°Now!¡± Lace shouted.


    Faith sprang forward, growing to the size of a human. She placed her hands on Evangel, the touch causing him to recoil with something more than pain. Fear.


    ¡°Gorod, I wish to bargain!¡± she called, and he stiffened for a third time.


    Magge¡¯s Sprite, Ray, zipped in through one of the open windows. She, too, grew to roughly the size of a normal person, approaching the Beast from behind and placing her hands on his back.


    Together, the two Sprites began to purify his flesh, pieces of otherworldly beings falling away from the unholy amalgam.


    ¡°I refuse!¡± Evangel howled.


    Straining his quickly disintegrating form, he reached up and grabbed Lace by the throat. He squeezed hard, cutting off her airflow. She was lifted off the ground, feet dangling uselessly as she batted against his arm.


    Another few moments and he¡¯d crush her windpipe.


    ¡°Maxim¡­¡± she croaked. ¡°If there¡¯s¡­ any of you left¡­ remember your humanity.¡±


    Evangel paused. For the first time, his gaze truly focused on him. However grotesque he had become, his eyes were still human.


    He let her go and she fell to the floor, landing on her side. She coughed and rubbed at her throat as she sucked in new air.


    ¡°Do it, then,¡± Evangel said. He sounded weary. ¡°There¡¯s no going back for me. I got what I wanted.¡±


    Evangel remained motionless as his flesh sloughed off. Layer by wretched layer it fell away until Lace could actually make out the human he had once been, just a grey old man. Elder Maxim.


    Heavy bruising appeared on his neck, and he began to struggle for breath.


    Lace stood up and pointed the end of her staff at his head. At this point, the greatest kindness she could offer him was a quick death.


    She ran a strong current through the staff, and the sand rushing out the end quickly blasted a hole right through his forehead, sending fragments of bone and brain out the back.


    Maxim regarded her dully for just a moment before all cognition left him. He slumped to the side.


    Lace breathed a sigh of relief. She kicked at the quickly decomposing Beast flesh that lay around Maxim, but there was no sign of movement.


    ¡°Clear?¡± Legario asked, heading into the temple.


    ¡°Clear,¡± Lace said with a somber nod.


    Faith winked and dispersed into the air, while Ray returned to her companion.


    Lace turned her attention to Rusty, who was being tended to by Cora. She had amputated both his legs at the thigh with her silver thread, the blessed metal cutting clean through tendon and bone and cauterizing the stumps left behind. Rusty had passed out from the pain but appeared to be alive.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see to it that he gets the best possible care,¡± Legario said, reaching Lace¡¯s side. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he pulls through.¡±


    With the battle over, she helped Legario take down the corpses hanging from the ceiling. All eleven of them, dead, including Steelfeather, the last active A-Rank Hero Goldbrand had left.


    We only won by a hair, Lace realized. Even so, the losses¡­


    She wanted to cry, but she held it in. This was not the time for tears. That would come later.


    Magge found a pair of children hidden among the corpses in the middle of the temple who claimed to be Maxim¡¯s daughters. They were clearly both shocked and terrified, and the big man did his best to soothe them.


    ¡°Seems like he really did get what he wanted,¡± Lace said. ¡°That¡¯s what he was looking for all along. To resurrect his daughters.¡±


    ¡°I heard,¡± Legario said.


    ¡°What will happen to them?¡± She nodded towards the children.


    ¡°For now, I can¡¯t say. They will be questioned, then held somewhere safe, I suppose. You can never be too safe about these things.¡±


    Lace nodded. Her heart ached for those girls, but Legario was right. If she had learned anything from this, it was that you could never leave things half-finished with Beasts.

 58. Dawn (END OF BOOK ONE)

    58. Dawn


    Kiren awoke¡ªas was happening more and more frequently as of late¡ªto a slew of aches and pains.


    He groaned, shifted slightly, and felt something heavy weighing down his chest. Opening his eyes, he looked down at a head of brown hair.


    Lace snored softly, curled up against him like a cat.


    He smiled. It seemed that she hadn¡¯t gotten herself into too much trouble, after all.


    They were in the House of Healing, which wasn¡¯t all that surprising. After all the battle damage he¡¯d accumulated over the course of the night, he was surprised he could move at all.


    Early morning sunshine came in through the window


    Lace lay on a sore spot, so he shifted a little. She stirred from the movement and looked up at him with wide, bleary eyes.


    ¡°Hey there,¡± he said with a tired smile.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she said.


    ¡°Some night, huh?¡±


    ¡°No kidding. I feel like I could sleep for a day.¡±


    Kiren took a moment to check Lace for injuries but found nothing serious apart from some bruises and cuts.


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming the city didn¡¯t burn down while I was out,¡± Kiren said.


    ¡°It was a close thing, but no. Evangel is dead.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    ¡°I put an end to him myself.¡±


    Kiren breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s comforting.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s left of the Guild are working with the city guard to put out the fires and hunt down the last of the Beasts.¡± Lace paused, running a hand up Kiren¡¯s arm as she let her fingers trail the bumpy skin. ¡°So¡­ I heard that¡­¡±


    ¡°Excelerate¡¯s dead,¡± Kiren said quickly. ¡°Yeah. Wasn¡¯t pretty, but he went out defending us all. It was a good death.¡±


    She nodded, and they spent a somber minute in silence.


    ¡°I also heard something about a wolf,¡± Lace said.


    Kiren sighed. ¡°Can¡¯t fill you in too much on that. It¡¯s all hazy. I guess I became a wolf, somehow? Must be some part of my Power that I haven¡¯t explored yet.¡±


    ¡°You saved a lot of people in that form, apparently.¡±


    Kiren scoffed, shifted uncomfortably. ¡°Almost killed some friends in the process, too.¡±


    They were quiet for a while, simply enjoying each other¡¯s company, too exhausted to do too much more. The subtle, flowery smell of her hair put him at ease. Even the sweat and grime that clung to her skin was somehow comforting.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone I¡¯d like you to meet,¡± Lace said after a while. ¡°Formally, that is.¡±


    Kiren was about to respond when he spotted some commotion in the hallway through the open door.


    A man in a bloody, feathered cloak was half-led, half-dragged through the hall by two apprentices. His slitted gaze flitted about, finally settling on Kiren. He was taken away, disappearing from Kiren¡¯s line of sight.


    ¡°It¡¯s Eagle-Eyes,¡± Kiren said, tapping Lace¡¯s shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s back.¡±


    ¡°What about it?¡± Lace asked. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m glad he¡¯s alive and all, but am I missing something?¡±


    ¡°Oh. Right. You missed some important stuff last night.¡±


    ¡°Like?¡±


    ¡°Like, Jahn and Bits tried to kill the Guild Master. Bits is probably one of Fade¡¯s children, and he¡¯s been disguising himself to gain entrance to the Heroes¡¯ Guild. He was looking for something here at the Lodge, and whatever it was, he got away with it. Eagle-Eyes went to pursue him. Oh, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Lace interrupted, holding her hands to the sides of her head. ¡°This is too much. So you¡¯re telling me that Fade, the Fade, has been an apprentice at the Lodge this whole time?¡±


    ¡°One of his children, but yes.¡±


    ¡°And Eagle-Eyes went to hunt him down?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he got him?¡±


    Kiren shrugged, hissed at the pain. ¡°Dunno. Guess there¡¯s only one way to find out.¡±


    He tried to stand but found that his muscles protested at every turn and flopped back down on the pillow.


    ¡°You have to rest, young man,¡± Lace said, wagging a finger in front of his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go talk to Eagle-Eyes for you.¡±


    Kiren was about to protest, but Lace interrupted him with a hard kiss on the lips.


    Lace pulled back, and Kiren couldn¡¯t help but grin.


    ¡°One when I get back, too, if you actually stay in bed,¡± Lace said as she sat up and swung her legs over the side.


    ¡°That¡¯s a bribe I can get behind,¡± Kiren said.


    *****


    After some trial and error, Lace entered the room that Eagle-Eyes had been brought into.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    He was naked from the waist up, much of his torso and shoulders wrapped in bandages. Mina had latched onto his arm with her long, sharp teeth, and was busy sucking away under Good Doctor¡¯s supervision. Every few seconds, the little girl tilted her head to the side and spat blood into a bucket.


    Good Doctor looked back when Lace came in. She had clearly seen better days. Red eyes, dark circles, frazzled hair.


    ¡°He was poisoned,¡± Good Doctor declared. ¡°Still hasn¡¯t explained what happened to him. No Beast did this to him, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    Eagle-Eyes threw his head back and forth, face beading with sweat. His limbs had been strapped to the bed. He struggled in vain against the thick leather.


    Lace helped hold him down while Mina sucked out the poison. After that, Good Doctor set to healing the worst of his injuries. Eagle-Eyes was awake for some of it, passing in and out of consciousness.


    ¡°Would you mind keeping an eye on him for a minute, daughter mine?¡± Good Doctor asked once she had finished, washing her hands in a bucket of clean-ish water. I have many patients to get to, thanks to this madness.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Master,¡± Lace said, giving Mina a pat on the head. She seemed to be lacking in rest, as well, and had a wide, faraway stare.


    ¡°Good,¡± the healer said.


    She was out of the door before Lace could say another word, Mina trailing behind her like a lost puppy.


    Lace seated herself in a chair next to the bed. Eagle-Eyes¡¯ intense, yellow eyes immediately flickered open and focused on her.


    ¡°Lace Amar, listen to me, and listen well,¡± he said. ¡°How much has your companion told you?¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Lace said. She paused. ¡°You lost, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Eagle-Eyes nodded. ¡°I was foolish. I went in without preparation. There were too many of them.¡±


    ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get a full view. A few dozen is my guess. Three leaders, all Powered.¡±


    ¡°Tell the Guild Master. After what just happened to you, he¡¯ll be forced to take you seriously. They¡¯ll have no choice but to accept that the Dark Eye is still active.¡±


    ¡°And I will. But the Guild is in shambles. Many have died. Bloodhound will need to divide all his remaining assets between recovery and rebuilding. he will be unlikely to entertain a notion as far-fetched as this.


    ¡°For now, you, Kiren, and Jorge are the only ones I can trust with this.¡±


    Lace bit her lip. ¡°Jorge¡­ is dead.¡±


    Eagle-Eyes closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. He was quiet for several long moments.


    ¡°I apologize,¡± he said as he opened his eyes. ¡°This is¡­ not the news I would have liked to hear. Then¡­¡±


    ¡°The responsibility falls on us,¡± Lace said gravely. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Master¡ªyou can rest. Kiren and I will find a way to deal with this.¡±


    Eagle-Eyes grabbed her by the arm and pulled her forward. ¡°No one can expect that of you, sirrah. These Villains are strong. Do not underestimate the Dark Eye.¡±


    ¡°Even so¡­¡±


    ¡°Do not engage them in open combat. They fight dirty. If you must look into this on your own, keep it strictly reconnaissance. Even then, be careful.¡±


    Lace nodded. ¡°I understand.¡±


    *****


    The next day, a funeral was held for every member of the Heroes¡¯ Guild who had perished during the night.


    Pyres were built for them in the courtyard of the Lodge after the spawnling corpses had been tediously disposed of. There were dozens of dead, many of which had had to be retrieved from various parts of the city.


    Everyone well enough to leave their beds had turned up to watch. Every apprentice and Hero. Bloodhound stood before the pyres as several apprentices walked out with torches to light them. He faced the large crowd, arms behind his back. Sage was at his side, slumped in a wheelchair.


    Lace was among those gathered, near the front. Mom stood on her left, and Kiren stood on the right, reluctantly leaning on a cane.


    Lace held back tears.


    We lost so much in one day, she thought. Almost everything.


    ¡°Everyone!¡± Bloodhound said. ¡°This is a time of mourning, so I will keep this brief.


    ¡°Each one of the people behind me who died yesterday did so honorably. They died fighting for their Guild. Their city. Their queen. We all fought to our fullest, and even beyond. Stand proud knowing that you have saved Goldbrand.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Paragon come?¡± asked one of the apprentices.


    A chorus of murmurs went through the crowd, quickly hushed by the more seasoned Heroes.


    ¡°She abandoned us!¡± cried another apprentice.


    Sage thumped his staff against the ground. The sound didn¡¯t carry far, but it caused a deafening silence to fall over the courtyard nonetheless.


    ¡°Our queen is suffering from an illness that prevented her from intervening,¡± Bloodhound explained.


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Kiren called suddenly. ¡°Excelerate defended us until every bone in his body was broken! Paragon could have ended all this, but she let it go on! Pawns, that¡¯s all we are to her!¡±


    Many of the apprentices muttered their assent. Lace tugged on Kiren¡¯s arm and tried to shush him, but he ignored her.


    ¡°Paragon believed in the capacity of the Heroes¡¯ Guild to resolve this matter,¡± Sage said. ¡°Her illness is grave, but it is true that she could have fought despite it. In fact, she wished to. I advised her against it.¡±


    ¡°You¡­?¡± Kiren hissed. He pulled free of Lace¡¯s grip and began shoving his way through the crowd.


    Sage nodded slowly. ¡°Indeed. If Paragon had fought, she might have saved the city with a fraction of the casualties we suffered. Or, she might have died a noble death fighting off the Beast horde, much like honorable Jorge Router behind me.


    ¡°The latter is an unacceptable outcome. Not just a city, but the whole empire would fall. Wars would be waged. Countless lives would be lost.¡±


    ¡°Stop spouting nonsense, old man!¡± Kiren shouted. He hobbled forward on his cane, headed straight for the Grandmaster. ¡°Paragon is all-powerful! Unkillable! The only reason she held back is that she couldn¡¯t be asked to care one whit for her people.¡±


    Bloodhound and Sage¡¯s two royal guards stepped forward to protect the old man, but he waved them all aside with the tip of his staff.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool, Kiren Odirk,¡± Sage said. ¡°Of course she can be killed. Our queen is more vulnerable than ever before. It is our duty to maintain the perception that she is all-powerful. This empire is still young, teetering on chaos. Her presence is what holds it together.¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡± Kiren reached the Grandmaster and pulled back his cane for a backhand blow.


    Sage knocked Kiren over the back of the knee with his staff, causing him to fall down with a grunt. The second blow caught him on the side of the head and sent him sprawling.


    ¡°Tempers are flared, I understand this,¡± Sage spoke softly. ¡°As such, I will have mercy on your insubordination. But know this. Jorge Router believed in what I just told you. More than most. Do not sully his good name with these traitorous words!¡±


    Sage nodded, and his royal guards rushed forward to carry Kiren away. Kiren growled like an animal, blood running down his forehead and into one eye, giving him an utterly deranged appearance.


    Lace diverted her gaze. She could not bring herself to share his belief.


    Kiren was brought back into the Guild Hall and was not allowed to view the funerals.


    After that, the fires were lit, and Lace could not hold back her tears any longer. Excelerate was in the first row of pyres, clad in the same black robes that he always wore, his head wrapped up as well. Slowly, his body blackened, cloth flaking off.


    Mom took Lace in a warm hug and whispered gentle words into her ear. She melted into her mother¡¯s embrace, grasping at her clothing.


    Creator, what a mess.


    Torchbearer burned close to Excelerate. His body resisted the flames, even in death, and even once all other Heroes had been burned away, his body remained. It took more than twice as long until he had finally been reduced to cinders.


    Once the funeral pyres had burned out and most of those gathered had gone back inside, Lace went to sit by Excelerate, or rather the ashes that remained of him. She remembered all he had done for her.


    Good Doctor joined Lace, sitting down next to her. She wept quietly for a long time. Lace didn¡¯t ask why. She didn¡¯t need to.


    ¡°I will not let it be in vain,¡± Lace whispered. ¡°I¡¯m ready now. I will kill him.¡±


    END OF BOOK ONE