《Time Cuts Forward》


 Epilogue: The Final Blow

    The stench of iron stifled the survivors of the underground chamber. Streams of blood trickled in from above; black putrescent blood from the undead, green blood from spirits, blue blood from magical beasts, but overwhelmingly the red blood of humans who¡¯d been slain. All of it slowly seeped down to this nadir of the dungeon, a room fitting to be called the Verge of the Underworld.


    One managed to push himself to his feet, using a sword faintly pulsing with magic beyond mortal capability as a mere crutch. Sloshing over, he knelt back down next to his only comrade that drew breath, pulling him up out of the pool.


    ¡°Ah...ah¡­.ah¡­.shoulda just left me there a little longer. I¡¯m not gonna die, not gonna die, don¡¯t worry, but ah, this hurts.¡± Breathing sharply through his teeth, he appeared weak, but exerted a fearsome grip on the swordsman¡¯s arm to keep himself steady. ¡°Asher...set me back down¡­ and check. He¡¯s too slippery, make sure¡­ ¡°


    ¡°He¡¯s dead. Mimring...he fused their souls together. The tie to his body is severed, and I can feel them fading away even now.¡± Indeed, once a light blue glow now became besotted with grey smears, its light ever so slowly dimming. The power from the Holy Blade would not fully dissipate, but the companion once found had already spoken its last words.


    ¡°No, check, check!¡± Coughing up blood, the mage clutched at his chest. ¡°Mimring was a dear friend¡­ I do trust him¡­ but Asher, Yuviol is too¡­ too tricky. Even in death¡­¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Tireces, you know he was not a man to plot after his death. Everything he did was in fear of¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, not in fear. In hatred. Even were it one to a trillion, he would look for a way to escape it, and he would have pursued it long before making himself known. You must¡­¡± Asher thought his old friend to merely be rambling after exhausting body and spirit. Then a golden pulse shook the entire cavern.


    Throwing himself from Asher¡¯s hold, Tireces cried choking on blood ¡°Go! Go!¡± Asher needed no encouragement, throwing himself in the direction of the source. A golden hemisphere of light arose in the center of the room. Asher limped up the raised dais, but even without a sea of blood, he could see nothing. No runes, no enchanted artifacts, nothing but a slowly expanding orb on a previously empty platform. Unsure of what to do, he grabbed the arm of Yuviol¡¯s corpse, stabbing over and over as he tried dragging it away from whatever was happening.


    ¡°Just stay dead, damn you! Uriel, Elena, all of them went to their deaths with grace! Do even devils despise you so that they would throw you back once more?¡± Frothing, the remains of Mimring pierced the lungs, heart, and stomach, before Asher left the sword impaled through the head, focusing on trying to get away with the body.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡± Tireces murmured ¡°There¡¯s no escaping it Asher. That¡¯s the focus of the spell.¡±


    ¡°The focus? Impossi¡­¡± Looking at the corpse in hand, he cut himself off. Then he looked back over to his friend, who¡¯d shakily propped himself on a collapsed bit of the ceiling.


    Letting out a shortened chuckle, Tireces seemed to have relaxed. Not the sort to give up in the face of death, it seemed there was still something the two could do.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how large it will get, but we should have some time...heh...anyways¡­¡±


    Then the spell was cast.

 Chapter 1: The Return

    Eyes screwed shut, Asher felt incomparably weak. Had the spell sapped him of all his strength to fuel Yuviol¡¯s resurrection? However, he could no longer feel his tie to Mimring, and thus Yuviol. Both souls were fully dispersed at this point. Asherlacked proper magical training, but he doubted a spell of such a magnitude would do so little. The focus of a spell remained infinitesimally small, not even Grand Cataclysm tier spells had foci larger than a grain of rice.


    Opening his eyes, he stared at a set of unfamiliar wooden beams. Although the more he looked, the more familiar they seemed. Feeling coarse sheets around him, and a lumpy yet comfortable bed, there shouldn¡¯t have been a place more familiar.


    Of course¡ª at long last, he was home.


    Giving thanks to whichever god made this, hot tears started spilling down his cheeks. He died, but it seems his service against evil was not unrewarded. Not that any of that mattered, because he was home.


    He left home 25 years before the final battle, but only once did he return before tides of change and chaos destroyed it. Along with the rest of his family. Were they here?


    Swinging his legs out of bed, they awkwardly collapsed under his weight, as though they were not his own. His body didn¡¯t respond properly, but Asher had enough presence of mind to catch himself even in his weakened state. Surviving to oppose Yuviol would never happen by chance, moving while at the brink of death was a mere starting point.


    However, with an excessive familiarity towards his own body as a result of decades of fighting, it wasn¡¯t simply a weakness that overtook him. Staggering over to a dresser, while not wealthy, his family could afford such things like a basin to wash. Gazing back from the still water was his 16 year old face.


    ¡°Why¡­ ahhh.¡± Starting to think aloud, his voice sounded so much younger and clearer. He was unsure of why he appeared this way. Of course he longed for home and another chance at living a simpler life. However after living as a crusader, Asher wasn¡¯t sure if it was right. Even now he couldn¡¯t help but be acutely aware of a knife chopping vegetables on the floor below.


    His emotions swelled, but kept himself in check. After all, while he returned to the form of his youth, he was 41 at heart. More than 20 years passed since the day his town was razed, time enough to quell the demons in his heart. He could think calmly.


    While he might be excited to ¡®return¡¯, his mother would certainly scold him for passing away so soon, especially when she wouldn¡¯t be able to expect any grandchildren. Although, on that note, perhaps the person making breakfast wasn¡¯t his mother¡ª


    Asher spun on his heels as floorboards quickly creaked, before his door flew open.


    Moving from a reflexive combat stance to open arms, he caught the flying child, pushed onto the floor by the sudden force.


    ¡°Heyo! You¡¯re taking me with you today right?¡± Quickly climbing atop him, lying sideways to pin Asher¡¯s arms down, a slightly younger boy glowered with brown eyes. Being choked up by emotions and having the wind crushed out of his now rather frail body, Asher couldn¡¯t respond before rolling his brother off.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s been so long. Evan.¡±


    ¡°What, really?¡± Taken aback, the two stared at each other. Evan¡¯s own surprise planting a seed of suspicion in Asher¡¯s heart. ¡°You¡¯re always trying ditching me, even when I try to tail you. Keeping those good spots to yourself. You aren¡¯t gonna leave me somewhere sucky, are you?¡±


    This situation...felt wrong. Asher kept his memories up to the moment of his death, even though his body reverted. It seemed unlikely that the gods would have his family forget everything that happened to him after he began his journey. No, this would have been even before he set out, he took Evan fishing many times after learning when he needed to depart.


    Could it all be a complicated illusion on Yuviol¡¯s part? While Mimring¡¯s soul disappeared, it happened too quickly, unless he¡¯d been unconscious for over a day, he should still have been able to sense the sword¡¯s fading presence for a while yet. Tireces also claimed illusions would either draw from the target to remain undetected, or from information from the summoner, but neither of those seemed to be the case. If only he¡¯d the magic to benefit properly from the magic tutoring, or Tireces explained what happened before the spell was cast¡­


    ¡®We should have some time...heh¡­¡¯


    It couldn¡¯t be¡­ even gods couldn¡¯t freely control the flow of time. The closest any wizard had gotten to such a feat was splitting the threads of time. Not that Asher had any great understanding of what that meant, but it was so impo¡­This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    So much suffering was brought by that word. Thinking it could never be done, or would never be done. The greatest scourge humanity ever knew exploited their doubts time after time, an excessive amount of blood was paid before finally learning their lesson. No matter how outlandish, one needed to remember he was the greatest genius, both academically and in combat.


    If he¡¯d really found a way to turn back time, then Yuviol would no doubt pay any price for such a trump card. He always assured his victory, but before that he ensured his escape, and foremost, his own life. A coward that would forfeit any goal or ally if it could save his life.


    Being defeated the first time, he would no doubt retreat¡­ or rather never even show his face. Asher knew through years of fighting him that Yuviol would not lead a simple life though. He may operate from the shadows, but he would try again, more cautious than ever.


    But the same went for Asher.


    His body may have been weak at the moment, however Yuviol gained his foothold as a tyrant by taking Coltan Kingdom by surprise. Asher merely needed to regroup his friends and crush Yuviol before he could prepare any contingencies. No matter how sneaky his plots, there would be traces, and Asher would hunt and send him to the underworld at last.


    ¡°Hey, so are we going to go, or what?¡± Evan looked outwardly skeptical, but there was undoubtedly a glimmer of hopeful excitement.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Leaning on his harpoon, he waited for his little brother to catch up. Getting caught on vines and having trouble seeing stones under the leaf litter, Evan was having a rough go of it. Belsfield was built along a river and while fish grew fat on the town¡¯s waste, they weren¡¯t particularly tasty. Instead, Asher led them to a hidden stream.


    A strange natural phenomenon that entranced his youth, he could never forget the way no matter how many years passed. Past a boulder shaped like a bear and a fallen oak caught in the arms of another. Turning left after the dead branch hanging by a vine, walking for a few more minutes before arriving.


    Cutting deep into the earth ran a stream three feet across, hardly enough to qualify as a brook. Yet its waters were deep and possessed a strong current, enough that one would have difficulty standing in it. Strangest of all, at a point very close to where they were, the stream dove into the earth as if it were a frightened snake returning to its burrow.


    With his previous experience Asher now realized the waters were likely falling into a grand cavern, possibly through a channel intentionally formed by a group of deep dwarves. Unaware of those subterranean civilizations, Evan was just as awed as he was in his youth.


    ¡°Where¡¯s it go? It just fwooshes right on down, why isn¡¯t it filled up?¡±


    ¡°Who knows, maybe the wells in town are the reason.¡± Even when he returned in the past he did not tell his brother the truth. While not malicious, unlike gregarious mountain dwarves who loved nothing more than sharing drinks with comrades, the deep dwarves were a solitary people. They put in a great deal of effort to remain uncontacted by those from the surface. In respect of the sacrifices they made, Asher would not share anything that might relate to their existence so simply.


    How it came to be was less important than the spectacle of it anyhow.


    ¡°Anyway, if you fall in and knock your head, it will definitely drag you under. So watch your step.¡± Before anything else, his brother needed a warning as he was already testing his balance along the steep banks trying to get a better view. ¡°Kneel down near the edge, it¡¯ll let you use your arm strength properly and keep you stable.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°


    Evan stared intently at the water for a few minutes before lashing out.


    ¡°Hahaha, what was that?¡±


    ¡°I¡ª I thought I saw something! There was a flash of scales!¡±


    ¡°You mean some light making it through the trees? The fish here are either black or ruby red, remember? Have I ever brought back anything white or silver from here? Hahaha!¡± Asher grinned dumbly. Ah, it had been so long since he could just take time off like this, enjoying someone¡¯s company.


    ¡°Hey, why would I remember something like that, huh? Maybe you just couldn¡¯t catch the silver ones!¡±


    ¡°Back up, let me show you how it¡¯s done.¡± Evan moved back from the edge and Asher took his place, patiently waiting in silence. Relative silence, as his younger brother began impatiently scuffing at the dirt and rocks. ¡°You¡¯re fine now, but get any louder and they¡¯ll dive right to the bottom where we can¡¯t see.¡± Evan nodded, taking a few steps back before resuming his idling.


    For Asher, waiting a few minutes was nothing compared to hunting any sort of magical beast. There was a glint of red, but he decided to wait for a larger target to appear. Unlike his younger self, he could easily make out the presence of black scales, even in dark waters.


    ¡°Hyah!¡± Lunging swiftly, the harpoon brought out a half meter fish in one fluid motion. Striking straight through the head, it ceased moving immediately, lying still on the bank.


    ¡°Woah, you got one just like that.¡± Evan¡¯s eyes sparkled, like drool in the sunlight. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for mom to grill it. But get me a red one, I like those better.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve shown you where to get them. It¡¯s all up to you if you get any to eat now.¡±


    ¡°I knew it was a trick! You just wanted to keep your catch to yourself now, that¡¯s why you showed me!¡± Evan truly seemed to believe he¡¯d been tricked, giving Asher pause. Did his brother really see him that way before he left on his journey? It certainly wasn¡¯t the attitude his brother when he visited.


    ¡°Well, I''ll give you one if you don¡¯t catch any. But you¡¯re going to have to learn to rely on yourself soon.¡± They were both still young and immature at this point, it wasn¡¯t anything to trouble himself with. Since he had more experience now, he would let up on giving his brother a hard time. Evan still needed to learn to fend for himself though.


    The two brothers spent several more hours fishing. Familiarizing himself with his old body, Asher quickly built a pile of fish. Evan looked on in envy before eventually catching one of his own. Spurred on, two black and one red sat at his feet when they decided to return.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you carry them back if you give me a red one.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Quickly grabbing the largest, almost a meter in length, the boy staggered under the weight. Asher shook his head and they made their way home.

 Chapter 2: Time Well Spent

    ¡°Mom, mom! Look what I got! Leave the shoes to dad, we¡¯ve got a feast to make!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®leave the shoes to dad¡¯ you rascal? I guess that big one is mine on account of all the extra work I¡¯ll be doing.¡±


    ¡°Mom, mom! Look what I got! After fixing up the shoes with dad, we¡¯ve got a feast to make!¡±


    ¡°Psh.¡± Their father hardly looked up as he punched holes through some rare leather. Asher could still make out a smile on his face; he was the source of Evan¡¯s gluttony, no doubt he felt just as happy and proud as Evan did. ¡°Go on dear. There¡¯s only Ardsde¡¯s boots that need to be completed by tomorrow. We¡¯re not swamped with work, and it¡¯ll be good to celebrate that haul.¡±


    ¡°If you absolutely insist Roland.¡± Rolling her eyes, their mother smiled at Evan. ¡°Come on then, let¡¯s bring them into the kitchen to prepare them. Why did you decide on taking him with you this time? No, it¡¯s a good thing, but you¡¯d best not be hoping I¡¯ll be holding him back for you when you want some time to yourself.¡±


    ¡°Well...¡± Asher didn¡¯t know how to share his knowledge of the future without sounding crazy, not to mention putting it in a way that wouldn¡¯t worry his mother. He¡¯d accomplished great deeds before she realized what danger he was putting himself in the first time around, which pacified her somewhat. Saying he wanted to go out to fight evil now looked like hot-headedness. ¡°Uriel had a messenger sent ahead and will be passing through at some point. He wants me to go with him to Paupers¡¯ Blades.¡±


    ¡°Hm, I¡¯d say that¡¯s nonsense and your a fool to go, but I actually met your father there. He knocked a single man down before losing in the free-for-all. A sword¡¯s nothing like a spear. Better for you to get it out of your system, so you can focus on taking up the business.¡±


    ¡°Thanks mom.¡± Consent was the closest thing to support she would give. As cobblers of renown in Pelia, his parents frequently worked with passing knights or adventurers to craft footwear out of beast-hide. Pelia wasn¡¯t all that large, so those that came through weren¡¯t usually exemplars of their profession, and thus his mother viewed them as vagabonds.


    Asher himself traveled with the pinnacle of humanity, so his view may have been somewhat skewed. Only the most righteous dared to hunt down a genius madman bent on destruction. Those unsavory and untrustworthy defected and fled at the first sign of trouble; how could any be left after decades of fighting? The number of heroic spirits of adventurers rivaled that of the chivalrous knights, if not for the abundance of both, Yuviol would not have been pushed back in the end.


    That needed to be different this time. They couldn¡¯t simply purchase victory with blood again.


    Asher set aside two large black fish for himself to eat. He needed to train and regain his strength, he needed to circulate what little mana he had to try and increase his affinity for magic, he needed to remember all those details, every moment that cascaded into a larger failure, and every foothold that gave them an advantage. Remembering fine details from a quarter century ago was an absurd task, so Asher needed to be able to pull himself through what had once been coincidence with his own power.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be training until he gets here. Have Evan help around if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Evan looked back over from the stove, the weak flames almost dying as he looked away. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it;  you get to go to the tourney, and now you make me pick up all the slack?¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re going to be picking up the slack around here, then? I sure hope that means we¡¯ll have enough kindling in the future, since Asher won¡¯t be around to do it.¡± Their mom glared at her youngest, who frequently shirked his chores, leaving them to his elder brother. That was one of the reasons she felt comfortable letting Asher go to Paupers¡¯ Blades, he had a strong enough sense of responsibility not to go running off like a hooligan as soon as he got his hands on a sword.


    However as they prepared dinner, she couldn¡¯t help but get a rising sense of unease. Asher felt much more tense than he did yesterday. He wasn¡¯t moving stiffly, in fact he moved more fluidly than she remembered, he wasn¡¯t jittery, in fact he appeared forcefully calm, her son simply possessed an air of gravitas that hadn¡¯t been present the day prior.


    But he was almost a man grown now. Whatever the situation with Peasants¡¯ Blades and Uriel, if he didn¡¯t ask for help, she would offer none in turn. Though he didn¡¯t like to show it, she knew her son¡¯s pride.


    Taking the fish from her sons¡¯ hands, she could at least make sure they were well fed for their futures.


    ¡°Mmm, is that the smell of the famed lemon-pepper red-black fish dish?¡± Ambling in, their father joined them in the kitchen as Asher finished washing up the green beans. Their house wasn¡¯t exactly small, but four was a bit too many to move about easily. Still, it felt cozy together with his family.


    Asher wondered if he could feel the same thing with his comrades in the future. He missed them, but unlike family, their bonds were only forged after the journey began. When he first saw them again, it would be like meeting strangers. Even Uriel and Leila, while friends even now, this far in the past, all of them experienced so much over the years of fighting. Uriel no longer remembered standing by his side for nights on end against endless hordes. Now it was all just a one-sided memory of a relationship.


    ¡­


    Elena¡­


    His very mind froze up, unsure of how to process his next thought. He knew what he was about to think, yet he didn¡¯t want to think it. Instead, he tried to just let her face, and the fact that she was alive again overwhelm any other thought in his head.


    ¡°Hey, if you daze off like that, you¡¯ll get knocked out before you can do anything at the tourney! Get out of the way Asher!¡± Evan kicked at his brother¡¯s foot while carrying a large plate of roasted fish fillets.


    ¡°Yeah! I want to experience what you two managed to catch together!¡± Cheering on his son, Roland snatched a piece of fish off the plate.


    ¡°Wait, stop, the red ones are mine!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Evan¡¯s kicking was redirected towards their father¡¯s feet, his hands too occupied by the large tray to defend from above.


    ¡°Both of you stop it, or I¡¯ll sell the rest and buy trail rations for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Why son, pride of my life, would you like a taste of your mother¡¯s delicious cooking?¡±


    ¡°Why father, man who I look up to more than any other, mother¡¯s cooking is something even divines wouldn¡¯t turn down.¡±


    ¡°Just get to the table.¡± The two grinned as they scurried off, mouths full of fish. ¡°While you¡¯re gone, I¡¯ll have to take care of those children by myself. Make sure you come back as soon as you can.¡±


    Asher nodded. While it might not be as soon as she hoped, it shouldn¡¯t take as long this time around. Time had been wasted on gathering information, and even if Yuviol returned as well, he couldn¡¯t simply ¡®speed up¡¯ his accumulation of power either.


    Leaving the red ones to his brother, Asher dug into the black fillets, trying to cram himself full of energy. There were no shortcuts to power. He wouldn¡¯t waste a moment this time. He would aim straight for Yuviol¡¯s black heart.

 Chapter 3:No Burning Pain, No Longterm Gain

    Before the sun, before his parents, Asher woke, getting dressed and heading downstairs towards the woods. They were a family of cobblers, other than simple spears and harpoons, of course they had no weapons lying around their house. However that was of a lesser concern than raising his foundations again. Without arm strength, he couldn¡¯t properly wield a sword, and without endurance, how could he even make it through a battle?


    Even Evan could pierce beast-hide, but even though it took strength, it was located in an entirely different area than necessary for swordplay. While Asher¡¯s grip wouldn¡¯t relinquish a weapon, it didn¡¯t make much difference if he couldn¡¯t kill with it.


    A moderate jog through the forest trained endurance, and reminded one of the limitations of their reactions to obstacles. Damp from morning dew, dead leaves and mossy stones provided slick surfaces to avoid or balance upon. Once Asher recovered some of his ability, he would also return to moving silently as he did so, as well as moving without a trace, but now he could hardly push himself ten minutes without taking a breather.


    It¡¯s still fine. We don¡¯t encounter anything life threatening until we get near the festival. Yuviol must be struggling as much as I¡ª No, I can¡¯t think that way. Magic is as much about knowledge as the power you command. While he may not have physical copies of his research, he wouldn¡¯t forget the results he¡¯d gained. We need to keep him from the resources necessary to restart his experiments this time.


    Asher bent over with his hands on his knees, trying to regulate his breathing in an efficient manner. At the same time he tried circulating his mana. Except through Mimring, Asher could only use mana to accumulate power in his body; controlling it well enough to cast spells was impossible. Like a muscle, if he activated it frequently without overdrafting, he could gradually increase his capacity. Starting sooner, already having some grasp on the concepts, perhaps he could even learn to cast some minor spells on his own, and those he used through Mimring would be that much more powerful as well.


    It used to be thought that by strengthening mana, one necessarily was depriving the body of energy. Magic users were weak of body because they kept mana from mixing with their physical body .Users of internal energy, separated from magical tradition, called it qi, and used it to reinforce their bodies; once locked into their flesh, only those whose body reached a critical mass of mana could draw it out. Martial artists untrained in mana intuitively developed themselves this way for the most part.


    Yuviol overturned this idea as a matter of course. A result of necromancy and human experimentation, as a result of learning how to forcibly drain mana from living creatures, he also revealed the secret to recovering bodily invested mana. While Asher didn¡¯t know the specifics, Tireces called it obvious in retrospect. It should only take a little work and a few clues for him to reverse engineer the method, taking away Yuviol¡¯s edge.


    If it could be brought back out, Asher didn¡¯t mind enhancing his body with the little mana he possessed. Until he reunited with Mimring, it would be more effective like this.


    Straightening himself out, he started running again, repeating the process for the next hour and a half. Going any longer would be overestimating his body¡¯s capabilities. He could sustain channeling his mana for some time yet; it might have been his increase in control, but Asher felt as though his energy was much richer and easier to access. Perhaps he¡¯d gained some affinity after being paired with Mimring for so long.


    Even after taking time in that matter, his body again reached its physical limit.


    Asher stared down at his body in frustration. He returned to being weak, but wasn¡¯t this too much? Every moment wasted was one Yuviol establish himself. But he couldn¡¯t even attempt to close the gap without injury and setting himself further back.


    Now aimlessly wandering, trees softly whispered overhead. Muttering unfavorably, Asher couldn¡¯t make out what they were saying. Nature wasn¡¯t particularly strong in this area, only a normal forest, without any nymphs or dryads as far as anyone knew. That a human could notice they were speaking was a minor accomplishment itself.


    Unaware and unable to do much else, he grew curious. Veteran warriors, especially those who faced the unnatural, acquired a feeling for when something was amiss. Not an ability that relied on heightened senses, just an awareness of how things reflected previous experiences of the strange. The unease of mortal trees meant there was something in these woods, something of power, perhaps accidentally left behind.


    Return...Reignite¡­Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Asher turned, only to see unremarkable forest. Unnatural presences that called for one to wield them were dangerous. Not all were malicious, as Mimring also called for a user, but they had an ego, desiring action, usually with specific goals in mind. A person weak of spirit would succumb to the unnatural presence, becoming a mindless vessel for directing its will.


    What happened to this presence the time before? Asher felt as though even he wouldn¡¯t have missed such an ominous presence when he returned, despite being so young. Did a wanderer or hunter acquire it, or did it perish? The ego hadn¡¯t felt like one that would lay low.


    Despite the risk, he couldn¡¯t leave it be, it might become a threat to those in Belsfield.


    And, gods willing, it could be used against Yuviol.


    Return...Reignite...Ignite


    Asher was moving towards the source with full deliberation, not because of an exterior mental influence. Even as he approached, the ego¡¯s presence did not greatly increase. It simply called more frequently in a weak, but fervent tone.


    Return, Reignite...Return...Ignite...Burn¡­


    It looked strange, but was entirely expected. A lean tongue of flame about three feet in height, but only an inch or two across. The deep red barely cast any illumination on the unburnt detritus that it hovered slightly over. Nor did Asher feel it give off any heat as he approached.


    Return!


    Asher paused several feet from the dancing flame, trying to investigate it. He¡¯d felt many presences, from ¡®proper¡¯ objects with intelligence such as Mimring, to primitive elementals that reflected a strong natural will. However the flame before him seemed a strange combination; it lacked a definitive form like an elemental, yet seemed to possess a clear will like an intelligent object. It just seemed more childlike and unintelligent than any item with a true ego.


    The flames reached out for him, but could do little more than flickering in place.


    Reignite! Burn...


    It pleaded desperately. It needed someone. It couldn¡¯t survive otherwise.


    ¡°You¡¯re just a newborn, aren¡¯t you?¡± Asher spoke aloud in surprise, finally coming up with a theory. Once he met with Tireces again he could ask about the specifics, but he felt relieved. While rare and shrouded in mystery, a newly formed ego wasn¡¯t an unknown to worry over. It might not have been a trump card against Yuviol as he¡¯d hoped, but with some nurturing, and under Mimring¡¯s guidance, it could become a powerful ally.


    ¡°Come here. My name is Asher.¡± Getting down on one knee, he touched his left hand to its base. It wriggled while shrinking down into a ribbon of flame centered on his palm wrapping loosely around his hand and intertwined with his fingers. As it did so, he felt an unprecedented emotion alongside his spirit.


    Cold and callous, burning and hungry, desirous. An almost malevolent presence, but perhaps that was just what fire was like. It was nothing like the forward and illuminating presence of Mimring, although it might be unfair to compare anyone to him. A sword can be unyielding, but a fire needs fuel.


    And it was still so young and weak. With that in mind, it could hardly be thought of as malicious.


    Ignited...Burn?


    ¡°Just something small for now.¡± Picking up a small stone, Asher wondered what the extent of its ability was. Providing no heat it wasn¡¯t a normal flame, so he wished to test it. A stream from his hand linked up to the stone, surrounding it with a similar dark red glow.


    Smolder¡­ smolder¡­


    Almost imperceptible flakes sloughed off, before disintegrating into fine ash. So fine were the layers that the stone was unreduced. The flame continued to engulf its target, darkening in color, condensing itself to bring more power to bear. Observing it for long minutes, it finally began showing slight progress in filling his palm with ash.


    ¡°I see why natural egos are so rare, so few of you survive. But if you listen to me, then I can guarantee you¡¯ll become stronger.¡±


    Ignite...Join, burn, ignite¡­


    ¡°Hopefully you¡¯ll learn as you age.¡± It couldn¡¯t communicate anything other than the simplest of ideas at the moment. Asher didn¡¯t know about how egos developed in presences, but he hoped it wasn¡¯t a lengthy process. While many worked through intuition, the most powerful without exception possessed intelligence on par, or surpassing that of a human. ¡°What should I call you in the meantime?¡±


    It didn¡¯t respond in any meaningful way, still focused on attempting to whittle away the stone, crying out about burning and igniting.


    ¡°Gerra? No, something more refined¡­ Aelun? Too elvish. Solaire? Something about that feels right. Have you any objection to Solaire?¡±


    Solaire crackled, seemingly in acknowledgement, but perhaps it was just chance. Normally a presence such as this would give their own name; Solaire couldn¡¯t speak, much less give its name. Asher would only hope the small ego would be satisfied with it in the future.Eventually, Solaire finished off the rock, and Asher ordered him to withdraw. Surprisingly obedient, vanishing into his palm leaving only a bruise-colored mark. Solaire did so with shocking ease; it took Asher and Mimring ages to fuse together in such a fashion. Perhaps that was due to Mimring¡¯s physical form, or maybe Solaire was just so weak it was easy for Asher¡¯s body to contain the presence.


    With an almost familiar and soothing ease, Asher sat down to meditate and help synchronize their spirits. The bond between an ego and its wielder could always become stronger, and while no connection was perfect, together their strengths would multiply.


    Asher smiled, he¡¯d found another partner with whom he could improve at all times. Yuviol¡ª


    Burn! Incinerate! Burn!


    Yuviol would be hard pressed the next time they first met.