《Karma's Bite》 God...Is A Woman? Oh... A VENGEFUL Woman. ¡°Put your hands up where I can see them, or the kid dies,¡± the robber barked, one hand securely wrapped around his chosen hostage, eyes darted around the room. His clothes were filthy and unwashed, his hair hanging in greasy strands past his shoulders. I hadn¡¯t thought anything of it when he¡¯d wandered into my clinic. Most of my clients were from the less well-off side of town and came in a wide variety of conditions. Now, staring into the terrified eyes of my favorite patient, regret burned through me at my lack of security. Anna squirmed in the man¡¯s hold, the knife he¡¯d snuck into the clinic now pressed close¨Ctoo close¨Cto her throat. He hadn¡¯t broken skin yet, but it was only a matter of time with how erratically he was swinging her around. Panic welled up inside me, but I shoved it aside before it could gain ground. Now wasn¡¯t the time for that. Anna needed me to be calm, collected, and steady. Carefully lifting my hands, palms up, I soothed, ¡°Easy friend, no reason to do anything rash. I¡¯m listening.¡± He scoffed, but his grip loosened a hair. ¡°Shut up, pretty boy. What are you, a cop?¡± I was still wearing my scrubs, and he¡¯d broken into my clinic. Even drugged out of his mind, it was hard to believe he couldn¡¯t put the pieces together. No other doctors set up their practices on this side of town either. They knew there were no patients that could pay them here. That''s why I¡¯d picked this area to set up shop. Children should never be sick from curable diseases because their parents couldn¡¯t afford the medicine. Despite all that, he still didn¡¯t know who I was? Shaking aside my surprise, I focused on Anna. Her breathing was picking up, a warning sign I knew too well. She needed her inhaler. Usually, her father had one, but he¡¯d left to go to a job interview while I watched Anna. The poor guy had been ready to have a full breakdown when he finally heard back from the job he''d been hoping for, only to not have a sitter at the last minute. Now, his lack of a sitter was the least of all our concerns¡­ I had an inhaler she could use, but first, I needed to get her away from that idiot. Keeping my hands in clear sight, I answered, ¡°I''m a doctor, actually, and that little girl you''re holding is a patient of mine. She has severe asthma, and by the looks of it, she needs her inhaler.¡± As if to back up my statement, her breathing became labored, the sucking gasps sinking hooks into my chest and pulling. I hadn¡¯t heard her sound this bad since I first met her¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t like it when I can¡¯t breathe. It¡¯s scary.¡± Anna sat on the edge of the hospital bed, her father gently stroking her back as the girl scrubbed away the tears on her cheeks. They were new walk-ins, an emergency visit after Anna had broken out in an asthma attack a few blocks over. I¡¯d managed to get her an inhaler in time to avoid any lasting damage, but it was still terrifying, especially for a child like her. She was hardly eight, too young to scrape against death like that. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Her father was visibly shaken, his copper skin pale and drawn, a haunted edge in his brown eyes. He hadn¡¯t looked away from the miniature version of himself since Anna started breathing regularly. Not that I could blame him. I didn¡¯t have kids, but to see one in such a predicament while unable to do anything? It must have been hell. Kneeling to be at the girl¡¯s height, I smiled. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right that it¡¯s scary, but I¡¯m going to give your daddy something to use whenever that happens. You won¡¯t have to feel that again, okay?¡± She sniffed and held out her pinky. ¡°Promise?¡± I linked mine with hers and nodded. ¡°Promise. Now then, if it¡¯s alright with your dad, I''d say you¡¯ve earned a lollipop.¡± The robber jerked sideways, dragging Anna with him when she didn¡¯t quiet down. The memory fell aside, and I tensed, grinding my teeth against the anger burning hot in my veins at her rough treatment. I couldn¡¯t lose my temper, not here. She¡¯d been through too much to lose her life to some drug-addicted thug. Hauling my frenzied emotions under control, I tried to cut in before he did any more damage. ¡°Sir, if you keep doing that, you¡¯ll kill her. Let¡¯s bring this into the backroom, and we can discuss-.¡± He stopped dragging her, thankfully, but his teeth bared in a snarl as he shook his head, holding her tighter against him. ¡°She ain''t going anywhere until I''ve got what I want!¡± She let out a hiccupping sob, and my temper frayed. ¡°If she doesn''t get help, she''ll be dead, and you''ll be charged with her murder.¡± My tone was icy and sharp as the knife he wielded. Something about it must have cut through his drug-addled stupor because he hesitated, eyes narrowing. Seeing the brief indecision, I jumped on it and prayed that I wasn¡¯t making a huge mistake. ¡°Murder of a child will land you in prison for life. You¡¯re just here for drugs, right? I¡¯ll give them to you without all that fuss. Let her go, and we¡¯ll go to my office where they¡¯re stored.¡± I didn¡¯t have most of what he¡¯d be looking for, but I¡¯d burn that bridge when I got there. Right now, I needed to get Anna away from him. Her breathing was almost frantic, the wheeze to her lungs dragging against my heart like glass. I didn¡¯t have much time now. His face twisted into a mask of rage. ¡°You can''t tell me to do shit!¡± The knife dug into Anna¡¯s neck as if to prove that, and I swallowed the bile trying to force its way up my throat. He was right. I wasn¡¯t a cop, I wasn¡¯t even trained in any kind of martial arts. I couldn¡¯t do anything, except try to make sure that little girl went home with her father. Even if it cost me my life, I would manage that. A Bounty?! The thug¡¯s chest heaved with angry breaths, eyes wild and feral. I kept my temper under control and my tone steady as I spoke. ¡°I''m not telling you to do anything. I''m offering an alternative so that everyone makes it out alive. You''ll still get whatever it is that you want just take me instead. Besides, I''m more valuable as a hostage than she is.¡± Anna¡¯s sobs were completely drowned out by her gasps now, and the man holding her scowled, flicking an irritated glance at her as if it were her fault he¡¯d dragged her into this mess. Another flash of rage raked along my skin before I shucked it aside. Steady, Nikolas¡­ The thug focused on me again with a scoff. ¡°And why is that Mr. Fancy Pants?¡± I gestured to my degree hung proudly on the wall. ¡°Because I''m Nikolas de Santos, the only doctor willing to work this side of the tracks. I''ve helped most of this city at one point or another, and I also would be more cooperative than a sick child.¡± A sick child who was already visibly irritating her captor. He glanced between us, weighing his odds. Time dragged, every second feeling like an hour, before finally, he nodded. ¡°Fine, but walk nice and slow. Hands where I can see them.¡± His grip loosened on Anna and she managed to choke out three trembling words. ¡°Nikolas, I''m scared.¡± So painfully reminiscent to our first meeting¡­ It ripped a blade through my heart, and I nodded, pasting on a comforting smile for her sake. ¡°I know you are, but it¡¯ll be alright, Anna. Once the man behind you gives the okay, you run into the other room and grab the spare inhaler. You remember where it is, right?¡± She nodded, as much as she could in his grip, and I slowly walked forward. Once I was within reach, he all but threw Anna toward the door and threaded his grimy hand into my hair. Disgust crawled over my skin, but I didn¡¯t react. Instead, I watched Anna disappear toward the inhaler, relief drenching the fear I¡¯d kept carefully hidden. She was out of danger now. That was the most important thing. The sharp edge of the thug¡¯s knife dug into my throat, dragging me forcibly back to the present as he turned us toward the exit, not my office like I expected. Confusion brushed aside my relief, and it only increased as he spoke. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Nikolas Santos¡­ I''ve heard about you. Turns out you pissed off quite a few big wigs in the area. Offering free healthcare advice tends to dip into their profits, after all.¡± Something new lingered under his tone, a dark excitement and anticipation. The sudden shift made the hair on my neck stand to attention, but I nodded, keeping him talking. ¡°I''ve seen some of the local clinic prices. At least half are astronomical for even the mildest of things. The people here know that if they need help and can''t afford to pay, I''ll be there. If the big wigs have an issue with that, then they can sit on a stick and spin.¡± I¡¯d had this argument too many times to count over the years with Gerald. He¡¯d constantly fought with me over raising my prices since we¡¯d earned our degrees together. It frustrated me to no end, his refusal to butt out of it¡­ Right about now, I¡¯d happily go back to arguing with him over coffee in our shared, crappy apartment from college. The thug huffed a laugh, the putrid scent of his breath hitting me like a punch to the gut as he dragged me toward the parking lot. ¡°Under other circumstances, I think we''d make great friends, Nick. But I''ve got bills to pay and drugs to buy. Your hide will cover the tab for both.¡± Alarm surged through me, and I tried to stall. ¡°Wait, I thought you were robbing me for drugs?¡± What did I say to make him change his plans so suddenly? All I¡¯d done was introduce myself! He couldn¡¯t possibly think he could ransom me, could he? If so, he¡¯d be sorely disappointed. I had no family, and my only friend was Gerald. He¡¯d always been fiercely protective of his pocket book after living on the streets, so I doubted even he¡¯d step in to save my hide. The thug grunted, his grip on my hair tightening as he wrenched me around to face him. His expression twisted into one of demented glee as he grinned from ear to ear. ¡°Yeah, but that was before. I don''t need them now, not with the Nikolas Santos in my hands. Turns out, one of them bigwigs wants ya gone bad enough to put a pretty penny out on your head. One I intend to collect.¡± Everything froze as that slowly sank in. A pretty penny out on my head. It wasn¡¯t possible. ¡°A bounty?! Someone put a bounty on me?!¡± I choked, the entire situation feeling like something straight out of one of those garbage tv shows I used to binge with Gerald. This kind of thing didn¡¯t happen in real life, right? He shook his head and laughed, delight lightening the lines around his face. ¡°You really don''t know, do ya?¡± His knife trailed from my neck down to dig into my shoulder. I jerked instinctively, but his hand in my hair held me still until the blade broke skin. Warm blood oozed from the new cut, trailing down until it disappeared under my shirt. He leaned in, that twisted excitement all but permeating off him. All traces of his previous anger evaporated, his mood shifting with the swiftness only inebriation could offer. ¡°Guess there¡¯s no harm in telling ya, since corpses can''t speak. You can thank your good buddy, Gerald Dale for this.¡± And just like that, everything screeched to a halt around us. Gerald, my best¨Chell, my only¨Cfriend had¡­paid for someone to kill me? Betrayals And Bounties Time seemed to freeze as I processed his words. It wasn''t possible. It just wasn''t! Sure, Gerald and I had our differences and we argued occasionally, but murder? We''d stayed up late cramming for finals together, pooled our money to buy instant ramen during the harder times¡­ He was the closest thing I''d ever had to a brother. Shaking my head, I grit my teeth and glared at the thug, hating the knowing smirk all but stitched across his face. ¡°Gerald wouldn''t do this! We''ve been friends for years, since college!¡± I didn''t know how he knew about our friendship, but he was clearly making things up. Gerald wouldn''t. The thug snorted. ¡°Yeah, and you''ve been grinding away at his profits since you set up shop. He''s got the second-lowest rate this side of town, but nothing beats free.¡± He pressed the knife closer, and a sting of pain followed. I flinched, and he smiled in satisfaction. ¡°When you''ve got a threat to your livelihood running around, you take it out. It''s that simple. Besides, I''ve heard rumors about that man. They say he''s beastly when it comes to money. You really think he''d overlook you losing him thousands per month?¡± Okay, yes. Gerald had always been very particular about money and if anyone dared mess with his paycheck he tended to become violent quickly, but¡­putting out a bounty on me? Unbidden, memories of our latest argument rose, the words taking on a new ominous light. ¡°You¡¯re a good guy, Nikolas, but giving out free advice and barely charging anything for medicine is going to be the end of you if you don¡¯t put a stop to it soon.¡± At the time, I¡¯d laughed him off. Now, I wish I¡¯d paid more attention. A writhing ball of unease tugged to life in my gut and I forced it down, clinging to the last kernel of hope that this entire thing was just a lie. ¡°Prove it.¡± The words shot out before I could think better of them, and the thug raised an eyebrow. ¡°And just how do you want me to do that?¡± I scrambled for an answer, thoughts rushing to come up with something, anything. When the first feasible idea formed, I spat it out. ¡°Call Gerald. If he did put out that bounty, he''ll want proof you killed me and not someone else.¡± The thug scowled. ¡°I don''t have his number.¡± ¡°I do. Just let me get my phone.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. The thug grunted in agreement, but before I could reach for it, he removed his hand from my hair and dug through my pockets. I grimaced, ¡°Really? I was just grabbing my phone.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°I ain''t taking any chances, doc. I''ll be the one to call.¡± Once he found it and I unlocked the screen, he swiped to Gerald''s number and hit dial. Relief washed through me when, after a few rings, he answered. ¡°You¡¯ve reached Doctor Gerald Dale, what can I help you with today?¡± I sucked in a breath, ¡°Ger-!¡± The thug shot me a warning look and pressed his knife closer to back up the nonverbal threat. Then he cleared his throat, ¡°Hey, doc. I heard you have a pest problem, by the name of Nikolas specifically, and I''m about to get rid of him for you. Just wanted to make sure the money is ready for me once I''m finished.¡± I waited, not even daring to breathe as the silence stretched. The thug''s infuriating smirk stayed firmly planted on his lips as we waited, the continued silence dragged against my nerves. Had Gerald called the police and was trying to buy time? Before that hope could bloom further, Gerald spoke. ¡°He sounds very alive to me.¡± The floor dropped out from under me and a fist squeezed around my heart. I¡¯d seldom heard the coldness now resonating through Gerald¡¯s tone, and it had always been in my defense. He knew I was here, knew I could hear all of this, and yet he wasn''t denying his part in it all. He wasn¡¯t even trying to say he hadn¡¯t done this. He just sounded¡­bored. The thug shrugged, as if Gerald could see it. ¡°He¡¯s gonna be dead soon, and I wanted to make sure my money was guaranteed first.¡± He hesitated, something registering through the drugs addling his mind. ¡°The offer was real, right?¡± The world dulled to a faint buzzing as my stomach rolled, threatening to evict its contents. This was a nightmare, right? Something I¡¯d wake up from and laugh about with Gerald later. As if to prove that wrong, Gerald grunted from the other side of the line. ¡°Just make it so there¡¯s no connection to me and you''ll have it.¡± Before he could hang up, I spoke, the words not registering until they were already out of my mouth. ¡°Why? I thought we were friends, brothers. We struggled through the hell that was medical school together. Why would you do this?¡± My voice came out rough and ragged with betrayal, and Gerald sighed. ¡°I told you to start charging a fair price. You''re a good doctor, Nikolas. That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t done this until now. But I can¡¯t turn a blind eye when half of my profits disappear thanks to your actions. For what it¡¯s worth, you were the closest thing I had to a friend. Goodbye.¡± Then, without further ado, he hung up. I stared at the phone as everything slowly sank in. This wasn¡¯t a lie or some kind of twisted prank. Gerald had put out a bounty on me and even hung up when he knew I was minutes from dying by his order. I¡¯d suffered through poverty, starvation, and even beatings, but nothing hurt like the knife of betrayal he¡¯d buried in my back. The thug chuckled, the picture of the cat who got the canary. ¡°Told ya, but I guess it doesn¡¯t matter in the long run. Say nighty-nighty, doc.¡± He shifted the knife, and I braced, instinct screaming to the surface that I needed to fight. All thoughts about Gerald and his betrayal could wait until I got out of this alive. If I got out of this alive¡­ Before I could struggle or even try to come up with a plan, a squeak came from the doorway and, for the briefest second, everything froze. I knew that noise. Lurching my head around to the exit, my heart iced over and dropped to shatter on the floor at the sight of Anna, peeking around the doorway with wide, tear-filled eyes. The inhaler was clutched in her hand now, and without a doubt, she¡¯d heard all of that. Shes Here And Shes Vengeful ¡°Anna, run!¡± I barked, struggling in earnest against the thug. It wouldn¡¯t be long before he realized that she was a witness who had heard Gerald¡¯s name. Even if the thug didn¡¯t try to hurt her-or worse-Gerald absolutely would. This morning, I wouldn¡¯t have thought Gerald capable of hurting a child, but now¡­ everything was different. She was a threat to him, he clearly had no problem eliminating threats. The thug unfroze and cursed. ¡°Shit, how much did you hear, runt?!¡± Anna flinched back, scrambling toward the door leading out to the street. The thug tensed, preparing to follow her. I wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. I slammed my weight into him, throwing him off balance, fought against the hand still holding a knife to my throat. I needed to hold him off long enough for her to get away. She knew how to call the police; she was a smart girl. I just had to hold out for a little while. Which was easier said than done, given that he had a significant height advantage on me and I wasn¡¯t in the best condition. After years of struggling to pay for food and being stick thin, I¡¯d never minded the bit of weight I¡¯d put on. It was a sign I was thriving. But now, it worked against me. The thug hissed and jerked the knife against my neck, leaving a trail of fiery pain. More blood slid down my throat, but I didn¡¯t stop, focusing entirely on not letting him get to Anna. Blind instinct took over and I clawed at anything I could reach. His face, eyes, and throat were all prime targets. I focused on them, ignoring the throbbing pain in my neck. Then, as quickly as the fight started, it was over. He stabbed the knife into my chest and dragged it down as his other arm shielded his face. I shuddered, faltering in my attack, and he took the opportunity to shove me into the wall. Air pushed out of my lungs, and I slumped, muscles refusing to so much as twitch despite the screaming need to move. I couldn¡¯t afford to die now¨CAnna wasn¡¯t safe! The thug was already moving to follow her, his face a mess of blood and scratches. He cradled one of his eyes, muttering a string of curses as he lumbered away. The edges of my vision turned fuzzy and dark, closing in. I stewed in the unfairness of it all. I wasn¡¯t making it out of this. I knew enough about the organs he had hit to know that. But Anna didn¡¯t deserve to die because of Gerald''s greed. She was so young¡­she had her entire life ahead of her. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. All the good I¡¯d done in my life felt small, inconsequential now. It meant nothing if I couldn¡¯t save that little girl. She wouldn¡¯t be in this mess if not for Gerald¡¯s beef with me. I couldn¡¯t let her become a casualty. Damn it all, I can¡¯t save her though! I can¡¯t do anything! I couldn¡¯t even twitch my fingers, and the thug was almost out the door now, one foot already planted in the parking lot. He hadn¡¯t spotted her yet, but it wouldn¡¯t take long. If someone didn¡¯t do something, she¡¯d be as good as dead. Someone, anyone, please save her! Then, before my next breath, everything stopped. The thug froze mid-step, his hand still resting on the door. Even the rhythmic ticking of the clock stopped in perfect sync, as if the world itself was holding its breath. The moment dragged, suspended in the weird pause, until something changed. The air charged with an unfamiliar power, turning heavy in a way I¡¯d never felt before, as something¡­no, someone appeared between the thug and I. A woman. Power flowed off her, the air shimmering with it. I blinked away the darkness to take her in. God¡­was a woman? Questions piled into my head, shoving each other aside. The entity huffed and crossed her arms. Long, blood-red hair hung to her waist in waves, and sharp obsidian eyes flicked around the room. When they landed on the thug, her lips curled into a sneer. ¡°Pathetic sack of skin. I can¡¯t wait until I have a hold of you.¡± Oh, she was a vengeful woman¡­ She snorted and turned away from the thug. ¡°No, I¡¯m not a deity. I¡¯m a spirit of another realm, but we can get into that in a minute.¡± Her drilling gaze locked on me now, taking in my predicament. When it landed on the blood stain covering most of my front, her features softened. Kneeling next to me, she frowned, her expression twisted with sympathy. ¡°It¡¯s rare I see a person with as clean a karma as you, human. Such a shame, that the worst things always happen to those who are good.¡± Her voice lilted with an ethereal quality, wrapping around my mind until I was almost drunk off it. That, or the blood loss was getting to me¡­ Shaking aside my many questions, I tried to gesture toward the door. ¡°He¡¯s going to hurt a little girl. Please, save-!¡± Blood bubbled up between my lips, choking the words and throwing me into a wet coughing fit. When it finally stopped, the woman nodded. ¡°I know, but there isn¡¯t much I can do in this world. The majority of my power lies in Nexus. This isn¡¯t my domain.¡± Despair welled through me and the darkness surged, fighting to pull me under. I slammed my head back into the wall, forcing it away for just another minute. Pain throbbed from the new injury, and I focused on it, using the molten heat as an anchor. This woman was here for a reason; there had to be a way she could save Anna. I wouldn¡¯t let myself die until her safety was secured. I just¡­had to find out how to do that. Enter Karma And The Apocalypse The air crackled with power, all centering around the woman. If she was here, there had to be something she could do to help. Focusing on that and not the encroaching darkness at the edges of my vision, I pleaded, ¡°Whatever you can do, please, do it! I-. I can¡¯t even stand. I tried to help her, but it didn¡¯t work. I wasn¡¯t strong enough.¡± I¡¯d never bothered with building my strength, and now that negligence was biting me in the ass. The woman shook her head and waved a hand. ¡°Brute strength isn¡¯t your main stat, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with that. I didn¡¯t come here because you¡¯re strong, after all.¡± Right, she could hear my thoughts. That wasn¡¯t disconcerting at all¡­ She snorted. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it, kid. But I¡¯m getting ahead of myself. Introductions first, then everything else.¡± I glanced at the thug. ¡°How long will he stay like that?¡± Do we really have time to chat while Anna was still in danger? Instead of getting irritated with my impatience, she smiled, approval warming her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m borrowing my husband¡¯s power, so we should have a bit longer before time resumes.¡± Then she eyed the thug, her gaze hardening again. ¡°We¡¯ll get to him and his punishment in just a minute.¡± Facing me, she flicked a hand over herself and spoke. ¡°I am Karma, a spirit hailing from Nexus, a world parallel to your Earth. We can go over the rest later. For now, I¡¯ll skip to the important part.¡± She jerked her head toward the door. ¡°You want to save that kid, right?¡± Hope cleaved through the despair from before, and I nodded, ignoring the sickening way the world spun in response. ¡°More than anything. You can take my life, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re here for, just please let me save her first.¡± Karma¡¯s smile widened, her approval doubling down. ¡°You only care about that kid''s safety, even while your life blood is oozing out of you. Good, that means I''m choosing right.¡± She turned serious then, the smile sliding into a frown. ¡°Here¡¯s the deal, human. You¡¯re going to die, that¡¯s just a fact and you¡¯ve accepted that. I can¡¯t directly interfere with this world, not enough to save the girl.¡± The air pushed out of me as if I¡¯d been kicked in the gut. Before I could speak though, she raised a finger and continued. ¡°But here¡¯s what I can do. I can give you a power. You¡¯ll only be able to use it one time before your body gives out, but that should be plenty to stop that idiot over there.¡± Relief hit like a wave. I could save Anna. She wouldn¡¯t die¨Cnot today. That relief faded after a minute though, pushed aside by wariness as I considered the spirit in front of me. ¡°What are you getting out of this?¡± I asked, and she smiled, this time with a touch of grimness. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°Smart of you, to look for hooks in a seemingly too-good-to-be-true offer. Spirits can only give power to their Chosens. By accepting this, you¡¯ll become mine. Our bond will be centered on an oath. If you keep to it, you¡¯ll have continued access to the power I grant. If you break it¡­¡± She trailed off, and the temperature of the room dropped. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say I¡¯m not a kind spirit to those who break their words. Karma truly is a bitch, and most have no idea just how true that is.¡± The air lightened again, and she laughed. ¡°I wouldn''t say that back on Nexus though. I find it funny, but my husband¡­does not. So, don''t. Unless you''d like to blink and be an old man, that is.¡± A chill worked down my spine, and I shook it aside. Okay, so she was married to a being who controlled time. That was great. If I ever met him, I''d have to be careful not to piss him off¡­ Putting that away to consider later, I focused on her again. ¡°What do you need me to do in Nexus?¡± The name felt odd on my tongue, unlike every other time I''d used it in casual conversation. Now, the syllables came out clunky and uneven. Considering the word was now linked to an entire new universe, one could argue that there was a good reason for the word to feel out of the ordinary. God, a whole new universe no one knew about. If I hadn''t seen her appear out of thin air and freeze time, I''d never believe it! But I had seen it, and she was offering a way¨Cthe only way¨Cto save Anna. She could drag me to a fiery hellscape after this for all I cared, so long as Anna was safe before we went. For now, I''d roll with the punches. I¡¯d always been good at that. Which still left the question of what exactly she needed me to do. Something dark briefly shuttered over her gaze. ¡°That¡­is a complicated question to answer. Let''s start with the bigger, potentially world-ending reason you''re needed.¡± World-ending? My stomach dropped. What could she possibly expect me to do against that kind of threat?! I was just a human! A very squishy, easily killed, mortal. She nodded, reminding me yet again that she could hear my thoughts. ¡°You are for now, but we can discuss changing that if you agree to be my Chosen. First things first though, the threat. You''ve already guessed that my husband is the master of time, right?¡± I nodded, following the best I could. ¡°Well, he can look into the future. It''s how we prevent catastrophes from growing to proportions that are unmanageable. When he went forward this time, he was met with ruin, death, famine¡­the apocalypse.¡± Her lips pressed into a thin line. ¡°He couldn''t find the catalyst. Usually, he would find me in that time, and we''d work together, but there was no one.¡± My throat went dry, and I swallowed. ¡°No one?¡± She nodded. ¡°No humans, elves, dwarves, dragonkin, beastfolk or even spirits. Everything was dead. The only clue he found was a half-destroyed journal with a location. With no other clues as to what caused the change, he came back to the present. Which leads us to you and your part in this.¡± Crouching to be at my level, she gently tipped my head up to meet her eyes and spoke. ¡°As my Chosen, you will investigate for us. I''ll send you to Nexus, directly to where we believe the catalyst began. From there, your job will be to get to the bottom of things.¡± So she wanted me to save an entire world I knew nothing about. Piece of cake. A bubble of hysterical laughter built in my throat before I swallowed it down. Focus, Nikolas. Ask questions, get information, and do not panic. Taking a deep breath, I forced the jittery nerves aside and asked, ¡°If I succeed and the apocalypse is subverted, what then? This ¡®Chosen¡¯ thing sounds pretty permanent.¡± I''d accept it either way to save Anna, but there was no harm in knowing what was ahead of me. Karma straightened, visibly preparing herself for the conversation, and I mirrored her, as much as I could with my injury. Hopefully, what she wanted wasn''t too strenuous. I wanted to save lives, but not forever. A Pact Is Made Thankfully, I had nothing to worry about. Karma chuckled. ¡°There''s no need to freak out over that. You could retire from being my Chosen after this mess. Get a spouse, settle down, have kids, go adventuring, whatever. Your life would be your own after this quest is completed. It''s never happened before, but I''m not a spirit that cares about social etiquette or what others consider normal.¡± She shrugged. ¡°You could also continue, if you''d like. I told you that there was more than one reason I need a Chosen, remember? On top of investigating the apocalypse, I''d need you to handle useless sacks of skin like him.¡± She jerked her chin toward the still-frozen thug. ¡°Nexus is overrun with awful, power-hungry people whose karma is putrid, and my usual way of handling them isn¡¯t working anymore.¡± I hesitated, but curiosity won out. ¡°What''s your usual method?¡± A wide, almost feral grin stretched across her lips at that. ¡°I turn them into cockroaches, of course. There''s no better punishment than that. They''ll spend the rest of their miserable lives scuttling along with everyone trying to kill them.¡± Her smile fell. ¡°Unfortunately, the amount of cockroaches is causing its own problem, which is where you come in, my potential new Chosen.¡± I blinked, trying to process the landslide of information she''d just hurled my way. ¡°You¡­want me to kill cockroaches while I''m trying to prevent an apocalypse?¡± I mean, it wasn''t the worst thing I could think to do, but it seemed weird to pull someone in from another universe to play bug exterminator when things like the world ending were very real threats. She shook her head. ¡°No, that would negate their punishment if I sent you to kill them¡­ though that would solve the problem of cockroach overpopulation.¡± I could practically hear her considering that option before she visibly swiped it aside. ¡°No, bad Karma. That''s a short-term solution, not a long one.¡± Turning back to me, she explained. ¡°As my Chosen, you''ll give the scum of Nexus a choice. They''ll either be turned into cockroaches or you will decide their fate.¡± I¡­what? This entire situation felt surreal, and the longer it stretched, the worse the feeling got. ¡°You want me to find people and play judge, jury and executioner on them? I''m a doctor; I took an oath not to harm anyone!¡± I''d been willing to make an exception for the thug, for Anna''s sake, but to revolve my life around hunting down people like him? The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Karma laughed. ¡°That oath is the first thing to go when you leave here. New life, new oath.¡± She shrugged. ¡°And you don''t have to kill anyone. Punishment is generally better if they¡¯re alive, after all. What would you do to people like him,¡± she gestured toward the thug, ¡°who hurt innocents for money or even just because? Think about it, with magic nearly anything is possible.¡± Anything at all? Her method of turning them into cockroaches honestly seemed ideal, but if they were overrunning the world, then we''d need something different. Something that didn''t directly result in me killing them. Karma waved her hand, pulling me back to the present. ¡°You can think about that later, kid. Focus on the now. If you accept, you''ll be the Chosen of Karma. My instrument to find the root of this would-be apocalypse, and the hand that dolls out my punishment to the scum of Nexus. Do you want to make an oath or not?¡± I didn''t even have to think about it. Apocalypse or no, Anna was my top priority. And if I could save an entire planet afterward? Even better. I''d vowed to save lives, after all. This seemed right up my alley. My determination solidified, and I nodded. ¡°Yes. I accept the duties you described. As long as the people I''m hunting are scum like abusers and murderers, I''ll happily bring down your punishment. As for retirement¡­we can discuss that after the apocalypse is diverted.¡± She grinned again and reached out to cup my cheek. ¡°Good, now let''s get this show on the road, my Chosen. We''ll talk more once you''re on the plane between here and Nexus.¡± The second the last syllable left her lips, the power pulsing around her changed direction, moving to twine around me like a blanket. It sank into my bones, wiping away the cold and dark as it went. Then, in a blink, she was gone. The foreign power lingered, though, pulsing under my skin, nearly ripping it open from the raw force behind it. It was like a storm had been shoved under my skin and now it was clawing to get out. It had to be the power she''d left for me. Which left just one thing to do. She said I would only be able to use it once, so I had to make it count. I focused on the thug again, trying to channel this new ability into him as time started moving again. Whatever she''d done to keep us paused was wearing off; the clock was ticking again, and that thug couldn''t leave this room. He shifted, foot lifting to walk into the parking lot. I gathered the power and threw it toward him with all my might. Pain ripped through my nerve endings, as if the power had physically tore its way from my flesh, and I choked on a new wave of blood. Darkness crept inward again, looming like an ever present reminder of my death. I forced it away, needing to see for myself that the thug was truly not a threat. Only then would I die. A blast of light lashed out of me to hit him in the back, and he staggered, clutching at his chest. He went still, then fell face-first into the rough asphalt like a puppet with its strings cut. Distantly, sirens cut through the air, and I sighed in relief. The police were on their way. Anna would be safe now, and once she told them about Gerald, there would be no more threats to her life. With her safe, there was nothing left for me here. Now, I could rest. Whatever happened in my new life, I could leave this one happy knowing I''d saved her. And by the sound of it, I''d be saving quite a few more in the next life as well. That thought gave me the final push I needed to let go. The world around me faded away until finally, I knew nothing. Karma And Cockroaches... The next time I came to, the clinic was gone, replaced with a great black expanse stretching endlessly around me. When I reached out, nothing met my touch. Something solid but invisible supported my feet, and I walked forward, testing the unusual darkness. It followed, keeping me steady, but nothing appeared through the shroud around me. No light, no structures, no other people. A kernel of unease twisted in my chest and I turned again, desperately hoping for some hint of where I was or what I was supposed to do. The last thing I remembered was Karma disappearing and the thug going still. She''d mentioned talking again in the plane between Earth and Nexus. Was that this place? If that was the case, where was she? As if in response, a light flashed and¨Cjust like in the clinic¨CKarma appeared. The power from before was notably absent, and lines of exhaustion dug in around her eyes. ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked, years of being a doctor kicking in as I looked her over. She noticed my concern and snorted, shaking her head. ¡°You''ve hardly known me an hour and you''re already concerned for my well-being. My husband will love you for that alone.¡± Given my track record with people, males especially, I doubted that. Then she smiled, pulling my focus back to her. ¡°But you''ll meet him later. For now, let''s focus on getting you set for your new life.¡± She waved a hand and the darkness around us disappeared. Towering stone walls and lush carpets replaced it. A castle. The style hinted at something medieval, and the suits of armor lining the halls certainly added to that. People were frozen around us too, and most of them weren''t human. A lady in a long brown dress had a basket of food balanced on her hip and two dark cat ears perched on her head. A long black bushy tail curled behind her, announcing her heritage. The other staff bore similar animalistic appendages, ranging from bear ears to rabbit legs. When I finished taking them all in, I faced Karma and asked, ¡°So, what does ¡®getting me set for my new life¡¯ mean?¡± She flicked a long strand of hair over her shoulder and shrugged. ¡°That depends on what you want. Nexus isn''t like Earth. I''ve commonly heard it be compared to a video game from your world, if that helps.¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. A video game? Well, it definitely had the fantasy setting down if what she showed me now was any indication. She gestured toward the cat lady. ¡°I guess this is as good a place as any to start. Focus on her until a menu appears.¡± A menu? I did as she said, dubious but willing to try. When a drop-down list appeared not a second later, I nearly choked on my own spit. Nessa Level 1 Hit Points: 10/10 Mana: 0/0 Status: Healthy Okay, definitely like a video game then. At least that gave me some kind of reference point. Karma hummed, drawing my focus back to her as she tapped Nessa''s shoulder. ¡°This is what we call ¡®analyzing¡¯ someone. It gives you a basic rundown of their health, level, and status, as you can see. While you can dig deeper by focusing on her, that''s considered rude, so keep that in mind. Anything past this knowledge is private, and people will get a bit testy if they catch you looking up their proverbial skirt.¡± Heat flushed through my cheeks and I shook my head. ¡°I''ll be sure not to do that then.¡± Her lips twitched upward, amusement warming her eyes, but she didn''t comment, instead she continued with the explanation. ¡°There are many races in Nexus that don''t exist on Earth, but I''ll go over the main ones for you to choose from. After that, you can pick your specialty and I''ll drop you in.¡± I hesitantly held up a hand. When she saw it, she stared for a minute before barking a laugh. ¡°Is that how your people ask a question?¡± I nodded, the heat surging through my cheeks increasing. ¡°It''s considered a polite way to announce that you have a question, yes. I take it that doesn''t exist in Nexus?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Nope. A lot of your mannerisms won''t be a thing here, but you''ll adjust quickly. Prepare for some weird looks along the way though. What''s your question?¡± This was going to be one heck of a learning curve, wasn''t it? Putting that and my lingering embarrassment aside, I asked one of the many questions poking around in my head. ¡°Are there pros and cons to the different races I should know about before choosing one?¡± Of the few games I''d played, that always seemed to be the case. She nodded. ¡°There are, and I''ll go over them now. The races of Nexus are as follows: humans, elves, dwarves, beastfolk, dragonkin, fairy, giants, orcs, and last but not least, daemons. You can''t choose to be a daemon, as they''re biological half-children of a spirit, but the rest are on the table for you.¡± I nodded, wishing I had paper and a pen to take notes as she plowed onward. ¡°Daemons gain natural abilities that vary depending on their spirit parent''s powers, but they''re also relatively rare, so you probably won''t run into many, if any. Humans don''t generally have racial bonuses, but they make up for that in their sheer adaptability. Nothing adapts, overcomes, and survives quite like a human.¡± Affection warmed her tone, along with a good helping of humor on the side. Honestly, the way she described humans made me think of something else hardy and tough to kill. I didn''t bite back a snort in time, and when she raised a brow, I spoke the highly inappropriate¨Cbut hilarious¨Cthought out loud. ¡°So, you''re saying humans are like cockroaches. Tough to kill and capable of surviving anything?¡± She seemed to have a running theme with cockroaches¡­ Doctor To Healer Karma stared for a long moment before throwing her head back in a hearty laugh. ¡°Exactly, like cockroaches! But let''s move on, or we''ll be here all day. Daemons are the longest-lived of the races, followed by dragonkin, elves, fairies, dwarves, giants, orcs, beastfolk, and finally, humans. The individual racial perks vary depending on the kind of sub-race you have as well.¡± My head throbbed from the influx of information. Pressing a palm to my forehead, I asked. ¡°What race would be best for helping people? I''m guessing this world has healing magic, so are there any that are naturally proficient in that?¡± She made a so-so gesture with her hand. ¡°There is healing magic, but it''s centered around your magical element. Light is the most common element for healing, but it isn''t the only one, despite what people commonly think. Nature affinity also allows for healing, though it can be a tad bit more¡­colorful thanks to its methods.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean by colorful?¡± Instead of answering, she flicked her hand, and the castle scenery melted away. In its place formed a grove with two men standing next to a pond of crystal-clear blue water. Particles of light floated from nearby flowers, adding a shimmering quality to the air. Karma nodded to one of the men. ¡°Watch the druid. It''s easier to show you than try to explain it.¡± I watched as time seemed to resume, though no one noticed our presence. The taller man bore a set of moose-like antlers branching outward from his sandy brown hair. His clothes were plain robes, with a few pouches dangling off the leather belt cinched at his waist. His companion had long rabbit ears and feet, his fur matched the darker shade of his hair. As they moved closer, I noticed the rabbit cradling his injured arm. Blood welled along his fur, and the moose man shook his head fondly. ¡°You truly need to be more wary with your health, friend. That Lunar Wolf almost did you in.¡± The rabbit bowed his head sheepishly and said nothing as the other laid a hand on the wound and closed his eyes. Particles of light swirled, circling the hand now resting on the injury. With a few muttered words, the lights scattered again. The rabbit pulled away, revealing a thick layer of moss covering his arm. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Is that sanitary?¡± I asked. Karma nodded. ¡°Just as much as light magic healing is. Once that rabbit beastfolk peels the moss away, he''ll find a fully healed arm.¡± Handy indeed. Depending on the spells available with nature affinity, I could see numerous benefits over light elemental healing. The clearing disappeared, returning us to the black nothingness. Karma continued. ¡°So if you''re set on being a healer in Nexus, your race doesn''t really matter, only your magic type does. We can decide that now. I presume you''ll want light?¡± She flicked her wrist, a ball of light appearing in her palm. Before she could do anything with it, I shook my head. ¡°No, actually. I''d prefer nature affinity.¡± She stared, the light fizzing out like a wet match. ¡°You¡­want to heal with moss?¡± Disbelief drenched her tone, and I nodded. ¡°I do. I''m guessing the spells I can learn depend on my affinity, right? I''d prefer nature-based ones, especially if there''s something that lets me grow my own food.¡± I''d suffered through starvation and malnutrition for most of my life. Never again. Focusing on Karma, I caught a brief twist of sympathy on her features before she smoothed them out. She smiled and shook her head. ¡°You''ll never have to worry about going without. Not while you''re my Chosen. You want plant affinity? Done. I''ll make sure one of the spells you start with is ¡®Crop Growth¡¯ too.¡± I blinked. ¡°That kind of spell actually exists? I thought I''d have to find seeds and use some kind of fertilizing spell to make them grow quicker.¡± She winked. ¡°That''s exactly how it usually works, but making a new spell is hardly difficult for me. Use the spell on healthy dirt, and it''ll grow some basic crops from the region you''re in. It won''t be able to grow things out of season or in the wrong climate, though.¡± I nodded, appreciating the effort. ¡°Thanks, I''ll be sure to keep that in mind. Being able to grow food will also be nice in case I run into someone who needs it.¡± If the world she was sending me into was as full of corruption as she suggested, I would undoubtedly encounter starving and injured people in every town. Better to be prepared and have everything I''d need ahead of time. She hummed, drawing us back to the topic at hand. ¡°Alright, that still leaves your race. You''ll probably want something fast and adaptable. Beastfolk have plenty of options for that¡­¡± She trailed off, uncertainty pinching her brows. ¡°Though perhaps that isn''t such a good idea. There¡¯s a lot of mistrust and hatred toward beastfolk right now. You''ll likely be met with hostility and even some attempts on your life.¡± Actually¡­ ¡°No, that''s perfect.¡± Karma eyed me as one would a patient who''d escaped from a mental institute. ¡°You want people to try and kill you?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Well, part of my job description will be hunting down assholes, right? It won''t take much hunting if they''re actively coming to me. It''ll make my job easier in the long run.¡± I''d seen enough prejudice in the poor areas of town to know how ugly it could get. This would undoubtedly draw the worst sort to me, and I could make that work in my favor. Congratulations, Youre Adopted! After a long beat of silence, Karma smiled, humor and disbelief warring over her face. ¡°You''re an odd one, Nikolas. I can''t say I don''t like that about you, though. Time will get a kick out of this when I tell him.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Alright, beastfolk it is. Do you have a preference for your animal ancestry? Perhaps something fierce like a wolf or sturdy like a boar?¡± I almost agreed but paused when a memory from not so long ago hit me. Anna clung to Dennis''s leg, her eyes overflowing with tears as she stared at the television in the waiting room. We''d left for a few minutes to discuss payment plans, only for her scream to send both of us running back out. The second she''d seen her father, she''d clamped to him and refused to let go. When I glanced at the television, understanding dawned and I lurched toward the remote. I''d left it on a nature channel about wolves, but the image had changed from a pack running through a clearing to one eating an elk. Given how young Anna was, it was no surprise that it scared her. Even now, she pointed at the screen and sobbed, ¡°It hurt the pretty deer!¡± Dennis sighed, and I shot him an apologetic glance. Note to self, don''t leave the television on the nature channel anymore¡­ Anna still had nightmares about that, even to this day. Perhaps an animal that was less threatening would be a better idea. I''d have child patients too, and I couldn''t very well heal them if they were shaking in the corner. ¡°No, I don''t think so. Maybe an herbivore or something fluffy.¡± Karma''s smile turned soft again. ¡°You''re really something, aren''t you?¡± What¨Coh, she could read my thoughts. I''d forgotten about that. Ignoring the flush inching across my cheeks, I shrugged and answered, ¡°My goal is to help people. You''re giving me another chance to do that, so it makes sense to gear everything toward that goal. Besides, I''d feel bad if kids cried looking at me wherever I went.¡± She hummed before nodding, a sunny smile curling her lips. ¡°Well, change in plans. You''re adopted now. Congratulations, new son.¡± I¡­what? ¡°Hold up, I''m an adult!¡± I choked, surprised by the sudden shift in dynamic. How did we go from discussing my new race to me being adopted? She waved me off with a laugh. ¡°You are, but that doesn''t change anything. Besides, you didn''t have a family back on Earth right? Well, now you do! Oh, Time is going to be ecstatic. We''ve always wanted a kid.¡± Unease twisted through my stomach. ¡°Shouldn''t you discuss this with him before just¡­deciding to adopt someone?¡± Admittedly, I wasn''t a child, so it wasn''t like they''d need to always be with me, but still, most people wouldn''t like it if their partner dropped a surprise adoption on them. One of my past foster mothers, Mrs. Bugel, had done that, and Mr. Bugel had been¡­less than pleased. The scar on my chest twinged, a permanent reminder of my ¡®punishment¡¯ for invading his home. I shook my head, trying to adapt to all the new information and what it could mean. She wasn''t wrong about me not having a family, and I didn''t necessarily mind the idea of her¡­adopting me. It was just bizarre, and a bit nerve-wracking. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. I''d given up on the idea of a real family as a teen in the foster system. Now, as an adult, a woman was trying to adopt me. Not just any woman either. She was Karma, and her husband controlled Time! My stomach rolled the more I thought about him. Even ignoring the fact I was human¡ªsomething he may or may not take issue with¡ªwho said her husband would be happy to have a grown adult ¡®son¡¯ shoved at him? Mr. Bugel had certainly not been happy, and Time would surely have more¡­painful ways of showing his displeasure. There were so many ways this could go wrong, and I was going to be the one to pay for it. That never changed. Karma raised her hands and frowned, ¡°Easy there! Your thoughts are running a mile a minute and all but crashing into each other. I can''t make heads or tails of it.¡± Well, at least I didn''t have to worry about offending her for being suspicious of her husband¡­ Fighting through the sick churning in my gut, I managed to choke out. ¡°Is it common for spirits to adopt grown adults in Nexus?¡± They were probably a good bit older than humans so I guess we all seemed like babies to them. Sure enough, Karma nodded. ¡°It''s fairly common. We can''t stay in a physical form for long, so raising children is impossible, but adopting fully capable adults? That''s much more doable.¡± She brought a closed fist to rest on her hip and raised a brow in challenge. ¡°Do you have an objection to being adopted by my husband and me?¡± She seemed nice enough, but without knowing her husband, I had more objections than I could count. I doubted it would be a good idea to say that, though. Knowing a losing battle when I saw one, I raised my hands in surrender. ¡°No, no complaints. Just¡­a bit of a learning curve. Does it change my new duties in any way?¡± She shook her head, stance loosening back into a relaxed one as she smiled. ¡°Nope! It just means I''ll be stopping by to check on you more regularly. You may hear me in your head when that happens. Don''t worry about it. That''s just the most convenient way to chat.¡± Then she tapped her chin in thought. ¡°That still leaves what beastfolk to make you, though. Do you have a preference aside from ¡®herbivore¡¯ or ¡®fluffy¡¯?¡± Not really. Preferably something that kids would feel safe with, but other than that, I had no real preference. Not to mention I didn''t know the animals in this world, so choosing one to emulate was tricky. Looking back at her, I shrugged. ¡°As long as kids wouldn''t be scared of it, I''m happy with anything. Do you want to pick?¡± She clapped her hands and nodded, her smile stretching wider. ¡°Of course! With that settled, you should be good to go. I won''t be able to contact you at first, since bringing someone over from Earth takes a good bit of power, but I''ll send Time. He''ll want to meet you anyway, so it works out.¡± Ah yes, Time. My new adopted father who didn''t even know he''d acquired a son yet. Fabulous. This¡­was going to be interesting. Hopefully he was nice like Karma. The last thing I needed for my new life was to have Time himself against me. She patted my back, drawing me out of the worry spiral my thoughts were determined to stay in. ¡°Take a breath. I know it''s a lot, but you''ll pick it all up in no time.¡± That was the last thing on my mind right now¡­ Wait, she still couldn''t hear my thoughts? She hadn''t reacted to me agonizing over her husband potentially being a prick. If she had heard, she definitely would have tried to tell me not to worry about it, right? Shaking that aside to consider later, I smiled. ¡°I''ll do my best not to disappoint you.¡± She waved, as if the very possibility was laughable. ¡°Don''t worry, you won''t. I''m a great judge of character, and I can already tell that you''re going to do good in Nexus. You''ll get along great with Time too, I know it!¡± I sure hoped so¡­ Her form flashed, fading at the edges, and she sighed. ¡°Looks like we''re done for the day. Remember, Nikolas, you''ll be teleported to where we believe the catalyst is. Keep your eyes open for anything suspicious. Time should be with you shortly.¡± Worry clouded her features just as they fully evaporated, a few last words barely audible before, just like her, my surroundings started disappearing. ¡°Please, be careful. I would hate to lose my new son before I even had a chance to know him.¡± The words tugged at something in my chest and I answered, unsure if she could hear me. ¡°I''ll do my best.¡± Then, everything faded away, and the floor disappeared from under me. My heart lurched as I dropped into free fall with a curse. ¡°You could have warned me, Karma!¡± It could''ve been my imagination, but I could have sworn I heard her laughter before the darkness disappeared and, in a blink, I was gone. Face Meets Floor My first impression of Nexus? Painful. To be fair, that was probably thanks to the stone floor I landed face-first on. A lush red carpet sat not two inches from my current spot, its intricate gold vine-like markings mocking me. Of course, I couldn''t have landed on the comfortable surface. That was too much to ask for. Sitting up slowly, I rubbed my face and took stock, setting aside my grumbles for now. The stab wound was healed and the blood-stained scrubs I''d been in before were gone, replaced with a tunic and trousers. They were both plain and made of rough but durable material. A cloak sat over both of them, and when I tugged at the hood, it scraped against my head. More accurately, it scraped against the two new ears nestled on top of my head. Beastfolk, right. Sliding a hand up into the hood, I combed through my hair and paused at my new round, fluffy ears. I''d need a mirror to tell what animal they belonged to, but the shape felt familiar, though not entirely recognizable. Whatever, I''d figure it out later. Sitting on my haunches, I finished my self-inspection and moved on to my surroundings. The carpet I''d landed next to stretched to cover nearly the entire floor, leaving thin stripes of stone bare. Of course, I landed on one such spot, between two of the suits of armor lined up periodically down the hall. Their shiny metal surfaces gleamed in the light from the nearby windows, and when I looked closer, I could have sworn one moved. Narrowing my eyes, I held still and waited, watching for another twitch. One didn''t come, but a menu popped up instead, and I almost jumped out of my skin before I remembered Karma''s words. Right, this place was like a video game. That was going to take some getting used to. Shaking that aside, I glanced over the menu. Jeremy Level 10 Hit Points: 190/190 Mana: 225/225 Status: Healthy I guess those were actually guards, not just empty suits of armor¡­ None of them were looking at me despite my less-than-graceful meeting with the floor. They stared ahead, helmets not even twitching in my direction. Something about their stillness seemed¡­off. It was like they weren''t even breathing. A chill slid up my spine before I shoved it aside. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Impossible. Don''t get yourself worked up over nothing, Nikolas. You''re here with a job to do. That snapped me back to the present, and all thoughts of the knights disappeared. Right, I had to find the catalyst for the upcoming apocalypse and stop it before it could take off. Piece of cake. Karma said the future was full of ruin, death and famine. Maybe some kind of disease had spread? ¡­But If that were the case, there would have been signs. None of the staff I could see appeared sick at all. Easing back against the wall, I stood slowly, eyeing the nearby staff as I did. None of them even glanced my way, and that feeling of wrongness raked over my skin. Unfortunately, this wasn''t the place or time to puzzle this out. First and foremost, no one seemed to be able to see me. Until that wore off, I''d use it to my advantage for some information gathering. Keeping to the shadows, I skirted into the next room, and the next, and the next. They all looked the same. If it weren''t for the different paintings on the wall, I''d even think I was in some kind of twisted loop. Who designed this maze of a castle anyway? Biting back my growing irritation, I turned another corner, only to quickly flatten myself against the wall when voices came from ahead. I''d barely hidden in time before a man in a regal fur cloak rounded the corner at a fast clip, the people on either side of him fighting to keep up as he marched onward. ¡°Search the entire castle, leave no room unchecked. The otherworlder couldn''t have gone far from the summoning area. We don''t have long before the army is at our doorstep!¡± The people at his side, a rabbit and a¡­bat beastfolk, by the leathery wings behind him, rushed away to do as he said, leaving us alone as the man scrubbed both palms over his face. Everything from the grandeur of his clothes to the sharpness of his features screamed royalty, the image complete with the crown perched on his head. Graying hair was neatly combed back, and his jaw had a dusting of stubble lining it. When piercing blue eyes swept the room, landing on my hiding place, he relaxed, and a smile stretched across his lips. ¡°Ah, there''s our dimension-crossing savior now.¡± He could see me? As if to back that up, he started walking in my direction, his hand outstretched. Every hair on my neck stood to attention, and when he was within grabbing distance, I stepped sideways and plastered on a fake smile. I hadn''t had long to survey things without being noticed, but there was no use crying about it. He knew I was here, so it was time for a change in method. Keeping a few feet of distance between us, I asked, ¡°What do you mean by dimension-crossing savior?¡± The only one who should know I was here was Karma and maybe Time. How did he find out? The man stopped, his smile staying in place despite the healthy distance I kept between us. ¡°I''m getting ahead of myself, my apologies. My name is Silas Waterglade, the ruling king of Nexus. I summoned you here from your dimension to help fight a great evil.¡± I barely bit back a scoff. He didn''t bring me here, Karma did. ¡­Which he would have no way of knowing. He was under the impression he''d summoned me, and given that I was here looking for the catalyst to an oncoming apocalypse, maybe this was important. Did he accidentally summon some kind of world-ending demon? Or perhaps the ¡®great evil¡¯ he was talking about was the start to the end. There were too many options right now. I needed more information. With that in mind, I forced my suspicions into a small, dark box and focused on Silas. It was time to get some answers. Im Sorry, I Can Do WHAT?! Putting on my best shocked face, I shook my head and choked out, ¡°You want me to fight some kind of evil? I''m just a normal guy!¡± Yes, a normal guy who''d been propositioned twice now to become some sort of hero in a magical universe that wasn''t my own. Perfectly average¡­ Thankfully, he couldn''t hear my thoughts, and I kept all traces of amusement to myself. He nodded, sympathy pinching his brows. ¡°I know this must be quite a shock for you, but please, Nexus needs your help. An undead army is almost at our gates, and if they reach us¡­¡± He trailed off, eyes going distant, before he shivered and swallowed hard. ¡°They will slaughter the town. The cursed generals have already spread disease and death to all other corners of the world. You''re our only hope!¡± His tone held nothing but desperation, the desire to see his people safe all but bleeding off him. For all intents and purposes, he seemed sincere. So why did my gut twist whenever he spoke? Even now, the urge to get far away raked down my back like nails. There was nothing about him that warranted this wariness, and yet I couldn¡¯t stop it. And for that matter, why hadn''t Karma mentioned that things were like this? She''d told me corruption was rampant and awful people were in abundance, but she hadn''t mentioned disease or zombies! Maybe she didn''t know? It seemed impossible to miss such a massive dip in population that disease brought, but she was also a spirit. There was no saying how closely she kept an eye on things. Damn it, I needed more information before I did anything. Focusing on him, I raised my palms and prodded, ¡°If you need someone capable and strong, why did you summon a stranger from another world for help? Where I''m from, people don''t battle great evils. I''d die if I went up against an entire army!¡± Instead of being disheartened by that, his determination rose, and he grabbed my hand, ignoring my attempts to take it back. ¡°That spell only summons the best of the best, I assure you. When it''s been used in the past, heroes with devastating powers were pulled into Nexus, and I''m sure you''re no different. What special ability did you receive?¡± I bit back a grimace at his forceful capture of my hand. He had quite the grip for such an old guy. Giving up on freeing myself, I shrugged. ¡°I don''t know how to even check that kind of thing.¡± Karma hadn''t told me how to analyze myself. Silas gestured to one of the nearby windows and explained. ¡°Ah, that''s right. You must not have such things in your world. My apologies. If you look into any reflective surface and focus, a menu will pop up. From that, you can see your stats, skills, and even quests.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Yup, just like a video game. Keeping him in the corner of my eye, I did as told and watched as the menu flickered to life. Nikolas Level 2 Hit Points: 30/30 Mana 30/30 Status: Healthy Well, at least I was level two, not one¡­ Though I wasn''t sure what kind of difference that made. Making a note to ask Karma later, I glanced over the second list off to the right. The text was smaller, minimized, and when I focused on it, it expanded in front of me. Quests Reputation Skills Spells Stats I''d have time to check it all out later. For now, I narrowed in on skills. And nearly choked on spit at the next little window to pop up. Fast Forward, Level Ten Spell When cast, all enemies within the area of effect rapidly age, crumbling to dust. How wide the area of effect is varies with the amount of mana expended. Mana Cost: Ranges depending on area of effect. Karma had said she was borrowing her husband''s power, but she hadn''t said anything about giving it to me! Was that what I''d used against that thug on Earth? My stomach rolled at the implication, and I sucked in a breath. ¡°I can''t use that. No, I won''t. I refuse to kill, and this-!¡± I shuddered. ¡°They wouldn''t even stand a chance.¡± I shut the menus and shook my head, ripping my hand free of his grasp as his face slid into a mask of panic. ¡°The only things you''d be killing are undead creatures. Surely, the lives of the living mean more to you than those things!¡± I backed away from his grasping hands and fought through the suffocating feeling of the walls closing in. ¡°I would still die against more than a handful¨Cstop trying to grab me!¡± He''d followed me until my back connected with the wall, and only a sharp dodge to the side stopped him from wrapping his fingers into my shirt. The corridors were large, but every second spent with him made them feel smaller and smaller. He finally stopped advancing, but the frenzied panic didn''t leave his eyes. ¡°You''re our only hope. You have to stop that army!¡± Even if I wanted to use that power again, I doubted I had enough mana to cast it over the entire army. Maybe I could get a hold of Karma and talk to her about this. An undead army marching toward what sounded like the only remaining stronghold of civilization sure seemed apocalyptic, and if this was the catalyst, then she might have a way to stop it. There wasn''t a chance I''d manage it alone, though. Fighting through the bubbling panic, I focused on Silas and bought myself time. ¡°Just¡­let me think about this. You dragged me here, into a whole new world, and now I''m supposed to fight an entire army alone? It''s too much.¡± It was a reasonable request, all things considered, and Silas deflated, relief clear. ¡°Of course, I''ll have a guard escort you to a room. I''d say take your time, but¡­¡± There was none to waste. I nodded, watching as he snapped his fingers and a guard came running. They were in full plate mail, just like the ones guarding the corridors, and the king gestured to me. ¡°Bring this young man to the royal guest room. He will be treated with the highest respect, do I make myself clear?¡± The guard nodded hastily and saluted, then turned to me. ¡°If you''ll follow me?¡± I wordlessly fell into step behind him, sparing a glance back at the king. His shoulders drooped, the weight of the world on them as he rubbed tired eyes. A kernel of guilt formed in my chest, and I looked away. ¡°I''ll¡­ ask to be brought to you once I make my decision.¡± I caught the bob of his head from the corner of my eye, then I followed the guard. Hopefully, I could get a hold of Karma once I was alone. She''d wanted me to find the catalyst, but we hadn''t discussed what I was supposed to do once it was found. Call To Karma The room they brought me to was massive. Lush carpets in vibrant red covered the floor, matching the various pieces of furniture arranged throughout the space. A window leading out to a balcony nearly spanned the far wall. ¡°Is it to your liking?¡± The guard who¡¯d escorted me shifted between his feet, unease clear. I nodded before he could panic. ¡°It¡¯s perfect. Thank you for bringing me here.¡± A beat of shocked silence passed before he bowed and backed out of the room. ¡°Of course. If you need anything, just press your palm to the rune on the wall. It¡¯s linked to the staff room. Someone will be with you shortly.¡± For a world that didn¡¯t seem to have technology, they sure figured out room service quickly. Then again, magic would probably make a lot of things possible that weren¡¯t on Earth. Shaking that aside, I sat on the plush mattress and rubbed my eyes. I needed to get in contact with Karma, first and foremost. There were too many unknown variables, and she would probably be able to identify the catalyst. If it was the army, she could tell me how to handle it before the entire apocalypse nonsense started. If it was whatever or whoever the king summoned here¡­ well, we¡¯d deal with that however we had to. And really, what was he thinking, summoning something from another universe like that?! In the best-case scenario, he could pull someone strong and willing to help him, but surely there were monsters he could also pull through! Was I about to deal with a real-life giant squid monster or some kind of horror from the ancient depths of the universe? My stomach rolled, and I quickly abandoned the thoughts before I could spiral. It did no good to freak myself out. Karma would know what to do, so I just¡­had to contact her. Easy. Before, she said she¡¯d be appearing in my head at random. Maybe the connection worked both ways? Internally shrugging, I forced my mind to clear. With everything going on, it was easier said than done. Thoughts pinged off each other like pin balls, refusing to settle. When I¡¯d achieved the closest that I¡¯d probably get to a clear mind, I sent out a thought and hoped it reached her. ¡°Karma, are you there? I found a few things that could be the catalyst and I could really use some help figuring this out.¡± Silence. Minutes ticked by, sliding like a snail in molasses, and when no answer came, I tried again. ¡°Karma, if you can hear me, I need some kind of direction here!¡± Again, nothing, and I stopped trying. For all I knew, I was just screaming into the void. She hadn¡¯t told me how to contact her, or if there even was a way. Maybe the connection only worked one way, and I had to wait for her to get in touch with me. We hadn¡¯t had time to talk about the logistics of all of this before I¡¯d been thrown into Nexus. Flashing back to the last time I saw her, the exhaustion that pressed down like cement on her shoulders, a new, wriggling unease twisted into my gut. She¡¯d seemed tired from pulling me here, even going so far as to change the subject when I asked about it. Maybe she¡­couldn¡¯t hear me? This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. If that was the case, there was no telling how long it would be until I had help. Then, like a bolt of lightning, I remembered. She said she would send Time soon because she would need to rest. Fuck. No matter how much I tried, she wouldn''t hear me until she woke up from her nap. Did spirits sleep like humans, or would this be a ¡®I¡¯ll get back to you in a few years¡¯ kind of thing? Damn it all, I hated not having information! Frustration raked over my nerves, and I gripped my knees, breathing through the urge to punch the nearest piece of furniture. All I¡¯d get from that was a busted hand, and I couldn¡¯t afford an injury right now. Though, hadn¡¯t Karma said I would have some kind of healing magic? Now that I was alone, I should probably take stock of what I could do. It wasn''t like I had many leads to work from, after all¡­ Moving to the window, I focused on my reflection. The hood was still up, covering most of my hair, but some of the long brown strands escaped to rest near my shoulders. Tired green eyes stared back at me, the bruise-like bags under them making me cringe. Not even a day into this new life, and I already looked sleep-deprived. Not a good start. Shaking that aside, I focused further until the menu popped up. Then, I pulled forward the second one, ignoring my basic information for now. Quests Reputation Skills Spells Stats There were only five options, but somehow they seemed impossibly overwhelming. Taking a breath, I started at the top. Quests flashed before expanding outward. There was only one, thankfully: Find the Catalyst to the Apocalypse Contact Karma or Time Gather Information on the Approaching Army and the Summoning Ritual King Silas Used Well, that was at least a place to start. Obviously, getting a hold of Karma wouldn¡¯t be in the cards yet, but I could try to get more information. Setting that aside for now, I moved to the next. Reputation: Waterglade - Magical Savior From Another Universe, King Silas¡¯s Only Hope No pressure or anything¡­ The rest was blank, but it would probably fill out as I explored. Skills: Poison Resistance - Become resistant to most poisons. First Aid - Using rudimentary materials, patch up most basic wounds. Stealth - Move silently and avoid detection. Premonition - Sense a fight or threat before it happens, allowing for more reaction time. That was it? I mean, I did just arrive here, and I hadn¡¯t really had time to do anything to build skills, but for my years of medical school to boil down to one skill was¡­demoralizing. At least stealth explained why the guards hadn¡¯t noticed me. I didn¡¯t even have to think too hard about how I¡¯d gotten it and the last skill. Years spent tiptoeing around foster homes for fear of catching unwanted attention apparently worked in my favor now. Shaking the morbid memories aside, I closed that menu and went on to the next. Spells: Fast Forward When cast, all enemies within the area of effect rapidly age, crumbling to dust. How wide the area of effect is varies with the amount of mana expended. A shiver of unease trailed down my back, and I hastily moved on to the other spells listed that I hadn¡¯t bothered looking at before. Crop Growth, Level Two Spell Healthy dirt will grow a crop native to the place the spell is cast in. Will only grow seasonal crops. Mana Cost: 5 Verdant Renewal, Level Two Spell Moss covers a minor or moderate wound, speeding up the person¡¯s natural healing until the injury closes. Mana Cost: 5 Bramble¡¯s Embrace, Level Two Spell Thorn vines surge up from the ground to hold an enemy in place, doing damage for every minute they¡¯re held and potentially poisoning them. Mana Cost: 10 Okay, I could work with this. First thing on the agenda? Get some information. With that stealth skill, it hopefully won''t be too difficult. Taking a breath, I eased out the door and surveyed the hall. No one was standing guard. Good. That''d make this easy¡­ Stealth Mode, Activated Hours later, I leaned against the wall, biting back a string of curses. Nothing. I''d found nothing in these damn hallways. Not even another room, aside from the one they¡¯d led me to! My sense of direction wasn''t great, but I couldn¡¯t be this lost. Scrubbing my face with both palms, I eyed the nearby guards. Maybe talking to them would be easier at this point. I moved closer, unsurprised when they didn¡¯t react. Stealth, right¡­ How do I go about turning that off? It had worn off when I realized the king could see me. Perhaps if I just willed it away, I''d be visible again? Focusing inward, I tried, and a second later, the guards closest to me jumped, their helmets snapping in my direction. ¡°Where did you come from?!¡± the closest one shouted. I forced a laugh and rubbed my neck. Everyone here thought I was a lost and clueless ¡®otherworlder¡¯. I''d have to play into that and see what I could learn. Offering a sheepish smile, I dipped my head. ¡°Sorry. I was experimenting with skill and spells, but when I turned invisible, I couldn''t turn back! Didn''t mean to frighten you.¡± The guards seemed to buy it, and the closest one relaxed. ¡°I can bring you back to your room if you''d like?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Actually, I was hoping for directions. The room you all summoned me into? Some of my things are gone.¡± The guard hesitated, and remembering the king''s earlier words about me being an ¡®honored guest¡¯, I added, ¡°I could ask king Silas where they went. Or¡­do you think someone lost them?¡± Immediately, he shook his head and moved away from his post. ¡°There''s no need to bring the king into this. Your things are likely in the summoning room. I''ll retrieve them.¡± I waved a hand with a laugh. ¡°No need for that, I can find them myself if you lead me there. Some of the items aren¡¯t safe for you to handle, being technology from my world.¡± Okay, so my cell phone wasn''t dangerous, but they didn''t need to know that. The guard still looked unsure, so I laid it on thicker. ¡°I appreciate your help, but one item contains all the knowledge from my world. If you accidentally activated it, your brain could explode from the information overload.¡± His gulp echoed in the quiet hallway, and the other guards shared uneasy glances. After a long moment, one nodded. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Go with him, Dominic. We¡¯ll cover your post.¡± Dominic gestured for me to follow, which I did without complaint. Once we were out of earshot, I half-turned to him and smiled. ¡°Sorry for the trouble and pulling you away from your post. I appreciate your help.¡± He nearly tripped before shaking off his shock. ¡°There''s no need to apologize. As an honored guest, you have the same authority as one of the king¡¯s advisors or generals.¡± That was a lot of power for a stranger¡­ I shook off the thought and focused as we stopped before two massive doors. ¡°This is the summoning room. If you''ll allow me.¡± I stepped aside for him to lead the way. Inside, I looked around, disappointed by the lack of clues. The room was barren, only smooth stone floors and bare walls. It felt¡­wrong. The air pressed down like a heavy comforter. The longer we stood there, the worse it felt. Dominic cleared his throat, drawing my attention. ¡°Nothing seems to be here. Perhaps your items were left in your world?¡± I nodded, ¡°Probably for the best.¡± His shoulders relaxed, and I winced. Poor guy had probably expected a tantrum. After one last look around, I faced him. "Could you lead me outside, to a garden? Fresh air sounds amazing.¡± The heavy air stuck to my skin like slime, and the thought of going back to my room to stew in it made my skin crawl. After wandering endless halls, nothing sounded better than a breeze and some grass. Thankfully, Dominic nodded and led me to the courtyard. ¡°Of course.¡± The walk was silent, neither of us feeling the need to chat. When we reached the courtyard, Dominic bowed. ¡°When you wish to return, ask another guard to escort you.¡± At my nod, he disappeared inside, and I took a deep breath, shaking off the lethargy. The air in the room had been weird, maybe leftover magic from the summoning ritual¡­or related to whatever the king summoned. A chill ran down my spine. If this unsettling feeling came from a creature, I hoped I never met it. Unfortunately this left me back at square one. The only one who might know about the summoning was the king, and I''d save asking him as a last resort. As far as he knew, I was who he summoned. I''d prefer to keep it that way, at least until I figured out this apocalypse thing. Karma was unavailable¡­which only left Time. My stomach rolled at the thought. Nevermind the king, asking Time for help was truly my last resort. With my luck, he''d be pissed at my intrusion on his life and without Karma there, I''d be screwed. Exhaustion weighed down my shoulders. Wasn''t this new life supposed to be a fresh start? A rustle broke the quiet, and I jolted, focus sharpening on the bushes. Instinctively, I straightened, ready for anything. ¡°Who''s there?¡± I asked, shoulders tensing. A quiet squeak answered, and a small form emerged from the bushes. She was barely knee-high and her wide tear-filled gaze locked on me. My wariness evaporated. It was a girl in a tattered white dress, eyes tinged with fear. She half-hid in the bush, watching me warily. Her clear terror stabbed my chest, guilt squeezing tight around my heart, and I knelt, softening my features. Nikolas de Santos, you paranoid idiot. I offered an apologetic smile. ¡°Sorry if I scared you. You startled me.¡± Hopefully, my knack for soothing kids worked here as well as it did on Earth¡­ Information Gained And New Friend Acquired The girl kept her distance, but some of the fear ebbed away. Her hands twisted the material of her dress nervously, and after a minute, she scrubbed away her tears. ¡°You''re him, the one who''s here to save us, right?¡± Her voice was weak, wavering every few words, but that didn''t stop the fist that wrapped around my heart and squeezed. Running a hand through my hair, I chose my words carefully. ¡°I don''t know. Everyone seems to think so, but I''m not sure.¡± She deflated, the pace of her fidgeting hands picking up. ¡°Do you not like us?¡± Another painful squeeze in my chest followed. I sat, leaning back against the stone bench to put us at the same level. Shifting sideways to meet her gaze, I shook my head. ¡°That''s not it. Even if I didn''t necessarily like someone, it wouldn''t stop me from saving them if they needed help.¡± She pouted, confusion clear in the furrow of her brow as she inched closer. ¡°Then why don''t you want to save us?¡± When she stopped less than a foot away, I sighed. ¡°It''s not that I don''t want to save you, kid. But¡­ I was just dropped into an entirely new world with no knowledge of how to use these powers. If I tried to go against a whole army, I wouldn''t last a minute.¡± Which was why I''d hoped to hear back from Karma by now. Hell, I might even take Time, if she didn''t appear before the army arrived. These people needed help, and if I could somehow offer it, I would. But Karma had sent me here with a mission I hadn''t even put a dent in yet. I needed to know more about the oncoming apocalypse and what that fool of a king had summoned. But I couldn''t focus on either of those if I died beforehand. Focusing back on the girl, an idea sparked. ¡°What do you know about that army? Maybe I can come up with some kind of plan against them.¡± She curled into herself, arms wrapping tightly around her middle as tears filled her eyes. ¡°They took my aman while Adan was away. King Silas tells me she''s gone and Adan isn''t back yet¡­ I want my adan.¡± The words were unfamiliar, but I''d heard that same lost tone from children looking for their parents. It didn''t take much to put the pieces together. When tears spilled down her cheeks and hiccuping sobs started, a flutter of panic shot through me before I crushed it down. She was a grieving kid who''d been separated from her parents. The last thing she needed was for me to freak out on her. Instead, I took a breath and rubbed her back. ¡°Where was your adan last?¡± She scrubbed her tears away and shrugged. ¡°He fights against the army when they get close to home. But the bad things came a few days after he left. Aman told me to run¡­ I don''t know where Adan is.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. The sobs picked up and I tugged her into a one-armed hug. She clung to my cloak, her words garbled as she spoke through the tears. ¡°I want to go home.¡± By the sound of it, she might not have one to go back to. Her father was probably a town guard, and since the army made it far enough to take her mother, odds were, he was already dead. I had just enough tact to know she didn''t need to hear that. I kept it to myself and held her tighter, letting her cry it all out. The poor kid had been through hell, and now the very army that took everything from her was getting ready to attack. She''d earned that cry. When the sniffles petered off, she pulled away. Red-rimmed eyes drooped, exhaustion clear as she half-slumped against my side. The sight tugged at my heart and I tucked her closer. ¡°I never introduced myself, you know. That''s rude of me. I''m Nikolas, and you are?¡± She tipped her head back, sleepy eyes struggling to lock onto mine as she muttered, ¡°I''m Maya.¡± Her eyes shut again and she cuddled into my side, letting out a yawn that cracked her jaw. I bit back a laugh. ¡°Get some rest, you''ve earned it.¡± She nodded, closing her eyes without complaint. When her breathing evened out, I let myself consider everything she said. It seemed to line up with what Silas had told me before. An undead army was spreading chaos across Nexus. And if these two were right, I didn''t have time to investigate the summoning ritual. Hopefully, what or who that fool of a king summoned wouldn''t be a problem long enough for me to figure out how to deal with the army. Another rustle came, and I tensed, my attention swinging to the cause. This time, it wasn''t a kid. The bat beastfolk from earlier stood on the path leading back to the castle. Only now, I could actually take him in. Leathery wings sat around his shoulders like a cloak, clasped in the middle of his chest back to where the tips rested a few inches above the ground. They matched the ebony of his hair, the locks cut short and brushed back to stay out of the way. Long bat ears replaced his human ones, and when I met his eyes, I paused. They weren''t focusing on anything. Even now, they stared through me, watching something over my shoulder and beyond. The silence stretched for a minute before he cleared his throat and introduced himself. ¡°My name is Dominicus, one of king Silas''s personal guards. He sent me to ask how you''re settling in.¡± More like to see if I''d decided to help them¡­ Still, there was no need to shoot the messenger, so I smiled, my tone pleasant. ¡°I''m doing as well as can be expected, and you can call me Nikolas. It''s nice to meet you.¡± He tipped his head in acknowledgement before gesturing down at my side. ¡°Is the girl bothering you? If so, I apologize. I came across her after her town was destroyed and brought her back, assuming she''d be safe¡­¡± He grimaced, letting the sentence die. Then the army followed them back here. I shook my head, noting that he could at least partially see. Enough to know it wasn''t just me here. ¡°Yeah, she told me about what happened. I actually need to talk to the king, if you could lead me there.¡± I glanced down at Maya for a second before adding on, ¡°And maybe watch her until I''m done? I don''t want her to wake up alone.¡± He nodded easily. ¡°Of course.¡± I gently shifted the girl off of me and stood, passing her to him as smoothly as I could. She sniffed but didn''t wake, instead snuggling closer to Dominicus after a second. He adjusted his grip to make her more comfortable until her face curled into his neck, then he gestured for me to follow. ¡°I''ll bring you to the king now.¡± Good, I needed to talk to Silas first and foremost. Any information he could give me about the approaching threat was vital. I didn''t come to Nexus to fight, but I''d be damned before I let Maya or anyone like her die while I could even possibly help. No matter what, she was going to survive this. I''d make sure of it. Planning A Trap When we arrived at the king''s personal study, Dominicus spoke. ¡°Your Highness, Nikolas is here to speak with you.¡± Maya stayed blissfully asleep in his arms. Ater a nod from Silas, Dominicus left with a careful bow. Once it was just us, Silas''s hopeful gaze landed on me. ¡°Have you come to your decision then?¡± I nodded. ¡°I have. I''m going to try and help you all, but I need information. I''m not strong enough to take out an army alone, but maybe we can lure them into a trap.¡± Silas heaved a sigh of relief and nodded. ¡°Of course, of course. We will offer whatever aid you deem necessary to ensure my people''s safety. What do you need?¡± A tense knot in my stomach eased at his easy acceptance, and I chose my words carefully. He thought he''d summoned me, and I didn''t want to make him think otherwise. The last thing I needed was people asking how I''d gotten here. For all I knew, Karma had enemies, and announcing myself as her chosen would slap a target on my back. No, better to be safe in this case. I was entirely too squishy to be taking on unnecessary risks. ¡°How long should this summoning spell last? If we''re on a time limit before I disappear again, that''s important information.¡± I asked, and Silas waved a hand. ¡°The old texts claimed the spell was indefinite. If you want to go back, you''ll need to find a spirit powerful enough to do so.¡± A twinge of guilt twisted over his features. ¡°I¡­ apologize if this disrupted your life, but there was truly no other option.¡± In my case, I hadn''t been leaving much behind, but if I''d had a kid or something waiting on Earth, I would have been livid to find myself here. I waved his apology aside, not responding, lest he try to dig into my past. Instead, I focused on the present. Alright, no time limit, that was¡­potentially bad. If what he summoned was the catalyst, it wouldn''t go away on its own. I should have expected that. Things were never easy, especially potentially world-ending things like this. With any luck, it wouldn''t be a problem until after we dealt with the more prominent threat. I''d have my hands full dealing with the army. Rubbing a hand through my hair, I continued the line of questioning. ¡°How far away is the army?¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. His skin took on a gray tint, and he gestured toward the window. ¡°Look and see for yourself.¡± I did, my stomach souring at the seemingly never-ending sea of armored bodies slowly making their way towards the castle. They stuck to the forest, hiding in the massive trees¡¯ shadows as they inched closer. The sun was rapidly sinking overhead too. They wouldn''t be trapped in that area for much longer. No wonder Silas had been desperate for my help. It wouldn''t take long before they were on us, maybe a few hours. If we were lucky. Facing him again, I ignored the ember of panic fighting to grow into a blaze. This was so above my pay grade, but I''d just have to make do until Karma or Time made contact with me. Taking a deep breath, I settled my nerves and spoke. ¡°We don''t have time to waste. You said they''re undead; what kind of weaknesses do they have? Can we lure them into a smaller area and corral them in place?¡± Silas straightened, his eyes sharpening with the look of someone who''d survived years in this corrupted world and had the intelligence to show for it. ¡°Undead are weak to light magic, but that affinity type is rare. Do you have it?¡± Flashing back to my conversation with Karma, I grimaced. ¡°No, my affinity is nature.¡± I almost regretted it now. Silas shook his head, determination clear. ¡°Fire is another weakness of theirs. Corpse bodies have been drained of most water and are more flammable thanks to that. Perhaps we could have oil and flaming arrows prepared?¡± It was better than anything else I could come up with. ¡°Perfect, but where should we lead them so no civilians are hurt?¡± I asked. He gestured to a spot outside the walls, ¡°There. It''s a dead end between them and us. They''ll either have to run back the way they came or into the fire we''ll drop on their heads.¡± It was as good a place as any. Though that still left one problem¡­ ¡°What can we use as bait to lure them in?¡± If the undead were drawn to any flesh to feed on, we could gather dead animals and place them inside. Hopefully, the disease spreading through Nexus hadn''t caused a shortage of animals¡­ I offered the tentative plan, only for Silas to shake his head with a grimace. ¡°Unfortunately, undead hunger for human flesh and no other. Animals do not satisfy them.¡± I gritted my teeth. ¡°There has to be something they want.¡± I wasn''t giving up, not now that we almost had a plan hammered out. Silence passed for a long second before finally, Silas''s features hardened into a diamond mask. He nodded, coming to a decision. ¡°There is something they''ll want. Me. I will act as bait. Those monstrosities will not lay a single decrepit finger on my subjects. Not while I still breathe.¡± Immediately, I tried to cut in. ¡°You''re too valuable. If you die, then the kingdom will be thrown into chaos, and they''re going to need a leader after the army is dead.¡± He ignored that and offered a determined smile. ¡°I appreciate your want to keep me safe, but this is my duty as king. I refuse to stand back while my people are slaughtered.¡± That was admirable, but still a bad idea. He was king, did he seriously not see the problem with him potentially dying? Frustration welled through me, and before I could think it through, I spoke. ¡°Then let me be bait. I''m not one of your people so you don''t need to feel guilty if something happens to me.¡± Equipment Upgrade The moment the offer left my lips, I wanted to take it back. What was I thinking?! I was only level two and hardly suited for outrunning an undead army. My endurance stats, if they mirrored my physical abilities from Earth, would be terrible. But was Silas really the better option? He looked decades older than me, and his large belly suggested he wasn''t in peak condition either. Unease churned in my stomach at the thought of leading an army of undead to their graves, but I pushed it aside. We couldn''t afford to fail. If Silas fell before leading them into the trap, we''d be doomed. Hell, even if he succeeded, his death would leave a power vacuum. We''d need a leader to guide the survivors after the battle. I had a spell to entangle enemies in vines and, as a last resort, Fast Forward. Between the two of us, I was better suited for this. But Silas shook his head, resolute. ¡°Thank you, but no. We need you ready to kill the army if the fire fails. Your power should work well in a smaller area. You''re our trump card.¡± Relief flickered, but I pushed it aside. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± He nodded. ¡°I am.¡± Pressing his palm to the glowing rune on the wall, he summoned a staff member who hurried in, bowing low. Silas gestured to them. ¡°Follow this young lady to my personal armory. Choose whatever suits you best and wait on the wall above the trap. I''ll be there.¡± The staff member, a woman with cat ears, caught my attention. ¡°Wait, the girl. I left her with one of your guards.¡± Silas''s features softened with a sigh. ¡°Yes, young Maya. Poor dear. If I''d known what awaited her, I would have had the guards take her elsewhere. But she will be safe with the other citizens. You can visit her once this is over. For now, we must act.¡± Reluctantly, I followed the cat lady. A gnawing sense of unease lingered, but I forced it away. I could talk to Maya later. For now, I had to keep her safe. Maybe I''d even look into adoption in this world. I had wanted a family, and she seemed to need one too. The trip to the armory was quick and in minutes, rows of magical artifacts were lined up on pedestals. The woman bowed out, leaving me to browse. I picked up a chest plate made of a red metal that shimmered like fire and frowned. How was I supposed to know what worked against undead? There were no nameplates or identifying marks. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Squinting, I examined the chest piece. A small box popped up, almost making me drop it. Fireforged Plate Mail Made by the legendary dragonkin smiths, Fireforged Plate Mail cloaks the wearer in an aura of fire resistance much like the scales of the dragons themselves. Defense: 10 Special Bonuses: Fire Resistance That''d be great, if I was strong enough to use it. I didn''t even have to look at my stats to know heavy armor wasn''t for me though. Unfortunately, most of the items were equally unsuitable. No magical robes or staves in sight. Just as I was about to give up, I saw it¨Ca singular staff on the wall. Its wooden length was sturdy, glowing symbols and runes carved throughout it. A ball of light floated at its top, bracketed by thorns. Carefully picking it up, I analyzed it and nearly cheered. Dawn''s Light Made from the last branch of Nexus''s first tree, Dawn''s Light is imbued with light affinity magic, said to once belong to the spirit of Light herself. Once per day, the wielder can channel their mana into it and the light at its tip will burn like the dawn, reducing all undead nearby to dust. Special Bonuses: Mana Cost of Healing Spells Is Halved Perfect! Healing spells at half mana cost would be invaluable. Clutching the staff, I left the armory, feeling lighter. We had a plan, a weapon to flash fry undead, and most importantly, hope. We''re going to make it through this. The thought stayed with me as I followed another staff member to the wall above the trap. The dead end Silas mentioned was below, castle walls curving to almost close off the space. Archers stood ready, their armor glinting in the dying light. I couldn''t see any oil, but guards on the opposite wall didn''t have bows. It was likely their task. A breeze brushed through my hair as the last rays of light disappeared. The guards tensed, and I followed their example, gripping the staff tightly. Silas would soon lead the army here. Then the massacre would begin. All that was left to do was wait. Minutes dragged by agonizingly slowly before I heard rapid footsteps. Night cloaked everything in an ebony veil and I squinted, trying to make out the king in the ocean of darkness. Then a form sprinted into sight, the ground trembling as the army followed, faster than I''d expect from undead, but slowed by armor. I braced myself, ready to defend the king. They were close on his heels, too close for my comfort. Just as his figure became clear, wrapped in a midnight cloak, he tripped, and my heart lurched. The undead wasted no time, circling around until his form was completely swallowed in their bulk. Once he was fully hidden in the mass of bodies, I bit back a curse. I knew I should have gone. Silas was older and out of shape! Shoving magic into the staff, I prepared the spell. The ball of light brightened, causing nearby guards to flinch, but before I could throw it toward the king, I heard it. A shrill, high-pitched shriek that dropped my heart into a bucket of ice. ¡°Adan!¡± The cry came from the crumpled figure, now surrounded by undead. Familiar sobs reached my ears and my breathing stuttered to a stop. The cloaked figure¡­was not Silas. Rescue Mission, Underway Everything slowed to a crawl as sick realization dawned on me. The cloaked figure wasn''t Silas, but Maya. Her cries reached me even from stories below, each sob tearing through my chest like a knife. The undead had gathered around her in a circle, not surging forward yet, but it was only a matter of time. We needed to act now. I spun to face the guard closest to me, gesturing to his bow. ¡°Why aren''t you shooting at the undead? They''re surrounding that kid!¡± The guard¡¯s helmet turned toward me, but he made no move to intervene. ¡°King Silas''s orders still stand. Until the enemies are in place, we aren''t to intervene.¡± His tone was flat, as if we weren''t talking about a child''s life, and my vision drowned in red. Grabbing the strap of his quiver, I dragged him closer until our noses were inches apart. ¡°Why is she even there? Silas was supposed to be bait, not her!¡± I couldn''t see the guard''s face, but his scoff oozed with derision. ¡°We would never allow King Silas to accept such a role. Who better to do the job than an orphaned brat? No one will miss her once she''s gone.¡± Rage rose to clog my throat, robbing me of words at the heartless statement and how carelessly the man spat it out. Monsters were real and they often wore human skin. I''d seen it too often to count on Earth, but I''d hoped Nexus would be different. Apparently, that was an inescapable fact that covered all universes. Wait until I got a hold of Silas! That cowardly snake would wish the undead army had killed him by the time I was finished. Shaking aside the bloodlust vibrating through my veins, I yanked on the guard. ¡°She''s a child and deserves to live like one. Slime like you don''t get to decide her life is better served as bait.¡± He gripped my hand, his hold bruising as he huffed. ¡°And what are you going to do about it?¡± Ignoring the pain in my hand, I glanced down at Maya. The undead were circling, a few inching closer while she scrambled to get away. Then, as if sensing my gaze, she turned, wide, terrified eyes locking with mine. Tears fell down her cheeks, and she reached for me, her mouth forming my name in a scream. I made my decision, and the entire world shifted to realign itself, a stone-cold determination hardening in my chest. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. That kid was going to make it out of this alive, even if I had to kill every last person here and myself to do it. Focusing back on the guard, I tightened my hold. ¡°I¡¯m going to save her, and you''re going to help me.¡± I could practically feel his eyebrow raise behind his helmet as he laughed. ¡°Why would I do that?¡± His head was tilted back, leaving himself wide open. I surged forward, planting both palms on his chest. ¡°I never said you''d be doing it willingly.¡± Using all my strength, I threw him over the edge of the wall and jumped after him. The stares of the other guards drilled into my back, but I ignored them, focusing on the prick desperately trying to shift on top of me. His nails dug into my arms, leaving stinging grooves, and he lashed out with brutal kicks that would surely bruise by tomorrow. I moved with him, preventing each new attempt. You thought you were so big and bad, sacrificing a child. Not so tough when it''s your head on the chopping block, right prick? The vicious thought hit as the ground came closer. His struggles picked up to a fever pitch once we were mere yards away. Then, I landed on him with a sickening crunch. His bones gave beneath my weight, and he screamed, the sound catching the undead army''s attention better than a siren''s call. Their heads swung towards us, and I jumped off him, staggering at the lingering pain in my legs. That didn''t matter. Nothing did aside from making it to Maya before those things jumped on her. With single-minded purpose, I pushed through the pain and ran toward the crowd. Half of them were already moving toward the fallen guard, and I spared a brief second to soak in the vindictive pleasure. Who''s bait now, bitch? Shaking the thought aside, I dragged the staff off my back and channeled magic into it. The runes along its length glowed brighter. Once I stopped just feet away from the circle surrounding Maya, I slammed the staff down. The ball of light lifted higher, growing to ten times its previous size. Looking away from the blinding magic, I tore through the crowd until I reached Maya. She was unharmed, thank fuck, and her eyes were shut tightly, her body half-turned away to shield herself from the light. I dragged her against my chest and slumped to the ground, relief ripping through me as if I were made of tissue paper. She was alright, I''d made it in time and the undead army was¨C ¡­Still alive? The light glowed above us, just as bright as when I first summoned it, but none of the armored forms so much as stumbled. The description said it should reduce them to dust, yet none of them seemed hurt! Dread replaced my relief, and I tucked Maya closer on instinct. The undead were stunned, not dead, and once that wore off, we were in for a world of trouble. Running wasn''t an option, not with us surrounded on all sides, and I could already feel the drain from using the staff. I wouldn''t be able to keep it up much longer and then¡­ the real problem started. Dust To Dust I gritted my teeth against the draining pull in my gut. The longer the staff stayed active, the worse it got. I needed a solution¨Cnow. Maya''s sobs shook her frame, her small hands gripping my arms, sending sparks of pain through me. I had no free hand to comfort her, so I curled around her, trying to soothe. ¡°It''ll be alright, Maya. I''ll get you out of here.¡± Her sobs pickedinly grew louder. ¡°It''s my fault we''re here. I''m sorry. I''m so sorry!¡± Her words came out choppy, broken by hiccups, each one tugging at my heart. ¡°None of this is your fault, okay? Just breathe for me. We''ll be out of this in no time.¡± Once I figured out a plan, that was. We were surrounded. The staff wasn''t working as it should, and the guards were useless. I couldn''t lead the undead into the trap with them surrounding us, which left¡­nothing. I had nothing to use. Great. Looking back at the wall, I froze. Silas stood tall above us, his regal cloak fluttering in the breeze. He smiled, his friendly mask gone, eyes gleaming with glee. A chill swept down my spine as his gaze pinned me. ¡°Well, this is quite the pickle you''ve gotten your new friend into, Maya. Shame you couldn''t even do this one job right. Now you''ll both die, and your beloved Aman will follow shortly.¡± Maya curled closer, her face buried in my neck, another round of apologies wheezing out. My stomach turned, and I snarled up at Silas. ¡°Shut your filthy hole! Anything she did was orchestrated by you. You''re the one at fault, not her!¡± He tsked, eyes narrowing. ¡°Learn your place, peasant. You speak to a king¨C¡± ¡°I speak to a piss-poor excuse for a human who used a child as bait to save his own sorry hide! Get down here and fight me like a man if you''re so tough. I''ll put you six feet under and piss on your grave!¡± His cruel smile slipped away. ¡°I should expect no less from an otherworlder. Your kind are always so¡­ uncouth.¡± He shrugged. ¡°There''s no need for such language. If you want to save young Maya and yourself, use your power. We even have the army trapped for you.¡± The way he spoke, as if I should thank him, ground into my nerves like sandpaper. ¡°Your guards could help, but you ordered them not to. Don''t act like you''re some benevolent ruler when you''re a twisted tyrant, obsessed with some stupid power!¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. He didn''t even know what exactly my power did, but his eyes shone with greed and desire. ¡°Don''t act like I''m wrong to covet that strength and uniqueness. Otherworlders always have such delightful powers, and yours will be no different. Now hurry up and use it. Your mana is already fading, and soon, you won''t be able to save yourself.¡± Every instinct I had screamed not to give him what he wanted, but what other choice did I have? He had me trapped, and he knew it. Maya clutched me tighter, her hiccups loud in my ears as the staff¡¯s light flashed in warning. Exhaustion sank deeper into me. The connection thinned, stretched like a rubber band until finally, it snapped. Pain tore through my gut, and the staff''s light went out. The undead wasted no time. Clawing limbs reached for us, digging into Maya''s back. She cried out, clinging harder to my neck. The world spun around me like a sickening carousel, blurring sound and color. My stomach heaved, and I barely avoided catching Maya in the bile that splattered the ground. She whimpered, and I held her tighter, fighting the fatigue. Damn it, if I''d known the staff would drain me like this, I wouldn''t have bothered. Staggering back, I gripped the staff and braced. Maybe I could make an opening for Maya to escape. If she survived, I''d consider it a win. Before I could act, the sea of undead parted, and one was shoved to the front. Its plate mail bore a moon symbol on the chest piece. It wasn''t familiar to me, but Maya sucked in a breath and reached for it. ¡°Adan!¡± Fuck, that was her father?! She squirmed, fighting to get to him, and I tightened my hold. ¡°Maya, don''t. That''s not your Adan!¡± But she wouldn''t hear it. ¡°I know that armor. It is! It is!¡± Hope lit her face, the undead raised its sword high above us, poised to strike. Maya''s struggles froze. ¡°Adan?¡± He showed no recognition, as expected, and I lurched sideways. His sword still dug into my shoulder. Pain scalded me, my blood flew, and Maya screamed. ¡°Adan, it''s me! Stop! Please, stop!¡± Her cries fell on deaf ears as the undead raised its sword again. I couldn''t dodge, and Maya was directly in its path. If that blade fell, it would kill more than just me. I couldn''t let the blade fall. There was only one spell strong enough to take out so many opponents. Fast Forward. I hated giving that prick of a king what he wanted, but I had no other options. If Maya and I were to have even the slightest chance at surviving this, I had to do this. Reaching deep inside, I focused on the spell. Exhaustion came back with a vengeance. I''d already used my mana thanks to the staff, but that didn''t matter. I would use this, even if it killed me. Pain cut through my stomach like a hot knife. I shoved it aside, my focus only for the undead. Opening my eyes, I looked at the hundreds of bodies surrounding us and sent the power out in a wave. I swayed, dropping to my knees with Maya still clinging to me. Bile rose again, and I purged it, spitting out stomach acid. The world dulled to a painful buzz until Maya''s shriek cut through the haze. Lifting my head, I watched as the army crumpled to dust. And, starting from my fingertips, my left arm did the same. Lies and Fools Watching my own limb disappear was surreal. A distant, logical part of my mind, the one that has gotten me through hell, screamed that I needed to stop this before it got worse. But what could I do? The power I''d unleashed on the army now lashed back at me, starting with my fingers. Mesmerized, I watched the process begin. My cloak faded, rapidly aging to gray before disintegrating into dust. Unable to take anything in aside from the stump where my arm used to be, a hysterical bubble of laughter escaped my lips. At least I didn''t have to see my arm mummify. The strange pause I''d found myself in shattered, and the logical voice that had been a distant whisper rose into a shrill, screaming siren in my ears. With a shuddering gasp, I released the spell and clutched my shoulder, which throbbed in time with my pulse. Pain hit like a wave, ricocheting through me and gaining force with each resurgence. I held my breath, dread clawing at my insides, waiting to see if the spell would continue even after I stopped it. When a minute passed and the rest of my shoulder stayed intact, relief nearly knocked me over. But that relief was short-lived as slow clapping started from above. Curling protectively around Maya, I glared at Silas. His smile twinged with cruel delight. ¡°Now that was a show! I never thought you''d control time itself! Usually, he''s downright ferocious about his power not falling into mortal hands. What a stroke of luck on my part!¡± He all but danced in place, and I bared my teeth, fighting through the pain to think. No wonder Time didn''t give out this power to people¨CI''d demolished my own arm without meaning to. That wasn''t even considering how much destruction someone like Silas could cause with it. Hell, after seeing it in action, I wished Karma hadn''t given it to me. Shaking that aside, I forced my focus up to Silas and snarled. ¡°If you think I''m going to use that spell again, you''re insane!¡± Even if it hadn''t wiped out my arm, I wouldn''t use it. I didn''t feel bad about using it now because the enemy was undead. Judging by the near-fanatic glint in Silas''s eyes, he had plans, and I doubted his next target would be undead. Silas tipped his head back and laughed. ¡°You''ll find that you won''t have a choice in the matter, Nikolas. You''re hardly the first otherworlder I''ve charmed into my employ, and you won''t be the last.¡± He glanced to his right, where Dominicus stood with a blank expression. ¡°Just ask your friend here. He was pitifully easy to pull under my influence. All it took was a prolonged handshake, and he was mine.¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Damn it, I hadn''t considered he had some kind of mind control ability! Though if it was activated through touch¡­ Glaring up at Silas, I asked. ¡°Why didn''t you put me under immediately then? What was the point of playing nice?¡± He''d clearly wanted me to use the power from the start, so what was there to gain from pretending? He scoffed. ¡°You''re so painfully young and naive. Why should I waste the energy when you might have been persuaded without it? Some of my most loyal generals were otherworlders I summoned, and I never had to use my power on them. You, much like Dominicus here, require being brought to heel though.¡± So Dominicus had refused to help him too. At least I knew he had an unwilling part in this mess. But what about Silas''s ¡®generals''? If they all had powers¡­just what kind of people were we up against? A chill slid up my spine, and I abandoned the thought. I could spiral into an epic tier panic attack over that later. Now, I had other things to worry about. Maya pulled at my arms, still trying to reach her father. If I loosened my hold for even a minute, she''d be gone. With that prick still smiling at us, I couldn''t risk her being out of arm''s reach. Ignoring her sobs, I held her closer and scowled. ¡°What is all of this about, anyway? Why are you summoning so many people here?¡± Even as I asked, a sour feeling twisted in my stomach, warning that I wouldn''t like the answer. I was right. Silas waved his hand and floated down, using a spell to lower himself a few feet away from us. Once he touched the ground again, he answered with a smug smirk that grated on nerves. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious, boy? I want to rule Nexus, but that pesky resistance kept interfering.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°I''ve been chipping away at their forces, but I didn''t expect them to attack all at once like this, and when my generals were gone too!¡± Dread inched through my veins as his words sank in. The resistance¡­ not the undead. Slowly, the pieces started falling into place. The staff not killing the army, the way they hadn''t jumped on Maya immediately. Everything came together in a sickening picture. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, the words little more than a desperate wheeze. Please, let me be wrong. Please, don''t let me have¨C Silas grinned. ¡°Oh, that''s right. The ¡®undead¡¯ army¡­ well, that was a lie.¡± He gestured to Maya''s father. ¡°Thank you ever so much for taking care of these pests for me. I never could have done it without your help.¡± Maya stared at the body of her father¨Cnot an undead version of him, but her actual father¨Cand then looked up at me. Betrayal burned in her eyes, and it ripped a knife through my chest. The pain doubled when she whispered, ¡°You¡­killed him?¡± And what was I supposed to say to that? No? I''m sorry, I thought it wasn''t really him? My stomach swirled, threatening to evict its contents on the grass as I looked out at the hundreds of corpses, all half-withered away. I''d done this. With that thought, I lurched sideways and vomited for the third time this evening. The Price To Pay Silas laughed, the grating sound anchoring me through the dawning horror of the situation and my role in it. Maya snapped out of her frozen stupor, her tiny fists slamming against my chest as she cried. ¡°You hurt him! You said you wanted to help, you said-!¡± Her cries melded together between hiccuping sobs, and I resisted the instinct to comfort her. Nothing I said would make her feel better. Her father was dead because of me, and no apology could fix it. So I stayed quiet, fighting not to be sick again as she continued her assault. Her limbs lashed out wildly, landing on anything they could. Silas just laughed. ¡°Quite the violent child you have there. How about I take her off your hands¡­well, hand.¡± I ignored the jab, more focused on his hands as he reached for Maya. I snapped backward, losing my balance and falling on my ass. His chortles continued, but I didn''t listen, too focused on scrambling away from him before he could grab Maya. I had messed up in the worst way possible, but if I could just get her away from him, at least something could be salvaged. I lurched to my feet, dragging her back, away from Silas and her father. Her struggles picked up, her cries increasing in pitch and frequency as she desperately fought to get away. I didn''t let go, ignoring the fresh bruises her attacks left. Silas watched, smiling at my struggles, but he made no move to step in. I''d take my mercies wherever they came. It would be easier for him to take her now that she was fighting me. No matter what, I couldn''t let that happen. Backing away from Silas, I glanced around for an exit, any exit. There were none. The only escape was back toward the sea of bodies and armor now crumpled on the ground. In my condition, I couldn''t move through them quickly, and even if I could, Silas wasn¡¯t about to let Fast Forward go so easily. Solutions flew through my mind, each one discarded as quickly as it formed. We were surrounded, outnumbered, and out matched. When sharp fingernails dug into my shoulder¨Cthe one lacking a hand¨CI hissed, forcibly dragged back to the present. Maya, seeing her opportunity, focused on the weak spot mercilessly. She dug her fingers into the freshly wounded limb until blood ran down my skin in rivers. My grip loosened instinctively, and she wrenched away, dodging my hurried grab for her.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. In a blink, she knelt next to her father, her sobs muffled into his armor as she curled against his side. I didn''t try to grab her again. The world spun sickeningly, and I sucked in breath after breath, trying to make it stop. Exhaustion, heavy and suffocating, pressed down around me, adding to the misery until it was all I could do to clutch the grass for an anchor through it. Silas circled me, content to ignore Maya for now. ¡°Ah, it looks like all that exertion is catching up to you. Losing a limb and draining your mana in such a short amount of time will do that. How does it feel, to know I made a fool out of you?¡± He sneered, using his sword to force my eyes up to his. ¡°You noble types are all the same. You jump to help the weak and pathetic. It makes setting traps for you laughably easy. Dominicus was the same. All I had to do was tell him that brat over there needed help. He took out an entire batch of resistance members before he realized the truth.¡± At least I wasn''t the only one who''d fallen for the act. It was cold comfort for my pride, if nothing else. Shaking that aside, I glared at Silas. ¡°Laugh all you like. If kindness drops me into bad situations, I''ll still choose to be kind.¡± He raised a brow, smile still firmly in place. ¡°And how did your kindness work out this time?¡± I flinched, forcing myself not to look at the army of corpses. ¡°It would have been fine if not for the piece of shit king who lied to me.¡± His expression closed off, and something darker flashed over his features. It was gone before I could analyze it, his face back into its pleasant mask. ¡°You''d like me to be kind? Alright then.¡± He turned to Maya, the cruel glint in his eyes sending every protective instinct in me into a frenzy. ¡°Get away from her!¡± I snapped, and he ignored me, his stride steady. Once he stood at her shoulder, he all but cooed, every word dripping with ill intent. ¡°Maya, would you like me to bring your adan back?¡± He was planning something, and whatever it was, it wouldn''t be in Maya''s favor. I struggled to stand again, my still spinning surroundings not helping as I teetered weakly. ¡°Don''t listen to him, Maya!¡± Silas shot a bored look at me and flicked his wrist. ¡°You wanted to see kindness. I''ll show you kindness.¡± He hissed the last word and then muttered a spell I couldn''t make out. An invisible force shoved me over, a weight like cement settling on my chest as he focused back on Maya. She raised her head from her father''s armor, eyes shiny with tears and hope. ¡°You can bring him back?¡± Silas nodded, his face arranged into a mask of sympathy. ¡°Of course I can. I''ll need your help, though.¡¯ Wrong, wrong, wrong. The feeling of wrongness screamed through me, and I fought to pull in enough air to warn her. ¡°Don''t listen to him-!¡± He glanced my way, and the weight increased, all but crushing my ribs. Iron assaulted my taste buds, and I swallowed it, struggling to breathe. Maya hesitated, uncertainty clear, and Silas''s eyes narrowed. ¡°Are you really going to believe the one who killed your adan?¡± Any uncertainty left her and she shook her head, turning away from me. ¡°No. How do I help bring him back?¡± I struggled uselessly against the spell as Silas brought her closer, his sinister smile going over her head. ¡°You need to make a promise, an oath. Your life for his.¡± Damn it all, I knew it was going to be something like that¡­ From Bad To Worse She stepped back, fear taking over as Silas''s damning words broke the silence. ¡°My life¡­ for Adan''s? You''re going to kill me?¡± Silas shook his head. ¡°Oh no, nothing like that. I''ll bring your adan back, and you will serve me.¡± He squeezed her shoulder. ¡°Anything I say, you''ll do it without hesitation.¡± I thrashed against the invisible force, and Maya looked at me, torn. I shook my head, trying to convey what words couldn''t. After a minute, she looked back to Silas. ¡°Adan will be back?¡± Silas nodded. ¡°Yes, and he''ll be better than before. He''ll be unkillable. Nothing will take him from you again.¡± Dreadful understanding dawned. He was going to raise her father as an undead. I couldn''t warn her; the weight on my chest had increased to the point darkness was closing in. Through my rapidly tunneling vision, I watched Maya square her shoulders and nod, sealing her fate. ¡°I promise, just¡­please bring my adan back.¡± Silas shook his finger. ¡°Ah-ah, that''s not how you make an oath.¡± He took her hand, lifted his sword, and sliced across her palm. She flinched, a small whimper escaping her lips, but she didn''t fight. Blood welled up and he instructed, ¡°Now repeat after me: by this pact, my life is yours.¡± She looked toward her father''s body before slowly speaking. ¡°By this pact, my life is yours.¡± The air charged with power as invisible bonds snapped into place, chaining her very soul to the oath. I shuddered, barely clinging to consciousness as Silas smiled and waved a hand. ¡°Good girl. Now, for my end of the bargain.¡± Instead of casting a spell, he called over his shoulder, ¡°Dominicus, come here.¡± In the chaos, I''d forgotten he was here. Unfortunately, Silas had not. The bat hybrid unfurled his wings and coasted down from his place on the wall, landing silently. Silas wasted no time. ¡°Use your special ability on this young lady''s father.¡± I could only lie still and watch as Dominicus raised a hand over the corpse and channeled power into it. His stare stayed blank and empty as strands of magic wove down, covering the body until, with an almost physical crack, his ability took hold. The body rose like a doll, its head lolled back as more and more magic coiled around it. Every hair on my neck stood to attention as the power sank into dead skin and¡­changed it.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. When Dominicus cut off the power, the body dropped, the newly made undead catching itself on one knee. Maya lunged forward, wrapping herself around the corpse with a cry. ¡°Adan, you''re okay!¡± She burrowed into the undead''s shoulder, joy quickly fading into confusion when there was no response. Dread built in my chest as she eased back, a frown tugging at her lips. ¡°Adan?¡± She poked its shoulder, but it didn''t react, staring blankly ahead at Dominicus, waiting for an order. Silas chortled, the sound raking against my nerves. ¡°He can''t answer you, girl.¡± She backed away, face twisting with confused despair as she spun on Silas. "You said you''d bring Adan back!¡± Silas''s hand flashed out, striking Maya and sending her tumbling into the grass. She cradled her cheek, shaking like a leaf in a hurricane, eyes wide with dawning fear. Silas wiped his hand on his robes, a hint of disgust there and gone in the blink of an eye. ¡°You will mind your tone when you speak to me, peasant. I am the rightful king of Nexus and you will respect me as such.¡± Maya scooted back until she pressed against the undead''s knee. Then, looking at the unfeeling husk wearing her father''s skin, she curled in on herself and cried. Silas marched forward without pity, another cruel plan already brewing behind his eyes. ¡°Yes, yes. I tricked you. Now, onto other matters. Cease your crying and stand up.¡± She shook her head, tightening her grip on her knees. ¡°No, I want my adan!¡± Silas''s lips curled. ¡°He''s out of your reach, brat. No one can bring back a soul once it''s left this plane. Now, get. Up.¡± His words pulsed with magic, the invisible power thickening the air. Maya jerked upright like a puppet on strings, staring in open mouthed disbelief before it melted into terror. ¡°What did you do to me!?¡± Exactly what I''d feared. With the oath she''d given him, he had control over every aspect of her life, including her will. Silas''s smile stretched wider until it looked almost unnatural. ¡°I did nothing. This is all thanks to the oath you took. Remember, your life is mine.¡± Maya paled, a sheen of sweat coating her forehead as she struggled against his hold. It didn''t budge, and after another futile attempt, she looked at me. Desperation and pleading melded in her expression, silently begging me to do something. The combination curdled my stomach, guilt further driving home how useless I was. I''d come to Nexus to help people like Maya, yet the only thing I succeeded in doing was tearing apart the world¡¯s only hope. Karma¡¯s smile painted behind my eyes, her words coming back like a punch to the stomach. I''m a great judge of character, and I can already tell that you''re going to do good in Nexus. Yeah, fat lot of good I''d done. I hadn''t even found any information about the apocalypse, just a few suspicions with little evidence to back them. I''d failed in my purpose and gotten good, innocent people killed in the process. Disappointment slithered through me, but before it could sink its claws deeper, Silas snapped his fingers, and the weight on my chest disappeared. I sucked in a breath and staggered to my feet, ignoring the sickening lurch in my stomach. ¡°You won''t get away with this.¡± Silas raised an eyebrow. ¡°Won''t I? With your power at my side, you''ll find I will. Now, to get on with that.¡± He raised his hand and moved to close the distance. The Cavalry Arrives, Just In Time I jumped back, barely avoiding his grab as adrenaline hammered through my veins. I couldn''t let this happen, I couldn''t. Glaring at him, I gritted out, ¡°You won''t get this power.¡± In a moment of desperation, I grabbed a fallen soldier''s blade. Silas scoffed, watching as I swayed in place. ¡°Come now, Nikolas, you can''t even stand properly. You must know that you can''t beat me.¡± Ignoring his taunt, I pressed the sword to my neck and watched his smile slide off his face. Vicious satisfaction bloomed in my chest, and I swallowed past the knot in my throat. ¡°I can''t beat you, but I can ensure you never get your filthy hands on this power.¡± My determination bled through every word. I didn''t want to die, but wouldn''t let him use me to cause more suffering. I''d already caused enough. Silas must have realized how serious I was, because he raised his palms placatingly. ¡°Now, now. Don''t do anything rash. You''ll regret it if you do.¡± I pressed the blade closer until a sting pinched my throat and a thin trail of blood slid downward. Silas hissed, and I met his glare head-on. ¡°If it keeps this power away from you, there''s not a damn thing I''ll regret about killing myself.¡± I''d already messed up in every possible way. If taking myself out of the equation was the only way to prevent worse¡­so be it. But instead of bargaining or desperation, Silas''s eyes darkened with cold amusement. ¡°Two can play that game, boy.¡± Before I could blink, he looked toward Maya and ordered, ¡°Grab your father''s sword and put it to your throat.¡± Her eyes bulged as her body obeyed against her will. With the blade at her neck, Silas faced me again, raising a brow. ¡°If you kill yourself, do so with the knowledge that you''re also killing her.¡± Damn it all, could I not get one break?! Silas smiled again, stepping toward me with a knowing look. ¡°Now that you''re restrained, let''s finish this.¡± He reached out, palm inches away from my face. Instinct screamed to life, demanding I get away. If I let him control me, he''d rain down hell, and it would be my fault. The blood of those who suffered under Fast Forward would be on my hands. I couldn''t let that happen, but¡­ Maya''s tear-streaked face lingered in the corner of my eyes, keeping me still. After everything I''d cost her, I couldn''t be the reason she died too.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The choice was impossible, tearing me in two directions. Save thousands and kill a child¡­or spare the child and risk countless lives. My stomach rolled the longer I thought about it. His palm moved closer, his body heat brushing my head as my heart thundered against my ribs. I was out of options and out of time. Wait¡­out of time. Inspiration struck like lightning, and Karma''s words rang in my ears. You''ll get along great with Time too, I know it! Time was the answer. He should have been here by now, but I''d put off trying to contact him out of fear. No more. Maya would survive this mess. One way or another. Staring dead into Silas''s eyes, I shoved aside my unease and screamed, ¡°Time, I know you can hear me, you fuck! Get down here and help me!¡± Was it wise to curse out the spirit who probably didn''t like me? Perhaps not, but my shoulder burned, exhaustion dragged on me like chains, and I was done. He could kill me for all I cared, as long as he made sure that fucking king died too, I''d go with a smile. Silas stopped, his hand just shy of touching me as disbelief tore through his manic smile. ¡°You truly think Time himself will bother to step in on your behalf? How stu¨C¡± He froze, mouth open and eyes unblinking. Everything around us skidded to a halt, from Dominicus steady breathing to the tears rolling down Maya''s cheeks. The air charged with raw power and the hair on my arm stood to attention. Magic built, blanketing the area until my teeth ached from the pressure. Just as it felt like my head would explode, a figure appeared a few yards away and the crushing power eased. But only enough for me to breathe. A man stood where there had been open air, arms crossed, and a diamond-hard scowl cut into his face. Long black hair draped over his shoulders, and when I finally met his gaze, ice surged through my veins. His eyes were dark like Karma''s but they lacked her warmth and life. His stare promised pain, suffering, and death to any who crossed him. And I''d just cussed him out. Ignoring the urge to hide or run screaming, I sucked in a breath and forced myself to speak. ¡°You came.¡± Relief shook my words, but it didn''t last long. Time tipped his head, his narrowed gaze never leaving me. The intense feeling of being a bug under a microscope drilled through me, but before I could speak to break the tension, Time beat me to it. ¡°Yes, out of curiosity, if nothing else. It isn''t everyday a mortal calls for me.¡± His gaze darkened. ¡°Least of all with such disrespect.¡± A chill worked down my spine but I forced it aside to speak my case before he could do anything drastic. ¡°Sorry, but as you can see, things are a bit of a clusterfuck right now. I''m not exactly concerned with propriety and manners.¡± Some of the weight of his stare lifted, and he hummed, considering Silas and Maya with a frown. ¡°Obviously. Still, I don''t take Chosens because I don''t want to be summoned.¡± He squinted and made a low noise of understanding. ¡°You bare the essence of my wife, Karma. You must be her Chosen¡­¡± He ran a finger over the blade still poised at my throat. Pressing it down, he continued. ¡°So why did you not call for her?¡± A bark of hysterical laughter wrestled out of my lungs, and I snapped. ¡°What do you think I''ve been doing the past day?! She hasn''t answered and¨C¡± In a blink, the sword fell to the grass, and I was in the air, Time''s hand wrapped securely in my shirt as he brought us nose to nose. Old instincts and memories of beatings rose, tangling and twisting into a frenzied knot in my chest. Half of me screamed to run, hide before the threat could do any harm. The other half burned to fight, to lash out and take the element of surprise. Through it all, one clear thought rang through me. I knew this was going to end badly for me. Youre Not Wrong, But I Dont Like It Of all the ways I''d expected Time to react when we met, physically hauling me off the ground hadn''t made the list. If he wanted me dead, he didn''t need to dirty his hands. The possibility of physical abuse hadn''t crossed my mind. I should have known better. Our noses hovered inches apart as he shook me, dragging my focus back to the present. ¡°What do you mean she hasn''t answered? Where is my wife?¡± Every syllable promised a long, painful death. Memories I''d prefer never to relive surfaced, making me shiver. It took every ounce of grit I had to stare into his eyes, dark as a bottomless pit, and answer calmly. ¡°I don''t know. That''s the fucking problem. Last I saw her, she was sending me here, looking exhausted. She wouldn¡¯t answer when I asked if she was alright.¡± He continued to stare, holding me several inches off the ground as silence stretched on. His gaze was probing, searching for something I couldn''t fathom. I had no other information to give on this. Finally, he sighed, exhaustion clear as he set me gently onto the grass. ¡°My apologies, I tend to get¡­overexcited when it comes to my wife.¡± No kidding. I took several steps back and just breathed. It had been a long time since I''d been cornered and helpless like that. My nerves didn''t appreciate the trip down memory lane. Forcing away the subtle shake in my hand, I settled on a less biting response. ¡°It doesn''t matter. I''ve dealt with worse.¡± He raised a brow, curiosity clear, but thankfully didn''t pry. ¡°As for Karma¡¯s whereabouts, she is most likely resting. I warned her that pulling someone from another universe was difficult, but she insisted she¡¯d be fine.¡± Under his breath, he grumbled. ¡°Clearly it took more out of her than she anticipated, if she can¡¯t hear your calls.¡± Despite my lingering wariness, concern rose to the surface. ¡°Is she okay?¡± I hadn''t known her long, but she seemed genuinely nice. I didn''t want her to suffer because she''d pulled me here from Earth. Time hummed, flicking a long look at my missing arm. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine, with rest, though the same cannot be said of you.¡± Self-consciousness tugged at me, and I hid the stump in my cloak. Once it was out of sight, his gaze met mine. The coldness that had made my instincts scream danger faded, replaced with a careful blankness.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Then, he straightened with a nod. ¡°Since she isn¡¯t available, I will make an exception this time and help you.¡± He glanced around, taking in the sea of corpses before slowly looking back at me. Disbelief and what might have been wonder broke through his neutral mask. ¡°What¡­happened? You have only been on Nexus for a day and in that time, you¡¯ve single-handedly demolished the resistance¡¯s army, paving the way for the tyrant to take the rest of Nexus.¡± He didn''t sound angry or like he was blaming me, but I flinched all the same. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize he was a tyrant. That¡¯s why I was trying to get a hold of Karma. I needed more information, but he kept pushing that the army was undead, that they were going to destroy the last of humanity. It seemed to fit the bill for ¡®cataclysm of the apocalypse¡¯.¡± Which was why I''d been sent here in the first place. Silas had given me a bad feeling from the start, but with no real reason to think he was evil, I hadn''t wanted to focus on that. Now, I wished I had. Time grimaced. ¡°You were made a fool of then.¡± Blunt as hell, wasn''t he? Still, he wasn''t wrong. Dragging my hand through my hair, I looked away. ¡°Yeah, but it doesn¡¯t matter right now. You need to get that kid out of here.¡± He turned, and when he looked over Maya, his almost bored expression darkened. ¡°Explain.¡± The one word was bitten off, anger burning in his tone. The urge to run or hide reared up again, but I struggled to contain it enough to answer. ¡°Long story short, the king tricked her into making an oath, her life in exchange for her father''s. He planned to control me for the power Karma gave me, so I was¡­going to remove myself from the situation. Silas retaliated by threatening to make her do the same, if I went through with it.¡± Time''s lips thinned and he shot me a reproachful glare. ¡°To throw away your life so easily¡­¡± I bristled. ¡°It wasn''t easy, but I couldn''t very well let that prick get a hold of Fast Forward! Even I know that would be a disaster.¡± Why did he care anyway? He still looked halfway ready to murder me himself. Shaking that aside, I watched as Time shut his eyes with a sigh. ¡°Yes, which is why I never give mortals even the slightest amount of my power.¡± He shook his head, a hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. ¡°Of all the powers to give you, she gave that.¡± I cut in before he could throw the blame on Karma''s shoulders. ¡°It''s not her fault, we were in a time crunch and a little girl''s life was at stake. If you want to blame anyone, blame me.¡± At least I''ll have earned the blame this time. Time flicked his fingers toward my hidden stump with a low grunt. ¡°Given the state of your arm, I doubt a lecture is necessary, and blame, in this case, is with my wife for not explaining things properly.¡± I shook my head. ¡°She was just trying to help me.¡± There hadn''t been many people who did that in my life, and I refused to let her catch flak for it. Time''s eyes softened just a touch. ¡°Yes, and that kindness drew me toward her from the beginning.¡± He shook the brief fondness aside to frown. ¡°That said, well-meaning but uninformed or poorly thought out help often results in unfortunate or dangerous situations. As you have seen for yourself.¡± Well, this entire situation could be used as an example of that, so he wasn''t wrong¡­ Do You Forget Who I AM? I burned to keep arguing, to defend Karma, but there was no point. There was no arguing with Time. So I changed the subject, if only a little. It meant focusing on the mess I made, but at least we could leave this topic behind. ¡°You''re right, at least in my case. I didn''t mean for any of this to happen, but that doesn''t matter.¡± It certainly wouldn''t to the soldiers'' families. Dozens of kids like Maya were now without a parent because of me, spouses waiting for a return that would never come¡­ My stomach churned, and I looked at Maya''s frozen features, the tears driving my failure deeper. No, good intentions weren''t enough. Actions were what mattered, and my determination solidified again. ¡°I killed hundreds of people, and I''m willing to accept whatever punishment you deem necessary for it, but please don¡¯t make that kid pay for my mistakes. She¡¯s already suffered enough.¡± More than any child should. Time considered me, his heavy stare settling like cement as he raised an eyebrow. ¡°You''ve already decided that you deserve to be punished?¡± I laugh, dry and jaded. ¡°I killed people. Not undead, but real people. Nothing makes that alright.¡± I''d expected him to be angry with me over that¨Cany sane person would be¨Cbut Time shrugged. ¡°We all make mistakes; some come with heavy consequences. You already lost your arm and have buried yourself in guilt. I doubt any other punishment could outweigh that.¡± The laid-back air he held was a vast improvement over his near-frantic worry from earlier. A knot of tension in my chest eased, and I breathed a little easier. Maybe he wasn''t so bad after all. Though¡­I still wasn''t sure about Karma''s decision to ¡®adopt¡¯ me. She''d seemed pretty set on it, but even the idea of having two spirits as parents made my head spin. Not to mention, the thought of calling Time himself ¡®Dad¡¯ made my lungs burn with the urge to laugh. Yeah, better to just not go there. Time tensed, his gaze snapping to me from where he''d previously been examining Maya. ¡°My wife did what?¡± Icy realization dawned, and my stomach plummeted as two things occurred to me. One, he could read my thoughts. Two, Karma hadn''t told him about her whole ¡®adopting¡¯ thing.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡­Great. Just great. There was no anger in his words, just shock. That was the only thing that kept me from crawling out of my skin in panic. Heat rose in my cheeks, and I choked, ¡°You can read my thoughts?¡± He stepped closer, his mouth twisting into a frown as his surprise melted into impatience. ¡°You have my power; it creates a link between us. Explain about Karma¡­adopting you.¡± I backed away, keeping well out of his reach. This was looking more and more like another Mr. Bugel situation, and I was not going through that again. Though distance would hardly stop Time if he decided to lash out¡­ Shaking the thought aside before I could spiral, I tried to wave the subject off, resolutely avoiding his drilling gaze. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We have other things to worry about¨C¡± ¡°I asked you a question, and I don''t like to repeat myself.¡± He didn''t try to come closer, but his tone turned sharp and unyielding. His eyes mirrored it, boring into me as if he could pry the information out by force of will. Being stared down by Time himself would usually cow me, but I was tired, my shoulder burned, and the new life I''d been excited for had turned to thirty-one flavors of misery. He wanted the truth? Fine, I''d give it to him. Squaring my shoulders, I glared at him. ¡°You wanna know so badly? Fine! She got it in her head to adopt me. Fuck if I know why. I didn''t think it was smart to tell the clearly powerful spirit it was a bad idea, so I went along with it.¡± I gestured to Maya and hissed. ¡°Now can we please focus on the literal child who has a sword to her throat not three yards away from us?!¡± Asking for help from him left a sour taste in my mouth, but it wasn''t like I could do anything on my own. Everything I''d tried had backfired hilariously, so relying on Time it was. Hopefully, the price for his help wouldn''t be too steep. I knew I''d wind up paying for this somehow. Whatever. If I can at least get him to save the kid, it doesn''t matter. My life¡¯s always been a dumpster fire, so why should now be different? It wasn''t fair, but life had never promised to be. Time huffed. ¡°I''m not going to kill you. My wife is clearly attached already, and unless you give me good reason, I won''t hurt her by taking you away.¡± The urge rose to press my hands to my temple like some kind of physical shield against his mind reading, but I resisted. It wouldn''t help, and I only had one arm to use anyway. Irritation bubbled in my veins, and once I met his eyes, I grumbled, ¡°I like you reading my thoughts even less than I liked Karma doing it.¡± Time''s blank mask cracked, amusement breaking through. ¡°You will adjust. In the meantime, we need to discuss what happens next.¡± That pulled me up short. ¡°What can happen? That prick can''t get a hold of Fast Forward, and I wiped out the resistance. How in the world can we fix this?¡± No amount of duct tape or super glue was going to help this mess. He scoffed and crossed his arms, one eyebrow raised high. ¡°Do you forget who I am? I am Time. I control its flow.¡± And¡­yeah. To be completely honest, I had forgotten who he was, but to turn back time for an entire planet? Could he really do that?! The idea of anyone being able to rewind an entire planet by nearly a full day was mind-boggling, but if anyone could do it, it would be the spirit of Time himself. New Hope -- 25 For the first time since Silas revealed the truth of my actions, hope bloomed in my chest and I grasped onto it with everything in me. Thinking of how powerful Time was¨Cnot to mention the possibility of other, equally terrifying spirits existing alongside him¨Cnearly fried my brain, so I shoved the topic aside to pick up later, when I could rock myself in a corner over the terror of it all. Instead, I focused on him and the offer he seemed to be extending. ¡°So you can¡­bring us back to when I first landed here?¡± Time nodded. ¡°Yes, though rewinding the entirety of Nexus will be¡­draining.¡± Okay, so it was possible, but not necessarily easy for him. Whatever others there were like him probably had similar limitations. That was oddly reassuring. Even spirits couldn''t pull such massive feats without paying for it. Time grimaced and shot me a reproachful look. ¡°Yes, and pay for it I shall. I can only use my powers on this scale once per year, and afterward, I''ll need to rest.¡± He glanced at the carnage around us. ¡°Given your lack of knowledge led to our current predicament, I will take human form for my rest and travel with you to ensure nothing like this happens again.¡± Heat inched up my neck, and I grumbled, ¡°I don''t need a babysitter.¡± It wasn''t like I would find another lying asshole of a king to be fooled by. After this, I''d be more careful. More cautious in who I trusted. I didn''t need someone constantly over my shoulder. Time hummed. ¡°Arguable, but there''s no other course of action. Besides, we are still uncertain how this king''s plans led to even the spirits being extinguished. We can investigate that more later.¡± I perked up, happy to have some information on that front, even if it wasn''t as much as I''d like. ¡°The only thing I found out was that he''s been summoning ¡®otherworlders¡¯ for a while now. They all have powers he wants, and if they don''t join him willingly, he takes control of their mind like the bat guy over there.¡± I gestured to Dominicus, and Time tipped his head, considering that. ¡°Perhaps the one he summoned is the culprate or even one of those he summoned in the past¡­¡± He shook himself. ¡°We need more information. That will come later. First, I will rewind Nexus. During this, you will be placed somewhere else, otherwise your memories will be altered. Once I finish with my work, I will bring you back into Nexus, into the very moment you arrived. When you land, kill the king immediately with Fast Forward. Afterward, I will remove it from your spells.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Hold up, he wanted me to what?! ¡°I think I need to clean out my ears. Can you please run that by me again? You want me to use the power that removed my arm and killed an army?¡± My heart hammered and vivid flashes of my arm crumbling in on itself soured my stomach. Time shrugged, as if he were asking me to get him a snack, not potentially kill myself. ¡°Your unease is well-founded. Usually, I would never allow a human to have such power precisely because of how difficult it is to control, but I don''t have the energy to give you another on top of rewinding. He can control you, so the best course of action is to take him out before he can do so.¡± It sounded so cut and dry when he said it like that. Shaking my head, I looked away from him. ¡°I''m a doctor. I didn''t come here to kill.¡± That sure didn''t stop you from wiping out an army. I winced and shoved the venomous voice to the farthest reaches of my mind. I did not have time for it today. Time cut in, thankfully redirecting my thoughts before they spiraled. ¡°And when I use my power, you won''t have taken any lives. The army will stand again.¡± I gestured to Silas. ¡°He''s a slime, but he still qualifies as living.¡± Steady dark eyes locked on mine, and I resisted the urge to squirm under his stare. He wasn''t angry or disapproving, but the sheer weight of the years he''d lived made me feel as helpless as a newborn. He blinked, breaking the suffocating tension. ¡°The king has imprisoned and beaten down thousands, the girl you''re trying to save included. If he''s left alive, he will continue his plans, summoning more people with powers. This cannot continue. Any one of them could be the catalyst, so he must be stopped. Permanently.¡± The weight of his gaze lightened, if only a bit. ¡°Hesitating to take a life is a good trait; one should never be hasty with such things. But his death could save millions.¡± I bit back a hiss of frustration before it could wrangle its way out. Getting pissy with Time was not only counterproductive, but also stupid. He was offering to use a lot of power to fix my mistake, and I should be grateful for that. But¡­ ¡°Why don''t you do it if it''s that important?¡± None of my irritation bled into the question, only bone-deep exhaustion, and Time raised an eyebrow. ¡°You have seen firsthand how protective I am of my wife. This king is a potent threat to her. Do you truly think that, if I could dispatch the king, I wouldn''t have already done so?¡± That¡­was a valid point, and he continued with a grim nod. ¡°Spirits are not capable of taking a life. Even Death only shepherds those who have already passed. It has to be you.¡± He raised his arms, cutting off any response I might have had. Crushing pressure filled the room again, pure magic pouring in until my head threatened to explode from the force. Silas, Dominicus, and Maya stayed frozen as Time rose in the air, his eyes glowing bright enough to slice through the darkness of night. Then, I heard his voice in my head, its ethereal echo adding to the painful headache building behind my eyes. ¡°Show me my wife wasn''t wrong to choose you.¡± Then, everything disappeared. Memories And Nightmares -- 26 ¡°You went out and got yourself into trouble again, didn''t you, Nikolas?¡± That voice, barely an echo of a memory, wrapped around me. The familiar scent of lavender followed, drawing me deeper into the comforting cocoon I found myself in. I curled closer, relishing the safety these arms brought. Nothing could go wrong when she was here. A distant instinct screamed that this was wrong, but I shoved the feeling aside. If there was something wrong, I''d figure it out later. I hadn''t felt this safe in years, and I was going to enjoy it. Her chuckle brushed against my consciousness like silk, and she held me tighter. ¡°My brave little Nikolas, always the first to jump into harm''s way to save someone else.¡± Thin, graceful fingers wove into my hair, rubbing my scalp until waves of contentment washed over me. Through the-mind numbing bliss, I muttered, aware but uncaring of how much higher my voice was. ¡°I had to. I couldn''t let them hurt her.¡± Who was ¡®her¡¯ again? Everything felt so¡­disconnected and airy. A distant alarm fought to break through the fuzz of contentment wrapped tightly around me. I was forgetting something important. I needed to do something, be somewhere that wasn''t here. But couldn''t it wait just a little longer? The safety and warmth all but rocked me, ripping away any concerns before they could form. A few more minutes couldn''t hurt. Burrowing deeper into the familiar arms, I threw aside the odd feeling, soaking in the moment instead. The woman continued finger-combing my hair, her voice soft, lulling me into near sleep. ¡°Those bullies are a menace. Look at you, covered in bruises for the second time this week.¡± Bullies? The alarm sharpened, jabbing holes in the lethargy holding me still. The girl I saved hadn''t been attacked by bullies. There''d been an army of undead¨Cno. That wasn''t right either. I''d been lied to. I''d killed hundreds before realizing the truth, Maya¡¯s father included. I''d called Time to fix my mess. Like a bucket of ice water, the truth hit, dispelling the warmth and safety I''d been sinking into like quicksand. The fog around my mind disappeared in a snap, the arms around me now suffocating instead of comforting. Their grip tightened, leaving bruises in their wake. I knew the owner of that voice, something deep in my soul would never let me forget, and last we spoke, she was far from loving. Ripping away from the painful hold, I stared into the face of my mother. Her expression wavered between the loving one she''d worn only once and the twisted sneer I was far more familiar with.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°You always have to stick your nose into things, don''t you? Everything would have been perfect if you just minded your own business that day.¡± I turned away and started walking. This wasn''t the first time I''d had a nightmare about her or the event that had landed me in the orphanage, but the sting burned as strongly as ever. Usually, I''d wake up immediately upon remembering who my mother was. Her taunting voice floated over my shoulder, rubbing in the fact that she was still there. ¡°Running away from your problems, Nikolas? How like you.¡± I bristled, but didn''t turn around. There was no point arguing with a figment of my imagination. It was a waste of time, and right now, I couldn''t afford to linger here. ¡°Show me my wife wasn''t wrong to choose you.¡± Time''s words echoed through me, driving my determination deeper. I''d slept long enough. It was time to get a move on. Ignoring the taunts still flowing freely from behind me, I slapped both hands over my cheeks as hard as I could. The voice disappeared in a snap, and with a jolt, I lurched upright, freed from the nightmare. Relief washed over me, only for confusion to drown it in the next second. Something grainy fell from my hair, resting softly in my lap. I pressed it between my fingers and frowned at the black sand. Where had that come from? The castle was surrounded by grass and dirt. Looking up to take stock of my surroundings, I froze. This¡­was not the castle. Sand was everywhere. Rolling dunes, like the deserts on Earth, stretched without end into the distance. I took a few steps and froze as the sand I stepped on turned black. Kneeling, I picked up a handful and let it slide between my fingers. The gold bled into a pale yellow before graying. Stepping back, I watched mesmerized as it went back to gold. It was fascinating. Glancing up at the sky, my mouth fell open at the swirling mass of blueish-gray sand. It moved and shimmered like water, the gentle sway reminiscent to the Northern Lights. I walked a few paces and bent my head back, looking from different angles. It almost made me dizzy from the swirls of color, but I couldn''t look away. The colors and pace of the swaying captured my attention as I darted back and forth. Until I sank to my knees, nearly throwing me forward. I regained my balance and stared at the ocean of dark purple and silver sand that hadn''t been there a minute ago. This sand felt different, denser and almost cool to the touch. Further out, waterfalls of sand flowed in reverse, linking the sea to the sky, and the bizarre beauty of it all stole my breath away. Before I could think better of it, I reached forward and touched the sand ocean. Instead of sticking to my fingers, the mass rippled. I did it again, a massive smile pulling across my lips as it settled. This was amazing, but where exactly was I? Last I remembered, Time was going to rewind Nexus and put me back to when I first got there. This was definitely not Nexus. Clearing my throat, I spoke aloud, hoping he could hear me. ¡°Time?¡± No answer, and a kernel of unease twisted in my gut. Had he left me in this acid trip of a world as some kind of payback for cursing him out? It was beautiful, but I wouldn''t want to stay for long. A snort came from nowhere, and something brushed my shoulder, a ghost of a hand, there and gone in a blink. Then, his voice echoed through my mind. "Be at ease. Nothing will harm you while I am here." Relief washed away the start of panic, and I turned, frowning at the open air I''d sworn I heard him speak from. He chuckled this time, though it was weighed down with exhaustion. ¡°We are still connected. As such, I can speak to you without needing to be physically present.¡± Right, I forgot about that¡­ Setting that aside, I gestured to the sand wonderland and asked, "What is this place?" He hummed, fondness lightening his tone. "This is The Inbetween. The space where spirits dwell. You are currently not far from Karma and my home.¡± Oh¡­ the sands of Time. The changing colors and landscape made so much more sense now. One question down, a few thousand more to go. Sands Of Time -- 27 Focusing through the swirling confusion, I glanced down at the discolored sand beneath my feet and asked the first question that came to mind. ¡°Why does the sand I touch turn black?¡± It wasn''t as dark as before, now a dim yellow, but it stood out sharply against the blinding gold around us. Silence stretched for a moment before the sand started gathering in a ball, twisting and swirling. When it grew to my height, a brilliant flash blinded me. Blinking away the spots, I found Time standing where the sand had been. Not a single grain clung to him despite the cloud surrounding him. With a flick of his hand, the cloud dropped to rest between our feet. ¡°Questions are easier to answer when I am like this,¡± He said, looking down at the sand. ¡°As for that, the answer is simple. This world reacts to the emotions of anyone who resides in it, visitor or resident. The sand turned black due to a strong negative emotion on your part.¡± Flashes of the nightmare painted behind my eyelids. Old pain twisted, writhing like a snake in my chest like a snake, and the sand darkened again. I took a deep breath and forced thoughts of the past¨Cof her¨Caway. ¡°Right, I guess that makes sense. Sorry if that messed up your home.¡± I wouldn''t appreciate it if someone dropped a bucket of black paint all over my yard. Hopefully, it would fade once he dropped me back on Nexus. Time hummed, unconcerned. ¡°There is no damage done. Once you leave, the sand will revert to its natural color. I am almost finished turning back Nexus. Once that is done, you will return.¡± Then it would be time to get to work. Silas would be my top priority, and after him, there was the apocalypse to figure out, not to mention whatever that idiot summoned. My head ached just thinking about my ever-growing to-do list. I pressed a hand to my forehead, hoping to ease the pressure. Through the building ache, I felt the weight of Time''s stare. It settled on me like a heavy stone, and when it didn''t lift after a minute, I met his gaze. He didn''t look away or appear embarrassed. Instead, his gaze dug deeper, as if he were searching for something. Unease slid up my spine and I cleared my throat. "Is something wrong?"The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He didn''t break his stare, not even to blink, and the silence dragged on. I shifted in place, discomfort growing with every second. Just as I moved to say something¨Canything to shatter the suffocating silence¨CTime spoke. "Karma saw something in you. Something that made her take you as a Chosen. It isn''t often she extends that trust to a human, but she is wise. I will not question her judgment.¡± His tone was neutral, without a hint of what he was thinking. My skin crawled in response and I rubbed the back of my head. ¡°Okay?¡± Why was he telling me this now? I would''ve thought he''d have said it back when he first learned I was Karma''s Chosen¡­ Time didn''t comment despite being able to read my thoughts. The stare-off continued, tension thick in the air. Until finally, he continued. ¡°Know this, human. Karma will always be my top priority. No harm will come to her, intentional or otherwise.¡± His gaze sharpened, deadly as a blade coated in poison. ¡°I will do whatever I need to ensure that stays true. Do you understand?" Hurt her and die. The stifling atmosphere doubled down and I swallowed around the new knot in my throat. Okay, so¡­ a shovel talk from Time himself. That hadn''t been on my bucket list, but at least his sudden intensity made sense now. He''d hauled me off the ground out of worry for Karma, so I probably should have seen this coming. Though¡­was it still considered a shovel talk when it''s not about a romantic relationship? Meh, whatever. Fighting the urge to run, I nodded. "Noted." His stare lightened, and he lost some of his severe air. ¡°Good. We have an understanding then.¡± He turned partially toward the ocean, his expression grim again. ¡°You have been chosen for a quest that will decide the fate of Nexus. Make the most of it, and remember the honor that has been bestowed upon you." No pressure¡­ The corner of his lips quirked up and he glanced at me. "It is a lot for any one person to carry, but I have confidence you will manage." I didn''t bite back my snort in time. "Glad one of us does." Considering what happened on my first trip to Nexus, I couldn''t say I had that level of confidence. Time hummed, his eyes moving back to the ocean. ¡°You will not be alone this time. If you have questions or something doesn''t seem right, I will be there. There will be no repeats.¡± The idea of a babysitter still didn''t sit fully well with me, but having him as a safety net had its perks. If it stopped another mess like Silas, I''d happily learn to live with the extra supervision. Dropping the subject, I looked around and, noticing a distinct lack of someone, asked, ¡°Is Karma here?¡± He''d said she was resting, but I didn''t feel the distinct power I had back on Earth. Did it go away when spirits slept? ¡­Did spirits even sleep? Questions circled in my mind and Time huffed, ¡°Spirits can sleep as mortals do, though we usually choose not to. We don''t often need that kind of recuperation. As for your other question, yes, our power fades when we sleep.¡± Fascinating. Though, it didn''t escape my notice that he''d dodged my first question. Knowing he could hear my thoughts, I raised an eyebrow. Somehow, I don''t think you avoided answering that by accident. Time''s expression closed off, the amusement from before replaced with cold calculation. Working with him was going to be so much fun if he reacted like this whenever I asked about Karma¡­ Not This Again--28 The hair on my neck stood on end, and I straightened, uneasy under the weight of Time''s ancient stare. ¡°She is resting and you will not be bothering her. Thus, her exact location matters none,¡± he said, lifting his chin. His eyes flashed a warning. His words were sharp, daring me to argue. I scoffed, rolling my eyes. ¡°I don''t want to wake her up. I¨C¡± I just want to make sure she''s alright. The words caught in my throat, and I looked away, feeling naked under his gaze. Last I saw her, she''d looked like hell and redirected the conversation when I asked if she was alright. Now she was basically in a coma and I was partially to blame for that since she''d drained herself to save me. It was normal to be concerned, especially for someone who''d done so much for me. It''d be weirder if I didn''t ask. Time stance softened slightly, the sharp glint leaving his eyes. ¡°I can appreciate your concern. As for her current state, she has only herself to blame. I offered her more of my power to make the process less draining, but she insisted on doing it herself.¡± His face twisted with fond exasperation. ¡°My wife seldom keeps her own well-being in mind, and once her determination is set, nothing changes her course. Do not carry guilt that is not yours to bear. Karma will be most displeased if you do.¡± The hard knot of unease in my chest loosened a bit, and I nodded. ¡°I''ll try, but no promises.¡± She was a force of nature. Seeing her so tired felt fundamentally wrong. I wished I could help her recover faster¡­ Time considered me for a moment before stepping closer to the sand ocean, gesturing down to it. ¡°I will not take you to her. That would be an unnecessary distraction and would wake her. But this should put your worries to rest.¡± I followed his gesture, watching as the sand rippled and swirled, colors flashing like a kaleidoscope. When it stopped, an image of Karma formed. Her long crimson hair stood out against dark sheets that were surprisingly not made of sand.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Time snorted, catching my thought. ¡°We may live on a separate plane from mortals, but that does not restrict us from enjoying your creature comforts. Those sheets are made from the finest cloud silk, and the pillows are stuffed with Zephyr Pegasus feathers. I had them specially made for her.¡± If the steady snoring was any indication, she thoroughly enjoyed them. A smile tugged at my lips, and I looked back toward Time. ¡°Thanks. It makes me feel better to see that she''s okay¡­ I never would have thought spirits snored, though.¡± He nodded, glancing affectionately at Karma''s image. ¡°Most do not, but she has always been in her own category.¡± His gaze lingered, shards of longing flashing briefly before he flicked a hand, and the image disappeared. ¡°But enough idle chatter. I have finished rewinding Nexus, and now, we must leave.¡± I took in the shifting landscape one last time. It was peaceful here, despite my rough start with the nightmare. A twinge of loss twisted through me at the thought of never seeing it again, but I buried it quickly. I had a job to do, and hiding from the world wouldn''t get it done. Time stepped away from the ocean, drawing my focus to him. ¡°Once you land, focus on finding the king. When he is no longer a problem, we can move on to our next course of action.¡± He raised his arms, eyes glowing like twin suns as magic built to crushing degrees around us. "Prepare yourself. The shift between planes can be jarring for a mortal.¡± I didn''t have a chance to respond before everything around us disappeared in a snap. Endless dunes, shifting sky, and rippling ocean¨Call gone in the blink of an eye. Darkness replaced them, stretching as far as I could see, and instinctual panic raked nails along my back. ¡°Time?!¡± His voice broke through the darkness, and just like earlier, the sensation of a hand on my shoulder came. ¡°Breathe and be at ease. You''ll be in Nexus soon.¡± Letting go of the panic before it could choke me, I took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°Right and¡­what is this place?¡± He chuckled, though it sounded heavy with lethargy. ¡°This is a pocket dimension, a link between the spirit world and Nexus. Any other questions will have to wait. Your thirst for knowledge is good, but there are things that must be seen to. Once we are settled and the king is finished, I will take human form. Then we will go about educating you about the world of Nexus.¡± The idea of facing off with Silas and using Fast Forward¨Cthe very power that had turned one of my arms to dust¨Csoured my stomach. But at least there was something to look forward to afterward. Nexus was an entirely new world for me to explore, filled with magical creatures, artifacts, and even spells that I could learn. I''d have to devote most of my time to hunting down the catalyst to the apocalypse, of course, but that didn''t mean I couldn''t enjoy the journey. Before my next blink, the darkness vanished, and the stone walls of the castle came into view. Relief twisted through me at the sight of something other than endless darkness, only for adrenaline to take its place when I started to fall. Right, Karma had literally dropped me here. In all the chaos, I''d forgotten that¡­ Face Meet Floor, Round Two--29 Deja vu hit as my face collided with the stone floor for the second time. Pain flared along the bridge of my nose, and I sat up, glaring at the carpet just inches from my landing spot. It seemed to mock me, and I rubbed my nose with a grumble. ¡°I could''ve done without round two of that¡­¡± Time''s voice breezed through my mind, nearly making me jump out of my skin. I control time, not placement. Would you like me to rewind you so you can try again? His tone was flat, but amusement broke through, betraying his neutral mask. The almost teasing lilt was new, and I leaned back against the wall, poking back lightly. ¡°Are you feeling up to that, old man? You''re sounding a bit winded.¡± Not that I could blame him, given the sheer amount of power he''d had to expend to rewind the planet. Still, he couldn''t poke fun and expect me not to return fire. Silence answered me, stretching my nerves with each passing second. Shit, had I offended him? Before I could say anything else, magic flared around me, and¨Cin the time it took to blink¨CI wasn''t on the floor anymore. No, I was falling again, the familiar sight of the stone floor approaching rapidly for the third time. I rolled at the last second, landing face-first onto the lush carpet. It made for a softer landing, but adrenaline ruined any satisfaction. It surged through my veins like jittery lightning, and my heart hammered from the sudden jolt. Given how tired he''d sounded earlier, I hadn''t thought he would actually turn back time just to mess with me. Shoving that down, I took a deep breath and glared, despite Time not being able to see it. "What, are you sensitive about your age? I was joking." He hummed, amusement heavier in his tone now. Yes, and I am allowed to respond in kind. I could practically feel him shrug. As for sensitivity, I am the oldest of Nexus''s spirits, first born of the old gods. There is little that ruffles me. Holy shit. It made sense that he''d be the oldest entity¨Cspirit or otherwise¨Cstill alive, but only now was that truly sinking in. The oldest existing entity on this planet was in my head¡­and he''d just teased me. My life was so weird now.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Shaking that aside, I pressed back against the wall again and considered his words. Not easily ruffled? I distinctly remembered being hauled into the air during our first meeting. ¡°Yeah, you''re unflappable alright¡­unless someone mentions Karma.¡± I muttered distractedly, taking in the hallways. Silas had come around the corner pretty fast last time, so I''d need to be ready. Heaving myself up, I found a corner to hide in and listened as Time''s voice came again. Karma is my wife. It is only natural to be concerned over her well-being when a stranger informs me that she is unreachable. He almost sounded defensive, and I hummed, soothing absentmindedly. ¡°Easy, old timer. I never said it was a bad thing, just a matter of fact.¡± Hell, most of the people on Earth could learn a thing or two about healthy relationships from Time and Karma. My past foster placement especially. Drowning the dark memories before they could surface, I stretched my hearing outward for Silas. When nothing came, I continued, my focus split between him and Time. ¡°She did mention your penchant for fast-forwarding those who insult her. Good for you.¡± A beat of silence passed, then he asked, voice light with curiosity. You aren''t uneasy with that? I snorted. ¡°I like her, so I won''t be talking shit.¡± Thinking back to Karma''s warning over his protectiveness, I grimaced and added on, ¡°Though you can probably blame someone from Earth for that whole ¡®Karma is a bitch¡¯ saying. Pretty sure it originated on my planet. Sorry.¡± Still no Silas, what the hell? Did it just feel longer because I was expecting him, or had I missed something? Before I could spiral into worry, Time cut in, irritation a low rumble in his tone. Wonderful. Should I discover who started that nonsense, I will be sure to visit them...personally. Rest in peace to that idiot when he got a hold of them. I was happy not to be in their shoes. "If it makes you feel any better, there''s a new version of it that''s nicer to her. ''Karma''s only a bitch if you are.'' I prefer it." It was, at least in my opinion, much more accurate. Time hummed in approval. Now that is true. My wife is an excellent judge of character. She never lashes out or dislikes someone without reason. Thinking back to our first meeting and her immediate dislike of the thug, I smiled. ¡°She clocked the guy who stabbed me as an asshole at first sight, so I''d be inclined to believe that." Time stayed quiet for a minute, taking that in, before finally he spoke. Someone stabbed you? The words dripped confusion, and I sighed. "Yeah, it was...a whole mess." Between the thug stumbling into my clinic for drugs and Gerald''s betrayal, there really was too much to unpack right now. Remembering that Time could hear my musings, I snorted and asked dryly, "What, not calling me a fool this time?" Dozens of others would in his place. I''d known Gerald for years, known how ruthless he could get over money, but I hadn''t seen the betrayal coming. The signs were there. I just¡­hadn''t wanted to see them. Instead of calling out my naivety, Time sighed. I didn''t say you were a fool; I said you were made a fool of. There is a large difference. As for what happened on Earth, that is hardly something anyone would anticipate. So no, I won''t be calling you a fool. Not over that. Tension I hadn''t noticed relaxed out of my shoulders, and I did another visual sweep of the halls. "Well...thanks.¡± Before I could come up with something else to say, hopefully something less painfully awkward, footsteps sounded from around the corner, and Silas''s voice rang out. ¡°Search the entire castle, leave no room unchecked. The otherworlder couldn''t have gone far from the summoning area. We don''t have long before the army is at our doorstep!¡± Finally, it was time to get this show on the road. Friction And Fighting--30 Silas sped around the corner, Dominicus to his right and the rabbit beastfolk on his left. His face was a mask of frantic fear, and satisfaction twisted through me. This was a man who''d done great wrong and was now facing down the consequences. He should suffer for the rest of his life, but Time was right. He was too dangerous to leave alive. Fast Forward hummed under my skin, ready to sink into Silas. I raised a hand, willing it toward him, only to freeze when familiar power built in my arm. Vivid memories of pain¨Cof my arm disintegrating into a throbbing stump¨Cslammed through me, and my hold on the spell faltered. It lashed out, brushing the tapestry next to my head. Dread sank like a stone in my gut as the cloth rapidly faded, holes opening throughout it, before it finally dissolved into dust. I hadn''t seen its effects on my arm, thank every deity in existence, but it wasn''t hard to imagine after seeing that. My stomach rolled uneasily, and Time cut in, his voice urgent. Focus. The king is in sight now. I shook off the echoes of pain and built up Fast Forward again, ignoring every instinct that screamed like a siren to drop the spell. There was no other option. I had to do this. The power vibrated under my skin, a phantom ache pulsing in time with my heartbeat as the spell readied. Pain slowly surfaced, rising to a fever pitch as Silas inched closer. Instinct blared to let go, and when a hand squeezed around my lungs, each breath and wheezy hiss, I did just that. I launched the spell toward Silas as if it were a molten piece of metal I couldn''t hold for even a second longer. Halfway to him, the spell sputtered and fell to the carpet, the vibrant red rapidly fading to gray. Silas stared at the spot, confusion and calculation warring behind his eyes. Sick dread welled in my stomach as he spun toward the corner I hid in, his eyes locking on just like last time. Manic glee lit his expression, and he stepped forward, twisted smile in place. ¡°Ah, there''s our dimension-crossing savior now. Quite the power you have, exactly what we need in our time of crisis.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it His hand raised, and instinct bristled. I couldn''t let him touch me, but there was nowhere to go. The wall pressed into my back, hiking the adrenaline higher. He was a yard away and closing fast, but just as he reached for me, he froze. No, he didn''t freeze. Time did. His hand hovered in front of him, one leg still lifted. The others were equally immobile, their chests not moving, eyes fixed ahead. Relief hit with the force of a semi when I realized what happened. Until Time materialized between us, his eyes flashing like obsidian daggers. ¡°What are you doing?! I cannot rewind the entirety of Nexus again. This is your only chance and you''re throwing it aside?!¡± I flinched back, his power thick and choking in the air. Rage throbbed off him, poking at my skin like tiny needles. The last day¡¯s events crushed down on my shoulders, and I snarled back. ¡°I''m not doing this on purpose, you prick! I tried to aim it at Silas and it fell halfway there! How is that my fault?¡± He shook his head, jaw clenched tight as he visibly fought to keep his composure. ¡°It failed because you didn''t let the spell finish. It was almost done, but you threw it early. Magic is useless if you do not give it the proper time to cast.¡± He had a right to be frustrated, exhausted and on edge over the oncoming apocalypse, but you know what? I had a right to be too. Throwing my hands in the air, I snapped back at him. ¡°Well, I''m fucking sorry that I cast the spell wrong! The only time I''ve ever used it, it disintegrated my arm. So excuse me for not mastering it on the second go!¡± He grimaced, lips pulled thin, but he didn''t interrupt. Good, because I wasn''t done. ¡°I haven''t had any experience or lessons in spell casting, even for lower-leveled ones. Fast Forward is level ten. To expect me to pull it off without issue is like expecting an infant to run a marathon!¡± And that wasn''t even touching on the absolutely awesome bonus that was trauma. The pain I''d felt trying to cast that thing had only been in my head, but that didn''t make it hurt any less. More than anything, I wished I could hogtie Silas and drop him at the resistance leader''s feet. Let them decide how to handle him. They were the ones he''d wronged, after all. Then I could focus on hunting down information on the apocalypse, the entire reason I was here. Focusing on Time, I shook the thoughts aside and finished with a grimace. ¡°Even without that, I was a doctor, not a fighter. I didn''t come here to kill people.¡± Though I''d wound up doing it by accident¨Cand on a breathtaking scale at that¡­ ¡°I had no plans on using offensive magic. Especially not a spell like Fast Forward. So cut me some slack while I try to paddle through this absolute cluster fuck of a situation.¡± I would clean up this mess, but I''d be damned before I let him get pissy with me over fumbling that spell. The hard scowl carved across Time''s face softened and, after a moment of silent staring, he heaved a long, tired sigh. ¡°I forgot that you are an infant. My apologies.¡± I bristled. Oh, he did not just say that. Trauma, Yay! --31 Keeping my temper in check by the skin of my teeth, I gritted out, ¡°If we''re resorting to insults, I''m going to start calling you a lot worse than old man.¡± After the last day of stress, exhaustion, pain, and fear, I was absolutely ready to call it quits. Only my deal with Karma kept me here, but if her husband kept this up, not even that would hold out. I wanted to help, but I wasn''t a masochist. I refused to put up with belittling insults from the one I was supposed to be working with. Anger and exhaustion warred through me, but before I could say anything else, Time raised a hand, pinching the bridge of his nose with the other. ¡°It was not an insult, but a statement of fact. You have no worldly experience from here, and magic is foreign to you. It was unrealistic to expect you to cast that spell without some guidance, and for that, you have my apologies.¡± My anger deflated like a balloon. His genuine apology¨Cand I''d heard enough fake ones to spot them¨Csoothed the building rage in a blink. I couldn''t snarl at him too much since I''d been the one to use the ¡®expecting an infant to run¡¯ line. Rubbing a hand over my face, I relaxed. ¡°Thanks, and I''m sorry for shouting. It''s been¡­one hell of a day.¡± That deserved the understatement of the year award. Time nodded, the tense line of his shoulders relaxing as his hands fell to his sides. ¡°It has indeed, so let us finish this and put it behind us.¡± He turned to partially face Silas, his eyes taking on a cold, calculating glint. ¡°Unfortunately, there is no time to come up with a new plan. Anyone you touch will unfreeze with us, so taking their weapon is¡­unwise.¡± I raised a curious eyebrow to that. ¡°You pushed down Silas''s blade before the rewind and he stayed frozen. Why is that different?¡± Time grunted, the exhaustion around him seemingly doubling in weight as his shoulders slumped forward. ¡°It takes more power to keep a person frozen while I touch them. Unfortunately, it requires more than I have available, after all I''ve already used today. Magic is our only option.¡± My stomach twisted. ¡°So I''m supposed to use Fast Forward and pray it works how it should?¡± It could attach to my arm again, or something even worse. What if it dug into my chest?Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. I wouldn''t have time to try and fix it. Besides, who''s to say it wouldn''t keep going until there was nothing left of me but dust? A chill worked up my spine and Time sighed. ¡°My power is overwhelming; you are wise to be wary of it. But you will not do this alone. I will guide you through casting Fast Forward.¡± Relief brushed through me, there and gone in a heartbeat as another issue occurred to me. ¡°I know this is necessary, but this power... it killed hundreds and took my arm. What if I can¡¯t control it? What if I hurt more people?" Silas was going to die, there was no way around it. But what about everyone else? Dominicus and the rabbit hybrid were right next to Silas. Who''s to say I wouldn''t kill them too? The range on Fast Forward was unknown, and the last thing I wanted was to kill innocents while aiming for Silas. The now-destroyed carpet and tapestry didn''t inspire confidence in my aim. Time''s expression softened. "I will prevent the power from attaching to anyone but the king, yourself included. As for your earlier concern about not wanting to learn offensive magic¡­that won''t be possible.¡± I grimaced and sucked in a breath to argue, but he cut me off, voice firm though not cruel. ¡°Causing others harm is not in your nature, and there is no shame in that. But sometimes, to protect and preserve life, we must pick up a weapon and defend it. The power you fear is indeed formidable, but it is also a tool¡ªa means to an end." He paused, allowing that to sink in before continuing. "Taking a life should never be done lightly, but this man,¡± he waved to Silas, ¡°has caused the death and suffering of thousands. This is not about ending a life, but ending a reign of terror; saving countless others from the future ruin he may bring. There will be others like him in your quest, and you will need to handle them accordingly.¡± That didn''t mean I had to like it¡­ He nodded. ¡°I would be concerned if you took joy from killing. As it stands, your intention is not to harm, but to protect. Hold onto that and push forward. For the girl you tried to save, for the thousands who will die in this apocalypse if we cannot stop it, and for Karma.¡± Flashes of her, curled up and snoring in her bed, wrapped tight around my heart and squeezed. She''d said herself that my oath to do no harm would have to go; I''d just thought she was joking. I should have known better. In a world torn apart by war, with an apocalypse all but banging down the door, I wasn''t going to save anyone without fighting. I''d spare who I could and do my best to help the innocents caught in the crossfire. That was all anyone could ask for in this situation. Time smiled, a hint of approval clear. "You are not alone in this, though it may feel otherwise. I am here. We will do this." Then he turned to Silas, his eyes fiery. ¡°My power is fading quickly. Prepare yourself. I''ll guide you through the spell once time is moving again.¡± Then he disappeared, his presence settling like a hand on my shoulder. A reminder that I wasn''t alone. I took a deep breath and focused on Silas, shaking off the dregs of uncertainty still clinging to me. He was right, we would do this. One way, or another. One Dead King And A New Ally...Maybe--32 Time unfroze in a blink, and I lurched under Silas''s arm, twisting to avoid the reaching fingers. Once I backed up several paces, putting a few yards between us, I focused inward, pulling on what I assumed was my mana. Silas''s confused expression faded into the background as Time''s voice echoed through my head. Focus on him and no one else. His failed attempt to grab you has him isolated from the others. Time was right. Dominicus and the rabbit lady were nearly across the hallway from us. I''d still have to be careful, but knowing I had some room to maneuver was a relief. Focusing on Silas, I pulled on the spell, feeling the mana build under my skin until I all but vibrated with it. Just like last time, it grew painful, the scalding urge to let go rising again. I didn''t. Despite every instinct screaming to release the power, I held on tight as it kept growing. When I could barely breathe through it, Time''s voice anchored me. Good, now wrap the spell around him and imagine him withering under it. Mana and picturing what you want are the two key requirements to casting. Silas''s eyes narrowed, and his lips pressed into a thin line. ¡°Guards, apprehend¨C.¡± I didn''t let myself overthink it. Imagining the power expanding out into a sheet, I focused on encasing Silas in it, rolling him up tight. A sick choking noise echoed through the hall, Silas''s eyes widening to dinner plates as he clutched his throat. The skin wrinkled and aged beneath his fingers, slowly flaking away. My stomach churned at the sight, but Time''s voice cut through my hesitation. Remember who he is. He ordered that child to be used as bait. His hunger for power has starved and killed thousands across Nexus. He leads to the end of everything. Flashes of Maya and Karma painted themselves behind my lids, both innocents who would suffer under Silas''s reign. Maya had already lost her mother to that monster, and Karma¡­ Karma hadn''t lost anything yet, but she would if I didn''t do this. Silas''s plans ended with everyone dead. I wouldn''t allow that to happen.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. My resolve hardened to diamond, and I doubled down on the spell. Silas swayed in place, nails scrabbling uselessly at his throat as the spell spread. I locked my gaze to his and watched as he stumbled back, legs crumpling beneath him. His pants turned loose as his muscles thinned with rapid aging. His fingers became bony, his hair snow white, and a gray film covered his eyes. His breath hitched, and in blind panic, he lashed out, his hands clutching my shirt, nails raking my neck. I didn''t let the spell drop. His struggles continued for a moment before he slid to his knees with a weak wheeze. ¡°Please, have mercy,¡± he gasped, the words mangled by his failing lungs. Icy fury washed over me, drowning the earlier unease. I grabbed his cloak and dragged us nose to nose. ¡°Did you give mercy to those you ruled over? The mothers and children you killed for your own twisted gain? You''ve made your bed, now lie in it.¡± His nails dragged against my wrist as he struggled. The disintegrating skin at his throat branched outward, reaching toward his chest. He gave a final wheeze, the spell reaching his heart, and his eyes lost focus. His grip loosened, and he slumped sideways, unfocused eyes staring at the opposite wall as he went still. Minutes passed in tense silence as I waited, making sure he was truly gone. When he didn''t get back up, I released a shuddering sigh. It was done. My stomach churned, but I shoved it down to agonize over later. Without Silas and his power looming over my shoulder, there would be time for it. You did well, though it may not feel like it now. He cannot hurt anyone else, and that is what matters. Time''s voice was a welcome break from the thoughts screaming through my head. I nodded, forcing my focus to Dominicus for a distraction. He stared at Silas''s corpse blankly, emotionless. Concerned, I frowned. ¡°I thought he and the others under Silas''s control would be freed when he was gone. Time?¡± A considering hum vibrated through my skull. I have never seen a special ability like this, thus I am of no help. Perhaps you could jostle him? Worth a shot. Stepping up to Dominicus, I kept a wary eye on the nearby guards¨Csurprised they were not rushing toward their fallen king¨Cand prodded his shoulder. ¡°Hey, you alright?¡± He didn''t respond, staring blankly at the corpse. Maybe staring at a corpse was a normal pastime here? I hadn''t had a chance to see what an average day on Nexus was yet. Time snorted, exhaustion heavy in his tone. You will find that is not ¡®the norm,¡¯ but some kind of after-effect of Silas''s mind control power. Silence passed for a beat before he continued. Be cautious. The king will have allies pretending to be innocent, waiting for their moment to strike. He could be one of them. I wanted to discard the option immediately, but remembering where my naivety had landed me, I considered it. Silas had said Dominicus had to be brought to heel, so he should theoretically not have agreed with the king¡¯s ways. I''d keep an eye out just in case, but my gut told me he wasn''t that snake''s ally. Time hummed. With any luck, he will make a fine ally in our quest. I could hope so, especially with a power like his. Shaking that aside, I tapped Dominicus¡¯s shoulder, pinching when that didn''t work. He remained unresponsive. Before I could think better of it, I grabbed his ear and tugged. That got a reaction, though¡­not the one I''d hoped for. More Growing Pains--33 Dominicus jerked as if struck by lightning, his eyes losing their vacant stare as he turned to face me. His lips pulled back into a snarl, revealing tiny, pointed fangs, and his hand drifted to the sword strapped to his hip. I held both palms up and stepped back, giving him space. ¡°Easy, buddy. I was just trying to snap you out of the king¡¯s thrall,¡± I said, watching warily as he stared through me, his gaze heavy despite not meeting mine. The snarl dropped, but a frown still curled his lips. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you try something else? Do you have any idea how sensitive those are?¡± His hand remained tense on his sword. I took note of it as I explained. ¡°I did try other things first, but nothing worked. I thought a light tug on your ear was better than a full scale slap across the face.¡± Considering his reaction, perhaps the other wouldn¡¯t have been a bad idea. As if to back that up, he grimaced and lifted his free hand to rub his ear. ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t. You should know that since you have some of your own.¡± He gestured to the ears perched on my head, deepening my confusion. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to throw away all sense of politeness here, but are you blind or not? You¡¯re staring through me, but you know I¡¯m not human. It¡¯s wildly confusing.¡± Instead of getting offended, as I half-expected, he snorted and shook his head, some of the irritation fading into amusement. ¡°You aren¡¯t the first to ask that, though you are the most¡­forward in your phrasing.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not good with words and I doubt that¡¯ll ever change.¡± He waved the apology aside. ¡°To be honest, it''s refreshing. People seldom talk to me like a functioning adult once they learn about,¡± he gestured to his eyes, ¡°this. As for your question, though, I can¡¯t see you, not in the way others would.¡± One of his ears flicked pointedly. ¡°Bats have an innate echolocation skill, and when I was brought here by my patron, they offered to make me any race I chose. I¡¯ve been fascinated with bats since I was a boy, so the opportunity to become part bat was something I wasn¡¯t passing up.¡± Time hummed in interest. Ask who his patron is. Depending on his answer, he may be a stronger ally than I ever thought. Focusing back on Dominicus, I relayed the question. He tipped his head, considering me warily now.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Why do you want to know?¡± Suspicion oozed off every syllable, and I chose each word carefully. ¡°Easy, because I was sent here by Karma to help people. Depending on what task your patron gave you, we might be able to team up and get more done.¡± Not to mention, having someone else in the same boat was invaluable. There was no guarantee he came from Earth, but even the whole ¡®dimension-crossing traveler¡¯ was something most couldn¡¯t understand. Time grumbled in the back of my mind. We just agreed to be careful with trusting people and you¡¯re casually informing others of your association with Karma. I rolled my eyes inwardly and responded in kind. It¡¯s going to be pretty obvious to anyone who looks close enough that I¡¯m not from here. Besides, it isn¡¯t like I told him about you or the apocalypse. His silence was the closest I¡¯d get to approval, so I let it slide and turned back to Dominicus. The wariness from before melted into something closer to cautious trust, and after a minute of silent staring, he answered my original question. ¡°I was sent here by Fate. They sensed something coming, but whenever they try to feel out what, all they get is static. Whatever it is, they think it warrants investigating, so¡­here I am.¡± Time hummed in interest. This could be good news, though it is a mystery why she didn¡¯t inform me¡­ I ignored that, my focus on Dominicus as he tipped his head toward Silas. ¡°It didn¡¯t take long to find that slime and the trail of destruction he left across Nexus.¡± He grimaced. ¡°I underestimated him, though, and got caught.¡± A grudging smile curved his lips, flashing a single fang. ¡°Good on you for seeing through his lies.¡± I barely bit back a laugh. He had absolutely no idea how wrong he was, but for the sake of no one knowing about my affiliation with Time, he would have to stay ignorant. ¡°My¡­patron warned me about him.¡± After I cursed him out and he reset the world a day. ¡°So it could be said that I had outside help.¡± Time huffed again. I am not your patron, that is Karma. I do not take Chosens, and you will not be an exception, no matter what outlandish plans my wife makes about ¡®adopting¡¯ you. A tiny sting pinched in my chest and I slapped it down, the almost camaraderie from earlier forgotten as I mentally snapped. It¡¯s your power running through my veins and you¡¯re the prick in my head, so until you give me a better term for that, you¡¯re stuck with ¡®patron¡¯. Live with it. Trust me, I¡¯d prefer Karma. A choice between the fiery and charismatic woman who saved me or the standoffish man who I butted heads with every other sentence. Yeah, the decision wasn¡¯t hard. He didn¡¯t respond, so I considered the conversation closed and looked to Dominicus again. There would be time to bitch each other out later, we had more important things to deal with now. That Wasnt Here Before--34 Offering Dominicus a tired smile, I said, ¡°It¡¯s good to know I¡¯m not the only one thrown ass over tea kettle into this world. We¡¯ll have to find time to chat later. For now, there are things to be done. The resistance army is on their way, and they need to know the king is gone.¡± A flash of Maya crossed my mind, and I added, ¡°The leader¡¯s daughter is being held here somewhere. She needs to be reunited with him as quickly as possible.¡± Dominicus nodded but then paused. ¡°Ah, we never introduced ourselves properly. ¡°I am Dominicus, and you are?¡± He didn¡¯t offer a hand, so I didn¡¯t either. ¡°Nikolas, and it¡¯s nice to meet you. Do you know where that kid is being held?¡± He nodded and gestured down the corridor. ¡°She¡¯s with the other prisoners. I¡¯ll return her to her father and explain the situation. I have¡­many things to discuss with him. What will you do in the meantime?¡± I glanced at Silas and grimaced, ¡°Snoop through king bastard¡¯s stuff and see what I can find. Something tells me he had big plans, and whatever they were, Karma would want me to put a stop to them.¡± Dominicus¡¯s lips twitched upward before his face slid back into a neutral mask. ¡°If your offer of teaming up is still available, I wouldn¡¯t be adverse. We have a common goal, and achieving it could be easier with the two of us.¡± He didn¡¯t have to tell me twice. ¡°Sounds like a plan. I¡¯ll meet you back here later¨C.¡± I went to turn, but he grabbed my arm with a frown. ¡°You need to be careful wandering around. While some of the guards were under Silas¡¯s thrall, many were not. Once they realize what happened here, the castle will be on high alert.¡± Right, right. I¡¯d forgotten about that whole ¡®in the middle of the enemy fortress¡¯ thing. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to find somewhere to stash him then.¡± I considered the long hallway and the suits of armor that hadn¡¯t reacted. ¡°I¡¯d say it''s safe to assume they¡¯re thralled. We can snap them out of it later, once we have information.¡± All the guards suddenly abandoning their posts would definitely draw too much attention. Dominicus nodded and grabbed the rabbit beastfolk¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡¯ll snap this one out of it and update her. From what I picked up, she was one of the leading officials in the town king Silas took, so she may be of help when I talk to the resistance leader. With his army, we can safely find those who were thralled and those that weren¡¯t.¡± I knelt next to Silas and wrapped his cloak around him, hiding the damage. ¡°Great, we¡¯ll meet back here once we¡¯re done.¡± Dominicus hummed his agreement and set off, the rabbit lady still staring into the distance as he went. Once they were gone, I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. So many things to do and not nearly enough time to do them. Looking at Silas, I hardened my resolve and picked him up. First things first, I needed to hide him and then I could gather information.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Time stayed suspiciously quiet as I stalked through the halls, keeping to the shadows. I wasn¡¯t going to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially not after our earlier spat, but it was¡­unnerving. Shaking that aside, I stopped outside a door and opened it a crack. An over-the-top guest room greeted me, the sheets made up without a hint of someone staying in it. Perfect. Treading to the closet, I threw the king in and shut the door. With any luck, that would buy me some time to investigate. Slipping out of the room, I continued down the hall, keeping an eye out for anyone who might see through my stealth. Thankfully, the guards were either dazed or low enough level to not see me, but I couldn¡¯t afford to be careless now that I¡¯d made it this far. After a few minutes of walking, a familiar set of doors came into sight, and I grimaced. The summoning room. Even from here, I could feel my skin crawling again. I turned to go around, only for Time to cut in, nearly making me jump out of my skin. Investigate that room. The energy coming off it is sinister. Damn it, he wasn¡¯t wrong, but I¡¯d been in there earlier and there was nothing. Did I really have to deal with the slimy feeling on my skin again? Yes, because last time you were alone, and now you are not. Now go. His voice rang with impatience, and I scowled. Demanding, aren¡¯t you? You could throw in a please, you know. It wouldn¡¯t kill you. I could practically hear him take a deep breath before he responded. I am not your patron, but we are reluctant partners in this mess. We will need to work together until Karma is able to step in again, which means we need to be civil. I huffed. I was being civil, teasing but civil. You¡¯re the one getting your panties in a twist over me lying about you being my patron. It wasn¡¯t like I could very well tell Dominicus that I had a second spirit who wasn¡¯t my patron helping me. That wouldn¡¯t have gone over well, and even I, with my limited knowledge, knew that. Time heaved a sigh. What I said wasn¡¯t a slight against you, nor was I angry at your lie. I was merely ensuring you understood what this partnership is not. When Karma awakes, I will leave you in her hands and rest in the Inbetween. At that point, I will remove Fast Forward and you will take your place as her Chosen, as you should have from the start. I am not your patron. Staring at the double doors, I let my earlier irritation go. I know that, but there¡¯s no good word for what you are that won¡¯t raise a bunch of questions. How else should I refer to you, if he asks where I get information? He reluctantly conceded the point. Fine, you may refer to me as your patron until my wife is available, but do not tell anyone who I am. I barely bit back a snort. Wasn¡¯t planning to, now let¡¯s go see the empty room again, shall we? The hair on my arms stood up as I gripped the handles and the earlier stomach-churning wrongness hit again, sharper this time. I pushed it aside and opened the doors. Only to stop and stare at the not empty room in front of me. ¡°This ¡­wasn¡¯t here last time.¡± No, I would have noticed the summoning circle drawn on the floor. Not to mention the pile of bodies stacked to one side of the room. Perfect...Just Perfect--35 The bodies in the corner formed a macabre pile of mismatched races¨Celves, beastfolk, dwarves, and others I couldn''t identify, stacked unceremoniously against the wall. Their personal belongings were gone, leaving their ritualistic stab wounds¨Cdead center in their chests¨Cexposed like grim trophies. My stomach twisted as the stench hit me, sharp and overwhelming. Fighting back a gag, I stepped closer. ¡°Any ideas what this is about? Or why I didn¡¯t see it earlier?¡± Time hummed thoughtfully. There are traces of magic here, two kinds: dark and illusion. Given the king¡¯s abilities, it would seem his powers¨Clargely control-based¨Caffected you, though not to the extent he intended. I thought back to when I¡¯d first examined this room. I¡¯d known something was wrong, could feel it in the air, but there hadn¡¯t been anything tangible to act on. To think that bastard king¡¯s power had been strong enough to hide this, even without fully controlling me¡­ I shook the thought aside and turned my attention to the symbols on the floor. ¡°Do you recognize these?¡± Maybe they could give us a clue about what the bastard had summoned. Silence stretched before Time sighed. Some are familiar, but not all. The swirl on the northern curve is common for summoning rituals, while the mark beneath your feet means ¡®of another realm¡¯. I stepped back instinctively, studying the marks with wary eyes. ¡°So, it could be anything from outside Nexus. That¡¯s¡­great.¡± Pressing my fingers to the bridge of my nose, I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly. ¡°I didn¡¯t think mortals could access that kind of power. With spirits, it makes sense.¡± Spirits didn¡¯t have mortal shells to limit their capabilities¨Cno fragile bodies to burn out. Time¡¯s disgust radiated through the bond. Ordinarily, it would be impossible. A mortal, even one pacted to a spirit, has finite mana and stamina. Their body would fail long before completing such a spell¡­unless they used sacrifices to fuel it. My gaze flicked back to the bodies in the corner, and the unfairness welled hot and heavy in my chest.¡°It shouldn¡¯t surprise me that slime like him would stoop this low. He threw a child onto the battlefield to save his own skin. What¡¯s a few dozen strangers to him?¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. The memory of the king¡¯s smug face, his utter lack of care, burned fresh in my mind. He was lucky he¡¯d been too dangerous to keep alive. He¡¯d deserved far worse than what he got. I agree, Time said softly, his voice twinged with sorrow. And knowing my wife, she would as well. But life is seldom fair. These people have been avenged; there is nothing more to be done for them now. Unfortunately, the symbols offer little to work with. It is useless to linger here. Time¡¯s words pulled me back to the present, and I turned away, grateful for any excuse to leave the rot-soaked room. ¡°Are there any spirits who might recognize those symbols?¡± I asked, carefully checking each corridor as I made my way toward what I hoped were the king¡¯s quarters. The halls were growing more opulent, every step bringing me closer to the ornate excess I¡¯d expect from a ruler like him. Where before the halls led me in circles, now it was almost a straight line. Probably another example of that prick¡¯s power¡­ The spirit of Mana itself may know, Time replied, his voice heavier now, tinged with weariness. But I will need to rest before I can contact them. With any luck, Karma will recover faster and reach out to Mana on our behalf. A flicker of concern stirred in me, and I directed my thoughts inward. Are you alright? You sound like shit, and it¡¯s getting worse. Dry amusement rippled through his response. Your honesty borders on rudeness. But yes, I will be fine¨Conce I take mortal form. That raised a question I¡¯d been meaning to ask. Why haven¡¯t you done that yet? The king¡¯s dead. We¡¯re past the worst of it. All that was left was leg work and information gathering, which shouldn¡¯t require him being incorporeal. Time didn¡¯t respond immediately, and by the time he spoke again, I¡¯d reached a set of massive wooden doors. I checked that the hallway was clear, then slipped inside, shutting the doors softly behind me. Once we were secure, Time answered, his tone grim. When I take mortal form, I will be as vulnerable to harm as any other mortal. Given we are still inside our enemy¡¯s stronghold, it could be argued that becoming mortal now would be a mistake. I hadn¡¯t really thought about what ¡®taking corporeal form¡¯ meant for him, but now my stomach turned uneasily. Please tell me you at least know how to use a weapon. He scoffed. I have never needed such knowledge. Spirits cannot kill. Even in a mortal shell, that limitation will remain. Of course. Why would things ever be easy? That left us with two people who didn¡¯t know how to fight, no armor, and a mess of Silas¡¯s generals still to deal with. None of them had been charmed into service, according to the king, and all had powers strong enough to match his. Perfect, just¡­perfect. Beware Of Magical Bags--36 Rubbing a hand across my face, I sighed and spoke inwardly. Yeah, stay incorporeal as long as you can. I¡¯ll try to find us some armor soon. Time hummed in agreement, his voice quieter now. Castles like this usually have armories, not to mention the king¡¯s personal vault. We will search for it after we finish here. Relief sparked through me as I recalled the artifacts I¡¯d seen earlier. I actually know where that is. It mostly had gear for frontline fighters, but we can check it out after this. My gaze drifted to the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lining the room, and a pang of longing struck. What I wouldn¡¯t give for a magic sack. The king had been a total prick, so I¡¯d feel no guilt about stealing his library blind. These books likely contained valuable information about Nexus¨Cknowledge I desperately needed. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d be needing them anymore. Time chuckled softly. If you find such a bag, feel free to take as many as you like. In Nexus, it is common law that in a trial by combat, the winner claims a boon. It could be land, a house, or even an entire library.The king had no heirs that I am aware of, thus you could claim anything. I blinked, taken aback by how casual he was about it. You¡¯re seriously okay with me stealing? He scoffed and I could all but see him rolling his eyes. From the innocent, or someone who did you no wrong? No, I would have plenty to say about that, none of it pleasant. But these belonged to a man who spent years spreading death, destruction, and suffering in his quest for power. Take it all, and put it to better use than he ever would have. Oh fuck yeah, I could do that. Shopping spree with a five finger discount, and without any guilt because it all belonged to a prick! Time¡¯s tone turned dry. Focus, Atlas. We have a task to complete first. Your thirst for knowledge is admirable¨Cmy wife and I share it¨Cbut now is the time for clues. The rest can wait. Right, right. Drool over raiding the king¡¯s library and armory later. Discover and tear apart his plans now. Refocusing, I turned my attention to the desk. Papers were scattered across its surface, many bearing the king¡¯s lazy scrawl. Others looked like reports or letters. An overturned inkwell stained a cluster of pages black, and I righted it with a shake of my head. Slob, I thought, flicking through the papers. Hopefully, none of the ruined ones were important¡­Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The first few documents were unremarkable:an itemized list of provisions, a denial of aid to some town called Dawnmoor, and a report on a military success¨C I paused, backtracking to the stained letter, reading as much of the ink stained parchment as I could. Our mission was a success, and loyal soldiers have been stationed to oversee your new town, my King. Soon, we will have the forces necessary to take Latica. The rest was illegible, but Time¡¯s sharp laugh echoed in my mind, brimming with mockery. Let them try to take Latica. It is guarded by not one, but two spirits: Nature and Inspiration. Nature alone would send those mongrels running. She does not tolerate harm to her people. A small, vindictive part of me almost wanted to see them try. Shaking that thought aside, I asked, So, we don¡¯t need to worry about Latica. But what about the other city? What happens when the soldiers realize their king is dead? If they turned on the townspeople, innocents who¡¯d already suffered too much by those monster¡¯s hands, it would be a disaster. Time hummed, agreeing. Once your friend brings the resistance leader up to speed, we should investigate the city mentioned in the letter. There will be many in need of healing, and it could provide a lead on one of Silas¡¯s generals. It was the best plan we had, given the lack of specifics. Unless one of these documents conveniently detailed the generals¡¯ locations, it was all we had to go on. Unfortunately, the rest of the papers were no help. Half were written in a code I didn¡¯t recognize, and the rest were too damaged to read. Frustrated, I tossed the useless ones into a nearby bin. This will suffice for now. Search the rest of the room so we can leave, Time urged. I nodded and moved on to the desk drawers. The first one held jeweled inkwells and vibrant quills alongside shimmering stationery. I picked up a piece of paper, tilting it under the candlelight to watch its surface glimmer. That paper is enchanted, either by magic or the materials used to make it, Time explained. I hummed thoughtfully and set it on the desk. ¡°I¡¯ll take it with us. We don¡¯t have time to figure out what it does now.¡± Curiosity prodded at the back of my mind even as I set it aside. What kind of enchantments could be done to paper? Time didn¡¯t answer the rhetorical question, so I moved onto the next drawer, which, like the one after it, contained scrolls that shimmered similarly to the paper. Setting that aside, I opened the final drawer. It was empty. I sighed, leaning back in disappointment. ¡°Of course. A secret journal detailing his plans would¡¯ve been too easy.¡± Look closer, Time advised, his tone sharp. There is a disturbance in the energy here. I frowned but leaned forward, brushing my hands along the inside of the drawer. It took a moment to feel what he meant¨Ca faint pulse of magic, barely perceptible but present. Trailing my fingers along the surface, I searched for any imperfections. Finally, my nails caught on something. Gently prying it loose, I let out a triumphant noise as the drawer¡¯s back gave way, revealing a hidden cubby. Reaching inside, my fingers brushed against cloth. When I pulled it out, a plain brown sack met my gaze, no larger than a basketball. I frowned, disappointment bubbling up again. ¡°That¡¯s it? For how well-hidden this was, I expected something better.¡± I twisted the bag in my hands, searching for any markings, but Time¡¯s warning cut in. Be careful. It could¨C He didn¡¯t finish the sentence before something heavy and square tumbled out. And landed directly on my balls. New Friend!--37 Pain flared through my lower half, and I leaned forward with a wheeze, swiping the package onto the floor as Time sighed. It is likely enchanted to hold more than it appears. Yeah, no kidding. Glaring at the offending object, I huffed. ¡°This stupid thing better be important.¡± Bending down, I snatched it up and turned it over. The plain leather cover, devoid of any markings or embellishments, greeted me. A book. At least that explained the weight. Shaking off my irritation, I flipped it open, only to be met with page after page of swooping characters that looked like nothing more than chicken scratch. You wouldn¡¯t happen to know what this says, would you? Time¡¯s voice turned intrigued. Some of this is written in the old language¨Cthe first one. However, many words are unfamiliar to me. It could be a new dialect or a cipher the king developed to protect his writings from being intercepted. Given time, I can decipher it. Great. The journal joined the growing pile of items on the desk. I turned my attention back to the bag. Holding it carefully right side up this time, I slid my hand inside. Then my arm. Then my shoulder. Still no bottom. Given that it belonged to the king, it would be reasonable to assume this enchanted bag has infinite space, Time explained. To retrieve an item, you must either know what you are seeking or turn it upside down to release its contents. My earlier annoyance faded, replaced by fascination. Keeping the bag far from my groin this time, I cautiously flipped it over. And promptly scrambled backward when a fox tumbled out. ¡°What in the fresh hell?¡± I blurted, eyes widening. The sleek black fox stood, its fur gleaming like silk as its beady eyes locked on me. Long ears twitched back, rings of glowing light circling the tips. More rings shimmered around its paws, and when I glanced at its tails¨Cyes, plural¨Cthey sported the same ethereal adornments. For a long, tense moment, we stared at each other. Its wide eyes locked on me as tiny teeth bared in fear. Then its eyes began to glow an eerie blue, and I instinctively raised my hands. ¡°Oi! I¡¯m not the prick who stuffed you in there. Don¡¯t attack me!¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The glow faded, and its head tilted slightly, as though it were considering me. When it squinted, I gawked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, is the magical night fox analyzing me?¡± Time¡¯s voice cut in. It would seem so. The symbol on its chest marks it as one of Nature¡¯s creations. It appears young¨Clikely a recent creation not yet meant to leave its home. I cannot fathom how that vile king managed to steal it, but Nature would be most grateful for its return. Only then did I notice the faint white tree design branching across its chest. Taking that as Nature¡¯s symbol, I softened my tone and spoke slowly. ¡°Easy, little guy. I don¡¯t know what that asshole Silas did to you, but I¡¯m not like him. Hell, I killed him, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that prick anymore.¡± The fox¡¯s stance relaxed. Its ears perked up as it sidled closer, sniffing me with wary curiosity. I held still, letting it investigate as Time hummed thoughtfully. Most of Nature¡¯s creations, even the young ones, understand spoken language. However, keep your words simple; it is akin to speaking to a small child. He paused, tone turning darker. A child who is not supposed to be away from home. So, basically, it was a lost toddler. The thought sent a pang through me, and I smiled at the fox. ¡°You were taken from home, weren¡¯t you?¡± It¡¯s head shot up, ears alert, and it let out a small yip. I took that as a yes and extended a hand. ¡°Well,if you¡¯d like, I¡¯ll bring you back. I¡¯ve got a few things to finish first, but after that, I¡¯ll take you to Nature.¡± The fox¡¯s wariness melted away, replaced by pure, unfiltered excitement. It spun in tight circles, yipping happily before leaping into my lap. I scrambled to catch it as it bounced around, its energy overwhelming. ¡°Alright, calm down,¡± I laughed. ¡°We don¡¯t want you getting hurt.¡± It stilled reluctantly, its tail swishing with pent-up energy. When I stood, it clambered up my arm to settle around my shoulders, its warm body draped along my neck. The glowing rings weren¡¯t solid, but they sent a faint, tingling sensation across my skin whenever they brushed my ear. Ignoring the odd sensation, I reached the bag. The fox tensed but didn¡¯t jump down as I began stuffing the papers and scrolls inside. Once everything but the journal was packed, I asked inwardly. Do I need to worry about anything getting crushed in there, or can I just toss stuff in? Time¡¯s response was immediate Kings can afford advanced enchantments. If this is indeed a bag of infinite space, its magic would ensure everything remains intact. If you wish to test it, gather everything you want and see if it fits. I glanced around the room. Books lined the shelves, dozens of them stretching from floor to ceiling, the sheer number daunting but oh so tempting. Grinning, I felt excitement surge through me like lightning. Challenge accepted. Its Not Theft If Its From A Bastard--38 The fox remained snug on my shoulder as I began emptying the desk, tossing various quills into the bag. They¡¯d make good testers¨Csmall, fragile, and easy to check for damage. I picked up the coded journal, testing its weight in my palm. ¡°I¡¯ll keep this out here for now, just in case it can be damaged.¡± That is wise. Better cautious than regretful, Time agreed. But our time is short. Gather what books you wish to keep so we may leave. No argument there. Turning to the shelves, I started grabbing everything within reach¨Cbeautifully illustrated volumes adorned with flowers or knights, plain leather-bound journals resembling the one from the desk, and untitled tomes that practically begged to be read. I didn¡¯t waste time examining each one; we couldn¡¯t linger here long, and if I wanted to keep them, I needed to act now. The sheer amount of books was staggering, but I moved with determination, clearing shelf after shelf. By the time I¡¯d taken everything I could reach, the bag felt no heavier, but the sky outside had dimmed significantly. Night was falling, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before someone discovered Silas¡¯s body. As much as I hated leaving any books behind, the mission came first. I glanced longingly at the upper shelves, so far out of reach. ¡°So many books I have to leave behind.¡± Hopefully, this wasn¡¯t the kind of country that would burn them. If I found out later that these were reduced to ashes, I would cry. Time¡¯s tone was understanding, free of mockery. I understand your reluctance, but there will be other books. ¡°Yeah, but there¡¯s something deeply satisfying about looting Silas¡¯s personal library.¡± I sighed wistfully. ¡°If only I had a ladder or something!¡± Silas had likely used a levitation spell to access the higher shelves, but I had no such thing in my arsenal. My new foxy friend tilted its head, curiosity glinting in its eyes as it glanced between me and the untouched books. When it didn¡¯t break its stare, I rubbed the back of my head and laughed. ¡°Sorry, little guy. I know you probably don¡¯t understand what the big deal is. These are Silas¡¯s personal books. His treasures. Some might be one-of-a-kind, priceless even. I just¡­wish I could reach the others.¡± The fox¡¯s gaze sharpened, and understanding flickered behind its glowing eyes. Before I could react, it leapt from my shoulder. ¡°Wait!¡± I lunged, hands outstretched to catch it, worried it might hurt itself on the long drop to the floor. But instead of falling, it floated.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. I froze, staring as it hovered several feet above me, the rings around its body glowing a soft blue that matched its eyes. Through my shock, I managed to choke out, ¡°That¡­is fucking cool.¡± The fox puffed up, clearly pleased with the praise. It turned to face the shelves, focusing on the books. The glow around its body intensified, but nothing happened at first. I frowned, unsure what it was trying to do. Then, one by one, the books began to glow. My jaw dropped as every single book on the upper shelves lifted in perfect unison, floating gently down to the floor. Once they were settled, the light faded, and the fox drifted back onto my shoulder with a wide, lazy yawn. Absently, I stroked its silky ears as awe coursed through me. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that was, but you¡¯re going to be one badass little guy when you grow up.¡± It puffed up again, though with noticeably less energy, before curling into my hood and promptly falling asleep. I chuckled softly, letting it rest. It had damn well earned that nap, and thanks to it, I now had something else to occupy my focus. Turning back to the books now spread across the floor, I grinned and got to work with fervor. My foxy companion had given me a gift, and I wasn¡¯t about to waste it by dragging my feet. With renewed vigor, I carefully packed the remaining books into the bag. Eyeing Silas¡¯s journal again, I reached into the bag and pictured one of the quills. A tingle swept over my fingers before the quill settled in my palm. Removing it, I checked for any damages, smiling when there were none. Good, that meant it should be safe to put his journal in. Setting his journal inside, I absentmindedly swiped the inkwells too, putting them in just as the last rays of sunlight disappeared through the window. ¡°All right, time to meet up with Dominicus and update him. He¡¯ll probably want to head straight for that city.¡± Convincing him to stop by Silas¡¯s personal armory first would likely be easy, though. Just as I turned to leave, the door handle rattled. My heart shot into my throat. Shit. How was this going to look to some random guard? Silas¡¯s entire library stripped bare? It would throw the castle into chaos even if the body hadn¡¯t been discovered yet. I cursed under my breath and tensed, ready to spring on whoever entered and stop them from raising the alarm. The door creaked open, and I surged forward¨C ¡°Nikolas, stop!¡± Dominicus¡¯s voice sliced through the tension like a blade. I froze, my fist hovering inches from a very familiar face. Maya¡¯s father stood there, staring at me with gobsmacked disbelief. Embarrassment flooded my cheeks as I let my fist drop. ¡°Well,¡± I muttered, awkwardly clearing my throat. ¡°As far as first impressions go, that was¡­not great. But it could¡¯ve been worse.¡± Worried Dad Mode, Activated--39 Dominicus shook his head, amusement tugging at the corners of his lips as he chuckled. ¡°You''re not wrong. Though the day is young.¡± I grimaced, heat climbing my cheeks as I shot him a glare¨Cbelatedly realizing he couldn''t see it. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best not to cause a fuss. Now, let¡¯s move on. This is the resistance leader, I take it?¡± Dominicus nodded, gesturing to the man beside him. ¡°Yes, this is Henry. I''ve already filled him in on the situation.¡± Henry shook off his initial surprise, his expression hardening into a grim mask. ¡°The king is truly dead, then?¡± Sharp, intelligent eyes bore into me and I had to fight the urge to squirm under his stare. ¡°He is. I saw it myself¨Cthere¡¯s no coming back from that spell.¡± Dominicus¡¯s face tightened, his expression unreadable. Unease churned in my stomach as I remembered his power¨Cthe ability to raise the dead. I would have no way of knowing that in this timeline, so I forced my face to remain neutral, despite the thought making my skin crawl. It was one heck of a power, though I couldn¡¯t imagine how disconcerting it was. He can raise the dead? Time''s voice cut in, his tone sharp with disbelief. Such a thing should not be possible. Even the spirit of Death can do no such thing. Once a soul crosses into his territory, he can visit it but never bring it back to the realm of the living. I kept my gaze on Henry as I mentally replied. No, it''s not like that. He can reanimate corpses, but the soul isn''t there. I''ve seen it in action. Relief replaced Time''s alarm. Ah. That is far less troubling, though the results could still be¡­disturbing. You''re telling me. The memory of Henry''s lifeless body made my skin crawl anew. If Dominicus hadn''t said his patron was Fate, I would have assumed it''d be Death¡­ Indeed. Once I recover, I will discuss this with Death. It is peculiar for Fate to bestow such a power upon her Chosen¡­ Time''s voice faded as he lapsed into thought, and I turned my full attention back to Henry. His serious expression lingered, his gaze weighing heavier on me the longer it stretched. Just as I opened my mouth to break the silence, he laughed.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The sound was loud and genuine, and a broad grin split his face, erasing years of stress and worry from his features. He clapped me on the back with enough force to nearly knock me over. ¡°Good on you! That was our goal when we left Dawnmoor, but its a relief to know he¡¯s gone without a single casualty on our side. My wife and daughter will be overjoyed when I return home early.¡± The lightheartedness drained from the room, and I cast a wary glance at Dominicis, ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him?¡± I¡¯d thought it strange that Henry hadn''t immediately asked about daughter. Now, it made sense. Henry¡¯s smile faltered, his attention snapping to Dominicus. ¡°Tell me what?¡± Dominicus grimaced. ¡°I was getting to it, but he insisted on meeting you first.¡± He sighed, clearly reluctant. ¡°Let¡¯s finish introductions before we get into this. He won¡¯t be in any mood for pleasantries once he knows.¡± Henry¡¯s scowl deepened. ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± I opened my mouth to answer, but Dominicus cut me off, his unfocused gaze seeming to pierce straight through Henry. ¡°Your daughter is not safe in your town. She¡¯s here¡­somewhere. Nikolas saw her.¡± Henry spun so quickly I didn¡¯t have time to react. His fist gripped my cloak, nearly hauling me off the ground as he choked out, ¡°She¡¯s here? Where?!¡± Old instincts flared at the edges of my mind, and I shoved them down, keeping my voice calm despite the rising tension. Resting a hand over his, I forced a smile and took a steadying breath. A frantic man demanding answers I don¡¯t have¡­ Why does this feel familiar? Time huffed, embarrassment creeping into his tone. I regret nothing. Focusing on Henry, I answered, ¡°I didn¡¯t see her myself. But Silas mentioned kidnapping the daughter of the resistance leader. If I had to guess, she¡¯s probably in a cell somewhere.¡± The color drained from Henry¡¯s face. His grip slackened, and he released me, stumbling back to lean against the wall as if his legs could no longer hold him. ¡°Spirits above and below¡­ If those monsters got to Maya¡­what happened to my wife?¡± Grief and terror twisted his features, and I scrambled for something to say. Before I could figure it out, he straightened abruptly, his expression shifting to grim determination as he bolted toward the door. ¡°No time for that. I need to find my daughter! Who knows what that bastard has done to her? She¡¯s probably scared senseless!¡± Alarms blared in my head, and I lunged forward, grabbing his arm before he could run out into the corridor. ¡°Wait! I agree we need to find her, but if the king¡¯s soldiers spot you, you¡¯ll be killed.¡± He answered with an elbow to my jaw, pain sparking across my face. ¡°Let them come! I¡¯ll slaughter anyone who dares stand between me and my Sweetling!¡± The door swung open behind him as he disappeared, and I cursed. ¡°Dominicus¨C¡± ¡°I know,¡± he interrupted, already moving. ¡°This is why I hadn¡¯t told him yet. I knew how he¡¯d react.¡± He paused at the threshold, expression grim. ¡°Henry is known far and wide as a kind, doting man. He is a force to be reckoned with in battle, but when those he loves are threatened, all reason flies out the window. We must hurry. Stealth is no longer an option.¡± Adjusting my sack, I lifted my hood. The fox inside moved to curl around my neck before settling again. With a resigned sigh, I followed Dominicus out, bracing for the chaos to come. Hello Worst Case Scenario--40 The hallways were eerily empty, save for the occasional dazed person staring blankly ahead¨Cjust as when I¡¯d passed through earlier. It made following Henry easier. His cloak disappeared around a corner, and we followed, barely keeping pace as he barreled forward, checking every room he passed before rushing to the next. At least he wasn¡¯t shouting. That would¡¯ve been the perfect cherry on this disaster of a cake. His concern is understandable, Time said, his tone weighed with emotions I couldn¡¯t place. Any parent worth their salt would react the same¡­Though a little tact would certainly not hurt. I grunted, pushing through the burning in my lungs and the sharp pain pulsing in my jaw. Good lord, I knew I was out of shape, but this is ridiculous. And yet you agreed to take on a role that would have you galavanting across Nexus? Time¡¯s tone was devoid of judgement, which somehow made it worse. I shrugged, assuming he could sense it. I figured I¡¯d have time to exercise first. Maybe build up the muscles I need. I didn¡¯t expect to get dropped into a dumpster fire right out the gate. I¡¯d hit the ground running though. I always did. You have adjusted admirably well, all things considered. This situation is¡­not ideal. Time offered. My snort came out as a wheeze. Story of my life. When this is over, I will explain how stats function and how to improve them. You will need it. Yeah, Karma gave me the basics, but a deeper dive would help. Also, don¡¯t act like you¡¯d fare any better. You¡¯ll be in a human body soon enough. We¡¯ll both go running, and you¡¯ll be just as miserable as me. A petty spark of satisfaction flared through me at the thought of him struggling with human limitations. He snorted. We will see. Focus now¨Cthe man has stopped. Jolting back to the present, I saw Henry standing at the top of a staircase. The air here was cooler, and the once-ornate decorations had given way to plain stone walls and floors. Torches lined the stairwell, their flickering light casting long, shifting shadows. ¡°This leads to the dungeon,¡± Dominicus muttered, his expression grim. ¡°Be wary. There are likely guards still loyal to Silas down there.¡± Henry tensed, preparing to charge, but Dominicus grabbed his arm, halting him. ¡°Be careful. If we¡¯re too hasty, we risk them using your daughter¨Cor someone else¨Cas a hostage.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. The words landed. Henry took a deep breath, his hand steadying on the hilt of his sword. ¡°They won¡¯t harm her¨Cor anyone else. I won¡¯t allow it.¡± His voice carried a dangerous resolve, the promise rippling through the air. I used the brief pause to catch my breath, but Henry¡¯s sharp gaze turned on me. ¡°Are you alright? Surely such a short run wouldn¡¯t wind the one who took down the Dread King himself.¡± Would everyone stop assuming I was some all powerful god?! I snorted, giving him a withering glare. ¡°I had the element of surprise, for your information. I¡¯m a healer. Running until I puke isn¡¯t exactly part of the job description.¡± Was I snippy? Yes. Did I care? Not in the fucking slightest. Henry raised his hands in surrender, clearly picking up on the tease me and die vibes I was putting out. ¡°Fair enough,¡± he said with a faint smile. ¡°But maybe stay toward the back, If you¡¯re not trained for combat, I¡¯d rather not see you hurt in the chaos.¡± Dominicus nodded in agreement. ¡°He has a point. Do you have any spells you can use from a distance?¡± his lips quirked in a brief, sharp smile. ¡°Preferably ones that won¡¯t light us up along with the enemy, if you¡¯d be so kind.¡± Flipping through the spells at my disposal, I nodded. ¡°I have one. It¡¯ll immobilize them¨Cand possibly poison them too.¡± Dominicus¡¯s grin flashed again, all sharp fangs and approval. ¡°Perfect. Are we ready?¡± Henry and I nodded, following the bat-beastfolk down the stairs. The dungeon was worse than I expected. Cells lined the walls, and the air was thick with the stench of urine, iron, and decay. Pained groans and terrified cries echoed off the stone, so loud it made my ears ring. Instinctively, I covered my nose and pressed the ears flat to my skull. Dominicus mirrored the gesture, his expression twisted in distaste. Two guards were visible. One lounged in a chair, his head tilted back at an awkward angle, snores rumbling from his slack mouth. The other stood nearby, flipping a blade between his fingers with precision despite the boredom radiating off him. Behind them, shadowy figures shifted in the dim light¨Cat least half a dozen. My stomach sank. If the standing guard raised the alarm, things could spiral fast. Dominicus must¡¯ve reached the same conclusion. Drawing his sword, he nodded toward me. Taking a deep breath, I focused inward, picturing thorny vines erupting from the floor to ensnare our targets. Magic surged, and with a sharp crack, the spell took hold. The alert guard barely managed a strangled shout before both men were entangled, wicked red thorns digging into their flesh. ¡°Good work,¡± Dominicus said, striding forward. ¡°Now¨C¡± ¡°Adan!¡± The cry froze me in place, its mix of terror and relief sending chills down my spine. I spun toward the source, my stomach dropping at the sight. Inside one of the cells, a man held a knife to Maya¡¯s throat. His eyes darted between us, wild and desperate. ¡°Maya!¡± Henry¡¯s shout boomed through the dungeon, and the captor pressed the blade closer, glaring. ¡°Don¡¯t move, or I¡¯ll kill her!¡± Henry froze, fury radiating off him like a storm. His hands clenched at his sides, but he didn¡¯t take a single step. Wide, frightened eyes locked on me, and I raised my hands slowly, palms out, trying to look as non-threatening as possible. My mind raced, cursing myself. I hadn¡¯t even considered that a guard might be hiding in the cells. And now we had the worst-case scenario: a hostage situation. Perfect. One Crisis Down--41 Maya trembled against the guard¡¯s chest, her wide eyes brimming with tears. The knife at her throat glinted in the flickering candlelight, and fury surged through me like an inferno barely contained. ¡°Easy there. No need to do anything rash,¡± I said, forcing calm into my voice as I tried to defuse the situation. The guard¡¯s glare was venomous, sweat glistening on his brow as he snarled, ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing, beast. Stay still, and I won¡¯t hurt her. Tell the other animal to stand down!¡± His tone dripped with malice. From the corner of my eye, I saw Dominicus tense, his hand on his sword trembling with the urge to draw. Ignoring the slur, I placed a firm hand on his shoulder. ¡°Easy. We don¡¯t want to do anything hasty,¡± I said evenly. Dominicus exhaled a slow, deliberate breath and, after a moment, let his hand drop. The guard sneered in satisfaction. ¡°Good. Now here¡¯s how this is going to go. You, freak with the cloak, release my friends. After that, you¡¯re all going into the cell. Once you¡¯re safely locked away, I¡¯ll let the girl go.¡± A strange itch crawled at the back of my mind, an insistent, probing sensation. What the hell? He is lying, Time said, his voice grim. The feeling you are experiencing is a skill granted by Karma. You can sense when someone lies. I fought the urge to rub my face, instead schooling my expression into a blank mask. Why didn¡¯t this work with Silas? It would¡¯ve saved me a world of trouble knowing that shitheel was a lying snake from the start. His power is illusion-based. It clouded your judgement, suppressing passive skills like this one. They only activate when your mind is clear, Time interjected. Back to that prick¡¯s controlling power. It¡¯s no wonder he¡¯d gotten as much power as he had. Putting that aside, I locked eyes with the guard. ¡°What¡¯s to stop you from hurting her after we¡¯re locked up?¡± Henry shot me a warning look, his eyes silently screaming, Don¡¯t provoke him! Dominicus frowned, suspicion flickering behind his gaze as he studied the guard¡¯s every move. ¡°My friend here is correct,¡± Dominicus said slowly, his voice calm but firm. ¡°I will do whatever is necessary to ensure the girl¡¯s safety. But only if I¡¯m assured she will be unharmed.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. The guard¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line. His gaze flicked to his comrades, still immobilized by my thorny restraints, weighing his options. Trick him into coming closer, Time urged. I will handle the rest. His tone radiated certainty, leaving no room for doubt. So far, Time hadn¡¯t let me down, and if he said he had a plan, I trusted him. ¡°How about this?¡± I said, lifting my chin. ¡°You come out of the cell, we¡¯ll go in. I¡¯ll release your friends once you let the girl go. Everyone walks away happy.¡± Well, almost everyone. Judging by the murderous glare Dominicus shot me, he wasn¡¯t thrilled. Too bad. He¡¯d forgive me once this was over. The guard scowled, but after a tense moment, he nodded. ¡°Fine. But all of you back up to the wall. Weapons on the ground.¡± He pressed the knife closer to Maya¡¯s neck. She flinched, tears sliding down her face as her breath hitched. Henry nodded quickly, moving to comply. Dominicus hesitated, his hand tightening on his sword hilt. ¡°Are you deaf as well as blind, beast?¡± the guard snapped. Dominicus¡¯s shoulders stiffened, his whole frame rigid. I squeezed his shoulder harder and muttered low enough for only him to hear, ¡°I have a plan. He needs to be out of that cell.¡± That¡¯s all he needs to be, right? I asked inwardly. Yes, that will suffice, Time confirmed, his tone feeling oddly solid, almost grounded. Dominicus growled under his breath, ¡°You had better know what you¡¯re doing.¡± Not a chance, I thought but kept the comment to myself. Slowly, we set our weapons down and kicked them away as instructed. The guard smirked, his confidence growing as he stepped out of the cell, keeping Maya close. ¡°See? That wasn¡¯t so hard. Now get¨C¡± A shadow blurred behind him. Before I could fully register the movement, a metallic clang echoed through the room. The guard¡¯s eyes widened in shock, the knife slipping from his grasp as he collapsed. Maya stumbled free, clutching at Henry, who immediately knelt to wrap her in his arms, murmuring reassurances. Dominicus was faster than me, snatching his sword from the ground with a sharp motion. I didn¡¯t follow suit, my focus locked on Time as he stepped into the light, glaring down his nose at the man now drooling on the stone floor. His appearance had changed. The endless void in his eyes was gone, replaced by a deep brown that looked almost human. His face was drawn, exhaustion etched into the lines under his eyes. The pulsing aura of power that had surrounded him before was nowhere to be felt. He was mortal now. A different kind of unease trickled through me. The plan had been to escape before this happened. Now we were still deep in enemy territory, and he was vulnerable. There were so many ways this could go wrong. ¡°This complicates things,¡± I said, my voice tight. Time tossed the pipe aside, dusting off his hands like he hadn¡¯t just turned the situation on its head. ¡°We¡¯ll need to be more careful from here on out.¡± ¡°No kidding,¡± I muttered. Dominicus¡¯s blade glinted in the low light as he took up a defensive position near the door, while Henry focused on soothing Maya¡¯s sobs. I exhaled slowly, forcing my racing thoughts to steady. One crisis was over, but the next was already looming¡­ What The Hell, Time?--42 Dominicus rested a hand on his sword, his gaze narrowing. ¡°Do we get an explanation for your sudden appearance?¡± Time barely spared him a glance, shrugging. ¡°I am a companion who will be joining your journey to undo the king¡¯s wrong. Is that not enough?¡± Dominicus¡¯s expression darkened, and I winced internally. That was painfully vague. Evidently, Dominicus agreed. He squared his shoulders and turned to me. ¡°Do you have an actual answer?¡± Time shot me a warning look, his eyes sharp. I sighed. ¡°He¡¯s my companion¡­another Chosen of Karma.¡± I mean, she¡¯d chosen him as her husband. ¡°Sorry for not mentioning him earlier. He¡¯s not exactly a front-line fighter, so we planned to introduce him once we were safely out of here.¡± Close to the truth, but not nearly the whole story. Thankfully, it satisfied Dominicus. His hand fell from his sword, and he turned toward the unconscious guard slumped on the ground. ¡°As you say. Are there any others?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Not that I¡¯m aware of. But we should focus on getting out of here. Henry, what¡¯s the plan now that the king is dead.¡± Henry stepped closer, Maya cradled securely on his hip, her face pressed into his neck. ¡°Now that we¡¯re found Maya, I¡¯ll order my forces to storm the castle. Everyone inside will be questioned to determine their loyalty.¡± That sounded promising. Still, I couldn¡¯t shake the memory of the report I¡¯d found earlier. ¡°When I was going through king bast¨C¡± Henry cleared his throat pointedly, giving me a sharp look. I frowned, confused, until he nodded toward Maya. She peeked out from his shoulder, her wide eyes full of curiosity, and I bit back a laugh. Right. Watch my mouth when the small one is near. ¡°My bad. When I was checking the king¡¯s desk, I found a report¨Cprobably from his general. It mentioned a town that was recently occupied, with soldiers stationed there. With the king gone¡­¡± Henry¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°The people will be in danger.¡± The grief that flickered across his face was almost tangible as he glanced down at Maya. ¡°You know the town?¡± I asked.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. He nodded, his voice heavy. ¡°It¡¯s Dawnmoor. Our home.¡± The air in the room shifted. Time froze, his expression briefly cracking before he turned away, schooling his features into impassivity. ¡°That is quite the difference,¡± he said, his tone clipped. ¡°Nearly the entire way across Nexus. Perhaps, Nikolas, we should leave this to the resistance leader. There are other matters that require our attention.¡± I raised an eyebrow, snorting. ¡°You¡¯re suggesting we leave those people? I thought the plan was to free the oppressed. And if one of Silas¡¯s generals is there, I¡¯d like to stomp their as¨C¡± Henry hastily covered Maya¡¯s ears, glaring at me. I coughed, amending, ¡°--stomp their butts into next week. What¡¯s changed?¡± Time¡¯s scowl deepened, but he refused to meet my gaze. ¡°That was before I knew the town in question was Dawnmoor. The distance is impractical.¡± His tone was neutral, devoid of any emotions, but I felt it again¨Cthat familiar itch at the back of my mind. He was lying. I didn¡¯t push, though. Not here. Henry¡¯s frown deepened as he studied Time, while Dominicus¡¯s expression wavered between reluctant agreement and disapproval. It was Dominicus who broke the silence. ¡°While he¡¯s correct that our quest is critical, we can manage both. Dawnmoor is as good a direction as any, and we can gather information and help others along the way.¡± Henry¡¯s tension eased. ¡°I agree. There¡¯s no reason we can¡¯t pursue both goals.¡± Time drew a sharp breath, clearly ready to argue, but I stepped between him and the others, plastering on a forced smile. ¡°I need to talk to my companion before making a decision. But if there¡¯s a way to help people while fulfilling Karma¡¯s will, I¡¯ll do it.¡± That seemed to satisfy them. Dominicus gestured toward the adjacent cells. ¡°We¡¯ll leave at first light. You have until then to decide. Meet us at the main gate if you¡¯re coming.¡± With that, he disappeared into the next room, Henry trailing after him. The resistance leader hesitated, offering me a small, uncertain smile. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll join us. But either way, thank you for what you¡¯ve done for Nexus.¡± Before I could respond, he followed Dominicus, leaving me alone with Time. I turned to him, trying to decide where to start. His face was an unreadable mask, but tension radiated from him. ¡°We should move on,¡± he said abruptly. Without waiting for a response, he brushed past me, heading toward the exit with his head held high, as if he hadn¡¯t just suggested leaving an entire town of captives behind. They would have Henry even if we didn¡¯t step in, but earlier he¡¯d wanted to save them. What had changed? Confusion and frustration simmered as I grabbed his arm, stopping him short. ¡°We need to talk.¡± His lips thinned, but he nodded. ¡°Not here. There are too many listening ears. The king¡¯s office should suffice. It¡¯s likely soundproofed.¡± I released him, following silently as he led the way back. He¡¯d better have a damn good explanation for his sudden change of heart. Because unless he did, there was no way I was abandoning those people. Revelations And New Understanding --43 The door shut silently behind him as I crossed my arms. ¡°So, you wanna tell me what changed in the span of less than an hour? Because earlier, you were fine with helping those people.¡± Time opened his mouth, but the familiar tingle at the back of my neck flared. I narrowed my eyes and snapped, ¡°Without lying, if you don¡¯t mind. I can sense it now, remember?¡± His jaw clicked shut and he grimaced. ¡°I should never have explained what that sensation meant¡­¡± ¡°Boo-hoo¡±, I snorted. ¡°You have to tell me the truth now. Too late to backtrack. So, what¡¯s the real reason? Because, let¡¯s be clear, if it''s not fantastic I¡¯m going to help those people.¡± Between the chance of finding a general and the suffering those people might be enduring, there was no way I could turn a blind eye. Silas¡¯s top commanders were our best shot at gathering intel¨Caside from the journal safely stashed in my bag¨Cand we needed every lead we could get. Time stood motionless, the weight of his indecision etched on his face. I waited, unflinching. This was too important to let slide. Finally, exhaustion gave way to reluctant resignation. ¡°I have a deep and painful history with Dawnmoor,¡± he said, voice low and tight. ¡°The last time I was there, I swore never to return.¡± A blade of grief sliced through his expression. ¡°Dawnmoor has the resistance leader and your new friend. That should be enough.¡± His honesty was progress, at least. I relaxed slightly, though my arms stayed crossed. ¡°Okay, trauma¡¯s a class A bitch, I get that. But what about the general? You said it yourself¨Cthis is our only lead.¡± Time¡¯s lips thinned, but he said nothing. I pressed on. ¡°Silas said his generals have incredible powers. What if this one wipes out the resistance? Doesn¡¯t that still lead to the apocalypse?¡± I¡¯d managed to take down the army earlier and the general wouldn¡¯t be alone. Time sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°I considered that as well¡­¡± ¡°And yet you still want to avoid it? What the hell happened there to make you this averse to the place?¡± I half expected him to dodge the question¨Cit was clearly personal¨Cbut after a long silence, he turned away. His expression locked into a blank mask. ¡°Karma and I lost a child there.¡± Fuck. The words hit like a punch to the gut. Of all the answers I¡¯d braced for, that wasn¡¯t one of them. Sympathy twisted in my chest as I scrubbed both hands down my face. This just got a lot more complicated. I couldn¡¯t ask him to return to the place his child died. That would be cruel. But could we really risk leaving the general unchecked and starting the apocalypse in our absence?The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Well¡­fuck.¡± It was all I could manage. ¡°Yes.¡± Time¡¯s voice was grim, his scowl deepening. ¡°Fuck sums up the situation quite well. Though I could offer dozens more colorful descriptors.¡± The tension in the room was suffocating as I mulled over our options¨Cor lack thereof. ¡°How about we ask Henry if he knows anything about the general near Dawnmoor? Depending on what kind of power we¡¯re dealing with, maybe the resistance can handle it.¡± Time hummed, noncommittal. ¡°And if the general¡¯s power is one they cannot face alone?¡± The million-dollar question. Unfortunately, I could only see one compromise. ¡°You¡¯ll stay in the nearest town to Dawnmoor. I¡¯ll help them take down the general, gather any information I can about the apocalypse, and come back for you.¡± His expression twisted with displeasure, ¡°The entire reason I took human form was to remain at your side.¡± I huffed, crossing my arms again. ¡°And I can¡¯t leave those people, especially with a potential apocalypse hanging over our heads. It¡¯s too big a risk. This is the only way to meet in the middle, so take it or leave it.¡± Frustration radiated off him, but after a long, tense silence, he nodded. ¡°If your aid is required in Dawnmoor, I will wait in Latica. The walk is several days, but this arrangement satisfies everyone¡¯s needs.¡± Relief washed over me. At least we had a plan. I gestured to the door. ¡°Alright, glad that¡¯s settled. We were heading that way anyway, so it works out. Let¡¯s find Henry, ask about the general, and tell them the plan.¡± Time followed without complaint, but when we reached the hallway, I pulled up short. The charmed guards were still staring straight ahead, and Henry¡¯s soldiers hadn¡¯t yet arrived. ¡°Dominicus said to meet them at the main gate tomorrow, but he didn¡¯t say where to find them in the meantime,¡± I muttered. Time grunted. ¡°If we wait, the soldiers should pass through soon. We can ask them.¡± That wasn¡¯t a risk I was keen on taking. ¡°What are the odds they¡¯re still in the dungeon?¡± He glanced back the way we¡¯d come from. ¡°Low, but not impossible. There must be countless prisoners still being freed. Shall we return?¡± I nodded. ¡°I think that¡¯s our best bet. I don¡¯t feel like chancing one of the soldiers assuming we¡¯re allies of the king.¡± The walk back to the dungeons passed in tense silence. When we descended the stairs, I scanned the people milling about. They were from every conceivable race and age group, all scrunched together like sardines. A flash of familiar wings caught my eye. I called out, ¡°Dominicus, is Henry still here?¡± His wings twitched in surprise before the crowd parted to let him through. When he reached us, he furled his wings carefully in the cramped space and nodded. ¡°He¡¯s in the final area of the dungeon. Most of the prisoners have been freed.¡± His sharp gaze flicked to Time, narrowing with suspicion and dislike. I couldn¡¯t blame him¨Cmy feelings toward Time hadn¡¯t been charitable before knowing why he¡¯d voted to leave Dawnmoor to Henry. That said, his reason was intensely personal, so in place of explaining, I stepped between them, speaking quickly. ¡°We¡¯ve reached an agreement. If you need help freeing Dawnmoor, I¡¯ll go, but he¡¯ll stay in Latica. I need to ask Henry about the general stationed nearby, though.¡± Dominicus relaxed slightly, a shadow of a smile curling his lips. He gestured to a corridor of cells. ¡°He¡¯s that way. I hope you¡¯ll join us on the journey.¡± I nodded and followed his directions, caught between wanting and not wanting to go with them. There were people who needed help, but depending on the general¡¯s power¡­ We might be in for a rough ride. Agreements, Generals, and Special Abilities. Oh My... --44 Thankfully, Henry was easy to spot in his plate armor. I waved him down. ¡°Hey!¡± He turned, surprise melting into a friendly smile, with Maya clinging to his leg. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, though I didn¡¯t expect to until tomorrow,¡± he said, his tone carrying a hint of curiosity. I rubbed the back of my head and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve got a few questions. They¡¯ll help me decide if I¡¯m joining you on the trip to Dawnmoor.¡± He straightened, interest sharp in his gaze. ¡°Go on, then.¡± I hesitated, glancing at Maya. ¡°They¡¯re about the general who took over the town.¡± Maya clung tighter to his leg, and Henry grimaced but gestured for me to continue. ¡°I don¡¯t know much, unfortunately,¡± he admitted. ¡°I wasn¡¯t there when the town was attacked. The generals don¡¯t patrol fixed areas¨Cthey take orders from their king and go where they¡¯re sent.¡± Damn it. Not the answer I was hoping for. Before I could press further, Maya shivered, her small voice breaking through. ¡°I saw him. He was scary. He laughed when he destroyed the trader¡¯s house.¡± Henry¡¯s expression hardened, and a suspicion stirred at the back of my mind. Keeping my tone soft, I crouched slightly to her level. ¡°Do you remember how he destroyed it?¡± She shook her head, fists clenched to Henry¡¯s armor. ¡°He raised his arms, and it just¡­crumbled.¡± She mimicked a kicking motion with her leg. ¡°Like my blocks when I knock them down.¡± The tension in my chest tightened, though her cute attempt to demonstrate lightened it just a bit. ¡°That¡¯s really helpful, Maya. Thank you for telling me.¡± She nodded and stretched her arms toward her father in the universal ¡®up¡¯ gesture. Henry did so without hesitation, cradling her on his hip as he rubbed her back. Once she was settled against his shoulder, he frowned. ¡°What kind of power could do that?¡± I had an idea, and it wasn¡¯t one I liked. ¡°Telekinesis is a possibility. If I¡¯m right¡­¡± I glanced at Time, who nodded grimly. Looks like I¡¯d be going with them after all. Henry¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Telekinesis?¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Right. Medieval setting. ¡°It¡¯s the ability to move or manipulate objects with your mind. If this general is one of Silas¡¯s, chances are the power is strong enough to level buildings in seconds.¡± Henry paled, and I reached out to squeeze his shoulder. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m joining you. That kind of power could tear apart an army.¡± Relief flickered across his face before his gaze shifted warily to Time. ¡°Will your friend agree to that?¡± I nodded. ¡°We talked it over. He¡¯ll wait in the next town if my help is needed. Given that power, it would make me feel better to be there as back up, though¡­¡± My gaze shifted to Maya. ¡°What about her?¡± Henry grimaced, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about that. I can¡¯t leave her unguarded¨CI¡¯ve made too many enemies.¡± Before I could offer a solution, Time stepped forward. ¡°I will take her. Latica is watched over by two spirits. There are few places safer.¡± Henry hesitated, and I couldn¡¯t blame him. ¡°Nature is one of those spirits, right?¡± I asked Time. ¡°And she¡¯s probably protective of kids?¡± Time nodded. ¡°She is. Why?¡± I shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s a big deal to leave your kid with a stranger. Fair concern. But if Nature¡¯s as protective as you say, it might help ease the worry. Do you think she¡¯d house you both temporarily? Spirits want those generals dealt with too, right?¡± And, of course, there¡¯s the bonus that Time knew Nature, so he¡¯d likely stay with her anyway. Time¡¯s nod was slow but confident. ¡°I believe she would agree.¡± Henry raised a skeptical brow. ¡°You know the spirit of Nature well enough to say that?¡± Time met his gaze evenly. ¡°Yes. I have traveled extensively, and we have crossed paths. We get along well enough and I can say with confidence that she will house both myself and your daughter.¡± The tension in Henry¡¯s shoulders eased slightly. ¡°Then we have a plan.¡± Maya squirmed, pulling back to look at him with watering eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go! The last time you went, the bad men came!¡± Her small arms wrapped around his neck, clinging tightly. Henry sighed and shook his head. ¡°I know, Sweetling, but our friends are in danger, just like you were. I can¡¯t leave them.¡± Her lip trembled as she whispered, ¡°Is Aman with them?¡± The question struck like a hammer, and grief flashed across Henry¡¯s face. He swallowed hard before answering, I don¡¯t know. But I hope so.¡± He blinked rapidly, fighting back tears, then looked at me. ¡°If you have more questions, please hold them for tomorrow. I¡­¡± His voice cracked. ¡°I need a moment.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I said gently, ¡°I¡¯ll meet you at the gate tomorrow. I¡¯ll stay in the king¡¯s office tonight to stay out of your soldiers¡¯ way.¡± He nodded, his shoulders slumping slightly as he turned away. ¡°I¡¯ll give them your description, so they won¡¯t mistake you for an enemy.¡± As Henry disappeared into the crowd, I sighed and turned to Time. ¡°Well, that¡¯s settled.¡± Time¡¯s expression was a mix of sympathy and dread. ¡°So it is. Let¡¯s retire to the office. Tomorrow, the road ahead will be long.¡± I followed in silence, my mind spinning with all the ways this could go wrong. Naming Complications--45 Seeing the empty shelves in Silas¡¯s office helped chase away some of my unease. I adjusted the satchel of books at my side and grinned. Time offered me a tired but understanding smile before settling onto one of the plush couches nearby. ¡°We should take this opportunity to rest. There is no telling what awaits us on the road.¡± I hummed in agreement, reaching up to stroke my foxy companion as it blinked drowsily from my hood. ¡°Looks like this one was way ahead of you.¡± The fox leaned into my touch for a moment before shaking itself, fur fluffing up briefly. With a graceful leap, it landed on the desk, stretched, and let out a jaw-cracking yawn. I smiled at the sight. ¡°Since you¡¯re staying in Latica, will you drop him off with Nature?¡± Time shrugged. ¡°I do not mind, though she will wish to speak with you for saving him.¡± ¡°Saving is a bit of a stretch,¡± I muttered. ¡°All I did was mess around with the bag he was trapped in.¡± The fox turned to glare at me, its eyes narrowing in clear displeasure. ¡°What?¡± I raised a brow. Time chuckled as he sank deeper into the couch. ¡°He is displeased with your attempt to dodge his creator¡¯s thanks. I would advise giving in. Her creatures are every bit as tenacious as she is.¡± The fox huffed in agreement, and I raised my hands in mock surrender. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll meet your mom, no need to keep glaring.¡± Satisfied, the fox sat back with an air of smug victory. I rolled my eyes and scratched behind his ears. ¡°You know, I need to come up with a name for you. Calling you ¡®the fox¡¯ feels wrong. I wouldn¡¯t like it if someone called me ¡®the mortal,¡¯ after all.¡± He tipped his head, as if granting permission. ¡°What about Cedar?¡± I suggested. ¡°Since your mom is Mother Nature herself?¡± He considered the name for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°No good? Alright, how about Orion? It¡¯s a cluster of stars where I come from, and you definitely look like the night sky.¡± Before the fox could respond, Time interjected. ¡°Be cautious naming creatures. Names carry power beyond your understanding, and once chosen, they cannot be undone.¡± Well, that killed my idea.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°What if it¡¯s just a nickname?¡± I offered. ¡°It feels a little demeaning to keep calling him ¡®fox¡¯.¡± Time shook his head. ¡°Nicknames are still names, Nikolas.¡± The fox yipped sharply, drawing our attention. Time frowned, apparently understanding the sound. ¡°I understand that you dislike being called ¡®fox¡¯ or ¡®beast¡¯, but you are too young to fully grasp¨C¡± The fox let out a series of rapid yips¨Canimal-speak for ¡®la-la-la, I¡¯m not listening.¡¯ if I had to guess. Time sighed and looked away. ¡°Fine, doom yourself, then.¡± The fox puffed its chest out proudly, and I had to bite back a laugh. ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding about him being tenacious. Maybe Volpe would work? It¡¯s Italian for ¡®fox¡¯, but it sounds nice. Would that bypass the whole naming issue?¡± Time considered it, then nodded. ¡°Yes, that should suffice.¡± I turned back to the fox. ¡°What about Volpe?¡± It huffed, sticking its nose in the air. ¡°Look, I get that you want Orion, but why don¡¯t we wait and let your mom name you? It¡¯s not like it¡¯ll go anywhere while we¡¯re traveling. Besides, wouldn¡¯t you want her to give you your name?¡± The fox stared at me for a long moment before deflating with a grumble. Time nodded, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. ¡°Volpe agrees.¡± The fox swung to glare at him. ¡°On the condition that no one else claims his actual name in the meantime.¡± The newly dubbed Volpe nodded. ¡°Fair enough.¡± I scratched him behind the ears. ¡°If I pick up any other animal friends, I¡¯ll make sure they don¡¯t steal your name.¡± Time muttered under his breath from the couch, ¡°All this fuss over a name.¡± Volpe glared at him, then threw his head back dramatically, hopping off the desk and trotting away. ¡°Truly a child,¡± Time said, rolling his eyes. Leaning against the desk, I watched as Volpe¡¯s curiosity quickly won out over his irritation. He sniffed the shelves, making his way around the room and carefully inspecting every inch. Keeping one eye on him in case he got into trouble, I replied, ¡°Well, you did say he¡¯s mentally a child.¡± As if to prove that point, Volpe pawed at a tapestry, his claws catching in the fabric. His ears snapped upright in alarm as he twisted, tangling himself further. Wide, pleading eyes locked on me, begging for help. I sighed as I walked over. ¡°You¡¯re going to be a handful, aren¡¯t you?¡± Time¡¯s voice drifted from behind me. ¡°I have thought the same about you, Nikolas.¡± Without turning, I flipped him off over my shoulder and focused on freeing Volpe. He¡¯d tangled himself impressively, but with careful work, I freed his claws. The moment he was loose, he darted behind me, glaring at the offending tapestry. ¡°Try not to get your claws stuck¨C¡± Before I could finish, the tapestry shimmered and disappeared, melding into the wall behind it. I froze mid-sentence. ¡°Time? Am I losing my mind, or did that tapestry just vanish?¡± Time was at my side in an instant, suspicion etched into his features as he pressed his hand to the wall. It slid through effortlessly. ¡°No, you are sane¡­or your approximation of it,¡± he muttered. ¡°It seems the king had more surprises for us.¡± I reached out, pushing a finger against the wall. It slipped through like mist. ¡°Well,¡± I said, meeting Time¡¯s gaze, ¡°there¡¯s no better time than the present to figure out what the bastard was hiding.¡± We probably wouldn¡¯t be lucky enough to find another journal, but who knew? Maybe luck was on our side today. Hidden Rooms--46 Time straightened and nodded. ¡°I will go through first. Remain here for a moment.¡± I didn¡¯t argue, watching as he slipped through the wall. Silence stretched for a beat before he spoke. ¡°It is safe, and you will want to see this.¡± I exchanged a look with Volpe, then followed with him at my heels. Despite seeing Time walk through the wall, I half expected to smack into solid stone. Instead, a ghost-like tingling passed over me as the office melted away. I froze, my mouth dropping open at the sight before me. Plants covered every surface, their leaves, vines, and thorns radiating a kaleidoscope of colors. Workbenches lined the walls, one supporting a cauldron beneath a mounted shelf of books. Time gestured around us, smiling. ¡°It appears there is one more room for you to clear out.¡± His eyes glinted with good-natured amusement. I nodded, slowly turning to take it all in. ¡°He had a whole damn potions room hidden in his office¡­¡± I muttered, jerking back when a flower bulb snapped at me. ¡°Are these safe to put in the satchel? Or will they tear it apart?¡± Time nodded. ¡°Just as the inkwells will not stain the books, these plants cannot harm other items in the bag. Take everything in this room. I only recognize half of these plants, but those I do are exceedingly rare. Their leaves, petals and sap are used for potions and poisons. We cannot risk these falling into the wrong hands.¡± I backed away from the snapping plant. ¡°Alright, but how do I pack them safely? I¡¯m kind of attached to my hands.¡± Time moved to a wall of odd-looking tools. Pulling down a pair of shimmering leather gloves with intricate swirl patterns stamped on the wrists, he handed them to me. ¡°These should suffice.¡± I slipped the gloves on and jumped as they shrank to fit perfectly. Flexing my hands, I hummed at the buttery texture. ¡°Fascinating.¡± Reaching cautiously for the snapping flower, I watched its vibrant purple petals close around my gloved fingers. I felt nothing. Pinching its ¡°mouth¡± shut, I used my free hand to open the satchel and maneuvered the plant inside. With the flower safely tucked away, I sighed, eyeing the rest of the room. ¡°This is going to be a long night.¡± Time nodded. ¡°I will gather the books, vials, cauldrons, and other jarred ingredients.¡± He moved to a cupboard brimming with neatly labeled vials. The rows seemed to stretch impossibly deep, another feat of magic I chose not to question. Turning to the remaining plants, I huffed. ¡°Sure, you get the stuff that doesn¡¯t bite. I see how it is.¡± Time¡¯s lips twitched with mischief. ¡°Indeed. As you pointed out, I am unused to this form. It is only logical that you handle the more dangerous tasks.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Well, that sure bit me in the ass, didn¡¯t it? I rolled my eyes. ¡°Should¡¯ve kept my mouth shut.¡± Grabbing another snapping plant, I remembered what else I¡¯d planned to get and groaned. ¡°Damn it, we forgot about the armory, and I already promised Henry I¡¯d stay in the office.¡± Time glanced up from the seemingly endless potions. ¡°What interests you so much in the armory? You¡¯ve already claimed the king¡¯s library and, soon, his apothecary.¡± ¡°Hey, you approved the first one and basically ordered me to clear the second.¡± I shot back. ¡°Don¡¯t make me sound like a thieving bastard.¡± Time chuckled. ¡°Be at ease, Nikolas. I ask out of idle curiosity.¡± Grumbling under my breath, I finally answered. ¡°Most of the vault was useless¨Cheavy plate and frontliner weapons. But there was a staff. It cuts the cost of healing spells in half and can wipe out undead in a wave of light.¡± Time froze, his expression sharpening. ¡°Nikolas, what is the name of the staff?¡± Thinking back, I replied, ¡°Dawn¡¯s Light. Why?¡± He turned, abandoning the potions to face me, his frown resolute. ¡°We need to retrieve that staff before we leave.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± I said slowly. ¡°I was planning to, but what¡¯s so special about it that you know it by name?¡± Neither he or Karma seemed the type to use a staff. He returned to the potions, his movements notably slower as he explained. ¡°That staff belongs to the spirit of Light, now the spirit of Life. It was crafted for her specifically. I do not know how he came to possess it, but it cannot remain here.¡± Understanding dawned, quickly followed by disappointment. ¡°Guess I won¡¯t be getting half-priced healing spells after all.¡± Unfortunate, but oh well. It was hers rightfully, so I¡¯d make sure it was returned to her. Time waved my concern aside. ¡°Such a powerful artifact was never meant for mortal hands. When we return it, she may offer a boon. You could request a similar artifact¨Cbut do so politely.¡± I glared at him. ¡°I¡¯ve always been polite to Karma. Why would Life be any different?¡± He gave me a pointed look. ¡°Our first meeting involved you demanding my presence while cursing my name in the same breath.¡± Heat crawled up my neck. ¡°Okay, but to be fair, I thought Karma brought you up to speed and you were avoiding me.¡± Shaking his head, Time sighed. ¡°I do not shirk my duties, even those I inherit unknowingly from my wife. That aside, Life is among the oldest spirits, nearly the same age as myself. Treat her with respect.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t plan on being an ass,¡± I muttered, then hesitated. ¡°But if she¡¯s as old as you, does that make her your sister?¡± It would explain why he was being so protective of a woman who was most likely capable of squashing me flat. He tilted his hand in a so-so gesture. ¡°As close to a sibling as spirits have. We were not born as mortals are but created from the elements we embody. I am Time. The oldest spirits were formed from the gods before they passed.¡± Curious, I asked, ¡°So how many ¡®siblings¡¯ do you have? And if younger spirits weren¡¯t made from elements, what are they made of?¡± Time¡¯s gaze turned distant, pained. ¡°That is knowledge I will not share. It would invite disaster if it fell into the wrong hands. Just know that I have few siblings, and I will see to it that they are treated with respect.¡± He grimaced. ¡°Most of them, at least. Should we encounter my pest of a brother, feel free to be as disrespectful as you wish.¡± Sibling rivalry much? I bit back a comment and refocused on packing the plants. Time¡¯s secrets could wait; I had snapping flora to deal with¨Cand an armory to raid afterward. Cramming and Lessons In Etiquette--47 The last plant slid into the bag without resistance, and I leaned back, taking in the room with a satisfied smile. Every bench was clear, every table free of plants, and every cupboard, shelf, and cubbyhole emptied. Time stood off to the side, his lips curling in the faintest hint of a smile as he surveyed our work. ¡°We made good time,¡± he said. I nodded, stretching my arms. ¡°Considering how much some of those plants fought me, I¡¯m surprised we did.¡± Outside, the light had shifted to a dusky pink. If there¡¯d been one more table to clear off, we wouldn¡¯t have made it. Time chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°I am unused to being concerned about having time for things.¡± He stretched, a series of pops sounding down his spine. ¡°Mortal forms and their restrictions are¡­ exhausting.¡± I snorted. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it. Just be glad no one¡¯s asking you to run a mile first thing in the morning.¡± High school gym class could go straight to hell. He raised a curious eyebrow. ¡°Why would someone ask you to do that?¡± I sighed, shaking my head. ¡°Because the schooling system on earth is fucked. And the healthcare. And¡­honestly, everything. Everything is fucked. Every country has their downsides and it all sucks.¡± The memory of the hoops I¡¯d jumped through to keep my practice running¡ªaffordable yet effective¡ªtwisted in my chest. Worth it, yes, but exhausting. Time regarded me thoughtfully before humming. ¡°I can see why you leapt at the chance for a new life. Still, even if you¡¯d hesitated, my wife would have convinced you quickly. Karma is... persuasive.¡± Thinking of the fiery woman, I couldn¡¯t help but agree. ¡°Yeah, Karma¡¯s pretty amazing.¡± Adoption drama aside. Glancing out the window, I hesitated. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll be before she wakes up?¡± His expression shifted, a weight settling over him. ¡°There is no way to predict such things. But for her sake, I hope it is not until after your business in Dawnmoor.¡± His face hardened like stone. ¡°She will not want to set foot in that town any more than I do.¡± A pang of guilt twisted through me, and I made a decision. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if she wakes up, I won¡¯t call for her until we¡¯re out of the city.¡± Bringing a grieving mother to the place where she¡¯d lost her child? Not a chance. If I needed help, I¡¯d figure it out on my own. I always did. Time¡¯s gaze bore into me, heavy and unreadable. After a long pause, he nodded. ¡°That would be appreciated. My wife has endured enough. She should not have to suffer more.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Curiosity itched at the back of my mind, but I swallowed it. This entire topic was sensitive and I wasn¡¯t going to go stomping around like a bull in a china shop. Besides, it was none of my business. I slung the satchel over my shoulder and nodded toward the door. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving. The faster we get on the road, the sooner we can wrap this mess up.¡± And the less likely Karma would be awake for it. I didn¡¯t voice that part, but the determined gleam in Time¡¯s eyes suggested he understood. ¡°Yes, let us go. The others should be waiting at the gate. First, lead me to the armory.¡± I nodded and scooped up Volpe from where he napped on a bench. He stirred with a soft, annoyed grumble, cracking an eye open to glare. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Sorry to interrupt your nap,¡± I muttered. ¡°Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d want to stay here.¡± He huffed and burrowed into my arm. I shook my head with a small smile and followed Time out of the office, shutting the door quietly behind us. The guards who¡¯d previously lined the hallways were gone, replaced by men in armor like Henry¡¯s. Not wanting to look suspicious, I gave a small wave to the nearest one. The guard nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Sir Henry told us to keep an eye out for you. He and the others are waiting at the gate whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± I smiled. ¡°Thanks! We¡¯ll head there soon.¡± After a stop at the armory. The guard returned to his post, and Time and I continued down the halls. No one stopped us, though a few guards offered nods of recognition as we passed. At the armory, I led the way inside, heading straight for the staff. Time followed, his eyes locking onto it the moment we approached. ¡°Good,¡± he murmured, picking it up. ¡°It¡¯s still here. Life will be relieved to have this returned.¡± Curiosity bubbled up again. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t meant for mortal hands, why was it made at all? I doubt Life needs a staff to kick ass and take names, especially against undead.¡± Time snorted. ¡°Your phrasing is... unique, as always. But to answer your question, this staff was a gift from Nature and her husband, Inspiration. Life rarely chooses Chosens, but she has been waiting to offer this to the one she selects.¡± That made sense. I held out the satchel, but Time shook his head. ¡°I will keep it with me until we return it. Nature herself may deliver it once we reach Latica.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t we just call her? Like I did with you?¡± He grimaced, ¡°We need to find time to discuss propriety and social customs, before you inadvertently do something you regret.¡± He sighed. ¡°For now, just know that while we can hear mortals when they call out to us, it is usually faint. Easily ignored. I only heard you because of your desperation. That said, this method of communication is considered rude, if there is no life ending emergency at play.¡± He flicked a hand around us. ¡°When I arrived you were missing an arm, about to be mind controlled, and the entire resistance army was gone. That was well worthy of summoning me in such a way.¡± He tapped the staff. ¡°Returning this is not.¡± I nodded. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ve got a lot to learn, don¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You have no idea,¡± he muttered, leading the way toward the door. ¡°But we¡¯ll have time for lessons once we leave.¡± I followed, my head already spinning from everything I¡¯d learned so far. If the rest was anything like this, it was going to be a long road ahead. Hopefully, it wouldn¡¯t feel like college all over again. All that cramming had been hell. Another Long Sleepless Night--48 Henry and Dominicus stood where they¡¯d said they would, with Maya perched on Henry¡¯s hip. As we approached, Dominicus¡¯s ear twitched, picking up our footsteps before he waved. Henry jumped slightly, turning toward us in surprise, but his face quickly split into a smile. ¡°Good morning, you two,¡± he greeted, then muttered under his breath with an amused shake of his head. ¡°I always forget you sense more than you see.¡± Dominicus¡¯s lips quirked, but he didn¡¯t respond, simply turning to nod at us. ¡°I presume you¡¯re ready to leave?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± I replied. ¡°Whenever you are.¡± Maya yawned, tucking her head against Henry¡¯s shoulder as she rubbed her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re going home?¡± Henry kissed her forehead, hoisting her higher onto his hip with a soft hum. ¡°We are, though you¡¯ll stay with Sir...¡± He trailed off, glancing at Time. ¡°Thomas,¡± Time supplied smoothly with a wave, clearly having thought ahead about aliases. Henry continued, ¡°You¡¯ll stay with Thomas and the spirit of Nature for a while. I¡¯ll come back for you once things are safe at home.¡± Maya frowned, her arms tightening around Henry¡¯s neck. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go with him. He looks mean.¡± Henry winced, shooting an apologetic glance at Time. ¡°Maya! That¡¯s rude.¡± Time merely shrugged, though a flash of grief flickered across his face before disappearing. ¡°Children seldom like me. I take no offense.¡± His voice was heavy, his gaze distant, as though caught in the memory of something painful. I nudged his side lightly and stepped in to distract him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Maya. You¡¯ll also be staying with the spirit of Nature, remember? If you¡¯ve got questions about animals or plants, she¡¯s the best person to ask.¡± Hopefully, Nature wouldn¡¯t mind being followed by a curious kid¡­ Maya perked up. ¡°Does she know about Lunar Wolves? Both kinds?¡± I had no clue what those were, but I nodded confidently. ¡°She made them, so yeah, I¡¯d say she knows.¡± A grin spread across Maya¡¯s face, her previous sleepiness vanishing. She wiggled to be put down, and Henry obliged, keeping a close eye on her as she grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the road. ¡°Let¡¯s go! I have so many questions to ask her!¡± Henry let himself be led, Dominicus following a step behind, while I lingered next to Time for a semblance of privacy. ¡°You okay?¡± I asked quietly. Time snapped out of whatever memory had gripped him and straightened, his expression clearing. ¡°Of course.¡± He lifted his chin, the haze from before gone. ¡°We should begin your lessons. There is much you need to know about Nexus.¡± He glanced at Dominicus. ¡°You, Chosen of Fate, would benefit from this as well.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Dominicus gave a faint nod, though he didn¡¯t look back at us. Time took it as agreement and continued. ¡°You already know how to contact spirits in an emergency, but let us discuss how to do so for mundane requests.¡± I nodded, falling into step beside him and listening closely. ¡°Most spirits are solitary and avoid the mortal realm when possible,¡± he explained. ¡°Unless you are connected to another spirit who can reach them, they are nearly impossible to contact. Spirits with a presence on Nexus, however, often have homes or bases. For example, Nature and Inspiration reside in Latica. Anyone wishing to speak with them can request an audience directly or through one of their Chosens.¡± ¡°Is it normal for spirits to have multiple Chosens at once?¡± I asked, trying to commit everything to memory. Time made a so-so gesture. ¡°It depends on the spirit and their duties. Nature, for instance, has many Chosens to manage Nexus¡¯s concerns, allowing her to focus on critical matters. Inspiration, on the other hand, has fewer because his duties require personal involvement. He only takes Chosens who impress him enough to want them close.¡± He gestured toward me. ¡°Karma¡¯s role involves finding those who wreak havoc on Nexus and ensuring they face consequences. Sometimes she takes Chosens; sometimes she does not. Her preferred punishment for mortals stepping out of line is to turn them into cockroaches. While effective initially, it lost its deterrent power¡ªhence, our current predicament.¡± I hummed. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan? We can¡¯t keep turning people into roaches if it¡¯s not working, but we still need a punishment.¡± Time shrugged. ¡°We have time to decide. For now, open your spells menu.¡± I did, frowning at the row of question marks that hadn¡¯t been there before. ¡°What¡¯s with the question marks?¡± ¡°They represent undeveloped spells,¡± Time explained. ¡°Once you decide on one, it will appear. If it is something outside Karma¡¯s jurisdiction, it will not solidify.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it on the way to Latica,¡± I said. ¡°What else do I need to know?¡± Dominicus, walking ahead, tilted his head slightly back toward us. ¡°If you don¡¯t know how to acquire new spells, that might be a good topic.¡± Time nodded. ¡°Indeed. Spells can be learned from two sources: a spirit or tomes written by Mana herself. You can only cast spells aligned with your affinity¡ªin your case, plants. Each affinity¡¯s tomes are stored in specific locations around Nexus.¡± ¡°So if I want more spells without Karma¡¯s help, I need to find those tomes?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Time said, ¡°though I do not know their exact locations.¡± Dominicus slowed to join us, his expression grim. ¡°You might not find them in their proper places anyway. Silas has been collecting them.¡± Time stiffened. ¡°He stole Mana¡¯s tomes?!¡± Dominicus nodded, ¡°I don¡¯t know how many he¡¯s taken, but if I had to guess, I would say a good number.¡± Volpe shifted in my hood, bumping the satchel strap, and slowly, suspicion dawned on me as to where the tomes were. I looked at Time, shifting the bag meaningfully. Understanding dawned in his eyes, followed by relief. ¡°We have good news on that front, at least.¡± Time said. ¡°Nikolas claimed the king¡¯s personal library as his boon before we left. The tomes might be amongst that.¡± Dominicus exhaled, his shoulders relaxing. ¡°Good. The idea of those falling into the wrong hands is... unsettling.¡± Looks like my love of books was paying off. ¡°When we stop tonight, I¡¯ll go through them and see what we¡¯ve got,¡± I said, already dreading the task. Hundreds of books and a satchel full of plants¡ªit wasn¡¯t going to be easy. I wanted to categorize it all when we were alone, with privacy, but that didn¡¯t seem to be an option now. We couldn¡¯t afford to wait either. If the tomes were in the bag, we needed to know now. Which meant tonight would be another long, sleepless night for me. New Spells--49 An ache twisted through my spine as I straightened, ignoring the loud crack that echoed through the clearing. Henry didn¡¯t stir from his spot, still snoring, with Maya happily snuggled into the crook of his arm. We hadn¡¯t made it far today thanks to her constant wandering off, but after seeing her devastation before¡­ I really couldn¡¯t bring myself to care if she cost us a bit of time traveling. Dominicus grimaced in sympathy, his eyes staring into the distance as his ears flicked in my direction. ¡°While I admire your determination, perhaps you should take a break.¡± I scrubbed my palms over my face and sighed. ¡°That sounds fantastic, but this needs to be done. If those tomes are here, we¡¯ll need to secure them. First, we¡¯ve got to verify if they¡¯re even here.¡± Time nodded, closing the book he¡¯d been flipping through and setting it aside. ¡°Nikolas is correct. We can rest once this is finished. So far, there have been no tomes, but there are still many books to sort through.¡± He yawned, then huffed in irritation. ¡°Though the task would be considerably easier if I would stop that.¡± I bit back a laugh. ¡°You could just go to sleep. No reason for both of us to suffer.¡± Considering he was still adjusting to being human, he probably needed the rest more than I did. Even Volpe was dozing nearby, the light rings dissipating as he slept, leaving him looking like your garden variety black fox¨Calbeit with two tails. Time shook his head, scowling. ¡°I will not heave the responsibility onto your shoulders and sleep. That is¡ª¡± Another yawn split his sentence and I mirrored him, barely bringing a hand up to cover in time. He exhaled slowly, irritation etched into his features. ¡°This is of the utmost importance. It would be unethical to leave this entirely to you.¡± I shrugged, leaning back on my arms. ¡°If it helps, I¡¯m used to late nights with little sleep. Kind of came with the whole ¡®twenty-four-hour emergency clinic¡¯.¡± Dominicus tilted his head, curiosity evident. ¡°You were a doctor?¡± I hummed, flipping over the satchel and catching the book that fell out. ¡°Still am, sort of. Not sure what the term is here, but when I agreed to be Karma¡¯s Chosen, it was with the understanding that I¡¯d help people.¡± Time supplied the answer. ¡°You are a cleric: a mortal who derives power from a spirit and uses that to¨Cat least partially¨Cheal others. Paladins are similar, though they are ¡®melee¡¯ focused and generally lack healing capabilities.¡± He straightened, his back cracking like mine had. ¡°Those who heal without a spirit are called ¡®herbalists¡¯ if they do not use magic, or ¡®weavers¡¯ if they do.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. I nodded along, committing the terms to memory. ¡°Karma mentioned that only two magic affinities allow for healing: plant and light.¡± ¡°That is correct,¡± Time said, ¡°unless Mana has released new tomes I am unaware of.¡± He glanced at me, curiosity flickering in his eyes. ¡°Plant affinity is generally the lesser chosen option due to its¡­ unique healing methods. Why did you choose it?¡± Domincus chimed in before I could answer. ¡°And why did you pick Beastfolk? Surely Karma told you about the stigma attached to this race.¡± I rubbed the back of my neck, their combined stares making me uneasy despite one going right through me. ¡°She told me my job here would be to expose assholes. Being the race most likely to encounter them seemed like a logical step.¡± I shrugged. ¡°As for my plant affinity, I figured if someone¡¯s got the energy to complain about how I¡¯m healing them, they probably don¡¯t need it that badly.¡± Dominicus huffed, shaking his head in amusement. ¡°Only you would willingly put yourself in such a position. I hope you¡¯re prepared. While some towns, like Latica, are more accepting of Beastfolk, many see us as little more than animals.¡± ¡°Then my job will be easy¡­ once I figure out their punishments.¡± Remembering that detail, I groaned and dropped back onto the grass, the unopened book resting on my chest. ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, there¡¯s so much to do!¡± Time sighed, his next yawn muffled. ¡°Indeed, but we will manage. As for your spell, perhaps we can come up with something now. It must relate directly to Karma¡¯s domain.¡± I closed my eyes, ideas whirling through my mind only to be discarded just as quickly. ¡°Honestly, her cockroach approach was perfect. It didn¡¯t kill them, and they suffered the consequences until someone else ended them. But there¡¯s no chance for redemption¨C¡± The proverbial lightbulb flickered on, and I bolted upright, startling Time and Dominicus. ¡°That¡¯s it! When Karma first arrived on Earth, she said she could ¡®sense¡¯ my karma. That means I can distinguish the really bad sorts from the average ones, right?¡± Time frowned, but nodded. ¡°It should be a skill you possess. If not, you can hone your perception and develop it. Why do you ask?¡± I practically vibrated with excitement, happy to finally be making headway. ¡°Karma¡¯s method was good, but too many people ended up as cockroaches. What if the spell gauged how far gone someone is? If they can save themselves, be better, then the spell reverts them?¡± Time leaned against one of the many trees surrounding us, their towering forms offering a sense of security as the fire crackled nearby. ¡°That could work. For truly heinous individuals, the spell would be nearly impossible to break. Though, if you want to allow redemption, they would need to not be a cockroach.¡± I¡¯d considered that. ¡°What if the transformation happens gradually? It would start small¨Cmaybe growing an antenna¨Cand progress as they worsen. If they¡¯re irredeemable, they¡¯re automatically turned into a cockroach.¡± Dominicus hummed thoughtfully. ¡°Terrifying, but it would make people think twice before committing atrocities.¡± Time nodded, a faint smile on his lips. ¡°Karma would approve. She adored her approach to punishing the worst of mortals, and having to change it was a blow to her.¡± His tone softened with approval. ¡°Well done. She will be pleased when she wakes.¡± Something warm and squishy twisted in my chest before I shoved it aside. ¡°Perfect! Now¡­ how do I make it into a spell?¡± Karmas Bite--50 Time waved a hand. ¡°Like most things involving mana, you need to visualize it. Open your menu and focus on the undetermined spell. Picture it forming into exactly what you want¨Cbe specific.¡± I did as instructed, opening the menu with a thought and locating the spells. My gaze locked on the question marks, and I focused, forming a clear image in my mind of the spell I wanted. At first, nothing happened, and frustration prickled beneath my skin. Just as I was about to give up, the marks flashed. They flickered like candle flames in a breeze, twisting and shifting until finally they settled into place. I read the new spell: Karma¡¯s Bite, Level Five Spell Those afflicted by the mark of Karma will begin to transform into a cockroach. The speed of transformation depends solely on the target¡¯s deeds and willingness to change. Remorse and positive development will gradually reverse the effects. Mana Cost: 50 I let out a low whistle. ¡°That¡¯s one hell of a mana cost. I only have thirty points, and it costs fifty.¡± Time nodded, unfazed. ¡°Your mana increases with each level you gain. Currently, it is thirty, but once you reach level three, it will increase by twenty points. Each subsequent level will bring the same increase.¡± I bit my lip, mulling it over. ¡°So, to use it even once a day without completely draining myself, I¡¯ll need to reach level two. And even then, I¡¯ll have to keep leveling up if I want to use it more frequently.¡± ¡°Correct. However, I doubt you will need to cast it often,¡± Time replied. I snorted, shaking my head. ¡°Spoken like someone who hasn¡¯t dealt with humanity.¡± Or worked in customer service. Time raised an eyebrow and I went on. ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of a war-torn, nearly apocalyptic world. I think you¡¯re underestimating how horrible people can be.¡± Dominicus grimaced but nodded in agreement. ¡°Before the king captured me, I encountered plenty of unpleasant individuals. We should prioritize raising your level to at least five.¡± I flopped back onto the grass with a groan. ¡°Sure as hell not something we¡¯re doing tonight. I still have to finish sorting through the tomes.¡± Dominicus nodded, ¡°That¡¯s fine. On our way to Dawnmoor, we¡¯ll find ample opportunities to fight and gain experience. Even during daylight, creatures like Rock Snakes spawn.¡± Curiosity piqued, I turned to Time. ¡°What causes monsters to spawn? Do they just¡­ appear out of thin air or something?¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. He shook his head. ¡°That is¡­a difficult question to answer. Even the spirits are not fully aware of the cause. Darkness is typically the catalyst for monster spawning, but exceptions like Rock Snakes exist. No one has uncovered the reason.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think there¡¯d be stuff that even the spirits wouldn¡¯t know. That¡¯s¡­ not super comfy if I¡¯m being honest.¡± I muttered and Time shrugged. ¡°They are not gods.¡± I snorted, ¡°No, they¡¯re just the children of them.¡± Time shot me a warning look and I glared back. He¡¯d said the old gods created him and his siblings, so that was the closest approximation I had. Dominicus wouldn¡¯t read too much into it unless Time made a fuss. After all, who else but the old gods could create beings as powerful as the spirits? Dominicus nodded, oblivious to our glare-off. ¡°True, but it¡¯s good to remember they¡¯re not gods themselves.¡± He grimaced. ¡°Some spirits are¡­ unpleasant, and the thought of them having that kind of power is unsettling.¡± Time raised an eyebrow. ¡°Which spirits are you referring to?¡± I sucked in a breath to cut in before Dominicus could dig himself a grave, only for the man to scoff. ¡°As if I would blatantly name them where anyone could hear. Names have power and I won''t be summoning the wrath of any tremulous or petty spirits on my head.¡± Damn, it sounded like he had personal beef with that spirit. Shaking that aside, I changed the topic. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on that. The thought of spirits spying on me makes my skin crawl.¡± Time grunted and flipped through another book. ¡°Agreed. Let us focus on the task at hand. We can ponder Nexus¡¯s mysteries¨Cand its spirits¨Clater.¡± I sighed. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯ll get back to it in a minute.¡± I¡¯d been looking through them for hours now and there was nothing wrong with taking a break¡­ as long as I didn¡¯t fall asleep. Forcing the thought aside, and the distant grogginess that all but dragged on my mind, I looked up at the half-hidden stars. Their dazzling light pierced the dark canopy, brighter and more vibrant than I remembered from Earth. Their patterns, though, were unfamiliar. Then one of them moved, and I froze. ¡°Am I losing it, or did that star just move?¡± Time looked up and smiled, amusement clear. ¡°The stars on Nexus are not truly stars at all. They are Astral Fae. Their home is in the sky and they only become visible at night. My jaw dropped as two of them twirled together in a mesmerizing dance, like a meteor shower come to life. ¡°Are they dancing?¡± Time nodded. ¡°The Astral Fae are known for their dances and art. Every night, they form new constellations. They also serve as harbingers of change for Nexus.¡± His expression darkened. ¡°The Astral Fae are one of the few, aside from myself, capable of seeing the¨C¡± Remembering Dominicus, I lunged over the books to slap a hand over Time¡¯s mouth. Fucking hell, he wasn¡¯t used to being exhausted and it showed. I¡¯d need to ensure he didn¡¯t spill anything vital in the future. Time¡¯s eyes narrowed with irritation, only for understanding to dawn when Dominicus raised an eyebrow. ¡°I beg your pardon¨Cdid you mean to say ¡®see the future¡¯? Because that is not within Karma¡¯s domain.¡± Tension crackled in the air as Dominicus¡¯s suspicion returned. Great. I¡¯d hoped to leave that behind when we set out. I bit back the urge to curl up and just¡­ sleep. Dominicus wouldn¡¯t be brushed off that easily and I had to come up with something to tell him. Tonight just kept getting better and better, didn¡¯t it? Oops--51 Letting go of Time, I sat down again, my mind racing for a plausible excuse¨Csomething that wasn¡¯t the full truth. Time grimaced, frustration flickering across his face before he glanced away from both Dominicus and me. Alright, no help from him, but maybe that was for the best. I couldn¡¯t reveal that he was Time, but I might still salvage this. If I could spin the story without outright lying, I¡¯d call it a win. Dominicus shifted, his hand resting on his weapon, eyes narrowing. ¡°You lied to me. Why?¡± His voice was calm, but a dangerous edge lurked beneath it. I raised my hands in surrender, my tone light. ¡°Easy, Dominicus. We didn¡¯t lie. Thomas and I are chosen by Karma.¡± In very different ways, but he didn¡¯t need that detail. ¡°Thomas here¡­¡± I searched for a believable explanation. Why would someone possess a powerful ability like foresight if they weren¡¯t related to Time? Then it hit me. The same reason a chosen of Fate could wield Death¡¯s powers. An anomaly. Maybe I could even use this to learn why Dominicus had that power. Dominicus arched an eyebrow, unimpressed. ¡°Stop trying to communicate telepathically with your ally and speak.¡± I hadn¡¯t even been looking at Time, but he¡¯d have no way of knowing that, would he? Facing Dominicus fully, I took a steady breath and spoke with as much confidence as I could muster. ¡°Would you calm your tits? It¡¯s his secret, so of course I¡¯m not going to just go spilling it without permission. I¡¯d do the same for you if the positions were reversed.¡± Time tensed, his expression tight with concern, but he stayed silent. He probably thought I was going to tell Dominicus the truth, and I was¡­ just not all of it. Dominicus¡¯s scowl eased, though suspicion lingered. ¡°Admirable. But if we¡¯re to travel together, I need the truth. If he¡¯s chosen by Karma, how does he have the gift of foresight?¡± Finally, the opening I needed. ¡°For the same reason I have an ability unrelated to my patron. You¡¯ve seen what I can do¨Cturning things to dust is definitely not a Karma specialty. His weird ass power is foresight. We haven¡¯t known you long, and trust isn¡¯t exactly instant. We weren¡¯t hiding it maliciously.¡± I crossed my arms, injecting just enough irritation to sell the point. ¡°We¡¯ve only known each other for a day.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Dominicus scrutinized me, his gaze drilling into mine. The silence stretched, tension thick in the air. At last, his hand slipped from his sword, and he sighed. ¡°My apologies, I¡¯ve been¡­ on edge since Silas took me hostage. I forget that special abilities are commonplace in Nexus.¡± The tension bled from his posture, and I exhaled quietly, relieved to have dodged that bullet. Time¡¯s expression froze, his face taking on the distinctive look of someone who wanted to smack themselves for not thinking of something. He caught my eye and gave a subtle wave, silently promising to revisit this later. Weird, but whatever¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not the one you should apologize to,¡± I said, keeping the act going. ¡°Sorry, Thomas. I know you wanted this kept quiet, but there really wasn¡¯t a way around it after that.¡± Time nodded, his lips pressing into a thin line, as if he could will himself to not say anything else damning just by forcing his mouth shut. ¡°Since I nearly revealed it myself, the fault lies with me.¡± Dominicus met his gaze, his hand now resting at his side. ¡°My apologies as well. I understand¡­ difficult special abilities better than most.¡± Yeah, raising a corpse minion would be something hard to explain, especially with Fate as your patron instead of Death. Time offered a rueful smile, shaking his head. ¡°As I told Nikolas, I need to be more cautious. Still, I appreciate your understanding.¡± His eyes glinted with curiosity. ¡°If I may ask, what special ability do you have that makes you understand?¡± Dominicus grimaced and turned his gaze aside. ¡°One that would cause panic if discovered. I¡¯m truly sorry for my reaction and my hypocrisy now, but I prefer not to speak of it.¡± Time opened his mouth, but I cut him off. ¡°Fair enough. No judgment here. If you ever want to talk, though, I¡¯m around.¡± Given that Time really wasn¡¯t in high standing with Dominicus, it was probably better to not offer that for him. Time scowled at me and I resisted the urge to flip him off. Dominicus didn¡¯t owe us that answer and pushing would only make him wary again. Dominicus offered a faint smile, nodding. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, thank you. It¡¯s nice to have someone else here from Earth.¡± I couldn¡¯t help it, I laughed. ¡°I never said I was from Earth. What gave it away?¡± He shrugged, the corners of his lips twitching upward in amusement. ¡°Calm your tits.¡± Ah, yeah. That¡¯d do it. I snorted, the sound bubbling up before I could stop it. ¡°I get the feeling I¡¯m going to be bringing plenty of colorful new phrases to Nexus in the near future.¡± I shook my head. ¡°So, you¡¯re from Earth too?¡± He nodded, the humor fading from his face. ¡°Indeed. I lived in several countries. I planned to settle down, but¡­ I got caught in the middle of a robbery. I¡¯m sure you can guess how it went.¡± I winced, connecting the dots. ¡°Sure can.¡± Before I pivot the conversation to safer waters, Dominicus looked to Time. ¡°And you? What heroic, stupid deed landed you in Karma¡¯s favor?¡± Ah, this¡­could go badly depending on how Time responded. Im Sorry...WHAT?!--52 I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t curious. Of course, he could tell Dominicus to fuck off, which would do wonders for our new friend¡¯s already high opinion of him, I was sure. If he answered, it wouldn¡¯t even have to be a lie. All he had to do was tell us how Karma fell for him. Which, to be honest, I wanted to know anyway. Call me nosy, but they seemed like such an¡­odd pair. Karma was full of life, playful, and had a wicked sense of humor. Time, on the other hand, was¡­ well, the opposite. The living embodiment of grumpy, with a generous side of biting sarcasm. Leaning forward, I kept my eyes fixed on him as he considered Dominicus¡¯s question. To my surprise, his gaze shifted to me. Seeing my barely contained interest, he raised an eyebrow, ignoring Dominicus entirely. ¡°Why are you so interested in this, Nikolas?¡± Only then did I realize I¡¯d leaned too far forward, my curiosity getting the better of me. Heat crept up my neck, and I shrugged, forcing myself to sit back. ¡°It¡¯s not everyday you get to hear about the person Karma herself chose. Besides, you already know most of the story behind her choosing me.¡± He huffed. ¡°Yes, most of it.¡± No need to elaborate on what part he didn¡¯t know¡ªnamely, the adoption and the messy lead-up to it. I¡¯d told him everything I could. He¡¯d have to ask Karma herself, when she woke up, why she¡¯d suddenly decided adopting a grown ass man was a good idea. Not that I didn¡¯t appreciate the vote of confidence. Younger me would¡¯ve given anything for someone to want me. But the spirit of Karma herself? That was beyond anything I could have dreamed. Too bad her offer came a few decades late¡­ and she forgot to clue her husband in. I pushed the thought aside as Time sighed. ¡°Fine, though I fail to grasp why this would interest you.¡± He straightened. ¡°I stepped in on a woman¡¯s forced marriage. She had no interest in the man and she was quite vocal about her displeasure.¡± His expression darkened. ¡°The husband was¡­ not going to take no for an answer.¡± It didn¡¯t take a genius to piece together what he meant. Frothing rage boiled in my veins. ¡°Why that sick piece of shit.¡± The words slipped out before I could stop them, but Time only nodded, approval flashing briefly through his stony expression.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Indeed. Fortunately, I arrived in time to stop anything worse.¡± The tight knot of unease in my gut loosened. At least Karma hadn¡¯t endured that. No one deserved such horrors, least of all someone like her. From the corner of my eye, I saw Dominicus relax, relief softening his stance. ¡°I¡¯m glad she escaped unscathed. That¡¯s¡­ rare in such situations. I can see why Karma noticed you. Thank you for sharing.¡± Time leaned back against the tree with a grunt. ¡°It is hardly sensitive or dangerous information.¡± Maybe not, but it did humanize him in a way I hadn¡¯t seen before. Up to now, he¡¯d bounced between insufferable boss and barely tolerable flatmate. This felt¡­different. Before I could stop myself, I blurted, ¡°What about the woman? Were you friends, or was that your first time meeting her?¡± The idea of anyone forcing Karma into an arranged marriage was laughable, but then again, they weren¡¯t the only spirits. I¡¯d have to ask which one orchestrated it later¡­ so I could avoid them. Or desecrate their temple. I¡¯d decide en route. Time opened one eye, confusion mingling with wariness in his gaze. ¡°Why are you so interested?¡± I shifted, uncomfortable under his stare, even without the unsettling otherworldly aura. ¡°Because we¡¯re stuck traveling together, and I¡¯m naturally curious. It¡¯s one thing to help a friend, but helping a stranger? That¡¯s different.¡± The real question remained unspoken: Did you know Karma before that? His eyes glinted, understanding the unsaid. He sighed, a tired smile softening his features. ¡°That was my first time meeting her. I will never forget the fire in her eyes as she stood up to that neanderthal of a man. He should count himself lucky he backed down when he did. Karma would have killed him otherwise, as she should.¡± Dominicus frowned. ¡°Spirits can¡¯t kill mortals. What do you mean?¡± Time stiffened slightly, and the significance of Dominicus¡¯s question dawned only when Time responded. ¡°Ah, I misspoke. My apologies. This exhaustion is clouding my mind. I meant the woman I saved looked ready to kill him.¡± That seemed plausible enough, and Dominicus nodded, accepting the explanation. I might¡¯ve done the same if not for the alarm bells ringing in my head. Time had lied. He¡¯d been talking about Karma, and she had been ready to kill the man. That wasn¡¯t alarming on its own¨Cgood for her, honestly¨Cbut spirits couldn¡¯t be killed. Which meant the one who¡¯d tried to force her into marriage had been¡­ mortal. How? How could a mortal do that to someone as powerful as Karma? She should¡¯ve been able to vanish to the Inbetween or become untouchable. Time didn¡¯t react to my thoughts, despite them screaming inside my head, and it struck me: since taking human form, he hadn¡¯t responded to any of my thoughts. On one hand, hooray for the return of my privacy. On the other¡­ We were stuck with no privacy and I had some questions for him now. Humble Beginnings--53 I waited until Dominicus was asleep before confronting Time. We¡¯d made decent progress through the books, though we still hadn¡¯t found any of the tomes. Hopefully, they were here¡ªjust imagining one in the hands of Silas¡¯s generals made my stomach churn. Pushing the thought aside, I turned to Time. At some point, he¡¯d rolled up his sleeves, and dark bruises had formed under his eyes. I¡¯d tried convincing him to get some rest, but he refused. His determination would¡¯ve been admirable if it weren¡¯t for the fact that we¡¯d both pay for it tomorrow¡ªor later today, depending on how you looked at it. Reaching out, I caught his arm and cleared my throat. ¡°We should call it a night.¡± He looked¡­ well, like hell, if I were being honest. I¡¯d planned to ask more about how he¡¯d met Karma, but that could wait. He huffed, giving me an exasperated look. ¡°I already told you how I met Karma. Why are you so fixated on this?¡± The words took a second to sink in, and when they did, I froze. Did you just hear my thoughts again? Time frowned, his head tilting slightly before his gaze dropped to my hand on his arm. It would appear so. At least that meant we had some privacy for the conversation I needed to have. He raised an eyebrow, his mouth a firm line. I am not answering more questions about Karma unless you explain why you are so set on this. I waved a hand, resisting the urge to speak aloud. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking about¡ªnot entirely, anyway. With a sigh, he gestured for me to continue. Thinking back to what he¡¯d let slip earlier, I chose my words carefully. You said the slime wanted to force Karma into a marriage. How could any mortal manage that? She could just disappear into the Inbetween, right? Time tensed, his eyes snapping to mine, a scowl curling his lips. Curse this blasted exhaustion. You did not hear that, do you understand? For the sake of your own well being, you heard nothing. I barely held back a snort and gave him an incredulous look. You can¡¯t snap your fingers and make me forget something just because you will it. He shook his head, irritation blending with self-reproach. This information is held to the highest secrecy for a reason, Nikolas. No mortal is supposed to know it. If word got out that you do, you could be hunted, tortured even. I raised an eyebrow. As if they wouldn¡¯t do that anyway. I came here ready to face every asshole on the continent. I don¡¯t care. And if you¡¯re worried about me spilling the secret, don¡¯t be. My pain tolerance is through the roof¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t get a word out of me.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Unbidden, memories of the basement¡ªcold steel biting into my chest, cruel eyes in the dim light¡ªrose to the surface. My stomach churned. At least now, the torture wasn¡¯t daily, and there was a chance it wouldn¡¯t happen at all. Time stiffened, alarm sharpening his features as he choked out, ¡°What was that?¡± I glanced around, half expecting Dominicus to spring to his feet, but the clearing was still, and he remained fast asleep. Time pressed a hand to his mouth, shaking his head with an eye roll. I was referring to your thoughts. Oh. Apparently, he could see memories, too. And I¡¯d just shown him the basement. Fantastic. A slimy, heavy weight settled in my chest. Pushing that aside, I steered the conversation back on track. Don¡¯t dodge my question. How could a mortal force Karma into anything? Did they blackmail her? If so, I¡¯d hunt them down and gut them for her. A life as a cockroach would be too good for someone like that. Time¡¯s scowl softened, his expression briefly lit by a flicker of vicious approval. Then, with a sigh, he shook his head. No. Karma would never allow herself to be controlled in such a way¡­ but she was not always the spirit you know. I snorted, trying and failing to imagine Karma as anything less than the fiery woman I¡¯d met. It¡¯s hard to picture Karma as anything else. People changed; I knew that better than most. But Karma? Full of life, badass to her core? She was a force of nature. Time offered a small, pained smile. Oh, she was like that well before becoming a spirit. Everything screeched to a halt, and my neck twinged from how fast I whipped around to face him. Wait, what? ¡°Before she was a spirit¡±? Spirits were made that way from the start. Time himself was! He cast a wary glance at our sleeping companions, then dragged his gaze back to mine. It was heavy, burdened by unspoken weight. Finally, he spoke. Near the dawn of Nexus, after the old gods shattered in their final battle, Karma was mortal. And you cannot share this with anyone. I had no intention of doing so. First, I needed to wrap my head around the fact that spirits could even be mortal. Then again, Time was one now, so maybe it wasn¡¯t that far-fetched. Focusing on him, I asked. Spirits were mortal? He made a so-so gesture. Most of them, yes. But this information must remain secret. Do you understand me, Nikolas? If it gets out, it would endanger everyone¡ªspirits and mortals alike. A chill ran down my spine at the gravity of his words. No wonder he was so guarded. If spirits were once mortal, that meant there was a way to become one. People would tear Nexus apart looking for it. No matter the world, those obsessed with power and immortality never changed. Time nodded. Exactly. That is why you must swear to me¡ªyou will not tell anyone. I didn¡¯t hesitate. I swear. This stays with me. No matter what. It would probably endanger the spirits too and, even if I wanted to see people slaughtering each other for immortality, I would never risk Kama¨Cor even Time himself. Kids Say The Damnedest Things--54 Time smirked faintly, dry amusement coloring his voice. A ringing endorsement. Still, I appreciate your reluctance to let me suffer. I shrugged. We didn¡¯t get off to the best start¡ªyou¡¯ve got to admit that. But we¡¯re getting better. He inclined his head, acknowledging the point. His gaze grew distant, as if lost in thought, before returning to me, sharp and searching. I waited, sensing a question forming behind those ancient eyes. After a moment, he hummed a quiet note of contemplation in my mind. I wish to speak of the memory, now that I have answered your questions about my earlier slip. My mood sank immediately. I should have known he wouldn¡¯t let that go. On one hand, it was years ago and after talking with Time a bit, I doubted he¡¯d use it against me. On the other, I hadn¡¯t thought Gerald would put a knife in my back either¡­ Time¡¯s expression softened, his tone almost reassuring. You are correct¡ªI would not weaponize personal pain against you. Aside from our¡­ strained start, you have proven decent enough. Borrowing his words, I teased, stalling. A ringing endorsement, coming from you. He didn¡¯t rise to the bait, merely watching me with a steady, curious patience. It was a refreshing change from his usual commanding demeanor. I hesitated, debating whether to share. The scars would come out eventually, especially if we bathed on the road. Better to rip off the bandage now. Suppressing old instincts to hide the truth, I exhaled deeply and thought back to the arguably worst time of my life. How much do you know about orphans on Earth? Time tilted his head, then shook it. Not much, I admit. So I¡¯d be explaining from scratch then. Yippee. We¡¯re placed in foster homes until someone adopts us. The homes are supposed to be temporary, and foster parents get paid to take us in. Unease raked over my skin and I pushed it down ruthlessly. I¡¯d decided to share, and I wasn¡¯t about to back out now. Besides, the therapist they¡¯d forced me to talk to insisted I tell someone so, why not now? Sure it was ten years late, but whatever. It still counted. I ended up with a couple¡ªthe Bugels. They passed all the tests and were approved as foster parents. The wife was nice enough, but her husband¡­ wasn¡¯t. My chest ached as I absently rubbed at the old scars. He only agreed to foster if it was a girl or a young boy. I grimaced. I really don¡¯t want to think about why. With the knowledge I had now, I could guess, but even the thought was enough to make me queasy so I set it aside. It didn¡¯t matter anyway. Mr. Bugel wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone from his cell. Anyway, Mrs. Bugel ignored him and brought me in. He wasn¡¯t happy about that. He never hurt me in front of her, but anytime she gave me attention, he¡¯d get territorial. Dangerously, violently territorial. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. I shrugged, avoiding Time¡¯s eyes. I¡¯m sure you can guess the rest. Silence stretched between us, heavy and taut. Finally, I glanced his way, unable to endure the weight of his stare any longer. Anger darkened his expression, and when he spoke, his words were sharp with outrage. He locked you in a basement? The memories flared, fresh and vivid, but I forced a nod. Yeah. It was freezing, so I¡¯d get sick a lot. Mrs. Bugel would fuss over me, and the cycle would start again. He was careful enough that she didn¡¯t notice. A bitter smile tugged at my lips. But he made one mistake. There was an old window in that basement, partially broken and hidden behind boxes. The day he carved up my chest, I knew he¡¯d kill me if I stayed. So, I escaped. The glass hadn¡¯t done me any favors, adding dozens of tiny scars around the big one, but they were a small price for freedom. You told the authorities, I presume? Time asked. Yeah. I scoffed, the memory sour. Mrs. Bugel didn¡¯t want to believe it. She called me a liar, even in court, when they showed her pictures of the cellar and my scars. She¡¯d been the only good thing in my life back then. Hearing her denounce me had burned like nothing else. Time¡¯s frown deepened. Her delusion in defending him was unfathomable. Karma would never tolerate such actions. If I laid a hand on a child, she would take me to task immediately, as she should. I smiled, picturing the fiery woman doing just that to Mr. Bugel. Yeah, she''s a badass like that. Indeed. A flicker of fondness softened Time¡¯s expression, likely conjuring memories of his wife. The weight between us lightened, and I was about to let the conversation rest when a small, sleepy voice broke the quiet. ¡°Are you two going to kiss?¡± Heat shot to my face as I spun around. Maya, still snuggled into Henry¡¯s arm, rubbed her eyes drowsily. ¡°What? No! Why would you think that?¡± I stammered, my voice a strangled whisper. Kids were random, I¡¯d seen it firsthand over the years, but where could she possibly have come up with that?! She pointed to our hands, mine still resting on his arm. ¡°Aman and Adan do that a lot.¡± Flustered, I yanked my hand back and resisted the urge to bury my face in it. ¡°We¡¯re not like that!¡± I hissed, sparing Time an apologetic glance. ¡°No offense. I¡¯m not into guys, and even if I was, you wouldn¡¯t be my type. Hell, your wife is¨C¡± I froze, horrified by what I¡¯d almost said to Time himself. Brilliant, Nikolas. Tell the man you would sleep with his wife. That was perfect. A plus, good job. I looked away, hoping he wasn¡¯t the territorial sort. Mr. Bugel had done considerable damage for ¡®eyeing his wife¡¯. Time could doubtlessly do worse if he put his mind to it. Time, to my surprise, didn¡¯t bat an eyelash. Instead, he spoke with calm certainty. ¡°Of course, you would prefer my wife. She is the apex of all that is good in Nexus. That is hardly news.¡± Oh thank fuck. He took that with remarkable grace. Fighting through the wave of relief strong enough to knock me on my ass, I watched as Time turned to Maya and continued. ¡°I am happily married to a wonderful woman, as you have likely guessed by now. And holding hands with someone is not an activity exclusive to lovers.¡± Maya nodded, satisfied. ¡°Okay. Good night.¡± She curled back into Henry without waiting for a response. I exhaled, chuckling softly. ¡°Kids say the damnedest things.¡± Time shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips. ¡°That they do. But now, we should rest. We¡¯ve a long journey ahead.¡± I nodded, stowing the books before settling against a nearby tree. Time did the same. The gentle chirping of insects and the cool night air lulled me into one of the most peaceful rests I¡¯d had in years. Im Sorry, Youre How Old?!--55 ¡°Adan, I don¡¯t wanna be carried,¡± Maya whined, wriggling in Henry¡¯s firm grip. After yesterday¡¯s repeated delays, he¡¯d decided to carry her most of the way today. Maya, of course, was less than pleased and made sure everyone knew it. Henry sighed, readjusting her on his hip. ¡°I know,¡± he said for what had to be the tenth time since we¡¯d set out. ¡°But you can¡¯t keep wandering off. You could get lost or hurt. I told you after the second time¡ªif it happened again, I¡¯d have to carry you. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll try again. Stay close, and you won¡¯t have to be carried. Deal?¡± She slumped against his shoulder, sulking. ¡°But there are so many pretty things¡­¡± Her eyes lingered on a vibrant purple flower as we passed a willow-like tree with grey bark and hanging blooms. Henry stepped further away before she could reach for it. ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s poisonous, sweetling. I won¡¯t risk you getting hurt.¡± She cuddled closer and sighed, clearly defeated but still pouting. ¡°Fine,¡± she mumbled, drawing the word out like it physically pained her to agree. Henry chuckled, tickling her side. ¡°That didn¡¯t sound convincing, little one. Are you sure?¡± Maya squealed, giggling as she squirmed in his arms. ¡°I am! I am! Stop tickling!¡± His grin widened as he relented. ¡°Good. Just had to be sure.¡± Dominicus, walking ahead of us, twitched his ears, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. ¡°He¡¯s a good father.¡± I nodded. ¡°He is. And I¡¯ve met enough bad ones to know the difference.¡± Time¡¯s stare burned into the back of my head, and I resolutely avoided looking at him. It was unnerving, knowing he knew about everything¡ªthe basement, Mr. Bugel, the abuse. I hadn¡¯t told many, and the few I had didn¡¯t believe me. The courts ruled in my favor, but the whispers still lingered: You probably just wanted attention and got a good man locked up for it. Hope you¡¯re proud of yourself. My stomach churned as the old, venomous voice clawed its way to the surface. I shoved it back down and focused on the present. But Time¡¯s stare didn¡¯t let up, and the skin-crawling feeling finally forced me to glance at him. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. His expression was neutral, save for a flicker of contemplation in his eyes. When our gazes met, he hummed. ¡°You are quite¡­casual with referencing your past trauma.¡± I shrugged, turning back toward the path. ¡°It¡¯s a habit. Making jokes about it¡­it¡¯s easier that way.¡± Dominicus glanced at me curiously but, mercifully, said nothing. ¡°Did you have any luck finding the tomes?¡± Groaning, I rubbed the back of my neck. ¡°I think so? Some of the books might be tomes, but there aren¡¯t any titles on the covers. And I have no idea what I¡¯m even looking for.¡± Time nodded, his gaze flicking to the satchel slung over my shoulder. ¡°Tomes usually have symbols on the front to indicate the affinity of the spells inside.¡± I thought back. ¡°There were a few with what looked like fire, one with a spiky ball, and maybe two with a diamond?¡± ¡°Those are likely tomes of Mana¡ªfire, light, and ice, if I had to guess. When we stop tonight, I will take a closer look.¡± Whatever we¡¯d do with the tomes after finding them all was another question entirely. Maybe Inspiration could build some kind of vault for them. I¡¯d have to bring it up with Time later. ¡°Adan, I have to pee.¡± Maya¡¯s whine snapped me back to the moment, and Henry shot me an apologetic look. ¡°This is normal. I¡¯m sorry for the delay.¡± I waved him off, amused by the familiarity. Kids were kids, no matter what planet you were on. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I used to work around kids. I know how it goes. Looks like the trees are clearing up ahead¡ªwe can stop there.¡± Stepping past the last of the trees, I froze. ¡°What the f¡ª¡± ¡°Language!¡± Henry cut me off, and I grunted, shaking my head. ¡°English, but seriously, what is that?!¡± I gestured toward the massive fissure in the ground ahead of us. It stretched for what seemed like miles, at least fifty feet wide, with dead grass lining its crumbling edges. The earth fell away into jagged stone, but the rest of the forest around it seemed untouched¡ªlike some colossal beast had raked a claw through the land and left everything else unscathed. Henry grimaced, his eyes dark with foreboding¡­and sympathy. ¡°It was caused by a spirit¡¯s grief. No one knows which one or what happened. One day, everyone across Nexus felt this crushing wave of power. And then¡­this appeared.¡± He shuddered, looking away. ¡°We were lucky they managed to contain it to a non-populated area. A little farther, and it would¡¯ve destroyed the nearby town.¡± Time¡¯s expression shifted¡ªpain and guilt flickering across his face. My blood ran cold as realization struck like a bucket of ice water. He¡¯d lost a child, arguably one of the worst things that can happen to a person. The grief would have been unfathomable¡­and this was the consequence. My stomach churned as I looked down at the fissure again, its jagged edges a testament to the sheer power it must¡¯ve taken to carve it into the earth. I¡¯d known Time was strong¡ªhe¡¯d rewound an entire planet, after all¡ªbut seeing this¡­ It was something else entirely. And I¡¯d cursed him out the first time we met. Holy shit. A Spirits Grief and Its Consequences--56 Shaking off the surreal realization that I had cursed out a being capable of creating a canyon, I refocused on the chasm. Something shifted at the bottom, but it was hard to see through the darkness. Squinting, I stared harder, and the hair on my neck prickled like static. The feeling crept over me¡ªlike the shadows were staring back. I took a sidestep, but the sensation followed, circling me like a predator stalking its prey. Then a tendril of inky blackness curled upward, reaching as if to pull me in. I jerked back from the edge, heart pounding. ¡°Henry, what the hell is that?!¡± He flinched, momentarily startled, Maya now free from his hip as she busied herself nearby. ¡°What¡¯s what?¡± Dominicus tilted his head in curiosity, while Time, ever watchful, merely glanced my way. I waved pointedly toward the very much alive shadows. ¡°The shadows¡ªthey¡¯re moving.¡± Henry¡¯s confusion cleared, and he sighed, though his expression darkened. ¡°Ah. That would be the grief of another spirit. The Lady of Shadow.¡± From the corner of my eye, Time stiffened. Neither Henry nor Dominicus seemed to notice as he stood motionless, his focus sharpening. ¡°Something happened to her,¡± Henry continued. ¡°No one knows what exactly, but her grief nearly consumed her. She cast it down into this place, and it¡¯s been growing ever since, twisting the land into a horrorscape¡ªif the rumors are to be believed. No one dares go near it to try cleansing it.¡± I swallowed hard, the sensation of being watched growing stronger, like the shadows themselves had suddenly become aware of us. ¡°So¡­ there¡¯s just a massive magical nightmare zone in the middle of the continent, and we can¡¯t do anything about it?¡± Henry shrugged, grim but resigned. ¡°In essence, yes.¡± Time finally stepped closer, wary yet alert. ¡°Those shadows are unnatural,¡± he murmured, his gaze hardening. ¡°Has anyone informed the Spirit of Light?¡± Henry shook his head. ¡°We sent a missive years ago to her temple, but no word ever came back.¡± Time¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line. ¡°We will deliver the message personally when our paths cross with hers. This cannot be left unchecked, especially if it begins to grow..¡± Some tension eased from Henry¡¯s shoulders, though his wariness lingered. ¡°That would be appreciated. Even from here, it makes my skin crawl.¡± Nearby, the sound of crumbling stone echoed sharply, sending chills down my spine. I stepped back instinctively, giving the edge even more space. There was some serious bad juju down there, and the sooner we got away from it, the better. I glanced toward Time and asked weakly, ¡°What are the odds that Light will ask us to handle this?¡± Please say none, please say none. Time shot me a tired look. ¡°Likely.¡± Dragging both hands down my face, I groaned. ¡°Fuck.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Henry glared at me. ¡°Lan¨C¡± I waved him off. ¡°Yeah, yeah, language, I know.¡± I frowned, scanning the area behind him. ¡°Actually¡­ where is Maya?¡± Henry¡¯s eyes widened as he swung around, his voice rising. ¡°Maya! We just talked about wandering off!¡± Before he could go into a full panic, Maya¡¯s voice piped up from a short distance away. ¡°I didn¡¯t leave your sight!¡± True to her word, she was only a few yards away, crouching near the edge to examine a neon-pink flower. Thankfully, she hadn¡¯t touched it yet¡ªit would be just our luck if it turned out poisonous. Henry exhaled sharply, tension in his shoulders. ¡°Maya, stay away from there. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± She pouted, glancing over her shoulder. ¡°But I¡¯m not touching it.¡± The sound of crunching stone cut through the air like a warning. My blood turned cold as recognition struck. ¡°Maya, get away from there!¡± I shouted, but it was too late. I knew that sound, had heard it just a second ago. The ground beneath her shuddered and gave way with a thunderous crack. Maya slid toward the edge, her eyes wide with panic. Henry lunged for her, shouting her name, but he wasn¡¯t close enough¡ªshe was already out of reach. Instinct took over, and I surged forward, throwing myself after her. Sliding sideways, I managed to grab her shirt just as she started to tumble. My free arm caught the crumbling edge of the chasm, while my legs scrambled for traction against the shifting rock. Pain twisted through my arm, but I didn¡¯t care. I had her. ¡°Kid,¡± I grunted, holding her tightly, ¡°we¡¯re going to have a long talk about wandering off.¡± Maya clung to my arm, tears welling in her eyes. She nodded, but before I could say more, the stone under me shifted ominously. Henry¡¯s voice cut through the tension. ¡°Hold on! We¡¯ll pull you up!¡± He and Time scrambled closer, their faces pale with urgency. Cracks snaked through the ground beneath them, and Henry cursed under his breath. I couldn¡¯t help myself. ¡°Language.¡± Despite the situation, Henry barked out a nearly hysterical laugh. ¡°Not exactly my priority right now.¡± The stone crumbled more, the cracking getting worse, and¨Cwith a snap decision¨CI swung Maya with all my strength up and over the edge. She tumbled into Henry¡¯s arms, both of them collapsing backward, safely away from the edge. The stone beneath me groaned, starting to slide. Time seized my arm in a crushing grip, determination blazing in his eyes. Dominicus, the furthest from the edge at the start, now hurried toward us, wary of the cracks in the ground. Time¡¯s nails dug into my arm and he scowled. Reckless boy. What were you thinking?! His voice echoed in my mind, heavy with anger, disbelief¡­and fear. I grimaced, shaking my head. Wasn¡¯t thinking at all. But I don¡¯t regret it. His expression tightened, but the stone shifted again, sliding under our weight. The entire chunk under Time was cutting away from the edge, dragging down. ¡°Back up,¡± I shouted. ¡°It¡¯s going to collapse!¡± I could feel it even now, the cracks growing deeper as the spine chilling sound cut through the air. Time shook his head, grip tightening as determination pinched his expression. ¡°I will not leave you to fall,¡± he said firmly, his grip tightening. The ground under us gave a final sickening lurch. Images of Karma flashed in my mind¡ªher waking up to find her husband dead. He wasn¡¯t supposed to be in human form, he wasn¡¯t supposed to be killable. She¡¯d never recover from losing him, not like this. And I couldn¡¯t let it happen. I¡¯m sorry. Time¡¯s eyes widened, realization dawning too late. With every ounce of strength left in me, I shoved him back. He stumbled into Dominicus just as the ground gave way completely. Weightlessness seized me as I plummeted into the abyss. I caught a glimpse of Time scrambling to get back to me, Henry catching him from behind and forcing him away from the edge. Then I couldn¡¯t see anything past the chasm¡¯s edge. ¡°Nikolas!¡± Time¡¯s shout echoed off the chasm walls and I shuddered, the wind blowing my hair into my eyes as I plummeted. Saved By The Bat--57 My heart lurched into my throat, Time¡¯s shout echoing off the chasm walls as I plummeted. The shadows below twisted and churned, reaching for me with long, inky tendrils. At their base sat a cloud of pitch-black fog, thick and seething, making the hairs on my neck stand on end. They writhed, waiting. The closer I fell, the deeper the pit of dread in my stomach grew. Whatever those things were, they were bad news. And instinct screamed that I could not¡ªunder any circumstances¡ªlet them touch me. Easier said than done. Only a handful of yards remained between us, my heart hammering with every inch lost. Then, through the panic, a voice rang out. ¡°Nikolas!¡± I jerked my head upward, just in time to see Dominicus streaking toward me, wings unfurled in a sharp dive, his hand reaching. Relief crashed against the terror surging through me, and I reached back, exhaling a shuddering breath when his fingers locked around mine. With a powerful beat of his wings, he yanked me to his side and veered upward, dragging us away from the abyss. The tendrils followed. They lashed up, stretching impossibly long, one of them whipping at his wing. He hissed, twisting sideways as another shot past. Our ascent slowed as he focused on dodging, dipping and rolling to avoid the grasping shadows that clawed for his wings. I freed one arm and swung my staff at the nearest tendril, exhaling in relief when it dispersed. It reappeared a heartbeat later, writhing wildly¡ªagitated. ¡°Tenacious things, aren¡¯t they?¡± Dominicus grunted, diving sharply to avoid another strike. I clamped an arm around him, striking at the ones within reach. ¡°Without a doubt. What are the odds you can fly us back up like this?¡± His jaw tightened as he threw us left to dodge another tendril. ¡°Low. I¡¯m barely reacting in time to dodge them, and I need focus to ascend properly.¡± Perfect. Before I could come up with a plan, the tendrils below froze in eerie unison. A heavy silence followed, and dread settled like a stone in my gut. ¡°Dominicus?¡± He didn¡¯t answer immediately, his brow furrowed as he stared down. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Then I saw it. The shadows convulsed, pooling into a vast, undulating mass. A sea of darkness. ¡°Fly.¡± He didn¡¯t hesitate. Tightening his grip on me, he surged upward. The shadows shuddered¡ªthen rose. A wave of solid black, thick as a tree trunk, surged toward us. Slower than the tendrils, but massive. The ledge was close. Just a little farther and¡ª Darkness twisted like a thorned vine, lunging higher. I barely had time to curse before it struck, slamming into Dominicus¡¯s right wing. Weightlessness returned as his wings crumpled. The impact rattled my bones, and before he could recover, the shadows surged again, closing in above and below. Trapped. I gripped Dominicus tighter, mind racing. Think, Nikolas! There has to be a way out of this! I could disperse the shadows with my staff, but not all at once. ¡­Or could I? The darkness heaved, closing in. I made my decision. ¡°Throw us down!¡± Dominicus jolted, staring like I¡¯d lost my mind. Maybe I had. This could go horribly wrong. But we didn¡¯t have another choice. ¡°Nikolas¡ª¡± ¡°Just do it!¡± I snapped. He hesitated for only a breath¡ªthen obeyed, yanking me close as he hurled us downward. Adrenaline roared in my veins. The wave hesitated, as if startled, or perhaps deeming pursuit unnecessary. Good. I stretched my staff downward, pouring mana into it, shaping the spell in my mind. ¡°Bramble¡¯s Embrace!¡± The spell was meant to entangle enemies, but if I could just modify it¡ª Thorned tendrils erupted from the ground, tearing through the shadows in a violent arc, spinning and slicing apart the abyss beneath us. A perfect, cleared circle appeared in their wake. ¡°There! Land there!¡± Dominicus didn¡¯t argue. He twisted, throwing us into the opening. The landing was rough, the impact jolting through my bones, but there was no time to dwell on it. I shoved Dominicus under me, raised my staff, and willed the thorns to curl around us like a twisting dome. The shadows recoiled, hovering just beyond our protective cocoon. They couldn¡¯t get in. I slumped, shaking from head to toe, laughter bubbling past my lips. ¡°Fucking hell, I didn¡¯t think that would work.¡± The shadows had been solid. If they were more ethereal, they might have slipped through the thorns. But they hadn¡¯t. I¡¯d take the win. Dominicus furled his wings with a grimace, rubbing at the one that had been struck. He shook his head in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re mad. Completely insane.¡± I grinned, dropping onto my back beside him. ¡°Insanity is just genius under a more eccentric name.¡± Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I added, ¡°Thanks for jumping after me. Let¡¯s hope this doesn¡¯t end in both our deaths.¡± Our odds weren¡¯t looking great. But I¡¯d figure something out. I always did. New Party Member?--58 Dominicus grunted, waving off the thanks. ¡°I have these wings for a reason. I may as well use them¡­ though if you could refrain from falling into pits of magical shadowy death, that would be appreciated.¡± I snorted, leaning against him now that the initial adrenaline was wearing off. ¡°It definitely wasn''t on my to-do list today. Unfortunately, the world had other plans.¡± Flashing back to Time¡¯s shout and Maya¡¯s terrified face, I hummed. ¡°Were the others alright?¡± He grimaced, pausing in massaging his wing to glance at me. ¡°They¡¯re safe, though Henry had to hold your friend back from the edge. He seemed about ready to jump after you.¡± I winced. ¡°I¡¯m going to get an earful when we get back.¡± It was strange to think Time himself had been so frantic. ¡°Nikolas!¡± His shout echoed in my mind, tinged with fear. ¡­Maybe it wasn¡¯t that surprising after all. Shaking the thought aside, I took in our surroundings¡ªor what I could see of them through the thorn barrier. Darkness twisted and writhed, stretching endlessly. It almost seemed to breathe, as if the cloud itself was alive. Then again, it had been made by a spirit¡¯s grief, so maybe it was. Dragging a hand over my face, I sighed. ¡°How¡¯s your wing?¡± Dominicus shook his head, adjusting as much as the thorns allowed. ¡°Bruised and possibly sprained, but not broken.¡± I scowled at the dim lighting. ¡°I have a healing spell, if you don¡¯t mind moss.¡± Hopefully, the spell didn¡¯t require sunlight like actual plants¡­ Dominicus flexed his wing toward me in answer. ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with worse in life than moss.¡± Same. I pressed a palm to his wing, feeling along the surface until Dominicus hissed. ¡°There.¡± Nodding, I focused my mana into my hand. Once it pulsed warmly, I envisioned it flowing into his wing. Holding my breath, I watched as moss began to spread¡ªfirst the size of a pebble beneath my palm, then stretching outward until it coated the entire wing. When the moss fully covered it, I imagined the magic sinking into the injury and healing it. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Dominicus sighed, relief clear in his voice. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re doing, it¡¯s working.¡± I smiled. ¡°Good! Because I¡¯ve never used this before, and it was a shot in the dark whether it would work or not.¡± Dominicus shook his head, amusement returning. ¡°Absolutely insane.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Genius, insanity. Potato, potahto. More importantly, we need to figure out our next move.¡± Trapped in a magical pit of shadowy death, as Dominicus had so kindly put it, we didn¡¯t have much to work with. I couldn¡¯t see anything beyond the barrier, and if we wanted to get back up, we needed to hold off the shadows long enough for him to fly us out. A light spell would be perfect right about now¡­ or, failing that, Time¡¯s staff. Forcing down frustration over what I didn¡¯t have, I looked up into the canopy of darkness. The wave had stretched out into a suffocating blanket, sealing off any cracks. Dominicus picked at his wing, peeling the moss off bit by bit. ¡°I¡¯m of little use, unfortunately. I can sense the tendrils, but not clearly. That¡¯s why dodging them was so difficult. They have mass, but not much. By the time I pinpointed where they were, I had half my usual reaction time.¡± I patted his back. ¡°You did plenty. Though I guess it¡¯s too much to hope that you have some kind of light spell?¡± He offered a rueful smile. ¡°Unfortunately, I do not. Most of my arsenal revolves around physical attacks. I can cast magic, but the visualization component doesn¡¯t come easily to me.¡± That made sense, though it wasn¡¯t particularly helpful. Before I could start brainstorming, a low whistle broke through the quiet. ¡°A barrier that cuts through the shadows and protects you afterward. Impressive.¡± I twisted toward the voice, heart in my throat. ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± And how in the hell had they survived down here? The thorns were thick, making it hard to see, but through a crack, I caught a glimpse of pearly white armor and a golden cloak. ¡°Before we get into introductions, let¡¯s take care of these shadows, shall we?¡± I didn¡¯t even have time to argue. A brilliant flash of light exploded through the darkness, and the shadows shrieked, their high-pitched wails grating against my ears. Dominicus covered his with a grunt, and I followed suit, watching as the writhing mass slunk back. The light remained hovering overhead, and the voice¡ªa woman¡¯s, now that I was paying attention¡ªcontinued. ¡°Much better. Those things make my skin crawl, and I¡¯m sure at least some of it is thanks to my patron being the Lady of Light.¡± Relief hit like a wave¡ªonly for suspicion to immediately follow. ¡°A little too convenient that the one person we need just happens to be here¡­¡± She snorted, but there was no offense in her tone. ¡°Suspicious? Good. I¡¯m not a threat, but you¡¯d be an idiot to trust just anyone in your position. The good news is, I can prove it easily.¡± Tipping her head upward, she hummed, speaking to someone unseen. ¡°My Lady, if you would please vouch for me?¡± The response was immediate. Power surged through the air, pressing down like a blanket of electricity. A ball of light formed above her head, and as the glow intensified, the shadows shrank back with another screech. From the ball, a voice rang out. ¡°Chosen of Karma, Chosen of Fate. I have spoken to Time and heard of your predicament. My Chosen will see you safely back to your party.¡± Good enough for me. Exchanging a look with Dominicus¡ªwho nodded in agreement¡ªI let the thorn barrier fall, finally getting my first full look at our rescuer. Really, Light? REALLY?!--59 She stood just a few inches shorter than me, golden-brown hair woven into an intricate braid pinned at the back of her head. The soft glow of the floating light above her shoulder illuminated the brilliant white of her armor, while a long gold cloak spilled like liquid over her back. But that wasn¡¯t what held my attention. Two massive white wings, speckled with gold, rested against her back¡ªa stark contrast to the bleak surroundings. They twitched slightly with each breath but remained remarkably unruffled. A sword hung at her hip, glowing faintly, and she met my assessing gaze with a knowing smile. ¡°I thought for sure you two were goners when I saw you fall,¡± she said. ¡°The shadows rarely miss their mark once they¡¯ve pulled something down here.¡± The initial awe faded into wary curiosity. I pushed myself to my feet and helped Dominicus up as well. ¡°And how would you know that?¡± I asked. She gestured toward the ball of light hovering over her shoulder. ¡°Introduction time, then. I am Eleanor, a paladin of the Lady of Light. She sent me to investigate this place.¡± Her gaze flicked upward to the oppressive canopy of darkness overhead. ¡°Though I couldn¡¯t tell you how long I¡¯ve been down here. I¡¯ve been rationing my food carefully since the shadows dragged me in.¡± I grimaced, remembering the way the tendrils had tried to pull us under. ¡°So we¡¯re in the same boat, then.¡± Though¡­ something didn¡¯t add up. I frowned, crossing my arms. ¡°If you¡¯re stuck down here, then how exactly did Light send you to help us get back up there?¡± In response, Eleanor flexed her wings, giving them a light flap. ¡°When I fell, one of the thorns caught my wing. It¡¯s mostly healed now. I was planning on attempting to leave today, actually.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Then I saw you two falling.¡± Steady, matter-of-fact¡ªlike diving in to help strangers was the obvious course of action. ¡°My Lady has given me the duty of seeing you back to your party,¡± she continued. ¡°So I shall. Do you have any questions before we set out from this cursed place?¡± Dominicus straightened, nodding. ¡°The Lady of Light said she spoke to Time. Why was she conferring with him and not Karma or Fate?¡± For fuck¡¯s sake. Did he have to be so damn perceptive?! A wave of panic threatened to drag me under, but I forced it down. I shrugged, doing my best to sound casual. ¡°Time is Karma¡¯s husband, right? Maybe he¡¯s been keeping an eye on us?¡± Hopefully, he¡¯d buy it and drop the subject. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. No such luck. Dominicus¡¯s eyes narrowed, suspicion hardening his expression. ¡°And why would Karma¡ªyour patron herself¡ªnot be doing so? You¡¯ve displayed no powers linked to her, but both you and your companion have shown abilities that could be tied to Time.¡± Fucking hell. There was no way to tell if the Lady of Light could hear my thoughts like Time could, but I cursed her all the same. We already had more than enough problems to juggle, and now she¡¯d gone and thrown this back into the mix. Not intentionally, of course. But that didn¡¯t change the fact that now I had to come up with an explanation that didn¡¯t boil down to Time is in human form and traveling with us. Scrambling for an excuse, I met Dominicus¡¯s sharp gaze head-on. ¡°Karma is handling something of utmost importance,¡± I said carefully. ¡°She set us on this path in the meantime.¡± Technically true. She was resting, and to me, that was important. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to talk to her since we fell,¡± I added. Also true¡ªthough misleading, since I hadn¡¯t heard from her at all since arriving in Nexus. ¡°So it makes sense that her husband would step in to save our asses while she¡¯s busy.¡± Dominicus didn¡¯t look convinced. His scowl deepened as he studied me. ¡°Nikolas,¡± he said slowly, ¡°I let my doubts be soothed before. But I know you¡¯re keeping something from me. You haven¡¯t lied¡ªI can tell¡ªbut there¡¯s more to this.¡± The sentence hung between us like a blade waiting to fall. I dragged a hand over my face, wishing Time were here to deal with this himself. There was no way around it. I¡¯d have to tell Dominicus something. Time wouldn¡¯t be pleased, but since his own damn slip had triggered part of Dominicus¡¯s unease, he could argue with me about it later. ¡°Look,¡± I said with a sigh, ¡°there are things I can¡¯t tell you. As in, it would go against an oath I took, and I really don¡¯t want to find out firsthand what happens to oathbreakers.¡± I met his stare without flinching. ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªI haven¡¯t lied. And yes, I am withholding information. But it has nothing to do with you, and it doesn¡¯t directly impact you.¡± I made sure to choose my words carefully. ¡°So please, drop it.¡± His lips pressed into a tight line. Then¡ª ¡°Does this secrecy have to do with you and Thomas displaying powers more in line with Time than Karma?¡± Of course he wouldn¡¯t let that go. I ran a hand down my face, weighing how much I could say. Especially with an audience. Eleanor, to her credit, had the decency to look mildly guilty. ¡°It appears my Lady stirred up trouble by accident,¡± she muttered. I waved her off, feeling the full weight of the past day settling into my bones. ¡°Nothing to do about it now.¡± I exhaled, then glanced at her again. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you could swear an oath not to speak of this to anyone?¡± She raised an eyebrow, but before she could answer, the light above her shoulder flared¡ªexpanding until it filled the space around us. A familiar voice echoed through the darkness. ¡°Calm yourself, Chosen of Fate,¡± the Lady of Light intoned. ¡°There are events in play that you are not yet permitted to know. Nikolas and Thomas are chosen by Karma. That is true. Prove yourself trustworthy, and further information will be given.¡± Dominicus grimaced but, after a beat, dipped his head. ¡°As you say, then.¡± Finally. One problem down. Now, for the rest. Things Are Going Swell...--60 Before I could speak, Eleanor tipped her head and cut in. ¡°Would you like me to swear an oath of secrecy, My Lady?¡± Silence stretched for a beat before the spirit answered. ¡°Yes. Any knowledge you gain regarding Time, Karma, Nikolas, or Thomas will be bound to the highest secrecy.¡± Eleanor nodded, raising her hand as mana thickened in the air. ¡°I, Eleanor, Paladin of Light, swear to uphold and protect the secrecy of all information surrounding Time, Karma, and their Chosens until such a time I am released from this vow.¡± A brilliant flash of light sealed the oath. She exhaled, shoulders relaxing. ¡°It is done.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Light intoned. ¡°Journey with them until I give you further instructions.¡± The glow began to dim, but Eleanor spoke before Light could vanish completely. ¡°Wait. I thought you wanted me to remain here and investigate? I¡¯ve learned little so far¡ª¡± Light hesitated, shimmering back and forth in a motion akin to a head shake. ¡°This place is cursed beyond even my power to cleanse. I will confer with the spirits of Knowledge and Shadow. For now, leave this place.¡± And with that, she was gone, leaving only the oppressive darkness behind. When it became clear she wouldn¡¯t reappear, I turned to Dominicus and sighed. ¡°I know you¡¯re not happy about this,¡± I said, rubbing the back of my neck. ¡°But I genuinely can¡¯t tell you more. Not until one of the spirits involved gives me the go-ahead.¡± He grimaced but nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªI do despise all this secrecy. But the Lady of Light told me how to earn the answers I seek. Once I¡¯ve proven myself trustworthy, I will know the truth. Until then, I¡¯ll wait.¡± A pause, then he clapped my shoulder. ¡°You seem sincere in your desire to share what you can. I appreciate that.¡± Turning to Eleanor, he let his hand drop and gave a small nod. ¡°We¡¯ve neglected our half of the introductions in all this chaos. I am Dominicus.¡± I ran a hand through my hair. ¡°Nikolas. We¡¯ll introduce the others once we¡¯re topside.¡± She hummed in consideration, gaze flicking to the shifting shadows. ¡°Acceptable. But we should focus on getting out of here. Every second we linger, my skin crawls.¡± She flexed her wings outward, testing them with a few powerful beats before nodding in satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯m ready when you are.¡± I eyed the shadows twisting just beyond the reach of her light. ¡°And what¡¯s stopping them from dragging us down again?¡± Eleanor smiled and unsheathed her sword. The glow that had been contained within its scabbard flared to an almost blinding brightness. ¡°This. Along with several other spells at my disposal.¡± She turned to us. ¡°Are you ready?¡± I exchanged a glance with Dominicus. He nodded. ¡°Looks like it.¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Stepping into the center of my protective circle, Eleanor studied him for a moment. ¡°I am unfamiliar with your beastfolk heritage. Can you fly or glide?¡± Dominicus unfurled his wings with a grunt. ¡°I can fly. I¡¯ll keep up.¡± Eleanor reached for me, her grip firm around my arm. ¡°Then I¡¯ll carry your friend, and we can be off.¡± Before she could so much as bend her knees, Dominicus shook his head. ¡°No need. I¡¯ll carry Nikolas. You need to be ready for when the tendrils try to stop us.¡± She tilted her head, curiosity clear. ¡°You aren¡¯t injured from the fall?¡± He shook his head, smiling. ¡°I was, but Nikolas is a healer.¡± Eleanor¡¯s gaze flicked to me, her expression shifting with interest. ¡°You would¡¯ve been useful when my wing was injured.¡± A small smile tugged at her lips. ¡°Healers are rare.¡± Her gaze flickered to my staff. ¡°You aren¡¯t light-affinity, though, are you?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Nope. Plant.¡± I half expected a reaction¡ªmaybe disappointment or distaste¡ªbut she only chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of plant affinity healing, but I¡¯ve never seen it in action. It¡¯ll be a learning experience.¡± She stepped back, giving Dominicus space. Once his grip on me was secure¡ªmy arm slung over his shoulders¡ªhe grunted. ¡°Let¡¯s leave this cursed place.¡± Eleanor smiled. ¡°With pleasure.¡± The takeoff was rough, Dominicus adjusting for my weight, but soon we were airborne. The shadows wasted no time. They lurched upward, twisting into jagged spears that reached for us. Eleanor¡¯s glow slowed them, forcing some to recoil, but a few stubborn tendrils pushed through. I lashed out, watching as they evaporated¨Conly to reform a second later. Eleanor grimaced, keeping close as she swung her sword. The shadows shrieked at the strike, flinching back, but more surged forward, single-minded in their pursuit. She fought relentlessly, cutting them down as they came. The ledge loomed closer, only a few yards away now. But just as we neared the top, the shadows shifted. The tendrils coiled together into a massive vine, rising like a serpent. Dread hit like a punch to the gut. I knew what was coming. ¡°Dominicus, watch out!¡± His grip on me tightened as we cleared the last stretch. Up ahead, our group came into view. Time stood near the ledge, tension and worry etched into his face. Henry held him back, Maya clinging to his leg as we inched closer to safety. The shadows struck. Before they could slam into us, Eleanor pointed her sword at the mass and shouted, ¡°Daybreak!¡± Mana snapped through the air. My skin prickled as the spell took hold. The shadows froze¡ªthen, from their core, a dull glow began to spread. In the next instant, the entire mass exploded in a blinding burst of light. Dominicus cursed, staggering under the force. He threw us forward, aiming for the ledge¡ª. I missed. Familiar weightlessness set in, and for a sickening moment, I plummeted. Then, a firm grip seized my wrist. I barely registered the strength behind it before I was yanked back. My momentum wrenched to a halt, and my heart slammed against my ribs. Time held onto me, jaw clenched, muscles taut with effort. Behind him, Henry braced his weight, keeping him from toppling over the edge. Through gritted teeth, Time ground out, ¡°You are going to kill me through panic alone.¡± I really couldn¡¯t argue with that. Still gripping Dominicus, I let them pull us up. When solid ground met my side, and the shadows could no longer reach us, I groaned. ¡°If the rest of this journey is gonna be like this,¡± I muttered, flopping onto my back, ¡°it¡¯s gonna be hell.¡± Only day two, and cursed shadows had nearly dragged us to our deaths. Even by my standards, that was an impressive start. A Common Sentiment--61 Time pulled me away from the edge, his gaze fixed warily on the shadows below. When we were a safe distance away, he sighed. How does one human find so much trouble without even trying? His thoughts echoed in my mind, and I shrugged. I¡¯ve asked myself that too many times to count. I¡¯ve always had a knack for stumbling into the worst situations, and apparently, age hasn¡¯t changed that. Memories of the basement flickered through my mind again, and I forced them aside. Time¡¯s expression tightened. With any luck, we can change that¡­ starting now. I bit back a snort at the wry tone in his thoughts and turned my attention to our companions. Henry cradled Maya close, watching Eleanor with wary eyes. Dominicus had his wings wrapped around himself again, rubbing at one with a grimace. Henry inclined his head in greeting but kept his distance. ¡°It appears you¡¯ve found a new friend in your brief detour¡­¡± Eleanor landed beside us with a soft thud, her sword once again secured in its scabbard. She didn¡¯t so much as blink at his suspicious tone, instead offering a smile and a wave. ¡°It seems introductions are in order again. I¡¯m Eleanor, chosen of Light. My Lady instructed me to aid your friends and travel with you until I receive further orders.¡± She dipped into a half-bow. ¡°I hope we¡¯ll get along well.¡± Time gestured toward the shadows below. ¡°What of those?¡± Eleanor¡¯s smile dimmed into a grimace. ¡°My Lady said they¡¯re beyond even her light to purify. Given they were created from a spirit¡¯s grief, it¡¯s not surprising. She¡¯s conferring with other spirits, and once she makes a decision, I¡¯ll likely return to deal with the mess.¡± Dominicus raised an eyebrow as he stood to face her. ¡°She would send one paladin against something like that?¡± Concern sharpened his tone, but Eleanor waved him off with an easy smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve been training since I could walk. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Dominicus didn¡¯t look convinced, but he let it go without an argument. Instead, his attention shifted to Time, the earlier conversation lingering between them, thickening the air with tension. Time returned his stare, raising an eyebrow. Why is he staring at me? Time¡¯s voice echoed in my mind. Because your sister let it slip that you asked her to intervene instead of our ¡®patron.¡¯ He¡¯s starting to piece together that our powers are more time-oriented than karmic. Stolen story; please report. Time¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but his mental voice turned exasperated. All this¡­ because of one sleep-deprived slip on my part. He¡¯s sharp. He would¡¯ve figured it out eventually. I soothed. Light told him to wait until he¡¯s earned our trust, and that seemed to be enough for now. Pulling away from Time, I stepped between them and leveled a look at Dominicus ¡°Can we not do this right now? My everything is sore, I have thorns in places they really shouldn¡¯t be, and I just want to get on the road.¡± Henry, sensing the tension, tilted his head. ¡°What are you all talking about?¡± Dominicus answered before I could. ¡°Our companions are keeping secrets. The spirit of Light insists that when we¡¯ve proven trustworthy, we¡¯ll be allowed to know what exactly they are. Until then, we must be content not knowing.¡± Henry grimaced but quickly shrugged off his reluctance. ¡°Such is the way of the spirits.¡± He turned to me with a small but genuine smile. ¡°You saved my daughter and countless others by killing Silas. You¡¯ve done nothing to make me question your intentions, so until that changes, I¡¯ll continue seeing you as an ally.¡± His smile faded when he faced Time. ¡°I¡­ honestly don¡¯t know what to think of you.¡± Time shrugged, unbothered. ¡°That is a common sentiment, and I take no offense.¡± Dominicus grunted, drawing my attention back to him. ¡°I agree with Henry. Though I despise secrets, I¡¯ll be patient until you¡¯re ready to share the truth.¡± He glanced toward the road. ¡°For now, we should keep moving. We¡¯ve wasted enough time, and we still have much ground to cover before we reach Dawnmoor.¡± A round of muttered agreements followed, and once we were on our way, I rolled my shoulders with a grimace. ¡°When we stop later, I really need to pull these thorns out. They¡¯re everywhere.¡± Time shot me a curious look. ¡°Are there thickets of thorns down there as well? I would not think anything could grow in those shadows.¡± Before I could answer, Dominicus chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªnothing naturally grows down there. But Nikolas summoned thorns as a barrier between us and the shadows. It was ingenious.¡± Heat climbed my neck, and I coughed. ¡°It was more desperation than anything. I don¡¯t have light spells, after all.¡± Time hummed, his gaze drifting to the staff still clutched in his hand. ¡°Perhaps I should have had you carry this after all¡­¡± Considering the last time I used it, I lost an arm shortly after, I¡¯d just as soon not deal with the memories. Still¡­ ¡°Would it have worked on shadows? I know the description mentioned undead.¡± Dominicus partially turned at that. ¡°Undead are rare since Death keeps a firm hold on his domain. Why would a weapon need to repel them?¡± Time sighed. ¡°Part of the staff¡¯s power is to produce a light as bright as dawn¡ªonce per day. It would have helped against the shadows, at least partially.¡± His expression darkened, something old and heavy settling over him. ¡°As for the second question¡­ this staff was made from the first tree of Nexus, before Death took up his mantle. Monsters were likely different back then.¡± A chill slid down my spine at the weight of his words. I hadn¡¯t considered what the world was like before most spirits existed. Time himself would be one of the few beings who knew what it¡¯d been like. Judging by Time¡¯s expression, it wasn¡¯t an era anyone would have wanted to live in. Really, Karma?!--62 The rest of the day¡¯s trek passed in relative silence, with occasional breaks for Maya to relieve herself. Since her near-miss with the cliff, she¡¯d clung to Henry like a shadow, which did wonders for our pace. When we stopped for the night, though, she lingered in the middle of camp, toeing the ground. Nerves poured off her in waves, her small hand clinging tightly to Henry¡¯s. He knelt to her height, offering an encouraging smile. ¡°Do you have something to say, Maya?¡± Everyone paused in their preparations to watch as she swallowed hard, let go of Henry, and inched toward me. Stopping a few feet away, she gave a deep bow. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for running off earlier. Thank you for saving me.¡± Oh, so that¡¯s why she kept staring at me during the walk. Copying Henry¡¯s gesture, I knelt to her level and gently straightened her. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I know you were just curious and didn¡¯t mean for anything bad to happen. Just try to listen to your father from now on, alright?¡± She frowned, tilting her head. ¡°Father?¡± Dominicus cleared his throat. ¡°He means Adan. Listen to your Adan.¡± Right, right. Guess it was my turn to slip up. Understanding dawned across her face, and she nodded earnestly before hurrying back to Henry¡¯s side. ¡°I will!¡± To prove it, she clung to his hand. He shook his head, amused but silent. I chuckled and went back to setting up my bedroll, one Henry had kindly provided. As I worked, though, I felt Maya¡¯s stare pressing into the side of my head. When she didn¡¯t look away even after I finished, I met her gaze with a hum. ¡°Do you have something else you want to say?¡± She let out a quiet squeak and half-hid behind Henry. He glanced at her, curious but unconcerned. ¡°Sweetling, Nikolas is a friend. If you have something to say, he won¡¯t be mad.¡± I nodded. ¡°He¡¯s right. I¡¯m a healer¡ªI work around kids all the time. I doubt there¡¯s anything you could say that¡¯d offend me unless you really tried.¡± Maya bit her lip, studying me in silence. I waited patiently, knowing that with kids, sometimes you just had to let them work things out on their own time. Finally, she lifted a finger and pointed at my head. ¡°What beastfolk are you?¡± Henry winced. ¡°Maya, that¡¯s rude¡ª¡± I waved him off with a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s fine. At least in my case. Maybe don¡¯t ask others, though¡ªsome might take offense.¡± Raising a hand, I brushed my fingers over my ears, considering them for the first time. Karma never actually told me which beast she¡¯d fashioned me after¡­ They felt soft, round¡ª Thankfully, Time cut in, sparing me the guesswork. ¡°His ancestry is that of a direbear, judging by his ears.¡± A direbear. ¡­I¡¯d asked Karma for something not scary for kids, and she picked a direbear?! Henry blinked, taken aback. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a direbear hybrid before, though I¡¯ve heard rumors of the beast itself. They grow taller than the trees and usually live deep in the forests to avoid mortals.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Taller than the trees. What the fuck, Karma?! Time¡¯s lips twitched, barely suppressing amusement. He changed the subject smoothly. ¡°Nexus is full of formidable beasts. We should be at our best to handle them. Nikolas, you mentioned thorns to remove?¡± Still reeling from my newfound ancestry, I nodded numbly. ¡°Yeah. Some are gonna be fun to reach, though.¡± I could feel the little bastards digging into my back¡­ Time stood, gesturing toward the trees. ¡°Then I will help you. Besides, we should take advantage of the river to clean up while we can.¡± I hesitated, glancing at Dominicus and his wings. ¡°Are you going to need help too?¡± Tracing a hand over one wing, he sighed. ¡°Most likely. They took the brunt of the fall.¡± A reluctant grimace flickered across his face. ¡°I¡¯ll try to be quick so you can head back. And hey, at least you don¡¯t have to take off your top.¡± I offered, hoping to lighten the mood. He blinked, surprised, before shaking his head with a wry smile. ¡°I don¡¯t mind being seen partially nude, but I appreciate the consideration. My wings are painfully sensitive in certain areas. Removing thorns from them will be¡­ unpleasant.¡± Before he could follow us, Eleanor spoke up. ¡°If they¡¯re only in your wings, I can help. I know where the most sensitive spots are and can be extra careful.¡± He studied her for a moment before nodding. ¡°That would likely be for the best. No offense, Nikolas.¡± I waved him off. ¡°None taken. I¡¯ll take a day or two to learn wing anatomy so I can help next time. For now, this makes sense.¡± With that settled, we split up. The soft rush of the river provided a soothing backdrop as Time and I walked. After a moment, I snorted and shook my head. ¡°A direbear. I asked her for something not scary for kids, and that¡¯s what she picked?¡± I¡¯d expected something small and harmless. A rabbit, maybe! Time¡¯s lips twitched again, his tone tinged with fondness. ¡°My wife has always favored the more¡­ dangerous beasts of Nexus. To her, direbears are the height of comfort and safety. They are strong and fiercely protective of their young¡ªmuch like she herself is.¡± His chuckle deepened, tinged with nostalgia. ¡°You would be staggered by how often she cooed over them¡ªand other creatures of similar ilk. My wife is truly one of a kind.¡± I sighed, rubbing my ears again. ¡°At least they¡¯re harmless enough. I¡¯d probably scare the life out of kids if I had sharp canines or something.¡± Just to be sure, I ran my tongue over my teeth, relieved to find them flat. Time settled near the water with a wave. ¡°She knew what she was doing. Mortals who know of direbears may be wary of you, but children will only see a pair of fluffy ears.¡± Ah. So this was another piece of my ¡®luring out assholes¡¯ plan. Perfect. I¡¯d thank her later. Sitting beside him, I pulled at my top¡ªonly for the scars underneath to tug. Clearing my throat, I muttered, ¡°I should probably warn you, Mr. Bugel left a pretty nasty mark.¡± Time¡¯s smile faded into a slight frown. ¡°I have seen more than my fair share of scars, Nikolas.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Just figured I¡¯d warn you.¡± The fabric came off without a fight. I ignored the itch of being watched, half-expecting Time to tense when he saw the damage. But he only grunted, nudging me to shift. ¡°Move this way, I will need full access to your back to remove the thorns.¡± I did, focusing on pulling thorns from my arms while he worked on my back. Tiny stings followed, but I ignored them, letting the peace of the moment settle in. This was far from how I¡¯d imagined my second day in Nexus going, but all things considered¡­ it could¡¯ve been worse. Still, curiosity nagged at the corner of my mind. After a moment, I glanced over my shoulder. ¡°What was Nexus like before¡­ everything?¡± Time¡¯s hand stilled on my shoulder. Tension filled the air, pressing around us like a heavy blanket. Then, he sighed. ¡°Before the old gods and the Corruption shattered, it was¡­ nice. Peaceful.¡± A pause. ¡°Afterward, everything changed. And not for the better.¡± He resumed plucking thorns, his tone grim. ¡°It is not an era I enjoy thinking about. Leave it at that.¡± I nodded, the weight of his words sinking in. I hadn¡¯t thought about it before, but the old gods were, in a way, his parents. I didn¡¯t know if they¡¯d been close, but either way¡­ it had to be lonely. Time and I had spent most of our time bickering like siblings, but something twisted in my chest at the thought of him dealing with their loss alone. He hadn¡¯t said how long it had been between then and Karma¡¯s rise as a spirit. For his sake, I hoped it hadn¡¯t been long. I knew first hand how awful being alone was and I wouldn''t wish it on anyone. A Stalker Has Entered The Chat--63 The road stretched ahead, flanked by towering trees that wove a thick canopy overhead, blotting out the sky. Perched on Henry¡¯s shoulders, Maya let out her third yawn since we set off, blinking sluggishly as she rubbed at her eyes. She pointed toward one of the birds in the trees. ¡°What¡¯s that one?¡± I flicked my gaze toward it, pausing at the near-perfect replica of a raven. Since arriving in Nexus, I¡¯d seen dozens of creatures that resembled those from Earth¡ªbut never this closely. The bird¡¯s gaze slid over the group before settling on me, its stare too sharp, too knowing. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I scowled. ¡°Not a clue¡­¡± Henry inched away from it, clearly just as uneasy. ¡°You¡¯ll have to ask Nature when we arrive, Sweetling.¡± Falling back in line with Time while Eleanor and Dominicus talked amongst themselves, I kept my voice low. ¡°Is it just me, or does that bird feel¡­ off?¡± Time frowned, considering it for a long moment. ¡°I feel it too. Nature¡¯s creatures are intelligent, but this one has an uncanny look to it. Almost as if¡­¡± His words trailed off, his glare hardening as his hand subtly came to rest on my shoulder. ¡°As if what?¡± I pressed. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off it, a new suspicion darkening his face as he subtly rested a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Nothing, it is probably nothing.¡± Despite his vocal response, his mental one dripped with wariness. That bird may be a mortal capable of changing shape. Alarm bells rang at the back of my mind, and I forced myself to look forward, careful not to tip off our potential stalker. People can do that? My thoughts flashed to Earth¡¯s depictions of druids, and I realized I hadn¡¯t fully considered just how deep Nexus¡¯s magic ran. Beastfolk existed, so shapeshifting wasn¡¯t exactly a stretch. Yes, though only a select few can use such magic. Transformation is not in any spell tomes that I am aware of. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. That raised even more questions. So are they a Chosen, or is this some kind of special ability? There was still so much I didn¡¯t know about Nexus, and the urge to sit down and actually read the books I¡¯d taken from Silas¡¯s library gnawed at me. So far, we¡¯d focused on sorting through them for the Tomes of Mana, but I ached to crack one open and learn. Time¡¯s gaze slid thoughtfully back to the road. The only Chosens who should have such power belong to Nature, Life, or Instinct. If it were Life¡¯s Chosen, their animal form would be less¡­ ominous. A special ability is more likely, though they are rare. At least special abilities were limited to one per person. If turning into a raven was theirs, it meant we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about any extra nasty surprises should they decide to strike. Indeed, Time confirmed. Stay on your guard. Your beastfolk friends may be able to hear a whispered warning, but do not raise your voice. I do not want our follower realizing we are aware of them. I dipped my head the slightest bit, masking it as a nod. You sound sure it¡¯s not just a regular bird now. Yes. And when we turn that corner ahead, I will know without a doubt. Barely three yards away, the path curved out of sight. Tension coiled in my gut as we walked on. The moment the raven disappeared from view, the soft flutter of wings sounded from behind us. I grimaced, meeting Time¡¯s knowing look. I¡¯d say you¡¯re right. That, or it¡¯s someone¡¯s minion. Whether it was a shapeshifter or a trained bird under orders, the fact remained¡ªwe were being watched. Time tipped his head ever so slightly. There is a strange mana and presence around it. I do not believe it is an ordinary beast, but we cannot rule anything out yet. Keeping my gaze ahead, I whispered just loud enough for Dominicus to hear, ¡°We¡¯re being followed.¡± His shoulders tensed for the briefest second before he forced them to relax, his hand casually resting on his sword hilt. Eleanor caught the movement and, without a word, mirrored him, her eyes sharpening as she scanned the area. Henry noticed the shift but didn¡¯t understand the reason for it. Gently, he lifted Maya from his shoulders and set her on the ground beside him. ¡°How about a stretch, Sweetling? Just remember to stay close,¡± he said, his tone carrying an edge of steel. Maya nodded, gripping his leg even as she pointed to something in the bushes. ¡°Adan, there¡¯s something shiny over there. What is it?¡± I followed her gesture, squinting at the shadows where a faint outline barely took shape. Silence fell over the group. And that stillness was the only reason I heard it. The subtle creak of a bowstring being drawn back. And it wasn¡¯t coming from the bush. Was There Hallucinogen In That Poison?--64 Adrenaline punched through me as I spun toward the sound, staff raised, mana primed. ¡°Bramble¡¯s Embrace!¡± Thorns surged from the earth in a wave, slamming into the figure hidden in the foliage. A shocked shout rang out as their bow hit the forest floor, vines snapping around them like a trap. ¡°Who are you, and why were you aiming that bow?¡± I demanded, aware of the others taking position around me. Through the tangle of thorns, I caught a glimpse of long, dark hair and blazing yellow eyes. The figure struggled, but the more they thrashed, the deeper the thorns bit into them. ¡°I¡¯m not the one you should be worrying about!¡± they shouted¡ªthe feminine voice low, urgent. That was our only warning. Three men lunged from the trees, one barreling toward Dominicus, another toward Henry, and the last straight at me. I spat a curse and swung my staff up just in time to block the incoming blade, inches from sinking into my chest. The man wielding it was utterly unremarkable¡ªplain clothes, ordinary brown hair, forgettable features. If it weren¡¯t for the coldness to his eyes, I would have assumed he was just a civilian out on a walk. Alarms raised again and I shoved him back, not risking a glance at the others or their fights. ¡°Why are you attacking us?¡± He didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he stepped back, putting distance between us. From within the thorny prison, the woman thrashed harder. ¡°He¡¯s an assassin, he¡¯s paid to do that, now let me out!¡± The man scowled, his glare cutting toward her. ¡°I should have known you would get in the way.¡± His dagger flashed. Not toward me¡ªtoward her. I barely intercepted it, my staff knocking the blade off course before it could pierce her. Irritation flared alongside my confusion. She was fighting against the assassins? I wasn¡¯t about to let her get injured while bound in my spell, but that was the only mercy she¡¯d get until I knew what the hell was going on. I turned my glare back to the assassin. ¡°Focus on me, asswipe! Who paid you?¡± He scoffed, pulling another dagger. ¡°It won¡¯t matter soon. You¡¯re not surviving this encounter.¡± Then he lunged. He was fast¡ªhis movements a blur as he struck. I twisted, barely dodging, but his blade still grazed my cheek. He pressed the attack, relentless. Jab, slash, slice¡ªnone landed on anything vital, but the shallow cuts burned like fire. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. I needed to pin him down. With no damaging spells, that was my best option. I channeled mana, preparing to cast. ¡°Bramble¡¯s¡ª¡± He lunged again, forcing me to abort the spell and stagger back. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you do that, mage.¡± He sneered, resetting his stance. Sweat slid down my back. My skin prickled¡ªheat building under it, spreading. The hood of my cloak felt sweltering. Something was wrong. The assassin smirked, circling me like a predator playing with its prey. I followed his movements, only for the world to lurch, a sickening spin throwing off my balance. He chuckled. ¡°You mana users are all the same¡ªarrogant fools. Poison makes taking you out too easy.¡± Poison. Fuck. Colors blurred, twisting into a sickly, churning mess. The vibrant greens of the forest bled into reds, yellows, and blues¡ªeerily similar to the time a toddler puked on me after eating an entire bag of gummy worms. Shoving the memory aside, I latched onto a single desperate thought: Verdant Renewal. Would it work on poison? There was only one way to find out. I steeled myself, forcing the words out. ¡°Verdant¡ª¡± His eyes widened in realization. ¡°A healer!¡± He lunged again. I moved on instinct, catching his weight¨Cnearly teetering under it thanks to my demolished equilibrium¨Cand slamming a fist into his diaphragm. A choked wheeze burst from him as air fled his lungs. I followed up with a staff strike to his hand, knocking the dagger free. It flew into the bushes, far from reach. With him stunned, I seized my chance and finished the spell. ¡°Renewal!¡± Mana surged through me, washing over the cuts. The burning eased, then vanished. The world snapped back into focus, the nausea gone in an instant. Not giving him a second to recover, I shoved him hard against a tree and cast, ¡°Bramble¡¯s Embrace!¡± Thorny vines lashed around him, pinning his arms to the trunk. He thrashed, just as uselessly as the woman behind me. Only then did I take a breath, finally checking on the others. Dominicus had his assassin pinned beneath him, sword at his throat. Eleanor straddled hers in much the same fashion, her dagger pressed warningly to his neck. Henry, blade in hand, knelt beside Maya, checking her over. Time stepped to my side, eyes flicking between the woman and my trapped assassin. He grimaced. ¡°Good work. Though I dare say you cut it close with that poison.¡± I exhaled, nodding. ¡°I¡¯ll have to be more careful in the future. For now¡­¡± I turned a sharp glare on my two prisoners. ¡°Would someone like to explain why we have three assassins and one stalker¡ªwho is apparently not with them¡ªfollowing us?¡± Both stiffened, lips pressed into thin lines. I turned to the woman first. ¡°Or maybe you can explain why we¡¯ve had a bird tailing us.¡± Understanding flashed across her face before she groaned. ¡°You prick! I told you not to follow me!¡± I shot the others a confused look. They returned it in kind. ¡°Well, that answers absolutely nothing. Care to be clearer?¡± It wasn¡¯t her that answered. The raven from earlier swooped down, landing on the ground beside her. Its intelligent eyes locked onto mine. Then, it opened its beak¡ªand spoke. ¡°Perhaps I can be of some assistance in clearing things up?¡± ¡­Did that poison have a hallucinogen in it? So...Birds Talk Now--65 I stared at the bird, half-tempted to rub my eyes just to make sure I wasn¡¯t seeing things. Birds weren¡¯t supposed to talk¡­ unless this confirmed Time¡¯s suspicion that it was a mortal in animal form. Questions spun through my head in a dizzying blur, but I shoved them aside and focused on the raven. ¡°That would be appreciated. Since you clearly understand us, let¡¯s start with introductions. I¡¯m Nikolas, and you are?¡± The raven tilted its head, studying me. ¡°You meet a talking animal, and your first instinct is to introduce yourself?¡± I shrugged. ¡°There are spells that could wipe out entire cities and creatures equally as powerful. A talking bird isn¡¯t exactly the strangest thing I¡¯ve encountered. But that doesn¡¯t answer my question.¡± He hummed. ¡°Fair enough. I am Novak, and the woman you captured is my sister, Astra.¡± My eyebrows shot up. ¡°She¡­ is not a bird. Care to explain how that works?¡± Half-siblings, maybe? Though that still left the unsettling question of who had fucked a bird¡­ Novak let out a cawing laugh. ¡°It¡¯s quite simple, but showing you is likely the best course of action.¡± He took to the air, and mana exploded from him in a wave. I stepped back as the others tensed, ready for a fight. Then, in a flash of light, feathers and beak twisted and stretched, expanding until a roughly human-sized form landed on the grass. Blinking past the dots now dancing in my vision, I took in the man standing less than two yards away. He straightened from his crouch and stretched, his joints popping as he sighed. Long, straight black hair hung to his waist, and flowing black robes draped over his pale frame. Onyx eyes met mine, and he smiled, dipping his head slightly. ¡°Just as I can shift between bird and human, so can my sister.¡± He shot Astra a sideways glance, exasperation clear in his expression. ¡°Though why she hasn¡¯t already is beyond me.¡± She glared daggers at him. ¡°And get these thorns lodged in my wings? I don¡¯t think so.¡± Her venomous gaze shifted to me. ¡°I tried to save you from those idiots, the least you could do is not injure me for it.¡± Novak sighed. ¡°This is why I told you to leave them be. Whether the resistance leader lives or dies is no concern of ours.¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it So Henry had been the actual target¡­ From the corner of my eye, I saw him tense, pulling Maya closer. Dominicus scowled, pressing his sword harder against the assassin pinned beneath him. ¡°You should be pleased you failed. Nexus needs the change he promises, and it would be a shame to snuff out that hope for mere coin.¡± Disgust oozed from his tone, and Astra grunted. ¡°That¡¯s why I stepped in, and you know it, Novak. Nexus is falling apart at the seams. Those blasted generals are tearing it asunder, and I¡¯m tired of the suffering. Besides, it¡¯s only a matter of time before they turn their sights on those like us.¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but what exactly are you two?¡± Novak flicked a long strand of dark hair over his shoulder. ¡°Nature herself created us as birds. Through battles with creatures that sought to devour us, we gained levels like any other. Our intelligence grew the longer we survived, until we learned how to become human.¡± So creatures could just¡­ take human form? That was new. Not the weirdest thing I¡¯d heard since coming here, but still. Shaking that aside for later, I eyed the siblings and bit my lip. ¡°Your story checks out from what little I know.¡± I glanced at Time. ¡°What about you? I believe her, but my judgment has been¡­ flawed before.¡± My nifty lie-detecting skill hadn¡¯t gone off, but maybe he sensed something I couldn¡¯t. Time shook his head, his previous tension easing. ¡°It¡¯s rare for creatures to reach the level and intelligence necessary to shift forms, but not impossible. She seems genuine in her desire to prevent further chaos in Nexus, and the assassins certainly treated her as an enemy.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I would free her.¡± I looked to the others, waiting for their nods before releasing the spell holding her in place. Once the thorns vanished, she sat up with a grimace, picking at a scratch on her arm. ¡°These are going to burn like hell until they heal.¡± Guilt tugged at my conscience. I raised a hand. ¡°I can heal them, if you¡¯d like?¡± She considered me for a moment before nodding. ¡°That¡¯d be appreciated.¡± Exhaustion dragged at my bones, my mana running low, but I shook it aside. There should be enough for this. Laying my palm over her arm, I closed my eyes and cast. ¡°Verdant Renewal.¡± Mana pulsed under my skin, languidly spreading over Astra¡¯s wounds. She inhaled sharply but didn¡¯t pull away. Only when the spell faded did I open my eyes¡ªand stared. Instead of moss, tiny mushrooms coated her arm, their vibrant tops twisting into various shapes, some even glowing faintly. She turned her arm this way and that, examining them with open curiosity. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen healing like this.¡± Novak tipped his head. ¡°I have, though not often. Usually, it takes the form of moss.¡± His gaze bore into me. ¡°That spell you used¡­ it has a chance to poison, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Astra stiffened, her glare snapping to me. I raised my hands in surrender. ¡°It does, but at the time, I thought you were going to shoot one of my friends. Your well-being wasn¡¯t exactly my priority.¡± She couldn¡¯t seriously hold that against me, right? I¡¯d healed her¡ªclearly, I hadn¡¯t meant any harm! Information and Grudges--66 Astra scowled but let it drop with a grumble. ¡°At least it¡¯s healed now. Do that again, though, and I won¡¯t rest until you¡¯re so full of arrows people mistake you for a pincushion.¡± I lowered my hands and nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t attack anyone in our party, and I won¡¯t.¡± The almost lighthearted air vanished as I turned to the assassins, crossing my arms. ¡°With that settled, let¡¯s move on to more important matters¡ªlike who paid you to kill Henry.¡± None of them met my eyes, and Henry set Maya down before stepping forward, his hand resting on his sword¡¯s hilt. ¡°It had to be someone who knew I was heading to Highgate. I¡¯d assume the king, but if he were aware of my approach, he would have prepared properly¡ªnot hired assassins.¡± There weren¡¯t many others who¡¯d actively want the resistance leader dead, but at the top of the list¡­ I took a shot in the dark. ¡°What about the general who took over Dawnmoor? It¡¯s not a stretch to think someone there told him about your plans, and he sent these clowns after you.¡± Henry¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I didn¡¯t even tell my wife about this plan, for her safety and everyone else¡¯s. The only ones aware of it were those traveling with me and my closest advisor. But he would sooner die than give the general anything.¡± Flashes of my own betrayal not long ago made me grimace. ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s the last person we expect.¡± Henry shook his head, jaw tight with determination. ¡°Not him. The general took his son from him years ago¡ªmurdered him in cold blood. He still burns for vengeance. There¡¯s nothing they could offer or do to him that would make him betray us.¡± I rubbed the back of my neck. ¡°Then maybe he gave them something without realizing it. Either way, we can¡¯t rule out the possibility until we know more.¡± Henry looked ready to argue, but Time cut in before he could. ¡°We can debate this later. Right now, we have assassins to interrogate, and young Maya shouldn¡¯t witness it. Let us make camp for the night.¡± Eleanor nodded and, without hesitation, slammed the hilt of her sword into her captive¡¯s head, knocking them out cold. The other assassins tensed. The one pinned to the tree flicked a knife free¡ªa blade I hadn¡¯t even noticed¡ªand cut himself loose, tearing a long gash into his side before lunging for the bushes. He didn¡¯t make it three steps. Novak blurred forward, his boot crashing down onto the assassin¡¯s back, grinding him face-first into the dirt. A pleasant smile stretched his lips as he leaned into his foot, adding more weight. ¡°You¡¯re the one who tried to kill my sister, aren¡¯t you?¡± His grip tightened in the man¡¯s hair, jerking his head up at an agonizing angle. ¡°You aren¡¯t going anywhere.¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The assassin shuddered, but before he could speak, Novak slammed his forehead into the dirt with enough force that I felt the impact from several yards away. Dominicus knocked out the final assassin and exhaled sharply. ¡°I have more questions, but Thomas is right. This isn¡¯t the time or place. There¡¯s a clearing up ahead¡ªwe¡¯ll camp there.¡± A few minutes later, we found the clearing and split into our tasks. The siblings followed Henry and Dominicus to question the prisoners, leaving Time, Eleanor, Maya, and me to set up camp. Volpe stirred in my hood, blinking blearily as he peeked out at the light filtering through the trees. I snorted and reached back to scratch behind his ears. ¡°You missed all the excitement,¡± I murmured. ¡°I¡¯m impressed you could sleep through all the running and fighting, but honestly, that¡¯s probably for the best. That power of yours is amazing, but I don¡¯t want you jumping into a fight you can¡¯t handle.¡± He huffed but leaned into the scratches, and Time stepped beside me as we built the fire. ¡°If I had to guess, his deep sleep is a direct result of his earlier display,¡± Time mused. ¡°Children of all species need rest to grow, and he expended considerable energy assisting you. Now, he is recovering.¡± Volpe yawned as if to confirm it, and I hummed. ¡°Well, I appreciate his help, so he can sleep as long as he wants.¡± Maya¡¯s head snapped toward us, eyes wide with excitement as she locked onto Volpe. ¡°He¡¯s so pretty!¡± Volpe regarded her from my hood but made no move to jump down. She edged closer, hands clasped hopefully. ¡°Can I pet him?¡± I glanced back at him, noting the way his ears flicked back warily. ¡°Ah¡­ maybe not the best idea.¡± He tolerated my touch, but judging by the look he was giving her, he wasn¡¯t about to extend the same courtesy. Maya¡¯s face fell. ¡°Oh¡­ does he not like me?¡± I hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that. He probably just doesn¡¯t know you yet. Or maybe he¡¯s just not in the mood to be touched by anyone else. Try making friends with him first and ask again later, alright?¡± Disappointment flickered into determination, and she nodded resolutely. ¡°I¡¯m going to be your best friend, and then you¡¯ll let me pet you.¡± Volpe gave her an unimpressed stare before burrowing deeper into my hood, effectively ending the discussion. Turning to Time, I muttered, ¡°Any idea what that was about?¡± He was the only one who¡¯d understood Volpe earlier¡ªif anyone knew, it was him. Time shot a glance at the others before grimacing and lowering his voice so Maya wouldn¡¯t overhear. ¡°It seems the king used a child to lure him into capture. Now, he is wary of them.¡± Ah. That¡­ explained a lot. I ran a hand over Volpe¡¯s ears and whispered, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fair. He¡¯ll interact with her when he¡¯s ready. Or he won¡¯t. It¡¯s up to him. If she pushes it, I¡¯ll talk to Henry.¡± Volpe pressed into my hand¡ªa silent thank you. Time nodded. ¡°He appreciates that. But for now, we need to focus. We still have things to do before the others return with whatever information they manage to gather.¡± I exhaled and nodded. With any luck, there wouldn¡¯t be anymore nasty surprises tomorrow. We could use a break after the whole shadows ordeal¡­ and now this. Siblings, What Ya Gonna Do?--67 The rest of the evening passed in near silence as we gathered around the fire, waiting for the others to return. Maya dozed contently against Eleanor¡¯s side, the woman keeping watch with sharp, alert eyes while one of her wings curled partially around the girl like a blanket. To my right, Time sat stiffly, tension radiating off him in waves. Night had long since fallen, stretching shadows over everything around us. I glanced in the direction the others had left, frowning. Was an interrogation supposed to take this long? They were assassins, so it made sense that they¡¯d been trained to resist questioning, but still¡­ The longer this dragged on, the tighter my nerves wound. Was something wrong? Had the assassins gotten loose and attacked again? Were we just sitting here while our friends needed help? Time sighed, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. He turned to face me, his tone dry. ¡°I can practically hear you worrying. They are fine. The assassins are no match for them¡ªespecially with our two newest acquaintances.¡± Logically, I agreed. But logic had never done much to tame doubt. Still, worrying myself into a stroke wouldn¡¯t do anyone any good. I rubbed the back of my head and cleared my throat. ¡°I know, it¡¯s just hard not to jump to the worst-case scenario, given how everything else has gone lately.¡± Time snorted. ¡°You do have an impressive record of stumbling into the worst possible situations the second someone takes their eyes off you.¡± His lips twitched slightly. ¡°Your friends should be fine, though. You are with us, after all.¡± I shot him a playful glare. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t talk about me like I¡¯m some kind of curse or disaster bait.¡± Under my breath, I muttered, ¡°Usually, I wind up in trouble trying to help people. There¡¯s no one to help here, so I¡¯ll be fine.¡± He tipped his head in agreement, amusement flickering in his gaze. ¡°Yes, unless you decide to go after them, get lost in the woods, and somehow stumble across disaster, all should be fine.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t make me go and do just that to vex you, old man.¡± Eleanor shifted, a small smile curling her lips as she glanced between us. ¡°You two are like siblings, always bickering and picking at each other. It¡¯s refreshing to see.¡± Time and I exchanged a long look. Then I burst out laughing. ¡°Can¡¯t say I thought of it like that¡ªthough, to be fair, I¡¯ve never had siblings, so maybe that¡¯s why.¡± Stolen story; please report. That, and the fact that he was literally the oldest living being on the planet. The idea of being considered his sibling, with that age gap in mind, was hysterical. I turned back to Eleanor, grinning. ¡°Who¡¯s the older sibling, then?¡± Time scoffed. ¡°Me, clearly.¡± I waved him off. ¡°I meant who feels like the older sibling.¡± Given his refusal to use contractions and his perpetual serious expression, it was probably still him¡ªbut teasing him was far more entertaining than sitting in tense silence. Eleanor studied us both before giving her answer. ¡°Neither.¡± I blinked. ¡°What do you mean, neither?¡± I¡¯d been joking, but I was sure she¡¯d pick Time. Even he seemed surprised, one eyebrow raising. ¡°Yes, I find myself curious as well.¡± She shrugged, careful not to dislodge Maya. ¡°You don¡¯t feel like an older and younger sibling¡ªyou feel like twins. You two just look at each other sometimes and have entire conversations no one else is privy to.¡± I hadn¡¯t considered how our occasional telepathic communication must seem to everyone else, but when she put it like that¡­ yeah, I could see it. Still felt weird, though. ¡°On top of that,¡± she continued, nodding at me, ¡°your personality shifts depending on the situation. Sometimes you play peacekeeper between him and Dominicus; other times, you¡¯re impish, trying to get a rise out of Thomas. That¡¯s why¡ªtwins.¡± Time flicked a glance at me, humming thoughtfully. ¡°I suppose that makes sense.¡± His lips quirked. ¡°Though I admit, I am used to being considered the eldest in any group. Hearing otherwise is¡­ odd.¡± I barely bit back a snort. Yeah, I bet it was. When you were literally Time itself, having someone in their twenties called your twin had to be surreal. Shaking off the absurdity of the whole conversation, I nudged him, grinning. ¡°You just know Karma¡¯s going to love hearing about this later.¡± He shook his head, but the small smile remained. ¡°Indeed, she will.¡± A flicker of something¡ªlonging, maybe¡ªslipped into his tone, but before he could say anything else, a rustle in the bushes shattered the quiet. Eleanor tensed, eyes snapping toward the noise. I gripped my staff, mana pulsing sharply. Pain immediately followed, a sharp reminder that today¡¯s excitement had drained me more than I¡¯d like¡ªbut I shoved the thought aside. If I had to burn through the rest of my reserves in a fight, so be it. I¡¯d talk to Henry about learning to fight without mana once they got back. No point in being caught this vulnerable again. Time, on the other hand, didn¡¯t so much as twitch. His gaze stayed level on the bushes, thick with bemusement. ¡°Is there a reason you chose to startle your own companions, Dominicus?¡± What? I frowned, about to ask what he meant¡ªonly for the bushes to rustle again and Dominicus to step out. Relaxing my stance, I huffed. ¡°What the hell, man? If you wanted to be locked in thorns again, you could¡¯ve just asked¡ªwithout the dramatics.¡± I swear, I was traveling with a bunch of theater kids¡­ Oaths and Secrets--68 Dominicus grimaced, nose wrinkling at the memory. ¡°I¡¯d rather not relive that experience, thank you.¡± He shook his head before gesturing over his shoulder, where the others were emerging from the trees. ¡°As for why I did this, I wanted to see how perceptive you were.¡± He glanced at Eleanor, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I thought for sure you¡¯d hear us coming from leagues away, thanks to Henry¡¯s armor. But apparently not¡­¡± His gaze settled fully on her. ¡°These two are painfully new to combat, so it isn¡¯t surprising¡ªbut even you?¡± Eleanor flushed and rubbed the back of her head. ¡°Perception isn¡¯t my strong suit. Strength and endurance are. I¡¯ll have to work on that while we travel.¡± Henry smiled at the sight of Maya still curled against Eleanor and bent down to gently lift the girl into his arms. In a hushed tone, he scolded Dominicus, ¡°Not everyone has advanced hearing, my friend. And being a Chosen doesn¡¯t make you perfect. We all have things to improve¡ªincluding you.¡± Dominicus tilted his head. ¡°If I sounded condescending, I apologize. That wasn¡¯t my intention. I just¡­ expected Light to be as strident as Fate when it comes to her Chosens and their stats.¡± I hummed, intrigued. ¡°What, did Fate put you through boot camp before making you their Chosen?¡± He winced but nodded. ¡°In a way, yes. But that¡¯s not important. We¡¯ll all improve as we travel. More importantly, we have information.¡± At that, I straightened, catching a glimpse of Time doing the same from the corner of my eye. ¡°Alright, what¡¯s the damage?¡± Then, looking at the siblings, I added, ¡°And I forgot to ask earlier¡ªwhy did the assassin seem to know you?¡± Novak sighed, stepping forward. ¡°When we first took human form, my sister stumbled across the famed assassin¡¯s guild. She thought joining them was a grand idea¡ªuntil she realized she didn¡¯t approve of some of their methods. But by then, it was too late. They don¡¯t let their members leave easily.¡± Astra flushed under his pointed stare, shifting her weight between her feet. ¡°I learned valuable skills that¡¯ve helped us.¡± Novak hummed. ¡°Yes, but at the cost of being hunted.¡± Shaking his head, he turned back to me. ¡°But there¡¯s no use griping about it. We can¡¯t change the past.¡± I barely held back a quip. Are you sure about that? Of course, he was. The only one who could change the past was standing a few yards away, and I doubted he¡¯d appreciate me outing him over a stupid joke. Swallowing the thought, I nodded instead. ¡°Alright. And you heard Henry was being targeted, so you tried to stop the attack¡ªfor the sake of the resistance.¡± Astra grunted, eyeing me sourly. ¡°And got thorns in very uncomfortable places for my trouble, yes.¡± I threw my arms up. ¡°I said I was sorry! How long are you going to hold that against me?¡± Novak didn¡¯t miss a beat. ¡°Forever. She holds grudges like no one¡¯s business.¡± Astra shot him a glare, but he merely crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Am I wrong?¡± The silent standoff lasted a beat before she dropped her gaze, grumbling, ¡°No¡­ but that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re not an ass for pointing it out.¡± He shrugged, entirely unbothered. ¡°You¡¯ll live.¡± Dominicus cleared his throat, steering us back on track. ¡°We confirmed Nikolas¡¯s suspicion¡ªthe general paid for the assassination. That means we have an information leak to deal with once we reach Dawnmoor. For now, it doesn¡¯t change our goal.¡± He grimaced. ¡°It does, however, complicate things. If the generals know where we¡¯re going, we can expect ambushes ahead. Nikolas?¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. I hummed to show I was listening. ¡°I¡¯d like to train you in melee combat. You can¡¯t rely only on mana, especially once we start facing more dangerous opponents.¡± I was already nodding halfway through his sentence. ¡°I planned to ask you or Henry for help anyway.¡± He relaxed slightly. ¡°Glad to hear it. But on top of that, I want to train you in honing your senses. As a beastfolk, you should have heard us coming long before you did. That¡¯s not a slight against you¡ªit¡¯s just a fact. If you want to face the generals and survive, you need every advantage you can get.¡± Heat crept up my neck, and I coughed, nodding. ¡°Fair enough. Is that all?¡± His lips curled in amusement. ¡°Yes¡ªunless Henry has something to add?¡± Henry hesitated, then looked at Time. ¡°I know you plan to stay in Latica, avoiding most of the fighting, but perhaps you should train with them?¡± Time grimaced, shooting Dominicus a glare. ¡°I would rather not spend my days being badgered with questions or glared at with suspicion.¡± Dominicus met his glare evenly. ¡°If you weren¡¯t so painfully suspicious, I wouldn¡¯t need to do either of those things. Nikolas is in the same position as you, yet I don¡¯t question him, do I?¡± Tension thickened the air between them. Before I could cut off the brewing argument, Henry stepped in. ¡°Then perhaps I can teach you? It¡¯s dangerous for even one person in this group to be unable to defend themselves.¡± Time reluctantly broke his glare, nodding. ¡°Fine. But I am forbidden from taking a mortal life. Monsters and creatures are within my abilities, however.¡± Silence fell as everyone stared at him. It was Dominicus who finally spoke. ¡°Does your oath prevent you from killing?¡± Time made a so-so gesture. ¡°In a way. That is all I can say on the matter for now.¡± Dominicus¡¯s expression shuttered. ¡°I take it this somehow ties into what the spirit of Light said?¡± I nodded, giving him an apologetic look. ¡°Yeah. Sorry.¡± He sighed, shaking his head. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to apologize for. Though I¡¯m curious¡ªwhy don¡¯t you have the same oath, given that you¡¯re both Chosens of Karma?¡± He paused, frowning. ¡°You killed the king. So you can¡¯t have that oath¡­ right?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Killing is a last resort for me, but no¡ªI don¡¯t have an oath against it. I just¡­ really don¡¯t want to. I¡¯m a healer, and that means something to me.¡± Dominicus relaxed fully then. ¡°There are far worse things in the world than hesitating to take a life. If we had more kings or generals like that, maybe Nexus wouldn¡¯t be in the sorry state it is.¡± Novak hummed in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s true. But we should rest for the night. Dawnmoor is quite a distance away, and we have a long journey ahead.¡± I blinked, caught off guard. ¡°Wait¡­ you two are coming with us?¡± His lips curled and he made a so-so gesture. ¡°Astra and I will be flying ahead to survey Dawnmoor and gather intelligence. We''ll meet with you all in Latica afterward.¡± Henry nodded, backing him up. ¡°It was agreed upon after the interrogations. They¡¯ll be paid like any of my soldiers would. We need all the help we can get when it comes time to face the general. And eyes on the inside of that mess will be invaluable.¡± Novak leaned back against a tree, Astra settling at his side as he hummed. ¡°With the king gone, all that¡¯s left is to take out his generals. Maybe then, Nexus can begin to heal¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°But only time will tell. Let¡¯s rest¡ªwe¡¯ll need our strength for whatever tomorrow brings.¡± Everyone split off into their own spots, and I settled next to Time. With this many people around, we couldn¡¯t risk searching the books for the Tomes of Mana. That was fine with me. It meant we could finally get some sleep. Ignoring the uncomfortable sticks and rocks digging into my back, I flopped onto my bedroll with a sigh. Assassination attempts, cursed shadowlands, and animals that turned into humans¡ªmy trip to Nexus was already insane. And something told me it was only going to get worse. Still, I couldn¡¯t wait to talk to Karma. She¡¯d probably love hearing about our new companions¡ªespecially if Astra kept glaring at me like that.