《Ceres》


 Prologue: A Bump in the Night

    ¡°Please just go check it out. I¡¯m scared,¡° Lily whispered meekly in the dark. Nothing but her face was outlined in the moonlight seeping out from the blood-red curtains.


    A great thumping noise emanated throughout the halls of the old mansion. It seemed to come from somewhere downstairs, but Nia knew the source. The old basement. It was the one place in the world that made her skin crawl just thinking about it.


    ¡°Please Nia, it¡¯s probably just the cat. He used to play down there all the time.¡°


    A lump grew in Nia¡¯s throat. She wanted to tell her little sister the truth so badly, but she didn¡¯t want to scare her any more than she already was. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going. I¡¯ll be right back, okay? Don¡¯t leave this room and don¡¯t make a sound just in case.¡° Nia opened the bedroom door, walked out into the hallway, and closed the door behind her.


    The thumping was much louder than in the bedroom. It felt as if it was bouncing off the walls like a wrecking ball, hurling hazardous echoing shards at Nia¡¯s head. She tried to tune it out and walked along, one hand covering her right ear and the other dancing along the wooden banister.


    As she took her first step down the long stairway to the foyer, a loud clawing noise joined the cacophony, dashing most of the hope Nia had summoned out the window. She hurried down the stairs, the noise growing louder with each and every step.


    Nia grunted from the painful symphony that flooded her eardrums. Taking a left down another hallway, she turned the corner and was met with the sight she feared the most. Amidst the darkness was the door. The basement door. It had already been a fear she always had in the back of her mind. A dread that never went away as long as she was here at her family¡¯s mansion. She crept silently along the scarlet rugs until she came face-to-face with it. Something was amiss.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Great jagged claw marks scarred the front of the door. She looked down to see a gathering of wood splinters and metal pieces. The noise was unfathomable. A great deal of new noises joined the terrible choir. She peered down at the steel doorknob and slowly reached out to grab it. She turned it until she could no longer, and pushed it open, a sea of darkness to greet her.


    She murmured a small spell, and the stair light faintly flickered to life, offering very little comfort in the ocean of shadow. She tiptoed down the wooden staircase, the boards creaking quietly. Then, Nia stopped. She could hear the creaking. She could only hear the creaking. The noises had come to an eerie silence.


    Her eyes bounced up and down with each step. Ever so slightly, they peered around the corner and widened.


    A box. There was a metal box sitting in a mess of broken wine bottles, splintered wood, and torn art pieces. The box was closed with a lock, but the lock was broken.


    Nia wafted through the smoky darkness, her silhouette illuminated by the blinking light behind her. Her eyes glowed as she peered down at the mess. Opening the box, she was met with an unbearable stench and a small, lifeless corpse.


    ¡°You found him.¡°


    Nia whipped around and stumbled, her hands catching her fall backward but not before being cut by the glass on the cold stone floor.


    A small girl¡¯s silhouette was illuminated by the blinking light. Her eyes widened to an unnatural degree and a wicked smile crept across her face.


    ¡°Lily?¡°


    ¡°You found him,¡° Lily whispered. ¡°I told you. It was the cat all along. Look. He¡¯s so cute.¡°


    Nia stepped to the right and turned around, looking down at the box again. It was the cat. Their family¡¯s cat. It meowed softly as it gazed up at Lily, and Lily laughed.


    The cat turned to Nia. Nia peered into the void where the cat¡¯s eyes used to be.


    ¡°He¡¯s quite the troublemaker, scaring us like that, huh?¡° Lily smirked.


    Nia didn¡¯t hear her. She couldn¡¯t hear anything anymore. Not the horrifying cacophony, not her sister¡¯s rambling, not the cat¡¯s meowing. All she could hear were chimes. Otherworldly chimes.

 Chapter 1: Ceres and Asteria

    On the rocky coast of the Outlands, two sisters played amongst the rippling waves. Their names were Ceres and Asteria, and they came from a poor village close by the sea. Quickly losing track of time, the moon above drifted into view. Moonlight danced across the ocean. The two girls wished the moment would never end. Eventually they came to their senses as they realized their parents would be worried about them soon.


    They were about to begin walking back home when Asteria spotted a shiny object drifting their way. She ran into the water and rummaged around the mesmerizing waves. A few seconds later, she hoisted a small black item high up above her head proudly, running back to her sister waiting on the sandy beach.


    ¡°Ceres, look! What do you think it is?¡°


    In her sister¡¯s hands was a large diamond-shaped scale, black as night and hard as iron.


    ¡°Asteria¡­ that¡¯s a dragon scale. Throw it away this instant,¡° Ceres coldly ordered her sister. Her eyes showed anger, but her face was cloaked with fear. She grabbed the scale out from her sister¡¯s hands and threw it as hard as she could back out to sea.


    ¡°Why!? Why, Ceres? Why do you have to throw away everything I like?¡° Asteria screamed with tears forming in her eyes.


    ¡°You know why. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t think it¡¯s pretty, Asteria, because I do, but we could never take that into the village. If an elder saw it they might have a heart attack.¡°


    Asteria wiped the warm tears and cold ocean spray from her face. She seemed to be the only one in her village that didn¡¯t fear dragons in one way or another. She had been taught that, since the written record, dragons had burned their villages and killed their ancestors. But there hadn¡¯t been an attack in ten years.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯m sorry.¡° Ceres gave her a pitiful smile and a hug.


    Asteria¡¯s eyes glowed like starlight. Actually, compared to the stars above, they were even more beautiful. ¡°Ceres, do you think that one day we could be friends with a dragon?¡°


    Ceres doubted the notion immensely, but upon staring into her innocent little sister¡¯s eyes once more, she was filled with a childlike hope. ¡°Maybe someday. Maybe when you¡¯re older.¡°


    She gave her sister a kiss on the head, looked up at the moon, then turned to go home for the last time.


    They climbed the wet rocks up from the coast and walked back across the grassy plains. The Outlands were calm and peaceful, but featured harsh terrain and even harsher climates throughout the seasons. Their village lived off of crops like wheat and potatoes for most of the year, but when times were desperate they were forced to hunt in the vast and unforgiving Greatwoods.


    Back home, they ate supper and went to bed. Before her mind slipped into the warm blanket of sleep, flashes of that black scale appeared within Ceres¡¯s mind. She dreamt of herself standing amidst a forest of pale trees in a white world. Everything from the ground she stood upon to the leaves rustling above were completely drained of their color. The only thing that broke this pattern was a great black dragon standing over her, looking deep into her soul. After what felt like an eternity, the dragon spoke.


    ¡°I will find you, Ceres. When the world has ended and all life has been drained from its abandoned corpse, I will find you.¡°


    Her eyes jolted open and she leapt up from bed. A dull sunlight was pouring into her and her sister¡¯s room from their small wooden window. Her mother hummed a tune in the other room. The birds chirped from the trees outside. Asteria was snoring. Her heart slowed its pace and she sat down on her bed. Everything was fine. All seemed to be right with the world. The sky was still blue, the leaves were still green, the trees were still brown, and she was still here. She was home.


    ¡°Ceres! I need you for a second. Are you up?¡° Her father called just before entering her room, his eyes trained on his hands as he wiped his glasses with his shirt. ¡°Ah, so you are awake,¡° he said after looking up, ¡°I need you and Asteria to fetch some water from the well. Crops seem to get drier and drier every damn day.¡°


    Ceres nodded and woke up her sister. They both left the house, both with buckets in hand.


    The well stood in the center of the village. Around it were kids playing with dogs, elders sitting and staring at the sky, and a landscape filled with wooden houses, grassland, and a sky bursting with light. Past the well on the horizon were the Greatwoods, a forest of trees the size of castle spires. They stood like verdant obelisks, ever watchful of the land that surrounded them.


    ¡°Curious about the Greatwoods, lass?¡° An elder asked Ceres, peering up at her as she gathered water from the well.


    ¡°Yes, though I don¡¯t know much about them. Have you ever been, sir?¡°


    ¡°Ah, yes. Long ago, when I wasn¡¯t the bag of bones you see before you, I was this village¡¯s greatest hunter-¡°


    ¡°Hahaha! Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, old man!¡° A middle-aged man standing a good distance away retorted, a smug smile creeping over his face.


    The elder¡¯s jaw dropped for a second and he furrowed his brow. ¡°Listen, little lady. That is the voice of the jealous. Why become a great warrior when you can make fun of the elderly ones? What a tool. I¡¯ll have you know, I was a great hunter in my time. I saved this village countless times by hunting monsters in those Greatwoods!¡°


    The smug man chortled. ¡°Right, if by monsters you mean squirrels and frogs. There ain¡¯t nothing like that in the woods. A hunter friend of mine said the only things of note in that forest are the huge trees.¡°


    The old man swatted away his words as if they were a buzzing fly around his ear. ¡°Hunters nowadays don¡¯t go in deep enough. Of course you don¡¯t find anything interesting when you don¡¯t put in the real effort, like we did back then.¡°


    Ceres and Asteria laughed and started walking back home, small droplets of water falling from the edge of their oaken buckets. They reached their home and watered each crop little by little until they had watered them all. Finally finished with their morning tasks, the two girls stretched their arms and left the buckets by the fence.


    ¡°Hey sis¡­ now that we¡¯re all done, do you wanna-¡°


    But Asteria would never finish that thought, because as she peered ahead from her sister¡¯s back to the center of town, her eyes caught the sight of blood. Crimson streaks painted the well and the ground around it. The old man, now cold and lifeless, was being devoured by a creature of pure shadow. Dark wolves had invaded their village. Screams rang out as men, women, and children alike were hunted down left and right. The wolves lunged at them one after another, tearing them limb from limb. The girls only stood watching in horror, the blood continuing to paint their previously peaceful village in a dark red hue.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Ceres finally snapped out of it, shakenly looking down at her sister beside her. ¡°Asteria, take my hand. We¡¯re going to run into the house at the count of three, okay?¡°


    ¡°Okay¡­¡° Asteria whispered tepidly.


    ¡°Alright¡­ one, two, three!¡° The sisters bolted from their garden to their house and slammed the door shut. A few of the shadowy wolves turned their heads and began running toward their home.


    In the house, Ceres called out to her parents to no avail. They were alone, slowly becoming surrounded by the vicious shadows outside the walls. She ran to her father¡¯s study and opened the bottom drawer, revealing a metal dagger. Grabbing it, she ran back to Asteria, putting herself in front of her.


    The wolves had already begun breaking down the door. A second later, one leapt and burst through the window in their bedroom, invading their home with the stench of blood and dark magic. The wolf bit at Ceres¡¯s legs, not enough to tear the flesh entirely, but enough to draw a large amount of blood from the wound. She quickly stepped forward and thrust the dagger downward straight into the wolf¡¯s head. Wisps of shadow and crackling energy stung her hand as she ripped the blade back out of the beast, blood erupting from its lethal wound.


    ¡°You need to run and get help Asteria! I¡¯ll be right behind you. Don¡¯t look back, just run with everything you have!¡°


    Ceres kicked the door open and pushed Asteria forward with all her might. Just as soon as she had mustered up her courage, her hope faded in a blink of an eye as she came face to face with a beast four times larger than the others. It opened its wicked maw and clamped down on Asteria¡¯s body, picking her up. The other wolves let out an ear-piercing howl and they all ran off, Asteria screaming for her dear sister to help her.


    Ceres gripped the dagger in her hand as hard as she possibly could and ran as hard as she ever had before. If she couldn¡¯t even save the most important thing in her life, her sister, then what else could she save? She feared for her parents, imaginary visions of their bloodied bodies being torn apart by the wolves clouded her mind, but she shook them off and kept up her speed. Miraculously, she was keeping up with them. The wound in her leg pulsed and ached with every desperate footstep. The pain was driving her mad. She finally looked up and saw where they were running to: the Greatwoods.


    It wasn¡¯t far into the woods when both Ceres and the smaller wolves had lost the last of their stamina. She tried her best to fight them off, but only managed to injure one as she took one more step and fell hard into the dirt. She raised her head just enough to hear Asteria¡¯s distant cries and see the huge wolf disappear behind the towering trees deeper into the forest.


    The smaller wolves did not follow. They tore at her arms and legs, and when she tried to resist with the very last of her strength, her left eye was clawed out of its socket.


    She closed her only eye and wished for the pain to stop, wished for some divine punishment to befall her enemies, but she came to a realization. Why would the gods help her? Weren¡¯t they the ones who doomed her to such a fate? Why her? Why her sister?


    Her thoughts were interrupted by the shaking of the ground. Through the blood dripping down her face she saw the wolves running away. Had they given up? Ceres closed her eye once more and began losing consciousness. A deep and evocative voice bellowed from above, bringing her back to reality.


    ¡°Little girl, do you wish for life or death?¡° the voice asked.


    Tears flowed down Ceres¡¯s cheeks and into the massive pool of blood that was slowly eking out of her mauled body. Her mind wavered across hundreds of responses, but she intoned only one. ¡°Life¡­¡°


    ¡°I see,¡° the voice responded sadly, then went silent for a few seconds.


    After a while, otherworldly chimes resonated within Ceres¡¯s ears. Sounds she hadn¡¯t heard for years, a decade even. It was the sound of magic, but not just any magic. She knew this was a powerful spell, one that could only be conjured by a being of immense might.


    Instantaneously, her once excruciating pain subsided, and her vision was restored. Brilliant flowing light swirled around her, serpentining into her, creating for her a new eye, arm, and leg. They did not resemble those of a human, however. They were draconic in nature. Her new eye''s pupil was a dark slit in a mesmerizing green cornea, and her new arm and leg were slightly jagged and covered in onyx scales. She wanted to peer up at her apparent savior, but as she raised her head her vision went black.


    A crackling sound roused Ceres¡¯s consciousness back to her. She heard nothing but the quiet of darkness and felt a warmth radiating against her skin. She slowly opened her eyes to a peculiar sight indeed.


    A massive dragon as dark as the night sky above them lay sleeping across from her, a brilliantly burning campfire between them.


    Ceres could only stare in shock. Her body would not move, her voice would not come out. She could only sit and stare at the large creature, racked with endless questions.


    The dragon¡¯s body began to move ever so slightly, and it raised its head to meet Ceres¡¯s petrified gaze.


    ¡°Good morning,¡° the dragon said, yawning lazily. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. You can¡¯t speak. One moment.¡°


    The beast closed its fearsome dark blue eyes and began channeling a spell. It was a smaller one this time, and so it only emanated one invocative chime. A brilliant light enveloped the dragon briefly, then faded all the same.


    ¡°You should be able to speak now, little girl.¡°


    Ceres''s expression had not changed in the slightest, but she tried her best to calm herself before she replied, ¡°What the hell is happening!? Where is my sister!?¡°


    The dragon sighed deeply. ¡°Unfortunately, I could not find your sister. She was the one taken by those pesky wolves, yes?¡°


    ¡°Yes, but¡­¡° Ceres began to speak, but she suddenly realized she was talking to a dragon, the same species that had been the bane of their village for decades. ¡°You were part of it, weren¡¯t you? Why? Why did you take my sister? Why do you keep terrorizing our village?¡°


    The dragon sighed even deeper than the last. ¡°All I can ask of you is to believe me, I had nothing to do with it. There is no glory in slaughtering such a pitiful town. I do, however, have an idea as to how we¡¯d be able to find her. I assume you want to save her?¡°


    Ceres''s eyes saddened as her vision lowered to the burning flames. The fiery glow was reflected in her different colored eyes. ¡°Of course I do. I just don¡¯t understand how it happened. How did everything go wrong in an instant? There was nothing I could do¡­¡° Ceres¡¯s voice trailed off as she put her face in her hands.


    ¡°What is your name, little one?¡° The dragon inquired.


    ¡°Ceres,¡° she replied, peering back up at the dragon¡¯s warm face.


    ¡°A grand name. Even grander is mine, Nakir! I am a dragon of high renown, and have lived since the beginning of time.¡°


    Ceres scoffed. ¡°You¡¯ve lived for hundreds of years, yet you can¡¯t find one little girl?¡°


    Nakir, who had assumed a prideful stance, shrunk back down to the forest floor. ¡°Well, to tell you the truth, the me that I am has only lived for a short time. I have been reborn countless times anew, but never with my old memories.¡°


    Ceres¡¯s sad smile turned back into a frown. She never thought she could ever have a conversation with a dragon, let alone feel sorry for one.


    ¡°Now, to the task at hand. Deeper within the Greatwoods is a powerful creature that may be able to point us toward our goal, but I have heard he is quite the tricky fellow.¡°


    ¡°Hold on,¡° Ceres objected. ¡°Why are you even helping me? Aren¡¯t I just a pitiful human in your eyes?¡°


    Nakir pondered this question for several seconds, and seemed to have lost himself in his thoughts completely when he gave up and gave Ceres a winged shrug. ¡°There is one memory I have retained from long ago, before I was the me I am. I remember a small child helped me in some way, and so when I saw you laying there, I believed that was my only chance to return the favor.¡°


    Ceres moved the blanket that was draped over her body to reveal her newly draconic limbs. She too sighed sadly, for she had hoped that part had been all but a dream.


    ¡°I am quite sorry to say that was the only way I could save you. It is an ancient magic passed down through my reincarnations known by your kind as dracomancy. It is the art of sacrificing part of my soul to heal the deepest of wounds.¡°


    Ceres made her scaled hand into a fist and moved her onyx foot. ¡°So, how much farther into the woods?¡°


    Nakir turned his head and peered deep into the darkness behind them. The closest trees were illuminated by the flame, but each one after was wreathed in pitch black shadow. ¡°Depends on how cooperative our ¡®friend¡¯ there really is.¡°

 Chapter 2: Into the Woods

    Ceres and Nakir quenched the fire and made their way deeper into the forest. Ceres noticed that she could see extremely well in the darkness, and quickly attributed it to her new eye.


    ¡°If you and I can see in the dark so well, why not fly above the woods to look for this ¡®friend?¡¯¡° Ceres pondered aloud.


    Nakir gave a short chuckle and said, ¡°If you think you can see through hundreds of trees as tall as mountains, be my guest. Even flying through this place is near impossible.¡°


    Ceres looked up and, just as the villagers had told her, the trees were absolutely massive. Heavy, arching branches swayed with the flow of the wind much how ships sway against passing waves. Bits of debris and leaves fell all throughout the woods, creating a serene echo that only added to its mystique. The trunks, like thumbs and fingers of buried giants, jutted upward and stretched far into the sky. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that they very well could graze the lowest clouds in the atmosphere. Their height could easily blot out the sun if it was daytime. ¡°How do normal people even make their way through here if it¡¯s always dark?¡° She asked.


    ¡°They use torches or fire magic, I think.¡°


    Ceres''s face morphed into a confused look. ¡°Torches? Fire magic?¡°


    Nakir then realized that he was dealing with a country bumpkin. ¡°Torches are wooden sticks lit aflame, and yes, there is magic that produces flame. Bringing any fire into the Greatwoods is extremely dangerous, however. If these trees were to catch on fire the world would never again know darkness.¡°


    They finally reached what appeared to be some sort of landmark. A solitary stone with writing on it stood in a small clearing.


    Nakir began to read it. ¡°Here begins the path into the warped woods. If you wish for an audience with me, proceed. Signed, Archizend.¡°


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡° Ceres asked very politely. ¡°Some kind of test? We don¡¯t have time for this.¡°


    ¡°Calm yourself, little one.¡° Nakir whispered, looking all around. The trees around them slightly swayed to the force of the wind passing through, but the trees ahead beyond the stone did not. In fact, many of them were vastly different shades than the normal trees and had many more branches, all growing out wickedly in a sinister form.


    Ceres grew tired of waiting and being talked down to by a dragon, and so she ran straight into the woods ahead without another thought in her mind.


    ¡°Stop, fool!¡° Nakir boomed as he ran after her, bumping into the jagged trees and hitting his head continuously where Ceres had run through without a problem.


    Just further ahead, Ceres suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, eyes locked on a figure walking in the misty areas throughout the trees. The figure looked just like Asteria, and it was crying. The weeping grew louder and louder, forcing Ceres to take action and make a break for what seemed to be her sister.


    As she grew closer, though, three beasts skulked out from behind some trees. They were of the same pack of shadowy wolves that had massacred her village.


    Ceres once again was met with a foe and felt completely powerless. Without even a knife, how would she seek to redeem herself after failing her sister before? She noticed that at the ends of her new fingers were small razor sharp daggers. She knew what she had to do.


    One of the wolves pounced at her in under a second, jaw open and ready to tear her to pieces.


    She ducked just under its dark maw and threw her hand upward, all of her nails pointed in the same direction. The draconic arm easily cut straight through the beast¡¯s belly and out through its back, blood gushing out of its wound and onto Ceres¡¯s arm.


    She pulled her hand back out of the dark wolf and peered down at its lifeless body on the ground. Even though she had managed to kill one before, this was the first time she felt as if she had a good chance against the creatures.


    Just as soon as her confidence began to grow, Nakir finally arrived, bruises and broken twigs all over his body.


    The wolves instantly ran at the sight of the black dragon, leaving a bloody Ceres and a tired Nakir alone in the mist.


    Ceres was about to break the silence when another figure appeared amidst a well in the distance. The two wandered over until they were a couple meters away from the figure.


    As it came into view, it was not Asteria, but a cat with nightshade fur and baleful eyes.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Ceres and Nakir instantly fell to the ground in exhaustion.


    ¡°You had me running around the entire forest for a cat!?¡° Nakir roared once more.


    ¡°No, no¡­ I swear it was her. It was my sister. Where could she have gone?¡°


    Nakir then noticed that her entire right side was caked in blood. ¡°Little one, are you alright? Are you hurt?¡°


    ¡°No, idiot. I had to defend myself back there, while you were running into trees.¡°


    Nakir opened his mouth to respond, but closed it as he realized he had no worthwhile excuse.


    ¡°Silence.¡° A dry voice emanated from where the cat was perched atop the well. The manner in which it spoke was unlike anything the two had ever heard. It enunciated every syllable and vowel without error, all in an eerie, raspy tone.


    They both looked at the cat with furrowed brows. The cat simply glared back at them with the same ill-omened gaze.


    ¡°What is a hybrid doing in my woods? Why is the kin of the godbeast tearing through my trees?¡°


    Ceres and Nakir continued to stare without saying a word. The world around them was now completely still and silent. The only thing that moved were the cat¡¯s large pitch-black eyes slowly moving from Ceres to Nakir. The cat¡¯s purple fur was a dark shade that shimmered under the dots of light shining from stars above.


    ¡°Are you¡­ are you Archizend?¡° Ceres broke the heavy silence, but could not hide the nervousness in her voice. Whatever this thing was, it didn¡¯t seem anything like the cats she had encountered back home.


    The cat¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed. Its mouth distorted into a small, abnormal grin that struck an odd sense of terror deep in Ceres¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Yes. Archizend is I. You are the first to say my name and still be standing like the trees around us. Tell me, Ceres, where is your sister? Where is Asteria?¡° It spoke slow and thoughtfully, with every word feeling like a knife to Ceres¡¯s throat.


    She then noticed that the well the cat was sat upon was the exact same well from her village. Countless memories flooded through her mind in an instant. The peaceful days of gathering water under the light of a new day were still vivid in her mind. Were those days over? Was that going to be the last time she would ever see her sister again? These same painful questions clouded her thoughts once more.


    A cold, raspy laugh brought Ceres back to the present. Archizend was quietly cackling, his figure still slightly enveloped in the inky mist that surrounded them. Eventually, he stopped and gave Nakir another shadowy glare.


    ¡°Tell me, Nakir, where is your sister? Where is Arkiel?¡° The cat¡¯s grin grew wider than before, its sharp teeth barely visible in the darkness.


    The black dragon seemed pained by this question, as he already knew the answer. ¡°You know where she is. She has served the Black Sorceress since before I had any memories of my own.¡°


    Archizend¡¯s grin vanished. His eyes seemed to grow even darker than before, something Ceres had thought to be an impossibility. ¡°I see. The Black Sorceress¡­¡°


    Silence fell upon the three once more. Ceres¡¯s fear had begun to subside now that the cat had shown some capacity to communicate without sadistic intent.


    ¡°These vermin, the dark wolves that I led you to my dear hybrid, are an existence caused only by a human woman I once knew long before I had the ability to speak. You two seek the Black Sorceress. The mystery of your sister¡¯s capture will be revealed upon finding her in the city of Aza.¡°


    Ceres and Nakir looked at each other briefly, baffled by the cat¡¯s extensive knowledge on seemingly everything. The cat spoke as if he knew anything and everything, past, present and future.


    ¡°Wait, what do you mean led me? Are you saying that the Asteria I saw back there¡­ was you all along?¡° Ceres questioned the wicked cat.


    Archizend gave her a slow nod, his grin returning briefly before fading once again.


    Sadness fell on her heart as this truth was realized, though she had had her doubts at the sight of her sister so soon after losing her. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that if we find this sorceress, this woman you know, we will find Asteria?¡°


    ¡°In due time, when twilight is aflame and the ravens unravel a corruption deep within Aza¡¯s heart, will you find your beloved Asteria under a dark sky.¡° Archizend began to cackle and then laugh hysterically before jumping into the well.


    When the two looked in, he was gone. The cryptic cat had vanished all while leaving the girl and the black dragon with more questions than answers.


    ¡°Aza,¡° Nakir pondered to himself. ¡°Of course she¡¯s there.¡°


    ¡°Nakir, who is this sorceress? What is this city? What the hell is going on?¡° Ceres covered her face and sighed a deep sigh.


    ¡°The woman we are looking for is an extremely powerful caster of high magic. She may be the most powerful mage in the world. I met her long ago in another life, so I do not remember her name, but if anyone could help us find your sister, it would be her. And the city? The city of Aza is a magical metropolis designed for the sole purpose of studying ancient magic. No one would have a deeper connection to high magic than her.¡°


    Ceres did not understand many of the words Nakir had said, but she gathered that her mother and father had not told them of the outside world at all. ¡°Back in the village, none of us ever left the Outlands unless it was to come here to hunt. I never knew the world was this large.¡°


    Nakir looked down at the girl and pitied her. He knew he could not look at others as he did before now, like ants. This girl was his responsibility, and for some reason he felt a deep connection to her unlike anything he had ever felt in his lifetimes. ¡°Come, let us find a place to rest. We¡¯ve both had a long day.¡°


    Ceres agreed and the two carried on, having braved the path through the center of the woods. What else lay in their way to Aza? Archizend¡¯s last words to them weighed heavily on their hearts as they made their way onward through the forest.

 Chapter 3: Ymiriss Rest

    As the girl and dragon made their way through the seemingly endless array of monstrous trees and lush growth, they suddenly came upon a large expanse. In the time they had been in the deep woods, it seemed the night had finally passed.


    Sunlight beamed down from the heavens, lighting the landscape ahead in a yellowish tone. At the center of view was a tree much, much larger than any of the others they had come across. This tree was the size of a small city and stretched all the way up into the very clouds above. Dozens of small structures were built at its base, and some even stood hanging off the side. Windmills slowly turned to the wind¡¯s wake in the distance.


    A calming breeze brushed past Ceres and Nakir, briefly lifting the girl¡¯s hair before dissipating as swiftly as it had come. The two mustered their already physically and mentally exhausted selves for the long hike down to the quaint structures below.


    ¡°Wait,¡° Ceres said, ¡°maybe only I should head down there.¡°


    Nakir turned his head to meet Ceres¡¯s pensive look. ¡°And why¡¯s that?¡°


    Ceres¡¯s look soured and peered up at the dragon with disdain. ¡°Why do you think, idiot? The sight of a dragon would only make everyone here turn tail and run.¡°


    ¡°Ah, right. One moment,¡° Nakir said before conjuring a small spell. A tiny azure light emanated from the dragon¡¯s heart, then faded. A single chime rang out into the air. Nakir now appeared as a tall man wearing expensive clothing. His azure eyes burned a brilliant blue. ¡°Now they¡¯ll see me as a normal, everyday human. A simple spell of illusion is mere child¡¯s play before the might of-¡°


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I get it. Let¡¯s just get down there already. My feet are killing me.¡°


    Upon reaching the village, an old man sat atop a wooden crate took notice of a young girl with remarkably strange limbs, and a tall handsome man with black hair and a beard. ¡°Hey, you two! Come here.¡°


    The two heeded the man¡¯s call and met him where he sat. A large wagon was behind him, along with two black horses tied to it grazing on the grass beneath their hooves.


    The old man wore simple clothing and had a white, bushy beard. Light shimmered off of his bald head. ¡°The name¡¯s Old Man Hadrik. Welcome to Ymiris¡¯s Rest. You should be glad you met me before any of these wackos got to ya first.¡° The man gave a short chuckle.


    ¡°Wackos?¡° Ceres replied.


    ¡°Yeah, well. A lotta folks here now are followers of a cult. Real fanatical ones, at that.¡° Hadrik explained.


    Ceres looked past the wizened fellow. The village was similar to her¡¯s, but the landscape was full of hills and sunlit wheat fields. The place practically glowed beneath the rising sun.


    ¡°Looks peaceful enough,¡° Ceres responded. A pang of sadness struck her heart once more at the thought of her lost home.


    ¡°Well, they aren¡¯t particularly dangerous, or anything like that. It¡¯s what the Goddess would do to them that I¡¯m afraid of. Divine punishment isn¡¯t always so precise, that¡¯s why I¡¯m leaving here as soon as I can.¡°


    The man had a large assortment of goods in his wagon. All things from weapons to food supplies lined its innards.


    ¡°Goddess?¡° Ceres chimed.


    ¡°Yes. The goddess Ymiris, creator of all things natural. Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t heard of the Goddess?¡° Hadrik¡¯s face quickly morphed from a smile to a frown of dismay.


    It seemed Ceres could not take a single step without running into yet another thing she was totally unaware of. How could her mother and father never have known of these things? Why hadn¡¯t the elders ever educated them and the other children?


    Nakir quickly changed the subject. ¡°My heavens, good man. It seems we have not introduced ourselves at all. I am Nakir, and this is my¡­ erm¡­ daughter? Yes, daughter. Ceres is her name.¡° Nakir let out a nervous cough.


    The man¡¯s demeanor became pleasant once more. ¡°Fantastic meeting you two. You seem to be on quite an adventure, same as me. The folks here also aren¡¯t used to strangers. Learned that the hard way. Anyway, would you be interested in any of my goods?¡°


    Ceres gestured to Hadrik to wait one moment before whispering to Nakir. ¡°We could really use some of this stuff. I¡¯m starving.¡°


    ¡°Right,¡° Nakir whispered back, ¡°the only problem is that I¡¯m completely broke. What about you?¡°


    Ceres gave Nakir a look that could kill.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s not my fault your village was decades behind the times-¡° Nakir began, before receiving a swift punch to the gut by Ceres. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. It seems we have no money left.¡°


    Hadrik wanted to comment on the odd abusive relationship the two had, but decided to keep to himself. ¡°Anything to trade?¡°


    The only thing Ceres had that was of any value was her father¡¯s silver dagger, but she had lost it after her brush with death in the Greatwoods.


    ¡°Actually, we have one thing.¡° Nakir pulled a silver dagger out from his suit jacket. It was the very same dagger.


    ¡°I thought I lost that! Why didn¡¯t you ever give it back to me?¡° Ceres chastised Nakir.


    ¡°It seems it slipped my mind. Sorry, my dear daughter.¡° Nakir let out a nervous laugh, fearing yet another punch to the stomach.


    Ceres let her anger go, however, and swiped the dagger from his hands. At first glance, it appeared as a normal dagger. Eyeing it closer, it seemed to have been engraved with strange symbols and lines across the shiny blade. The hilt was also wrapped in an extremely high quality fabric.


    Ceres stored the dagger in her back pocket. With a slight nod, she thanked the man for the offer but refused him all the same.


    ¡°I see, that is quite a shame. That dagger is quite something, indeed. If you ever change your mind, meet me in Aza in a couple days. I¡¯ll be staying there for quite a while.¡°


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Ceres and Nakir left the merchant and continued further into the village. Several businesses lined the dirt street, and the great tree loomed over all. Bustling people walked along. Men, women and children alike. Their smiles and laughter rang out among the chirping birds all around. A certain tranquility took hold of the lonesome girl. If fate had led her here, if the future had led to her meeting a dragon of all things, what was in store for her now? She took a deep breath and pressed on, a weary Nakir trailing behind her.


    The two observed the many shops and spoke with many of the kind residents of Ymiris¡¯s Rest. A great many of them were kind enough to offer them free helpings of pastries and the like. Later in the day, too, they were offered a place to rest for a few hours. After a long nap, they both awoke as the tide of night rushed across the sky. At the behest of Ceres, they left the inn and hiked around the golden valley. Nakir had begun telling her of the faint memories still clinging to his centuries-old mind.


    ¡°Hmm. My oldest memory has to be just after my creation. Most dragons, no matter how many memories they have lost, still remember their birth and their origins. The Five Dragonlords were a prideful bunch. I¡¯m sure they made us that way.¡°


    Nakir told this to Ceres atop a golden hill. The two sat atop it, gazing skyward. Nakir¡¯s words had a faint echo to them that rang out in the wind. The cover of night slowly crept back onto the land and gave everything but his words a muffled effect. The cold night air began to settle on them, and it painted Ceres¡¯s visage in a blue luminance.


    ¡°Understand, Ceres, that my kind may be immortal, but with each and every death our memories are almost completely lost. I would argue losing one¡¯s memories is a fate worse than death, and to be doomed to this fate for eternity is a curse I weep to bear.¡°


    The two fell silent for a time.


    ¡°Nakir?¡° Ceres said suddenly.


    ¡°Yes?¡°


    ¡°If this is Ymiris¡¯s Rest, does that mean this is her grave? Could we visit her?¡°


    Nakir sat up and twisted to look upon the great tree that took up much of the surrounding horizon. ¡°A few of the villagers did say there was a path that led underneath the great tree, yes. That may be where Ymiris sacrificed herself.¡°


    Nakir briefly transformed back into a dragon and flew them both to the base of the great tree. Transforming back under the cover of trees, the two walked up to a large opening at the very base of the tree. A trio of what appeared to be knights blocked their way. The one at the center, who seemed to be the leader, stepped forward to confront Ceres and Nakir.


    ¡°Halt! You have reached the path to the resting place of the Goddess. What business do you have here?¡°


    ¡°I am Nakir, and this is my¡­ erm¡­ confidant Ceres. We are devout followers of the Church of the Goddess, and wish to look upon the place in which all creation was born.¡°


    The soldier looked at the two with an eerie suspicion, but eventually let them pass. Before they entered the opening, the soldier gave them a final warning. ¡°The Goddess may have perished, but her broken soul lingers. You may look upon her grave, but do not under any circumstances listen to the whispers. While she is all-knowing, her whispers have harmed many who follow them too closely. You have been warned.¡°


    Ceres and Nakir wandered into the cave. Nakir created a small flame that hovered above the palm of his hand. The small light flickered within the heavy ocean of darkness as the two ventured below.


    ¡°Ceres¡­ I¡¯ve been wondering about this for a while now, but what kind of person is your sister?¡°


    Ceres was taken aback for a second at Nakir¡¯s sudden interest in Asteria. Though, she realized she owed him some description. He had just saved her life, after all. ¡°Well, she¡¯s a light in the darkness. Whenever I or my parents would feel down, she always had a reason for us to keep fighting. Even during the long winters. I often wondered if she was born that way or she learned to be that way to help us cheer up. Me and my parents had never been very good at looking at the bright side of things, so Asteria was like a goddess to us. There was never a moment being by her side that I felt scared or doomed. She¡¯s everything I lack.¡°


    ¡°I see,¡° Nakir replied solemnly. ¡°I once knew someone a lot like you, Ceres. That might be why I have this urge to help you. She was headstrong, but useless without the support of her sister. I tried for years to help her move on, but eventually she just¡­ broke. It¡¯s like she became a totally different person. She was completely lost after her family was taken from her. You aren¡¯t like her in that way, though. You haven¡¯t given up hope. It helps that you have something to hold on to.¡°


    ¡°What happened to her family?¡° Ceres questioned, looking up at Nakir¡¯s warm face illuminated by their guiding flame.


    ¡°That again is what pains me so. My memory is always fading. I can always remember the bits and pieces of the past, but the lines that connected them are always cut just as I try to recall them.¡°


    Ceres looked back down to her feet as she walked, then to her draconic arm. She gently rubbed the black scales that lined it and a sad smile formed on her face.


    ¡°Listen, little one. I know I can¡¯t be the guiding light that Asteria once was for you, but I¡¯ll try my best. And if my best isn¡¯t good enough, give me another punch in the gut, and I¡¯ll try even harder. ¡®Till we find her.¡° Nakir finished saying this with an affectionate smile and a wink to the girl. His human face closely resembled his draconic face, worn with age but filled with a warmth one would not expect.


    The girl and the disguised dragon soon found themselves in a small stone room. There was an ancient altar in the middle of it, with many markings neither Ceres nor Nakir had ever seen before.


    Ceres slowly stepped forward to face the altar, and when she did, she began to hear the whispers the knight had spoken of. They weren¡¯t normal whispers, however. She couldn¡¯t understand them as a single language, especially not the one she spoke. They rang out like wind chimes carried through the air. It was as if a beautiful melody was being played in her own mind. The notes strung together and formed complex thoughts within her brain. She began to understand them somewhat.


    ¡°Angel¡­ anisai¡­ archon¡­ moon¡­ fate¡­ enigma.¡° The song was weaving into a completely new language, once unknown to the girl but now understandable.


    Ceres¡¯s head began to pound. It felt as if a hundred crashing waves were falling onto her head. She fell to her knees and groaned in pain.


    ¡°Ceres!? Are you alright? What¡¯s happening, girl?¡° Nakir frantically looked around for something, anything that could put a stop to whatever was harming Ceres. Focusing on the altar, he decided to destroy it. Transforming his right hand into a great black claw, he swiped at the stone, utterly annihilating it. A plume of smoke and ash was all that was left.


    The whispers and chimes slowly faded from Ceres¡¯s pained mind. The look on her face turned Nakir white with a fear he had not felt in decades.


    With no time to react, magical energy erratically jolted out from where the altar once stood. The room began to rumble, and the ceiling began to cave in. Just before the stones would have crushed the two, the energy enveloped them in an instant. In a flash, they were gone, and Ymiris¡¯s supposed grave crashed down upon itself.


    Chimes resonated in the dark. A faint voice could be heard in the background, but it was extremely faint. The song wove together once more against the backdrop of night. ¡°All¡­ is¡­ lost¡­ twilight¡­ fills¡­ your¡­ soul¡­¡°


    ¡°...Ceres! Ceres! Wake up! Ceres!¡°


    Ceres woke up with a start. Nakir was above her in dragon form, worry twisting his face into one of true terror.


    ¡°Was that a nightmare?¡° She asked him.


    ¡°Oh, thank heavens, you¡¯re alright. Now, keep quiet. We seem to have been taken somewhere. Somewhere dangerous.¡°


    At first, Ceres was deeply confused. Just a minute ago, they were walking together to see the Goddess¡¯s grave. Then, she looked at their surroundings. This was not the grave. It wasn¡¯t Ymiris¡¯s Rest. Trees black as night stood as monoliths across a barren wasteland lit by a twilight sky. A shadowy mist enveloped the land, and the laughter of children echoed in the dark woods.


    ¡°We must hide, Ceres. We are not alone here.¡°

 Chapter 4: Twilights Wake

    A small silhouette stood perfectly still, clouded by darkness. A strange girl and a black dragon hid amongst twisted trees nearby.


    After a long while, a young voice rang out. ¡°Hello? Is someone there? I need help. I¡¯m lost. I wandered off and now I have no idea where to go. Hello?¡°


    The figure finally moved into the dim twilight. It was a very young girl.


    Ceres began to leave from their cover but Nakir quickly stopped her. ¡°Hold on a minute. We can¡¯t trust anything here.¡°


    ¡°I can¡¯t just ignore her. What if she¡¯s in danger?¡°


    Nakir stared at the figure of the girl. She continued to call out for help, to no avail. Nakir¡¯s bright blue eyes burned fiercely in the blackness. ¡°What if she is the danger?¡°


    Ceres looked back at the girl intensely.


    ¡°I can hear you. Please, help me. I miss my parents. It¡¯s so lonely here.¡° The girl lazily walked in their direction, then stopped abruptly. They now could see her face in full detail. Her eyes were missing, and a black void accompanied both sockets. Her body was scarred and boney, as if she hadn¡¯t eaten in weeks. Her lifeless gaze turned to look at Ceres directly. The girl giggled, but her mouth did not move until an unnatural smile tore across her face. Her limbs swung violently as if she were a puppet on strings.


    Ceres readied her dagger and claw. Her dragon eye focused deeply on the girl, unwavering.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t even help a lost orphan like me? What kind of monster are you?¡° The girl began to move even more violently until an effervescent light, almost like moonlight, emanated from the dark spaces where her eyes once were.


    ¡°What the hell are you!?¡° Ceres screamed, staring daggers at whatever cruel creature this was.


    ¡°I told you. I¡¯m lost,¡° the girl replied, then stopped. After a second, a piercing scream bellowed from the creature. The girl¡¯s lower body broke and morphed together. Flesh and bone mangled into a horrifying mess. Spidery legs now jutted out from the girl¡¯s abdomen, and a maw made up of jagged fangs moved up and down like piano keys. As the real creature became aware of its surroundings, the girl began to let out a bloodcurdling cry.


    Ceres was stunned. She was scared. This was nothing like the wolves before. At least the wolves didn¡¯t hide their true forms. This was the act of something truly evil. Something that preyed on human instinct. Something that knew humans exceedingly well. She found the willpower within herself to shut her fear from her mind. She would kill this abomination, no matter what its origins were.


    ¡°Help me! Help me! Help meeee!¡° The girl¡¯s feeble body continued to plead. Its screams almost made Ceres¡¯s ears bleed. The monster below reared back, opened its maw, and jumped towards Ceres in an attempt to take a gaping bite out of her. It managed to land the bite, but it grasped onto the wrong leg. The onyx scales of Ceres¡¯s draconic leg were totally unaffected by the razor-sharp fangs. A goopy poison leaked out from them and dripped onto the cold ground.


    Ceres took her father¡¯s dagger in both hands, pointing the blade directly toward the creature¡¯s head, and thrusted downward as hard as she could.


    The blade¡¯s edge instantly, upon making contact with the monster¡¯s flesh, eviscerated the top of its head and pierced into its brain, rendering it lifeless. Moonlit blood gushed out from the opening.


    Ceres did not stop. She kept stabbing it. Repeatedly, she drove the dagger into the abomination¡¯s head until it resembled nothing like its former self. It was only until she looked up at the human portion of the creature that she stopped herself mid-strike. She kicked its mouth off of her leg and fell to the ground, weeping.


    Nakir wrapped a wing around Ceres. ¡°It¡¯s okay, little one. It¡¯s dead. It¡¯s over. You¡¯re okay. Shh. Hush now. We¡¯re okay.¡°


    A silence filled the air until a choir of voices cut it short. Dozens of figures lined the misty horizon. They called out, ¡°Help me. I¡¯m lost. Somebody, please help. Where am I? I can¡¯t see anything. Somebody, anybody.¡°


    Nakir lifted Ceres onto his back, and flew off without a word. The tortured voices slowly faded into nothing as they rose above the clouds.


    The hope that Ceres had mustered all but vanished in an instant. All she could see in her mind was an image of Asteria becoming whatever they were. It seemed as if the world was actively trying to torture her with every new encounter. A shadow eclipsed her heart, and the path to saving her sister seemed to scatter in a million directions. All she could do was whisper loud enough for her companion to hear. ¡°Burn them, Nakir. Burn them all. Please.¡°


    The black dragon dipped just below the clouds and began taking a breath. Magical energy crackled to life and wavered around and around into the dragon¡¯s mouth. His throat began to glow a dark blue color. With an enormous roar, he unleashed an unrelenting stream of iridescent flame onto the ground below. The dark trees caught aflame and fell, then the screams began.


    A cacophony of sorrow filled the empty woods. Flame tore apart the beasts, their monstrous screams only outmatched by the deathly cries of the children attached to them.


    Ceres vowed to find the ones responsible for this horror. She vowed to find her sister. She may have lost hope, but she had the means to bring the world to its knees. Even if it meant throwing away everything she believed in, even if it meant burning the world to the ground, she would save her sister. She would save Asteria, no matter the cost.


    Once the flames dispersed and the twilight land was purified, the two flew to the only structure in sight: a clock tower amidst the desolation.


    Nakir clung to the side of the tower and Ceres jumped towards its glass clock, swinging her draconic claw towards its dusty exterior.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Glass shards fell to the floor as Ceres crashed into the room. A plume of dust swirled throughout. This was where the clock tower¡¯s machinery was held. A trap door that led downstairs was boarded up.


    Upon glancing around the room, Ceres then noticed the body of a young man. He was unconscious, but he looked healthy and he was breathing steadily.


    ¡°Nakir. He¡¯s alive.¡°


    The man¡¯s eyes weakly peered up to see a young girl wearing odd clothes with what appeared to be armored limbs and a fake eye. To her left was the face of a dragon, black as night. The man would naturally scream at the sight of a dragon, but he did not have the energy to do so. He simply accepted whatever fate awaited him.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t look like the others. Can you help him?¡° Ceres pleaded to the weary drake.


    Nakir studied him closely, then gave a small sigh of relief. ¡°He isn¡¯t bleeding or anything. It seems he has some kind of head trauma. I¡¯ll try to heal it.¡° Nakir transformed into a human and fell into the room with the two. A small chime resonated from the dragon¡¯s heart once more and a brilliant light swirled from it into the young man¡¯s head.


    Ceres¡¯s mind burned with endless thought. All that kept her mind from the dead eyes of that girl was the mystery of their predicament. Her questions would not go unanswered for long, however, as her eyes drifted towards a shadow that shimmered in the otherworldly moonlight.


    In the shadowy corner of the room were a pair of unmistakable eyes. Archizend emerged seemingly from thin air and hopped up onto the clockwork machinery. ¡°Greetings. Greetings. I¡¯ve missed you both dearly.¡° The cat gave a wicked chuckle.


    Reality itself seemed to ripple and shift around the creature, and as Ceres caught sight of this she swore she could hear the faintest sound of chimes.


    ¡°I understand the confusion. I seek only to propagate it. However, it is imperative you do understand the necessities. This thing is named Raum, and his life is over. Was over. In this reality, nothing stays buried forever. This place is beyond that. I called you here from Ymiris¡¯s grave so that you could realize something, something vitally important. You both never left my woods. You see, we never said farewell, and even though you did traverse the boundaries of my realm, it was nothing more than a daydream connecting both your minds. The true reality lies out there¡­ in the fog. Why do you think you never saw anything living in the Greatwoods but me and those nightmarish wolven?¡°


    Ceres grew tremendously impatient. The mere thought of all of this being for practically nothing lit the flame of anger within her to unparalleled levels.


    Archizend, seeing the outrage burning in the girl¡¯s eyes, continued his explanation calmly. ¡°The people you saw and talked to, they are not unreal. It is a matter of perspective. Time is not a line as you mortals seem to think. The universe is not so formulaic. With the power of a transcendent being one sees everything as a spectrum. A glowing spectrum of light rays bouncing and reflecting off one another. Mortals can only perceive the light¡¯s origin.¡°


    ¡°Cut the bullshit, cat! Why are we here? Aza was the plan. The Black Sorceress is the only lead we have for finding my sister!¡° Ceres began panting from her outburst, her strength already having been waned from the nightmare they had been through just a moment earlier.


    Archizend licked his right paw and looked up at Ceres with eyes eerily similar to that of the monsters outside the tower. ¡°This was a test, and you passed. It was to see how far you were willing to go to survive. Killing a creature resembling that of which you seek is enough for me. Your sister is in good hands. Red hands.¡° He chuckled again.


    The man, Raum, was beginning to fully wake to his surroundings. He had already been desensitized to the impossibility that was his situation. He slowly and painfully got up from the ground and sat against the wall. His movement made Ceres listen for a while longer than she would have otherwise.


    ¡°This thing is a gifted magus who will be vital to your further existence. For the rays of time to shine upon your path, he will be indispensable. And equally disposable. As for Aza, it is just beyond the great tree. Although, the corruption you seek is on the way. A monstrous manor sits near its gates. Your answers will be found in such a place. I hope you do not listen to the ramblings of one more mad than I.¡° The devilish cat chuckled a final time.


    Ceres, overcome with rage, threw herself at Archizend. Just before her wrath could be known, however, the world went black once more.


    The three awoke to the chirping of birds and the light hand of sunlight grasping at their cheeks. The sound of swaying branches and falling leaves drifted through the air.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill that son of a bitch cat! Where did he go?¡° Ceres angrily jumped up to a standing position and looked around the field frantically. Archizend was nowhere to be seen.


    The taciturn man and the humanoid dragon looked at one another and started laughing. Nakir¡¯s hearty laugh and Raum¡¯s dry chuckle set Ceres¡¯s mind at ease. If anybody else had been laughing at her, it would¡¯ve only made her more mad. But this was the first time she had heard Nakir truly laugh, as well as Raum.


    ¡°Is she always like this?¡° Raum questioned Nakir with a half-smile on his face.


    Nakir feared yet another beating from his companion until he saw that Ceres had calmed down somewhat. ¡°No, no. Ceres is always a lovely, calm, beautiful, calm young lady.¡°


    ¡°You said calm twice.¡° Ceres snapped with a certain warmth appearing on her face.


    ¡°Anyway,¡° Nakir began, ¡°we better carry on out of here before we can get wrapped up in whatever nonsense our mutual friend can cook up for us again.¡°


    Raum and Nakir stood up.


    Ceres noticed the extremely odd attire Raum had donned. He wore extremely baggy pants and a shirt made from a light cloth. Everything was a dirty shade of white, and a pair of brown leather goggles were strapped to his head. It looked as if he had come straight out of the desert. ¡°Your name was Raum, right?¡° Ceres asked.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡° Raum replied, half-focused on the beautiful scenery around them.


    ¡°Who exactly are you? Why did Archizend give you to us? What was the meaning of all that crap he said?¡°


    Raum took a while to respond. For some reason, this green and vibrant area seemed especially amazing to him. He felt as if he had a deep longing for this kind of place long ago. ¡°One moment, there was nothing. The next, I was atop that tower. Only those things outside and the cat were there to greet me. I know now from the screams that those weren¡¯t people.¡°


    ¡°This just keeps getting weirder and weirder. I can¡¯t tell if Archizend wants to help us or kill us.¡° Ceres sighed, blocking the harsh rays of the sun with her extended hand.


    Nakir gave a nervous cough. ¡°I propose we just accept it. I had heard of that cat¡¯s trickery way before we met him the first time, but I never would have thought his influence stretched that far. I¡¯m still not quite sure what was truly real, and what he created as an illusion. At least it¡¯s safe to say that it¡¯s all behind us. We really should get going, before he can trap us in that world again.¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s if you even want to come with us. You don¡¯t have to do what that creepy cat said.¡° Ceres explained to Raum about their journey to find her lost sister, and the danger that both had ensued and probably would come about in the future.


    Raum thought long and hard, the breeze lightly pulling his unkempt auburn hair across his forehead. He closed his eyes to feel the air against his skin and focus his thoughts, then opened them lazily. ¡°As long as, as we travel, we can figure out why I¡¯m here. Or who I am.¡°


    Ceres and Nakir agreed.


    Nakir transformed back into a dragon and the three flew past the great tree, leaving behind the Greatwoods for good. Each of them hoped that whatever lied ahead would give them the answers they so desperately needed.

 Chapter 5: Rumhound Rumble

    The magical city of Aza sat amidst the land as both a beacon of light and an icon of darkness. Cruel, jagged spikes sat atop stone turrets. Gothic architecture lined every part of Aza¡¯s streets. Pedestrians of all kinds walked them with purpose. People in magus robes, beggars in torn clothes, thugs in light metal armor, and mages wearing immaculate gear adorned with magic jewels all walked adamantly along the cobblestone. An aura of mystique and intrigue crept all throughout the city, like a thick fog that enveloped its residents and the place as a whole. Lights seeped through the stained glass that accompanied most of the structures, giving the cool gray avenues a slight tinge of scarlet.


    A watchful eye from far away set its sights on a bulky man wearing a sleek hat. The man had a permanent scowl on his face as he looked to his left. Walking down the street, he eyed the various signs for establishments until he found the one he was searching for. With a slight hesitation, he opened the dark oak door and walked inside.


    A small bell rang at the door to let the bartender know that a new customer had walked in. ¡°Hey, Breven. What can I get you?¡°


    ¡°The usual,¡° he replied, setting his sights on an armor-clad man sitting at the bar. Breven sat down next to the man. He seemed to be passed out with his head resting on the bar and an empty bottle still in his hand. His face featured a short, patchy beard and he wore a set of furred armor, one a soldier might wear in the northern lands.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re awake, and I know you ain¡¯t drunk. I¡¯d thought you¡¯d wanna settle this like a real man, a real warrior, but I guess I forgot that you¡¯re neither of those things no more.¡° Breven gave a menacing chuckle, eyeing the man like a hawk.


    Suddenly, the man spoke up. ¡°You really wanna do this? I thought you¡¯d learned your lesson a week ago. Or maybe I¡¯m thinking too highly of a second-rate Rumhound thug.¡°


    Breven scoffed and got up from his seat. A small glimmer of fear struck his heart, but his arrogance quickly smothered it. ¡°Fact is, Graves wants you taken in. He¡¯d rather have you alive, but he made it very damn clear that dead would be just fine too.¡°


    The warrior sighed and got up from the bar. He broke the bottle he was holding in his iron grip and tossed the makeshift weapon at Breven. ¡°How about a drink?¡° he said with a mischievous smirk.


    ¡°Thank you kindly. I¡¯ll use it to bash yer face in.¡° Breven swung the shattered end of the bottle at the warrior, but the man dashed away at the last second. ¡°What the-¡°


    Before Breven could finish his thought, the man was already crouched to his left with one hand pointed at Breven with an open palm. A wispy chime was intoned, and archaic symbols appeared in bands around the man¡¯s arm in glowing azure script. He rotated his hand slightly, and quicker than the melting of a snowflake, a great flurry of frost jettisoned from his palm. It instantly covered Breven¡¯s entire left side of his body in a chunk of ice. Rearing his right leg, Grovalt turned and roundhouse kicked the chunk, shattering it and the broken bottle into a million pieces. Breven fell to the ground and a pool of blood began forming on the oaken floor.


    ¡°What the hell¡­? You never used magic before! Where the hell¡¯d you learn that, Grovalt!?¡° Breven turned to look up at the strong, pale warrior with his face full of shards of glass and ice.


    Grovalt just kept looking down at Breven with a cold stare. After a second, he gripped his blade and unsheathed it. The greatsword was true in name; it was twice as long as a common sword, and was made of a type of steel found only in the north. Its black metal barely reflected any light in the dim bar.


    ¡°Wait wait wait! I wasn¡¯t really gonna kill ya, I swear man! Graves really did want you alive. Why would he want you dead? You were his right hand man! C¡¯mon, please? Don¡¯t kill me.¡° Breven peered up at Grovalt, eyeing his monstrous sword with a face of pure terror.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll find him myself and we¡¯ll have a little chat. Man to man.¡° Grovalt raised the sword above his head as Breven¡¯s fear took hold of him. He was too scared to move. He was petrified. What he felt the next moment was not the pain of a blade, but the pain of blunt force trauma. Grovalt had hit the side of his head with the hilt of his greatsword, knocking him unconscious.


    ¡°Hey, Grovalt. Ya gonna pay for that bottle? That was one of my best whiskeys, asshole.¡° Grovalt turned to see the bartender¡¯s extremely annoyed face, his mustache curling up in a way that embodied disappointment.


    ¡°Sorry, pal.¡° Grovalt left him a handful of coins, sheathed his blade, and left the bar in a hurry. He made his way through the lower districts until he found a large deserted building. It was once used by a sect of the Aza Academy, now home to a gang of street thugs known by many as the Rumhounds.


    The Rumhounds stole booze and other valuables from establishments in the city, but specialized in street robbery. As much as they wanted the people of Aza to fear them, they weren¡¯t nearly as intelligent and threatening as the Ravens.


    As he approached the entrance, Grovalt had a strange feeling, as if someone was watching him from the shadows. He decided to shake it off for the meantime, for he had no time to dawdle. Graves had to be waiting for him.


    The door to the building¡¯s innards opened with an echoing creak. Cobwebs tore apart in the way of Grovalt¡¯s intrusion. He could hear the faint sound of laughter from the floors above. The inside was a mixture of classrooms and libraries. Books lined nearly every wall. Their titles ranged from Anima: The History of Magecraft to The Power of Channeling. Grovalt¡¯s eyes moved from the bookcases to the desks in the middle of the room. They were chaotically spread out, as if a rampaging bull had clobbered into them as it charged throughout the building. He then noticed a few stacks of bottled liquor and unsharpened weapons strewn about. The sight of them reassured him that this was the right place. They were still here, after all.


    Grovalt made his way up the stairs, now crouching to avoid alerting his cantankerous foes. He had snuck up about three stories when he could finally hear what they were discussing.


    ¡°...and right as we were about to rob this lady, a mage sees us. I¡¯m thinking, ¡®this is it, we¡¯re doomed.¡¯ But he looked ¡®round, then knocked her out with one punch. He told us to keep it quiet, and gave us half of her coin!¡°


    A roar of laughter followed, one of them sounding eerily familiar to Grovalt. He then heard the voice of Graves. ¡°Hehehe. Y¡¯know, I knew the Imperium had dirty cops, but that takes the cake. Great job, guys. Just one thing.¡° A scuffle was heard. ¡°You goddamn idiots got lucky. What if that mage was some goody-two-shoes, eh? What if it was the goddamn Archmage himself!? Keep on the lookout next time, or I¡¯ll slit yer throats with yer own teeth.¡°This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°Sorry, sir. Won¡¯t happen again. Promise.¡°


    ¡°Mmhm. I know it won¡¯t.¡° The men fell silent. The sounds of footsteps trailed off into another room. ¡°Buncha dumbasses. Every last one of ¡®em.¡°


    Grovalt reached the top of the stairs at last and boldly leered around the corner. Sure enough, his old boss Graves was sitting in a large iron chair next to a sputtering fire. He was scratching his beard, lost in thought. Grovalt waited until he got up to get a drink, then quickly made his way to the other side of the room. The door he entered through was one of a pair that led to yet another classroom.


    Three men dressed in black and red were sitting on top of desks, downing bottles of rum.


    Grovalt was about to make his move when he spotted a shadow silently plummet through a broken skylight above into the back of the room without making a sound. He couldn¡¯t make out what or who it was, but he saw the glint of what could¡¯ve been a dagger. He couldn¡¯t let this thing ruin his chance. He cast a frost spell but slowly so that it would emit a quiet hum rather than a loud chime. Ice formed from Grovalt¡¯s hand onto the floor, spidering across the room towards where the thugs were resting. Soon after, a cold sunk into the very air in the building, and the men noticed this quite quickly.


    ¡°Damn it¡¯s cold in here. Can¡¯t the boss give us a light once in a while?¡°


    ¡°Man, he¡¯s already mad. Don¡¯t be asking him for something as dumb as some warmth. A little frostbite won¡¯t kill ya.¡° The man moved to adjust how he was sitting, but his legs were stopped. A resistance had wrapped around them. Now that he realized it, he couldn¡¯t even feel his legs.


    The spell Grovalt had been conjuring had become a flurry of ice and wind that began to spiral about the feet of Graves¡¯s men. The lower halves of their bodies were already encased in a thick layer of rime.


    ¡°Hey, hey, what the hell!?¡° One of them screamed, desperately twisting his body to escape the trap but to no avail. He fell off of the desk he once sat atop and on to the floor amidst the small ice storm. His skin turned a dark blue and his body stopped contorting. He had already succumbed to the intense cold. The others had managed to react in time, and only lost a few toes in the ensuing blizzard. The two ran from the origin point of Grovalt¡¯s storm and readied their swords. Darting their heads across the dark classroom, they spotted him on the far side.


    The shadow Grovalt had seen before now made its move. It leapt from where it hid, appearing behind one of his enemies. It mercilessly slit his throat with a knife that showed a brilliant jade color under the skylight, now half-painted in a deep crimson. As the shadow threw the now deceased foe to the ground, it revealed its true identity to Grovalt. An incredibly beautiful woman stood before him clad in black, lined with vervant stripes. Her hair was an immaculate shade of blue, the kind you¡¯d see looking at the reflection of the moon on the surface of water. Her lower face was covered by a black mask, but her vibrant green eyes were uncovered to observe the world around her.


    Grovalt, entranced, moved not one muscle. He released his spell due to his lack of focus.


    The woman in black turned to see the last Rumhound running toward her with his sword overhead. As if vanishing into nothingness, she appeared right next to the man just as she did to the other, this time in front of him. The arm that once held his sword was cut clean off and fell to the floor. Blood spewed from the man¡¯s arm and his resulting wound. The woman simply cleaned her dagger in front of the man, then used her left hand to grab him by the throat.


    What Grovalt witnessed next was something he had only ever heard about in his time as a warrior.


    The man tried to call out for help, but something emanated from the woman¡¯s hand. Actually, something was pulling the man in. A shadowy essence dotted with red streaks erupted from the man¡¯s torso and then from his limbs, pulling into the woman¡¯s hand and arm. Life drained from his face as the last of the essence left him until finally, she dropped his weightless corpse to the floor. She turned to Grovalt.


    Grovalt managed to come back to his senses. He knew what this woman was, but he had no idea if he could win against one. He had heard stories of an entire battalion falling to a single anisai. Granted, he was stronger than most men, but against the equivalent of a one-man army, what did that matter?


    Before either of them could do anything, Graves burst into the room with a wild expression. Flaming fury burned in his pupils. His oppressive black beard seemed seared at the end. He took one frenzied look at Grovalt and the mystery woman, then a glance at his dead men strewn across the floor. A hearty chuckle began to emanate from the huge brute, his chest pounding up and down with each gasp in between his laughter.


    Grovalt¡¯s eyes widened as he witnessed this display, then slowly moved back to the merciless woman still standing in the dark shadows of the classroom. The rime-filled air began to sparkle under the little light from above. The ground did too, as bits of frost settled amidst the dusty rugs and floorboards.


    As Graves¡¯s laughter began to pitter out into nothingness, he looked now only at Grovalt with a meaningful gaze. ¡°So, I let you go free when ya abandon your own and this is how you repay me, eh? Killing the men you once drank with? Teaming up with whatever lot this wench crawled out of?¡°


    ¡°To hell with that, Graves. You know full well what you¡¯ve been doing. Did you really think an idiot like Breven could convince me to come back, let alone put me in shackles?¡°


    ¡°Nah. You showed all of us here you could take all of ¡®em in a fight with nothing but your bare hands. I ain¡¯t that stupid, son.¡°


    ¡°Then why send him?¡°


    Graves took a few steps forward. His mighty weight flowed through his legs and struck down through his heavy metal boots, the floorboards dying under each long step. ¡°To bring you here, of course. I¡¯ll admit though, I did expect you to come knockin¡¯ on the door instead of sneakin¡¯ in here and killing ¡®em. Do you normally turn to murder at the slightest annoyance, Grovalt? And here I thought we were seen as the uncivilized crowd. Seems like since you left the Rumhounds we actually became more like valued citizens. Hahahaha!¡° Graves erupted into another bout of laughter, except it was much shorter than the last.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯d like to clear things up.¡° The woman in black suddenly chimed in with a whispery voice, waving her jade dagger playfully. ¡°I don¡¯t know who this guy is, but now that you¡¯re here I¡¯ll have you kill you both.¡°


    ¡°Is that right, sonny? You don¡¯t even know this lass?¡°


    ¡°No. I thought maybe you did.¡°


    ¡°Never seen her before in my life.¡°


    ¡°Great,¡° the black-clad woman said, ¡°now you never will.¡° With that, she rushed forward instantly toward the two men like smoke being carried by a powerful wind. Her dagger flew at Grovalt but was blocked as he raised his sword to meet it. When that failed, she turned to Graves but he had already distanced himself a few meters.


    ¡°Ooooh. She¡¯s a feisty one, Grovalt. Don¡¯t lose yer head.¡° He chuckled as a black smoke began to bellow from all around Graves¡¯s body. After a short while, it cleared and revealed Graves once more except he was wielding a battle axe of sorts made entirely of flame. Not just that, but Graves himself seemed to be enveloped by a scorching flame akin to cinders. The floorboards began to catch on fire as ash swirled around the room, knocking over books and desks. The classroom that once acted as the Rumhound hideout was slowly falling apart due to Graves¡¯s fiery transformation.


    Grovalt was desperate. Even with all his confidence, he hadn¡¯t dared ever to challenge Graves to a fight. His men would tell him day in and day out that they had only joined in fear of what he¡¯d do to them if they ever told him no. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are,¡° he called out to the woman, ¡°but if you help me take down this asshole, I¡¯ll do whatever you say. Deal?¡°


    The shadow-like woman stood for a second under the swirling flame and smoke raging from the other side of the room. She looked deep into Grovalt¡¯s eyes and then to the madman cackling within the chaos. ¡°Alrighty. Deal.¡°

 Chapter 6: Infernus

    Grovalt and the assassin agreed to unite against the bearded fiend laughing amidst the firestorm. In a matter of seconds, the floor had become a sea of fire that stretched across all ends of what used to be a classroom. The walls began to catch flame, and in turn the roof started to burn red and crumble under its own weight. If they wanted to put an end to this man, this was their only chance.


    Grovalt harnessed a powerful orb of frost in his palms, and extended them toward the ceiling. A beam of magical ice shot out from the orb into the space above, smothering the flames and encasing the collapsing roof in a layer of sturdy rime.


    ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t!¡° Graves raised his blazing axe above his head and quickly swung it into the floor, unleashing a wave of fire that spread across the room towards Grovalt. The fiery wave, upon reaching him, was immediately put out. As the smoke moved from view, Graves saw a man-sized ice wall that Grovalt had constructed to block the entire attack.


    Without a second for him to complain, the assassin swooped in from behind Graves with her dagger at the ready. With one slash, his upper right leg was reduced to mincemeat, blood pouring out of the deep wound. She readied another strike, but before it could land a plume of smoke caused her to retreat.


    ¡°Just give up. The mages will be here soon.¡° Grovalt tried to reason with Graves, but his stubbornness knew no bounds.


    ¡°Suppose I¡¯ll keep you two here ¡®till they arrive then. They can have all our heads. Or you can die here!¡° Graves ran at Grovalt with no hesitation and swung his mighty axe several times, every hit falling onto Grovalt¡¯s sturdy blade. It seemed as though the fire Graves¡¯s axe was made of had solidified into a wieldable flame.


    Grovalt unleashed a burst of frost from his left hand, stunning Graves for a second. Returning both hands to his sword, he reared back and cut a jagged gash across Graves¡¯s chest.


    From his heart, a great chaotic flame grew to unfathomable levels. Graves¡¯s entire chest began to glow a sinister crimson that suddenly let loose an inferno, engulfing the three and the entire room once more in flame.


    Pieces of the ceiling began to collapse. The ice holding it in place had vanished into the air.


    The smell of smoke was unbearable, and Grovalt¡¯s eyes stung more than they had in ages. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. Flames seared his clothes and scarred his skin. He could barely even see through it all, but what he could see was Graves¡¯s now glowing chest. It was as if his very heart was lit aflame. Like a lighthouse in the dead of night, it guided Grovalt towards him. Every step he took was slow and deliberate. If he didn¡¯t stop to feel the ground, he would fall. He could barely see a few inches in front of his face. However, faintly through the smoke, he could see it. Just in front of him was Graves.


    Out from the haze, that same jagged blade of roaring flame cut through the miasma.


    Grovalt dodged, lurching his entire body to the right.


    ¡°This is pointless. The mages will be here any second. All of us, in prison. In the Imperium. We¡¯re all doomed. As long as we live in this city, under that Archmage. No, under her¡­ we can never be free. All we do is for them. All that happens in Aza is for that damn Imperium, and that bitch who controls ¡®em. We¡¯ll never see the sky again.¡° Hysteria had taken hold of Graves¡¯s mind. Only now had he begun to realize what awaited them all if they were to be arrested.


    ¡°Sky¡­ see the sky?¡° Grovalt looked up at the smoldering ceiling. The wooden beams began to snap and fall, barely missing the three. He set down his weapon, making sure Graves wasn¡¯t too close, held his right hand tightly, and started to cast yet another spell.


    Chimes resonated throughout the room. Even through the chaos of embers and fire, the chimes could be heard purely and without falter.


    The bands of glowing symbols appeared on Grovalt¡¯s arm again, and from them glacial shards shot out in a torrent. The shards blew apart the roof with minimal effort, allowing for the smoke to be taken by the wind outside. Finally, Grovalt could breathe. He could see his foe. He could put an end to this. He focused all he could muster into one last spell. He fell to one knee as he channeled all of his being into it. He grunted and bit his lip. His scars from the fiery attacks he had survived burned with an unrelenting fury. Everything in his mind was telling him to stop, but he kept going until there was nothing left. Empty, he fell to the floor.


    The spell had left his fingertips, encasing Graves in a spiraling snake-like rope that froze him to the bone. Graves dropped his axe as his hands went limp and all feeling in them was lost. Confusion befell his mind, then a deep despair.


    The assassin moved into his view. Her jade eyes glistened, mirroring the chaos that surrounded them. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking your life now, thanks to that guy.¡°


    Cityfolk began to slowly gather around the fiery mass, and with them the Imperium¡¯s sirens began to blare over their worried cries. Mages began to close in on them. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Grovalt grasped his head in agony. His eyes felt like they were going to explode. Blood trickled down his arms. He looked down to see the bands of magical symbols had carved deep into his skin. He touched his fingertips together and his eyes widened. He began scampering across the ash-colored floor, grasping anything and everything. He cut his fingers on wood and slid his hands through the nearby flames. ¡°What is this? What happened? Why has this happened!?¡°


    The woman in black looked at the frantic Grovalt, then back at Graves. In an instant, she jabbed her vervent dagger straight into Graves¡¯s throat with machine-like precision. Leaving only a red mark on his skin, the dagger ripped out of her hands nearly as fast as she had swung it. She glared at the disruption¡¯s source.


    A mage, mere twenty feet away, was hovering slightly above a rooftop. One of his hands was outstretched, violet runes hovering over his forearm. Others joined his side, and after signaling to each other, they each ran off in a different direction. The one that had fired at her was on his way, and fast.


    She sighed deeply. ¡°Of course. I told her this would happen.¡° She knelt down to retrieve her weapon. As she did so, a voice invaded her mind. Unlike hearing someone speak, this was more so someone speaking directly within her head.


    ¡°Grab that guy. We could use him¡­ more or less.¡°


    ¡°What? Zenzi, we can¡¯t just trust some weakling human like that. I¡¯m heading back now.¡°


    ¡°Stop! Maxra, I¡¯m telling you we¡¯ll need him. When have I ever been wrong?¡°


    ¡°Many times, hun. But I guess carrying someone as light as a feather is no biggie. See ya soon.¡° With that, the anisai assassin lifted Grovalt and his sword up on her shoulders and leapt through the fiery miasma. In a blink, the black-clad woman had disappeared as the mages swallowed the utterly demolished Rumhound hideout with their numbers.


    The mages had put out the fire within just a couple minutes. The ice encasing Graves had melted, but he was not without real shackles. On his knees, the gathering of mages parted as a large, skinny man revealed himself. He wore a mask that was totally unlike the other Aza mages. This one was of a higher quality. The lines that met in the middle of it were bold and seemed as though they were filled with stars from the sky. His robe was beautifully adorned with curvy, eccentric lines and was similarly filled with an exact replica of the galaxy. He moved as though he were a cat creeping towards his prey, ready to pounce.


    Graves looked up and into the man¡¯s wondrous mask. Promptly, he spat a glob of spit onto the ground between them. ¡°Sorry, Archmage. I was aiming for your robes, but I guess I¡¯m a bit too tired right now.¡°


    A sharp pain split Graves¡¯s head in two. His head lowered and blood began dripping down his face, his nose, and onto the ground, mixing with his spit.


    The Archmage started cackling to himself, almost erupting into pure laughter but eventually coughing to clear his throat and quell his outburst. ¡°It seems my men do not find your resistance to be as funny as I do. If they were in my position, I¡¯m sure they would understand my amusement. After all, the only criminals in Aza have seemingly given away their own hideout, and not just that, killed themselves.¡° He grasped Graves¡¯s hair and ripped his head backward. He leaned in close. ¡°We know that¡¯s not what happened, scum. I¡¯m sure whoever attacked you wanted you to be found. Wanted you to be arrested. But why? That is what I want to know, rat. Are they simply vigilantes doing the job of my mages, or, could they be threatening us? Are they saying that they can do a better job than the mages of our Imperium? Is that what they¡¯re saying, Rumhound?¡°


    Graves rolled his eyes. He struggled for a second to answer the magus, but he dryly coughed and spoke. ¡°I may be a thug, but don¡¯t think for a moment that I would stoop to yer level. I give people second chances. If he¡¯d rather kill my men and force my hand than join me, that¡¯s fine. At least he sticks to his own wits. You? You¡¯re a goddamn puppet. Tell me Zandos, how does that chain ¡®round your neck feel? Who¡¯s really the dog here? Because where I¡¯m kneeling, even when I¡¯m chained up, you¡¯re not in control, dumbass. She¡¯s pulling your reins. How about you just toss me in a cell already and run on back to your sorceress?¡°


    The Archmage rose to his feet. His stature would command the worst of criminals to obey. ¡°I will not waste my time deciphering the barks of a mut. Take him to the hold. I¡¯ll speak with him later.¡°


    ¡°Yes, Archmage Zandos!¡° The mages puffed out their chests and stood to attention with their backs as straight as the blades upon them. They took Graves out to a more open area, and prepared a teleportation spell.


    Zandos walked back into the smoldering corpse of the building. His eyes ran along the icy trail left on the floorboards. Amidst frost and blood, a chain of symbols had been faintly cut into the wood as well. A man, he thought, what man knows such powerful ice magic?


    At the same time, Maxra had finally reached the source of the psychic link: a long abandoned clock tower that lay several blocks away from the Imperium¡¯s gates. From its base she could see flocks of ravens circling the spire. The clock was in stasis, its inner mechanism claimed by years of neglect. Walking down a small stone staircase, she unlocked a metal hatch, and went inside the structure.


    Inside was nothing short of a total mess. Bits of junk and broken machinery were strewn about here and there. Dim candles were placed in precarious places, not to mention heaps of documents and papers that were an obvious fire hazard. Dust glittered in the cold air. There was no natural light. Without the dim candles, darkness would flood their eyes in a heartbeat.


    Maxra sat Grovalt down on a patchy leather couch. Grovalt weakly wrenched his eyes open, his head leaning backward. He barely managed to raise his right arm and study the aftereffects of his decision. Not only were his arms in tatters, there was something crucial missing since that moment. He touched his fingertips together again, and groped at the couch with frenzy in his eyes.


    ¡°Uh, what are you doing?¡° A woman met his worried gaze. It was Maxra wearing less of a worried gaze but one of judgment.


    ¡°I can¡¯t feel¡­¡° Grovalt eked out.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. You were pretty banged up after that stunt you pulled. I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re not wrathcursed right now.¡°


    ¡°No¡­ I can¡¯t feel anything. I have no sense of touch¡­ why? Why can¡¯t I feel anything?¡°

 Chapter 7: Nevermore

    ¡°Y¡¯know, this is kinda embarrassing after all that confidence you had before. It¡¯s a bit disappointing, really~¡°


    Grovalt couldn¡¯t decide whether to cry or scream. His thoughts were a tangled mess of questions and furious emotions. ¡°Look, can you just answer the question?¡°


    Maxra sighed and jumped onto the couch next to Grovalt. ¡°It¡¯s real simple, alright? You humans are so unbelievably feeble that even a little too much magic is way too much for your bodies to handle. To stop a reflection, your brain decides in the heat of the moment to give away something valuable rather than let you die.¡°


    ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­ that my body gave away my sense of touch to stop me from dying?¡°


    ¡°Yep. If you didn¡¯t, you¡¯d be a mess of blood, guts and ice right now!¡° Maxra began laughing hysterically, all while getting up from the couch and disappearing through a dark gateway in front of them.


    Grovalt¡¯s head fell into his hands. No longer could he feel the stubble on his face. No longer could he feel the frost on his hands. No longer could he feel any physical pain. It was a different kind of horror that he had never felt before. It was grief over loss, but over such an abstract idea as losing one¡¯s sense of touch. How is it even possible?


    Coming back through the shadowy gateway was Maxra and a short girl with long, messy black hair and one owl-like eye peeking out from under it. She wore a black cloak with a belt wrapped around it. Her hands were small and boney. A dark circle was under the only eye that could be seen. In the awful light of the clock tower, she looked as if she were a ghost.


    ¡°Maxra, I know you were in a hurry but he doesn¡¯t look alive to me. Do I have to go get the shovel again?¡°


    ¡°No, no! He¡¯s totally fine. He almost reflected his magic, but he can still function. As long as you don''t need his sense of touch, he can still be useful to us.¡°


    ¡°Actually, I did.¡° The ghoulish girl became lost in thought for a moment, then her head shot back up. ¡°No worries. We can find another one. I¡¯ll go get the shovel.¡°


    ¡°Alright,¡° Maxra replied, taking Grovalt by the throat.


    ¡°Huh? No, wait wait wait!!! I can help you. Whatever it is you¡¯re doing, I can still help. I don¡¯t give a damn about this city, or the Imperium. Please!¡°


    Maxra gazed upon Grovalt with luminescent eyes. ¡°Zenzi, why don¡¯t we give him a chance? Just give him another job and we¡¯ll see if he¡¯s really up for it.¡°


    The black-haired girl came back into the room with a shovel in hand. She pondered for a moment, then shot back up again. ¡°Okay. I actually have something for him to do, as a matter of fact.¡°


    ¡°Ah, thank the Goddess,¡° Grovalt grumbled as Maxra suddenly let go of his neck. His dull blue eyes finally searched his surroundings, sparking interest in his mind. ¡°Who¡­ who are you guys anyway?¡°


    In her small hand, Zenzi conjured a small purple flame. All the other candlelight slowly died. The room around them became pitch-black, with only their faces illuminated in the violet light. ¡°Who do you think? Didn¡¯t you figure it out on your way here?¡°


    ¡°Actually, he was pretty much catatonic until just now,¡° Maxra said.


    ¡°I see¡­¡° Zenzi scratched her head, her messy hair wavering ever so slightly across her pale face. ¡°Well, we¡¯re the Ravens.¡°


    Grovalt¡¯s exhausted look turned into one of disbelief, then one of surprise. ¡°You¡¯re the Ravens? The assassins? I thought the Imperium made them up to scare people.¡°


    The two fiendish girls chuckled.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s what we want people to think. In reality, we are the sole reason the Imperium¡¯s been preoccupied as of late. Maxra has drained a great number of their mages over the past few months,¡° Zenzi said. A smile formed on her face that sent shivers down Grovalt¡¯s spine.


    Maxra reached up to her mouth and pulled down her black mask. Her face was nothing short of beautiful. Her ruby lips contrasted her sharp, emerald eyes. ¡°Speaking of us, I don¡¯t think we had any real time for names. I¡¯m Maxra, and she¡¯s Zenzi. Also, this is our headquarters, Nevermore.¡°


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. And he¡¯s Grovalt. Let¡¯s move on, we¡¯ve got business to take care of for Master. Now listen human: if you fail this, Maxra will eat you. You got that?¡°


    Grovalt gulped. Beads of sweat formed and dripped down his brow. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡°


    ¡°Good. Good. Okay, so, her job before you messed things up was to assassinate Graves. You do understand that?¡°


    Grovalt nodded.


    ¡°You see, it would have been easier for everyone if the leader of the Rumhounds was found dead all of a sudden. All the suspicion that even remotely existed around us would have been snuffed out if the only criminal organization known by the public were to be erased. But, you went and alerted the whole damn city, excuse my language. And now there¡¯s even more suspicion on us. Actually, what were you even doing there in the first place?¡°


    ¡°To be honest¡­ I used to work for him. After the Relic War, there weren¡¯t a lot of legal job offers. And there weren¡¯t any for warriors like us. It was the only thing I could see myself doing for some coin. Anyway, I quit eventually and started doing odd jobs around Aza. He was hounding me with his goons every day since I stopped. I guess¡­ I guess I just got tired of it.¡°


    Zenzi¡¯s owl eye widened and her small mouth opened in surprise. ¡°So, you decided to end his whole career and kill him for a mild annoyance like that?¡°


    ¡°Damn. That¡¯s pretty cold, even for you.¡° Maxra chuckled.


    ¡°No, no. I knew his men wouldn¡¯t let me at him without a fight, but he¡¯d be okay with that. He doesn¡¯t really give a shit about them. I just wanted to talk with him, but then you showed up-¡°


    Maxra shot a deadly glare Grovalt¡¯s way, and he quickly went silent.


    ¡°Alright, then. Getting back to your mission,¡° Zenzi continued. ¡°We need you to find someone. Three people, actually. Bring them here, and that¡¯s it. Pretty easy, right?¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s it? Okay, I¡¯ve done that before. What do they look like, these people?¡°


    Zenzi¡¯s eye seemed to widen to a level Grovalt once thought impossible, and she laughed creepily. As if to quell Grovalt¡¯s fears, she also gave him a cute, awkward smile. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say that you¡¯ll want to talk to them rather than try to force them to come with you. They¡¯ll listen to you, I¡¯m sure of it. When you see them, mention this.¡° Zenzi leaned over Grovalt¡¯s left side and whispered something into his ear.


    ¡°Okay, but where should I go?¡°


    ¡°There is a mansion not too far from the borders of Aza. Go there, and wait. They¡¯ll come to you.¡°


    Grovalt nodded again. It seems like I¡¯ll have to do this to earn my old, crappy life back.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Zenzi¡¯s flame vanished and the dim candles faded back into view once more. ¡°If you have any trouble, just call my name. I¡¯ll talk to you through your brain.¡°


    ¡°Alright, sounds- wait, what?¡°


    Maxra abruptly opened up the metal hatch and kicked Grovalt into it, his body smashing into the stone stairs before she slammed it closed behind him. ¡°You sure about this? I mean, this guy didn¡¯t even know about reflection. How do you expect him to know anything about Imeldra?¡°


    ¡°Just trust me. And if things go bad, we can just get the shovel again.¡°


    Grovalt grunted and looked back at the hatch with disdain. Just because I can¡¯t feel pain, she thinks it¡¯s okay to throw me into the stairs? Actually, she¡¯d probably do that whether I could feel it or not. He managed to stand, and as he got to his feet he realized that his arms were relatively back to normal. Scars had formed where the symbols had dug into his skin, but he wasn¡¯t bleeding anymore. He remembered the odd ritual that Zenzi had done just before, and thought that maybe she had healed him then without him noticing.


    The city streets were even more chaotic than usual. Grovalt heard a few passing conversations about the battle him and Maxra had fought half an hour ago. Mages were stopping people to ask them about anything they knew about the mess. It seemed he had no choice but to head to the mysterious mansion outside of the city gates. Just the idea of getting out of town alone seemed like a good decision at the moment. He dodged the rushing crowds as he made his way up the street, occasionally ducking under the kerfuffle when guards headed his way.


    At last, Grovalt made it to the steel colossus that were the Aza city gates. Glowing stones affixed to the top of the walls secreted a dreadful red glow that drenched the darkening streets even more than normal. The sun, like a great firebird, had stopped spanning its wings and now began to take rest beyond the burning horizon. Amidst one of the gates, two guards stood watch. Grovalt casually walked up to them.


    ¡°Hello. I was wondering if I could leave the city?¡° Grovalt asked them.


    ¡°Nope,¡° said the taller one. ¡°No one¡¯s permitted to leave the city until we find the culprit for the arson committed earlier this day.¡°


    ¡°I see. Pardon me, then.¡° Grovalt awkwardly stepped away from the two men and turned his back to them.


    A sharp feeling jabbed at Grovalt¡¯s mind, and soon after a voice echoed throughout its canals. ¡°Human, you could have called for me rather than make yourself look like a fool. Converse with them once more and they will let you pass. Do not stray from your mission again.¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I meant to-¡° Grovalt started to say, but he quickly realized she had stopped listening in to his thoughts and turned to talk with the guards once again.


    ¡°Hurry and leave human. Do not forget your mission. You are to go to the mansion and bring us three people.¡° The tone of the voice was Zenzi¡¯s, but it emanated from the shorter guard¡¯s mouth. The taller guard looked as if he were in a daze of sorts, his jaw slacked and his eyes dull.


    ¡°Alright, alright. I get it.¡° Grovalt dashed past the guards before any passerby could see him leaving and ran as fast as he could past the wall and out onto the dirt path leading from the city.


    Some time later he grew exhausted, but he had made good progress. Aza was now a couple miles behind him. The brilliant ball of light was now starting to hide, and with it the shadows of night slowly crept into view. As he eyed the horizon, he spotted a small dot far along the dirt path. After a while, it grew larger, and larger still, until finally Grovalt could make it out as a wagon. When it finally reached him, he heard the crack of reins and the horses stopped. The man holding the reins was an older fellow with a kind smile and a bald head.


    ¡°Afternoon, stranger. Actually, it seems to be evening. My, time flies when on the road. I had almost forgotten such a fact, and I¡¯d only rested up for a few days.¡°


    ¡°Hello, sir. My name¡¯s Grovalt. Is there any chance you could take me to the old mansion not far from here?¡°


    ¡°My, I¡¯ve never had such a request before. I¡¯d like to get to Aza before sundown but it seems we¡¯ve a couple more hours until nightfall. You know what? Hop on, and I¡¯ll take ya. It¡¯s a minor detour, anyhow.¡°


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re a lifesaver mister¡­¡°


    ¡°Call me Old Man Hadrik, friend. Or just Hadrik, whichever ya like. I¡¯m a traveling merchant, lookin¡¯ to set up in Aza. Reckoned I needed a break from all the trees and bugs, hehe.¡°


    Grovalt climbed up onto the wagon and sat beside the wizened man. His amiable expression set Grovalt at ease. It was the first time he had felt safe in a long while. He realized how much his life had gone off course in just a day¡¯s time. The man slapped the reins again, and the two black stallions pulled the wagon back around.


    ¡°So, why are ya off to the abandoned mansion at such a time as this? If you don¡¯t mind me askin¡¯, that is.¡°


    Grovalt leaned his back against the hard oak behind him. Even with the wagon¡¯s never ending bumps and jolts, he could finally relax. He rubbed his eyes, his tiredness making itself known even after his comatose state not long ago. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t really know myself.¡°


    ¡°Yeah, I get ya son. City life is nice and all, but soon ya realize how much you miss the lonesome country life. Ya miss the little things, the bugs and the critters and the like. I reckon the city with all those people clumped up is bound to make everybody uneasy. There¡¯s never not a right time to be alone.¡°


    The dirt road eventually settled. There were fewer bumps this far from the city.


    ¡°Where did you say you were, before Aza?¡° Grovalt asked Hadrik.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a little town out by the Greatwoods. Hard to find, that one. The folk there are kind enough, but its got an odd vibe to it. Ymiris¡¯s Rest, they call it. It seems they really believe the Goddess is dead and buried underneath ¡®em.¡°


    ¡°And you don¡¯t?¡°


    ¡°Seems everyone wants to believe something different nowadays. My hometown, Altruin, also believes the Goddess is dead. Except they don¡¯t think she¡¯s buried at all. They believe she lives on within all of us, even now.¡°


    ¡°Do you think the same way?¡°


    ¡°I try not to bring up such things. Whenever such discussions came up with my children, and their children, it would only be about convincing each other, rather than debating with each other.¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s just how it is, I suppose. Bias exists in all things we do.¡°


    ¡°You¡¯re one wise young man, Grovalt. I do wish my son was more like you. More open-minded, if you will. If you really want to know what I believe, I¡¯ll tell ya. I believe in myself, and I believe in the people around me. No matter what, that¡¯s what truly matters in this life. Remember to believe in people, no matter how much you may disagree with ¡®em. The spirit of people and their ideals last much longer than the physical things around us.¡°


    Stars began to form in the peerless sky. Night was closing in. The shadows grew darker and longer than before. With each hoofprint made by the horses, the great umbral visage grew in size. The mansion, wreathed in darkness, was in sight.


    ¡°Do ya know the story of this mansion, dear Grovalt?¡° Old Man Hadrik questioned, his face still as cheerful as ever underneath the darkening sky.


    ¡°No, I only ever heard about it from different people, here and there.¡°


    ¡°Well, last time I was in Aza I did business with a man who knew a great deal about it. He told me that it was once home to a loving family of four. The mother and father were greatly adept at magic, to the point where they could even understand the writings of an archontic tome.¡°


    ¡°An archontic tome? Those really exist?¡°


    ¡°I dunno, never came across one in all my travels. But supposedly, the father finally understood how to use the magic contained within it one night. My cohort said that he knew him well, and that night he never heard from him again. The night after, the mother went missing. And the night after that, their two daughters also vanished.¡°


    ¡°Was it some kind of spell? Maybe something went wrong?¡°


    ¡°He didn¡¯t know. I asked him whether the father would have killed his family, but he just shook his head and left. Haven¡¯t talked to him since. But that¡¯s why I find it so peculiar that a man such as yourself would dare set foot in a place like that, let alone at night.¡°


    ¡°Trust me, now I definitely don¡¯t want to. But maybe some good could come out of it. Maybe I can find out the truth to such a story.¡°


    ¡°Then, I wish you all the luck in the world, lad.¡°


    To Grovalt¡¯s disbelief, they had already arrived at the foot of the mansion. He could barely see its outline through the cloak of night. The sun had all but evaporated as the light of the moon began to dominate the landscape.


    ¡°Thanks again, Hadrik. Maybe I¡¯ll see you in Aza sometime soon.¡°


    ¡°Hopefully so. Be careful, son. Remember that there ain¡¯t no shame in runnin¡¯ if anything worse than that story I told ya rings true.¡° With that, the old man gave Grovalt another cheerful grin as he set off down the dirt road once more.


    Alone again, Grovalt stood at night¡¯s eve at the mouth of this horrid beast. Its great iron doors sat perfectly still as if they were jaws waiting for their prey. He remembered the old man¡¯s words just now, and a faint smile charmed his gruff face. He entered the old mansion.

 Chapter 8: Ink and Ichor

    The iron doors were much lighter than they appeared. Grovalt pushed them open with relative ease, and with them a loud screech and banging noise echoed throughout the house.


    ¡°Zenzi, if you can hear me, I¡¯m going into the mansion now.¡° Grovalt¡¯s deep voice bounced off the cold stone floor and reverberated in and out the main hall. Closing the doors behind him, he noticed light entering his view. He turned back around and was stunned to see every candle in the main hall suddenly lit all at once. Even with the realization that this mansion may very well be haunted, Grovalt also loosened up a bit. Well, at least I can see now, he thought.


    Along every inch of the walls were great big paintings mounted onto them. With each one Grovalt¡¯s eyes fell upon, a shudder ran up his spine. They featured a wide array of beasts and monsters, each more grotesque than the last. One was a black wolf with fierce eyes, another was of a swarm of spiders. But then as he walked further into the main hall, he realized that with each one the painter seemed to add more and more horrifying characteristics to them. There was some art of wolves that seemed as if they had been born of pure shadow, and another of spiders with the upper bodies of humans atop them.


    Despite the horrific decoration, the hall was quite a sight to behold. Never in his life had Grovalt seen let alone experienced such a beautiful display of craftsmanship. Every detail, from the banisters, to the stairways themselves, to the foyer, to the rugs and floor were exquisite in every way. Though it was certainly old and decrepit, all of the time that the mansion had been wasting away did not wipe away its true splendor.


    To Grovalt¡¯s left, underneath one of the paintings was a message on the wall that read: ¡®PETALS¡¯. Underneath the message was a small table pressed against the wall, and atop it a note layed.


    We revolve around the moon. I killed for it. I bled for it. It promised me that I would never be alone. That I would never lose her. What a fool I was, and what a fool I am. It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. As long as I can escape those horrible chimes, I care not for life. If death is to be my friend, if it¡¯s my only answer to the endless dark, it shall be my destiny.


    Darling, if you are reading this, I ask that you cover your ears and run ¡®till your feet bleed. And when they bleed, keep running. I love you, but love is not enough a reason to carry on like this.


    Grovalt¡¯s focused eyes trained on each word on the page, then trailed downward as he finished reading. He placed the note back on the table with an open palm, pressing it down. He breathed in, breathed out, and kept on the move.


    Reluctantly, he took his first step up the long stairway to the higher floor. Each one left a muddy footprint within the soft fabric draped underneath him. Just as he made it halfway up, a great shadow covered the large window ahead for half a second. He froze in place, his head darting to examine every inch of what he had just witnessed. But there was nothing there besides winding hills and windy paths outside the manor.


    The chill in the air did nothing but add to the bite of deafening silence in the mansion. There was nothing but the slight wispy sounds of the lit candles mounted on the walls. The paintings only added to Grovalt¡¯s feeling of powerlessness. Every instinct in his brain told him that he was the prey, and that if he spent even a second longer in this house, he would be devoured.


    He tried to ignore such a feeling. Fear would do nothing but impede his goal. He needed to find people for Zenzi, that much was clear to him. However, it seemed that this manor was the opposite of populated.


    As his mind wandered, he found himself on the second floor. Still, there was no sign of a single living presence. There was a second stairway that led to the third floor just near him, and the second floor itself. The second floor seemed to be a series of hallways that intersected with one another and then separated out to various rooms. He walked through the halls, searching each room for life. All he could find were the remnants of such life. Clothes unworn for decades, broken mirrors, unmade beds, and peeling wallpaper littered each and every one.


    He stopped when he found a family portrait that was intact. He blew cold air across it with his magic, sending waves of smoke across what he assumed to be the master bedroom. He studied the portrait closely. A man and a woman in lavish attire stood in front of the mansion, with two small children in front of them. They all had brilliant yet kind red eyes. One was dressed in black and had long, straight black hair. The other wore a white frilly dress and had short, white hair. There was an inscription at the bottom. He started to read it.


    The floor creaked, and a woman spoke.


    ¡°Are you lost, child?¡° The voice seemed befitting of an angel. It was like a melody, each syllable a wonderful instrument that landed like a feather upon Grovalt¡¯s ears. It was a voice of uninvited tranquility.


    Grovalt whipped around, dropping the portrait to the floor with a loud thud. As the dust settled around the room, his vision fixed on the woman in the doorway.


    Her appearance was one of direct conflict with her heavenly intonations. Her ruby eyes shimmered, her ghostly apparel marked only by stains of rustic red. She gave him a warm smile, but as she did so revealed her deadly dagger-like fangs. Every part of her face directed Grovalt to be calm, while her demeanor and overall presence was overwhelmingly peregrine. This was no longer the woman of the portrait. This was someone else now. Something else now.


    ¡°Thy blood runs cold. Why do you fear me so?¡° The woman¡¯s voice again carried like song, but was muddled by a feeling of pure distrust in Grovalt¡¯s heart. Her eyes sat in her skull, unblinking. Her gaze gave off the feeling of a predator gazing at prey and a mother looking at her children all the same. This odd fear he felt was indescribable. The walking contradiction in front of him cared not for the thoughts of outsiders.


    ¡°Forgive me, lady of the house. I thought this place was abandoned. My fears are simply due to this belief.¡° Grovalt¡¯s heart pounded in his chest. His blood did run cold. How would she detect such a thing?


    ¡°Quell them, child. I seeketh not sustenance, but time with the stars.¡° Without any delay, she ran from the doorway and up the stairs to the third floor. It was as if she was asking him to follow her.


    ¡°Zenzi, do you hear me? I¡¯m in some serious shit. There¡¯s this creepy woman here. Is she one of the people I¡¯m supposed to meet?¡° Grovalt whispered under his breath, but no response rang in his head. With seemingly no other course to take, he followed the woman¡¯s soft humming up the stairs.


    The third floor was a large expansive room with a ceiling almost entirely constructed out of glass. It would be more fitting to call it a gigantic skylight, and at the center of it was a bronze telescope. The telescope was an enigma on its own. It appeared as if it was brand new, but it had carvings in it that would make one assume otherwise. Looking closely, it almost emanated an arcane glow. The woman was sitting next to it, drinking out of a teacup and staring up into the night.


    ¡°What is all this?¡° Grovalt asked her.


    ¡°The moon grows silent evermore, so I turn to the stars for such guidance. What is a night sky without stars, after all~¡°


    Grovalt truly did not know whether he should be afraid or puzzled. He settled for both. With the full moon hovering above their heads like a noose, he scanned the room¡¯s walls. More paintings covered every part of them. Except, this time, they weren''t monsters or beasts. They were of a young girl with sapphire eyes. It was as if she was a personification of the stars the blood-drunk woman spoke of. ¡°Did you paint all of these? The ones downstairs as well?¡°


    ¡°They are my creations, but they are themselves. Freedom is still in their shadowed minds, they simply choose my lovely words to act on and obey. I do not disallow it. The stars, however, are not mine own. That is something I have borrowed other than time.¡°


    Looking at the portraits, Grovalt felt a deep sense of unease. The iridescent, ghostlike woman who spoke in riddles did nothing but add to the weight pushing against his heart.


    The lady got up from her chair and peered deep into Grovalt. Her eyes pierced his very soul with a spear of crimson lightning, only blinking after very long moments. ¡°What color, I wonder, would thou like to be? Red, like mine own eyes? Or blue, like the stars and the girl who was sent from them? A warrior like thou would make a fine addition to my family. We would treat you nicely. We would love you. We would free you of all that once consumed you. We would give you nothing but affection, and free you of yourself, dear champion.¡°


    Grovalt¡¯s puzzled expression contorted into one of sternness, then fury. ¡°I don¡¯t need your love. All I want is the girl. Her name¡¯s Asteria, right?¡°This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°Oh!¡° The woman covered her mouth in surprise, as if Grovalt had said something unexpected to her. ¡°Thy knowledge is greater than I thought. My moon did not tell me of such things. Yes, the girl is here now. Isn¡¯t she beautiful? The moon told me of a young girl born from the stars, as enigmatic as the stars, and I just couldn¡¯t help myself. Lady Imeldra does not turn a blind eye when the perfect piece is at her fingertips.¡°


    Grovalt unsheathed his greatsword from his back and cemented himself into a fighting stance. For a moment, his grip on its hilt faltered, then steadied again. ¡°Release her from the painting, and I will go. I wish for nothing more.¡°


    Imeldra smiled warmly. She blinked slowly, as if capturing the man in front of her in a photograph. ¡°Like night stars, she shines so effervescently. How could I not free her from such boredom? She was born caged, so freed her I did amongst a lieu of blood.¡°


    Stillness. Grovalt didn¡¯t know what this woman had the power to do, but he had to strike while he had the chance. He breathed in, his iron will locking him into this one path forward. He took a step towards Imeldra, but froze when he saw a familiar colossal shadow pass over them both. It shrouded them in darkness for just an instant, but that was all Grovalt needed to know he had to protect himself from a much greater threat on his life.


    The glass ceiling shattered in a flurry of a thousand shards. Jagged stars and broken space dotted the cold marble floor and dirty rugs. A huge black mass fell into the middle of the room, with two smaller ones clinging to its back.


    Grovalt carefully opened his eyes, making sure the glass didn¡¯t tear his face to shreds. Pieces fell and bounced off of his raised arm. As his gaze shifted from his armguard to the destruction before him, the black mass was identified. A black dragon was its true form, and atop it were two humans. One of them was a young girl wearing very basic clothing. The other was a young man, looking as if he had just stepped out of some sandswept dunes. The bizarreness of everything fled from Grovalt¡¯s consciousness. His only goal at the moment was to survive, by any means necessary.


    Nakir raised his head, shattered glass trickling down his onyx scales. It took him no time at all to observe his surroundings. ¡°Repent, fiends! Repent before the black dragon Nakir.¡°


    Ceres and Raum jumped from Nakir¡¯s back, their feet crushing the skylight¡¯s corpse beneath their feet. ¡°Asteria!¡° Ceres yelled, running toward the portrait of her stolen sister. Before she could react, however, an orb of rust-colored liquid jettisoned into her chest, exploding and blowing her backward into the sea of scattered shards.


    Imeldra¡¯s extended hand lowered back to her side, an ominous chime ringing off into nothingness. ¡°Blood is so versatile a paint. My brush is an emissary for beauty.¡°


    ¡°Ceres!¡° Nakir boomed, his vision turning from her bloody body to her attacker. ¡°How dare you!¡° He raised a claw to punish the woman, but it was frozen in place by blood-red runes.


    Another chime resonated in the air, and as Imeldra raised her other arm to cast a spell, the floor beneath them all gave way. The entire top floor collapsed under the immense weight of the dragon, and with it the second floor, all the way down into the foyer.


    The noise was deafening. Plumes of smoke and dust filled the air as concrete and marble broke into rubble and the wooden stairs disintegrated into misshapen splinters. The remains of the once beautiful mansion still retained their unmoving brilliance, but the brilliance in its beauty was one of how it looked juxtaposed to how it once was. It was now a husk. All that stood were the walls that surrounded the fallen gathering. All the while, the moon still hung and shone just the same as before, unchanged in the destruction.


    The maiden of blood was already up and looming over a battered Ceres. The two met eyes through the settling smoke. Neither flinched at the sound of falling debris.


    ¡°Where¡¯s¡­ my sister¡­ you bitch¡­?¡° Ceres eked out.


    Imeldra covered her mouth again in another act of surprised astonishment. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean. I already told you. She is mine now. The center portrait above, that is her. Clad in ink, my dear.¡°


    Ceres attempted to get up, but the pain that lingered from the fall shot a spear through her spine and into her skull. An invisible force akin to gravity pinned her to the ground beneath her. Tears welled up in her eyes.


    ¡°Dear girl, don¡¯t think I do this for no reason. This is what she wanted. The moon whispered of the stars and told me that they demanded to be set free. That village you call home was nothing more than a barless cage. One day, you will understand.¡°


    ¡°Set¡­ free? Was killing those innocent people setting them free? Stop lying to yourself. Your actions were only for your own gain. You¡¯re a monster.¡°


    ¡°Perhaps I am, hybrid. But sometimes we must be monsters to defeat monsters. You should know that.¡° Imeldra revealed a ritualistic dagger from under her dress and slit open her palm. A cascade of blood began flowing down her arm and onto her stained attire. With two swift motions, she threw her hand left and right, splattering the various portraits of monsters on the walls around them with crimson droplets.


    The paintings began to contort and seemingly melt, the ink and blood melding together as one. One by one, each of them birthed a fleshy orb that fell onto the floor in a bloody splash. After mere seconds, they pulsed and mutated, building upon each other until becoming beasts of pure shadow. They began snarling and barking, yet held themselves back while they waited for their master¡¯s order.


    Grovalt, now in the corner of the room, pushed large rocks of concrete off of himself. He thanked the stars above that he had not been impaled by some manner of broken bannister or fallen chandelier. Despite the pain surging through his back and muscles, Grovalt grasped his greatsword and stood to witness the confrontation. Imeldra was bearing down on a small girl with strange limbs and a wicked eye. Even more alarming was the unmoving body of a black dragon in the opposite corner of the room from him, though it seemed to be unconscious after the fall.


    ¡°It seems,¡° Grovalt said, chuckling and reeling from the hindrance that locked his body, ¡°that this place of yours wasn¡¯t built for a dragon¡¯s weight.¡°


    Imeldra turned around, her scarlet eyes stabbing Grovalt¡¯s heart once more. Her expression had not changed. It was a warm expression. A mother¡¯s smile. Her attention drifted from the man in front of her to the rays of moonlight shining down upon them. The smoke and dust had mostly cleared. Now she could bathe in the moon¡¯s gaze once again.


    ¡°Certainly, it is so. What¡¯s your plan now, hmm? It seems to me that you are quite literally cornered, my dear. Please, I do not wish you hurt. I¡¯ll offer you peace one more time. Join my darling Asteria in perfect bliss, or succumb to the same fate as her accursed village.¡°


    Grovalt looked behind Imeldra. The odd girl was plastered with blood, a scowl on her face. Nonetheless, she was trying to stand. Even after everything, she was still fighting. Even through the coldness of life and the strife she must have endured, her determination kept her moving. Who was he to back down when a young girl wouldn¡¯t even dream of it? A half-smile appeared on his pale face.


    ¡°Go to hell.¡°


    The monstrous beasts of convulsing darkness began to move forward. Imeldra lowered her head slightly and closed her eyes. ¡°I see,¡° she said, ¡°then tremble thy warrior. Tremble before a dark world with a gaping maw.¡°


    All of the monsters charged at once. As they neared Grovalt, it became clear that this would not be a series of one-on-one fights. This would be a man fighting off a pack of dogs. Only these dogs were nothing short of abominations. The first to reach him was a grotesque ball that lunged forward with the power of seven legs. Each leg had claws akin to razor-sharp talons that tore through the marble floor with each ravenous movement.


    Grovalt stamped his front foot down, swung the sword to his left side, and with one swift motion sent his greatsword flying through the dusty air and into the beast¡¯s side. Its gooey innards split upon direct contact with the black steel, sending the monster flying to the left and right in two symmetrical halves.


    As soon as he could peer through the middle of his defeated foe, however, another one made itself known to him. An onyx, humanlike hand with daggers for fingernails outstretched through its ally¡¯s form and carved a deep gash into Grovalt¡¯s left arm.


    Wincing from the pain, he raised his blade to deflect a strike from another one of its arms. Two others appeared at his sides, reaching out to cut through his legs. With a closed fist, icy runes lit up his arm, and a shockwave of frost blasted out from his body in all directions. The painted aberrations flew backward, ice forming across the front halves of their wretched bodies. Grovalt moved backward as well to observe what he was still dealing with.


    It seemed the blast had only managed to freeze the three that were in front of him, and the others were only affected by its force. They were recovering, and fast. Not only that, Grovalt realized that this was all but a distraction. Imeldra was beginning to do something to the girl.


    Grovalt steadied himself. He had already killed one with little issue. He could do it again. And again. And again. He centered his blade with his body, and placed his left hand on it. Slowly, he slid his hand from its hilt to its edge, all the while expelling as much ice across it as he could muster in that moment. A misty blue energy surrounded the blade and encased it in an ultra-thin layer of rime. With a centered stance, he rushed forward toward the scrambling beasts.


    Cut. Slash. The two that had tried to assault his flanks before were reduced to nothing more than black, icy mush. Two others appeared where they fell. They too were cut down in a matter of seconds.


    The farthest one away and the largest one, a hideous mixture of two hounds, howled into the midnight sky. Its protectors left its side and went for Grovalt¡¯s throat. Grovalt pulled back his blade to deflect, and with it, the claws of the unfortunate beasts were indeed deflected and covered with creeping frost. Its deadly chill crept up throughout their slimy intestines and matted fur, completely freezing them in place.


    One more. The huge, shadowy hound charged at him full force with jaws open and fangs searching for fresh blood. Steel was all the beast would taste. Grovalt had run the monster through, his greatsword piercing the back of its throat and impaling the rest of its body. In one brilliant motion, he yanked the blade back out, crimson blood dyeing its entirety. The beast stood there for a second, unmoving, until finally it crippled underneath its own weight and fell into a gooey mess of fur, blood, and ink.


    Grovalt swung his blade outwards, and with it most of the residual blood from his enemies was flung into the nearby wall. Finally, it was done. He moved toward Imeldra.


    The woman was bent over Ceres, seemingly whispering something into her ear. When she noticed Grovalt moving toward her, she stood back up again. ¡°It seems the hybrid is just not meant to be mine.¡°


    ¡°She isn¡¯t some object for you to use for one of your paintings, let alone to trap in one. I don¡¯t know what the hell is going on, but I do know that some woman who kidnaps children and harbors monsters deserves to be punished. If the Imperium won¡¯t do it, then I will.¡°


    Imeldra let out a gaudy laugh. ¡°Then come, child. Make your choice. Cry beneath an angel of death.¡°

 Chapter 9: Reminiscence

    ¡°You¡¯re not alone,¡° a voice spoke up, delaying the frost-bearing warrior and bloody woman¡¯s impending battle. A man wearing loose, baggy clothes and goggles around his neck walked over to Grovalt¡¯s side. ¡°I won¡¯t let you take her, either.¡°


    Raum extended his right hand in a grasping motion, and in the blink of an eye, a large staff materialized within it. The staff was adorned with dozens of feathers and a bird skull at the top.


    ¡°Then, let it be so,¡° Imeldra muttered, ¡°where a warrior falls, so too must a crow upon his corpse.¡°


    The still night air was cut in twine by Grovalt¡¯s mighty blade. Air is all he cut, though. Imeldra managed to dodge Grovalt¡¯s precise flurry of strikes and back away from both men to a safer distance. As Imeldra¡¯s skills lay in ranged attacks, it was wise for her to stay as far as possible from Grovalt at least, who had already demonstrated unmatched close-range abilities.


    As Grovalt advanced on Imeldra several times with piercing strikes with his blade, Raum slowly raised his enigmatic staff and pressed his other hand to his chest. A bright light began to swirl around him. Not a second later, white birds manifested from the light and flew straight at Imeldra with unwavering precision. She raised her dainty hands and made quick slashing movements with them, spawning blades of blood in mid-air to slice some of the birds in two. Many were cut down, their split bodies falling and dissipating into fluttering light before hitting the ground. There were a few, though, that made it through the floating blades of blood. One by one, they penetrated Imeldra¡¯s chest and blasted her torso with blinding light.


    ¡°Enough¡­¡° Imeldra uttered. The blood from the painted beasts Grovalt slew moments before had begun to rise in the air and coagulate in a ball above Imeldra.


    ¡°Watch out!¡° Grovalt warned. A nova of blood shot out from Imeldra¡¯s every direction, coating the room in a thick red liquid. The blood only hit Grovalt and Raum, though Raum was only lightly affected. At the last second, Grovalt had jumped in front of the weakened Ceres, taking the attack full force. The aura had felt like a hundred needles entering the front of his body, jabbing him incessantly before flying backward into the wall. He nearly went unconscious, but fought the drowsy feeling with everything he had left.


    Imeldra was beginning to look quite drained herself. She siphoned some more blood from her wounds and the last of the beasts¡¯ blood and fashioned it into a long sanguine rapier.


    ¡°Mistress, I ask you to obviate this path you walk,¡° Raum pleaded with the red-eyed woman. ¡°This will only lead to more death.¡°


    Imeldra¡¯s eyes had turned a different shade since facing Raum¡¯s magic and hearing his words. She no longer appeared as sinister and sadistic, and looked more sad than anything. The blood that covered her and the room had fallen the same route, going from an ecstatic red hue to a dark red shade. She looked down solemnly, and her grip on the blade she had just conjured seemed to lessen.


    A painted world, just for me.


    A mesmeric plain, for our family.


    A cage of ink, for the beast that haunts us.


    A swift death, for he who betrayed our trust.


    An illusory veil, for the love we had was spent.


    A falling lily, for the cause of our lament.


    A poem chimed in the heads of all who sat and stood in the ruined manor. Flashes of the past flitted across their irises. A blackish blue aura began building atop Imeldra¡¯s form, filling the foyer with ink. The paintings on the walls began to fall and sink deeply into the black tide, disappearing within it. Grovalt, Raum, Ceres, and the now awakened Nakir all fought for air as the ink enveloped them all. As it consumed Imeldra, it consumed everyone along with it. The world was stained black and the minds surrounding the area were brought to a time long passed.


    ¡°Mama! I wanna paint like you when I grow up!¡°


    ¡°Really, now? What would you like to paint? There¡¯s an infinite number of things to create in this world, my love.¡°


    ¡°I wanna paint us! I wanna paint all of us, together.¡°


    A flower¡¯s falling petals make no noise.


    And the same was true for a flower such as you, my love.


    ¡°The Archmage has entrusted me with the tome. Me! I can¡¯t back down now out of fear of what might happen. Look, when I make a breakthrough, we can all go into town together as a family. We could even get that cat they¡¯ve always wanted. Please, honey? Can you work with me on this? This could lead to magic that could bring everyone, not just Azanites, to a higher understanding of our world.¡°


    ¡°What about Outlanders, dear?¡°


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll see. I¡¯m not so sure they deserve something like that. Imeldra, there are those that are gifted in this world to do great things, and there are those who serve those people. Do you understand that?¡°


    ¡°I suppose¡­¡°


    Love is a precious thing.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Not just because of its value, but also because of its fragility.


    ¡°Mother, have you seen the cat? Lily was asking about it earlier, and I was wondering the same thing. I haven¡¯t seen it around the house in a while.¡°


    ¡°Actually, my dear, there¡¯s something I have to tell you about that. Keep this from your sister for now, though.¡°


    Life, in essence, is parasitic.


    Just as a living thing can create something, the same being can also serve as the fuel to create as well.


    ¡°Where is she?¡°


    ¡°What do you think? She¡¯s in her room, crying.¡°


    ¡°In time, she will understand. She is of our blood, after all.¡°


    ¡°...¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. You¡¯re the one who told her the truth. I told you to keep it from her until the time was right. This was why. Honestly, I don¡¯t understand why you refuse to listen to me sometimes.¡°


    ¡°What about Lily?¡°


    ¡°What about her? She¡¯s sleeping soundly. Just don¡¯t tell her, or we¡¯ll never hear the end of it.¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant and you know it.¡°


    ¡°Imeldra, there is nothing I love more than you and the girls. The cat was a lamentable sacrifice, I¡¯ll admit, but it produced grand results. We are on the verge of something awe-inspiring. World-changing. You¡¯ll see.¡°


    Finally, I had given up.


    His once gallant and warm words had become cold and emotionless.


    Another ¡®lamentable sacrifice¡¯ had been the final nail in the coffin.


    Either way, he had long been dead inside before I slit his throat.


    Darkness. The swaying darkness of a deep sleep. As the dawn burns the night away, so too does the sunlight across the blackened mansion. The waves of ink seemingly vanished, and in their midst was a dying Imeldra, the blade she had conjured melting into nothingness by her side. Bloody tears streamed down her pale cheeks, revealing small bits of beauty beneath the marred blood. The sky was painted in a dim orange hue that grew brighter with each passing moment.


    ¡°Blood is so versatile a paint. It can even cloud the eyes with the afflicted bearing no notice.¡° Imeldra heaved a bloody cough.


    Ceres limped over to her sister¡¯s captor, and sat down beside her. The anger that had roared in her heart had been pounded into dust within so little time that now, she felt nothing more than the need to see her sister once more.


    ¡°I am sorry, truly, my dear. Once my kind spills blood, it is a tumultuous challenge to shake the thirst for it. My love for my dear Lily must have driven me to do such a horrible thing¡­¡° Imeldra hacked up more blood. This time, it was deathly black. Her face was losing color rapidly as the sun began to shine across the hilly grasslands.


    She raised her right hand towards the top floor that stood above them. Only one portrait remained on the crumbling wall, and it was of Asteria herself. With the flick of Imeldra¡¯s finger, the portrait fell to the floor with a loud clacking noise.


    Ceres dragged herself to the grounded painting and shook it desperately. ¡°How? How do we get her out?¡°


    ¡°One moment, dear. I can release her-¡°


    Imeldra stopped mid-sentence, as her eyes had met a figure taking slow strides into the ruins they were all gathered in. It was a woman with long, raven-black hair and cruel eyes to match. Her face showed a mixture of disgust, resentment, and calmness. She wore a long, ornamented cloak that was wrapped with belts and armor bearing strange symbols. Her arms and legs were wrapped with pale white cloth. In her hand was a terrifying weapon; a mix between a powerful staff and a razor-sharp sword. Her attire in full was an onyx black that commanded the utmost attention and fear from any living thing that could bear witness to her.


    Ceres turned to face the woman, then began to slowly back away. She noticed that her eyes were trained solely on Imeldra, and thus her movement also reflected that. She stopped suddenly when she peered down at Imeldra at a closer distance.


    ¡°Nia, my love. You came back-¡°


    ¡°Silence, cur. I have done nothing of the sort. Do you really think I¡¯d come back to you willingly out of love, after you abandoned me to that damnable hell?¡°


    Everyone else, too weak from Imeldra¡¯s reminiscence from earlier, could only manage to keep their eyes trained on the situation before them.


    Imeldra¡¯s face darkened for a moment, then relinquished into a solemn smile. It was the face of a mother gazing upon her child¡¯s face after a long time apart. It was also a face of realization. ¡°Daughter, please listen to me. This cycle I¡­ we¡¯ve perpetuated will only keep going as long as we keep it so. It started with him, but it can end with us. Please, don¡¯t make the same mistakes I have. Don¡¯t-¡°


    ¡°Lily can¡¯t be saved with inaction. I had hoped that you¡¯d understood that, but I see now that you¡¯ve given up entirely.¡° The Black Sorceress turned to look at Ceres and Asteria¡¯s portrait. ¡°Without the Aspect, Lily¡¯s death can¡¯t be reversed.¡°


    ¡°Lily would have wanted you to forgive your father. Even if his sins can¡¯t be expunged, that doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t live a life free from his mistakes.¡°


    ¡°Wrong. For you see, mother, an existence without Lily is no existence at all. It is nothing. Nihil. I¡¯d sooner rend this world to its core than give up on her. No matter the cost, no matter her wishes.¡°


    ¡°What end do you wish for yourself then, my daughter? A world burned down to the ground with thee and Lily as the remainder? That is a terribly lonely existence.¡°


    ¡°Nothing can compare to the loneliness you left me in. For that, I will never forgive you.¡°


    Though Imeldra already lay dying amidst the rubble of their once beautiful home, Nia jabbed her blade into her mother¡¯s stomach regardless. As blood ran onto the rubble below her, she gradually went limp. Her dying words went inaudible, and the scarlet in her eyes faded away in the light of the morning sun.


    ¡°Let this serve as a warning to all of you. Be grateful my mercy graces you all today. Including you, Nakir.¡° The Black Sorceress turned to Ceres again, and though Ceres tried to fight her, the portrait of Asteria was ripped from her hands. With an iridescent slash, a tear in the fabric of reality seemed to open by Nia¡¯s weapon, and she walked through it, vanishing without a trace.


    Tears coated Ceres¡¯s eyes as she fell to the ground limply. Grovalt peered across the ruins at her heaving body with despair in his heart. Nakir¡¯s weakened state forced him into human form, and his battered body laid against the far wall, unable even to stand and comfort Ceres. Raum looked onward, past the ruins, past the city, past the mountains, and past the sun to somewhere far away.


    ¡°...Grovalt. Grovalt. Can you hear me? Human? See, Maxra? This is why we can¡¯t trust humans. They¡¯re too weak. Mentally and physically. It¡¯s just not practical.¡°


    ¡°Zenzi?¡° Grovalt replied to the voice in his head, putting a look of confusion on most of the others¡¯ faces.


    ¡°Finally. I¡¯ve been trying to talk to you forever. What happened?¡°


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later. First, can you help us get back to Aza?¡°

 Chapter 10: Streetwise Soliloquy

    ¡°I knew the girl would have a knack for healing magic. Fixed you in no time at all!¡° Nakir boasted, patting Ceres¡¯s head. The injuries they all had suffered were lessened by Ceres, who had been trained on healing magic by Nakir in his stead. While they weren¡¯t at the best of their abilities, it had helped considerably than if they had to make due without it. Most grateful of all was Grovalt, who had sustained heavy wounds from their fight earlier. While they were closed and healing, he still felt a tearing sensation and discomfort whenever he moved his body.


    ¡°Thanks, Ceres. Truly. And¡­ I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t do anything. If you want someone to blame, it should be me. Magic of that caliber, especially to do with blood¡­ I had never seen anything like that before. I was out of my element, so to speak.¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself, mister Grovalt. She¡¯s my sister. She¡¯s my responsibility. The only one to blame is me.¡° Ceres¡¯s eyes were still red from crying. Though she was torn apart from the loss of her sister again, her steely determination still shone through her eyes. Her will to save her sister had not faulted in the slightest.


    ¡°When you stood up to that woman, it reminded me of-¡° Grovalt stopped, then continued as if his tongue had slipped. ¡°It reminded me of someone I once knew. It gave me the fighting spirit I needed at that moment. That¡¯s why I want to help you.¡°


    ¡°Help me?¡°


    Grovalt gave a light chuckle, slightly embarrassed. ¡°Yeah. I want to come along with you, if that¡¯s alright. At least until my debt to you is fulfilled.¡°


    ¡°Me as well,¡° Raum said in his fluttery, soft voice. ¡°If you¡¯ll still have me, I would like to help both you and that lonesome sorceress. I don¡¯t think it''s right to leave such cruel fates to chance.¡°


    They all sighed at the thought of the Black Sorceress. Could they really hope to stand up to such a foe, and was it a realistic idea that they could turn her mind from her dark goal?


    ¡°This is all heartwarming and all, but we¡¯ve gotta sort some stuff out, folks. Especially the living situation. This space is getting a bit cramped~¡° Maxra had wandered into the room, her arms behind her back nonchalantly. Her elegant features were no longer hidden behind her black mask, and it drew the attention of Grovalt and Nakir for half a second. ¡°Actually, here¡¯s some tea for you all. It ain¡¯t often I get to make this much for so many.¡°


    Cups of tea were distributed to everyone in the tight, crowded room. Nevermore had never been livelier. They each took a sip and delighted, apart from Ceres and Grovalt. They both looked at each other with a sour look on their faces.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, you two? Don¡¯t like my tea or somethin¡¯?¡° Maxra¡¯s eyes seemed to glow a sinister hue for a split second.


    ¡°No, no. I¡¯ve just never been a fan of tea, is all. What about you, Ceres?¡°


    ¡°Never had it before, but this tastes like sea water.¡°


    Maxra eyed Ceres up and down with a face that was growing angrier and angrier with each passing second. ¡°I see how it is. Just because you ain¡¯t human doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t kick your ass, missy.¡°


    Not human. It had just occurred to Ceres that, technically, she wasn¡¯t fully human anymore. Would her sister find it odd? Would she be scared of her new appearance? She gazed down at her arm, covered with black scales.


    ¡°Hey! Stop ignoring me.¡° Maxra had gone from anger to pouting in a split second. The men all looked at each other with puzzled expressions while Ceres continued ignoring her.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Maxra. I know we¡¯re not the friendliest sort, but could you try to be polite at least?¡° Zenzi now entered the room. It was quickly becoming more and more apparent that Nevermore was not built with six people in mind. Zenzi herself looked extremely tired. Her usual cutthroat demeanor was still present on her face, but she was a bit hunched over and her eyes seemed droopy. It was perhaps due to the large strain put upon a user of teleportation magic, which Zenzi had used to quickly bring the group back to Aza without drawing suspicion. The effects of exhaustion from magic, especially teleportation magic, drastically increased the wider the range and the larger the number of targets.


    ¡°Is this really the group Master asked us to find, Zen? The dragon I understand, but the hybrid brat and this weird quiet guy too?¡°


    ¡°The weird quiet guy is Raum, and Master had specifically sent him to aid the two a couple days ago.¡°


    Raum took no offense to their rudeness. Whether it was because he wasn¡¯t listening to them or he just didn¡¯t care was unknown to everyone but him.


    ¡°Though, if they refuse the offer we are to present to them in the coming moments, I do not see an issue with disposing of them as you see fit.¡° Zenzi brushed her dark hair away from her one visible eye, but for a brief moment Grovalt had thought he had seen something strange about the left side of her face. As it was now covered with her messy, ink-black hair, he couldn¡¯t confirm his suspicions.


    Nakir¡¯s silly face he had while sipping tea had turned into a far more serious one. His arm instinctively went in front of Ceres to protect her, but he bumped hands with Grovalt who had done the same. They both looked at each other with confusion.


    ¡°Calm down, you two. I said if you refuse. We haven¡¯t even told you our Master¡¯s offer yet.¡°


    Nakir had suddenly realized something after mulling over the two scary women¡¯s talks. ¡°By Master, you mean Archizend, yes? The cat?¡°


    Zenzi gave Nakir a wicked smile. Her pale skin and piercing eye shook him in a way not dissimilar to how Archizend did. ¡°Well, I suppose you figured it out. Yes, we serve Archizend the Cat, ruler of the Warped Woods. It is by his orders that we have gathered all of you here, in Nevermore. It was also by his will that you confronted Imeldra the Vampiress in her manor outside of Aza. I hope this clears it all up for you.¡°


    ¡°Actually, it doesn¡¯t.¡° Grovalt spoke up.


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad. If you have any more complaints, I¡¯ll be happy to make you remove your own spine.¡°


    Grovalt suddenly became awfully quiet, and even started to take some more sips from the tea he hated when Maxra flashed the same sadistic grin.


    ¡°Now, as you¡¯ve all made it perfectly clear, you wish to challenge the Black Sorceress directly. Am I right? Well, I know I¡¯m right, but I¡¯d like you all to confirm it.¡° Zenzi¡¯s prideful inquisition made everyone but Maxra roll their eyes and nod their head. ¡°It just so happens that Master has the same wish. In fact, not only does he wish for the fall of the tyrant herself, but of the Imperium in its entirety.¡°


    The shock that a statement as ridiculous as that didn¡¯t come, and instead, due to disbelief, the men scoffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. The Imperium has legions of mages more apt than all of us. Except maybe Nakir.¡° Grovalt shook his head in dismay.


    ¡°That¡¯s why,¡° Zenzi continued, ¡°we''re going to need to do two things. One: Recruit temporary members for our cause. I¡¯m certain of many folks in Aza who would help us achieve this goal, be it for money, the cause, or both. Two: We¡¯ll need to train you all, especially Ceres.¡° Zenzi walked across the room and knelt down to look into Ceres¡¯s face. Ceres had been sitting with the rest of them on Maxra and Zenzi¡¯s dusty furniture situated at one end of the room.


    Nakir seemed to be in deep thought, with one hand rubbing his chin in a pensive fashion. After a while, he opened his fierce eyes with a bold smile on his face. ¡°I have to agree with the small woman. If we seek to down the Black Sorceress in her keep, there is no doubt we will need the skills and the manpower to raid such an oppressive fortress.¡°


    Zenzi nodded approvingly, then scowled at the remark. Before she could voice her anger, though, Maxra butted in. ¡°Great~ I¡¯m glad we¡¯re all on the same page. First, we¡¯ll search the real sketchy parts of the city. I know a couple guys who¡¯d be great-¡°


    ¡°No, Maxra.¡° Zenzi shot her down. ¡°Do you really want the entire Imperium on red alert from the get-go? Those fools would get us killed in no time. Our numbers or expertise wouldn¡¯t matter at all at that point.¡°


    Ceres put down her nearly-full cup of tea and faced the bickering duo. ¡°What does Archizend want with the Sorceress, anyway? He didn¡¯t seem like the type to care about any humans, let alone anyone in Aza.¡°


    Zenzi sat down and stared vacantly at Ceres¡¯s face again. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t tell you that, as our Master has kept us in the dark about such a thing as well. If there is anything about him that pains me, it is that tricky nature of his. It seems he delights in our uncertainty.¡°


    ¡°So,¡° Grovalt stood up and said, ¡°who do we ask first, then?¡° Sensing Ceres¡¯s wariness of the two since the reveal that they were working with the cat that had caused her so much mental anguish, he decided that he would try to take the lead for once.


    Zenzi¡¯s eyes narrowed at the sudden change in attitude from Grovalt, but she decided not to dwell on it. ¡°There is already a small group that has been planning a coup of sorts for some time now. Me and Maxra will go talk with them, while you all can go to this address.¡° Zenzi handed Grovalt a small slip of paper with barely legible handwriting scrawled onto its surface.


    ¡°Gotcha.¡°


    After about half an hour of walking through the ever-dusky city streets, the pale man, the humanoid dragon, the hybrid, and the man wearing goggles around his neck came to a very familiar-looking establishment. At least, to Grovalt it was very familiar. It was the very same bar he would frequent often before he got tangled up in this mess, and the very same bar that had kickstarted the whole thing. He sighed once they reached the front door. ¡°Should¡¯ve known, really. Guess I never really paid attention to the address¡­¡° He spoke quietly to himself, and so the others didn¡¯t really catch what he was saying. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Hold on.¡° Nakir had interrupted the awkward silence that had been building between them. ¡°Ceres can¡¯t go in there. She isn¡¯t of age yet.¡° He patted Ceres¡¯s head again, and Ceres¡¯s eyes narrowed into a mixture of annoyance and confusion.


    ¡°You really think that matters right now? Seriously? Besides¡­ she looks old enough. The guy in there¡¯s my buddy, too, so I don¡¯t think he¡¯d-¡°


    ¡°No.¡° Nakir stood firm. Passersby in trench coats and leather clothing walked by his statuesque pose.


    Why is this guy, this dragon, acting like Ceres¡¯s father!? Grovalt¡¯s head was spinning. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re here to get her drunk or something! You know why we¡¯re here, so why are you making this such a big deal?¡°


    ¡°I do not wish for my precious Ceres to enter such a place of debauchery and degeneracy.¡° Nakir¡¯s stance had not faltered one bit.


    Grovalt couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. However, looking at Ceres¡¯s cutely confused face and wispy verdant hair, he started to understand where he was coming from. ¡°Fine. There¡¯s a bakery over there. Just get her something while me and Raum take care of this.¡° Grovalt threw a small metallic coin Nakir¡¯s way, and Nakir caught it in both hands like a kid catching a ball.


    ¡°Excellent. I knew you¡¯d see reason. Come, Ceres. Let us indulge in what these humans call ¡®pastries¡¯.¡° With that, Ceres and Nakir began walking in stride towards the nearby bakery with giddy smiles on their faces.


    Grovalt sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t think I totally understand those two just yet.¡° Raum gave a small laugh as the two young men finally entered the bar.


    The air inside was even more oppressive than the foggy atmosphere of the city. Although Grovalt had grown accustomed to it, he never felt at ease when he walked into the place. Not now, and not ever before. The barman stood to the left as he had been days ago. He held a shot glass in one hand and polished it with a white cloth in the other. To the right were several tables, with one in the back occupied by four large men playing cards and drinking. One of them, larger than the others, wore a black suit that seemed to be padded with armor plating. His physique showed that he took pride in his work, especially his upper body and forearms, which looked as if they could crush a human skull between them. He had a refined, lightly shaved black beard and his eyes made it seem as though he had never slept in his entire life. His skin was a palish color, not unlike Grovalt¡¯s. The others at the table wore similar clothes and had similar builds, but were much less visually striking.


    ¡°Hey, Grovalt. The usual?¡° The barman¡¯s face seemed to lighten up at the sight of him, and a faint grin started to grace his expression.


    The large man playing cards looked up at the mention of Grovalt¡¯s name. His face went from a sleepless dull one to one of grim focus. Even when Grovalt noticed his glare, he didn¡¯t look away.


    ¡°Grovalt, sir?¡° The barman asked again, breaking the silence.


    ¡°Ah, sorry about that. Nothing for me, thanks. On a job.¡°


    The barman nodded his head, then realized what he meant by that. He didn¡¯t know Grovalt¡¯s history with the large man, but he knew Grovalt well. He had been making him drinks since he¡¯d come to Aza for work, and knew every one of his expressions. The one he was making now sent a shiver down his spine. He eyed the situation for a bit before continuing to clean the glasses lined up on the bar in front of him.


    ¡°Grovalt.¡° The man spoke plainly with a gruff, hoarse voice. It sounded as if he had lived his entire life with smoke in his lungs. He made a motion with one of his hands, and two of the men at the table stood up and left the bar in a hurry. ¡°Take a seat. Your friend too.¡°


    Raum and Grovalt slowly walked across the bar and sat down. Before them, cards in his huge hands, was Darriel Blackthorn. His brooding eminence seemed like it would swallow them whole. The dimness of the bar only accentuated the abrasive tension the man exuded.


    ¡°I have to say, Darriel. You were the last merc I thought would want to work with people like the Ravens.¡°


    ¡°Blackthorn. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve got to explain why I don¡¯t want you calling me by my first name anymore. You disappointed me, Grovalt. That stunt you pulled in the wastes¡­ it wasn¡¯t befitting of a mercenary. Especially not a veteran.¡°


    Grovalt bit the insides of his mouth. He was restless. ¡°Can we not dredge up the past? That stuff doesn¡¯t matter anymore. Not right now.¡°


    ¡°I hate to admit it, but you¡¯re right. No point in talking about it now.¡° Darriel put his cards face down on the table and leaned back in his chair. He retrieved a scroll tied up with a red ribbon from behind him and unrolled it for the two men in front of him to see. It was a map of some kind.


    ¡°What is this?¡° Raum asked.


    ¡°Our ticket in. The Imperium may be impossible to breach from the outside without being hounded by a hundred mages, but,¡° Darriel pointed his strong pointer finger at a section of the paper, ¡°the underground¡¯s a lot softer. As long as we go through this passage under the Academy, we¡¯re as good as inside.¡°


    ¡°How do you even know about this?¡° Grovalt¡¯s whirled emotions inside his chest were suppressed by his burning curiosity.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got an informant or two. See, Grovalt, the more jobs you do without a hitch, the more people you meet. The life of a merc isn¡¯t easy, but it definitely beats working for an idiot like Graves.¡° Darriel had picked up his fan of cards again and began shuffling it into the larger deck.


    Grovalt¡¯s heart felt like it had been stomped into a red mist. Memories of his workings with the Rumhounds, and his eventual departure from their parasitic lifestyle, weighed heavily on him. It had been rock bottom. In a life that wasn¡¯t that great to begin with, rock bottom was a place he never wanted to go to or think about again. Though, when he thought of their leader being held in that monstrous building, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of guilt.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t forget what you said to me, Darriel. Back then, when I was lost in that storm I had created for myself, you said that I need to find my own truth.¡°


    Darriel¡¯s lifeless eyes seemed to twinkle in some way, but even Grovalt couldn¡¯t begin to fathom the thoughts of the man he once called a friend. ¡°And?¡°


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve found that truth. It¡¯s similar to back then, but this time I have help. I¡¯m not alone in that storm. Even if I don¡¯t know them all too well yet, I¡¯m¡­¡° Grovalt¡¯s voice faded out. He stared at the deck of cards sitting in the middle of the table.


    ¡°Let¡¯s meet with the others. Follow me.¡° Darriel still spoke in a flat monotone voice as he left the bar, though this time it wasn¡¯t quite as cold.


    Waving goodbye to the barman, Grovalt and Raum followed Darriel and his men outside. The rush of noise from the bustling streets came all at once, and with it, the cold silence back in the bar was already a fading memory.


    ¡°They should be waiting at a nearby bakery. Come on.¡° Darriel crossed the street, his hands firmly in his pockets.


    A nearby bakery, huh?


    As they reached their destination, Grovalt eyed the display before them. A dozen or so workers in uniform were busy making delicious pastries in the warm kitchen. Outside that small window of warmth, it had begun raining. Light drops of water fell to the ground and joined together in puddles. The beautiful red stained glass and lights that gave Aza its signature grimness added a touch of melancholy to the otherwise dreamlike city street. Grovalt had heard of street-side shops like this before, but most of them were farther in the center of town. He usually stuck to the depressing backstreets when he was drinking or doing odd jobs. It gave the city he saw as the crux of his pain a lighter disposition.


    Glancing wayward, the group saw a tall handsome man holding an umbrella, a young girl with verdant shoulder-length hair, and two people Grovalt did not recognize. One was a girl that looked slightly older than Ceres with long, blonde hair and a bubbly smile. She wore a long, gray coat and had a fairly large hammer on her back. It almost looked bigger than she was. The other person was a man about the same age. He had short, black hair and wore simple clothes of the same color. In a sheathe to his side was a fairly thick, metal blade, almost like a machete.


    ¡°Hey, Darriel! Over here!¡° The girl shouted cheerfully towards them, making a waving gesture with her right hand.


    Darriel glanced left and right, making sure that no passersby were alerted by the sudden shouting. ¡°That girl, I swear¡­¡° He muttered to himself. The group joined Ceres, Nakir, and the two friendly-looking people. Darriel, realizing no one was doing the honors, stepped forward and introduced his colleagues.


    ¡°Nice to meetcha all! I¡¯m Lumi, and this is Rook. Say hi Rook!¡°


    The young man put on a forced smile and replied with a wave.


    ¡°Oh, come on! Say hi to them.¡°


    Rook sighed. ¡°Okay. Hi.¡°


    ¡°Geez. You¡¯re never gonna make it as a merc with an attitude like that. Mercenary work is all about charisma! Well, and killing. But mostly charisma!¡° Lumi stretched out her arms in a showy manner as if she was acting in a school play.


    ¡°These are the ones helping us with the Imp- I mean, the job? They don¡¯t look very strong.¡° Grovalt looked at them with a lack of faith.


    ¡°Hey, take that back! We¡¯ve been on a ton of jobs before.¡° Lumi protested.


    ¡°Like what?¡°


    ¡°Well,¡° Rook answered, ¡°we settled a matter north of the city that involved a wrathcursed individual. Luckily, we were able to kill them before they made it to Aza.¡°


    ¡°Wrathcursed¡­¡° Grovalt pondered aloud.


    Wrathcurse was an affliction known around this area of the world for eons. It was a strange curse woven by high magic long ago, perhaps since the planet¡¯s creation. It made people go into a frenzy, using all of their physical and magical strength to destroy anything in their path before succumbing to their physical or mental damage. It had no known cause, other than that it had something to do with the person¡¯s mental state beforehand. Other than crime, many jobs taken up by mercs in Aza were to destroy these aberrations of humanity before they could take anyone with them.


    ¡°It was a close call,¡° Lumi spoke up, her cheery tone slightly deflated. ¡°It¡¯s scary to think that could happen to anyone.¡°


    ¡°I see. You mean breakdowns.¡° Raum had adopted an upright posture, his arms folded. ¡°We used to call them breakdowns in Sirithis.¡°


    Grovalt and Darriel turned to look at Raum with eyes aflame. Though Grovalt saw Raum as a friend, his mention of him being from Sirithis triggered something instinctual that transcended any friendship he felt toward him.


    ¡°Sirithis? Raum, are you Sirithisian?¡° Grovalt interrogated him, his face stern.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s odd. It seems a memory has found its way back to me. Yes¡­ yes I once lived in a city named Sirithis. It was in a desert, and-¡°


    ¡°I should¡¯ve known. Your tan skin, your clothes¡­ it all makes sense now.¡°


    Raum was in too much of a daze, seemingly lost in his newfound memories to realize Grovalt and Darriel¡¯s spiteful glares. Except, they weren¡¯t aimed at Raum as an individual. They simply feared his people. Years ago, they had fought tens of hundreds of Sirithisians during the Relic War. It was a war between the conjoined armies of Altruin and Frostmaw against the desert city of Sirithis.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡° Raum asked with his calm voice. His demeanor helped put the two worried men at ease somewhat.


    ¡°Anyway!¡° Lumi chimed, cleaving the awkwardness of the situation in twine. ¡°Me and Rook should be more than capable of helping you all. With my brains and his brawn, nothing can catch us off guard!¡°


    ¡°That should be the other way around,¡° Rook challenged, and everyone laughed while Lumi pouted in anger.


    Ceres and Nakir, who had been suspiciously silent the whole time, were busy stuffing their faces with treats from the bakery. The soft rain had begun to stop, and they had seen this as an opportune time to dig in.


    With a disappointed look on his face, Grovalt turned to talk to everyone. ¡°We should all go find Zenzi. It looks like we¡¯re ready to make a concrete plan.¡°


    The others all nodded in agreement, then began walking back through the city.

 Chapter 11: Phantasiai

    A man in wispy, azure robes dug through a mountain of junk on a nearby desk. His long, inhuman fingers launched objects to the floor and sent papers dancing in the air. Archmage Zandos, a mage of honor and high esteem, was one of five officials dedicated to keeping Aza and especially the Imperium working at their highest capability. His dedication to his and the other officials¡¯ superior, the Black Sorceress, was unwavering. Ever since he had met her when she was a young girl, he had sensed her resolve and her magical ability was unlike any he had ever met before. He believed she was someone who could change the world of magic forever, and thus he had her take a position that far exceeded the one her father once held. After her father¡¯s death, it was only natural that the Imperium would turn to his heir, Nia.


    ¡°Zandos.¡° The woman on his mind suddenly appeared before him with a commanding tone.


    ¡°Yes, Sorceress?¡°


    ¡°I need you to go check on our guest from the incident the other day. His name was Graves, if I recall correctly.¡°


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯ll get right on it.¡°


    ¡°Thank you.¡° With a turn of her heel, she left the room in quick succession.


    Zandos watched her as she left the room, then he pulled close a nearby chair and crumbled onto it. Due to his fatigue, he had let gravity do the work for him, and thus he relaxed with his body leaning haphazardly in an odd sitting position. He led out a great sigh. ¡°Hmph. I¡¯m exhausted¡­¡°


    The dusty room he sat in was the Archmage¡¯s personal study. It was a cold place lined with an onyx floor, ceiling, and walls. Multiple desks, taken from the Academy when they had no use for them, were scattered about the room. Towers of papers crinkled and aged weighed them down, casting shadows across the dark floor. A sole window, which Zandos sat across from, illuminated the room in a dreary light.


    After sitting for a moment, soaking in the gloom, Zandos reached forward and opened a drawer of a nearby desk. He took a sheet of paper from it that was adorned with many lines of text. They detailed the man Graves, leader of the Rumhounds, and noted many things about his past and present affairs.


    ¡°Right then. Time to get to work.¡° Zandos stood from his exhausted state and made himself look presentable once more, then left the shabby room at a steady pace.


    The halls of the Imperium weren¡¯t much different from Zandos¡¯s personal study. Everything was coated in the same onyx color, giving the little light that entered the place not many places to go. The walls reflected nothing. Anyone who stared into them for too long could get lost in the void they created. As he turned down the maze-like hallways, Zandos admired his creation, as he did quite often. The Imperium, designed by him and a mage he called a friend long ago, was an impossibility for the time. The tower was at least three times taller than any other building in Aza, cementing it as the pinnacle of the city¡¯s military and magical might. In it housed nearly all of Aza¡¯s mages who had passed the grueling exams of the Academy. It was, in all sense of the word, the city¡¯s imperium given physical form. A black spire that served as their iron fist to crush any who opposed their judgment.


    The only way to get to the hold, the Imperium¡¯s prison, without teleportation was through the council room. Aza¡¯s council was made up of the Black Sorceress and five officials, Zandos being one of the five.


    Parting the monolithic doors in front of him, the mage in astral clothing entered a round room. Every corner of it was cloaked in shadow, and at the center lay a large table lit by a single floating flame above. Sitting at the table currently were three drastically different-looking individuals. One was a scarcely clothed man who, at first sight, looked as if he were dying from hunger. His skin was ragged, and his ribcage and other bones were clearly visible throughout it. Calling him a man at all was difficult, as his head was not one of a human. Instead of a round cranium, atop his shoulders were instead a bunch of wriggling tendrils. Floating above them was a strange crystalline object that glowed an ominous teal color. Next to him was a woman completely clad in black cloth as dark as night. A wraithlike cloak seemed to float from her hooded head to her feet. She wore a steel helmet, its visor giving no insight on the look of the wearer nor the color of her eyes. Lastly, the third person was not a person at all, but undead. Above its flowing nightshade cloak and adorned jewels was a skull under its hood. The void where its eyes should be held in them very small, white lights that burned brighter as they centered on Zandos.


    ¡°Archmage.¡° A soothing, feminine voice came from Venza, also known as the Unseen, the woman clad in dark fabric. ¡°The Sorceress had a task for you, though I¡¯m sure she delivered it already.¡°


    ¡°Yes, she did. I¡¯m on my way right now, in fact. Is the prisoner Graves back from processing yet?¡°


    A reverberating voice spoke in the Archmage¡¯s mind rather than through the air as a noise. It was Ilzathk, known also as the Monarch, the tendril-headed being sat beside Venza. ¡°Yes¡­ he has been processed thoroughly¡­ his mind is open and ready to be transfigured¡­¡°


    Zandos took a few glances around the room, then asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Arkiel?¡°


    ¡°The Red Dragon is on a special assignment from the Sorceress. Do you require her in some way?¡° Imagon, the Eternal, spoke in a deep gravely voice. Though his mouth, or more specifically his teeth and jaws, didn¡¯t move as he did so.


    ¡°No, no. I was simply curious, is all. Well, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡° Zandos walked past the three officials and left the council room through the other exit.


    After quite the tumultuous ordeal, he finally reached the Imperium¡¯s hold. It was exceedingly different from the rest of the building. For one, instead of onyx walls, ceilings, and floors, it was painted in an almost blindingly white hue. The cells resembled those of a sanitarium in design.


    The Archmage pensively walked past the ivory rooms, each of them sealed and protected with many different types of enchantments. Some of the cells housed normal-looking humans, although they were not in their right mind. Many of them seemed to be extremely paranoid or suffering from some sort of neurosis. There were many non-humans held as well. Not only were there other humanoid races, but also terrifying aberrations that appeared as though they were once human before. In one cell, there was a wizened man holding his own head. The head was continuously vomiting gold coins onto the floor, which kept evaporating before he could pick any of them up. Another cell held a humanoid creature coated in black fur. All over its body were deep scars dripping blood, except they were healing at a rapid pace. Whenever a wound finished healing, the being would carve the same wound into itself immediately with jagged nails. Another held a small girl that seemed to be made out of pure shadow sitting in a room full of corpses. Another had in it a monstrous hound with several clawed arms growing out of its back. Another held nothing, yet inside a small storm brewed, dripping warm droplets that fizzled out of existence as they touched the floor. Another held a man praying with a toothy smile on his face, though a great iron cross was hammered through his forehead.


    These were the fruits of his labor. The stepping stones that would lead to a new realm for humanity. The way to reach the impossible.


    Zandos stopped in front of yet another cell, this time the target of his assignment. In the white room was a large, bearded man. He was half-naked with stitches arcing across his upper body like a fleshy spider web. His head was in his hands, his oily black hair twisting around his calloused fingers. He was shaking, and a faint sobbing could be heard from his lips. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t how I wanted to see you again. Well, at least, I had wanted to have a normal conversation before your procedure. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m sorry, but I do feel something when gazing upon you now. The Graves that once was days ago is naught but a dream now.¡°


    Graves remained silent, though his sobbing had stopped at the sound of Zandos¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Normally, we keep prisoners in these rooms for months. Some of them for years. Magic allows us to eliminate all sound in them but their own. It doesn¡¯t take long for those endless white walls to dig into their brains. The monochromatic hell eats at their sanity and their soul until they break down. Except, it¡¯s not quite enough to push them over to the other side.¡°


    Zandos kneeled down to Graves¡¯s level, eyeing the hands that hid his disheveled face. ¡°Do you remember when you first arrived in Aza, claiming to be a ¡®hero among the people¡¯? You had promised them that you¡¯d fight for them, no matter the cost. But that was a lie.¡°


    Slowly, Graves made both of his hands into fists. The only eye that was visible under his matted hair glared at the Archmage with an overwhelming hatred.


    ¡°Do you know why I let you go back then? I wanted to see you fall. I wondered that, if I clipped your wings, how far would you plummet into depravity? How long would it take to become the dog you are? And now, I see. You¡¯re nothing, to no one. You¡¯ll die a worthless death with no meaning, no merit, and no one will care for nor remember your name.¡°


    ¡°N-no. You¡¯re wrong¡­¡°


    ¡°Am I? Did you ever wonder why, despite all your valiant efforts, nothing ever changed? No matter how many people you saved, even under your persona as the leader of the Rumhounds, that no one cared? It¡¯s because we did the same thing to those that you saved that we shall do to the interlopers gathering once again outside these walls. We erased them. Their names, their memories, their imperfections. All that aren¡¯t eliminated are repurposed in some way. That is the way of the resourceful.¡°


    ¡°I saved them¡­! I know I did. I did. If I didn¡¯t, then¡­ what have I been doing all these years¡­? What have I been doing¡­¡°


    ¡°You¡¯ve simply done what you¡¯ve always done. You¡¯ve served as the last light in the darkness for many. But that light doesn¡¯t last forever, and the fire dances into embers. The sea of darkness claims them all the same, whether you intervene or not.¡°


    ¡°Shut¡­ shut u-¡°


    ¡°You¡¯ll fade away, you and your axe. You¡¯ll burn up without a speck of ash to your name. Your life will be utterly meaningless. Even if someone does remember you, you¡¯ll be forgotten soon enough.¡°


    ¡°No. No. No¡­¡° Graves¡¯s mutterings were beginning to turn hysteric. He held his head once again, curling inward and kicking the pale flooring.


    ¡°And at the end of the day, you¡¯d have saved no one, and aided the Imperium with your dying breath, just like the loyal mutt you are.¡°


    Growing flames ignited Graves¡¯s weak frame and burst forth from his heart. The scars on his body burned a violent orangish red. His filthy beard and hair began to ignite like a lit match thrown into a puddle of oil. Graves¡¯s entire form resembled as he looked days prior in the Rumhound hideout, though it was several times more terrible. Ash swirled around the cell, and smoke bellowed about the flame.


    I was a young lad. A dumb kid, looking to make his mark on the world.


    I was born without an aptitude for magic. For that, I was shunned. My friends. My family. To them, I was worthless garbage.


    The Relic War brought me some solace. It was the one place that I felt I could make a difference in the world. That my existence wasn''t meaningless. That my death had a purpose greater than myself.


    On the burning battlefield, after the Fireweb was cast, I found a glowing axe amidst the scorched bodies. It had absorbed the flames of the Fireweb, and the souls it took that day. Taking it in my hands, my mind lit ablaze and my eyes burned.


    ¡®With this¡¯, I thought, ¡®My death would finally have meaning.¡¯ I could change this world for the better, burn the corruption off it like a blazing torch to a cobweb. The axe would serve as a pair of wings that could take me to a higher calling.


    And when my wings are torn, I¡¯ll know that my life wasn¡¯t for nothing. I¡¯ll know that I changed the world forever.


    Where once sat a neurotic man down on his luck, now stood a monstrous figure one could call an incarnation of fire. Though it somewhat resembled the man it once was, this was no longer human. It was a humanoid elemental that burned even the magic-protected cell walls. From its feet, sputtering embers formed and fire spread, slowly turning the cell into a miniature hellscape.


    ¡°Your death will be meaningless. Your actions meaningless. Now go. Sputter and die like the flame you are.¡°


    ¡°Yes,¡° the igneous being intoned, ¡°I am but another flame born to die in this world. Nothing more, nothing less. My existence serves nothing and no one. My death will be meaningless.¡°


    The Archmage laughed in spite of himself. He was surprised, though he knew he shouldn¡¯t be. It was only natural that Graves¡¯s breakdown was so quick. After all, the life of the man once known as Graves had been nothing more than an experiment born of the mage¡¯s whims.


    ¡°Is it done?¡° The Black Sorceress asked Zandos as he re-entered the council room.


    ¡°Yes, Sorceress. I managed to trigger a breakdown.¡°


    ¡°Good, good. I had wanted to spare Arkiel the trouble and I knew that man could fill the same role.¡°


    ¡°And what role would that be?¡° Venza inquired, her black cloak wavering mystically in the air behind her.


    ¡°Burning this accursed city and the Imperium to the ground, as he had always wanted. Though, it will serve us more than it would have ever served him.¡°


    ¡°How so?¡°


    ¡°When everything converges in Aretztikapha, we will no longer have a use for the upper layer. Aza and its residents will be but a thorn in our side if we don¡¯t cut them at their roots now.¡°


    As the Sorceress spoke, Zandos quietly listened seated at the table. Though no one could see nor understand his emotions because of the placid mask blocking his face, his aura began to flow into one of anger and malcontent. This was the first time he had ever questioned his master¡¯s train of thought. She hadn¡¯t even consulted him about his views on the destruction of his life¡¯s work. This both deeply confused Zandos and angered him to his core. How could she not even apologize to him? Converse with him about such things? How could she destroy everything he had done for her without a second thought? Zandos knew he was being selfish. He understood her plan and what it meant for their work. Even though he understood all that, he simply could not come to terms with everything he had built being demolished in a second. If Aza and the Imperium were a sandcastle, Nia was the uncaring wave that would level it without a moment¡¯s notice.


    ¡°Sorceress. If I may, is that wholly necessary? Couldn¡¯t we simply erase all who aren¡¯t capable mages and avoid leveling all that we have constructed over these many years?¡°


    Nia¡¯s cold gaze went unwavering, even when she put on a false smile to comfort the magus. ¡°I understand your worries, Zandos, but this is completely necessary. To face the impossible, we must erase all that binds us. This city, this tower, they are all nothing in the face of what comes next. You of all people should understand this.¡°


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right my lady. Forget all that I said. Your word is final.¡° Zandos forced the sentences out of his mouth.


    ¡°Your resolve wavers Archmage¡­ I hope you aren¡¯t planning anything that would displease the Sorceress¡­ or I shall end your life in an instant¡­¡° Ilzathk¡¯s familiar voice resonated in his mind. He slowly shook his head at the enigmatic being sat across from him. Ilzathk¡¯s floating gem blinked softly in response.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you understand.¡° Nia spoke in an emotionless tone, as though she cared for Zandos¡¯s feelings as much as a sewer rat beneath her feet. ¡°That prisoner shall handle the coming resistance as well, if all goes to plan. Either way, the path below shall be open to the others and them alone. Speaking of, I have a very special role for each of you, as well.¡°


    As Nia began to explain their roles in the upcoming battle, Zandos stared waywardly at her through his kaleidoscopic mask. Her ink-black hair and eyes full of resolve gave him a mixed feeling of trust and fear. Despite his wishes, Nia would press onward as she always had. All that lay before her were but tools to use as she wished, and he knew that. The problem was the rancor that stirred in his heart. The faint thought of betraying the person he respected and trusted the most had flickered through his mind. He couldn¡¯t pretend it didn¡¯t. After all, Ilzathk had caught it amidst the rush of thoughts he read in the room. He steeled himself, and rose to a standing position as she called his name. His role to play in all of this would be given to him, whether he liked it or not.

 Chapter 12: Tyranny Resistance

    Having consulted Zenzi telepathically, Grovalt and the others made their way to her current location: the Tyranny Resistance¡¯s base of operations. Ironically, it was situated below the Church of the Goddess, one of the largest and oldest buildings in Aza.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be walking through a church at a time like this,¡° Grovalt muttered.


    Darriel was walking at a steady pace next to him, his broad shoulders and stride making Grovalt look small in comparison, even though they were really about the same size. ¡°Violence and religion have always gone hand-in-hand. It is strange that the Church would allow them to hide there, though.¡°


    Nakir, who was walking behind them with Ceres, took interest in their conversation. ¡°Quite right. The Church has always preached peace above all. Could they have sided with the Resistance for some reason? Perhaps they see the Black Sorceress as a heretic?¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡° Grovalt replied. ¡°But even so, it seems very out of character for them to suddenly associate with a group like that. Even if they disagree with the Sorceress¡¯s ruling.¡°


    ¡°What¡¯s this Resistance group about, anyway?¡° Ceres asked.


    Darriel peered back at Ceres¡¯s determined yet childish face, and faced forward again. ¡°The Tyranny Resistance has been around as long as the Sorceress has been in power. Not long after she was exalted by the Archmage, many Azanites found her actions cruel and unjust. So, the Resistance was formed. Coincidentally, every time the Resistance planned to strike a heavy blow to the Imperium, they lost almost all of their members in a single night. No one knows who truly orchestrated those attacks, but I think you can guess who the main suspect is.¡°


    ¡°I admire their cause, but a few dozen men is nothing compared to the Imperium officials. The Sorceress alone is probably one of the most powerful people on the continent.¡° Grovalt scratched his patchy beard.


    ¡°What makes you think we can put up a fight, then?¡° Nakir asked, then leaned over Grovalt¡¯s shoulder to see the church coming into view.


    ¡°I don¡¯t. If anything, this whole thing is a death wish. But, if we don¡¯t do anything, Ceres¡¯s sister could be hurt or killed, right? I can¡¯t just let something like that happen to her.¡°


    A blanket of silence fell upon the group as they reached the Church of the Goddess. It was a fairly tall and extremely wide building that was built with a mixture of the draconian architecture common in Aza, as well as a white marble finish along the entrance, the walls, the floors, and the great pale pillars that held the structure up. It was a sight for sore eyes in a city filled to the brim with the same grim constructs lining every street. A gorgeous fountain lay in front of it with a statue of the Goddess in the middle. The misty fog that floated around them settled on the crystal clear water.


    Inside was mostly marble as well. Large groups of people were gathered in white robes tied together with golden knots. They were all standing at different statues, all the same as the one outside. They prayed with their hands together and their heads lowered, muttering words unknown to non-church goers. Far ahead was the greatest gathering of bodies in the church. It was a choir, solemnly singing in a calming melody that echoed throughout the halls.


    ¡°Can I help you all?¡° A beautiful woman with porcelain skin, light blonde hair, and wearing a white suit had suddenly made herself known to everyone. Her face showed zero judgment nor dismay at the rag-tag group of individuals standing before her. In fact, she wore a warm smile that shook the hearts of the men.


    ¡°Seems we¡¯re a bit lost, I guess. Could you show us how to get downstairs?¡° Grovalt spoke in a nonchalant way, hiding the fascination he had for the woman¡¯s beauty.


    ¡°We all were lost, once, just as you are now. All of us have lost people dear to us in this chaotic world we live in. It was by Ymiris¡¯s will that we were made to be punished for our sins. Our repressed emotions, when freed, are a danger to us and all who cross our paths. Seek the righteous way of life, my friends. Seek the path of indifference, the path of tranquility. Seek modesty and peace.¡°


    The group were silent at the sudden holy lecture. Darriel, annoyed, pinched the space between his nose and his brow, then chose to speak politely. ¡°We¡¯re thankful, really. But we don¡¯t have time for this.¡°


    ¡°There is never a right time to do something. Sometimes, we just have to face our fear and do what must be done. Otherwise what you wish for may never come to pass.¡°


    ¡°Hey! He said we don¡¯t have time for this. Keep your cult talk out of our business and show us the way down.¡° The blonde girl, Lumi, who normally was cheerful and joyous, had now entered a fervor of disdain. She eyed the woman in white with a narrowed gaze.


    ¡°Do you see? Even now, anger takes hold of you. Your emotions control you and drive you to do and say things you normally wouldn¡¯t. Don¡¯t you wish to be freed from them? Don¡¯t you wish for a world free of malice?¡°


    Lumi scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk. That group you got down there? All they have left is malice. They¡¯d sooner fight and die to their emotions than repress them like all of you.¡°


    ¡°That is true. Sometimes, to make a change, we must act in opposition to our fundamentals. The Imperium and the Sorceress rule us with the power of emotion. They make use of those things that we repress deep inside ourselves. This is a sin they must atone for. Whether it is by our hand or the Resistance¡¯s matters not.¡°


    As Lumi was about to reply to her again, Darriel put up one of his mighty hands as if to silence the chatter. ¡°Enough. Show us the way, or we¡¯ll find it ourselves.¡° Darriel¡¯s glimmer of patience had already been spent. His dead eyes akin to those of a corpse struck the woman¡¯s mind. Though her face didn¡¯t falter, Darriel could tell she harbored some negative feelings towards him.


    ¡°Very well. Follow me.¡° Leading them through the great marble hall filled with the reverberating voices of the many, the woman directed them toward a smaller hallway with a staircase at the end of it. With the same statuesque smile on her face, the woman waved them goodbye and began walking back to where they had met her.


    Grovalt sighed, relieved that they¡¯d made it through the church without much trouble. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you¡¯re good at Darriel, it¡¯s making even the emotionless fear for their lives. Shame, though. She was pretty.¡° Darriel gave him an expression made of stone and ire, and Grovalt quickly clammed up. ¡°Let¡¯s just get down there already.¡°


    As everyone descended the long marble staircase, they realized that the marble was gradually becoming stone. When they reached the bottom, they found themselves in something like a dungeon or crypt. The air was dank and the torches that lined the walls glowed like suns in the vastness of space. Cobwebs lined every corner, and occasionally a spider or critter of the insect variety would crawl about the unkempt floor.


    After paving their way through the deserted halls, they finally heard the sound of people talking. Upon opening the door leaking the noise, they were met with a staggering number of people, most of them dressed in gray coats with the same symbol sewn onto them. The symbol was best described as an inverted spire turning into dust. It was reminiscent of the Imperium, and what it might look like crumbling into bits of debris and ash. These were the members of the Tyranny Resistance. Though their numbers weren¡¯t anything to scoff at, they weren¡¯t exactly an army either. In the great room that they had entered, around thirty to forty men and women were gathered around a monstrous wooden table discussing the near future.


    ¡°Finally, you¡¯re all here.¡° Zenzi, standing off to the side of the gathering, spoke to them with a twinge of annoyance in her voice.


    ¡°Ah, so this is the rest of the Ravens and the mercs you told us about. They sure are an odd bunch. You weren¡¯t lyin¡¯.¡° The source of the voice, unknown to them all, came from a stout woman with her auburn hair in a ponytail. A wicked saber was at her side, glowing with violet magical energy. The many patches on her coat and scars on her face signified that she was their leader or something of the sort. She put out a hand to Darriel, the corner of her face up-turning into a kind half-smile. ¡°Name¡¯s Fatalinya, Third Captain of the Tyranny Resistance.¡°


    ¡°Darriel Blackthorn.¡° Darriel gave her a firm handshake. Though he needn¡¯t show her such respect as the job hadn¡¯t dictated he do so, he was bound by his own code to treat an experienced warrior how he would treat his employer. Just because he was a mercenary didn¡¯t mean he was some roughneck with no manners, and so he was often bothered that many Azanites saw mercs like him as such.


    ¡°Oh! Don¡¯t break my hand, now. Gonna need that to swing my sword.¡° She laughed, then let go of Darriel¡¯s hand. The rest of the group introduced themselves as well, and when it came to Ceres¡¯s turn, Fatalinya¡¯s scarred face beamed with the excitement a four year old would express. ¡°By the Goddess, she¡¯s adorable! Look at this adorable girl! Hey, Breven! Come see her! She¡¯s so cute!¡° Fatalinya, instantly forgetting proper manners, began hugging Ceres tightly.


    Ceres wasn¡¯t too fond of physical adoration in general, especially not from someone she had met mere seconds before. Unfortunately for her, Fatalinya was just too strong. Her hug felt like a giant metal cage crushing her body inward.


    ¡°What was that ma¡¯am? Ah! Ma¡¯am! Careful, now! Don¡¯t kill the girl!¡° A familiar man with a bandaged face had joined the commotion. Grovalt instantly recognized him as Breven, a Rumhound he had worked with and fought many times in years past.


    ¡°Breven?¡°


    The bandaged man turned his head, and the look of worry he had for the girl morphed into one of panic at the sight of Grovalt. ¡°Grovalt!? What the hell are you doin¡¯ here!? I don¡¯t work for Graves no more! Honest!¡°Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Calm down! Calm down. I¡¯m not here for you.¡°


    ¡°Ah, thank the Goddess. Ever since the Rumhounds were wiped out, I didn¡¯t know what to think. So you didn¡¯t do it, then?¡°


    Grovalt felt a bit of pity well up in his chest. ¡°Umm¡­ no. That was me. I killed the Rumhounds at the hideout. Got Graves locked up, too.¡°


    Breven¡¯s panic returned to his face, though much less than last time. ¡°Then what the hell are you doin¡¯ here then?¡°


    ¡°He¡¯s a temporary member of the Ravens now. Zenzi told us all about it. You weren¡¯t sleepin¡¯ while she was talking, were you?¡° Fatalinya flashed a playful look of distrust at her subordinate.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this¡­¡° Breven muttered.


    ¡°Well, you better.¡° Fatalinya finally released the young girl with emerald hair and turned to face the group once more. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it. The Ravens, Graves¡¯s favorite merc, two handsome men and an adorable girl all in one room! Feels like a dream.¡° Grovalt¡¯s pride was shattered in a single sentence.


    Zenzi cleared her throat in a dismissive manner. ¡°Now that everyone¡¯s here, we should really get back to our discussion. Master needs this plan to be carried out exactly at dawn.¡°


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. You¡¯re right as always, Zenzi. So, to get back on track, we were thinking about conducting a two-pronged attack. One will be from the outside of the Imperium. That¡¯ll be us. At the bare minimum, even if we can¡¯t get in that way, we can be a good enough distraction for all of you to enter from below the Academy.¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s suicide,¡° Grovalt interrupted. ¡°The mages will shred you all in seconds with magic.¡°


    Fatalinya chortled. ¡°That, Grovalt, is why we¡¯ve employed the magus known as Eloise. She¡¯s due to arrive tomorrow morning.¡°


    ¡°Eloise!?¡° To everyone¡¯s surprise, the interruption came from Zenzi this time. Her face was uncharacteristically alight with fascination. ¡°Eloise the Witch!? She could easily put up a magical barrier over all of you. She knows every spell written in text!¡° Realizing her inner admiration had jumped out from her heart, Zenzi blushed, sat down, and looked away in embarrassment.


    ¡°Right¡­¡° Fatalinya continued, flabbergasted at this new side to Zenzi she had witnessed. The others mirrored her reaction. ¡°She would be able to force the mages to fight us in close quarters combat. She cost us a fortune, but it¡¯ll be more than worth it if everything goes to plan.¡°


    ¡°So what are we up against, then?¡° Maxra appeared out from the corner of the room, her heart slightly aching from the second-hand embarrassment she felt for her comrade.


    ¡°The Sorceress will likely focus most of the mages on us, so you¡¯ll have to deal with the officials. Our informants have told us that currently there are only four of them in the tower.¡°


    ¡°And? Who are they?¡°


    ¡°One is known as the Unseen. As you can imagine, we don¡¯t have much on them in terms of information. All we know is that they could be an anisai, based on the number of our scouts they¡¯ve killed these past few months and the state of the bodies afterward. Another is known as the Monarch, and he''s even more of a mystery. We do know that he might be capable of psychic magic, though that could be misinformation. Finally, we have the Archmage and Imagon, the Eternal. Both are extremely dangerous magic users. The Archmage may be even stronger than Eloise, but again we¡¯re not sure. We do have eyewitness accounts of Imagon casting dark magic used by undead and the like.¡°


    Everyone nodded in comprehension apart from Breven, who was still in disbelief and thus not listening as intently as Fatalinya would have wanted him to.


    At the conclusion of the discussion, the mercs, Ravens, and Tyranny Resistance took a load off. It had been quite an eventful time for everyone gathered in the underground labyrinth. No, for everyone in the city, it was a time of great change. Whether the eventual change was going to be positive or negative, no one knew. All they could do was sit, chat, and wait until the time came to exact their beliefs onto the flawed city they called home.


    ¡°Pretty nice little headquarters you guys got here. How¡¯d this deal of yours with the Church come to be, anyway?¡° Grovalt and Fatalinya were sitting at the large table that once was surrounded by a wide array of individuals. Now, it was just them sitting in the faintly lit room. The rest had moved to other places in the underground or up back to the city for rest and preparation for the day to come.


    ¡°We just got lucky, that¡¯s all. That woman up there in the suit? Did you meet her?¡°


    ¡°Yeah. Didn¡¯t get along too great with Darriel and Lumi.¡°


    ¡°I see. Well, her name¡¯s Nyame. She¡¯s the Head Pastoress of the Church. I met her a while ago¡­ it was after a huge loss to the Resistance. She offered us her help, so we agreed. Despite how we look now, we were pretty desperate back then. Our captain was killed in battle, so I took his place.¡°


    Though Fatalinya was still conversing just as she always had, Grovalt could sense the heaviness in her voice. ¡°Could I ask what exactly your group aims to do? Why are you all so willing to throw yourselves against the whole Imperium? Doesn¡¯t this whole plan seem insane to you in the slightest?¡°


    The battle-hardened woman gave Grovalt a look that made his question seem like a stupid one to ask. She gave a light chuckle and laid her head on her right hand. ¡°We want to make this city one that focuses on the lives of its people, one that strives to make those lives better every day. This place is rotting from the inside, Grovalt. It wasn¡¯t exactly paradise before the Sorceress came along, but it was a hell of a lot better.¡°


    The mask of apathy Grovalt had donned while he was a merc had grown to be the norm. It was something that he once found easy to slip on and off, but now, it was unthinkable. It was too painful. The woman before him never needed such a mask, though. The strength Grovalt had built up, that he was proud of, seemed like nothing in the face of Fatalinya¡¯s determination.


    ¡°Trust me, we know the hypocrisy of it all. We throw ourselves at the Imperium, sacrificing as many as we need to force our beliefs onto them. It¡¯s really not much better than what they¡¯re doing¡­¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡° Grovalt said in a slightly elevated, affirmative tone. ¡°They don¡¯t care about the well-being of the people. You do. They don¡¯t care about the abused students in the Academy, or the overworked mages, or the violence occurring every day. They turn a blind eye to their suffering and use it to their own advantage. I struggle to call myself a good person, but I know one when I see one. You all seem to have good intentions to me.¡°


    Fatalinya¡¯s face dropped and her mouth slightly opened as Grovalt praised her and her subordinates. It was a mixture of surprise and gratitude that injected a hue of red into her cheeks. She pushed away the denial that entered her mind. ¡°Aww, well. Y¡¯know, thank you. It means a lot, really¡­¡° She looked away from the pale warrior in front of her and peered into the cracked stone wall, a faint smile forming on her face.


    Above them, atop the roof of the church, Ceres and Nakir had gathered at the eve of night. The purpose, at the behest of Ceres, was to train. It was evident from their battle with Imeldra that Ceres needed proper training in combat, but not just her. Nakir had also been useless in the fight against the red-eyed woman. While it wasn¡¯t entirely his fault, he did feel guilty that he couldn¡¯t protect her like he¡¯d promised. In the mess of current events, it was something he had wanted to voice but couldn¡¯t. The chaotic tides that had swallowed the group up as of late had put a damper on anything he could say to her.


    ¡°I understand how you may feel, Ceres, but we must make sure you are ready for what¡¯s to come. This battle will be unlike any we have fought before. While those were life-threatening, a single mistake from here on out could cost us our lives.¡°


    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡° Breven, who had agreed to help the humanoid dragon, had also joined the two in training. ¡°Take it from me. Underestimate your enemy, and the next thing you¡¯ll see will be the floor drenched in yer own blood.¡°


    Ceres, not entirely convinced, shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡°


    With a nod, Breven unleashed the halberd that was mounted to his back. It glowed a cold bluish-gray underneath the darkening sky. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go easy on ya. I¡¯m not about to kill a kid for no good reason.¡°


    ¡°Okay,¡° Nakir said, ¡°Get ready, now. Aaaand¡­ fight!¡°


    Ceres immediately rushed towards Breven with all her might, her draconic leg launching her forward with tremendous speed. The flat roof below her seemed to crack at the sheer force pushed into it. With her left claw extended backwards, she readied a vicious slashing attack. Breven didn¡¯t move a muscle, even as Ceres closed in within inches of his body.


    Ching!


    Ceres¡¯s terrifying draconic claw was deflected with relative ease. At the last second, Breven had whirled his halberd around in a circle motion, deflecting the full force of her razor-sharp nails away from himself. Ceres, while surprised, didn¡¯t let it faze her. She unsheathed her silver dagger and pushed forward again, aiming for Breven¡¯s chest. But she was too late. The man that once stood in front of her had sidestepped her bold rush, and was now directly at her side. With a twirl of his weapon, he smacked her back with the hilt of the halberd.


    ¡°Agh!¡° Ceres yelped in pain and fell to the ground with a loud thud.


    ¡°Wow, Zenzi wasn¡¯t kiddin¡¯. She really is half dragon!¡° Breven exclaimed, a weight on his breath. ¡°Gotta say, yer fast. But even the fastest guys I¡¯ve seen still couldn¡¯t beat the strongest guys I know. Graves, even though he was slow, could easily down multiple quick-runnin¡¯ guys in a single axe swing.¡°


    Ceres groaned. Her back ached.


    ¡°Ah, shit. Sorry. Might¡¯ve hit you a bit too hard.¡° Breven reached down to help the downed girl. For a second, Ceres moved her hand to accept his, but she eventually decided to stand up on her own. Breven chose to see it as her way of saying that she could get up herself, rather than it being an insult to him.


    Nakir stepped forward and knelt down in front of the girl. ¡°Remember to keep your foe¡¯s techniques and weapons in mind at all times, little one. Though, I think there¡¯s a few tricks I could teach you that could help with ones like Breven and Imeldra. You need a way to deal with both fast-moving projectiles and defensive attacks. Here.¡° Nakir gently pressed his forehead to Ceres¡¯s, and put his hands on her shoulders. After a brief second, a familiar light began to swirl and serpentine out from Nakir¡¯s chest and into Ceres¡¯s body. Faint chimes rung in the air, dissipating into the scarlet nightscape. ¡°A small gift to push through the ordeals that await us.¡°


    ¡°No, wait! Nakir, isn¡¯t that¡­?¡°


    The spell finished, and Nakir looked into Ceres¡¯s eyes with conviction. ¡°Yes, it is dracomancy. Nothing to worry about, my dear. Though it costs a fraction of my soul, it is but a tiny piece.¡°


    ¡°But-¡°


    ¡°Please, worry not little one. As long as I am of use to you, I am happy. I told you before that dracomancy was to heal the deepest of wounds. This is true, but it also has another purpose. As I transfer my soul into you, it will only make your goal even more possible to achieve. This world is cruel, my dear. Rarely do the weak realize their dreams.¡°


    Ceres still couldn¡¯t comprehend why this great being, this dragon, would sacrifice so much, even his very soul, for her. ¡°The child you mentioned, Nakir. Back then. Do you still not remember who she was? The girl I remind you of? I want to understand why you would do all this for me. Why you would save a weak village girl and help her save her family. It just doesn¡¯t make sense¡­¡°


    Nakir took a deep breath, then waved Breven away. The bandaged man left through the nearby passageway leading downstairs. ¡°I do. I managed to remember back at the mansion, after that woman passed on. The girl who had saved me long ago, and inspired me to save your life, was her very own daughter. It was Nia, the Black Sorceress. The very same we seek now.¡°

 Chapter 13: A Coup at Dawn

    Serene sunlight pierced through the clouds painted like coals. The city began to stir. Azanites of all walks of life were waking to yet another day ruled by the Imperium. The great onyx spire still stood in the center of Aza, a monolith to the Black Sorceress that used them for her own gain. It seemed this would never change. It seemed like this tower of darkness and the terrors therein would forever decide their fates. However, this would be the final day that the Imperium stood over their grim metropolis.


    Crowds gathered. Parents hushed their children. Citizens left their homes to gaze upon the display marching through the streets. Having left the Church of the Goddess after a fair amount of drinking, chatting, and sleeping, the forty odd-sum members of the Tyranny Resistance moved with a singular purpose. At the back, the captain¡¯s many soldiers clad in gray coats and armed to the teeth with powerful armaments followed the ones in front. Their leader, Third Captain Fatalinya, full of resolve, eyed the spire towering over them with faultless ire. Beside her was a pale warrior from the north, a tall burly man wearing a suit, a handsome man, an odd man wearing loose clothing, a young girl with strange limbs, two mercenaries, an assassin, and a gloomy girl with long black hair. Their plan to overtake the Imperium and destroy it from the inside had begun.


    ¡°Look at them all. They¡¯re so confident. It almost makes me want to pity them.¡° Within the Imperium, in the council room, the five officials watched the happenings outside. Zandos, who had cast the spell allowing them to view the oncoming attackers, peered into the magical screen with a gleam in his eye. ¡°Let us show them the foolishness of their actions.¡°


    A deafening alarm blared throughout the city. The Imperium¡¯s siren struck every citizen¡¯s ears without mercy. The alarm itself, and what it meant, sent many into a storm of panic and worry. Like a swarm of man-eating insects, waves of mages began flooding out of the great tower. The Resistance slowed their march as they neared the base of the Imperium. The base was a plaza of sorts, which once held many festivals and peaceful tidings before the Sorceress¡¯s arrival. Now, it stood empty of peace and fun, and seemed to be the perfect battlefield on which the growing conflict would be resolved. Hundreds of mages, floating and on the ground, stood like a wall in front of the opposing faction.


    A woman with auburn hair tied into a ponytail and wearing a gray coat stepped out from the crowd of Resistance members. In one swift motion, she unlatched the violet saber from her hip and pointed the blade straight at the building that was the target of their desire. ¡°I am Fatalinya, Third Captain of the Tyranny Resistance! We have deemed your Sorceress and her Imperium to be a scourge upon the city of Aza and its people! This will be our third and final stand against your foul tyranny destroying the lives of all who seek to live freely!¡°


    ¡°Kill them,¡° the Archmage ordered. Ilzathk transmitted his command into the mind of every Imperium mage at once. With not one of them flinching at the Archmage¡¯s cruelty, the mages lifted their palms and pointed them at the Resistance. Archaic symbols began to float up from their arms. In just short of a second, the Resistance would be pummeled and dismembered by an unimaginable number of destructive spells. Their forces would be reduced to nothing with virtually no effort, as if they were no more than a fly on a wall. A pest that needed to be exterminated.


    But the magic missiles, the blasts of flame, the bolts of lightning; they never came. In front of the Resistance, a woman had appeared out of thin air. She wore a black witch¡¯s hat atop her head and a matching mantle that wrapped tightly around her body. They were adorned with azure accents that glowed the same color as the runes that swirled around her. With her hands extended, she had conjured a mighty transparent wall that shimmered in the sunlight. On the other side, the army of mages cast a torrent of elemental spells at the wall to no avail. The young witch¡¯s ruby red lips curved upward into a half-hearted grin, and her indigo eyes glowed with the same intensity of her magic.


    ¡°Damn it, Eloise! Did you really have to wait until the last second!? We could¡¯ve died!¡° Fatalinya scolded her savior.


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t, did ya? Now, let me work. It takes a lot of concentration to even keep this thing stable.¡° Eloise spoke in a matter-of-fact, bratty tone. But the Resistance didn¡¯t care one bit. She had saved all of their lives, and no amount of attitude would dismiss that fact.


    The Archmage sat up at the sight of the witch. No emotion shown through his round, astral mask. But beneath it, he grinded his teeth in frustration. ¡°That insolent runt¡­ I never thought I¡¯d see her again.¡°


    ¡°Who¡¯s the brat?¡° Venza asked Zandos, not a drop of concern in her soul.


    ¡°Eloise. A powerful caster I knew long ago. Before Aza. She and Esternn were my¡­ rivals, so to speak. Never thought she¡¯d stoop so low as to become a merc for a band of idiots.¡°


    The torrent of energy didn¡¯t stop, but neither did Eloise¡¯s wall. Without falter, it absorbed every incoming spell the mages threw at them. Slowly, the army of casters realized how futile their attempts were, and ceased casting entirely.


    A crazed laugh erupted from behind the wall. It was the witch who had created it. Eloise was laughing hysterically, her shrill voice cutting into their pride. ¡°Hey Zandos! You should train your lackeys better! If you did, you wouldn¡¯t lose ¡®em so easily! Hahaha¡­¡° As her laugh trailed off, a silence overcame the plaza. The wall had been creating an astoundingly loud noise, as if it was folding underneath a titanic amount of pressure. Eloise flicked both of her hands outward, then moved one up to sink the brim of her hat. ¡°Get ready for some fireworks, folks!¡°


    As her concentration on the shield wall faded, it began to warp and undulate violently. It collapsed onto itself, then converged into a ball of chaotic magical energy. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning shot out from the ball and penetrated a mage floating nearby. The ray of electricity instantly scorched and burned through the mage¡¯s throat, killing him outright. His body fell dozens of feet into a crumpled, broken mess on the pavement, like a marionette who¡¯s strings had been cut.


    ¡°No¡­ it can¡¯t be. A reversal spell that large? That¡¯s impossible¡­¡° Zandos pondered quietly.


    The man wreathed in stars was quickly proven wrong. Every spell absorbed by the wall began to jettison from the orb of swirling elements. One mage was impaled by a massive ice spike that froze his entire body. He too fell to the ground, shattering into a hundred bloody pieces. Another was pummeled by a blast of rock, the sheer shock of the impact breaking his ribs and sending him down to the gathering corpses below. Yet another, despite his attempt to block it, was hit by an excruciatingly hot flame that incinerated his robes and flesh in an instant. One by one, the rapid torrent that once targeted the Resistance now deformed and mutilated its original casters.


    Everyone on Eloise''s side stared in awe of her arcane abilities. It was a combination of both wonderment and fear of the mad mage that called herself their ally. Though she didn''t seem in her right mind, they figured they needed all the help they could get, and thus fully accepted whatever she may do next.


    ¡°Seems we are losing mages at an alarming rate. Shall we release our friends downstairs?¡° Imagon, the undead wrapped in a silky robe, had turned to Zandos. The pale, shimmering lights that hovered in his orbits wavered like dying flames.


    ¡°Let us wait and see what they can really do. Eloise is powerful, there¡¯s no doubt about that. However, the Tyranny Resistance is relying on her strength alone. Without her, they are nothing more than rabble in the street. Ilzathk, order all of the mages to target Eloise and Eloise alone. They should ignore the others.¡°


    ¡°Understood Archmage¡­ relaying order¡­¡°


    After the magical deluge had finished, just under half of the mages dispensed from the Imperium had perished. Now they lay atop one another in piles across the plaza, their lifeless bodies scorched, blasted, mangled, cut, and torn asunder. The survivors, not saying a word, all turned to Eloise with an untrampled urge to kill. Though their helmets didn¡¯t show the malice they exuded, it was clear they meant to eliminate the Resistance¡¯s trump card.


    ¡°Miss Eloise, be careful! They¡¯re focusing solely on you!¡° A Resistance member at the front spoke out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, girl. I had expected Zandos¡¯s pride and joy to be far more impressive than this. It¡¯s sad, really. I¡¯ll just mop ¡®em up real quick.¡°


    The closest mage, hovering a couple feet from the ground, fired multiple arcane projectiles at the witch. With little effort, the cackling woman dispelled them as if swiping them away with her finger. The mage, realizing Eloise¡¯s imminent rebuttal, drew his sword and flew towards her with surprising speed. He reared back for a slashing strike, and upon contact, he realized he had hit his mark. At least, he thought he did.


    Eloise had caught the blade with her bare hands, blood trickling down her wrists. ¡°So weak.¡° With a graceful motion, she ripped the weapon from the battlemage¡¯s hands and wielded the sword backwards. She began to wordlessly smash the hilt against his helmet, metal shards violently splintering off of its frame. After one last swing, the helmet was destroyed and split apart into three distinct pieces, each of them falling to the ground with a metallic clank. Eloise looked upon the mage¡¯s revealed face and winced. ¡°Abominations. All of them!¡° A monstrous look appeared on her face. It was not the face of a scholarly witch, but a deranged animal. Eloise gripped the sides of the man¡¯s head with her bloodied hands and pushed him down onto his knees. Without another utterance from either of them, an electric conjuration began to emanate from the witch¡¯s fingertips. Lightning left her palms and pierced through the mage¡¯s head in all directions, violet light scattering across his twisting body. ¡°So you do feel pain, at least.¡° Torturous seconds passed as the witch electrified the man¡¯s cranium, and after a couple culminating sparks, it suddenly exploded. A bucket of blood, shards of a decimated skull, and bits of brain launched in all directions around Eloise, covering her ashen clothes in a terrifying splatter of red. The mage¡¯s headless, burnt body fell from its crouched position and landed in its own refuse.


    ¡°Ahahahaha~ Oh, what fun! Anyone else!? Come and face me, monsters. Come and die by my hand!¡°


    The mages, ignoring attacks made by various Resistance members, drew in close to dogpile her with overwhelming numbers.


    Eloise was as calm as ever, the swarm of magic users closing in on her instilling no amount of fear nor anxiety at all. She made her right hand into a fist, and gazed down at strands of runic writing that materialized on her forearm. ¡°Against the sins of man, the chains of Icozen are immovable.¡° As she finished intoning the phrase, two openings tore holes in the bloodstained concrete. Two portals, one an auburn orange and the other a midnight blue, ripped reality open to reveal a black void in both.


    The mages were upon her now. Their swords burned in various colors, having been enchanted using spells moments before their conclusive charge. The twenty-sum warriors of the Imperium were inches away from cleaving the mad woman into a dozen pieces. It was only a matter of time.


    A loud, metallic, grinding sound sprung up from the portals Eloise had summoned. It was the sound of chains. Innumerable chains, grinding and unraveling at an unbelievable pace. Before the mages could dissect Eloise, large obsidian constructs launched out from the two dimensional rifts. The sheer number of them cast a dark, linked shadow across the scarred plaza. They rushed upward like the scorching water of a geyser, then fell to entangle their targets. The chains quickly subdued every mage one by one, wrapping around their arms and torsos. They were completely restrained within such a short amount of time that they had no idea what course of action to take against such a threat.


    ¡°There we are. Fatalinya, was it? Have your men kill the trapped mages. I¡¯d rather not expend any more effort on these disgusting vermin.¡°


    Fatalinya was at a loss for words. She knew Eloise the Witch was powerful. She had heard many rumors around Aza that all said the very same thing. It was the sole reason she had hired her in the first place. But she could have never imagined she was at this level. This was far beyond anything she had seen before, not just from casters, but humans and monsters alike. She can¡¯t be human, she thought. If she is, she must have done something unthinkable for this kind of power. It was as if she were witnessing the whims of a god being displayed before her. But she couldn¡¯t let this stun her. She had to give orders, and quickly. Though Eloise had defeated all of the mages the Imperium had thrown at them, she knew there were only more where the others came from. She steeled her resolve once more, and her mind returned to reality. ¡°Tyranny Resistance! Execute the mages!¡°


    The Archmage¡¯s mask flashed with swirling starlight in the gloom of the council room. His fury went unnoticed to everyone but him. Eloise had gotten to him, and that fact only made him more wrathful. A clawing feeling ravaged the core of his being, and a ferocious heat burned in his chest.


    ¡°Seems your plan didn¡¯t quite work out, boss.¡° Venza eyed Zandos through her shadowed visor. Her wispy cloak seemed to waver with each syllable she uttered.


    ¡°Thank you, Venza. I can tell as much.¡° Zandos grumbled. ¡°Fine. It seems they¡­ she has forced our hand. Release all of the prisoners except Graves.¡°


    The Tyranny Resistance, having killed all of the mages held by Eloise¡¯s chains, turned their attention to the ominous spire. With the alarm off and the mages sent slaughtered, it stood silently like a towering obelisk. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    In all the commotion, Ceres and her gathered allies could only look upon the chaos before them. The plan they had all put together went nothing like they had envisioned. If anything, it wasn¡¯t their plan at all. The battle had been dictated solely by Eloise and Eloise herself. Ceres averted her eyes from the grim state of their surroundings. Upon seeing Eloise¡¯s massacre, especially after she had executed one by annihilating his brain, Ceres was racked with a crippling nausea. She held back the rising urge to vomit. Grovalt must have felt the same, albeit not as severely, because he cupped his mouth as if to keep something from spilling out. Before this, Ceres had only seen magic being used to heal and fix what was broken. Now, she had seen the darker side of it. The realization that humanity had the potential to cause so much pain and suffering in so little time disgusted her beyond belief. The memories she had of the villagers being torn apart by wolves resurfaced after being pushed to the back of her mind. It was all too much for her in the present moment. Ceres bent over and puked onto the ground, holding her stomach in a tight grip. Lumi and Rook looked away, and Darriel stared at her with his same unchanging expression. Nakir patted and rubbed her back with one hand, and held firmly onto her shoulder with the other.


    Zenzi, having been excited to meet someone she idolized, now looked at her with bewilderment. Her vision of Eloise as a smart, sophisticated, elegant witch was shattered and replaced with this blood-drunk monster before her. It didn¡¯t seem like Eloise felt even the slightest pang of guilt or remorse for any living thing at all, human or otherwise.


    After a long period of deliberation and silence, the main gate of the Imperium rose with a deep, echoing rumble. Nothing appeared at first, but at last figures could be seen moving out from the umbral passage. While some appeared to be human at a passing glance, it was quickly understood that what the Imperium had sent were not human anymore. The grotesqueries emerged from the shadow of the tower, their forms challenging everything the Ravens and the Resistance had seen before.


    A little girl wistfully walked out into the fray. She was the incarnation of the very shadow she had just appeared from. Her entire body, except her eyes, was an inky black void. It was as if she ate all light that attempted to grace her presence. Her eyes, however, were two white circles that hung in the darkness where her face should have been. With a glance, they pierced the profundities of the heart. Floating around her form were hunched, gray-skinned bodies. Their eyes leaked some kind of fluid the same color as the girl they surrounded, and their mouths fell agape, as if trying to convey something. Her eminence sounded in the minds of her foes.


    Everyone around me dies.


    I must be some kind of curse.


    Maybe if I were gone, people would be happier.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡° Lumi started to speak, but was lost in the girl¡¯s enigmatic visage.


    ¡°Yes. The result of a breakdown that occurred not long ago. Seems they seek to use their prisoners against us.¡° Darriel finished Lumi¡¯s thought and cracked his callused knuckles.


    Out of the Imperium came another strange being. It resembled a massive hound with rustic fur, except dozens of wretched limbs grew out of its back. Its eyes were dull and faded, as if it were blind. It lumbered out from the dark and stood near the girl. The various jagged arms and legs jutting out from its body seemed to grasp for something. Its eminence stirred the souls of its foes.


    All those who I have eaten haunt my dreams.


    Every night, I hear their screams raking my mind.


    Why must I feast to live when it causes others so much pain?


    Why does my happiness only hurt those around me?


    Grovalt shuddered at the sight of the creatures. ¡°I heard about that one. Before I came to Aza, I think it destroyed a whole city block. We need to do something. We need to get to the Academy as fast as possible, or this whole city¡¯s doomed.¡°


    ¡°Leave them to us,¡° Fatalinya cut in. ¡°Just like the plan, we¡¯ll distract them while you all head for the Academy.¡°


    ¡°You don¡¯t stand a chance-¡°


    ¡°I know that. I told you, didn¡¯t I? No matter the odds, we have to make a stand. If we do nothing, nothing will change. Now go, all of you. Leave them to the Resistance. And remember who covered your asses on the day the Imperium fell.¡° Fatalinya winked, and forced a smile. Her body revealed her fear, but her eyes were as fierce as ever.


    ¡°Come on, Grovalt. Let¡¯s go.¡° Darriel pulled the apprehensive man from the battlefield. The Ravens and the mercenaries left the Resistance and Eloise to the terror ahead. The monsters that the tower had birthed steadily approached their prey.


    ¡°Okay. Eloise, we¡¯ll be counting on you.¡°


    Eloise laughed. The blood that caked her face and clothes only accentuated her psychotic tone of voice. ¡°For a price.¡°


    ¡°What?¡°


    ¡°I believe you paid me enough to tackle the Imperium¡¯s mages, right? It¡¯s only fair I¡¯m paid for this too.¡°


    Fatalinya¡¯s fear bloomed, its vines constricting her throat. ¡°No, no. We don¡¯t have any more money!¡°


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a shame. Really, it is. I was having a lot of fun. Well, I¡¯ll be going then-¡°


    ¡°Stop! I¡¯ll pay you! I¡¯ll pay you afterwards! Anyway I can! Just, please, help us! Don¡¯t leave us to die.¡°


    Eloise¡¯s skinny figure and young face told Fatalinya that she could be bargained with. Even after seeing what she had done, after seeing the kind of person she really was, she still had hope that this woman had some amount of pity for her and her allies.


    Eloise only laughed her horrible laugh. Her cackling only drove the creatures to approach faster. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, girl. Really. Truly. But that¡¯s not gonna cut it. Hope to see you again! But I doubt it~¡° A chime rang out from Eloise¡¯s heart, and a white light enveloped her. When it vanished, so too did the mad witch.


    Fatalinya¡¯s heart dropped, and her shoulders sank as she turned to look at the faces of her allies. ¡°We¡¯re with you, captain. To the beginning or the end!¡° They hadn¡¯t lost the faith they had mustered. They still believed in her. To her, it was unfathomable, but she accepted their faith with open arms. Her spirit reignited somewhat.


    ¡°On yer orders, captain.¡° Breven appeared at her side, his halberd raised. The kindness Fatalinya had shown him after bandaging the wounds inflicted by Grovalt was a memory he would not forget so easily. ¡°To the beginnin¡¯ or the end.¡°


    The Third Captain of the Tyranny Resistance mustered the last light of hope in her chest. She pointed her sword at the monstrosities nearing them, just as she had done before toward the Imperium. ¡°We will defeat you, fiends! And we will free Aza all the same! To the beginning or the end! Charge!¡°


    The men and women swathed in gray coats ran as hard as they had in their entire lives, focused on the freedom they all fought for. Hope drove them as if it were pushing them from their backsides, giving them the final push they needed to exact their beliefs onto the city they called home.


    You should die, too.


    The umbral girl¡¯s white eyes met with a Resistance member¡¯s. At the same moment, one of the hunched bodies floating around her fell into a goopy mess on the ground. The Resistance member stopped in his tracks completely. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he began convulsing violently. Tar-like liquid began spewing from his every orifice, dripping down his body like a waterfall. His skin turned from a healthy shade to one identical to the floating bodies. Pale and lifeless, he slowly floated upwards and joined the girl¡¯s grim congregation.


    ¡°No! You bastard!¡° A female member ran towards the girl, her rapier aimed straight at her head. Before it struck her foe, a great maw clamped down on the woman¡¯s upper half, tearing it from her lower body. The many-limbed hound chewed the woman¡¯s bones in its gnarled teeth, then swallowed the half whole. Staggering for a bit, it howled out into the bright blue sky. A new mangled limb grew out of its back with a revolting crunching noise.


    No. Fatalinya¡¯s despair had resurfaced at the sight of the deaths. She had failed her comrades, and now they were gone forever. That bitch! She left us with nothing. She left us to die!


    ¡°Captain! Snap out of it, will ya?¡° Breven brought her out of her stupor once again. ¡°I¡¯ll draw its attention, so you go for its flank! Hit it with everythin¡¯ you got!¡°


    She nodded with a decisive look, though fear for Breven''s life clenched her in a tight grip.


    The bandaged man wielding a halberd stood against the drooling abomination. He never thought he¡¯d be standing against such an enemy for the woman he admired so. Such a thing a mere week ago would have seemed like a fool¡¯s errand. His rough life in the alleyways and backstreets had taught him to look out for himself and only himself. He wasn¡¯t a hero. Never was, never would be. Even so, life had brought Breven to such a point. For once, he was putting his life on the line for someone he cared about, and that idea was incredibly frightening. It was also incredibly cathartic. After so many years alone, he could finally let go of the dire need to survive. He could focus on someone else for a change, and that brought him some solace, even while facing a foe that could easily tear him to shreds. Gripping his weapon as tightly as he could, Breven stood in front of the beast.


    The hound reared back and prepared one of its massive claws to attack. With a low growl, the claw lashed forward.


    Ching! Ching!


    Breven¡¯s halberd barely held its own against the thunderous claws rushing at him. He managed to deflect them, at least, but he was already losing ground. His body weakened and his stamina drained. Each hit sent an aching reverberation throughout his entire being, shaking his body and bones to their core.


    Though she felt a burning desire to help him, Fatalinya didn¡¯t let this opportunity go to waste. Swirling, violet light encircled her and her blade. Her eyes seemed to glow a dark purple for an instant. The light flowed from her chest through her arm, and finally, into her weapon. Her saber glowed more brilliantly than ever before, and as she charged a thrust, hovering visions appeared in front of her. They were echoes of her, portraying a multitude of thrusts at the beast¡¯s belly from a variety of angles. No sooner than they had been conjured, they disappeared, and Fatalinya dashed forward in a veil of nightshade. With what seemed like a single pinpoint strike, dozens of piercing gashes tore the hound¡¯s side open. A flow of blood and human bones seeped out of its gaping wounds.


    With a cry, it anguished from the pain, then turned to unleash its fury at the attacker.


    Infiltrating thoughts pummeled Fatalinya¡¯s mind, the strain causing her to put one hand up to her forehead. It was pounding.


    Just let me eat.


    It¡¯s the way of the world, after all.


    The strong devour the weak.


    As the hound turned around to face Fatalinya, Breven called out to it and heaved a mighty slash into its other side. More blood and bones fell to the ground in a crimson puddle. But the beast ignored him and jumped away from the duo. With its massive claws digging cracks into the ground beneath them, it went for a gathering of Resistance members. They were attempting to make a charge toward the sinister girl meters away, averting their gaze. After a couple more of their friends had fallen to the girl, they had realized the trick to her power.


    With their eyes turned wayward to avoid an instant death, the gathering was unaware of the lumbering monster heading their way. Bits of concrete and bloody fur were left in its wake, and with a pouncing lash, one of its front sword-like claws cut a dozen members cleanly in half in one great sweep. Their entrails splayed across the battlefield and their stunned colleagues, painting the ever-reddening plaza in yet another gruesome color.


    The battle was nearly over. The Resistance was losing, and bad. Only a couple handfuls of members remained, and those who did were quickly losing their sanity. The placid faces of the people they once shared stories and drank with the night before induced an intense panic. Although, there was hope yet. Not everyone who dared to face the umbral girl was murdered by its protector, and they finally met their mark. With half a dozen thrusts, their rapiers gouged the little girl¡¯s head, unleashing an inky river that covered their feet in seconds.


    To the Blissful Sleep, friends.


    I¡¯ll see you once more¡­ across the ravine.


    The umbral figure melted into nothingness before its killers. They did it. They managed to defeat one of them, at least. It seemed like an impossibility moments before, but through their many sacrifices, they managed to turn the tide somewhat in their favor.


    The rustic beast growled with a renewed ferocity. The sight of its defeated ally only seemed to make it angrier. With the same adrenaline-fueled speed it showed previously, it launched at the remnants of that same attack. Exhausted, the Resistance members couldn¡¯t find the will to resist the fate thrust upon them. Like the girl they had all just worked to reduce to nothing, in seconds they too would meet the same horrifying end. Any second now. The beast¡¯s claws scraped along the ground. The sound grew louder and louder. Each powerful paw shook the earth with all the fury the hound felt deep within. Any time now.


    But the pain and the death didn¡¯t come. In fact, the sound of the beast charging at them had vanished before they could even register it. They opened their heavy eyelids to see their compatriot, Breven, holding off the beast with an unbelievable strength. The hound snarled, launching all of its weight into its attacks against the lone man. Still, Breven managed to deflect its strikes with unparalleled rigidity.


    ¡°The rest of you, go! Get inside before it closes! You too, captain!¡°


    Fatalinya, struggling to maintain her mentality, denied him fervently. ¡°If anyone is to stay and stand against this creature, it¡¯s me! As your captain, it¡¯s my duty to protect all of you while you carry on the mission!¡°


    Breven shook his head. At a closer inspection, some of the hound¡¯s attacks had gotten through his defenses. Red lashes across his chest oozed scarlet liquid and his right leg seemed to be giving out. This was his last stand. It took everything he had to even reply to Fatalinya¡¯s dismissal. He made his wishes clear. ¡°Captain. No¡­ Fatalinya. Thank you. For everything. But please, let me do this. Let me be useful to you this once. Our mission hasn¡¯t even started yet. We need to at least get through the front door, eh?¡°


    Fatalinya felt as if she were balancing on a tightrope suspended hundreds of feet up in the air. With one teetering step, she would decide the balance of her life.


    ¡°Just give that bastard Grovalt a kick in the head for me, okay?¡° A faint smile graced Breven¡¯s rough face. It was the first time Fatalinya had ever seen him smile since she¡¯d met him just a couple days prior.


    She fought back the tears welling in her eyes. ¡°Understood. We¡¯ll see you on the other side.¡° With that, the captain of the Resistance and its few remaining members exeunted from the plaza.


    Breven watched as their backs disappeared into the darkness of the Imperium. With a coarse, deep breath, he turned to meet the many-limbed hound¡¯s wrathful look. After managing to save someone, anyone, let alone many from it, the beast didn¡¯t seem as horrible as before. If anything, the man only felt pity for the creature. Even as his leg gave out and his body was mauled by razor-sharp fangs, Breven wondered what a world they must live in for a man to become such a thing. For all his wonderment, he met no answer, and his consciousness faded. Breven was gone. A new limb grew out from the hound¡¯s back, joining the many others that grasped for something unseen.

 Chapter 14: Aza Academy

    ¡°Are you sure they¡¯ll be alright?¡° Ceres questioned Grovalt as they neared the shadowed school.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. Besides, they have that witch with them. That crazy bitch seems like she¡¯s capable of anything.¡°


    ¡°Language,¡° Nakir intoned in a bellowing voice. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t serve the little one any better to learn foul manners.¡°


    Raum laughed lightly. His voice was the opposite, as if it were a feather that lightly met their ears. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about such a thing. As we both know, it seems she already has quite the mouth on her.¡° The human-dragon hybrid shot a daggerful stare at Raum, but he only answered her with a smile full of the sun¡¯s warmth.


    Across the plaza where the Resistance fought for them were the well-off districts. Ceres and the others had already passed through most of them to get to their true objective. The Aza Academy was a massive school only attended by wealthy Azanites, and it taught the city¡¯s youth everything from arithmetic to the city¡¯s history. It also taught the use of magic, explained its source, and attempted to determine every student¡¯s aptitude for it. Every person had a greater or lesser aptitude for the arcane that seemed to be set randomly at their birth, although bloodline also seemed to be a great factor as well. Thus, as most wealthy families in the city were composed of powerful mages and wizards of the like, it was uncommon for a high-born Azanite not to have any magical power whatsoever.


    ¡°There¡¯s nobody around.¡° Rook eyed the abandoned buildings with a certain ire. His right hand rested on his thick blade.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope they already evacuated at the sound of the siren earlier,¡° Grovalt said, attempting to ease his worry.


    ¡°Man,¡° Lumi started, her cheerfulness returning somewhat after the grim circumstances the group had faced moments before. ¡°Reminds me of our time in school. Doesn''t it, Rook?¡°


    Rook gave a solemn nod, his weariness of the silence surrounding them still distracting his gaze.


    ¡°Yeah, it does.¡° Grovalt squinted as he looked at the Academy. It was the same as the rest of the buildings in Aza, however it was made up of many different connecting buildings that were barred behind a large iron gate. In the middle of the buildings was the largest one, no doubt the main entrance. ¡°I¡¯d rather keep those memories locked up tight.¡°


    ¡°Why? You flunk, Grovey?¡° Lumi''s luminescent smile seemed to glow underneath the Imperium''s great shadow.


    ¡°Grovey¡­? And no, I didn¡¯t flunk. Just wasn¡¯t the best experience for me. I grew up in a small town up north, so we didn¡¯t exactly have the best education around. What about you two?¡°


    Lumi and Rook¡¯s eyes seemed to darken as Grovalt¡¯s inquiry left his lips. ¡°We didn¡¯t get to finish school, exactly¡­¡° Lumi attempted to explain. Grovalt sensed the tension between them, and decided not to press the conversation further.


    Darriel suddenly broke the silence. ¡°Lumi, mind bashing that gate in for us?¡°


    Lumi¡¯s eyes regained their luster and she moved in her usual showy manner. ¡°Yes sir!¡° With a drawn-out, dramatic motion, Lumi drew the monstrous hammer from her back and wielded it with two hands as if it weighed nothing. She quickly ran toward the entrance gate and, with a charged swing, bashed the gate with a ton of force. A deafening metallic sound rang out across the street. After it faded, the gate Lumi had busted off its hinges fell to the ground in front of them with another loud clunk.


    ¡°Holy shit¡­¡° Grovalt eyed the young blonde girl with awe. ¡°Guess I did underestimate you, somewhat.¡°


    Lumi replied with a toothy grin as she returned the hammer to its rightful place on her back.


    ¡°Hey¡­ isn¡¯t this a stealth mission?¡° Maxra loudly whispered.


    Zenzi¡¯s eyelids were half-drawn into an almost bored expression. Her lips were in a straight line, as if they were drawn onto her face with a ruler. ¡°Well¡­ it was. Then the Resistance and Eloise did their thing. Then Lumi did her thing. At this point, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. There shouldn¡¯t be anyone in the Academy, anyway. At least I don¡¯t hear any thoughts from here.¡°


    ¡°That reminds me,¡° Grovalt chimed in. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you hear me at the mansion back then? Could¡¯ve really used your help before everything went to hell.¡°


    ¡°Hmm¡­ not sure. My only guess is that whatever that mansion was built out of had the ability to deflect magic, including my telepathy.¡°


    ¡°So it could deflect magic but it crumbled under the weight of a dragon?¡°


    ¡°Yep. Same is true with the Imperium, except the Imperium is impenetrable through normal means as well. Thus our detour this way.¡°


    ¡°The hope is that the Resistance made it through the entrance so we can rendezvous with them once we¡¯re inside,¡° Darriel finished Zenzi¡¯s thought.


    Grovalt nodded, and the group stepped over Lumi¡¯s handiwork down the path to the Academy¡¯s entrance. Though a bright blue sky still lit the world around them, the Academy seemed almost like a black hole that aborbed all light that dared to pierce its perimeter. The entrance door was slightly ajar, giving a tiny peek into the unlit hallways that hid within.


    Ceres was the first to reach it. Pushing it open with her draconic hand, it gave way to something that was leaning against its frame. A flag of sorts fell onto the floor, sending a clacking sound that emanated throughout the hall. ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡°


    ¡°Indeed,¡° Nakir added. ¡°We should all tread carefully. There could be any manner of traps and tricks about such a place.¡°


    The group entered a long, wide corridor that connected to many various rooms. Most of the rooms were empty classrooms filled with toppled desks, scattered papers, and forgotten belongings. In fact, nearly every inch of the floor was covered with papers. Picking one up, Ceres saw weird squiggles and marks on it neatly put into lines. ¡°What are these things?¡°


    Grovalt looked at the page over her shoulder. ¡°Essays and memos¡­ a lot of the ones that look like homework seem to have failing grades on them.¡°


    ¡°Essays¡­?¡° Ceres¡¯s curiosity uplifted her voice with a slight inflection.


    ¡°Wait.¡° Grovalt lowered his head. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you can''t read, Ceres.¡°


    Ceres blushed and threw down the page with enough force to punch a hole into the wooden flooring. ¡°I can read! These words are just too complicated. All this talk about the ¡®essience of magick¡¯ and the ¡®source of transmogrigation¡¯.¡° Ceres did not know these words.


    A wry smile crept onto Grovalt¡¯s face. ¡°Well, once we save your sister, how about I teach you two?¡°


    Ceres looked off into nothingness, avoiding eye contact as if to show Grovalt she wasn¡¯t very interested. ¡°I guess so, if that¡¯s what you want. Not like we really need to read this stuff anyway.¡°


    ¡°And I, Nakir, shall help. I was quite the writer in my time I¡¯ll have you know. More so than any warrior.¡° Nakir''s jealousy was obvious in both his words and his demeanor. Having never seen Nakir this way until now, Ceres found it somewhat endearing.


    ¡°The real question is, why are there so many? I mean, they¡¯re everywhere.¡° Grovalt¡¯s eyes flashed upwards from the papers to the end of the corridor. Outside it, a front desk perhaps for reception lay in a large expansive room. A blue feathered quill and potted flowers sat atop it.


    As they tiptoed across the rustling sheets beneath their feet, a hushed voice called out to them from behind. Lumi was there, pointing into a room they had just walked past. ¡°Come here!¡° She giddily trotted out of view.


    The group found her searching through a wardrobe. In it were many clothes of different sizes, though they were all the same. They were Academy uniforms.


    ¡°Don¡¯tcha guys think Ceres needs something new to wear? This is perfect!¡°


    Darriel sighed harder than any had ever sighed before. ¡°We didn¡¯t come here to shop, Lumi. Focus.¡°


    ¡°Wah? Come on, Darriel. Guys? I mean, she¡¯s been covered in blood for days now. Yeah it¡¯s dry, but a lady¡¯s got to look the part when she¡¯s on a job!¡°


    Unexpectedly, with the shock of Grovalt and Nakir, Ceres rushed forward and swiped the clothing from the blonde girl¡¯s hands. After leaving to change, she came back wearing the Academy¡¯s official student uniform. Black with red accents, it came with an overcoat and a fitting tie. The coat was tied together at the base of her neck with a red ribbon.


    At the sight of her, Grovalt and Nakir shifted from a state of shock to something else entirely.


    ¡°Okay¡­ you may have had a point. Doesn¡¯t change the fact that this is a waste of time, but¡­ she looks good.¡° Grovalt gave her a slight smile and a nod.


    ¡°My, my¡­ Little one. You look tremendous! Truly attire fit for the company of the black dragon Nak-¡°


    ¡°Enough!¡° Darriel¡¯s temper had reached its peak. He cleared his throat, a little embarrassed at how loud he had gotten. ¡°We really don¡¯t have time for this. If you truly want to feel proud as her guardians, then you should have found her new clothes before the job. Not on it.¡°


    The two doting men shrunk under Darriel¡¯s scolding. They looked at each other, then eked out a respectful, ¡°Yes sir.¡°


    As they continued on, Ceres looked at herself in the mirror. Though she didn¡¯t resemble the girl she once was at all, it suddenly didn¡¯t bother her as much now. Though that human village girl had vanished, she was still within her. A jubilant smile flushed her face, the first in what felt like a very long time. She began to realize that if these people didn¡¯t care about her jagged limbs or her menacing eye, then neither would Asteria, and the thought of her sister welcoming her with open arms lightened her mood immensely. Still smiling to herself, she brushed off her newfound clothes and followed everyone else back out of the room. Tugging on Lumi¡¯s coat, she whispered in a tiny voice. ¡°Thank you.¡°This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°No problem, lil¡¯ sis. Any girl stuff you want to talk about, you come to big sis Lumi, okay? Those deadbeats wouldn¡¯t understand a lady if she gave ¡®em a month-long class on it.¡° She gestured forward towards Grovalt and Nakir, who were still conversing about how cute Ceres was.


    Entering the entrance hall, a shriek pulled each of their heads upward to inspect the source of the shrill outburst. A horrific figure was standing above them halfway up the stairs, laughing as though someone had just told a hilarious joke. It was an older fellow in long priestly robes. What struck them all was the huge metal cross that had impaled his head. Its end jutted out of where his eyes should have been, though he made no notice of it hurting or even being a nuisance.


    ¡°Who are you?¡° Darriel asked, the least surprised out of the group.


    The man¡¯s toothy smile rotated as he knocked his head to one side in a look of wonderment. ¡°Just another soul lost in this ever-changing maze of life, friend.¡° With not another word, he dashed out of view.


    ¡°Hey!¡° Darriel ordered, but the man was already gone.


    ¡°What a strange occurrence. Should we follow him?¡° Raum posited.


    Grovalt shrugged. ¡°Didn¡¯t seem like he wanted any trouble. Maybe we should just ignore him¡­¡°


    Ceres clenched her teeth. If there was anyone who could help them through this dark academia, it would surely be someone as odd as he. ¡°Let¡¯s follow him. I have a feeling he might want to tell us something.¡°


    The group went upstairs past the reception desk to find themselves in a colossal, expansive library. Towering bookcases separated the room into dimly lit sections, and multiple skylights on the ceiling cast dull sunlight upon their webbed frames. Like with the rest of the school so far, everything seemed so cold. The materials used to build such a place didn¡¯t give off any kind of warmth or familiarity. A library, often the source of warmth and welcome, now seemed like something alien to them all. A feeling that they were trespassing upon something not meant for them ran through their minds.


    ¡°Ah~ Hello, hello. A grand creation, isn¡¯t it? And so very old, it is.¡° The off-putting man showed himself, a book splayed open in one hand.


    Zenzi¡¯s small frame buckled slightly. She seemed to be in pain in some way. One of her hands grasped at her head and she winced. Her voice resonated within their heads. ¡°Careful. I can¡¯t get a read on him. He might be like the others¡­ the prisoners.¡°


    ¡°Oh, do not worry. I wish you all only good tidings for your trek across this horrid place.¡°


    ¡°Why in the hell should we trust you, buddy? I mean, there¡¯s a cross rammed through your skull.¡° Maxra pointed her dagger at the garbed figure.


    ¡°I bring you all only warnings, anisai. This path you tread, it is a doomed one. Haven¡¯t you realized that cat¡¯s trickery? All of this trouble is born from his toil~¡°


    ¡°How do you know¡­? Doesn¡¯t matter. Watch your tongue, freak. Master saved us all countless times. He¡¯s never been wrong. Not once.¡°


    ¡°I have no reason to lie, friends. I am free at last. A free man needs not lie to live. He simply lives. That¡¯s the truth, truly. The cat, now, lives on lies. Feeds on them. You are nothing but tools to him. Stepping stones to beseech the name of our fair goddess.¡°


    ¡°You¡¯re a Church member?¡° Lumi asked, though the disdain in her voice showed that she already knew the answer.


    ¡°Of course. How could one not pride themselves in worshiping the one who sacrificed herself for this wondrous world? It is by her power that all of us are here right now. What else can we do but remember her name in honor and grace?¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing but blind faith,¡° Maxra replied.


    ¡°Blind¡­ faith? Hahaha! What a phrase¡­ what a name! A name, indeed. Call me that. Blind Faith.¡°


    ¡°That was supposed to be an insult¡­¡°


    ¡°No, no. You¡¯re right. The faith I have in our goddess Ymiris is blind, indeed. As is yours in your master. What proof do you have that this road leads to anything at all? How does the cat believe that the safety of this girl¡¯s sister means something to you all? What does this truly achieve?¡°


    Grovalt unsheathed his blade, his face grim. ¡°Do you expect us to sit and ignore what the Sorceress is doing?¡°


    The man who called himself Blind Faith reared back and laughed hoarsely. Black blood fell from his wound and dropped into his open mouth as he cackled. ¡°No. I simply ask that you all think long and hard before any of this is set in stone. Wouldn¡¯t you agree, Sirithisian? Fate is a cruel, unforgiving mistress. Only once we have understood our mistakes do the hands of time reject our pleas to rectify them.¡°


    Raum stood staring at the man, his slightly smiling expression unchanging.


    ¡°Well, whatever you choose, just remember: Love and hate are siblings, faith is their mother, and apathy is their father.¡° The man teetered past the group, descending the stairs that would lead to his freedom. As he neared the bottom, his mumblings gave way only to one short phrase. ¡°And the moon¡­¡° His laughter faded away as he left the Academy for good.


    Grovalt turned from the madman¡¯s departure to Raum. ¡°Did you know him, Raum?¡°


    ¡°No. Never met him before now.¡°


    ¡°The real question,¡° Zenzi said from under her long hair, ¡°is how he knew about Master¡­¡°


    Maxra and Grovalt put away their weapons. Maxra knelt down next to Zenzi and looked into her one revealed eye. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay, Zen. As long as we stick to our wits, we¡¯ll be fine. I promise. You know I¡¯ll protect you and Master, no matter what.¡°


    ¡°Right¡­¡° Zenzi tried to accept Maxra¡¯s appeal but it was clear that her words didn¡¯t fully sink in. The gloomy, ghostlike girl wandered away to gaze upon the library¡¯s vast collection of books.


    ¡°Sorry. Maybe we shouldn¡¯t have followed him after all¡­¡° Ceres looked at Zenzi, a forlorn feeling twisting her stomach.


    Maxra¡¯s worry was plain on her face. Nonetheless, she gave Ceres a half-smile, her ruby red lips emboldening the pure beauty her features possessed. ¡°Please, hun. Don¡¯t worry about it. Zenzi might come off cold, but she worries a lot. She just doesn¡¯t like to show it.¡°


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, how did you two come to meet Archizend?¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a long story. Two long stories, actually. Once we have the time, maybe I¡¯ll tell ya then.¡°


    Ceres smiled. ¡°Y¡¯know, you¡¯re actually pretty nice, Maxra. From how you were before and what Grovalt told me¡­ I thought maybe you hated us.¡°


    ¡°Wha-¡° Maxra was taken aback at the sudden compliment. ¡°Well, I¡­ I don¡¯t know about ¡®nice¡¯ but¡­ I don¡¯t hate you or anything. Just not too fond of humans. Former humans either. You guys though¡­ you guys are fine.¡° Out of her element, Maxra stopped talking to avoid letting any more of her true emotions shine through.


    ¡°Hey, you alright?¡° Grovalt had approached Zenzi, who was lost in a very large book.


    ¡°Fine, human. What do you care?¡°


    ¡°What do you mean? We¡¯re a team. I can¡¯t just let a team member get bad-mouthed and not see if they¡¯re okay or not.¡°


    Zenzi¡¯s single dark pupil scanned the book¡¯s contents wildly, as if to find a way to escape the conversation.


    Grovalt scratched the back of his head with one hand, and tapped the table she sat at in thought with the other. ¡°I¡¯ve gotta say something. You always say ¡®human this¡¯ or ¡®human that¡¯, but you don¡¯t look inhuman to me. What are you, exactly?¡°


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to understand. Sorry if I overstepped¡­¡°


    Zenzi sighed, and looked up from what she was reading. ¡°Something that used to be human. And alive.¡°


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re undead?¡°


    ¡°Not exactly. Somewhere in between.¡°


    ¡°Not sure if I follow.¡°


    Zenzi cocked her head to the side and gave Grovalt an annoyed look. After a brief while, she slowly raised one hand and brushed the hair covering her other eye to the side. Grovalt¡¯s face fell, and his eyes widened. Her left eye and part of her face were scarred beyond belief. They weren¡¯t normal scars, as well. Violet light, closer to a color unimaginable for Grovalt, seemed to streak like lightning bolts across her face. Her empty eye socket was coated pitch-black, juxtaposing her pale white skin. The reveal only made her look even more like a doll. After seeing his reaction, she quickly covered it back up with her hair and hid her face in the book again.


    Noticing her quick movements, Grovalt pulled the book down to talk to her face to face. ¡°Sorry, I was surprised is all. I haven¡¯t seen anything like that¡­ and I¡¯ve seen what magic can do.¡°


    ¡°They¡¯re¡­ claw marks. Master¡­ when we first met, he gave me them.¡°


    Grovalt looked at her in disbelief. ¡°Why?¡°


    ¡°It was a long time ago. He thought I was an enemy of his. It might not make sense to you, but after that I was never the same.¡°


    ¡°How can you serve him, then? How can you just accept what he did to you?¡°


    ¡°Master helped me and Maxra countless times. Right after he did this to me, he saved my life. He gave me a greater purpose.¡°


    ¡°A greater purpose¡­?¡°


    ¡°Nothing a mere human would understand.¡° Zenzi smiled briefly, then looked down at the book splayed before her. As she read, she displayed a different kind of beauty than Maxra did. Her¡¯s was a cold and quiet one.


    ¡°Break time¡¯s over.¡° Darriel pointed down the stairs. ¡°I found the right way. Let¡¯s go.¡°


    Ceres, Maxra, Zenzi and Grovalt all joined back up with the group and left the dark library. A cold wind from an open window flipped the pages of the book Zenzi had opened. It was a textbook about the history of the Academy and its creators. A page that fell open had a picture of the Archmage on it. Next to him was a picture of another man. His gruff face featured a medium-length raven black beard that only added to his stoic nature. He wore a black suit complimented with a red tie. A furred mantle lay on his shoulders that sported a long flowing cape.


    ¡°Over here.¡° Darriel led them through a small opening behind the reception desk that led to even more hallways. With his map open and at the ready, he and the others turned down each one until they finally reached the mess hall. Countless tables outstretched across it, fit for more than enough students to eat their fill every day. ¡°The secret entranceway should be right around here.¡°


    Before the group could begin their stroll through the hall, a cloaked humanoid appeared at the far end. As it came into the light, it made its true nature known. It wasn¡¯t human at all. Rather, it was an animated skeleton. Two glowing white lights hovered where its eyes would normally be. ¡°Greetings, Ravens. Mercenaries. I am Imagon, the Eternal. One of the five officials loyal to the Black Sorceress. I believe you have no right to be inside the Academy at this time. It would be best if you turned around and left the way you came.¡°


    Everyone readied their armaments. The foe was an undead wreathed in a nightshade cloak. Though his appearance was sinister, he spoke eloquently and politely.


    ¡°Can¡¯t do that, skelly. We¡¯ve got a girl that needs saving.¡° Lumi rested her mighty hammer on her shoulder. Her body language would normally tell that she was totally relaxed, but it was quite the opposite. She was intently focused on their enemy.


    ¡°Shame. I don¡¯t quite enjoy the act of killing like my colleagues. Though, if it¡¯s for my lady, I will not hesitate.¡° The undead rolled up his sleeves. The lifeless bones that made up his arms were thin and fragile. The nightshade cloak he had donned was complete with a large gem of some kind inlaid in the middle of his chest. It gave off a dark purple glow. ¡°I hope you all can be a worthwhile match for my abilities.¡°


    An aura of danger passed through the group. This undead, if he was who he claimed to be, gave off the same imbalance of power that Eloise did. The sheer thought they¡¯d have to face someone even close to her level terrified them all to some extent. The only one completely unfazed was Darriel, who stepped in front of everyone to take center stage against their shared foe.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this clown.¡° Darriel cracked his knuckles. A faint, amber energy radiated from his fists. His stoic expression was replaced with one a child might make when playing with their favorite toy. ¡°This won¡¯t take long.¡°


    Imagon eyed the man with flaming orbits. ¡°Quite the confident fellow, aren¡¯t you? Know that I have more knowledge on dark magic than any being you could ever meet. I could kill you with a single utterance, fool.¡°


    Darriel gave a deep, gravely chuckle. ¡°And I could kill you in a single punch. Seems fair to me.¡°


    ¡°Let us put it to the test, then. Prepare yourselves.¡° Imagon raised his skeletal hand up to the ceiling, a surge of magical energy gathering in a storm of ultraviolet bolts. Amidst the crackling chaos, a great staff formed in the caster¡¯s hand. Its power resonated throughout the air. Shadowy sparks flew off its end and violet runes materialized in the air around it. A floating orb that lay at the center of its end spun around as Imagon swung it with a few floaty motions. ¡°Face the spirits of old. Hear their screams. Hear their wails. Feel their undying hopelessness. Cower before the remnants of the past.¡°


    A room-wide glowing sigil blinked into existence at their feet. It seemed to almost float up off the ground. The room was coated in a dull, moody light. Something seemed to pull at the floor beneath them, but it seemed to have no effect for a while. However, that would quickly prove to be false. Transparent apparitions rose upwards with daggerlike claws, eager to end the lives of the living beings around them. Imagon had summoned a great number of wraiths to do his bidding. Their features were almost completely gone, replaced with ghostlike bodies and faces that only held wicked crimson slits.


    Darriel pounded his fist into an open palm, giving the rest of the group a feeling of solidarity. ¡°Nothing but specters. Use magic and you¡¯ll cut through ¡®em like paper! I¡¯ll focus on the mage.¡°

 Chapter 15: Musings of Mortality

    Grovalt coated his greatsword in ice as hard as iron. Lumi used the magic stored in her hammer to pummel the wraiths into nothingness. Rook rended them in half with clean, inky strikes. Raum unleashed his enigmatic white birds that laid the spirits to their final rest. Zenzi banished them with naught but her intense psychic power. Maxra cut them down with her jade dagger. Nakir incinerated them with his fire breath. Ceres clawed them apart and slashed at them with her silver dagger in her other hand.


    Imagon caught sight of them smiting his summons. His thoughts were interrupted by Darriel, who had begun rushing him before he could even react.


    ¡°Eyes on me.¡° Amber energy raveled in pitch-black shadow flowed off of his every punch. Though he was missing, Imagon was on the defensive. The undead managed to evade each and every devastating blow, but it was much too close for comfort.


    ¡°Begone.¡° With a swiping motion of his staff, Imagon let loose a forceful spell that blasted Darriel backward. His arms were crossed to block it, but nevertheless he was pushed away. His feet slid across the cold floor, but his stance didn¡¯t falter one bit. If he left himself open for even a second, the caster could very well kill him with a single spell. Normally he would take an enemy¡¯s boasts with a grain of salt, but Imagon didn¡¯t seem like the type to lie about his magical prowess.


    ¡°These apparitions¡­ how can you use these revenants with such abandon? Such disrespect to the dead. This thoughtless use of lives¡­ even the remnants of them. It¡¯s despicable.¡° Nakir¡¯s normally soft face more closely resembled his fierce one he had while in dragon form. There was the outward sadness he felt plastered on it, but Ceres could always sense a hidden sadness deep within it somewhere. It was a feeling that she only had subconsciously, and now it rose to a higher prominence within her psyche.


    Imagon sneered, or at least as much as he could with a featureless face. His voice reflected his disapproval at what Nakir had said moments before. ¡°It isn¡¯t as if they are the actual spirits of old you speak of. Mere fragments of their emotions left behind. But what do you care, dragon? Sacrifices are inevitable to survive. Those Resistance folk. You sacrificed them so you could come here, no? Wasn¡¯t that your grand plan?¡°


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean!?¡° Lumi shouted, all the while smashing a handful of wraiths into the ground. Her hammer radiated magical energy that chimed with every weighted swing.


    Imagon chuckled. ¡°Surely you didn¡¯t expect them to come out unscathed? Especially after they were abandoned by that childish witch.¡°


    Darriel swung at the chattering skull, but missed once again. ¡°Don¡¯t listen. He¡¯s just trying to get to you. Shut up and focus!¡°


    ¡°Oh, but it isn¡¯t a lie. Seems you didn¡¯t know, after all. Eloise ditched your allies at such a crucial moment. So sad. But expected for a merc. I¡¯m sure the Archmage, having known her in the past, saw such a thing as a possibility as well. It¡¯s all just so predictable.¡°


    ¡°You talk too much,¡° Darriel grumbled, a half-smile on his face.


    Sensing something was awry, Imagon quickly analyzed the suited man and his surroundings. Nothing seemed out of place. Had he missed something obvious?


    Darriel raised his right fist into the air, as if to present it to the undead magus. The amber energy that bolted across his muscly form seemed to dissipate, and with it, long crystalline spikes shot out from his arm and knuckles. Soon after, the same spikes seemed to materialize in the air and the ground where Darriel had run and slid.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such magic before, I¡¯ll give you that.¡° Imagon spoke with a perplexed inflection. ¡°Nevertheless, I still fail to see how this proves you are a match for me in combat.¡°


    Without a word, Darriel pounded his once-raised fist into the ground, sending a spine-chilling quake Imagon¡¯s way. The spidering cracks split the floor and the earth below it, creating an arching chasm that was accelerating towards Imagon at a rapid pace.


    With a simple wave of his staff, the skeletal mage floated lightly to the side, avoiding the cascade that dared to harm him. Imagon eyed the attack with disinterest, then heaved a disappointed sigh. ¡°You truly are a fool. Its muscle heads like you that always aim to fight me, yet they all die the same way. Maybe-¡°


    ¡°Shhh¡­¡° Darriel shushed the mage, a finger to his lips. ¡°What did I say? You talk too much.¡°


    Imagon glanced around and quickly noticed his mistake, but it was far too late. He had entered clouds of wispy, amber energy Darriel left behind. He tried to escape it, and got nearly halfway, but the energy immediately transformed into gigantic, black spikes that pierced through his robed body.


    Meanwhile, the others had successfully defeated Imagon¡¯s spirits. Their ghastly forms and crimson eyes shimmered and faded from view, like water droplets evaporating into thin air. Grovalt met Darriel at his side and eyed the same target as his old friend. Imagon was seemingly trapped in Darriel¡¯s twisting thorns, wholly paralyzed.


    ¡°Not bad¡­ not bad at all.¡°


    Darriel cracked his knuckles. The thorns tightened. ¡°Pretty weak for all that boasting earlier. I hope you have some more tricks up your sleeve.¡°


    Imagon cackled, his boney jaw bouncing up and down to reflect such a display. ¡°If I am to perish, you don¡¯t stand a chance against the others. Venza will claim half of you. The other half will be rendered insane by Ilzathk¡¯s eminence. Even if you make it past them¡­ the Archmage can¡¯t be beaten. Not even I can compare. You should have listened to that Enigma I sent to you when you had the chance.¡°


    ¡°Enigma¡­ you mean Blind Faith?¡° Ceres had joined them, along with the rest of the Ravens and the mercenaries. They all stood in front of Imagon¡¯s hunched, thorny form. Nine executioners bore a hole through Imagon¡¯s skull with their glaring eyes.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ yes. If that¡¯s what you call him. A harmless fellow he is, though I took a liking to him. He may be madder than anyone in this damned tower.¡°


    Darriel clenched his fist, and in response the thorns around Imagon¡¯s body tightened even more so. Horrible scratching sounds from the jagged, crystalline spikes and the snapping of bones rang out for all to hear. Ceres winced as it met her ears, though Darriel paid it no mind. ¡°You have two options. Show us the entranceway, or die. Make your choice now.¡°


    ¡°Very well. It¡¯s right over there. Behind the bookshelf. Take a look.¡°


    Darriel looked deep into the mage¡¯s vacant skull. There was no lie or trick he could gleam from a being that didn¡¯t show emotion. Hesitantly, he ordered Lumi to push the bookshelf over.


    ¡°Gotcha!¡° The blonde girl with a mighty hammer ran and danced across the hall, her wavy hair trailing behind her. With a grunt of exertion, Lumi toppled the bookshelf over onto the cobblestone floor. A loud bang was heard, and a cloud of dust rose in response to its quick fall.


    ¡°See anything?¡° Darriel asked.


    ¡°Yep! It¡¯s a door. I¡¯ll just take a peek inside-¡°


    ¡°Stop.¡° Suddenly, a voice and a steady hand held firm the door Lumi had begun to swing wide open. They belonged to Raum, who had otherwise been but a silent observer to the events that transpired.


    ¡°What? What¡¯s up?¡° Lumi inquired their enigmatic ally.


    Raum shut tight the door which had been slightly ajar, and turned to look at Imagon with a contemptible ire none of them had ever seen from him. It was if he were glaring at a lifelong nemesis that had just wronged him for the hundredth time. It was a look of loss and tiredness. ¡°Go on, Imagon. Tell them what laid in wait for dear Lumi. Or shall I?¡°


    Imagon, though expressionless, seemed to have trouble responding. ¡°I¡­ I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. That door leads to the Imperium underground, just as I said.¡°


    ¡°Is that so? I have reason to believe a malicious miasma lies beneath its frame, linked to a crudely drawn magic circle. Though third rate dark magic at best, it would still have been fatal to her. I need not go into detail, but the pain would have been excruciating in a myriad of ways.¡°


    Without a word from Lumi¡¯s mouth, Darriel launched a fist into Imagon¡¯s skull, cracking it on impact. An onyx crystalline spike jutted out of the opening shortly after. ¡°I warned you¡­ now you die.¡°


    Raum waved his staff elegantly, and as if to follow the airy motion, a crow seemingly materialized from out within him and landed on Darriel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Calm yourself. If you do not, Imagon will die by your hand and we shall learn nothing in return. Our knowledge will be for naught, and we will be unprepared for what is to come.¡°


    For reasons unknown to all of them but its master, Darriel seemed to calm down immediately as the crow¡¯s talons touched his suited brawn.


    ¡°And what is to come, Raum? How do you know all this? Come to think of it, you¡¯ve always seemed a bit off. Like you were watching something that bored you¡­ or that you¡¯d seen all this before.¡° Grovalt voiced a suspicion he had felt since he had met the man. Though he tried to smother it, the fact that he was a Sirithisian didn¡¯t push away such suspicions as well. In fact, they only cemented them. Anyone from Sirithis was bound to be caught up in a kaleidoscope of trouble, and the same seemed to be true for Raum. It had been a cause for concern for Grovalt, and only now did it spur forth from his heart formed in speech.


    Raum¡¯s messy, overgrown brownish hair cast a shadow over his eyes. His expression was as unchanging as ever, yet the same amicable nature emanated from him. With only silence, it seemed as if he were saying not to worry and that everything was in control.


    Imagon chuckled dryly. ¡°Hah. I suppose my lady did not foresee this. Or perhaps she did. Seems I never had a chance to begin with.¡°


    Grovalt¡¯s contorted features darted from Raum to the mage and back again. ¡°What¡­? What does he mean by that?¡°


    Raum stared deeply into the musty air dancing in the dim skylights above. The Academy was silent, awaiting an answer from him. They all were. But Raum had grown tired of searching for answers. Searching for the perfect solution. It was a truly tiresome and lonely existence. Somehow, even with the ones he grew to cherish beside him for every attempt, he felt even lonelier than he had when he was alone. To have something in front of one¡¯s eyes but never able to grasp it. For Raum, it was his and his colleague¡¯s futures. The same tired lines over and over. The repetition. It had become standard. Life had become one filled with monotony. Filled with dark clouds and binding chains. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°When we overcome the obstacles before us¡­ will you let me tell you a tale? A tale of a man who sought purpose in a mirage, only for it to drift away into the shimmering desert air. If time finds itself by our side, may I help you understand? That is, the mission that Archizend has given me in truth.¡°


    ¡°I¡­¡° Grovalt stammered. ¡°Can you give us something to go off of at least? Something to help us trust you?¡°


    ¡°For now, I will say that my amnesia was but a ruse to stave off your suspicions. I realize now that my quietness and oddness may have only painted a larger target on my back. For that, I apologize. I hope that suffices.¡°


    Everyone gave each other passing glances. They still didn¡¯t understand Raum¡¯s situation in the slightest, but still they nodded in silent agreement with one another.


    ¡°You¡¯ve always been odd, Raum. But that¡¯s what we like about you.¡° Lumi said smiling. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t really get how, but you saved my life. That has to count for somethin¡¯, right?¡°


    Rook nodded empathetically as Lumi finished voicing her thoughts.


    ¡°Okay. Then, what do we do with this bastard?¡° Grovalt asked, eyeing Imagon and scratching the back of his neck.


    ¡°That¡¯s obvious,¡° Rook spoke up. ¡°We get the real entranceway out of him. No smoke or mirrors this time.¡°


    Imagon shook his head, his distorted, hunched form shaking lightly. ¡°I shall never betray my lady. For fools like yourselves to enter her world so easily would defeat the purpose of it all. You must struggle to reach her. She aims to teach you of the fragility of the world above. The weakness of the walls between both worlds. The reason for her capture of the Aspect.¡°


    Aspect. It was a word Ceres had heard before, many days ago at Imeldra¡¯s mansion. Nia had mentioned it passingly, but it seemed like something deathly important to her goal.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡° Raum interjected. ¡°I already know where the true entranceway is. I simply needed to ask you one thing.¡°


    Imagon looked up inquisitively. His left eye socket was now part of the larger crack in his skull, and half of his featureless face was now overcome by penetrating obelisks.


    ¡°I only ask as to what exactly lies beneath our feet. Why would such a hidden path be constructed in the first place? For what purpose?¡°


    Imagon hesitated. His other eye socket devoid of Darriel¡¯s destructive growths still burned with animosity. Nevertheless, it seemed as though he had come to some kind of conclusion. ¡°I can only tell you of what was there before. Before the construction of Aza, a large underground city-like structure was built underneath it. A timelost group known as the Technicists, obsessed with the joining of magic and technology, rooted themselves there to conduct experiments. Experiments some would see as cruel and sinful¡­¡°


    ¡°And this structure should lead to the Imperium?¡°


    ¡°Part of it, yes. But that tunnel was only made since Aza¡¯s inception.¡°


    ¡°Guide us, at least. Then we shall grant you an end worthy of the Sorceress¡¯s confidant.¡°


    Imagon gazed silently at Raum. Nearly his entire body had been overtaken by Darriel¡¯s dark thorns. He tore out the large violet gem that was inlaid on his cloak of nightshade. It dropped to the floor with a metallic clanking sound, and rolled around in a semicircle before settling to a stop. ¡°Carry this on your person. It will show you the way to my lady. Understand I don¡¯t help you out of charity. I am simply carrying out her wishes whether I like it or not. I hope she can grant you a greater purpose to play in this world, as she did for me¡­¡°


    Raum closed his eyes and nodded. ¡°Though I cannot understand your final reasoning¡­ I too have had a purpose given onto me that was beyond what I thought possible or even worthy of myself. Among the Blissful, I hope you are fulfilled justly.¡° The light vanished from Imagon¡¯s remaining eye, and Raum placed his hand upon his head. After a short while, his abominable, undead body sparkled and faded away into the damp air around them. A flock of white birds flew out from where he once was and flew up and through the dim skylights illuminating them all.


    Raum smiled a pure, genuine smile. For the first time in what felt like decades, something he hadn¡¯t seen before had transpired. A faint hope flickered within himself, though he was quick to hide it before it burned too bright. Oftentimes the same paradigm shift had occurred only for a cruel disappointment to come and shatter his hope for a new future.


    Still, the crow returned to his vision, and Darriel was hoisted back from an unconscious tranquility. ¡°It won¡¯t do much,¡° Darriel began, pocketing the gem. ¡°But if it¡¯ll make up for however I failed Lumi¡­ I¡¯ll take it. That is what you were getting at, I hope? You¡¯ve seen Lumi die, and it was my fault.¡°


    Raum gave him a solemn nod. ¡°I do not wish to see any of you hurt. Not while I am by your side.¡°


    Darriel placed his callused hand on Raum¡¯s shoulder as a thankful gesture. Though it was brief, for a moment Darriel did not resemble a gruff mercenary without emotion. He resembled something akin to a doting father, one that could not bear to see the loss of Lumi nor Rook.


    Grovalt had felt it. Back when they met them all, Darriel seemed to have a certain passion burning in his eyes. It was a light he had never seen in him before. These two managed to awaken something in this beast of a man. They knew a side to him that Grovalt had never seen before in all his years having known him. Around them, though he barely showed it, it was almost as if he was a different person entirely. But he was sure Darriel probably saw him interacting with Ceres and the others in much the same way.


    But the moment faded, and Darriel removed his hand from Raum¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Let us go, then.¡° Raum turned his back and unveiled a hidden corner of the room. The entranceway leading underground wasn¡¯t a falsity after all. It was concaved into the corner of the hall, disguised with bits of furniture and curtains. Although, it was impossible to see anything in such darkness.


    ¡°Ah,¡° Nakir spoke out after entering the layer of shadow. ¡°Pardon me. I often forget Ceres and I are the only ones capable of seeing in such conditions.¡° The dragon breathed an azure flame into his palm, and it floated just above it like candlelight. The group huddled close and finally descended into the hidden entranceway.


    The staircase they found themselves upon was impossibly long as it was dark. Together, they plunged into an abyss the likes of which most of them had never witnessed before. The staircase was a winding spire of black steel. Nakir''s measly flame illuminated but a small portion of it, and to a far away eye it would appear as but a dot of light on an ink-blotted canvas. The light steadily descended.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, the staircase ended at the opening of a long tunnel. The tunnel was lit faintly by glowing torches. It bore a striking resemblance to the dungeon beneath the Church of the Goddess, which they in turn were all reminded of instantly. There were a number of differences, however. This tunnel was much wider and was crafted out of a strong metal rather than stone. The metal reflected no light, its onyx color akin to the void of space. Even with the light around them, Ceres felt like she could get lost in those black walls.


    ¡°Woah¡­ alright. Definitely not what I had in mind.¡° Grovalt looked around in slight awe.


    Lumi rapped on the wall with her small fist. The noise echoed lightly into the long path ahead.


    The group¡¯s amazement quickly vanished from their faces as a gathering of blue twinkles appeared at the other end of the tunnel. It was a party of mages. Five of them strode resolutely toward their foes, their triangular helmets showing not a sliver of emotion. They suddenly came to a stop when they came to about fifteen feet within proximity.


    The head mage, or at least the one that ended up in front of the others, took a single step forward and unsheathed a vibrant blade. ¡°Stand down, vagrants. What have you done to the Eternal? How did you slip past our mentor?¡°


    ¡°The undead once known as Imagon has drifted peacefully to the Blissful Sleep. Know that he was loyal to your Sorceress to the bitter end.¡° Raum answered matter-of-factly.


    The mages were taken aback somewhat. Their heads went slightly backward in dismay, and then darted left and right to glance at their allies. The head mage spoke again. ¡°You lie. The Eternal could never fall to a band of criminals such as you.¡°


    ¡°Ah, but he did though. We¡¯re the Ravens, you see~¡° Maxra replied vivaciously.


    Darriel took out Imagon¡¯s violet gem and held it upwards so that the mages could see it clearly. The torches glimmered in its reflective surface.


    ¡°It¡­ it can¡¯t be! Even if you are the Ravens, the Eternal would not fall to you. You shall pay for your lies and your trespass with your lives!¡°


    The five mages charged forward. The four that had been standing behind the speaker also bared their weapons. They all hoisted maces infused with crackling electricity high above their heads, readying their attacks. Faint chimes resonated from their raised arms.


    Maxra rushed towards the speaker. The mage charged his radiant saber, then let loose a quick slashing motion. Prismatic energy flew off of the blade in a perfect arc and launched towards the anisai woman with an undeterred velocity. With demonic speed, unmatched by the Ravens and mercenaries alike, Maxra jumped and flipped over the arc in a perfect circle and landed on her feet at the same speed she had begun with. She reared her dagger to her chest, then leapt once again at the mage.


    Somehow, though he had panicked in the short time to react, the mage met Maxra¡¯s dagger with his sword. Sizzling sparks ignited and shot from the clashing blades. The mage summoned all the strength he had and pushed the jade dagger away from his throat, but in doing so, his balance and posture were off. He simply wasn¡¯t fast enough.


    Maxra smiled. To allies and enemies, it could be seen as a sinister, sadistic, possibly evil smile. It was enough to strike a bloodcurdling fear into the head mage, and that fear would transfer to his allies soon enough. Quicker than the offset mage could react, Maxra thrust her dagger into his helmet several times. The force alone was enough to topple him, let alone destroy his helmet completely.


    On the ground, he made one last-ditch effort. He raised his empty hand. A black, swirling mass appeared within his palm. Shortly after, a purple miasma erupted from its center, coating Maxra entirely.


    Unfazed, the anisai leapt atop her staggered enemy. With multiple frenzied strikes, like that of a predator claiming its prey, Maxra stabbed the mage¡¯s head with her dagger numerous times. Not even his skull stopped or slowed her attack. One after another, the dagger punctured holes into his brain, slathering his mutilated face in a thick layer of blood.


    Two others charged at Lumi. With a laugh, Lumi swung her colossal hammer into their sides. A snapping of bones was heard, and as the bodies and hammer met the wall, it was painted entirely with their entrails.


    One met Darriel¡¯s fists. One after another, his punches turned the armored mage into a pile of flesh. After a second passed, onyx spikes shot out from him, though it proved useless as his foe was long dead.


    The last mage had entered the fray seconds ago just as valiantly as his comrades, but just like them, had realized the futility of his actions. He fell to his knees and dropped his weapon to the ground. Maxra stood up and grabbed the mage by the throat.


    ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve last eaten~¡°


    Flowing, crimson anima flowed from the mage¡¯s body into Maxra, reducing him to a drained corpse devoid of color. She dropped his lifeless husk to the floor. The only sound it made was the clanking from the immaculate armor that he had donned.


    ¡°Think that¡¯s the last of ¡®em,¡° Lumi said.


    Rook stared down at Maxra¡¯s handiwork with a mixture of apathy and intrigue. ¡°The power of an anisai¡­¡°


    ¡°You get used to it. Kind of.¡° Grovalt sheathed his sword, a bit disappointed none of them had tried to fight him.


    ¡°Who could have sent them, I wonder?¡° Raum wondered aloud.


    ¡°Maybe they heard us¡­?¡° Ceres guessed, her brow inclining in thought.


    As they continued down the hall, they were met with mountains of papers, shoes, and uniforms. They were quickly identified as the same they had seen back in the Academy. Long, cursive letters adorned each document and all were unique in creation.


    ¡°What the hell? What¡¯s all this stuff doing here?¡° Grovalt bent down to examine the belongings. Sure enough, they were the same graded papers that had covered the floor back then.


    Zenzi spoke up in her usual gloomy, uncaring tone. ¡°We¡¯ll never know if we don¡¯t keep moving. We should be coming upon a crossroads of sorts soon. Isn¡¯t that right, Darriel?¡°


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. Straight ahead should be a fork in the road. One leads to the Imperium, while the other¡­¡°


    The crossroads then came into view. The same onyx tunnel led to the right, while another tunnel, made out of an entirely different metal substance, led to the left at a downward incline. The walls were rusty and almost appeared ancient, though they seemed constructed out of materials unknown to them all.


    Darriel continued. ¡°The other leads¡­ somewhere. There¡¯s nothing on the map about it, so it shouldn¡¯t matter. Let¡¯s keep moving.¡°


    As the group followed the onyx path fervently, Lumi couldn¡¯t help but stray behind a bit in curiosity. At Rook¡¯s call, however, she snapped out of it and continued on with the rest.


    The Imperium was finally within their reach.

 Chapter 16: Imperium

    Beyond the onyx tunnel, up another flight of exceedingly long stairs, was the Imperium at last. Darriel unlatched a trap door of sorts at the top and flipped it open. After climbing up and out from the dreary underground, they scrambled to their feet to see that they were in the middle of a strange room filled with beakers, lab equipment, and other miscellaneous scientific tools.


    Grovalt and some others fell to the ground, visibly and audibly exhausted. ¡°Ahh. Whew. So¡­ is this it? I¡¯m getting really tired of climbing.¡°


    ¡°Yes, though there is still the climb upwards. We¡¯re only on the ground floor.¡° Zenzi replied with a small, sadistic upturn at the corner of her mouth.


    Grovalt stared in disappointment. ¡°There isn¡¯t, like, an elevator or anything?¡°


    ¡°No,¡° Darriel said coldly. ¡°I¡¯d imagine the mages teleport about the place, but as I¡¯m sure you know, we can¡¯t teleport anywhere we haven¡¯t seen with our own eyes.¡°


    Grovalt grumbled, stood back up with a groan, then took his first good look at their surroundings. ¡°This doesn¡¯t look like the entrance.¡°


    ¡°It appears to be one of the many connecting rooms. If we find a nearby hall, it should-¡°


    Darriel¡¯s explanation was cut short by a faint, yet desperate shout. ¡°Close the gate! Now!¡°


    ¡°Is that¡­?¡° Grovalt started.


    ¡°The leader of the Tyranny Resistance¡¯s voice. It would seem they managed to find their way inside as well.¡°


    Without hesitation, everyone darted out of the lab and frantically yet determinedly searched for the source of the voice. After a short while, they came into an expansive onyx room lit by the sunlight outside. Or half-lit, as the light quickly drained from the area due to the main gate¡¯s closing. A handful of people in gray coats were desperately wrenching a large lever device around and around, until the chain mechanism within the wall had successfully downed the gate. Its closing shook the ground, and what followed it sounded like a rabid beast of some kind coming from outside. Even muffled, it seemed to cause great distress to fall upon the Resistance members.


    Fatalinya slowly loosened her grip on the gate mechanism, then laid eyes on Grovalt and his allies. She sank to her knees, eyes widened in fright.


    ¡°You guys made it! Where¡¯s¡­¡° Grovalt¡¯s expression grew dim, as though he already knew the answer to his qualms. ¡°Where¡¯s the rest¡­?¡°


    Fatalinya shook her head in response, quivering with fear. Her breathing was ragged and unsteady. ¡°Breven¡­ Breven¡¯s gone. They¡¯re all¡­ gone¡­¡°


    ¡°And Eloise?¡° Zenzi asked in a quiet voice.


    ¡°Gone¡­ she left us. She left us¡­ to die! That bitch¡­! I¡¯ll never forgive her. For as long as I live. Those monsters¡­ those things I can¡¯t describe¡­ we needed her help. And before I could even convince her, she vanished.¡° Fatalinya¡¯s nails dug into her scalp, as if she wished to tear the memories out of her head.


    For all of Imagon¡¯s boastful remarks and trickery, it became apparent that he really did tell them the truth. None of them wanted to believe it, but the aftereffects were here right in front of them, demanding to be understood.


    Fatalinya lowered her hands and peered up in silence. The winding maze-like stairs and passageways that made up the Imperium¡¯s heights were coated in a dull, gray glow, much like the coats the disheveled members wore. Among her were four others who had managed to escape due to Breven¡¯s sacrifice. They were splattered with blood and covered in scorch marks. Several bodies of mages like the ones the Ravens had confronted underground lay dead on the floor around them.


    Darriel came forward and knelt down beside her. ¡°I apologize. We were met with a trial or two on the way here. Perhaps if we had gotten here sooner-¡°


    ¡°Stop,¡° Fatalinya said in a low tone. ¡°No point. I¡¯m sure you tried, and that¡¯s enough for me. Just wasn¡¯t enough for them¡­¡°


    ¡°Hmph.¡° Maxra exhaled as if someone had said something mildly humorous.


    ¡°Something you want to say?¡° Fatalinya glared at the anisai. Any patience she would have normally had had gone and died with her comrades.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand the issue here. Eloise figured the risk wasn¡¯t worth the trouble, so she left. You act as though to be selfish in this world is a crime.¡°


    ¡°It is when it dooms all of my men to die.¡°


    ¡°So when someone else¡¯s selfishness hurts you, then it¡¯s bad? You really aren¡¯t any better than the Imperium.¡°


    ¡°What was I supposed to do, then? There was no other choice. We¡¯re only here because Breven gave his life for us.¡°


    ¡°Maybe. I just find it annoying that you can preach about how the Sorceress is nothing but evil and corrupt because of her selfishness, yet you throw dozens of your men to their deaths to protect yourself, then blame another for it.¡°


    ¡°There was nothing we could do!¡°


    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you have given your life, then? Why did that man have to die for you?¡°


    Fatalinya bit her lip until it bled. She shambled up to a standing position, using her rapier as a cane. She was silent, though in her mind she tried desperately to find a way to dispute Maxra¡¯s criticism.


    ¡°Humans really are all the same. You use excuse after excuse to cover up your true feelings when it benefits you the most.¡°


    ¡°...I only want to help people. I want to free them with what little power I have. Is that so wrong? Isn¡¯t that why Breven saved us¡­?¡°


    The other Resistance members stood with sullen faces. One of them, a woman with shoulder-length black hair, walked forward and placed her hand on her captain¡¯s back. ¡°We¡¯ll never desert you. We believe in the cause. To the beginning or the end.¡°


    The others nodded in unison, and Maxra shook her head lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t let me stop you~ I¡¯m just tired of hearing desires being masked as the greater good when it only benefits one side.¡°


    Grovalt broke the tension. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Breven all that well, but I do know that he would never give his life for something he didn¡¯t believe in. He was a crook, but he had a good heart.¡°


    A faint smile graced Fatalinya¡¯s exhausted face. She thanked Grovalt in a quiet voice, then turned to the small gloomy girl that approached her. It was Zenzi.


    ¡°Despite the losses, this is the first time the Resistance has reached the Imperium, no?¡°


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡°


    ¡°Then take pride in it. Even with Eloise¡¯s help, a mere rabble of humans managed to penetrate the Sorceress¡¯s defenses.¡°


    Fatalinya nodded slowly, and as she did, the black-haired member spoke up from behind her. ¡°What is to be expected from here? What should we be prepared for?¡°


    ¡°Stairs,¡° Darriel said. ¡°And lots of them.¡°


    Grovalt¡¯s face fell in despair as he peered upwards at the labyrinthine mess.


    ¡°We should also be prepared for the rest of the officials. Surely, Imagon was sent to die. Perhaps to waste our time. But as we discussed yesterday, the rest are very likely to kill you. There could also be a variety of traps laid for us in advance.¡°


    ¡°But, how do we know where we¡¯re going? That map doesn¡¯t show the upper floors, right?¡°


    Darriel revealed Imagon¡¯s gem, pilfered from his corpse. ¡°If we can trust his final words, this should be our guide to the top where the Sorceress is. Otherwise, we may have to find an unwilling mage to serve the role.¡°


    Fatalinya was the first to begin the arduous climb, with her subordinates following suit. The losses outside weighed heavily on her heart, yet her legs kept moving. She felt that it was her duty to see the mission through, no matter the losses. She convinced herself that''s what they would have wanted. It must have been what Breven wanted, too.


    Like a winding clock or a revolving moon, the group allied in blood and desire made their way up the draconic tower. One would normally not deem climbing a tower treacherous, but as it was built with those advanced in the ways of magic in mind, there were no railings. There were no guard rails. Safety was not a concern in the Imperium. In every inch of its creation, the final result was its focus. The combined efforts that went into its construction clearly had their sights turned to the stars, rather than the earth below their feet. As much as it was a structure of death and oppression to the Tyranny Resistance, it had once been a symbol of Aza¡¯s magical strength and intelligence. A spire built on a promise that one day, somehow, mankind would climb to the heavens and rival the Goddess. That there would be a time in which magic could elevate all to a higher purpose and give them the power to claim what they desired most of all.


    As she climbed and followed the others through winding halls, Nakir at her side, Ceres wondered if she was any different from Fatalinya. She wondered why Maxra hadn¡¯t scolded her in the past at some point. It was true that Ceres didn¡¯t hide behind excuses. She was clear to them all that her only desire was to save her sister. From her perspective it would seem like a selfless act. Perhaps even from the others¡¯ perspective. But she began to understand Nakir¡¯s actions back then. She always wondered why, out of the countless humans he must have seen, had he saved her. He had told her the truth back at the church.


    Nia had saved Nakir¡¯s life, just as Nakir had saved her¡¯s. How could someone so selfish save another¡¯s life? Perhaps saving Asteria wasn¡¯t so selfless, she thought. Maybe Asteria would see it as stupid and idiotic. She wanted to save her sister, but the sacrifices she had made along the way were nothing but harmful. The mental and physical trauma endured along the path to the Imperium still scarred her mind. She had changed since the village. Since playing with her sister at the coast.


    The Ceres that threw the dragon scale into the ocean to keep her village¡¯s peace of mind seemed like a different being entirely now. A calm, hardworking village girl had become a monster hellbent on saving her sister from the head of an enigmatic regime. Except, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to totally hate Nia. If she really had saved her friend¡¯s life in the past, then there was still some hope in bringing that part of her out into the light.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°People may change, but the core that makes them who they are stays the same.¡° Her father¡¯s words from long ago bubbled up from the back of her mind. She peered down at his dagger thoughtfully, brushing her fingers across its odd etchings.


    Snapping out of her sinking thoughts, the sound of rushing wind and a piercing noise caught Ceres¡¯s ears. A fast-moving, sharp projectile was headed straight towards Fatalinya¡¯s head. There was no time to react. Ceres closed her eyes, and the shriek of clashing metal reverberated throughout the winding, open space they were in now.


    Maxra stood in front of Fatalinya, bearing her immaculate dagger tightly in her hand. An object was sent spiraling into the air, then landed blade-end on the ground, slightly denting the onyx plating. Maxra had saved Fatalinya from an attack that would have likely been fatal.


    ¡°Nice try,¡° Maxra cried out into the darkness. There was no one in sight. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t think you can kill any of us with a dagger throw that slow.¡°


    Slow? How was that slow? Ceres tensed up, searching every inch of the space with her nocturnal eye. Still, she couldn¡¯t sense anything lurking in the shadows.


    A charming, feminine laugh emanated from somewhere, but it was impossible to discern the exact direction. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Maxra. Seems you¡¯ve managed to make friends with the humans you despise so much.¡°


    Maxra¡¯s needlepoint concentration didn¡¯t waver. ¡°They¡¯re as much friends to me as the officials are to you. Just means to an end, right?¡°


    The voice laughed again. Though it would¡¯ve normally come across as a beautiful, kind laugh, it was nothing but grating in a life-or-death situation. ¡°For those who don¡¯t know me, I am Venza, the Unseen. Now, Max, why don¡¯t you let me take that foolish girl¡¯s head and be on my way? You know I¡¯ll make it quick.¡°


    ¡°Master wouldn¡¯t like that. I thought I warned you. If you cross his path, he won¡¯t hesitate to kill you. Neither will I.¡°


    Zenzi opened her mouth to support Maxra¡¯s defiance, but no sound came out. A deep, ear-splitting reverberation had entered her mind and scrambled her thoughts. Chaotic waves assaulted her, psionically thrashing her head until she lost her balance. She fell onto one knee, barely managing to keep conscious.


    Grovalt was the first to notice. ¡°W-what¡¯s wrong? Zenzi?¡° He lightly shook her shoulder to no avail. He glanced around the room in search of the girl¡¯s mental disturbance.


    Out from the darkness came a being that was utterly incomprehensible at first. It was a man, but he was terribly disheveled and seemed as though he were dying of hunger or thirst. The far more unbelievable part, however, was that his head was gone. Replacing it were spindly tendrils that slowly ebbed back and forth. Hovering in the middle of them, perfectly symmetrical to the rest of the being¡¯s body, was a large teal jewel of unknown rarity. It twinkled in the dull glow that illuminated the Imperium¡¯s interior.


    ¡°Intruders are to be culled¡­¡° The enigma¡¯s voice sounded in their minds directly, unheard to the outside world.


    Ignoring the pain flaying her psyche, Zenzi pushed back with the bulk of her psychic ability. An invisible force pushed and pulled between them. To the naked eye, it would appear as some kind of unstable anomaly threatening to expand and decimate anything that stood in its wake.


    Not sparing a single second, Grovalt held his palm up and aimed it directly at Ilzathk''s center of mass. A magical chime hit his ears, and an icy conjuration began to stir around his fingers. Without much effort, a frozen bolt left his palm at a blistering speed and was sent careening towards its target.


    As fast as it had been cast, a feathery shadow stood in front of it, and a burst of shattering ice chips followed shortly after. As the smoky aftermath cleared, a woman wreathed in black cloth and wearing a metal visor appeared in its midst. She stood at her side, a throwing knife teetering haphazardly at the end of her pointer finger.


    Though it seemed his attack was futile, it was clear by Zenzi¡¯s improved disposition that Grovalt had destroyed the enigmatic being¡¯s focus.


    ¡°Archizend¡¯s just using you, girls. I know it first hand. As soon as he has no more use for you, he¡¯ll throw you away like a dirty rag.¡° Venza playfully tossed the knife up a few meters, then caught it with her index and thumb without looking.


    Maxra sighed. ¡°Like the Sorceress is any different.¡°


    None could tell, but Venza flashed a satisfied smile underneath her cold visor. ¡°Right. Guess that¡¯s our curse. Anisai may be killing machines, but we can¡¯t do anything by ourselves, huh?¡° She laughed bitterly.


    ¡°I¡¯d say there was still time for you to change sides, but frankly, I can¡¯t stand you.¡°


    ¡°Rude,¡° Venza replied sarcastically, readying herself for the eventual breaking of the momentary peace between the two. ¡°It¡¯s quite funny, though.¡°


    ¡°What?¡°


    ¡°How much you think you have the upper hand.¡°


    In the polygonal hell of the Imperium, none could have identified the faint seams in the wall next to them. With a low, grinding sound, the structure raised to reveal another large connecting room beside them. Filling it were dozens of ritual mages, and the spells they had prepared were already finished and ready to be unleashed. The light at the end of the mages¡¯ hands shimmered, declaring the final second before their spells would pummel their unprotected foes.


    Darriel hammered both fists into the floor, sending webbed cracks across the room at a rate the mages could not perceive in time. They didn¡¯t reach the mages, however, but stopped halfway. Right as the energy left the mages¡¯ palms, towering spikes erupted from the ground and acted as a barrier for the Ravens. All at once, the chaotic spells unleashed sent a torrent of destructive power into the crystalline barrier to very little effect. Though the barrier had begun to crack and shatter, the mages had long wasted their conjured artillery. Drained, half of them fell to their knees, exhausted from the intense use of magical energy.


    ¡°Heya,¡° a voice whispered from behind Maxra¡¯s left ear. She spun around, jade dagger bared, and met Venza¡¯s cold gaze. Their weapons clashed with enough power to send a wave of wind across the room.


    The shrieking cacophony of metal on metal lit the air ablaze. The two anisai women dodged and countered one another. With speed impossible for human beings, Grovalt witnessed as they clashed again and again from one corner to the next.


    ¡°Zenzi, we have to help-¡°


    ¡°Little busy!¡° Zenzi was again locked into a psionic duel against the Monarch, who had, just like Venza, used the Ravens¡¯ confusion for an edge in the ensuing battle.


    Darriel observed the gradual destruction of his barrier for a moment, then turned to Lumi and Rook and waved them over with a large gesture. ¡°You two! With me! Grovalt! We¡¯ll take care of these damn mages. Focus on the mission!¡°


    Departing from their allies, the gruff man and young mercenaries dashed into the newly revealed room and began dispatching their enemies with haste. Some were crushed under the immense weight of Lumi¡¯s hammer, others were cut into numerous pieces by Rook¡¯s precise swordsmanship, and the rest came face to face with Darriel¡¯s thorny fists. They scattered like ants, each of them falling prey to their overwhelming prowess. Still, there were too many of them. A call had to be made.


    Grovalt wiped his pale hand across his blade. A cool wind graced its edge, granting it the same power he had used before. A razor-sharp coat of rime formed across it, further honing its already capable sharpness. His eyes grew narrow as he neared his target: the source of Zenzi¡¯s toil. Ilzathk the Monarch, his tendrils moving as calm as ever, stood unflinching at Grovalt¡¯s approach.


    ¡°Northern warrior¡­ so far from home¡­ leave this place¡­ return to where you belong¡­¡°


    ¡°Get out of my head! And her¡¯s!¡°


    Grovalt swung horizontally, aiming for Ilzathk¡¯s floating crystal, but the being ducked underneath his blade in the nick of time. Upon closer inspection, his form had altered in a brief moment. While his upper body was still humanoid to some extent, his legs had tripled in number. He was more akin to some kind of mutated spider than anything else. With the extra legs, his calm movements suddenly became erratic. He crawled left and right, avoiding Grovalt¡¯s continuous strikes.


    ¡°You and her¡­ quite similar¡­ I have peered within your minds¡­ both creatures harbor such immense guilt¡­ yet your lives have taught you to hide it¡­ beneath a clever veneer¡­¡°


    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about me.¡°


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ though I know of her¡­¡°


    ¡°What about Zenzi?¡°


    Ilzathk¡¯s arms began to twist and mold. The bones, or what had seemed like bones, seemed to melt within. His form distorted once again. His arms were now tendrils as well, identical to the ones where his head should have been. He dodged another one of Grovalt¡¯s lofty swings and lashed at his back. Blood pooled against his undershirt.


    ¡°Not this female¡­ I know of what you have hidden¡­ the woman you led to execution¡­¡°


    ¡°Shut the hell up!!¡° Grovalt spun around and threw all of his weight into a diagonal strike. The frosted blade met Ilzathk¡¯s tendril arm with incredible speed, and promptly severed it. The tendril fell to the floor, still wriggling as if trying to return to its owner.


    ¡°Her name¡­ Inara¡­¡°


    The enigmatic being¡¯s tendrils twitched and writhed. Its jewel started to change color, fading into a darker hue. A blood red rather than its previous teal blue lit its core in a crystalline haze. Its body shook and launched backward, though it kept its stance using its arachnid legs. An invisible force was fighting it, and it was winning. Zenzi, recovering from her mental anguish, stood firmly. Her dark visage may have hid her scar, but the wry smile that appeared on her face was clearly visible.


    ¡°Thanks, Grovalt. That helped.¡°


    But he didn¡¯t hear her. The name uttered by Ilzathk repeated again and again in his head. It pierced the folds of his brain, as if it were a railroad spike being hammered into his skull. Inara. It had been so long since he¡¯d heard it from anyone but himself. It may have been since that fateful day. The day his soul plunged into a lake of ennui.


    Ilzathk showed no sign of pain after Grovalt¡¯s dismemberment. His gem burned a brilliant crimson. ¡°Yes¡­ that fateful day¡­ return to it¡­¡°


    Before he could realize it, a muffled silence overtook him. A cold air settled against the pale man¡¯s skin. It wasn¡¯t the suffocating chill of the Imperium. It was a wintery air, filled to the brim with dancing snowflakes. They melted upon settling on his tongue. It was a childish thing to do, but being in the land of his childhood memories, he felt it was the only thing he could do.


    ¡°Grovalt, * **** ** **** *** *********.¡° A young woman appeared amidst the frosty landscape. Her hair was a silvery blue, and her eyes held an azure coldness that seemed to stop time whenever he looked into them.


    ¡°What is it?¡°


    ¡°* **** ***.¡°


    Grovalt hesitated, slightly stunned from what the woman had said. He composed himself, then replied. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t. I haven¡¯t earned it. Besides, don¡¯t you remember why I came here in the first place? Why I met you?¡°


    The young girl nodded, her hair dangling weightlessly in the freezing breeze. A sadness fell upon her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy. Really. I just feel¡­¡°


    Feel?


    What was he feeling exactly? How could he? Really, how could he feel the cold air against his skin? The snowflakes caking his hair? He couldn¡¯t feel anything since¡­


    ¡°...Grovalt¡­! Grovalt! Snap out of it!¡°


    The woman before him did not speak. In fact, she was becoming blurry. The snow storm had begun to pick up, and soon the world was coated in a blinding white paint. All was made pale, and his vision went black.


    In the chaos and confusion, Ceres found it hard to decide where to go and who to help in the moment. Darriel, Lumi, and Rook were off fighting the mages who had appeared in the hidden room. Maxra was valiantly clashing against the fiendish rogue Venza, their graceful combat mirroring the art of dance. Grovalt and Zenzi were fighting off Ilzathk, though that wasn¡¯t quite right.


    Zenzi was fighting him alone, and Grovalt had become something like a statue. He was unmoving. Not as much as a twitch ran through his arms, his legs, nor his fingers. His greatsword, still tight in his iron grip, laid pointed down at his side.


    Ceres started to dash towards her friend, but a hand suddenly clasped around her forearm and locked her in place. It was Raum. His untidy hair, dark brown like burnt firewood, could not fully hide his concern. ¡°What is it?¡° Ceres asked.


    ¡°We ought not interfere. Zenzi can handle it on her own. If we don¡¯t go now, the Sorceress could escape with your sister in tow.¡°


    ¡°But¡­¡° Her words trailed off as she scanned Raum¡¯s face. The way he was talking was as if he already knew the outcome would be sealed by fate. ¡°Is it the same? Like with Lumi? Do you know something we don¡¯t?¡°


    Raum opened his mouth to speak, but Nakir placed a hand on his shoulder before he could elaborate further. The dragon patted him lightly twice. The gesture was soft and wreathed in understanding. He turned to Fatalinya and her followers, who were fighting off the occasional mage that escaped from the mercenaries¡¯ clutches. ¡°You all, come with us. Darriel!¡°


    Before Nakir shouted another word, Darriel reared back and threw a small object at Nakir and the others in a perfect arc. It was something shiny, but Ceres couldn¡¯t tell what it was as it soared in a blurry mess in the air. It made a small clinking sound as it gracefully landed in Nakir¡¯s open palms. Turning around, he revealed it to be a twinkling gem, the very same they had pilfered from Imagon¡¯s remains before.


    ¡°Let us go. Quickly. We must not waste the time they have given us.¡°


    The girl, the dragon, the strange man and the remnants of the Resistance departed from the clashing swords and magical engagements. There was an effort made by Venza to stop the group, but Maxra had her locked into a frenzied battle. With worry for her allies and her sister alike growing at her core, Ceres followed closely behind Nakir as they ascended the last remaining floors.

 Chapter 17: The Red Dragon

    A lone woman stood at the heights of imperium. Statuesque, she observed the static city below with scorn. Her flowing hair, though tied, still came down to her waist. Its color would match a rose under a moonlit night. Her eyes burned with a wrathful ferocity, though her features only revealed slight contempt for her surroundings. From her temples, two black horns jutted outwards and came to a fine point just beyond her periphery. In her hand, lightly grasped, was an obscene blade. It resembled a katana, but the similarities ended at a quick glance. It was nearly twice the size of a normal blade, longer than a greatsword, thinner than one, and slightly curved towards its end. Its edge radiated a crimson essence that promised its enemies a swift deliverance.


    She cast her gaze downward to observe the myriad of scars littering her body. Across her torso was a light armor of sorts made of black steel. It covered her chest and wrapped tightly around her waist. Covering her legs was a feathery skirt that cut off at her calves. Though it would appear unsuitable for battle, there was no fight she would face wherein a long skirt would matter in the slightest. She hadn¡¯t been truly tested by anyone in a great deal of time, and even if she was, she would gladly accept her death if it was fated so.


    The sound of footsteps interrupted her pensive thoughts. Even as they grew louder and louder, she refused to turn around to gaze at the bustling crowd. There was no one who could draw her attention, after all. No one left to challenge her atop the tower¡¯s peak. Not seriously, anyway.


    ¡°Sister¡­?¡°


    A deep voice came from one of the intruders. Though she still paid it no mind, it did sound familiar somehow. Something deep in her subconscious called out to her, but in the short moment that passed, she couldn¡¯t make out its origin.


    ¡°So you are still here, aiding the Black Sorceress. Archizend confirmed as much, though as cryptically as ever. Really now, I shouldn¡¯t be so surprised. I suppose I had hoped it to be a lie, but¡­ the truth is here before me.¡°


    A witty smile crept across the woman¡¯s face, though she still didn¡¯t turn to the one speaking to her. ¡°I almost didn¡¯t recognize you. Your voice, I mean. It¡¯s been oh so long, hasn¡¯t it?¡°


    ¡°Nakir, is that your-¡° A light, feminine voice came from behind her this time.


    ¡°Yes, little one. That is my eldest sister, Arkiel.¡°


    ¡°But then¡­ where¡¯s the Sorceress? Why did the gem lead us here?¡°


    Arkiel chuckled gruffly. Both her facial appearance and voice were beautifully androgynous. If it weren¡¯t for her feminine body, it would be nigh impossible to tell whether she was male or female. After a while, the horned woman finally turned to face the intruders with naught one iota of fear nor surprise gracing her expression. ¡°That¡¯s Imagon, then? His little backup plan seemed to go the way he expected, it seems.¡°


    ¡°What do you mean?¡°


    ¡°I mean what I say. He tricked you. Here, hand it over. That thing. His soul.¡°


    Nakir stepped forward without anxiety, extending the gem towards Arkiel.


    ¡°Wait!¡° Ceres warned, but Nakir looked at her with a gentle smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my dear. It¡¯s okay.¡°


    Accepting the violet gem, Arkiel then closed her eyes and began murmuring a strange hymn. Not even Nakir could make out what she was saying, but nonetheless it was obvious she was casting some kind of spell. Bands of archaic symbols burned into the arm she held the gem with. After a faint chime whistled away amongst the harsh winds around her, the gem began to glow brighter and brighter.


    ¡°This is no guiding stone. It is a phylactery, binding a piece of Imagon¡¯s soul to this world. Part of him may have passed, but this version of him remains here with us. It just needs to be released.¡°


    A blinding light erupted from the gem as cracks formed on its exterior. Slowly, it began to break and tear apart like a newly born hatchling bursting forth from an egg. Once the light passed and sight returned to all those present, the same skeletal mage they had fought not an hour ago appeared before them, not a scratch on him.


    ¡°Welcome back, Imagon.¡°


    ¡°Lady Arkiel! You have brought me back from the dead! Tremendous! Thank you, my lady. Thank you!¡° Imagon fell to his knees, almost as if praying to some deity.


    ¡°Not quite.¡°


    Even with Imagon¡¯s limited facial expression, it was clear that he was confused. He peered upwards in befuddlement. ¡°I¡¯m sorry my lady, but I don¡¯t understand. What do you mean by ¡®not quite¡¯?¡°


    ¡°You¡¯re just a copy of the real thing. A piece of him he left behind. It isn¡¯t as if I truly resurrected you. No being can do such a thing without paying a hefty price.¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s all the same to me, my lady. I am simply happy to serve you with the best of my-¡°


    Imagon¡¯s head fell from his body abruptly, following a red flash. As his skull shattered into a dozen pieces on the floor, his body was bisected perfectly down the middle, each half falling limply to the side. Imagon the Eternal had died for the second time. Technically, the third time.


    Arkiel stared apathetically at her blade, then swung it to the side as if flinging blood off its edge. As Imagon was undead, however, no blood left its mark nor left her blade. ¡°Perhaps you should have won the first time, my servant. Those too weak in this world are not granted second chances. They will always be lambs to the slaughter. Food for those stronger than them. If only you had learned from my example.¡°


    A silence permeated the tower¡¯s top. The cold wind began to carry Imagon¡¯s bone fragments across the floor and eventually off of its sheer edge. They tumbled all the way down to the plaza below, where the innumerable bodies of mages still lay from the early morning. Eloise¡¯s massacre seemed so long ago now to them all. All but Fatalinya and her valiant subordinates, who were too shocked from the events that had transpired to make even the slightest gasp out of shock or awe.


    ¡°Sister,¡° Nakir spoke firmly. ¡°Tell us where the Sorceress is, and we shall leave. We do not wish to fight you. I do not wish to fight you. Not again.¡°


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s no fun. While you¡¯re here, we might as well spar just like old times. Or are you afraid your little pet is going to get hurt?¡°


    Nakir didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he moved his arms outward in order to bar Arkiel from Ceres, who was standing a couple feet behind him.


    ¡°Nia was distraught when she came back with the blue one. Well, distraught in her own way. She told me that you¡¯d situated yourself as some divine protector of a human girl. And now that I¡¯m seeing it, crystal clear, it really is concerning.¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s just the same as you and her. The same as when I saved Nia¡¯s life. But she was a different person then. She wasn¡¯t so consumed by grief at the time. At least, it didn¡¯t appear that way.¡°


    Arkiel scoffed and pointed her blade at Nakir and the others. Such a large blade was seemingly weightless to her. She held it aloft with but one hand, and even then it did not falter an inch under the gravity pulling it downward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb, brother. I see the link. It¡¯s suicide. For a pathetic human with no power on her own as well. I shouldn¡¯t care, but it pisses me off to no end nonetheless. Their kind must know their place. Mortals are not granted second chances. The sins of mankind are far too great.¡°


    Nakir chuckled lightly to himself. His human form began to shift to one resembling Arkiel¡¯s, half human and half dragon. ¡°Dragons. Anisai. They¡¯ll all die out, just as the kel-anisai did. Humans are so much more malleable. They are more than the weight of their worth. Each one has the promise of changing this world for the better. We¡¯re a dying breed, sister. No matter how many times we come back, we will never evolve.¡°


    Arkiel smiled madly, and her eyes widened to an unnatural degree. ¡°You really have gone insane. The Goddess created humans to serve us. Why else would they be inferior in every way?¡°


    ¡°There is more to life than killing and eating! Don¡¯t you understand? I¡¯m not here to kill you, sister. I had hoped to save you. And save Nia. Save you from yourselves. Why can¡¯t you see that¡­?¡° Nakir¡¯s voice broke. For the first time, Ceres watched as Nakir succumbed to his emotions. It wasn¡¯t an intellectual debate anymore. Nakir was pleading to his sister with everything he had.


    Arkiel¡¯s smile faded, and she stared into Nakir¡¯s face coldly. Not an ounce of emotion graced her now. The roaring winds picked up, blowing her hair westward. ¡°Let us settle this how our race has settled disputes since time immemorial. Surely you won¡¯t dishonor yourself even further by denying me a duel?¡°


    ¡°Must everything end in violence with you? Do you hate me that much?¡°


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t hate you.¡° Arkiel gripped her blade firmly. ¡°I hate how you left us. You forced my hand, and I killed you. I left you in those forsaken Greatwoods expecting you to finally die as you wished¡­ by Archizend or any matter of strangeness there. But here you are, repeating the same tired phrases. Doing the same things. I¡¯m surprised Nia didn¡¯t weep at the sight of it¡­ but on the other hand, she isn¡¯t capable of that anymore. I hate this dying world, brother. I hate the humans that claim its lands. I hate the things they do. I hate the choices they make. They are so very weak, and so they must prey upon everything weaker than them to feel strong. It¡¯s disgraceful. Revolting. And now you appear before me as if nothing happened, with this girl no less.¡°


    Nakir took a step forward. His protective stance relaxed. ¡°I know. I realize I can¡¯t erase the things I¡¯ve done. One little girl saved doesn¡¯t make up for the pain I caused her village. Not one bit. But it¡¯s not about that. I want to make things right. With you, with Nia, with everyone. Otherwise, I¡¯ll never be able to sleep soundly.¡°


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡° Ceres asked in a sharp tone. ¡°What was that supposed to mean?¡°


    Arkiel scoffed and shook her head in dismay. ¡°You couldn¡¯t even tell her?¡°


    ¡°Tell me what?¡° Ceres shook Nakir¡¯s arm. He turned his back and knelt down in front of her.


    ¡°Do you remember when I told you I saved Nia¡¯s life? Well, there was more to it than that. I knew her father long before then. I too was very different than I am now. I did horrible things for that man. As I said, things I can never make up for. For many years¡­ I terrorized your village. I kidnapped people from it and brought them to the Imperium. He never told me what it was for, but I-¡°This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Ceres¡¯s contained emotions burst forth in fury. Her words pierced Nakir¡¯s bare heart. ¡°You lied. You lied to me! Back when we met, I asked you! AND YOU LIED TO MY FACE!¡°


    Nakir raised his hands, almost as if to deflect the painful words. ¡°Please, Ceres. I never lied, but I never told you the truth, either. I had nothing to do with Asteria¡­ but I was the bane of your village.¡° Nakir clasped Ceres¡¯s scaled arm. Though it was cold and felt like a knight¡¯s heavy armor, he hoped his warmth would reach her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please. Forgive me. I know it¡¯s selfish. I know it will be hard. But please, understand that I, the me I am now, would never hurt you or your family.¡°


    Ceres slumped to her knees. Her eyes were downcast, but she seemed to be somewhere else. It was as if she were staring down into an impossibly dark and unending empty well. ¡°My grandparents¡­ my friends¡­ the attack when I was young. I lost them all. You killed them all. You expect me to forgive you? Like that? You really are crazy¡­¡° Ceres sunk back into herself. She stared deeply into the silver dagger in her hand.


    Arkiel spoke, her words digging at Nakir¡¯s mind like some parasite. ¡°Do you see now? The anger. The resentment. This world is full of it. Nia simply wants to bring Lily back. Lily will purify this planet. If it¡¯s rotten to the core, then all we need is to gut it and replace it with something new. We must face the impossible and reach out for a better future.¡°


    Nakir pondered. It was all he could do in the moment. Everything seemed to be falling apart. Was he so evil? Deep down inside, mirrors of himself from ages past had slowly revealed to him sealed memories. Dark memories. Were they really him, though? If a being is perfectly remade in the image and psychology of the original, is it still the same being? After all this time, all the strife, was he really just acting out of his need to be forgiven?


    ¡°Last chance, brother. Fight me honorably, and I shall cut you down with this mortal blade. Your life will finally end. For real this time.¡°


    No. He was different now. He didn¡¯t save Ceres out of regret. He didn¡¯t even have the memories to feel regret at the time. Why did he save her, then? Was there any real reason? When he saw that little girl being mauled by vicious shadows, there wasn¡¯t a thought that raced through his mind. He acted on impulse. There was no ulterior motive. No regret. No anger. No resentment. It wasn¡¯t even because it was the right thing to do. He had no reason. No reason at all.


    ¡°I have no reason. People do things for no reason all the time. Whether they are good or bad makes no difference. ¡®Good¡¯ and ¡®bad¡¯ are subjective. People are not divided into two. Black and white. But they aren¡¯t gray, either. They¡¯re filled to the brim with wonderful colors. Some may not even exist, but in the mind they do. I had no reason to kill. I had no reason to save your life, Ceres. But I do know that what I do now isn¡¯t for no reason, and it isn¡¯t out of hate. My love for you is beyond all that. You are much too precious to let go, and if Asteria is that precious to you as well, then I will gladly die to protect you both. Forgive me or not, I do not care. Just know that you will always be my little one. No matter what.¡°


    Arkiel smirked. ¡°Touching, really. But that was your last chance. Your fleeting moment is over. Prepare to die.¡°


    A red flash. Air cut in twine. A movement so precise and quick that the human eye could not even perceive it in time. Not even Raum could have foreseen its beginning nor its end. All the same, the blade mercilessly came down. Without much effort, Arkiel had sent a crimson wave down onto Nakir¡¯s head. Though it wouldn¡¯t reach him. The blade had been deflected by a violet rapier; a strike of lightning in a summer cloud. The violet diverted the red haze, and Nakir¡¯s life was saved in a mere moment.


    Arkiel examined Nakir¡¯s savior. Fatalinya stood in front of everyone, her rapier outstretched and bent at an awkward angle. She was exhausted. With all of her power, she had dashed forward faster than she ever had before. It just so happened that it was enough to clash with the dragon¡¯s mortal strike.


    ¡°Cute.¡°


    Before Arkiel could raise her blade once more, the remaining members of the Resistance rushed to her aid. The bastion of flesh managed to protect their leader, but following a red horizontal slash, they were all cut in half within a second. A bloody mess painted Imagon¡¯s disintegrating remains. The Resistance was no more. Or more precisely, Fatalinya was all that was left of them. She stared in disbelief at the Red Dragon, as if she were some nightmarish creature unfathomable to her. Perhaps she was.


    ¡°Are you finished, human? Does my brother really mean that much to you?¡°


    The leader of the Tyranny Resistance shut her eyes and raised her head. She trembled with fear, though it didn¡¯t halt her speech. ¡°...You¡¯re right. This world is too cruel. It¡¯s as if some horrible god is watching over us. It¡¯s not fair¡­¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you agree. Now-¡°


    Fatalinya opened her eyes and stomped her foot into the ground. A thin layer of blood coated its bottom. ¡°I¡¯m not done, bitch! It is unfair at times, but that gives you no right to take the lives of others. This anger you talk about. Selfishness. It only exists because we perpetuate it. We have a choice. We always do. I¡¯m a hypocrite, I know. But at least I can say that you and me¡­ we¡¯re in the wrong. We are the rot in the middle of the world. The stain on the good natured¡­¡° She nervously turned her eyes downward to look upon her deceased comrades. Upon the sight of their lifeless faces, an urge to vomit rose up in her throat. Though, quickly, it was subdued by a much more painful feeling. Her sword-arm, the one holding her tarnished rapier, was completely broken. As she realized it, the weapon dropped from her limp, disfigured hand and fell softly onto one of the bloodied bodies.


    Nakir stood in between the two women, with Raum at his side.


    Arkiel rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine then. Suppose you¡¯re right. But what is there to do? We must kill to survive. We must perpetuate it to stay afloat. There is no other recourse. You¡¯ve faced it yourself. Nia forced you to violence, as did the world to her. The cycle doesn¡¯t end until we give up or break it. I, for one, will not simply disappear without a trace. I cannot die before I complete this one task she has entrusted to me. If you plot to stand against her, I cannot just sit idly by and watch.¡°


    Screaming sparks flew across the Imperium¡¯s peak. The Red Dragon and the Black Dragon met each other¡¯s attacks with all the ferocity of their dragon lineage, but behind it were their hearts laid bare; made physical for the whirling world around them to see. Arkiel had made the first move, with Nakir halting her advance with one mighty claw. The mortal blade his sister wielded was no jest made to trick and deceive him. With every strike, he could feel the weight of his soul being tested. If the blade made contact and seriously damaged a vital part of him, it could instantly kill him. Forever. At least, that¡¯s what he could gather in the limited moments of respite between each strike.


    Arkiel¡¯s speed was truly unmatched, even for dragonkind. Every clash was a fight for his life. If Nakir faltered for a moment, if he hesitated or let his focus waver, his soul would be forfeit. He also knew that if he didn¡¯t protect Raum or did fall to her blade, everyone else could very well be slaughtered by her all the same.


    Raum tried to concentrate on his offensive spells. Words and symbols alike floated to his mind by instinct but when it came to unleashing them, Arkiel¡¯s evasion was far too great; akin to catching a firefly in a windstorm. The Sirithisian mage failed over and over to target his foe, and was saved by Nakir¡¯s intervention more times.


    In an act of desperation, Nakir sucked up a great deal of air into his lungs, let it spark and conjure, and released a powerful stream of azure flame. The horizontal pillar of fire outstretched farther than the tower¡¯s peak and moved with his body as it left his mouth.


    However, the Red Dragon would not fall for the one trick she knew her brother had. It was trivial to avoid such a feat any lowly dragon could perform. With her own conjured bout of flame, she deployed a swirling miasma of smoke and cinder that clouded the Imperium¡¯s top in an ashen fugue.


    The man and the dragon were lost, their vision distorted by blackness. Within the dark clouds, a figure danced along its edge. A shadow hopped from one cloud to the next. In its hand was a hazy mass of crimson. The sight of it injected fear into them both. The figure ducked and weaved, looking for an easy opening. A sure strike.


    Suddenly, a blinding light shone through the clouds like the grace of some holy being. Raum stood defiantly, the light erupting from the end of his staff. Black and white birds alike swirled around him as he looked upon his dragon friend with a slight smile. ¡°Don¡¯t let her win, Nakir. We only need to force her to spread her wings. Let her fly once more.¡±


    With a firm nod, the Black Dragon faced down his sister. Her eminence was bathed in scarlet, almost as if reality itself was bending to her will. Her inner ardor spilled out from her mind. ¡°It matters not if you win or lose. Aza will fall all the same. Nia has no more use of it.¡±


    Nakir reached down into himself. Ancient magic long passed down over the years had been locked deep within. It was a failsafe most dragons enacted before they died, willingly or otherwise. Long ago, it was said to him that it is only when a dragon remembers their past that they regain their true power. Although, when they do, it is a sign that their death is imminent. Nakir wasn¡¯t scared, though. He¡¯d already made his decision. Hell or high water, he would give his life to save Ceres. That hadn¡¯t changed since the day he¡¯d met her in the Greatwoods.


    The surge of magic flowed into his veins and arteries, pumping through his blood and igniting his mind. With a powerful roar, he puffed out his chest and reared back with his arms at his side. Streaks of radiant color shot out from his chest and mouth, darting towards Arkiel within a matter of seconds. The sheer power of the roar alone was enough to crack and shatter part of the ground they all stood upon, shaking the spire beneath their feet. It was no small feat to damage the almighty Imperium, and as such Nakir proved he was nothing like the lowly dragon in Arkiel¡¯s eyes.


    Though she managed to avoid the attack for the most part, a beam or two managed to pierce her evasive techniques and cut into her sides. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t quite enough to stave off her final assault. With an upstanding strike, Arkiel threw her mortal blade down onto Nakir¡¯s exhausted form with all of her might.


    Ching!


    Nakir slowly opened his eyes in realization that he hadn¡¯t, in fact, died. Some force had managed to not only beat Arkiel¡¯s speed but also deflect her most powerful blow yet. His mouth fell open in astonishment. Tears welled up in his eyes.


    Arkiel¡¯s irises blazed with burning hatred. ¡°What? Impossible! You¡­? A weakling like you?¡±


    Ceres stood between her and Nakir, claw at her side. In her other hand was her father¡¯s dagger, firmly upheld after just being used to deflect a being infinitely stronger than her. In its shining blade, one could almost see the proud visage of a certain halberd-wielding scoundrel.


    ¡°How¡­?¡±


    Without wasting another second, Ceres lashed out with her open claw, tearing and shearing the Red Dragon¡¯s armor and stomach with relative ease. Each knife-like appendage tore open her skin and pierced the inner-workings of her body, inducing a level of pain unfelt for eons past. Had it been two strikes, it could have been fatal. All the same, Arkiel leapt backward and fell onto her knees. Blood poured out from beneath her grasping hand. The dragon¡¯s blood melded with the blood of the fallen Tyranny Resistance, creating a horrific red spiral of ichor. Blood dripped from her lips.


    ¡°Ceres¡­¡±


    The hybrid girl gazed backward at Nakir with a fierce look. ¡°I still can¡¯t forgive the dragon that butchered my village for years. It isn¡¯t possible.¡± She looked down for a moment pensively, then looked into Nakir¡¯s teary eyes. ¡°But¡­ that¡¯s okay. Because that dragon wasn¡¯t you. The Nakir I know would never do anything like that. Not in a million lifetimes.¡± She gave him the warmest smile he had ever seen from her, spun around, and hugged him with all of her remaining strength. Having just performed the miracle she had, that strength was almost non-existent. Nakir smiled in turn, and held her with both warmth and security.


    ¡°You brat¡­ you got lucky. Or, maybe not. Maybe I underestimated you.¡± Arkiel spat out a globule of sanguine pus. She haphazardly stood up, nearly falling under her own weight. She sheathed her mortal blade as if to make peace, but her eyes told a very different story.


    ¡°Seems our time is up,¡± Raum said, watching the city below.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Nakir replied, but his question was answered as quickly as it was asked.


    A terrible force had begun rampaging throughout Aza. Some sort of man or bird, or a combination of the two, wielding a fiery battle axe. A winged enigma borne of hellfire stalked its streets, reducing the already war-torn city to ash. It seemed to be murmuring something, but it could not be heard from the Imperium¡¯s height.


    ¡°What is that creature?¡±


    Raum shook his head listlessly. ¡°Not entirely sure. But I have a feeling our friend Grovalt might know.¡±


    A light, pained chuckle sounded from their wounded adversary. A fanatical smile graced her face. ¡°Are you happy, Nia!? I¡¯ve fulfilled my promise! My mission is done!¡± She walked gracefully to the edge of the precipice, where she once stood when they had initially confronted her. ¡°It was fun, brother. But every battle must reach its end. You¡¯ll see, eventually.¡± With a lazy wave, Arkiel fell from Nakir¡¯s view and off the peak¡¯s edge. Nothing but the wind remained.


    ¡°Sister!¡±


    A great, red dragon then replaced her form. It flew wildly upwards, then stopped in the air for a moment. ¡°Take care of that pet of yours.¡± Then, with a huff of smoke, the Red Dragon breathed a bolting array of fiery lightning at the Imperium¡¯s side, easily breaking through the black steel exterior and interior. The invincible architecture Zenzi had described before easily fell before the power of a dragon. A wounded one, at that. Thus the Imperium began to crack and fold onto itself. Its peak broke and burned, just as Aza burned beneath the fiery fiend¡¯s axe. Leaving the chaos behind, Arkiel flew away into the horizon.


    Ceres clung onto consciousness, and clung even harder onto Nakir. Her only lifeline she had had when at death¡¯s door was now with her here and now, at the maw of oblivion again.

 Chapter 18: Snowflakes and Embers

    Grovalt didn¡¯t know how, but he was happy. The snowfields of Frostmaw nearly brought a tear to his eye. If tears could form, that is. The temperature didn¡¯t take too kindly to liquids being liquids for too long. Any exposed moisture to the frosty wind up north, especially here near the Winter Mansion, would solidify in almost an instant. Even then, it was home to him. The blistering cold now was just the same as it was when he was a wee lad, and it reminded him of good times. And bad times.


    ¡°** **** *** ******** ** ********,¡± Inara said suddenly. She would often surprise him like that. Her skin was so pale, even paler than his, that she often blended into the wintery air.


    ¡°Whew, you scared me. I almost thought you were some kinda frost wit-¡±


    ¡°**? ****** **** ********.¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± It was a test. If he did finish the sentence, she¡¯d kill him. ¡°And yeah, well¡­ being a mercenary and working in some foreign land is one thing. Being able to work in your homeland is another. It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°****?¡±


    Grovalt trailed off and mumbled to himself. His eyes glazed over as he scratched his patchy beard. Flecks of snow had caught onto it, dangling for dear life. ¡°Hmm¡­ sorry. For some reason, I had a feeling like I¡¯m forgetting something. Something about¡­ a tower?¡±


    Inara paused and pinched her chin in an inquisitive fashion. ¡°*** *******?¡±


    ¡°The Citadel¡­ no I don¡¯t think so. Something much taller than that. Ah, whatever.¡± Grovalt waved his hand near his head as if to physically push the thought from his mind. ¡°What was I saying? Right, about the job. Why do you need protecting in the first place? No one ever comes up north. Not even Reville airships. All we¡¯ve got is our brawn.¡±


    Even as the words left his mouth, and as Inara gave him a small lecture there in the freezing cold, he knew it wasn¡¯t so simple. Maybe he had wanted her to tell him herself. Maybe he had just wanted to hear her talk. Either way, the truth was self-evident. Following the Relic War, nations directed their eyes to precious materials hidden in the far corners of the continent. Black steel was one of the hardest metals one could find, and it just so happened that it was the one thing Frostmaw was abundant in. One could attribute such a quantity of rare metals to the battles that were waged there in legend eons ago. Tales as old as humanity itself, describing the bitter end of the kel-anisai and the dragonlords.


    Though Inara often held a cold demeanor when addressing those related to royalty such as herself, her angelic smile always shone through when talking about such things. Perhaps it was because she was talking to Grovalt about such things, but he had to stifle thoughts like that. It was unbecoming of a bodyguard to have feelings for their hirer.


    Though, he wondered what had cultivated such a feeling in the first place. Thinking back to the day he had returned home, he recalled a very different mood. The war was over and done with and he was back home after a long journey, but his mind was elsewhere. The desert sands had left their mark on his boots. The blood of northerners and Sirithisians alike had stained his hands. The horrible, catastrophic magic they had resorted to replayed over and over in his head. He needed fresh air and an escape.


    So, he left his lodging and roamed the wastes as he had many times as a child. The lashing wind, though painful to others, was a refreshing breeze to him. It filled his lungs and cleared his mind. The seemingly endless rolling snow brought him a sense of relief. This hilly snowscape was nothing like the burning dunes he had fought in. Sure, perhaps the treacherousness and the infinity of it all was similar, but it was still akin to comparing heaven and hell. One was home, and the other a godless, horrifying place.


    ¡°*****,¡± a muffled voice came from behind Grovalt, startling him.


    He spun around and gazed upon a woman clad in swirls of icy blue, powdery white, and windswept fur. ¡°Whew, you scared me. What¡¯d you say, miss¡­?¡±


    ¡°Inara. Princess Inara of the Icespire Citadel.¡± She gave him a graceful curtsy. ¡°I only greeted you. It isn¡¯t often I find someone this far out. And if I do, it¡¯s usually Rethganland and his band of smelly hunters¡­¡± She pursed her lips and her eyes darted towards Grovalt as if he had accused her of something. After a while, she coughed awkwardly and folded her arms. ¡°I apologize. As a lady and royalty, I¡¯ve failed you. I insulted my subjects for no good reason and without even asking your name first.¡± Though she meant what she said, the words left her mouth as if she had rehearsed them ad infinitum.


    Grovalt hadn¡¯t come into contact with much royalty, so he decided after a short deliberation that he would talk to her just as he talked to everyone. ¡°Ah, no problem really. You¡¯re not wrong, either. Those guys live and breathe fish guts.¡± He gave her a half-smile and chuckled lightly. ¡°Grovalt¡¯s my name. Sorry. I¡¯ve never met any aristocrats or anything, so¡­¡±


    Inara¡¯s half-pouting, half-pursed face relaxed as she heard Grovalt¡¯s words. ¡°I see. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No problem. But, I am curious about something.¡±


    ¡°And what is that?¡±


    ¡°Why is a royal this far out in the wastes? Kinda asking to get mauled by a vax or some other creature.¡± Grovalt looked at her with an upturned eyebrow. He hoped she wasn¡¯t trying to do anything she would regret.


    Inara gave a short chuckle and removed a silky glove from her left hand. ¡°I can handle myself.¡±


    Grovalt¡¯s eyes widened as a chime rang out from the young girl¡¯s arm. A jagged rune of some kind had appeared on her palm, its form emblazoned in a glowing teal hue. Swirls of frosty air coalesced around her hand, and a short spear of ice came into being with a flash of white light. She grasped the spear tightly with her bare skin, unfazed by the freezing rime.


    ¡°That is impressive. No merc like me could ever hope to learn something like that.¡±


    Inara pulled her glove back over her hand, the glowing sigil fading in the harsh wind. She bent over slightly and peered into Grovalt¡¯s tired eyes. ¡°I could teach you.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°I think you¡¯d be better off doing anything else. Especially not wandering the wastes. No amount of magic will save you if you¡¯re outnumbered, you know.¡±


    ¡°Then be my bodyguard. In return, I¡¯ll teach you everything I know about ice magic. I can pay you, too.¡±


    Grovalt couldn¡¯t believe the situation he had found himself in. An hour ago, he had been barely scraping by, piggybacking off jobs Darriel and the others had gotten. Now, he had the opportunity to guard a royal. A princess, in fact. It was too surreal. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ there are a lot of options out there. And much better fighters. Smarter, too. Honestly, I¡¯m not sure I could ever learn magic either.¡± Grovalt looked to the side abashedly. ¡°I was a terrible student, y¡¯know.¡±


    Inara stared at him resolutely. A cold aura had grasped her, or perhaps it had grasped Grovalt. From her eyes and look alone, he knew he could never argue with her and come out on top. His fate was sealed.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    With a warm handshake in a land that was deathly cold, a pact formed between a pathless mercenary and a wandering royal.


    But that was the past. A memory within a memory. As his consciousness returned to him, Grovalt had a gut feeling to scream. It wasn¡¯t out of pain, he couldn¡¯t feel it of course. It was the same feeling he had had while working for Graves. Every night, he would yearn for his bed, exhausted. Except, every time he did slip into the tranquil hold of sleep, he secretly wished that he would die peacefully there. He had hoped that the morning would never come, and that he would finally be allowed to rest. Truly rest. With every morning that relentlessly came, he wished dearly to scream at the top of his lungs. Living in such a bleak future, without her, was a fool¡¯s errand. At least, that was how he had thought before.


    His eyelids, coated in dirt and grime, wrenched open. All manner of debris and shattered remnants of black steel architecture lay at his side, like an onyx coffin. Though the pieces were parts of the Imperium, he quickly realized he was no longer there. From his limited senses, he could gather he was still in Aza. The plaza, to be more exact. Unfortunately, his hearing was long gone. The cause of it was the screaming creature that sat in the middle of his vision. A blonde girl. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°GROVEY!!!? GROOOOOVAAAAALT!!! YOU¡¯RE ALIVE!!! YOU¡¯RE STILL ALIVE!!!¡± Lumi gripped Grovalt¡¯s arm with one hand, and gave Rook a crushing hug of celebration with the other. Both men feared for their lives. ¡°I TOLD YOU, ROOK!!! DUMMY!!! I KNEW HE¡¯D LIVE!!! HAHAHAHA!!!¡±


    ¡°Lumi. Lumi. Lumi!¡± At the sound of Rook yelling, something she had only heard him do a handful of times, she went silent as a stone. ¡°We need to let him rest. Zenzi said so.¡±


    Grovalt shook his head and took a long, deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ve rested long enough. Just tell me what happened.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Lumi started. ¡°That tentacled creep had you in some weird daze. And Miss Maxra was busy fighting that other anisai woman. Us and Darriel were fighting those annoying mages. When the others ran upstairs, we didn¡¯t know what to think, so we just kept on fighting. All of a sudden, there was this huge crash¡­ almost as if lightning had struck the tower.¡±


    Rook helped Grovalt to his feet and gave Lumi an affirmative nod, then turned to his pale ally. ¡°Long story short, the top of the Imperium collapsed on us. Zenzi barely managed to cast a teleportation spell and move us here. But the others are nowhere to be found.¡±


    Finally able to observe his surroundings to a greater degree, Grovalt confirmed they were in the same plaza that Eloise had conducted her massacre. Piles of bodies littered the square, cocooned in dry blood. Each was adorned with identical armor, that of imperial plating. Their shining gems, if they were not painted a dark red, glimmered in the late afternoon sunlight pouring down from the heavens.


    Looking up revealed the truth of Rook and Lumi¡¯s words. Despite its supposed invincibility, the Imperium¡¯s uppermost floors and precipice were completely destroyed. Scarlet flame rose from its wound like a roaring bonfire atop a mountain.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re fine. Ceres and Nakir. Fatalinya. Everyone.¡± Lumi patted Grovalt on the back. Her hand, though small, felt much larger with her strength put into it. If Grovalt could still feel, it may have even hurt. Even still, he silently appreciated the reassurance from the beaming girl. ¡°Either way, this is proof it wasn¡¯t for nothing. I¡¯m sure the Azanites seeing this right now are feeling just a little more hopeful, at least.¡±


    The right side of Grovalt¡¯s mouth curved upwards into a happy grin. ¡°You¡¯re right. Hopefully it can even put Fatalinya¡¯s mind to rest. The Resistance¡¯s efforts weren¡¯t in vain after all.¡±


    ¡°Hold on. What is that?¡± Grovalt and Lumi glanced over to see Rook standing as stiff as a board, pointing to something across the city.


    ¡°What do you-¡± Grovalt began to reply, but the words left his mind upon witnessing the source of Rook¡¯s question. A searing light tore through the streets, bellowing flame following in its wake. It was a humanoid form wreathed in fire, though half of it resembled a bird. In its hands, or what Grovalt assumed to be its hands, was a ferocious battle axe. The weapon could have only been made by some scornful, chaotic god. The parts of it that weren¡¯t wrapped in flame were black as coal, and upon its blade were etchmarks written in burning crimson.


    Rook took a few steps backward, having thought of the answer himself. ¡°...Another wrathcursed. They must have let loose another one¡­ or it escaped somehow. Maybe that¡¯s what blew the tower up¡­?¡±


    He peered up at Grovalt, but Grovalt didn¡¯t say a word. His mouth was slightly agape, but not out of confusion. It was as if he had come to some kind of grim understanding. The life in his eyes darkened.


    ¡°Grovey? You alright? You¡¯re not in a daze again, are ya?¡± Lumi shook Grovalt¡¯s arm.


    ¡°That thing¡­ it¡¯s holding Graves¡¯s axe. No one could wield it but him.¡±


    ¡°Graves? You mean your old boss? The one you fought before meeting the Ravens?¡±


    Grovalt nodded solemnly.


    ¡°So¡­ that¡¯s him then. What could turn him into something like that?¡±


    Rook unsheathed his black, rectangular blade. ¡°He¡¯s wrathcursed, no doubt about that. And you only said he was injured before they took him¡­ then they must be forcefully triggering breakdowns.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Lumi roared, gripping her hammer with a ton of force. ¡°They can¡¯t just use people¡¯s emotions like that as weapons!¡±


    Rook peered deeper at the incarnation of fire rampaging throughout Aza. The sheer sight of it burned his pupils. ¡°They¡¯ve already made it perfectly clear that they don¡¯t value anyone beneath them as people. Their Sorceress must see everyone as nothing but pawns.¡±


    Grovalt took another deep breath. He could almost feel the power of ice flow through him. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t just stand here. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The trio ran across the bloodied plaza and sprinted through the winding avenues until they came to the creature¡¯s aftermath. Homes were razed to the ground. Splintered wood burned atop steaming ashes. Citizens that could not afford to leave when the Imperium¡¯s siren sounded had met their untimely end to a completely different danger. Their skeletons littered the wastes, the flesh on their bones melting in Graves¡¯s manifested wrath. Within minutes, nearly an entire district had been reduced to nothing.


    As much as he wanted to extinguish every flame in sight, Grovalt knew it would be impossible. Even if he could, it may leave him unable to fight or reason with the man-turned-monster before him. Recalling Maxra¡¯s words from when he had met her, he realized that there would be equal ramifications if he were to extend his strength a bit too far again. As much as he loathed Graves for this horrid act, he very well could unleash the same power against his better judgment.


    They hesitantly approached their foe. Even his mere presence heated the air to a suffocating degree. Thousands of embers littered the air around them, like a colossal swarm of fireflies. Their beauty did not reflect their origin, however. The hellish fiend turned to meet their gaze, though it did so with only one eye. One side of its face was naught but wrathful flame, and the other featured a horrifying vermilion iris. Grovalt could tell it recognized him to some extent, but any sign of the Rumhound boss had vanished.


    ¡°Graves¡­ is it really you?¡±


    A ripping sound echoed throughout the devastated street. The fire below its penetrating iris unfurled, revealing a revolting maw. It had no singular form. As the being spoke, its inner fire sputtered and licked at the world around it. Its voice sounded as if a hellhound were given the ability to speak. It was raspy and devoid of any feeling but hatred.


    ¡°Graves¡­¡± The being gripped its axe harder. The flames that made up its body burned brighter. ¡°A fitting name for a hopeless existence. A dead man doomed to lead others unto death. A self-proclaimed hero in a world that preys upon hope. That name is meaningless, just as life and death are. Just as this world is pitiful and deserves naught but scorn.¡±


    Rook glanced Grovalt¡¯s way. He had become haggard from the intense heat radiating from Graves¡¯s form. ¡°If he can still talk, we could still save him. He must be in there, somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Save¡­!?¡± The elemental blared. ¡°None can be saved. That is why Aza must burn! This city¡¯s sins can only be cleansed by flame!¡±


    ¡°GET AWAY!¡± Grovalt screamed.


    The creature stomped, the cobblestone buckling underneath its feet as if it were wet paper. Searing flames erupted from the ground and streaked across the street toward the trio. At Grovalt¡¯s warning, they managed to duck into a half-destroyed building. The flames shot past the door, incinerating the little structure of the place remaining.


    Upon seeing its enemies had evaded the attack, the being raised its fiery battle axe high above its head in a vertical motion. Swirls of superheated anger manifested around the blade, encircling it. Fierce chimes rang in the trio¡¯s heads, as if a trumpet of apocalypse were being played in warning of what was to come. ¡°LET YOUR INSIGNIFICANCE BE REALIZED!¡±


    BOOM!


    The axe¡¯s head made contact with the ground, and instantly, a tidal wave from hell assaulted all life within fifty or so feet. What resembled a destroyed city street was reduced to a wasteland of smoldering ash and brimstone like they had come through before. Thick smoke rose and expanded outwards from the fiery beast. An etchmark on the axe, one of seven, lost its crimson glow.


    The being raised its head and peered at the destruction it had carried out. As the blinding smoke cleared, an incredibly peculiar sight perplexed it. There was the trio, completely unscathed. But far stranger was the appearance of a frail old man in front of them, who also like them was none the worse for wear. ¡°Impossible. A meager existence like yourself could not resist the flames of oblivion.¡±


    Grovalt couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. He couldn¡¯t believe he was alive, either. Their foe could have easily turned them to dust. And now, directly in front of him, was a familiar face he hadn¡¯t seen in days. ¡°...Old Man Hadrik¡­?¡±


    Hadrik gave him a hearty laugh full of glee. ¡°Hahahehe! I¡¯m sorry, lad. The look on your face was too priceless!¡±


    Grovalt looked at Lumi and Rook, then at Graves, then back to Hadrik in a fit of utter confusion. ¡°Old Man, you¡¯ve got to get out of here! Don¡¯t you see what¡¯s happening!?¡±


    Hadrik recovered from his uproar and gave him a kind smile. ¡°¡®Course I do, son. Why do you think I¡¯m here? I just saved yer lives! You¡¯re welcome, by the way.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    ¡°Well-¡± Hadrik began to explain, but another newcomer to the fray interjected from above.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve finally shown your face. I was waiting for you to pull some stunt like this.¡± Archmage Zandos, floating a few feet off the ground in his usual astral robes, looked down on them all through his starry mask.


    Without hesitation, Old Man Hadrik reached into one of his laden pockets and chucked an apple at the Archmage¡¯s head. Though he didn¡¯t flinch one bit, his pride was secretly cut in half. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt your elders when they¡¯re speaking, boy! How many times must I tell you this?¡±


    ¡°Esternn, you decrepit fool! Today, I will make sure you learn the error of your meddling ways. I¡¯ve grown much stronger than you since then.¡±


    ¡°Oho! Is that right? Then show me.¡± He turned to Grovalt and the others in a harsh whisper. ¡°I trust you can handle that pesky beast, eh? Just remember.¡±


    ¡°Wait, remember what?¡±


    Before he could receive his answer, Old Man Hadrik¡­ no, Esternn the Wizard of Old, threw his dirty old cloak to the side. As it fell to the ground, an ornate, pearlescent shawl graced the eyes of all present. It was Esternn¡¯s true garb, that of an elite mage, the king of Altruin¡¯s most trusted advisor of the past.


    Zandos chuckled, then turned his head to the side so that the axe-wielding behemoth could hear him. ¡°Graves, incinerate these pests. When you are done, aid me in finishing off this old fool as well.¡±


    Graves gripped his axe harder than he had before, the flames making up his being burning even brighter. ¡°Understood. They shall become one with the sea of ash beneath our feet.¡±

 Chapter 19: From the Ashes

    Old Man Hadrik, despite his unending kindness, had lied. Grovalt had surmised that from his words. His true name, Esternn, was one well-known especially to veterans like himself. Still, he couldn¡¯t believe it. The kindly merchant that had given him a ride to Imeldra¡¯s mansion all those days ago was the same man who led the Altruin war forces across the Sirithisian desert. Grovalt could vividly recall the mage, clad in the same white garb, sending waves of light and arcane spears across the barren battlefield. And here he was now before his eyes again, clashing violently with the Archmage of Aza across yet another burning landscape. He lamented that history truly had a cruel way of repeating itself.


    ¡°Grovey! Watch out!¡±


    At Lumi¡¯s words, Grovalt snapped out of his recollection and came back to his senses. The fiery beast that once was Graves had swung its axe down again, this time aiming directly for him. He swiftly deflected it and jumped to the side, the axe crashing down and cutting a gash into the cobblestone.


    Lumi suddenly dashed past her ally and hopped onto the embedded axe. She swung back with all her might, and delivered a magic-infused hammer strike straight into the elemental¡¯s burning chest. Staggered, it ripped the axe from the ground and stumbled backward, crashing into a building; or what was left of it. As it did, Lumi fell to the ground with a thud.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Rook asked quickly.


    The girl nodded. She had only gained a couple of scrapes and bruises, though her shoes had slightly melted even from briefly standing on Graves¡¯s weapon.


    ¡°That was reckless.¡± Rook sighed, half of his vision trained on Lumi and the other half on the enemy. ¡°Any ideas, Grovalt? As much as I hate to say it, I¡¯m not so sure we can handle something like this. I mean, the thing already took out entire city blocks.¡±


    Grovalt looked down. A forlorn look darkened his brow. After a moment, he looked at his comrades as if he had come to a decision. ¡°You guys go. Find Zenzi and the others. I haven¡¯t been able to reach her since I woke up. I know you told me not to worry, Lumi, but¡­¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t just-¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rook interrupted Lumi. ¡°We understand. We¡¯ll try to find the others, so you better stay alive until then.¡±


    Grovalt nodded, then turned to Lumi, who had donned a baffled expression. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. If there¡¯s anything I¡¯m good at, it¡¯s living through things I have no chance of surviving.¡± He laughed half-heartedly. ¡°Besides, this is my fight. I started it, and now I¡¯ve gotta finish it. I couldn¡¯t live with myself if either of you died because of me.¡±


    With that, the duo departed from the pale-skinned warrior, leaving him to face Graves. It was as if his old boss had become the very personification of Grovalt¡¯s mixed emotions of his past with the Rumhounds.


    The being had scrambled back to its fiery feet. It cackled with ire. ¡°The children have fled in terror I see¡­ leaving you to die. How heroic.¡±


    Grovalt gripped the hilt of his greatsword as hard as he could. A sound akin to a tightening rope emanated from his hands. A cold chill enveloped him. Faint, glowing runes appeared on his forearms. The same forlorn look appeared on his face again. ¡°No, Graves. There aren¡¯t any heroes in this world. You¡¯re right about that. This city¡­ it kicks you down and devours any hope you could ever try to gain. I know it all too well¡­¡±


    A flicker of something lit the fiend¡¯s mind. It wasn¡¯t quite recognition, but Grovalt could tell a sliver of Graves was still in there, somewhere.


    ¡°Y¡¯know¡­ I hated every second of working for you. There wasn¡¯t one day when I wasn¡¯t cursing your name, or cursing this city, or cursing myself. But I¡¯ve realized something. Even if your methods were cruel, you still gave me a reason. To live. To walk. To feel something. In your own way, you saved me. When I was buried underneath a mountain of empty bottles, you reached in and pulled me out. If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have ever met them¡­¡±


    The fiery maw that was the being¡¯s mouth sputtered. ¡°No¡­ I couldn¡¯t save anyone. Not even myself. My very existence was pointless, in the end.¡±


    The Archmage, sending bolts of azure lightning at his old mentor, cackled madly. ¡°That¡¯s right! Everything you did, we erased! You are nothing but a dying, controlled flame! That¡¯s all you shall ever be!¡±


    The parts resembling a bird had diminished since Grovalt had first seen Graves this way. All that remained were faint whirls of smoke sprouting from the being¡¯s back, as if its wings had been severed. It let out a horrible cry, and began charging its axe for another devastating attack. Burning, scarlet fire streaked from the axe¡¯s blade-end. It was identical to the fires littered around them, all behind shattered stained glass that once gave Aza its beautiful yet sullen hue. Grovalt knew he couldn¡¯t rely on Esternn. This was something he had to survive himself. He felt as though if he didn¡¯t, he could never continue walking the new path he had found.


    The words he had forgotten, or had tried to forget, began coming back to him. Inara¡¯s visage, which he had blurred and locked behind black chains even in his own memories, began to grow clearer. He recounted what she had said to him that day outside the Winter Manor.


    ¡°Grovalt, I have to tell you something.¡° Inara stood amidst the frosty landscape. Her hair was a silvery blue, and her eyes held an azure coldness that seemed to stop time whenever he looked into them. To anyone who didn¡¯t know her, her icy glare would likely stop them dead in their tracks with fright. But for Grovalt, whenever she looked his way, it warmed his heart like no other had.


    ¡°What is it?¡°


    ¡°I love you.¡° The way she said it wasn¡¯t without passion, but due to her reserved manner of speaking, it came off as more like a factual statement.


    Grovalt hesitated, slightly stunned from what the woman had said. He composed himself, then replied. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t. I haven¡¯t earned it. Besides, don¡¯t you remember why I came here in the first place? Why I met you?¡°


    The young girl nodded, her hair dangling weightlessly in the freezing breeze. A sadness fell upon her face.


    It was the last time he spoke to her. The one time he had neglected his duties, he had been too embarrassed to face her. He wandered the wastes as he often did when a troubling thought clung to his mind like a tumor.


    It was then that he saw it. The frigid, hunched figure that twitched with wicked vigor. His cold breaths sounded like death rattles, and his body moved like a spider. Grovalt was met with primal fear in his heart. Whatever this thing was, it was not a man nor a beast. The figure suddenly lurched toward Grovalt and with a flash met his blade in a clash between steel. The enemy wore ancient armor and had a hood on that clouded any resemblance of a face in shadow. His skin was a pale blue, clad in ice. Grovalt met his attack with a quick riposte and a shove of his sword, but it only managed to keep the thing at bay for a couple seconds. It launched a flurry of attacks in rapid succession, each blocked by Grovalt in a fit of frenzy. A familiar feeling engrossed him.


    In his days of war across the desert, he fought many foes that took a liking to the same aggressive style. Grovalt had seen it many times but had never felt this twinge of empathy for his foe like he did in this moment. This was not the terrifying horror he once thought it was, it was a dark reflection of a soldier, a warrior he had met on the frontlines countless times before.


    As they struck swords in a whirlwind dance of ice and steel, Grovalt felt a sad smile tugging at his lips. He wondered if his foes, his victims had ever felt this same surge of emotion. How can something so sad make him smile so? Faking a right slash, he tossed the blade into the air and rolled through the damp snow to catch it behind his attacker. With the blade at his neck, the forgotten warrior of the wastes knelt down and inserted his sword into the ground in front of him, giving up his life.


    ¡°Why must I be the one to pity you? How long have you been out here, searching for a reason to live? A reason to fight?¡±


    The warrior knelt silently in the snow, the cold wind cutting across their bodies in the open icy field. A moment of absolute silence took hold.


    Grovalt sheathed his blade, the twinkle of a smile fading from his lips, the joy within his eyes slowly dying. He ran into the oncoming storm and braced himself. For the first time in years, he had given mercy to an adversary. Perhaps it was the woman on his mind. For the first time since the war, he felt as though he could make his own decisions. He could give her an answer. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    He parted the freezing veil and made his way into the heart of his homeland: Frostmaw, guarded by its baron, Yemiiron. Only, Yemiiron was nowhere to be found. A crowd had gathered at one end of town, below the Icespire Citadel. Grovalt pushed past the mass of bodies, fear rooting itself deeply in his heart. The terrible murmurings of the crowd shook him to his core, but even so he continued to push and shove his way through to see the source of the commotion.


    On the soft, snowy ground lay Inara. She was silenced. Her body was unmoving, with but a single streak of blood oozing from her stomach. She was gone, her spirit adrift among the Blissful Sleep.


    It was then that the townsfolk cried out. ¡°Wechuge! It¡¯s the wechuge!¡± They pointed at Grovalt, though Grovalt did not appear as himself.


    He had become a terrifying beast of snow and ice, and a storm conjured by his loneliness, wrath, and grief assaulted Frostmaw and sunk it into a stupor. It took Darriel and his fellow mercenaries to knock him out and bring him back to his senses. They skewered him with thorns, wrapped him in wool, and left him to melt beside a campfire.


    Nevertheless, he had become just like the forgotten warrior he had met earlier that day. No manner of inspiration nor obligation could rouse him. A weight had taken hold of his soul. A sinking feeling pulled at his heart. If the world was hellbent on denying him his happiness, why should he give it another chance? The risk of losing someone precious once more was much too high.


    Time was up. Graves¡¯s axe came down ruthlessly, threatening to bisect Grovalt with ease and sear his flesh all the same. The next etchmark on the blade glowed fiercely, heralding the display of power that descended upon the lone warrior.


    ¡°...Grovalt? Are you listening? Geez, when you said you were a bad student, I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be this bad. Falling asleep on me is quite rude, y¡¯know.¡±


    A beautiful, otherworldly voice came from deep within his psyche.


    ¡°If¡­ if something happens to me, don¡¯t be sad. I know it¡¯s selfish, but you need to live for yourself first and foremost. Living for someone else is cute and fine by me, but there are beautiful things you might miss if your eyes are shut. No one really knows what could happen. That¡¯s what keeps me going¡­ that every day has the capacity to flip your life upside down. Like when I met you by chance on that snowy walk in the wastes. Hehe. So, don¡¯t cry. But, if you have to, cry with a smile. And open your eyes. Feel the air on your skin. The warmth of your heart. Sorry¡­ I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m saying anymore. I¡¯ll let you get some rest. Just be sure to wake up someday. For me, and for you.¡±


    A terrible clash of fire and ice scorched and froze the very earth the two warriors stood upon. A cumulonimbus of smoke and frost exploded outwards from the two, igniting their silhouettes in the brief shattering of light that followed.


    Standing there, struggling with regained determination, was Grovalt. He was clad in brand new, ornate armor resembling the old Frostlanders he had heard about when he was a young lad. His greatsword cried out in pain, pushing back the monstrous Graves and his flaming war axe. The blade glowed an icy teal color.


    ¡°This struggle¡­ is meaningless! Why must you continue to suffer when we are fated to die regardless!?¡± The fiend also struggled. His axe, too, screamed in anguish.


    Grovalt, through it all, smiled at his old boss. His tormentor of the past seemed so small to him, now. A moment in time that had long passed. He grunted and chuckled. ¡°Yeah. We might die here. But we always have a choice, boss. Would you rather prove him right, and die like some hound? Or die free, unbound?¡±


    ¡°N-no! It doesn¡¯t matter. Aza must burn¡­ or my life would have been for nothing. Even if it¡¯s exactly what she wants, I must destroy it all! It¡¯s the only way.¡±


    Grovalt pushed back against Graves, his blade gradually freezing the axe that had caused so much damage. His blue eyes radiated. His very look could put out a wayward flame. ¡°I¡¯ve always walked a dark path. Alone. Crushed by the weight of reality. The conflict I felt made me hate the entire world. And in the end, all I had was my own voice crying out. But there was always a faint light in my life¡­ And that light¡­ was what kept me going. Even now. That¡¯s how I know¡­ there has to be¡­¡±


    ¡°...Another way.¡±


    The two men loosened the grip on their weapons. The respective fire and frost in their eyes calmed.


    ¡°Heh¡­ yer one annoying brat, huh. Can¡¯t leave an old man alone¡­¡± The flames that had consumed Graves started to pull back, revealing the humanity that had long been forgotten in his wrath. ¡°...I still can¡¯t let it be, Grovalt. This city¡­ must be destroyed. But, the people don¡¯t deserve this¡­ none of us do. So, let me do one last thing. Burn one last building. For me. For all of us.¡±


    With a nod, the northern warrior took a few strained steps backward. The toll of his magic started to dawn on him, and the armor materialized from his rising emotions vanished from sight.


    Graves raised his axe of flame, as he had when he¡¯d first found it, and a deafening chime rang from its blade. The final five etchmarks burned fiercely, then all of the raging flame the axe could hold poured into Graves¡¯s half-human, half-transformed body. A truly blinding light emanated from him, bright enough to bring everyone in Aza to a sudden stop. Even Esternn and Zandos, locked into a battle of wit and magery, stopped to gaze upon the source of the heavenly brilliance.


    As the light faded, Graves¡¯s axe fell to the ground with a cold, metallic thunk. His discarded, burnt clothing littered the cobblestone in crinkling pieces. In his place was a fiery, feathered, glowing mass. It raised and spread its mighty wings, releasing a wave of glittering embers that shot across the city. Graves, no, the phoenix spoke no more. It only emitted a fiery screech. Any sense of humanity had left this being, along with its once human shape. Graves was gone, and this thing was all that was left of him.


    ¡°Fool! What are you doing!?¡± Zandos cried out to the creature as if it were still that pathetic man he had abused and manipulated for so long, but to no avail. The beautiful phoenix paid him no mind, and emanated a calming warmth as if all were sitting in front of a familiar hearth.


    Grovalt could almost make out the sad plinking of a lute. It brought him back to the many nights he couldn¡¯t sleep when staying at the Rumhound hideout. Every so often, though, his boss would sit at the fireplace and play a sad yet warm melody that could barely be heard through the cold, stone walls.


    The phoenix, having spread its wings and flittering fire, rose into the dusklit sky with ease. It was almost as if nothing tethered it to the world, even gravity. With a quick flap of its wings, it dove into a piercing strike. Its body resembled a flaming, crimson lance that sought to drive all of its remaining pain and confusion into one burning structure that still stood over all. Before any could tell where it was going, it had already pierced its target. The creature blew through the Imperium with the same weightless elegance it had flown with, annihilating the remaining height the tower had.


    The firebird, a bit frailer, was still burning with a wondrous aura. Even though the attack had peeled and torn its feathers and skin, its freedom could be felt even from the ground. With a final push, it flew even higher into the sky, amidst the yellowed clouds, into the smoky atmosphere, nearly to the stars and the looming moon.


    As it reached the highest echelons a being could reach, it came to a realization. The sullen yet empowered warrior it had once known had driven those meaningful words into its mind. Words that could even transcend forms. From one life to another, those values still clung to its mind and its soul. That there is always a future, be it man, bird, or otherwise. And even when you¡¯ve been buried yards underground, bones decomposed, there¡¯s hope for you. A new life awaits you. One with a much more beautiful lens and second chances. It¡¯s never too late.


    And so, it dove. A fiery streak cut the world in two, ending in an instant at the base of the great tower now reduced to rubble. Its dwindling existence was vaporized. Another blinding light assaulted the senses. A dull silence followed, though perhaps the sound was too much a burden on human ears that it could not be sensed at all.


    In its wake, as the light faded again, the Imperium was gone for good. Nothing remained of its shadowy corpse. In its place was the remnant of the great phoenix. Its essence had gone, though specks of its light remained in a pillar above the destruction it had wrought. The specks resembled butterflies, fluttering in the air without a care in the world. Perhaps they were just oddly shaped embers, but even so, they spoke. As the fire fizzled, they whispered a poem to the Azanites that had returned or come out of hiding. It rang in their minds as a sad melody, as if sung alongside a slightly out-of-tune lute.


    A dreary city once soaked in crimson light


    Now ablaze, a ferocious incineration


    Fear envelops all who served the cenobite


    and fire revels in a combustive congregation


    A woman in black laughs from the depths of imperium


    and gazes upon the havoc wrought from within


    Her iniquitous beast intones a foul drum


    and the duo departs from their great sin


    But from the ashes hope is found


    and the past is buried among the bones


    Will and drive once chained in black are unbound


    and their dead minds awaken to atone


    From the ashes a pact is born:


    To build a home that will never be forlorn


    Grovalt, already exhausted, made one final push. He placed his hand on the ground, grasping in desperation. Another chime rang out, and following it, a field of ice scattered from his palm and spidered about the city, choking the life out of the remaining fires that persisted. With that, he fell over, the exhaustion finally reaching him. Though he tried to stay awake, he needed to rest. He finally had the time to, after all. As he drifted away, a faint black shape entered his vision. It slowly made its way to him, descending from the same sky the phoenix had colored in an orange hue. Tiredness took him, and he quietly slipped into unconsciousness.

 Chapter 20: Chthonic Railway

    ¡°...Grovey? Grovey!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he¡­¡±


    ¡°No, his thoughts tell me that he¡¯s just resting.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense. He¡¯s been through a lot, after all. Actually, why weren¡¯t you two here helping him? We¡¯re paying you and Darriel good money for your services, y¡¯know!¡±


    ¡°Wah!? Grovey told us to leave! Really.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    A chaotic array of voices raised Grovalt from his deep slumber. His muscles ached, his head felt like it had been bashed in with a brick, and his eyelids felt like sandpaper. This argument, whatever it was about, didn¡¯t help matters in the slightest. A soft hand shook his shoulder.


    ¡°Grovalt? You alright?¡±


    ¡°That was certainly something. After all that, you still managed to quell the flames ravaging the city, and even make it snow! I couldn¡¯t have done it better myself!¡±


    He opened his eyes. Knelt down directly in front of him was Ceres, wearing a worried look. Her heterochromia was a dazzling sight; it had only just caught Grovalt¡¯s eye. Her wispy, verdant hair was dirty and unkempt, alluding to whatever trial she had fought her way through atop the now-erased spire. Everyone else, even Darriel, were crowded around him. Some looked down at him with the same worried expression, while others gazed upwards in wonder. His vision followed suit.


    What Nakir had said was true. From the dreary, dusklit clouds, snow had begun to settle on the ruined streets. The flakes sparkled as they drifted downwards. To make a beautiful contrast, the phoenix¡¯s fluttering embers also remained. They slowly made their way upwards, gathering where the Imperium had once stood. A large, burnt pit remained at its base, and the exuberant pillar of butterflies flowed up into the sky just as their creator had.


    A brief thought flashed in his mind; that even though he and Graves weren¡¯t good for anything but violence, their conflict had helped to create such a miraculous sight. It made him sad, but it also made him smile.


    But something else woke him completely. As he sat up, he finally noticed the snowflakes settling on his bare skin. The sheer cold of the desolate city in the air. The briskness against his body. The world around him. He could feel it. He could really, truly feel it again. At first, he didn¡¯t know how to react. It wasn¡¯t until a crimson butterfly landed on his arm that the blistering heat of it pierced his neurons and convinced him that it was real. Frantically, he grabbed Ceres¡¯s human hand. He felt her warmth. She was there. They were all there, for him. And all at once, with his survival settling in, and his friends at his side showing their care for him in their own way, and the resurrection of his sense of touch, tears began pouring down his face. He was ashamed. It was unsightly for a grown man to be crying in the middle of the street, especially when surrounded by people much younger than him.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Grovalt. It¡¯s us. It¡¯s over.¡± Ceres gave him the same weary hug she had given Nakir before Arkiel¡¯s departure. His tears were freezing as they fell upon her shoulder, but she paid it no mind. She was already used to the cold.


    After some time had passed, and Grovalt had recovered, the group gathered again to deliberate.


    Zenzi extended her hand to give Nakir and Darriel the floor.


    Clearing their throats, they recounted the events that transpired within the tower and atop its pinnacle.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Lumi said. ¡°I know you asked Zenzi to send us here to keep us safe, but¡­ that didn¡¯t work out so well.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you get out in time? And what about the officials?¡± Grovalt asked.


    ¡°That is quite simple, my friend. They all rode atop my back. I¡¯m much larger than I appear,¡± Nakir stated proudly.


    ¡°And me and Zen took care of ¡®em. Naturally~¡± Maxra stepped to the side to reveal Venza, who scowled at the group with her arms and legs tied up. ¡°Don¡¯t be that way, hun. We already knew who the better fighter was. We proved it time and time again in the past. You did well, though. Lasted longer than I thought.¡±


    Zenzi grinned creepily. ¡°I trapped that annoying squid in a psychic lock when everything started crumbling. Your old boss did the rest.¡±


    ¡°Then that leaves¡­¡± Grovalt pondered, searching for Esternn and Zandos. They were nowhere to be found, and Graves¡¯s silenced axe was gone with them.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Lumi looked at him questioningly.


    ¡°Ah, nothing. Just thinking that maybe it''s best to leave some stones unturned. But¡­ what do we do now? The Sorceress and your sister weren¡¯t in the tower after all, and Arkiel never told you where they were.¡±


    Rook was about to chime in when Venza beat him to it. She spoke abashedly, and a defeated tone dripped from her words. ¡°...You beat me fair and square, Max. So, I guess I¡¯ll do all of you a favor. Nia¡¯s in the bottom layer. If you go in the tunnels, she¡¯s all the way down there, and then some. I¡¯m not entirely sure what she was doing¡­ but she took all the Academy students down there.¡±


    Everyone met Ceres¡¯s determined gaze. Without another word, they knew their next objective. With nowhere left to run, Nia and Asteria had to be there. Wherever it might take them, they had to follow her down, deep below the surface.


    ¡°Great!¡± Maxra replied with a mischievous grin. ¡°Then you can come with us.¡±


    Venza''s jaw dropped. ¡°What? No. I don''t even know how she-¡±


    ¡°Wasn''t giving you a choice, Venza. You''re coming with us whether you like it or not. We need to have a little chat, anyway.¡±


    As everyone prepared and Venza despaired, Darriel gathered Lumi and Rook to his side. He accepted a hefty pouch from Zenzi, then turned to Ceres. He wore a stern expression. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll bid you all adieu. I wish you all the luck in the world, little girl.¡± He turned to Grovalt. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry we didn¡¯t do more for you. Back then. I wish I could do more now, but the contract specifically-¡±


    Grovalt waved his worries away. ¡°We understand, Darriel. As much as we¡¯d like all of you to help us again¡­ we can¡¯t expect you to risk your lives for no pay. A merc¡¯s a merc.¡±


    Rook politely shook hands with everyone, and Lumi gave them a crushing hug. Tears welled up in the blonde girl¡¯s eyes, but she fought them back. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°The next time we meet, it¡¯ll be at the bar for some drinks and cards. Assuming the bar¡¯s not destroyed¡­¡± Darriel¡¯s rocky face finally softened as he let out a raucous laugh.


    Lumi gave Grovalt another killer hug, and the trio left the Ravens just as quickly as they had joined them. As their backs faded into the gathering snowflakes, Grovalt realized one person wasn¡¯t accounted for. At last, he spied Fatalinya across the plaza. The column of butterflies painted her in a solemn color. As he neared her, he saw what she was doing.


    Together with a group of civilians in tattered clothes, they filled in the last of many large holes they had dug in the little soil the city had to offer. Several of them, ones fully filled in, featured the same gray coats the Resistance had worn earlier that day. They had been laid across them to honor the dead.


    Though Grovalt had decided to stand next to her hunched form, he didn¡¯t know what to say. There really wasn¡¯t anything to say. He could tell her to keep going. To stay hopeful. But all of those words would feel empty. There truly wasn¡¯t anything he could say to her that would soothe her mind. Even so, she stood up and took a couple steps backward to stand next to him.


    ¡°...We managed to find and bury who we could. It¡¯s not everyone, but it¡¯s better than nothing.¡±


    ¡°Fatalinya, I¡­¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I mean, it¡¯s not okay. But we have to make do with what we have left. That¡¯s what Graves taught us. I was so busy looking for someone to blame¡­ someone to kill¡­ that I didn¡¯t even pay attention to the people right next to me. We should¡¯ve¡­¡±


    Fatalinya looked up at the pillar of embers, reaching up into the darkening sky. Night was descending, and as it did, the snowfall began to stop.


    Grovalt lightly patted her left shoulder. Her right arm, still broken, lay in a makeshift cast made out of bedding material. ¡°He gave Aza another chance, when there wasn¡¯t one. Even if you¡¯re all that¡¯s left of the Tyranny Resistance, that means their will still burns true. There have to be more people willing to follow you, and together, you can carry out his wish. Rebuild Aza from the ground up.¡±


    Fatalinya chuckled sadly. ¡°Y¡¯know¡­ for someone so cold, you really are an optimist.¡±


    Grovalt smiled, gazing back at Ceres. She and Nakir were bickering about something, as usual, but they were laughing all the same. ¡°I wasn¡¯t always like this. I had a¡­ shift recently. With some help, of course. I really can¡¯t do anything by myself.¡±


    ¡°Nobody can.¡±


    Once he¡¯d spent a bit more time in silence before the graves, Grovalt finally returned to join the others. With an onyx dive of faith, Nakir, with everyone in tow, descended into the remnants of the Imperium; the great abyss illuminated only by the few butterflies that had wandered into it.


    The harsh, warm wind rushed past all of Nakir¡¯s passengers, blowing their hair straight backward. They held on for dear life as they sped straight for the very bottom of the burnt-out pit. The stifling, black walls and broken structures eventually gave way to age-old tunnels and piping. Unpowered electric machinery lined every inch of the place. Finally, the bottom came into view. Nakir raised his mighty wings, catching the air, and slowed down their descent to safely land.


    ¡°It appears Imagon didn¡¯t lie about one thing, at least. Aza was built atop Technicist ruins.¡± Raum looked all around, scanning the quiet machinery from underneath his messy, auburn bangs.


    ¡°Aw, man.¡± Maxra jumped off Nakir, grumpily groping at her hair. ¡°We really need to put some kinda glass window on this guy. One quick flight and my hair¡¯s already messed up.¡±


    ¡°I think we ought to worry about our circumstances at the moment.¡± Raum pointed down a nearby tunnel. ¡°Seems we¡¯ll have to traverse the rest of the way on foot.¡±


    Everyone else groaned in dismay.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Ceres chimed. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Farther into the structures, nearly obscured by centuries of neglect and tarnished fixtures, was a short train of sorts on its side. It seemed like it¡¯d fallen off the tracks leading into the tunnel many years ago. It, too, was without power.


    ¡°Nakir, can you flip this thing back over?¡±


    With a nod, the dragon reached his claws down in between the metal flooring and the train, and lifted it with great strength. Afterwards, he carefully put it back in-line with the rusted tracks on the floor.


    With Raum and Zenzi, the greatest minds within the group, they eventually made their way inside the train. It was accented with a faded black and blue duality, and much of it had been constructed using black steel plating, much like the tower that once stood hundreds of feet above them. After more deliberation, Zenzi found some kind of power outlet near the front seat. It was hand shaped, most likely made for one¡¯s palm to be pressed into it.


    Raum¡¯s face lit up with an excitement he rarely showed. ¡°Ah¡­ I see. I¡¯d imagine this is a secondary mode of energizing the cart, enabling it to move without the entire system being operational using magical energy. How ingenious.¡±


    Everyone else turned to Nakir in silent waiting.


    ¡°Hm? What is everyone staring at? Do I have something on my face?¡±


    Ceres plopped down on a nearby seat in the train, exhaustion draining the color from her face. She sighed. ¡°You¡¯re the only one here with some magical energy left, dummy.¡±


    Nakir transformed into his human form, scrambled into the train, and gazed wearily at the palm pad.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? It won¡¯t bite. I think,¡± Zenzi teased. An amused smile stretched across her face, with the rest of it being hidden by her long, black hair.


    ¡°What if it hurts? What if it really hurts? What if it kills me¡­?¡±


    His patience long gone, Grovalt grabbed the dragon¡¯s hand and shoved it into the outlet. As he did, he and Nakir felt a jolt unlike anything they had ever felt before, and in an instant, they were drained of any energy they had conserved up to that point. The pale warrior, who had already been both sleep deprived and emotionally tested to the extreme recently, immediately toppled over onto the train floor like a ragdoll. He was out like a light, snoring loudly. His hair stood on end, and the faint smell of something burnt filled the train.


    Venza, hands still tied and also sitting on one of the train seats, looked down at the supposed savior of Aza in astonishment. If she had truly lost to a group like this, then what did that make her? She shuddered at the thought.


    After a short while, the Technicist train came to a rumbling start. The rails sparked to life, fiery bits flying off of them as they became electrified.


    With Zenzi operating the train, Raum trying to guide the Ravens to their goal, and Grovalt once again unconscious on the floor, the group flew down the rails through the ancient, winding tunnels. Ceres and Nakir fell asleep next to each other on the seats, the young girl¡¯s head resting on the old dragon¡¯s shoulder.


    Ominous structures flew past the window. The true magnitude of the abyss showed itself after nearly an hour. The Technicist underground wasn¡¯t relegated to just a network of shoddy tunnels, but an entire city structure long forsaken to time. It was as they exited the final tunnel in the system when they saw it. A colossal, hollowed out portion with Technicist facilities in the far distance lining its edge. Countless, spiraling rails stretched across the depths and into it. The rails began to screech and spark, waking the Ravens that had taken the time to rest. As the rail they were on descended, it followed the rocky spiral in a perfect, wayward circle down into the abyss. Blinding darkness flooded the train, and then they saw it. At the end of the line, deep, deep below, was a single twinkling light in the shape of a rectangle. It sat amidst the very bottom of everything, a single star in the vast ocean of space. It was lonely and maddening. Direct yet confusing. Beautiful yet terrifying.


    And thus, the rail came to its end. The train stopped, and everyone left its metallic husk. Before them, in a plateau entrenched in that same utter darkness, was a door. An impossible door. A door with no connecting wall. As they moved, it followed. As if to beckon them closer, like a siren calling to a doomed sailor, it emanated sounds only they could hear. Ceres heard Asteria¡¯s dire voice. Grovalt heard Inara¡¯s calming whisper. Nakir heard Arkiel¡¯s scornful remarks. Raum heard falling sand and distant screams. Maxra and Venza heard the shearing of flesh. Zenzi heard the wailing of a lost, forgotten child. Though none could hear them all, together they weaved a song of humanity. Birth and death. Resonant chimes that pulled at the heart and mind.


    Great jagged claw marks scarred the front of the door. At its bottom was a gathering of wood splinters and metal pieces. The noise was unfathomable. A great deal of new noises joined the terrible choir. They peered down at the steel doorknob. Ceres slowly reached out to grab it. The faint aroma of lilies filled her lungs. She turned it until she could no longer, and pushed it open, a realm of light to greet her.

 Chapter 21: Aretztikapha

    Reborn. That may have been the only way to describe it. Once the door had swung open, Ceres lost all sense of self as the light consumed her. Maybe she had died. If she hadn¡¯t, it sure felt like it. Like her soul was lifted from her mortal coil, stretched across the cosmos. But she wasn¡¯t really gone. She knew that. The world she found herself in suggested otherwise. Even so, it was as gorgeous and serene as one could imagine the afterlife. An endless monochromatic expanse. A world of white. A world of simplicity. As if the word ¡®purity¡¯ had manifested.


    The floor, like a blank canvas, held the hybrid¡¯s body. Her black and red uniform pilfered from the Academy was the only color of note; white permeated every inch of the space, save for faint shadows and petals falling from trees. The trees themselves were odd. A genus Ceres had never seen before grew out of the white space in the distance, and from their pale branches bloomed dazzling lilies painted a soft, peach hue. The same scent she had caught when pushing the door open graced her nostrils. Even though the Outlands never had any such flowers nor trees, the sheer scent of them gave her a bittersweet, nostalgic feeling.


    On top of everything, an almost deafening silence enveloped the place. A fact that finally led Ceres to an obvious realization: that her friends and allies alike had all but vanished upon entering¡­ whatever it was. For the first time in a long while, she was truly and utterly alone. A sting of dread pricked her mind, but she quickly snubbed it. There was no use dredging up the pain of the past. She was here to rectify it, after all. Once this was all over, and Asteria was safe, she could put everything behind her.


    ¡°...What a putrid sight. Only she could have dreamt up something so horribly sisyphean.¡± An overly-enunciating and threatening voice rang out from the edge of the desolate world. A common house cat covered in purplish black fur walked leisurely over to where Ceres was getting to her feet. Its eyes were gone, replaced by two black pits that almost seemed to absorb the light around them.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ceres stuttered as if she was going to ask what the cat was doing here of all places, but she closed her mouth, looked away, and muttered instead. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you.¡±


    Archizend chuckled, though calling it a chuckle wouldn¡¯t be entirely accurate. It was a raspy, croaking wheeze that resembled what humans did when they witnessed something mildly amusing. His lips curled back into his usual, fanged grin. ¡°I am happy to see you as well, hybrid. It has been quite a while since our last meeting. You may find it hard to believe, but it was¡­ difficult to find time to talk. These past few days have been chaotic indeed. You have made great strides since that day we met. Your goal is so very close now, no?¡±


    Ceres shot a daggerful glare at the cat. ¡°Why are you here? What is this place?¡±


    Archizend wandered about the void, then sat and peered deeply into the distance. Across the insipid whiteness were great towers of light extending into the cloudless, pale sky. ¡°Same reason you are, of course. Just how Nia took something dear to you, she also wronged me in the past. As for this place, well¡­ calling it a place isn¡¯t entirely accurate. It is beyond the borders of reality, much like my woods. Thus, my coming here was simply a short trek compared to coming to your world.¡±


    ¡°Answer the question, cat. How would a place like this be underground?¡±


    Archizend snickered. ¡°You Outlanders really aren¡¯t very bright.¡±


    Ceres raised her claw in response to the provocation.


    ¡°I merely jest, hybrid. Like I said, this is akin to another world, like the woods I call home. Only, this was not created by me. It was created by Nia, manifested from her mind.¡±


    ¡°Her¡­ mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Though to do this much, even she would require much more magic at her disposal.¡±


    Ceres put her claw to her chin in thought. After a while, her eyes widened. ¡°The Academy students?¡±


    Archizend nodded slowly. ¡°I would hazard a guess that they are deeper within, suffering at her hand to create such a realm. To do so would require the same amount of magical energy generated when one suffers a mental breakdown, as I¡¯m sure you have experienced thus far.¡±


    Ceres walked over to where the black cat was sitting and glanced about the realm as he did. ¡°It¡¯s so¡­ lonely.¡±


    ¡°A lonely person is bound to manifest a lonely place. But this bleakness, this emptiness¡­ it is unique to her. Without Lily, I¡¯m certain this is how she views your world.¡±


    Ceres felt an odd sensation. Almost like standing at the edge of a cliff, but also like looking deeply into a mirror. If one were to stare into a reflection for too long, they might long to crawl inside it and discover how it would be to live in a mirrored version of their own life. It was almost like that for her, but the danger was much too great. The pangs of sadness and loneliness she felt, even when surrounded by her comrades, were enough. To gaze into another¡¯s suffering was almost too much. And when that person¡¯s suffering had the possibility to become her own, it terrified her. How would she view a world without Asteria? Her heart nearly gave out at the thought.


    Archizend planted a paw on Ceres¡¯s bare leg. Though it came from a cruel source, his fur was surprisingly soft and warm. ¡°Calm yourself. I cannot promise you anything, but I can tell you that your sister is still alive. I can sense her. Though, she is in a great deal of pain.¡±


    Ceres clasped her claw violently. Her fierce, verdant eyes narrowed. She couldn¡¯t wait any longer. After so long, she would be able to hug Asteria again. To look after her. To play with her. To run along the coast with her again. Even if the village was gone forever, even if their parents had truly fallen to the dark wolves that massacred everyone she knew and loved, she would still have her sister. Her light. Her star.


    ¡°Hybrid¡­!¡±


    So she ran, and Archizend followed. No one else clouded her mind; not Grovalt, not the others, not even Nakir. Asteria needed to be saved and could be saved, at last. The glossy, monochrome stairways seemed to appear as she moved, like stepping stones being revealed by the water¡¯s push and pull. Only the sound of her own pounding footsteps echoed throughout the emptiness. She passed through featureless structures, pale rooms, and winding paths of nothingness. Only that same scent of lilies and the flowers themselves graced her mad sprint.


    At last, something of note entered her vision. A person, at last, laid back in a marble chair. They were wearing the same uniform Ceres had donned.


    Only, they did not react to her. The black uniform with red accents featured naught but red; crimson liquid had dyed nearly their entire body. They were small and frail. A child from the Academy. Beside their throne was odd technological equipment, similar to what Ceres had spotted flying past across the Technicist railway. Syringes and metal rods were injected into the person. A sight most terrible caused her to lose her balance when she gazed upward at the child¡¯s face.


    Rather, it no longer resembled a face. The skin and the skull beneath were bisected surgically, exposed to the quiet air. The skin peeled backward onto their shoulders, and two halves of their skull lay on top of it with perfect symmetry. The only thing untouched was the student¡¯s mind. Their brain, pristine yet vile all the same, was left hanging above them, still connected to the brainstem and the spinal cord. Long, ropey coils were stabbed into it, and the cords that connected them hung from somewhere unseen far above.


    Ceres was sick. She tore her eyes from the horrible sight before her and fell to her knees. Once again, the urge to vomit rose in her throat. With a strained swallow, she subdued it. Even then, she could not stomach another glance at whatever she had witnessed. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°I warned you, hybrid.¡± The apocryphal cat appeared at her side with the same, empty eyes. They gave her no comfort. ¡°No matter what that dragon has told you, or anyone else, Nia has changed. Or, perhaps it is better to say that she hasn¡¯t changed at all since those times¡­¡± He snickered cruelly, as if he truly did not care for Ceres¡¯s well-being in the slightest.


    Ceres was on the verge of tears. A raging, itching, burning feeling crawled its way into her heart. ¡°Why¡­? Why¡­¡±


    Archizend jumped onto the apparatus and examined the poor student¡¯s fate. A sight that was unbearable to her was nothing to the enigmatic being. ¡°These machines are simultaneously torturing them and draining them of their magic. They replay their worst memories, making them relive the same trauma over and over again unto eternity. However, they are kept at the very border of a mental breakdown. Such is to garner as much energy as possible without altering the body¡¯s physical nature. Fascinating.¡±


    The body twitched ever so slightly in the same way ad nauseum. Every time it did, a faint chime rang out across the expanse.


    ¡°How can you say that? Don¡¯t you feel anything for them¡­? What they¡¯re going through¡­ it¡¯s a living hell.¡±


    Archizend shook his head. ¡°What you may feel for them is nothing compared to their suffering. As for me¡­ I am beyond despair, hybrid. To give into emotion is just what Ymiris wants from us, and I will not play her game.¡±


    Ceres looked up at the cat and blocked her sight from catching the mutilation before her. ¡°Ymiris? You mean the Goddess? What does she have to do with any of this?¡±


    Archizend wheezed dryly. It sounded as if a corpse had chuckled. His unhinged, unnatural grin showed on his face. ¡°Everything, dear hybrid. Everything.¡±


    Ceres revealed her dagger from its safe-keeping within her clothes, and stared down at it for a long while. As if she had come to some kind of decision, she firmly gripped its hilt and stepped forward. With a quick slash, her eyes closed, every electric coil connecting to the child¡¯s mind was severed. As a result, the machines rumbled to a deathly whimper, then stopped functioning entirely. The disheveled student followed suit. After lifetimes of torment, they were finally allowed to rest.


    The cat, who had made his way further into the distorted world, called out to her. ¡°Hurry along. Realize that they were supporting this section. Not even I am sure of what would happen if you were caught in its erasure.¡±


    With a sorrowful visage, Ceres reluctantly answered Archizend¡¯s call.


    As he had insinuated, the paths they had tread moments before faded away right before their eyes. The space warped and fizzled out of existence, as if it was water evaporating before the harsh sunlight.


    ¡°Before you ran off, I was going to elaborate. Nia has created such a world for two purposes. One is to entrap you all and force you to bear witness to its second purpose. If you are to escape such a trap, we must cut apart the net.¡±


    Ceres wiped the remnants of tears from her eyes. ¡°You mean, if we free the rest of the students, we¡¯ll return to the real world?¡±


    Archizend nodded.


    Wandering farther and farther away from the decaying portion of the realm, they came upon patches of color. Vibrant, green grass grew out from the pale floor. Eventually, it began to merge into a scene out of a storybook. A patch of grassland that reminded Ceres a bit of the Outlands, though it was much nicer than any Outlands plain. A closer resemblance were the grasslands in the outskirts of Aza, where Imeldra¡¯s mansion once stood before its collapse. A single tree, unlike the ones they had come across before, stood in the middle of the plot. Its trunk was sturdy and strong, and leaves gracefully adorned its branches, just as verdant as the land beneath.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Archizend trailed off when a figure came prancing out from behind the tree. A young girl with angelic, white hair and scarlet eyes. Her face and kind smile reflected the fabricated sunshine.


    ¡°...a mirage.¡±


    ¡°Mirage?¡± The girl said with a posed look. She tilted her head to one side, her eyes upturned to ponder the word. ¡°Funny as always, Pluto.¡±


    ¡°Pluto¡­? Who is this? Cat?¡± Ceres leered at Archizend, but the cat did not care for her words.


    ¡°Nia is truly ill,¡± he eked out and coughed. His lungs sounded as if they had lost to time long ago. ¡°Mysticism for mysticism¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s this, Pluto? Brought a friend?¡± The girl grabbed and clasped Ceres¡¯s hands in her own. She gave her a beaming smile. It was both friendly and curious.


    ¡°Ignore her, hybrid. It is no more than some cobbled illusion. She seeks to delay us even more. We must find the-¡±


    ¡°Oh, Pluto! I missed you dearly my kitty-witty! Come here, now. It¡¯s your favorite sister! Hehe.¡± The white-haired girl ruffled Archizend¡¯s facial fur in little circles and stroked his head. It seemed his abyssal eyes didn¡¯t put her off one bit. The black cat raised his paw in retaliation, extending his claws, but the girl picked him up before he had the chance and cradled him like a baby. ¡°Don¡¯t be difficult. It¡¯s me, Lily.¡±


    ¡°Lily!?¡± Ceres stumbled backwards in disbelief.


    The girl¡¯s eyes widened to an unnatural degree. They glowed beneath the light filtered through the tree. Leaves gently fell around them as a strange wind brushed past. Some time passed. The quietness of it all. The tranquility. It calmed Ceres when she thought she could never be calm. Confusion still racked her, but she knew it would be resolved. Lily finally released Archizend from her arms.


    ¡°Is it¡­? No, it cannot be. You are not the real one. Not even a piece of her.¡± For the first time, Ceres sensed an emotion building in the cat. His words were drenched in hopeless sorrow.


    They all sat beneath the great tree. Under any other circumstance, it might¡¯ve been a delightful meeting. Again, memories surfaced in Ceres¡¯s mind. Picnics. Asteria. The Outlands, what they thought was the extent of the world, seemed so large back then. If only she could tell her now; about all the wonderful places she¡¯d seen. And the sad ones. And the ones with no name. Emptiness known to all yet unknown, without a title.


    Lily¡¯s twin ruby-like eyes dug a hole in Ceres¡¯s heart. It was almost as if she wasn¡¯t looking at her, and was instead peering directly into her soul. Nothing seemed to escape her gaze. ¡°You¡¯ve been to our house, huh? It wasn¡¯t always so dark and dreary. On sunny days it was a beautiful thing. To a child as I was, that house was very much the same as your land. Full of wonder, yet so empty. Though, I guess when you¡¯re young, that emptiness doesn¡¯t really bother you.¡±


    Ceres hated herself for the question burning within her, but she asked it anyway. ¡°What are you, exactly?¡±


    Lily looked down at Archizend, who was laying in a loaf, and petted him. ¡°Perhaps¡­ a version of Lily. One from the recesses of Nia¡¯s mind. Time and time again, she would call my name. On sleepless nights. On dark days, through sobs. But I could never answer her. And now that I can, she doesn¡¯t dare listen. I¡¯m not real enough for her, I suppose.¡±


    Ceres, too, looked down at Archizend.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Lily chimed in again. ¡°Pluto was his name before. That¡¯s why I called him that. But you aren¡¯t that same stray cat anymore.¡± She gave him a smile, slightly tinged by sadness.


    ¡°No, Lily, I am not. However¡­¡± The cat fell silent for a time. ¡°Your dear pet still remembers you. He is still here, within me. Deep below the surface. His feelings are mine, and mine his.¡±


    Lily teared up, and promptly began wiping her wet cheeks with her dress. ¡°Sorry,¡± she sniffled. ¡°I¡¯m just so very happy to hear that.¡±


    Silence permeated the three once again. Only the brustling of the branches above caught their ears. That, and the sound of Lily trying to regain her composure.


    ¡°Listen,¡± Ceres spoke. ¡°There¡¯s someone we¡¯re looking for. Multiple people, actually. Do you think-¡±


    Lily raised a palm to quell the rest of her sentence. ¡°Say no more, Ceres. I may be a part of Nia, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m here to stall you. In fact, since I know this place all too well, I can help you find them. It may look rather large, but they shouldn¡¯t be far at all. We¡¯ll find them in no time.¡±


    ¡°Really? You¡¯d help us?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Nia, she¡­ she¡¯s nothing more than a lost, confused child. Always has been, especially since my death. When I was taken from her, she had no one. She was all alone in that shadowed manor. Every quiet corner, every creaking floorboard, every part of that place reminded her of me. Maybe¡­ maybe that¡¯s why she¡¯s so afraid of speaking with me. She¡¯s terrified of coming to terms with it all. All the loneliness and the hatred and the fear she felt on that day are locked up inside of me. Accepting me would be like accepting Lily¡¯s death. For her, it would be unthinkable.¡±


    Ceres deftly clasped Lily¡¯s hand and brought her to her feet. ¡°Okay. Then, I trust you. And¡­ we¡¯ll try to convince Nia to come to her senses one way or another. For now, lead the way.¡±


    Peering beyond the tree and the plain they were stood upon, Lily pointed into the distance. Along the faded horizon were colossal columns of light that nearly pierced the sky. ¡°Your friends should be in those. I will warn you, though. They¡¯re meant to turn their greatest fears against them. What you see may change your views on them completely, for better or worse.¡±


    Ceres ran ahead and turned around, a confident and determined expression on her face. ¡°The past¡¯s the past. Doesn¡¯t change the fact that we¡¯re a team. No matter what we face over there, we¡¯ll charge right through it. And then we¡¯ll kick Nia¡¯s ass and save my sister.¡±

 Chapter 22: Towers of Light

    Once Ceres had opened the door, Maxra and Venza were enveloped in a blinding radiance. At first they heard nothing but tranquil silence, as if they were floating on a cloud. Shortly after that feeling passed, the darkness of night replaced it. The whispering of fire elementals in the woods. The unblinking stars overhead. The blood splattered across their dead clanmates¡¯ bodies. The roaring of the crimson river beside them. They were back home, but not the version of it that they so dearly missed.


    Burning the piles of their comrades were men and women dressed in heavy obsidian armor. Their swords and other weapons were doused in slick oil, and atop them danced sinister purple flames. Their eyes burned the same color. One of them, much larger than the others and wearing a horned helmet, stomped across the field to confront the two anisai women.


    ¡°Two remaining? Who has forsaken their duties? I ordered all of you to cleanse this forest of filth, did I not?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Adjudicator! We have failed you, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    The dark figure tightened the grip on his flaming greatsword. Whether it was out of anger or excitement was unknown to all. ¡°No matter. The more filth cleansed, the safer we are. Lower your heads, fiends! I, Halsta of the Dark Court, shall execute you swiftly. See it not as mercy. I merely seek to wipe away all traces of anisai in sight as quickly as humanly possible.¡±


    ¡°What¡­? No¡­¡±


    Maxra looked to Venza at her side. She had become deathly pale, and her legs trembled something fierce.


    It was true. They were back. At least, it appeared that way. Almost as if they were dropped into the memory itself. Everything was just as she remembered it, though Maxra had tried desperately to forget the past. Some memories permanently scar the mind as a physical wound marks flesh.


    Venza had lost her previously cocky attitude. She stared at the Adjudicator in abstract terror. ¡°But¡­ he¡¯s dead!¡±


    Halsta let out a low, coarse chuckle. ¡°Dead? Far from it, inhuman. Though I do like that look in your eyes. The fear you feel¡­ I can almost taste it.¡±


    The rest of the armor-clad humans chuckled as well. They all turned to face what they assumed to be the last of the anisai they had come to eradicate.


    ¡°Nah, you¡¯re dead. That¡¯s for sure. Sawed your head off myself to save this runt.¡± Maxra bared her dagger. Her eyes shone the same vibrant, jade color. ¡°So¡­ whatever you are. Illusion, or trick, or whatever. I¡¯ll just kill you again.¡±


    ¡°I have no clue as to what you are babbling on about, anisai. I¡¯m surprised that even an inhuman has the mental capacity to fall to insanity. Did any of you know this?¡± He peered back at his subordinates with a half-threatening, half-knowing glare.


    ¡°No, Adjudicator!¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Well, the Dark Court isn¡¯t suited to treating the mentally unwell. But we shall kill you all the same. However, for threatening an Adjudicator such as I, we shall have to torture you to death now. It is stated here¡­¡±


    Halsta opened a palm, and after a second, violet light appeared above it like a hologram. It depicted a huge, iron-bound book. It opened to a certain page, and a line of text was highlighted for the anisai women to see clearly. ¡°Title 9, Chapter 312: Any who dare insult, threaten, injure, or kill an Adjudicator of the Dark Court shall hereby be sentenced to death by torture. As it is written.¡±


    ¡°As it is written!¡± The rest shouted in unison.


    Halsta closed his palm, and as a result the book faded from view. He grasped his greatsword tightly with both hands and raised it slightly above his shoulders in a fighter¡¯s stance. ¡°Then, despite your mental deficiencies, I shall henceforth take the role of your judge, jury, and executioner.¡±


    The hulking dark mass of a man lunged forward and swung his colossal sword in a low arc. The air almost seemed to distort against its weight.


    Maxra pushed Venza away and hopped over the Adjudicator¡¯s blade, all the while throwing several objects past her foe¡¯s head. Once she fell back down to the floor and Halsta had completed his swing, half of the dark knights behind him crumpled to the floor. Pools of blood formed from underneath their heads.


    Venza came to her senses somewhat and a strange expression formed on her face. After a moment, she patted herself up and down, then turned to Maxra with an absent look. ¡°My knives¡­¡±


    Halsta briefly turned to examine his fallen allies, and just as Venza had eked out, in every single one of their heads was a razor-sharp knife half-dug into their skulls. Their hilts stuck out of each one¡¯s helmet like some crude representation of a unicorn. ¡°Leave this dishonorable one to me, fellows. I require no help in this enactment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s gonna be your last mistake.¡±


    Maxra dashed toward Halsta like a demon, but the Dark Court official was ready for her. Holding his blade straight and pointed upwards, he chanted something unheard. Once he¡¯d finished, a violet blaze erupted all around him. With a quick stomp, the ground rumbled and grasping flames manifested from his foot to claim Maxra¡¯s life. The blast knocked Maxra backward, sending her careening across the nightscape and directly into some decrepit housing. She smashed through the wall, sending broken wooden planks flying off to be lost.


    ¡°Maxra!¡±


    ¡°These anisai love to boast, don¡¯t they Witness Vrey?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Adjudicator. A trait they could have only picked up from their human counterparts, to be sure.¡± An odd, cloaked man wearing an assortment of silver ornaments and jewelry snickered beside Halsta. On his sleeves and on the blindfold he wore were white symbols depicting an eye.


    ¡°Perhaps it is to match their powerlessness against the might of magic. For so long they preyed upon us, but once we humans had mastered the art of the arcane, all they had left was their physical prowess. It is unfortunate that they cannot use magic as their ancestors could. Unfortunate for them, of course.¡±


    ¡°Except for their filthy, parasitic powers.¡± Malice dripped from the Witness¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Hmph. Quite.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut your damn mouths!¡± Venza the Unseen glared at the two men with unbridled fury. The fear that had clogged her heart was quelled and smothered, and all that remained after Maxra¡¯s fall was a deep-rooted anger.


    ¡°Silence.¡± Vrey spoke, his palm outstretched. ¡°As Justitia is blind, so too am I. Be silenced and lay your neck for execution.¡±


    A resonant chime shook Venza¡¯s mind. Very quickly, she realized what he had done. It wasn¡¯t simple mind control, as he needed to keep his eyes fixed on her, but he moved her as a puppeteer would nonetheless. She couldn¡¯t willfully move a muscle. Against all her strength, she knelt down silently, bowed forward, and displayed her neck for a clean cut.


    ¡°Fine work, Witness. Lady Justitia will be pleased indeed.¡±


    Venza struggled as much as she could, but all of her efforts were truly in vain. No matter how much she felt she had moved and made her rage known, on the outside she hadn¡¯t moved an inch. Like a faithful dog, she still laid silently on the bloodied ground with her neck ready.


    Halsta calmly walked toward the woman with thunderous steps. His colossal blade rested on his shoulder, as if he didn¡¯t have one iota of fear in his heart. He reached down and tore Venza¡¯s visor and hood from her head and threw them to the side. Gripping her hair, he wrenched her head backward to examine her face. ¡°It¡¯s true, what they say. I¡¯ve only seen two anisai women in my life, apart from these two, and they truly are beautiful. More so than any human could ever be. Such a shame.¡±


    In an act that surprised them all, Venza managed to spit in the Adjudicator¡¯s eye. It seemed like an action of very low effort was able to slip past the Witness¡¯s controlling gaze.


    Halsta crammed his fingers into his black helmet, wiping the spit from his face. In a fit of rage, he raised his fist in retaliation, but it never came down. ¡°What the-¡±


    An onyx claw unlike anything the man had ever seen before had gripped his left arm and was holding it in a vice. If he hadn¡¯t had such thick armor on, its daggerlike nails could have easily impaled him.


    ¡°Think you can try to hit a girl and get away with it!?¡± Ceres tightened her grip, and in response Halsta¡¯s armor began to crumple and dent. An intense pressure began to crush his arm, sending intense pain his way.


    ¡°Aaaahh! Who the hell are you!? Who are you to defy the Dark Court!?¡±


    Witness Vrey, keeping eyes on Venza¡¯s bowed form, motioned for his subordinates to return to the fight. A dozen or so knights marched forward with their ebony blades drawn.


    ¡°Submit or be executed!¡± They shouted in unison.


    Halsta stomped and lunged to bash Ceres with the spiked side of his shoulder. The hybrid ducked and let go of the man¡¯s arm quickly, picked up Venza, and ran to where Maxra had been flung.


    ¡°Get back here! Aaah!¡± Halsta¡¯s arm was half-crushed. He could feel the bone start to pierce through the outer walls of his flesh. ¡°Heh¡­ guess I¡¯ll have to do this one-handed. No problem.¡± Suddenly, he swung his sword to the right as if assuming another stance for a spell. ¡°May our Lady give us strength. May our Lady give us the power to enact this judgment.¡±


    Violet rays of light appeared all around Halsta¡¯s body and in a circle on the ground surrounding him. The same repeated across all of the Adjudicator¡¯s knights and around the Witness.


    Halsta swung his greatsword wildly, as it to show off his newly gained power. With just one hand, he carried it effortlessly just as Arkiel had done with her mortal blade. He barreled forward, violet wrath burning in his eyes, when a black cat stepped out from the darkness before him. Its eyes were missing, giving the man a momentary shock.


    ¡°Quite embarrassing to be sure. The anisai losing to such a lowborn human?¡±


    Halsta took a step backward in disbelief. ¡°This some¡­ kind of trick? What¡¯s happening? What are you? Who¡¯s that girl? Explain yourself, inhuman!¡±


    ¡°As I thought. So lifelike, just as the Lily we met outside. However, these aren¡¯t quite there. More accurate to wax figurines compared to a doll.¡± The cat grinned.


    ¡°Out of my way!¡± Halsta swung at the cat, and then he swung some more, but after the first swing there was nothing left at all. With mad eyes, he looked down at his right arm, or what was left of it. All that remained was a violently bleeding stump, and his sword had fallen to the ground. ¡°Wh¡­at¡­?¡±


    ¡°Do tell. Do you know of a woman named Nia? Or are you no more than a replicated memory?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ No!¡± Halsta coughed up viscous blood. It stained the face of his helmet and the ground between them. ¡°This¡­ doesn¡¯t¡­ make any sense! Lady Justitia! Hear me! Save us! Save us from this madness!¡±


    Archizend sighed. ¡°I suppose that answers my question. Begone, waxen one.¡±


    Halsta let out a cry, but it was abruptly silenced. Without the cat moving an inch, jagged rips in reality tore across the Adjudicator¡¯s body. Ephemeral and iridescent, the claw rippled and rended the false Halsta from existence. A horrible sound rang out, then muted. Nothing was left and nothing remained. The cat licked his paw twice.


    Vrey, still locked onto Venza being carried by Ceres, stumbled backward and fell to the ground. He began to shake uncontrollably. A terrible fear enveloped him. Though he was truly blind, he could see in a sense. Through magic, he could sense auras and use such auras to bind people and bend them to his will. However, once his ally had vanished from sight, something else came into view. To call it an aura would do it a disservice. It was as bright as a star, and closer than any star could ever be. It blinded him. Though he could still see faint lights, and see Venza¡¯s faint form, the star before his view grew brighter and brighter, searing its overwhelming eminence into his very soul. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°Be calm, for your erasure is at hand o waxen one. Be joyous that you will no longer be stuck in this ever-repeating play as an undying actor. Of course, I can kill the undying with no issue.¡± The cat had set its sights on Vrey, all the while slowly and menacingly making its way to him.


    ¡°What¡­!? What are you!? Nothing on this planet exudes this amount of energy¡­ nothing but the very earth itself!¡±


    Archizend ignored the quivering man¡¯s words. ¡°Where is it? The core of this pillar?¡±


    Clearly without one bit of knowledge of what the cat spoke of, the Witness tore his eyes from Venza and instead attempted to lock Archizend in place. He regretted the decision almost immediately. As soon as he shifted his gaze to the feline clad in nightshade, his pupils erupted into flame. Screaming like a banshee, he covered his eyes with his hands, but the damage was already done. His eyes burnt out of his skull, and his face began to melt in response to the sudden rush of intense magical heat.


    ¡°You should have listened to your instincts. Now, allow me to demonstrate true domination over the mind.¡±


    A vorpal, half-translucent claw tilted Witness Vrey¡¯s head back upwards and severed both of his arms in an instant. Even with abyssal, burnt-out eyes, Vrey¡¯s mind was overcome with eyes even blacker and devoid of life. Unseen hands reached and squirmed their way into the defeated foe¡¯s mind, searching for the source of this part of Nia¡¯s distorted world. Finally, the hands retracted and Vrey was left dead on the ground. If he could still talk, he¡¯d agree that it was a better fate than what the false Halsta had received, even if it wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference in the near future.


    ¡°Are you okay? Both of you?¡± Ceres asked, her claw calmly placed on Venza¡¯s shoulder.


    Maxra eyed the two wearily. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m okay. Been a while since I¡¯ve been tossed like that.¡±


    ¡°Are they still alive? We have to get out of here. I don¡¯t understand it, but we can¡¯t stay here. Never wanted to come back. Have to leave. Get the hell out of here¡­¡±


    Maxra shook Venza out of her stupor, eyeing her with a bit of anger, but more worry than not. ¡°Hey! It¡¯s alright. Looks like Master has taken care of it, like always.¡±


    Sinking into herself, Venza¡¯s eyes regained their luster as if to say she¡¯d come back to reality somewhat. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that damned cat¡­ just get us outta here.¡± She dusted herself off, got up, and went to retrieve her cloak and visor hidden in the surrounding darkness. It fit perfectly back onto her head, once again hiding her true features with featureless metal and wavy, black cloth.


    Glancing across the burning bodies, there was Archizend fighting off the legion of knights remaining. To call it a fight wasn¡¯t quite right, however. It was terribly one-sided; the cat razed the black-clad ranks with every few seconds that passed. Even still, the others rejoined their ally and fought alongside him, finally destroying the Dark Court materialized from the two anisai women¡¯s minds.


    Maxra wiped the sweat from her brow, and Ceres swung her arm to throw the blood off of the tips of her claw. Venza stood silently, eyeing Archizend who looked upon her in the same way.


    ¡°Cloaked anisai. Though I¡¯m sure my words mean very little to you, it is good to see you.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t say the same. We might be here out of circumstance, but I didn¡¯t miss any of you one bit. If anything, I should fill your body with daggers for indoctrinating this little girl into your suicidal troupe.¡±


    Archizend cackled with his same, death rattle-like laugh. ¡°We¡¯re all mad here. Your mind is too clouded by the real that you cannot even realize the imagined world we find ourselves in.¡±


    ¡°Quit the cryptic shit. How the hell are we at the Rapids? There¡¯s no way we teleported halfway across the continent.¡±


    Ceres came forward and explained everything that had happened once she¡¯d opened the door.


    ¡°A world¡­ made from Nia¡¯s mind? And we¡¯ve all been trapped in smaller parts manifested from our own minds? Sounds like a dumb fairy tale¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we have to find the other students and put them out of their misery,¡± Ceres said. ¡°Not just for them, but for us to escape too.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about some kid nobles. Whether or not they rebuild that shithole of a city, the rich are just going to come back and reap what they¡¯ve sown. I don¡¯t think they¡¯d be too happy, either, once they find out what the Sorceress¡¯s been doing.¡± Venza let out a cruel chuckle.


    ¡°So you knew? You all knew what she was doing and you-¡±


    Maxra grabbed Ceres¡¯s shoulder and pushed her back a couple steps to talk to her in private. ¡°...You want to save your sister, right? Isn¡¯t that all you really care about?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Ceres.¡± Maxra stared deeply into the hybrid girl¡¯s face. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Master wants with you. I don¡¯t even know what he¡¯s planning. But if you want something, you have to devote yourself to it wholly. The Sorceress won¡¯t just give your sister back if you ask nicely. She¡¯s just as hellbent on saving her sister as you are.¡± She placed her palm on her forehead. ¡°Block out everything else. If you aren¡¯t prepared to make any sacrifices, then you¡¯ll be her sacrifice. Understand?¡±


    ¡°I love Asteria. More than anything. But if I just accept these things and move on without a care for anyone else, I¡¯d be no better than Nia. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here in the first place. We¡¯ve got to save everyone. Even if, at this point, saving the students means killing them.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Venza interrupted. ¡°I mean¡­ I meant what I said. But I shouldn¡¯t have said it like that. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t feel for them at all. I do. I¡¯m not that heartless.¡± Venza nervously scratched the back of her neck through her clothing. ¡°We all were with Nia for some selfish reason. Mine¡­ I wanted a surefire way to bring our anisai brothers and sisters back to their former glory. If you knew, little girl. If you knew what our ancestors were capable of, you¡¯d despair at the sight of us now. We may seem impressive at first, but we¡¯re nothing but a disgrace to our heritage.¡±


    Ceres looked up at Maxra expecting some lackadaisical rebuttal, but she got none. Maxra only nodded silently, a constricting frustration pushing against her throat.


    A coarse, raspy voice ended the short conversation. Then, a number of voices spoke out in turn.


    ¡°Lady¡­ Justitia¡­¡±


    ¡°Cleanse¡­ inhuman scum¡­¡±


    ¡°Fire¡­ kill¡­¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Venza, along with the others, all turned their heads to see the Dark Court knights they had slain slowly rise to their feet. They were murmuring half-intelligible words, fragments of things they may have said in life.


    ¡°They¡¯re¡­ coming back from the dead?¡±


    ¡°Protect¡­ clan¡­¡±


    ¡°Slay¡­ intruders¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Venza eked out, her gaze firmly fixed on the burning masses. They were beginning to crawl and stand as though nothing had harmed them. Their melting, burning, rotten flesh hung and fell from them as they stumbled towards the only sign of life in sight. ¡°Not them too¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Archizend pondered. ¡°It is as I thought. These lifeless, waxen creations really are nothing more than actors on a stage. If we do not hurry to the core now, we may have to fight them all again.¡±


    Maxra bared her dagger and sighed deeply. ¡°Ah man~ Let¡¯s get a move on, Master. We¡¯ve gotta get out and find Zenzi before it¡¯s too late. You know where that thing is, right? The student or whatever?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Follow me.¡±


    Past the burning refuse that once served as a refuge for Maxra and Venza¡¯s clan, the group fled into the cragged woods that surrounded the place. The moans of the dead called out from the abandoned home, crying for their clanmates. A sharp pain pierced their hearts, though it soon calmed when the voices began to fade. Through black branches and the utter darkness of night, they finally reached a small clearing, and amidst the clearing was a grand lake that stretched to the far horizon. The dense trees clung to the side of it as if it was their only source of light. Perhaps it was what it reflected.


    Hanging directly above the middle of the still water was a bright, full moon in a field of stars. In front of it, wiry tendrils lined the sky and led their eyes to the center of the lake. Another crude throne, with yet another flayed student sat atop it. As if to defy the very laws of physics, the throne did not submerge into the water even an inch.


    ¡°There it is! Come on!¡± Ceres ran forward without another thought.


    ¡°Wait, idiot!¡± Maxra called after the girl, but after a second, she went silent. Ceres had run out of the clearing and onto the lake, as if the water was no more than some hidden wizard¡¯s illusion. She sighed again. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this.¡±


    Venza punched her shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve made it this far and you can¡¯t believe this? What I can¡¯t believe is how I lost to you. Guess I¡¯ll have to surprise you more.¡± She ran to catch up to the decrepit cat and the hybrid.


    Maxra shook her head and scoffed, then followed along, walking on the slightly rippling water.


    It was truly a sight to behold. More so a sight that Ceres had wished to never see again, but it had become painfully obvious that it would be something that she would see again without fail. With the looming moonlight caressing the mutilated being in front of them, Ceres lashed out with her dagger and cut the wretched wires supporting both the student and the world around them.


    The wires fell from the night sky and into the water, except they began sinking. The metal throne, too, began to slowly sink into the shining water below.


    ¡°Think we should run? What if we fall in, too?¡± Maxra asked.


    ¡°No. No one move. Not a soul.¡± Archizend ordered the three women with a coarse half-whisper. ¡°Don¡¯t speak.¡±


    A deafening silence fell upon the lake and gripped the group. The surrounding woods trembled. Their black, spiky branches reached upwards as if to herald the coming of something unknown.


    ¡°Look up. The stars.¡± The cat¡¯s small head, devoid of eyes, pointed up at the stars and moon.


    At first, they noticed nothing. The sky was as it had always been, at least since they¡¯d reached the lake. Though, after a moment or two, they each in turn noticed the discrepancy. One by one, since Ceres had pulled the plug, the stars began to vanish from the sky. It started slow, but grew faster and faster as each second passed. All around them, the twinkling lights fell into darkness and disappeared, as if they were all candles in a flooding monastery. Eventually, their eyes fell on the last star, and it too vanished without a trace. They then set their eyes on the final light in the pitch-black sky. The moon, once bright and brimming with reflected sunlight, dimmed into a gray orb littered with craters.


    It darkened. And darkened. Painted with tar-like ichor, the moon became an ominous, unknowable ball of nothingness. The missing stars, too, were replaced by the same vision. Endless dark orbs dotted the atmosphere, all small and insignificant when compared to the once-glowing moon before them. The moon had grown darker than the blackest black, darker than eyes could perceive. Darkened into a color beyond understanding. Even so, they could look into it, and in turn the abyss stared back. It could be compared to a mirror, but at the same time comparing something so existentially nightmarish to a common item like a mirror would be an insult to metaphor.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening, cat? What is that¡­?¡± Ceres trailed off, the abyssal depths of the massive orb¡¯s face mesmerizing her and stealing her focus.


    ¡°The Black Moon. So you are still here, staring down at what your actions have wrought.¡±


    The moon sang. ¡°Li lyx ypvysh. Ymgczx boerr eq kr mvh dbmcxh. Jox wyypcijp hpsjr srry e Zvmqcjsv Wjoin.¡±


    ¡°Afraid not, brother Scion. Or¡­ perhaps you are a fake as well? Though, perhaps even a caricature of you would hold some amount of power.¡±


    The moon observed.


    In a flash, all was made pallid and pure, and the realm crumbled around them.


    Ceres opened her eyes. She was back at the circle of towers. The tall, gleaming towers of light at the center of Nia¡¯s lonely world. This time, not only the cat but the two anisai women were with her now. ¡°Yes! I saved you guys!¡± She breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°All by myself, too!¡±


    Archizend glared at Ceres, or at least he attempted to do the equivalent of glaring without any eyes to speak of.


    ¡°Nakir, look!¡±


    ¡°My word! Ceres!¡±


    Both Grovalt and Nakir ran from a corner of the spires to join the tired group. Nakir outstretched his wings as if to give Ceres a hug, but Grovalt beat him to it.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re all okay. I didn¡¯t know what to think when you opened that door.¡±


    Ceres, even with her dragon-like strength, was crushed under the warrior¡¯s muscly arms. ¡°Okay, okay. Let go of me and let¡¯s talk about it.¡±


    Slightly dejected, he let go of the grumpy girl and took a few steps back. Nakir, in turn, looked around them.


    Multiple, shining towers of light surrounded them at the center of a monochromatic world. The ones that him, Grovalt, and the women had come from had faded into indistinguishable black husks. The two remaining, still alight, had gateways on them that depicted different places. One of them looked like it led to a wavy desert of some kind, and the other was dark and featured infinitely huge, skyward trees.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Grovalt continued. ¡°I was back in that dream. Back when that bastard¡­ what was his name? The squid guy?¡±


    ¡°Ilzathk, I think?¡± Maxra scratched her head. ¡°If only Zenzi were here¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. Back when Ilzathk messed with my head, I was sent back to a long time ago. Back in my homeland in the north. It was the same there. But that doesn¡¯t matter. I got out of it no problem, and ended up here.¡±


    ¡°The same as I,¡± Nakir said. ¡°I had to escape the pesterings of my younger sister, but I eventually made it here.¡±


    ¡°What!? That¡¯s all you guys had to go through? A bit of snow and¡­ family troubles!?¡± Venza wanted to punch the two confused men with all her might, but relinquished her outrage. Maxra wanted to as well, and she did not relinquish anything.


    ¡°Oww!¡±


    ¡°Arrgh!¡±


    The dragon and the warrior were left with severe bruising. The others eventually explained to them everything about where they were and what they had to do.


    ¡°Yeah, I figured. Took me a while, but once I found that¡­ that student, I knew it had to have something to do with it.¡± Grovalt shuddered. The thought of the tortured child injected him with a gross unease.


    Ceres turned to Archizend. ¡°Hold on, aren¡¯t we forgetting something? Didn¡¯t something happen at the end there? I was going to ask about it.¡±


    ¡°At the lake?¡± Maxra asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Didn¡¯t something happen after we freed that student?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ now that you mention it, I feel like something did. Whatever it was, I can¡¯t remember. Weird.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get going, huh? Can¡¯t keep Raum and Zenzi waiting.¡±


    ¡°Which first, though? That is the question.¡± Nakir furrowed his brow.


    ¡°I think we better split up,¡± Grovalt proposed. ¡°How about me and Archizend look for Zenzi and you guys go for Raum.¡±


    The others looked around and nodded affirmatively. Except for one.


    ¡°No way! That desert looks way too hot. Plus, I¡¯m not just gonna ignore Zen when she might be in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Fine by me.¡±


    Thus, Maxra, Grovalt, and Archizend walked through the shimmering light depicting Zenzi¡¯s prison. Ceres, Venza, and Nakir walked through the tower depicting Raum¡¯s endless sand dunes.


    As they left Aretztikapha temporarily, an eye opened and looked upon them with apathy. At the same time, a dark looming force turned its gaze toward the imminent future. Sounds of all kinds were ringing, and something beyond the light and dark, deep beneath the earth, began to stir.

 Chapter 23: Mirage

    The vast desert. Barren and lifeless, void of hope. In this scorched wasteland lay a city named Sirithis, known to be broken and abandoned, yet it presented itself in a manner that was the opposite. On the horizon, its gleaming towers and sunlit spires seemed unshifted from its said collapse hundreds of years past.


    ¡°Whew! Maxra was right.¡± Ceres panted under the intense heat of the sun. ¡°It really is¡­ hot! I¡¯m dying here.¡±


    Nakir threw up a wing to cast a shadow over the poor girl. He eyed Venza, standing a few meters away. She was staring deep into the distance, to where the great city was. ¡°That is Sirithis, if I¡¯m not mistaken?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Shouldn¡¯t be like that though. It was destroyed in the Relic War.¡±


    ¡°That does sound familiar. Who destroyed it?¡±


    ¡°Sirithisians.¡±


    Nakir¡¯s head irked up in confusion. ¡°Why would they do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it was on purpose. No idea what caused it, but out of nowhere the whole city up and vanished. Only bits and pieces of it remained, along with all the gold buried underneath the sands. Only Sirithisians that survived were those outside the city.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Practically ended the war then and there.¡±


    Ceres had gone silent while Venza spoke, still cowering from the sun underneath the black dragon¡¯s wing. ¡°He must really miss it.¡±


    ¡°Then, climb upon my back and let us-¡±


    ¡°Shh! Look there.¡± Venza pointed to the right of the sandswept city.


    A dune rider seemed to appear out of thin air. Gliding across the shimmering sands, they would stop at nothing to reach the city at the end of the world. As they edged closer, a blinding light seemed to envelop them, and they disappeared just as quickly as they¡¯d appeared.


    ¡°Was that Raum?¡±


    ¡°Only one way to find out.¡±


    The anisai and the hybrid climbed onto the dragon¡¯s back and prepared for the rush of wind and blistering speed. With a single flap of his enormous wings, Nakir took off, creating massive waves in the sand they once stood upon. Gliding through the air just as the skiff they¡¯d seen glided across the sands, the dragon flew ever closer to their destination.


    As he grew closer, the same blinding light enveloped Nakir as well. His mind went blank for a second. The world lost its color, and all sound was lost to him. After what seemed like a millennium, the roaring sound of his wings slowly invaded his eardrums once again like an old friend returning from a long trip. He suddenly raised his wings to catch air and plunged into the blazing ground below. An aching suspicion clouded his mind and deflected the pain from the fall. Looking up, he confirmed it. They were already in the city.


    The sun seemed as if it were on the verge of devouring it all and the planet along with it. It sat in the sky peering down at Sirithis as if it wore an eerie smile.


    ¡°Are you two alright?¡±


    Ceres and Venza slid off of Nakir¡¯s back with elegance. Well, Venza more so with elegance. Ceres, slightly sick from the fall, stumbled off but with relative ease.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Ceres hiccuped, keeping the vomit induced by motion sickness back in her throat. ¡°All good¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    As Nakir¡¯s vision lowered from the endless array of curved, southern-style architecture, he finally noticed the same skiff they had seen before. It was on its side and slightly smoking, no doubt broken in some capacity from its arrival. In front of it, Raum¡¯s unconscious body lay. The scene was almost picturesque; the oddly-garbed man, fallen before the strange city that shouldn¡¯t even be standing. All within his mind, no less. It was all still hard to come to terms with.


    ¡°Raum?¡± Ceres shook the man awake.


    ¡°Mhm¡­ Ah!¡± He took a few weary looks around until he understood the situation. ¡°My fellows. I am glad none of you are hurt.¡±


    Ceres explained everything else to him that he had yet to know.


    ¡°I figured it was so. The only other way to relive one¡¯s memories so clearly would be to come to a sudden and tragic demise. I am thankful it was the former.¡± He stood up and scanned the empty streets as if looking for someone. ¡°I did not think my time would catch up to me so fast, however. It seems Archizend has grown tired of keeping his paws out of this.¡±


    Ceres¡¯s brow wrinkled, an inquisitive look forming on her face. ¡°Out of what?¡±


    Raum looked down at his broken skiff, then at Ceres. The sun beat down on the two of them relentlessly. ¡°Normally, I would not have any chance of relaying this to you, but in our current predicament, I believe it is safe.¡± He removed the goggles that covered his eyes. ¡°That cat¡­ is not to be trusted any more than the Sorceress is.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Maxra and Zenzi have helped us more than anybody else. Why would they even bother, then? I¡¯ll agree that I don¡¯t trust him, but-¡±


    ¡°That is what I seek to warn you of. Why, indeed? Maxra and Zenzi may not know, that could be the truth, but that¡­ creature has done nothing but spit facts and riddles. Not one truth about them nor himself. What does he want? What do they desire? Not even I know.¡±


    Ceres grasped at the back of her neck. An anxiousness began to seep into her chest. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°I simply mean to say that everyone has their own weakness. Our desires oft drive us down paths we never thought possible. Almost as if our hearts are what set our fates; preordained by our very own emotions.¡±


    She looked down at her clasped claw. The memory of when she¡¯d met Nakir flashed in her mind. It was when she had first discovered her body¡¯s transformation. ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed since then. Well, a lot has. But I still only have one singular goal: to save Asteria. To protect my sister. If anyone stands in the way of that¡­¡± She trailed off, but her vision stayed fixated on her onyx claw.


    Raum looked upon Ceres intently, the usual calmness he exuded almost a forgotten memory. Then, in the corner of his gaze, he spotted a man clumsily walking down the dusk-colored street. ¡°Hey, you! Slow your stride, if only for a moment.¡±


    The man weakly turned his head and saw the dune rider, torn clothes, goggles and all. He let out a dry laugh and began walking towards him. ¡°Pardon me, son. I haven¡¯t seen a soul in town in quite a while. I don¡¯t know the last time I took a stroll like this, in fact. What is your name?¡±


    ¡°It is Raum. We¡¯re a bit lost, if you think you can help us.¡±


    ¡°Well, I would if I weren¡¯t lost myself. To tell you the truth, I don¡¯t remember anything, really. If you asked me for my name, I couldn¡¯t tell you. If you asked me what this city was called, I¡¯d have no reply. If you told me this world was dead, I wouldn¡¯t doubt you one bit.¡± The man wore only a gray set of short pants tied to his waist by a red strand of cloth. His shirtless body was severely burnt, and he was skinny to where one could see his ribs trying to break their way through his crusty skin.


    Raum wanted to ask him all the questions in the world, but realized that the greatest gift and perhaps the last gift the man would ever receive was to be left to whatever strand of sanity he had left. ¡°Thank you for your time, sir. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find an answer of some kind ahead.¡±


    ¡°Ah, there is one thing, young man. This city was destroyed long ago, but it looks perfectly fine now. If I had any idea as to why, the only thing that comes to mind is the center of town. The plaza.¡±


    Raum thanked the man and they all moved on, following the tip. He wiped the ever-flowing stream of sweat dripping down his neck with his sleeve.


    Sirithis was silent. Not another soul passed them on their way through its quiet alleyways. The cracks in the ground were littered with sand. The dry heat leeched all moisture from its husk. The term ¡®ghost town¡¯ entered their minds. A town devoid of life was easier to picture, but a whole city abandoned to the elements and left to rot was a rare sight.


    ¡°A city of ghosts,¡± Raum absentmindedly remarked as they made their way through a dusty half-alley. Blocky buildings that seemed to be apartments or other such housing hung over them, casting a much-needed cold shadow. It hugged their bodies with a refreshing chill. The only thing that would have been better was an oasis, something to ease the thirst building in their mouths.


    Eventually, dozens of hunched and broken bodies entered their view, crowding the dense ways through the city. Ceremonial garb adorned most of them, and when Ceres raised one to view what lay underneath, a striking odor plunged into her nostrils. Skeletons, some with chunks of flesh still clinging to their decrepit remains.


    As they entered the central plaza, their eyes met a terrible yet similar sight. Amongst a great monolith in the middle lay dozens of bodies. They were all but husks now, even their bones succumbing to the intense heat. Some of them had turned to ash, leaving only their elaborate robes behind. The black monolith was inlaid with great symbols that glowed a reddish orange, and at the foot of it was a dusty old tome.


    ¡°Is that¡­?¡± Venza perked up.


    ¡°It cannot be,¡± Nakir said. Nothing else caught his eye but the forgotten item before them.


    Raum picked up the tome and flipped through its heavily worn pages. It seemed to be some kind of ritual book. It described the process of sacrificing dozens of souls to invoke a great power. The power seemed to be demonic in nature. ¡°It is. Though, just as all of this, nothing but a recreation of the real thing.¡±


    ¡°What? What is it?¡± Ceres asked.


    Nakir lowered his head to meet Ceres¡¯s level. ¡°That is an archontic tome. A book capable of invoking powers rivaled only by this anisai and I¡¯s ancestors. It is a terrible product of evil.¡±


    Raum shut the book suddenly. ¡°Not evil. It is no more evil than all magic is, than any tool is. In the right hands, one could move mountains. In the wrong, you are right, it could spell doom not just for us, but the whole world.¡± He turned around and softly pressed his palm against the monolith. He lowered his head and quietly whispered in Sirithisian tongue. ¡°Karesh ni gura vientei. Lera¡¯varun siola mune sha gialla.¡±


    ¡°What happened here, exactly?¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°Nue kiyesh muvienne. Our last resort. To win the war, it was our only choice. We were backed against the wall. Sirithis and this desert lead only to the far reaches of the west, to the Void Sea. There was nowhere for us to run. Altruin¡¯s magic and Frostmaw¡¯s fierce warriors were simply too much for us. Their greed overwhelmed us. They would stop at nothing to reap all that lay below this city. Secrets the rest of the world were not ready for!¡± Raum panted, his hunched form spasming. A quiet sorrow filled the dry air.


    Ceres moved to comfort him, but Nakir stopped her with a sullen shake of his head.


    Raum peered upwards at the monolith¡¯s top, and into the sky and the beaming sun. ¡°I knew what had happened while I was away. My home was gone. When I looked out from the far dunes to the city I knew and loved, once filled with love and life, there was nothing. Only bits and pieces left. Goldcutters stripping the only remnants of its existence.¡±


    The sky darkened slightly, alleviating the heavy heat pounding down onto the group.


    ¡°But I returned anyway. Like a moth to a flame, I ran to the only guiding light I had, even when it was invisible. But just as you¡¯ve seen, when I approached, I was sent here. A limbo of our own making. Ah, here it comes! Just as before¡­¡±


    Just then, the great sun above blazed even brighter and enveloped Raum and the others in yet another bright light. As their mind went blank, so did the world once more, except the sun remained.


    ¡°Travelers. You seek the truth. The truth is hidden within. A ritual was conducted here invoking my great power. These men wanted their city to remain in a timeless bubble, free from planetary collapse and national strife. They succeeded, but my power has a heavy price. Sirithis, as your kind called it, is dead. Lost to the shattered pieces of reality where time does not exist. It may resemble its past self from the outside, but hear this: this city is a ghost, and so are you. You were dead the moment you touched the barrier. You are now lost to time. You are now one with the great desert city of Sirithis. May your soul rest with those who sought to transcend their human limitations.¡±


    The archdemon above faded into a softer red hue as Raum fell to his knees. The city may claim those unfortunate to cross its invisible barrier, but all those outside know the fate of the timelost city of Sirithis. He got up and looked around. There was nothing but a barren scorched wasteland. Shattered debris and the tops of spires lined the sand here and there, but otherwise it was devoid of life. He gazed up at the starlit sky and dreamt of a world where Sirithis had lived and died, like every other city in history, instead of being trapped in a stasis in which there was no escape. He began to fade.


    Where am I?


    Who am I?


    What is my purpose?


    Fading lights. Dying stars. Crumbling kingdoms. Wilting roses. His soul wavered, still clinging to the city that would never let him rest.


    Ding.


    A chime? Or a bell?


    Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.


    A clock? Had he been sleeping all along?


    ¡°Sirithisian. Raum, is it? Excuse me, as I have never understood the fondness humans share for names.¡±


    He opened his eyes, but wondered how. He thought his body had all but gone away, leaving only his soul. A cat looked down at him. Its eyes were missing. ¡°Who¡­?¡±


    ¡°A Scion, not some petty wannabe like what your kind summoned. My name is irrelevant, though what I can do for you is much greater.¡±


    Raum stared vacantly into the black pits in the cat¡¯s head, then looked past it into the room he was in. An old-fashioned clock tower, seemingly the top of it. The back glass of the ticking clock showed no outside world. Everything he had known was shrouded in darkness.


    ¡°I can free you from this hellish limbo. All I require is your consent and your unflinching resolve. You shall be the guiding hand of fate for another hopeless soul. You will guide her to her rightful place in this world, no matter how many loops you must run through.¡±


    From one cycle to the next. It all seemed like some cruel joke. Raum attempted to stand, but realized that it was neither the time nor did he have the strength to do so.


    ¡°If you wish to remain shackled to that city torn asunder, then shake your head no. If you wish to serve me and be freed, you need only nod your head.¡± The cat grinned. It was a wretched, unnatural smile that sent pangs of gloom into Raum.


    Even still, he knew he had nothing left to lose. He painfully nodded.


    ¡°Then it shall be so. When the time comes, and you have understood the track their lives run on, you will serve as the final nudge that will free us from her dreadful game. Be happy and rest; for today will surely be a crucial moment in the coming future.¡±


    And the clock struck midnight.


    Raum opened his eyes. The flapping of his attire had woken him. The wind brushed past them all, sending innumerable grains of pearlescent sand scattering across the dunes. For a second, he thought he¡¯d heard the ticking and the bells tolling once more, but relinquished that it may have been just a hallucination.


    With a brief reluctance, he pulled himself upwards. He set his eyes on the great desert. Night had fallen upon them. The sun was gone. The realm slumbered. Yet, they still needed to put it to an end. An inexplicable feeling told him that what they sought was far into the desert. He cursed his enigmatic heart, for it had forced them to search for the way out evermore. Once he¡¯d risen, he noticed he was holding something. He lifted his hand and arm, and saw the archontic tome. Had he really held onto it the entire time?


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    Raum turned his head. Ceres, Nakir, and Venza had woken up and were scrambling to their feet, the sand that acted as their blankets slowly falling from their shoulders and garments.


    ¡°Wow, indeed. The stars are much brighter here than in the city to be sure.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same back home, too. No fog, no smog. The nights are so much prettier.¡±


    Venza remained silent and showed not one emotion through her mask, though it was clear she admired the night sky just as much as the rest of them.


    Raum was dumbfounded. All at once, he fell into a fit of laughter. An awkward smile creased at the sides of his lips, and his body shook with a reignited vigor. ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s what draws your attention?¡±


    ¡°Whatever do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you mean to ask about the-¡± He stopped. The others¡¯ faces told him everything he needed to know. They didn¡¯t remember what they¡¯d seen after the sun began to speak. Perhaps it was too soon for all of them. Such things only people outside of reality could fathom could not stay in the minds of normal people for long. Though, he knew that they didn¡¯t have long until they would be forced to look at the things in between their world and the unknowable. ¡°Nevermind. We should walk for a bit, then set up camp. The student will be a bit far away.¡±


    ¡°Do we really have time for that?¡± Venza grumbled. Her muffled, feminine voice fell on the night air like a feather.


    ¡°Time moves differently here, as if in a dream. I can sense it. A few hours are nothing more than seconds.¡±


    An hour passed. The group was gathered around a campfire Nakir had created using magic. The situation gave Ceres another flash of nostalgia. Another vision of the time she¡¯d met Nakir. The warm firelight lit them both now as it had back then. However, Nakir had assumed his human form to create as much space as possible for everyone.


    The shadowy dunes lit only by the twinkling stars above stretched forth as far as the eye could see, even for Ceres and Nakir¡¯s superior sight.


    ¡°Anyone know any good stories?¡± Ceres asked.


    ¡°...No. Let me rest¡­¡± Venza was laying in front of the fire, trying to catch some sleep.


    ¡°Come on! What about some stories about you and Maxra, huh?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to tell, girl. You already know everything. We were in the same clan. Our clan was killed by psychopaths. End of story. Now let me sleep.¡±


    ¡°Who were those assholes, anyway? The Dark¡­ Court? Right?¡±


    Venza sighed. She finally gave up on getting sleep and turned over onto her back. With her helmet off, she peered up at the shimmering lights with her hands across her chest. ¡°...Yeah. Just a bunch of bigots masking their beliefs as law.¡±


    Ceres knew she was being nosey, but she also really did want to know more about her, Maxra, and the outside world. Her curiosity may have come off as rude, but she was earnest in her questioning. ¡°So, what happened between you two then?¡±


    ¡°I told ya already. That idiot¡¯s getting duped by that damn cat, just like you are. You¡¯ve got the right idea about that one, dark-skin.¡± She pointed towards Raum without looking.


    Raum told her and the others about his dealings with Archizend, but left out some information that could lead to his untimely demise by the hands of the cat. He¡¯d rather adhere to Archizend¡¯s rules and help Ceres than defy him and hurt the girl¡¯s chances at reclaiming her happiness. If he couldn¡¯t bring back Sirithis, then he figured he could help bring back someone else¡¯s light.


    ¡°Yep, that explains it.¡±


    ¡°But how could you help the Sorceress? It¡¯s not like they¡¯re your only two options. How could you help someone who¡¯s done such horrible things?¡±


    Venza propped herself up on one arm and stared into the half-dragon girl¡¯s face with an annoyed expression. ¡°It isn¡¯t any of my business. She told me¡­¡± She stopped for a moment, debating whether to share her words with the people around her, then came to a conclusion in her mind. ¡°She told me that if I helped her, death would be overwritten. She said¡­ she said that we could bring back the clan. It¡¯s like I said before. Imagon, Ilzathk, Zandos, Arkiel. They only help her for their own selfish reasons. Same with all of you. Granted, maybe you aren¡¯t quite as cruel. But, as much as I hate to admit it, what Maxra said before was also true. You won¡¯t save your sister at the rate you¡¯re going. You have to be prepared for anything. Any of you could die. Against her, I¡¯m not even sure any of you have a chance.¡±


    ¡°She will.¡± Raum spoke up. ¡°If anyone has a chance to dethrone that madwoman, Ceres does. Even so, if you must make a choice between us and Asteria, choose your one and only sister. Though I¡¯m sure we matter to you more than any common person, she is more precious to you than anything, yes?¡±


    Nakir nodded. He recalled their conversation back in Ymiris¡¯s Rest, in the tunnel of the great tree. ¡°She is your guiding star.¡±


    ¡°Her one and only star,¡± Raum added. ¡°People in Aza, or Frostmaw, or Altruin would lay claim to thousands of stars, yet they would never find what they¡¯re looking for.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t find it,¡± Ceres answered.


    ¡°And yet what they¡¯re looking for could be found in a single star, or a little water¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°But eyes are blind, Ceres. You have to look with the heart. The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched.¡±


    Ceres smiled sadly. She cared for them all. She knew that. It was too hard to compare one to the other. But they were right. Deep down, Asteria was what was most precious to her. ¡°The stars really are beautiful out here. It reminds me of that night¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Ceres came back to reality. ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯s nothing. Just reminds me of a night as beautiful as this one, long ago.¡±


    They rested and slept. They told stories. Raum spoke about the great desert, the food they would serve in Sirithis, and his family. About his stern mother and father. About his younger brother, who had been caught in the city¡¯s displacement. As entertainment, he performed the Journey of Szilvack the Deserted, a tale told almost completely through an odd Sirithisian dance. He told them about the Stomach of the Sands, a massive pit that many ancient Sirithisians had fallen prey to. All the while, a brilliant smile shone across his face. It wasn¡¯t the usual one he showed when in the presence of company. Maybe the desert wasn¡¯t only to reflect his old home, but his heart as well. Even within the company of fellows, his face would always hold a sullen hue. But now, even for a fleeting night among thousands of nights, that loneliness was subdued.


    Venza, too, spoke of the anisai. She explained to them the anisaisara, their culture¡¯s principle. It was the idea to respect any fighter who dared to oppose you, because in a way, each fighter gives the other possession over their own life. To lay claim on another¡¯s life while respecting the ever-turning wheel, the anisaisara, is to respect all life and preserve the world¡¯s ever-turning progression.


    Both the Sirithisian and anisai kept their heritage alive through their words. Words only the black dragon and village girl would hear, under a desert facade. But any word spoken is not wasted. They fall to the earth as sound, and bind themselves to its ebb and flow, to be born again on the surface in some other form.


    The night was beginning to fade. The sun barely peeked out from the far, far line of sunlight. Heat rose in the wastes once more.


    ¡°What makes the desert beautiful,¡± said Raum, ¡°is that somewhere it hides a well¡­¡±


    They extinguished the flame and trekked onward across the barren landscape. Across wayward, drooping dunes. Past scorpions and snakes. The sun rose ever higher, and with it, the group¡¯s energy fell more and more. They felt the urge to succumb to the heat, to fall and lay on the sand until nightfall. But they knew they couldn¡¯t. Not with their goal set in mind. Even in daytime, that star was always in sight, and Ceres followed it without end.


    Finally, in the center of desolation, they found the poor child. It was in a well, after all. In the middle of the desert, no less. The student was hidden inside, though not as much as they had thought. The wires still led out from it and ascended into the sky all the same. It convulsed in pain. The wires shook violently, but without intervention, they would not come undone. The splashing of the water below sent shivers down Ceres¡¯s spine, but she suppressed the feeling. No amount of fear would push her forward. Promptly, she cut the wires upholding the world around them. It shifted and transfigured, then fell like a proscenium curtain. A familiar white light claimed them, and tranquility filled their tired, disheveled bodies.

 Chapter 24: Nucleus

    By sheer coincidence or fate, the ones who had left to rescue the desert-born man had returned almost right after the others who had gone to save the psychic girl. At last, all were reunited at the base of the monochromatic pillars.


    Except, their pale color had begun to drain. The towers that once were illuminated by a pale, white saturation had now become a raven black. They stood encircling the group like gravestones marking each one¡¯s inevitable death, by time or otherwise. Then, one by one, they lowered into themselves, disappearing and sinking into the marble floor.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening!?¡± Grovalt yelled.


    ¡°It¡¯s becoming unstable. You¡¯ll return to the real world soon.¡± A voice sounded from behind them.


    ¡°Lily!¡± Ceres exclaimed.


    ¡°Worry not, Ceres. Your sister¡¯s heart is still beating. But you must act fast. Do not listen to Nia¡¯s words. They are poisoned by the dreadful ringing in her head.¡±


    The ground began to shake. The far reaches of the empty expanse melted like ice beneath a magnifying glass.


    ¡°Look!¡± Maxra pointed upwards. A pale staircase was slowly descending from the heavens.


    ¡°Enemies! Stand your ground until the stairs reach us!¡± Grovalt, eyes focused solely on the twitching abomination that had come out of nowhere, cut it straight in half in one flowing motion of his greatsword.


    ¡°Be calm, little one. They resemble those that we fought at that time, long ago.¡±


    Nakir was right. Dozens of children, now identifiable as Academy students, lumbered towards them. Their lower halves were spiderlike, featuring eight jagged legs and rounded mouths on their abdomens. They were lined with sharp, hooked fangs that dripped with a sickening green fluid. Indeed, they were the same grotesque monsters they faced back when they had fallen into Archizend¡¯s woods, before they met Raum.


    ¡°Help me!! Help me!! Stop!! Help!!¡± They cried out, but their piercing wails wouldn¡¯t work on her again.


    Ceres launched from one to the next with her dragon claw, ripping and tearing them to shreds with no more than a couple slashes each. They fell to the floor in bloody pieces, the green fluid they vomited oozing out from their wretched forms. A gurgling sound emanated from each one, as if they were still barely alive somehow.


    Nakir burned them to ash with azure dragonfire.


    Maxra and Venza, in a shadowy duet of dancing blades, eliminated half the horde in seconds. Their minced remains littered the once pristine ground, and a horrendous odor filled the air.


    Grovalt threw his body into every swing, cleaving multiple foes in half with horizontal strikes. When they grew too close for comfort, he forced ice into the floor and froze them in place for easy disposal.


    Raum sent brilliant white birds careening into them, burning winged holes through their hearts.


    Once they¡¯d thought the screaming was silenced for good, more came crawling up the pallid geometry. The neverending abominations continued to charge toward the Ravens with unrivaled savagery, despite their desperate cries. The world itself almost seemed to lose some of its luster, the shining heavenly white now darkening into a cold gray.


    ¡°It¡¯s here! Climb! Now!¡±


    Everyone scrambled up the staircase, the only thing that remained a beautiful, pure white. Apart from the lilies dotted around the landscape, of course.


    ¡°Lily! We can¡¯t leave you!¡± Ceres screamed after her, but Grovalt picked her up and continued to rush up the stairs without hesitation.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine! Nothing may harm me here. My sister would not allow such a thing, after all. Not when she has any say in it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try! I¡¯ll try to reason with her! As much as I can! I¡¯ll-¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking to? Nothin¡¯ but freaks down there! Come on, we¡¯re almost out!¡±


    The Lily of Nia¡¯s mind watched as the prisoners left her world. They ascended the pearly stairs and up through the tunnel of light, never to be seen again. As they disappeared, so too did she, as she was not permitted to leave her garden sanctuary for long. The garden sanctuary locked within a previously invisible birdcage, now revealed under the dark influence permeating her older sister¡¯s mind. As long as her obsession was ignited and her woes were chained, Nia¡¯s memory of her dear little sister would forever be partnered with her endless loneliness. Echoes of the past chained in black.


    ¡°I can see the end!¡± Raum shouted with uncharacteristic elation.


    The blinding white finally behind them, memories recalled and past embraced, the Ravens found themselves back in the Technicist ruins. The light gave way to the dark. The silence of Nia¡¯s realm gave way to the distant aching and echo of the pit deep below Aza. Although, they were no longer at the center of the plateau at the bottom of it all. They were in a strange building, no doubt of Technicist design.


    As each of them gathered their surroundings, they came to notice exactly what filled the room. Encircling the group like gravestones were the same wired Academy students atop their thrones of steel. The cables, of course, were severed. A haunting quietness swallowed all those present. Horrible though it was in the dream, it did in fact represent reality. They had been mutilated in the same fashion. The group could only hope that whatever lay in store for them among the Blissful Sleep was a fate better than what they had faced here. For the Sorceress to stoop so low as to butcher children to simply entrap her enemies infuriated Ceres. Her actions, though paved with the intention of resurrecting her dead sister, were inhumane at best. Could love really have pushed her this far? The question struck her brain like a mallet upon a slab of meat.


    Zenzi still struggled to her feet, clearly winded from whatever she and the other group had absconded from, as well as the desperate climb they all had just partaken in.


    ¡°Here, lean on me.¡± Grovalt grabbed hold of one of her light, skinny arms and held it across his shoulders.


    ¡°What are you¡­!¡± After a moment, she sighed and mumbled. ¡°Thank you, I suppose.¡±


    Maxra eyed the two with a strange, knowing look. Though she held back from bursting into laughter, it was clear as day that she was taking immense pleasure from what she witnessed.


    ¡°Wha-What the hell are you giggling about!? The least you could do is help me instead, dumb anisai.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You wanna say that again, shrimp?¡±


    The two women bickered, but through their argument it was evident that they were happy to see each other again. Though she wasn¡¯t very open about her past with Venza, Maxra didn¡¯t seem too bothered by their repeat encounter with the Dark Court. Whether it was all a cheery facade or not, the gleam in her eyes when she spoke with her gloomy friend was nothing of the sort.


    ¡°So we¡¯re really back, huh? The ruins,¡± Grovalt said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Nakir replied. ¡°But we seem to be quite far from where we once were. Observe.¡± He pointed through a collapsed portion of the metal plating encompassing the room, out to the middle of the abyss. ¡°That rail there is what led us deep below. We seem to be in one of the structures on the outer rim, perhaps even in the Technicist cityscape.¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°It really is like Archizend¡¯s woods,¡± Ceres chimed.


    ¡°Quite. Assuming where you woke up was akin to the abyss, my dear, then we must come out from such cognitive realms somewhat relative to the real world.¡±


    Maxra scratched her head in confusion. ¡°Eh, what? I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°He means to say,¡± Raum explained in his calming voice, ¡°that this world and the cognitive ones, such as what we were trapped within and where Archizend¡¯s abode was, are layered atop one another, in a way. Though it seems as if it isn¡¯t quite one-to-one.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of, where¡¯s the cat?¡±


    The group looked around to no avail.


    Zenzi shook her head. ¡°Master may only manifest completely within the mind or within his sphere of influence. That¡¯s why the Greatwoods are his home. He draws power from them to momentarily appear on the physical plain.¡±


    ¡°What kind of power do the Greatwoods possess, I wonder?¡± Nakir looked at Zenzi expectantly.


    ¡°You¡¯d have to ask him about that. All I know is that something important to him lies underneath.¡±


    Ceres and Nakir passed glances at each other. Without a single utterance, the same thought surfaced to the top of their psyches.


    The Goddess?


    Grovalt tapped the wall with his sword, though it was much louder than any normal tap. ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a door here. And a lever.¡±


    ¡°A trap?¡±


    Raum materialized his staff, closed his eyes, and pointed it towards the iron door. A faint chime rang out, and a warm aura radiated from its end. ¡°I sense no trap. Of the mechanical kind, that is. This wall is much too dense for me to sense any life that may be hiding behind it.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t sense any wavelengths, either. No thoughts or anything.¡± Zenzi had let go of Grovalt, having recovered somewhat thanks to Ceres¡¯s amateur healing magic.


    The warrior sighed. ¡°Well, just gotta be ready for anything, I guess. Keep your eyes peeled.¡± With a ka-chunk, Grovalt heaved the lever downward and readied his blade.


    The metal door raised slowly. It sounded like it was cutting through a mountain of rust and grease lodged in its frame. When the passageway had completely cleared, everyone made their way through while remembering to check every inch of the space ahead.


    A steel catwalk led from their position to an enormous plate. It seemed to act as a landing pad for some forgotten vehicle of ancient times. There were no walls, only the rails of the catwalk keeping them from falling an unimaginable height.


    Ceres teetered. She tried her best to keep herself from looking down.


    ¡°Afraid of heights?¡± Venza asked.


    She nodded, her cheeks tinged by a faint pink.


    The anisai exhaled through her nose, a sure sign of amusement. ¡°Nothing to be embarrassed about, kid. I am, too. Just good at hiding it.¡±


    ¡°Really? How do you do it?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I just keep walking forward, I guess. Find a single point in the distance and keep your vision trained on it. Don¡¯t think about anything else. Once you snap out of it, you¡¯ll suddenly be at the end. It¡¯s like putting yourself in a trance.¡±


    ¡°A trance¡­¡±


    She followed the cloaked woman¡¯s advice to the best of her ability. Though she stumbled a few times, she knew she wouldn¡¯t fall. Eventually, despite the fear, she reached the landing pad with the rest of them. Looking back at the catwalk, she realized how idiotic such a fear was, especially when she had so many people around her for support. There really was no way she could have fallen.


    ¡°Did that help?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it did. Thanks, Venza.¡± Ceres grabbed the anisai¡¯s hands and shook them lightly. ¡°I haven¡¯t known you long, but I can tell you and Maxra were good friends once, like her and Zenzi are now. Is it really too late for you two to make up?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you asked her? Have you even talked about it?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then how do you know? Trust me, as predictable as people can be sometimes, they always find a way to surprise you. You can¡¯t get stuck in your own head for too long, or you¡¯ll start to hate the people that care about you the most.¡±


    Venza¡¯s visor stared unemotionally at Ceres. There was no way to tell what she was thinking. ¡°...Right. I¡¯ll take that into consideration.¡±


    Ceres flashed Venza a bright, childlike smile. She wondered if she¡¯d ever seen her smile like that until now. She wondered just how much pain such a young girl had been through, only to survive and give someone she barely knew such a purehearted grin. She could almost hear something deep within her mind crack.


    ¡°How¡­ old are you?¡±


    Ceres¡¯s smile faded, and she cocked her head slightly to the side. ¡°16. Why?¡±


    A brief moment of silence passed, then she patted Ceres¡¯s head a few times. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. For what it¡¯s worth, I hope your sister is alright. That¡¯s all.¡± A revolting, tangled feeling of pity grew in her stomach following those words.


    ¡°Stop. I can sense something.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I as well. A dark, ominous presence past this way and into the following structure. Not only that, but another one as well, even more powerful. Magic I¡¯ve never sensed before.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Zenzi replied. ¡°Something else¡­!¡± Before finishing her thought, Zenzi called upon her telekinesis to throw the group away from the landing pad¡¯s center, near its dangerously rounded edge.


    As if to validate the girl¡¯s hunch, a hole high above punched through the labyrinthine pipes and tunnels hugging the surface. A swirling mass of magical energy entered through it into the underground at a blazing rate. It shot through the desolate air like a bullet, then dipped downward towards the landing pad. A deafening explosion followed, challenging the structure¡¯s stability. Miraculously, it withstood the overpowering ball of lightning, but not without its fair share of shaking and creaking.


    Once the dust settled, a figure that was instantly recognizable emerged from the crackling smoke. A man wreathed in starlight, wearing a similarly constellation-filled mask on his face. Another man, coughing up blood and struggling to stand amidst the dented debris, emerged as well. He wore a white garb given only to Altruin mages.


    ¡°Have you given up, codger? If you swear your life to me, I will allow you to be my personal apprentice. I wouldn¡¯t want to waste such magical talent, after all. Even if it has no more room for growth and belongs to a dying man.¡±


    The old man laughed, crimson droplets dripping from his mouth and nostrils. ¡°Me? YOUR apprentice? Hahaha!¡± He hacked up more blood. ¡°You¡¯d be a better comedian than you are a mage.¡±


    Like a brushstroke, Zandos made a striking motion with his hand, gray sigils flying from his palm. Following it, a powerful gust of wind with the force of a haymaker launched into Esternn¡¯s core. It lifted his body up a bit, then he fell all the same. The pain prevented him from scrambling back to his feet. ¡°I dare you to say that again, old fool.¡±


    ¡°Stop it!¡± Ceres shouted. Everyone had finally climbed up the broken structure and regained their posture.


    ¡°Ah, at last! You¡¯ve found it. I take it that you all made it through the Sorceress¡¯s trials, then?¡±


    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s right!¡± Grovalt yelled across the arena, his greatsword leaning on his shoulder. ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t cry too much from your precious city being destroyed. Though, I guess that¡¯s what she wanted all along, huh?¡±


    The Archmage chuckled. ¡°Yes. To tell the truth, Aza¡¯s sacrifice was a lamentable one, to be sure. It isn¡¯t all bad. You saved most of it. I have to thank you for that.¡±


    ¡°You can shove your thanks up your ass! Do you know how much pain and suffering that shithole up there has caused me!? I¡¯ve been wanting to kill you for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Me? Whatever did I do to you? I think you¡¯ve already slain the source of your woes, mercenary. Our late Graves went and killed himself for the sake of one delusional woman¡¯s dream.¡±


    ¡°What? You mean Fatalinya?¡±


    ¡°Yes, his daughter. Did you not even know that?¡± Zandos erupted into a fit of laughter.


    Grovalt gripped his weapon, anger coursing through his veins. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I ain¡¯t guided by that dumbass anymore. He¡¯s gone forever. All that matters is killing you, killing that boss of yours, and saving this girl¡¯s sister.¡±


    Ceres eyed Grovalt¡¯s heaving back with admiration. He was standing up against someone he had never fought before, that he had little chance of winning against, just for her. But it wasn¡¯t unbelievable. She had done the same for Nakir.


    ¡°Then we are fated to clash, it seems. I, too, live for someone else¡¯s dream.¡± Zandos¡¯s robes began swirling in circles, like wind in a storm. Jagged, violet lightning shot out of his body like fireworks. His long, slender fingers grew in size and sharpness, becoming akin to ten whetted kitchen knives. Electric currents rose up and down the spaces between them.


    Grovalt swapped to a defensive stance, his gaze trained on the foe before him. Would he really be able to fight a living thunderstorm?


    ¡°You face Archmage Zandos, a celestial elemental born in the thunderous hellscape that is Stormbridge! As long as you are in the eye of my storm, warrior, I will not let any of you reach Nia! Lily will be reborn through the Aspect! The Black Sorceress will rend this land asunder, and claim Ymiris¡¯s title of Goddess once and for all!¡± His shout boomed like a thunderclap that left a ringing in his enemies¡¯ ears. A fierce wind tore across the scrap metal battlefield, threatening to push all of them off to their doom.

 Chapter 25: A Falling Star

    Desire. Obsession. Love. Muddled, hurtful emotions cascaded within the tempest. The dark clouds brewing over the elemental¡¯s body filled with a brooding energy, corrupted by hate. They wreaked havoc in all directions, unleashing scorching fulmination upon the Technicist facility.


    Ceres dodged a bolt of levin. Its streak drove a fiery torrent through the floor, punching a hole through it just the same as the one that lingered far above.


    Grovalt deflected them with his massive sword, each one sending painful aftershocks through his entire body. He weeped for the loss of his otherworldly pain tolerance, though he knew it wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference now. Pain or not, no amount of bad weather would throw him off this path.


    An ear-piercing roar let out. Nakir, in dragon form, launched off from the landing pad and fought with the Archmage high up in the air. Even with a dragon clawing its way through his starry clouds, Zandos managed to keep hurling spears of lightning down on his foes without tiring. Nakir¡¯s claws couldn¡¯t reach his core. Every time he lashed out, they would phase through his body as if it were composed of nothing but cerulean mist and dust.


    ¡°I can bring him down!¡± Zenzi cried over the raging hurricane pushing and pulling her. ¡°Grovalt! I need you to freeze him in place! Stun him. Anything!¡±


    The pale man nodded, staring daggers into the crazed Archmage. Vitriol is all he felt for him. He couldn¡¯t understand the man, nor the Sorceress. Something told him that they probably didn¡¯t understand him or the others, either. I¡¯ll make them understand, he thought. I¡¯ll make them understand just how much they hurt us. How much they hurt Ceres¡­


    ¡°Brat!¡± Maxra tackled Ceres to the creaking floor. Just as they hit the ground, a supercharged thunderstrike exploded the space where the girl had been but moments before.


    Ceres stared in awe for a moment, then got back to her feet with the anisai.


    ¡°Thank me later!¡± Maxra threw the last of Venza¡¯s daggers she had stolen at the enemy. They flew through the crackling air, three of them shot down by wayward sparks. However, two hit their mark. Zandos let out a brief shout in pain.


    ¡°Why do you fight against the inevitable!?¡± The Archmage¡¯s voice boomed again. ¡°We must face the impossible now, or we will not have another chance! Don¡¯t you fools understand!? Your futile cause will only perpetuate the lie!¡±


    ¡°The only lies here are the ones you and that bitch are full of!¡± Grovalt flexed every muscle in his body, or at least attempted to, sending waves of frost along his weapon. Soon enough, it was coated in an ultra-thick layer of rime. He aimed carefully. The eye of the storm was in view, but only for mere seconds at a time.


    ¡°Varia zi sialeif!¡± A godly white painted the raging winds. Raum¡¯s flock of heavenly birds assaulted the whirling tornado, forcefully tearing it from its master¡¯s defense. The Archmage was using them not only as a shield, but also as a weapon. Despite Raum¡¯s progress of dispersing the winds, the razor-sharp air cut his arms to shreds.


    ¡°Raum!¡± Grovalt shouted, but came to a sudden realization shortly afterward. His friend had given him the chance he needed. Winding up like a trebuchet readying to unleash a mighty boulder, Grovalt heaved his entire greatsword at Zandos. As soon as it left his hands, a thundering snap rang out almost rivaling the storm around them. The sword spun around and soared through the air before being enveloped by the Archmage¡¯s defenses. Only, they had only shielded the outside. The sword had successfully infiltrated his wuthering shield, and in doing so, hit their target with a terrifying amount of force.


    The Archmage screamed in pain. While the daggers had cut him deep, they were nothing compared to the huge slab of steel flung into his body. Not only did it cut into his vitals, but it was freezing the very blood in his veins as well. ¡°You truly know nothing¡­!¡± He tore the sword from his bloody, starry robes, and the wind carried it along the whirling mass surrounding him. Around and around the sword went, its speed building and building atop itself, until finally Zandos let it go.


    Grovalt¡¯s greatsword careened toward Ceres, blocking half her vision as it flew straight towards her. ¡°Shit!¡± She threw up her dragon arm out of pure instinct, deflecting the blade and sending it flying back down into the ground. The force was too much for her slender frame, however, and she went tumbling backwards off the steep metallic cliff.


    Nakir dove after her, his entire body nothing more than a black dart spiraling down into the abyss below.


    Zandos shrunk into himself. The violet lightning struck even harder than before. Massive holes were punctured into the flooring. Electricity ran through it and began to melt the Ravens¡¯ shoes and burn their feet.


    ¡°Damn it, he¡¯s-¡± A violet streak zapped Zenzi, cutting her sentence short. A hole no bigger than a pinprick had burrowed all the way through her leg. Her clothes sizzled, the early makings of something setting on fire.


    ¡°He¡¯s charging up! Something huge is coming!¡± Maxra yelled at the top of her lungs.


    But it was too late. Archmage Zandos spread out his entire body like a starfish, cackling all the while. It wasn¡¯t a mad laughter anymore. It was a sad, desperate, depleted cackle. ¡°Using the surging possibilities within me, I unleash annihilation! The bane of all fools! The Storm of Prenalm!¡± Several translucent portals came into being around the cosmic storm. Strange lines, almost like musical notes but not quite, materialized in front of them. Then, lightning jettisoned from the runes. It was unlike anything Zandos had created. It wasn¡¯t the vicious, violet lightning he had conjured. It was colorless, yet as it flickered, it resembled a teal blue. It was unknowable, as if it was electricity called down from another planet entirely. It very well could have been, though nothing came to any of their minds as they fell from the destroyed platform. The landing pad had already been a teetering, punctured mess. Zandos¡¯s last attempt had been the final nail in its coffin.


    Thus, the Ravens fell into the vast darkness with nothing but their desperate screams to fill their graves.


    The portals opened by Zandos closed, the strange symbols fading along with them. Desolate chimes rang out for no one but the lone mage to hear. He floated in the air, slowly recovering. His elemental form receded, bringing back his human side, or at least, his humanlike form. He looked at his burnt, scarred, callused hands and chuckled. ¡°I did it, Nia. I did it. I killed them. There¡¯s nothing left now. Nothing left but our dream. Our impossible dream.¡±


    A great shadow flew upwards in a perfect vertical line from the abyss to the musing mage.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Zandos fell from his suspended flight and crashed into the remnant of the catwalk, then rolled over onto a wide, stone pathway. Large, metal arches lined the path. It led further into the Technicist city.


    The black dragon landed before the bleeding Archmage. Not only had he received a freezing slash and multiple daggers thrown his way, but he had been cut by Nakir and Ceres¡¯s claws on the way back up as well. A sanguine puddle formed beneath his heaving body, his blood as nebulae and his tears as starlight. The Ravens weren¡¯t without their own injuries, however. All of them were cut, bruised, burned and bleeding. Their bodies rose and fell, exhaustion plugging their airflow and weighing down their arms and legs.


    ¡°That¡­ was close¡­¡± Maxra sighed.


    ¡°Much too close¡­¡± Venza agreed.


    Grovalt stepped forward. Luckily, his blade had wedged into the platform. While it fell, the warrior grabbed it on their way up on Nakir¡¯s back. He walked towards Zandos, pain coursing through his calves. Blood oozed from his wounds. The lightning had hit him much more than he would care to admit. The same vitriol that had risen to the top of his mind before was on full display in his words and on his face. ¡°...You let your guard down.¡±


    Zandos was too exhausted to move a muscle. He felt like some lopsided homunculus that had escaped from a lab. A blobby, fleshy mass of despair and self-loathing. ¡°Right¡­ suppose I did.¡± The puddle of sinking emotions didn¡¯t know what to say or do. He could only stare in pity from behind his starry mask. ¡°What¡­ of Esternn?¡±


    Grovalt twitched. The remark shot a pang of guilt through his heart. ¡°He¡¯s dead. You killed him, and dumped him in that pit.¡±


    ¡°Suppose I did,¡± Zandos replied with a confusing tone of voice. It wasn¡¯t quite sadness, but it wasn¡¯t spitefulness either. ¡°Esternn¡­ you stupid fool. Why did you have to butt in¡­? Why didn¡¯t you just travel the world, like you said you would?¡±


    Grovalt gave into his exhaustion and fell to his knees, his sword at his side. A mixture of rage and confusion crawled up his face. ¡°What the fuck do you mean? To save you! Why else?¡±


    ¡°Save me. Hmph. Haha. Hahaha.¡±


    Ceres walked up to the Archmage¡¯s other side. She didn¡¯t know what to think.


    ¡°Maybe. But he was still a fool to the end. I never needed saving.¡±


    ¡°If you say that again, I¡¯ll-¡±


    ¡°What, northerner? Kill me? You¡¯ve already done that.¡± Zandos turned and pointed at Ceres with his crooked, inhuman finger. ¡°You¡­ were never a factor. A dragon bonding with an Outlander? How absurd¡­ Even so, you¡¯ve come this far. For what? Your sister?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°Why do you fight the resurrection¡­? Without the Aspect, Lily and the world as a whole are doomed. The archon will rise sooner rather than later. Don¡¯t you get it? You fight against the true savior. Your sister is but one life to save hundreds. Thousands.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Ceres glanced over her friend¡¯s faces, then looked at Zandos in shock. ¡°What do you mean? Savior? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean¡­ Your sister¡¯s true nature¡­ The night the stars fell¡­¡± Zandos¡¯s celestial body began to fade into transience. The stone floor appeared underneath his translucent being. ¡°Through blood and madness¡­ doubt and despair¡­ she alone can save this world. A great calamity is nigh¡­ A promised end written into our very souls. Without any say in the matter¡­ she gave us life¡­ and now she returns to take it back¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey! Hey! Answer her!¡± Grovalt tried to grab Zandos¡¯s shoulders to shake him, but his hands slipped right through his incorporeal form.


    ¡°...Esternn? Eloise?¡±


    I exist for her.


    No one else.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice¡­ but I would do it all again, if it meant seeing her smile¡­¡±


    A real smile.


    Nothing like that fake grin she wears.


    One day, I¡¯ll help bring the light back into her life.


    And on that day, I will see the brightest, most brilliant smile.


    Clear as day, brighter than the sun.


    And when I do, it will all be worth it.


    I can feel it.


    It¡¯s getting closer¡­


    Just one more step¡­


    ¡°So close¡­ I can almost see it¡­¡± Zandos¡¯s mask slipped from his face and crumbled into black resin. He grasped at the air. He grasped, his arm outstretched towards the leading pathway. He could almost see the Sorceress at the end. She was a black dot next to a smaller, blue dot. He grasped for the future.


    Ah¡­


    It makes even more sense to me now.


    If everyone got what they wanted, this world would be a much darker place to live.


    Nia¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­


    In the blink of an eye, he vanished into bits of stardust and light. They floated and flickered like a lone lantern blowing in a harsh windstorm, then slipped into a hidden oblivion.


    ¡°Ceres¡­¡±


    The hybrid raised a palm. ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t. I promised. No one can ever break a promise with Asteria.¡±


    Grovalt peered down and nodded sadly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go see her.¡±


    The group was silent.


    Grovalt picked up something from the black resin Zandos left behind. It was a piece of his mask, still preserved somewhat. It resembled a sapphire gemstone that glimmered under the gloom of the underground.


    They strode down the stone pathway. Beneath each archway, to the left and right, were glass pods. Within them held more students. Experiments. Each one was mangled and deformed in some way. There was no doubt that they had all been subjected to forceful breakdowns, something that tightened the grip on Ceres¡¯s heart. The truth could never be locked away for long. She knew that eventually, the events of the past would arrive to alter the future. She could run from it, she could hide from it, but nothing would change. She was swept up in all of this, along with her friends. A cruel game that made her kill. Made her a murderer. A killer of hopes and dreams, even if those hopes and dreams were similarly bathed in blood. Maybe Arkiel was right, she thought.


    ¡°Go on¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm? Lily?¡± Ceres whispered to herself in reply to the strange voice in her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    ¡°How¡­?¡±


    ¡°Please, Nia. It¡¯s probably just the cat. He used to play down there all the time.¡°


    An inexplicable, terrible fear rose in Ceres¡¯s chest. It crept up her insides like a black widow, and injected a venom of unease into her bloodstream. She felt paralyzed, but her determination wouldn¡¯t let her injured stride lag behind the others.


    Wires. Roots. Coils. All spindly things, writhing and hugging each other in a strange dance on the ground. They led to a glass pod. Within it was something none of them wanted to look at, yet couldn¡¯t look away from. Something so deformed, so inhuman lay inside. At the same time, it was horrifically beautiful. It was bone white, just like nearly everything that Aretztikapha was composed of. A dryad? Lily? Both? Neither? A monster? A cruel experiment?


    And against a nearby pillar, crucified, was Asteria. The portrait that had once been her prison was facing flat against the floor below her. She didn¡¯t speak a word upon seeing her older sister, though she wasn¡¯t gagged. Her face said otherwise. She could not communicate her frantic feelings. Her warnings. Her fears.


    The Black Sorceress, among them both, had her hand pressed against the glass holding ¡®Lily¡¯ inside. She hummed a strange tune, then spoke to herself. ¡°Yes, I know. It¡¯s alright. Nothing can hurt you. Nothing can hurt you. Nothing can hurt you. Nothing can hurt you. Nothing can hurt you. Nothing can hurt you. Nothing can hurt you. Nothing can hurt you. Nothing can hurt you. You¡¯re safe. Soon, you shall be free. Oh, I see.¡± She turned to face her guests, a host for the sorrowful reception.


    ¡°Give me back my sister. Now.¡±


    Nia smiled. It was an eerie smile, as if something was pulling at the edges of her face. A fake, sewn-on grin like something a doll would have. ¡°All in due time, Ceres. I had wondered whether or not you wanted to start. After all, isn¡¯t it fair that you tell your friends here what they¡¯ve been fighting for? Why don¡¯t you finally tell them what your sister really is?¡±


    ¡°I can-¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that.¡± Nia pulled a bloody pair of scissors from her clothing. She snipped them in the air a few times for emphasis. ¡°Whatever promises you made, I broke them. She has no power over anything as of now.¡±


    Ceres was about ready to jump on her. Ready to claw her to pieces. But for now, she realized that she needed to play along. If she made the wrong move now, it could cost her not only her own life but possibly the lives of everyone around her. It was a horrible thought, but one rooted in reality.


    ¡°Or shall I?¡± Nia tilted her head to the side, almost like her neck had been snapped. It was inhumanly fast, and it made everyone including Ceres jolt. ¡°I can tell them¡­ if you aren¡¯t mentally prepared. It doesn¡¯t really matter, does it? As long as the information is given to them, we can begin.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ceres replied. ¡°I need to tell them.¡± She turned to face them all. ¡°It¡¯s something I should have told you all, long ago. Asteria is not my sister.¡±


    Everyone, even Nakir, was taken aback. ¡°W-What? Little one, how can that be?¡±


    ¡°The truth is, we adopted her. But it¡¯s not that simple. She¡¯s¡­ not from here. She isn¡¯t human. It was ten years ago¡­¡±


    It was a night veiled in a gentle mist.


    Stars showered down from the sky. Luminescent, effervescent, enigmatic stars full of longing. The people of the Outlands, of the many villages there across the endless hills, mounds, and the great plains, gathered together and looked upwards in wonder. A repose like no other wrapped them in a quiet embrace. The calming emergence of the stars was something only elders could speak of, as it was so very rare, and only happened once in a generation.


    Endlessly, the beams of light sparkled and danced across the black sky. It seemed so lonely up there, yet most of the villagers wished that they could leave everything behind and join them. Unto a world free of pain and strife.


    ¡°Y¡¯know, Ceres, they say that stars come from the Blissful Sleep.¡±


    ¡°Really, daddy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, really. The elders say that in one¡¯s final moments, when they are laid to rest among the many others sleeping beyond the clouds, a star is born to replace them. To give hope to those that lost someone they loved dearly.¡±


    ¡°Wow. Will I be a star someday?¡±


    ¡°Of course. We all must pass on one day.¡±


    Ceres¡¯s mother joined in. ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s nothing to be afraid of. Don¡¯t let your father scare you.¡± She nudged him playfully. ¡°When we pass, because we are special to you, we will become special stars in the sky just for you. And when you look up to them, you¡¯ll realize just how important we were to your life. And how important you were to ours.¡± She lovingly kissed Ceres¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°So¡­ everyone up there is somebody important to someone?¡± Ceres looked up pensively.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    They sat in silence for a while.


    ¡°Anyway, we need to make dinner. Come back inside when you¡¯re done, alright? Once the shooting stars stop, it¡¯ll be just like any other night.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Shortly thereafter, a star fell from the sky. Sparkling, azure light imbibed with infinite dots of color fell to the far reaches. Ceres ran off, her mother and father calling out to her, demanding she come back.


    After searching and searching, climbing and stumbling through rocky ranges, Ceres found the brilliantly shining light. Upon seeing it up close, she fell in love with it instantaneously. She stood at the coast, stretched out her hands, and warmed them on the star. She felt its light tickle her fingertips. But deep inside, she knew, or thought she knew, that a star could not be embraced by a human. Even so, she poured her hopes and dreams into the star. She gazed at it longingly. She felt her love for it burn deep within herself. Once she couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, she jumped at it with not but love in her chest. With the strength of her soul, the wish burning just and bright within her mind came true. Instead of merely winning the star as a present, she, in turn, had taken the whole world into her heart, and each and every star glowed within her, love overtaking her wholly. She loved the star, and had found herself. The star loved her, and had found itself.


    A different warmth was within her arms. Stepping back, she realized the star was gone; in its place was a barefooted child with long locks of blue. White, twinkling lights glowed in each strand of her hair. A dash of violet graced it with enough vibrancy that it could be indistinguishable when compared to the very sky they were under. It, of course, being only a miniature version of it.


    Ceres stopped when she saw the sadness on her face. She was crying, her dreamy eyes full of sorrow. She told her that she lost something precious. She hugged her again. A glass teardrop fell from her eyes, as stars showered from the sky. ¡°I will never let you go, because you are important to me. You aren¡¯t like those other stars.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the child answered. ¡°And you are important to me, because you are nothing like any humans I¡¯ve met. You came to me, and I to you. When you are lost, I will find you. When you are cold, I will warm you. Because you are not like the thousands of other little girls in these lands. I have chosen you, and spent time with you, and so you are more to me than any other person could ever be.¡±


    The star was capable of wondrous magic the likes of which the village had never seen before. It could create miracles, cure any illness, and create food in the blink of an eye. However, one day the star began talking and pleading with the residents. Accepting their love for the star, the village promised not to use its magic again and to love it for what it was.


    The star was then named Asteria, and it grew, and when it did the memories of the star¡¯s falling were lost to all of them except Ceres. Her mother and father were left with the belief that Asteria was their true daughter in flesh and blood.


    Asteria came to Ceres in a dream and told her that only she could remember because she was the one she trusted most to take care of her and keep her safe. She then asked her to promise never to tell another soul of her true nature, for it would destroy everything.


    And so the girl promised the star, whom she loved so dearly.

 Chapter 26: Lunacy

    ¡°All things yearn to converge,¡± Nia said, slipping the bloody scissors back into whichever hidden pocket she had gotten them from. ¡°Magic is the act of imposing one¡¯s will, and by extension their emotions, onto the world, changing it to fit their beliefs and passions. It is a power all life has. It dwells in the recesses of our hearts and minds, and flows through our every action. But why? Why are our emotions so destructive? The Church will tell you it is to punish us, and as a result we must repress them. But we all know that¡¯s not true. To be human is to feel, and by repressing our emotions, we reject our humanity.¡±


    Ceres clenched her fists. ¡°I can¡¯t say I disagree. But how would you know? None of us can know the will of a god. Or even if the Goddess really exists. Or existed.¡±


    The others nodded their heads in unison.


    ¡°I do,¡± Nia replied coldly. ¡°But I¡¯m getting ahead of myself. Before us is, as you call her, Asteria. She is a living, breathing star. A manifestation of your wish. Your desire. Perhaps even your entire village¡¯s hopes and dreams.¡±


    The grim comedy of the situation was almost palpable. It was like Nia was a professor in charge of teaching a class of bloodied, battered invalids.


    Nakir raised his head inquisitively. ¡°Is she truly from the Blissful Sleep? The land beyond? The afterlife?¡±


    The Black Sorceress nodded affirmatively. ¡°That¡¯s right. There are forces in this world unbeknownst to us. Dreams and nightmares that lie just beyond the boundary of our natural perception. Asteria is one such dream. My family was murdered by another. A nightmare made manifest¡­¡±


    Grovalt shoved his blade at the red-eyed woman. His grip was loose. His injuries halted the smooth motion of his muscles. He glared at her with the same disdain he held for Zandos. ¡°You killed your mother, no one else! We saw it with our own eyes!¡±


    Nia pushed back the raven-black hair atop her shoulders and chuckled. ¡°And who allowed me to deal the finishing blow, hm? It certainly wasn¡¯t I.¡±


    Grovalt exhaled sharply in frustration.


    ¡°And that was no longer any mother of mine. You as well as everyone here knows that she was not in her right mind. Even in her final moments, she denied the impossible. She denied the rebirth of her own daughter. I should have killed her many moons before then.¡±


    Grovalt rooted around in his pockets before finding the object he sought. He threw it at the Sorceress, and she caught it with her free hand. It was the twinkling sapphire stone he¡¯d picked up. The last remnant of the Archmage¡¯s physical body.


    Nia raised it to eye-level, gazing into its kaleidoscopic colors briefly before looking beyond it at the others. ¡°What do you hope to gain from showing me this?¡±


    The pale man swung his sword down and looked at it. Or past it. His vision sunk into the rust and stone. The grungy nails and screws. The tinged iron. The bleached rock. The fibrous strands of wiring and the pallid roots. He felt sick to his stomach. ¡°Zandos gave his life for you. All he really wanted¡­ was for you to be happy.¡±


    Nia wistfully leaned her head backwards, then crushed the sapphire piece in her hand. Its glimmering powder seeped through her fingers and fell to the ground, gathering in a small pile. ¡°Yes, that was his role. Can¡¯t you see that he accomplished it? I am quite happy at the moment. You have all come here, as I thought you would, and are too injured to make any sudden moves. Just like at that horrid mansion, all you can do is sit and watch as I exact my ideal reality onto the world. There couldn¡¯t have been a better outcome.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± Zenzi muttered.


    ¡°Insane, you say?¡± Nia gripped her weapon tighter. It was the same one she had used when they¡¯d first met her; a wholly unique mix between a sword and a magic staff. It was similar to a guandao or a common polearm, but the lower edge of the blade, near the base of the staff portion, was cut out in a semicircle with the rest of it attributed to the empty space there afterward. In that circular space was a small, round sphere dotted with tiny symbols that were impossible to ascertain from a distance. It hovered there, as if it were linked to the blade by invisible strings. ¡°I dare say that this whole world is mad. I¡¯m mad. You¡¯re mad. We¡¯ve all been made in her image, after all.¡±


    Raum stepped an inch forward. A white crow was perched on his shoulder. ¡°If I may ask, what is this all about? What calamity did Zandos speak of?¡±


    Nia smiled with the same worrisome, doll-like grin. Delicately, she procured another item from her clothes. A tome, similar to the one found in Sirithis, though it was lined with different lettering. Her eyes widened as she gazed at it with both fear and elation. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard them? Those beautiful, horrific bells and chimes? With every single one, our magic turns this world to madness. My father couldn¡¯t scrub them from his mind. He¡¯d say they spoke to him. Whispered in his ear. They convinced him that humanity was no more than a line of puppets, but that they were valuable nonetheless. I think he had a point. But he went too far. In a fury one day, he gouged out dear Pluto¡¯s eyes. Oh, how it cried and screamed. I can still hear it now. When the cat could barely cling on to life, he called for something to enter its body. Something out of sight¡­ A creature unfathomable to the human eyes. Unheard. Unfelt. Unseen. Unloved. He lured it and plucked it from its resting place in the void. The hidden child of an archon. The Scion of the so-called ¡®Goddess¡¯ Ymiris. Do you even know what Archizend is? Or perhaps, more importantly, what his mother is?¡±


    Grovalt glared at the Sorceress as he rested against the hilt of his blade. ¡°What the hell are you rambling about?¡±


    Nia chuckled again. It put a sour face on all those present. ¡°In ancient times, the kel-anisai and the Five Dragonlords of the land referred to her as Yanamura. In our tongue, it would roughly translate to ¡®Godbeast¡¯. A parasite. Her and her kin. Long, long, long ago before anyone could remember, that cat¡¯s wretch of a mother descended upon this land and devoured it. Leeched it of all of its vital energies. The world was made monochrome. Colorless. Though, she saw promise in such a planet. She stored everything that made up herself into it. Her magic, her life, her soul, everything. She put it all into the core of this disgusting world and pumped it full until it was made four times larger. Life sprouted from every corner. Mating. Killing. Surviving. On the outside, it was like any other natural world. But on the inside, she hid in a chrysalis and waited. She had sown the seeds. All she would have to do is go into waiting. As long as it took. And suddenly, one day, she¡¯d return to reap what she¡¯d sown. Doomsday. Calamity.¡±


    A fierce chill ran up Ceres¡¯s back, as if an ice-cold hand had firmly grasped her spine. She shuddered.


    ¡°That¡­ that is outrageous. The Goddess? A world-eating parasite? You must take us for simple fools that will believe anything at the drop of a hat.¡± Nakir exhaled black smoke through his nostrils. It entered the air and slowly dissipated.


    Nia grinned and leisurely blinked. It was blatantly obvious that she deeply enjoyed elucidating the weary, bloodsoaked party in front of her. ¡°Deny it if you wish, but it is all true. Your ancestor, Oriphos the Wise, was one of the first to discover it. For his dangerous curiosity, his father and brothers devoured him.¡±


    Ceres assumed an attacking stance. Her onyx claw¡¯s appendages tightened into rows of blades. ¡°Enough! I¡¯m tired of your bullshit! You can make up all the excuses in the world, but it won¡¯t change the fact that you stole my sister!¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Nia magically flipped through dozens of the tome¡¯s pages. A flurry of inscriptions and words from a dead language flew past. Some of them reddened and began to levitate off the very pages themselves, becoming solid objects that hovered above the ancient book. Chimes resonated, but they were not lonely and sad like they normally were. They created, in flux, a beautiful melody. It sounded like the multitudes of the world ringing bells and plucking harps. In any other situation, it would have calmed the Ravens. Now, however, it did the opposite. ¡°How ironic that a girl that knows nothing of the world would call me a liar. I have done nothing but studied this my whole life. Delved into horrors you couldn¡¯t even fathom. Throughout everything, there is but one solution I found. The only way to return my life¡¯s meaning.¡±


    The rest of the Ravens prepared. For all they knew, Nia could turn them all into ash within a nanosecond. If she was even a little stronger than Eloise, which they assumed she was, then it could very well mean that they had almost no chance of winning. Even so, Ceres and the others did not falter. They hadn¡¯t set off on this doomed escapade for nothing, after all. They had to see it to the end. The Tyranny Resistance¡¯s rallying cry echoed in Ceres¡¯s head.


    The Black Sorceress raised her sword-staff in the air. The cacophony did not cease. ¡°We use magic to influence reality. We warp and change reality to fit our needs, even though it fundamentally challenges the idea of existence. What we see isn¡¯t truly what there is. What if everything we see and hear wasn¡¯t set in stone? Hot and cold, life and death. What if the way we perceive these things was changed, and by changing our perception of them, we change those things in reality? We could rewrite the inner workings of our world. Change them. Destroy them. We could save ourselves from this horrifying system entrapping us without our knowledge. Don¡¯t you see? If nothing matters, we need to make it matter. If something is lost, we must find it again. If my Lily is gone, her body broken down by her own mind, we just need to alter the world to make that reality impossible. Yes, sacrifices must be made. But they are wholly inconsequential when compared to what we can achieve. This new magic, rivaling high magic, could do anything we wish. All it requires is the Aspect; your sister Asteria¡¯s heart! The heart of a fallen star!¡±


    ¡°Talk all you want, but this reality you dream of is nothing more than a delusion!¡± Nakir roared over the deafening notes. ¡°Even if it could be done, you¡¯d be killing thousands, millions of innocent people in the process! You¡¯ve already done irreparable damage to others as well! No amount of lives would be worth this!¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯d rather just give up? Succumb to our limits and be apathetic to a world designed to make us kill one another?¡±


    ¡°No, my dear. I believe in a better world for all of us, but it won¡¯t be achieved this way. All we need is more time, and I¡¯m-¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ve waited long enough. I¡¯ve worked long enough. I¡¯ve suffered enough. I¡¯ve been alone for far too long...¡± The raving woman¡¯s voice cracked, and faint tears formed in her eyes as she glanced at what was once her little sister. It was only for a moment. Her focus returned to her adversaries and her lifelong goal, as it always had when grief and sorrow threatened to swallow her heart. ¡°The time is now. Be silent and watch as your Sorceress commands existence itself to bend to her wishes. Through the peerless minds of the students, fueled by a star¡¯s infinite magic, we will pierce into a world free of death! Free of limitations! Free of lies!¡±


    ¡°Stop her!¡± Ceres screamed.


    Raum walked forward and conjured a flock of the same pearlescent birds to barrage Nia with. They darted through the air, avoiding the sinister red and black sigils floating therein, and aimed their razor-sharp beaks at their target.


    The pages of Nia¡¯s tome flipped some more, then stopped. ¡°Hymn of Shielding.¡± A thick, translucent bubble appeared surrounding the Sorceress. Raum¡¯s heavenly birds could not stop in time. Each of them hit the shield and exploded on impact, leaving nothing but their white feathers drifting downward to settle on the ground. The orb in Nia¡¯s sword-staff tumbled and spun, and as if inspired by its movements, her tome¡¯s pages returned to their continuous flipping.


    The pale warrior with his blade caked in frigid rime ran at the Sorceress and swung mightily from left to right. His body gave out a bit, but after a short stagger, he retained his poise. Nia¡¯s protective bubble was cut, but she was not the least bit hurt. Before he could strain his body again to land a physical hit on her, she had already stopped on another archaic page.


    ¡°Spears of Torment,¡± she stated, and through the flurry of musical notes ringing around her, four scarlet spears dripping with sanguine liquid torpedoed through the space between them and into Grovalt. It was as if they were made of the very air they slid through, weightless yet terribly quick.


    Grovalt managed to successfully guard against one of the spears, its sharp end flinging off of the black steel and piercing halfway through the stone floor behind him. Unfortunately, the rest made their way through without issue. Three scarlet spears impaled him. One shot through his right leg, another through his abdomen, and the other through his left shoulder. They, after piercing their target, also stuck into the floor, leaving Grovalt¡¯s heaving, bloodied form pinned in place with no easy way to escape. Just as he thought that his predicament couldn¡¯t get any worse, he realized that the spears were slowly draining him of his blood. He began to grow pale, paler than usual, and his body grew weak. He could scarcely lift a finger, let alone his blade. His mighty greatsword had fallen from his hands. The ice plastered onto its edge slowly disappeared until it looked like nothing but a lost, discarded weapon near its dying master. Searing pain overwhelmed him. Gravity slowly pulled him down, and thus it also grinded his oozing wounds against the vermilion stakes, adding buckets of pain to a collection that was already comparable to a lake.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say that you are far too late. There is no power equal to an archontic tome nor the minds of countless students of the Academy, let alone the top students whom you all so dishonorably killed.¡±


    Grovalt scoffed, though it was more like he was choking. He spat up globulous blood that promptly landed on his chest, creating a red splatter.


    ¡°Now, if you could be so kind as to give me some space, I would appreciate it. I need only extract the Aspect with a single slash of-¡±


    Something exploded towards Nia as soon as she turned her back even slightly to face Asteria. Though she brought up her blade to block in time, three scratches appeared on her face as blood seeped out from the folds created in her skin. Ceres had launched her claw at her foe as fast as she could muster, but even that wasn¡¯t quite enough to seriously injure the Sorceress. Again and again, the hybrid girl swiped with her claw and dagger. Still, none of the attacks could land correctly. Even so, she still managed to draw the tiniest bit of blood from her enemy with every strike. A centimeter or two would make it through each time. Nia would dodge backward and deflect most of it, but the smallest sliver would squirm its way into her flesh. Small scratches and cuts across her dark clothing and armored padding could be seen. That was nearly enough for the half-dragon girl. It was undeniable proof she¡¯d grown notably stronger than she was even a mere day or two ago.


    Lamentably, it wasn¡¯t enough. Nia¡¯s tome stopped on another page, and after another intonation, the incantation brought forth a flurry of scattering thorns that blew Ceres onto her backside and riddled her with crooked spines. Before any could close in on her again, she let loose another spell. The same barbs and gnarled thorns came to life in front of the Ravens, completely blocking them from reaching their enemy.


    It seemed to Ceres that, compared to Nia, they had not fought anything quite like her before. How could they hope to guess what else she could pull from her book? It was akin to a magician¡¯s bag of tricks, unknowable until it was known and revealed to the public eye. A tome only Nia could read and only she had transcribed; with the help of her father¡¯s notes left behind, of course. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    It was then, as Ceres deliberated and Nakir breathed hot flame to dispel the barrier that impeded them, that Nia made her final move. An action that shook the foundations of the coming future and the fate of all those present. With sword-staff in hand, she cut a deep vertical wound into Asteria¡¯s chest and abdomen, exposing what should never be seen of the body¡¯s inner workings. Liters of blood fell from the gaping wound, splattering across the stone floor with no sign of ceasing. It pooled and scattered about like a crimson spider web. Whatever quelling enchantment put on her seemed to leave as she gurgled unintelligible words. She tried to reach out for her sister and give her the last light of love still present in her, but failed to do so. Her energy had long faded, even before her cruel dissection at the hands of the Black Sorceress.


    And from within the wound, something that distracted from the blood and viscera caught the eye. A ball of dazzling azure light. Asteria¡¯s true form: the Aspect within her. A true fallen star.


    ¡°Behold!¡± Nia shouted. ¡°The key to happiness! The last vestiges of hope lingering on this revolting globe!¡± She shoved her hand into Asteria¡¯s chest cavity without a wince, firmly grasped the radiant orb, and ripped it from its prison of flesh.


    ¡°You¡­!¡± Ceres began to scream, rage brimming inside her. It filled her mind. Her sight seemed to turn red with wrath. She was overcome with but one desire now. To kill the woman cackling before her. To rip her apart with her claw. To splay her insides across the same floor splayed with her sister¡¯s. It was the only recourse for the unforgivable sin the Sorceress had finally committed. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you¡­!¡± She gritted her teeth, grinding her molars. Her jaw began to hurt.


    ¡°Lily¡­¡± Nia fell into a manic ecstasy. Her dream, fueled by the bleeding remains of another girl¡¯s dream, was becoming reality at long last. ¡°Lily¡­! Come back to me! Come to me!¡± She raised her weapon aloft and held the star in her other hand. Asteria¡¯s heart glimmered and shimmered endlessly. Swirling messes of blue, teal, green, dots of white, purple, cerulean, and so many others filled the space. It was blindingly beautiful, like standing atop the highest tower in the world, or floating in the atmosphere on a cloudless starry night. Endless gleaming colors. Boundless wonder. ¡°Can¡¯t you hear me!? Can¡¯t you hear my cries now? You must, for we gaze into the border of eternal sleep! The realm in which you were taken is here among us! You must hear me! You must hear my cries!!!¡±


    Nothing was heard, but Nia was right. Amidst the infinite energy pooling and generating from the star she gripped fiercely were faint whispers and chimes. Lily¡¯s angelic monstrous body, covered in pale branches, began to glow with golden light. The glass encompassing her form cracked and shattered, sending shards sprinkling across the ground like a downpour of rain.


    With a thrust of her sword-staff, a dimensional tear rippled across the invisible surface of existence. The air quavered underneath its vibrating shimmer. It ripped open, revealing a realm of night. Calming darkness painted with twinkling pointillism.


    ¡°...Sis¡­? Who¡­?¡± Despite the impossibility, the two worlds collided and ran parallel, if just for a moment. For the first time in many years and a decade, Nia heard kind Lily¡¯s voice. It was so very faint, but even so, she heard it. She really did. Through the crescendo and rumbling earth, her darling sister¡¯s call rang true.


    ¡°Fellows, scatter and take cover!¡± A soft yet commanding voice also joined the fray. It was Raum, standing over the burnt thorns, holding a familiar item. ¡°Now, friends! Scatter!¡±


    Everyone ducked out of the way apart from a despairing Ceres and pinned Grovalt, who were swiftly carried off by Nakir and the two anisai women.


    To their amazement, Raum carried an archontic tome, the same one he had taken from the false Sirithis back in Nia¡¯s mental realm. None had a clue as to how or why, but for some unknown reason, it had been converted into the material world along with everyone. It didn¡¯t seem possible, but with the way things were going at the present moment, the impossible didn¡¯t seem so out of reach as it often was.


    ¡°Nullae vi nextra. Zera vor muvienne.¡± A magical sigil briefly shone from the open book and in bands around Raum¡¯s arms. His open palm, aimed at Nia and the opened passageway, let loose a spiraling vortex of light and dark. It spun like a torpedo through the air and penetrated the rip in reality, constricting it, pulling it together, and rendering it null and void. With a rapturous and thunderous array of sounds, chimes, and musical notes, the portal was closed. Almost instantaneously, Raum fell to the floor in complete exhaustion.


    ¡°W-What¡­? How could you¡­? How¡­? No. No. No.¡± Nia fell into hysterics, a far cry from the heights of elation she just stood upon. ¡°This can¡¯t be. I will not allow this¡­! No! No! Not again¡­ You can¡¯t take her from me again¡­ Not like this¡­¡± She joined Ceres in despair and frenzy.


    Lily¡¯s body and the container that once contained it were all but gone, lost to time for all anyone knew. There was nothing left but Asteria¡¯s mutilated body and her shining heart still gleaming with everlasting light in Nia¡¯s loosened grip. The air was filled only with the lamenting sobs of Ceres and Nia, having lost their two worlds. Their passion. Their light. Truly, nothing was left.


    But the aftershocks of the high magic conducted by the Sorceress and Raum were not unfelt. Quakes shook the earth. The rumbling had not ceased, though it had gone ignored for quite some time. Then, as the sobs congealed and tears fell upon the stained white rock, an indescribable feeling touched all of their hearts at once. A strange feeling. The feeling of ice-cold, dagger-like fingers wrapping around one¡¯s spine, like a towel wound around a metal pole. An eminence of the deepest sorrow. The void, devoid of color and the absence of it. Nothingness incarnate. The Black Moon. One would not call the grim reaper evil upon meeting him, as it is simply the role he had been given since he could remember. A ferryman to take those deserving of a rest to their Blissful Sleep. Though, perhaps it wasn¡¯t so simple. If this being wasn¡¯t death personified, did it hold malicious intent like its mother? Or maybe it was simply programmed to act in such a way to ensure her plan came to fruition.


    S o r c e r e s s . . .


    Nia shook her head in an attempt to stop the oppressive voice. Each syllable sent needles into her brain. She shook with less intention and more reaction, as if the words were hitting her central nervous system with considerable force.


    F l y ,  S o r c e r e s s .  T a k e  f l i g h t  a n d  l e t  l o o s e  y o u r  f u r y .


    ¡°Shut up! Shut up!¡± Memories chained in black surfaced in Nia¡¯s ailing mind. Endless lonely days since Lily¡¯s death, confined to her room. Strangled by grief. Forced to live in the same empty house that had once been home to such a terror.


    ¡®We revolve around the moon.¡¯ That phrase, over and over and over. Nia¡¯s father wouldn¡¯t stop repeating it, even in his sleep. At first it was like a mantra, something calming yet slightly odd that he would say at times without even realizing it. Eventually, though, it became a curse. A wealthy man that had at one time been respected and admired for his genius was now seen as psychotic when people passed him on the street. Mooncursed. Gone to lunacy. A madman. That¡¯s all people could say about him. How else would anyone explain it?


    Black feathers began to grow from Nia¡¯s bare skin. Her armor pushed off of her disheveled body, revealing a deeply scarred past. Years of self-hatred and neglect.


    At the same time, pure, heavenly white petals fell dreamily from the sky far above.


    Hopelessness and regret stained the young girl¡¯s heart. Afflicted by malice both sinful and justified, she lashed out at the raven-haired and raven-feathered woman and, by extension, the world.


    The world had been silent before, but now erupted in a coughing fit and crumpled. The quakes shook them even more so, as if the land would split in half at any second. Chaos grasped the scene.


    Their surroundings warped and folded. Nia¡¯s torrential emotions changed the Technicist facilities and labs, creating something entirely different than before. Her scream violently echoed throughout the ever-changing expanse. Black ripples and waves shot out of the Sorceress in all directions. It drove a certain half-dragon girl, who was already on the verge of a breakdown herself, to leap onto her with murderous intent.


    What am I doing?


    Ceres¡¯s body and her mind were quite separate at that moment. Rage itself, emotion given form through her acting as a catalyst, sprung forth. She knew it was wrong. Lily¡¯s words scratched at her psyche, urging her to draw back her claw and try to convince her sister again. Convince her that all of this was wrong and that it wouldn¡¯t solve anything. That everything she did before and everything she aimed to do now wasn¡¯t in her sister¡¯s best wishes. But she couldn¡¯t do anything to stop it. She looked through her eyes like an audience watches a movie on a screen, unable to alter the events taking place. All she could do was watch in trembling unease and pray that something or someone could save her from herself.


    But she knew that even if she could stay composed, even if she could tell her Lily¡¯s feelings, it wouldn¡¯t make a difference anyway. She¡¯d already said as much at that dark manor on the outskirts of the city. Their family home. She¡¯d said that she didn¡¯t care one bit about what Lily wanted for her. Nia wanted her, needed her, and that was all that mattered to her in the world. Nothing anyone could say would push her from that path, that much was deathly certain.


    And what of Ceres? She was just as lost as Nia was. Lost to the loss of someone uniquely special to her. A loss so utterly heartbreaking that it ravaged her insides, spilling her selfishness and frustrations out of her. The mere wincing thought of Asteria¡¯s bloodied corpse not ten feet away from them was enough to cut her to pieces. The undeserved guilt sliced through her like a jagged shard of glass. It was far more painful than anything she had been through up to that moment. Soul-rending.


    The two girls fought and scratched at one another, lashed at each other. They fought blindly with the person in front of them. Blind to everything but the lasting, burning incision in their minds and the image of their beloved being taken from them.


    Ceres lost her human arm. Nia, a large portion of her leg and much of her face and abdomen. They crawled over one another in a bloody mess, stabbing, kicking, slashing and biting. Finally, exhaustion took them. They succumbed to gravity¡¯s unwavering pull and the sweet tranquility of stasis.


    The Aspect fell from the blood-slathered duo and rolled across the floor, the quakes causing it to tumble wayward past Asteria and into a jumbled corner. With every bounce along its trajectory, a faint chime rang out.


    ¡°Ceres!¡± Nakir shouted and ran to her side, carefully making an effort to raise her head off of the wet red-dyed stone.


    With him, Maxra and Venza made an attempt to finish off the dying Sorceress, but that is all it was. An attempt. Among the lazily falling petals of light came down a large mass from the ceiling. It fell to the floor with nothing to brace its fall, breaking the ground and sending script-like cracks outward from itself. Raising its head and upper body, the raven-haired woman¡¯s defender was made clear.


    It was Arkiel, her pointed horns looking almost like another set of sharp, angry eyebrows pointing slightly downward. Her eyes gleamed with a cold fierceness, much different from the fiery loathing she had held before at the Imperium¡¯s peak. She unsheathed her mortal blade without hesitation and positioned herself between her mistress and her foes. ¡°Stray and I will end your pitiful lives where you stand. You will not make so much as another inch towards my lady without paying the ultimate price.¡±


    ¡°And she will not live another minute without attention,¡± Zenzi remarked, pointing crudely at Nia¡¯s slashed and bite-ridden form.


    Arkiel eerily turned her eyes to the half-dragon girl on the floor bleeding profusely. ¡°Neither will she.¡±


    ¡°Hold,¡± Raum called, barely standing even with help from his staff. ¡°There is no reason for such hostility now. They have both failed in their missions, and as such, so have we: their friends and vassals. There is no gain in fighting now.¡±


    Maxra and Venza reluctantly stepped back, lowering their weapons to their sides. Yet, of course, they still eyed the dragon with immense suspicion. They were ready to combat her if she dared to make a move.


    Arkiel, too, stepped backward. She picked up the Sorceress with one arm and flung her bloodied body over her left shoulder as if she were a schoolgirl flinging her backpack on for the day. It was extremely evident just how weightless any human, even her master and lady, was to her when compared to a dragon¡¯s strength. ¡°Quakes. Something is coming.¡±


    Nakir peered upwards at his sister with worry in his heart. He held Ceres up with both hands, cradling her as gently as he could. ¡°The Goddess?¡±


    Arkiel stared deeply into her brother for a long moment, then turned around, changed forms, and flew up through the hole the Archmage and Esternn had come through without so much as a word.


    Left there in the dark, transfigured laboratories were the Ravens, Asteria, and her glittering star waning against the heavy rumbling from below.


    Zenzi managed to bring Grovalt to a stable condition, but that was the best she could do. Like the others, the endless battles had also led to endless fatigue. There wasn¡¯t much else that could be done without succumbing to a comatose state or risking reflecting her magic back onto herself.


    ¡°It was all for nothing¡­¡±


    Nakir started and looked down at Ceres with astonishment and fear. ¡°Do not speak, little one. You are terribly injured.¡±


    Ceres looked on with weights dragging down her eyelids. Her body begged her for sleep, as if by some miracle a night¡¯s rest could cure her mortal wounds. A distant longing was present in both of them. Her verdant human eye held the green leaves of her long-past village and her dragon eye held the shivering visage of her adoptive father.


    The others, too. Raum, Grovalt, Zenzi, Maxra and Venza all crowded around to gaze upon her with grim faces.


    ¡°All I can do to achieve my dream is crush the dreams of others. What kind of world is that?¡± Ceres coughed up viscous blood, her body convulsing slightly from its suddenness. ¡°We¡¯re all just like Ymiris, trying to survive by any means necessary. We¡¯re evil. I¡¯m evil.¡±


    ¡°No, Ceres. You are not evil. You are human. The truest human, one that is not swayed by the cruelty of nature. One who gives others the chance to redeem themselves. One who gives hope to the hopeless. You are far from evil, little one. You are everything that makes the human mind the way it is. Fear, warmth, loneliness, passion, anxiety, conviction, doubt, love. Without all of those colors, all of those emotions, the world would be a dull gray. Monochromatic. Our dreams are our purpose, whether we fulfill them or not. To live a life paved by our ideals and passion is, in itself, quite ideal.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ I failed you. I failed you all. I¡¯m¡­ going to die. I didn¡¯t even get to say goodbye to her¡­ not this time or the last.¡± Ceres¡¯s face collapsed into a sorrowful mess, and a deluge of crystal clear tears fell like rivers across her pallid cheeks.


    Nakir stiffened. ¡°...Do you remember when we first met? Not at the campfire, but in the woods, just before I saved your life.¡±


    Ceres nodded, her wet eyes darting to Asteria and the shining Aspect.


    ¡°I asked you. I asked you a question. Do you remember?¡±


    She nodded again.


    ¡°And so,¡± Nakir choked on his own words. The next portion came out in a gravely whisper, as if saying each word physically pained him. ¡°I ask you again. Little one, do you wish for life or death?¡±


    The star was unbearably bright in that dark corner of the room. Its light slowly burned away the blood that was caked on its surface during the fight. Its radiance nearly hypnotized the dying girl, nearly lulling her into an eternal sleep. It painted the body that once housed it in a faded blue hue, like sunlight shining through a rainy window in the afternoon.


    Asteria looked just as she did when she was sleeping. By whatever magic, the wound dug into her by Nia had been zipped up like it had never happened. Her porcelain skin looked just the same as when she had been alive. Ceres recalled the morning of that last peaceful day with her. After an eerie dream, she had looked across her room with weary eyes as she did now. But the dream hadn¡¯t been reality. The sun shone brightly through that old, dusty window. The trees rustled and swung against the light wind passing through their creaking branches. The smell of grass and her mother¡¯s cooking ignited her nostrils. And¡­ a sound.


    Asteria¡¯s snoring, accompanied by her crazed bedhead and crooked sleeping posture. No doubt, she had tossed and turned just as she had every night before. The sheets were a mess, her hair was a mess, and so was her face. Her mouth hung open, snoring loudly without a single care in the world. She was about to scold her, but¡­


    Asteria¡¯s hanging mouth turned into the warmest, sweetest smile. A smile anyone could love, filled with the kindness that swelled in the deepest canals of her starborn heart. She giggled in her sleep. A pleasant dream. Turning her head slightly to the side, still smiling, she eked out, ¡°Ceres¡­¡± She giggled again, rolling over onto her side. Her sleepwear was loose and disheveled.


    That memory. It was enough. Enough to push on, through any pain and strife. It didn¡¯t mean she wouldn¡¯t waver. Pain makes us all warp and waver as it passes through us in waves. If the coast is not immune to the weak water¡¯s erosion, nor is humanity to the slow passage of time and worrisome thoughts and feelings. But that erosion could not stop her. And! She screamed in her mind, I will not become like her! I am not Nia. I am not her. And I will never be her. I am Ceres, sister of Asteria. And I always will be!


    She looked into Nakir¡¯s vapid azure eyes, spirit welling up inside her. She took a long, deep breath. With the memory in mind and burning true within her heart, pounding and beating as fast as it could in that moment, only one response came to mind. The only answer to such a simple question. And so she intoned only one.


    ¡°Life!¡±


    And Nakir swung his arms around the young girl, clutching her tightly. Holding her as best he could so that she would not fade away among those rippling waves. Staying true and steadfast against the tides of terror. Fleeing not from the imagined doom, but sailing into the known calamity, for which there was no better recourse.


    When it came to all those present, it simply wasn¡¯t in their nature. Human or otherwise, a living being is not swept up in the tempest. It rides along as best it can, taking the storm in stride with a kind soul and a hearty laugh.

 Chapter 27: Advent

    The unceasing earthquakes had drawn a surprising number of individuals to the western reaches. They crossed through Aza¡¯s half-burnt corpse, some stopping to aid those in need, but still focusing on their sole mission: to search for its source.


    Would they ever stop? What was causing the endless quakes? Those same two questions surfaced within the minds of every person on the far end of the continent. Something was coming. If it wasn¡¯t for the solemn, magical chimes ringing out all across the Outlands and beyond, they still would have known. A certain rising feeling was present deep inside all of them.


    Something was coming.


    Something old.


    Something that had arrived long ago was finally returning. What this truly meant, not a soul had a clue. The truth pulled them ever closer, like prey to an angler¡¯s bioluminescent lure.


    People from all walks of life tread along the hills, plains, and rocky cliffs. Some even pushed through the treacherous desert from down south. A few knight squads from Altruin rode horses along the desert border. Pilgrims of different faiths fervently walked and rode carriages across the expanse. Frostlanders and Frostmaw sellswords came in from the wintery north. Every member of the Church of the Goddess, including their pastoress Nyame, left Aza for their exodus. Even some select knights and mercenaries from Reville, some riding aboard a solitary airship, graced the rumbling¡¯s center with their presence.


    After some time, they had all come to one singular place. A small town situated near the coast of the Outlands and the Greatwoods, populated by no one. It was a barren, slightly rocky plain dotted with burnt and battered homes that were void of any human life. All that roamed the land were an assortment of land animals of the livestock variety. Sheep, goats and the sort looked upon the army of intruders with caution. Most fled to the other side of the plain, wishing not to interfere with the whims of human beings and their alien modes of transportation.


    The aforementioned cavaliers of Altruin, draped in blue and white ornamental cloth and armor, sat upon their grazing horses after a brief respite. They had made camp along the desolate village, separated from the other factions just as those factions separated from them. Though there was no cause for strife among themselves, there was an unspoken hostility and ire in the air. It was tangible with a distinct smell, past the stench of dust and animal dung.


    ¡°Hah¡­ what I wouldn¡¯t give for a bowl of warm soup right about now. I¡¯m starving.¡±


    Another knight lightly holding the reins of his horse nearby came closer to the man who had just spoken. He seemed to be the man¡¯s friend or comrade. ¡°Yeah. Or some rabbit stew. Something other than field rations and moldy bread would be nice, ¡®specially since we came out all this way for nothing.¡±


    The first man blew his nose with a pearlescent handkerchief, staining it with cold-ridden snot. He had a grayed beard and mustache, each ending in wispy white hairs that curled upward. He eyed his comrade as if studying him, then scowled slightly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure about that. Apparently¡­¡± The man was lost in thought for a moment.


    ¡°Apparently¡­?¡±


    The bearded man coughed into his handkerchief, finally gathering his thoughts. ¡°Apparently these quakes have been going on here for the last couple days. Locals said they¡¯ve been getting worse and worse every hour. Now, even people in Aza are feeling them.¡±


    ¡°Captain Reginald!¡± Their conversation was interrupted by another knight¡¯s arrival. He rode in and gathered by their side, completing the trifecta. ¡°I have word from the prince.¡±


    ¡°Go on, lad.¡± The man wiped his nose for the last time, finally storing away the violated piece of cloth.


    The new knight was a young fellow with beady eyes. He swallowed, his dry throat hurting him and causing him to wince. He nodded affirmatively and continued. ¡°Prince Alexander has now recognized these quakes as a national issue. If we are in need of more troops, we need only send word ourselves. And another thing.¡±


    Reginald raised an eyebrow as if to ask, ¡®Yes? What is it?¡¯


    ¡°The Court Magicians¡­ they are saying that we must abandon our posts in haste. They say that only certain death awaits if we stay in this land. But what could they be so afraid of? There is nothing here but dead crops and dying farm animals.¡±


    Knight Captain Reginald looked away as if ignoring the question. A stagnant wind pulled at his facial hair. He felt a bit sick to his stomach. ¡°We are but ants in the footprint of the world, men. Nature is our mistress and tormentor at all times. Though we have built leagues of kingdoms and property upon its back, our mother nature and the planet can whisk us away with ease, casting our sinful bodies against the stones. We have little say in the way of things.¡±


    ¡°Captain¡­¡± The hungry man stared at Reginald with disease.


    ¡°Take heart, lads.¡± He turned his head to look upon them again, flashing a valiant smile that did not at all fit his vagrant features. ¡°I have a feeling it is but a passing trial. Something as little as a slight rumble is nowhere near enough to topple our mighty Altruin. There is nothing to be afraid of. Now, let us ride further on and examine the fault.¡±


    A couple dozen feet away, a band of mercenaries, disavowed knights, and some Frostmaw warriors looked on at the Altruin cavaliers with distaste.


    ¡°Hmph. So it is true. Everyone from Altruin is a coward and a fool.¡± A huge man, not at all human, grumbled to himself with crossed arms. He seemed to be half-man, half-beast. Bladed black hairs grew out from his limbs and chest like razorgrass.


    ¡°Perhaps that is why they have survived and prospered for so long, even after the war.¡± A knight in black armor with red accents replied in a stern tone.


    ¡°No way!¡± A young girl with blonde hair wielding a large hammer yelled in disagreement. She held up her sledge as if she was about to flatten the two others for their rudeness. ¡°Altruin knights are the bravest of the brave! Haven¡¯t you read Into the Maw by¡­ oh damn. Can¡¯t remember the author¡¯s name. But it¡¯s about these Altruinians that battle an entire dragon nest by themselves and come out alive! Only a small squad of ten or so knights! And they do it all using little to no magic!¡±


    ¡°Lumi¡­¡± A man with short black hair nearby sighed and pulled at the girl¡¯s arm in an attempt to escape the awkwardness of the discussion.


    ¡°Fiction, I¡¯d bet.¡± The black knight stood resolutely, his hands resting upon the pommel of his greatsword dug into the dry dirt below their feet.


    ¡°No! It is not fiction! You¡¯re dumb!¡±


    ¡°What!? I say¡­!¡± The man lost his composure briefly before returning to his previous apathetic facade. He let out a cough to cleanse the dismay from his mind. ¡°I do not believe something if I have not seen it with my own eyes. The words and rambles of a common writer cannot be trusted, as they give no proof to their claims and stories. I also have no desire to speak with a child about such things.¡±


    ¡°I am NOT a child!¡±


    The knight¡¯s entire upper half, restrained by his creaking gear, teetered down and up as if he were examining the girl. ¡°If not, then you certainly have the body of one.¡± He snickered annoyingly.


    ¡°That does it!¡±


    Before she could do as much as murder the man, Rook pulled Lumi off to the side and scolded her. Meanwhile, the childishly clammoring knight stood triumphantly as if he had just conquered a difficult quest. The beastman glared at both of them with chained hatred.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a job to do, so try to get along with everyone, okay?¡±


    Lumi crossed her arms and pouted. Her eyes rolled and she glanced to the side to escape from Rook¡¯s lecture. ¡°Whatever. This job stinks, anyway. We¡¯ve been waiting here forever and nothing¡¯s happened.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be scouting and investigating.¡±


    Lumi looked at Rook with narrowed eyes. ¡°Investigating, huh? Investigating what? These earthquakes are nothing special. Probably just the coast breaking off into the sea or something.¡± She sighed. ¡°We were supposed to go to that fancy cafe today in Reville. Instead, we¡¯re sitting out in the middle of nowhere with these creeps. No offense.¡±


    The beastman continued eyeing her with disdain. The knight ceased his chipper laughter and stood defiantly. He was hypocritically shouting, ¡°Creep? I say! What rudeness!¡± But Lumi ignored him, his pompous cries fading into the background.


    Rook wanted to chastise the girl again, but relinquished that she had made a valid point. They¡¯d been waiting around for a few hours now with little to nothing of note happening. He rubbed the wrapped hilt of his sword anxiously. The folds and creases of the dense fabric felt good against his skin, calming him somewhat. Staring out into the desolate Outlands, he too wanted to leave and rest in a warm, cozy cafe somewhere far away from there. Something told him to leave and never come back. A hunch, or an itch of some kind clawed at his consciousness. An indescribable feeling urged him to take her hand and run as far away as possible, but he tried to suppress said urge. He chalked it up to his latent sloth goading him into succumbing to laziness and tried to shake it off. A shiver ran up his spine.


    ¡°Well, I guess we still got to see an airship, anyway. I just don¡¯t get what all the fuss is about.¡±


    ¡°Stop treating this like some normal occurrence,¡± the beastman barked. ¡°If these really were common, random quakes, there wouldn¡¯t be such a fuss. Altruin knights. A Reville airship. Even that damned cult from Aza showed up. You really think we¡¯d all be sent to check in on some Outlander countryside for no reason? You really are amateurs.¡±


    The itch digging at Rook worsened. His chest ached. ¡°Then what do you think it is?¡±


    Still crossing his arms, the beastman thought for a moment, then shrugged his hairy shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know, either. That¡¯s exactly what I mean, though. That¡¯s why everyone is here. None of us know. Or maybe some of them have some idea, and if that¡¯s the case, then maybe we should get the hell out of here. This much personnel is a bit concerning, really. It shows that the bigwigs in charge are worried about something. And if they¡¯re worried, then we ought to be shitting our pants.¡±


    At that moment, before Rook could open his mouth to respond, the rumbling became a terrible shaking. The very earth threatened to throw them off the planet and into orbit. Everyone¡¯s legs numbed. Some fell to the ground, unable to keep their balance. The members of the Church kneeled and pressed their hands together in prayer.


    ¡°Join us in prayer, one and all! Our mother and god returns to us on this day! The promised day!¡± Nyame preached with raised arms. She wore a white dress dotted with swirling stitching that swayed in the gathering wind.


    The Church members chanted. ¡°Ab intra. Ab origine. Absit iniuria. Absit invidia. Absit omen. Ab uno disce omnes. Abyssus abyssum invocat. Ad altiora tendo. Ad astra. Ad fontes. Ad meliora. Ex silentio. Ex luna scientia.¡±


    Nyame repeated the chant, bringing her splayed arms into a prayer as well. A zealous smile stretched across her face. For those who saw it, an inexplicable shudder racked their body. ¡°From within. From the source. Let insult be absent. Let envy be absent. Let omens be absent. From one, learn all. Deep calleth unto deep. I strive for higher things. To the stars. To the sources. Towards better things. From silence. From the moon, knowledge.¡±


    The clouds tore open, illuminating all in golden splendor. The chirping of birds and cries of goats and sheep hushed all at once as if the sun had eclipsed rather than showed its beaming visage to the world. The once overcast day had become a beautiful, nostalgic summer one.


    Nyame continued, the chanting of her followers bolstering her prominent voice. She sounded like an angel delivering an enigmatic song to humanity. ¡°Forgive the sinners of Sirithis, for they could not accept their fate as chicks within the dying yolk of time. They could not understand that our mother the Goddess is the egg that holds reality in balance.¡±


    ¡°Amen,¡± the others chimed.


    ¡°Forgive the sinners of Aza, for they could not understand the futility of technology and magic alike. They could not fathom our mother the Goddess¡¯s plan for each and every one of us.¡±


    ¡°Amen,¡± the others chimed again.


    ¡°Forgive the sinners of Altruin and Frostmaw, for their war waged in greed and envy did naught but tear us asunder and rend our values. They could not understand that life itself is wealth enough, and it was granted by our mother the Goddess alone.¡±


    ¡°Amen,¡± the others chimed once more.


    ¡°Forgive us all, if you would. Forgive the world, forgive your pupils, forgive humanity for our slovenly pride and arrogance. We are not worthy of being your spawn, but your children we are nonetheless. We give ourselves unto you to do as you wish. That is our fate and destiny.¡±


    ¡°That is our fate and destiny,¡± the others repeated.


    At the feet of the Altruin cavaliers, who had gone ahead and were now at the very center of the rumbling¡¯s core, the earth split open like a gaping wound. The ground cracked and splintered, millions of spidering tears ripping the skin of the world for all to peer within. It grew wider and wider until it was a great hole, then it grew wider still. It had come to the size of a dragon when suddenly a terrifying hush came across everything again, just as it had when the sky opened up. The quakes abruptly came to a halt, slightly replenishing the sanity of the gathering. The splitting, too, stopped. All that was left was the massive hole in the center of the land for all to see.


    The crowd began murmuring amongst themselves. Panic and unease swept over the field like a wildfire.


    Rook took Lumi¡¯s hand and began absentmindedly pulling her away from the chaos. Even as he did so, not a single coherent thought passed through his mind. They shuffled through his head like a deck of cards, each one showing him a glimpse of what the future had in store but never staying around long enough for him to come to any concrete conclusion. In his heart of hearts, he only knew that he had to stay and witness what would come next. Never again in his lifetime would he be able to see whatever lay in store for them all. That¡¯s what he thought.


    Up above the stirring mercenaries and knights, the Reville soldiers aboard the hovering airship gaped in awe just as the ones below did. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°Do not falter, men.¡± The commander spoke in a harsh tone. A twinge of worry plagued his words. ¡°If I give the signal, I want you to fire all artillery upon whatever crawls out of that pit. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Commander¡­¡± The men trailed off in perplexity.


    Deafening silence. Even the great chimes that rang out across the expanse pittered out into barely audible sounds.


    Then, a light. The massive hole¡¯s interior was lit aflame with a coarse, white light that made anyone too close scrunch up their eyelids into tiny slits. As it grew brighter, something else came into view. A white, heavenly mass ascended and emerged from the tear in the world. It levitated deftly out from the crater, unhindered by any worldly force, and settled neatly five or ten feet above the ground. It looked like a flower or cocoon. Its ¡®petals¡¯ wrapped tightly around itself as a flower bud does when it¡¯s growing before sprouting forth come springtime. The dirt and mud beneath it paled underneath its weight. The grass died and sunk into the pallid floor stretching out from its eminence.


    ¡°C-C-Captain¡­ what is that?¡±


    Reginald of Altruin stared wide-eyed at the floral oddity. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to form words into a reply. If anything, he was surprised his subordinate had managed to do so before such a menacing¡­ thing. There really was no other way he could word it. It was a great, pale thing that resembled something both known and completely unknown. Its form resembled a child¡¯s perfect mental image of a beautiful, pure white flower. But everything else about it sent overwhelming terror into those with a better sense about them.


    As he opened his mouth to speak, a common crow soared over the stunned crowd and slowly approached the flower, flapping its wings to prepare for a soft landing. Then, it landed. A few seconds passed. Then, some more. And just when it appeared that all was well and good, the bird¡¯s onyx black color evaporated instantly. Its eyes, too, whitened into a look of death. It cricked its neck and wings in an attempt to get away, but it was far too late. The bird, its body made monochrome, fell to the equally pallid ground with a thud and died.


    Nyame was the first to bring herself to form any words at all. ¡°Ah~¡± She took a few paces forward towards the hovering thing, then lowered her head in respect and reverence. ¡°My Goddess¡­ I knew you would return! I knew it would be so! When we are in our greatest time of need, as well! When all hope seems to be drained from the world, you have made your arrival known!¡±


    ¡°Yes! It is true!¡± Another person joined the fray and stood at Nyame¡¯s side. Though, calling him a person wasn¡¯t quite right. It was an old, unkempt man who anyone would agree looked as if he was on death¡¯s door. Not from old age, however. It was the great iron cross penetrating his cranium that would bring them to that grim hypothesis. He, too, threw up his arms, but he did not lower his head. He grinned eagerly at the heavenly orb like how a child may smile on Christmas day when discovering dozens of freshly wrapped gifts had been left for them overnight. Sickly blood dripped from his gruesome wound and fell down his cheeks like tears of joy. ¡°It has become truth! The Advent is upon us! Finally, it has come! The Advent has come!¡±


    Nyame glared at the man. ¡°And who are you to defile her coming with your presence?¡±


    The man still grinned his eager grin. He licked his lips in anticipation. ¡°Simply another devoted acolyte and child of our mother Ymiris. She has given unto me the sweet gift of transformation. Transmutation! Transmogrification!¡± He pointed to the heavy cross that sunk into his skull. ¡°Is there a better present than becoming the very aspect of your desire? Of your love? It is truly human, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    The Head Pastoress pointed an accusatory finger at Blind Faith, her dress still wavering in ripples across her slim figure. ¡°You are not one of us! One who has given into their desire and emotion is not fit to be a member of the Church. Nay, our Goddess has punished you for your wicked zealousness. She has left you with a permanent scar so that you may remember your sin well. Do not mistake your transformation with divine bestowal, base codger. You will do well to leave our mother¡¯s birthing ground, or I shall make you leave.¡±


    The other members of the Church of the Goddess nodded in silent agreement.


    ¡°I see¡­ you do not yet know our mother¡¯s true lineage! Her race and her species. Sad. Very sad, might I add. A tragedy. You have all given your lives and your love to our mother without even that simple knowledge. What a cruel world we live in! What a world! What a beautiful, chaotic mess of a world!¡± Blind Faith erupted into crazed laughter. He danced a little jig, kicking his heels together in rhythm to whatever unheard tune was playing in his mind. ¡°And they call me Blind Faith! Why, that should be your name! What is your name? No, pardon me. I do not want to hear it. It would be better if I had never known it. No names matter, here, at the end of all things!¡±


    Nyame swung her arm in a slashing motion as if swinging a sword at the raving man. ¡°You are a pitiful, disgraceful idiot! Your ravings will not sway our hearts. These are no end times, but a new beginning! Look around you. Ymiris has gathered us all in harmony to gaze upon her bountiful splendor. To understand our true nature. To finally attain peace and serenity. Your lies will not change that!¡±


    ¡°Uhuhu~ And what if you are wrong? What if that very notion is the opposite? Slantwise? Oh, how I can¡¯t wait for the grand reveal! It is so close, yet so far¡­! This is no meeting for peace! These are not common people, simpleton. These are vagrants, do-badders, haters, killers. What do you suppose THAT means? Hmm?¡±


    Nyame clenched her fists and jaw, then slowly released them. She realized that anger would get her nowhere. This is a test, she thought. The Goddess is testing me one last time to see if I am truly faithful to her great cause! There¡¯s no doubt about it. It has to be that. She sent this wretched man here to test my limits. I will not fail you, my lady. My mother. I will cast aside this man for you.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Blind Faith goaded. His expression then turned from a questioning one to one of genuine surprise. ¡°Have you accepted my words as truth? For they are, in truth, the truth. That is all that matters! The truth is absolute! Once you know it, there is no going back! Here it is, before you. I and her, her and I. The Goddess and this old man. Prepare yourselves! Truth is nigh! Here it comes, at last!¡±


    An explosion of blood and scattered innards bloomed outward from the scene. Some had seen Nyame take a single step towards the man, raising a single hand. A rush of wind. A moment¡¯s passing. Then, there was nothing recognizable left of him. All besides the great iron cross, of course. Blind Faith had become emotionless red pudding on the ground. Scattered about it were chunks of flesh and bone, hair and fingers, spit and mucous. The man was no more. A great deal of the blood, too, covered half of the hovering cocoon, painting it just as an artist paints a mute white sketch to give it life and, in turn, pour into it his love and passion.


    Nyame stood before the half-painted mass in her bloodsoaked dress. She turned with open arms to her faithful congregation, who in reply both clapped and prayed with kind smiles.


    ¡°Wha?¡±


    ¡°How¡­?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The cavaliers, about a dozen feet away, looked at the mess with confusion and building fury.


    ¡°Men!¡± Reginald spat. ¡°Apprehend that woman!¡± He turned to Nyame. She was standing with open arms before the flower bud now, gazing upwards at it just as Blind Faith had done just minutes before. ¡°You are charged with the sudden murder of an innocent man! Kneel! You shall be tried before the king of Altruin and his people!¡±


    An otherworldly chime struck the land and its current residents like a colossal hammer. They all let out a scream of agony. The ringing felt as if it tore the gray matter in their skulls to shreds. Their heads burned with an aching pain.


    ¡°W-What is¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s opening!¡±


    Rook stared at the splattered flower in horror. Its petals were coming undone, unraveling in a graceful, fluid motion like a dancing ballerina. It was slow and deliberate, as if Blind Faith¡¯s claim of a grand reveal was not entirely metaphorical.


    ¡°Steady, men.¡± The Reville commander, his arm outstretched, gave his order in the same stern tone. His hand, too, outstretched into a five-point star as if he were pushing the men away from their consoles. He stared through the milky clear window of the airship, his pupils trained on the blooming flower. There really was something inside. He couldn¡¯t see all of it yet, though. But there was definitely something. A creature? A person? It was hard to make it out from that distance. The endlessly spinning and whirring turbines helped to concentrate on his timing. If he waited too long, it could mean the end of him and his men. Perhaps even the end of Reville, and the other cities too. Perhaps the end of the world. He really had no other way of knowing. What he did know for certain is that he would be instrumental in putting a stop to any wicked deed it desired, if it did desire such a thing.


    Thus, the flower¡¯s petals stretched outward in all directions and fell like feathers upon the whitening earth. A light bell reverberated for each that did, and the one who had spent millennia cocooned within was laid bare for all to see.


    ¡®Beautiful¡¯ was the word that welled up inside those who looked upon her majesty. The Goddess lived up to her name, as well as her other name: the Godbeast. Though this form was intrinsically more human than whatever form she had taken long, long ago in the far reaches of the void, it still kept many features that were inhuman as well. Parts of her resembled the fur of a white moth, insectile and soft. Other parts were simply angelic; her many wings sprouting forth from her back gave her form a heavenly extravagance unseen in any other living creature. Her eyes were closed. Her many wispy, black eyelashes curled and pressed to her temples, giving her face a feeling of purity and simplicity. Her mouth, also closed, was a series of jagged lines tightened into a blissful smile. Apart from the whiteness of her fur and wings, her body glowed with a myriad of alluring colors and shapes. Her third eye sitting on her forehead, also closed, was inlaid in a black oval. Two appendages extended from the sides of her head and formed a ring over her like a sideways halo. Her hips and back were wrapped in a similar fur, likely part of her body and not clothing, that swathed around her not unlike Venza¡¯s wispy black cloak. Her hair was fluffy and white like snow, and came down in two gatherings across her chest. Her face was purely pallid, touched only by the black surrounding her three eyes and her crooked mouth. She shined and glimmered as brightly as a star, not begging but demanding to be gazed at with both reverence and love.


    ¡°Goddess¡­ you are so incredibly beautiful¡­! I am not worthy to be standing here before you. You are too bright for words. Too amazing for basic pleasantries. I am not worthy. We are not worthy!¡± Nyame and her faithful fell to the ground and pressed their foreheads into it. She heaved with an electrifying mixture of emotion which she tried to contain, but it was all too much. She started to sweat, clear liquid coating her face. Her light blond hair fell from her rising back and into the nook of her neck and shoulder. She stared holes into the dirt underneath her, excitement taking over her thoughts.


    Ymiris continued to float above the cast floral shell. She was eerily quiet. Only the hum of magic singeing the empty space filled the air.


    ¡°Please, Goddess Ymiris. Bless us with your wonderful words and songs. Let us hear you speak. Please, speak unto us and deliver us from our human folly. We wish only to understand you and serve you to the best of our ability. That is all we ask, selfish as it is.¡±


    The Goddess then opened her two lower eyes, revealing their inner blackness. They were abyssal and dark, without a single speck of light within them. The light gracing the Outlands seemed to dim as if the simple act of raising her eyelids had devoured it. She tilted her head to look upon the bowed neck of Nyame.


    Nyame shuddered from the gaze. It felt like a truck had been dropped on her curved back, breaking every bone in her body.


    Ymiris then spoke unto her and everyone. Her mouth did not open. Her voice was indescribable. ¡°Thy blood runs cold. Why do you fear me so? Raise thy head and study thy maker well. It is a privilege given only to spawn of I.¡±


    Nyame and the others did as they were told. They looked into Ymiris¡¯s black eyes. Into the void. Past the light and into the cold darkness of null. Her fears were given wings. They flew from her body and left her weightless in the midst of her mother and god.


    ¡°Be not afraid, my children. I am here to mend thy woes. I will save you from yourselves.¡±


    Nyame nearly burst into tears. She wiped her bloody hands onto the unstained portion of her dress, all without tearing her sight away from the Goddess for even a second.


    ¡°Come to me, sweet lamb o¡¯ mine. Receive thy blessing.¡±


    The Pastoress struggled to stand. Her legs were wobbly and unwieldy, yet she managed it all the same. She took a few teetering steps toward Ymiris.


    ¡°Before you are granted a new purpose, thou must absolve thy sins. Confess your inherent weakness, and I shall grant thee thy blessing in full.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Goddess.¡± The same twisted, zealous smile crept over her face. ¡°I love the faith more than anything in the world. With love, so too come feelings hard to describe. There are times, as now, when I am tested beyond imagination. The ravenous fire that burns within me urges me to take you in selfish desire. But a mere human cannot hope to be accepted in that way. Please, forgive me! My love, from this day, is purely out of faith. Please excuse my wandering gaze, for the urge tries to strike down my true wish even now. I want nothing more than to serve you. This, I promise.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Ymiris intoned.


    ¡°Halt!¡± A yell came from a short distance away. It was Knight Captain Reginald. ¡°This woman is wanted for the crime of murdering¡­ that man there.¡± He pointed his lance at the pile of blood and intestines that any ordinary person would struggle to call a ¡®man¡¯. ¡°We have yet to identify him. Such a task may be a tad difficult, given the circumstances. However, I beseech the same of you. Identify yourself. Make it known that you are before the might of many supporting factions. If you wish for peace, make it clear. If not, then we have all been ordered to eradicate any force that means to bring harm to this land. Do I make myself perfectly clear?¡± His mustachioed lip quivered.


    The other cavaliers from Altriun did not carry the same fervent dedication to their roles as serving knights quite like Reginald did. Sure, he had been shocked at Ymiris¡¯s sudden emergence at first. Now, though, all that mattered was bringing everything to a close for his beloved city and king despite the same old hunger clawing at his aching stomach.


    Ymiris didn¡¯t turn her head, but Reginald immediately felt her hidden pupils upon him. All at once, she truly emanated an aura of superiority. A feeling of godhood. She looked upon the Altruin captain much like how a human would look upon a single solitary ant. Except, Reginald felt as though whatever this creature was, it was far from human in both its ideals and appearance. Some people, when walking down the street and looking down at their feet, would dodge any passing bugs on the way to their destination. Reginald would know, he was one of them. He abhorred killing to any degree if it could be avoided. There just wasn¡¯t any sense in it. The world needed to make sense, after all. How could it not? He couldn¡¯t even imagine living in a senseless, immoral world. It felt wrong to him. Such a thing only bolstered his worldview, while at the same time, it was the only thing that he deeply feared. That and this strange being¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°Thou darest speak out of turn? A child must know their place when brought forth to their mother. My authority is reality.¡±


    ¡°I simply ask you to tell us who you are. Is that a problem?¡±


    Ymiris tilted her head to the side as if she were debating whether to eat the armored cavalier and his small company. Finally, she raised her head fully and gazed upon the large crowd there to welcome her. Or, perhaps, they were there to do the exact opposite. She marveled at the prowess of her children, taking long passing glances at the mercenaries, the pilgrims, the Church members, the airship, and the gatherings of knights. She lightly puffed out her chest and raised her four-fingered insectile arms upward. From her eyes, her black gemstone-like fingers rested upon the perfect blue sky. The world was in her hands.


    ¡°As much as I loathe this ruffian who calls himself a knight, I agree with him somewhat, Goddess Ymiris,¡± Nyame relayed her thoughts. ¡°I believe many are confused. I believe that you should elucidate them on your coming and make yourself truly known to all of your future servants.¡±


    Ymiris¡¯s pupils darted to Nyame, then back to the crudely arranged army before her. She nodded. With a booming, elegant voice, she said, ¡°Children o¡¯ mine, the time hath come. In your tongue, I am Ymiris. I am also known as Yanamura or the Godbeast, or perhaps the Goddess. It is truly I. Long did I sleep beneath the planet¡¯s crust. Long did I hunger and starve as my darling ones grew. Look at you now. Bestowed intelligence is a wonder in a wonderless world. And now is the time of Advent. Now is when I claim the spoils of my labor, as do you all. You have proven to be quite the capable group of animals. You have achieved much with the wondrous garden I had given. And now, while the fruit is juicy and ripe for the taking, I will indulge myself.¡± She turned her head to Reginald of Altruin once more.


    Reginald froze at once, then regained his fervency and pointed his lance at the Goddess like a witness fingering a suspect. ¡°You dare disgrace the name of our fallen Goddess with your wicked words!? Not only that, but you also fail to help punish this woman, your faithful, for her crime of murder? Have you no shame?¡±


    The void of Ymiris¡¯s eyes pulled at his soul. She continued, her voice booming still. A faint harp could be heard bringing her words to a heart-moving crescendo. ¡°I am the archon unbound. The archon of gluttony. The bringer of life. The bringer of death. Tranquility in and of itself. Bathe in my light. Bathe in my dark. Show me your fears so I may strip you of them. Thou need not fear. Thou need not be tense. I shall show thee pain and strife, and shall show thee love and life. Be not afraid.¡±


    From what little Rook could gather, the situation he and Lumi were in was of mortal peril. It was far from anything they had encountered before. Even the Imperium and the raging axe-wielding behemoth known also as Graves were nothing compared to this. He knew that if they stayed any longer, they would both likely perish. They would die lonely deaths, and they would be forgotten. He shook the thought from his mind. He grabbed Lumi¡¯s hand tightly and they ran as fast as they could.


    The last thing he saw before breaking out into a mad sprint in the opposite direction was a golden shimmer of light, almost like the shiny end of a spear. He heard cries. He heard a body fall. Heavy armor clanged. A horse whinnied and entered a panicked frenzy. Then, nothing. Nothing but him and Lumi¡¯s rushed footfalls leaving their temporary mark in the mud they crossed. A devil on his shoulder told him to look back, just for a moment, but he knocked it away. Curiosity has no place on a battlefield, he thought.


    Then, when he felt that they were far enough, they stopped on a craggy hillside. They made sure that they were both alright, then finally looked back. What they saw made Rook curse himself for the rest of his natural life. Curse himself for eventually giving in to the devil on his shoulder.


    It was hell. It was the apocalypse. Calamity. The sky had split in two and was drenched blood-red. A black-winged angel flew up and lingered amidst a broken, smoldering landscape torn apart by crimson lightning and fiery vortexes. It was the end. The end of time. The end of everything.

 Chapter 28: Paradise Lost

    ¡°Let this light cast away your faith. Faith not aimed at I has no place in this world. My world.¡± It happened very quickly. In one moment, Ymiris pointed her elegant fingers at Reginald of Altruin. In the next moment, there was a brilliant flash of holy light. A giant blade forged in blinding radiance manifested itself at Ymiris¡¯s side. Then, another moment passed. The blade flew and was gone.


    In its wake, Reginald¡¯s upper body had disappeared leaving only gushing blood pouring across his silver chestplate. What was left of him fell from his horse and landed on the muddy ground with a dull thud, just as the crow had done before the Goddess¡¯s emergence. His horse, driven into a mad panic, threw up its front hooves, whinnied, and ran off. Somehow, all were left in even more shock than they were before.


    Ymiris turned back to Nyame for the last time. Her many colors including a dazzling orange, fluorescent blue, cyan, violet and more shimmered like scales.


    Nyame gasped.


    For the first time, Ymiris opened her mouth. Not once had she opened it to speak since she¡¯d made herself known. Though, it wasn¡¯t telepathy. Something inside of her head unlike vocal cords was generating sound to mimic the human cords and tongue. Perhaps that was why her voice was so melodic. Perhaps it was why her every word was enough to cause magical ringing in the air. No one knew for certain, just like no one knew what it was she aimed to do by finally wrenching open her smiling jaws. They creaked apart and stopped, leaving Ymiris¡¯s face looking like a jack-o-lantern. Not any ordinary jack-o-lantern, either. It was truly terrifying. What made it worse was what directly followed the action. Every ounce, every liter of blood in Reginald¡¯s desecrated corpse coagulated and floated in the air. Collecting in a bubbly stream, it flowed from the body and where his fellow cavaliers still stood in awe and went directly into the moth mother¡¯s mouth. Goopy, slathering sounds were heard as it sloshed its way down the Goddess¡¯s throat. It was almost as if she was breathing in his blood through the air, like how a fish filters out and gathers oxygen from water.


    ¡°Y-Y-You dare kill Captain Reginald!?¡±


    ¡°Face the wrath of Altruin¡¯s valiant knights, knave!!!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll tear you apart, freak!¡±


    Most of the Altruin cavaliers, the ones who hadn¡¯t ran, rushed forward with drawn lances and swords. They pushed the mortal fear they felt deep in their bones down until it was no more than a faint whisper in their minds. They relentlessly continued to charge.


    Ten more blades of light formed over the Goddess. With a lazy point of her tactile finger, they pierced through the air like summer lightning and shot three perfect bloody holes through each of her enemies¡¯ bodies. They fell to the ground dead just like their leader did. The ones who didn¡¯t had been caught in their stirrups and were carried off by their horses, though they had still died just the same.


    Ymiris opened her mouth again with a slimy clicking sound and drained the corpses of their sanguine sustenance. ¡°Forgive me. It has been so very long since I last engaged in a feast. And now, right after I wake, I am treated to a feast beyond even my wildest dreams. You are delightful children. Or perhaps I am simply a very fortunate god.¡± She chuckled, but it came out sounding like an otherworldly windchime.


    Nyame stared absentmindedly, but inside she was deeply bewildered. The High Pastoress kneeled before Ymiris along with her faithful and pleaded. ¡°Goddess, they know not what they do. Please, no more killing. I had hoped your Advent would have been one of a more¡­ peaceful nature. Please, bestow upon me your blessing and I shall root out the undeserving myself. You need not dirty your hands with the sinful among this flock.¡±


    ¡°Thou wishest for my blessing? Truly?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Goddess. I would like nothing more.¡± Nyame stared into Ymiris¡¯s black irises. Somewhere deep in her subconscious, the voice of a raving man banged drums in her head. They were the lingering words of Blind Faith.


    ¡°Uhuhu~ And what if you are wrong? What if that very notion is the opposite? Slantwise? Oh, how I can¡¯t wait for the grand reveal! It is so close, yet so far¡­! This is no meeting for peace! These are not common people, simpleton. These are vagrants, do-badders, haters, killers. What do you suppose THAT means? Hmm?¡±


    No. Shut up! Nyame screamed in her mind. Nothing but the disdainful words of a madman. Our Goddess wants nothing but the best for us. If she must feast, then let her feast. Every living thing must eat, and she had been waiting a long time. What does it matter if she eats a few sinful knights? No harm done. All is good. All is fine.


    ¡°Take my hand, lamb. Kiss it. Pledge your loyalty and love. Only then may I bestow a shard of my power unto you. A shard of a diminished power, in fact.¡± She spoke lower and leaned forward so only Nyame and her disciples could hear. ¡°For you see, children, I am quite weak at the present moment. I need some time to regain my former strength. I must feast. You will help me with this holy mission, yes?¡±


    ¡°...Yes, Goddess. I pledge myself to you.¡± Nyame kissed her beautiful, tactile fingers.


    ¡°Excellent. Now, rise my servants. Rise and serve me.¡±


    Nyame arched her back and groaned in pain. Stunning, white angel wings abruptly sprouted from her back and ripped through her dress. They were bloody near her ribs and spine. The rest of the Church members followed suit.


    ¡°Take this, my acolyte. It will serve thee well.¡± Ymiris drew out a long, white bident from underneath her wispy fur robes and handed it to Nyame without hesitation. It seemed to be made of bone. ¡°Catch thy prey with fervor. Every body is another step to rejuvenating your Goddess. Bring me back to true godhood, wondrous acolyte.¡±


    Nyame nodded, her head racked with swirling, chaotic emotions.


    A multitude of chimes rang out.


    ¡°W-What do we do, sir? The target has k-killed a dozen knights¡­ and d-devoured them.¡±


    The Reville commander aboard the ever-watchful airship coughed and cleared his throat. It seemed the nonsensical chain of events weighed heavily on him as well, though he didn¡¯t outwardly show it. At least, not in an obvious fashion. ¡°I told you. Wait for my word.¡±


    ¡°B-But sir, if we don¡¯t act now-¡±


    ¡°Quiet! So she ate a few plebeians from Altruin. A common warbeast could have done the same. I will not waste precious ammunition on a low-level threat. If we do, it will be my head on the stake, understand? Not yours. Mine. Do not fire unless told to.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Apologies, sir. I lost my head for a moment.¡±


    The commander gave a small nod and scratched his face. ¡°It is¡­ understandable given the situation we are in. Do not fret.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ do you really think the X-34 War Machine ion rounds will be enough to bring her down if she attacks? She threw those swords like they were nothing. It was like she was flicking paperclips at them.¡±


    The commander chuckled. ¡°No enemy has ever survived the X-34¡¯s. With a direct hit, they have the power to potentially atomize the target. Nothing survives atomization.¡±


    Ymiris then turned to the airship and stared directly through the glass window to meet the commander¡¯s gaze. She pointed at him, and by extension, the ship.


    ¡°S-Sir!?¡±


    ¡°Oh shit. Fire. Fire! Fire now! Fire now! I said now, goddamnit!¡±


    Massive cylindrical devices unhinged and fell into super-magnetic locks at the sides of the vehicle. Giant steel locks also whirled around and hitched to the other side of the revealed cannons. The guns were wrapped in mesmerizing wiring and eccentric red and blue lines. Sparkling, crackling electricity surrounded them in a second, and in the next, they both fired simultaneously. Ionic bolts the size of elephants ejected from the ship and drew a straight line to the Goddess.


    The Goddess waved, and her acolytes fled imminent destruction and searched for fresh blood. She herself didn¡¯t move one bit. She simply stood there, waiting for the inevitable explosion of scarlet ions to reach her. And, they did.


    ZZZ-BOOM!


    Black smoke spread out from the impact. Red lightning coursed through the dark clouds. It almost blotted out the clear, blue sky.


    ¡°Did¡­ did we get her?¡± The soldier asked while peering slant-eyed into the rippling maze of gaseous plume.


    The commander was silent as a hawk. He eyed the smoke, too, like a hawk. He searched for his prey. He hoped the thing was dead, but if it was only injured, that would be fine. Not great, but it would mean there was some hope of them getting out alive. They could always load more rounds. That thought sprung him to action. ¡°Reload. More X-34¡¯s. Better safe than sorry.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Finally, the smoke cleared. What the commander saw did not bring a smile to his face. In fact, it dragged the sides of his mouth down farther than he ever had done on purpose. A deep, ghastly frown. His eyes popped out of his head in disbelief. There, still crackling with ionic energy and completely unharmed, was the Goddess. Not so much as a speck of dust graced her untainted form. Her inhuman eyes did more than unsettle. The commander felt as though he were looking at death itself.


    ¡°F-F-Fire! Fire!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t! We¡¯re still loading the shells!¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ then get us the hell out of here!¡±


    The pilot wrenched a silver lever from its locking position and spun the steering wheel a hundred times over. The airship, in response, slowly lumbered to the right and accelerated away from the inhuman force that called herself Ymiris.


    ¡°Faster, damn you! Faster!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t! The accelerator isn¡¯t fully warmed up yet!¡±


    ¡°Then get-¡±


    Grinding, searing gold. Deafening destruction. A colossal sword of blinding light this time had appeared above the Goddess and careened into the airship at an unyielding velocity. It skewered the ship, with lack of a better term. Impaled it all the way to the massive blade¡¯s sunlit hilt. The airship burst into flame, exploded a few times, and slowly sank down from the sky and crashed into the uninhibited land like a fireball. Then, from what only a few educated mercenaries could guess, the X-34 War Machine ion rounds also exploded. A thunderous boom ten times louder and more terrible than when they had shot at Ymiris shook the earth. Bellowing smoke darkened the sky. Scarlet lightning struck the land indiscriminately, the obvious byproduct of weather infused with ionic supercells. The wrecked ship¡¯s corpse stood in the near distance like a monument to the Goddess¡¯s new reign.


    ¡°I dared to chastise those two for leaving,¡± the black knight let out a panicked cry to the wolven beside him. ¡°But¡­ this¡­ this is suicide! Goodbye! Au revoir!¡± He ran to his black horse, each step a teetering reminder of the sheer panic that claimed him. He mounted it, struck the reins, and rode off somewhere northeast between the Greatwoods and Aza.


    ¡°¡®Tis a shame their blood will boil in the flames of their own creation. Oh, well. I have more than enough to consume right here.¡± Ymiris spoke with the same eerie, singsong voice despite her mouth not moving an inch. She was like a doll possessed by a wretched spirit.


    ¡°Goddess,¡± Nyame said. ¡°Look there. Something else that flies. It approaches. It descends to meet your grace.¡±


    Ymiris looked up to where Nyame pointed. There in the dark ridden sky was a red dragon. Atop its back was a woman clad partly in black. They fell lightly to the sacred ground Ymiris floated above. The whitening had spread widely since her arrival. The grazing sheep and other wildlife that once peered at her apathetically were now pallid husks drained of their lifeblood. Once the two had reached them, the dragon then morphed into a human form that resembled a tall woman wielding a monstrous blade. The other woman, seemingly a sorceress, carried a tome Ymiris immediately recognized. She was also half-naked, though the skin that did show was mostly covered in unnatural black feathers. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Nyame gripped her bident harshly. ¡°The Sorceress¡­! It¡¯s the Black Sorceress!¡± Her newly sprouted wings, too bloody to be truly divine, flapped anxiously.


    The moth-like archon lowered herself to the ground and stood on her own two legs. The white plague that drained the world around her of its luster accelerated at a rapid pace. ¡°I have heard many things about you, child. My moon, it seems, has made a mess of thy life. You were cursed with such a mad father. A sad, pitiable existence. Although, you are special. I can feel it. The harmonization. The song that guides your hand is not entirely unlike my own. My creations seldom hold a soul comparable to my own. But you¡­ you are farther from an ordinary human.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s dying. She¡¯s partially wrathcursed as well, Goddess.¡±


    Nia weakly brought her head up from its place on Arkiel¡¯s shoulder and came face-to-face with Ymiris. ¡°We¡¯re¡­ too¡­ late¡­¡±


    Arkiel pointed her mortal blade at the Goddess and her favored acolyte. ¡°Tsk,¡± she clicked her tongue. ¡°It seems we are. What¡¯s the rush, archon? Why not wait another few hundred years? Why now? Afraid of something?¡±


    Ymiris continued to stare expressionlessly with her simple, insectoid face. ¡°A god fears nothing. My whims become truth as I will them. The planet changes shape when I deem it so.¡± She raised her black marble hand and made a loop with her fingers. She stared at the dragon through the loop like a child looking through a spyglass. ¡°And you will address me as ¡®mother dearest,¡¯ dragonkin. Seeing you makes me think of a certain emotion¡­ Happiness? Joy? I suppose I am glad to see dragons are not yet extinct. Yes¡­ I am glad. Happy, even.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you sure look happy. Is it fun destroying everything you helped create?¡± Arkiel adjusted her hold on Nia. She eyed Ymiris with enough fury to burn the Greatwoods down.


    The Goddess shook her head lightly, closing her eyes momentarily before looking upon the dragon with an odd warmth. ¡°Not destruction, my dear. Though, in a way, thy claim is true. The world is simply ready to move on. To return to my belly, my stomach, my energy, and pass onto another waiting refuge. From there, life will flourish anew. It is not an end, dragonkin. It is a new beginning.¡±


    Arkiel slashed at the air. Her blade left a streaking red and black mark lingering in front of her for a while before fading away. ¡°And what if we¡¯re not ready to move on? We never asked to be your hellspawn. We never wanted to be your playthings. You cursed us in the womb. Cursed us to inevitably die in obscurity, all for your great feast. Your sustenance. It makes me sick.¡±


    ¡°Lily¡­¡± Nia called out wearily. Her voice was low and scratchy.


    She¡¯s gone, gone forever.


    There¡¯s nothing I can do now.


    Nothing left for me.


    N i a . . .


    What¡¯s the point?


    Nothing matters anymore.


    I failed.


    T a k e  f l i g h t .


    I failed her, after she¡¯d done so much for me.


    That last light has gone and died out.


    I should die, too.


    F l y ,  S o r c e r e s s .  T a k e  f l i g h t  a n d  l e t  l o o s e  y o u r  f u r y .


    Nia pushed off of Arkiel and landed in the thick, pale mud on her hands and knees. She groaned helplessly in pain. Her throat filled with cracking cries and gurgles.


    ¡°Nia! What are you doing?¡± The Red Dragon went to help her, but stopped as if frozen in time.


    ¡°Ah. That madness was not a fleeting illness, then. The lunacy runs in thy veins. A mooncursed family until the end of time. It seems my crueler half also inherited my crueler powers. That is quite unfortunate, feathered one. If I could understand the concept of empathy, I would wrap my illustrious wings around thee. ¡®Tis a shame the opposite is true. I can feel nothing for my food. Quite a shame, indeed.¡±


    ¡°Stop this! Stop it, now! I know of the Black Moon. I know it is one of your ineffable Scions. Quell its enchantment on her! Quell it or die!¡± Arkiel screamed in bitter resentment. Her neck grew semi-transparent and burned vermilion. Fire sparked in her chest and was building in her throat.


    Ymiris lightly chuckled, sending soft chimes out that only added fuel to the dragon¡¯s igniting wrath. ¡°I am powerless when it comes to such things. My moon is but a separate entity, now. Though, I suppose I could hurry things along so that I may join with it again.¡± Following her wispy intonation, the Goddess outstretched her hands to the sky once more, and she sang. Her third eye, the one sitting on her forehead above the black ones, opened. Her black eyes closed. None could see nor perceive the third eye. It shined in colors imperceptible to any Aeosian. Her song, though it could be understood through the soul, was in an ancient language and could not be understood lyrically. The souls of all who heard it did resonate, however. It sank into their hearts much like how a heavy stone crashes into a lake and sinks to its innermost depths.


    Painting and wailing


    Multicolored plastics on the canvas


    Maiming and claiming


    This world of tears so vast


    Colorful visions of the city out of reach


    A beautiful sight cloaked in falling rain


    A painting of your favorite beach


    Before the land is cut in twain


    Revolving


    Revolving


    Revolving


    Revolving


    Never stopping, always shaking


    Always dying, never stopping


    A teetering tower of glassy tears


    A thundering mire of crimson leers


    A ravenous plague beyond the years


    A mechanical doe that runs in fear


    Let the earth be damned!


    Let chaos reign!


    The burning rain and reign!


    Let fire leave us maimed!


    Revolving


    Revolving


    Revolving


    Revolving


    We revolve around the moon


    Fettered lotus, your heart will swoon


    We revolve around the moon


    Dreary star, your heart¡¯s a boon


    The world of tears so vast


    Maiming and claiming


    Monochrome colors on the canvas


    Painting and wailing


    Revolving


    Revolving


    Revolving


    Revolving


    A sacred garden humming an eerie drone


    Made pale as stone


    Leaving us ungrown


    Bereft, across a world in monochrome


    The bright, blue sky unseen beyond the thick, black smoke generated by the fallen airship darkened suddenly. It was as if the sun had gone out. In spite of that, however, the sun could barely be seen through the dark clouds. It had begun to fade into a blood-red color, much like the darkening sky. A blotted crimson just like the liquid that flowed through every lifeform¡¯s veins. The world had gone mad.


    The sky then split in two, unleashing a tidal wave of vitriolic blood onto the land like a broken faucet. Beyond any rational thought, it was true. Waves of blood, the source unknown, ravaged the land and tainted it with scarlet flesh and ichor. Dozens of unnamed mercenaries who had simply come there to make a decent living were drenched in it. Some drowned, some were flung into trees and separated at the waist by the physical force, some even died from sheer shock. The ones who had climbed to higher ground were promptly annihilated by the scarlet lightning still pummeling the swollen earth. The viscous waves soon lowered into an endless puddle-deep sea that encompassed the land.


    Huh? What? What¡¯s happening? Why¡­ why? Why, Goddess? Why would you do such a thing?


    Ymiris, paying her acolytes no mind, stretched her arms out in delight. An endless sanguine river flowed into her mouth and body. The sloshing and slathering noise it generated was truly horrible.


    I had faith. I had it. I had it. I had it! I believed!!! So, why? Why, when my faith was so unwavering? When I hadn¡¯t dared question a single thing? When I turned a blind eye to the things that unsettled me?


    The quietus of the mercenaries and crestfallen knights was not so quiet. Their tired, hoarse screams rippled across the red sea with nothing to show for them. Doom, with its thousands of fanged claws and dancing mouths, had fallen upon them and devoured them whole. There was nothing that could be done. The only place that the bloody tide did not dare caress was the whitening ground that had, now, spread about thirty to forty feet from Ymiris¡¯s cocoon.


    Ah. That¡¯s it, Nyame thought, her mind descending into a labyrinthine spiral. He was right. Blind Faith¡­ ha. Ha. Ha. Hahahahaha. Haha. Ha. I see now. My faith means nothing to her. Nothing but what it wills me to do. She simply wanted drones to fetch her meals. That¡¯s all it was. Haha. What a joke. What a funny, silly joke! Nyame broke into a crazed laughter, grasping her head as if suffering from a thumping headache. ¡°Blind Faith! That¡¯s right! I¡¯m Blind Faith! Hahaha! That is my name! A name that hides within us all! Within me! That is the truth!¡±


    The sound of bones breaking. An eerie chime.


    Nyame saw only darkness. A giant metal cross had materialized, piercing through her eyes and out through the back of her skull. Her angelic wings twitched like those of a dying insect.


    ¡°We revolve around the moon.¡±


    Arkiel moved her eyes from the apocalyptic happenings around her to the Black Sorceress. She was in a fetal position, an immense amount of blood pouring from where Ceres had ripped her abdomen apart. ¡°Nia¡­¡±


    ¡°We revolve around the moon,¡± she repeated.


    Ymiris, having had her fill of blood for the meantime, laughed happily. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a wondrous sight? We are all finally brought together in harmony again. This is happiness. This is joy. An emotion I can understand. Oh, how it fills me with splendid light. How it lights my path like a million burning stars. There is no other feeling quite as intoxicating. Except for love, I suppose. But I feel that as well. I love you all, and that is why it makes me even happier to bring you all back to me. It is truly wonderful.¡±


    ¡°Keep talking,¡± Arkiel said, ¡°and I¡¯ll cut you into pieces. Do you know what this is?¡± She took a quick glance at her blade.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ it does seem familiar.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a blade, but not just any blade. It¡¯s a mortal blade, forged from the spinal cord of a certain dragon. Can you guess which one?¡±


    Ymiris grinned as Arkiel gave her this small puzzle to solve. She scanned the sword over and over with her squinted black eyes. ¡°Oh, dear. Not that one.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that one.¡±


    ¡°The Kel-Dragon, is it? The great progenitor. What a shame. Are all the dragonlords dead and gone?¡±


    Arkiel stared at the Goddess with slight revulsion. ¡°Yes¡­ all of them. And soon, you shall join them.¡±


    A red flash, like the one performed atop the Imperium¡¯s apex. The Red Dragon had become a banshee of searing red and misty black, her eyes leaving wavy trails as she leapt at her target with unbound ferocity. She slashed at the Goddess until a bucket of blood rushed over her.


    Nyame¡¯s wrathcursed, enigmatic body was cut into a thousand pieces. She fell to the floor, painting the pallid ground in a red hue. It appeared that she had run in front of Arkiel¡¯s daring attack at the last moment, still bent on defending her one and only Goddess. Though, it was equally possible Ymiris had thrown Nyame in front of the attack instead. It made no difference to Arkiel.


    ¡°Kneel,¡± the Goddess said.


    ¡°You-¡± Arkiel kneeled uncontrollably.


    ¡°Excellent. Now, I want thee to say, ¡®I love you, mother dearest! You¡¯re the best mom a daughter could have!¡¯ Can you do that for me, dear?¡±


    Arkiel struggled to stand, but failed miserably. She was stuck kneeling to the false god. Something within her mind disobeyed her. Some hidden switch. A gear in her mind refused to turn with the others, sabotaging the entire mental machine. ¡°You bitch! I¡¯ll tear you limb from-¡± Her voice broke, then she reluctantly said, ¡°I love you, mother dearest. You¡¯re the best mom a daughter could have.¡±


    Ymiris looked as though she were smiling warmly. ¡°Aww, I¡¯m so glad to hear that. And I am lucky to have such an adorable daughter such as thee. See? That wasn¡¯t so hard to say, after all.¡± The Goddess slapped away the mortal blade in the Red Dragon¡¯s hand, then waved her left hand in a small gesture as if telling Arkiel to leave.


    Following the simple action, a colossal force akin to a giant¡¯s punch blew the dragon away. Her front half was smashed inward, crushing bones and expelling blood from every inch of her body. She flew across the lake of blood and crashed through a dozen trees, eventually coming to a stop near the village¡¯s broken and bloodstained well.


    ¡°That seems to be the end of things. I suppose I shall move on and¡­¡±


    A miraculous sight hindered the Goddess¡¯s words. The blood-red sky now fully darkened into an abyssal jet-black like her own eyes. The sun burned a brighter red and looked like a gunshot wound in the skin of the world.


    On the whitening floor, at Ymiris¡¯s feet, Nia slowly rose. Despite bleeding profusely, she stood tall and strong. A revenant brought forth by the end times. She bent down and picked up Arkiel¡¯s unfathomably long katana with but one hand, as if it weighed nothing at all. Her patchy black feathers had begun to coalesce across her body, building into great black angel wings. Her long, raven-black hair was loose and wild, stained by her own blood. Her eyes glowed red under the shadowy storm, but her pupils spiraled into contempt and madness.


    The landscape warped and rippled in black waves like it had back at the Technicist facility.


    And Nia stared into the abyss. And the abyss stared back. Without a light to guide her, without the sweet fragrance to pull her out of her bed of ennui.


    And the Black Moon stole the rest of her sanity away, cradling it in a garden of tendrils and thorns.

 Chapter 29: Angel of Death

    ¡°Ceres?¡±


    The hybrid girl, awake at last, opened her eyes to see Grovalt, the pale warrior before her. As always, he was worried about her. Dark circles were under his eyes. He looked so very tired, as if his body itself was begging and pleading for a night¡¯s rest.


    The others were there as well. They were riding upon Nakir¡¯s back, heading for the end of all things. A great storm of apocalyptic proportions had appeared in the far corner of the world. Ceres knew where it was. Her very own village, or what was left of it.


    ¡°Are you okay? How are you feeling?¡±


    She looked down at herself, expecting to see one dragon arm and one missing arm. She discovered two dragon arms, one of them newly grown to replace the one cut off by the Black Sorceress. Now, she was farther away from humanity than she had ever been before. She was more dragon than not. For once, though, the thought didn¡¯t scare her. In fact, within her soul it dropped a droplet of tranquility. She looked at Grovalt and remembered just how distraught he had been when they¡¯d fought Zandos. How injured he was in the battle with Nia. Guilt welled up inside her. ¡°Grovalt¡­ I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯ve done so much for me, and I failed you all. I¡­ I can¡¯t have you fighting for me forever. You¡¯ll get hurt again. My dream isn¡¯t worth it. You¡­ you need to live for yourself for once. There¡¯s no honor in dying for a dumb girl like me. I need to save myself. In the end, it always comes down to me.¡±


    ¡°Ceres¡­¡± Grovalt stared at the dragon girl, disheartened. ¡°I do what I do because you gave me the strength to carry on. Don¡¯t you remember what I said the day after I met you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but¡­ only death awaits you there. I can¡¯t have you die for me. It would tear my heart apart¡­ though it already is.¡± She held the Aspect close to her chest, as if it were Asteria¡¯s small head. ¡°I can¡¯t do it again¡­ I can¡¯t have any more of you die for me. I can¡¯t. I have to do it myself.¡±


    Grovalt peered down sadly. He held his bandaged shoulder and winced.


    That¡¯s just how it is. Sure, I¡¯ve been blessed with many great people who would help me at any waking moment. As long as I asked outwardly, of course. They helped me on the outside. But everything else¡­ everything on the inside. That was me. Nobody but me saved myself from that sullen stupor. I wouldn¡¯t have even been able to take their helping hand if I hadn¡¯t reached deep, deep, deep down inside myself first. I¡¯m the one who crawled out of the abyss. I¡¯m the one who saved myself. Maybe that¡¯s why I¡¯m so prideful when it comes to matters of the self¡­ I simply can¡¯t dumb down my achievement. There is no better savior for a wretch like me¡­ than me. That¡¯s just how it is.


    ¡°If that¡¯s really how you feel, then¡­¡± He sighed. His whole body filled with breath and grew, then shrunk as he exhaled smoothly. ¡°Then there¡¯s not much I can do. But, let me tell you something. There¡¯s nothing wrong with relying on people, Ceres. You know that. A princess¡­ a woman I once knew taught me how to use my ice magic. Hmph.¡± He smiled and faintly laughed at the surfacing memory. ¡°And let me tell ya something else. I would¡¯ve died ten- no, a hundred different times if it weren¡¯t for her. But I also get what you mean. There are some things we just have to do on our own. I get that. I really do. But don¡¯t think for a second I would ever abandon you, you got that? Don¡¯t think for a single second I¡¯d ever turn away from a fight. Because I wouldn¡¯t, and I haven¡¯t. I¡¯d fight for you to my dying breath, and it doesn¡¯t have anything to do with me. It has to do with you. You¡¯re special, Ceres. I don¡¯t know how, but you¡¯ve kept fighting through all this bullshit with a smile. You always look at people with kindness first. And you never, ever give up. That¡¯s what I meant when I said you inspired me. I thought, ¡®Wow. If a little girl can put up with this shit, then¡­ why can¡¯t I¡­?¡¯¡± Grovalt¡¯s voice broke slightly, and tears welled up in his eyes. He rubbed his face with his shirt and sniffled. The rushing wind pulled at his pale hair.


    Ceres nodded solemnly. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll think about it. But, you really are in no condition to fight anyway. I mean¡­ you were practically impaled¡­¡±


    Grovalt smiled. ¡°Yeah, well¡­ it hurt. It really did. Still does. But trust me, I¡¯ve been through worse.¡±


    The young girl with verdant hair and draconic limbs managed a weak smile in spite of it all. It didn¡¯t matter if it was forced. It only cemented Grovalt¡¯s assessment of her.


    ¡°Do not lose hope, little one,¡± Nakir intoned gruffly. He sounded a bit ill. ¡°As long as the Aspect is in one piece, there is no telling what may happen. Have faith in it. Have faith in it just as you have had faith in your sister along our journey.¡±


    Zenzi nodded sagely. Her one owl-like eye peered out from her lengthy dark hair. Its vibrant iris glowed under the approaching crimson sky. ¡°The Aspect of a living star¡­ I had only heard of it in books. There are many, many relics across the world. And the world is very large, girl. Much larger than you have seen. But an Aspect is one of the most powerful. It is condensed high magic, truer than any relic known to man or beast.¡±


    ¡°High magic? I think I¡¯ve heard that before.¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Zenzi hummed. She blinked and her mouth raised into a straight line, as if she were tightening her face up. ¡°There are many kinds of magic. Each is bound by rules, and each has varied effects. There is Conceptual, which draws from the psyche to incarnate mental concepts into reality. There is Summoning, which draws from the Reflection of the Planar Lenses, which-¡±


    ¡°Arrrgh! Can ya stop yapping already!? I swear, all you do is read books! This is not the time, Zen! Look! Look at where we¡¯re heading! Read the mood, huh?¡± Maxra exploded, waving her arms frantically as she berated her gloomy confidant.


    Venza cracked up, snickering beneath her cold visor.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ that is quite a shame. I was interested in how the outside world categorized the differences in spellcasting. In Sirithis, magic was, how to say¡­ formless, I suppose. We did not put much thought into the differences in casting such spells, though we did have names for the various outcomes of said spells.¡±


    Maxra put her head in her hands in despair. ¡°Not you too¡­ Please, make it stop. I did not sign up for book club. If Archizend heard you two he¡¯d¡­ oh no. No, he¡¯d join you. Oh, gods¡­ I¡¯m surrounded by nerds.¡±


    Chuckling came from the dragon¡¯s back, though Nakir himself did not join in. Though the others had found the brief time to escape from their coming woes, the promised time had come all the same. And now it had done so for them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her,¡± Zenzi said. ¡°She¡¯s just jealous because anisai can¡¯t use magic.¡±


    ¡°They can¡¯t? What about-¡±


    ¡°That ain¡¯t magic,¡± Maxra snapped. ¡°And I¡¯m not jealous. Anisai are¡­ weird, to say the least. We may be similar to vampires with our leeching ability, but we can¡¯t control blood or anything. We¡¯re just stronger, faster, and smarter than humans. That¡¯s about it.¡±


    ¡°Smarter?¡± Zenzi teased. Maxra punched her in the shoulder, and Zenzi let out an uncharacteristic ¡°Ow!¡±


    ¡°The time is nigh. Focus,¡± Nakir boomed. Everyone went silent and stared into the raging storm. A shallow lake of blood coated the Outlands, sinking the craggy hills into black, sanguine mud.


    ¡°What the hell¡­?¡± Grovalt stared in disbelief.


    ¡°...What happened?¡±


    ¡°She did,¡± Nakir said, nudging his head forward. Beyond the storm and the bloody expanse, a single angelic figure stood like an ivory monolith. The being was indescribably beautiful. Godly and incandescent.


    ¡°Is that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It is the Goddess Ymiris. My mother. Our god. It seems Nia had no reason to lie, after all. We were all born from this parasitic evil. Each and every one of us.¡±


    Ceres moved up closer to Nakir¡¯s head. She clutched his scales and stared far into the distance at Ymiris with her superior vision. A cold, writhing fear began crawling on her back. Slimy uncertainty wrapped around her, enveloping her, injecting thoughts of running away. Running far away, leaving the Outlands to be totally consumed by the hellish corruption already plaguing them. ¡°Nakir¡­ what happens if we fail? What happens if we can¡¯t stop her? And¡­¡± Ceres saw Nia. She had assumed a new form. Her black feathers had become monstrous wings, black as night. ¡°What will happen to Nia?¡±


    Nakir quietly became lost in thought, lost in his pondering mind. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. It is something I had hoped I would never have to imagine. Though¡­ I fear we do not have long until these questions are answered. If we are to unravel the hazy mist obstructing us, we must confront them. This must be the end.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you scared, Ceres?¡±


    ¡°Of course. But I¡¯m more afraid of what would happen if we let go. If we fly away and ignore it all. To doom the world to¡­ this. It¡¯s too horrible to imagine.¡±


    ¡°Quite so. I agree. Then, are we ready to descend? Are we ready to face what comes next?¡± His question was aimed not just at Ceres, but the Ravens as a whole.


    ¡°This world has caused me nothing but pain,¡± Venza said. ¡°But I¡¯m not ready to give up on it. Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Same here,¡± Grovalt declared. ¡°And¡­ it¡¯s not all bad. Sometimes the worst times of our lives lead us to the best times. If I hadn¡¯t helped these two crazy-¡±


    Two deadly stares cut into the pale man.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t helped these two lovely ladies,¡± he gulped, ¡°then I never would have changed for the better. That¡¯s for certain.¡±


    Raum nodded and he spoke as well, his voice akin to a butterfly landing softly on an outstretched hand. ¡°Verily, it is the same for me. I was once a timelost crow who had forgotten the feeling of companionship. I had lost sight of the present. I could only look to the past for guidance and the future for consolation. But now, the present brings me tranquil dreams¡­ and good friends.¡±


    Zenzi smiled. It lit up her pale face ever so slightly. ¡°Friends? Interesting.¡±


    ¡°What? Haven¡¯t we been friends from the start?¡± Maxra looked across their faces in perplexity. ¡°Whatever~ I agree, too. Let¡¯s do this.¡±


    ¡°So do I,¡± Zenzi added.


    Ceres peered into the orb that once served as Asteria¡¯s innocent, pure heart. It gleamed with brilliant teal and azure colors, as if it also agreed.


    ¡°Then,¡± Nakir continued. ¡°Let us move forward.¡±


    As Nakir and the Ravens made their way to the site of Ymiris¡¯s bloody emergence, the aforementioned archon and the winged Sorceress stared at one another in what felt like an everlasting standoff. Nia stood before the Goddess, her ink-blotted wings outstretched at her sides. Her body heaved with exhaustion, but something was giving her the strength to stand. Bright red blood still leaked from her chest and stomach, traveling in small streams across her legs and joining in a pool at her feet. Her eyes burned the very same crimson color.


    ¡°You are to bow when in the presence of divinity, o winged one. I shall overlook thy impiety just this once and give thee another chance. Kneel. Kneel as your vassal did.¡±


    Nia stared into Ymiris¡¯s two black voids with red, swirling frenzy. She remained silent.


    ¡°Then face divine punishment, rebel.¡± Ymiris raised her arm lazily again. As she did, a bright golden light shone over her and a holy blade appeared within its aura soon after.


    Ding! Slishhh¡­


    ¡°...Impressive.¡±


    The holy blade was cut in twine by Arkiel¡¯s sword. Nia had moved faster than the night in a plume of wrathful darkness. Her steps formed hellish cracks in the ground.


    ¡°Be still, if you would.¡± Ymiris closed her hand. Multicolored portals ripped open in space around the black angel. Chains then unraveled out from them, tightly wrapping around the Sorceress¡¯s body and limbs. She didn¡¯t even struggle. ¡°Now you shall face judg-¡±


    Ravenous energy encircled Nia in sparks, filling the otherworldly chains with dark red light. They shook and clanged, then exploded in clouds of dispelled magical energy. Wisps of mana spiraled outward and disappeared into the air. The chains, having been shattered, returned from whence they came. The portals closed just as quickly as they had opened.


    Before the Goddess could react to such a disrespectful display, the winged woman rushed at her and swung mightily. Slash. Slash. Slash. Slash. Slash. Whirling slashes over and over, sending echoing arcs of scarlet radiance across the ruined lands. With each swing, the dark clouds above cried out in pain. With each step, the malignant lightning struck the abominable ground around the two monstrous entities.


    With more waves of her marble hands, Ymiris sent dozens of shining swords at Nia at a pace not unlike an automatic carbine. They shot through the air and blasted pits into the space behind Nia. She managed to swiftly dodge each one as if Ymiris¡¯s magic was child¡¯s play.


    Too close now. Nia neared the Goddess again, slashing at her with the horrifying blade. With a thrust, Ymiris deflected the sword with a holy greatsword she quickly manifested in the nick of time. ¡°Now¡­!¡± While Nia was distracted by the swordplay, the Goddess sent another holy projectile at her at a blistering speed. It pierced straight through her right shoulder, gouging a perfect hole through her flesh. The searing light cauterized the wound somewhat, while also sending immense pain Nia¡¯s way.


    But Nia felt none of it. She felt nothing. The blade vanished at Ymiris¡¯s whim, and the angel made another swift slash at the archon. This time, she landed it. Three of Ymiris¡¯s fingers on her left hand were severed. They clinked along the pallid floor and rolled to a stop. Ravenous energy ate at the remaining stubs.


    The Goddess floated slightly off the ground and observed her damaged phalanges. Her many bountiful wings surrounded her form with a soft white. ¡°Such power¡­ it would seem the dragonkin was no liar. Although, a pinprick is not enough to claim a soul such as mine. Thou would need a blade powerful enough to rend the planet to claim it, for I am the world itself. The elements, the fauna, the flora, all heed my call as I am their creator and their mother eternal!¡±


    The earth shook and split open from her emergence point, and soon the cracks looped and splintered off colossal boulders of rock and dirt. Lifting her hands deftly, the Goddess threw handfuls of towering boulders at the Sorceress with the sole aim to crush her into a fine paste.


    Nia flapped her wings and dodged one, then another, but the next was too fast. With a vertical strike, the mortal blade cleaved the earthen orb in two and let out a deafening shatter. Relentlessly, she flew at Ymiris with naught but lunacy driving her will.


    ¡°My moon¡­ why do you obstruct me so? We wish for the same thing. What is the cause of this malice? The cause of such vitriolic enmity?¡±


    Nia still did not answer. With her growing wings, feathers falling off from the sheer force with which she flapped them, the Sorceress did not cease her aerial pursuit.


    ¡°Begone,¡± the Goddess intoned, and an expanding force of light erupted from her body and struck Nia down. The Sorceress flew backward and crashed into one of the many deep pits dug out by Ymiris following her chucking of debris. ¡°Come forth, thy plague. Let your hunger claim those that still seek to hinder the Goddess¡¯s last word.¡±


    The sea of ichor began bubbling profusely. The many floating bodies of mercenaries and pilgrims alike began to sink into its murky depths and become one with the primordial deluge.


    Nia flapped her wings, dust and decay flowing off of them like a centuries-old cape. She peered up at the thundering sky and immediately noticed another black, winged being descending upon the ruined land rapidly.


    ¡°Grovalt, defend the others. Ceres, stay upon me. We shall lay them both to rest, be it in death or otherwise!¡± Nakir roared across the Outlands. Azure flame gathered across his neck and within his throat. His eyes burned with the same fiery ferocity.


    ¡°Aye,¡± Grovalt chimed, jumping from the black dragon¡¯s back with his trusty greatsword in hand. His boots disappeared as they sunk into the shallow liquid. The rest apart from Ceres joined him. He quickly closed his eyes and began channeling all the magical power he could muster. Sigils glowed across his skin. Ice crystallized in the air around him. He knew whatever came next would push him to his absolute limits. Limits surpassing those that he¡¯d crossed during his final confrontation with Graves. There was no reason to hold back now.


    ¡°Look! Across the lake!¡± Maxra shouted.


    Appearing at the crest of a muddy, bloody crag was a large band of fifty or so cavaliers, all wielding lances and greatswords forged in gray steel lined with azure accents. Many of them featured whimsical facial hair like those of the knights of old. The Altruin reinforcements had finally arrived. They gaped in unbelievable awe and horror at what had and was transpiring.


    ¡°What in the bloody hell¡­?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where are the others!?¡±


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Honored Knight-Captain Gillaro, Reginald¡¯s superior, led the pack. He was adorned in full Altruin knighthood. His helmet was shaped like that of a spartan, its plume a wild blue and white color. Tiny slits allowed him to peer through it and spy the atrocities laid before them. He raised his mighty greatsword. It was infused with sparking electricity that passed across the blade in small streaks. ¡°It would appear our comrades have fallen to whatever monstrosity crawled out from the disturbance! But we have trained! We have fought! We will not falter from trivial matters such as these! Altruin needs us! The king needs us! Prince Alexander needs us! Do not fail your city and country, lads!¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    The army grunted in unison, saluting.


    ¡°Then, onward! On me! Break into four sections surrounding me and take this evil force head-on!¡±


    The army screamed, battle fury and adrenaline fueling their charge. They stampeded across the bloody fields, kicking up trillions of sanguine droplets. Imprinting thousands of hoofprints across the putrid battleground.


    ¡°Altruinians? Well, beggars can¡¯t be choosers.¡± Grovalt turned from the charging knights and continued to channel his magic. His arms and neck burned with magical icons. They ignited numerous memories of his time spent learning them with Inara. He had poured over each and every one of them in her books for hours on end. Never had he thought all of them would matter. Now, they did. Each one would push him just that much more. Push him to be able to do what he wanted. To help this girl achieve her dream. To go as far as they could. To lengthen the lifespan of the world just that much more. He wasn¡¯t ready to throw everything away anymore. He would fight to the bitter end. He would fight until he didn¡¯t have the strength to open his eyes anymore, and even then he would fight. Until he died, there was no such thing as giving up. Doing so would be like committing suicide, and suicide was out of the question. He would dishonor all the people that allowed them to get this far. Old Man Hadrik¡¯s kind smile appeared within his mind. He smiled at the thought.


    ¡°Aggghhh!¡±


    ¡°Ahhh! What is that thing!? Ah-¡±


    ¡°Urglglgl-¡±


    Gillaro looked behind himself as he rode across the red marsh. His men were being dragged underneath the shallow lake, horse and all. ¡°What the hell is going on!?¡±


    ¡°Sir! There¡¯s something beneath the blood! Some- Aggh!¡± Gillaro¡¯s right hand man and his horse were grasped by a large, jagged claw and dragged beneath the bloody water.


    From the crimson sea came monstrous beings resembling man and beast. They walked hunched on all fours. Their faces featured huge spiked maws filled with rows and rows of fangs. Acidic green fluid dripped from between them. They rose from the water as if birthed from it; their fleshy bodies melded and came together like that of the hounds and creatures Imeldra conjured back at Nia¡¯s family manor. They shrieked terribly, adding to the cacophony of thunderous lightning and screams from the Altruin knights.


    ¡°Ride, men! Ride to the whitened plateau! Get away from the bloody tide!¡±


    It was far too late of a realization. The fifty or so men dwindled to half that much, the deceased having died from drowning, being eaten, or being melted down to the bone by the plaguefiends¡¯ acidic saliva. Luckily, the whitening had encompassed more than half of the Outlands and served as high ground for the knights. Even so, the plaguefiends did not stop there. They lumbered out of the red mud and ran after their prey like giant, houndish humans. They slashed them in half, devoured them whole, and spat viscous acid at them to hinder their movement. The horrible dying wails of both horses and men filled the air.


    The Ravens, having seen the display, quickly made their way up the northern part of the plateau as well. Now they defended themselves from the sudden threat along with the surviving knights and their captain.


    ¡°Nakir¡­! It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Hush, now.¡± Nakir flew across the devastation eyeing the Goddess, the source of all the world¡¯s misery. ¡°We shall make her pay for it soon enough.¡±


    The black dragon and the Goddess came to meet one another in the sky above the desolate Outlands. The moth-like creature akin to a god raised her arms high up as she had long before the land was a writhing, putrid travesty. She revealed two more arms under her normal ones that outstretched and came to her sides.


    ¡°Another dragonkin has come to cleave my head from my shoulders, I presume? It would seem thy world seeks to struggle more than I had hoped.¡±


    Hot flame bellowed from Nakir¡¯s maw. ¡°You will suffer for your transgressions, false god! You are no mother of mine! You shall burn under my flame and join your wretched creations as ash!¡± Unceasing, unrelenting flame shot from Nakir¡¯s mouth and caressed the Goddess with sinister hands. The iridescence did nothing but slightly sear Ymiris¡¯s heavenly wings.


    She retorted with a conjured spear of blinding light, which she hurled at the dragon with a flick of her hand. It struck him in his burning chest, hindering his flight for a moment, but he regained his luster and kept pouring everflowing flame over her body to little effect.


    ¡°I see¡­ the dragons are near extinction, are they not? Or are they very rare? They have become so weak over the millenia. It is enough to despair, to say the least.¡± Ymiris did nothing but gaze into the black dragon¡¯s weary eyes. His flame did little to damage her. It seemed as though she were regenerating faster than he could burn her exterior away. ¡°Though, even the dragonlords could not hope to best an archon. My creations cannot kill me, for I am their maker and master. None can hope to best me, poor dragonkin. I am the world. I am magic. I am thy fear. I am thy anguish. I am all and I am everything. There is-¡± The Goddess¡¯s speech halted. As Nakir¡¯s flame receded and his strength faltered, she could see the small girl riding atop his back and the item she hugged for dear life. A radiant, cerulean orb dotted with mesmerizing colors. And in her other hand¡­ a certain dagger.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong!¡± Ceres screamed at the top of her lungs. Tears streamed down her cheeks in rivers. ¡°Nakir is stronger than anyone! He can save anyone! He can save you!¡±


    Ymiris gazed at Ceres emotionlessly with her insectile visage. Her mouth, as per usual, did not move one bit as she spoke. ¡°Save me? And what would the dragonkin hope to save this archon from, I wonder?¡±


    Ceres bared her dagger, fear and elation clouding her eyes. ¡°Her!¡±


    A sickening, gorey sound. A pearlescent bident pierced through Ymiris¡¯s back and through her chest. Her four limbs twitched in bewilderment. She peered back at her aggressor.


    It was Arkiel, wounded but healing. She had grabbed late Nyame¡¯s ritualistic bident during the second culling of the Altruin knights. Mighty red wings protruded from her back. Following the attack, she unleashed fiery red lightning, not unlike that which fell from the sky, onto Ymiris at point-blank range. The Goddess cricked her neck as if she were about to scream, but not a sound came out.


    Pinned between azure and scarlet flame, Ymiris was finally vulnerable. Ceres made a daring decision. She leapt from Nakir¡¯s onyx snout with her father¡¯s dagger pointed straight forward. She launched her arm with it as hard as she could and drove it home. It dug right into the black slit of Ymiris¡¯s left eye. Startlingly, a rush of black blood drenched the hybrid. Some of it floated in mid-air enigmatically. The dagger had done its job. It stuck out of the Goddess¡¯s head like a horn. It had destroyed one of her harrowing eyes completely. Ceres hung from it for dear life. Dragonfire swirled below her, burning at her human flesh devoid of scales. She cried out in painful agony.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Arkiel let out a crude whisper. She had finally noticed something. Two mighty greatswords of shimmering sunlight had slowly manifested over each dragon. And now, they fell upon them, impaling them and sending them tumbling down to the whitening battleground below. One went through Arkiel¡¯s side, and the other pierced directly through Nakir¡¯s chest and heart. The red and black dragon crashed to the ground in a whirlwind of smoke, blood, and ash. All that was left was the Goddess and one little girl clinging onto her for dear life.


    ¡°That¡­ hurts¡­? What is this weapon, child?¡± Ymiris¡¯s voice grew more frantic. Her usual calmness distorted slightly into a confused screeching. ¡°What is it!?¡± She closed one of her elegant hands around Ceres¡¯s throat. ¡°Speak. Tell me.¡± It grew tighter with each second of silence. ¡°Then I shall delve into thy mind myself!¡± The Goddess closed her only good eye, and her third eye opened once more. Its indescribable colors shifted and reacted to the hybrid, as if it was another hand or claw desperately reaching out and probing her mind for answers.


    Memories. Memories. Memories. Endless thoughts and emotions whirled through the Goddess¡¯s complex brain. She searched and searched. The searching was frantic yet deliberate. She didn¡¯t know how, but this girl had managed to injure her.


    A village girl¡­ a lone girl managed to injure I, a goddess? What is this weapon? Where did she acquire it?


    More and more memories flicked by like faded photographs. Taxidermied moments recreated through neural patterns and fragments.


    Where¡­ where¡­ where¡­


    Then, at last, something.


    Ceres¡¯s father returning from another expedition. He always came home with a giant backpack. It always made her laugh. He would set it down on the table, adjust his glasses, and ramble on and on about the adventures he had gone on. Though, he never went into detail. He would only speak of the things he found, not the places he found them in. One of them was a gleaming, silver dagger with a beautiful, ornate cloth wrapped around its hilt. She faintly remembered what he had said as he showed it to her.


    ¡°This is my most prized find, Ceres. The pride of my life¡¯s work. Have the elders ever told you of the ancient hero Keldris?¡±


    Ceres shook her head.


    It was one of the rare times her dad ever told her of the outside world and its dark, unfolding past. ¡°Long, long ago there was a kel-anisai named Keldris. He was once kind and noble, though he was born in a poor clan. One day, his clan was attacked by the mighty Kel-Dragon. It killed his family and friends, then came to him with cackling words. ¡®Become strong,¡¯ the dragonlord said. ¡®Become strong and find me. When you do, kill me.¡¯


    And so Keldris trained and trained until he was stronger than any living creature on the planet. He could crack mountains with a single punch. He could snap trees in half with a nudge of his elbow. He could split the earth with a single stomp. Thus, he tracked down each and every dragonlord. The Five Dragonlords of Aeos. They were Glisceron the Bountiful, Ezeron the Executor, Hadrokos the Ruinous, Oriphos the Wise, and the strongest of them all: the Kel-Dragon. One by one, he fought them for weeks on end and slaughtered them all. His battle with the Kel-Dragon is said to have lasted years.


    Before he landed the killing blow on his nemesis, the Kel-Dragon spoke to him again. ¡®Thank you for freeing us, strong one. You are a kel-anisai surpassing all kel-anisai. Once you kill me, you can forsake your strength. Become kind. Use our hides. Use our blood. Use our bones. Forge a new world with our bodies to lay the foundation for the new fledglings. Now, kill me.¡¯ And Keldris slew the Kel-Dragon.


    Following the dragonlord¡¯s wish, he forged many things. The first of which was a dagger made from the bones and scales of all of the dragonlords combined. He even used one of his own fingerbones to make it as well. Within it, he poured all of his hatred, all of his sorrow, all of his grief. He had thought that without those things, he would be nothing but a hollow shell. But after forging the legendary knife, he found within himself only kindness, compassion, and love. And so he kept creating¡­ until his inevitable end.


    This is it, Ceres! This is his dagger! A dagger made from all of them¡­ a dagger made from the Five Dragonlords and the strongest kel-anisai to ever live: Keldris the Nightmare.¡±


    The memory ended. The reel stopped. The photograph shriveled up and faded out of sight.


    ¡°It¡­ it isn¡¯t¡­ it isn¡¯t possible¡­¡± Ymiris struggled to conjure up the words to match her thoughts. ¡°A lowly human¡­ to find such an artifact¡­ to leave such a thing in¡­¡±


    Ceres struggled to cling onto the knife digging into the Goddess¡¯s cranium, but she held on regardless. Even her dragon arms ached. She faintly smiled. ¡°My dad¡­ he was never good at hiding things.¡±


    ¡°To leave such a thing in a wooden compartment¡­ it is¡­ it is¡­¡±


    ¡°Stupid? Yeah¡­ he wasn¡¯t the smartest. That¡¯s what my mom loved about him, though. He had a different way of looking at things, like his eyes were looking through to a totally different world. ¡­Even then, he loved us. Not a day goes by that I don¡¯t think of them¡­¡±


    The Goddess Ymiris floated in perplexed shock.


    ¡°Mom¡­ Dad¡­ Asteria¡­ I¡¯ll see you soon¡­¡± With that, Ceres pulled the dagger diagonally across the Goddess¡¯s face and her hands slipped from its hilt. As a result, she fell from the great height the two had been hovering at. The rushing air pummeled her back. Lightning struck around her. The cries of the Altruin knights became louder and louder. The shrieks of the plaguefiends met her ears¡­ but it all began to fade away. As the ground came into view, her troubles seemed to wash clean. She thought of the coast by her home. Of her and Asteria playing amongst that moonlit tide. A warmth filled her chest. A familiar warmth. Magical energy filled her breast. The Aspect, which she also clung to, burned brighter than the scarlet levin threatening to incinerate her frail form. She felt¡­ protected.


    This is¡­ Nia found herself in a familiar world. Except, it was black as night. There was no heavenly white to speak of. No pale floor. No sweet fragrance to guide her. Just as before, when her emotions had gotten the better of her, she had been here. Black tendrils locked her in place. Chains pierced her eyelids and forced her to watch what she wrought. She was an angel of darkness, killing all that stood in her way like some wild animal. Plaguefiends. Knights. She ascended against the backdrop of the apocalypse, against the Black Moon, and swung her sword diagonally to her side. Madness had long overtaken her. Stars and asteroids collide with the earth, killing them all. All by her hand. She was an angel of death.


    ¡°...save her¡­¡±


    Who? Who was that? Who did that beautiful voice belong to?


    ¡°Save her¡­¡±


    And what was that thing? That weird, jagged thing falling from the sky? A human? A dragon? Both? Neither? Who cares?


    ¡°Please¡­ save her, Nia. For me?¡±


    I¡­ I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t move.


    ¡°Yes, you can! Don¡¯t listen! Climb! Climb out of that abyss! Rip those chains from your eyes! Tear those tendrils from your body! The moon does not own you!¡±


    This voice¡­ it¡¯s¡­


    Lily¡­?


    ¡°Fight! Keep fighting! Yes, there you go! Please, don¡¯t stop now! She¡¯s about to hit the ground! You¡¯re the only one who can save her! Think of her as an extension of myself! Feel her breath against yours! We are all sisters! She carries a love for her sister just as you do for me! Feel her love! Understand her! You have to understand her! You have to save her, Nia! Please, if nothing else, do it for me. It¡¯s all I wish for.¡±


    I¡­ Okay.


    I think¡­ I¡¯m beginning to understand.


    This is all I have left to do. One final act.


    It hurts¡­


    It hurts so much¡­


    My mind¡­ my thoughts¡­


    she flies towards the burning


    horizon she readies her


    weapon is this what she would have


    wanted her sister her angel look at her


    now an angel of death the


    opposite of what she stood


    for the falling stars collide with the


    earth she can¡¯t stop now its voice won¡¯t


    stop the black moon coats the land and her


    mind in wriggling ichor filled with


    fear, doubt and loneliness are all that¡¯s


    left once her mind is gone the world will be


    desolate everything is pale everything is


    white no sound no thought no feeling only


    otherworldly chimes ringing out to herald


    the end is nigh the world is doomed


    but it¡¯s still better than a world without


    her a world without her is not worth living


    in and the soul of a girl is a priceless


    thing I¡¯m not ready to die here not to some


    god or beast or nightmare that calls itself our


    savior to drink our blood and transcend beyond what


    is possible when all that¡¯s left is to give up your


    will to fight to the end because the fighting never


    stops until the present fades and future takes


    hold we live and die just to become


    the echoes of the past that settle around a pure white


    Lily, I miss you please come back to me


    No.


    That¡¯s wrong.


    She¡¯s here.


    She¡¯s here! I can hear her!


    It did work¡­ it wasn¡¯t all for naught¡­ I can hear her!


    ¡°Please, Nia! Now!¡±


    Okay, okay, I get it. Heh.


    What a mess I¡¯ve gotten myself into.


    All for you. But I don¡¯t have any regrets.


    It was only because I did those horrible things¡­ that I finally got to hear your wonderful voice again.


    So¡­ this isn¡¯t to make up for that. Not at all. But I would do anything for my sister. And I know she would, too. I can feel it. That warmth. It¡¯s¡­ protecting her.


    Maybe we really are similar. We can¡¯t do anything alone.


    Black feathers filled Ceres¡¯s vision. She had been caught by something. Someone. She peered up, her heart beating out of her chest. Nia held her, her black wings carrying them somewhere. Her eyes seemed different somehow. That endlessly spiraling madness and the deep sunken red. It had been replaced with normal, crimson eyes. She looked a lot like Imeldra had at the end of her life.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I didn¡¯t save you because I wanted to, alright? I was asked to.¡± For a moment, she gazed deeply into the Aspect, then averted her eyes. She descended into the center of the pale plateau and set her down near Nakir¡¯s bleeding body. With an expression that almost looked like pity, Nia flew off without another word. Flew off towards the angelic aberration that warped the world and drove it to the brink of nothingness.


    ¡°Nakir¡­! Oh, no¡­¡±


    ¡°Little one¡­¡±


    ¡°I thought¡­ only Arkiel¡¯s blade could¡­¡±


    Nakir closed his eyes and managed to weakly shake his head. ¡°I told you, did I not? Dracomancy tears the immortal soul of a dragon each time it is used. When I saved your life the last time¡­ it in turn marked me for death¡­¡±


    Ceres opened her mouth, but no words came out. She tried to speak, eking out brief sounds, but could not bring herself to.


    Nakir¡¯s eyes grew hazy. A damp sleepiness like warm rain fell on his body in hundreds of tearful droplets. ¡°I can¡­ cast it one last time. It will make no difference, Ceres. It will simply speed up the process¡­ and it will grant you the means by which to finish this hellish quest we have found ourselves on¡­¡±


    Ceres felt her face tighten as if it were being pulled back by hooks. She approached the black dragon who had saved her so many times, more times than she could count, and sat atop his crooked wing pulled near his head. She put her arms around his mighty neck and hugged him for all she had. Tears fell from her eyes and onto his many onyx scales.


    Nakir studied Ceres¡¯s face with his vertically-slitted eye, trying desperately to inscribe and cement her memory into his own. To burn her image into not just his own mind, but the memory of the world. He looked down at Asteria¡¯s mesmerizing heart, still in Ceres¡¯s hands.


    Ceres forced a crooked smile hindered by wails rising in her throat. She couldn¡¯t stop herself from crying. She sniffled. ¡°Look, Asteria. I kept our promise. We¡¯re friends with a dragon, after all. No¡­ more than that. We¡¯re family.¡±


    ¡°Family. It is¡­ nice to meet you, Asteria¡­¡± He closed his eyes.


    Ceres held him tighter.


    ¡°I am¡­ Nakir. A dragon¡­ of high renown¡­ that has lived¡­ since the beginning of time¡­¡±


    Ceres held him even tighter, but she could not keep him from departing. The door was much too wide. Within the magical chimes resonating from the old dragon¡¯s hunched body, he finally drew his last breath and slipped into that endlessly welcoming sleep. Nakir died with a pleasant smile on his warm face.


    And Ceres wept, and as she did, the invocation Nakir had cast transformed her into an adolescent drake covered in verdant scales. She felt Nakir¡¯s wish deep within her, giving her the power to overcome the divine tyrant once and for all.

 Chapter 30: Deicide

    The battle weighed heavily on Grovalt¡¯s tired, bloodsoaked body. He heaved and panted underneath the desolate sky. Blood rain had begun its downpour upon the colorless land. Though it turned pale and vanished as it hit the white ground, it landed true upon the warrior¡¯s shoulders and added to the buckets of red building upon them.


    Frostburnt remains of plaguefiends littered the pallid plateau, their arms outstretched towards their mother and goddess. The battleworn knights who remained, all but a dozen and their captain, stood in a crescent shape alongside the Ravens. They had all done battle with the putrid demons, cleaving them into endless stinking pieces. Gore and filth covered them from head to toe. It seemed the foul beasts, despite their horrific number, had come to an end after all.


    Crimson lightning struck every now and then in a circle around the viscera-covered men and women, but never struck them. Thunder roared and startled them, even when they knew it was coming. The ground shook with it. The heavens cried and the clouds burst. It was so terribly horrific and beautiful that it sent some of the knights, who were already in a very unstable state of mind, into a drained sobbing. They cried out for their families, for their wives, for their children. Memories of their lives back in Altruin, which seemed so very, very far away now burned brightly beneath their corneas. They so desperately wanted to go home, but could not until the terrible tide of blood dissipated, if it ever would.


    ¡°Was that¡­?¡± Grovalt could barely speak, and could barely be heard amidst the storm.


    Zenzi nodded slowly, her movements full of gloom. ¡°Over there¡­ that black mass far off. Nakir lies there. I¡­ cannot hear his thoughts. His body¡­ is empty of them. I¡¯m sorry, Grovalt.¡±


    ¡°Did he¡­¡± Grovalt couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. His mind did, however.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Zenzi replied. ¡°He gave his life for the girl. That is her, flying with perfectly jade wings up to where our creator floats.¡±


    The Goddess was indeed floating above the chaos, draining the massive amount of blood from all of the fallen knights and the pilgrims who had wandered off that had been culled in one way or another. The same endless river of sanguinity flowed from every corpse and into her open maw. She quietly laughed with delight.


    ¡°Believe in her. That¡¯s all we can do now. Nothing can carry us up to where she flies,¡± Zenzi added. ¡°I have given her an important message. Though her mind is clouded by grief and rage, I know she heard it. She must have.¡±


    Grovalt rubbed his frost-scorched arms. Worry pulled at his heart incessantly. Zenzi¡¯s right, he thought. There¡¯s really nothing we can do to help her now. A feeling of utter helplessness and uselessness flooded over him. He sank and fell to his knees, his arms dangling at his side. He peered up at Ceres through weary eyes. Still, I know she can do it. She¡¯s stronger than me¡­ stronger than anyone.


    Thunder and lightning stabbed through black clouds again.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Ymiris spied Ceres, the green dragon, rushing towards her as fast as a fighter jet. Her wings gleamed beautifully under the cataclysmic atmosphere. ¡°Ah, thy Goddess sees. My kin has granted you his power in full. At the cost of his own life, no less. Such a wonderful power forged through years of exposure to my bountiful magic. It would seem mortals and immortals alike have done well with it throughout the years. My condolences, my dear. Such a woeful event must-¡±


    A verdant dragon claw pierced through the misty dark, cleaving three slashes across the Goddess¡¯s chest. Following it, a virulent fire bellowed from the new drake and burned Ymiris¡¯s wings slightly.


    ¡°Rudeness. If thou shall not kneel upon hearing my words, I shall make it so.¡± Ymiris flapped her many angelic wings up to the verdant drake through its peerless fire, grabbed her head with one hand and threw it down with the speed of a bullet train.


    A sonic boom let out as Ceres plunged back down into the muddy lake and blew a building-sized crater into the ground. The culminating liquid fell into the crater and began to fill it, soaking the dragon in a literal blood bath.


    ¡°Stay there, if you will. The ground is where you shall rest. You are but a worm when compared to an archon. Your tired attempts to harm me do nothing but harm yourself, girl-turned-dragon. As I made clear before your misadventure, one cannot seek to harm the world without a blade powerful enough to rend it. The red dragonkin was the closest thou will ever reach. Though, it was nothing more than a knife to a being such as I¡­ No, nothing more than a toothpick.¡±


    Ceres did not reply. She dragged herself from the blood bath and spread her illustrious wings. Crimson ichor dripped and dropped from them. She groaned a dragon¡¯s groan. It shook the ground nearly as much as the unceasing thunder tore at the land. She stared at the archon¡¯s head. It would seem, in her arrogance, she had forgotten the silver dagger sticking out of her forehead. Along with the mortal blade, it had made the only wound that the Goddess couldn¡¯t immediately mend.


    ¡°Let my grace pummel you to the world¡¯s core. Perhaps then you will understand the futility of it all.¡± Dozens, hundreds, hundreds of thousands of blades made of pure light came into being across the sky around Ymiris. Daggers, swords, spears, greatswords, axes, arrows, weapons of all kinds aimed at Ceres. The frightening sky was nearly blotted out by the infinite holiness summoned to her side. They shone almost as bright as the sun that Ceres so dearly missed. Now, there was naught but the shadow-wreathed moon watching enigmatically.


    She wasn¡¯t quick enough. Ceres knew she couldn¡¯t dodge them all. And even if she dodged some, she would be hit by others, and that would lead to her death anyway. Moving her wings to shield herself, she prepared for the worst.


    The endless weapons of blinding light shot at the verdant dragon like bullets, pummeling the earth with the wrath of a god. The Outlands, which was once filled with mostly flat plains and a crag here and there, was now a broken, battered mess. A certified wasteland, and not a flat wasteland. A broken, war-torn land riddled with holes, jagged edges, and painted a mostly alien white color. It was surreal even to gaze upon it, before and after Ymiris¡¯s onslaught.


    But Ceres felt no pain. Her wings had not been shredded apart, but were whole and healthy. Bringing her shield down slightly, she saw the answer as to why such a thing was true.


    The Angel of Death, an enigma born of the Black Moon¡¯s influence but freed from it, flew before her. She had cast a bubble similar to Eloise¡¯s all that time ago around the two. Though it had broken in many places, it protected them almost completely from the Goddess. Almost, however, as though it had saved Ceres, a couple holy armaments had made it through and struck Nia. They faded away as the others had, leaving great bloody holes in the black angel¡¯s body. Still, she flew with resolve. The pain did not deter her from her newfound path. She would give her life to kill the Goddess, she decided, and finally she would be free of everything. And finally, she would be able to join her sister beyond the known world.


    ¡°Foolishness¡­!¡± The Goddess began to screech in a strange, manic way once more.


    ¡°Sorceress¡­¡± Ceres gasped. The plummet to the lake of blood had taken a larger toll than she¡¯d previously thought.


    The angel flapped its tattered wings and looked back at the green dragon with the same focused, vermilion eyes. She clenched her mortal blade tightly.


    ¡°Nia¡­ I have a plan.¡± Ceres explained it briefly to Nia. Her wrathful look of steely determination gave way to a somewhat sinister grin as she heard it. She nodded.


    ¡°Thouest are both fools, simply. No different than that servant. The Pastoress. She was sacrificed as she lacked true faith. She and her sheep tried to understand me and my words with certainty. But faith is not found in understanding nor certainty; it is the opposite. Faith is in wisdom, the absolute belief in something without the ability to put it into words. Dost thou understand? She simply paraded around the idea of faith when she did not have it. It is no different than thy faith in kinship. This star thou clings to¡­¡± She gazed at Ceres. ¡°And this flower of thine eye,¡± she said gazing at Nia. ¡°They are nothing but false icons. They will give no providence.¡±


    ¡°The only falsity here,¡± Nia screamed through the rumbling thunder and the pouring rain, ¡°is YOU!¡± She flew and lashed out with the same scarlet slashes. It was very similar to the duel they had had not long ago.


    Now was the time. Ceres took her chance. Lumbering back to her feet, she launched with mighty wings and flew towards the horizon. Towards trees as tall as skyscrapers.


    After grueling time passed, Nia was still fighting the Goddess. She finally lost the rest of her strength and her struggle ceased. Noticing this, Ymiris deflected her mortal blade for the last time and ripped it from her hands. With another, she wrapped her tactile fingers around her throat and crushed her trachea with ease. With her blade-arm, she plunged the mortal blade deep into Nia¡¯s chest. Then, again. Then again. Over and over, the blade seared with red and black malice Nia¡¯s chest and body. Rivers of blood fell from her, and unimaginable pain lit up her brain like fireworks until it was all too much. Until she truly felt nothing at all. Nothing but the release¡­ the pain drifting away¡­ and the fragrance flooding back to her senses. The Goddess dropped her nearly lifeless, winged form down to the blasphemous ground below, the mortal blade still embedded in her. Then, she turned to see the verdant drake fleeing across the Outlands, and followed.


    Back down on the whitened ground, Arkiel had crawled to her brother¡¯s side. The wound she had suffered at the hands of the Goddess had not been so fatal. ¡°Brother¡­ I warned you of this. I warned you, and still you left the link tethered to that girl. Why¡­? Why would-¡± But Nakir had already explained everything back at the tower. Arkiel knew that. She knew such an act was born of selfish, inexplicable love. Such an act that she herself would not hesitate doing for the Sorceress. That was the truth. A truth she had tried to smother in order to make her brother an enemy and her dearest¡¯s dream a reality. ¡°The Aspect¡­¡± Her words fell to no one, and following them, she, too, took flight and flew. Flew to the Greatwoods, Nia¡¯s body in hand. Only she could have found her mangled body among the rippling sea of death. Only she could carry her to those great waning obelisks of pine green and brown.


    The multicolored moth flew, radiating above the towering Greatwoods. She was gaining on her target, the green drake flying as fast as it could across the equally verdant spires.


    Nakir¡¯s words came to Ceres¡¯s mind at that instant. About how he could not fly through the Greatwoods without being snagged by boughs pointing this and that way. About how if set aflame, the Greatwoods would forever burn and light the world. Those times seemed like fiction now. A fallacy born out of her inability to accept her mentor¡¯s sudden and tragic death. But they were true memories. So, so long ago she and he had trekked through the woods, talking about this and that. Ceres¡¯s knowledge of the world had grown every second. Nakir¡¯s knowledge of humans, too, grew with every passing conversation, no matter how trivial. Those times so long ago. They would never happen again. And, as that realization grew to another, she began to choke on her own sorrow. Not just Nakir, but Asteria, too. She would never be able to speak with her again. The two would never be able to truly meet. That fact laid bare to her shattered her heart into millions of jagged pieces. There was nothing she could do to change it. Nothing. Nothing at all.


    ¡°Now the girl understands,¡± Ymiris said, her piercing words cutting into Ceres. She had caught up to her. There was no escaping her now. ¡°Now thou must see the futility of nature. Thy heart is broken because you cannot accept nature in its entirety. All life feeds. All life dies. All comes to an end. We, the archons, have accepted this in its entirety. We have accepted the sorrow rooted in every atom of the universe¡¯s creation, young one. The endless cycle of woe and parasitism. Death is within all things. There is no escaping it. Though one cannot see their end, it cometh on black wings on their fateful day. This flow cannot be stemmed. Not by you, nor by I. So, we must consume. Create, consume, create, consume. Unto eternity. That is our role in all of this. That is our role as archons, child.¡± Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°No,¡± Ceres replied, her voice hoarse and deep. ¡°No, that isn¡¯t it at all. You claimed that the Sorceress and I see our sisters as no more than false idols of worship. That is where your thinking is flawed. You can only think of worship and saving, and so you force your way of thinking upon us. But that isn¡¯t it at all. Put simply, Asteria is no icon. She is not just a star in my eyes. She is not just a guiding light. She is love. The love I had for her is the love she could not have for herself, and the love she had for me is the love I could not find for myself. The same, I believe, was true of Nia and Lily. And so, we could not part with it. We would sooner rend this world to its core than give up on them. There is no sense in it. But, really, what sense is there in the world? There is none. There is no clear future and no clear outline. So we must make it make sense. And we must claim the future. We must forge our paths ourselves and lay claim to the wonderful world around us before it¡¯s too late. That is what I¡¯ve decided.¡±


    Ymiris could only gaze expressionlessly at Ceres, for she had no answer to give. Black blood still poured out of her wounded eye and levitated deftly in the torrential wind, completely unaffected. For once, the Goddess had fallen into a deep silence. No echoing chimes rang out in her wake. No musical notes akin to her spoken voice. Nothing. Nothing at all.


    ¡°Well said, girl.¡± A voice, not the Goddess¡¯s, came from above.


    Ymiris cocked her head backward and saw Arkiel. She was wielding her mortal blade, as she normally did. Her prized weapon had finally come back to her after serving her mistress well.


    ¡°Too slow.¡± Arkiel, with dying, comatose Nia in tow, plunged the fateful katana directly downward onto the silent goddess, the blade piercing her other black eye and coming out through the back of her head. Due to her being in dragon form as well, her weight managed to send them all plunging into the Greatwoods at a miraculous speed. They drove straight down, down, down through the trees, leaves, and bark until they bored through the very ground. And still, with flapping wings, Arkiel drove them all deeper and deeper, and deeper still. To the center of the world. To its core.


    But Ceres did not follow. In fact, at that moment, on the far side of the woods in the Outlands, a certain goggles-wearing fellow was finally making his move.


    ¡°Raum?¡± Grovalt eyed his Sirithisian friend with unease.


    ¡°It is time. My time. My time, at last, has finally come. My purpose shall be fulfilled.¡±


    ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Recall what I and the others had gone through in that fake world imitating the desert. What we told you. And now listen well Grovalt: Archizend made me his agent, as I had no other recourse. But I am content. The purpose in my mission is to aid Ceres in this one, singular moment. As well as drive various events to this cumulative junction.¡±


    Grovalt continued to eye his friend, this time with extreme fatigue and confusion. ¡°Start making sense or I¡¯ll brain you.¡±


    ¡°This action I am to perform may very well claim my life, but it will allow Ceres to steer the future to one of bliss and warmth. Do you trust me?¡±


    Grovalt was speechless, but upon seeing the man hold up his staff in one hand and the archontic tome he carried in the other, he could plainly see that he was serious. Raum never made such jokes, after all. ¡°I¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°Yeah, I trust you Raum.¡±


    Raum smiled more warmly and truly than he could before. Again, this moment was one he had never seen before. It already gave him the bliss he sought after for the others. ¡°Then,¡± he said, and the archontic tome flipped from page to page, eventually landing at the very end. The final page and the final spell in the book. ¡°As a spellcaster and dune rider of Sirithis, lost city of the sands, I invoke the power that doomed my people¡­ to save these people.¡± He closed his eyes, focused all of his magical power, and spoke two words effortlessly and fluidly. ¡°Finis Temporis.¡±


    A chime so deafening and so powerful it managed to pull at the Greatwoods rang out across the land. And everything stopped. Time stopped. For nearly everyone and everything, the hands of time were stopped in their tracks and kept there by some unseen force. The world was coated in a hazy opaque color to reflect this. Birds halted their flight. The clouds ceased moving. Even the crimson lightning jolting down from the heavens stopped in huge, spidering arcs raveled in chaotic energy.


    Everyone but Ceres was locked in this state. She could not at the moment understand its cause, but she guessed that someone, somewhere had given her yet another chance. She flew down in pursuit of the Goddess and her foes, who had nearly reached the planet¡¯s core.


    And there, she saw Arkiel plunging her vicious sword deep into the archon¡¯s eye. And she saw there was only one eye left. Her third eye, the one wreathed in colors beyond her chromatic understanding. Even in the opaque color of stopped time, the colors of her third eye were unaffected. The Goddess, however, was. She too was stopped frozen in time, and Ceres made use of this, as she had no idea how long such a boon would last.


    So she climbed onto the mass, straddled Ymiris in human form, took out her father¡¯s dagger, and made use of the time given to her. The silver dagger forged from all of her strongest kin plunged deep into her cranium, destroying her incandescent third eye for good. Now she was completely blind and weakened ever more. Transforming back into her dragon form, Ceres grabbed hold of the Goddess with all of her might and threw her upward. Of course, she halted from the stopped time. But momentum would carry on when it resumed. She hoped that was how it worked, anyway. It had to.


    As color returned to the world untainted by Ymiris¡¯s pale eminence, so too did the flow of time. As it did, the archontic tome and staff once raised up by the man known as Raum vanished from existence. Raum, too, faded away as if pulled from reality into the oblivion that lay in the fabric there within. Grovalt could only stare in wild bewilderment and in grief of losing yet another whom he could call a friend.


    Time resumed. The Goddess flew upwards from Ceres¡¯s draconic might, through rock and stone, and came out the other side in a place similar yet slightly different than the common Greatwoods. There, the trees arched and came together in claw-like patterns as if trying to catch prey. A horror lived there. Ymiris could not see where she was, and so she lingered too long. Right after she had realized her total loss of otherworldly sight, it was far too late.


    Zzzwooom.


    A lens flicked into place. Ymiris was in a desolate land, filled only with dead, ominous trees. Haunting twilight fell upon it. The only thing of note was a towering clock tower in the middle of it all. Its hands did not move. The glass behind the hands had been broken at some point. Like the Imperium, it stood like an onyx monolith, casting a great shadow across its wretched dominion.


    After quite a while, a horrible laughter rang out. It sounded like a dying animal or the death rattle of a corpse long thought silent. It hacked and sputtered akin to a breaking down automobile. ¡°Hehehahahehehehehe¡­ ahahahahahahahahaha!¡± It breathed and sighed deeply.


    ¡°Who is there? Answer me or thou shalt feel the rage of an awakened archon. Who dared to sever this archon¡¯s vision? Whomever it was, they will suffer for eons. Millenia. Answer me at once!¡± The archon scrambled about like a de-winged insect on all sixes, digging through the ashen dirt to no avail.


    ¡°Greetings, my lesser half. Or should I say¡­ my lesser third¡­?¡± Archizend laughed menacingly some more, hacking and sputtering again. ¡°It seems you have fallen into my web, just as I ordained.¡±


    ¡°Trifling nonsense. It could not be¡­ the cat? No. The cat I stored away the¡­¡± The Goddess lost herself in painful ruminations.


    ¡°The very same. Splitting oneself is a painful process, though it is an archon¡¯s specialty, isn¡¯t it? Evil comes in many forms, as they say.¡± The cat enunciated every syllable in a truly sinister tone. An unnatural smile tore across its face.


    Ymiris, at last, realized just how trapped and defeated she was. No amount of vanity could keep her from it. ¡°I see. Thy moon sought to kill me, and now thou wishest to do the same.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ it is so dreadfully unfortunate. For you, might I add.¡±


    ¡°Is that all? Do you not desire anything more? Know that I hold more power than all of the Scions combined. My death could very well scatter that power to reaches unknown, never to be grasped by the likes of you.¡±


    Archizend thought on this a moment, but let out more raucous, sadistic laughter in response. ¡°You are vain, as they said. It would seem you hold all of our vanity. Vanity is an emotion that has not served you well, I see. I am glad that we were not granted it. For you see, dear archon, power is not at all what I seek. I need not brute strength and a vicious appetite to achieve what I desire. No, no, not at all. All I need is control, something which I very much have already.¡±


    Ymiris chuckled. ¡°Foolishness. Utter foolishness. Power is what gives one reign over the world. How else could we have conquered worlds and drained them of their splendor? Have you forgotten such a simple fact?¡±


    The cat smiled wider, grinning as a spider would, if it could grin, when returning to its home only to find a mountain of squirming flies to consume. ¡°Power, as you can clearly see¡­ Oops. I apologize! You cannot see! Let me start again. Power, as you have proven, has paled in comparison to total control. Trickery and deceit move mountains, deary, without the user having to lift a single finger. Isn¡¯t it grand? So very grand it is. But you were right when you said I desired to kill you. That is a great desire of mine. One that will be fulfilled right at this moment. Tata, old bird. Perhaps you will spring up again, but only if I am to deem it so.¡±


    Ymiris attempted to claw her way up to the cat sitting atop the clock tower, but seemingly out of nowhere a replica of the very same clock tower fell out of the umbral sky and onto the Goddess. Unwavering, Ymiris continued her struggle. Again and again, and again, a clock tower fell onto the Goddess, mulching her already disheveled body to pieces. Each one shattered her bones to dust and mangled her limbs, which was a feat in and of itself, and even then they came one after another, faster than Ymiris could rebuild her broken body.


    Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong! Crash! Bang! Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong! Crash! Bang! Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong! Crash! Bang!


    Over and over and over and over again, until finally, Ymiris could not rise to her feet nor float above the hallowed ground. She laid there like a squashed bug, unable to die yet unable to live. Even in this mangled, disgusting state, she could still speak. It was true that she used some sort of magic to intone her thoughts rather than actually use physical means such as the vocal cords and tongue. ¡°Thissss¡­ issss¡­ futile, worm¡­¡± She continued. ¡°I¡­ sssshall¡­ never¡­ die¡­¡±


    Archizend stared at her with abyssal eyes. ¡°No, you shall. And you shall rot beneath the twilight evermore. To be punished for your sins against the creatures of Aeos. Against the wills of the many.¡±


    Ymiris¡¯s mangled arms twitched in astonishment as she connected the dots laid out for her. ¡°Ahhh¡­ that¡­ issss¡­ it¡­ The¡­ emotion¡­¡± She continued, very faintly this time. ¡°My¡­ empathy¡­ my¡­ ssssympathy¡­ wasted¡­ on¡­ you¡­¡±


    ¡°Quell your ceaseless chatter. Those Who Are Lost have found you, my dear. Eat, children. Feast upon your Goddess with smiles, if you would.¡±


    Little boys and girls, half human and half spider, crawled upon the Goddess with wicked fervor. They twitched like puppets on strings, and their abdomens opened to large maws and fangs that moved up and down like piano keys. All together, they ate and ate at the Goddess¡¯s rejuvenating flesh almost endlessly. But even she could not regenerate forever. Eventually, the Goddess was devoured completely. Wholly. And Aeos, at last, was free of her divine influence for the rest of its days.


    Upon the surface, Ceres laid Nia, near death, and Arkiel, badly wounded, on the ground. With no sign of Ymiris, she could finally relax. She knew Archizend had taken care of the rest. She breathed deeply and exhaled. Tired, she morphed back into her human form. Incredibly, if she so wished it, she could look fully human again. No claws, no scaly legs, and no dragon eye. Though, she did quite enjoy having superior vision. That one wasn¡¯t so bad, after all.


    With soft hands, she held the Aspect aloft. Nia, with the last of her life, touched it with her pointer finger. Arkiel, too, placed her palm upon the cerulean glass. It was warm to the touch, and filled them all with a serenity unfound anywhere else in the world. Dreamy tears fell from their eyes and mixed with the expanding pool of blood below them. It swirled and coagulated, creating what one could see as a masterwork of artistry. The paint, despite its source, represented the endless sorrow, the wrathful despair and the flowing hope between the trio. Their innermost desires burned true.


    The Goddess was dead. That was the beginning of the end. For that, too, had doomed the world. The archon¡¯s death gave way to further calamity. Upon her erasure from existence, the archdemons and the Black Moon pulsed and appeared in the ruined sky, as if they had always been there. Watching. Observing. Like thousands of eyes devoid of light and grace, they made themselves known to the planet and all who lived upon it. And so, they ate.


    Time lost its meaning. The trees of that once sacred now disgusting place lost their green leaves, their brown bark. The sky and the clouds were erased. All was made white. All was made pale. All gave way to the ravenous orbs that could not be understood nor bargained with. All was painted monochromatic, drained of its magic. Drained of its life and soul.


    A barren husk, like a bone dried out in the desert sands. Like a pale moon above a forest of flames. Like a white sheet left to dry, only to be forgotten, abandoned to flap endlessly in wind stinking of iron.


    The world died, and so too did everything that once roamed its quiet, pallid, globular corpse.

 Epilogue: The World in Monochrome

    A simple existence, a being of light, made itself known between the fabric of collapsing eons. It was raveled in verdant specks of radiant energy.


    Questions. Piercing, slashing, thundering questions slipped out of the nothingness and wholeness making up the unfathomable space.


    Where was I? What was I? What was I doing? What am I?


    Language. Words. All had left the being of light.


    All, except¡­ color. That¡¯s right. It was that same verdant color. There, at the end of all things. The true end of all things. The end of time. The end of space. There was truly nothing left. The world had died.


    But¡­ I¡¯m still here. Why am I still here?


    The being had wandered the colorless plane for longer and shorter than time could allow. For, again, it had lost all meaning anyway. There was no sense in it. No point in quantifying what could not be quantified.


    But¡­ still. I want to know. I want to understand. Even if it cannot be fully understood, I am¡­ curious. I want to know. I need to know.


    A concept. A light in the unseen mind. A being of green. The color green.


    Green. Is that my name? It sounds familiar, but it does not sound like a name. Though, anything could be a name. A name is but an invisible tag denoting the existence of an object. It does not matter what the name is made up of. What letters inscribe its meaning.


    Green roamed the white plane, and the plane came into view as it moved. Everything was a warped reflection of something. There were tiny blades on the ground, large trunks extending from the floor, and small items hanging from them.


    This is¡­ grass. And trees.


    Green stood amidst the forest of pale trees on the white world. Everything from the ground it stood upon to the leaves rustling above were completely drained of their color. It looked up, though it had no eyes. It perceived what could only be described as ¡®up¡¯.


    Is this¡­ the world? Then those things, those orbs, where are they? They¡¯re gone. There¡¯s nothing up there. Nothing anywhere. Nothing¡­


    There was something. Black. The absence of color, or perhaps every color melded into one. It was made up of black dots. It did not resemble Green in any way. It was very different.


    Can I¡­ speak to it? How am I to understand the darkness before me? How am I to speak with no mouth?


    ¡°Color,¡± the thing said. It was another language. Or the absence of language. It sounded like music.


    Green tried to reply. ¡°Color? Green.¡±


    The dark thing moved what could only represent its head in a fashion that could be perceived as the action of nodding. ¡°I found you.¡± A beautiful song.


    ¡°You. Know. Me?¡±


    Black shook its ¡®head¡¯. ¡°You knew me.¡±


    I don¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Follow.¡±


    Green followed Black. The colors danced along the white canvas, their dots leaving light trails behind them as they paved their way through the unknowable. The unfinished. The destroyed. The desolate.


    ¡°Where? Going?¡±


    ¡°To the Throne. The Throne of the World, below all things. It sits beyond existence. Between the folds and atop the Planar Lenses.¡±


    I don¡¯t understand.


    Black led Green across wastelands, across burnt ruins, across fantastical cities with architecture unseen in wildest dreams (all bathed in white, of course). Their respective colors painted the world as they moved still, leaving their mark on it as they passed through. Eventually, after what felt like both a short time and a long time, they found an immense set of two doors they could only guess were once made of a very strong metal. Doors to hell or to heaven, Green thought, though to which didn¡¯t really matter in the end.


    Black knocked on the doors nine times, and after a couple of seconds, thirteen knocks knocked back on the other side. Afterwards, the doors opened with a loud screech. Their towering fronts had carved images on them, but Green couldn¡¯t make them out entirely. Stolen story; please report.


    Beyond the doors was a great throne. ¡°The Throne of the World,¡± Black repeated. It was made of glass. In fact, everything else was made of glass. It was in a large, open chamber opposite to them. The walkway leading to it was glass. The walls making up the innards of the structure were glass. Green could see everything and nothing in the confounding construction of the place. It was truly baffling as to why such a place would be created in such a way.


    But the glass reflected things. People. Places. Colors. Endless arrays of colors and light. If Green had eyes, they would have blinded it. Faces. Creatures. Fauna. Flora. All could be seen in the reflection, in the translucent lenses, and yet nothing could be seen; for it all was a jumbled mess without an orchestrator. Without one to sit upon the Throne.


    ¡°Lay claim to it, and you shall focus the light with your compassion. Though, as light can also be claimed by darkness, so too can you reflect the light into nothing at all. It is by your decree. Your choice. Whatever wish burns true within you shall shine through to the world. You must only choose. Choose which to favor, and which to smother. Which one to fuel, and which one to burn.¡±


    As the abstract colors walked along the walkway, flickering possibilities burned and fueled them. Infinite colors splashed across their pointillist bodies, bringing forth new guises. Many differed and were strange, having come from a place of immaturity or lack of any true worldview. But finally, those colors changed into recognizable forms. A male and a female. A black dragon and a human girl with wispy, verdant hair.


    She sat upon the Throne of the World. Her mind became that of glass. Innumerable, shimmering colors beamed through her brain and brought her to new heights of thought. New understanding. Forbidden knowledge. Bright futures and dark pasts. Until one thing flickered past, and she went back and thought about it. The thought became reality. A single image.


    A star. A brightly shining azure star shooting through the darkness, undeterred by the endless void. Glimmering stardust flew from its trail. It fought and fought, burning brightly in that void and moving all the same. Though, eventually, the shooting star came to a stop. It expanded, glowed with energy, then did two things simultaneously.


    It either imploded, creating a black hole, an unknowable tear in reality that ate everything including light. Or, it exploded, going supernova and causing more destruction over a shorter amount of time.


    ¡°You must choose, little one.¡± The black dragon stared at Ceres with a stern expression. It was as though all of his lifetimes were condensed into one personality. He was gruff and resolute, yet he held the kindness of his last iteration still. ¡°This star, too, must follow suit. The people of this star have been poisoned by a parasite. We must begin anew.¡±


    Ceres deliberated, then spoke. ¡°No, that is just what Ymiris wanted. I can¡¯t do that. The people up there¡­ they don¡¯t deserve such a thing.¡±


    And then Ceres could hear something. Voices. A choir? A choir of voices were ringing in her ears. Where was it coming from?


    ¡°Singing?¡± Nakir questioned and his face fell, but then it rose with a comfortable warmth. ¡°Singing. They are singing to you, Ceres. Music is the oldest magic there is, as they say. Why it moves you humans so, I will never quite understand. But I do know the implications¡­¡±


    Endless souls trapped in the in-between sung high and low for the girl on the Throne. Ceres laughed gleefully. ¡°A second chance. That is what they deserve. You of all beings can understand, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Nakir cackled with laughter too. ¡°Second chances. Are you sure this won¡¯t go to their heads?¡±


    ¡°They will know it is also their last chance. Although, I have a feeling that this time will be different.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°I can feel a certain¡­ warmth in all of them. In their songs. The world, I feel, has become a bit¡­ kinder than it was.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°So it is. But, Nakir, what is to become of us? Of those left behind? What about Nia and your sister?¡±


    Nakir lowered and raised his head as he spoke of good news and bad news. ¡°Arkiel is alive and well, singing amongst the many. Nia, I am afraid, has joined her mother in Blissful Sleep.¡±


    ¡°Do not be afraid, Nakir. Is that not what she wanted all this time?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. I think she was the one who was afraid, little one. Unlike you, she could not accept her loved one¡¯s death. It was akin to the end of the world for her. So much so, that the end of the world did not scare her at all. Even to the end of her life.¡±


    ¡°I see. And us?¡±


    ¡°We shall sit at the root of the world. We shall become one with the Throne, as many others have. We will observe. We will wait. There will be a time when we must pass on as well.¡±


    ¡°Mhm. And the others?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are well and good. You sit upon the Throne, my girl. Do what you can to send them on their way. Do what you can to guide them to better lives. To hopefulness. Give them their second chances.¡±


    ¡°And we shall become one with the Throne? Are you not¡­ scared?¡±


    ¡°As I said, my dear, everything must come to an end. One day, we will join those in Blissful Sleep. And some will move on and return when the cycle begins anew. When the Circle burns true again. When neighbors alike are reborn and find each other in new forms. When new trees with kind leaves grow atop their ancestors who have been burned in flames of wrath. The ever-turning wheel will revolve just as the moon does, Ceres. But it is nothing to be scared of. It is something more beautiful than we can describe¡­ and I believe that is more powerful than having any words for it at all. That is when music and songs can step in and voice our emotions on the subject better than any language can enunciate. Isn¡¯t it simply grand?¡±


    Ceres smiled and closed her eyes. ¡°Yes, it is.¡± She giggled. ¡°Truly grand.¡±


    ¡°One cannot hope to see beauty through eyes of hatred,¡± Nakir continued. ¡°For hatred outlives the hateful.¡±


    Ceres nodded, and as she did, the Throne of the World gently lifted from its place. She floated with it, her arms spanned at her sides. The Throne melded into an orb of pearlescence and let out a bright, white light. It enveloped everything and reflected endlessly across the mirrored lenses. Color drenched every inch of the world, splattering it with endless possibilities, painting it anew.


    Within the colorful rapture, one could still hear Nakir faintly say: ¡°And in every world, bloodshed and chaos may reign supreme. But even underneath a blood-red sky, if kindness is allowed to bloom, there is always that distant, giggling, shining hope.¡±