《Ruinous Return》


 Chapter 1

    This novel depicts the various unhealthy ways people cope with trauma, including but not limited to sadistic behavior, drinking, and drug use (none of which is glorified). Contains depictions of individuals suffering from PTSD presented in a respectful but real way. Cursing is prominent. Sexual content is strictly ''fade to ck'' with nothing explicit.


    Lyn felt the life seeping from her. Blood poured from several cuts all along her body, oozing out from under and in-between the gaps of her armor. The heroes had been fighting the Demonic Dragon for less than two minutes. It had backed off after thisst exchange, giving them a chance to breathe and recover.


    It was slowly regenerating, the wounds that dripped viscousva, sizzling the ground, sealed over. New scales formed atop the fresh flesh. Scales that were as hard as adamantine and took considerable effort to smash. Scales that only their few artifact weapons could pierce, cut, slice or smash.


    The heroes that had backed off moved to the door ¨C a full on flight. "Cowards!" Lyn yelled. She stood on shaky feet and used her spear for support. "Stand and fight!" She turned, eyed the sh of red from the maw of the creature, and leapt aside as she moved with preternatural speed, leaving a trail of viscous blood as she took cover behind an outcropping of obsidian.


    The torrent ofva was unleashed upon them, covering the whole football-field sized throne room. The rest of the heroes cleared out of the room, avoiding the damage, and running down the hallway leading away from the throne room ¨C thebat area ¨C in panic. Except for Lyn''s best friend. Misty stood in the doorway and shouted, "We can''t leave her!" But a hand grabbed her and pulled her away, screaming as she was carried off.


    The Demonic Dragon roared, and a deep voice emanated from its maw. "There is no escape! I shall burn you like the rest."


    Lyn''s grip on her spear steadied as she took a deep breath, trying to ignore the blood loss. She had trained harder than any of them. She conquered the most Dungeons. She improved her body and built up her mana core purely out of spite. All to prove to the other heroes that she wasn''t useless!


    There was augh that rolled out from the creature. It spoke in a loud roar, projecting its voice throughout its fortress so the fleeing heroes would hear. "You can run, but you will die!" The voice cackled. A deep, sonorous, and grinding growl that reverberated and shook the air as the creature moved forward ponderously.


    Lyn dashed from behind cover, moving across the room as the Demonic Dragon swung an enormous w at her. She ducked under the blow and stabbed forward, catching it with her spear-tip as the artifact weapon ¨C Rus''os''r ¨C exploded with air, blowing off several scales as the leaf-shaped de carved deeply into the hide. The creature roared and whipped its tail around along the floor ¨C which Lyn easily vaulted,nding on a slick spot of her own blood as she went sprawling. The creature threw its mass down on her, and she kipped up ¨C using its iing body as a springboard ¨C and pushed herself back before rolling to her feet.


    No one knew how hard she had trained. Every time they had taken a small vacation or bit of downtime after clearing a Dungeon or felling a tyrant, she had been mercilessly improving herself. Weeks, months, years; the only down time she took was to recover from injury. A nonstop grind of self-improvement leading up to this moment. Training to be the best.


    She smiled ruefully, knowing that she would probably die. But her death was a small price to pay to bring peace to the world. To stop evil forever. To break the cycle. Even if it killed her, she would destroy this thing. She dashed behind the creature and aimed at another cluster of scales, boring another hole with her weapon. A split-secondter, the tail smashed into her, sending her crashing through a pir of obsidian as she mmed into the wall. The sharp rock stabbed her through the torso, and she coughed up blood. Damnit body. Move! She forced herself off of the rocky outcropping and felt her knees buckle. Just a bit longer! She put her full weight on the spear as she stood up. Her vision was beginning to dim, and she mmed her fist into her thigh to keep from slipping into unconsciousness.


    The slitted eyes stared at Lyn, emotionless save for hatred, rage, and pride. The crimson and ck orbs bore a hole into their souls. A smirk was the only way Lyn could describe the expression. A smug confidence that exuded from every syble and re. "The Scout hero? Putting up the best fight? Ha!" It cackled with delight as it took a step forward that shook the whole room as dust cascaded from above, moving towards Lyn and raising a w for a death blow.


    She remembered the jeers from some of her ssmates years ago when they first arrived and learned their hero sses. She was always given thest of the treasure and body enhancing items, because the Scout hero was supposedly one of the weakest. She made her own way in this world; and she would leave on her terms. Even if it kills me, I''m going to finish you. She muttered a spell, one that she had designed herself and practiced ruthlessly for weeks on end. An unblockable, unavoidable attack. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / govanno nanui / a malthen sui gweal / brad sui gilgd / a dagnir nan govadhren." The spell spurred her body to speed that made her untrackable. Untouchable.


    Uwfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Like a bolt of lightning Lyn shed forward. In an instant, she plunged the spear into the Demonic Dragon''s eye socket, piercing deep into the brain. The spear red bright green for a moment before an enormous gust of air traveled along the shaft, empowered by Lyn pouring the rest of her mana into the weapon. The Demonic Dragon''s head exploded, and Lyn was covered in burningva, feeling for a brief instant, the white-hot pain before her nerves died. The world was enveloped in white, and everything ceased.


    "ck hole sun / won''t youe / and wash away the rain?" The voice of Chris Cornel singing one of his signature tunes filtered out of the radio, as the sunlight slowly pierced through the windows. Lyn rolled over in bed, covering her head to drown out the light and the noise. Five more minutes¡­


    What?! Lyn shot up in bed, her heart racing. How? She looked around and rubbed her eyes before blinking them open again. The exact same dingy, moldy walls she had lovingly decorated were exactly as she remembered them; grunge band stickers, Jackie Chan movie posters, and her roller-derby medals hanging up on the wall. It was as if she had woken up in a time capsule of her bedroom. The dark, warm colors of the room used to give her a sense of security. Instead, the hues screamed at her that she was not where she should be. She was home. Back on Earth.


    She threw off the covers and gasped. No! No-no-no! Her body was smaller than before; she had lost inches of muscle mass and definition, and she clumsily stumbled as she put a hand up to the wall. Her skin was clearer, less scarred, no longer enhanced. Lyn stomped her feet several times as the old familiarity with her smaller physique rapidly returned, and she felt confident that the less-powerful frame could support her. Bolting out of her door, mming it into the wall in the process, she dashed into the shared bathroom. Flipping on the lights she stared, ck-jawed, at her old face.


    The face that she had before traveling to Ghomar. Before she had spent five long years building up her body constitution, enhancing her physical form, going through torturous pain to be capable of defeating the Demonic Dragon. Leaning forward and looking closely at her visage, she could not see the glint of prismatic sparkles in her iris that marked her as possessing a hero mana core. Her blue eyes were bright and clear.


    "Why did you m your door?" Her mom asked. The frumpy woman was dressed in a night gown. She stared daggers at Lyn with a grim expression, "You think you own this house?"


    Lyn wheeled on her, "Mom?" A rush of emotions roiled through her. She had never expected to see her mother again. Seeing her brought back all the memories from years ago. The abuse, the beatings, the starving hunger as her father drowned in booze enough to forget that he was assaulting his wife and child daily. It shook her to her core. She was d to have left this all behind¡­and now she was back.


    "You better hope you didn''t damage the wall. If you did, your father will hear about it!"


    What can he do to me? Lyn could kick his ass, she was the Scout hero after all, and had spent years¡­Fuck me. The realization crashed into her once more. She turned to the mirror again and pulled off her shirt, examining her whole torso for the stab wound she had received during a sparring session in their first year of training. The wound that almost killed her on ident. It waspletely missing. In fact, she was missing the scar on her waist where she had been lightly impaled after screwing up a grind at the dpidated skate park pre-summon. Her skin was wless. Unmarred.


    "It''s too early for this shit," her mom muttered as she went back to her bedroom and shut the door.


    Lyn''s heart raced. She ran back to her room and rifled through her bedside table, pulling out her phone. Tapping the screen, she felt a chill of new horror wash over her.


    [January 28th, 2026, 6:46 a.m.]


    The exact same day that they had been summoned. Wednesday. Her block schedule had her in P.E. at their tiny High School, and the summoning happened when she was on the field with the rest of their senior ss ¨C all twenty of them. Did everyone elsee back? She had to know. She needed to know.


    She tried to unlock her phone and couldn''t remember the numbers. Thankfully, it had facial recognition, and unlocked with a happy message scrolling down the screen. ''Good morning! Want to hear a joke?'' Fuck off! She flicked away the morning reminder and scrolled to her favorites, calling Misty. The call rang several times before going to voicemail. Makes sense. She ran out. She''s alive still. When they had first arrived in Ghomar, they were told that if they died in their efforts, they would be returned home. I must have died. That''s why I''m back. Yeah, that has to be what happened.


    That thought floored her and she stood, rooted to the ground as the flood of memories washed over her. Years of repressed recollections rushed out in a roiling river that drowned her in sorrow. She had watched people ¨C her ssmates ¨C die. She had seen them crushed to death, blown up, cut apart, ripped in half, eaten alive. Her hands shook and she sat on her bed, clutching her arm as panic rose in her chest. Her breath quickened and she felt herself hyperventting. All of the horrible shit she had shoved down into the depths of her psyche, let loose to ravage her thoughts in an all-epassing deluge of trauma.


    With trembling fingers, she tried to scroll through her phone ¨C but then the memories from pre-summon hit her. I barely knew them. Despite their small ss size, Lyn only really knew Misty from pre-summon. The rest she had grown closer to in Ghomar. I don''t¡­I don''t have their numbers. She flicked through ¨C finger still shaking ¨C just to confirm. She had none of their numbers.


    I need to know. I need to know. She couldn''t be the only one. She died, nothing else exined why she came back. The others had died. They had to be here. Ten people had died on Ghomar. That meant they should be here. That firmed her resolve, and helped her push back the flood of memory.


    She would go to school and see if anyone else showed up.

 Chapter 2

    Lyn tore through her drawers and threw on some clothes before running outside. As soon as the front door opened, she felt a burning, red-hot pain in her chest. She gasped and fell to her knees. My¡­mana core?


    The mana core was located right in the center of the chest, behind the sternum. Partially a real organ, and partially phased out of reality, it was the source of mana for every person on Ghomar. Every person had one, and there were many special ones hidden around the world that could be imed and infused into an existing core. Extending from that were the mana channels ¨C like veins spread throughout the whole body. Also partially real, partially phased out of reality.


    Her Scout mana core normally felt like a spring breeze when she drew that magical essence from it to perform spells. And, more importantly, the person only felt their mana core when they drew on it. That''s how it was supposed to work.


    Despite not drawing upon the mana, it seared her insides. She opened her mouth to scream ¨C and no sound came out. The white-hot, boiling pain raged in her chest and she fell prone on the front stoop of their tiny mobile home. She gasped for air and could not suck any in. After ten seconds of agonizing, all-epassing agony, she realized it wasn''t just ring up momentarily ¨C the power was expanding further. I have to release the pressure. She had seen first-hand what happened when a mana core wasn''t relieved of excess mana. The gore and viscera shed in front of her eyes and ¨C panicking ¨C she raised her arm.


    Flexing her right arm, she tried to sense her mana channel. It was there, but very thin and not enhanced or strengthened. There''s no way this much mana can make it through that small channel. She doubled over as the heat continued to burn her insides. No choice. It''s this or die. She braced for the iing pain. She willed the mana channel to open and attempted to incant a spell ¨C but the pressure was too great and poured through without her control.


    A roaring st of magma shot out from her extended palm, sting up into the sky, and arcing to some far-off ce. She hissed as the release of pressure let her finally take a deep breath. She sensed her mana channel being forced open. Wider than it had ever been. The immense torrent might have made it feel as if her arm was exploding from the inside. Her limb would be useless for anything except very basic tasks for several weeks at a minimum.


    Lava? That made absolutely no sense. The heat was unfamiliar as well. Her Scout hero core felt like a soothing, spring breeze. And when she let raw mana flow out of her it was a gust of wind. What core do I have? Her mind instantly shed back to the fight against the Demonic Dragon. Did¡­did I somehow get its core? That''s the only conclusion she could think of¡­and it made some sense. I''ve merged other cores with my Scout core before.


    It was part of the reason for doing Dungeons ¨C to im the core and use it to empower one''s existing core. But this¡­Dragon''s mana core didn''t empower her Scout core. It''s almost like this new one reced her old one. I need to find Thomas. He can figure out what happened. Thomas was one of the heroes that had escaped from that fight, and he had the Knowledge hero core. If anyone could figure things out, it was him. But she paused. He''s still on Ghomar. Unless the rest returned when I killed the Demonic Dragon.


    Staggering to her feet, she unlocked her bicycle and rode out of the mobile home park and down the street. Her arm felt as if it was on fire and began to cramp, adding to the pain. She knew that the agony of opening a mana channel wasn''t something that could be cured with healing magic, so there was no point in trying that. She tucked it into her torso, breathing through clenched teeth. I''ve dealt with worse pain, she thought, recalling the Dungeon that had required her to immerse her whole body into bullet ants. This is nothingpared to that.


    On the plus side, once she did naturally heal, her mana channels would be wider than they''d ever been. She would be able to incant spells she''d never dreamed of trying before. That thought gave her some hope as she pedaled hard to Misty''s house.


    She pulled up and ran around the side of the house, huffing and sucking in breath. She got to Misty''s bedroom window and peered inside. She wasn''t inside. Come on! Lyn ran to the front door and knocked with her left hand.


    Misty''s little brother opened the door, "Hi Lyn! Why are you here so early? It''s not time for school yet!" he was dressed in pajamas still.


    "Is Misty here?"


    Mikey shook his head, "No, she didn''te homest night."


    Lyn felt her heart race again. Not from the exertion, but from the trepidation that filled her gut. The deep, ck pit of despair that numbed her soul. She didn''t return. "Tell your mom she has to take you to school. I gotta go."


    Mikey frowned, "Oh¡­okay¡­bye." He shut the door, and Lyn grabbed her bicycle and was preparing to get on it when the roiling pain hit her again. The burning pain in her chest took her breath away. How much mana does this core generate? She grabbed her bike by the handles and walked it down the road a few hundred feet ¨C until she turned the corner and was out of sight of Misty''s house. The road was empty in both directions. Fuck this is going to hurt. She raised her right arm again. She began to incant a spell, but once more the roaring hot mana just surged through the opening.


    She screamed as the fiery, hot, searing mana tore through her mana channel once more. Another burst ofva shot up into the sky and arced into the distance. She sighed in relief as the bubbling, roiling pain subsided.


    Her arm was still sending agonizing pain signals to her brain, but she could at least get back on her bicycle and ride one-handed to school. I have to get to the field. As she began to pedal a thought hit her. If Misty didn''te back, then none of the others that survived came back. She shook her head and pedaled harder. Hopefully some of the others would show up to school.


    She got to school as the early bus was arriving. She locked up her bike as usual, went to the locker room, dressed out, and waited at the field. She tapped her foot and bounced her leg as she stared at the parking lot ¨C seeing a few cars and buses show up. None of her ssmates showed up for P.E. Their whole senior ss ¨C all twenty of them ¨C none arrived. Not even the ones that had died and supposedly returned. Did they lie to us? She thought as she recalled the old archmage that had used some artifact to call them to Ghomar. I know what he said; "If you die, you will be returned home." Was that fucker lying? The thought disquieted her, and she continued to tap her foot on the bleachers.


    The bell rang marking the passing period and Ms. Gundy came out of her office. She sighed, "Is it Senior Ditch Day and you just didn''t get the memo?" The older woman was a fitness enthusiast through and through that Lyn got along with very well. Her favorite teacher.


    Lyn shook her head as she got off the bleachers. She held her right arm close to her chest. "No clue."


    Her P.E. Teacher gestured for Lyn to show her the arm, "Come on, what did you do to it."


    "Nothing," Lyn muttered as she begrudgingly held it out. From the outside, it just appeared slightly swollen, and the muscles under the skin would sometimes jostle and move, as mana channels were invisible to sight unless using a divination spell.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Ms. Gundy touched it and nodded, pulling her hand away. "It''s a muscle spasm. Well, you can walk the track today. If it keeps going more than a day, go to the doctor."


    "Can I go to the office?"


    The teacher sighed, "Fine. Go to the nurse''s office."


    Lyn went to the building and around the front, walking in to the secretary''s desk. "Excuse me."


    The old man behind the desk adjusted his sses. One of the folks that volunteered at their small school site. "Oh, how can I help you?"


    "Did any of the Seniors call in sick?"


    "Oh? Did you miss Senior ditch day?" The man chortled as he went to the phone log and began flipping pages. "When I was a Senior, we went down to theke and got some bootleg moonshine¡­" he continued to ramble on for several seconds, and Lyn felt the heat roiling in her torso, gripping the countertop tightly with her left hand. After agonizing seconds, the man looked up to her. "Sorry, no one in your ss has called in." He had a sympathetic frown on his face. "It sucks being left out of-"


    Lyn doubled over and screamed, causing the man to back up. She ran out of the office. The heat bubbled and seared her insides. It was an overflowing sink that was beginning to crest the top of the lip, the surface tension barely holding it in check before it spilled out onto the floor. If she didn''t vent it, it would kill her. She ran out of the building, around the side, and into the locker room catching Ms. Gundy''s eyes as she did so. Shit. Don''t follow me in.


    Lyn could see steam escaping the pores of her skin as her heart beat out of control. She held the injured arm out, cing it t against a floor drainage grate, and began to incant a spell to release the pressure of mana building up in her. Before she could even get a single verse of a basic incantation out, the mana surged out of her arm. Lava poured out of her palm, sttering, and sputtering down the grate, incinerating and melting the pipes ¨C but thankfully not surging back up to her.


    "What the fuck?" she heard from behind her. ncing over her shoulder a fear was realized. Ms. Gundy stood there. "What the fuck?!" the older woman shouted as the drain overflowed andva continued to surge out of Lyn''s palm.


    No! No-no-no! Lyn''s mind raced as she backed away from the surgingva that slowly built up in the showers. Ms. Gundy screamed and ran ¨C pulling the fire rm as the water hissed down from above and filled the room with steam. The torrent ofva faded to a drip. Shockingly, Lyn couldn''t feel the radiant heat from theva even though it was melting the clothes from her body. She saw me use magic. Fuck!


    She ran back to her locker and grabbed her backpack and clothes. Once she got outside, she tossed on the t-shirt and shorts. Her phone rang. Please be- it wasn''t another one of the summoned heroes. It was her dad. She didn''t bother answering.


    She cursed and mmed her fist into the wall ¨C screaming in pain as she had habitually used her right hand to punch things when she was angry. Where could they be? It hit her and she ran to her bike, The skate park. That''s the only ce they could be. She pedaled hard, the roiling starting to churn in her torso again.


    Lyn rode as fast as she could to the skate park. No one was there. The park was locked ¨C which was an oddity in and of itself, as she had used it the day before ¨C well, pre-summoning day before. Fucking¡­she pulled out her phone and went through every social media post she could. The social-media addicted seniors were some of the first to die. If they''re back, they''ve been posting. They wouldn''t keep this shit secret. Fuck! Why didn''t I check that first?!


    She felt the heat rising slowly but surely in her torso as she got to a week in the past. No posts sincest night? She was sent back before the summoning spell pulled them off of the field and into Ghomar. If they didn''t post¡­Lyn felt a chill down her spine. They might not havee back.


    The evidence was mounting. The ten that had died weren''t on social media, hadn''t shown up to school, and ¨C as she continued to rack her brain for other possibilities ¨C an Amber Alert popped up on her phone with details and descriptions for the youngest member of the senior ss. Missing sincest night¡­


    That cemented it for Lyn. They were gone. The ones that had died were gone for good. Why did I survive? She thought. Is it because I got the killing blow on the Demonic Dragon? Or was it something like only if you died while fighting the thing? She had no other data to match against that assumption, as the heroes they did lose all died before the assault on the dread fortress. If I''m the only one that came back¡­what''s left for me here? She sat on the bike, feeling the churning in her torso that would need to be released soon. I mean¡­abusive family. Dead-end jobs. Shitty careers.


    Sure, she had magic¡­but what good was makingva? Maybe I can do other spells. Holding her hand sideways, she closed her eyes and attempted to incant a simple water spell. As she opened her mana channel to allow the mana to pour out from her mana core, no water came out ¨C instead, the spell fizzled, and a torrent ofva sted out to the dirt pad in front of the metal gates before those warped and melted. Her bike melted out from under her due to the ambient heat ¨C but she only felt warmth as the goopy liquid settled around her feet.


    Fuck it. I can''t stay here. She had to get back. Ghomar was her home. She was famous. She killed the Demonic Dragon. She owned a goddamn castle. She wanted what she had worked hard for. What she had earned.


    I''m going back. There was nothing here for her. Escaping this hellhole was the best thing that happened to her. The abuse, the dead-end life. The poverty. Hunger that kept her awake at night. She wanted what she had fought for. Not to mention, being the only magic user on Earth would make her a prime target for every goddamn government to abduct her and experiment on her.


    She ran into the skate park ¨C theva akin to warm water as it hit her bare feet ¨C her shoes having melted already. Her pants caught ame, and she didn''t care in the slightest. She wanted somewhere that was going to risk the least amount of coteral damage possible. She vaulted the second, inner gate that blocked off the older part of the skate park from the newer part. The pain surged along her arm. She gritted her teeth and muscled through the pain, running to the center of the cement bowl. She felt the tears streaming down her face as she cried from the surging, pulsing, throbbing spasms in her limb.


    She threw her backpack on the ground and rifled through it with her left hand. "Fuck!" She didn''t have anything that could draw on the concrete ¨C pencils wouldn''t cut it. She got out of the bowl and ran to the grind bar. She dragged her right palm along the jagged underside that had scarred her in her youth. The pain was negligible ¨C she couldn''t really feel anything except the burning and throbbing in that extremity. Running back to the bowl, she tried her best to create an inscription. Good thing I rocked at geometry. She felt a flutter in her chest. A sense of hope. This will work! Summoning items to a user wasmon, and most of the heroes had made custom inscriptions on nes, rings, and bracers that would let them summon their armor and weapons to them. Lyn had made her own. If I invert the summon, and set the destination as Ghomar instead of here¡­I should be able to get back.


    She took a deep breath. I''m going back. I''m going to be celebrated as the hero that struck down the Demonic Dragon. The Scout hero who saved the world. The thought brought a manic grin to her face. She finished drawing thest circle on the inscription and nted her left hand in the center. She had to use that one ¨C she couldn''t risk ruining the arcane symbols with the blood still dripping from her right palm. That meant more pain, and another near-useless limb.


    Okay. Here we go. She took several deep breaths before increasing the speed faster and faster, hyping herself up like she did before pushing her arm back into its socket when it got dislocated years ago. She allowed the mana to run down her left arm, filling the inscription.


    The mana flooded out in an agonizing, volcanic torrent that superheated the air around her as it poured into the bloody inscription on the ground. She screamed as her channel in her left arm ripped open, the same pain in her right arm sympathizing and pulsing with her rising heart rate.


    The words in Elenthir glowed bright, crimson-red and red with an orange hue. It began to hiss and bubble as a cacophonous roar rose to pair with her screams of pain. Lyn felt the searing heat not just inside her, but outside as well as the blood turned to moltenva. Her flesh did not sear or burn, theva felt like a warm bath ¨C but the heat coursing through her veins made her want to die. She was burning through mana. So much that if she didn''t have this insanely powerful core, she would have died.


    Her vision narrowed and she could only see the boiling blood that melted the bowl deeper and deeper, carving the inscription permanently into the cement. Her vision dimmed and narrowed, more and more. I¡­have to¡­get back¡­


    Everything faded to ck.

 Chapter 3

    Lyn''s arms were pulsing, throbbing with pain. Her whole body was warm, as if she had just stepped into a sauna. She could feel the sheen of sweat covering her as struggled to open her eyes. The lids felt heavy, and she was exhausted. Groaning, she rolled herself onto her back and gazed up at the night sky. She felt relief wash over her, knowing she made it. The view was testament to that.


    The ck expanse above was more vibrant than any possibly in existence on Earth. It put every NASA photo to shame as the countless stars glimmered in the tapestry of the cosmos. The twin moons, Tassisno and Tesse, sat suspended in the skies above; the deep, burgundy-red former a stark contrast to the light-greentter.


    Lynid still, breathing heavily as the sensation slowly came back to her limbs. The arms were still painful, but they had receded to a dull pulse instead of throbbing agony. She could feel the cool touch of stone under her. Worked stone. Cracked stone. She slowly rolled to her side to take in her surroundings. What are the odds¡­


    She was inside the Demonic Dragon''s castle. The walls of obsidian surrounding here were confirmation enough. That, and the enormous spherical clearing that she had woken up in. The ceiling had been blown away, and the building had partially copsed. Slowly, she sat up, relying on her abs to spare her arms any further strain. Looking down, she grimaced. Why does cross-world summoning remove clothes? Looking around she couldn''t see anyone, and closing her eyes she couldn''t hear anything except the steady drip of some water source falling into a pool. The throbbing in her arms was more bearable and tolerable. Just by being on Ghomar I''m more suited to dealing with this core.


    Lyn gingerly lifted her hand and ran it through her hair, pausing as she reached her ear. What? She felt around. It wasn''t her usual ear. She slowly traced her fingers along it, horror growing in her gut as she reached the elongated, pointed tip. Fuck! Pointed ears could only mean one thing.


    She was one of the Ari ¨C an elf, as Misty hadpared them to in a first encounter with them. I must have screwed up the inscription. I fucked up something that allowed my race to be changed. Ghomar had plenty of races, but the Ari were apart from the rest despite their beauty and allure. They rarely integrated themselves with the other races and were not very numerouspared to the others.


    She slowly felt along her face. Just by the bone structure, she could tell it wasn''t her old face. It was more angr and noble, with raised cheekbones and a well-defined pair of lips. Her nose was the most drastic change ¨C she had a long and bashed-up nose in her past. This one was pixie-esque.


    I need to find some clothes. And a weapon. She slowly stood up and sighed in dismay. Her new body wasn''t nearly as muscr as her body that she had just been in. It was thin and nimble. Petite was the best way she could describe it. And I need to find body enhancing elixirs or powders. She shook her head. If they can even work on the Ari. She had no idea if the same techniques, items, poultices, and elixirs would work on her new body like it had her old one.


    There were many great advantages about her new form: she could see in the dark with perfect rity, her sense of smell was heightened, her hearing was amplified, and all the Ari lived for thousands of years. Despite these positives, the negatives that came with this new body were severe. Ari were often heavily discriminated against outside of their own territories, captured and used in the pleasure-ve trade. Staring more closely at the skin on her forearm, she could tell it was pale ¨C almost like porcin, bordering on ghostly. Duskari. Fuck me sideways.


    Duskari were the most hated and were rarely captured ¨C instead being killed on sight in most instances. They were the first race to swear allegiance to the Demonic Dragon in ancient times andmanded his forces throughout history, their swearing to the figure giving them their pale skin and signature red eyes ¨C permanent marks of servitude to the entity. A silver lining to what she was, however, was that other Ari would show her deference off the bat even if they didn''t ally with the Demonic Dragon and were instead part of another kingdom. They won''t attack on sight.


    She''d killed her fair share of Duskari on the battlefield. She even knew the Aringuage ¨C Arinol ¨C having studied it to ensure she could fight the Demonic Dragon''s forces more efficiently. The thought of being the enemy she once fought against filled her with a sense of revulsion. But¡­if I can disguise myself well enough, or find an inscribed item that lets me appear as a Human¡­I can be here for a long, long time. The thought of having a lengthened life span to just indulge in her fame and glory made her feel ecstatic. She would make the most of this idental blessing, just like her Aunt had taught her before passing away. "Find the silver lining in everything," Lyn recalled her saying, "And you''ll find a bit of happiness every day of your life."


    And that''s when she heard it. Voices. Speaking in Khrrdian ¨C thenguage of the kingdom of Khrrdia. She had traveled the whole of Ghomar and had picked up almost everynguage she came across ¨C a benefit to being the Scout hero. At least all of my memories from before are still intact.


    "Are you sure about this?" the first voice asked. A man. He sounded young. Inexperienced and unsure.


    "''Course I''m sure! This is where the battle happened! And no one has been here since!" The other voice belonged to a woman. It was confident and firm. Reassuring.


    A third voice spoke. An older man''s voice. "Agh, doon''t till me aboot tha'' fight! ''Twere a scoofle ayn nootin moore." His ent caused him to stand out the most, and Lyn couldn''t recall quite where it came from.


    Lyn gently and silently walked over the smooth obsidian, walking towards where the Demonic Dragon''s throne once stood. She stumbled as she got acquainted with these new, daintier legs, but found her footing easily enough. Only the base of the seat still sat there on the dais, the remains of the throne that his a once-humanoid form sat on. Just being near it filled Lyn with a sense of unease and trepidation.


    This is where she, James, Kory, and Ben hadunched their initial attack. The duel against their enemy''s humanoid form was one of the most difficult fights she had ever engaged in ¨C as expected. They didn''t know; however, he had a second form ¨C his true form. That is what she had killed. I ended the cycle, at least. She knew for sure that the Demonic Dragon was dead, simply because this ce was abandoned and destroyed. That, and she was ny-percent sure that somehow, she had the Demonic Dragon''s core in her.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Her torso began to heat up. Shit! Not now! She could feel the heat expanding and building in her. Looking about, she tried to find a way out ¨C but there was none. She was in the deepest part of the dread fortress. The only way out would be through the main doors that the voices wereing from. What do I do? She could let the mana stream out again ¨C suffering the pain once more and hoping the light and sound wouldn''t give away her position.


    The heat built and built, and the voices got closer. She could see the light bobbing slightly at the far end of the chamber. Lyn ducked around the backside of the remnants of the throne. She gritted her teeth and tried to slowly let a trickle of mana out. Instead, an explosive torrent of mana ripped through her extended right arm, sting out as a wave ofva that crashed against the back wall and flowed into the grooves along the edges of the chamber before overflowing anding towards her. The pain was still throbbing and ever-present, but ¨C to her pleasant surprise ¨C the Duskari body she was in seemed to have an easier time amodating therger mana channel. That exins why even their martial-oriented fighters were so skilled at spell craft.


    Theva was not hot to her either, just like on Earth. Even as it touched her feet, it was warm and weing. Like a hot tub. Her arms pulsed with pain and the mana surged out before sputtering to a stop. Her mana channels were still throbbing in time with the muscles in her arms as blood pumped to them. But it was tolerable.


    "What was that!" The young voice shouted.


    "''Twas a-light. O''er ther," the older man replied.


    Lyn heard the distinctive ringing noise of a sword being drawn from a sheath, "We should investigate. It''s probably a scavenger." The woman''s voice was firm and confident.


    The young voice replied. "No one is supposed to be here! It''s forbidden by the order of High-Lord Marshall! If we get caught, we''re dead."


    So, they are still here, Lyn thought as she grinned. James Marshall, the Paragon hero, had helped depose the corrupt, tyrant-king of Khrrda and put his son, Kristoph, the rightful and just ruler on the throne. As a reward, James was given the role of High-Lord, the most senior martial position in that kingdom. It was a smart y by him ¨C despite skipping out on a Dungeon with Misty and Lyn ¨C because it got them the whole army of Khrrda to fight against the Demonic Dragon''s forces.


    "Don''t be a child," the woman said. "There''s nothing here." The footsteps got closer. "And if there is another scavenger, well, we can''t let them report us, can we?"


    Lyn tried her best to make her breathing shallow. If they see me, they''ll either kill me or try to beat me badly enough to capture me. Death seemed the more likely of the two, as Duskari were notoriously hard to take alive. She looked at her petite body. Even if I had a weapon, I couldn''t fight back like this. She felt the slight churn and roil of her mana core within. If ites to that, I''ll use a spell.


    This new mana core, however, was unpredictable. It was way stronger than anything she had ever been exposed to. Even her Scout mana core, with its dozens of upgrades from defeating Dungeons, couldn''tpare in raw might. Lyn closed her eyes, trying to steady herself and keep perfectly still and calm despite the impending danger of being discovered in this weakened state.


    She was the most flexible spell user out of the heroes behind Misty. Misty had an innate understanding of the underpinnings of magic, and an instant mastery of thenguage of magic ¨C Elenthir. Since Lyn was close to her, she tutored her, and thanks to the Scout hero core, Lyn was able to pick upnguages ridiculously quickly. "Just remember," Misty said so many years ago on their first expedition, "that spells always need to be cast out loud! Just thinking about it won''t do anything. Mental casting just¡­doesn''t work for some reason. Oh, and don''t forget! More verses equal more¡­everything!" Her giggle was entrancing. "Most people just memorize spells. But¡­if you study with me? I can teach you the wholenguage. Then, you can do pretty much anything! Neat, huh?"


    Yeah, it was neat, Lyn thought with a fond smile gracing her face. The footsteps came closer. Now or never. She started to whisper a multi-verse incantation. Not a memorized spell, but one she came up with on the fly. "Gd enni / Im¨º thn o liza / garth?r enni / ad r?th lin / Im ¨º lin naith / fs en garth?r / estel en lin / sern en garth?r." The mana in her chest roiled and bubbled before forming a globule in her hand. She stood up and wheeled around the throne, holding her right arm out in front of her.


    Her spell was worded so it would only knock her foes unconscious and do no coteral damage, but it also had the limiter of ''targets'', so she wouldn''t be able to use it against a single opponent. She saw only one person in front of her, and she held her spell as she scanned the room for the other targets so that the spell would fire off. There were three voic-


    A de carved clean through her hand from someone hidden to her left, and the mana surged up her channel and back into her body as the avenue was cut off. Lyn screamed in pain but was silenced a momentter as something firm thudded into her skull from behind. She copsed as the world went ck.


    "Oi, the she-devil is coomen abaut."


    "Tie her up tightly! Selling her will make us a fortune," the female voice replied.


    "She-she''s waking up!" The young man''s voice said in panic. "Is this tight enough?"


    Lyn''s eyes were covered by something as the voices roused her from unconsciousness. Her head was pulsing wickedly, and her arms were pulsing with pain. She felt the warm, sticky blood dripping onto her thigh. They didn''t even tourniquet it? The loss of a hand was concerning ¨C but if she could get back to it, she could reattach it if it wasn''t too damaged ¨C she''d lost a leg before, and Trisha re-attached it easily enough. Lyn was kicked hard in the side, letting out a yelp of pain. She felt the ropes tighten around her torso and pin her arms behind her. Then, she was pushed back and fell, t, onto the floor.


    "What¡­what do we do with her?" the young man asked.


    "Innit apairant? We sell ''er."


    Lyn felt her heart race. She would be someone''s property. A trophy kept in a mana-suppressing cage and put on disy for people to gawk and jeer at. The thought horrified her. She tried her best to move against the bonds and heard the woman''s voiceugh.


    "You''re going nowhere."


    Lyn''s mouth was gagged ¨C a bit of cloth shoved in, and a tight cord wrapped around. There was no way she could incant a spell with the intrusive fabric. She screamed in frustration at her predicament, the noise muffled by the gag.


    "Heh. She be a''fighta."


    "Come on, help me get her up. We''ve got a long way to travel." The woman''s voice wasmanding ¨C she was obviously the leader of the group.


    Lyn felt a pair of thin and toned arms pick her up. "This feels wrong," the young man''s voice said from right behind her. The person lifting her up.


    "You want to get paid, don''t you?" The woman asked.


    "Ye-yeah." The voice was hesitant.


    Lyn growled through the gag and tried to work it to the side with her tongue enough that she might be able to speak. But the gag was firmly re-affixed.


    "Then shut up, carry her, and let''s be off. There''s still Duskari in the mountains around here. If we make too much noise, it may draw them." The woman was confident and calm, but there was a trace of panic in her voice.


    I can''t let them take me. She rubbed her face against the rough, ted-shoulder of the man carrying her ¨C getting the cloth to catch on a bit of cracked metal. Pulling her head back, she could see that they were passing through therge hallway that led away from the Demonic Dragon''s throne room. She rubbed her face against the armor, cutting her cheek in the process ¨C but sessfully sawing through the rope holding the gag in ce. Carefully, ponderously, she adjusted the gag with her tongue enough that she could sound words.


    Barely exhaling, she whispered just enough to utter a spell. "Adel enni naur / beral enni o garth?r."


    The woman must have heard her, because she nced back and her eyes went wide, "Fu-"

 Chapter 4

    The man holding Lyn screamed as the spell went off. Lyn grimaced and bit down on the gag to stifle a scream as she felt the incredibly hot mana rip through her mana channels once again ¨C all of them. Not just in her arms ¨C but every single mana channel was instantly pushed to its maximum limit as the mana pushed out of her in all directions. An explosion ofva all around her body. I just wanted a protective sphere! What the fuck! She was dropped and gasped out of pain as the blunt impact with the ground bruised her tailbone. The ropes instantly incinerated, and she removed the gag entirely, wincing in pain at the exertion from her arm''s motion.


    The young man screamed and copsed to the ground. If he didn''t have emergency treatment, he would surely die. I said it perfectly! She hadn''t spoken any words in the spell that implied any sense of harm to others. I didn''t want that to happen!


    "Ima git outta hir!" the other male voice said as she heard the scraping of metal on stone.


    "Fucking bitch!" The woman yelled as she said an incantation. "Lathron en ethuil / dagor en garth?r / thangor lin." Lyn recognized it instantly. A basic internal spell. One of the simplest taught tobatants to charge their de with mana, enabling it to damage magic barriers and bypass some defenses.


    Lyn rolled sideways as the de stabbed into where she once was. The woman''s de glowed with a ruddy brown light. Oh, she''s weak. The hero mana cores all were quite powerful, and their spells manifested in bright, vibrant colors. But normal, regr mana cores were dark and earthy in tone. This person she was facing off with had never improved their mana core ¨C it was dark as mud. She slowly stood up, hissing in pain as her legs trembled. Those mana channels were, thankfully, thergest in the body ¨C just like the muscles in the legs were some of the biggest. She could still walk, but running was out of the question.


    "You bitch, you don''t even understand me, do you?" The woman lowered her de into a fighting stance and Lyn instantly recognized the style.


    You served in the Khrrda Kingdom''s military. Lyn cracked a smile, only to double over and scream in pain as her mana core roiled once more. A red-hot poker seemingly stabbed her in the chest. The woman moved forward, and instinctively, Lyn threw up her stump ¨C and cast a go-to, simple spell. "Th?l!" The mana channel opened and for a brief moment, Lyn could see the spectral outline of her hand still present. Even if the physical body was gone, the mana channel was still there. And from that phantasmal outline of her palm, a globule ofva shed outward as the incantation for st forced the mana into a physical form.


    The warrior tried to parry the spell, but her de melted in her grip as the burning mass impacted her torso, blowing her backward, end over end as she tumbled to a stop. She screamed in pain briefly from the initial impact, but death quickly took her.


    The scent of charred flesh hit Lyn''s nostrils ¨C a smell she was used to from battlefields. The burning scent brought back memories in a torrent that washed over her and made her gag in revulsion. Burning flesh was never a smell one got used to. Lyn looked at the burned, young Human man who was still alive ¨C breathing faintly despite being covered in horrific burns all over his body.


    His arm was missing ¨C exploded from the heat like an overcooked sausage. Lyn leaned over and dry heaved as panic overtook her for a moment, the vivid memories of seeing people burned alive and exploding from intense heat of powerful spells surging through her thoughts.


    But training reasserted itself, and she shoved the memories back. She would be able to process those¡­eventually. She knelt next to the young man. I can''t restore the arm. But you won''t bleed out. She breathed deeply and focused on her mana core. She could feel it bubbling and roiling inside of her. It craved¡­destruction. Her Scout mana core craved freedom, to be let loose and run wild. This mana core wanted to be unleashed. To devour and consume in roiling mes and bubbling magma. It has to be the Demonic Dragon''s mana core.


    Even though every person had a mana core, most were not very powerful. And, unlike the regr citizens and civilians on Ghomar, the hero cores were limited to specific types of external spells and could only have their versatility increased by consuming other mana cores. I don''t even know if this core can heal. Lyn felt doubt cross her mind. Not knowing the capabilities of this mana core was dangerous.


    I have to try. She might have the outside of a Duskari, but inside, she was still a hero. Lyn Rivers, the yer of the Demonic Dragon. She calmed her breath. Just to be safe¡­nothing custom. Just a memorized incantation. "N?tha en tth / a garth?r en neva / athan naeth galen lin / a beral en ithil enni / Do na, o virith suil / a tathar amn?r enni." She finally listened to the sound of her own voice, and was caught off guard. It was higher pitched than before. A soprano that was gentle and almost naturally sultry. She had to admit to herself, it was better than her old voice that had gone hoarse from singing along to grunge bands with Misty in her friend''s room.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    The mana poured from her left hand, searing her mana channel once more and causing her to cry out for a moment in pain. Theva dripped down, covering his wound. The young man woke up, screaming as theva seared into his flesh and dripped into his body cavity through the wound. His body thrashed for a split second before it went limp.


    "Shit! I''m sorry!" Lyn said in shock. She felt a pang of sorrow for the young man she''d just unintentionally killed and sagged in her seated position. "¡­I''m sorry."


    She should have been able to perform a healing spell. Even a tiny, insignificant one. This core can''t heal. That sent chills down her spine. Herst core was very versatile, with a predisposition towards wind, air, and internal spells to augment speed and movement. She had always been able to do a healing spell in a pinch. But now it seemed that was off the table. I have to be a lot more careful. Injuries will be so much deadlier now. She''d never heard of a core that waspletely cut off from a type of spell.


    She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm the roiling mass in her chest. Trying to push the face of the young man from her memory, banishing his visage along with the rest of her repressed, PTSD inducing memories. "First things first," She walked back to the throne room and to the dais. To the left she eyed her severed hand. To her relief, it was intact. She even gave a slight chuckle as, seemingly by muscle memory, it had curled into a middle-finger, flip-off gesture.


    She grabbed it by the wrist. I''ll have to find a healer quickly. Or figure out a way to put this on ice. Looking down at her arm, she grimaced as the blood continued to drip in a steady stream. I need to tourniquet this. She went back to the still-warmva and tried to cauterize her stump in the superheated mass, but instead of sealing the wound and charring it shut, it just felt like submerging the stump into a warm bath. Damnit. She went to the corpses and began to try and strip them of any cloth ¨C but theva had burned away or melted all of the fabric.


    Her ears twitched as she picked up voices. Speaking in Arinol. They were distant. Just two voices; male and female. She went back to the hallway with the two corpses. One way was the direction the other man had run, but the voices wereing from the other direction. A solid stone wall. "Asul enni tir?l neledh ?dhinen." She had tried to use a basic divination spell, knowing that voicesing from behind the stone wall meant it was either an illusion or a trap door of some type. But nothing happened.  Is this core only good for shootingva at shit? She crouched behind some of the rubble, waiting to see what would happen.


    When they hade down this corridor to fight the Demonic Dragon, the heroes had several spells active that allowed for seeing invisible objects, traps, inscriptions ¨C every precaution that Thomas could think of. If he couldn''t see it when they first came here, then it must be mundane. A trap-door was most likely, but it could just be a false wall or even a mimic that was trained.


    "I told you, no one is here, just the usual wall," The male stated. The wall shifted and moved as Lyn got a look at him. His pale skin, dark, red eyes, and cropped, short, white hair marked him as a Duskari.


    "Hush. You don''t want to alert them," the female replied, following him right behind. She looked like what Lyn imagined she would look like in a mirror. The same as the male, except her long, white hair was tied up in a warrior braid. "What in the abyss happened here?"


    Lyn cleared her throat and stood up. "Hi there," she said in Arinol.


    "Halt! Who are you?!" The female Duskari shouted as she leveled her spear. She and her malepanion were dressed in thick, dark, leather armor with bits of chainmail connecting the main protective pieces. They had simr skin to hers ¨C pale, ghostly white.


    "One of you." Lyn held up her left hand ¨C holding the severed appendage. "Are either of you healers?" The male looked her up and down, cracking a lewd smile. Right. She looked down at her still nude body. I''d kick your teeth in for leering if I wasn''t hurt as badly.


    The female raised her spear, "We are not healers. Where are you from?"


    Lyn rifled through memories. She knew that they lived in Conves. Damnit. We destroyed a few. I should be able to remember one of their names¡­ncing at the two, she could tell that they were tensing at herck of immediate response. Fuck it. Just tell them something. "I was captured. I was able to escape." She pointed to the corpses behind her, "They captured me." Lyn felt a sense of mise wash over her. Looking at her stump, she knew the blood flow had lessened, but she had lost a good enough amount. Unconsciousness wasing.


    She leaned against the wall and slid down it partially. Damn blood loss. She was familiar with the sensation. First, she would be dizzy, then her heart would race faster, but eventually darkness would take her. You better help me, she thought towards these two. Help one of your own.


    The male walked forward slowly and poked corpses with his spear. "She speaks true."


    The female nodded, "I am Vael. This is my brother, Gael."


    "I''m Lyn." The world began to swim in her eyes.


    The male looked Lyn up and down once more, "What Conve do you hail from?"


    "I don''t know," Lyn muttered as her sight began to dim. "Just¡­please¡­"


    Vael frowned. She pushed her hair out of her piercing, red eyes and nodded slightly. "You''lle with us. Our Conve is close." She handed Gael her spear and rifled through a pouch at her hip, pulling out clean, white cloth and some thin twine. "Let''s get this bound."


    Lyn held up the stump and nodded as Vael applied the fabric coating and tourniquet. "I¡­" Lyn surrendered to the ckness.

 Chapter 5

    Lyn woke up in a soft bed. The ceiling above was worked stone. If not for her Duskari vision, she would be blind as the room had no light sources. Looking around, she observed a small bedside table with a cup and pitcher sitting on it and a simple chair with clothes thrown over the backrest. She sat up, wincing in pain, and reached out with her right hand towards the cup. She paused. Someone healed me. She examined the ce where her hand had been lopped off and couldn''t even see the mark where it was re-knit with magical power. Whoever healed me must be a master, she thought. The healing was impable, as good as Trish''s healing.


    She reached out and grabbed the cup, quaffing down the water, before grabbing the pitcher and chugging that down. The water woke her groggy body up the rest of the way, and she could feel the slight pulse of pain in her extremities. As soon as I get up¡­gah, this is going to hurt. She slowly turned in bed and stood up ¨C feeling the pain shoot down through her legs as she let out a short yelp from the sudden, jarring agony. Even expecting it didn''t help much, and she fell back on the bed.


    The door to the room opened, and an ancient, wizened looking Duskari came into the room. Vael ¨C the Duskari who had seemingly saved Lyn ¨C was standing in the doorway behind, spear at the ready. The older Duskari pulled the chair closer, "Now, now." She shook her head, "Don''t move. Your mana channels seem to have suffered trauma."


    Lyn shifted slightly to allow her to rx her full body on the bed. "Who are you?"


    "I am elder Vehenna," she muttered. "One of the three who guide the Conve of the Fortress."


    That puzzled Lyn. We never fought Duskari inside the fortress. The heroes had fought monsters, elementals, magical constructs, and dealt with traps. But no Duskari once they had fought against the army outside. "How long have you been here?"


    The woman chuckled, "Since the beginning, young one." The woman hoisted a small bucket and set it on the bed next to her. "Lie back, please. We need to wash you. Can''t have bed sores."


    Lyn nodded and tried to rx. But she felt her mana core roil, and rolled on her side as she doubled over in pain. The heat continued to build. "Run!" she gasped out.


    The elder stood rapidly and ran to the door. Vael entered and pointed a spear at Lyn.


    "Get out of the room!" Lyn screamed as she felt the mana boiling over. I have to release it! She held her right arm out and gritted her teeth as she tried to gently open the mana channel, trying to restrict the flow. It was useless, as the moment she even opened the channel, the mana rushed through and blew it wide open again, cascadingva across the room as her mana surged once more.


    Vael''s eyes went wide in terror as she backed away to the door. The elder let her pass, before moving forward and chanting a spell, "En ethiel an le / thalion min / gorthon I thalion / a bartho han / uin del." A soothing, light-blue bubble appeared around theva and Lyn''s hand.


    Lyn tried to force the mana channel shut, and slowly, excruciatingly so ¨C she was able to feel the aperture despite the roiling mana cascading through it. Just like slowly controlling a muscle that she wasn''t used to flexing, she tightened the channel until the torrent ceased. She still felt the roiling inside¡­but she had it under control. Barely. If not for the older woman''s spell, the room would have filled up entirely; but it was somehow condensing down theva. Gravity? Holy hell, that takes a lot of mana to pull off.


    Elder Vehenna''s spell persisted as theva cooled. She turned to Lyn and fell prostrate on the floor, "Oh mighty one! You return to us!"


    Lyn looked at the woman, confused. "Come again?"


    Vael tossed her spear aside and followed Vehenna''s lead, "You have returned¡­that power is unmistakable."


    Lyn was about to say something but paused. They think I''m the Demonic Dragon. I could y this to my advantage. y dumb or pretend¡­Lyn knew she wasn''t a good liar. ying the amnesiac was the way to go in her mind rather than owning up to the role. "I don''t recall being the Demonic Dragon."


    Vehenna raised her head and turned to Vael, "Go, tell the other elders to meet me at the council chamber." She bowed her head once more, "Please, oh mighty one, stay still!" She stood up, grabbed Vael''s dropped spear, and the two left the room rapidly.


    Lyn nced over at the clothes on the chair that were thankfully unmarred. I''m not going to sit around nude this whole time. She eased her way out of bed, trying to ignore the pain she felt from the mere act of standing up. Just out of curiosity and to confirm her certainty, she dipped her foot into the coolingva on the floor. Yup. I''m immune to it. I wonder if that makes me immune to all fire. She shook her foot off and dressed in simple garb ¨C a pale, cloth jerkin and pants with a cord to tie everything in ce and keep it put. Just having something covering her gave her a feeling of civility. She sat back on the bed and waited, focusing all her willpower on keeping the mana channel shut tight against the boiling within.


    She wasn''t waiting long, as Vael returned after a minute with an amulet on a chain held in her outstretched grip. "Here, oh mighty one. This should help."


    Lyn took the offered amulet and examined it. A single loop of metal that had no seam but was intricately carved with an inscription, with a chain running through it. Reading the inscription, she could tell it was not a mana suppressor like the cages the heroes had used to restrain criminals. This was like a battery that she could divert excess mana into. "Thank you," she said sincerely as she put the amulet on and tucked it under her shirt. The cool metal felt refreshing on her skin, and she felt her mana core simmering, under control. Just like her Scout hero core felt like a calm, contained wind; this destructive me was now contained. Well, not contained, but it was being diverted. I''ll have to dump the mana from this thing probably¡­every few hours.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    "Please,e with me," Vael said as she offered her arm to help Lyn walk.


    "Okay," Lyn replied as she stood up, putting her weight on Vael. This other Duskari was slightly taller than her ¨C maybe by an inch or two ¨C and was very simr in build. Save for her muscles; those were more developed than Lyn''s current form. And her skin; having the tell-tale, slight visual texture of body enhancing concoctions. That exins the lighter armor, she thought as she recognized that specific bark-like appearance. Lyn felt giddy, knowing that this body could be hardened. That the Ari were like the other races. I know so little about them, she realized. She had only learned theirnguage because it was the best way to know their battle strategies. Beyond that, and some other basic information¡­she didn''t know much.


    Vael led her down a tunnel that had the same architectural style as the rest of the dreaded fortress. How did we not detect this? She thought as they moved deeper into what she imagined was the mountain behind the citadel. They passed by many side-tunnels with variousbels for the domicile, kitchens, some type of sally port ¨C she assumed a hidden exit out of this location ¨C and other denotations of function. Their short journey led them to a circr chamber, richly appointed with rugs and cushions.


    There were no lights ¨C the same had been true for their whole entire journey, and Lyn''s legs gave out as she copsed in Vael''s grip. The woman gently set her down on one of the cushions, and Lyn felt the tell-tale crunch of some type of dried grass as she rxed on the seat.


    In front of her was elder Vehenna, another female elder who looked like her twin with a long braid of hair, and a middle-aged male with deep-set eyes that seemingly bored into Lyn''s soul. Eyes that were pale pink. She knew that all Duskari had shades of red eyes, but the paler and less vibrant, the older they were. The man spoke, "I am elder Bhrm."


    The woman she was not familiar with spoke next. Her voice was raspy, "And I am elder Velenna."


    "You have the power of the Demonic Dragon within you; the Destroyer mana core," elder Vehenna stated. "And yet, you state you have no memory of your past life."


    Lyn nodded, "That seems right."


    Elder Bhrm scoffed, "Agh. She ims to have this power. Where is the proof?"


    Vehenna shot him a withering re, "I saw it with my own eyes!"


    "As did I, esteemed elders," Vael said from behind Lyn. ncing back, she noticed the woman standing at attention, spear held upright.


    Velenna nodded, "Our Lord had not been killed since ancient times." Lyn had to bite her tongue to keep from blurting out ''how?''. "I imagine having had so long since hisst fall, he ¨C ahem, she ¨C would be confused and out of sorts."


    "How can this Duskari be the almighty reborn?" Bhrm shouted. "The eyes aren''t even correct! They''re¡­disgusting!"


    Lyn red at the man. She felt the sizzling, piping, roiling energy in her mana core. She felt the same anger and frustration as she did when she was summoned as a hero. The doubt and dismay at her hero core. She would not let them do the same here. You want proof? "Togo corch ar naur min ganuin / a leithio han s¨ªr enni / gd en-du." She felt her mana channel open a tiny bit and was able to direct the flow of mana into her palm at a slow, steady rate ¨C her anger and frustration getting a response from the mana core and enabling stronger control.


    A warm, blissful heat spread through her arm and soothed the aching pain as a gout ofva sted up and into the roof before dripping back down on her, igniting the cushions ame. This thing responds to anger. But it wasn''t like Kory''s Berserker core, which grew in power the angrier he got while bing harder to control. The power was there, and plentiful, but the anger seemed to help direct it within her. I''ve always been good at focusing my anger. This suits me.


    "En ethiel an le / thalion min / togo lin athrad," Vael shouted as a torrent of water shot out from her palm and sizzled against theva, cooling it to shining, ck obsidian.


    All three of the elder''s jaws dropped. Bhrm prostrated himself, "Forgive me! I swear, I am your faithful servant forevermore!"


    Lyn dismissed the orb. Okay. Keep the fa?ade going. You''re the new Destroyer. Act like a ruler. "You are forgiven. Now, I have some questions."


    Bhrm nodded and gestured to Vael, "Fetch us refreshments." He looked at Lyn, "Anything you desire, oh mighty one?"


    "What can you tell me about myst death? What exactly happened?"


    Vehenna nodded solemnly, "The heroes defeated our Lord ¨C you ¨C in a great battle that shook the fortress. Their leader ¨C the Paragon ¨C struck the final blow of our master."


    "Are you serious?!" Lyn blurted out. He took the goddamn credit? James wasn''t malicious ¨C she knew that much about him. He was just a fantasy nerd who got the best mana core because he was ''chosen'' by some old statue. I''m the one that killed it! Lyn felt anger boiling up in her, and her mana core responded to her anger. She felt it boil up inside before she redirected the mana flow into the object. It glowed with a bright, neon-blue light before fading slightly.


    The elders'' faces paled in fear, and they flung themselves prone in front of her, "Forgive us!" Bhrm cried out. "We didn''t mean offense!"


    Lyn took several deep breaths trying to calm herself. "How many heroes were in the party?"


    Vael spoke from behind her, "If I recall correctly, there were ten."


    "Describe them," Lyn ordered as she turned to face the terrified younger Duskari.


    Vael nodded, "I''ll grab the reports!" She ran off, and Lyn sat in a tense silence with the elders stillid prone. A few minutes passed and Vael returned, throwing herself on her knees in front of Lyn and holding up a series of twine-bound, parchment scrolls. "The reports, mighty one."


    Lyn grabbed the scroll and pulled the twine off. Damnit. I don''t know how to read theirnguage. I only know how to speak it. She cleared her throat, "My recollection of our writtennguage has not returned to me yet. Read it aloud." Treating the Duskari as lessers left a sour taste in her mouth, and brought back the vivid memories of when her father treated her like a lesser being. But she pushed those memories back. I have to keep up the charade. They think I''m the Destroyer, I have to make them keep thinking that.


    Vael sat up and nodded, gently and reverently taking the scroll before unrolling it and speaking, "There were ten heroes who entered our Lord ¨C erm, your fortress¡­" she went on to describe from the report, in detail, the attire, weaponry, equipment, and spells. Whoever was taking those notes from afar had excellent reporting skills.


    They got all the descriptions down perfectly; she thought as the vividnguage painted a picture in her mind that perfectly matched the gear and demeanor of the other heroes. Nine of them were described in great detail, but the tenth was seemingly a blot. A grey mass that eluded the descriptive detail of the report-taker, as if the person were a ceholder.


    Why am I not mentioned?

 Chapter 6

    She was not mentioned in the report. At all. No mention of her long, straight de. No mention of her artifact spear that carved thendscape clear of earth elementals before the first assault. They wouldn''t forget about me ¨C I was throwing around some of the biggest spells aside from Misty. The rest of the details are too specific. The tenth hero was not described. A blur, or some type of constant illusion spell was in ce ¨C which she did not have active, wanting to show off her power to her allies who had doubted her. Which meant that someone had done something to fuck with either memories, or the heroes were affected by a spell that they weren''t aware of. But the description of the others meant that only Lyn was affected.


    Does anyone remember? Was I wiped from history? Was it some final, borate inscription set up by the Demonic Dragon to escape? Why was I banished back to Earth? What in the hell happened? Did someone else use a spell on me without me knowing? All those questions churned in her head. Her years of hard work, bing the best she could be ¨C all torn away from her. The prestige, lost. Valor, stolen. It infuriated her. She felt the mana core roiling within her as it sympathized with her emotional state. It bubbled and sought release, desiring to destroy. In that moment, Lyn wanted the world to burn for forgetting her.


    This was taken the wrong way by the three Duskari present, who cowered in fear. Lyn shook her head, "Where are these heroes now?" she growled. Her own voice shocked her ¨C the bright, enchanting voice that came out of her was sinister, and sounded like the growl of the Demonic Dragon.


    Vael spoke ¨C muffled slightly by the rugs she had bowed down into. "I don''t know, my Lord. We were following your orders-"


    "-We were ordered by you to stay within our Conve," Velenna interrupted. "Our scouts do not range past the mountains to the South."


    "And" Bhrm added, "We have been kept from leaving the vale for the past seven years, ever since the Berserker hero began raiding the nearby Duskari Conves."


    Kory stuck around? That gave Lyn a slight spark of hope. He might not be the smartest of the bunch, having been a meathead before they were summoned and having only had that effect amplified as the mana core spurred on his physicality. But he had one of the hardest minds to trick with illusions and mental fuckery spells. He might remember me. The prospect of going to see one of her friends and find out what happened was enticing. But I can''t go and find him like this. He''d kill me on sight.


    "Your¡­grace?" Lyn looked down at Vael. "Do you want me to read the second report?"


    Lyn nodded, "Yes."


    "Since your demise, the Duskari have lessened in number due to this Berserker hero''s raids with a force of mercenaries. But there is some good news. The other, lesser Ari have had a poption surge. And better news, is that the various kingdoms are at war with each other."


    Makes sense, Lyn thought. The Demonic Dragon was a constant presence that unified the kingdoms against it. With themon enemy gone, the different countries would turn to infighting. That type of chaos would be perfect to let me travel and find the heroes. She knew that if she acquired a magical item ¨C such as a cloak of disguises ¨C or if her mana core was good at illusion spells¡­she could put on her old face and body. She would have to test out the capabilities of this mana core once she let her mana channels heal. "What of my equipment?"


    Bhrm raised his head slightly, and when Lyn gestured it was okay, he sat up the whole way. "We do not know, your mightiness."


    "Then where did you get this?" Lyn asked, holding the amulet up.


    Vehenna looked up, and seeing Bhrm and Vael sitting up once more, sat upright herself before addressing the question. "From a prepared container. A metal box with a spell cast over it. You had inscribed upon the top of it these words. ''If I should ever perish, this box will open. When I return, give the item inside to me, lest the world burn.''"


    So, the Demonic Dragon knew that it woulde back. That went counter to everything Lyn was told when the heroes were summoned. She recalled vividly the old archmage who was responsible for summoning them in the first ce. His wizened, wispy voice was unforgettable as the High School Seniors stood, naked and confused, in a huge arcane circle in a castle. "You twenty heroes have been summoned to Ghomar to defeat the Demonic Dragon. Do this, and you will be hailed as heroes. If you die in this endeavor, you will be returned home ¨C unharmed." That was a lie, Lyn thought as the memory continued. "Defeat the Demonic Dragon, end the cycle of heroes, and be remembered as legends!"


    Nothing that old geezer said mentioned anything about the Demonic Dragoning back. The fact that the viin had a n already in ce for when it would return told Lyn volumes ¨C they hadn''t heard the whole story. She felt a sense of trepidation wash over her as a thought raced through her mind. What if forcing my way back here is going to start it all over again? All of the chaos, the bloodshed¡­the violence. She wasn''t averse to violence ¨C on Earth she sought it out with roller derby. A way to vent her frustrations with her shitty home life. Hell, right now? She wanted to obliterate someone. No, she feared the return of the memories from before she was battle-hardened. The ones that scarred her psyche, that she pushed back.


    Her emotions must have been writ on her face, as the three elders spoke in hushed tones with each other, bringing her out of the reverie. "Your mightiness," Vehenna stated. "We will do whatever you wish. But, as your memories are yet to return, may I offer advice?"


    This book''s true home is on another tform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Lyn nodded, "Yes." She kept her voice level and firm. She had to keep the fa?ade going that she was this Destroyer. Even if she didn''t intend to be a Destroyer, she had to y the role. It''s my best option right now.


    "Rest. We will bring what body enhancing potions and salves we have in our possession. Recover. And use the time recovering to re-learn written Arinol."


    It''s the best n for the time being Lyn thought. "I appreciate your wise council. Whom among you is the most capable at teachingnguage?"


    "That would be me," Velenna stated. "When do you wish to start your lessons?"


    "Tomorrow," Lyn said. Let''s see if this jogs anything loose. "I have another question. A name sticks out to me in my memories. Someone named Lyn Rivers. Do any of the reports mention that name?"


    Vael looked through the scrolls rapidly, shaking her head, "No, my Lordship."


    Not even my name survived. Just a humanoid blot in memory and written history. That should mean I don''t have to use a fake name. In fact, using her real name would be ideal. If it spread, then the other heroes might hear it. She hoped they had not lost their memories as well. Thomas, at the very least, would never have forgotten. As the Knowledge hero, he never forgot anything. No spell could force it out of his brain. I''ll have to find him as soon as I can.


    "I wish to go to my chambers," Lyn said. "That name must have a purpose. I shall use it. Lyn Rivers, or Lady Rivers, is what you shall refer to me as." She smiled, "Lady Rivers, the Destroyer." Yeah, that has a pretty epic ring to it.


    "Of course!" Vael said, shooting upright and bowing deeply before extending a helping hand. Lyn took that hand and leaned on Vael for support. "Your Lordship''s-er, Ladyships'' chambers are this way."


    As Vael helped her along the halls, Lyn was shown reverence by those Duskari that they passed. People who bowed and threw themselves onto the floor. "Why am I so revered?" Lyn muttered to Vael. "I sought the destruction of all."


    "You are the one who saved us."


    "Come again?"


    "You saved the Duskari. Shall I advise Valenna to also review the histories of our people?"


    "Yes. I need to understand." Plus, Lyn thought. They don''t seem to be a nihilistic death-cult worshipping destruction. The heroes were told when they arrived that the Duskari craved the destruction of everything, hence their worship of the Demonic Dragon. If they were just a misunderstood enemy. There''s more to this we didn''t know.


    Vael blushed, "Of course, your Lord-er, Ladyship. If¡­"


    "Ask what you want," Lyn said, rapidly warming up to the idea of being an object of worship.


    "Why choose Lady Rivers as a name? Why not Lord?"


    Lyn chuckled, and her own voice once more entranced her with how cute it was. "Do I look like a man?" Keep the ruse going. They think you''re the Demonic Dragone back. "Maybe in a past life I was a man, in my former existence as a dragon."


    "A wise move, Lady Rivers," Vael said. "But if I may be so bold to ask-"


    "Just ask. I''m not one for decorum."


    "Ye-Yes ma''am. Why did you reincarnate as a Duskari? You were a true dragonst time who took mortal form when it suited you."


    Lyn stared down the tunnel, and half-answering the question, half-asking herself, replied, "Who says I''m not a true dragon?" For all I know, I could be. A true dragon was the most powerful type of dragonkin. Not a dumb wyvern that had the intelligence of a hawk. Not a wyrm that carved its home inside the mountains as an enormous lizard. Not a regr dragon that could talk and hoarded wealth, but only valued greed. No, a true dragon was one that stood at the pinnacle of Ghomar''s various creatures. One capable of destroying kingdoms on their own, and who were both nuanced and could shapeshift into humanoid form. Maybe I can turn into one.


    They arrived at an ornate pair of wooden doors iid with gold. Vael pulled out a small, gold key and fit it into the lock. She pushed it open, and Lyn had to take a sharp inhale at the sheer opulence that she was greeted with. The chambers put the most ornate mansion she had ever seen on social media to shame. No single kingdom could hold a candle to the wealth on disy. The whole room was covered in gemstones ¨C the walls a dark, ck granite with embedded rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. The floor was naught but ornate, herringbone tiles of alternating silver and gold tes. A series of doors led off from the room, but in the center was a prominent bed; the biggest she''d ever seen.


    And it was dusty.


    Vael growled, "If you''ll excuse me, Lady Rivers. I''ll go and get this cleaned up." She gently set Lyn in a chair before turning back to the room. Exhaling, Vael raised a hand, and the air around them thrummed with power. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / estelio i aearwain / a nno iathad / a estelio hain parv sui i anarr." A globule of water manifested in her hand before it ttened into a disc, and finally dispersed into a fine mist that fell upon every surface.


    Lyn could see the dust and other detritus being sucked up by the watery mist before it lifted, returned to Vael''s hand,pressed into a sphere of water, and she grabbed it. Stepping back into the hallway, she threw it with a sploosh before returning to Lyn. "There we go. Let''s get you to bed."


    "Hold on," Lyn muttered. "Is there a mirror?"


    Vael nodded, "I believe so, Lady Rivers. None have entered your chambers since you were lost to us." She led Lyn to one of the side-chambers, and an enormous walk-in closet spread in front of them. All manner of clothing was present from fashions all across Ghomar. Was this guy just a fashion-fan, or was he using this to infiltrate and spy on the kingdoms? The end had arge mirror that went from floor to ceiling, and standing in front of it, Lyn finally could take in her whole, new physique.


    It was petite like she thought. Her face was pixie-esque. Her hair was white, long, and wild.  Despite her slim nature, she was decently endowed for her body mass. Score, she thought. She would be able to use her womanly charms to get people to do what she wanted ¨C just like she did back on Earth, and in her time on Ghomar. What stood out the most though was Bhrm''sment about her eyes.


    Lyn had piercing, blue eyes just like a calmke ¨C a more vibrant version of her eyes from Earth. But inside there were flickers of mes, like the blue mes that entranced her in chemistrybs back in 11th grade. They danced within her iris. No longer the prismatic flecks of a hero core¡­this was another indicator that she was something else entirely. "Okay, I''m satisfied."


    Vael nodded and helped Lyn to the bed. "I must rest, your Ladyship. Would you like a servant present?"


    Lyn nodded as sheid on the luxuriously soft bed and her head sank into the amazing pillows. "Yes, please. Someone who is capable of water spells like yourself, or some other way to contain my power should I need to release it."


    Vael nodded, "I''ll get my brother Gael." She bowed deeply and left.


    Lyn finallyid back the whole way and her breath caught in her throat ¨C there was a huge mirror hidden in the canopy above the bed. So, this guy liked to watch himself. Kinky. She chuckled and shuffled her way under the covers, sumbing to the soft embrace of sleep.

 Chapter 7

    Starting with this chapter, you will have several point-of-view swaps as we get to know the other heroes. Lyn will always have a section of every chapter, so you will never be gone from the MC for too long. You''ll also see a few ''slice of life'' style scenes as some of the heroes are living happy lives¡­for now.


    "Get your asses back here!" Kory screamed as he rode his horse after the group of Newen that were roaming the mountain''s foothills. The mottled brown and green skinned lizard-humanoid creatures, once foot soldiers and grunts in the Demonic Dragon''s army, had remained in the region due to their ridiculous breeding speed. Kory felt the rush of adrenaline as they began to turn and form a very well-put-together shield wall with bristling spears.


    That''s not going to help you one bit, he thought as he incanted a spell, shouting his intent ¨C as if these peons could even understand. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / dautho nin helw / a bartho hain dagor." The Berserker hero''s signature spell did not manifest outwardly. It was an internal spell that used his mana to reinforce his skin, turning it to steel and preventing all harm. He pulled his feet from the stirrups and crouched on the saddle.


    Tapping the horse on the left nk with his enormous battle hammer ¨C Krak''il''to ¨C the steed turned sharply as heunched himself with a massive jump. He ascended into the sky before mming down onto the formation from above ¨C their spears doing absolutely nothing save bouncing off of or shattering on his body. The hammer struck three and instantly obliterated them ¨C crushing them into t, gory discs of viscera as blood fountained around him. Kory grinned manically as he twisted the hilt of the artifact ¨C one he had spent considerable time acquiring ¨C as arcing electricity jolted out from the head, stunning and locking the Newen''s muscles in ce.


    He swung in wide, sweeping arcs that crushed his opponents, obliterating them entirely. Only when thest fell did he finally feel the battle-rage start to fade. He was covered in gore, and licked his lips as heughed. "Alright men! Get the ears!" He shouted in Triskol ¨C thenguage of one of the non-primacy kingdoms of Ghomar.


    He put Krak''il''to onto his back-sp and pulled a knife, setting to the grisly but very enjoyable task of carving the Newen''s ears off. Several Humans dressed in simr studded-leather armor came over on horses ¨C with Kory''s in tow ¨C as a few dismounted to help with the butchery.


    Kory stood up and panted slightly as he looked to see a very peculiar sight ¨C one of his men had someone else mounted up behind him. He pointed his dagger, "Who is that?"


    His man saluted ¨C sping his fist to his chest. "It is a scavenger, your grace. Who delved into the Demonic Dragon''s dread fortress."


    The name of that ce sent chills down Kory''s spine. He had almost died there. They had fled, but Lyn had somehow killed the fucker. They never did find her body, though. Just her spear that could survive the intense heat. Misty had performed a spell to see the recent past in the area, and confirmed Lyn''s death. The experience still left him chilled to the core, and the heroes had agreed to keep the fortresspletely off limits, along with other agreements, like James taking the credit for the killing blow. And omitting their cowardice of course. We need people to stay away. If someone else went there, and did the same spell Misty had done¡­the truth mighte out. "Does he know the sentence for scavenging is death?"


    "Ye, M''Lord," the man replied. "But, ye naed to har this¡­"


    Lyn woke up several times in what she learned was the night as the amulet had be full of her excess mana. Thankfully, Gael and Vael were taking turns keeping watch over her as she rested. They had brought over arge, obsidian tub, and Lyn would direct the excess mana as slowly as she could whilst they used a water spell to cool it. On the plus side, they''re getting good at turning this into more obsidian. She chuckled slightly at the thought of creating an industry based around the substance.


    Channeling the mana became easier with the object. She could empty it, open her mana channel ¨C focusing all of her will and mental control on simply controlling the rate of flow ¨C and whatever she didn''t want to actually go through the mana channel, she could divert to the storage device. A few days of this, and I should have good control over my channels themselves. Then I will just need to vent it.


    Eventually, morning arrived and she felt her stomach grumbling. "Gael? I need food."


    The fraternal twin of Vael bowed his head. "Of course, your Ladyship." He left the room and returned several minutester with a Duskari whose head was covered. Ah, right¡­they have a servant caste. Some of the Ari treated everyone equally, but in Duskari culture, those who were not suited tobat or spellcraft were delegated to subservient support roles. It was a two-tier system of existence. Sucky, but hey ¨C some folks are born into privilege. Something I can look at fixing way down the line.


    They seemed to be treated well despite being second-ss citizens. Almost like the Spartans and the Helots, minus the torture and rape. At least, she hoped that those atrocities weren''t happening to this servant caste. The idea of having servants that tended to her every whim left a mixed feeling in her mind. On the one hand, being waited on hand and foot would make life much easier and more pleasurable. But, on the other hand, it was treating these people the exact same as her father had treated her at home. I''ll let it persist, temporarily. But once I''ve solidified my position and there isn''t any doubt that I''m in control¡­I''ll fix it.


    For now, she was starving, and devoured the repast ¨C some type of eggs that had been fried up in butter, an odd, fuzz-covered bacon that tickled her mouth but tasted exactly like prosciutto, and toast of some ck-colored bread with a scrumptious jam. After eating her fill and sending the servant away, Velenna entered the room, shooing Gael out as she carried in several books. "Are you ready, your Ladyship?"


    Lyn nodded and sat up, gingerly stepping on still-tender legs. Her recovery had been quite rapid. Normally, expanding mana channels was done slowly to prevent this exact problem. It was the difference between doing aerobic exercise and running until your heart stopped. The way she went about it was not healthy, and the pain should have been excruciating ¨C but this body was tolerating it very well. The natural rate of recovery was rapid, as well. Maybe I have some of the Demonic Dragon''s regeneration as part of the Destroyer mana core. She threw on a robe made of spider''s silk and sat down at the small table. Velenna sat opposite her. "What do you wish to start with? Written Arinol, or the histories?"


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Let''s start with the history."


    Velenna cracked open an ancient, wood-covered tome that was also bound with extremely fine leather. "Well, let''s start here¡­"


    The first wielder of the Destroyer mana core was named Raevan, and she was simply known as "The Destroyer," with no other fancy title. It was she who took the Ari ¨C created by Aelor, the Creator¨C and asked them to serve her will.


    Those who took service with her became the Duskari and moved to Raevan''s fortress built into the enormous mountain that sat in the center of Ghomar''sndmass. It was ringed on all sides by smaller mountain ranges, and a raging volcano sat atop the highest peaks ¨C constantly in a state of freezing and burning.


    The heroes arrived ¨C twenty of them ¨C each with their own mana cores that were quite powerful. They assaulted Raevan''s fortress ¨C and failed before even making it past the Duskari forces. Their mana cores vanished upon their deaths, rather than being left in the corpse ¨C which is what urred when any other creature died.


    More heroes came, year after year, and then lengthened into five-to-twenty-year spans. Raevan''s scouts had learned that, in one of these instances, heroes were being summoned from other worlds to be used in the hopes that their unique talents and perspectives would allow for Raevan''s defeat. And there would always be twenty summoned. Not all of them would arrive for the final confrontation, having died in their travels, training, and other conflicts they were dragged into. Just like my group, she thought.


    That was the First Age. A time where all nations were aligned against amon foe and struggled mightily to defeat it.


    Eventually, the one who would be renamed to the Paragon hero, the man who would create the Kingdom called Khrrda, slew Raevan using a divine sword that he¨C as the legends said ¨C was gifted by Aelor. Thus, the first Destroyer died. The Destroyer mana core vanished from Raevan''s corpse, just like the hero mana cores did from their bodies.


    And thus, the Victory Age came to be.


    After recovering from the centuries of conflict, the various kingdoms and cultures went to war with each other. Until a new Destroyer arose. Yheron, the Demonic Dragon, who imed to be Raevan reborn. Wielding the Destroyer mana core and maniptingva left no doubt in anyone''s mind.


    And thus, the Demon Age came into being.


    The Demonic Dragon ruled the Duskari for almost two-thousand years ¨C longer than Raevan''s own rule ¨C and it was during his rule that Velenna and her twin, Vehenna, were born and came into his service. There were dozens of waves of heroes who were summoned from other worlds, sent against Yheron, and were crushed by his overwhelming power.


    "And then, he was in by the Paragon hero once more, and a new age began. The hero Age." Velenna reached the end of the book and closed it gently. "You came back to us, my Lady, very rapidlypared to before. The gap between Raevan and Yheron was some five-hundred years. It has only been ten years since yourst incarnation, Yheron, was in."


    Lyn felt her heart stop for a beat. Ten years? I was gone for ten years? She hadn''t checked the time when she left the school and went to the skate park, but it was only a thirty-minute ride. She shook her head, "That is quite a tale of my past. As for why I came back so soon this time, well, I couldn''t stay away."


    But panic washed over her, and she felt herself hyperventting like when she was younger and hid in the closet from her dad to avoid his belt. Or when she hid under the cupboard from her mom''s hair curler. The same fear and anxiety built up within her, and she felt the mana core sizzling and bubbling inside her torso in response to the rising fear and anxiety. So much could have happened in ten years. The world advancing without her¡­and worse¡­forgetting her. She knew she had been wiped from visual memory, and therefore written record, of the Duskari. What if I''ve been left out of everyone''s memory? All her hard work, five years of her life spent in constant toil ¨C wasted. She felt faint.


    "My Lady? You look pale."


    Lyn shook her head and forced the memories back. I can deal with themter once I get a therapist ¨C or whatever the equivalent is here. She knew the best way to repress those memories was to keep herself busy. Shift her focus. "Let''s get started on learning the writtennguage¡­"


    Hours passed as Lyn sat with Velenna. Food and drink were brought to them, and to her satisfaction, Lyn could easily pick up the information that was being presented. After a few hours, she dismissed everyone. "Send Vael in, and then leave us."


    Vael arrived shortly after and bowed, "You summoned me, Lady Rivers?"


    "Yes. I want to try something. Just in case, have your water spell ready." Lyn went to the new obsidian-bucket and held her hand over it. Time to test my theory. The way the words came to her so easily, and her ludicrously fastprehension and fluency in written Duskari, led her to one conclusion. She took a deep breath, and opened the mana channel in her right arm, making the aperture as small as she could.


    The mana was soothing and warm. No longer burning her as long as she didn''t let it build up too much in her mana core. Make it safe. The more borate, the better. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / togo lin gweal / sui lhewig vagol / a tiriol sui garn / erin bar / a then bartha / na i gwilith."


    The mana streamed down her arm and into her palm. A small gust of air blew out in a steady flow, swirling in a light-green-tinged-blue flurry around the bottom of the obsidian bucket, before flying up past her and flowing by her hair. The wind became like a breeze in the desert, or the warmth of a hair dryer. She didn''t feel the same amount of relief from the mana-build-up as shootingva, but her heart fluttered, and she giggled with delight. I still have my Scout mana core!


    That also brought a small amount of disappointment, as it also meant all the mana cores she had gone dungeon-diving with Trish, Misty, and Ben to obtain were no longer present. The Destroyer mana core must have be my primary core.


    When they had first started to adventure and journey to find other mana cores to empower their own, Thomas had warned them. "If you find a core stronger than your own, don''t consume it immediately ¨C because it will override your current core, and while it may be stronger in the short term, you''ll lose all of your growth and development."


    Lyn sighed in frustration. I have to start from square one with my Scout hero core. But the silver lining was that the passive abilities of that core were intact. The ability to limate to cultures, societies, andnguages with ease and grace would certainly be invaluable as she re-explored this world that had aged ten years in her absence. I can be fully ingratiated into their society. Perfect blending.


    Vael''s eyes went wide, "You are powerful, my Lady."


    "I am," Lyn nodded in agreement. I won''t have the same speed, and my control is fucked.


    "Remember," she recalled Thomas saying, "Even if you find a mana core that, say, gives you the ability to use poison spells more effectively, you''ll still have to familiarize your mana channel to be used to that type of spell."


    Just because she had the core didn''t mean that she could start throwing around hurricanes anytime soon. Despite her enormous mana channels enabling her to do so¡­she would need to train with the spell type once more.


    Vael nodded, "Anything else, my Lady?"


    The woman appeared bashful, and Lyn was a deft hand at picking up cues of bodynguage. Oh, she''s into me, she thought. Lyn nodded and looked at the remarkably attractive woman with her tight and toned body, chiseled cheekbones, and intense, red eyes. She had always liked guys and girls and had not beenid in a long time. She felt like celebrating her not-lost mana core. And, she wanted to forget. Forget about the past and the fact that all of her aplishments were seemingly blocked from the memories of those on Ghomar. She needed to feel good. "Feel like having a bit of fun?"


    Vael''s eyes went wide and she nodded with enthusiasm, "Yes, ma''am!"


    Lyn pointed to the bed, "Then, if you''re willing. Strip down."


    Vael giggled and nodded, "As youmand."

 Chapter 8

    Lyn quite enjoyed her night, finally getting to indulge in physicality with someone else. It had been so long for her, and just having a connection of physical intimacy was something she desperately needed after having gone through the recent ordeals: the lead up to the assault of the Demonic Dragon''s fortress, the insane fights, her self-summon¡­she needed this. And Vael was quite an eager participant. I''ll have to reward her with some role in my power structure, she thought.


    That made her pause. What power structure? She never wanted to be a ruler like Cecily. She just wanted to kill the Demonic Dragon, get glory and prestige, and then retire to a castle with servants. Where did that thoughte from?


    She vividly recalled Gina''s words. "Just¡­be careful," she muttered to them around therge hearth after a winter training regimen. Her voice was barely a whisper as she clutched her temples between her words. "¡­Our cores¡­They can change us¡­You might not be the same¡­I''m not¡­The longer we''re here¡­the more we change¡­"


    Lyn''s old dominant core, the Scout core, never really changed her personality because it fit her so well. Hence why she was given that core in the first ce. The same was true for most of the heroes who were summoned. They got cores that suited their personality already. Most of them. Rest in peace, Gina, Lyn thought. Her Oracle core enabled her to see possible futures, and it drove her to suicide. The first of their ss to die. The first dead body that Lyn saw, as she had found her body swinging from the beams across the ceiling. A chilling reminder that this world was deadly and powers beyond theirprehension were at work that could push even the most resilient of minds to the brink of madness and a cliff of despair that plummeted to an ocean of sorrow.


    Lyn knew this mana core was changing her. It was a fast change as well. Her body was not in nearly as much pain, as if the mana core was settling into the new physique. The pain was still present, but not overwhelming and she could move decently well. She''d not be swinging a sword or stabbing with a spear in the next few days, but damn did this body feel good. It was more sensitive in all of the right ces, and she loved that her new eyes let her see in the dark, taking in the beauty in bed with her. She absentmindedly traced her fingers through Vael''s hair and along her skin, feeling the woman''s warmth alongside her, and using the vividly recalled pleasure of the prior night to drive away the memories that haunted her. Today¡­I test out this mana core.


    Vael stirred and sat up, bright-red eyes blinking at Lyn. She grinned, "Did you sleep well, my Lady?"


    Lyn giggled and nodded, running her hand through Vael''s hair. "Yes. You served me well." I could get used to ruling. But her promise rang through her head. She might not have wanted to rule in her past life here, before all of her hard work was dashed away¡­but this was a new start. Sure, she''d try to reim her ce in history and cement her role in the Demonic Dragon conflict. I can be an enlightened absolutist monarch. I''ll make the Duskari''s lives better. Both castes. But first¡­ She chuckled and pushed Vael down on the bed once more. I''m not done with you¡­


    Kory mmed the man in the face, crushing his jaw and sending him flying to crumple onto the ground in a heap. If he hadn''t held back, he would have punched the man''s head clean off. The scavenger would die in the foothills here, outside of the Demonic Dragon''snds without immediate medical care. "A bitch usingva?" Kory muttered.


    "Yes, sir," One of his men replied as he pulled Kory''s horse up to the Berserker hero. "What do you want to do?"


    Koryughed and mounted the steed, petting it gently. "There''s no way. That demonic fucker is dead. We killed that dragon." There''s no way it lived, he thought. It may have been ten years ago, but he could never forget the scene of gore. The dragon''s head exploded ¨C chunks of brain and gore scattered all around. Nothing lived through that. Misty saw the past. She told us it died. He wheeled the mount around, "We return to base camp. I feel like fucking a whole brothel of whores."


    There was cheering and jests from the men as they rode off towards the kingdom of Vgonia. Kory''s semi-permanent encampment was in between that kingdom and the no-mansnd that marked the edge of the Valley of the Volcano. It afforded him plenty of means to hunt down the old servants of the viin, and their ears brought in a hefty bounty. Plus, he could keep people away from the dread fortress. The other heroes sent him a good chunk of change to do so.


    Back on Earth, he was the only person in the group of twenty seniors who was on his way to be a top-tier athlete. "Fight like hell for what you want," His pops would say. "Then, you can fuck any bitch you want." And that led Kory to his current creed and the one that his whole mercenary outfit followed. ''Fight, Fuck, Feel Good.'' Now that the Demonic Dragon was gone, and the rest of the heroes had fucked off to their own shitty, little lives, Kory was free to do whatever he wanted.


    And killing was so, so much fun. After they arrived in Ghomar, he found the thrill ofbat to be enthralling. More adrenaline-pumping than scoring the winning touchdown. Not even fucking two girls at oncepared to the joy he found in ughter. But it was a close second.


    He let out a whooping holler as his men took up the cheer behind him. They''d party like kings that night. And the scavenger? Obviously lying. That fucker is dead. He pushed aside the memories of the past. Fuck and forget.


    Lyn dismissed Vael before taking a nice, warm bath. The tub was enchanted and she simply had to activate the embedded inscription to conjure heated water. After rxing and thoroughly washing her hair, several servants came in. The nonbatant and non-spell proficient Duskari patted her dry with sumptuous towels, and at her instruction also braided her hair into a warrior braid like Vael''s. Something to keep it out of the way.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition.


    Lastly, she went to the expansive wardrobe and instructed the servants to alter them all to fit her female physique. After they took some measurements, she threw on a simple pair of pants, jerkin, and ¨C to her delight ¨C found boots that fit her very well. They were like the punk-rocker boots that she wore back home, covered in metal studs and with metal around the edges and along the top of the foot. Closer to booted greaves, she thought.


    She left the room and waved to Gael. He ran over and saluted with his spear. "What do youmand, my Lady?"


    "What is the status of those body enhancing substances that the elders promised?"


    "I regret to inform you, my Lady, that we do not have any remaining tinctures." Gael''s voice wavered slightly, as if he was afraid to share that news.


    Lyn waved dismissively, "These things happen," she muttered. "I need to experiment. Where are the training grounds?"


    Gael led her down a long corridor. They passed several Duskari warriors of varying age and gender ¨C as the Ari had no sense of sexism, seeing both genders as equal in all things. They all had the tell-tale sign of body enhancement within their skin and wore studded, dark leather. They are relying on their speed. Just like I did.


    It was a smart way to fight. Why have heavy armor if your skin was as tough as the protective encasement? It was her preferred way to fight. This body was suited to that. Small blessings and silver linings, she thought. It was still odd being in a non-Human body¡­but Lyn was rapidly growing to like this form and its inherent advantages. Last night and that morning had definitely made her appreciate this physique.


    She nced at Gael who kept looking at her rear, and she caught his gaze, staring daggers at him. "Would you like to say something?" She growled, as her voice dropped into the Demonic Dragon''s vocal range.


    "N-no!" Gael stuttered as he quickly averted his gaze.


    Lynughed as her voice reverted to its new normal, "Let me guess, Vael told you aboutst night." Gael nodded sheepishly, keeping his gaze averted. "I swing both ways if you''re really interested," Lyn stated tersely, mustering up as much charm as she could as she winked at him. Gael''s face went red ¨C astonishingly so, giving his white skin ¨C and he nodded briefly. Lyn turned forward and kept walking. It''s the only way to keep the memories back. If she wasn''t busy doing something, and just lying in bed waiting to sleep¡­they would return. And she didn''t want to deal with that. Not now. Not ever.


    "Fuck and forget," she recalled Kory saying after they had finished fighting arge battle with a neighboring kingdom. One that sought to capture the heroes and strip them of their mana cores to empower their own troops. The first time Lyn had to kill fellow Humans and not monsters or servants of the Demonic Dragon. It scarred all of the heroes deeply in their psyches. Kory was the only one of them that had killed Humans up to that point, having crushed a group of brigands that wouldn''t relent in their demands.  "That''s what I''m going to do. Fuck someone sexy, and forget about this whole war. Who doesn''t want to sleep with a hero?"


    The other ssmates coped in their own ways ¨C Thomas consumed book after book in his library, Cecily hosted borate parties, Brad started crafting the magic version of cocaine, just to name a few of their coping mechanisms. But Lyn agreed with Kory in his mindset. Fuck and forget. She wasn''t a huge fan of alcohol, and had kept away from drugs. But her body? Oh, she''d use that to help her forget the atrocities she hadmitted on the battlefield.


    They arrived in an enormous cavern. There were many dummies set up and archers drilled arrows over and over into the center of the targets. Martial dummies were also set up, and warriors practiced with weighted wooden des. They''re smart about their training. She knew that training with a much heavier version of your chosen weapon was an excellent way to build lethality with the real thing. She went to the end of the cavern where arge space was set aside for spell practice. "Gael, be ready with a water spell in case things go out of control."


    "Of course, my Lady."


    Lyn felt the roiling, bubbling of the Destroyer mana core inside her. Time to test out the basics. There were many different types of spells. Broadly, they were categorized in two types. Internal spells and external spells. I know I''m capable of external spells, Lyn thought. The fact she had shotva and wind had attested that enough. So, let''s try internal. Every mana core was capable of internal spells. Some were much better at it ¨C such as the more martial-aligned hero cores.


    She calmed her breathing, focusing her swirling mana that bubbled and simmered. Willing her mana channels to open slightly, she whispered the spell. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an dautho nin ennas." A simple incantation, one of the basic ones that warriors across Ghomar memorized. She felt the warm mana seep through her mana channels before stopping at the tips of her limbs. Her clothes tightened as her muscles expanded and her physique bulked. A body-strengthening spell that pushed mana into the muscles to improve strength, speed, reaction time, and efficacy.


    The mana continued to slowly seep into her mana channels, and she stopped the flow. One, two, three¡­ she kept count as she put herself through some light calisthenic exercises ¨C pushups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and jogging in ce. After three minutes, her increased muscle mass faded, and her form returned to normal.


    If she had kept the flow of mana going through her channels, then she could maintain the improved strength for a longer period of time. Or if she was doing light activity. Three minutes using a single burst of mana was impressive. Lyn was breathing heavily as the exertion caught up with her, and Gael rushed up to catch her before she fell. Still not fully recovered. Once she was fully healed and her mana channels stopped throbbing with pain, that same exhaustion wouldn''t hit post-spell.


    Other Duskari had stopped their activities to watch her. Makes sense, she thought. Word spread about my arrival. They want to see what I can do. Lyn put her hand on Gael''s arm, "Thank you."


    The man nodded and, still blushing from her earlierment, helped her stand upright. "Your internal spells are magnificent," he said sheepishly.


    "What would you expect?" Lyn asked as she tried to put on a face of arrogance and confidence, only partially being faked as she was impressed at the durability of this body and the power of the Destroyer mana core. Even in this weakened state, strength-wise when using that spell, she could probably bench press three-hundred pounds. Once fully recovered? She would probably be able to go toe-to-toe with the strongest bodybuilder on Ghomar. "I''m the Destroyer." She got her second wind and stood upright. "Hand me a spear, I need to see if my muscles remember how to act."

 Chapter 9

    Lyn sparred for several minutes with Gael, not using any internal spells, just testing herbat capabilities in this new form. Thankfully, somehow, when she was banished and reverse-summoned herself back to Ghomar, the muscle memory came along. Wielding weaponry was like second nature to her. The spear in particr. She kept Gael on the defensive the whole time, and even had two other warriors join in an assault against her. She was able to maintain her edge and hold them all back, but she felt her legs quaking from the exertion, and waved for them to stop. She dropped to a knee and breathed heavily. Mana channels still recovering. Fuck. I''m going to be sore tomorrow. She was correct in her earlier assessment of her body''s state. If not for the internal spells supporting her physique, she would have copsed.


    "We''re done with the sparring for today," Lyn muttered.


    Gael nodded, "Yes, my Lady."


    I need to test out other external spell types. Lyn used the spear to push herself up and walked to the external spell training area. Over the next ten minutes, she tried a variety of external spells. First, she performed simple sts with each elementalism sub-type, except forva and air.


    The rest of the elements did not respond, and the spells did not take effect. That irked her. Being able to use multiple elements ¨C even as simple as a small puddle from the water elementalism¨C was a drastic game-changer for versatility. She looked at Gael, "Is your mana sufficient enough for external spells?"


    He smiled slightly, his demeanor shifting for the first time from sheepishness to pride. "I''m only capable of water elementalism."


    "Really?"


    Gael nodded, "My sister and I were nicknamed the water twins."


    She recalled when the heroes were freshly summoned, maybe a week since they got their hero cores, and were practicing in one of the castle courtyards of Kor''s Hold. She remembered failing to use fire elementalism and healing external spells. She had approached Thomas and Misty, and the two came up with an odd exnation. "For some reason, the Heroes are limited ¨C except us two, Knowledge and Mage. The rest of you will have to get more spell types by consuming dungeon or monster cores."


    "What about other people?" Lyn had asked. I saw kids in the market square tossing water and wind balls at each other."


    "Well," Misty began, "Everyone on Ghomar can use internal spells, and mana charge a tool ¨C normally a weapon. They can also use every type of external spell¡­the issue is that their mana cores are, for the most part, weak. Especiallypared to us. Those kids were probably using all their mana for a single, tiny water spell."


    Thomas nodded and added, "External spell types generally have a muchrger mana cost. So, if they don''t have enough mana, they can''t even use the spell type despite having ess to it¡­unlike most of you. A few are born with some type of¡­gic trait that reduces the mana cost of an external spell type. But it''s like a rare mutation. The mutation is mostmon for the healing external spell type¡­but even then it can''t be more than a few percent of the poption."


    Lyn returned to the present, nodded at Gael, and turned back to the testing range. Time to try out more. This is going to take a while. Thankfully, she could drain the mana out of the amulet around her neck, and the Destroyer mana core was so potent that she could cast spells for days on end if she had a mind to. I don''t think I''ll ever run out in a fight unless shit goes sideways before hitting the fan.


    She spent a good thirty minutes cycling through the various external spell types. Lava and wind elementalism came to her naturally, as if they were second nature. The former was easy to manipte, and thetter would require training¡­but the feeling was simr to when she had approached her two friends. If she wanted to use more spell types, she''d have to find cores.


    Continuing her various incantations, she spotted several Duskari chatting around her, hearing their whispers clearly with her improved hearing.


    "Making custom spells? That''s risky, right?"


    "Yeah, that''s why we stick to memorized verses. She''s dangerous."


    "I heard that she doesn''t have her memory."


    "She doesn''t look like she could kill an army."


    "I wouldn''t mind sneaking into her chambers if she''d have me."


    Lyn turned to the one thatmented on her appearance not being suited to destroying foes. "You! Approach."


    The man who had said that came to attention before slowly approaching. She could tell that he was scared, the same look in the eyes of the heroes that had abandoned her. "Y-Yes¡­my Lady?"


    "Repeat what you said. To my face." She stared slightly up at him.


    "I¡­Um¡­"


    "Say. It. To. My. Face." She made sure that every word was filled with as much malice she could muster, and she heard her voice drop to that draconic guttural tone.


    The sweat began to bead upon the man''s forehead, "That you don''t look like you could kill an army."


    Lyn held her arm to the side ¨C down range. She spouted off a series of words at a pace that would rival some of the fastest rappers back on Earth. Years of practicing rapid incantations, to demonstrate the sheer difference of mastery to the other heroes. "En an¨ªra le / anor h¨ºn / arost a nartho / erin ethraid uin angol / losto a gadar / I thand an-uir nin ganuin / a then thalion nin / an hain i thia." She felt the mana roil within her ¨C more than it had ever done ¨C and she fully loosened her mana channel. It surged along her arm with a pleasant heat, as if eager to destroy as she hadmanded. To devour and consume the far end of the cavern as incanted in Elenthir. Theva exploded from her hand in a cone. As if a floodgate was opened and a dam let its water loose. The whole room lit up and immediately all but Lyn began to sweat profusely.


    Gael used a water spell ¨C perhaps instinctively ¨C to cover himself in a shell to protect from the worst of the heat. The rest of the Duskari ran to the back of the cavern ¨C save the one that Lyn hadmanded approach. He was rooted to the spot, staring in fear and awe, as a torrent ofva consumed the whole spell range, sshed against the far wall, and then sat, bubbling. He gulped and began to stutter, "F-f-forgive m-me."


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Lyn looked at him, feeling very calm and rxed as her mana core was almost empty from the enormous st. She felt it slowly bubbling, refilling once more, and tapped her foot to keep a time count. "Dismissed," she muttered to the one on the ground. "All of you!" she shouted, as the room cleared out. "Except you, Gael."


    The Duskari spearman nodded, "Would you like me to cool this patch?" he asked, in awe and slightly bewildered as the whole football-field sized space in front of them was a zing hellscape of molten rock that glowed with fury.


    "Yes. I have more testing to do," Lyn replied. Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen. She kept count with her tapping foot. Gael incanted several times, over and over, a simple water production spell. Over the course of ten minutes, he was exhausted and had used up all of his mana. Lyn felt her mana core bubbling over again, and she had to divert the power into the amulet. Ten minutes to fully recharge my mana. That was¡­awesome! She had so much magical power at her fingertips. So much potential to what she could do.


    ¡­If she had the other spell types. She raised her hand towards the still bubbling patch and continued a litany of spells. After thorough testing over the course of an hour, she determined that she had ess to no other spell types save for internal spells, wind, andva elementalism.


    But there''s one more thing I want to try, she thought as she recalled the words of Lawrence, the Shifter hero. The memory was vivid ¨C the first time they had conquered a Dungeon as a group. Lawrence had a special ability granted by his mana core that allowed him to take on shapes of creatures he ate. "Just remember," he said as his body shifted and morphed, his voice distorting to a deep baritone. "Anyone can shapeshift. Hybrid forms are less risky, and you can stay one for longer." His body shifted and finished morphing into that of a car-sized tiger. "Unless you''re me ¨C fully shifting is risky. You might get stuck that way unless another person uses a spell to fix you."


    Lyn took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Carefully word it. "En an¨ªra le / thalion min / ananno nin i barad o amarth-drakon / sui I maethor bo nin ¨²ath / bartho nin uin del / anno nin madhras a nagrann / erin ennas."


    She looked down and sighed as the spell fizzled, the mana remaining within her body. For now¡­shifting is out of the question. The spell was intended to cover her body with dragon scales and give her ws, trying to see if any trace of the Demonic Dragon''s mana core was subsumed like her Scout hero core was.


    In herst summoning, she had not been able to shift very well ¨C it was the most mana intensive of the internal spells, and it required a level of refinement and concentration she couldn''t muster up. But she had seen the hybrid transformations that some of her allies could pull off, like Ben taking on aspects of a turtle to boost his defensive capabilities. She chuckled, recalling the jokes they shared about shifting just certain body parts instead of hybrid or full shift spells. "I''m done testing for the day. I want to return to my chambers."


    Gael nodded and led the way back through theplex. Lyn had already mapped it mentally thanks to the Scout hero core. Looking at his broad, muscr back she suppressed a grin and kept a stern demeanor.


    Therge tower wentpletely silent. A solitary vantage point that looked out upon the whole of the ruins of Elent. Not even the chittering of bugs and the chirps of birds permeated the artificial silence.


    In the top of the tower, Thomas Harrow ¨C the Knowledge hero ¨C was digging through dozens of books and scrolls, tossing them aside as he tried to find a single sheet of parchment. "Where is it?" he muttered frantically as he felt his mana core pulsing in his chest. The pulsing rose and fell like the crests and troughs of waves upon the seas. A notification that something had been triggered. "Ah!" Pulling the tome from the shelf, he set it on the nearby table and began to flip through it. He pulled hisrge, wooden, padded chair up and pored over the pages.


    The passage was clear, and Thomas whispered it aloud to himself ¨C a habit he had picked up from academicpetitions to help cement memories ¨C not that he needed to anymore. He remembered everything that he saw, read, or heard. "In the age where the heroes vanquish the Destroyer, whatever form it may have taken, a new vessel will rise. Thus, the cycle will continue endlessly, until all arebined." He closed his eyes and rifled through his encyclopedic memory, going back to the day that the heroes had assaulted the dread fortress, ten years ago.


    He remembered the aftermath they had witnessed. The Demonic Dragon''s body was missing its head, and they found plentiful brain matter indicating to him that it had exploded. Misty''s spell to look into the past in a localized area confirmed what he had theorized ¨C Lyn''s spear had stabbed into the creature''s eye and released a burst of wind magic. Excellent use of physics, he thought as he yed back the conversation the heroes had after they heard the mighty explosion.


    "What do you mean we can''t find her body?" Misty had said in between tears. "She fell right there!" she said, pointing to a pool of blood, an empty suit of light armor, the artifact spear, and a few other magical items that Lyn carried on her person.


    "Calm down!" James, their de-facto leader had yelled at her as she cowed into submission. "She''s gone. We have to decide, right now, how we''re dealing with this." He looked to the rest of the nine heroes. "I say we take credit."


    "I agree," Cecily replied with a voice that barely contained a hidden glee at the death of someone she despised. "There''s no point giving her the credit. She''s not here to benefit. Just a simple ceremony."


    From then it devolved into squabbling arguments, but ultimately, James and Cecily won out. The story would be that the heroes had fought the Demonic Dragon together, Lyn fell inbat, and James struck the killing blow. They would have Kory stick around, continuing to kill the various servants of the viin that remained, and ensure no one entered the dread fortress. Because if someone else did the same spell Misty did¡­they''d find the truth. Kory was all for the n, having be addicted to the bloodshed and violence.


    And the heroes went their separate ways. Rarely, if ever, speaking to each other. Thomas was the exception, however. He made sure to keep in touch with every single hero on a consistent basis. He knew that he could, if needed, get in touch with each of them. Call a council if necessity required.


    Thomas sighed and pushed the book away, putting his head into his hands. A new vessel will rise¡­that definitely exined the inscription that was triggered. He had ced several inscriptions around the dread fortress and in the mountain pass that led to and from the mighty edifice. Whenva elementalism spells were used in that area, the contingent spell would activate, and his mana core would flow in response.


    There was no doubt in his mind. The Destroyer had returned. Demonic Dragon, or Raevan, or some other, new form of it. He took in a deep breath and grabbed his trusty sk, taking a sip of the endless container of whiskey before grimacing as the burn scorched his throat. I have to be sure. I can''t call on the others without proof. Not after what happened. He stood up, grabbed his pack, and left the tower ¨C sealing it behind him with a powerful inscription.


    Until all arebined. He rolled that phrase over his head as he whistled for his mount. A trained wyvern that was his one constantpanion. The elephant-sized, winged creature pped down from the top of the tower,nding next to him with a massive thud before nuzzling his arm. He pet the snout and scratched the eye ridge. "What do you think it could mean, Hector?" The creature let out a mix between a whine and a growl. "Oh, you just want attention! Dontcha boy!" Thomas chuckled as he mounted Hector''s back, lodging himself between the spines just behind the wing joints as he scratched the scales right behind the eye ridge. "I''ll give you a good scrub downter. Come on boy. We''ve got a long way to go."


    The wyvern took off, pping its wings mightily as they ascended through the skies.

 Chapter 10

    Lyn stood up and stretched. "You''re not half bad," she said as she rolled off of the bed, feeling fully satisfied after the midday tumble atop the sheets.


    "Th-thank you, my Lady," Gael replied as he re-dressed. He followed in after her. "Is that all?"


    Lyn nodded, "Yes. Thank you for being of service."


    Gael''s shyness was still there, but she could tell from the response he was gaining some confidence around her. "You are wee, my Lady." He turned and left her chambers.


    Lyn poured mana into the inscription on the tub as the water lit up to a broil. Servants had provided her with a loofah-like mushroom that shethered up before scrubbing down ¨C lc and vani scents wafting through the now steaming air. I can get really used to this, she thought as she indulged in the post-sexual glow. Sinking under the water she felt the intense heat roiling around her and grinned beforeing up from the liquid. Leaning her head back she plotted her next move.


    She knew her limits when it came to the spell types she could use. Internal spells, thank God. I don''t know what I would do if I couldn''t incant those. For external though¡­just havingva and wind is pretty shitty. She kicked her legs up on the side of the tub and sighed as she put her hand on her face to support it.


    What she really needed was more mana cores. Not just simple ones frommon folk. She needed rare mana cores. Like the hero cores, dungeon cores, or monster cores. Hero cores are right out. She knew that once a hero died, their mana core was sent¡­somewhere. But they didn''t linger in the body or be a physical substance that could then be consumed. But dungeon and monster cores are fair game. Those ones she had umted plenty ofst time. They would give her more types of external spells ¨C increasing her versatility. There was no point in killing regr people ¨C not that she wanted to in the first ce ¨C but it was a valid way of slowly, agonizingly gaining more power. But not versatility and new spell types, since they were unlike the hero cores and could ess all spell types only limited by their mana capacity. Dungeons would be her best bet...and monsters when she could find them.


    Plus, while I''m traveling, I can buy body enhancing tinctures. Or, barring that, collect the raw ingredients myself. Body enhancing was going to be vital if she wanted to stay safe. The more substances she could acquire, the better her body would be at everything. Speed, strength, stamina, thought processing speed. Right now, despite her impressive mana core, mana channels, and potent external spells¡­she was a ss cannon. Her hand being cut off so easily was testament to that fact. I need to find out how much money I do have. She pulled a cord that hung next to the tub.


    A few minutes passed before one of the servant-caste came in, silently bowing. "Fetch one of the elders," Lyn instructed. The servant bowed, left, and returned about five minutester with elder Bhrm.


    He averted his gaze and bowed deeply at the waist, "Yes, my Lady?"


    "What is the status of my treasury?" Lyn asked.


    "I will have to verify, your Ladyship. Butst we catalogued, the treasury sat at 4,000 Gold Eagles, 36,000 Silver Kestrels, and 240,000 Copper Owls, give or take some coinage."


    Lyn nodded. A hefty fortune. Not the most money she''d ever seen ¨C that record went to the time her and the ¨C at the time ¨C fourteen other heroes slew an enormous, tower-sized troll whose treasure hoard held 10,000 Gold Eagles. But it was a sizeable sum of money regardless. "Has the valuation changed in the past ten years?"


    "No, your Ladyship. 10 Silver Kestrels, or 100 Copper Owls, are worth 1 Gold Eagle, still. The Free City of Bashinol has kept the rate very consistent." Bhrm looked up from his bow, raising a hand to block of view of Lyn''s nude form in the tub. "Do you wish to pull monies from the treasury?"


    "Not at this moment," Lyn muttered. The Demonic Dragon was a goddamn dragon. It should have had a hoard somewhere. But where¡­If there was one thing she knew about dragons ¨C which had somehow transmigrated to Earth''s mythology ¨C it was that dragons in Ghomar hoarded treasure. "Where did myst incarnation spend the most time?"


    Bashinol''s eyebrow cocked up in puzzlement, "Your throne room in the fortress, your grace."


    Lyn closed her eyes and tried to refocus on the image of the throne room. But what greeted her was the rush of memories from fighting the Demonic Dragon. She felt her heart rate rising and her mana roiling within her as she felt a panic attacking on from the vivid recollection of the pain and fiercebat, she had endured less than three days ago in the grand scheme of time. "Leave me!" she said, more forcefully than she intended, her voice defaulting to the deep, draconic growl.


    She closed her eyes and heard the door close. Fuck! She mmed her fist into the side of the tub, put her head under the water, and screamed.


    Koryughed raucously as he passed the woman to his men, pping her on the rear as one of the lucky recruits took her upstairs. Taking arge tankard of ale, he chugged the whole thing in one go. "Barkeep! More!" He shouted as he mmed a stack of Gold Eagles onto the countertop.


    The overweight man came over with a grin, swiping the money and putting several tankards of cool ale on the countertop. Kory knew he was being overcharged, but he didn''t care in the slightest. The ale tasted horrible, but the alcohol content was high. "Fight, fuck, feel good!" He shouted as he raised the new mug. His mercenaries raised their gons and cheered ¨C the ones that weren''t busy bending wenches over the tables, that is.


    He mmed back the booze as the foggy memories faded from his mind. The horrific images of violence that haunted his waking moments, obliterated by the mix of physical, carnal pleasure and inebriation. The only times he felt relief from the cascading crescendo of seeing his friends and ssmates killed in front of him was when he was in the middle ofbat. That, being upied by women, or drunk on whatever he could get his hands on.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Captain Kory!" The door mmed open as one of his youngest recruits came barging into thebination brothel/bar. "Sir!" He ran up and handed Kory a scroll.


    "You think I can read right now?" Kory let out a belch as he grabbed another gon, "Read it, boy."


    The recruit nodded and opened the scroll, "It is from a man named Volio. Ahem. To Kory, it''s been a while. Six years if I recall thest time we met up and shared a meal and drink. I trust you''re doing well, staying around the dread fortress. Getting to kill the servants of the former Demonic Dragon must be a hell of a thrill! Anyways¡­I''ve got a feeling. It''s a weird feeling. But¡­well, I think that Lyn-"


    Kory grabbed the scroll from the recruit''s hands, fear racing up his spine and shocking him amidst the swirling room andntern-light. "That''s enough," he muttered to the recruit. "I''ll read the rest. Fuck off." The recruit bowed and left in a hurry. Kory unrolled the scroll and kept reading.


    -is still alive. I know, I know, I''ve been saying it for years. But I''ve searched everywhere I can think of. No body means she had to have survived, right? I talked to Cecily and was trying to put together an expedition, but she dismissed me instantly. Can you believe that bitch? Not even giving me two minutes to talk. Just in and out in thirty seconds. Heh. Sounds like something you''re familiar with, eh?


    Kory''s mind zed over with a pleasant memory. Getting his first taste of real sexual pleasure, under the bleachers at an away game. The woman he waspletely enamored with but could never have. Just an asional fuck. The valedictorian with a talent for driving him crazy. Now she was some pompous princess ¨C not Queen, a princess ¨C who ruled Vgonia. A kingdom she took over and renamed after her ownst name. Kory kept reading as he shoved the happy memory from his hazy recollection.


    Anyways, I''m still looking for Lyn, and I n on visiting the region soon. I''m going to head inside the dread fortress. Maybe we missed a trap door or something. If we cross paths, let''s get a drink. If you want to check out the inside with me, well, that would be awesome. Hope you''re doing well, man. Stay safe. ¨C Volio Mori.


    Kori crumpled the scroll and opened the hood of a nearbyntern, chucking it inside before shutting the front. That fucker is batshit crazy going back in there, he thought. Spotting one of the prostitutes having just finished with one of his men, he stood up and grabbed her by the wrist. "My turn," he growled as he lifted her over his shoulder and went upstairs.


    Lyn dried off and dressed out in in clothes once more, since the prior wardrobe was still being altered. Calling both Vael and Gael to escort her ¨C and instructing them to bring a simple short sword for her to use ¨C she led the way back to the trap door. Back through the bloody hallway ¨C cleared of bodies when they discovered her, as she learned. And back into the throne room.


    Walking into the chamber, Lyn felt that same sense of urgency and panic rise in her chest. This is where she died. Or at least, where she thought she died. But there''s something I have to check. "Gael, use a water spell. I want you to make a puddle around the dais."


    Gael nodded and held up his hand, "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an aro / aechad / a m?r en-aear." A waterfall burst from his palm as the liquid spread around the dais. Lyn crouched next to the stone b and saw, to her immense satisfaction, that her instinct was correct. The water was slowly draining down. "We need to lift this," she said, looking back at the two Duskari warriors.


    Vael and Gael shared a look before Vael spoke, "Forgive me, my Lady. But we do not have the appropriate spell type for this task."


    "How many of the warrior-caste are present in the Conve?"


    "Around five hundred, my Lady," Gael stated.


    "And of the servant-caste?"


    "Maybe a thousand?" Vael replied.


    "Do we have any earth elementalism capable Duskari amongst either group?"


    "I''m not sure, my Lady. I don''t think it''s ever been recorded."


    "Gael, go and fetch fifty of the warrior-caste. Tell them to bring crowbars." Lyn stood up as she walked around the dais, looking for a weak-spot where she might be able to dig tools in. I''ll also need to have thorough testing done to make a list of who can do what. Her examination was fruitless, and so she sat on a chunk of obsidian.


    Vael came over and stood next to her, "My Lady? Are you okay?"


    Lyn nodded as she looked around the vast throne room with the shattered roof letting some dappled sunlight in. "This ce brings back memories." She shut her eyes and could feel the impact against her chest, echoing as a resonance that caused her mana core to roil. Opening her eyes once more she looked at Vael and sighed. "I died here. And now I''m back here. It''s a bit much."


    "Permission to sit?" Lyn nodded and Vael sat next to her, couching her spear along her forearm. "I am here to listen, my Lady."


    Lyn stared nkly at the wall. The shattered obsidian spire where she had been impaled was still there, as was the bloodstain that had darkened to ck on the wall behind. Looking at it sent shivers down her spine, and her vision narrowed. She felt her head swirling and reached over, gripping Vael''s leg, tethering herself to the here-and-now.


    "My Lady? Are you unwell?"


    Lyn looked at the woman and let the red eyes pierce into her own, washing away the recollections of that room and the past by reliving the memories of her sexual activities with Vael. It pushed back the memories, thankfully. "I''m fine. Still recovering from my reincarnation," she lied. "Tell me of the Duskarimand structure," she instructed ¨C hoping to get her mind off things.


    "When you aren''t ruling, the three oldest Duskari make the big decisions. The elders. They rule as a council. We¡­don''t really have amand structure for the warrior-caste."


    "That needs to change," Lyn muttered. "When this small expedition is over, I have ns that will need to be enacted. I''m appointing you and Gael as my personal cohort."


    Vael stood up instantly and saluted, sping her right fist to her torso and bowing at the waist, "My Lady, it is my honor." She looked up from the bow with a sheepish grin. "We will serve you faithfully forevermore."


    Lyn nodded and stood as the sound of booted feet reached her ears. A few momentster, Gael entered, leading a group of fifty men and women Duskari, all with spears and swords sheathed, and holding lengths of raw iron. Gael saluted and bowed in front of her, the rest of the warriors following suit. "My Lady, we do not have crowbars, but the smiths are working on several."


    "It is fine," Lyn said. "Follow my instructions¡­" She spent the next few minutes ordering the warriors to ce the jagged iron rods into various crevices and cracks ¨C not wanting to risk usingva and destroying what might be under the throne. Once they were all in ce, they all used the simple internal spell to empower their physique, and their muscles swelled.


    "Now!" she shouted, and they all pushed down, slowly levering up the enormous b of granite. More rods were inserted in the gap, and they continued to push it sideways until there was a gaprge enough for a person to fit through. Lyn peered down and saw a set of stairs, spiraling downward. "A little more!" The Duskari heaved and shifted positions, revealing half of the staircase. There was panting mixed with mutters. "Good work. Take the day off."


    The Duskari looked at each other, confused, and one raised their hand. "My Lady? What do you mean?"


    Right. Colloquialisms aren''t the same. Damn, what phrase did they use¡­ She shook her head, "I don''t need your assistance anymore. Do as you will," she muttered, waving at them dismissively.


    They turned to each other, shrugged, and went back to the hallway and the hidden entrance to the Conve. Gael stayed and talked in hushed tones with Vael, bing quite excited before bowing once more. "My Lady, thank you for this honor!"


    Lyn nodded and pulled her short sword from its hip-sheath. "Sure. Nowe along." I knew that dragon bastard had a hoard somewhere.

 Chapter 11

    "Dad, I want a turn!" Eli shouted as he stood, impatiently, next to the fenced-in, grass-covered field where his sister rode their pony. Eli''s ruddy, brown hair was just like his father''s. And he had the same, stern, brown eyes.


    "I''m not done yet!" Lyndra shouted back.


    Ben suppressed augh and put on his stern dad-voice. "Lyndra, give your brother a turn." The girl of seven sighed and rode the steed over. Ben reached over the waist-high fence, helped her off, and then put Eli on the steed. He rode off and let out a whooping call as he rode around the field.


    "Not fair!" Lyndra said as she crossed her arms with a pouty face. "I don''t get to gallop!"


    "When you''re older, sweetie," Ben said as he put her on his broad shoulder. "You have to be bigger, so you don''t get hurt if she bucks."


    "Ben!" He heard the melodic call of his wife. "Would you minding over here?"


    He set Lyndra down. "I''ll tell you what. Go find Lawry and bring him to the house¡­I''ll get you some iced sweet cream. Just you and Lawry. Okay?"


    Lyndra buzzed with delight before nodding her head rapidly, her blonde hair and light-green eyes captivating Ben as always, a spitting image of his wife with his eyes. She dashed off towards their herb garden where his youngest, Lawry, would sit and watch thedybugs in the mid-morning sunshine.


    Ben chuckled as he watched her dash down the small dirt trail. He went up to his gorgeous wife and gave her a kiss as he cupped her belly. "What can I do for you, sweetness?"


    Trisha giggled and pointed to the side of the house, "The roof. Something is leaking."


    Ben looked up and nodded, "I''ll take care of it. Do you need anything?"


    Trisha shook her head, "Just your loving. Oh, and keeping an eye on the kids. I want to finish that anatomy report." She gave him another kiss before going inside the house. Ben went around the outside of the house and set up a trustydder, climbing onto the roof. Damnit, he thought. I patched thatst week!


    There was a bird that was nesting in their nearby orchard, and it had taken some of the roofing material for its nest. The gap was noticeable, and he sighed as he mbered down thedder. Who would have ever thought we''d be living like this?


    Ben was the Guardian hero. Trisha, the Healer hero. They had retired from the hero life once the Demonic Dragon was defeated and had three wonderful children with a fourth on the way. Trisha ran a school for teaching healing spells alongside actual medicine, and Ben ran the equivalent of a boxer''s gym to train warriors from across thend.


    In exchange for learning from two of the heroes, those warriors and healers would work therge, country estate in the hearnds of the kingdom of Trisk. It was a good life they had built. They were well-off, both stayed busy, but had plenty of time with each other and their growing family. Soon enough, the children would have tutors brought in to educate them. Not the same level as what Trish and Ben could teach them from their time on Earth, but the basics ¨C since neither of them knew how to teach young children.


    I should ask Thomas toe and stay for a while. He remembers everything. Poor bastard. The memories of the past still haunted the both of them from time to time, and Ben vividly recalled several near-death experiences having been on the front lines¡­but with Trisha''s help and support, and his for her, they got through it. They had named their kids after some of the fallen heroes in honor of their deeds.


    But, every time he saw Lyndra, he remembered the pact the heroes had made ten years ago.


    "Strike her from memory," Cecily had insisted. "We need to make sure that no one remembers her. If they find out that we didn''t kill the Demonic Dragon, and instead she did? We''re fucked. We''ll lose our credibility overnight."


    Ben and Trisha joined Misty in wanting to exalt Lyn''s deeds and promote her legend¡­but Cecily threatened to bring the wrath of a kingdom down upon them. They just wanted to retire and have a family in a time of peace and do what they loved¡­so they capitted. Naming their daughter after her was the best they could do without risking the anger of that bitch.


    Shaking the memories from his head, Ben walked over to the shed and grabbed a few bundles of hay, hauling them to thedder and mbering up once more before spreading it out and weighing it down. That''ll do for now. I really need a tiled roof, he thought. Preferably before Spring ends. I should-


    A loud, colossal pping caught his attention. Immediately, he looked to the skies. Wyvern? His muscles tensed and he began to open his mana channels to let the raw power flow through him to activate the protective spell inscribed into the stone foundation of the house. He saw therge creature in the distance, and a figure atop it. He rxed at the sight. Only one person had tamed a wyvern that he knew of. Well, speak of the devil. I wonder what he''s doing visiting this time of year.


    Lyn descended the stairs, holding the sword out in front of her and poking at the floor. She had delved into enough dungeons to know that traps were quitemon. And the Demonic Dragon''s hoard would be no exception. On the third step she encountered the first trap; a section of stone that looked the same as the others, save for the slightlyrger groove that ran alongside one edge. "Avoid this spot," she said as she tapped around the stone block.


    "What will we find down here?" Gael asked.


    "My hoard," Lyn replied. I hope that''s what''s down here, she thought. If not, this is going to be hard to exin. The descent was short and after less than twenty feet of depth, the spiraling ceased and a single, metal door stood in front of her. There was a lock in the center, and it was perfectly flush against the stonework surrounding it. The lock was shaped like an extended talon or w. No opening this without having some shifting spell. She put her palm to edge of the door where it met the granite. If I was a dragon, I would trap the lock. Best to just cut around it. "An¨ªron cened anor / i bui i rith en-uir / ¨²-anadar / nin dorn / aphad na amarth / erin idhren."


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    A small beam ofva extended from her palm and she used that to cut around the outside edge of the door. It took her a minute, as she had to wait for the molten metal to be ejected from the opposite side, but after a short time she had cut all the way through the door exterior. "Gael, please kick this down."


    Gael nodded and switched ces with her, putting his booted foot against the door and shoving. The door fell inward and onto the pile of molten metal ¨C allowing for safe ess to the tunnel beyond. "Your Ladyship."


    Lyn patted him on the shoulder as she squeezed by. She scanned the walls for any tell-tale signs of trap work. As she slowly tapped her de along the various bits and pieces of stone, she vividly recalled the lessons of Zack, the Rogue hero, as they went into their first dungeon as a group of ¨C at the time ¨C neen heroes. "See this? The grooves? That means des. See this? The holes? Spikes. Look for any inconsistencies. It''s like ying that game where you have two pictures that are almost the same, but there''s something off. Instead of two pictures, you have topare the surroundings with the other surroundings."


    She continued prodding, but found no traps. Looking up at the ceiling, she recalled his second lesson. After they had triggered their first trap ¨C which even he didn''t figure out until after-the-fact. Thankfully, it hadn''t killed anyone. "Note to self," he said. "Well, and you all. If the whole hallway or room looks too perfect¡­it''s a trap."


    That''s what this looks like, Lyn thought. The hallway was too perfect. Too neat. Not a single bit of the stonework was marred, which would be expected of worked stone. Small imperfections. Unless it was made with spells. In which case, it could be perfect¡­but I can''t use divination or detection spells. She nced back to Gael and Vael. "Hand me your spear," she said to the male. He handed it to her, and sheunched it like a javelin through the hall. As soon as it had gone ten feet, phantasmal, purple-blue des sliced it into pieces before vanishing into the walls. "Magical trap it is."


    Gael sighed, "That was my favorite spear."


    "I''ll get you a new one," Lyn muttered. "We need to find a way past this."


    Vael stepped forward, "May I try something?" Lyn nodded, and Vael threw her spear as well. The des shot out ¨C but that''s when Lyn spotted it. "Did you see that, my Lady?" Vael asked.


    Lyn nodded and grinned, "They struck the same spot." The magical trap was set to a specific function ¨C much like a program ¨C with a trigger and effect. She knew from her dungeon delves that magical traps that changed their responses to a trigger were extremely rare. And this Demonic Dragon did not seem like he valued smarts. But, I''m not risking myself. "Gael, how is your pronunciation with Elenthir that is unfamiliar to you?"


    "It is decent, my Lady."


    "Excellent. Repeat after me¡­" Lyn spent the next minute drilling a spell into Gael''s memory. Having him repeat it after her several times until she was sure he had it down. "Okay, now, use that spell, and then run through to the end."


    Gael nodded and took a deep breath, "I thalion min enni / athan dautho nin ennas / grotho nin helw / na hathol ¨²-''wathol / anui sui eths." His skin took on the appearance of steel, bing extremely hard and durable. He ran forward, through the passageway and to the far side. As he ran, the spectral, magic des swung down, and he dodged the first ones. However, as he got to the second half of the passage, the magical des chopped down from unexpected angles, and they impacted him. But he kept pushing ahead as they did no damage to his enhanced physique.


    It''s not as good as Ben''s signature Guardian spell, Lyn thought, recalling the near-imprable, long-duration internal spell that he alone was capable of using that made him almost unkible. And it''s going to drain his mana rapidly. When Gael had arrived at the far side of the passage, at another metal door, his body shook and he leaned against the wall as his skin returned to its pale white color.


    Internal spells often took a toll on the body after they expired ¨C hence, using new, unfamiliar, and unpracticed ones inbat was dangerous. The effects of the memorized, standard internal spells were well-known, so warriors could n their movements and actions around the aftereffect. And some barely changed the body, like the simple muscle-enhancing internal spell she used when testing her core. But this? A brand-new spell? It''s risky, but there''s no real threat down here unless we trigger it. Internal spells used a lot more mana the more they changed the body, so the strongest internal spell effects were locked behind ack of mana for most people. Looks like most Duskari have a veryrge reserve of manapared to other races.


    "Are you okay?!" Vael shouted.


    Gaelughed weakly, "Yes! I am unharmed! Such a powerful, internal spell-"


    "Look for a switch, handle, or something like that," Lyn shouted over him.


    Gael stood slowly using the wall as a support. He looked at the door, and then to the walls around him, "Ah! Found something. It looks like a lever. Should I pull it?"


    "Yes," Lyn replied as she impatiently tapped her foot. Gael threw the switch, and there was a purple thrum that surrounded the hallway before fading. Lyn threw her short sword down the hallway, and to her satisfaction, there was no scything, magical de. "Vael, you in front of me, just in case."


    Vael nodded and Lyn could see the fear on her face, but there was a resolve there as well. She took a few cautious steps forward before she quickened her step. Lyn followed a few steps behind, recovering her sword, and they were safely past the trap and on the other side of the magical hallway. Lyn nced at the lever Gael had pulled. It was a simple iron rod that was inserted into a socket on the wall. I wonder what powers it? She thought about investigating further, but Vael opening the next door caught her attention, and Lyn reached over and grabbed the woman''s hand. "Don''t open doors without checking them for traps."


    Vael''s eyes went wide as she looked down at her palm. "Oh¡­" there was a tiny, teeny amount of blood. "I¡­don''t feel¡­so good¡­" Vael copsed into Lyn''s arms, and she set her down gently.


    "Vael! What happened to her?!" Gael asked as he knelt to hold his sister.


    Lyn looked at the door and peered closely at the handle. Damn, that is one fine needle. She didn''t even feel it break the skin. "Poison," she muttered as she looked back to see Vael beginning to seize on the ground, and Gael panicking. "You can manipte water. Follow my words exactly." Gael gulped and nodded rapidly, holding a shaking hand over his sister. "No! Over her palm," Lyn ordered as she grabbed his hand and put it over her palm where the wound was. She looked up at Gael, "Look at me."


    His red eyes met hers and she focused intently on him. "Repeat. I agar min I rhaw."


    He nodded and repeated the phrase. "I agar min I rhaw."


    "Edi eriol am I gwanath." Again, he repeated. "A gothron hain ned / na I rhach nin helw."


    "-Na I rhach nin helw," he finished. Water pooled in his palm and surged into Vael''s wound. Her arm distorted and amidst her spasms her face screwed up in a tight grimace. Momentster, the water surged out of the needle-hole to float above Gael''s hand ¨C and contained within the sphere of water was a brackish, green fluid. Heughed out of relief, "I did it!"


    Lyn nodded, "Yes, you did." They don''t know that blood is mostly water, or that it''s a sub-type under water elementalism. There is so much basic shit I have to teach them. She patted Vael on the face, "Come on, wake up."


    Vael took several deep, heavy breaths before opening her eyes as her body rxed. "Thank you¡­my Lady."


    "Don''t thank me, your brother saved you."


    Gael leaned down and hugged his sister, "I thought you were done for," he whispered just loud enough for Lyn to hear.


    She had to turn away. The memories threatened to return and breach the barricade of here-and-now she had worked to erect. Just keep going. She used her short sword to push the door open. Huh. Interesting.

 Chapter 12

    "Damn sun," Volio muttered as he poured a bit of water from his canteen onto the rag in his hand before pping it onto the back of his neck. The trek had taken several days, and he paused at the foot of the mountainous range. Anyone going up the mountains would have to be crazy. But that''s what I am, at least, what everyone tells me. Volio had one goal since that day ten years ago. One single purpose. I have to find her.


    Taking a deep breath, he pulled his pack off his back and wrapped climbing spikes onto his boots, put two climbing pickaxes around his wrists, and began the ascent up the very, very steep escarpment. His trusty bow rattled against his back, and the quivers on his back and hip nked with every movement. He breathed smoothly as he ascended the rocks. She has to be alive. They never found her body. And Misty saw something those years ago with her spell that she couldn''t exin and didn''t voice, just muttering something about, "It can''t be¡­"


    Volio knew that Lyn was alive. She had to be. He needed her. Ever since their ninth-grade year when they first met, he had pined for her. The athletic, muscr, goth girl that no one seemed to be able to catch the affections of. He chuckled as he reminisced on the moment when she showed her love for him.


    "Throw the damned ball!" Lyn had shouted at him as their small ss of twenty yed dodgeball. Not the crappy, foam balls ¨C the rubber ones. Volio looked down at the ball and tossed it to Lyn before wham! He was mmed in the face by a solid ballunched by Zack. Volio fell to the ground, and instead of throwing the ball to get someone on the other team out, Lyn ran over to him and covered his body with her own, suffering several hits against her back. "Knock it off!" she shouted over her shoulder to the other team. "You fucking hit him the face!"


    He remembered looking up at her, rubbing his sore face as he stared into her beautiful, stern, blue eyes. The perfect jawline with sharp cheekbones and long, regal nose of royalty. All entuated by her ck eyeliner, rouge cheeks, and purple lipstick. His dark angel. The savior he didn''t deserve. The only person he''d met in school that cared about his well-being ¨C in that instant, he fell in love.


    Not just a regr, crush type of love. The obsessive, ''make a shrine'' in your locker type of love. When he wasn''t in the nearby city for his theatre sses, he was watching her at the skate park. Longing for what he wanted and was too afraid to ask for. Only when he was on stage, and he couldn''t see the audience, did he feel confident enough to act. With her looking at him? With those piercing, blue eyes? No¡­he couldn''t ask her. But he didn''t need to say anything. They had a connection. He knew she felt the same way that he felt about her. The way she looked at him when he was sitting, watching her at the skate park. Her nces in study hall when she caught him staring. There wasn''t a need for words. It was love. And he knew she only had eyes for him. Every nce she gave him screamed, ''I love you, Volio.''


    He felt shame, leaving Lyn to fight the Demonic Dragon. But what was he going to do? He didn''t have an artifact weapon like James, Kory, or Lyn. His arrows couldn''t do jack-shit to the Dragon. And he knew Lyn was strong ¨C strong enough to survive. He saw how much she had grown. Her body constantly bing more and more muscr and enhanced. There was no way she was dead. He would have felt it. They had a connection.


    When they left the dread fortress and returned, hailed as the heroes that saved the world¡­he didn''t celebrate. He didn''t attend the ceremonies, feasts, and other events of celebration. He spent weeks staring off towards the enormous, volcano-topped range where his beloved supposedly died. Sleepless nights wandering the halls, visiting her empty room over and over. Laying in her bed and sobbing into the mattress and pillows that still had her smell on them. Every time he tried to get his ssmates to go on an expedition to try and find her, they pushed him away. Thomas wouldn''t even help ¨C and they were sort-of friends before the summoning. "You''re obsessed with someone who is gone. It''s not healthy," Thomas had told him.


    "Yeah, you''re one to talk," Volio had replied. "Drinking from that sk all the time, I know it''s whiskey. Don''t preach to me about coping. She''s alive. I will find her." That was nine years ago. Thest time Volio talked to his once-sort-of-friend.


    Shaking his head, he returned to the present. You''re alive. I know it. He crested a small ledge and took a pause, sipping from his canteen as the heat of the sun beat down on him in the bands. He set the canteen down and pulled out a shirt he had taken from her room before they left to assault the dread fortress. He held it up to his face and took a deep whiff of her scent. My Lyn, I''d know if you were gone. Putting the canteen away, and tucking the shirt into his belt pocket, he continued his ascent. I''ll find you.


    The room Lyn entered was octagonal. And filled to the brim with treasure. It also screamed to her ''I''m a trap''. There were treasure chests with gems and gold overflowing. Pristine weaponry that shimmered with magical glow littered the treasure pile. And this would have suckered any delver in almost instantly.


    But Lyn had dealt with dragons before. True dragons might be better than the lesser types, but if there was one constant she had learned from dragons ¨C all of them were impably, almost OCD level of organized. There''s no way the Demonic Dragon would have left this mess. Looking back at Gael and Vael ¨C both of whom were recovering from spells and poison respectively, she shook her head. "Don''t go inside." She walked down the hall, up the stairs to the throne room, and kept her head down to avoid looking at the blood stains. Using the hilt of her short sword, she bashed at some of the obsidian until she had several handfuls of the chunks. Hustling back down to the octagonal chamber, she received odd looks from the twins as she stepped into the doorway.


    Very carefully, she took aim and threw. One obsidian chunk per wall of the octagonal chamber. All but one ricocheted off. That far right wall did not provide any obstacle, and the obsidian chunk sailed through it and ttered on the other side. Illusory wall. She used more of the chunks and threw a scattered handful of smaller pieces into the ceiling. Those bounced off, but as they fell on the treasure pile, she noted that some of them did bounce off the gold pile. But, only in ces. Clever, he mixed real treasure in alongside the illusion. If I had to guess¡­she threw arger chunk at the closest part of the pile and heard the shing of gold impacted as it copsed backward to the center of the floor. Lastly, she tried throwing a cluster around the outside edge leading to the illusory wall ¨C nothing activated.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Vael and Gael stood up behind her, "What are you doing?" Vael asked.


    "Testing," Lyn replied. "There''s lots of illusions in here, mixed in with some real treasure. But rule number three of dragonkind ¨C they love their organization."


    "What''s rules one and two?" Gael asked.


    "One is don''t disrespect or insult them. Two is always try ttery first before fighting." Lyn used the short sword to poke at the wall and floor along the outside edge, and she slowly pushed her way forward, sliding her feet and hugging the wall as tightly as possible. When her tapping sword passed through the illusory wall, she pulled it back and felt the de. It''s cool. The metal wasn''t extremely cold, but it was chilly ¨C like a can of soda in the fridge. She dipped her hand into the illusory wall for a second before pulling it back. Interesting. Something is keeping the air artificially cool. Perhaps another spell. She looked back to Vael, "Grab my shirt. If I suddenly lunge forward, tug me back."


    Vael put her hand on Lyn''s back and gripped the fabric, nodding. Lyn took a deep breath and poked her head inside. Another octagonal chamber. The whole room appeared to be made of ice. Shelves made of the substance lined the walls, and gemstones, historical relics, and other types of valuable collectibles were meticulously stored. Several cushioned cubbies were stacked in cubes along one wall. Ah, that''s why it''s cold. She knew that body enhancing substances had a shelf life ¨C but just like a fridge or freezer, the organicponents could be preserved with cold.


    There were three treasure chests each with ck paintedbels for the various currency types of Ghomar that the Free City of Bashinol moderated and minted. But what stood out most to Lyn was a suit of armor that she was intimately familiar with. The armor that the Demonic Dragon wore in its humanoid form. The suit of spiked, ck te armor. He must have had a contingent spell ced upon his gear so that it would reappear here upon his demise. Next to the armor was a small pedestal and on an ornate, purple cushion was a ck sword-hilt. It was missing the de. And there''s his weapon. What did he call it¡­Yol''Kren''Tuz, I think. The weapon, when held by the viin, projected a de of hardened mana that burned hot asva. Sort of like a lightsaber, Lyn recalled as he activated and deactivated it at will ¨C causing Ben to suffer some serious injury in their fight as it slipped past his defenses.


    She gathered the obsidian once more and went about her process of checking for traps and illusions. The room appeared clear, and she cautiously entered, followed by Vael and Gael. "There''s so much here," Vael muttered. Gael hummed in agreement.


    Lyn pointed back to the hallway, "Go, get some of the most trusted of the warrior-caste, and one of the elders. Lead them back here. And tell them to bring parchment and ink."


    Vael nodded and saluted before turning around and going back down the passage. Gael looked at Lyn, then at the artifacts on the left half of the room, "Those look ancient. Old relics of Duskari culture." he muttered as he walked over. "But this I don''t recognize," he pointed at a spearhead.


    Lyn gasped and ran over, grabbing the spearhead instantly. Rus''os''r. The artifact spear she had used to inflict the fatal blow. It could amplify wind elementalism external spells and was the most precious item she found in a dungeon. A natural match to herbat style and Scout core''s external spells. She clutched it tightly as she remembered the vivid memory of finding thepleted weapon after defeating a tornado elemental bypressing it with a wind spell, condensing it down to a solid enough state she could kill it. One of the hardest solo battles she had fought. She felt her heart swell with pride as the vivid memory of returning to the other heroes with the first artifact weapon acquired from a dungeon. The look of jealousy on her ssmates'' faces was something she giggled at.


    "My Lady?" Gael asked, bringing her out of her reverie.


    "Oh, right." Lyn gripped the spearhead firmly in her left hand and walked over to the armor and weapon. The armor looked like it wouldn''t fit, and even though looking at it brought chills down her spine¡­it looked pretty badass. She sighed and reached a hand out to touch the spot where her weapon had carved a deep cut. ck adamantine. The rarest kind. It was very, very hard to damage.


    The armor glowed neon-blue, and she pulled her hand back. In the blink of an eye, the armor rack was empty, and Lyn felt the weight settle on her. It felt¡­weing. It was warm, like a soothing hug from a loved one. Wearing it felt¡­right. Her mana core stopped its incessant roiling that she had been constantly diverting into the amulet. A primal me, contained within a cage.


    Gael gasped and fell to his knees, "My Lady! You look resplendent!"


    Lyn looked down at her all-epassing armor. Full te that feels this light? Just to test, she jumped up and down a few times. It felt like she was wearing leather armor, not full te. And the artiction was perfect ¨C she was flexible in all the right areas. What about a helmet? As if responding to her thoughts, arge helm rose up to cover her head entirely. It restricted some of her vision, but was very, very protective. Oh, that''s awesome! I can''t wait to see myself in a mirror wearing this stuff. She willed the helmet away, and it melted back into the armor.


    "I wonder what the sword will do," she muttered as she reached out for it. Gripping the hilt of Yol''Kren''Tuz sent a surge of warmth down her hand.


    And the spearhead of Rus''os''r vanished from her left hand. The hilt of the sword glowed a vibrant, neon green before settling back to the ck metal color once more. What just happened? She tried opening her mana channel and diverting some of the mana down her arm and to the sword.


    Holding it in front of her and pointing away, she could feel the mana surge down her arm ¨C as if eager to reach its destination ¨C and into the hilt of the sword. The blue and ck de ofva ¨C mana in its raw form ¨C was limned by gusts of wind that turned the simple short sword-length de she had fought against into that of a longsword. It can absorb other artifacts and gain power? This was something she had never heard of. I wonder¡­she tried to focus on just the wind from her mana core¡­but the de stayed the same. Well, I suppose there''s some reason it can absorb other artifacts. I''m going to rename it¡­Cataclysm. Yeah, that''s a metal as fuck name.


    She turned to Gael and pulled the mana back through the de and into her mana core. She had to divert some excess flow to the amulet under the armor, but the mana de vanished, and she found to her satisfaction that the armor had a slot on the hip for the hilt to click into. "Stand, please."


    Gael did so, "My Lady, what now?"


    Lyn smiled and turned to the wall of body enhancing materials. "I spend some time getting reacquainted with myself."

 Chapter 13

    The warrior-caste and elder Vehenna arrived with Vael guiding them through the traps. "Good. I want a full catalogue of what is here before we take it back."


    The elder nodded and pulled out a scroll, "Of course, my Lady."


    Lyn stood next to the elder as the warrior-caste removed the various items from the room. But one of the pieces caught her eye ¨C an ornate choker that seemed to match the armor. "Let me see that," she instructed the man who had picked it up to ce into a satchel. He handed it to her reverently, and she looked over it with a critical eye. Ah, a storage inscription. A fairly advanced type of inscription to create, and this one was extremely intricate, because itbined math using Elenthir numbers. I hated math. "Vehenna, your parchment and quill for a moment."


    The woman handed them to Lyn, and she did some quick math on the back. Whoever decided storage spells used algebra was a real asshole. First, she had to trante the inscription from Elenthir to English, and then do aplex form. But, after five minutes of putting her answer back into the equation, she came out with the maximum storage capacity. 125 cubic feet. She handed the parchment back to the elder and put the choker on. The armor seemingly melted away to allow her to affix it.


    Let''s see what''s in here. She diverted the roiling, calm, bubbling mana in her chest into the choker, and felt it respond. Storage external spells created pocket dimensions tied in rtive space to the item that activated them ¨C and only the person using the spell could see and interact with the extradimensional space. This one was empty. Disappointing. She let the mana dissipate and the aperture shut.


    The remaining fifteen minutes passed and the elder bowed. "My Lady, the coins will require re-counting, but I estimated the total at 15,000 Gold Eagles, and an equal amount of the other currencies."


    "Thank you. I want the body enhancing tinctures brought to my chambers. Then, elder, I want you to attend me."


    "My Lady?"


    "You are the one who treated my wrist injury, correct?"


    "Yes, my Lady."


    "Good. I n on utilizing all the body enhancing items as soon as possible. The pain will be excruciating, and I need you to ensure I do not die again. We''re doing this as fast as possible."


    Vehenna''s eyes went wide, but she nodded firmly, "Yes, my Lady. Whatever you decree."


    Lyn left the chamber, nked by Gael and Vael. "You two will guard my chambers. One inside, one outside, until it is done."


    "Sir!" the recruit rode up to Kory.


    He turned to the young man. No older than fifteen. His mercenary outfit used recruits to scout the mountains surrounding valley. Kory and fighters mostly stuck to the pass leading into the dark forest surrounding the dread fortress. "Report!" He shouted, channeling years of leading armies and his father''s military-household upbringing into his tone.


    "Sir! I spotted a man scaling the mountains. Entering the forbidden territory!"


    Kory narrowed his eyes, "Describe them."


    The recruit reached into his satchel and pulled out a rolled-up bit of parchment. Unrolling it, Kory saw a decently drawn image of a cloaked figure, bristling with two quivers and a bow, climbing with some type of picks and foot-ws. You mad bastard. He handed the drawing back to the youth, "Ignore him."


    "But sir, he''s entering the forbiddennds."


    Kory turned to face the North-East where the scout hade from, "He''s a hero, he can do whatever he damned well pleases." He looked back to the recruit, reached into his pocket, and handed thed a few Gold Eagles, "Go get yourself a woman."


    The youth nodded and let out a whoop as he rode off towards one of the border towns Kory''s groups frequented.


    The Berserker hero chuckled and turned to his current squad ¨C twenty-four men: all veterans of the wars with the Demonic Dragon''s forces, and the war between Khrrdia and Vgonia. One that broke out only two years after the viin''s defeat andsted for three years before ending in an uneasy truce. Kory had never liked James ¨C the fantasy nerd turned Paragon hero ¨C and he decided to side with Cecily in the conflict. Any excuse to beat James after years of hearing him exhort them to virtues that Kory didn''t give two shits about.


    I wish I could''ve crushed that fucker''s spine. He imagined grinding him to dust under his hammer, the vivid blood and guts spraying as he mmed the body over and over. He got the best ss because what, he read fucking fantasy books? Bullshit. Kory vividly recalled facing off against James in the penultimate battle of that struggle, a fight between champions to prevent wholesale ughter. He ground his teeth as the loss stung at him. The mercy he was shown. The fact that the weakling became the strongest.


    And why? Because he read books instead of doing something important with his life, like getting fit andid. Hell, this whole fucked up summoning was the best thing that happened in that little bastard''s life. Tightening his grip on the horse''s reins, he felt the bloodlust rising in him. He had to kill something. But all the Demonic Dragon''s forces recently had stayed within the mountains. "We''re going to fuck something up!" he shouted as he rode South ¨C towards the few viges on the border of Vgonia. And fuck you too, Cecily. You think you can just throw me away after I almost die for you? I don''t think so.


    Lyny down in the tub. She had taken off the armor ¨C which thankfully simply removed itself upon her mentalmand and ced both that and Cataclysm''s hilt into the storage choker. Vehenna stood next to the tub, with Gael at the door to the chamber. Vael was just outside the sealed doors. "Quite a collection, but they''re all suited to defensive pursuits," Vehenna stated as she grabbed the first vial from the table. "Ironhide to start." She came over to Lyn, "My Lady, forgive my misunderstanding¡­but body enhancement would be much morefortable in your bed."


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Lyn shook her head, "I don''t want to waste a single drop of any of these. In a bed they could get soaked into the sheets. I want the most bang for my buck." She paused. Fuck. Why''d I use that phrase?


    The elder raised a quizzical eyebrow but didn''t respond to her turn of phrase, instead just nodding. "Very well, my Lady." She pulled the stopper on the ck liquid tinged with silver and poured it over Lyn''s head. The vial wasrge, two liters, thergest Lyn had ever seen, and it gave her plenty of liquid. I don''t even need to dilute it to cover my whole body. Diluting would mean multiple sessions to reach full saturation; but in its undiluted form, she would not have to repeat the treatment.


    As fast as she could she rubbed her body all over. Every part of her that she could reach with fingers and hands ¨C inside and out. She''d seen what happened to the Demonic Dragon, and she did not n on letting that happen to her as well. After coating her body, she scooped some of the liquid and held the cupped ichor into her hands before dipping her eyes and blinking to ensure they were treated as well. She then slurped some up, gargling it in her mouth before swallowing it down.


    Sparing a nce at the two present for her procedures, she grinned on the inside at their reactions. Gael had a look of sheer horror on his face, and the elder immediately began a lengthy incantation from parchment.


    Laying back, she braced, gripping the sides of the tub. The pain started dull at first, but it ramped up quickly. It was the worst type of itching one could imagine,bined with the tingling of a foot falling asleep ¨C but all over the body, inside the orifices, and on her eyes. That was the worst part, the itching, scratching, numb-buzzing pain she felt in her eye sockets. She breathed heavily, trying to keep calm and rxed to prevent the muscle cramping that would inevitablye next. Fucking putting it inside of yourself. She was future-proofing her body, was her reasoning. But if not for the iing spell¡­she didn''t even want to think about what would happen.


    The elder''s incantation ended, and Lyn felt¡­nothing. Her body''s physical sensations were disabled by biology. Thank fuck for Trisha, she thought. Trisha was the one out of the heroes who knew something about the human body, and with help from either Misty, Lyn, or Thomas (being the only three with fluency in Elenthir), she devised and created amazing spells never before heard of on Ghomar. And thank fuck that Duskari biology is simr.


    "The most important part of surgerybined with spells," Trish exined way back when she was fixing James'' shoulder after a troll had crushed it, "Is that you use a spell to turn off the Parietal lobe in the brain. That''s the one that deals with physical sensation." Ghomar had herbs and other medicines that could dull pain, but nothingpared to pharmaceuticals on Earth. Thankfully, Trisha had studied anatomy and was on the doctor track for college. Hence why she was granted the Healer hero core. "Before doing any type of healing ¨C mundane or magical ¨C make sure that you turn off that part of the brain. It makes the patient experience so much easier." Her voice was soothing, almost a velvety caress. No wonder Ben fell for her so hard. Lyn smiled fondly at watching her allies slowly fall in love during their travels, their cute little faces they made at each other, and the slight touc-


    "My Lady? It appears the elixir is finished. I''m ceasing the spell."


    Lyn''s awareness of her physical form returned, and she flexed her arm, marveling at the marbled look of her skin. The pale flesh contrasted with tiny ck lines of iy in a geometric pattern. From a distance, no one could tell she had been enhanced. "Gael, your knife." Gael walked forward and held out his knife hilt first. Lyn took it and cut along her skin. It did not pierce or sh. Perfect. Mundane weaponry was no threat anymore. Mana charged weaponry could still harm her, but the average soldier couldn''t do that. Weapons with inscriptions etched upon them could harm her if they were charged with mana, as could artifacts ¨C whose inner workings were a mystery to her.


    Almost all monsters'' bodies flowed with mana naturally, and would be able to harm her. Still, despite all the other qualifiers, it was an excellent addition to her body. And, she thought, looking at Gael as she handed back his knife, letting her gaze linger on his muscles. Ironhide does nothing to your sensitivity. She would be able to enjoy her body just as much as she had before, and that brought a scious smile to her lips.


    Gael utilized a simple verse to put water into the tub, and after rinsing the excess from her body, Lyn drained the tub before drying it by simply letting her mana flow into her mana channels, heating the air around her. The roiling in her core was still present, however, and she ordered Gael to pull up another huge bucket as she ejected a stream ofva into it. He immediately quenched it, and she felt the bubbling resume its low simmer. It didn''t do this in the armor, she thought as Vehenna prepared the next tincture. Maybe the armor and weapon sort of¡­tame the core? She nced at the next one and felt a chill go down her spine. Fuck. That one is going to suck. Or it would, if not for Trisha''s work. The liquid was poured over her, and she repeated the process ¨C inside and outside of her body. Why does this one have to be sticky like syrup?


    "What brings you by?" Ben shouted as Thomasnded his wyvern in the empty, just-fertilized pasture that was being prepared for nting. Several of the healing trainees cleared the field and ran past Ben, and the warrior trainees took up boxer stances. "Oh, calm down, it''s just the Knowledge hero," he said as the healers passed by. "You''re perfectly safe." They slowed slightly but kept walking away. The warriors lowered their stance and slowly resumed theirbor, keeping an eye on the two heroes.


    Thomas dismounted and went around the front of the massive, winged creature, pulling out a strip of jerky and feeding it to him. "Who''s a good Hector? You are!" The creature purred ¨C a mix between a draconic growl and a jungle cat purring. "Alright, you can go hunt the wild animals, none of them with brands or cors. Understood?" The wyvern nodded andunched itself into the sky, circling off to the North. Thomas turned and gasped as Ben gave him a bear hug.


    "How have you been?!" Ben asked with a chortle as he cracked Thomas'' back from the force of his gesture. Setting the thinner man down he waved his hand in front of his face, "You stink."


    Thomas chuckled and took a sip from his hip sk, "And you got fat."


    Benughed, "Hey, a boxer''s body isn''t always cut lean. I''m in my bulk phase right now."


    Lyndra and Lawry ran up to the Knowledge hero, "Uncle Thomas!" Lyndra shouted as she raised her hands to be lifted.


    Thomasughed and lifted the kid up, "How are you doing kiddo?"


    "You''re smelly," she giggled. "I got to ride the pony again!"


    Thomas nodded, "Wow! You''re getting big. And how are you getting along with your brothers?"


    She pouted, "Eli is spending for-e-ver on Epona."


    Thomas gave Ben a look, "Really? You named the pony after a video game horse?"


    Ben picked Lawry up with a chuckle, "Do you remember Uncle Thomas?" Lawry nodded shyly before burying his face in his dad''s shoulder. "It''s always good to see you, Thomas. But this is an out-of-the-blue visit. What brings you by?"


    Thomas'' face darkened and he set Lyndra down. "We need to talk. All three of us."


    Ben picked up the tonal shift immediately and nodded, setting Lawry down. "Hey, buddy. I need you to go with your sister, go get Eli, and do a big, important errand. Can you do that? Can you be my big man?" Lawry nodded and Ben reached into his pocket, pulling out 20 Silver Kestrels. "Go and get Jeremy." Lawry nodded again at the reference to one of the oldest trainees at Ben''s boxer-fighting school, a man who Ben loved like a brother and the kids treated like family. "You give him five of these, and he''ll take you three into town. Go get some honey bread."


    Both children''s eyes lit up and they ran off to get their brother. Ben chuckled at their enthusiasm, but his demeanor darkened as his eyes met Thomas''. "Is it bad?"


    Thomas squinted and looked to the South, "It might be."

 Chapter 14

    Lyn emerged from the tub and groaned as thest of the body enhancing tinctures faded. "We''re out?"


    Elder Vehenna nodded, "Yes, my Lady."


    Lyn had subjected her body to ten of the most potent body enhancing items ¨C undiluted, in their raw form. In addition to Ironhide, she had thered her body in the eight other body enhancing tinctures that gave resistance to the main external elementalism spell types. Emberblood, Joltlime, Waveweal, Powered Adamantine, Sylphdram, Brightbalm, Umbralbalm, and Evercleanse Ointment. Each had inflicted her with a different type of agony that she was able to effectively ignore thanks to the spell she had crafted for Vehenna prior to each treatment. Even against sub-types of those elementalism spells, she would have a modicum of safety. Such as sound, which fell under wind. Or ice, which was a sub-type under water.


    The whole process took a full two days, and they only took breaks for food and sleep. By the end, Lyn''s body was inured to most means of harm. Each treatment had the side-effect of slightly altering her skin. The geometric pattern of the Ironhide naturally attracted the other body enhancing tinctures, and so if one peered closely, they could see the gorgeous rainbow of prismatic, hexagonal scales across her body. But only upon close inspection: from a distance, her skin just appeared to shimmer like a sequined dress catching the light.


    There were other body enhancing tinctures out there. Other potions and elixirs that could be used to increase all manner of functions of the body; blood filtration, breath capacity, sight enhancement¡­the possibilities were practically endless with a good alchemist on hand. I should track down Brad before long and see if I can just get some from him, for old times'' sake. Brad was the Alchemist hero and was an expert in all manner of admixtures. She smiled as she remembered him extolling on the virtues of herbs that they found, including something analogous to coca leaves. He got really excited at that, for some reason.


    The volume of these tinctures raised some rms for Lyn. She knew that these were the top-tier quality of the substances, and the amount was staggering for a single dose. The Demonic Dragon must have anticipated being destroyed anding back in some form or another. Why didn''t ite back fully as itself? Instead, I got the power and returned to Earth. Both questions needed answering. But first, she had to see herself in the armor.


    Getting out of bed, she channeled mana into the choker and willed the armor toe to her. It covered her body, and she reveled in her appearance in front of the mirror. The armor entuated her form perfectly, and upon closer inspection in the reflection, she saw the secret to its flexibility. Tiny scales. The size of the scales could mean only one creature worked on such a magnificent suit ¨C the feysmiths of the ind called Feylin. This would be ludicrously expensive to craft. She also noted several intricate inscriptions upon the armor. And it shifts shape depending on my whims? Handy.


    She went into the bedroom and lightly smacked Vael on the rump as she lounged on the bed. She woke up and looked at the armored figure and bowed her head, "My Lady, are you well rested?"


    Lyn nodded, "Yes. Get dressed, then join me in the council room." She opened the doors and saw Gael outside, who saluted a momentter. "Come with me. We speak to the council."


    "My Lady," Gael turned to one of the nearby servant-caste, "Go, fetch the elders." The servant nodded and ran off through the borate tunnelwork.


    Lyn led the way, having instantly memorized theyout due to her Scout core''s innate ability to traverse environments with perfect recollections after a first exploration. She had yet to map the wholeplex, but it was on her to-do list. As is this. The time she had spent blissed out over the past two days while enhancing her body was not spent idle. No, she was thinking, and instructing as Gael or Vael filled out sheaves of parchment at her instruction. I didn''t want toe back and be a ruler, but I need to.


    She just wanted toe back to Ghomar, find the heroes ¨C mostly Misty ¨C to make sure they were okay, and then retire on herurels and be treated as the hero that killed the big bad evil guy. But that wasn''t the case. That valor and victory were stolen by the others. She was seemingly erased from history. And she had to find out why.


    "Rule number one of expanding and growing your strength," She remembered Cecily saying when they had saved their first vige from destruction. "You want to have a base of power." Everyone listened to her words as if they werew. She was the ss president, head of the student council, had the highest GPA alongside Trisha. She was the Ruler hero, and none questioned her advice. "We saved one vige, now we fortify it. Make it a ce of strength we can strike out from and grow even more."


    Lyn had a love-hate rtionship with Cecily, and theirst interaction had her leaning towards ''hate''. But her words were true, and that is how the heroes grew their power steadily and with rtive safety. If Lyn wanted to conquer dungeons to get more mana cores, fight monsters to get even more mana cores, find the other heroes, and figure out what the hell had happened ten years ago ¨C she needed a base of power. And this Conve of the Fortress was being run horribly. She had to fix things up around here, and let the surrounding races know that there was someone willing to wee them into their power structure. The Newen especially, as they were quite numerous in the surrounding forests. The lizard-folk would be valuable allies. They were quite skilled at forestry, and she had ns that involved a lot of lumber.


    The council chamber had been shifted around. The circr space was still covered in a giant rug, but therge cushions were pushed to the outside of the ring, and at the center across from the entrance was arge wooden chair with a cushion. Lyn sat on the chair and Gael stood next to her. After a few minutes of waiting, Vael came in and stood on the opposite side of the throne. The three elders came in shortly after, bowing one after the other before sitting on some of the cushions on the side.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Thank you foring," Lyn said. "I have some changes to implement. First, we are renaming this ce. Henceforth, it shall be known as Lynhold." She looked at elder Vehenna, "You have served most faithfully. Therefore, I name you Chancellor. You shall be responsible for logic-rted tasks. Find and appoint a Diplomat, Schr, and Physician to assist you in tasks."


    Vehenna bowed deeply from her seated position, "My thanks, your Ladyship."


    "Elder Bhrm, I name you as Steward. You shall be responsible for managing the realm''s finances."


    "The realm, your Ladyship?" Bhrm asked cautiously.


    Lyn smiled gently, "Yes, we will be expanding. Find a Seneschal, Antiquarian, and Architect to serve under you. I believe your organizational skills and rational mindset will be invaluable."


    He bowed deeply, "I understand, my Lady." He sounded quite enthused with the prospect of expansion.


    But I should also have someone else check in asionally. Auditing is important if Earth is anything to go by. She had helped dethrone a monarch who did not serve their people, and part of that was embezzling funds instead of using them toplete public works. Give the taxes back to the people and make their lives better. "Elder Velenna, I must say that I would appoint you to my council, but I am not aware of your current capabilities. Tell me¡­how would you best serve?"


    Velenna looked up and smiled gently, the spitting image of her sister. "I would be pleased to be your Spymaster. I have many contacts in Conves across Ghomar to begin the building of a spywork. I will have to acquire new ravens, though."


    Lyn nodded, "So be it. Find and appoint a Keeper of Ravens, an Assassin, and a Thief."


    Velenna''s eyebrow raised quizzically just like her sister''s. "My Lady? A thief?"


    "You heard me. Having a thief who is paid to try and break into our strongholds to find weaknesses is going to be vital in ensuring we are protected in the long term. If they can find a way in, our enemies could as well."


    Velenna bowed deeply, "Ah, my thanks for your exnation, my Lady. I will work towards this task."


    Lyn stood up, "I am naming both Vael and Gael my personal Bodyguards. However, we need a Marshal who can help to shape up our forces. For now, I will assume the role." She turned her head to Gael, "Gather every one of the warrior-caste, save for the perimeter guards, and have them meet me in the cavern dedicated to training. We will cycle some out to relieve the guards and bring them inter today."


    Gael nodded and bowed, "As youmand." He hustled off down the hallway.


    Lyn stood up, "Bhrm, I want you toplete a full inventory of the treasury. I want to know every single coin we have, inscription-etched item¡­the most exhaustive list possible."


    Bhrm nodded and bowed, "It will be a multi-day task, my Lady."


    Lyn nodded and gestured for him to stand, "I know. I trust you with this task. Serve me well, and I will ensure you are rewarded."


    "I live to serve the Destroyer," he said with a bow before leaving.


    Lyn looked back at the two women elders, "On a scale of one to ten, with one being ''a rat'' and ten being ''the Paragon hero'', how much do you trust Bhrm?"


    Vehenna smiled gently, "He is utterly devoted. Ten. An odd way of ranking loyalty, my Lady."


    Lyn nodded and sighed gently, "I didn''t get a good read on him. But, if you trust him, Vehenna, then I will as well." As she started to turn, she paused. "Oh, one more thing. And tell Bhrm this, as well¡­for the positions under your own, I want them to be open to any race or caste. For now, I know we only have Duskari to choose from, but as we forge alliances and I contact the other cultures and kingdoms of Ghomar, if you see fit to rece one of your underlings with a more suitable recement from abroad, feel free to do so."


    Vehenna frowned, "My Lady ¡­trusting non-Duskari?"


    Velenna shook her head gently, "Strange orders, my Lady."


    Lyn set her face in a grimace. Fucking racists. "My exterior is that of Duskari, but on the inside, I am still the Demonic Dragon, am I not?" Both elders nodded. "Heed these words ¨C do not judge a book by its cover. Just because someone may wear the skin of Vharthon, Foskor, Raptin, or any of the other races¡­if they show dedication to my rule, then they are wee."


    Both women nodded and bowed, "As youmand."


    Lyn turned, "Come, Vael. We have testing toplete."


    Volio finally crested the mountain and reached the pinnacle. He sat on the peak, finding a nice spot where he could take in the breathtaking view. The mountains ringed the whole of this valley. From the pass to the South that led out towards Fort Watch ¨C an independent city outside of both Khrrdia and Vgonia''s borders ¨C the forest filled the valley. Up until it reached the dread fortress ¨C that was clear-cut for a good mile around the citadel. And the citadel itself was magnificent to behold ¨C a ck, granite edifice carved from the central mountain, and part quarried stone for the exterior. Far above the citadel was the volcano known as Shiverburn Summit, for it was so high that the air froze, and it would be capped in snow, but theva within bubbled and would asionally spurt over the side, running down the channels on the Northern backside of the mountain, forming arge, sleek, obsidian waterfall.


    He pulled out his sk and drank thest of his water. I wonder if there''s still that pool, he thought as he recalled theirst camp site prior to assaulting the dread fortress. Thest time he had a chance to talk to Lyn. He smiled as he stared out at the gorgeous scenery, reminiscing about that night.


    "What are you going to do when it''s all over?" he had asked his beloved. Thest two awake next to the fire as they shared their turn on watch.


    Lyn smirked, "I''m going to retire. Sit in my castle and keep to myself. Visit Ben and Trisha on their little farm they''re nning. See Thomas here and there. Invite Misty over." She looked up and smiled gently at him, and he vividly recalled her scar down the right side of her face. "Maybe I''ll even settle down with someone. Who knows?"


    Volio had gulped and felt his mouth go dry. He tried to tell her about his ns; how he wanted to propose right then and there, how he wanted to be hers forever. How she was the only person he could ever love. He fumbled with the ring in his pocket, but her warm smile and weing demeanor wasmitment enough for him. "I''m¡­going to start up a theatre school."


    Lyn chuckled and those dazzling, blue eyes caught Volio''s in a rapturous ze that set his heart ame. "That''s just like you. Going back to your roots." She looked into the mes, "I might try to learn the guitar. Introduce whatever the medieval version of punk would be. Who knows? We might even decide to team up and do a rock-opera or some shit." Sheughed and stirred the fire.


    Volio brought himself out of his reverie as he pulled Lyn''s shirt out of his pouch once more, inhaling her scent. Reminding him of her presence. She was alive, he knew it. They had a connection. And he would give her the ring this time. He kept it right next to her shirt. Putting that away and putting the canteen back on its strap he began the long descent to the valley floor. I''ll have to be cautious, and extremely sneaky, he thought. That dragon''s servants are still down there.

 Chapter 15

    Lyn stood in front of the arrayed warriors. She was fully decked out in her armor and stood on a raised wooden tform. "Warriors!" she shouted over the din. The room went quiet. "You are here to be evaluated. I will be testing each of you. There are three tests. The first will be a trial ofbat. First¡­basic principles ofbat. Each of you will grab the practice weapon you are mostfortable with ¨C spear, de, mace, or bow. Then, go to the cordoned-off area, and stand ready."


    The grouped warriors whispered amongst themselves, and Lyn dropped her voice a few octaves ¨C having learned that when she got really pissed off, or if she tried to talk in a deep voice, it would change to the draconic voice. Not sure how that works, she thought. "If you don''t do this, I will kill you right now." She pulled the hilt of her sword and willed mana into her mana channel and down the de. The mana surged into the hilt and the de of zingva limned with bursting air formed. "Do as I say or die."


    That got them moving, and the warriors rapidly went to their various groupings. Lyn put the sword away and went to the spear group first. She grabbed an offered spear from Gael. "I want you to follow my movements exactly." She went through a series of basic techniques, and after performing each strike, riposte, counter, jab, or sh, would watch those practicing the movements. After the ten-minute routine, she was able to split them into various tiers of capability. "Now that you are divided by capability, you will duel amongst yourselves in a bracketed, tournament-style format. One-minute rounds. Striking a would-be death blow is how you will determine a winner. The rest of the participants will be the judges." That will ensure that they are judging fairly, minus existing squabbles. As they set to the task, she moved to the other groups.


    She repeated this test with the swordsmen, maces, and bowmen. The only difference is that the bowmen did not duel each other, but instead had a best-of-three shootout for each tournament round. After each was mid-tourney, she returned to the raised tform and sat on a chair. A few hours passed, and by the end, she had a winner from each category. They were arrayed in front of her and knelt. "Each of you will be named as a member of the Military Advisors, who will assist the Marshal in training our forces in the corresponding weapon style. You will not coordinate directly with me; you will instead coordinate with the Marshal. Understood?


    One by one they did so, standing up and saluting, and repeating the phrase, "Yes, my Lady."


    Lyn nodded and cleared her throat before raising her voice. "Form ranks!" She watched with satisfaction as the different warriors quickly realized that this was a test, and the four who won each weapon category rapidly issued a series of barking orders. Within a few minutes, there were squadrons established; swordsmen and hammer users on the front line, alternating in between weapon types, and equipped with training shields. Spearmen were right behind them, able to stab between, and archers wereyered two deep behind them. About 200 archers, 100 of each other type. A good start. "Excellent. Tomorrow you will return here. Dismissed!"


    Lyn turned to Gael and Vael, "Come, we have work to do."


    A day passed quickly as Lyn worked through the night with several of the servant caste, starting to learn some of their names and expressing an interest in them as a people, rather than lesser. This earned her some odd nces from Gael and Vael, but they didn''tin or state anything aloud. By morning, she was back in the training cavern, and the warrior-caste filtered in before forming ranks.


    "The second test is to evaluate your external spell capabilities." She gestured to Gael and Vael, who took several wooden boards with Elenthir phrases painted on them, setting them up along the spell-shooting range. "You are all capable of internal spells, as are all of those with mana cores. But I need to know if any of you have the ability to use external spells. You will be handed a form," she gestured to Vehenna, who had a pile of parchment next to her on a small desk. "You will take that form to each station and attempt to use the spell painted on the board. One of the servant-caste will provide a mark on the page. Now, form a line!"


    The warriors hesitated for a moment before following the orders, with only a few nces of ''really? This is stupid'' sent her way. Lyn made visual note of those individuals and made sure that when they came up to Vehenna''s table, she put a small, crimson, wax mark on their evaluation slip. I''ll need to keep an eye on any that opposes my authority. She had ns for those ones ¨C they would be set to work in a purely defensive capacity, and even then, they would not guard the most important of locations. If they don''t fully trust me, then I can''t trust them.


    The day took a long, long time to pass. But, by the end, Lyn had arge stack of papers that she would sort through alongside the trio of elders. She took the stand once more and raised her de to draw attention once more. "Tomorrow, onlye here if you desire to lead. If you wish to follow orders, then I will ept your decision." Tomorrow, I find out who my Marshal will be. She stared at the stacks of paper as the warriors filtered out and she put away her de. I fucking hate paperwork.


    The night was spent upte, and Lyn wished there was some equivalent of caffeinated beverage. She was able to work through the task of categorizing the five hundred warriors and had a list of names and external spell type for each. She also ensured to have a scribe note down, catalogue, and find appropriate storage for the testing materials and forms. I''m sure I''ll be adding more to my forces eventually, and they''ll need to go through the same evaluation.


    As shey that night with Gael in bed, she had a moment to let her mind wander. She was bing something she never wanted to be ¨C a ruler. She had never wanted to lead armies, let alone a kingdom. Just a castle with servants that she paid a good wage to employ. But now¡­this felt¡­right. She knew it was partially this Destroyer core changing her personality, Gina had warned them it would happen. But this was¡­strong. The Scout hero core made her feel wanderlust, and she traveled extensively as a part of that ¨C which suited her personality just fine. Even now, she felt that itch to travel. To see new environments and how the world had changed in ten years. But it was muted, overwhelmed by this desire to rule.


    Gael turned over in bed and prodded her, "My Lady?"


    She turned and kissed him, shoving him down, seeking distraction from her thoughts in the carnal exaltation of flesh.


    This tale has been uwfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    There were only fifteen who arrived thatst day of evaluation. Ten male and five female Duskari. Including, to her satisfaction, the four who had already stepped up as leaders and took control of the different groupings of warriors by weapon type. But another three stood out to Lyn as those with red marks from the day prior. She instructed them to sit on the provided chairs. "A truemander is able to maintain a steely disposition and keep their wits about them, no matter the scenario. Each of you will be subject to distraction of several senses. You will then be presented with a scenario on a sheet of parchment. Do not worry about being able to read at this time, they are images of battle formations. You will then use your quill and ink pen to note down the movements you would make with your forces, using arrows to mark the movement."


    She raised her hand and several of the servant caste came in. Four per participant. One who would pass the parchment battle ns, and four to distract the senses. At her signal, they mmed pots and pans together, pushed foul-smelling, partially-dried dung under the noses of the test-takers, pulled out feathers to distract their sense of touch in sensitive areas, and in a scandalous flourish, she dismissed her armor to the pocket dimension and strode nude in front of the participants, ensuring to get close to each of them and show off all of her curves that she had quickly fallen in love with in this new body.


    Five failed out nearly instantly once she pulled that stunt. Including the three with the red marks. The remaining ten were able to keep theirposure and finish the test. Lyn re-equipped her armor and had the parchment collected. "Good. Well done. I will look at your answers, and this evening, two of you will be invited to my chambers to engage in a battle of strategy." She left with Gael and Vael in tow, returning to her bedroom and having the two stay outside. She pored over the battle ns and found two participants who were leagues above the rest with their tactical decisions. She, herself, wasn''t a tactician ¨C but she had studied the concept under Thomas, because, as he put it, "If the Demonic Dragon''s forces are in some far-off ce, you can get there the fastest. You''ll have to hold the defenses until myself or James arrives to take over."


    She opened her chamber doors and let Vael know the two names. She nodded and went to fetch them. Leaving the door open, she sat at her table and had two chairs brought in opposite. The two warriors came about ten minutester, sitting across from Lyn with Vael standing behind them.


    The woman had deep, red eyes. The darkest Lyn had seen. Her skin tone was not as white as the rest of the Duskari, suggesting she spent a decent amount of time outside. ncing over the paperwork gathered from the day prior, Lyn nodded in affirmation. She''s one of the scouts. Interesting. Remora. She looked up, "Thank you foring, Remora." She looked at the other participant. A male Duskari who had greying hair and a well-kempt beard. Looking down at the form she nodded once, "And you as well, Poweno." She stood up and walked to the closet, grabbing the game she had acquired the day before, and ced in before them. "We will be ying Vhuzok. Do you both know how to y?" Both nodded.


    Vhuzok was a game invented by the Vharthon ¨C a fox-humanoid race ¨C that was a war game using carved wooden figures to represent armies. Six-sided dice determined the oue of battles. Very simr to Risk. Lyn had yed that game quite a bit with Misty, as the other girl was in a simr impoverished state as Lyn was back on Earth. And it was one of the few games where, even if they were missing pieces from the thrift store, they could use other objects to represent the armies. Now to pull off my unwinnable situation.


    She set up the pieces so that there was a three-war front. She had the most pieces possible, and the other two had a hodge-podge assortment of units. "The task is simple. Survive. Because in war, it doesn''t matter if you win or lose a single battle, if you survive, then you cane back and win it all." She ced the pieces ¨C her army encircling both other two armies in the center. "If a single unit of yours gets to the edge of the map, you escape."


    Remora nodded tersely, "And how do we decide turns?"


    Lyn pulled out parchment and quills. "We will each write our orders and resolve them simultaneously."


    Poweno nodded and picked up his quill, dipping it into the pot. Remora, however, didn''t, and she did not pick up the parchment either. "My Lady, I do not know how to read or write."


    Lyn nodded and waved Vael over. "You can read and write, yes?" Vael nodded. "Good. Then you will take Remora into the restroom, close the door, and write what she instructs on the parchment for her."


    Vael nodded and took the other Duskari aside. A minute passed and she returned with the slip.


    Lyn flipped all three slips of parchment up at the same time and resolved the unit movements and actions. Poweno did what she had anticipated ¨C pushing all his forces against the weakest point of Lyn''s line. But Remora kept her units stationary.


    The second round saw Lyn diverting some forces from the exterior to reinforce the now-bending line. Poweno kept pushing that spot with his forces. Remora moved her units up behind Poweno''s ¨C not engaging, but just moving as a group. Interesting. I think I know where she''s going with this, Lyn thought. She intends to reinforce and work together to breach and flee. Just one unit must pass, after all.


    The third round, Poweno and Lyn kept fighting, and Remora moved her forces up behind Poweno''s. She also had two slips of spare parchment that Vael handed to both Lyn and Poweno, respectively. "She said these are to be kept separate."


    Lyn nodded and read the slip. Oh, she''s a crafty bitch. I like her. She looked at Poweno''s face and tried to read him ¨C but his beard and bushy brows made it very hard to see his expression.


    Third round. Lyn diverted all of her forces tobating Poweno. He continued his push. At the same time, Remora''s forces bashed Poweno from behind, and her single unit that had gone to pay with Lyn''s forces got to the map edge.


    "Remora wins," Lyn stated. "Poweno, let me see what she wrote you." The man handed her the slip, and Lyn saw the same message that she was given. Clever girl. She had a unit escape the map edge ¨C ensuring that word would get back to her own forces about the possible alliance or betrayal depending on how Lyn had yed it. And, if Lyn had killed the messenger, it was only a single cavalry unit, so not much help when encircled. She had promised the same to Poweno, only to smash apart his line. And, if I was fighting this for real, I would crush her army as well. But she met the objective. She got out.


    Poweno red at the young woman, "That was a dirty trick you pulled."


    Remora sat down next to the man and dipped her head slightly, "I simply did as I was told. I met the victory condition."


    Lyn knew the power of alliances from how the different kingdoms allied against the Demonic Dragon. She also knew that unifying forces against amon foe was imperative. Poweno was skilled, no doubt about it. And she needed his straightforward, current-warfare mind. But the craftiness Remora demonstrated ¨C and the ruthlessness ¨C made her the obvious pick. "Remora, I would be pleased to have you on my council as my Marshal. And Poweno, I want you to be her Advisor. You two will be responsible for the maintenance of my military."


    Remora smiled ear to ear and stood up, bowing deeply as she sped her fist to her chest, "I won''t fail you, my Lady."


    Poweno also stood and bowed, "My thanks, my Lady, for giving me this great honor." Lyn could hear the sincerity in his voice. He was probably close to being an elder himself, and she couldn''t help but wonder if she had fought him in the past.


    Lyn waved her hand, "Tomorrow, outside of the dread fortress, bring the whole of the army. We have drills to practice, and fortifications to improve."

 Chapter 16

    Ben sat on the couch with Trisha''s hand sped in his. They listened to Thomas'' exnation of his inscriptions being triggered, and his theory about the return of the Destroyer in whatever form it may be. The thought of that creature being alive again shook Ben to his core. There''s no way we can beat it if it''s still the same strength.


    Thomas concluded by taking a sip from his sk. "You two deserved to know first. I am nning on going to investigate myself from above, and if I see indications, I''m going to James."


    "What do you think James will be able to do?" Trisha asked as she gripped Ben''s hand tighter. "He couldn''t take on the Demonic Dragon."


    Thomas grimaced, "I was going to see if he could help me convince King Kristoph to allow us to use the statue and summon new heroes."


    That statement caused Ben''s chest to seize up. "You''re saying we should rip more people from Earth and force them here? We know they won''t go back once this Destroyer is beaten ¨C or else we would''ve gone back. You want to fuck up their lives?"


    Thomas stood up and paced to the window, "If the Destroyer is back-"


    Trisha stood up, "We won''t be involved. Let the kingdoms form alliances and fight like they did when we first arrived. I''m sure they can handle it. At least while we live our lives. We did our part."


    Thomas shook his head and turned to face the two, "King Kristoph may decide to use the statue of Aelor regardless. And if he does that¡­" he trailed off and stared ahead into space, as if lost in thought.


    "What will happen?" Ben asked.


    Thomas refocused on Ben, "Our mana cores will be removed and ced into the bodies of the next generation of summoned heroes."


    Ben felt his heart ice over. He had seen only one instance of a mana core being removed from a person while they were still alive. He, Trisha, Misty, Lyn, and Thomas had tracked down a rogue necromancer who was working on a magical gue. They didn''t want to kill him, but couldn''t let him keep using spells. Misty crafted a spell that allowed them to siphon his mana core, and she applied it to her own, consuming it under her Mage core. What was left was a shell of a man. A man who was effectively a lobotomized, walking corpse. We can''t let them summon more heroes. Not while we''re alive.


    Thomas must have read Ben''s face and bodynguage because he nodded, "Yup. That would suck."


    Trisha shook her head and Ben heard the fear rising in her throat as her voice cracked, "We can¡­James can¡­Someone can be strong enough, like Lyn was. What about Misty? Hasn''t she been training a bunch of spell users somewhere? She could handle it, right?"


    Thomas shook his head, "I have a theory. I think I figured out how the statue works. If I can get my hands on it, I can pull the mana cores from¡­wherever they are, and make them physical. Then, we can find people to make heroes. Or, James could consume them, since the Paragon core is technically on a higher level than the rest." He sighed and his shoulders drooped. "But¡­I don''t know if my theory will work. If it doesn''t¡­"


    Ben stood up to his full height and walked over to Thomas, putting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing firmly. Not enough to injure, but enough to demonstrate the difference in strength. "Please¡­don''t do this. My family-"


    "Will be like hundreds or thousands of other families if the Destroyer rises to power and decides to actually wage war on the world, instead of just sitting in his mountain fortress and daring heroes to attack. Only time will tell."


    Ben frowned, "Just¡­promise me you''lle back here and let us know what you find out scouting, okay? Before you go tell James and try whatever n you have with that statue."


    Thomas nodded firmly, "I promise."


    Lyn met her army outside. A force of five-hundred. They spent the morning in the bright sun outside of the dread fortress forming new squadrons. She was extremely tired ¨C having been up most of the night with Remora, Poweno, and their Military Advisors for the different units. Together they hade up with the best groupings of the soldiers for set squads. Lyn took inspiration from the Roman Legions. Two swordsmen and hammer-wielding warriors with shields to form a front. Two wielding spears to stab past their front line. And two archers to provide ranged support. We don''t have a huge army, Lyn had reasoned. So I should focus on highly-coordinated and elite strike troops.


    They had also gone through painstaking effort to cross-reference the groups to switch out various external spell-type users, and tried to distribute the various spell-types equally. One issue she hade across was theirck of healers. It made some sense, given the level of body enhancement the warriors had undergone. But Lyn knew that having a dedicated group of healers would be vital in any prolonged conflicts.


    As they finished forming their new groups Lyn stood atop an old, ruined tower. She was fully armored and raised her de, letting the mana flow down her arm as it ignited ¨C a beacon drawing her troops to attention. She had been dreading this moment. I always hated giving speeches. She shook away the memories of ssroom presentations and stuttering her way through her slides. She had a n. First, establish control of this valley and fortify it. A strong base of operations. Then, she could travel ¨C get more mana cores, clear dungeons, and more importantly, track down the heroes and find out what happened ten years ago. But first¡­this. Rile them up. y the leader role.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition.


    She lowered her voice to the draconic growl, and it resonated outward and through the valley. You''re a goddamn Destroyer. Act like one. She felt the mana core in her chest, despite the armor that seemed to calm it, roil and churn. The mana flowed up her mana channels ¨C into her neck and her brain. And she had an urge ¨C a sudden urge. One she had never encountered before and feltpletely alien. A desire to conquer. "My warriors! Today, we mark the creation of a new order! No longer will the Duskari cower inside the dread fortress. This day, we begin our expansion. From this fallen citadel, now known as Lynhold, we will secure the Valley of the Volcano. Look to your Marshal, and heed her instruction!"


    Lyn felt the mana flowing about her head before it slowly trickled back to her torso. What the fuck did I just say? She knew she was talking; she heard the words she said. But¡­something else was driving the theme of the message. The only exnation she coulde up with was that the Destroyer core was changing her personality faster than expected. She went down the ruins of the tower and sat upon one of the fallen chunks of rock as Remora instructed the squadrons in their tasks for the day ¨C practice in the nearby territory using training weapons. Squad on squadbat to cement their group''s function.


    But Lyn had no interest in that at this moment. This Destroyer core was changing her personality in a singr direction. To rule. To conquer. Not destroy and obliterate, but to¡­the best words Lyn could use to describe it was controlling everything. I never wanted to rule, she thought. I just want my glory and an easy life. She looked down at glowing mana-de of Cataclysm. But as long as I have this mana core¡­that''s not happening.


    She was at a crossroads. She could run. She was recovered enough, and knew Elenthir well enough that she could make an inscribed item for an illusion to her body and voice. She could just covertly find the heroes, approach them in the guise of the old Lyn they knew, and reim her glory. Or, she could embrace this new role she found thrust upon her. Looking at the various, shing skirmishers that darted in and out of the woods, and seeing the spells beingunched¡­she felt right. As if this was where she was meant to be. It''s probably just the core talking, she thought. Reflecting further, she felt a deep desire to fix things. She had the power, now, if she wanted, to take control.


    She could be an enlightened, egalitarian monarch. Rule the world, ensure peace and prosperity in her empire, and create sweeping changes to improve the lives of every person. No more wars, no more strife, no civil war. Given her longevity as a Duskari, she could also bring people into a modern idea of equality and equity across races, cultures, and other divides. The more she thought on it, the more she liked the idea. I can reforge this world and make it better than anything else out there. No child would go hungry in her empire. Abusive parents would be punished. No one would have to suffer the childhood she had to suffer.


    She tightened her grip on the de as she recalled the nights where her father and mother screamed at her, locked her in her room, and refused to feed her. All because she identally chipped a goddamn te doing the dishes. She remembered when her father beat her face and dislocated her arm when she had identally dropped juice on the carpet. The vile words, the cursing, the abuse ¨C all of the rage she felt caused her mana core to bubble and surge violently in her torso, filling up the amulet to full near-instantly. Shit! She pointed the de up and allowed the mana to course through it. The de burned bright and the length extended. Surprisingly, the hilt also grew in her hands, and the wind enveloping the de sharpened and lengthened as well. In an instant, she was holding a great sword.


    There''s still too much mana, she thought. "Gael, Vael! Water pool. Now!"


    The twins nodded, and in-sync, raised their palms towards a divot in the ground ¨C remains from a siege long past. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an aro / aechad / a m?r en-aear," they both incanted at the same time, in perfect harmony. The water spell surged outward and formed a small pond in the divot.


    Lyn ran over and held her hand above the pool, releasing the torrent of mana as it surged from her palm and into the water. She felt the mana lower from it''s boil back to a simmer, and as there was still some space left in the crater, she used some of the stored mana to give herself a buffer. She stopped the flow when the steaming pool was full. "My thanks."


    The twins nodded and Vael smiled, "Of course, my Lady."


    Lyn sighed and craned her head backward, taking in a deep breath and looking up to the skies. There, far off in the distance, she saw a winged creature. What the hell could that be? It''s way too big to be a bird.


    Thomas put his spyss down as Hector circled the skies above the Valley of the Volcano. An armored figure, usingva spells, and wielding very simr weapons? There was no question in his mind ¨C it was the Destroyer, returned. Fuck! He pulled his sk and took a deep swill from the bottomless container. The whiskey burned its way down his throat and filled him with a warm, buzzing feeling. There''s only one thing I can do now. He would go to Trisk, tell Ben and Trisha, and then go South-West to the kingdom of Khrrdia.


    He knew James well enough that his n should be convincing. They were friends, after all. The only two in their ss who enjoyed trading card games. When they first arrived in Ghomar, the two fell in love with the fantasy world. Granted, Thomas wasn''t as big of a fantasy nerd as James was ¨C but he liked the genre. If I can get James to consume the other Hero cores, then he might have a shot at beating the Destroyer.


    As he began to guide Hector to turn, he heard a familiar noise. A whistling,ing from the forest and up towards him. He wheeled Hector around and spotted a glint of light that vanished. It was almost immediately followed by another whistling that was unmistakably a signal arrow. One he instantly recognized as it whistled Flight of the Valkyries as it flew through the sky before vanishing. Volio?


    He guided Hector to swoop down to the forest below. The wyvern was well acquainted to open spaces and mountains ¨C but flying in the forest was not unheard of for the species. Thomas scanned for a clearing as another whistling signal arrow went up. There! He guided Hector to the clearing andnded, sliding off of the mount. "Volio?" he asked.


    The Archer hero emerged a few momentster from the tree line. His dirty, blonde hair and beard were covered with twigs and sticks. "Thomas, I knew it was you!" he ran up and gave Thomas a hug before letting him go. "Duskari are in the woods. I took a risk signaling you." Volio gestured and the signal arrow he had fired appeared in his hand before he put it into the hip-quiver. Thomas noted that the hip quiver held specialty arrows for a variety of purposes.


    Thomas narrowed his gaze, trying to dissect Volio''s intent by sight alone. "We shouldn''t be here...What are you doing here?"

 Chapter 17

    Lyn saw therge creature descend to the nearby forest and looked at Vael and Gael, "Did you see that?"


    The two nodded, and Vael spoke, "It appeared to be a mountain wyvern, my Lady."


    "And someone was atop it," Gael stated.


    Lyn smiled. That fucker did it! Thomas had always talked about taming weird fantasy creatures. He had always wanted to fly, and he had talked about befriending a dragon to have a means to travel the skies. Looks like he figured out how to tame a draconic cousin. "Follow me, but stay concealed," Lyn stated as she began to run towards the tree line in the direction the wyvern hadnded.


    She rapidly fired off an internal spell, "Gothron i gwanno / min enni / nan in togwath / hadano hain / anno nin thron / a nin gwelu." The incantation focused on empowering her muscles ¨C much like the simple version she used when testing out her body''s physical capabilities ¨Cenhanced reaction time, and increased movement speed by pushing more mana into the lower legs. She dashed through the trees and her Bodyguards were barely able to keep sight of her as she ran through the forest.


    She slowed down as she saw a clearing and heard the mewling and muttering of the wyvern. She saw a tall,nky man in robes with a hip sk, a backpack, and several satchels strapped to his waist. His ck hair had a few grey strands. Ten years, plus the five we were here before assaulting the dread fortress, so he''s thirty-three. Not bad looking for that age, Lyn thought as she looked at them from the undergrowth. Thomas was a little too academic for her tastes, but he always had interesting things to talk about even before the summoning fifteen years ago. She could talk to him for hours. Behind Misty, probably my second-best friend of the bunch.


    The other man was tall and his muscles were taut under his leather armor. Oddly enough, he wore shorts with knee-high boots, showing off his massive quads. Two quivers were strapped to him, and a long, ornate bow was on his back. And there''s Volio, she thought with distaste filling her. The creep always had perved on her at the skate park and stared at her in ss. Seeing his ruddy hair and pock-marked face filled her with revulsion. She vividly recalled the time he tried to kiss her on the field, and she had to push him away and tell him to back off. His presence made her skin crawl. He was a creep.


    The twins came up behind her and whispered very quietly, just loud enough for Lyn to hear, "What do youmand, my Lady?"


    "Give me a moment," she responded. I want them to know I''m alive and back. The best way would be talking in English. She cleared her throat and stood up, switching to her nativenguage. "Thomas! Volio!"


    Both men looked over at her. Volio pulled his longbow and nocked an arrow, aiming it at her. Thomas backed up toward his mount, which craned its head around him and growled in Lyn''s direction. "How do you know English?" Thomas asked with genuine curiosity, responding in the samenguage.


    Lyn walked forward with her hands up, leaving the clearing. "It''s me. It''s Lyn."


    Volio''s grip on his bow wavered and he let the shaft go loose in his grip, slowly lowering the weapon. "I knew it!" He looked to Thomas and grinned. "I knew she was alive!"


    Thomas looked at Lyn with a quizzical re. "No¡­this can''t be Lyn. It''s a trick. I saw this Duskari using an externalva spell. It''s the Destroyer. The Demonic Dragon reborn. It must have consumed Lyn''s Scout core, and learned thenguage from that."


    Lyn grunted, exasperated. "Really? Fine. I''ll tell you something only the real Lyn would know. In the fourth grade, you showed up to ss with two different color shoes. We called you ''Tommy two-shoes'' for months. You hated it, and your mom came to the school to yell at us as a ss. But Kory called you Tommy tinkles, because of the time you wet your pants on the yground after he pushed you off the slide. That one led to your mom suing the school."


    Thomas'' face clouded over as the recollection washed over him. "You¡­How¡­"


    Lyn took a few more steps forward, "I told you. I''m Lyn. I beat the Demonic Dragon, then appeared back on Earth. I forced my way back through an inscription. But I must have fucked it up, because¡­well, I''m Duskari, and it''s been ten years. But it''s still me. And you all took the fucking credit!" She felt the anger rise up in her once more. These assholes stole the glory that should have been hers. "How''d you do it, huh? A spell that blotted me from memory? From history? No one remembers me!"


    Volio''s face broadened into a creepy smile and he cackled with delight. "I knew it was you! Oh, Lyn¡­" his eyes zed over and his stare sent chills down her spine. "We''ll tell everyone you''re alive! We''ll help you-"


    His words were cut off as a loud snapping of a branch came from behind them, and a squadron of the Duskari who were out training charged out from the opposite side of the clearing. They couldn''t have seen Lyn, as the wyvern was blocking view of her until their charge. Thomas wheeled around, "Shit! It''s an ambush!" He mbered atop his Wyvern and it took off, arcing skyward as a few training arrows went after it fruitlessly.


    "Damnit!" Lyn shouted in English before swapping to Arinol, "Hold!" The Duskari did so without question, but stared at Volio as the archers in their group tracked Thomas'' wyvern. "Put the damned bows down," she said. They did so, and waited for orders.


    Volio looked up at her, rubbing the back of his head. "It''s okay, I''m fine." He stared at Lyn with that creepy smile. "You¡­ah¡­erm¡­hi."


    Vael and Gael walked up behind Lyn, "What should we do with him?" Vael asked bluntly.


    Lyn held her hand up for them to stop moving. She switched back to English. "It''s good to see you, Volio," she replied. Just pretend like you like him. She wasn''t a fan of manipting people, but she could use him. Get him to talk to the other heroes for her ¨C convince them that she was alive, and she just wanted the glory of the kill and praise for stopping the Demonic Dragon. That she wasn''t going to be an evil Destroyer hellbent on ruining the world. I just have to y along with it for a bit.


    She spared a nce skyward to Thomas and his Wyvern flying far off in the sky. I need to talk to him. At least tell him something more. She began to incant an external spell.


    "Higher, Hector!" Thomas shouted as he stood in his makeshift stirrups to keep atop his mount. Hector''s wings pped mightily and they ascended higher and higher into the clouds. I need to be out of range. His mind was rattled. That person was clearly the Demonic Dragon reborn as a Destroyer. He had seen the external spell. Only one entity could useva ¨C he hade across no other in his extensive historical research. But how did she know about that story at school?


    The memory made his cheeks go red with embarrassment and he felt the heat rush to his face. The feeling of being picked on by the other neen students that he had grown up with in every grade level. The humiliation that drove him to cry at home. The further embarrassment when his mom drove him to school the next day and yelled at the other kids. He grabbed his sk and took a long draw from it.


    There was a gust of wind that shot past him, and he reflexively guided Hector to dodge. But no explosion came from the st of air. Instead, a voice speaking in English ¨C that Destroyer-woman''s voice echoed around him. "Look, I know you don''t believe me. I promise I''m Lyn. I''ll mark off anding area if you ever want to visit. You''re safe here. Come talk. Please."


    He looked down at the forest below. He was familiar with the message spell that the Destroyer used; Lyn had made it after studying with Misty, and she was an expert in using it thanks to the Scout core''s predilection for wind external spells. But, the Destroyer core is strong enough to consume hero cores. He knew that, in the order of hierarchy, the strongest mana core on Ghomar was that of the Destroyer. Next, was the Paragon ¨C James ¨C and then the rest of the heroes. That exins the proficiency with wind external spells. But¡­that didn''t exin the memories. Mana cores didn''t carry memories. I saw the corpse. Misty saw Lyn strike the killing blow with her mind memory external spell. Maybe¡­the Destroyer takes on the memories of the person whost defeated it? A theory, and he had no way to prove it.


    This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    "Hector, circle!" The mount did so, and Thomas peered through his spyss, spotting the figure in the clearing, talking to Volio. It seemed¡­peaceful. If Volio thinks it really is Lyn, nothing is going to change his mind. But this presented an opportunity. He was promised a safending and passage. It would be risky, but a n began to form in his mind. "Hector, fly on!" he shouted to his wyvern. Using his fingers on a sensitive part of the wyvern''s spine, he dictated the direction for him to fly, and they began moving South-West towards the Kingdom of Khrrdia. Towards James.


    Volio followed Lyn and her squad back to the dread fortress. His eyes were glued to her. His dark angel. The woman he had devoted ten years to finding. She was back! And she looked even better than before. Not as thick, but voluptuous and enticing. Hips just begging to be caressed, a body fit for worship.


    She turned her head back to him and said something in Arinol, before shaking her head slightly and switching to English. "Sorry. I''ve been using thatnguage a lot recently. It''s been ten years, right?"


    Volio nodded, "Uhm¡­yes¡­"


    She nodded and turned forward once more, resuming their short journey. Volio couldn''t keep his eyes off of her ¨C not even when they left the forest and saw the imposing dread fortress with Shiverburn Summit above. Not even when squadrons of Duskari with training weapons formed up around them and escorted them inside. The only time that he didn''t focus on her was when there was no lighting.


    She turned to him, then, deep in the dread fortress. Her soft, more feminine voice was slightly off-putting; but he could tell by how she spoke. The cadence, the way her voice had a slight musical quality reflective of her taste in music: speaking in measured four-four tempo at a moderate rate of beats-per-minute. "We don''t have torches. Do you want a light source?"


    Volio shook his head and reached into his bag, pulling out a set of goggles with an inscription. He poured some of his mana into the item, and the room brightened with a slight, rosy hue. Lyn led him deep into a citadel and through a hidden door that they hadn''t seen on their first time here, ten years ago. Deeper into the caveplex they went. Lyn gestured to a broad door, "These are your quarters as long as you want to stay." She sounded very sincere and Volio swooned at his protector inviting him into her citadel.


    "I¡­erm¡­thanks¡­" he replied quietly, ovee by the presence of his beloved.


    Lyn pointed to a tall, Duskari male. "Gael will be your Bodyguard for now and will ensure you are safe within Lynhold."


    Oh, she named it after herself. Volio nodded and turned to the man who looked at him with piercing, red eyes that were appraising him. Shit. I don''t know much Arinol. He was able to get out the word for ''hello'', and turned back to Lyn who was conversing with the female lookalike to his new Bodyguard. She got me a Bodyguard, too. She wants to protect me. His dark angel. She turned to him and smiled gently, "I''lle talk to you after you''ve settled in." Lyn turned and left with the other woman.


    Volio opened the door and found a well-appointed chamber. A queen sized bed, a tub and chamber pot with inscriptions to facilitate their function, a tall wardrobe, and a chest. He turned to Gael and bowed gently, "Thank you," he said in English. Gael cocked his head sideways, pointed at Volio, and then rubbed his stomach. "Oh, no, I''m good," Volio replied, miming back to Gael that he was full.


    The Duskari nodded and took up a position outside of the door. Volio shut it before looking at the tub. I should make myself presentable. He pulled Lyn''s shirt out of his pouch and took a deep breath, inhaling her scent.


    Once they were a good distance away, Vael broke the silence. "My Lady, why take in a Human?"


    "He''s the Archer hero." Keep up the fa?ade. Only Volio and Thomas knew that she was actually Lyn, not this reborn Demonic Dragon. I''m not good at lying outright. Instead¡­ She turned to Vael and smiled gently, "I spoke to him in thatnguage to gain his trust. He thinks I am his beloved Scout hero that slew my prior incarnation and died delivering the final blow. I am going to use that perceived connection. He will serve me, and as he is a hero, he can travel and gather intel for us."


    Vael nodded, "A smart decision, my Lady."


    "I''ll be in my chambers. Go, fetch someone who is skilled at metallurgy."


    Vael saluted and left as Lyn opened the doors to her room. She shut them behind immediately after and took several deep breaths. I can''t believe I have to put up with that creep. Volio had been obsessed with her ¨C basically a stalker. He had followed her and Misty to the skate park. He had followed Lyn home. One time she caught him staring into her windows at home ¨C and when she told her dad, her father beat her thinking she was sleeping around with boys around town. The thought of his abuse brought the feeling of incensed rage to the forefront, pushing aside the disgust at Volio''s behavior.


    I just have to convince him that it will be worth his while. She could give him treasure. She could give him attention. But there was no way she would give him what she knew he wanted. She went over to the bed and stared up at the mirror on the ceiling, once more appreciating her physique in this suit of resplendent armor. There were a few ways she could y him. It was obvious he was enamored. Enthralled. I could use a reward system, she thought, thinking back to when their elementary school teacher implemented just that. Something small to start. A scouting mission in exchange for a hug. Something small. And she knew she would have a firm limit. No way she would sleep with the creep. That was right out.


    There was a knock on the door. "Enter!" Lyn shouted in Arinol.


    Vael opened the door and a servant-caste Duskari came in. "My Lady, you asked for a smithy?"


    Lyn stood up, "Yes, I want you to create an emblem. My emblem. One we can make quickly and inrge quantity to give to our allies. Tell me, are you skilled at inscription?"


    The smith shook his head and bowed, "I''m not, your Ladyship."


    "That is fine. Vael? I want someone who is skilled at inscription ¨C whoever we have that''s the best at it ¨C to work alongside our smiths."


    "Yes, my Lady." Vael replied.


    Lyn looked back at the smith, "I''ll provide the design tomorrow." The smithy bowed and left, and Vael was about to shut the door, but Gael walked up with Volio in tow.


    "My Lady," Gael said in Arinol, "Your¡­guest wants to see you."


    Lyn nodded and gestured for them toe in. Speaking in Arinol, she replied, "I want both you and Vael inside, nking the doors. Make no hostile movement even if he acts strangely." The two nodded and took positions on opposite sides of the doors. Lyn switched to English, "You cleaned up well," she said.


    Volio nodded and bowed his head slightly, "Thanks¡­The room is nice."


    Lyn gestured to the nearby table, "Please, sit." She took a seat, and Volio walked over plopping himself down as well. He didn''t have his equipment, gear, or pack. Lyn looked past him to Vael and switched to Arinol, "Go into his chambers and make note of his equipment. I want a full catalogue. You have ten minutes. Make sure it looks the same as when you found it. Take nothing." Vael nodded and bowed before leaving the room.


    "You¡­you look different," Volio muttered. "Still good! Just¡­different."


    Lyn nodded and leaned forward, willing her armor to expose a little bit of her cleavage. The metal parted slightly and ¨C forck of a better word ¨C became sluttier, showing off her midriff and torso. Volio''s eyes instantly fixated on her chest, and she smiled, "Eyes up here." His eyes snapped up to hers. "That''s better," she said softly, gently, trying to pour as much sincerity into it as possible. It revolted her, that she was fake-seducing her stalker¡­but he was the best chance she had right now to get word to the other heroes.


    "I¡­uhm¡­how are you?"


    Lyn leaned back in the chair, "I am doing great. The new body took some getting used to, and body enhancement sucked as usual. Outside of that? It''s been good." She forced a gigglingugh, "I am a ruler, now."


    Volio nodded and smiled, "I¡­brought something of yours."


    Lyn looked at him quizzically, "Oh? A present? You shouldn''t have."


    He reached into his waist pouch and pulled out a slightly marked white shirt. "I¡­took this from your room¡­I''m sorry, I should have asked you for it." He bowed his head as if waiting for punishment or a pronouncement of wrath.


    Lyn felt nothing but disgust. He took my clothes? Fucking pervert! She swallowed down the revulsion and gently picked up the shirt. "Thank you for returning it." But¡­this does give me something to y to my advantage. She hadn''t been sleeping in clothes in this new body as it got in the way of her amorous activities with Vael or Gael. She hadn''t needed clothes since finding the armor, either, as it felt like a second skin. "I''ll get you something nicer to remember me by."


    Volio''s face shot up and he beamed with satisfaction, "Th-thank you!"


    Lyn nodded and stood up, "I have some work to do with the troops tomorrow, but I''d like to have lunch outside if you''re open to it."


    Volio stood and nodded enthusiastically, "Of course! Anything you want!"


    Lyn nodded and stepped right in front of him. He was taller than her, and so looking down at her gave him a view of her torso that she was sure he was appreciating, if his tenting pants were anything to go by. "Now, I have some work to do. I''ll talk to you tomorrow."


    Volio nodded and turned away quickly, heading to the door that Gael opened and led him through. Volio cast a longing nce at Lyn before the door shut behind them.


    Lyn let out a deep breath. I need a bath. A hot one. She felt vile. Disgusted. Not at using her sexuality to get her way, but using her sexuality on her stalker. The fucker even stole her clothes and did God-knows what with them. She let the mana flow through her mana channel and incinerated the shirt with a touch ofva. She dismissed the armor and went to the tub, loading mana into the incantation as the room steamed up with boiling water.


    A few minutes of scrubbingter, she heard a knock. "Come in," she shouted in Arinol. Vael came in and bowed, "Report," Lyn said tersely.


    "He had a bow made of some type of bone I''ve never seen before. It had an inscription. Two quivers ¨C one with inscribed arrows, and the other with various tool-based arrows; blunted for taking prisoners, whistle for signaling, a few other specialty ones. A backpack with traveling supplies."


    "Good. I need you to do something else for me." Lyn gestured to her room, "Bring parchment and a quill." Vael did so, and Lyn jotted down a quick message in English. She blew on it to dry it, and handed it back to her Bodyguard, "Take off your small clothes, wrap them up in one of the robes from the closet, and deliver them with this message to my guest."


    Vael raised an eyebrow quizzically but nodded, "Your will be done, my Lady."

 Chapter 18

    Trisha finished clearing the table with Ben before giving him a kiss on the cheek. He took the children out to y a bit more ¨C to really tire them out ¨C so they could have some alone time that evening.


    As she stood at the sink, finishing her chores, looking out the window at the rolling hills and setting sun, she couldn''t help but feel a mix of emotions. First was a thankfulness for the life she had. Back home, she would have been swamped with student debt and working for horrible hospitalworks for years before having a solid career. Here, she was one of the best healers in the world, and was both renowned and respected. She had a wonderful husband that she had wanted to be with before their summoning fifteen years ago. Three children and a fourth due any day.


    But Thomas'' words lingered in her mind. If the Destroyer is back, she thought. Then we could be in serious shit. She wouldn''t be involved in any type of fighting ¨C worst case scenario, they would travel off-continent to avoid the conflict. But if Thomas activated that statue and his n didn''t work, they would all be hollow shells of themselves. Her happy life ¨C dashed in an instant.


    "When hees back," Ben had said after Thomas left a few nights prior. "If he does find evidence of the Demonic Dragon ¨C Destroyer ¨C whatever¡­we need to have a serious conversation of what we are going to do." He had suggested something dark ¨C something she never thought he was capable of¡­but he made a valid point. Their family was the most important thing to them. More important than a ssmate-turned-friend who only visited twice a year.


    Looking at Ben,ughing, rolling around and y wrestling with Eli and Lyndra while Lawry watched, filled her with anxiety. She felt the baby kick, and stepped away from the sink, sitting down.


    She had ns in ce. They had inscribed severalplicated spells under their house with Misty''s help. For all manner of urrences ¨C war, famine, disease, assault. With her and Ben''s mana cores, they could survive for a long time. But, she also had inscribed another, secret circle with Thomas'' help. An inscription that would allow them to return to Earth.


    She didn''t want that, because Ghomar had be her home. She loved her life, the prestige she had, the power of being a magnificent healer¡­and she didn''t really have an idea what was waiting for them back on Earth. That would be ast resort.


    "If we need to," Ben had said. "We kill him. I''m not giving up my life with you and the kids. I hope to God it doesn''te to that¡­but our familyes first."


    He was right, and even though it sickened Trisha to her core, she knew he was right. As she took a deep breath, she felt a trickling down her leg. Ah, shit. Tonight is going to suck. She stood up and staggered to the door, hollering for Ben, "Hon! It''s happening!"


    Volioid in bed and hummed a tune from his favorite musical. Everything was going perfectly for him. Lyn was alive ¨C as he had thought. They had a connection, after all. She had epted his apology, and had even sent him new clothes. He pulled the garments to his face and draped them over himself. Her scent was different, but still he found Lyn''s odor intoxicating.


    The letter that came with had alsoe with instructions. Later that day, they would have a pic outside of the dread fortress ¨C Lynhold. I''ll have to talk to cartographers and get them to change the name. Volio chuckled as he tapped out the rhythm to the song. Just trust in your heart. Eventually, she''ll warm up to you. After all, they had a connection. He was hers wholly in heart, soul, and body. Eventually¡­if he served her well, she would be his.


    That thought jolted him and he sat upright. Was he¡­really okay with serving her? Her every whim, need, desire? Of course I will. He shook his head. How could he not? Her being alive had kept him going these past ten years. He had been able to push aside all of the horrific memories of ughter, pain, and dread thanks to his single-minded devotion and desire to see his lost love. And fate had brought them together, rewarded his faith. She was alive.


    But he felt something else. A fear. Fear that Lyn would possibly reject him because he was Human and she was Duskari. Fear that maybe she didn''t feel the same. But he shook that idea from his head. No. She loves me. Why else would she give me this gift?


    Lyn groaned as she got out of bed. Gael had stayed with her that evening, and he sat up at the sudden noise. "My Lady? Are you well?"


    Lyn waved him off, "I''m fine. I just have to deal with him today," she muttered.


    "Forgive me asking, my Lady. But if you detest him so much, why keep this Human around?"


    She looked back at Gael, "He''s a tool. An asset. Nothing more. But, unlike the Duskari who serve due to what I am, he will only serve if he thinks who I am is the woman that cared for him." She turned away and went to the bathroom, filling up the tub with the inscription before sinking into the warmth. I''m doing a damned good job at this, she thought. Her ability to obfuscate the truth of her identity was excellent. Perhaps the Destroyer mana core''s personality changes also affect my ability to deceive people. She had never been deceptive or maniptive before. Just blunt, crass, and rude. A no-nonsense, straightforward person.


    Gael came in and bowed slightly, "My Lady, I request a day off."


    Lyn gestured for him to leave, "Yes, that''s fine. Tell your sister she is to attend me today." Gael nodded and left whilst she luxuriated in the bath.


    After a short time, she got out and let her mana flow through her whole body, instantly evaporating the water covering her. She pushed more mana into the inscription on the choker and willed the armor to be equipped. Going to the closet and looking in the full-length mirror, she focused her intent on the inscribed armor. It changed and warped as she willed and became as revealing as possible whilst still covering her torso and groin. She liked the look, but dreaded why she was doing it. All to manipte someone she detested. Shaking her head, she looked up as Vael came in. "Did the smithy produce the prototype?"


    The female Bodyguard nodded and produced a cloth-wrapped item. She handed it to Lyn, and she unwrapped it. It was a simple design, one that could easily be mistaken for a broach. Three lengths of metal, melded together to form a triangle with the excess bent in the same direction. Inspired by her favorite band''s logo, but uniquely hers. "Good. Please tell them that this is perfect, and I want them to always have one hundred stocked."


    "Of course, my Lady." She hesitated for a moment, and Lyn gestured for her to speak. "Why have these made?"


    Lyn smirked, "They''re going to be an easy way to identify non-Duskari that are on our side. An emblem we can easily manufacture and distribute to our allies." Looking at the backside, she was pleased to see that they were able to inscribe the Elenthir phrase she had wanted. Thank God for Ashley. And, that these smiths were smart enough to find someone who has either enough mana for, or the weird gic thing to inscribe Farsight spells.


    This novel''s true home is a different tform. Support the author by finding it there.


    The Warder hero, who specialized in barriers, wards, divination, and defense from magical threats. She had mademunication devices for the heroes ¨C inscribed nes that allowed for her to be the locus of thework. Effectively, she was the switchboard, and could talk to and ry messages to anyone else. It was her design that Lyn had been inspired by. Lyn felt a pang of guilt and sorrow as she remembered her. Ashley had died because Lyn and Ben had tripped a trap; one that deactivated all spells they had protecting them before bombarding them with poisonous darts. Ashley died within seconds. Her corpse, full of barbs; her skin decaying and sloughing off of her body as the magical poison took effect before Trisha could intervene.


    Lyn felt the urge to flee. To run. The inside of Lynhold was too dark, too suffocating ¨C just like that dungeon was. She began to hyperventte and had to turn from Vael and go into the closet. Letting the mana flow down her arm, she manifested an orb ofva in her hand and simply held it, letting the glow wash away the memories of darkness, panic, and dread. Losing herself in the affirmation of this incredible power at her disposal. Letting the confidence from her newfound strength wash away the memories and push them back into the recesses of her mind. Her breathing calmed and she steadied her resolve. Extinguishing the globule, it hardened to obsidian in her hand, and she dropped it on the ground as it shattered.


    Looking at the still-held ne, she re-read the inscription she had ordered. It was worded innocuously. In English, it read as, ''Those who wear this / will be seen and heard as allies / of Lyn Rivers / the Destroyer.'' She would be able to spy on anyone who was wearing it. Was it underhanded? Yes. But she had a n.


    She began to leave, and Vael followed her. "Have the preparations been made?"


    Vael nodded, "They have been, my Lady."


    "Good."


    Her pic-date was unbearable. She feigned interest in Volio and he slowly but surely opened up to her, his shy exterior melting away as she forced herself to giggle andugh at his crappy attempts at humor.


    She had to admit, though, he was a good singer. And when he pulled out a small kalimba and sang her favorite song, she felt a pang of sympathy for him. No attraction towards the serenading song, but pity. He would never have her in the way he thought he would. All his efforts? For naught. She was using him, and he had no clue. He couldn''t be happier.


    To seal the deal, she made sure to lean in and give him a kiss on the cheek ¨C swallowing down the revulsion and making moves towards her stalker. She pulled back and grinned, hiding her disgust. "Thank you foring to pic."


    Volio was all smiles and nodded, "Of course!"


    "I have a big ask."


    "Anything!"


    "Do you know where Trisha, Ben, or Misty are?"


    "Oh, yeah. Ben and Trisha are up in Trisk. Misty is somewhere in Vharthos with her mage school."


    Lyn made sure to lean forward to give him a very good look at her assets. "I really need someone to give them some letters-"


    "I''ll do it!"


    "Thank you. You''re really too kind. I''ll also have some small packages to deliver. Can you leave tomorrow morning? I want to get us all together again."


    "Of course!" Volio was practically buzzing with excitement.


    The pic fake-datested a little longer before concluding. Lyn gave him the prototype symbol. "This marks you as my ally. If any Duskari give you trouble, show them this."


    Volio nodded and seemed like he was about to lean in to try and kiss her, but she made a hidden gesture behind her back that Vael had been told about just for this asion. "My Lady!" she shouted in Arinol. "You wanted me to get your attention when you showed that sign."


    Lyn looked back and nodded before turning back to Volio, keeping to English, "I''ll see you off tomorrow morning. There''s an emergency I have to deal with."


    He nodded in understanding and gave her a soft smile in return.


    Lyn returned to her chambers and stifled a scream into a pillow. She did what needed to be done. The letters would be delivered safely ¨C she was sure of it. Volio was wrapped around her finger. And she hated herself for doing that. For manipting him. For not just being able to shove him away and say, ''Get the fuck away from me! I never liked you!'' She took another searing hot bath to try and burn away the disgust. The revulsion. The unmitigated dislike of the guy who perved on her for years, even going so far as to look through the top windows of the girls'' locker room while they were dressing out for P.E. She had to hit something. She wanted guilt-free violence. And she knew one way to get it.


    "Vael!" The warrior ran into the room. "How do the troops look?"


    "My Lady, they are training as you instructed, and Marshal Remora is coordinating the efforts marvelously."


    "Good. Tomorrow, we go on an expedition."


    "Where to, my Lady?"


    Lyn smirked. "To a dungeon." I need to increase my power further. More mana cores for versatility, or artifacts to upgrade Cataclysm. This path she was embarking on, this decision to build a stronghold, invite allies, and grow her influence¡­it would put her in conflict with the powers-that-be.


    And she had to be ready.


    Kory cackled with delight as he caved in the skull of one of the Vgoniamanders. His mercenaries had been ravaging the countryside of that bitch Cecily''s kingdom. They had looted and piged all the outlying towns. Farming viges were left untouched, and his men had very specific instructions to not kill any non-military personnel. They had amassed quite a bit of loot in the form of trade goods. Items they could take to Fort Watch and sell for a tidy profit.


    I needed this, he thought. Newen were good sport to kill, but they didn''t crunch the same way that Humans did. The way the organs squished and blood sttered, the satisfying crunch and pop when he shattered a sternum. The bloodshed and anarchy ofbat enabled him to just lose himself in the moment. No chance for memories to assault him. No chance for new memories to be formed as he let his body move on instinct, obliterating those in his way.


    Next, they would go to Khrrdia. I''ll fucking make James pay, too. Him and Cecily both needed to suffer. Putting Kory on guard duty for the Demonic Dragon''s weak forces? Bullshit. He was tired of it. The tiny fights. The skirmishes. They put him to work while they did what? Fucking ruled kingdoms? Where was his reward?


    He wanted conflict. He needed a fight. A big one. One where he couldpletely destroy the memories of the past with new atrocities in the present. And, though not the most inspired of militarymanders, he knew enough about politics here in Ghomar to stir the pot. Attack both neighboring kingdoms, get them to point the me at each other, and then wait for the carnage and chaos of war to take root. Let Cecily and James destroy each other.


    Then, he could wade in. Sell his services to whichever side bid more. Stab them in the back, flip to the other side. Killing all the while. Make a fortune. Go and buy a fucking kingdom of his own.


    "Let''s go!" he shouted to his men as they loaded their spoils onto stolen horses and packed up.


    "H-h-hold! Y-y-you m-m-meanie!" Kory turned and saw a young boy, no more than ten years old, holding a knife with trembling hands. "G-g-give b-b-back m-m-my s-s-sister''s dolly!"


    Kory wheeled on his men, "Who the fuck stole a kid''s doll!" The men looked back and forth to each other. "Well? Who the fuck was it!" Again, silence and looks were all that greeted Kory. "You fuckers think it''s fine stealing kids'' toys?!" He turned to the boy who was trembling, legs shaking in fear at the blood-spattered mountain of a man before him. Kory got off his horse and crouched. "I''ll give you money to buy a new one," he said softly. "Just put down the knife."


    The boy dropped it and relief washed over him. Kory walked forward ¨C slowly, to make sure the kid felt safe ¨C and gave him a stack of ten Gold Eagles. The kid''s eyes went wide, "Th-thank you, mister."


    Kory tussled his hair, leaving streaks of blood in it. "Tell your parents you fought off the meanies and got some money." He leaned down and whispered, "And tell them to get out of Vgonia. Tell everyone¡­war ising."


    The kid nodded and ran off at full-tilt. Kory walked back to his horse and mounted it, ring at his men who shot questioning nces at him. "Let''s go! We ride West!" He wheeled his mount around and led the way out of the kingdom of Vgonia.


    One of his men rode up next to him. One of his veterans who joined his outfit at the outset. "Kory, what in the abyss was that about?"


    He looked at the man and set his face in stone. "We don''t fuck around with nonbatants." More than that, though, Kory knew there were some lines he could never cross. Killing children was one of them. Killing unarmed people who just wanted to run or hide? Another line he would never cross.


    But he would do whatever else he damn well pleased as long as it didn''t cross those lines.

 Chapter 19

    Volio was seen off the next morning by Lyn and a squadron of her skirmishers. He was to be escorted to the mountain gap to the South, exiting the Valley of the Volcano. He had letters for each of the heroes, sealed with an intricate inscription that only the recipient could open ¨C otherwise the document would burst into me. Inside each letter was one of the symbols Lyn had the smiths and inscriptionists work on through the night. Lyn gave him a broad smile and waved farewell as he left. As soon as he entered the tree line and vanished from sight, she turned to Vael. "Are there still only two ways into this valley?"


    Vael shook her head, "No, my Lady. Just the pass to the South."


    Gael frowned, "Are there other passages?"


    Lyn nodded, "The heroes used a hidden passage to enter ournds. I will use that to leave. Come, there is a dungeon only a week away by foot."


    Both of her Bodyguards nodded and hefted their packed supplies. Lyn''s council had instructions to secure the Valley of the Volcano, including re-establishing an alliance with the Newen ¨C the lizard-folk ¨C that resided in the Southern part of the valley. That task should take a few weeks, at minimum. But it will give me a buffer between the outside world and my realm. She knew that, eventually, she would have to build fortifications at the mountain pass.


    But this hidden passagey behind the dread fortress. Behind Shiverburn Summit. A small hole in the ground, barely big enough for two people to walk side by side. Lyn had found it when she was scouting out the valley before their assault on the citadel. As long as it hasn''t caved in, she thought. She led the way, and over the course of half a day, they arrived at the tunnel. It was overgrown with bushes, but pushing her way through she was pleased to find it still open. Continuing their journey took them into the evening, and by nightfall, they had arrived on the Northern exterior side of the Valley. The lush, rolling ins stretched out before them.


    "Have either of you two been to a dungeon?" she asked.


    Both of herpanions shook their heads as they began to set up a singlerge tent, "No, my Lady." They said in tandem.


    Of course. Who would clear out dungeons except for heroes or the most foolish or arrogant adventurers? As they set up the housing for the night, she delved into the knowledge of dungeons as she knew it, regaling her allies with her learning.


    Dungeons were creations of the first people of Ghomar. Those who created thenguage of magic. The Elenthians. There were fifty of them across Ghomar that Thomas tracked down through various historical records, but he theorized there were endless possibilities ¨C she made sure not to mention to the twins that Thomas was the person who discovered this. The process was a mystery, but the best way Lyn could describe it was that dungeons appeared near locations where prominent events were to unfold.


    Normally they were some type of ruin ¨C a shattered doorway with a shimmering portal, for instance. Entering a dungeon began a timer. One week to reach the end. If you didn''t get to the end by then? The dungeon would return you to the entrance, and vanish. They stayed in ce until attempted or defeated and then would travel elsewhere on Ghomar. Defeating the dungeon by reaching the end came with a variety of rewards depending on what that dungeon required toplete it. If lots of spell use was needed, then a mana core or two would be the reward. If it was a lot of monster-ying, then artifact-tier weaponry would be there. In addition to monies and even sometimes books, tomes, or scrolls written in Elenthir.


    "That sounds incredible," Vael said as they finished putting up the tent and went inside,ying down the huge bedroll. "How do you know this one is still here?"


    Lynid down on the soft furs and stared at the roof of the tent, "I know it is." Because I hid it with a spell, and told no one. She willed her armor to recede and channeled mana into the inscribed choker, banishing it to the pocket dimension. "But enough about dungeons. I want something else," she said lustfully staring at the twins.


    They nced at each other, whispered to each other, and Gael left the tent taking guard outside. Lyn shrugged as Vaely down next to her.


    Volio exited the Southern pass as his escort left him. He took in a deep breath as he looked out over the once-ruined battlefield, slowly being reimed by nature. Ten years ago, this is where the Khrrdian military, and the now-Vgonian military fought the Demonic Dragon''s forces. The heroes, however, had snuck around to a hidden entrance Lyn had found to assault the Demonic Dragon directly. She''s so smart, he thought as he set out towards Vgonia. And strong. She got the killing blow.


    He chided himself and cursed internally. Why did he let himself get bullied by Cecily and James? He should have stood his ground and told everyone how amazing Lyn was taking on the viin herself and beating it.


    But now? She was so much more. Despite her different appearance, the same personality was there. It was even nicer to him than before. Their first date went amazingly, and she gave him her intimate apparel. He knew she loved him. She just wanted to take things slow, and he was okay with that. He''d wait for eternity to be hers and have her be his. She shared her vision of uniting everyone under amon banner. And he wanted to be there with her, alongside her, helping her dreamse true.


    They had a connection, after all.


    It would be a several week journey on foot, but he could go to Fort Watch and acquire a mount. Then, he would travel. First to Khrrdia. Then, Vgonia. And finally, North to Trisk. He''d do as she asked and deliver the letters and emblems to the other heroes. She had promised him a reward¡­and he would do anything to please her.


    Lyn came to the next morning and manifested her armor once more. She helped the twins pack up camp, and after a cold trail ration, they set out on the long trek. The next two days yed out the same, the only difference being that she alternate sleeping with Gael and Vael, respectively. They both obviously enjoyed the physicality, as evidence by their amorous repast. And for Lyn, she needed that physical distraction. That exhaustion to lull her to sleep. If she had to just wait for sleep to take her, she knew that the memories would return.


    Thankfully, she didn''t dream. Misty had always ribbed her for that, saying that, "Only people without imagination don''t dream." But Lyn alwaysughed thatment off, replying, "People who want to stay sane don''t dream." Lyn smiled at the memory of her friend. One of the good ones. One of the few.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    The travel brought lightness to her heart and she reveled in the feeling of the wind through her hair as mile after mile was paced out. Even if it was just by foot, her heart soared at the joy of simply moving from one ce to another. Part of that was due to the Scout core. Part of it was because of who she was before being summoned and having her personality shifted by the mana core. On Earth, she was always filled with a need to move. Her teachers called her squirrely, but she just wanted to be doing something. She couldn''t sit for hours and draw like Misty. She had to be active.


    The thought of going through a dungeon filled her with a sense of anxiety and tion. She knew if it wasbat-oriented, she would crush it. Her externalva spells would decimate anybatant who was notpletely inured to heat and me. And even then, the bludgeoning force would severely injure if not outright crush them. I hope it''s got a lot of monsters.


    By the fourth day out of Lynhold, they came upon the Eastern slopes of the mountains. Lyn found the craggy cliffs that marked the entrance to the dungeon, and pushed aside the foliage that had grown over the entrance ¨C the same nts she had created with an external flora spell. She pulled Cataclysm from its socket on her armor and let the mana flow through her into the de. It ignited and theva sheathed in wind provided light ¨C not that she needed it with her Duskari eyes.


    The crevice opened into a very small chamber, with a single archway, glowing with a purple light. Elenthir was written around the outside, and she read it aloud in Arinol for her allies'' sake. "This door marks the dungeon of Markov, Mountain-Maker. Threats within ¨C monsters. Reward ¨C artifact and mana core." Lyn smiled. Perfect. I get to fuck something up, and a new artifact to empower Cataclysm further. Mountain-Maker implied that the Elenthian''s mana core, if consumed, would give her the external spell-type of earth elementalism. I could fortify the Valley of the Volcano with that. Make the mountains impassable, sheer vertical cliffs for those trying to scale it. Fortify the Southern entrance. She stepped through the shimmering, purple film with her allies close behind, feeling the pounding of her heart as adrenaline surged through her.


    The ck of booted feet resonated through the throne room as Cecily''s Military Advisors approached and knelt, bowing their heads. "Your highness, we have the reports from the outlying viges."


    Cecily sat atop her diamond-encrusted throne. She was the picture of regality; high cheekbones, stern, brown eyes, long, styled, raven-ck hair. Luxury couldn''t even begin to describe her attire, her dress adorned with gemstones whose value could buy entire viges. Her crown, bedecked with glittering green gems from the Emerald Isle off of the coast. "Report," she stated. Her voice was calm and measured, but the authority that came from the tone left no doubt that her word was absolute.


    The man stood and unfurled a scroll, "A mountain of a man, wielding an enormous hammer, and shouting ''For Khrrdia'' is responsible. Him and a group of individuals looted twelve towns. They did not harm any who capitted, hid, or did not fight back. But all troops stationed in the nearby region were decimated."


    Cecily tapped the armrest of her throne. She knew who the person plundering hernds was. Kory matched the description perfectly. I should have kept him on a shorter leash, she thought. The heroes had determined that Kory was best suited to finishing off the Demonic Dragon''s forces and keeping people out of the Valley of the Volcano that marked his territory. He was all for the idea, but apparently the years had worn and grated at him. I should have sent an upying force there. But she had not solidified her grasp on the kingdom, and couldn''t risk a war with Khrrdia, Tresk, or the other smaller nations interspersed between the three major powers.


    Now, however, her rule was absolute. The realm served her whims. Her every desire. And she would not allow another kingdom to plunder hernds. King Kristoph was not a dumb man. Young, yes, having only gained the throne at the age of twelve. But he had a group of Advisors that were quite experienced. And, he had James, the Paragon hero. Cecily''s rival. She gestured for the men to all stand, and leaned forward, "We make preparations, but will not attack. Send an emissary to Kristoph, and see if the Berserker hero was acting on his orders. That will give us time."


    The men bowed and went to their duties. Cecily looked at her Seneschal, "Anything further today?"


    The elderly man bowed, "No, your grace."


    Cecily nodded and stood. "Good. See that I am not disturbed until supper." She turned and left, dismissing herdies-in-waiting as she walked down the corridors to the dungeon. The dimly lit passages of her pce reminded her of that boiling point, ten years ago.


    "You can''t just take over a kingdom!" James had yelled at her as they sat in conference at Fort Watch. "We were summoned here to help these people, to serve them. Not take over."


    "I am the Ruler hero," she had replied. "It''s literally in the description. I wouldn''t expect you to understand. Go ahead, serve the child-king. Keep being the hero that everyone loves. Take the credit fornding the killing blow on the Demonic Dragon, if you want." She had stood up and let her mana flow through her mana channels, exerting a pressure upon the room as her presence seemingly suppressed all other''s ability to speak. "We have done our part. And we were not returned home, as we were promised. I will take what I feel is owed to me. Henceforth, the kingdom of Shereld shall be known as Vgonia."


    She had left that meeting, alone, and spent four years settling brutal civil wars as some opposed her rule. They had been crushed, all of them. Her pragmatism ensured that every move was calcted. Her Ruler core enabled her tomand others with ease, and guided her towards the right decisions in the military campaign. Being the smartest hero pre-summon ¨C maybe aside from Thomas ¨C with the only 4.0 GPA in the ss, she had knowledge and learning that enabled her to decimate those opposing her rule.


    Her kingdom had be the pinnacle of civilization under her iron grip. Whilst the other kingdoms were still solidly in the middle-ages of technology, she was starting to set the groundwork for industrialization.


    And some rebel leaders she kept around. Those who she had defeated, the leaders of the other faction. Killing them would have made them into martyrs. No, instead, they were captured and put on ''house arrest'', as her propaganda campaign put it. In reality, they were put into her dungeons.


    Cecily knew she didn''t have the same PTSD and trauma the other heroes had. She barely adventured, instead politicking and making alliances, settling disputes, and growing her power through diplomacy and guile. She knew that Ben and Trisha coped by having kids and engaging in healthy therapy. She knew Kory fought, fucked, and drank to cope with his issues. James threw himself into his job as High-Lord, Thomas had his emotional support wyvern and whiskey sk, Volio his obsession, Brad his drugs, and Misty her mage school. All of them coped in various ways.


    But Cecily never had to cope. She knew, as her mana core guided and shaped her personality shift, that all of her decisions were the right ones to make as a ruler.


    Including the decisions she made every night, when she descended into the dungeons, put on the custom suit of leather armor that she had spent an unreasonable sum to have made. The shuddering fear of her captives, the panic in their voices as they begged for mercy, she relished in it. The sadistic pleasure of beating those who resisted her rule, of torturing them to the brink of insanity before treating them kindly and healing them¡­it felt good. They opposed my rule. This is just punishment.


    Part of her knew it was fucked up. The old-her would never have done such a thing. But now? She was a monarch. Absolute. Undeniable. Her word wasw, her actions were just. She could do whatever she wanted. And these rebels needed to be made examples of. Only when they werepletely and utterly broken, enthralled to her will not by external spells, but by pain and suffering, would she release them from their confinement to spread word of her magnanimousness. Then, of course, she would look for the next threat to her rule. She would bring them back here in chains, break their will, and then set them free to sing her praises.


    She gripped the whip in her hand andughed maniacally. You will serve. All will serve.

 Chapter 20

    The shimmering purple portal had a jelly-like quality to it, having some resistance that was easily pushed through. It also smelled like fresh mint ¨C some decision by the dungeon''s maker, Lyn reasoned, as she had encountered other dungeon entrances that had unique scents to them. Exiting the other side, she found herself in arge, stone chamber. It was made of white, worked stone. At the center was a pedestal, and above were glowing lights softly humming. Seeing it instantly triggered a memory of their first dungeon arriving on Ghomar.


    She led the group with Ben and Kory. James was right behind them, and the rest of the heroes were in a cluster further back. The room was illuminated by glowing orbs floating above "What are we supposed to do here?" James asked.


    Thomas spoke up from the back, "Put your hand on the pedestal!"


    Kory walked forward and did so, the whole object illuminating with a bright, crimson glow before sinking into the ground. Then, the room went dark. They panicked, and Lyn had retreated behind Ben as he used an external barrier spell to cover the heroes in a shimmering, blue ward. "Iing!" Thomas had shouted as the room brightened ¨C the orbs in the ceiling shifting to a sinister red hue ¨C as arge, bipedal, ape covered in chitinous, spiked tes charged the heroes.


    She remembered diving out of the way as Ben''s barrier shattered. She remembered the shouting, screaming, and panic. Darius was picked up by the creature and ripped in half, his screams distorting and warping as his muscles and sinew tore, his bones snapping and cracking. The blood showered over them as the creature roared.


    Lyn jumped as someone touched her shoulder, pulling her back to the present. She moved sideways and entered a defensive stance, raising her de of rippling magma and wind to eye level as she squared off against the sudden touch.


    Vael backed away and bowed, "My Lady, I apologize for startling you."


    She finally noticed she was holding her breath, and she slowly let it out. Taking deep, shaky inhtions, she pushed back the memories of the bloodshed and chaos. You''ve dealt with more dungeons since then, she reminded herself. You''ve got this¡­And you need to act like a Destroyer. She nodded to Vael and stood upright, "Apology epted." She turned and saw Gael putting down the supplies and readying his weapon and armor. "I want you two to remain on standby. I want to test this body''s prowess against this foe."


    The twins nodded and stepped back to the portal, staying in the room with her, with spears held at the ready. Lyn exhaled and walked up to the pedestal, willing the armor to fully epass her. The helmet manifested from the neck of the armor and covered her, leaving her peripheral vision slightly lessened. But the casement gave her a sense offort that helped to quell her beating heart. She raised her left hand, and gently ced it on the pedestal.


    It red crimson. And the room went dark. She took up a ready stance as the blue mes of her de illuminated the grey void that opened in front of her.


    James let out a deep, heavy sigh as he stood up from his desk, popped his back, and walked to the window. Looking out over the capital of Khor''s Hold, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction wash over him. Another good day, he thought as he waved for a page to take the reports away. Soon, another group of soldiers would be given their papers releasing them from service. James had fought hard with the King to make sure that the veterans were given generous stipends. It was just one of several reasons why the masses loved him.


    And he reveled in that love. Every time he walked the streets between the pce and his house in the middle of the merchant district, he felt the gratitude of the people. They gave him deference, would bow in his presence, and even deliver free goods to his doorstep.


    Coming to Ghomar was the best thing that ever happened to him. Summoned by the statue of a god, his love of fantasy novels was rewarded. He was named the Paragon hero. The strongest hero of them all. And it was due to his enjoyment of the genre. He was the one that killed the Demonic Dragon. Well, the one everyone thought slew the creature. That brought him fame, prestige, wealth, and more than one offer of courtship. And he met the love of his life, Maria, and fathered two children who were growing rapidly and just about to be pages under hismand. Twin boys ¨C Tevol and Tovol.


    Life was perfect.


    There was a knock at the door. "Enter," he said loud enough to be heard, but softly enough to put the person at ease.


    The door creaked open and a tall,nky man walked in. "Hey, James. It''s been a while," Thomas said.


    James smiled broadly and walked over to Thomas, giving him a hug ¨C firm, but not a tight squeeze. Thomas returned it and the two separated. "It''s been, what, a year?"


    Thomas nodded, "That''s right. How ya been?"


    James chuckled, "I''ve been fantastic. What brings you to the kingdom?"


    A shadow crossed Thomas'' face. He switched from Khrrdian to English ¨C anguage only the heroes spoke. "There''s no easy way to say this, so I''m just going to say it. The Demonic Dragon ¨C no, the Destroyer mana core ¨C has a new host."


    James felt ice in his chest. What? But we ¨C Lyn ¨C killed it. How? He shook his head, "Oh," was all he said in reply.


    Thomas gestured to the chairs, and James numbly stumbled to his behind the desk. Thomas pulled out a sk and took several swigs, offering it to James who shook his head. "Yeah. I saw it with my own eyes. Someone usingva elementalism spells. A Duskari wielding that power. A woman." Thomas'' eyes darted up to meet James''. "She spoke English. She said she was Lyn, and told a story that only our ss would know." He shook his head, "Here, I extracted the memory." He ced an inscribed mirror onto the desk.


    James took the mirror and poured some of his mana into it, feeling the rush of cool, calm waters through him as the almost fizzy feeling filled him up. Holding the mirror in front of him, he saw and heard the conversation yed out from Thomas'' point of view, where he talked to a Duskari wearing the Demonic Dragon''s humanoid-form armor. Speaking English. The story she told from their childhood was unmistakable. Is¡­is it really possible? He looked at Thomas, "Could someone have forced their way back to Ghomar from Earth?"


    This narrative has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Thomas nodded, "I put an emergency inscription into the foundation of Ben and Trisha''s house. They could use that to get back to Earth¡­but I don''t know what would happen. Based on what this possible-Lyn said, time works differently between the two worlds." He leaned back in the chair and groaned, rubbing his temples, "Lyn, Misty, and I have the best knowledge of Elenthir. But Lyn spent so much time with Misty¡­she might have enough know-how to reverse-summon herself. But if she was that skilled, she wouldn''t have fucked up the summoning ande back as a Duskari¡­" He scratched his head, "Unless that''s what she wanted to have happen¡­but I doubt it."


    James handed the mirror back to Thomas, "You didn''t juste here to tell me about this. Why are you really here?"


    "I want to use the statue of Aelor."


    James'' eyes went wide and he felt his mouth go dry. "You''re¡­you''re not suggesting-"


    Thomas shrugged, "Kind of. Not the usual way. I don''t want to be a shell of myself. But, if this is the Destroyer in a new form ¨C Demonic Dragon, Raevan, or otherwise ¨C we need to have the full suite of heroes to deal with it."


    No we don''t! James wanted to say. We could take it on ourselves. But he knew that he wasn''t the one who slew the Demonic Dragon. He just got the credit for the killing blow¡­he had fled. "If I train, I could take it on, just like Lyn did."


    Thomas raised a quizzical eyebrow, "Really? You think you could one v one the Destroyer?"


    "I could try! It''s better than using that statue and risk losing my mana core!"


    Thomas pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, "Then just trust me. I am ny-percent sure I can use the statue in a way that will summon the mana cores of the heroes that aren''t around anymore. Not new people, and not rip them out of us. Just the mana cores. Then, you can consume them, and maybe be able to take this Destroyer on."


    James'' finally noticed his fists were balled up and beginning to ache from the pressure. He was terrified of losing these fantastic powers at his disposal. Bing a shell of himself. The helpless nerd that he used to be. The promise of power was alluring¡­but the possibility of losing what he had was uneptable. He stood up, "No. I will not allow you to see the statue."


    Thomas stood up and took a swig from his sk, "Then I''ll go over your head and ask the king." He stood up and turned to walk away.


    James felt the panic rising in his chest. If Thomas told the King about this destroyer, he had no doubt that the man would authorize Thomas to use the statue. James was already more popr than the figurehead, and despite not wanting to be a King, certain people in power had been pushing for him to be the monarch. An easy way to get rid of James? The King would leap at the chance.


    Even more, though¡­James could not lose what he had. His power, his fame, who he was. The goddamn Paragon hero. The strongest of them all. His years of reading and adoring fantasy ¨C rewarded by fate and destiny. Thomas was not going to rip that away from him, and he acted almost without thought ¨C following instinct to keep what was his.


    James leaped over his desk and tackled Thomas, mming his head into the ground several times until he had concussed the slimmer man. "I''m not losing my power," James growled at him. He hauled Thomas up by the shirt, "Guards!" he shouted. Within seconds, a pair of guards arrived. "Throw him in the mana suppressing dungeon."


    As they took Thomas away, he shut the door and sank into his chair. "What the fuck did I just do?" he whispered. He had just assaulted his only friend amongst their ssmates pre-summon. The guy who truly held no grudges and always tried to mediate. The smartest of them all, despite what Cecily wanted them to believe.


    He looked out the window and heard the bustling of the city, and the thoughts of his two boys rushing into his arms to greet him as he walked in the door of his house cleansed any sense of injustice from his heart. No, he had done the right thing. He would not lose his mana core and be a hollow shell. He had a family to protect.


    And he would not be a weakling again. He was the Paragon. The strongest hero. His greatest fantasy dream, fulfilled. He formed his hands into fists, "I can''t leave him alive," he whispered as he stood up and began to walk towards the prison. He didn''t want to kill Thomas¡­but he didn''t see any other choice. The King would eventually find out that James had imprisoned the man. And then the questioning would start, and finally, the truth of why Thomas was there.


    I can''t risk it.


    The floating orbs of light above her illuminated once more, bing a pale, sterile white. The creature that stepped through the grey portal was one Lyn was familiar with. An ogre. The humanoid creature stood seven feet tall, wielding an enormous, metal Morningstar that was as big as she was. It was covered in full te, but she knew under that were dozens ofyers of tough hide that mundane weapons would struggle to pierce. It bellowed out and swung down at her.


    Sidestep, she thought as her body moved reflexively. Her years ofbat training wereing into y from her five years of adventuring. Even though these muscles were new, they had the same memory as herst body, and she deftly dodged the creature''s wild, vertical swing. She had an opening where she could swing Cataclysm and end it ¨C but she had to prove something to herself. "Gael! Spear!" she shouted as she put Cataclysm back into the socket on her armor.


    The creature swung horizontally, and she ducked the swing as Gael lobbed her the spear. She caught it, twirled it around herself, and jumped over the next swipe. There! Shended and stabbed up into a crevice between the armored tes, her spear tip a vipershing out to lightly pierce. As the tip came back into sight post-plunge, she saw the small amount of ichor on the end. These are good weapons, she thought as she backflipped over the horizontal, forehand swing.


    The rush hit her all at once. The adrenaline surging through her veins. The familiarity ofbat. The tingling in her spine that ran up to the top of her head from being in a near-death experience. She could have ended the fight in an instant with Cataclysm or an externalva spell. But she wanted to prove to herself that she could fight without using these new powers. That her skills were still sufficient enough.


    Another vertical swipe, another side-step followed up with three rapid thrusts to the neck, eye, and underarm. Each strike found its mark, the de pulling back with the trickling green blood, and the ogre letting out grunts and cries of pain as she meticulously prodded it. She wasn''t trying to be sadistic and torture the thing; without a mana-charged weapon, she would have to strike deep into a weak spot and have just the right angle to score a kill.


    The dance continued for another two minutes, and when Lyn felt herself begin to tire, she tossed the spear back to Gael, retrieved Cataclysm''s hilt, and poured her mana into the de once more. It surged to life and she stepped inside the ogre''s reach, stabbing up and into the chest. Theva-wind de cut through the ched metal like a knife through warm butter, and she ripped the de out horizontally. The creature''s knees thudded to the ground before it fell over.


    Lyn felt her heart beating, pulsing, and felt the lethargy of postbat fatigue begin to set in. Turning off the sword, she sat on the ground. The ogre corpse vanished as Gael and Vael came up to her. "My Lady?" Gael asked. "Are you well?"


    Lyn nodded and chuckled, "I''m well. My stamina will need improvement." The pedestal in the center of the room rose back up, and the light orbs shifted to a pleasant blue. "We passed this part of the dungeon." She took Gael''s extended hand and pulled herself up. "Come, more fights await."

 Chapter 21

    Thomas felt dizzy. He was being dragged by the arms down a set of stairs. He willed mana into the inscription he had tattooed on the inside of his wrist, and the healing spell was activated, clearing his fuzzy sight and bringing rity to his situation. He was held by two guards in Khrrdian armor ¨C royal armor. I''m still in the pce. The encounter with James reyed instantly in his mind. He attacked me?


    He had never expected that from James . But, the more he thought on it, and the more he recalled the past with his perfect memory, the more it made sense.


    "You have been summoned," the archmage of the Kingdom of Khrrdia at the time had said, "To defeat the Demonic Dragon ¨C the Destroyer of this age ¨C and bring peace to Ghomar. Step forward, ce your palm on the statue, and be granted powers you could only dream of."


    James was the first to run up, and pping his hand onto the statue, he was surrounded with a bright blue and gold energy that settled around him like a mantle, girding him in armor and manifesting a sword at his hilt. "Holy shit!" he had said. "Guys, you have to try this!" The rest of the then-freshly-summoned and nude heroes hesitantly went to the statue and were simrly granted hero cores.


    James had run up to Thomas as they were discussing amongst themselves post-statue-touch, and was buzzing with excitement. "The archmage said I''m the Paragon hero! I''m the strongest one!" He was giddy with excitement.


    Of course he wouldn''t want to risk giving that up, Thomas thought as he focused on the here-and-now. Coming here was the best thing to ever happen to him. Here, he was famous. He had received credit for defeating the Demonic Dragon ¨C credit they had stolen from Lyn to reward their own cowardice. He had a wife and two sons. Of course James wouldn''t give that up. If Thomas was in his shoes, he would not give that up, either.


    Thomas knew theyout of every ce he had been to, and this castle was no exception. He knew he was being taken to the mana suppressing prison. Surrounded with inscriptions in Elenthir that would prevent mana from being channeled. If they got Thomas in there, he would never escape.


    But that also meant he would be close to the summoning room. The statue was enormous, filling the whole center of the room, and there was no way it could fit out of the doors. He focused the mana in his body to another inscription, one tattooed on his shoulder, and teleported out of the grip of the two men holding him. Not a far distance ¨C the mana required for teleportingrge distances was vast ¨C but just a foot was well within his power. Enough to get him out of their grip. Turning on them, he fired off a rapid external spell. "Bartho nin ¨²-thiathol / doltho nin natha leithio nin sui faer."


    The spell enabled him to phase through solid objects. It was mana-intensive, and he felt the power in his torso slowly depleting. He knew right where he was and ran into the wall of the stairwell. As soon as he was fully immersed in the substance, his awareness expanded, and he could see through the solid substance and the open spaces ¨C almost like being outside the yable area in a video game and looking in at the yable space. The gigantic, circr chamber with the vaulted, dome ceiling was only a short distance away, and he let the spell fade once he entered the chamber.


    At the center of the room was a ten-foot-tall statue of the deity Aelor. The creator deity who split themselves into twenty shards ¨C the hero mana cores ¨C in order to better hold Raevan, the Destroyer deity ¨C in check. The statue had no Elenthir transcribed across it. The solid, marble, intricately carved male figure being a single piece of unmarred stone despite the ages. Thomas ran up to it and reached into his storage-inscribed satchel, whipping out a ck paint jar and brush.


    Within a minute, he had covered the space around the statue with the Elenthir inscription. He put the tools back and put his hands down, channeling his mana. Come on! This has to work.


    The doors behind him exploded inward, and he heard James'' voice. "Stop!" the Paragon hero shouted. But Thomas didn''t heed the man, instead forcing his mana into the inscription. A deep, ck color of book ink exuded from his palms, and the inscription red with ck light. The statue''s eyes glowed.


    Thomas felt pain ¨C intense pain ¨C as something sharp pierced him. Looking down, he saw the tip of a sword, covered in blood. Aelor''An''r ¨C the Paragon hero''s sword. That fucker! He coughed up blood ¨C but made sure to cough it into hisp, as to not mar the inscribed spell.


    He felt the world start to dim and slumped backward. As the darkness began to overtake him, he saw the most beautiful sight he had ever seen before. The statue of Aelor looked down at him, and he felt a sense of peace fill him fully. All the horrible memories of the past, washed away in an instant.


    "What did you do!" James shouted, standing over Thomas with rage written on his face¡­and tears streaming from his eyes. "Why?!"


    Thomas couldn''t respond, the blood beginning to fill his lungs.


    I¡­did it¡­The cycle¡­is¡­broken¡­


    The world went ck.


    James looked down at Thomas'' body, confused, as he breathed hisst before vanishing. Not disintegrating, like the ancient lich he had killed four years ago. Not like the ghosts he had in before with his holy de. A wholly different type of vanishing; and one he had never seen a person subjected to. What did you do?


    He heard a mighty crack, and looked up. To his horror, the statue of Aelor spiderwebbed with cracks across its surface. Then, it shattered, the stone falling to bits.


    James panicked, and stood stock-still, waiting for the inevitable feeling of his mana core being pulled away from him by force. He didn''t know what it would feel like, but he cursed at himself for not just killing Thomas outright.


    Minutes passed.


    He didn''t move.


    What did he do? James looked at the inscription around the base of the now-shattered statue, and was able to pick out a few words. Enough for a basic idea of what Thomas had done. He fell to his knees and wept. I just killed him for nothing!


    He had just killed his best friend. He didn''t have many in the first ce, instead losing himself in worlds of written fantasy fiction. But Thomas actually connected with him a bit, and they bonded over their interests. Thomas was the only hero that kept in contact. The only one who had met James'' family since they all split up a decade ago. And he had just killed him, why? To protect his fucking mana core? He wept openly, feeling grief wash over him. He held his sides and gasped for air through the bouts of sobbing.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Anyone looking at him would think he was a broken man. And he was. Broken. All of the memories, all of the horrible things he had witnessed ¨C came crashing back into him as a cataclysmic cascade. He was overwhelmed with the recollections and felt sick to his stomach. I killed my friend.


    Looking through his tears, he spotted something. A ball of paper. His eyes went wide, the Knowledge hero core? None of the heroes that died in the past had a recoverable mana core ¨C it vanished to God-knows where. But here was a hero mana core ¨C sitting right in front of him. The orb turned translucent and shot out of his grip, through the Northern wall¡­vanishing. Looking up, his sharp eyes caught several other mana cores floating above the statue before they shot off into various directions, vanishing through the walls. That''s what he was after.


    James reasoned the hero mana cores were recalled to and stored inside the statue when a hero died. Thomas must have figured that out, and by shattering the statue, freed them. They''re out there in the world, now. Would they find new hosts to turn into heroes? Wait for James to im them? He had no idea. Looking back down at the bloody spot, he felt the sorrow rise in him again. "I''m sorry," he whispered. "I just wanted to stay¡­me." He fought back the sobs to regainposure, as he heard booted feet in the hall behind him. "I¡­I had a family to protect." That was justification enough, he hoped.


    A single silver lining to the situation was that Thomas was now back on Earth. Along with the rest of the dead heroes. They were home. Thomas was home. And James was still here.


    That made what he did tolerable enough that he could put on the fa?ade he needed to present right then.


    Guards ran in behind him and secured the area. "I¡­I need to get home," he whispered as he stood. Turning to the guards he issued orders, "¡­Clean this ce. Tell the king¡­the Knowledge hero betrayed us¡­and was in. But he destroyed the statue." He didn''t like lying, but if he told the truth of what happened, he would lose all credibility. Using his foot, he smudged the painted inscription ¨C enough to prevent anyone from discerning what he had learned. I have to keep the hero cores leaving a secret.


    The next chamber of the dungeon looked simr to thest one. The main difference was theyout. Not a cube with perfect dimensions; instead, this room had several raised tforms on either side, and the pedestal in the center was on a smaller tform. The twins looked at Lyn for instructions. "Go to the top of either side. And be ready for a fight." They nodded and set the supplies down before moving up to the indicated positions. Lyn heard them both use a more advanced incantation of the internal spell she had used during training. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an dautho nin ennas / Gannon in helw / an ¨²-dol / a posto nin maethor / a thalion." Their muscles expanded, their weapons zed with a blue light ¨C Vael''s slightly darker blue than Gael''s ¨C and a sheen of blue surrounded their bodies.


    Layering protection and mana charged weapons into a single incantation. Not bad, Lyn thought. It wasn''t a custom spell like what she could craft with her advanced knowledge of Elenthir. They had strung together a series ofbat incantations. The trick was the pronunciation in rapid session ¨C and their ability to cast spells, she estimated, was about on par with the averagebat mage she had fought alongside. Looking at the chamber, she let out a breath she hadn''t realized she was holding. If this room is like the others in past dungeons, ranged foes will appear up top, and one to fight in melee down here. She walked forward and pressed the pedestal.


    The light orbs above went dark, and when they came back on, the grey portals appeared and six figures stepped out. Two on the ground floor, and two on either side next to the twins. Really? Naga? Nine-foot tall male and femalebatants; the two on the ground floor with Lyn were wearing chain mail and wielding tridents. The two nking Vael and Gael respectively held bows, but had knives strapped to their waists. Serpent-people with the torso and upper body of a person, with a snake head, that to the center of the belly and further down turned into the form of a serpent. Their fangs were poisonous, and by the way their weapons and ammo dripped the viscous green substance, she knew those were mana charged with poison elementalism.


    She dashed forward and bisected the first one with Cataclysm; her de carving through its attempt to parry with ease. Wheeling on the second one, she raised her de and parried a strike ¨C her weapon melting its own. She spun with the momentum and shed that one in twain as well. ncing up, she saw the twins in action.


    Gael and Vael were both holding their ground against these foes. Their technical skill with the spear was just as good as Lyn''s, if not better. Makes sense, they''ve been alive for¡­huh, I don''t know how old they are. She watched them almost simultaneously dispatch the first of their foes ¨C catching them off guard as soon as they had left the grey colored portals.


    The remaining ones drew their knives and shed at the twins. Vael dodged the knife and struck a counter-blow, the blue mana surrounding her spear easily piercing the hardened skin of the Naga.


    Gael didn''t bother dodging ¨C instead deflecting the knife sh before reaching his hand up to grab the Naga by the throat. With a single move, he snapped its neck, dropping it limp.


    The pedestal rose in the center of the room, the lights reactivated, and the doors at the far end opened. "Well done!" Lyn said as she pped for her Bodyguards'' performances in thebat. "Grab the supplies, we have one more fight to go."


    Vael nodded andughed, "I haven''t ever been in a dungeon. Are they all this easy?"


    Lyn shook her head, "It depends. I''ve experienced some difficult ones. Even with twelve heroes, we were hard-pressed. Kory-" Fuck.


    Gael stopped loading up the supplies and stared at Lyn, "What did you say?"


    James walked out of his audience with King Kristoph. He had been admonished, but ultimately, his actions were cleared. After all, he was the Paragon hero, and his reputation was impable. Killing Thomas was an attempt to keep him from sabotaging the statue of Aelor. James just didn''t get there in time. At least, that was the story James chose to go with.


    He had not shared his insight into the hero cores being scattered across Ghomar, or possibly finding new hosts. Leaving the castle and pce, he traveled through the city, giving lip-service and mumbling thanks to those who praised him on his walk home. His heavy greaves nking on the street was a call to clear the way, and people parted for him. Their savior. The Paragon that slew the Demonic Dragon.


    Finally, after what seemed like an eternity grappling with the guilt and shame of killing Thomas¡­he arrived home.


    He opened the small gate leading to their front garden, and his boys stopped ying with their wooden swords. "Dad!" They both shouted, dropping the toys, and running to him. James knelt and embraced his sons, feeling the tears begin to brim once more. I killed him for them, he thought. I couldn''t risk losing this.


    His wife walked over and shooed the boys away. Maria could read him like a book, and she closed the gate behind him, walking inside with him, and shutting the door to leave the nanny to watch the boys outside. "Honey¡­what''s wrong?" She sat him down on the couch and rubbed his back.


    James cracked, his mask vanishing. He sank into her embrace and, for the first time in quite a long time, just let himself be miserable. Killing Thomas brought back all the memories of violence that he had thought dealt with. The bloodshed, the people he had killed, the heroes he saw in ¨C his ssmates ¨C in their lead-up to confronting the great evil of the past. They all overwhelmed him in a torrential flood of trauma that threatened to consume him entirely in a ck pit of despair.


    Maria shushed him, and held him close, unsping his armor and pulling the pieces from him. "It''s okay. I''m here." She slowly raked her fingers through his hair, havingforted him before during one of these breakdowns. She understood him. She knew him better than anyone else. Her empathy was bottomless, and it gulped down James'' sorrow.


    James held tight to her. What kind of monster am I? No, he wasn''t a monster. Just a man desperate to keep what he had.


    Thomas¡­forgive me.

 Chapter 22

    Gael slowly raised his spear to a ready position. "What did you say? You ventured with the Berserker hero?"


    Fuck. Lyn knew she had fucked up royally. She had let slip a clue about who she really was. And Gael had picked up on it instantly. Is there any way out of this? Do I even want to keep the fa?ade going? She could just tell them the truth. These two. Only these two. She was never a good liar; she knew that about herself. Keeping half-truths and concealing the truth? Sure. But not outright lying. Gulping down the lump in her throat, she put her sword away. "I trust you two as my Bodyguards. Do not share what I am about to say." She looked behind her to see Vael, also standing at a low-ready stance. Passive¡­but ready to strike.


    Lyn stood on the edge of a de. Two options ahead of her. Kill them and keep the charade going with the other Duskari. Or tell them the truth. What the fuck are you doing? She thought. Just kill them. They''re Duskari. You''re not really the Destroyer. Just a stronger Lyn. You''re still the Scout hero.


    But that brought back a memory. A memory of betrayal. That is exactly what Cecily had done. The heroes had helped a ve rebellion, and once they had freed them, she had them shipped off to a work camp in the small part of the kingdom she had sworn allegiance to. Trading very for indentured servitude. She betrayed them. These two were her allies. Her current lovers. And, like it or not, she had begun to develop an attraction to them.


    The emotional connection might not be strong¡­but it was there. And if she killed them¡­more bad memories I''d have to deal with. She took a deep breath. Lyn was many things¡­but a traitor was not one of them. "My name is Lyn Rivers¡­and I was once the Scout hero." Both Duskari raised their spears and circled her. Lyn kept her hands up, but her palms were facing out towards them, and she willed her mana to broil and bubble into her wrists ¨C a spell ready to cast if necessary. One that would force them to back up so she could flee. But¡­she had to try and make them understand.


    "I killed the Demonic Dragon ten years ago. I struck the killing blow. Then, I was transported back to the world I was summoned from. I have the Destroyer mana core within me ¨C you saw evidence of that. And I forced my way back here because I wanted the glory of killing the Demonic Dragon. The fame, the prestige¡­and an easy life being worshipped. When I summoned myself back, it was in this body." She looked at Vael, "My glory was stripped away. The other heroes took credit for my deeds. They did something to fuck with history. Some external spell that hid my role." She felt anger rise in her chest, and the mana bubbled and broiled in response.


    Those fuckers. They just threw away my memory. My hard work. I fucking saved them!


    The anger felt righteous. Justified. Those fuckers left all memory of her aside and took the credit. Her credit. Years of her blood, sweat, and tears while they fucked off and made families, gotid, established themselves. And all she got was what? A castle? And not even that, now that no one remembered her deeds. She felt her voice shift in tone, dropping to the guttural, draconic growl. "They betrayed me. And I am going to take my rightful ce as the ruler of this world." The mana churned and simmered, ready to explode, destroying and consuming at her whim. Yeah. She was owed something huge for destroying the evil that had gued Ghomar for thousands of years.


    She paused. She had thought of this before. But saying it aloud¡­cemented her decision. The words she was about to speak would dictate the course of this life of hers. She knew her Destroyer mana core was partially responsible for this shift in perspective¡­but ultimately, Lyn, not some persona-altering mana core, was choosing this path. It''s the right thing to do. And I deserve this.


    "I will rule this world. Ghomar will serve Lyn Rivers, the benevolent Destroyer. In my empire, none will go hungry. None will suffer. Justice will be served. All races will live in peace and harmony or be crushed by my might."


    She wasn''t just saying empty words. This was an oath. To whoever the fuck was listening ¨C Aelor or some other deity. Lyn would remake this world. She wouldn''t let people suffer like they did on Earth. She had the power to change things, and she was going to fix this world whether people wanted her to or not. She would break chains. She would purge the wicked. She would protect everyone she could. She would reim her name and ce in history as something more than just the Scout hero who killed the Demonic Dragon. Her mana core continued to roil and rumble within her chest ¨C despite the armor, the weapon, the amulet¡­it was still unwieldy and did not seem to fully be under her control.


    But there was a slight improvement. She did not feel the burning rush in her chest she had grown ustomed to. Theck of heat was a relief she didn''t know she was waiting for.


    Vael and Gael backed off and their eyes filled with fear and wonder. "My¡­ Lady ¡­" Gael whispered, dropping to his knees. Vael did the same a momentter.


    "¡­What?" Lyn asked.


    Vael looked up, tears filling her eyes. "Your¡­you¡­"


    Gael rummaged through the camp supplies and produced a hand-sized mirror, bowing deeply as he held it up to Lyn''s face. She inspected herself. Nothing is different, she thought. Her eyes were the same, her face, the same pixie-esque appearance. But as she tilted it down, she realized what they had recognized.


    She willed the armor to shrink and recede to its smallest, most revealing configuration. She could make out the geometric patterns of body enhancement. But those patterns were obscured in some ces by scales. Dragon scales. ck scales with blue iy, and tiny, almost undetectable, green swirls. They covered her forearms, thighs, shins, calves¡­the areas that would be the most exposed to damage during a fight. Her hands were reced with wicked ck ws, and her feet had shifted as well.


    She heard steps behind her, and wheeled on Vael, who bowed once more, and gestured to her head.


    Lyn reached her hand up.


    She felt horns.


    Guess I did keep some of the Demonic Dragon''s power.


    Lynughed at the irony. The person who killed the Destroyer, be the new Destroyer. Sheughed harder at the power she felt surging in her. As if something had awoken within the mana core in her torso. She could feel the slight gust of the Scout hero core. As if an old friend who was recognizing her for the first time in a long time. A consumed hero core, fully submitting to her Destroyer core.


    "Let''s fucking wreck this dungeon."


    Volio had acquired a mount at Fort Watch and heard about the border raids that Kory''s mercenarypany had been performing against Cecily''snds. That mad bastard, he thought. But, he did his duty, and went to their headquarters within the mighty fortress that looked out over and kept watch on thends surrounding the entrance to the Valley of the Volcano. Once he introduced himself, and showed off a bit with his archery skills, he was able to speak with the standing sergeant of Kory''s mercenarypany. He left the letter and Lyn''s emblem, along with his own hastily penned letter apologizing for missing Kory on this trip.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    He rode hard for Khrrdia. Every mile that he traveled, his heart grew lighter and lighter. He sped Lyn''s garments and inhaled her scent, memorizing it, savoring it. He couldn''t wait to finish this journey of delivering letters and get back to her.


    After all, they had a connection.


    She had promised to reward him for his deeds. Give him a position in her burgeoning power structure. Of course he would help her. He loved her. He would do whatever she asked. He knew that she had to give him a high-ranking position in order to make it proper for them to be together as partners. It made perfect sense. Finish this mission, be granted a title of nobility andrgesse, and then¡­then it would be appropriate for him to ask for her hand in marriage.


    Putting the clothing back into his hip pouch, he felt and rolled around the pair of wedding rings between his fingers. He hadmissioned them after they had been in Ghomar for a year, and he had saved up some capital from his split of the treasure discovered at the end of a dungeon.


    "Look out!" Lyn had yelled as the enormous serpent bared down on him. Volio dove to the side and unleashed a flurry of shots which found their mark in the creature''s eyes. But, he knew snakes used their ability to smell prey, or detect body heat, to track. He would have died if not for her. Just like with the dodgeball game, she intercepted the blow for him; shoving her spear into the thing''s mouth and into its brain. She had turned to him with that same smile, his dark angelic protector. Even covered with viscous green blood, she was stunning. "Are you okay?" she had asked.


    They were meant to be together. Why would she save him otherwise? Why risk her life if not because she loved him? He missed his chance to propose before their fight with the Demonic Dragon¡­but he wouldn''t make the same mistake twice.


    Cecily stood in front of her pce, facing arge gathering of the masses. Bread and circuses, she thought as she recalled the words of Juvenal, the Roman poet. Keep the masses entertained and fed, and you can do what you please. She raised her hand, and at the signal, her servants began to distribute bread.


    But not just any bread. Bread that was tainted. She turned to Brad, the Alchemist hero, and raised a quizzical eyebrow. "How long will this take?" she asked in English.


    Brad scratched his short beard. The short, stout man had a mane of wild, light brown hair and an equally wild look in his eyes. He spoke quickly despite his apparent state of being high on some substance. "Depends on the weight and height of the individual. For an average person who is five-foot, seven-inches, weighing around one-hundred fifty pounds, it should take three minutes and twelve seconds to take effect. Larger people will take longer, naturally."


    Cecily nodded. "Excellent." She gestured to her Seneschal, who waved servants over carrying arge chest. They set it down in front of Brad, and he knelt, opening it and pulling out the several vials within. "As agreed upon, for services rendered."


    Brad nodded and bowed deeply to her, "Thank you, Princess Cecily of Vgonia."


    "I always help those who serve my interests," she replied as she turned to the masses. The bread was infused with a potent drug cocktail. One that would loosen inhibitions. Make the crowd easier to rile up.


    She stepped to the edge of the balcony overlooking the masses, and they let up a raucous cheer. She switchednguages to Shereldian, the primarynguage of her kingdom, named after itsst ruler. "My people of Vgonia!" They whooped and hollered, and she reveled in their apuse, smiling softly and with as much charm as she could muster. "In the past several years, you have prospered greatly, have you not?" Again, apuse. She raised her hands for silence. "You may have heard that we finally have several people willing to repent. Yes, those evil, viinous, dastardly rebels who sought to break our great kingdom into pieces have confessed their sins!" She gestured and the prisoners she had been breaking over the past several months shuffled out in clean but in clothes. One by one, they stepped next to Cecily and repeated their lines, exhorting her fair treatment, her benevolence, and her right to rule. After all ten hadpleted the process she motioned for them to be released into the city.


    But not before signaling Brad. He made sure to shake each of their hands ¨C swiping a nearly undetectable liquid onto their hands. They would fall ill within days and die shortly after. No chance to rebel again if they somehow regained the will to rebel once more.


    She raised her hands once more, "Now¡­I have some news. You may have heard rumor that the Kingdom of Khrrdia has attacked our borders. This is true."


    The crowd exploded into an uproar. Not just because of national fervor, but also because the additives to the bread had kicked in. Their inhibitions were gone. She could y them like a fiddle.


    Using an internal spell, she amplified the power of her vocal cords. Her voice boomed out over the masses. "We will not take this lying down! Already, we begin war preparations. The kingdom needs your help. Go to your local bank and contribute to the war effort. If you cannot give money, then donate supplies. If you have nothing to give, then give your sweat and help us prepare for this inevitable war. And¡­for those who truly desire to preserve the primacy of Humans on Ghomar, and safeguard Vgonia¡­enlist."


    At thisst word, there were screams from the crowd.


    "Kill them all!"


    "Vgonia forever!"


    "Human! Human! Human!"


    Thest chant was picked up. Cecily smiled. She never considered herself a racist¡­towards Humans, that is. But these¡­fantasy races¡­they were too different from her people. Despite her Ruler core nudging her decision making, every decision that involved the non-Human races on Ghomar ended up havingplications. Getting rid of them was much easier than trying to resolve those issues. And she felt no remorse, because to her, they weren''t really people.


    Plus, it gave her an easy scapegoat if anything ever did go wrong ¨C which didn''t happen¡­but she was a pragmatist above all else. And having a backup n was more than reasonable.


    She raised her hands once more, "All hail the kingdom of Vgonia!" She stepped away from the balcony as the cheers followed her inside, echoing through the halls. ncing sideways, she saw that Brad had shadowed her inside, along with her house guard. "Oh, you''re still here," she said in English.


    Brad nodded, "I appreciate you hiring my services. Business has been rough, as I''m sure you are aware of, since you have cracked down on my trade-"


    "I have told you before; healthy drugs are allowed in Vgonia. Antibiotics, SSRIs, anything else you can whip up from the flora here on Ghomar. But I will not tolerate this¡­what were you calling it?"


    "Crackling Snippers," Brad muttered. "What''s the harm? It''s just a buzz. A way to take the edge off after a long day-"


    Cecily wheeled on him and filled her voice with as much authority and menace as possible. "You will not produce drugs that harm the popce of Vgonia. I tolerate your presence because the drugs you have designed for medical purposes will be vital in my eventual push to take over Khrrdia." She turned and kept walking as the cowed man walked hesitantly in her shadow. "If you are interested in more¡­intoxicating pursuits, thene up with abat drug. Something that can increase a soldier''s efficacy on the battlefield." She looked back at him, "But nothing addictive. I won''t have veterans selling their souls to feed their addiction. We saw what that did on Earth with the opioid crisis."


    Brad nodded, "Yeah¡­Sure. I''ll start working on somebat stimnts." He was quiet. Meek. A broken man whom she had crushed already. He was as good as her prisoner, her servant - her thrall. Bound to her whims despite the illusion of free will.


    Cecily smiled and gestured for him to leave, "Good boy. Off you go." Brad left, and Cecily went to her bedchambers, dismissing her guards at the door before going inside. She stood in front of the mirror as ady-in-waiting sat head bowed. Switching to Shereldian, she instructed the servant to bring one of her¡­volunteers. The woman bowed and left in a hurry.


    She walked into her closet and switched to her favorite outfit. A day like today, the start of war preparations¡­well, that deserved something special. Something¡­momentous to remember the asion by. She opened the lock box and pulled out her instruments of pain. She walked back to her chamber as the prisoner was brought in by her servant. He was shackled to the cross in the corner, and Cecily removed his blindfold as he screamed against his gag. "Oh, don''t be like that," she whispered as she caressed his jaw. "Thieves like you don''t belong in my kingdom." She put her lips right to his ear, and with as much breathiness as she could muster, whispered. "Just like you stole from my people¡­I''ll be stealing something from you. Let''s start with the toes¡­"

 Chapter 23

    Lyn touched one w-hand with the other. She could tell they were wickedly sharp. This willplicate things in the bedroom, she thought. But¡­let''s try something. She focused her mana within her body. "Adhano nin ennas / nan hen / en-Duskari." Once more, she tried an external shifting spell. The heat in her chest flooded through her whole body, and she saw the scales and talons shift away, her regr Duskari form taking its ce. And apparently this core can ess shifting spells now.


    She would need to test itter, but she might be able to use this to take on her human form once more. But the more she thought on that idea¡­why would she? This new body was the body of Lyn Rivers, the Destroyer, and soon enough, empress of the world. If she wanted to infiltrate the kingdoms, she could create an inscribed item to allow for illusory disguises. Yeah¡­fuck my old body. This one is better. Turning to her allies she waved for them, "Come. Let''s finish this dungeon."


    Gael and Vael both nodded and picked up their gear, following behind closely. "My Lady?" Gael asked.


    "Just Lyn. You both know the truth. Only keep up the charade of ''Demonic Dragon'' and ''the Destroyer'' and the like when we are around others within my regime."


    "Of course, myd¡­Lyn," Gael replied. "If I may ask-"


    "Just ask. You two are my confidants now. I''ll treat you as an equal while we are out, just the three of us. But¡­keep the fact that I was once the Scout hero a secret. Not that any would actually believe you if you did tell them¡­but I trust you two with this knowledge."


    "Of course. Thank you for your trust¡­Why make an empire for all races? Why not just Duskari?"


    Lyn shook her head, "On Earth, where Ie from, I saw the effects of racism and how devastating they were. I''m not na?ve, there will always be superiority of the Ari and Duskari due to our longevity." Our¡­yup, that cements it. I''m one of them. "However, we can still push for an egalitarian society ¨C all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities. True equality will never exist. But we can level the ying field. Give everyone else an opportunity to thrive."


    Vael smiled and walked alongside her down the long corridor, "So¡­Lyn¡­Who is better in bed? Me or Gael?"


    Lyn didn''t expect that question and let out a guffaw before constraining herself once more. "That''s hard to say. Gael is way better at plowing me into the mattress, and sometimes that just feels so, so good. But you give me more pleasure. I guess it just depends on what mood I''m in."


    Vael smirked and looked at Gael, "Told you. You owe me a Gold Eagle."


    Gael rolled his eyes, "Fiiine."


    Lyn smirked. An odd sibling rtionship, but at least now they''re being more of themselves around me instead of putting on a mask. The long, marble hallway expanded down before them. Last corridor before the final chamber, Lyn thought. The twins ribbed each other over what they did better than the other to Lyn. Almost like they wereparing notes to one-up each other. She could tell they were verypetitive, and she had been treated with such reverence before that she couldn''t have noticed it. They''re very good at keeping their emotions locked down. A valuable skill, for sure.


    The hallway ended and opened into an enormous chamber. "Shit," Lyn muttered.


    "What is it?" Gael asked as he cut off his banter about the best angle for thrusting.


    "This is going to be a big, big monster."


    The twins put the supplies down and repeated their prior spells from thest encounter. Lyn released the mana that was enforcing the shifting spell as the ws, talons, scales, and horns returned. As she gripped the hilt of Cataclysm, it shifted and warped to better amodate her new appendages. She willed the inscribed armor to cover her body, and then incanted her go-to, custom-worded, internal spell. "Gothron i gwanno / min enni / na rem in edin nin: / na nin togwath, athano hain thron, gwelu, thrh, a n?n rath; / na nin inath, cirad nin hoth; / na nin inedhil, athano nin th?r a cirad nin; / na nin rhaw, hathol han uin del." The only part she omitted was mana charging her weapon, as it was made of pure mana.


    Her skin was covered in a shimmeringyer of prismatic hues as her body became much harder to damage. Her muscles surged in size until her build rivaled that of the most ripped female bodybuilder on Earth. Her sight sharpened and every small detail of the room became much clearer and more defined. The bestbat-preparation spell she coulde up with in her past life. The mana surged through her body and filled her up from toes to top of her horns. Huh, they have sensitivity? Interesting. The de in her grip ignited and surged, the handle extending to that of a great sword, and the de ofva bing wreathed in a roaring hurricane.


    She looked back at her allies who stared, ck jawed. "I''ll teach you this spell. But for now¡­are you ready?"


    They both nodded and raised their weaponry as their mana covered their weaponry. "Ready!" they said in tandem.


    Lyn stepped forward and put her hand on the pedestal. The lights went out, and a grey portal opened.


    Misty jumped out of her chair. What the hell? She reached around to her back pocket and her eyes went wide as she felt the inscribed slip of metal warming up. "Fuck!" She shouted. Turning to one of her acolytes who looked up at her with concern from his tomes, she issued orders. The acolyte sprinted down the hallway, lifting their robes to keep from tripping, as Misty sprinted behind her. Fuck fuck fuck! That inscription going off only meant one thing ¨C Thomas was dead.


    She had minutes to act. If too much time passed, it would be toote. She rushed past the schrs who were practicing their penmanship in Elenthir ¨C the first years. Past the experiment and training rooms and met a group of fourth-year acolytes at the entrance to the death spellsboratories. She entered alongside them and rapidly incanted a spell to disable the wards and traps she hadid; stasis traps that would only paralyze a person. Keeping some of the nosier first-years away from studies they couldn''t handle. She went through the inner door for the death undeath studies, and down a long corridor filled with drawers set into the walls. A morgue. Going to the furthest one, she pulled the b out.


    Thomas had helped her so much in setting up this mage school, she had to repay him. This was it, her chance to clear her debt to him. Then I can forget he even exists. He had brought a body to her ¨C a copy of himself. She didn''t ask how he made it, and he didn''t volunteer the information. It was heavily inscribed in Elenthir that had been carved as scars ¨C only the neck and head were not covered in thenguage of magic. Being the Mage hero, Misty knew exactly what it said. It was the mostplicated verse she had ever seen; an enormous, singr spell with a single purpose ¨C to recall the deceased.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    She poured her prodigious mana into the body, and at her instruction, her acolytes channeled mana into her that she then poured into the corpse as well.


    The chest rose and fell gently. Blood began to pulse as the heart began to beat. And the eyes opened as Thomas took a deep breath. He sat up and coughed several times, his eyes whirling around the room in panic as he gripped his torso, feeling for a wound that wasn''t there.


    "Hey champ," Misty said. "So, you died-"


    "Fucking James!" Thomas'' eyes began to stream tears. "He killed me!"


    Misty covered her mouth. Why?


    Thomas answered her unspoken question, "I did it Misty. I destroyed the statue."


    She sat, stunned, on theb bench. Her acolytes came forward and asked a variety of questions about her well-being, but she waved them away. "Just¡­leave us, please." They acquiesced, and soon it was just Misty and Thomas in the chamber. "Were we right?"


    Thomas nodded as he wiped the tears away from his eyes. "The mana cores were stored inside."


    Misty nodded, "And the statue is no more."


    Thomas grinned slightly and chuckled, the mirth at his action overtaking his sorrow at betrayal from his friend. "Yes¡­I fucking did it!"


    "The cycle is broken¡­What happened to your mana core?"


    Thomas shrugged, "No clue." His eyes went wide and his jaw went ck. "Hector!" He got up and as he stood, his legs gave out and he copsed. Misty ran over and pulled him upright, leaning him against the wall. He was hyperventting, reaching for something on his hip that wasn''t there, eyes bulging in sheer panic. "I need him!"


    Misty held him close, "We''ll get him back for you." She knew that the wyvern was the only thing keeping him from descending into full on alcoholic stupor. His emotional support animal. His best friend in the whole world. Misty turned and shouted for an acolyte. One of them sheepishly opened the door. "Tend to him," she ordered, as she left the woman in charge of Thomas.


    Misty left and ascended the stairs to the top of the highest spire. Her mage school was in Vharthos, a small kingdom ruled by the Vharthon, the fox-folk. Near the borders of Trisk and along the ocean. Standing atop the t tower, she put her hand onto one of the Elenthir inscriptions facing the South. Channeling her mana, she focused her intent on Hector and felt themunication spell go off.


    Minutes passed¡­


    Several minutes¡­


    No response came back. No connection was made. She didn''t hear anything.


    Fuck.


    The figure that stepped through the shimmering grey portal was something Lyn was quite familiar with. And she absolutely fucking hated it. The skittering legs, the beady eyes, the venomous fangs¡­Fucking spiders.


    Not just a spider, though. This was a Titan Spider. An enormous version, covered with hardened, chitinous tes that could rival the strongest steel on Ghomar. Its legs were tipped with wickedly sharp spikes that could pierce through te mail like butter. Instinctively, Lyn raised her palm. "Britha pan bo nin!" A torrent ofva surged from her torso and into her left palm, sting out of her mana channel. The burning torrent burst forth and covered the creature, and it screeched in pain and outrage.


    It closed with Lyn, skittering nearer as it swiped several legs in rapid session at her torso. Thanks to the earlier internal spell, she was able to visually track the appendages and parried or dodged them. But that''s when she caught sight of it ¨C a faint, shimmering hue surrounding the limbs. It''s mana charged? The situation had just be far more dire.


    Gael and Vael dashed to opposite sides, raising their hands, and incanting in unison. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an aro / a sto nan govadhren / a I thalion en-aear!" A torrential st of water shot out of their hands and impacted the spider. A firehose of magical liquid that smothered the creature, caused the floor to be slick, but more than that ¨C it hardened theva still on the creature. It pushed against the bulk surrounding it, the obsidian weighing it down.


    Lyn took advantage of that and brought her de through one of the striking legs. She severed it cleanly, and the creature hissed with pain. Its body began to glow a bright brown color as the obsidian cracked upon its back.


    Then, it exploded. The rocky shell surrounding it bing a fragmentation grenade that filled the whole room with wickedly sharp chunks. And they were all mana charged.


    Vael and Gael dove prone, but the shrapnel impacted them and pierced through their hardened skin and into their bodies. Lyn heard their screams of pain. But she, too, was impacted by the chunks of rock. Arge cascade that ricocheted off of her armor ¨C but the impacts still bruised her, and she hissed in pain and sucked in air through her teeth.


    The Titan Spider scuttled its way to Lyn, and she pushed herself up, taking a ready stance despite her protesting muscles and incredibly bruised, sore body. She had to concentrate fully on the creature in front of her, sparing not even a nce at her downed allies, as it assaulted her with three legs and wove in several attempted bites with those venomous fangs.


    The frenzied barrage from the creature was almost overwhelming, and Lyn felt panic rise in her chest. Did I take on something too strong too fast? She thought. Just like the first dungeon the heroes had entered? Where she lost ssmates and allies. Just like she might lose Vael and Gael¡­


    Snap out of it! She chided herself and forced her mind to the present. She couldn''t give in to the memories and let them take over. That would mean death. I''m the Destroyer damnit! I''m stronger than this! She let loose a battle cry and, heedless of the attacksing her way, dashed under the creature and brought her de along the center-line of it. The wind-sheathedva pierced easily into the soft underbelly, and she ran out the back of the creature before it copsed, curling into a ball and flipping over before fading to nothingness.


    And that''s when she felt it. The lethargy. Looking over at her shoulder, she saw a tiny hole that oozed a viscous, red blood. From one of its fangs. Fuck me. It must have been an extremely strong monster. It had pierced her armor and her internal spell. Not much, but just enough to deliver the venom. She could feel the substance coursing through her, and thanks to her earlier internal spell increasing her heart rate and blood flow ¨C it was in her entire system. She felt her muscles begin to lock up as the paralytic began to cause her to seize.


    Maybe I can burn it out. "Anor min / nartho hain I daeth nin." The effect was immediate, as she felt the mana surge through her whole body, and her muscles rxed as her whole body vented steam. Wait¡­does that mean I can heal?


    She put away her weapon as the doors at the far end of the room opened. Ignoring that, she ran over to Gael and lifted him up. He groaned as she lifted him and moved him to their supplies. Running to Vael, she did the same. Raising her hand, she incanted a simple healing spell Trisha had taught all of the heroes; one that came to her naturally. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / leithio nin mellon / a panno hain garan." She felt the mana churn¡­but nothing happened. Then how did I heal myself?


    Lyn rifled through the supplies as she let her internal spells fade. She found the medical kit quickly enough and opened the satchel,ying out the cloth before putting the poultices and medicine to the side. "Alright you two, stay still. I''ve got you." She began the meticulous process of removing shrapnel, staunching the bleeding, and patching the wound with an aloe-like sap she squeezed from the bark of a tree native to Ghomar with antiseptic properties. Bind it properly, just like Trisha taught us.


    She took her time taking care of them ¨C there was no rush inside the dungeon since they had defeated that room. And it hadn''t even been close to an hour since they entered. Six days for us to loot the final room. No more encounters. She spent the time thinking through the various spell types, and all she could reason is that she could heal herself the way the Demonic Dragon regenerated. To test her theory, she used one of the shards of obsidian, charged it with mana, and cut her skin. Focusing on the wound, she muttered the incantation once more: "Anor min / nartho hain I daeth nin."


    Her skin sizzled asva bubbled up through it before it sealed shut. Fuck yes!


    Her survivability just shot through the roof. A regeneration internal spell. Trisha had theorized that it was possible, but none of the heroes could pull it off. But I''m not a hero anymore. She looked forward resolutely towards the hall that led to the reward chamber.


    I''m the Destroyer.

 Chapter 24

    Kory charged the group of soldiers from the Khrrdian military, making sure to yell a war-cry in Shereldian, to make the one survivor he nned to leave maimed but alive think that Vgonia''s soldiers were attacking. Sliding his palm up the artifact hammer, he poured mana into it and electricity crackled. Spinning in a circle, heunched it at the formation of fifty men. The man who was hit was obliterated into a bloody, pulpy mess. The shockwave and sonic boom from the impact shattered their defensive line, and the electricity that arced out from the shockwave fried men in their metal armor.


    Pouring mana into the incredibly thin and hard to see wire connecting his gauntlet to the hammer, he pulled it back before charging down the remaining foes. His men stood behind, well clear of the ''ssh zone'', as Kory had taken to calling the area in front of him midbat.


    "Please!" one man shouted as Kory ran up. But he showed no mercy, bringing the hammer down onto his skull.


    One soldier ¨C brave but foolish ¨C stood on shaking legs as he squared off against Kory. He was wearing leather armor ¨C hence hisck of being affected by the electrical surge. But he was no older than fifteen. A fresh recruit. Kory almost felt bad for the kid. But then the young man charged him, trying to sh across his torso. Kory simply stepped back, twisted his hammer, and broke thed''s wrist. He screamed and fell to his knees.


    Kory crouched next to the boy and switched to Khrrdian. "You''re lucky. I''m going to let you live. Just stay here, don''t move, and when we leave¡­you go and tell your King, your High-Lord, whoever the fuck you want¡­Cecily Vgonia sends her regards." He stood and stepped past the young man, but felt a stabbing pain in his calf.


    Kory wheeled about in a rage, but his ankle gave out. The fucker cut my Achilles Tendon?! He hadn''t bothered using any internal spells to protect himself ¨C this was meant to be a quick strike run, not a full-on plundering raid. Kory growled, and the young adult stood on shaky feet as he began to run off. "Get him!" Kory yelled at his men, who rode the young man down before spearing him through the chest.


    One of his mercenaries rode over, "Sir! Are you okay? Do you need healing?"


    "Of course I fucking need healing!" Kory shouted. "Get Jacobson over here!" His underling rode to the second force across town, and Kory had to sit, simmering in his anger. That was fucking dumb. He had been cocky. Relying on fear and intimidation. Forgetting that he was still a Human and could die just as easily as any of the fuckers in hispany. Unless he was fueling his internal spells, he was just a big man with a hammer. He mmed the ground with the weapon, venting his frustration into a crater in the ground.


    He hadn''t felt this helpless since he first arrived on Ghomar. After they had received their hero cores, they were set to training in the yard under the then-High-Lord of Khrrdia. "Raise that hammer, boy!" the man had shouted at Kory. But his body was weak. He could run, throw, catch, lift¡­but swinging a weapon over and over for hours at a time was something Kory never prepared for. He fell, exhausted, and barely able to move. The High-Lord had walked over him, pulled his de, and held it to Kory''s throat. "If you want to be a terror on the battlefield, you will need stamina. Or else you will be just as helpless as you are now. One thrust, and I could kill you."


    Kory relished the memory of crushing that man''s head between his palms. The man who had made his life a living hell for the first three months of his arrival. Seeing the High-Lord''s eyes bulge mid-battle-rage was the closest Kory had to a revenge kill in his time on Ghomar.


    He didn''t linger on the past. Doing that would irreparably fuck his mind up. Instead, he washed the atrocities of the past away with the violence of the present. And when he couldn''t fight, he would fuck. The best way of dealing with it was avoiding it.


    Jacobson rode over with the other mercenary. The middle-aged man dismounted and looked at Kory''s leg. "Got stabbed good."


    "Shut up and heal me," Kory muttered.


    Jacobson looked at the other mercenary, before looking back to Kory. "Boss, this is something I don''t think I can fix. Whoever cut you got deep, they severed the tendon and muscle. It''s retracted up inside you."


    Kory mmed his hammer into the ground. "Fuck! Then get me a horse! We''re going to Trisk!"


    Jacobson nodded and sent off the mercenary. Soon enough, Kory''s group was saddled up and ready to travel. He sent all but Jacobson off to Fort Watch.


    Turning the mount North, he used his one good foot to goad the steed forward. Trisha owed him for being at that fucking Fort and patrolling so she could live her happy life. If anyone could heal this type of injury, it was the Healer hero.


    Gael and Vael roused from their pain-induced unconsciousness and looked around. Lyn watched them with a little concern. "Wee back," she stated bluntly.


    "What happened? I remember a sh, and then pain, and then ckness," Vael replied.


    "You both cooled myva, and the creature charged the obsidian shell with mana before causing it to explode." She tapped her armor, "This protected me from the worst of it. But you two¡­well, hopefully there''s a means of healing you two in the next room."


    This story has been uwfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Gael looked over his sister, and then himself, before looking at Lyn. "Forgive us for being weak."


    Lyn shook her head, "These dungeons are difficult to handle. That Titan Spider was able to injure me despite the ck adamantine armor, and my internal spells, and my body hardening." Her gaze went towards the hallway leading to the reward chamber. "This should be something amazing."


    Vael stood up, wincing as she did so. "Myd-"


    "Just Lyn when its us three."


    "Right. Lyn¡­I hate to ask this. Could you carry the supplies?"


    Gael looked at his sister with wide eyes, "Vael, you can''t ask the Destroyer to be a pack mule!"


    Lynughed aloud, standing up and hefting the two bags of camp and travel supplies. "It''s alright. You both need to have less stress on your bodies." She led the way down the hall, with herpanions limping along behind her, using their spears as walking sticks. She raised her palm and put it onto the circr icon at the center of therge, granite door. It glowed deep brown ¨C verifying she had defeated the dungeon''s challenges ¨C and then opened inward with a grinding rumble.


    Dappled sunlight flowed into the chamber from some unseen aperture above. It illuminated an altar with three items sitting upon it. One was a vibrant brown mana core that swirled with power. The dungeon core. Next to it were two items; a suit of armor made of brownish metal. Titansteel? It was rarer than ck adamantine. Not due to its hardness, but rather due to its ability to prevent forced movement. A soldier wearing armor made of the stuff could stand, unmoved, in the middle of a tsunami.


    Next to the armor was a shield made of the same substance. Lyn looked at her allies. "I will im the dungeon core. You two decide ¨C who gets to armor up?"


    Vael and Gael looked at each other and some silentmunication passed between them. Gael stepped forward and began to put on the armor. Vael took the shield.


    Lyn walked towards the mana core. She ced her hand upon the orb and felt words in her mind that were not hers. Those of a gruff man, speaking in Elenthir. You have bested my dungeon. I, Markov, Mountain-Maker, give you the ability to manipte the element of earth. The mana corepressed into a small orb that her hand absorbed. It traveled up her mana channel, and she felt the furnace in her chest that was the Destroyer core consume it. Nice. The Mountain-Maker core. She raised her hand and channeled mana into her palm, creating a rock that she gripped tightly, crushing it into powder.


    The twins looked at each other before looking to Lyn. "What now?" Vael asked.


    Lyn smiled, "Now¡­we go home. I have a base of power to fortify."


    Brad worked feverishly in hisboratory. The proportions had to be perfect. He grabbed several herbs and ripped the stems out, crushing them as he infused a small amount of his mana to dry them out further until he could make a powder. That was added to arge sk with water, bubbling away over a burner. I can''t fuck this up, he thought. The pressure was intense. If he didn''t deliver exactly what Cecily wanted¡­then he''d be punished. That sent chills down his spine, and he once more felt the void of his missing manhood.


    Brad was the ss''s pothead. He never enjoyed school ¨C except chemistry ¨C and was constantly ying around with different strains of herbs to produce a cleaner and better high. He wanted to start up a business where the herb was legal, and grow strains meant to help fix all types of problems; like what he''d read about in articles. CBD oil and shit.


    Here, he had the power to do just that. But Cecily''s iron grip was unrelenting. She refused any intoxicants in her kingdom. Alcohol was heavily regted, drug use and sale to get high was forbidden. Clean, healthy living was promoted. Brad didn''t have a problem with that¡­but he missed getting high.


    He picked up the sk with a pair of tongs and poured the liquid into several small pill molds. Letting it set to firm up, he sat down and took a sip of clean water with a lemon wedge. Looking around his workshop, he sighed. When the heroes had arrived, Brad did a single dungeon, said ''fuck this nonsense'', and began building his dream. The kingdom of Shereld never had someone who could produce products like Brad could.


    He gave people clean highs. Sure, they might be addicted ¨C but it wasn''t because of what he was doing. It was because they wanted to feel the rxation he provided. He also used his Alchemist hero core''s innate ability to identify various nt uses to create painkillers, antibiotics¡­all types of good shit. The first pharmaceuticalpany was more than he had dreamed of. He was rich, had several store fronts that earned quite the hefty amount of money, and he was respected. People loved his product; from healers, to drug addicts. None couldpete with the quality goods he could produce.


    That all changed after the Demonic Dragon was defeated. He was there with the rest of the heroes ¨C reluctantly ¨C ready to fight the entity. His potions and admixtures were useful, but they were outssed. He was one of the first to run. When they returned and found it in ¨C and Lyn missing ¨C he said what he thought was hisst goodbye and went back to his business. Or so he thought he would.


    Fuck her, he thought as he took another sip of his water. Cecilypleted a coup and renamed the kingdom of Shereld to Vgonia. And he was caught up in the middle of it. His workshop, raided. His associates, taken to prison and broken. Brad wasn''t exempted from Cecily''s wrath, either. She¡­did things to him.


    He shuddered and whimpered as his cup trembled in his hand, remembering the horrible things she had done to him. Theshing, whips, knives, candles¡­the naked des touching his skin and carving away at his most sensitive areas. His heart kept racing and his pulse rose. The void of what he once had ached despite being healed over eight years ago. He was less than a man, now. His dream was ruined by that bitch ¨C but he was powerless to her will. It took her only a year to break him, forcing him to detox cold turkey before the torture. Nine years of my goddamn life, working for her. It was shit luck that he had chosen to set up his businesses in the kingdom she took over.


    Crack! A shatter brought him back to the present. "Damnit!" he shouted as he quickly removed the remains of an Erlenmeyer sk from a burner. He sighed and turned to the pill molds. Using some of his mana he knew he had seeded. Abat stimnt drug like amphetamines, but one that carried no chance of addiction.


    He looked at the molds and sighed deeply. I have to supply these to a whole army. This is going to take me weeks. Cecily had not freed his associates back to him ¨C she had them sent to the corners of the kingdom, serving as local alchemists. And he hadn''t been given any new trainees. She wants to keep a tight lid on the pharmaceutical trade.


    But he had to do what Cecily wanted. If he didn''t¡­he would lose even more than he had already. As she had told him, "You have more flesh I can carve away. And I will take more if you don''t do what I want."


    He put himself to work, preparing thebat stimnt to the best of his ability. He had to please her.

 Chapter 25

    Lyn tapped the icon on the altar of the dungeon when they were fully equipped, and a grey portal opened in front of them. She led the way, waving her allies to follow her.


    They appeared on the same grassy slopes outside of the dungeon. Looking back, Lyn couldn''t see any trace of the ruins that had let her go into the dungeon. Dungeon core imed. She grinned. No one else could get that dungeon core until she died. Sure, there could be other earth elementalism users out there; doubtless there were many. But the vibrant brown color of that dungeon core told her that it was powerful. She shouldered the two bags as she contemted her options. One option would be slightly risky, as she had just acquired the spell type, but could also save days of travel.


    "Vael, Gael, I want your input."


    The twins were still using their spears as walking staves, and limping from their injuries. "Yes?" Vael asked.


    "Do you want to return the way we came? Or get there directly with a bit of risk?"


    The twins looked to each other. "Quickly would be better," Gael stated.


    "Good. I agree. Remember, when we get back, treat me with deference as the Destroyer. Only when we are alone, you may drop the act. Are we clear?"


    "Clear as a calmke," Vael replied.


    Lyn walked to the mountain and held her hand up. She felt the rumbling of her mana core. Still ming hot, but tempered heat that she had full control over. It had submitted to her entirely upon her deration of intent to rule the world. The personality shift must be finished, she thought. All things considered, it didn''t change me too much. She had seen some of the other heroes shift much more dramatically as their hero core didn''t match their existing personality as well as the Scout core did to her.


    Maybe it was destiny or fate, she thought. She pushed that thought aside and focused her will, feeling the mana bubble along her mana channel. "Thalion min / caratho rath tr? i gaear / i echado i amarth an ledhad / a panno han bo nin / sui denid na rath."


    A hole, ten feet in diameter, appeared in the mountain in front of her. She walked forward, and the hole continued. "Stay behind me, close behind," Lyn told the twins, and theyplied. After she had traversed fifteen feet into the mountain, the tunnel sealed behind her. "I estimate a few hours to reach the Valley interior," Lyn stated. "Time to teach you two Elenthir¡­"


    Misty knocked on Thomas'' door. She heard the mumble behind the door and opened it slowly. The former Knowledge hero sat upright in the bed, back against the worked stone, and stared nkly into space. She had waited a few days so his body fully recovered, and then told him about Hector. She made sure to keep all alcohol away from the man¡­but she knew he was broken.


    His eyes were zed over. Streaks of tears coursed a path down his face for his lost animalpanion. His emotional support. This must be torture, she thought, as she, too, experienced the traumas of the past when she wasn''t busy teaching her students. He needs therapy. The closest thing she could think of was Trisha. But Misty could do something in the meantime. She raised her hand and whispered aplicated, multi-verse spell. "Losto hain an garad na fan / hain rhaw na hegdha / hain inath left nan loth / nan melon theled / a ananno iath nedh / an hain aear na thano na adwen / ir den ¨²-dol / a bartho hain na ennas / anui sui en gohenad / sedh thoron an naid th?r / a bartho hain rhawcha ned gwanno ennas."


    Thomas fell asleep. The spell would keep him in aa-like state, where he would dream only good, happy dreams. It would give him a chance to recover mentally while she fetched Trisha. His body would sustain itself using its mana ¨C a rare function of the inner power that Misty had uncovered in her testing.


    She hadn''t slept in years. She hadn''t eaten or drank anything save for the vor in years. That is how she kept the nightmares away; she prevented them from happening in the first ce. That''s why she hated remembering the other heroes, and interacting with them. Forget the past and it will never haunt you.


    But the internal spell she had developed was dangerous ¨C careful moderation of mana had to be ounted for. And the user had to have arge enough reservoir of mana from a dungeon core or greater.


    Thomas'' body had none of that. He had a basic mana core; the same type every person on Ghomar was born with. If he was up and active, his mana would be expended too rapidly, and he would still have to eat and sleep. But Misty had such a powerful mana core ¨C she presumed second in strength to the Paragon core ¨C that she could sustain it indefinitely as long as she didn''t need the mana for something else.


    Leaving the room, she returned to the top of the tower and ced her hand on the inscribed pir. Visualizing Trisha, she focused the mana to flow into the inscription. "Trisha, it''s Misty."


    The voice replied almost immediately, as if Misty was standing right next to her, "Oh, Misty! It''s been a while. How are you?"


    "I''m fine. I need you toe to Vharthos."


    "Oh, I can''t. I just had my daughter a few days ago."


    Misty''s heart melted a little bit at that. Kids had always been one of her weaknesses. She loved babies. Never wanted any of her own, but who didn''t love kids? "That''s terrific. Congrattions. What''s her name?"


    "Ginavieve. After Gina. You know, the usual thing where Ben and I honor the memory of the fallen."


    Misty nodded, "It is a good name. Well, if you cannot travel, perhaps you can help me from a distance. Brainstorm, if you will."


    "Oh yes, what do you need?"


    This novel is published on a different tform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "Thomas died." There was silence for a few moments as Misty waited for a response. The voice that came back was¡­relieved?


    "That''s sad. How did he die?"


    "James killed him."


    Another lengthy pause. "Then Thomas lied to us. He said he was going to investigate the Destroyer''s return, and thene back to us before going to see the statue of Aelor."


    "Yeah, well, he went to see James, told James the n, and the fucker killed him. Thomas did destroy the statue. Turns out the hero cores were stored inside of it. God-knows where they are now."


    Trisha sighed, and the tone confirmed to Misty her earlier supposition, "That¡­well, we are alive and still have our hero cores. I was panicking over that. Thank God we don''t have to worry about that anymore."


    Misty shook her head. She knew that Trisha was more mama-bear now than ever before. She had always been the ss mom; having extra food at lunch that she often gave to Lyn, since she knew how fucked up her home life was. She was always protective of people who were hurt, physically or emotionally. Yeah, you were probably going to kill him if he told you about the statue. Being a real mother reinforced those values. Thest time Misty had traveled to see them five years prior, it was obvious. Trisha would do anything to protect her family. Just like James had done something heinous to protect himself and his family. Their happiness drove her off. I would have had that happiness with Lyn. She shook her head. No, she wasn''t into me. Just stick to the present.


    "Wait a second," Trisha muttered as curiosity took over her tone. "You talked to Thomas? Like, death undeath sub-type spells?"


    "More than that¡­I brought him back."


    Lyn''s lesson finished as they exited the cavern. She had started out with the alphabet of Elenthir. It would take some time, but Vael and Gael were eager students.


    "Why can''t you make inscriptions?" Gael asked. "You''re so learned in Elenthir, surely you could make wonderous inscribed items?"


    Lyn nodded, "I could make inscribed items. They aren''t necessarily rare, but they arebor intensive to make."


    "Then what about the words you wrote for Vehenna during your body enhancement? Was that an inscription?"


    "No. That was just written Elenthir. I did not pour mana into it as I wrote the words. If I had, then she would not have had to speak the verses, simply channel her mana into the object." She shook her head, "The more powerful the spell being inscribed, the more mana required to make the inscription. And since most craftspeople on Ghomar do not have a ton of mana¡­making those items takes a long time. Days upon days of pouring mana into the inscription." And I can''t do inscriptions for spell types I haven''t unlocked yet.


    "Why not spend a few days and make an inscribed item for every spell you could dream of?" Gael asked.


    "If I wanted to, I could spend hours creating dozens of simple, inscribed spells on parchment, bits of wood, or anything else I could carve or write on¡­for all manner of effects that I have ess to right now. But using them in battle? I''d be sorting through a pile of material as my enemies charged at me."


    What I could do is spend a few days creating, like, carved wooden discs for simple healing spells. Having some of those on hand for myself would be nice. But then the thought hit her once more. Another limitation of heroes. Except for the Artificer hero¡­they could only make inscriptions for the external spell types they had ess to. And I don''t have healing anymore.


    Wanting a change of subject, Lyn asked the twins to go into detail about the Conve and how the Duskari worked as a civilization. To her reasoning, it would be sensible to fully learn everything she could about her new people. They gave her a lengthy, in-depth exnation.


    Whilst all Ari lived in Conves, Duskari were the most insr. Their groups never exceeded one-thousand members, and they were very, very specific about determining best-matches for breeding to ensure no negative hereditary traits were passed on. They would sometimes trade a group of Duskari with another Conve, taking a risky journey to do so, to ensure the gene pool didn''t get too intercrossed.


    Duskari did not have children often. Lyn was able to determine that they barely kept above the recement rate to ensure a stable poption. As such, they were tight-knit from the get-go. Lyn focused some of her questions on how they viewed sex and intercourse, seeing as they were so liberal in sharing what they had tried on her in the bedroom.


    "Well," Vael said. "We experiment with those around our own age outside of our family or with several degrees of separation. It''s not taboo like in the other cultures. And as part of our close bond with each other, we are used to sharing intimate knowledge."


    Gael chuckled, "Yes, we oftenpared notes as to what brought the most pleasure to our partner."


    "Good to know," Lyn replied. The darkness of the tunnel ¨C ten feet in front, ten feet behind ¨C that slowly and silently shut behind them was the perfect environment for these types of intimate questions. "Next question; how old are you both?"


    "We''re ny-five," Vael stated.


    "And what''s theparative point to Human lifespan?"


    Gael cocked his head sideways for a few moments. "I don''t know."


    "Then let''spare¡­"


    Several minutes were spent describing the age and various changes that the two races went through. By the end, Lyn had figured out the gist of the ageparison between Duskari ¨C and therefore, most likely, all Ari ¨C and Humans. Their children became adults when they were fifty and were considered elders once they survived to one thousand. ording to Vael''s recollection and what she learned, Duskari didn''t die from age. Onlyplications due to age.


    The description she provided made Lyn think of cancer symptoms. Their bodies age and cells eventually fuck up because of how old they are. That meant, if she could use this regeneration, she could live forever; provided she worded the spell precisely. That brought a smile to her face. I should get Misty to help me design it. She''s probably figured out immortality by now. That was one of Misty''s goals she had stated post Demonic Dragon defeat. Lyn recalled the conversation quite clearly.


    They were sitting together at a bar, getting quite drunk after clearing a dungeon. Their celebration was cut short by someone at the bar having a heart attack. Misty ran over and tried to help ¨C but she wasn''t able to put together the words in time. Fixing something like that would require a very precise incantation; and they had only been on Ghomar for a year by then. "It''s okay," Lyn had said as she patted Misty''s back and walked her upstairs to the rooms.


    Misty hadn''t shown emotion, just shrugging. "People die." She looked up at Lyn, her dark, hazel eyes gleaming with the inkling of an idea. Lyn was familiar with that look of hers; the same look she had whenever she wanted to start a new art project and abandon an old one. "But I won''t. I''m going to figure out how to keep this power forever."


    Lyn smiled in the present. Seeing her should be on my priority list, she thought. After I reinforce the Valley.


    The tunnel finally opened to gorgeous, green woond. The interior of the Valley of the Volcano. Lyn turned as her allies left the tunnel, before letting go of the spell as the tunnel sealed behind them. "How long to the dread fortress?"


    Gael looked at the mountains behind them, "Far Eastern side? I''d say three hours."


    Lyn nodded, "And are the Newen still primarily in the Southern forests?"


    "Yes," Vael said. "They''re not hostile to us, but they keep their distance. The respect is still there, but it''s a fear-respect."


    "Then we will change that. Or rather, I will." She turned South, "You two head to Lynhold. Get healed up. I''m going to forge an alliance."


    The twins nodded, "Be careful, Lyn," Vael said.


    "I will be," Lyn replied as she strode into the thicket.

 Chapter 26

    Thomas was in his tower, studying. The Ruins of Elent were the ancient capital of the Elenthian people ¨C the first race to exist on Ghomar, the inventors of Elenthir, and creators of magic. He was studying their creator deity, Aelor, who had split itself into twenty shards to empower leaders of the race.


    But the statue¡­it''s not just some fancy object, Thomas had eventually learned. It was the fossilized corpse of that deity. He reasoned that, when heroes died, their hero core would return to the deity, and when all twenty were returned, then the next summoning would ur. He also found records of heroes who had fled from their duties, were hunted down, and killed so that the summoning cycle could begin anew.


    He had learned from these old records that Aelor''s counterpart, Raevan, eventually destroyed the civilization. It frustrated Thomas to no end that he could not figure out why Raevan did that. His best guess was that Raevan was meant to keep the world in check. Ensure that no one gained power to rival the gods. A second, just as usible theory, was that Raevan was like a system reset. To use aputer analogy, since Thomas was decent at that, Aelor was the person writing the code of creation, and Raevan was his delete button.


    Perhaps Aelor was still alive in some capacity, despite the fossilized body that was the statue. Despite splitting itself into twenty hero cores. Thomas could only conjecture.


    But here, in the tower, he was at peace. He heard Hector pping outside and heard his crow of delight as he thudded to the balcony with some prey. Thomas got up, putting aside the tome he was reading through, and went out to scratch his buddy. Life was perfect.


    But there was something lingering in the back of his mind. Something about this felt¡­off. He couldn''t put his finger on it. But he was happy.


    Giving Hector a few good behind-the-ear scritches, he took out his knife and began to carve up the sheep-like creature his emotional support wyvern had brought. "I''ll make us a good meal buddy." Hector purred and nuzzled Thomas'' hip, before moving his head to the small stove and packed supplies. "Oh? You want it spicy?" Hector nuzzled Thomas'' torso, and the Knowledge hero chuckled. "Okay, anything you want, buddy."


    James hated what he had to do. Killing Thomas'' pet wyvern was a necessity; he had no clue what it was trained to do. What it could do. The former Knowledge hero was a wild card. James would not take any chances. He wanted to keep it so badly, to ride it through the skies like he had dreamed of when reading dragon-rider fiction¡­but it wasn''t trained by him. It was dangerous. Fuck.


    The statue of Aelor was gone. The hero cores, dispersed. And he had no fucking clue what that meant for the state of the world. But he couldn''t focus on that; he had a kingdom to protect. Walking through therge doors, he took his seat to the right of King Kristoph. Other Advisors were at the table, but all showed James deference.


    Kristoph was a young man, only twenty-one to James'' own thirty-four. He had light, blonde hair and piercing, gold eyes. A sign of his royal heritage and right to rule the throne of Khrrdia. "The reports were verified?" he asked James.


    James nodded and put the stack of papers on therge conference table. "They are urate. Only armed personnel were in by the raiders. The descriptions are on-point as well. They spoke in Shereldian, save for the leader. The description leaves no other possibility." This is going to get me yelled at¡­ "It was Kory, the Berserker hero."


    Kristoph took a deep breath, sipped from his cup of wine, and then let out the breath in a smooth exhale. That shocked James ¨C the man had a violent temper, and the Paragon hero often had to keep the man in check. It wasn''t difficult, if James had wanted, he could have deposed Kristoph and taken over as monarch; the people would have supported it. But the stresses of rule did not appeal to him.


    Kristoph held up a letter, "Cecily Vgonia sent an emissary. Asking if we sent the Berserker hero into her territory."


    James furrowed his brow, grabbing the offered letter and reading through it. What the hell is Kory up to? He knew that Cecily was eying expansion. There were several vassal-states in between Khrrdia and Vgonia, and the hodge-podge intecing of territories was always a point of contention. He looked up at Kristoph, "It could be one of two things, in my opinion. The first is that Cecily is using this as a diversionary tactic while she builds her forces. The other is that she is actually being honest with us."


    One of Kristoph''s counselors spoke, "We have an agent within her court." The master of whispers pulled out a sheaf of parchment. "A letter with an oddnguage on the front." He slid the letter to James, "This is your world''snguage, I believe."


    James grabbed the letter and ripped it open. Cecily is nning an invasion. She is having me work onbat stims. James, when you get this. Please, for the love of God. Get me the fuck out of here. I need to get to Trisha and get my junk fixed. Fucking bitch cut it off! Shit, I shouldn''t have written that. Okay, look¡­I''m slow-rolling the production. If you can get me out, I''ll help you bring her down. I know things that can damage her reputation. But man, she''s like a fucking fantasy dictator. The stuff she''s done to the Botan¡­Please, get me out of here. I''m in her pce. ¨C Brad.


    James looked up at the waiting conference table. "Well?" The king asked. "What is written?"


    James summarized the information, ending with, "¡­We need to mount a rescue mission. If we can get Brad out of Vgonia, he can work for us. His healing drugs alone would be a massive boon in a full-scale conflict."


    Kristoph nodded, "Then, High-Lord, do as you see fit to acquire this new asset."


    James stood, bowed, and left the conference room. As he left the pce grounds, he spotted a familiar figure on a horse, riding hard through the streets, only pulling the reins to stop his mount as the guards gged him down. James cracked a wide smile, "Volio! What brings you here?"


    King Kristoph was a rational man. At least, he believed himself to be rational. Leaning over to his master of whispers, he gave instructions. "Make sure we have an agent following the Paragon hero at all times."


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    "It will be done, your grace," the man replied before bowing and leaving.


    Kristoph stood, "That is all for today," he said to the rest of his councilors. "I will retire." He left, escorted by four Kings guard. That man¡­Kristoph knew he had to be gracious towards and thankful to James. But he also knew the threat he posed. Sure, he might be ying the role of High-Lord and leader of the military, but the king knew that, if James desired, he could perform a coup and the people would not care in the slightest.


    No, what he needed was James eliminated. Losing the statue of Aelor was inconsequential, as the Destroyer was gone. What need was there for heroes anymore? Kristoph would be better off if James was eliminated. The threat to his rule, removed.


    Perhaps¡­perhaps I can y this situation to my advantage, he thought. Cecily was unwed. He was unwed. If she was, indeed, being attacked by the Berserker hero unprovoked¡­they could form a temporary alliance to hunt him down and bring him to justice. Kristoph could make overtures towards a political marriage to form an alliance as they participated in a joint military endeavor.


    She would most likely demand the death of James. She had, on more than one asion, sent letters denouncing the Paragon hero and demanding his head. Kristoph had no idea what conflict caused the rift between the summoned heroes, but he would not let this opportunity go to waste. Summoning the master of whispers once more, he waited in his room with parchment and quill.


    When the man arrived, Kristoph handed him the letter. "Get this to Cecily Vgonia."


    The man bowed and left, and the king leaned back in his chair, looking out the window over his kingdom. He had many races living here. A small Conve of Arinol near the ocean, Botal groves scattered around the realm, Chinitol living under the capitol itself, Sloren in the nearby mountains, even some Foskor and Raptin. An alliance with Cecily may require the removal of those peoples, he thought, recalling the confirmed reports of the purges performed in the former kingdom of Shereld. Not all of them were purged violently, many were disced and banished from the realm en-masse. Only those who resisted were annihted.


    Kristoph had no particr love for any of his subjects. I am the king. I can do what I want. And what he wanted was James gone, and asting peace with the only real rival he had on Ghomar.


    Lyn strode through the forest and chose to practice rapid movement amongst the trees. Her mana channels had fully recovered during the travel to the dungeon, and now, as night fell, she jumped from tree branch to tree branch, leaping across the terrain and practicing her movement. This new body was very well suited to acrobatics, and she even tossed in a few flips as she jumped between boughs.


    The rush was exhrating. With just the Scout hero core in her past summoning, she was capable of fast movements, but not really dynamic movement. Great on a battlefield, not so great in a cramped environment. She had no idea if it was the Destroyer mana core at work, or maybe even the Mountain-Maker core, or possibly just her Duskari body¡­but she was naturally graceful without even trying.


    She had released focus on the minor shifting spell she had been using to suppress her draconic appearance, and the ws on both her hands and feet made traversing the terrain easy. She was even able to punch into the trunks of trees to take breathers, digging her ws in and affixing herself when she needed to catch her breath. Endurance is going to need improvement, she thought. There were body enhancing tinctures that could help with that¡­but nothing beat anaerobic exercise.


    Eventually she discovered a clearing and was able to look up into the sky as she took heavy breaths from the exertion of her travel. The twin moons floated in the sky above, and the stars and distant gxies left nothing but wonder in Lyn''s eyes. I wonder if Ghomar is in the same Universe as my Earth, or if this is another reality entirely. She recalled the conversation with Nami, the Spellde hero, when they sat in a simr de after clearing their tenth dungeon.


    "What do you think is up there? On the moons, I mean?" She had asked Lyn as the two cooked for the rest of the party that set up camp around them.


    "Wouldn''t it be crazy if there was some type of civilization up there?" Lyn chuckled as she turned the spit and brushed some butter and spices onto the boar they had hunted down and trussed up. "I bet Misty could make a spell to let us look up there and find out."


    Namiughed andid back on the grass. "There is so much we don''t know. I mean, are we even in the same reality as our home?" She raised her hand and held it up as if to grab the stars themselves and rip the answer down from the heavens. "What if Earth is out there, and we''re just across the Universe? Or hell, even just across the Gxy? The Milky Way is freaking huge."


    Lyn chuckled, "You can curse, you know."


    Nami sat up and stared daggers at Lyn, "If there''s one thing I''m going to do here, its keep my morals. I''m not going to be like Cecily ¨C off politicking and backstabbing. And I''m not going to be like Kory."


    Lyn nodded as she looked up at the stars. "Who do you think named the moons, anyways?"


    Nami shrugged, "Some ancient people." She smiled that gentle smile that could cheer any of the heroes up. "Enough of that, though. When is the food going to be ready?"


    Lyn was pulled out of the happy memory by the sound of snapping twigs in the undergrowth. Wheeling towards the noise, she drew Cataclysm, and surged mana into the de. Theva flowed up first, but then came the wind which wrapped it and extended the reach. But she saw something odd; the de also surged with a deep, dirt-brown color, coruscating between the blueva, the green wind, and the earthen strength. I knew it got stronger when it absorbed artifacts, but dungeon cores, too? No¡­it keys off of my mana cores; Destroyer forva as a base, since it''s the strongest. Scout for wind, and Mountain-Maker for earth. That part made sense to her. What did absorbing Rus''os''r do? I mean, it''s the wind spear-


    As if responding to her thoughts, the sword shifted and twisted in her grip until it became a spear ¨C a perfect copy of her old artifact weapon; save for theva, wind, and earth limning the object. That is fucking badass! She twirled the spear around herself several times, pleased at the familiarity of the weight and grip from her past summoning. If she found more artifact weapons, she could get even more weapon-forms for Cataclysm. Versatility on a battlefield was a huge asset against a thinking opponent, and from the feel of the weapon, she could shift its form at will.


    She nced up at the sky once more to confirm her position. This time of year, with the star cluster to the left of the twin moons, she knew she was in the Southern part of the Valley of the Volcano. Speaking in Arinol, she raised her voice, but allowed the guttural growl of the draconic tone to rip through the air rather than her usual tone. "I am Lady Rivers, the Destroyer, returned. Come out and let us talk about rekindling our alliance."


    There was movement, and her eyes darted to a figure who stepped out from the tree line. He was a Newen, one of the lizard-folk. Walking on two legs, with a long tail that slinked along the ground behind him, and a cool, green appearance; his red frill firmly identified him as a male. "The Demonic Dragon, you have returned?"


    Lyn nodded and lowered the spear, "Yes. That is correct." I''m the Destroyer. Fa?ade back on. Keep the mask going. She walked forward slowly, letting the spear shift back into the sword form, as it extended out to her side. "Will you take me to your leaders?"


    The Newen nodded, "Strike Commander nosh, at your service, your mightiness."


    She smirked and put up her de, socketing the hilt into her hip te. "Lead the way to your encampment."

 Chapter 27

    Ben got out of the house, stretching as he looked out over the fields. Trisha had been dealing with the baby, and he had been doing all of the usual stuff ¨C cooking, cleaning¡­everything. Thankfully, some of Trisha''s students volunteered to help around the house in addition to their usual duties, so he finally got a breather.


    But as a dad, there was never really a breather. He chuckled as Eli ran over. "Dad! There''s a big, scary man riding here!"


    Following behind him was Lyndra on Epona, and Lawry was holding tight onto the saddle-horn. "He''s got a big hammer!" Lyndra shouted.


    Ben frowned, What''s Kory doing all the way up here? His job was to protect the Valley of the Volcano from intruders and keep any lingering Demonic Dragon forces at bay. "Go inside, kids. Eli, take Epona, go get Jeremy and as many of the brawling students you can. Tell them ''Code 4''."


    Lyndra picked up on the gravity of the situation near-instantly and Ben helped her dismount before pulling Lawry off. He hoisted Eli onto the mount and his eldest son rode off, down the small hill to theplex where the warriors Ben trained resided.


    Ben went to the shed and opened it, running his hands along the heavy, massive suit of full te. Not enough time to equip it, probably. Instead, he grabbed therge, spiked tower shield, and the mace that slotted into the back of it. Just in case.


    Ben hadn''t seen Kory in several years. But he had reservations about having a single person protect the Valley of the Volcano, insisting that the heroes set up a rotation, or a joint defense force. But Cecily convinced the rest of them with her charisma and force of personality to allow Kory the job. Who knows how fucked up he''s gotten.


    He walked out to the trail that led to the South of his estate, and set the tower shield down, leaning over the top of it, waiting. He was not waiting for long, as Kory and another slim man came riding up the road. They slowed down as they approached. "Ben! I need your wife!" Kory shouted.


    "Good to see you, Kory. What do you need Trisha for?"


    "Fucke-"


    "Language! I have kids around." Ben smirked to himself.


    There was silence for a moment as Kory rode closer, slowing his mount. "Sorry. I forgot you have those. I still haven''t met them."


    "And you won''t if I have anything to say about it," Ben replied. He had nothing against Kory as a person; but he didn''t want his kids to see or pick up on anything this man could represent or suggest.


    The man riding next to Kory bowed his head, "I am Jacobson, healer for Kory''s Killers."


    Ben looked at Kory and raised a judging eyebrow, "Really? That''s what you named your mercenaries?"


    Kory grumbled, "It''s a good description." The man was obviously cowed by Ben''s presence, and knew that the father could easily beat him in his current state.


    Jacobson continued, "I have heard of your wife, Trisha Baxter, the Healer hero. We seek her aid. Kory has suffered a grievous wound."


    As they rode closer Ben hefted the shield onto his forearm with ease. The scent hit him almost instantly. Rot. Gangrene. He knew that Trisha would have to amputate, and Kory would be pissed off at that. There was only so much she could do. "Ride down the hill, I''ll bring Trisha to you."


    Kory looked at Ben, and then past him to the main house, "But she''s up there!"


    "Yes, with my newborn, Ginavieve. I''ll send her down to see you."


    Kory''s face went white as a sheet. "You named her Gina?"


    Ben nodded, "All of our kids are named after the heroes who fell. Gina, Lawrence, Lyn, Elias." He gestured with the shield to the small slope, "Go on, go to the big, white building. It''s state-of-the-art for this world. They''ll prep you for Trisha. Lots of good healers in training there."


    Jacobson bowed, "My thanks, Lord Baxter." He nudged Kory, and the Berserker hero sullenly followed the man.


    Ben slung his shield on his back and walked back to the house. He knew why Kory was so upset. Gina was his girlfriend, the Oracle hero, and the first one to die on Ghomar. Not frombat, no. Shemitted suicide. Being the Oracle meant she had visions of the future, and the future she saw drove her to that point. Her death kicked off his descent into debauchery and lechery. Poor bastard.


    He got to the main house and went inside. Eli was already in there, and there were twenty burly, strong men dressed in armor and wielding spiked or ded knuckles ¨C ready to fight for their teacher''s wife and defend the household. Ben walked past them with appreciative nods, going into Trisha''s bedroom. She was sitting in the rocking chair, nursing their youngest, with a few of her healing trainees helping to tidy up the room. "Hey honey, what''s going on? All of your apprentices showed up-"


    "Kory is here. And he''s messed up. I sent him down the hill to the hospital."


    Trisha sat up straighter and gulped. Herst meeting with Kory was not a pleasant one. He had cursed at her violently when she had to remove a finger that was beyond saving. "How bad is it?"


    Ben shook his head, "Bad. I could smell it from ten feet away. That leg''s probably going to have to go."


    Trisha handed their newborn to one of her apprentices, and the baby began to cry, which the middle-age woman now holding the child soothed away with gentle rocking. Trisha fixed her attire and stood up. "You''ll be next to me?"


    Ben nodded, "The whole time." He looked back to his kids and the trainees. "Half of you, stay here with the kids. The other half, you''reing with us. Kory might be injured, but when he learns we have to remove that leg¡­he might react poorly. Get the hammer away from him, but remember, it''s got some type of thread that wraps around his wrist."


    Trisha followed up as she led the way out, "I''ll try to get him under anesthesia as soon as I can."


    The Newen traveled fast, but Lyn was easily able to keep up with them. They made a rapid pace through the night, and by dawn arrived at arge clearing at the edge of the forest, near the mountainside. A series of log cabins were erected, as well as a longhouse, with small tracks of smoke swirling up from the buildings. Lyn saw what she expected to see; Newen families, men, women, children, living their lives. But all those lives paused when she strode into sight. Duskari were not a new sight to Newen living in the Valley of the Volcano.


    But Lyn did not look like any other Duskari. The draconic features covering her form were indicative enough, and many of the Newen fell to their torso in supplication. She followed the Strike Commander into the longhouse and felt at ease. They were burning an herb ¨C something akin to rosemary mixed withvender ¨C that filled the air with a pungent, soothing scent. At the far end of the chamber was a female Newen, whose skin was a vibrant blue with purple splotches. Theck of a frill was the defining feature to discern male or female.


    She peered at Lyn before moving out of her seat and falling to her knees in reverence. "Mighty one, you return!"


    Lyn walked forward and extended a wed hand, "Stand, and tell me your name."


    The woman stood and bowed her sinuous head. "I am called R."


    "Lady Rivers, Destroyer reborn," Lyn replied as she walked past the woman and sat on her throne. A power y, but one that Lyn knew she had to make. Leaning forward she stared at the arrayed Newen ¨C some of whom had followed from the outside. "I seek to reforge the old alliances. You once served my prior form. Well, as you can see, I am no longer in that form. But make no mistake, I am the Destroyer ¨C the Demonic Dragon ¨C returned. And I intend to not just remain in this Valley." She smiled, "I will rule this world."


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    The Newen''s jaws dropped. Lyn had expected that reaction ¨C the Demonic Dragon never left the Valley of the Volcano. And before then, there wasn''t any record Thomas told the heroes about where the predecessor to the Demonic Dragon ¨C Raevan ¨C left either. She was breaking new ground with the deration. R tilted her head in a gesture of honor ¨C simr to a head bob. "Your mightiness, the Newen are forever at your service."


    Lyn stood up, "Good. Send out your scouts. I want every Newen n to be notified of my return. Have theme to Lynhold ¨C the dread fortress ¨C and we will begin preparations." Looking at nosh, she grinned, "And I want you, Strike Commander, to apany me back to the fortress today."


    "My Lady!" R replied. "Let us present a feast! It''s the least we can do."


    Lyn chuckled slightly, "You know what? It has been over a day since myst meal. Very well, let us celebrate my return."


    Vael walked through the forest alongside her brother. Thesends were familiar to them. But the new understanding of the world, and their ce in what it would be, left them both solemnly wandering back home. "What do you think?" she asked softly.


    Gael grunted ¨C possibly from pain. "What do I think about what?"


    "Lyn. The Destroyer."


    "She''s fun to plow into the mattress or furs."


    Vael pped her brother on the shoulder ¨C right on one of the bandaged wounds. He let out a gasp of pain and red at her. "You know what I meant."


    Gael frowned and faced forward, "That she was once the Scout hero? The one who slew the Demonic Dragon?" Vael made an affirmative noise, and he continued. "I believe her tale. It exins much, including theck of knowledge of the Duskari when we found her." He shook his head and looked at his sister, "I will serve her faithfully. This world she wishes to forge¡­sounds good."


    Vael sighed, "I¡­" she stopped, contemting. "I¡­I agree. Except-"


    "Except you don''t like the idea of other races being equal to the Duskari," Gael said, finishing her sentence. "I don''t like the idea, either. But even she said it would not be true equality. The Duskari will be elevated higher than the rest by virtue of our devotion and longevity."


    Vael nodded, "That''s what I''m afraid of. What if she decrees we are all equal?"


    Gael went silent at that before shaking his head. "She must maintain order somehow. Rule with an iron fist, from what she said. Who do you think will enforce that will? Her most loyal, obviously."


    "Then her vision is impossible to achieve. There is no chance for true equality as she desires, in that case."


    Gael looked forward to the trees. "The Destroyer desires a world where children do not hunger and the people in power do not abuse their position. She will need strong leaders and Advisors. She cannot be everywhere at once."


    Vael nodded, "We must get stronger, to help protect her¡­and enforce her will."


    Gael chuckled, "You just want to impress her so she will take you to bed more."


    Vael lightly punched him ¨C making sure to avoid his wounds this time ¨C and giggled. "Yes. She is fun to tumble with."


    Gael nodded and put an arm around his sister, "We serve the Destroyer, as our kind has always done. Our faith will be rewarded." He tapped his armor with his spear haft, "As it has been thus far."


    Vael pushed him off, "You''re right. Don''t tell her about my doubts."


    "I wouldn''t dream of it."


    The feast was excellent for a group of forest-dwelling serpent-people. Mostly meat based; squirrel stew, roasted birds, a nut-paste. It was a simple fare, but Lyn wanted to get back to her fortress. But she had one more errand to do and was only a half day away. After the festivities concluded, she took nosh with her, and they followed the mountains South.


    "Your mightiness," he said reverently. "Why choose me?"


    "You had the resolve to approach me in the clearing. That shows initiative. I have a Marshal ¨C a woman named Remora ¨C who oversees my military. However, I doubt she is familiar with Newen battle tactics and how you best operate. You, however, are familiar with that. I will be cing you under hermand, to act as the Advisor for all Newen forces thate under my organization."


    nosh stopped and fell to his face, groveling. "Your mightiness! I am not worthy of this hono-"


    "Oh, knock it off," Lyn replied. "Come on, we have a ways to go."


    nosh got up and resumed his trek alongside her, "Are you sur-"


    "Are you questioning the Destroyer?"


    "N-No! Forgive me!"


    "You are forgiven. Now, tell me about how the Newen best functions in a military group. I rarely left the fortress in my past incarnation. I have not seen your kind in the field."


    nosh went into a lengthy diatribe, but the main points Lyn gleaned from his discussion is that they traveled in groups of fifty and were lightly armed and armored. I still don''t have any good front linebatants, she thought. Her Duskari squads were going to be her professional strike forces, and these Newen tactics would make them great at ambushes, nking maneuvers, and sorties from a defensive position. What I really need are some Sloren. The Sloren, as James described them, were dwarves. They were sturdy folk who lived atop cliffs and had a nomadic lifestyle simr to the Mongols on Earth. They rode enormous rams instead of horses, however. I could use them as heavy cavalry.


    nosh continued his exnation as the day continued, and by the next nightfall they had arrived at the mountain pass leading out of the Valley of the Volcano. It was a two-mile gap, and it was battle-scarred. Lyn felt shivers down her spine, recalling their first attempted foray into the Demonic Dragon''snds in their second year of summoning. This was the battlefield where they learned that they were very underprepared, and would need allies. It was this ce where Elias fell. The memories flooded back to her.


    "Guys! I need backup!" he had shouted as several Newen led by a Duskari descended on him. Raising his scythe, the Revenant hero turned into a ghostly version of himself that non-mana empowered attacks passed harmlessly through. But not spells. The Duskari used one ¨C the first time the heroes had seen one of that race ¨C and Elias screamed; a terrifying, screeching wail as his incorporeal body was set alight and he floated up into the sky, burning to death and unable to disable his wraith form. If he had, he would have fallen ¨C and none of the heroes had any way to arrest his fall. Eventually, he did die, and his body fell with a sickening thud to the battlefield below.


    Lyn shook her head clear of the memory. She was never close to Elias, and his death was only one of several she had seen by then. It wasn''t etched as deeply into her psyche, and she mostly relied on her allies'' descriptions of the incident, as she was engaged in her own battle.


    "My Lady?" nosh asked. "Forgive me, but why are we here?"


    "This is the entrance to what will eventually be the hearnds of my empire," Lyn replied. "It must be fortified. Come, to the center of the battlefield."


    The duo walked out into the no-mansnd. Far off on the horizon, she could see the dim lights and spires of a town. "What is that ce?" she asked.


    "Fort Watch, your mightiness. The Kingdom of Khrrdia erected it to keep a watch on the Valley."


    "It''s not a very inventive name," she quipped.


    "That, I believe, my Lady, was the Berserker hero''s idea. He took up residence with a group of mercenaries. We can''t leave the Valley without being ughtered."


    Lyn stared off at the lights. So, Kory is there. I wouldn''t mind punching him in the fucking face. She had expected him to stay in the chamber and fight the Demonic Dragon ¨C he was the hungriest for battle. But he ran like the rest after the Destroyer dropped its humanoid form and became the more monstrous true dragon it was. She smirked as they reached the center of the battlefield, equidistant between the two mountain ranges on either side. This is going to be one hell of a show.


    The mana core within her, though tamed by her resolve and the armor, waspletely full. As was the mana-battery like amulet. She willed her mana channels to open to their widest and nted both hands on the ground. "nosh¡­stay right next to me. This will require concentration. I won''t be defenseless, but I would hate to have to start over."


    He nodded and pulled out a sharp axe and shield. "Of course, my Lady."


    Lyn had been thinking of the proper phrasing since she had left Vael and Gael to split off on this side-journey. It was going to possibly be one of the mostplex spells she had ever used. And¡­she had no clue howrge of an area she could actually affect.


    "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an adhano na nin ir / a ambaro i adwen enni / atho gaear en heledh / na d?r i bartho pan nin govadhrim e-bann / a bartho nin gohain / grotho han na gond / a masado sich erin th?r / a bartho govadhrim ¨²-harthol nin garan / tr?wain i amarth / a aro rath an gwanath na taid an h¨ºnui-¨ªrm / tth erin th?r an padad panui / a gwanno i echad h¨ºn / an i ennas / na i minath e-erudh / d?r, ¨²-wathol / a echado naid nad dh?n / erin th?r / a bartho nin govadhrim adwen."


    It was a veryplicated, multi-verse spell, and Lyn felt her prodigious mana stored in the battery-amulet drain away within a few minutes. The surge of mana coursed down her channels and into the ground. The ground shook heavily, as much as a magnitude eight earthquake. nosh had to drop to all fours to prevent being tossed off bnce.


    The entire two-mile span between the mountains shook as the earth split apart. Enormous, thirty-foot deep and one-hundred foot high walls ascended from the ground. Large stairs were set into the structure on the back side, and the crions atop the wall facing the exterior were dotted with arrow slits. From the wording of the spell, she knew that the front of the wall wasyered with razor-sharp spikes, and the equivalent of earthen cavalry spikes extended for hundreds of feet from the exterior of the wall. Arge hole where a twenty-foot by twenty-foot gate could fit was in the center of the span.


    And then, the wall shifted from earth and dirt, bing a single, solid piece of stone.


    Lyn felt her manapletely drained, and fell back on her butt, panting as the earth ceased its shaking.


    "My Lady ¡­"


    Lyn chuckled as sheid back on the ground, "That¡­should be¡­much easier¡­to defend¡­"

 Chapter 28

    Kory felt groggy. He groaned and tried to sit up, only for several sets of hands to push him down onto a soft bed. Blinking his eyes open, he could see the stark, white ceiling. Sterile. It reminded him of the hospital he was in for a few days when he broke his corbone jumping a pile for the touchdown.


    "You''re awake," a soft voice said. Tilting his head, he saw Trisha ¨C plumper and with arger rack than thest time he''d seen her ¨C but it was her. The smile was the same. "Good. You got to us just in time. I don''t know how you didn''t sumb to septic shock."


    He heard Jacobson next to him, and felt several straps tied around his legs and torso. "Boss¡­they had to take off the leg."


    Kory screamed. "You fuckers! You could have fixed this shit!" He pulled against the straps, and felt hands cover him ¨C strong men withrge hands.


    He heard Ben''s voice as he closed his eyes tight against their words. "You''ll be okay! Just calm the hell down! Trisha, tell him!"


    Kory''s chest heaved and he breathed rapidly, struggling against his binds. Trisha''s voice brought him out of the trance of rage and feeling of betrayal. "We have a wonderful local smith who is making you a prosthetic. The people we''ve put them on have said it feels just like their own limb. No pain, no loss of sensation after we inscribe it. Even mana channels will eventually re-establish themselves." He felt her cool hand on his cheek and heard the sorrow in her voice. "I''m sorry we had to do this, but it was either take the leg, or risk you dying."


    Kory sank into the bed. Defeated. Fuckers took my leg. He felt anger, more anger than he had ever felt before. Trisha should have been able to fix me!


    The lethargy began to sweep over him, his exertion exhausting his body post-surgery. His mind entered a fugue state before darkness took him.


    "Volio, what are you doing here?" James asked as he shook hands with the Archer hero.


    He pulled a sack from his waist, removed a package wrapped in cloth, and handed it to James. "This is from a mutual friend. Please, wear the symbol somewhere on you that''s visible. The mark of an ally." Volio began to turn his horse.


    "Wait!" James said, walking alongside Volio and holding the reins of the horse. "You''re not going to stay and visit? It''s been¡­how long since youst came to Khrrdia?"


    Volio scratched his scraggly beard. He looked travel worn. "A few months ago, I think? You had me over for dinner, and we went out for drinks at a tavern." He shook his head, "I''m sorry, I can''t stay. The sooner I finish my mission, the sooner I can get back to her."


    James felt his heart quicken. "Her?"


    Volio''s smile spread from ear to ear. It was a creepy smile, and one James had seen before. The obsessive smile. "Lyn''s alive."


    "You''ve been saying that for years."


    Volio tapped a metal-wrought emblem on his cor. "Does this look familiar?" James looked at it, and the longer he did, he saw the resemnce to a grunge band emblem that Lyn loved. But it was customized. No, it''s just a coincidence. Volio spoke once more, "Just open the package, and read the letter."


    James ripped the cords aside and unfolded the cloth, revealing an iron symbol just like the one Volio wore. He saw an inscription on it and was able to make out enough of it that he knew it was some type of deration of alliance. He ripped the wax seal ¨C a dragon''s head, curled around a sun ¨C and began reading. The letter was written in English.


    To the heroes,


    You won''t believe me, so I''m writing this in our sharednguage. I''m alive. I, Lyn Rivers, am back. You fuckers took credit for killing the Demonic Dragon, and from what I learned, you somehow messed up history as well. Records see me as a blur. You stole my glory. You''re no better than those fuckers back on Earth who im to serve in the military only to be exposed as frauds. Well, I''m back, bitches.


    Wondering what happened? I went back to Earth. No one else was there. Everyone who died, all the heroes who fell ¨C they didn''t go back like we were told. I forced my way to Ghomar again. I''m Duskari now. I''m the new Destroyer. But¡­I''m not intent on destroying everything.


    I want my valor back. I want credit for the kill. I want you to reverse whatever fucking spell you used to erase me from history. I want the name Lyn Rivers to be shouted from the highest buildings and the tallest mountains. Everyone should know my name.


    If you think this is a ruse, here''s a story to convince you I''m really back¡­ In the seventh grade, every one of us forgot it was Trisha''s birthday. We all felt horrible, and the next day, we brought so much cake that we ended up having a food fight with it. The one person who didn''t bring cake was me, because I couldn''t afford it. But our teacher, Ms. Maris, took all your cakes, cut out a tiny slice from each, and pushed them back together. Enough for me to have a cobbled-together, fucked up birthday cake to give to Trisha and not feel left out.


    That should be proof enough. Wear that badge,e and see me. You''ll always be wee at Lynhold (the dread fortress) if youe as my friends and allies.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    But¡­


    Cross me, and I will ruin you. I will ruin everything that you hold dear. I was the strongest before I died¡­and now I''m even more than I was before. I will fucking end you if you try to stop me from what I''m nning. Want to know what it is? Come and visit, and I''ll tell you my vision for this fucked up world.


    - Lyn Rivers, the Destroyer.


    He looked up at Volio after finishing the letter. Volio was sitting on the horse, patiently, but smiling smugly. "I told you," he said, "I told all of you that she wasn''t dead."


    James looked at the satchel hanging from Volio''s shoulder. "Who all have you delivered these to?"


    "You''re the first one. I''m going to visit Vgonia next, and then go up to Trisk."


    James nodded, folded the letter, and put it in his shirt pocket under his armor. He took the badge and clipped it to his belt. The news of Lyn''s return¡­apparently¡­was shocking, and he would need time to process. "Vgonia, eh? Would you be interested in serving the kingdom while you''re over there?"


    Lyn stood up after catching her breath. Her prodigious mana core refilled almost entirely after twenty minutes; the capacity having increased as she had exerted it over the past two days. Just like training lungs for wind or brass instruments, the more a person ''breathed'' with their mana, expending it and letting it refill, the more mana their core would store. The rate of generation couldn''t be changed, but the capacity could.


    nosh ran back down the battlements to rejoin her. "My Lady ¡­this is incredible. This fortification is massive! It could hold off an army of ten ¨C no, a hundred thousand, easily!"


    Lyn nodded and walked to therge entryway. "We need a gate. A good, solid one. And siege equipment." She gestured to a clear area behind the wall but before the forest began. "Catapults back here to lob projectiles over the wall, ballistae on top, we''ll need to have troop quarters¡­" she paused and smirked. "But first, this should have a name. Valley Gate is too simple. Any ideas?"


    "My Lady, I don''t think I can-"


    Lyn waved her hand dismissively, "You must get used to being straightforward with me. I expect you to be just as frank with Marshal Remora. So, for now, drop the formalities, and answer my damned question."


    nosh seemed taken aback for a moment before he nodded, and his frills expanded slightly as he filled up with enthusiasm. "Is Shiverburn Summit remaining the same?"


    Lyn nodded, "Yes, I''m not changing that name. The same with the Valley of the Volcano. For now¡­Lynhold is the only change to the naming schema."


    nosh looked at the enormous wall once more. "How about¡­The Dragon''s Maw? It has the spikes on the front of the wall that look like rows of teeth."


    Lyn grinned, "I love that idea." She turned to the forest, "Come along. We make for Lynhold."


    Trisha closed the door to her and Ben''s bedroom. "She''s sleeping," she whispered as she took her husband''s arm and went outside. She gasped as they went around the side of the house towards their flower garden. "Oh, Ben¡­you didn''t have to do all of this."


    Ben smiled andughed. Their children were dressed in their best clothes at a table Ben had moved outdoors. "I hired some local chefs as well. You deserve to be treated like the queen you are."


    Trisha kissed him on the cheek and looked at Eli, "Now, young man. Where are your manners?"


    Eli ran over to one of the chairs and pulled it out. Trisha sat down, and he struggled to push it in until she lifted herself just enough for him to slide it in. "Thank you, such a gentleman."


    Eli grinned and ran over to his chair, climbing up into it. Ben helped Lyndra and Lawry get into their seats before he waved over the chef. "We''re ready for it whenever."


    The man nodded and came over with several tters of food. Trisha gasped, "How''d you get them to make pizza?"


    Ben chuckled and leaned back in his chair, "I told you I had been working on a surprise." He lifted his ss and raised it, the deep, red wine shining in the sunlight. "Here''s to you, mother of my children. Best mom in the world! Right, kids?"


    Lyndra raised her juice and nodded. "The best mom!"


    Trisha felt a teare to her eye, and she wiped it away quickly before the kids noticed ¨C they were too enamored anyways with the gooey, cheesy delicacy that, as far as Trisha knew, had never been on Ghomar before. Taking a slice herself, she savored the ooey-gooey cheesiness. Sheughed in mirth. "You are too good for me."


    "I''m just enough for you."


    They finished their meal and let the kids be dismissed from the dinner table. Eli and Lyndra ran off to y with Epona, but Lawry just got out of the chair and went into the flower garden.


    Ben leaned forward and his smile faded slightly, "I received a message from Misty today. She was asking about your health, and if you would be willing to travel. I asked her what was going on, and she told me about Thomas." He sighed. "We owe him. But I don''t want to send you off there all alone."


    Trisha sipped her grape juice and nodded. I wish I could have a drink, she thought. But nursing a child did not mix well with alcohol. "I''ve been thinking about that," Trisha replied. "We could invite her here. I''m sure you could whip up a guest house, and Thomas could recover in the hospital."


    Ben nodded, "I was thinking of that, but I wanted to check with you first. I know Kory showing up was something unexpected, and I didn''t want to throw anything on you without asking first."


    Trisha nodded, "When is she going to contact you again?"


    "Tomorrow."


    Trisha leaned back with a sigh. "Tell her toe. And to bring Thomas. We''ll do our best to fix him up. I have no clue how he figured out how to ovee death itself¡­but I''d be interested in learning how he did so."


    Ben stood up and went to her side, wrapping his arms lovingly around her neck as they both looked off towards the sun setting, their two oldest children ying with the pony in the field as the glowing orb descended below the horizon, painting the sky in gold and crimson. "You are the most amazing woman," he muttered, kissing her on the head.


    "I know," she replied, hugging his arm tightly.


    Misty took her hand off the inscription pir. Fucking Ben. Wanting me to just leave on a whim? He knows I have a whole school of mages. She shook her head. I''m not doing it. She went down the tower.


    She had finished her obligation to Thomas. She had agreed to take his fucked-up experiment and store it in the death undeath studies department. Putting him into thea was something she had not agreed to but would keep him in for his own sanity and safety. She wasn''t going to go traveling off to Trisk on a two-week round trip just to drop him off. He was the person she med the most for Lyn''s death. He hadn''t done enough research and information gathering as he imed. It''s because of you, she thought, that I couldn''t tell Lyn how I felt.


    She felt her mental wall begin to crumble just a tiny bit thinking about her lost friend, and quickly shored up the wall stopping the memories from flooding through by forcing herself to her duties. Her job. She shook her head and descended into her scriptorium, beginning the lessons for that day with her acolytes.

 Chapter 29

    The tower was warm. Thomas knew something was off. Summer has gone on way too long, he thought. Hector had been able to find a sheep or goat almost every day, which was another indicator that something was wrong. I''m trapped in some spell.


    It had happened once before. When they had gone their separate ways after defeating the Demonic Dragon¡­or rather, iming the credit for doing so, Cecily had invited Thomas to her new kingdom wanting help in establishing a public school system. He wasn''t interested at first, but she promised him something he''d been looking for a long time ¨C a dragonkind egg. The dumbest, sure, but a wyvern egg was incredibly rare to recover. And he had always wanted to ride a dragon once he found out they existed. It was something he and James had spent many evenings arguing over ¨C if riding ''any'' type of draconic creature made a person a dragon rider, or if it was only true dragons that counted.


    He had gone to Vgonia as she asked, and she had ensorcelled him. She never treated him unfairly, but life seemed too rosy. Too perfect. He had built her the school system she had wanted and set the groundwork for a public education system that would rival that of Trisk or the Free City of Bashinol. But eventually, Thomas realized the overt perfection and was able to inscribe an array to rip himself out of it. Stealing the wyvern egg, he fled to Khrrdia.


    In the present, he looked at Hector. He had trained the wyvern exclusively using English. So, he switched to Triskol. "Hey, Hector, are you hungry?"


    Hector looked at him and made the gesture for ''hunger'' that Thomas had taught him.


    Fuck. I am trapped in some mindscape. He turned away from Hector and flung the books from the table. First let''s try the easy way. He inscribed an articte inscription in a circle he could stand within. One that should force his mind out of whatever trap it was in. Pouring mana into the words¡­he felt only a trickle. What happened to my mana core? He tried again, but only a tiny trickle left his mana channel. Not enough to power the inscription. "Well, then, the hard way," he muttered. I have to shock myself out of this. And there''s only one way to do that.


    He went to the balcony and scratched Hector''s head. "It''s been nice here. But reality is waiting."


    He stepped off and fell headfirst.


    The travel back to Lynhold was quick and effortless. The few Newen that Lyn passed on the way were given the information of her return by her travelingpanion, and the few Duskari patrols that she came across ¨C squads training in the forest terrain, as well as securing the Valley ¨C bowed as she went by.


    As soon as she reached the clearing in front of the dread fortress, she saw something that was quite a pleasing sight. Several wooden buildings were being erected. Housing and other facilities for the iing Newen that she saw roaming the area. She made directly for the area that was marked out as a garrison and training ground. Remora and Poweno were instructing several groups of Newen, and as Lyn approached, they saluted with their fist to their torso and bowed. "Lady Rivers," Remora stated before standing upright. "We have received volunteers."


    "This is Strike Commander nosh, from one of the Newen ns to the South-East. He will be serving directly under you both as a Military Advisor. His role is to provide information as to how best to utilize his people." The two nodded and she continued, "I also have created fortifications at the gap leading to the Valley. Henceforth, it is known as The Dragon''s Maw. We need a sturdy gate there, and warriors on the walls."


    Remora nodded, "We will recall some of the squadrons and send them to guard the entry."


    "And," Lyn followed up, "I''m going to send Gael to guide a detachment to a hidden entrance to the Valley, behind Shiverburn Summit. I want it to be trapped and a heavy guard stationed at all times, including a rockfall trap to seal it should a force try to enter that way."


    Poweno nodded curtly, "We shall see it done, Destroyer."


    Lyn turned to the serpent-man and dipped her chin towards him, "nosh, I leave you in their capable hands. Serve my interests well, and your people will be among the first I reward richly."


    nosh prostrated himself, "Your will be done, Lady Rivers."


    Lyn went into Lynhold. To her immense pleasure, the building was in the process of being repaired, cleared, and cleaned. The inner Conve would still be where she kept her chambers, she was sure, as well as her inner circle and most valuable assets. But the fortress itself would be an excellent location for the representatives of her allies to reside. Properly luxurious, eventually, where I can see to matters of the realm. That thought brought a smile to her face. She had set herself on the path to world conquest. Fixing the wrongs. And it felt righteous.


    She was weed with graciousness and little ceremony ¨C as soon as they began to proim her arrival, she shut that shit down. "We have work to do," she told them. "Taking time to celebrate may cost us."


    She got to her chambers, and the twins were outside. She sent Gael out to the exterior to guide her forces to the hidden entrance to the Valley, and sent Vael to get the smithy. He came after a few minutes, and she had him present his work. It was a sheet of metal that could fold in on itself several times over. Each quadrant of the sheet was inscribed with a simple divination spell that would open a small, magical sensor ¨C invisible to the naked eye ¨C on the emblems that Volio was delivering. Thank God that Duskari have more mana than the average person on Ghomar. If she didn''t have ess to divination spells herself, having underlings with that spell type avable would be invaluable. Thankfully, this divination inscription she had designed was extremely easy to create, even for a smith who did not normally inscribe items.


    Activating each in turn, she learned he had only delivered two. One showed an empty, austere room ¨C save for the dried animal hides and drawings depicting lusty women. I''d guess that''s Kory''s room. Looking at another panel, she saw a few children, and heard James'' familiar voice filtering through. And he went to Khrrdia. The rest showed naught but the white cloth they were wrapped in.


    Last, she peered through Volio''s emblem. She saw the courtroom of the Shereldian monarchy. Right. Vgonia, since that bitch apparently took it over. She saw the woman on the throne, the person she disliked the most amongst the summoned heroes, and listened in¡­


    Cecily drummed her fingers on her throne. Volio had arrived that morning, and insisted he see her immediately. She let him stew in the outer chambers for an hour. Always best to keep your opponents on their toes, she thought. He was an obsessive fanatic. She had no way to y him for any type of gain. The man was a nuisance. But he had to be there for a reason. And I doubt it''s to ask me for another expedition. She cleared her throat, "Well, Volio Mori¡­what brings you here to Vgonia?"


    Volio bowed and reached into his hip satchel, offering up a white cloth package. "I have this for you, Que- erm, apologies. Princess Cecily."


    She gestured for a servant to grab it and bring it to her. The servant did as instructed and opened the package on his way up the stairs ¨C a habit she had gotten into after avoiding an assassination attempt with a rigged package. Luckily, this one did not explode, and the servant knelt with two items on the cloth wrapping ¨C a wrought metal emblem, and a letter. "Open it," shemanded.


    The servant took several steps away before opening it. I''m not getting another letter bomb, either. She had dealt with that once before, as well. After all, a dictator makes enemies. Or rather, made enemies. Hers were all dealt with ¨C internally at least. The servant looked at her, "Your grace, I cannot read it."


    She gestured for it and read it.


    And for the first time in many, many years, uncertainty gripped her. She''s alive? No, there''s no way. Looking back at Volio, he had that creepy smile on his face. He''s not a metal smith, she thought as she looked over the object. And he''s not that good at inscription, either, unless he''s gone through some serious training. She tried to read the script, but it was ¨C annoyingly enough ¨C written in the Elenthir version of cursive. Something that only Misty knew, and she only taught it to Lyn and Thomas. She set that on the arm rest of her throne. "Volio¡­did you meet her?"


    "Oh, yes! It''s totally her. She spoke wless English, told Thomas and I the story about Thomas being called ''Tommy two-shoes'' because of that time way back-"


    She gestured to him to stop. "What else did you do?"


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    "She let me stay at Lynhold ¨C what she''s calling the dread fortress, now ¨C for three days. We had a lovely pic, and she asked me to deliver these letters to the heroes. Speaking of," he reached into his satchel and pulled out another one. "I have one for Brad, but I have no clue where he is. Last time I saw him, he was in Vgonia."


    Cecily nodded. He''s been a good pet. She tented her hands as she put the letter aside, next to the emblem. If Lyn is back, then she is a variable I had not considered. Reversing the history erasing spell was out of the question.


    If she does have the power of the Destroyer mana core, then she is going to be a threat, even if she just stays inside her Valley. Anding clean about the Demonic Dragon''s defeat? Out of the question. It could foment rebellion. If the people discovered that she had not actually participated in the Demonic Dragon''s defeat, her legitimacy might be brought into question.


    "If you don''t mind, Princess Cecily, I''m in a hurry," Volio said as he stood up and straightened his jacket. "I really want to get this package to Brad and then be on my way to Trisk."


    And I can''t allow that. Cecily stood up and allowed her mana to flow through her body. Her mana core was advising her at this point, directing the course of her rule to the most pragmatic and practical option avable. "Seize him."


    Volio cursed and turned to run. Several guards closed in around him. He incanted some spell that Cecily could not hear, and pulled out what looked like a toothpick-sized crossbow that fired a projectile out the main doors. He vanished from sight, reappearing where the arrow was fired.


    Cecily raised her hand, "You will bow. En ethiel an le / thalion min / an adhano na nin ir / a rautho inath en-iath bo nin / britha hain theled / a mador hain enni." The spell surged through her, and her bright-pink mana surged out in a near-invisible beam of light that shot at Volio. It impacted¡­and yet he kept running down the stairs and into the city, followed by her guards.


    "What?!" she screamed. "Why didn''t that work?!"


    Then, it hit her. And sheughed. "Of course¡­I can''t do that to him." He''s already enthralled to someone. Making him my thrall is impossible. Fucking bastard. Mind spells normally took hours or even days of slowly working their effects on the target, but she was powerful enough that she could dominate a person on first meeting them. But not this Archer hero. He was too far gone, his mental wall just a sheer image of the woman he loved.


    She took a deep breath and looked at the letter from Lyn, and the emblem. She picked up both and dropped them into a brazier. "Servants! Bring me my war council! And bring me Volio Mori''s head!"


    Lyn stopped channeling mana into the metal device and folded it up until it was the size of a deck of ying cards. Channeling mana into her storage choker, she ced the item into the extradimensional space. She dismissed the smithy, and took a nice, hot bath. After cleaning up, she re-manifested her armor, left her room, and ordered Vael to fetch the council. Cecily is going to be a problem, she thought. She''ll get word from Fort Watch about the new wall going up. That will confirm the letter. Then¡­she''ll make her move. I have to be ready. She might try diplomacy, she may try to outmaneuver Lyn using politics and forge an alliance against the new Destroyer. A coalition. I don''t have the strength to fight one major kingdom, let alone all three. Sure, she could destroy an army herself with arge-scaleva spell¡­but her desire for world conquest would require allies in the short term, and vassals in the long term.


    Within thirty minutes, the council room was full. Vehenna, Bhlearm, Remora, and Velenna each sat on designated seats, with a small table in front of them. Lyn''s simple, wooden throne was nked by Vael. "Thank you for convening on such short notice," Lyn stated. "I require an update on your efforts. Vehenna, you first."


    The elder bowed, "With all due respect, Lady Rivers, my sister should speak first."


    Lyn looked to Velenna, "Very well."


    Velenna nodded, "My thanks. We have one of the younger Duskari who is skilled with external spells that enable her to speak with animals. Fin. She has begun to negotiate with several groups of ravens to enlist their services as messengers."


    Lyn let out a guffaw at that before resuming her regal demeanor. Fucking bird talkers. Freddy, the deceased Beastmaster hero, could talk to animals at will, without the need for animalism spells. "Continue the report," she muttered, trying to push out the memories of Freddy talking to squirrels and raising them as his personal army to do shenanigans in Kor''s Hold, the capital of the kingdom of Khrrdia. He had trained them to swap out people''s coins for nuts and became the richest man in the realm. Focus on the now. She pushed those memories back as she listened.


    "Last, you requested to have an assassin at your disposal. A young warrior, but one of the swiftest, and their skin is dark enough to pass for one of the other Ari. His name is Bolvon."


    "I should like to meet these two," Lyn stated. "Next?" she asked, looking at Vehenna.


    The Chancellor cleared her throat. "My sister also found us a Diplomat. A Vharthon woman named Rashanna. She is on her way to the Valley."


    "Is sheing from Vharthos?" The woman nodded, and Lyn looked at Vael, "Take a squadron, show them the hidden passage, and seek this woman out. We don''t want her going the long way around."


    Vael nodded and left the chamber. Vehenna continued her report, "I have had no luck tracking down an individual to fill the role of schr as you requested."


    "That is fine. When I track down Thomas, I''ll offer him the position."


    "Whom, my Lady?"


    Shit. Well, in for a penny. "The Knowledge hero." There were gasps from the chamber, but she held her hand up. "You all knew that I spoke with and hosted the Archer hero. I have ways to manipte them; knowledge of thenguage of the world they were summoned from. And, the heroes have fallen out with each other. What better way to establish my empire than with those best suited to specific roles. Additionally, if I show the world that I am willing to work with my once-enemies, then it will demonstrate we are epting of diplomatic efforts."


    Vehenna nodded, "Controversial, my Lady. But if you can manipte them as you say¡­who are we to question your decisions?" She chuckled, a raspy, dry noise that rattled in her throat. "Lastly the role of physician. I have several apothecaries who would do well. We may wish to send for a student from a prestigious school for healers in Trisk. We still have some contacts within that region, and the former Healer hero began a school there for medicine."


    Trisha starting a school. Who would''ve thought. Lyn nodded, "Send a messenger that way ¨C use the hidden entrance Gael is showing our troops to get there quickly. Offer them a sry. Work out the details with Bhrm. Speaking of," She turned to Bhrm, "Your report?"


    The man nodded and ced a notebook on the table in front of him. "Our treasury currently sits at 18,000 Gold Eagles, 50,000 Silver Kestrels, and 260,000 Copper Owls. Monies were spent for several tasks, most notably bribing the mercenaries at Fort Watch to allow us to send agents outside of the Valley. Now, however, with this new hidden entrance you are telling us about¡­we can avoid that expense." He pulled out a different notebook and set that down. "Food is plentiful, as is timber. What weck is metal. Raw ore. Obsidian is excellent for arrowheads, spear heads, and the like. But we need iron and coal."


    "I can provide that," Lyn stated. "What of the roles under yourself?"


    "I have yet to find an appropriate Seneschal to handle affairs at Lynhold. As for antiquarian and handler of your non-coinage in the treasury¡­I have found a suitable candidate. Menora. An excellent youngdy of impable breeding-"


    Vehenna scoffed and crossed her arms, "Yeah, because she''s your daughter."


    "That''s beside the point," Bhrm barked back. "She is just as good as anyone else. She takes after me in her organizational skills. She is a valuable asset"


    Lyn leaned forward and tented her hands, "An antiquarian must also be able to find the location of inscribed items out in the world for recovery. Is your daughter capable of this?"


    "If Velenna will provide ess to her burgeoning spywork."


    Lyn nced at the woman, and she nodded, "Anything for the Destroyer''s will."


    Bhrm cleared his throat to draw attention back to him, "Lastly was the question of an architect. I do not have any candidates at this time."


    Lyn nodded. "Very well. If that is all?"


    The twin women stood up and bowed. But Bhrm stayed seated. "I have one other item, your Ladyship."


    "And that would be what?"


    "Forgive me for my overreach, but sharing your bed with two warriors seems highly improper."


    Lyn smirked and willed her armor to vanish, leaving her nude as she stood up and ceased suppressing the spell that hid her draconic features. The elders all stared, mouths agape, at the draconic-Duskari before them. "I am the Destroyer. I will do what I please with my underlings. If you have a problem with that, then you may leave my service." Lyn lowered her voice to the growl of the Demonic Dragon. "And by leave my service, I mean die."


    Bhrm prostrated himself immediately, "Forgive me! My Lady!"


    Lyn willed her armor to cover her form once more but kept the draconic features present. "Good." She pointed at Velenna and Vehenna, "You two, my chambers." She strode past them, and they followed. After she went inside, the two women followed her, and Lyn wheeled on them as they bowed. "I want you two to deal with Bhrm," she shifted her eyes to Velenna. "Let this Bolvon prove his worth."


    Velenna nodded slowly, "Your will be done, my Lady ¡­"


    "It sounds like there is a ''but''ing next."


    "Yes, my Lady. He is an integralponent of your organization right now."


    "And he insists on nepotism. I want to make something extremely clear; my empire is not going to be run by nepotism. It will be a meritocracy. Just how I examined all our warriors to find the most capable leaders and strategists, so, too will you find someone skilled to take his position." She waved her hand dismissively, "He keeps his role, for now. Vehenna, advise him that he is being watched. Him and his daughter. And if they do not meet my standards¡­they will be stripped of the position and serve in lesser capacity."


    The two women bowed, "Your Ladyship," Vehenna stated. "Does that include us?"


    "Yes. It does. As it does for Vael, Gael, and Remora. Everyone can be reced by someone more skilled than them. For the time being, you two are more than secure in your positions. Hence, why I want you to have underlings. The best should train and oversee the next generation of capable individuals. Eventually, I want you two to be able to retire in luxury, assured in the knowledge that your sessor will serve me as well as you have." Lyn smiled, "Neither of you have struck my sensibilities as untrustworthy. And while capability ys into my decision of who should help me rule this new empire¡­if I can''t trust those Advisors, then they are of no use."


    The two women bowed deeply. "Thank you," they said in tandem before departing.


    Lyn sighed andid on the bed, willing the armor to shrink down before dismissing it to the storage choker. Looking up at the mirror, she saw the full draconic features of her change. And she had to admit, it did not just look dangerous¡­ the features had their own allure as well. She chuckled before closing her eyes.

 Chapter 30

    Lyn went outside and took a force of the servant-caste Duskari towards the Western mountains. The journey took a little over three hours, and the sun was high overhead by the time they arrived at the cliff face. Right. Iron and Coal. She ced her palms on the mountainside and exhaled before taking a deep breath. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an adhano na nin ir / a cenno nin idhren / tano anir a ring / tr? i gaear / sui aro / a togo han / na ithil en-gond / nestad nin."


    The earth rumbled and shook as her spell went off, and she felt her prodigious mana store drain to empty, before also draining the full amulet. The ground rumbled, and the Duskari behind her fell to their knees in awe as the earth cracked open. All around Lyn, raw iron ore and coal was ripped up from the bowels of the earth. It converged on her position, and deposited itself on the surface all around her in neat piles. She slumped slightly. I wonder how far that spell reached. She turned to the servant Duskari. "This should satisfy our needs. Take a load today, each of you, as much as you canfortably carry." She made sure to emphasize that word. "And then you can make a few more trips tomorrow."


    The Duskari nodded and began loading up their satchels, and Lyn kept a watch on them, ensuring that none were overburdened in their eagerness to serve the fledgling empress. And I need to make them know that they are to be treated fairly. She smirked; I need someone to help with some type of Bill of Rights. Thomas would be a good starting point. She pulled out the metal-mirror array and unfolded it, channeling mana into the inscribed array of square, steel windows. Cecily''s amulet showed nothing but the magical equivalent of static. Well, I didn''t expect her to keep it anyways. Volio''s and James'' still worked, and thetter appeared to be training troops. But Volio was moving quickly through the streets. What''s he doing?


    Channeling more mana to enable audio, she focused on Volio''s emblem.


    It was not difficult for Volio to evade Cecily''s soldiers once he made it out of the pce. A few bolts shot from his tiny crossbow ¨C which technically counted as a valid target for a unique spell that only he could use. "Adhano na phain nin galu," he muttered, as he teleported and switched ces with the toothpick-sized bolt. He continued running through the streets of the crowded city, firing off several shots and teleporting in rapid session until he was well and truly lost in the sprawl.


    Finding a darkened alley, he ducked alongside a garbage receptacle and hunkered down, breathing heavily from his run. That was close, he thought. He had felt Cecily''s spell impact him; but he kept running. What did she try to do? He checked over his body and didn''t find anything missing. Examining his gear and equipment, he appeared to have everything he came with. I need to find Brad.


    James had asked him to deliver a letter, and Volio was already on that path. But how do I find him. He couldn''t scour a whole kingdom. Think, Volio. He leaned his head back against the stone. I can''t fail her, he thought, as he pulled Lyn''s clothes out once more and inhaled her scent. I have to deliver the package. He put the object away and breathed deeply, drawing up his mana and extended the channels to his eyes. I hate divination. It was always severely disorienting, as if one''s eyes were pulled from their sockets and went flying away. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an adhano na nin ir / a senno nin ind / na i ennas / en-iath / an¨ªron."


    He felt his body go ck against the wall as his consciousness flew out across the city ¨C first up, and then over, towards the pce. It was then that he saw something that shocked him ¨C the whole of the pce was surrounded by dozens upon dozens of inscription circles. Protection of all types. The ce is a fortress. If someone had enough mana, say one of the heroes, they could activate all those inscriptions and the stronghold would be imprable.


    But they weren''t active. One of the benefits of Volio''s standoffish behavior ¨C people thought he was a coward. Cecily would never expect me to go back. His sight coursed down until it was floating outside of a window in one of the wings of the pce. Marking the location in his mind, his consciousness returned to his body, and he jolted upright. Drawing his bow, he strung it, pulled out one of the ss arrows ¨C something that would fly much farther and faster than his wooden ones, that would also be incredibly hard to see ¨C and let it fly.


    He counted down the seconds. One¡­Two¡­Three¡­ "Adhano na phain nin galu." The world warped around him, and he stood where the arrow would havended and shattered ¨C inside of the pce, in an alchemist workshop.


    He saw a figure ¨C thicker in neck and body than thest time he had seen him. And he shaved his head? Volio chuckled, which prompted the man to turn around, holding a sk. But his face softened as he saw the Archer hero. "Volio? Is that you?"


    "Hi¡­Brad."


    The Alchemist hero dropped the vial and hugged Volio. The Archer hero just stood there, shocked. No one hugs me, he thought. Something must be wrong with him. Did he fry his brain? He pulled away from the man, and saw that Brad was bawling, crying his eyes out. "Umm¡­Hey¡­"


    Brad looked up, "Are you here to get me out?"


    "Erm¡­" Volio pulled out James'' letter and Brad took it gingerly, breaking the seal and unfolding it before scanning it rapidly. "Oh," he said. Surprised, almost. "So that''s how it is then?" He crumpled the letter and threw it into the fire, letting his shoulders droop in defeat. "Thanks for visiting, I guess. Why note in the usual way?" Brad asked, gesturing to the door.


    "Cecily¡­erm¡­kicked me out." Volio pulled out the package from Lyn and handed it to the man. Brad unwrapped it and read the letter, his eyes going wide as he did so. "Lyn is alive," Volio confirmed as Brad looked up at him, seeking validation.


    The Alchemist hero sat down on his stool and the letter dropped from his fingers as he gripped the metal symbol of Lyn''s new empire. "This¡­holy shit." He looked up at Volio and wiped the tears away, "If Khrrdia doesn''t want me, maybe Lyn''s new empire will." He stood up and began throwing items into a pack, "Come on, help me out!"


    Volio did as he was instructed, and it was then as he was packing a bag of supplies that he noticed the windows were not just tted ¨C they were barred. Is she keeping him prisoner? He thought. Taking in more of the room, he saw the deplorable state; food that was partly moldy, a shackle that connected to the bed, an overflowing chamber pot. I have to get him out of here. But how?


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences.


    Brad threw on the items and pulled a potion from his waist. "I''ve been saving this to get away. But I never could get far¡­but you can get us far." He unstopped and chugged it down, pocketing the vial. His voice began to get higher pitched, and his body shrunk down. "Come on Volio! Put me in your pocket!" He kept shrinking until he was the size of an action figure.


    Volio gingerly picked the man up and put him in his pocket. He heard the muffled, high-pitched voice. "Why are there panties in here?"


    Volio blushed as he moved the man to a different pocket, "Don''t touch that. It''s mine." He pulled his bow, nocked another ss arrow, and loosed it as he teleported away.


    Lyn closed the inscribed metal scrying screen and put it back into the storage space. Escorting the servant-Duskari back, she talked to them. Not as an equal ¨C she had to always maintain an air of superiority for her eventual n toe to fruition ¨C but she genuinely was curious how society worked for them.


    The servant-caste were not born into that life. It was only allocated to those who did not show martial or magical potential in their youth. They were the crafters, the farmers, the herders ¨C anything that was not fighting or spell oriented. They were treated as a supporting underss. They were not discriminated against like the Helots were by the Spartans, and the warrior-caste did not treat them poorly. It''s more of a skill distinction disguised as a ss divide, she thought. Their careers decide their caste. It was still something she hoped to shift culturally among the Duskari, but it was not as bad as she first perceived it to be.


    They also shared their beliefs and ¨C forck of a better term ¨C their religious system. They worshipped the Destroyer. But not because of what it would do, but rather, what it did. In their version of Ghomar''s history, there was once a single deity that split itself into two. Aelor, the Creator, and Raevan, the Destroyer. Aelor would make new things ¨C races and ces ¨C and if they ended up going astray, Raevan would destroy them.


    The Ari were one such creation. Aelor was not satisfied with them and told Raevan to wipe them off the face of Ghomar. But Raevan heard their pleas and instead had them swear to serve her. Those who did became the Duskari, as the Destroyer''s power marked them. This led to a rift between the two deities, once half of the same whole. Raevan proved the more powerful of the two, and Aelor realized that they could not go against his nature to destroy the Ari. And so, Aelor split himself into twenty Hero mana cores, dividing his power. Those cores were granted to those who showed reverence, and the first heroes were able to use their powers in a hostile way.


    Those heroes gathered all the races and cultures and pointed them squarely at the Duskari. Raevan''s power kept them at bay. Hence, their worship of and devotion to the Destroyer.


    That left Lyn contemting her new existence once more. I''ve got the power of a deity. She had the Destroyer mana core, and it was on its own stronger than any other mana core. But all twenty heroes,bining their efforts, if they were skilled enough, would be an equal match. But the Demonic Dragon¡­the second incarnation of the Destroyer¡­those heroes all stuck to conventional warfare and tactics. She defeated the thing because she was solely focused on killing it and had honed herself to do so. And, as its own statement had rified, she was the Scout hero ¨C it underestimated her.


    The idea still resounded through her, though. She had the power of a god. The Destroyer. And she knew she could consume Hero cores ¨C her own Scout core was proof enough of that. What if I got all twenty hero cores?.


    What she needed was someone who was smart. Someone who knew more about Ghomar and its history than her. What she needed was Thomas. If he can verify this history, or maybebine their learning with his own¡­he could unravel the mystery of how this world was created. And, maybe, he could theorize on her own idea regarding consuming all twenty Hero cores.


    She arrived at Lynhold with the servant-caste in tow and made sure to exhort their excellent work in front of the warriors ¨C not to foment a hatred, but to demonstrate that all efforts towards building her new empire were appreciated. As she was about to head inside, Vael and Gael approached. "My Lady," they said in tandem, bowing and saluting.


    "At ease. Is the tunnel secure?"


    Gael nodded, "Yes, Lady Rivers."


    "And" Vael added, "Two squads have been dispatched as per your instructions. One is going to find the Diplomat candidate and escort them back. The other group is shadowing."


    "Excellent." Lyn looked out over the Newen and Duskari who were training under watchful eyes of the Military Advisors, nosh, Poweno, and Remora. "A good start." She looked back to the twins. "And what of the messenger to the Healer hero''s school?"


    "My Lady, they are to leave on the ''morrow."


    "Tell them to cancel their trip. The Archer hero is heading North. Soon enough, the Healer hero will have my letter." And I hope to God that she decides toe. I need all the help I can get.


    Trisha went down to the hospital and healer school. Checking in and washing down, she entered the trauma ward. She sat down next to the despondent Berserker hero. "Hi, Kory. How are you doing today?"


    He looked at her and she saw the hollowness in his eyes. Jacobson wasying on a nearby vacant bed, his mercenarypanion seemingly asleep as he snored away. "I¡­" Kory winced and reached down toward his stump. "It feels like it''s still there."


    Trisha nodded, "I know. Phantom pain. Once we get your prosthetic fitted and start to induce your mana channels to¡­grow¡­through the artificial limb, I''ll teach you some internal spells that will give you feeling again. The only difference between this and the real thing is this will need to be reced every few years."


    Kory nodded and turned away. "Thanks," he muttered.


    "I do need to re-do your bandages and ensure that the antiseptic is working." She leaned over and began to remove the dressing. His stump was healing nicely. Good. Thest thing I need is to cut off more. She applied more of the antibiotic nts her students were growing in their medicinal herb garden and re-wrapped it with fresh cotton. I wish we had real gauze, though. She sighed.


    Kory looked over at her, and for the first time since he arrived, showed an emotion other than anger or sorrow. He chuckled lightly. "Tired?" he asked.


    Trisha nodded and leaned back in the chair, "Genavieve is a crier. Ben''s turn to sleepst night." She yawned.


    Kory smiled gently, "ss mom turned actual mom." His face shifted and hardened, all trace of mirth, gone. "You guys should leave," he muttered as he looked out the Southern windows.


    Trisha shook her head, "Why is that?"


    "War ising," he said with a grin. "And the further you and yours get away from it¡­the better off you''ll be."


    She stood up, "We have our own means of leaving if we must."


    Kory chuckled, "What? That inscription to get back to Earth? The one that Thomas told all of us about, right? ''Go to Trisha and Ben''s house if you need to get off Ghomar fast,'' that bullshit?" He let out a guffaw before his lips tightened into a grimace once more. "There''s no going back home. This is home. Live it up while you''re here." He gave a look towards one of her students who was attending to an injured farmer that had arrived in the morning. "I know I''m going to."


    Trisha tutted and stood, leaving the room. If war ising, she thought, then Trisk is probably safe enough. Plus, their home was built upon arge b of rock that her husband had dredged up, and Misty had inscribed with so many protection spells that, if they needed to, they could survive for months within. No¡­we''ll be fine here.


    But she was afraid. Afraid that, should worste to worst, and they used the inscription to return to Earth¡­what would happen? Would her childrene with her? Would they revert to their age before leaving? How much time had passed?


    There are too many unknowns.

 Chapter 31

    Cecily screamed in outrage as she flogged one of the petty thieves harder and harder, shredding skin from bone until the white fat and cartge was dangling off of his form. His wails had turned into blubbering. "Will you shut up!" she screamed as she grabbed one of the knives and held it in front of his eyes. "Whimper more, and I''m cutting another finger off."


    The man''s mouth bit down harder on the bridle as she tossed the ying whip aside, striding over to a table as she pulled off the blood-stained gloves, and took a sip of the blueberry wine. Brad had escaped. Volio had escaped. She had no clue if they were working together, but she reasoned that Volio ¨C obsessed with this ''Lyn'' ¨C would follow her orders to the absolute, final extreme. Not a coward anymore, are you? The sniveling, pathetic, coward who would always stare at the girls in ss. Finally grew a pair, eh? She downed the wine and pulled the gloves back on. His not being affected by her mind external spell was a total shock to her. Never before had it been resisted ¨C none could resist the will of the Ruler hero. And yet he did.


    There was only one reason she could think of, as she picked up a slim flensing knife, sharpening it on a leather strop until it was a scalpel-level edge. He is utterly devoted to her. His utter devotion to this person iming to be Lyn was the only exnation. His mind had no room for serving another. Poor, mad bastard. She chuckled at that as she went to her victim. He whimpered slightly as she walked over. "Ah-Ah! I said I''d cut another one off if you whimpered." She grabbed his chin and forced his eyes to look at hers, "Now, I have to take one."


    Schlick. She cut off the finger, the blood spurting over her torso and down her cleavage, leaving a red rivulet of warmth and ichor. The man took a moment to process the pain from the incredibly sharp de, before he screamed against the bridle. She walked back to her chair and sat, gesturing as a servant refilled her wine ss.


    Regardless, I can''t ignore the loss of Brad, or that Volio is serving whoever this person is. I wonder- her thoughts were interrupted by a pounding at the door. Who fucking dares! She pulled off the gloves, instructed her servant to throw a sound-suppressing cloth over the prisoner, and threw on a robe. Walking to the door, she opened it to see one of her war leaders holding a letter. "What is it?" she asked as she put on her regal voice once more.


    "Your highness¡­We have some astounding news from Fort Watch. The gap leading into the Valley of the Volcano grew a fortification overnight. An enormous stone wall ¨C bigger than anything that our men have seen, a hundred-feet wide, with anti-infantry measures. Across the whole of the gap!"


    Cecily gripped the door until she could feel it begin to splinter under her grasp. Something strong enough to raise a two-mile long fortification¡­there''s no way it''s Lyn. Not even Misty can do that in one go. It must have been an inscription with dozens ¨C no, hundreds ¨C of peasants pouring their mana into it. Yes. That exins it. She nodded curtly, "Send reinforcements to Fort Watch." She contemted the letter that King Kristoph had sent. A political marriage to unite the two kingdoms? Perhaps I need to seriously entertain that. "And send a letter to King Kristoph. Tell him that if he sends me or brings me the head of the Paragon hero, I will wed him and unite our kingdoms."


    The war leader bowed, "Your will be done," before he bowed and walked away.


    Cecily smiled and let the robes drop as she closed the door. Turning to her servant, she gestured for the cover to be removed. The man was in pain ¨C good. Her inscription required fear and gore. She set to her bloody task with pleasure, reveling in the act. His mana core was weak, but when a person was pushed to their limits ¨C body and mind ¨C they would experience a surge of mana before death. A defense mechanism of sorts. And Cecily knew that if she consumed the mana core at the height of his panic and pain¡­she would gain even more power.


    This was why she enjoyed her pastime so much. She was not just punishing the unjust and getting off while doing it, she was empowering herself. I am far stronger than James could ever dream of being, she thought as she grinned. Stronger than any fake Lyn, or resurrected Destroyer, or whatever fuck Volio is worshipping. She giggled as she grabbed the bottle from her servant and poured it into her mouth and over her body. She smashed the bottle against the side of the chair and began to stab her prisoner in the ribs with it.


    Volio got to the edges of Cecria ¨C the capital of Vgonia ¨C and that''s when Brad''s potion or brew faded. He tumbled out of Volio''s pocket before growing in size. He let out a chuckle that broke into a boisterousugh before he hugged Volio. "You magnificent bastard! Fucking legend!"


    Volio nodded, "Thanks..." He pulled out a handful of Gold Eagles and put them into Brad''s palm. "Can you get to the Valley of the Volcano?"


    The Alchemist hero nodded with his wide grin. "There''s a lot of farms in between here and there. I''m sure I''ll find a down-on-their-luck family willing to part with a mount." He separated from Volio and the smile faded. "But what are you going to do?"


    Volio pointed North, "I''ve¡­got more packages to deliver. Ben and Trisha¡­Misty¡­Thomas."


    Brad nodded, "Right. So, what can you tell me about this person iming to be Lyn?"


    His eyes narrowed, "It is Lyn. I told you the story."


    "Yes, well¡­Look, man, you''ve been obsessing over her for years. I really do hope, for both our sakes, that it is her. But¡­is there any way you can be one hundred percent sure of anything in a ce with fucking magic?"


    "I¡­" Brad made a great point. Magic could do all kinds of shit. As soon as that thought hit, it was washed away by those blue eyes, licking with mes within. No. It''s her. The way she treated me. We have a connection. I''d know if she was a fake. "She''s real," he stated. "It''s her." He was sure. "She''s mine." And I''m hers.


    Brad sighed, "Alright. I''ll go meet this person and see what''s up." He waved goodbye, "Take care of yourself," and began walking towards one of the viges in the distance.


    Volio shook his head and drew his bow. I want to get there fast. He pulled out a special arrow ¨C one that ignored air resistance and would travel an enormous distance. He only had two of them and saved them for emergencies. I need to be with her. He aimed North and let loose as it arced far into the distance. One¡­two¡­three¡­


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    The next morning came, and Lyn felt the restlessness stir in her. She turned over and traced one of her wickedly sharp ws along Gael''s back, eliciting a small moan from the man as she giggled in delight. But her mana core did something unexpected; it gusted. She sat upright, stock-still. That was what her Scout core felt like. It was¡­overriding the Destroyer core? Just to be sure, she focused on pulling up mana, and felt the gusting inside her torso cease, the cool, calm breeze within reced by the roiling bubble ofva. No, the Destroyer core was still there and prominent. But her Scout core only did that when she had to move. I need to travel.


    She knew the consequences of ignoring the Scout core''s desire to travel. It would eat away at her, and she would feel anxious, nervous, and irritable. And she hated those feelings. Anxiety especially. If it went on long enough, then she would enter a fugue state, and woulde to in God-knows where. That had happened twice before. I can''t ignore this.


    She rolled out of bed and drew a bath. Washing up, she dried off in a sh of blue as she let the Destoyer''s searing-hot mana surge through her channels. She summoned her armor and pped Gael on the rump to wake him. "Hey, get up."


    He looked at her with groggy eyes for a moment, "Good morning, Lyn."


    "Morning sleepy head. Come on, I want to fuck-"


    "Right now?" he asked with a wolfish grin.


    Lyn chuckled and shook her head, "No. I want to fucking find someone capable of divination spells. No one around here has the mana for it, except me, but I can''t use it unless I acquire it from a dungeon."


    "The Newen shamans sometimes have that spell type. I don''t know how, but some can."


    Interesting. I''d imagine that Newen with the gic trait to reduce mana cost for divination are the ones that arebeled as shamans. She smiled. That means I might have ess to thergest group of divination-capable spell users on Ghomar. She looked over at Gael, "Take a bath, you can use mine."


    Gael''s eyes went wide, "My Lady ¡­are you sure?"


    "Yes. And remember, if it''s just us or Vael, just Lyn."


    He smiled and threw the covers off, "As youmand."


    It was nice having some camaraderie where she didn''t have to maintain distance and portray herself as something she wasn''t. Vael was standing outside and saluted her as the two left the Conve, entering the fortress. Over the prior day and the night, the Newen leadership had taken residence in the chambers, and after asking around, they were introduced to a female Newen whose skin had gone grey with age, losing all of its lizard-like, lustrous coloration. "Hail," she said in Arinol.


    The woman bowed deeply, "Lady Rivers, the Destroyer. To what do I owe the pleasure?"


    "What is your name?" Lyn asked.


    "I am called Dran."


    "You are a shaman, from what I was told. I need you to divine the location of the nearest dungeon."


    Dran bowed, "As you wish, your mightiness." She closed her eyes, "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an adhano na nin ir / a senno nin ind / na i ennas / en-iath / an¨ªron / i garan / nestad." Her body went limp in her chair for several seconds before she sat up once more. "My Lady ¡­there is one located inside Shiverburn Summit. At the center of the caldera."


    Lyn nodded, "Excellent. I name you as my Seer. Seek out Chancellor Vehenna, and report to her." She turned to Vael, "Looks like I will not need your assistance on this one, guard Vael. Take Dran to see Vehenna."


    Vael nodded and saluted, "Yes my Lady ¡­be careful."


    Lyn cracked a small grin before willing her armor to cover her whole body. She left the fortress and saw that several of the buildings had been erected from the day prior. Lynhold was steadily bing a town. Not just a single, imposing fortress. Remora ran up and saluted her, "My Lady. We have sent the two thousand Newen to the new fortification and will be rotating the other two thousand as a relief force on a two-day rotation. Additionally, we have several squadrons who are present. Lastly, we have fortified and ced traps at the hidden entrance."


    Lyn patted her on the shoulder, "Good. Keep up the excellent work."


    "My Lady," Remora stated, shuffling her feet slightly. "I apologize for asking this¡­but are the rumors true? That you sleep with your Bodyguards?"


    Lyn nodded, "Yes. I will sleep with whom I see fit."


    Remora blushed slightly, "My Lady ¡­if you see me fit¡­"


    Lynughed. "If time allots, I do not mind seeing how well you fare in my chamber." She turned away and gestured for Remora to leave. "Now, I have a dungeon to defeat, and rewards to im."


    "Yes, my Lady!" Remora shouted as Lyn began climbing up the mountain. The long, stone stairs that led to the summit.


    As she walked, she did think back on what she had seen the past day. Brad''s horrible conditions, and Volio''s selflessness in saving him. I have to make sure Brad feels wee, she thought. And¡­Volio might be a creep, but he''s doing something kind-hearted. No matter what, though, she knew that she would keep him at a distance. But a reward of some type would be warranted for giving her the opportunity to bring the Alchemist hero into the fold.


    Thomas gasped as he sat up. He coughed as his parched throat demanded water. Looking around, he saw that he was in a chamber. A small chamber. Almost like a cell ¨C no lock on the door, but austere like a monk''s chamber. There was a small chamber pot nearby, as well as a basin of stale water. He tried to move his arm to it, and the limb responded¡­but was weak. Atrophy. How long was I out? He was able to dip his fingers into the water and bring them to his mouth to suck the liquid off them. The water instantly awoke the rest of his senses, and his groggy body came to once more. What happened?


    Then it all hit him once more. Destroying the statue of Aelor, being killed by James, waking up in some ce with Misty. Being told about Hect-


    He felt the tears well up and cried,ying back and wailing at the loss of his best friend. The only good thing he had in this world. "Why?" he whispered through the tears as his voice cracked. "Why would you kill him?" James could have just let Hector go. He could have¡­He¡­


    What''s the point to it? Thomas asked himself amidst the misery. His Knowledge hero core was gone. His new body might be young again, and reinforced with inscriptions to increase his longevity, fight disease, and resist spells¡­but he was weak. Weak and powerless. Friendless. Misty had more than paid off her debt to him. He had nothing except his intelligence. None of his inscribed items, and far, far from his item stashes in the Ruins of Elent. What can I do?


    The door to the chamber opened, and a robed figure entered. She pulled her hood back and smiled. A Vharthon, a young woman with deep, red fur and olive-green eyes. "You''re awake! That''s unexpected." From her voice, he could tell she was young. She walked over to him and grabbed his wrist, putting a finger on his vein as if feeling his pulse. He could feel the warmth from her grip. She tapped her foot, and he just numbly let her man-handle him. "Yup, still alive. And conscious? Professor Misery will want to hear about this."


    That brought a small smile to Thomas'' face. So, she changed herst name. Misty was always the moody art kid. She just sat in the corner of ss and worked on her various art pieces. She only got along with Lyn, and through Lyn, met Thomas. Those two girls were inseparable. She always said she would have a drearyst name in case she ever wanted to give being an evil sorceress a try.


    The woman smiled, "Good. You can hear, too. No permanent damage. I''ll be back with the Professor."


    "Wait!" Thomas croaked. "What''s your name?" he coughed as his dry mouth prevented further conversation.


    She produced a small cup from a bag on her hip, dipped it into the basin, and slowly dripped it into his mouth. "I''m Stes."

 Chapter 32

    The battlefield shook with the roar of armies and the mor of booted feet. Kory led the charge, running in front of the army, brandishing his war hammer ¨C before he had acquired Krak''il''to ¨C his body alight with the surge of mana through the internal spells that only he could use. His skin ¨C like steel. His muscles ¨Crger than thergest body builder could acquire. His mind? Gone. Lost to the battle frenzy, another signature Berserker internal spell. He crashed into the enemy front line, thebination of body hardening and internal spells making him an unstoppable juggernaut.


    He breathed deeply and inhaled the scent of blood. The cloying, iron taste coating his tongue as the battle-fogy thick on his mind. But as thebat slowed, and the battle came to a conclusion¡­the Berserker''s internal spell would fade. The one that made him capable of atrocities beyond measure. But the aftermath¡­


    Kory jolted awake in the hospital bed, gasping for air as his chest heaved. He could taste the metallic tang of blood. The fuck was that? He thought. He had not dreamed since arriving on Ghomar ¨C Thomas had theorized it was part of the Berserker core, to keep his memories of violence at bay to allow him to retain his sanity. He was soaked through with sweat, and was breathing rapidly, feeling his heart rate increasing higher and higher. The fuck is this?


    Jacobson rolled out of the bed next to him, putting down some book about some medicine-bullshit. "Boss, are you okay?"


    Kory tried to respond but couldn''t. He was in full-blown fight-mode. Almost against his will, his arm jolted up and grabbed Jacobson by the neck, twisting it with a sickening, crunching snap.


    A momentter, he processed what he had done. Trembling, he pulled his hand back. What the fuck?!


    Ben ran into the hospital. Fucking Kory, he thought. We never should''ve taken him in. The man was trouble, and now he''d murdered someone? He stormed through the ce, his heavy tread letting all know to get out of the way.


    He got into the trauma ward and saw the corpse of Kory''spanion on the bed next to him. Kory was holding his sides, rocking back and forth, a hollow look in his eyes. Ben recognized it immediately. Fucking hell, Kory. He kept his distance, and simply waited.


    He had dealt with the past. The trauma of war, of conflict, of people killing each other; his ssmates and friends being murdered in front of him. He was scarred¡­but he had healed. Trisha and he confronted their trauma, together, with open and honest talks, deep nights of conversation, and plenty of tears. But this shell of a man in front of him¡­he never dealt with it. It''s just been stewing and building and building. Jesus Christ, this motherfucker is going to be a bitch to deal with.


    Trisha came in behind him and gasped momentarily before herding her trainees away. She took several steps forward, but Ben put his hand in front of her, "It''s alright," she whispered to him.


    Ben just looked at her and shook his head, "He''s dangerous. Don''t get close."


    She looked at the broken man and shook her head, "Fine. I leave it to you."


    Ben nodded as she left with her trainees. He walked up and gripped Kory around the wrists ¨C firmly. The Berserker hero''s unfocused eyes narrowed and stared at Ben as his chest heaved. He growled and acted feral ¨C but Ben held him firm. "Calm. The. Fuck. Down." Ben ordered.


    Kory continued to struggle, but in his post-surgery state, and without being empowered by internal spells like Ben was at that moment¡­he was no match. He sobbed and went limp. "I''m¡­I''m¡­"


    Ben kept a hold on his wrists and squeezed them just enough to get Kory to look up at him, with pleading eyes. "You just had your first episode. PTSD attack." Kory just nodded numbly as Ben continued, and he slowly loosened his grasp. "People either stay still, fight, or run. You fought."


    Kory looked over at Jacobson''s corpse, his eyes still open, and his head lolling to the side as his neck stuck out at an unnatural angle. "I¡­" He looked at Ben with watering eyes, the tears streaking down his face. "I''m sorry¡­"


    "You should be. Time for some fucking hard truths."


    Lyn got up the mountain in a few hours. The exertion was good for her, and she felt her mana core whirl within her torso. An indication that her Scout core was¡­the best way she could describe it was ''satisfied''. She turned out to look out upon the Valley of the Volcano. Even a few hundred feet from the summit, she could see across the maind of Ghomar until the horizon eventually faded to the distance. She was high up, Shiverburn Summit was easily the height of Mount Everest, and yet Lyn didn''t feel the thinning oxygen at all.


    Trudging up through the ice and snow, she eventually felt the heat. Shiverburn Summit was so named because it was a volcano but was high up enough that the ice never melted. She crested the edge of the caldera and peered down through the fumes and smoke. The bubbling, roiling magma within the summit resonated with the Destroyer core within her, and she could feel her own mana bubbling up in response. Her heartbeat seemed to rise and fall with the bubbling surge inside, and she could swear the magma was synchronizing with the ebb and flow. She raised her palm, "Retho nin / a trenno bo / enn¨ªr."


    The mana surged down her mana channel and she felt the magma in front of her respond to her will, parting and making a hole from the edge of where she stood to an obsidian doorway fifty feet below the lip of the volcano. She slid down the slope and read the words in her head. This door marks the dungeon of Raevan, god of Destruction. Threat within ¨C Trial of the Destroyer. Reward ¨C Raevan''s Legacy.


    The obsidian circle was horizontal in orientation, and the purple film over it appeared to be like any other dungeon entrance. Alright, Lyn thought. The dungeon of the first Destroyer. She had not expected to find this. Every dungeon she had seen in the past was made by one of the Elenthians. No one else could have essed this. At least, no one ¨C not even Misty ¨C could dova spells. Taking a deep breath she dropped through the aperture, releasing the spell behind her as theva surged where she once stood.


    Shended with her knees bent, Cataclysm''s hilt in her hand, and looked around the chamber she hadnded in. Just like every other dungeon she had been inside; it was a rectangr room with crevices that rivulets ofva streamed down. The rectangr pedestal did not have a groove sized for a humanoid hand ¨C it had holes. Five holes. She lifted her wed grip and found the tips easily sliding into the block. She heard a loud click, and the walls of the room fell away as the block descended.


    She stood, alone, on a massive, grassy field. And her heart jumped to her throat. In front of her¡­was her. Old her. Past summoning her. Wielding the artifact spear, surrounded by swirling winds that carved the grass around her. Muscles enhanced and weapon alight with green mana. "I am Lyn Rivers! Scout hero!" the duplicate shouted.


    Defeat yourself? No, that''s not the challenge. Lyn knew what this was. It was right out of aic book. Defeat your evil self. But¡­old me wasn''t evil. Maybe it wasn''t that. Perhaps¡­it was to deal with the past? Fighting herself?


    "I''ll kill you again, you fucking lizard! And then¡­everyone will love me! I''ll have glory, fame, everything I''ve ever wanted!"


    Yeah, okay, I get it. She knew what this challenge was meant to do. I have to defeat my own desires. Embrace the Destroyer core entirely. Forget about reiming lost glory and having the heroes admit what they did¡­I have to forge a new path. Make new glory. Her empire. Ghomar, under her control. She would be greater than any Demonic Dragon could be. She would unite all people under her rule.


    Lyn channeled mana into Cataclysm, and theva de brimmed with energy as winds swirled around it, and shards of rock billowed around the de''s length. "Gothron i gwanno / min enni / na rem in edin nin: / na nin togwath, athano hain thron, gwelu, thrh, a n?n rath; / na nin inath, cirad nin hoth; / na nin inedhil, athano nin th?r a cirad nin; / na nin rhaw, hathol han uin del."


    She incanted her internal spell. Her muscles surged in size as her strength, speed, reaction, blood flow rate, mental acuity, and visual aptitude were all enhanced. Additionally, her skin hardened further, covered in a sheen of neon-blue mana. Raising the sword, she pointed it at the old version of herself. "I am Lyn Rivers, Destroyer. I will make my mark on this world and burn my legacy into eternity."


    The doppelganger incanted a spell under their breath, and Destroyer Lyn pulled back into a defensive stance, knowing exactly what the old her would do in this situation. Scout Lyn charged forward in the blink of an eye ¨C the spell she had practiced for so long to use against the Demonic Dragon.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Destroyer Lyn side-stepped the blow at thest possible second, pinning the spear to her side and turning with the rush of Scout Lyn''s passage. This caused her to spin around like a top, and Destroyer Lyn brought her mana de down on the fake-her''s neck.


    Only, it wasn''t fake Lyn anymore. The body shifted in the blink of an eye, and arge tower shield caught the de. In front of her was Ben in his prime. He pushed her back with his tower shield and swung his mace around the side of it. Lyn backed off and parried with her mana-charged de, the impact sending her skidding to the side.


    Ben chuckled and slowly advanced, "I''ll protect everyone from you!"


    What''s this trial about? It wasn''t just about killing her old goals and dreams. Was it just having her fight each hero? Preparing her? Lyn pointed her de at Ben and charged him. He swung his mace, but she ducked the blow and got inside his guard, attempting to stab up at him. He pivoted, and her blow went right past him. At the same time, he pulled his shield-arm in, and began to crush Lyn against his chest. Okay, this is fucking bullshit. Lyn wasn''t harmed ¨C just irritated, and she used some of her escaping breath to cast a spell. "Britho." Destroy. A single word. Her mana exploded out of all of her mana channels, and the fake-Ben was incinerated.


    Fifty feet away, Volio appeared. "You won''t take my Lyn! I love her!"


    I got that, you fucking pervert. She grinned. She would enjoy killing him. Running forward, she batted aside several arrows before running him through the chest. Only for it to shift once more, and then she was facing Kory. He brought his hammer down on her, and she barely raised her forearm in time to block it. She felt the snap and crunch as the armor was dented, and her bone broke. She let out a hiss of pain as she amplified the mana de still embedded in Kory''s torso, burning arge hole as he vanished. Fuck that hurts. "Anor min / nartho hain I daeth nin." The mana surged within her and flowed to her arm, repairing it as it snapped into ce.


    Thomas was next, and Lyn wheeled as several spells shot her direction. They were all projectiles, and she dodged them or deflected them with her mana de. Thomas was pulling inscribed parchment out of his satchel at a rapid pace, channeling mana into the inscriptions as the spell effects manifested. Ice, lightning, fire, wind des, rocks, metal ¨C all types of spells were fired off at her. Too many for her to deflect. Some impacted her and she could make no headway against the barrage.


    "Britho!" she shouted, as a gout ofva shot from her palm and streaked toward Thomas. He pulled out a scroll and a barrier appeared that theva impacted before sliding down. But she used that opportunity to close the distance ¨C the projectile obscuring this fake Thomas'' vision. She stabbed forward as her de pierced the bubble and sank into fake-Thomas'' chest. The form vanished.


    A Destroyer must be expected to kill heroes, she thought. That''s what this trial is about. The next form appeared ¨C Brad. The Alchemist hero was a dashing young man with a crop of medium-length, jet-ck hair. He pulled several vials from his belt and drank them down. His body morphed and spasmed, bing muchrger ¨C until he grew to the size of a two-story house. Of course. That was his go-to potion. He stomped down towards her with a spiked, metal boot, and she dodged to the side, swinging her de into the ankle and chopping through it cleanly. Acidic blood poured out and coated her body.


    "Fuck!" She screamed as she had no body enhancement against acid. She could feel her skin sloughing off of her face. "Anor min / nartho hain I daeth nin." The regeneration spell kicked in once more and her body reformed. She dashed behind Brad and carved into the ankle of the other leg, bringing him falling down. Jumping onto his back, she nted the de into the base of his spine and ran forward, dragging it along his body until she burst through his skull. She jumped off and turned to face the shrinking corpse that morphed once more.


    She raised her de but paused. Trisha was standing in front of her, pushing three children behind her, and holding an infant in her arms. "Lyn don''t do this! You can''t!"


    Trisha¡­Lyn shook her head. It''s not real. It''s just a fucking dungeon. She lunged forward, and Trisha rapidly incanted a spell that made an opaque, silver and white barrier. Lyn growled and stabbed her de into it, pouring even more mana into the de as it heated and surged further. The barrier popped, and she stabbed forward into Trisha''s torso. She melted away, dropping the infant, and the three children began crying and screaming.


    What the hell? Lyn had not expected that at all, and it caught her off guard. The wailing was unnerving, and she stood still, questioning her own conviction at the sight of helpless kids, afraid of death at her hands. Am I really going to have to kill kids? The thought shook her. She wanted to build an empire. People would die as part of that. Even innocents. Maybe even by her own hand. The thought sent chills down her spine.


    Something stabbed her in the back, and the children continued their wailing. She couldn''t breathe, and nced back, seeing Cecily''s face. Her manic grin as she stabbed Lyn twice more, whispering in her sweet and convincing tone. "There''s only one person who can rule Ghomar."


    Lyn couldn''t cast a spell ¨C she had no air to speak it. Fuck! She wheeled around ¨C but Cecily kept a grip on her back and continued wildly stabbing into her ¨C the artifact dagger bypassing her armor and body hardening. Lyn''s sight began to dim. Almost instinctively, she thought the words to the regeneration internal spell. Anor min / nartho hain I daeth nin.


    Cecily screamed asva coated her hand, and Lyn felt the pain recede and could catch her breath once more. She wheeled on the woman and sliced her in half. I just thought a spell. Misty had said that no one could do that ¨C it just didn''t work. But I can? Maybe just the regeneration?


    The children crying caught her attention once more. She took a shaky breath. It''s just a trial. They aren''t really kids. She raised her hand and attempted a mental spell once more. Britho. But nothing happened. Okay, so just the regeneration for mental spells. She walked forward and sliced each child, her face grim as she drove her de into the infant on the ground. All three corpses vanished. She felt sick to her stomach. I''ll never do that in the real world. Never. I just did it to pass this trial. The mana core in her chest bubbled as if it was trying to change her mind, but she pushed that feeling aside. I won''t kill children. Fuck off. The mana core lowered to a simmer. Good.


    "Viin! Face me!" She turned. A man was fully equipped in the gold and white armor that marked him as the Paragon. He was bristling with internal and external spells, and Aelor''An''r shimmered golden in his grip. "I''m James Marshall! Paragon hero! I will kill you and save this world!"


    Lyn growled, "You stole my glory! You and the rest of these fuckers!" She charged forward and swung her sword down in a horizontal slice. His weapon took the brunt in a vertical block, and he pushed her de away before stepping forward with an intricate flurry of blows and slices. Lyn was put on the defensive near-immediately. Fucking swords. She willed Cataclysm to shift, and it became the much-more familiar form of her spear.


    She used the shaft to deflect his de, and jabbed forward, catching the spot where the epaulet connected with the shoulder joint. His left arm went limp, but he switched which hand was holding the sword and continued the assault.


    He roared out and the de ignited with holy fury. He carved at her in an arc that she ducked under ¨C the de passing so close it seared her skin and burned some of her hair. She reached out and gripped the back of his wrist, trying to take the weapon. But touching him scorched her flesh ¨C through the gauntlet part of his armor ¨C and she had to back away as he tried to hit her with the backswing. She attempted several jabs, but he deflected them all.


    Raising her palm, she muttered her go-to damage spell. "Britho."


    Theva sted outward, and James shouted, "Thalos!" A shimmering force field popped into existence around him, and theva sshed harmlessly against it.


    But his sight was impaired. Lyn backed away, gaining distance. Let''s see if you can handle this. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / govanno nanui / a malthen sui gweal / brad sui gilgd / a dagnir nan govadhren." The mana within her torso ¨C almost depleted at this point from sustaining the de, her internal spells, and the regeneration ¨C whipped up in a cool spring breeze before infusing her body. She shot forward like a bolt of lightning and sank her spear into James'' skull ¨C popping his barrier instantly. He dissolved just like the rest. Panting, she looked around. That leaves-


    "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an adhano na nin ir / En an¨ªra pan / en-i anorath / a ai i-l?gad / a brad naith / nan en-ngor / britho hain pan / a nno hain en-l¨ªn od i ambar." Lyn wheeled and saw the person she was the least looking forward to fighting in this fucked up challenge. Misty was standing on the far end of the field, easily five-hundred feet away. A surging mass of every single elementalism spell-type surged above her in an enormous sphere that could easily decimate an army.


    Lyn put Cataclysm away and took a deep breath, pulling all the mana from the amulet. Sorry Misty. Fake Misty. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an adhano na nin ir / En an¨ªra i thalion / en-Brithon min enni / an losto a gadar / ai." Maybe I shouldn''t have done that noun. Instead of saying something like ''her foe'', she had instinctively said ''everything''.


    She felt the mana burst forth in all directions, exploding from her like an artificial volcano. An eruption that consumed everything within sight and raced towards Misty. Sheunched her spell at Lyn ¨C but even with every single elementalism spell-type merged into a st of pure magical might¡­the power of the Destroyer was relentless. It consumed the spells in their entirety before flowing over Misty as well, her scream echoing in Lyn''s ears.


    Lyn froze. She heard that scream before, and hearing it instantly brought her back to that memory. They were in a tavern, enjoying a little breather between travel, and went to their separate rooms for the night. She had screamed like that a few hours into the night, and Lyn burst into her room to find her under assault. She killed the two men instantly, but that scream haunted her ¨C repressed until this moment. The memories were vivid, and she remembered Misty crying and embracing her despite her blood-covered form. Seeing the assault triggered memories of her past as well, and she put a hand to her face, weeping as the horrific visions assaulted her mind.


    The green ins vanished, and the room reappeared around her. Orbs of light floated above her, and the shift brought her out of the temporary shock. It''s just a dungeon, Lyn reminded herself. And Misty survived. You kept her safe. She shook her head, pushing back the memory once more, as she entered the next chamber.

 Chapter 33

    The miles flew by as Brad reveled in something he had not felt in many, many years. Freedom. Trapped inside Cecily''s pce for so long, the warm sun felt amazing. He put the cigar up to his lips and took a draw of the sweet, intoxicating smoke, feeling it circle in his lungs before he breathed it out. Now that he was free¡­he just wanted to live. Get somewhere far away from Cecily and keep to himself. Grow some herbs, sell medicine on the side. An easy life. A good life.


    Why am I even riding North to the Valley? That ce is fucking cursed. He took another draw as his mount trotted along the grassy ins. If Lyn was alive, and that letter was the real deal like Volio seemed to think it was¡­fuck, he would be in the best ce possible working for her. She had some vision for Ghomar, and if he could just have his nice pharmaceuticalpany in the ce where she was strongest¡­it would be one hell of a deterrent to Cecily sending people after him.


    Days passed as he ventured near Fort Watch; a checkpoint spaced a few miles from the Valley''s entrance. He could see an enormous wall that was not present at the mouth of the Valley previously. I wonder who did that? A group of men rode up ¨C he saw theming from a few miles away. He had a vial in his hand, ready to gulp it down and be invisible. They rode closer and hailed him. "What''s your business?" The one in the lead asked.


    Brad waved politely with his free hand, "I''m just a traveler. Who are you lot?"


    "Kory''s Killers. Out of Fort Watch."


    Oh fuck, that''s right. He has a mercenarypany. "I know Kory! I''m the Alchemist hero, Brad Ghra!"


    The men exchanged nces and kept their distance, hands hovering near weapons but not making hostile movement or action. "Right, and I''m the fucking Paragon."


    Brad chuckled, "Well, believe me or not, I''m just passing through yournds."


    The lead mercenary rode slightly closer, hand on the saddle horn, "Passing through to where?"


    "To some ce called Lynhold. Ever heard of it?"


    The man''s face was unreadable, and he shook his head. "Can''t say I have. Where is it?"


    Brad shrugged nomittally, "Somewhere North."


    The man''s eyes narrowed, "Into the Valley of the Volcano?"


    "I don''t know. I''m just following the pathid out before me." Brad took out another cigar of the herbs he had gathered on the way. "Are you a smoker?" he asked the lead mercenary. The man shook his head, and Brad used a simple spell to light the item, drawing in some smoke before breathing it up into the sky. The swirls above him were always different in hue and shape, and they were entrancing in their own way.


    "That type of shit, that''s bad for you," one of the mercenaries further back shouted. A young-looking one.


    Bradughed, "My stuff is different. Non-harmful." He held up the cigar, "This is filled with Petalbloom and an admixture of Gobarlin and Neuvronaxicil. One of these? It will cure most respiratory illnesses." The man''s face was quizzical, and Brad rified, "If you have a bad cough this will cure it." Plus, pneumonia and bronchitis. He chuckled, never thinking that he would go from pothead to pioneer of herbal medicine and remedies. Even if this thing did give a minor high, which it absolutely did, it was not addictive and was a curative. If I could bring this shit back to Earth, I''d be a goddamn legend.


    The mercenary leader nodded, "You''re a healer?"


    "Of sorts."


    "Minding with us to Fort Watch? We''ll pay you for your services. We have someds who are in pretty rough shape. Duskari patrols have been roaming more frequently."


    Brad smiled, "If you pay well¡­lead the way."


    Lyn held her spear-form Cataclysm as she went through the hallway, entering the next chamber. She ced her hand on the pedestal, and it dropped. Once more, the world fell away from her. She was standing on a stone tform, floating in space, and an enormous, two-faced statue floated before her. It appeared to be human but shifted slowly between the various races. One side was white, the other ck. But the eyes were the same¡­deep blue, like her own eyes. One flickered with mes, the other sparkled with starlight.


    The voice that came out was androgynous. "You seek the mantle of Destroyer. Answer these questions and pass this test."


    "Uhm, okay. Ask away."


    The face shifted so that the white half consumed the darker half. "What is the purpose of the Destroyer?"


    Lyn thought about what she had learned from the Duskari. They probably received Raevan''s teachings directly and passed them down through history. So, their version is the more urate one. "Raevan the Destroyer was one half of a deity. Her job was to destroy what Aelor found fit to destroy."


    The face nodded and shifted to the half-and-half view. "What is the purpose of the heroes?"


    Fuck if I know. Outside of fighting the Demonic Dragon. She knew they were each one part of the creator deity, but that was about it. "To keep destruction held in check?" she answered hesitantly.


    The face nodded, and Lyn breathed a sigh of relief as it shifted to be the full ck face. "Who are you?"


    "Lyn Rivers."


    "Who. Are. You?"


    "The Destroyer."


    "Who. Are. You?"


    The fuck do you want me to answer with? "The Scout hero?"


    "Who. Are. You?"


    Lyn was pissed off. "What the fuck do you want me to say? I''m a girl ripped out of my shitty life. I earned glory and had it stripped away from me. I was betrayed by my allies and lived. Now I''ve got this power and want to take over the world. Keep it from doing the fucked-up shit that my world had. Keep people from suffering inflicted by fucked-up bastards like my parents."


    Stolen story; please report.


    The face shifted to the split once more. "Final question. Will you ascend?"


    ¡­What? What the hell was it talking about? "What do you mean by ascend?" No response. "Fine, yes. I will ascend."


    The face vanished, and the room returned around her. She walked through the open hallway. Fucking weird ass trial. The next chamber was in. Austere. The pir at the center was¡­round? That stopped Lyn right away in her tracks. She had been inside thirty-one dungeons including this one¡­and she had never encountered any shapes in the room except for squares. I should wait for my mana to refill.


    James entered the King''s council chambers. "Your highness, you wished to see me?"


    The King nodded and gestured for James to sit in his usual spot. James did so, and the King snapped his fingers as a servant brought over drink and food. None of the other counselors were present. "High-Lord James Marshall. The Paragon hero. You have served Khrrdia well."


    James nodded and grabbed one of the cups, "You are gracious, your highness. I live to serve." He took a sip of the liquid.


    The King grinned, "Yes, and that is appreciated. But I need more from you."


    James'' sight went fuzzy. Did he¡­drug me?


    "I need you to die."


    James felt his tongue go numb and heard the shlick of a weapon being drawn. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an adhano na nin ir / nno nin rhaw." He was able to slur it out, and his body felt rejuvenated as the bright, white mana core in his chest surged to respond to his need. He shoved his chair back into the man who was approaching from behind, and wheeled around, drawing Aelor''An''r. "What is this?!"


    King Kristoph was already out of his seat and across the room as more of the royal guards entered. Men Kristoph alone had chosen and who he trusted more than any others. "High-Lord James, I sentence you to death."


    James felt his Paragon core surge within. A bright, white-hot light that guided his path. The unique trait of the Paragon ¨C the ability to instantly recognize the just and righteous course of action. "Kristoph¡­I dere you¡­a traitor to the people of Khrrdia." He closed his eyes for a moment and listened to the whispers from his mana core ¨C the only one that spoke to its wielder. The voice of Aelor speaking directly to him. "You¡­seek to ally with Vgonia¡­" his eyes snapped open as the guards descended, "Traitor!" James'' de exploded with radiant, white light that blinded the guards. "Anno nin i gwelu en-gd."


    In that sh, that single instant, he moved over the table and grabbed King Kristoph by the back of the neck, running outside and to the town square ¨C all within a few seconds. The internal spell was one unique to the Paragon, the ability to move at the speed of light for a short time, whilst preventing momentum from affecting the user or what they are carrying. None except Thomas and Lyn knew that James had this unique spell at his disposal. She had even watched him use it a few times while developing some spell she was working on.


    King Kristoph blinked several times, "What?" He was seemingly in shock.


    James growled, "Traitor!" he yelled. Every person around him stopped to look. The city guards ran over but stayed a respectable distance. "He''s going to sell us out to Vgonia!" he shouted, making eye contact with a group of Foskor ¨C the bear folk. "She''ll kill all of you! Every non-Human!" James threw the King down to the ground and heard the tramp of boots from the pce. "Soldiers! To me!"


    The guards ran over and took up a defensive position as James hadmanded. ncing back, he saw Kristoph begin to pull out what he assumed was an inscribed item, and he swiftly kicked the man in the face ¨C sending him reeling and in the grip of a concussion. He turned back to the approaching royal guards and yelled a battle cry, carving through their armor and weapons like butter despite their mana charged weaponry and internal spells. Within seconds, he had obliterated the whole group of them, and was breathing with little effort, taking in cool, calm breaths. His actions were righteous, the core within him with the whispers of the creator deity assured him of that.


    He looked back to the King, and the guards, "Seize him. The people will decide his fate. Those he would seek to kill in this unholy alliance."


    Lyn made sure her internal spells were all active, held Cataclysm in its spear form, and pressed her palm to the square. It depressed to the floor and the room fell away once more. But this room was familiar. Extremely familiar.


    It was her bedroom back on Earth.


    Her mother came in and screamed at her, "You fucking bitch! You broke the dishes!"


    Instantly, Lyn stabbed the woman through the throat. Blood sprayed onto her face, and letting out a scream of rage, Lyn stabbed repeatedly. "You bitch!" Stab. "You let him beat us!" Stab. "You let him abuse me!" STAB. Over and over, she screamed as she vented her anger, the trauma she had held back, the pent-up rage until there was nothing in front of her but a bloody pincushion with no resemnce to her mother. If you had stood up to him¡­taken us away¡­fucking bitch.


    She was huffing with exertion and heard the front door open. "Lyn! Get your ass out here!"


    dly, Lyn thought with a manic glee, sprinting down the hallway and putting Cataclysm away. Her father was standing in the doorway, holding a case of beer. The horrible scent of cigarettes washed over her, and sheid him out with a single, running haymaker to the chin.


    "You, ungratef-"


    She didn''t let him speak a single. Damned. Word. First, she grabbed his jaw and twisted it so he couldn''t speak. It went crack before hanging limp. She heard him gurgle. "What''s the matter? Can''t talk?" She punched him in the eye, breaking the socket as the metal gauntlet and draconic w pulverized his face. She was ready to just stab her w right into his fucking brain. "Why can''t you talk? Come on, say something!" she mocked him with the very words he had used against her when he had broken her jaw at seven years old.


    His eyes were beginning to roll back into his head. "No," she muttered. "You don''t get off that easily!" She threw him onto the couch and walked over to him. Being upright and jostled seemed to shake him back to consciousness. "How do I look dad? Your little girl? All grown up? The one you couldn''t keep your fucking hands off?!" She grabbed his wrist and snapped it. His whimpers were a symphony to her ears. "Let''s see you grab me now!"


    She reached up to his ears and ripped those off, reveling in the pain she was finally able to inflict on the man who had made her life a living hell. His gurgling of trying to speak brought her such joy. Finally, finally. This fucking rapist would pay for the hell he put Lyn through. She used her ws and stabbed into his privates, ripped them away, and shoved them down his own throat. "How does it taste?" she screamed at him as he choked on his own manhood. "Remember asking me that when I was eleven?!" She screamed and punched him in the gut, bursting his stomach open from the force of her punch.


    The look in his eyes, the sheer fear and pleading. It disgusted Lyn. She ripped his throat out with her w, dropping it in front of him before storming out of the building. "Burn it all!" she yelled as she let her mana vent through her body. Her mana channels flooded and instead of shaping the power with an external spell, she let it erupt. A cataclysmic me that consumed her childhood, her youth, her past¡­everything that tied her to her life on Earth. The memories burned away. Ash on the wind.


    A voice spoke. A deep, draconic voice. A familiar voice,ing from her chest. Her mana core, speaking to her. "Now¡­you are a Destroyer." The voiceughed before fading forever. Lyn could remember those memories of the past, but they were faint echoes and whispers. Only enough remained that she knew what would need to be done to prevent it from happening ever again. But those haunting memories, even the ones from her time on Ghomar, were dull. As if held within opaque ss jars that she could peer into if she chose but would never againe unbidden to her mind.


    The mana core pulsed in time with her heartbeat. No longer boiling, bubbling, roiling. Even without Cataclysm in her hand, she had full control of it. If she was not wearing her armor, she knew she would have full control of it.


    I came back for glory, but I have a far greater purpose now. "I returned..." she whispered, feeling the immense power within her surge up through her whole body, circting on its own as she felt unstoppable.


    "I returned to rule this world!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Her tone dropped but amplified to the draconic voice. A roar. A rion call of a new apex predator, dering its presence. A vow to the people of Ghomar. A deration of her intent. The return of the power of a goddess of destruction, once more given form.


    I''ll shape it how I want.


    "No child will be abused! No person will go hungry!"


    No one will suffer like I did.


    "I will crush any who stand in my way!"


    Ruin the world and rebuild from the ashes.

 Chapter 34

    James looked up to the sky as a roar reached his ears. What the fuck? Looking around, he saw everyone else who was setting up King Kristoph''s public trial also ncing to the North-East.


    "I returned to rule this world! No child will be abused! No person will go hungry! I will crush any who stand in my way!"


    What the fuck? James had heard that voice before. It was the voice of the Demonic Dragon. But the way it spoke. It spoke in English, but those around him muttered and discussed what the voice had said in Khrrdian. And¡­everyone understood it?


    His mana core fluttered in his chest, and he closed his eyes, listening to the inner voice. The words it said chilled him to the depths of his being, and he opened his eyes, staring to the direction the voice came from.


    Vael and Gael were lounging outside of the dread fortress with some of the other guards who were on break. They heard Lyn''s voice¡­no, the voice of the Destroyer, speaking in Arinol. Listening to the promation, they grinned and stood up, "Hail Lyn Rivers! Destroyer!"


    The Duskari and Newen around them took up the cheer, and soon the whole of Lynhold was roaring in tandem.


    The elder members of the council ran out and joined in the chanting. A people, two different races, united under a singr cause.


    The twins shared a look. They knew more woulde. More would join Lyn''s banner. She would build a world¡­and they would be by her side.


    Trisha and Ben were sitting down to dinner with their four children. She was admonishing Lawry for holding his fork incorrectly, when the duo heard the voice. Ben stood up immediately and his mana red around him as he prepared to fight¡­whatever it was.


    They shared a look. They had heard that voice before. The Demonic Dragon. But¡­it promised to¡­do good things? "Ben¡­" Trisha said gently. "Sit down and let''s finish dinner."


    Ben gave her a quizzical stare, "We can''t just not do anything. You know that voice as well as I do."


    "There''s nothing we could do right now."


    Ben grunted and stared South before sighing and sitting, "No, you''re right. There''s nothing we could do." He looked at her. "Our familyes first."


    Trisha gulped down the knot that had risen in her throat and nodded. Our familyes first.


    Kory felt his heart racing as he jolted upright. He heard the voice, that familiar, taunting voice that had been suppressed by violence, lust, drinking and drugs. It resonated through his memories, dredging up the one time he had ever run from a fight. He had backed down, something his family had told him he should never, ever do.


    And he was terrified. If it''s back¡­I don''t stand a chance¡­he needed someone to protect him. Someone he could ally with. Someone who could keep him safe while he recovered. Ben didn''t trust him, Trisha tolerated him. None of the heroes were his friends. But¡­there''s always her.


    He kicked his leg and stump over the edge of the bed and grabbed the prosthetic, putting it on and reading theplicated spell from Trisha''s instructions. He screamed in pain as he finished the incantation, as he felt his skin move down and stitch into the top of the metal appendage. After a few seconds, it faded to a dull throb, like a pulled muscle, and he chuckled at the sensation of having a foot again. It felt¡­natural. And he could already feel his mana channels extending down the fake limb.


    He got up, rushed out of the hospital, and stole a horse, riding hard for Vgonia. To the one person that might be able to protect him. The most powerful woman he knew. The only one who might take him back. The woman who had enough power to keep him safe.


    Misty sat up straight in her high-backed chair. She heard the voice, and it sent her reeling. Thest time she had heard that voice, she abandoned her best friend to die. The fear and panic she had kept suppressed overtook her, and she got up and ran to the nearby closet, closing it behind her and sinking back into the darkness.


    Safe space safe space safe space. She clutched her temples and tried to shut out the mockingughter, the promation she just heard from the thing her best friend had died defeating. I''m sorry I left you, she thought. I should have been stronger. She felt the tears falling down her face and sobbed into her hands, praying to whoever was listening to forgive her. The dam was open, and she felt the flood of memories wash over her in the darkness.


    The parents who never had time for her. Having to raise her siblings because her parents were too high to care for them. Only finding sce in her art and her friend. Thomas'' betrayal of that friendship. The summoning, the deaths, the violence¡­it was alling back. Never dealt with, never thought about.


    Safe space safe space no one can hurt you in your safe space.


    Brad heard the noise. It broke through the din of revelry and the haze of smoke at Fort Watch. The voice he was familiar with but had almost forgotten entirely. Years as Cecily''s prisoner, victim, and then thrall having repressed the memories. The dam burst forth, and he turned to the bartender, reaching for several steins and draining them. Mixing this into my system with- his mind was going a million miles a minute determining the bestbination of herbs and medicines he had designed that would blitz him the fuck out of his mind.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    But he stopped and took a deep breath. No. You don''t do that anymore. He wasn''t just some druggie. He stood up and went to the door, walked to his horse, and left Fort Watch, making for the enormous, two-mile long fortification in front of the Valley of the Volcano. He saw the zing summit, surging and bubbling as it melted the snowy cap ¨C a gout of steam rising into the skies above before it crystallized and snowed, shrouding the Valley in grey.


    The Demonic Dragon wouldn''t want good things for the world. Coming from a broken home himself, with food insecurity that left him begging from his friends and ssmates¡­he had to help bring that vision to life. It was proof to Brad. Proof that Volio was telling the truth. Lyn was the Destroyer. And¡­she can help me get revenge.


    Cecily shot up in bed and looked to the North. Her mind flooded with those memories of that voice but were quickly suppressed by her Ruler mana core. No matter, she thought. I have an alliance on the way tobine the two strongest militaries on Ghomar. Sheid back down, feeling the immense amount of mana within her torso. She had consumed thousands of mana cores. Ones from the peasants, weak ones. But cores that were pushed to their limits. Whyplete dungeons and risk life and limb when one can just grow in strength from thefort of their own city?


    Quantity over quality, she thought as she turned over and pulled the nkets tighter. I am unstoppable. I will have my empire¡­my world. She smiled as she sank deeper into the mattress. No Demonic Dragon could stop me.


    Thomas was standing and stretching, slowly building up muscle strength, when he heard the voice. The Demonic Dragon¡­but¡­thenguage was weird. He heard it speaking in English. And the voice¡­not the voice, no, but the cadence. The way the words were pronounced. The pause before the fourth vowel¡­Lyn?


    He stared ahead, vividly remembering the Duskari iming to be Lyn. The one that Volio was convinced was the real deal. I¡­shit¡­ He began putting his few meager supplies into a satchel. He had to talk to Misty. I can visit Ben and Trisha on the way, take the hidden entrance in the Northern mountains.


    Without his Knowledge hero core, he was weak. All he had was his intelligence and his learning. But¡­he had read things in the Ruins of Elent. He knew something no one else on Ghomar knew. I have to find her.


    Volio smiled as he began the ascent up the small incline to the town that Trisha and Ben lived in. The crystal arrow had let him travel most of Ghomar in one shot. And I''ve got one more to get back to Lyn. That shot would be a lot less risky, since he could just aim for the volcano, wait for the impact to reverberate, and then use his spell.


    He stood, stock still, as he heard the voice. And he smiled. That''s my Lyn. She was dering great, wonderful things for Ghomar. Her vision. We''ll make it happen, he thought. You and me. I''ll be by your side. He grabbed her undergarments once more and held them to his nose, inhaling her scent. I''ll rule beside you¡­if you''ll have me.


    No. He would rule beside her. She knew him. She was his. He was hers.


    They had a connection.


    Grinning, he trekked up the hill, only sparing a nce at the cloaked, massive figure who rode down the road past him. A bedraggled man wielding an enormous hammer - Kory. I already delivered his package. He shrugged and continued onward. The sooner he gave Trisha and Ben their package, the sooner he could do hisst run to Misty.


    Then¡­I''lle back to you¡­my love.


    The world returned around Lyn as the trial concluded. The final hallway opened, and she strode through. Confident. In control. The final chamber had arge table made of obsidian, with three objectsying atop it. One was a pair of daggers. She picked them up, and they felt¡­right. As if her hands were made to hold them. An old tool, returning to its master. She could feel the ease at which her power coursed through them.


    Pulling Cataclysm, she touched the daggers to it, and the hilt split into two smaller des that she let mana course through. The des ofva limned with shards of earth and air flickered dimly. Stealth weaponry. Very nice. She deactivated the weapon, it reformed the singr hilt, and she socketed that into the hip slot on the armor.


    Next on the altar was a bracer. It was inscribed, and as she read the inscription, her eyes went wide with realization. Holy shit. She immediately put it on ¨C and the armor seemingly epted the new addition, integrating it into the design ¨C a missing piece of itspleted state. She raised her wrist, channeled the small amount of mana necessary, and saw a map of Ghomar appear in the air before her. Several red dots appeared, and as she focused on them, she saw the name of the dungeon. I don''t need a diviner anymore. Well, for finding dungeons.


    She focused mana into the object, trying to see if it had a further function, and instead of being a two-dimensional ovey, it became a three-dimensional hologram of the localized area. She could see the topography and buildings of the Valley of the Volcano ¨C but none of the living creatures within. Still, that''s incredibly useful. As she let the mana recede, she focused on the single blue dot. It showed the location of the dungeon she had already cleared. Many dungeons were avable, three of which were in the Valley of the Volcano.


    Turning to thest item, she saw an ornate wooden box. Inside was a mana core that was ck as pitch. I wonder what this does? She consumed it. Gasping, she felt the magma within her mana core stop moving, and a calm, smooth feeling overwhelmed her. It felt¡­right. As if a part of her was missing and finally reimed.


    Then, it bubbled up once more. Willing it into the hilt of Cataclysm she saw the spell-type she had just gained ess to. The de flickered with ck liquid. Shadow elementalism. Given her ability to see in the darkness as a Duskari, she knew this would be incredibly useful inbat. I''ll have to y around with this.


    There was something else; she knew she was capable of some other, incredible external spell type¡­but she had no name for it. Prismatic sparkles danced upon the de, hinting at some hidden power. The Destroyer core surged in her torso, and she knew she did not have nearly enough mana to utilize whatever it was.


    Looking past the altar, and scanning the room, she found nothing else of note. "Time to leave," she muttered as she pressed the icon atop the altar. I have dungeons to conquer. Allies to make¡­an empire to build.


    "A world to fix."


    To ruin and then rebuild from the ashes.

 Chapter 35

    The dungeon transported Lyn to the lip of the caldera. Looking down, theva that she had once parted began to settle back into the depths of the summit. Looking out over the Valley of the Volcano, she could see very little. Rain poured from the skies, as if the sky was weeping in happiness at the deration of Lyn''sing efforts. Sheughed and looked up into the swirling clouds above, letting the icy-cold rain ssh against her skin. Her mana core, the power of the Destroyer ¨C a deity''s power ¨C was under her control.


    She was not unstoppable and inexorable; Lyn knew well enough how fragile a person was. But with the bracer she had just discovered in the dungeon of Raevan, she could find dungeons with ease. As she descended the stone steps towards the bottom of the Valley, she began to formte her game n. There were three dungeons hidden within the Valley of the Volcano, and she could now locate them. One was deep in the forest to the southeast. The other, along the mountain to the west. Thest one was the most curious location to Lyn ¨C it was under Lynhold. Deep under it, a good three-hundred feet when she channeled mana into the bracer for the three-dimensional disy.


    An hourter she stepped onto the Valley floor. The Duskari and Newen were arrayed in front of the stairs, and they bowed to her. She stood still for a moment, unsure of what to do, as the rain continued to pour from above. They''re expecting a speech. Okay Lyn, you got this. She pulled Cataclysm in its sword form and lifted it up, allowing her mana to stream up the de. The edge ofva shot upward as ck energy swirled around it. Green-hued wind billowed as razor-sharp rocks limned the de.


    "My people! Stand! Raise your heads!" They did so, and she grinned, feeling an intense satisfaction at several thousand people responding to her instructions. This exins why Cecily acted like a bitch. It felt good being listened to, having people linger on your every word. "We will forge this world anew. Those who bow will find equality and prosperity. Those who stand in our way we will burn to ashes!"


    There were cheers and a chant went up from the crowd. "Destroyer! Destroyer!" The chant continued for several seconds before Lyn lowered her de, silencing the group almost instantly as they stared with reverence and anticipation.


    "From those ashes we will build a new world. A world where we all will flourish. A world bound by my will. A world where destruction wille to those who oppose me!"


    Once more, shouts and cheering. She gestured for silence once more. "We have work to do. First, this Valley, our home, our bastion of power must be improved. Listen to those inmand, serve well, and you will be rewarded." She let the mana flow cease and put the sword away as the crowd saluted, bowed, or just stared in awe. As she walked through them, they parted and some prostrated themselves with reverence, whispering prayers of thanks. They see me as Raevan, she thought. Their goddess of destruction, that saved them¡­returned in the flesh. The idea of being worshipped was odd, but Lyn couldn''t linger on that right now. She had work to do.


    Lyn went through therge doors into Lynhold, followed closely by the twins. "Vael, Gael¡­convene the council."


    Thomas tried to leave the chamber, but the Vharthon woman ¨C Stes ¨C stopped him. "Oh, Lord Thomas, my apologies, but Professor Misery specifically said-"


    "Did you hear that promation just now? Two minutes ago?"


    "Well, yes. It was odd, hearing my regional dialect of Triskol. Did you hear it too?"


    "I think every person on Ghomar heard it," Thomas replied. "I need to find Misty. Where is she?"


    Stes nodded curtly, "Well, I suppose getting up and walking a bit won''t hurt much." She offered her arm to Thomas, and that''s when he did feel his legs shake slightly. He took the offered arm, and she began to walk him down the hallway. The halls were just as he remembered them when he was helping Misty develop her curriculum; austere, serene, with inscriptions along the ground to keep it free of dirt and detritus, inscriptions along the ceiling to moderate temperature, and inscriptions that would conjure water and even a paste-like food substitute. A marvel of Elenthir mixed with engineering. Thomas'' masterpiece of engineeringbined his love of block-based building toys and his power as the Knowledge hero.


    In exchange for those services, Misty had agreed to be his backup n. Thomas had discovered an ancient death undeath spell while he was investigating the Ruins of Elent. A means to clone his body, set the age, and inscribe flesh itself. Not just tattooing inscriptions ¨C that craft was rare but in practice ¨C but scarification-style inscription. Something permanent. He could cheat death in this way endlessly if he chose ¨C but he could only have one backup at a time. And with his current, weak, pathetic mana core? There was no chance he could pull it off. He would need someone to escort him through a dungeon to im the core at the end, to have it override this one.


    But none of those couldpare to his hero mana core. And the knowledge that he had lost his amazing powers shook him to his center. Reflexively, he reached for his sk but found nothing. "Any chance you have whiskey?" he asked Stes.


    She looked at him with an odd, sidelong nce. "Professor Misery runs a clean campus. No alcohol here."


    Thomas nodded. The new body didn''t have an addiction like hisst one, but he yearned for something to help with this feeling of uselessness. No. Stop it. This is a fresh start. You don''t need the booze anymore. Just Hec- He stopped, and Stes paused alongside him, supporting him. The memories of his best friend ripped through his mind.


    He had escaped Cecily and gone to Khrrdia. James had arranged for him to have a small house near the ocean, and as Thomas recovered from the mental control of Cecily''s spells, he cared for that wyvern egg. Every day, he would spend hours just rubbing its shell, knowing that the creature within could feel the heat and would hatch faster with a gentle warmth. The day that Hector hatched was one of the best days of Thomas'' life ¨C the realization of a dream he had since arriving on Ghomar. One that he and James shared. Raising and taming a goddamn dragon.


    Well, close to a dragon. Neither of them knew where an actual dragon lived. But wyverns were close kin to the creatures. Thomas remembered the child-sized egg cracking open, and the scaled, fuzzy snout poking out and nipping at his fingers. He scrambled to the kitchen to grab some jerky to feed the meat-eating creature, realized he was out, and ran along the docks to buy fresh fish. He remembereding back home as Hector waited, patiently, as if a baby chick waiting to be fed.


    Thomas raised that wyvern along the docks, fishing from the edge of the water as he grew. Eventually, Hector got toorge for the city, and Thomas relocated up the coast. And the whole time, he trained Hector. As the years passed, the wyvern grew more and more, until he was the size of a small house.


    And then¡­Thomas rode him. The feeling of flight was indescribable. Nothing Thomas had done couldpare to it, and with flight as a possibility, he could travel to the Ruins of Elent. The ancient city of the Elenthians was cut off from the rest of the world by mile-high cliffs in the middle of the ocean, their civilization built atop the pirs that pierced the horizon.


    The two were all each other had and Thomas enjoyed his peaceful, hermit-esque life. He would spend hours reading the ancient texts and cataloguing the information in his own brain. It was still there, waiting to be sifted through. Whenever Hector wanted, they would y ¨C Thomas had designed a durable ball that his friend could fetch ¨C and the two enjoyed a peaceful existence. Calm. Serene.


    But that was gone, now. Hector was gone. The pain and sorrow were overwhelming, and Thomas copsed to the ground, sobbing as a kernel of hatred manifested in the depths of his soul. James¡­the man who killed him. Who cost him his best friend. The one who stripped Thomas of his mana core. The person who had begged Thomas for a ride on Hector, and who was given that opportunity along with his two sons.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the vition.


    I''ll get my revenge. I''m not going to take away those kids'' father, but you will lose something you love. Then, the thought hit him. If the Destroyer was Lyn like Volio said¡­she could do it. A n began to formte within his mind, and he broke out of his sorrow. Stes helped him to his feet, and he wiped the tears away as he took shuddering, deep breaths. "I need to talk to Misty. Now."


    The council had formed up, and each of the different councilors gave their report.


    Chancellor Vehenna was first. "The renowned diplomat, Rashanna, has been met by the squad you sent to escort her. They should be at Lynhold in two weeks'' time."


    "How did theymunicate back to us so quickly?" Lyn asked.


    Spymaster Velenna stood, "That would be my doing, your grace. Fin''s spellcraft has assisted in the rapid training and deployment of ravens, as per your instructions. Squads can nowmunicate rapidly and effectively." She gestured to a woman next to her.


    A slim Duskari who looked to be middle-aged stood up and bowed, "My Lady, it is a pleasure to serve you as your Keeper of Ravens. I am in the process of working alongside your Marshal to ensure a raven is bonded to an archer in each squadron, so that rapidmunication may be facilitated. I request time to spend with you, your highness, to bond one such bird to you, that you maymunicate your will to us."


    Lyn nodded, "Excellent work. Continue to train them up. And, yes, I would love a pet raven. When is the best time for this bonding?"


    "We have several young ravens who are ready, with more eggs being cared for. We can do it at any time."


    "My thanks. I''ll let you know when." Lyn looked back to Vehenna, "Continue with your report."


    "Of course. We are holding on any efforts tomunicate with outside kingdoms and territories until Rashanna arrives."


    "That reminds me," Lyn said. "How did you find out about this Vharthon woman in the first ce?"


    Vehenna chuckled, "I knew her grandfather, your grace. A traveling merchant who was not afraid to pay off the forces at Fort Watch toe into the Valley and trade with Newen and Duskari. He was a good, kind soul with no harshness in his heart. I''m sure his daughter takes after him in that capacity."


    Lyn tapped her fingers on the throne''s armrest. She hasn''t been thoroughly vetted, then. Very well, I''ll hold off on trying to engage in diplomacy with the surrounding kingdoms¡­but when this Rashanna arrives, I''ll need to have a long chat with her. She looked to the next councilor. "Steward Bhrm, report."


    He bowed and began his report, "My Lady, we have the same money count as before. The Newen are moving their encampments to the exterior of Lynhold. Their skilled woodsmen have felled hundreds of trees, and more areing down, as they expand and make room for the center of a city." He pulled out several scrolls and reverently approached, handing them to Lyn. "I have drafted ns for theyout, your grace."


    Lyn unfurled the ns. They depicted a semi-circle with the fortress at the center ¨C just like a keep in a traditional castle ¨C with spokes alike to wagon wheels as the streets extend outward and form districts. This is well set up, but my main concern is ss division by nature of districts being created. It made sense to have certain industries near specific stockpiles of goods, but she wanted the people to live near each other. "Ink and quill," she stated. Bhrm left the room momentarily before returning with the items. Lyn made some notes and then blew gently to dry the ink, handing it back to Bhrm. "All of my citizens will live near each other."


    The way she had marked up the map indicated that in the ''center wedge'' services, residences, and other shops and the like would be clustered. One wedge would be dedicated to industry, and the other to education and training. And if we can standardize schedules, then I can ensure that the different peoples spend downtime amongst each other. "What of our food situation?" She asked.


    "Foraging is plentiful, your grace, as is hunting. Now that we know of the existence of this Northern passage, we will wait for the Diplomat, and then attempt to build rtions with the Kingdom of Trisk to import wheat, grain, and other crops."


    Lyn nodded, "And the efforts to build a support staff for yourself?"


    "I have no candidates for any of the positions yet, however," he gestured to a young woman that looked like a female version of himself with a slightly narrower chin and nose. "Menora, your Antiquarian, has a report."


    The woman stood and bowed, "My Lady, we went through all of your previous treasury, and found inscribed items." She turned around and picked up a small chest, bringing it over to Lyn before setting it down and opening it. "Your prior incarnation had two items with some value." She lifted a cloak andid it over her arms to read the inscription. "A cloak that, if my interpretation is correct, will enable you to fall from great heights without harm."


    Lyn read the inscription herself and confirmed that the young woman''s trantion was correct. It''s not flight, but it''s something. Standing up, she gestured, and Vael picked up on the instructions, fastening the cloak to the armor. The cloak seemingly melded into the suit, as if it was designed to do so. First the bracer, and now this cloak. I bet that Raevan had several pieces of this armor that were split off or lost to the ages.


    Menora then grabbed the second item and held it in front of Lyn. It was a blue adamantine¡­retainer? "And this appears to allow the user to breathe underwater."


    Lyn picked it up and read the inscription, "Interesting," she muttered. "Did you try it?" She asked, looking at the woman.


    Menora shook her head, "No, your grace."


    Lyn looked at Gael. "Fetch a bucket and make some water in it." The Bodyguard did so, and Lyn slipped the retainer over her teeth before channeling mana into the device. She dunked her head into the water and, going against all instinct, inhaled. To her pleasant surprise, the water did not actually enter her mouth ¨C instead, the moment it touched the item between her teeth, the water became air, and she was able to breathe easily. Pulling her head up, she put the item into her storage choker. "Well done. Thank you for your services."


    Menora bowed and went back to sitting behind her father, and both were beaming with delight and satisfaction. The father proud of the daughter, and the daughter eager to please her parent.


    Lyn looked to Remora next, "Marshal. Report."


    Remora stood and bowed, Poweno right behind her, and nosh behind him. Their Military Advisors were not present. "My Lady, we have forces on the wall at The Dragon''s Maw. Forces from Fort Watch have scouted the terrain, but do note within bowshot. However, we received an advance warning that an individual bearing your mark entered and is approaching Lynhold, escorted by a squadron."


    Lyn''s eyes narrowed, "Describe them."


    "A portly man, riding a horse. Bald head and smoking some herbal remedy."


    He went bald and got fat? Lyn chuckled. Smoking was something that had never caught on in Ghomar, as they had nothing analogous to tobo or pot. Someone with her symbol and smoking? It had to be Brad. She nodded, "As soon as he arrives, notify me. What of our military as a whole?"


    Poweno bowed, "In total we have a force of four thousand, five hundred. Primarily Newen, your Ladyship. They are not formally trained, and so the Duskari squadrons have begun efforts to train them further."


    "Forgive the interruption, Lady Rivers," nosh stated as he stood. "But my people are better suited to archery rather than frontlinebat. I have told this to your Marshal, but they are insistent on training us as frontlinebatants."


    Lyn red at Remora, and the woman shifted her nce to Poweno. Lyn shifted her gaze to the man. "Why go against the advice of the Strike Commander?"


    Poweno frowned and crossed his arms ¨C eliciting small gasps from the others in the chamber. "We need a frontline. Right now, we have none save Duskari. The Newen are more plentiful than our people."


    Lyn felt rage building in her chest. Her Destroyer core responded, and she could feel the mana seep into her mana channels. "You dare." She growled as her voice dropped to that of the draconic tone. "You dare imply that my people are disposable?!"


    "They aren''t your people, your gr-"


    Lyn stood up and the air began to heat around her, Poweno snapped his mouth shut, and Lyn stomped from the throne to stand in front of him. "All who serve me are my people. I may look like a Duskari, but do not forget that I am the Destroyer. If you cannot put aside your bigotry to other races, then you will be stripped of your rank."


    Poweno frowned, turned on his heel, and left the room. The others in the council chamber stood, shocked, as the man turned his back on the equivalent of their deity. Lyn turned to Velenna, "You have my Assassin prepared, yes?" The woman nodded. "Good. Bolvon was what you called him, correct?" Another nod. "Then he has his first target." Lyn returned to the throne.


    Inside, she was torn. On the one hand, assassinating people felt¡­wrong. Morally wrong. But on the other hand, she could not risk a Duskari with knowledge of her organization going to another kingdom. And I have the power of a deity of destruction. There''s no God in this world, just heroes and Destroyer. I make the morals. She leaned to Gael, "Follow him. If Bolvon cannot finish the task, step in and do so." Gael nodded, and unquestioningly, strode down the hallway following Poweno. She looked to Remora, "Promote your own underling to write and read for you."


    Remora nodded and bowed, "My thanks, your grace. Poweno was problematic."


    "I can tell," Lyn replied. She looked to Velenna, "Report."


    The Spymaster bowed, "None, My Lady. You already met Fin. I will fetch Bolvon now and notify him of your first target." She bowed once more and left hurriedly.


    Lyn looked around the chamber, "If there is nothing else?" The room was silent. She stood, "Then this council is dismissed." She looked to Vael, "Follow your brother. I want Poweno dead before he leaves Lynhold. If this Bolvon can''t finish the job, then help your brother do it."


    Vael nodded and ran down the hallway.

 Chapter 36

    Bolvon sat up as his name was called. He rolled out of his bed and threw on his leather armor, fastened his knife-belt and bandolier with throwing daggers, darts, and an unstrung shortbow with a quiver to his belt and back. He opened the door to his chambers, and the Spymaster Velenna was standing in front of it. He bowed to the shorter woman, "Yes?"


    "Lady Rivers demands the death of Poweno of the Conve of the Fortress."


    Finally! A chance to prove my devotion. Bolvon nodded his head, "Where is he?"


    "He''s leaving Lynhold. Her Bodyguards are trailing him. Not more than a minute ago."


    Bolvon nodded and ran down the hall as the Spymaster stepped aside. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an dautho nin ennas." He incanted the spell and felt his mana surge into his body, increasing his muscle density and pushing himself to greater speed. Half of my mana left, he thought. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / leithio nin padad / sui gwathren." His body blurred and was cloaked in darkness as he gained even more speed.


    He dashed through the dread fortress, passing by the two Bodyguards without them even noticing his passage ¨C squeezing by them as he blended into the darkness like a wraith. He caught up with Poweno with ease, but the old warrior must have sensed something was off, as he wheeled to the side and swung a wild haymaker. Bolvon dropped his spell and stabbed forward with his dagger, piercing the man''s jugr.


    The older warrior copsed, dead, on the floor. Mission aplished.


    The Bodyguards ran up behind him, "How''d you pass us?" Gael asked.


    Bolvonughed as he turned to face his friend, "What''s the matter? Didn''t see me Gael?"


    Gael shook his head and grinned, "As always, hiding and slinking around in the darkness."


    Bolvon shrugged and held his hands out to the side, the dagger in his right-hand dripping ichor still. "What can I say? Not every Duskari is made for the frontlines." He grinned and switched to a taunting voice, "Just like not every Duskari is made for the Destroyer''s bed."


    Gael let out a barkingugh, and Vael walked past the two as she grabbed Poweno''s body. "Dead," she stated, dragging the body behind her. "Good kill."


    "Ah, Vael. Always the serious one. Always focusing on the objective," Bolvon said with mirth.


    "I''m d that Lady Rivers found a good use for your talents," she stated courteously.


    Bolvon nodded, "So am I. I live to serve our goddess." Plus, he thought, she only wanted one Assassin. That means I can really carve out a name for myself. He had been mulling over an idea, and turned on his heel to report his sess.


    Lyn heard a knock on her door. Opening it, she saw a Duskari who looked to be about the same age as Gael and Vael, with deep, purple-ck hair, and piercing, almost ck eyes with just a hint of red. He was covered with daggers, knives, throwing darts, and was dressed in dark blue leathers. "My Lady. Poweno is no more."


    Lyn nodded and opened the door as Vael and Gael ran down the hall,ing to attention. "You must be Bolvon."


    "Yes, oh goddess of destruction."


    Lyn smirked, and looked past him to Vael who was stone-faced, and Gael, who was holding back some emotion. "Do you two know Bolvon?"


    Gael nodded, "Yes, Lady Rivers. We grew up together."


    Lyn looked at Bolvon and gestured with a hand in his line of sight so he knew he could stand. "Did you sleep together as well?" Gael nodded once more, Vael shook her head, and Bolvon nodded. Good. I can use that connection to ensure loyalty. But¡­he already seems quite loyal. "Bolvon, why don''t you and Gaele inside. Vael, keep watch."


    The two men entered, and Lyn shut the door to her chambers. "Forgive me, my Lady," Bolvon muttered. "Did I disappoint you?"


    "No. I want to reward you for your rapid execution of a task."


    Bolvon knelt, "Serving my goddess is reward enough."


    Lyn tutted, "Tsk. Please. Ask for something."


    "I¡­My Lady, I would like to have my title changed. Assassin is¡­generic."


    "Did you have any ideas?"


    Bolvon looked up at her and grinned. He had quite a dashing smile. "Yes, my Lady. I would like my title to be simply Shadowstalker."


    Lyn nodded, "Very well. I will notify Velenna of the change." She looked at Gael, "Am I correct in stating that you have feelings for my Shadowstalker here?"


    Gael blushed heavily and nodded curtly, "Yes, my Lady."


    Lyn looked to Bolvon, "Well, you heard the man. If you desire, I''ll give Gael the day off."


    Bolvon stood up, grabbed Gael by the arm, and dragged him ¨C willingly ¨C out of her chambers. Vael peeked around the corner and raised an eyebrow at Lyn. She just chuckled in response before shutting the doors.


    James sat on the throne. It was afortable seat, made of white marble with a sumptuous cushion. He had been on that seat for only a few days, and yet it felt like he had been there for decades. The tedium of ruling was something he had not anticipated having to ever deal with in his lifetime. And yet, here he was, ruling Khrrdia, one of the ''big three'' kingdoms on Ghomar.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    King Kristoph''s house guard were sent to border outposts along the sea. The former monarch had no family, no heirs, and when James revealed the attempt on his life ¨C a revolution began and ended within a single hour. The King was handed over to his subjects, and they executed him. James only stuck around to see the body begin to swing, before he left ¨C disgusted at the man''s actions. He wanted to kill you because you were a threat. That¡­and he was trying to use James'' life to negotiate an alliance with Cecily in Vgonia. That bitch. She just had to ruin everything I''ve tried to build.


    James wanted to retire. Just be High-Lord of Khrrdia''s forces. Train the next generation to keep the kingdom prosperous and secure. Enjoy his family. But, once Kristoph hung to death, the people demanded the Paragon hero take the throne.


    What choice did he have? Even his Paragon core whispered to him. The voice of Aelor, the remnants of the creator deity, uttering assurances that his justice was righteous, that he would rule with grace and majesty. That he would stand up to Vgonia''s horrific treatment of non-Human races.


    But James did not want war. And thus, the current situation. Cecily''s emissaries and a small guard were standing in his throne room. James had Aelor''An''r across his waist, the de ready for use if necessary¡­and it spoke volumes to those messengers. Fuck with me, and I will end you.


    The leader, a swarthy, wide man, bowed deeply, "High-Lord-"


    James pointed his hand at the crown upon his brow, "King. Kristoph has been deposed. Address me properly or I''ll have you thrown out." I don''t want to throw you out¡­but I can''t show weakness to Cecily.


    The man stood up and nodded, "Of course, your highness. I was here to see if King, ahem, the former monarch of Khrrdia had contemted the offer of Cecily Vgonia, first of her name."


    "I saw the offer. My head in exchange for a political alliance in the form of marriage. Which would then lead to genocide of the non-Human races within my kingdom. You return to Cecily and tell her that the offer is rejected. Furthermore, give her this letter," he gestured, and his seneschal brought a letter ¨C written in English, which for some reason no one on Ghomar could read except for the heroes, despite several attempts to learn thenguage by renowned schrs. Something about the summoning, I''m sure.


    He cleared his throat as the messenger took the letter. "Within contains my demands. I will keep my forces on the Western side of the Azure Divide, and hers to the East. What she does to petty kingdoms and counties within her domain is her business. But if her forces are found in Khrrdiannds and vassal states¡­then she will have brought war upon herself."


    The Azure Divide was arge river that ran from the mountains surrounding the Valley of the Volcano, all the way to the southern edge of the continent. Bothrge kingdoms had vassals within the region, but that river would serve well as a nature mark to end kingdom borders. The messenger bowed, "I will ry this to her highness immediately." He turned and left with his small guard of troops.


    James sheathed his de and sighed. Looking to his Seneschal, he waved the man over. "Have my wife and children been relocated to the royal apartments yet?"


    "They have, my Lord."


    James nodded and stood, "Have the council convene in three hours time, post-supper." He walked off towards the wing of the pce that led to his quarters. The stark stone was a drastic difference from the warm wooden building he had called home since defeating the Demonic Dragon¡­taking credit for the kill. His wife was the one constant.


    "Hi honey!" Maria said as she kissed his cheek. "We''ve just finished moving-"


    James was tackled backward and let himself fall as Tevol and Tovol leaped onto him. "Daddy!" they both shouted as the y-wrestled with the Paragon hero. Jamesughed and hefted the two up, easily lifting them both as they clung onto his biceps. "Dad! We got new rooms!" Tevol yelled.


    "And new beds!" Tovol followed up.


    Mariaughed and James smiled. I''d do anything to keep this.


    His Paragon core, the lingering, whispering voice of the creator deity, resonated with that thought.


    Morning came and Lyn left the fortress. The town was developing rapidly, and she utilized several earth spells to create arge tunnelwork under the growing city that could be fitted with pipes to create both a water-delivery and sewer system. Coming from a basic education in even the piss-poor public school system, she knew enough from history that diseases were just as bad of a killer as anything else in a medieval-level technology society. Knowing that, she ensured that one tunnel led deep under Shiverburn Summit, using herva spells to locate a quiet magma tube that would not erupt. Easy disposal of waste, she thought. Much better than a cistern. And deep enough that she would not have to worry about any scents going up to the city.


    Gael and Vael were next to her as she went about these tasks, and several hours passed before she finished her task. Now, let''s see how far these dungeons are. She channeled mana into the bracer and saw a three-dimensional representation of the Valley of the Volcano, zoomed in on her location. She was able to focus her gaze and move the image. Only a couple hundred feet away? She used the same tunnel-creation earth spell, with a slight revision to the verses to have the tunnel not just persist behind her but turn to stone to maintain its shape.


    They emerged in a chamber. A natural cistern, with a pool of water that had dripped down through a long, narrow series of cracks in the ceiling above. In the center of the pool stood a doorway made of stone encrusted with coral. "This door marks the dungeon of Tenurel, Tide-Tender. Threats within ¨C monster, puzzle, riddle. Reward ¨C dungeon core and body enhancing items."


    "Do you want us toe along?" Vael asked.


    Lyn shook her head and drew Cataclysm, willing her armor to cover her whole body. "No, you two stay here and keep watch."


    Gael sighed and leaned against the stone tunnel they hade from, "Quite boring."


    Lyn shot him a nce, "Thest time you two went into a dungeon with me, you both were heavily injured. You would have died if not for me." She felt a pang of fear course through her. I can''t lose them. And that thought struck a chord within her. She didn''t want to see them die like she had seen her former ssmates did in dungeons. That was one of the reasons why Lyn did so many dungeons on her own ¨C everyone else was scared off. Well, almost everyone. Eight of them weren''t.


    Vael shook her head, "Sorry, Lyn. We''re your bodyguards. We go where you go."


    "I can''t risk you dying," Lyn muttered as she turned to the woman. "I can''t lose friends like that again."


    Gael nced at Vael and smiled, "See? She does think of us as friends and not just as bed fellows."


    The Destroyer core within Lyn bubbled and roiled in a¡­protective way. That''s weird, Lyn thought at first. But it¡­made sense. Raevan was called the Destroyer because of her rolepared to Aelor, but she saved the Ari. This power of a goddess of destruction wants to protect these people. The core simmered in response, as if confirming her thoughts. "I want you two to grow stronger," she whispered towards the twins. "But I can''t have you dying on me."


    In her memories, she could recall the times she had ventured into a dungeon with other heroes only to see them die before her very eyes. And she knew that if she saw that happen again it would bring her back to that moment. That type of hesitation in the middle of a dungeon could spell her own death.


    "Then we''ll stay back," Gael stated as he put his spear and shield onto his back and pulled out an odd contraption. Some type of bracer that he fit together that formed some type of arm-length slingshot. He fit the device around his wrist, attached two arms of a crossbow, and strung a bowstring. Vael did the same, retrieving a simr device. "We have ranged options aside from our spells."


    Lyn nodded, "Good. You two stay out of danger." She turned to face the shimmering purple doorway and took a deep breath. "Let''s go. I have more power to obtain."

 Chapter 37

    Lyn stepped through the portal and was met with yet another square room with a square pedestal. This room, however, looked ancient even by dungeon standards. Every surface was covered in coral, and she could tell it was razor-sharp just by the look. Gael and Vael stepped through behind her and Gael whistled, "Impressive."


    Lyn poured mana into Cataclysm, "I have a feeling this will be water themed," she stated as she willed the weapon to shift into its spear shape. She reached into her storage choker and pulled out the mouthpiece, "You both should use a water breathing spell."


    The twins nced at each other, and Vael sighed, "How?"


    Lyn smirked as she turned to them, "Well, not water-breathing like a fish. You have control of water, so that means you can create a hydrophobic bubble around yourselves." They both stared at her nkly. Right. They don''t know science. Even middle school level. "Alright. Repeat after me."


    The twins did, and the final result was aplex, multi-verse spell. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / a go-enni nin rhaw / a e-m?r en-aear / i garan min haw / a leithio erin padad / min en-aear." A thin film of water surrounded both of their bodies, one that would keep air trapped within.


    Lyn also walked over and channeled her mana into her channels, "Leithio i gwaed en-gweal / an rithia i hathol / a thui min ennas / anno n?n haw." A tiny needle of wind shot from her hand and pierced the bubble surrounding each of them, and a persistent, refreshing, windy breeze stuck within the bubble. "And now you both will have air as long as I''m alive."


    She turned back to the pedestal and went through her usual te ofbat-oriented internal spells. Her skin toughened, her muscles bulked, and all of herbat traits were amplified as she churned her mana into her channels and through her body. It felt warm andforting, and she slipped the underwater breathing inscribed item into her mouth, letting the mana flow into that as well. cing her hand on the square pir, it descended. The room fell away, and in an instant, all three found themselves underwater. Lyn''s armor sank her to the ocean floor, as did her two allies behind her. Lyn peered into the deep blue liquid, catching the asional hint of movement. She was breathing calmly, but her movement would be slowed because of the liquid. External spells that relied on movement through space ¨C such asva and earth ¨C would be slowed. And, in the case ofva, would be severely impeded as the water would sap away the heat.


    Vael shouted something that was garbled by the waters, and Lyn wheeled around. The two had loosed bolts into the water¡­which only went about ten feet before floating in ce. We need harpoon guns, she thought as the two switched to spears and shields. That is when the creature came into view and plowed into Vael. It was a huge, hammerhead shark with spiked skin akin to a pufferfish. It didn''t bite down into the female warrior, and she had interposed the shield ¨C the one made of Titansteel, that prevented forced movement. There was a loud thud that echoed through the water as the creature was stopped by the immovable object.


    Lyn took advantage of the opportunity to move forward ¨C but she was slow, and the creature was moving away. To hell with this. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / govanno nanui / a malthen sui gweal / brad sui gilgd / a dagnir nan govadhren." She used the same spell she had used against the Demonic Dragon, inspired by James'' lightspeed Paragon-only spell, she felt the winds gather behind her as she shed forward through the water, leaving an explosive wake behind her that copsed in on itself from the water pressure.


    She plunged Cataclysm into the creature, and it writhed on her weapon. It was an imitation of James'' spell, and his didn''t take momentum into ount, so the maneuver jolted Lyn''s head and she felt it bounce around in her skull, concussing her. It wasn''t an issuest time, because she died. And during training prior to that fight with the Demonic Dragon, she had only done short bursts for this exact reason.


    It puffed itself up, and the spiky hide impacted Lyn''s armor, forcing her back. Gael and Vael were not moved, however, and Vael threw her spear aside and grabbed the creature by one of the hammer protrusions on the side of its head. Gael came around and shoved his spear up through the pinned creature''s mouth, into the brain, killing it instantly. It vanished into nothingness.


    "Anor min / nartho hain I daeth nin." Lyn used the internal regeneration spell and felt her hazy mind clear as the waters darkened. She looked at her two allies and beckoned them closer. "It''s not over," she said. They got the message from her signal and walked over on the sandy surface. She used her hand to turn Vael around and put her back-to-back with Gael. Lyn took a third position so they covered multiple directions, and the trio waited for whatever wasing next.


    "Halt!" A voice called out in Khrrdian.


    Brad brought his horse to a halt in front of the imposing edifice. A huge fortification that put the Great Wall of China to shame. You''d have to be suicidal to attack this ce. The only entrance was a single corridor nked on either side by stone cavalry spikes that looked razor sharp, and that''s when Brad saw that they were tipped with obsidian, and he winced. Those would break off in a person. Nasty. He held up the symbol Volio had given him.


    Minutes passed and the gates ponderously opened. He took this as the signal to move forward, but had an invisibility potion on his bandolier right across his torso. The Alchemist hero was special amongst all on Ghomar, even more than other heroes, in that he could create spells and keep them for future use indefinitely. He had to put the mana into the brew as he was making it, unlike inscription where mana was used to activate it at a moment''s notice. He took a draw on the cigar he had rolled from Blisterbloom; it had a spicy, almost peppery vor ¨C but he was not using it to gain a euphoric high. He had made this for a singr purpose; to rapidly infuse the bloodstream with a perception-enhancing and reaction-speed increasing herb. This smokable wasn''t even doing damage to his lungs, thanks to his formtion.


    A squad of Duskari soldiers in a tight formation ran out and took up a position in front of him. One of them spoke in broken Khrrdian, "You. Hero. Go Destroyer."


    Brad frowned, crap. I knew I should''ve studied Arinol. He raised the symbol once more and slowly urged his mount forward. The squadron formed up around him, and he clipped the symbol to his bandolier. He sighed in relief; unsure which way this whole venture was going to go. But he had no choice. Khrrdia wouldn''t take him; he had pissed off the King and was banished from there. Trisk, likewise, he had been banished from. All due to dumb decisions when he first arrived.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    After all, what does a pothead do when they have magical powers and can identify the most potent herbs for the use in drug concoctions? They make the dopest shit ever. And he got rich off of it. But, inevitably, higher-ups realized the harm he was doing to their citizens, and he was exiled. From two kingdoms! Only Shereld took him in, and they kept a strict lock on his practices.


    But by then¡­he''d learned his lesson. He had to go cold turkey from all manner of drugs, but he got through it. Spells made the process easier, but it was not pleasant. Then¡­Cecily took over. Tortured him. Cut off bits of him that made him a man. He felt the rage burning within, a desire for nothing more than to carve her to bits like she had done to him.


    I''m going to revolutionize this world, he thought. Alongside Lyn, he could create a pharmaceutical powerhouse. Bring medicine to the masses. Show them the potency of herbalism for a whole host of issues. No drugs, nothing addictive. He didn''t want to glorify the use of something that he, after recovering from it, realized had ruined his life.


    Another squad joined in front, shadowing the group from afar, and Brad finished off the cigar, crushing the embers in his scarred palm before putting it into a pouch.


    Lyn''s eyes darted back and forth in the ever-deepening depths. It was almost pitch-ck. Damn, can''t use smell or hearing to find this thing. She had one option, and she knew she would regret using it. "Dollon nin naid / sui an pan nin nad / en-naith / athano a thui." Her vision, vanished. The same went for her ability to hear and smell. The internal spell suppressed all of her senses ¨C save for her sense of touch. That was amplified so much that she could sense vibrations in the water. Gael and Vael directly behind her were easy to visualize as vague humanoid shapes.


    Circling them was a sinuous shape. Some type of serpent, Lyn had no idea what it looked like. But she knew exactly where it was. She slid her feet forward through the sand as she got closer to the creature ¨C and then it shifted. She kicked up and off the ocean floor, dodging through the water as one end of the shape whipped to her, and she could ''see'' through the vibration that a mouth of some type had opened and snapped down right where she had been. She stabbed forward, and struck the creature with Cataclysm.


    The spear stuck in the thing, and it began to swim off with her hanging onto it. The water whipped past her, and she had to drop the internal spell as the rushing water triggered the vibration sense far too much. She pulled herself down the spear until she felt the leathery hide of the creature, and she jammed her draconic-wed hand into the flesh, grabbing arge handful to affix herself. "Leithio anorsto ui nin ganuin / a britho pan i gro."


    The mana coursed down her arm and a surge ofva spewed right into the creature, with no water to cool it. It melted down and the creature''s screech echoed through the water as it went limp.


    The water vanished, and Lyn fell prone, still clutching her spear, onto the ground of the square chamber. Vael and Gael were standing a few dozen feet away on the other side of the room. Lyn pulled the mouthpiece out and stowed it in the cor storage.


    "Are you okay?" Vael asked, running up to offer a hand.


    Lyn took the hand and pulled herself upright, "I''m fine. You two?"


    "Not a scratch," Gael stated. "What was it?"


    "Some type of serpent. I wasn''t looking."


    Gael raised a questioning brow, "Oh?"


    "Internal spell. Amplified sense of touch to the point I could ''see'' vibrations," she used air quotes around the word ''see'', and hoped the gesture was known by Duskari. Thankfully, Gael seemed to understand, and nodded. Lyn looked up and took a deep breath. "Okay. Onto the next chamber."


    There was a knock on the closet door. "Professor Misery, it''s been three days. The students are getting worried."


    Misty came out of her fugue state at the sound of her assistants who taught the younger and less experienced magi. Just go to work and forget it all. She stood up and muttered a simple spell that cleansed her and her clothing before opening the closet door.


    The man on the other side, Assistant Professor Jacoby, was one of the Raptin. A humanoid-avian race, he took after a falcon with piercing eyes, a long, sharp beak, and reddish-brown feathers. "I took on as much as I could, but the other APs were running out of lessons to teach this cadre."


    Misty went to her bookshelf and utched the magical trap, reaching in to remove severalrge books that Thomas and she hadpiled. The mage school was free to any who wanted to attend, and the multitude of inscriptions around therge academy ensured that food, clothing, and water were plentiful¡­provided the attendee had enough mana to activate the inscriptions. That weeded out those that would never be mages. Well, unless they defeated a dungeon, which was highly unlikely. Even so, she had anywhere from a hundred to five hundred students present throughout the year.


    They had designed the school to be a ce where mages could get their start. Cover all the basics and bring back the study of Elenthir. Thenguage was¡­difficult. Only herself, Thomas, and Lyn had full mastery of thenguage ¨C and that was due to their mana cores. Even her most veteran student who was a polyglot only memorized around twenty percent of Elenthir. That is what most of the learning was ¨Cnguage. With enough knowledge of Elenthir¡­anything was possible.


    Well, provided the person''s mana core was suited to the spell they were attempting to perform. And that was the second function of the school, practical training. Misty handed the books to AP Jacoby, "Here you go. This should be good for the third years." There was no real limit to how long someone could stay, but she only had enough curriculum developed tost for a ten-year course of study.


    Jacoby bowed and straightened his dress robe, "Of course. I''ll make sure that this gets to the other APs." He left, and as he left, someone else pushed in. Thomas, being supported by Stes ¨C one of her fourth-year students. "Thomas? You''re¡­awake?"


    "Putting me in aa was an interesting choice," Thomas muttered as Stes helped him to a seat opposite Misty''s desk. He sank into it with a sigh. "Well, it was good letting the dream persist for a while."


    Misty sat down and incanted a short spell to produce icy-cool water into a nearby jug, before handing a cup to Thomas. Stes sat down in the chair next to him. Misty stared at the man as he sipped the liquid. "What do you want?"


    Thomas smirked, "Just like that? No, ''how are you holding up''? Not asking me, ''you died? What was it like?'' Just¡­what do I want?"


    Misty nodded, "My debt to you is more than repaid. So, what do you want?"


    "Nothing. I''m leaving. I just wanted to thank you, that''s all." Thomas downed the water and stood up. "I''m going to be heading to Trisha and Ben''s ce." He nced out the window that faced South.


    Misty leaned forward on the desk. "Why?"


    "I need a ce closer to the Valley of the Volcano. I can teach the Baxter children while I recon." He turned back to her. "Lyn is alive. Volio told me as much, and that¡­deration we all heard¡­that doesn''t sound like a deity of destruction. They would seek to destroy it all¡­but they want people to be well-fed and children to be cared for?" He shook his head, "It makes no sense for a destroyer to think that way. But¡­Lyn was abused. She grew up poor. You know that better than anyone else."


    Misty looked down at the table, tracing the familiar knots of wood through their intricate maze. Lyn was poor, Misty thought. And abused, but we all had our own form of it. She had spent the most time with Lyn out of every summoned student. They grew up together, her in the run-down cottage, and Lyn in the nearby mobile-home park. I know the fucked up stuff her dad did. If she did have the power of the Demonic Dragon, she would definitely use it to fix shit. But she had seen the past. She used the spell that let her view Lyn''s heroic sacrifice. She saw her friend dash from an obsidian spire that had impaled her, into the Demonic Dragon''s skull. She saw the head explode, and Lyn copse in a heap from the momentum liquifying her bones. Then theva covered her, and she was no more.


    Safe space safe space safe space. She stood up and went to the closet, "Get out of here!" she shouted as she mmed the door behind her and curled up in the corner. She''s alive she''s alive she''s alive¡­

 Chapter 38

    Lyn led her allies down the hallway. It was square, like they all were, but it was once more covered in oceanic elements. Multi-color, prismatic coral was the most prominent, but there was a sheen of liquid coating the walls. Lyn touched it with the tip of Cataclysm''s spear, and it sizzled. She had encountered only a handful of dungeons with the other heroes that had this level of change to the chambers and corridors ¨C something that was almost always consistent. They only have this level of customization if they haven''t been defeated in a long, long time.


    The next chamber was markedly different. Rather than being a square, it was a long, horizontal, rectangle. There was a muchrger raised pedestal. "Why is this one different?" Vael asked.


    "This is a puzzle of some type," Lyn replied. She ced her hand onto the pedestal, and it stayed put instead of sinking. The surface lit up as the room darkened, and an illusory image appeared in the air in front of Lyn. A series of images that were arrayed side by side. The first was a depiction of a ship at sea, slowly rocking and rolling on the waves as the crew dashed to and fro on the deck. The second was extremely like the first. In fact, it was almost identical. As was the third one. I Fucking hate these things.


    "What must we do?" Gael asked.


    Lyn sighed, "These are the most annoying puzzles to me. We have to find the image that is different from the other two." A small hourss appeared above each picture. "And if we don''t do it fast enough, it will switch."


    Vael peered at each image before pointing to the one on the right. "That one. There is a small tear in the rear-most sail that is not present in the other images."


    Lyn tapped the associated icon on the altar, and it glowed green. Another trio of images appeared. Damn, Vael is a natural at this. The next two rounds of images were the same; a group of ocean-rted images appeared, and Vael stared at each for a few seconds before identifying the one that was different. After all three rounds had concluded, and three of the green boxes representing sesses were filled, another, harsher challenge appeared.


    The next set of three images were not static. They moved, depicting a fisherman casting his line off of the edge of the docks. Their timer was extended, and Lyn stared at the slowly in-motion images. To her eyes, nothing was off. But again, a few secondster, Vael pointed to one of the moving images. "That one. His eyes blinked twice instead of once." She leaned past Lyn and tapped the corresponding button.


    The room brightened and the hallway in front of them unlocked, the rock wall sliding to the side to reveal the passage. "You''re smart, you know that?" Lyn said to her femalepanion.


    Vael shook her head, "No I''m not. I am just good at seeing patterns. I always have been."


    "She''s been that way ever since she was a child," Gael followed up. "She was the best at ying hide-and-seek, because she learned every person''s pattern for searching." He wrapped an arm around his sister''s shoulder and squeezed her tightly much to her protestation. "That''s my sibling."


    Vael pulled herself away and pointed to the passage, "Let us continue. I want whatever rewards are promised to us at the end."


    Cecily concluded that evening''s session of torture and mana core extraction from her most recent victim. No, victim wasn''t the right word. They were criminals; those who would disrupt her kingdom. They deserved everything they received. Her Ruler core confirmed this to her. She took a luxurious bath before having her servant dry and dress her. As she stood in front of the mirror, she ruminated on the missive her messenger had brought from James.


    To Cecily Vgonia,


    King Kristoph is dead. I have taken the role of king in his ce, as the people desired. There will not be any serving of my head to sate your desires. I wish you would put the past to rest, but if you will not, know that I am more than capable of not only defending myself, but my kingdom as well.


    The Azure Divide will mark the limits of our territories. Stay on your side of the river, and I''ll stay on mine. Don''t send any further missives to me, I will not receive them. Instead, I will send envoys to Fort Watch, on the first day of each month, and if you desire tomunicate, they will convey messages.


    - James Marshall, King of Khrrdia, Paragon


    Cecily grunted as her servant finished dressing her. She walked out of her chambers and headed towards the throne room. She had a very important guest to attend to, but the thought of James being on the throne of Khrrdia gnawed at her. He was her rival for good reason. When they had first arrived and defeated their first dungeon as a group of twenty, James insisted the heroes try andplete more of them.


    But Cecily wanted power without the risk. And she knew it wasn''t what you could do, but who you know. She started making connections with nobility ¨C the real power structure. And she built strong ties with the then-king of Khrrdia, Kristoph''s father. She was ted to marry the widower and then had nned to kill off Kristoph, but James led a revolution that deposed the man. All of Cecily''s ns, flushed down the toilet in a single, rebellious uprising.


    They had a falling out that evening, and she remembered the conversation vividly. "You bastard!" she had screamed as she threw a cup of wine at him. "I was going to have everything!"


    James had dodged the cup with ease and gone around therge council table, Volio, Misty, Thomas, Trisha, Ben, and Lyn backing him up. "You don''t just get to control people! We are better than that! We''re heroes!"


    Cecilyughed, "Heroes? You mean people who were fucked by some goddamn statue that ripped us away from our reality? I was going to Harvard! I had a full ride schrship! I wasn''t going to be a nobody like you fucking, pathetic losers." She smiled sweetly at them, "I hate all of you. You small-town idiots. None of you are as smart as me, have my drive for sess. That''s why I was valedictorian. That''s why I got a full ride. And that is why none of you deserve my help." She walked down the corridor, away from the other heroes. "Have Khrrdia. I''ll find another kingdom to rule. It''s what my core was made for. And it is what I deserve."


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    She had relented when the Demonic Dragon''s forces threatened her own territory and had aligned ¨C for a short time ¨C with the other heroes. She even apanied the group as they snuck into the Valley of the Volcano through the secret entrance Lyn had found. Cecily had nned to puppet them with her mind spells, once they were weakened by the fighting. But the Demonic Dragon was so strong, and they all fled before they became weakened enough to affect with her spells. Fucking Lyn going and ruining my ns there, also. At least she''s dead.


    Cecily relished the idea of killing James and taking over his kingdom. Even better if she could control him and puppet him to her will. But¡­there were events at y in the world. She had vassals to deal with. More territory on her side of the Azure Divide to take control of. The promation from the North that echoed through the entire world was lingering in her mind as well. I should send a few spies into that territory. A human would stand out like a sore thumb, but she could give one of her spies an inscribed item that allowed them to veil their appearance as one of the Duskari.


    She gestured for her servant toe over, "Send word to the Spymaster, and tell her to report to me once my business is done." The servant bowed and ran off. Cecily continued to the throne room. And now for the politics of ruling. Part of her reveled in exerting her will on others, but another, smaller voice in her mind hated the boredom that came with listening to nobles drone on and on.


    At least she would have more criminals to torture this evening, she thought with delight, as her Commander of the City Watch handed her a scroll with ten names. They were busyst night¡­


    Bolvon stalked the hallways of the Conve of the Fortress. He was on a very special mission ¨C to spy on the Steward, Bhrm.


    Spymaster Velenna had checked the records that Lady Rivers had required when they retrieved the hoard of her past life, and they did notport to the reports that Bhrm hadpiled. She had given the Shadowstalker the task of finding out what the Steward was doing.


    And that led Bolvon to the locked doors of the treasury. He pulled out the key Velenna had given him ¨C each Councilor and Lady Rivers had keys to this ce ¨C and he silently opened the door. The room was spacious and the deepest in the mountain. The walls were covered with steel to prevent tunneling and were melted together in the corners and along the seams. A metal box in the center of the Conve. He saw the series of chests, and the pieces of parchment neatly bundled together on a desk nearby.


    It took him a few hours ¨C thankfully, the Spymaster had promised him plenty of time without worry of anyone entering ¨C and he was able to confirm the suspicions. Someone was taking money. It was either Bhrm, or one of the other councilors.


    Bolvon made sure to copy down each document before making the ce seem as if he had never been there. He''s up to something, he thought as he stealthily left the chamber, whispering a spell as his mana depleted by half. His mana core was not as strong as many of the warriors were, but whereas they were primarily skilled with internal spells, he had a knack for shadow elementalism. And this came in handy as Bhrm came stomping down the corridor, muttering something under his breath.


    Bolvonid t against the wall, and in the darkened corridor, despite the Duskari ability to see through darkness ¨C he was coated in shadow. A blot against the wall. The Steward went into the vault, and Bolvon went to give his report. I would really like to kill him. With each kill, he could covertly harvest the person''s mana core. Slowly, steadily, he would grow in power. Serving his goddess, he would be rewarded as well. I''ll be her most loyal.


    Lyn knew what the next challenge would be from the inscription above the portal leading them inside. A riddle. She was not very skilled at solving those, and depending on how forgiving the dungeon was, she could get multiple guesses before it shifted and presented a new one. She recalled thest time she dealt with a riddle. It was her, Thomas, Misty, and Ben. Trisha and James had to opt out of that dungeon, as there was a local issue with wildlife they were dealing with; healing those injured and hunting down the animals, respectively.


    "I mean¡­It has to be a cave," Misty said, staring at the maddening riddle in front of them.


    "Just say something and if its wrong we get another one to bang our heads against," Ben replied. "Fucking stupid." He mmed his shield onto the ground and leaned on it with a hefty sigh.


    Thomas shook his head, "Go with cave. May as well try it. Maybe we can roll the dice enough to get an easy riddle."


    "Cave," Misty said into the small rod sticking out of the pedestal like a microphone. In Elenthir, as that was the onlynguage the dungeons responded to.


    Lyn was standing near the door that would lead to the next hallway, and the wall slid open revealing the next hallway. "Good job!" She shouted. The rest of the party also congratted Misty, and she shyly walked over next to Lyn. Misty hated being the center of attention. "You did great," Lyn whispered.


    Shaking her head she returned to the present and ced her hand on the pedestal. Just like the prior chamber, a set of words floating in Elenthir hovered above them. The small rod rose from the pedestal, and Lyn read the riddle aloud for her allies. "I am the guardian of doorways. Without me, one cannot enter. I only exist in ces where the untrustworthy live. What am I?" Lyn looked back to her allies. "Thoughts?"


    Gael had his hand on his chin and was deep in contemtion. Vael shook her head and shrugged, "I would say it''s a guard."


    Gael shook his head, "No¡­They wouldn''t have used the word ''guardian''." He looked up to Lyn, "What do you think?"


    Lyn racked her brain. Guarding doorways means that it''s the door itself. But one cannot enter without it? "Locks are sort of like guards for doors," she replied. "And you would use a lock to prevent people you don''t trust from entering a doorway. But then it doesn''t make sense for the second line, ''Without me, one cannot enter''."


    Vael sat down on the ground, "I''m not good at these mind puzzles. I''ll leave you two to it."


    Gael snapped his fingers, "It''s a key! It opens up a locked door. It guards doors, you have to have it to enter a locked ce, and you don''t have keys in ces where you trust others, because there are not any locks!"


    Lyn stepped aside and gestured, "You do the honors. The word for ''key'' in Elenthir is ''thango''."


    Gael walked up to the podium and leaned towards the circr pir rising from it. "Thango."


    The pedestal lowered, and the doorway opened up. Lyn raised her hand to high-five, "Good job Gael!"


    He looked at her raised hand curiously, and lifted his own slowly. "Does this mean something?"


    "It''s called a ''high five''." She hit his hand with hers.


    Vael stood up, "Ah, because you have five fingers. It is a celebratory gesture?"


    Lyn nodded, "Yes." She looked back to Gael, who had his hand up still. "You can put it down after," she giggled.


    Gael lowered his hand and nodded, "Shall we?"

 Chapter 39

    Lyn descended the corridor nked by her twopanions. The next chamber was another square. This one was not covered in coral, however, but instead looked to be some type of ruined temple. Combat, Lyn knew instinctively. She nced back at the twins, "Ready?" Both nodded, and she went through her set of internal spells. Her muscles bulged, surging with power, and her senses sharpened as the numerousbat effects took hold. She touched the pir.


    The light orbs floating above shifted to a blood-red color. "Fuck!" Lyn shouted, knowing exactly what that meant. "Get ready. This is wave-based!"


    The walls fell away, and the trio were standing on top of a raised hill with a temple at the top. Down below was a gentle slope that eventually turned to surf and sand. Beyond that was ocean¡­and the sounds Lyn heard chilled her to the bone. Ghastly, sucking and popping sounds as a horde of the unliving rushed from the surf ¨C drowned sailors, marines, monstrous forms that were humanoid covered in a variety of whipping, spiked tendrils. The memories of her allies, two of the heroes, dying during the waves in their third dungeon were lingering in the back of her thoughts, but her Destroyer core isted those memories and pushed them aside. Focus on thebat. "Adhano i adwen enni / a echado i goth en-gwanath / about h¨ºn tol / isto a anor."


    Her mana surged from her core and into her palm before she mmed it into the ground. The neon-blue magma turned crimson as it surged down. The ground around the temple shook with a tremendous fury and a thirty-foot wide rift appeared all around the temple. Then, it became filled with bubblingva. She stood up and swapped Cataclysm to its sword form ¨C better for dealing with arge melee. "We have to survive waves of enemies," she told herpanions who were both trembling. "What''s the matter?" she asked.


    Gael took up a defensive stance, and his voice came through in the most nervous tone Lyn heard him use, "We''ve never fought an army."


    "Just small squads," Vael followed up, equally as shaky.


    Lyn frowned, "Your spears, point them at me." The two looked at her quizzically, and she felt her tone drop to the draconic tone. "Do it!" Theyplied, and she grabbed both the spear tips, "Posto hain i megil a nin thalion." Their spears ignited with the crimson-shifting-blue fury of herva spell. The tips became the form of ives. "Use big, carving strikes." She turned as the horde arrived at theva channel and began to move through it. Some died, but the sheer number clogged up the surface, and the rest were able to charge across. "Get ready, here theye!" she shouted as she raised Cataclysm, willing the de to extend to its Greatsword configuration.


    The first group arrived and Lyn shouted a battle cry as she carved with enormous, sweeping strikes that shed through eight at a time. Everything that came within reach was carved at the midsection, and the mana de found no resistance in their assorted armor and shields. Her prowess couldn''t be matched by these simple reanimated corpses.


    But waves were all about numbers and endurance.


    Gael and Vael protected her back, putting away their shields as they maderge, sweeping strikes as per Lyn''smand. Thanks to her external spell on their weapons, theva des were able to carve through the horde like a hot knife through butter. But their weapons were meant to hold others at bay at a distance, not like Lyn''s sword which was deadly along the whole length. Several of the undead horde made their way past the warrior''s mana-charged weaponry, and used their weapons on the pair.


    Gael''s armor was able to take the blows with ease, but Vael suffered several injuries as des shed into portions of her flesh. She screamed out in pain, backing away as Gael threw himself in front of her, relying on his armor to protect him as he covered her. "Lyn!" he shouted as he curled himself around his sister''s form, taking the shield off of her back to cover the two fully.


    Lyn saw them overrun and cursed. "Water shield. Now!" She turned her back to the foes she was holding at bay, and moved to the twins, cing her body over them. She felt the impacts and thuds of impacts against her armor. Thankfully, it was ck adamantine and covered her whole body. That,bined with the Ironhide body enhancement meant she was practically invincible to these creatures.


    She felt the cool water under her and raised her hand, "Britho ai!"


    Ben was outside with his fighters, training them to throw a jabbination. "Duck!" he shouted at one of them. He swung a wild haymaker at one of the trainees, and the man expertly threw up a block, stepping inside Ben''s guard and responding with a jab. Ben ducked it and tackled the recruit to the ground, pinning him with his weight. "Good counter," he muttered. "But you lost your footing when I went in low."


    The man nodded and Ben helped him up. "Thanks for the lesson," he grumbled. The other trainees around them shared augh.


    Ben chuckled, and then he heard a familiar voice behind him. One he had not heard in a long, long time. "Still¡­going low?" He whipped around and saw thenky, grinning man as the Archer hero gave him a little wave. "Hi."


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition.


    Ben stepped forward and held out a hand. Volio did not shake it, instead putting two cloth covered packages in his palm. "What''s this?" Ben asked.


    Volio stared off towards the South, "A letter from Lyn."


    Ben shook his head, poor bastard, he thought. "She''s gone, Volio. The sooner you ept that-"


    "No!" Volio shouted. And that caught Ben off guard. The man in front of him was always hesitant when speaking unless he was on a stage and couldn''t see the crowd. "She''s alive! I talked to her!" He shook his head, "Just give that other one to Trisha. I have to head to Misty next."


    Ben nodded and put the packages under his arm, "You want to stay for dinner?"


    "No. The sooner I finish, the sooner I can go back to her."


    Ben grimaced but nodded, "Well¡­are you going to at least say hi to Trisha?"


    "I can." Volio''s demeanor softened and the anger that was written across his visage faded away back to that of the shy theatre kid.


    The Guardian hero looked back at the trainees, who were watching the conversation with rapt attention. He shifted his tone to that of a disappointed father ¨C something he was quite good at using now. "Instead of standing around like trees, why don''t you split off and spar?" The trainees went to their task after the admonishing remark. Ben led the man up the hill to the house, and Trisha must have seen theming, because she was standing at the door waiting for them, their youngest child in her arms.


    "Volio! It''s been too long," she said with a smile.


    The Archer hero nodded, "It''s¡­been a while¡­how are your¡­how are Eli and Lyndra?"


    "They are good," Trisha replied, handing their baby off to Ben. "Oh, it''s been¡­seven years? You only knew Lyndra when she was a baby. And you haven''t even met Lawry! I''ll go get them-"


    Volio held up his hand, "I''m¡­not good with kids." He looked to the North, "Is¡­Misty at¡­her school?"


    "Yes. So is Thomas."


    Volio''s eyes brightened, and his tone changed dramatically to one of enthusiasm, "Great! That means I can get back to her faster. Two birds with one stone."


    Trisha looked over to Ben quizzically, and the Guardian hero unwrapped the package with one hand, using his hip to help hold his cooing daughter. He ripped the wax seal off with his teeth before reading the letter. What¡­holy shit. "Volio¡­is this true?"


    Volio grinned and nodded rapidly, "I told you, she''s back!"


    Trisha grabbed the letter from Ben''s hand, and he saw his wife''s face go from confusion to¡­an emotion he hadn''t seen on her face in quite some time. Fear. Why? He wondered. Trisha put the letter in her pocket, "Thank you for delivering this," she told the Archer hero. "Do you want to stay for dinner?"


    Volio nodded his head and his shy disposition took over once more, "I suppose...I can afford a little break..."


    Ben handed his daughter to his wife, "I''ll show you a guest house you can rest in." Ben walked with Volio down the hill, and the whole time he couldn''t help but wonder¡­what was in that letter that made Trisha afraid?


    Lyn felt the warmth flow through her body before exploding like a volcano. The entire hill they were defending was doused withva that sizzled and popped, rushing down the slope in a pyrostic flow that swept away all the undead that were assailing them. She felt her mana drain precipitously from the unfocused, one verse spell. But it worked. The trio were in the clear. She stood up and, to her relief, saw a bubble of water right in front of her that had turned some of the surroundingva to obsidian. She reached in and tapped Gael''s neck ¨C part that the armor didn''t cover ¨C and he dropped the spell. "We have five minutes before the next wave."


    Gael looked up at Lyn, and his eyes were full of tears. Vael''s neck was cut into, and blood was flowing down from a severed artery. "She''s¡­I don''t¡­"


    Despite the Destroyer core bottling up and pushing aside Lyn''s memories, one memory burst forth from that containing vessel. For a moment, Vael''s body was reced by William''s ¨C the Artificer hero ¨C who was in the same position. Trisha was holding him. "Get back!" Trisha ordered as a group of people in the crowd tried to see what was going on.


    "What happened?" Brad had asked as he knelt next to his best friend.


    "Fucking¡­" Trisha shook her head and set William down. He wasn''t moving and the blood had turned a dark ck. "A poisoned de. He''s already gone. It went right into his bloodstream. Fuck! I couldn''t do anything if I wanted to!"


    Lyn recalled the chase through the streets to find the assassin. Eventually cornering the man thanks to Brad using a divination spell to find the perpetrator. She captured the man with ease, and would have killed him on the spot if not for Jamesing over and saying that they needed to take him to the proper authorities.


    Those memories rushed by before Lyn forced them back. I don''t have time for this! She thought. Vael was dying, right in front of her, and she had no ability to use healing spells. Think! What can you do with- she knelt next to Gael. "Move your hand," she ordered. He shifted it and she covered the pulsing artery with her own. She''s not gone yet. "A thalion min / i d?ath en-gwathren a daw / cario hathol a posto han garan / batho han sui tir bandad / bartho n?n ¨²-anadar / a rosta i d?ath lend leithad min hain aegar / a pano ai del."


    Tendrils of shadowsshed out from her hand and dove into the wound, solidifying into leather-like patches that sealed up the artery. She''ll need proper healing, but she won''t bleed out. However, Lyn felt the low amount of mana in her core. I don''t think I can do another wave protecting these two also.


    Gael breathed a sigh of relief at the cessation of blood flowing from his sister. "Thank you."


    Lyn shook her head, and nced up into the sky. There, far above, was the timer slowly ticking down until the next wave. Two minutes. "I need you to stay alive. And keep her safe."


    Gael nodded and pushed his sister next to the obsidian chunks, covering her with his body and himself with the shield as best he could. "We''ll stay down."


    "Good," Lyn replied as she raised her hand once more. "Posto hain g?n a gond / a bartho hain o thiathol / anno hain haw an sui / a asgen." The rocks surrounding the twins grew over them bing a cocoon, and she had ensured to provide fresh air as well thanks to her wind capabilities.


    But the spells were taking a toll on her. Maintaining the internal spell for her own form, plus the shadow-binds on Vael''s wounds, plus the persistent air flow ¨C and not to mention Cataclysm''s de¡­If there''s another round after this next one, I''m fucked.

 Chapter 40

    Lyn held Cataclysm as the timer above ticked down. When it reached the Elenthian symbol for zero¡­the oceans roiled and bubbled. A horde of monstrosities simr to the first wave approached ¨C less in total, but they wererger. This is going to suck, she thought, knowing that these creatures''ck of mana-charged weaponry could do no real damage to her. Thank God for that Ironhide body enhancement. Not only that, but her armor was the toughest type of adamantine in existence, acting as Ironhide all on its own.


    She wasn''t concerned about injury as the hordes charged over the corpses of the fallen, crossing the gap made ofva and ignoring as their legs were seared off from their headlong charge into her earlier explosion. There was no fear of injury, no fear of death. And yet Lyn dreaded what she had to do now. Monotonousbor. Not a fight, just a job. Over and over again.


    The first group arrived, and she ducked under one of their ws, going inside of its reach and carving it in half. Immediately she was beset by three more and took blows to her body that knocked her to the ground. She rolled with the impact and stood up, carving in a horizontal sh with her momentum and slicing three more that had approached from the rear in half. "Come on you fuckers!" she yelled as the horde arrived in full.


    Every direction she looked, there was flesh. Every direction, weaponry swinging at her. She was battered back and forth repeatedly, and when she felt dizzy from bing concussed, she would incant the short regeneration internal spell so that she would not pass out.


    There was one threat she had not thought of, and that urred when one of therge, undead brutes gripped her arm, and another, her leg. Fuck! she thought, as she could feel her muscles pulling against the pressure. And that is when fear began to rise in her. Fear that she could die here. No amount of regeneration would be able to keep her from being torn to bits. If there''s another round after this, I''m fucked. But she had no choice. "Britha pan bo nin!" she screamed out as her amulet drained entirely, and her mana core was exhausted, tapped dry.


    The mana surged through her channels and the entire world erupted in a storm ofva. Her internal spells ceased, and her sight dimmed as the entire world was covered inva. Her spell covering the twins was still there ¨C since the earth stayed put. But the spell providing them with air was not active anymore. The whole world was awash in dark crimson and bright, neon-blue mes as the world ceased to exist for a brief instant. All was fire and destruction.


    The walls of the room returned, and the environment returned to normal. Lyn copsed to her knees as the world began to dim around her. And that''s when it hit her, right before unconsciousness took her.


    The external shadow spell that was keeping Vael from bleeding out had ceased as well.


    Cecilyughed at the banquet table. She had invited the several vassal state rulers from all around Vgonia to her pce. Only three had arrived. Sidalon, an ind duchy off of the coast to the South, Ishtok, another duchy which controlled a river separating Trisk''s and Vgonia''s territories to the North, and Brol, her Eastern-most duchy.


    The rest had sent condolences and excuses. She put on a gentle demeanor as she continued to tend to her current guests. As the fourth course of the meal concluded, she turned to Duchess Yeeza, the representative for Ishtok. "The crown is always thankful for our allies in yournds that prevent Trisk froming across The Rill," she said with as much honey in her tone as she could muster. The Rill was the river separating Trisk and Vgonia.


    The dark-skinned woman smiled and bowed gently, her sapphire earrings jiggling back and forth like melodious wind chimes. "You honor us, your grace."


    "As tensions grow, I need to ensure that your territories keep our foes away from our backs."


    "Mydy, you can always count on that. The Ishtok duchy has already taken the initiative and have instilled greater control and checks on the two main bridges crossing the waters. More levies are being prepared as well in case you need further troops. They are willing and eager to fight for Humanity."


    Cecily nodded politely and gestured to a guard, who brought over a scroll, and handed it to her. "I thank you for your service, and hereby name you as Warden of the East." She looked at the woman, who absolutely beamed with delight. "And you, my loyal Fredrick," she said addressing the ruler of Brol, "I would ask to assist in this effort." Cecily grinned as the two rulers looked at each other fondly. She had been utilizing mind manipting spells since they arrived two days prior; and thankfully, they didn''t need much nudging. Manipting emotions such as love and affection is so much easier when there''s already a physical attraction.


    Fredrick, Duke of Brol, stood up and bowed deeply, "I would be honored to assist my dear Yeeza in ruling the East." He looked to the woman and bowed deeply once more, "If you would have me, that is."


    The two shared a fond moment, and Cecily focused her attention to the short man on the opposite side of the table. Duke David of Sidalon. My buffer for an invasion from the coast. Sidalon was home to some of the best shipwrights within her kingdom''s borders. They had churned out several new, top-of-the-line vessels that would be invaluable in the inevitable wars that Cecily nned to wage against Khrrdia and Trisk. But this man had shown a remarkable level of stubbornness and mental resistance.


    David harrumphed, the bald man scoffing at the other rulers opposite him. "These two may control the East on your behalf, Queen- forgive me, Princess Cecily." She felt her eyebrow twitch at the insult. "But I do not see the Dukes or Duchesses of Bisdkon, Skrell, Logor, Komorra, or Rist. And that makes me ponder if you truly have control of your kingdom. Yes, you purged the non-Humans, and for that I am grateful¡­but a ruler is only as powerful as her people¡­and theirck of attendance is a vote of no confidence."


    Cecily knew the man spoke truth. I have to crush and rece those nobles, she thought. Which meant more civil war. Something she could afford, as she had troops aplenty. But it would leave her in a position where she would not be able to go to war against James. In that aspect, however, she was also lucky. If she kept to her side of the Azure Divide, he would not be the aggressor. She nodded and addressed Duke David, "You are correct. I will be dealing with them soon."


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the vition.


    A servant ran up to her side and whispered in her ear, "The Berserker Hero has been spotted entering the city, your grace. What are your orders?"


    Cecily grinned. Perfect. I can use him to deal with these upstart nobles. She whispered back, "Bring him to my personal chambers."


    Gael felt the air growing thin as the earth vanished. He took a deep breath as the air rushed in around him. ncing sideways, he saw Lyn prone and unconscious, her chest slowly rising and falling. He felt warmth on his hand, and looked down.


    Vael was bleeding again. Damn! He thought. How do I fix this? He could only use internal spells and water external spells. Right. Remember what Lyn showed you, he thought as he thought back to when she showed him how to cleanse poison from a wound. But that won''t help me! His mind raced and he felt panic beginning to overtake him as Vael continued to bleed out.


    Blood¡­That''s it! He didn''t know much about Elenthir as anguage, only the bit that Lyn had taught him. But he could maybe use a standard verse and¡­wing it? Try something! He held his hand over her pulsing wound. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / leithio nin garan / a sedho nin d?n / tog nin agar / a anno han hain." He cut his hand as he chanted the verse. A standard healing verse that most warriors learned ¨C even if they weren''t skilled healers, they could pass on the verse to others. But he had used the word for ''blood'' and ''take'', hoping that whatever forces worked to create spells beyond his sight would understand what he desired to aplish.


    He saw with a mix of wonder and horror as blood flowed from his wound and into Vael''s cut artery. It wouldn''tst forever, but he could give her his blood. Maybe long enough for Lyn to recover. "Lyn!" he shouted. She didn''t stir. "Get the fuck up!" he cried out, feeling the tearsing on as he began to get dizzy. He halfheartedly tossed his spear with his lingering strength, and it ttered against Lyn''s back.


    She sat up and nced back at him. "Damnit! You''re not dying on me!" She crawled over and growled out the same spell she had used before. The shadows swirled around both Gael and Vael''s wounds, binding them tightly. She leaned back on her hands and let out a deep exhale. "That was close. How''d you figure out a transfusion spell?"


    "Trans-what?" Gael asked as the world slowly stabilized around him.


    "You gave her your blood. Did you know that you could?" Lyn asked.


    Gael shook his head, "No. I didn''t know that I could even manipte blood."


    "It''s a sub-type of water. It goes water, and then underneath that is another sub-type for blood. Since you have such a strong connection to water spells¡­you can ess any sub-type under that umbre." Sheid back on the ground andughed. "Give me a bit to recover some mana, and I''ll walk you through a clotting spell."


    "What''s an umbre?"


    Misty emerged from her solitude after several days. She went to the chambers allocated to Thomas, and to her surprise, found not only him there, but himughing. He was sitting with Stes, and the Vharthon woman''s tail swished back and forth, signaling her own delight. Thomas looked up at her and waved, "Finally decided to join the real world?"


    Misty stood still in the doorway, "I thought I told you to get out?"


    Thomas nodded, "We did. Out of your office."


    She looked at Stes, who did not avert her gaze, but instead met her sight. That was odd, as the fox-folk woman was very averse to making eye contact. "Stes? Don''t you have studies to attend? A fourth-year should be in ss."


    Stes looked over at Thomas and stood up, bowing to Misty. "I appreciate your tutge, but I will be leaving the school."


    Misty felt anger flood through her. No student had ever left her school. They all stayed. Her first graduating ss would be done that winter, and she hoped it would be the first of many. She shot a re at Thomas and saw the sheaves of parchment filled with Elenthir. So that''s what this is about. She smirked at Thomas, "You know she''s not into you, right? Just your brains." She turned back to Stes, "And let me guess, you''re going to travel with Thomas and benefit from one-on-one Elenthir tutoring?"


    Stes nodded resolutely, "Yes, Professor Misery. He has expressed a desire to travel south to see the Healer hero, Trisha. It is not safe for someone with such a weak mana core to travel, and I offered to go with him in exchange for his tutoring."


    Misty frowned. Stes was one of the promising students. One of the few Vharthon students despite her school being in the fox-folk''s kingdom. They just didn''t have a knack for written Elenthir, sadly. Misty pinched the bridge of her nose, "You¡­you ungrateful." She looked at Thomas. "Fine. Take her with you." She turned on her heel and left. She had other business to attend to.


    Her time in her closet safe space gave her enough room to process the promation from days ago. She ascended the main tower from her office and quarters. One of the first pieces of the enormous construction was this central tower, and at the top, she had inscribed amplification verses for any spell type she could imagine. I have to know. She reached the roof and ced her hand on the pir that would allow for near-limitless range. And here''s the sucky part. Divination spells were always nauseating. The feeling of being pulled out of one''s own body and just having their consciousness ripped from its housing was jolting. She took a deep breath, "Leithio nin cen tr? i ambar, a rada i brithon."


    Her vision left her body and raced across Ghomar. Past the hundreds of miles to the Valley of the Volcano, over Shiverburn Summit, and towards the person the spell was meant to find. She saw the city being built, and her gaze dashed down tunnels that were being fitted with pipes. Off a side corridor, her vision mmed into a gate. The Destroyer¡­is in a dungeon? She could get around this. "Leithio nin ind rithia i fen / en garan bo nin." Her vision passed through the purple membrane, and she felt the icky almost jelly-like substance on her own skin back at her body.


    Three chambers and corridors were passed through, and her vision settled in a spot above three Duskari. One who was dressed in the armor of the Destroyer''s humanoid form, minus the helmet. A bright-blue eyed Duskari with stark, white hair, was talking about umbres. A male Duskari was next to her, intrigued by the conversation at hand. And a female Duskari was on the ground, her body covered with blood but bound by shadowy bands. No healing? They''re taking a risk without a healer along with them. She had to admit, though¡­that shadow spell was clever. Not many mages could do that.


    But the female in the Destroyer''s armor¡­something about the way she spoke. The cadence. The speech patterns. The emphasis on the hard g''s of her words¡­it was just like Lyn. Not only that, but she used the word for ''coagte'' in Elenthir¡­which wasn''t a word that originally existed in thatnguage. She had to have invented the word using their alphabet. Thanks to her Mage core, Misty knew thenguage inside and out, and even unfamiliar words were instantly tranted in her mind.


    Misty dismissed the spell as her vision snapped back inside her body. She reeled and slumped down on the tower-top; the divination had a jarring, nauseating effect on the user the further they traveled, and she rolled over, dry heaving as the feeling overtook her. After taking several deep, shaky breaths, she collected herself.


    Either Duskari know Elenthir way better than we thought¡­or that really is Lyn.

 Chapter 41

    Lyn finished walking Gael through the spell, and he finished the verses. After waiting several seconds, Vael''s breathing steadied. Good thing they''re both the same blood type, she thought. She released the shadow spell and saw to her satisfaction that Gael''s blood spell did work as she envisioned it. Vael''s veins were knit back together, and even though the skin was still ruptured through, her blood was staying in her. "She''ll live," Lyn said with relief.


    Gael''s eyes were streaming tears and he leaned forward to grab his sister, but hesitated, and looked to Lyn. "Thank you¡­you saved her."


    "No, you did."


    Gael shook his head and cradled his sibling, "You warned us, and we didn''t listen."


    Lyn put her hand on his shoulder, the relief she felt turning to concern for Gael''s mental wellbeing. She knew how difficult it was to see an ally felled. Thankfully, they would avoid the devestation of Vael''s death. "I should have exined the various threats that we could have encountered. That''s my bad."


    "It''s¡­it''s okay. I forgive you."


    Lyn felt her Destroyer core bubbling as the mana continued to fill her up inside, slowly recharging. "I wasn''t asking for your forgiveness. I did warn you." Lyn cupped his chin and pulled his gaze up to meet hers. "I care for you two. As allies. As lovers¡­But do not mistake that for affection." I don''t think I could ever fall in love with someone, she thought. She didn''t want that level of connection. Especially now that she knew, if she stayed alive, she was practically immortal thanks to the internal regeneration spell. The idea of outliving a belovedpanion was something she didn''t know if she coulde back from ¨C even with the Destroyer core inuring her to the bad memories that were now even more isted from her conscious thoughts.


    Vael breathed smoothly but was not waking. Lyn stood up and looked down the hallway. "This was thest trial," she stated. "Come on, pick her up. We''re finishing this and leaving." Gael did as he was told, and carried his sister as Lyn led the way to the altar. There were five items sitting there. Two of them were boxes that she knew contained dungeon cores. The other three were ss bottles of various sizes, with Elenthirbels. Farsight Eyedrops, which would give the user the ability to zoom in their vision up to several miles away. Faerie''s Intuition, which would amplify her cognition and reaction speed. Andstly Crystal Marrow, which effectively hardened the bones to be as hard to break as diamonds.


    She looked back at Gael, "There''s enough here for two doses of each. I''ll, of course, be taking all three. So, you two can argue over who gets what."


    "I don''t know what they do," Gael replied.


    Lyn grabbed the items and put them into the storage choker. "I''ll tell youter." She then went to the first chest and opened it. Lifting it, she peered into the crackling sphere. She heard words in her mind that were not hers. Those of a calm woman, speaking in Elenthir. You have bested my dungeon. I, Tenurel, Tide-Tender, give you the ability to manipte the element of lightning. The spherepressed and flooded into her mana channel.


    It met her Destroyer core, and there was a brief ¨C very brief ¨C struggle between the lesser core and her more powerful one. The lightning was consumed, and she could feel the crackle of energy course through her body before settling. Pulling Cataclysm, she poured mana into it, and was pleased to see that it crackled with electricity as well as the other elementalism types she had at her disposal.


    She went to the other box and opened it, lifting the deep, blue mana core. The same message reyed in her mind, but instead of lightning, it said water. The core shrunk, was absorbed, and she exhaled a burst of steam as the Destroyer core consumed that one as well. Her de cascaded with water. Turning to Gael, she put Cataclysm away. "Ready to get out of here?" He nodded, and she put her hand onto the pedestal.


    Lynhold was teeming with life. Brad was quite shocked at the change from thest time he had visited the Valley of the Volcano. A thriving town ¨C made mostly of wood ¨C was in the process of being erected. And there was far more being built than the scant poption would suggest was required. She must be nning an expansion, Brad thought. He was escorted to the front of the fortress itself, and when he saw that enormous citadel¡­he was scared. The day they had snuck inside to fight the Demonic Dragon was cemented into his thoughts, and he reyed the events in his mind.


    Lyn and James were at the front of the group as they probed the enormous door leading to the fortress interior. "It''s not going to budge without noise," Lyn had whispered down the line of heroes who were all sneaking along the edge of the building.


    Brad pushed his way through the line, "I''ve got this," he whispered as he pulled several powdered herbs in vials from his belt. Muttering a series of water spells, the sks began to hiss and bubble as the dehydrated and powdered acidicpounds were activated. He tipped the fluid from the vials onto the locks, and a gout of steam and smoke rose as they ate through the impediment.


    James pped him on the back, "Good job." He pulled out his divine de and pushed the door open ¨C slowly. There was a violent shrieking sound that permeated through the air around them as some type of inscription ward went off. "Fuck," James said as he stepped through and began fighting some foe in the darkness.


    Brad wheeled around as therge encampment of Duskari in front of the citadel turned on the heroes. He remembered scrabbling around his clothing trying to find the right potion, in a panic, as one of the Duskari warriors descended on him. Lyn stepped in front of him and speared the man through the neck, and the blood burst out, covering Brad''s face. She activated her artifact spear and with a single thrust blew a hole through the rushing attackers ¨C a gust of wind with the strength of a battering ram.


    This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    He remembered wiping the blood from his eyes and meeting the gaze of the corpse on the ground. That sight stuck with him. The empty, vacant stare. Thankfully, the whole cluster of Duskari that were present were obliterated with Lyn''s ability; and so none of the living Duskari would know his face.


    In the present he dismounted almost mechanically and followed the squad inside the building. He was led through familiar corridors, recalling the violent bloodshed as Ben took the lead with Kory right beside him. Brad remembered the elementals ¨C raw magical energy given form and a purpose if the mana used for the spell held out.


    The lightning elementals were the worst, as they dashed about almost unchecked and were impossible to track, moving at the speed of lightning. Somehow, Lyn and James were able to react in time and kill those off ¨C but Brad remembered the pain of the electricity jolting through his body. If not for body enhancement, he would have died that day.


    Then¡­they arrived in the throne room. The chamber was empty save for several tents that had been erected. The dais where the Demonic Dragon in its humanoid form once sat was pushed aside, a set of stairs spiraling down. But Brad was caught in the memories, reliving that day when the heroes burst into the chamber. The cackling voice of the Demonic Dragon, taunting them. The melee between him and the more martial-aligned heroes. Brad and the rest were not able to get involved due to the proximity of the fighters to each other.


    And then, the transformation. None of the heroes had expected it to pull off that stunt. And the sheer power it had, almost crushing Ben with a single swipe of its massive ws, and throwing Kory across the room, shattering his spine. He remembered feeling useless. He never should havee with the party that day. He wasn''t a fighter.


    "Are you there?" someone asked him in Khrrdian.


    Brad brought himself back to the present and looked down at the slightly shorter woman. She was an older Duskari, and she bowed slightly. "Good, someone who speaks anguage I know."


    The woman bowed, "I am Chancellor Vehenna. I serve Lady Rivers, the Destroyer."


    "Do you mean Lyn?"


    The woman nodded but was frowning. "I would not advise disrespecting her in that fashion."


    Vehenna pointed at the emblem that Brad had inteced into his belt loop. "You bear the mark of safe passage."


    Brad nodded and grinned, "So¡­where is she?"


    "Right here," he heard in English. Turning around, he saw a sight he was not expecting in the slightest. A Duskari woman who was shorter than him, with stark white hair and piercing blue eyes rather than the red of their race. She was dressed in the same ck armor as the Demonic Dragon had been, but it entuated her frame nicely. Next to her was a tall Duskari man, holding a female who appeared injured. She switched to Arinol and said something, and the Chancellor ran over to the woman held in the man''s grip.


    "I can help," Brad said in Khrrdian, walking over as the Chancellor peered at him with suspicion. He rummaged around in his satchel and produced a series of poultices. Pouring mana into them, they were charged with the magical power and glowed bright green. He looked at the woman iming to be Lyn and switched to English. "May I help?"


    Lyn smirked, "Go ahead."


    Brad ced the poultice on the woman''s neck, and the skin patched over. "Much faster than a lengthy verse," he stated.


    The Chancellor said something in Arinol to Lyn, and she replied in kind, as the tall Duskari and the Chancellor walked away. It left Lyn alone with Brad in the throne room. Lyn gestured to a set of chairs near one of the tents and switched back to English, "Please, sit. I''m sure we have a lot to catch up on." Brad did as instructed ¨C quite used to following the whims of stronger women thanks to his near-envement by Cecily. Lyn sat opposite him and smiled. "Good thing your body enhancement for your eyes is still active." She gestured to the chamber, "They haven''t put the lighting up yet."


    Brad nced around, "I hadn''t noticed," he admitted. Darksight Drops. Thank God I was able to make my own. That was one of the unique capabilities of the Alchemist core. He could make the best body enhancement substances. He noted that Lyn''s skin had the geometric pattern and coloration of several body enhancements ¨C and they were excellent quality. As good as something he could produce. "So¡­you''re really Lyn?"


    Lyn nodded, "Yup. It''s been ten years. Crazy, right?" She pointed at the symbol on his belt, "And I assume you read the letter?"


    "Yes. Am I the first one to arrive?"


    "Since Volio left to deliver the letters? Yeah. Thomas was here briefly, but he ran off due to a misunderstanding." Lyn''s armor shifted and warped, revealing more of her skin. She leaned back in the chair and kicked her legs up on a nearby table, "What have you been up to?"


    "I¡­I tried to start up a business. It got me kicked out of two kingdoms. I set up in Shereld, but then Cecily took over." He took a deep breath. "She¡­did things to me." Lyn''s face was unreadable, so he shrugged and continued, "She fucked with my mind. But eventually I got enough of her trust that she didn''t feel the need to use those spells anymore. And then Volio showed up and broke me out."


    "He did?" Lyn asked with genuine surprise. "I wouldn''t expect him to do something like that."


    "Right? Anyways. I''m here because¡­if you''re really Lyn¡­then you need all the help you can get." He lowered his voice to just above a whisper. "Cecily has been getting stronger. For years. She''s doing that thing we were told never to do."


    Lyn''s eyes narrowed, "She''s harvesting mana cores?" Brad nodded. "What method? Torture?"


    "Yeah. Fucked up stuff. It makes what she did to me tame inparison." He shook his head, "She''s incredibly strong. And you''re probably one of the only people who can protect me from her. James could probably protect me as well, but he hates my guts. The same with Misty."


    "In other words," Lyn replied, "You ran out of options of people to hide behind."


    Brad chuckled and nodded, "What can I say? I''m a coward. I don''t like fighting. I just want to help people now."


    "Help them get high?"


    Brad shook his head, "No. I went cold turkey and got clean from everything. Now I''m in the pharmaceutical industry." He stood up, reached into his satchel, and pulled out several bottles full of pills that he had been developing for Cecily. "That bitch had me working onbat stimnts that were non-addictive and with limited side effects. I was also creating antibiotics, cancer medicine¡­pretty much anything you can think of."


    Lyn stood up and grabbed one of the bottles, examining it. She nced sidelong at him and grinned devilishly, "You want a job?" Brad nodded and she handed him the bottle. "Then let''s make a deal. I will protect you. You want apprentices? I''ll find some for you. You want raw materials? I''ll get them for you."


    "And what''s the catch?" Brad asked as he palmed the pill bottle.


    "You''re going to start up this pharmaceutical industry in my new empire."


    Brad grinned and felt an emotion he hadn''t experienced since his prison break. A feeling of hope and renewed purpose. "As long as you''re okay with me making a few intoxicants with no side-effects. You know, just something to help take the edge off."


    Lyn nodded, "That seems fine. As long as it won''t cause something like the opioid crisis back on Earth. And¡­as long as it won''t cause issues. You know, lung cancer and that type of shit."


    Brad nodded, "I won''t do that to your people."


    "Our people. You''re part of this now." Lyn held out her hand, and Brad shook it. "Let''s get started."


    "With pleasure." Brad heaved a sigh of relief internally. Finally¡­I''m safe.

 Chapter 42

    Lyn spent much of that evening with Brad in discussion. She had to call Bhrm to their meeting, and Brad put together a list of what he needed to begin. He would be developing and producing antibiotics, poultices that could act as rapid-application bandages ¨C like what he had used on Vael ¨C so that she wouldn''t have to distribute healers amongst her forces. He took up residence in the throne room of the Demonic Dragon, settling in one of the sumptuously appointed tents.


    Lyn made her way into the Conve with Bhrm. The older man had his head down, contemting the ground. "What troubles you?" Lyn asked.


    "My Lady," he muttered before raising his gaze to meet hers. "I am¡­concerned. My daughter has yet to find a suitable partner, and she is getting on in years."


    Lyn groaned internally. Does this guy want me to y matchmaker? The fuck. "Okay. Is this something that will affect her or your duties?"


    The elder Duskari shook his head, "No. It will not impede our duties. But¡­well, Gael is your bodyguard."


    Lyn nodded, "I get what you''re asking. I''ll inquire with him."


    Bhrm bowed his head, "My thanks."


    They split at a fork in the tunnel, and Lyn went towards the infirmary. Making her way inside, she found Chancellor Vehenna chatting with an awake and yet still woozy Vael. "Good, you lived."


    Vael looked past the Chancellor and bowed her head, "My Lady, thank you for saving me."


    "My Lady, this Alchemist hero you have manipted into your empire¡­his poultice worked wonders." Vehenna stood up, gesturing to the wound. "This is as good as my best spell I could produce for healing. And yet he performed it with a simple poultice!"


    Lyn shrugged, "The more heroes I can put under my control, the better. Go to my chambers, and grab that parchment with the body enhancing tolerance spell. We have more to utilize." The Chancellor bowed and left. The room was empty, and Lyn shut the door before sitting on the bed next to Vael. "This is why I warned you two about dungeons. They are dangerous."


    Vael nodded tersely, "Forgive me for almost dying."


    Gael shook his head, "It''s not your fault."


    "It''s mine," Lyn stated. "I should have told you about every possible encounter we could have met in a dungeon." She looked between the two, "Enough about pity. Let''s talk body enhancement. You both have to decide-"


    "She''s getting them," Gael replied before she could finish. "Vael is getting them all."


    "Are you sure?"


    He nodded and looked at his sister, "She needs it more than me."


    She chuckled and nodded. "Apologies Lyn. I''m tired."


    Lyn nodded and led Gael out of the room. They began towards her chambers. "I also have something from Bhrm," she started. "His daughter Menora has the hots for you."


    "I''m sorry¡­the hots?"


    Lyn chuckled, "Right. She wants to reproduce with you."


    Gael nodded tersely, "If that is what youman-"


    "No," Lyn said, stopping him in the hallway and standing in front of him. "I am not going to force you to marry, breed, whatever the fuck Duskari call it. You are my bodyguard, and you get to choose what you desire."


    Gael nodded, "If she wishes a child, I can give her one. However¡­my heart belongs to another."


    Lyn groaned, "If you say me, I swear to God I will shove my boot so far up your ass-"


    Gael shook his head. "No. It''s not you."


    "Who is it?"


    "Bolvon," Gael replied as a blush came over his face.


    Lyn shrugged, "Well, I leave it to your discretion."


    "We do not marry, by the way. Duskari find a suitable partner, have at least one child ¨C sometimes more than one ¨C and then conclude their partnership when either person tires of the other."


    "That''s progressive," Lynmented as they arrived at her chambers, and she opened the doors. "As long as you''re fine plowing me when I ask you to, I don''t mind who you partner up with."


    Gael grinned, "Of course, my Lady."


    Lyn went into the restroom and dismissed her armor, sitting in the tub as Vehenna stood next to her with the written spell. "My Lady, you have the body enhancing items?"


    Lyn reached into her storage choker and pulled out the three. "Yes." First came the Farsight Eyedrops, which burned horrifically. It felt like her eyes were going to melt out of her skull ¨C but the spell kicked in and she didn''t have to deal with the pain. Next was Faerie''s Intuition, which she had to snort. That sent her brain reeling and she went on the worst acid trip ever from the effect on her brain. Last was Crystal Marrow ¨C and that one would be the absolute worst. Unlike the other body enhancing items, this one required the user to apply it to the bone. Vehenna handed the parchment to Gael, and he used the multi-verse spell as she took a shard of obsidian to Lyn''s flesh, charging it with mana to bypass the Ironhide body enhancement.


    Lyn felt that pain. It was dull thanks to the spell, but there was a feeling of horror when one saw their own flesh cut apart and saw raw, white bone. That process took a full hour and was the second time Lyn had experienced the procedure. The first time was back when Trisha applied it post-dungeon. She described the experience as, "Anatomically interesting but horrifying in practice."


    After the hour had passed, and the procedure was finished, Lyn used the internal regeneration spell to repair herself almost instantly. "Good." She gestured to the doorway, "Go and apply these to Vael." The two bowed and left, as Lyn poured mana into the tub''s inscription, filling it with boiling water.


    "My Lady," a male voice said from the corner of the room.


    Lyn stood up and drew Cataclysm, igniting the de with mana as the room illuminated. Bolvon was standing in the corner. "How long have you been there?" she asked.


    "As soon as you arrived from the dungeon, your grace." He knelt and bowed his head, "Forgive the intrusion, but I did not wish to disturb your enhancement."


    Lyn dismissed Cataclysm and sank back into the tub. "I assume you have some news?"


    He nodded and stood up, "Poweno is dead. And at the insistence of Velenna, I investigated Bhrm and Menora."


    "And?"


    "Something is off with the books and ledgers. Someone is stealing money."


    Lyn nodded and gestured for him to approach, "And the Spymaster has been informed?"


    "Yes, my goddess."


    "Good. Thank you for your services, Shadowstalker Bolvon."


    The man bowed and left her to luxuriate in the hot water. Goddess¡­I like the sound of that more and more.


    Stes pulled the horses to a stop and dismounted. She led them both by the bridle to a small stream that ran alongside the road through Western Trisk, and Thomas roused back to consciousness at the sudden shift in direction. I have no clue how he sleeps in the saddle, she thought.


    "Good morning," Thomas said as he slipped off his mount and stretched. "How far did we get?"


    This tale has been uwfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Stes looked at the nearby mountains. This was just outside of Vharthos ¨C her homnd, a small kingdom on the border of Trisk. She knew this area inside and out. "About three days out from Professor Misery''s school."


    Thomas nodded and squatted next to the stream, sshing water on his face. "Good. Only a few days to get there."


    Stes went to the saddle bags and pulled out one of her notebooks, sitting down on a small rock and preparing ink and quill. She looked at Thomas expectantly, and the former Knowledge hero looked at her with a gleam in his eyes that she couldn''t quite identify. "We left off at gerunds," she reminded him.


    He nodded, "Right¡­those." Thomasunched into a lengthy exnation, and Stes was riveted to his every word. She was receiving tutge from arguably the most learned being in existence on Ghomar, whose mastery of Elenthir was second only to the Mage hero. But Professor Misery was busy running a whole school and teaching dozens of students. Stes had the opportunity of a lifetime, all because she chose to skip ss and was punished by having to tend to thea patient.


    She had grown up in one of the farming viges within the kingdom of Vharthos. But she was born with multiple tails; an external sign of the Vharthon race that denoted them as having a particrly potent mana core ¨C and she had six of them, when the most ever recorded was twelve.


    For most of her youth, she was at the king''s court, learning from his court mage. But when Professor Misery opened her school, she was sent there instead. The four years were enjoyable, and she made lots of friends. But the learning was slower than she had hoped.


    Here, with Thomas, she could ask any question she thought of. And he was more than happy to share his learning. The opportunity was just too good to pass up. Even more than that, though, she knew that she could y him like a fiddle. He was a man without his best friend. His pet wyvern had been killed, and she could tell by his reactions how close he was to his animalpanion. As soon as she had shown a tiny bit of feigned interest, hetched onto the attention.


    Was it maniptive? Yes. But they were both benefiting from this symbiotic partnership. She learned Elenthir from a world-ss tutor, and he had apanion to talk to. I''ll keep this up as long as I can¡­or until I''ve learned all I can from him. She knew that his vast repository of knowledge and learning wouldst her a long, long time.


    Lyn left the citadel and walked through Lynhold, using her earth spells to help create solid stone structures to rapidly expand the city. But she was only passing through, as she headed towards the Eastern edge of the Valley. She followed the map from her bracer, and eventually had to channel mana for a three-dimensional representation of the environment. There was a small hole in the ground, and using earth elementalism, she widened it before dropping down. She was in a low cavern, and had to crouch-walk forward before she eventually ttened herself to squeeze through a low-hanging shelf. This led her into a sparkling chamber ¨C the interior of which was like a geode. A gateway stood in front of her. A simple, silver arch. This door marks the dungeon of Priva, Assassin. Threat within ¨C time trial. Reward ¨C dungeon core and artifact.


    Lyn took a deep breath. A time trial was a unique type of dungeon. Instead of a week, she would only have whatever arbitrary time that was set by the Elenthian who made it. If she didn''t clear it in time, she would be returned to the entrance, and it would vanish and travel across the world. I wonder¡­She channeled mana into the map bracer. Okay bracer¡­mark this one for tracking? To her ecstatic delight, the dot she was standing near on the map turned deep purple. Good shit.


    She went through her whole suite of internal spells as her muscles expanded and her physical traits were increased massively. Thanks to Faerie''s Intuition, she could sharpen her reaction time even further, to the point that she could see and dodge iing projectiles. Not fast enough to dodge a bullet, but damned close. She took a deep breath and incanted one more spell. "Posto nin a gwathren / a doltho nin o thiathol / cario nin ¨²-enni / min i d?." Her body became wrapped in shadows as the spell caused the substance to cling to her body. If she was in a dark ce, she would blend into the darkness. Not even Duskari or enhanced vision would be able to see her ¨C only divination spells, or some other extrasensory ability would be able to spot her.


    She stepped through the shimmering purple barrier and was in a square chamber with a pedestal. She walked forward, gripping Cataclysm''s hilt in her left hand, and pressed the button. A series of words appeared in front of her in Elenthir. Time Trial: Infiltrate the templeplex without detection and assassinate the high priest of Aelor.


    The walls fell away, and she stood in a city. Far off in the distance was arge hill with cliffs on all but one side. The enormous temple structure atop the hill was like the Acropolis in Athens, and the city around her bustled. It was midday, so there were not plentiful shadows. A timer appeared above the temple; she had one hour.


    Channeling mana into Cataclysm, she shifted it into the dual dagger configuration. The hilt shortened in her left hand, and another one appeared in her right as the daggers ignited withva. But it did not burn and flicker, it was dull and muted. Crackling electricity arced along the des, as wind billowed around the edges, infused with shadow, water, and shards of rock. She walked through the busy streets. The humanoid forms around here were all hooded and cloaked ¨C their features impossible to discern.


    Ten minutester she stood at the base of the hill. The path leading up was heavily guarded. She instead went around the base of the hill to the cliffs on one side. Looking up, she muttered a spell. "D¨ªrui atho i gaear bo nin / an leithio nin na / i amarth en h¨ºn." The ground rose under her feet and rocketed skyward silently, slowing as she approached the top of the cliff. She stepped onto therge teau and dashed over to a wall, putting her back to it and blending into the shadows. She waited for several moments, listening, and eventually heard guards patrolling. Staying perfectly still, only flexing her muscles to keep them from cramping, she waited. A pair of guards rounded the wall she was next to, and they passed by. She moved the direction they hade from, staying along the wall.


    She found a doorway and eased it open, slipping inside the templeplex. Right. Now to find the high priest. She went down the left-hand hallway, slinking along the wall.


    James put his head into his hands and groaned. Why is good help so hard to find? Thest few days had been trying to say the least. Cecily had sent a message back agreeing to the terms, so that was one small issue dealt with. But he knew that would notst forever. She still doesn''t forgive me, he thought. And he had done what she had wanted to do. He had taken over the kingdom. I''m no better than her.


    He sighed and looked across his desk at the piles of paper. Missives congratting him on his new position from every single duchy within the kingdom. Even the Free City of Bashinol whichy off the coast congratted him on taking the throne from King Kristoph. But as always, those congrattions came with various requests. Requests, he knew, that could turn to demands. And if he did not at least meet some of those demands, then the duchies could dere independence ¨C and he did not have the heart to engage in a civil war.


    Standing up, James looked out therge window and over the capital of Kor''s Hold. Looking out upon it used to bring him a sense of wonder and appreciation. Now¡­he just felt responsibility. For this whole thing.


    A voice came to his ears. A familiar, female voice. One that he had not heard in two years, speaking in English. "James? You there?"


    He smiled, "Misty, hi. It''s been a while-"


    "You fucking asshole! You killed Thomas?"


    James went silent. Yes, I did, is what he wanted to say. But the guilt of the action gnawed at his mind. "I had no choice," he muttered.


    "Well good fucking job. Thanks to you, he''s a wreck! And he took one of my most promising students!"


    What? "What are you talking about?"


    "Oh, right. I brought him back."


    James'' eyes widened in shock. "How?"


    "None of your business. Thomas is alive and well. He doesn''t have the hero core anymore, and he told me about the statue." She let out a frustrated sound of aggravation. "And now, he''s left to visit Trisha and Ben. And, like I said, one of my best students went with him. You owe me."


    James felt relief. He had killed Thomas, yes, and the guilt was still there. But Thomas was alive. "I''m sorry," he whispered.


    "You should be. Why the fuck did you kill his wyvern? Do you know how much that screwed with him? He''s going to be a wreck for God-knows how long!"


    "I had to make a judgement call. And I thought you didn''t like Thomas after he slept with Lyn-"


    "Don''t you fucking dare talk about her."


    James nodded to himself. "Yeah, okay¡­Volio came by. He had a letter for me from someone iming to be Lyn. It was written in English." He pulled it out of his pocket and read the contents to Misty.


    "Where the fuck is my letter?" she mumbled.


    "Volio said you were going to be one of thest ces on his route." James closed his eyes and tried to listen to his mana core. The lingering voice of Aelor. But it was silent. "Volio is convinced it''s her, but he thought she survived for all these years. For all we know, it''s just a Duskari withva elementalism."


    "How do you know that?"


    "Thomas saw it. He talked to her briefly beforeing to see me."


    Misty sighed, "No one can useva elementalism. Not even me."


    That surprised James. He thought Misty could do literally anything with Elenthir, having full mastery of thenguage. "Really?"


    "Yes. Only the Destroyer core can useva elementalism, a sub-type underneath fire. It''s something that is so potent, so violent, that only one mana core can exert control over it. I mean, I could use ava elementalism spell, but I would probably be destroyed by it." She went silent for a moment before continuing, "I''ll do some investigating. If this is actually Lyn, then I''m going to find out."


    "If it is Lyn," James said softly, "Then could you apologize to her? Not just for me, but for all of us; taking the glory of the kill. I know it was a fucked-up thing to do."


    "No. You can apologize yourself. Just like you should apologize to Thomas. Not that I care about him. Or you. In fact, go fuck yourself you arrogant dick."


    James waited with bated breath for her to say something else, but after waiting for a minute, he knew that she had ended the spell. He went back to his chair and sank into it. None of the heroes were his friends anymore. I don''t need friends, he thought. Not when I have my Paragon core. Not when I have my family.


    It hurt, still, knowing that he was still the outcast among the students. He only had one real friend, and he had killed the man. Thomas would want nothing to do with him. James had isted himself from all the other heroes.


    The mana core whispered to him. The voice of Aelor, a single, tiny fragment of the deity''s lingering consciousness. It faintly encouraged him. No, you''re right, he told himself in his mind. He was the Paragon. He needed no one else. He was the hero, chosen by a deity. My family, duty, and mana core are all I need.

 Chapter 43

    Lyn had been inside ruined temples to Aelor before. They were dotted around Ghomar, with many having been converted to non-religious use. She crept silently up a set of stairs to the second floor ¨C where she knew the innermost chambers would be. She ducked into an alcove behind a statue and had to wait as two priests stood at the edge of the railing overlooking the main floor below. It gave her time to think back to the first time they had found one of these ces.


    "It''s just like temples around the Mediterranean," Cecily hadmented when they arrived at therge templeplex near the coast. They were in the South of Khrrdia, in the duchy known as Faron; a prosperous river-oceanic trade region. "Why is it so simr?" she wondered aloud as the group of heroes ¨C Lyn, Thomas, and Misty ¨C stood nearby.


    Misty leaned over to Lyn and whispered, "Dumb bitch. Why did we have to bring her along?"


    Lyn shook her head, "Diplomacy. You''re not a people person. I''m not. Thomas could be, but he gets too caught up in-"


    As if proving her point, Thomas walked up to Cecily. He pointed to one of the supporting pirs, "It''s simr in style to Roman Doric pirs, but has no Caryatids or Pedimental sculptures." All the heroes looked at him, confused, and he chuckled. "Right. No women holding up the building, and no decoration at the top. It''s¡­a simple design. Architecture is simr all across cultures because certain shapes just work."


    Cecily walked toward the front of the ruined building, and the rest of the heroes followed. "Who did they worship?" Cecily asked as she put her hand on the smooth granite.


    "Aelor, the creator deity," Thomas replied. "You know, the god we each have a fragment of inside of us?"


    Misty cocked her head sideways ¨C which she always did as she tried to solve a deep question or problematic obstacle. "Why is it ruined? Why would worship stop?"


    "Because of us," Thomas replied as he joined Cecily at the pir, put his hand on it, and went inside. The others followed him into therge, open space. The room was somehow still intact, but portions of the walls were smashed, and little bits of the roof sloped downward. "When Aelor split himself into twenty pieces and made the hero cores¡­the deity died. So, people turned away from his worship, instead venerating the heroes."


    Cecilyughed, "So you''re saying people will worship us?"


    Thomas shook his head, "Not quite. Some people? Sure. They''ll treat you with reverence. But the culture has shifted from temple-based worship to a more personal-based worship. It wasn''t a separation like the Protestant Reformation of Martin Luther splitting off from Catholicism¡­It was a cultural shift." He walked forward to an altar made of smooth, ck granite that ¨C if not for the dust and debris ¨C would shine marvelously. He swiped some of the substance away, revealing the gloss underneath. "A shift away from the need for priests to lead the faith. Many on Ghomar still worship, but they do it privately or in small groups."


    Misty looked up at the ceiling and let out a big sigh. "Aren''t we here for some type of artifact?"


    Lyn nodded, "I want to get my hands on it."


    Cecily turned on the two with a frown, "But¡­I thought this artifact was more suited to the Ruler hero?"


    "It can be," Thomas replied. "But any hero can use artifacts of the Elenthians. They just work better for certain heroes." He pointed to Lyn''s spear, "Rus''os''r works best for the Scout hero."


    Misty cocked her head to the side once more and looked at Thomas. "Do these people believe in an afterlife?"


    Thomas nodded, "Yes. Kind of. They believe that Aelor takes every person that dies and has them put back into a cycle of rebirth. It''s like the Buddhist sams¨¡ra. But there''s no nirvana. Just rebirth."


    Lyn shook off the memories of the past as the priests moved on. She snuck past them and found her way to the innermost altar. There was a person ¨C male, female, she couldn''t tell from behind them ¨C who was dressed in resplendent white robes. White as freshly fallen snow. They had arge cord around their neck which the other priests did not.


    Lyn hesitated though, daggers at the ready. She was about to kill a holy man inside his own temple. In front of the most sacred altar in this space. It felt¡­wrong. sphemous, even. She was never very religious, but this just didn''t feel right. Shake it off Lyn. It''s just a dungeon construct. Just like Trisha''s kids and baby you had to kill. Just like the other heroes. It''s not real. She stepped forward and stabbed both des down into the gap between neck and corbone, shoving the person down from the force of the blow. Their bright, red blood sshed out over the altar, and they fell ¨C dead. As they fell, she looked at their face. It was an Elenthian. They looked human, but they were quite androgynous. They had male and female, but they were hard to tell apart.


    The walls of the room returned, and the scene vanished. The hallway opened and led to the reward chamber. That was pretty easy for a dungeon. She walked through and approached the altar. There was a wooden box, and a punch dagger. Picking up the punch dagger, it vanished, and she willed Cataclysm to shift form. The dagger in her left hand vanished as it rejoined the de, and it shrank until it nestled firmly in her grip. She felt the mana-de between her fingers¡­but it was invisible. To test it, she struck the edge of the altar, and her fist stopped about four inches from the surface. An invisible de? That''s useful. She shifted it back to its sword form and opened the wooden box.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    She picked up the swirling, deep red mana core. A gruff female voice spoke in her mind. You have bested my dungeon. I, Priva, Assassin, give you the ability- The voice in her mind was cut off. What the fuck? Lyn had never experienced that before. What''s happening?


    She gasped as a new voice spoke to her. One she was familiar with. Zack Daermont, the deceased Rogue hero. Hey Lyn. Long time no talk.


    "¡­Zack?" Lyn whispered.


    Yeah, I died. Sucks.


    "You''re alive?" She was bbergasted. Floored. Bewildered.


    Kind of? It''s weird, man. Here''s what I''ve been able to figure out. People are summoned, Hero core goes to them. With me so far?


    "Yes," Lyn said, still in shock at hearing the voice of the man she saw beheaded.


    Well, our¡­I don''t know, souls? Consciousness? It''s bound to the hero core, and thest person is¡­released? So, when we were summoned, the prior sumonees were released back to their world. Heughed that smugugh she always found endearing when they were trying to nail tricks at the skate park. That means when you consume the Rogue core, I''ll get to go through one of two doors that have been shut but staring at me for a while. I can either go through rebirth ande back on Ghomar, or I can go back home to Earth.


    "Wait, how is your core here? You''re skipping a lot of context."


    Sorry, it''s been¡­fourteen years since I''ve talked to someone? Anyways, Thomas smashed the statue of Aelor. And all the hero cores were stored inside of it. So, we shot out of the room like whoosh and have been kind of flying around? I spotted your Scout core ¨C because I can see those now, apparently ¨C and followed you into the dungeon. I consumed thisdy''s core, and now, you''re going to consume me. Sorry for that, by the way. You''re not going to get her mana core. But hey, the Rogue core is way better.


    Lyn sank down to the ground, holding the mana core in her hand as she stared vacantly into the swirling, dark-grey mass. "But you''re alive. I can''t just consume you. It''s like harvesting mana cores."


    I''m stuck in here, Lyn. Time is weird, and it''s not a bad existence¡­but I want to move on. And it''s not harvesting cores. You consuming the Rogue core isn''t consuming me, it''s just consuming the core. You''re freeing me to move on.


    Lyn took a deep breath and vividly recalled the memories of going into dungeons with Zack. He was part of their ''main'' group that delved into dungeons frequently. He was always the one cracking jokes and showing off. He was the light-hearted person who brightened the room with his jokes. The ss clown with a heart of gold. He died just after they had marked the end of their first year in Ghomar. "Do you¡­do you want toe back on Ghomar?"


    If I could get a guaranteed ''good start'' then sure. But I don''t think that''s how it works.


    "I''m going to take over this world. I''m going to build an empire where no one goes hungry."


    I know. I looked through your mind. Kind of cool that I can do that, eh? Only while you''re holding me, though. Also, banging twins? You are one dirty dog. You''ll get massive bro points if you can get them to do a threesome with you.


    Lyn chuckled at that and wiped the tears from her eyes that she hadn''t noticed until that moment. "You¡­you should stay on Ghomar. Earth is fucked. Climate change, authoritarian governments, our fucking tiny town in the middle of bumfuck nowhere." She was fully convinced that Earth was going to be a shit-show, and Ghomar was the future.


    There was augh in her mind. Yeah, I think this door for rebirth is the one for me. He went silent for a few moments. Lyn¡­take care of our ssmates. And please, find the other hero cores. They''re trapped just like I am.


    "How do I find them?" Lyn asked as she stood back up.


    Just keep doing these dungeons. Maybe throw up a giant spell into the sky, draw their attention. His voice lowered to a whisper. Only you and James can consume hero cores, and we can''t go into new people for whatever reason ¨C something about the statue being a medium. And no one wants to give that prick more power. Always bragging about how he was the ''chosen one'' and that bullshit. He chuckled; I can''t believe he got more insufferable as time went on. There was silence and she heard a deep sigh. I¡­this life has been interesting. I hope the next one is less interesting. He chuckled. I''d love to just have an easy life, y''know?


    "I know. An easy life would be nice." She felt an odd mix of emotions. All the heroes were warned when they first came to Ghomar that consuming the core of a person ¨C called harvesting cores ¨C was highly taboo, equivalent to eating someone''s ''soul'' in a religious sense¡­and yet Zack was telling her that consuming his mana core was the only way to free him. I have to help him. Lyn nodded, "¡­Thank you, Zack¡­Are you ready?"


    I am. Thanks, Lyn. When I''m reborn somewhere in Ghomar, well, I hope it''s somewhere in your empire. I don''t know if I''ll keep any memories or if it''s really a ''fresh start''¡­but I hope to see you in person again. Take care.


    Lyn nodded, "I''ll make this world a better ce for all of us." She squeezed the mana core and itpressed, shooting down her mana channel and into the furnace of her Destroyer core. There was a brief conflict between the two before her Destroyer core consumed it. She felt the surge of energy in her as the consciousness of Zack faded away with a thank you lingering in her thoughts.


    Cataclysm''s de erupted in dark, sickly-green light. Poison elementalism, Lyn knew instinctively. One of the Rogue core''s best external spell types. She recalled one of the other external spells that Zack used a lot and put Cataclysm away as she focused her gaze on a space next to her. "Echado fen / min gwann / bo nin / i gar / nadath." Space rippled and distorted as a storage space appeared ¨C just like her choker. But this one was much, muchrger; not being limited by an inscription and instead reliant on her mana. The inside was dull grey and was easily fifty feet in all directions.


    She tossed in the wooden box and let the mana flow cease as it sealed. She did the exact same verse, and when the space opened, she saw the wooden box still there. Perfect. Lastly, she did one more spell, specifying she wanted a smaller, different space. When it opened, it was a slightly different hue of grey, empty, and smaller. So, I can have multiple storage spaces.


    She let thempse and ced her hand on the altar, appearing outside the dungeon. The gateway behind her vanished, and she made her way out. The whole time, she was reying the conversation with Zack in her head. The heroes that died¡­all my ssmates that died. They''re trapped.


    She knew she would have to save them. Not because she had to, but it was the right thing to do. She might have been raised by shitty parents, but she still had a sense of right and wrong. More tasks, she thought. Not only did she now have to build an empire, and meet up with the other heroes, she had to go dungeon delving until the other hero cores found her and she freed them.


    With a hefty sigh she left the cave and headed to Lynhold.

 Chapter 44

    Kory itched his new leg where the flesh merged with the prosthetic. It was a strange feeling, as he could still feel sensations below that point, but it was dull and muted. He had left Trisha''s hospital for a single reason: he was scared. For the first time in his life, he was truly terrified. The Demonic Dragon was back, and he didn''t want anything to do with it.


    He had stopped by Fort Watch and received the package from this fucker iming to be Lyn, but there was no way it was really her. She was dead. Misty had said so. Nothing could have survived that muchva. And she couldn''t havee back from Earth ¨C Earth didn''t have magic. It didn''t have mana cores. It has to be a lie, he thought. A trick to get the heroes to go there for easy killing. He shivered despite sitting next to a roaring fire in a sumptuous bedroom. Cecily''s bedroom.


    He heard the door open and stood up, facing the woman he once loved more than anything. The woman who was his first love, who kept him just far enough away to drive him mad with lust. The person he had betrayed. "Hi," he grunted.


    Cecily was riveting as always. Her hair cascaded down her back and around her shoulders, and her piercing eyes held a malice and hatred he had seen before. "You attack my territories and thene to my pce?" She shook her head and pointed to the chair. "Sit." Her words were amplified by her mana, and Kory sat without question or hesitation. She sat in the chair opposite him, and stared in to the crackling mes. Kory wanted to say something, but he couldn''t. Her power was keeping him silent. "I forgive you. You didn''t harm the peasants, and in total I only lost four hundred soldiers." She smiled gently, "I heard that you inflicted far worse casualties in James''nds." She nced at him sideways, and he felt like he could speak once more. "Did you know he took the throne?"


    Kory shook his head, "No. What happened to King Kristoph?"


    "The fool tried to kill James in council." She frowned and picked up the poker, stoking the fire until it roared with a ze that cast a dark, menacing shadow behind her. To Kory''s eyes, it looked demonic, flickering with a subtle malice. "Instead of using overwhelming numbers in an open field, or even tricking him into the mana-suppressing prison." She shook her head once more as she took her seat, idly turning the poker in her hand. "Damn Elenthians only making a single mana-suppressing dungeon in all of Ghomar. I''d kill for one of those."


    Kory swallowed the lump in his throat. "I am here to serve you."


    "Oh? How? In bed? On the front lines? As a footstool?"


    "I''ll do anything," Kory replied. "I need your protection."


    Cecily chuckled, "What did you do this time?"


    Kory pulled the letter out, as well as the badge, and gave them to Cecily. She scanned the letter and then tossed both it and the badge into the mes. "It''s not really Lyn. It''s impossible." She pushed both items deeper into the fire. "I believe the Demonic Dragon did, indeed, return. But it''s not Lyn. It''s just using her name."


    "That''s what I''m afraid of," Kory muttered. "I know¡­you''ve been harvesting mana cores."


    "Oh? What makes you say that?" Cecily asked.


    "Rumors. People in the city whispering things."


    Her eyes narrowed and she gripped the armrest of the chair with enough force to cause the wood to splinter ¨C strength that Kory had never seen her exert before. So¡­she really is harvesting mana cores. When they had arrived in Ghomar, they were told about mana cores. Every person has one, and most people have a weak one. The hero cores were powerful, more than those found in dungeons of the Elenthians. But they were also told that taking the mana cores of the fallen was considered taboo, as it was torturous for the individual.


    Cecily leaned back and sighed, "Well, it can''t be helped I suppose. When you take thousands of unwanted people and they disappear into work camps¡­" she looked to Kory and he saw the icy stare, knowing there was no trace of humanity left. Just a cold, calcting mind that desired power and control. "I will protect you from whoever you want. In exchange, you will help me bring my duchies to heel. Biskon, Skrell, Logor, Komorra, Rist." She waved for him to leave, "Go to the servant quarters, and rest. You''ve been on the road some time. We''ll begin soon enough."


    Kory stood up and was about to leave when hermanding voice echoed through his mind. "One more thing," she said. "Come over here."


    Kory felt the influence of her Ruler core. He knew what it felt like. As if someone was gripping his mind in an iron vice and forcing his vision, his hearing, his every iota of willpower on her words. He could shake it off with an internal spell that the Berserker had ess to¡­but he had to submit. It''s the only way I can be safe. He returned to her and waspelled to kneel. He did not try to resist.


    "Good pet. Shirt off." He did so, and she dipped the poker into the mes, pulling it up to her hand and using a short transmutation spell to warp the red-hot tip into an ornate letter ''C''. She handed him a dagger, "Bite down, and not a single noise."


    Kory took the dagger and put the de between his teeth, biting down hard. Cecily pressed the brand into his right pectoral muscle, and he forced air in and out of his lungs in ragged breaths.


    "Good boy."


    Lynhold was bustling just as she had left it. Night had begun to fall, and Lyn chose to sit outside of the citadel, staring up at the just-starting-to-emerge stars. I hope you get a good new life, she thought, thinking of Zack. She closed her eyes and focused on her mana core, feeling the bubbling magma of the Destroyer core ¨C her primary core. But she pushed deeper and could feel the Scout and Rogue cores. I know what the Scout one does.


    It gave her the ability to learnnguages extremely quickly, find the best path to travel even to unknown locations to reach a destination, and gave her perfect memory of any location she had been. But I need to know what the Rogue one does. She focused her will on the core and tried to coax the information out, and what she heard surprised her.


    It was Zack''s voice. Alrighty Lyn, fuck this is weird. I''m gone-gone. This is like a voicemail of sorts. And you can rey it if you focus hard enough. Right, first off, the Rogue core will let you spot and disable any trap ¨C magic or mundane. Pretty neat, eh? Just need the tools appropriate to the task. Also, you''ll be tricky to spot when you''re trying to go unnoticed ¨C whether it''s in a crowd or in the woods. Unless you''re wearing something that makes you stand out. You also got two spell types: storage and poison elementalism. Alright, that''s about it. Good luck, go get the other heroes out of their trapped existence¡­and promise me you''ll try to get those twins to do a threesome, eh?


    She chuckled as the voice faded. Yeah, I don''t think they''ll be into that, she thought. But knowing that she could pull up Zack''s voice any time and hear it¡­wasforting. He had moved on to a better ce, she was sure of it. She opened her eyes and saw a group of Duskari and Newen that had quietly approached. At her notice, they bowed, and held up various foodstuffs. One of the Duskari at the front spoke softly, "Offerings for you, Lady Rivers."


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Lyn stood up and nodded, "I thank you, loyal subjects." She took the offered haunch of meat and ripped arge chunk off with her teeth, savoring the juicy sweetness of it. After swallowing she raised her voice, "Your offerings are epted. Now partake of them yourself!" The assembled group looked at each other questioningly, and Lyn rolled her eyes. "I may lead you, and I may be the Destroyer, but I do not want you to give up the best you have just to please me. Your service pleases me enough. So partake of the food you have prepared."


    This exnation seemed to satisfy them, and further thanks and even some prayers were spoken in her direction. She stood up and gave them a small wave before heading inside Lynhold, continuing to eat the hunk of meat. This is really fucking good. They had used some spice rub that was delicious, and she knew the meat was extremely rare. It was from a specific type of goat that only made its home among the highest peaks in the deep snowdrifts.


    Brad ran up to her, "Lyn! Er, Lady Rivers!" he said in English.


    Lyn swallowed down the bite she had taken, "Hero Brad, what can I do for you?" she replied in the samenguage.


    "Do you mind if we talk somewhere private?"


    "Sure,e to my chambers." She led the way, and Vael met her partway down the tunnel. She switched to Arinol, "Give me an hour, and thene in and be ready to please me." Vael gave her a small grin and nodded before following in step behind the two. Lyn led Brad into her room and then gestured for Vael to shut the door. Switching back to English, she said, "Alright, what did you want to talk about?"


    Brad pulled out several small vials, "I have a few¡­products, ready to go. I can work on mass production thanks to that building you threw up earlier, but I wanted to clear them by you first."


    Lyn nodded, "How thoughtful," she said gesturing to the table. Brad produced several vials ¨C four in total ¨C and set them down. He also pulled out a small cloth patch that was a deep purple color.


    He took a seat and held up the first vial, "This is abat stimnt, which I''m just calling Stim. It makes the person who takes it feel a bit ''on edge'', but they will be alert and able to identify and react to threats."


    Lyn held up a hand, "Do all of these have negative side effects?"


    "Not the patches. The rest¡­well, alchemy always has some side effect. I promise, none of these are addictive in any way." Lyn gestured for him to continue, and he picked up the second vial, "These are Bitterbile tablets. They change the stomach acid into something far more deadly and line the user''s throat and mouth with a powerful base to counteract the acid. If your soldiers vomit after taking a dose, they can puke acid on their foes."


    Lyn squirmed a bit in her seat. Vomiting was something that grossed her out, but it was an interestingbat tool. "What''s the side effect of that one?"


    "If they don''t vomit within an hour, the acid will go through their digestive system. Really bad runs." He held the third vial, "Glimmerbits. These will let people see mana cores just like you could with a divination spell. The downside is that the rest of the world is dull or muted. Maybe one archer per squad takes one, so they can focus on mages? Not good for a frontlinebatant." He held up the fourth vial, "Lastly for the pills: Ragebane. It eliminates all emotion in the person, effectively turning them into a psychopath for a short time. The downside is¡­well, they are a psychopath. They won''t feel any emotions at all. Great tool if you have an anxious squad of new recruits, or you''re facing overwhelming odds."


    Lyn grabbed the patch and held it. It felt slightly sticky, but the stickiness didn''t stay on her hands. It was almost like a sticky putty. "This is a bandage of some type?"


    Brad nodded, "A simple name for even the dumbest person to remember; Purple Patches. I can make them in a variety of sizes for all types of wounds. They will not only seal wounds, but they have antiseptic properties. The downside is that they can only stay applied for up to four hours before the antiseptic begins to go bad and attack the organism itself. So it''s a great temporary fix, but not so good for a long-term injury."


    Lyn nodded and leaned back as she set the patch down on the table. "These are all excellent. You have permission. Let my council know if you need any resources."


    Brad nodded and scooped the items into a pouch. "I did want to talk about one other thing, if you have time."


    Lyn nodded, "I''m all ears."


    "I¡­" he sighed, "I wanted to see if you''d be okay with me traveling up North to visit Trisha. I can find a few apprentices here ¨C the Newen actually seem rather intrigued by some of the alchemy ¨C and they can begin production."


    "Wanting to bring her into the fold?"


    "Kind of," Brad muttered. "I¡­Cecily¡­" he looked around the room. "Do you have any alcohol? I need to be drunk for this." Lyn shook her head and he heaved a sigh again. "Fuck¡­Cecily cut my ''bits'' off, if you catch my drift."


    Lyn felt actual shock and held her hand up as she gasped. "Oh¡­Brad¡­I''m so sorry." She truly felt sorrow for him. "That must¡­damn. If you think she can help you, then by all means."


    Brad nodded and stood up, "Well, I''ll let someone know before I leave." He chuckled and held up the badge from his shirt, "This lets mee and go, right?"


    Lyn nodded and stood up, "Yeah. And, for full transparency''s sake." She pulled out the mirror array from the storage choker and unfolded it, channeling mana. Kory and Cecily''s were filled with the magic static. Brad''s was showing her, since he was facing her. Volio was in some little house, and sitting across from him were Ben and Trisha. So he got up there.


    James'' was also active, and it showed him looking down on the throne room. From the throne? People wereing up and bowing to him and she shook her head. He took out King Kristoph? Wow. She had not expected that level of cold-blooded nature from him. All that''s left is Misty and Thomas to get theirs.


    She turned the panel around to Brad and he scanned through them, "Ah, I should''ve figured that the inscription was also a spell."


    Lyn nodded, "I used Ashley''smunicationwork as a basis. Hopefully, one day, maybe if I get the Artificer core, I can upgrade them with a new inscription that enables talking."


    Brad''s eyes narrowed. "What do you mean get the Artificer core?"


    Lyn put the mirror panel away, "I went and beat a dungeon earlier today. And when I grabbed the dungeon core it transformed. It turned into the Rogue core." She took a deep breath. He''s not going to betray me. I can trust him. "It had Zack''s soul or consciousness, or something trapped in it. He told me that Thomas shattered the statue that was holding the hero cores, and they all went off. He said consuming it would let him either go back to Earth or be reborn on Ghomar. He chose thetter option."


    Brad sad down and stared off into space, "That''s¡­wow¡­that''s a lot."


    Lyn sat opposite him and nodded, "Hold on a second, let me try something." She focused her will once more on delving past her Destroyer core and brought the Rogue core to the surface. Okay¡­I want the message Zack left to be heard aloud. "Leithio i thalion / en-i gadol min / ritha tr? nin / a i h l¨ªn / no phango d¨²."


    The recording of Zack''s voice yed aloud, and Brad sat straight-backed with an awestruck look on his face. When the recording ended, Lyn pushed the core back down, and her Destroyer core bubbled angrily for a moment, as if it was upset that she had focused on a different core instead of it.


    Brad wiped his face free of the sheen of sweat. "So, all of them are trapped." He looked at Lyn with determination. "You have to go dungeon delving. Find them, consume them, free them."


    Lyn poured mana into the bracer and pulled up the map, "I know where dungeons are. There''s one more in the Valley I need to tackle." She let the mana fade. "I promise, I''m going to free them."


    Brad nodded, "I''ll¡­Can I get one of your Duskari to escort me to Trisha and Ben''s ce?"


    Lyn leaned back, "They''d have to be disguised. But I don''t see a reason why not. I can give you a whole squad if it makes you feel better. They can shadow you from a distance on the road."


    Brad stood up, "Thanks." He was about to turn and leave, but he turned back to her. "This is going to sound odd¡­can I have a hug?"


    Lyn nodded and embraced him, and she felt his tears against her shoulder. "What''s wrong?"


    He sniffled a few times before regaining hisposure, "I¡­I haven''t been hugged in seven years."


    Again, Lyn felt a pang of sorrow through her. He''s lived a tortured life as Cecily''s prisoner. "You''ll always be wee at Lynhold. I''m lucky you chose to join me here." She pulled away and made sure he was looking into her eyes. "We are going to make this world a better ce."


    Brad nodded and smiled, "Promise me you won''t try to make friends with that bitch. Just fucking end her. She wants to¡­" he trailed off.


    "What does she want?"


    His eyes refocused on her, "She wants to rule everything. All Ghomar. And she wants to¡­fuck, she''s worse than a dictator. She wants to kill all non-Humans. It''s fucked up."


    Lyn frowned and nodded, "I''m not Human. Not anymore. And this is my world to take over¡­I''ll fucking ruin her."

 Chapter 45

    Trisha bid Volio goodnight as the Archer hero went down to the guest house. She set Ginavieve in her crib and cast a simple spell that would soothe her to sleep. Laying down in bed, she turned over as Benid down. He took a deep breath in before letting it out. "What are you thinking?" Trisha asked him, turning to look at him. Her husband was staring at the ceiling with his thinking face on.


    "I''ve been thinking about the letter. You had a weird expression." He looked at her, "You were afraid. Why?"


    Trisha swallowed and felt her mouth go dry as she sat up. "If Lyn is really back, and she is the new Destroyer¡­I mean, you remember what our cores did to our personalities." The thought of what someone from Earth with that level of knowledge bing a new Destroyer was something that shook her to the center of her being, and she felt the goosebumps rise on her flesh.


    Ben nodded as he stared at the ceiling once more. "Yeah. That''s something I was afraid of also." He let out a deep sigh. "Plus, she''s pissed off that we took the credit instead of honoring her memory." He looked at Trisha once more, "I know Cecily and Thomas were the ones who did the spell, but they didn''t have enough mana for the inscription. They needed more people for a history-obscuring spell. You pumped mana into it, didn''t you?"


    Trisha felt her heart race. She nodded, "Yes," she whispered. "I helped them." No one could fully manipte time: going back in the past or even forward into the future was impossible on Ghomar. But obfuscating the past? Blurring events, but not actually changing them? It was doable, but it took so much mana that only multiple heroes working together could pull it off. An external mind spell that epassed all of Ghomar. In the memories of every being in the world¡­Lyn Rivers the Scout hero never existed.


    If she finds out it can''t be reversed¡­she did not know what would happen, but the old Lyn used to have the asional outburst, and those were destructive. Granted, she did it away from people in the middle of nowhere, but it still terrified her what one of those tantrums could look like with the power of the Demonic Dragon at hermand.


    Ben rolled onto his side, "I''m not angry, I just want to know¡­why? I thought you liked Lyn."


    "Politics," Trisha whispered with disgust. "James getting credit for the killing blow ensured he would have power in Khrrdia and keep the position of High-Lord. Cecily already had Vgonia in her grip, and Trisk was always the most peaceful of the three kingdoms."


    "I figured as much," Ben muttered as he leaned back again. "You could probably just teach Lyn the inscription and she could undo the spell herself."


    "No, she can''t," Trisha whispered. Ben looked over at her quizzically. She swallowed the lump in her throat, "No one can. Thomas worded the spell so that it could never be undone."


    "Fuck," Ben stated bluntly. He leaned back once more and groaned as he covered his face, "What choices do we have here, realistically? Volio said Cecily is on the warpath. James won''t take that lying down, and I''m sure King Kristoph is preparing for conflict as well. Trisk might not get involved, but I imagine they''ll ally with one side or the other."


    Trisha turned on her side, and felt a chill go down her spine. What do we do? They had hefty inscriptions in the foundation of the house. And worst-case scenario, they could flee to Earth¡­but she was terrified. No one had gone back to Earth from Ghomar. No one had tried. Even Thomas'' inscription under the house was only theoretically useable. There was a chance it was a dud. But if Lyn was able to force her way back from Earth to Ghomar¡­There''s too many unknowns.


    Ben came over and spooned her from behind, and she settled back into his warmth and protective grasp. "I think, for now, we stay. We wait to hear more news. If Lyn really is alive and is going to make this world a better ce, we''ll hear about it."


    "I agree," Trisha muttered as she tried to shut out the past, sinking into the protective warmth of her Guardian hero.


    Lyn met with her council, and they reported out in rapid session.


    Chancellor Vehenna reported that the Diplomat was en route and should arrive within a few days. She was still seeking individuals for the position of Schr and Physician, but the Newen Seer, Dran, had been working under the advisor to help identify candidates.


    Steward Bhrm reported that he was still seeking a Seneschal. The money situation had not changed. The same went with Menora''s report; she had found some interesting pottery amongst the Demonic Dragon''s hoard but was still trying to piece it together. "Perhaps it could reveal more information about your past life, my Lady," she said excitedly.


    Marshal Remora reported that the Military Advisors had finished the grouping of squadrons and were drilling them relentlessly. Strike Commander nosh reported that thest of the Newen in the Valley of the Volcano had arrived at Lynhold, and the hunters were being incorporated into the military structure.


    Spymaster Velenna''s report was the most concerning out of the group. "ording to my contacts," she said, "King Kristoph of Khrrdia is dead. James Marshall, Paragon hero, has taken the mantle of king."


    She knew that much from the mirror earlier. She nced over to Brad, who was also in attendance at the council meeting, and she rapidly tranted for him from Arinol to English.


    "I mean, he''s a fantasy nerd. And he was popr after iming the credit for killing the Demonic Dragon. And we both know Kristoph was a spoiled brat," Brad told her in English.


    She nodded and looked back to Velenna, switching back to Arinol, "Any other news of the outside world?"


    "Yes, my Lady. Vgonia''s duchies ¨C some of them ¨C have the stirrings of rebellion. We should not expect a unified resistance from them anytime soon. The same goes for a few of the duchies in Khrrdia. We have time to build." She smiled, "And, I have received some interesting news that we should wait to act on until our Diplomat arrives. The King of Trisk has indicated that he is open to a discussion. Covertly, though. He does not wish to risk the people turning against him for allying with the Destroyer."


    "He knows the way the wind is blowing," Lyn muttered. "He sees war between Vgonia and Khrrdia once they get their realms under control. And Trisk''s neutrality will be their downfall when one of those two kingdoms defeats the other and absorbs their territory and levies." She smiled, "Send an indicator that I, too, am open to discussion. But we will hold off on official talks until I interview and ept this Diplomat''s service, and we have some proof to show of my benevolent rule." She looked at Brad and switched to English, "Remind me, whichnguages are you fluent in?"


    "I know Botal, Khrrdian, and Shereldian."


    Lyn looked to her Chancellor, switching to Arinol once more, "Do we have anyone who speaks Botal?"


    Vehenna nodded, "We have two that can speak thenguage of the nt-folk."


    "Good, set one up as Brad''s assistant." She looked at Brad and switched back to English, "I''m assigning you an assistant that speaks Botal. I want you to focus on those Purple Patches. How many can you make in a week?"


    He sighed and pulled out a slip of parchment, jotting down some numbers before looking up at her, "I''ll set the apprentices to it, but I have that trip I''m taking to talk to Trisha and Ben, keep that in mind. The apprentices could create¡­two thousand?"


    Lyn nodded, "Good. We will keep half, and the other half we will set aside for a delegation to Trisk." She turned back to the council and tranted the conversation to Arinol.


    This book is hosted on another tform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    "Forgive me, my Lady," Bhrm stated as he stood up and gestured to Brad. "You are letting a hero leave?"


    Lyn nodded, "I trust him."


    "Why? He was your sworn enemy, along with the rest of them!"


    I need to remind him of his ce. She stood up and stopped focus on the shifting spell, allowing her draconic features to take over her body once more. Her tone dropped to the draconic growl as well. "I am the Destroyer. You will not question mymands. My rule isw. Are we clear?"


    Bhrm dropped to his knees and bowed, "Of course! I''m sorry I ever questioned you!" He groveled.


    But Lyn knew something was off. That wasn''t sincere. She wasn''t the best at reading people, but she could tell when someone was being insincere. Every time her mom apologized for her dad''s abuse; she could tell. "I don''t believe you," she stated bluntly. "Bolvon, approach." The Shadowstalker emerged from the darkness behind Velenna, and everyone except for Lyn, Vael, Gael, and the Spymaster herself jumped out of shock. "Give me the report. Verbally. So everyone can hear."


    Bolvon cleared his throat and unfurled a scroll, "Of course, my goddess." He looked at Bhrm, who had nced up at this point from his kneeling position. "Steward Bhrm has been siphoning funds from the treasury. He reported 18,000 Gold Eagles, 51,000 Silver Kestrels, and 265,000 Copper Owls. 1,000 Gold Eagles were spent on bribes to allow scouts past Fort Watch and the mercenaries stationed there. The actual count is far, far less. We are missing 5,000 Gold Eagles."


    Lyn locked her eyes onto Bhrm, and he began to tremble under her withering re. "You dare steal from me?" she asked, feeling her Destroyer core hiss and roil in anger at her property being stolen. "You dare take what is mine?!" The whole room resonated with the deep growl, and all were struck with fear. Brad even whimpered slightly, not understanding thenguage, but the intent behind the words were unmistakable. Lyn lowered her volume, "Why?"


    Bhrm looked up, shaking, "I¡­my Lady ¡­I¡­I wanted¡­" He cowered under her sight and her presence, "I¡­you''re not the Demonic Dragon¡­Not our Destroyer."


    Lyn frowned, "Bhrm¡­look at my form. Is this not draconic?"


    Bhrm nodded, "Forgive me, my Lady."


    "Your goddess," Bolvon stated. "She is your goddess. Raevan, Demonic Dragon, Lyn Rivers¡­she is our goddess of destruction, who will bring this world under her rule." His voice was filled with fanaticism and devotion.


    Lyn held up her hand, "Thank you, Shadowstalker Bolvon. Your devotion will be rewarded." Lyn looked at Menora, "Do you have any love for your father?" The Antiquarian nodded her head slightly, and Lyn looked at Bolvon, "Does she have any me in this?"


    "Menora appears to have no connection with her father''s misdeeds," Bolvon replied as he took a step back towards the wall.


    Lyn looked back to Bhrm. "I cannot trust you with my treasury. So here is what will happen. You will take Vael and Gael to wherever you have hidden my treasure. You will then be punished." She looked at Menora. "This is where you make a choice. I allow you to choose the punishment for your father. You have done your work well, and Bolvon has cleared you of any wrongdoing. If you wish to serve, you will continue to do so¡­but you will not betray me like your father did."


    Menora gulped and looked at her father. "I¡­" she swallowed once more, "¡­Imprison him. Please, Lady Rivers¡­keep him in the fortress. Don''t kill him."


    "Very well," Lyn replied. "Bhrm, lead my bodyguards to your stashed treasure."


    Bolvon walked forward and dropped a sack of money on the ground in front of Lyn, before kneeling in front of her, "I have already found it, my goddess."


    Lyn smiled and drew Cataclysm. Let''s see if this works. She focused her will on the hilt, and to her satisfaction, the punch-dagger artifact split off. I don''t need the dual daggers and the punch dagger configuration. And this will prove to him his loyalty and devotion is rewarded. She nced around the room, and it will show them that service is rewarded. She held the punch dagger out to him. "A gift for your exemry services."


    Bolvon reverently held out his hand, and Lyn ced the punch dagger in his palm. He gripped it, looked at it curiously, and tested it by punching into the ground. The invisible de stopped his fist a few inches from the floor. He bowed his head once more. "My goddess, with this de, I will enact your will across Ghomar."


    "Rise and take your ce," Lyn stated, and the Shadowstalker went back to standing behind the Spymaster. "Gael and Vael, take Bhrm away." The twins nodded and grabbed the man off the ground, dragging him away to cells deep within the fortress. Mana-suppressing cells. Ones that she thought only existed in Kor''s Hold. But, as she had learned, there was a set of those cells here as well. Lyn scanned the room, reading the emotions of those present. They were awestruck. She returned to her throne. "And now we need a new Steward. What other business do we have to attend to?"


    Brad stayed in the council chamber as the group was dismissed. I need to talk to her, one on one. Hearing her talk in the voice of the Demonic Dragon was jarring and threw him back to that horrible experience when the heroes fought the beast. The doors shut, and she rxed in her seat as if the tension left her whole being. "Can we talk?" Brad asked in English.


    Lyn nodded, "Yeah, go ahead."


    "How much of you is Lyn versus this Destroyer or Demonic Dragon?"


    "I''m still me. I''m Lyn. I''ll always be Lyn."


    "Do you really believe that you''re the Destroyer, or Demonic Dragon?"


    "I have its power," Lyn said calmly. "I ammitted to this role. I am Lyn the Destroyer. If that requires me to be known as the Demonic Dragon as well¡­then I suppose I am him, in a roundabout way. Just as I am also Raevan the Destroyer." She sighed. "I''m Lyn, and I''m still me. At least¡­mostly me. My mana core changed me, just like all of ours did, or are doing." She met his gaze once more, "The history we were fed was sanitized. Raevan was not destroying the world and kingdoms over and over again; that was revisionist history from the kingdoms when they imploded from civil war. I learned what really happened."


    Brad leaned forward, "Do tell."


    She smiled softly, "Raevan was ordered to destroy the Ari. She refused and took them under her protection. It''s why the Demonic Dragon never left the Valley to fight us¡­the Destroyer is just a role in a cosmic sense. A counterpart to Aelor''s creation." She shrugged, "Since there''s no more Aelor, I''ll just use this power how I see fit¡­and bringing some order and justice to this world seems like the right way to use it."


    "What about the whole¡­dragon hybrid form?"


    "I self-summoned and came back as a Duskari. I don''t think I screwed up the inscription, but I was rushing. I think the Destroyer core is just more suited to this body. Anyways, I was¡­fighting against my new core. I had the Scout core consumed under the Destroyer core ¨C no clue how that happened ¨C and I did some dungeons. With each one¡­I had a sort of epiphany." She leaned back in the chair once more and appeared regal in Brad''s eyes. Stern, judging ¨C almost like Cecily ¨C but there was a tenderness there. A sincerity that Cecily did not have.


    "Let me guess," Brad started, "You decided that you would do something about Ghomar, this whole ''rule the world with benevolence'' thing."


    Lyn nodded, "That''s right¡­you can keep a secret, and you already know my secret." She sighed. "When I came back, everyone thought I was the Demonic Dragon reborn. Not Lyn Rivers, the Scout hero who had the Destroyer core and came from Earth. I let slip to my bodyguards in that dungeon who I really am. But the more I thought on it, the more I realized that I''m not the same Lyn I was thest time I was on Ghomar. The Destroyer core became more¡­tame?" She shook her head, "Anyways, only you, the twins, and the other heroes know the truth about my past as the Scout hero. To everyone else, Lyn Rivers is just the name that the Destroyer has taken in this cycle."


    Brad nodded, "And since you were obscured in history, using your old name wouldn''t affect anything. Even if the other heroes used your old name, only they would know the context behind it." Heughed, "That''s fucking clever. You''re sly. Even if those twins told someone else, they would have to be mighty fucking convincing. The same goes for the other heroes."


    She chuckled, "I didn''t even think of it that way. Unintentional genius?"


    "Must be," Brad stated as he pulled out a simple chewing gum he had put together a few days prior and offered her some, "Want a bit? It''s mango vored."


    Lynughed and stood up, "I don''t remember how long it''s been since I had gum," she took a piece from him, and she giggled at the vor. "I had forgotten how mangoes taste."


    "You never used to giggle. Damn, this core changed you."


    Lyn yfully flipped him off. "Anyways, I found a dungeon hidden inside the caldera of Shiverburn Summit. I¡­had to face some hard truths inside. But that''s when I made my deration."


    "The one that everyone in the world seemed to hear in their ownnguage, you mean?"


    That caught Lyn off guard, and she blinked several times in astonishment, "What?"


    "Yeah. I was in a bar, and everyone stopped. We all heard the Demonic Dragon speaking in our ownnguage. I heard it in English."


    Lyn sat down on the throne, "Fuck¡­" she shook her head, "Well, in any case, after that deration¡­the Destroyer core came fully under my control. So, yeah, I''m still Lyn. Your ssmate. But I''m not Lyn the Scout hero and killer of the Demonic Dragon. I''m Lyn the Destroyer, who is going to ruin this world and then rebuild it from the ashes." She grabbed his hands, "We''re going to make it better¡­together. And I sincerely hope the rest of the heroes join up. We could make this ce a paradise."


    Brad nodded, satisfied with her exnation. "Thank you for satisfying my curiosity. I was scared when I heard you talk in the dragon''s voice¡­but you''ve re-convinced me." He headed to the doors, "I''ll get my apprentices started on the Purple Patches, but then I''m heading out to see Trisha and Ben. I want to see if she can figure out a way to give me my dick back."


    Lyn chuckled at that and nodded, "I wish you luck. If she can make you a new one, ask her to make it bigger than thest time. Give it a vibrating function or something neat like that. Some type of inscription-"


    Brad chuckled and flipped her off as he left.

 Chapter 46

    Stes woke with the rising sun and prodded Thomas with her finger. The former Knowledge hero roused from slumber before smiling at her gently, "Good morning," he muttered from his bedroll.


    She extricated herself from her own bedroll and fetched water from the stream running along the road. "We shouldn''t be too far now," she stated.


    Thomas nodded as he began to start a fire, using a small, weak spell to light kindling. "Yeah. Maybe get there this evening." He blew on the tinder underneath as the mes caught, then leaned back as the smoke billowed up from the wet wood. "Then I can just be ''Uncle Thomas'' and teach the kids." He smiled, "Or maybe convince Ben to find a dungeon and drag me along so I can get a decent mana core. Then¡­I can go find her."


    Stes sat down next to him and put the pot of water to boil. "I know rtively little about mana cores. Professor Misery said that it was not important."


    Thomas nodded, "If you have a decent mana core already? Yeah. She''s right." Heid back on the bedroll and put his hands behind his head, looking sideways at her. "Here''s the basics. Every person on Ghomar has a mana core. Most people have a crappy one. It can do very small spells, like making a few sparks, a few drops of water, a tiny breeze softly blowing ¨C minor things like that." He pointed at Stes'' tails, "Then there''s some that have a stronger mana core. For Vharthon, it''s easy to tell, because the more tails they have denote a stronger mana core. Sadly, not every race has the same easily identifiable trait to determine such power."


    Stes nodded, "Right. I knew that much."


    "Then in order of ascending power, you have monster cores. Just like people, animals have mana cores. Theirs are normally incredibly insignificant, even less powerful than the average person. But unlike people, animals have constantly open mana channels. Mana just runs unchecked through them. So, when an animales into being with a powerful mana core, its physical form shifts and changes ¨C boom, you get a monster." He reached into his bag and pulled out a few potatoes, tossing them into the now boiling water with a pinch of salt. "Then you have dungeon cores. The Elenthians had powerful mana cores. Every one of them would be the equivalent to a seven-tailed Vharthon, forparison purposes.


    Stes'' eyes went wide. So, their average citizen was more powerful in magic than me? That was¡­shocking. She wasn''t a student of history, so the fact that this ancient race didn''t just develop thenguage of magic and were naturally gifted was a new revtion. "But mana cores fade after a creature dies. Right?"


    "Not quite," Thomas said as he sat up to stir the pot. He looked at Stes, "When a creature dies, person or animal, there is a moment where you could harvest the mana core. Consume it. If you consume a stronger core than your own, it overrides your core, and bes your new primary core. You lose all the prior ones you had collected."


    "But harvesting mana cores is forbidden!"


    Thomas nodded, "Yes, it is. But only for people. Animals do it all the time, when a carnivore eats an herbivore. Hunter eats prey. They consume the mana core. Monsters aren''t just made by chance ¨C sometimes the most apex predators harvest enough mana cores from their prey to be monsters." He sighed as he pulled the potatoes out with a pair of wooden tongs before setting them back into the bubbling liquid. "Harvesting from people is forbidden, and I''m not sure why. I did the research, and the only idea I cane to is that the mana core is what we referred to in my world as a soul. The innermost part of a being." He looked up at her, "It would be akin to cannibalism."


    That made Stes sick to her stomach, and she had to turn away for a moment to catch her breath. "So," she said calmly as she regained herposure, "It is fine to consume monster cores, because it''s just like hunting animals."


    "Precisely. You could also harvest animal mana cores; but you''d need a hundred to match the mana core of a person, that''s how insignificant they are." Thomas replied with a smile. "You''re learning fast," he chuckled.


    "But you said there''s only a moment to harvest the mana core."


    "That''s right. However, that moment can be extended by one thing¡­fear. When something is on the brink of death, normally dread and fear take over. The more fear, the longer the mana core¡­sticks around. The more time someone has to consume it. Everything is afraid of death. Even dumb animals and monsters have a primal need to survive. Threaten that survival, and they experience fear. You can see it in the eyes of a rabbit you snare as you approach it with a knife. It''s there¡­primal, but there still." He sounded sullen at thatst note.


    "Then howe Elenthian dungeon cores stick around for so long?"


    Thomas smiled, "Ah, they had a different view of mana cores entirely. They saw mana cores as amunal resource ¨C something to be shared and passed down through generations. But they couldn''t just be freely given, they had to be earned. They thrived in a meritocracy. Most Elenthians, when on their death beds, performed a final spell. One that would turn their mana core into a dungeon core, and create challenges based upon their desired specifications in the Elenthir verses used to make the spell. At least, that''s what I was able to gather from the scattered records."


    "And when you defeat a dungeon, you prove your worth, and can im the mana core."


    Thomas nodded, "You''ve got it." He pulled the potatoes out again and set them on a t stone to cool as he pulled the water from the heat. "Then, when that mana core''s holder dies, or consumes a stronger core and the dungeon/Elenthian core is ''lost'', the dungeon returns."


    "So, it goes animal, person, monster, dungeon/Elenthian, then what?"


    "Hero corese next in power." He stared into the mes as he prodded the potato with a wooden fork. "After that is the Destroyer core. The strongest mana core of them all."


    Stes went silent for a moment, contemting what he had said. "But you said the stronger core you consume overrides a weaker one."


    "That''s right."


    "If you cleared a dungeon with this Ben, then the dungeon core would be your primary core, right? And you would lose all lesser mana cores you had umted?"


    "That''s right."


    "What does that do to you though? If it''s like this ''soul'' you speak of?"


    "It changes your personality," Thomas said as he took a bite out of the cooled potato. He exhaled some steam as he gingerly worked his way through it. "In minor ways, normally. For example, I was always a bit of a know-it-all before I was summoned. But once I was summoned as the Knowledge hero? Well, my thirst for knowledge was unquenchable. I would even do risky things for new knowledge."


    "What happens to the mana core¡­persona? The person inside of it? Or the cores of things you''d already consumed?"


    Thomas shrugged, "For your first question, they move on. I don''t know what they moved on to ¨C the Elenthians were maddeningly vague about that. So, the person inside it, or whatever was left of them ¨C their soul as I''d call it ¨C moves on." He took another bite and swallowed before continuing, "As for your second question; the ones you had already consumed, well whatever ''soul'' was inside them moved on already, so the energy just¡­returns to the world."


    "What about a core of equal power? Say, you conquer two dungeons with Ben and get two dungeon/Elenthian cores?"


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition.


    "The first one you acquired keeps its primary status."


    Stes nodded and took a bite of her potato, contemting what he had said. "Two more questions."


    "Ask away," Thomas said with a smile.


    "Theoretically, couldn''t a person torture people to death and then harvest their mana cores for more power?"


    Thomas'' demeanor darkened and he looked at her with a look that sent ice through her veins. "You could¡­but you would have to be truly sadistic to do that."


    Stes nodded, "Second¡­question. What would happen if one person got the strongest mana core, this Destroyer core, and all the Hero cores?"


    Thomas smiled, "I have no idea."


    Stes hadn''t been around Thomas for long, so she didn''t know all his tells. But¡­he was holding something back. What happens if someone gets all those cores?


    Volio left Ben and Trisha''s homestead, wishing them well as he bought a horse and rode North. As he went along the road, the bubbling brook next to him, he couldn''t help but imagine Trisha and Ben''s life. Several kids, thriving business, a cozy home with plenty of surrounding outrements. It was a luxurious, peaceful existence with purpose. Raising kids and training healers. Allocating guards to the healers so that they could travel in a business duo was a genius move as well.


    Volio felt a pang of jealousy. If Lyn hadn''t died fighting the Demonic Dragon, they could have had that life. They could have been Ben and Trisha''s neighbors. They could have been together and had kids of their own, raising them alongside their friends. He squeezed the reins of the mount tighter, until he felt them cut into his hand. But you were a coward, Volio. You abandoned her. And that guilt gnawed at him. He was her soul mate. He knew it. He was hers; she was his. And yet he had left her because he was afraid. Afraid of dying.


    He reached into his hip pouch and pulled out Lyn''s clothes, looking down at them. I''m worthy of her affection. She wouldn''t have given me this otherwise. He took a deep whiff of her scent before putting the clothes back into the pouch and pulled out the pair of rings. Twin gold bands. Simple, but elegant in their own way. When I get back, I''m proposing. He knew she would ept.


    They had a connection, after all.


    He pocketed the rings as he heard a pair of voicesing over a small hill. He kept riding, and soon a duo crested into his line of sight. One was a Vharthon with six tails and red fur, save for the tail-tips which were white. Like the foxes of Kent, he thought as he remembered his dream of performing Shakespeare in Ennd on the stage.


    Riding alongside her was a man who had extremely short hair and was covered with scars. He was talking in Triskol, and was telling this Vharthon about¡­Elenthir phrases? Customizing spells. Only a few people knew Elenthir that well. "Thomas?" Volio called out.


    The man looked forward, and grinned, waving, "Volio! You''re alive!" He rode forward to the stunned Volio, "The Destroyer Duskari didn''t kill you!"


    Volio nodded, "Uhm¡­yeah¡­how¡­are you here?" Thomas looked pretty different. He was younger, first off. And the scars were another thing entirely ¨C they seemed to cover him from the neck down.


    Thomas shook his head, "Long story. You''reing from Trisha''s?" Volio nodded. "What brings you up North this far? I thought you''d be all over your ''Lyn''," he said with air quotes.


    "I¡­messages." Volio pulled out the package for Thomas and handed it to him. The Knowledge hero gave him a quizzical look before opening it. He read the letter, and his face went pale as the blood drained from it.


    The Vharthon woman rode up to the two, "I''m sorry, I don''t know you. Who are you?" she asked.


    "Volio Mori¡­Archer hero."


    The woman bowed her head, "I''m Stes."


    Thomas looked up at Volio, "So it really is her. That''s confirmation."


    Volio nodded, feeling validation at his beliefs over all these years. "Yes."


    "Who is really her?" Stes asked.


    Thomas waved her question off, "I''ll tell youter." He looked up at Volio, "I''m guessing you''re heading up to Misty next?" Volio nodded. "Who else got these?"


    "Everyone. You''re thest two."


    Thomas nodded, "Well¡­What are you nning?"


    Volio looked South to the now-out-of-sight volcano. "Deliver to Misty¡­then use myst crystal arrow to get back to her."


    Thomas'' eyes went wide, "You''d waste that arrow just to get back faster? You realize it is the only way to traverse the whole world if you chose."


    Volio looked back to Thomas, "I don''t care. I want to be with her."


    "Right. Well," Thomas swapped to English, "I am going to Trisha and Ben''s. I''ll talk this over with them."


    "Do what you want. My job is done. Bye, Thomas." Volio spurred his steed onward. Towards hisst delivery.


    Then I can get back to you. My beloved. My Lyn.


    Lyn met up with Vael and Gael as they left Lynhold and began towards thest dungeon in the Valley of the Volcano. It would be a few hours walk to get there, and Lyn didn''t mind the leisurely travel. She used the external shifting spell to repress the draconic features and willed her armor to its most revealing configuration. The day was windy, and she wanted to feel it caress her skin. Looking up to the mountains, she thought about how amazing the breeze must feel atop the peaks. If only I could fly. She nced back at Gael and Vael. The twins seemed to be lost in thought.


    A few hours passed and Vael finally spoke, "Lyn, you trust us, yes?"


    "Yes," Lyn replied as she turned to face herpanions.


    "More than this Alchemist and Archer hero you''re manipting?"


    "Yes. You two are loyal. I don''t inherently trust any of the heroes. Volio¡­gah, he''s a creep. I have always disliked him."


    "Why?" Gael asked. "He is just interested in you romantically or physically. I was able to tell that from your interactions."


    Lyn shook her head, "I don''t know if you''d understand."


    "Try me," Gael replied.


    She took a deep breath before letting it out, "Right. He''s a creep. You probably didn''t have someone like this growing up, since you have a tight-knitmunity. I grew up in a small town. I''ve known the Archer hero most of my life. And ever since we started high school ¨C uhm, higher learning. You know, history and reading." The twins nodded and she continued, "Anyways. He found an attraction to me?"


    "And you did not bed him out of curiosity?" Vael asked.


    "Eww, no! Never!" Lyn shuddered.


    "Why?" Gael asked. "You were part of the same Conve. Around the same age."


    Lyn sighed with frustration, "I said you both wouldn''t get it, and this is what I meant." She rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. "Okay, let''s try it this way. You ever had someone walk in on you while you''re using thetrine?"


    Vael frowned, "Yes. Very disgraceful behavior."


    "Right, so think of that level of intrusion. But I had to deal with it every, single, day. He stalked me much like a hunter would their prey. Always following me to the skate park¡­sort of like a training field for sports."


    "Ah," Gael said, "I''ve heard of these ''sports'' before. Some of the other Conves brought them during a trade visit. One dealing with arge sphere you were to kick without touching your hands."


    "Okay, right, well this was like a training field. And he would just stare at me. He would peek in my windows at night, follow me to and from school. He left weird presents on my doorstep."


    "He is enthralled with you," Vaelmented.


    "And I don''t like him!" Lyn shouted back. She shook her head, "Sorry. That anger wasn''t directed at you. I just¡­he gives me the creeps. I hate how I feel around him."


    Gael shrugged, "Then tell him."


    "If I do that, then I can''t manipte him anymore. He is still the Archer hero. If he doesn''t serve, then what I''m trying to do here is going to be in jeopardy. He knows little, but even a little is more than I''mfortable with."


    "Kill him," Vael stated. "If you don''t want to, I don''t mind doing so. Whatever youmand."


    "No, I can''t just kill him. He''s my ssmate. He was my ally."


    "Allegiances change," Gael stated. "You are no longer Lyn the Scout. You are Lyn the Destroyer. And it sounds like if he is a threat, and you are unsure of your ability tomand his devotion¡­he is a liability. It has been ten years since you were allies. Let the allegiance die with your old self."


    But¡­could I really kill him? Or even order his death? Back on Earth before they were summoned, she just wanted him to leave her alone. On Ghomar, he''d lessened on some of the behavior, but she saw the way he still craved her. Hell, to get him to do this whole messenger gig, she had to really put on the moves despite the revulsion she felt doing so. I don''t think I can. "I¡­I''ll think on it," she said nomittally.


    Vael walked past her, and Lyn followed with Gael close behind. "You are the Destroyer. Not his friend or ally. Use him for your purposes, and then if he does not continue to serve as a useful tool, discard him."


    Gael nodded, "This is the way. Just as you did with removing Bhrm and Poweno; you have already shown yourself capable of removing those that are against your interests."


    Lyn contemted that for a moment. She had ordered the lifetime imprisonment of one man, and the death of another. And neither action had really bothered her. I have the power of the goddess of destruction. I make the morals. She wasn''t on Earth. There were no gods here. Just the power of a deity within her, and the shattered pieces of another deity scattered around Ghomar.


    Still, the turmoil left a swirling feeling in her stomach. And it wasn''t the mana core bubbling up in her. It was a knot of dread as the morals she was raised with in a pseudo-religious household shed with the reality that she was not the same Lyn as before. The idea that the ideology she was raised within was, by nature of Ghomar''s history and the existence of the Destroyer core within her, false¡­at least in this world.


    That still didn''t help with the thought of Volioing back and being an absolute creep that just disgusted her to her core. No matter his devotion to her. It was lust, she was sure of that much. It wasn''t fanatic devotion like what Bolvon had demonstrated.


    If he acts on it, he suffers the consequences. Of that conviction, she was absolute.

 Chapter 47

    Misty was scared. James was holding Khrrdia together for the time being but would soon enough have civil war to contend with if he didn''t concede to some lesser nobility. The same went for Cecily in Vgonia. Trisk was stable as usual, but rumors had reached her that they were possibly seeking an audience with this Destroyer reborn. If it really was Lyn, then she had nothing to fear. She could rekindle their friendship and support her as an ally.


    But if it wasn''t Lyn¡­she was taking a huge risk revealing her presence. Misty stood next to the pir on the tallest spire above her office. She had her hand on the pylon that was inscribed with her long-distancemunication spell, but she was hesitant to use it for that reason. If I''m wrong, I paint a huge target on my back. But if I''m right¡­this could be one of the best decisions I make.


    She began to channel her mana in her core, able to feel the colors swirling within. The Mage core could use any spell type and near-peerless efficacy ¨C save forva, which would consume her. But nothing else was off-limits. She would never have the capabilities in healing as Trisha, or internal spells as Kory, but she was the closest to an omnipotent being in this world as there could be.


    And still, she was terrified. She released the mana, and it settled back in her as she hugged the pylon, reying the message in her mind. "I returned to rule this world! No child will be abused! No person will go hungry! I will crush any who stand in my way!" Those weren''t the words of a Destroyer hellbent on ruining the world. Nor were they the words reflective of the Demonic Dragon''s actions in staying inside the Valley for two thousand years. They were a deration of expansion.


    Movement below her tower caught her attention. A flickering light arced up toward her. Reflexively, she activated the intricate inscription upon the tower, covering the whole magical academy in a translucent barrier that would repel any attack or spell. The object was an arrow, and it bounced off, before Volio appeared in its ce. He hugged the barrier. "Hi¡­can you let me in?"


    Misty sighed and deactivated the inscription, and Volionded lightly on his feet. "What brings you here?" she asked as she shook off the impending dread of speaking to the Demonic Dragon ¨C Destroyer ¨C Lyn ¨C whatever.


    Volio pulled out a bundled-up cloth and handed it to her. "This is from Lyn."


    Misty didn''t move. She stood stock-still, frozen in ce. She had been expecting this since James told her about it but had forgotten it until now as she was absorbed by her duties. She took the package with shaking hands, "Thanks," she muttered.


    Volio nodded, "You¡­okay?"


    Misty shook her head, "Are you staying?"


    "Nope. I''m leaving right now. Mind if I use your divination inscription?" Misty just numbly nodded as he stepped over to the pir and closed his eyes. She could see the minor trace of his consciousness leaving his body and rapidly shooting across thend, towards the Valley of the Volcano.


    She pulled the package open and turned over the metal object. Oh, clever. You can keep an eye on me with this. She kept it wrapped up ¨C she would not wear it until she confirmed Lyn had actually made it. She cracked open the inscribed seal on the letter and read the contents. The same words James had read off. But hers had something special at the bottom.


    P.S. Misty, just for you¡­I know you''ll find it hard to believe that I really am back, but I am back. If you don''t believe it''s really Lyn, then let me write this: ''The pen may be mightier than the sword, but my fucking art is going to be like an Abrams tank''.


    Misty chuckled slightly at thatstment. It was something that she hade up with when sitting in their Social Studies ss. They had just wrapped up a unit on Victorian Ennd, and she had chosen that as the quote that her and Lyn would do a poster for¡­but she had to give it her own vorful twist.


    Fuck it. She walked over to the pylon and channeled her mana, focusing on Lyn. The Duskari she had seen in the dungeon. "Sup bitch," she said as casually as she could in English.


    There was silence before there was a response. "Holy fuck, Misty?! How?!"


    "See, this is what being the Mage hero and having ten years of building up inscriptions gets you." She felt her legs shaking. Lyn is alive! She was trembling not with fear anymore, but an ecstatic joy. Her long-lost friend was alive again. And she had no clue how. But¡­she didn''t care.


    "Give me a second, I need to tell my allies something." She went silent for a moment, and Misty felt giddy that her best friend was alive and back! "Okay, sorry, we were getting ready to go into a mountain to find a dungeon. Just had to tell them to stop." Sheughed, and herugh was enchanting and made Misty''s legs quiver. She''s got a much better voice now. Lyn continued after herughter died down. "It''s so fucking good to hear from you!"


    "I know!" Misty replied, buzzing with excitement. "How long have you been back?"


    "A month, maybe? I don''t know. Hey, Gael- wait. Shit. One second, differentnguage." Her voice left for a moment and came back, "Just over a month."


    "Who you got with you?" Misty asked with genuine curiosity.


    "Oh, my Bodyguard, Gael. And his twin sister, Vael." Her voice dropped to a whisper, "I''m banging them both!"


    Misty chuckled, but her heart sank slightly. Lyn had slept around to deal with her trauma from fighting, seeing people die, and the like. But never with Misty, despite her desire for that type of rtionship with her best friend. But Misty had never jumped at the opportunity. She had never told Lyn that''s what she wanted. "That''s¡­great!" she said, feigning excitement.


    Lyn giggled, "Yeah. It''s awesome. Anyways, the Valley of the Volcano is going to be the heart of my new empire, and Lynhold is the capital just outside of the dread fortress. That''s like my citadel. I''m building an army; I''ve got a council-" she was talking rapidly and excitedly, which she only did around Misty.


    "Why?"


    "Hmm?"


    Misty took a deep breath. "Why? You are the Destroyer. And the old Lyn I knew didn''t want to conquer the world." She was filled with trepidation at the impending answer.


    There was a deep sigh, "I¡­I had an epiphany. Two of them. I''m not Lyn the Scout, or Lyn your best friend from¡­forever. I''m Lyn the Destroyer. The same person at my core¡­but my goals have changed¡­You know the fucked-up home life I had."


    Misty nodded, and felt her heart seize up when she mentioned she wasn''t the same person. "Okay¡­"


    "And I don''t want anyone else to have that. Food insecurity, abuse from parents, inequality¡­none of that shit. I have the power to make a goddamn utopia, and I''m going to. I''m going to be a benevolent, egalitarian empress."


    She never used words thatplicated, Misty thought. Lyn was always rowdy, and her personal lexicon was half curse words. "Okay¡­" Her joy and enthusiasm at her best friend''s return was quickly souring as she used fancy words she never used to, and her upfront deration that she''s not the same person anymore.


    "Yeah, so, that. Did Volio get you the letter yet? And the package?"


    Misty nodded and pulled out both, "Yes. I have them."


    "You know what the inscription does. Well, there''s a hidden function on yours. Read it in reverse."


    Misty flipped it over and was shocked. A palindromic message? Elenthir was a difficult, trickynguage, but certain words when read aloud backwards had wholly different meanings. She made this¡­her mastery of Elenthir was way better than I gave her credit for. Misty had trained Lyn in thenguage, and the Scout core enabled her to learn extremely quickly¡­but this type of inscription was on the highest order of difficulty.


    Misty channeled her mana into the amulet, and a small window opened in space in front of her. She saw the light-blue eyes glowing with an inner fire, the skimpy armor, and the highly geometric pattern of the Duskari woman''s skin from body enhancement glittered in the sunlight. "I''m looking at you now, I think. Wave or something."


    The Duskari woman waved to her left. "See that?"


    "Turn to your right." The Duskari woman did so. "You look different," Mistymented. And I''m not a fan.


    "I don''t know if it''s because I fucked up my self-summon inscription, or if the Destroyer core is just better suited to the Duskari race¡­but it''s really grown on me." Sheughed her enchantingugh once more. "Anyways¡­Are youing to Lynhold?"


    Misty pondered that. I could, was the first thought that went through her head. Right now, she was isted in Vharthos with her students. Next to Trisk. Safe in neutral territory. Joining Lyn meant she would be allying herself with her friend against what maye ¨C and that would probably be Khrrdia and Vgonia joining forces against her. But that''s only if James and Cecily can get over their distaste for each other. "I have to think on it." That, and there was the now present, gnawing feeling that this Lyn wasn''t her Lyn. The sales pitch might sound good on paper¡­but investing was a risk she wasn''t ready to take yet.


    "Alright. I get it. You''ve been building up a life for ten years, uprooting yourself toe here is a big choice. Well, you can check in on me whenever, just like I can check in on you now, visually at least."


    "Mhmm," Misty looked sideways as movement caught her eyes. Volio had pulled his bow out and was stringing it. "What are you doing?" She asked him.


    He pulled out a crystal arrow ¨C one of only three that the heroes ever found, and pulled back, aiming high. He muttered a spell that she couldn''t make out and let loose. He began tapping his foot as he looked at her. "Going to Lyn."


    "Uhm¡­okay." Fucking waste of cross-world travel. Granted, Volio was the only one that could transport himself to an arrow''s location, but still. It would have been a week and a half ride to the Valley of the Volcano''s hidden entrance. She turned back to Lyn, "Watch out for an arrowing your way."


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Lyn''s face paled and she switched to Elenthir, knowing that only her, Misty, and Thomas spoke it fluently enough to converse in the dead tongue. "Fucking Volio. Is heing?"


    "Yeah, he used a crystal arrow."


    "Damn, that''s a waste. I''ll talk to youter. If I''m not busy ¨C you know, check the visual ¨C then feel free to reach out and chat. Talk to youter."


    "Bye, Lyn." Misty stopped channeling mana into the inscription on both the amulet and the pylon. She looked over to Volio and swapped back to English, "Thanks for delivering this."


    He nodded, "Mhmm," and kept count with his foot.


    "You on board with Lyn''s whole n? Rule the world, make it a better ce?"


    "Mhmm."


    "¡­Okay." Misty left the roof and descended into her study. She opened the closet and crouched, holding her knees and rocking back and forth. Her best friend was gone. Lyn the Scout was reced with Lyn the Destroyer. She didn''t look the same, didn''t sound the same. But that spoke volumes to Misty. Was I just friendly with her¡­because I liked how she looked? She shook her head and held it in her hands. No. We had a bond. We did everything together.


    She cradled her head and repeated her mantra, over and over, to try and force herself back to rational thoughts. Safe space. Safe space. Safe space.


    Her best friend was dead. By her own omission, she wasn''t the same Lyn.


    Safe space.


    She was a Lyn. One that wanted a gentle world.


    Safe space.


    But it wasn''t the same person.


    Safe space.


    Lyn cursed, "Gael, Vael, Volio is on his way." She looked up into the sky as the two Bodyguards stood up from the log they were sitting on.


    "How?" Vael asked, also looking into the sky.


    "The Archer hero has a unique spell only they can use. It lets them swap ces with any projectile they fire. It takes a good chunk of mana." She used her newly enhanced eyes and, by squinting to focus, zoomed in her vision on the flickering shaft of crystal. "Get to the edges of the clearing," she ordered. The twins ran over under the cover of a tree, and Lyn tracked the arrow, ensuring she was standing a few feet from where it wouldnd.


    It thudded into the ground, and a few secondster, Volio was standing where it hadnded, his body just ''popping'' into ce. "Hi Lyn¡­" He smiled, "I delivered all of them."


    Lyn nodded, "Good job." Volio was staring at her, and that''s when she looked down. Right, I had the armor retracted for the breeze. She willed it to expand and cover her body in the full te, and the protection from his pervy re was moreforting than the warmth that suffused her from the armor itself. "We are on our way to a dungeon, want toe?"


    Volio nodded, "Anything you want."


    Lyn smiled and looked at Gael and Vael, switching to Arinol. "When we are in the dungeon, let him and I take the lead. You two hang back. I want to see how useful he is inbat. And make sure you speak only in Arinol."


    Gael raised an inquisitive eyebrow, "Do you wish us to be ready to impale him?"


    Lyn shook her head, "No." She swapped back to English and faced Volio, "Just follow me, and back me up." She pulled out Cataclysm in its sword form and channeled mana into the de.


    Volio smiled gently, but it was a¡­weird smile. It instantly gave Lyn a bad feeling. "I''m right behind you."


    She walked to the entrance of the mountain, and remembered what she had discussed with Zack''s lingering consciousness. Raising her hand, she drew on her mana. It rushed up her mana channel, as if begging for a release. "Ladatho an¨ªra en-thalion / en-gwathren a galu / an rithia i aew an-uir / a t?go na ai hero thalion gond / En garo na ered i garan." The mana surged through her palm and an enormous bolt of lightning coated in ck, billowing shadows arced up into the heavens, piercing the skies above as the power crackled and impacted the maosphere above. An enormous crackling noise, much like a can being crushed inside apactor with echoing resonance and thunderous depth, reverberated throughout the whole region.


    "What did you do?" Volio asked with fear in his eyes.


    "I signaled our friends. Thomas freed the hero cores from the statue of Aelor, and they are roaming the world. Only James or myself can consume them and free their consciousness¡­soul¡­whatever you want to call it. If I signal them, then they can follow us into the dungeon and rece the dungeon core."


    Volio was struck silent and just stared at her with mouth agape. "Are¡­you eating our friends?"


    "I''m setting them free," Lyn said. She rapidly incanted the spell to pull Zack''s message just as she had done for Brad.


    Volio stood there, deep in thought as he zoned out listening to the voice of their fallen ssmate. After the message ended, he grinned and looked at Lyn with a strange gleam in his eyes. "You''re not harvesting hero cores then. You''re setting them free."


    Lyn nodded, "That''s right." She led the way inside a crevice in the mountain, using simple earth elementalism spells to widen the entrance so she didn''t have to squeeze. If she was alone? She wouldn''t have minded ¨C just like with the prior dungeon she had cleared that required her to go caving. But she had to practice maintaining appearances in front of other people. And a Destroyer wouldn''t squeeze between cracks in the walls. They would obliterate the mountain to get to what they wanted.


    The crevice led to a deep, downward slope that was smooth and slick. Without climbing gear, a person wouldn''t have any hope of getting back up if they slid down. Lyn slid down, keeping her footing as she rode the slope down fifty feet before it leveled out. In front of her was a rough cave with stctites that were crusted with crystals. At the far end of the room was a doorway made of silver. Zooming in her vision, she read thebel to herself. This door marks the dungeon of Durthul, Silversmith. Threat within ¨C logistics and management. Reward ¨C dungeon core and artifact.


    Lyn groaned. Those were the most boring types of dungeons. Time would pass differently for those inside versus those outside. Only a minute would pass on the outside, but to those inside, a full week would pass. And she would have to deal with managing people. Thest time she dealt with this type of dungeon-


    Something mmed into her back, and she rolled forward with the blow beforeing up in a crouch. She scanned the room but saw nothing. Volio came sliding down the passage and saw her stance. He nocked an arrow and pulled it back into a ready position, "What is it?" All trace of hesitation was gone from his voice as years of training kicked in.


    Lyn shook her head, "I don''t know," she muttered. "Something is in here." Gael and Vael came sliding down and Volio made some space for them. The twins had shields and spears at the ready, saw the two preparedbatants, and scanned the room as well.


    Something stabbed down at Lyn from above, and she jumped back to avoid it. One of the crystal stctites arced to follow her and hit her torso, the mana-charged tip piercing her armor and body enhancement. Fucking monster, Lyn thought as she coughed up blood. She brought Cataclysm down through the spike and severed it.


    Prismatic, multi-colored blood seeped out of the freshly severed appendage, and she could see some fleshy interior as a screech echoed through the space. She used her other hand to tear out the spike, "Anor min / nartho hain I daeth nin." Her internal regeneration spell fixed her body, and the armor naturally repaired itself as well.


    Volio switched out arrows and fired one up into the ceiling. Everyone had to shield their eyes as the shaft let off an illuminating glow that reflected off of the crystals. After a second, the glow settled around a form. Some type of crystalline scorpion that was clinging to the roof and had three stinger tails ¨C now two thanks to Lyn''s blow. The creature let out a hiss.


    Vael and Gael both raised their hands and incanted a spell at the same time, "En ethiel an le / thalion min / t?go hain govadhrim / en-aear." A light-blue glow surrounded both of them as a surge of water streamed out from their palms, impacting the creature with the force of a high-powered, crowd control cannon. It was not very effective, and the creature dropped from the ceiling, twisting in midair tond on skittering appendages. A pair of enormous pincers reached out, and the twins deftly dodged to the sides.


    Volio jumped straight up and loosed several rapid-fire shots that were coated with his mana into the creature''s crystalline shell. They sank several inches in, and the creature tried to m its stinger into the still airborne Volio. He muttered something in Elenthir that Lyn didn''t catch, and he appeared on the creature''s carapace, hanging on for dear life as it began to spin around.


    "Gothron i gwanno / min enni / na rem in edin nin: / na nin togwath, athano hain thron, gwelu, thrh, a n?n rath; / na nin inath, cirad nin hoth; / na nin inedhil, athano nin th?r a cirad nin; / na nin rhaw, hathol han uin del." Lyn rapidly spouted off the verses to her go-to internal spell, and her muscles bulged as she chopped down into the creature''s rear, carving through the crystal-encrusted form and severing two of the back legs. The thing wheeled about and tried to grip her, but she ducked under the attempted grab.


    Gael and Vael both ran in and harried the thing from different sides, their spear-tips covered in flowing mana. The imbued weapons were able to go past the crystalline exterior, but they could not strike too deeply, as the creature whirled around, forcing them to pull back or let their spears go.


    Volio pulled out an arrow and incanted some verse before he stabbed it down into the creature. There was a screech, and the creature stilled, twitching, as it tried to stab down at Volio with the stingers. One of them hit the Archer hero, and he let out a cry of pain as it stabbed him through the shoulder. Muttering a spell, he vanished and appeared at an arrow that ¨C until now ¨C Lyn hadn''t noticed. He put one against the wall there as an escape. Clever.


    Where Volio had stabbed the creature, vines began to grow and spread ¨C both inside the creature and outside of it ¨C slowing it down. The twins dashed in and continued their harrying stabs from both sides, drawing the monster''s ire. It gave Lyn the chance to coil her legs and jump up. She chopped through the remaining two stinger-tails, and the creature screeched as it whirled about, smacking her with a pincer that sent her exploding through several stctites.


    "Lyn!" Volio shouted in English. He tried to stand, but he copsed to his knee as venom raced through his body.


    Lyn shook off the impact. The cavern itself was not mana charged, so her Ironhide enhanced body would have suffered no damage. Coupled with her armor, she waspletely uninjured. Standing up, she rushed at the creature one more time, taking advantage of its distraction to jam Cataclysm into its side. As it turned, she held the de steady, and let the creature use its own weight to carve an enormous gash. The prismatic fluid cascaded out of the creature and it let out one more screech before copsing.


    Lyn shoved her hand into the creature, "En ethiel an le / gond en-thalion / tel na nin / a leithio nin na gadar le." The spell would call on the mana core of a in creature ¨C whether animal, person, or monster ¨C and enable the user to consume it. It was forbidden and strictly taboo to do it to a person, but monsters were fair game. She felt the mana core surge into her palm, and she pulled her hand back.


    The crystalline, translucent orb shimmered in her grip, and she consumed it. It traveled down her mana channel, and the Destroyer core feasted on it, pushing it down. Cataclysm exploded with a surge of razor-sharp crystals. Earth elementalism sub-type. Kind of a crappy mana core. It was unique, for sure, but not as versatile as she was hoping for. She already could have used crystal spells, since it fell underneath the broader umbre of earth elementalism. What a fucking waste.


    She turned to Volio. He was coated in ayer of sweat and was beet red as his body tried to fight off the venom coursing through him. "Gael, Vael, use that water spell to extract the venom," she told them in Arinol.


    Gael looked down at Volio and then back to Lyn. "You wanted to be rid of him, yes? This is a way to do so without any guilt. He died fighting a monstrous foe. A warrior''s death, sacrificing himself for the Destroyer he swore service to."


    Lyn felt appalled. I can''t just let him die! Was her first thought. And you''re defying my orders? Was the second thought. But¡­it made sense. She disliked Volio. He was useful, yes¡­but she could consume his mana core and get his unique Archer hero spells herself. Send him on his way just like Zack. It felt¡­wrong to do that.


    If she had the means to save Volio, she had to. He might be a pervert, but he was useful to her. She might be a Destroyer, but she would not just kill off the other heroes unless she had no other choice.


    She looked at Vael, "What do you say?"


    "I will follow your orders," she replied, kneeling next to Volio. "Are you sure you wish me to remove the venom?"


    "Yes," Lyn stated. She stood up as Vael began the incantation to send water into Volio''s body to encapste and withdraw the venom. She walked over to Gael and grabbed him by the shoulder, walking a slight distance away to the other side of the cavern. "I won''t have you questioning my orders again," she muttered.


    "Forgive me, my Lady," Gael replied. "I misunderstood your intent earlier."


    Lyn sighed and patted his shoulder, "It''s okay. I just want him to serve me, as you and Vael do. But not in my bed chamber." She looked over to Volio who was slowly rousing from his venom-induced stupor. "I want him to serve my cause. To be on my side. But if the only way to keep him on my side is to manipte his feelings¡­I don''t know if I can do that."


    Gael frowned and did something Lyn did not expect at all. He stepped in, grabbed the back of Lyn''s head, and kissed her.

 Chapter 48

    Volio''s heart sank. He had just been brought back to consciousness by this Duskari woman Lyn had called Vael. And the first sight he saw was Lyn, kissing the Duskari man. Oh¡­He turned to face the woman tending him.


    And that''s when he smelled it. Her scent was the same as the clothes Lyn had given him. Volio was not a dumb man. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he knew when he had been tricked. And Lyn had tricked him. Manipted him. Gave him the garments of this bodyguard. Lied to him. Used him as an errand boy. It all rushed to him with perfect rity. He''d been yed.


    His beloved, the woman he wanted to spend eternity with. Betrayed him. He didn''t feel anger or rage. All he felt was¡­hollow. I''ve spent ten years chasing your ghost¡­and you''re finally back. He had the chance to serve her. To be with her. He had the rings in his hip pouch. He wanted to propose, to make her his. But now¡­she lied to me.


    He felt the blood rush to his temples. The absolute outrage at the betrayal of trust filling the hollow void where longing for Lyn and a hole set aside for her once sat. Now he only felt the tempest of rage.


    Lyn pushed Gael off and shouted something in Arinol, pointing at his chest and screaming at him. He remained stoic, but Volio knew what a scolding looked and felt like. Gael replied to her in the samenguage, pointing at Volio and gesticting with his other hand. Lyn crossed her arms and huffed before nodding. She walked over to him, "Sorry, he crossed a line," she said in English. Volio knew, though, that it wasn''t sincere. It wasplete bullshit.


    I''m already here. Might as well clear the dungeon and then I can¡­What would he do? Lyn had been his whole life for the past ten years. His whole drive was to be with her. They had a connection. But she had betrayed that connection, and he was so mad that he could just kill her right there. But he couldn''t do that to her. He loved her too much, even now, despite the betrayal. Just finish the dungeon then figure out what you''ll do. He pushed the Duskari woman ¨C Vael ¨C away and stood up. "All good," he muttered.


    Lyn looked at the gateway behind her, "The most boring type of dungeon," she muttered. "Logistics and management."


    Volio heaved a sigh of relief. Those dungeons were easy. Normally, the person inside would have to manage a business of some type for the full seven-day period and would need to meet some type of quota to ''pass'' the dungeon trial and earn the reward. It meant that he had plenty of time to sort out what he was going to do about this situation. And, more importantly, more time to talk to Lyn as a n began to formte in his mind.


    She turned around and walked through the purple film. Gael followed her, but Vael stood behind Volio, and spoke in Khrrdian. "You go through first."


    He stomped over to the purple film and pushed through. He emerged inside a warehouse with stacks of trade goods on shelves all around. Lyn and Gael were further ahead, walking through another door, and Volio followed with Vael on his heels.


    They emerged on the sales floor. Lyn walked over to an inscribed board, spoke to Gael in Arinol, and then switched to Khrrdian. "We''ll stick to thisnguage while we are here." She pointed at the board which Volio knew from prior experienceid out the rules of the challenge. It was written in Elenthir, and without Lyn here, he would have been taking guesses at what it said. "We have to run a general store. Only the products already existing can be used in sales." She groaned and held her head in her hands. "Why couldn''t it have been a fight? Hell, I''d even take more puzzles or riddles."


    Vael closed the warehouse door behind Volio, "I believe," she said, "we should scout the rest of the building."


    Lyn nodded, gestured, and the twins split off to explore and report back. Lyn sat behind the counter and began looking over the variety of items on disy. All manner of expedition gear was in this front room, and the facility was set up to have a showroom floor, and then have the employees ¨C Volio and these three ¨C go back to the warehouse to put orders together. "Fucking grocery store stocking all over again," Lyn muttered.


    Volio leaned over the counter, resting on his forearms. The way Lyn sorted through the items and began to take meticulous notes was very much like her cataloguing and organizing of bands she loved to talk about. She was always making lists of her favorite songs, and he began to hum the melody to one of the tunes.


    She paused what she was doing and looked at him, "Like a Stone." Volio nodded and Lyn smiled. "You remembered."


    Volio nodded, "It was¡­your favorite." He stared into her eyes, trying to discern the truth behind her words. The intentions that were veiled behind the gorgeous blue spheres. You''re mine, and yet you lied to me. Used me. Why? He searched for an answer but found naught but the flickering mes behind her iris.


    "Yeah. It was." She stood up, "Look¡­Volio. I know you are really, really into me. But I''m not the same Lyn. I''m not Lyn from school, Lyn the Scout-"


    "Lyn the Destroyer¡­I heard¡­the convo with Misty."


    "So, you know the woman you had a crush on isn''t the same person."


    Volio shrugged, "You''re still¡­" he paused. He was about to say, ''my Lyn'', but she had lied to him. Tricked him. He stood up and left the counter. Walking outside the building, he saw a nondescript stone road leading in both directions, and vast wilderness surrounding them. If this is like those other dungeons¡­he began walking down the road, and as soon as the building had fallen away behind him, he saw it in front of him on the horizon once more. Yup.


    He returned inside and saw Vael and Gael drawing a map on the counter with Lyn looking down at it. "Right so we have four bedrooms, kitchen, outhouses, a basement cer with plenty of provisions, the store front, and the warehouse." She looked up to Gael, "Let''s take an inventory of the warehouse." She then looked to Vael, "Get some rest. You''re going to be the night shift."


    Volio walked over as the twins left. "Three during the day?"


    Lyn nodded, "Thest two times I did dungeons with this type of trial most of the customers showed up during the day with only a few at night. We almost failed the first one because we didn''t realize that we had night customers. They don''t make any noise, either. So someone has to be at the desk at all times."


    I¡­Volio nodded and walked to a side of the storefront, looking at the objects on the wall as he lost himself in thought. She''s not my Lyn. Not the one I fell in love with. This wasn''t his dark angel who protected him at school from Kory and Darius. This wasn''t the woman he spent hours of his life pining over and watching at the skate park. This wasn''t the object of his affections that he delivered hand-crafted gifts to.


    And that thought gave him a weird mix of emotions. He felt calm and enraged at the same time. Calm because he knew this Lyn was a fresh, new take on the woman he loved so dearly. But enraged that she had betrayed him and used him. He wanted to confront her, to yell at her, to give her a piece of his mind. To pin her down and tear off her clothing and dominate her in the way he always wanted to do to the past Lyn. To im her as his. To make her his.


    But he hated confrontation. Every time he thought of confronting someone, his memories woulde flooding back.


    "Man up!" his dad yelled at him as he pointed to the shattered tes. "Your sister told us this was you! Now man up and admit it!"


    "It¡­wasn''t me¡­" Volio muttered. His younger sister always was a meless child. The one who could do no wrong. The one his parents doted on.


    "Bullshit! You''re going to clean up this mess, and then you''re grounded for a month!"


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Volio nodded numbly and went to grab the broom and dustpan. "Yes, sir."


    He shook his head clear of those memories. Fuck that noise. I''m a goddamn hero. A hero. He had helped kill a tyrant. He had saved a rebellion from copsing. He fought against the Demonic Dragon. My Lyn died fighting that thing. This new Lyn¡­ he smiled and chuckled. This new Lyn is my reward.


    Yeah. That was it. Someone had heard his prayers. For years, night after night, he whispered prayers to whoever would listen that he would find Lyn so they could be together. And finally, his prayers were answered. This Lyn may have tricked him, but that didn''t matter.


    This Lyn would be his. His reward foring to this world and helping to save it. His reward for the undying devotion to her. She was his and no one else''s. He slipped his hand into the pouch with the rings and clutched them in his fist. I''ll make her mine. His mind shed with visions of what he would do to her body once she was his. And she''ll love me with everything she has.


    That fucking guy, Lyn thought as she finished tabting the store''s list of products and prices, pushing any thought of Volio out of her head. She had worked in retail before, part-time after sses to make some money. Trying to build up a fund to move away from her abusive home. She had a good grasp on the concept of supply and demand. Walking to the warehouse, she scanned the parchment that Gael was writing on. We have plenty of inventory. I can probably mark a bunch of prices down to reach the goal required.


    There was something akin to a cash register up front that was some type of inscribed item built into the trial. It would track monies in and out to make sure that no maniption was going on. Lyn couldn''t, say, pull out a thousand Gold Eagles from the treasury back at Lynhold and then put them into the register. It had to be monies from the created ''fake people'' who would be shopping there. Gael looked over at her and switched to Arinol, "I''m not sorry for what I did."


    Lyn nodded, "I know." She reyed that moment in the cave over in her head. Gael had leaned in to kiss her, did kiss her, and she pushed him away, screaming at him "What the fuck!" in Arinol to make sure Volio didn''t know what was being said.


    "It was just a gesture. I want to see what his reaction is," Gael replied as he pointed at Volio. "He does not treat you with reverence like Bolvon does, so we know he is not a fanatic worshipper of your godliness. Based on your ''pic'' as you called it where you were unting your assets, you know more about why he is enamored with you."


    Lyn sighed and pointed at Volio as well, "This creep has been interested in me. Romantically, sexually, whatever ways you can think of I''m sure have gone through his perverted little brain. I''m ying him. As long as I can keep him wound up-"


    "Eventually he''ll figure out you''re manipting him. When he finds out, how will he act?"


    Lyn had been mulling that question over. She put a hand on Gael''s shoulder in the present and squeezed it gently. "Just so we are clear, I don''t view you or your sister in a romantic sense. Kissing while fucking? Sure."


    Gael smirked and kept cataloguing the goods in the warehouse, "I know. I love Bolvon. You''re just a goody, Lady Rivers."


    She gently smacked him on the back of the head, and they shared a briefugh.


    Volio was listening at the door. He didn''t understand what they were saying, but the tone was jovial. She''s just loving her time with him. He stepped away from the door and paced around the shop, lost in thought. She was his prize. His Lyn. But he would have to be careful when he made his move. He rifled through his hip pouch and pulled out the book of external spells he had kept since first arriving on Ghomar. He never had the best memory, hence why he kept this log of verses.


    He flipped to a page with spells he had never wanted to use, because they seemed¡­wrong. Mind spells. The type of stuff that would be akin to slipping someone a roofie, blitzing someone out of their brain and preventing them from reacting or doing things against you. The heroes were warned about mind spells in general. They were taboo except when investigating a crime and trying to determine the truth. Using a spell in that way would be just as bad as the physical act of raping someone. And it was criminalized in most civilizations.


    And yet Volio didn''t care. She''s mine. She''s my reward for all the bullshit I''ve put up with. I found her, didn''t I? Without me, the other heroes wouldn''t know she''s back. The least she can do is give me some gratification.


    And, with this type of spell, he wouldn''t have to worry about confrontation or conflict. It wouldn''t be like trying to confront his dad. No yelling, no shouting, no violence. He could take what he was owed. His Lyn. Force her to submit fully to him. He could take out his anger and rage for her betrayal while at the same time finally taking the satisfied gratification that he had sought for so many years.


    He just had to bide his time. Slowlyyer spells, one at a time, in such a minor way that she wouldn''t notice. When he was done, to her perspective, she would be in love with him. It wasn''t wrong. It couldn''t be wrong; he was sure of that. They were meant to be together. She just forgot that we were supposed to be together. Yeah, that was it. She forgot. He had to remind her.


    The first few hours passed uneventfully as Lyn and Gael rearranged the shop. Then, the customers starteding in. They were all manner of races from across Ghomar, and they all spoke with the same monotone, nd voice. It was rote, repetitive work. Take an order, grab the supplies from the warehouse, try to upsell them on other products, and then process the payment. Rinse and repeat. Hour after hour.


    To Lyn, the work was mind-numbing. It felt like she was in a constant mental fog. And it only got worse every time Volio had to walk by the front desk where she was working. He was muttering something to himself that even her Duskari hearing couldn''t pick up. It''s this retail bullshit, she thought. The monotony of just running a store, taking orders, filling orders. It drained her like nothing else could.


    Vael came downstairs as the day concluded, and Lyn went to the kitchen. Thankfully, these dungeon-challenges that required the person to stay for a lengthy period had plentiful resources, so she threw together a sandwich before heading upstairs, eating, and crashing on the bed.


    Volio was in the room opposite the hall from Lyn''s room. Gael''s room was adjacent to his, and Vael''s was adjacent to Lyn''s. He flipped through the spell book and made some minor adjustments to the verses, switching around a few words here or there. He wasn''t the best at Elenthir ¨C thenguage was maddeningly difficult to understand andprehend, but some words were consistent in verses, so they could be shifted around without much risk.


    Phase one isplete, he thought as he chuckled to himself with glee. Mind spells that wear down the person''s defenses. Every person had a level of resistance to mental influence, often that was more potent the more egotistical they were. The more highly they thought of themselves, the harder they would be to wear down. It''s why mind spells never worked on a battlefield. It took hours, sometimes days or even months of consistent, slow wearing down.


    But he only had a week, at the most. Six more days. He could sacrifice some sleep. Getting up quietly, he crept into the hallway, andid down on the floor so that he could talk under Lyn''s door. He muttered the next set of spells in her direction.


    Soon¡­you''ll be all mine.


    Gael woke up and went downstairs. Vael looked tired, having stayed up all night, and she gave him a groggy smile. "Oh, already morning?" she asked.


    "Yes. Go get some sleep," Gael told her, giving her a quick pat on the shoulder.


    "First, food." Vael left as Lyn came downstairs.


    The Destroyer yawned and nodded at Gael, "Morning."


    "Did you sleep well?"


    "Sort of? I had a weird dream." She suddenly stood upright, all trace of her tiredness vanishing. Her eyes narrowed and she whispered in Arinol, "Gael, I don''t dream. I''ve never dreamed. I just go to sleep, then wake up the next morning." She lowered her voice even further and moved next to him, barely breathing loud enough for him to hear. "Something weird is going on. I don''t know if he''s doing it, or if it''s just this dungeon¡­keep an eye on him."


    Gael nodded and stepped away from her as he spied the Archer hero descending the stairs. He waved silently and muttered, "Good morning," as he went to the kitchen.


    Volio had to be cautious. Gael was working in close proximity, so when he passed by Lyn, he would only just barely whisper a tiny part of the verse. Innocuous word fragments. He knew that if he said nothing else in the interim, he could separate out the words and ensure that he was undetected. The Duskari male appeared none the wiser, and by the end of the day, as they retired once more, he could tell Lyn was walking slightly differently. Her gait suggested sluggishness. The type of tiredness from a long day of work. Nothing suspicious at all.


    His n was working perfectly. And despite the male Duskari shadowing him, he was sure he remained undetected.


    Vael stood at the desk during the night shift. A few of the unremarkable shoppers came in, and she took their orders, went to the warehouse, and then brought their order out. Checking the register, she was quite pleased that they were ahead of schedule. Maybe¡­two more days if this keeps up.


    Lyn had exined the dungeon''s win condition for the trial over the shift-change breakfast. "We''ll be considered winners once the register fills up with Gold Eagles. We just have to keep an eye on that. The whole ''shop'' and warehouse will vanish, and we''ll be in the final chamber with the reward altar once it fills up."


    She was quite bored in between customers and paced the shop floor. Her ears picked up on something ¨C a scraping noiseing from upstairs. Strange. She knew Lyn slept like a rock ¨C unmoving once she fell asleep. Gael didn''t fuss about either. She slowly and quietly ascended the stairs, heard more scuffling noises, and then a very, very faint sound of a nket shifting.


    Staring down the hallway, she saw nothing out of ce. A singr moon was gleaming through the window at the end of the hall, and she heard the door open downstairs. It was nothing, she thought.

 Chapter 49

    Volio''s heart was racing as the footsteps receded and went downstairs. He had almost been caught. But he was close. So close. Maybe another day of stripping away mental defenses, and then he could use the final spell that would thrall Lyn to his will. Make her do anything he wanted her to do.


    He couldn''t sleep, he was so excited. Finally, his dark angel would be his and no one else''s. And thanks to the spells, she would feel the same way towards him. The thought filled him with satisfaction, a deep, fulfilling satisfaction that lifted him up and made him feel like he was back on stage, just after a performance, with thunderous apuse echoing around him.


    Gael knew something was off, but he didn''t know what it was for sure. The Archer hero was just working busily and quietly, minus the asional pass by the desk that Lyn manned to drop off items from the various warehouse orders.


    The Destroyer looked tired, more tired than Gael had ever seen her even after a marathon sex session. More tired than when she had fought in dungeons. He felt exhausted, also. This monotonous and repetitive work was grinding him down. She hadined once about the speed of customers, saying "When I worked in retail on Earth, it went faster if people came inrge rushes." But this rate was continuous and consistent.


    Gael went upstairs for a minute and knocked on Vael''s door. After a few moments she opened it, wiping the sleep from her eyes, "What''s up?"


    "I want to see how you feel right now."


    "Tired."


    "Yes, but more than that. Mentally fatigued. As if we''ve been on watch for days straight."


    "Worse than that."


    Gael breathed an internal sigh of relief, "Good, it''s not just me, then."


    Vael nodded, "Anything else?"


    "No, I''m good."


    Lyn was bone-tired at the end of the day. Her mind was just a foggy mess. I just want azy Saturday with some shitty cereal and a couch, she thought. This was the most draining experience she had had in quite a long time. Travel didn''t bore her. Waiting around didn''t bore her. Dealing with the same crap over and over did.


    She went to Gael''s room and knocked on the door. He opened it, "Yes?"


    "I need a distraction," she said pushing him into the room. She shut the door behind herself and began to strip off his clothes. But as she saw his bare chest, she felt a wave of revulsion.


    "What''s wrong," Gael asked seeing her pause when she normally was non-stop.


    "I¡­" Lyn shook her head and tried to lean in to kiss him passionately, to try and reignite her amorous desire¡­but the feeling vanished. "Fuck, I don''t know." She sat up and sighed, "This ce fucking sucks."


    Gael sat up and put a hand on her back, "What can I do to help?"


    She wanted to say ''let me sleep in here with you tonight,'' but that felt¡­wrong. Why did it feel wrong? She enjoyed sharing her bed with the twins. But it was¡­ "I''m sorry. I don''t know how to describe it."


    Gael nodded, "Okay."


    Lyn stood up, left, and went back to her room shutting the door. What the hell is going on? She got back up, went downstairs, and grabbed Vael, "Leave the desk. I want your help with something."


    Even in the worst depths of exhaustion from her shitty job back on Earth, dragging herself after school to get some cash, she was always down to have sex to escape from the monotony and misery of life.


    This suddenck of desire? It screamed at her internally. Something was off, and she was going to figure out what it was.


    Volio waited until the dead of night. It''s time. He had performed every step of each mind spell perfectly over the past three days and nights. He was exhausted¡­but this would be worth it. The signs of the spells having taken effect were all there. Finally, she''s all mine. He walked up to Lyn''s door and didn''t knock, just opened it gently. Silently, he stepped in and closed the door behind him.


    She was ¨C oddly enough ¨C fully encased in her armor. But sheid still, motionless. Atst, he thought as he knelt next to her and whispered the final verses of the Elenthir incantation, "En ethiel an le / o i naith l¨ªn d?r / an na madyr nin / a na pan l¨ªn / na nin ir."


    And with that, he knew she was his. And she would love him just as equally. She was his thrall and would be fully subjected to his whims and desires, his anger and passion. He put his hand on her thigh and could feel the warmth of the ck adamantine radiating a cozy heat. Slowly, he moved his hand up her leg towards a seam in the armor he knew he could utch-


    He screamed with pain. The thighs mped together like a vice as his fingers were crushed between the incredibly hard metal. He tried to pull it free, but his hand wouldn''t move. The voice that came from behind the helmet was not Lyn''s. And it filled him with terror.


    Vael growled at him from inside the armor in Khrrdian, "I caught you."


    Volio panicked. He began to incant a spell. But something heavy hit him on the back of the head.


    The world went dark.


    Lyn entered the room after Gael had knocked Volio unconscious. Right, gotta wake him up within a few minutes to make sure there''s no brain damage. Not like she cared much, though. The fucker had been using mind spells on her to try and enve her. She wanted to kick him in the ribs so badly¡­but held off as Gael tied him up and gagged him.


    After getting Vael earlier that evening, she used the internal regeneration spell that her Destroyer core gave her ess to. That cleared her mind instantly and restored her mental faculties. They had set up this trap because, really, there was only one possible culprit with mind magic, since the twins couldn''t do that type of external spell. Lyn wanted to have a clear conscience, as well as make sure it wasn''t just the dungeon itself imposing some type of mental test. This was definitive proof.


    Vael stood up, "Lyn? Mind taking off the armor?" She asked in Arinol.


    Lyn walked over and put her hand on the suit of armor, willing it to vanish from Vael''s form and back onto hers. The metalplied, and she was once more d, feeling safe and secure. "Thanks for being my bait."


    Vael giggled, "I''m just happy we are so simr in build." She looked down at the now-bound Archer hero. "What do we do with him?"


    Lyn pondered that. She leaned down and rifled through his pockets, finding a small notebook and flipping it open. Ah, he''s got a spell book. It wasn''t umon for mages to have spell books, in fact most of the heroes did as well. The only ones that didn''t were Lyn, Misty, and Thomas since they could freeform any spell they needed. But the rest had the verses or, in some cases like Trisha, had all the building blocks of multiple verses figured out and could mix and match. She put the spell book into her storage choker. "First, we have to make sure he doesn''t die. I want to see the look in his eyes when I confront him."


    Vael nodded and cast a simple water spell as the liquid sshed from her palm and onto Volio''s face. He did not move. "Damn it, Gael. You hit him really hard."


    "Well, he was going to use a spell. I couldn''t just not hit him."


    Lyn knelt and applied pressure to his shattered hand. Volio whimpered and his eyes opened slightly. "He''s just concussed," she said. Switching to Khrrdian, she pulled Volio up and set him on the bed. "Alright you fucking pervert. I''m going to take this gag out. Cast a spell, and Gael will spear you through the fucking skull. Got it?" Volio''s head lolled slightly, and he whimpered again. Lyn sighed. "Fine. I''ll permit you to use a single healing spell. But¡­" she pulled out Cataclysm and channeled mana into the de, igniting it and holding it aloft. Volio''s eyes went wide at the sight of the blueva dripping down and onto Lyn''s body before it vanished into nothingness. "If you use a non-healing spell, I will kill you without a moment''s notice."


    This content has been uwfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Volio nodded, and Lyn pulled the gag out of his mouth. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / leithio hain garan / a gd hain tr?w," he muttered as a flush of white-pink energy red over his body. He sat upright and his hand snapped back into ce with a sickening crunch. Lyn shoved the gag back into his mouth.


    She stood up and rested Cataclysm on her shoulder, "Vael, Gael¡­what do you think I should do to him?"


    Gael pointed a spear at the man whose eyes bulged with fear, "Kill him."


    Vael shook her head, "Torture first."


    Lyn put Cataclysm away, "I need to think. Gael, watch him. Vael, with me."


    Gael looked at the pathetic Archer hero in front of him. The man''s eyes were running, and he was making pathetic, whimpering noises of sorrow. "Sad you got caught?" Gael asked in Khrrdian.


    The Archer looked up at him and then let his head hang down.


    "You thought you could manipte the Destroyer? Our goddess reborn?"


    "Mfffm. Fmhmmf!"


    Gael shook his head as the man tried to talk back through the gag. "She told us all about your behaviors back where you came from. The times you, what''s the word¡­perved on her at this park of skates? Peering in her windows at night? Staring at her throughout the day?"


    Volio continued to sob, falling over sideways onto the bed and crying into the mattress.


    "You will get what you deserve. If I had my way, you''d be dead. Be grateful our goddess is benevolent."


    The hero screamed into his gag and stared at Gael. Gael felt the hatred, the pain, the absolute utter disgust and anger emanating from those piercing eyes. It shook him to his center. He had never seen such level of anger in a look.


    I can''t just kill him, Lyn thought as she walked downstair and out into the brisk night air. I can''t just kill another hero outright, is what one side of her said.


    But another part of her wanted to obliterate the wanna-be rapist. If he had his way, or if she didn''t take the reasonable action of using Vael as a body double, then she would be his thrall and possibly never able to escape.


    He was going to imprison you, Lyn thought. Not a literal prison, but she would be a prisoner in her own body. Breaking free of a mind spell after it had been fully applied was extremely difficult if not impossible. And who knows what type of sick, nasty, demented, perverted shit he would have forced her to do.


    She sat down on the small bench outside the shop as Vael joined her. "What are you going to do?" Vael asked.


    Lyn leaned forward, resting her arms on her legs and letting her head hang low. "I don''t know," she muttered. "In the dungeon atop Shiverburn Summit, I faced a challenge where I had to kill every remaining hero still alive."


    Vael''s eyes widened, "All of them?"


    Lyn nodded as she recalled the sounds of what she assumed was Trisha''s children screaming. "And more." She looked at Vael, "I don''t know if I can do it. I want to take over this world but doing that I''m going to make enemies. Enemies like Volio up there." She looked back down, "Even innocents will die," she whispered. She knew the cost of war; the heroes had fought in a rebellion that put down King Kristoph''s father. Innocents died. Every time people went to war¡­people suffered.


    She felt Vael''s hand on her shoulder, "I''ve not been in a war," she stated. "I was born after the great wars had ended, and we did not intervene ten years ago; the Conve of the Fortress was forbidden from engaging anything outside of our stronghold inside dread fortress itself." She pulled Lyn closer into her and brushed her hairfortingly, raking her fingers through the snowy strands. "I know one thing. You are Lyn. But you are more than that. You are more than just a Destroyer." She lowered her voice to a whisper, "You aren''t just someone who wants to let the world persist. You want to make something new. Something grand. To do that¡­" she let the thought trail off.


    Lyn nodded, I''d have to ept certain losses, she thought. People would die. Some would be innocent. Many would be those standing in her way. Was the price worth the payoff? A few hundred or even a thousand deaths, in exchange for an eternity of a peaceful empire that would doubtless affect billions over the millennia she would rule. She knew she was effectively immortal thanks to the internal regeneration spell. That, coupled with more body enhancement, acquiring more mana cores, and the fanatic devotion of being seen as a reborn goddess¡­


    The losses are eptable. She stood up and drew Cataclysm. "Tell Gael to bring the Archer hero outside."


    Vael nodded and ran off. Lyn walked to the center of the road and nted the de point-down into the stone, feeling the sizzling and bubbling of molten rock under her feet. A few moments passed before Volio was dragged out, lifted in between the twins. They set him down in front of her, and put their spears against his back, poking him to kneel upright. Volio made eye contact with Lyn, and threw himself down, groveling.


    "Look at me," Lynmanded. Volio did so, and she willed more mana into the de. It red with the neon-blueva as the other elements she had acquired flowed around within. "I charge you, Volio Mori, with the crime of using mind external spells to forcibly thrall an individual. Do you deny this charge?"


    Volio whimpered and nodded. Lyn reached into the storage choker and pulled out the spell book, throwing it on the ground next to him. "This is your spell book, taken from your person, as my two witnesses can attest to." She looked at Vael, "Did the used attempt to use a mind-altering spell on you?"


    "Yes."


    "And did he then attempt to vite you with his own body?"


    "Yes."


    "Take out his gag. And if he starts to say anything in Elenthir, you are to stab him."


    Gael nodded and took out the gag. Volio sputtered for a moment before his face turned to a mixture of rage and sorrow. "You bitch!" he screamed in English. "I fucking loved you! I''ve always loved you!" he wept and groaned in emotional agony. "You lied to me! Used me! I just wanted what I was owed!"


    Lyn had been holding back her anger and trying to approach this situation as a neutral judge. But she felt the anger boil up within her, and the Destroyer core resonated with this, as the de she held exploded with renewed fury, and Volio shirked backward ¨C as did her Duskaripanions. "You think you are owed anything?!" she shouted back in their sharednguage. "You aren''t owed shit!" She knelt and grabbed his chin, pulling him up to face her. "You''re not owed a single. Fucking. Thing."


    Volio''s eyes were full of anger and outrage, but Lyn saw the defeat hidden behind that fa?ade. She stood up as his shoulders sagged. "I¡­I¡­" he looked at her once more, and all fight and anger had left him. All that was left was a sad, pitiful, sorrow-filled hollow void of a man. "I¡­I love you¡­"


    Lyn raised the de. "Volio Mori, I sentence you to death." The Archer hero began bawling and put his head down, his shoulders heaving with sobs. She felt the anger reced with a feeling of righteous justification. She wasn''t doing anything wrong. She was distributing justice. She raised Cataclysm and willed even more mana into the de. The Destroyer core seemed all too eager to enforce her will.


    "When you see the doors Zack mentioned¡­don''t return to Ghomar. Go back to Earth. Live out your theater dreams." She cleaved right through his neck with a single chop and knelt a secondter as she harvested his hero core. She held the sphere in her hands and squeezed it, shoving it down her mana channels where it was consumed by the inferno of the Destroyer core.


    Volio felt the brief, intense, searing pain, and then nothing. He saw a pair of doors in front of him. Both were open, and a white light shone beyond. He felt warmth behind him, and ncing back, he saw neon-blueva slowly approaching him. I don''t have much time, he thought.


    One door wasbeled EARTH. The other wasbeled GHOMAR.


    What do I do? He felt the heat closer behind him. If he went back to Earth, who knows how it would end up? If he went through Ghomar¡­he could maybe be back with Lyn. Get another chance at seducing her. At controlling her. Making her his.


    He went toward that door, but it closed in front of him. He mmed his fist on it, pleading. "Please! I just want to be with her!"


    A growl sounded behind him. He pushed his back against the door as he saw theva form a face. A woman. Not Lyn, not the Demonic Dragon¡­someone else. An amalgamation of faces. And voices. "I am Raevan, the deity of destruction. I am the Demonic Dragon, Yheron. I am Lyn Rivers the Destroyer."


    Volio whimpered and curled up into a ball. "I just want to be with Lyn."


    "We have forbidden you to return to Ghomar¡­unlike Zack Daermont, however¡­you will not be able to leave behind any messages or thoughts. Now¡­leave."


    The heat assailed him, theva slowly creeping towards him. He pounded on the door to Ghomar over and over, "No! I need to be with her!"


    "Then you will die. This is yourst chance. Return to Earth¡­or have your soul be annihted."


    Volioughed and stood all the way, drawing up to his full height. I''ll convince her. This thing is still Lyn. My Lyn. I just have to remind her of my love. Music, right? Her favorite song? Yeah. I''ll do that. I''ll win her heart.


    He lifted his voice in song, channeling all his prowess from performing theatre, practicing musicals, singing unrequited love songs in the shower as he daydreamed of Lyn, his beloved. Finally, here, on the brink of hisst chance¡­he felt his confidence of being on stage despite having only a single audience member who would listen. His spirit soared as he sang his heart out, finally unafraid to be himself as his soul was bared to Lyn''s.


    "In your house, I long to be / Room by room, patiently / I''ll wait for you there / Like a stone / I''ll wait for you there / Alone."


    The amalgamated face in theva shifted to a look of dismay, before shifting rapidly to one of determination. "Annihtion it is, then."


    The neon-blueva surged forth, and Volio screamed in agony as his soul, his consciousness, his being was burned away.

 Chapter 50

    Lyn felt the rush of energy as Volio''s corpse turned to ash, all his gear ttering to the ground. She waited for a moment, but no ''voicemail'' came to her thoughts like it did with Zack. Thank God for that, she thought. She put Cataclysm away and walked forward, embracing Vael and Gael. "Thank you."


    They both hugged her in return, "Of course," Gael replied. "You''re our goddess. Our Destroyer. Our Lyn." He pulled back, "Not romantically, of course," he said with a chuckle.


    Vael nodded and pulled away as well. "The same goes for me."


    Lyn nodded, "Good." She looked up at the shop. "We''ll deal with this tomorrow. Let''s all just get some sleep." She gestured to the remains of Volio''s gear, "Gael, please bring this stuff up."


    She led the way upstairs and stopped at Volio''s door. She opened it and Gael deposited the equipment there. They then moved one of the beds into Gael''s room, and all Lyn settled down with the twins on either side, feeling quite safe and content.


    There was no regret. Volio was judged for his actions. He was guilty of them. He was punished for them. He would get to move on like Zack had done. Even harvesting his core didn''t feel wrong, because Lyn knew if she didn''t, he would just be trapped within it. He was going back to Earth, and would live either his same, old life, or he would go against her wishes, and choose the Ghomar portal. She really hoped he hadn''t chosen that option. But¡­she had a feeling that he wasn''t ever going to be in her life again.


    I''ll have to dig through his gear tomorrow. She focused on her Destroyer core and felt it calm and cid, slightly bubbling like soup on a low simmer. Teleportation, she thought. The external spell type was the most taxing out of them all. And she instinctively knew that she could now use it. Using the special Archer spell she had heard him say plenty of times, she could travel vast distances. And, she would be skilled with a bow now; a master marksman.


    Free-form teleportation without the unique Archer-only spell was extremely limited. With full mana at this point, she would be able to maybe teleport thirty feet without the unique spell. And that would exhaust the mana entirely. Only a few people on Ghomar had enough mana to use teleportation spells, and they could only travel a few inches or feet. It was the strongest external spell type known. And the fact that she had it now made her feel ecstatic.


    She snuggled in between the twins, willing her armor to recede so she could feel theirforting warmth of skin on skin contact as she drifted off. She didn''t have to worry about that perv ever again.


    "And what of the forces amassing in Biskon?" Cecily asked her war council, Kory at her right hand sitting in a far smaller chair with hisrge hammer resting beside him. She absentmindedly tapped her fingers on therge table.


    "Your Highness, the Duke of Biskon has twenty-thousand levies and a thousand trained military retainers. He has not dered a rebellion, yet¡­but that is the direction things are heading."


    Cecily nodded, "And we have determined the cause of these troubles and doubts in my leadership and direction?"


    "Yes, we have. You were correct that they are primarily up in arms regarding the new wine tax."


    She scoffed and sipped from a ss of her favorite wine, a light, fruit-filled and full-bodied red. "And the promation was exined exactly as I had detailed, yes?" The man nodded and Cecily snapped her fingers as a scribe came over and handed her a sheaf of notes. It''s so simple, how could they fuck it up this badly to incite revolt?


    She had been creating several tax reforms since the non-human races, drugs, and public intoxication were sorted out. Primary among those was ensuring that funds were more evenly distributed along supply chains to help prevent centralization of wealth, which could lead to a higher wealth inequality. Or, worse, a noble amassing enough wealth to pose a threat by hiring well-trained mercenaries from the Free City of Bashinol, or any of the other mercenarypanies around Ghomar.


    This tax was so simple. And yet they screwed up the promation in Biskon. And only that one. But that made sense, as it was a primary wine-producing region with the appropriate climate. Other duchies: Skrell, Logor, Komorra, and Rist, were all showing the same level of displeasure with one or more of her tax reforms. Can''t they see that this is for the best?


    If she had been able to get these Dukes and Duchesses to her pce then she could have used mind spells to ensure they were thralled to her and unwavering in their allegiance. However¡­they had been extremely careful in dealing with her. They knew the threat she posed, and she knew they were the older duchies that had been ruled for centuries. "Kory," she stated, and the Berserker hero stood at attention. "You are going to go to Biskon, and see the Duke on my behalf."


    "But- Lady Cecily," one of the counselors began.


    Cecily mmed her hand down on the table, "Lord Smith here might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but even he could read a promation in such a way that it wouldn''t incite rebellion!" The counselor who had spoken quivered in fear, and the rest of her council ufortably shifted in their seats. "The Berserker hero will go to Biskon with a force of one hundred of my personal retinue. He will deliver a letter and ensure that the Duke reads it." She looked to Kory, "And if he doesn''t read it properly¡­read it for him. And if that still doesn''t get the point across¡­kill him and force the heir to read it. I will not allow for rebellion when I am so close to a fully unified country."


    Kory nodded and grabbed his enormous hammer as he made for the doors, leaving and barking orders for several of Cecily''s guards to prepare for the journey. The counselor who had been quieted and quivered in fear began to speak, but Cecily held up her hand.


    "Now, let me be clear; you will never question my orders or decisions. The only reason for this council is because I cannot be everywhere at once. If you serve well, you will be rewarded." She snapped her fingers, and several servants approached with tters with domes covering them. They set the tters in front of each person, save for the counselor who tried to question Cecily. The others had the domes removed, anduded Cecily with thanks as they heldrge, emerald-encrusted rings.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Serve me well and be rewarded," she stated once more as she stood. "I want a report on Skrell in the morning." She turned and left, signaling for her Spymaster to approach. The thin woman walked alongside her. "I want you to have that counselor put into the dungeon."


    "My Lady, I am more than happy to do that. You should know that he is the fourth child of the Duchess of the Emerald Isle, and I must insist on no permanent outside scarring."


    Cecily smirked, "Thank you for the reminder. Just spells for him, then."


    "I did ensure to find more scum of the streets for you, your highness."


    "Excellent."


    I''m getting there, she thought. She almost had a strong enough mana core. A few hundred more criminals harvested, and she could finally aplish one of her long-term goals. A mind spell that would affect all Vgonia. One that would cement her as their ultimate ruler. Thralling that many at once was impossible, there wasn''t enough mana in the world. But a memory-muddling spell just like what they had used to get rid of memory of Lyn? That she could do.


    Of course, her ns did not stop there. Once the whole of Vgonia was firmly in her control, she could then go to war with Khrrdia. Then, Trisk. Instill her reforms, take all of the¡­undesirables, and harvest them. Eventually, after maybe twenty or thirty years, if her ns well perfectly, she would have enough mana to do such a spell over all of Ghomar.


    But¡­living that long was a different matter. So many things could happen. She leaned to her Spymaster, "And how is progress towards my special project?"


    "VEROG?" she asked. Cecily nodded and the Spymaster shook her head, "We have found several suitable vessels and are in the process of preparing them, but none of our expeditions to Elent have been sessful. The Knowledge hero was the only one to have gone there sessfully, and we cannot find any means to get through the storms."


    Cecily wheeled on her, "And what of the Mage hero? How are the efforts of obtaining her assistance progressing?"


    "She is¡­not open to our offers."


    "Tsk," Cecily was strong, but despite her years of attempting to learn thenguage, the intricacies of Elenthir still evaded her. Even when she had Thomas thralled to her service, he had built a mental block that she could not break down that kept him from instructing her. Misty and Thomas are the only two that know thenguage well enough to do what I desire. It was one of those two or getting an expedition to the Ruins of Elent sessfully to find Elenthian texts. Ones that she could then use to reverse-engineer the spell she sought to create. "Misty is strong in her versatility. I may have more mana than her, but she is too unpredictable with what she can do." And with Thomas dead at James'' hand, my only choices are to keep trying to get Misty on board or get to the Ruins.


    "Is there anything else, your Highness?"


    "No. Thank you." Cecily entered her chambers and sat down, ringing a bell as a servant entered from a hidden passage with a cup of wine. Cecily sipped it and sat in front of the fire, staring into the flickering mes. Flight is the only way past the storms. Ships cannot get close enough without being dashed against the rocks. With Misty not a possibility, and Thomas dead¡­She screamed in frustration and threw the cup into the mes, the alcohol feeding the roaring ze.


    I need to calm down. She stood up, snapped her fingers, and the servant fetched her leathers. Cecily got into her gear and went down the hidden passages to the prison. "Bring me the rapists. I feel like mutting tonight."


    Lyn woke up to an empty bed. Panicking, she willed her armor to cover her form and bolted out of bed, rushing into the hallway and down the stairs. To her relief, Gael and Vael were just downstairs, manning the shop toplete the dungeon task.


    Vael looked over and waved with a smile, "We figured we''d let you sleep in."


    Gael nodded, "Take the day, and you cover the night shift."


    "Alright," she said as she went back upstairs. First though, she went to Volio''s room and went through all his gear that was left behind. The first item that stood out was an inscribed bow. It was unstrung, but she read the inscriptions. Holy shit. It''s an artifact. Did he know it was an artifact? The name tranted to Stul''Nir''Var, and it didn''t need a bowstring.


    She channeled mana into it, and the wooden bough bent backward as a phantasmal string appeared. She pulled the string back, and a bolt of spectral, white energy appeared. He had no fucking clue what he had here. The arrows would vanish after impact, so they would not be viable for the Archer-only teleportation spell. But she could will the weight and type of arrow for a variety of shots by just focusing on the arrow. And now¡­she stopped channeling the mana and pulled out Cataclysm. She pushed the bow into the sword hilt, and just like every other inscribed artifact, Cataclysm absorbed it.


    She willed it to turn into a bow, and the ck adamantine and obsidian hilt shifted and warped to be a longbow, curved perfectly for her size, and with the same phantom bowstring. Pulling back, the arrow that manifested in her grip was made ofva. But, focusing on the other elementalism types she had avable, she was pleased to see that it shifted or even blended. Having wood and metal would be nice for conventional warfare, she thought as she willed it to return to the hilt and socketed the de into the hip on the armor.


    The rest of his gear was mundane adventuring gear. Rope, climbing picks, rations, waterskins, a wineskin, extra clothes, and other minutiae. But when she got to the hip pouches, she felt something. Two golden rings. One was transcribed with his name, and one with hers. Disgusting. Was he going to use these after he thralled me? She let her mana run freely into her palm, and theva seeped out of her mana channels before consuming the gold and turning it to useless g. She let the flow cease, and the obsidian-mixed-gold g hardened. She dropped it, and it clunked onto the floor.


    The quivers were full of all types of intriguing arrows. But he wasted the crystal ones from what Misty said. That irked her. Those arrows were extremely rare. She couldn''t remake them even with earth-subtype-crystal elementalism. They were the same rarity as artifacts. The Elenthians made them, and their process of recreation was undiscovered. She pulled out the arrows that were mundane and set them aside. He had several inscribed arrows for a variety of purposes, and she set those to the side in the hip quiver. Well, that''s everything except this. She picked up the small diary.


    Opening her mana channel once more, she burned that, too. I don''t want to know anything he thought about me. He was gone. She didn''t want anything of his that wasn''t a tool she could make use of. She returned to the shared double bed andid back, heaving a sigh of relief. Volio was gone, the Archer hero core was hers ¨C so she wasn''t losing out on anything except¡­


    She sat upright. What will the other heroes think? Eventually they woulde to Lynhold ¨C at least, she hoped they would. And they would ask questions. I could just say he''s off on a mission. But¡­she knew she wasn''t a good liar. She disliked lying. I''ll just tell them the truth. He tried to use mind spells to rape me, and I delivered justice. Sheid back once more and nodded. If they don''t ept that, then I don''t need them as allies.


    As Gael had said, "Allegiances change¡­You are no longer Lyn the Scout. You are Lyn the Destroyer."


    You''re goddamn right. I''m the Destroyer. They can either be my allies, bend the knee¡­or live their lives under my benevolent rule. But sleep did note to her easily. There was one lingering question she had yet to wrestle with.


    What do I do if they resist?

 Chapter 51

    Rashanna was quite shocked at first when a squadron of Duskari warriors osted her on the road. That was until they exined what they were there to do, formed up around her, and escorted her along hidden paths through Trisk. A personalized escort, all for her. She was ttered.


    She had been into the Valley of the Volcano a few times with her grandfather, and thanks to his extensive tradework, she knew manynguages from across the world; only being unable to speak thenguage of the heroes and Elenthir. Thanks to those travels, she made connections and contacts across the three kingdoms and the various ''freends'' around Ghomar, the various ind-nations that stood apart from those collectives.


    As she sat on her mount, being guided through the hidden cavern-passage into the Valley, she mused back on the decisions that brought her here. It was a month ago that she received a curious letter from someone simply calling themselves ''A friend from the Valley.'' It was addressed to her grandfather, but he had passed away and his son ¨C her father ¨C had taken over the business.


    And promptly run it into the ground.


    A global, renownedpany, ruined by a series of bad investments and poorly-thought-out expeditions to the Ruins of Elent. Not only was the family name disgraced because the contracts were out of Vgonia, but the expeditions all ended in disaster.


    In other words, Rashanna and her family were broke. Her father, destitute,mitted suicide. Rashanna''s mother left for the Free City of Bashinol, and their only daughter was left to try and pick up the pieces. She was unable to.


    And then the letter arrived. It was from someone calling themselves ''Chancellor Vehenna'' who imed to work for a Duskari leader, and they wanted to hire a Diplomat who could represent their interests outside of the Valley.


    Rashanna leapt at the chance. Turning over the inscribed letter, she wrote her response, and the ink on the page faded away. After a few minutes, she turned the letter over once more, and saw a new message. Go to the Valley of the Volcano. We will discuss your sry.


    With nothing else to lose, she left the shack she had been calling home in Vharthos and headed South.


    And now, almost three weekster, she had arrived. Exiting the tunnel, she saw the lush forests in the Valley of the Volcano. She smelled the brisk, cool air descending from the mountains, mixed with the scent of pine needles. The cave they exited was heavily fortified, and she was met by an older Duskari woman who bowed her head. "Ah, you have arrived. I am Chancellor Vehenna." Rashanna made to dismount but the older woman held up her hand, "We have a few hour travel to Lynhold. I insist you stay mounted." She was helped atop her own mount, and led the escort.


    Rashanna rode up alongside her, "Pardon me¡­but you sound familiar."


    "I should hope so," Vehenna stated, ncing sideways at her. "My you''ve grown since thest time I saw you. That was¡­hmm, twenty years now? And your fur changed."


    Rashanna nodded. Sometimes, A Vharthon''s fur color changed as they grew older. Hers had gone from the standard brown and shifted into a dark, midnight ck with a few white splotches. Not necessarily a rare color to see, but it made her stand out in a crowd of other Vharthon. "You knew my grandfather, I assume?"


    "Oh yes. I spoke with him at length. A great man. Tell me, how is he doing?"


    "He passed away three years ago," Rashanna muttered. She was close to her grandfather, and he doted on her like she was his own daughter. "Left the business to my father, and he ruined it." She smiled, "I am happy to hear about this offer of yours."


    "A shame he passed. My condolences, for both your grandfather and your business." Vehenna pulled out a small sack of coins and handed them to Rashanna. "This is 200 Gold Eagles. Consider this a payment for your efforts to travel all this way."


    Rashanna''s eyes went wide. An average farmer, on a good year, made 10 Gold Eagles. This was the ie of a well-off shopkeeper. This Duskari leader must be rich. "My thanks for this advance."


    Vehenna chuckled, "You will be able to discuss more at length with Lady Rivers. Have you heard that name?"


    "I can''t say that I have."


    "Ah. Well, you will meet her soon enough."


    The two continued on in silence. Rashanna was surprised at how thinned out the forest was; they weren''t weaving between trees anymore ¨C the forest had been cleared from that tunnel entrance to the edge of a massive town. They went along the avenues and she saw Duskari and Newen at work and training, building and producing, living lives that seemed quite content. The enormous citadel at the foot of Shiverburn Summit was impressive, as it had been in the past, but the exterior seemed to be undergoing some repairs.


    She was led inside and given sumptuous quarters. Laying on the fur-covered bed, she giggled in excitement. I''m finally here, she thought. It had been rough on the road, and a toughst few years. This room reminded her so much of the luxurious house that her grandfather had built¡­and her father had to sell. Living in a shed for months was not pleasant. There was a knock on the door after about an hour. She stood up and opened it. "Ah, Chancellor."


    Vehenna smiled, "Settled in?"


    "Yes, thank you."


    "Good. Let us talk inside." Rashanna let her past, and the woman sat opposite the bed on the small desk chair. "I wanted to discuss the state of affairs with you. Our ruler should return within the day, and you deserve to know what you are getting yourself into."


    Rashanna felt a pit in her stomach. This isn''t the best way for a conversation to begin. She shut the door and sat on the bed. "A Duskari ruler, yes?"


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "We rule as a council of elders. All Ari Conves do. But the Valley of the Volcano is unique, and the Conve of the Fortress serves only one ruler." She smiled, and Rashanna felt the dread rise in her chest. Something on her face must have betrayed her thoughts, as the Chancellor grinned. "The Destroyer has returned to us. In the form of a Duskari woman. Lyn Rivers is what our goddess calls herself. You surely remember hearing the promation a week ago, yes?"


    Everyone heard it, she thought going back to that day. She had been working an odd job, tending to some horses in a stable, when she heard the promation. The animals were spooked, and she had to fight mightily to get them under control. Everyone passing on the street seemed to have heard it, as well. "Yes¡­I remember."


    "Well, Lady Rivers was the one who was speaking, the one whom you would be serving. Duskari cannot easily travel across Ghomar as you well know, and thus we need a representative of our interests abroad."


    "I¡­am honored to be given this chance," Rashanna said with a trembling voice. Nothing that was in the promation was bad, but serving the Destroyer doesn''t seem¡­right. She could say no. Just take the two-hundred Gold Eagles, start up a small shop somewhere, and slowly rebuild her trade empire. But this presented an opportunity. As the official Diplomat for a burgeoning power, she would have ess to resources and contacts. Contacts she could then use to build up trade routes that would earn her a tidy profit on the side.


    "You would be granted a position on the council under myself, but you would also be working with our Steward to help establish trade routes and our Spymaster to establish a legitimate contactwork abroad." Vehenna gently smiled, "This is your chance to get involved. Make no mistake, Lady Rivers has the power to obliterate this whole world should she choose, but our goddess is choosing to be a benevolent ruler. You can either join and prosper with us, or leave, and eventually be under her dominion, regardless."


    Rashanna knew a good deal when she heard one, and this was an amazing deal. "I ept. I cannot wait to meet this Lady Rivers."


    Lyn took her turn at the night shift while the twins slept. Over the next two days they continued the routine, switching back and forth. By the end of the sixth day, they had met the required goal of the dungeon.


    The shop, warehouse, and exterior road all vanished, and the trio were deposited on the floor of a square chamber with a single hallway leading to the room containing the reward. Lyn led the way and approached the gleaming altar. There was a wooden box which contained the dungeon core, and on a small pillow next to it, a bracer. She lifted the bracer and read the Elenthir inscription. "Oh, intriguing." She held it up to the twins, "This, when you channel mana into it, will create a barrier around you that is ten feet in diameter. That barrier will block anything ¨C spell, projectile, people ¨C as long as your mana holds out. Who wants it?"


    Gael shook his head, "I have the whole suit of armor."


    "Then I get it," Vael said as she took it gently from Lyn''s hand and slipped it on.


    Lyn took a deep breath as she opened the wooden box. The silvery colored orb glowed softly in the box, and before she could even reach it, it rapidly shifted colors; a shimmering, light yellow-gold hue. Lifting it, she heard a familiar voice in her head, and she immediately began tearing up.


    Hey Lyn, Nami, the former Spellde hero said in her thoughts.


    "H¡­hi, Nami," Lyn replied in English.


    The twins nced at each other, "What?" Gael asked.


    Lyn looked back at them and shook her head, swapping to Arinol. "I''m talking to a fallen hero. Just give me a few minutes." The twins nodded and stood patiently as Lyn returned her attention to Nami''s consciousness/soul within the mana core, revertingnguages again. "Sorry about that. I have people here with me."


    Yeah, I looked through your memories. Sorry, I know it''s a bit invasive, but it''s better than you telling me a y-by-y. She chuckled, I finally figured it out, by the way. Ghomar doesn''t exist in Earth''s reality. It''s a different realm entirely. Not sure how I know that, but I do now.


    Lyn felt the tears still streaming down her face. Nami was one of her friends. Not as close as Misty, but before she died, Nami was in her top five for sure. Her death was¡­horrible. Torn in half by two, monstrous, lion-esque creatures. She had lived for a few moments after being torn in half, and Lyn remembered, vividly, her struggle to try and get past the beasts to attempt a healing spell.


    Hey, it''s okay. You tried your best to save me. She sighed. I saw what you did to Volio.


    Lyn felt the sorrow reced with icy fear in her veins. The fear of judgement. "I¡­I had to do something."


    He went over the line. Mind spells to make you his thrall? Disgusting. At least he moved on.


    "Yeah, he''s back on Earth hopefully."


    I''ve been flying around a bit. Thanks for that big lightning spell, by the way. It lit up like a beacon.


    "Well, yeah, it was worded to attract your attention."


    Good job. There was a trace of hesitation in her voice that was quickly pushed aside. Thank you. I can finally move on. Do you want me to leave behind a message? Something to remember me by?


    "I''d like that."


    Then I will. I want to go back to Ghomar, I think. Earth is cool and all, but I''d love to really get into astronomy on a new world. And hey, your empire is going to need astrologists, I''m sure.


    "If we advance to the scientific era¡­which, since I''m basically immortal¡­yeah, eventually I will need scientists."


    Then count me in. I''m sure we''ll meet again. Whether I have my memories of this life or not¡­it was a good life. Thanks, Lyn.


    "Before you go, mind telling me what your core will do?"


    Ah, right. So the Spellde core is able to do thought-only spells that augment weaponry. You know, mana charging. de is a bit of a misnomer. You''ll be able to pick up any weapon and use it like a master. Oh, also, a unique internal spell that will let you turn iing kic energy into outgoing damage. Basically, the more you get hit ¨C even if you block or parry it ¨C some of that power gets stored and is used on your next attack. I call it ''Reversal''. When you consume the core, it should juste to you naturally, like it came to me.


    "Thank you." Lyn''s fear and sorrow melted away,forted by the knowledge that Nami was okay with what she did to Volio ¨C further reinforcing that what she did was just ¨C but also that Nami was going to be able to finally move on. "Take care, Nami. I hope to meet you again in your next life."


    Will do. Alright, let it rip!


    Lyn squeezed the mana core and felt it travel down her mana channel. The Destroyer core consumed and pushed the core down within it, and Lyn felt a surge of energy through her body. The core felt sated, satisfied, and Lyn knew that Nami had moved on to something better. A new life on Ghomar, somewhere. She focused on bringing up the message, willing the mana core to surface within her, and heard Nami''s voice again.


    You already know what you can do. So instead of spending time talking about that¡­I just want to say thank you. Thank you for trying to be my friend. I know I pushed you away sometimes. But we did get along decently well. I wish I had gotten to know you better. You''re a good person, Lyn. And I know you''re going to make this world a good ce. You better! Because I''m going to be living in it. So don''t fuck this up.


    Lyn smiled and let the voice fade back under the Destroyer core. She turned to her allies and switched to Arinol, "Okay¡­I''m good."


    "What happens when you consume hero cores?" Vael asked.


    "I get their unique abilities and sometimes other spell types."


    Gael frowned, "What would happen if you had all of the hero cores?"


    Lyn shook her head, "No idea." She set her hand on the altar, and the trio returned to the crystal cave as the dungeon vanished. "That''s all the dungeons in the Valley. Back to Lynhold."

 Chapter 52

    Morning arrived and a servant fetched Rashanna. She was led through dark corridors,pletely blind in the ckness, until she entered arge, circr chamber that was illuminated by a single, bright brazier in the center of the room, recessed into the floor. The crackling mes cast a sinister glow over the room.


    All around the room were cushions that had low tables in front of them. She spotted Chancellor Vehenna, Spymaster Velenna who she was introduced to recently, and several other figures whom she did not know the names of, but instantlymitted them to memory. In front of her, however, was the most unique person she had ever seen before.


    The wooden throne was covered with furs. nking it were twin Duskari ¨C male and female mirrors of one another, with the only difference being their armor. On the throne, dressed in resplendent, ck full te, was a Duskari woman. Unlike the rest of that race present, her eyes were blue, and flickered like mes. She was¡­beautiful. Gorgeous. Rashanna had never seen someone more striking.


    Until she noticed the scales, ws on the hands and feet, and what she thought was a crown ¨C which was actually horns. She felt fear and her heart pounded in her chest. This is the Demonic Dragon¡­the Destroyer.


    Vehenna stood up, "My Lady, I present to you Rashanna of the prestigious Selenya family. She has traveled to us from Vharthos and is here to seek appointment as your chief Diplomat."


    Rashanna bowed deeply, "It is a pleasure to be allowed to look upon you, Lady Rivers," she stated as firmly and with as much confidence as she could muster under the withering re.


    The Destroyer stood. The armor receded to reveal a lithe form, and the draconic features vanished. Lyn Rivers walked down the dais and to Rashanna. "Stand up." The voice was deep. Almost otherworldly so. The same voice that every person on Ghomar heard not too long ago.


    Rashanna stood, her heart pounding faster and faster. She could feel her ears twitching with her tail ¨C physical indicators of her anxiety. Please don''t kill me, was all she could think, pleadingly, hoping this Destroyer heard her.


    Lady Rivers circled her before nodding, "Excellent. You are in good health? No mdies or lingering medical issues?"


    "None, your grace," Rashanna replied. She knew better than to call this person ''my Lady'' ¨C that would only be proper if she had sworn to their service.


    Lynughed. An enchantingugh that caught Rashanna off-guard, and the voice was brighter and¡­cute. "Rx. I''m not going to eat you." She leaned in and whispered just loud enough in Vharthonian to be heard. "Unless you wanted me to."


    Rashanna was shocked. Not by the threat of being eaten alive ¨C she had anticipated that ¨C but the fact that Lyn Rivers knew anguage that was not taught to non-Vharthons. Where in the abyss did she learn that?


    Lyn raised her hand and switched to Arinol, "If we are done with council business for today, all save Chancellor Vehenna, Spymaster Velenna, and my bodyguards are dismissed." The chamber rapidly emptied at her instruction, and she took her throne once more. "Gael, please, bring a cushion closer for our guest."


    The male bodyguard in full te pulled several cushions over and gestured to it. Rashanna bowed once more and sat on the offered seat. "Forgive me, your grace, for the imposition¡­how do you know my race''snguage?" She asked in Vharthonian.


    The Destroyer giggled once more, responding in kind. "I know everynguage on Ghomar. But we are not here to discuss that."


    Chancellor Vehenna stood up, "My Lady, shall we begin the interview?"


    "Yes."


    The Chancellor came over to Rashanna and began going through a series of questions regarding her finances, affiliations, rtionships with various countries or organizations. This is¡­odd, Rashanna thought as she went through the questions.


    Lyn listened intently to Rashanna''s answers. She hade up with interview questions that she imagined someone on Earth would be asked if they were going to sign some sort of legal agreement. And the woman was answering with wless grace, quickly responding to questions in a full and lucid manner. She had no connections to the world beyond the Valley of the Volcano, save for old business contacts who still held her in high regard, but not her family name. That''s fine, Lyn thought. I can just have her utilize a title instead of ast name. Ensure she has a fresh start here.


    When the interview concluded Vehenna bowed and backed away, and Spymaster Velenna approached. She grilled the Vharthon woman about any and every secret she held. The woman was¡­surprisingly forward. Or perhaps, unsurprisingly given that Lyn had intentionally intimidated her to make her afraid, hit on her to throw her off her guard, and implied that she has broad knowledge of events outside of the Valley.


    And, just in case, Bolvon was hidden in the shadows. Lyn had no idea what to expect from this woman save for what Chancellor Vehenna had told her. Better safe than sorry.


    The final questions concluded, and Lyn stood up. "You have passed this interview with satisfactory answers," she stated. "Now, to what your duties would be. My intent is to rule this whole world with benevolence and grace. A society where no one is sick as medicine is plentiful. A ce where no one goes hungry, as they are provided food when needed. Where no person will be abused, and crime is eliminated. Equality amongst the races and social sses¡­with myself at the top, of course."


    Rashanna nodded, "Amendable initiative, your grace. But by nature of your race, all Ari will end up in positions of higher status." She smiled gently, "Especially since you have decided on a meritocracy from what your Chancellor told me."


    Lyn shook her head, "I know true equality and egality is impossible. But we can at least try towards those ideals. The Ari may be entrenched due to their prowess, hence why I will institute a mandatory retirement age. But that is for another time." She leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees. "I am a busy woman. Simply put, I have other goals and tasks toplete. There is a reason I put together a council to assist in managing affairs." She gestured to Vehenna, "You would serve directly under my Chancellor and report to her. Your primary task would be to foster and build connections between my growing empire and the surroundingnds. To facilitate meetings between myself and their representatives. Make no mistake, I will rule this world. These kingdoms will serve my empire, or they will be ruined, and a new structure raised from the ashes." Time for the big finish. Lyn stood up, "Do you ept this position?"


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "I do have two questions, your grace."


    "Ask away."


    Rashanna smirked, "What am I being paid?"


    Lyn chuckled. Merchant''s granddaughter. Right. "A sry of ten Gold Eagles per week, with annual bonuses to be paid when milestones are achieved, such as brokering meetings with surrounding duchies, kingdoms, and other organizations that would serve my will. Additionally, any side-businesses that you set up will be subject to the tax that all businesses will have imposed upon them¡­so feel free to help build the prosperity of my empire whilst enriching yourself ¨C which I''m sure was part of your n anyways. Second question?"


    "Would I be able to form a diplomatic corps under my own offices, to report through me to your Chancellor?"


    Oh, and she''s making a power y. Interesting. Lyn nodded, "I would allow you to employ other diplomats under your oversight. They will have to go through the same interview process, and ultimately be subject to my Chancellor''s approval. They will remain under your oversight, but the Chancellor has final say in all matters of Diplomacy." Now to threaten her a little bit. Make sure she knows who is in charge. "Make no mistake, I will dismiss those who do not serve my empire''s interests. That includes presentpany."


    Rashanna bowed deeply, "I find these terms to be quite eptable, your grace." She looked up, "When will I start?"


    "Soon," Lyn said with a smug grin. "Take a few days to recover from your travel. When you are rested, your first destination will be Trisk, alongside an escort of five squads of Duskari troops and a shipment of one-thousand medicinal products as a token of goodwill. You will begin to broker the time and location for a meeting between myself and their king." She held out a hand, and, cautiously, the Vharthon took it and stood up. "We will also have you talk with Fin, our Keeper of Ravens. She will ensure you have the messenger bird bonded so you may rapidlymunicate back with the Chancellor here." She turned to Vehenna, "I will expect weekly updates on your progress."


    "My thanks, Lady Rivers." Rashanna smiled, "I presume I will be paid my umted sry when I return?"


    "You would be correct." Lyn smiled gently, turning back to her. "Is there any other business you wish to discuss?"


    "Is that earlier invitation to be eaten literal, as in, you desire to eat my flesh?" There was a shaking tremor to her voice.


    Shit. She didn''t pick up on the innuendo. Lyn forced a chuckle out, "Ah¡­" she switched to Vharthonian, "It was a sexual proposition. I do not eat people in the cannibalistic sense."


    "Oh¡­Oh." Rashanna shook her head, "Forgive me, My Lady. I did not understand the implication."


    Oh well, was worth a try, Lyn thought as she returned to her dais. She had always heard that Vharthons were freaks in the sack, but she figured-


    "I would be honored to share your Ladyship''s chamber for as long as you''d have me."


    Lyn nodded and grinned at the woman, "This evening. I''ll send a servant."


    Ben finished fixing the roof when Trisha''s call pulled him down thedder and into the house. She looked at him with tired eyes, "Ginavieve kept me up all night. Can you take care of her for a few hours so I can take a nap?"


    Ben nodded and took his youngest, "Come here you rascal," he muttered to his daughter before he leaned over and kissed Trisha. "I''ll take her for a walk," he said as his wife closed the bedroom door. He went outside and closed his eyes for a moment, trying to focus on hearing his other three children.


    The two oldest were ying with Epona in the field. I should really look at getting them another pony so they can ride together. He didn''t hear Lawry ¨C as expected ¨C and he walked to their flower garden. The young boy was sitting in front of a flower with a small notebook and several colored charcoal bits. "Hey buddy, whatcha doing here?" he asked.


    "Drawing flowers," Lawry said back. His voice sounded bored, but Ben knew that it was his ''I''m busy having fun, don''t bother me'' voice.


    Ben ruffled his hair, "Okay. Maybe make a special one today for mommy? She would love one of the petunias, I bet."


    Lawry picked up his supplies and went across the garden, plopping himself down on the dirt and setting to work with a fervor. "Mommy wants petunias, mommy gets petunias."


    Ben chuckled and rocked Ginavieve in his arms as he took severalps around their property. An enormous chunk of farnd, their house was built on a hill overlooking a small town in the hearnds of Trisk. Their hospital was not only a ce of learning, but also one of the ces where injured and sick people came from across the kingdom. It was always practically full.


    Couple that with Ben''s school which produced some of the best bodyguards and brawlers in all Ghomar thanks to his actual boxing training and natural defensive fighting skills from the Guardian core¡­they made quite a tidy ie. He barely had to work, instead getting to focus on just being a parent. He still did work around the farms and their various buildings because he didn''t want to getzy.


    He was on the North side of their property when he spotted two figures riding down one of the trails running through their farms. That wasn''t unusual in and of itself ¨C quitemon to take shortcuts through the fields instead of the main roads. Ben cast an internal spell upon himself, and a Guardian-only external spell that ced a barrier around Ginavieve ¨C any damage she suffered would instead be directed to him.


    But his worries were for naught. "Thomas!" he shouted as the man came into view. The Knowledge hero looked younger. And he had little hair, only a short crop unlike his normal unkempt mop. And he was¡­scarred, heavily so. There was a red-furred Vharthon with him as well, with several tails. She''s a powerful mage in that case.


    Thomas rode up and dismounted, "Ben! It''s good to see you." He said in English.


    Ben''s demeanor soured, "I should punch you," he said. "You told us, promised us, you woulde and tell us before going to smash that statue."


    Thomas'' head hung low. "Misty filled you in?"


    "Yes. James killing you, your resurrection ¨C how the hell did you pull that off anyways?"


    "Long story." His eyes met Ben''s, and there was a deep sorrow there. "I don''t have my Knowledge core anymore. I''m just¡­Thomas the bookworm again." He chuckled ruefully, "I was hoping that you needed a tutor. I don''t have any money, so I figured I could earn my keep by teaching your kiddos. Eli is more than old enough, and the other two could start learning also."


    "Who is this with you?" Ben asked, swapping to Triskol.


    "Ah, this is Stes. She is one of Misty''s former students. I''m tutoring her."


    The Vharthon woman nodded her head from atop her steed, "It''s an honor to meet the Guardian hero who saved us from the Demonic Dragon."


    "You''re wee," Ben stated as he met Thomas'' eyes. "Well,e up to the house. You''ll have to get the go-ahead from Trisha, but I''ll take all the help I can get with these tykes."


    Thomas grinned from ear to ear, "Oh, that''s right! This is the newest addition to the Baxter family. Hello there, little Ginavieve."


    Ben''s infant daughter didn''t stir, just moved slightly in his arms. "She had a rough night. Catching up on the sleep."


    "I thought you two used a spell to keep her from fussing and help her stay down?"


    Ben chuckled, "These kids man. They''re something else. They must''ve inherited my resistance to external spells."


    Thomas shrugged, "Makes sense. I didn''t find anything in the history books of two heroes having children." He stood up to his full height, "We could also test their mana cores, see how potent they are."


    "Maybe when they''re teenagers. I don''t want them to be exposed to spells too early."


    Thomas nodded, "That''s fair. Wait until they understand the huge power at their disposal. Not set the house on fire, etcetera. Still, the earlier we start them on learning Elenthir, the betterprehension they''ll have of it. That alone will set them apart in this world."


    Ben waved for them to follow, "Come on, let''s get you settled into one of the guest houses."

 Chapter 53

    Lyn woke up with a start as she felt something fuzzy across her face. She nced sideways and grinned as she remembered who she had invited to her bed. She was good, she thought as she quietly got up and left the Vharthon woman in the bed. Going to the bath, she drew up the water from the inscription and luxuriated in the heat. Now¡­goals.


    A meeting with the king of Trisk would take some time to set up and coordinate. She would let Vehenna arrange all of that with Rashanna. Her military had stopped growing and stood at 6,500 troops strong at this point. Duskari squadrons that she was equating to special operations units, and Newen archers. Which is fine for holding the Valley with the fortifications. But what I need is to bring more people here.


    Lynhold could easily hold a few hundred thousand given her ability to use earth elementalism spells to carve out a deep, underground warren for housing. There was plentiful farnd and foraging in the forest, and she had already set aside zones that would not be used for timber and left as a nature reserve. Eventually, vassals outside of the Valley would provide most of the foodstuffs. But she needed a strong military core; relying on levies would be unwise. What I need to do is find groups of peoples that are willing to relocate.


    The Ari were one of the obvious choices. They were heavily discriminated against in manynds, and only tolerated in Trisk. Most had moved to the Arin Isle off the North-Eastern coast of Ghomar. It was a harshnd that Lyn had been to once before. Life there was not easy, but it was manageable. And, even better, the Ari would naturally show her deference. They would be the most logical next addition to my forces. Skilled swordsmen who utilized both de and shield, they would form a very strong front-line to her military core.


    Then there were the Sloren. They would serve as good cavalry with their battle rams, and the mountain range they called their home was on the way to the Arin Isle. Thanks to the Archer core and its unique arrow transposition spell, Lyn could travel ¨C albeit alone ¨C and arrive within a few hours.


    She got out of the bath and summoned her armor, opening the doors to find both twins present and on guard. She turned to Vael, "Fetch Fin, and tell her that I want to be bound to my raven messenger today. In a few hours." Then, she turned to Gael, "Wake Rashanna, and then I want you to fetch Vehenna. Coordinate with Vael so it''s the same time."


    The twins nodded and dipped their heads as they went to their duties. Lyn left the fortress and entered Lynhold, taking a deep breath of the clean, cool airing off the mountains. Right. First things first. She pulled out Cataclysm and swapped it to the bow configuration. Reaching into the storage choker, she pulled out an arrow and aimed it at the top of Shiverburn Summit. Pulling back, the bowstring of mana went taught, and she let the wooden arrow loose. One¡­two¡­three¡­she kept silent count. The Archer core let her know exact distances to targets, and she could keep count to know when impact had been made ¨C even if the shaft went beyond her sight. Nine¡­Okay, now. "Adhano na phain nin galu."


    She felt a weird, sucking sensation at her feet ¨C as if the ground had opened up and quicksand was pulling her down. But only for a brief instant, as a momentter she stood at the lip of Shiverburn Summit. That''s so fucking cool. She pulled another arrow and aimed at the Northern tunnel to the Valley, loosing the shot, counting off, and casting the spell again. The Duskari and Newen stationed there were shocked when she appeared in their midst. "At ease," she stated. "I''m just here to improve the defenses."


    She went to work using earth elementalism spells to create a heavily fortified and easily defendable bastion and wall on the Valley side of the tunnel, and then went through the tunnel to the Trisk side. She raised another fortification with a single gate, and then had the Duskari and Newen station arger force at this outer fortification with a contingency to retreat and copse the tunnel if overrun.


    Looking up to the mountains, she loosed another arrow and warped once more. Her mana core restored mana at a fast enough rate that she was able to go from mountaintop to mountaintop, and then use an earth spell to create a sheer cliff along the exterior. She was quite literally reshaping mountains with each cast of aplicated, multi-verse spell. Granted, the shift took several minutes, and she had to sit down and rest for thirty minutes in between each spell cast to let her mana refill, but over the course of five hours, she had turned the Valley of the Volcano into an imprable fortification. The mountain tops had been transformed into a t, cred wall with sheer, t edges facing the exterior. However, the spell also shifted the rock-face towards the rest of Ghomar to be textured. Someone would have to get extremely close to see that it was, in fact, a sheer wall.


    She had created stairs going down to the Valley floor, raised and segmented portions of the interior-side of the mountains to allow for terrace-style farming akin to those in Peru. Perfect for Sloren, she thought. To those looking at the Valley from the outside, mountains were reced with walls that were two and a half miles in height. The only entrances were heavily fortified, and she could create new entrances by tunneling through the mountain with earth magic if she needed to provide more means of passage.


    Eight hourster she returned to Lynhold and entered the stronghold. A fuckton of work, she thought. But it was enjoyable. She loved feeling the raw sensation of mana flowing through her in such massive amounts. Being able to literally change the world to her desires, shaping it. These were massive spells that she could never have dreamed of using with her Scout core. I could literally reshape the world to my desires.


    Once she had vassalized a territory, she could erect an enormous wall around thend to allow for easy defense. With a few days of work, she could slowly expand the mountains themselves. Raising them from scratch was far, far more mana intensive than the rtively simple molding and shaping she had done that day.


    "Ah, my Lady," Vehenna said with a bow as Lyn entered the council chamber. "You summoned me?"


    "Yes," Lyn said as she ascended the throne. "I wanted to inform you of the changes I have wrought upon the Valley."


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the vition.


    She spent ten minutes describing what she had done, and Vehenna''s mouth was ck in awe as she spoke. When Lyn concluded, the councilor bowed deeply, "My Lady ¡­that is incredible."


    "Yes, it is," Lyn replied with smug satisfaction. "Have we found a suitable recement for Bhrm as Steward?"


    "We have not yet."


    "Keep at the search. The same goes for any empty position."


    "Of course, my Lady."


    "Send in Fin."


    The Chancellor bowed and left. A few momentster, Fin entered the room with a covered wooden cage. "My Lady," she stated, bowing deeply. "You wished to bond with your raven?"


    "Yes. Describe the process."


    "This is a hatchling. I will perform an Animalism spell that will bind it to you. It will be able to speak up to threenguages that you know. Then, after it has recovered from the bonding spell, I will use another Animalism spell to elerate its growth and intelligence."


    "How smart can you make it?"


    "Ravens are very, very smart birds, my Lady." Fin''s eyes gleamed with delight as she went on a five-minute deep dive into the various traits and attributes of the birds. Lyn had to raise her hand at a certain point, at which Fin quieted. "Forgive me, my Lady. I enjoy thepany of birds."


    "You didn''t answer my question. Equate its intelligence to that of a person."


    "My Lady, I would put their intelligence at around a child of twenty or twenty-one in Duskari years."


    About twelve or thirteen in human lifespan, Lyn thought. "Excellent. And what spell do you utilize in this process?"


    Fin reached into her pocket and pulled out a small spell book, flipping to the middle, and handing it to Lyn. "The top, ten-verse spell is used for the binding, my Lady. Below the separating line is the twenty-verse spell for the elerated aging and intelligence."


    Lyn nodded and reached for a nearby quill and ink, and she made several alterations to her own version of the spell. I may not be able to use animalism external spells myself, but I can use my mastery of Elenthir to improve my raven. The first spell was easy to alter, she only slightly changed the wording so that the bond would be unbreakable, and the bird would be fully thralled to her will. No one would be able to, say, capture it and use an Animalism spell to force it to reveal any information. That should be the standard going forward, and we should recall and update the existing ravens with this new variant of binding.


    The second spell she made extensive changes to. The aging portion was fine ¨C that was just elerating the animal''s body functions to allow for rapid growth. But she added an anti-agingponent to the spell to ensure her bird would live for a long, long time once it was elerated. She also couched in a spell that would enable the bird to speak everynguage Lyn knew ¨C save for Elenthir and English, since those couldn''t be added to the spell by their nature. She also increased the intelligence level to that of a thirty-year-old. And why not. Let''s give it a personality. She pondered that for a few minutes before marking up the spell. "Utilize this altered set of spells. Let us begin."


    Fin pulled the cloth from the wooden cage, and the hatchling peeped weakly. "Please, put your hand on the bird." Lyn did so, and Fin began reading from the multi-verse spell. Her mana poured from her, into the cage, and Lyn could feel the tingling of the magic taking hold under her palm. After a few minutes, the glow faded, and the bird quieted. "It is done, my Lady." Fin put the cloth over the cage once more. "It will take several days to recover. I will perform your altered spell afterwards.


    "And" Lyn followed up, "I want you to eventually apply this spell to every existing raven. It will be a lengthy process, as you''ll have to recall and slowly rotate through every squadron." Lyn handed her a shorter spell that would apply the unbreakable bond, force the bird to fly back to Lynhold upon the death of its master, and make them impossible to force information out of. Fin bowed deeply before leaving.


    Lyn sighed and sank into the chair. Tomorrow, off to the Slor Mountains. A solo expedition, and she would have to be on top of her charisma-game, if she wanted to pull off what she envisioned.


    Thomas stirred before jolting awake. His heart was beating hard, and he felt a stirring in his chest. What''s happening? He thought as he kicked his legs over the edge of the bed. His heart raced faster, and he felt a searing pain in his torso. Out of the corner of his eye, spotted something fast. It mmed into him and he went sprawling onto the floor as a burning pain coursed through his chest. His face contorted into a silent scream as the agony filled him up.


    And then, as quickly as it started, it ceased. His heart slowed and the beat rxed. He took several deep breaths. The fuck was that? Heid still for a few seconds, flexing his limbs to make sure there wasn''t anysting damage. Okay. Nothing physical wrong with me. He felt refreshed¡­full. Next test. He closed his eyes and focused on his mana core, breathing slowly and entering a meditative trance.


    My Knowledge core¡­it''s back! He could feel it within, moving around like pages in a book being rapidly flipped through. He felt the mana begin to recharge within him, bubbling up and filling him with the ethereal, empowering substance.


    And then the memories came flooding back. The Knowledge core granted perfect recollection of every event. And Thomas felt the pain in his back as the thoughts of James'' de piercing him came rushing to him. Hey there, paralyzed on the floor, as the memories of his entire existence shed through his thoughts.


    There was a knock on his door. "Come in," he said, weakly, as the vivid memories of the recent past rushed to him.


    Stes came in and knelt next to him, "Did you fall out of bed?"


    "Even better," Thomas replied as the memories finished and he sat up. "I''ve got my old Knowledge core. No clue how, but it just¡­found me again."


    She gasped, "Oh¡­that''s great news, right?"


    Thomas nodded, "Kind of." He groaned as he pushed himself upright. "I can''t just stand idly by now," he muttered. "No retirement to teaching Ben''s kids for me."


    "What, then?" Stes asked.


    "I need to talk with them." Thomas went to the small bucket of water and sshed some on his face. Standing up to his full height, he took in a deep breath before leaving the guest house. It was one of several that was on a small row below Trisha and Ben''s main house. He spotted the family in the flower garden, eating at an outdoor table. "Sorry for interrupting," Thomas said as he walked up and stood a slight distance away.


    Ben smiled and waved him over, "Come, eat! You and Stes both. We have enough extra."


    Trisha nodded, "We have been talking about your offer to teach the kids. We would be happy to have you."


    Thomas chuckled, "Well, good news and bad news about that. Echado i raum min nin d / i garo i aew en-beriad a aer nedh r?n / a lhach in-gl?r en-lugron." He lifted his palm, and a swirling vortex of wind and rain appeared in his grip. The entire environment was filled with the smell of freshly-fallen rain on grass, and the chirping ofrks. He let the spell fade as the three children gasped at the disy. "I got my core back."


    "How?" Ben asked, bbergasted.


    "No clue. It just¡­came to mest night." Thomas looked to Trisha, "I have to rescind my offer. There''s bigger things at y in Ghomar right now." He leaned back in the chair, "Vgonia on the brink of civil unrest, Khrrdia undergoing the same. Lyn''s return as the Destroyer¡­"


    Trisha frowned, "So what are you going to do?"


    "I''m going to visit this Destroyer and find out if it really is Lyn. If it is, then I''ll help her build this empire."

 Chapter 54

    James led the small detachment and delegates out to the docks of Kor''s Hold. The Free City of Bashinol had sent out a delegation to discuss trade agreements and exchange information. Normally, this would be handled by one of his advisors, but they were off in the various duchies trying to ensure allegiances would not change with the death of King Kristoph and James'' rise to rule.


    That, and he knew the delegate from the Free City. One of the first bits of lore that James had learned when he arrived on Ghomar, due to being summoned in Khrrdia, is that the Free City was a mercantile republic that always maintained neutrality with every kingdom. They had no particr nationalnguage and their navy was peerless on the ocean surrounding the supercontinent. With that fierce independence, they ensured their merchants were undisturbed, and due to their powerful control of trade, they managed the mints and banks ¨C leading to a stable currency.


    He arrived at the dock and walked up the gangnk, nodding slightly at the marines on board. They were dressed in studded leather armor, scimitars strapped to their waists, and crossbows on standby. The portly man that exited the captain''s cabin chuckled and opened his arms, "James Marshall! Now King James if I hear correctly." The heavily tanned and jolly manughed aloud. He spoke perfect Khrrdian.


    James walked forward and embraced him. "Zebed, it''s been too long!" He backed off and pped his friend on the shoulder. "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing to the nearby table.


    "Of course!" The man took a seat and snapped his fingers. A young man dressed in fine silk robes came forward with a tter of food, and another who looked to be his younger brother came up with a pitcher and poured two sses of a chilled, white wine. "James, you remember my sons?"


    James nodded, "I haven''t forgotten my promise to have them meet my own boys." He turned and bowed to the two boys, "Thank you, Felej, for the wine. And thank you, Gerod, for the delicacies."


    The two boys bowed and Zebed chuckled, "Well, I would ask you how you became a monarch, but I already learned that from the rumormongers around the docks." He picked up the wine and took a sip. "Let''s cut straight to business, shall we? That way we can catch up as old friends."


    James nodded and took a sip of the wine as well, "Happy to do so."


    Zebed sat up to his full height, and his voice took on an official tone. "As the representative of the Free City of Bashinol, I have been given authority by the Bankers and Merchants to propose the same terms as before." He pulled out a sheaf of papers. "In summary, the same exact trade deal that has been in ce for the past ten years."


    James picked up the documents and sped through them. He had been told by a councilor what terms to look for, and he even pulled out the old set of trade agreements, scanning the two andparing them side by side. "This looks satisfactory, except this one, new page." He pulled thatst page out and set it down. "Ahem. In the event that Khrrdia goes to war with Vgonia, the Free City of Bashinol, its personnel, and tradeworks will be suspended until the conclusion of the conflict."


    "Yes. We know that Vgonia is on the brink of a revolt from some of Queen ¨C forgive me, Princess Cecily''s provinces. And that you do not have the full support of your own duchies secured fully. We want to ensure our interestse first ¨C you understand."


    James nodded, "Makes perfect sense." He pulled out the royal seal he hadmissioned ¨C a lion''s head representing the prior dynasty, with a pair of crossed swords and a wreathed with a halo. Stamping and signing the two sets of documents, he handed one set back to Zebed.


    "One more piece of business. I will be taking a set of shallow-hull vessels through the Azure Divide and to the edges of the Valley of the Volcano. This promation from what appears to be the Demonic Dragon has intrigued my superiors."


    James gripped the chair arms to the point they began to splinter and crack. He struggled to keep his frustration from bleeding through to his voice. "You''re going to consider a trade alliance?"


    "Of course. If a new power is rising, then the Free City wants to get in early and establish our presence." He pulled out a small slip of paper and slid it over to James. "Read that."


    James unfurled it. He''s clever. He had prepared quarters for James to send his own delegate along with the expedition up the Azure Divide, to be escorted with a squad of five men: all disguised as his own cadre. "I''ll have a group put together immediately."


    "I will be here for the night," Zebed stated as he stood up. "Now that business is concluded, why don''t we finally facilitate that meeting between your sons and mine."


    James nodded and led the way to the pce with his troops escorting Zebed, his sons, and some of his guards. He''s a good friend, giving me a means to send my own messenger. But James couldn''t help feeling trepidation in his gut. If it is Lyn¡­she will be pissed that I took the credit for the kill. And if it''s not¡­then we are all fucked.


    Lyn woke up early. She hadn''t taken anyone to bed with her, and she even skipped her usual morning bath. No time today. There''s lots of work to do. She exited her chambers and dismissed her bodyguards for the day. They would not be able to travel with her. Stopping by the fletchers in Lynhold she acquired two full quivers of standard arrows. Nocking one, she pointed it at the top of the Eastern mountain-walls and let loose. Counting down until the impact, she muttered the spell to transpose her location with it.


    She appeared on the top of the walls. We don''t have the forces to man them, she thought. She had squads rotating patrols around the entire fortification, since they did not need patrols in the Valley anymore. But she really wanted to have several garrisons upon the walls ¨C the buildings were there to support them. But logistics would be a whole different nightmare. Getting a gond from each garrison to Lynhold would be a good priority. But to do that, she would need to force technological advancement.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    And she didn''t have that level of learning. What she needed was Thomas or Trisha. Thomas knew this type of stuff by heart thanks to being the Knowledge hero, and Trisha was smart enough to figure out what would be needed herself. Lyn shook off the thoughts. No time for thinking. Time to act. She focused her vision, and thanks to the Farsight Eyedrops body enhancement, she was able to zoom towards the horizon line with her sight. She could barely make out the tips of the Slor Mountains. I can''t make it in one shot. Well, unless I had a crystal arrow. But Volio wasted that.


    She pulled back a mundane arrow, aimed at the perfect trajectory for distance, and let loose. She counted down, tapping her foot in time, and when the arrow impacted, she used the spell once more ¨C teleporting to and swapping ces with the shaft. She repeated this over and over again, and within an hour, had arrived at the foot of the Slor Mountains.


    The Sloren were a hardy, peak-dwelling race. They raised rams, sheep, and goats. The closest Lyn could approximate them to was that they were like the Scots in the United Kingdom. A hardy folk. Misty had oncepared them to the standard fantasy-dwarves, with their ownnguage and all. Confusingly enough thenguage name was the same as the dwarven race name. She looked up the mountain and, zooming in her sight, spotted several buildings upon the heights. Raising the bow once more, she used the Spellde core''s ability to charge the arrow with mana, focusing on the wind elementalism to wrap the bolt in a sheath of air.


    Letting it loose, a few moments passed, and she teleported to the heights of the mountains. Arge group of sheep moved away at her sudden appearance, and she cast a fast shifting external spell to suppress her draconic features. "Hello?" She shouted out in Sloren.


    No voice reached her ears. Strange, she thought. They left the flock without a shepherd? She pulled back the string on Cataclysm and willed an arrow ofva to appear. She closed her eyes and focused on her sense of hearing, trying to discern anything unusual. But the noise of the sheep bleating was drowning out all other noise.


    Ance of grey-colored energy mmed into her and she went tumbling backward from the force of the blow. It didn''t pierce her armor or her body hardening, but the spell she was struck with was simply a forceful shove of wind. Strong enough to knock her back and off the mountain edge.


    Her fall was slowed by the Cloak of Safe Falling that was integrated into the armor, as it drew upon her mana to power the inscription in response to her suddenck of footing. But she was still descending. Damnit. She let loose theva arrow. I really hope this works, she thought. "Adhano na phain nin galu." She incanted the arrow-transposition spell as theva arrow was high in the sky above.


    To her dismay, she did not swap positions with the arrow made of mana. Well, that confirms it. I can only do it with physical arrows. She quickly drew, nocked, and fired a mundane arrow, using the spell once more as it crested high above the cliff edge. Warping to its location, she looked down and saw a Sloren who was looking over the edge, confused. "Hey!" Lyn shouted. The person looked up. "Don''t shoot! I''m just here to talk!"


    The person below incanted something once more, and another st of wind came up at Lyn. She cut off the flow of mana to the Cloak and fell, dodging the spell as she loosed another shot right behind the heavily-wrapped Sloren. Swapping ces with the arrow once more, she grabbed them around the neck and torso in a sleeper hold, "I just want to talk. No more spells!" she growled as her voice dropped to that of the Demonic Dragon.


    The person went still, and she felt a warm liquid as they wet themselves. Disgusting. She pushed them away and they tumbled forward onto the ground before scrabbling backward. A look of fear was on the young man''s face. "Please, dinnae hurt me!"


    "I won''t if you stop attacking me," Lyn replied. "I am Lady Rivers, the Destroyer. I seek an audience with your Thane."


    "O-o ''course!" the man got to his feet and blushed mightily, "Forgive me, yer Ladyship. I pissed meh britches."


    Lyn shook her head, "Gather up your herd, I wouldn''t want you getting in trouble for leaving them behind."


    She ascended the mountain alongside the shepherd, using her earth elementalism to use minor spells to corral the sheep on the path going up. The climb gradually became chillier. There was no snow or rime, but it was a cold, deste ce. She didn''t feel it thanks to her body enhancements, but if she didn''t have those, or the inscribed armor, she would have chattering teeth.


    Within a few hours, they had reached arge, stone fortification with a wooden gate. The Sloren apanying her ¨C a youth named Himmel ¨C yelled up to the gate watch. "I''ve got a right proper Lady here to see Thane Mol."


    The voice that came back spoke in a very ented, Sloren brogue. "Weel, ye kine in. Bit na funny business!"


    The gates opened slowly. Himmel got the sheep inside the gates, and then turned to Lyn. "Ah hae tae git th'' an aberdonian`s burd tae thair pen. Myndin'' ng? ah will tak'' ye tae th'' Thane richt efter."


    Lyn frowned, "I can barely understand you. Do you have anyone in your hold that does not have as strong of an ent?"


    Himmel pointed up the mountain trail to a series of stout, stone buildings. "Up thare ye kin fin'' th'' building wi'' th'' tankard hingin fae th'' sign. Th'' bartender speaks lik'' ye."


    "Right. Tavern. Thanks." Lyn made her way up, and nced back as two of the gate guards followed her at a cautious distance. She found the building Himmel had described easily enough, and entering the space found it to be dim, cozy, and reeking of beer. She took a deep breath of the heady scent. How long has it been since I''ve had a drink? She hadn''t had any alcohol since re-summoning herself.


    The ce was empty ¨C which made sense, it was mid-day, and most people drank after their day was done. She walked up to the bar and rapped her armored knuckles on the countertop. "Hello? Barkeep?"


    An elderly Sloren with arge afro of white hair speckled with a few ck strands and an equally curly beard came up from a cer with a keg on his shoulder. "Eh? What do you want?"


    "I am Lady Rivers, the Destroyer. You heard that voice issuing a promation not too long ago?" The man grunted as he put down the keg. "That was me. I want to speak with your Thane."


    "Thane Mol?" The man chuckled and stood behind the bar, fetching a few mugs from under the countertop and filling them from the kegs. "You''re talking to him. How''d you get so good at ournguage?"


    Lyn smiled, "Sloren isn''t too tricky once you get the basics." She took the offered mug and, following their customs, waited until the host took the first sip. He didn''t, instead staring at her. He''s testing my knowledge of their ways. She set the mug down, and he followed her lead.


    She leaned over the bar, grabbed his shoulders, and mmed her head into the hardest part of his forehead.

 Chapter 55

    Fuck! She didn''t feel the pain, but the jarring impact rattled her brain. As she pulled back, Thane Mol let out a raucousugh, wiping the blood from his forehead. He picked up his mug and drained his drink in one go. Lyn followed suit.


    "Good on ye, girl. Ye know the old ways."


    Lyn nodded as she savored the foul beverage. The Sloren had high proof stuff, and this was easily as potent as moonshine. She felt it affect her almost instantly. Damn, lost my tolerance for booze when I came back in a new body. She chuckled as she felt the warmth rush to her cheeks. "It''s been a long time since I headbutted a Sloren."


    "So, ye wanted to see Old Thane Mol. Well, I''ll start off by weing you to the Thunder Hold. What did ye say yer name was?"


    "Lyn Rivers," she replied as he refilled the mugs. She let her tone drop to that of the Demonic Dragon, "I am the Destroyer. I issued a promation not too long ago."


    The Thane nodded, and when he turned back to her, she could see the well-concealed but still-present fear on his face. "And, ye be visiting us for what reason?"


    "I wish to rule this world. And I want to bring the Sloren into the fold." She sipped the next mug gently, knowing she didn''t have the same tolerance to just m them back. And using an internal regeneration spell would be rude. Sloren valued drunken, honest discussions. "I know that in the past ten years almost all Sloren have returned to the Slor Mountains and your ancestral strongholds. Preparing for an eventual Vgonian invasion."


    Thane Mol nodded and sipped his mug as well. "Aye, you got the truth of that." He took another sip and stared into her eyes. "What''s yer proposal?"


    "I have fortified the Valley of the Volcano and created much richer farms and pasturnd upon the interior of the mountains. In exchange for moving your poption to Lynhold, the city outside of my fortress at the base of Shiverburn Summit, you will have to provide a contingent of soldiers to help bulk out my forces."


    He chuckled, "Ah, military might. Ye n on conquering?"


    "If necessary. First, I''ll try diplomacy. But my promation was clear ¨C I will crush those who stand in my way. I''ll ruin their realms and raise them from the ashes."


    "Well, that just won''t do." He leaned back against the wall and cracked his neck as he drained his beer, refilling it for another round. "I can speak for my Hold, but not all Sloren. We want safety, aye. And this Valley you''re iming you fortified sounds safe enough¡­but we want revenge." He mmed the frothy beverage onto the counter, and the alcohol sloshed. "That Princess" his voice was filled with venom and ire and mentioning the title, "Of Vgonia must be killed. She wiped out an entire Hold''s worth of Sloren."


    Lyn didn''t betray any emotion on her face, but that shocked her to her core. Cecily genocided a whole group of people? She knew that Cecily hated the non-Human races on Ghomar¡­but that was fucking atrocious. Her Destroyer core roared in her chest, and she felt the same roaring in her ears. "I''ll fucking kill her."


    What was she saying? She''d just outright kill Cecily? It shocked her. Why would I say that? Was it the alcohol talking? As the silence between the conversation extended¡­she felt her Destroyer core bubbling and hissing. Closing her eyes, she focused on it. There was a feeling of¡­reassurance,ing from her mana core. Lyn had always disliked Cecily, the preppy bitch was looking down on the rest of the heroes post-summon, and even pre-summon she treated all of them like second-ss citizens. Yeah. No. I don''t have a problem ending her. Plus, she had the Ruler core. And Lyn would make good use of that. After all¡­she had a world she would have to rule.


    "Good girl," Thane Mol stated as Lyn opened her eyes, breaking the silence. "I kin talk to the family heads. If you promise them revenge for Rushing Hold, they''ll be convinced." He tapped the countertop. "I''ll talk to them tonight when work is done. Stay upstairs, we got a few guest rooms."


    Lyn nodded, "First," she raised the mug and drained it. "Let''s celebrate. To new friends."


    The Thaneughed heartily, "Then let''s drink the good stuff. For an aspiring empress such as yerself." He reached under the counter and pulled out a crystal-clear vial of clear liquid.


    What did I get myself into? Lyn thought as he poured a few shot sses of the paint-thinner smelling liquid.


    Kory scratched his prosthetic leg and felt the relief of getting rid of the itch. I must''ve fucked up the spell was all he thought. There was no way Trisha intended for the limb to be this itchy all the time.


    He was riding through Biskon with a squad of one hundred of Vgonia''s finest. Cataphracts, all heavily armored and riding armored mounts. Kory was even gifted gorgeous, gold-limned armor by Cecily. She had forgiven him, despite his earlier actions against hernds. All things considered; he was in a good ce. And in the worst-case scenario, he could run off to Fort Watch, gather his mercenaries, and go raiding and piging up through Trisk. Carve out his own little kingdom.


    But for now, he was content. He was full of food, had plenty of wine, a gorgeous set of brand new armor, and he was on his way to bully, intimidate, and if needed ¨C kill someone. He was busy, and his mind wasn''t able to wander and ruminate on the horrible things he''d done. That was the worst part of beingid up in Trisha''s hospital¡­he was alone with his thoughts. Ben had confronted him and told him about his PTSD that has been just festering, but Kory''s dad raised him differently.


    "You''re a man! Men don''t have feelings, they don''t have emotions! You think in Desert Storm I gave a fuck about the towel-heads that I shot?" His father took a swig from his eight can of beer that day, and crushed the can before grabbing another one. "You wanna be a man? Fucking shove that pussy-ass shit down."


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Kory took a sip from his wine skin and grinned as he swallowed down the potent, highly fortified liquid. The pleasant buzz seeped into his mind and fuzzed-out all of the memories. Dulled the world around him. So much so that he barely noticed they had entered the estate of the Duke of Biskon.


    "Lord Smith, sir. We''ve arrived."


    "Alright," Kory muttered as he dismounted ¨C stumbling slightly not due to the alcohol but due to the prosthetic ¨C and gripped his hammer as he put the wine skin away. Walking to the doors, a pair of servants hastily opened them. He walked in like he owned the ce, and was greeted by a retinue of six heavily armored knights, and on the balcony above, crossbows were trained on him. "I''ve got a message for your Duke!" he yelled, holding up the letter. One of the knights sheathed his de, walked forward, and held out his hand. "Take it," Kory instructed.


    The man did so, and when he reached out, Kory whispered a spell under his breath. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / dautho nin helw / a bartho hain dagor." His signature Barbarian-only spell. His skin became imprable, and he brought Krak''il''to into the knight''s side, crushing the armor into his chest cavity and sending him flying. The crossbowmen loosed bolts, and they bounced off of Kory''s armor ¨C not even getting past that to his skin, where his spell would have blocked them anyways. "Kill them all! And bring me the Duke!"


    The soldiers behind him did not follow his orders. And Kory turned to them as another volley mmed into his back. The knights had charged forward and began swinging with mana-charged des ¨C but those, too bounced off of Kory. "Well? Are you going to serve Vgonia?" he asked as blows poured down on him.


    "Lord Smith, we were told to deliver the letter-"


    "It''s been delivered!" Kory reached out and grabbed a knight by the wrist, squeezing and crushing the bones to dust as the man screamed. The knights continued to rain blows down on him, and he started to feel the tingle of their mana-charged des against his skin. Got through the armor finally, eh? He turned around and swung the knight like a club, smashing the other knights aside before flinging him up at the crossbowmen. "Find the Duke, and his brat!"


    Kory turned the hilt of his hammer, and lightning charged up the length. Gripping the metal string, he whirled the enormous hammer around a few times beforeunching it in an arc, smashing through the crossbowmen with a sickening crunch as they were all smashed into a heap. One knight in front of him backed away and began to run, and Kory was prevented from chasing the man by the other bodies in front of him. "Fine! You die too!" He pulled the hammer back and unleashed a barrage of blows upon each knight, and they crumpled to the ground.


    He sprinted after the knight and the troops apanying him slowly followed him into the estate proper. But he didn''t care about them. He had a job to do. Catching up to the knight with several bounding steps, he grabbed the man by the shoulder, crushing the armor like a tin can. He screamed, and Kory turned him around, putting his hand on the knight''s helmet, palming his skull like a football. "I will crush your skull. Unless you tell me where the Duke is."


    "I''ll never-"


    Kory squeezed, and the man''s head caved in with a bloody spurt. He let out a roar, "Find the Duke!"


    Misty sighed heavily as she put the paintbrush down. Her most recent canvas ¨C a massive, twenty foot by twenty footndscape depicting the Valley of the Volcano, with Shiverburn Summit far above the dread fortress, and the heroes ¨C not just the ten that actually survived, but all twenty, arrayed and raising their weapons in victory.


    Her and Lyn were embracing in the center of the painting, and she longingly stared at the perfect recreation of her best friend. Why can''t you be the old you? She asked the painted memory. Instead you''re this¡­Duskari slut who wants to take over the world. She closed her eyes. Lyn had always been promiscuous.


    "But why sleep with anyone who catches your fancy?" Misty asked as she drew on her bed in her small house. Lyn was sitting on the floor, tracing out an album cover from a stencil.


    "You know the shit I went through as a kid," she stated bluntly. "At least now I get to choose who I sleep with."


    Misty frowned. She knew about Lyn''s dad abusing her. But he was friends with the sheriff, and Child Protective Services didn''t get involved because the sheriff always kept them away with ''wellness checks''. "Yeah, this whole fucking town is corrupt as fuck."


    "That''s why I sleep around. I get to take control of at least part of my life," Lyn replied, looking up at Misty. "Why ask?"


    Back in the present, Misty opened her eyes, and traced her fingers along the painting of old Lyn. I asked because I wanted you, she silently replied to the distant memory. They had been best friends since their childhood. Ever since Lyn''s family moved to the tiny country town. Misty and she did everything together, and her house was a refuge for Lyn after school ended.


    And she had loved Lyn. Not a creepy love like Volio, always leering at her, stealing her gym clothes from her locker, or peeking in her window. She felt they had a sapphic bond. Two kindred souls. Sure, Misty wasn''t abused, just neglected. Still traumatizing, but not nearly as bad as Lyn had it. And Misty wanted to leave that tiny town once they had their high school degrees. Get away, just the two of them. Be roommates in some bigger city. Explore those feelings. If only I could have gotten you out of that town, and you were reliant on me¡­and I on you.


    That morning of their summoning fifteen years ago, the whole ss was on the track, walking around in circles. Lyn had been abused the night before, and her mom had forced makeup on her to cover up the bruises. Then, the whole field erupted in white light, and the next thing they knew, they were all nude in front of a statue with an old man in front of it. Misty remembered looking at Lyn, absolutely floored at the number of bruises on her body.


    That was our escape, she thought. But she hadn''t been forceful about getting Lyn alone. Making sure the two of them tackled dungeons on their own or trained together. The closest she could get was training her in Elenthir, and even then, Thomas was always present for those lessons.


    Thomas, she thought with venom. He slept with Lyn, despite Misty telling him that she wanted to date her. She picked up her brush, dipped it in ck paint, and removed every hero from her painting except for her and Lyn. It should have just been us. Just the two of us. She felt tears in her eyes. Her best friend was gone. Truly gone. A Lyn was alive. But not her Lyn.


    She stood up, and screamed at the painting, "You should have just run!" She pulled out the paint knife and shed the part of the painting depicting the fortress. "Just fucking run like the rest of us!" She tore out the part of the canvas with her and Lyn together, and held it close to her chest, feeling the tears stream down her face as her voice choked with emotion. "You were too damn proud," she whispered through the tumultuous sorrow.


    She went back to the closet. Her safe space. The close, narrow, confined darkness bringing herfort as she isted herself from everything in the world.


    Nothing can hurt you in your safe space.

 Chapter 56

    Trisha closed herself off in her office at the hospital. A nice retreat when the kids became too much to deal with. The oldest two were bundles of energy, and Ben could keep up with them, but she had been dealing with her own issues. But she wasn''t here just to retreat from the kids. She had to tend to herself.


    Pulling aside some of her light, summery dress, she pulled the bandage away from the seared flesh. Damnit, this is why I hate the heat. She set to treating the area with several ointments and unguents that would reduce the inmmation and soothe the permanent burn.


    When the heroes fought the Demonic Dragon ten years ago, she was the only one to be injured by theva. The rest of the back-line heroes were uninjured thanks to their distance, but Trisha had to be closer to the martialbatants. And the group had pushed most of the body enhancing substances onto the front liners. Which meant that her barriers and wards popped when a gout ofva sted in her direction.


    This was the price of their folly, going after the Demonic Dragon after only five years. Other heroes spent ten to twenty years preparing, she thought. But James had been hyping them up, iming he had an ''unstoppable, game ending'' move that would win in an instant. He didn''t use it, or if he did, the enemy did not care. They retreated, and returned when they heard an enormous explosion followed by silence. Lyn had killed it and vanished.


    But now¡­she''s back. Brad had arrived that morning, and he and Thomas were catching up on the going-ons in the world. The four heroes were going to sit down that evening and discuss what was going on throughout Ghomar¡­and what they should do.


    She applied the unguent and felt the soothing relief instantly. The burn wouldst forever, and heat aggravated it, but she could manage it well enough. It was a constant reminder of her failures in the past, and a continuing reminder that even as the Healer hero, some wounds were impossible to cure. Powerful enough spells could leave lingering,sting damage. Her only choice would be to cut off a huge b of flesh ¨C and that would have its ownplications. She didn''t trust anyone except herself to do such a drastic surgery¡­and so she suffered.


    Pulling the dress back down, she went down to the hospital floor, and checked in on several patients her students were attending to. People with all manner of injuries. Some small, somerge. Infections, viruses, palliative care ¨C she had seen it all. With the knowledge she carried over from Earth she had improved healthcare drastically. Ideally, she wanted to standardize a medical curriculum and send it out to the kingdoms to train their own physicians.


    But¡­that took political capital and she had little of that. The only noble who had ever visited them was a distant cousin to the king of Trisk. And he paid for treatment to be kept under the table, so there was no way he was going to share word of Trisha''s work. Unless someone came to her with a problem, and was willing to give her work a good word to the public¡­she''d just be a regional healthcare provider.


    She came up to thest patient. This one made her very, very sad. A child with a wasting disease. There was no cure ¨C magic or medicinal ¨C and all she could do was ease his suffering. "How long," she asked one of her doctors-in-training who was applying a coolpress to the unconscious child.


    "Not long," The woman replied. She looked up to Trisha, "We''ve done all we could," she said with a questioning tone.


    "Yes," Trisha said as she sat down next to the child. "One of the hardest lessons I''ve learned here, and one that I knew but it never really hit home¡­you can''t save everyone."


    Lyn woke up at the bar as noises echoed around her. It was considered rude in Sloren culture to tap out and go to sleep before the host has had enough.


    And her alcohol fortitude was nowhere near what it used to be. She incanted the internal regeneration spell, and her brain fog instantly cleared. Looking around, she saw that several tables had been set up.


    Thane Mol was sitting with several other Sloren, and they were discussing in bawdy, loud voices over drinks. Lyn knew thenguage¡­but their brogue was far too intense for her to really make out anything more than the gist of what they were saying. Instead, she set to observing the general behavior, and tried to analyze their bodynguage.


    The Thane kept a jovial mood, but she could tell that there was some type of underlying problem he was trying to assuage. Three of the five other person''s present were calm and at a state of just enjoying the conversation. But two of them had a more dour expression. "Aye,ss," Thane Mol stated, waving Lyn over.


    She walked next to him, "Yes?"


    "We have a few concerns brought up by mypanions here," he said, gesturing to the other Sloren at the table. "The heads of the major families want some assurances. First, they want to have their own cloister in this Lynhold."


    "Sorry, but that won''t happen," Lyn stated. "I am not going to allow for racial segregation within my borders. If you choose to make your own cloister upon arrival, it will have to be open to all races who desire to move there."


    He looked back to one of the family heads. A portly woman with a pock-marked face. She grumbled and crossed her arms, but nodded resolutely. "Aye, that''ll work," the Thane replied. "One other problem we got for ye. Ye mentioned that there were farms. The good, mountain-dweller kind. What about the shepherds?"


    Lyn nodded and crossed her arms, "Do the animals limate well to the lower elevations? Or do they have to stay up high?"


    "They can do just fine anywhere," the Thane replied. "The issue¡­is too many people around. It makes them scared. Scared sheep and rams are harder to corral."


    I can''t make fertile grasnds. She did not have ess to flora as an external spell type anymore, and if she wanted to really cause thend to flourish, she would need that. But to the East of the Valley, she passed plentiful grazing areas. I can make an Eastern entrance like I was nning. Fortify it, and then extend curtain walls out. Not full fortifications, but a good, solid, ten-foot high earthen rampart to section off grazingnds. She smiled, "I can arrange pasturend for your herds."


    The Thane mmed his mug on the table and stood up, grabbing Lyn''s shoulders. "Then we are in ord." He put his hands on the sides of her head, and she braced, holding her breath. He pulled her head down onto his, and she felt the whack solidly as her brain jostled around. No external pain, but she was immediately concussed.


    "Anor min / nartho hain i daeth nin." She barked out, as if she was cursing. The pain and dizziness vanished immediately as a flush of warmth surged into her skull. She chuckled and pped the man on the shoulder. "ord epted." She sat down at the table, and the family heads each picked up mugs, raised them up, and in their heavy brogue, chanted out her name. "Lady Rivers!" Then, they drank.


    The Thane slid her a mug, and she joined them. "To Thunder Hold!" She shouted, and they cheered once more. After draining the drink, she looked to the Thane, "Tomorrow I go to the other Holds. Can you provide any type of writ to allow me to talk to them with more ease?"


    He chuckled and shook his head, "Nah,ss. I''ll do it for ye. We''ll take a few weeks to pack up and head over to your Valley. A month, at the most. But I have more pull than ye will in talkin to them.." He smiled broadly, "But, I want something in return."


    Of course. "What would you want?"


    "You were pretty drunk, but ye mentioned something about needing a Steward. Someone to manage yer coin."


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    "I''d need to see evidence that you''re actually good with managing money. No offense, but I just know you''re the Thane of this Hold, and that you run the bar for your people."


    "Ha!" He mmed the table with his palm. "Ye wouldn''t know it, but I was a master brewer. One of the best in Shereld. Before that bitch took over and kicked us out." He drained his mug and looked at Lyn with a sideways eye, "Just ask anyone from Shereld. Mol Gutterglug is what I went by back then."


    Lyn smirked, "Alright. I will." She stood up. "It''s gettingte. If you''re going to convince these other Thanes to uproot their Holds-"


    "Oh, they will if you get them revenge."


    "I will. It may take some time. Vgonia is one of the strongest militaries around Ghomar, rivaled only by Khrrdia. I need more allies." She reached into the storage choker and pulled out one of the emblems of allegiance. "Hold this up at the entrance on the Eastern side of the Valley, and it will permit entry."


    Thane Mol took the emblem and pinned it to his cor, "Take care,ss. It be dangerous out there."


    Lyn smirked and ceased focus on the shifting spell, allowing the draconic features to spread over her body once more. "I''m dangerous as well." She stepped outside and into the crisp night air that would have chilled her to the bone if not for the armor and body enhancement.


    That was way too easy, she thought. The Sloren were notorious for their hardy and persevering nature. But at the simple promise of revenge and some concessions that would be easy to amodate¡­they had folded. It left only two thoughts in Lyn''s head regarding the rapid decision. Either they were desperate, or scared. Probably thetter, especially if what they said about Cecily''s actions are true. What was she thinking; of course they were true. Thinking back on their history, she didn''t recall a single time where Cecily chose to interact with non-Humans.


    She pushed mana into the bracer on her wrist, scanning to see if any dungeons were nearby. Just past the Slor Mountains, on the coast. Not only did she have to make allies but continuing to clear dungeons while giving a signal to the remaining hero cores just floating about. So much to do, she thought. Gonna take a week off after this trip.


    She pulled out Cataclysm, willed it to its bow form, and nocked an arrow, aiming high and far to the East. Loosing the shot, and counting down, she incanted the Archer-only spell and teleported away.


    So it really is Lyn, Thomas thought as he sat with brad at the kitchen table inside of their cottage. Stes was watching the kids in the garden, and Ben had enabled one of the inscriptions on the house foundation to prevent anyone from listening from outside. Brad was sitting with a mug of tea, gingerly sipping on it, as Trisha and her husband whispered to each other. They were all speaking in English, so the inscribed spell might be a bit overkill. But caution was warranted.


    "So," Brad stated, drawing the conversation to himself. "She is definitely real.""


    Ben nodded and faced the center of the table, taking in a deep breath. "One of my friends got in touch with me this morning. An old friend at Trisk''s court. There are rumors that the king is preparing for a visit from a delegation. An ambassador from this new empire to try and establish terms." He shook his head, "Whether we like it or not, diplomacy is moving forward between the powers-that-be and this person iming to be Lyn."


    Brad sighed, "I told you, it is Lyn. Why don''t you believe me?"


    Trisha looked at him with a quizzical eyebrow, "You told me what Cecily did to you. Until you go through some intense healing-spell recovery, we can''t trust your thoughts entirely."


    Brad shook his head and looked at Thomas, "What do you say?"


    The Knowledge hero had been filled in by Brad on everything that had transpired. His flight from Vgonia, meeting with Volio, setting up a pharmaceutical industry for Lyn. His description of Lynhold and the surrounding environment. The fucking mountains turning into two-and-a-half mile high walls¡­the person was extremely strong, and convinced two heroes that she was legitimate. "I think it is Lyn," he stated bluntly. "And we would be idiots if we didn''t try to help her achieve her vision." He looked at Brad, "I''ll return with you to Lynhold. See how I can help her out. Because right now? I want revenge. I want James fucking dead."


    Trisha gasped slightly, "You don''t mean that! He''s our friend-"


    "He killed me!" Thomas shouted. "He fucking stabbed me through the chest. He killed my Hector!" He could feel the sorrow mixed with pure anger roaring in his chest. "Dead, stripped of his powers¡­some type of justice!"


    Ben looked at Thomas, and in a very stern, dad voice, said "Calm. Down."


    The Knowledge hero nodded and took several deep breaths. "Look. Trisha, you want to have your medical knowledge distributed across the world, right? Save people''s lives?" The Healer hero nodded, "Then why not work with this new Lyn? Brad''s medical industry could easily supplement your own work, and you two could revolutionize healthcare across all of Ghomar. That''s what you wanted back on Earth, right? To be a famous doctor? Cure cancer?"


    Trisha nodded slightly, "It''s¡­It''s scary. We''d be moving our whole lives and staking our im with someone who will eventually go to war with Vgonia, and maybe Khrrdia, and maybe even Trisk."


    Brad shook his head, "When I was gearing up to leave, there were rumors of the king of Trisk meeting with Lyn to discuss being a vassal state." He leaned forward as he pushed the tea aside. "Lyn is persistent, if nothing else. Bull-headed. Those traits are the same as when youst met her. But there''s a level of¡­regality to her. The way she was running things¡­fucking puts Cecily''s kingdom to the test."


    Ben held Trisha''s hand, and that''s when Thomas saw her barely perceptible shaking. Thomas sighed, "I know you''re scared. I think anyone who isn''t scared in this situation is an idiot." He shook his head, stood up, and went to the window to stare out over the gorgeous fields. "This ce is peaceful. But I know Cecily. I got a look into her mind when she thralled me, just as Brad did. He might not remember it," Thomas tapped his temple, "But I can''t forget." He turned to his allies and leaned against the counter. "She intends to rule the world. Kill off every single non-Human. And she''s strong."


    Brad nodded, "Cecily has been harvesting mana cores of criminals and the non-Humans that didn''t agree to discement." Ben''s brow furrowed and Trisha''s shaking grew more prominent, to the point that Brad could spot it. "Are you okay?" Brad asked.


    Trisha shook her head and began to tear up, "No! How can anyone be okay? Cecily is harvesting mana cores, James killed Thomas, he wants revenge, Lyn is back, kingdoms might go to war¡­it''s too much." She sniffled and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "This is no ce to raise a family." She looked at Ben, "And I don''t want to risk going to Earth."


    Ben nodded, "We don''t know what would happen if we used that inscription," he muttered, looking at Thomas. "No one has gone back."


    "Except Lyn. She went back. And forced her way back to Ghomar also." Brad absentmindedly sipped his tea as she stared out the window behind Thomas. "But we don''t know how she left in the first ce. It wasn''t a spell." He looked up at the other heroes, "Plus, why go back? Earth''s fucked. And here, at least, we have some clout and can make a difference."


    Thomas looked at Brad and chuckled, trying to bring some levity to the situation, "I thought you just wanted to get a cleaner, better high?"


    Bradughed, "No, I''m done with that. I want to be rich, get high sometimes¡­but no. I know that I can do a lot of fucking good here." He looked to Trisha and reached across the table, gently holding her hand. "You want to do a lot of good, too. Just like I do. We can do amazing things for Ghomar¡­together." He gestured to Thomas and Ben, "All of us. We can make this world a better ce for everyone¡­especially for your kids."


    Good y, Thomas thought. ying on her children''s future was a smart move to try and be convincing. But he couldn''t help but wonder what Brad was going to be getting as a reward for bringing the other heroes into the fold. He doubted the Alchemist hero was doing this out of sheer altruism.


    Trisha nodded, "Ben and I need to talk about it."


    Brad nodded, "Well, in the meantime, I''m off to visit this prosthetic-smith in the town below. Need myself a new dick." He stood up and bowed, "Thank you for agreeing to heal me up, Trisha. It''s appreciated."


    She nodded, "I can do the operation tomorrow." She chuckled, "You''d be surprised how many dick-rted incidents happen. The smith always has a few spares on hand."


    Brad chuckled and left the house. Thomas sat down across from Ben and looked the Guardian hero in the eyes. "I am going to go and advise Lyn. I can''t say what is best for you and your family¡­but if you want them to have the best tutor around, you couldn''t ask for anyone better than me."


    Ben nodded slightly. "Good to know."


    Thomas stood up, "I''ll leave you two alone." He went outside and went to the flower garden. He spotted Stes sitting on a chair among the flowers, keeping watch over the three kids. "Staying sane?" he asked as he walked up behind the Vharthon.


    She nodded, "All three are busy with a little scavenger hunt I put together." She chuckled and waved him down to whisper in his year, "A simple illusion spell. They think I''ve buried treasure here."


    "Oh, that''s mean," Thomas replied. "You better have a real reward or treat for them."


    She nodded, "I might not like kids, but I know you can''t be cruel to them." She reached into her hip pouch and pulled out a few Silver Kestrels, "I figure three to whoever ''finds'' the illusory gopher, and one to the runners-up."


    Thomas chuckled, "Right. Sounds fun." He squatted to her level, "We will be apanying Brad to Lynhold. I''ll keep teaching you if you want¡­but you should know that I will probably be given other duties to help Lyn, so I won''t be able to dedicate all my efforts to your tutge."


    Stes nodded, "I''m sure this new Draconic Dragon is going to need a court mage."


    Thomasughed, "You''d be surprised. Only three people speak Elenthir fluently¡­and she''s one of them."


    "For now," Stes said with a smile. "I''m a fast learner."


    "That you are."

 Chapter 57

    Lyn chained several arrow-shot teleports until she arrived at the coast. Ghomar was a supercontinent, with oceans in all directions and no other knownnds. The globe had been circumnavigated, and the only regions left to explore were the arctic regions. Some of the coasts were smooth, cid beaches. But not this coast. Trisk was notorious for having rocky coastlines that were difficult to navigate.


    She raised her wrist and channeled mana into the bracer. The three-dimensional map appeared. It''s inside a cave on the cliffside. Shooting a few more arrows, she arrived at the top of where the cave would be. Looking over, she saw the two-hundred-foot drop to the ocean that surged up and crashed against the rocks. She looked at the map again. Alright, so I jump and then angle inward. She raised her arm to the sky, and incanted the lightning spell once more to signal to any hero cores that were roaming around of her location. The beam arced into the sky before exploding against the atmosphere, creating a stunning aurora-like disy of arcing blue energy.


    Taking a deep breath, she stepped off the cliff edge and felt the exhration of falling ¨C for a moment. The Cloak of Safe Falling incorporated into her armor billowed out, and she gripped the hem of it, guiding her glide.


    She had to go so low that the spray hit her legs, but she angled in towards the cliff andnded on a sodden, rocky tform. Water sprayed up behind her, and she began following the shallow crevasse. After a few moments, she came across the doorway. This one was created out of bronze. This door marks the dungeon of Fenoscion, High Priest of Aelor. Threats within ¨C Aelor''s Challenge. Reward ¨C artifact, mana core.


    That gave Lyn pause. She had never before encountered this type of dungeon challenge. For the first time since she hade back and embraced the mantle of Destroyer whole-heartedly, she felt the twinge of fear flutter in her heart for a brief moment. The fear of the unknown. Right. Well, backup n, then. She pulled out an arrow and wedged it inside a crevice. She had no clue if teleportation would work between a dungeon and the outside ¨C but she wasn''t going to risk it. Switching Cataclysm to its spear form, she grabbed one more arrow with her other hand and walked through the purple film.


    As soon as she entered, she saw the usual ¨C square room with a square pedestal. She set the arrow down next to the doorway and walked over to the square object. Alright Lyn. Time to rise to a god''s challenge. She ced her hand on the object.


    "You should''ve seen it! An enormous st of lightning! It went all the way to the roof of the world!" Gael hollered out as he took another long chug of his ale.


    Bolvon smiled, "We have an amazing goddess, truly." He said as he also picked up his tankard.


    "No, it''s more than that!" Gael replied as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "Lyn ¨C erm, Lady Rivers. She''s fucking¡­just amazing."


    "In bed?"


    "That too, but I meant power. Have you looked at the mountains? Fuck, the whole Valley is a fortress. And no one has had to do shit-scooping duty in thetrines."


    Vael nodded, "And even better," she said as she tilted her wine ss, adoring the way the red stuck to the sides before slowly dripping away. "People are getting along."


    "Pfff," Gael waved his hand. "Who wouldn''t? Life''s never been better around here."


    Bolvon leaned back in the booth seat and let out a deep sigh of contentment. "Yeah, life''s good. Our goddess has truly blessed us."


    Vael punched him lightly on the shoulder and gave him a small smile, "We''ve done our part, also."


    Gael nodded as he reached over and drained Bolvon''s mug. "Ain''t that the truth." He stood up, "I''m grabbing another round!" He staggered over to the busy bar.


    Bolvon looked at Vael, "I''m nning on going through with it."


    She looked back at him with an appraising eye, "I have no objection. Just make sure that Lady Rivers allows for it."


    "I''m going to ask her to officiate it."


    Vael chuckled, "Brave of you."


    Bolvon smiled and pulled out the punch-dagger with the invisible de, "She has blessed me with a gift. And you two. We are her chosen."


    "Chosen what now?" Gael asked as he came back, slid Bolvon his mug, and put an arm around the Shadowstalker.


    "Chosen by the goddess," Bolvon replied as he sipped the frothy beverage. "She has gifted us items of extraordinary power."


    Vael and Gael shared a chuckle. Vael sipped her wine, "Well, if you wish to serve your goddess wholly-"


    "I¡­" Bolvon sighed and took a deep swig of his ale. "I''m not into women-"


    "That''s obvious," Gael said.


    "If she asked me to serve in her bed chamber, I would do it. Our goddess deserves all our admiration and affection."


    Vaelughed gently, which stuck out to Bolvon, as she rarelyughed. "You have no idea what you''re missing out on. The way her talons gently caress your skin, making you think you could die at any moment, only to then feel ecstasy? It''s phenomenal."


    Gael nodded, "Aye. No offense, Bolvon. I love you, and being with you feels great¡­But Lyn?" He let out a deep breath and drained his mug. "You don''t fucking know what you''re missing out on."


    Bolvon smirked. But something stood out to him. "You both are calling our goddess by her first name quite a bit."


    The twins shared a look, and for a brief instant, Bolvon saw fear sh across their faces. Vael cleared her throat and replied, "She likes to be called that in the bed chamber. I must have forgotten myself in my cups."


    Liar, Bolvon thought. He''d been raised with these two, he knew the tells. There''s something they know about Lady Rivers that I do not. He looked askew at Gael, A few more drinks in him, and I can take him upstairs and get it out of him.


    As if reading his mind, Gael pushed the mug of ale in front of Bolvon, "I think I''ve had enough."


    Bolvon frowned. Fuck it. Confront them. He leaned over to Gael and whispered, "I want to know. Tell me what you two know that I don''t?" Gael gulped, and Vael''s face went pale ¨C paler for even Duskari. What are they so scared of?


    Gael grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him out of the booth. "Let''s go for a walk. It''s a nice day."


    Bolvon nodded and went with him. ncing back, he saw Vael staring daggers into Gael''s back. They walked out of Lynhold and into the surrounding forest. After about fifteen minutes of walking hand-in-hand, Gael sat down on a rock. He patted the rock next to him, and Bolvon sat down. "What do you both know that I do not?"


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Gael ran his hand through his hair and let out a deep breath. "Fuck¡­You have to promise this stays secret. If Lyn found out I told you, I think she''d kill me. And you."


    Bolvon felt his heart race. He gulped down the knot that had risen in his throat, "You can tell me. Your secret is safe with me."


    "Lyn Rivers, the Destroyer¡­she was a hero in a past life."


    As she put her hand on the pedestal, the room went dark ¨C as usual ¨C and the object sank into the ground. The walls fell away, and the world warped and shifted. Lyn found herself standing in arge field. It was full of bronze and gold grass, with arge, white sun overhead.


    A figure phased into existence in front of her. A man, dressed in white and gold full te, wielding a very, very familiar sword. Aelor''An''r, the artifact de that came with the Paragon core. The first artifact the heroes encountered on Ghomar, that James got right after he touched the statue ¨C along with the armor. The voice that came out was ethereal and otherworldly and spoke in Elenthir. "You who seek the favor of Aelor''s High Priest, face your sins and be judged!" As he said this, three sets of angelic wings ¨C one set silver, one set gold, and one set bronze ¨C sprouted from his back.


    Lyn felt her mouth go dry. She could feel the warm breeze across her face, and felt¡­exposed. As if someone was staring at her in a crowded ce. It felt creepy, just like when Volio leered at her. But it was more than just a feeling of being creeped out. She felt¡­ufortable. As if she was standing in a room with every person looking upon her, judging her.


    The Destroyer core bubbling and hissed, and the soothing heat filled her body, surging down her mana channels in revolt against these feelings. It reassured Lyn. You''re the Destroyer now. No one can judge you. Aelor isn''t around anymore. This is just a test by someone long dead. The mana surged down the shaft of Cataclysm and into the spear tip. She willed the de to widen even more, so that the weapon would function as a ive. "Gothron i gwanno / min enni / na rem in edin nin: / na nin togwath, athano hain thron, gwelu, thrh, a n?n rath; / na nin inath, cirad nin hoth; / na nin inedhil, athano nin th?r a cirad nin; / na nin rhaw, hathol han uin del."


    The internal spell strengthened her body, reaction time, muscle mass ¨C her go-tobat preparedness spell. She felt stronger than ever before. A benefit to pushing her limits with those world-altering, mountain-shaping spells was that she had exercised the mana core. It was more potent than ever before, and she felt invincible in that moment. "Come on!" She shouted at the angelic being. "Let''s fucking do this!"


    The angelic figure manifested a helmet atop his head and shouted out in Elenthir. "For Aelor!" as he flew forward. Lyn held her weapon at the ready, waiting for him to get closer.


    James felt an odd vibration along his hip. He put Tovol down and held up a finger, "Give me a moment, and we can y more." The boy ran off to y with his brother and Zebed''s children. The emissary had asked if his boys could stay in Kor''s Hold for the duration of his voyage, to y with James'' kids and ¨C with luck ¨C they would be friends to keep a fruitful partnership between Khrrdia and the Free City of Bashinol.


    James pulled the sheathed de up to his chest and closed his eyes. What do you want from me?


    He felt the de vibrate in sync with his mana core, and he heard the fragmented, remnant voice of Aelor resonate through his head.


    Challenge.


    His vision went white, and he found himself not in his own body, but running headlong across a golden field. A figure was in front of him ¨C a Duskari woman with white hair, blue eyes, and wielding a ive-version of the mana-de that the Demonic Dragon''s humanoid shape had held. He stopped mid-charge and looked around. Where am I?


    The figure in front of him braced herself and shouted something in Elenthir. He only picked up a few words. "Stop." "Scared." "Fight."


    What''s going on? He looked at the sword in his hand. It was the same de he had held a few momentster, but he was dressed in resplendent te armor, and he felt an odd tugging behind him. He took off his helmet and nced back. Wings?


    The woman in front of him paused and spoke. "James?" She spoke in English.


    James looked back at her, "Who are you? How do you know thenguage of the heroes?"


    The woman put the ive haft down, "Please, who else would it be? Did you even read the letter from Volio?"


    No¡­It can''t be. James felt his heart sink. This Duskari with draconic features, and a pair of horns that graced her with a regal appearance¡­ "Lyn?" Her voice sounded different, but the sarcasm was unmistakable.


    "Damn right. What are you doing here?"


    "I don''t know," James muttered as he sheathed the sword. "Where are¡­we?"


    "I went into a dungeon on the coast. A guy named Fenoscion, the High Priest of Aelor. I was going to be fighting an angel, but then he stopped mid-charge, and it''s you. But it wasn''t you before the helmet was put on."


    James looked down at the hilt of the sword and felt it vibrating. "I¡­I don''t know how I got here." He closed his eyes and focused on the mana core in his chest. He couldn''t hear the voice of Aelor. "The sword¡­" he pulled the de once more and held it up to his chest. "I think it brought me here."


    Lyn strode towards him, "You fucker."


    "Wha-"


    "You took the credit!" She got closer.


    James began backing away, "Hold on, I can exp-"


    Lyn closed in fast and sted him back with a rapid jab to the chest. James wasunched a few feet, and the wings fluttered on their own to keep him upright. He gasped at the pain, as Lyn shouted. "You took my glory!" She had tears streaming down her face. "I fucking sacrificed my life to kill the Demonic Dragon. And you fuckers didn''t even give me the credit. You could have¡­Fucking¡­At least remembered me!" She dropped the spear and put her wed hands to her face, and he could hear her sobbing. "Everyone forgot about me¡­No one remembers¡­All my hard work¡­j


    James felt his heart sink. Taking credit for the kill was Cecily''s idea, but it made perfect sense to him at the time. And a few of the other heroes agreed ¨C giving credit to someone already dead was not advantageous. Splitting the credit, and saying James got the killing blow, well, that just sounded better to everyone. Instead of admitting cowardice. "I''m sorry," James whispered. He dropped the sword. "We¡­It was fucked up." He shook his head, feeling guilt epassing his whole being. "And the spell was going too far."


    Lyn looked up at him, eyes still streaming. "What spell?"


    James turned away, "Fuck." He mmed his foot into the ground, "Fuck!" Why me? Why do I have to exin it?


    "What. Spell." Lyn said as her tears stopped.


    "We¡­fucking did a mind spell to all Ghomar, okay? It was Cecily''s idea. And we all went along with it."


    "What did it do?" she asked as she picked up her weapon.


    James felt panic. Fear closing in on all sides. Just like how the upper ssmen used to circle up around him in front of the lockers and brow-beat him with insults and even physical assaults. All because he liked fantasy and reading books. No. I have power now. He held his hand up and the de raised itself off the ground and into his hand. "It is an irreversible spell," he stated. "All memories of you are a blur. People know there was a Scout hero, but nothing specific about you remains. Only the heroes'' memories were unaffected."


    Lyn''s voice changed, and James felt a deep fear course through him as the Demonic Dragon''s voice spoke instead of this Duskari woman''s tone. "Why?"


    "Because we wanted the credit, okay!" James yelled. "I just wanted to be the hero that saved the day. You were dead, we thought you''d be back on Earth with the rest of the people that died! No one thought you woulde back!" He felt righteous justification rise and rece the fear. The sword thrummed in his grip. "How could we expect that to happen? That you''de back with the power of the Demonic Dragon? It didn''t harm anyone!"


    "What about my pride?" Lyn growled. "What about my valor? My legacy? You¡­you''re a fucking coward."


    No, I''m not.


    "You all are fucking cowards!" She shouted as a helmet emerged from the armor and epassed her head. "You betrayed my memory! Betrayed me!"


    "No I''m not! I-"


    "You ran away! I fucking stayed and fought, while you all ran. You fucking shacked up with somedy and ignored what we were sent here to do." She mmed the weapon she held into the ground to her right, and James felt a shiver of pure fear through his spine as a rift ten feet wide and fifty feet long opened from the force of her blow. "I trained. I cleared dungeons. I got strong." She pointed the de at him, and the icy grip clutched his heart. "I''m going to rule this world and make it a better ce. I will leave my name on this world."


    James was about to respond when his vision red white, and he was once more back in his own body. He heard the giggling andughing of his boys and looked over to see them ying with small toy-soldiers along with Zebed''s kids. He felt the cold sheen of sweat covering his body, and the thrumming of the sword faded. The voice of Aelor tried to whisper something to him, but he couldn''t hear it. His own fears and anxiety drowning it out.


    She''s back¡­what in the fuck do I do?

 Chapter 58

    Lyn charged headlong at James, yelling a war cry. A defiant shout against being forgotten. A scream of pain and a desire to just beat the shit out of the man who took the credit that was hers. The person who abandoned her to die. "Coward!" She screamed as she brought the ive around on the armored man.


    He deflected her blow to the side and countered with a thrust that was fast ¨C faster than anything Lyn had ever encountered before. Her enhanced perception barely picked up on it, and there was no way she could react in time. As her ive split the earth asunder, the mana surging out in a violent tempest that ripped through the sky and ground, James'' sword sliced through her armor, through her body enhanced skin and deep into her side. She gasped in pain as the blow sent her flying from the sheer strength of the impact.


    She didn''t have any time to recover, as the angelic figure was on her in an instant and shed down. She barely got the shaft of Cataclysm in the way to block, and the impact sent her reeling as the ground under her feet cracked from the force of the impact. Anor min / nartho hain i daeth nin. The internal regeneration spell kicked in and she could breathe once again as her sliced lung mended itself. Willing Cataclysm to shift, it switched to the two daggers. I need to be able to deflect faster. A spear might be better at it; but I need to move quickly to keep up with James'' speed.


    The angelic figure swung ¨C and again, it was incredibly fast. She barely got one of the des in the way before the sword changed course and carved across her torso, biting deep into her flesh, and she felt the air leave her once more as both her lungs were cut into. But that gave her an opening, and she jabbed forward with her offhand dagger, cutting into the armor and scoring a deep blow of her own. This forced James to back off. Lyn repeated the internal spell. My mana is about one-third gone. The regeneration spell took quite a bit of mana when dealing with these life-threatening injuries.


    But she was able to catch a breath as the angelic figure''s golden blood dripped out of its wound. "You are a worthy opponent," a voice said. Not James'' voice. The voice from before when she first arrived. "I shall stop holding back now." The figure vanished.


    Lyn felt a piercing pain in her back, and looking down, saw the sword poking through her chest. Fucker! The thing moved so fast, there was no way she could keep up with it. The figure shoved her to the ground and twisted the de around, and Lyn would have screamed if she wasn''t face-down in the dirt. Anor min / nartho hain i daeth nin. The spell kept her from dying, but she could feel the mana constantly draining to heal the continuous wound that was being inflicted as the figure above tried to saw her in half by ripping the de up.


    She pushed herself up just enough that she could get her hands under her, and she gripped the sword. The de kept being pushed up, and she held onto it, squeezing the de as hard as she could. Just stay still! She thought, trying to keep it right in the center of her torso. Still enough that her lungs could regenerate and get some air. Just enough for her to use an external spell. "Britho ai!" she barely whispered.


    But it was enough to get the words out for ''destroy everything''. The mana exploded out of her body as a volcano erupted from her form. The blueva coated the figure behind her, and she heard the scream and felt him try to pull the sword free. No you fucking don''t! If this thing that wasn''t James wanted to survive, it would leave the goddamn sword behind.


    She felt the de start to slip from her grasp, and growled as she held it firm, feeling her ws dig into the metal. The figure behind her cursed and the pressure lifted. Kneeling, she saw it had ascended and flown above the cataclysmic outpouring below. Lyn pulled the sword out of her chest and pulled it around her body, grabbing it by the hilt. She grabbed one of Cataclysm''s daggers and willed it to shift back to the de. The other dagger hilt flew to the de, and she stood up as the regeneration finished healing her. "Come on then!" She shouted at the thing.


    "You are worthy of my full might." The figure above raised its hands and began a verse in Elenthir.


    But he could not speak as fast as Lyn could. "Echado corn dan ha / i cario en-rosgar a bartho / ai haw o lego i fan." There was a ripple in space around him as a bubble of air appeared. All the atmosphere within the bubble vanished, and he began clutching at his throat. "That''s right! How''s vacuum taste?"


    The figure fell as its wings beat against air that wasn''t there ¨C and the vacuum sphere followed it to the ground. It wed at its throat with one hand and reached towards Lyn with the other. She walked over to it, "Fuck you." She stabbed forward with Cataclysm, right into its head, and the mana-de erupted, consuming the body in blueva.


    The walls of the room vanished, and the angel''s sword vanished. Lyn fell to her knees and drew in deep breaths. I win. She had maybe a tenth of her mana left. If that¡­thing¡­was just a glimpse of what James can do¡­fuck me.


    She had seen James use his Paragon-only spells a few times. It was what she had based her own wind spell trump card off. But he moved at the speed of light with no momentum. Her mimicking version, on the other hand, caused her body to feel the momentum. The biggest drawback is that she could kill herself or have permanent brain damage as the organ mmed against her skull. It did mean she had the ability to deliver incredibly destructive force inparison to James¡­but at a cost.


    I need body enhancing stuff to strengthen my insides. She had no clue if that type of thing existed. I''ll have to see if Brad cane up with anything.


    She stayed there, on the ground, for several minutes until her mana was back to full. Standing, she walked through the hallway to the next chamber. Another pedestal. She put her hand on it, and it dropped into the floor.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    She was standing in a courtroom. A stern looking man with silvery eyes and a stern countenance looked down at her from a judge''s bench. "Lyn Rivers, current Destroyer, former Scout hero, and former summoned individual; you are charged with the crime of killing Aelor''s chosen. How do you plead?"


    What is this shit, Lyn thought. "Guilty," she stated. "I just killed him. It. Whatever the angelic thing was."


    The judge looked at her. "Well, thank you for your honesty. It is refreshing having some of that in my court."


    "What the fuck am I even doing in this challenge?"


    The judge leaned forward, "Being judged. Let''s look at your past." He waved his hand, and an illusory vision appeared next to her. It yed out the scene of her executing Volio. "You are charged will the killing of the Archer hero. Do you deny this?"


    "No."


    "And you believe you were justified?"


    "Yes."


    "Hmm." The judge stared at her. "Let us look at another." The scene shifted, and the illusory screen showed her imprisoning Bhrm, and ordering the death of Poweno. "Do you deny taking these actions?"


    Lyn crossed her arms, "No. I did what you''re saying I did."


    "Hmm." The judge waved his hand and the image faded. "You have done much that would be seen as evil by this court."


    "By whose fucking rules?" Lyn asked. "Show me the fucking rule book that everyone on Ghomar should be following."


    "Good and evil is determined by the decrees of Ael-"


    "The fucking dead god?" Lyn interrupted, feeling her chest heat up as she got angry, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks as the rage slowly rose. She shook her head, "Who decides good and evil? I''ll tell you who. Me. I''m going to make the goddamn rule book. Now, since I''m the closest thing you have to a deity¡­I order you to let me pass this chamber."


    The judge on the bench nodded and bowed their head. "By yourmand." The room shifted and Lyn found herself in the square chamber once more.


    I¡­huh, that worked. She wasn''t expecting that to work; that the trial would just¡­obey her instructions. But it made sense the more she thought on it. The Destroyer core belonged to Raevan, a goddess of destruction. Since Raevan and Aelor were two halves of the same deity¡­I must just have the same amount of pull as Aelor would in this trial.


    The final hallway opened, and she saw the altar ahead of her. The wooden box was present, as expected, but there was a second one. Two mana cores? She thought. There was also an ornate shield on the altar. The inscription around the outside was intricate, but effectively made the shield imprable. She lifted it, and then tapped it with Cataclysm. The hilt of the de shifted and became a short sword, and the shield vanished before appearing on her left forearm. Heater shield and short sword. A solidbo. She willed Cataclysm to return to the single sword hilt before socketing it on her hip.


    She grabbed the lids to both wooden boxes and opened them at the same time. Inside one was a bright core that was golden with silver shes. The other was a deep purple. She lifted the golden one first. You have bested my dungeon. I, Fenoscion, High-Priest of Aelor, give you the ability to manipte the element of light. The core shrank down and then flowed through her mana channel to be consumed by the Destroyer core.


    The world appeared slightly brighter for a moment, the edges of the altar, sharper by contrast to the surroundings. Light elementalism. Interesting. It was a good external spell type for utility, and inbat having a sh grenade that could nket a battlefield was a potent tool. She didn''t have light at her disposal in her past summoning, so she would need to experiment with it.


    Looking at the other core, she smiled softly as the purple rapidly shifted and warped. It became dark ck, and the purple was obliterated in an instant. She could see the asional whisp of a skull crossing the orb''s face. Lifting it, a familiar voice she had not heard in years came to her thoughts.


    Took you long enough! Elias Begant, Revenant hero, shouted in her mind.


    "Hi Eli," she replied.


    Thirteen years?! Fuck, I''ve missed out on so much. Trapped in that goddamn statue. He was pissed off.


    "Right," Lyn muttered. "Condolences."


    Oh, don''t get me started. You could''ve taken us along with you for your dungeon expeditions. But noooo. Miss independent had to fucking go fuck off and be this crazy strong fighter without us.


    "Hey, it''s not my fault that you guys wanted to take breaks all the time."


    We could have spent decades building up power. But noooo, you just had to fucking go-go-go and prove that you weren''t useless. Well, congrattions, you''re not useless. But you fucking cost me my life. You, James, Ben, Kory¡­ya''ll are assholes.


    "Mind telling me what your core does?"


    There was silence for a moment before a terse reply¡­Turn into a ghost, mana-charged weapons and spells can still hurt you, but otherwise you can walk through walls. And you got death as an external spell type, along with all its sub-types.


    That sent a jolt of excitement through Lyn. Outside of The Dragon''s Maw was an enormous battlefield. One with centuries of corpses that were buried. I can raise a fucking army of the dead. It would give her the means to man the entire Valley. "Thanks."


    Up yours. I''m going back to Earth. Maybe I can fucking live a normal life there. The voice vanished, and the mana core shrunk down, wrestled with the Destroyer core, and was consumed by the stronger force.


    Elias and she had never seen eye-to-eye. She wanted to get strong fast, and he was content to just take his time. No sense of urgency. The definition ofziness, just like back on Earth. Lyn shook her head as she put her hand on the altar. She was transported to the crevasse along the cliffs, facing the ocean. Focusing on his mana core, she didn''t feel any message like previous heroes had left. "Good riddance."


    Bolvon sat under the shady trees with Gael and pondered the dark underside of the canopy. "That''s a lot," he muttered.


    "Yeah," Gael said as he started to sober up. "The hero that killed the Demonic Dragon, returned back to Ghomar as the Destroyer." He shook his head, "We have to keep it secret. If word spreads that she was the hero that killed ourst deity¡­everything she''s built would crumble down." He looked at Bolvon, "I couldn''t lie to you. But if you love me¡­keep this secret."


    Bolvon leaned back on the log and stared up into the canopy. The revtion that only he and the twins knew this truth ¨C and the heroes she had sent missives to ¨C was groundbreaking. "I''m her Shadowstalker, now and forever." He looked over at Gael as the other Duskari heaved a sigh of relief. "I will keep her secret." He put his hand on Gael''s back and grinned, "She can have you in the bed chamber still. But I get my nights with you. Or days. Whenever I want you."


    Gaelughed and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "You''re too much."


    Bolvon shrugged, "I''m going to make a name for myself. Everyone will fear Lady Rivers'' Shadowstalker." He pulled out the punch dagger she had given him and traced his finger along the invisible de. "Her will be done."

 Chapter 59

    Lyn stared out at the ocean and took in deep breaths of the salt breeze. There were no more dungeons anywhere nearby. Channeling mana into the bracer, she pulled up the map of Ghomar and checked the distance and direction to her next destination. Fucking inds. There was no way she could clear the distance from thend to Arin Isle where much of the Ari race resided.


    The elven race were primarily ocean and river dwelling people. Convincing them to join her would be difficult, but as long as she terraformed with her earth affinity back in the Valley, she could make appropriate locale changes for their culture. Her best option, if she could convince them to join up, would be to fortify the river separating Vgonia and Trisk, called The Rill, and have them live just outside of the Valley of the Volcano. I could also track down the river''s source and have it run through the Valley.


    She pulled Cataclysm, willed it to shift to the bow form, and pulled a basic arrow from her storage choker. Aiming down the coast, she let it loose, and used the Archer-only spell to teleport to the projectile. She repeated this process until she was standing on a sandy beach on the North-Eastern side of Ghomar. Fifty miles out to sea. She smiled. "Athano i l?dh en-aear / di nin tth / sui an padad tr? han / sui ha na ond th?r."


    Walking out onto the waves, the water''s surface tension increased under the sole of her armored boot, and she walked on thepping waves, out into the ocean. The strain on her mana was miniscule, and as long as she was conscious, she could keep the water elementalism spell active. It would be cooler to make a trail of ice, she thought. She could use ice instead since it was a sub-type under water, but she didn''t want to leave a trail; and she had no doubt that given her power, the ice would stay put for hours if not days.


    Pulling back another shaft, she loosed a shot out into the waves, and tapped her foot until the moment just before impact. "Adhano na phain nin galu." She warped and found solid footing as the water under her boots seemingly hardened from her prior spell. Maybe an hour of travel like this. She continued the process and tried to recall what she had learned about the Ari when they first arrived and learned about the various races.


    The Ari were very skilled in the Elenthirnguage, and with more potent mana cores than most normal people. Even the weakest mana core among their race would rival that of a minor noble''s court mage. Nowhere near a dungeon core or hero core in terms of raw might, but capable of moreplex and powerful spells. Slightly weaker than Duskari, however, as they were not blessed with Raevan''s power centuries ago. She had met the Ari several times; they lived in Conves all around Ghomar, but the bulk of their civilization lived on the Arin Isle. It was an ind paradise, from what they were told. Like the Caribbean, where the weather was pleasant year-round, the waters were crystal-clear, and everyone lived a life of luxury.


    The only concern Lyn had was that she didn''t know how she would convince them to join up, let alone travel to the Valley of the Volcano. They were isted on their ind, and she doubted that they had the same level of hostility towards Vgonia or any other nation, for that matter, that she could leverage. What could I offer that they don''t have?


    The best she coulde up with, as she teleported her way shot-by-shot across the ocean, was to try and use her tie to divinity. Raevan chose to defy Aelor and not destroy the Ari. They owe her¡­me, for saving their asses. Yeah, she could use that.


    "Are you almost done packing?" Ben asked Eli and Lawry.


    The two boys were just finishing stuffing items into a trunk. "Yeah daddy," Eli replied.


    Ben went over to Lawry and knelt next to his quiet son. "How you doing buddy?"


    Lawry shook his head, "I don''t want to go!" he said with a pouty face and a few tears. "I don''t want to leave the flowers!"


    "There''s going to be flowers where we are going," Ben reassured him. "Lots of flowers. Thest time I was there, well, there was a whole mountainside full of them!"


    Lawry sniffled and held his notepad tight to his chest. "You promise?"


    "I promise," Ben replied, ruffling his hair. "Come on kiddo, pack up thest of your stuff." He left and went outside. They were in the process of packing up everything. Well, everything that wasn''t nailed down, that is. Thankfully, both he, Trisha, and Brad still had their inscribed rings with a storage spell on them. He silently thanked Zack for making them for all of the heroes. Granted, Misty had to help him¡­but they had proven invaluable over the years. Combined, the three heroes had enough storage space to transport almost everything.


    And the Baxter family wasn''t going to Lynhold alone, either. Not just apanied by Brad and Thomas, but also going with about three-fourths of the medical students, and all of the brawlers in training. A full relocation. Traveling there will take a few weeks with thisrge of a crowd, he thought. Getting enough horses and supplies had drained most of their savings.


    A few days prior they had the conversation with Brad and Thomas. That same night, Trisha and Ben had a serious conversation about the future. The state of the world was too unpredictable with Trisk being unaligned with either Khrrdia or Vgonia. Brad''s sales pitch, along with Thomas'' recollections of the events meeting the Duskari woman, and Volio''s visit¡­everything pointed to this being the real Lyn. Brad''s description of Lynhold was a selling point for Trisha; having students of all races from across Ghomar to learn from her was a tempting offer.


    But more than that¡­they agreed that being with other heroes was the safest ce to be. And those heroes were going to Lynhold. "We''d be stupid not to take this opportunity," Ben had said. "Thomas and Brad might not be the strongest, but they are some of the smartest."


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred tform. Support original creators!


    Thankfully, Trisha had been finally convinced by that argument. And thus, they were finishing their packing this morning.


    Ben got to their bedroom and saw Trisha picking up thest of their clothes. Ginavieve was in her right arm. Trisha was smiling, but it wasn''t a happy smile. It was bittersweet. Looking at Ben, he could see her emotion starting to build. "I can''t believe we''re actually doing this."


    Ben stepped forward and took Ginavieve from her, "It''s going to be great," Ben replied. "And travel is going to be about as safe as can be."


    Trisha ran her hands along the door frame, "This ce¡­we built it together. Remember when you fell off thedder and broke your ankle? And I dropped dinner in the dirt to rush over and heal you?"


    Ben chuckled at the painful memory. "Yeah, I remember. This ce was a pain to build¡­but worth every minute." He reached out and cupped her face, "We can alwayse back. This ce isn''t going anywhere. Not with the amount of spells we used when making it." He chuckled, "This ce could take hits from siege weapons."


    Trisha nodded and held his hand on her face, "I know. When the kids are all grown up, maybe." She looked up and met his gaze. "We''re doing the smart thing. Moving has always been hard."


    Ben nodded and hugged her. "I know," he replied softly. Trisha might have been the ss mom back before they were summoned, but she had always been a foster youth, and traveling from home to home was rough. The consistency of their household and life in the past ten years was exactly what she needed her whole life. "It''s just this one move," he whispered gently. "I promise we won''t move all over the ce. You''re never living that life again."


    Lyn spotted the boats on the horizon, and chose to walk towards them instead of continuing to teleport-shoot her way there. They spotted her, and began to move around the vessel, putting oars to hull and heading her way. "Hey there!" She shouted in Arinol, thenguage all Ari shared.


    The boat approached closer and closer, and she stood still, raising her arms and ensuring her draconic features were suppressed with a shifting spell. "Who are you?" One of the Ari on the boat called out to her.


    Lyn dropped her voice to the draconic tone. "I am Lady Rivers. The Destroyer."


    The Ari on the boat began whispering amongst themselves, but then a new voice spoke up. A strong,manding, female voice. "Why are you here?"


    "I''m here to forge an alliance." She pulled Cataclysm from her hip and let her mana pour into the de, holding the sword skyward. The blueva surged with each elemental spell type at her disposal, and whisps of ck smoke poured from the de as phantom skulls floated around the weapon. A disy of power that ensured there would be no chance of a mistaken identity. "Now take me to your leaders."


    Brad smiled as he shifted his new ''equipment'' to better amodate a long ride. The smith in the town that Trisha sent him to had an interestinglyrge assortment of sizes, and after measuring him up, took in a few requested changes. Trisha had performed the operation, having to cut him once more to enable the nerves to knit into the prosthetic. And I have to rece it every five years, he thought.


    But after a morning of recovery, now he once more had his manhood. Or something approximating it that could feel sensations once more. He was ecstatic and was only mildly annoyed that Trisha told him he couldn''t use it in that way for a week. "If you use a prosthetic like this too early," she had said, "Then the spell will unravel, and you''ll have to remove more flesh or else the necrosis from the unraveling spell could kill you."


    That was enough warning for him, and so he kept his hands off his new tool. Stes rode up next to him and cleared her throat gently. "Excuse me," she asked in Khrrdian.


    "Hmm?" Brad looked at the fox woman. Vharthons were interesting, and this one must be very interesting if she left Misty''s school to apany Thomas. "What can I do for you?"


    "You knew Thomas before you all were summoned fifteen years ago, yes?"


    "That''s right. What do you want to know?"


    She lowered her volume level, "Before you were summoned, was he this awkward in conversation? Whenever I try to talk to him about¡­well, him¡­he goes quiet and won''t speak at length."


    "Oh," Brad replied as he scratched his head. "Well, I mean, he was always a book person. He had three or four in his backpack. And not novels like James, but education stuff; history, science."


    "I know he is smart," she replied. "And you haven''t answered my question."


    "Why do you want to know more about him? I thought you were just around to learn Elenthir from him."


    Stes looked to the front of their traveling column, where Thomas was riding with Lawry on hisp, and was telling the young boy all about the various flowers of Ghomar. "He¡­is fascinating. I want to know more about the man."


    "You''re into him, aren''t you?" Brad asked,cing his voice with as much innuendo as he could.


    "I-no!" she said, obviously flustered.


    Brad chuckled, "You''re into him, aren''t you?"


    Vharthon didn''t blush ¨C their fur prevented people from seeing any type of reaction in that manner. But the way her tails twitched told Brad that she was feeling anxious. "He is interesting."


    "Well, if you want him to open up, do not ask him about his old home life. It''s not that good, and those memories are best left alone." He shrugged, "Plus, we all changed. He''s not the same Thomas that arrived here fifteen years ago. Just like he''s not the same Thomas that went to the dread fortress ten years ago."


    Stes nodded, "Right." She looked down at Brad, who was fondling his new equipment. "How''s that thing healing up?"


    Bradughed, "Good! After eight years, I finally feel like a man again." He grinned at her, "Feel like helping me test it out when it''s healed up?"


    She scoffed, "Ugh, no."


    "Your loss," Brad replied. "But if you''re serious about Thomas¡­ask him about his half-sister. That was one good thing about his life back where we came from. If you want him to open up about the past¡­that''s who you should ask about."


    Stes nodded, "Thank you, Alchemist hero."


    "You''re wee." He pulled out a cigar and lit it with a simple fire elementalism spell. "Want to try?" he asked, holding it out to her.


    She wrinkled her nose, "What is it?"


    "Mint, powdered juniper berries, and flitvine." He took a pull on it and exhaled the smoke. "It tastes like cotton candy and clears out your sinuses. Plus, it ''cleans'' your lungs if you can hold in the smoke." He held it out to her once more.


    She took it from him and took a small puff from the object, coughing and salivating as she handed it back to him. "What in the abyss?"


    Bradughed, "Here, try this instead." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a lozenge version of the same medicinal herbbination he had imbued with magic. She took it and looked at him questioningly. He motioned for her to put it in her mouth, and she did so.


    "Mmmm," her eyes went wide, and he could see the nose on the end of her snout re. "Oh my¡­"


    "Right?" Brad replied with a chuckle. "It''s incredible what some simple herbs and spells can aplish."


    "This is amazing. Can you teach me?"


    Brad looked off to the South and took a draw from the medicinal smoke stick. "Well, if you want to learn, we can start with the basic herbs and their uses."

 Chapter 60

    Lyn stood on the waves, gently bobbing up and down as the waters rose and fell. The boat that had approached her was a frenzy of activity. The Ari sailors were running back and forth, shouting orders andmands in Arinol. She lowered Cataclysm and walked towards the boat''s gunwale of the Viking-esque longship. "Well?" she asked in their race''snguage, letting her normal tonee through instead of forcing the intimidating, draconic voice.


    A sailor looked at her and went ck jawed, "You''re a woman?"


    "So was Raevan," Lyn replied. She pulled herself onto the ship and released the spell she had been focusing on to walk on water. "Take us ashore. I want to speak to your leaders."


    The same stern-sounding woman she had heard from across the waves walked up. A tall woman, easily a head taller than Lyn''s more petite form. She had long, blonde hair that was tied back in a braid, and her green eyes were filled with wisdom of years. Her skin was heavily tanned, and she had arge scar across her cheek down to her corbone that looked like a serrated bite of an ocean predator. "You''re the Destroyer? Hmph. Prove it."


    "Was theva elementalism not enough for you?" Lyn asked as she squared up to the woman.


    "For all we know that was an illusion." The woman eyed Lyn and looked down at her with suspicion. "The only reason we did not attack is that you are one of the Duskari."


    Lyn held her hand out over the ocean. "Togo enni arad / en-anor / i posto ai min / corn da nin d." The mana in her core surged up her torso and down her arm. A cone ofva sted out from her palm and shot across the ocean, sizzling and bubbling as a huge cloud of steam was released. All of the Ari sailors around backed away from the sudden surge of heat. Lyn stopped the stream ofva and looked back at the woman, who had a look of fear upon her face. "Satisfied that it is not an illusion?"


    She nodded, "Forgive me¡­You said you''re called ''Lady Rivers''?"


    "That''s right," Lyn stated as she turned to inspect the interior of the vessel. "I use the title to throw off my foes." She observed that this group was a military patrol of some type ¨C there were shields, crossbows, spears, pikes, and scimitars in neat, oil-tarp covered racks. "Expectingpany?"


    "Not you," the woman replied. She raised her voice and turned to the crew, "Get us ashore! Double time!" The sailors hopped to unquestioningly, but nced back at Lyn several times as they began to row the vessel to the shore. "Forgive my impudence, Destroyer."


    Lyn waved her hand dismissively, "Don''t mention it. Your name?"


    The woman tilted her head down slightly, "I am Na, of the Conve of the Isle."


    "Position?"


    "I am one of several patrol leaders."


    "You said you weren''t expecting me. Who were you expecting?"


    Na looked over to the South-East and pointed out into the distance, "A group of humans from Vgonia have spread to the Eastern Archipgo. They have established themselves over the past few years, and we patrol the boundaries to prevent further expansion."


    Lyn nodded, "And your Conve avoided the purges that urred in Vgonia ¨C formerly Shereld?"


    "We did, thank Aelor," Na muttered. "Our kin traveled to us. Several Conves that resettled here on the Arin Isle. A group made it to Khrrdia, and lives near the docks on Kor''s Hold."


    Lyn could tell something else was lingering under the surface. The woman was not an open book but was not difficult to read. "Who did you lose?"


    Na frowned, "That is none of your business."


    "Very well," Lyn replied as she walked the length of the ship to the rear of the vessel. "Hang on!" she shouted. The sailors looked at each other before gripping their oars tightly. Lyn raised her hand and pointed it behind the ship, as she willed her boots to recede so her draconic wed feet could grip the deck. "Echado rauth en-gwaew / i ago ho barad / na i tol." A mighty gust of wind exploded from her hand, and the ship lurched towards the shore.


    "Your Highness!" the messenger yelled as he ran up to the foot of Cecily''s dais.


    She looked down at the man. He was breathing heavily ¨C meaning he had run from the stables up to the pce. Which meant this was urgent. "Stand and speak," she stated.


    The messenger stood up and bowed, "Yes, your grace. I have news from Rist. Your Highness¡­they are aligning themselves with Komorra, and have dered an independence faction."


    Cecily drummed her fingers on the armrest. Not a full on war of independence, yet, she thought. But creating a faction and letting their intent be known. They had to have backing. Being the two closest duchies to the Azure Divide, she could only reason that they were acting so brash because James had courted them to his side. But¡­since they were dering of their own volition, and she had no word of Khrrdia''s involvement, he hadn''t broken their diplomatic agreement to remain on their sides of the vast river.


    Another messenger came sprinting in and bowed at the throne as well. "Your Highness! News from Lord Smith!"


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Cecily leaned forward, "Speak."


    "Yes, your grace." He unfurled a scroll from his belt pouch. "He reports that the Duke of Biskon was in, the heir has been put upon the throne of the duchy and has sworn allegiance to the throne. Your edicts are being enacted." He looked up from the parchment, "The Berserker Hero is on the way back, and he left the force you had sent him with to ensure the new Duke keeps his word."


    Cecily nodded, Some good news. She waved her hand dismissively, and both messengers bowed before making a hasty exit. "Summon my council," she told the Seneschal standing nearby. The man bowed and hustled away.


    "Your Highness," the familiar voice of her spymaster spoke softly from behind her throne. The thin,nky woman came up to her armrest. "I have confirmed that Rist and Komorra are acting on their own."


    "When did you receive this news? And when were you nning on telling me about it?"


    The woman bowed her head slightly, "I received the news yesterday. I was going to tell you once my agents were in ce."


    Cecily nodded, "Then we will make no moves against Khrrdia for the time being. Use this truce to our advantage." She stood up and walked to the council chamber, followed by the tall woman. "We have the appropriate vessel for VEROG?"


    "Yes, your highness. We have already put the vessel into stasis. All that remains is the spell."


    "Indeed." She sat at the sumptuous chair ced at the head of the table, and thenky woman sat at her left side. "Then we have no choice but to fund more expeditions to the Ruins of Elent." She leaned back and sighed as she rubbed her temple, "The Mage hero is a lost effort. If we leave her alone, she will not trouble us."


    The rest of her council arrived in a trickle of people until all twelve councilors were present. Cecily stood up and projected her voice, ensuring all felt the authority of her ruler core in her words. "Rist and Komorra have dered a faction of duchies to gain independence. We will leave them alone, for now." She looked to her Marshal, "The Berserker Hero will take a detachment to Skrell and get that duchy in line. The same goes for Logor. I want you to decide, along with the rest of the council, which duchy will be made an example of. Rist or Komorra. I expect your decision by tomorrow."


    The Marshal bowed, and Cecily sat down once more. "Now, onto affairs of the state¡­"


    Lyn sat on arge reed mat on the beach. An enormous feast was beingid out before her on a low table, and she was sat across from a group of ten elder Ari. "Thank you for seeing me," she stated with a slight bow of her head. "And for the food."


    The oldest of the Ari tilted his head slightly as well, "It is the least we can do for the inheritor of Raevan''s power and mantle."


    Lyn smirked, "I assume you heard the promation I made a few weeks ago?" The various elders nodded, and she continued. "And therefore, you know my intents for Ghomar. To bring it all under my control."


    "A lofty goal," one of the elders replied. "And youe here to conquer us?"


    "No," Lyn replied quickly. "I''m not here to subjugate you. I am here to offer the Ari a ce within my empire."


    One of the male elders at the far end of the row ¨C denoting his young agepared to the rest ¨C let out a guffaw. "Heh. Please. What could you provide us with? We have everything we need here. Life is perfect."


    The other elders stared at him with shock. Lyn looked into his eyes and let her voice drop to the draconic tone. "You don''t have protection," she stated bluntly. "Kingdoms are going to war, and eventually they will expand. How long will you be safe on these inds? A few hundred more years?" She shook her head. "Eventually, you will be threatened by those seeking to expand. You are already experiencing this with Vgonian settlers in the nearby Archipgo." Lyn gestured to the ocean behind her, "This is impossible to defend in the long term. The ind has no natural defenses, no barrier reefs¡­it is paradise, yes. But paradise is not suitable for war."


    The eldest elder nodded his head in agreement, "What you say is true, we do not have the means to defend this whole isle. However, we can always move to othernds."


    "Is that what you want? To be uprooted over and over again, having to rebuild? Instead, you can join me and my empire. I can fortify the whole of The Rill to provide a well-defended, secure passage to the Valley of the Volcano. With my spellcraft, I can create whatever terrain you desire. Your people will always have sanctuary to retreat to. The Valley of the Volcano can be your well-defended home."


    One of the Ari who came from Vgonia as the purges had begun stood up. "This promise of protection sounds too good to be true. Forgive my impudence, but I wish to see this power you speak of."


    Lyn nodded, "No offense taken." She stood up and walked to the ocean. The warm waterspped against her shins, and she took a deep breath before incanting aplicated spell. "En ethiel an le / aegis a aear / an echado arad en-aew / postad min lestad / sui pan an ionnin i thalion / a anno le min / an na nafin, a heria i raith / bo nin iest a ir / an echado an¨ªr anglenad / en-¨ªfant a thalion."


    The ocean rose in front of her, shooting skyward until a five-hundred-foot tall tidal wave stood, suspended, above the beach and blotting out the sun. It slowed and stilled until the whole expanse was nothing but a smooth, ssy surface. As per the spell''s verses, she thought of an image. An eagle, flying over the mountains and looking down from above. The water shifted, darkened in ces, and grew lighter in others, as it reflected the scene she envisioned.


    "Aelor above," the Ari who had questioned her power whispered just loud enough to be heard.


    Lyn released the spell, and the water gently sshed into ce as the tide resumed its work. She turned and sat down once more, grabbing some of the fresh coconut and scooping it out with her wed finger. "Do you doubt my power?"


    All the Ari shook their heads vehemently. The eldest stood up and bowed deeply at the waist. "My sincerest apologies, Lady Rivers." He sat down, and after Lyn had taken a bite of the fruity interior of the food, he, too, took a fruit from therge ensemble of food.


    That was a huge indicator to Lyn that she had made the impact she desired. Ari culture dictated that one only ate with those they identified to be innocuous. The other elders also began to slowly eat from the feast, and several minutes passed in silence as they filled their stomachs. Lyn was ravenous, and she hadn''t had tropical fruit in years. After eating to near-bursting, she leaned back on her arms and nced sideways.


    There were other Ari present, watching the meeting between Destroyer and elders. Tradition in Ari culture dictated that there would be silence during the meal, and only once every person had finished eating would conversation resume. Thank God I paid attention to Cecily''s etiquette lessons. The bitch might not have liked the other races, but she had an intrinsic understanding of customs and cultures, and she made sure the rest of the heroes understood them so she wouldn''t be embarrassed when interacting politically with other races.


    "Lady Rivers," the eldest Ari stated when the meal had concluded. "We will need time to discuss your proposition. Will you stay the night?"


    Lyn nodded and stood up, "I will stay. But I need an answer in the morning."

 Chapter 61

    The sound ofpping waves was not something Lyn was familiar with. Growing up in and locked, middle-of-nowhere town, she''d never been to the ocean beforeing to Ghomar. And even when she had arrived during her first summoning, they didn''t hang around the coast just rxing. Sleep eluded her as the rhythmic surging kept her awake.


    Thankfully, the memories of past trauma were noting to her mind as shey there, staring at the ceiling of the tent. They were locked away in her mind, and if she really wanted to, she could recall them. The Destroyer mana core had let her push them away, partitioning them in her mind. She could recall those horrors of the battlefield, seeing her ssmates and friends brutalized, and every instance of abuse she suffered throughout her life. And for that capability to keep them locked away, she was extremely thankful. For the first time sinceing back as what she was now¡­she felt some modicum of peace. Every other night she had either been distracted by sexual partners or fallen asleep drunk. No chance to think about the past.


    But now, with no distractions of the flesh, she could reflect. And as she reflected on the past, she found herself not overwhelmed by the memories, but rather perusing them. As if she was in a library, and picking books from shelves, able to re-experience the memories if she desired. It was¡­meditative. The Destroyer Core bubbled in her torso as she looked back at the deaths of her allies, and kept her from experiencing the anxiety, dread, and horror of those moments. She was able to examine her past with a critical eye, rather than just reacting with panic and instinctual responses.


    And she had made mistakes. The more she examined her memories of the past, the more she realized the stupid mistakes she had made during that first summoning as the Scout hero. She had pushed away the other heroes to pursue her own development. She had used them for her own ends. Training with James and Kory? It was to improve herself, not build a bond. The same with studying under Thomas. And even Misty was someone she had unwittingly used to gain mastery of Elenthir. All because she was pissed off that they called her the weakest hero. And because of what? The fucking statue that gave her a ss? The more she dwelt on those memories, of being jeered at and made fun of¡­the angrier she grew.


    Sleep wouldn''t be something she would get that night. Fuck this, she thought. If I can''t sleep, I might as well get some training in. She got out of the tent and nced over at the group of guards that ¨C until she stepped out, were just monitoring her. Now that she was in view, they became alert and watched her closely. She gave them a friendly wave and walked into the ocean; willing her armor to recede so she could feel the warm liquid on her skin.


    Mana cores could be exercised just like a cardio workout. Most on Ghomar would cast spells until exhaustion, and then wait for their mana to replenish. But Kory, the football and all-around sports guy he was, figured out a better way. Lyn recalled his instructions with vivid rity.


    The heroes, eighteen of them at that time as two had died already, wereying down in argeke. "Going for a swim is nice," she had said, "But shouldn''t we be doing something more important?"


    "This is important," Kory snapped back. "Fucking getting a ripped mana core is legit the best thing. Just go underwater, and push mana up and down your body." He took a deep breath and submerged himself. A few momentster, brilliant, red light emitted from him ¨C the color of his mana ¨C and the water around him bubbled. Not from heat, but from energy.


    "Oh, I get it," Trisha said as she observed the process. "He''s artificially increasing his heartbeat¡­mana-beat? He''s making his mana core constantly push out and redirect mana, just like a during anaerobic exercise the metabolic demand increases, and the heart has to increase its cardiac output." She smiled and took a deep breath, submerging herself in the water. The light-green mana flowed around her, and the same roiling of water urred. One by one, the heroes immersed themselves.


    In the present, Lyn took a deep breath andid back. She focused on her Destroyer mana core and felt the immense store of power within. She opened all her mana channels and began to move the mana through her body. But she went further than she had ever taken the exercise by holding the mana at the end of each limb during the cirction, engorging the mana channels and ensuring they remained wide and open, just how they were when she returned to Earth and had ripped them open to their widest.


    Not utilizing mana channels would cause them to shrink over time, and she hadn''t really stressed her mana in a while. She felt the burning strain in her muscles, and they slowly expanded to amodate the increased mana flow as the channel widened to its maximum width. Only when her mana was almostpletely gone did she release the pressure and sit up, taking a deep breath of the warm, salty breeze. She looked around and saw the group of guards staring.


    "Hey, Destroyer." Lyn looked to her side as Na came over and stood ankle-deep on the shoreline. "What do you think you''re doing?"


    Lyn stood up and faced her, "I''m training. Increasing my mana capacity and engorging my mana channels."


    The woman stared at her. "Why?"


    "I can''t sleep. Might as well do something useful."


    Na walked over to the guards, talked with them for a moment, and then left. Lyn shrugged, took another deep breath, and went for another round of mana cirction. When she came up, the woman was back on the shore with two curved, wooden practice des. She tossed one to Lyn, and she snatched it out of the air. "I''m curious to see the prowess of a Destroyer."


    "Internal spells or all natural?" Lyn asked as she strode up onto the beach.


    "All natural," Na replied with a smirk. She raised her wooden sword in front of her, left hand extended to assist in a parry.


    Lyn hefted the practice de. It was styled like a scimitar or cuss. Thanks to the Spellde core she had consumed, as soon as she gripped the hilt, a rush of information filled her brain. Training that was peerless and unmatched, the wisdom and guidance of countless de masters filling her memory. Her muscles instantly memorized the required movements. Nami''s core fucking rocks. She grinned manically and flourished the de. "Let''s do it."


    Na stepped forward and chopped at Lyn from above. She deflected the blow with ease, but the woman''s greater height and reach prevented Lyn from dashing in to strike a blow of her own. Tsk, gotta y defensively. Na shed from the left and Lyn stepped into the blow, deflecting at the elbow with her offhand and striking with her own de. The Ari woman used her own arm to deflect the t of the scimitar, pushing the blow upward. She tried to reach into the blow and grab Lyn''s arm to pull her off bnce.


    Lyn instead turned into therger woman, throwing the sword upward and using the momentum of her spin to throw an elbow jab into her chest. Na staggered back from the impact, and Lyn disarmed her of the practice de with her left hand, before catching her own de a momentter in the right. She flourished both and twirled them in her hands. "Care to continue?"


    Na stood up and nodded. Lyn tossed her the practice scimitar and waited once more for Na to act first. But therger woman was cautious, keeping at the very edge of her attack range, and using her longer reach to harry Lyn''s defenses. No blows got past her, and she deflected each without issue. But they were at a stalemate as both were fighting defensively. I can keep this going forever¡­but I need to prove my dominance. She intentionally let her guard down, and on the next deflection, feinted being off bnce as she ''lost'' her footing in the sand.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the vition.


    Na bought the bluff and closed in with a savage sideways chop. Lyn dropped to the ground into a split, the scimitar passing overhead. She used her thighs to push herself up and forward, stabbing forward with the wooden sword and catching therger woman in the abdomen. "I win," she said with a smile. Therger woman brought the de back towards Lyn, a look of anger and frustration across her visage. Lyn held up her draconic w and grabbed the weapon, "I won. You can stop."


    Therger woman tried to pull the practice de away, but Lyn squeezed, and the weapon snapped in half. She looked at the broken de, then back to Lyn, and then threw a wild haymaker.


    Lyn simply stood the rest of the way and deflected the fist with her practice scimitar, smacking the woman''s arm aside before delivering a savage standing kick to her torso, sending her tumbling back. "You lost. None can defeat the Destroyer," she growled as her voice dropped to the draconic tone.


    Na gripped her stomach, "That wasn''t a killing blow," she grunted in between breaths. "I''ve stabbed a Vgonian through the stomach, and he kept swinging."


    Lyn frowned and walked forward, kneeling next to the woman. "Have you been impaled through the chest? The abdomen?"


    The woman frowned and shook her head. "Can''t say I have."


    The memory of being flung into the obsidian outcropping by the Demonic Dragon before going back to Earth lingered in her mind. She shifted her voice back to normal. "I have. I''ve been impaled on a spire of rock the size of my leg. Most people don''t keep fighting after that." She tapped Na on the stomach with the tip of the wooden scimitar. "Who was this Vgonian you fought?"


    "Some giant of a man wielding a hammer."


    Oh really? "Did his skin appear like iron? Was he screaming and shouting?"


    She blinked a few times and sat up, "Yes¡­"


    "Well¡­he wasn''t a normal man." Lyn stood up and held a hand out to assist the other woman up. "That was the Berserker hero. You''re lucky you lived. When did you fight him?"


    Na took the offered hand and pulled herself up, "Six years ago. We were on The Rill, on a trade voyage. We arrived in Ishtok and set up in a small vige." She shook her head, "I remember it so clearly. Riders,ing from the edge of town. Whooping and shouting. Screaming ''kill the pointy ears!'' We held off the forces until the merchants had boarded the ships, and then fled ourselves." She shook her head, "I''m hard to scare¡­but that man was a monster. He ripped the scimitar from my grip even though it was lodged in his stomach. He swung the hammer down at me, and I barely scrambled backward in time before the earth split apart."


    Lyn nodded, "Kory Smith. And let me guess, he pulled the scimitar out of his stomach, grunted and cursed at you, and as you ran away someone else came over and healed him?"


    Na looked at Lyn with a puzzled expression, "You¡­yes¡­exactly that. A tall, hooded human."


    In her time with the Duskari, Lyn had been told about Kory''s Killers, his mercenary outfit he put together to help patrol the Valley of the Volcano''s exterior mountains and prevent anyone from entering. If she fought against him and was able to inflict injury, she''s a potent warrior in her own right. Lyn gestured to her tent, and the woman followed her. She sat on one of the cushions. "You''ve survived a fight with the Berserker hero. That''s a im to fame right there in and of itself."


    Na sat down across from Lyn and stared at her, "How do you know of this?"


    Keep the ruse going. Only the heroes, Gael and Vael know the truth. "Well, I am the Demonic Dragon reborn, after all. The memories may be foggy at times, but I recall fighting against the Berserker hero several times over my prior lifespan." At least that wasn''t a total lie, she thought. In fact, Kory was the one who was the most open to sparring practice with her when the other heroes were busy doing something else.


    This answer seemed to satisfy Na, and she nodded, visibly rxing as the tension left her shoulders. "You are skilled with the de."


    "You think that''s impressive?" Lyn chuckled and pulled Cataclysm from the hip-socket on her armor, willed it to shift into a spear, and held it aloft as the weapon ignited with the blueva of her mana. "I''m much better with a spear." The weapon surged with the other elementalism types she had acquired, and the colors danced around the small tent.


    Na''s eyes went wide, "That''s what your mana charge looks like?"


    "No," Lyn stated. "This is just how the de works. It''s solid mana." Which also kind of sucks, because the Spellde core lets you do thought-only mana charged weapon spells.


    "Have you tried charging it with mana?"


    You know¡­I haven''t. She closed her eyes and thought of the appropriate words for a simple spell. "Leithio nin thalion ritha / a lest nin megil a thalion / en i aine." The various elements that were swirling around the spear vanished, and whilst the blueva tip was still there, the rest of the weapon was surrounded by motes of swirling gold and silver light.


    I can mana charge the weapon, she thought with glee. Which meant, if she was up against a stronger opponent, she could determine from their skin what body enhancements they had undergone, and ''tune'' her weapon''s elementalism type to something they were not inured against.


    "Impressive," Na stated. She crossed her arms, "Perhaps you can answer a question for me."


    Lyn put Cataclysm away, "I''m not a teacher, but I can try."


    "I''ve only been told to mana charge my weapon before a fight¡­but never why. It''s just been drilled into me to do it before a fight. That, and an internal bolstering spell for speed."


    "Alright. Let''s say you have an opponent who has a barrier spell active. One that is versatile, or what I''d call a ''basic'' barrier spell. The most generic type meant to protect against all harm on a battlefield or in a fight. The one that every basic soldier who has enough mana to use is taught. With me so far?"


    "Mhmm."


    Lyn crossed her legs and sat up a little straighter. "Right, so if you hit a barrier without a mana charged weapon, it will just bounce off harmlessly. When you mana charge it, you can deal damage to the barrier. If you have enough mana for elementalism external spells, you can mana charge a specific element instead of generic mana."


    "But what''s the benefit to that?"


    "A single element type can more effectively break through or beat down a generic barrier." Incanting a quick verse, she raised the sand in front of her into small spikes before hardening it. A cluster of twenty spikes, and a single spike on its own. Like the bed of nails science experiment. "Put your hand down on the cluster and press, like this." Lyn pushed down and felt the dull tension of the multiple points.


    Na hesitantly ced her hand, and slowly applied pressure. Her face lit up with surprise as she didn''t feel the expected stabbing pain. "What does this mean for single-element mana charged weapons?"


    "I''m getting to that," Lyn stated as she pointed to the singr, solitary spike. "Put your palm on that, but gentle pressure."


    The woman shook her head, put the tip of her finger on the point, and pressed very gently before pulling her finger back. "Yes, there was pain. What is the point?"


    Lyn smirked, "Your hand is the barrier spell. The cluster of spikes is like a simple mana charged weapon; it technically is ''untyped'' or ''generic'' mana, and so it will not pierce as effectively. You could also think of it as ''all'' elementalism types, if that helps." She pointed to the singr earthen spike. "This, however, is like having a single type of element charging your weapon. It can pierce the barrier more effectively." She held up a finger, "However, if this single spike was mana charged with fire elementalism, and my barrier spell was worded to specifically protect against me¡­it would have no hope at all of getting through."


    Na''s face went stern, "But this doesn''t apply to, what, nine out of every ten warriors? Since most do not have enough mana for barriers, let alone elementalism external spells."


    "Very good," Lyn replied as sheid back on the bed. "Everyone on Ghomar has a mana core. Everyone can use internal spells, including mana-charging a weapon. And everyone can use any external spell type. But some just don''t have the mana for the more¡­impressive spell types. You''re right. Most people youe across or fight will be able to do an internal spell, mana charge their weapon, and maybe use a barrier spell."


    And for whatever fucked up reason, I don''t have ess to all the external spell types like the regr people here, Lyn thought. Must be something about being the Destroyer mimicking the heroes'' limitations or some shit¡­good thing I can ''unlock'' those other spell types through core consumption.


    Na stood up and bowed slightly, "Thank you for the lesson."


    "You''re wee," Lyn stated, looking therge woman up and down. She grinned, and willed her armor to recede, as she muttered the spell to suppress her draconic nature. "Care to spend the night?"


    Na turned and a sly smile spread across her face, "Let me close up the tent."

 Chapter 62

    There were shouts from outside the tent. Panicked shouts. Lyn jolted upright alongside Na. She willed her armor to manifest and cover her body as she bolted outside. Ari were moving off of the beach, clearing out of their domiciles, and evacuating ind.


    "What''s going on?!" Na shouted as she exited the tent and pulled on her shirt.


    One of the Ari running further down the beach pointed to the East, "Invaders!"


    Lyn looked at Na, "These settlers from the Archipgo?"


    She shook her head, and confusion was writ across her face. "No. They were scared off." She ran after the Ari down the beach, and Lyn followed. "What were they sailing!"


    "One of the high sides!"


    Lyn instantly knew the ship design. She vividly recalled seeing theming and going from Kor''s Hold in Khrrdia''s wharf and dock district. Why are Free City traders invading? She put her hand on Na''s arm. "Gather the elders and find a defensive position. I''ll figure out what''s going on."


    The Ari sailor looked at Lyn and nodded curtly, "Yes, Destroyer."


    Lyn used the water tension spell from the day of travel prior, pulled Cataclysm out of its hip socket, and fit an arrow as she pulled back and let fly. Tapping her foot, she counted down until the perfect moment before teleporting away.


    She stood on the waves off the eastern coast of Arin Isle. Peering at the horizon line, she could barely make out the tips of sails. Taking one more shot, she fired, teleported, and closed the distance to within five-hundred feet. There were three caravel-style ships, each with several ballistae mounted atop their decks.


    Right. Amplifying my voice. "Athano i arn en-haw / bo nin / a bo nin / a i cair I cen / an leithio nin ind / a cario en-van sui rauth." She saw the air ripple in front of her as she increased the density of the air between her and the ships. She switched her tone to the draconic one and shouted in Khrrdian. "Hold! Thisnd is under the protection of Lady Rivers, the Destroyer! Come closer, and you will suffer!"


    She saw movement on the decks of the ships, and her ears picked up theirnguage. It was Shereldian, thenguage of Vgonia. They were issuing orders to prepare for battle. I''ll give them a moment; she thought as she crossed her arms. She shouted the same instructions in theirnguage, to ensure there wasn''t any confusion.


    Ten secondster, she spotted one of the ballistae cocking back before it was loosed at her position. She walked out of the way, and the bolt sshed into the waves next to her. "Last chance. Leave or suffer the consequences." Another two boltsunched her direction, and she sidestepped those as well. "Very well, you chose death." She pulled the string of Cataclysm''s bow form back, and an arrow ofva manifested in her grip. She let loose, aiming at the ship''s sails.


    Theva cascaded forth and sshed against the sails, instantly catching them alight. The sound of screaming and panic hit her ears, and she started walking closer. It''ll burn the ships, and they shouldn''t be able to- She saw a sh of blue light and felt a jabbing pain in her side as a bolt of lightning arced from the deck of a ship. The armor did nothing against it, but thanks to the Joltlime body enhancement, she was only slightly burned. She focused her vision, and zoomed in, spotting a robed figure on the deck of the ship.


    In that moment, Lyn was torn. On one hand, she didn''t want to kill all these people. She just wanted to scare them off. She didn''t even know what they were doing here. But on the other hand, she was also proving to the Ari that she was a force to be reckoned with and could protect them.


    Plus, she had just been hit by a spell. If she didn''t retaliate, what type of message would that spread? "Alright!" she shouted. "You asked for ruin and destruction. You will receive it." She pulled a regr, wooden arrow from the storage, loosed it at the ship with the robed figure, and used the Archer-hero teleportation spell.


    The Duskari woman with the weird scales and horns vanished. Vinic held his breath as he incanted a spell. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / cario m en-galu / min nin m?n / a delo na / i tharn an thio." A bolt of lightning appeared in his palm, and he held it, scanning for the woman.


    "Hey," a voice said behind him. A pleasant, charming, female voice. He turned and saw the Duskari woman standing there, with an enormous sword, zing with blueva that dripped and began to set the deck alight. The sailors all around stopped fighting the fire, jaws wide open in shock. Vinic pointed at her and willed the spell to release. It sshed against her chest, and her vivid, snow-white hair stood on end from the static release. But she appeared unphased by the spell. "Now¡­tell me; why do you sail for the Arin Isle?"


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Vinic backed away slowly, whispering the same spell as he drew up his lingering mana for another lightning bolt. I only have enough mana for one more, he thought.


    The captain ran over, swinging a cuss, and the Duskari woman sliced him in half with a flick of her wrist. His top half went careening forward, and the bottom half slid to a stop in front of her. Another of the sailors also let out a war cry as he charged the woman. She didn''t even bother with the sword ¨C she stabbed her wed hand through his torso, impaling him, before throwing the body to the side.


    That scared the men enough to flee. Some dove over the edge, some made for the lifeboat at the rear of the vessel, and a few cowered in fear before their mates dragged them one way or the other. Vinic let loose the spell, right at her face. It impacted her head, and it knocked her head to a slight, backward tilt. She looked at him, and he felt her withering re. "Stay back!" he shouted as he backed up against the rail of the ship.


    She walked forward, a specter of death and mayhem. "You don''t have any more mana, do you?" she asked. "Well, since you''re defenseless¡­answer my question. Why are you heading to the Arin Isle?"


    Vinic saw his life sh before his eyes as death came for him. His childhood in Shereld as the child of a prominent knight, the purges under Princess Cecily''s rule, the wave of fanaticism that swept through the youth. He gulped as his mouth went dry. "We¡­we¡­"


    She grabbed his shoulder and squeezed. He felt the bone pop out of ce and let out a yelp of pain. "Continue."


    "Ari ears," he said through clenched teeth. "Proof you killed one. 10 Silver Kestrels per pair."


    The woman nodded, "I expected as much."


    Vinic gulped and whimpered as he felt the sheer strength behind her simple grasp. "Are¡­are you going to kill me?"


    The woman smirked, "I need some survivors to share word of my glory and power. Let me ask, you''re a lordling? Child of a knight?"


    How does she know that? Vinic nodded.


    "The way you spoke gave it away," she said as if reading his mind. Something in his face must have affirmed her determination. "Good. You have some pull with nobility if I let you live." She grabbed his arm by the shoulder, "Hold out your hand." He did so and felt himself lose control of his dder as he pissed himself.


    "Please don''t maim me," he begged.


    A weird emotion crossed her face. She looked¡­like she was sorry for what she was about to do. "I have to deliver a message. You will carry that message for me." She brought the sword down on his wrist, and he screamed from the pain. The stump was seared shut by theva de, and he felt his grip on consciousness fading. Vinic felt himself lifted, and then moved. He heard her voice once more as the boat thudded under him. "Take him back to Cecily. Tell her the Ari are off limits. Tell her Lady Rivers is protecting them now."


    The world faded to ck.


    Lyn put the unconscious man into the lifeboat with the other Shereldian sailors. "Do not let him die. Ensure you clean the wound. And make sure you pass along that message." Then, she lowered her voice to the draconic growl. "You are lucky I let you live." She walked on the water, away from the sailors who began to pull against the oars to flee towards the Archipgo.


    Next ship, she thought as she picked up her pace to a jog and got alongside the vessel. She nted Cataclysm''s edge into the ship, and where theva-de touched, the wet wood smoked before igniting. She ran alongside the vessel, carving an enormous, gaping sh before running to the next ship and doing the same.


    Within a few minutes, both ships took on enough water on those sides to capsize. She stood atop the waves, slightly bobbing up and down, as the men fled the sinking ships. I only need one group of survivors to carry back word of my power. A warning. She shifted Cataclysm to its bow form and shot each of the fleeing sailors ¨C save for the group with that minor knight.


    Every sailor within sight was killed. Those who were fleeing on the ships, obliterated with arrows made ofva. The lifeboats were all burned, and she stopped only when thepping of the sea against the debris was the only movement she saw. All save one ¨C a child who was clinging to a chunk of wood and crying. Lyn walked over to him, and the boy''s face was wrought with terror at the specter of death approaching him.


    "I can''t swim," he cried.


    "Sounds like you picked a shitty profession," Lyn replied as she put Cataclysm into the hip socket.


    The boy''s body trembled, and he shook his head, "I¡­I had to run away!"


    Lyn felt her heart tremble as she saw the same hollow look in the boy''s eyes that she saw in the mirror when she was abused back on Earth. The emptiness and fading will to live. She leaned down and gripped him by the cor. "Why did you run away from home?"


    The boy shook his head, "She¡­hurt me."


    "Fuck," Lyn muttered in English. Great. Just what I need. She looked around and saw the tworge vessels continue their descent into the waters below. She stared after them, weighing her options. She switched back to Shereldian and addressed the boy, "Right. Do you know who I am?"


    "Destroyer?" he asked as his fear was ovee with curiosity at the fact that he wasn''t dead.


    "Yes. I am Lady Rivers." She put him under her arm and began the walk back to Arin Isle. She couldn''t take others with her when she used the Archer-teleport spell, and so it would be the long way back. "What did she do to you?" The boy went quiet. Lyn sighed, "Look, kid. I got some shitty treatment growing up also. Talking about it will help. I know you don''t think it will¡­but it will."


    "She¡­" the boy muttered. "She poked me with hot metal."


    There was a sensation that went through her she hadn''t experienced much of before. Empathy. Out of the heroes, she was the only one who was abused to the extent she would consider ''severe''. The others had neglectful families like Misty, or an overbearing father like Kory, or some stable home life. She truly felt the plight this boy had gone through. "You won''t be harmed anymore," she stated bluntly. "You have my word. I''ll make sure you have a good home."


    The boy went quiet, and Lyn walked in silence over the waves.

 Chapter 63

    Lyn got back to the Arin Isle by the time the sun had crested the horizon. She walked to the center of the ind, following the trails that were made by footsteps over the centuries of residence. After an hour of walking ind, she saw a fortification built into a series of hills. "I have dealt with the invaders," Lyn shouted up in Arinol.


    The gates opened, and a group of Ari troops came out to meet her. They were dressed incquered, wooden armor with inscriptions, had scimitars on their hips, and shortbows with quivers. One of them looked at the boy under her arm questioningly, but they silently led her inside and to arge stone building.


    Inside, the elders were seated at a low table. They stood as she entered. "Destroyer," the oldest said with a bow. "They are all dead?"


    Lyn nodded and set the child down, pointing at the reed mat. "Sit," she ordered him in his home tongue, and heplied. She swapped back to Arinol, "Most of them. One lifeboat was allowed to live to spread word of my power. The ruler of Vgonia has dered a bounty on Ari." This brought up murmurs of discussion between the elders, and Lyn cleared her throat to quiet them. "You are not safe here, or anywhere near Vgonia, for that matter."


    The elders whispered amongst themselves and the one who had questioned her before stood up, "My Lady ¡­the refugees from Shereld will ept your offer. We will begin packing-"


    Another elder spoke up, "Nonsense!" she shouted. "Why should we be afraid of simple mercenaries and desperate humans?"


    Lyn shook her head, "There were three ships this time. And this was only the first foray, since you haven''t dealt with this before based upon your reactions to their first appearance." She sat down and switched to Shereldian, looking at the boy. "What''s your name?"


    "Gil," the boy said quietly.


    "How long has this bounty been out on Ari?"


    "Umm¡­a month?"


    "And where did you alle from?"


    "Brol."


    One of the duchies on the coast, she thought. "Did you go to the Archipgo? A whole bunch of inds?"


    He nodded, "That''s when another boat joined. There''re more ships, too, that were getting ready."


    Lyn looked back to the elders and switched back to Arinol, "This was just the first wave. And there were three ships full of sailors. More wille. Many, many more. Those who are fired up with fervor to purge other races are fanatical in their endeavors." She stood up, "I will give you all one hour. Decide whether you ept my offer or not." She grabbed Gil by the shoulder, lifted him, and pushed him in front of her as they left the building.


    Na came up to her once they were outside, giving the boy a questioning look before meeting Lyn''s gaze. "We saw the smoke from here."


    Lyn nodded, "I killed many, and left a few alive to spread word of my power."


    "Why take one prisoner?" she asked gesturing to Gil.


    "Information," Lyn stated.


    "Do you still need him? Or want him disposed of?"


    Lyn shook her head, "No. He is under my protection."


    This drew a scornful re from Na, "Why keep one who attacked us alive?"


    Lyn gestured for her to walk alongside and left the fortification as other Ari started to return to their homes. "He ran away from home. I can mold him into a loyal servant by treating him well." She narrowed her gaze, "All races will be treated equally in my empire."


    Na frowned, "You mistake me, Destroyer. I have no ill will because he is Human. I do not agree with harboring someone who was part of an attacking force."


    "He''s under my protection. He didn''t want to be there, just took the first chance to leave a shitty life behind." She looked down at the boy who was taking in the sights of the Ari with wonder in his eyes. "I can help him."


    Naughed, "Just like the stories of Raevan. Taking in the less fortunate that Aelor spurned." She looked at Lyn with a fond gaze, "That is admirable."


    "Will you join my cause?"


    "Depends on the Conve''s decision," Na replied. "I think being a part of an empire would be wise, especially since Vgonia has dered itself an enemy by cing a bounty on our kind." She grinned, "I would love to lead a whole armada."


    "Well, I will need an Admiral," Lyn stated as they arrived at a small town square that was returning to its usual movement and activity with the threat dealt with. "But I don''t just give out roles in my council for free. You have to prove yourself."


    "Oh?"


    "Yes. Not in bed, and not in a fight. Prove to me that you canmand a fleet."


    Na crossed her arms, "That will be hard to prove."


    Lyn smirked, "I have my ways." She looked around and spotted several fruits hanging up on a rope. Bananas. She walked over, grabbed a bunch, and handed one to Gil. She knelt and showed him how to remove the peel, and then took a bite of her own. Fucking missed that vor, she thought as she savored the taste she hadn''t experienced in years.


    Vinic felt the rocking under him. I''m¡­on a boat again? It wasn''t the harsh jostling of a lifeboat, but rather the smooth, gentle bobbing of arger vessel. "Wha?"


    A voice approached him, "Well, look who woke up. Thirsty?"


    He nodded and forced his eyes open. A young man held a wet sponge in front of him, and he opened his mouth. The attendant pushed the sponge into his mouth, and he squeezed down, drinking deeply from the water that surged into his gullet. "Where am I?"


    The attendant put the sponge back into the water bucket, "On a ship. We picked you up about an hour ago."


    Vinic pushed himself upright, "No shit." He nced down at his left hand ¨C well, where his left hand used to be. The limb was numb. "Who treated me?"


    "You''re looking at him," the attendant stated. He went to a small, locked cab, and opened the front as he removed a roll of bandages that Vinic recognized. Thank Aelor, he thought as he recognized the slight purple hue. Bandages the Alchemist hero had distributed through Princess Cecily''s healthcare system. "We need to rece the bandage," the attendant said as he came back and began to unwrap the severed appendage.


    "What were our losses?" Vinic asked as the scene of that Duskari woman reyed in his mind.


    "All except your lifeboat," the man replied as he began re-wrapping the stump. "One died from his burns ¨C too much pain." He pointed to the draped figure on another bed.


    She slew them all¡­not surprising. Fucking Duskari bitch. Her power was¡­indescribable. She wasn''t even using spells as far as he could tell, and yet being near her made his body shake with fear at the strength hidden within. "Where are we heading?"


    Stolen novel; please report.


    "Going to get us some ears," the attendant replied. "A group of mercs and traders-"


    "Turn back!" Vinic shouted as he sat up all the way and kicked his legs over the side. "For Aelor''s sake, we can''t go back there!"


    "Yeah, we heard. One Duskari woman destroyed all three ships. The madness of the sea really took you lot, eh?"


    Vinic pointed to the stump, "Her de was made of liquid me. It seared my wound shut."


    "You all really did go mad out there. One woman couldn''t take out three ships."


    Vinic sighed with exasperation, "Did you fucking ask the other sailors?"


    "Aye, our captain got the same story from all of you. He said, and I quote, ''It''s just some illusion spell. You know the Ari are skilled at spells''. We''re going to go and get us some ears."


    Vinic pushed the man aside and walked down the hall, up the stairs, and onto the deck of the ship. He made his way to the topmost deck. A well-built man, easily in his mid-fifties, stood next to the navigator and helmsman. "Hey! You have to turn the ships around!"


    The captain turned, "Ah, one of the survivors. Yeah, we aren''t giving up that bounty."


    "You don''t understand," Vinic replied. "She told me to send a message. I must get back to Princess Cecily!"


    "Not on my fucking boat you''re not," he replied. "Go back to sick bay."


    Vinic shook his head and went down to the main deck. He spotted a few sailors from his original boat who seemed to be pressed into serving for the time being. He walked next to one, and whispered to him, "I''m leaving with a longboat. Get as many from our old crew as you can. As soon as they engage with that Duskari, we run."


    The man nodded and surreptitiously made his way to another sailor that Vinic recognized from his vessel. He slowly made his way to the longboat hanging off the back of the vessel and tried to appear nonchnt as he leaned against the rail. The man came up and muttered under his breath, "I got three of theds here."


    "Good. We''re taking this boat and going to the Archipgo. Then, Vgonia." He shifted his eyes across the group. "Anyone against that?" All of them shook their heads. They had seen the ease which the Duskari woman had dispatched them with. "Remember, once the fighting starts ¨C we run like hell and row the fuck out of here."


    Lyn stood up as the elders approached her. The oldest of the group bowed deeply, "Your Ladyship."


    "What have you decided?" she asked.


    "We will ept your offer of refuge," he stated. "It will take time to gather our items and voyage with every Ari, but I assure you-"


    "rm! rm!" One of the Ari ran into the town square from the beaches, heaving deep breaths. "More sails on the horizon!"


    Fuck, they had another wave that close? The first group must haveunched only a few hours before this other group. A vanguard, or the ones who were more eager, or perhaps the more experienced sailors who could coax more speed out of their ships. She looked to the boy and switched to hisnguage, "How many boats were at the port when you left?"


    He looked up from his third banana with a neutral expression on his face. He held up his hand, "Five of these."


    "Twenty-five?"


    The boy nodded and went back to his banana. Lyn cursed under her breath and switched to Arinol, looking at the Ari who had run from the beach. "How many?"


    "Twelve ships, your Ladyship," she said in between breaths.


    Lyn looked to the elders, "I dealt with three. That''s fifteen in total. That means after this wave, there could be a third wave of ten. In fact, I''d anticipate it. They''re here topletely wipe the Ari out."


    Na looked out to the beaches, "We can assemble our sailors and fight them on the waves."


    "How many?" Lyn asked.


    "We have a thousand who can fight onnd and sea."


    Lyn shook her head, "How many Ari are here?" Lyn asked.


    The elders talked amongst themselves for a moment, "Five thousand, give or take a few."


    "And you have enough ships to ensure that we can evacuate them all?"


    "Yes. We have longboats and smaller vessels that will amodate our poption."


    Lyn nodded and looked to the sails on the horizon, "I''ll deal with these fuckers. Get the evacuation underway."


    Everyone on the decks of the ships were bbergasted. They could see the Arin Isle off in the distance and saw the longships of the Ari people being loaded up with cargo and people. A single, ck armored figure stood on the waters about a thousand feet from the beach. Vinic felt the primal fear race through him, and silently made his way back to the rear of the vessel along with the sailors who had agreed to flee with him.


    The booming, draconic growl could be heard across the sea, "I am Lyn Rivers, the Destroyer. Those whoe for the lives of the Ari will die."


    That''s our cue. Vinic quickly set to lowering the boat with his one hand. Two of the sailors came over and helped him, and the eleven of them made their way down to the longboat, pulling away. He spotted the armored figure in between the ships as they pulled further away, and he heard her voice once more.


    "You will all die here. Every one of you."


    He heard the thrum and twang of ballistae bolts flying, and saw the woman gracefully dodge them. Fucking idiots. He turned to the men, "Faster!" he shouted as he took the rudder oar and nced back at the Destroyer. He muttered an Elenthir verse of illusion. To those not on the life boat, they would see nothing. They were invisible. I hope to Aelor that she can''t see me. He had to flee. He had to live.


    A few seconds passed, and then an enormous fountain of bright, blueva surged from her and sshed against one of the vessels, incinerating the ship in its entirety.


    ¡­She''s a monster. "Row faster!" he shouted as his men pulled hard against the oars.


    Lyn let out augh as she felt her prodigious reservoir mana drain as she sted a vessel withva. The entire ship burned to the water line and the screams of the crew reached her. It was slightly unsettling, hearing the shouts and screams of the dead and dying. It reminded her of the rebellion against King Kristoph''s father; soldiers who had hostile intent, trying to kill her. And now, they were trying to kill her people.


    Lyn felt the Destroyer core pulse within her. They want to harvest the ears of the Ari? They will all die. These are my people. She side-stepped several ballistae bolts and ran forward to the ships. Crossbow bolts joined in the hailing at her ¨C and she saw the slight glimmer of a few that were mana-charged. Trusting to the strength of her armor, she focused on speed and did not bother dodging. She felt the impact of the bolts and kept going until she reached one of the ships. Jumping straight up, she dug her w into the side of the ship before hoisting herself up on deck.


    Humans, male and female, stood on the deck of the ship. A cry went up and Lyn felt the sizzling heat of her mana core pulsing through her whole body, fueling her internal spell. She carved into the first sailor that rushed at her with a cuss. He tried to deflect with his de, but her weapon cut through that and into his neck. His head flew off, and the heat of her de instantly cauterized the wound.


    Ruin, Lyn thought. Ruin them all. Destroy them all. They''re evil, bigoted racists. Kill them all. There was no remorse, no sense of being in the wrong. She was the closest thing to a deity on Ghomar ¨C and she would make the morals. And this? Killing these horrible excuses for people who sought money by killing others? This was righteous in her eyes.


    Lyn let out a loud roar and the crew began to rush her. She sliced, shed, and severed every one of them ¨C none could stand before her might. One man, a huge, beast of a man, dropped to his knees as she killed his allies. "Please¡­" He groveled before her, "I have children. I''m just trying to provide!"


    Lyn walked over to him and willed her boot to recede. She put her foot-w onto his shoulder and squeezed. He screamed as the razor-sharp points dug into him and firmly held him in ce. "The Ari have children as well. And yet you desire to kill them and take their ears?" She shoved him to the ground with her foot before stabbing him in the skull.


    Looking up, she saw the other ships moving towards the Arin Isle. No you fucking don''t. She raised her hand towards one of the vessels. "Britha thang dagrthin." Her mana shot down her channel and exploded from her hand like a tiny line ofva. It impacted the vessel, and then exploded in a surge ofva. She repeated this process, feeling her mana drain with each st. But, every vessel was burned to the water line within minutes ¨C save for the ship she stood on.


    Walking to the rail, she shifted Cataclysm to the bow form and picked off every person. No survivors. No mercy for those who seek to harm my people. She continued to fire shot after shot and only ceased her assault when she heard naught but the creaking of wood, the crackle of embers, and the gentle ssh of the waves. That''s that.


    She walked across the waves, back to the isle and joined the group of longships preparing the evacuation. Na shook her head and looked down at Gil, who was looking out at the utter destruction upon the waters. "What about this one?" She asked. "Are we killing off all of them?"


    Lyn smiled, "Not him. He is young, he can be changed, taught that Ari are people just like him." She looked down the beach as thest of the ships were loaded with cargo and passengers. "Right then. Keep our ship towards the rear. I''m going to get us away from the isle."


    Na nodded and the Ari sailors and civilians set to rowing. The ships lurched out into the ocean and picked up speed as they bounced over the waves. Lyn used the wind spell to amplify her voice, "Form up and close ranks!"


    The ships did so, and the various crew members tossed ropes to one another to tether the ships into a single, huge floti. And now to speed things up. Lyn willed her boots to recede and nted her wed feet into the rear of the vessel. "En ethiel an le / aew a aear / an telia nin iest / a ago hain cair / ledh nin i fan l¨ªn / a ethra nin / an men."


    The ocean bubbled and surged under the linked-together vessels, and every Ari held on tight as the tethered ships lurched forward, wood creaking under the strain, as the ocean itself surged behind them from Lyn''s water elementalism spell. It sped them swiftly towards Ghomar''s mainndmass, faster than any boat could row. At least until we get to The Rill. She wouldn''t be able to do this spell when they were there, because the ships would have to navigate winding channels. But this will speed things up considerably.

 Chapter 64

    This chapter has some heavy development for Rashanna (the Diplomat serving Lyn, under Chancellor Vehenna). Lyn has her own part at the end of the chapter, but there''s a lot of this side character to set up arge plot point.


    Rashanna arrived at the outskirts of Trisk with her escort squadron of Duskari. All except for her were heavily cloaked and had their features concealed. Alright, showtime, she thought as she crossed into the territory of that kingdom.


    The past week of travel had been slow-going and cautious, and she felt the gnawing seed of trepidation slowly sprout in her mind into full-blown anxiety. She was confident of her speaking abilities, her convincing nature, and her natural charm. But she was about to meet a representative of royalty. Not just a rich merchant, or a prospective client. And she was representing the interests of the Destroyer.


    An entire alliance relied solely on her abilities, and she felt the pressure mounting. As her escorts and her rode along the roads, stopping at various inns along the way to pass the night, she had nothing but time. The capital of Trisk, a city called Skir''s Retreat, was on the Northern coast. It would take another two weeks of traveling through the kingdom.


    And that whole time, her guards traveled in rtive silence. They were extremely disciplined, and spoke in hushed tones, only knowing Arinol, and not wanting to blow their cover. So, Rashanna was alone with her thoughts, and the anxieties built upon themselves. The only disturbance to their travel routine was when their ravens would return from flying back to send updates. She had grown fond of her new pet, naming her Melody, and chatting with the bird, while not necessarily intellectually stimting, was a great distraction from her thoughts.


    Finally, she had arrived at the capital city. After acquiring amodations in the upper district, she paid a messenger to send word to the pce of King Skir the XXV. The royal family had an unbroken lineage tracing back to the founding of the kingdom and was the most peaceful of the three major powers of Ghomar. It had never experienced civil war and was on the far side of the Valley of the Volcano, so it did not deal with the Demonic Dragon''s asional incursions. A rtively rocky coast with few beaches ensured that they were well protected from ocean invasion as well.


    The day of the meeting arrived. Her guards switched to richer, more lustrous colored cloaks that still concealed their features. She opened her trunk andid out her best attire; an emerald-studded bracelet entuated a very rich, red dress thatplemented her ck fur and contrasted nicely. A cloak of light, sky blue was emzoned on the back with the symbol of Lady Rivers'' empire. She looked in the mirror in her fancy room at in the inn and took a deep breath. "You''ve got this," she whispered to herself.


    She left with her escort and arrived at the enormous castle. There was arge moat filled with water, and the main courtyard leading to the drawbridge was bustling with various nobles who were celebrating a holiday. Perfect, right-on time. She had ensured to arrange the meeting at such a time when peopleing and going from the castle would not be overt. Discretion was key, as if a visiting diplomat representing a new faction became public knowledge, then rumors could spread.


    She and her escorts went into the castle proper, blending in quite easily with the nobility. She was approached by a guard wearing a suit of full te armor, and holding a halberd made of exquisite craftsmanship. "Invitation?"


    Rashanna pulled the slip of paper she was given the day prior from her cloak pocket, "I am here to see Lugen Naskowitz."


    The guard looked at the note, nodded, and then looked at Rashanna''spanions. "Forgive me, but only two bodyguards are allowed per noble guest."


    She looked back at herpanions and ryed the information in Arinol, confident that very few would recognize let alone speak thenguage here, as the Ari mostly settled in Khrrdia and Vgonia pre-purge. Herpanions nodded, and all but two split off and left to return to the exterior of the castle. "Lead the way," she said.


    The guard led her down several corridors until they arrived at a bedroom. The bed was pushed to a corner, and the center of the room was dominated with a medium-sized table. One chair was on the far side, and a middle-aged Foskor ¨C one of the bear-folk ¨C sat in the chair, the dappled sunlight shining down on the tufts of white fur along the back of his shoulders. He was broad and muscr but dressed very ornately. He stood as she entered, "Ah, you must be Diplomat Selenya."


    She entered and curtsied, taking her cloak off, draping it over the chair back, and sitting down. Her guards shut the door behind them. "Yes. Thank you for meeting me, Diplomat Naskowitz."


    He smiled and reached for a decanter, pouring two sses of red wine before leaning back in his chair. "There have been stirrings in the South. Word of a new power rising. And my king is¡­quite interested in allies. Especially given the state of Vgonia''s current ruler."


    Rashanna nodded and swallowed the knot in her throat, pushing it down along with all her anxiety as she went into her ''merchant-mode'' and put on her best face. She ensured to smile, showing off her pearly white teeth, and fluttered her eyes to put on the most charismatic presentation possible. "I represent Lady Rivers."


    The man''s eyebrow raised slightly, "I am not familiar with this person whom you speak of."


    Rashanna snapped her fingers, and both soldiers pulled their hoods down, revealing their Duskari heritage. The diplomat across from her showed no emotional response. Damn he''s good, she thought. "You heard the voice of the Demonic Dragon echoing across the world a few weeks ago. Just like every other person on Ghomar." She gestured to her revealedpanion, "Lady Rivers is the ruler of the Duskari in the Valley of the Volcano. The Destroyer, returned. She is the Demonic Dragon, reborn."


    The man leaned forward and took a sip of the wine. He looked at Rashanna, not at the two Duskari, but at her. Staring into her. Dissecting her with his eyes. "The Demonic Dragon was in ten years ago. The Destroyer was killed. And yet you im they returned?"


    Rashanna nodded and took a sip of the wine as well, "Yes. Lady Rivers intends to rule all Ghomar and create a world of peace, prosperity, and equality."


    "See, that is a hard sell," Lurgen said as he took another sip. "No king, no noble wishes to give up their positions of power." He smiled, "We have had schrs investigate the concept of a more¡­equal society. Without a powerful figurehead, who by their very nature is elevated above the rest, there is no structure. And they need representatives in all the ces they control."


    "Precisely," Rashanna replied. "Lady Rivers seeks to rule all Ghomar. All your king would have to do is bend the knee, agree to some changes to yourws and codices ¨C minor changes, given the progressive nature of Trisk''s already existing policies ¨C and he would have a powerful ally and protector." She smiled, "I assume the outskirts of your kingdom have reported to your Spymaster the changes to the mountains surrounding the Valley?"


    "Yes¡­disturbing reports of the whole mountainscape, changed to enormous walls."


    "That was Lady Rivers. " Rashanna smiled sweetly and was quite satisfied as she finally got an emotional reaction out of the man. Shock, with an underlying trace of fear. Perfect. Time to go in for the kill. "Lady Rivers wishes to meet with your king and arrange for his loyalty. As a gesture of our good will," she snapped her fingers, and one of her Duskari produced a small bundle of cloth, setting it gently on the table. Rashanna unwrapped it and pulled out several of the purple patches. "This is a medicine that can be used on the battlefield."


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    The Duskari who handed her the package held his arm out, rolled up his sleeve, and produced a hidden de, rapidly shing a small groove that began to ooze blood. He grabbed one of the purple patches, stripped off the cloth covering, and pped it onto the wound. He then turned his arm and knelt as the Diplomat inspected the arm. "Hmm. Interesting."


    Rashanna pulled out a small card that the Alchemist hero had written up, "This is what the patch does."


    Lurgen looked over the note before his eyes went wide. He reached over and gently peeled back the bandage. The Duskari''s wound had stopped bleeding and had begun to heal. "This¡­is astounding¡­"


    Rashanna held back her emotion and nodded as the anxiety washed away. You''ve got this. You''re in control now. Keep the upper hand. Hammer it home. "The Alchemist hero has thrown in his lot with Lady Rivers. He is providing medicinal products just like these. We have a total of a thousand as a gesture of good will." She waved her hand and the Duskari stood behind her once more. "And we have more heroes on the way to join Lady Rivers'' new empire," she stated, confident that what Lady Rivers had discussed in the bed chamber after her appointment to Diplomat woulde to fruition.


    "Tell me of some of these changes Lady Rivers proposes," Lugen instructed.


    Rashanna shook her head, "First, let''s get the basics out of the way. These have very little wiggle room." She held up a finger, "One, all races will be treated as equals. As Trisk already operates in this fashion, there won''t be any real change there; save for the second requirement."


    She held up a second finger. "Two, whilst kings, nobles, and the like will maintain their positions for their current lifetime, any sessor will be determined by meritocracy. If King Skir wants his son or daughter to take the throne, he will have to ensure they can rule just as effectively as he could. Evaluations will be done in a cascading method, meaning that Lady Rivers will evaluate each king-level ruler''s efficacy, and they will be responsible for their own underlings being awarded rank, responsibilities, and wealthmensurate with their skill at the decided appointment."


    She held up a third finger, "Three, you will have to alter portions of your codices ofw to a variety of adjustments. Primarily, ensuring that food is readily avable to all your popce ¨C again, not an issue for your kingdom as you already have those very robust public-food programs. But some other changes include harsh punishments for those whomit abuse against their kin and kith, and harsher punishments for rape and vition of one''s bodily autonomy."


    She held up the fourth finger, "Lastly, every individual within your borders will have their name, location, date of birth, and any external spell¡­specialties catalogued in a single filing system that is updated every five years. This, along with any particr skill set they may have or profession they are well-versed in. This system will only be applied to those who have reached the age of majority for their race."


    Lurgen grabbed his wine ss and took arge sip. He stared into the dark liquid. "The king would be hard convinced of your second requirement. The throne has stayed in his family since the kingdom was founded."


    Rashanna raised her ss as well and took a sip, "If he does not agree to those four terms, then no vassge will be brokered. Other negotiations can be made regarding any other changes, but those are absolute." She put the ss down and stood up. Time for thest power y. "If you do not bend the knee, then the Destroyer will utterly ruin the kingdom. You have seen their power through your reports. Imagine if your entire kingdom was torn asunder with earthquakes. Or the fields decimated by firestorms that were uncontainable." Not that she would ever do those things based on her described goals¡­but the threat has to be there. "Part of being in the fold is that those powers will not be turned against Trisk, and you will have guaranteed peace and prosperity. Protection from the racists in Vgonia, and the unknown force of the Paragon hero that now rules Khrrdia."


    Lurgen stood up as well and bowed. "I would ask that you stay in the castle. We can arrange for your guards to have quarters adjoining your own and will send for your luggage and mounts. But I need to discuss these four strictures in more depth, and I do not think our short appointment here is enough time."


    Rashanna turned to herpanions and switched to Arinol, barely whispering into one of their ears as she snapped her fingers behind her back to drown out any chance of eavesdropping. "One of you with me, the other to go with this Diplomat''s men to fetch ourpanions. But, have two of them stay outside of the city limits with their raven and make camp in a hidden ce. Make sure you bring my raven here." She turned back and switched to Triskol, "I would be pleased to stay in your guest quarters as we continue our discussions."


    Not even a day had passed by the time Lyn and the armada had arrived at The Rill. An enormous river the size of the Mississippi that ran from the ocean to the Valley of the Volcano. To the South was Vgonia, and the duchy of Ishtok. To the North was Trisk, and the Slor mountains that provided additional protection against Vgonia. The ships began undoing their binds and started the long journey up the river under the power of oars, and against the current. It will take them a week or so.


    Lyn looked at Na with a smile. The woman had been running across the various ships, barkingmands and orders at the Ari marines who seemed to acknowledge her instructions with only a few sidelong nces and foul dispositions. Since boarding the vessels, she had been trying to show off to Lyn. No doubt trying to vie for that Admiral position. She put her hand on the woman''s shoulder. "I will be going ashore and traveling alone. You will find an entrance into the Valley of the Volcano when you arrive; just sail right on in."


    She nodded, "Of course, Lady Rivers."


    "Good. And if you get them all there in one piece," she pointed at Gil, "And keep this one out of trouble¡­you can consider yourself my Admiral until someone betteres along to rece you."


    Naughed, "That will never happen."


    Lyn looked down at Gil and crouched next to him. She switched to Shereldian, "This is yourst chance to go back to Vgonia. We can drop you off in Ishtok with a bit of coin if you want¡­Or you can stay with the Ari here, and Miss Na will keep an eye on you."


    The boy looked between the two women. "I''ll go with the bigdy."


    Lyn nodded and ruffled his hair a bit before pulling Cataclysm and switching it to the bow form. She retrieved an arrow, nocked, and let loose the short distance to the shore. She teleported and waved at the Ari ships as they went up-river. Now for the boring and draining part. At least she would be improving her mana capacity.


    She knew that Trisk would be the first objective when it came to unifying Ghomar under her rule. Whether they bent the knee, or she had to dismantle their government and assert control through several disys of power¡­they would be the first. Khrrdia and Vgonia were already at each other''s throats from what she had received in her reports before leaving the Valley a few days ago, not to mention they were dealing with civil, internal strife.


    She put her hands on the river''s edge, and breathed deeply as she channeled her vast reservoir of mana into her mana channels. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an adhano na nin ir / a ambaro i adwen enni / atho gaear en heledh / na d?r i bartho pan nin govadhrim e-bann / a bartho nin gohain / grotho han na gond / a masado sich erin th?r / a bartho govadhrim ¨²-harthol nin garan / tr?wain i amarth / a aro rath an gwanath na taid an h¨ºnui-¨ªrm / tth erin th?r an padad panui / a gwanno i echad h¨ºn / an i ennas / na i minath e-erudh / d?r, ¨²-wathol / a echado naid nad dh?n / erin th?r / a bartho nin govadhrim adwen."


    She felt the earth beneath her feet lift her up and carry her forward, traveling at a fast pace up the riverbank. She nced back and to her satisfaction, the entirety of where she had traveled was reced. No longer a simple short wall, instead a massive wall of stone, thirty feet high with a five-foot walkway on top and several carved slots for handholds on the back side away from the river sprouted up. She felt her mana draining away, and after three miles she had to stop and take a breather.


    A whole three miles of fortification, she thought as she sat on the newly raised fortification. Walling all The Rill is going to suck. But, on the plus side, she was effectively walling off Trisk from Vgonia, and setting up a portion of the promised grazingnd for the Sloren once they moved towards the Valley. When her mana had refilled, she repeated the process, and continued mile by mile towards the mountains marking the edge of her territory. Carving out what would be her new domain. And with each breather to let her mana refill, she had just a little more capacity. Boring, but worthwhile.

 Chapter 65

    Lyn heaved a sigh of relief as she finally arrived at the mountains surrounding the Valley of the Volcano. She had spent the past two days propelling herself along the riverbank with an earth elementalism spell. And wherever she had traveled a stone wall had been raised behind her. The only ces that she skipped were the two main bridges that facilitated trade ¨C she made sure to set up a gatehouse and a gap for a fortified gate. Eventually, she thought, I''ll have forces spread out this far to monitor traffic to and from Trisk. For the time being, the gaps were unfilled. Those traveling from the Duchy of Ishtok into the kingdom of Trisk would be startled by the new fortification but ultimately, at this moment, they were harmless walls.


    She crossed the river to the Vgonia side at the foot of the sheer mountain walls, and using earth elementalism spells created a huge fortification ¨C just like what she had crafted at the Northern entrance to the Valley of the Volcano. One huge benefit to this two-day journey is that she had been exercising her mana core extensively. At the start, she could only do a three mile stretch before exhausting her mana. Now, she could do up to eight miles in one burst. She grinned with delight, I have so much mana now, she thought. That, and her mana channels were the widest they could possibly be, so channeling that amount of mana into enormous spells caused no pain or difort. A vast difference to when she first arrived a bit over a month prior.


    Time flies when you''re busy. She chuckled to herself as she crafted an enormous water-gate fortification. Thanks to metal being a sub-type under earth elementalism, she was also able to fashion a tted, metal gate that stretched from the top of the wall down to the bottom of the river. She raised the stone at the bottom of the river to allow the gate to slot in, preventing divers from infiltrating.


    Lastly, she carved verses in Elenthir. An inscription, as she poured mana into the action. That way, anyone who meets the mana requirements can open and close the gates as needed. No mechanism for opening or closing meant that none would be able to open the gate to invaders, and the way the spell was worded would ensure only those truly loyal would be able to enter or exit. The Ari have enough mana by nature to activate this.


    She used another earth elementalism spell to create a tunnel alongside the river, passing all the way to the interior of the Valley of the Volcano. She crafted yet another fortification on this side, just like what was on the Northern entrance, and then tracked the river to its source under the mountains, carving a new channel and a smallke on the interior of the Valley. And now, she thought. We can build up a small navy. Plus, the Ari cane right up the river.


    A group of Duskari patrolling the area ran over to see what was going on, but once they saw Lyn, they bowed. "My Lady," the one in the lead stated as he stood up. "Do you require our assistance?"


    "Yes. Send your raven back to Lynhold. The Ari and Sloren are on their way to join us. Additionally, we will need guards." The Duskari nodded and one of the archers whispered to the raven on his shoulder. It nodded and flew off towards Lynhold. "Right," Lyn said. "I want your squadron to man the exterior fortification for now."


    The squad nodded and followed her back down the tunnel. She had carved a pathway alongside the river, so one could pass under the mountains on either the shallow Ari longships, or on the stone road. As they emerged on the other side, Lyn split off to the North. Time to make some Sloren pasturends. It would be a rtively easy taskpared to the monumental terraforming projects she had justpleted, and within a few hours she had segmented out and split off several portions of the grasnds between the Valley and the Slor Mountains with chest-high stone walls. That should do it.


    Pulling out Cataclysm, she drew an arrow, aimed at the top of the mountain, and let loose. Teleporting to the arrow, she chained one more shot and arrived just above the stronghold on the pathway that led to the top of Shiverburn Summit. She walked down into Lynhold.


    As she entered the stronghold, a Duskari she had not seen before ran up to her. "My Lady!" he shouted as he skidded to a halt and knelt. "My Lady, we have a report from your Diplomat."


    Lyn nodded, "Summon the council. We have much to discuss." The man nodded and ran off. Lyn shrugged her shoulders and let out a sigh. Just a little more work. Then you can take a breather.


    Fucking hell, James thought as he pored over documents at his desk. Reports from the Duchies of Pictal and Sonash. The whole fucking mountain range? He leaned back in the chair and contemted the map on the wall. There''s no way I could beat her. That''s what James feared more than anything. He had witnessed her simply swing her weapon and carve a rift that could sunder an entire cohort of soldiers. He had always been the strongest hero. The Paragon had the most power of the hero cores.


    And yet¡­in the past, Lyn had done enough to surpass him. He hated to admit it to himself, but it was true. She had gone beyond his Paragon core and turned her Scout core into the strongest on Ghomar barring the Demonic Dragon''s own. And now¡­she had that core. James couldn''t fight the Destroyer on his own; and the other heroes would not be a match either. Even if he was able to get them all together again, they wouldn''t stand a chance. What am I going to do? He put his elbows on the desk and held his head in his hands.


    The Dukes and Duchesses of the regionsposing the outer provinces of Khrrdia were under control and had sworn fealty to him. If he bent the knee to Lyn, then odds are, they would rebel against him, try to depose him, and then turn on each other as they vied for the throne. Every noble family had a im of some sort, despite how distant their bloodline was from the original ruler who founded the nation. It would be their perfect excuse to try and seize power.


    I can''t beat her. And if I submit¡­he looked out the window and over the capital. Then they won''t see me as the Paragon hero anymore. The whole point of the hero cores was to imbue people to fight against the Destroyer. If he capitted and became a vassal of hers, he would be seen as a traitor to the people. The Paragon that defected to the side of evil.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    But¡­was Lyn really evil? The deration she had made weeks ago and his conversation with her in that dungeon were all contradictory to the idea of her being evil. Taking over the world sounded bad on the surface, but her intent for the end goal sounded like a righteous and just cause.


    How can the Destroyer not be evil though? he asked himself. The whole entire point of Aelor splitting himself into the hero cores was to fight against the Destroyer, since he couldn''t raise a hand himself. James gripped his sword and focused on his mana core, seeking the voice of the shattered deity within.


    Truth.


    The one word is what James heard in the dissonant whispers of cascading and enveloping waves of light within him. What truth?


    The core was silent.


    Right. Cryptic as ever. The voice had been gently nudging him with a word or two in times of doubt. If he really focused, he could sometimes get a word out of the shattered deity''s consciousness. But the advice only pointed him in a direction.


    He jolted upright in his chair, That''s what it means! The core was telling him that what he had thought, that the Destroyer was evil, that was the truth! Who cares if it''s Lyn who has taken the mantle? James stood up and went to the doors, calling for his Master of the Hunt. As he waited, impatiently, he cracked a smile. The Destroyer is evil. She''s building power within the Valley of the Volcano. I cannot strike her, not with Vgonia''s threat ever present. He went to the map on the wall. Cecily is quelling uprisings in Komorra and Rist. This is my best chance. I can do it quickly and quietly.


    James knew he had to kill the Destroyer. It''s what the Paragon was meant to do. It''s what his sword was made to do. But he couldn''t take her on right now. He was not nearly strong enough. He doubted his trump-card move to dash at lightspeed and strike her would kill in a single blow, especially since she knew he had that up his sleeve. No, he would have to conquer some dungeons. He had to obtain mana cores.


    His Master of the Hunt ran down the hall and bowed at the doorway, "You wished to see me, King Marshall?"


    James turned to the man, "Put out a bounty. Ten Gold Eagles for each verified sighting of a dungeon entrance, or a monster."


    The court tracker nodded, "I''ll tell your Seneschal to draw them up."


    "And then get your scouts out there. Any dungeon they find, immediately report back."


    The man left the room, and James shut the door as he walked over to the window. I''m going to gain power. Enough to defeat her. Enough to consume the Destroyer core myself¡­and end the threat once and for all. He grinned and chuckled. He would gain power, crush Cecily, free Vgonia from her tyranny, and then unite the world under his banner to end the Destroyer. Not just trap it in the Valley of the Volcano¡­No, he would fully crush it under his righteous might.


    This time, he wouldn''t be stealing the glory from the deceased. This time, he was going to earn the mantle he was given. This time¡­he was going to be the perfect protagonist from the fantasy novels he voraciously read and imagined himself as when he was back on Earth


    I''m going to be the hero that saves the world.


    "Rashanna has reported sessful contact with the kingdom of Trisk. She has been invited to stay as their honored guest to discuss your four strictures. ording to Melody ¨C her raven ¨C it is a promising start," Fin, Keeper of Ravens, stated.


    Lyn smiled. Perfect, she thought. I''ll get Trisk under my banner first, and I can implement my changes and hammer out any problems that arise before I work on the other kingdoms. She nodded, "Any other raven reports of note?"


    "Yes, My Lady," Fin replied. "A report from The Dragon''s Maw. Fort Watch has entered a siege."


    "I can speak more to that," Spymaster Velenna interrupted. "The mercenarypany known as Kory''s Killers has elected a new leader named Lionel, since the disappearance of the Berserker hero ¨C who has not been seen for quite some time. He dered Fort Watch an independent city, and forces from Vgonia are attempting to take control. Right now, the mercenaries are being starved out."


    Lyn tented her hands as she sat on her throne, and nced at Marshal Remora, "I have a mind to capture that Fort for our own uses. A staging post outside of our defenses that we can fall back from if needed. What are your thoughts on this?"


    Remora stood up, "I have begun preparations for such a task. We do not have the manpower to break a siege or take over the Fort. Let alone man the fort itself."


    I can''t fix a manpower issue, Lyn thought. Breaking a siege was something she could do on her own. At this point, she was sure she could coat an entire battlefield inva and simply destroy an army. Taking the Fort would be equally as easy¡­but holding it was the issue. I can''t be everywhere at once. "We need more troops. The Ari areing up The Rill and will form the foundation of our navy. I already have an eye on an Admiral who will serve under you, Marshal Remora. The Sloren are also on their way, and that will give us cavalry." Lyn leaned back and tapped the armrest with her wed hand, "What we need is infantry. But I don''t want to throw levies together."


    "A thought, your grace," Vael interrupted. "What of mandatory service? Requiring every able-bodied person to serve in your ranks for a set period of time?"


    Lyn nodded, "I had considered it. Right now¡­" she looked at Chancellor Vehenna, "Could we afford to spare that many citizens?"


    She stood, "We have a popce of under fifteen thousand, My Lady. Around three-fourths are unskilledborers, mostly Newen. Right now, they are providing for our food stores and continuing to keep us well supplied with foraging, hunting, and gathering."


    "How many could be spared to form an infantry core?" Lyn asked.


    The Chancellor walked over to the Marshal, and they talked in hushed tones for a few moments before Vehenna replied, "We have around twelve thousand Newen, My Lady. We can pull half of that number and maintain our food production rate."


    "Will this ount for the Sloren and Ari who are joining us in theing weeks?" Lyn asked.


    "Yes, My Lady. I had already ounted for that."


    Lyn nodded, "Very well. We will first ask for volunteers to fill the ranks. I will not press people into service at this time." I need to have a dedicated military core, skilled professionals, if I am going to implement a mandatory service at the age of majority. The ones that volunteered would be able to form that core that she needed. It''s going to take years to set these policies in stone. "And what about our empty positions on the council?"


    Vehenna nodded, "We are still seeking appropriate persons to fill the roles of your Court Schr and Physician. The search for a Steward is still on-"


    "I have found someone suitable for the time being," Lyn said. "Thane Mol, Sloren leader of the Thunder Hold will be taking up that role upon his arrival. Continue your report."


    "Yes, My Lady. We are still looking for a Seneschal and Architect."


    Lyn nodded curtly, "Any other business?"


    Fin stood up, "My Lady, your raven is ready."


    Lyn smiled and stood, "Very well. I adjourn this council meeting. Come, take me to my new messenger."

 Chapter 66

    Lyn was led by Fin to a staircase near the far end of fortress, the furthest wing that split off from the mainplex under Shiverburn Summit where Lyn''s treasury, quarters, and council chamber were located. They ascended to the heights of arge tower, and Fin pointed out several rooms with various Newen and Duskari who were tending to ravens in various stages of development.


    They arrived at the highest room, where Lyn was greeted with the cawing approximation of ''My Lady'' as the spell-imbued birds spoke with their creaking voices. "And here we are," Fin stated as she pointed to an immacte, midnight-ck raven with flecks of crimson splotches upon the wings. "As instructed, your altered and revised spells have been applied. He is quite smarter than any other raven I have trained-"


    "Oh! You''re here!" the raven stated as he ruffled his feathers and hopped along the wooden beam he wastched onto. He looked at Lyn and dipped his beak in an approximation of a bow, "Call me Whisperwing. So, you''re thedy I''m bound to? Great! You look fantastic by the way." His voice was upbeat and almost infectiously enthusiastic.


    Perfect, exactly what I wanted his personality to be like. Lyn chuckled and walked over to Whisperwing, pointing to her horn atop her head, "Come on, your new perch. Just don''t shit on me."


    Whisperwing let out a cacklingugh and pped over to perch atop her head, "Oh, this is nice! Warms my talons. Mmm. Sofy! Much better perching than that stupid wood beam."


    Fin stuttered, "I-I-I apologize, My Lady-"


    "Why?"


    "He¡­was not supposed to be this opinionated."


    Lyn reached up and scratched Whisperwing''s head gently with a talon, "It''s alright. The spell I gave you worked perfectly." She turned to the nearby balcony and walked out to the ledge. ncing back at Fin she smiled, "Keep up the good work." She jumped off and the cloak activated, slowing her descent as shended lightly on the grass.


    "Wow, you can fly too?! No, wait, you weren''t pping. Just falling slow. Cool!"


    "Yup. So, Whisperwing, tell me about yourself."


    "Well, for starters, I love the color ck. My favorite food is cherries even though I''ve only gotten my beak on those once, and¡­" it continued to trail on and on listing his favorite things.


    Lyn kept silent, nodding and listening intently. She knew how lonely it could be at the top, and having a cute animalpanion would help alleviate that loneliness. She began heading toward theke, hoping the Sloren or Ari had arrived.


    Thane Mol rode alongside his people. The grasnds in between the Slor Mountains and the Valley of the Volcano''s range were pleasant to travel through, and the sweltering heat was the only source of difort. Cartsden with supplies were pulled behind the ram riders, and several more rode along the exterior of the caravan, patrolling and escorting the civilians and their property. They had to change their path and go along the smooth walls that had appeared along the river seemingly overnight, as much of the pasture they had nned to travel through was separated by ¨C for Sloren ¨C head high stone walls.


    It had taken only a few days to convince the Thanes of the Roaring and Crashing Holds. The promise of revenge against Cecily Vgonia and her purges was convincing. The promise of plentiful grazingnd, terraced farms, and protection from the outside world to prevent another genocide was more than enough to align the other Thanes. And, even better, they had elected Thane Mol to stand in as the Sloren representative to Lady Rivers'' council.


    As they approached the mountains, the Sloren were taken aback in shock at the change that was only visible now that they were closer. The mountain facing them was sheer cliff. There was an enormous keep with high walls abutting the river, and a guarded river-gate with Duskari atop the walls. There were shouts in Arinol, and the Sloren were admitted through the fortification. They traveled along a road that went under the mountains and emerged to find argeke with several Ari longboats being unloaded.


    Thane Mol looked around and spotted the Duskari woman with draconic features ¨C Lyn Rivers. She had a raven perched upon her horn, and he waved to her. She walked over and he chuckled, "Ah,ss. Ye did a fine job. Them walls, divided pastures¡­" he pointed up to the mountains behind them, where carved stone steps led up to the unmistakable structure of terraced farms replete with small houses seemingly molded from a single chunk of stone. "This be incredible."


    Lyn smiled and replied in Sloren, "Good. You''re going to help me run it." She looked up at her raven, said something in Arinol, and the bird replied back in the samenguage before flying off towards Shiverburn Summit. She swapped back to hisnguage, "Your people are now my people. They are under my protection within the Valley of the Volcano''s borders."


    Thane Mol nodded and let out a raucousugh, pping the Destroyer on her armored shoulder, "Yer a goodss. I''ll get me folks set up. Where do ye want me after?"


    "Lynhold," she replied, pointing to the volcano, "You''re going to be my new Steward."


    A set of slitted, metal doors blocked the rivers. Na looked up at the walls of the fortification defending The Rill from outsiders, and called out in Arinol, "Aye! Open up! Lady Rivers invited us in!"


    A Duskari head popped over the edge of the wall and called back down to her, "Give us a minute! We''re still trying to figure out how to open it!"


    Na cursed and looked around as they waited. The Northern shore of the river was cut off by a high wall that met with the fortress. The Southern shore was open and t save for the small bank that led down to the water. This is an impressive fortification, she thought. And it will make getting our boats out to the ocean easy. Ari were the only sailors who had perfect the craft of shallow-draft boats that could travel along any river system on Ghomar, and even traverse the deep ocean if they had a mind to do so. Looking back down the line of ships, she tapped her foot impatiently.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    The child sitting near her tugged on her shirt. "What?" She asked the boy. He pointed to the walls and said something in Shereldian. Na had pulled one of the Ari from that region who fled the Vgonian purges to her vessel. "What''s he saying?"


    The Vgonian Ari pointed to the side of the gate, "He said there is something written there."


    Na squinted her eyes. Elenthir. Damn, I don''t know it well enough. "Bring up one of the elders!" she shouted.


    There was somemotion down the line of boats as one of the elders deftly leaped up to join her in the lead. She pointed to the inscription, and he squinted his eyes before grinning. "An inscription," he stated. "Take us closer!" Na gave the order, and the elder ced his hand on the inscription. He closed his eyes and she could feel the mana thrum in the air around him. The inscription lit up with a light, clear blue color.


    The gate shifted and lifted upward, eliciting shouts from the Duskari on the walls. One of them leaned over, "What did you do?!"


    Na instructed her rowers to take them through the gate. When they reached the other side, she scanned the walls and spotted a simr verse carved into the walls. "An inscription," she stated, pointing to the wall. She turned back to the dark tunnel that the river came from, "Forward!" she shouted.


    Lyn waved to several Sloren as they began to disperse from thekeside and leave the tunnel. Some went towards Lynhold, but most began to ascend the stairs to their new homes upon the terraced mountain farmsteads. That should help fix some of our crop issues, she thought. Not being reliant on subservient kingdoms would be a boon for her stronghold. But I really could use the flora external spell type. With that, she could create fully grown staple crops and amass huge stores of foodstuffs. But she could not spend all her mana and time doing that. We have to be self-sufficient enough to enable survival without my presence.


    After all, she had more dungeons to clear. More heroes to free from their trapped existence inside their cores. She would be traveling for diplomacy purposes as well. The whole point of having a council was to shift responsibilities of the day-to-day operations off of her and onto them. I can employ Thomas as the Court Schr, Trisha as the Court Physician in conjunction with Brad. That still leaves me looking for a Seneschal and Architect. The former would ideally run the day-to-day operations within Lynhold and the Valley of the Volcano as a whole if Lyn was even absent for a lengthy period of time. Thetter would be able to n out expansions until the Valley was fully developed; including setting up industries to take advantage of theirrge number of unskilledborers.


    She was brought out of her thoughts as she heard the p of oars on water. Looking up at theke, she saw the first of the boats from the Arin Isle entering the Valley. At the head was Na, who spotted Lyn and waved her hand. A smaller shape also waved from next to her ¨C the Shereldian boy who was rescued. Lyn waited at one of the stone quays she had erected when crafting theke and redirecting the spring that was the source of The Rill''s water. "How was the journey?" She called out as they approached.


    "Smooth sailing," Na replied as they pulled alongside the quay and tied off to it. The other boats began filling up thergeke and tying off as well. Therge Ari woman hefted Gil out onto the quay, "This one was quiet."


    Lyn nodded as a pping noise caused her to nce up. Whisperwingnded on her horn, "Oh, what a nice flight! That nice olddy got the heads up!"


    Lyn reached up and scratched his head, "You speak allnguages I do, yes?"


    "Of course! I''m a very smart bird."


    She switched to Shereldian, "Hey, Gil. I''m going to have Whisperwing here guide you to Lynhold. He''ll take you to my friend, Gael." She looked up at Whisperwing, "Got it? Take him to Gael and tell Gael to find him housing."


    "You got it!" Whisperwing pped off her head and onto the ground in front of Gil.


    The boy was wide-eyed, "A talking bird?"


    "You know it! Come on, let''s get you somece fantastic!" Whisperwing hopped along the ground as Gil followed it along.


    Na shook her head, "I assume spells to make the ravens your messengers?"


    Lyn swapped to Arinol and nodded, "Yes. You will have one as well."


    Na raised an appraising eyebrow, "Why is that?"


    "You''re going to be my Admiral until someone better disces you. You''ve proven yourself by getting the whole of the Ari here in one piece." She gestured to the buildings surrounding theke, "They can stay here near theke, or move towards Lynhold. I know how fond the Ari from your Conves are of the water, and while I want people of various races to integrate within my empire''s borders, I want my people to be happy above all else."


    Na nodded and turned to the elder who had stepped off of the boat and had been listening in on their conversation, "Let''s get our people settled in."


    Brad rode in front of the column, holding up his badge from Lyn as he shouted up at the gates the Arinol word for "Enter!"


    Thomas shook his head, If only he''d learned thenguage. Thomas rummaged inside his own pouch and produced the same emblem, holding it up and speaking in perfect Arinol, "I am the Knowledge hero. We were invited by Lady Rivers."


    The Duskari atop the wall nodded, and a few momentster therge gates ponderously swung inward to greet them. A squadron stood at the ready on the other side, but rxed slightly as Brad rode up to them. "You brought back quite arge number," the Duskari squad leader stated in Arinol.


    Brad blinked in confusion, and Thomas rode up, "He doesn''t know thenguage well. I''m fluent. Yes, we have arge group. Healers and their protectors, as well as the Guardian and Healer heroes and their family." He smiled gently, "We''re here to help the empire grow."


    "Right, follow us down the tunnel." The Duskari squadron turned around and led therge train down the expanded tunnel.


    Thomas remembered this ce perfectly despite the expansion. The memories of the heroes infiltrating the Valley of the Volcano to confront the Demonic Dragon was vivid in his mind. The struggle they faced pushing through the Duskari forces that were now treating them without prejudice, despite him recognizing the faces of two that they had fought and who fled from the hero party. Hopefully they don''t hold grudges, he thought.


    Ben rode up beside him, "We''re too far in to get out," he muttered in English. "But you''re confident we can trust this Lyn?"


    Brad rode up behind the two, "Of course we can trust Lyn."


    "Why didn''t Volioe with you?" Ben asked the Alchemist hero.


    "He was probably off doing some errand," he replied. "He was delivering a letter to Misty after you. He''ll probably arrive after us."


    Ben nodded and pulled his lead back to rejoin Trisha. Brad rode up in his ce alongside Thomas, "We''re going to do some amazing things for this new world order."


    The Knowledge hero grimaced. He had read plenty of historical ounts of rulers throughout Earth''s history that ended up in a horror show. Thankfully, he had those memories, and would be able to guide Lyn towards better decisions than those rulers made. "As long as we keep our heads on our shoulders and not in the clouds," he replied. "Keep grounded, you know?"


    Brad popped a stick of chewing gum into his mouth, "Totally. Want some?"


    Thomas chuckled and took one of the sticks, savoring the sweet, tangy vor of lime. More important than that, he thought, is what I need to tell Lyn I discovered at the Ruins of Elent.

 Chapter 67

    No Lyn this chapter, as I''m setting up several plot points and having an outsider perspective on what''s going on in The Valley of the Volcano.


    "Let me through!" Vinic shouted at the guards at the far, exterior edge of the pce. He held up his family''s noble seal; a metal disc inscribed with a pair of crossednces on a field of blue. "The Lancet family of Ishtok!"


    One of the guards chuckled, "Right. You think we just gonna let any ''ol person wander up to Princess Cecily''s pce?"


    Vinic sighed with exasperation, "No! I''m not just any person!" Fucking idiots. Fine. The hard way then. He pulled himself up to his full height, "I, Vinic Lancet of the Duchy of Ishtok, demand an audience with Cecily, under the codices of the Shereldian ords."


    The guardughed with his fellow guardsman, "You wot?"


    A more ornately dressed guard pushed his way past the two guardsmen, "You''re dering your once-a-year visit of state?"


    "Yes!" Vinic shouted. Finally! Someone who understands goddamn authority.


    The guard nodded, "Follow me." He pushed his way back past the other two, "You boys need to read up on the codices again."


    Vinic was led up to the massive pce and instructed to sit in a waiting room adjoining the throne room. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, pushing aside the phantom pain from his severed wrist. Just deliver the message, he thought. That''s all you must do.


    He had never met Princess Cecily in person, but her purges of non-Humans were a huge shift in the cultural norms of Vgonia. Within a few months, the peasantry and lower sses were riled up through propaganda and fervor against all other races,uding Humans as superior. Vinic, being part of the nobility and upper ss ¨C despite being on the lower rungs of high society ¨C was able to observe the changes throughout his youth.


    "These are some deplorable times," his father had said around the dinner table in their small estate within the Duchy of Ishtok. "Deplorable times indeed." He had looked up at Vinic, who at the time was just fifteen. "We are going to do something about it."


    Vinic vividly recalled his father and older brother concealing and smuggling various races out of the country. Down rafts on The Rill. Sloren who fled to the mountains across from Vgonia''s border, and the Ari who went out to the sea to their ind. The family had kept their actions secret, and only saved a few hundred of them.


    Vinic hated his father for it. The Ari and Sloren were disgusting vermin. They didn''t deserve to live on Ghomar. And here he had a chance to get everything he had ever wanted. His older brother was fully invested in his father''s activities, and with him out of the picture¡­Vinic would inherit the estate, the seal, and the prestige of the Lancet family. He betrayed his father and older brother, reporting them to the Vgonian Investigation Bureau.


    "Knight Lancet," a voice called out from a set of doors. Vinic stood up and straightened his dress jacket. "You are invited to the council chamber to speak."


    He followed the person through the throne room and into a side-chamber which was just as richly appointed as the throne room. Princess Cecily sat in an ornate chair, surrounded by all manner of councilors and advisors. Vinic instantly dropped to his knee, "The Lancet family serves, always."


    Cecily nodded and gestured for him to stand, "You invoked the ords. Speak what you will."


    Vinic stood up and tried to meet her gaze. But the eyes of his monarch turned his blood to ice in his veins, and he averted his gaze. "My Lady¡­I was a part of a group heading to the Arin Isle to collect the ears of our hated foes. And a Duskari woman stood upon the waves. Iunched a powerful lightning elementalism spell at her, but it did nothing!" He felt his mouth go dry and he saw the vivid scene rey in his mind. "She shot arrows of me that were like liquid, setting the sails alight. And then she got on board our ship, killed two of the crew with no effort, and took my hand."


    Cecily tapped her fingers on her arm rest, "And?"


    "She gave me a message to tell you, your grace." Vinic took a deep breath, "Tell her the Ari are off limits. Tell her Lady Rivers is protecting them now."


    The Princess looked at him with a withering re. "Come here," she ordered, gesturing for him to approach with her finger. Vinic did so. "Kneel once more." He did so. She ced her hand on his head. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an thio nin i rem en hain / a leithio nin en-gwevin hain / sui i hain na nin."


    He felt a cool rush against his face, and then a soothing, coaxing, warm rush of heat that flooded through his mind. A mind spell? He knew the principles behind it. He knew that such spells were generally off limits. And the mana required was extraordinary.


    Princess Cecily pulled her hand away and gestured for Vinic to stand. He did so, and took a few steps back as protocol dictated. "It is troubling," she said. "Your words are true, and I have seen your fervor for my cause. It also appeared, as you fled on those lifeboats, that they were evacuating ¨C up towards Trisk, no doubt. Seeking refuge with that bastard." She snapped her fingers, and a servant came over with parchment, quill, and ink. She wrote on the paper and handed it to Vinic, "Return to Ishtok with a contingent of a three-thousand men. Give this to Duchess Yeeza. You are to sail down The Rill, to the Arin Isle, andpletely obliterate all memory of the Ari from history. If they left, find them, and hunt them down."


    Vinic felt his heart flutter. This was a chance to elevate his standing immensely. He bowed deeply, "Of course, my Princess." He took the letter. One of the councilors ¨C a man dressed in court attire but with arge estoc on his hip gestured for him to follow. Vinic did so, and the man walked him to an officer''s quarters within the capital.


    A few hourster, Vinic was heading North, heading the van of a thousand of Vgonia''s finest. Time for me to finally get the prestige I deserve.


    "Your Highness!" The Master of the Hunt shouted.


    James stood up, all four kids still clinging to him from the y-wrestling. "One second," he replied. Turning to his boys and Zebed''s kids, he turned his face to a pouting one, "Sorry boys. I''ve got business to deal with." He set them down, and the four ran off to y in the courtyard. James turned to his man and dropped the fa?ade of ''happy father'' as his stern disposition reasserted itself. "What have we found?"


    "My Lord¡­you won''t believe this. But we have had sightings of a dragon off the coast in The Teardrop Isles¡­it¡­caught our scouts and sent word that it wants to pay with the Paragon hero."


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    James nodded and stood up, "Right. Which ind?"


    The Master of the Hunt pulled out a folding map of Ghomar, and pointed to the farthest isle to the South, "Here, My Lord."


    James nodded, "I''ll go in a moment."


    "My Lord?"


    "I mean, I will get there instantaneously." He smirked as the man''s eyes went wide. "I have my tricks and ways," he stated as he dismissed the man.


    James walked to the adjoining suite, knocking gently on the door. "Come in," his wife''s voice replied. He opened the door, and his beautiful love, Maria, was sitting near the window, looking down at the boys ying in the courtyard. "Look at them out there, making friends with Zebed''s kids."


    James walked over and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, giving her a kiss on the head. "Yeah, building alliances at this young age."


    She shook her head, "No. I grew up with brothers. They really like each other." She looked up at him, "What''s wrong?" She asked.


    James frowned, "You know me so well." He pulled up a chair and sat next to his wife. "You remember what we talked about the past few nights, right?"


    Maria also frowned, but nodded gently, "Yes. You have to gain more power to fight this Destroyer. And that you''d have to leave for extended periods of time."


    James put his hand on her thigh, gently squeezing her reassuringly. "I know when we married, I promised I would be home every night to be with you. But¡­that was before I became a king."


    Maria put her hand on his and met his gaze, "I know. You have a whole different set of duties now." She smiled gently, "I have my hands full with the boys anyways. I''ll miss you while you''re gone, but I know you''re doing what you must do to keep us all safe."


    James smiled and kissed her, "Thank you for understanding." He stood up and drew Aelor''An''r, pointing it out the window. "I''ll be back in a few days." He closed his eyes and drew upon his mana. The energy surged into his torso and down his arm, into the de. "Adlego nin na aine an padad as ebennin."


    His body shifted and turned into a beam of radiant, white light, and he surged out across thend, flying over Khrrdia in an instant, arriving at The Teardrop Isles within a few blinks of an eye. He rematerialized on a stone tform, in front of an enormous cave. He saw his scouts in front of the cave, held within the ribs of a giant creature that had been turned into a makeshift prison. They shouted with joy at his arrival. But a growling, deep voice emerged from the cave.


    "So¡­Paragon. You arrive." It spoke in Khrrdian.


    James held his de to his side and peered into the darkness. Thanks to body enhancement, he could see into darkness normally¡­but this was an unnatural darkness. Shadow elementalism, he thought. "Yes. You asked for me. And I would see my men released."


    The enormous, scaled head of a dragon emerged from the cave''s entrance. It sent a shiver down James'' spine, as it looked eerily like the Demonic Dragon. The sight in front of him shook him to his center and brought back memories of fighting the dread beast in the fortress so many years ago. The fact it was talking meant it was either a regr dragon, which were rare enough, or a true dragon, which were supposedly extinct.


    "Ahhh¡­you can travel at the speed of light." The dragon cackled and reached an enormous w over to the caged men, lifting the ribcage off them. "Flee, little men. This is between me and your Paragon."


    The scouts scattered and fled past James, giving him thanks as they ran to the ropes that were hanging from the cliff behind him. James looked at the creature, "You know my name, but I do not know yours."


    The dragon''s eyes glimmered, "Oh?" It lifted its w and examined it before gently setting it down andying its head atop them. "I don''t feel like telling you my name." The dragon gestured North, past James, with its tail. "You heard the promation from the Demonic Dragon, yes?"


    James sheathed his sword, as this did not seem like a hostile encounter. "Yes. I know the Destroyer."


    The dragon nodded, "And? Do you have any more information? I rarely hear news out here being so isted."


    "What do I get in exchange for this information?"


    The dragon looked at him with an eye as big as he was, "An ally, perhaps. Tell me¡­who is this Destroyer?"


    "Lyn Rivers."


    The dragon looked¡­surprised. "Really? That is interesting. I thought she had died killing the Demonic Dragon. Then you lot did that memory spell. Took the credit as well, if I recall that little tidbit of news that happened to reach me. Tsk. You lot fucked up."


    Something''s wrong, James thought. The mind spell to alter the memories of every person on Ghomar was supposed to apply to all except the heroes. The dragon in front of him warped and changed, shrinking down to human size. In a few seconds, the form shrunk to that of a human covered in scales. A familiar form. One that James had thought dead. A person from out of the past. "It can''t be¡­I saw you die! You were eaten alive!"


    Lawrence Powder, Shifter hero, stood in front of James. "Did you miss me?"


    Zebed lounged on the top deck of his trade vessel. Inspired by the Ari longships, the Free City of Bashinol had adopted the design but elongated and widened it. Not as nimble, but it was more than capable of traveling up the Azure Divide. He had anticipated having to travel ovend to the Valley''s entrance before heading to the dread fortress.


    Instead, he was quite shocked to discover that the river had somehow been elongated into the mountains. Arge fortress stood upon the river, with an enormous, metal slotted gate. The head of a Duskari peered down at their trade vessel, as the sailors pulled oars to keep them in ce. "Halt! Who seeks entry to The Valley of the Volcano?" The Duskari boomed out in Arinol.


    Zebed stood up and bowed deeply, "I am Zebed Ba''n Azir Shedai, of the Shedai merchant family, representing the interests of the Free City of Bashinol and the mercantile council. I seek an audience with your ruler, to seek trade."


    The head vanished behind the walls, and then re-appeared. "Anchor your vessel, and you maye in a single lifeboat. You may bring up to six guards should you choose."


    Zebed nodded and barked orders to his sailors, who rapidly went to work putting the anchors into the water, readying the boat, and lowering it with Zebed and four guards within. He also brought James'' hidden diplomat, and one of James'' guards. Two of his men also hefted an enormous chest onto the vessel. As the other two set to rowing, the enormous metal gates opened through some unseen mechanism.


    It was then as they passed through the archway, and the metal gate closed behind them, that Zebed felt a chill go through him. The stone was not worked stone. There were no seams. It was a single, titanic construction. And the river which used to end here at the foot of the mountains had been extended. Arge tunnel went deep under the enormous cliffs, with a trail along the side for foot traffic. Duskari watched them from atop the walls, and Zebed craned his head higher, finally seeing past the optical illusion, and understanding that the whole mountain was turned to a t surface. What power did this?


    They rowed up the river and arrived at ake, with Ari setting to task around the shoreline, building ships along the quays. A small river extended further into thend, and a Duskari asked his business once more, and directed them down the river. From the short conversation, and a few questions, Zebed learned that there were five entrances to the Valley of the Volcano.


    The Dragon''s Maw to the South, a simr fortification to the one he passed through extending from all three major rivers ¨C the Flontar River, the Azure Divide, and The Rill ¨C and another entrance on the Northern side of the Valley. All the rivers had had their course diverted slightly, and inside the Valley of the Volcano, channels had been carved out so that all three met at argeke in front of the fortress at the base of Shiverburn Summit.


    And it was then that Zebed was truly gobsmacked. An enormous city stood there. It was not very heavily popted, and he saw many empty streets as they disembarked and were led by Duskari squadrons towards the fortress proper. And not just Duskari were present. Newen, Sloren, and Ari were intermingling and seemingly¡­getting along. Not necessarily an oddity, but they seemed to not just tolerate each other as they did in other countries. Rather¡­they truly seemed like they were integrated into a singr society. Or in the process of it, at least, as he spotted a few social faux paus that were quickly apologized for.


    They could house a hundred thousand people here. Combine that with thosekeside cities at each entrance¡­the Valley could support a poption of two-hundred fifty thousand if they had the means to feed them all.


    And his mind immediately set to work on how he could propose a resettlement program for disced peoples, for a fee, of course, to popte this new region. And with that woulde the transit costs, the protection fees, importing of foodstuffs, and sale of luxury goods. He smiled broadly; this could be the most prosperous agreement in the history of the Shedai family. If he could negotiate a truly favorable deal, then he could propel his family to the top of the merchant republic''s power system.


    He took a deep breath as he descended into the darkness of the dread fortress.

 Chapter 68

    Vael stood behind and to the side of Lyn''s throne. The whole council was assembled for their daily meeting, and she zoned out as the various going-ons of empire-building did not really interest her. She nced sideways at Gael and saw him making eyes at Bolvon across the room. Of course, she thought as she smiled slightly.


    Her brother and Bolvon had gone to Lyn that morning and told her that they desired more time together, and to be given leave to perform a Duskari ritual to bind them together. She had agreed almost immediately, and the two had been given the day off until this council meeting to celebrate. Vael had told her about Bolvon being let in on her secret, and this did earn a look of consternation from her. But, Bolvon had sworn himself to silence as she was his goddess, and as he said, "Whatever you were, you are my goddess, now."


    Vael sighed slightly as she leaned on her spear. When will I find a suitable partner, she thought. She was musing on what her perfect partner would be like and look like. Preferably Duskari or Ari, with a stern disposition. Shifting her gaze, she set her eyes on Admiral Na, the newly arrived Ari. Now that''s a woman, she thought. Tall, bronzed skin from hours spent in the sun, a powerful build that could crush her. Vael''s eyes zed over as she imagined the things they could do to each other-


    A Duskari ran into the council room, interrupting the meeting and bowing deeply. "Lady Rivers! I apologize for interrupting, but a special visitor has arrived."


    Lyn sat up a little straighter on her throne, "Show them in."


    The servant bowed and ran out of the room. Lyn barked several orders as the rxed nature of the council chamber shifted, and everyone sat or stood upright, papers were shuffled to look more orderly, and within a few seconds the room was pristine and courtly. Vael straightened her posture, as did Gael. Right, have to impress new people, she thought. Lyn normally let people rx and act less properly and courtly if they did their jobs well, but first impressions were important, and everyone here knew that.


    A portly, balding man with swarthy skin entered. Heavily tanned and with a jiggling to his every step, the smiling man entered the chamber and bowed deeply. He spoke in perfect Arinol, "Lady Rivers, the Destroyer, ruler of the Valley of the Volcano. I request an audience."


    Lyn nodded and waved him forward, "Approach," Vael stated, acting as her mouthpiece as they had practiced.


    The man stepped into the marked-off space for those who were in audience. "I am Zebed Ba''n Azir Shedai, of the Shedai merchant family from the Free City of Bashinol. I am here to seek terms of trade with your new kingdom."


    Lyn whispered to Vael, and she nodded. "This is an empire, not a kingdom," Vael stated. "An empress sits above all petty kings and queens."


    The man bowed deeply, "Of course. Forgive me, Lady Rivers." He waved his hand, and a pair of soldiers brought forth a treasure chest. "A gift, to show our intentions." Lyn waved her hand, and Gael walked forward, opening the chest to reveal golden coins. "Two thousand Gold Eagles, Lady Rivers, as a sign of goodwill."


    Lyn whispered to Vael, and once more she ryed the information. "Lady Rivers epts your gift." Gael shut the chest lid and whistled loudly. Two servants dashed from the hallway behind Zebed and his men, grabbed the chest, and dragged it back into the darkness. Lyn whispered in her ear once more. "Lady Rivers asks what terms you request."


    Zebed nodded and stood, "I am authorized to speak on behalf of the merchant republic, and we have heard of your intentions through information brokers and your promation. I have seen this amazing Valley¡­but it appears to be depopted. Ah, but that can wait. I have here documents proposing trade agreements." He pulled a sheaf of documents from his robes, and Thane Mol, the Sloren Steward, stood up and walked over. He said something to Zebed in hisnguage, and the merchant responded in kind. Thane Mol went back to his desk and said something to Lyn in the samenguage. Lyn then whispered back to Vael in Arinol.


    "Lady Rivers states that you shall work with her Steward on these trade endeavors. But she asks why you felt the need to insult herck of citizenry," Vael stated.


    "No insult was meant, merely an observation," the man stated with a smile. A forced smile, even Vael could tell that. "I know of people who have been disced. I propose putting together an organization. The Free City will find people who wish to relocate and will bring them on secure ships to your Valley. In exchange, you would provide a fee for their transport and associated costs."


    Vael leaned over to Lyn and whispered to her, "I don''t trust this guy," she muttered.


    Lyn nodded and whispered back, "This is how all merchants from the Free City talk. It does not sound genuine, but it''s just him trying to make a sale. And we need more people. Tell him this¡­"


    Vael nodded and faced Zebed, "Your proposal intrigues Lady Rivers. You will speak with Chancellor Vehenna and Steward Mol about these ideas. She invites you to stay within the fortress, where quarters have been made avable for you and your men."


    Zebed bowed deeply, "I ept your generous offer, and only ask that word be sent back to my ship moored outside your river-fort on the Azure Divide that I have arrived safely."


    Vael nodded and nced at Lyn who gave her a small nod of approval. "We will arrange that." She stated.


    Zebed smiled and stepped aside, "I have also brought with me a representative of King James Marshall, ruler of the kingdom of Khrrdia."


    One of the guards walked forward and Zebed switched ces with him. The guard pulled off his helmet and swept his blonde hair to the side. He was handsome. Gorgeous, even, with calm, hazel eyes and a chiseled jawline. He spoke in Khrrdian. Damnit. I can''t understand. Lyn tapped her fingers on the throne. Shit, Vael thought. That was a bad sign. She did that when she was torn on a decision.


    Lyn stood up and walked down from her dais, her voice dropping to the draconic growl as the messenger tried to maintain a confident pose but quivered in fear. She said something to him in Khrrdian, and he nodded rapidly. Lyn turned to Vael and swapped to Arinol, "Take him to a squadron of Duskari. Get him to the Azure Divide and send him down river back to Khrrdia. Then,e to my chambers."


    Vael nodded and walked over, grabbing the man by the shoulder, turning him, and pushing him. She could feel the sweat that had permeated his clothes from fear. "You must have pissed her off," she said.


    He responded in hisnguage, and she just shook her head. "Can''t understand you." Not that I care what you have to say, she thought. She reached one of the ready-rooms and called up a group of the Duskari warriors in a squadron. "Take him to the Azure Divide and send him down river." The group nodded and took custody of the man, pushing him outside.


    Vael turned and went back to the council chamber, finding it abuzz with conversation between the various councilors. "Did Lady Rivers retire to her chambers?" she asked Antiquarian Menora.


    The Duskari woman nodded, "Yes, Guard Vael."


    She made haste to Lyn''s chambers and knocked. There was no noise from within. She tested the door and found it unlocked. Opening it, she saw the clouds of steam that wereing from the bathing room. She closed and locked the door behind her and went inside.


    Lyn was sitting in the scalding bath, staring up at the ceiling. She nced sideways to Vael, "We have a problem," she stated. "Khrrdia has requested a non-aggression pact. Basically, they won''t attack us if we won''t attack them."


    Vael pulled up a chair, leaned her spear against the wall, and sat down facing Lyn, "That sounds like a good thing."


    Lyn frowned, "It''s not. It means he views himself as my equal instead of a lesser. That my empire and his kingdom are at the same level. Development-wise? We have better infrastructure, and the codices ofw I am putting together, along with the various programs we will be implementing for the citizenry. The only thing he has that is greater than what we have is numbers. Sheer manpower. That''s all. He would be asking for subjugation if he saw us as his greater."


    Vael shook her head, "And arger army?"


    Lyn looked at her with a keen eye, "I can destroy any army he throws our way." She sighed and submerged herself into the water before popping back up and pushing her hair back. "The issue is numbers. This Zebed has a good idea to import people who are seeking a new lease on life. It will be a nice way to rapidly increase the poption of the Valley proper." She looked at Vael with a wan smile, "It''s a lot of work figuring out how to run an empire."


    Vael nodded, "I can imagine." You must have so much weight on your shoulders. She stood up and walked behind Lyn who gave her a curious look. "Rx," she said, as she gripped Lyn''s shoulders and massaged them. The Destroyer let out a sigh of rxation and grinned. "Thank you, by the way."


    "For what?" Lyn asked.


    "Letting Gael and Bolvon be together."


    Lyn giggled, "Of course. Who am I to stand in the way of their love."


    Vael nodded, "May I be frank with you?"


    "Go ahead."


    "I''m jealous of him. He has this person he loves, and I''m just¡­drifting alone."


    Lyn frowned and looked up at her, "Hey. You''ll find someone."


    Vael nodded, "That Admiral interests me¡­" she trailed off.


    Lynughed, "Oh? Then just go for it. Ask her out to drink."


    "I will," Vael replied.


    Morning came and Lyn took a deep breath as she left her chambers and headed towards the part of the fortress that had been set aside for the heroes. They had all arrived the day before, and she felt mixed emotions in her chest. She had avoided them, citing her duties of finishing the Valley expansions via terraforming, but she couldn''t put it off anymore. It''s time, she thought as she reached what used to be the Demonic Dragon''s throne room.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition.


    The room had been cleared, and she had an enormous, circr table of obsidian sitting in the center. It was polished to a ck mirror, and she had seats of obsidian equally polished with soft cushions ced around the circle. Her seat at the far end was the most prominent, with a spiked top. Lyn used the internal shifting spell to suppress her draconic features. Taking the seat, she gestured to Vael, "Alright. Bring them in."


    Vael nodded and left to fetch the heroes. Lynn nced over to Gael, "Bolvon is ready?"


    "Yes, Lyn," Gael replied, gesturing up slightly. Lyn nced up, and saw nothing save for the ornate, obsidian chandelier with lit candles providing illumination to the room. "He''s ready in case your will needs to be enacted."


    Lyn nodded. She wasn''t taking any chances. Brad wouldn''t betray her interests, but she had not seen Trisha or Ben in quite some time. I need to be cautious, she thought. And I''m not taking any risks. She didn''t want to kill any of them, and Bolvon had strict instructions to only incapacitate if required, at her signal.


    Brad entered first and sat at one of the seats near Lyn. He spoke in English. "Damn, you really cleaned up this ce!" he smiled and pointed under the table, "Trisha was able to fix me up."


    Lynughed lightly, "Good. Happy you got a bigger dick."


    Brad casually flipped her off before turning as the next few people entered. Lyn recognized the broad shoulders, calm disposition, and stern eyes of Ben Baxter. He was walking hand-in-hand with Trisha, who looked like she was calm¡­but there was trepidation mixed in her appearance, the way she walked and hugged tightly to her husband, the tension in her shoulders. She''s on edge. They both took seats across from Lyn. They were more mature and had aged well. Neither looked older than their mid-twenties, despite having to be in their mid-thirties.


    "Hi. Long time no see," Lyn said.


    Ben cracked a small smile, "So, you''re Lyn?"


    "That''s right," Lyn replied, kicking her legs up on the table. "The same punk-goth rocker chick that would constantly beg for your extra protein bars."


    Ben chuckled a little bit, "Indulge me. What was the vor I always gave you because I hated it?"


    Lyn grimaced, "Banana. Didn''t taste at all like the real fruit. Fucking disgusting."


    Trisha''s demeanor and posture rxed, "You¡­you are her," she said softly.


    Lyn rolled her eyes, "Yes. God, how many times do I have to say it to convince you all?" She looked at Brad, "You told them, right?"


    "Oh yeah. So did Volio when he was there."


    Ben looked around, "Where is Volio, anyways?"


    Lyn winced internally. Fuck. Didn''t think it woulde up this quickly. "I''ll get to it. But first we''re waiting on Thomas."


    As if on cue, Vael brought Thomas into the room before shutting the doors and standing guard at them. Thenky Knowledge hero looked familiar to Lyn, but his hair was shorter, he was younger, and his skin was covered in scars. Lyn looked at the few she could see. Elenthir scarring? The fuck were you up to? Thomas sat down and looked at Lyn, "I''m sorry aboutst time."


    "What?" Lyn asked, caught off guard.


    "I''m sorry I didn''t believe you. I should have." He leaned forward and nced at Trisha and Ben, "I did something stupid. I should have given you a chance."


    "I ept your apology," Lyn stated. "You made it here, and you''re willing to hear me out. That''s progress."


    He frowned, "I smashed the statue of Aelor, the hero core-"


    Lyn held up her hand and interrupted, "I know. Zack told me."


    This earned looks of surprise from all but Brad. "What?" Ben asked.


    "One moment." Lyn focused on pulling up the recorded message from Zack and felt the Rogue mana core breach the surface of the roilingva within her Destroyer core. She let the message y aloud, and all but Brad ¨C who already heard the message ¨C were open-jawed. Once it stopped, she smiled, "I''ve also freed Nami and Elias."


    Trisha heaved a breath of relief, "I had no clue that when we died, we would be trapped in our hero cores. I mean, your letter said that you didn''t see any of the heroes when you returned to Earth. But¡­" she shook her head, "It''s good that you freed them. Can you free the rest?"


    Lyn nodded, "When I find a dungeon, I can shoot off a spell to draw their attention." She smiled and held her wrist up, willing mana into the bracer as the map of Ghomar appeared. "And thanks to this, I know where every dungeon is."


    Thomas grinned, "That''s good. And with Volio''s help, you can get there. Just use Zack''s ability to use storage spells to make a space, your wind elementalism to provide oxygen, and have him teleport with the bowshots."


    Fuck. Lyn stood up and put her hands on the table. Bite the bullet now and just get it over with. She took a deep breath before stating, "Volio is dead." She nced up at the chandelier and her waiting backup n before forcing her gaze back to the group.


    Ben sat up straighter in his chair, as did Brad. Thomas continued to stare at Lyn, and Trisha gasped. "How?" Ben asked.


    "I killed him." She stated matter-of-factly. Devoid of emotion. Why feel emotion for the man? He had done wrong and was punished. Good riddance.


    The Guardian hero clenched his teeth, "Why?" he growled.


    "I know why," Thomas said, his gaze never leaving Lyn. "He tried to do something to you, did he not?"


    Lyn nodded and looked at Ben, "He tried to thrall me." She looked at Thomas, "I give you permission to use a mind spell on me to look at all memories I have of Volio."


    Thomas stood up, walked around the table, and ced his hand on her head. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an thio nin i rem en hain / a leithio nin en-gwevin hain / sui i hain na nin." Lyn felt his presence in her mind. It was an odd feeling, as if something was pressing on the side of her temple, and she could visualize him perusing the memories that were pushed deep aside her psyche. He pulled his hand away and nodded, looking at Ben. "She''s telling the truth. Volio tried to mind-ve her over several days. She gave him a trial, and he was found guilty." He went back to his seat and sat down.


    Ben''s defensive stance rxed, and he looked at Trisha who had a mix of emotions on her face. She seemed distraught, relieved, and anxious all at once. "He was a creep, but he didn''t deserve death. Couldn''t you have imprisoned him?"


    Lyn shook her head, "How can you imprison someone who can teleport? I would need the mana-suppressing dungeon in Kor''s Hold." Or the ones I learned we have in the Conve here that none of them know about.


    Thomas nodded, "She had no choice. Fucking with someone''s mind like that¡­what Cecily did to me and Brad," he said, ncing at the Alchemist hero, who nodded in confirmation. "It''s fucked up."


    Trisha sighed, "Well¡­at least he''s not dead for good. What happens to the¡­souls inside hero cores when you consume them?"


    Lyn smiled, "They get two doors. Either another chance on Ghomar ¨C whether that''s rebirth or something, I have no idea ¨C or back to Earth."


    Trisha looked to Thomas, "Is that urate?"


    Thomas nodded, "When I died, I saw those two doors, but I also had a third door because of what I''d done to prepare." He stood up, pulled his shirt up, and Lyn finally could read the text he had scarred into himself. "I was able to escape death by transnting my consciousness into a prepared vessel. It took an outside source of mana ¨C Misty, in this case ¨C but I pulled it off." He pulled the shirt down. "I found a way to escape death. And I could do it forever." He smiled and looked at Lyn, "I''m basically immortal. And¡­it took a while, but my Knowledge core is still within me. I wasn''t sure if I would get that back, but I still have it." He leaned back as Ben, Trisha, and Brad all looked at him with shock. "This is what Cecily has been trying to get her hands on, by the way."


    Lyn narrowed her eyes, "What?"


    "Right." He leaned forward, "I spent years of my life scouring the Ruins of Elent. I found every single piece of information, coted it in one location, and then memorized all of it. I also sealed that ce." He tapped his head, "I have lots of information up here. And I know what Cecily is nning." He held up a finger, "She is looking for what I''ve achieved, a way to transfer her consciousness or soul to a prepared vessel, along with her mana core. To obtain the pseudo-immortality I''ve achieved. To be an eternal ruler of Vgonia, and eventually, the world." He shook his head and put his hand down, "But she wants to purge any non-Human. She''s using that to rally people to her side. ying on their insecurities due to racial disparities. Amplifying the divide with fear of the ''other''. ssic dictator ybook."


    Ben shook his head, "Can she pull off that spell? What you did?"


    "No. Only I have the knowledge. And none can get to the Ruins without a way to bypass the endless storms. With Hector¡­" his voice drifted off for a moment as his eyes zed over. "We flew over the storms and came in from above. She can''t get to it."


    Lyn tented her hands. She seeks to be an immortal ruler of all Ghomar, just like me. Lyn put her head in her hands and sighed. "Fuck." She raised her head to look at the heroes. "Well¡­that''s a problem."


    Trisha nodded, and Lyn saw anger cross her face along with a helpless stare, "What can we do about it?"


    "For now? We build," Lyn stated as she stood up. "I was sincere in my desire to rule this world and make it a better ce for everyone. I want all of you to help me with this goal. Ben, I would be honored to have you advise my Marshal, Remora." She turned to Trisha, "You and Brad would make excellent Court Physicians. One able to instruct and teach in magical healing, the other in more widespread alchemical and medicinal practices."


    Brad smiled, "I''d be happy to get an official title."


    Trisha looked at Brad and nodded, "As long as I have autonomy with my school for healing¡­I am okay with helping out."


    Ben stared down at the table before looking up at Lyn, "I need to know something," he said. Lyn gestured for him to continue. "What are you going to do to the Vgonian citizens that Cecily has practically brainwashed?"


    Lyn walked around the table to stand next to Ben. She gently put a hand on the back of his chair. "To be honest¡­I''m not sure. My diplomat is in talks with Trisk about having their king vassalize under my imperial authority. I hope to keep doing a peaceful takeover of Ghomar, and just change institutions to match my vision." She frowned, "But if they refuse to change¡­ruin wille first, and we will have to rebuild from the ashes. I can assure you that I don''t want any more death and strife than the bare minimum necessary to aplish my goals."


    Ben shook his head, "You don''t sound like Lyn at all anymore."


    Lyn went back to her seat, "I am not Lyn Rivers, the ssmate you once had. Nor am I Lyn Rivers, the Scout. I''m Lyn Rivers the Destroyer; inheritor of the power of Raevan, the deity of destruction, and Yheron, the Demonic Dragon." She sat once more. "If you cannot ept the new me, too bad. Old me is gone."


    Thomas nodded, "I will advise you in your goals," he muttered.


    Ben shook his head and stood up, "I won''t be on this council of yours," he muttered. "I''ll keep training up my boxer-bodyguards and open the doors of my school to anyone else who wants to join. But my familyes first. I refuse to be involved in any more bloodshed."


    Lyn nodded, "Ipletely understand. Thank you foring here." She smiled gently, "I''d love to meet them."


    Trisha smiled softly, "You will soon enough, I''m sure. We''re still getting settled into the suites you''ve provided." She stood up and grabbed her husband''s hand, "I will serve on this council, but like my husband, I won''t be involved in violence. We have simply moved our schools to your Valley; nothing more."


    "And I''m happy you have," Lyn said as she smiled at the couple. "You''re safe here. No one will ever harm you or your family. If anyone so much as dares to try I''ll crush them in an instant."


    Ben nodded and gently smiled, "Thank you." He grabbed Trisha around the waist, and the two left the chamber as Vael opened the door for them before shutting it once more.


    Thomas got up and went around to sit closer to Lyn and Brad. "Brad, do you mind letting me talk to Lyn alone for a few minutes?"


    Brad shook his head, "No, I don''t mind at all. I''ve got to check in on my apprentices anyways." He stood up and shot a grin at Lyn, "Good job bringing them all in. Sorry to hear about Volio, but, well he got what he deserved."


    When he had left, Lyn looked at Thomas. The Knowledge hero had a face that was inscrutable. "What did you want to talk about?" She asked.


    He switched to Elenthir, "A few things. First, Cecily has been harvesting mana cores. Lots of them. She''s probably as strong as if not stronger than James or Misty. She might even rival your strength. Second, she is going to keep trying to get into the Ruins of Elent until she seeds. I must go back there to secure the tomes so she can''t get her hands on them." He shook his head, "When I was her prisoner and she had thralled me¡­I saw things. If shees to rule Ghomar and acquires immortality through this convoluted transference spell, it''ll make Stalin''s regime look tame inparison."


    Lyn nodded, "So you need to get there quickly."


    "Since you have Volio''s core, you can travel quickly and bypass the barriers the Elenthians erected. I cane along thanks to Zack''s core. This is urgent. It has to be high on your priority list." He sighed and grabbed her hand, which surprised her because he was not a physical person at all. He stared into her eyes. "There''s something else you need to know. A piece of information that I learned while I was there."


    Lyn felt her heart beat faster. The Destroyer core inside her rumbled slightly. A feeling of anxiety crept up her spine. "What did you find out?"

 B2 - Chapter 1

    Lyn Rivers, the Destroyer, sat in tense silence as she waited for Thomas ¨C the Knowledge hero who had justmitted himself to her cause ¨C to unveil whatever hidden learning he had unearthed in the Ruins of Elent.


    Thomas let out a shaking breath, "I read a passage. A prophecy. One written by a prominent Elenthian researcher. Quote, ''In the age where the heroes vanquish the Destroyer, whatever form it may have taken, a new vessel will rise. Thus, the cycle will continue endlessly, until all arebined.'' We know, now, that a Destroyer when killed doese back in a new form¡­you''re living proof."


    Lyn swallowed, guessing at the meaning of thest bit. "Until all arebined¡­the cycle will continue until I consume every hero core."


    Thomas nodded his head slowly, "That''s what I''d guess. I didn''t know it could happen, since it hadn''t happened before. There was never a record that I came across where the heroes had ever won, except for Raevan''s defeat. The first Destroyer. The literal deity of destruction, counterpart of Aelor the Creator. And the heroes that did y Raevan all died of various causes before the new Destroyer, the Demonic Dragon, rose to power. And, well, that thing went undefeated until you."


    A rush of emotions went through Lyn. She knew how to extract a mana core from a living person; she had seen Misty do it when they had stopped a madman together. It left him a shell of who he once was; no mind¡­just an empty husk that barely survived and required explicitmands. Less than an animal. "I can''t extract the other hero''s mana cores¡­I can''t do that do them."


    Thomas nodded, having been at the same event Lyn was thinking of, "I know. There must be something I missed. Some¡­hidden room, or chamber, or¡­something that gives more information. But I left before I could explore that ce fully. So many years, and so much left to uncover. Especially the mainplex." He shook his head, "I mean, I cleared out the first five stories, but the basement levels were sealed off. I didn''t have nearly enough mana to use the inscriptions that would have opened it up¡­you might."


    Lyn tented her fingers and stared at them. Well, we have to go there soon anyways to keep Cecily from getting this soul/consciousness transfer spell Thomas used. "We need to wait a little bit longer," she replied. "I should hear back about Trisk very, very soon. My Diplomat''sst report brought good news in her efforts to arrange a preliminary understanding, and vassalization of their kingdom under my rule seems usible." She smiled and met Thomas'' gaze, "Especially since we now have even more heroes in the fold."


    "Right," Thomas said leaning back in the chair. "Just make sure that you and I going to the ruins is on your priority list."


    Plus, I can stop by Misty along the way. The Mage hero, her best friend, had not reached out to contact her at all since theirst short conversation. I should talk to her in person. Lyn began to stand up, but Thomas grabbed her arm, "Yes?"


    "One more thing," Thomas muttered. Lyn sat back down and saw the emotion welling up in the man. "I want your help killing James."


    "What? Why?! I thought you two were tight. Best buds!" Lyn couldn''t believe the words Thomas had just uttered. The two were not the closest friends pre-summon, but after arriving they really stuck together.


    "James killed Hector¡­"


    "Who?"


    Thomas looked away for a moment as he wiped his face with a kerchief. "My¡­best friend. My wyvern. I raised him. Flew on him¡­he kept my mind off the past."


    Oh fuck. James killed his emotional support animal?! That sick fuck! Lyn had never held a love for James, and the fact he had stolen credit for the blow that killed the Demonic Dragon had soured her view of him even more. Seeing the sorrow that washed over Thomas as the tears came forth brought out a hatred for the Paragon hero she didn''t know she had in her. Even more oddly, she felt a protective instinct wash over her. Almost unconsciously, she got up and grabbed Thomas, pulling him into her embrace and silently reassuring him. The fuck am I doing?


    Thomas wept in her grasp, and she just let this¡­nurturing instinct guide her to continue the reassurances. Makes sense in a way, she thought, since Raevan feltpassion enough to save the whole Ari race from destruction. Maybe maternal instinctes along with being the Destroyer.


    The Knowledge heroposed himself a few minutester and looked up at Lyn. "Thank you¡­I''m good." He pulled himself back and Lyn sat back down. Thomas gulped and stared at her with a resolve she had only seen in the most battle-hardened veterans who were prepared to die on the field ofbat. "I need to pay him back for what he did."


    Lyn nodded, "I''ll help you get whatever revenge you want," she replied.


    "Thanks. I''ll¡­I''ll see youter. I need some time¡­When I''m good, I''ll find one of your council people and start helping." Thomas put his head onto his arms and sagged into the tabletop, sobbing silently.


    Lyn left the audience hall and was silently followed by her bodyguards, Gael and Vael. She trod through the conve hidden within the citadel at the center of Lynhold, arrived at her chambers, went in alone, and flopped onto the bed.


    She looked at herself in the mirror on the ceiling. What are you doing? She asked herself.


    She wanted to rule Ghomar. She wanted an empire. She wanted and where everyone was treated equally, had the same opportunities for advancement, and where everyone was treated justly. But¡­realistically¡­that would be extremely difficult to aplish, let alone ensure was happening across Ghomar. She couldn''t be everywhere at once.


    And she would have to rely on her allies and those she appointed to run things on her behalf. I have to keep Thomas on my side. He can provide so much that no one else could. If killing James is the price for Thomas'' help¡­well, I''ll consume his core and send him along his way. The taboo of consuming another person''s mana core had vanished for her, at least when it came to the Hero cores; since she knew they could eithere back on Ghomar in some way or go back to Earth as they were promised on their first summon.


    She looked over at the ornate perch and tform that Whisperwing, her intelligent raven, was sleeping on. I should see if Rashanna sent word yet. She slowly stood up, being quiet as to not wake her featheredpanion, and left her room.


    Rashanna was her Diplomat and tasked with arranging a meeting between Lyn and King Skir of Trisk. Lyn had already acknowledged that she would have to make some concessions to the strictures andws she wanted to put in ce, but once a few decades had passed, she could implementrger scale changes. y the long game, she thought, knowing that she could practically live forever due to the internal regeneration spell that only the Destroyer core could use.


    Once Trisk was in the fold, she could fortify the Flontar River, and utilize Trisk''s military to man castles along the coastline, and therge walls she would erect, just as she had done for The Rill. After Trisk¡­she could examine the situation developing in the South.


    Khrrdia, ruled by James Marshal, the Paragon hero, and Vgonia, ruled by Cecily Vgonia, the Ruler hero, were on the brink of war. From the recent report she had received, Vgonia had some provinces and duchies that were fomenting dissent. Khrrdia had already sent her a statement of non-aggression to Lyn''s empire ¨C but it was likely that they were gearing up for war with Vgonia. The two nations were destined for conflict, as Cecily and James had bad blood.


    I can just bide my time, make alliances here and there, and then swoop in and take out the winner while they are weakened. She grinned as she ascended the tower where Fin, Keeper of Ravens was located. "Any news from Rashanna?" she asked the woman.


    Fin turned to her from tending a few hatchlings, feeding them scraps of ripped-up meat. "No, My Lady. Melody ¨C her raven ¨C is due any day now for the second report. I will bring you news as soon as I have it."


    Lyn nodded and went to the nearby balcony, looking down upon Lynhold. The town was developed in an orderly and excellent manner. Argeke stood on the outskirts of the town, and a river led off to a triple-fork which led torgerkes, which then fed the rivers that went under the mountains and left the Valley.


    There were two buildings that stood out to her as rtively new additions. An enormous, three-story hospital where Trisha Baxter, the Healer hero, had set up her medical school, and on the opposite side of Lynhold, near the soldiers'' barracks and training grounds, was arge, single-story building that looked akin to a Viking longhouse. Ben Baxter, the Guardian hero, had set up his boxing and bodyguard school there.


    She leaned on the railing and smiled. Everything is going ording to n, she thought. They had been upset at learning about Volio''s death at her hands ¨C the Archer hero who had tried to manipte her mind ¨C but ultimately, they seemed to understand. Using mind magic to bind someone''s mind to your own was a fucked-up thing to do, one of the biggest taboos that one couldmit. That bought her a lot oftitude from the other heroes.


    That, and none of them were real friends with Volio. Especially after the Demonic Dragon was in, and they went their separate ways. He was a loner. A stranger in a strangend. Apparently, his obsession with Lyn post-Demonic Dragon defeat were enough to chafe at and abrade away the good-will he had with the other heroes. That and his general, creepy factor that he exuded. Good riddance, she thought.


    She jumped on the rail and leapt off, the cloak ingrained into her armor billowing out and slowing her descent as shended. Hearing a caw, she nced up as Whisperwingnded on her horn, "Hi! Oh, my gosh! I slept sooo well. It''s nice and quiet in your room!"


    Lyn reached up and scratched the bird''s head, "Yeah?"


    "Oh, my, yes! It''s just so, so loud with the rest of the ravens. They can be so chatty at night."


    Lyn chuckled and made her way into town. She had designed the ''awakening'' spell for her ravenpanion to give it a distinct personality. The enthusiasm of a Golden Retriever, and the attitude of a Husky. And it worked, as Whisperwing kept chatting away about random visual elements of their small jaunt interspersed with small gaps for Lyn to providementary which was thenplemented upon. It was a nice change of pace in conversation that Lyn didn''t realize she had craved. A yes-man. The Iago to her Jaffar.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Duskari and Newen that she passed by would bow or dip their heads in reverence, and Lyn loved the attention. It feels good having this level of respect. The type of respect I would have had if I had been given credit for defeating the Demonic Dragon. But that was a secret she had to keep to herself. Only she, the heroes, Gael, Vael, and Bolvon knew the truth of Lyn''s first summoning; that she was the Scout hero that killed the Demonic Dragon and returned from Earth with its powers. In a turn of events she could never have anticipated, the memory-altering, world-epassing spell the other heroes had used after her death had turned Lyn''s prior existence into a blur. Even if anyone did tell other people¡­they would have difficulty convincing them.


    "Lady Rivers," a Duskari scout ran up to her and bowed. "My Lady, a report from The Rill." He pulled out a scroll and handed it to her. The Rill was one of the rivers that flowed out from the Valley of the Volcano which cut a course between Trisk and Vgonia.


    She cracked the seal, unfurled it, and read it. Three thousand troops? Why? We haven''t taken any hostile action. She handed it back to the man, "Inform Marshal Remora and Admiral Na." Fucking ns going to shit already and it hasn''t even been a day.


    The Duskari bowed, "By your will," and ran off towards the barracks.


    Lyn turned to the East, "Find Marshal Remora and deliver the news," she told Whisperwing.


    "Oh, okay!" The raven lifted off.


    Lyn took a deep breath and cast an internal spell, "Gothron i gwanno / min enni / na rem in edin nin: / na nin togwath, athano hain thron, gwelu, thrh, a n?n rath; / na nin inath, cirad nin hoth; / na nin inedhil, athano nin th?r a cirad nin; / na nin rhaw, hathol han uin del."


    Her muscles bulked up as the mana surged through her mana channels, her blood pumping harder as her vision sharpened, reaction time and reactivity improved, and every aspect of her physicality was amplified ¨C her go-to, internal spell to augmentbat capabilities. She pulled Cataclysm, her artifact de, from the socket on her armored hip, willed it to transform into a bow configuration, and reached into her storage choker to draw an arrow. Pulling back, she let fly towards the mountain wall. Counting with the tap of her foot, she timed out when the arrow would impact.


    "Adhano na phain nin galu." She teleported, swapping ces with the arrow. She stood atop the two and a half mile tall mountains ringing the Valley of the Volcano. Looking down, she relied on her enhanced vision to scour thendscape. Spotting the encroaching army was not difficult. A force was approaching from the South of The Rill, and hade to a stop, arraying themselves before the fortress that stood on therge river. They have no siege equipment. What were they hoping to aplish?


    She smiled and drew back another arrow, letting loose and teleporting once it impacted the top of the ramparts of the fortress below. Several Newen were standing at the ready, the serpent-folk armed with shortbows, arrows, and extra quivers stacked high along the crions. Duskari squads were inside the gates leading out to Vgonia''s side of the river, a small detachment of Sloren ram-riders were preparing their steeds in their heavy armor, and Ari marines were preparing longboats to sail out of the river gate. "Report," Lyn ordered, directing her words to the Duskari on the wall.


    The squadron leader saluted her with fist to his chest, fingers curled in like one of her draconic ws. "My Lady, they have just arrived. No exchanges have urred. What are your orders?"


    Lyn smirked, "Let me investigate." She pulled back the zing bowstring once more and let loose, teleporting to the middle of the ground between the walls and the army. She switched Cataclysm to its Greatsword form and poured her mana into the de. It ignited with neon-blueva, swirling with water, wind, lightning, rocks, miasmic poison, shadowy tendrils, and shifting hues of golden light. She switched hernguage to Shereldian ¨C thenguage of Vgonia. "I am Lyn Rivers, the Destroyer!" Her tone was that of the Demonic Dragon, echoing out across the possible battlefield in an intimidating, growling roar. "I will ruin any who attempts to harm my people."


    The men around Vinic exchanged whispers and mutters at the sudden appearance of a Duskari described in the reports, wielding a de of osciting, pure mana cascading with several elements. We don''t stand a chance, Vinic thought as he turned his mount around and signaled to the few sergeants that had apanied him.


    Vinic Lancet was the child of nobility, a knight of Ishtok, the duchy of Vgonia that bordered The Rill. He had been charged by Cecily Vgonia herself to hunt down the Ari people, who he had learned fled the Arin Isle, sailing upriver. When he arrived at one of the river crossings that provided trade paths between Trisk and Vgonia, he found walled fortifications that had been erected for miles in either direction on the North side of the river. His contingent of soldiers had continued, following the non-fortified, Vgonian side, until they hade upon an enormous citadel, built astride the river itself. One gate stood firmly on Vgonian territory.


    With walls manned by Duskari, Newen, Ari, and Sloren. Fucking non-Humans, Vinic thought with venom as he stared daggers at the Duskari woman who had taken his hand. He still felt the phantom appendage as he tried to grip his steed''s reins and cursed her under his breath. He watched as two of the sergeants rode out, pulling up a few dozen feet from the woman. "Pay," they said in Shereldian ¨C thenguage of Vgonia.


    The Duskari woman lowered her de, and the deep, draconic tone switched to the honeyed, sweet voice he had heard before. The one that let him live in exchange for his hand and conveying a message to Princess Cecily. "There is no pay. Only death." She spoke in hisnguage, and that disgusted him. That a vile Duskari was speaking hisnguage. She raised her de and carved through both men and their horses with a single flick of her weapon.


    The men around Vinic yelled in outrage and began to charge, but he stayed back ¨C and his personal contingent did the same. The armored woman ced her de point-down, and it sank slightly as she leaned her weight on it. The mana fluctuated and stabilized as it connected with the ground, and the steeds skittered slightly as the ground began to quake near her as twisting streams of raw energy erupted from the ground in small geysers. The charge wavered slightly but continued forward.


    For the second time in his life, he felt helpless outrage. This person before him could obliterate him in a moment, and nothing at his disposal could hurt her. He signaled to his men to retreat.


    "Sir," one of the sergeants whispered to him, "We can''t let this lone Duskari scare us off!"


    Vinic looked at the man with sympathy, "Don''t fight her. You will die. And anyone who fights her will die." He shook his head and watched as the chaos unfolded.


    The ground between the charging forces and the fortress had cracked and split asunder, forming arge chasm with jagged, stone spikes at the bottom. A ten-foot-wide walkway was raised and led from the front of his host to the fortress entrance. The Duskari woman stood in the center of the new path, cascading flickers of blue energy flicking from her body as the mana of her spell dissipated into the air.


    Men screamed and horses neighed out as they fell into the chasm,nding with sickening crunch noises as they died on impact from the drop. Many were impaled, and Vinic winced as he heard the loud shlick of pierced flesh and armor. The group that was lucky enough to be on the central spur ofnd lived for a few seconds longer. But only a few seconds, as the Duskari woman charged forward and carved her way through them, swinging her long de left and right. An unstoppable, inexorable force of destruction and ruin. The few that turned to run were cut down.


    He looked at his men, ripping his own eyes away from the carnage. Their faces told Vinic all he needed to know. They were terrified. Every one of them had just witnessed a spell on a scale unimaginable. A whole battlefield, altered and changed in moments. Almost as one, the group turned and went into a rout. Damnit. At least look orderly, he thought as he galloped through their ranks, heading straight toward the capital of Cecria far to the South. The Princess must be informed. Only a hero could take on this Duskari.


    But¡­that also presented an opportunity. She can''t be everywhere at once. She''s just one Duskari bitch. After the men had regrouped a few miles away, he began issuing orders ¨C they were to go across the bridges to the East and go into Trisk, leaving their colors and standards behind. I''m not returning without some Ari ears to show to her highness.


    And an Ari was an Ari, whether they were under this bitch''s protection, or if they were from a rival kingdom to the North ¨C who could tell the difference?


    Lawrence Powder, Shifter hero, sat on arge rock as James assailed him with questions. He held up his hand, putting a stop to the Paragon hero''s current inquiries. "The short answer is that yes, I was eaten alive. Thankfully, I fired off a quick shifting internal spell and turned into a turtle, so it didn''t really bite down on anything. Then¡­eventually¡­I exited the hard way."


    James'' face went white for a moment as he made a disgusted look, "That¡­why note back to us after surviving?"


    Lawrence kicked a rock with his foot, adjusting the scraps of clothing hanging off his body. "Why would Ie back to you all? You all left me to die." He felt some genuine sorrow, but the years of solitude had allowed him to process well enough. I''ve found my inner peace. Seems like you''re still conflicted as hell.


    "It was flying off with you inside!" James shouted. "We couldn''t follow it!" He sounded angry. Perhaps at himself, Lawrence couldn''t really tell.


    "Really?" Lawrence jumped off the rock spryly and paced around James, "You got here at the speed of light, flying from Kor''s Hold to get here, did you not?" James fumbled for words for a few moments, and Lawrence held his hand up again, "You had the ability to follow the dragon that fucking ate me, and you didn''t have the courtesy to follow it? To avenge me?"


    "I didn''t know if it was working with the Demonic Dragon. We didn''t know if it was just a regr dragon or a true dragon." He shook his head, "I couldn''t reveal my trump card in case it was an ally of our enemy."


    Lawrence sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Well, to answer the earlier question of ''how did you turn into a dragon'', not only can I turn into anything that I take a bite out of¡­anything that eats me also counts." He chuckled and shook his head, "Still was gross. A dragon''s digestive tract was not pleasant to experience. Why note back? Simple. I had a new power to master. It took me two years to figure out how to turn into a dragon fully, and another six to master the size changing aspect of it. Plus, I got stuck for a year and went ''feral'' until I snapped out of it. By then¡­I was already forgotten." He smirked, "And it seems like a certain someone you made everyone forget about is equally as pissed off as I was."


    James nodded and put a hand on Lawrence''s shoulder, "I can''t fight Lyn on my ow-"


    Lawrence pped the hand away, "Fight her? Why? She just wants good shit."


    "She wants to take over the world!" Again, he became incensed.


    "And what''s so wrong with that?" Lawrence sat back down on the rock and stared at James. "What is wrong with a single, powerful ruler who is making the world a better ce?"


    "The Destroyer is evil. It always has been. The Duskari have always been a cult that worships it and seek to destroy all of creation!"


    "So, what, this is just some type of subversive way to that goal? Take over the world then destroy it?


    "Yes!"


    "What makes you so sure?"


    James took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He was silent for several seconds before he let the breath out and made eye contact with Lawrence once more. "Aelor told me so."


    Lawrence sat up, feeling actual, genuine shock for the first time since his voluntary seclusion. "What? The Creator deity? But he''s dead. Shattered."


    "Yes." James held his hand to his torso, "The consciousness of Aelor lingers, a tiny, whispering fragment, inside the Paragon core. When Ie across a tough situation, it gives me advice. And this Destroyer is evil. I know that within my heart." He stood at his full height and a confidence took over his tone, "We are the heroes, we kill the Destroyer and save the world."


    "But you killed the Demonic Dragon. The thing came back."


    James shook his head and held up his sword, "This must get the killing blow. There''s no other exnation. Since¡­Lyn actually killed it¡­it came back."


    Hmm¡­that kind of makes sense¡­but something''s off. "You''re hiding something. Be fully open with me, and I''ll consider helping you." See if that shakes something loose.


    James frowned and nodded tersely, "I¡­I have a family. I need to protect them. And I can''t take the chance that Lyn will take over the world and then turn on everyone and ruin it all." He shook his head, "I can''t take that risk."


    "Fine. Let''s go."


    "W-what? Really?"


    "Yes," Lawrence replied as he mentally cast the shifting internal spell to turn into his full dragon size. The only hero that could cast spells by thought ¨C as far as he knew ¨C if they were shifting-rted. "Come on, climb aboard. Let''s get back to Khrrdia."


    As James mbered on his back and nestled between two of his spines, Lawrence took off and soared up toward the clouds, beating his wings heavily to gain altitude. As he settled into a cruising height and just coasted, he thought of his different options. He had few, granted, due to his years in hermitage. For now, sticking with James is the smart y. Use his resources, get relimated to the world, and learn some of the going-ons of Ghomar abroad.


    The whooping cry of excitement from his back brought a small chuckle to him. Fucking nerd, always wanting to ride a dragon. It''s not that impressive.

 B2 – Chapter 2

    Lyn turned and walked to the gate, cing her palm on the inscription and pouring mana into the etched words. The metal structure lifted, and she walked under. She repeated the process on the other side to close it.


    The Duskari squadmander atop the wall mbered down adder and bowed, "My Lady, your orders?"


    Lyn looked to the various soldiers, marines, and cavalry. If they were smart, they would not just sit around here. Leave a small contingent to keep watch on the fort, with a few riders to convey information back to the duchy to provide faster feedback. "Give me a moment." She swapped Cataclysm to its bow form, pulled an arrow from the storage choker''s pocket dimension, and aimed it up in an arc over the wall ¨C aiming for the sky. She let loose, counted until it reached its arc, and then muttered the verses to swap ces with the object.


    She was suddenly in the sky, and her cloak activated, slowing her descent and allowing her to direct the slow, gentle glide. Angling back to the fort she had just left; she used her enhanced vision to observe the movements of that armed force. They''re going to cross the river.


    She tucked in the cloak and fell rapidly before deploying it as she smoothlynded. "Ram riders," she called out in the Slorennguage. "Head out to the pasturnd and recall the herders to the Valley walls." She swapped to Arinol, "Marines, stand down." Last, she looked at the Newen, and switched to Khrrdian ¨C which most of them spoke due to their interactions with Fort Watch. "Keep the walls manned."


    "Forgive me, my Lady, but why not chase down those survivors?"


    Lyn turned to the Newen who asked, "I want some survivors to spread word of my power. If I destroyed them all¡­who would spread word of my glory? The terror I inflicted to those who threatened my people?"


    The various groups nodded and said some version of affirmative to her orders in their varyingnguages before splitting off to their tasks. She pulled another arrow and chained together two more teleport-to-arrow spells to arrive back at Lynhold. People all around bowed in reverence before resuming their duties. At the entrance to the citadel were two full squadrons. She gged down the leader of one of the groups. "Your raven, please." The man nodded and let out a sharp whistle. A raven pped down from where it was perching on one of the nearby buildings.


    "Yes?" it cawed at the squad leader, who gestured to Lyn in response.


    "I need you to deliver a message to Steward Mol, and Marshal Remora."


    "Okay, what?" The raven had nowhere near the level of intelligence as Whisperwing did, but it would recall her words perfectly and only deliver them to the intended audience.


    "Tell both that we have Vgonian forces entering Trisk''s territory, and I have pulled back the herders to the Valley. Tell Steward Mol that he can direct them to the reserve pastures on the North-Eastern side of the Valley interior and tell Marshal Remora to send a few squadrons of Duskari troops to reinforce the fort at The Rill."


    The bird nodded and took off, pping fast as it went over Lynhold and to the South. The squadron leader nodded, "Anything else, My Lady?"


    Lyn shook her head. "If anyone needs me, I''ll be visiting some of our new guests." She turned and walked towards the military ''wedge'' of Lynhold, making a beeline for the Viking-esque longhouse. As she approached the front door, a feeling of unease washed over her. Ben''s the only one that didn''t want to participate in the council. She wasn''t angry at him for making that decision, but it spoke some volume about his level of trust toward her. I have to build goodwill with him. Even if he doesn''t fight, just having his public support will be hugely impactful in vassalizing others. She took a deep breath and pushed open the wide door.


    "Make sure that you keep your fists up at eye level," Ben instructed one of his newer students that made the journey from Trisk to Lynhold. The young woman did as she was instructed, and Ben squared off with him, holding up a strike pad; reeds that had been bound withyers of cloth. "Jab!" The trainee did so.


    Ben continued to give simple instructions as he looked around the room. Some of his most veteran students had elected to depart rather than travel to Lynhold; going to make their fortunes as bodyguards or brawlers. He bore no ill will toward them, having been somewhat reticent himself to journey here.


    But¡­after meeting Lyn, things were much different. It ¨C she, looked nothing like the old Lyn. But the way she spoke was just as familiar as the voice he hadn''t heard in ten years. He had no doubts anymore that this was in fact their old ally. Brad''s trust in her, and Thomas'' confidence when talking with her was convincing enough.


    One thought had bothered him since their meeting the day before, and he hadid awakest night, staring at the ceiling of their new house. I know what happens when I die. I''m trapped in my core¡­until Lyn or someone else with a stronger core than the Guardian onees along. The thought was both reassuring and terrifying at the same time. Whether he liked it or not, Lyn would probably be the person to let him ''move on'' to the afterlife.


    But there wasn''t an afterlife. Just going back to Earth, or back here to Ghomar. For the first time in many years, Ben had cried. He had always been religious, believing in Heaven, and both he and Trisha would be with each other when they both had passed on. Now he knew, and had been confirmed by Thomas, that was not an option.


    As the jabs kepting at the pad he was holding, an idea crossed his head. A crazy idea that he was not nearly well-learned enough in Elenthir or mana cores in general to know. Could Thomas¡­bind our cores? A way to make sure we are with each other when it''s all over? He''d have to ask Thomas when he could.


    Amotion at the door caught his attention, and he signaled for the trainee to stop. The Foskor woman who was punching heaving deep breaths as she also looked where everyone was looking. Lyn was standing in the doorway. But¡­it wasn''t quite the same Lyn as yesterday. This one had draconic featuresced about her form. ws instead of hands, the same for the feet, ck scales, and a prominent pair of horns that looked¡­regal.


    "Don''t mind me, just here to talk with Ben," she said in Triskol with a wave. The various trainees still tracked her with their eyes, not making a move as for most of them this was their first encounter with the Destroyer.


    Ben put the pad down and walked over to Lyn. He towered over her petite frame, and chuckled, speaking in Triskol. "What brings you by?"


    Lyn raised an eyebrow and muttered some spell as her draconic features receded, as did the full te she was wearing until it covered her thighs, groin and torso. She crossed her arms and raised a brow, "When was thest time you had a good boxing match?"


    Ben let out a heartyugh, and this indicator of joviality was enough to convince his trainees to go back to their own sparring practice. "Really? With that tiny body?" Ben teased.


    "We can do it with internal spells if you like," she replied.


    Ben narrowed his gaze. This is a chance, he thought. I can test her actual strength versus her internal spell enhanced version. He nodded, "No spells for the first few rounds."


    Lyn grinned and looked around, eyesnding on the Foskor that Ben had been training. "Can you ref?"


    The Foskor looked at Ben with curiosity, "No," she replied in a deep tenor.


    Ben chuckled and nced out over the trainees, "Jeremy! Get up here!"


    A brawny Raptin came over. One of the bird-folk who primarily lived in therge, forest region of Raptol within the borders of Trisk. "You wanted me?"


    Ben nodded, "Ref a match," he gestured to Lyn to follow, and the trio went to the far end of the longhouse, where a boxing ring was set up. Gloves hung from the posts on the corners ¨C all various sizes ¨C and Ben mbered into the ring with Lyn right behind. He grabbed a pair of gloves, slipped them on, and tightened theces with his teeth before having Jeremy finish tying them on.


    The gloves had cost a small fortune to make, but they were durable and sturdy. Not the same quality as what he had back on Earth, since the technology just wasn''t at that level of machined precision, but they were serviceable. As Lyn put on a pair and had them tightened down, Ben hopped on the balls of his feet, throwing a few practice jabs in the air. A brief sh caught his attention and he stared at Lyn, "Did you use a spell?"


    She shook her head, "Must be an external indicator of the Spellde core." She looked over at him, "I also freed Nami. Her core gives me mastery of any weapon I pick up. I guess boxing gloves count as a weapon."


    Ben nodded and put in a mouthguard made of reeds sewn together and offered one to Lyn. She put it in, and they both squared up.


    Jeremy got into the ring and stood between them, getting the ready nod, before shouting. "Begin!"


    Ben danced forward as light as a feather throwing abination of jabs and haymakers that would put champions to the test. Lyn focused on defense, intercepting his blows with the backside of her gloves. A few hits got through, and Ben felt the familiar reverb of body enhanced skin as he failed to deal any real damage. He backed off and took out the mouthpiece, "Mana charging fine with you?"


    Stolen from its rightful ce, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Lyn nodded and ¨C without speaking ¨C charged her gloves with glowing, neon-blue mana. He could see the sweat beading on her brow.


    Interesting, Ben thought. She''s¡­struggling to hold back. He needed to slowly amp up his evaluation of the new Lyn. Just a simple mana charge spell. "Lathron en ethuil / dagor en garth?r / thangor lin." He felt the sturdy mana core within him buck slightly as a stream of energy flowed down his mana channels and into the gloves. They glowed a bright, vibrant brown. He put in the mouth guard and gestured for her to approach.


    Lyn cautiously advanced, throwing light jabs to prod his defenses. Ben intentionally let a few get ncing hits, testing to see if she was inexperienced enough in fighting to go for the opening. She didn''t, and instead backed away taking up the defense.


    Ben pulled the mouth guard out, "Internal spell time?" she nodded, reached up to remove her mouthpiece, and spouted off an Elenthir verse that he could barely follow. She was speaking as fast as one of the fastest rappers back on Earth, and the effects of the internal spell were incredibly noticeable. Her muscle mass increased to rival that of Ben''s own ¨C and he was built like a brick shithouse.


    I might not have some fancy spell like her, but internal spells can''t really improve me anymore. That was one benefit of training to be at peak physicality ¨C internal spells forbat, like the one he used to increase reaction time, speed, and strength were only able to take someone to the limit of their physique. It meant that he would not have to waste mana on such spells duringbat, as he was in peak physical condition.


    They both put in their mouth guards, and Ben unleashed an offensive onught. Jab, hook, uppercut, block, counter-jab; every move he made was calcted to take advantage of Lyn''s weaknesses as a boxer. Despite not having boxed her in fourteen years, he was well-practiced enough to read her like a book after only a few moments of sparring with her. Her left side is weaker, and she''s struggling to keep up with counters.


    Where his blows impacted her, he saw the body-enhanced skin re up as the mana charged gloves bypassed it. He could hear grunts from her as he made impact, and due to the internal spell she had used, hitting her felt like hitting a b of iron. She got a few blows of her own in, throwing a jab that he couldn''t duck that hit him squarely in the ear. Fuck, that was a good one.


    He felt the joy of being in the here and now, the adrenaline of facing off against someone who held a chance to harm him in the ring. None of his trainees could beat him, and only one hadnded blows on him in sparring. She''s good, he thought, as he continued to exchange blows and blocks. Technical-skill wise, she''s on my level. But experience-wise¡­he stepped into her weaker left side and used hisrger mass to push her around the ring until she was trapped in a corner, gloves up next to her ears as she tucked in to protect her torso. He didn''t let up the assault. Come on, Destroyer. Show me what you got.


    As if she read his thoughts, she exploded forward with a jab into his gut. He took the blow and mmed a haymaker into her temple, sending her flying sideways and into the ropes. She turned with the blow and stood up, reeling, as Ben dashed in to deliver a finishing blow.


    But then¡­something he did not expect. She dropped her defenses entirely, and her muscle mass decreased in all except her right arm. He missed the now-smaller target, and the still-enhanced and spell-augmented arm mmed him in the chin. Oh, good bait, he thought as he went reeling back. He held up his gloves and waved them in surrender. Lyn paused her movement and spat out the mouthpiece, drawing in deep breaths. She was bruised all over and let out a smallugh. "Fucking ouch, Ben."


    Ben took out his own mouthpiece and pulled theces on the glove clear with his teeth. "Hey, you wanted to spar. Good show."


    Lyn looked at Jeremy, who had watched the fight with rapt attention. "Mind helping me?" she asked as she held the gloves out to him. He shrugged, hopped out of the ring, and went to go and train with some of the newer students. "Oh, rude," Lyn said after him as she set to the ties with her teeth.


    Ben walked forward, "I''ll help," he said as he uced her gloves. "So, did you find out what you wanted?"


    Lyn shook her head, "I wasn''t here to find out anything. Just talk. Catch up as friends since it''s been so long."


    "Oh? Really¡­I thought you''d be here for something."


    "Nope," Lyn said with a grin, "Just missed you, was all. You, Trisha, Thomas¡­everyone except James, Cecily, and Volio."


    "Well, let''s talk. My ce, you can meet the kids also." He grinned, "We even named a daughter after you."


    Lyn''s mouth went agape, "No, you didn''t."


    He let hisugh be the only response as he walked out of the longhouse with her a step behind.


    Trisha busied herself in their new house. It was a three-story building with a basement, and room for expansion, adding more floors up top if necessary. It was¡­almost perfect. Looking around at the decorations and furniture, she tried to figure out what it was. Absentmindedly, she rocked baby Ginavieve''s crib on the ground floor. What am I missing? She racked her brain, going through every crate in her mind. Then it hit her, and she sighed. I marked that box for the hospital. She cursed under her breath. She would have to get it tomorrow.


    The sound of footsteps from upstairs was followed by a very loud scream. Not a scream of fear or pain, the scream of children ying some type of game. "Gil!" she shouted up the stairs in Shereldian. "Eli! If you two are going to y rough, go outside!"


    The two boys came running down the stairs holding wooden swords. Eli looked at her and groaned, "But mooom! It''s hot outside!" Lyndra came rushing down the stairs a few secondster, wearing a sackcloth with a dragon''s head crudely painted on it.


    Well¡­the basement is empty still. She pointed down the stairs to the underground, "It''ll be cooler and quieter down there."


    Eli dashed off, followed closely by Gil. Lyndra followed, "I wanna be a hero!" she shouted after the boys.


    "One more time!" Eli said. "Gil gets to be the Paragon; I''m going to be the Guardian!" The trio dashed down into the basement, and she closed the door gently behind them. Their sounds of make believe were dulled tremendously.


    Trisha turned back to dealing with the baby. When the orphaned Gil arrived almost a week prior, She and her husband had offered to take him in. The reasoning was simple ¨C they were the only other Humans around with a family unit. Sure, the boy could have been brought up by themunity atrge, but Trisha always wanted kids ¨C the more the merrier. Thankfully, Eli, Lyndra, and Lawry all spoke the three kingdom''snguages, so integrating another boy into the group was easy enough.


    She heard amotion from outside. She recognized Ben''s loud, boisterousugh with ease. The lighter, female giggle was new though. Going to the window, she saw a draconic-themed Lyn walking with Ben through the small front garden. She overheard their conversation as Ben reached down and lifted Lawry up, holding him as Lyn spoke something softly. Trisha took a deep breath before opening the front door.


    Ben and Lyn both looked over to her, and arge raven pped down andnded on one of Lyn''s horns. It said something to her in Arinol, and she replied, "Oh, Triskol. That''s the one they''re mostfortable with."


    The raven nodded and looked over to Trisha, waving a wing, "Oh my gosh! Hi! I''m Whisperwing! It''s this little one yours?!" The voice that came out was that of a preppy girl, the type of mean-girl voice that could grind against a person''s ears if they listened to it for too long.


    Trisha nodded and waved gently, "Talking birds," she muttered to herself. "Lyn, wee to our house. Thank you for providing it."


    Lyn pushed Ben yfully in front of her with a chuckle, "Go, hug your wife!" She looked up at the raven, and the bird hopped down onto the ground.


    Ben put Lawry on the ground, and he ran over to Whisperwing. To Trisha''s surprise, the normally quiet and shy son began to converse with the raven. "Where''s the other kids?" Ben asked her as he leaned in for a kiss.


    She gave him one, and then looked past him to Lyn, who was looking down at Lawry and Whisperwing with glee. "Hon," she whispered. "I don''t know if it''s the right time-"


    Ben shook his head, returning the whisper. "It''s her. I''m even more sure than I was at the meeting." He pointed to his jaw, and she could barely make out a bruise starting to swell, "We had a good round. And you know me ¨C the best way to know someone is to fight them."


    Trisha pushed him yfully and smiled, "Lyn!" she said loudly, "Come on in."


    The wastnd between Fort Watch was even more deste and parched than prior years. Fucking hot summer, Lionel thought as he took a sip from his canteen. At least the well is inside the walls. He looked back to the inside of the Fort. His men were busy catching rats for supper. Fuck. Soon we''ll have to eat the horses.


    Kory had left his Killers to their own devices and had not been seen for a month. That was¡­highly unusual. The man was a tough bastard and almost impossible to kill. The siege that arrived the third week since his absence necessitated a leader step up, and Lionel took on the role being one of the more experienced tacticians.


    "Captain Lionel!" a voice shouted from the Western wall in Khrrdian. "They sent a messenger again."


    "Usual response," he hollered back. They would shoot an arrow at the messenger''s feet. All the mercenaries knew that surrendering to Vgonia''s forces meant they would be put to work in some fashion. Their freedom taken. And not every merc in the group was Human¡­those men and women would be killed. "Fucking hot summer," he muttered. Scanning the environment, his eyes came to rest on the enormous fortification on the horizon. The Dragon''s Maw, as his Newen contact had told him.


    A ck dot began to approach. "Spyss!" Lionel yelled out. A man came running around the wall and handed it to him. Raising it to his eye, Lionel could make out the type of bird. A raven. Weird, they don''t normallye down from the mountains. He could also make out a small piece of parchment tied to one of its legs. A message?


    He waited as the bird came closer, and it alighted on the wall nearby before looking at him and croaking out in Khrrdian, "Message for mercenaries."


    Lionel and the man who brought him the spyss jumped when it talked. "The fuck?!" the merc shouted.


    "Message for mercenaries," The raven repeated. Using its beak, it removed the twine and then using a taloned foot unfurled the message before reading aloud. "Lyn Rivers, the Destroyer, offers Kory''s Killers a sum of one thousand Gold Eagles to join her in the Valley of the Volcano. Additional sry is negotiable. If you wish rescue, be ready tomorrow, as the Destroyer, herself, wille to provide safe passage. The fort will be leveled, regardless."


    Leveling the fort? How the fuck would this Destroyer do that? He shook his head, what are you thinking? A fucking 2-mile wall appeared overnight. Leveling a fort has to be easier than raising one. He pondered the bird for a moment before turning around, putting his back to the crion, and crossing his arms.


    "One thousand Gold Eagles, and we''re getting rescued?" the other merc said in disbelief.


    "Yes," the raven replied. It tapped the paper with its talon. "You keep. I fly back." It took off and flew North.


    "What are you thinking, Captain?"


    Lionel frowned, "It could be a trap. But¡­what options do we really have? We''re surrounded by Vgonia;st count was, what, three thousand?"


    "Yes sir. Siege weapons began arriving this morning. Just a battering ram for now, but they''re assembling a siege tower. It''ll be done on the morrow."


    "Yeah, we can''t fight out of that. We''re only five-hundred, and most of us aren''t versed in army warfare." He stroked his short, ruddy beard. "We''ll take the deal for now, because it''s just joining her in the Valley of the Volcano. It says nothing about fighting for her, just being there with her." He smiled and grabbed the slip of paper, turning to hispatriot. "Tell everyone ¨C we''re leaving tomorrow. Pack up anything of value. Strip the ce clean. Even the fucking brass in the tavern from thentern-hooks."

 B2 – Chapter 3

    The prior day was spent rxing with Trisha and Ben''s family, as well as meeting their kids who were extremely excited to ''fight'' the Destroyer. She had yed along with their make-believe, letting the three ''hero'' children beat her with the wooden swords as she wrestled with them on the ground. After, she, Ben, and Trisha sat and enjoyed a long catch-up. Mostly, the couple talked, and Lyn listened. She did pepper in a few questions here and there, but when it came time for her turn to describe the recent events of the past, well, she didn''t have a lot to say wanting to leave them out of the intricacies of her burgeoning empire for a bit longer.


    It was a good chance to reconnect, she thought. Ben was already treating her as he used to ¨C as someone he could be rough around, one of ''the guys'' as it were. And Trisha¡­well, they were never super close, but Lyn thought she made a good impression. After, she went back to Lynhold, rested up, and set out to the South.


    Whisperwing perched on Lyn''s horn as she walked up the stairs to the top of The Dragon''s Maw. Looking out over thend, she saw Fort Watch on the horizon, and smaller dots all around it. Thanks to the Farsight Eyedrops she had enhanced her body with, she could zoom in her vision and make out the colors of Vgonia: a green field with a ck star. Why would Cecily bother with wanting to capture a Fort?


    She had mulled over that question on her short jaunt here from Lynhold. ording to Thomas ¨C whom she had asked that morning before departing ¨C the Fort was stationed by all three kingdoms and had Kory''s Killers as a neutral force to keep a bnce on things. Thomas was at a loss, having been out of the loop on most going-ons in the wider world for the past month due to his sudden death and recovery.


    The only thing that makes sense is if she is making a move on Khrrdia. If that''s the case, then this act of aggression will be returned by James. She looked up to Whisperwing and scratched her birdpanion''s head. "Hey, I need you to return to Lynhold. Find Marshal Remora and tell her I want ten Duskari squadrons at The Dragon''s Maw to escort these mercs. You travel with them and wait for me here."


    "Okay! You got it!" Whisperwing took off.


    Lyn didn''t have enough forces yet to hold any territory or fortifications that she conquered ¨C they were spread thin as-is with the Valley and the five entrances. The ten she had sent Whisperwing to gather were all of the reserves; meant to be able to rapidly respond to any location within the Valley or rotate out on relief. Fort Watch was something she couldn''t afford to have sitting so close to hernds; too safe of a location to strike out from. And since she didn''t have the forces to capture and hold it¡­destroying it was the best option her and Remora coulde up with.


    Lyn pulled out Cataclysm, switched it to the bow configuration, and took a deep breath. "Gothron i gwanno / min enni / na rem in edin nin: / na nin togwath, athano hain thron, gwelu, thrh, a n?n rath; / na nin inath, cirad nin hoth; / na nin inedhil, athano nin th?r a cirad nin; / na nin rhaw, hathol han uin del." She felt the burning of the Destroyer core as it sizzled and bubbled up, the mana shooting through her body and enhancing all herbat characteristics ¨C speed, strength, and reaction time. Channeling a slight bit of mana into the storage choker, she pulled an arrow from the pocket dimension and let loose, counting the time down with toe-taps until itnded in the center of the fort almost three miles away. "Adhano na phain nin galu."


    "We''re under attack!" one of the men screamed as an arrow thudded into the wooden gpole at the center of Fort Watch.


    Every eye ¨C Lionel''s included, snapped to the walls. "Get up there!" he shouted. "To arms!" Fucking Destroyer not showing up. Stupid raven. They-


    "I''m here to get you lot out of here," a female voice said in Shereldian behind Lionel. He turned and saw a woman wearing ck full te, holding a longbow with a zing string of mana instead of a normal bowstring. She was standing at the foot of the gpole. She wasn''t very tall, but she was muscr, the full te hugging close to her form.


    That has to fucking chafe, Lionel thought. The mercs looked to the voice and several drew arms. Lionel held up his hand and approached the woman with horns on her helm, her eyes the only part of her he could make out ¨C two gorgeous, blue eyes that flickered with an inner me. "You sent the raven?"


    "I''m guessing you''re their boss. Lionel, was it? That''s what I was told," she replied. "Are you lot ready to leave?"


    Lionel looked at the men who were standing waiting for orders, torn between going to the walls and listening in to the conversation, or even attacking this strange person. "Yeah, that''s me. How''d you hear about me?"


    "Sources," she replied inly. "Right, how many total?"


    "Five hundred, plus horses. Each has their own."


    The armored woman nodded, "I''m going to scare off this army. And if they won''t be scared, then they''ll die. Gather up and be ready to move out." The woman seemingly pulled an arrow from thin air, raised it, and let loose at top of therge tower standing at the rear of the Fort ¨C the highest ce on the fortification. A momentter, she muttered some spell and vanished.


    "Did she just-"


    "Fucking teleportation?!"


    "That takes so much mana¡­"


    Lionel raised his voice, "You heard the woman! Get everything in the center of the fort! Now!" He barked out the orders and his men, Kory''s Killers, set to task. But he stood stock-still, and everyone froze, as the voice they had all heard almost a month ago roared out from the top of the fortress.


    "I am Lyn Rivers, Destroyer!" the draconic growl seemingly vibrated the air. "Fort Watch will be demolished, so go! You have no prize here! Tell Princess Cecily Vgonia that Lady Rivers has dered this a no-man''snd! Flee, or suffer the consequences. You have five minutes."


    Lionel ran up to the wall and looked out. The army surrounding the fort ¨C at least on the Eastern side ¨C looked to be forming up for battle. He nced back at the armored figure atop the tower. I don''t think just shouting is going to scare them, he thought.


    "Captain! Look!" one of the men who was making his way off the wall with quivers full of arrows paused and pointed into the sky.


    The cloud-studded sky became much darker as the puffy masses merged together above the fort. They began to twist and swirl around each other. What in Aelor''s name?


    "I''ve seen these, sir!" the man with the quivers said in awe. "Twist-wind, just like the edge of urin."


    The clouds suddenly surged down toward the ground outside the fort, and a swirling mass of dust and debris began to violently swirl around. Blue lightning crackled inside the vortex, and bright, blueva surged around the center in bands that made the whole moving structure appear like blown ss ornaments. Lionel had to cover his face as the radiant heat reached the tops of the walls.


    Once more, the voice of the Destroyer came from behind him. "Four minutes."


    She''s doing it! Lionel swallowed the knot that had formed in his throat. What kind of monster is she? He grabbed a quiver from the man and pushed him towards the stairs down, "Come on! Let''s get ready!" He tried to ignore the howling that began to echo out from the raging wind, the crackling of lightning, and the loud sizzling of molten rock that would crack and pop as it cooled and melted once more.


    The vortex eventually grew to epass the whole fort over the five-minute time frame; and they were standing in the eye of the storm. Sparing a nce up, he saw the armored figure seemingly shake her head. Lionel didn''t want to risk being sucked up into this twist-wind¡­but he had to see. mbering up the stairs with orders not to be followed, he looked out and saw the Vgonian military in full rout ¨C leaving behind near-full camps of supplies.


    The winds died down as the figure leaped from the tower, a cloak billowed out behind them, and shended at the center of the fort amongst the arrayed mercenaries, having slowly descended like some type of dark harbinger from the skies. "Captain Lionel," she shouted in her female voice. "Take your men out. Straight to The Dragon''s Maw."


    "You heard the woman," Lionel shouted as he directed his men out of the gates. She came up to stand next to him, and her full helmet seemingly melted into her armor. She was Duskari, with a very cute, gorgeous face and those blue alluring eyes that ¨C quite literally ¨C had inner mes that he could see flickering.


    "Good job. You can follow orders well enough," she stated bluntly as the bow she was holding morphed into a sword hilt, which she then socketed into her armor. At the same time, her body decreased in mass. "Not half bad looking either."


    That was an internal spell? Wow, she is tiny. Barely any muscle on her. He shook his head. Snap out of it, it''s just a woman. "Thanks, Kory taught me well."


    "Where is he, these days?"


    "No clue. He was injured, went to-"


    "Yes, the Healer hero. Well then, looks like you have just as much info on him as I do." She sighed and cracked her neck. "Right. I''ll have your Gold Eagles at Lynhold. Then, we can discuss a contract."


    "What contract?" Lionel asked, genuine curiosity taking over as the allure of money overcame his earlier desire to just go with her and then depart.


    "Simply put, I have a standing army of less than fifteen thousand. I need to expand." She smirked, "Not battlefieldbatants, are you? Your gear suggests strike forces and ambushes, am I right?"


    Lionel nodded, "Yes ma''am." He reverted to his roots in the Shereldian military, before it was taken over by Vgonia.


    "Well, you''d be working under my Marshal, Remora. You would be used as she sees fit; but no open engagements." She smirked, "I like having my troops y to their passions and strengths."


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    "I''ll have to run any long-term contract by the men. We vote on the big decisions. Kory insisted all men had a voice for the big deals."


    "Smart," she chuckled. "Didn''t take him for wizening up after all these years."


    "Beg my pardon¡­did you know him?"


    Lyn looked off to the North, where the mercenaries were traveling out of the gate. "Once you''ve met one Berserker hero, you''ve met all of them." She waved her hand, "Get out of here. I''m going to level the ce, and you won''t want to be inside the walls."


    Lionel didn''t need to be told twice and nodded his head curtly before mounting up and riding after his men. As they rode for The Dragon''s Maw, he craned his head back to Fort Watch.


    In an instant, the whole fortification turned to sand. Spokes of wood and other non-earth-aligned objects were left in the sudden dunes. She pulled that bow out once more, nocked and loosed an arrow¡­then vanished.


    And changing stone to sand? Her control must be extremely refined. He found himself quite enamored with her mastery of Elenthir. Makes sense, she''s just a new version of an ancient creature. But that also shocked him as he turned back to his Northern ride. The heroes must have been insanely powerful in their own right to beat whatever it used to be.


    Onest thought flitted through his mind as he yed back the conversation he had just concluded with the Destroyer. Did she¡­sheplimented my looks. He let out augh, and the men riding near him looked over with faces of confusion. He just waved them off. Maybe I''ll try to sleep with her. Those ws look a bit dangerous, but I''d be the first in Kory''s Killers to sleep with a Duskari. The bragging rights alone would be worth it.


    "My Lady!" a servant shouted as he chased Cecily down the hallways of her pce.


    She turned and gestured, the servant bowing as soon as she did so. "What is it?"


    "Your highness, a report hase from yourmander at Fort Watch." The servant ¨C who was a go-between from Cecily and her war council ¨C handed her an inscribed mirror. The item was rare, and only her five members of the highmand in her military held them.


    Cecily looked at the object and channeled mana into it. The image of a grizzled, scarred woman appeared. "Commander Sigurd. Report."


    The grizzled veteran nodded tersely, "Fort Watch has been destroyed. A person in full ck te armor appeared atop the fort. She called herself Lady Rivers, the Destroyer, and that the area was a no-man''snd."


    Fucking bitch, Cecily thought. Having Fort Watch would have given her the means to easily garrison along her Northern border. "You said it was destroyed?"


    "Turned to sand, your grace."


    That sent a chill through Cecily. Fort Watch was not a small ce, easily a square half-mile of fortified walls and interior buildings. Turning the whole construction to sand meant this Destroyer had enough mana for transmutation external spells ¨C one of the most taxing to use ¨C or their control over earth elementalism was wless. For the first time in many, many years¡­Cecily felt a hint of fear trickling down her spine.


    "My Lady?" Commander Sigurd asked. "Are you well? You look pale."


    Cecily pushed aside her emotion and closed her eyes momentarily, taking a deep breath as she pulsed her mana core. Almost enough, she thought. She opened her eyes and nodded, "Commander, take your forces to Komorra to back up the Berserker hero. I want the duchy secured by week''s end. Use whatever force necessary. Then, you and Lord Smith will march on Rist and get them in line."


    "Your will be done, your grace." The mirror faded to a silver polished surface. Cecily handed it to the servant and continued her jaunt to the gardens. As she walked amongst the flowers and sweet-smelling herbs, she began to plot. The Destroyer seeks a no-man''snd. And they''ve walled off the North of The Rill. This ''Lady Rivers'', Lyn reborn, whatever¡­she''s moving to ally with Trisk and building up a barrier.


    She couldn''t afford to strike out against Trisk or the now-extremely defendable Valley of the Volcano with James and Khrrdia a threat. But this Destroyer wasn''t moving on the offense, just ying defensively.


    That meant Cecily had time. Time to fully cement her control of Vgonia. Time to finish consuming mana cores of criminal scum. To finally have enough mana to cast a kingdom-wide memory muddling spell on her own. With the restriction of Human only, the mana cost would be significantly reduced.


    She let out a deep exhale before walking over to her favorite rose bush. The dirt below was recently disturbed ¨C newpost from ground-up corpses of the criminals she tortured before consuming their mana cores. She picked one of the violet roses and sniffed the sweet scent. One goal still eluded her, and that was getting an expedition to the Ruins of Elent. I need to find some way to avoid mortal demise.


    Cecily knew she was aging, and it grated on her. Now at the age of thirty-three, she knew she would not live forever. But there had to be a way to transfer mana cores. She knew there had to be a spell, since dungeon cores of the Elenthians operated on the same property. And she knew that those cores contained whispers and fragments of memory; thest words when they were consumed. There must be a way to transfer my whole consciousness with the mana core. It was the whole point of VEROG, the project her Spymaster had been assisting with for years now. Finding the perfect candidates for Cecily''s new body.


    She smiled as she took a few more roses from the bush and ventured to the wing of the pce dedicated to the boarding school for VEROG candidates. Young women from all over the kingdom, those who looked like Cecily, were invited to obtain the highest degree of education possible, whilst also improving upon their mana cores. She had twelve candidates at present, all varying ages.


    One of them would be her vessel. Once she had the knowledge required. I need to have someone explore those Ruins. If only Thomas was still alive. She had heard rumor of his downfall at the hands of James, and the smashing of the statue of Aelor. Shame he died. I would like to thrall him again and extract everything he knows.


    "Bring me that scrap of parchment," Thomas ordered in Triskol as he worked feverishly on his current project. As the Court Schr, his job was to work under the office of Chancellor Vehenna, and his current task was something he had always wanted to try.


    Education reform.


    Most kingdoms did not have much formal schooling. Private tutors were the norm for those who could afford it. Only one kingdom ¨C Trisk ¨C and the Free City of Bashinol offered free public education¡­and it was nowhere near what Thomas and the other heroes had experienced on Earth. Lyn had asked him to set up the foundation of a public school system.


    As she had put it during their brief conversation the prior morning, "I want every person in the empire who wishes to learn to be given the opportunity to do so." It was a bold maneuver, and once established, could be used as propaganda to entice settlers toe to the Valley of the Volcano and bulk out the poption. Parents would jump at the opportunity to have their children educated. And many of the adults would benefit from Elenthir courses.


    Stes was assisting him in this endeavor. He was quite proud of her development thus far, and she had a very strong grasp on Elenthir''s guiding principles. Enough that he trusted her to create a simple primer with the Elenthir alphabet and some of the basic word structure. She brought over the script he had asked for, and he checked over the notes on it. "How''s iting along?" Stes asked.


    "Decently," Thomas replied. "We''ll need people to copy down these master textbooks, and then also do trantions to each of thenguages." He took a deep breath and leaned back in the padded wooden chair. His quarters in the dread fortress were spacious; bedroom, attached bathroom, and a salon where he had set up several desks with reams of parchment, plenty of ink, and quills. "How is the primering along?"


    Stes handed him the book and he nodded as he read through, marking some minor fixes before handing it back to her. "It goes well," Stes said, practically beaming with pride at the very few changes Thomas had to make.


    "Good. Want to take a break and get something to eat?" Thomas asked as he stood up and stretched, feeling his back pop several times as he did so.


    "Sure," Stes replied as she set the book down and headed to the door.


    The two went through the now-illuminated fortress to the kitchens. The deeper Conve was kept in darkness, as the Duskari had no need for light, and it made for an excellent security precaution. These days, only Lyn, her council, a handful of servants, and her bodyguards went into or out of the hidden tunnels.


    They both acquired tters of food before going to the dining hall. It was quite empty, as the fortress had been designated for the use of visiting emissaries, ambassadors, diplomats, and the Council itself. Most Duskari had moved out of the fortress and into Lynhold, due to Lyn''s desire to have the various races intermingle as much as possible.


    Stes probed at the fuzz-covered bacon with her fork and made a slight whining noise. Thomas just chuckled and dove right in, savoring the sweet, salty vor and pushing aside the odd tickling sensation of the fuzz on the exterior of the meat. "Come on, try it," he said.


    The Vharthon woman picked up a slice of the bacon and chewed a corner, taking the tiniest of bites. Her eyes went wide, and she began digging into the meal in earnest. "It''s so good," she muttered between bites. "But it looks weird. It doesn''t look like food."


    Thomas chuckled and continued eating. After both had finished, they were getting up to leave when they spotted Zebed, the emissary from the Free City of Bashinol, entering with his bodyguards. They, too, had food piled high on their tters, and the man bowed to Thomas with reverence. "Give me a moment," Thomas said as he got up and walked over, swapping to Khrrdian. "Zebed, it''s been a long time since we talked."


    The man squinted slightly, "Do I know you?"


    "Thomas Harrow, Knowledge hero. We met a few years ago when you visited James. I was the guy living on the-"


    "Living on the docks with the wyvern! I remember! You look younger!" The portly man''s stomach jiggled as he chuckled. "Where is that beast of yours? It was as big as a wolf back then!"


    Thomas'' heart dropped and he just shook his head.


    "Ah¡­condolences," Zebed replied to the silent answer. "You are allied with this Lady Rivers?"


    "Yes," Thomas replied. "But I wanted to ask you something. What route did you take to arrive here?"


    "I came up the Azure Divide after visiting Kor''s Hold."


    "¡­Did you meet James?"


    "The new king? Yes. My boys are staying with his family whilst I am here on this business trip."


    Thomas nodded as the vivid memory of being stabbed through the torso reyed in his mind''s eye. "Well¡­I am happy your family is safe. We are working on good things here."


    "Oh, yes. I heard. I cannot wait to begin shipping in new citizens seeking a lease on life. It ought to be quite lucrative."


    "Mhmm. Well¡­nice seeing you."


    "Likewise."


    Thomas walked back to Stes, sullenly grabbed his tray, and returned it to the kitchen before trudging back to his quarters. Stes followed him in and closed the door gently. "What''s going on?" she asked politely in Triskol.


    "I¡­" Thomas went to the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. "¡­Remembering my friend¡­stabbing me¡­"


    She came over, sat down next to him, and he felt her tails flutter out behind him; one caressing the back of his head gently. "Dying must have been rough."


    Thomas nodded, "I don''t wish it on anyone," he stated bluntly. "But ites for all of us." He felt his arms shaking and he gripped his thighs as tightly as he could to keep from trembling all over.


    Stes gently put her hand on top of his, "But not you, with those scars."


    He shook his head, "I''d need to make a new body first, then re-scar it with the same verses¡­and it requires someone else to activate the body with mana. The inscription takes a lot. Misty could do it. Any of the heroes could." He nced over at her, "With training, you could."


    Stes smiled gently, "Well, if you don''t think it too bold¡­may I propose an idea?"


    "Sure," Thomas replied as heid back and closed his eyes.


    "We can be each other''s insurance. I''ll work on training my mana core¡­however I do that¡­and then we both can have backup bodies."


    Thomas pinched the bridge of his nose, "Making a new body isn''t as simple as casting a spell," he said. "It takes years to grow an exact copy of yourself."


    "Then what are we waiting for?"


    Thomas opened his eyes and looked at her, sitting on the edge of the bed. He could see the hunger for not only knowledge, but multiple lifetimes to continue learning. "Why not. I''ll work on getting the materials we need. Having another backup n is always a good idea."


    Stes grinned broadly and nodded, "Of course."


    "But¡­a warning. Your mana core will not transfer when you die. The only reason I got the Knowledge hero core back is because it fled my body when I died and sought me out. Most mana cores just expire after a minute. That means we''ll have to have a mana core ced in your cloned body."


    "Not¡­harvesting one¡­right?"


    "No. Nothing like that," Thomas replied. "We can use any simple animal''s core. But¡­you want something stronger." He smiled, "If I can get to the Ruins of Elent, well, let''s just say I have several mana cores avable to choose from."


    Stes grinned, "Then what are we waiting for? Let''s work on this curriculum so you can go sooner!"


    Thomas nodded and took her offered hand as she pulled him up. Back to it then.

 B2 – Chapter 4

    Gael stood at rapt attention as Fin finished the report. "¡­Trisk appears open to bing your first vassal state. Diplomat Rashanna''s letterys out a date and a location for you to meet King Skir." She walked forward, handed Lyn the letter, and then took her ce behind Spymaster Velenna.


    Lyn was silent for several seconds, and Gael nced over at his sister who stood on the opposite side of the throne, deep in the council chamber within the Conve of the Fortress. The entire council was present, including the newly appointed heroes that had arrived. Gael knew that his sister was thinking the same thing he was. We are finally going to get to leave the Valley for a bit.


    Neither of them were against their appointment as bodyguards, but they were mostly for show; Lyn needed no protection. Their main role if she chose to travel was to just keep watch while she slept or entertain her physically after making camp. Gael let out a slight sigh, and Lyn snapped her gaze at him. "Thoughts?" she asked.


    Gael shook his head, "No, my Lady."


    "Hmph." Lyn looked back at the slip of paper. "Dunsk, eh? That''s not too far off from the Northern Valley entrance." She cocked her head sideways for a moment, "Three days by foot, if memory serves." She looked over to Fin, "Send raven back to our Diplomat; we will meet at the appointed time and ce." She looked across the rest of the council chamber. "Now¡­report out. Chancellor?"


    Chancellor Vehenna stood up, "All is progressing ordingly, my Lady. The Alchemist hero has sessfully trained several apprentices who are now in the process of producing copious amounts of Purple Patches and other medicines that can be distributed. The Healer hero has epted multiple applications to enter her school of healing. The Seer, Dran, has been extremely helpful in identifying those with these¡­markers you speak of that seems to gift some people with the ability to use spell types far exceeding their mana capacity."


    Like me and Vael, Gael thought. Water elementalism was one of the easiest elementalism types, but Lyn had taught them both how to manipte blood as well; a subtype that cost much more mana. Even a simple spell to lock up an opponent''s limbs for a few seconds almost exhausted them. That meant most warriors would have nowhere near enough mana to perform such a feat. We really are special, he thought, recalling Lyn''sment about some ''gic trait'' that enabled their capacity in water elementalism.


    The Chancellor took her seat, and Thane Mol stood up. He spoke in short, barking words of the Slorennguage, and Gael''s thoughts began to drift off as he and Lyn corresponded in thatnguage. He thought of the beautiful new rooms that Lyn had carved out in the Conve, near her own chambers. One of which she had richly appointed and given to his and Bolvon''s use. He smiled, ncing over at the Shadowstalker who sat just behind the Spymaster. They exchanged looks, and Bolvon winked at him suggestively.


    Thane Mol sat down, and Marshal Remora stood. Thenguage swapped back to Arinol, and Gael listened intently. "The five-hundred-man strong mercenarypany is being set to work training our Duskari Squadrons in rotation on their unique ambush and skirmishing tactics. We are also working on codifying their instructions in writing. With the help of your new Court Schr, the Knowledge hero, we are also working on a way to codify mandatory service for citizens."


    "And tell me," Lyn replied, "Do our current forces have proper distribution of gear and equipment? I had heard stirrings that we were running low on chain skirts and other armorponents."


    "¡­That is correct, Lady Rivers. We simply don''t have enough smiths as it stands to amodate that."


    The Knowledge hero stood up at this point and interjected in perfect Arinol, "I''ll take care of it, Lyn. If we have the raw materials, I can do a spell to make sheets and sheets of chain shirts. Stes and I will take care of it."


    Lyn nodded, "Coordinate with the Marshal."


    I wonder how he ns on doing that? Gael thought. A spell, yes¡­but is he going to control metal? Gael knew that the various elementalism sub-types were very taxing to utilize. Metal fell underneath Earth. How much mana do these heroes have? He thought.


    "Of course, Lady Rivers. One more thing; the Ari marines are performing some odd ritual in the mornings. Laying in thekes and¡­making ripples."


    "They''re just doing what she showed me," Admiral Na stated. "Improving our mana capacity."


    Lyn nodded, "Yes. I hope to have every soldier, before they go to sleep each day ¨C or in the morning ¨Cplete a few cycles of mana cirction. Admiral, please send a few of your Ari marines to teach the Duskari Squadrons. They can spread the technique amongst the other rank and file."


    The two militarymanders nodded, and the Spymaster, Velenna, stood up. "Lady Rivers, there are stirrings. Reports from some of my contacts in Khrrdia have stated that a dragon has joined the forces of the Paragon hero."


    The whole room went silent. Lyn leaned forward, "A real dragon? Not a wyvern?"


    "Yes."


    "True dragon?"


    "It turned into a person upon arriving in Kor''s Hold."


    Gael looked over at Vael and saw the same wide-as-saucer eyes. "Forgive me, Lady Lyn," Gael interrupted, "But that''s not going to be arge issue to deal with, correct? I would never doubt your power, but a true dragon¡­"


    Lyn looked at him and nodded, "I could deal with it. But they are strong. A true dragon can take on a veteran hero, or a whole army of five thousand seasoned troops alone." She looked to the Knowledge hero, "I thought they were extinct."


    He shrugged, "They could have hidden amongst the poption of the kingdoms for all we know. They are fiercely territorial, though, so if this is indeed a true dragon as this information seems to indicate¡­it may have a deal with the Paragon hero to be granted control of territory within his borders."


    The Spymaster nodded, "On another note, Lady Rivers, I have also learned that Vgonia has almostpleted its quelling of rebellious duchies. I would imagine, soon, thatrge-scale war efforts will be underway, and the forces of Khrrdia and Vgonia would begin conflict in no more than a year."


    Lyn nodded, "Good. Thank you. Anything else?" The council was silent, and she stood. "I n on taking a journey to the Ruins of Elent before this meeting with King Skir of Trisk. I will be taking the Knowledge hero and my bodyguards. Thomas, will Stes be joining us?"


    "She will not be, Lady Lyn. She is going to continue work on the Elenthir primer you requested."


    "Good. Shadowstalker Bolvon, I want you to travel to Diplomat Rashanna''s location at Skir''s Retreat. You are to then stay with her and her guards. I want you at that meeting, in case we must¡­remove King Skir. Otherwise, you are to be at her disposal."


    Bolvon nodded and bowed, "My goddess, it will be done."


    "We leave in three days," Lyn stated as she stood. "Council dismissed." She looked to Gael, "Go spend time with your partner." She turned to Vael, "May I have you this evening?" the female bodyguard nodded, and the two left the council room.


    Bolvon walked over to Gael as the various councilors left or split into small groups to discuss ns. He wrapped an arm around Gael''s shoulder and gave him a peck on the cheek, "What''s on your mind?"


    "¡­Let''s go to the old training hall," Gael replied as he took Bolvon''s hand and led the way into the Conve''s halls. They arrived at therge cavern, and Gael recalled the enormous wave ofva Lyn had used to demonstrate her power. The room was now used as storage, since the exterior of the fortress had ample room for training grounds with therger sized military. This was also the ce where Gael and Bolvon spent many hours in their youth, and they went to a small alcove with a few cushions ¨C their little getaway.


    Bolvon sat down with a sigh, "Okay, now that we''re here¡­what are you thinking?"


    Gael put aside his spear and began taking off the Titansteel armor he had been gifted for defeating a dungeon with Lyn. "I''m just a little overwhelmed. I would never doubt Lyn''s decisions, but the sheer number of people is¡­a lot to deal with."


    "But you barely interact with them," Bolvon replied as he helped Gael pull off therge chest te.


    "I know," Gael replied. "I''m overthinking it. Still, people know I''m her Bodyguard. They know that I''m special among Duskari¡­but I''m not." He sighed, "I was just on patrol when she arrived. That''s it. Just luck led me to this position. The same with Vael." He pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them. "She wanted a meritocracy, and I don''t feel like I''ve done anything to really separate myself from the rest of the Duskari."


    Bolvon moved his cushion next to Gael''s and wrapped his arm around him, "You''re one of the best spear-wielders that the Conve has to offer. Don''t discount yourself."


    "I couldn''t even strike her in a weakened state when she arrived when practicing with spearbat."


    "She is on a different level than us. Among Duskari¡­you''re strong, brave, and capable."


    Gael sighed, "I guess¡­" he looked into his partner''s deep red eyes. "I''m happy for you, at least. Getting to use your talents."


    Bolvon chuckled, "Yeah. Thank our goddess for trusting Spymaster Velenna with her choice of employing me as her Shadowstalker." He nuzzled up to Gael, "We are going to spend these next few days not thinking about duty. Just be here in the now with me."


    Gael nodded and wrapped his arm around Bolvon, "Okay."


    Lyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Echado had en-nautha / i garo sui fan en-nauth / a na sui i garna idhren / sui athano en-arn sui bo nauth / leithio ha a haw glen / a maith ha ben meth." A shimmering, blue doorway appeared in space next to her ¨C ten foot by ten foot ¨C revealing an extradimensional space as she used the storage external spell type she had gained from Zack''s rogue core. Thomas, Vael, Gael, and Bolvon all entered the space, and several Duskari helped carry provisions and furniture inside.


    "It''s a tight fit," Thomas stated in Arinol as there was just enough room for all four to sit on a cushion.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Well, it''s not like we have much choice if we want to travel fast," Lyn replied in the samenguage. "Plus, Bolvon is going to be dropped off after a few hours; should give you lot some wiggle room."


    The rest of the supplies were moved in, and Lyn released the spell, allowing the extradimensional space to close. Now, she could use a simple single-versemand to open that storage dimension. The Duskari who were helping load in the supplies bowed and left.


    Lyn took a deep breath and equipped Cataclysm, reaching into the choker''s storage dimension and drawing an arrow. Using the ability to mentally mana charge an object, Lyn chose to try something new. Ceven nin paich en-galu a gwaew / leithio han na padad haeron a dir avorn / a thenad dad nin barad na i paich / sui tharad. The bow crackled with lightning and gusting wind as both substances covered the arrow as she drew back. The spell was intended to increase the speed of the arrow by not just imbuing the weapon with the elemental types, but to force the arrow to take on the features of those elements ¨C namely, the speed of lightning, and the weightlessness of wind.


    She let loose, and the arrow shot in a straight line with a thunderous report. It did not arc, and sailed into the sky, above the clouds, and continued ¨C a bolt of blue into the skies. After three seconds, she muttered the Archer''s unique teleportation spell. "Adhano na phain nin galu."


    Lyn appeared above the clouds and let herself free fall until she broke through. She activated her cloak and took in the terrain ¨C she had traveled well out of the Valley of the Volcano''s mountainous walls and was several miles into the kingdom of Trisk''s territory. I can''t believe that worked, she thought. This will make travel so much faster.


    Holding her wrist up in front of her, she channeled mana into the bracer; taking note that the heat in her torso was at about half capacity. Damn, so turning an arrow into lightning and giving it unlimited distance, and teleporting to it is really taxing. Even with her mana full, if she was freely teleporting without the unique Archer capability, she would be able to maybe travel fifty feet. The spell type was that mana intensive.


    The map showed a dungeon about twenty miles to the North-East. Right, first I need to drop Bolvon off. She deactivated the cloak and went into free fall, reactivating it before touching down on the ground. And thank God this thing reverts momentum from the fall. "Edro nin haden." The shimmering blue doorway opened next to her. "Alright Bolvon, this is your stop."


    All four inside the space looked at her in shock. "What?" Thomas said in English. "It''s been less than five minutes!"


    "I tried a new spell," she replied in Arinol. "Turns out, it''s effective for travel. Come on Bolvon, say bye to your love."


    Bolvon got up and embraced Gael, sharing a kiss with his partner before exiting the storage space. Lyn pointed him in the direction of Skir''s Retreat. He turned to her and bowed deeply, "My goddess, I thank you for this opportunity to prove my worth once more."


    Lyn nodded and smiled, "You''re wee. Now get going."


    Bolvon nodded and muttered a spell under his breath as his figure became obfuscated by flickering shadows as he ran ¨C far faster than a person could ¨C to the North-East.


    "Alright you three," Lyn said as she looked at Thomas, Vael, and Gael. She held up the bracer and showed them the map, "We have one dungeon we can hit on the way to Misty''s mage school in Vharthos. Then, we can go to the isle of Feylin ¨C maybe even recruit some of the pixie smiths to the cause."


    "And then the Ruins," Thomas said in Arinol. He looked at Vael and Gael, "You two are skilled frontlinebatants, and I am mostly built to support others inbat with spells to bolster you or inhibit our foes."


    Vael smirked, "Can you heal?"


    "Yes. Not as well as Trisha, but well," Thomas replied.


    "Good! Closing now, I''ll see you three in a few minutes." Lyn let the spell cease and the aperture vanished. She pulled another arrow from the choker and repeated the lightning arrow spell before letting loose and teleporting once more.


    "Come on, Admiral! Why do we have to do this? The water''s cold!" One of the Duskari, a young one, shouted at Na.


    "Just fucking suck it up," she replied tersely. This group was the second rotation of squadron members who would take the learning back to their unit and instruct them. Then, we''ll have to also make sure we do random inspections to ensure they''re doing the exercises daily. "Alright! Lay all the way back! And pump that mana through your body! Up to the head, down to the toes!"


    The squadron operatives did as instructed and dipped themselves into theke. Mana began churning the water around them in small ripples. Nowhere near the waves Lady Rivers was creating. Several operatives had toe up for air before going back under.


    "Admiral Na!" Strike Commander nosh came over and saluted, sping his fist to his chest with the fingers extended like a w over the heart. "Permission to speak freely?"


    "Yes, of course," she replied.


    "Why are only the squadrons being given this new training regimen?"


    Na shrugged, "They''re just getting some hands on practice, and then they''ll advise the rest of the forces."


    "Well¡­may I join them?"


    "I don''t see why not. Jump into the water, and when you dunk your head under, focus on pushing your mana through your body ¨C from the top of the head to the tips of your toes." The Newen strike leader did as instructed, and to Na''s immense surprise ¨C the water that circted was not a ripple. Instead, the mana circting caused the water to stay perfectly still. What in the abyss? She looked over to her raven messenger and whistled for it toe over. It pped to the wooden post nearby and looked at her, waiting for orders. "Go to Lynhold and fetch that Vharthon that apanied the Knowledge hero."


    The raven flew off, and Na continued to observe the operatives and the Newen Strike Commander. After about ten minutes, the Vharthon woman at the council meeting ran over. "Hi," she said in Triskol.


    Na swapped to hernguage, "What do you make of that?" she asked as she pointed at the submerged Newen.


    The woman''s eyes went wide, and her tails began swishing back and forth. "He''s circting mana?"


    "Supposedly."


    She knelt and muttered something in Elenthir. The water lit up with sparkles all around the Duskari operatives¡­but the sparkles stayed away from the Newen. Instead, the calm water seemed like a buffer. "That''s amazing! It''s¡­wow."


    "What is it?" Na asked.


    "Wait for him toe up," she stated. The two stood, patiently, and when nosh came up for air, the Vharthon woman waved him over. "I want to try something," she stated.


    nosh looked at Na and spoke in Arinol, "What''s she saying?"


    "I''ll trante," Na replied. She looked to the Vharthon woman and swapped back to Triskol, "Use me as the go-between."


    Over the next few minutes, the Vharthon woman used an Elenthir spell to create a floating sphere of me. The edges flickered and crackled with barely restrained power. She coached nosh through a simple Elenthir verse, and when he uttered it, the ball of mespressed to a smaller dot.


    "Amazing," the fox-folk said. "His mana core; and maybe every Newen''s mana core, canpress other spells."


    "What''s that mean when it rtes to warfare?" Na asked.


    "It means that we need to test more Newen''s mana cores. Normally they don''t train in spell use, due to their low amount of mana. But if we taught a simple verse to every Newen that could do what nosh just did¡­"


    "Yes?"


    "This tiny sphere of fire still has the same potency and strength as before." The Vharthon woman waved her hand, and the sphere dashed forward over theke before erupting in arge gout of fire that drew attention from people nearby. "It''s much harder to see." She turned and grinned broadly, "It means that your Duskari squadrons, with a Newen or two imnted into each group, could have stealth spells."


    Na''s eyes went wide with the implications of that on a battlefield. Ari marines using spells without being detected? We could light enemy ships on fire without them even knowing itsing.


    The Vharthon woman grinned ear to ear, "We have to test this out more. Tell nosh to get more of his people."


    Lyn arrived at the edge of the territory known as Raptol ¨C arge, verdant forest filled with life. Also, the primary home to the race of bird-folk known as Raptin. They were an istionist group, but not forck of being kind and weing to other races; more because their main diet of various tree nuts was harder to maintain outside of the enormous forest they called home. Some traveled, and a few settled small colonies in other forests¡­but here, the trees shot up into the sky, easily five hundred feet and taller. Large, wide branches crisscrossed to allow for many perches, and the forest floor was covered in foliage and detritus of fallen leaves.


    Lyn channeled mana into the bracer and checked the map''s three-dimensional mode. It''s up in the trees. She aimed the bow up there and let loose a shot, teleporting to the arrow. "Gothron i gwanno / min enni / na nin togwath / hadano hain / anno nin thron / a nin gwelu." Her muscles expanded from the simple internal spell, and she began her traversal of the trees, leaping from branch to branch, propelled forward by her prodigious muscr power.


    She had to dig her ws into one of the branches,ing to a sudden stop as she heard movement. pping movement. She ttened her back against a tree and closed her eyes to focus on her sense of hearing. To the left, and down. She peered over the tree and spotted several Raptin. Effectively a hybridization between human and bird, their arms acted as the appendages their wings were attached to, and they had avian wed feet.


    Lyn weighed her options. She could expose herself, try and approach them in a spirit of kindness, and possibly even try to sell them on the idea of joining her burgeoning empire. But¡­the forests around Lynhold and within the Valley were not full of nut-bearing trees that they would require for their diet. Maybe when or if I get flora as a spell type, then I could sell them with the idea of having unlimited foodstuffs. They made for excellent scouts, being the only race on Ghomar who could fly under physical power alone. No, better to leave it for now.


    She stayed still as they left, and when the pping receded, she used the bracer once more. It''s a few trees over, and under a branch. She looked over the edge and spotted therge branch. Hopping down to it, she dug her ws in and peered over the side. Sure enough, a knothole in the tree under the branch led to a small opening, and inside of it, a wooden gate with a purple film over it.


    This door marks the dungeon of Rikta, Forest Tender. Threats within ¨C monsters. Reward ¨C body enhancement items, mana core. She heaved her body over the side of the branch and used the momentum from her nted hands tounch herself into the open space, passing through the film and entering the dungeon.


    "Edro nin haden." The storage space opened, and the trio inside looked up at her. "Alright, dungeon time."


    Thomas got up and exited first, stretching a bit, "What''s the threat?"


    "Monsters," Lyn replied. She looked at the twins as they, too, stretched a bit from the slightly cramped space. Lyn let the spell cease and the storage space closed. She smirked, "I beat this dungeon once in the past."


    Gael looked over at her, "More hero cores?"


    "Oh, right." Lyn walked outside and raised her hand to the skies, pointing it up through a spot in the canopy. "Ladatho an¨ªra en-thalion / en-gwathren a galu / an rithia i aew an-uir / a t?go na ai hero thalion gond / En garo na ered i garan." The bolt of lightning and shadow sted up through the canopy, and shot up to the edge of the atmosphere, scattering against it. She went back through the film as Gael and Vael finished putting on their armor. "There, I''ve sent up the signal for any hero core that''s floating about."


    Thomas chuckled, and switched to English, "Did you forget? Really?"


    Lyn shook her head, and replied in Arinol, "I had other things on my mind. Figuring out how to integrate the Raptin."


    "Ah," Thomas replied, switching to match Lyn. "Well, let''s get this party started. Internal spells?"


    Lyn nodded and looked to the twins, "You''ve been practicing the upgraded variant I came up with?"


    The twins nodded and almost in tandem used the spell that Lyn had developed. "Gothron i gwanno / min enni / na rem in edin nin: / na nin togwath, athano hain thron, gwelu, thrh, a n?n rath; / na nin inath, cirad nin hoth; / na nin inedhil, athano nin th?r a cirad nin; / na nin rhaw, hathol han uin del."


    Lyn rifled through the words of the spell herself, and thebat enhancing, internal spell was readily apparent as all were quite muscr and had a slight glow about their skin. "Ready?" she asked as she went towards the pedestal.


    "One moment," Thomas replied. "Get closer together, you three. Hold hands."


    "Come on you two," Lyn replied as she walked over to the twins and grabbed their hands. "He''s got something good up his sleeves."


    Thomas chuckled, "Yes. I''m going to link your bodies. Let''s say, Gael, your arm was to be chopped off; it wouldn''t be, but both Lyn and Vael here would suffer injury." He nced at Lyn, "And since you can heal yourself, that regenerative healing will replicate to these two. I can heal if necessary, but it''s very mana intensive for my core." He cleared his throat. "Echado gaear / min hain gwelirui / sui an ai hain naeg a nestad / carnen na erin / na thenad / bain i auth."


    Lyn felt an odd tugging sensation at the tips of her wed fingers and toes, as if someone was pulling on them, which faded after a moment. She drew Cataclysm and switched it to the spear configuration as she poured mana into it. "All ready?"


    "One more thing," Thomas said. "Just a generic barrier. Bartho men uin naeg / a gwain men / min i perian / i telia naeg." His hands red with a deep, creamy-white light, the color of high-quality paper. The light shed from his palms and settled in an armor-hugging barrier that would protect from harm as long as he had mana to keep it up. The more damage that the barrier took, the more mana that would be drained to support its structure.


    Lyn nodded, "Now?"


    Thomas made his way to the back of the room, standing near the portal. "Now."


    She pushed the button on the pedestal.

 B2 – Chapter 5

    Misty stood atop her tower, staring out across the vassal-state of Vharthos where her college was located, within the kingdom of Trisk''s borders. Much had been on her mind. She had been utilizing the inscribed pirs to monitor Thomas and Stes'' journey, and saw the Valley of the Volcano, and what was being done there. Pulling up the icon Lyn had sent her; she activated the inscription that was unique to hers.


    A window appeared next to her, and she observed the familiar interior of a dungeon, and saw Lyn pushing the button, before turning to see Thomas and two Duskari. She ceased the flow of mana. So, the Destroyer core is like the hero cores. It''s limited to specific spell types. That was the only exnation she had for why Lyn was doing dungeons.


    Misty sat down next to the pir. She had been wrestling with a question for weeks now, since Lyn reached outst. Scrying on her with the pir''s inscription, observing her lifestyle and how she carried herself. And she hade to a single conclusion. It''s not really Lyn.


    Sure, the real Lyn was in there, but there was¡­something else. The way she acted was out of character. Yes, the mana core was changing her old friend ¨C as all the mana cores of the heroes changed their hosts personality little by little ¨C but there was some odd force at work. Hero cores didn''t change people that fast.


    She reactivated the pir and used it to send her vision to the Ruins of Elent. Due to the magical vision, she could see the vibrant barrier erected around thergest spire that shot upward from an enormous structure. Thomas'' barrier. She had scouted the whole of the isle of Elent, save for the underground that was sealed off by a powerful inscription, and that tower. Every scrap of paper, every book was missing from where it should have been. And, knowing Thomas, he had coted all of it into that single tower as a base of operation.


    She felt hatred flow through her, thinking of the man who she had once owed so much to. She thought back to when their small party of heroes ¨C her, Lyn, Thomas, Ben, and Trisha ¨C were off on the ind of Firol, pursuing a dungeon. They were staying at a local tavern, and Misty had chosen to stay upte to finish an inscription project. She recalled, vividly, going upstairs and hearing a noiseing from Lyn''s room. Peeking in, she saw Thomas and her going at it.


    It crushed Misty. Her best friend, someone she cared so, so much for ¨C was just sleeping with one of their mutual friends like it was nothing. It took her a decade after Lyn''s death toe to terms with her hidden feelings¡­she loved Lyn. Old Lyn. I want my Lyn back. But she also couldn''t me anyone but herself for never sharing her feelings. How do you even approach that conversation with your best friend? And what if she didn''t feel the same?


    She turned and descended into the tower, going to her room, and picked up the adamantine stylus that she used to carve into a stone disc. If or when shees here¡­I''ll get her back.


    The walls of the room dropped away from Lyn and her allies, revealing arge forest environment. Shit, she thought. It''s different fromst time. She had never repeated a dungeon as the Scout hero ¨C whether due to dumb luck or there was some hidden machination in how they worked. Maybe that''s how repeat dungeons work? Slight changes to have new challenges to expect.


    Her enhanced hearing picked up noises off to her left, and she took up an offensive stance facing that direction. "Gael, keep Thomas safe. Vael, you stay with me on the offensive." The twins took up positions, with Vael standing on Lyn''s left side, and Gael taking up a defensive stance in front of Thomas; shield held in front and spear sitting in the notch on top.


    The trees in front of Lyn began to vibrate, and she had to squint as her ears were pierced with a loud, high-pitched whining noise. Fucking skalts. This one is probably monstrous. After a few moments of the whining noise, the physical forms of the creatures came dashing through the trees. Thest time she had fought them, out in the wilds of Ghomar, she barely kept up with their speed.


    Skalts were somewhere between a mix of hyena, eagle, and cheetah. They were extremely fast, furred, six-legged, with the talons of an eagle on the two front footpads, and a wickedly sharp beak rather than a set of jaws. And these ones were big. Lyn counted five of the fast-moving creatures that circled around their ''prey'' ¨C her party.


    She heard muttering in Elenthir behind her and heard one of the yowls of the creatures. Thomas had performed some sort of spell ¨C and Lyn didn''t spare a nce back as this triggered the rest of the skalts, and they charged in. She jabbed forward with her spear, but the creature ducked under the rapid pierce and raised a talon to her. Lyn blocked with her forearm, feeling the talons crunch onto the armor. Monsters'' natural weaponry was mana-charged due to their potent mana cores naturally augmenting their bodies.


    The weight of the creature was immense and threatened to bowl her over. But she dug her feet-ws into the ground, and willed Cataclysm to switch shape, turning into a shield on her forearm ¨C forcing the talons away ¨C and a short sword in her other hand. The creature hissed and jumped at her again, but she caught the blow on the shield and then lowered her body under the raised appendage, carving deep across its chest with the mana de. The creature fell over; dead as its organs spilled out of the long gash she had carved.


    She turned to the left and took in the scene rapidly; Gael was engaged with two of the creatures ¨C one he kept at bay by waving his spear back and forth to prevent an opening, and the other had mped its mouth onto his shield, the beak piercing the metal and slowly shredding it.


    Thomas was behind Gael and was muttering a lengthy verse that finished as Gael''s shield gave way and crumpled. The spell concluded, and the two skalts were affixed firmly to the ground, as the dirt turned to cement and kept them rooted in ce.


    Vael was faring well, her shield being made of Titansteel was not crumpling inward like Gael''s shield had. But she couldn''tnd a killing blow. Lyn dashed sideways to her and bashed her shield into the creature, sending it flying away from Vael and crunching into a tree. "Get after it!" she shouted, and Vael took the initiative, leaping after and stabbing into the creature, finishing it before it could recover.


    Lyn turned just in time to spot another skalt ¨C the fifth one ¨C sneaking up on Thomas. Clever bitch, she thought as she ran over and intercepted a set of ws and talons with her shield. She pushed the creature back and then stabbed forward with her short sword. The skalt reared back and danced away, gaining distance once more.


    Gael finished off one of the trapped ones, and then moved to the other trapped one. Thomas backed up towards Vael, as the Duskari woman dashed over to help her brother dispatch the remaining one encased in concrete.


    Lyn focused her whole attention on the one in front of her, raising her shield and advancing as it hissed and jumped side to side ¨C trying to find an opening in her defenses. She moved forward, and the creature began to retreat. Lyn heard her allies approaching behind her, and the skalt she was facing off against ran back into the trees.


    "Is everyone okay?" she shouted out.


    "We''re good," Vael replied as she helped Gael remove his ruined shield. Thomas walked over and muttered an Elenthir verse as the metal unbent and resumed its prior shape.


    Gael reequipped it and looked over at Lyn. "Do monsters in dungeons normally run off like that?"


    "No," Lyn replied. "They don''t." She scanned the canopy and felt her heart skip a beat for just a moment. On the branches above the four of them were dozens of skalts. Staring down at the four.


    "That''s a problem," Thomas said.


    Commander Sigurd arrived in Komorra. Her forces were still shaken up after seeing the enormous weather anomaly that crashed down to the ground from the skies above. A ming whirl of wind and death. She gave silent thanks to the benevolent Destroyer who let them leave with their lives. Not that she would ever vocalize what she felt ¨C her exterior was that of stone; unreadable and imprable.


    But on the inside, she was terrified. Princess Cecily was rumored to be a powerful spell user in her own right, but what she saw defied all sense of reality. The amount of mana required to turn the fort to sand on its own was incredible. How could she not be as worried as I am? She thought. She doubted even the Berserker could stop whatever unnatural force of nature the Destroyer was.


    She brought herself out of her reverie as she saw smoke on the horizon. "Damn," she muttered. Raising her voice she shouted to her cavalry regiment, "Outriders! With me! The rest, you''re under themand of your sergeants!" She spurred her mount forward and the rest of the cavalry regiment followed.


    They rode hard for about ten minutes as the smoke-covered scene became more clear. The sight that came to her view caused her to balk. She saw what could only be described as carnage in its purest form. Bodies were crushed, smashed, butchered all across the fields in front of this town on the edge of Komorra''s borders. She could hear the screaming and shouting ofbat further in the town center. "Alright!" she shouted, finding her voice again. "Squads one and two, with me! The rest, secure the perimeter!"


    She heard affirmatives and rode into the center of town, pulling her broadsword from its sheath as she put a shield on her offhand. She transferred the reins to her teeth just in case she needed to grab them rapidly but used her thighs to guide the steed onward. The town center was just as grisly ¨C blood spattered the ground and crushed remains were all spread about. Vgonian soldiers interspersed with vigers and troops in the colors of the duchy''s house guard.


    She saw him, then. The Berserker hero. He was covered in gore and was guarding the entrance to a house as a group of Vgonian troops shouted at him. Sigurd rode up and shouted, "Halt! What''s the meaning of this ughter!"


    The various soldiers looked to her, saw the color of her pauldron-ornament, and saluted. The Berserker hero was heaving, breathing deeply as he trembled slightly. "Who are you?" He asked between gasping inhales.


    "Commander Sigurd," she replied, dismounting. "Given instructions to rendezvous with you and your men." She red at the group of soldiers facing across from Lord Smith. "What are you doing?"


    "Ma''am! He''s protecting rebels!"


    "Like hell I am!" Kory shouted back. "There''s fucking kids in here! I said no kids!"


    Sigurd walked between the group and the Berserker hero, "Why did you attack in the first ce, Lord Smith?"


    Kory''s posture remained at a ready stance, but his shoulders lowered slightly as he rxed. "I was doing as Princess Cecily told me. Reminding Komorra who is in charge." He looked past her and shouted at the soldiers, "But I''ll never kill kids! What kind of sick fucks are you?!"


    The soldiers began to respond but Sigurd raised her de, silencing the group. She looked to Kory, "Lord Smith. You have my word that the children are under my protection. The rest of my cavalry are securing the perimeter, and the main force is a few hours'' march away."


    "Thanks," he said with a heavy exhale. "But I''m not moving until there''s more of your troop''s here."


    "Duly noted." She turned to the soldiers, "There are only thirty of you, and yet I believe a full detachment of one hundred was sent to Ishtok."


    "Yeah, well we ran into some trouble," Kory replied behind her. "About twenty died as we instated the Duke of Ishtok''s son. I killed thirty for insubordination, and we lost another twenty in this town."


    A fucking animal, Sigurd thought. He''s just a mindless beast. No wonder Princess Cecily sent me to rendezvous with him. He needs to be reined in. "Understood. We''ll secure the town with the main force, make camp, and then move on the ducal seat to ensure loyalty."


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The skalts descended from on high. Reflexively, Lyn took up a defensive stance, and she heard Thomas incanting a verse of a spell. The twins took up positions on either side of Thomas.


    The skaltsnded on or around the group, and Lyn found herself embroiled in the tangle of flesh and sinew as she blocked blows with her shield and shed across the creatures. But there were so many, she switched Cataclysm to the great sword configuration so she could takerge, lopping sweeps. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, and she reveled in the sheer power at her disposal. Roaring a battle cry, she dove into another group of the skalts and unleashed a vicious, sweeping strike that carved six of them in half.


    But she began to feel pain, despite not being injured herself. ncing over, she saw that Thomas was encased in some type of clear sphere that the skalts bounced from. His mouth was moving inside, and she could spot shes of energy poking out of the barrier in rapid-fire increments ¨C magical darts of raw mana that finished off downed skalts who were lying on the ground.


    Vael and Gael werepletely missing from sight though. Lyn saw a few of the creatures being bucked upward, and she carved her way through the horde to get to them. Her broad, sweeping strokes with the mana de incinerated and shed into all that she impacted, but she continued to feel the pain ramping up in her extremities. Anor min / nartho hain i daeth nin, she thought as the internal regeneration spell went off, soothing her extremities and wounds with the bubbling, warmva.


    Lyn shed several times at the surrounding creatures, clearing them back with wide, arcing slices that they began to move back from. Vael and Gael both got up from the ground. "Thomas, can you put them both in the bubble?"


    He nodded and said something she couldn''t hear through the barrier, but a few secondster as she held the creatures at bay, the bubble epassed the twins. Thomas gave her a thumbs up.


    Lyn turned back to the creatures and raised her left hand above her head, channeling mana into the limb. "Britho ai!" The mana fountained out of her hand and erupted in all directions, flooding the entire forest in a massiveva storm that incinerated the skalts within an instant. She nced at Thomas and saw the strain on his face as he tried to keep the barrier active. Shit.


    The barrier popped, and theva moved in towards the trio. No!


    Thomas tapped something on his chest; she saw the slight glow of an inscription, and he turned translucent and ghostlike. But theva crashed in on the twins, and both screamed out in pain. They were not seriously injured, because the injuries passed to Lyn, and she was immune to heat, me, andva. "Echado n?r en-aear!" Lyn shouted, as a huge spout of water cascaded from her hand and covered the twins. Anor min / nartho hain i daeth nin, she thought as well. Her mana was nearly empty from the enormous, forest-consuming spell, followed by the regeneration, and the water spell.


    But, to her relief, Vael and Gael were unharmed. Both had wild looks of shock on their faces, and Thomas re-phased from his ghostly form. "That was fucking close," he said.


    Lyn ran over to Vael and Gael, throwing her arms around them both and holding them close. "I''m sorry," she whispered. "I didn''t mean to-"


    "It''s fine," Gael replied quickly, gently extricating himself from her grip. "Dungeons are dangerous."


    Lyn looked in his eyes and saw the honesty behind his words, but she had to hear it. "Do you forgive me?"


    Gael looked back and smiled gently, "Yes. I forgive you for almost killing us." He chuckled, "Besides, you kept us alive twice now."


    Vael nodded and patted Lyn on the shoulder, "Apology epted," she added.


    "Thomas, what was that spell?" Lyn asked.


    "Ah, a matter external spell. It lets me phase through the physical world for a short period of time. This," he tapped the ne he was wearing, which had a square amulet hanging from the end, "Is just an inscribed version of the same spell. It only works for ten seconds because of how mana intensive it is."


    Lyn nodded, knowing that matter was way up there with gravity and space as spell types and their mana requirements. It must have taken him a long time to make, she thought, knowing that even if she did have ess to that spell type, she would maybe be able to maintain such a phasing spell for a minute before she ran out of mana. "Well¡­first room clear," she said as the walls returned and the hallway appeared. "There''s another chamber, and then the reward room. But I don''t think dungeons are always the same."


    "Why do you say that?" Thomas asked.


    "The forest environment was the same, butst time I fought a gryphon, not a fuckton of skalts."


    "Interesting," Thomas pulled a small notepad from his waist pouch and scribbled some notes. "I assume we''ll wait for mana to recover?"


    Lyn nodded and sat down on the stone floor, "Yup." Vael sat next to her and the two leaned on each other. "Just waiting on mana. The boring part of dungeons filled with monsters."


    Gael let out a brief chuckle and shook his head, "How are non-heroes expected to clear these things out?"


    "Well," Thomas began, "Dungeons were made by the Elenthians. There were about a thousand of their mana-potent race on Ghomar almost two thousand years before the precursor deity split itself into Aelor and Raevan. After that split, and as more races began to emerge, the Elenthians effectively ''left'' Ghomar. They performed a spell that sent their bodies and minds¡­somewhere. But their mana cores were left behind and contained fragments and whispers of their consciousness ¨C along with their power."


    "Then how''d they get into dungeons?" Vael followed up.


    "The dungeons are in actuality just buildings from the ruins of Elent. The whole space ispressed inside of the doorway. As for who inscribed them with the name of the dungeon core within, the rewards, and the traveling after being conquered? I''d guess Aelor after the Elenthians left. Possibly some spell put into ce that has persisted throughout Gomar''s entire history. There are many possible exnations, but no one-hundred percent ''correct'' one." He held up a finger, "I know for sure, though, that the Elenthians are gone."


    Lyn nodded and stood up, pulling Vael up next to her. "Interesting history lesson. But I''ve got enough mana. Let''s clear this dungeon."


    "And maybe save another hero from purgatory in the process," Thomas added.


    "Look out!" James shouted from behind Lawrence. The shifter hero dodged his armored-wolf form to the side as an enormous pir came crashing down next to him.


    He nced back as he shifted and turned, willing another shifting spell as his form morphed into that of an enormous ogre ¨C the same size as the troll they were fighting in the dungeon. He reached out and gripped the pir, the enormous makeshift club that had just tried to crush him, and took it from the troll, tossing it aside.


    The troll roared and punched wildly, but Lawrence just ducked the blow before stepping in and delivering an uppercut, followed by a shin-kick to the troll''s thigh. The creature roared in pain as it reeled backward, and Lawrence used that opportunity to tackle him to the ground.


    James ran over and delivered a fatal blow to the troll, carving across its neck as the blood spurt up. "Got it!" he shouted.


    Lawrence focused on his mana core, feeling the constant movement ¨C like a shuffling deck of cards ¨C and cycled through the various creatures he had eaten. His mouth distorted and he unleashed a gout of draconic mes from his maw, preventing the troll from regenerating the fatal neck wound. He unshifted and got off the creature as it gurgled thest of its vital essence. It vanished, and the walls of the room reemerged.


    "Good job," James said as he wiped his sword and sheathed it.


    Lawrence sighed, "Dungeons. Fucking dungeons."


    The hallway opened to the reward chamber, and James led the way. "I have to get stronger if I''m to face the Destroyer," James replied.


    Yeah, but you don''t even know if this Destroyer is evil. Lawrence thought.


    The altar held a wooden box and arge, spiked mace. James opened the box and held the mana core in front of his face. "Death¡­" He shook his head, "I can''t consume that."


    Lawrence looked at him with a sidelong nce. "Why not use the mana core?"


    James reached over and grabbed the spiked mace. He held it for a moment, then it vanished. He pulled out his sword, and it shifted into the spiked mace form before it reverted to the de that he sheathed. "Certain spell types are not useful to the Paragon hero," he replied. "Yes, I could increase my own versatility and mana capacity¡­but death on its own is¡­wrong."


    "Death is natural," Lawrence replied as he leaned against the altar. "It''s part of the way the world works. You''ve killed plenty of people on the battlefield."


    James sighed, "But that''s different," he muttered.


    "How? Spell or weapon, you''ve killed. Why reject power that you need?"


    "It just feels icky, okay?" James shook his head, "I''ll consume the mana core, but never use death spells. At least that can be a workaround."


    Lawrence sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Why not use it? It''s a potent spell type. Hell, you saw what it could do in war."


    James wheeled on the Shifter hero and stared into his eyes, "That''s exactly why I won''t use it." He mmed the wooden box shut. "Come on, let''s go." James ced his hand on the altar, and the two reappeared outside of the dungeon entrance, hidden in a small grove of trees atop a hill. The doorway vanished, and James began to walk out of the copse.


    "If you really want to fight a Destroyer, you''re going to need to use every tool at your disposal."


    "There''s some lines I won''t cross," James muttered in response. "I won''t fucking use death magic. It just feels wrong."


    Lawrence put his hands behind his head and let out a deep sigh, "You''re being an idealist. Be more pragmatic."


    "A Paragon shouldn''t use evil spells."


    "Again, death is a natural process. It''s not evil by nature." This fucking guy. Lawrence had always hated how easily James and a few of the other heroes would categorize something just by its nature. But James, in particr, was a real stickler for a sense of moral righteousness. It''s one reason he couldn''t stand the man.


    James just stared ahead as he walked through the trees and made it to the edge of them. They both looked out over the vast farnds. "It''s gorgeous, isn''t it?" Jamesmented.


    "Definitely pretty," Lawrence agreed. "Evil, good, who even defines these things?" James nced at him, and Lawrence continued, "People with power decide that. If a deity said that murdering your parents was a holy act, then people would do it, and it wouldn''t be seen as ''evil''."


    James looked at him with a horrified expression, "But that''s just wrong."


    "Get over it," Lawrence replied. "You want to know just one extra reason why I didn''te back after I got shat out of that dragon? Because of people like you."


    "What?"


    "You heard me. You''re just holding onto values that were ingrained into you because of where you were raised and who you were raised around. Rural countryside and in the deep South? Hell, every single ssroom had a bible verse or some shit on the walls." Lawrence shook his head, "There is no God on Ghomar. There''s no set of moral guidelines or principles. You want to beat the Destroyer? Get over your fucking ideals." It felt good to finally just unload on James.


    James stared at Lawrence, ck-jawed and speechless. Lawrence let the silence linger for several moments. James eventually recovered hisposure and shook his head, "No, there is a right and wrong. There are morals." He put a hand on his chest, "I have Aelor within me, and even though there are only whispers¡­I know right from wrong."


    Lawrence shook his head. I''ve done what I set out to do from this partnership, he thought. I''ve learned about the current situation politically between the kingdoms and the Free City. That''s all I really needed. "What the fuck am I even doing here?" he muttered. "I''m going to go and meet this version of Lyn. Maybe she will value my advice." I don''t need James. And it''s not as if I like him much. I''ve learned all I need. And if this person is really Lyn¡­well, she was always a pragmatist like me. I''d feel better helping her out than helping James.


    He heard the soft sound of sword being drawn from leather, "I can''t let you go and join the enemy," James stated as he leveled the sword at Lawrence.


    "Right there. Right fucking there." Lawrence replied. He had been waiting for a chance to rip someone apart with his words and years of practicing arguments in the mirror to use against his fundamentalist parents. "You''re willing to stab an old ally in the back just because they want to do something that you perceive as a bad act." Lawrence faced James and held his arms out to his sides, "Go on, stab me. Prove you''re a hypocrite."


    "What?"


    "A ''good'' person that you espouse to be would not kill someone for simply wanting to explore their options. A ''good'' person raised where we were raised and with those religious principles wouldn''t do something so heinous. So do it. Do it. Fucking stab me. If you do, congrattions, you''re a hypocrite, and you concede I''m right."


    "It''s not like that!" James shouted. "You''re threatening to join the enem-"


    "You don''t know that!" Lawrence shouted in return. "You''re assuming something because you think you''re this high and mighty Paragon who can do no wrong. You always assumed you were right, and always acted holier-than-thou because you had to be the hero. Hell, after just two years of arriving here I could tell. Why do you think you''re all alone here? None of the heroes havee to you to seek a partnership against what you deem a threat."


    Lawrence shook his head and lowered his arms. "You''re making assumptions before even getting all the information. You''ve conted your own ego by imagining yourself as this righteous crusader; Jesus Christ reborn on Ghomar or some shit. Well, news sh, you''re not. You just got the Paragon core. Eat some fucking humble pie. You got lucky, chosen by some statue. Hell, Paragon doesn''t even mean you''re ''good'' by nature. Just that you''re the ''top'' hero. So get over yourself."


    If there was one thing Lawrence hated more than people who followed some arbitrary rules blindly, it was fucking hypocrites. He had always hated the religion foisted on him as a child and had read the whole holy book. The number of people he saw after that, whose actions didn''t match up with the values they espoused was a never-ending source of irritation. And finally, finally getting to use some of the arguments he had read up on to shut down that shit came into y.


    James put his sword away and crossed his arms. "I don''t think that," he said under his breath. "¡­Fine¡­just go. But when that Destroyer kills you and you''re experiencing all that pain before death, you''ll know I was right."


    Thalion min / en ethiel an le / an adlethad nin rhaw / a anno nin i rhaw / en i nadhras / i iestol. Lawrence thought the spell ¨C the only hero who could cast spells by will alone, as far as he knew, of the internal shifting variety. His body morphed and elongated as he transformed into his enormous draconic figure. His bright, orange scales were contrasted by ck stripes like that of a Bengal tiger, and his ws were dark ck. His voice rumbled out. "Good luck with your stupid morals," he growled as he lifted off and flew towards Shiverburn Summit.

 B2 – Chapter 6

    After their mana had recovered, Lyn led the way down the corridor to the next chamber. There was another square chamber with a pedestal. "How many chambers were there thest time you did this?" Thomas asked in Arinol.


    "Two," Lyn replied. "But¡­now we know that repeated dungeons aren''t the same." She looked at the group, "Ready?"


    Thomas shook his head, "I''m going to re-do that damage split spell and have it on me as well ¨C so everyone circle up." They did so, and he softly restated the spell. "Alright, ready."


    Lyn went to the pir and pressed it. It descended into the floor, and the walls fell away to reveal a snowy, ice-capped peak. The wind was howling all around, and if she had not enhanced her body with Waveweal, then she would be chilled to the bone. Gael and Vael looked to be freezing in ce, and Thomas rapidly incanted a spell as the snow under his feet began to melt.


    Damn cold. Lyn poured mana into her de and held it next to the twins ¨C the radiant heat from theva-limned de prevented their teeth from chattering. "Keep your eyes open," she shouted over the howling wind.


    An enormous impact rocked Lyn from the side, and she left the ground, sailing through the air as her cloak drew on her mana to activate, slowing her fall into a snowbank. What was that? She thought. The swirling snow was too thick; and she could barely make out the twins twenty feet away. "Are you alright?!" She shouted over the storm. But the twins didn''t seem to hear her.


    Another impact mmed into her side, and she went tumbling through the snow drifts. Kipping up to her feet, she squinted her eyes against the sleet. What is attacking me? She raised her hand out in front of her and started to incant a spell. It vanished up to her wrist, and she felt something grip down like a vice. An invisible creature.


    She felt her arm being pulled ¨C but thanks to the crystal marrow, her bones remained firmly in their sockets which made her connective ligaments and cartge just as tough as the bones themselves. She stabbed forward and saw the tip of the mana-de vanish, a fountain of boiling blood hissing out around the invisible space where it had carved.


    Her hand was released, and she pushed it deeper, shoving her arm down the throat of this creature, keeping it from escaping her as she dug her wed fingers into the sides of the esophagus. "No you don''t!" She shouted as she stabbed it again with the mana de. She stabbed again and must have hit something vital as it went limp before the invisibility faded. I''ve never seen this monster, she thought. It looked to be a mix of Komodo dragon, shark, and mountain lion. A quadruped with light-grey fur, a loweryer of hide that was a sheer white, and an elongated snout that had mped down on her arm.


    She turned and ran through the snow drifts to her allies''st location. "Vael! Gael! Thomas!" She shouted. But no response came to her ears. Fine then. Let''s deal with this sleet. "Cartha i thalion en-gwaew / tre nin rhaw / a echado gwaew beleg / i telia bethir nedh / i loss a hail / i thano nin cen." She incanted and felt the mana pour down her arm in a warm surge. A terrific gust of air surged from her palm and sted out in all directions, scattering the sleet and continually emanating from her to prevent new snowfall from descending.


    With vision cleared, she could see the twins fighting against an invisible creature, and the brief impacts against another barrier Thomas had erected. Lyn dashed over and sliced down vertically, bringing the enormous mana de of Cataclysm down through the creature, slicing it cleanly in half. The twins looked at her, and she saw the injuries they had suffered. Why didn''t Thomas'' spell transfer damage? She thought.


    Lyn turned to Thomas, and he incanted some type of spell as a cascade of flickering sparks filled the air and clung to the creature, outlining its shape. That was all the twins needed, as they jumped forward and stabbed at the creature, harrying it and pushing it away from Thomas. Lyn charged in and screamed a war cry as she shed right through its head. The creature copsed without a sound. The walls reappeared, and the snowscape vanished. "Thomas," she began as the barrier disappeared around him. "Why didn''t your spell direct the damage?"


    "It''s line of sight dependent," he replied. "It is less costly on my mana core''s reserves if I add in limiters."


    The twins both exchanged nces before looking back to Lyn, "We''re fine," Vael said. "Just a few scratches."


    "I''m surprised at how easy these encounters have been," Gael added.


    "It is curious," Thomas said as he rubbed his chin. "I have a theory on that. Either the dungeon ''knows'' Lyn and is therefore throwing easy challenges because it desires to be reconquered by her, or a hero core followed your signal spell and reced the dungeon core. I''ve always thought that dungeon cores had some amount of influence on the dungeon itself. This might lend further proof to that theory."


    Lyn led the way to the altar. There was a single wooden box, and several containers. They werebeled in Elenthir. Warden''s Wax, which would provide defense against death spells, and Truesight Eyedrops, which would enable the user to pierce illusions with sight alone. Excellent, she thought. Death was one of the big ones I was worried about. She had ess to that external spell type, thanks to Elias'' Revenant core¡­but it was perhaps one of the scariest spell types out there.


    The mana required was even more than storage spells, and almost no person had the weird ''mutation'' that reduced the mana cost ¨C at least, no one Lyn had evere across or even heard of. Undeath ¨C a sub-type under death ¨C was rare but not unheard of. But raw death itself? Even with her prodigious mana reserves, Lyn could only outright kill perhaps ten people in one death spell. No one had the gic trait for death spell cost reduction.


    If I do end uping across someone with the mana to use it¡­the wax body enhancement will prevent it from instantly killing me. She looked up at Thomas who had opened the wooden box and picked up the mana core. Lyn shoved the body enhancing items into her storage choker and turned to the Knowledge hero, "Well?"


    He nodded slowly, "You can''t hear him until you hold it, but this one is William." He smiled, "He''s going to head to Earth. Give me a moment to say my goodbyes." He turned his gaze back to the orb, and she saw subtle emotions y across his face. Then, after a minute, he handed the orb to Lyn. It was a swirling mass of liquid metal that would crystallize and harden before melting once more.


    "Hi William," Lyn said.


    Hi Lyn. Thomas let me rifle through his memories and fill myself in. Mind if I do the same?


    "Go for it."


    "You don''t have to talk aloud if you don''t want to," Thomas added as he went to tend to Vael and Gael''s light injuries.


    Thanks. I got all the information I need¡­so you''re actually building an empire.


    "Yeah. I can''t just do nothing with this power at my disposal."


    Hey, you don''t have to preach to me. I think it''s a good idea. Just¡­not for me. I miss Earth. I''ve learned so much on Ghomar, well, I want to try and apply some of those principles back home and maybe fix climate change. I''ve got some ideas on that.


    Lyn smiled, "You always did want to be an engineer."


    Right? Well, I''m happy you''re getting my power. You''ll put it to good use, I''m sure. Alrighty. Here''s what the Artificer Core lets you do. You can make any inscription, regardless of whether you have the spell type avable to you already or not. Plus, you''ll be the equivalent of an artisan in any trade or craft. Woodworking, smithing, whatever.


    "That''s¡­really useful."


    Right?


    "What about spell types?"


    Transmutation. It can do solid to solid, liquid to liquid, gas to gas. You can''t turn piss into gold, but you can turn rocks into the stuff.


    "I wish¡­I wish you coulde back," Lyn said feeling some sorrow trickle into her thoughts. "I know we didn''t really get much of a chance to connect, but from the few times we did hang out and work together¡­I regret not pursuing that as a friendship."


    Well, nice way to make it awkward right before I head off. Heughed in her mind. Just take care of the other heroes, okay? I saw Trisha and Ben''s kids through Thomas'' memories. Those little tykes deserve the best you can give them.


    "Every child in my empire will be cared for. But I''ll make sure to pay special attention to their family."


    I know. You''ll make sure they''re protected. I never knew about how bad you had it at home¡­I''m so sorry. Is there anything you want me to do when I go back?


    "Depends on when you arrive. If it was before we were summoned, like what I experienced, then I''d just ask you to take care of yourself. But if it''s after I left-"


    I ran into Gina''s Oracle mana core earlier. We both raced over to your lightning thingy, and she let me take this dungeon core over, saying she wanted to investigate a few things. From what she told me, if I go through the Earth door here, I''ll wake up the morning before we were summoned, and just live life as if nothing had happened.


    "So¡­it is a weird time dtion."


    The way she put it is that us waking up was a sort of ''checkpoint'' that the summoning spell inscribed in the statue of Aelor would ''save''. When you consume my mana core, and I move on¡­I get to pick up from that save point. Have you already consumed other heroes?


    "Yes, I have consumed Zack, Elias, Volio, and Nami."


    Then those folks will ''wake up'' on the same morning, pre-summon. The ones that chose the Earth door, at least. All at once. We''ll be a group of ssmates, with all of our memories from Ghomar.


    "That''s good to hear," Lyn said as she felt a weight lift from her shoulders she didn''t know she was carrying. "I thought you might be reborn."


    No, that''s the Ghomar door. Reincarnation as a baby if Gina was right on the money.


    "Then¡­this is goodbye forever."


    Seems like it¡­thanks for setting me free, Lyn. I know we didn''t really be friends, but what you''re doing now¡­makes me wish I had been your friend.


    "Take care."


    You too. I''m not leaving a message. Just pass along to the rest of the heroes that I hope they make the most of their lives.


    "Will do." Lyn squeezed the mana core and felt it shoot down her mana channel before it was pushed into the furnace of the Destroyer core. She felt the ng of metal vibrating within her torso as the mana core fought back against her primary core¡­and failed, subsuming to the more potent one. She turned to Thomas and the twins, who were just looking at her. The twins with slight concern, Thomas with a studious expression. "What?"


    "Lyn¡­your horns are different," Vael said.


    "Indeed," Thomas added. "And the scales, but that''s harder to see under the armor."


    Lyn willed her armor to recede. "Anyone have a mirror?"


    "In my pack in the storage dimension," Gael said. "The pocket sized one."


    "Right. You''ll have to be in there anyways while we travel to Misty''s mage school. Edro nin haden." The storage space opened, and Gael went in, grabbed the mirror, and handed it to her. She used it to examine the horns atop her head. The substance was no longer horn, but instead was shifting hues and textures between various metals. That''s weird. Stop that. Almost as if responding to her will, the horns returned to their prior ck appearance. Willing her armor to recede, she examined her scales and saw they were doing the same thing. Not a fan of that either. Once more, the scales resumed their ck with blue border appearance.


    Thomas chuckled, "Off to Misty''s?"


    Lyn nodded and gestured for the three to enter the storage space, "Yup. I''ll get us there fast." The trio went inside, she released focus on the spell, and pressed the altar''s button. The dungeon vanished, and she stood at the edge of the knothole of the tree. Pulling Cataclysm, she switched it to bow configuration, drew an arrow from the storage choker, and let loose before teleporting into the skies.


    "Thank you for the wonderful meal!" Rashanna said to Lurgen, head Diplomat of the kingdom of Trisk.


    "My pleasure. Thank you for taking it here in my quarters," he replied as he picked up his ss of wine and took a sip. The bear-folk man snapped his fingers as servants cleared the table, and another brought over several pieces of parchment. "Now, we have to finalize the details I believe."


    "Yes, that is right," Rashanna said as one of her Duskari bodyguards ¨C still armored and cloaked for the sake of not scaring the castle''s residents and servants ¨C brought over her wooden case holding the variety of documents she had been preparing. This is perfect! She thought. I''ve already started to build connections here, I''ve got thepany shell for a tradingpany, and backers already figured out. She had been doing her duty as Diplomat and was ensuring that Lyn and King Skir would have a peaceful, cordial meeting to discuss vassalization.


    But she was also a realist and had been given permission to pursue other sources of revenue for her personal fortunes. But I''ll make donations to Lynhold, she thought, thinking of starting up a school for mercantilism to train up traders that she could then employ in her business to make even more money. Who knows? Maybe one day I''ll rival the Free City of Bashinol.


    The two Diplomats spent several hours going over the various details ¨C who would arrive, which buildings they would stay in, courses for meals, logistics for delivery of goods, the amount of guards and soldiers present¡­it was a lot of work setting up a meeting between monarch and empress.


    The twin moons had risen into the sky before the two called it a night. They shook hands, and Rashanna went back to her quarters. The Duskari with her had split up ¨C half at the castle with her, and half at the inn in the merchant quarter. She went through her nightly routine beforeying down in bed.


    "You''re upte," a voice said from the corner of the room.


    Rashanna leaped out of bed holding a dagger she slept with under the pillow. "Who is there!" she shouted. "Guards!"


    The Duskari guard who had just left her burst into the room not five secondster. "What is it?" he asked.


    "A voice from the corner," she replied.


    "Yes, a voice from the corner," the mysterious darkness replied.


    The guard rxed and chuckled, "Bolvon, you ass. Stop that."


    Rashanna saw the darkness in the corner of the room recede, and the faint candlelight revealed a Duskari figure that she had seen skulking about Lynhold, and who stood behind the Spymaster at the council meeting before her interview. "You are?"


    "Bolvon. Lyn Rivers'' Shadowstalker."


    "What does a Shadowstalker do?" Rashanna asked.


    Bolvon''s shoulders sagged, "I wanted a different title. Assassin is too generic and not¡­interesting."


    Rashanna felt a chill down her spine, "You¡­you were sent to kill me?"


    "What? No!" Bolvon said as he stood up and nced at the other guard who was watching with a humorous expression. "Why would she think I''m here to kill her?"


    The guard leaned on his pike, "Beats me. Maybe her task is taking too long for our Lady Rivers'' tastes."


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences.


    Rashanna looked between the two and went back to the bed, sheathing her dagger. "I suppose there is good reason to disturb me?" she asked.


    "Yes, there is," Bolvon said as he walked over to the side of the bed, pulling up a chair. "I''m going to stay with you until this meeting with King Skir. If he''s not open to her terms¡­she wants to end a war before it can start."


    Rashanna felt shocked, and whispered, "She would kill him at a peaceful meeting?"


    Bolvon shrugged, "It''s smart, if you think about it. Cut off the head of the snake, then conquer the realm while it''s in turmoil. And the line of King Skir, from what I gathered just lurking about the pce here, is short. He only has a son who would then inherit the throne¡­and let''s be honest here, there''s no way someone else doesn''t do a power y for the throne in turmoil."


    Rashannaid back on the pillow and nodded, "It is wise to hedge our bets," she muttered. "Very well. What do you intend for the time being?"


    He pped his thighs and stood up, "I''m going to prop up in the corner there."


    Rashanna nodded and turned over, looking at the guard who was still there with an enthused expression. "You''re dismissed," she said.


    The guard shared a look with Bolvon before exiting to the attached guard quarters. Rashanna eyed the Shadowstalker as he dragged the chair back to the darkened corner, kicked his legs up on the nearby table, and shut his eyes.


    Does she really doubt my talents that much? She thought. She''s either extremely pragmatic, an extraordinary nner, or she doesn''t believe in my skills to negotiate with foreign states.


    Rest did note easily that night.


    Lyn opened the storage space and let the trio out. "We''re here," she said in Arinol, feeling anxiety run down her spine.


    Thomas looked up at the enormous building, "Misty''s mage school." He looked at her, "I''ll pass on seeing her again. She is really not a fan of me."


    Lyn turned to him, "Is she still hung up on the fact that we slept together?"


    "Seems so." Thomas looked at the twins, "If you''d like, there''s a beautiful spot overlooking the ocean not too far away."


    The twins pulled cloaks with hoods out of their packs and equipped them. "Sure," Vael replied. "As long as Lyn feelsfortable without our presence. I''ve never seen the ocean."


    Lyn looked at the twins and gestured dismissively, "I''ll be fine. You lot go enjoy the view." Thomas led the twins away down a path that headed towards the coast, and Lyn turned to face the enormous building. It was easily the size of a shopping mall, with severalrge towers ascending skyward. There were no people outside of the building, and it sat atop a hill with the closest town far off in the distance. Deste. I wonder why Misty chose a ce like this?


    A set of wooden doors with silver iy faced her. The iy read The Mist Academy. She reached up to the handle, and as soon as her hand was ced on it, she heard a voice emanate from the door. "State your name," it said in a gruff, female voice in Triskol. One that Lyn instantly recognized. Her voice. Her old voice.


    "Lyn Rivers," she said in Triskol.


    "One moment."


    Lyn stood there for several minutes, tapping her foot impatiently. Why would she make my voice the voice of the front door? Fucking weird. The doors opened slowly, revealing a lengthy hallway with a glowing, blue stripe along the floor.


    The voice came back, "Please follow the blue line."


    Lyn did so, and as she walked through the corridor, the doors shut behind her. She saw no other person, despite the several doors she passed by. She arrived at a set of stairs, and followed the line up them, ascending over a hundred feet. The tallest tower, she thought. The stairs ended on anding, and there was an enormous statue whose face animated.


    The voice that came out was Misty''s. "Oh, hi! Wee to Professor Misery''s office! If you want to get in, you have to have the password!"


    There was amotion behind the statue, and it pivoted back and into the room on a hidden hinge. A pale-skinned woman, with deep, purple eyes, midnight-ck hair, and wearing a flowing, ck robe stood before her. "Hi Misty," Lyn said in English.


    Misty looked Lyn up and down. "You''re different," she replied. "Come on in. I''ve just set up the coffee pot."


    Lyn''s ears perked up at that, "Coffee?"


    "Yup," she replied as she walked into the room. Lyn followed her into the circr chamber. There was a side door that presumably led to a bedroom suite, and adder behind therge desk that led upward to a hatch in the ceiling. The room was brightly lit with candles that seemed to be moving in slow motion. Misty went to a side table and poured two mugs of coffee, handing one to Lyn before going behind the desk and sitting down.


    Lyn sat opposite her in the cushioned chair and sipped the bitter, ck liquid. The buzz hit her almost instantly. "Mmmm¡­ damn I missed coffee."


    Misty gave her a wan smile before taking a sip of the beverage herself. "It took a while to figure out, but I use a spell to turn tea leaves into a facsimile." She took another sip before setting it down. "Why?"


    "Why what?" Lyn asked as she set the mug down.


    "Why¡­did youe back like that?"


    "You read my letter. I fucked something up with the summoning spell."


    "You shouldn''t have been able to do that," Misty muttered. "I don''t know how you got back." She took another sip. "I''ve been trying to figure out what exactly happened that day. I''ve got a solid theory."


    Lyn leaned forward, "Do tell. I want to know what the fuck happened. Because, to me, I killed the Demonic Dragon and then everything went white."


    Misty took a long chug of her beverage before setting the empty mug down. "The best thing I cane up with is that you killed it, but before you died, you unconsciously tried to consume its mana core. The Scout Core lost and was consumed by the Destroyer core within the Demonic Dragon. You went back to Earth." She shook her head, "By all rights your mana core should not have gone with you. It should have been left behind."


    "Probably going to Raevan''s dungeon, I''d guess?"


    "Perhaps. Just as the hero cores returned to the statue of Aelor, it''s probable that the Destroyer mana core would return to a designated location." She leaned back in the chair. "But a deity''s power must be strong enough to pass between worlds, unlike the hero cores."


    Lyn smirked and kicked her feet up on the chair next to her, turning her chair to sit perpendicr to Misty. "Then I panicked, didn''t find anyone else, and ran to the skate park before doing the summonin-"


    "How?"


    "I just wrote a verse."


    Misty pulled out a piece of parchment and grabbed an ink pen. "Show me."


    Lyn put her legs down and did so, writing the lengthy Elenthir verses with the destination. "Like that."


    Misty turned it around and pored over it, "Fascinating," she muttered. "We could rece the destination indicator and return to Earth at will, just as I theorized. Coming back though¡­"


    Lyn cocked her head sideways as genuine confusion hit her. "But¡­Thomas had figured this out already."


    "What?" Misty''s gaze narrowed.


    "Yeah, he inscribed the foundation of Ben and Trisha''s house to let them return to Earth."


    Her face screwed up in anger as she pped the empty mug, sending it flying off to the side of the room before shattering. "That asshole!"


    Lyn shook her head, "What''s the deal with you two, anyways?"


    Misty''s demeanor shifted. Ovee by a visage of sorrow. "I¡­I loved you, Lyn."


    "Come again?"


    "You heard me." Misty sighed and pulled her hood up over her head, muffling her words slightly as she spoke rapidly ¨C which she did when she was nervous. "I''ve always really liked you as a person and have wanted to tell you about my feelings, but I couldn''t ever tell you my feelings because if you didn''t feel the same then we couldn''t be friends anymore because it would be too awkward."


    She took a deep breath and continued, "So when we got here, I thought maybe I could try to work my way into being your partner through conquering dungeons and doing adventurous stuff but then you started sleeping with the other heroes and when you slept with Thomas who I thought was my friend and I shared this stuff with I just lost it."


    Lyn put her hand on the desk, and gently grabbed Misty''s. She pulled back. "I¡­didn''t know you felt that way about me." Lyn sighed, "I¡­sleeping with Thomas wasn''t a mistake, and I''m not sorry I did it. But I am sorry that I didn''t consider how it would make you feel."


    Misty looked out from the hood, her purple eyes ring at Lyn. Lyn felt her body lock up and her vision went ck as Misty''s voice echoed all around her. "I''m getting my Lyn back," she said firmly.


    Lyn tried to reply, but the embrace of nothingness took her.


    Misty sat back in the chair and sighed. Lyn''s head was dipped to her chest. She pulled the disc out from under the desk and set it on the top of the furniture, pouring mana into the inscription. Come on, let''s get you out of there. Her whole goal was to just get her Lyn back. The old Lyn. Not this new one. But to do that, she would have to extract old Lyn from the Scout core, which was somewhere inside of the Destroyer core.


    She had never attempted to manipte mana cores like this, and wasn''t quite sure what to expect, but if everything went ording to n, the Scout core would be ejected with old Lyn''s consciousness. Misty could then take that mana core and put it into a prepared body. I''ll get you back, she thought as she took Lyn''s mug and drank the rest of her coffee.


    Darkness. Nothing but darkness. Lyn stood alone, in a ck space. "Misty?" She called out, only to be met with silence. She looked all around and saw nothing. Trying to draw up mana, she felt¡­nothing. What happened? She thought.


    A shimmer of dark crimson appeared next to her, and she wheeled on it, taking up a ready stance. The shimmer took form, and she saw standing next to her an elegant looking woman who was a striking image. She looks just like I did in the mirror, Lyn thought. Minus the eyes ¨C those were just ming orbs. The dark crimson shimmer smiled, "Hello, Lyn. I''m Raevan."


    Lyn didn''t know what to say. The actual deity of destruction? "What happened? And how am I talking to a long-dead deity?"


    "Who said I was dead?" Raevan retorted. "I''ve been here the whole time. I am the Destroyer."


    "No, I am," another voice chimed in. Lyn looked and saw an orange shimmer in the air before a figure she recognized immediately appeared in space before her. The Demonic Dragon, in his huge, scaled form. His head was resting on the ground, and arge, slitted eye gazed at Lyn.


    Lyn looked between the two, who were staring off against each other. "So, we''re¡­inside the Destroyer Core?"


    "Correct," Raevan replied as she smiled gently. "Mana cores carry the soul, or consciousness of a person, if that''s the term you prefer."


    "That''s why it''s so bad to harvest them from other people," Lyn muttered. "Because you''re literally eating their souls."


    "Correct," Raevan replied as her smile shifted to a frown. "Normally, a creature dies, and a few momentster their mana core vanishes as they ''move on''. Harvesting and consuming mana cores is taboo because it ends them entirely. No soul to move on."


    "Just like we ended that Volio," Yheron, the Demonic Dragon, growled out.


    "Wait-what? He went back to Earth!" Lyn wheeled on him with confusion.


    Yheron shook his enormous reptilian head. "No. He refused to be denied Ghomar, and so we destroyed his soul. Volio Mori is no more."


    Lyn felt a tremor in her stomach. She fell to her knees and felt like she had to vomit but nothing came up. "Oh God, what did I do? He was a perv, but he didn''t deserve to be¡­obliterated."


    She felt a hand on her back. Raevan''s voice was soothing andforting, "It was his choice. He was given several warnings. But his obsession corrupted his whole being to the point that all reason was lost. He made his choice."


    Lyn looked up at Raevan, feeling the weight of the truth behind her words. "Why am I here?"


    Yheron sighed, "The Mage hero. She used a spell to try and separate you from the Destroyer core. It won''t work; the Destroyer core is too strong for that. But it pulled the ''Lyn Rivers'' away from ''The Destroyer''. You''re talking to yourself¡­in a way. You are us; we are you. In this moment, our ''souls'' are being forced to be individual within the Destroyer core. Soon, we will merge again."


    "Why would sh-" Lyn stopped herself. No, it makes sense. She wants the old Lyn back. And she''s trying to get old Lyn back. "But I''m not old Lyn anymore," she whispered. I had no clue she felt so much for me that she''d be willing to use a spell on me to get old me back¡­ "I am different. My experience has changed me. The core changed me."


    "Correct," Yheron stated with a chortle. "You killed me, and thus inherited the mantle of Destroyer. Granted, dying yourself was not something either of us expected."


    "So¡­you two have just been inside me the whole time?"


    Raevan shook her head and helped Lyn up, "We are you." She gestured to herself, "I am the deity of Destruction, as was Yheron." She put her hand on Lyn''s torso, "Now you have the role thrust upon you. Do you think I wanted to be a deity of destruction?" Raevan asked. "I saved the Ari. You''re following in my footsteps more than you know, child."


    Yheron grumbled an assent, "I rarely left the Valley of the Volcano because I, too, followed the will of Raevan."


    "To ensure peace," Lyn whispered, as the history that Vehenna had told her months ago had hinted at. The pieces were falling in ce, and Lyn was understanding the truth. A history that was veiled. Millennia of propaganda, falling apart with the revtions she was now learning.


    Raevan nodded. "A singr deity was responsible for the creation of Ghomar and the Elenthians. Eventually, the Elenthians left using spells, leaving behind their mana cores as their souls ¨C their being ¨C ascended to the unknown. It was too much grief, losing the first race. So, the singr deity split into two¡­me and Aelor. Aelor continued to create, and I just sat on the ''sidelines'' as you would put it, only to be called in to wipe out a mistaken creation."


    "But that stopped when Raevan was ordered to obliterate the Ari people," Yheron continued. "That was thest straw. The Destroyer rejected the orders to destroy, and instead¡­for the first time¡­created."


    "The Valley of the Volcano," Raevan replied. "A haven for the Ari people. The Duskari are those who simply swore to raise arms in my name."


    "Aelor can''t destroy?" Lyn asked.


    "He could, but he won''t. He loved his creations too much to destroy them." Raevan shook her head, "He split himself into the twenty hero cores, and divested his power. Through those cores, his split consciousness built the narrative that I, the Destroyer, desired the death of all ¨C onest ''fuck you'' directed at me. Over millennia, his consciousness faded to a whisper. But the narrative persisted, passing from hero mana core before bing legend. A force that everyone could unite against."


    "Peace," Yheron growled. "Peace through amon foe. The whole world, against the Destroyer and his ¨C or her ¨C servants. Aelor''s final gift to his creations." He huffed and then moved his head to face his opposite eye to the two humanoids in the darkness. "The heroes came, died, and then returned to ¨C as we both learned from your conversing with this Thomas fellow ¨C the statue of Aelor. Only when all twenty heroes had died could the mana cores be reassigned, and the consciousnesses of the heroes trapped within allowed to move on."


    "Then they began summoning heroes from other worlds," Raevan stated. "After several rounds of heroes going against my might and failing, the statue of Aelor began to bridge the gap between worlds, calling heroes to take up the mantle and stop me. It was an ancient artifact, made by the first Artificer hero, so technically one twentieth of Aelor divested their power into it."


    "But you were killed," Lyn stated. "Kor killed you, the Paragon hero that founded Khrrdia."


    Raevan''s face clouded over with sorrow, "This is true. And do you know what happened after my death? War. In the Victory Age, war broke out between kingdoms. It wasn''t until Yheron found my mana core in the dungeon atop Shiverburn Summit hundreds of years after that they reunited against amon foe."


    "And that''s what I did," Yheron replied with a chuckle. "I united the whole of Ghomar against amon threat. Sure, I would sometimes go out and rampage¡­but that was only when I saw the stirrings of war elsewhere. Peace reigned on Ghomar while I lived." He moved his head closer to Lyn, "And then you killed me."


    "I didn''t have a choice!" Lyn shouted at the specter of the creature that she had given her life to kill loomed in front of her. "I didn''t know any better!"


    Yheron grinned and the sight of his teeth sent chills down Lyn''s spine, "I am aware. You were not given the full truth. No one knows the full truth, save Raevan, me, and now you."


    Lyn looked down at the ckness and took a deep breath in. "What happens next?"


    "That is up to you, fledgling deity of destruction," Raevan said softly as she caressed Lyn''s face. "¡­What does your heart tell you?"


    Lyn closed her eyes. What is it I really want? She asked herself. She thought of all that she had learned so far, all she had experienced. From her shitty home life, to being mocked as the weakest hero, to growing in power and conquering dungeons. The history learned along the way. The few ssmates she had turned into fast friends. I wanted glory and recognition, she thought. Not to be the weakest. To show all of them that I wasn''t a joke.


    Then came the fight with the Demonic Dragon, her return to Earth, and her self-summon. I wanted the glory of aplishing the task everyone had set out toplete¡­but I was responsible for finishing. The realization that she would never be able to im that glory thanks to the actions of others. She felt the heat roil in her chest as the anger surged up. They stole her glory, her credit. I wanted revenge. No, I wanted them to admit they fucked up and fix it¡­but they can''t.


    She thought of the Duskari, the Newen, the Sloren, the Ari, and her empire still in its early stages. The goal she had set for herself was to unite the whole world under one rule, under her supreme might. To impose her sense of right and wrong. To prevent children from being abused like she was. To prevent people from going hungry as she used to almost every night. Ensuring everyone had a chance at the same wonderful life as the next person. I thought I had saved the world¡­but defeating the Demonic Dragon just removed theirmon threat.


    She didn''t want to be a threat everyone came together to fight against. She didn''t want to be the one person everyone hated. No¡­I will save this world. From itself. And when I have saved it, then I, and only I, will have the right to rule it. To guide it. I''m immortal. Age won''t kill me. Disease won''t kill me. I''ll be the enlightened empress that guides Ghomar to an age of prosperity and wonder,bining the knowledge of two worlds.


    "I want to rule Ghomar," Lyn stated. "I want to save the heroes trapped in their mana cores. I want to make a utopia; or as close to it as I can get¡­I don''t¡­I don''t want anyone to have the childhood I had."


    Yheron let out a heartyugh that reverberated all around, "That''s it! Conquer and consume! Be the ruler of Ghomar!"


    Raevan gently put a hand to Lyn''s chin and pulled her up until their eyes met. The ming orbs slowly extinguished before a pair of blue eyes ¨C Lyn''s own eyes ¨C appeared in their stead. "You choose a hard path. One that will take many years to achieve, and one fraught with peril." She helped Lyn stand up and gestured to Yheron, "We will always be with you, as we are you. Never before has a Destroyer chosen to be a conquering force for good¡­I look forward to where this will take us."


    "Your goal is a good one," Yheron stated as he lifted his bulk and stood up, "Are you willing to inherit the mantle of a deity? To ascend?"


    "I''ve heard that before," Lyn muttered before facing Yheron fully. "In Raevan''s dungeon. The trial asked me if I would ascend."


    "You will," Yheron stated. "If you consume every hero mana core. I was not able to, because the statue of Aelor was intact. But you¡­you have a tie with the prior generation of heroes, and the statue is gone. The heroes that died, the ones that are still alive¡­eventually you could gather them all within yourself¡­and ascend to godhood."


    Raevan nodded, "You could be more than I ever was. Ascend beyond just being a deity of destruction." She smiled, "But do not fret, godhood is not necessarily required of you. Rule your empire as you see fit. Those with power create the rules. Lead it to the golden age that you envision."


    "I don''t know if I want to be a goddess," Lyn said quietly. "But I''ll think about it." Lyn smiled andughed gently. "Thank you, Raevan." She turned to Yheron, "And¡­thank you, Yheron. I should hate you for killing me¡­but it''s given me the chance to free all my old ssmates and send them on their way."


    Yheron unfurled his wings and let out an enormous roar before he looked down at Lyn from above. "You are wee. Go and conquer this world. We''ll be with you."


    "In you," Raevan said with a light chuckle.


    Lyn looked between them both and felt a sense of calm wash over her. "We''ll be with each other," she said. She gave Raevan a hug, and the woman returned the gesture before turning into mist and vanishing inside Lyn.


    "Onest thing," Yheron stated. "Now that we are truly all on the same course¡­I want you to have my full power."


    "What else is there?" Lyn asked with genuine curiosity.


    Yheron smirked, "When you slew me, the Destroyer core was split in half. You returned to Earth with my half. My core gave youva elementalism. Raevan''s half of the core you imed gave control over shadow elementalism¡­in addition to Creation/Destruction, the most mana intensive of all external spell types at the peak of power that you haven''t tried yet. So powerful that only if you consumed every hero core could you outright create and destroy at will, altering the very fabric of reality. I would advise against trying that until you have enough mana. The prismatic hues represented the ultimate power you have ess to."


    He lowered his spiked head to be at her eye level. The enormous eye the size of her torso. "My ownership of the Destroyer core gave you the ability to use internal regeneration spells, alongsideva¡­and one other¡­"


    "Shifting internal spells. This half dragon form."


    "Listen closely, and I will tell you the Elenthian verse to turn into a full dragon; one so ancient that none but true dragons know it. As you and I are one with Raevan, you may use it."


    Lyn felt a flutter in her chest. "I''ve always wondered what flying would be like."

 B2 – Chapter 7

    Misty jumped slightly as Lyn inhaled deeply and sat up. She looked around before her eyesnded on Misty, and the disc atop the table. Where''s the mana core? Misty thought as she darted her eyes around. It''s not here! She turned back to Lyn with horror, "She''s gone¡­"


    Lyn stood up, "I am Lyn. Just like I am Raevan and Yheron. I am the Destroyer. This world will bow to me, and I will make it the best ce I can for every person." She pushed the chair in and gave Misty a firm nod. "You can help me and be rewarded, or you can stay here and be alone."


    Alone¡­the word echoed through Misty''s mind. She had gained functional immortality since Thomas had recovered the spell for transferring a mana core to a new body. She also had a different form of immortality, by stopping her body''s aging by simply halting certain functions. She would live forever if she so chose. But what is life without other people? Just solitude in a lonely tower? There was nowhere for her craft to go. No higher levels she could attain. The thought of being alone¡­forever¡­


    Safe space safe space safe space, she thought as she got up and ran to the closet nearby, mming the door behind her. She huddled on the ground in the fetal position, holding her head with her hands, repeating her mantra. Safe space safe space.


    There were footsteps outside of the door. "I know it''s not what you wanted to hear," Lyn''s muffled voice said. "I still want to be your friend. But I have a goal. I have to free the heroes trapped inside of their mana cores. Then, I''ll unite this whole world under a single banner¡­I want you to help me. Please¡­just think it over." There were footsteps that left before returning once more, "I will always value your friendship," Lyn''s voice said through the door once more. "I love you like a sister, and I''m sorry I can''t give you what you want¡­you have the inscribed emblem, so feel free to reach out. You''ll always have a home with me¡­I have to go."


    Misty heard the footsteps recede, and then the loud grinding of the statue re-engaging into the closed position. Lyn''s not there anymore. Just this new Lyn. Misty nodded to herself as the weing darkness pushed in around her. Safe space safe space no one can hurt you in your safe space.


    "Tevol! Give that to your brother. It''s his turn," Maria shouted.


    The older of the two twins begrudgingly gave the ''battle standard'' ¨C a pole with a cloth tied on it the kids had painted ¨C to Tovol. The younger of the twins ran off to join his ''side'', hiding in the bushes with Felej and Gerod ¨C Zebed''s children who he left in James'' care to foster diplomatic rtionships.


    Maria smiled as she leaned back in the chair under the awning at the center of the inner courtyard. She had never imagined that she would be in this situation.


    She was a child of the streets; her mother was a cutpurse, and she never knew her father. By all rights, she should have died on the streets years ago. But when she was fifteen, begging on the streets for food, the most unlikely of people spotted her and reached a hand out to help her up. A man dressed in resplendent white armor with gold and blue iy ¨C the Paragon hero.


    He was on a tour of the city, having recently arrived from his world. She was sitting in the gutter, holding her sign up¡­and he stopped the whole tour, got out of the carriage that was conveying him and several of the summoned heroes. "Nody should be in the gutter," he had said as he offered his hand.


    There was tumult among the various nobles that the Paragon was touching a filthy beggar, but the Paragon silenced them with a single look. His soft, gentle eyes told Maria that she would be safe with him. "Thank you," she had said.


    He had turned to one of the advisors and arranged housing for Maria. It was a small room in a house, but it was better than the streets. And he visited her consistently when he was in Kor''s Hold. She taught him about the customs of Ghomar and Khrrdia, and he in turn regaled her with stories of his adventures. She swooned for and was smitten with the man who had saved her.


    And when the Demonic Dragon was in, James returned and proposed. He bought them a house in the market district, and she had no want for anything in life. He was the perfect man in her eyes. Sure, he had the asional mental break from the horrible acts he witnessed, but Maria understood entirely. She, too, had nightmares of her childhood on the streets.


    "Ah, Queen Maria," a familiar voice said next to her. Zebed sat down in the chair nearby.


    "You return!" Maria said as she was pulled out of her reverie. "How was your trip?"


    "Fruitful, very, very fruitful." Zebed poured himself a cup from the nearby pitcher. "I will be staying until James returns, as I have much to discuss with him." He chuckled and gestured to the courtyard, "The boys seem to be getting along famously."


    Maria nodded, "My boys and your boys are bing quite fast friends."


    "Imagine," Zebed muttered, "If one of us had a daughter instead. We could bring the Free City even closer to Khrrdia."


    "I''m not one for politics," Maria replied. "I don''t know enough about it to meddle in that type of thing."


    "You''ll have to eventually," Zebed said as he looked at her. "A Queen is, by nature, meddling in politics."


    Maria shook her head, "I wouldn''t even know where to begin."


    Zebed nodded and leaned back in the chair as he sipped his wine, "Well, you''re already doing it. You have your children making connections with my children. Politics is not just about manipting people, you know. It has an equal reliance on rtionships." He gave her a sidelong nce, "You are good with people because you have a pleasant demeanor."


    "Oh, I don''t know about that," Maria replied as she fiddled with the fold of her dress. "Thank you for thepliment."


    "You are wee." Zebed drained his ss and stood up, "Let me ask one thing, if I may be so bold."


    Maria looked up at him, "Yes?"


    "Do you desire war?"


    Maria blinked a few times. "Wha-"


    "It is a in question," Zebed said as he crossed his arms and stared out at the boys ying in the courtyard. "Do you desire war?"


    "No! Of course not!" Maria said as she stood up, feeling some measure of displeasure at the insinuation that she desired conflict. "War is horrible!"


    "I agree." Zebed looked at her with a soft smile, "I meant no offense. The reason I ask is that your husband appears to be on that course. Vgonia has almost finished bringing their duchies to heel. Once that is done, then we will see war preparations begin in earnest. His current deal with Princess Cecily will shatter, and war wille to Khrrdia."


    Maria felt her heart racing as the thought of Kor''s Hold being attacked, and her family being hurt shed through her mind. "How do we stop it?"


    "There''s one way I can see," Zebed said. "James has toe to terms with Lyn Rivers, the Destroyer."


    Maria gasped and covered her mouth, "That¡­no, he won''t do that. He''s convinced she is evil."


    Zebed sighed, "I met the woman. She has a veryprehensive council and promises to be a very profitable trade partner." He turned to face Maria fully. "I need you to try and convince James to give allegiance a chance." His eyes were filled with a mix of emotions, but Maria read one specific emotion in particr ¨C fear. An awe-inspired type of terror.


    "Is she really that powerful?"


    "She changed mountains, diverted rivers, changed the verynd itself on a massive scale." Zebed shook his head. "I went to your repository beforeing here, and I found no record of such power in Ghomar''s recorded history." He looked at her with a pleading expression, "You must convince James to submit to her."


    Maria sat down slowly, "You want me to manipte my husband?"


    "Just broaden his perspective. That''s all I ask. If he tries to resist what ising¡­he will fall."


    Maria felt a chill travel up her spine. He will fall¡­the same words that a wise woman had told her when she was walking through a fair with James after their marriage and had stopped at the tent of a prestigious diviner. "I''ll¡­I''ll see what I can do."


    Zebed nodded and bowed, "That''s all I ask." He looked out at the boys who had transitioned to a game of tag, mbering through the bushes and up trees to avoid each other. He chuckled, "Ah, to be young and care-free."


    Maria looked at her boys. I don''t want to manipte you, my love¡­but I can''t lose you.


    Kory rode in the vanguard in a headlong charge against the rebels. Rist had risen in full rebellion, the duchy on the Azure Divide having dered independence. But they were alone, as Kory had already crushed any dissenters in Cecily''s name. One more battle, he thought as his blood pumped and his adrenaline surged. Then we prepare for war. He tightened his grip on the reins. Until I can crush his fucking smug face.


    Kory let out a war cry as he spurred his mount to run ahead of the formation. He heard the cavalrymander ordering him back, but he didn''t care in the slightest. His internal spells were active. The unique, Berserker internal spell that made him nigh untouchable and removed all limitations of his body''s built-in inhibitors to prevent self harm. He was wrath incarnate while the spell persisted.


    "Fucking die!" He screamed as he leaped from his horse as it collided with the spear wall. He went sailing over the front line of soldiers and mmed Krak''il''to into a clump of soldiers, smashing them into paste and sending their armor exploding out as shrapnel, a fleshy grenade from the force of his blow. Men turned on him and shed at him with mundane weaponry that bounced off harmlessly. A handful of des were mana charged, and they slightly nicked his skin.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Kory reached out and grabbed one of the mana charged des, ripping it from the soldier''s grasp before burying the cross guard inside his skull. "Come on!" he shouted as he left himself open to attacks as he took enormous, wide, sweeping blows. Soldiers moved in on him as the main cavalry charge impacted the weak spot in the line that Kory had carved. Horses went racing by, crushing and smashing into the defensive force.


    The Berserker hero screamed a war cry and moved on a cluster of panicked survivors from the initial charge. They were dressed in very simple armor with even simpler sharpened sticks. Kory towered over them and brought his hammer down, crushing two of them into paste before he swung at a third, sending him flying across the battlefield, into a charging cavalier, killing the horse and throwing the rider in the process. The remaining levies in the cluster dropped their weapons, "We surrender!" they shouted in Shereldian.


    It did not matter to Kory. You''re on a battlefield and fighting. You''re not an innocent. He killed them without a second thought. Looking for the next target, he felt immense disappointment as the line had broken and was beginning to rout as the main force arrived. The three-thousand strong army broke across thend like a rolling tide, and Kory joined the charge, chasing down the survivors and killing all he could get his hands on.


    Every person he crushed, every person he killed, he pictured James'' face instead of their own. I''ll kill you; he thought as heid waste to the rebels. I''ll destroy you for beating me. Koryughed maniacally as he lost himself to the bloodlust. The world vanished in a red haze and his body operated on sheer mechanical instinct as he became an incarnate of war itself on that battlefield, sttered in gore and viscera.


    Unbeknownst to him, every person he killed whilst in that blood frenzy was instantly harvested. Through his carnage, he grew in strength¡­and was none the wiser to his atrocious, unconscious act.


    Lyn walked down the cobblestone path to the small patio overlooking the ocean. Someone had carved stairs leading down the cliff face and to the sandy beach below. Vael and Gael were sitting on the edge of the cliff, dangling their feet over as they looked out at the vast ocean. Thomas was sitting further back from the cliff edge, perusing a book. "Hey," Lyn said to announce herself.


    The twins looked over at her, "I''ve never seen so much water," Gael said. "Thomas said it is filled with salt and you shouldn''t drink it."


    Vael nodded, "How far does it go?"


    Thomas chuckled and closed the book, "Ghomar is a Pangea. A singlergendmass with a smattering of inds. The whole world is temperate, with no arctic regions." He pointed out across the horizon, "If you kept sailing that direction, you would eventually run into Feylin and the Ruins of Elent. Past that? You would circumnavigate the globe and arrive at Firol, the ind duchy of Khrrdia just off the coast of the maind."


    Lyn looked at Thomas as he met her gaze. "She tried something," she told him.


    "Oh? Let me guess, she tried to pull the old Lyn out of you."


    "How''d you know?"


    Thomas shrugged, "Just a theory. You seem the same despite her attempts."


    Lyn nodded, "I had a conversation with myself. Did you know that souls ¨C the consciousness ¨C of the past Destroyers are¡­in me?" she asked as she put a hand to her chest.


    "I theorized," Thomas replied. "But thank you for the confirmation. Tell me, are they separate entities?"


    "Sort of? Misty''s spell separated them enough for us to talk to each other."


    Thomas perked up at that and sat upright, putting his book away. "That''s incredible! What did they say?"


    Lyn spent a few minutes recounting the conversation with Raevan and Yheron.


    Gael got up from the cliff edge as she finished and helped Vael up. "You can be a full dragon now?"


    Lyn nodded but Thomas interrupted, "You realize what this means? Right? The whole ''until all arebined'' was talking about you¡­ That''s how you end the cycle. I would be willing to wager that once you have every hero core, the Destroyer core will¡­evolve? Be something greater."


    "I''ll have that option," Lyn replied. "But that would require me stripping living heroes of their cores ¨C and I''m not going to do that to them. You''ve seen what happens."


    Thomas nodded, "I know. I''m hoping that, when we get to the Ruins of Elent, you have enough mana for that inscription to the lower levels of their mainplex. I still haven''t figured out how they make artifacts¡­but if that knowledge is rediscovered, maybe we could make an artifact that allows you to transfer another core into them."


    Lyn nodded, "Sure. But first¡­we''re going to fly to the ind of Feylin. I want to show the armor to the fey smiths there and see if they can tell me anything about it."


    Vael and Gael walked over to the two, and Vael said, "We are going inside the storage space?"


    "No," Lyn said with a smile as she walked away to a t, open area slightly above this ocean viewing point. "Stay back." She took a deep breath as the trio stood off to the side. "En ethiel i thalion min nin / i beleg bregol en-ngurth / na garo nin rhaw / a adlethad ha na / i beleg nadhras sui ar Ghomar."


    She felt the Destroyer core re up and the burning, riveting heat akin to when she first arrived boil up inside. It flowed into every mana channel, fully suffusing her being. And she felt¡­an excitement. No pain, no physical sensation save for a sense of stretching. Instinctively, she closed her eyes and waited for the stretching feeling to cease.


    "Holy shit!" Thomas yelled in English. Lyn opened her eyes and looked around. Vael and Gael were bowing, faces to the dirt, and Thomas had a look of awe on his face. "You''re freaking massive!"


    Lyn craned her head back and saw the length of her body. "Holy shit," she said; but the voice that came out was not her own, it was that of the Demonic Dragon. She flexed her muscles and felt her body respond as she did so. How do I fly? Almost as if reading her desire, her body began to move on its own ¨C as if she was piloting a vehicle and just at the controls. She could feel the wings rotating in their sockets as they began to p downward, generating upward thrust.


    She coiled her legs under her and leapt up as her wings continued to p, and she ascended into the skies about a hundred feet before she glided inzy circles tond. She felt her ws digging into the dirt under her. "How big am I?" she asked.


    Thomas switched to Arinol, "A hundred feet from snout to tail tip, with a one hundred fifty-foot wingspan. Height wise, from ground to haunch, about thirty feet tall."


    Vael raised her head, "You''re¡­amazing."


    Lyn chuckled, "Thank you for thepliment." She marveled at this new form; the ck scales entuated with neon-blue highlights in between the gaps. She had spines along her back that were a deeper, ocean blue in color, and arge de on the end of her tail. "Well? Want to ride?" She lowered herself to the ground.


    Thomas was practically buzzing and ran forward, mbering up her foreleg and onto her back. The twins looked at each other before standing. "Thank you, mydy," Gael said as he, too, mbered atop Lyn''s form. Vael followed suit, and after all three had secured themselves to her spines with rope, she stood up and spread her wings wide.


    "Let''s have some fun!" She ran to the edge of the cliff and leaped over it, arcing down as she tucked her wings in. The screams of fear or excitement from behind her drove her on, and as she approached the beach and crashing waves, she pulled out of the dive and into a glide, pping asionally to slowly gain altitude.


    "This is what I''ve dreamed of!" Thomas yelled out.


    Lyn craned her head back and saw the slight trace of tears upon his face. "Happy to make your dreame true."


    Cecily grinned as hermanders gave the most recent report. Perfect, she thought. Rist is now under control. Thest piece of the puzzle, every duchy was now fully under her control. Either ruled by someone that she had thralled, or who owed their new position to her. "And on that note," she said as the report concluded, "I want us to move forward with war preparations."


    One of hermanders nodded, "We have begun, your grace."


    "And that''s why you''re one of my favorites," Cecily replied. "How is the development of our fleet?" she asked as she turned to her admirals.


    One of the older women stood up, "We have one-hundred ships that are outfitted for war, your grace. They are slower than those of the Free City of Bashinol and Khrrdia, but thanks to your ingenious suggestions, their weaponry and armor vastly out-scale them. We are having issues with boarders in training runs, as the sailors are not skilled at hand-to-handbat."


    Cecily sighed and looked at one of hermanders, "Very well, then we must send some of the training sergeants to drill the sailors. I expect you to have a trained navy and marine corps before the year''s end."


    "Your will be done," themanders replied in almost perfect synchronization.


    Cecily looked to her Chancellor, "And what of our diplomatic negotiations with Trisk?"


    "Your grace¡­" The older man sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Our diplomats were rejected and escorted from Skir''s Retreat."


    Cecily stood up and mmed her hands on the table, "He dares?!" She shouted at the man. "That fucking little pissant dares to risk affront to me?"


    "Y-y-your grace," the man stuttered out of fear. "I-I-I believe t-that they are¡­neg-negotiating with others."


    "Don''t you fucking tell me that Khrrdia is making alliance!"


    "N-no, your grace. An¡­unknown party."


    Cecily stared at the man with a merciless gaze filled with ire. "And we don''t have any clue who this party is?"


    Her Spymaster stood up, "I have been led to believe that it is this Lady Rivers, your grace."


    This bullshit again. "The same bitch who supposedly saved the Ari?"


    "Yes, your grace."


    There was a knock on the council chamber door, and one of the chambeins went over and opened it before standing aside, "Your highness, Vinic Lancet sends missive."


    A messenger entered the room, bowed deeply as he knelt, and held up a rolled-up piece of parchment with a wax seal. "Princess Cecily, Ie from Knight Lancet with a report on the actions in the duchy of Ishtok."


    Cecily grabbed the parchment and handed it to her servant. The servant walked off a few feet and gingerly opened the parchment all the way before returning and handing it to her. A precaution in case it was trapped in some way. Cecily read through the document and mmed it down. "Fuck!" She screamed as she swept the cups and wine bottle onto the floor, the ss smashing.


    Her Spymaster reached over and picked up the document, reading it aloud for the rest of the council as Cecily fumed silently in her chair. "Vinic Lancet reports several items. One, the mountains surrounding the Valley of the Volcano have been transformed into walls, sheer cliff faces. Two, there is a fortress at the ce where The Rill spills out from. Three, an enormous fortification has been erected along the whole of The Rill, on the opposite side of Vgonia''s territory ¨C but it is not patrolled or manned. He was unable to do as you wished, as the Ari have seemingly fled the Arin Isle and sailed upriver, vanishing into that fortress." She put the scroll down, "And a woman, the same who took his hand, Lyn Rivers ¨C this Destroyer ¨C routed the army with a disy of spellcraft that defied all logic. She sundered thend to prevent assault on that fort. Almost all of the men were lost."


    The rest of the council spoke in hushed tones amongst themselves. But one of Cecily''smanders stood up, "My Lady! We must act at once!"


    Cecily looked up from her brooding state, "Oh? And what do you suggest?"


    "An alliance, your grace! We should send a messenger and ask for terms!"


    "You idiot," Cecily stated bluntly as she stared the man down. "She has aligned with the Ari. We will not work alongside the enemy." She sat up straighter in her chair, "In fact, words like that make you sound like a sympathizer with the non-Humans¡­" she let the implied threat linger in the air.


    The man sat down immediately, "Forgive me, your grace. How can we hope to fight someone who can change thend itself?"


    Cecily smirked and leaned back, "We don''t. This report," she grabbed it from the Spymaster and crumpled it in her fist, "Is a hoax, nothing more. No one has the power to terraform an entire mountain. It is simply arge group of Ari who are working in concerted spellcraft,bining their power on inscriptions." She stood up and snapped her fingers as servants swept aside the ttered ss and pushed in her chair. "It is of no concern to us. Just leave them inside their little Valley."


    She walked out of the council chamber and headed down the hallway. It won''t matter, she thought. I have enough mana to terraform as well. If ites down to it¡­I will go to the battlefield myself and put this¡­fraudulent Lyn in the dirt where she belongs. She snapped her fingers, and a servant ran up to her. "Fetch the captain of the guard and the keeper ofw; I need to make some changes." I am so close. Just a bit more mana¡­and then Vgonia will be mine forever.

 B2 – Chapter 8

    James sighed as hepleted the dungeonbat encounter and entered the reward chamber. He walked to the wooden box, opened it, and consumed the dungeon core within; not even bothering to listen to the voice of the Elenthian''s echoes. There were body enhancing items that he scooped up and ced into a satchel. Another one down, he thought. His fourth dungeon he had cleared within a week. Thank Aelor I have so many scouts.


    All his scouts and the various personnel at his court who managed such affairs had been dispatched tob through Khrrdia, following leads from his master of whispers. He ced his palm on the altar and returned to the damp cave on the ocean. Taking in a deep breath and savoring the salty sea air, he remembered thest time he had been on the coast and just taken in the beauty of it.


    It was when the heroes first arrived. Their hometown wasndlocked in the middle of nowhere. When they arrived in Kor''s Hold and saw the ocean off in the distance, all the heroes were struck with awe. The oceans of Ghomar were quite specialpared to the photos of Earth''s oceans they looked at in their science ss for their biology course. Ghomar''s oceans were clear for the first several feet, before slowly darkening as light faded.


    One of the first things they tried when they did get a chance for an ocean trip was to go out on a small rowboat until it went dark. James cast a light elementalism spell and sent the illuminating orb down into the depths. They could see it as it went deeper and deeper, until it reached the ocean floor almost a hundred feet down.


    He took a deep breath and drew Aelor''An''r. "Anno nin i gwelu en-gd." He turned into a beam of light and within an instant was standing in front of Kor''s Hold. The troops on station snapped to attention, and James gave them a curt nod as he walked inside the pce. Dropping the body enhancements off with the court alchemist, he went to the inner courtyard, and heard the wee sound of his childrenughing.


    He walked to the covered awning and sat down next to his wife. She jumped slightly at the sudden appearance of the Paragon hero. "You startled me," she said with a lightugh.


    James leaned in and kissed her, "Forgive me, my love." He looked at the kids who were building some type of tree house. "I finished a few dungeons," he said as he reached into his hip pouch and pulled out a few shining seashells he had found quite alluring on the sand.


    Maria picked one from his palm and held it up, letting the light refract from the prismatic surface, "They''re pretty," she said before looking back at James. She gave him a quizzical look, "Where''s your friend? The Shifter hero?"


    James shook his head, "He left," he muttered. "It''s alright, I didn''t need him. I''m getting stronger with every dungeon I clear."


    Maria cupped his face, "I''m worried."


    "Don''t be. I''m the Paragon. The strongest hero."


    There was a look on her face that he couldn''t identify. "Sweetie¡­I think you should consider trying to talk with your ssmate."


    "Lawrence left. I don''t think he wants anything to do with me."


    "Not that one." She leaned over and rummaged about in a small satchel before pulling out the symbol that had apanied Lyn''s letter. "The one iming to be the Destroyer."


    James scowled and looked away, "The Destroyer is evil."


    "That''s not what Zebed said."


    James snapped his eyes on her, "Did he put you up to this? Convincing me to try and build alliances?"


    Maria nodded slightly, "Yes. He said he''s met with her, and she¡­well, he didn''t tell me much, except he was afraid of her power." A look of fear crossed her face, "He said the whole of the Valley was changed. Every mountain, turned to an enormous wall."


    James narrowed his vision, "I heard as much from reports."


    "Did the reports tell you about the wall separating the Valley from Fort Watch?"


    "No. Give me a few seconds." He stood up, drew his de, muttered the spell that enabled him to travel at light speed, and appeared at Fort Watch.


    Or rather, what was left of Fort Watch. What happened? He thought as he shook the sand off of his boots. Wooden scrap was mixed in with the dirt, and in front of him stood an enormous, one-hundred-foot-tall wall that bridged the gap between The Valley of the Volcano and the no-man''snd. The mountains to either side were deceptive at first nced, but zooming in his vision thanks to Farsight Eyedrops, he saw past the optical illusion, confirming the reports he had received from Sonash and Pictal.


    James felt something well up in him he had not felt in years. Shame. Shame that he, the strongest hero by default was weak inparison to the power that had erected this monument. Shame that he did not pursue power single-mindedly like Lyn did for those five years leading up to their assault on the dread fortress¡­and shame that he allowed himself to ck off in the time since. Changing a single mountain wouldpletely drain his mana core, and he''d need to wait a half day for it to refill enough to do the same action again.


    I''m pathetic, he thought. But the moment that thought went through his mind, the Paragon core whispered to him. Thest, lingering fragment of Aelor''s consciousness.


    Protect¡­


    The voice faded. Protect what? James tried to ask it.


    Only silence answered him.


    He felt sick to his stomach. Leaning over, he lost his lunch and coughed, spittle hanging from his lips as he took in shaking breaths. Aelor is gonepletely gone. He felt that in the deepest part of his being, the knowledge that thest fragment of Aelor was gone forever, faded into oblivion from countless cycles of heroesing and going. What did he mean? Who should I protect? Thoughts of his family shed through his head. His twin boys that he loved so dearly. His darling wife that he had stopped training to be with. The kingdom he now ruled.


    I know what I must do, he thought as he straightened his stance. I must protect all of them. I''ll protect them from this¡­monster. That means I need to get stronger.


    That meant more dungeons. That meant waiting for his scouts to find more reports and verify them.


    For now¡­I can''t do anything except train my mana core. He sighed as he muttered the lightspeed spell and traveled almost instantly back home, taking the seat next to Maria. "I''m going to be home for a bit." He smiled gently and put his hand on hers. "I''m doing everything I can to keep us safe. To protect us all."


    Maria nodded, "I know. But for my sake, could you at least try talking to this Lyn person? If she remembers you, then maybe you can avoid any violence." He saw the fear in her face as her lower lip trembled, and a tear was shed. "I¡­I can''t lose you."


    James embraced her. "Shhh. It will all be okay. I''ll get strong enough that no one can beat me. I''ll keep us all safe."


    Lyn trailed her tail through the water below as she dipped down. She felt¡­free. The same type of freedom that she felt when she ran away from home the first time. Completely unbound. Flight is really something special, she thought. But she could not do this forever. Being in full dragon form was taxing on her mana reserves. She could keep it up for around six hours. However, that was more than enough time to cross the ocean on a Northwest heading, and the high cliffs topped with purple and pink trees marked their destination.


    Feylin. The only ce on Ghomar where the fey creatures of the world ¨C pixies and faeries ¨C resided. Small sized humanoids with translucent wings, they were the first artificial race made by someone other than Aelor. Thomas exined as they flew that the Elenthians made them as servants to their various trades, and thus they learned from the best craftspeople across history. It was very difficult to visit theirnd, because the oceans surrounding the ind were treacherous, and there was no ce where a boat could pull close enough to allow scaling of the cliffs.


    Flight was the only way to get there. Lyn sailed over the edge of the cliff beforending. She felt sore; the joints where the wings connected to her body were not used to flight, and as her passengers dismounted and she released the spell, she felt the same level of strain on herts. "Well, we''re here," she said as the trio stretched after their six-hour flight.


    Thomas chuckled, "Look at the trees! Ah, I wonder what gives them their unique pigmentation?"


    Gael cracked his back and grunted, "What''s our goal here, Lyn?"


    She turned to face the forest, "I want to speak to the fey. They made this armor; I''m hoping they can tell me more about it¡­and maybe they can reveal information on how artifacts are made."


    "What''s the difference?" Vael asked.


    Thomas turned to her, "Inscribed items require you to use your mana to power it. Often, at a one-to-one ratio. Let''s say you have an inscribed item that requires all your mana to activate a single time. An artifact does not require mana to use."


    "If I learned how it was done, I could create them with the Artificer core I now possess," Lyn added. "Come on, let''s go." She walked to the trees and under the pink and purple canopy.


    Brad entered Trisha''s hospital and went straight to the third floor. He knocked on the door, and heard the soft, "Come in."


    He gently turned the knob and entered the room, closing the door behind. "Hiya Trisha. Do you have a few minutes?"


    The Healer hero nodded. She was rocking a crib next to her desk with her foot and was otherwise upied writing some type of text. She set the quill down and gestured to the open chair, "Please. How''s the new recipeing along?"


    "It''s going well," Brad replied as he pulled out the new version of the Purple Patch and handed it to her. "This most recent batch can stay applied for up to twelve hours before it begins to attack the organism itself. I''m still working on something for sucking chest wounds, but it''s tricky."


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Trisha nodded as she grabbed the patch and held it between her hands, stretching it slightly. "You''re amazing, you know that, right?"


    Brad chuckled and pulled out a small wooden container. He popped the lid and pulled out several wads of gum. "Want one? I figured out strawberry vor."


    Trisha smiled and took one, "Mmmm. Goddamn, it''s been a while since I''ve had strawberry vored anything."


    "I also have those antibiotics in the works. It''s taking longer than usual, since we must wait for the herbs to grow, and the molds to finish germinating."


    "I''ve been meaning to ask," Trisha muttered as she set the purple patch down. "What do you think of Lyn? You''ve been here longer than me and Ben."


    Brad leaned back in the chair and exhaled, "She''s motivated to do great things. She''s protecting me from Cecily and giving me leeway to experiment how I wish. Overall? I''d give her an eight out of ten. She''s a little bossypared to old Lyn, but, I mean, if you''re going to be an empress you have to be a bit bossy."


    Trisha nodded and tented her hands, "What about the whole business with Volio? She killed him. Granted, he was trying to thrall her to his will¡­but still."


    Brad shook his head, "What would you do in her shoes?" He sat forward and looked her in the eyes, "I was thralled for years. If I could kill Cecily, I''d do it in a heartbeat, no question. Having your free willpletely taken away and at the whims of another¡­it''s fucked up ¨C oops, screwed up. Sorry, forgot the baby was in the room."


    Trisha nodded, "It''s fine, she''s sleeping." She let out a slight sigh. "I''ve done that thought process, putting myself in Lyn''s shoes. And honestly, I would do the same¡­but what does that say about us?" She stood up and leaned over the crib, tucking a nket around her youngest. "Are we so far gone from who we used to be? None of us would have killed Volio if he had tried to assault Lyn back on Earth. Sure, beat him up, but he would''ve been arrested and gone through a court system."


    "Maybe you should bring that up to her," Brad mused. "I''m sure she''s already got somews and the like ready to be implemented, but your input would be valued, I''m sure. You were what, third in the ss?"


    Trishaughed gently, "Yes. Cecily was Miss 4.0 GPA, Thomas was right up there with her, and I was just a hair behind them both. But to be fair, I had all those internships at the clinic." She sat down and gestured to the book on the table. Half of a page was filled out, "Being responsible for the definitive medical text that will shape Ghomar''s future practices is going to be a massive feather in my cap."


    Brad chuckled and stood up, "Yeah. Well, there was one other reason I came by today." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial of silvery liquid. "I''ve figured out a way to reverse a few years of age. I don''t know the side effects, but I was hoping we could maybe find some elderly folks who would be willing to test it out."


    Trisha looked at him, "Drug trials? Normally we''d start with animals."


    "That''s fine," Brad replied. "I don''t have any idea where to start with that type of stuff."


    Trisha chuckled, "Add it to my te. I''lle up with the basic outline for you to follow."


    Brad pocketed the drug and nodded, "Just make sure you don''t tell anyone about this. If word got out that we had a longevity enhancing substance¡­" he let the lingering words hang in the air. "Oh, did you want anything special gum-wise? I''m having some apprentices work on extracts as practice, so I''ll take vor orders."


    "Orange would be lovely," Trisha replied. "But why gum?"


    "It''s going to be a great base. Swallowing pills isn''t a thing on Ghomar really, but chewing something is natural. I''m thinking gum is the way of the future of medicine. Plus, I can make it not taste like that medicinal vor."


    Trishaughed, "Alright. Yes, orange, please. And Ben likes cherry."


    Lyn pushed through the undergrowth with ease. Herpanions were following a few steps behind her, and if not for their tight-knit formation, they would have been lost. "There''s something about these trees," Thomas muttered as they walked. "Some type of natural, hallucinogenic pollen, perhaps."


    Vael coughed lightly, "I''m not feeling so well."


    "Neither am I," Gael added. "My throat itches."


    "The trees must have varied potency depending on race," Thomas mused.


    Lyn pushed through a cluster of low-hanging branches and gasped. It''s¡­gorgeous. She was looking out at a cid, calm, almost ethereal-blueke with rainbow-striped koi fish swimming around. There was an entire city built on theke, propped up on stilts. Theke was only a few hundred feet across, and the buildings were the size of fancy doll houses.


    She felt a poking in her side and nced around. "Hey, down here," a voice said in Elenthir. ncing down to the source of the noise, she saw a small man with translucent wings the size of her finger. "Yeah, you. What are you doing here?"


    Lyn crouched down as her allies broke through the foliage, "Hi there," she replied in the samenguage. "I''m Lyn Rivers, the Destroyer."


    The small figure shook his head and flitted up in front of her eyes, "Only fey are allowed on Feylin."


    "And what of deities?" Lyn asked. "I am the Destroyer, Raevan reborn."


    The creature''s face went white, and he bowed. "My apologies! You''ll want to speak to the Queen right away."


    Thomas crouched also and spoke in Elenthir, "Are you a pixie or a faerie?"


    The figure flitted in front of Thomas, "Pixie."


    "Ah, and do tell, what''s the difference?"


    The pixie gave Thomas a look of disbelief. "I''m a guy¡­"


    "Ah, gender dimorphism." Thomas pulled out a notebook and jotted a few words down. "So, pixies are male and have translucent wings. Faeries are female and have what type of wings?"


    The pixie just sighed, "I''m not paid enough to deal with this. Wait here." He pped over to the city and vanished amongst the buildings.


    That''s when Lyn realized the various sparkles across theke were small humanoid figures ¨C pixies and faeries ¨C flying over the water. On the far side of theke, she even saw several of the figures attaching harnesses to koi. Squinting and focusing her sight, she spotted several of the fey humanoids traveling underwater, mounted on the fish. "That''s pretty neat," Lyn said in Arinol.


    "What''s happening?" Gael asked. "You both spoke really fast Elenthir, and I didn''t catch everything."


    "Oh, right," Thomas said as he filled in the twins on the conversation. As he finished recapping what was discussed, the pixie returned with another winged figure.


    This one had opaque wings and spoke with a high-pitched voice in Elenthir. "Visitors to Feylin. Wee. I am Queen Gemini."


    Thomas nced at the twins, "I''ll just trante for you both." He turned to Lyn, "You''re the empress, take the lead."


    The Queen clicked her tongue and spoke in Arinol, "You could have just asked to speak in a more familiar tongue."


    Lyn chuckled, "Myself and the Human are versed in Elenthir, but ourpanions are not fluent."


    "What brings the reincarnation of Raevan to our ind?"


    Lyn pointed at the armor she wore, "I wanted to know how your people made this."


    The Queen flitted over to inspect the armor closely, "Hmm¡­this is the work of our eldest feysmith." She flew up to eye level, "You are wee to visit the city of Feylin proper, but your size will make that difficult." She pointed to the North side of theke, "We have a space for visitors there. It has not seen much use in the past few thousand years, but you may stay there for now."


    Lyn bowed, "My thanks, Queen Gemini." She gestured for herpanions to follow, and the group skirted theke. Pixies and faeries began flying nearby, and she could make out the whisperings in Elenthir about their group. Who they were, why they were there, why it was three Duskari and one Human ¨C the noises ovepped until they became an insect-like buzz.


    Past a group of branches was an overgrown perg with ancient-looking wooden chairs. "I wouldn''t risk sitting on one," Thomas said as he sat on the weathered rug in the center of the space.


    Vael sat down on one of the chairs, gently putting gradual weight on it. The group heard a loud crack, and Vael lifted herself up as the chair copsed in on itself. "They haven''t had visitors in a long time," she stated as she sat on the ground next to Thomas.


    Gael looked at Lyn, and then back to theke where the group of fey humanoids were gathered, looking their direction. "I do not like being the center of attention," he grumbled.


    Lyn frowned, "I thought you would be fine with it, since you''re at my right-hand during council meetings."


    "Attention is focused on you," Gael replied. "Not on me. It is¡­ufortable."


    There was a loud buzzing sound that caught all of their attention. A slightlyrger pixie, apanied by several faeries, flew over. Therger one seemed to be struggling to fly and was supported by several female individuals. "Ah! My finest work!" the pixie said in Arinol as he pped up to Lyn''s eye level. "I''m master feysmith Wesker. You must be this new Raevan."


    Lyn nodded, "That is right. I am Lyn Rivers. These are mypanions, Vael, Gael, and Thomas ¨C the Knowledge hero."


    The smith looked over to Thomas, "What brings a hero to join thepany of their sworn enemy?"


    Thomas smiled, "Let''s just say that I liked Lady Rivers'' sales pitch."


    "Oh, a sales pitch?" He turned back to Lyn. "What are you selling?"


    "An empire," Lyn replied. "I am making one and bringing all of Ghomar under my rule."


    "Hmph. You''re going to need craftspeople for that. Mind if I take a seat?"


    "Not at all," Lyn replied as she sat down and patted her knee. The pixie flew over and sat on her with a loud sigh. "Can you tell me how you made this armor?"


    "ck Adamantine, custom job as is all of my work. Flexible scale mail with inscriptions to enable instant summoning or dismissal from an extradimensional storage space. Inscriptions that allow for changing of size. ''Twas the first item youmissioned from me, back when you called yourself Raevan."


    Lyn nodded, "Good to know, but how did you make it? How do you make artifacts?"


    "Ah, seeking to make your own?" He crossed his arms, "What''s in it for me, revealing the secrets of artifact creation? Knowledge held close by the Elenthians, and now solely in the collective crafting know-how of the feysmiths?"


    "I can give you a ce in my empire," Lyn replied.


    "Pfff. You have nothing we need," Wesker replied.


    Gael cleared his throat, "What of protection? You don''t seem very threatening, and this ce isn''t well defended."


    Wesker looked up at Gael, "We don''t need protection. None may enter Feylin unless our Queen allows it."


    "But we did," Vael stated. "The person who met us at the edge of yourke didn''t even know who we were."


    Wesker frowned, "Our Queen must have allowed you. The trees respond to her will, and their pollen would have confounded your senses, preventing you from finding theke and the city of Feylin."


    "I can provide you with something incredible," Lyn stated. "Thomas, mind handing me some parchment and ink?" He handed Lyn his notebook and his ink pen. Lyn focused her thoughts on the Artificer mana core and envisioned in her mind a train engine. She let her hand move of its own ord, and after several minutes, she looked down at what she had drawn. The page was filled withplex schematics for an inscription-powered train. She turned the book around and held it in front of the feysmith. "I have knowledge from another world. I can provide you the blueprints for all manner of devices that will make your lives more rxed and luxurious."


    Wesker''s jaw dropped as he examined the schematics. "This¡­so intricate¡­my word¡­" he looked up at Lyn, "Well, this changes things."


    "I''m surprised your civilization is stagnant in technological advancement," Thomas added. "Given your longevity and ingenuity. If you''ve been around since Raevan''s time, that means your average lifespan is what, five thousand years?"


    Wesker shook his head, "I''ll ignore yourment, Knowledge hero," he replied, his voice full of vitriol at the slight, unintended insult. He looked up at Lyn, "Here is my proposal, speaking as the master of the feysmiths. You will visit here on an annual basis and provide schematics such as this. You will spend a week with us on each visit, learning our craft. I cannot simply tell you how to make artifacts-"


    "Yes, you can," Lyn interrupted. "Forgive me for interrupting, but yes you can. I have consumed the Artificer hero core."


    The smith''s eyes went wide once more, "That¡­that does change¡­" he set the schematics in the notebook down and waved for faeries to help him fly up. "I must speak with our Queen. Wait here please." He went flying off with the help of the others.


    Thomas reached over and grabbed his notebook, looking over the design Lyn hade up with. "I didn''t know you knew this much about trains."


    "I don''t," Lyn replied. "I just focused on the Artificer core and pictured the train¡­and then let my body act."


    "Interesting¡­" Thomas looked at the twins, "You both have been quiet."


    Vael grunted and pulled her knees up, "Nothing to add. I''m here to guard Lyn, that''s all."


    Gael nodded, "Honestly, our addition to your travel seems unnecessary¡­Lyn, you don''t need bodyguards."


    "I have to sleep," she replied. "I need someone to keep watch while I rest."


    "She does have a point there, brother," Vael said.


    "If you just want to keep busy, you can increase your mana core capacity," Thomas stated. "Here, let me walk you through an exercise¡­"


    Lynid back on the ground and shut her eyes as Thomas took the twins to theke edge, instructing them in the breathing and mana cirction technique to improve their capacity. I need to bring these feysmiths to my side.


    She opened her eyes and stared up at the pink and purple canopy. There were no birds, no sounds of the forest. Just the light ssh of water from the twins doing the exercise, and the wind through the trees. There was a profound silence that washed over her, and she felt¡­at peace. She surrendered to the feeling and fell asleep.

 B2 – Chapter 9

    Kory growled at the recruits that passed by him. Fucking pathetic, he thought as the new additions to Vgonia''s military might wound their way past him. He hefted hisrge hammer on his shoulder and walked down the finished line. What a waste of time. He hated training wimps, but if it was what Cecily wanted, he had to do it.


    Commander Sigurd stood in front of the new recruits, "Attention!" she shouted. There was some hesitant movement, but after a few seconds the recruits followed her stance and came to attention. "You have chosen a glorious future, to join the forces of Vgonia''s military! Under my guidance, you will gain skills and strength. Glory to Princess Cecily, and glory to Vgonia!"


    Kory raised his voice, "Last one to finish the course is going to be cleaning out thetrines for the whole month!" The recruits stampeded toward the obstacle course, eager to show off to the other young adults, and to demonstrate their physical prowess in front of a hero. Sigurd and Kory went to the observation deck overlooking the course. He spit over the side of the rail, "This is a waste of time. We should be working on improving our existing troops instead of training up fresh ones."


    "You question our Princess'' advisors?" she asked.


    Kory chuckled, "I''ve seen more realbat than the lot of them." He stared at the group of recruits working their way through the mud-pit section of the obstacle course. "Numbers don''t mean shit when you have well-trained troops."


    "To a point, I agree," Sigurd replied. "But if reports are anything to go by, Khrrdia can field an army of fifty-thousand levies and ten-thousand trained soldiers. If we raised all the levies from the duchies, we could maybe field double that. And with these trained soldiers amongst them, we''ll have a much easier time encircling enemy forces."


    Kory gripped the railing so hard it splintered and cracked under his hands. "It doesn''t fucking matter. We should be spending time improving existing troops and increasing their deadliness on the battlefield. Fresh recruits with only a year to be trained up?"


    Sigurd blinked in shock, "Wait, a year?"


    Kory nodded, "We strike Khrrdia in a year."


    "And why haven''t themanders been told?"


    Kory shook his head, "No fucking clue." He put a hand to the brand on his right pec, feeling the letter C that Cecily had seared into ce. "Cecily has something nned. Something big."


    Lyn woke up to someone shaking her shoulder. Blinking away the sleep, she sat up and took in her surroundings. The entire space around her had been adorned with flowers and the furniture that once looked ancient was in perfect repair. ncing down, she spotted a faerie who flew up to her eye level. "How long was I out?" Lyn asked in Elenthian.


    The tiny woman shrugged, "No clue. I was just told to wake you up." She zipped away, and Lyn looked to theke. Thomas was still sitting at the edge, and the twins were still circting mana in the water. The sun was high above, but the normal warm, orange-yellow light that it cast was tinged with blues and purples as it passed through the vast amount of pollen in the air above Feylin.


    Queen Gemini flitted over to Lyn from the city, apanied by the master smith and several attendants. "Wesker has apprised me of what you had told him. I have a proposal."


    Lyn straightened her posture and nodded, "I''m listening."


    "The feysmiths are the most renowned craftspeople across Ghomar, as you well know. I desire a¡­partnership, if you will. I have no doubts that you will conquer the world as is your aim. And I desire to keep my autonomy. In exchange for letting the isle of Feylin remain apart from your empire, we will provide inscribed items ¨C and even the knowledge of artifact creation ¨C using our spells."


    "Forgive me for asking," Lyn said as she eyed Thomas who was leaning in to hear the conversation at hand. "But how would you provide items whilst remaining here?"


    The Queen smiled, "The fey are able to travel instantly from any one of these trees to another one." She gestured, and one of her attendants came over with a small pouch. "These are seeds of the feywood. If you nt them in soil, and pour mana into them, they will grow rapidly. ce them in a protected, encased grove, and then we can instantly travel between Feylin and wherever you have ced those trees." She raised a finger, "You will have to provide the resources for whatever items you desire created and will provide us with these¡­schematics on a regr basis. Say, once a week."


    Lyn nodded, "This seems like a perfectly fair deal. I ept your offer." She held out her hand, and the Queen took her wed finger, shaking it firmly. The attendant set the bag of seeds in her palm, and Lyn channeled mana into the storage choker, depositing the bag inside the space before letting it seal once more.


    Master feysmith Wesker nodded, "I''ll take that blueprint now." Lyn looked at Thomas, and he walked over, ripped the pages out of the notebook, and handed them to the pixie. Wesker nodded, "Very good. How long can you stay on this trip?"


    Lyn looked up at Thomas, "How long will we need in the Ruins of Elent?"


    "About a week," he replied. "Maybe longer, if the undergroundplex is bigger than the one above it."


    She looked back to the master feysmith, "Would you be willing to travel via these trees to teach me?"


    He nodded, "Sure. Once the trees have sprouted, we''ll know, and we''ll send a messenger through." He leaned over to the Queen and put an arm around her waist. "Stay as long as you wish, at our leisure."


    The Queen blushed slightly but then nodded enthusiastically, "We will provide food and drink if you desire."


    Lyn looked at Thomas, and he shrugged. "We''ll be delighted to eat with you." She raised her voice further and swapped to Arinol, "Vael, Gael! Come on over!"


    The Queen smiled and pped her hands as several faeries and pixies came to attend her. "Prepare a feast! And make sure we providerge portions for our guests."


    "Oh, for Aelor''s sake! We''ll see them in a few months!" Zebed was having difficulty getting his boys out of the tree house to pack up. Felej and Gerod had grown quite attached to their friends and were refusing toe out.


    "No!" Felej shouted. "We want to keep ying!"


    "Yeah!" his brother added.


    James'' two boys added to the tumult, and soon four boys wereining, arguing, and shouting. "Alright!" Zebed shouted. "One more hour. But then we have to pack. The tides won''t wait forever!"


    The boys let out a collective groan. "Just an hour?" Tovol asked.


    "Yes," James replied, walking across the courtyard to stand next to Zebed, "Just an hour." He pointed at his sons, "You two have been out of your studies for two weeks now. You''ve got to keep learning."


    Again, there was a collective groan, and Zebed let out a brief chuckle as he faced James. The Paragon hero had a calm look about him, but Zebed had known the man long enough. Maria must have talked to him already, he thought. And she told him about my input in the whole situation. "James, may we speak?"


    James looked at him, and Zebed felt the eyes piercing daggers into him despite the solemn expression on his face. "Yes, my study will do." He led the way into the pce proper, and after ascending a set of stairs and going down a hallway, he let Zebed into a well-appointed chamber with couches. The exterior of the room was filled with shelves, and various baubles and curios ¨C historical relics and keepsakes from the Paragon''s adventures.


    Zebed took a seat opposite James, "I know Maria spoke with you-"


    "Making a deal with the Destroyer." James shook his head, "A deal with an evil entity. It seeks the ruin of all Ghomar, don''t you see that?"


    Zebed scoffed and waved a hand dismissively, "You wouldn''t be saying that if you met her. This Lady Rivers is a visionary, and she has surrounded herself with wise councilors from various races." He leaned forward and tented his fingers, resting his elbows on his knees. "I will not give too much insight into my business practices and the arrangements I have made but suffice to say I am confident enough in her benevolence that I am willing to ship refugees and those who are disced to the Valley she has fortified."


    He saw James'' eyebrow twitch ¨C a clear sign of frustration ¨C as the man let out an exasperated sigh. "You just don''t get it. The Destroyer can''t be good. In what history book has the Demonic Dragon, or Raevan ever been seen as good?" He shook his head and rested it on his hand, squeezing his eyes shut. "Why doesn''t anyone realize that a person, whoever they im to be, with the power of a deity of destruction is going to bring the world to ruin?"


    "Tell me, in the whole of the Demonic Age, did the Demonic Dragon ever attempt to destroy everything? No. It did not. In the histories I have read during my voyages, the Destroyer has almost always stayed within the Valley of the Volcano."


    "That was because the heroes kept it harried and pushed its forces back."


    "Is it though? When Raevan was in, and we entered the Victory Age, what happened? Kingdoms went to war. Hundreds of years of conflict. Face the truth, James. When there is a Destroyer, thends are united against them, and it ensures peace and prosperity."


    James groaned and put his head in his hands, "It''s a ploy! If that was the case, then this new Destroyer would not be trying to build an empire!"


    "Have you ever really, truly considered that this Lyn Rivers is who she ims to be?"


    "Yes. I''ve considered it. And there is no way the Lyn that I knew in the past would want to rule an empire."


    Zebed blinked. "Wait, you knew of a Lyn Rivers already?"


    The color drained from James'' face, and he stood up, kicked the small table in between them into the wall with an enormous crash, and let out a pained noise. "Fuck!" he screamed.


    Zebed maintained hisposure. "Who is this person? This Lyn Rivers?"


    James shook his head, "No, no one knows. Just the heroes." His voice was quiet, but Zebed was barely able to make it out.


    This tale has been uwfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Zebed stood up, "What are you saying?"


    The Paragon hero muttered something under his breath, and his eyes were wild, darting from side to side like he was a caged animal. "Just¡­go! Leave!" He turned to face the wall and mmed a fist into the stonework. The rocks cracked and bent inward from the force of the blow.


    Zebed nodded, "Goodbye, then." He left and made haste for the courtyard. "Felej, Gerod. We''re leaving now." They began toin but he shook his head and put on his sternest ''dad'' voice. "Now." The kids groaned and said their goodbyes, and the representative of the Free City of Bashinol took them back to their rooms. He helped them pack, and his guards escorted the emissary to his boat.


    Zebed looked at his first mate as they set sail, "Does the name Lyn Rivers ring a bell?"


    "No, sir."


    "Hmm." Zebed repeated the same question with each of his men who was older than thirty. None of them could recall the name. And yet James let slip that he knew Lyn Rivers from the past. Zebed frowned as he stared out across the waves that went by under the ship''s hull. Is there some connection he shares with this Destroyer? That could exin why he feels they are evil¡­because he knows her. Somehow.


    The meal with the fey was an intriguing affair. Lyn tasted many dishes that looked as if they belonged at a little girl''s birthday party; the bright, shing colors and sweet dishes were almost unbearable after more than one serving.


    The twins seemed very enthusiastic about the whole affair, and scarfed down te after te of food. Thomas seemed to be in the same camp as Lyn, as one te seemed enough. There was some unique entertainment as well; a set of instruments that she could best describe as a mix between a cello and bagpipes. There was a hauntingly deep melody that was pierced by screeching howls at high points in the musical pattern.


    Eventually the evening began to draw on, and the group stayed the night in the small guest area. Cushions were seemingly conjured out of thin air, as the fey humanoids drew strands of fabric from the trees and nts surrounding them, weaving in an incrediblyplex manner that defied logic with the speed of their production.


    Lyny there, staring up at the leafy canopy as the two moons tried to push their light through the treetops. Vael and Gael were both fast asleep, no need for guards as the Queen had promised their safety.


    "Hey, are you awake?" Thomas asked from next to her in English.


    "Mhmm."


    "Did you¡­what happened with Misty?"


    Lyn sighed, "Like I said, she''s not a fan of the new me. Destroyer me. She wants the old me back."


    Thomas turned over on his side and propped his head up on an elbow to look at her, "Is it because¡­because of what we did?"


    Lyn turned her head to face him, "She admitted as much. She loved me."


    Thomas'' eyes went wide, "Wait, like, love-love?"


    "Yes." Lyn sighed and put her head back to stare up at the canopy once more. "She never had the guts to say anything and was too shy to tell me outright."


    "Yikes," Thomas repliedying back as well. "I feel sorry for her."


    "Don''t," Lyn muttered. "Don''t be sorry for her. She should have made a move. And I would have rejected it anyways."


    "Why?"


    "She is¡­was my best friend. Going from best friend to lovers is just¡­weird. I love her like a sister, sleeping with her would feel wrong."


    Thomas nodded, "I understand."


    Maybe he knows. It''s as good of a time now as any to ask. "How do you think I went back to Earth after I killed the Demonic Dragon?"


    He looked over at her, "I have a theory. Did you see the doors the other hero cores you''ve spoken with got to see?"


    "No. Everything went white and then I was in bed, pre-summon the morning it happened."


    Thomas nodded, "Again, just a theory¡­I believe that you chose to go back to Earth."


    "Why would I want to do that?" she asked, sitting up to meet Thomas'' gaze. "I hated my home life!"


    "I don''t think it was a conscious choice. Just like how the hero cores returned to a designated location upon the hero''s death, the Destroyer core returned to a designated location. As you told me, the Demonic Dragon found the core in Raevan''s dungeon within Shiverburn Summit. And you found one half of the core there after returning."


    Lyn scooted up next to him, "That doesn''t exin why I went back to Earth with half of the Destroyer core."


    "It''s just like when a weaker mana core tries to consume a stronger one. If Vael or Gael took a dungeon core; the dungeon core would be their primary core, and their original mana core would be subsumed under the new core. They would still be them, but they would lose all progress of their original core as its overwritten."


    He looked over at Lyn and gently put a hand on her shoulder, "When you killed the Demonic Dragon, it initiated the same process. The Scout core was consumed by the Destroyer core. That''s why it''s your primary core, and the Scout core was still with you ¨C it was technically your ''original'' core since we were summoned. And then you died. The Destroyer core should have left your body along with the Scout core; to Raevan''s dungeon and the statue of Aelor, respectively."


    "Did they get into a tug of war between the two ces?"


    Thomas smiled softly, "We''ve learned that heroes who died were not immediately sent back to Earth; they were trapped in the hero cores until new heroes were summoned; most likely because we didn''t have an original core like a native of Ghomar. The same should have happened to you. But it didn''t, because in that moment when the Destroyer core consumed your Scout core, your soul or consciousness was merged with the Destroyer core. We know as much because you talked with the other Destroyer core holders thanks to Misty''s spell."


    He tented his hands as he put his elbows on his knees, "If Vael had a dungeon core that had subsumed her original core, then when she died, the dungeon core would return to the dungeon it was imed from, and her original core would expire shortly after as she chose¡­whatever options a native of Ghomar has upon their death."


    Lyn nodded as it dawned on her, "The Destroyer core became my original core."


    "Precisely. Summoned heroes ¨C people not native to Ghomar ¨C get these ''borrowed'' hero cores, and we are linked to them until a new hero is summoned to im them. Or, as we learned, you or James consumes them. Then they''re returned home." He sighed and pulled his knees up to his chest, resting his chin on them as he stared across theke. "The Destroyer core had never consumed a hero core up until then. My spection, my theory, is that the Destroyer core consuming your Scout core ¨C your ''original'' core as a summoned hero ¨C sent you back to Earth¡­but since the Destroyer core had overwritten your original core, it went along with you."


    Lyn let out a deep breath as she tried to reason through all the information Thomas had just dumped on her. She felt his hand on her shoulder and rested her head on his hand. "That''splicated."


    Thomas nodded and gently squeezed her shoulder. "It doesn''t matter much now, since you''re immortal to aging and disease thanks to your regeneration. The only thing that could kill you is violence." He smirked, "And I doubt you would die easily."


    "You''ll be immortal too, if you keep making bodies for yourself to jump between."


    Thomas nodded, "I''m working on a new backup body. I was going to ask you to put it into a storage dimension and charge the inscriptions if I died again."


    "I''d be happy to do so."


    "¡­Thanks."


    "Now, why did all the heroes fall out after my death?"


    Thomas sighed, "You''re going to be angry with me. So, I''ll tell you, but only if you promise you won''t hurt me."


    Lyn scoffed, "Pff. I need you. I''m not going to hurt you. You''re going to figure out my empire''s school system and be an advisor for years toe."


    "¡­I designed the spell," he whispered.


    Lyn pulled her head back and stared at the man. She felt anger rise in her chest as a violent heat that brought a flush to her face. "What?" she growled in the Demonic Dragon''s voice.


    "I designed the spell that erased you from memory."


    Lyn stood up and walked over to theke, taking deep breaths as she tried to keep calm. "Thanna edain gidh / ennas thinna nedui / nuin anechiathron hon." An extradimensional storage space ¨C a temporary one ¨C appeared next to her, and she shoved her hand into it, letting the searing-hot mana flow out in a torrent ofva. Quite literally venting her anger as she poured all her disgust at Thomas'' words, and the actions of her once-allies.


    Thomas stood up and walked behind her. "It seemed like the best course of action."


    Lyn shut off the flow of mana and let the storage space copse into nothingness, taking the boilingva with it. "Oh really?!" She shouted, not caring if she woke up the twins or the city of the fey. "You thought it was the best course of action to make everyone forget me?!" She felt her chest seize up as sorrow slowly crept into her voice. "¡­Why would you do that to me?"


    Thomas'' face showed remorse, and he sighed heavily. "Giving glory to someone who wasn''t there didn''t serve anyone''s interests. How would people react if we told the truth? That the heroes ran off and the Scout hero stayed behind, killing the thing on their own?"


    "You could''ve lied! Just said you all were fighting it with me!"


    "It''s not what people wanted!" Thomas yelled back, still full of remorse but undercut by some type of justified anger. "Cecily wanted the credit, James wanted the credit, fuck, even Kory did! They were at each other''s throats! I proposed the only solution I could think of to keep them from ripping each other apart!"


    Thomas took a deep, shuddering breath andposed himself. "They were able toe to an agreement thanks to Trisha. She brokered a deal. James would stay out of Shereld so Cecily could do whatever she wanted with it, and he would get to im credit for the killing blow. Kory would get to do whatever the fuck he wanted, and the other two would pay for him to live the life he wanted ¨C killing and whoring to his heart''s content."


    "Why didn''t Misty step in to stop you all?"


    "She was in shock at losing you. Numb. Same with Volio. I designed a spell, a memory spell, worded to make every person forget the name and actions of Lyn Rivers, the Scout hero."


    "But you made it irreversible!"


    "James insisted. He didn''t want there to be a chance that someone would find out the truth that he didn''t strike the killing blow. It didn''t seem like it would harm anything to word it that way, since we had no clue you would return. The only way to find out would be to do a divination spell where you fell to observe the past directly. But we kept that from happening with Kory and Fort Watch."


    "That''s almost what he said, verbatim. That it was ''harmless''," Lyn muttered as she crossed her arms. She nced around; Vael and Gael were standing behind Thomas, silent and with spears in hand, at the ready. She gestured subtly for them to stand down, and they did so. "Fine. You made a spell that wiped out all memories of me from the non-heroes on Ghomar. Who cast it? Everyone being affected must have been a massive amount of mana."


    Thomas grimaced, "Almost everyone. Ben and Kory were tapped from the fight before they fled, and James put in what he could."


    "Even Misty?"


    "Again, she was in a fugue. Cecily just¡­ordered her to help, and she went along with it. I think she was just inplete shock. I''m sure the Ruler core had some influence as well, in that moment."


    Lyn growled and turned to theke. She plunged her head into the water and screamed in frustration. Pulling her head out of the water, she took a deep breath and flipped her hair back. She stood up, turned to Thomas, and grabbed him by both shoulders. "Thanks for telling the truth," she said, staring into his eyes. "Fuck, I thought I was over this," she muttered as she went to the rug andid down on it again.


    She closed her eyes and focused on her mana core, feeling the sizzling and popping of theva that was well under control and contained. You''re the Destroyer, Lyn, she thought. You''ve already said it yourself; who cares about the glory of past Lyn? She had to get over it. There was no point in being upset, because it would not fix anything. She had to¡­let go. Let go of her past and embrace the future.


    Thomas walked to the edge of the rug, and the twins kept a wary eye as they bothid back down. There was buzzing noise around the covered space, as some of the fey had woken up and flitted over from their city to see what themotion was about. Thomas crouched next to Lyn, "I''m sorry, for what that''s worth."


    "¡­What happened next?"


    "We went our separate ways. James to Khrrdia, Cecily to Vgonia, Kory to Fort Watch, Ben and Trisha up to Trisk, Volio¡­well, he went off searching for you, thinking you survived somehow despite Misty''s spell. Brad went to Vgonia with Cecily. Misty went to Vharthos, and I helped her make her mage academyplex. After that, I went to Vgonia and Cecily thralled me over a few weeks. I was under her control for two years before I broke free. She had lured me in with a wyvern egg, and I took that with me. I spent a few years in Khrrdia, and when Hector¡­" his expression became dour. "When Hector was big enough to ride, I went to the Ruins of Elent. Then you tripped an inscription when you arrived with yourva spells."


    "Then you came to the Valley, met me, went and smashed the statue of Aelor, got killed by James, and then resurrected by Misty."


    "Transferred into a clone, but yes, practically resurrection."


    Lyn nodded, "Why do you think the rest of the heroes never visited each other?"


    Thomas looked at Lyn, meeting her gaze. "We all had different goals and ns. I did visit the others ¨C except Cecily after that whole debacle ¨C a few times a year." He smiled softly, "Ben and Trisha''s kids call me ''Uncle Thomas''. I never thought I''d like kids, but now that they''re out of diapers, they''ve grown on me."


    "I hate kids," Lyn mumbled in response, still trying to calm herself from the earlier revtion. "Never want them. Ever."


    Thomas chuckled, "Same here."


    Lyn looked over at him. "I forgive you. I understand why you did what you did. It hurts¡­but I have grander ns. I don''t need to be remembered, because I will always be here, and everyone will serve my empire."


    "And I look forward to helping you achieve your goal," Thomas replied. "I''m going to try and sleep."


    Lyn nodded and turned over on the ground. But sleep eluded her, and she stood up, walking to theke. She waded in until she could sit and be submerged up to her neck and focused on circting her mana. If I can''t sleep, I might as well be productive.

 B2 – Chapter 10

    Thane Mol stood in therge vault. Right to business then, he thought as he shut therge door behind him. As part of Lady Rivers'' increased security measures, no one person was allowed in the vault alone at a single time, deep in the mountains where the Conve of the fortress was hidden.


    "Alright," he muttered in Shereldian as he flipped open his notebook. "We need tae pull five hundred Gold Eagles, ten thousand Silver Kestrels, ''an fifty thousand Copper Owls."


    Antiquarian Menora nodded and set to opening each chest and began counting out coins onto a nearby table. Mol joined her, and the two set to their task with rigorous monotony. "Are separate piles okay?" she asked.


    Mol nodded, "Aye." He eyed the Duskari woman as she deftly split up the various piles of currency. As Mol was the Steward, the woman''s duties fell underneath his purview. As it stood, there were no inscribed items that required research, so she defaulted to working under his office. "Dun forget tae spin the dial," he muttered to her as he continued his own counting. On the wall, next to the treasure chests that contained the varying currencies were a series of dials with Arinol numerals, which, thankfully, were the basis of every othernguage''s numeral system.


    Menora stood up and clicked several of the wheels to disy the new amounts of currency. She began divvying up the coins into smaller pouches, sealing them with twine that she then dipped in wax to create a seal. "What''s all of this for?" she asked.


    Mol finished tallying his piles, shut the lids, and began double and triple checking their count and his records. "Pay fer them mercenaries. Money fer the Bashinol convoy. ''An the supplies fer the new citizens." He finished his tallies and closed the small ledger, cing it on the counting table as he helped Menora pick up the bags. Mol saw Menora eyeing him with a critical look. "What?"


    "I don''t get it. Why did Lyn make you Steward?" She didn''t sound upset, more curious than anything.


    "I ran a business of repute. Gutterglug Brewing. Aye, those were the days." He chuckled, recalling the fond memories ofte nights up drinking and brewing up new concoctionste into the night. "''Till that bitch forced me people out."


    "Just managing a business? No offense intended, but don''t you think that you''re a little underqualified to be managing an empire''s finances?"


    Thane Mol looked at her and cracked a smile, "Wha'' do ya think it costs to travel fer a week? Food, drink, all the supplies?"


    "It couldn''t be more than fifty Copper Owls. Ten for each day."


    Molughed hard at that, so much that he had to wipe tears from his eyes. "Duskari ''aven''t left yer Valley in a long time. A hundred Copper Owls fer a trip that long." He shook his head, "Tha''s why she appointed me."


    Minora nodded silently, "Can you teach me? About finances, currencies, and trade?"


    "Eh, sure. Over a beer. I''ll learn ye something."


    Lyn stood up as the sun began to crest the trees and made her way back to herpanions. "Wakey wakey!" she shouted in Arinol as she pped her wed hands together, the scales making a loud ttering noise.


    Vael and Gael both jolted awake, hands reaching for weapons before they rxed and shared a look. Thomas slowly sat up and yawned. "What time is it?"


    "Late enough," Lyn replied. "The fey are already up and moving. I spoke with the Queen at daybreak. We''re leaving."


    Thomas jumped up at that and his eyes were filled with a passion Lyn hadn''t seen in him in a long, long time. "To the Ruins of Elent!"


    Lyn nodded. "Come on, stand on the edge of theke." She walked into the water until she was a good distance from the shore. "En ethiel i thalion min nin / i beleg bregol en-ngurth / na garo nin rhaw / a adlethad ha na / i beleg nadhras sui ar Ghomar." She felt her body stretch again as the heat filled her body, and within moments she stood in her draconic form once more. She heard the various ''oohs'' and ''aahs'' from the pixies and faeries that were out and about. Going to the edge of the shore, she leaned her neck down as the trio of herpanions scrambled up to nestle among the spines on her back. "Ready?" She asked in the rumbling, deep tone.


    "Yup!" Thomas shouted, "You want to get high. As high as you can to get over the storm." He looked back to the twins, "And you''re going to want to tie off."


    Vael and Gael fished around in their packs and pulled out rope, tying themselves to the spines. Thomas did the same, and when Lyn got the thumbs-up from Thomas, she flexed her wings, leaped skyward, and pped mightily as she ascended. The rush of wind past her face brought an indescribable joy, and she let out a roar as she climbed higher and higher.


    Soon enough, the ind of Feylin was a tiny dot below her, a pink pinprick in the ocean. Craning her head back, she checked on her passengers who all seemed to have tears streaming from the wind in their faces. pping in ce to hover, she looked to the Northeast. "How far is it?" She asked.


    "A good twenty miles!" Thomas yelled. "You''ll see the storm soon!"


    Lyn nodded and faced forward, pping to adjust her angle before she began a glide. Within ten minutes at her top speed ¨C which she estimated was around a hundred miles per hour ¨C she saw an enormous storm on the horizon. It touched the sea and ascended into the sky. "I have to get higher!" she shouted as she looked back for a moment, "Hold on!"


    The trio did so, and she flew higher. The air began to grow cold, and she felt fatigue set in as her mana seemed to drain faster the higher she went. What''s causing that? She asked herself as she achieved enough elevation to coast over the storm under her. As she did so, she felt extremely faint and felt the shifting spell begin to slip as she ran out of mana to sustain it. "Hold on!" she shouted as her body began to shift into its humanoid shape.


    Vael and Gael both let out a scream as they were suddenly falling. Damnit! I thought they''d end up where my back is! She angled her fall and pointed her head towards the two as they iled in the air. mming into them as she sped her wed hands around their armor. "I got you!" she shouted as she activated the slow-falling cloak. "Where''s Thomas?!" she shouted over the winds as they began to descend into the storm.


    Vael pointed to her left, "There!" she yelled. Lyn looked where she was pointing and saw Thomas smoothly gliding above them.


    Lyn angled her descent to the Northeast, praying that she had fallen from high enough tond on solid ground. She felt her mana continue to deplete as the amulet began to be drawn upon. She focused her attention on her feet and pointed them behind her, "Tiriad nin ah echor gwaew beleg." The mana drained from the amulet as a powerful gust of wind rocketed out from behind her, pushing her up and forward. The darkness and clouds slowly faded as she cleared the edge of the storm.


    Thomas was above and in front of them, gently descending. Lyn stopped focusing on the spell as she slowed to his pace. "Hmm, that wasn''t a problem before," he said as he looked back at the storm.


    "What was that?" Vael asked. "I felt my mana drain as soon as we crossed over the storm."


    "The spell that protects the Ruins of Elent," Thomas replied. "An eternal storm that saps mana. I only cleared it before because I didn''t rely on mana, I had my wyvern to fly over it." He looked at Lyn as they descended to the green, grassy ground below. "I didn''t know your transformation was a constant drain on your mana," hemented.


    "Now you know," Lyn muttered as she nted her wed feet on the dirt below. She let the twins go as they recovered their footing on the soft ground. She walked over to the edge of the cliff and nced down. "We''re at least a half mile up."


    Gael came over next to her and peered over, "You couldn''tnd a ship down there either! Look," he said as he pointed. Lyn followed his finger and saw the remains of dozens of ships that had been smashed up on the rocks.


    Lyn narrowed her sight and focused her vision. Those wrecks are new, she thought. And that''s when she smelled it. There''s smoke. "Everyone to the edge," she called back over her shoulder.


    Thomas came over, "What is it?"


    "That wreck," she said as she pointed at a battered hull ¨C the front half of a caravel-style vessel. "Smoke ising from it. Someone survived the journey."


    Gaelid on the edge of the cliff and peered over, "I can''t tell. But I don''t have your Farsight Eyedrops."


    "I see it," Vael said. "And some movement. There!" she grabbed Lyn''s shoulder and pointed once more.


    Lyn focused her vision and saw a sh of skin through a porthole. "There''s survivors," she stated.


    "We should leave them," Thomas said.


    "Why?" Lyn asked.


    "That ship is Vgonia''s design. Cecily''s people. Several of those wrecks appear to be rtively new, wouldn''t you agree?"


    Lyn nodded as she peered at other scraps of wood and shattered ships, "Yes, most of the wrecks seem pretty new. The waves would wash away any major sections."


    "I know what she wants from here," Thomas stated. "She wants the secret that I learned." He swapped to English as Lyn''s eyes met his. "A way to cheat death."


    She replied in the samenguage, "Do you think she''s sick? Dying?"


    "Maybe," Thomas replied as he walked away from the ledge. "They''re working for her, and she can''t have what I''ve found and whatever else is hidden here. Come, the Ruins await."


    Lyn nodded and stood up. Vael gave her a questioning look, "What did he say?" she asked in Arinol.


    Lyn replied in the samenguage, "The person who sent those ships is the one who kicked out and killed non-Humans in Vgonia. She wants something from this ind."


    Gael stood up and brushed off his armor, "What are we waiting for?" he began to follow Thomas, and thedies followed him towards the ruined buildings.


    "Don''t forget the ears!" Vinic shouted as his group of Vgonian infantry-turned-marauders continued their merciless ughter. They had crossed The Rill and gone into Trisk for one reason; to kill any Ari they could find. They had split into several groups and had been piging in addition to collecting the ears for the bounty. We''re not returning to her empty handed, Vinic thought as he stood up higher in his mount''s stirrups. Spotting one of the long-eared hiding on a roof, he raised his palm.


    This tale has been uwfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    "Edro nin / thalvo vith / go ned egar anim / adh w." A sphere of blue static appeared in his palm before it condensed into a line of lightning that split the air before mming into and frying the Ari. He let out augh as the corpse slid from the roof and crunched onto the ground with a sickly, wet noise. "Take that you fucking Ari!"


    Wheeling his mount around, he spotted a human woman and an Ari man running out of the town proper. "Hyah!" he kicked his mount into action and chased the two down, taking aim at the Ari and repeating his lightning elementalism spell. Unexpectedly, the Ari turned as he was halfway through his incantation, and he heard them incanting their own spell. Mine is faster! Vinic thought as he chose to focus on his incantation instead of attempting to break line of sight or jump from his mount.


    And he was right, the Ari wasn''t fast enough as the lightning formed an orb in his palm before the long-ear had finished his incantation. It zapped forward and fried him, and he copsed. The woman next to him screamed and copsed on the ground next to the corpse, weeping. Vinic rode up, "It''s just an Ari," he said in Triskol, having studied severalnguages as part of his knightly upbringing.


    The woman looked up at him and screamed, "You murderer!"


    "Is it really murder if you''re putting down a beast? No, it''s more like a hunt." Vinic raised his hand once more and the woman stared at him with pleading eyes streaming with tears. "And those who consort with beasts deserve the same punishment. Edro nin / thalvo vith / go ned egar anim / adh w." The sphere of lightning arced out and the woman died in an instant.


    Looking back at the vige proper, Vinic saw the tumult die down as his troops masquerading as brigands finished their grisly work. He dismounted, pulled his knife, and cut off the ears of the Ari, adding them to his hip pouch. That makes forty-eight just on my own, he thought as he re-mounted and rode back to the vige center.


    "Report!" he shouted in Shereldian as the troops in this smaller contingent came together.


    One of his sergeants took a few minutes to go through the ranks and walked up to Vinic, "Sir, we count twenty Ari among the in."


    Vinic nodded, "Every man has at least two of the long-ears?"


    "Affirmative."


    "Then we return home!" We have already been in Trisk''s territory for too long. A military reprisal is due any day now. "Let''s go!"


    Misty drained another mug of coffee as she stood atop the tower, looking out over Ghomar. She had been utilizing the inscribed pir that enabled her to send her sight and sense of hearing anywhere on this world. She had been keeping track of Lyn, looking for a whisper, a trace, anything indicating that there was the old Lyn in there.


    Reaching out once more, she poured mana into the pir, and her vision dashed to the North, into the sea before it was stopped by a swirling storm. Damnit, she thought. They''re at the ruins. Not only was the storm blocking her way ¨C some ancient, Elenthian spell to protect their homnd ¨C but she could not go over either. There was a reason why people did not use spells that enabled flight.


    The further from the surface of the world one was, the more mana every spell would cost. Shifting was a nice way to get around that, but only the Shifter hero was truly capable of mana-less shifting spells. Misty took the carafe from the small stool she had brought up here and poured herself another cup. I can''t send my divination sensor up high enough. The storm was the tallest thing on Ghomar, almost touching the atmosphere. Taller even than Shiverburn Summit. How the hell did Thomas get his wyvern over it in the first ce? Or Lyn just now, for that matter?


    She had been trying to figure out what Thomas went there for. And why he took Lyn along with him. He had to have been looking for something. He already found a way to be immortal. What else could he want?


    She turned her gaze to the South and utilized her pir once more to send her sight across thend. She spied on Trisha, Ben, and Brad who were all seemingly living their best lives. She felt a twinge of gratitude at the sight, knowing that this Lyn didn''t kill the heroes to consume their cores, and did seem to keep true to her goal. She spent many hours exploring the Valley of the Volcano with the divination sensor, into and out of buildings, observing the daily going-ons. People arrived on boats that came up the rivers that were expanded into the Valley itself.


    She really is building an empire, she thought. Stes wasn''t with them traveling, what''s she up to? She ended the spell, and instead of using a free-form sensor, she reactivated the pir and focused on a specific target. Her vision flew faster than before thanks to the designated person she sought, and soon enough she saw Stes, hunched over a desk, writing in a book. Peering over her shoulder, Misty''s eyes went wide. Stes was making an Elenthir primer with a trantion to Vharthonian and Triskol.


    But it wasn''t just a basic primer with some easy verses. It was letters, rules of grammar and spelling in Elenthir. That could only mean one thing. Lyn ns on teaching everyone Elenthir from the ground up.


    Misty returned to her body and picked up the carafe, sitting on the stool and pouring the hot liquid into her mouth before tossing the object off the tower. She leaned forward and put her head in her hands. Why even have a mage school if Lyn ns on instituting a general education that includes Elenthir? There''s no point. She groaned and scratched her head. What do I do?


    Then, an epiphany. I got it! She immediately went to thedder and slid down into her study. She ced her hands on the top of the desk and poured mana into the inscription. Her voice amplified throughout the mage school. "Attention, students. I will be relocating the school to the Valley of the Volcano. If you do not wish to continue at my school, you will have until the morning to pack up and depart. I sincerely hope you stay, as I believe you will be instrumental in my ns."


    She sat back in her chair and let out a deep sigh. You want to teach them the basics? Then they''ll need a ce of higher education if they want to pursue it to mastery. She looked around the room that she had been in for years and years, rarely leaving except to go elsewhere in her academy. The room was covered in curios and nick-nacks from her prior adventures. Moving is going to suck, she thought.


    The Ruins of Elent; the ce where the Elenthians established their civilization. Lyn had never been to this location before, and she was just as awed as both Vael and Gael as they entered the city proper.


    It was a dense, downtown sprawl like any major city back on Earth. The buildings were not metal and ss as the high rises of her home world, though. Instead, these massive buildings were made out of stone. And these were not worked blocks, but rather magically shaped stone. The architecture was reminiscent of ancient Greece, just like the destroyed Elenthian temple Lyn had visited so long ago.


    "This is incredible," Vael said. "People used to live in these buildings? All the way that high up?"


    Thomas nodded as he led them down the cracked stone boulevard that appeared to be the main thoroughfare, as there were smaller side streets that split off in perpendicr intersections. "The Elenthians were truly the masters of magic. They created thenguage of spells and had enough mana that even their weakest spell user was capable of storage external spells." He pointed down the road, "And their main facility, the ce where their government and ce for magical research, is down this way."


    Lyn saw movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to look. A shadow seemingly moved of its own ord, dashing across one of the side streets before vanishing. "Thomas, are things living here?"


    "Sheep and goats on the outskirts where there''s vegetation. Other than that? No."


    Lyn drew Cataclysm and ignited the de. Vael and Gael saw her preparing forbat and drew their weapons and shields. "Something is out there," Lyn stated.


    "Is it a shadow?" Thomas asked.


    "Yes, it dashed across the-"


    "Damnit," Thomas said as he turned around and joined the trio, "They were dormant when I was here on my own." He nced at Lyn, "Your enormous mana reservoir must have roused them."


    "What are they?" Vael asked as shadows began to move and form humanoid figures upon the walls and ground.


    "I''ll exinter. We need to run. Now." He grabbed Lyn''s arm and started to tug her up the street.


    "Gothron i gwanno / min enni / na rem in edin nin: / na nin togwath, athano hain thron, gwelu, thrh, a n?n rath; / na nin inath, cirad nin hoth; / na nin inedhil, athano nin th?r a cirad nin; / na nin rhaw, hathol han uin del." Lyn incanted her go-tobat spell, and as her body underwent internal spell changes in preparation forbat, she also invented a new mana charging spell. Thanks to the Spellde core, she could simply think of the words with intent. Thand goth n¨ªn adh gd.


    The length of surging, blueva and theplex dance of elemental energies was reced with a singr, white de of pure light. The illumination spread through the area, and the shadows dashed across the stone towards her, only to be stopped by the bright aura. "They don''t like the light," Lyn stated as she shook Thomas off.


    The twins both repeated herbat spell and took up a defensive position in front of Lyn, "Do you think mana charged weapons will hurt them?" Gael asked.


    "No, and that light won''tst," he replied as he pointed at the edge of the radius of light. The t shadows were seemingly eating away at the aura, and Lyn felt her mana deplete at a slightly faster rate than just fueling her ongoing spells would cost. "They are mana wraiths. A type of undead. Think of them like vampires, except instead of blood they feed on mana. We can''t kill them. Nothing can. If we get to the mainplex, then they''ll be kept out."


    Lyn turned, "Come on then," she said as she began a light jog towards the enormous structure. Vael and Gael both took up the jogging pace. Thomas was not able to keep pace, and Lyn paused, hefted him on her shoulder, and picked up the pace knowing that the twins could keep up.


    The building loomed in front of them. Easily twenty stories tall with even taller spires that pointed up into the sky. The road ended in a broad set of stairs that led upward to the main entrance. ncing back, she saw the shadows chasing them had gathered into arger mass, pushing forth and eating away at the light shed by Cataclysm.


    As she bounded up the steps, Thomas tapped her back, "When you get to the top, jump over the chalk."


    Scanning the ground, she saw the yellow, powdery line and ensured she cleared it. The doors to the building were closed, and aplicated inscription was drawn on them with ck paint. Lyn set Thomas down and turned as the twins joined her. The shadows were being held at bay, but she could feel her mana slowly depleting as the light continued to be eaten. "What now?"


    Thomas knelt and put his hands on the chalk line, "The inscription is a ward against the undead. This should protect us. Just let me¡­" he closed his eyes, and his hands glowed with a bright white light before it faded. "Shit."


    "What?" Vael asked.


    "The inscription must have been marred." He reached into his hip pouch and pulled out a chunk of yellow chalk. He crawled along the length of the inscription, making small marks here and there. "Got it!" He put his hand down once more and the white light red up. The mana wraiths screeched and moved away as the yellow chalk illuminated, floated up into the air, and seemingly created a phantasmal wall around the front entrance.


    Lyn let the mana surging into Cataclysm fade. "How long will this hold them?"


    "Indefinitely," Thomas replied as he stood up and brushed off his knees. "But you have so much mana avable that I think they''ll keeping from all over the ind."


    "You said they were undead?" Lyn asked.


    "Yeah¡­why?"


    Lyn smiled. "I have an idea." She raised her palm towards the barrier and ced her hand against it. She gently pushed it through until a single bit of her hand-w was on the other side. "Edro nin / Iann restadhrim / na thir / a aphado i narnath n¨ªn / carutha le aen / a delio nin n?n / nan si / buitha nin."


    A shockwave of ck light surged from her hand and emanated through the entire city. The mana wraiths stilled and the shadows ceased to surge. Their forms separated from the horizontal surfaces they were hugging, and they floated above the ground, silent figures staring at Lyn.


    Thomas looked at Lyn and raised an eyebrow, "Elias'' hero core, right?"


    Lyn nodded, "The Revenant core gave me the death external spell, and all of the subtypes." She grinned, "Including undeath."


    "You can control them?" Gael asked as he released his internal spell and put his gear away.


    "I''m not dominating them," Lyn replied. "I simply told them that if they stilled, and served me, I would feed them. I used mana and the undeath subtype to ensure they could understand me." She gestured to the floating forms, "They are waiting for their food."


    "What now?" Vael asked.


    Lyn smirked, "Now I get rid of them. Thanna edain gidh / ennas thinna nedui / nuin anechiathron hon." An extradimensional storage space appeared next to her hand outside of the barrier. One of the types that would copse in on itself once she closed the space. "Alright, in you all go," she stated towards the shadowed forms, pouring raw mana into the storage space which surged from her as a stream ofva. The mana wraiths surged into the space, and when they had all moved inside, she released the spell. The storage space copsed, and the mana wraiths were trapped forever in an inessible pocket dimension.


    "Hmm. I never thought of trying to control them. I figured they would absorb the mana of any spell used against them," Thomas said.


    "I told you; I didn''t use a spell on them. I just used a spell to make an announcement. I promised them mana."


    Gael smiled, "Tricking them into a ce where there is no escape."


    "I gave them mana," Lyn said as she kicked the yellow chalked inscription. The barrier faded. "I kept my word to them. I just neglected to mention they would be trapped forever."


    Thomas turned to therge set of doors and ced his palms on them. "This inscription can only be passed by me and those with me. You''ll have exactly three seconds to cross the threshold and enter the building." He took a deep breath, "On my mark."


    Lyn and the twins stood right behind him. Thomas channeled his mana into the inscription, and the ck paint illuminated with a white glow. "Now!" he shouted as he pushed the stone doors open.


    The four dashed through, and the doors mmed shut behind them.

 B2 – Chapter 11

    So, this is what the Valley of the Volcano looks like? Lawrence thought as he went over therge walls that appeared as mountains. He had never been inside, having been eaten prior to the hero''s assault on the dread fortress. But he knew that the mountains were not always walls. Whoever changed them must be insanely powerful. He could see therge rivers that met in a centralke, and the expansive, sprawling city. There was a cleared off space of a training yard, and he angled toward that.


    As he descended, he shifted forms from that of a dragon into a hummingbird. He was certain none had seen him flying in his draconic form high up near the edge of the atmosphere, and exploring in a smaller, more agile shape would be wise. Getting they of thend, as it were. Hended on a roof and just listened to the variousnguages around him. Arinol, Khrrdian, Shereldian, Triskol¡­Sloren? He nced over towards the voice and spotted one of the squat, dwarf-esque individuals carrying arge bundle of furs. Interesting. He only spoke Khrrdian and Shereldian, but he had heard the differentnguages on a few asions.


    He flew around the city for a few hours, exploring and determining theyout. Interesting design. Arge half-wheel centered around the citadel. He spotted dark, ck ravens flying about, and hended near a pair of them that were croaking to each other in Arinol. Fascinating. Ravens as messengers.


    His eyes spotted a group of children ying in a small yard. They looked¡­familiar, somehow. Flying over andnding on the fencepost around the yard, he tried to figure out where he knew them from.


    "Alright kids,e in for lunch!" a female voice called out from the building in Shereldian. The children rushed over and opened the door, and Lawrence flew to the window to peer in. Hovering in ce, he almost stopped pping his wings as shock hit him. Trisha and Ben? They survived! He felt giddy and wanted to de-shift right there and run inside. If they''re here, then this must be the real Lyn. And they got hitched? Fucking called it.


    "Oh, I haven''t seen a hummingbird in a long time," a voice said behind him in English. Turning in ce and flying erratically to not arouse suspicion, he saw a portly man with a belt that was covered in pouches.


    The door opened and Lawrence heard Ben''s boisterous voice speaking in the samenguage, "Hey, d you made it for lunch!" He walked forward and gave the other man a big hug before setting him down. "Skirt steak. With a chimichurri."


    "Sounds delicious. Oh, I finished that batch of gum. You wanted cherry, I believe?" The portly man said as he pulled out a small package.


    "Thanks, Brad. It''s been a long time."


    That''s Brad? He really let himself go. The duo went inside, and Lawrence flew up to the roof of the building. Three of the people who had been alongside him, at the time he was eaten, were all here. And none of you searched for me. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, re-centering himself and finding his ce of Zen. I''ll wait a while. I want to talk to this new Lyn before I make any decisions.


    Lyn took in the chamber. An enormous entry hall with pedestals that held statues of the Elenthians. They appeared very simr to Humans, but they had a second pair of arms jutting out from their upper back, and a secondary set of eyes on the sides of the head, where the temple would be. There was arge diagram on the floor. She read them aloud, tranting to Arinol. "The Hall of Concords."


    Thomas nodded and began to lead them down a hallway. The smooth, ck granite wasced through with a variety of colored stone lines, each corresponding to a location name written on the walls in the same color. "We''ll head to the archives first, but we can explore if you want¡­I''ve already explored most of this ce. That entry, the Hall of Concords is where the Elenthians gathered toe to terms with each other. They did not have a singr governing body. It was a very individualistic society with agreed-upon customs that helped promote a social order."


    "They did not have a ruler?" Vael asked incredulously. "No elders to guide them?"


    "None. The Elenthians had no division, save for a slight deference to those who were deemed more experienced in a certain area. I believe their brains were quite differently put together than those of most humanoid races. Theycked the ability to be angry or fearful. Without those emotions, they found little conflict."


    "They were not warriors," Gaelmented.


    "No, they were not. They were thinkers, not fighters," Thomas replied quickly. "Violence was unnecessary when all desired the same goal."


    "Which was?" Lyn asked.


    "Ascension. We know the soul or consciousness are tied to mana cores, and they sought a way to free themselves not only from their bodies, but also from their mana cores. They seeded, apparently. Echoes of those souls persisted, hence why dungeon cores ''talk'' in your mind when you im them."


    "Wait a moment," Lyn said as she got up alongside Thomas, "You said before that Aelor probably created dungeons and ced the soulless mana cores in them. But I thought the singr deity split into Aelor and Raevan after the Elenthians left because it was so sad."


    "Where''d you hear that?" Thomas asked.


    "Raevan when I spoke to her."


    "Ah. Then I would theorize that it was one of Aelor''s first actions post-deity-split." He stopped at a door with more ck paint on it. "This is our stop. Same as before, you''ll have three seconds to enter behind me." He ced his hands on it, the white mana red before the ck ink glowed, and he counted down before pushing the door open.


    They got into the room before the door mmed shut. A circr chamber with a spiral staircase at the center, and every shelf lined with books, parchment, tomes, scrolls. A plethora of knowledge, painstakingly categorized and coted. "And here we are," Thomas sighed. "Home sweet home."


    "You lived here?" Vael asked as she went to one of the books.


    "Yes. At the top of the tower there''s a balcony, and that''s where Hector slept. I stayed on the top floor most of the time ¨C the breezeing from outside is nice. Down here? Too stuffy."


    Lyn looked around at the intricately organized collection, "And you said you searched all of the ruins?"


    "Yup. Come on, let''s go upstairs." Thomas led the way up the spiraling stairs, and the four walked in silence as they went up a few hundred feet. Each floor they passed was more of the same as the first floor, with the one difference being the bindings of the books were different colors. "Ipletely reorganized things. They only had the first floor full, but after I went through every building I could, I had umted a lot. Mostly research notes, journals, and the like. Very few texts like a proper history."


    "This must have taken ages," Lynmented, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of paper and the idea that Thomas hadbed a whole entire city for scraps of wisdom left behind. "And you never encountered those mana wraiths before?"


    "Oh, I encountered them. They just weren''t interested in me," Thomas replied as he paused on a floor to take some breaths. His legs were shaking and he chuckled, "It''s¡­.been a while¡­since I''ve¡­climbed this many¡­stairs."


    Gael went to one of the bookshelves and pulled out a book, flipping it open to the center. "They wrote in Arinol?"


    Thomas shook his head, "No, that''s my doing. Look at the back."


    Gael flipped the book over and brought it to Lyn. Looking at the back, she saw a small inscription written in ink. Clever. Whoever is holding it can read it. And the inscription requires such little mana that most people will just¡­use it by instinct. She nodded, "It''s safe to read."


    Gael opened the book once more and sat on one of the stools scattered about. Vael did the same, and they both seemed riveted by what they were reading. Vael turned the book over and showed Lyn a diagram, "It says something about inscribed circles? Why do inscriptions in circles?"


    "Summoning," Lyn replied. "Circles are an easier shape for inscribing summoning spells. The spell type is suited to it." Sheughed lightly, "I don''t know how I knew that."


    "Artificer core," Thomas answered as he stood up. "Okay, I''m good. It''s only a few more stories."


    Gael gestured around, "Looks like there are plenty of stories here."


    "No, floors to climb up," Thomas stated, pointing up.


    "Ah," Gael put the book back, and nudged Vael. She kept reading the book as the group continued their ascent.


    This is more like what I was expecting, Lyn thought as they arrived on the top-most floor. There was more of a mess up here. It was organized chaos. There was a system to it, but the books, scrolls, and other scraps of knowledge were scattered about in a haphazard way. Thomas went over to a desk and dug through several sheets of paper beforeing back with one.


    "This is the one that details a divination. ''In the age where the heroes vanquish the Destroyer, whatever form it may have taken, a new vessel will rise. Thus, the cycle will continue endlessly, until all arebined.''" He handed the script to her. "Since the statue of Aelor isn''t around anymore to store the cores, that leaves you and James."


    "We had figured this part out. Whye all the way back up here for this scrap of paper?" Lyn asked. "You remember everything you read.


    "I do¡­but I had a personal reason toe up here." He went to the balcony, and Lyn followed. Thomas leaned against a railing that was partly cut off, leaving arge space. On thatrge space, there was a nest. "That''s where Hector slept," Thomas said softly as he stared at the spot.


    Lyn walked up next to him, "Your wyvern, right?"


    He nodded and she heard him start to choke up, "I''d always wanted to ride a dragon. A wyvern was the closest thing I got." He sniffled a little and wiped a tear from his cheek. "I raised him from the egg to full-grown. He could understand me¡­and with animalism spells, I could actually talk to him. He was¡­my best friend¡­" Thomas turned to Lyn, and she felt her heart sink as she saw the man before her, broken down emotionally. "¡­And he killed him."


    Lyn looked into his eyes and saw the deep well of sorrow within. Like pools that were endlessly deep and would have sucked her into the pit of despair. "I''m so sorry, Thomas."


    "James," Thomas whispered as the sorrow was reced with a look of hatred. "He needs to pay...But that''s not why I came up here," he said as he dried his eyes. Reaching into his satchel, he pulled out an intricately carved, wooden wyvern, and ced it in the center of the nest. "Hector loved perching up here. Some days I''d just sit next to him, and we''d just listen to the sounds of the wind." He looked at Lyn and smiled, "The best years of my life were here, along with my best friend in the whole world. Reading, learning, flying and just¡­being me."


    Lyn offered him a hand, "Were the best years of your life. There is more toe. You''ll have as good of a life as I can help provide."


    Thomas took her hand, and she helped him stand up. "Thanks for that." He looked back at the nest. "Goodbye, Hector," he whispered.


    Lyn knelt next to the wooden figurine, "Anna i dharnen / na amathad belthaid / carad o gling a maud adh m?r na hin." She channeled mana into the spell, and the wood shifted under her hand as a deep, blue light poured out. Pulling her hand back, the figurine was no longer wood, but instead solid brass with diamonds for eyes. "Now he''ll get to be in his favorite ce for a long, long time."


    She stood up, and Thomas hugged her tightly. "Thank you," he whispered.


    Lyn gently wrapped her arms around him, "You''re wee."


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Vael looked at the words on the page and understood most of them. Okay, I''ll try this. She set her spear on the ground and set the book down. Looking around, she spotted an inkwell and several quills on the desk. She went over, grabbed them, and went back to her spot, sitting on the ground.


    "What are you doing?" Gael asked as he peered over the book he was perusing.


    "Trying this spell," Vael replied. "I should be able to just copy this basic one." She pointed at the book, where the words had tranted to Arinol whenever she touched it. The circle she was going to copy, however, remained in Elenthir.


    "You sure you want to try inscribing something when you have Lyn around? She could probably do it."


    "We''ll never grow if we don''t try new things," Vael replied as she set to meticulously copying the inscribed circle, using the quill to draw the words in Elenthir onto the de of the spear. She poured mana into the quill as she did so and saw the ink sink into the leaf-shaped de.


    Gael came over and watched her as she worked. He kept quiet, but he put his finger on the book to read the tranted words.


    Vael finished the inscription and let out a sigh of relief as she was able to stop the constant flow of mana. Since it''s not carved in, it''s not going tost forever. And based on what Lyn told me about inscriptions, the moreplex and longer duration you want requires more mana. Grabbing the spear and holding it upright, she channeled mana into the spear and it traveled up the shaft and to the tip. The spear head lit ame, burning a deep, purple color.


    "Wow," Gael said breathlessly. "That''s incredible!"


    Vael smirked and stood up, taking a few practice swings. To her disappointment, the me faded after about five seconds. Pulling the spear closer to her and inspecting it, she saw the ink had all burned away. "That was quick," shemented.


    "We should ask Lyn to make us inscribed items. Since she got that Artificer core, she should be able to make all kinds of neat stuff."


    "It''s a matter of time, brother."


    Gael pulled out the book he had been looking at and turned it around to her, "Did you know that they didn''t have a gender? The Elenthians had¡­both?"


    Vael shook her head and looked at the book, cing her hand on the spine to activate the small inscription as it tranted to Arinol before her eyes. "Both sets of organs?"


    Gael flipped the page and pointed at a diagram, "I wonder if there''s a spell that could do that."


    Vaelughed, "You envious of me?"


    "No," Gael replied as he blushed and shut the book. "Never, I''m happy with what I have."


    Vael shook her head and took the book from his hands, setting it on the desk. "I''m sure Lyn would design such a spell if you asked nicely," she joked.


    Gael became flustered and turned away, "I''m going to find a different book," he replied as he went down the stairs to the next floor.


    Cecily got out of the luxuriouslyrge bath and snapped her fingers. Attendants brought over towels and dried her off, and as she sat on the small bench, a pair of female servants began to dry and brush her hair. "This better be urgent to get me out of my bath," Cecily said as she red at the page.


    The boy ¨C no older than twelve ¨C averted his gaze from the monarch of Vgonia. "M-m-mes-s-sage mdy." He held out a slip of parchment.


    Cecily took it and waved a hand dismissively. The boy bowed and ran out of the room. Unfurling the rolled-up note, she read the report. Fucking really? She sighed and tore up the note. "Bring me ink and parchment," she ordered. One of the attendants in the room dashed out and brought back a wooden tablet with parchment and writing materials ready. The servant held the wooden tray still as a statue as Cecily penned a report back. I swear good help is so hard to find.


    She finished her nighttime routine and stretched, signaling for her robes to be brought over. She felt the slight thumping of her Ruler core, the near heartbeat within her chest that prompted her as to prudent decisions to make as a monarch. Hmm¡­I should do that. She went to her bedroom and sat down at her desk, penning off several messages to the outlying duchies to send a guarded caravan to acquire funds for a new public works project.


    Her current goal was almost achieved. She had enough mana to perform her kingdom-wide spell that would cover a third of Ghomar, affecting all who were subjects under her kingdom.


    She knew that once she used the spell, it would take effect over the course of a week. Her people would be slightly more lethargic during that time. She needed to be sure that her forces were built up enough that Khrrdia wouldn''t dere war and march on her right away. I should reinforce Rist first. If it is obvious there is arge garrison there, then invasion from there is off the table. There was a small mountain range that protected the rest of that border with Khrrdia, and she intended on going to war as soon as her spell had finished, and the soldiers were ready.


    "Mydy," one of the attendants said at the doorway. "You have the Berserker hero here to speak with you."


    "Send him in," she replied as she stood up and stretched. Kory walked in and meekly knelt in front of her. She walked over and put her foot on his shoulder, pushing him down to the ground. He obeyed immediately. "Good boy. You may stand."


    He did so and bowed deeply, "I had a request."


    "Oh? And what would that be?"


    "Let me go to Fort Watch. I want to bring my mercenaries into the fold."


    "You heard what happened."


    "I know. I want to go find my men and bring them back."


    Cecily crossed her arms, "Reports indicated they fled North, into the Valley of the Volcano. Into the Destroyer''snds. I don''t want to provoke her. Not with waring. Let her hole herself up." She grabbed a sheaf of paper and shoved it in his face, "I know you aren''t the best at reading Shereldian, so the simple news is that this Destroyer is focused on defensive actions." She stuck her finger into his chest, "No. Provoking. Her. I don''t want a two-front war."


    "I won''t provoke her. I can use the hidden tunnel on the other side of the mountains."


    Cecily shook her head, "I can''t afford you being gone that long; it will take you two weeks to go around the mountains. Face it. Your mercenaries are gone."


    "Then let me train up new troops!" he said as he dropped to his knees. "I''m begging you; I can''t stand these fucking recruits. Training them is destroying me on the inside."


    "Hmm¡­perhaps. Very well, service me tonight, and in the morning, I will write up themission. You''ll have your pick of the recruits for your new unit. We''ll call them Vgonia''s Vanguard."


    Kory nodded and his face was neutral, but Cecily knew there was a trace of enthusiasm at the prospect of getting to sleep with her that night. He went to the edge of the bed and began to undress.


    Cecily shook her head, "Not like that." She pointed to the cross in the back of the room, "You''ll serve me in a different way tonight."


    Lyn returned to the tower interior with Thomas. Vael was sitting on the ground, reading the same tome, but Gael was nowhere to be seen. After a moment, she heard sounds from the floor below. "Alright Thomas, where''s this ce you couldn''t get into?"


    "In the main hall, and straight back."


    Lyn nodded and tapped her foot to get Vael''s attention as she swapped to Arinol, "We''re heading out."


    Vael stood up and pointed at the book, "Can I keep this?" she asked.


    Thomas nodded, "I was actually going to ask for us to do one more thing while we''re here." He turned to Lyn, "Make a storage space and let''s take all of this with us. We can put it deep in the Conve of the Fortress. The knowledge of the Elenthians, all under your control."


    "Isn''t it safer here?"


    "Safer? Possibly. But I''d rather Cecily still think the spell she is seeking is here, and have it elsewhere. Somewhere she would never think to look."


    Lyn nodded and held up her hand. "Anna sad orcham / i theled trin daeron / a na sein ardhad anoron / a theniad ennas / athradh / pen tiriel / imb¨ªotho ha adh gas / a garo naith an¨ªr alfirin / an tirad i ist." An extradimensional space appeared next to her, and the trio were joined by Gael after a minute as they slowly cleared the tower, floor by floor, throwing the papers, books, and tomes into the storage space. As soon as they passed the aperture, they formed neat, tidy stacks by type and subject based upon the title along the spine. The storage dimension would perfectly preserve them.


    Thomas went into a small side room and came back a few momentster, holding a dozen wooden orbs that he also tossed into the storage space. "Special objects we need to bring back," was the only exnation he gave, and Lyn didn''t feel like prying.


    Letting the spell cease as they cleared the bottom floor, Thomas led the way back to the entryway, and then they followed therge, thick blue line that led deeper into theplex. They went past more statues, and Lyn noticed a few names from dungeons she had cleared.


    They reached the back of the enormous hall and went down a set of stairs, arriving at arge, double door made of adamantine that was covered inyers uponyers of inscriptions. "Damn," was all Lyn could say. "There''s so manyyers here."


    Thomas held out a sheet of paper, "I untangled the whole mess and figured out the right order. It''s going to take a ton of mana."


    Lyn nodded and sat down, "Then I should let it refill fully, as well as in my amulet."


    "Oh? May I see it?"


    Lyn nodded and held it up for him to look at. Thomas scanned it over and he looked up at Lyn with a smirk, "Genius. Absolutely genius. I would''ve never thought to use it that way."


    "It''s a smart inscription. But the amount of mana to make it means it had to have been Raevan that crafted it."


    "Makes sense."


    Vael prodded her and leaned over to whisper, "Gael found out that the Elenthians had both sets of sexual organs."


    Lyn stifled augh, "Really?" she whispered back.


    "Mhmm. I think it would be hrious if you could prank him in bed one night."


    "I never thought of using spells to try and change anatomy," she whispered. "I can design the spell, but it would be an internal shifting spell, so I couldn''t force it on someone."


    Vael shrugged, "Maybe an inscribed item?"


    Lyn thought of that. How handy would it be to have a bunch of¡­I don''t know, statues, around the empire. People could touch it¡­She had an epiphany that made her crack a wide grin.


    "What did she tell you?" Gael asked as his cheeks reddened.


    "I had an idea," Lyn said as she looked to Thomas who had sat against the opposite wall. "Could someone change their race with an internal shifting spell?"


    Thomas blinked several times as if he was trying toprehend the question. "Theoretically it''s possible, but I don''t know how much mana it would take. Shifting internal spells are already the most mana intensive of that category. Well, barring your regeneration, but that seems to be unique to the Destroyer core alone."


    "But its theoretically possible?" Vael asked.


    "It is," Thomas replied.


    Lyn smiled, "I just had an amazing idea to ensure equality across the empire."


    "Do tell," Thomas said.


    "What if I created statues of myself using earth elementalism. Statues that are perfect recreations. On the plinth I can inscribe several spells for all variety of daily uses: conjuring water, growing nts, healing¡­even race or gender changing. All sorts of stuff." She grinned, "I wouldn''t have to worry about having, say, one of Trisha''s healers present in every little city across Ghomar. Just the main towns. Plus, people who tried to train up their mana reserves and exercise their core would be able to improve their own forms. It would be a way to level the ying field across the empire."


    Thomas scratched his head, "It definitely is possible. It would take you a while to inscribe that many spells though."


    Lyn nodded and smiled, "Long term project. But I think that should be one of the first items on the agenda once we begin our expansion proper."


    Brad set to work in the backboratory of the alchemyplex Lyn had erected out of stone. The smooth, polished surfaces were perfect for a scientific environment, and she had even dredged up silver before shaping it with a spell to provide plenty of tools that wouldn''t contaminate samples.


    They didn''t have nearly as many ss blowers as Brad had ess to in Vgonia, but he had enough chemistry equipment to set up several stations. The apprentices from the Newen that had joined him were, thankfully, decent at herblore and knew a good deal about the varieties that grew in and around the Valley. They were adept at harvesting, producing excellent yields.


    And Brad had picked up the flora external spell type from a dungeon way back during the second year of the hero''s journeys. Everyone insisted he get the dungeon core, except for James who wanted to have ''all the magic types''. But he was outnumbered when they decided to vote for it. Using those spells and cuttings he had taken from his priorboratory, he had set up a veryrge, partitioned garden outside of the building that could grow the variety of herbal, medicinal, and drug nts that he had umted over his time on Ghomar. Soon enough, a greenhouse would be constructed around the plot, so that even in the cooler months they could keep their supply going.


    And here, in this backboratory, he was working in total silence all alone. He had barred the door and ensured that he waspletely alone as hebored over the chemistry station. The portions have to be perfect, he thought, as he continued to monitor the bubbling substance he was reducing down to a ''crust'' he could scrape up and use as a powder. Raising his hand over the substance, he chanted in Elenthir. "Anna sad leithian / teled nin / ah doltha i daer naeth hen / an ind an¨ªr nin." The Alchemist only, external spell that allowed him to change the potency of any medicine or drug he created, no matter the form.


    The spell, in this case, increased the potency and concentrated the drug. He had no doubt that Lyn was going to kill Cecily if she could; after all, Lyn hated the woman. Probably even more once she learned that Cecily is the one who coordinated the effort to strip Lyn from people''s memory. But he wanted to ensure Lyn''s victory and his own revenge. And the best way to do that was to undermine Cecily''s rule.


    "Almost done," He muttered as he turned off the burner and let thest of the liquid boil away. A drug that will only affect Vgonia''s Human poption, that can spread as if it were a disease. He could introduce this to the poption. It would spread, and after a month it would finally begin to show itself.


    It was not harmful in any way, rather, it was an¡­enlightenment drug, as he chose to call it. It would cause hallucinations during sleep, and specifically ones that would help to destabilize their indoctrinated and propagandized beliefs in racial superiority of Humans. It would give them an ''out of body'' experience to help them see just how much they had been misled. Just one way that he could work towards fixing that kingdom and undermining Cecily''s rule.


    I''ll get back at you, fucking bitch. Ruin my drug empire? Cut off my dick? Thrall me? You''re going to pay.


    He scraped the cooled substance from the sides of the ss and put the powder into a small, paper envelope. He sealed it tightly with twine and pushed it into his hip pouch. Now to figure out a way to introduce it to the kingdom''s poption. He went out of the back room and headed to the citadel. Ascending the numerous stairs ¨Cpausing for breath a few times ¨C he made it up to Fin, Keeper of Ravens. The Duskari woman was tending to new hatchlings, and Brad politely knocked on one of the beams.


    She turned and smiled, speaking perfect Khrrdian, thankfully. "Ah, the Alchemist hero. Are you here to bind a raven?"


    "I wasn''t aware I was going to get one," he stated as he walked up to the hatchlings she was tending to. They stared at him with wide eyes that he found cute.


    "The Destroyer instructed me to offer a raven to each hero to facilitatemunication."


    "I would love to bind a raven. Just tell me how."


    Fin smiled and waved him over, "First, you get to choose your hatchling. Then I''ll use a few spells, and you''ll just have to wait a few days for the elerated growth."


    "Have you told the other heroes?"


    "I was waiting for this newest group to hatch. This evening was when I was going to send messages out."


    Brad nodded, "Perfect. Let''s get started." And then I can send it to deliver the drug to Cecria, right in the center of her kingdom. He chuckled slightly as he focused his attention on Fin''s instructions.

 B2 – Chapter 12

    Bolvon sat in the corner, unnoticed by the Foskor Diplomat sitting across from Rashanna. Lurgen Naskowitz, as he had learned, was a man who was very prudent and proper. But he had a secret, one that Bolvon had exploited at Rashanna''s behest. He listened in to the conversation, making out some of the words in Triskol. He was not fluent in thenguage, but the expression on the man''s face left no doubt in his mind that the ckmail had worked.


    It had taken some skullduggery, but Bolvon had broken into the Diplomat''s chambers and found evidence of his embezzlement of funds. Taking the proof was even easier, and as soon as Bolvon had given it to Rashanna, she knew exactly how to y it to their advantage. He''ll be a valuable resource, he thought as the panicked expression of the man left no room for doubt.


    The meeting concluded, and Bolvon joined Rashanna''s shadow as she left the room. After they arrived in her chambers, he ceased concentrating on the spell, and reappeared next to her. "All went well?" he asked in Arinol.


    "Yes. It worked perfectly. We will have our meeting in Dornsk, and only have to make a single concession for Lady Rivers'' demands."


    "Which part?"


    "One of the changes to thews that Lady Rivers requires. Trisk will notmit to vassalization under our empress'' rule if she does not guarantee that the meritocracy at the king-tier ruler level is suspended for the next three generations. King Skir wants his child, and eventual grandchild, to rule the kingdom."


    "Do you believe our goddess will ept that?"


    "It would be an easy amodation. I don''t imagine it is a deal breaker to ensure the capittion of an entire kingdom almost overnight. The whole of Trisk, minus Vharthos, Fosk, and Raptol ¨C those race-specific nations will require separate negotiations."


    "You have pull in Vharthos I assume, since you''re one of them."


    "That''s right. My family name does notmand the same level of respect, but thatbined with my current role? It shouldn''t be a problem." She sat in a cushioned chair and clicked her tongue. Her raven flew over, and she scribbled a note before handing it to the bird, whispering to it, and going to the window as the bird flew out. "We have two weeks until the meeting in Dornsk, where King Skir will finalize the terms with Lady Rivers."


    Bolvon smiled, "Finally." His smile shifted to a frown as he heard noise from the hallway. A ttering of metal booted feet. "Strange." He pointed to the closet, "Hide. Now."


    Rashanna did as she was instructed, dashing to the wardrobe and hiding inside of it. Bolvon went to the guard quarters'' door adjoining the room and threw it open. The Duskari inside were gearing up as well, having heard the noise from the hall.


    "Posto nin a gwathren / a doltho nin o thiathol / cario nin ¨²-enni / min i d?," Bolvon whispered. The spell cloaked him in shadow, and he merged with it as he slipped under the door. The hallway was empty, but he dashed through the hall and down the corridor. He spotted an armored contingent that was making their way to the throne room. Interesting. He knew he wouldn''t be able to make sense of what he heard, but something was happening. He followed along the corner of the hall, hidden within the shadows at the edges of torchlight.


    The throne room was richly appointed with purple tapestries with gold thread, depicting the different rulers of the kingdom of Trisk. The current king, Skir the twenty-fifth, was seated on the throne, and looked quite rmed as he stood up and shouted some order. His personal guard gathered around the throne, and he hid behind it.


    Interesting. A coup? Bolvon theorized as the armored individuals he had followed in shouted orders, and there was a temporary standoff between the two sides. Bolvon did recognize the symbol on the tabards the aggressors wore. Ah, the son. Wanting to take the throne for whatever reason. Perhaps he heard of the king''s impending deal. Or it could just be a power grab. As if on cue, the doors to the throne room opened, and the prince strode through with two of the king''s guard nking him.


    Bolvon heard the arguing between the king and the prince; even without speaking thenguage, he could tell what was going to happen. And he pulled his punch dagger. The soldiers charged at each other, and the fighting was joined. Time to serve my goddess'' will. He knew from his talks with Rashanna that the current king was on-board with vassalization, and so this usurper should be put down. The main hall had plenty of shadows in the center of the room, and he was able to sneak up behind the prince. He waited until thebat surged all around them, and the prince was defending himself from an attacker.


    He grabbed the crown prince around the neck and stabbed the punch-dagger into the base of his skull. The man copsed, and Bolvon harvested his mana core before he slipped back into the shadows. The surge of energy filled him up to the brim, and he reveled in the slight increase to his mana reservoir.


    Bolvon smiled quietly as the fighting faded. The troops surrendered upon seeing the prince dead, and the king sat on the throne, weeping. Well, a minor setback, perhaps. But they cannot trace it back to me. One benefit of the punch dagger artifact Lyn had given him, as he had learned from a Newen divination specialist back in Lynhold, was that it obfuscated spells to discern the responsible party for those in by it. Bolvon slid along the wall and left the throne room, returning to the guest chambers with a feeling of satisfaction. Her will be done.


    Lyn stood up after an hour had passed. "Right, full up on mana." She looked at the door with the dozens ofyered inscriptions. "What''s the order?"


    Thomas pulled out a small set of paint and traced small, colored lines around the different verses. "Just make sure you fully activate one inscription before the next."


    Lyn nodded and focused her undivided attention to the task, pouring mana out of her palm and into the inscriptions. Focusing withser-like precision to ensure that the mana only fueled the singr inscription.


    "Why can''t she just push mana into it all at once?" Vael asked as she stood up.


    "When you have multiyered verses," Thomas exined, "It''s like writing a message on top of another message. You can createplex, borate, multi-faceted inscriptions, but in order to ess the inscription under ayer, one must fully activate theyer atop it. Think of it like an onion: a person has to peel back eachyer to ess the one underneath."


    "Is this just a test, then?" Gael asked. "A way to ensure none can enter?"


    "Well, no one except a person with a huge amount of mana."


    Lyn drained her mana core fully and began to draw upon the amulet''s reservoir. "Thomas," she muttered, "I''m not going to have enough."


    "Shit," Thomas ced his hands on her back, "Both of you, hands on Lyn. Repeat after me." The twins both ced their hands on Lyn''s shoulders and back. "Here we go. Anna i ''¨¢r nelui nin / vi hain vessel."


    The twins repeated the phrase exactly, and Lyn felt the cool temperature of their mana flow into her mana core. Thomas'' mana felt quite different, almost like crinkling, crumpled paper that was passing through a chute. The mana swirled in her torso before her Destroyer core converted it, and she was able to finish out thest inscribed phrases with just a tiny bit of mana left over. The doors shuddered before sliding into the walls, revealing a dust-caked staircase that led downward. No iy was on the ground to provide direction, and the walls appeared to be much, much older.


    Thomasughed and pped his hands once before rubbing them together, "Finally! I''ve been waiting for five years to see what''s down here."


    Lyn sniffed the air and picked up a stench of rot that was distant. Extremely old, mildewy rot. She drew Cataclysm, willed it to the shield and short sword configuration ¨C to better amodate the small space ¨C and held both at the ready. "Something died down here. A long, long time ago."


    Thomas frowned, "That¡­doesn''t make sense." He reached into his pouch and pulled out several inscribed scrolls. "But, better safe than sorry."


    Vael and Gael both drew their weapons. "We don''t have much mana," Vael said. "We should hold off for now."


    "We can''t," Lyn replied as she began to descend, keeping an eye on the walls, ceiling, and floor for any indications of traps that Zack''s Rogue core would alert her to. "The door will shut in ten minutes."


    "Will we be trapped?" Vael asked.


    "Probably not," Thomas replied as he gestured to an inscription along the wall, "That appears to open the door with little mana."


    "We should wait," Gael stated bluntly. "Just inside the cutoff for the doors. Wait for our mana to refill. Explore while empowered by spells."


    Lyn nodded and rxed her stance slightly, "He makes a point, Thomas."


    Thomas sighed and sat on the stairs, "I''ve waited five years, I suppose another hour or two won''t hurt."


    Commander Sigurd was sitting in the bar, eating alone as usual. In the Vgonian military, recruits were required to stay in the barracks and eat the provided food ¨C effectively, training them to get used to travel rations. But once they had graduated and were a part of the military proper, they could go and utilize vouchers to purchase food and drink from establishments. Those establishments would then give the vouchers to their tax collector, who would provide a reprieve.


    This was one of the best bars in Cecria, the capital city of Vgonia. She had an excellent cup of white wine from Brol near the coast, and a very satisfying meal. She pored over the reports next to her, only looking up when she heard the trod of heavy footstepsing her direction. Kory, the Berserker hero, sat down at the table. "What do you want?" she asked.


    He kicked his feet up on a chair to the side and crossed his arms behind his head, leaning back as he stared at her. "I''m taking some of the recruits," he stated as he pulled a slip of paper from his chest pocket and tossed it over to her.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Sigurd ripped open the wax seal and saw the words penned by Princess Cecily. "You get to take a whole regiment?"


    Kory chuckled and snapped his fingers for a server. He handed the man a voucher, "Ale, the darkest, strongest you have. And a meal. Whatever''s hot and tasty." The servant bowed and left before Kory returned his attention to Sigurd, who was staring daggers into him. "Yes, I''m taking the next set of recruits.


    Those are some of the most promising, she thought. This current group would be much better to give him. "You won''t take this group?"


    "They barely got through the obstacle course. They''re pissants."


    Sigurd set the parchment down and plopped her elbows on the table, folding her fingers and staring over at Kory. "Do you want Vgonia to win the war? Because taking good recruits away from the training-"


    He mmed his feet on the floor, "No. Fuck that noise. I am going to take those recruits and turn them into the most vicious bastards you''ve seen. A vanguard, charging headlong into Khrrdia''s army, with myself at the front." He leaned back as the server put a tankard in front of him and delivered a te of food.


    "There''s no way to convince you?"


    "None." He eyed her as he picked up his knife and carved away a chunk of roast meat. "I came here to tell you personally. So you wouldn''t be blindsided."


    "Thoughtful," shemented as she leaned back. "Why do me the courtesy? You''re already fucking me over with this decision."


    He scarfed down a b of meat and then belched loudly before picking up the tankard and draining it in one go. "Ahh¡­It''s because you cared. Back in that vige on the outskirts of that duchy. The men under me wanted to kill off innocent people, but you got them to back down. I was about to kill them all¡­and I didn''t have to. Those kids were kept safe." He pushed away from the table and left several Gold Eagles on it. "I wanted to thank you and say that I''m sorry. But I have to take the best set of recruits we haveing up."


    She sighed and nodded, "I understand. You''re wee, by the way." She lifted her ss of wine, "Now, if you''d be so kind to fuck off, I have a meal to finish and paperwork to fill out."


    Kory chuckled and turned away, ncing back at her for a moment. "Stay safe on the battlefield, Commander Sigurd." He left the building, pushing his way past a small cluster of people to exit the main door.


    Sigurd swirled her wine before she took another sip.


    The doors had shut behind them, and the four sat in the darkness; able to see because they were Duskari or in Thomas'' case, body enhancement via Darksight Eyedrops. When Lyn''s mana had recovered enough, she repeated her go-to internal spell to enhance herbat capabilities. The twins did the same, and Thomas re-used the spell that would split damage between the group. "Ready?" Lyn asked. Everyone answered in the affirmative, and she took the lead as they descended the stairs.


    Each step she took raised a small puff of dust, and as they went deeper, the stairs switching back and forth as they went down, the stench of decay grew stronger. Lyn spotted no traps, but there was an odd, tingling sensation that tickled her spine and gave her goosebumps. "Something is off," she said as she stopped abruptly.


    "What is it?" Gael asked.


    "I don''t know¡­something just feels¡­wrong."


    Thomas muttered a spell under his breath. As he stared ahead, his vision seemed unfocused. "I sent out a divination sensor," he muttered. "I can''t hear anything next to my body. Just hold tight and I''ll tell you what I see."


    Lyn gestured for the twins to nk her sides so that the trio filled the staircase. Lyn heard an odd, trickling noise. "Do you hear that?" she asked.


    "I do," Vael replied. "It sounds like water dripping a short distance."


    Thomas took a deep breath, prompting Lyn to look back at him. His face was white as a sheet. "What did you see?" she asked.


    "There''s¡­I don''t know how to describe it." He shook his head, "I''ve never seen anything like it before."


    "What. Was. It?" she asked again, emphasizing each word.


    "A writhing mass of decaying flesh and matter that appears to be docile," Thomas replied as if he was rattling off a memorized answer from a textbook.


    "Sounds gross," Gael said as he looked down the tunnel.


    Lyn continued her descent, and after traveling a hundred feet down from the surface, she saw what Thomas had mentioned. The stairs ended, and a short hallway extended, but blocking the hallway was a pulsating, throbbing membrane of flesh and ichor that stank to high heaven. There was more hallway behind the¡­thing, but Lyn didn''t want to go anywhere near it. "What do you think it is?" she asked.


    "No clue," Thomas replied. "We can''t get around it, and I''m unsure what would happen if you struck it."


    "Let''s find out," Vael replied as she reached into her hip pouch and pulled out a smooth, round rock. Setting down her spear, she pulled out a length of leather and swung the sling rapidly beforeunching the stone into the fleshy mass. It quivered as the projectile impacted it. "Hmm. No response."


    Lyn took a few steps forward, and when she had closed to within five feet, the mass shifted in ce and turned to her. An enormous, toothy maw made of bone shards was topped by dozens of eyes. The amalgamation let out a pained, wailing roar and lunged at her. She stepped back and raised her shield as a spiked, bone appendageshed out towards her torso. "It''s hostile!" she shouted as she held her ground. The creature was seemingly mindless, continuing its wailing as it stabbed several spiked bones at her. She deflected them with the shield easily enough, and parried a few with the short sword, but there were enoughing her direction she had to focus solely on defense.


    Gael took up a position just behind and next to her, covering her left side and drawing some of the creature''s ire as he poked forward with his spear, piercing the hide of the creature as a ck, oozing, viscous and foul fluid spilled out from where he jabbed.


    Vael switched back to her spear and shield, joining Lyn on her right, and repeating the same actions as her brother. But one of the spiked bonesshed past her guard and pierced her armor and body enhanced skin. She let out a grunt of pain and backed off before she fell to her butt. Thomas knelt over her, "Shit. Don''t let it touch you! It causes necrosis!" He reached into a satchel, produced an inscribed scroll, and held it over the wound as he poured mana into it. The ck lines that were crisscrossing her skin receded to the wound and a chunk of ck goop spurted out before the skin patched over from the healing spell.


    Lyn cursed under her breath as the assault continued. She felt her mana slowly but steadily draining. "This thing doesn''t get tired!" she shouted over the din ofbat. She stepped to her right as a bone-spearnced through where she was just standing ¨C an enormous, ballistae bolt sized implement. She willed her weapon to switch to its spear form, and she picked up Vael''s Titansteel shield as she poked past its defenses. The blueva seared the flesh where it touched, and the substance melted and sloughed off the body. "Lava doesn''t work!"


    Gael raised his palm, "En ethiel an le / thalion min / an aro / a sto nan govadhren / a i thalion en-aear!" a geyser of water surged out from him and mmed into the creature, causing it to be pushed back slightly.


    "Perfect!" Lyn shouted as she willed her armor to recede so that her wed foot was touching the now-wet ground. "Gael, retreat!" she shouted as she channeled mana into her foot. "Rista uin nin / vi th?r en l¨²g n¨®rui / a guin vin barad ui / a rim hen n¨®rui / an gahan a chaded."


    Gael jumped back as blue and yellow lightning coursed out of Lyn''s foot, racing along the pool of water and coursing through the fleshy creature. It shrieked in pain as it locked up, the body seizing up. Lyn took advantage of the opportunity, tossing the Titansteel shield behind her and willing the de to transform to the great sword form. She dashed in and carved away at the creature''s center of mass, slicing it in half vertically before she pulled the mana de out.


    The mass of flesh wiggled and let out one final seeming scream of pain before it lost its cohesion and turned to ash. Lyn was panting from the exertion and peered to the hallway past the creature. Another pair of double doors was on the far end; but they bore no inscription. She nced back to the group, "Is everyone okay?"


    Vael nodded as Gael helped her up, "I''ll live," she said, "Thanks to the Knowledge hero."


    Thomas put his hand to his chin and pondered for several moments. "Why would this¡­thing be in between two doors, trapped down here? It was a living mass of some type, so it had to eat something to survive."


    "Maybe mana sustained it," Lynmented as she kicked aside some of the ashes. "Just like the mana wraiths above."


    Thomas shook his head, "I''ve never seen anything like that before. It¡­an abomination is the only thing I can call it."


    Lyn walked past the pile of ashes and approached the double door. She put her ear up to it and heard nothing past it. She tried the handle and found it to be unlocked. She pushed the door open and peered inside.


    The room was well-lit by a series of floating, glowing globules. The entire space was an empty, circr chamber a few hundred feet across. Pushing the door open the rest of the way, she approached an inscription on the ground, written in concentric circles that wound in on each other. This¡­oh, cool! "Thomas, check this out!"


    The Knowledge hero came into the room and joined Lyn, with Vael and Gael standing a few feet back. "This¡­oh, wow."


    "What is it?" Gael asked.


    "A summoning inscription," Lyn stated. "I think we know what the mass of flesh was now, Thomas."


    He nodded, "The bodies of the Elenthians, unable to escape." He pointed to the ceiling, "Those mana wraiths were the ''echoes'' of the Elenthians." Then, he gestured to the inscription, "This is how they left Ghomar."


    Lyn knelt and touched the carved words in Elenthir. It''s ingenious, she thought. The Elenthians left behind their bodies to be ethereal entities. The inscription had several functions from what she could discern. First, it would remove the soul or consciousness from a mana core, releasing it to be able to roam without constraint. Second, it would remove the mana core from the body, and send it to a prepared location that was partly in the world, and partly extradimensional space. A Dungeon.


    "If I''m reading this right," Thomas said as he stood at the center and turned in a circle to read every verse, "The Elenthians took on a shapeless form. Pure consciousness ¨C or soul if you prefer ¨C that enabled them to travel¡­anywhere. They could still be out there, exploring the stars, or might be right here with us. Undetectable even with spells." He shook his head, "I neverprehended this as a possibility."


    Gael spoke, "Could we use this?"


    Thomasughed and shook his head, "No. Their whole civilization had to have been here and channeled mana all at once. You''d need¡­Pff¡­Every person on Ghomar?" he shook his head, "This inscription is practically useless to us." He looked over at Lyn, "Although¡­you might be able to activate it. If you had all the hero cores."


    Lyn frowned, "But I am not going to kill heroes that are living for their cores. Well, except the ones I was nning on killing. Cecily, for sure. But I don''t want to be an incorporeal spirit." She paced around to a specific verse, "I''ve not seen this word before."


    Thomas came over and looked at it, "Ah, ''Varedh''. that''s the Elenthir word for ''extraction''."


    Gael walked over and knelt next to Lyn, "Couldn''t you make a spell that lets you pull out mana cores from people?"


    "We already know how to do that," Lyn replied. "But¡­what if¡­" she looked up at Thomas, "What if we reced the mana core? If I had a dungeon core, for instance, I could switch them. Take any of our allied hero''s mana cores and swap it out?"


    Thomas grinned, "It would give them versatility like what Misty and I have, since they''d be considered natives of Ghomar. And, when they died, they wouldn''t be trapped waiting for release. The downsides are they would lose whatever unique capability came with it, such as my ability to retain knowledge of anything I''ve read, seen, or heard. And, they would most likely not have Earth as an option."


    Lyn stood up and helped Gael to his feet. "Well, we have solved the mystery of where the Elenthians disappeared to."


    Thomas nodded and dusted off his hands, "They transcended their mortal coils and ascended to a higher state of being. No longer bound by physics or corporeal forms." He chuckled, "What an experience that would be."


    Vael cleared her throat, "So that''s it? We came here for some books and an old room with nothing in it?"


    Thomas turned to her, "Why? Disappointed at unraveling one of the mysteries that has lingered for all Ghomar''s history?"


    "A bit. I expected some type of treasure."


    Lyn walked the perimeter of the room, tracing her hand along the walls. A small glimmer of light caught her attention, and looking at it, she saw a slight, blue hue around a small chip in the wall. Ah, the Rogue core indicating a trap. Why is a random wall trapped? She pulled Cataclysm and plunged the mana de into the stone next to the trap. Channeling more mana into it, she saw the wall shake and shift before copsing and revealing a walled-over tunnel. "Maybe there is some treasure," she said as everyone looked to the sudden crashing noise.


    Gael ran over and peered down the tunnel, "Why would they seal this off?"


    "We''ll only know by exploring," Lyn replied as she went down the tunnel.

 B2 – Chapter 13

    James charged at the enormous snake, weaving between itsshing strikes as he stabbed at it with his sword. Once he got close enough to the main body of the creature, he nted the sword in its side and cast a spell. "Anno nin i gwelu en-gd." At the speed of light, he moved the whole length of the creature ¨C his de ripping along the creature''s body the whole time.


    He turned as it iled and struck him. The blow sent him flying, and as he copsed in a heap, he spotted the creature slowly regenerating. Fuck! He pushed himself up and jumped to the side as the serpentshed out at him again. He chopped down vertically, cutting halfway through its whole neck. The creature reeled back, and that gave him a chance to recover. cing his hand on his broken ribs, he wheezed out another spell. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / leithio hain garan / a gd hain tr?w." His body repaired from the power of the healing external spell, and he took a deep breath in as the creature continued to regenerate.


    How the fuck do I kill it? The monster weaved its head back and forth, as if appraising him with a newfound respect. He had already tried fire, poison, lightning, and light. Physical attacks weren''t working, either. For the first time in a long time, he felt panic. I can''t die here, he thought as images of his family shed through his mind. That''s it! He raised his hand and pointed it at the creature. "Ithil aen / feanor or / towen san gilith or / tahl naid talethen / a vt ohor."


    A water spell he had memorized, it drew all of the water-based liquid from a target, exsanguinating it if it was living. The serpent writhed as the blood within it was extracted, the corpse shriveling up to a husk as all moisture was pulled out of it. The substances congealed into a floating orb next to James, and he threw it aside. It sshed against the wall, and he took deep breaths as his mana slowly began to refill. I almost ran out, he thought. Not having another hero to work with made these dungeons quite the challenge.


    As the walls of the room returned and the passage to the reward chamber opened, he leaned his head back and sighed. How the hell did Lyn do all those dungeons on her own? She had imed to have conquered twenty-two,st he recalled. Some were done in smaller groups of heroes, a handful with most of the then-living heroes¡­but she hadpleted at least ten on her own. The mostmon type of dungeons werebat-focused ones, so odds were she had to fight equal foes to what James had just fought. I don''t even know if I could fight old Lyn, let alone this new, stronger one.


    He looked down at his palm and flexed his hand. But she doesn''t have weird monster abilities like innate regeneration. She''s still mortal. Of that, he was assured. His envoy who had gone with Zebed''s trade delegation had described her in detail, and that envoy was capable of divination spells. "She has a heart," he had said. "Along with every other organ that a person has. The armor and body enhancement will be no match for your holy de."


    The knowledge that she was mortal gave him hope. He needed to clear more dungeons. Two more were present in his kingdom''s borders that his scouts had discovered. Standing up, he went down the hallway to im his prize. A wooden box that revealed a mana core. He didn''t listen to the lingering words of the Elenthian, and just consumed it. He did not need any further spell types to be effective inbat. What I need to do is practice rapid speech to cast what I do know faster and faster. He knew that Lyn could cast rapidly; she had shown that off as they made their way to the Demonic Dragon''s fortress. She was basically rapping in Elenthir, which James knew he would have to be able to match to counter her spells with ones of his own.


    He went to the other item on the altar. Curious, he thought as he tried to make out the Elenthirbel on the jar of powdery substance. Damn, I''ve already used this type. He put the substance into his satchel anyways, and touched the altar as he reappeared in the cistern under Kor''s Hold that led to the ocean. He made his way up to the surface and began walking back home. Who would have thought that a dungeon was right under our noses this whole time?


    Maria went to the royal archive and approached one of the archivists. "Excuse me," she said softly.


    The elderly woman turned around and bowed slightly, "Queen Maria. How may I be of assistance?"


    "Is there a book that talks about the various heroes and their lives?"


    "Ah¡­yes, we do have something. The Codex of the Statue. Give me a minute." The woman left and vanished into the bookshelves, returning a few minutester with a leather-bound tome that had pages in varying states of decay; from ancient to pristine. "This is where the names of the heroes and their life''s works are recorded. Think of it like a reference guide. We can pull more information on a specific individual if you require it."


    "Thank you." Maria took the book and headed back to her chambers. She was searching for an answer. Why James had be more obsessed. He has a good opportunity to rekindle old rtionships and make strong allies¡­but this desire to stop ''evil'' is preventing that. She arrived at her chambers and sat on one of the cushioned chairs, opening the book to the beginning.


    The first heroes were hand-selected by Aelor before the deity distributed his power amongst them. They assaulted the Destroyer''s citadel but perished in the attempt.


    Maria knew that much already. The first heroes failed in trying to defeat the Destroyer. Their names were lost to history, as they had not aplished anything major worth writing about. But then the statue appeared in what is now known as the duchy of Sonash, and with enough mana, new heroes would be chosen. Most groups of heroes attempted to fight the Destroyer after any span of months to twenty years¡­but none were recorded as having the same level of personality changes that she had been seeing in James recently.


    The statue of Aelor began to draw new heroes from other worlds. The intent, it is theorized, was in the hopes that their unique perspective, upbringing, and background would grant a chance at victory.


    More generations fought, she read, and the First Age persisted with new waves of heroes fighting and ultimately dying. But there were some interesting stand-out differences. Namely, a Revenant hero she had never heard of before.


    Fel Ocer, the Revenant hero of the tenth cycle (the first group to be summoned from another world), was thest hero that remained alive after escaping the dread fortress. As a summoning could not ur until all twenty heroes were dead, he was pressured to give up his life. He refused and used his power and influence to create a fortress in The Teardrop Isles. It was here that the first instance of instability amongst a hero was recorded. It is theorized that his hero core warped his personality on a deeper level than seen in the nine prior cycles, due to the usualck of a mana core in summoned individuals. He fell into madness, raising armies of the dead and staying on that ind until he naturally expired from age.


    She began feverishly flipping through the book. Summoned heroes from other worlds ¨C like her James. She found the entry she was looking for.


    Kor Khreld, the Paragon hero of the sixth cycle, slew Raevan the Destroyer. He, the Oracle hero Sherel Dior, and the Berserker hero, Skir Trisk were the only three who survived the conflict.


    As the need for heroes had vanished, the trio went their separate ways and founded the kingdoms of Khrrdia, Shereld, and Trisk respectively. Peace reigned amongst the three rulers for some time.


    After five years passed, the three surviving heroes began to experience changes that drastically altered their kingdoms.


    Kor pursued justice to the point that he began an inquisition amongst the people, bing a beloved tyrant who saw any injustice as a death sentence. His rule was righteous and terrifying, and when he died, his son took the throne.


    Sherel went mad from visions of the future, and died in her pce, leaving cryptic warnings and messages that were never deciphered.


    Skir indulged in battle to the point that he became unable to discern friend from foe. He fought his own castle guard and was an unkible force of nature until he eventually copsed fromck of sustenance. He was then quickly dispatched by his daughter.


    Maria took a shaky, deep breath. Her hands were shaking as she set the book down. James'' conversations with her and his vehement opposition to paying with this new Destroyer told her one thing¡­James was changing because of the hero core within him. Because of where he came from. There has to be a way to stop it.


    She was no mage, but she knew one. Taking the book, she rushed down the halls of the castle ¨C past the servants and house guard, with her own guard rushing to keep up in their heavier armor as she went up the stairs to therge tower where the archmage resided. The most learned spell user in Khrrdia. Knocking on the door, she was greeted by the wizened old man who had first summoned her beloved. "Yes?" he asked.


    "Is there a way to remove a mana core?" she asked as she pushed into the room.


    The man stood aside and gestured to the nearby table, "It is theorized to be possible. There is a record of the Mage hero performing such a feat. Why do you ask?"


    She flipped the book open and pointed to the passage about Fel Ocer, "Read this," she said as she went past him and shut the door.


    The archmage sat down and read through the section she had shown him. She sat opposite him. "Hmm¡­this is interesting. I did not know that heroes were changed by their unique mana cores." He looked up at her, "Why do you want to remove a mana core?"


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition.


    Maria flipped to the entry about Kor, "The Paragon hero. This one was summoned from another world and went¡­mad."


    "Ah," the elderly mage stood up, "You seek to ensure our King does not experience the same fate. Well, I can reach out to the Mage hero, but your best chance would be to contact her directly and inquire."


    "How do I do that?"


    The man went to a desk, pulled out ink and parchment, and brought it back to the table. "This is specially inscribed parchment. For emergencies only." He winked at her, "The Queen caring for her dear husband qualifies, I believe."


    Maria shook her head, "I know how to read, but my penmanship is horrible. Could you take dictation?"


    "Of course, your highness."


    Stes finished her task and sat back with satisfaction. "Done," she said softly to herself as she stretched and yawned. A full alphabet and pronunciation guide to the letters in Elenthir, along with trantions to the threenguages she knew. Thomas would handle the other trantions, and then he would perform a transmutation spell of the highestplexity to mass replicate thepleted primer.


    "And now for the other project," she muttered as she went to the door and left the study that connected to Thomas'' room. Her room was next to his, and after going in and changing to more out-and-about clothes, she left and exited the fortress. Lynhold was bustling with activity. She saw Humans out and about ¨C more than before. Inquiring with one of the Duskari guarding the fortress proper, she learned of a recent group of Human settlers that came from Komorra and Rist, seeking refuge from Vgonia''s crackdown on the revolts.


    She made her way to Trisha''s healer academy and wound her way through theplex. She was taken aback at the cleanliness of the building. The floors were covered with silver. She asked a nearby healer, and the woman exined that they were the easiest surfaces to clean. The countertops were covered with the same material, as was the base of the walls where it met the floor. There were plenty of beds that were upied by people of various races in differing states of injury. To her surprise, magical healing was not being performed immediately. Instead, she saw mundane practices being performed.


    "Ah, you''re here," Stes heard in Triskol as she had stopped to watch a man having his broken leg fixed. Turning to the voice, she saw the Healer hero, and bowed slightly.


    "Thank you for seeing me, Lady Baxter."


    "Just Trisha. Thomas said you wanted to discuss a proposal?" She gestured for Stes to follow her, and she did so, going to arge office on the upper floor.


    "That''s right. It''s something of a personal matter. He said you would be the best equipped to help."


    Trisha took a seat and gestured for Stes to sit opposite her. Stes did so, and Trisha leaned back. "Well, do tell."


    "He wanted to see if you could acquire something he called ''saline''."


    "We have plenty of that," Trishamented. "I can provide it with ease."


    Stes nodded, "He also wanted to ask if you would be willing to create a simple pamphlet with Elenthir verses for a variety of injuries that have enough restrictions built into them that the mana requirement is much lower than normal. We wish to include it in the Elenthir primer we are preparing."


    Trisha nodded and made some notes on a sheet of parchment, "I can do that. It will take some time, and having someone who is more fluent in Elenthir than I would be helpful."


    "That''s why I''m here," Stes stated. "I was top of my ss at Professor Misery''s mage school, and I have been given aprehensive education over the past month of travel by the Knowledge hero."


    Trisha nodded, "Let me do some rounds, and then we can get to it."


    "What are rounds?" Stes asked as she stood to follow Trisha.


    "It''s a term from my world. It''s when the highest-ranking physician ¨C healer ¨C goes to various patients, often apanied by new healers, and provides diagnosis and instruction on the spot. Think of it like a live demonstration form of teaching."


    "I would be pleased to watch," Stes said with authentic enthusiasm.


    The tunnel Lyn walked down was much, much older than the prior tunnel and chamber they had exited. The dust was caked inches deep upon the floor, and there was a stale scent of untouched, stagnant air. She walked forward cautiously and stopped the group as she saw the blue glow at several points along the passageway. "Traps," she muttered as she crouched down to scoot closer to one.


    "How can you tell?" Vael asked.


    "Rogue core," Lyn replied as she blew away some of the dust, lifted a rough tile, and crushed the spring mechanism with her wed grip. "Let''s speed this up. Caran aeren / o ael / eithil gilith / naid telir / a tasorn / or heledh hen." A gust of wind blew out of Lyn''s palm, coursing down the hallway before rushing back to her, picking up all the dust and debris, before condensing into a sphere in front of her. She set it down on the ground.


    With the floor no longer covered, the four could see the iid pattern of the rough stone. "It looks like a river," Gaelmented. There were blue colored stones winding back and forth, surrounded by grey rock.


    Lyn chuckled, "Just follow the river. It avoids every trap trigger." She walked along the blue stones, careful to ensure she ced her feet perfectly. ncing back, she saw the other three making decent progress, but had to reach out and catch Thomas as he almost slipped off one of the smaller stones. "Watch your footing," she stated inly. "You''re the only one here who can heal."


    Thomas wiped some sweat from his brow, "Yeah, right. More focus on footwork. You know I''m a bit of a klutz."


    Lyn continued forward until she came upon arge double door. The door had no inscription but was split down the middle with a line of rock. On one half, there was a spot for a humanoid palm print with seven fingers, and on the other half, a palm-print for an elongated, dainty palm. "Adhano nin ennas / nan hen / en-Duskari," Lyn whispered as her draconic features were suppressed. She pressed her palm into the slot on the door, and it glowed brightly before sliding open with a rumbling noise. There was a slight, ck film that looked like the entrance to a dungeon, and pushing her hand against it, she found the usual jelly-esque resistance before her hand passed through.


    "What did you do?" Thomas asked as he peered over her shoulder.


    "My body looks just like Raevan''s did when I talked to her in the Destroyer core. I think this door could only be opened by her, or someone who looks exactly like her. Hell, Vael is the same size, so she could possibly do it also." She looked at the other door, "The statue of Aelor always had its hands hidden, right?"


    Thomas nodded, "Yes, we never saw that part of his features. The Elenthians had seven fingers, though."


    "Want to bet that he had seven fingers?"


    "It''s a solid guess. That means, in all likelihood, that both deities would use whatever was in there. Come on, let''s go inside."


    Lyn nodded and walked into the chamber. The entire room was a huge circle and ncing back she saw the other door for Aelor, still shut. In the center of the room was an enormous throne of ck ss.


    As Lyn walked forward, she felt the Destroyer core pulsating within her, as if drawing her towards the seat. The inky ckness of the throne swirled within a housing of transparent obsidian that was intricately shaped and carved.


    "Don''t touch it," Thomas said. "We don''t know what it will do. Best let me do a divination spell to check."


    Lyn ignored him and touched the throne, feeling a jolt of energy rush through her body as the shifting spell ended and her draconic features re-emerged. The darkness within the throne surged around her talon, and it seemingly beckoned her to sit.


    Vael and Gael stood at the back of the chamber, but Thomas walked forward and put a hand on her shoulder, "Just stop for a second!"


    She turned to Thomas and shook his hand off, "It''s obviously a throne made for me. Do you not see this?" she asked as she put her hand on the armrest and the ck inkiness spread over and seemingly tugged at her. "It''s obviously supposed to be something I sit in."


    "To me it looks like you''re just touching an arm rest."


    Lyn blinked a few times before ncing back at the throne. She saw the shadows swirling within. "No, it''s filled with something." She looked to the twins, "Vael, Gael, what do you see?"


    "Solid stone," Vael stated. "A single seat made from marble."


    Gael looked at her with a shocked expression, "Really? It looks like a giant carved chunk of wood to me."


    Thomas sighed, "Just let me do the damned divination spell, okay?"


    Lyn nodded and pulled her hand away. "Fine. Do what you will."


    Thomas held his hand out over the seat and incanted a verse, "Dand le / i fis hen / a aniron le / danthar bain ned thir." His eyes zed over and the iris'' were reced with a pure, white color. He whispered aloud in Arinol, "This throne¡­is the Throne of Raeloran¡­the seat of the singr deity who created the Elenthians¡­before splitting itself into Raevan and Aelor." His eyes returned to normal, and he looked at Lyn with sheer excitement, switching to English. "It''s like an antenna you could plug yourself into. You could be sitting on this in the Valley of the Volcano, center of the continent, and reach anywhere on Ghomar with your spells." He sighed and swapped back to Arinol, "The downside is that the mana cost is still the same. And, you either need to have been there, or have an active divination sensor or simr effect to see what you wanted to interact with, spell-wise."


    Holy shit¡­This is perfect. I just have to move it from here to Lynhold. She focused her mana and incanted a storage spell. A storage space appeared next to her, and she waved to the twins, "Come over here and help me lift this."


    The trio used the internal spell to bulk their muscle mass, and with some significant effort, lifted and moved it into the storage space. Lyn let it close. Thomas looked on with a smug expression, "This is awesome. You''ll be able to change things remotely, literally reshaping the world to your will with earth elementalism. You could makekes with water elementalism! If you got flora as an external spell type, you could bring life to barren wastes. Not that Ghomar has those, but still! Fucking awesome."


    Lyn nodded, "Well, I think we should check the exterior of the room just in case there''s something else hidden. Everyone spread out and search." The four split up and scoured the room, but finding nothing, returned to the entryway. "Nothing." She looked at Thomas, "Looks like we have finished unearthing the secrets of the Ruins of Elent. Is there anything else to do here?"


    Thomas shook his head, "No. We have every item and scrap of knowledge, we have learned what happened to the Elenthians, and we found the name of the singr deity pre-split. Not to mention the throne the deity used to amplify its power." He grinned, "This has been more than I dreamed of finding. Thank you for prioritizing it."


    "No problem," Lyn replied as she led the way back through the trapped hallway. "Now, on to Trisk for a meeting with a king."


    Exiting the tunnel, and going up the stairs, Lyn activated the inscription to allow entry to the mainplex. The four continued out the front doors, and Thomas paused, looking back at the building with a sad expression. "It''s bittersweet. I spent so many years here, uncovering secrets. And now I''m leaving it for thest time."


    "It doesn''t have to be thest time," Lyn replied. "We can alwayse back here."


    Thomas shook his head, "There''s nothing for me here. Hector is gone, and we have removed everything of value." He turned to her with a sad smile, "It was a good time in my life, but now it''s time for a new chapter¡­I''m not just Thomas, the Knowledge hero who ran off to find ancient secrets. I''m the Schr to the court of Lady Rivers." Heughed a little, "And, her most trusted advisor."


    Vaelughed, "I don''t know about most trusted. She trusts my brother and I quite a bit, baring herself in her most vulnerable state."


    Thomas shrugged, "Fair point. So, Lyn¡­do we get to ride you again?" He smiled at the innuendoced question.


    Lyn flipped him off and stepped away from the others, "En ethiel i thalion min nin / i beleg bregol en-ngurth / na garo nin rhaw / a adlethad ha na / i beleg nadhras sui ar Ghomar." Her form shifted to the full dragon shape, and she lowered herself a bit so the others could mount up and get settled between her spines. Letting out a roar, she ascended into the skies, flying well above the storm until the air grew thin. She felt the mana draining but had gained enough height she could glide over the storm and out over the ocean ¨C to the kingdom of Trisk.

 B2 – Chapter 14

    Misty heard a loud ''ding'' noise and looked to a small te that sat on her desk. Under the ss dome, a rolled up bit of parchment appeared. She took the dome off and unfurled the paper, reading the message.


    To the Mage hero,


    I''m Maria, James'' wife (dictation note: current Queen of Khrrdia). My husband has been acting in a way that seems unwise. He refuses to even attempt dialogue with this so-called Destroyer. I''m sure you''ve heard of them, since you are so powerful and, I would guess, have a good grasp on all the going-ons across Ghomar.


    I was doing some research on heroes, and I found a bit that is very concerning, and I wanted to see if you knew of any way to fix it. His hero core is changing his personality, and I am afraid that he may go the way that Kor Khreld did, where he bes a¡­(benevolent) tyrant.


    Is there any way to remove his mana core without hurting him? Please, I don''t want to lose my husband.


    Thank you for reading this. Aelor''s blessings to you.


    Misty let out a deep sigh and set the paper down. "Damnit." Removing mana cores was easy enough; aplex spell that required the target to be incapacitated and unconscious. But aside from that? Easily doable. The hard part was she would need someone else who could utilize any spell type ¨C like Thomas ¨C who also had enough mana to pull off the spell. "Simultaneously casting it," she muttered. "That''s the only way to do it. Perfect synchronization of the removal and imntation."


    Grabbing some ink and a slip of parchment, she scrawled out a response.


    To Queen Maria,


    There is a way. But I am no friend of James. If he really wants to give up his hero core, have him bring a dungeon core, and himself to the Valley of the Volcano.


    She paused and took a deep breath as she held the quill, trembling, over the parchment. She was already going to join Lyn, solely to have a more centrally located mage school that could then be the premier center of magical learning on Ghomar. If she wanted that new vision toe to fruition, she had to fully side with Lyn. She put quill to parchment once more.


    He will have to submit the kingdom of Khrrdia to Lady Rivers.


    Misty Misery, Mage hero


    Misty blew on the ink to dry it before setting it under the dome. She channeled mana into the te and it vanished, sent back to the sender. The paper itself was inscribed, so they would not be able tomunicate with her again.


    She looked around her chambers which were bare. The academy was packing up and preparing to be relocated. Misty nned on using an inscription that would only affect the structure itself; all the furniture, people, and the like had to be out of it. cing her hands on the desk, she amplified her voice through theplex. "One hour remains until we gather in front of the school. If you are still inside, you will be crushed. Get a move on!"


    Maria paced around the room for several minutes, fretting over the message.


    "Calm down," the archmage said as he rxed in his chair and grabbed a book from a desk. "It could be days before we hear back. I''ll have servants fetc-" The te with the covered dome shed white as a slip of parchment appeared. "Well, we must have caught her at a good time." He lifted the dome and handed the parchment to Maria.


    She opened it and read it. "Oh¡­" she looked up at the archmage who stared at her expectantly. "Thank you," she muttered. She grabbed the book she had brought and left the room. Her guards nked her as she left the tower and descended, pacing down the stairs as she contemted what she would do. The best option would be to just have a calm conversation. Sit him down, show him proof- She made for the archive, and found the same archivist that she had previously spoken to. "I want everything that tells me about Kor Khreld. Can you write up¡­I don''t know¡­a summary? His life, aplishments, but with a lot of focus on what happened after he beat Raevan?"


    "Oh, I can do that."


    Maria nodded, handed her the book, and went to her chambers. I''ll wait until that is ready, she thought. Once I show him evidence that he''s behaving this way because of his mana core¡­he''ll agree to giving peace a chance. She didn''t want war ¨C the mere thought of it terrified her. She wasn''t just some lowly peasant girl scraping by on the city streets. She was a queen, with twin princes. All of them would be targets in a conflict. Most of all, she feared for her husband. I can''t lose him to this madness brought on by no fault of his own.


    Rashanna and her entourage were gifted mounts by Diplomat Naskowitz to facilitate their journey to Dornsk. They were a day out from their destination, and just starting to set up camp. She had her full retinue of escorts, and the cagey Shadestalker Bolvon who had avoided conversation with her.


    They had left Skir''s Retreat a week prior, rushed out by the Diplomat as there was internal strife involving a coup attempt. Bolvon had told her what happened, and what he did, and whilst she did not feelfortable with his nonchnt behavior towards death, she had to admit he had made a very smart move. Removing the crown prince who was against his father''s ns for vassalization was a stroke of genius. And, ording to Bolvon, there was no way to trace the act back to Rashanna''s liege. The crown prince seemingly died during his coup attempt, during the tumult ofbat.


    In fact, as she set up her bedroll and patted down the ground to ensure a nice, t surface, she couldn''t help but wonder if Bolvon had received some type of hidden message from Lyn regarding King Skir''s hesitation towards his children and future grandchildren not inheriting the throne after him.


    She grabbed the emblem that Lady Rivers had given her and ran her fingers around the outside of the image. Flipping it over, she thumbed the inscription that she couldn''t read and sighed.


    "You sound sad," a voice said from her left.


    She jumped slightly, "Stop doing that Bolvon," she reprimanded. "You make me jump every time."


    He sat down next to her, "Sorry, habits." He picked up a de of grass and twisted it between his palms, "Are you nervous?"


    "No, no." Rashanna finished setting up her bedroll before crossing her legs and facing Bolvon. "Diplomat Naskowitz and I already hashed out the details. King Skir will be Lady Rivers'' vassal. All that remains is for her to formally meet with him and make it official."


    Bolvon nodded, "I figured as much. You seemed pleased in those meetings with that Diplomat. I had no clue what you two were saying, but the bodynguage led me to believe you had the upper hand in the conversation."


    Rashanna smiled, "One thing I learned in the merchant business ¨C you always hammer home your point when you have the upper hand. As soon as he verified my ims of the walls along The Rill and the changes to the mountains around the Valley of the Volcano, he knew that his kingdom could not stand against Lady Rivers'' power if she chose to bring it to bear." She stood up and made her way to the campfire, which some of the Duskari were cooking over.


    Bolvon walked with her and crossed his arms as he stared into the flickering mes, "What of Vharthos, Raptol, and Fosk? They are technically not a part of Trisk."


    She nodded and took an offered bowl of stew. Taking a seat on one of the stumps around the campfire, she blew on the food before taking a bite. "Well," she said in between bites. "If Lady Rivers attends the meeting, I expect those three miniature kingdoms will be my next task."


    Bolvon grabbed a bowl of stew and sat next to her, "You believe she will have you stay up here?"


    Rashanna nodded, "She indicated that she intends to allow Vgonia and Khrrdia go to war whilst reinforcing her own forces and securing Trisk. Once their war is underway, she will act on those two-thirds of the world." She looked over at Bolvon who was just stirring his stew, staring down into the brown, chunky liquid. "Why?"


    "I anticipate that she will have a new assignment for me soon enough," he said softly. "You will still have your guard here to protect you, but¡­well, I suppose I''m restless, is all." He leaned back as he let the stew sit in hisp. "I am a skilled assassin. I should be used to take out the rulers of those two kingdoms, so that she can impose her will. Instead, I imagine I''ll be tasked with staying with your entourage."


    Rashanna reached a hand over and squeezed his shoulder. "Just talk to her. Ask her if she can send you off to kill some people that deserve it."


    Bolvon smirked and picked up his spoon, "Who decides who deserves it?"


    "I-" Rashanna paused as she saw all the Duskari looking up to the sky. "What is it?"


    Bolvon stood up and grabbed her, pulling her behind the pack animals. "Something flies above."


    Rashanna looked up where he pointed, and felt terror fill her heart. An enormous, winged creature descended towards the camp, barely visible in the dwindling light of the two moons. And she heard a tremendous roar that shook her to her core. "What¡­is it?"


    Bolvon smirked and stood up, "I do believe that is our goddess." The other Duskari looked at ease, also, as the ck dragon descended to the campsite. The horses and pack animals threatened to pull up their tethers, but the Duskari were quick to hold the ropes tight. The dragon was easily the size of arge building, and mounted on the back were three figures. Rashanna couldn''t make them out in the darkness, but the shape of the dragon shrank away, and Lyn Rivers walked into the edge of the firelight, apanied by her bodyguards and a human she didn''t recognize.


    "Alright, let''s make camp nice and proper for Lady Rivers!" Vael shouted as the Duskari began setting to make the campsite cleaner and more spacious.


    Bolvon walked forward and knelt in front of Lady Rivers, "My goddess, we are blessed by your appearance."


    She nodded and sat at the edge of the campfire. "I spied Rashanna from up high. Where is she?"


    Okay, be brave. You did your job. Rashanna took a deep breath and came out from her hiding ce, approaching the firelight and curtsying, "My Lady."


    "Report."


    Rashanna nodded and forced herself into her merchant-mode. "They have agreed to all demands. All that remains is the formal eptance."


    She nodded and grabbed a bowl of stew, "What''s the timeline look like?"


    "The meeting is in four days'' time, and we are due to arrive tomorrow."


    Lady Rivers nodded and put her hand to the ground. She whispered something that Rashanna couldn''t make out, and a surge of energy went down her palm and into the ground. Thirty feet away, a walled structure appeared. "There''s a caravanserai. Eat up, then move everyone and everything inside." She stood up and took her bowl to the walled structure. There were more shes of blue light, and Rashanna saw the tops of buildings appear inside.


    Bolvon hugged and gave a kiss to the male Duskari bodyguard apanying Lady Rivers. "Hey honey. Did you stay safe?"


    The bodyguard nodded and picked up the slimmer man, "Yes, we''re all fine. And we learned a whole lot of stuff." The two chatted with each other, the Shadowstalker sitting on the bodyguard''sp.


    That''s cute, Rashanna thought as the human grabbed a bowl of stew and sat nearby. She looked at him and dipped her head. "I don''t think we''ve met. I''m Rashanna, Lady Rivers'' Diplomat."


    "Thomas, Knowledge hero and court Schr." He looked at her and his eyes seemed to bore into her.


    "Yes?"


    "You''re not Duskari, which is surprising. Why did Lady Rivers entrust you with being her Diplomat?"


    "I speak everynguage on Ghomar," Rashanna replied confidently. "And I was a skilled merchant."


    He nodded, "Then I hope you sold the idea of submitting to an empire to King Skir."


    Rashanna smiled, "Oh yes. I think Lady Rivers'' will be quite pleased."


    Lyn traveled with the Duskari escort and herpanions. After discussing at length with Rashanna, she knew that Chancellor Vehenna had done her work extremely well. She chose the perfect woman for the job; she thought as she really appreciated the work her Diplomat had done. She had been able to ensure that all of Lyn''s demands were met, and the vassalization was all but a guarantee.


    Just the formality of the ceremony. Then, Skir will bend the knee. She had already discussed Rashanna''s next goal as well ¨C she was to go to each of the miniature kingdoms within Trisk''s borders; Raptol, Fosk, and Vharthos, to ensure they bent the knee as well. The Diplomat was quite happy with the task.


    This novel is published on a different tform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    As Lyn walked alongside the mounts ¨C Bolvon rode up next to her. "My goddess¡­ a moment if I may."


    "Of course, Shadowstalker," Lyn replied as she took in a deep breath of the clear air.


    "I feel that my skills are not being used to their fullest potential."


    "I agree," Lyn replied as she looked into his eyes. "I have ns for your talents."


    He leaned down from his horse, "Whom shall I be going after?"


    "You will be in the Valley of the Volcano. I want you to try and infiltrate from every conceivable angle, trying to find any weaknesses in our defenses. Your task will be to prepare us for a hostile force, by finding those ws."


    "Of course, my goddess." He gestured to Gael, "May I request to do such a task in intervals, so I may spend time with my beloved?"


    Lyn smiled, "Of course. There will be some time before I have need of your more¡­vtile talents. I will need you to improve your mana core, and I n on outfitting you with a variety of inscribed items."


    Bolvon smiled, "I thank you for entrusting me to such an extent."


    "It''s because you''ll need them. Once Trisk is fully in the fold, along with the race-specific kingdoms within its borders¡­and we have ensured the Valley of the Volcano is well defended¡­you will have a difficult targetid out before you."


    Bolvon smirked, "I await the day I serve your will with my des."


    The entourage arrived at Dornskte in the evening. It was a medium-sized city that sat in the middle of Trisk''s farmingnds. At one time, it was the capital of the region, before King Skir the first created Skir''s Retreat and moved the capital there. Therge fortification that loomed above the town was imposing, a monument to a simpler era of architecture.


    Gael led Lyn''s group who traveled without cloaks. The Humans, Vharthons, and Foskor who popted the city had apparently been informed of the Duskari visitors, and the entourage was shown respect. Vael rode alongside Gael, and she had a banner in the crux of her stirrup. A ck banner with a blue me outlining the trio of triangles that intersected and forked off of each other. The symbol of the new empire.


    "What will we call it?" Gael had asked the night prior as Lyn was using a transmutation external spell to craft the banner from some spare overclothes.


    "The Eternal Empire," she had replied with a smirk. "Since it will go on for eternity as I helm us to prosperity."


    Gael eyed the citizens they passed with a judging eye, trying to discern any ill-will amongst them. All he was able to gather was that they were afraid. That made sense to him, as the Duskari were thought of as fanatical servants to the Demonic Dragon, who sought the destruction of the world. Someone will have a lot of work to do, trying to change people''s minds, he thought.


    The castle weed them, and a steward who was sent ahead by King Skir ensured that Lyn and her cohort were provided chambers within the stronghold. Gael and Bolvon were in a room adjoining Lyn''s, and Vael was across the hall with Rashanna.


    After getting settled in, Lyn looked at the two men with a mischievous expression, "You both may do what you wish this evening. I''m going to be upte, inscribing some items."


    As soon as he heard that, Bolvon dragged Gael back into their chamber and engaged the bodyguard in a passionate embrace. Gael returned the amorous disy, and soon the two were tumbling into the bed, heaving with passion.


    Hours passed, and Gael ran his hand through Bolvon''s hair as the slighter man rested his head on his chest. "I heard you talking with Lyn earlier," Gael gently said.


    "Mhmm. I''ll be around home more often."


    "Did she tell you about her ns for the fortress?"


    "Mhmm. She''s going to be moving her throne room to the actual throne room in the fortress, and the Conve interior is going to be for her chambers, council¡­our quarters," he said thest with a grin as he nuzzled into Gael''s chest.


    "Right¡­did you hear her ns for the expansion to her chambers? That she''s going to put our room next to hers with a hidden entrance?"


    "Mhmm."


    "And you''re okay with that?"


    "Well, you are her bodyguard. Makes sense she wants you close by." He sat up and looked at Gael, "I don''t mind her calling on your services now and again, but it''s reassuring that she trusts us both so much."


    Gael nodded, "Yes¡­it is."


    The castle loomed up ahead. King Skir the twenty-fifth was not a nervous man by nature. But the changes he saw wrought upon the castle exterior were startling, to say the least. Enormous towers ascended skyward, and several buttresses which allowed for travel from the central citadel to the walls surrounding the city had been added onto the structure. There was an enormous moat surrounding the walls, with arge drawbridge.


    "Who authorized these changes?" His Seneschal asked one of the courtiers.


    "Not my department," The courtier replied as he looked up with awe at the structure that soared skyward. "But it is marvelous. An exemry defensive fortification, wouldn''t you agree, sire?"


    "Yes," King Skir said, his deep, bass voice seemingly shaking the surrounding air. He rolled back his shoulders and looked at one of the guards bearing the kingdom''s colors at the drawbridge, "You, soldier. Tell your king what happened?"


    The soldier knelt and bowed his head, "My Lord, the Lady Rivers arrived with her entourage of Duskari yesterday." He reached into a pouch and pulled out a slip of paper, "From her own hand, my liege."


    Skir dismounted and walked over to the man, snatching the paper out of his hand and unfurling it to find a well-written letter in perfect, courtly Triskol.


    To King Skir and his representatives,


    I, Lyn Rivers, empress of The Eternal Empire, found the fortifications for my temporary lodgingcking. I utilized spells to reinforce the structure and add additional defensive fortifications. I will revert these changes, should you desire, upon my departure. But, should you choose to keep them, consider it a gift.


    I look forward to our meeting.


    He handed the slip of paper to his Seneschal, who read it and went pale. "She¡­did all of this in a day?"


    King Skir felt a twist of emotions within him. Anxiety at meeting such a powerful figure who could change a whole city in under a day, relief that she had sought him to bend the knee rather than conquering him, and trepidation for his impending meeting with the woman. Going back to his horse, he mbered atop the mount and rode into the city.


    The people showed him appropriate deference, and he went into the castle proper. Dismounting, he was joined by his guards and retinue as they went to the Eastern wing. A Vharthon woman was standing in the main hall, where the passages to the other wings were located. She curtsied, "King Skir, twenty-fifth of his name," she said in Triskol. "My name is Rashanna Selenya, Diplomat of Lady Rivers. On behalf of Lady Rivers, I thank you for the hospitality of providing Dornsk as the safe haven for our formal engagement." She stood up and smiled, "I trust the gate guard advised you of the reasoning behind Lady Rivers'' enhancements?"


    "The King-" his Seneschal began to answer for him, but Skir cut him off.


    "Yes. Please convey my thanks to Lady Rivers for her generous changes to mynds. I look forward to our meeting on the morrow."


    Rashanna nodded and reached into her pocket. She produced a sheet of paper and handed it to the Seneschal, "My Lady has offered to create an inscribed item at your behest, as an additional gift. She will present it at the formal meeting tomorrow."


    King Skir smiled, "Ah, well, I would appreciate a bracelet that could protect me from poisons."


    Rashanna curtsied again, "I will pass the request along to Lady Rivers. Until we meet tomorrow." She left down the corridor to the Western wing.


    "She is already buttering you up," his Chancellormented with a wry grin. "This Lady Rivers must be desperate to secure her Northern border."


    King Skir looked at the man, "Or, more likely, she is nning on imbuing such an item with a means to control my mind." He looked to his court mage, a Vharthon man with eight tails ¨C one of the most powerful magi he could acquire for his court. "Ensure you check it over thoroughly after I receive it." The man nodded, and King Skir led his group to the wing.


    The evening passed uneventfully, and the next morning the King rose with the sun and made his way outside with four of his crown guard, nning his morning exercise. He was dressed in light clothing and had his de along his hip. Outside, in the courtyard of the keep, he saw a sight that he was shocked and in awe of, rooting him to the spot.


    A Duskari woman who was heavily muscled, wearing very revealing metal armor, fought against ten Duskari men and women dressed in scale mail. The woman was wielding two enormous practice swords with grace and ease, fighting against the group in a practice bout. She danced with a grace that belied the weight of the weaponry that danced in her hands as she twirled and struck at the defenses of the surroundingbatants. But more than that, what stood out most to King Skir, was the horns atop her head, the wed hands and feet, and the ck scales.


    In that moment, he knew that he was looking upon the Destroyer. Empress Lyn Rivers, the woman who sought to conquer the world. And what a woman she was. King Skir was a happily married man. But he had an appreciation for beauty; and even though she was Duskari¡­she was gorgeous.


    The woman must have noticed him staring, as she signaled to the warriors around her to stop the practice bout. They were all panting with exertion, and yet the empress appeared to have barely broken a sweat. She walked over to King Skir and tipped her head slightly in a nod of respect, "I apologize that our first meeting is so informal," she said, her entrancing, lilting voice speaking perfectly thenguage of King Skir''s birth.


    He smiled and held out a hand, "You must be this Lady Rivers I have heard so much about."


    She nted the practice des in the ground and gripped his forearm, "And you are the mighty King Skir the twenty-fifth of his name. Ruler of Trisk and guardian of the lesser kingdoms of Raptol, Fosk, and Vharthos."


    He looked down at her arm and saw the sheer mass of muscle, feeling the grip she exerted. Not hostile in the squeeze, but firm and resolute. He smiled, "Yes, those are my titles." They released and he gestured to her guard that were training alongside her moments before, "It appears as if you are quite the skilledbatant, in addition to being a skilled user of spells."


    She nodded and crossed her arms, "I am. Are you interested in a bout? I see you''re dressed for exercise."


    He chuckled and shook his head, "I believe one of your skill, who can hold off ten trained warriors at once, would overwhelm me."


    "Then perhaps a simple walk is more your preference?"


    "I would enjoy a stroll about the city. If you wish to apany me, then by all means."


    The woman in front of him shrank slightly ¨C her muscles contracting as she became petite, and the armor that was barely girding her figure seemingly grew along her skin to fully encase her body, save for the head. "I would be delighted." She turned to the Duskari and shouted amand in Arinol, "Vael, Gael, escort us." She turned back to him and swapped to Triskol, "Shall we?" she extended her elbow.


    King Skir did the gentlemanly thing and inteced his arm with hers as they walked out of the central castleplex and entered the town; her Duskari guards in front of them, and his four guards behind. "I trust your travel was safe and secure?"


    "When one can turn into a dragon and fly across thend, they always travel in safety."


    This took the King aback, and he was struck dumb for a moment before quickly recovering his wits. "I have never experienced flight before. What an incredible experience it must be."


    "I don''t mind taking you up for a ride if you wish," she said. "Later this evening after the festivities. Flying at night is much more thrilling than during the day. You feel as if you can touch the stars themselves."


    "I would be thrilled to ept," he replied. "If I may be so bold to inquire, why are you only seeking my vassalization and not that of Khrrdia or Vgonia?"


    "Those are ruled by heroes," she stated as she fixed her eyes forward. He couldn''t read her expression, but the slight tension in her face told him that the Destroyer he now held by the arm had some grudge against heroes. "James Marshall, the Paragon, and Cecily Vgonia, the Ruler."


    "You speak as if you know them."


    "They did kill me," she stated. "But I returned. I will bring them ruin." Thisst statement sent a chill through King Skir. He could feel the hatred that intertwined between the words, knowing that she would keep to her word. And, that the Destroyer did indeed die, but came back.


    "That exins the ten-year absence," he said softly. "My condolences for your demise."


    "I appreciate it," she said as her tone softened. She reached her hand to her side, and seemingly drew a bracelet from thin air, "A gift. You requested an inscribed bracelet that would protect you from poison. Sadly, protection in and of itself is rather pointless, as you would protect yourself after learning you had been subjected to it."


    She handed it to him and he held up the iron band in front of his eyes, looking at the Elenthir verses that he did not know the meaning of. "Instead, I have inscribed simple healing spells that will cleanse your body of poison, disease, and other physical mdies. This includes injuries." She smiled, "I am unsure of the amount of mana you have within, and thus I had to also ensure that there was a limiter to make certain any person could use it. The limiter is that you must activate the item within a ten-minute time frame. It cannot reverse effects that happened in a longer time before then."


    "My thanks, Lady Rivers. I regret to say I have no equivalent gift for you."


    "This walk and yourpany is enough, King Skir."


    The night came and Lyn went through all the decorum that was insisted upon by Thomas. He had scripted the entire affair, pulling from various stories he had read, and his own experiences which were cemented in his mind. First was dinner, which was an excellent feast with many, many delicious items.


    After, there was a formal signing of agreements. To her delight, Lyn discovered that Rashanna had negotiated for every single change that she required. King Skir was more than happy to agree, with the only stiption being that his grandchild would inherit the throne after his time had passed, before it would then revert to her meritocracy-based system.


    Then came the final moment. She stood up and King Skir knelt before her. "I, King Skir the twenty-fifth of my name, do swear fealty to Empress Lyn Rivers, of The Eternal Empire. May itst until the end of everything."


    She drew Cataclysm and channeled her mana into the de, willing only the earth elementalism subtype of metal to course down the de, so it appeared as a regr de. She tapped it to his shoulders before dismissing the de and socketing it into her armor once more. "Rise, King Skir of Trisk, first vassal-king, and rule your kingdom with my blessing, keeping to the codes and treatises we have signed."


    He stood, and she went to her side of the table where, to King Skir''s eyes, a prominent white throne sat. She had spent the evening sitting in that chair, and it stood out to him in this moment as he saw a hue of blue light limning the seat. "Empress Rivers, you are glowing."


    She smiled and nodded, "Yes. I am fortifying Trisk. Please, a moment for me to concentrate." She closed her eyes, and the blue light turned into an aura of me that surrounded her. No heat emanated from her, but King Skir looked at his court mage and saw his eyes go wide in shock. A few minutes passed as everyone paused their conversation to look at the incredible disy. The mes died down, and she sagged slightly in her chair, opening her eyes. "I have erected a wall along the Flontar River, just as I had done with The Rill. Additionally, every twenty-five miles along the coast of Trisk, I have erected stone fortifications with gated quays. Lastly, on the coast off Skir''s Retreat, I have raised arge cove to enable the erection of mighty shipyards."


    King Skir was in shock, "Thank you," he muttered, just barely able to remember decorum at the sudden notification that his kingdom, which he had not been fortifying as he saw no need, was suddenly the most defensive kingdom of the three greater ones.


    She pped her hands, and Rashanna stood up, walked over to the wall, and with the assistance of two Duskari, brought over a chest, setting it down next to King Skir. "I reward those who serve, and whilst I do not anticipate you being attacked by those that I will most assuredlye into conflict with, I would be remiss in not preparing you and your council."


    Rashanna opened the chest, and King Skir saw hundreds of metal rings with inscriptions. He waved over his court mage, who walked over and grabbed one of the metal bands, inspecting it. The mage''s eyes went wide, and he leaned into King Skir''s ear, "These rings are just like your bracelet, sire. However, they are more limited, and can only revert injury, disease, or poison within five minutes of it urring or being contracted."


    King Skir stood up and bowed deeply, "You honor me, Empress Rivers."


    "Oh, that is not all, I assure you." She snapped her fingers, and the male bodyguard that had joined them on the walk earlier in the morning walked up and presented a hand-mirror made of silver, with Elenthir inscriptions upon the back and around the exterior, wrapped in a silk cloth. "This mirror will allow you tomunicate with me directly, and it will shake when I seek to speak to you." She reached into empty air next to her and produced a golden version of what he now held in his hand, "I ask that you keep this with you at all times, so that, if need be, I canmunicate rapidly with you. My Chancellor also has one for less immediate matters that do not require my direct intervention."


    King Skir handed it to his court mage, who checked it over before nodding and handing it back. He found that a small chain dangled from the mirror, and that it could easily be fastened to his belt. "I am gracious that you have chosen to gift me with these wonderous items, my Lady."


    She stood up and the throne vanished from behind her. "I believe you had wanted to experience flight? Do any others in your entourage wish to try it?"


    King Skir smiled and stood up, "I''ll let them decide for themselves, but the privilege of riding a dragon is something I cannot pass up."

 B2 – Chapter 15

    Lyn slept well that night. Everything is going perfectly ording to n, she thought. King Skir and his courtiers had all epted her offered flight ¨C save for the court mage who begged off saying he was afraid of heights. The flight had cemented the trustworthiness of King Skir in her mind; as he had to have known that she could have killed him with ease by just unshifting, letting them fall.


    Now Trisk is secured. We''ll head back to Lynhold, and I''ll set up the throne. Council meeting, and then once everyone is working on their tasks, I use the throne to fortify everything. Sheid back in bed and smiled, Plus, I can make imbued items now. She had ns for that. While she may have no ess to certain external spell types, the Artificer core gave her a bit of a workaround.


    There was a knock on her chamber door, and she got up and checked the small slot. Thomas waved at her, "May Ie in?" he asked in English.


    She opened the door, and he came inside the room, "What''s up?" she asked.


    "I wanted you to open up that storage space with the books."


    She nodded and pictured the intended extradimensional space, "Edro nin haden." The space opened, and Thomas reached inside, grabbing the wooden spheres before pulling back. There were ten in total. "What are those?" she asked.


    Thomas set them down reverently on the bed. "They are dungeon cores." He looked up at her, "I found them in the Ruins of Elent, but since I had no need of them for external spell ess, I kept them. Carving the wooden containers was a nice reprieve from books when I needed it." He grabbed one, twisted it, and separated the two halves. A small, grey sphere pulsated with a soft light.


    Lyn crossed her arms and leaned against the bed post, "Okay, and you''re showing me this now, why?"


    "Because I have a n," he said as he re-sealed the object. "I want to swap out my hero core with one of these. I won''t have as much mana, and I''ll lose my photographic memory." He grinned, "But I already had that before we were summoned. So, it''s not really a loss. And I can get more mana by exercising my core like your troops are doing as part of their training."


    Lyn nodded, "That makes sense. But why?"


    Thomas looked at her and smiled, "I told you that prophecy. ''Until all arebined'' is what the final line was. I think that you are meant to gather all the hero cores." He gestured to the wooden spheres, "There''s enough here for all the heroes at Lynhold, with some spares in case you convince James, Kory, or Cecily to give up their hero cores."


    "And then I just have to clear dungeons to call the remaining hero cores from their roaming."


    "Right," Thomas said. He set all but one of the spheres back into the still-open storage space. "I wanted to try it, if you''re up to it." He held up a slip of paper, "It will require you using the spell to extract my mana core, and having it synchronize perfectly with my consumption of the mana core."


    Lyn frowned, "You''re smart, but not wise," shemented. "Why not just give me thirty minutes, and I''ll do an inscribed item that does both effects simultaneously? We know the hero core will not go flying off to the statue of Aelor, and I can even make, I don''t know, a containment chamber to keep it in ce."


    Thomas went red and sheepishly nodded, "I¡­you''re right. I''m not the best thinker."


    Lyn smiled and went to a pile of scrap metal she had brought to her from the smithy. She found a clump of melted-together g and focused on it. "Lova nin umain / eiv a aniron." The substance warped and changed shape until she had a slightly phallic looking object in her hands ¨C a metal tube with two spherical chambers on one end, and an opening on the far end. She focused her intent, and two small hinges appeared on the spherical chambers, and shifted color as one turned to brass, and the other to steel. "Now to inscribe it. Did you have any thoughts on the particrs for the spell?"


    Thomas pulled a slip of paper from his pocket, "I''ve been working on it the past few days."


    She nodded and grabbed a ck adamantine sliver she had transmuted from her armor. A tiny bit that ultimately did notpromise the armor in any way, but the sharpened bit of metal would let her carve into any other solid substance with ease ¨C save for adamantine. She carved the verses with precision into the spherical container ends, and the tube section, pouring mana into the inscriptions as she did so.


    It took all her mana, and about half of the amount stored in her amulet, but she crafted the item within twenty minutes. "Done," she said as she held it up.


    "It looks like a dick minus the tip," Thomas said as he stifled a giggle.


    "Grow up," Lyn replied. "ce the dungeon core in the brass sphere." She held the device up, and Thomas did as he was told, cing the dungeon core inside of the container. She shut the lid, and pointed to the bed, "Lie down."


    He went to the bed and did so, "I trust you Lyn," he said. "I want you to know, if something fucks up, that you''ve been a good friend since you came back to us. And I truly am sorry for helping erase memory of you from the past."


    "Apology epted. But humor me before we do this ¨C gotta let my mana refill anyways ¨C why are you okay with giving up the Knowledge core?"


    "It just makes sense. I don''t intend on going back to Earth, and if my theory is correct ¨C which I won''t know unless this works and I die ¨C then this will just slightly lessen my current power." He smiled, "And I intend on getting that amount of mana back since I''ll have plenty of time while working in Lynhold for The Eternal Empire. Mana exercises are going to be part of my daily routine going forward. Who knows? Maybe one day I''ll have enough mana to use that inscription at the Ruins of Elent."


    Lyn sat on the edge of the bed and gently held Thomas'' hand with her w. "You''re going to make another clone, aren''t you?"


    "Oh yeah. I''ll imnt it with a dungeon core, since I don''t know if my mana core will seek me out like the Knowledge hero core did." He grinned, "The same with Stes. She is a bright one and will be invaluable serving your interests."


    "Are you attracted to her?"


    Thomas shook his head, "I''ve¡­I''ve only ever been physically intimate with one person." He met her gaze, "You. You were my first andst."


    "By choice?"


    "No. I mean, don''t get me wrong. I liked sleeping with you ¨C it was fun as an activity. But I''m aromantic. I wouldn''t mind sleeping around a bit, but it is just so tedious."


    Lynughed lightly, "Yeah, it can be a physically draining activity."


    "How''s your mana feeling?"


    "It''s refilled a good amount. Enough for this inscription." She took a deep breath and grabbed the device. "Are you ready?"


    "Ready as I''ll ever be," Thomas said as he pulled off his shirt. Lyn ced the tube over his chest and channeled her mana into the device. The inscription lit up with blue mes and Thomas'' eyes rolled into the back of his head as his mouth opened in a silent scream of pain. Lyn didn''t let up, pouring mana into the device as steam rose from Thomas'' torso.


    She felt the ''thunk'' of something being sucked into the chamber, and Thomas'' eyes opened wide. "You alive?" she asked.


    "I¡­" He coughed lightly, "I feel hot."


    Lyn held her hand over him, "Enni ethilen vith / han aniron ringi i arad." An icy-cool mist sprayed from her hand and went over his body, and the redness vanished rapidly as he pulled on his shirt.


    "I think it worked," he said, sitting up. Closing his eyes, he seemed to focus intently. "My mana reservoir is less than before."


    Lyn popped open the spherical container and saw what looked like a crumpled-up piece of paper. Reaching down, she grabbed it and held it up. "Is this it?"


    Thomas nodded, "Yup." He smiled broadly, "Mission aplished! We have a device for the safe extraction of hero cores!" He rubbed his chin, "You could also use it to give dungeon cores to anyone, even if they didn''t clear a dungeon. It would be an easy way to empower certain individuals."


    Lyn pushed the mana core into her mana channel and felt the weird sensation of crumpled up paper pushing into her body. It was dropped into the inferno of her Destroyer core, and instantly submitted to the much stronger mana core. She felt a surge of energy through her and felt slightly woozy as she saw her entire life sh through her mind.


    Every single event, every detail, everything she had ever read, seen, heard or otherwise experienced. "Holy fuck," she whispered as she reeled from it. The darker memories were there, but seemingly ''hidden'' within their opaque vessels. Still repressed by the Destroyer core. Thank fuck for that. She wasn''t sure that she could perfectly relive the trauma of her youth withouting out scarred.


    "It''s a lot at once," Thomas replied. "What did you eat for breakfast on February tenth before we were summoned?"


    "I had a banana that Misty gave me, and then Trisha gave me a breakfast bar." Lyn shook her head, "Holy shit."


    Thomas chuckled, "It''s cool, isn''t it?" He pointed at his temple, "Now, you''re like me. Eidetic memory." He rubbed his chin, "But thankfully the cutoff is the age of reason, so around four or five years old. You don''t have knowledge of your diaper days."


    "Thank fuck for that," Lyn replied. "Does the Knowledge core give any new spell types?"


    He smiled and nodded slightly, "You should have every spell type avable now, just like Misty and I did. Plus, the perfect Elenthir knowledge ¨C but I mean you were pretty damned learned in that department already."


    Lyn held out her hand, "Let''s try illusion then. Neledh an illuin id / d?n brann henion / na anim." She felt the mana pool in her palm and then the spell fizzled, the mana returning to her core. "Nope, not illusion."


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Thomas frowned, "Weird. Maybe the Destroyer core overrides the ''omni'' spell type ess from the Knowledge core?"


    Lyn shrugged, "Let me do some tests." She focused the mana in her palm once more, and rifled through simple, small spells for each type she could not utilize. Each of them fizzled, save for the barrier external spell type. The one that required the least amount of mana. A sphere of protective energy surrounded her palm, and she felt the membrane surrounding her palm. If someone were to strike here, it would draw on my mana to prevent the damage.


    "Well, look at that. You did get something at least." Thomas stood up and smiled, "My thanks. Now I don''t have to worry about James killing me just for my core."


    She looked up at him and let the spell fade, "That''s why you wanted me to do this?"


    "One reason," he said. "I told you the other one before." He gave Lyn a hug and made for the door, "Alright, time for some sleep. Make sure you put that device away!" As he left the room, Lyn channeled mana into the storage choker and ced the inscribed mana core swap device inside. She also opened the storage dimension with the mana cores and books from the Ruins of Elent and ced all the mana cores inside of her storage choker, to keep them isted even further.


    Then she flopped onto the bed, and closed her eyes, reying the memories of one of her favorite events in her life ¨C her eighth birthday where she got to go over to Misty''s house, and she had a birthday cake made for her. Something she never would have received from her family. I hope youe and join me, Misty.


    Several days passed. Lawrence continued his monitoring of Lynhold and had scouted all but the interior of the fortress itself, having seen several inscriptions around the base of the building and the edges of doors and windows. He didn''t know what they did, so didn''t risk it.


    Seeing all his old allies was a nice treat. He learned that Ben and Trisha had named one of their children after him to honor him, and that would have made him cry if he was capable of it in this form. They really did miss me, he thought once he had learned that. Brad was the one he had kept the closest eye on though, since he and the Alchemist hero were good friends pre-summon.


    After a week, he heard an enormous pping noise. Looking up from his perch outside of Misty''s hospital, he saw an enormous, ck dragon descend from the skies. People stopped what they were doing and looked up; the ravens in the tower flying away from the possible threat.


    The dragonnded in front of the fortress, and several figures slid down the back. He spotted Thomas, two Duskari that looked like fraternal twins, and a slim Duskari male who was difficult to notice at first. The draconic figure shifted, and their body returned to that of a Duskari. She had draconic features and began speaking to the surrounding people in Arinol. Arge raven flew down andnded on one of her horns and began conversing with her.


    The Duskari left to various tasks, but the human stood still and chatted with the draconic woman for several minutes. Here''s your chance, Lawrence thought. He flew down and hovered in his hummingbird form in front of Thomas and this woman.


    "Strange, these birds aren''t native to this region," Thomasmented in English.


    The woman looked with a critical eye, "Do you think there''s a climate shift from the terraforming?" she asked in the samenguage.


    It''s definitely Lyn, then, Lawrence thought. Only the summoned heroes could speak English. Some ancient, powerful limiter prevented any who was not from Earth from speaking, writing, or reading thenguage ¨C despite attempts to do so. He willed his form to change into his Human one. "Hi, Thomas. And You''re Lyn, right?"


    Thomas'' jaw dropped, "Lawrence? You''re alive?!"


    "In the flesh."


    Thomas moved forward and bear-hugged him, "Holy shit! I can''t believe it! We all thought you were dead!"


    "I got eaten and shat out by a dragon. Can''t rmend the experience." He looked over Thomas'' shoulder at the Duskari-dragon woman who grinned with delight.


    "You''re alive!" She shouted as she also came in and joined the hug. "Oh my God that''s¡­wow, how was the ride through the stomach? Did it hurt?"


    Lawrence extricated himself from the two, "It did hurt, quite a bit, but I''m okay." He looked at Lyn, "I heard you had died."


    She crossed her arms and smirked, "I did. But I came back. I can fill you in if you''d like." She looked at Thomas, "Come to think of it, I haven''t given the full story to the other heroes either. Why don''t we all have dinner tonight? We can catch up and just share what''s happened." She looked at Lawrence, "I''d really like to know why you chose to reveal yourself now. From Thomas'' reaction, you must have been hidden away for a long, long time."


    "I chose to be a hermit, find my Zen," Lawrence replied. "I was mad that everyone left me to die in the jaws of that dragon. So, once I had shifted and passed through its system, I found out I could turn into one myself."


    "No shit? I can be one too. I''m sure you saw."


    "I did. I''ll admit, it''s a bit disheartening knowing that I''m not super unique anymore."


    Thomas interrupted, "How long have you been here?"


    "A week. I''ve been spying and scouting out this ce as a hummingbird."


    Lyn smiled, "Well, you''re still unique then. Being a dragon costs me constant mana."


    Lawrence chuckled, "Score, guess I am still special since I can keep it up endlessly."


    She wrapped an arm around the Shifter hero, "Let''s get you set up with a nice room." She sniffed slightly and her face wrinkled, "Gah, and you need a bath. You can use mine. It''s pure luxury."


    Lawrence felt good. A warmth inside him. A sense that he was back where he belonged.


    He was fine being on his own, being a hermit, finding his inner peace. But there wasfort from this warm reception and seeming eptance of his sudden appearance. No one was upset like James'' initially appeared, and after seeing how everyone was¡­enjoying life, he felt like this is where he needed to be. It wasforting, being around his old ssmates after so long alone in the wilds.


    "Sure, I''d enjoy a nice hot bath."


    Cecily sat on her throne at the center of her pce. The single, solitary point where the inscriptions all led to. "It''s time," she stated aloud to her council who all knelt before her. "I will be channeling mana for several days. I will be aware of my surroundings, but unable to speak while I focus. I have servants ready to feed me, clean me, and ensure I stay alive; but I leave the managing of the realm to you until I havepleted the task before me."


    She trusted these councilors as they had all been thralled to her will, and she had already manipted their memories to see her as their best hope for the future, a prophesied ruler that would lead them to an age of glory. One of them, her Spymaster, stood up. "Princess Cecily, we are honored to serve your will. I do have one report I need your direction on before you engage in your task."


    "What would that be?"


    The Spymaster approached and whispered in her ear, "VEROG has sessfullypleted. We have the perfect vessel ready for you. All that weck is the spell from the Ruins of Elent."


    Cecily nodded and smiled, "Excellent. I want the other VEROG candidates to continue in the program. I will need suitable offspring from them for an eventual recement. Begin to find suitable male individuals with the qualities we had discussed."


    "Your will be done." The Spymaster stepped down from the dais and knelt, "Her will be done!" she said loudly. The other advisors echoed her statement.


    Cecily took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She felt the enormous ocean of mana within her mana core. Enough for the inscription, she thought. An inscription she had spent years perfecting along with ensuring that the necessary riders were in ce. A mind external spell, with the memory subtype. It would affect all Humans between the Azure Divide and The Rill and extended out into the ocean some two-hundred miles to cover her ind domains.


    The effect was one she had struggled to perfectly and sinctly create, as the wording had to be impable, and without Thomas or Misty, she had to string together bits and pieces of Elenthir from existing spell books and verses she had memorized. In effect, this inscription would change the memories of every Human within range. To instill the memory that Cecily was a ruler that was prophesied since Shereld was founded by the Oracle hero Sherel Dior, and that Cecily would bring the nation into a new era. Each Human in the radius of the spell would have their memory altered so that they had heard the prophecy during their lifetime.


    She had desired a more borate spell inscription butcked the proper words. If only I had a dictionary of Shereldian to Elenthir, she thought. Then I could bring about more drastic changes to memory.


    But one had to make do with what they had. Eventually, she would obtain the knowledge she needed from the Ruins of Elent; texts of the Elenthians that she could work on tranting. A new spell in the future. For now, this would do. It would ensure that the duchies did not rise in revolt again. She would have a unified nation.


    And then, we go to war. Bring James down, take over Khrrdia¡­repeat the spell, and then on to Trisk.


    Finally, after years of nning, torturing, and extracting mana cores from the scum of her kingdom and the undesirable races¡­she was making her move.


    The Bashinol Beacon shone brightly as Zebed''s ship began to pull into the Free City''s ports. His sons were ying around on the top deck, climbing in the rigging that was above the deck itself, and not above a certain height. He sighed contentedly as he watched his children engage in y as pirates. Staring out over the ocean, he took in the wonderous views of the Free City of Bashinol.


    A mercantile republic created by seven families; three who owned vast sums of wealth and served as bankers and minted coinage, three who operated enormous tradingpanies, and one that acted as a local ruler for matters concerning therge ind that the city was built upon. Arge mountain was where the city center was built, and the docks were where all the wealth originated from. They had defensive fortifications built around the harbor, withrge ballistae and trebuchets protecting the bay.


    As they pulled into the docks of the Shedai merchant family, the boys scrambled down the rigging to join their father. "Felej and Gherod, reporting, father!" Felej shouted as he and his brother stood at attention.


    "At ease," Zebed said with a chuckle. "Having fun ying soldier?"


    "Mhmm," Gherod muttered. "Tevol taught me how to salute!" he raised his fist into the air above his shoulder.


    "Impressive," Zebed said as the ship was moored to the docks and the gangnk was set down. "You really enjoyed yourselves then?"


    Felej nodded, "Yes, father. It was fun. When will we see them next?"


    "In a few months, I can send you with your uncle if you choose with one of the trade ships." The boys both seemingly buzzed with energy at thatment. "But," Zebed said as he raised a cautionary finger, "You both will have to excel at your studies." That immediately darkened their demeanor, and Zebedughed as he picked his boys up under his arms and carried them down the gangnk much to their chagrin.


    "Father let me down! I can walk down the docks on my own!" Gerod shouted.


    "Oh, alright then," Zebed replied as he set the two boys down. "I''m having you both head up to the family estate with the servants. I have an errand here in the city proper."


    The boys both nodded and took off, being chased by a few of the servants. Zebed wasn''t concerned ¨C his children were both dressed in his house''s colors, and they had been forced to memorize theyout of the city. No one would darey a finger on the child of one of the seven houses.


    Zebed waved to a few guards and had them escort him to the location he most hated visiting. A dark, narrow-street area known simply as The Choke. It was where some of the seedier industries plied their trade, and he needed the help of a very specific person. He arrived at his destination and left his guards outside as he entered the establishment.


    The smell of spices hit his nostrils, and a squat Foskor looked up at him from a bench. "Ah, you must be the new proprietor," Zebedmented.


    "Aye, I took over from my poppa. What can I do for you?"


    "I need people. Disced people. Ones that would be willing to resettle in a new location."


    The Foskor nodded and opened a tome, flipping through several pages. "How will these services be paid for?"


    "Coin," Zebedmented as he pulled out a slip of paper that contained his house seal, his name, and could be redeemed at one of the banks. "I want twenty-thousand people of any race, to be brought to port."


    "That''s a hefty number. I''ll have to employ some outsider contractors."


    "That is fine," Zebed replied. He also slid some directions written on a slip of paper, "Ensure you follow the directions perfectly."


    "Pleasure doing business," the Foskor replied. "I''ll have the merchandise delivered to the Shadai docks. Which warehouse?"


    "Four," Zebed replied as he left the building.


    Employing pirates left a sour taste in his mouth, but he really had no choice. They could more readily go into port towns and round up beggars and those with no prospects. His instructions were clear; they were not to coerce or force people to go with them, but instead deliver a very simple sales pitch.


    Effectively, they were selling themselves to the Shadai family. But instead of being used as indentured servants, they would be sent to the Valley of the Volcano, and Zebed would be making hefty coin from the transaction. It would take months to set it up as a constant revenue stream, but eventually, once word got around to those seeking a new life, he would be able to drop the pirates as contractors and work directly with port towns.


    It is a winning situation for everyone, he thought. Those who need a new lease on life will have their opportunity, I make money, and Lady Rivers gains the civilians she desires. He smiled as he left The Choke and ascended towards the heights of the city, up to his family''s estate.

 B2 – Chapter 16

    The evening passed quickly, and Lyn found herselfughing and smiling more than she had in the past month. The heroes had all gathered ¨C Thomas, Trisha, Ben, Brad, and Lawrence ¨C to have a meal and catch up. The throne room of the Demonic Dragon ¨C now Lyn''s new throne room ¨C had therge circr table set out under the hanging chandelier of obsidian. Vael and Gael were stationed at the main doors, and Bolvon was hiding in an alcove Lyn had carved out in the ceiling.


    Far on the dais, Lyn had set up the throne that would allow her ¨C and only her ording to Thomas'' research of the hidden inscriptions ¨C to have her spells affect anywhere on Ghomar. A range amplifier that would make her life much easier in managing the empire ¨C especially once she acquired more dungeon cores and had the divination spell type. He described it as an advanced version of the top of Misty''s mage tower.


    Lawrence''s story was the focus of the evening, as he shared what it was like being eaten alive, and then his time going ''feral'' as he put it the first time he shifted into a dragon. Losing himself for a year before he found his Zen. He had traveled the world over, save for the Valley of the Volcano, before settling in the Teardrop Isles.


    When he got to the subject of recent history and talked of James'' efforts to acquire more dungeon cores to go up against Lyn, the demeanor of the evening shifted. "He''s really that stubborn?" Ben asked in English.


    Lawrence nodded, "He''s got this idea that he''s this infallible hero that can''t be wrong, and that Lyn must be evil."


    "But she''s not," Trishamented, looking at Lyn fondly. "What do you think it would take to convince him?"


    Lawrence shrugged, "I honestly don''t know. Even if we all went to try and convince him, I''m sure he''d justify it by saying we''ve all been thralled by mind spells." He took a sip of the frothy mug in front of him. "Damn, I forgot how much I missed beer."


    Brad chuckled and picked his teeth, "Well, James is going to be who he is. I don''t think there''s much we can do about him." He smiled, "We know Cecily isn''t going to join us, so that just leaves Misty and Kory unounted for."


    Lyn frowned slightly at that and stared into her wine ss, "Yeah¡­I don''t know if she''ll join us." She took a deep breath, "I learned a lot from my visit with her. As for Kory? Who knows where he is now." She looked up at the heroes around the table, "But on to another matter, Thomas?"


    "Right." Thomas stood up and tapped his torso, "I don''t have my hero core anymore!"


    The rest of the heroes looked at him with shock and confusion, "What?" Trisha finally vocalized.


    Thomas pointed to Lyn, "She has it." Everyone''s eyes snapped to Lyn, and she smiled as Thomas continued, "There was a prophecy that I found, and it indicates that Lyn needs to gather all the hero cores. We ¨C well, she made it, but I came up with the Elenthir verses ¨C we have an item that lets us swap out a hero core for a dungeon core."


    "But why?" Lawrence asked. "Why would you give up something that is by its nature just better?"


    "Personality changes," Trisha said quietly before she spoke louder. "You wanted to prevent personality changes."


    "Precisely," Thomas replied. "See, from conventional history books I read back in Khrrdia when we first arrived, I found out that the heroes that did survive for a long time ¨C the ones that defeated Raevan ¨C each went mad in their own way. Since we were summoned, we didn''t have existing mana cores. The hero cores became our mana cores, and therefore they had a more prominent effect." He pointed to Ben, "You are bing more and more protective. Partially because you''re a dad now, but your core is also affecting that aspect of your personality."


    Ben crossed his arms, "And that''s a problem?"


    "No, not really. Some cores are well suited to existing personalities. But others¡­like Cecily''s Ruler core, James'' Paragon core, Kory''s Berserker core, and some of the hero cores of the fallen have a more drastic effect on the personality."


    "What about hers?" Brad asked as he gestured to Lyn, "The Destroyer core has to be changing her a bit?" He looked at Lyn, "Have you been feeling rather different?"


    Lyn smiled and sipped her wine, "I talked with my mana core thanks to a spell Misty used. I''m not just Lyn. I mean, I''m mostly Lyn, but I also found out that I''ve been¡­merged, forck of a better word, with Yheron, the Demonic Dragon, and Raevan, the goddess of destruction. I''m not one twentieth of a deity, I got the full thing, and then some."


    This struck the table with silence, and Ben was the first to break it after a few seconds, "You''re still acting like Lyn, just a bit bossier and less ''I''m running off to do my own thing''. I don''t see much of a problem."


    Trisha nodded, "Is that why you turned into a Duskari?"


    "Yeah," Lyn replied. "I think so. I reyed the memory of forcing my own summon back to Ghomar ¨C thanks to the Knowledge hero core ¨C and I didn''t make a mistake with the verses. And the image I saw of Raevan and talked to looked just like I do now, minus the dragon parts. So¡­yeah, I think the mana core influenced my body. I look like Raevan did." She sighed, "Shame we didn''t find any artwork or statues of her."


    Thomas cleared his throat, "Anyways, eventually, it would be worth transferring your hero cores to Lyn and gaining a dungeon core instead. It might impact your unique ability, and your current mana reservoir, but it will give you the same benefits as a native of Ghomar; namely ess to every spell type." He held up a finger, "And, thanks to Kory''s innovation all those years ago, you can train up your mana back to where it is now."


    Lawrence frowned, "And if we refuse?"


    Lyn nodded, "Don''t worry, I won''t try to take them from you by force. I''m going to live forever ¨C literally." She looked at Trisha, "The Destroyer core allows for regeneration."


    The Healer hero''s eyes widened, "Holy shit." Lyn nodded as she continued, "Fully? As in, you don''t replicate damaged cells?"


    "Seems that way," Lyn replied. "I can consume your hero core as youy on your death bed and are ready to say goodbye. Then, you''ll get the choice that Nami, Zack, Elias, William¡­and Volio got. Either reborn on Ghomar, or back to Earth."


    Lawrence stared at Thomas, "Do you still have that option since you''re a native of Ghomar now?"


    Thomas shrugged, "No clue. I''d imagine not. But I have my own form of immortality."


    "I noticed the scarring," Bradmented. "Let me guess, you cloned your body?"


    Thomas nodded, "Yup. If you have a cloned, perfect recreation of yourself, that is properly inscribed in Elenthir, and you have someone with enough mana once they''re notified of your death ¨C you can be brought back."


    Brad smiled broadly, "Then here''s my proposal." He pointed at Thomas, "You make a clone of each of us, and inscribe it properly toe back to life like you did. When we are about to die, Lyn can consume our hero core, and we get to keep on living."


    Trisha frowned, "This seems¡­unnatural. People should die when their timees. I mean, I understand the appeal of wanting to live forever, especially since we know that Lyn is going to be ruling an Eternal Empire." She shook her head, "I don''t want to outlive my children."


    Ben nodded, "None of us here seem to be adversely affected by our hero cores yet. So, here''s what I suggest¡­for the time being, those who want to keep their hero cores, keep them. If you want to swap it out, Lyn''s got the tool for it. When other heroes or trusted individuals begin to see the negative personality shift from the hero core, then it needs to be swapped ASAP."


    Everyone seemingly nodded in agreement, and Lyn sat back in her chair as she held the ss of wine and took a sip. "I''ve got no problems with that," she said with a grin. "I want you all to help me make this empirest as long as possible." She looked at Thomas, "You are wee to make clones for resurrection purposes of any heroes who desire it." She narrowed her gaze, "Only heroes."


    Thomas swapped to Elenthir, "What about my assistant?"


    "The Vharthon?" Lyn replied in the samenguage.


    "Yes."


    "I''m okay with that. But no one else. This knowledge has to remain secret."


    Ben interrupted in English, "What are you two on about?"


    Lyn switched back to the samenguage, "Ah, just rifying something about his assistant."


    Lawrence nodded, "Well, since we have that whole mana core situation sorted¡­what next?"


    Brad smiled and leaned forward, "Well, I''m hard at work on body enhancing substances for the army, as well as non-addictivebat stimnts, the purple patches, and pharmaceutical drugs to supplement Trisha." He looked over to the Healer hero, "By the way, the molds for the antibiotics are still maturing. It''ll be a few weeks until I have the first batch of penicillin."


    Trisha nodded, "As for me, I''ve been continuing to perfect the ''healer handbook'' as I''m calling it. It''s going to have a list of every usual injury or mdy, as well as both a magical and mundane treatment. It can then be converted into multiplenguages and distributed throughout the Empire." She looked at Ben and put a hand on his arm, "Ben and I talked¡­and he''s willing to help out."


    "But not in fighting," Ben rified. "I''m not risking my neck out on the battlefield when I have kids. I''ll assist your Marshal in training your forces. Specifically, mana channel improvement, mana increases, and wise use of barrier spells." He smirked, "They are my specialty, after all."


    Lyn smiled, "I appreciate any advice you want to give. I''ll advise Marshal Remora that you''re a new advisor. How''s your Arinol?"


    "Shitty," Ben said with a slight chuckle.


    "Well, I''ll make sure we have someone to trante," she replied. Lyn looked over to Lawrence, "Do you want to help with this Empire? Or do you just want to live in luxury? Either choice you make¡­I won''t judge you. Don''t feel obligated."


    Lawrence smiled, "Honestly, I don''t know how much I can help you out. It seems like you have things under wraps. Thomas said he''s managing your schooling stuff; you''ve got a Steward already." He scratched his head, "I wouldn''t mind helping with managing things around here. You know those summers I worked at the motel?" Lyn nodded and he continued, "Well, I enjoyed being responsible for the ce. It gave me a sense of purpose."


    Lyn smiled, "Well it just so happens I need a Seneschal. Want to run Lynhold?"


    "If it''s like a four-x strategy game where I get to control resources and run a city-builder¡­hell yeah. I lost so many hours to those types of games."


    "Good," Lyn replied. "You''ll be working under Steward Mol ¨C he''s a Sloren. I''ll introduce you tomorrow."


    Lawrence''s eyes widened, "A Sloren? I''ve never met one."


    "Oh, right, you were¡­eaten before we met them," Lyn replied solemnly. "Well, he''s a good guy. I''m sure you''ll get along with him." She looked around the table. "Thank you¡­everyone. I really mean it. It feels good having all of you with me, on my side. We''ll make this world the best we can." She stood up, "I also have a present for all of you." She swapped to Arinol, "Vael? Grab the basket from my room please."


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    The Duskari bodyguard nodded and left the main doors to the throne room. She returned a minuteter with arge wicker basket held in both hands. She set it on the table and began distributing silver amulets with inscriptions upon them and a mirror polish on the back.


    "Since I have the Artificer core," Lyn began in English, "I made these. They''ll let youmunicate verbally with anyone else who has one. Just think of the person ¨C their name or picture them in your mind ¨C and it will vibrate on their end. They have to also put mana into it to enable themunication." She smiled and held hers up, "Different materials for different ranks. And they''re unique to each person; with your name, race, skill set, or profession ¨C with room to add to it. So now we have the groundwork for an Empire-wide identification andmunication system."


    Thomas eyed her, "You''ve been busy today."


    Lyn shrugged, "I needed to keep busy. Communication is important." She looked to the heroes who were examining or putting the objects on. "I don''t want to lose touch with any of you ever again if I can help it."


    Trisha smiled and dipped her head, "Our own version of magical cell phones. That''s handy."


    Lawrence chuckled and flipped the amulet end over end in his fingers, "What are the substances and ranks?"


    "Obsidian for Empress. Gold for Councilors. Silver for their underlings ¨C you all, since you''re working under their various offices. Brass for any assistants you bring on. Steel for those who join the military. And then wood for the average citizen, so that we can rece them annually to assist in keeping urate records of the people. Kings and queens, my direct vassals, will have amunication mirror instead."


    "Did youe up with this on your own?" Thomas asked.


    Lyn shook her head, "Nope. I''m stealing from science fiction and a little bit of dystopian modern Earth. I mean, cell phones back there basically knew everything about you. This is a less invasive version of that."


    Ben looked at the item before putting it around his neck, "This is going to take a lot of your time to craft, won''t it? All the ones for the military and the regr popce?"


    Lyn shook her head, "I worded the inscription with enough downsides that we can have designated craftspeople ¨C mostly smiths, but some woodworkers which are more prevalent anyways ¨C to make the inscriptions with ease. We''ll make the instructions easy enough with some trantions as well. The mana required is not too intense." She leaned forward and set the wine ss down, "But this is going to be a multi-year effort, in all likelihood. Oh, Trisha, in the basket you''ll find some wooden ones for your kids. I made those a priority, so you can keep in touch with them anywhere."


    Trisha smiled and got up, came around the table, and hugged Lyn, "Thank you so much. I was going to ask, but you thought of everything."


    Lyn pulled herself away from the woman, "I hope the little tykes be the strongest and smartest people on Ghomar. They were fun to y with." She looked over to Brad, "Make sure we''re making good body enhancing items for the kiddos for when they''re older." The Alchemist hero gave a little salute of confirmation.


    "They did ask if they can y dragonyer again," Ben said with a smallugh. "Wrestling with ''the Destroyer'' and ying hero was fun for them."


    Lawrenceughed and put the amulet on, "I can give them a dragon ride if you tie them to the spines tightly."


    Everyone''s eyes ¨C save for Lyn and Thomas ¨C went wide at that. "What are we waiting for?" Ben asked with a grin. "The kids would love a dragon ride!"


    "I''ll pass," Thomas said as he stood up. "I have some work to do. Who wants a clone?"


    Brad and Lawrence raised their hands, but Ben and Trisha just shook their heads. "We''ll have to think on it," Ben stated.


    Thomas nodded and bowed slightly, "Happy to make them. I''ll need you both in a few weeks to get some gic material ¨C just a skin sample, like a biopsy." He left the room, and after a few minutes of wrapping up conversation, hugs, and farewells, Lawrence led the remaining heroes out for their dragon ride.


    Lyn went to the throne and sat down. She switched to Arinol, "Alright you three,e over here."


    Vael and Gael shut the doors, approaching the throne, and Bolvon slipped down from his alcove on the wall and stood beside his lover. "Yes, my goddess?" Bolvon asked as he bowed his head.


    "I''m going to be focusing on somerge-scale spells to increase the defenses around the Valley, the Flontar River, and The Rill. I need you to be on guard, as I will be concentrating and unaware of my surroundings. Punch me in the face if we are directly under attack; that''ll shock me out of it."


    The twins bowed, and Bolvon nodded, "Well keep you safe."


    Lyn nodded and took a deep breath before focusing on the earth elementalism and metal subtype effects she sought to aplish. First things first, I''m going to make the walls along both rivers the same height as The Dragon''s Maw, connecting to mountains around the Valley of the Volcano and link up the tops of the walls with gatehouses to protect the Valley top itself. Inscription-activated metal gates that will only open from the Trisk side, just like the river fortifications. Gatehouses and other building shells that can be used for any purpose.


    She knew she would be pissing off the duchies of Pictal, Bolos, and urin within Khrrdia, as they would be losing ess to unfettered travel to Trisk via the few bridges crossing the Flontar River. But the walled fortifications could be easily controlled at the bridge locations, with patrols along the walls themselves. In the future, she could work on creating solid stone roads that wouldst for centuries, instead of the cobblestone or worn-dirt roads that existed presently across much of Ghomar.


    She took a deep breath and began the multi-hour incantation,ing up with the verses off the top of her head, as the Knowledge hero core gave her perfect recollection of all the words she had learned in Elenthir.


    Vinic and his men had just crossed into Ishtok and were on their way back to Cecria when a tremendous, grinding noise came from behind them. The whole group of soldiers-turned-marauders looked back to the source of the noise, and all were struck dumb by the world changing before their eyes.


    The thirty-foot wall that had extended across The Rill rose up to a hundred feet in height, and became much thicker, with spikes facing the Vgonia side. The main bridge that led across which they camped on the opposite side of suddenly grew a gatehouse with a metal gate like the ones at the fortress at the source of The Rill, where Vinic retreated with his forces from the Destroyer. And he knew it wasn''t a bunch of Ari doing it in small sections because they had just crossed the river a few hours ago and saw no sign of them.


    "Sir¡­" one of his underlings said with a whisper. "What¡­is doing that?"


    Vinic growled and turned back to face the campfire, "Fucking Duskari bitch." He fumed as he sat. Nothing should be that strong to be able to change thend in all directions visible to the horizon. It wasn''t fair. He kicked dirt into the fire, and a flurry of sparks shot upward. No one should be that strong. I''ve got no chance to beat someone with that much mana. He held up his hand and let his mana flow into his palm, feeling the crackling of electricity between his fingertips as the raw mana filled his hand. Even my unique capability is no match to a Destroyer.


    As he sat there, staring into the mes, he began to doubt. Nothing could stand up to someone that powerful. Not the Berserker hero, he was sure of that. He wouldn''t be able to get close to someone with that much mana, who could just drop the earth out from under them. Not even Princess Cecily could contest such a monster.


    What hope do we have? He thought. If the Destroyer decides to wage war against us?


    Despair was all that answered him.


    James was breathing calmly as he exited the dungeon on a small ind that was so insignificant it wasn''t even on the maps. About a hundred feet off the coast of the duchy of Boles on the Northern edge of Khrrdia. That''s six dungeons, he thought. He was getting more and more confident.


    That was until he heard a grinding noise. Looking to the source of it, he saw a structure raised in the distance. Strange. "Anno nin i gwelu en-gd." He traveled at light speed to the Flontar River, and his jaw dropped in shock. The whole of the far side of the river was fortified by arge, hundred-foot-high wall, gates that cut off the bridges, and spikes on the wall exterior facing Khrrdia. Trisk is sealing us out.


    He mmed his fist into his thigh, "Fuck!" he shouted in English. That bastard! King Skir must have gotten word of the preparations Khrrdia and Vgonia were going through as conflict loomed on the horizon. He must have taken all of the Ari and Vharthons that had enough mana and sent them to fortify the borders.


    He looked out to the horizon and saw that the entire distance the wall was present. He would need, easily, dozens more dungeon cores to be able to pull off something that changed the environment three miles out, plus earth elementalism which he did not have. And the bridges being gated off caused a problem on their own as that meant trade caravans could not pass through.


    He walked over one of the bridges and looked through the metal bars, muttering his lightspeed spell as he turned into a sh of luminescent energy and appeared on the other side. Ah, an inscription on the wall. He ced his palm on it and poured mana into the object. The gate slid sideways into the wall. Problem solved. I''ll have to go down the whole length and open all the bridges, but maybe I''ll spot these magi and see who gave them their orders. He repeated his lightspeed travel spell, and stopped at several points along the way, searching for traces of the people who raised this massive edifice. But he found none. Strange.


    He went down to the other two gates and opened them as well, which took very little time. But this also brought him within sight of the fortress where the Flontar River, and this new wall, met the mountains surrounding the Valley of the Volcano. I''m here. I might as well just get up top and take a look at what I''m dealing with. "Anno nin i gwelu en-gd." In a split second, he was atop the wall and looking down upon the Valley of the Volcano.


    The sight sent a shiver through his spine as the cool night air caressed his skin. It would be freezing, but he had a body enhancement against cold temperatures. His enhanced eyes could make out Lawrence''s draconic form ¨C the tiger-striped creature flying around the citadel with several people mounted on it. Ben and Trisha. Some fat man, kids¡­why is Lawrence giving them a ride? He looked out and let his vision focus in on the city below ¨C seeing the arc-shape with spokes of streets running out from the dread fortress.


    James sat on the edge of the wall. If Ben and Trisha joined it¡­and they brought their kids¡­For the first time in a very, very long time¡­James felt doubt wash over him. Doubt of his convictions. Ben and Trisha wouldn''t have brought their kids to a ce with an evil Destroyer who was trying to ruin the world¡­unless it was lying to them. It used the form of Lyn to earn their trust and is building an empire to take everything over¡­I bet it''ll do some spell that thralls everyone to its will, or maybe a Ghomar-wide death spell. Or even causing Shiverburn Summit to erupt and cover the wholendmass inva.


    Yeah. That had to be it. This thing used a ruse to get these heroes to join it. The Destroyer was evil. He knew it in the depths of his being. I have to warn them. Get them out of there. He took a deep breath. I have to be quick. And do it right when theynd.


    Ben picked up his three kids and Gil ¨C they left the baby at home with one of Trisha''s apprentices who doubled as a paid nurse ¨C and hopped off Lawrence''s back with them. Setting them on the ground, they all began running in circles around him with their arms out.


    "Dad! We got to fly!"


    "It''s so cool!


    "I wanna be a dragon!"


    Ben could only smile and chuckle as he helped Trisha get off. Brad slid down on his own, and then Lawrence shifted back to his person form. "Well, did everyone have fun?" he asked in Shereldian, since that was anguage all four kids could understand, and he didn''t want Gil to be left out.


    The kids ran over to him, "Yes!" They all screamed in joy.


    He smiled and ruffled Lawry''s hair, "Good. If you all are good, and your parents are okay with it, I can do a few rides a week." He looked up at the happy couple who were arm in arm, watching the scene unfold with a smile.


    Brad reached into a pouch and pulled out a small metal case, "Don''t forget! Uncle Brad brought candy!"


    Trisha frowned slightly, "Will it give them a sugar high? It''s almost bedtime."


    The kids ran up and as Brad gave them each a wad of strawberry gum, he looked over to her and shook his head, "No. Stevia with some alchemical tinkering to change the vor profile. Want some?"


    As Trisha was about to take it, there was a figure who appeared in between her and Brad. Ben instantly recognized him and stepped between him and Trisha, activating a unique Guardian external spell by thought alone. Eledir i-naid bain nuin enni / a lint brant enni / losta i-gwath ammen / anirann chem i-gwedh / im i-gothron / a delia i-naid bain. A shimmering, bright red aura surrounded every one of the heroes and the kids, which would redirect damage and afflictions to Ben, whilst also providing him with protection that would cause those effects to drain his mana before actually harming him.


    "You''re all in danger," James said in English. "I can take you all away, but you need to go, now."


    "You''re the only danger here," Ben said as he pushed Trisha behind him and motioned for Lawrence to move the kids behind him as well. "We''re all safe and sound. But you stabbed Thomas and killed his wyvern."


    James'' eyes made him appear in a near-manic state, bloodshot and near-bulging. "You all don''t understand! The Destroyer is evil. She is just pretending to be Lyn to get you on her side! She''s going to ruin the whole world unless I get enough power to stop her!"


    Brad scoffed and put away his small box, "Nonsense. It''s Lyn, and Raevan, and the Demonic Dragon all mashed together. But Lyn is the dominant persona. She told us as much; Thomas confirmed it with a mind spell ¨C it''s her." He put a hand on James'' shoulder, but the Paragon hero turned his shoulder violently and his hand went to his sword.


    "You all¡­you''re brainwashed, aren''t you? Thralled to her will!" Themotion at this point had gathered a crowd of onlookers who watched from a distance, and several Duskari that were heavily armed and armored began to approach.


    "Just calm down," Trisha said, pleadingly. "It''s not a mind spell! We''re us! Just¡­talk to us. Don''t make assumptions."


    Lawrence had been slowly moving backward the whole time, and he dipped into the surrounding crowd as he scooped the kids up underneath his arms. Thanks, Lawrence, Ben thought as he focused his full attention on the manic hero in front of him. Ben crossed his arms, "We aren''t going with you, and you can''t make us. Don''t you at least want to talk to her?"


    James'' face twisted into one of rage, "You''re all convinced that she''s some good person who wants to rule the world for the better-"


    "Yes!" Trisha, Ben, and Brad all said in tandem. Trisha continued, "She wants good things. She''s already vassalized Trisk and they''re expanding social programs. Nothing bad is going on!"


    "That''s why the walls went up," James muttered as he turned to look at the dread fortress. "I can''t fight her now, I''m not strong enough." He drew his de and looked at the three other heroes. "If you all are thralled, and willing to help evil spread¡­then I have no choice."

 B2 – Chapter 17

    James raised his de and incanted his spell, "Anno nin i gwelu en-gd." He turned into a bolt of light and flew all the way back to Kor''s Hold within moments,nding on the balcony to his chambers as he took shaky breaths. They''re all a lost cause, he thought. Only Misty, Kory, Cecily, and myself aren''t thralled by the Destroyer. He rolled his shoulders and took several deep breaths to calm his thumping heart, sheathing his de as he leaned against the balcony. I have to get more dungeon cores, and deal with theing conflict with Vgonia. He shook his head and went into his chambers.


    He could have killed all of them without issue. Easily ughtered them - well, save for Ben and maybe Lawrence. But he was not evil like the Demonic Dragon was. I can kill the thing, and that should free them from being thralled. If not, then I can find a dungeon core with the Mind spell type and set them free.


    His wife was sitting in bed, reading a book. She looked up at him, "Oh, you''re home! I thought you would be gone another few days," she said in Khrrdian.


    James began taking off his armor and cing it onto the disy nearby. "I did too," he mumbled.


    "What''s wrong?" Maria asked as she set the book aside.


    James continued stripping down as he talked, "I went to the Valley of the Volcano. The Healer, Guardian, Alchemist, and Shifter heroes have all sided with the Destroyer." He shook his head as he went to the inscribed bathtub in the adjoining room and poured mana into it, filling it with hot water that he sank into.


    Maria came in and sat on a stool, reaching down and holding his hand. "Do you know why?"


    "They''re thralled. It''s the only exnation," James replied as he stared up at the ceiling, letting the heat prate his weary bones and wash away the anxious tension in his muscles. "That leaves the Berserker who is sided with the Ruler hero of Vgonia, and the Mage hero. I doubt Cecily or Kory would join up with this Destroyer; Cecily would never bend the knee. Misty¡­she didn''t sound happy with me thest time we spoke."


    "I¡­I''ve been doing some research," Maria said softly.


    "Sorry. I''ll shift away from that topic; you don''t want to hear me go on about it, I''m sure." James looked up to her with a smile, "What did you look up?"


    "I''ve looked up¡­what happened to heroes." She went to the other room and came back with a stack of parchment. "The archivist put this together for me. Do you know who Kor Khreld was?"


    James nodded, "The Paragon that defeated the first Destroyer, Raevan."


    "Yes¡­did you know he was summoned from another world?"


    "No."


    "Did you know he went mad?"


    "¡­What?"


    She flipped open the ream of paper to a marked sheet. "The theory is that your hero core changes your personality more because you didn''t have one to begin with. But the changes only really start to be obvious after a certain amount of time¡­Kor went mad with a sense of justice and was described as a benevolent tyrant who valued justice above all else, judging right and wrong, good and evil at his discretion and based on his past beliefs."


    She put the stack of papers on a small table, and then reached down and put a gentle hand on James'' shoulder. "I¡­I love you more than anything¡­" she started to cry, and as James made to wipe them from her face, she shook her head and grabbed his hand instead. "¡­You''re changing. This obsession with the Destroyer being evil¡­it''s your hero core, not you." She cupped his face, "This isn''t you."


    James didn''t know what to feel. He sat there, with his wife''s hand holding his face with her gentle touch. The sorrow he knew she felt¡­and the inner sense of justification that he was doing the right thing by trying to gain power and defeat the Destroyer. "I¡­" He sighed and sat up slightly. "I''m the Paragon. I''m supposed to be the best hero. The strongest."


    Maria nodded and squeezed his shoulder, "You are the best. The best father to those boys. The best king Khrrdia has had; the people love you." She wiped her tears and sat up straighter, "I know that you don''t want to hear this¡­and I know what your answer will be¡­but would you consider switching out your mana core?"


    James shot up out of the water and felt fear race down his spine, "No!" he looked at her, "How could you ask me that? Do you know what happens when a mana core is forced out of someone?" For the first time, he felt anger towards his wife.


    "I know, the archmage told me." She held up a slip of paper from the bundle on the table, "The Mage hero has a theory how we could swap your Paragon core out for a dungeon core. A way to have you stay you."


    "No!" James shouted as he stepped out of the tub and grabbed a towel from the holder on the wall. "I''m not going to be a nothing again! I''m not going to be the weak, pathetic kid that gets picked on!" he shouted at her. She withered under his verbal assault, shrinking into herself. "I was chosen by Aelor! I''m the Paragon!" He put his hand to his chest and felt his mana surge inside of him. "I need this power," he said as he felt his voice choke up with emotion, a knot forming in his throat. "I need to be special," he whispered. "I can''t just be¡­a nobody again¡­" he went to the bedroom and sat on the mattress, putting his head in his hands. "I won''t give up my power." He looked up to see his wife, staring at him from the doorway to the bathroom. "I love you-"


    "Do you love me more than you love being the Paragon hero?"


    James'' mind stopped working for a moment as if a wrench was thrown into his thoughts. "What?"


    "You heard me. Am I, are the children, more important to you than being the Paragon?" She shook her head and walked over, slightly raising her voice. "You would still have a dungeon core, which puts you way above the average person. You''d still be the king of Khrrdia." She knelt next to him and grabbed his hand, "You would still be a loving father and wonderful husband."


    "What''s more important," he whispered in English to himself, needing to vocalize the conversation. To hear himself say the words. "Family or power¡­"


    He loved his boys.


    He didn''t want to be a king, but he was doing a good job of being a king.


    He never expected to be a father, but he knew he had a responsibility to his kids.


    ¡­But he had always dreamed of being a fantasy hero with a magic sword who could use spells. The only thing he was missing from his childhood dreams was a dragon to ride.


    He was in his thirties. With magical healing, which he had currently, he could conceivably live for a long time. Humans in Khrrdia with ess to magic healing as a resource would usually live one-hundred years.


    Seventy years of my life left, he thought. Wife¡­children¡­grandchildren one day. He looked towards the wall which led to the royal apartments and his boys'' room. Readying them to rule after me...


    He looked down at his hand and pushed mana from his core into his palm. The mana oozed out of his mana channels as a bright, white light that calmed his breathing and steadied his heart.


    He had to choose. Wife and family, or the power he had dreamed of since he was a child?


    Trisha thanked Lawrence at the door for protecting the kids before saying goodbye to him. As she was about to close the door, she saw Ben returning from the fortress. "What did she say?"


    Ben shook his head as he entered and closed the door behind himself. "She''s on the throne and being protected. The twins said she is concentrating on fortifying Trisk and can''t respond to anything except for physical danger if they nudge her."


    Trisha nodded, "Do you mind fueling the inscriptions?"


    Ben nodded and a surge of red mana flowed down his body and into the floor. The walls thrummed with energy before they glowed a light red. An inscription that Thomas had put in at their behest would protect the house from intruders and harm as long as Ben''s mana held out. And, as the Guardian, he could just will barriers and inscriptions dedicated to barriers to stay on without focusing. He could sleep while protecting others.


    The two slowly made their way upstairs and checked in on the kids who were still talking about seeing the Paragon hero and flying a dragon. "Alright kids, time for bed," Trisha said softly as she shooed them into their bedrooms. Her and Ben each went into each child''s bedroom and tucked them in ¨C including Gil, who they had weed into their family and treated as one of their own. He was still learning Triskol but tried to say ''good night'' in thatnguage. Trisha just tucked him in and gave him a kiss on the forehead before shutting the door.


    She joined Ben upstairs, and they relieved the nurse who had been watching Gina. "She''s sleeping tight," the nurse said as she picked up her book. "I heardmotion outside, what happened?"


    "Nothing good," Ben replied softly. "Just an old friend who can''t be convinced."


    Trisha put her hand on the nurse''s arm, "The Paragon hero visited. Ask around if you want to know more¡­but we''re tired. Thank you for watching her."


    "Of course. Sleep tight." The nurse left the room and went downstairs. Ben waited until he heard the front door shut before activating another inscription that locked down all the windows and doors, preventing ess.


    Trishaid down and sighed gently, "That''s¡­something."


    Ben nodded andid next to her, cuddling her from behind. "Just don''t think about it. James is an idiot. He''ll either see the good we''re doing or be forced to bend the knee."


    "Do¡­Do you think Lyn would kill him?"


    Ben shook his head, "Doubt it. Incapacitate and use that device to remove the Paragon core? Yes. But honestly, I wouldn''t mind that. He''s always lorded himself over us."


    "It seems cruel. It''s all he ever wanted, being a fantasy hero with magic."


    "It is cruel," Ben replied. "But it''s either that or risk him ruining what we''re trying to do."


    Trisha sat up abruptly, "Crap!" she hissed out as she dug through the bedside table and found parchment and a quill. She scribbled the phrase in Elenthir that James had said.


    "What is it?" Ben asked sitting up.


    "He used a spell that I''ve never seen or heard before. Lawrence mentioned he could travel at the speed of light." She held up the paper, "If Lyn does get his core, she''ll need the exact wording of the spell to use it."


    Ben chuckled, "My wife, the cleverest one." He patted the bed, and she sunk back into his protective embrace.


    "Damn right." She closed her eyes, feeling safe and content.


    Lyn felt drained. Completely exhausted in both mana and stamina. She slumped on the throne, and her ever-vignt bodyguard looked to her as she moved for the first time in hours. "Lyn? Are you okay?" Vael asked. Lyn nodded and made a ''drink'' gesture. Vael cupped her hand, held it in front of Lyn''s mouth, and incanted a spell. "Eledir gin / bes ned-ven / cant d ring / an sui." A trickle of water came from her palm and Lyn was able to clear her foggy thoughts.


    "How long was I out?" she asked as she wiped her mouth.


    "Three days. Gael and I have been swapping, and Bolvon left to probe the defensive fortifications around the Valley."


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Lyn nodded and tried to stand but felt the strain on her muscles was too much. I''ll have to wait a bit for my mana to refill, then use the regeneration spell. She looked at Vael and smiled, "Well, I''ve fortified all of Trisk. Could you please go fetch Chancellor Vehenna? And leave the door open. Hopefully Whisperwing will track me down to send off some messages."


    Vael nodded, "But first¡­while you were out, there was something that happened in Lynhold." She looked Lyn straight in the eyes. "The Paragon hero was here."


    Lyn tried to stand but couldn''t as her locked-up muscles didn''t respond. "What?! Why wasn''t I told?"


    "We tried, but you were deep in focus."


    "What did he do?"


    "He threatened the heroes. Kind of. They conversed in that arcanenguage."


    "Okay. New orders. Get me Vehenna, Mol, Remora, and Velenna; along with Thomas, and any hero who was present when James arrived."


    "I''ll get right on it." Vael bowed and hurried out of the chamber.


    Lyn leaned back and let herself sit, motionless, as her mana refilled. Anor min / nartho hain i daeth nin. The internal regeneration spell fixed her body aches and locked-up muscles with a surge of pleasurable warmth.


    A pping noise heralded her raven''s arrival. Therge bird flew through the enormous doors at the far end of the throne room andnded on the top of Lyn''s horn. Whisperwing was enthusiastic, "Oh, my, gosh! It''s been soooo long! How you doing girl? Looking fine as usual!" The chipper, perky voice of a preppy schoolgirl brought some lightness to Lyn''s thoughts.


    "How have things been in the Valley in my absence?"


    "Oh, wonderful! The hatchlings are really, really funny! And there''s this new, handsome man named Lawrence who is helping out Miss Fin. Did you know he''s a hero?"


    Lyn cracked a smile, "I did."


    "Oh, not as handsome ¨C pretty ¨C as you." Whisperwing sighed and hopped down to the arm rest next to Lyn. She absentmindedly reached a wed hand up to lightly scratch the bird''s head.


    Fifteen minutes passed as Lyn contemted possible ns of action. The individuals she had called upon ¨C her council and Thomas, arrived one at a time. She filled in Chancellor Vehenna on the changes to the surroundingnds, and the woman pulled out one of the silver mirrors Lyn had inscribed, speaking with King Skir directly for a few minutes whilst everyone else arrived. Gael also arrived, and him with a few other Duskari moved therge, circr table to the center of the room under the chandelier. Lyn got up and took her seat, greeting each as they sat. Lawrence also came in and sat next to Thomas.


    "Excellent. Everyone here speaks Shereldian, so we''ll use that for our council meetings." Lyn tented her hands and looked at Lawrence. "Tell me what happened with James."


    Lawrence shared out everything that had urred. He concluded with, "I think he''s too far gone. Honestly, we should just consider him an enemy at this point."


    "I couldn''t agree more," Thomas followed up. "He killed me, and my wyvern. He needs to pay."


    Lyn frowned but nodded, "I understand. I''d rather not kill him if we don''t have to ¨C I doubt the people of Khrrdia would look favorably upon their beloved Paragon being in by the Destroyer. It would make vassalizing them much, much harder." She looked over to Vehenna, "Report out. What''s the situation with Trisk, and Rashanna''s continuing efforts with the Vharthons, Foskor, and Raptin?"


    Chancellor Vehenna stood up and bowed, "Trisk has been informed of the changes you have wrought upon their realm and are sending troops to garrison the walls and the coastal forts. We are preparing to roll out the new education program; Elenthir primers have been finished in everynguage thanks to the monumental efforts of our Schr, Thomas, and his assistant Stes."


    Lyn looked over to the Knowledge hero and he smirked, "I used transmutation to effectively copy and paste the primer. We have hundreds, now. Enough that they could be distributed to every vige across Ghomar. It has the basics of Elenthir, with trantions to eachnguage, and Trisha has added several simple, everyday spells for first aid that almost anyone on Ghomar could use." He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms behind his head, "I''m still working on the standardized education by skill level for reading, writing, history, and the like. That will take a year or more. I had made such a system once before, for Cecily''s kingdom, but I want to improve on the original design."


    Vehenna continued, "That Elenthir primer will be rolled out in Lynhold, and we are working on squadrons who will deliver them to Trisk officials who will distribute them appropriately. As for Diplomat Rashanna, she has reached Fosk and is in negotiations with the Foskor. There''s also reports that their Ari poption in the Eastern section of Trisk, just north of the Slor Mountains, was decimated by raiders and marauders. They cut off ears ¨C Spymaster Velenna believes it was a disguised Vgonian force. This has scared the Conve of the ins to begin journeying here for safety."


    "Their loss is unfortunate. Send a few squadrons to escort them." Lyn turned to her next councilor, "Next; Steward Mol. Report."


    Thane Mol stood up as the Chancellor sat, "Tha Free City of Bashinol ''as sent their first few ships full o'' refugees from Vgonia''s shite, as well as homeless folks who ''ere desperate. This ''as reduced our coffers." He rapidly fired off a list of their mary assets; 16,000 Gold Eagles, 38,000 Silver Kestrels, and 180,000 Copper Owls. "Enough tae feed, clothe, and ''ouse our people fer several years."


    Lyn nodded, "I will pull up precious metals and minerals from the ground and Shiverburn Summit itself; the magma underground contains melted metals I can extract. You can then use that in trade. I''ll focus on gems for that matter."


    "Aye. Lord Lawrence is studyin'' under me tae run things around Lynhold. He''s eager, that one. Yer artifactdy, Menora, is workin'' on locatin an artifact in a buried temple off the coast somewhere. She''s got a squadron with her."


    "Excellent. With luck, she''ll recover it and return it here."


    "We still need an Architect," Molmented as he sat. "I''m lookin."


    Lyn nodded and looked to Marshal Remora, "Report."


    She stood up and bowed slightly. "Yes, My Lady. Our forces stand at thirteen-thousand, five-hundred and fifty troops." She went to list off the troops that were trained and useable. Fifty Duskari squadrons each ten strong for special operations, six-thousand Newen Archers and four-thousand Newen infantry, two-thousand Ari marines for river and oceanbat, one-thousand Sloren ram riders as cavalry, and the newly acquired Kory''s Killers, which numbered five-hundred and were ambush specialists.


    "We are working on integrating the various squadrons, and every soldier is training their mana first thing when they wake. We have also discovered that Newen can use their mana to cause other spells to bepressed, and much harder to see. We are integrating two Newen into each Duskari squadron to take advantage of stealth spells."


    "Excellent," Lyn replied. "I n on making some inscriptions at The Dragon''s Maw soon that will alleviate a need for a standing force there. Inscriptions upon the walls that will raise the corpses of the fallen."


    Lawrence squirmed a little in his seat, "Undead? That''s kind of fucked up."


    "They''re just skeletons," Lyn replied. "I have to make the inscription with enough limiters that our average Duskari could activate it. Part of that is just animating the skeletons. And that battlefield has been there for millennia; there''s corpses buried there. Plus, those foes that are in at the wall can be used against their own allies. It seems macabre, but we don''t have much choice with our limited numbers. Thirteen-thousand troops, all with varying specialties? We have norge forces of levies we can raise like Khrrdia and Vgonia. I can''t draw on Trisk''s military might, either, because they must protect the whole of the Northern part of the Empire. The Dragon''s Maw is the easiest point of egress for any who wish to assault The Valley, as the mountain-walls are too high to scale, and we can copse the tunnels if needed. We need a ready-to-deploy, disposable army."


    Lawrence sighed and scratched his head, "I mean, I guess that makes sense. It still feels weird using corpses to do our dirty work."


    Lyn ignored him and focused on Remora once more, "I''ll make those inscriptions this evening. Continue the good work." The Marshal saluted, forming her fingers into a w over her chest with her right hand, before sitting down. Lyn looked to herst councilor, "Spymaster Velenna, report."


    She stood up and bowed. "My Lady, Shadowstalker Bolvon has sessfully found several troops who werex in their duties, and he was able to sneak into the Valley of the Volcano through the fort leading to the Flontar River. Efforts are being made to identify those responsible and the Marshal is providing them with remedial training to fix the fault. Fin has been working through that new spell you created with the ravens assigned to each Squadron."


    "Excellent," Lyn replied. "Ravens are still limited to Councilors, their advisors and underlings, and our Duskari Squadrons, yes?"


    "Correct," the Spymaster replied. "Lastly, a report from my sources abroad. Cecily of Vgonia has been building her forces. War is imminent between Khrrdia and her kingdom. We estimate in the Spring, after the first thaw. This gives us just about seven months until they sh. It would be prudent to strike during that war."


    Lyn tented her hands, "Would it be? I thought it would be best to wait until they had exhausted themselves against each other. Hold back our might until they were all but spent."


    Thomas interrupted, "That would be the most prudent course of action, given history of not only Ghomar but the world Ie from. Let them fight, and we crush the winner."


    The Spymaster shrugged, "I give my report and rmendation, nothing more. As for Khrrdia, the duchies have fully fallen in line, and I imagine they, too, will be preparing for conflict. The Free City of Bashinol has expressed through their agents a desire for neutrality in the whole affair. However, their navy is the strongest in the world."


    She looked over to Marshal Remora, "It may be prudent to send a group of Ari Marines to the Free City with monies and arrange for the purchase of a vessel of war. They could then return it here, and we could deconstruct it to form our own heavy navy. As it stands, I do believe we only have the longboats, which while fast and capable of river traversal, do not fare as well in the open ocean."


    Remora nodded, and looked at Steward Mol, "I''ll be happy to do so if the treasury will provide."


    Mol made a note on a sheet of parchment and nodded, "Got it. It''ll get tae ye."


    "No," Lyn said. "I wille up with the designs for war vessels that will be unrivaled on Ghomar. Ironsides." She grabbed parchment and quill from in front of Vahenna and closed her eyes, channeled her mana into her head, and called on her Artificer core as she pictured in her mind a medieval ship of war, capable of deep-water traversal, and be unstoppable on the seas. A few minutes passed of her hand writing autonomously, and as she opened her eyes and let the mana settle, she had ten pages of schematics for the vessel. She slid the parchment over to Marshal Remora, "Get these to the Admiral."


    "Of course," she said as she tried to make sense of the schematics.


    Lyn looked around the table as the Spymaster sat. "Is there anything else?" She heard nothing and stood up. "I will be using my time this week to create the inscriptions at The Dragon''s Maw, as well as crafting ourmunication amulets. You may pick them up by the week''s end." She looked to Lawrence, "Please work towards thest of the renovations to the fortress proper; I believe there are still some rooms in need of fixing. I''ll provide any supplies you need."


    He nodded and frowned, "What about James? We can''t ignore that he was able to just¡­show up in Lynhold."


    "You said he traveled at the speed of light?" Lawrence nodded and she continued, "I know he has a spell that only the Paragon may use, that literally turns him into a beam of light and enables traversal of anywhere on Ghomar. It doesn''t carry momentum. I don''t think there is a way to prevent that, save for making some type of inscription that is constantly powered to provide utter darkness where light can''t exist or pass through. That would take a lot of mana."


    Lawrence shrugged, "Well, just letting you know."


    Lyn stood up and nodded, "Then our meeting is concluded." She looked over the whole table, "Keep up the great work. The Eternal Empire is well on its way to prosperity."


    The next week passed in a blur for Lyn. She spent a full day inscribing the inner walls of The Dragon''s Maw, before entering the battlefield itself and casting an enormous, undeath external spell, which thankfully she had ess to thanks to the Revenant hero core. She raised thousands upon thousands of ancient skeletons; warriors from eras past and marched them right to the base of the walls on the outside before letting the spell go and using an earth spell to bury them in a thinyer of dirt. The inscriptions within would use as much mana as could be poured in to raise up those skeletons under themand of whomever utilized the inscription.


    Another day was spent dredging up precious metals and raw materials from the bowels of the earth, and the molten magma of the deeperva tubes under Shiverburn Summit. She ensured plenty was set aside for use in Lynhold and set to work the rest of that day on crafting themunication inscribed amulets in bulk for her council, their underlings, their assistants, and she made temtes for the military versions that the Duskari smiths could produce.


    Those were distributed appropriately, and soon enough Lyn was able to simply focus on one person, pour a tiny bit of mana into the obsidian version she wore, and speak with that individual. It was a nice change of pace, being able to talk to any of her former allies ¨C and now friends amongst the heroes ¨C just like they had back on Earth with the simple push of a button. She created the design and inscription instructions for wooden versions for themon popce, but that would take a lot of wood carvers with enough mana and months of time ¨C something to have done in the future as her poption grew.


    Two days were spent setting up a protected, walled-off grove that she then nted the trees leading to Feylin within. Pouring mana into the seeds to cause them to sprout took time, but once they had taken root they grew to full size, and the feysmiths began to arrive, take orders, and leave with the materials provided. All Lyn had to do was provide a schematic for some type of industrial-era technology that worked off inscriptions instead of steam or electricity; and thanks to the Artificer core, she simply had to focus on what she wanted to make. Artifact crafting would take time, as the feysmiths had advised, but soon enough she would have artifacts aplenty, custom ordered.


    Of course, the first item shemissioned was for herself. A small, thin anklet that would allow her to traverse a horizontal or vertical surface as if she was standing upon it. It would even integrate into the armor, just as the bracer had integrated itself into the armor. She learned that the feysmith''s artifacts would almost always integrate with other artifacts made by them, so the various bits she had found ¨C like the bracer and cloak ¨C just integrated with her armor because of the fey crafters'' prowess.


    The rest of the week was dedicated to managing her Empire. Sending messages about, sending Whisperwing off with amulets for Rashanna and her escorts, and to King Skir and his advisors. And as Lyn settled into the role of ruler¡­she felt restless. Damnit, she thought as she wrapped up herst meeting with the council for the week. I''ve got to travel.


    She felt the pull of the Scout core. Despite being consumed and subservient to the Destroyer core, it still called on her to leave and go¡­somewhere. Anywhere but staying put in the Valley. Maybe it was her natural wanderlust and restlessness that she had even before being summoned. Every two weeks, she thought as she went through all her memories in an instant thanks to the Knowledge core. Every two weeks is when the urge hits. She pped her thighs and stood up, seeking out Vael and Gael.


    "I''m going to a dungeon," she said. "You cane if you wish, but if you don''t want to, don''t worry about it."


    The twins both looked at each other and back to her, "Thank you, but I think we''re good," Vael stated.


    Lyn nodded and left the two, approaching the heroes and offering the same to each of them. None seemed eager, and she drew Cataclysm and an arrow once more. Pouring mana into her bracer, she saw the closest dungeon was just Southwest, in Sonash, a duchy on the far Eastern edge of Khrrdia''s territory. She aimed high and, in an arc, drew back the mana bowstring, and let loose before using the Archer spell to teleport away.

 B2 – Chapter 18

    Sonash only took two hours of bow-teleportation travel for Lyn to reach. The lush, fertile farm region provided about half of the cereal crops for the kingdom of Khrrdia. Following the bracer mounted in her armor, she made her way across the lush fields and found an old, abandoned barn in a fallow stretch ofnd that had been abandoned, it seemed, due to fire that ripped through the region in the past year. Which means this dungeon moved recently. She stepped out of the building and raised her hand, "Ladatho an¨ªra en-thalion / en-gwathren a galu / an rithia i aew an-uir / a t?go na ai hero thalion gond / En garo na ered i garan." A jolt of ck, shadow-imbued lightning bolted into the clear, bright skies and scattered against the maosphere with a thunderous report. She walked in and read the name of the dungeon.


    This door marks the dungeon of Coilona and Coron, The Starseeker Twins. Threat within ¨Cbat and strategy. Reward ¨C dungeon cores. Combat and strategy could mean a lot of possibilities, as Lyn knew from experience. Most likely, it would be a few fights, and then a battlefield overview where she would be responsible for managing a variety of units. She took a deep breath and incanted her go-tobat spell as she willed her armor and Cataclysm''s de to extend.


    The purple film was familiar, and a sense of excitement coursed through her. It''s been too long since I''ve beaten something. She approached the square pedestal and touched the top. The device sank into the floor, and the walls fell away as she found herself inside an enormous cavern. There were sounds of chittering all around and looking about she saw skittering shapes in the shadows. Tentacle-covered, crab-like creatures with a variety of spikes and ws on the tips of the appendages that whipped about. The creatures sent a chill down Lyn''s spine, as she had never seen such a creature before.


    They dashed in, skittering across the ground ¨C crabs the size of golden retrievers, swarming towards her. She braced herself as the rushing horde came at her, and she began to swing inrge, cleaving strikes. The mana-de of blueva carved through and caused the crabs to pop and explode as the liquid within superheated.


    The cascading gunk from their meat let off a horrific, oily smell that made her gag, and she had to back away from them. Incanting a spell in her thoughts thanks to the Spellde core, she switched the weapon''s damage type fromva elementalism to a de of hard, blue light that illuminated the space. The crabs backed away from the sudden surge of brightness, and Lyn jumped forward to carve away once more.


    The edge of hardened luminosity sliced through the creatures with ease, and the oily, meaty interior sizzled as the light carved into them. Just as I thought. Shadow-imbued monsters. She had fought such creatures before; monsters who sometimes were heavily affiliated with an elementalism spell type.


    The crabs were seemingly endless, and Lyn felt herself begin to tire as several crabs began to impact her armor with their spiked and wed tentacles. They were mana charged, and she could feel the impact bruising her. But this also gave her a chance to use something she had yet to use. Another benefit of the Spellde core. Reversal. She felt the impacts against her, over and over, and could feel the damage in her left forearm. It started as a dull pain, and slowly grew in intensity. Right before it started to impact her ability to fight, she swung in an arc and yelled out, "Teitha!"


    The dull pain where she was impacted along her body was still present, but the umting pain in her left forearm vanished, and as she carved into the line of creatures, Cataclysm exploded with blue-white light as the de extended dozens of meters, enabling her to cleave through hundreds of the creatures in one fell swoop. "Holy shit," she muttered as the remaining creatures began to shrink back into the darkness and the room''s walls returned.


    The lights above her shifted hue and the doorway leading to the next chamber opened. That reversal is deadly, she thought. If I intentionally umted damage against an opponent like James, an attack like that would catch thempletely off guard. She walked down to the next room, confident, and ced her palm on the pedestal. It sank into the ground, and the walls fell away. This time, she was not standing in a cavern, but instead in a desert at night with the stars sparkling overhead.


    In front of her she saw two young Elenthians, sitting in front of a broad metal board. She dismissed her various spells and socketed Cataclysm back into her armor, willing the helmet to recede. "Challenger," the twin sister said calmly. "Wee to the challenge of strategy."


    Lyn sat opposite the two and looked down at the board. It''s a predecessor to Vhuzok. She looked up at them, "I am familiar with a newer version of this game."


    The twin brother nodded, "Permission to delve your memories?"


    Lyn nodded, and she felt the odd, probing touch of someone trying to enter her mind. She let her concentrationpse, instead of focusing on something exclusively which would normally block ess. The board in front of her shifted, and she saw to her delight that it became the game she and Misty used to y. "Excellent. Let''s begin," Lyn said as she picked up the dice.


    "Alright! Everyone, hands on the wall," Misty instructed in Vharthos as the students joined her next to thergest, t wall of the mage school. Only five students out of the one-hundred and fifteen had left to her pleasant surprise. The distribution of races was varied, with a slightlyrger group of Ari and Vharthon than the other races.


    The group channeled their mana into the inscription ¨C which Misty could have done alone but would havepletely drained herself ¨C and the whole mage school shrank before their eyes until it was the size of a doll house. Misty walked up, channeled mana into a storage ring, and put the mage school inside of the storage space. "Right, now, everyone get on." Misty pointed to therge, inscribed, wooden tform she had prepared that morning. It had several benches, and the students each took their seats as Misty sat in the chair up front.


    "And¡­begin!" she shouted. The mages ¨C herself included ¨C channeled their mana into the inscription. The tform hovered a few feet off the ground, and Misty willed the device to zoom forward. Flying high was out of the question, as the further one flew from the ground, the more mana every spell cost, but hovering like this was an easy way to travel as fast as a galloping horse. It would take them five days at this pace to make it to the hidden, Northern entrance to the Valley of the Volcano.


    She felt a sense of anxiety and relief at the same time. Anxiety for her impending meeting with Lyn and the offering of her mage school as a ce of higher learning ¨C like a college for those who wanted to pursue magic. Relief, because she knew from her scrying that other heroes had traveled to the Valley, and she would be able to rekindle those rtionships if she chose to. Her Lyn was gone. The Lyn that she loved in the past was inextricably intertwined with the Destroyer core, and the consciousnesses of the Destroyers of the past. She could not separate them.


    And that, too, brought some relief. It had taken her plenty of time in her closet safe space, but she was¡­able to let go. Let go of the past. It was the next best thing to having confirmation of Lyn''s death in that regard. She would grieve but would be able to move on. Maybe one day I''ll find love again, she thought. But I would have to get that person to have an extremely powerful magic user so I could ensure they live forever just like me.


    That was one fear she still held onto. The fear of being alone forever. Using aplex spell, she had ensured her body no longer decayed in any way, shape, or form. She did not need to eat or drink. If she avoided major bodily injury and disease, she would never die. An eternity of solitude was a bleak prospect.


    She contemted as they flew. She was not sure how Thomas made his clone, but she knew the verses he had cut into the skin and healed over to form the scarred script. She could replicate that spell with ease. The issue was making the clone itself. She would have to ask the man she disliked with a passion to tell her how he did it. But¡­it was a way to ensure whoever she did end up falling in love with would be able to persist as she would, even if they did not have arge supply of mana.


    Travel was swift, and they passed above many merchants and traders who wereing and going throughout the kingdom of Trisk. She made a pit stop by the Baxter estate, but found the buildings boarded up, and a message painted on the wooden covers, indicating their move to the Valley of the Volcano. That provided her further reassurance of her decision to move the school.


    The evenings passed quickly, and she did lessons around the campfire of a more general nature, to amodate her various skill-level students that were all present. By the end of the week, she had arrived at arge fortress in front of where the tunnel that led into the Valley used to be. Speaking in Arinol, she called up to the gate and showed her badge. They allowed her in and escorted her with her students into the Valley interior. A few more hours, and she arrived in Lynhold.


    She went right to the dread fortress, and her procession of students caused many whispers and mutterings amongst the popce. She stopped, stock-still, as she saw a Human she thought dead exiting the fortress. "Lawrence?" she asked in English.


    The man looked up at her from a wooden board he was holding and grinned, "Misty, you''re here!" He handed the board to a Duskari standing nearby and walked up, giving Misty a hug which she returned with equal enthusiasm. "It''s been a while."


    "You were eaten alive!"


    "Yeah, I was," he said with a chuckle. "I''ll tell you the storyter. Did you want to talk to Lyn?"


    Misty frowned, "No¡­not yet. What I want to do is have an open space set up so I can put down my mage school."


    Lawrence blinked a few times, "I''m¡­sorry?"


    Misty channeled mana into her inscribed item and opened the storage dimension, gesturing inside as Lawrence peered at it. "I shrank it down."


    Lawrence nodded, "Well, you came to the right person. I''m the Seneschal now¡­basically the mayor that gets to oversee Lynhold." He grinned, "I''ve got just the space." He motioned for Misty to follow him, and they went past several sets of buildings and empty lots that had signs stating ''pending Destroyer spell'' until they arrived next to an enormous, white-walled building. "This is Trisha''s hospital and medical school. We can set you up right next to it." He went to several nearby citizens, asking them to help keep people out of the area.


    Misty pulled the school out of the pocket dimension, ced it in the center of the space, and channeled mana into the inscription. It took much less to un-shrink the facility, and as she walked back to Lawrence and her waiting students, the school grew until the full building was present once more. "Alright, back to your quarters," she said in Triskol, waving for her students to take their luggage inside.


    Lawrence sat on a small, wooden bench just along the main avenue in front of her mage school. "We have a lot to get caught up on. Trisha and Ben are insisting on weekly ''hero meals'' where we all sit down and catch up. The next one is tonight."


    Misty nodded, "Sure, I''d be happy to be part of it and see everyone again. Who all is here?"


    "You, me, Brad, Trisha, Ben, and Thomas."


    Her demeanor soured at thest name, but she nodded curtly. "Well, tell whoever you need to ¨C Professor Misery is epting new applicants to her mage school."


    Lawrence pped her on the back, "Will do. The ''hero meal'' is at the Baxter house. At sunset. Ask around and you''ll find it." He waved and headed back towards the center of town.


    Misty sighed and went into her school, ensuring the inscriptions were intact, keeping herself upied so she wouldn''t have her thoughts linger on the uing meal with her old ssmates.


    The game progressed smoothly. Despite going up against two opponents, Lyn was quite skilled at this top-down strategy game, since it was so simr to the game she and Misty used to y all the time. It got a little dicey a few times, but she pulled out a victory, and the twin Elenthians bowed as the room returned to its normal configuration.


    The next hallway was nondescript and led Lyn to a third chamber. Right. Re-buff. She incanted her internal spell once more and her body''s muscle mass increased, along with the whole host ofbat-proficiency changes. She pulled Cataclysm from the socket on the armor and pushed her mana into the de as it ignited withva. She set her hand on the pylon, and it sank into the ground.


    The walls fell away, and she found herself suddenly underwater and choking on seawater. Channeling mana into her storage choker, she pulled out and shoved the underwater breathing inscribed device into her mouth and forced mana into it. She was able to expel the water from her lungs and breathe once more and looked around the crystal-clear water. It was as if she was floating in a vast ocean of starlight.


    In front of her, slowly approaching, was a long, sinuous form that was naught but starlight and darkness. Some type of leviathan; a colossal beast with pitch-ck hide and starlight studding along the exterior. The creature was easily the size of a train.


    It dashed toward her. Raising her palm, she fueled a spell as her mana surged into her palm, "Felithan hril / faeren thil¨¢r galin / ilreth a morthal / iantol ekrae hil galin / nirerthin." The water in front of her, millions of gallons, immediately vaporized. The creature that was dashing towards her fell into the empty space, and she released the spell allowing the surrounding waters to copse in with the full weight of their crushing might. It''s amazing how powerful using physics with spells can be.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The creature imploded from the pressure upon it, and the walls returned as the door to the reward chamber opened. Piece of cake, she thought as she re-socketed her weapon and let her internal spells fade. She put the breathing bit back into the storage dimension and approached the altar.


    There were two wooden boxes, and she lifted both, seeing the swirling cores within. Both looked like snow globes with pure starlight inside, but she felt a weird gust of energy, and both shifted. Looks like some of my old ssmates followed the lightning. She took a deep breath and picked up the mana core that had shifted from dappled starlight into a furry sphere. Lifting it to her eye level, she heard the voice of Freddy Noro, the Beastmaster hero.


    Holy fuck it''s been so long.


    "Hi, Freddy. Sorry it took so long to get to you. Ruling an empire takes time."


    No kidding. I went for a little look through your memory. You''ve got a lot on your te. Hey, you remember that army of squirrels I trained up?


    That brought a smile to her face. Freddy had trained the squirrels of Kor''s Hold ¨C and as the heroes learnedter, the rats and mice ¨C to do his bidding. They ''found'' all manner of coins and small valuables, brought them back to him, and helped him be one of the richest men in thend. "I do. They held a little funeral for you once you died."


    Yeah¡­maybe not the smartest idea to unt how I made my money. You guys deposed and killed the king that executed me though, so thanks for that.


    "My pleasure. Kristoph''s dad was a massive dick."


    The kid was too. But he''s gone now. James took over, eh? What do you think of that?


    "I''m¡­honestly, I don''t care much. He will bend the knee and serve, or I''ll strip him of his mana core and shove in a different one."


    Fair. The dude loved making fun of my special ability. Oh, that reminds me; my core gives you the ability to talk to any animal andmand them. If they''re smart, they can reject your orders. Also, animalism as an external spell type, so you can change animals with magic.


    "Do you n on going back to Earth?"


    Pfff. You kidding? I saw the stuff you did with Trisk. Right now, I''ve got a one in three shot of being reborn into your empire.


    "How do you know its rebirth?"


    I met Gina and her core out and about. She told me. It''s kind of cool; we can fly around and talk to the other hero cores that are floating about.


    "So, I guess I wish you the best."


    Hey, I''m getting another chance in a world with magic. That''s awesome. Alright, catch you on the flip side.


    Lyn squeezed the core and felt the weird tingling of the fuzzy exterior of the mana core flow down her mana channel and into the Destroyer core. Like a pack leader bullying a lesser to fall in line, the Beastmaster core immediately submitted to the stronger Destroyer core. Lyn felt the rush of energy re through her. One down, she thought as she turned to the next box. This next one swirled with elemental energy. Darius Challo, the Elementalist hero, spoke in her mind.


    Damn, I died violently didn''t I?


    "Yeah¡­" Lyn replied as she saw in her memory the vivid recollection of the Elementalist being ripped in half by monsters.


    Well, this Ghomar ce is all manner of fucked up. I''m going to Earth.


    "You do you, man. I do have a question."


    Shoot.


    "You were best friends with Kory. Can you tell me anything I could use to try and bring him onto my side?"


    There was silence for several moments. He''s going to go somewhere he feels safe but can still indulge in his violent tendencies. I mean, he almost killed a guy boxing for Christ''s sake. Dude''s a loose cannon. Mad respect for him.


    Lyn sighed, "You''re not giving me anything useful."


    Maybe promise him sex, booze, drugs, and a way to indulge his violent side. No guy will turn down sex.


    "And now I remember why we never hung out," Lyn replied as she recalled the several times Darius tried to hook up with her. She only given in once, and that one time was a mistake.


    Hey, don''t hate the yer, hate the game.


    "Anything you want to say before you move on?"


    Nah. I''m good. Back to Earth I go. Good luck: you''re gonna need it.


    "Oh, right. What all does your core do?"


    You get all the elementalism types and their sub-types. You canbine any of those together; like fire and water to get steam. And¡­this part was fucking awesome ¨C thought only elementalism external spells. Not even thinking of verses. You want a torch, just think of that and boom, you have a floating me.


    "Alright. Thanks. Have a good life." Lyn squeezed his mana core and felt the blend of elemental energies surge through her as the core traveled down her mana channels before being fed into the Destroyer core. It tried to fight against her but was ultimately consumed. Again, the surge of energy coursed through her, and she ced her hands on the altar, returning to the abandoned farmhouse has the doorway vanished.


    Walking outside she took a deep breath. That just leaves Gina, Julie, and Ashley for the free-roaming hero cores. Three more dungeons unless I get lucky with a double-dungeon core dungeon. She looked at the sun in the distance that had begun to set. Her Scout core was sated by the brief trip¡­but she was close to Kor''s Hold. Let''s give James a little visit, just like he did at Lynhold. She pulled Cataclysm from her hip-socket, transformed it to the bow form, and used both the Spellde and Elementalist core in conjunction to coat her arrow with wind to increase the range. She let loose and teleported away.


    The evening was just beginning as Dorian, amander in Khrrdia''s infantry regiments, sat down to a meeting with the othermanders.


    King James walked in a few moments after every had sat, and he took his chair at the head of the table. Leaning forward, he tented his hands and rested his elbows on the table. "War ising. Our scouts have confirmed the increase recruitment across Vgonia, and ourst few spies have also reported out that stores of supplies are being stocked up."


    One of the castens who doubled as themander of the city watch of Kor''s Hold stood up, "We have plenty of grain from the harvest. It was a bountiful one. We''ll have plenty to feed our people through the winter months and be well supplied for a campaign."


    James nodded and gestured for the man to sit. "Thank you for that report." He turned to Dorian, "I trust that the levies are being notified?"


    Dorian nodded and stood up, crossing his hands behind his back and standing at rest. "Yes. The dukes have been notified, and the notifications are being sent out to the peasant levies. If usingst year''s numbers, we have a little over seventy-thousand infantry units avable. Equipping them is going to be difficult, but not impossible. I am working with our Steward to ensure the smithies are working during the winter on equipment." He sat down.


    James looked at him with an appraising eye and nodded curtly, "Good. At first thaw, I want forces mustering across the Azure Divide." He looked over to the Admiral, and Dorian zoned out, staring out through the arch leading to the balcony and over the twinkling torches scattered around Kor''s Hold.


    He had been raised in the Free City of Bashinol but escaped his future as a deck swabbie by sneaking to Khrrdia aboard a vessel. He had worked his way up the city watch and through sheer chance had met James Marshal in the market district. The two struck up a conversation, and the Paragon hero had arranged for Dorian to do ateral transfer into the military. He worked hard to get to his current position,mander of the peasant levies¡­but the hardship was worth the effort.


    Something caught his eye. A streaking light of pale green through the night sky. He stood up, and the conversation at the table quieted. "What is that?" he asked quietly.


    The others looked to the balcony as well, and James drew his weapon and took a ready stance, "Everyone, far side of the room! Now!"


    Themanders hurried to do as instructed, and Dorian drew his light rapier as he took up a position behind and to the side of James. A gust of wind billowed through the archway as an arrow stuck into the stonework of the arch itself. "An assassination attempt?" he asked quietly as he gently put a hand on the Paragon''s shoulder to nudge him out of the line of fire.


    The Paragon shook off the hand, "No. They would not try a random shot into the coun-"


    The arrow vanished, and there was a small burst of blue mana as a womannded gracefully on the balcony, falling from where the arrow hand nted itself. A Duskari woman, with pale, white hair and piercing blue eyes. She had horns atop her head and was fully covered in ck full te armor. Instead of hands and feet, she had wicked, ck ws with white tips. The Demonic Dragon, Dorian thought.


    James growled, "You invade my city?!" he shouted in Khrrdian.


    The woman replied in the samenguage, letting therge, ck bow in her hand dip down to a rxed carrying position. "You visited Lynhold, I''m simply returning the favor. Sorry I wasn''t there to greet you; I was busy fortifying Trisk."


    Dorian''s jaw dropped. She''s the one? James had told the various councilors about the changes to the border with Trisk, and Dorian had learned from a servant that overheard the conversations exactly how impressive the fortifications were. She did it all on her own? He quietly shuffled toward the exit, knowing that no one in that room stood a chance against her save for the Paragon.


    James'' face was turned up in a scowl, "You did that? How? What evils did youmit?"


    "Come off it," The woman leaned on the archway and the bow shifted into the hilt of a de that she put into a socket on the hip of the armor, blending perfectly so that no weapon was visible at all. "I''m not evil. If anything, you are evil." Her face turned to a scowl, and she held up her hand with three fingers extended, "Every hero has joined me save for you, Kory, and Cecily."


    "What about Volio?" James asked. "I noticed he wasn''t there with the heroes when I visited."


    "Dead. He tried to thrall me, and I delivered justice."


    James yelled, "How could you kill him! He was our friend!"


    "He was my stalker," she replied confidently. "He deserved what he got for trying to rape me." She switchednguages once more, and Dorian saw the Paragon''s hero face go white at some revtion.


    Well, she doesn''t seem like she intends us harm now. Might as well try something reckless. Dorian sheathed his weapon. "Hi, we haven''t met." The Paragon shot him a venomous re, but Dorian ignored it. "I''m themander of the infantry, Dorian Valthem. You are?"


    The woman smiled lightly and dipped her head responding in Khrrdian, "Lyn Rivers, Empress of The Eternal Empire. The Destroyer."


    James scowled but did nothing more, and Dorian felt emboldened by the seemingly kind response to his inquiry. "If I may ask, how do you know King Marshal?"


    James shot him a withering re, but then looked back to the Destroyer, muttering something to her in his world''s uniquenguage.


    Sheughed, and it was entrancing. She responded in Khrrdian and looked at Dorian. "We have fought before. Tell me, do you recall how many heroes were summoned?"


    "Twenty," Dorian replied. The othermanders had backed to the edges of the room and drawn weapons, but Dorian paid them little heed as they slowly circled towards this Destroyer.


    "Correct. And I''m sure you know all of them. Name and designation."


    Dorian thought, and he could only recall neen. "I don''t know the Scout hero''s name." He looked at the woman with curiosity, "It''s like I can picture a human with a spear¡­but everything else is a blur."


    James shouted something in his world''snguage again, and the Destroyer looked at him and smirked before continuing her conversation with Dorian, "Ask your Paragon hero¡­who was the Scout hero? Why can you remember the names of every other hero, but not that single one?" She looked to the othermanders who froze in their movement as she looked around the room, "I''m sure all of you also picture a simr blur¡­ask yourselves why that is?" She looked to Dorian and smiled, "I hope you live a long life." She looked at James and spoke with him in thenguage of the heroes, before she turned and jumped off the balcony. A secondter, an enormous, ck dragon flew up and off to the North.


    Dorian looked at the Paragon hero who was seething with anger and shaking with rage. "Why didn''t you attack?" he asked the king.


    James looked back at him, "If we had fought here, the coteral damage would have been extreme." He sheathed his de, and Dorian felt he was hiding something else¡­but did not press. Another question rose to the front of his mind.


    "Why can''t I remember the Scout hero?" This question was echoed by the othermanders.


    James looked around the room and his face became a grimace. He pointed at the balcony, "That Duskari woman is the Destroyer. She is evil. She consumed the Scout hero. Maybe when the Destroyer consumes a hero, any non-hero has all recollection removed." He sighed with frustration and sank into his chair, gesturing for the othermanders to take their seats as well. "It probably learned my world''snguage that way as well. We have business to continue."


    Dorian took his seat, but he felt¡­off. You''re not telling us the full story, he thought. And ncing around the room, he could tell he wasn''t the only one who thought so.


    The spell finally concluded, and Cecily opened her eyes. She drew in a shaky breath and snapped her fingers. One of her servants brought over a sk of water and she drank greedily from it. "Tell me," she said, ncing at the woman. "What do you recall about the prophesied ruler of Shereld?"


    The woman curtsied, "Your grace, everyone has heard that story as a child! A woman, the Ruler hero from another world, named Vgonia woulde to power and unite all Shereld under her new kingdom." She giggled lightly and put her hand to her mouth, "Forgive me, but I find it funny that you are asking. Since you''re her after all. And you got rid of all those nasty non-Humans for us."


    Perfect, Cecily thought. The spell worked. She was now fulfilling an imnted false prophecy wrought in the minds of every Human across Vgonia. They see me as their destined ruler and are all fully united in their hatred of non-Humans. She now had an eternal scapegoat she could use as a permanent ''out'' group. "Fetch me the war council, I''ll see them here in the throne room."


    The servant nodded and ran off. Cecily waited, patiently, as her enormous mana reservoir slowly filled up. Her capacity was enormous, but the rate of replenishment could never be increased. Sadly, the Ruler core was one that refilled ponderously. It would be a full week to refill to full.


    Hermanders slowly came in and stood in front of her. She sat upright and felt the soreness of her muscles from sitting still for so long. "We prepare for war. In the spring, we march on Khrrdia." She looked across the men and women who were all fanatical in their devotion to her before the spell. "We prepare. Levies, professional infantry, navy ¨C get everything ready. And ensure for our enlistment efforts¡­we include that Khrrdia will have non-Humans to y."


    Kory pulled his head out of the water barrel and shook the liquid off like a dog. He looked around the camp he had set up with the recruits within Komorra''s borders. There was an¡­odd press he felt against his temple, and he winced in pain as something tried to force its way into his head. Fucking mind magic! He pictured the wooden barrel, focusing intently on nothing but that solid object to the exclusivity of everything else.


    The pressure ceased and he looked around, scanning the environment for the source of the spell. He saw nothing and walked over to some recruits. "Hey, did you all feel that?"


    "Feel what, sir?" the young man replied.


    She did it, Kory thought. Cecily finally pulled it off. He grinned and pped the young man on the back, almost throwing him off his feet. "Nothing. Carry on." He walked to the edge of the encampment where in the Roman legion style they had dug trenches, piled dirt, and nted stakes. He stared across the Azure Divide. Come Spring¡­I get to go wild. He chuckled as he nced North towards the Valley of the Volcano. The slight, red hue reflecting off the clouds above soured his mood of joviality at theing ughter. Eventually¡­I have to fight that again.


    The Demonic Dragon. The one fight he ran from. The one thing that scared him here on Ghomar¡­well, not the one thing. He feared Cecily, as well. She was incredibly powerful. No need to worry, she could take on the Demonic Dragon on her own. Kory looked back over the camp as they began to head to sleep.


    For now, there was work to be done. He wanted to turn these green recruits into the most vicious bastards possible. Mirror images of himself on the battlefield. His mercenaries had fled to God-knows where, and Fort Watch was no more ¨C he knew that much from the reports. This was a new start, a fresh start. He could make an even more famous name for himself in theing conflict.


    And it all started here, with these fresh-faced recruits. No sleep for you lot tonight, he thought as he headed to the center of camp. Wee to hell.

 B2 – Chapter 19

    James sat in his council chamber. The meeting had finished, but hismanders sat, waiting for the answer to their question.


    Dorian repeated it once more, "Why is the Scout hero a blur?" This was echoed by the othermanders.


    God damnit, James thought as he put his hands on his temples and leaned forward, shutting his eyes. Why the fuck did you have to show up here?


    She had talked to him in English at the end, parting with, "I don''t want to fight you. And, I''m going to stay on the sidelines in your impending conflict. But, if you end up starting to lose, and want my help¡­bend the knee and be a vassal kingdom under my rule."


    He looked up from the table and looked hismanders in the eyes. I can''t tell them the truth. I''ll lose credibility, and with war on the horizon that''s something that cannot happen.


    He cleared his throat, "Eleven years ago, when the ten remaining heroes fought the Demonic Dragon¡­we defeated the creature. It cost the Scout hero''s life. I don''t know why memories of the Scout are blurred for you all, but whatever it was did not affect the heroes." Fuck, I hate lying. It felt wrong, and his core seemingly chafed at the idea¡­but he had to. Opening his mouth, he tried to speak, but nothing came out. What? He tried again, but nothing came out. Fuck me¡­I can''t lie anymore?


    Themanders around the table nodded sagely in understanding, but Dorian stared at him. "What did she say to you in yournguage."


    "That she won''t be getting involved in our conflict with Vgonia." James said, finally having his words meet him. Just to test, he tried to say, ''I told her we would be allies'', and again the words caught in his throat. The fuck is happening?. He cleared his throat, "She also offered to side with us if I bent the knee and became a vassal king under her Empire."


    This caught all themanders off guard, and they began arguing with each other about the benefits of having such a powerful creature on their side, versus the inherent evil of the Destroyer itself.


    Dorian, however, remained quiet and just looked at James with a look of silent judgment. He stood up and hit the table with his ring, silencing the othermanders. "This is not something that a king alone should decide," he said. "This is something that the whole council should have the ability to decide upon. She said that she raised that whole wall along the Flontar River; that level of power to change the world around us could devastate our foes."


    James stood up and shook his head, "No, we will not fall to evil. We will fight Vgonia, defeat their armies, and force peace upon them. We have seven months. There is work to be done. Go to your tasks." He left the room and walked down the halls to the royal apartments.


    Lyn had also told him that every hero except himself, Cecily, Misty, and Kory were alive and well in Lynhold. That meant that any possible allies among the remaining heroes he could have gathered were no longer an option to recruit to his side. He was a single hero, on his own, heading a kingdom and preparing for war.


    It seemed like everything was on the verge of falling apart. Sure, the Destroyer might say she was going to stay out of the conflict, but if she was a wise tactician, she would wait until the very end of the war between Vgonia and Khrrdia, and then swoop in and defeat both sides and im power. And he would not bend the knee to a Destroyer who was evil.


    But that brought back his conversation with Maria, and the choice that he had put aside and kept pushing off. She had not given him an ultimatum, but it was damned close to one. Her and the kids, or the Paragon core. If the Destroyer wanted to, she could have in my whole highmand and ruined the whole pce in one fell swoop. The sheer audacity of the creature toe to his capital and intrude in his pce filled him with anger¡­but she was just returning the favor of his surprise visit. It was¡­a fair y.


    That forced him to stop and stand still. A Destroyer wouldn''t y fair. They would crush their enemies no matter what. If she did make that whole wall on her own, she could gue us with earthquakes and destroy all Khrrdia''s infrastructure. The same for Vgonia. He closed his eyes and focused on his mana core, feeling the soothing, calming light that burned brightly within washing away all sense of doubt.


    Maria''s argument seemed stronger, now, despite the inner light soothing away his concerns. He was unable to lie ¨C and that was a massive change. He wasn''t a very deceptive person, but a little lie here and there helped on asion, and telling half-truths was always valuable in politics which he detested but had to engage in. The fact he seemingly could not lie any more spoke volumes to the truth of Maria''s research¡­he was being inexorably changed.


    I can''t give up my power, he thought. Even if Misty knew a way to safely swap out the Paragon core with a dungeon core, I would not be strong enough to fight Vgonia in the way I should. As Paragon, he should be on the front lines leading his troops. Dungeon cores were powerful, granted, but they did not have the same baseline amount of mana as the hero cores, let alone the Paragon which was the strongest of the heroes.


    He stood outside the royal apartments and took a deep breath. Entering, he stood, shock-still, as he saw his wife sitting and having tea with the Destroyer, minus the draconic features. The Duskari woman looked up at him and set her teacup down. "Ah, wee in."


    James made to pull his de, but his wife held up a hand, "James¡­please, she''s not here to fight you. Just¡­sit down."


    He stayed at the door, "What do you want?"


    Lyn put a sugar cube into her teacup and stirred it slightly with a spoon before sipping it. "I wanted to leave you a message in your room, but surprise-surprise, you got married and have kids. Congrattions, by the wa-"


    James felt incensed, "If you threaten-"


    Maria looked at him, "Oh stop it. She hasn''t done anything threatening. In fact, she has been a lovely guest." She looked over at Lyn, "I''m sorry for my husband, it''s the Paragon core," she said, gesturing to the pile of research she had shown James that sat in front of Lyn.


    The Destroyer picked up the papers and waved them to James, "I read what happened to Kor Khreld." She set the papers down and leaned back, "I don''t want you to go the same way. And your wife doesn''t, either."


    James didn''t know what to say. He was at a loss for words at this seeming¡­betrayal. What? He shook his head. She''s not betraying me. She is my wife. She wants what is best for me. Again, his mana core pulsed, and he felt torn between a feeling of betrayal and uncertainty.


    "Thomas is a part of my Empire now," Lyn said. "At his request, I removed his hero core, and swapped it for a dungeon core." She looked at Maria.


    Maria stood up and went to James, putting a hand on his cheek, "My love¡­I don''t want to lose you to this power inside you. I want you to be the best king Khrrdia has ever seen." She teared up a bit, "I need you to be the James I love. The James that is a father to those two boys. The James that cares about everyone around him and wants to do the right thing."


    "But I do want the right thing!" James said loudly. He pointed at Lyn, "This person here, is evil-"


    Maria pped him. Hard. He felt the impact across his face and whilst it didn''t hurt him, it did shock him. They had never been physically abusive to each other, and almost unconsciously he put his hand to where she had struck him. She was crying and looked into his eyes, "You''re not my James anymore¡­my James saw the good in every person." She poked him in the chest, and her voice cracked, "My James¡­the man I married¡­he tried to make peace and keep everyone happy¡­"


    James made to hug her, but she pushed him away. "Maria¡­"


    "Don''t!" she said as she went back to the bed. "If you want to be the man I married¡­you''ll give up the Paragon and be normal again."


    Lyn set her teacup down and reached into a storage dimension, pulling out a tube-shaped device, and a wooden sphere. "I have a dungeon core, and an inscribed device to swap your Paragon core out. I did it to Thomas." She tapped her chest, "I have the Knowledge hero core. And he''s perfectly fine."


    James didn''t know what to say. He looked between Maria, this device, and down at his torso. "But¡­I won''t¡­" he felt himself choking up and the welling tears, "I won''t be¡­a hero¡­"


    Lyn shook her head, "You are a hero, James. To the people of Khrrdia, hell, the whole of Ghomar." She frowned and switched to English. "You might not believe it, since that letter I sent spoke to the opposite¡­and I punched you in that weird dungeon encounter¡­but I''m over it. You guys blotting me from memory? I don''t care anymore. Because I have a higher calling than just being the Scout that slew the Demonic Dragon. Keep your stolen valor. You can train up your mana core just like Kory discovered all those years ago ¨C mana cirction. Heck, do it daily for a few hours, and in a couple years you''ll be just as strong as you are now." She smiled, "Plus, you''ll be able to use any spell type. The only thing you lose out on is that unique Paragon light travel spell. That, and the seeming madness that took the founder of Khrrdia."


    James looked down at his hands, and then over to Maria. She had sat on the bed and was staring as Lyn''s words were said in anguage she had noprehension of. I¡­the Paragon core red in his chest¡­but did not break through the anguish he felt at Maria''s statement. He looked up at Lyn, "Promise me something," he said in Khrrdian.


    "What do you want me to promise?" Lyn asked.


    James looked at Maria and then back behind him to the door opposite his chambers ¨C where his boys were sleeping. "Promise me you will make this world a better ce." He drew Aelor''An''r and set it on the ground. He walked over to Maria and brushed her tears away. "I''ll do it. I''ll give up my Paragon core¡­because you and the boys are more important to me."


    She hugged him, and they lingered in that embrace for several moments before he pulled away. He looked up to Lyn and she waited, patiently standing in the same spot. "I''m¡­sorry. For shrouding you in memory. For not believing you are you." He felt his mana core still surging in his chest, but knew, now, that it was intrinsically changing him for the worse in the long run. "You''re sure I''ll be okay? I don''t want to be a shell of myself like that necromancer Misty pulled the core out of."


    Lyn nodded, "It''s safe. Lay down, take off the armor and open your shirt." James did as he was told, and Maria helped him out of the armor. Heid down, and Lyn opened the wooden sphere, pulling out a dungeon core that swirled with bright, white light. She ced it in one of the spherical portions of the tube and ced the end of the tube on his chest. "Before we do this¡­Thomas theorized that this means you can''t go back to Earth. When you die one day, rebirth on Ghomar is the only option ording to him. Are you-"


    James smiled gently and looked at Maria, "I''m sure."


    Lyn nodded and braced the tube against his torso, "This will hurt a bit." Maria leaned over and hugged him tightly as he saw the outline of blue mana flowing from Lyn''s body and into the device.


    He felt the mana core in his torso trying to hold fast, clinging to him. A roaring noise echoed in his ears, and he felt a sudden instinct to hold on and try to fight the force that was sucking it away¡­but he resisted that urge thanks to the woman embracing him, and the memories of his life with her and their two sons. A jolt of pain ¨C like he had been stabbed in the chest ¨C arced through him, and he grunted as he felt a sudden void in his torso ¨C a hollowness. An instantter, as the world began to dim, he felt a surge of light in his chest and sucked in a deep breath.


    "And we did it," Lyn said as she opened the spherical device and held the Paragon core in her hand. She squeezed it, and it vanished. "I know that was hard, James¡­but thank you."


    Maria brushed his hair as he rxed into the bed, "Thank you, my love."


    James kissed her and he felt¡­light. As if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "Guess I''m not James the Paragon anymore."


    Lyn smiled and knelt, grabbing the de that James was equipped with once he had touched the statue of Aelor all those years ago. She set it on the bed, "James Marshal, King of Khrrdia." She smiled at him and reached for his hand, giving it a squeeze. "You still get to be a fantasy world hero with swords and sorcery."


    James nodded and kissed Maria before gently pushing her off him. He sat up and looked at the de, he tried to pick it up, but it burned when he touched the hilt. "I don''t think I can wield it anymore," he said with a sigh.


    Lyn looked at the weapon, "Well¡­I have contacts amongst the feysmiths on Feylin. I''ll prioritize making you an artifact sword." She picked up the light de, pulled a hilt from a socket on her hip, and the two merged together as she put the hilt back. "And I''ll convince Thomas to give up revenge. But you might want to apologize."


    James stood up, "Thank you for being¡­good, Lyn. But¡­why? We were never really friends."


    "Without you letting me watch your special spell back before we fought the Demonic Dragon, I wouldn''t have developed the one that let me kill it. If that didn''t happen, I wouldn''t have be the Destroyer and have this chance to rule Ghomar and fix everything wrong." She smiled slightly, "Yeah, once upon a time not too long ago I wanted you to pay dearly. But after seeing your wife and hearing about the kids¡­they deserve a good father." Her voice choked up slightly, but her face remained in that slight smile. "I had a shitty dad. And Maria told me how you are with your boys. This world needs that goodness. Raise them right. Raise them to rule justly. Give them the best childhood possible. Don''t let them turn out fucked up like I did."


    This book''s true home is on another tform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    James looked at Maria and grabbed her hand, "I''ve got some rity now with that core out of me." He looked to Lyn and smiled, "I''d be honored to bring Khrrdia into the fold of your Empire."


    Lyn smiled and reached into a storage dimension, ced the mana core device in it, and pulled out a mirror. "This will let youmunicate with my Chancellor, Vehenna, directly. We can coordinate the details through that."


    "I have a question," Maria said. "You can use that tube-thing to give anyone a dungeon core?"


    "That''s correct."


    She looked at James and smiled, "You want to keep the boys as safe as possible, right? What better way than to give them a powerful mana core and start training them up? They''re almost ten."


    James smiled and looked at Lyn, "Would you be willing?"


    "Once they''re a bit older. Let''s say high school age. And we''ll need dungeon cores for them. I don''t have spares right now."


    James raised a quizzical eyebrow, "But you had that one in a wooden sphere."


    "I have enough for each hero that still has their mana core at Lynhold. I don''t have spares beyond that." She looked out the alcove to the balcony, "So, what''s this special lightspeed travel spell?"


    James went to a table and wrote down the verse on a sheet of parchment, handing it to Lyn. He gave her a hug, and she returned it. "I want a badass sword from those feysmiths," he whispered.


    She nodded and whispered back, "I''ll make sure it lets you turn into a dragon."


    He pulled back from her slightly and switched to English, "You''d¡­do that for me?"


    She nodded and replied kindly, "You can give your kids dragon rides. Lawrence did it for Trisha and Ben''s kids, and they seemed to love it." She chuckled, separated from his hug, and went over to Maria, giving her a slight hug as well as she switched back to hernguage. "Thank you for helping convince him. I promise you; my Empire is going to be the best thing that has happened on Ghomar." She looked back to James, "I''ll ensure my Marshal reaches out to coordinate. In the Spring¡­Vgonia will fall."


    James crossed his arms and frowned, "Cecily is evil, you know that, right?"


    "Oh yeah. She''s not getting a chance like you did. We''ll crush her, depose her, and I''ll strip her of her Ruler core."


    "Good. That bitch deserves to die."


    Lyn nodded and went to the balcony, "Take care of your boys. I''ll be in touch." She lifted her hand, incanted the spell on the parchment, and vanished in a beam of blue light.


    Maria came up behind James and hugged him. He held her hands and leaned back into her warm embrace. "Thank you for saving me from myself," James whispered.


    "You''ll always be my hero," she said quietly.


    Lyn arrived in Lynhold in less than a second and took a deep breath as vertigo hit her. Holy fuck. She threw up and wiped her mouth as her focus on the shifting spell vanished and the draconic features returned. Okay, that''s going to take some getting used to. The mana cost was not too significant, and so she could probably traverse all Ghomar several times over before running out. Looking around, she saw very little activity which made sense as it waste.


    She had not expected that would work. At first, she just wanted to drop in on James and show him that he was just as reachable as she was¡­but as she flew off, her eyes spotted two boys that looked just like James in a courtyard, staring up at her. She circled back and shifted back, descending with her cloak, and met James'' twin boys. They were spitting images of their father, and their mother ran out to see what stranger had descended from the sky.


    She''s a good woman, she thought. Without Maria''s research and her help convincing James, there was no way that she could have pulled off what she had just pulled off. Not only did she get the Paragon core without violence and bloodshed, but she also had just acquired the vassalization of Khrrdia. Work needed to be done¡­but the foundation was set. Pure fucking luck. She could have always killed the royal family, killed James, leveled the entire pce - but what good would that do to her ultimate cause? It would make bringing every kingdom under her control far more difficult. Khrrdia would never submit to a foreign power who had in their beloved Paragon - or stripped him of his core and left him a vegetable. No...this was the easiest way for Lyn to take control. Manipte the figurehead, bring him into the fold, and the rest of the kingdom would follow.


    Not quite what I had in mind...but this rapidly increases progress.


    She went into the fortress proper and then diverted course to the hidden grove leading to Feylin. They hade up with a simple system since the feysmiths coulde and go at their leisure; a sign with the order ced on it, a spot for the raw materials, a delivery spot, and a tube for rolled-up schematics. Lyn grabbed some of the nearby parchment and jotted down a design ¨C closing her eyes and letting the Artificer coree to the surface as her hand moved on its own.


    Within minutes she had an intricate design for a spell-powered submarine, and she ced it inside the tube. Reaching into her storage dimension, she pulled out something she had dredged up from the magma within Shiverburn Summit ¨C adamantine. It''s the least I can do, she thought. Since I took his special sword.


    The weapon of the Paragon supposedly passed down from Aelor himself to his strongest fragment. And now it''s just one of many artifacts at my disposal. I guess it wasn''t some special deity-granted de. She had read the inscription, and it would be capable of delivering light-charged attacks ¨C which she could already do. The benefit, it seemed, is that none could use it save the Paragon. Now that she had that core¡­no one could wield Cataclysm save for her.


    She left the chamber and returned to her throne room. Vael was sitting next to the throne, reading some book, but shut it and stood up quickly as Lyn approached. "Empress Rivers," she said as she saluted.


    "Oh, cut the formality, you know when it''s just us you''re good to just use Lyn." She waved for the bodyguard to follow her, "Come, I desirepanionship this evening."


    "With pleasure," Vael said as she followed the empress to her chambers. Lyn closed the doors behind them, dismissed her armor to the pocket dimension, and threw the other woman on the bed.


    Thomas woke up with the sunrise. He performed his morning routine, which included filling a tub to sit in as he circted mana. He would have to continue the process for several years, but he knew he could have just as much of a mana reservoir as the Knowledge hero core with dedication. Just like exercise, once you built the habit it became hard to break. Then, after that was done, he would visit the kitchens and grab breakfast before heading to the archive ¨C arge space that was on the second floor of the fortress that he had no clue existed until moving here.


    Lyn had moved all the books and tomes from the Ruins of Elent, and Thomas began categorizing them into their various sections, inscribing the new, wooden bookshelves with simple spells that would prevent unauthorized users from essing the tomes, keep them dry, and keep them pristine. Stes came up a few minutester and greeted him as she went to her duties ¨C working on Thomas'' school n that would, with time and dedication, roll out across the Empire by the next year.


    Today was odd, though, as a person Thomas would never have expected came up and knocked on the frame of the door. "So, this is where you took my student to," Misty said in Triskol as she walked in.


    Thomas stood up, "Oh, yeah." He waved towards Stes, "She''s done wonders."


    "Hmm." Misty walked up and swapped to English. "I want to make one thing very clear. You and I ¨C we aren''t friends."


    "Heard loud and clear," Thomas replied.


    "Make sure in this school system you''re setting up that there is some type of magical evaluation so that the best and the brightest are sent to my mage school."


    "Already nned on it," Thomas replied. "Stes is working on the advancement system now. We went with tracked instead of grade-level."


    Misty waved her hand, "Don''t care." She turned away and looked at the wall of books and the piles still waiting for categorization, "All of the knowledge from the Ruins of Elent?" Thomas nodded and she walked forward, "This is how you learned how to cheat death, is it?"


    "Yes," Thomas replied walking up next to her, "It''s a painstaking process. Cloning is tricky, but scarring is easy."


    "Cloning. Making a legit copy of yourself." Thomas nodded as she continued. "And how did you figure out how to do that?"


    "Turns out the Elenthians didn''t reproduce sexually. They could, but they instead would pair up, take both partner''s gic material, and thenbine them using a spell. Then it''s ced into a saline-filled tube, and you use a variety of spells to elerate the body''s growth. I just took out theponent that enables the forming of a consciousness. It''s an empty shell, ready for a vessel."


    Misty shook her head, "My method of immortality is much less intensive."


    Thomas nced at her, "Well, good for you. If you want to share, I''m all ears."


    "Fuck off," Misty said as she turned to leave. "You stole one of my top students. You slept with Lyn. I paid off my debt to you for helping to make the mage school. We''re coworkers now, nothing more. In totally different departments, at that. You stay out of my way; I''ll stay out of yours."


    Thomas nodded, "Hell, I''m not even a hero anymore."


    "What?"


    "Lyn made an inscribed item that lets someone swap their cores out. I have a nice, strong, Elenthian dungeon core in me," he said as he tapped his chest. "Lyn has the Knowledge core now."


    Misty''s eyes lit up, "So¡­we could switch cores¡­but your personality hasn''t changed, right?"


    Thomas didn''t like that look in her eyes. There was some plotting going on in her mind, "I''m still me, yes."


    "Then¡­I could use it on her."


    Thomas shook his head, "Doubt it. Her consciousness is fully merged with the remnants of Raevan and Yheron. She told me what you tried to pull, and it didn''t work."


    "What do you know about it!" Misty shouted. "Nothing! You never loved her like I did!"


    "You tried to separate her soul from the Destroyer core by surgically removing it. That didn''t work. Now you want to use a vacuum to just suck Lyn out of the Destroyer? It''s even less refined. Face it, the Lyn you fell in love with in the past is gone."


    Misty''s face contorted in rage but then, a momentter, calmed and stilled. "There is one way." She left the room and almost ran into Lyn on the way. "Oh, shit."


    Lyn crossed her arms and stood in ce, "Well, you decided to move your mage school ¨C Lawrence filled me in."


    "It''s centrally located, protected, and you will eventually get what you want¡­you always do. I''d rather have the best and brighteste to learn from a master. If you have an education system, you need higher education. I''ll provide that."


    Lyn stood aside and smiled softly, "Well, we''re the better for you." She reached into a storage dimension and pulled out a silver amulet, "Communication amulets. Feel free to call anytime."


    Misty took it and because her back was facing him, Thomas couldn''t see her expression, but the slight tremor to her shoulders did not escape his attention. Whatever. She wants distance from me? That''s fine. "Lyn, what can I do for you?"


    She walked into the chamber and whistled, "Impressive. You''re doing good in here." She switched to Triskol and walked over to Stes, "This is the education system?"


    The Vharthon looked up and smiled, "Yes. We''re just about done mapping out the general way things will work."


    "Do¡­do you have another tail?"


    "Yes. I do. I''ve been circting mana as Thomas has taught me. I finally have enough mana for illusion spells."


    "Good for you. Keep up the good work." Lyn walked back to Thomas and switched to English, "We need to talk about James."


    Thomas felt a flush as blood raced to his face. "What about him?" He grunted as he looked at the bookshelf, knelt, and began to sort.


    "He''s not the Paragon anymore."


    Thomas felt¡­mixed emotions. Relief that James wasn''t a threat anymore. Anger at him not getting the killing blow himself. "How did he die?"


    "He didn''t. I took his core, and he bent the knee."


    That fucker¡­he deserves more. Thomas looked up at Lyn, "So what did you swap out?"


    Lyn''s face showed a bit of remorse but there was resolution behind her eyes. "I swapped out a dungeon core. He''s going to still rule Khrrdia, but he will serve me." She knelt next to Thomas and began to sort with him. "I couldn''t just strip him and make him hollow. I know you want him dead or worse¡­but he''s a dad with kids. His wife is a wonderfuldy, and those kids are turning out pretty well from what I saw in my brief interaction with them."


    Thomas nodded, "Maria is a good person."


    "It wasn''t totally his fault, I don''t think. His Paragon core was affecting him. His wife saw the changes, and I think at the end he was fighting against it."


    Thomas sighed and put a book onto the shelf. "Thank you for giving some justice for my death. I don''t want anything to do with James." He looked up at Lyn, "It was him. Maybe the core was helping push him to what he did¡­but he did not want to give up power."


    "In the end he did. That has to count for something."


    Thomas nodded, "And that''s why I won''t plot to kill him. You have my word." He looked up at Lyn, "I''m happy you resolved that peacefully."


    "Vgonia is preparing for war, and James is going to keep preparing." She smiled and looked at Thomas, "We''ll make sure to keep our activities secret¡­but then we''ll hit them hard. Cecily is going down."


    Thomas nodded, "Good."


    "I''ll leave you to your work." She left.


    Thomas sighed and kept doing what he loved ¨C curating knowledge and putting his brain to use. He looked over to Stes, "Soon enough," he said in Triskol, "We''ll be able to make our clones."


    Stes looked over her shoulder and nodded, "I have the items we need ready to go as per your instructions."


    Thomas nodded, "Right. Good. After we finish our duties, I''ll set to work. Did we find a secret ce to store them until we can move them into Lyn''s storage space?"


    "I did," She said as she turned in her chair and smiled, "I got to know Trisha a bit, and she''s interested in the whole process. She wants to know how you do it so that she can help couples conceive children."


    Thomas nodded, "At the hospital?"


    "Yes. She has a room set aside. All the items are in there."


    "Good." Thomas stood up and stretched, "Have you given thought to what you want your clone to beposed of?"


    "I thought my own Vharthon self, mixed with Duskari since they have longevity and enhanced senses."


    Thomas nodded, "Smart idea. Do you mind if I do the same?"


    "Oh? Taking a fancy to Vharthons?"


    "Not particrly. I just thought it would be cool to try something different each time."


    Stes stood up and poured herself some water, "Interesting idea." She turned around and regarded him with curious eyes as she sipped the drink, "What I want to know is how she''s going to deal with you being basically immortal and being in her council. She wanted a meritocracy, right? How is that fair?" She gestured between the two of them, "How would, say, if you weren''t going to make me a backup body, let me have the chance to pass you?"


    "That ys out in one of two ways with multi-longevity races." He raised his index finger, "Either the person with the longer lifespan bes more proficient over time until they cannot be removed because no one is better than them." He raised his middle finger, "Or, you have a dual system. For instance, Chancellor Vehenna is doing amazing in her position. She''s Duskari, so she will outlive any Human, Sloren, Newen, Foskor, Raptin, or Vharthon. Instead of having a singr ''Chancellor'' position, Lyn should have two. One for the Ari or Duskari that fills the role, and one that is filled by one of the shorter-longevity races."


    "Smart," Stesmented as she finished her drink. "Have you brought it up with her?"


    "I''ll get her to sign off on itter."


    "One more thing," Stes said as she sat down. "Professor Misery¡­I feel kind of bad for her."


    "Don''t. Don''t feel bad for her. She didn''t move on Lyn romantically when she had the chance, and she''ll get over it." Thomas went back to his work, pushing aside thoughts of what Misty might do with ess to these Elenthir texts. She might have full mastery of Elenthir, just as he had thanks to his eidetic memory. But the different applications were all methods that a regr person would not consider.


    I''ll have to monitor her ess, Thomas thought. He went to the doorway and channeled mana into an inscription that he carved into the stone with a sharpened bit of metal. More wards. I should ward the fuck out of this room.


    "Finally!" Brad said as he walked up to see Fin. "I''ve been waiting for this."


    The Keeper of Ravens turned around and smiled. She clicked her tongue, and a beautiful, ck raven with a slightly blue beak pped down andnded on her outstretched forearm. "Alchemist Brad, this is Bluebeak. Not sure how that happened, but it might be due to your bonding."


    The raven looked over at Brad, "Hi. I''m Bluebeak."


    Brad held out his forearm, "Come on over."


    The bird did so, and he could feel the slight grip of the talons on his sleeve. "This is a nice perch."


    Fin handed brad a small pouch, "This has a bunch of his favorite seeds. He has a predilection for sunflowers."


    Brad scratched Bluebeak''s head, "And does he know his way around Ghomar?"


    Fin nodded, "All ravens are shown a map of the world and they''re very bright."


    Bluebeak nodded, "Yes sir! I know all the ces on the big paper."


    "Thanks, Fin," Brad said as he descended the stairs. Looking at Bluebeak he knew his n was about to go into action. His revenge against Cecily. "Hey, Bluebeak, I need you to do something very important."


    "Sure boss. Whatever you need."


    Brad opened the pouch and held up some seeds, and Bluebeak chomped down on them. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out the pouch with the enlightenment drug and tied it to one of his legs. "I need you to fly to Cecria, then,nd somewhere, open the bag ¨C rip it, w it, however you can ¨C and then distribute the dust over the city as best you can."


    "You got it! Can I have more seeds?"


    "Sure," Brad replied as he poured another small handful. The bird greedily chowed down on the offering, and Brad wiped his hand clean after he had finished. "Ready?"


    "Off to work!" The raven lifted off and began to fly to the Southeast.


    Brad felt satisfaction wash through him. Finally, after years of being under Cecily''s thrall and mental conditioning¡­he was getting back at her. It wouldn''t hurt anyone and would destabilize her realm. All ording to n. He chuckled and left the fortress, heading to his workshop to begin the day''s work.

 B2 – Chapter 20

    Lyn sat on her seat in the throne room as the council arrived and took their seats. She had called a full council meeting, so even more chairs were set up behind the seats of each person for their various underlings.


    "Excellent. Let''s get started." Lyn said in Shereldian as she stood up, "First off; I have made Khrrdia bend the knee. They will be going through the same efforts of vassalization as Trisk is. However, I will not be raising walls or coastal forts."


    She looked to Marshal Remora, "Vgonia and Khrrdia are preparing for war, and I don''t want to tip our hand to Cecily that we will be supporting Khrrdia. We have until Spring. Seven months. Our defenses along The Rill will be manned by Trisk''s forces, and The Dragon''s Maw will be manned by our own. I do not n on engaging Vgonia with all of our forces¡­instead, I will take to the battlefield alongside King Marshal''s armies. The job of our military will be to protect what we already have."


    Marshal Remora stood up, "Forgive me, Empress. But why would you step on the battlefield yourself?"


    Lyn grinned, "I wish to avoid bloodshed if possible. If I show my full power on the battlefield, we can end this war and force capittion." She looked over to Spymaster Velenna, "Your information gathering efforts will be focused internally. I don''t want to risk an agent being caught up in Vgonia. Instead, root out dissent amongst our own ranks; throughout Trisk and Khrrdia itself." She looked out across every person in the room, "Lastly, at the advice of the Knowledge hero, there is a change to be made to how this council functions."


    At this, every person sat up a little straighter than before. Lyn took a deep breath, "Ari and Duskari will have a senior-advisory role in their position. So, for example, Chancellor Vehenna would fill that position. Races that are less long-lived will fill in a junior role. The two will be of equal standing in my eyes, and both will be granted the same amount of consideration when they provide insight. In this fashion, we will not only acquire the wisdom of age in decision making, but also the insight of a fresh perspective."


    She looked to the Duskari in the room, "You will, of course, be allowed to retire should you choose to do so. However, it is unfair of me to force you out of a position you find yourself well suited for." Lyn sat down and gestured to the table as a whole. "This is my decree. You who are already in those positions will prospect suitable candidates from the shorter longevity races. Now, report out."


    Chancellor Vehenna stood up and bowed, "Our efforts abroad are going very well. Diplomat Rashanna has sessfully brought the Foskor into the fold, especially since news of King Skir of Trisk bending the knee spread throughout the North. She is on her way to Raptol, then Vharthos after." She gestured to Thomas as she sat down.


    Thomas stood up and cleared his throat, "The Elenthir primer is finished, and is tranted to everynguage. Distribution ns are ongoing. I will have the schooling system finished by the end of the month, thanks to the efforts of Stes, my assistant. We can then start to package materials and send them off to cities, towns, and viges. I''d like to require some type of teacher certification program, but that''s a ways off. For the future, we should implement such a requirement. But for now, this will do." He sat down.


    Trisha and Brad both stood up. Trisha began, "The healer school has received many new applicants, and we are still working on figuring out the best way to amodate all of them. Progress is steady. We''ve been working alongside the Duskari smiths to create prosthetics of all variety to have stocked up, so that we may help fix people''s injuries."


    Brad nodded, "And the pharmacy has begun producing medical supplies. Purple Patches are being prioritized so that we may properly equip our troops for battlefield first aid. Other medicines are in the production pipeline with Trisha''s advice on what to prioritize."


    The two sat down and Lyn nodded, "Thank you. Next, Steward Mol."


    Thane Mol stood up and cleared his throat, "Yer coins are bein'' spent correctly. Tha Free City o'' Bashinol sent word tha'' a few ships are on course. We''re going ta need a bank o'' theirs to be here."


    Lyn tented her wed hands, "The Free City of Bashinol will not be the arbiter of trade. I will see to that personally." She looked directly at Thane Mol, "I want you to begin the efforts to the establishment of our own banking system and coinage. I''ll dredge up the raw metals you need, and make the facilities you require."


    Thane Mol bowed slightly and gestured to Lawrence who stood up. "Lynhold is expanding still," He said with a smile. "The citizens are all getting along, and we are not wanting for any resources. Thanks to Brad''s ability to use flora spells, we can grow crops at a pace where we can easily stock up for winter with plentiful excess. I''ve instituted a crop rotation to ensure we have variety. The herding pastures in Trisk are doing well, and the flocks grow. A group of Ari arrived from Trisk and have been settled in. Overall, poption wise, we have ny-thousand people living in the Valley of the Volcano." He looked to Lyn and frowned slightly, "We areing across an issue where people are aimless and feel a need for¡­something to fill their time."


    Lyn nodded, "Well, they are always wee to join the military."


    Lawrence shook his head, "When everything is provided, people grow restless. And many do not wish to fight. They need purpose."


    "Thoughts?" Lyn asked the table atrge.


    Vael raised her hand, "How about an improvement project? Something where skilledbor isn''t necessary."


    Thomas stood up, "She has a good idea. We should provide materials appropriate to painting, sculpting, writing¡­any creative avenue we can provide. Make the whole city a canvas for expression. It would also serve doubly as promoting to the vassal kingdoms that we value creativity, and over time Lynhold would be synonymous with cultural advancement and enlightenment."


    Lawrence nodded, "Great idea. I''ll get that up and running."


    Antiquarian Menora stood up next, "Lady Rivers, my recent expedition to the coast has borne fruit." She waved her hand, and a group of two Duskari brought forth a sealed, wooden crate. They cracked it open and produced an inscribed jar the size of a tree stump. "Thanks to Schr Thomas, we know that this jar can produce an endless supply of honey. After speaking with Thane Mol, I request that this device be gifted to the Sloren who are working on a brewery project."


    Lyn nodded, "I do not wish to be like Cecily and strip away some of the luxuries of life like alcohol¡­but we will need drunkennessws. I don''t want anyone in the Empire to fall into alcoholism." She looked over to Thomas, "It would seem we need a Keeper of Laws added to the council. Would you mind mantling that responsibility for the time being until we find a suitable candidate?"


    Thomas nodded, "Sure."


    Minora took her seat, and the two Duskari took the crate and jar away. Thane Mol stood up once more, "We dun'' have an Architect."


    Lyn looked over at Lawrence, "Weren''t you in an engineering ss back on Earth? How would you like to take a crack at city nning?"


    Lawrence smirked, "Happy to give it a try."


    "Make sure you find someone who is interested in training up under you," she said as Thane Mol sat down. "Lastly, Spymaster Velenna."


    The Spymaster stood and bowed, "We will begin withdrawing our spies from Vgonia as per your directive and redistribute them throughout Trisk and Khrrdia. Reports areing in that some of the people being imported by our contract with the Free City are being paid to do so, in addition to being those who are down on their luck. Apparently, we are also receiving criminals in part of that poption. This has not caused problems yet, but we will need to have appropriate facilities should they begin to cause trouble."


    Lyn stared at the table for a few moments, tapping her wed fingers on the obsidian b. She looked up to Velenna, "How bad are the criminals?"


    "Primarily thieves. As we are supplying all their needs, I believe that many will not act as they once did. However, there are some who were put into jail for rape and even murder."


    Lyn frowned, "What are our options?"


    "For the rapists and murderers, we could consider mind external spells to fix their behavior, but I do not know if such a thing has been tried or if it is even possible. There is also the general taboo against mind spells by the popce."


    "It is possible," Thomas replied. "I''ll write the spell, Lady Rivers can make an inscribed item, and we can have any hero, Duskari, Ari, or multi-tailed Varthon utilize the object to cure the criminal element."


    "What of the aspect where mind spells and forced changes being seen by the popce as a way to control them?" Gael asked quietly.


    The Spymaster looked at the bodyguard, "It would need to be done quietly. Those who are identified as violent criminals or who havemitted some terrible deed can be quietly approached and altered." She waved her hand dismissively, "A strong Empress will need a strong policing force to keep the dissidents in check. It is, I''d argue, better for the person to have their mind slightly altered, instead of locking them up in a prison."


    Lyn looked across and nodded before turning her attention to the Spymaster, "This also provides us with an opportunity. A way to grow our poption even faster is by offering to remove undesirables from Khrrdia and Trisk. Ensure we contact each monarch directly and instruct them to send their most violent criminals to us under guard and escort. We can reform them with this item I will create."


    She looked to the heroes who were present and saw the difort in their faces aside from Thomas. She switched to English, "I know it sounds bad, but I would rather reform these people with a spell instead of incarcerate them. Minor changes to fix the bad behavior. We aren''t making them thralls." This seemed to satisfy the heroes whose expressions shifted. She shifted back to Shereldian, "Continue."


    The Spymaster nodded and sat, as Fin stood up. "Lady Rivers, the ravens have all been upgraded with your new spell as per your instructions. The next generations are continuing to flourish, and we have enough to begin your next task."


    Lyn nodded and saw the questioning nces from around the room. She reached into the nape of her armor and pulled out her amulet, "These will allow our citizens tomunicate, but we also need a way to deliver items. Ravens will fill that need; able to transport small quantities of items. Ideally, we will eventually use a spell that can increase the size of our feathered friends, so thatrger deliveries may be facilitated. But until then, a raven postal system will serve our needs well."


    Fin sat, andstly Bolvon approached from behind the throne, hidden in the shadows at the back of the room. He walked up next to Gael alongside Lyn''s chair and bowed slightly, "I have finished my efforts of breaking into every possible location along the Valley''s exterior. ws have been forwarded to Marshal Remora for remediation." He looked to Lyn and smirked, "Praise the goddess, it was a very small number of ws. The troops are well trained."


    Lyn nodded, "Excellent. Your next task will be to travel to Khrrdia and shadow King James Marshal. Vgonia will doubtless try to eliminate him, and they would never expect a Duskari Shadowstalker protecting the man."


    Bolvon nodded and stood in a rxed stance as Marshal Remora stood up and bowed. "Mydy, the military has grown. We have volunteers who are forming the equivalent of a levy core, but we will be training them much more extensively. Newen have been incorporated into the Duskari Squadrons to enable stealth-spells in the field. Advisors, your turn."


    The various Duskari trainers that Lyn had determined months ago for the various weapon-types each spoke a few sentences regarding their efforts. Most new recruits showed promise with spears and hammers or maces over swords. Perfect, Lyn thought. More frontlinebatants. nosh eventually had his turn and stood up, "Lady Rivers, the Newen within the Valley have all rallied to Lynhold. Thirty-thousand strong, with ten-thousand of usbat ready. We thank you for giving our kind this chance to prove our worth on the battlefield." He sounded¡­patriotic and very sincere.


    Lyn smiled, "Your service is greatly appreciated, Strike Commander nosh. Please keep up the good work."


    Admiral Na stood up and bowed, "We have begun construction of this first ''ironside'' as you call it. Our shipwrights will have the first vesselpleted within two months'' time, and we can then test it in theke. In the meantime, the marines stand ready to travel wherever needed in the longboats."


    The various military advisors sat down, and Ben looked around a few times before standing up. "I''m new to this," he began. "And I''ve been keeping a general eye on things. Lyn¡­Lady Rivers¡­you are missing one key, vitalponent in your military arsenal. Shield walls."


    "I believe that we have that covered with our infantry," Marshal Remora began, but Ben cut her off.


    "No. You don''t. Not a proper shield wall. What we need are phnx-style units." He went on to describe a traditional Greek phnx, ending with, "I spoke with Thomas, and nowhere in Ghomar''s history has the formation been utilized in warfare. We need to take advantage of that approach, and we also need to trainrge-scale drill formations. We don''t have the open space within the Valley proper, but just outside of The Dragon''s Maw is the perfect training space."


    Lyn shook her head, "I don''t want any scouts Vgonia has to know of our preparations. It''s not something that we can risk. Secrecy remains our ally for now."


    Ben shrugged, "Then just use earth elementalism to make us a battlefield sized training area."


    Lyn nodded, "I''ll alter somend outside the Northern exit of the Valley to be useable for that purpose. Thank you for your input." Ben sat down and nodded tersely before the room fellpletely quiet. She took a deep breath in. "The Fall and Winter areing. We have seven months to prepare. Council meetings will ur going forward once a week. The small council ¨C Chancellor, Steward, Marshal, Spymaster ¨C will meet with me every day for a short report. Use yourmunication amulets as needed."


    She stood up, "I thank you all for your service to my Empire. We will change Ghomar for the better, so that all races may live together in a harmonious, single whole. It will be a long, difficult road to that ce¡­but we will get there." She reached into her storage dimension choker and pulled out several gemstones she had pulled up from the depths of the earth, and then used a transmutation spell to shape into perfect squares with a small pin on the back. "I give each of you one of these. A token of my gratitude for your efforts. They will serve as symbols of your office, alongside yourmunication amulets."


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition.


    She went to the throne and took the seat, Gael and Vael nking her as Bolvon slipped into the darkness behind the chair itself. "I''ll set up those training grounds right now for you." Closing her eyes, she focused her mana within her core and felt the churning, rumbling of the Destroyer core ready to serve her whims. She drew it up through her body, into her mana channels, and into the throne below her which increased the range at which she could manifest spells. She visualized the spur ofnd outside of the Northern entrance, and with thought alone thanks to the Elementalist hero core, shaped it to her whims.


    When she had opened her eyes a few minutester, the room had cleared out save for Lawrence and Thomas who were chatting in English. They looked up as she stood. Lawrence dipped his head and left, but Thomas walked up to her. "You need to talk to Misty."


    Lyn sighed and nodded, "I know. I''ll do it today."


    He looked at her with a critical eye, "May I see yourmunication amulet?"


    Lyn sighed and nodded, "You''ll be around for as long as I will if everything goes to n." She pulled the amulet out from around her neck and Thomas held it gingerly.


    "Like I thought. You can use this ''master'' amulet to look through and listen to the history of any other amulet that uses your inscription."


    Lyn nodded as she tucked the amulet back under her armor. "Yes. I know it''s a little totalitarian, but I wanted at least one person to be able to ess records ofmunications. Who better than the Empress? Just picture it; I call someone up to my throne room, and with a thought and some mana, can go through every conversation they have ever had with themunication amulet."


    "I agree, this is a good choice in the long run. And you''re not just listening in and invading privacy like some secret police agency. It''s a decent bnce."


    "Now¡­off to talk to Misty."


    "Good luck."


    "And that is how you can manipte simple fluctuations in heat to cause a rainstorm in a localized region." Misty finished drawing the Elenthir phrase that would enable ¨C for rtively little mana ¨C a person to create a rainstorm using some knowledge of atmospheric movement. The third-year students finished copying the notes in their books before leaving them open to dry. Misty looked up from the chalkboard and nced at the back of the room. Lyn was standing in the doorway. "Alright students, time for some mana core exercise. You know the drill."


    Lyn stood aside as they passed, each dipping their heads in silent respect. When the room had emptied, the Duskari-dragon woman walked into the room, tracing her wed hand along the desks. She spoke in English, "Impressive, as expected. Using science to make spells less mana intensive. You''re a genius, you know that?" She sounded sincere.


    Misty frowned as she turned to the board and began drawing a new Elenthir verse, "What do you want?" This is my chance. She''s here, and alone.


    Lyn leaned against one of the desks and crossed her arms, "I just wanted to talk. Last time we left on¡­odd terms. I meant what I said, I love you like a sister." She gestured between the two of them, "I don''t want there to be a rift between us if I can help it."


    Misty kept drawing her verse on the board, secretly pouring mana into the inscription she wasing up with the on fly, "You''re not the same person who was my best friend¡­who I fell in love with. You''re not the same childhood friend." But I''ll make you that girl I loved. I can do this.


    "I know," Lyn said with a small sigh. Misty instantly picked up on that, something she did when she was about to say something ufortable. "Can we¡­try to start over then? Be friends again?"


    Misty stood still. She felt like she was on an ind¡­alone in her solitude. And Lyn had juste up on a boat and offered her a way out of that istion. But I''ll get you back with this. I''m going to rescue you or die trying. She kept inscribing on the board.


    Her travel from Vharthos to the Valley had given her plenty of time to think and based on what Thomas said earlier in that archive, Lyn was permanently fused with the Destroyer core. She wouldn''t be able to split them apart in that way. But¡­she could try one thing. One reckless, iprehensibly mana-intensive spell. Reversing the Destroyer core to an earlier point in time, before Lyn''s consciousness fully fused with it.


    She knew from discussing with the Duskari around Lynhold, and from her own divination spells to investigate the past in a local area, that Lyn behaved differently before she ascended Shiverburn Summit and defeated the dungeon of Raevan. Misty knew that something happened in that dungeon that irrevocably changed her best friend. And her hunch was that when Lyn first came back to Ghomar, she was still the Lyn she knew and loved.


    And she was about to try and undo her friend''spletion of that dungeon entirely. Time, the most mana-intensive external spell type. The inscription on the boards was incredibly intricate ¨C it would not change anything about the world itself, save for Lyn''spletion of that dungeon. She knew that she didn''t have enough mana to reverse Lyn''s initial death to the Demonic Dragon, which would be the best way to achieve her goals¡­but this, with the restrictions she put in ce, should be feasible. I have enough mana¡­I think¡­She shook her head. No. I have to have enough.


    If the spell worked, it would be as if it had never been attempted by her friend. Then, I can use that device Thomas told me you have to remove the Destroyer core and rece it. She had spotted Lyn''s choker and could make out the inscription well-enough that she knew it contained a storage spell. It has to be in there. She had no way to verify this, but seeing as Lyn didn''t wear a storage ring like the heroes had crafted when they arrived¡­it made sense.


    This was her one chance to get her friend back. To fix her loneliness. Ast ditch effort to make Lyn hers once more.


    Lyn stared at her, and her expression was unreadable. "If that''s what you want. I''ll always be open to you being my friend."


    Misty finished drawing the spell and turned to Lyn, smiling. "It''s okay. Everything will be fine in a moment." She had an inscribed object that stored mana, and drawing on it, she refilled her reservoir. She pped her hand to the board and channeled mana into it. All her mana, down to thest drop. Everything she had stored up, forced into the inscription. The prismatic array of colors flooded upward and through her extended arm.


    Lyn looked around as she drew Cataclysm, "What''s going on?" The whole room was suddenly awash in bright, prismatic colors that were opaque like the paints Misty used her whole life.


    "I''m getting you back," Misty replied. "I''m getting my friend back. The woman I lo-"


    But she felt her vision darkening. What''s happening?


    She felt the world gettingrger. Her memories, slowly vanishing. She felt darkness closing in as her vision went to white, and all thought left her mind.


    "What the fuck!" Lyn shouted as Misty activated some spell inscribed on the board. The room was suddenly awash with prismatic colors of paints on a canvas. Misty screamed in pain and gripped her head as swirling, primary colors cascaded around her in a vortex. Lyn quickly read the verses on the board ¨C not having paid attention as Misty had written them earlier, just assuming it was some lesson she was preparing. She tried a time spell?


    The heroes were all warned ¨C every single one of them. Time was the most mana intensive of the spell types. The maniption of reality was so vtile that if one did not have enough mana for the effect they sought to bring about, there would be bacsh. The only external spell type with such a bacsh effect ¨C some ancientw of reality this world had been created with. As she read the verses on the board, she saw what Misty had attempted.


    "¡­Why did you try it?" she asked the still-shrouded form of Misty. "Why did you try it! You idiot!" She felt rage boil up in her. Her prior best friend, trying to betray her just like she had at the mage school. "This¡­I can''t forgive this." Lyn felt weight settle into her chest as she drew Cataclysm, theva-de surging to life as she held back the other elementalism types. "I can''t forgive you for trying to betray me, again." Lyn felt tears¡­but pushed them back. An Empress- no, a goddess, cannot tolerate such offenses¡­I''m sorry.


    The swirling tornado of colors faded, and Lyn dropped Cataclysm as the de sputtered out. The whole room returned to normal, and where Misty was once standing was instead a crying, wailing infant, tucked within the robes. The bacsh, Lyn knew instinctively. She leaned down, put Cataclysm away, and went over to the now-infant Misty. "Well, silver linings," Lyn muttered. She scooped up the infant in the robes, wrapping them around the child.


    Her friend wasn''t dead. Misty wouldn''t be trying to use spells on her anymore. And this is the perfect chance where she won''t mind. Lyn ced her on the nearby desk and nced at the door. It was still closed. Keeping an eye on it just in case, she withdrew a dungeon core and the inscribed core-swap device from her storage choker. Socketing the dungeon core into the sphere, she ced the tube against baby-Misty''s chest. She''ll be incredibly strong, growing up with a dungeon core. An asset to the Empire one day.


    Misty began to cry, but Lyn felt the device go thunk in her hands, signaling the process wasplete. She opened the chamber and pulled out the swirling, prismatic Mage hero core. She knew what it would do, thanks to a prior conversation years ago.


    "I have perfect mastery of Elenthir, just like Thomas," Misty had said as they sat around a table in Kor''s Hold. "And I can use every spell type." She had lowered her voice to a whisper and leaned into Lyn, "It also lets mebine spell types, basically temporarily making brand new spell types that no one else could use."


    Lyn squeezed the Mage core and felt it travel down her mana channel. It sshed and swirled around in her torso before being consumed by the Destroyer core. I''ll have to test out spell types again, just like with the Knowledge core¡­butter. She put away the device in the storage dimension and picked up Misty. "Now¡­time to get you home."


    Despite her resolve, Lyn felt sorrow for her old friend. I¡­I wanted you back as a friend.


    Trisha was just about to sit down on the couch on the first floor of their house when she heard a knock at the door. Who is it at this time? She thought as she groaned and stood up. "Coming!" she said decently loud in Triskol ¨C but not too loud, as the children were upstairs. She opened the door and saw Lyn holding a bundle of cloth. "Oh, hi Lyn. What''s up?" she asked swapping to English.


    Lyn pushed her way in and nudged the door shut with her foot. "Something happened," she said gently as she pulled away some of the fabric she was holding, revealing a little baby''s face. "Misty suffered bacsh."


    Trisha''s eyes went wide, and she looked between Lyn and the infant, "She tried a time spell?"


    Lyn nodded, "She wanted me back to how I was, and was trying to revert me to a point where I would be ''Scout'' Lyn instead of who I am now." She looked up to Trisha with a sad expression, "I know it''s a burden to ask¡­but you''re a mom and have a baby already."


    Trisha nodded, "I have to talk to Ben. He should be home soon. Want to sit?"


    Lyn walked over to the couch and gently rocked baby Misty as Trisha sat next to her. She began speaking quickly, in a detached, almost clinical way. "I took away her mage core. She has a dungeon core, so she''ll still be an incredibly powerful mage ¨C especially with this new education system, and mana cirction training. But she''ll have to re-learn Elenthir. I don''t know if she''ll remember anything from being Misty, but she had a shitty home life also-"


    Trisha gently put a hand on Lyn''s back and rubbed it reassuringly, "Calm down. It will be fine."


    "I''m fine," Lyn replied. "I know. She did it to herself."


    Trisha gestured for the bundled baby, and Lyn handed her over. Trisha looked down at the sleeping infant and rocked her slowly. The front door opened after the two had sat in silence for some time, and Ben walked in. "Ben, honey, Lyn''s here visiting."


    Ben took off his boots at the door and walked over to the couch, flopping down into a cushioned seat opposite it. "It''s only been a few hours since that council meeting. What''s up?"


    Lyn gestured to Trisha, who slowly revealed the baby Misty. Trisha then exined what Lyn had told her.


    Ben scratched his beard, "Well, we already have a baby. I suppose one more wouldn''t hurt." Trisha met his eyes and there was a silent agreement between them. They would give Misty the childhood she should have had on Earth ¨C with loving parents and not wanting for anything. He stood up and rolled his shoulders, "I need to take a bath before bed." He trundled off upstairs.


    Lyn stood up and nced at Trisha before walking to the door. She looked back as she opened it, "Thank you¡­truly. If you need anything, you tell me."


    Trisha nodded as Lyn left. She looked down at the infant Misty and sighed. Sorry for this, she thought as she whispered an incantation. An incantation she had memorized at Cecily''s behest.


    "What better way to be a healer than to also take away the pain of memory?" The Ruler hero had said.


    It was how Trisha and her husband had dealt with their own trauma ¨C mind spells. Not to wipe or repress, but to relive in a non-dangerous re-enactment; just like how some veterans with PTSD were able to confront their trauma through video games. She and Ben had spent years, slowly and gradually reliving those moments within their minds¡­anding to terms with them.


    As the spell took effect, Trisha felt a pang of regret¡­but knew she was doing the right thing.


    She''d name the child Misty¡­but the mind spell she had just used ensured that this would be a new person. A nk te. All memories that might be locked away inside her incapable-of-currently-processing-them mind were locked away...unless a very specific spell was used to reverse and unlock the memories. Now you''ll have a chance for a happy, new life. She took Misty upstairs and ced a vertical partition in Gina''s crib,ying Misty on the other side. You''ll have everything you want. The life you should have had back home. Before she forgot, she pulled out her notebook, jotted down the reversal spell, and put it into her pocket to give to Lyn at ater date.


    She went upstairs to their bedroom and walked into the restroom, sitting next to Ben and holding his hand. He looked up at her as she did so, "We always wanted a big family," he said with a chuckle before shaking his head and sshing water on his face. "This might be the best thing for her, honestly."


    Trisha nodded silently as she rubbed her thumb along Ben''s hand.


    Lyn made a beeline for the archives. She channeled mana and muttered a variety of spell types she did not yet have ess to and found to her minor satisfaction that she could now use illusion spells. Useful until interacted with, they were great for veiling locations, sounds, features, and anything else one could interact with using the senses of sight, hearing, and smell.


    Thomas was finishing with a final pile of books in the neatly organized room. Stes stood, stretching next to a table withyers of parchment and several books opened in the center. "Thomas, Stes, a word with both of you," Lyn said in Vharthonian ¨C knowing that Stes'' racialnguage was spoken by very, very few outside of that race.


    Thomas looked up, wiped his hands on his pants, and walked over, "Yes?"


    Stes also walked over as Lyn took a deep breath, "Misty is gone. Sort of." She went into a detailed exnation of the verse on the board, re-writing it on parchment for Thomas to evaluate. She also exined that Misty was now a baby that Trisha and Ben had taken in. Lyn ended with, "And I find myself in an odd position. Misty''s students expect her to still be there¡­but she''s gone. And having to exin what happened to them-"


    Stes cut her off, "Forgive me, Empress Rivers¡­but this could be a great experience. Teaching them the dangers of trying something they aren''t prepared for." She looked at Thomas, "I think the best thing would be to have you speak to them, Thomas. You helped make that building, so that should garner some respect." She looked to Lyn, "I''d be happy to take over her role. I''ve learned arge amount from Thomas."


    "I''m good with that," Thomas replied. "It lets you focus on the upper-level Elenthir curriculum so I can focus on the education system."


    Lyn nodded, "Then let''s get to it."


    The trio left and arrived at the mage school. Thomas ced his hands on an inscription along the outside and channeled mana into it. "Attention," he said in Triskol, "This is Thomas Harrow, co-founder of this establishment. Please report to the exterior of the school." He stepped back and joined Lyn and Stes as they stood in front of the building.


    The students filed out, groggy, and many wiping sleep from their eyes as they wondered aloud what was going on. Lyn cleared her throat and dropped her tone to the draconic low growl. "Misty Misery, your instructor, attempted a very dangerous spell ¨C attempting to alter time." Lyn gestured to Thomas who stepped up.


    "If you need proof of these words, then go to the second-floor lecture hall. You will see the inscription Professor Misery wrote. Time is treacherous. The only external spell type which causes bacsh when you fail. She is not dead, but the spell has reverted her to a state of infancy. She has been adopted by the Baxter family, so if you wish to pay your respects, you may visit them during the day. Take this warning to heart¡­do not meddle with time. If the Mage hero was unable to do so, then you have no hope of doing so, either." He stepped back.


    Stes stepped up, "You may remember me, one of the first sses at the school. Stes of Vharthos. I have traveled with and trained under Professor Harrow, the Knowledge hero. Empress Rivers has granted me the title of head instructor. I will be continuing your lessons on the morrow."


    There was some discussion amongst the students, and a few stated their intent to leave the school. Lyn nodded curtly and shifted her tone, "You may leave if you desire. Lynhold will always wee any who wish to study Elenthir and grow in their mastery of spells. Go through the North entrance to the Valley¡­but be aware, you will have no finer education than what can be provided here."


    A few students did end up leaving, but most stayed. As Lyn began to leave, Stes caught her attention. "Thank you¡­Empress. I will not let you down."


    Lyn nodded and grinned, "Good. See that you don''t." She looked over to Thomas and raised an inquisitive eyebrow as she swapped to English, "You sure she is trustworthy? I''m really following your lead on this."


    "Yes," he replied. "If I didn''t trust her, I wouldn''t be making her a clone. Did you want one?"


    Lyn chuckled and shook her head as she gestured for Thomas to walk back to the fortress with her. "I want to make sure that you''re not offering that to everyone."


    "No. Just the heroes and Stes."


    "Good."

 B2 – Chapter 21

    Quick update: there was some bacsh (hehe) fromst chapter having Misty get her memories ''wiped''. I went back and edited it. She''s got memories ''locked'' away (if there are any) with a spell that Trisha wrote down to reverse it (which she says she''ll give to Lyn / gives the empress off-screen).


    This is a bit of a time-skip chapter, with several scenes peppered throughout the summary-style narrative. This is because we are going to war in the next chapter! The style is going to be very different from what you''re used to seeing on this story.


    Fall passed and winter came for all of Ghomar. Lynhold was well supplied thanks to spells and mundane farming. The Empress used her spells to pull up rivers ofva to the surface to keep the Valley of the Volcano in a temperate climate, as the heights of the mountains crusted over with ice and snow. The mighty parapets that the new incarnation of the Destroyer had erected months prior were patrolled vigntly, keeping a watchful eye on Vgonia. Military training continued, as did immigration of various groups into the capital of The Eternal Empire.


    Chancellor Vehenna continued her work with the newly incorporated vassal kingdoms and territories, ensuring that the new strictures and support systems were being distributed across the Empire in a consistent, measured manner.


    Under her offices, Diplomat Rashanna traveled to Vharthos and Raptol, bringing the race-specific cultures into the fold of the Empire. After returning to Lynhold for a month, she traveled to Khrrdia and represented Lyn''s interests in that kingdom. All the while, keeping in contact with the Free City of Bashinol.


    Stes took control of the mage school with ease and poise, promoting some of her old-fellow ssmates to teaching positions under her. Her mastery of Elenthir had grown immensely under the tutge of Thomas. She had to asionally visit him to ask questions of her own¡­but she was excelling in her new role. She had also acquired the gic material necessary for her clone. Her, Thomas, Brad, and Lawrence all had customized ''empty shells'' given to Lyn to keep in one of her storage spell dimensions. They were all tattooed with the Elenthir verses required to recall the person ¨C and Thomas had somehow acquired dungeon cores to imnt within each of the waiting backup bodies. Aside from Thomas, each had elected to keep their original race. Stes had sshed in some Ari gic material to give her next iteration longevity, even more potent mana potential, and enhanced senses.


    The Newen who were identified as having the gic trait that enabled divination were put to work under Seer Dran, who assisted the burgeoning Empire by sending their sight across Ghomar to keep an eye on the going-ons in the vassalized regions. Through their abilities, Lyn was able to uncover a minor plot in Trisk to unseat King Skir and dere independence from The Eternal Empire. The ruler was notified, and following the newws put in ce, they were arrested, sent to Lynhold, and then subjected to an inscribed statue which Lyn had created. Their criminality was wiped away. Then, the malefactors were released back to their lives.


    Under the guidance of Thane Mol, Steward of The Eternal Empire, the realm was well-cared for. New banks were being set up, coinage with the symbol of Empress Rivers'' emblem were being minted from the rare minerals she dredged up from the ground, and the groundwork for the transition away from the bankers of the Free City of Bashinol were beingid. Under his watchful eye, requests for supplies were dealt with in a timely method; especially given the harsh winter that was ravaging the cities north of The Rill in Trisk.


    Antiquarian Menora set about her duties with diligence. She never even thought about Bhrm, her father, even after he was subjected to the inscribed artifact that wiped away all his transgressions against Empress Rivers. She traveled Ghomar, reveling in the feeling of being away from home and outside of the Valley of the Volcano, finally able to explore and indulge in her wanderlust. She recovered several inscribed artifacts from the age of the Elenthians, bringing them back for analysis before they were utilized.


    Marshal Remora drilled the troops relentlessly. With the assistance of Ben, the troops went through a daily regiment of mana cirction to increase mana core reserves. Ben insisted onbining various units ofbatants and brought his brawlers in to train everybatant in hand-to-hand tactics in the event they were disarmed or lost their weapon on the battlefield. Remora was able to figure out writing and reading after several months of studying in her evenings. This enabled her to better coordinate battle ns, and she developed several ingenious tactics with the assistance of her Duskari Military Advisors.


    Strike Commander nosh worked devotedly under Marshal Remora''smand. Under his guiding insights, the Newen were further integrated into other units; and when the other races saw this level of interconnectedness in the armed forces, ceased any resistance to working alongside others not of their kind. Thanks to the Newen advisor, the military worked harmoniously despite the cultural and racial diversity.


    Admiral Na finished construction of the first ironside vessel and tested it on theke in the center of Lynhold. The vessel was a work of art that could be propelled by an inscription, with a backup of a cycle-pedal system. The top of the vessel was t with high walls that could swing out and down, nting themselves onto hostile ships. In addition,rge tubes that were inscribed by Lyn would produce gouts of me andva. The Ari marines were extremely excited at the prospect of a vessel that ensured they could continue their boarding-style actions, whilst also being safe from the weaponry of other ships. Over the course of the seven months of downtime, the fleet grew to three ironside ships. Na could not wait to see them used against Vgonia''s navy, and spent many evenings with Empress Rivers, after their amorous activities, to discuss how best to go about destroying their foes.


    Spymaster Velenna redistributed her spywork across Khrrdia with only a few agents remaining within Trisk. Her Vgonian spies were likewise repositioned. And not a moment too soon, as Vgonia cracked down on foreigners of any nationality save for theirs. A fervor had taken root, a prophesied ruler was on their throne, and they were whipped into fanaticism towards a war of purgation. Velenna kept a steady hand on the spywork and provided key, critical intelligence to the other members of Lyn''s council to inform their own tasks.


    Fin, the keeper of ravens, continued her duties training and using animalism spells on the ravens. Within a few months, she had sessfully set up a postalwork that spanned The Valley of the Volcano, Trisk, and Khrrdia. Her penultimate act of spellcraft was assisted by Lyn, and together they used animalism spells to transform a newly hatched group of ravens into enormous versions of the creature. They were able to transport muchrger loads, but due to their size could only be housed in certain locations. Fin, nheless, was ecstatic about the possibilities ofbining various animalistic traits into the newer generations of ravens, engineering new species for a variety of focused tasks.


    Lionel was rtively new to Lynhold, and the idea of holing up for winter in the Valley of the Volcano was unnerving for Kory''s Killers¡­but he learned of the immense power of Lyn Rivers, Empress and Destroyer, when she raised upva to regte temperatures. He knew he had picked the right side and approached Marshal Remora to try and ingratiate himself into the militarymand structure. To his pleasant surprise, he was not looked down on despite being Human, and the Marshal brought him in as an advisor for how to deal with other mercenaries that would doubtless be hired by the monarch of Vgonia. Kory was also a topic of discussion, as Lionel discussed the man''s battle tactics at length. If the Berserker hero fought on the side of Vgonia, the military would be ready for his brutish tactics.


    Shadowstalker Bolvon was dispatched to Khrrdia, and shadowed King James Marshal without his knowledge. In that capacity, he foiled several attempted assassinations, and the Khrrdian monarch was none the wiser. He would return once a month to spend time with his beloved Gael, being reced for that short time by a Duskari squadron who protected the Khrrdian monarch. When he visited the Valley of the Volcano, his beloved would be given time off and they would enjoy the forests together. Hiking up to the peak of Shiverburn Summit, Lyn performed the ceremony he had requested. Life was perfect, and he served his goddess with unmatched fervor. Before the war was to begin in earnest, he was sent to Kor''s Hold in Khrrdia, to safeguard King Marshal''s family.


    Gael spent most of his time guarding Lyn. There was not a real need for a bodyguard, but he enjoyed herpany. The two grew closer in the quiet moments when she could let the Empress personapse a little and be more authentic with him. Of course, the sexual repasts were excellent, and he enjoyed his time with her thoroughly¡­but he felt restless. Yes, he had a cushy jobpared to others, but on several asions, he would ask for and be granted permission to train with the army and the Duskari squadrons. The time with the military gave him a renewed sense of purpose, and he was given much deference due to his status as the Empress'' personal bodyguard.


    Vael, too, spent much of her time guarding Lyn. She shared her bed more and more frequently as the seasons turned colder, and whilst she did not feel any romantic connection towards the Empress, she did feel a deep sense of devotion. This woman was keeping true to her word of making Ghomar a ce under her vision of perfection. Vael was content to just be the bedpanion and confidant, and the trust Lyn ced in her was held tightly. She was named as the leader of the Empress'' Guard and scouted the armed forces for several skilled individuals to serve as bodyguards to the various councilors and their assistants.


    Lawrence stepped up to the duties of Seneschal and Architect with ease. He was always a builder, having received several sets of stic block toys back on Earth that he cherished even after his family split apart. That,bined with his love for city management simtion games made for an amazingbination. Lynhold grew and expanded under his direction and guidance. The fortress that stood at the center of the half-wheel shape was added on to with Lyn''s assistance, creating whole new wings until the entire building surrounded the base of Shiverburn Summit. Once that was done, the capital continued to add to its urban sprawl. Lawrence felt quite satisfied for the first time since finding his Zen in istion. He was effectively the mayor and city nner¡­and felt richly fulfilled. He frequently gave dragon-back flights to the children of the various families within Lynhold, and his public enrichment projects were a huge sess, as artistry of all types bloomed throughout the city.


    Thomas continued his work developing the schooling system that The Eternal Empire would use. Consulting with Lyn over many, many meetings, he fully developed a curriculum that would be duplicated with transmutation spells and sent out into their vassal territories. He also created a series of school facilities within Lynhold using his dungeon core and earth elementalism spells. His duties did not stop there, and he would often find himself working himself ragged writing aplete set ofws and codices with Lyn, burning the midnight oil as they both exhausted themselves. But¡­the work was worth the misery, as by the dead of winter, the full set ofws was established and in the process of being distributed to the vassalized kingdoms. Thomas felt a serenity wash over him, knowing that due to his works, he wasying the foundation for every child''s education, and equal treatment for every person on Ghomar.


    Trisha continued her work at the hospital and instructed new healers and medics. At her insistence, every Duskari squadron cycled through a series of trainings to learn how to efficiently heal with both mundane methods and magical. And, of course, she focused on her duties as a mother. The infantized Misty was a silent, wide-eyed child and seemed to get along well enough with her new sister, Ginavieve. The older children celebrated their birthdays as the ice began to melt atop the walls of the valley. Life was perfect, save for the impending war on the horizon. But she had no worry about that shadow that loomed in the future, as she felt safe and secure in the heavily fortified Valley.


    Ben took up his duties with gusto and spent half the day with his family, and half of the day helping Marshal Remora train the troops. His best boxers had taken over the job of training new recruits, and Lyn had asked that the brawlers be transformed into a policing force to ensure civil order in Lynhold. Ben liked the idea, and many of the brawlers he had been training up appreciated the newfound trust they were being asked to take up. Ben became sort of a captain of the guard in conjunction with his military advising duties, but he always ensured to spend every morning and evening with his family. Life was pleasant and his natural protective nature lent itself well to his duties.


    Brad continued to develop medical pharmaceuticals. By the time the dead of winter set in, he had produced recreations of every type of medicine Trisha could think of. Not only that, but he had developed a variety ofbat stimnts in a gum form, that could be given out to the troops. None of them were addictive, and all were potent enhancements for a battlefield. In addition to that, he was able to pursue some passion projects, such as a drug that allowed him to shed his excess weight, and another one that enabled hair regrowth. He knew he did not have to take his talents to the battlefield¡­but he wanted revenge against Cecily and all she did to him. And so, he worked in secret developing many more potentbat stimnts that would enable him to resist Cecily''s mental influence and get his revenge with his own two hands.


    Zebed traveled to and from Khrrdia, Trisk, and the Valley of the Volcano, continuing to perform the duties as required by his merchant family. However, he received an unexpected visit one night as he sat on the balcony of his family estate. The weather had just taken a turn for the cooler, and winter was beginning to set in. A sh of blue light red in front of his eyes, and then Lyn Rivers was standing in front of him with an angered expression. He spoke in Khrrdian, "Ah, Empress Rivers. To what do I ow-"


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    She crossed her arms and the voice that came out was the guttural growl of her draconic side, "I know what you''ve been doing. Criminals and undesirables? What happened to those seeking a fresh start?"


    He smiled and gestured to the seat next to him, "Please, sit. Would you like a drink?"


    The Empress shook her head, but turned around and ced her wed hands on the rails, staring out over the glittering sea as the sun set towards the horizon. "Those murders and rapists you have been sending are being¡­fixed." Her voice was once more the cute, girlish tone.


    "Oh?" Zebed said as he stood up, taking his drink to the railing alongside Lyn. "Do tell."


    "They''re being fixed," she stated again as she turned her head to him. He could see the mes licking behind her eyes, some ancient power reflected through those orbs. "You have no doubt heard that Khrrdia and Trisk have both bent the knee. All the duchies fell in line as well. Vharthos, Raptol, Fosk, Ari from the Arin Isle, the surviving Sloren from the Slor Mountains¡­all serve me." She turned her body to him and reached into an extradimensional storage space adjacent to her, tossing him something.


    He caught it and held it up. "A silver coin?"


    "tinum."


    "Ah, fascinating metal." He saw the valuation printed on the back and turned it over to see the emblem of The Eternal Empire. "But these are not our coins. As you''re well aware, the Free City of Bashinol, the merchant families, and the banking ones control the minting of coins across Ghomar."


    "I will rule all of Ghomar," she stated bluntly. "I have already begun the processes for my own banking system and mint that is centered in Lynhold."


    Zebed nodded as he flipped the coin, "That does pose some problems. The merchant families will not like it."


    Lyn hopped atop the rail, gripping it with her feet-like ws. Raising her hand, she began a lengthy series of verses in Elenthir. Zebed looked behind himself to the manse and made eye contact with one of his household guards. He utilized secret signnguage, concealing his hand. The guard mana-charged his weapon and stood at the ready.


    In the bay below the Free City, where all their merchant vessels were moored when not in use, the entire expanse froze over. Just from looking at it Zebed knew it was several feet thick; a deep, dark blue. The st of cold air that surged up to him chilled him, and he looked up at the Empress, "Impressive disy of power."


    "It''s a long-term spell," she stated. "Several months unless I reverse it."


    Zebed felt fear wash over him. They would not be able to import crops or export products. It meant death for a good portion of the city''s poption. "You¡­you''re a harsh negotiator, you know that?"


    She looked back to Zebed. "You will convince the other merchant families to bend the knee, and then my Chancellor will reach out with our n to swap to my Empire''s currency." She smiled softly, "I did the disy here to simply show you that I am not to be trifled with. I desire a peaceful transition of economic power¡­but make no mistakes; The Eternal Empire will moderate currency across Ghomar. If you don''t like it¡­then I will freeze this entire ind. I will bring ruin to you and your house."


    Zebed nodded as the weight of the statements sank in. He knew that he would not be able to oppose this woman, as she had already vassalized two out of the three major trading partners of his merchant family. But she was also giving him an amazing opportunity. He read between the lines of her speech. She intends to have me serve as the ruler of the Free City of Bashinol, he thought. He bowed, "I will convey your request to the families. I am ever the faithful servant."


    He could tell from her slight smile that he had read her intent exactly. "Excellent." She reached into the storage dimension once more and handed him a small, silver mirror with inscriptions around the outside. "Use this to contact me when you have them convinced¡­or if not, I wille here and personally see to those great houses'' removal. Serve me well and implement my policies andws¡­and we will share in a prosperous future." She looked North and rapidly incanted a spell under her breath before vanishing in a flicker of blue light.


    Zebed finished his drink and threw the gold cup over the balcony to the streets below. Turning to the manse, he made his way inside. I''m not going to waste the chance to move the Shedai family to the top of thedder.


    Khrrdia went through a period of minor upheaval over the fall and winter. James had little problem convincing the duchies of Pictal, Sonash, Boles, and Faron that his decision to bend the knee to Empress Rivers was wise. This was primarily due to them being able to see the intricate, borate spells that had changed the veryndscape as the mountains surrounding the Valley of the Volcano were shifted, and the whole of the Flontar River was fortified.


    The remaining duchies of urin and Firol were being more obstinate, but a quick call to Lyn, and her visiting the dukes in turn quickly caused them to agree and return to obeisance once more. This enabled James to ensure the kingdom was well supplied and could begin the lengthy process of preparing for war.


    Acquiring food was not difficult, as Sonash and Pictal had rich, bountiful harvests. James found himself primarily focused on matters of war, spending many long hours in the conference room with hismanders. Supply trains were being established, the routes the various levies and trained forces would take were being determined, and the staging grounds were being identified and prepared. Training was ever constant with the professional troops.


    The bridges between Khrrdia and Vgonia had been demolished by the hostile nation, and so they would marshal their forces in Faron, which had a ford that could be crossed with rtive ease. The entire war would boil down to a few key,rge battles. James knew he would have to be on the front lines with his men; the morale boost from seeing the Paragon hero and their monarch amongst their ranks was something he could not give up. And so, he spent several hours training up his mana core by using the cirction exercise he learned years ago.


    Lyn''s present arrived shortly after her first visit, and James had been practicing extensively with it. The weapon was an artifact named Brightguard. Not only was it made of very, very rare material, but the letter that came with the item exined the inscription; the de could fight on its own alongside the wielder. It also had a secret inscription on the pommel¡­and for the first time in his life he experienced the joy of flight on his own as he utilized the shifting spell within to be a dragon.


    He spent his days training, nning, ruling, and raising his boys. And throughout those seven grueling months, Maria never left his side. His emotional rock. His beloved. The most important person in the world to him. Giving up the Paragon core gave him a sense of rity once more, and he realized how much the hero core had been changing him. He felt like himself once more; the bright-eyed and high-spirited lover of fantasy given a fresh perspective of the world he fell in love with.


    Vinic returned to Vgonia and received his reward for the Ari ears. He was granted a highermand for his initiative and began training up troops alongside the othermanders. During this time, he learned more and more about the foes that hemmed in Vgonia on all sides. Trisk had bent the knee to this Destroyer within the Valley of the Volcano. Khrrdia was preparing just across the Azure Divide for their impending conflict. He knew that the impending conflict was going to test his mana to its limits¡­but the morale among the troops was high. They were being led by a prophesied ruler, after all. One who would kill off all the non-Humans and bring a golden age of prosperity to Vgonia¡­to the whole world. He was to repeat his sess with Trisk, but instead of going into that kingdom¡­he would go into Khrrdia and wreak havoc.


    Sigurd continued hermand, but on the orders of Princess Cecily, was given a newmission. She was to train up a force that would take boats from Sidalon, on the southern edge of Vgonia, all the way around The Teardrop Isles, and attack Kor''s Hold directly. An audacious n, but the prophesied ruler who would lead them to victory assured Sigurd, personally, that this n would lead to the best oue possible. None would expect a strike in the heart of theirnds whilst at war on the borders. Her orders were to kill the king''s wife and children. Princess Cecily wanted the man to suffer for some reason. Sigurd knew that her ruler had made a hard decision, and though the difort of her uing mission unsettled her¡­she knew she was doing the right thing. How could the prophesied ruler be wrong?


    Kory scratched his prosthetic leg. The mana channels were well-established, but he knew he must have forgotten one of the spells Trisha was going to use on him. It was a constant reminder of his failure. Something that would never happen again.


    These seven months of training had turned the group he had taken into the most hardcore, ruthless bastards in Vgonia''s military. They practically worshipped Cecily, treating her as a near-goddess. Kory knew that was bullshit.


    But that didn''t matter in the long run. Their blind fanaticism would serve him well on the battlefield. He knew that this war was going to be bloody and violent. And he would be on the front lines, in the vanguard. An unstoppable machine that would carve a bloody canyon into Khrrdia''s army.


    And¡­with any luck¡­he would face off against James and see the life leave his eyes. That fantasy nerd had lucked out with his Paragon core, and Kory still had not forgiven him for defeating him. The score had to be evened out. Kory wasn''t a loser ¨C he was a winner. And he would win every battle, every war, every conflict where he could bring his power to bear.


    However, there was one concern he had, and he stared off to the North. This person iming to be the Destroyer. He''d heard the rumors going about ¨C she raised an entire wall along The Rill, changed the fucking mountains around the Valley of the Volcano into walls, and even forced Trisk to bend the knee. The thought of facing that draconic foe terrified him. He knew he was no match.


    Maybe, though, just maybe¡­Cecily was.


    Cecily stewed in hatred as she sat upon her chair in the council chambers. The fall and winter had not brought any good news about the expedition to the Ruins of Elent. That''s all I need, she thought. I have the vessel to transfer my mana core and consciousness¡­but I need the spell. As she went through her usual routine of making decisions and appointing individuals to tasks, she epted a report from her spymaster.


    She read it and snapped her eyes on the woman. "What?"


    "It is stated there, Your Highness¡ª"


    Cecily threw the letter on the ground and gripped the table in front of her, feeling the mana surging through her as the anger boiled up inside her. "Who is responsible?!"


    The woman shook her head. "It is not known, Your Highness. But the capital will soon be in the throes of it."


    Cecily growled and stared at the table. The spell she had performed months ago worked perfectly, and the people saw her as the prophesied ruler. But this¡­virus that was ripping through the tanner''s quarter of the capital was causing hallucinations that disrupted that memory alteration. It was spreading quickly, and drastic action would need to be taken to prevent the spread further. "Seal off that section of the city. Quarantine it fully. Execute everyone afflicted."


    "Your will be done." The spymaster bowed. "One more piece of bad news, I am afraid. One of our expeditions returned from the Ruins of Elent¡­and found the cepletely empty. Someone got there first."


    Cecily mmed the table, and it cracked in half from the force of her blow. "Damnit!" she screamed. "Fuck!"


    "But¡­we have some good news. The Mage hero has moved her school to the Valley of the Volcano. Apparently, she has chosen to side with whomever this Destroyer is."


    Cecily stood up and straightened her dress. "That is not good news! War ising soon. The time is almost upon us. I want to have my insurance policy in ce before the conflict begins."


    "I will do my best, Your Highness. With the mage hero''s school closer, we have a chance to perhaps¡­poach a student who is unhappy with their new residence."


    Cecily walked back to her chambers and closed the door. She had a secret backup n if the worst came to worst. She had forced Thomas to inscribe a spell, in the years she had him as a thrall. A spell that would enable her to flee back to Earth. It was tattooed on her skin and was her final insurance policy. She did not know if she would even have a mana core or mana once she returned. But she would not die here. If worst came to worst¡­she would flee back to her full-ride schrship life.


    She kicked her servants out and sealed the servant entrances hidden in the walls. Standing in front of the mirror, she disrobed and looked at her nude form. Every defensive body enhancement had been performed on her, thanks to her envement of Brad, and the slight prismatic sheen brought a smile to her face. She went to the dresser and pulled out something she had not used in a long, long time. A dagger given to her by the statue of Aelor when she obtained her Ruler core. With this, my enhancements, and my mana reservoir¡­I can defeat that Destroyer.


    Cecily did not have earth as a spell type; otherwise, she would have performed simr feats of fortification to her kingdom. But she had the one that mattered the most to her ¨C mind. She knew that if sheid eyes on this Destroyer¡­she could utterly thrall them to her will. She had no need to break down and erode defenses anymore. Whoever it is ¨C Lyn, Raevan reborn, the Demonic Dragon revived¡­they will serve. Or, they die.


    All would serve.


    Lyn looked out from the top of Shiverburn Summit. Seven months had passed exceptionally quickly, and her Empire was well on its way to a glorious future. In the time between the fall and the spring, she had traveled to her vassals and when needed, their underlings. This sated her desire to travel imbued by the Scout core, which still for some reason had a strong pull on her. The other hero cores were not subjecting her to any side-effects. Yet.


    The only reason she coulde up with was that the Scout core was affecting her so harshly because it had been with her for so long. Almost six years ¨C not counting the time skip where the world advanced and she was gone. The Destroyer core was stronger¡­but it made her fear for the future. What would happen when the years passed onward? The other cores would doubtless show their negative personality-altering effects.


    Many, many nights, she had worried over that question. And now, at the top of the world, the highest point on Ghomar, as she stared out across the world that would serve her, she knew that she had to acquire every hero core to prevent herself from falling into madness wrought by ovepping personality-altering effects. The bring them all together. ''Until all arebined.''


    It would mean the forceful removal or swapping of hero cores from her allies. Convincing the living heroes in her Empire ¨C Ben, Brad, Lawrence, and Trisha ¨C would be difficult. But she would not be able to wait for them to be on their deathbeds as they had initially discussed months ago. She had enough dungeon cores stored, gifts from Thomas, that she could easily switch out their cores. But how easily would they give up their chance to return to Earth upon death?


    First, Lyn knew she had to conquer the dungeons and free the remaining heroes trapped inside their mana cores. The Warder, Binder, and Oracle cores were still out there. She was able to travel to any dungeon on the map her bracer showed her and would make that her priority.


    Then, the war between Khrrdia and Vgonia. The forces were on the march, and staging had begun.


    A world war was about to begin. And she had work to do to not only save her old ssmates, but toy the foundation for ruling the world.


    All would serve.


    Those that did not would be destroyed.

 B2 – Chapter 22

    Lyn shed through the skies in the blink of an eye. The Paragon hero core, taken willingly from James Marshall, the King of Khrrdia and one of the twenty summoned heroes, enabled her to travel at the speed of light. And she used that to great effect over the past several months. She visited vassals, quelled dissent, and created enormous fortifications all throughout her two vassal kingdoms. And now, she was using it for another purpose, one that would cement her rule even further.


    She arrived at the Bashinol Beacon ¨C a lighthouse that sat slightly north of the Free City of Bashinol, an ind mercantile republic off the coast of Ghomar''s mainndmass. Zebed, her contact in that region, had sessfully dealt with the other merchant houses and brought them under his banner. All feared Empress Rivers'' power, and thus Lyn was able to shutter those mints and banks, moving the operations to Lynhold, her capital city in the Valley of the Volcano. But she made sure to not just rely on fear to keep them in line.


    After they bent the knee, she showered them with inscribed items: various objects that could be activated with the use of mana and would perform a spell effect. The most valuable to the Free City were the statues that Lyn erected, not just there, but all over her empire. Statues that had inscriptions that allowed for the creation of fresh water, the healing of injuries of various levels of severity, and even the ability to fix physical deformities or change race and gender if they had the mana. They could be carried to fields and would grow crops with enough manpower and mana. In her empire, the popce wanted for only luxuries ¨C and those would be provided soon enough by artisans and craftsmen.


    As she went inside the lighthouse, the workers regarded her with awe. Word travels fast, she thought as she incanted a storage spell and pulled another statue out, cing it inside the lighthouse. She was not just here to deliver her statue, though. She channeled mana into the inscribed bracer that integrated into her ck adamantine full te, and a three-dimensional map of the local area appeared in the air above her. Right, so the dungeon is under the lighthouse.


    Looking down at the stone floor, she raised her palm. "Thalion min / caratho rath tr? i gaear / i echado i amarth an ledhad / a panno han bo nin / sui denid na rath." The stone split apart and formed a tunnel that she descended into, and the ground sealed behind her. Deep down she traveled until she fell into open air. The inscribed cloak in her armor activated, drawing upon a minute amount of her prodigious mana reserves, and she descended slowly into the grotto. I could have gotten in here from the ocean, she thought as shended in front of a dungeon gate, ncing to the side to see the cid pool with the scent of salt.


    Dungeons were created by the Elenthians when they left Ghomar and were extradimensional challenges that awarded incredible rewards uponpletion. Lyn read the information about the dungeon that was etched atop the ornate, golden gateway. This door marks the dungeon of Vroxar, the breaker of armies. Threat within ¨C battlefieldbat. Reward ¨C dungeon core, artifact weapon, body enhancement.


    Lyn reached down to her hip and utched the ck adamantine sword hilt. She let mana flow through her mana channels and into the de as it ignited with coruscating elemental energy. Thanks to the Spellde and Elementalist hero cores, she could effortlessly swap the type of damage her weapon would inflict, evenbining different elements to produce a variety of effects. The weapon grew in length as she willed it to be an enormous greatsword ¨C perfect for cleavingrge numbers of foes.


    She took a deep breath and rapidly fired off one more spell. An upgrade to her usual physical augmentation forbat encounters. "Gothron i gwanno / min enni / na rem in edin nin: / na nin togwath, athano hain thron, gwelu, thrh, a n?n rath; / na nin inath, cirad nin hoth; / na nin inedhil, athano nin th?r a cirad nin; / na nin rhaw, hathol han uin del / Bartho men uin naeg / a gwain men / min i perian / i telia naeg."


    Light blue energy cascaded around Lyn. Her muscles expanded in size as the armor grew to amodate the new mass. Her strength, speed, reaction time, blood flow rate, and senses were all heightened to the peak of what her body could achieve. A film of neon-blue energy surrounded her body as a barrier red into existence ¨C which would absorb damage suffered and drain her mana pool instead of allowing damage to pass to her.


    "Alright," she muttered. "One more thing to do." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling the constant, near-insignificant drain on her mana from fueling her various spells. "Ladatho an¨ªra en-thalion / en-gwathren a galu / an rithia i aew an-uir / a t?go na ai hero thalion gond / En garo na ered i garan." A torrent of ck and white lightning arced from her palm, into the subterranean tunnel, and out to the sea before sting skyward, shattering against the atmosphere. A signal to indicate to the three remaining, free-floating hero cores, that they could race to the dungeon she was about to conquer, rece the mana core reward at the end¡­and be set free.


    I''m getting you out of there, Lyn thought as she pushed her way through the purple film and into the familiar, square rooms of dungeons. She walked up to the square pedestal and pressed it with her wed hand. The object descended, and the walls fell away. Lyn found herself standing on an enormous battlefield, in the middle of two charging armies. Above her, in Elenthir, was a series of numbers. A kill count. "Ten thousand? That''s a bit much," she muttered as she readied her de.


    This type of dungeon encounter was one she had experienced before, but back then when she was only the Scout hero, they had a group of six, and were assigned to one of the armies. Here, Lyn was alone ¨C an ind in what was about to be a sea of blood. She had to kill as many as the disy above her indicated. "Come on then!" she shouted in English as the forces closed in on both sides.


    She could destroy both sides with a single, colossal spell. But she wanted to practice. Those types ofrge-scale spells drained a prodigious amount of mana, and she wanted to test herself against such arge force with sheer strength of arms. If she was going to be traveling from battle to battle, she would need to rely on her weapon mastery.


    The ground rumbled, and she stood her ground as the two forces charged into each other, and she was caught in the fray. She cleaved with enormous, horizontal swings, charging her de with pure lightning to take advantage of the metal armor her opponents wore. The energy coursed through them, and the number counter above her started ticking upward as men were fried alive, their skin burning and roasting as their eyes popped out of their skulls. Screams of pain and agony were all around Lyn, and she felt the blunt impacts of weapons against her generic barrier.


    A bolt of shadow arced across the battlefield and into her barrier, sapping her mana. Looking that direction, Lyn took off at a sprint, carving her way through the army, creating a bloody canyon of death and mayhem as she charged ahead. An unstoppable tide of devastation. Finally, she made it to the mages, her body covered in blood and gore. They unleashed a flurry of spells at her, and she batted them aside with her de, willing the weapon to shift tova rather than lightning. She carved through their ranks but had to drop her barrier to maintain her mana reserves.


    She felt a dull pain begin to grow in her left forearm. An indicator that she was taking damage and could soon unleash another unique internal spell. Reversal, courtesy of Nami''s Spellde hero core. She could feel more spell impacts as the mages retreated, firing off their incantations. Lyn tanked the hits and chased them down, heedless of the lesser troops that pelted her with arrows and rained weapon swings down on her.


    Just as she was about to scream aloud from the pain building in her wrist, she unleashed a horizontal sh. "Teitha!" she shouted as the pain transferred down her wrist and into the de, empowering her sh to grow in size and length. She carved through several thousand with a single empowered strike.


    Pain began to set in. Not umted pain, but the pain from bruises all over her body. Her armor prevented almost all weapons from actually hurting her, and her body enhancement of Ironhide prevented non-mana-charged weapons from getting through her skin. But that didn''t stop bruising. She utilized an internal, destroyer-only spell that she could cast with thought alone. Anor min / nartho hain i daeth nin.


    A surge of the hot mana rose in her chest and soothed away all wounds, instantly bringing relief to her aching body. She wheeled about and charged the next cluster of soldiers, carving left and right, losing herself to the joy of battle and consequence-free carnage. Dungeons created constructs, truly guilt-free violence as Lyn could utterly obliterate her foes without any remorse. And yet, she knew that when she went to war against real flesh and blood enemies¡­she would have no problem obliterating them.


    She constantly kept track of her reserves of mana. Thanks to the Knowledge hero core, she had perfect recollection of everything she experienced, and so she knew exactly how long she couldst in a battle like this, without draining all her mana, and which spells she could use all the time, versus what she should toggle on and off with recasts.


    As her mana depleted, she began to draw upon an inscribed item ¨C an amulet that stored mana ¨C passed to her from the prior Destroyer''s incarnation. She dropped all her spells, and as her body returned to its regr form, she rapidly incanted another verse. "En ethiel i thalion min nin / i beleg bregol en-ngurth / na garo nin rhaw / a adlethad ha na / i beleg nadhras sui ar." Her body morphed and shifted, and within a second instead of a Duskari warrior there stood an enormous, ck dragon with glowing-blue outlines around the scales.


    She turned on the main bulk of the army and trampled the forces, keeping an eye on the kill counter above her, and noting the rate of drain for the shifting spell. Unlike the Shifter hero, Lawrence, her transformation cost a consistent supply of mana, and when she stopped feeding the spell or when she ran out, the form would revert. In this form, though, her scales were as hard as her armor was, and the umted bruises that she felt were much easier to ignore, as they were spread out over arger form.


    Not only that, but there was no way that a lucky, strong hit could cause internal damage. There was simply too much meat in the way. A massive improvement over her Humanoid form in that regard. She felt the army crunch under her massive ws, and she swept her tail side to side; the simple motion akin to a wrecking ball that plowed through masses. The kill count above her head had maxed out but kept ticking up. What the hell? Lyn thought. That''s not happened before.


    A voice spoke in Elenthir, reverberating all around her. "You have passed this part of my trial," the gruff, male voice growled out. "You may choose to keep going if you desire. Otherwise, state your intent to leave." The battle continued to rage around her, but she was seemingly ignored.


    Lyn spun in ce, extending her ws as she raked through the army. "What do I get if I keep going?" she asked aloud, her draconic voice rumbling through the battlefield.


    "Nothing except the joy of carnage."


    Well, I can at least limit-test my dragon form''s duration. She continued her wave of carnage and devastation. The battle resumed for her, and she once more felt people hitting her with mana-charged weaponry. And, as her mana began to dwindle, she attempted something that was used against her so long ago. A breath weapon. She inhaled deeply and exhaled in front of her and felt her mana core surge upward as a stream of prismatic, multi-elemental energy cascaded out from her open maw.


    Power the equivalent to thousands of tons of TNT, cascading outward in a cone of destructive energy. The battlefield in front of her was torn asunder and obliterated, leaving nothing but a steaming, scarredndscape for a mile out. "Alright, I''m done," Lyn said as her body reverted to her Duskari form. Even her de, Cataclysm, sputtered out as her mana waspletely depleted. Note to self, the breath weapon''s mana consumption is insane. That exins why Yheron only used it once against us.


    The walls of the room rose around her, and the hallway leading to the reward chamber opened. Lyn walked forward and looked at the three items on the altar. A wooden box that held a dungeon core; a long, thin wooden box; and a massivence. She tapped Cataclysm''s hilt to thence, and the artifact weapon was absorbed into hers ¨C a new form her artifact could take.


    The thin box was difficult to open, but once she wedged her wed fingers in, a strong scent of must hit her. I was missing this body enhancement, she thought with delight. Nevermelt Ichor, a defensive enhancement that would make her resistant to acid. She channeled mana into the inscribed storage choker on her armor and ced the body-enhancing item into the extradimensional storage space.


    Last, she approached the wooden box and opened it. The core swirled with a blood-red hue before shifting to a swirl of white snow. She picked up the mana core and heard the voice of a dead hero in her mind. Ashley Firona, the Warder. She died in their third dungeon on Ghomar¡­one of the first to pass away.


    I forgive you.


    "Sorry?" Lyn replied in English.


    I forgive you for setting off the trap that got me killed. You and Ben both. I mean, it''s not really your fault since Zack wasn''t there to disable the traps¡­but I forgive you, nheless.


    "Thanks," Lyn muttered in response. "How have things been?"


    Trapped in the statue of Aelor? Okay. This liminal state of being between life and death is not ufortable or boring¡­just weird. I want to go home. Back to Earth ¨C and from what Gina said when I bumped into her, these doors will open once you consume my mana core.


    Lyn was not particrly close to Ashley. Ashley was into sports until she got her first cell phone, and then she was addicted to social media and gained quite a following. That''s when she somewhat isted herself from the other ssmates. "Well, I''m happy I can set you on your way. Mind telling me the unique stuff about your core?"


    Sure. I''m also going to leave a message. Mind ying it for Trisha?


    "Of course," Lyn replied. The two had been good friends, and it was the least she could do.


    The Warder hero core gives your barrier spells an effect where iing damage is halved before applying to your mana reservoir. So, if you were hit by, say, a two-ton object, the actual damage imparted would be that of a one-ton object. I think. I''m not good at math or science. Also, you can telepathicallymunicate with people within close proximity. I never used that, because I didn''t want to be rude.


    "Great to hear. Okay, any external spell types?"


    Well, you already have ess to barrier external spells, and that was kind of my specialty. There''s a reason I worked with Ben so much.


    Lyn nodded, recalling the several asions when the woman had ced her hands on Ben''s back as his own barriers blocked iing damage. "I can use that Warder core ability on other people''s barriers."


    Yes. I mean the only other thing that I could think of is flora. I never used it much. Flowers aren''t my thing.


    "That''s¡­all nts. Not just flowers."


    Well, no one told me that! Gah. Alright. Good talking.


    "Ready to go home?"


    Yup! I want to kick off my influencer career. Plus, I have a great idea for a video series of skits based on our time here. It''ll make me a sensation!


    "Alright, safe travels. Best luck with the career." Lyn squeezed the mana core and felt it slide down her mana channels before it was consumed by the Destroyer core. A re of energy cascaded from her before the "voicemail" of a left-behind message within the core yed through her mind.


    Hey, Trisha. I saw your family through Lyn''s memories. I''m so happy for you! Oh, if only I could take some selfies with the kids and be the auntie! Love you, girlfriend! Make sure you get, I don''t know, a painting or something with your kids as they grow up. ''Kay? Hugs and kisses!


    Lyn sighed and ced her hand on the altar, returning to the grotto as she checked her bracer for the next dungeon location closest to her. The dungeon doorway behind her vanished. She sat down as she waited for her mana to refill. First, back home to use this body enhancement.


    Cecily pored over the reports from the outlying regions. Her forces had been training up over the past seven months, and all the provisions were supplied. Her navy stood ready off the coast of Sidalon, the ind duchy that created the bulk of the ships of the navy. Her armies, numbering some one hundred fifty thousand due to patriotic fervor and a recruitment push, were stationed in Rist, across the river from Faron. That was where King James of Khrrdia was organizing his forces.


    She picked up the ss of blueberry wine and sipped it. Numbers wise, I have the advantage, she thought. And the devotion of the people. James''s citizens are serving because he is the king calling them to war¡­whereas my people think of this as a holy crusade. She knew well enough from Earth''s history how fanatics could turn the tide of a war. One only had to look at the insane battles of the Middle Ages between Abrahamic religions to learn that lesson.


    She looked at the map and traced her fingers along The Rill ¨C the enormous river that marked the border between hernds and those of King Skir of Trisk. Her spies had reported that he had bent the knee to this new incarnation of the Destroyer. These seven months, her spies had absolutely no luck in infiltrating the Valley of the Volcano. But her few seers were able to discern that many heroes had allied to this empress''s cause.


    Trisha, Brad, Lawrence, Thomas, and Ben. Lawrence surprised her, because she thought him dead, but he must have survived that encounter with the dragon somehow and justid low until a good opportunity came up. She doubted that any of those heroes would actually engage in war. Maybe Lawrence, but definitely none of the others. Ben was the only one that concerned her, but she learned of his family, and knew that his Guardian core would push him to be protective of them; more so than an empire he only recently joined.


    The fact that these heroes rallied to this person did seem to confirm what that letter said almost a year past ¨C Lyn was back. And she was this Destroyer. Cecily reprimanded herself; she had been too full of herself. The Ruler core had been helping to shape her actions, and whilst it provided insightful "nudges" toward specific courses of action¡­it did not in regard to this Destroyer. That was all her. And she admitted to herself that she had been making mistakes by not considering this was Lyn, and not taking her seriously.


    Lyn was powerful. There were reports of the Free City of Bashinol being visited by the Destroyer. The whole of their bay had frozen over in thete summer ¨C and it was reported that a single person did that. They bent the knee shortly after as the powerful mercantile republic fell under the leadership of the Shedai family. That caused coinage throughout two-thirds of the world to switch to the Eternal Empire''s currency. Vgonia thankfully had plenty of food and trade goods toe up with their own currency¡­but the loss of some assets to hire mercenaries was a drastic blow that Cecily had not expected.


    Cecily had no allies. Vgonia stood alone. Empress Rivers had vassalized every kingdom¡­including Khrrdia. She had learned that from her various informants in the past few weeks. I''ll be fighting against an entire world. I''ll be Germany to the Allies. Surrounded on all sides and conquered. Just like Germany, however, she had industrialized. She hadid the groundwork over a year ago, and those efforts hade to fruition in the past two months. She had several factories producing firearms.


    Cecily was smart, no question. She was the smartest in her ss before they were summoned. She studied all manner of subjects because of her voracious interests¡­and the history of war was fascinating to her. She knew enough for basic firearms and coborating with some of the more¡­oundish engineers in Vgonia resulted in a type of rifle that now all the standing army were outfitted with and trained to use. She had even taken the time to personally inscribe cannons with fire elementalism ¨C so she had actual artillery with exploding, ming shells. Due to the blind fanaticism of her citizens¡­there was no chance that word of her new developments got out.


    She had to sacrifice some of the other technological advancements she had wanted to prioritize, but if she did not survive theing war, then it would be a moot point anyways. She was strong, there was no question about that. Her mana reserves could enable spell use that spanned entire battlefields. But she could not be on every front ¨C the southern oceanic front, the western front along the Azure Divide, the northwest front of the Valley of the Volcano, and then the north and east against Trisk.


    She tapped the map. Even with guns, it''s a bleak war unless I do something drastic. There were many options avable to her¡­but she was hesitant to do any of those until her backup n had been enacted. She had finalized her VEROG project (Vgonia Eternal Resurrection of the Goddess) and had found a suitable host who was ced in spell-induced stasis. The rest of the VEROG candidates were matched off with the best breeding material possible ¨C providing future vessels for her to transfer her mana core and consciousness to.


    The spell she needed eluded her though. Thomas had taken all the knowledge from the Ruins of Elent. Save for the actual inscriptions on the walls. Those were recovered with charcoal rubbings. Thenguage was extremely difficult, and would require an expert in the field.


    Cecily''s luck held out. A mage from Professor Misery''s school ¨C a fourth-year student ¨C had arrived six months prior and was busy in Cecily''s employ. She was dissatisfied with having a Vharthon running the school after Misty suffered backfire from a time spell. It was this woman who ran to the edge of the chamber and bowed. "Princess Cecily, a moment!"


    Cecily turned to the woman. "Approach."


    She ran up and bowed once more. "I have been able to deconstruct several words from the charcoal rubbings. That,bined with my existing knowledge¡­I think I''ve done it!"


    Cecily stood up and walked over. "Show me." She ced a hand on the woman''s shoulder, a person she had thralled to her to ensure loyalty.


    The woman nodded and pulled out a notebook. "It''s this set of verses. We will have to scar the body like what Thomas Harrow did ¨C I got a look at him as he recovered back up in Vharthos."


    Cecily grinned and ushered the woman toward her wing of the pce dedicated to the VEROG project. "By all means¡­let us get started." Finally¡­immortality is within my reach. And then, I can work toward my next project. She had enough mana but wanted that insurance policy in case what she was going to attempt backfired in some way.


    In her interactions with the various citizenry, she noticed they had a simr curse word to "hell" ¨C they called it the "abyss." There was no information regarding this ce that could be found in the written record, just a curse that was used and passed down, its original meaning lost to time. But through one of her diviners ¨C whomitted suicide from what he saw ¨C she learned that it was some type of extradimensional space. A storage space that was hinted at throughout history by the prevalence of this one curse word remaining in the shared lexicon of everynguage on Ghomar.


    Cecily''s Ruler core made her mind an impermeable bastion. No outside force could affect her thoughts. Whatever was in this abyss was iprehensible to a regr mind, and Cecily''s mind was anything but regr.


    Once her safety backup was in ce, she nned to peer into this storage dimension and see whaty within. If it was some type of living creature, trapped away, then she could kill it and siphon its mana core to empower herself. If it wasn''t, she would learn what it was, and find a way to use it to tip the scales in her favor.


    And if she died in the attempt she would juste back in her new body, which was about to have Elenthir verses carved into it, making it a much stronger "base" form that she could improve upon. She had already acquired a dungeon core from a very, very expensive business deal, and that was imnted into the body in the event her Ruler core did not return to her for some reason. That would set her back tremendously mana-wise¡­but it was better than starting with a peasant''s mana core.


    ns within ns. Backups that had backups. Cecily was going to be prepared for theing war. Her will was unbreakable. Her resolve, unshakeable. This world owed her for ripping her away from her perfect life. And she would take what she was owed.


    All will serve me, in one way or another.


    "Daddy? When will you be back?" Tevol asked.


    James knelt and hugged his two boys. "In a month if everything goes as nned," he said softly.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Are you going to stop the bad people?" Tovol asked.


    "Yes," James muttered as he nodded. "I''m going to keep everyone safe. Your dad''s the Paragon hero, after all." He reluctantly let his boys go and stood up, meeting the gaze of his loving wife.


    She walked up and embraced him, hugging him tight. "You bettere back alive," Maria whispered.


    "I will," James whispered back. The goodbyes had been ongoing for almost thirty minutes now¡­and James knew he had to go, as one of his men cleared his throat for the second time.


    "Sir, we must depart," the captain of his king''s guard stated once more.


    James nodded and looked past his wife at the two Duskari who were in the back corner of the room. Gael, Lyn''s personal bodyguard, and Bolvon, her Shadowstalker ¨C both assigned to protect James''s family. "You''ll keep them both safe?" he asked in Khrrdian.


    "Yes," Gael replied as he stood up. "We will keep them safe." He gestured out the balcony behind him. "Empress Rivers has sent a second squadron of Duskari specialists. We will have plenty of men to supplement your defenses here."


    Bolvon nodded and walked to the balcony before vanishing in a sudden surge of darkness. This drew the boys'' attention, and they both ran over to the balcony. "Where''d he go?" Tevol asked as he and his brother scoured the space.


    James chuckled a little. "Thank you." He gave his wife one more kiss before he left the royal apartments. The walk through the pce was a blur, as James could only think of the recent events of the past few weeks. His forces were fully arrayed and drawing up in Faron, across the Azure Divide from Vgonia''s marshalling forces. His navy, to the south, was patrolling the waters off Khrrdia''s coast ¨C with supplemental forces from the Free City of Bashinol, who were also under Empress Rivers''mand ¨C and would keep the homnd safe.


    Khrrdia''s strength came not from its navy, but instead from its heavy cavalry and heavy infantry. The heavy armored units would decimate any levies they came across, and when integrated with the rest of his armed forces would ensure they could break through enemy lines. Hostile archers were not asrge of a threat, either, due to the surety of their steel.


    James left the pce and looked back once more. This might be thest time I see it, he thought. Thest time¡­I see them¡­He felt tears begin to well up and put on his helmet to prevent any from seeing. The thought of not being there for his family was wrenching him on the inside¡­but the men needed their Paragon hero on the front lines. The morale boost of just his presence alone would be monumental.


    Kor''s Hold would be secure. The city guard were well prepared and had fortified the city, closing off all means of ess and monitoring entrances and exits. His family would be safe, and if James did fall on the battlefield, they would be whisked away to Lynhold and kept secure.


    He mounted his steed and slowly guided it through the streets, waving his hand slightly at the gathering crowds who cheered on their ruler, their Paragon, to war. He reyed the conversation he had with Lyn a month prior when they wereying down ns and preparing her assistance.


    "I''ll be on the battlefront," she said. "First at the initial fighting across the river, and then I''ll utilize the lightspeed travel spell to go wherever we need reinforcement to the lines."


    James nodded and pointed to the duchy of Komorra, north of where the main battle would ur. "What of those forces up there?"


    "Cecily has figured out that the Eternal Empire has vassalized Khrrdia, the Free City, and Trisk ¨C as well as the lesser kingdoms of Foks, Raptol, and Vharthos." She leaned back and sighed, scratching her head. "I''d bet she ns on assaulting the Valley of the Volcano itself, if for no other reason than to just bottleneck any forces assaulting from the north."


    James pointed to The Rill. "Trisk ns on assaulting from the northeast?"


    Lyn shook her head. "I am keeping Trisk''s forces purely on the defense." She pointed to the Azure Divide. "Vgonia is fenced in by The Rill and the Azure Divide. With their assault across The Rill impossible due to the walls, they have no choice but to assault along their western front."


    "We are doing that n, then?"


    Lyn only nodded and shed a smile in response.


    The game n was to rely on Cecily''s eagerness to conquer. There was a reason Lyn had not erected walls along the Azure Divide as she did the other two main rivers ¨C she wanted to force a single,rge battle. One where she could dominate the battlefield and exert her power to prevent the most bloodshed possible. Topletely break the spirit of Vgonia''s army before marching directly for Cecria to throw down the princess.


    James brought himself back to the present as the group left Kor''s Hold and headed out toward Faron. The miles passed by quickly on horseback, and aside from the times he set up camp, he felt a dull, subdued feeling. Numb to the world as he thought about war. War against other people, not against monsters or a "fake" war inside of a dungeon. There was only so much that shock and awe could do against fanatics.


    Word had spread throughout Ghomar that Cecily was fulfilling a prophecyid down by the founder of the kingdom she took over. James had never heard of the prophecy, and it seemed like no one he spoke to had, either. It was not recorded by schrs, but there were hints that the hero who founded that kingdom secreted away dozens of prophetic visions in scrolls somewhere inside her pce. In any case, the Vgonians were fanatics. Every report that James was able to gather with his master of whispers'' help pointed to the fact that if he lost this war, all non-Humans would be in.


    I have to save them all, he thought. I''m the chosen hero. I might not have the Paragon core¡­but I am going to be the one who saves the world. Lyn could rule it; she had the power and longevity, but he would fulfill his dream of saving the world. This time, from a magic-wielding dictator. This time, he would get the glory for himself instead of stealing it from a dead ally. This time, he would ensure that he earned the victorious return to his loving family, and a life of peace and prosperity.


    A few days passed, and he arrived in the main camp. As soon as his guard rode into the camp, cheers and exhortations went up from the troops.


    Their hero was here, and victory would be assured.


    Kory rolled his shoulders as he gotfortable in his armor. His unique squad of ruthless bastards had been hardened over the past seven months. Now, they were a force to be feared. From recruits to battle-crazed, bloodthirsty sons of bitches who had a fanatical devotion to their ruler that ensured they would fight to the death. Cecily had even paid a surprise visit to Kory''s training camp in Komorra and hadyered mind spells upon them to eliminate their feeling of pain when they saw blood.


    Not only that, but Kory''s group had gained ess to the first batch of rifles from the production lines, and he had been training them, finally putting his years of hunting experience from going deer-shooting with his pops to use. The result was a group of soldiers who were just as deadly from a distance as they were up close.


    He looked down at the mapid across hisp as his horse whinnied. Vgonia''s forces were marshalled in Rist. Seventy-five thousand strong, all outfitted with rifles, bays to turn them into spears, and swords for when the fighting got to close quarters. They had forty cannons, and there were more veteran troops mixed within.


    Kory, on the other hand, only had ten cannons and a force of five thousand infantry, and a thousand cavalry to augment his deadly force of five hundred. They were to hold any reinforcements froming through the Dragon''s Maw at the Valley of the Volcano ¨C to make it a single-front war. In the worst-case scenario, they would be assaulted by the Destroyer''s forces. Best case scenario, they would just be making camp and taking a few pot shots across no-man''snd.


    And Kory wanted the worst-case scenario. It had been months since he had split someone''s skull asunder with his hammer. Since he had cracked bones with the intent of killing his opponent. Since he reveled in bloodshed. And here was his chance. He could assault the Dragon''s Maw, batter down the stone walls from far beyond retaliation range with his cannons, and then surge into the Valley of the Volcano.


    The thought of crushing the Newen and Duskari that he had fought in the past filled him with a sense of tion.


    "M''lord!" a messenger shouted as he rode up and handed Kory a letter.


    Kory ripped it open and quickly read it. "Go time!" he shouted out as he crumpled the letter and let it fall to the ground. "Let''s pick up the pace! We have a war to start!"


    Forces were on the move. The war in the south was about to begin. After he smashed this new empire, he would go there andpletely obliterate Khrrdia''s army. James would die¡­and with luck, he''d get the kill.


    The men quickly mounted up. His force, anyways. The rest that were under hismand took much, much longer to get ready, and he found himself waiting impatiently for the rest of the army. As soon as they were able to march, they began trudging north. A marching beat was sounded out on the few signaling drums.


    The Dragon''s Maw came into view a few dayster, and Kory set up his base camp with it just barely visible on the edge of the horizon. From here, they could regroup. His specially trained troops created their fortifications with a speed that astonished the rest of the soldiers, and within half of a day an enormous series of earthworks and sharpened stakes was erected, with tents and camp facilities behind it.


    Kory stood on a raised spur of earth and supervised the moving of cannons into position. They would have to move closer, but for now they served as defensive turrets in case their opponents sallied forth.


    Tomorrow morning, he thought with glee. Tomorrow, we fight¡­I''ll knock down those fucking walls and obliterate all of them. He could feel the Berserker core within him bubbling with a red-hot fury. His blood pulsed through his body, and he felt on edge. I won''t be sleeping tonight, he thought as he walked to his well-appointed tent.


    "There you go," Trisha muttered as she finished feeding Gina and Misty from their bottles, putting them down into the crib in her office.


    There was a knock on the door, and it opened. Lyn walked in and gave her a small wave. "Hey Trisha. Do you have a bit?"


    "Of course. What do you need?"


    "First¡­I have a message for you." Lyn closed her eyes, and a few momentster, Trisha heard the message that Ashley had left for her. Hearing her friend''s voice made her cry, but she wiped those tears and smiled.


    "She''s in a better ce now," Trisha said quietly.


    Lyn nodded. "Yeah. I know you two were really close. I''m sorry she couldn''t be here with you."


    Trisha shook her head. "Do you need anything else?"


    "Body enhancement," Lyn replied as she pulled out a thin, wooden box. "I trust you have tubs here somewhere that we can do this?"


    Trisha nodded. "Let me get a nurse to watch the babies."


    Lyn walked over to the crib and gently rocked it with her wed foot as she looked in. "They''re both sleeping so peacefully."


    "Yes," Trisha replied as she lifted hermunication amulet and spoke to one of her nurses. The woman came in a few minutester, and Trisha escorted Lyn to one of the bathing chambers, withrge tubs and several handholds to assist people who were injured in washing.


    Lyn''s armor vanished along with the rest of her gear as shey down in one of the smaller tubs. She reached into a storage dimension and pulled out a small box. "Nevermelt Ichor."


    Trisha nodded. "That''s going to suck."


    "It would," Lyn replied with a small chuckle. "If you weren''t here."


    "True." Trisha reached into her pocket and pulled out her notebook. She didn''t have the same level of mastery of Elenthir as Lyn or Thomas did, but she had jotted down enough words that she was able to effectively make any healing spell she could dream of. With Thomas''s help in the past, she was able to even create new words for body parts that the Elenthians had not developed. She flipped to the section of her book that would induce apleteck of physical sensation, effectively turning off all of the nerves and other signal receptors in the body. "Ready?"


    "Yup. Let ''er rip." Lyn opened the box and began thering the waxy substance over her body. And not just on her exterior; Trisha recoiled slightly as she read the verses to cast the spell from her notebook. Lyn was applying the waxy substance everywhere she could reach ¨C inside and out. Including inside her mouth, her eyes, and every other orifice.


    Fucking madwoman, Trisha thought as she continued the verse. After she finished it, she took a seat as Lyn continued to apply the substance. As long as the Healer hero focused on the spell, the effects would remain present. "Who is left?"


    "Gina and Julie," Lyn replied. "Two more dungeons that sessfully call the other heroes to that location¡­and all our old ssmates will be freed."


    Trisha nodded. "I wonder¡­what will happen if, say, Kory or Cecily dies, and you''re not the one to do it? Will their cores free-float?"


    "No clue," Lyn replied. She finished applying the waxy resin andy back in the tub as the body-enhancing substance continued its work. "You''re okay with them dying now? That''s a turn. The past few months you''ve been insistent on taking them alive and stripping them of their cores."


    Trisha sighed and twiddled her thumbs. "I don''t think you can capture either of them. Kory would rather die than give up ¨C but he was incapacitated when he got cocky. I suppose if you cut off the prosthetic leg, you could eventually tire him out and he''d then be capturable." She shook her head. "But Cecily deserves death at this point. We know what she did to Brad. And the racism against non-Humans¡­Cecily shouldn''t get a second chance."


    "I agree."


    Trisha perked up at that. "Thomas said that people saw ''doors'' when they died. The other heroes you''ve freed talked about having a choice. Can you¡­stop a choice from being made?"


    "No clue," Lyn replied. "I found out that Volio didn''t have the option ofing back to Ghomar, because my Destroyer core prevented that from happening. And since he was so stubborn, he ended up being annihted. He could have left and gone to Earth¡­but he ran out of time."


    Trisha shook her head as the waxy substance faded from Lyn''s body, the prismatic, hexagon-style scales covering her form taking on a very minute green sheen. "Cecily shouldn''t have a choice, either. We know from what you''ve said when you went back that you had all of your memories of Ghomar." She looked at the ground and whispered, "We can''t risk Cecilying back to Ghomar like you did."


    "I don''t see how she could," Lyn replied as her armor remanifested and she stood up. Trisha ceased concentrating on the spell as the drip of mana was cut off. "I had enough mana toe back because of the Destroyer core. If I consume the Ruler core¡­she''s not going back with a core. No mana. No resummon."


    "Should she even get that chance though?"


    Lyn got out of the tub and sat next to Trisha. "You want me to annihte her. Like Volio."


    Trisha couldn''t believe she was doing so, but she nodded, nheless. "Yes. What she''s done, it''s horrible. If there is any real sense of right and wrong, she needs to be punished. The ultimate punishment. Completely gone¡­forever."


    Lyn sighed and nodded before standing up. "I agree. I don''t know if I can annihte the soul or consciousness within a mana core at will, or if they have to be stubborn like Volio. But I''ll try to utterly destroy her if I get the chance."


    Trisha nodded, feeling numb. "I can''t believe I''m okay with this." She felt Lyn sp her hands gently, and the scaled, wed embrace exuded a warmth all its own. She brought her eyes up to meet those bright, blue eyes with the inner me.


    "It''s okay. I''m the closest thing to a deity here on Ghomar. And Ipletely agree with you, Cecily needs to suffer for what she did."


    "If that''s all, I''d like to get back to work."


    Lyn nodded and stood up. "Thanks. Oh, also, I''m saving up dungeon cores that I find and can''t use ¨C repeat spell types, you get it. I should have enough to give dungeon cores to your kids if you really want them to have a leg up."


    Trisha stood up and straightened her dress. "I''ll talk with Ben about it."


    Ben had just finished thest set of drills outside of the northern exit of the Valley of the Volcano when hismunication amulet buzzed against his torso. He picked it up, and poured some mana into the inscribed item. "Hello?"


    "Hi sweetie," Trisha said. "Do you have a minute?"


    "Sure," Ben replied as he looked around at the troops that were resetting to a ready formation. "What''s up, sugar?"


    "Lyn came by and offered us dungeon cores for our hero cores."


    "Every week, like clockwork," Ben muttered.


    "Seems like she''s sweetening the deal a bit. She''s offered us dungeon cores for the kids."


    That made Ben pause. He was protective of his family, fiercely so. And he was loathe to give up the Guardian core, despite his knowledge that it was changing his personality and making him more and more of a papa bear ¨C which as of right now, wasn''t causing any issues.


    But he also knew that he could easily train up a dungeon core to make himself just as capable mana-wise. And the idea that his kids could have such a huge head start in life just by virtue of their mana core being better than everyone else''s¡­the offer was tempting. Very tempting. Who wouldn''t want to give their kids the best chance in life, and a leg up on everyone else?


    "Hon, you there?"


    "Oh, yeah," Ben replied hastily. "Can you give me the afternoon to think on it?"


    "Sure. Are you going to be home for dinner?"


    Ben looked at the formations that were finishing their grouping up. "I will be home on time."


    "Alright. See you then. Love you."


    The amulet ceased its minor buzzing and faded. Ben tucked it back under his shirt and continued running the infantry through shield-wall, phnx formations. These soldiers had trained relentlessly throughout the fall and winter, and that whole time they had daily mana cirction sessions, improving their capacity to the point that all of them could use barriers and the various types of elementalism. A handful could even use flora and animalism spells, which were slightly above elementalism in their mana requirement.


    The result was a very defensive force that, through Thomas''s help with crafting a spell, could act as a shield wall that would block all enemy attacks ¨C magic or mundane ¨C and provide a protective sphere around the unit and those behind them. Ben''s knack for barrier spells also ensured that he selected men in each area of each formation to use a specific type of barrier. The result was not a single, huge, generic barrier ¨C but rather several oveppingyers of element-specific barriers.


    The day of training came to a close, and the force went back inside the Valley of The Volcano. Ben mounted a horse and rode back to Lynhold, dropping by the public baths to take a quick dip in the hot springs ¨C courtesy of Lawrence with Lyn''s help ¨C and then went home to his very excited kids. As soon as he walked in the door, Eli, Lyndra, and Gil, all tackled him. "Oh, you rascals!" he said as he pushed his way in with the kids clinging to his legs.


    "Bring down the titan!" Gil shouted in broken Khrrdian. He had been learning the other two kingdoms''nguages since being adopted.


    "Come on! Grab the legs harder!" Eli replied as he tried to wrap both arms around Ben''s legs.


    Lyndra snuck behind him and tried to tie hisces together, but Ben just spread his legs, and she shouted out, "n B!"


    The boys nted their feet, and Lyndra jumped up as high as she could before pushing forward. Ben allowed himself to fall and be "overwhelmed" by the kids as he y-wrestled with them,ughing jovially. This is what I live for, he thought as the y wrestle continued until he wore the kids out.


    Once they were lying, panting from the exertion, Ben stood up and scanned the garden outside. Lawry was sitting next to an enormous raven ¨C Whisperwing, Lyn''s personal raven ¨C and talking with the bird at length. The two were practically inseparable. Lyn didn''t seem to mind, and Whisperwing was sort of like a family pet at this point, except for when Lyn was present in Lynhold proper.


    Trisha was at the dining room table, setting out some tes. Ben went over, grabbed her by the waist, and kissed her passionately before helping to set the table. "Okay kids," she shouted. "Time for dinner."


    Lyndra went to the door to fetch Lawry, and soon enough the whole family ¨C minus the babies in their crib nearby ¨C were seated around the table. Trisha brought over their weekly special treat ¨C pizza. The brought-from-Earth food was quickly making itself a staple in their household and had begun to slowly spread across Lynhold once a few cooks got a taste of it. But the Baxter household knew moderation, and Ben especially knew the importance of a bnced diet. So, for them, it was once a week.


    The kids spoke about their lessons. Gil and Eli were some of the first students in the new school system and were showing exceptional promise in every realm of academics save for mathematics. Lyndra, on the other hand, excelled in math but was not doing well in the other subjects. Lawry was their resident artist who was average in everything, but his artwork of flowers and other nature scenes was astonishing. The creative one of the kids.


    And the two eldest boys had begun learning Elenthir. They could even manifest very, very small spells by exhausting all their mana, and they had been incorporating that into their y, much to Lyndra''s chagrin.


    After the meal concluded the kids ran off to y, Lawry ran outside to see if Whisperwing was still there, and Ben cleared the table as Trisha sat with a ss of wine. "Did you want to talk about it now?" he asked.


    Trisha nodded and set her ss down. "Neither of our hero cores are affecting our personalities in a bad way¡­but Lyn came off as different this time."


    Ben nodded. "I''ve noticed as well. At the council meetings she seems a little more irritable. A little more on edge."


    "Do you think it''s the waring soon?"


    Ben shook his head as he finished clearing down the table and sat next to his wife. "No. She''s dealt with war and violence ¨C more than you and I have." He took a sip of his own ss of wine and sighed. "I think it''s all those mana cores. Yeah, that Destroyer core might be her primary one, but those other hero cores are in there still¡­changing her slowly." He looked up to his wife and squeezed her hand. "I''ve thought about it since she first asked us¡­I''m okay with it."


    Trisha nodded. "So am I. Maybe since ours are more¡­stable, forck of a better word, they can help bnce her out?"


    Ben nodded. "I hope so. Want me to call her?"


    Trisha sighed and gulped down the rest of her wine. "No time like the present." She picked up her amulet. "Hey, Lyn."


    Ben leaned back. Just like a cell phone call, he could hear Trisha''s responses but not what she heard. The sum of the conversation was that Lyn woulde over before the kids went to bed.


    Trisha let the amulet go. "She said it does hurt a little, from her experience doing the core swap." She looked at the crib. "She already gave a dungeon core to Misty. Do we want her to give one to Ginavieve?"


    Ben nodded. "All of our kids should have the best leg up possible."


    Trisha nodded. "Agreed."


    The two sat there, just content to be in a safe and happy home, relishing each other''s presence. As night fell, Ben went outside and called the kids in to wash up and then gather up downstairs for family game night. Another tradition he kept from his own family''s time on Earth. Every Friday, it was pizza and board games with the family. The days might be named differently, but he wanted to keep traditions alive.


    They didn''t have many board games, but simple ones like charades, tic-tac-toe, and checkers were easy enough to improvise on Ghomar. Plus, regional games, including something analogous to chess. Lawry was very skilled at that, and even Ben found him hard to beat despite his young age.


    As the family gathered in the main room and yed, there was a knock at the door. Ben answered it and saw a very pleased looking Lyn, who immediately gave him a hug. "Thank you so much," she whispered to him.


    "You''re wee," Ben replied. He looked over to Trisha and nodded. She stood up. "Okay kids, we have a special guest. Please, sit on the couch." She pointed, and the kids followed her instructions.


    Lyn walked into the living room followed by Ben. She crouched in front of the kids to be at their height. "Hey kiddos."


    "Empress Lyn!" Gil said with a small head nod.


    "Auntie Lyn!" Eli, Lyndra, and Lawry said all together. They rushed forward and hugged her before scrambling back to their seats.


    "I''ve talked it over with your parents, and we''re going to do something really, really special." She reached into her storage dimension choker and pulled out several wooden orbs ¨C seven in total ¨C and a tube-shaped device with two spheres. "You four, and your baby sisters, are going to be really, really special. You''re getting powerful mana cores." She held up a wed finger, "But¡­you must be responsible with this new power. With great poweres great responsibility."


    Ben let out a slight chuckle at theic book reference. "You going to have them do it the normal way? Consuming a core?"


    Lyn nodded and looked back to the kids, keeping their rapt attention. "If you don''t use this power responsibly, then you''ll be grounded." She grinned and let her mouth shift slightly to a more draconic maw. "And then if you keep misbehaving, I''ll eat you up!"


    The kids nodded, still fully enraptured at the promise of a gift and not at all phased at the possibly very-real threat that put Ben on edge. Lyn walked them through the process of iming a dungeon core. He knew that the decision didn''t really matter here, as all dungeon cores would give the same benefits to any native of Ghomar who acquired one.


    For the kids, it would mainly be the color. And it would change the hue their mana manifested as.


    Both Gil and Eli hesitated for a few seconds, and Lyndra walked up to the center-most orb, opening the smalltch, grabbing the swirling, bright-yellow mana core, and squeezed it as Lyn instructed. She let out a brief gasp and then giggled. That was the signal to the boys that it was safe, and they both grabbed cores as well, bright red for Gil and deep green for Eli. Lawry wasst, and he went through each orb until he found one that was pink, and he, too, consumed one.


    "Now kids, I want you to repeat after me." Lyn slowly walked them through a simple Elenthir verse that would let them have their mana flow out and protect their bodies ¨C an extremely simple barrier spell. The three kids giggled andughed as their forms were covered with their mana. But Lawry was silent and introspective as usual. He muttered something else, and the barrier exploded in a cascade of flower petals that caught everyone''s attention.


    Trisha looked shocked. "How''d you do that?" she asked softly.


    "I remembered," Lawry replied softly. "You use that word to make flowers grow," he said as he looked at his mom. "I used ''flower'' in my sentence."


    Benughed and went to his kids. "Alright. Say thank you to Auntie-Empress Lyn."


    The four kids all bowed slightly as their parents had taught them and thanked her before they rushed up the stairs. The three others were begging Lawry to tell them how he made the flowers bloom in the air, and their voices faded upstairs.


    Lyn scooped up the empty wooden orbs and went over to the crib. "You want Ginavieve to have one, right?"


    Trisha nodded. "But you''ll have to use the device."


    Lyn nodded. "I know. Just be ready to pick her up. She''ll probably cry a bit."


    Ben felt a surge of energy rush through him, and instinctively he covered the crib and looked back at Lyn, growling out as his mana began to seep from his mana channels. "No one hurts my kids!" he shouted.


    Lyn backed off, and Trisha gasped slightly. "Honey¡­"


    His wife''s face brought him out of it, and he shook his head before standing up. "¡­sorry."


    "Maybe we should do you first," Lyn said. "Seems like that protective nature is a bit overbearing and just hasn''t been provoked."


    Ben nodded and sat at the table, taking off his shirt. "Yeah¡­that''s the first time I''veshed out like that."


    "Your hero core might not have as negative of a personality shift, but it''s still there. Lurking¡­this is for the best," Lyn said softly as she prepared the device and socketed a dungeon core. "This is going to hurt a bit."


    Ben nodded, and Trisha came over to hold his hand. "I''m ready."


    Lyn''s mana surged into the device, and it glowed a neon-blue. Ben gasped as he felt an intense pressure on his chest ¨C as if someone shoved a hose against his skin and turned on a vacuum. He felt a sharp sh of pain, then the world began to fade to ck at the edges of his vision before his sight returned to full, and he felt a thump in his chest. "All done!" Lyn said as she pulled out the swirling, deep, earthy brown guardian core, squeezed it, and consumed it.


    Ben took a deep breath, feeling¡­relief. A sense of finality as he gave up his Guardian core, and resigned himself to rebirth on Ghomar as an afterlife. Thomas was not positive, but he was pretty damned sure, that recing a hero core with a dungeon core removed the ability to go through the "Earth" door upon death. And for Ben, that was okay, since Thomas was also researching a way to somehow "thread" his and Trisha''s souls together so they would always find each other each time they were reborn. Literal soulmates.


    He looked to Trisha and nced down at her shaking hand. "Oh, sorry!" he said apologetically as he let her hand go. He had identally been squeezing very, very tightly.


    She shook it andughed slightly. "How are you feeling?"


    "A little tired, and a little weaker." Ben swirled his mana core in his chest. He did not feel nearly as much as before ¨C probably three-fourths as much. Not too much of a setback, he thought. Maybe a year or two of mana cirction exercises to be back up to where I was. "Where''d you get all these dungeon cores anyways?"


    "Thomas," Lyn replied as she socketed the next dungeon core into the device. "He had stocked up. No clue how he managed to clear so many dungeons. I bet he buffed up his wyvern with spells and just brute-forced thebat that way. And the mind stuff ¨C well, he''s smart."


    "Let''s do me next," Trisha said.


    His wife sat down on the chair and unbuttoned her shirt, nodding to Lyn as the empress repeated the process. She locked up slightly before rxing, and Lyn ejected the Healer core before consuming it.


    Ben reached out and held his wife''s hand. They both shared a silent, inner sigh of relief. Not at the loss of their hero cores ¨C that was a bitter pill to swallow ¨C but the knowledge that their personalities were their own, and the hero cores would not change them anymore.


    "Last one," Lyn stated as she reloaded the artifact. "Hold Gina tight."


    Trisha went to the crib and picked up her baby girl, holding her steady. Lyn performed the procedure, and as Gina cried, she shushed her and rocked the babe in her arms. "It''ll be fine, just a little pain now."


    "Now¡­mind telling me the special stuff about these?" Lyn asked.


    Trisha sighed and put a hand to her head. "Well, good thing I actually studied medicine. So, the Healer core lets you instantly diagnose injury or affliction. And when you use a healing spell, you can use partly your mana, partly your target''s, or any mix of the two."


    Lyn''s eyes went wide. "That''s¡­wow."


    Trisha nodded. "It''s a useful skill to have. So, if there''s a case I can''t crack, I''m going to be calling on you toe to the hospital."


    "I serve my people," Lyn replied as she turned to Ben. "And yours?"


    "Barriers can coverrger areas with no mana cost increase. Also, your generic barrier acts like a specialized one against every spell type. No more guessing types against enemies."


    Lyn grinned and let out a giggle ¨C which caught both of the Baxters off guard. She bowed slightly. "Thank you¡­both of you. I promise, I''m going to make sure your family has the best lives possible."


    Ben nodded and handed Ginavieve to Trisha. "May I show you out? We''re tired."


    Lyn nodded and Ben led her out before shutting the door behind. He walked back to the crib, picked up Misty, and the two parents went upstairs. They put the babies into their crib, and then made sure the children were getting to sleep. Finally, Beny down upstairs and snuggled up to his beloved. His wife. His soul mate.


    Everything worked out in the end.

 B2 – Chapter 23

    Lawrence stood next to Brad and Stes, obsidian scalpels in hand, as they both followed Thomas''s instructions. Their new bodies ¨C their backups ¨C were on the tables in front of them, downstairs in Trisha''s hospital and medical school. All three had stenciled using ink, and now they were making tiny incisions, with Trisha following up with a healing spell worded to ensure scarification.


    He nced over to Thomas''s backup body. It wasn''t Human. Vharthon mixed with Duskari. Stes had provided some gic material for one half, and he was able to acquire the Duskari half from one of Lyn''s bodyguards. "Why''d you decide on that?" Lawrence asked in Khrrdian, his second-mostfortablenguage behind English.


    Thomas smiled softly. "I think it would be neat trying out different bodies each time. And I wanted the Duskari blended in for the racial features and longevity." He looked up at and met Lawrence''s gaze. "Plus, I don''t want to constantly be the schr named Thomas. I''ll take on a different name and persona and keep working for Lyn''s empire."


    Stes nodded and chimed in. "It is wise, given her decision to have a Duskari or Ari as a primary councilor with a junior councilor of the same position but less long-lived." She looked up at Lawrence and smiled softly at him. "You know, you''ve really blended into society here well. The city is looking wonderful, and those public arts projects you put together are really something. Did you see the marble sculpture of that giant raven the Sloren made?"


    Lawrence nodded and grinned. "Yup. I''m so pumped that I don''t have to worry about resource management. Just talk to Lyn, and boom, she''ll get the raw materials with magic." He chuckled a little. "It''s like ying a civilization builder with cheat codes on."


    Stes blinked a few times in confusion. "Cheat codes?"


    "Something from our world," Thomas said.


    Brad sighed and put down his scalpel, squeezing his hand and shaking it. "Why do we each have to do our own? This fucking hurts my fingers. I''m not used to holding something like this for so long."


    Thomas was about to answer but Trisha beat him to it. "It''s a type of internal spell that you''re inscribing. Forck of a better way to put it, this is like your magical fingerprint. You have to do the inscription, or else it won''t work."


    She scribbled some notes on a pad she carried. "I''ll finally be able toe up with something akin to an IVF program here on Ghomar for couples wanting to conceive. The whole part of them being "empty shells" is easy enough to fix with the removal of a verse."


    "What about inter-racial offspring? Those can''t normally happen, right?" Lawrence gestured to Thomas''s cloned body. "We can see right there that it works."


    Brad also grunted. "You''re also creating life with the removal of that Elenthir verse. It could be considered sphemous to some."


    Trisha put her hands on her hips and sighed, but Stes interrupted. "It''s no different from two people having sex and breeding the traditional way," she stated sinctly. "Just removing any actual pregnancy and the risks thate with it. Without the growth-eleration spells we used on these empty shells¡­they would be pulled out at infancy. Just like a regr baby, but no risk to the mother. And, these ones might have brains ¨C but they are empty. Not really people. If we did add in a single verse, then regr people could have kids that were people, not shells."


    Trisha nodded. "Stes hit it on the head. Not only can you have the racial barriers broken down with this methodology, but you can also prevent harm to the mother. Or let people who want kids but cannot normally, have kids. Like, if Bolvon and Gael wanted a child ¨C find a willing donor egg, magic together both of their sperm, and boom, child from two male parents." She walked over to Brad''s clone and poked at one of the arms, "Plus, it doesn''t stop people from having kids the traditional way." She dropped her clipboard, and muttered, "Fucking hell," as she knelt to pick it up.


    Stes looked over at Trisha. "I''ve heard you heroes mention the word ''hell'' a few times. I''ll admit, Khrrdian isn''t anguage that I''m the most adept in, but I''ve never heard of a trantion for that word."


    Thomas chuckled. "The word was added to thenguage since we used it so much upon arriving. There''s not a direct trantion from our home world''snguage."


    Stes stopped what she was doing. "Describe it."


    "Well," Brad said as he cracked his neck. "Back where wee from, a specific religion had a concept that if you sinned ¨C broke moral codes ¨C you would go to a ce of eternal damnation and suffering. That was called hell."


    "Oh, you mean the abyss," Stes replied.


    All the heroes paused what they were doing and looked up at her. "What?" Thomas asked.


    "The abyss. It''s an old story passed down orally and used as a curse sometimes." She looked at Thomas, surprised. "I figured you''d know that."


    "I have heard it plenty before, but not with context," Thomas replied, rapt with attention. "Tell me more."


    "It''s not written anywhere," Stes continued. "It''s something that isn''t done. You won''t find the word written down in anynguage."


    Lawrence narrowed his gaze. "What is it?"


    Stes shrugged. "Well, no one knows for sure. It''s rumored to be an ancient Elenthian ruin, lost to the ages. A prison of some kind for something that existed at the same time as them. Maybe even another realm of existence where the very bad go to."


    "Where would something like that be?" Lawrence asked as he looked at Thomas. "You didn''t find any prison in the Ruins of Elent, did you?"


    Thomas shook his head. "Nope. But¡­I never came across records of any Elenthians going ''against the grain'' and being disruptors of the social order." He looked over to Stes. "Are there any stories about this abyss?"


    "Not that I know," Stes replied as she went back to carving the Elenthian verses into her still clone.


    But what if it isn''t? Lawrence thought as he went back to work as well. What if it''s some type of horrible abomination locked away somewhere? He was concerned for about half a second before shaking his head.


    It didn''t matter. Lyn could crush anything at this point. And it''s just a word. Just like hell ¨C it doesn''t really exist.


    Lyn exited the meeting of her small council ¨C Chancellor Vehenna, Steward Mol, Marshal Rashanna, and Spymaster Velenna ¨C very confident at the direction her empire was heading toward. All her ns were on track: the schooling system was set up in Lynhold and the curriculum had been shipped out to their two vassal kingdoms and vassal republic, the codices ofws and strictures had been implemented, and repeat crime was practically nonexistent.


    All criminals who were found guilty in a court ofw were shipped to Lynhold, evaluated with a mind spell for true guilt or not, and if guilty they were subjected to an inscribed statue which would remove the problematic, uwful behavior upon activation¡­or they would serve their sentence in a prison she created inside one of the mountain-walls on the northern side of the Valley.


    And thankfully, the results spoke for themselves. The prison poption was remarkably low. The realm prospered despite a harsh, severe winter. Food stores were plentiful, and her vassal kingdoms had all survived very well.


    One report from Spymaster Velenna concerned her, however. She had heard whispers that there would be some type of assault on Kor''s Hold proper, a force sent by Cecily to capture or kill King Marshall''s family. A way to force a surrender. Lyn couldn''t allow that, and so she had sent not just Bolvon, but Gael and two full squadrons of Duskari specialists. Hopefully that''s enough, she thought. I can''t afford troops to be ced elsewhere.


    Trisk was going to hold The Rill and prevent any Vgonians up there in that direction, and with the river and the fortified wall, Vgonia assaulting Trisk was very unlikely. That meant Lyn''s forces would be fighting on a single front ¨C the Dragon''s Maw. She nned on being with Khrrdia''s forces in the main assault, but the spymaster had reported something else; Kory was among the forces that was arraying across from the Dragon''s Maw. The Berserker hero had gone missing from Trisha''s hospital ten months ago, and had only just resurfaced. Lyn had to meet him on the battlefield and either disable him or kill him to acquire his mana core.


    She still had no clue what would happen if, say, Kory or Cecily was killed before she had harvested or swapped out their hero core. Would they float among the world like thest two she needed to save? Or would they just linger in the body, waiting to be consumed? There were too many variables, and Lyn would rather be safe than sorry. She would have to let James fend for himself for a time so she could focus on Kory''s front. She had told James as much over themunication mirrorwork, and whilst he understood, it also meant their ns had to change.


    No longer shock and awe, it would be a grueling, multi-day battle in all likelihood. She sighed and went to her chambers deep in the conve. Two of her Empress''s Guard were standing at her doors, and she waved at them as they both bowed and opened the doors. "Send Vael," she said to them as the doors shut behind her.


    She willed her armor to vanish and went to the restroom, drawing a bath using the inscriptions and rxing for just a little while. Just a small break, a little bit of fun, and then another dungeon. She willed the bracer portion of her armor to return, and looked through the map that appeared when she poured mana into it. Right. Next stop is the Emerald Isle. A smallndmass off the coast of Vgonia, she could travel there and clear the dungeon without Cecily being any the wiser.


    She heard the knock at her door. "Come in," she stated. Vael walked in and shut the door behind.


    "Vael, reporting as requested."


    Lyn waved her hand. "Drop the act. It''s just us."


    Vael walked over to the front of the tub and nodded as she took off her armor and sat down on the lip of the vessel. "It''s harder to keep casual with you when I have to act so professionally."


    Lyn nodded. "Are you good?"


    "I am well, yes." Vael looked at Lyn and grinned mischievously. "Shall I be of service?"


    "A shoulder rub would be nice first," Lyn said as she sank into the water a bit more. "How''s the guard?"


    Vael walked over and took off her heavy gauntlets and gloves, dipping her hands into the hot water before setting to work rubbing Lyn''s shoulders and the crook of her neck. "The Empress''s Guard is well established as a core of twenty-four. Two for each hour of the day, with ovep, since you sleep for so long."


    "I don''t sleep all day," Lynmented as she luxuriated in the warm, strong grip that was working out the kinks in her body.


    "You do sleep for long periods," Vael replied. "Thisst winter indicated as much. I wonder if it is because of your draconic nature? Going dormant in the cold."


    "Mmmm. I don''t know. Maybe you''re right. You''ve been keeping the mana cirction training going, yes?"


    Vael nodded. "I''m quite more capable now."


    "Good." Lyn sighed and sank lower. "Rub my horns please." Vael did so, and Lyn became putty in her hands. "So good."


    Vaelughed lightly. "What''s the n?"


    "If you''ll share my bed for a few hours, I''d like to just rx before my next dungeon."


    "Of course. Whatever you wish, my empress."


    Lyn yfully sshed her, and the two chatted for a short while before moving to the bed.


    Bolvon was sitting on the top of the pce roof, staring out over the city of Kor''s Hold. Gael was next to him, feet dangling over the ledge, as they rxed at the end of their shift. The Duskari squadrons had set up a rotation, and so the two got to experience gorgeous nights like these.


    "The calm before the storm," Gael muttered.


    Bolvon nodded. "If anything is going to happen, it will be soon." Hey back and looked up at the two moons Tassisno and Tesse. "I wonder who they''re named after," he said softly as he pointed up at the burgundy and light green celestial bodies respectively.


    "I''m sure that Schr Thomas could tell us," Gael replied as hey back as well, gently grasping Bolvon''s hand.


    "How do you feel about all this?"


    "Good," Gael replied. "I get to be with you. I wanted to serve, and Lyn is letting me do my service alongside my love. What more could I ask for?"


    Bolvon chuckled. "True. We get to serve our amazing goddess."


    "I do wish I could fight on the battlefield," Gael said softly. "I always heard the older Duskari speak of the glory to be won inbat. The stories of heroism."


    "But some of those people died," Bolvon whispered, squeezing Gael''s hand.


    "I wouldn''t," his partner replied. "I''d be invincible in my Titansteel armor."


    "No risking your neck. You need to live a long life with me."


    Gael rolled over on top of him and kissed him. "Don''t worry, I can keep myself safe. And if you stay out of sight, then you''ll stay safe, too."


    Bolvon nodded and leaned up to kiss his partner, relishing the feeling of just being alive and with someone he loved. Soon enough this calm will vanish, he thought. Just lose yourself in the moment.


    Sigurd sailed deep into the Southern Sea as soon as the weather permitted. Her single vessel was a deep-water fishing vessel that had been acquired from the Free City of Bashinol several months before they capitted to the Eternal Empire. They were able to sail around the Teardrop Isles ande in to Khrrdia from the west. Her whole force ¨C two hundred veteran soldiers on bothnd and sea ¨C were disguised as mercenaries. No Vgonian colors. Their gear was also akin to those of the Free City''s mercenary guilds.


    They did not have rifles, knowing that the odd instrument would instantly mark them. As they pulled into the docks at Kor''s Hold and tied off, Sigurd hunkered down with hermanders and pored over a map on a table under the main deck. "Remember, only speak Khrrdian while we''re here," she reminded them all. "If you use Shereldian, you''ll blow our cover. This is a targeted operation." She pointed at the map''s edge. "The docks are about a half mile from the town center, and from there it''s another quarter mile to the royal quarter and the pce proper. We''ll divide our troops into squadrons of twenty and make our way through the city."


    "Are we still going to use the coinage n?"


    Sigurd nodded. "Yes. We should still be able to do that." Even though the Free City of Bashinol was no longer the arbiter of free trade, and coinage was switching to that of the Eternal Empire, many ces still epted the Free City''s coin, trading it in at a bank for the new currency. "Small purchases that sailors on shore leave would make ¨C alcohol, foodstuffs, trinkets, recement clothes, and the like. The goal is to blend in and infiltrate." She pointed to the main pce. "Once you arrive at the eastern edge of the market district, meet up at this sewage outlet. If Princess Cecily''s intel is correct, it should lead us right under the pce proper."


    She looked over to the handful of elementalism-capable soldiers that were at this final meeting. "You all have your squad assignments. The first one there will use earth elementalism to shape the rock and allow us ess up into the pce." She pulled out another sheet of paper that showed the floor ns of the pce. "The king''s family should be in the royal apartments. They would never expect a strike at their heart." She looked up. "If you think your squad is found out ¨C return to the ship. They won''t search a Free City ship without a higher-up''s go-ahead."


    The various sergeants and othermanding officers nodded and set to their tasks. Over the next hour, the groups would infiltrate Kor''s Hold and make their way to the pce. The task set before them was diforting to Sigurd, to say the least. Kidnapping children and their mother was not something she looked forward to¡­but if it would end the war quickly, saving Vgonian lives, it would be worth the effort and difort.


    She prepared herself in the captain''s quarters before setting out in one of the middle groups with her hand-picked squadron. They went through the unfamiliar streets of Kor''s Hold, stopping at small shops here and there, purchasing items, and acting like sailors out on shore leave. Having studied the map, she was able to navigate to their designated rendezvous with ease. They were the third group to arrive. The outlet was just on the opposite side of a small wall behind arge tavern ¨C making it an ideal ce for them to gather. The back patio was full of her men, pretending to drink and revel as they gathered. Some were inside the building, but to outside observers they were just sailors with coin to spend.


    Sigurd hopped over the wall with her squad and approached the sewer grate. It was a bulky, enormous piece of iron that she and six men wedged up with crowbars before gently setting it aside. "Alright," she quietly muttered. "Keep an eye out for any type of rm system. If you see something, say something." She drew her thin short sword and stepped down the small tunnel into the darkness. Pouring a small amount of mana into an inscribed rock, the object lit up and she held it aloft to provide some light as they descended into the foundations of the pce.


    The military council led by Marshal Remora all met in the main council chamber in the Conve of the Fortress. Admiral Na, Empress''s Guard Vael, Strike Commander nosh, leader of Kory''s Killers Lionel, Ben the Guardian hero, and the military advisors of the Duskari were all in attendance.


    "Thank you foring on such short notice," Vael said as the meeting began. "I will be tranting for this meeting." She stood up. "Empress Rivers has left to conquer another dungeon and wants us toe up with our strategy for the southern front where an army gathers on our doorstep." She gestured to the left, where on a seat next to but a little back from the table, Seer Dran sat. "I have also invited our top diviner to provide what insight she can."


    The seer stood up and bowed. The elderly Newen''s voice was crackly and raspy. "I have divined our foes beyond the Dragon''s Maw," she said in Arinol. Vael rapidly tranted for those who did not speak thenguage. "And there are approximately four thousand troops, all well-equipped, with odd tube-like devices on their backs. There arerger tubes mounted on rolling tforms. They have set up camp three miles away."


    Ben stood up, and Vael continued to trante as he responded in Triskol, "Cannons and firearms?" This warranted nces from around the table, and he cleared his throat as he crossed his arms. "Something from the world the Ruler hero originates from. They are akin to a crossbow, but the projectile they fire is a small, metal object. It flies fast, and can be very urate." He looked to the Newen seer, "Can you draw a picture of what they looked like?"


    The seer produced a sheet of parchment and slid it over to Ben. Remora watched his face as his expression changed to one of concern and slight panic. "What is it?" she asked in Arinol.


    Ben looked at Vael and then shook his head before the trantion came through. "They are capable of firing several times before they need to be reloaded ¨C restocked with ammunition. And those cannons are capable of the range of a trebuchet, but much, much more urately and faster."


    Marshal Remora felt a twitch of fear. Some type of new weapon that we have never seen, but has the Guardian hero this worried cannot be something to be taken lightly. She turned to Lionel, "How do you feel about subterfuge?"


    Lionel cracked his knuckles and leaned back slightly in his chair, responding in Shereldian, which once more required Vael''s trantion. "You want me to go to Kory with my men, and tell him some sob story about how we were captured or something, and then break these ''cannons'' as they''re called?"


    Remora nodded. "Yes, precisely. If we can remove that long-range option from the equation, then they would have to assault the Dragon''s Maw or stay put."


    Lionel looked to Seer Dran. "What were these objects made of?"


    "Iron, as far as I could tell. With inscriptions," she replied.


    Lionel rubbed his chin and looked at Ben. "These things wouldn''t be easy to break, would they? One solid piece?"


    Ben nodded. "Most likely a single piece of iron, shaped with magic." He looked at the sketch the elderly Newen provided. "I don''t know what these inscriptions say."


    Vael picked it up and read it aloud in multiplenguages. "It has the words for ''fire,'' ''speed,'' and ''explosion,'' as well as some other words. Perhaps we can acquire Schr Thomas or his assistant Stes to trante?"


    Marshal Remora nodded and picked up her amulet, channeling mana into it. "Schr Thomas, are you free toe to the council room?"


    There was a response in her mind. "Yes. One minute. I''m passing by." Less than thirty secondster, the Knowledge hero walked in and went to Ben, examining the parchment. He looked up to the seer. "These verses are urate from your divination?"


    The woman nodded, and Ben said something in the hero-worldnguage that Remora didn''t understand. Vael looked at her and shrugged, mouthing "I have no idea" in Arinol.


    Thomas looked to Marshal Remora. "These inscriptions increase the range by arge degree. With the right angle, they could hit the Dragon''s Maw from their current position. I would expect it on the morrow, in fact, when the sun is rising and they have clearer vision."


    This caused a tumult around the table, as the various military advisors all ovepped, talking about various ns. Remora mmed her hand on the table and stood. "Enough!" she shouted. Vael quickly resumed her tranting duties as Remora continued. "Before shouting out ns¡­let''s look at our forces." She reached into her hip pouch and unfurled a scroll. "We have eighteen thousand troops, not including the Duskari squadrons, which we need to keep in reserve to reinforce Khrrdia and travel to other vassals in an emergency. Nine thousand infantry of varying races, six thousand archers, two thousand Ari marines, one thousand Sloren ram riders, and Kory''s Killers."


    Commander nosh stood up. "The Newen archers would be best suited to remain atop the wall. The only issue are those cannons that the Guardian hero speaks of. Eliminate those, and we can use our strength."


    Admiral Na, quiet until this moment, stood up as well. "The Ari are skilled not just on sea but also onnd." She looked to Thomas. "You are aware of the ironsides that Empress Rivers designed, yes?" The man nodded, and she continued. "Could we create and-based version?"


    "A tank?" Ben asked. He nced at Thomas, and the two spoke in theirnguage for a moment before Ben turned back to the group. "Making it in such a short time is going to be nearly impossible."


    Na continued. "We have three ironsides. We could just put one on wheels. Or rollers. It would give us a means to cover open ground under cover until we reached their lines."


    Thomas nodded. "A decent idea. That can be done with quickness. And the battlefield is t enough that we wouldn''t have to worry about it crashing or being disrupted. Heavy enough that the cannon shots shouldn''t topple it."


    Remora stood up. "Let us convert one of these ironsides to this ''tank'' as you call it." She turned to Lionel. "You must take your forces and act as if you wish to rejoin the Vgonian ranks. Then, when the battle begins, you can sabotage the cannons."


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "How?" he asked.


    Ben spoke up. "Shove something gummy in the tube. Something that cannot be easily cleaned. Unless you can crack it in half. Super-chilling it could work."


    nosh let out a chuckle. "Would sap work?"


    "Not temperature resistant enough," Thomas stated. "It would liquefy, fall to the bottom, and they would still be usable."


    "Why not tar? A good, solid, ship tar that we have plenty of."


    Thomas nodded. "That could work. But you''d want to ther it on this part," he said, tapping the top of the diagram where the wick would lead down into the barrel. "Do that and it would take quite a while to remove it."


    Lionel smirked. "And what if I say no?"


    Remora looked at him. "You are being paid to do a job. I am sure Empress Lyn would grant additional funds for such a dangerous, heroic task." She hade to know this Lionel figure decently and knew that he wanted to be a heroic figure in history. "What better way than to infiltrate the Berserker hero''s forces and cripple them from within?"


    Lionel nodded. "2000 Gold Eagles, and you''ve got a deal."


    "I''ll make sure you get paid," Remora stated. She knew that these mercenaries would be able to do something that the empire''s forces could not do¡­and whilst it chafed her to know that these non-believers in their goddess only worked for money¡­she understood the necessity. "Let''s quickly fix up that ironside, and then we''ll move our forces to the inside of the Dragon''s Maw."


    Ben stood up. "This ironside will just be a distraction? And then what? Lionel''s men disable the cannons, and we just hope they charge the Dragon''s Maw? If I was Kory, I would just wait until the cannons were repaired and then assault them."


    Remora grinned. "We bait him in with gloriousbat. We have all those skeletons, and I''m sure we can throw some spare armor and clothes on them." She pulled out arge map of the battlefield and spread it out. She waved her hand, and a few of the Duskarimanders brought out pieces representing their units.


    "The ironside distracts before retreating. Lionel and his men disable the cannons, then flee to the Azure Divide and get back to the valley through the fortress at the mouth of the river." She pointed behind the walls and atop as she shifted unit markers there. "We have our archers on top, and our main force behind the wall, manning the trebuchets and catapults, or waiting near the gate to charge out. The skeletal army from Empress Rivers'' inscriptions will seem like our troops waiting for their enemies and will charge out to meet them."


    "They won''t assault the Dragon''s Maw without the cannons or other siege weapons to bash them down," nosh stated. "They would be fools to do so."


    "Don''t underestimate the Berserker hero," Ben replied. "He could smash the wall with a spell and kill thousands on his own."


    This caused the whole demeanor at the table to shift, and it cast a pall over the group. Remora mmed the table with her fist, drawing them out of the momentary change. "We have Empress Rivers, who can obliterate the Berserker with a thought. The focus should be drawing his army out to the open field." She looked at those at the table. "You have your orders. We will crush the foes at our doorstep."


    Lyn arrived at the Emerald Isle. The fresh spring grass smelled almost sweet as she inhaled deeply. Not just named for its gorgeous, hilly grass terrain, but the ind also had several emerald mines. Pulling up the bracer and channeling mana into it, she followed the map to an abandoned mineshaft and descended underground.


    Down, down she traveled until she came across a series of left-behind supplies and a recent campfire. Someone is here, she thought as she drew Cataclysm. The shimmering doorway in front of her was active. They''re still in there. Raising her hand and pointing behind herself, she muttered the spell to signal any free-floating hero cores. The bolt of white and ck lightning shot out, up the tunnel, and crashed against the atmosphere of the. She rapidly incanted her internal spells to augment her body, and her muscles bulged to their maximum possible strength as the rest of herbat senses and capabilities were heightened.


    She read the Elenthir upon the doorframe, which looked like a circr, wooden porthole sized for a person to walk through. This door marks the dungeon of Tiberius, maker of monsters. Threats within ¨C monsters. Reward ¨C Elenthir text and mana core. She reached into her storage choker and pulled out the small mouth bit that would enable her to breathe underwater. She pushed through the purple film and entered the first chamber. The room was already "passive" ¨C the pir had sunk to the ground, and the doors to the next hallway were open.


    She heard the sound of people speaking in Shereldian. Creeping forward slowly, she slinked along the passage and peeked around the corner into the chamber. There were three people, all dressed in various attire, discussing abat strategy.


    "I''m telling you, if Barry is at the front with barriers active, and we have Harold right behind him to fuel him with more mana, we should be just fine."


    Lyn ducked back around the corner. Adventurers. She felt a slight amount of relief. I may not have to kill them outright. Adventurers were a dying breed on Ghomar. People who were better-than-average fighters or mages and dedicated their lives to finding and beating dungeons, often selling what they found to finance their lifestyles. A good adventuring group could clear one dungeon every five years ¨C and the proceeds of selling an artifact, dungeon core, or other reward would often mean they only had to clear one dungeon every five years.


    "And I''m telling you that we can''t have our healer dedicated to putting mana into our frontliner!" a slim woman with a crossbow shouted.


    And they''re all Human, Lyn thought. Means that if they''re here in Vgonia, they probably fell under Cecily''s spell and are anti non-Human. Lyn rolled her shoulders and walked around the corner, willing mana into her weapon. "I am Empress Rivers, the Destroyer," she stated in theirnguage. "Surrender or die."


    The group wheeled on her sudden appearance, and the man she assumed was Barry got in front of the group, holding up arge tower shield and slotting a spear into a small groove on the side. "Halt! You face Dax''s Delvers! This is our dungeon!"


    Lyn frowned and held her de to the side. "Did you not hear me? You face an empress."


    The woman who had spoken nocked her crossbow and the bolt charged with mana. "Don''t mess with us. You''re just here for the dungeon!"


    Lyn sighed and shook her head. "Yes. But it appears since you''re not attacking me on sight you might not be aware of the goings-on in the world." She nted her de in the ground, and her mana began to fluctuate wildly around the weapon, causing gouts of me to erupt around her. The faces of terror on all of the adventurer''s faces filled her with glee. "When was thest time you were in a town?"


    "Last week," the slim, gray-robed man with an inscribed staff said. "Hi, I''m Harold."


    Lyn nodded and heard a rustling behind her. "And I''m assuming this Dax fellow is the one behind me who thinks he''s going to get the jump on me with a de?" She nced back and saw the roguish figure creeping up behind her. "Stop that, and join your allies."


    The man held stock-still for a moment before standing up to his full height. The middle-aged man pulled back his hood revealing blonde hair and an exquisitely maintained beard. "Empress Rivers, you say?"


    Lyn nodded and stood aside, gesturing for Dax to join his allies. "Yes. I rule the Valley of the Volcano, and have vassalized Trisk, Khrrdia, and the Free City of Bashinol."


    Harold nudged the woman. "I told you that Vgonia was up to something."


    Lyn cocked her head sideways. "Where have you all been in the past few months? This is not new knowledge."


    Dax crossed his arms and smiled. "Well, if you must know, Miss Empress, we''ve been traveling. Looking for a dungeon. See, funds are a bit low." He looked her up and down. "I see you have quite a few artifacts. Those would sell for a pretty penny."


    Lyn smiled back and pulled her de out of the ground. "Oh, this is mine. In fact, this whole world? It will serve my will. I am the Destroyer. The Demonic Dragon, reborn. The inheritor of Raevan''s mantle." She leveled her de at them. "Bow and be spared."


    Harold immediately did so, falling to his face and groveling, whimpering some prayers to be spared. The woman kept her crossbow trained on Lyn, this Dax fellow kept his hands up, and the armored Barry just looked at Dax and kept his shield up, but lowered the spear. "What if we do not bow?"


    "Then you will die," Lyn stated. "Last warning."


    Dax kept his arms crossed and clicked his tongue. "See, nah. Some Duskari using shifting spells and illusion magic isn''t going to scare us."


    "You believe my power an illusion?" Lyn allowed her mana to seep from her mana channels, and the raw mana turned intova as it dripped from her body, sizzling against the ground and heating the air around her. Dax''s face went pale, and he mouthed "oh shit" before flopping to a kneeling position. The armored figure did the same, but the woman kept her crossbow raised. "Very well, I gave you a chance."


    The woman fired the crossbow bolt, and Lyn simply leaned aside as it went past her. She dashed forward and bisected the woman at the waist, her two halves falling with a slight p sound against the stonework. Lyn turned on the other three who had kept their faces down. "Good boys. Stand." They did so.


    "F-forgive me, Empress¡­Rivers, was it?" Dax asked.


    Lyn growled. "Yes," she said as her voice dropped to the draconic tone. "Now¡­you bent the knee. If you do not desire to serve, you may leave. But if you wish to serve¡­" She reached into her pocket dimension of her storage choker and pulled out several imperial-cut gemstones, dropping them on the floor with a ttering noise. "You will take these gems, sell them in Vgonia, and then do something for me."


    Dax knelt instantly and picked up the gemstones, but his twopanions stood, rooted with fear. The burly man in the armor pointed to the woman. "You-you killed Helga!"


    "She had a chance ¨C two chances, actually," Lyn replied. "I can give you the same courtesy, or you can be like this Dax fellow here and know when a deal is good to take." She looked at the mage, who had been quiet. As she met his gaze, she saw him trembling. "Harold, yes?" He nodded. "Good. Tell your friend Barry here that he should follow Dax''s lead."


    Harold turned and rapidly spoke. "Follow Dax''s lead."


    Lyn felt a sense of satisfaction at getting her way. And, she only had to kill one person to get it. "Now, your task is to simply travel to Vgonia and deliver a message to Princess Cecily in Cecria. Tell her these exact words. ''Empress Rivers is watching you.'' Got it?"


    Dax nodded and gestured to hispanions with his head. He hustled out of the dungeon with the two ncing back at Lyn. It''ll put her off kilter if she hears that, Lyn thought, knowing that she didn''t have any spies inside Cecily''s pce, nor did she have the means to bypass the wards guarding the ce ¨C inscriptions made permanent to prevent exactly that. And if these adventurers just sell the gems and leave for who knows where¡­well, I only had to kill one of them.


    She walked up to the stone pir and set her hand on it. The object fell into the ground, and the walls fell away as she found herself standing on a patch of scrund. It was an open field, and off in the distance she saw a lightning storm. Gray portals began to open around her, and she readied her de.


    The portals began tobine into one enormous portal, and striding out of it was a creature Lyn had never seen before. A huge, four-legged near-brachiosaurus, with eight armsing from the torso that were tipped with wicked ws, and a sinuous neck that led to a ferocious, eel-like maw. The creature let out abination of a hiss and roar as it exited the portal fully.


    Lyn let out augh as she put Cataclysm away. Oh, this is going to be fun. "En ethiel i thalion min nin / i beleg bregol en-ngurth / na garo nin rhaw / a adlethad ha na / i beleg nadhras sui ar." She transformed into her draconic shape ¨C rivaling the size of this creature ¨C and let out a roar as she charged forward.


    The two met in an enormous sh. Lyn''s wed forelegs had the reach advantage over this creature''s smaller, wing arms that looked like they were meant to grab prey below or beside it. She used her grip to pull the creature backward, and she tucked her tail and lower body behind her as she threw the creature aloft and behind. The monstrous form roared out in pain and surprise as it was airborne. The ground rumbled when the creaturended, and Lyn heard the telltale signs of snapping.


    "Big creatures are easy to beat," Julie, the Binder hero, had said as they were facing off against a monstrous wolf in a forest outside of Pictal. "Just gotta get them high up and then let gravity do the work."


    Lyn rolled to her feet and pounced on the monstrous dinosaur, ripping its head clean off with her maw, tossing the bit of flesh to the side. The room shifted and returned to its square shape, and Lyn ceased mana flow to the dragon shifting spell, returning to her usual shape. She nced back and saw the trio of adventurers looking at her from the main entrance. "I said go!" she shouted in the deep, draconic voice, and the trio scampered out of the portal.


    Fucking idiots, Lyn thought as she walked into the altar room. She nced back and saw them still staring. Keeping an eye looking back at them, she picked up the Elenthir tome and ced it into her storage dimension. She then grabbed the wooden box and opened it. Inside the shifting, bright orange orb shed before it turned to a slightly duller, burnt orange color. She closed the box and pressed the top of the altar.


    As soon as she was ejected from the dungeon, the three adventurers faced her down with weapons drawn. "Hand over the box," Dax said as he held out a hand with a mana-charged dagger in this other hand.


    Lyn tapped her foot. "Really?" she asked, seeing the shimmer of an illusion spell surrounding their forms thanks to her Truesight Eyedrops body enhancement. "If you''re not long gone, you will die." She heard the scrabbling of foot on stone as she walked through the illusory adventurers and saw the trio scrambling down the hillside and running across the grass.


    She sat down on a nearby stone and opened the wooden box again, holding the dungeon core in her hand.


    The voice of Julie Navren, the Binder hero, filtered through the mana core and into her mind. You slut.


    Lyn grimaced. "Not a nice way to greet the person who is saving you," she replied in their sharednguage.


    You slept with my boyfriend!


    "Hey, look, Elias came to my room, okay?


    Yeah. Whatever. I checked your memories when you picked me up ¨C you slept with every one of our male ssmates ¨C and some of the girls ¨C except for Volio. What the fuck?


    "I¡­might have gone overboard with my enthusiasm," Lyn admitted, ncing at the still-fleeing adventurers to ensure that they were not trying to pull any stunts. "But can you me me? The only thing I had control over in my life was my own body. I needed to control something, and sexual gratification was a way to do that."


    Still a slut.


    "Right, this is going nowhere. Youing back to Ghomar or¡ª"


    Fuck that noise. I''m back to Earth. Later bitch. There was silence for a few moments. Why aren''t the doors opening?


    "I have to consume the hero core. First ¨C tell me what yours does."


    Gah. Fine. The Binder hero has a unique spell that lets you physically restrain any target. I don''t know what spell type it falls under. And as for spell type? You''ll get mind. And, no one can use mind magic on you at all. It just won''t work."


    "Alright, off you go."


    Fuck yo¡ª


    Lyn didn''t let the woman finish as she consumed the hero core and fed it to the churning furnace within her that was the Destroyer core. There was a very brief struggle before it faded.


    She stood up and grinned. Finally, she thought. Mind magic is going to make things much easier. Plus, being immune to Cecily''s bullshit will be huge. She knew that the Ruler hero was a skilled mind magic user ¨C and this immunity meant she was going to wipe the floor with the smug bitch.


    As she looked out over the ocean, she did feel a slight sense of regret. True, she had slept with Julie''s boyfriend at the time¡­but Elias hadn''t controlled himself, either. He was the one who initiated things. Lyn pushed aside the thought. What''s done is done. She channeled mana into the bracer and looked for the next dungeon. The Eastern Archipgo. She looked off to the northeast and incanted the lightspeed travel spell, vanishing in a blue blur.


    "Oh, do go on!" Rashanna said with a giggle as she sipped her ss of wine.


    "So, so then¡­" Her drinkingpanion for the evening, Diplomat Obedai Hondur from Khrrdia, pushed aside his blonde locks. "Then¡­King Marshall fucking trips on his cape!"


    Rashannaughed along with him as they both drank deeper into their cups. She was in Kor''s Hold, continuing to smooth over rtions between some few dissenters to her empress''s rule and King Marshall''s fealty. The pce was particrly quiet on this evening, and she sat under a canopy in the main garden, enjoying the pleasantpany of the man with her.


    He drained his cup and poured himself another ss of the wine before offering Rashanna more. She held her cup out, and once he filled it, they both leaned back in their chairs and stared up at the night sky. "It''s gorgeous," she muttered.


    "It is very beautiful," Obedai replied. He nced over at her, and she caught his gaze from the corner of her eye. "You know what Empress Rivers did the first time I met her?"


    "No, but do tell."


    "She kicked me out! Told me to tell James to bend the knee or be ready for invasion. I tell you, that empress has balls on her."


    "I can assure you, she does not." Rashanna took a sip of drink.


    The man sat up and looked at her with jaw agape. "No¡­you''ve slept with the empress? The Destroyer took you to bed?"


    Rashanna giggled and nodded. "She offers her bed to those she finds attractive."


    "Interesting," he said as he rubbed his short beard. "Do tell more."


    "Ah-ah! I don''t kiss and tell," she replied as she sipped her drink. "Plus, it has been a few months since Ist shared her bed. She has a few consistent bedpanions. I think she sees me as a bit of a ''treat'' as it were."


    "Oh, I''d say you are a treat," Obedai said as he wiggled his eyebrows overtly. His facial control was impressive, and Rashanna let out a guffaw ofughter as he chuckled with her.


    There was a slight trembling. Rashanna immediately sat up. "What''s going on?" she asked.


    Obedai stood up and pulled his slim, thin knife. "I don''t know¡­we''ve never had an earthquak¡ª" The ground in the center of the garden opened, and pirates began streaming out of the hole. Privateers from the Free City, wielding thin des and clubs. Obedai grabbed Rashanna by the wrist and pulled her behind him, shouting for the guards.


    Rashanna pulled out her amulet and thought of Gael. "The main garden! Intruders!" she shouted.


    "We saw," the voice echoed in her ear, confident and stern. "We''re on it. Get to safety."


    Obedai led Rashanna through a set of double doors and shut them behind, throwing down the iron bar. He kept leading her upstairs, and he raised the rm throughout the whole of the pce, making a beeline for the royal apartments. "You need to help me get the queen and princes out of the pce."


    Rashanna nodded and gripped her amulet, thinking of Bolvon. "We''re taking the queen and princes away to safety."


    "Little busy here!" the voice came shouting back ¨C in a panic.


    Obedai burst into the royal apartments and dashed to the princes'' room, throwing it open. "Boys let''s go. We have to run!"


    Rashanna went across the hall to Queen Maria''s bedroom and threw open the door. The woman was just getting out of bed. "What is it?" she asked.


    Rashanna bowed slightly. "The pce is under attack!"


    Obedai ran up behind her, a prince under each arm as he handed them off to some king''s guard who ran from the far end of the hall. "Let''s go!"


    Rashanna nodded. She knew the evacuation n; the royal apartments had a hidden servants'' corridor, and an even more hidden passage that would lead to the exterior of the pce. From there, they could make it out of the city to the private, royal docks north of Kor''s Hold.


    As they went into the servants'' corridor, the sound of ttering wood and metal on stone echoed ahead. The king''s guard handed the children over to the two diplomats, and one of the two men walked forward into the darkness with sword drawn.


    Rashanna felt her heart beating faster and faster as they stayed put, the sounds ofbat echoing up toward her. Then¡­silence. A shadowy figured appeared in front of them, and spoke in Arinol. "Go! The passage is clear!"


    Rashanna rapidly tranted, and the group rushed by the Shadowstalker. "Thank you," she whispered in hisnguage as he slipped by them.


    Bolvon nodded. "Hurry. The escape tunnel is clear." He rushed off into the passage to the royal apartments.


    Rashanna grabbed Maria''s hand, and the group ran for the escape tunnel.


    Sigurd emerged from the earthen hole in the middle of a garden. A Vharthon woman and a Human male ran off before she could draw her de on them, and as she helped up her men, she heard doors m open. Looking out across the garden she saw a group of lightly armored, red-eyed demons forming a defensive barrier with archers behind. Duskari, she knew instantly from the stories of the red-eyed Ari. "Barriers!" she shouted as her disguised soldiers poured through the gap and shouted, "Esgal!"


    Ovepping fields of prismatic energy cascaded over her troops near the tunnel entrance, and she saw the telltale flickering of mana-charged weaponry. "Iing!" she shouted as she formed up her men.


    The Duskari archers let loose in rapid session, and their projectiles prated the barrier and picked off her lightly armored men. "Scatter!" Sigurd shouted as she saw the generic barriers were no match for the mana-charged weaponry. The men did so at hermand, and they rushed toward the Duskari.


    There''s twenty of them, she thought. ncing up at the balcony above, she saw torchlight. The royal apartments. She ran forward with her men and signaled to two of them to split off as the rest engaged with the Duskari. They boosted her up to a trellis structure, and she mbered up and into the royal apartments.


    The room was well lit as she readied her weapon and muttered a spell to mana-charge her de and manifest a barrier. There was flickering candlelight and the sounds ofbat echoed behind her. Where are they? she thought as she went into the hallway of the royal apartments. A shadow crossed her vision, an odd shape in the torchlight, and she struck out toward it.


    She impacted something solid, and her weapon was thrown back as a shadow-cloaked figure stood next to the wall. She could barely make out the dim, red glow of his eyes in what was otherwise a silhouette. Sheshed out with her de, and the figure dodged with a grace and ease she had not thought possible. A shadowy appendage flicked out toward her, and she barely deflected whatever it was holding.


    A pain seared into her foot and sparing a nce down, she saw a spike of pure shadow had pierced her booted foot. Blood began to seep out, and she tried to move ¨C but the shadow tethered her in ce.


    The shadow said something, and she redoubled her efforts on her barrier, trusting in her mana to keep her safe so she could focus on offense. She saw the shadows moving again, and heard the telltale crack of ss as her barrier shattered. She barely got her arm in the way of the iing strike and felt a hot, piercing pain as she was stabbed, the arm going limp.


    What the fuck is this? she thought as panic started to set in. Trying to shift her stance so she could run, she tore the shadowy spike from her foot and felt the warm rush of blood. Keeping her front facing this shadow, she made her way backward into the bedroom and toward the balcony. Sparing a quick nce back, she saw the two men who had boosted her up had mbered up. "Help!" she shouted.


    The two men drew des and charged toward the shadow-wraith figure, swinging chops from both sides that the shadow deftly dodged and evaded. It bought Sigurd enough time that she could reach into her hip pouch and pull out a Purple Patch. She shoved it inside the foot wound and felt the numbing property kick in as she regained her footing.


    The shadow figure tackled one of her men, and his throat exploded outward in a crimson cascade. Sigurd took the opportunity to chop down on the figure, but it rolled aside, and she hit her own man.


    The other soldier tackled the shadowy figure and pinned it down ¨C but the form slipped and faded into the darkness, and she saw her soldier go limp. Fuck this. I''m not dying here. The royal family was gone, her mission failed. She had to get out while she had the chance, and this shadowy figure seemed to be collecting itself on the other side of the room.


    She turned and vaulted the balcony rail, gripping onto the column as she slid down. Her men were still fighting against the Duskari squadron, and she yelled, "Mission failed! Retreat!" before leaping into the hole.


    Bolvon sucked in deep breaths as his mana ran out and the shadow form dissipated. Sinking down against the wall, he let out a brief chuckle and shook his head. Three on one. All things considered, I didn''t do too bad. He felt the sharp pain in his side and nced down, seeing the red blood seeping through his leather armor. Damnit. That''s deep. He reached into his hip pouch with a fumbling hand and pulled out a Purple Patch, pping it on the wound as he felt it numb over. That should keep me from bleeding out.


    He would need a healer in the next few hours, but until then he could survive. He picked up his amulet from around his neck and waited silently in the dark corner of the queen''s bedroom until he had just enough mana to activate it. "Gael, the king''s family is out, but I''m injured up in their apartments."


    "Kind of busy here!" he shouted.


    Bolvon sat up. The voice wasn''t justing from the amulet, it wasing from outside. He pushed himself to his feet and walked over to the railing, looking down. Gael was with the Duskari squadrons. A few of their forces had died andy syed out on the grass, which turned crimson under the light of the dual moons. But they were winning. Is this really all¡ª


    Bolvon felt a deep pain in his lower back and screamed out as he copsed. Rolling over he instinctively kicked ¨C but his leg did not respond. He saw one of the men he had sliced was not killed by the throat-slit. I must''ve missed the artery. The man dragged himself up Bolvon, stabbing a knife into the Shadowstalker''s leg as he pulled himself up. For some reason, Bolvon didn''t feel the knife gouging into his leg, and he reached for his punch dagger.


    If I die, I die serving my goddess''s will. A sense of finality washed over him¡­and sorrow. He pictured Gael in his mind and felt tears begin to well up. I wanted to spend my life with you¡­I''m so sorry.


    The raider jabbed the knife into Bolvon''s stomach; he felt the deep, piercing pain and screamed. As the raider dragged himself up, sawing along Bolvon''s midsection, he raised the knife and prepared to bring it down on Bolvon''s head. The Shadowstalker stabbed the man in the side ¨C but he could see the deing down and closed his eyes.


    The weight on top of him disappeared, and he opened his eyes. Looking down, the man was impaled by a spear which had shoved him back before propping him up. Bolvon willed mana into themunication amulet as he felt darkness close in. "Gael¡­I love you."


    "Don''t die on me!" he heard from behind and above him. He saw Gaele into his view, hauling himself over the balcony. The world darkened as Gael incanted the verses to a spell.


    Gael breathed a sigh of relief as he staunched the bleeding with the spell Lyn had taught him. He reached into his pouch and pulled out Purple Patches, covering Bolvon''s wounds with them. Then, he slowly sat the smaller Duskari up and felt his heart drop. No¡­


    There was a stab wound that had coagted over thanks to his spell epassing all of Bolvon''s body, but he could see the shattered bone in between. pping on another Purple Patch, Gael lifted the Shadowstalker, pushing him up and over his shoulder. He reached down to the corpse that he had thrown his spear into, and ripped the weapon out of the body before stabbing it in the head.


    He grabbed hismunication amulet and thought of Lyn. "I need you here."


    There was quiet for a moment before the response came through. "What happened?"


    "Bolvon¡­he''s hurt badly. I stopped the bleeding, but his spine was hurt." He heard his voice crack. "Please!"


    "What about the pce?"


    "Mercenaries speaking Shereldian came up from underground. We pushed them back, and they''re fleeing. The royals were kept safe." There was silence again. "Lyn?" Nothing responded. Gael began cautiously working his way toward the infirmary within the pce.


    A sh of blue red in front of him, and Lyn was standing there. "Let me see him," she ordered. Gael gentlyid Bolvon down, and Lyn''s eyes zed over with a light-pink hue. "Thoracic spinal injury with a total loss of function. That exins the smell."


    Gael hadn''t noticed ¨C still caught up in the adrenaline rush ¨C but now that Lyn mentioned it and she was here¡­he did smell the rank stench of someone expelling their guts. "Is he going to be okay?"


    "I can heal him, but he''ll be out ofmission for some time. Healing with spells elerates the process, but things can still be iffy." She raised her hand "Lova an''thoryar / a anironv a''mar." A storage dimension opened up next to her. "ce him inside."


    Gael did so and ran a hand along his beloved''s face, feeling some sorrow but relief at the same time. Lyn squeezed past him and began rapidly firing off Elenthir verses so quickly he couldn''t keep up. His eyes went wide as he saw the slight flush return to Bolvon''s face as his legs jolted in ce, and the wounds all sealed up.


    She stood up and let the storage dimension close. "He''ll be out of it for a few days. I''ll deliver him to Lynhold. But first¡­where are these assants?"


    "Follow me."


    Sigurd was out of breath by the time she reached their ship at the docks. Only one hundred and twenty made it back. The rest were assumed dead. "Untie and set sail!" she shouted. We must get as far away as possible.


    Their mission had failed. The royal family had escaped. The best she could do was return to Vgonia, tail between her legs, and report back to Princess Cecily of her failure. But then she heard a pping noise. An enormous, winged creature was a blot against the bright night sky and flew across the city toward the boat. Fuck me.


    "All hands to stations! Hurry!" The gangway was pulled up and the ship was pushed off the docks as men scrambled to the oars. They had barely gone a hundred feet before the enormous dragon mmed into the back of the boat, ripping it apart as it roared out. Sigurd felt her heart skip a few beats as she turned to face this enormous creature.


    A Duskari man slipped off the back of the beast as the dragon set to killing her men all around, forming a sort of eye of the storm as the Duskari raised his spear and shield. In broken Shereldian, she heard the man speak. "I Gael. Guard of Empress. Fight."


    With pleasure. I can do a one on one, no problem. Sigurd unsheathed her de and held it out, ready to strike as the two circled each other. It was only then, as they began to cautiously close, that she saw the armor he was wearing. Is that Titansteel? She felt a twinge of fear, knowing that even with mana-charged weapons she could barely scratch that armor. There was a slight gap in the neck that she could make out. There''s my target.


    The man stabbed out in rapid session and Sigurd deflected each blow. They were engaged in a deadly dance where a single misstep would cost the other an opening. And the spearman made one mistake as he advanced. His foot stepped into a ring of rope. Sigurd took advantage of that and stomped down on the other end, pulling back and forcing him off bnce.


    There! She lunged forward toward his neck, but her de missed the opening. Damnit! She tried to recover from the overextension, but the Duskari dropped the spear and grabbed her wrist. He pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arm around her back. Then¡­he squeezed.


    She felt her back popping and could feel her insides ripping from the pressure. She let out a scream of pain as she wed at the man''s helmet, trying to shove her fingers into the visor ¨C but it was too narrow. She tried to reach down and force her arms inside of his to buy some time and room to wriggle her way out ¨C but he squeezed even tighter, and she coughed up blood. The world began to go dim. She tried to batter the man with her fists, but her blows were weak and pathetic as she struggled to suck in any air. She had unknowingly sped up her own death by suffocation. I never thought I''d go out like this.


    A sharp, piercing pain shot up her body, and the world went dark.

 B2 – Chapter 24

    Lyn saw Gael crush the woman to death before dropping her corpse and retrieving his spear. She used one of her ws to help him mber up onto her back, and then opened her mouth and felt her mana surge up her mana channels as a torrent ofva exuded from her maw and burned the ship down to the waterline. She took off and flew above the few infiltrators that were trying to swim away, and she dipped down to pull them out of the water before ripping them to pieces.


    By the time the waters had stilled, none were left alive. She craned her head back, and Gael had a look of relief on his face. "You good?" she asked in Arinol.


    "Yes, I''m happy that Bolvon is going to live. And that we got revenge for his injuries. Thank you, for letting me take some personal revenge."


    Lyn nodded and flew over the city, relying on her vision to spot any more of the simrly dressed mercenaries, flying down as she spotted them and plucking them off the streets, screaming, into the skies before ripping them in half and dropping them to their doom. Shended on the roof of a building and shifted back to her Duskari form. She grabbed hermunication amulet and willed some mana into it.


    "Rashanna, are you safe?" she asked in Khrrdian.


    "Empress Rivers? Yes. I am. We made it to the escape tunnel and are at the royal docks."


    "I don''t want to risk James''s family being caught up again. Cecily might try for them again. I''ming to you." She looked at Gael and opened the storage dimension Bolvon was in. "Alright, in you go," she told him in Arinol.


    Gael nodded and went inside, sitting next to and holding Bolvon''s hand. Lyn let the storage space shut behind him.


    She closed her eyes and incanted her lightspeed travel spell, feeling her mana lower even more as she vanished and appeared in front of a shocked pair of king''s guards, Rashanna, Maria, the blonde diplomat she had seen once before, and the two children. "We''re going to Lynhold," she said in Khrrdian as she incanted yet another spell for a storage dimension. "Everyone get in."


    The king''s guards looked at her questioningly, but Maria pushed past them with her children and went into the empty extradimensional space. Soon enough the rest followed. Lyn allowed the dimension to close once more and incanted the lightspeed travel spell as her mana dwindled to near-empty from the constant travel spell.


    She arrived in front of Trisha''s hospital, opened the storage dimension, and directed Maria and her kids to the fortress along with her king''s guards. Rashanna bowed and led the group, as Lyn helped Gael carry Bolvon inside the hospital. "We need help here!" she shouted in Triskol, and despite thete hour several doctors came out to help them with the Shadowstalker.


    Looking back down at his body, the pink hue took over her eyes as she saw all of Bolvon''s bodyid out before her. The Healer core was able to focus on specific body parts and see through it as if she had x-ray vision,yer byyer, instantly identifying any injuries or mdies. Thankfully, her healing spell earlier had worked perfectly, and she could see the damage to his kidneys and spine slowly mending. "Keep him safe," she told them as she walked outside and grabbed hermunication amulet.


    Gael grabbed her arm and had tears in his eyes. "Thank you," he whispered in Arinol.


    "You''re wee." She focused on the amulet and spoke to the Duskari squadrons stationed at Kor''s Hold. They had lost ten Duskari, and the rest had superficial injuries. So nothing immediately pressing. The loss of any Duskari was a massive blow due to their longevity and potential to serve the empire¡­but the losses were minimal, all things considered. She left the hospital and made a beeline for Chancellor Vehenna''s quarters, knocking firmly on the door.


    The older woman opened the door and bowed. "Empress Rivers, how may I serve you at thiste hour?"


    "Send message to King Marshall. Kor''s Hold was attacked. The invaders were in, and his family was relocated to Lynhold for safekeeping."


    The woman bowed her head. "Right away, Your Mightiness."


    Lyn nodded and went to her room, letting the door shut behind her as she copsed onto the bed, utterly drained from the two days of constant cross-world travel and spell use.


    Vael ran into the hospital. "Where is he?" she asked in Triskol as the physicians directed her to a room at the far end of the hospital. She opened the door and saw Gael sitting next to aid-up in bed Bolvon. "You''re alright?" she asked her brother in Arinol as she went in and hugged him.


    "Yes," he said as his words choked him up. "Lyn¡­she kept him alive. He''ll be back to normal in a few days." He took a shuddering breath and held his sister''s hand. "I¡­he almost died. I didn''t protect him."


    "That wasn''t your jo¡ª"


    "I didn''t protect him!" Gael shouted. "He almost died because of me!"


    Vael tried to calm her brother, but he just threw off her arms and went to the chair alongside the bed, holding Bolvon''s hand as his tears flowed freely. She pulled a chair up alongside him and gently rubbed his back. "It''s not your fault."


    "I killed them," Gael said through the tears. "I killed the ones that hurt him. He''s not built for guarding people." He turned to Vael, and she could see the hint of anger in his visage. "Why would Lyn assign him to guard someone? He''s not made for that."


    "She had her reasons, I''m sure. Who better to stop assassinations than an assassin? He did stop several attempts. Attempts that others might not have caught."


    Gael sighed, exasperated. "No¡­you''re right. There''s no one to me here." He put a hand to his eyes and wiped them. "I just¡­it feels better to me someone."


    "Bolvon made a mistake. He survived that mistake thanks to our empress. Our friend. Just¡­be thankful for what we do have. And that she dropped everything toe to you ¨C that alone speaks volumes about her feelings towards us."


    Gael squeezed her hand. "I know. I''m thankful." He gently brushed Bolvon''s face with his hand, "I''m not leaving his side. No matter what."


    "I don''t think she''ll have a problem with that."


    "Will you stay here with me?"


    Vael nodded and began to take off her armor to getfortable, stacking it neatly alongside Gael''s gear in the corner of the room. "Of course."


    Lionel coughed. "Water¡­please¡­" he begged as he was thrown on the floor of the tent once more. His whole body was covered in deep, purple and red bruises.


    Kory stood over him, waterskin in hand, and drank deeply before wiping his mouth and spitting in front of Lionel. "There''s your water," the Berserker hero said in Shereldian. "Why the fuck would you think it was okay to take over my mercenarypany?"


    "You¡­left," Lionel said quietly. The previous evening, he and the rest of Kory''s Killers went forth with the n that the empress''s war council hadid out. They were to go in, and side with Vgonia for the purpose of disabling the cannons before fleeing to the Azure Divide and returning to the Valley of the Volcano.


    But Kory instantly arrested all of them on the spot, calling them ''traitors to Vgonia,'' and executed them save for Lionel. Kory instead took him to his tent and had been using him as a punching bag all night, ensuring he didn''t hit any vital organs. A silent night of torture, where Lionel''s cries of pain and Kory''s grunts of exertion were the only noises.


    "I''m¡­sorry," Lionel whispered as he knew death awaited him. He did not know when, but he knew that Kory would not let him live.


    The giant of a man knelt and grabbed Lionel''s hair, pulling him up to face him. "You''re sorry? For taking my men and fucking off to join this Destroyer? Who is she?"


    Lionel grimaced and sucked in a breath. "Water¡­"


    Kory growled and poured the waterskin over Lionel''s head, and the mercenary captain tried to catch as much as he could in his mouth. "Tell me who it is?"


    "Empress Rivers. A Duskari woman mixed with a dragon," Lionel said as he found his voice once more.


    "Does she have a first name?"


    "They sometimes called her Lyn."


    "Spell it."


    "L, Y, N. Lyn Rivers."


    Kory''s face drained of all its blood, and he let Lionel go before backing up slightly. He reached over to a mirror on a small table. Lionel recognized it as one of themunication mirrors that Vgonia gave to its highest-rankingmanders. There was some conversation that urred, and he could only hear Kory''s side of it. They spoke in Shereldian, so he could listen in to half of the conversation.


    "Yes¡­he said she''s someone called Lyn Rivers¡­ You knew? The fuck, Cecily?! She''s alive? Why didn''t you¡­yes¡­" His demeanor shifted to one of sorrow. "You didn''t trust me? How long have you known? I showed you the damn letter, and you told me it wasn''t her! You said it was the Demonic Dragon that just absorbed her or some shit!" Again, his behavior shifted to one of rage. "That long! You knew who it was for that long?!" He screamed and threw the mirror across the room. It hit the tent wall and fell to the floor.


    "Do you know her?" Lionel asked, genuinely curious despite being on death''s doorstep.


    Kory wheeled on him and kicked him in the jaw, breaking it as a burst of red-hot pain red in his face. "Fuck!" Kory screamed out. "Why didn''t she tell me?!" He looked to Lionel, gripped the mercenary by the hair once more, and lifted him up to his eye level. "Lyn Rivers was the fucking Scout hero that was summoned to Ghomar with me. She killed the Demonic Dragon¡­and now I learn she has its power? She''s Empress Rivers?" He dropped Lionel in a heap. "I shouldn''t have listened to Cecily. Fucking bitch knew that the letter I got wasn''t a trick. She lied to me. Used me. Again!" He kicked the dirt floor. "If I knew she was real¡­I would''ve fucking gone to the valley myself. Joined her. Fucked up this fucking world! Fuck!"


    The Scout hero? What is he talking about? Lionel had heard the stories of the heroes summoned to defeat the Demonic Dragon, and he tried to go through the different names and hero roles in his mind¡­but the Scout hero was a blur.


    Koryughed, gripping his sides and roaring withughter. "I can tell you since you won''t tell anyone else." He squatted next to Lionel and lowered his voice to a whisper. "We didn''t kill the Demonic Dragon. Lyn, the Scout did. We took the credit for the kill." He chuckled and patted Lionel on the head. "It feels good being honest for once."


    That doesn''t make sense, Lionel thought. How can the hero that killed the Demonic Dragon ¨C one that I''ve never heard of ¨C be the Destroyer? Kory must be insane, there was no other exnation.


    "Fuck!" he shouted as he kicked a wooden chair over. "I had a chance! A fucking shot I could''ve taken to team up with the strongest thing on Ghomar?" He looked to Lionel and cracked a smile, "Do you know why I went to join Cecily, despite her treating me like shitst time? It''s because she''s strong. She could protect me from the Demonic Dragon." He let out a mad chuckle. "Only now, I learn that this Demonic Dragon really is a chick I used to fuck."


    He''s gone crazy, Lionel thought. What Empress Rivers told those other heroes ising to pass. He had overheard conversation between the empress and the Healer hero when he was visiting one of his men who suffered injury during training. Kory''s mana core is driving him to madness. He couldn''t speak, thanks to the broken jaw, and only watched as the Berserker hero muttered and mumbled to himself in thenguage of his home world.


    Kory stomped over to the mirror and activated it again, speaking in Shereldian once more. "Yes¡­ We attack tomorrow¡­ No, it''s toote, now. I''ve cast my lot with you. If I die, well, I know you''ll die soon enough after me." He held the mirror in between both of his hands and crushed it into a fine metallic ss crumble that cascaded onto the floor. "Now¡­how to best use a traitorous mercenary captain¡­"


    Cecily set down the mirror and took a deep breath. At least he will do what needs to be done. Kory would keep the Eternal Empire''s forces upied. She lifted another inscribed mirror and a few momentster saw the face of hermander on the front lines in Rist. "How are things along the western front?"


    "They progress well, Your Highness. The Khrrdian dogs are arrayed on the other side of the Azure Divide. They appear to be content to wait for something."


    "Use your superior weaponry to force a confrontation. Make them cross the river as you assault them with the cannons."


    "Mydy, we''ve tried that. They just moved their camp back after suffering some casualties. They are beyond our range unless we cross the river."


    Cecily frowned and clicked her tongue. "How many strong?"


    "By our counts, approximately sixty-thousand. Our forces number much greater."


    "Very well. I''ming to the front."


    "Mydy, that is extremely dangerous."


    Cecily looked aside at the mage who was finishing painting the Elenthir verses onto her backup body. "Not for me." She set the mirror down and walked over to the mage and her new body. She ran her fingers along the soft, smooth skin. "How much longer?"


    The mage looked up as she pulled the stencil away from the body. "Any time. We simply need a healer present to force scarification once you make the cuts. I have sent for one. You can begin making the cuts at any time."


    Cecily nodded and picked up a scalpel, setting to the grisly work of carving into a person that would soon be her backup vessel, their own persona and will suppressed by the inscriptions. The hours passed with ease as she utilized the familiar-to-her small de. As evening came about, the body waspletely scarred over with the Elenthian verses. She turned to the mage. "You''re sure this will work."


    "Everything indicates that it will."


    Cecily nodded and heaved a sigh of relief. "Good. You will stay with my backup body, ready to pour mana into it at a moment''s notice."


    "Forgive me, Your Highness¡­how will I know if you have expired?"


    Cecily reached into the storage dimension in her ring and pulled out a small, inscribed metal te. "This will warm up if I die. That''s your signal to pour mana into the body."


    The mage took the te and nodded. "Your will be done."


    Cecily walked out of the chamber and called for her servants. "Bring me my armor and prepare my escort. I go to war."


    Vinic breathed in the fresh, crisp morning air of early spring. His group of soldiers ¨C only a small force of five hundred ¨C made their way across the Azure Divide during the night on small fishing vessels. Now on the other side of the river, they stormed into Sonash, one of the richest farming regions.


    His orders were to simply cause as much disruption as possible. He was given full authority of his regiment, and they were all fervent fanatics just like he was. Every person who was not of Vgonia would perish. None would be spared the wrath of Vgonia. A pure campaign of terror to keep the smallfolk from aiding Khrrdia''s military in any capacity, and with luck draw off some of their forces from the main army to chase them north up through Pictal.


    "Draw up!" he shouted as his men began to form ranks on the outskirts of a vige. They had no mounts due to the river crossing. But that was fine. These new weapons would more thanpensate. After the men had formed ranks, he leveled his hand. "Let''s go!"


    The group surged across the fields and ughtered all the people they found who were sowing new crops. Men and women alike were cut down. Children and animals were not spared, either, as Vinic ordered his men to leave nothing alive. Empty buildings of the vige were all that remained, and they set fire to every building after stripping them of valuables. The smoke would alert the Khrrdian army that something was wrong. "Alright, to the next!"


    This same routine yed itself out in vige after vige for two days. Vinic and his men would make camp just on the edge of a set of fields and in the morning surge into the vige. Time and time again, they worked their way north.


    Vinic was merciless. Ruthless. Even when faced with a mother holding her two children, he wasted no time in shooting them both and then using his lightning elementalism to kill the next family. No mercy for Vgonia''s enemies. He was administering the will of his princess, she who was prophesied to rule the whole world. What was a family or tenpared to that righteous cause? Even Humans were not spared, but they were given quicker deaths.


    The non-Humans? Those he ordered tortured to death through a variety of brutal methods. ying became popr very quickly, and soon enough they had plenty of Vharthon and Foskor pelts ¨C future decorations and trophies of war. The carnage was exquisite, and Vinic felt immense satisfaction at destroying those the prophesied Princess Cecily deemed worthy of her wrath.


    But on the third day¡­there was a problem. The next vige they had set their sights on was quiet. No one was in the fields. All was empty. The fuck is going on? he thought. "Spread out and search the ce!" he shouted.


    Khrrdia''s forces were somewhere to their south, and he had no clue if they were chasing the group of Vgonian raiders through their ownnds. The screams of pain and agony brought him out of his rumination, and he looked toward the town center as a pir of blue me erupted skyward¡­and he trembled in pure terror.


    No¡­she''s here?


    The vige was leveled in an instant. The Duskari woman dressed in full, ck te armor walked out of the shatteredndscape toward his arrayed forces. The same one that took his hand. The same one that he knew he would stand no chance against. Her voice bellowed across the field. The voice of the Demonic Dragon. And she spoke hisnguage. "You dare harm my innocent subjects?"


    Vinic raised his hand, and his troops leveled their rifles. "Open fire!" he shouted. The loud bangs echoed all around him, and the air became thick with smoke. He held his breath as he waited for the smoke to clear.


    The woman was standing there, unharmed, as the rifle rounds floated in front of her, caught by some type of barrier spell that did not deflect. "I thought I recognized you." She vanished, he saw a sh of blue, and she reappeared right in front of him. She grabbed his neck and lifted him off the ground before he could move at all. He felt the world begin to dim and tried to incant a spell. All he heard was a faint voice, as if far off in a tunnel. "I will annihte you."


    There was a sharp pain in his neck¡­and then nothing.


    Lyn harvested the man''s mana core and willed her Destroyer core to obliterate the soul or consciousness within entirely. Her mana core responded to her desires, and she felt the man''s essence rip in two. She threw the man''s corpse to the ground, disgusted. Good. I can do that to Cecily as well, then.


    She felt a slight twinge of regret as she had let him live not once, but twice. The first time was to just let this minor knight carry a message, but she had no reason to have let him live the second time except thinking he was not worth her time to kill, as he had tucked tail and run from the sight of her power. It still enraged her that innocents were being harmed in her empire, and she looked to the rest of the Vgonians. "None of you will leave alive!"


    More gunshots echoed around her and were caught by her barrier, which she had worded to have the consistency of ballistic gel that would catch the bullets in midair. She carved her way through this Vgonian force, destroying every one of them even as they began to turn and flee, seeing that the fight against her was impossible to win. Leaving him alive did teach me one valuable lesson, she thought. And that''s that I can''t underestimate an enemy ¨C even if they are incredibly weak inparison.


    His underhanded tactics of infiltrating the countryside to y innocent civilians showed the depths of depravity that Cecily had sunk to. Ordering her soldiers to do something so vile meant she was beyond any type of redemption, and cemented more in Lyn''s mind that she could not just be captured. She had to die for what she did. I could just go to Cecria, right now, and kill her, Lyn thought.


    But that could be dangerous. Even with her immense power¡­she did not know what to expect. Her Newen diviners had learned that the main pce ¨C doubtless where Cecily held up ¨C was surrounded by wards uponyers of wards. No, it''s better if I crush her forces and march on the capital with James''s army. Safety in numbers. I''m not going to risk my own neck even if it''s a small risk. No way.


    She had beenid up at Lynhold recovering from the stress of using lightspeed travel spells constantly over the course of one day. A hidden downside she confirmed with James after experiencing the nauseating effects she could not end with spells.


    "You can''t just travel that fast all the time," he told her over the inscribed mirror. "It''s why I never used that spell more than four times in a day. It''s some built-in limiter the Paragon core has. Good thing you found out now before the war really got underway."


    Lyn had been relying on that spell too much, and now she knew the price of going beyond ¨C in her case ¨C five uses in rapid session. Zipping across the battlefield like she had nned wouldn''t be feasible. She would have to rely on more mundane methods ¨C running or flight.


    She finished off the group of Vgonian soldiers down to thest man, then gathered their rifles and tossed those into a storage dimension. Looking off to the south she took a deep breath. Hermunication amulet began to vibrate slightly, and she pulled it out as she willed mana into it, "Yes?"


    "Empress Rivers, the Berserker hero is making his move," Marshal Remora said over the device.


    "I''ll be there shortly," Lyn replied as she put the amulet away. She was not far from the Dragon''s Maw and wanted to save her mana. Kory was a strong opponent, and she had wanted to disable him so she could use the inscribed tube and remove his mana core. I''ll be fighting with a handicap, she thought as she used the shifting spell to keep her hybrid-Duskari form and manifested wings that she used to propel herself up into the air.


    Marshal Remora stood atop the Dragon''s Maw. Their retrofitted ironside was slowly trundling across the battlefield; a smallplement of Ari marines inside along with a Duskari squadron and some Newen archers were all aboard the ship-converted-to-tank. Guardian Ben stood next to her along with other members of the war council.


    "The cannons are still intact," Ben muttered in Triskol.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Remora nodded and leaned forward on the crion. "What happened?"


    Ben pulled out a spyss. "Son of a bitch!" He handed the device to Remora, and she saw what he had seen. Kory''s forces had marched out Lionel, wrists bound. "They must have killed the rest," Ben muttered. "The infiltration failed. Cannons are still in y."


    Remora gritted her teeth as she saw the Berserker hero, a giant of a man, dismount his war horse and raise an enormous hammer up high. He brought it down, and the man once known as Lionel was turned into paste. She pulled the spyss away as she handed it back to Ben. "This changes the n. We can''t rely on that ironside to draw them in. They''ll just pummel the wall."


    Ben nodded and looked down behind them at the arrayed Duskari forces. "We won''t be able to hide back here. Going out to meet them is our only option. Artillery will hit the troops, but we should be able to¡ª" He nced up, and Remora followed his gaze.


    Empress Riversnded on the wall, wings furling in behind her back as she put her hands on the crions. "Report."


    Remora saluted. "The cannons are still in y. Lionel''s mercenaries failed."


    Lyn nodded and looked at Remora. "That does present a problem." She looked back to the battlefield before them. "We will have to meet them in openbat, and I won''t be able to just wipe the army out with a spell. I have no clue how powerful the Berserker hero is at this point¡­I need to save my mana."


    Ben turned to her and said something in the otherworldnguage, and Lyn replied in kind before Ben departed the wall and headed to Lynhold. "Forgive me, Empress¡­is it wise to dismiss the Guardian hero?" she asked in Arinol.


    "No, but I made a deal with him. He would not be forced to fight. I''m keeping my word." She gripped the wall with her ws. "We can weather the cannons and force them to close in¡­we just need stronger walls." She closed her eyes, and Remora tried to hear what she said ¨C but it was in Elenthir, and she could only make out the words for "metal" and "protect."


    The entire structure of the Dragon''s Maw turned to solid steel under their feet. There were gasps and shouts from up and down the lines both behind the wall proper and the soldiers stationed on top. Lyn sagged slightly before drawing up to her full height, the wings on her back absorbing back into her body. "All of the troops arrayed behind the wall, have them go to the mountains to the west. That will prevent casualties." She grinned and looked aside at Remora. "I''ll carve a tunnel for us to approach from that side. Keep the Duskari squadrons here, to use those inscriptions and raise the dead."


    "What of the ironside?"


    "Recall it. It can join the sally-force." She stood up and walked down the stairs. "I leave the defense to you, Marshal. Oh, the metal won''t heat up, either. It''s non-conductive, so no need to worry about lightning elementalism or me elementalism harming you."


    Remora swallowed the bit of a lump in her throat, then saluted her empress. "All hail Empress Rivers!"


    The shout was picked up by the various troops, and she led them off toward the west. Remora looked back to the front and grabbed hermunication amulet, willing some mana into the device as she contacted the Ari aboard the ironside. "Back to the gate. Now." The ironside slowly turned around and returned. Remora then looked back to her Duskari squadrons. "Use the inscriptions!"


    They all nted their hands on the inscriptions and willed mana into them. Remora looked forward as the Berserker hero''s lines began to form up and cross the no-man''snd. Directly below her, hundreds of thousands of skeletons ¨C corpses from bygone eras ¨Cy hidden in the dirt. Even with the Duskari squadrons, they could only raise up ten thousand of the undead. More than enough to double the Berserker''s forces. The bodies began to stand and form up ranks.


    She saw the bright, red belch of me, and the thunderous report of some explosion. An object mmed into the wall just above the gate. Looking over, she saw that an enormous iron ball had impacted and dented the wall before falling to the ground. It''s holding, she thought with delight. This can work!


    Fucking magic, Kory thought as he saw the enormous wall a little under a half mile away turn into solid metal. The cannons arrayed just behind his main force belched out their ming projectiles, and they all impacted the wall with dull thuds, not doing any real damage. I have to break the fucking thing down.


    He drew Krak''il''to and focused his mind on breathing calmly. Taking deep breaths, he incanted the unique Berserker spell that only he had ess to. "En ethiel le / gorf min / thia bregen thand / bartho en / bari gwaur / ortha rhaw / gwain tolthanta-nand."


    His skin shifted colors to that of dull steel, preventing all physical harm as long as his mana held out. His muscles surged and bulged to their maximum possible, and his metallic skin shifted and peeled in ces as his strength bypassed all natural limitations. A red hue coated his vision, and he felt no emotion save for anger and bloodlust. "Kill them all!" he shouted as he charged forward.


    He was not alone in the charge. His five hundred fanatics immediately joined him as they ran over the open space with remarkable speed. They had all used the small supply of Stim ¨C abat drug that Brad had made before his escape ¨C and were able to keep up with the Berserker hero''s speed.


    His prosthetic contributed to thatck of speed, as he would have already crossed the whole span to the wall if he was in peak shape. The artificial object was not subject to his internal spells, and whilst he could surge mana through it¡­the staggering gait was not something he could ovee with internal spells.


    An army charged toward him. He heard ttering and rattling, and as he closed with the lines on the battlefield his hammer arced out in an enormous cleaving strike, propelled by his massive strength, and at the end of the swing he yelled out, "Down!" as he let the weapon go.


    His men dropped down to their knees as he used the attached wire to swing the weapon, crackling with electricity around and around. The lines of the undead that these Ari had summoned up were no match for his inexorable might, and he smashed through thousands with the single swing.


    He pulled the cord as the hammer returned to his grip, and the men got up and charged forward. The bellowing cannons coughed out from far behind him and he saw the ming metal orbs soaring overhead before they plowed into the skeletal army''s backline. Good, they saw the wall was pointless to target. He saw the rain of arrowsing in and charged into the undead horde, swinging with abandoned andughing as he relished his power.


    His full force arrived shortly after and formed a firing line, letting loose volleys at the two wings that threatened to close in and encircle Kory''s main force of five hundred. And those men were vicious in their own right, swapping between firearm and melee weapon as they lost not a single man and carved a path of destruction alongside their leader. "I''ll fucking tear the wall down!" Kory shouted as they broke through the back line of the undead and into line of sight of the wall once more. "Box up!"


    His men assembled into a tight box formation as Kory ran forward, feeling the impact of arrows on his imprable skin as he closed distance with the massive fortification. He leaped up into the air and let his mana pour into the artifact, focusing all the thunderous sonic energy into a single point as he mmed it into the gate.


    CRACK. Hended awkwardly as he looked up, expecting the wall to shatter. But it didn''t. He had simply left a dent. The fuck is this made of? Arrows continued to pelt him from above to no effect. He ran up to the wall, heaved his hammer like a baseball bat, and dented it over and over. He had nevere across a solid object he couldn''t destroy. But this damned thing waspletely stymying him.


    And that''s when he heard the noise. The sound of rocks shifting. Looking to the west, he saw an army ¨C easily four times the size of his ¨C charging toward the line. Fine! Kill my men. See if I care. He coiled his legs under himself and leaped up, clinging onto the spikes facing outward and slightly down that would impede any normal climber.


    But he was no normal climber. He crested the top of the wall and saw a group of Duskari and Newen. The Newen did not flee as they normally did, instead loosing arrows at him. Kory ignored the projectiles and crushed several of the creatures with a single swing. He ughtered two Duskari that came at him with spears, crushing their mana-charged weapons and sending them soaring off of the wall.


    As he tracked the trajectory of one of the bodies, he saw the catapults and trebuchets below, unmanned. ncing back to his own forces, he saw that the army that came from the now-revealed mountain sallyport had crashed into the back line, and an enormous, armored tank-boat-thing had made a beeline along with ram-riding Sloren cavalry to the cannon crews, ughtering them. His men were about to be encircledpletely and destroyed.


    Kory gave no heed to that. He saw the dread fortress in the distance. I''ming for you. He leaped off the wall, crashing into the ground below as a meteor from the heavens, the hundred-foot drop creating a crater as he mmed his hammer and sent reverberating waves of sound through the ground. He took off at a sprint toward the dread fortress. I kill Lyn, I win this war.


    Remora gripped the wall, her heart pumping rapidly in her chest. What in the abyss? The Berserker hero had just mbered up the wall after trying to fell it, ughtered soldiers, and then took off toward Lynhold. She picked up her amulet and was about to focus on Lyn but stopped. The Guardian hero was on his way back. She focused on him instead and spoke in broken Triskol. "Berserkering. Past wall. Prepare."


    She switched her focus to Lyn and spoke in Arinol. "The Berserker got past the wall and is headed to Lynhold."


    "Fuck!" There was silence for a moment before she heard Lyn''s voice again, but Remora knew that the message was being amplified to everymunication amulet that had been created, as the Newen archers who had no further targets picked up their steel amulets from around their necks. "The Berserker hero is on his way to Lynhold. Get civilians into the fortress! All avable forces, protect the fortress!"


    Remora signaled to the Newen, and they descended the stairs. She led a full-on charge after the Berserker hero.


    Lyn let the amulet go and rapidly incanted the shifting spell to give herself wings. Flying above the fray, she saw that the battle was a certain victory. The ironside had taken some damage and they had lost some of the ram rider cavalry, but the cannon crews were disabled. The ground troops were being crushed between a swathe of undead and the rest of her army. I can leave them to this. Minor losses, maybe a few hundred troops. Less, if she could get Trisha and her healers out to the battlefield.


    She flew north, pping high and muttering incantations to force the air in front of her into a pointed envelope, removing wind resistance as she lifted up before diving forward, gaining speed every time until she was akin to a rocket across the sky.


    "Go! Now!" Ben shouted as he waved civilians into the fortress. Lawrence was on the other side of the massive door. Ben had put on his armor, his massive shield, and had his mace ready to go as soon as Lyn gave the warning. Kory wasing, and while Ben didn''t want to fight ¨C he had to defend his family.


    Trisha and the kids ran past him, and his wife gave his hand a squeeze. He pulled her in for a kiss before parting.


    Lawrence shouted over the din of people going inside, in English, "You''re not going to fight him, are you?"


    Ben frowned and he brushed Trisha''s face. She shook her head. "No. You said you wouldn''t fight!"


    "I have to protect you," he replied.


    Lawrence walked over and pped Ben. "Get inside with your family." He turned to the rapidly emptying city. "I''ll handle Kory."


    "He''ll kill you!" Trisha shouted. "We should go inside and wait for Lyn."


    Lawrenceughed. "This is my city now. I''m going to protect it and the people here. After all¡­you all got to be heroes in the past. It''s my turn now. Plus, I just have to buy time for Lyn to show up. I got this." He ran past the dwindling crowd and turned into a ck and orange striped tiger the size of a semi-truck as he barreled off down the road.


    Ben shook his head and looked to Trisha. I have to keep them safe¡­thanks, Lawrence. He ushered the rest of the civilians inside and shut the doors, barring them from within. He and Trisha immediately set to workyering verses upon verses of spells to strengthen the building around them. Thomas ran up and joined them, followed by Stes and all her students.


    We just have to hold out for Lyn. Ben knew Lawrence didn''t stand a chance¡­but he could buy them valuable time.


    Kory ran past ake that wasn''t in the Valley of the Volcano thest time he was here. He paid it little mind as he ran around the outside edge, but he was thrown to the ground as something hit him from the side. He rolled with the impact and sprang to his feet, barely keeping his footing with the new leg.


    An enormous tiger circled him. A voice came from it. A st from the past. Lawrence. "Hey, Kory."


    Kory shook his head. Animals can''t talk. And he''s dead. The blood-haze from his spell somewhat suppressed higher-level thinking to focus on animalistic rage, and he charged at the creature, mming his hammer down.


    The tiger shed, and in the blink of an eye Kory found his hammer missing as a tiny hummingbird flittered past the blow. "You fucker!" Kory shouted as he swung over and over at the small target but was unable to make contact.


    "What''s the matter? Still a dumb jock?"


    "Shut up!" Kory shouted as he channeled mana into the artifact hammer and swung it rapidly overhead, creating a wailing, thunderous pulse that reverberated the entire area and disrupted the air enough that the creature fell to the ground and shifted forms once more. It turned into a badger and began to burrow. "You''re not getting away!" Kory shouted as he finished the swing and brought the hammer into the ground, shouting the name of the hammer. "Krak''il''to!"


    A unique property of his artifact was that, when wielded by the Berserker, it could shatter earth and stone in a huge radius. But the weapon would not be able to utilize lightning or sound until a few days had passed.


    The earth exploded into a hail of shards as the badger was tossed aloft. "Batter up!" he shouted as he took a baseball swing at the small, furry creature, feeling the satisfying crunch as he sent it flying off into the sky.


    As he watched the trajectory andughed a deep, bellowingugh¡­he saw a winged figure catch the animal and fly toward the fortress. Kory let out a war cry as he chased along the ground. Fucking Lyn!


    "Fuck!" Lyn shouted as she caught the badger that was flung into the sky. She saw the orange and ck coloration, and knew it was Lawrence. Her eyes were covered with the pink-hue shade as she assessed the lethal injuries. He was barely holding on. "Did you finish the clones?!" she shouted, knowing that even with the Healer core, she couldn''t save him from this.


    The small thing gave her a tiny thumbs-up. Shended in front of the fortress. "I''m sorry for this. I''ll wake you up soon." She snapped his neck and extracted his mana core, forcing it down her mana channels and willing the Destroyer core to open all the possible doors for Lawrence to go through.


    The badger turned to dust in her hands, and she felt the raw surge of power as the Shifter core was consumed. She knew what it could do. Internal shifting spells with thought alone, and they would have no mana cost.


    Lyn turned to face the Berserker hero, who was charging down the main boulevard. She rapidly incanted her full suite ofbat spells as she drew Cataclysm and willed her armor to cover her fully, letting her half-dragon form fully manifest ¨C wings included, but tucked back. She pushed as much mana as she could into the de. It surged and exploded with raw, blue mana before shifting through the full spectrum of all elementalism types, the different types of arcane might blending and surging.


    She took up a ready stance, feet nted firmly on the ground, her greatsword held at eye level, pointing right at Kory. "Come on!" she shouted in English. "Come at me and fucking die!"


    Ben heard Lyn yell outside and looked at the rest of the heroes. "We have to help."


    Trisha shook her head. "No, we''ll just get in her way."


    Thomas nodded. "Agreed. But¡­we can do something." He looked at Stes and her mages, "Everyone with enough mana to cast external spells ¨C upstairs. Now! Second floor!"


    Ben nodded and led the group up the stairs, pushing aside the civilians with his bulk as the whole group went to the second floor. Primarily dominated by arge hall, there were stained ss windows along one side.


    Thomas ced his hands on a window and muttered a spell. Each one he touched cleared and became like regr ss, allowing line of sight to the duel that was about to fully engage. "Everyone! Repeat after me and focus on Lyn!"


    He repeated the message in everynguage, and the heroes, minus Brad who no one had seen, the Duskari squadrons that were stationed in the city, and the Ari who were in Lynhold proper all ran over to the windows. The Newen poption crowded together, and thanks to their slim forms were able to pack themselves together like sardines as everyone looked at Lyn.


    Thomas incanted a spell, focusing on every single syble in a slow, measured manner to ensure every person followed what he was saying perfectly. Ben got the gist of the spell as they got to the halfway point. Feeding Lyn mana. Smart. He doubted she needed it, but he felt an urge to help her ¨C and this was the best way he could.


    A whole city, joining together to support their leader. Their empress. Their goddess. Their savior.


    But Ben saw the sheer, red aura around Kory that crackled like lightning and roared like thunder. He has so much mana¡­how?


    "Fucking bitch!" Kory screamed as Lyn''s body surged with blue light and he reached her. Their weapons collided in an enormous crash, her mana de sparking with fury as his hammer crashed into the defense. She was forced to her knee from the blow, and he kicked forward trying to catch her off her guard.


    But a set of wings red from behind her, and she flew backward at incredible speed, his kick meeting naught but empty air. He growled and took a step forward, swinging his hammer in a dizzying flurry of blows. Every one of them, she deflected, and he saw a small, viridian light glowing along her wrist.


    "Just die!" he yelled out.


    He couldn''t see her face, but the tone in her voice left no room for doubt that she had lethal intent. "You invade my capital, kill my subjects? I''ll give you a single fucking chance. Surrender."


    The voice broke through his battle-haze and he felt a chill down his spine. She sounded like Cecily did. Controlling and absolute in her desire. But Kory knew that surrender wasn''t an option. He would never give up. The only reason he had run from the Demonic Dragon is because his spine had been shattered, and Trisha barely patched him up enough to run. "I''m not a coward!" he replied as he let himself be lost to the bloodlust.


    He unleashed a brutalbination of attacks, and she slowly pivoted and turned thebat away from the fortress and down the main boulevard. Every strike of his she expertly deflected before attempting a riposte of her own. He would block with the massive hammer head or deflect with the haft of the weapon. He was pushing her back, and when she tried to lock up his hammer with her cross guard, he gripped the weapon. He felt the burning pain through his internal spell, and squeezed down.


    She cried out as her hand was pulverized into dust, but he felt it jostling and re-forming under his palm. Her weapon shifted and vanished, reced by a spear that jabbed into his bicep, digging a few inches in before he pulled away. "I''m taking that arm!" he shouted as he ripped with all of his might.


    But nothing happened. She came along with him and mmed her helmeted head into his. "Think that hurts?" he cackled out as he mmed his knee into her over and over, right into her midsection. "This is pain!"


    His arm went through her as she took on a spectral form. "Wha¡ª" Kory fell forward and into a shoulder roll,ing up on his feet as he turned to face the jabbing point of the spear.


    "I''ve got almost every hero core, and their special abilities," Lyn replied as she backed up slightly. "Including Elias''s Revenant form." She floated toward him.


    Kory knew that Elias couldn''t be hurt by anything except spells and mana-charged weaponry. That meant Lyn was the same. But Krak''il''to was spent ¨C he could mana-charge it, but not use the unique lightning or sound innate enhancements. He let his mana bubble up within ¨C a gory whirlwind of blood and bone that churned up and limned his weapon in crimson.


    Lyn approached, floating over the ground, and he swung out at her. She floated backward andughed. "Still a fucking meathead."


    Kory spotted the group of people up in the window of the building above and could make out the very faint stream of mana going from them into Lyn. Feeding her mana? He spun his hammer and threw it up toward the windows, holding the metal cord as it whipped up and shattered through the ss, causing a fragmentation effect on those inside.


    "Rah!" Kory fully surrendered to the frenzy. The haze of rage fully overwhelmed him, and he knew nothing but the desire to destroy. Obliterate. Completely and utterly wreck everything.


    "Hanath Perian Esgal!" Ben shouted as he saw the hammer arcing up toward them. The strongest barrier he could cast quickly that would protect everyone in the room from all harm. The hammer did not impact anyone ¨C thankfully ¨C but the rain of shattered ss drained his mana to near-empty as the barrier caught the shards.


    Trisha knelt next to him and poured some of her mana into him using the mana transfer spell that Thomas had walked the people through. He felt his heartbeat steady. "I''m good."


    Thomas shouted out in English. "Get everyone back! We can''t risk everyone''s lives. Lyn will have to make do." He repeated the first shouted phrase in everynguage, and the whole group scurried back.


    Ben pushed himself to his legs and watched thebat y out below. Kory was taking wild swings at the ghostly form of Lyn, and she simply floated past or around them, taunting him with insults. Be careful. He backed off, not wanting to risk his life despite his desire to see Lyn finally put down Kory. The only person who rivaled and exceeded Ben in sports, and who unted it over him their whole lives.


    Ben always came in second. Every race, every inning, every match, every game. The only thing that Ben beat Kory at was boxing.


    "Fuck him up!" he shouted before retreating into the building, hoping for that catharsis by proxy.


    Lyn heard Ben''s exhortations and smiled. She was fully topped up on mana thanks to her citizens supporting her, and thanks to the wraith form from the Revenant core, she was extremely maneuverable. She felt the pain in her wrist, building and building, and dropped the wraith form as she jumped backward, stabbing forward with the spear. "Rus''os''r Teitha!" she shouted as she activated the absorbed artifact''s special ability ¨C an amplified jab that used wind to carry the strike out past its normal reach. At the same time, she released all of the pent-up damage she had suffered and stored thanks to the Spellde core, and unleashed the charged-up, reversal spell in the singr jab.


    The world exploded in front of her in a rush of emerald wind. Kory was blown backward and went sailing thousands of feet into the distance, crashing through buildings and then into the tree line. A groove ten feet wide was carved five hundred feet ahead of her, and several buildings were destroyed and crashed to the ground as key structural supports were obliterated.


    Lynughed at the sheer power she had and could manipte. "Anno nin i gwelu en-gd." She shed forward and arrived at Kory ¨C who was a crumpled heap in the middle of a de. The forest surrounded them on all sides, and Lyn recognized the space ¨C the same ce where she had first met Thomas and Volio when she summoned herself back. Fitting in a way, she thought.


    Kory got to his feet ¨C or tried to. His prosthetic leg was shattered, and he fell back to the ground. He was frothing at the mouth, and his eyes were naught but bloody red orbs. "You in there still?" Lyn asked.


    A guttural scream of rage was all that she heard in response, and the Berserker hero crawled toward her, dragging himself with one arm as he swung his hammer at her. She deftly stepped backward and circled to the side, stabbing into his wrist and pinning it to the ground so he couldn''t swing the hammer.


    "Gwah!" Kory cried out, falling limp as his breathing calmed and his body shrank. The metallic hue vanished from his skin, and the areas where the skin had torn open began to seep blood. She shoved the spear the rest of the way through and into the ground.


    "Tsk, ran out of mana." She grabbed the artifact hammer from him and tapped it to Cataclysm, absorbing the weapon. She shifted the spear to the new form, and an enormous, ck adamantine hammer reced it. The head burst with all the energies at her disposal, and she let the heavy head thud onto the ground next to Kory''s head.


    It seemed to jolt him to consciousness, and he looked up at Lyn with bloodshot eyes. "Fucking bitch," he growled as he spit.


    Lyn shook her head, "I sent a letter telling you who I was. And you still tried to kill me and my people."


    "Cecily lied."


    "No shit. Why even trust her? Wait, no, I know. It''s because she was your girlfriend. After Gina, I mean. She had you pussy-whipped. Pathetic."


    Kory''s demeanor darkened and he put his head down. "Just end it," he said.


    "No." Lyn stood up and scanned him with the Healer core''s eyes. He''s exhausted all his mana and stamina, but he hasn''t suffered a ton of injury¡­he can take more. She walked over to his cut-off leg and swapped her weapon to its dual knife configuration. She willed it to shift to me and cut through just above the knee. He screamed out in pain before passing out. The wound instantly cauterized.


    She went to his other side and took off one of his arms ¨C right above the elbow, leaving him lopsided. She put Cataclysm away and ced a hand on his back. "En ethiel an le / thalion min / leithio nin mellon / a panno hain garan." His wounds healed over, and his breathing became steadier. He won''t be a threat ever again. But I need to remove his mana core. She didn''t want to just rip it out and lobotomize him, but she did not want to give him a dungeon core, either. Maybe a critter¡­


    She looked over to her side and saw several sets of eyes watching her from the trees. She pointed at them and called upon the Beastmaster core. "Come here." Several squirrels ran up to her, their eyes glowing the same blue that her mana manifested as. She reached into her storage cor, pulled out the inscribed tube, and opened the "insert" pod. "Alright, get in."


    One squirrel hopped in, and she closed the device. Sorry little guy. But I have to put something in him. I want him to be able to think, dread what ising. The other squirrels scattered as she waved her hand dismissively.


    She turned Kory over and ripped open his metal coat with her w, revealing his chiseled chest. She ced the tube against it and activated the object. She heard a dull "squeak" noise before the familiar thump of the item told her the job was done. She opened the squirrel-side container ¨C curious to see what had happened. The creature was dead, and there was a small hole where its heart was. The heart was still there, but the hole confirmed the location of the partially real, partially ethereal mana core. She picked it up gently and dug a small hole in the dirt, burying the critter.


    She opened the other chamber and gripped the Berserker hero core. It looked like a ball of blood, constantly shifting and dripping down her wed hand. She pushed it into her mana channels and fed it to the Destroyer core within. A rush surged through her as the core tried to fight but was overwhelmed by unstoppable power. Her vision pulsed red for a moment as she felt a surge of anger through her. Fuck, he was dealing with this all the time?


    She looked at Kory with a newfound level of respect. If he was experiencing what she had just felt and could still feel simmering under the Destroyer core''s control and wasn''t aplete psychopath¡­he was way stronger mentally than she gave him credit for. "But in the end, you lost to it," she whispered. "You won''t die here. You''ll be judged by those you hurt."


    She lifted him over her shoulder and headed to Lynhold. Pushing her way into the fortress, she made a beeline through the citizens and to the mana deprivation cells hidden away from everyone except Vael, Gael, Thomas, and the Duskari elders. There were three cells in total. She ced him in the far left one, shutting the barred door.


    Thomas ran up behind her. "You let him live?"


    She nodded and turned to him. "Yes¡­I have the Berserker core. And the Shifter core."


    "Fuck," Thomas said as he looked remorseful for a moment. "We have to get Lawrence back."


    "Right." Lyn followed the Knowledge hero out and into the city to revive their ally.


    Lawrence gasped as he woke up. He was in a cool ce, with a bright, white light above him from some magical source, and he was lying on a b of metal.


    "Wee back," Thomas''s voice said in English.


    The experience of dying shed through Lawrence''s mind. He was in serious pain, and then heard Lyn''s voice, and remembered moving his arm a bit before everything went dark. Then, he was in a room facing three doors. One wasbeled earth, one ghomar, and one backup. He went through the backup door, and then was¡­floating. He had no idea for how long, but then he suddenly could see.


    "Yeah, it''s a bit of a trip," Thomas said as he patted his friend''s shoulder. "But you''re alive."


    Lyn came into view. "Hey, how you doing?"


    Lawrence felt weak, like he had done an intense workout and was on a recovery day. "I''m okay," he said. "Thirsty."


    Lyn picked up a cup and muttered a spell before handing it to him, as he sipped from it, she spoke softly. "Kory is alive, but I took an arm and a leg. I reced his hero core with a squirrel''s. Since you died to him¡­you decide what happens to him."


    Lawrence nodded and put the cup down, feeling rejuvenated but still sore. "Let him rot for a while. He''ll think about what he did." He didn''t hold anything in particr against Kory from the past¡­but that was the past. I don''t owe him anything. He killed me¡­and he will pay. An idea wriggled its way into his head, and he looked at Lyn. "What would make Kory the most upset? Just living with the inability to do anything."


    "Do what you want. You''re in charge of him. He''s your prisoner. Thomas will show you where he is." Lyn sighed. "We suffered some losses. But, silver lining, we also got a bunch of Vgonia''s firearms and the cannons." She picked up her amulet and rapidly spoke in Arinol, which Lawrence was still trying to learn. After speaking into the obsidian object, she looked back at him and switched to his native tongue. "That''s not your problem to deal with. Rest up."


    Lawrence nodded and chuckled. "Was I brave or foolish?"


    "A bit of both," Ben''s voice said from the doorway. He walked over and leaned down, giving him a hug. "You bought us all time."


    "Plus, I gave you an easy out for your honor," Lawrence quipped.


    Ben stood up and frowned a bit. "You have a backup body. I don''t."


    Thomasughed. "I can make you one."


    "I''m good," Ben replied.


    "I want another," Lawrence said as he chuckled.


    Lyn cleared her throat. "If that''s all, I''ve got some stuff to do."


    Lawrence grabbed her hand. "Hey¡­thanks. For everything."


    "Of course." She looked to Thomas. "Make sure we get him another backup in the works."


    Lawrenceughed at the surrealness of the situation. I never imagined I''d be a body-swapping immortal.

 B2 – Chapter 25

    The small council met in Lyn''s throne room. Their goddess was sitting on the throne itself, eyes closed as she performed some spell.


    Chancellor Vehenna leaned over to her sister. "Should we wait until she is finished?"


    Spymaster Velenna shook her head. "We can get started. I''m sure she won''t mind." She looked across to Steward Mol and Marshal Remora. "How is the city recovering?" she asked in Shereldian.


    Steward Mol opened a ledger. "Tha city is bein'' rebuilt. Small damage. Funerals goin'' ordin'' to n."


    Vehenna nodded, then looked at Marshal Remora. "What does the army look like right now?"


    "Kory''s Killers are lost to us, that''s five hundred mercenaries, gone. We lost one hundred ram riders, leaving us at just around nine hundred. Not all died, but the injuries to some were severe enough that they will be effectively useless in this war. Some of the mixed infantry perished, and in effect we are down five hundred troops there, leaving us with four thousand five hundred. No Duskari squadrons were lost, and a very small amount of Newen infantry and archers were lost." She reached down below the table and pulled out a long, smooth, metal object with a handle on one end. "They used this weapon."


    Velenna picked it up. "Ah, the Guardian hero told us about these. He called them¡­fire arms. Odd, they don''t look like a pair of arms that are ming."


    Mol gestured for the object, and she handed it to him. He peered down the length of it. "Ah, me spitter." He looked up at the group. "Ye fill it up with fuel, then ye put a torch in fron'' of it. Push this metal bit. Fwoosh."


    Empress Lyn got up from the throne and walked down to the council table, taking her seat. "Sort of. This design is inferior." She grabbed it and disassembled the weapon into its variousponents within seconds, her wed hands a blur of activity. "We can improve on the design, but these types of weapons are extremely dangerous. In the world the heroese from, these types of devices were some of the most lethal." She shook her head. "I do not want them in my empire."


    Remora cleared her throat. "Couldn''t we use them for the time being?"


    "Training with them would take weeks that we don''t have. The cannons are a different story; those are easier to use, and we can put them onto the ironsides. Let Admiral Na know that we are going to put the cannons on the vessels. And ask Thomas to demonstrate their use."


    Seems like a waste, Vehenna thought as the Destroyer swept the parts into a pile. From the few reports these are powerful tools to simply discard. But, her will be done. She tapped the table to draw attention and spoke. "Trisk has reported all quiet along The Rill. Vgonia has not tried to invade the vassal-kingdom. Their entire military seems focused on the front with Khrrdia. Save for vessels off of the southern coast. Vgonia has amassed a fleet that is sailing around Firol and the Teardrop Isles, and ns to drop off forces behind King Marshall''s lines."


    Remora nodded. "I will instruct the admiral to set forth down the Flontar River at once and destroy them before they can deliver their payload."


    "After the cannons are mounted," Lyn said. "Prioritize that. We are keeping our people safe behind the Dragon''s Maw. None will fight in theing battle between Khrrdia and Vgonia."


    "Fergive me, Empress," Mol said as he stood up. "Ye promised us revenge."


    Lyn looked to him. "You are correct. Very well." She looked back to Remora. "Any of our soldiers who wish to fight will be given leave to do so. Will you take up themand?"


    "I live to serve," the marshal replied.


    "Good. You will take any volunteers from among our armed forces, and you will cut a direct course to Skrell. From there, you can go south and assault Cecria." She looked back to Mol, who had a pleased look of satisfaction on his face. "Is that satisfactory?"


    "Aye, it is,ss. I''ll be joinin'' them."


    Idiot, Vehenna thought. The steward going off to war. She flipped through her notes and put check marks next to a few names of likely candidates for the position should the man not return to perform his duties. "Empress," she said softly, drawing Lyn''s attention, "we should consider, perhaps, ordering Trisk''s forces to invade from the north. With the Ari marines clearing their vessels, and Khrrdia assisted by you in the west, and our volunteer forces going right into the hearnds of Vgonia¡­would it not make sense to close in from all sides?"


    Lyn tented her hands and nodded. "It is a sensible decision. Marshal Remora? Your thoughts."


    "It is a sound n of action. We know from the Newen diviners that all but a garrison in each duchy, and the capital itself, have been massed on the front with Khrrdia. Have Trisk invade the duchy of Ishtok, then Brol, then Biskon. Your volunteer revenge force starts with Skrell, then moves on to Logor, then Komorra. By that point, the Khrrdian army should have taken Rist. The navy can deal with Firol and Sidalon."


    Lyn rubbed her chin as she nodded along to Remora''s n. "Full encirclement of the capital. This is why you''re my marshal." She stood up, and the rest of the council followed in response. "We follow Remora''s n. I''m taking one day to myself, then I''m going to join King Marshall''s forces to fight on the main front." She looked to Thane Mol. "Best of luck with the revenge."


    "Thank ye,ss."


    Vehenna bowed slightly. "I willmunicate with Trisk and ensure they follow your instructions."


    "There you are!" Na said as she waved at Vael.


    Okay. Deep breaths. Smile, Vael told herself. "Sorry I''mte," she said as she took a seat at the small, outdoor caf¨¦ in the residential wedge of Lynhold. She was dressed in street clothes: leather jerkin, hermunication amulet, cloth pants, and knee-high boots. I hope I dressed well enough. The admiral seemed like the type who would appreciate a more rough-and-tumble appearance if their previous dates were anything to go by.


    "Don''t be sorry. I got us wine." Na held up a bottle and poured Vael a ss of a deep, dark, almost ck wine. "ckberry wine, my favorite." She gestured toward the "training and schooling" wedge of town, which had suffered damage from the empress''s fight with the Berserker hero. "At least this part of town wasn''t affected. I don''t know what I''d do without my usual drink."


    Vael smiled. "Sost night before you set out? Tomorrow off to war?"


    Na kicked her long, muscr legs up onto the table. She was dressed simrly to Vael, but she wore a midriff cut jerkin and a short, breathable skirt. Her deep, tan skin was a stark contrast to her piercing green eyes. "Aye. One more night. We''re heading down the Flontar River. All the ironsides and some of the longboats." She smiled, and Vael felt her body tremble slightly at the look sent her way. Like a predator sizing up prey.


    The two had been on several dates the past few months. Vael initiated it by asking after a full council meeting, and to her pleasant surprise, Na agreed. It was just drinks, and then they had made it a routine to meet up after the full council meetings. Well, Vael thought they were dates. She wasn''t sure if Na felt the same, as they mostly talked about gossip from around the town. The past two, however, Vael had asked a few questions regarding Na''s upbringing.


    Vael didn''t want to screw this up, so she had been very cautious in her approach and didn''t push too hard too fast for anything to happen. "Do you want to do anything to celebrate before going?" Vael asked.


    "Just spend some time rxing. Maybe go for a dip in the hot springs up the mountain," she replied as she gestured toward Shiverburn Summit. Lyn had created a series of hot springs partially up the volcano, and they were quite popr throughout the winter.


    Vael giggled and nodded. "Sounds fun." She took a sip of the sweet, slightly acrid wine and grimaced.


    Naughed and pped her thigh. "You''ll get used to the taste."


    Vael nodded and put on a smile despite the desire she had to spit out the wine. But if she drinks wine¡­I need to drink wine, too. She took another sip and forced it down. "Do you have siblings?"


    Na shook her head. "Nope. I''m an only child. You?"


    "My brother."


    "Right, the twin. He''s handsome. And I heard he''s partnered with the Shadowstalker. Lucky guy, that Bolvon."


    "Yeah¡­" Vael took a sip of the drink. She''d been trying to feel out which way Na "leaned" when it came to her preferences in partners. Thatment lent her toward thinking the admiral was not interested. At least I tried to meet someone and made a new friend.


    "I bet he''s an interesting bedpanion." She winked at Vael. "You know¡­I also heard that you and your brother have slept with Empress Rivers."


    Vael took a big gulp of the wine and felt the slight buzz beginning to settle in. "Yes. Gael and I have bed chambers next to hers."


    "Ah, the empress is a fine woman. Those ws tracing down your skin send a shiver unlike anything else."


    Vael''s ears perked up at that. "You''ve slept with her?"


    Na giggled and nodded. "Yes. When she visited the Arin Isle and couldn''t sleep. Those horns are so sensitive; you can just grab them like a ship''s wheel, and she turns into a gibbering mess. They''re great for forcing her into certain positions. ''Love handles'', I called them. Did you know she can turn her tongue into a long, serpentine one? It''s fantastic."


    Vael felt the heat rush to her cheeks. Well now I know she''s into women. "She let you take a dominant position?"


    "Why, does she not with you?"


    Vael shrugged. "It depends, I suppose. It''s different each time."


    Na nodded. "She called herself a¡­switch? And after, she referred to me as a dominant. Whatever that means." She took a sip of her wine and put her legs back down, leaning forward on the table with her elbows. "Indulge me¡­you asked me to grab drinks those months ago because you''re interested in me, right?"


    "I¡­erm¡­" Vael sheepishly nodded.


    "And you''ve just been trying to figure out if I am already partnered, or if I prefer men. Right?"


    "Yes." Guess I wasn''t as subtle as I thought I was.


    Na got up, walked around the table, and lifted Vael up over her shoulder as she grabbed the bottle of wine with her other hand. "Come on, you, let''s get to those hot springs. I feel like a good soak." She used the hand carrying Vael to caress her inner thigh, and that left Vael with no doubt as to what Na intended. The chill that went down the slim, Duskari woman''s body was almost too much to bear.


    "Are you¡ª"


    "You''ve been staring at me in every council session. Don''t think I haven''t noticed." She began the ascent, still carrying Vael, and began going up the stairs to the hot springs. "And these small asions out for drinks, I''ve seen you squirming in your seat. A ship''s captain has to be able to read the smallest of signs." She took a swig of the wine and then handed the bottle to Vael.


    The Duskari woman grabbed the offered bottle and then nearly dropped it as she felt Na''s hands rubbing her ample bottom. "Eep!"


    Naughed. "You think Empress Rivers put you through the wringer in the bed? Oh, you''re going to be in for a treat."


    Vael felt a bubbling burst of energy inside. She''d been looking forpanionship outside of Lyn''s bed. But she had more investigating to do before she would let herself submit entirely to this attractive Ari''s ministrations.


    Na set her down as they arrived at the hot springs. Several partitions of polished obsidian were erected, separating out several circr pools to provide privacy. Wooden doors were ced adjacent to provide for privacy, and Na pushed Vael to one of therger circles. Thankfully, this early in the evening, the hot springs were fairly empty, and she only spotted a handful of other people going about.


    Once they were inside the small, walled, circr pool, Na closed the door and began to disrobe. Vael''s eyes were glued to the woman. The bronze, tanned skin was consistent across her whole body, and she was muscr. As muscr as Gael, but in a feminine way. "You joining me?" she asked as she jumped into the hot spring.


    Vael quickly disrobed and walked down the small set of stairs into the hot spring, taking in all of Na''s beautiful form as the two sank down into the hot waters. Na sat next to Vael on the smooth, polished obsidian bench underwater and gripped Vael''s thigh like a vise ¨C firm but in control. Therger woman gently cupped Vael''s chin and brought her in for a kiss, and the two lost themselves in the heat of the hot springs and the moment, hands exploring each other''s bodies.


    Stes went into the archive and looked around for Thomas. Where in the abyss is he? She had arms full of books and went to one of the tables, depositing her load and setting them out for easy viewing. "Thomas?" she asked aloud in Vharthonian, her voice reverberating slightly in therge room. They had taken to speaking thenguage of her people when it was just the two of them.


    "One minute!" The muffled voice came from somewhere¡­behind one of the bookshelves.


    Stes walked over and peered across the shelves, spotting one book that stood a little more rigid. Gripping it, she pulled, and she heard a click as the bookshelf swung open toward her, revealing a small study. The shelves in this room were stocked with parchment of all kinds and vials upon vials of ink. A small, glowingntern hung up in the center of the small space, and Thomas sat at a writing desk.


    He looked back to her. "Oh, you found my writing room. Good eye."


    "Wasn''t that hard to find," Stes quipped as she walked into the tight space. "Why have this?"


    "I''m busy and filling a lot of roles in the empire now; I just need a getaway to be alone with my thoughts. It''s quiet and no one bothers me." He finished scribbling something, and Stes peered over his shoulder. She spied a header of a new chapter. The Summoning.


    "What''s it about?"


    "I''m writing a history of my time on Ghomar. Sort of like a diary that can eventually be used as a historical reference text." He smiled and stood up. "Mind us heading back to the main room? It''s a bit cramped in here."


    Stes acquiesced, and the two left the hidden chamber. Thomas closed the bookshelf behind him and walked over to the table that she had left the tomes on. "What was life like back where you came from?" Stes asked.


    Thomas stopped in his tracks and turned to face her. His demeanor shifted to one of intense criticism, his re boring into her innermost being. "Why do you want to know that?"


    "Academic curiosity," she replied as she went to the table and pulled up a chair.


    "Ah. Well, I suppose there''s not much harm in that." He pulled up a chair as well. "The ce Ie from is called Earth. And before youment, yes, I know we refer to the ground under our feet as earth as well. Our progenitors were not the most inventive with naming conventions."


    Stes nodded. "I was going to say, it seems uninventive."


    "Well, unlike Ghomar, Earth only has Humans. We don''t have different races in the sense that Ghomar does ¨C technically we should call them species, but, well¡­anyways, we still categorize ourselves racially based upon skin coloration, country of origin, and other minutiae. I''m called Caucasian; fair skin and I trace my heritage to the northern regions of an area called Europe."


    "And that''s where you''re from?"


    "No. My ancestors moved to a ce called the United States of America. Think of it like a kingdom, with states underneath acting like duchies."


    "Were you a schr there as well?"


    "Hardly. There, we are students from a young age to the near peak of our young adulthood."


    "That must mean, surely, that your popce is very advanced and intelligent."


    "You''d think that, but most people did not care much for the free education they received. Many of the heroes who were summoned with me, included. Plus, propaganda had a strong hold on many in the popce, and the rich oligarchs that controlled much of the resources around the world by pitting people against each other ¨C nation against nation, tribal-based mentality."


    Stes scoffed. "That''s just stupid. Your realm had the chance to make everyone a learned schr? Imagine the possibilities of what could be aplished!"


    Thomas nodded and his mood shifted to one of¡­regret. "You''re right. The whole world could have advanced in a way that would have ensured our longevity. Instead, we ruined the." He looked up to Stes and shed a slight, wan smile. "That''s why I''m all in on Lyn''s empire. We have the chance to have an omnipotent being helm the world in a single, unified vision. Someone who can rule the entirety of Ghomar and prevent the fighting that ripped my home world apart." He looked wistful. "Someone who would listen to my sage advice¡­So we don''t make the same mistakes. And maybe¡­maybe even go back to fix our home world."


    Stes nodded and digested what he said as the former Knowledge hero began flipping through the books she had brought and made small notations on pages, muttering to himself as he worked. "Could you go back?"


    "Oh, we could. I figured out how to do cross-world summoning years ago. But there are risks. It''s never been done. We don''t know what will happen. In Lyn''s case, she woke up the same day we were all summoned, had her Scout core still, and the newly acquired Destroyer core from her ying of the Demonic Dragon and unconscious consumption."


    Wait¡­Lynes from this other world? That was a revtion to Stes. She was the Scout hero in Thomas''s summoning cycle? Stes racked her brain for any memory of the Scout hero, but all that met her was a weird blur. Not now, ask her, yourself,ter. It did not look like Thomas noticed his slip. Probably due to him enjoying mypany. "Is there a time dtion in cross-world summoning?"


    "Seems like it. We''d have to do extensive tests and be willing to wait years if not decades to see results. The difference in time between our first summoning, and Lyn self-summoning herself after her return to Earth¡­put it this way, for her, two hours passed. For us, ten years passed."


    Stes leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. "That is inconvenient."


    Thomas nodded and looked up from his notations. "I''ve gone through every conceivable version of the summoning spell, many considerations with Misty''s input included, and there''s no way around the time dtion effect. There are so many unknown variables."


    "What about a bridge?"


    "Hmm?"


    "Instead of a summoning external spell that draws a subject to a location¡­why not create a bridge between the two worlds? An inscription that can be constantly fueled. Theoretically, it would work."


    "We don''t know how physics ¨C the rules of the world ¨C would interact with Ghomar''s. For example, Earth does not have mana cores. Ghomar does. We know that someone with a powerful enough mana core keeps it in the transfer, and they can use spells. But that could be an outlier. And we know that Humans summoned from Earth to Ghomar do not have mana cores by default."


    "Then we just need a strong, stable enough spell to link the two worlds and have a built-in shifting spell to amodate changes between the two worlds."


    "I¡­" Thomas narrowed his gaze before his eyes went wide. He spoke rapidly. "Holy shit. You might be onto something. Shifting is so mana intensive that I hadn''t thought of that¡­but you''d have to have the inscribed item cause a permanent effect on those that are passing from one world to the other. Along with some type of stabilization spell effect¡ª" He paused and stared at her. "Why are you so interested in going to Earth?"


    "It''s a world with new learning," Stes stated inly. "You''ve taught me so much about Elenthir, and I know you''re an amazing teacher¡­but by your own admission, you weren''t even a schr on your world. That means a true schr from your world, an academian, would be capable of teaching me so much."


    Thomas nodded. "I understand."


    "And," Stes continued, "Lyn is going to rule all of Ghomar. Why not also Earth, after?"


    Thomas froze in ce. "What?"


    "Once she has every hero core, she will have all the power of Raevan and Aelor. You''ve said it yourself, that prophecy the Elenthians wrote about leads to no other real conclusion ¨C Lyn will ascend to be the singr deity of this world. Well, that level of omnipotence would lead one to believe that opening such a bridge between worlds would be an inconsequential act. And we know a powerful enough mana core is still capable of spells in your home world. This implies that Lyn would be able to not only create a tunnel but enact world-changing spells. Mind spells that could prevent all war and force all people into peace and harmony."


    Thomas took a deep breath before shaking his head. "That''s not Lyn. She''s not the type of person to control people through mind spells."


    "Maybe not the old Lyn¡ª"


    "No." Thomas stood up and leaned forward, both hands on the table. "Lyn is not like Cecily. Even this new Lyn. Controlling people through spells is not something she would do. Fear? Yes. Threats of violence? Yes. Actual violence? Yes. But she''s not the type of person who would strip free will from a person."


    "Is she not already doing so with criminals?"


    "That''s different," Thomas replied. "She''s not stripping their free will¡­just removing the negative behavior."


    "Then what I propose is not so different."


    Thomas went silent as he stared down at the pages on the table. There was a tense silence between the two. Thomas took a deep breath in and stood up straight. "It is a moot point right now. The war against Vgonia must be finished, and Lyn must consume Cecily''s, Brad''s and Gina''s cores."


    Stes nodded and looked down at the pages. There''s so much knowledge out there, waiting for me. She looked up at Thomas who was staring at the pages as well, lost in thought. And now that I know that Empress Riverses from this Earth¡­I have leverage.


    Stes knew she couldn''t use ckmail ¨C the fact that her memory of the Scout hero was blurred was extremely simr to when she had subjected herself to a memory maniption spell to block out a bad memory from her childhood. Plus, she knew that if she threatened Lyn in some way¡­it would make her an enemy.


    I must use my knowledge that Thomas has imparted here and rely on any possible lingering feelings she has for her past world. That, or I can appeal to her sense of conquest and righteousness. Convince her that invading the world she originates from is the "right" course of action to take.


    Stes picked up her quill and dipped it into an ink well, scrawling notes in the margins of the tome.


    Brad arrived at James''s camp in the evening and was shown to the king''s tent, arrayed four miles away from the Azure Divide ¨C well out of range of Cecily''s cannons on the opposite shore. He was shown in and told to wait as James was out inspecting the troops.


    He sat on one of the wooden chairs that was covered in furs. Okay, Brad. You got this. He took a deep breath and gripped his thighs, squeezing the muscle tightly. He had spent the seven months leading up to this war performing his duties and building up plentiful medicinal and alchemical supplies, including creative body-enhancing substances in bulk for the soldiers serving Lyn.


    But he had also been training. Working out. Getting back to the prime of his youth with the help of alchemical substances. Body enhancing himself with Trisha''s help. Training with Ben''s boxers¡­getting ready for revenge. His n to drug Cecily''s poption to foment dissent didn''t work ¨C she was able to quarantine too quickly, and people did not break quarantine which was highly unusual. He assumed she had ughtered them all ¨C which he was not expecting. The drug was virulent. She must have killed those infected. It''s the only way it did not spread.


    The tent p opened behind him, and he felt the cool, night-time spring breeze billow through as James walked in. He shed a dazzling smile. "Brad, it''s been too long," he said in English.


    Brad stood up and gave the man a hug. "It''s been a while. Nine years."


    James separated and gestured for Brad to sit as the tent p closed, leaving the two heroes alone. "What brings you to the battlefield?"


    "Revenge," Brad replied. "I''m here to get some payback."


    James chuckled. "Never took you for a fighter."


    "I need to get back at her." Brad delved into the history he had with Cecily, and into descriptive detail of what he suffered at her hands. As he continued talking, James''s face morphed from a look of amusement to sheer horror.


    As Brad finished, James let out a deep breath. "Fuck, man. That''s¡­wow. You went through a lot."


    Brad pulled out a sk of a brown powder. "I want revenge, and you''re going to help me get it."


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    James grabbed the sk and shook it slightly. "What''s in this?"


    "My magnum opus. Do not uncork it ¨C flip it over." As James did so, the brown powder turned bright gold. "That is Powdered Death. We get a big wind spell blowing toward Cecily''s army, chuck a bunch of this into the air, and it will infect those who breathe the particles. It will be inert after ten minutes, so no need to worry about it spreading in the atmosphere. And it willpletely biodegrade in a day. It won''t linger."


    James set it down quickly. "What does it do?"


    "Five minutes of being an asymptomatic carrier. After that, total organ failure. Every organ. It won''t affect anyone who has not been subject to one of Cecily''s mind spells. Death within seconds. Only for her forces. A tailored death gue."


    "It seems¡­wrong to kill tens of thousands. But they are fanatics to Cecily''s cause. Even if we routed them, they would regroup." He sighed. "I learned my lesson from thest time Khrrdia went to war with Vgonia. You remember?"


    Brad nodded. "Yeah, after the Demonic Dragon''s defeat. Cecily started a war of revenge, you fought Kory one on one, and you beat the fucker."


    James nodded. "I could have just pushed for Cecily''s head that day. She was there, watching my duel. I could have ended all of this in one fell swoop, killed her¡­but I thought that she could change."


    "What is the n, then?"


    "Well, Lyn is going to be here tomorrow. She was going to make bridges and lead the vanguard, using a barrier spell to ensure cannons don''t obliterate the front lines."


    "Seems kind of reckless doing a headlong charge."


    "We don''t have a choice, really. Cecily''s army outranges us."


    Brad leaned back and sighed. "I can use the Powdered Death tonight. That will give us the ability to just march right on over the river tomorrow."


    "Why didn''t you use it before?"


    Brad shook his head. "I''ve been working on it since I escaped from Cecria. It took six months to brew, and another two weeks to turn into the powdered form. I have the single dose. And¡­the development was kept secret. I''m not risking chemical warfare breaking out on Ghomar, especially when Lyn takes over and rules."


    James sighed. "It would save Khrrdian lives. Very well, I''ll sanction the use¡­and keep your secret brewing of it from Lyn. I''ll-"


    A messenger ran into the tent and knelt. "King Marshall, a report from our scouts!" he shouted in Khrrdian.


    "Speak," James ordered.


    "Princess Cecily has been spotted, Your Highness. She arrived this evening with an armed escort."


    Brad felt his heart beat faster. The woman who tortured him, who took his manhood, who made his life a living hell was just across a river. He clenched his fists and stood up, grabbed the bottle, and left the tent. Now is my chance.


    He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wooden container. Inside were several gum-based doses of a drug that would make him fully immune to mind spells. He popped one into his mouth and began chewing fervently, feeling the slightly minty vor wash down his throat as his gaze narrowed to a smaller field of view. Every alchemical creation had some side effect. This one was thankfully very minor ¨C as a decreased visual acuity wouldn''t affect what he was about to do.


    He made it to the river and began to cross it, slurping down a goop from a vial that turned his skin into that of a chameleon, letting him blend into his surroundings, with the downside that he felt itchy all over. But he pushed that difort to the back of his mind. After crossing the river, he took off his clothes, grabbed therge vial with Powdered Death, and sneaked into the camp. The bottle was thered with the goopy, chameleon-esque coating from his body, and so it too was practically invisible. The sentries were vignt, but they had no way to detect him.


    He made it to the center of camp with ease and stood next to a tent, watching the pomp and circumstance before him y out. A stage had been built, and Cecily sat on a throne, rallying the troops with a rousing speech.


    "And now that I have arrived, we shall crush our enemies! King Marshall and all the filthy Khrrdian, non-Human lovers will be obliterated by our might! Tomorrow, I will create the means to cross the river and engage them on the field ofbat. Victory belongs to us!"


    There were cheers, and Brad made his way to thergest cluster of troops he could squeeze amongst without drawing attention. As he got to the center of the group, he uncorked the bottle and whispered a spell. "Ortha lend breged / gwaew leutha galin." The powder flew out of the bottle and cascaded out in front of him ¨C to an onlooker, it was as if dust was kicked up by a flurry of wind or the stomping of feet as men cheered.


    He re-corked the bottle and made his way out of camp, back to his clothes, put them on, and waited behind some bushes as he waited for the disease-like poison to take effect.


    Cecily waved to her men and sneezed slightly as the dust kicked up by the celebration wafted through the air. She snapped her fingers, and a servant fanned the odious substance away from her. "And with that, I have a special gift to all of you. Wonderful volunteers from the hearnds to satisfy your every desire." This elicited even more cheers from the men as Cecily stood up and left the stage.


    She went down to her tent and coughed lightly, spitting out whatever dust clung to her throat. She went to the gon and poured herself some wine. She sipped it slowly as she looked over the battle ns.


    There were two main fords that used to have bridges. Those were destroyed after James took the throne. The fords only came up to the waist in one ce, and the mid-torso in the other. It would be a trivial matter to raise up the earth and make a clear pathway for her army.


    Cecily smiled as she heard the sounds of revelry and the pping of flesh on flesh from outside. She had found some of the most eager young women who wanted to serve her kingdom fully, and she brought them here to the front of the war to be used by her soldiers. She ensured to properly use mind spells to make them more than eager participants. A thousand women and about two hundred men. A good amount for pleasure. Plus, the women will doubtless carry children from the night of debauchery ¨C more future Vgonians.


    As she looked over the reports from her spies amongst Khrrdia''s ranks, she began to hear coughing and vomiting from outside. She felt rage boil up in her. "I told them no drinking to excess!" she shouted as she stormed out of the tent.


    What she saw almost made her sick. People were puking up blood left and right ¨C even her own queen''s guard nking the tent were on the ground, the front of their full te armor covered in red. The stench of feces wafted through the air as men died. The women she brought were nude and dead in the dirt, blood seeping from their eyes, noses, and mouths. What the fuck happened?


    She walked through her camp. Everywhere she looked she saw naught but death. She felt rage¡­and fear. What caused this? Could it be Lyn? She looked skyward, trying to spy any type of winged creature ¨C but saw nothing. Is it something James did? She made for the river and looked across the water, seeing the twinkling of campfires in the distance. No, he''s not underhanded. And this was too fast acting for something¡ª


    Then it hit her. Brad. He had escaped. He had been missing for months, and she had no report of him from any of her spies. But there was one ce her spies were never able to prate. The Valley of the Volcano. Lyn is behind it, she thought. She had Brad brew up some army-killing, fast-acting poison and they spread it. She stomped her foot and screamed in frustration.


    All her troops save for the garrisons were here. She would never be able to muster up an army in time, even if she conscripted every single able-bodied man and woman. She had one option.


    She reached for and drew the dagger from her waist. A stiletto-style de, meant for puncturing armor. Is''gon''raew, also known as Mind Spike. With it, she could amplify her mind spells. But it came at a cost.


    It gave herplete and total control of the targets of the mind spell; she would be able to puppet them to her will. But it could only exert control for an hour, and it would leave the persons affected a vegetable. She rarely used the implement, as it was not practical ¨C she would much rather have servants thralled to her for a lengthy period. With it, she couldpletely control James''s army and force them to ughter him. With it, she was able topletely pierce any mental defenses the target had.


    There was one other downside. Using it would incapacitate her, and she had no one to guard her while she was out. She spotted a bunch of bushes near the river and shrugged. As good of a ce as any. She went over and sat down on the cool, damp grass, hiding amongst the topmost bushes. The soft breeze touched her skin, and she smiled as she pointed the dagger at James''s army and incanted her spell. "En ethiel le / bes min / adlethadrthin / en bereth."


    She felt her prodigious mana churn within her torso before shooting down her arm andncing out in a bright, vibrant pink hue out into the distance. It then exploded in a shower of magical energy that cascaded over the army in the distance.


    She slumped forward, a prisoner in her own body, as she went into a null state. She could still feel and hear everything around her, but she was paralyzed.


    A crunching noise came from her side, and she felt her heart begin to race as Brad''s voice came from the right. "Did you like my present?"


    You''re fucking dead! Dead! I''ll rip your arms off, then your legs, and cut your fucking ears and nose off!


    She felt the dagger pulled from her hand. "Hmm¡­interesting knife. I also saw that spell you did. What did it do?"


    Cecily smiled internally. Oh, you''ll hear it soon enough. She felt a blow rock her from the side ¨C shattering her cheek as she was sent sprawling into the mud on the riverbank.


    "It doesn''t matter," Brad growled. She felt herself lifted and able to breathe as the mud no longer blocked her mouth or nose. "I''m going to beat you to a pulp, and then when you''re on the edge between life and death, I''m calling Lyn. She''ll rip your core right out of you. What do you think of that?"


    Cecily felt her heart race faster as the pain spread to her head. You wouldn''t dare! I''m the ruler of Vgonia! She felt the sharp impact of a boot on her ribs, the cracking of bone forcing air out as the dull pain set in. She was moved again ¨C lifted and then thrown down on her back. She felt something impact her spine, and the blow sent a jolt up her body.


    "I''ve been waiting for this."


    She felt the cool air on her skin as her clothes were ripped open, and despite being unable to see due to the mud caking her eyes, she knew she wasid nude by the soft breeze on her body. She felt a sharp cut on her arm and wanted to scream ¨C but couldn''t.


    "I''ve thought of how many ways I could punish you. I''ve spent hours looking at Trisha''s medical texts, learning how to inflict the most pain possible." She felt his warm breath on her ear as he whispered, "You think what you put me through was agony? You have no fucking idea."


    A liquid was poured into her mouth, and her body was jostled in such a way that she reflexively swallowed the liquid. It heightened her senses, and she could feel everything with more vibrancy, as if the world had taken on a new, brighter hue. One filled with pain and misery as all of her injuries were amplified.


    "I also made this nice elixir that makes every physical sensation double in potency. Every little feeling." He whispered in her ear, "You''re going to suffer more than you ever thought possible."


    She tried to scream and could not.


    Dorian, Commander of Khrrdia''s levies, shook his head to try to clear the buzzing noise from it. Looking around, he saw the men also shaking their heads as if trying to clear the noise.


    He felt a single,pulsive instinct. One that screamed at him to respond. An order he had to follow, as if Aelor himself spoke to him and gave him amand that could not be disobeyed. Kill James Marshall.


    The buzzing noise began to clear, and Dorian realized that it was ovepping repetitions of the same phrase. He had to obey these orders. He had no choice. Even though his subconscious was screaming at him to stop and not kill his king¡­his conscious body acted against his will. He was akin to a prisoner in his own form, and he drew his de and ran toward James''s tent along with the rest of the troops.


    Just like ants swarming a predator threatening the colony, the whole encampment turned and charged for the king''s tent. A group of men got there before Dorian and went inside. He heard King James shout and the sh of metal. The ssh of red as the inside of the tent panels were coated in the substance.


    The king stepped out in his night clothes, sword floating next to him and fighting with a will of its own. The king held two swords, one in each hand taken from the men he had in, and he shouted as he held off the swarm of soldiers. "What''s wrong? Snap out of it!"


    Dorian got to his king and began raining blows down on hismander. He barely ducked the swing of the floating de before James cut into his arm. Dorian tackled the man and began ramming his own head into the hero''s face, the Ironhide imbued skin not breaking under the assault.


    Dorian kept trying to kill the king, and soon enough the rest of the men swarmed and began raining blows down on the man. None were mana-charging their weapons, and so they couldn''t pierce his skin. But with enough impact they could pulverize his insides.


    The floating sword flew to his grip, and Dorian went flying, catapulted across the terrain as hended in a cluster of troops that broke his fall. An enormous roar echoed from James''s tent, and when Dorian pushed himself up to continue his assault, he saw a bright, white dragon with azure ws and horns. The creature raised its head and let out a tremendous roar before it angled the maw down and opened its colossal jaws.


    Men vanished in a surge of impossibly bright light that shone like a sun brought down to the ground. Dorian''s vision went white, and he felt the searing heat of holy radiance before all went dark.


    Finding himself in control of his body once more, he stood up and blinked his vision clear. He was in a dark room, with a doorway in front of him. Above the door he saw the name of his world. ghomar. Walking forward, he went through the open door and entered the soft, gentle light.


    Brad looked back to the Khrrdian lines across the river as the light red in the corner of his eye. What''s going on over there? He gripped his amulet and tried to contact James. "Hey, what''s going on?"


    A deep, draconic voice answered him. "Cecily must have done something! The men have turned on me. I have to run; there''s too many!" The dragon tried to take off, but men jumped onto its wings and kept it pinned. "Fuck!"


    Brad cursed under his breath and looked down at the still-paralyzed Cecily. He had gone to work on her over the past ten minutes, inflicting massive amounts of pain if the rivulets of tears streaming from her eyes were anything to go by.


    He knew all the cuts she had used against him, having memorized everything she had done to him all those years ago. Every injury she had inflicted on him he had revisited on her. Save for the genital muttion ¨C he had instead removed her breasts as that was the closest thing he could think of.


    The carving of the woman that made his life a living hell was not something he did out of any type of sadistic delight. No, this was justice. A revisiting of a fraction of her atrocities that she had inflicted not just on Brad, but on the countless hundreds if not thousands she had personally tortured to death to harvest their mana cores. He felt some satisfaction at having obtained a degree of revenge, but it was not fulfilling.


    James was in trouble, and Brad knew he could get someone to help in fighting an army. Not him ¨C no way, he had no means to help. But someone else. Grabbing the amulet, he focused on Lyn. "You need to get to me right now."


    He heard a groan of someone woken from sleep. "Why?"


    "I have Cecily. And James needs help. I''ll exin when you''re here. I''m on the Azure Divide, near the north for¡ª"


    Her tone shifted immediately, "Be right there. Tracking your amulet now."


    She can do that? Brad thought. A split-secondter a sh of blue red across his sight, and Lyn was standing next to him. He jumped out of panic and fell back onto his ass. "How''d you find me?"


    "I can track any amulet with my master one," Lyn stated as she knelt next to Cecily. "Should I just harvest her outright?"


    "Do you think she deserves any less?"


    Lyn sighed. "No. She deserves death for what she did you to and Thomas. But¡­we do have mana-suppressing cells back in Lynhold, just like what is at Kor''s Hold." She looked up to Brad. "What do you want? Sure, she hurt Thomas¡­but you suffered worse. Her fate is in your hands."


    Brad silently contemted. "Give me a bit to think. I''ll keep an eye on her." He hiked his thumb over his shoulder. "James needs your help. Cecily thralled the army."


    Lyn seemed taken off guard. "How?"


    Brad shrugged. "Maybe this?" He produced the dagger and handed it to Lyn.


    "Damn," she muttered. "I didn''t know she had an artifact like this." She tapped it to Cataclysm''s hilt socketed on her hip, and the de vanished. Wings sprouted from her back, and she flew off toward Khrrdia''s lines, enormous,va-imbued de gripped in her wed hands as she became a blueet streaking across the sky.


    Brad faced Cecily and pondered. What to do with you? Death or torture for the rest of your miserable life?


    James raked his ws left and right as he spun in circles. Men were pummeling him from all sides, and enough had mbered atop his wings that he couldn''t take off and fly away. He swept his tail from side to side, the colossal appendage sending men flying away.


    He could feel the drain on his mana ¨C the artifact sword Brightguard''s inscription might have a minuscule mana cost, but he could feel the steady decrease. He knew if he used another breath weapon to buy space, he would only have a few seconds of the transformation. That wasn''t enough time to fly up and get clear of the army.


    A storm of blue mes erupted around him, and men screamed as they were incinerated in the blink of an eye. The mes erupted higher and higher, blocking all vision and ess to him. He felt the heat, and it would have burned him to a crisp if not for his body enhancement so many years ago. He used the opening to take flight and get up above the army. He could make out a fast, ck and blue shape thanks to his enhanced vision.


    Lyn flew up next to him and pped next to his head. A Humanoid form with dragon wings. He could hear the genuine sorrow in her voice. "I''m so, so sorry, James."


    "I''ll processter. What do we do now?" he asked as he pushed aside all emotion as the height ofbat adrenaline was coursing through his body.


    "They''ll go into a vegetative state in an hour. But there''s no saving them. I''m sorry. We can take care of them, but eighty-thousand soldiers needing round-the-clock care¡­it''s your call because it falls on your kingdom''s shoulders. The Eternal Empire will help, of course, but this is your decision."


    James felt a knot rise in his stomach. There was no real choice here. Getting people here to carry the levies back, let alone keeping them alive in aa for years upon years¡­it was not feasible. "Do what you must. End them quickly, that''s all I ask. I''m heading back to Kor''s Hold."


    Lyn nodded. "Use the mirror and call me if you need to." She descended and vanished into the blur of bodies, the only indication of her being present the arcing blue mes from the sword as she cut into the masses.


    I''m sorry, he thought as he felt the tremendous sorrow well up within. Tens of thousands of families were about to lose their fathers, brothers, uncles, cousins¡­it struck him to his center. The pointless violence all because Cecily held a grudge from years ago. I hope you burn in hell.


    Lyn did not relish the idea of killing Khrrdia''s troops. She treated it like a job, mechanically carving away at the mass of soldiers that swarmed¡­past her. What in the fuck? She carved into them as they began chasing the flying dragon ovend. Oh, Cecilymanded them to kill James. Shit.


    She could manifest arge-scale spell to wipe all of them out in a single st¡­but she wanted to reserve mana in case she had to deal with Cecily and some weird backup the woman might have. "En ethiel i thalion min nin / i beleg bregol en-ngurth / na garo nin rhaw / a adlethad ha na / i beleg nadhras sui ar Ghomar." She felt her body shift and expand as she turned into the draconic form.


    But, she willed herself to change coloration ¨C to match that of James''s draconic form. And¡­it worked like a charm. The army wheeled around and swarmed toward her; their simple, thralled minds not able to discern that this dragon was different from the one James had transformed into.


    They swarmed her like ants on a hill, stabbing down into her scales. The weapons pinged off orpletely shattered, and those whose weapons failed them struck at her with their fists and feet, breaking those as well.


    "Come on then!" she roared out as she began wing with massive sweeps, spinning in ce to use the centrifugal force to throw men off. She swung her tail like a massive club, crushing bodies and flinging corpses into the distance tond with a sickening crunch among the still-swarming mass of soldiers. She could feel the battle-lust of the Berserker core rising up in her chest, a red-hot heat starkly different from the burn of the Destroyer core.


    Lashing out with her ws to get some distance she lifted off and flew above the soldiers, circling as she gained altitude. Fucking burn! she thought as she opened her maw and unleashed a torrent of blueva upon thendscape. The violent outpouring of superheated, molten rocks poured out from her monstrous, gaping jaws and sttered onto the ground before spreading out. The pyrostic flow of destructive energy melted the soldiers from the legs down, causing them to fall forward into the substance as they perished.


    She flew across the battlefield, unleashing her torrential outpouring as her mana slowly depleted. But she was able topletely obliterate the army, and pped in ce as she scanned for movement, closing off the flow of power. And just like that, I''ve destroyed an army.


    It was easy, as expected. She knew that there was little risk, even when outnumbered to such an extent, due to the sheer power difference. None on Ghomar can resist me, she thought.


    The bodiesy still, and a calm silence descended over the whole area. Lyn took in a shaking breath as she angled a descent toward Brad on the far side of the river, gliding as she let all spells forbat fade. Landing next to him, she looked Cecily over with the pink-hued sight of the Healer core. She was alive and other than the muttion was in excellent health. "It''s done," she muttered as she nced at Brad who was staring at the nude, eviscerated woman. "Wipe the mud from her eyes¡­I want her to see me."


    Brad did so, and Cecily''s eyes focused before going wide at seeing the enormous draconic form over her. "I decided," he replied as he stood up. "I want you to harvest her core. Incinerate her soul just like you did with Volio. She should never, evere back."


    Lyn nodded, craned her head over Cecily, and then reverted to her Duskari form. She ced her hand on Cecily''s neck. Lyn could feel the pulse, the incredibly fast heartbeat under her w. "I hate you," Lyn whispered softly as she slowly squeezed. "You made my life hell back on Earth."


    She thought back to the locked-in-jars memories, filing through them with perfect acuity thanks to the Knowledge core. "You might not remember, but you used to always make fun of me in the girl''s locker room. You called me the ''town bicycle'' because I slept around with people. Well guess what? That was the only way I could exert some control over my life. If you had bothered to talk to me at all, you would know what I went through. Instead, you picked on me. You and the other girls. You''ve never been raped by your father. And if you had bothered to talk to me? You''d know that my hypersexuality was how I could control just one aspect of my piss-poor existence."


    Lyn squeezed tighter. "And then we got here¡­Ghomar was my second chance at life. And you fucked that up also. As soon as you knew the Scout core was considered the weakest¡­you narrowed in on it. You targeted me, and I was practically an outcast. You want to know why I never stuck around town and was constantly improving myself? I couldn''t spend a single day in a town without some fucking imbecile telling me how useless I was to the heroes. You caused that."


    "Lyn¡­" Brad said softly. She nced back at him. "I¡­didn''t know that was why you did it."


    Lyn shook her head, not feeling any emotion, but simply wanting to provide her justification to the bitch she was about to kill. To show, even more, that she was in the right. "One of the reasons was because this asshole painted me as the reason for all the hero''s faults. I was the scapegoat." She turned back to Cecily and squeezed even harder, feeling the air flow cut off as Cecily tried to breathe. "Now you use non-Humans as your scapegoat. Well guess what? This non-Human is going to squeeze the life out of you. And then, I''m going to annihte your soul." She saw the silent scream behind Cecily''s eyes. The rage. The fear. A gaze of horror and desperation. "Nothing will exist for you. This is your end."


    She squeezed down slowly, making sure that Cecily felt the slow, inexorable grip of her death. Finally, she mped her ws together and decapitated the woman with the power of her crushing motion, before she reached down into her chest and pulled out the Ruler core, crushing it and pushing it down her mana channels.


    Incinerate her soul, she thought. She willed. And she felt the Destroyer core respond as it consumed, devoured, and tried to rip apart the mana core.


    Cecily gasped as she woke up in a ck space. Before her were three doors. ghomar, earth, and backup. She felt a heat behind her, and ncing back saw surging, blueva racing out of the ckness.


    A face appeared, Lyn''s face. A beautiful, regal, Duskari woman with draconic features. The maw shifted to that of a full dragon as itshed forward.


    Cecily scrambled to the doors and only saw one open. backup. The other two were closed. Sheunched herself through the door and entered a ck void. Looking back, she saw theva stop at the door, and heard a tremendous roar before that aperture vanished.


    Time passed. An unknown amount of time. But Cecily was able to be alone with her thoughts. The absence of her Ruler core to provide assurances of her actions ¨C past or present, let her reflect.


    She had made Lyn''s life a living hell, but the bitch deserved it. She slept with all the boys back on Earth and kept the girls from forming any real boyfriend/girlfriend rtionships because of her sluttiness.


    When they got to Ghomar, she was always off doing something, and when something went wrong of course Cecily would shift the me. She couldn''t be med for anything. She was perfect.


    Eventually, she saw a pair of lights. Then she took a deep breath and woke up on a sumptuously soft bed. The mage from Lynhold, her thrall, leaned over her. "Princess Cecily, are you back?" she asked in Shereldian.


    Cecily sat up and gestured for water. The woman brought some over, and she drank greedily. "I''m alive," she said softly. Her voice was younger, slightly "cuter" but carrying less authority. She focused on her mana core and felt the pulsating power present¡­but it felt different. She did not hear the voice of the Ruler core whispering instructions to her.


    "I don''t have my Ruler core," she whispered to herself in English.


    "Sorry, mydy?"


    Cecily swapped back to Shereldian. "Draw a bath. Prepare the council. We have work to do." And I only have a dungeon core¡­time for my theory to be put to the test.


    Lyn knew what the Ruler core would do, thanks to the times Cecily bragged about it.


    "Right before I make a decision, I get a neat inner voice that either gives me a positive feeling or a negative one. And it has never led me wrong."


    Lyn closed her eyes and focused on her Destroyer core, and it¡­bubbled in an odd way. Something felt "off." Wrong. She looked at Brad. "I have a fucking bad feeling." Her body did what Lawrence''s did, turning to dust. Fuck.


    "How?"


    "I don''t think Cecily was annihted."


    "What makes you say that?"


    Lyn closed her eyes and focused wholly on her mana core, trying to perceive what had happened. She visualized the dark space where she spoke with Raevan and Yheron, and to her surprise, found herself in that dark space. The two entities formed near her.


    "Fucking bitch got away," Yheron growled in her mind.


    "It''s alright," Raevan said, also in her mind. "She had a backup, but that means she is much weaker. We have the Ruler core, now."


    Lyn muttered, "So, she escaped?"


    "It appears so," Raevan stated. "She had a backup door like what Thomas and Lawrence described in their post-death experience. The other two were closed off, as you willed. If not for her backup¡­your will would have been done." She shook her head. "She will regroup."


    "She still has forces to levy," Yheron stated. "Memory-manipted masses. I would expect a mass conscription, centered on Cecria. My advice is to go there right now and crush her."


    "I can''t," Lyn replied. "I don''t know what she is capable of. Even more so now. If she had a backup body, she could have other contingencies nned. I wonder how she pulled that off? Thomas took all the knowledge from the ruins."


    "What about what was on the walls?" Raevan asked. "You did not burn the Ruins of Elent to the ground."


    "Could she have reverse-engineered it?" Lyn replied.


    "Perhaps," Raevan said solemnly. "If she had rubbings made, perhaps the Elenthian words were interpreted and mixed. I would not expect her backup to be the same quality as Thomas''s creations, but it served its purpose."


    Ly nodded. "Then we need to take the fight to her. First, we''ll crush their navy. Then, encircle them. Khrrdia is out of the fight, so that means we must rely on our own forces, and those of Trisk."


    Yheron harrumphed. "Fine. Do not listen to my advice."


    "What would you have me do? Fly into danger without a clue of what awaits me?"


    Yheron peered at her with one enormous eye. "You are two mana cores away from acquiring them all. All that remains is the Alchemist and Oracle. One is here with us, and the other is a single dungeon away if you signal it. Acquire the remaining dungeon cores, use the power of the Oracle to peer at your foe¡­and then choose the precise moment to strike."


    Raevan cupped Lyn''s chin and pulled her to face her. "Go with what your heart tells you. But Yheron''s advice is sound." She nced sideways at the dragon, "Maybe not the use of the Oracle core. Seeing all possible futures can blind you to the path you should take."


    The ckness receded, and Lyn found herself back in her body. Brad was staring at her expectantly. "You okay?"


    Lyn nodded. "Yeah. How long was I out?"


    "What do you mean? It''s been a few seconds."


    Good. Talking to¡­my other selves isn''t time consuming. She looked down at the ashes of Cecily''s body ¨C the indicator that she did, indeed, have a backup body. "Brad¡­I need your hero core."


    The Alchemist hero sighed and nodded as his shoulders slumped. "I figured you''d be asking sooner orter." He cracked a smile. "You''re still fine if I keep running the pharmaceutical industry, right?"


    Lyn nodded as she reached into the storage choker and pulled out a wooden orb holding a dungeon core, and the tube inscribed device. "Lie down, take off your shirt."


    Brad chuckled and did as he was told. "Reminds me of back before we were summoned. Remember?"


    Lyn giggled and nodded. "God, you fumbled so fucking much. But you really took your time and were gentle. And you knew the right angles. I swear, you potheads and your porn consumption."


    Brad grinned sheepishly. "If you ever want a repeat performance, this new prosthetic lets me go all night."


    "Maybe I will take you up on that," Lyn said with a devilish grin as she ced the device against his chest. "Here we go. You''ll feel some pain."


    "Bitch, I''ve dealt with more of that than you know."


    Lyn channeled her mana into the device and felt the familiar thump as Brad''s face contorted before rxing. She pulled the Alchemist core out of the socket and felt the bubbling, almost soup-like consistency against her w. She squeezed it and fed it down her mana channel into the inferno that was her Destroyer core. "What''s it do?"


    Brad sat up and took a deep breath before pulling on his clothes, producing a cigar from a pouch, and using a simple incantation to light it. "First. Ow¡­ It will let you make body-enhancing substances quickly with unmatched quality. You can also change the properties of tinctures, potions, and the like by altering their potency, duration¡­all types of good shit. Also, you can "store" spells ¨C but you''re basically containing and reserving that bit of mana. I never found a good use for that."


    Lyn reached down and helped him up. "Now¡­back home?" she asked.


    Brad nodded. "I got my revenge. You can get the final kill¡­but I''m more than satisfied."


    "Oh, one more thing." She gestured to the camp of Vgonia, littered with corpses. "We have to take all of the firearms and cannons. I''ll open up a storage dimension, and we''ll load it all in."


    Brad nodded. "Well, I can put these muscles to some use. Just like I''ve been using that new dick. Did you know that the inscription does vibration and temperature?"


    Lyn lightly shoved her shoulder into him and chuckled. "You are always good at making a dark situation a bit brighter. Thank you."


    Brad shrugged. "It was a brag. If you ever want to try¡­" He made a suggestive motion with his finger and hand.


    Lyn shook her head. "You''re incorrigible."


    "And you''re a promiscuous person. I''m surprised you''re not jumping on the offer."


    "Later. We have work to do. Let''s get to it."


    James arrived back in Kor''s Hold and immediately summoned his council, telling them what happened. There was shouting, me cast his direction, and ultimately an eptance of the losses. It was a tense two hours of shouting and consternation.


    "This will impact the nting season," his minister of agriculture stated. "We will have to rely on trade to provide¡ª"


    James held up his hand. "We have a benefactor now. I''ll speak with Empress Rivers. She will ensure that our people do not go hungry. Robust food programs were one of her requirements for vassalization, after all."


    He gripped his hands together tightly and felt sick to his stomach. "I¡­I''m sorry. I had no idea that Cecily was capable of such a feat. If I knew, I would have never taken our forces so close."


    His master of whispers stood up. "You tried to protect Khrrdia. Thank Aelor for Empress Rivers'' intervention. If we lost you, then the duchies would be fighting over the throne." He turned to the other councilors. "If we do not downy this tragedy then we will have rebellion."


    He nodded and stood up. "I am exhausted. I''ll retire for the night. Tomorrow, we have to do damage control. I will not let this kingdom fall into civil war." He gulped down the sickness he felt working its way up his gullet. "If that happens¡­Empress Rivers maye down with a firm fist and take full, direct control, instead of ruling with the gentle touch she has thus far."


    There were murmurs of assent around the table, and James left to his royal apartment with the king''s guards who had stayed behind in tow. He went to the restroom and immediately threw up into thetrine, crying as he vomited at what he had done. He had killed his own soldiers, hismanders, his allies. People who trusted him with his life.


    Even with the Paragon core¡­I wouldn''t have been able to do anything. He wiped his mouth and threw off his clothing and armor. "Guard!" he shouted.


    One of the men burst into the room, weapon at the ready, and paused when he saw no danger immediately apparent. "Your Highness?"


    James turned to the man. "I want one of you stationed at the balcony, and one of you on the inside of the door to my chambers." He touched the inscription on the tub, and it filled with hot water. He sank into it and tried to burn away the memories of that night. He felt tears well up and he wept as the water washed the tears away. I''m sorry you all died¡­

 B2 – Chapter 26

    The ocean breeze was refreshing and instantly made Admiral Na feel like she was back in her element. This is where she belonged, on the seas, aboard a vessel. Every time the ship gently rocked in the waves, she would expertly shift her weight to remain bnced. To every Ari from the Conve of the Isle, the sea was their home.


    "Report!" she shouted as she walked up to the top deck where the ship''s wheel was located.


    Her pilot saluted, right hand held in a w over his chest. "Yes ma''am! Ravens sent to scout have sighted enemy vessels approximately one day away at current speed."


    Na nodded and gripped her amulet, willing it to broadcast to the nearby ship captains. "This is Admiral Na. Let''s pick up the pace! I want to see the enemy''s sails before nightfall."


    She heard the variety of confirmations over themunication amuletwork and grinned in satisfaction as the Ari aboard the ironsides poured mana into the inscriptions, as the propeller on the bottom and back of the vessel whirled and caused them to surge forward in the waves. Looking over the rail, she could see the longboats pick up the pace of rowing as more sail was let out to take advantage of the near-constant wind that circted Ghomar''s mainndmass in a counterclockwise direction.


    Vgonia''s ships will be going against the wind, she thought. Tacking back and forth. But they are circling the Teardrop Isles, so we won''t be engaging in open water. That suited her just fine. The Ari vessels were nimbler than those Vgonia used. The only disadvantage that the Ari faced was numbers. ording to the seer''s reports, there were one hundred vessels. The Ari had the three ironsides, and fifty longships.


    Ideally, we''ll get close and performing boarding actions. That was how the Ari performed most of their ship-to-shipbat. Speed and maneuverability to get close, grappling hooks and rope to secure their smaller vessel to therger ones, and then boarding action. Thanks to their stronger mana cores and longevity, they often had much superior training and could take enemy ships with ease.


    The ironsides gave them the ability to ram the enemy, and with the new addition of the cannons captured at the Dragon''s Maw, they now had ranged capabilities. Worst case scenario, I call in backup.


    Empress Rivers had ryed the recent events to the admiral, and the Destroyer was hard at work fortifying the Azure Divide just as she had done with the Flontar River and The Rill; as well as transporting forces from Trisk to help man those defenses. "Only call on me in an emergency," the Destroyer had told her.


    She sighed and went to the front of the vessel, leaning out over the bow as she felt the minor rocking of the vessel. To her slight dismay, the ironsides did not rock with the waves very much. They were stable vessels, despite the ten and fifteen foot high waves that surrounded them. Where''s the fun in this? she thought with a slight chuckle.


    Hermunication amulet vibrated, and she picked it up, channeling some mana into it. A voice came through. A pleasant voice. Vael. "Hey Na. You still sailing?"


    She grinned. "Yes. The seas are perfect. With muscle and mana, we will reach Vgonia''s navy by nightfall."


    "Stay safe," Vael replied softly. "And when youe back, I have a treat."


    "Oh?" Na looked down at the clear waters below. "Do tell."


    "Well¡­you treated me well at the hot springs, so I figured I''d take you somewhere secret. A ce that only Duskari from the valley know about. A hidden grotto, deep in the fortress."


    "Perfect. It''ll be a while before I get back though. We''re going to crush this navy and then have to take Firol and Sidalon before blockading the coastline of Vgonia. I''d expect to be gone a month or more."


    There was a sigh. "Well, I''ll be here to treat you right."


    Naughed and idly chatted with her new paramour as the day drew on.


    Ishon felt the breeze through his hair as his armada rounded the far southern edge of the Teardrop Isles. Admiral of Vgonia''s navy, he oversaw attacking Khrrdia''s coastline and forcing their defenses away from the front to counter the ocean-based assaults. A child of nobility hailing from Sidalon. His brother, David, ruled the duchy which produced all of the ships that served Vgonia''s interests.


    Ishon led all of those vessels, one hundred strong, mighty ships designed as a mixture of the Free City''s caravels and the captured longboats of the Ari. The result was a medium draft that let them go up the major rivers and into deep waters. Maneuverability-wise, they were slow to turn, but each carried aplement of thirty sailors who had been trained on new weaponry from the hearnd. Something called a rifle.


    That, and the ships were each equipped with four ballistae with specialized ammunition that would ignite once it was in the air, spread mes along the vessels that were impacted. Each vessel was also equipped with a lifeboat that could double as anding craft as the ships remained moored slightly offshore.


    "Bring us into the isles," Ishon ordered. "We will moor off the beaches and send men to go fetch fruit from thend." His orders were ryed through a variety of gs, and the one-hundred-ship-strong fleet set anchor and sent forth scouting groups to go into therge ind nearby to gather fruit. It will be a good morale boost, he thought.


    He went into the captain''s quarters andy down, staring up at the slightly rockingntern above him. His princess, the prophesied ruler of the country of his birth, had given him a secondary mission. Burn down Kor''s Hold. Word of Commander Sigurd''s failure had reached the maind and worked its way through the few messenger pigeons to his armada. Princess Cecily was quite clear in her instructions. Burn it to ash and leave nothing but ruins.


    The soft bobbing of the ship was soothing, and Ishon felt himself fading into blissful slumber. He dreamed of his wife and their three children, and how they would be growing up in a world without non-Humans. A perfect utopia for Humankind, helmed by their prophesied ruler.


    Zebed got off of the longboat and mbered up thedder onto the metal ship. He was grabbed by the shoulders and lifted up onto the deck by a titan of an Ari woman with hulking muscles and a confident grin. She wore a prominent amulet around her neck made of silver. "Ah, you are one of Empress Rivers'' council underlings," he said politely in Arinol.


    "Admiral Na. You''re Zebed Ba''n Azir Shedai, the guy who took over the Free City of Bashinol, right?"


    "Correct." Zebed wiped his hands clean before holding it out to shake. The admiral gripped his forearm and after the brief interaction they walked to the back of the ironside. "The Bashinol ships are at yourmand. All one hundred fifty."


    "This isn''t going to be fair at all," Na replied with a chuckle. "There''s only one hundred we have to destroy."


    Zebed shook his head. "That¡­doesn''t make sense. Our reports showed moreing from the west."


    Na''s gaze narrowed. "What?"


    Zebed felt a chill go down his spine. "A second armada sailed east and circumvented the globe,ing around the northern edge of Bashinol." How did they not know?


    Na mmed her fist into the ship''s hull, "Damnit! The diviners were focused on Vgonia proper, not some force that set sail months ago." She looked up north. "We can''t get there in time. Did you not think to advise Empress Rivers?"


    Zebed shook his head. "I only learned about it this morning from our me tenders at the Bashinol Beacon. I assumed that they were known about and being anticipated." Note to self; the empress may bepetent, but I should look into ingraining myself onto her council since someone is woefully incapable.


    Na picked up her amulet. "Empress Rivers, we have a problem." She was silent for a few moments as the empress spoke with her mentally. "There''s another navy,ing around the northern side of Bashinol¡­Right¡­Okay." She let the amulet dangle once more and looked to Zebed. "We''re to continue with our task. Empress Rivers is going to destroy that northern fleet. We are to destroy this one in the south and then continue to our taking of Sidalon, the Emerald Isle, and surround the centralndmass of Vgonia."


    Zebed nodded, knowing that those ships to the north werepletely, utterly doomed. He had seen the empress''s power firsthand, and knew that there was no chance they would survive unless she willed it. "What is the n?"


    "Ari can see in the dark without body enhancement. As far as I have been told, Vgonia''s forces do not have troops with Darksight Eyedrops. You could bring your navy in the morning to sweep up any remainder."


    Zebed leaned against the rail and looked out at the two fleets. "I am amenable to this n." He sighed. "It''s a pretty sight; the Teardrop Isles casting their shadows over the water. Like enormous fingers, stretching across the depths."


    Na nodded and leaned against the railing next to him. "There is a beauty to the ocean. A fierce beauty." She looked over to him. "You do not look like the type to lead vessels."


    Zebedughed. "I''m not. Believe me, my ship is the safest ¨C at the back." He pulled a folded-up cloth from his jacket and handed it to her. "This g designates your vessel as the gship for my forces to follow. The captains of each Free City vessel have amulets courtesy of Lynhold." He produced a sheet of parchment with their names written on it. "Here you are."


    Na took the slip and handed the g to an Ari marine. "You really are quite the prepared man."


    Zebed nodded and looked out over the darkening waves. "One has to be when they have a chance to climb the ranks."


    "Ah, you seek to sit on the empress''s council?"


    He shrugged. "I would enjoy taking the role of steward. That Sloren, Mol¡­he''s a fine fellow, but running a brewingpany is vastly different from running an entire mary system."


    "I doubt that Empress''s Rivers would give control of the empire''s finances to the ruler of the Free City. Otherwise, what would be the point of her taking over your domain in the first ce?"


    "My loyalty to her is unquestionable," Zebed replied tersely as his mood soured. "I have seen what she is capable of. I am loyal to her because I fear her. If she had a mind to, she could obliterate everything I hold dear."


    "Is it only fear that drives your servitude?"


    Zebed shook his head. "No. I respect her. She could have destroyed me, and instead she chose me to lead." He looked to the Ari admiral. "You see her as a goddess, and rightly so. She''s the closest thing we have to one." He sighed. "I just want to leave behind a legacy for my family. But they will not inherit after me, as per the empress''s strictures. A meritocracy where she will choose the next ''king'' tier of ruler for the Free City."


    "So you seek the steward position not for personal prestige, but to move your family to Lynhold and train them up to take over after you?"


    "You''re a quick one for a sailor."


    Naughed. "You''re what, forty years of age? Half of your life, if you''re lucky. I''ve lived for four hundred years. You don''t get to my age without growing in wisdom."


    Zebed nodded. "Well, I''m off. Best of luck with the nighttimebat."


    "Appreciated. Let me help you down to your longship."


    It''s always fucking something, Lyn thought as she flew out over the ocean from the edge of Khrrdia''s coast. It waste in the night, and she was able to see the Bashinol Beacon bright in the distance far below her. Since she no longer had to worry about theck of mana while flying high, she could go up to the edge of the atmosphere, protected from the cold by her body enhancements.


    And, she could use a spell to create air. Granted, the mana drain was much more rapid due to the height from the surface of Ghomar, but she only needed to have such height for a few moments.


    Her Farsight Eyedrop body enhancement allowed her to zoom in and scan the seas below. She had Cataclysm in her hands and willed it to the spear form. Time to use some physics to my advantage. Reaching into the storage dimension, she pulled out the underwater breathing bit and clenched it between her teeth. Here we go. The armada was easy enough to spot, and she let herself fall from the heights, angling her body to be vertical, facing down.


    As she plummeted, she cast a simple barrier spell that would prevent all impact from affecting her body directly, entwined with verses that removed the air in front of her to remove any wind resistance. The result was akin to a meteor striking from the heavens, crashing down into the water''s surface. No wind resistance to slow her impact.


    To her, she simply rocketed to the bottom of the ocean before slowing to a stop. But on the surface above, two-hundred-foot-tall waves overturned the Vgonian vessels. A whole fleet; separated and cast apart. Easy pickings for the Destroyer. "Aear durna / bo nin / i en innas lend / bleno thil¨¢r."


    The ocean in front of her parted creating a temporary vacuum that she was sucked into from the water pressure ¨C keeping focus on the spell, it enabled her to travel underwater at unmatched speed until she had maneuvered under one of the ships. She punched her wed hand into it and ripped the underside of the vessel to shreds. One down.


    Moving at ungodly speeds due to the water spell she repeated the same sundering strike on every vessel. The sailors abandoned ships and were scattered about in the water. Some in rowboats, some clinging to wooden barrels and nks, and some swimming in the dark. This is what you get for trying to attack mynds.


    Still wielding Cataclysm in its spear form, she darted from person to person, spearing them through the torso or neck. It was bloody work, and she could see the variety of ocean life attracted by the violent disruptions to the water¡­and the blood. Enormous shark-like creatures with armored, scaled hides.


    Oh. This is going to be easy. Lyn drew upon the Beastmaster core and shouted ¨C the underwater breathing bit enabling her to speak without issue in the ocean. "ughter them all!" she screamed out in Khrrdian as she let her mana surge into the water around her. There was a pulse as the animals'' eyes turned bright blue, their wills overridden by the hero core''s unique ability.


    The sea life for miles in all directions began assaulting the survivors, dragging them down to the depths to drown, arcing up and out of the water to strike the men above, and bringing ruin to the fleet. Lyn swam up and crested the surface of the water, pping her wings to gain some height as she flew above the scene looking for any survivors.


    One vessel had escaped her attention ¨C and it was making for the Bashinol Beacon. Flying over to it, shended on the top mast and growled in her draconic tone. The man in the crow''s nest wheeled about and screamed in terror, falling backward and getting caught in the rigging. Lyn spoke in Shereldian. "You who sail for Vgonia¡­I, Empress Rivers, sentence you to death."


    She jumped down, impaling the man who was trapped in the rigging and bringing his body down to the deck with her. The crew on the ship either screamed and fled to the rear of the vessel, or took up arms and charged Lyn. She swapped Cataclysm to the greatsword configuration and willed it to surge with arcing, pulsating lightning. A few of the sailors mana-charged their des with a simple spell ¨C but she snapped their des in half. The ones that were not mana-charged, her weapon simply bypassed, striking the men and jolting them. Smoke poured from their orifices as they were cooked from the inside, and within seconds the whole group that had charged hery dead and twitching.


    She turned to the ones that had fled to the back of the vessel, cowering in a pile. The sea creatures were churning the waters below, and Lyn put Cataclysm away as she stood in front of the sailors, a specter of majesty and death. "You have a choice. Either throw yourselves over the edge and take your chances with my ocean-dwelling friends¡­or grovel at my feet, and earn a swift death."


    "I''m not dying here!" one man screamed as he jumped into the water. As soon as he entered, there was one scream before he was dragged under, and a fountain of blood spurted up as the air in his lungs bubbled up to the surface.


    "Anyone else?" Lyn asked.


    The sailors ¨C shaking, quivering, pissing themselves in fear ¨C groveled before her.


    "Spare us!"


    "Forgive us!"


    "Please! I have children!"


    "I never got married!"


    Lyn heard their pleas and shook her head. "You sailed for mynds. Threatened my people. I give you a swift death. Tofort you, I know what happens when you die." Several sailors looked up at her with tears filling their eyes. "You will be reborn on Ghomar. A new life. Another chance at a better life. With luck, within my empire''s borders. Now, faces down, and shut your eyes."


    The sailors did as they were instructed and some whispered prayers to Aelor. "There is no god here except for me." She took a deep breath and whispered an incantation in Elenthir. A single word. "Chaded." Death. Pure and simple. She did not have to worry about using aplicated verse to limit her mana expenditure.


    A surge of pale blue energy coursed out from her and covered the whole ship. The sailors instantly died on the spot, and Lyn picked each up and tossed them into the water to feed the beasts that served her.


    She grabbed the amulet around her neck. "Na, report," shemanded in Arinol.


    The admiral''s voice came in a whisper. "Yes, Empress. We are approaching the south side of the Teardrop Isles for a night assault on Vgonia''s navy."


    "I have dealt with the northern armada." She nced down and saw the sea creatures peering at her from the depths, expectantly. "I''ll be heading your way¡­with some friends." She flew off above the surface of the water, pulsing her mana through her channels and into the water for miles around. The Beastmaster core called to all the animals in the region. "Follow me."


    Lawrence took a deep breath before he lit up a torch and walked through the secret door and into the Conve of the Fortress. His new body, whilst inscribed with all sorts of amazing enhancements such as more stamina, a more robust immune system, and other small changes,cked dark vision. Brad had not created Darksight Eyedrops, and so he navigated via torchlight, following the instructions Lyn had given him.


    The whole time he walked through the depths of this hidden stronghold within the fortress, he thought about what he would say. What he would do. Kory had killed him. Kory had killed over a hundred Newen in his assault on the Dragon''s Maw. And Lawrence was given control over his fate.


    There were many options. He could torment Kory. He could leave the former Berserker locked up and let him age into oblivion. He could kill him swiftly. So many options. And yet none of them seemed¡­right.


    Lawrence was not like the other students who were raised in somewhat religious environs. He had very, very religious parents, and their beliefs disgusted him. His father had mentioned on several asions that, if not for some holy book''s teachings, he would do horrific things. Thankfully for Lawrence, his older sister took him in when he dered his atheist beliefs at age sixteen. He knew that his parents were not moral people ¨C only some belief in a made up, punishing afterlife enforced their decisions. Well, maybe there was an afterlife on Earth. Ghomar didn''t have one, and Lawrence didn''t need some fear of eternal damnation to make him a good person.


    Lawrence wasn''t like them. He informed his morality and ethics based upon rationalization, reason, and kindness. And it was that kindness that brought him to Kory''s cell, deep in the conve through a rat''s nest of tunnels that were confounding to say the least. If not for Thomas''s exact instructions and certain details to spot on the walls, Lawrence would have been lost. The former Knowledge hero had written the instructions in English, and soon enough the former Shifter hero was standing in front of the former Berserker himself.


    Kory wasid out on the ground. He was not shackled in any way, just lying on a simple reed mat covered with a few nkets. A bucket was in the corner for refuse, and in the opposite corner, an empty tray that once held food. A bucket of fresh water was halfway drained. The man looked up at Lawrence with bloodshot, deep brown eyes that reflected the torchlight. "Lawrence?"


    "In the flesh," the Shifter hero replied as he crouched and set the torch on the ground to his side. "How are you holding up?"


    Kory just shook his head slightly. "I¡­we saw you¡­get eaten."


    "I was eaten. I got shit out. Spent some time soul-searching and just being on my own. Then, I joined up with Lyn." He pulled a strip of jerky out from a pouch and chewed on it absentmindedly. "You killed me."


    "¡­sorry¡­when?"


    "That tiger then bird then gopher. That was me. And I don''t forgive you," Lawrence replied. "You hurt a lot of people. Lost some limbs, eh? A leg and an arm¡­that''s rough."


    Kory sniffled and used his one good arm to push himself up slightly, enough that he could lean on the bars and look at Lawrence. He was a broken man. Well cared for with clean clothes and good food¡­but defeated in every sense of the word. "I¡­There''s a lot that happened."


    "No shit. Let me ask you ¨C why''d you just charge past the wall? You could''ve fought the army."


    "I thought¡­the Demonic Dragon ¨C Lyn ¨C would be in the fortress." He shook his head, and a few scant tears began to drip down his face and onto the polished, marble, inscribed floor. "I¡­had to beat it. The thing I ran from¡­"


    Lawrence sighed and tossed the jerky onto Kory''s empty tter. The Berserker hero gingerly picked it up and munched on the salted meat. "Right, mister ''never back down from a challenge'' had to prove to himself his manliness."


    "You said it, not me."


    "Well¡­how did that work out for you."


    Kory chuckled and wiped his face. "How does it fucking look like it turned out?"


    "You did challenge an empress¡ª"


    "Fucking Lyn." Kory scoffed. "Cecily convinced me Lyn wasn''t really back. But she is, and she''s way stronger than I could ever be." He looked up at Lawrence with a serious expression, "She consumed other hero cores."


    "Yeah, she consumed mine before I died as a gopher."


    "How are you back?"


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    "Thomas. Cloned bodies. Backups."


    Kory''s eyes went wide. "That''s what Cecily was trying to do."


    "We know," Lawrence replied as he sat back against the wall opposite the bars. "Lyn has consumed¡­I think most of the hero cores at this point."


    "Why?"


    Lawrence shrugged. "Beats me." He pointed at Kory''s chest. "She reced your Berserker core with a squirrel''s."


    Kory''s face expressed utter shock. "What? A fucking squirrel?"


    "Yup. And she''s allowing me to decide what to do with you. I could kill you; I could keep you imprisoned until you die. Your life is in my hands."


    Kory''s shoulders sagged and he sighed. "And what are you fucking going to do?"


    "For now? Nothing." Lawrence pulled out a small book and slipped it through the bars of the cage. "I wrote down a whole bunch of meditation exercises. And Trisha has agreed toe and do some therapy. Apparently, you have a bunch of unresolved PTSD issues. Ultimately, I''m hoping that youe to terms with what you''ve done, process your problems, and are truly contrite for the atrocities you''vemitted."


    Kory gently picked up the book and flopped back onto the reed mat. "Fine. It''s better than just staring at the wall."


    Lawrence stood up and grabbed the torch. "You''ll find your inner peace. I did. Once that happens¡­well, we''ll see if you can get to that point. If you ever want the easy way out, say the word, and I''ll send someone in to do the deed."


    Kory frowned. "I like being alive."


    "Then work on yourself. Only once you''vee to terms with what you''ve done and what you''ve be¡­then we''ll discuss whates next."


    Admiral Na''s ironsides maneuvered deftly through the Teardrop Isles. The multitudinousndmasses were little challenge to navigate, and thanks to the Ari''s innate ability to see in the dark, they were able to sail at night with no issue whatsoever.


    Torchlight upon some of the isles caught her attention, and she directed her vessels to those zing beacons. Ari marines silently slipped over the edge of the ironside and into the waves, swimming quietly as they got onto thend. She heard a brief shout or ng of metal on armor before each torch went out.


    This is too easy, she thought as the marines swam back and were helped on board. "It looks like they were gathering food," one of them said as she wrung out her braid of hair.


    Na nodded and grabbed her amulet, willing it to speak with all of the Ari marines. "Spread out and kill all of them that are on the inds. Regroup on the southern side at my gship." She heard the various confirmations of her orders in her mind and let her amulet fall down. "Full speed ahead, as quietly as we can."


    The marines set to and poured mana into the propeller as the vessel silently surged forward, the only sound the slightpping of the waves. The draft was shallow enough that they had no risk of washing up on the rocks or scraping the bottom, and despite theck of maneuverability, they were able to navigate well enough. This armor better be worth it, she thought as the ship exited the cluster of inds and sat silent upon the waters.


    A few hundred feet from her vessel was Vgonia''s fleet. She could see the twinklingntern light of the boats as they bobbed gently in the water. They''re anchored, she thought with glee. It will take time for them to draw those back up. She looked back toward thend and spied a few of her longshipsing into sight. Picking up her vibrating amulet, she heard the various marinemanders reporting sess.


    Over the next hour her ships regrouped in the dark waters. Final tallies were two hundred Vgonian sailors were in and their rowboats punctured and sunk. Na once more grabbed her amulet. "Internal spells. Then, follow the ironsides. We''ll draw their attention and their fire. You lot, sneak up on them and boarding actions." Once more she heard the confirmations across the fleet.


    Taking a deep breath she barkedmands ¨C intending to be heard by the Vgonians across the sea. "Full speed ahead! Bring up the ironside cover! Prepare the cannons!" The men and women under hermand hopped to, and she heard the slight scraping as the top cover of her vessel was pulled across the arching framework. Boarders would find themselves on a slippery, iron surface, and projectiles would not be able to enter. But the cannons were ced in something called "gun ports" that would enable them to fire upon the ships on either side.


    The ship surged forward, and she personally took the helm. Steering was easy enough ¨C she could see through a series of angled mirrors out of a small metal spire that the topmost metal cover went around. It gave her a ny-degree view of the area directly in front of the vessel, and she angled it right into the center of Vgonia''s ships.


    There were shouts andmands in Shereldian, but they were distant and muffled. As the ship surged forward, she could see the ballistae being prepared as the Humans scrambled around on the decks. But they were not fast enough to turn the weapons before the ironside had gone in between two of the vessels. The other ironsides entered the cluster of moored ships further away, and the ring of rm bells went off as a handful of spells flew into the sky, lighting up the sparkling ocean.


    "Open fire!" Na shouted. A sound of crashing thunder hit her ears, and she winced as the echoing boom reverberated throughout the metal vessel. She heard the splintering and cracking of timber all around. "Reload!" The Ari drew the cannons back, rapidly reloaded under a minute, and waited for the nextmand.


    Na scanned for some type of gship. Damnit. They all look the same. She knew if she took out the centralmand structure the rest would be easy pickings. Her vessel began to suffer impacts ¨C the dull thump and ng of ballistae shattering against the metal vessel. There was a sound of booted feet impacting up top. "Seal the ports!"


    All of the Ari drew the cannons back and mmed the slots shut. Na pulled the lever next to the wheel, and the vessel performed a roll, depositing the boarders into the surf. The Ari bounced around inside, hanging on for dear life, as the vessel came to an upright position. Na mmed back to the deck and felt the air rush out of her lungs. Fucking ouch! She pushed herself up and resumed her ce at the wheel. "Open ports!" Looking through the mirror ensemble she saw they were truly in the thick of the enemy ships. "Fucking kill them all!"


    The thunderous crack of the cannons echoed into the night and over the waters, returned by the other ironsides off in the distance. A series of rhythmic pulses that vibrated the air, shattered timber, and set boats alight as the me-imbued cannonballs sted through their foes.


    Ishon was roused as soon as the first boom went off. The fuck is going on? He scrabbled out of his hammock and got onto the deck. "Lights! Mage lights!" he shouted. The mage assigned to his vessel muttered some incantation and a spark of light shot up into the sky before illuminating the area for hundreds of feet around. The same spell shot up on several other ships ¨C the mages spread out for this exact reason.


    The sudden illumination revealed an enormous metal vessel in the midst of the armada, firing cannons from the sides. Ishon had seen them in production, but none of his vessels were outfitted with them. They were all saved for thend war. Of more concern were those ships ¨C they had no weapons that could prate a metal-lined vessel. The fact it was even on the water boggled his mind.


    A group of men jumped onto the top and began mming down with picks and hooks, trying to pry off the metal. But the vessel retracted the cannons, the ports sealed, and it rotated in the water, dumping the boarders into the surf before it righted itself. What magic is that?


    Over the din of the thundering cannons, he heard the sh of weaponry. Pulling his spyss, he peered to the east. He could see long-eared Ari, boarding his vessels and engaging the crew in hand-to-handbat. Those bastard knife-ears!


    Even more concerning was the Ari still on their longboats who began to manifest mes in their hands, before Newen ¨C hidden amongst their ranks ¨C ced their hands around the ming orbs. Those orbs vanished from Ishon''s sight, and then momentster enormous, zing explosions set ships alight. Stealth spells? The mana required for that was vast, so much so that none of Ishon''s mages could even consider using such a potent verse to alter their spell.


    He drew his de and peered down at the metal vessel adjacent to his ship, knowing he could not help the ships further away. Nothing we can do about those metal vessels¡­unless¡­He called over his shoulder, "Pitch! Bring up all the tar and pitch we have!"


    His crew rallied to his orders and as they brought the barrels of pitch meant for hull repairs up to the surface, he directed them to smash the top and throw them onto the metal boats. The thick, viscous sludge spread over the ship as the barrels smashed against its hull. "Torches!" he shouted, and the men picked up on the idea quickly, igniting and throwing torches onto the ship.


    An enormous bloom of mes arced up, and the vessel withdrew the cannons, trying to turn in ce to extinguish the mes. That buys us some time to figure out what to do. Ishon turned to his mage. "Ideas?"


    The young woman leaned over the edge of the boat and peered down at the now-righting itself metal ship. "We could try poison? If I can angle a spell just right to get into one of the hol¡ª" As she was speaking, a scimitar sliced the top of her head off, and a hand gripped her shoulder pulling her into the drink.


    "We''re being boarded!" Ishon shouted as an enormous, tan-skinned Ari woman mbered on the deck.


    Na dragged herself up onto the vessel. Pitch and tar had somehow slipped inside of the iron vessel, and it had begun to drain the air in the room to feed the raging inferno. She had to open the lower hatch, letting her marines escape into the ocean to perform boarding actions. Eventually, the mes will run out of fuel. We can recover the vesselter.


    She had just cut the top of the head off a Vgonian woman who had been speaking of casting a spell. As she got over the railing, she was beset by three crew members. Her scimitar skills were more than a match, and she held the trio off as they rained down a hail of blows. She gripped the assant on the left, dragging his arm into the path of the centerbatant''s slice, which took the appendage clean off. She then kept using the momentum of the one-armed man to shove him into the attacker on the right.


    "Come on then!" she shouted in Shereldian. "You wanted to kill an Ari? Give it a try!" She felt the adrenaline surge through her. The battle frenzy filled her with joy. The rocking of the ship under her feet melded with her footwork, and she carved a bloody path through the sailors, chasing down a more regal-looking Human with a long, thin de. She suffered cuts and shes due to her light armor, but they were surface wounds. Superficial. She could easily shrug them off.


    The sounds ofbat echoed around her, and she let out augh. A bellowing, arrogantugh that instilled fear not because of the noise itself. Rather, the fact that this Ari that had boarded a vessel was taking on the whole crew and enjoying it. There were no other Ari who attacked alongside Na. It was her against thirty, and her mastery of vessels enabled her to use the ship to her advantage.


    She gripped a rope and sliced the counterweight,unching through the air beforending in front of the regal Human on the topmost deck. "Come on! Try me!"


    The man took up a dueling stance and jabbed forward several times in quick session. His weapon was like a rapier, but thicker and with a triangle point. Na deflected and tried to advance, but the longer reach of the de kept her from closing despite her longer arm length.


    She heard feet approaching behind her and knew she would be overrun in a moment. Damnit! She leaped overboard and dove into the water, swimming under the vessel. She could hold her breath for over five minutes ¨C all the Ari marines could perform such a feat.


    But what met her underwater waspletely unexpected. She saw a frenzy of animals surging around her. And they were angry¡­but not at her. They were going for Vgonian sailors who had been either thrown overboard or were already in the water having abandoned ship from the ironside assault.


    What in the abyss is going on? She swam to the ironside and raised her hand up into the interior space from the lower hatch. She felt no presence of heat and pushed her head up. No air met her lungs, but the fire was out. Somehow, the ship was still upright. Must be something to do with the construction? she thought, having only had a small amount of hands-on experience with the crafting of the vessel. Normally theck of air would cause the water to rush in. Strange. Hauling herself up, she moved to the helm and retracted the roof, sucking in a lungful of air.


    Flying above the ironside, wielding an enormous greatsword that was alight with burning rage, was her empress. "About time you showed up!" Na shouted in Arinol as she let out a whoop of excitement.


    Lyn flew down to her. "Report."


    "The Ironsides are wreaking havoc. Ari are boarding every ship. The sea life is behaving weirdly."


    "My doing. They will only hunt Humans." She looked to the ship that Na had just fled from and stepped in front of the admiral. Na hadn''t noticed, but several crossbowmen had taken aim at her and let loose a volley. Lyn''s wings deflected them as they wrapped securely around the two. She reached down and channeled mana into the inscription on the hull of the vessel, and the roof returned as more bolts pinged off it.


    "My thanks," Na said as the battle rush began to fade.


    Lyn picked up her amulet. "All Ari, fall back to your vessels." She went to the floor hatch and dove down.


    A few minutes passed, and Na''s marines returned to the vessel. She turned the ship but left the bottom hatch open. More marines arrived ¨C but not all of them. Casualties. To be expected, she thought, not looking forward to the numbers that would doubtlesse from the whole affair.


    As she turned the vessel, she saw the ships sinking underwater, one at a time. She saw surges of blue in the waves, and after a few minutes when all the vessels nearby were gone, she retracted the roof and looked about.


    The armada was, one vessel at a time, being carved apart by Lyn''s blue me de from below, gutting the hulls as they sank down. The cloudy blood in the water was a testament to the viciousness of the sea life at hermand. Na even spotted the man that she had been fighting ¨C that ship captain ¨C being eaten alive by an enormous fish with a razor-sharp maw.


    What a woman, she thought, letting out a shout as the Destroyer flew out of the water, swapped her weapon to a spear, and plummeted from on high, piercing through the deck of a ship and into the waters below like a falling star with the most devastating aim.


    The rest of the Ari on her ship cheered, and she wheeled on them. "Come on, get those cannons engaged! We can''t let the Destroyer have all the fun!" More cheers met her ears as they set out toward as-of-that-moment undamaged vessels. We''ll make them pay for taking Shereld from us.


    The sun crested over the waves and blinded Zebed as they sailed east. Damn. We won''t be much use if we can''t see our opponents. Thankfully, a cover of clouds rolled in, and he blinked his sight clear of the sunspots on his lids. The sight before him was unsettling, to say the least. There was no hint of a Vgonian fleet ¨C just the Ari fleet. Minus a few longships and one ironside.


    He reached into his cloak and pulled out his mirror, looking up as he heard the p of wings. Lynnded on the rail, gripping with her feet-ws as she looked down at him. "You made it," she said in Khrrdian.


    Zebed bowed. "My apologies; we cannot fight at night as you well know."


    "It''s fine," she replied. "The Vgonian fleet to the north and this southern fleet have been obliterated. Your assignment will be to take Sidalon with the Ari navy. Then, you will begin the blockade of the coastline. The Ari navy will move on to the Emerald Isle, and then finish the encirclement of Vgonia''s coastline."


    Zebed bowed. "It will be done."


    The Destroyer stepped down onto the deck of the vessel, and Zebed saw her mass decrease as her internal spells faded. "Your quarters are avable?"


    "Of course," Zebed said as he led her to his sumptuous room. He opened the doors and gestured, "I can provide you with food and drink if you so choose."


    Lyn nodded and sank into a chair. He could see the tiredness in her face now that they were out of the harsh light of the sun. "I will not be able to join you in the conquest of Sidalon or the Emerald Isle."


    Zebed nodded and pulled a small cord that ran down to the galley below. Within minutes, a crewmate brought up two tters of food ¨C one of meat and one of fruit ¨C and a gon of wine. He bowed and left. Zebed closed the doors behind the crewmate as Lyn tore into the meal and gulped the gon. He took a seat opposite her and watched her eat, noting that her mouth shifted to a draconic maw for a brief moment as she took bites of meat. "Mydy¡­are you well?"


    Lyn swallowed the hunk of meat she had just consumed and shook her head, "No. I''m not. My seers did not spot the northern fleet. I did not n on being up a full day, night, and into another morning. I may be mighty, but even I must sleep."


    Zebed nodded and leaned back in his chair. "You are wee to sleep aboard my ship if you desire."


    She swallowed a chunk of pineapple and shook her head, "No. I must return to Lynhold. But I thank you for the repast."


    Zebed stood up and bowed. "I am always at your service, Empress."


    Lyn finished off the tters, drained the gon, and nodded. "Then I take my leave." She muttered something in Elenthir, and a blue sh of light darted out the open window and into the distance.


    So, the Destroyer does have limitations. Zebed never harbored any desire to usurp her or destroy what she was doing ¨C her machinations had brought him to the position of ruling the whole of the Free City. But, knowing she had a weakness was valuable information.


    Should she ever go mad with power, exhausting her with constant, harassing attacks all across Ghomar is how one would stop the madness. Such a n would cost thousands of lives¡­but this knowledge was valuable in the event that she became untrustworthy. But for now¡­


    Zebed opened the doors of his cabin and went to the top deck. "Signal the fleet; we move to Sidalon."


    They began to move past the still-recovering Ari fleet and exchanged a handful of shouts of encouragement. "We''ll soften them up," Zebed shouted in Arinol as the marines let out a cheer.


    Sidalon was where Vgonia produced many of their vessels. But before they could reach that ind duchy, they would have to pass Firol. The ind duchy of Khrrdia which should have had a navy.


    As the hours dragged onward and the edge of Firol came into view, Zebed hoisted himself up the rigging and peered through a spyss. The sight that met him made his stomach churn with disgust. The whole ind was ck. Burned. As if someone had ced mes along the exterior of the gorgeous, sandy beaches right at the tree line, and blew them inward to catch everything alight. The only standing objects were the burned-out husks of buildings and scant trees.


    King Marshall''s fleet was nowhere to be found, and as Zebed''s ships passed by the ind, he saw why. In the shallows near one of the bays, he saw an enormous metal chain drawn across the expanse between the two prominent stone jetties. Inside that bay, barely visible through the water, were the sunken vessels of Khrrdia''s navy. Trapped inside the bay and sank. It must have been sabotage. He could see the corpses piled high slightly ind ¨C ck masses of charred flesh that left no doubt as to the fate of the inhabitants. A whole duchy¡­gone.


    The sheer level of depravity sickened Zebed. She really is a monster. He mbered down the ropes and onto the deck of the ship, sucking in deep breaths as he let out a sigh. "I''m too old for this," he muttered.


    One of the crew nearby overheard. An older ship hand that Zebed knew from asional voyages. "Maybe don''t be climbing the masts, you fat bastard."


    Zebed chuckled and waved the man away. That was just how sailors were ¨C crass and blunt. You''re right, I need to lose some weight. He went to his quarters andy down in his bed. When he shut his eyes, all he could see were the charred corpses of the in.


    Na''s armada made extremely rapid time. Sidalon was off the southeastern coast of Ghomar''s maind. It was where the pinnacle of shipyards was located. Enormous, long stretches of docks led the way to warehouses upon the water that could facilitate the indoor creation of ships. She had been here before. In fact, prior to the Ari being run out of Vgonia, Sidalon was her home.


    The ce she wanted to get back to and conquer the most out of all Vgonia''s territories. Those shipyards were the result of hundreds of years of Ari ingenuity and craftsmanship. Yes, the Vgonians had improved upon them, but the very docks that stretched out into the water were put down by Na and her brethren.


    The Bashinol fleet had surrounded the ind, preventing any from leaving. From their correspondence previously, she knew that Zebed''s forces were sailors, unlike the Ari who were marines. Able to fight just as effectively on a boat as onnd. She reached for her amulet and barked out orders in Arinol. "We go to the southwest edge and will enter through the submerged trees."


    Various affirmations came over themunication amulet, and she steered the ironside toward a sunkennd bridge between Sidalon and the mainndmass. A huge, twenty-foot-wide sand bar that used to be raised upnd. Before the Ari used spells to push it underwater to try to stave off invasion. The trees stayed upright, and even now their tops had continued to grow. A near-impassable forest to traverse by boat.


    But with the ironsides, they could be traversed. Na had the other two ironsides form up a wedge, and they pushed forward, clearing a path for the longboats behind as they made it to the shore of this undefended side of the ind. The vessels slid onto the beaches, and the Ari set forth to their grisly task ahead.


    Na left the ironside, incanting an internal bolstering spell to push her body to its limits as she dashed ashore. Her marines were right alongside her, and they deftly navigated the rocky, light-incline cliff to get atop thendmass proper. The scent that hit her was all epassing and immediately reminded her of home. The sweet, long, purple grasses that produced a fragrant odor that could not be captured.


    As they traveled across the fields, silent as shadows and unseen by any Vgonian eyes, she thought back to the conversation she had with Lyn previously. "The Ari would want to recolonize our home ind."


    "All Ari?" Lyn had asked.


    "Just those who desire to. Definitely my own group."


    "Hmm. If that is the case, you would not be able to continue service as my admiral. I need my admiral at Lynhold."


    "I understand that. But I long for my home, and once Vgonia is crushed, I can take it back."


    Lyn nodded. "Very well. We finish this war, and you may have Sidalon as a vassal state of my empire."


    The knowledge that her homnd, the ce where she was born was within her reach, spurred Na on. They arrived at the coastal port town. More akin to a metropolis, now that she looked at it from the incline of the hill. A sprawling, vast cityscape with hundreds of buildings ¨C many of which were coated with soot that had fallen from above as the enormous buildings along the water spewed their vile smoke. But not now. They were still. The whole town was still.


    She grabbed her amulet. "Spread out, and kill any who fight back. If they don''t resist, leave them." The n was to destroy all defenders, group up the survivors, and then utilize the statue Zebed had brought from Bashinol to remove whatever mind spells Princess Cecily had put upon them, including removing their hatred of the non-Human races.


    She slipped down to the edges of the town. The clean, clear streets had no ces to hide, and so she trusted her muscles instead, mbering on top of the buildings and using the roofs to travel. Several Ari followed her and switched weaponry to javelins. She scanned the streets. Where is everyone? Asking the same question into her amulet, the various squads reported back that there was no sign of life.


    Cecily had not been idle in the few days since her defeat. She had summoned her council and sent out orders. Every single citizen had been summoned to the capital. It would take weeks, and she was running out of time. Reports hade from carrier pigeons that her fleets ¨C both of them ¨C had been destroyed. At least my spies are doing their part, she thought. It felt like the walls were closing in on her, and she knew that drastic actions had to be taken and taken soon.


    The garrisons were escorting the citizenry to Cecria, and so they should be able to fend off attackers as they gathered every possible person, man, woman, child, grandparent ¨C any person who could hold a weapon. To them, they were answering the call of their prophesied ruler. A call to a holy war. To the citizenry, where the soldiers failed, fervor and faith would win the day.


    "The propaganda campaign has been extremely effective," Cecily''s spymaster said quietly as the ruler sat on the ground, drawing an intricate inscription with the assistance of the mage who had abandoned Lynhold and was now her total thrall.


    Cecily nodded. "Yes, the techniques I learned in my world are quite valuable here." She continued to carve with the adamantine chisel, etching the words that would give her ess to this unknown storage space. This ''abyss'' as the natives of Ghomar referred to it as.


    The spymaster cleared her throat slightly. "Princess¡­this n of yours¡­forgive me for myck of faith, but is it really wise to open something that has been a curse throughout history?"


    Cecily stood up and stretched, gesturing for her mage to take a breather as well. "Maybe not wise, but there is not really any other choice, is there? Our armies are crushed, our navies are obliterated, and I am not fleeing."


    "Of course, Your Highness. I''ll leave you to it."


    "Wait," Cecily ordered as she walked over to the woman. "I want you to do one thing for me."


    "I live to serve."


    "I want you to bring me every single citizen that is not able to wield a weapon. They will serve with their dying breaths to grant me the power to open this storage dimension."


    "The masses will fuel your ambition, and you shall lead us to a bright future. It will be done."


    Cecily nodded and went back to her inscribing, her mage picking up the work as well. I need more mana, but then I can figure out what is in this abyss.


    It wasn''t like an afterlife or hell ¨C she knew that firsthand, since she only had the two doors aside from her backup when she was killed. She froze as she held the implement, feeling the fear tingle up her spine from seeing Lyn through mud-flecked eyshes.


    Brad''s torture was excruciating, but she endured, her ruler core helping her maintain her sanity and hold on reality. But Lyn¡­the woman hated her with every fiber of her being. For the first time in a long, long time, Cecily felt a slight pang of regret. And without the ruler core to rebuff that feeling, it slowly spread throughout her being. The fuck did I do to her?


    She tried to go through the memories of the past, reflecting upon what she had done to her old ssmate. And the more she ruminated, sitting there on the cool floor of the now-empty dungeon, she saw the truth of Lyn''s usations and me. I made her life horrible.


    She wasn''t sorry. The regret was only due to her own failures. Regret at not taking the returned Lyn Rivers seriously. Regret at not actually believing the missive she had sent ¨C instead assuming it was the Demonic Dragon, reborn. Cecily was partially correct in that regard, as the Lyn that squeezed her neck until her head popped off was partially draconic. She felt regret because of her ownck of foresight. Her ownck of preparedness. And, her narrow vision of her desires.


    Lyn had outyed Cecily. She had vassalized Trisk, the non-Human, race-specific kingdoms of Fosk, Raptol, and Vharthos. Khrrdia, and Bashinol. What did Cecily do? She hyper-fixated. Just like she did throughout her life, intensely focusing on one singr goal until she had perfectly achieved it.


    She only felt regret for not being more ruthless. She should have invaded Trisk five years ago when she had the chance, relying on King Kristoph to stay neutral by posturing along the border. She should have destroyed those race-based kingdoms within Trisk''s sphere of influence. Then, she could have turned on Khrrdia, and taken Bashinol with time. It all could have been hers. Instead, the ss slut who barely focused on anything important had be the most powerful being on Ghomar ¨C even taking her Ruler core.


    Cecily shook her head and went back to work carving the Elenthir verses. If this abyss doesn''t have something I can use inside¡­then it''s all over. Even if it is something I cannot control¡­I''d rather let it loose to wreak havoc than let Lyn kill me and rule the kingdom.


    She knew how to make storage spaces ¨C the verses were extremely simplepared to some of the moreplex ones. The issue she had always run into was that her core did not have the proper spell type. But now, she had a dungeon core. Just like a native of Ghomar ¨C there was nothing limiting her, save mana.


    And that is what those citizens would provide. She would bring them down here, y them alive, harvest their cores, and grow as much strength as possible to tear open this storage dimension that ¨C theoretically ¨C this verse would open.


    Whatever it is inside¡­if I can''t control it, I just hope it ruins the world on its return.


    Zebed shouted down to Na aboard her ironside as it pulled away from the ind of Sidalon, "What did you find? We heard littlebat," he asked in Arinol.


    Na shook her head as she shouted back up, "Everyone was gone. The whole ind abandoned."


    Zebed reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the mirror, willing it to activate as he poured a small sliver of mana into it. Chancellor Vehenna appeared, and dipped her head. "Ah, Lord Zebed. To what do we owe the pleasure?"


    "Sidalon is empty."


    "Hmm. Odd. I will report this to the empress. Please continue with the n."


    Zebed nodded and put the mirror away. He leaned over the rail again. "Alright! Head over to the Emerald Isle! We''ll begin the coastal blockade."


    Na saluted and took her vessels around the southern side of Sidalon. As she left, Zebed issued orders to his captains as they began to split off in pairs to patrol the waters off the maind''s coast. Cecily must be amassing every single able body, he thought. It''s the only reason that makes sense. She is going to turn the popce into her new army.


    Na''s fleet made good time and arrived at the Emerald Isle. It, too, was empty ¨C just like Sidalon. They even encountered Trisk''s navy ¨C having been sent from the kingdom of Trisk at Lyn''s orders, and those crews reported no sighting of Vgonia''s citizens. The whole coastline had been abandoned. Fishing harbors, docks, quays, bays, even lighthouses were no longer manned. Ally quiet save for the wildlife and the breeze blowing through thend.


    She picked up her amulet, focusing on Marshal Remora. "Reporting in."


    "Go ahead," the voice of the marshal replied.


    "We have rendezvoused with Trisk''s navy. We will begin the coastal blockade."


    "Confirmed. Be aware, there are reports from Steward Mol''s Revenge army that the Duchy of Skrell has been abandoned as well. They are on the trail of the group exodus heading south. Keep the coastline safe, and prevent all Vgonian vessels from fleeing."


    "Alright," Na muttered as she let the amulet drop to her chest. What is that damned princess up to?

 B2 – Chapter 27

    Fin, Keeper of Ravens, ran to the ground floor of the Raven Tower to meet with Antiquarian Menora. "You wanted me?" she asked the other Duskari woman as she took short recovery breaths at the bottom of the spiral.


    Menora nodded and pulled out a small, stone box. "I found this and knew it would be useful for you." She lifted the lid and pulled out a series of metal wires with a pair of small spheres on either hand. Setting the box down, she twisted the metal spheres, and the wires expanded and formed a tted, metal, ball-like prison cell sized for a child. "The inscription on this artifact is astonishing. Any animal put inside it that is then affected by the item will have their strength increased by tenfold."


    Fin''s eyes went wide. "We could do so much with this! Given the new wyvern-sized ravens I''ve been working on, if we put them in this¡­perhaps with an animalism spell to temporarily shrink them¡­we could have¡ª"


    "Ravens that can carry thousands of pounds in a single trip," Menora finished with a grin. "Amazing, right?"


    "You''ve outdone yourself," Fin said as she began to ascend the stairs. The antiquarian followed her. "I mean, with this, we can revolutionize trade. No reliance on trade caravans. Delivery at the speed of a raven''s flight. We could even have raven riders!"


    Menora was buzzing with energy. "That''s what I was thinking! Imagine if I could ride through the skies to archaeological sites to find artifacts? I''d be able to explore so much of Ghomar and find all types of lost ruins! I could even go to the Ruins of Elent!"


    Fin stopped at the top of the stairs and clicked her tongue as the ravens made a gap for her to walk through. She set up the sphere and turned back to Menora, who was scratching a raven''s neck under the beak. "Ah, Whisperwing. That''s Empress Rivers'' personal raven."


    Menora nodded. "I am aware."


    "Oh, good!" Whisperwing replied with a perky tone. "I heard a little bit of what you were talking about with that sphere thingy. Can I get that? I want to be able to fly Lawry around Lynhold."


    Fin smiled. Empress Rivers had given permission for the child of the Healer and Guardian heroes toe up to the Raven Tower and, forck of a better term, keep the birdspany. Surprisingly to the keeper of ravens the boy was a natural with all three kingdom''snguages, and she had started teaching him the basics of Arinol. He had a potent mana core ¨C to be expected of the child of two heroes ¨C and seemed to have the same "knack" for Animalism as she did. She had taken him under her wing.


    Fin walked over to Whisperwing. "Yes, we can put you in first. Let''s give it a go."


    "Oh good! The kid needs to experience the joys of flight. And I''m sure Trisha would be grateful. She is such a good mom. Did you know Lawry also likes sunflower seeds?"


    Lyn copsed into her bed and fell asleep. She did not dream. She simply faded into the darkness of slumber. Thanks to the Shifter core, she could keep all her draconic traits active ¨C including an ability to sense vibrations in the air that those creatures relied upon to defend their hoards as they slept. She roused as she felt the air in the room shift, sitting up, and she spied the crack in the door.


    "Who''s there?" she asked in Arinol.


    "Just me, Lyn." The voice of Vael came through. "You have been sleeping for three days, and I felt it prudent to check on you."


    Lyn sat up and yawned. "It''s been that long? Damn." She grabbed her amulet and swapped to Sloren. "Steward Mol, respond."


    "Ayess," the gruff voice came back.


    "How goes the campaign?"


    "Ah, the army be marchin'' tae Komorra. There have been no troops tae counter us."


    "Odd. There were garrisonsst we checked, yes?"


    "Aye,ss. They be gone."


    Concerning. "Keep me informed." She let the amulet drop from her grip andy back in the bed.


    "Lyn?" Vael asked.


    "What is it?"


    Vael closed the door behind herself and walked to the edge of the bed. "You need to take a break. Even a goddess needs to rest asionally."


    Lyn nodded and yawned. "I would not mind azy day in bed. Mind bringing food?"


    "I''ll get it at once." Vael stood and left the room, but Gael slipped in the door past her and shut the door behind himself.


    "You look well," he said with a slight smile.


    Lyn sat up. "I needed some sleep. A few days of nothing save for casting spells, ferrying troops from Trisk to the new defenses on the Azure Divide and destroying two fleets¡­" she trailed off as she sighed and shook her head.


    Gael sat down on the bed and put a hand on her leg, gently squeezing it. "I can''t imagine the burden on your shoulders."


    Lyn smiled and nodded. "Yes¡­my duties take me far and wide across Ghomar."


    "Isn''t this why you chose to delegate?"


    "Yes. But when I can get directly involved and save lives? I''d rather be exhausted in the short term. There should be plenty of time to rx after this war is done." There won''t be any wars after. I can crush any hint of uprising¡­and who would want to rebel against an empress that provides all they need?


    "Problems for another day," Lyn replied. Vael returned and set the food down on the table, taking up her guard at the interior of the door. Lyn looked at the te of food, got up, and devoured the repast before going back to lie down in bed.


    Vael smiled. "What else do you require?" she asked with a sultry voice.


    Lyn chuckled and shook her head as she put her arms behind her neck. "Honestly? I just need a distraction from life for a while."


    "What kind?" Gael asked.


    "The carnal kind," Lyn replied as she looked at the twins lustfully. "Which of you desires to serve me this¡­morning? Evening? I don''t know what time it is."


    "Morning," Vael replied as she began removing her armor. "I would be honored to help distract you from your thoughts."


    Lyn looked past her and to Gael. Worth a shot. "Feel like joining us?"


    He looked at his sibling, and the two exchanged a look. He shrugged and cracked a lust-filled grin. "I won''t do anything with my sibling, but I am more than happy to help serve you alongside her. You deserve something special¡­a treat, I suppose. For all your hard work."


    Score, Lyn thought as she grinned. She thought back to Zack''s message left behind with the Rogue core. Threesome with the twins.


    Vael took off her equipment and stretched, showing off her slender, pale body with just the right curves. As she tied back her bright, pale as moonlight hair, the hungry look in her eyes left no room for doubt as to what she intended. As the Duskari woman crawled into the bed with Lyn, the Destroyer willed her armor to recede into the storage choker.


    Lyn gasped as Vael began her pleasurable activity. Before she had realized what was happening, Gael was next to her, had removed his armor, and gripped her horns as he forced her head to face him. The feel of his firm, warm grip on the surprisingly sensitive horns sent jolts down her spine and she had to focus on not crushing Vael''s head from a knee-jerk reaction to the pleasure jolting through her.


    She felt the ecstasy flow across her own form at the loss of herself to exultation of the flesh; the sensation of having someone else take control ¨C someone that she trusted ¨C soothing away any of the worries of her life.


    All that existed was the here and now. The pleasure that she was enjoying as the trio indulged in their shared passion of physical intimacy.


    There was a knock at the chamber door, and Gael swiftly stood up and walked to it, cracking it open slightly. He looked back at Lyn. "Empress Rivers, Mage Stes wishes to see you."


    Lyn gestured for her to be let in, and Gael opened the door wide as the Vharthon woman came in and curtsied. She began speaking in Vharthonian. "I wanted to speak with you about your home world."


    Lyn froze and red at the woman, feeling her tone unintentionally drop to the draconic voice. "What?"


    "Thomas let it slip. That you are the Scout hero from thest cycle that was blurred in the memories of all on Ghomar."


    Lyn frowned. "Well, why do you bring it up?"


    Stes bowed. "I meant no offense. I¡­he told me of his ¨C your ¨C home world. Some ce called Earth. Well, I had an idea. Instead of creating a summoning verse¡­what if you made a tunnel between the two worlds?"


    No, was Lyn''s first thought. I don''t want anything to do with Earth. It''s a going to hell, with authoritarian governments, climate change¡­The more she thought on it, however, the more what Stes had said made sense.


    The Vharthon continued. "And, if you did make a bridge between the two worlds after obtaining every hero core¡­you could return to your home world and fix it. Rule it with benevolence, just like you are doing on Ghomar."


    Lyn pondered the idea. I could fix things. I know that spells work back on Earth since I could manifest mana and shotva off into God-knows where. I could fix all of climate change in one go by just sucking the crap out of the atmosphere with a spell. I could¡ª


    But her Destroyer core¡­buzzed, in an odd way that she hadn''t felt before. It gave her a sense of unease. Must be the Ruler core warning me against a course of action. Lyn shook her head. "I don''t think conquering Earth would be a good idea, not anytime soon." The uneasy feeling subsided. Yeah. Thanks, weird Ruler core.


    Stes frowned. "Then I would ask for permission to attempt a reverse summoning to go to this world you originate from."


    "Why would you want to go there?" Lyn asked.


    She saw Stes'' eyes practically sparkling with eagerness. "Knowledge. Thomas has told me of the wonders of his old world. Instantmunication. Heating and cooling at a whim. Metal contraptions that fly across the skies. A huge information repository avable to practically every person."


    Lyn sighed and rubbed her eyes. "And if I said no?"


    "I would do it myself," the Vharthon replied confidently.


    She looked past Stes and to Gael, who was listening intently, despite not understanding thenguage, watching Stes'' body and hearing the tone of what was being discussed. Lyn cleared her throat. "Well¡­I suppose there is little harm ining up with a spell that enables you to scout it out. I have no idea what you''d encounter, but a properly crafted spell would enable you to return when you willed it. It will be extremely mana intensive, however. I could activate all parts of the inscription save for the shifting aspect."


    Lyn nodded, sure of the path she was putting forward. "Put in an order with the feysmiths ¨C some artifact that enables you to use shifting internal spells. When this wares to an end, and the mage school has another instructor who can take your position¡­then I will send you to investigate." She held up her finger. "But¡­never forget who you serve. You''ll go there to investigate. Scout things out."


    Stes practically squealed with delight as she bowed deeply. "My thanks, Empress! Oh, you won''t be sorry. I''ll go there and¡ª"


    "Patience," Lyn muttered. "You will go when the empire can afford you to be gone. For now, you are needed with your students at the mage school. And this will not just be a chance for you to experience Earth¡­you will be scouting. If¡­" Her heart fluttered slightly, and she took a deep breath. "If we do this, you are cataloguing every possible effect of the spell. Time dtion, how spells function when you''re on Earth, taking ount of the geopolitical environment, and gathering information from a specialwork. I''ll have Thomas exin." She picked up her amulet and willed mana into it.


    Thomas''s voice came through in English. "Hey Lyn, what''s up?"


    "Stes told me about the whole world-bridge thing. She''ll give you the details of our conversation¡­but I want you to start making her a survival guide to modern-day Earth."


    Thomas stumbled over his words for a moment before speaking clearly. "You sure?"


    Lyn looked at Stes and nodded as she continued speaking to Thomas. "She is going to check things out¡­in case I decide that Earth requires my benevolence. And, bring back as much knowledge as she can get her hands on. We''ll talk about the detailster."


    "Heard loud and clear," Thomas replied. "Honestly, once you get all the hero cores, you can make that world-bridge easily. Hell, with spells, you could just take over the world and impose your rule on it."


    The Ruler core under the Destroyer core did not give off the feeling of unease as before. Is this really the path forward? To conquer the world I came from? The core was silent. That''s not me though. I''m not a conqueror. Ghomar is my home, now.


    But she mulled over Thomas''s words. She could fix every single problem that gued Earth. Billions lived in poverty ¨C she could lift them out of that. Millions died to diseases ¨C she could cure them. Corrupt governments ruled the people with fear and division ¨C she could rid the world of those people and unite everyone under amon cause. All these possibilities swirled in her head. How far am I willing to go?


    "You there?" Thomas asked.


    "Yeah. For now, just give Stes what I''ve asked." She let the amulet drop from her grip and switched to Vharthonian. "You may go. Thomas will help get you acquainted."


    Stes bowed and left, and Lyn flopped back on the bed. Just a few more hours. She curled up next to Vael and dozed off.


    The small council met in Lyn''s throne room. The seats where Steward Mol and Marshal Remora normally sat were vacant, and as Lyn weed her other councilors, she could feel the unease in the air. "Report out," she stated.


    Chancellor Vehenna stood and bowed. "Empress, King Skir reports that his invasion of Vgonia from the north has encountered not a single person. The whole duchy of Ishtok is abandoned. They will clear Biskon and Brol. Steward Mol has reported simr results on Komorra, Rist, and Logor. He is on his way with the army to Skrell, where they will meet up with Trisk''s forces."


    Spymaster Velenna tapped her fingers on the table. "Princess Cecily is pulling every single citizen and every garrisoned soldier back to her capital. There is no other exnation. And she has apparently caught on to our use of both ravens and Newen seers. Ravens sent to scout and report back have not returned, and there is an enormous inscription carved into the ground all around the capital that is being fueled by some mana source that blocks divination."


    Lyn nodded. "I will join our army when they group up to march on the capital itself. What else to report?"


    The two nced at each other before Vehenna spoke. "Life in the empire is satisfactory to its citizens. Lynhold is continuing to add new citizens who are either shipped in by Bashinol or are choosing to resettle."


    Lyn leaned forward. "What about the criminals that areing in with the popce?"


    Velenna grinned. "We are identifying them with the diviners, and pulling them aside to subject them to the statues to remove their foul intent."


    It may seem dystopic, but it is either this, or waiting for them to break aw and then imprisoning them. "Good. Continue the excellent work. Anything else?"


    "Nothing, Empress," Vehenna stated.


    Lyn stood up. "Right then. I am leaving Lynhold for a short time and will travel to our troops after my journey isplete."


    "May I ask where?" Velenna asked.


    "I''m going to im thest hero core."


    "Mama, why did we have to leave home?" the child asked as he held his corn-husk puppy-doll.


    "Our monarch called us to her," his mother said softly as they entered the outskirts of Cecria and waited in a line to be admitted.


    The boy looked around at the tall buildings with sweeping arches and flowers all over. Dark, red flowers. "I don''t like it here," he muttered as he clutched his mother''s hand.


    "It''s just a big city, that''s all. Those buildings are just like our house, only taller."


    "Bigger."


    She nodded. "Yes, bigger." She kept her eyes fixed on the entry archway with the table and guards. Eventually, their turn in line came up, and she gave the information asked for.


    The guard behind looked at her son and cracked a wide smile. "Hey there, little man." He looked up at her. "Is he your only child?"


    The woman shook her head. "No. I have a son fighting on the western front, and a daughter in the navy."


    The man clicked his tongue and nodded curtly. "Well, keep that boy safe." He wrote something down on a slip and handed it to her. On it was written exempt.


    "Exempt from what?"


    The man sighed and stood up, waving another guard over to take his spot. "Shift change, so I can walk and talk. Come, I''ll take you to the housing district." He led the way down winding streets and exined that every able-bodied person was being enlisted in the army. "I hate to tell you the bad news, but your other two kids are goners."


    She stopped in the street and felt her heart racing. Picking up her son, she clutched him close to her. "You''re lying¡­"


    "Afraid not," he muttered as he gently grabbed her elbow and led her toward arge building. "You''re exempt from service. Single mothers only. If you had a spouse, one of you would have to serve."


    "Is¡­the war going that poorly?"


    The guard opened a door and led her into the building, up several flights of stairs, and to a door with a key hanging from a central peg. He grabbed the key, unlocked the door, and ushered the two into a decently appointed apartment. Much better than their own house in terms of furniture andfort. He shut the door behind them and lowered his voice. "You can''t repeat what I''m going to tell you, are we clear?"


    She nodded. "What happened on the western front?"


    "I''m only telling you this because you look like my own daughter, and your boy looks like my grandson." He dropped to a whisper. "The whole western army was destroyed by a dragon. The navy was destroyed by fleets of Ari sailors. Every person left in Vgonia is being rushed to the capital to put together ast-ditch effort to survive."


    She sat on the couch and held her son even tighter. "The princess?"


    His tone shifted to a conversational volume. "Alive and well, Aelor be praised. She is our prophesied ruler who will lead us against those non-Human animals."


    "Princess Vgonia be praised."


    The guard nodded. "Praise to her." He saluted. "Keep your child safe, ma''am." He looked to the child who was peering with apprehensive eyes. "And you, kiddo, keep your mom safe." He turned and set the key on a small table, shutting the door behind him.


    "Mommy, I''m scared."


    She brushed his hair. "It''s okay. We''re safe." Princess Cecily will protect us.


    Thane Mol rode alongside Marshal Remora. He was on a ram equal in size to the horse that she rode.


    "I cannot believe we have yet to find a single soldier," Remoramented in Shereldian.


    Mol nodded. "It caen'' be helped. I want tae crack some heads, but ther'' are none."


    Remora nodded and reached into her hip pouch, pulling out a small notepad. "We have fifteen thousand of a mixed force. Even if the princess raises a force of conscripts, we should be more than capable of finishing them off."


    Mol nudged his mount to move up the column and the marshal kept pace. "We caen''t under-guess her."


    "If she had a standard garrison to patrol each duchy and the ducal seat, then that is¡­four thousand trained troops. Five hundred per region."


    "An'' they be fortified. A big city, Cecria. Big walls."


    "Empress Rivers is going to join us before that. Plus¡­" She looked out beyond their column to the nearby army making their own way across thend. "King Skir''smander is leading twenty thousand of their kingdom''s best. I really don''t think we should be concerned."


    Mol shook his head. "I seen things,ss. A small army can win ''gainst arge one."


    Remora nodded. "I am aware. But we have the Destroyer on our side."


    Mol chuckled and nodded. "Aye, we ''ave that,ss."


    Maria walked out of the fortress with one of her guards. Lynhold had been quite hospitable to her and her family, and James had reached out to contact her through amunication mirror brought by an elderly Duskari woman. He had survived, and as far as Khrrdia was concerned, the war was over.


    "Mydy, where do you wish to go?" a Khrrdian Human who had moved to the city a few months prior inquired. He had volunteered his services to help Maria move about the new and unfamiliar city.


    "I would like to see where my boys are being educated," she replied. They had left the tutors behind in their flight from Kor''s Hold, and the Shifter hero whom she had met before had asked if she wanted the boys to attend sses while they were here. The fact that a hero was seeking her out and offering spoke volumes to Maria. But, to be safe, they had the other king''s guard with them.


    Her volunteer guide led her to the eastern "wedge" of the city, where facilities devoted to education and training were located. A series of single-story buildings withrge ss walls that looked out upon lush garden plots and areas for physical exercise wereid out. As they approached, she spotted Lawrence and waved to him.


    He finished conversing with a Sloren woman and walked over, holding a board with sheaves of parchment on it. "Good to see you, Maria," he said in her home tongue. "Here to see the facilities?"


    "I would appreciate a tour, yes. And to check in on the children."


    Lawrence nodded and gestured with the board. "Of course, please. Follow me." They walked between several buildings that were all the same in design. "We are drawing upon influence from my world. Children are given an examination ¨C a test ¨C to determine their abilities."


    He gestured to the row of buildings on their right. "These are the rooms where they study based upon those abilities. Each year, they are given an exam, or an opportunity to showcase their improved understanding, and then move up to the next building in the row."


    He gestured to the buildings on the left. "However, education shouldn''t just be about learning how to write, read, mathematics ¨C number maniption ¨C Elenthir, and history. It is also about learning how to socialize in a healthy way with others while building tolerance of the different cultures and races around you. That is what this other set of buildings are for. For every hour spent being instructed, children have a half-hour of time to socialize with their peers of the correct and appropriate age group."


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition.


    Maria nodded. "I was worried that my boys would be ying with older children who were rougher."


    Lawrence chuckled and nodded. "I understand. While being instructed, age is put aside in favor of ensuring the child is learning something they find challenging and is at their skill level. But outside of instruction, those left-side buildings are sorted by age grouping. Your boys won''t be ying rough with the older students."


    As he was speaking, there was a loud ring that echoed throughout the space, originating from a tower erected in the center of the campus. Children of all ages were led from the buildings before sorting themselves into their various age groups. Maria spotted her two boys and walked over to them.


    The twins spotted her and ran over, "Mother! This ce is way better than that study and the tutors," Tevol said as he practically was buzzing with enthusiasm.


    Tovol nodded. "It''s way better!"


    One other boy who was a spitting image of the Guardian hero walked over. He bowed slightly. "Queen Marshall?"


    She smiled. "My, what good manners." She looked at her own boys and winked at them. "You two should remember you are princes and learn some of his manners."


    Her twins looked back at the other boy and stuck their tongues out at him before they shared augh. The one boy who had approached smiled. "I''m Eli Baxter. My father said that he fought with Tevol and Tovol''s father. He''s the Paragon hero?"


    Not anymore, Maria thought. But she had to keep appearances up. Only her, her husband, and Empress Rivers knew that he no longer had the Paragon core. "Yes, my husband is King James Marshall."


    "See? I told you my dad was the Paragon!" Tovol said to Eli.


    Maria looked past the boys and spotted the other guard who had fled with her from Kor''s Hold. He was standing a short distance away and monitoring the situation. She gave him a curt nod, and he returned it, acknowledging his duty to protect her boys.


    "Oh, ask now," Eli said to the twins.


    "Ask what?" Maria replied.


    The twins both synched up as they often did. "Please let us stay at Eli''s house!"


    "The Baxter house?" She looked at Eli. "Did you ask your parents'' permission first?"


    Eli looked down at the ground. "No."


    She smiled softly. "I''ll go talk to them and see if it is okay. Your mother is the Healer hero, yes?" Eli nodded and she continued. "Is she at her hospital today?"


    "Yes," Eli muttered.


    Maria looked to the guard next to her. "Swap ces with yourpatriot. He deserves a breather from guarding the children."


    The man nodded tersely and switched with the other king''s guard. Maria gave her boys a hug before departing, the trio of children running off to join a girl who looked just a year younger, and a slightly older Vgonian boy.


    The hospital was in the same "wedge" of the city as the schools were, and there was a steady stream of peopleing and going from the facility. Maria waited patiently in line, marveling at the pure silver building. "What is it made of?" she asked Lawrence who had chosen to apany her.


    "That is something called stainless steel. Something from my world that Empress Rivers was able to conjure up using transmutation spells. It is incredibly easy to clean, sterile, and won''t rust. Having the whole building made of the stuff means that we can use water spells to clean the entire facility to prevent infections."


    "What''s an infection?" Maria asked.


    "Ah, when a wound gets all yellowish and nasty."


    Maria nodded, having experienced such an injury and only having it healed by an herbced poultice back when she lived on the streets. "And where is the Healer hero?"


    Lawrence took her out of the line, and the citizens made way for the man; quite obviously feeling like he deserved the special treatment. He must be quite important to he city, she thought. He led her up the stairs and to the third floor, where the building material changed from the metal and into a rustic wooden structure that lent her a sense offort and familiarity. "The medical offices here on the top floors. We are working on keeping a record of every person in Lynhold to keep track of their medical history. Injuries, illnesses, etcetera."


    "And the purpose of this tracking?"


    A female voice replied from down the hall. "To look for patterns."


    Lawrence gestured ahead. "Queen Marshall, this is Trisha Baxter, Healer hero. Trisha, I''ll leave you to it." The Shifter hero left and descended the stairs.


    Maria walked forward and curtsied slightly. "Lady Baxter, a pleasure to meet you. Please call me Maria."


    The Healer hero smiled and waved for the queen to follow her into a sumptuous and weing office. "Just call me Trisha. And to finish answering your question, if we keep records of illnesses and injuries, we can track down an outbreak of a disease and fix it quickly. Or, in the case of injury, we can investigate and see what''s causing the phenomenon, and then make appropriate changes to ensure it does not happen again." She gestured to a chair opposite her desk, and Maria sat down opposite the Healer hero.


    There was a crib in the corner, and she could hear the slight breathing of sleeping children. "Yours?" she asked.


    Trisha nodded. "My two youngest." She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the desk. "How can I help you?"


    "Your son Eli has taken a liking to my boys. He asked if my boys could spend the night at your home."


    "A sleepover? I don''t see a reason why not. Let me ask my husband first." She gripped the amulet on her neck and spoke in her world''s weirdnguage, waited silently for a few seconds, and then let the amulet go. "He is fine with them staying the night. We can also provide amodation for your king''s guard."


    Maria smiled. "I thank you for that. May I ask you a few more questions?"


    "Of course. Let me get some tea, and we can talk as much as you like."


    The sound of silence is all that greeted Kory''s ears as he sat in the cell deep within God-knows where. The only distraction from his boredom were books. He tried to get into a fitness routine as henguished, but sadly he could not do many exercises with only one arm and one leg. Fucking Lyn, taking my limbs. He felt the phantom pain of those limbs like they were still there. But he knew better.


    The time alone and without the Berserker core gave him plenty of time to reflect on his life. And he had concluded that he was an unredeemable bastard. He had killed so many people he couldn''t even count them in his mind. When he closed his eyes, he could see the blood, gore, and feel the fear in the air like a palpable fog.


    The first few weeks, he would wake up screaming and sucking in deep lungfuls of air as he reflexively struck out with his fist and foot at the specters of the past. Tears coated his cheeks, and he would struggle to find rest again. All of the horrors of the past visited upon him in his waking nightmares.


    There was a shuffling noise that immediately caught his attention, and the usual Duskari brought in a tter of food, sliding it through the slot at the bottom of the jail cell. Kory did the usual routine ¨C cing the shit bucket at a smaller side panel of the cell. The Duskari took the refuse and left,ing back with a clean bucket, several strips of cloth, and a fresh bucket of water that Kory swapped out.


    He had learned quickly enough that if he showed rude behavior, he would not be fed, have his crap taken out, or get fresh water. He had to y nice. After a week of consistent "good" behavior, the cell was unlocked and a group of Duskari ¨C several of whom were heavily armed and armored, brought in a wooden tub, filled it with warm water, and helped him bathe.


    All in all, he was being treated well as a prisoner. And Kory had seen some truly shitty prisons here on Ghomar. The Duskari left him with the bucket of water and his meal. As Kory began eating, he heard another noise of someone approaching. A familiar gait. "Hi, Trisha," he mumbled as he continued to eat the weird fuzzy bacon.


    She sat down on a stool on the opposite side of the bars. "You look well."


    Kory grunted in response as he scarfed down the food. She stayed quiet until he had finished the whole tter of food, and Kory took a sip of the water before looking at the woman in the faint light of thentern she had brought with her. "What do you want?"


    "I want to continue your therapy¡ª"


    "No," Kory growled as hey back on the reed bed.


    "If you don''t confront the past, then you''ll never get better."


    "What if I don''t want to get better? What do I have to live for, anyways? I''m going to be a prisoner forever."


    "Not necessarily," another voice said from the darkness. Brad walked out of the darkness and pulled out a wooden box, opening it and popping some type of object into his mouth that he began chewing. "Trisha, want some? It''s strawberry."


    "I''m good," she replied. "What are you doing here?"


    Brad sat down on the floor outside of the bars. "Just here to talk."


    Kory stared at the man. The ss pothead. The guy who Cecily had captured and practically enved. "There''s nothing to talk about," Kory said.


    "Well, I have news to share, then. Cecily''s army to the west of Vgonia is gone. Lyn destroyed it."


    "Figures," Kory muttered as he rolled onto his side to face the Alchemist hero. "She''s fucking strong. Cecily doesn''t stand a chance."


    Brad nodded. "Want some strawberry gum?"


    Kory smirked and held out is one good hand. Brad ced the small wad of gum in his palm, and Kory savored the vor of real strawberries ¨C something he had not experienced in many, many years.


    Trisha sighed. "Well, if we aren''t going to get any therapy done, we can at least talk about what''s next for you."


    Kory frowned as he chewed. "Lawrence has the final say."


    "I do," the voice of the Shifter hero replied as he, too, arrived. Thomas was next to him, and the two sat down as well. "And after talking to Thomas¡­I think the best thing would be sending you back to Earth."


    Kory let out a barkingugh. "As a fucking cripple missing his arm and leg? Yeah, what the fuck would I do there?"


    Trisha sighed. "We don''t know if magical prostheses would function the same on the other side," she said to Lawrence.


    "Lyn has enough mana she could probablypletely regrow limbs," Thomas replied. "And, she is nning on sending the Vharthon mage, Stes, to scout out Earth. I''m sure she would be open to sending Kory along as well."


    "To do what? Work for her?" Brad asked.


    "No. Just sending them both in the same journey," Lawrence replied. He stared hard at Kory. "By all rights, you should be judged and punished for the horrible things you''ve done. But after thinking for a while¡­exiling you back to Earth is the most ethical option. No one will know what you did here on Ghomar."


    Kory felt a shudder of fear. "You don''t know what will happen," he replied trying to keep his voice calm but unable to prevent the slight undercurrent of panic fully repressed.


    Thomas shook his head. "You''re right, we don''t know what will happen. But you are the perfect test subject. A native of Earth with a native of Ghomar. It''s a possibility that can''t be passed up."


    "Why?" Trisha asked. "Why even test it?"


    Lawrence and Thomas shared a look, but Brad is the one who spoke. "Lyn''s contemting taking over Earth also, isn''t she?"


    Trisha gasped. "What?"


    Thomas frowned but nodded. "It''s something she said is not off the table of considerations. And honestly? It would be the best thing to do. Look at how fucked up Earth is. Even if time has passed, do you think it would have gotten any better?"


    Thatment brought a sense of realness to the whole conversation, and everyone went quiet with their own thoughts for a moment. Except for Kory. "Fuck that bullshit," he growled. "Fucking Lyn thinks she''s so important that she can take over the whole world?"


    Brad turned to him, and with surprising fervor, tore into Kory. "You fucking shut the hell up you piece of shit. She''s done more for this world than you''ve ever done! People on Earth would be privileged to have her take over."


    Kory chuckled and shook his head. "Damn, she has you thralled, doesn''t she? Either that or you are fucking in love with her or some shit."


    Brad stood up. "I''m not thralled. I came here of my own free will. And I honestly think that she''s the best chance for not just Ghomar, but Earth, also." He turned and left the chamber, as the other heroes stared after him.


    Trisha spoke quietly but just loud enough to be heard. "I¡­I don''t know what to think about this. Is Lyn really considering taking over Earth?"


    Thomas nodded. "It''s an option. Think about it; a truly enlightened monarch with the power to quite literally fix the world''s problems all on her own. Climate change? Reversed. Poverty and hunger? Gone. She could make it a utopia."


    Kory shook his head. "You have to deal with Cecily first, and she isn''t going down without a fight."


    Lawrence shrugged. "Who cares if she fights? She''ll lose. I''ve seen Lyn do things that are iprehensible." He looked to Kory, "It''s your choice as long as Lyn signs off. What we do with you is my decision. I won''t force you to take part in an experiment." He left the chamber, leaving just Thomas, Trisha, and Kory in the dim light of thentern.


    Thomas looked at Kory, and his eyes seemed to bore into Kory''s soul. "You did fucked-up stuff. If I was in charge of you, you would be executed immediately. But¡­you don''t have a hero core anymore. You''ve got a mana core of a Ghomar native, which means you''ll be reborn here when you die."


    I know that, you asshole. Kory had tried to surge his mana core and circte it to start building up strength again, but it was extremely weak. He barely had enough mana to send the smallest amount up and down his mana channels. Fucking Lyn, taking my power from me. Who does she think she is?


    Trisha stood up. "If you want it, Kory¡­I can help you end things."


    Kory looked up at her, and Thomas nced her direction before leaving. Kory shook his head, "No. Pops didn''t raise a coward. But you tell Lawrence, I''m not going to be some guinea pig for some stupid experiment."


    Trisha nodded. "I''ll check in on you in a few days. If you want to keep doing talk therapy, that is."


    Kory shook his head vehemently. "No. No more thoughts and feelings bullshit. Just leave me alone to rot."


    He saw Trisha''s eyes begin to well with moisture, but she simply nodded and left. Kory was alone with his thoughts, the small pile of books, and a sense of uncertainty as to his future.


    James sat on his throne as he listened to the seemingly endless line of people who hade to air out their grievances and have judgment rendered in the royal court. The hours dragged on as he made decisions on all types of affairs. He leaned over to his chambein. "How much longer must we keep open court?"


    "A few more hours, Your Highness."


    James sighed and gestured for the next person to walk forward. A young man, with a sword strapped to his waist, whose skin appeared to bepletely covered with bark. Where his eyes would be, only two small, glowing dots were present. There was no mouth, nose, or even ears. He began gesturing in his race''s signnguage which relied on hand motions and full-body movement.


    A trantor leaned over and whispered in James''s ear, "He is asking Your Highness why the Botal were not called to fight with Vgonia."


    James nodded and looked at the Botal. Their race couldmunicate with each other telepathically if they were standing upon dirt or soil, but when interacting with other races, they had to rely on this external signnguage. James began speaking, and his trantor made several gestures. "I did not call upon the Botal simply because rying orders would have been too difficult."


    The Botal warrior began gesticting rapidly and the trantor continued his job. "He is asking Your Highness why the Botal were not given the opportunity to defend their homnd in a separate force despite their small number."


    James nodded. "You are more than wee to form a contingent of your own kind and work under the direction of my new high lord and leader of my military. I will direct him to find you. Please, feel wee to stay in the royal courtyard. We''ll ensure some nice, fertile soil is made avable."


    More gesturing and more tranting. "He thanks you, and swears that the Botal will do all they can to support the kingdom." The nt-man bowed and was led out by a young court page.


    There were a few other reasons, James thought, why we didn''t call up the Botal to fight. Not only would themand structure have struggled to integrate their unique need for orders, but the Botal were extremely vulnerable to mes. Plus, they were very few in number. He did not want to allow a group of people, even a very odd race like them, to risk their lives when their numbers were so few. But¡­he could use them along the Azure Divide. The walls Lyn had raised were currently manned by Trisk''s soldiers, and he knew that he would have to have his own forces to augment them. "Send word to my high lord that I want him to talk with that Botal as soon as possible and send them to the Azure Divide."


    "Your will be done. There are a few more matters to address, my king." The chambein gestured, and a group of women approached.


    The leader amongst them, a middle-aged Fosk woman, curtsied slightly before crossing her arms. "Where are our husbands and sons? There has been no word of them since the victory at the Azure Divide."


    James leaned forward. "Casualties were¡­quite numerous. Rest assured, those of you who lost a loved one will bepensated by the cro¡ª"


    "We don''t wantpensation!" one of the women shouted.


    "We want our boys back!"


    "Our husbands!"


    Soon enough there was an uproar in the throne room, and guards surrounded James''s throne to hold back the group of angry women. What the fuck do I do? Do I tell them the truth or just have them thrown out? Throwing them out could foment rebellion ¨C but Lyn would crush that if it truly threatened the peace.


    But this was James''s kingdom. He might be subservient to Lyn''s empire, but he had to rule how he saw fit. Lying would sow distrust, but he could obfuscate the facts slightly as there were no survivors. "If you calm, I will tell you what happened!" he shouted over the din. Over a minute the women quieted and waited for him to speak. "Princess Cecily Vgonia arrived on the far side of the Azure Divide. Our forces met, and when she saw the tide turning against her, she performed a vile spell that caused Khrrdia''s valiant armies to turn on each other. They slew the rest of her army, before turning on each other ¨C down to thest man."


    The women were sullen and silent, save for the one at the lead, who was incensed. "How''d you get out then?"


    James stood up and held his sword horizontally in front of him, and willed it to hover. "I was flying above thebat, ying our enemies from above. The Khrrdian army that turned on each other were unable to attack me. If I was on the ground, I would have surely been in as well." That part is the total truth, he thought.


    "Prove it," the woman stated.


    "Do you not trust the word of the Paragon hero?" James asked as he sat down once more. "Don''t forget, I stopped Kristoph''s father, and brought Kristoph to the people for justice. I slew the Demonic Dragon. Without me, Khrrdia would be a very, very different ce. I negotiated peace with Empress Rivers, the Destroyer, who could obliterate our kingdom with a thought. So, once more I ask¡­do you not trust my words?"


    The woman frowned but nodded curtly. "Fine. We want ourpensation now."


    James nodded and leaned over to his chambein. "The widows and orphans fund is fully funded, yes?"


    "It is, Your Highness. Empress Rivers providedrge quantities of precious metals and the new coinage to ensure it was full to the brim."


    "Then let us speed up the distribution, starting with these women." James raised his voice so all could hear. "Leave your names and your ce of residence with one of the pages, and we will see you arepensated before the day''s end."


    The group of women bowed and left ¨C all save the one in the lead who did not bow but simply left with her arms still crossed.


    I don''t like this part of being a king, James thought as he sighed and gestured for the next in line to approach.


    Lyn arrived in the heart of the Eastern Archipgo. The farthest ind to the east. After her council meeting, she had checked her bracer and found a dungeon with a unique, orange light. One that wasn''t there before. She had used the lightspeed travel spell to arrive and scanned the area trying to find it.


    Holding her wrist up in front of her, she poured mana into the bracer to see the three-dimensional view of the area for miles. It''s¡­in the sky? She looked up and scanned the skies above, eventually spotting a slight glimmer of something that was almost clear.


    Unfurling her wings, she jumped up and pped until she was in front of a ss circle floating in the sky. I''ve never dealt with a flying dungeon before. Interesting. She could not make out any writing detailing the name of the dungeon, and pping forward she ran her hands along the top of it. It has no engraved name or title? Even the telltale purple film covering the entrance was not present.


    She gently pushed her left hand through the space and saw that the film was also transparent as her hand vanished. This is fucking weird. She pulled her hand back, raised it to the sky, and incanted the ck-lightning, hero core signaling spell. But she added a name to ensure that the signal was seen. That should get her attention, she thought as the lightning arced up into the heavens and shattered against the atmosphere, crackling out for hundreds of feet in all directions.


    Alright. Buffing time. She took a deep breath and rapidly incanted the full suite of herbat spells. Her muscles bulged to their maximum possible ¨C as they had previously ¨C but she could feel¡­something off. A limiter that had been removed. The Berserker core? She pushed more mana into her mana channels to fuel the spell, and grunted in pain as she felt her skin split along her biceps as the muscles exceeded her flesh''s capacity to stretch. This is what Kory was always dealing with? No wonder he was so irritable.


    She stopped giving the spell excess mana, and her muscles submerged back under the skin, but the wound remained and oozed blood. "Anor min / nartho hain I daeth nin." She felt the pain recede and flew through the portal.


    The room she arrived in was circr, unlike the prior dungeons with their square dimensions. The pedestal in the center of the chamber was shaped like an octagon when viewed from above. No clue what I''m facing. She pulled out Cataclysm and willed it to the short sword and shield form. Taking onest look around the room, she saw only the austere, white walls.


    Alright. You got this, Lyn. She ced her palm on the pedestal¡­and nothing happened. "The fuck?"


    A voice answered her back, and she jumped slightly. "You are here," the voice said in Elenthir, in a blend of tones and pitches. "You are here."


    "No shit," Lyn replied. "What is this dungeon?"


    "The trial of ascension. You are not worthy." The voices sounded disappointed.


    Right, then I''ll find another dungeon, find Gina''s hero core, and thene back. She poured mana into her bracer and willed the bracer to track this dungeon''s location as she left and pped back out in the air.


    She spotted a flickering, fast-moving object that came to a stop in front of her. A phantasmal mana core, floating in space. Intangible, yet somehow visible to her. It tried to fly into Lyn, but passed through and circled back around. "Gina? Is that you?"


    The mana core seemingly bounced back and forth¡­almost as if it was excited?


    "Right¡­um¡­hold on, let me try something." She willed herself to take on the Revenant hero''s wraith form and tried to grab hold of the mana core. To her dismay, the core still phased through her. "Damnit. Hold on, let me try something else." She reverted to her corporeal form, reached into her storage choker, and pulled out one of the remaining dungeon cores that Thomas had collected. She opened the wooden sphere, and the floating core in front of her tried to fly into the one she held.


    But the core wasn''t consumed. "Sorry, Gina. Looks like you have to actually enter a dungeon and consume that core."


    Gina''s hero core flitted around Lyn''s head before dashing off. Lyn flew after her as she put away the dungeon core and re-stored it. The mana core was flying fast, but slow enough for Lyn to keep up.


    They flew several miles to the northwest, and through the night, and the following morning. Lyn checked her bracer and saw a dungeon dot smack in the middle of the Arin Isle. That wasn''t there before, she thought. At least I didn''t see it thest time I was close by. Someone must havepleted a dungeon in between then and now. Or failed, I suppose.


    Shended on the northern edge of the ind and followed Gina''s hero core underwater, slotting in the breathing bit from her storage choker and swimming deep into the depths of an abyssal shelf just off the edge of the ind. Down, down into the darkness, and Lyn could see the movement of creatures in the depths.


    Drawing up the Beastmaster core, she let her mana ooze out of her and let off a predatory aura. The creatures cleared off and soon enough she arrived at the bottom of the ocean. The pressure on her would have surely crushed her if not for the Shifter core seemingly forcing her body topensate for the increased weight of water pressing on her.


    There was a small crack that Gina''s core slipped through, and thanks to the Elementalist core, Lyn could simply think of the spell effect she intended, and it would happen. A small tunnel was formed as she swam forward, and it shut back to the thin crevice behind her. She swam until she was under the center of the Arin Isle, and then followed Gina up another crevice.


    She emerged in a dark chamber. Thanks to her Duskari nature, she could see well enough that the cave was barren ¨C naught but a few rocks and dripping of moisture. She took out the breathing bit and stored it.


    The floor was slick as some type of moss had grown on the rocks, and at the farthest end from her was a dungeon doorway made of strong wood, a square shape. Etched on the top were the words, "This door marks the dungeon of Breylon, keeper of scrolls. Threats within ¨C history questions. Reward ¨C mana core and secret knowledge."


    Fuck. A history test? Lyn took a deep breath and pushed through the purple film, Gina''s hero core floating alongside her and seemingly buzzing with excitement at the prospect of soon being freed. "Just hang in there," Lyn softly said.


    The room interior was the usual cube shape, and Lyn felt a small sense of dread as she saw the altered pir at the center of the room. Once I ce my hand on the pedestal, I have thirty seconds to choose an answer. Thankfully, it was multiple choice, and there were four possible answers.


    But if she got three wrong¡­it would be game over. She would be rejected from the dungeon, and it would travel elsewhere. And she did not have the spare time to keep dungeon delving. Not with Remora and Mol so close to Cecria.


    She ced her hand on the pedestal, and the words in Elenthir showed up above her, floating in space.


    "Who was the High Priest of Aelor in the age of the Elenthians?"


    Good thing I have the Knowledge hero core. I cleared that guy''s dungeon. Lyn tapped the part of the pir with the glowing text for Fenoscion. The pir shed green, and then the question switched.


    "What are the twin moons and sun named after?"


    Tassisno and Tesse are the twin moons, and represent two lovers who were separated by death during the Age of Elent. The sun Toran was the best friend to both of them. She tapped the corresponding answer, and the pir glimmered green. Gina''s hero core buzzed with excitement. "Yeah, if I didn''t have this Knowledge core to get perfect recall, I''d be screwed here," Lyn replied to the flitting trapped hero.


    The message shifted once more. "Who is the ''one'' deity worshipped by Elenthians? Creator of Ghomar?"


    Thomas mentioned this when we found the throne in the Ruins of Elent. It''s Raeloran. She tapped the corresponding icon.


    The pir shed green once more before glowing a soft blue. The doors at the end of the corridor opened, and Lyn walked into the reward chamber. "All things considered, that was a cakewalk," shemented. "Must be because of you, eh?"


    Gina''s core flew around the wooden box, and Lyn walked up to the altar and opened it. She caught a glimpse of the gray orb before it swapped to a cream-colored, whitish-yellow. Lyn picked it up.


    I knew where an easy dungeon was ¨C well, easy for you now. Look at you. Ruler of a world-spanning empire.


    "How have you been?"


    I''ve been managing. You?


    "I''m sorry we couldn''t help you."


    Don''t be. I saw things that no one should have seen. And I hope you don''t experience what I did.


    "What is that?"


    Visions of the future. Of possible futures. There is nothing set in stone¡­but I can see every single possibility. That amount of information¡­my brain couldn''t handle it. I''m fine, now, because I''m not limited by my biology. But at the time¡­think of it like being strapped into a chair and being forced to watch hundreds-of-thousands of screens with the volume maxed.


    Lyn felt a chill down her spine. "I don''t want to experience that."


    You shouldn''t. You have a bunch of other mana cores exerting their influence on you. Not a singr Oracle hero core that is affecting you. That''ll be nice, I''m sure.


    "That''s a relief," Lyn said as she smiled softly, staring into the swirling, soft cream-colored core. "Can you still see the future?"


    I can see all possibilities. But if I tell you about any of them, then they may note to pass.


    "Noted. Is there anything you want me to do?"


    Stop Cecily.


    "No shit."


    I mean it. I can''t share any details, or else what must happen might not happen. This scroll here should provide some insight into what she is up to, but I can''t say any more.


    "Cryptic," Lyn replied. "But¡­I''m sure whatever you''re saying is right."


    I can tell you one thing. Don''t do that special "ascension" dungeon yet. I can''t say why¡­but just wait. Until after you deal with Cecily.


    Lyn sighed and sat on the altar. "You never got to experience the world. You were taken from us too soon."


    I n on going through this Ghomar door I can see here. I''ll experience it, I''m sure.


    "Anything you want me to tell people?"


    I''ve seen your memories and know what happened to Kory. He has suffered a lot, and I know he was crushed when I died¡­I''m going to leave a recording for him. Please let him hear it.


    "Will do. Are you ready?"


    This is thest hero core you need. After this, you''ll be able to use every single spell type ¨C external or internal. Also¡­the Oracle core will show you visions of possible futures. My best advice? Ignore them. Chasing down possible futures blinds you to your actual future.


    Those words echoed what Raevan had told her, and Lyn nodded. "Thanks for that. Godspeed."


    Take care, Lyn.


    Lyn squeezed the mana core and felt it shoot down her mana channels. Unlike other hero cores that tried to fight against the Destroyer core, this one was submissive and was instantaneously absorbed. A lesser being, recognizing one that is of a higher tier of existence.


    Lyn felt her vision go foggy and saw several small slivers on the edges of her vision. As she focused on one, it filled her whole sight and she could see herself on a throne, surrounded by thralled sycophants. Focusing on another sliver, it filled her vision, and she saw Cecily on her throne in the Valley of the Volcano. Right, I''ll ignore those. Focus on the present, not possible futures. Lyn willed her Destroyer core toe to the forefront, and the small slivers faded from sight.


    Reaching down to the scroll she unfurled it and began reading the Elenthir text.


    The Elenthians sessfully left their mortal coils and ascended to a higher state of being. This process was called "entering the ethereal." Mana cores may be affixed inside of people, but they are also partially phased out of our reality, in this "ethereal" ne of existence.


    In the process of leaving behind their mortal coils, they lost their mana cores. An unintended consequence, which angered some who felt that Raeloran had betrayed them, by granting them ess to such a spell without warning of the loss of their powers as a possibility. They hoped to have their powers whilst freeing themselves from their mortal coil. Those hopes were dashed.


    The ethereal-form Elenthians split into two factions. Those that wished to stay behind and linger on or around Ghomar ¨C enacting their will on an unknowing world by directly manipting mana cores as a means of revenge against their creator; and those who wished to explore the stars and leave Ghomar behind, content with theirck of spellcraft as they traveled the cosmos as a pure being of thought.


    When Raeloran split itself into Aelor and Raevan, the Elenthians who remained ¨C all one hundred of them ¨C attempted to y the two deities by attacking their mana cores directly, knowing that this was their chance to get rid of godly influence entirely, and thus being able to have all Ghomar subject to their hidden machinations. By possessing the mana core directly, they could exert some influence or even full control over the weak-willed.


    The two deitiesbined their power and sealed all the Elenthians that sought to rule the world from the ethereal realm through manipting mana cores and altering the personalities of their host.


    A storage dimension.


    One that the new races of Ghomar called the abyss.


    For those who are schrs reading this, you may wonder why the proper noun is not capitalized ¨C that was done intentionally. People go looking for proper nouns, but not general ones.


    Thus concludes your history lesson.


    Lyn finished the passage, and the scroll melted to nothingness in her hands. Cecily¡­fuck. If what Gina had suggested earlier was that Cecily nned to open this storage dimension and release these things¡­ I have to get there. Now. If these ethereal Elenthians got out, they could interact with people''s mana cores¡­ that effectively meant that these entities would be interacting with people''s souls. And she had no clue what that could do.


    She pped her hand on the altar and returned to Ghomar, the dungeon vanishing behind her. She raised her hand. "Anno nin i gwelu en-gd." She turned into a bolt of blue light and raced across the skies of Ghomar.

 B2 – Chapter 28

    "Bring in the next one!" Cecily shouted as she pushed the now-corpse into the chute that fed down into a pit. She was in the rear courtyard, and she had a whole cadre of thralled servants who were bringing her bound, gagged, and terrified people. Those who were unable to wield weapons in the name of their princess.


    She had set several of the servants to torturing following explicit guidelines, and she would personally slit their throats and harvest their mana cores. Within days, she had in over ten-thousand people ¨C and it wasn''t enough. "I need more!" she shouted. "Pick up the pace!"


    The servants began bringing more of the terrified people in. Vgonia''s citizens who were crippled, old, or otherwise unfit to serve. The only exception she had to her selection of mass sacrifice were women of child-bearing age, mothers, and children not old enough to hold a weapon.


    The rest were fodder for her machinations. Harvesting mana cores. With each cut of the knife, plunge of her hand into the neck, and consumption of their core¡­she gained arger mana reservoir. All the remaining citizens of Vgonia hade to her capital. This is where she would make her final stand. The people were fanatics and would fight to the death for their prophesied ruler against the hordes of non-Humans that were starting to arrive on the horizon, within sight of the enormous walls of her city.


    There were cannons atop the fortifications, as well as ballistae and catapults. Behind the wall, in the cleared-out area between the wall and the city proper, trebuchets stood at the ready. The remaining firearms were given out to the various garrisons that had traveled with the people of Vgonia to the capital. The rest were given more medieval arms and armor.


    "I need them toe faster!" Cecily shouted as she mechanically sliced throats and harvested mana cores. She looked at the servants who were busy digging the next pit. "Just get a fire going in the current pit! Then help the rest bring more!" The two men hauled themselves up and out of the pit, running into the pce beforeing back with oil and lighting the pit of corpses.


    Just a bit more, Cecily thought as she kept on butchering the citizens who practically worshipped her, only now at the end realizing the true monster that she was. She was heedless of the blood coating her body, the wild expression on her new face, or the surging mana practically oozing out of her mana channels. I need more.


    She knew Lyn was strong. The strongest being on all Ghomar. Cecily would have to take risks to ensure that she stood atop the world and was its ruler. Risks such as devastating her poption. Risks such as opening this abyss storage dimension.


    It was her only chance. Even if she killed every single person in Cecria to harvest their cores, she would only be able to do a single battlefield-level spell that could wipe out an army¡­and that would drain all her mana. It did note back as rapidly as her Ruler core''s mana did. Such a spell would drain her for multiple days.


    The hours passed in grislybor as she soaked the ground around her and had stained her hands red. The smell of charred meat assaulted her nostrils as the screams of those ced under her knife vited her ears. To an onlooker, she was a ghoulish killer who was ying those brought to her. But all of her servants, every citizen in Vgonia, knew that she was doing what needed to be done.


    Only those who were tortured before being ced under her knife saw the true horror of the woman that ruled them. A woman who once was the top of her ss, had positioned herself to rule a kingdom, was betrayed by the Paragon hero, and then took over a different kingdom through guile and political will. A woman who was ruthless, crushed her enemies, drove them before her army and then ughtered them like cattle. A prophesied ruler due to her machinations.


    By the time night fell there were no more people to kill. "That''s thest of them?" Cecily asked as a trio of servants brought a tub of hot water out for her to wash herself of the ichor and viscera.


    Her spymaster nodded. "Everyone who fell under your criteria have been harvested, Your Grace."


    Cecily allowed her servants to scrub her clean of the blood. She felt the immense power swelling in her chest andughed. Her voice was higher pitched in this new body. It was also scarred with Elenthir verses to increase her longevity, constitution, and make her naturally resistant to almost every type of damage she could endure. Combined with the body enhancement she had put the body through when it was still in a state of suspended animation¡­she would be very, very difficult to injure, let alone kill.


    Once she was clean enough, she exited the tub, and her servants brought her clothing. She dressed there in the courtyard, listening to the crackling and popping of the burning corpses in the charnel pit. "Now¡­we go to activate the inscription."


    Lyn stopped her lightspeed travel and pped in ce above her army, which had arrayed itself just on the horizon line within view of Cecria. She focused her vision on the walls and cursed under her breath. The walls themselves were inscribed, and as she read the Elenthir verses, she knew that there was no way she could enter from above. The inscription was being fueled, and she could see the slight, multicolored flicker in the skies above the walls. And the words state it''s a sphere around the whole ce.


    This type of inscription was very, very obtuse. It would prevent anything from entering ¨C except for air. But the spell was not very mana intensive, because it only went from the top of the walls to create a "dome" of sorts over the top, and one that went underground as well. Even going in through the sewers isn''t an option. The walls, however, were fair game. She could get in through a gate or just bash the walls down.


    She flew down to her army''s camp and made her way to themand tent. The troops of all different races ¨C Sloren, Ari, Newen, Duskari, Humans, and even some Fosk and Vharthon who had joined more recently ¨C all bowed to her and showed her reverence. One of the soldiers held the tent p open for her, and she entered. Inside, Marshal Remora, Strike Commander nosh, and Steward Mol argued and pointed at a map. "Ahem," she said in Shereldian.


    The trio looked at her and saluted, fingers held like a w over the heart. "Empress Rivers, we did not expect you this early," Remora said as she rxed her stance.


    "Report."


    The marshal nodded. "They have siege equipment atop the walls. We cannot send ravens above the city to scout, so our only counts on their numbers are from what we could observe with spysses. I''d estimate approximately fifty-thousand defenders, but they do not look well trained."


    "Every duchy was emptied," nosh stated. "Every man, woman, child, all were gone. We haven''t fought anything thus far."


    Lyn looked around. "Where is themander of King Skir''s army?"


    "He be out inspectin'' tha troops," Mol replied. "In total, we got tirty thousand."


    Remora nodded. "Just about seventeen thousand of our own troops, and fifteen thousand from King Skir. We don''t have any siege equipment with us, but we have engineers out and felling trees to make equipment."


    Lyn shook her head and walked over to the map. "Very well. I can help put the siege equipment together. I want siege towers."


    "Fergive me,ss. Why? They''ll be targets," Mol asked.


    "I will transmute them from wood into titanium. A lot heavier, but much, much harder. Imprable to even those cannons. It is the safest way to approach the walls." She pointed to a span ofnd on the map that was directly in front of the walls and across from her army. "You did a good job, setting up on the longest length with the ttest ground."


    The tent p opened again, and a tall brick of a man walked into the room. He had a broad, square torso and was enormous ¨C dwarfing Lyn''s own size. He went to a knee and bowed his head as he saw Lyn. "Empress Rivers, I am honored to meet you," he said in Triskol.


    "Rise. What is your name?" Lyn replied in hisnguage.


    The man stood up, his te armor creaking just so slightly. "I am called Robert the Stout, mydy. Commander of King Skir''s armies."


    "Pleased to have you join us, Commander. Please,e up. We have ns to discuss." Lyn turned back to the battle map and looked at Mol, swapping to Shereldian. "How fast can we make those siege towers?"


    "We kin do it in two days."


    Lyn shook her head. "Not fast enough. Have the troops bring me the raw wood. I''ll make them before I sleep tonight. And, I''ll tten the terrain." She looked up at Remora. "I''ll need a tent and a heavy guard. I n on sleeping as much as possible so that I may unleash all of my power tomorrow."


    Remora nodded and pointed down at the map. "Are we going to focus all of our towers at one point?"


    Lyn shook her head. "Better to spread out our forces. The downside is that we will be unable to field our cavalry. It will be a melee until we get atop the walls and can send our archers up." She looked at Mol. "I have never been to this city. How wide are the streets? Enough to make use of our ram riders?"


    Mol nodded. "Aye, broad streets. Whole packs o'' rams ken charge."


    Lyn nodded. "Then we have to also make a hole. The easiest will be this gate," she said tapping the paper. "I can clear it with a few blows."


    "Forgive me, Empress," Robert stated in Shereldian. "But could you not simply level the walls yourself?"


    Lyn shook her head. "I could, but I must save my power. Cecily is still alive, and I must be ready to exert my full might against what she ns to do."


    "What is she going to do?" Remora asked.


    Cecily arrived at the prepared chamber. She gestured, and the mages in her service all channeled mana into the inscriptions surrounding her storage inscription to ess this abyss. The prismatic walls rose up around her and formed a cube ¨C an emergency measure to prevent whatever was inside from escaping.


    Alright. This is it. Cecily had another backup ready to go ¨C another one of the girls in the VEROG program who was on standby in stasis with a dungeon core imnted should Cecily fail. But¡­she only had the one remaining backup. This better be worth it, she thought as she knelt and ced her hands on the center of the borate inscription.


    She poured her mana into the spell carved upon the stone floor. It began to glow with the deep, rosy, red of her new mana core. The whole room began to glow brighter and brighter, and she could feel her enormous reservoir of mana slowly drain out of her. She could feel it depleting, little by little, as she began to breathe more raggedly. Not yet! A little more. The inscription was almost full.


    As she sucked in shuddering breaths, the inscription filled entirely, and the storage dimension opened. There was an odd, golden film over the entrance. Strange. She stood up on shaky legs before she gripped the sides of the aperture that was the size of a doorway. She saw the golden barrier bulge out toward her ¨C as if something was trying to break out. She could see the shape of hands reaching out toward her, held in check by the barrier.


    "Aelor above," one of the mages on the perimeter of the room whispered.


    "The abyss holds monsters," another one chimed in.


    The one she had thralled shouted over the other two. "Maintain the inscription! Our princess knows what she is doing."


    No, I don''t, Cecily thought as she let out augh. But I have no choice. Whatever these¡­things are¡­I have to find out if I can use them. It''s my only chance. She took a deep breath and plunged her hand into the golden film.


    Immediately her arm ¨C no, not her arm, her mana channel ¨C was gripped by dozens of hands. She felt them probing along and up the length of the mana channel, stopping at the golden barrier which seemed to still keep them contained. "What are you?" Cecily asked in Shereldian.


    She heard voices ¨C all ovepping and in Elenthir. She could make out a few words in the morous din. "Freedom," "Revenge," and "Conquer."


    "Alright. Here''s the deal," she replied in Shereldian. "Since you can obviously understand me somewhat. I need whatever power it is you can offer me."


    More voices, but eventually they began to quiet, and a single voice spoke to her in broken Shereldian. "You seek power?"


    "Yes!" Cecily replied. "I need power to defeat my foes and rule Ghomar. Help me, and I release you."


    "We¡­help."


    "As long as I get to rule," Cecily replied. "It''s what I deserve."


    "Barrier¡­remove¡­we enter¡­we help."


    Cecily looked at the barrier and nodded tersely. "I will need to discern how to break it."


    "Repeat." The voice slowly incanted an Elenthir verse, and Cecily followed the instructions. After casting the spell, she felt her slim remainder of mana drain the rest of the way as the golden barrier faded.


    She felt a rush of wind as something moved past her. She heard the screams of the mages who copsed to the ground as they writhed on the floor. "What did you do?" Cecily asked.


    She could feel the hands gripping her mana channel grow into the thousands, wing their way up her body and into the center of her being. She screamed, feeling an oppressive weight copsing in her mind.


    In her thoughts, a voice resonated. Ah, much better. Thank you for being a willing host.


    "We had a deal!" she shouted. "You help me, and in exchange I free you. My part of the bargain is struck."


    Yes. The Elenthians who remained, return to take over Ghomar. The thoughts echoed in her mind. We will take over the mana cores of those in this city, and once we have improved upon them enough¡­we will reshape this world into our image.


    "But I wanted to rule! It''s what I deserve."


    You will rule. I am simply here to advise, to guide, to give you knowledge; for knowledge is power. asionally, I may take over to ensure your survival.


    Her mouth stopped responding. Her whole body stopped listening to her, and she felt herself turn around as she walked to the door. The voiceing out of her mouth spoke in Elenthir, and she understood all of it.


    "Come, brothers and sisters. Let us conquer this world. We may be small in number for now¡­but this world belongs to us."


    The now-possessed mages around Cecily let out a cheer and began running up the stairs. The storage dimension behind her snapped shut. "Oh, do not worry, child of another world. I am only taking over for a short moment." She felt her bodye back under her control. Now, just follow my instructions¡­


    Lyn was just putting the finishing touches on her spells to shift the wooden siege towers into their metal form. She had already terraformed the nd in front of the capital so that the towers had an easy time of approaching. She retired to her tent and found, to her delight, a tray of food and drinkid out. She devoured the repast andy down on the soft cot, breathing in the cool, crisp,te-spring nighttime air.


    She felt an odd chill go through her. A chill that wasn''t because of the temperature. What the fuck? She sat up and felt like she was being watched. But everywhere she looked ¨C she saw nothing. What is going on?


    Something grabbed her arm, and she jerked it away. Looking where her arm was being pulled, she saw nothing. "Who is there?" she shouted as she stood up and drew Cataclysm, switching the weapon to its dual dagger form for close-quartersbat.


    She felt something grab her arm and looking down saw nothing. What is it? She felt it wing at her as if trying to gain purchase.


    Then, it struck her. Cecily opened the abyss! It''s one of the trapped entities. The ethereal ne¡­The words in Elenthir came to her ¨C thanks to the Mage core ¨C as she thought of her desires. "Esta ninrthin / pour vi rhaw / hen thi achandeur." Her whole body shifted into the ethereal realm, along with all of her gear and equipment, effectively putting her physical body into the same ne of existence that her mana core and mana channels existed.


    Unlike the inscription the Elenthians used, whichpletely freed them from their bodies, Lyn''s spell just pushed her body into the same ne of existence as her mana core and channels. She did not leave behind her body entirely like they had. Which meant she could still use spells and return to a corporeal state after dealing with what Cecily had unleashed.


    A Humanoid figure held her arm. An Elenthian, who looked just like the ones she saw in the statues on the Ruins of Elent. It let her go and backed off as she swung with her knives and took up a defensive stance.


    "Let me guess," Lyn replied in thenguage of magic. "You were released by a woman named Cecily."


    The face looked up at her and was filled with resolve and determination. "You¡­you have Raeloran''s power."


    "I''m Lyn Rivers, Empress of the Eternal Empire. And you are?"


    "Vroxar, breaker of armies."


    Lyn chuckled. "I consumed your dungeon core. Fun dungeon. ying an army was quite the rush."


    Vroxar''s face shifted slightly, became less resolved, and was filled with curiosity. "You¡­you are strong."


    "Yes. What is your intent?"


    The Elenthian slowly stood, and Lyn floated backward, as gravity had no influence in this state of being. "We tried to kill Raevan and Aelor. And yet you brook no ill will?"


    "I do not," Lyn replied.


    Vroxar crossed his arms. "Mypatriots flew out and found powerful mana cores within that city. I, however, sensed a far stronger mana core¡­yours." He grinned. "I want it. With it, I can rule all Ghomar!" He lunged forward, and Lyn simply held up the dagger. He stopped. "Do you believe you can harm me in this form? I''m invincible!"


    "You''re an idiot if you believe that. This is my world," Lyn growled as her voice dropped to the draconic tone. "I will rule it and shape it after my desires." Using the Spellde hero core, she imbued her des with the raw power from the dungeon of Raevan. They shimmered with dark, ck and crimson energy that then rotated through the whole color spectrum.


    Thanks to Gina''s Oracle core, she was able to determine what that multicolored light was from when she imed Raevan''s half of the Destroyer core. Sheer, raw destruction. Pure annihtion. The most mana-intensive alongside the power of raw creation itself. However, channeled into her de, the mana cost was not nearly as hefty¡­and anything she struck would be unraveled. Not even Raevan had this power of pure destruction. Sure, she destroyed ¨C but using other methods. Not sheer annihtion. The power to ruin with a thought or touch.


    It was Lyn''s new delete button. Reality could cease at her will. Well, parts of reality.


    "It was our world first!" Vroxar shouted as he dodged her swipes. "You have no right¡ª"


    "You want to talk about rights?" Lyn growled as she advanced and he dodged. "I saved this world, and only I have the right to rule it." She lunged forward and shed across Vroxar''s phantasmal form, and where her dagger connected, his spectral body was torn asunder as prismatic fluid seemingly oozed out of the wound.


    He screamed, "Impossible!" and floated through the wall of the tent, fleeing in terror. Lyn followed him, caught up with ease, and stabbed the twin daggers into his spine, carving across his back as he floated, still, in space. His form twitched a few times before it turned into the prismatic liquid. There was a vibration through the air as she heard an ear-piercing screech.


    Lyn released the spell and dropped a few feet,nding lightly on her feet. She picked up her amulet and focused on every soldier in the army. "To arms!" She shifted her knives into the form of the gigantic hammer and took to the skies to rally her army to fight.


    "Where is Vroxar?" the Elenthian named Frier shouted out, temporarily taking control of Cecily''s body tomunicate with his brethren.


    "He left the city chasing down that mana core we sensed."


    "Idiot," Frier replied. He had taken control of this female''s very potent mana core. The woman who had released the Elenthians back into the world. Enabling them to return to enact their rule. But he could only be in control in bursts, for her will was strong. "Did everyone else find a host?"


    "We did," another few voices responded.


    "It appears the popce believes that the body you inhabit is a prophesied ruler."


    "They are fanatic in their devotion."


    "There is an army stationed outside. We outnumber them, but assault would be¡ª"


    All of them froze on the steps of the pce as they heard a scream on the ethereal ne. A death scream. They had heard one before. When an ethereal Elenthian was in ¨C a death cry as reality itself shuddered. "Is that¡­was that?"


    "Vroxar," Frier whispered. "Something killed him."


    "How?"


    "Nothing can get onto the ethereal ne!"


    "I thought we couldn''t be killed by any save the gods!"


    "Shut up!" Frier shouted over the din of the Elenthians. "We have an army at our walls and decent mana cores. Not as potent as our original cores, but greater than many of these lesser servants." Swapping ces. He felt himself ''sink'' into the mana core and the body of this Cecily moved under her control.


    "Advise me."


    Get to the walls. We have to defend. I can give you an army-killing spell. One that even this mana core in this state could use.


    She raised her voice, and he fed her words to speak to his allies. "These fanatics will be a good foundation for our new rule. We can mold them into the perfect servants as we conquer all. So, let''s get to defending them. Warriors to the walls. The rest of you stay here at the pce, and support with whatever spells you can muster with your cores!"


    Lyn flew along her forces as they drew up. She incanted her internal spells to fortify her body, the unique, Berserker variant ¨C keeping her muscles constrained as to not cause undue pain.


    Pointing her finger up into the sky, she loosed off a thought-only light elementalism spell that would hover above the battlefield. The radiant, white light shone down on the troops who looked up at her form with awe in their eyes. She raised the hammer aloft and shouted down to them, first in Arinol, then Sloren, Khrrdian, Triskol¡­everynguage in rapid session.


    "The Vgonians have unleashed something they cannot control. We must defeat them, tonight! If we don''t and what they released escapes our clutches, then this world will fall to ruin! Follow yourmanders, listen to orders, and to those who were disced by these racist bigots¡­get your vengeance!"


    The troops cheered as Lyn swooped over the army, reaching into her storage locker and pulling out a special powder Brad had crafted. Powered Stim. A drug that would increase in reaction time, cognition, and sharpen the senses. The next day, the soldiers would have a wicked headache¡­but the short-term benefit would be worth it.


    She picked up her amulet and rapidly shot off orders. "Thane Mol, your ram riders have the perimeter. None leave. Nobatants are yours to do what you will with, but the military are to be in if found fleeing."


    "Aye,ss! We be on it!" Thane Mol led the ram riders off as they split from the main force.


    The rest of the troops she ordered into the siege towers. They mbered inside the enormous, titanium mobile structures. They were inscribed to be able to move forward on their own on treads rather than wheels, and they began to go across thendscape.


    The majority of the army stayed right behind and under Lyn as she flew at a pace they could keep up with. The cannons atop the walls began to belch smoke and me, and cannonballs impacted the siege towers ¨C but they were barely dented and kept rolling forward inexorably. They are ying smart, targeting the biggest threat, she thought. But they will realize the cannons cannot harm the towers, and¡ª


    As if on cue, she spotted the cannons pivoting to instead target her at the head of the army. She raised her hammer and shouted the signature Guardian verse. "Eledir i-naid bain nuin enni / a lint brant enni / losta i-gwath ammen / anirann chem i-gwedh / im i-gothron / a delia i-naid bain."


    The entire army was covered with a shimmering, neon-blue barrier ¨C including herself. Thanks to the Guardian core''s unique spell, this barrier could cover everyone whilst not having any increase to the mana cost of the spell. And, the Warder core meant that any damage suffered would be halved before actually costing any mana to block. I can protect everyone, she thought. No one dies today. Not while I''m here.


    The cannons belched me, the catapultsunched their payloads, and the trebuchet projectiles from behind the wall all mmed into the barrier. The soldiers below her cheered wildly as she kept them safe. She felt the consistent drain on her mana as the barrier continued to absorb projectiles. The siege towers got closer and closer, and the men on the walls scrambled away from the mounted weaponry to face the oing assault.


    "Charge!" Lyn shouted as she dashed forward, dropping the barrier as she swooped toward the gate. She brought the hammer form of Cataclysm to bear, using the Spellde core to channel the raw might of sound to empower the blow.


    With an enormous, resonating crack, the entirety of the gate ¨C and the stones surrounding it ¨C were blown inward.


    Frier barked orders in Shereldian to the troops atop the wall as they prepared to repel the iing siege towers. He spotted a flying shape that raced toward the wall, and then the whole structure shook as an enormous explosion echoed through the whole city.


    What was that? Cecily thought to him.


    He peered over the wall and spotted a winged figure wielding a crackling hammer: a draconic Humanoid.


    He had to turn to face the iing soldiers as the siege towers of some unknown material ponderously rolled forward and dropped their doors, the spiked ramps mming into the top of the wall as soldiers charged forward.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Imbeciles, he thought. But his control was slipping. "Change ces."


    Cecily took over and he told her a spell. An army-killing spell. With a maniacalugh, she held up her hand and cast the spell.


    Frier, too, cackled from within.


    Lyn was pping above the street and felt her amulet vibrate. She picked it up and focused her mana into it. "What?"


    The voice was Marshal Remora. "Something is happening to the troops!"


    Lyn let go of the amulet and flew up to the top of the wall. To her shock and horror, she saw the whole of her troops lying still. In the tower, on the battlefield¡­all of them were dead. "What happened?" she asked aloud in Arinol.


    She felt a pressure against her mind and shook her head. "Anor min / nartho hain i daeth nin," she muttered the internal regeneration spell, and the pressure faded. Scanning the wall, she spotted a woman who looked just like Cecily; albeit younger and covered in scars that Lyn could barely make out under the armor. "What did you do!" she screamed in English as she flew down, shifting the hammer to the spear as she dove.


    The voice that spoke was Cecily''s, and spoke in English at a slightly higher pitch. "I have the power of the Elenthians with me! This world will be mi-"


    Lyn didn''t let her speak as she crashed into the line of Vgonian soldiers on the wall, driving them forward as she impaled five in a row beforeing to an abrupt stop, "Rus''os''r!" she shouted. An enormous st of wind shot out from the spear and blew those atop the fortification away.


    "Rude," Cecily said as she pulled her long, thin sword from the ground ¨C having used it to anchor herself, a dull shimmer surrounding her form. Her body''s posture shifted slightly. "I''m Frier, and with my help, Cecily slew your army."


    Lyn looked out over the battlefield. The Sloren ram riders were still off in the distance, safely patrolling, and she used her enhanced vision to see Remora at themand tent, speaking into her amulet and looking both shocked and frustrated. She drew her attention back to Cecily, "What did you do?" she asked as she took up a ready stance.


    "A simple spell, one that desated a tiny portion of their brains. Granted, it took arge amount of mana, and I know I cannot fight you in this state." Cecily''s body sagged for a moment, and then she took a deep breath before zeroing in on her once more. "We had a deal, Frier! Get back in me and tell me how to win!"


    Lyn stomped up to her and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her into the air. "You opened the abyss and let them out!" She began to squeeze. "You killed my army!"


    Cecily couldn''t respond, and Lyn simply growled and muttered a storage spell, tossing Cecily into the aperture before sealing it behind her. One that had food, water, and air designed for taking prisoners duringbat. Lyn looked across the walls and saw the iing onrush ofbatants, Vgonia''s troops rallying to their ruler. Fuck. I don''t have a choice. She lifted up and flew high into the sky.


    Frier floated above the city, watching the draconic woman fly high up out of range of any spells or projectiles. He had abandoned Cecily, having tapped her mana core dry. She was a useless husk, and he scanned the city looking for another mana core. What are you up to? he thought to himself, absentmindedly thinking about the draconic woman.


    A mage without peer in his time, he created many of the spell books that the Elenthians passed along to each other. He helped craft thenguage. His mastery was undeniable. It was why he could easily cast an army-killing spell withparatively little mana. Targeting a small portion of the brain, and making the spell function like a disease, instant death that rippled out through a whole army.


    The draconic woman ¨C this Lyn ¨C transformed her weapon into a sword of zing, blue mes that dripped down the length of the de, which caught his attention. He could not hear the incantation, and did not want to risk getting closer. She is an unknown. But if she drains her mana enough, or her resolve weakens enough¡­I can take control.


    He looked out over the battlefield and ramparts as, to his shock and horror, every single body began to stand up. What¡­how¡­


    Then he realized as the flesh began to slough off around the forms. Ah, undeath. That was still concerning, but not nearly as terrifying as he first thought. He had thought she resurrected the whole of her army, but she had just reanimated bones. Looking at theparative numbers¡­he knew the city would fall. I should flee and find another ce. Find someone with a stronger mana core that I can¡ª


    He instinctively moved backward as Lyn flew down in front of him in ethereal form. Her de was sparkling with prismatic light, and she growled in a voice that shook him to his innermost being. "You killed what was mine! My troops!" He felt terror in his innermost being as her face distorted and became a draconic visage. "Die."


    Frier recognized the sparks along the de. Something he had seen once before when Raeloran had destroyed an ancient threat from the skies above. Annihtion! He tried to fly away but could not escape; she was far too fast, even on the ethereal ne. He felt the incredible agony along his back and let out a scream as existence ceased.


    Darnock, Elenthian shepherd, looked up as he heard the scream of Frier that was suddenly silenced. His possessed body could not perceive the ethereal ne, but he could hear everything. He''s¡­dead?


    The body he possessed did not have a strong mana core. Nothing nearly as close to the power that the Elenthian''s mana cores had in their prime. I have to escape! We have to flee! He ran into the pce and spotted the verses carved into the ground around the building. There were wards ¨C thousands of them. Intricatelyyered on top of each other. A bastion! Perfect!


    He knelt and activated all of them, feeling his mana drainpletely as his body shook with exertion. "I need help here!" he shouted in Elenthir, and to his relief, his Elenthian allies were within the vicinity. Many of them were notbatants and did not go to the walls to fight off the assault.


    Together, they had enough mana to charge the incantations. A solid gray shell appeared around the pce, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at his fellows in their possessed shells.


    A voice roared out from beyond the barrier, only able to be heard due to their connection to the ethereal ne. "This world is mine to rule! Not yours!"


    The woman huddled in her house with her son, gently brushing his hair as she held him close. He was quivering in fear as the roars from above echoed out in some unknownnguage. The enormous crash that had resonated through the whole city had shaken them, and they waited for the end in their small apartment.


    The door rattled for a moment before it was opened by the same kind guard that had let them into the city. "You''re safe!" he said as he shut it behind himself and locked it. He moved the small couch in front of the door, and began piling other objects in front of it. "Thank Aelor."


    He had been visiting them frequently, using the excuse that she reminded him of passed-away family. And she was grateful for thepany as she knew no one in Cecria. "What''s happening out there?" she asked.


    "The dead are attacking the city. Corpses. The pce has activated its wards." He sighed as he slumped to the ground and took off his helmet. "It means we lost. There is nothing to¡ª"


    The door was mmed into by something on the other side. He stood up and braced against the piled-up furniture. The sound of rattling and crashing came from the other side, and she screamed as she saw a white, skeletal hand punch through the door. The guard grabbed it and yanked it free of the socket, tossing it to the ground.


    "Don''t look," she whispered to her son as she covered his eyes. The door began to splinter and crack, and she shut her eyes for a few moments as the horrible cracking sound echoed through the room. She forced her eyes open.


    The door was gone, and all that was keeping the living dead in check was the guard holding the couch and other assorted furniture against the door. But soon enough, that tumbled down, and he was swarmed by five skeletal warriors, their metal armor cking against their bones. They chopped down into him, and she shut her eyes away from the horror.


    She heard ttering of bone on metal¡­and then silence. Opening them and looking up, she saw no trace of the undead. Only the mangled corpse of the kind guard.


    Lyn had ensured that her undead would not attack those who had surrendered or were nobatants, and so she knew that she could wholly focus on this first race who sought to rule through possession. She flew along the walls in her ethereal form, easily able to spot the Elenthians inside of the various people along the fortification. To her current vision, they were spectral bodies oveying the Human forms.


    Each one, she carved into. Each time, a scream echoed out before vanishing as the person copsed. She did not know if she was killing the host, but she did not care. I lost my whole army, she thought. Thousands killed because of these fuckers! She chopped left and right, and then, once the walls were cleared of all soldiers, she ascended into the skies. Looking down from above, she saw the pce covered with a pure, gray ward. "Thia achandeur edain."


    Her vision was oveid with a film, and she could not see any ethereal entities in the city, save for those within the barrier. Right. I have to get in there. She flew down to the barrier andnded in front of it. Time to see if raw destruction can destroy even multiyered wards.


    She stabbed the greatsword into the gray dome.


    Darnock looked up in horror as the gray barrier crackled and came undone. The magical energy shattered and fell into the ground before bing prismatic dust that faded into nothingness. He began to run up the stairs into the pce. There has to be a safe room of some type! Some way to escape! A tunnel!


    He was not alone, as the rest of the Elenthians who possessed subjects were thinking the same thoughts as he was. But he came to a stop as a figure appeared atop the stairs. A white-haired, blue-eyed, dragon-scale covered woman with a pair of prominent horns. She was wearing a ck suit of armor and held up a ck hilt that shifted and morphed into a dueling saber that ignited with blueva. "I am Lyn Rivers. And I will end you all." She spoke in perfect Elenthian.


    Darnock fell to his knees on the steps. "We just wanted what was ours." He left the vessel behind, who began to babble inanely ¨C his mind shattered by Darnock''s presence. The Elenthian floated back, hoping this Lyn could not see him.


    "This world is mine." She walked forward and stared down at his vessel and then nced across the rest, who were frozen with fear, her eyesing to rest on Darnock¡­and he froze in fear. "I can kill you even in your ethereal form. All those in the city? Dead. You are thest of the Elenthians on Ghomar, and I will end you."


    Darnock shook his head. "You can''t! This world was made for us!"


    "You are correct. I am Lyn Rivers. I am Yheron. I am Raevan. I am destruction and ruin for my enemies. And right now¡­you are my enemy."


    Thatst name ¨C Raevan ¨C fueled a burning fury in Darnock''s soul. "You betrayed us!" he shouted.


    "From what I read, you simply reaped the rewards of your own deeds¡­and now you will die."


    Darnock tried to fly away, but felt the de cut into him from behind as the world went ck.


    Lyn chopped the Elenthian in half. "Who is next?" she asked as the scream on the ethereal ne signaled the death of another one of the entities.


    The Elenthians ran off in all directions; some fleeing their hosts, some running in their host bodies, but Lyn had prepared for that. "Novn achandeurrthin / galin on groga / min nador." A massive pull like a riptide yanked all of the Elenthians out of the bodies and consolidated their ethereal forms into a single space in front of Lyn. The spell had a radius of the entire city ¨C she had all of them in one location.


    The incorporeal forms were all ovepped and stuck in ce. Lyn raised her de aloft and charged it with pure destruction. With one swipe, she ended them, their screams ovepping and forcing her to her knees as she winced in pain. Downside of enhanced senses, she thought as she stood back up and shook off the ringing in her ears.


    The sounds ofbat echoed through the city, but she knew that she could simply leave the undead to their task and within time they would eliminate the threats. Only when the city was empty ofbatants would they fall and be at rest. Lyn took stock of her mana reservoir and found it nearly empty. She looked up at the pce and began walking up. I must make sure she has no other contingencies.


    Lyn walked through the pce, and her armored, wed feet echoed across the marble floors. It was opulence given form. What a waste, she thought.


    A waste of life. Her soldiers'' lives, wasted. Vgonian lives, wasted. Even the Elenthians¡­wasted. Lyn felt sorrow at the loss of her army and wrestled with the feelings that she had somehow betrayed them by leading them into battle against such a foe.


    Thane Mol spotted a group of soldiers attempting to leave Cecria. He rode them down with his ram riders, and among the soldiers, spotted several women and children. "Leave those ones alive!" he shouted in Sloren. His men knew what to do with those people ¨C but first the soldiers had to be dealt with.


    His ram riders eagerly rode down the troops. The rams'' massive horns pulverized andunched men as the hooves stomped down onto the fallen, crushing them into a fine, red paste that imbued the ground with guts and entrails. Mol swung his war hammer down and felt the satisfaction of crunching armor and bone.


    In under a minute, the fleeing force of soldiers was in, and the nobatants were grouped up, ropes were tied around their wrists and feet, and a pair of the ram riders rode back toward camp with the prisoners. Mol looked across thendscape, spotting another group. "Let''s get them!" he shouted as he let out a hollering whoop, riding off toward more revenge.


    Remora was hyperventting. A small contingent of Duskari operatives had remained behind at themand tent, and using her spyss she had been coordinating the assault from a distance. But that all changed so, so quickly. Her whole army assaulting the capital had been killed, and a few secondster, raised as the undead. The ttering noises were unmistakable, and were joined by shouts and screams as they ravaged the capital. Thirty Duskari squadrons, she thought as she paced back and forth, breathing rapidly as she felt panic rising in her chest. That''s three hundred of our conve¡­in.


    She knew every one of them by name. She knew their faces. She grew up with a good quarter of them. Friends, allies,panions¡­all gone in an instant. Some malicious, evil power had done that. Something that she was deathly afraid of.


    She felt the amulet buzzing and picked it up. "Y-yes?" she answered shakily.


    Empress Rivers'' voice came through. "I have in the Elenthians that Cecily released, captured the bitch in a storage dimension, and am in the pce."


    Remora was silent and trying to process what the empress had said. Elenthians? The first people? What in the abyss?


    "You there?"


    "Yes," Remora whispered. "What are your orders?"


    "We can withdraw the blockade. Communicate to all our Ari marines that I want them to man a skeleton crew to get the ships back to the Valley of the Volcano. Have all but the skeleton crew make their way ind to the capital. Ram riders will continue to patrol the exterior and round up any who flee. Then, once the marines arrive, march those people to Lynhold."


    Remora nodded. "As you will."


    "And, Remora? The loss of our troops was not your fault. Do not me yourself."


    Remora let the amulet fall from her grip and sat on the stool facing the city, put her face into her hands, and wept at the loss of her army. Her friends. Herpanions.


    Lyn finished exploring the southern and eastern wings of the pce. She headed to thest one, to the west, and found quite a surprising sight. A sturdy, locked, iron door with hundreds of inscribed verses. This isn''t a vault, she thought.


    She walked up to the door and stabbed Cataclysm through it. The door was disintegrated, and she stepped into a well-lit, covered courtyard. A greenhouse of sorts. Enormous rose bushes grew all over the ce, and she saw several men standing with weapons at one of the hallways that split off of this chamber directly in front of her ¨C past the nts. They shouted in ovepping Shereldian:


    "Don''te closer!"


    "We won''t let you hurt our wives!"


    "Hail Princess Cecily! First of her name!"


    Lyn ignored them and walked to the door to her left, kicking it open. The austere chamber was a school room. A massive lecture hall. But it was empty. Crossing through the garden, she approached the other door. The noise of the men shifting caused her to nce in their direction, but one draconic growl set them quaking in their boots.


    She kicked open this next door and found argemon area with a kitchen, dining room, recreation room¡­and another door. She opened that and found a well-stockedrder. Well then, I guess they will have to move aside.


    She walked back to the garden and approached the men, Cataclysm resting on her shoulder as the massive mana de surged with pure, raw power. "You should just let me pass," she said in Shereldian. "Cecily is captured, your army is no more. Stand aside, let me explore, and I assure you no harm wille to you or your wives."


    The men looked to each other, and the one who had shouted praise for Cecily began to swing toward Lyn. She simply stepped forward, stabbed him through the skull with her wed hand, and then opened it, flexing her fingers as his skull exploded in a fountain of gore. She stared at the two remaining men. "Move. Aside. Or you end up like him."


    They dropped their weapons and moved aside. Lyn kicked open the door and heard the sound of screaming and the crying of infants. As she walked in, she saw the striking simrity of these women to Cecily. Oh, that''s fucked up. She''s breeding backup copies?


    Unlike what Thomas had done, which was make an empty shell¡­Cecily was instead taking over someone else. Just like the Elenthians had. Fitting fate for her, losing control like what she did to whoever she is possessing.


    Lyn walked past the women, letting out another deep growl that caused them all to whimper quietly in terror while the infants kept crying. She walked deeper into the hall and came across two rooms across from each other. One had the word backup on it, the other operations. She opened the door to the backup room and saw a young woman ¨C no older than fourteen ¨C in a tube, suspended in liquid.


    She saw the inscriptions for the emergency release, poured mana into them, and stepped back as the tube opened, liquid spilled out, and the girl began coughing up fluid onto the floor. Her eyes went wide as she saw Lyn, and she screamed.


    "You''re wee" Lyn muttered as she went across the hall to the other room. There was a scalpel on the table, a drain in the floor, and Elenthir verses lining the walls. Charcoal rubbings. That''s how she figured it out. She must have gotten an expedition to the Ruins of Elent. Lyn held up her hand and willed a gout of me to surge out of her palm, incinerating the entire chamber.


    She walked out and looked at the men and women. "Cecily Vgonia has been captured. Your capital will be overrun soon. Do not fight back, do not show hostile intent, and you will be spared." The silence ¨C minus the crying babies ¨C was all she needed to hear. My mana has recovered enough.


    Going back to the main pce, she cast a quick divination spell; sending her sight throughout the entireplex. She saw Cecily''s chambers the torture-dungeons, the charnel pits, everything. Including the secret basement with the inscriptions. Shifting to the ethereal, she went through the floor, down to that basement, and dashed the inscriptions.


    She sighed and whispered the lightspeed travel spell as she vanished.


    Momentster shended in front of Kor''s Hold. She walked in past the stunned guards and right into the throne room. "Where is James Marshall?" she asked in Khrrdian.


    One of the guards led her to his chambers and she knocked on the door. He opened it with bleary eyes. "Lyn? What''s going on?"


    "I need you toe with me. Now."


    James nodded, and she opened a storage dimension for him to mber into. She then re-incanted the lightspeed travel spell and arrived at Lynhold.


    The troops at the fortress entrance saluted her. She grabbed her amulet and willed it to reach the former heroes. "Everyone, have Lawrence direct you to the conference room. We need to talk."


    Cecily woke up on a cold, hard surface. Panicking, she shot up and looked around. A pair ofnterns were hung aloft; a pair of Duskari stood at the far end of a corridor ¨C fraternal twins ¨C and she saw Kory in the cell adjacent to her.


    Looking down at the floor, she gasped. Mana-suppressing spells? Are we in Kor''s Hold?


    Kory grunted. "You''re awake."


    Cecily screamed in frustration and mmed the floor with her fists. "Why?! Why couldn''t you just fucking kill everyone! I was so close!" She looked more closely at him, and her eyes went wide. "You¡­you lost a leg and an arm?"


    Kory frowned andy back on the reed mat. "Yup. Lyn fucked me up something good."


    Cecily remembered the Elenthian sharing her body. Taking over her body a few times, but giving it back to her. Teaching her a spell she had never evenprehended ¨C primarily because she did not have the knowledge of Elenthir to do so. Why didn''t Lyn just use that on our whole kingdom? It cost so little manapared to a spell nuke. I should''ve opened it up when I had my Ruler core, and then taken them into my forces. She mmed her fist into the floor and screamed.


    Kory chuckled. "You have that look on your face."


    "What look?"


    "The look you make when you know you fucked something up because you didn''t have all the know-how."


    Cecily red at him and screamed again, "I almost had everything!" The twin Duskari stepped aside, and Cecily saw Lyn walk in. "You bitch!" Cecily shouted as she gripped the bars and faced the architect of her defeat. "You just had to fuckinge back and get in the way of everything! Why the fuck are you back?"


    Lyn just shook her head and took a seat on a bench across from the cells. "I came back because my life was shit on Earth. And I wanted my glory. You got rid of that. If I hade back and had my glory and could just retire¡­I would''ve been happy to sit on the sidelines for a while. Probably with Misty." She crossed her leg over the other and leaned back. "But what do I find when I get back? All memory of me, muddled¡­forever."


    "You were dead!" Cecily shouted. "How were we supposed to know you''de back? You getting the credit and dying a hero did nothing for any of us."


    "You could have honored my sacrifice," Lyn replied. "But that''s neither here nor there. You''ve done fucked-up things. Unimaginably fucked-up things. By rights, I should kill you right now¡­but others deserve to sit in judgment of you."


    Other heroes filtered into the room and sat on the bench next to Lyn. Thomas, Brad, Lawrence, Trisha, Ben, and even James.


    Lyn spoke. "We are all the heroes that survived the Demonic Dragon''s defeat, minus Volio. I have freed every other hero, and have taken every single hero core."


    Cecily felt raw, seething anger. It should have been me! I deserve it! I should be ruling this world with all the power!


    "And, I figured out what the abyss is." This drew inquisitive stares from the other heroes as she continued. "Thomas, do you remember that inscription we saw back in the Ruins? The ones used to let the Elenthians leave?"


    "Yes, they left behind their corporeal forms."


    Lyn nodded. "Right. Well, some stayed behind and tried to manipte mana cores by possessing people. They were trapped by Raevan and Aelor in a pocket dimension. One called the abyss."


    James chuckled and shook his head. "I heard that curse so many times, but never wondered what it was. So, what happened?"


    Lyn pointed at Cecily, and the former Ruler hero felt a burning ember of rage in her gut. "This one released them. She is responsible for the death of tens of thousands of the Eternal Empire''s troops. Not to mention, she genocided hundreds¡ª"


    "Tens-of-thousands," Brad interrupted. "When I was under her thrall, it was easily a hundred a month, if not more. Dissidents, rebels, those she found displeasure with¡­the non-Human races¡­ If I had to guesstimate, she has killed over fifty thousand people not including your army."


    Cecily felt herself shaking with rage. "You all never got it," she said. "You all never saw the big picture! We could have ruled this whole fucking world! You just had to get out of my way or help me! Kings and queens, people doting on our every word and action! We would have been worshipped as gods!"


    Trisha shook her head. "That''s not us," she muttered as she held Ben''s hand. "We never wanted that. Just you."


    "And me," Kory muttered. "I wanted that¡­but I was blind to it."


    Lyn stood up. "I have something for you to listen to, Kory." She closed her eyes, and all of the heroes sat in rapt attention as Gina''s voice emanated from the space next to Lyn.


    Hi, Kory. I wish I had told you when I was alive¡­but I love you. I''m sorry I ended my own life, but the visions were just too much to handle. This next go-round, I''m hoping that I''ll grow up in and live a peaceful existence. Lyn''s empire should see to that. Please¡­know that I''m sorry, and I forgive you. You deserve a good life¡­but it may not be this life. I''ve seen what you''ve done through Lyn''s memories. And the glimpse I saw, along with all the visions I saw of how you turn out. Well¡­I hope we find each other in our next lives. Take care¡­my love.


    Kory began crying profusely as he curled in on himself. What a pathetic, weak, idiot, Cecily thought as she stared daggers at Lyn. She tried to think of every possible solution to her predicament. Spells were off the table, thanks to the mana-suppressing cells. Relying on Kory to brute-force the cells open was off the table due to his crippled nature. She did not see any locks that she could pick or any avenue of escape.


    There was no way out, and she felt not only a fierce rage within her heart¡­but also a sense of finality wash over her. She heard Kory''s sobbing voice. "Lyn¡­is there any way¡­you can have me find her in my next life?"


    Lyn nodded. "I can do practically anything now. But, it''s not my choice. For you, Kory¡­Lawrence is still the person who decides what we do."


    The Shifter hero stood up and crouched in front of Kory''s cell. "Look, man¡­You did fucked-up stuff. At the least, that warrants some type of punishment. But, I''m going to give you a little hope." He looked at Lyn. "I want him to be confined in the fortress but given a window with a view. Let him see the city he tried to destroy, the people he sought to harm, while Trisha keeps visiting for therapy. Maybe seeing some people living their lives will reinvigorate his will to live."


    Kory nodded through his tears. "That¡­" He looked at Lyn, "Please¡­let me find her again."


    "In another life," Lyn replied. "I have to clear a dungeon to ascend to true divinity. But after? Sure. But first, the punishment Lawrence has decided upon. You''ll be confined until he decides otherwise, left to watch what you could have been a part of."


    Kory hung his head, and Cecily justughed aloud. "Wow, you''re a pussy, Lyn. Fucking bitch, you don''t have the balls to kill him outright. Wanting to take the moral high ground?" If I can get her mad, get her to break the cell, maybe, I might have a chance to fire off a spell to transfer my consciousness to someone else and escape.


    Lyn stood up in a blink and reached through the cell, grabbing Cecily''s wrist and pulling her against the bars. "I am the only one who decides on morality. I make the rules. I am the inheritor of the power of two deities. I am going to be the only ruler of this world." She released Cecily and looked to the other heroes. "We are here to decide what to do with Cecily Vgonia. She is guilty¡­but what should the punishment be?"


    Ben, who had been silent up until this point, stood up. "She doesn''t deserve going back to Earth. Or a second chance. My vote is to leave her to rot."


    Trisha shook her head. "But what about the person she is possessing? That person is still in there somewhere. Cecily is just¡­in control. We can''t damn an innocent woman to that fate just to punish Cecily."


    Thomas spoke. "Well, here''s an idea. Let''s first transfer Cecily''s consciousness into something truly pathetic. Like a rodent. We transfer her consciousness to that, and then can punish her with what you deem a fitting consequence."


    Cecily felt her heart racing. "You wouldn''t ¨C you couldn''t!"


    Lyn smiled a devilish smile. "I can, and I might. Trisha? Lawrence? Ben? Brad? Thoughts?"


    The heroes were silent in contemtion, save for Ben. "Put her in a rat to free the innocent. Then, annihte her like you did to Volio." There were mutters of agreement from the other heroes. Ben, the most calm-natured out of the whole ss, suggesting the punishment seemed to elicit others to go along with it.


    "No!" Cecily screamed. "I was meant to rule the world!"


    "And I was meant to ruin it. But I didn''t. And you won''t rule¡­I will." Lyn stated this with a tone of finality. She closed her eyes, and Cecily heard a skittering, scratching noise as a rat ran past the twin Duskari and stood in front of the jail cell. Lyn said something in a chittering voice, and the rat got in front of Cecily.


    She felt her heart thumping so fast that it felt like it would leave her chest. "You can''t!" she screamed as she felt herself trembling in panic. "I''m the smartest! Th-the prettiest! I-I-I''m the Ruler hero!"


    Trisha got up and left, saying simply, "I don''t want to see this. Goodbye, Cecily. You reap what you sow."


    Lawrence followed after her, but Brad, Thomas, and Ben stayed behind. "Cowards!" Cecily screamed. "You''re all cowards! I demand a real trial!"


    "You think you can make demands?" Kory asked with a smirk as he wiped the tears away. "That''s fucking rich. Eat shit and die. Bitch."


    Brad smirked. "Mutting you was cathartic, but seeing you die permanently will be so, so sweet."


    Lyn began muttering aplicated verse that Cecily couldn''t even begin to track. "No! You can¡ª" The world began to go dark, and Cecily fell unconscious.


    She came to a few secondster, and the heroes and Lyn towered over her. She felt her new form ¨C a disgusting, vile rodent skittering along the ground. She tried to run, but Lyn grabbed her with a wed hand and raised her to eye level. No! You can''t kill me! I''m Cecily Vgonia! Ruler hero! Top of the ss! I''m ¨C I''m supposed to rule everything! I was supposed to have everything!


    "An idea hits me," Lyn said with a chuckle. "I am going to have my Destroyer core torture you before annihting you. You''re going to meet a few aspects of me you will not like. Goodbye forever, Cecily." She felt a crunch, intense pain, and then found herself standing in a familiar, ck space. There were no doors, and blueva surrounded her on all sides.


    She turned to the growling behind her and saw Lyn''s face. The face of the Destroyer. A draconic, Duskari abomination. "Fucking die!" Cecily screamed as she tried to exert her will on this entity.


    Theva vanished, and she was left alone in darkness. What happened? Cecily thought.


    A single, ming, blue orb appeared in the air before her, and it split into three figures. Two Duskari women ¨C Lyn and a twin, and the enormous shape of the Demonic Dragon which caused Cecily to fall to her knees in despair. "I told you I''m going to have my core torture you," Lyn said.


    "What I failed to mention was that I would not be doing it alone," the other Duskari said.


    "I am not just Lyn. I am Yheron," the dragon said.


    "I am Raevan," the Duskari said.


    And the center Duskari smirked, "And I am Lyn Rivers." She snapped her fingers, and twenty glowing, multi-colored spheres appeared around her. Yheron, Raevan, and the orbs flew into Lyn, and she shone with such a brightness that Cecily screamed in agony.


    A pair of hands grabbed her and pulled her up. Cecily blinked the whiteness away and felt herself tremble in fear. Sheer horror crept over her as the fiery blue, prismatic-sparkling eyes stared into the depths of her being. Lyn''s voice came out of the figure''s mouth. "You will experience all the pain of every person you have in before I annihte you. Prepare for an eternity of pain ¨C whilst no time passes outside. For me, not even a second. But for you? Thousands of lifetimes of torment."


    Cecily felt pain. Horrible pain. It washed over her in waves upon waves. Time stretched to eternity, and some power kept her fully aware of every single instance of agony. She died, thousands upon thousands of times, only to be brought back in this soul-state to be tortured to death again. Every single injury she had ever inflicted. Every thought of her victims. Every person whom she had ordered to be killed...every one was revisited upon her in an endless cascade.


    Finally, with a singr roar, Lyn''s mouth turned into that of a dragon, opened, and the blueva annihted Cecily fully.


    Lyn incinerated the crushed rodent and opened the mana-suppressing cell, pulling the young woman out. The woman slowly blinked her eyes open and screamed. "Damnit," Lyn muttered in Shereldian. "Just rx. Cecily was in you, she''s gone now. You''re safe."


    The woman continued to scream, and Lyn just tossed her to Ben, who put the woman in a sleeper hold until she stilled. He hefted the woman over his shoulder and nodded to Lyn, Thomas, and Brad. "Good riddance. I''ll get this one settled in the hospital," he said in English. He left with the woman.


    Thomas looked at Lyn and chuckled, continuing to speak in their home tongue. "And just like that, all threats are dealt with. You solved what the abyss was and killed what was in it. Hard to believe that the Elenthians tried to take over the world."


    Lyn shrugged. "There is more to be done. But¡­we are making progress. All major obstacles are dealt with. The loss of our armies is severe¡­and we must honor their sacrifice."


    Brad smiled. "Thank you, Lyn. The bitch who made my life hell is no more."


    Lyn nodded and shot him a grin. "Feel like a victory fuck to celebrate? I''ve been meaning to take your new dick for a ride. And I need a distraction for the evening."


    Brad smiled and nodded. "I''ll be waiting." He left the room, and the twins shot Lyn an inquisitive nce.


    She swapped to Arinol. "It''s just getting some sexual pleasure. You two can take the night off and do what you will."


    Vael sighed. "Not fair. Gael is going to go sit with Bolvon, but I don''t have Na to keep me busy."


    "You could always join me and Brad."


    Vael pursed her lips but nodded curtly. "Sure."


    Gael rolled his eyes and left. "See youter, Lyn."


    Kory cleared his throat and drew Lyn''s gaze. He spoke in English. "Can¡­can you rey Gina''s message for me?"


    Lyn nodded. "Sure. I''ll even work on an inscribed item so that you can listen to it whenever you like ¨C but that''ll be a few days." She recast the spell that pulled Gina''s message from the Oracle core forth, and listened to her message once more.


    Kory''s eyes welled up again and he nodded with a faint smile. "Thank you, Lyn."


    "Once I ascend, I''ll make sure you and Gina find each other in your next life or lives." She looked at Thomas. "The same for Ben and Trisha, if you could pass that along. I''m sure they would love that."


    Thomas smiled and pped her on the back. "Go getid. We''ve got a lot of working in the following days."


    Lyn chuckled and left Thomas with Kory as she went to her chambers. At least as a prosthetic, stamina won''t be an issue. Vael walked right behind her, and she absentmindedly reached back for the Duskari woman''s hand, feeling it sped in her own grip.


    Thomas sat down on the bench facing Kory. "Hey¡­I''m here to talk, if you want to talk."


    Kory shook his head. "Can you just leave me alone? I¡­want to remember her."


    Thomas nodded and left, leaving the winding corridors and entering Lynhold. He made a beeline for the Baxter household as the twin moons floated high above in the sky. Knocking, he heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs as Trisha opened the door. "Hey, Lyn wanted me to ask you something."


    The Healer hero nodded, but her face had an expression of sorrow. "What is it?"


    "She is going to ascend to divinity. And she wanted to offer the same spell ¨C or however she is going to do it ¨C to let you and Ben find each other in your next lives, just like she will do for Kory and Gina."


    Trisha''s demeanor immediately brightened, and she nodded enthusiastically. "Please pass along that I would very much like that."


    Thomas nodded. "Alright. I will." Trisha gently shut the door after bidding him goodnight, and he walked under the clear, moonlit skies.


    Everything turned out about as well as I could''ve imagined. Some hups, some issues¡­but holy fuck, we might get a happy ending out of all of this bullshit.


    Still¡­he couldn''t help but think of what woulde next. Sure, there was the immediate aftermath of the next few weeks and months. But after that? Maybe a year or two? He would be helping bring this whole world into a new golden age.


    This had not been something that Thomas had nned from the start ¨C that would have been to just keep the peace between the three kingdoms. He had been fumbling ever since James slew him and events spiraled out of his control. Yet somehow, in some way, circumstances had turned out as well as he could have hoped.


    A new age is dawning. Lyn''s Age.


    And he would be there throughout her eternity to help guide her. The true architect of her utopia, drawing on the knowledge of two worlds. In a way, it would be just as much his empire as it was hers.

 B2 – Chapter 29

    Several hectic days passed. Lyn first had to break the news of the loss of the armies to the popce and gave a solemn speech ¨C written by Thomas with help from Trisha. She stood atop the fortress and amplified her voice through a spell.


    "The armies that marched upon Vgonia were victorious, but many did not return. I grieve with you at the loss of our people. There is nothing that can rece the holes in our hearts, but beforted in the knowledge that your family, your friends, your loved ones who gave their all for the Eternal Empire did so bringing Cecily Vgonia to justice. Her crimes against all who live on Ghomar have had their consequences meted out." She paused for dramatic effect as the sound of silencey thick upon the crowd.


    "Even greater still, they stopped a dreadful evil from spilling out into the world ¨C that whichy trapped in the abyss would have been unleashed if not for their bravery. Now, we give in to our sorrow and weep for those who we lost. Be secure in the knowledge that somewhere on Ghomar, they are reborn, and let that assuage your sorrow."


    "We would not stand here today if not for their service and sacrifice. As such, I dere this day to be from henceforth a day of celebration. Celebration of our brave soldiers who gave their all defending the Eternal Empire!"


    There was raucous cheering mixed with sorrow-filled wails of grief. Lyn manifested her wings and flew off to the south of the Dragon''s Maw, where the prisoners from Vgonia were gathered, guarded by the Ari marines and Sloren ram riders.


    In all, out of the whole Human popce of Vgonia, only fifty thousand people survived. They were quite xenophobic, and as Lyn stood in front of them, she could feel the palpable aura of hatred directed toward her. She did not speak in a kind tone as she did with her people. Instead, she amplified her draconic voice and filled every word with as much dread as possible.


    "I am Lyn Rivers, Empress of the Eternal Empire, and the Destroyer. Your kingdom has fallen, and Cecily has been destroyed utterly. You have but one option ¨C submit yourselves to my benevolence. I will wipe clean your hatred of non-Humans. Resist this spell, and I know you wish for death." She gestured. The Ari and Sloren readied weaponry at the quivering, fearful, and enraged prisoners. "Choose. Kneel, and ept your second chance¡­or stay standing and die."


    She began to utter a verse in Elenthir. One that would alter the memories of those who were afflicted. Removing all of Cecily''s propaganda and fearmongering regarding non-Humans. Most knelt, but some stayed standing ¨C and were cut down. I can''t allow bigots in my empire, she thought as she felt her mana slowly deplete. By the time the spell had finished, a full third of the Vgonians had chosen death over submission. Lyn felt her stomach churn at the ughter¡­but it was a necessary evil. They could not live in peace with other people, and she would not have a situation like what the country of her birth had with racial division. A small price to pay forsting peace.


    Lyn returned to Lynhold and helped with the festivities that were nned to celebrate the sacrifices of her soldiers. There were funeral games that awarded prizes of precious metal ¨C statues, emblems, gemstone encrusted jewelry, and more.


    At the end of the festivities, as the evening went onward, she led therge procession up the side of Shiverburn Summit where she threw a symbolic wooden statue of each race into the bubblingva. A representation of the sacrifices each person had made, as the bodies were naught but bone inside metal, buried when Lyn destroyed Cecria. The old capital of a now-gone kingdom.


    The night ended, and she went to her chambers. A lingering thought echoed through her mind. Something she had been putting off in the time leading up to this day. Am I ready to be a goddess? She had been mulling the concept here and there but now that everything had died down in the immediate aftermath of the war¡­she was left with her thoughts.


    I could be a goddess and ascend¡­but that hasrger implications. I wouldn''t just be Lyn the Destroyer. I''d be a full-blown deity. What would people expect of me? Would I hear prayers in my mind? Would I change even more?


    The scariest thought of the whole process was the possibility of losing herself. She liked who she was now. She was still Lyn, but Yheron and Raevan were within, and she knew that they were all of one mind now. What if she lost them and their council? The lingering question from Raevan''s dungeon echoed through her head. One she had answered "yes" to.


    Will you ascend?


    Kory was moved from the cells to a fortified room with a metaltticed window. He was able to peer out upon the residents of Lynhold, and despite his limited mobility with simple wooden prostheses that Trisha provided, he kept as active as he could. He was brought books, simple food, and water.


    A fucking prisoner, he thought. For however long Lawrence wants me here. He was keeping his body and mind as engaged as possible, and looking out on people living their lives and being free to be who they wanted was¡­filling him with regret. I could have had this life. I just had toe here, listen to Lyn, let her swap out my Berserker core¡­


    He broke down crying. He had only cried a few times in his life ¨C when he was badly injured in sports, when his dad broke his arm the first time Kory stood up to the man, Gina''s death, when he woke up in Trisha''s hospital after panic-killing Jacobson, and at hearing Gina''s message. I should have had a happy ending with her.


    He knew Gina''s suicide was not her fault, and he couldn''t help but feel like he had contributed. He could have been more present and with her constantly, but instead he was focused on fighting. But her message had soothed his guilty conscience. And as he held himself in the fetal position on his bed, his door opened.


    Sullenly, he turned and saw a fully Duskari Lyn. No draconic features were present, and she gently set a metal box with Elenthir inscriptions on the small bedside table. "I have done as you asked. You can pour mana into this ¨C it''ll take you a few hours with your mana core ¨C and listen to Gina again."


    "Are¡­are you going¡­to help us find each other still?"


    "Yes. For Gina''s sake ¨C not yours. I don''t think you deserve it." Lyn turned and left, shutting the door behind her.


    Kory scrambled over to the cube, brought it back to bed, and held it to his chest as he poured his mana into it. It took two hours, but he heard the voice of the woman he loved. The woman who was torn away from him by her own actions brought about by madness and visions of futures that could be.


    He did not move until dinner arrived, at which point he ate the scant food and kept pouring mana into the cube, staring out the window as he saw the gorgeous sky turn the deep orange before night fell and the stars filled the expanse above. Gina''s words soothed him as he fell asleep.


    Maria returned home to Kor''s Hold with her sons. "A few years," she said. "Then you can go to school in Lynhold with your friends ande back home. Two weeks there, two weeks here."


    The boys were not happy about losing their friends for a short while, but Empress Rivers was very, very kind and gave them woodenmunication amulets. The whole journey back, the boys were talking to each other using the inscribed devices.


    When she got home, James rushed out of the pce to hug her tightly. "I''m sorry," he whispered. "I tried my best, I swear."


    Maria just held him close. "I know you did. It''s okay."


    He separated from her, gave her a kiss on the lips, and then grabbed both of his boys under each arm. "What have you two rascals been up to?"


    The two boys alternated speaking. "We''ve been ying with Eli¡ª"


    "And Gil¡ª"


    "And Lyndra!"


    James chuckled. "Oh? The Baxter kids? What about Lawry?"


    Both boys pouted slightly and Tovol huffed. "He got to ride around on a raven! Flying!"


    James looked at Maria, who smiled and nodded. "Fin has promised that she will work on a few ravens for the boys here. Companions to keep an eye on them." She stared down at the two, "And make sure that they don''t get in trouble!"


    Both boys grumbled slightly, but their eyes were alight with the anticipation of their very own animalpanions that could carry them around through the skies. "They can take us to the Valley so we can do school every day with our friends, and thene home for supper!"


    James set the boys down and tousled their hair before grabbing Maria around the waist and lifting her into his arms. "Come, my queen. Our pce awaits."


    Maria grinned and hugged him tightly. Her hero. Her Paragon. The man who saved her from the streets, and whom she loved with all her heart.


    James spent several weeks dealing with the tumult of the loss of a whole army. The duchies demandedpensation, and when he called upon Lyn to help solve the issue, she arrived with plentiful valuable gifts that could be utilized for the task. Thanks to the benevolence of his empress, his kingdom was on the path to recovery.


    As he sat in the courtyard next to Maria, taking a small break from training his boys, he felt a light vibration in his coat pocket. He pulled out the small mirror and saw Lyn''s face. "Hi. What can I do for you?" he asked in English.


    "I am checking in. Anything you need help with?"


    James shook his head. "Nope. We''re good here. I¡­I did have a personal request for you."


    "Shoot."


    "Well¡­our boys told us that the Baxter kids were able to do some pretty hefty spells¡­did you give them dungeon cores?"


    "I did."


    "Could you do the same for our boys?"


    Lyn''s face was inscrutable, and she was silent for several moments. "Convince me. Give me a good reason. After all the crap you put me through, it better be inarguable."


    "Our boys are bing fast friends with the Baxter children. It''s like¡­imagine if your best friend got a video game console, and they constantly unted it in front of you ¨C unwillingly so, but still unting it. How would you feel?"


    Lyn sighed and tersely nodded. "No, that makes sense. The Baxter kids aren''t being cruel, I''m sure¡­and I know what it''s like to feel your inadequacypared to peers. Fine. I''ll be there in a moment. It is painful ¨C you know¡­so prepare them."


    James put the mirror away and called the boys over. They both came to him wearing their wooden armor and weapons. He spoke to them in Khrrdian. "We have a very special guesting. Empress Rivers has a present for you two."


    "Is it our ravens?" Tovol asked.


    "No¡­you know how Eli and your other friends can use spells? The impressive looking ones?" Both boys nodded. "Well¡­Empress Rivers is going to give you both the same opportunity."


    Both of them gasped and were practically buzzing with enthusiasm. Maria looked at the two with a critical gaze. "It''s a big responsibility."


    "We can handle it!" Tevol shouted. His brother nodded.


    There was a sh of blue light, and Lyn stood off to the side of James and Maria, in her draconic-Humanoid form. "You ready?" she asked curtly in Khrrdian.


    James looked at the boys. "Alright you two. You have to be very thankful." He looked over to Lyn, who was reaching into a storage dimension, withdrawing wooden orbs, and held them out.


    Tovol walked up and grabbed one of the spheres. "What do I do¡­Empress?"


    "Squeeze it," she replied. Tevol walked up and grabbed the other dungeon core.


    Both boys looked at each other, nodded, and squeezed at the same time. They were tense for a moment, and then giggled,ughed, and bowed. "Thank you," they said in tandem.


    "You are wee," Lyn said as the two ran off and began firing small water spells at each other.


    "Thank you," James said to her. The sound of his boy''sughter as they sted each other with simple water spells fueled with an insane amount of mana for their age filled him with gratitude he never knew he had.


    "No problem." She closed her eyes and muttered the lightspeed travel spell as she vanished in a bolt of blue.


    The two boys looked at their father with pure glee. "Teach us spells!"


    "I want to shoot fire!"


    "I want to make walls!"


    James chuckled and raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, a few easy, non-harmful spells. Okay, let''s start with a simple barrier¡­" He turned to his wife, gave her a deep kiss, and then instructed the boys to the center of the courtyard.


    "Miss Fin? May I help?" Lawry stood at the top of the staircase of the Raven Tower. His Arinol was not the best, but Whisperwing, the raven that Empress Rivers had given to the young boy, was able to correct his pronunciation.


    Fin looked back at the young boy and nodded. "Sure,e on! You can help with the hatchlings."


    The boy ran forward, and the ravens parted for him. He had a knack for animalism spells, and he was extremely powerful for his young age. To be expected of the child of two heroes, she thought. As he got next to her, he plopped himself in front of the eggs that were moving back and forth. "Less than a minute," he muttered in Triskol.


    Fin smiled and swapped to his homenguage. "Yes. Good eye."


    "It''s just a feeling," he replied. He ced his hand over the eggs.


    "What are you doing?" Fin asked with genuine curiosity but also a feeling of urgency. These were her ravens, and she did not want to risk them being harmed by mistake.


    "Using a spell," Lawry replied. "I asked Uncle Lawrence for help with it."


    Ah, well, if the Shifter hero helped¡­I''m sure it''ll be fine. She stood patiently as he muttered several lines of Elenthir seemingly from memory.


    The eggs shed a bright, vibrant blue-purple hue as the hatchlings cracked through the shells and began peeping. He deftly grabbed the pail of grubs and began feeding them gingerly. "What did you do?" she asked.


    "I asked Uncle Lawrence to give me a spell that would make them able to turn into other birds."


    That''s¡­huh¡­okay. Fin was not sure how to feel about that. She felt an affinity for ravens, not other birds despite their number in the Valley of the Volcano''s forests. "As long as they''re happy and healthy."


    He nodded. "Can we do the other ones?"


    "Sure. We can absolutely do those." Fin walked over to the scripts that were etched in stone; an insistence of Empress Rivers to ensure that the verses were not mistaken, forgotten, or marred.


    Whisperwing hopped over and looked down at the hatchlings. "Oh! It''s always so nice seeing new hatchlings! Mind if I help feed them?"


    Lawry held up the pail, and Whisperwing gobbled down several grubs before regurgitating and feeding the hatchlings until they stopped peeping and settled down to sleep.


    Fin ced the te in front of Lawry. "Let me know if any words are tricky to pronounce."


    The boy nodded and began to slowly read off of the etched stone, and Fin felt a sense of aplishment. I''ve found a non-Duskari and non-Ari apprentice. A fellow bird person. One that was naturally talented and truly seemed to bond with the avian creatures as Fin had.


    Menora breathed in a deep lungful of the crisp, slightly salty air. She rode on an enormous raven amongst the clouds with a small cohort of Duskari operatives. They glided over the storms surrounding the Ruins of Elent andnded in the city which took her breath away. Thomas had told her what to expect, and after Empress Rivers had stated that Cecily had figured out some forbidden spell with charcoal rubbings, the antiquarian was sent to take charcoal rubbings of her own before destroying the originals.


    It felt¡­slightly unnerving, destroying history. But her empress was firm in her requirements. As Menora explored the city alongside her guards, she couldn''t help but feel a deep sense of connection to the ruined city. The central building called her, and she approached but found a sealed door. And this is what Thomas said I could not get past. She sighed slightly. I wanted to see what he found. Ah, well. She ced the ''charges'' of inscribed items around the base of the building, and then extended an inscribed cord. Channeling mana, the entire structure exploded and then copsed.


    There was plenty else to keep her busy. She traveled extensively and with the help of her Duskari operatives, took plentiful charcoal rubbings, and then dashed the original to bits. ck, spectral forms floated around but did not bother them. No artifacts on this trip, but¡­ She unfurled a map of Ghomar and looked at the smaller section in the vassal-kingdom of Fosk. There were some reports there.


    She would have to spend many days on this isle with the ruins of the first civilization. But she would be able to get back to what she loved soon enough. And even better, Empress Lyn was not just looking for inscribed items or artifacts ¨C she wanted Menora to establish a museum. The antiquarian had much to look forward to in theing years.


    Seer Dran heard the footsteps and instantly recognized them. She wasid up in bed, readying for her death. She had lived a good, long life, and the service to Empress Rivers was all she could have asked for at the end of her days.


    The empress came up to her and sat alongside the Newen diviner. She ced her wed hand on hers, and Dran felt a deep sense of honor at the gesture. "I thank you for all of your service, Seer Dran," the empress stated. "Your service to the empire has been invaluable."


    "Thank you," was all the Newen could wheeze out.


    "I offer an easier passage, if you choose. A single word, and I can end the pain."


    Seer Dran nodded and smiled. "Thank you¡­for letting¡­me serve."


    "The honor was mine," Empress Rivers replied as she held her hand above the Newen''s face. Dran closed her eyes, heard the words in Elenthir, and felt a deep sense of peace as the world went dark.


    She found herself standing in a dark space with a bright, white door with the word Ghomar above it. Nowhere else to go, she thought, as she stepped through to whatever new life her goddess desired for her.


    Zebed Ba''n Azir Shedai stood in the throne room of the Destroyer, Empress Rivers. The ruler that he owed fealty to. She entered, and he bowed deeply, his two boys behind him bowing as well.


    The regal woman sat on the throne, crossed her leg over the other, and faced him. "Zebed, to what do I owe the sudden in-person visit?" she asked in Khrrdian.


    Zebed gestured to his boys who walked up and bowed. "My sons, Felej and Gerod, are of age where they can work in the banking industry and the treasury. Felej has expressed interest in working under the steward, and Gerod is just like his father ¨C a money counter and penny pincher."


    The Destroyer cracked a slight smile and gestured for the boys to approach. They did so, to the foot of the dais, and stood there. She stood and walked down to them. "And, let me guess," she said toward Zebed as she circled the two boys like a predator sniffing out prey, "this is not done purely for altruism."


    "If they are to take my position one day, they need to learn the inner workings of the empire''s finances. I hope to one day have them prove their worth in your meritocracy, and rule jointly over the Free City of Bashinol."


    Empress Rivers nodded. "Very well, they may serve if they choose." She looked at both boys, and her face became like a stone fa?ade. Unreadable. "Do you both swear service to the Eternal Empire?"


    Both boys knelt and spoke at the same time. "We swear our fealty to Empress Rivers. Please use our skills to help the realm prosper."


    She looked past them at a grinning Zebed. "Well trained." She looked back at the two. "Very well. Seek out Steward Mol, and he will set you both to learning¡­and work."


    The boys straightened, nodded with the faintest trace of smiles etched on their faces, and left the hall, following a Human dressed in fine robes ¨C one of the fortress servants.


    Empress Rivers sat on the throne and gestured for Zebed to approach. He did so, and she frowned slightly as she tapped her wed hands on the throne. "I know you are plotting to ce them in your position. I still hold the final decision in who will take over after you. They are not alone in these duties ¨C others have already arrived in the hopes of climbing the ranks."


    Zebed nodded curtly and shifted to his neutral "merchant" face. "I would not expect any special treatment, and they know not to ask for it. But¡­I am sure they will outss anyone else vying for the position."


    She smirked. "Good. Please, stay for dinner. I would be privileged to host you."


    Strike Commander nosh looked out from the Dragon''s Maw across the empty battlefield. Ever vignt, he stood atop the wall with several freshly trained Newen, drilling them with practice equipment against an attacking practice force led by Marshal Remora.


    They were training up the new recruits. Mandatory service had not been enacted ¨C and wouldn''t be for a few years ¨C but they had plentiful applicants and fresh recruits. Empress Rivers did not anticipate any uprisings due to her benevolent rule¡­but as she put it, "Better safe than sorry and bent over a barrel."


    "Alright! Release!" nosh shouted as his archers loosed practice arrows. Shafts with padded tips ¨C a small bag filled with sand. Impacting those with armor would cause a slight pain, and against unprotected skin, it would bruise.


    He heard pping and watched as the empressnded atop the wall. "How goes the training, Strike Commander?"


    nosh saluted. "They are drilling well enough. The ground formations below are working well, and the archers are improving their uracy."


    She nodded and looked out over the trainees. "Excellent. I wanted to let you know that I am elevating you to marshal, alongside Remora, to ensure we have both one of the long-lived and shorter-lived races on the council."


    nosh bowed deeply. "Empress¡­I don''t know what to say."


    She smirked and held out a wed hand. He looked at it nervously for a moment before sping it. "You have served me well. And I think that having you at the helm of our military alongside Remora will provide a perfect counterbnce. Your caution, and her aggression. A potentbination."


    He grinned. "Thank you, Empress."


    Rashanna sat in the conference chamber across from Trisk''s diplomat, Lurgen. They were discussing the distribution of a new calendar to mark the seasons, and how best to limate the current poption of Trisk to the new system.


    "It is curious, having this gap," Lurgen stated. "Why this whole week of no work in the middle of spring?"


    Rashanna took a sip of her wine. "That is for the Remembrance Games. Competitors from across the empire will be allowed topete in more local events that will be coordinated in the next year before the highest ranks willpete at Lynhold ¨C hence why I haven''t discussed it yet. We haven''t rolled it out."


    "Ah, tourney style games?"


    "Close. A mix ofpetitions. The full rules wille out shortly, but there will be archery, horsemanship, dueling, singing, dance¡­all manner of activities where prizes will be awarded. Including¡­" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "A monster core to the winner of each game."


    Lurgen chuckled and stroked his short beard. "That is an interesting prospect and a valuable prize. Empress Lyn is a most gracious ruler."


    "That she is," Rashanna replied as she sipped thest of her wine. "Any more business?"


    "Not that I can think of."


    "Then what of our dinner ns?" she asked.


    Lurgen stood up and offered his arm. "I have a chef ready to prepare a meal for us. Please, mydy."


    Rashanna smiled and epted his arm, walking down the corridors of the pce of Skir''s Hold. Everything she wanted hade to fruition. She helmed a diplomatic corps of the Eternal Empire, wanted for nothing, and had even found a wonderful man to enjoy thepany of¡­provided business was concluded.


    The empire came first. But that didn''t mean she couldn''t enjoy life.


    Bolvon picked the lock to the tower and slipped inside. He hugged the walls, blending with the shadows, thanks to an inscribed item from Empress Rivers ¨C his goddess, his everything aside from Gael.


    He was on a mission that utilized all his talents. Stealth, breaking into ces, and assassination. Another target that had to be eliminated to ensure the safety of the empire. A rogue mage who had begun to harvest mana cores of the citizens that lived in this small section of the former duchy of Brol in the Shattends ¨C the new name for the former kingdom of Vgonia.


    He hugged the wall as a thuggish, Raptol woman walked past him. She was heavily muscled. She probably can''t even fly, he thought as the bird woman''s bulk suggested she would not be able to lift off. He continued creeping up the stairs and arrived at another locked door. This one was just as easily bypassed, and he slipped inside.


    The mage was a Vharthon with eight tails. Bolvon crept forward, eyes peeled for any traps on the ground. He spotted a tripwire and gingerly stepped over it as he stood above the figure. Simultaneously, he ced his palm over their mouth and nose, and stabbed down with the artifact punch dagger he had been gifted.


    The person did not scream. Their eyes flickered open, and the air escaped from their punctured lungs as he stabbed over and over to ensure the kill. As Bolvon ripped the torso open, he gripped the heart and squeezed. The mana core surged down his mana channel, and he felt a burst of power.


    Another one down, he thought as he left the way he came. He had harvested the mana core from every person he had in¡­and there would always be some dissidents who sought personal power over the good of the empire. He was dispatched to deal with them. Divine punishment from the hidden hand of the empress. Retribution. Judgment by his silent de. The most powerful tool in his goddess'' arsenal.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Gael looked up to the door as Bolvon walked in. "You look exhausted," he said as his lover copsed into bed.


    Bolvon groaned. "I need one of those mount ravens." The noise was slightly muffled by the pillows.


    Gael chuckled and sat down, rubbing Bolvon''s back. "Soon enough, I''m sure. Fin is working hard on it."


    Bolvon rolled over and smiled slightly. "What have you been up to in the¡­fuck, ten days?"


    Gael nodded. "Yup, that was a long mission." He looked over at the Titansteel armor set ¨C shield included, as Vael had passed that on to him. "I was working with the marshals to prepare the new recruits. It''s fun, not having to stand around Lyn''s throne room all the time."


    Bolvon wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Did she at least take you to bed?"


    "Yes. We had an enjoyable couple of nights." He put his hand on Bolvon''s thigh. "But I missed you."


    "I don''t have any missions pending. I should be good for at least a week. I''lle with you to work tomorrow. See what all the fuss is about."


    "Fuss?" Gael asked as he pulled his hand away. "What fuss?"


    "Oh, you know. Peopleining about being worked to the bone," Bolvon said as he mimicked an annoying voice.


    "Pff. Yeah. Thezy ones are being weeded out."


    Bolvon sat up and kissed Gael. "You save some of that energy tomorrow for me, you hear?"


    Gael grinned and returned the kiss. "Of course." He stood up. "I''ll go get you some food."


    Bolvon grabbed him by the waist and looked up with a lust-filled gaze. "I want this right here."


    "Perfect fit," Vael said with glee as the feysmiths made the final alterations to her armor.


    "There we go!" the master feysmith Wesker replied. "Another sessful order."


    Lyn uncrossed her arms and cracked a smile. "Good. Now I need another thirty-two."


    Wesker looked at her with a stern expression. "That''ll take a while."


    She handed him a book. "I''ve got the payment. Supplies are right here," she said, gesturing to the pile of supplies.


    "We''ll get on it then," Wesker said with a bow. He whistled, and several pixies flew out from the trees, gathered the materials, and vanished through the fey-only transportationwork back to their ind.


    Vael looked at Lyn andughed. "I look like you now!" Her armor was a near-perfect copy of Lyn''s. However, Vael''s armor was a deep ocean blue.


    "My Riverguard," Lyn replied with a grin. The new name for the empress''s personal guard that kept the council members safe. "High Riverguard, I should say, for your title."


    Vael smiled and willed the armor to recede just like she had seen Lyn''s do so many times. It did so until she was nude in front of the empress. Nothing remained save the bracers and anklets. "That is handy," she stated.


    "Put it back on, you exhibitionist."


    Vael blushed and willed the armor to re-emerge. "What about weapons?"


    "For now the inscribed weapons I made will do. First, we armor up the thirty-two remaining Riverguard. Then, we can get their preferred weapons." She gestured for Vael to follow, and the two Duskari women left the hidden grove of fey trees and entered the Conve of the Fortress.


    Lyn took a detour, and Vael followed her until they arrived in the old training hall. Now a space for deep-storage, Lyn walked over to the obsidian b and sighed. "Two years ago. I can''t believe it''s already been that long." She knelt and cracked some of the rock with her wed hand, squeezing it until it crumbled to dust.


    "I remember first finding you. A hand cut off, bleeding out. I was lucky to be the one who found you."


    Lyn chuckled and shook her hand clean of the debris. "Lucky? Maybe." She stood up and faced Vael. "I''m d you found me first. Have you given thought to my offer about the backup body?"


    Vael nodded. "As long as you do the same for Gael and Bolvon."


    "I guarantee it."


    She nodded. "Then yes, please."


    Lyn smiled and waved for her to follow. "I''ll notify Thomas. Come, we have new Riverguard trainees to put through the ringer."


    Na oversaw the construction of the new ironside vessel. Cannons had been taken from across Vgonia and were being repurposed and fit onto the new version of the vessels. They were being outfitted with what the Alchemist hero referred to as "fire retardant." Some type of canister of substance that doused fires instantly.


    She looked up from her work as Vael approached. Na hopped off the boat and barked a fewst orders before she looked her woman up and down. "Not bad. The armor suits you."


    Vael giggled slightly and grinned ear to ear. "Empress Rivers has given me permission to join you for half of the month on Sidalon when you go."


    Na felt joy bubble up in her. Empress Rivers had taken convincing, but eventually she was able to get the woman to agree; the Ari who came from Sidalon should be allowed to resettle their ancestral home. The city was still intact having been abandoned in the war, and after the ironsides were finished, Na''s navy would patrol the whole exterior of Ghomar, including up and down the rivers, a fleet of long boats and fifty ironsides at hermand.


    She would have to be in Lynhold one week each month, so that meant more time with Vael. Three out of every four weeks ¨C a luxury, given their drastically different roles. She walked up and grabbed the slimmer woman by the back of the neck, kissed her passionately, and then separated. "Right. You''ll have to wait until things are up and running, but I promise to treat you right."


    Vael smiled and nodded. "I better be treated well. Hot springs tonight?"


    "It''s kind of warm," Na replied. "I''d rather take you up to the mountain wall for a pic."


    "If that''s what you want¡ª"


    "It is," Na said firmly but with an endearing tone. "Now, off you get. I''ll meet you at the stairster."


    The smaller Duskari nodded and walked off toward Lynhold, and Na stared after her. It''s crazy how love finds you when you''re not looking for it. She turned back to the engineers who were building the ironside and got them back to work. "No cking off! We have to finish this section tonight!"


    She chuckled as they threw yful insults back at her, and the sailor banter continued well into the evening before she left for her date night.


    The small council met in Empress Rivers'' throne room. The obsidian table was brought out along with the chairs, and the four lead councilors took their seats. They each had an apprentice next to them. Remora had Marshal nosh seated next to her. Next to Thane Mol was one of the Ari elders from the Arin Isle, acting in a co-steward capacity as per the empress''s desires for a split council of the long-lived and the short-lived races.


    "Let''s get started," Chancellor Vehenna stated in Shereldian as they settled in. "The empress will be absent for this meeting. I''ll start us off." She cleared her throat. "Ahem, reports from Trisk and Khrrdia show nothing but positive results from our diplomatic corps. There have been slight disturbances in the Shattends as groups of individuals who feel as if they do not belong in society have taken up residence in the abandoned duchies. Efforts to reach out to them have been fruitless."


    Marshal Remora nodded. "We should have forces adequate enough to go to each region and bring them into the empire proper or crush them."


    "Ah," Spymaster Velenna interrupted. "There are rumors that they are banning together to demand vassalization with some¡­changes to the requirements."


    Thane Mol spoke. "Wood thess allow it?"


    "Doubtful," Velenna replied. "I would anticipate that the empress would require them to be brought into her domain by force."


    "We will be ready by midsummer," Remora said proudly. "Marshal nosh has been working on integrating the new forces into more spell-focused groups of troops, so we should be able to handle it ourselves without calling upon our goddess."


    Vehenna smiled. "Good. I have heard no reports of internal threats or machinations. If the Shattends is all that Velenna has heard of¡­" She trailed off waiting for anyone else to provide input. But all was silent. "How are our coffers?" she asked the steward.


    Mol grinned. "Aye. We''ve got manyds helpin''. Zebed''s boys ar'' bright''uns. Money is nae'' an issue."


    "Excellent," Remora replied. "There is some concern from the troops about hazard pay for entering the Shattends."


    "We''ll provide," Vehenna stated. "The empress always provides." There were murmurs of agreeing statements. "Anything else for the good of the order?" Silence answered her. "Then I conclude this small council meeting.


    The councilors stood up and left, and Vehenna approached the throne. She ced her hand on the hidden inscription, waited until the room had cleared, and then activated it as she descended into the hidden vault below the dais.


    It was here that Empress Lyn kept the various mirrors to contact the rulers of the different vassal states and kingdoms. Chancellor Vehenna sat down in the center of the room and began her day''s duties of managing an empire on behalf of her goddess. The greatest privilege she could have asked for in her life.


    Stes stood deep in the Conve of the Fortress. Empress Lyn and Thomas were finishing thest bit of inscription of what would hopefully be a stable tunnel-like portal to Earth. She felt the buzz of anticipation in her chest and her heart beating quickly.


    Lyn looked up to her as she finished her side of the inscription faster. "You have the artifact?"


    Stes nodded and tapped the choker made by the feysmiths. "Yes. I have been practicing my terminology, and the auto trantion is working." The artifact would allow her words to be interpreted by any who heard to this "English"nguage from Lyn''s and Thomas''s home world. That, apanied with an earring that would trante what she heard, along with an inscribed belt that would change her external appearance to Human¡­she was ready.


    Years of building up resources and getting the mage college in a ready state had finallye to fruition. Soon, she would see the world Thomas came from, and have ess to the endless repository of knowledge avable.


    Thomas walked up to her and wiped his brow. "Remember, the inscribed ring is the emergency ''return'' button. We don''t know how the time dtion will work."


    Lyn reached into her storage dimension of her choker and withdrew a small pouch. "Gold and gems. Take them to a pawn shop, sell them, and purchase an external storage device."


    Stes nodded, having spent much time with Thomas learning how the devices, these puters" worked. "Right. Then I''m to purchase aptop, a portable generator, and download this online encyclopedia." She smiled and tapped her temple. "I remember everything we''ve been practicing."


    Lyn nodded and gestured to the borate inscription. "Remember, this anchor will keep a pinprick of a tunnel open. You have to channel mana into it to force it wide enough to return." She gestured to a lever nearby. "And pull that once you''re back. We can''t risk someone following you."


    Stes nodded and walked forward into the aperture of the inscription. The mission had changed from when she first broached the idea with Thomas and got Lyn to approve it. No longer was she going to learn¡­she was going to take. Every drip of information she could.


    There was a knot of anxiety in her chest. She had no clue how long would pass rtive to Ghomar''s time. But the anticipation made her legs shake with joy. Thomas walked up and put a hand on her shoulder, pulling her in for a hug. "Thank you for saving me," he muttered.


    "What?"


    He pulled back. "You pulled me out of the dark ce I was in after my wyvern died. Thank you for that. I don''t know if I would have recovered as quickly as I did without you."


    Stes felt an odd emotion overwhelm her. "You''re wee," she whispered as Thomas separated.


    "Right, activate the items," Lyn said as she knelt and ced her palm on the inscription.


    Stes nodded and pushed her mana into the objects, feeling her body shift and morph as the Human form took over her body. The feeling of her snout and tails receding, as her ears shifted, was quite ufortable in a gross way; there was not any actual physical harm. Within seconds, a ck-haired and green-eyed Human stood where the Vharthon once did.


    "Godspeed," Thomas said as he knelt alongside Lyn. The two of them channeled their mana into the inscription, and it lit with light blue and deep, cream white colors that ovepped and twisted.


    Stes saw a busy, stone city street, and walked through as she entered where the heroes came from.


    Earth. The world of the heroes.


    Lawrence breathed a deep sigh of relief as the third annual Remembrance Games ended. He stood up and walked down from the empress''s box, onto the floor of the arena where all thepetitors from across Ghomar had gathered. Lyn stood up, and the crowd quieted. She muttered a spell and gestured to Lawrence.


    He spoke in English, and yet his words were tranted to every person''s native tongue thanks to a world-wide spell Lyn had cast. "Those who havee here and shown their mastery of a chosen discipline¡­we thank you for your hard work and dedication. Truly, you are the best of the best. As a reward, Empress Rivers has a custom-bred monster core for each of you."


    He went to the solid gold case and approached the line of winners, pulling out the monster cores in their tinum, spherical containers. They held the objects in front of them until all had one, and Lawrence raised his hand. Once he closed his fist, they opened the spheres and consumed the monster cores ¨C instantly gaining arge amount of mana capacity. Not as much as a dungeon core would provide¡­but an immense boost that would make them even greater than the average person.


    "This is how our empress rewards those who strive to be the best," Lawrence stated. "And, in two years'' time, we will have our first Champion Games, where you winners, and all else who qualify next year, and winners over the past two, maypete for the honor of a dungeon core."


    This elicited cheers from thebatants, and the crew stood up and began to shout and cheer. Lawrence yelled out, his voice carried by Lyn''s spell. "All hail Empress Rivers! All hail the Eternal Empire!"


    His shouts were repeated, and he returned to Lyn''s box as the closing performances began. She leaned over and spoke softly. "How are our resources?"


    Lawrence smiled. "Excellent. I''ve got more than enough stockpiled for every industry. The duchy of Pictal required some extra steel, but we sent that along and have plenty in our stockpiles. I think we have finally hit that point of equilibrium where we don''t need you using spells to create raw resources."


    Lyn smiled. "Good. It was getting rather droll."


    "You never use that word," Lawrence replied.


    "I''m sure I''ve used it before."


    "I don''t think so."


    She gently punched his shoulder and chuckled. "Come off it. So, how are the public works programs in Lynhold?"


    Lawrence kicked up his feet on the banister in front of him. "Honestly? They''re going great. We have an interesting new art movement kicking off ¨C people who are¡­erm¡­what''s the best way to put this¡ª"


    "You meant the sexualized artwork of me with various people?"


    Lawrenceughed. "Yeah, wasn''t sure if you''d seen it or not."


    She tapped her wed fingers on the armrest. "Honestly? I don''t know. It''s ttering, and I''ve never been shy about unting my figure and physique. I don''t think it''s disrespectful¡­what do you think?"


    "Well, we could designate a section of the museum to artwork of the empress. Give those artists a ce to put their expressive works, perhaps rotate artists given the size of the space, that way we don''t have random city-goers and visitors seeing you in such a state."


    Lyn smiled and nodded. "A very well-reasoned and thought-out approach. Thank you. You know" ¨C she crossed her legs ¨C "you are very well suited to your job."


    "What can I say? I love city builders. And you gave me the ultimate cheat code."


    "Oh? What''s that?"


    "Unlimited resources."


    Ben ducked under Eli''s punch and pulled his own jab as he knocked his eldest son''s wind out of him. "Come on, I told you! Keep the abs tight!"


    Eli staggered to his feet. Now a young man of fifteen, he took a deep breath in and entered a defensive stance. "Alright, old man. Time for me to finally beat you."


    Benughed. "Oh?"


    Eli muttered a spell, and his physique reached its maximum possible ¨C the spell that Lyn had given Ben to teach the troops and his brawlers.


    "Boy, I told you, skill will beat out raw strength any day."


    Eli unleashed a flurry of hooks and jabs that Ben deftly blocked, not taking any offensive action as he relied on his reflexes and muscle memory. I have to admit, he''s gotten better.


    Gil shouted from the side of the ring, "Come on, Eli! Shin kick!"


    Eli nced sideways at his adopted brother, and Ben took advantage of that to sweep the leg and pin Eli on the ground. "Never take your eyes off your opponent!" He looked at Gil and grinned, "Good job, I''ll get you that new sword you''ve been eyeing."


    "You nned it?" Eli asked as he pushed his dad off.


    Ben chuckled and reached down to pull his eldest off the ground. "Yeah, I told Gil if he could make you mess up, I''d buy him that new de."


    Eli looked at Gil and sighed as he took off the boxing gloves. "Asshole."


    "Hey," Ben said. "No cursing at family."


    Gil stuck out his tongue andughed. Eli got the gloves off and hopped out of the ring, faking an exit before he turned and tackled his brother, grappling on the floor for a dominant position.


    Ben leaned on the ropes, chuckling as the boys tousled. But his eyes also caught movement at the far end of the brawler''s lodge. He raised his hand and waved, swapping to English. "Hey, Lyn."


    She approached the teenage boys and stood over them; neither seemed to notice. She looked back to Ben. "Let me guess, you paid off Gil again?"


    At hearing her voice, the two boys stopped and scrambled to their feet, saluting with the grasped fingers like a w over their hearts. "Empress!" they both shouted in Shereldian.


    Lyn smirked and swapped to thenguage. "At ease." She looked up to Ben as the two boys took up a rxed stance, huffing and breathing hard. "I wanted to let you know I''m going to be gone for a bit. I don''t know how long."


    Ben nodded. "Scout core calling?"


    "No, actually. I''m going to that dungeon. I''ve decided¡­it''s time to ascend. Whatever that entails."


    "What made you decide?"


    Sheughed. "You''re getting old. Trisha is getting old. What, you''re both in your forties now? I have to keep my word and bind you two together."


    Eli looked at Ben. "Dad, what''s she talking about?"


    "A gift, from the empress for my service. She''s going to make sure your mother and I find each other in our next lives. But, to do that, she has to do something huge." He looked back to Lyn and slipped out of the ring, walking forward and grabbing her in a bear hug that she returned. "Thanks, Lyn."


    She pushed him away and smiled. "Of course." She turned to the boys and gestured to them, "Almost ready for your mandatory service?"


    "Yes ma''am!" both boys replied.


    "Gil, you have what, another two years until your eighteenth birthday?" He nodded, and she smiled. "Well, make sure you train hard. And you, Eli¡­do your namesake proud. Three years, yes? One behind Gil?" The younger man nodded. "Good boy."


    Ben wrapped his arm around Lyn''s shoulder. "You up for dinner?"


    "Depends, are you making pizza again?" she asked, referencing the cuisine that had taken Lynhold by storm.


    "Close. Not quite. Something closer to Indian food. Brad''s pepper project finally produced some viable heat."


    Lyn''s eyes went wide, and she grinned. "Lead the way!"


    Trisha walked Ginavieve and Misty back from the schools next to her hospital.


    Misty was jumping with excitement. "And then! We learned the words for a cool new spell! It can make flowers bloom!" She was speaking rapidly in Triskol ¨C the family''s preferrednguage when at home.


    Ginavieve was more reserved and brushed her long hair out of her eyes. "It wasn''t that cool. I''d rather know how to make me sparks, or turn into a dragon like Uncle Lawrence."


    Trisha just chided them both. "You need to keep your studies up and practice every morning."


    Ginavieve groaned. "Mom, it''s boring! I have to sit in a cold tub for thirty minutes every day!"


    "It''s not that bad," Misty replied with a haughty, better-than-you, singsong tone. "You just have to be as good as me."


    Trisha clicked her teeth, and the two girls quieted their slight bickering before it got any further along. The two were pr opposites. Misty was a bright, bubbly child who was fascinated with Elenthir, but Ginavieve took after Trisha and was studious, wanting to learn more about what she did at the hospital. It''s only not cold to you because you have body enhancement, Trisha thought.


    For some reason, the bacsh from Misty''s time spell five years ago did not reverse all of the changes to her body ¨C just her age and her memories which were still locked away. She kept the body enhancements, even if she did not know it, as the changes to the skin were imperceptible.


    "Trisha!" She looked up as she heard her husband''s voice. He was walking next to Lyn, and her two eldest sons were walking behind the duo. "We have a guest for dinner tonight!"


    Trisha smiled and waved. Misty ran forward and looked up at Lyn, shouting, "Please! Uppies!"


    Lyn leaned down and scooped up the child. "How was school?"


    "It was great! I learned a spell to make flowers bloom!"


    Lyn giggled and set the girl back down. "Alright, go inside and wash up for dinner." Misty dashed inside, quickly followed by the more serious Ginavieve.


    "Where is that rascal?" Ben asked aloud as he scanned the skies. "Did he get home before us?"


    Trisha shook her head. Lawry spent every moment out of school up in the tower of ravens, working alongside Fin and tinkering with them. "No, he''s probably just lost track of time." She picked up hermunication amulet and envisioned her son. "Lawry! Dinner time!"


    "One minute," he replied tersely. Focused. Always a quiet child, once he discovered his love of birds he becameser-focused on them. "I''ll fly over in a minute."


    "That better be an actual minute," Trisha replied as she let the amulet fall back around her neck. She looked to Lyn and gestured to the house. "After you."


    She nodded and walked down the small garden path, entering the house. Trisha held Ben and gave him a kiss as Gil and Eli squeezed by. "Ah-ah!" she chided them as they stopped and turned. "Wash up before dinner."


    Both boys nodded, but Gil let out a slight groan as they went around the back of the building to an outdoor shower. One that only had cold water.


    Ben grabbed her around the waist. "Anyone else invited?"


    "Brad''s bringing the new hot sauces. I invited the rest of the heroes, but Thomas is busy, and Lawrence has a political dinner with Thane Mol."


    He nodded. "Well then, mydy love."


    Trisha entered her house and felt quite content. Life is perfect, she thought. Moving to Lynhold was the best move we could have made.


    Brad left the Baxter house walking alongside Lyn. "I can''t believe how fast they''re growing," hemented in English as they walked toward the fortress.


    "You''ll outlive them with your backup."


    "No, that''s not what I meant. They just are getting big fast. Those boys are almost Ben''s size. I mean, I expected that from Eli¡­but Gil?"


    Lyn cracked a slight smile. "I may have had something to do with that. I promised one of our fallen friends that I would take care of their kids. Part of that is making sure they have every advantage possible."


    "Oh? What did you do?"


    "With Trisha''s permission, I cast some spells on them." She held up her wed hand, and the prismatic sparkling energy of both creation and destruction crackled in her palm. "I can only do small feats of creation, but that includes altering existing creation." She held up her other hand and the same sparkles manifested, but they were tinged with the blue color of her ming iris. "Destruction, on the other hand,es a lot easier."


    Brad nodded as she extinguished the magical energy. "So, you''re really going to do it?"


    She nodded. "Five years is enough putting it off. I have to do this. I''ve talked with Raevan and Yheron a number of times now, and we agree¡­I agree with myself, I should say¡­it''s time."


    Brad nodded and put his hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "I get it. You have something you need to do. I hope youe back the same. I like this new Lyn."


    She pushed his arm off and flipped him off. "I''ve always been amazing."


    Brad chuckled and pushed back his hair from his eyes. "Hey, what can I say, you actually let me bang you."


    "If not for the prosthetic I wouldn''t invite you over so often. You should be thanking me."


    Brad nodded and let out a cackle. Lyn had made a¡­custom inscription for him to swap out when he felt like having a more¡­pronounced piece of equipment. Plus, she had loaded it with lots of inscriptions for all manners of physical sensations. Needless to say, she had made it partly for Brad, but mostly for herself. He didn''t mind being used in that way ¨C it was a mutually beneficial situation. He got to bang an Empress, a hot one, at that, and she got all the pleasure she wanted.


    She continued as they kept walking. "Anyways¡­I should stay the same. All the research I''ve done, the discussions with Raevan¡­consulting Thomas¡­" She looked at him, and he could see the trace of fear in her eyes. "I won''t lie. I''m a bit scared."


    Brad frowned and nodded. "I get it."


    "You''re the first hero ¨C the first old ssmate that actually epted the new me for what I am. So you''ll have the best read if I do change¡­just don''t lie to me if Ie back different. Okay?"


    Brad nodded. "I promise. You won''t get any bullshit from me."


    She nodded, and her face shifted to a jovial expression. "Good. You''re thest person I want blowing smoke up my ass."


    "Oh, that''s something we haven''t tried in bed. Could be kink¡ª"


    She put a wed hand over his mouth and tried to hold back a giggle. "Stop!" She failed, andughed. "Okay, that was pretty funny."


    "Happy to make you happy. So¡­tonight? Your ce?"


    "Maybeter. I''ve got one person left to talk to."


    Brad nodded. "I''ll go and prepare my equipment."


    Lyn split off from him and walked toward the hero''s small wing of the fortress. "Get Gael also! Tell him I want you both tonight!"


    Brad waved at her as he descended into the tunnels of the conve.


    Thomas sat up as the door mmed open. "I''m awake!" he said as he stood up to face the door.


    Lyn shut it behind her. "Asleep at the desk again? That''s going to kill your back."


    Thomas smiled and turned around. "Mind getting it for me?"


    She walked up behind him, grabbed his crossed arms, and cracked him out as he let out a grunt of relief. "Better?" she asked, setting him down.


    He turned and nodded, ncing out the window. "Howte is it?"


    "An hour after nightfall."


    "Not too bad." He went and sat on the bed. "What do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"


    She sat on the bed next to him and, to his surprise, put her arm around his shoulder. "I''m going to pull the trigger. It''s ascension time."


    "Holy shit. Finally?"


    She nodded. "I... I''m scared I might change. But it needs to be done. I have to keep my word. To Gina, Ben, and Trisha."


    Thomas turned toward her and hugged her tightly. "It''ll be fine, I''m sure. You''ve got a strong will. If anything, I bet it''s just going to be an insane powerup."


    She shook her head, and he could feel her trembling slightly in his grip. "Why do I feel like something bad will happen?"


    "Have you used the Oracle core?"


    She shook her head again. "I''m trying to follow Gina''s advice."


    Thomas pulled back from her. "It couldn''t hurt."


    Lyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "What if I don''t like what I see? Every possibility turns out shitty?"


    "Then just don''t clear the dungeon. Simple as that. Keep the status quo."


    "But, Ben and Tri¡ª"


    Thomas grabbed her shoulders and shook her slightly. "You are the empress. They are friends, yes, but ultimately you don''t owe them anything. You keeping who you are intact is more important. You''ll outlive them by millennia."


    Lyn swallowed and nodded as she gently pulled Thomas''s hand away. "You''re right¡­but promise me something."


    "What?"


    "If Ie back some type of tyrant that is hellbent on remaking the world entirely or starting from scratch ¨C some shit like that¡­try to stop me, will you?"


    "I promise."


    Lyn appeared in front of the dungeon that had moved. No longer at the Eastern Archipgo, her inscribed bracer let her track the dungeon to its new location ¨C far above Shiverburn Summit, right up next to the edge of the atmosphere. Against the ck of the night sky, she could make it out clearly. Almost like a portal to another dimension.


    She took a deep breath and fueled her full suite of spells ¨C internal Berserker spell, external Guardian spell, mana-charging Cataclysm with raw destruction. She also chugged down a very potent version of Stim that Brad had crafted just for her to use. It slowed the world down to a crawl. She would pay for it with a massive migraine in an hour when it wore off ¨C but she could fix that with an internal regeneration spell.


    At this singr moment, she was the deadliest force on Ghomar. She pped against the thin air and moved through the film, entering the circr chamber with the octagon in the center. She heard the voices that she did previously in Elenthir. "You are here."


    "Yes," she replied, cing her hand on the pedestal.


    "You are worthy. Now begins the trial of destruction." The octagon pir sank into the ground, and the walls fell away.


    Lyn was floating in space. A vast, dark entity floated in front of her ¨C a monstrous, leviathan-like form of writhing ck tentacles and hungry, gaping maws. I was not expecting that, she thought as she tried to p her wings but found no air to push against. Somehow, she could breathe normally ¨C but movement wasn''t possible through conventional methods.


    The creature dwarfed her ¨C it was a, and she was an insignificant speck of dirt. Less than that, even. She was akin to a grain of sand against the whole world.


    It growled and began to move toward her. How the fuck do I beat this thing?


    She took a deep breath and focused on the Oracle core, quickly filtering through the multitudinous possibilities before her. But she saw none ¨C all ended in ckness after she moved. One possibility stood out to her as not leading to her immediate demise.


    I just don''t move. Lyn shifted Cataclysm to its bow form ¨C the one good thing she got from Volio ¨C and drew back a phantasmal arrow of pure destruction. She channeled all her mana into the weapon as the arrow grew and expanded, epassing her whole body and bingrger. Until it was as big as a meteor.


    The creature moved through the starry sky ¨C a target impossible to miss. Lyn let loose, and the arrow of raw destruction mmed into the creature, disintegrating it within an instant. The walls of the dungeon returned, and shended gently on the floor, copsing to the ground as all of her body enhancing and external spells faded from theck of mana.


    The door at the far end of the hallway opened, and she let out augh of relief. "I get it," she huffed out in between recovery breaths. "A singr deity¡­will draw the attention¡­of threats. I have to¡­be able to deal with¡­those threats."


    Shey there as she waited for her mana to refill ¨C one hour of lying there and pondering the sheer scale of what she had destroyed. Is that what awaits me after ascension? Fighting off enormous¡­things like that?


    It made some sense to her. Once she acquired whatever power this was at the end of the dungeon, she would probably have so much mana she would shine like a beacon and draw whatever horrors lurked beyond the stars. She knew from what Nami had told her so many years ago that Ghomar was in a different reality from Earth.


    I have to do this, she thought as she pushed herself up, her mana refilled after the long wait. She walked into the next room ¨C an octagonal chamber with a circr pir at the center. She ced her hand on it.


    "You are worthy. Now begins the trial of creation."


    She found herself inside an open space once more. Nothing existed but a gray void. In front of her, in Elenthir, was the phrase "Tanlor lef rhivhan." Forge your reality.


    She closed her eyes and envisioned a. A simple one. A world with a singlendmass¡­maybe a fewrge inds off the coast. Temperate climate with an annual cycle of weather between seasons.


    As she opened her eyes, she could see something akin to a blueprint or schematic floating out in the void in front of her. Now I bet I just pour mana into it. She focused her will on the outline and pulled up the immense power of the Destroyer core from within. It roiled with a vtility she had not felt since she first found she had it, when she had her fateful return to Earth.


    The mana surged up her mana channels uncontrobly, and the neon-blueva arced from her hand before exploding into a shimmering, prismatic, sparkling disy. She felt the mana draining precipitously and pulled all of the excess she had stored in the amulet Yheron had left behind. Once a crutch she relied upon, now a tool ofst resort.


    Every drop of mana surged out of her, and yet, somehow, even more continued to pour from her. The hero cores, consumed and pushed underneath the Destroyer core as a part of it, began to release some hidden reserve. It filled her up to the brim with a torrent of physical sensations across the whole spectrum of what could be felt. Joy, rage, tion, anger, love, loneliness¡­she felt the whole range of emotions churn through her.


    The prismatic mana red brightly and continued to weave and wend around the outline. Only when the whole sphere was covered with mana did it sh with a radiant, blue light¡­and where once was nothing in a gray void, a rotated slowly in space.


    Lyn felt her vision dimming as the walls returned and she copsed to the ground as the door opened to the next part of the dungeon. Just¡­damn. Fine, another hour.


    Shey there, contemting what had just happened. She had been fully tapped out of mana, and yet somehow there was a hidden reservoir within all the hero cores. Why didn''t I have ess to that before? She closed her eyes and focused on her Destroyer core, willing herself to enter it mentally.


    She stood in the darkness as Raevan and Yheron manifested before her. "Interesting," Raevan muttered. "You were able to create a whole world just like the being I was split from. It looked remarkably like Ghomar, didn''t it?"


    Yheron nodded, and his deep voice growled out. "It is strange that Ghomar is what you envisioned."


    Lyn shrugged. "It''s my home. It''s my reality."


    Raevan smiled softly. "Regardless, that is one more trialpleted."


    Yheron said, "What if this is something else?"


    Lyn looked up at him. "What do you mean?"


    "This was a signifier that you are truly the master of this world. The master of Ghomar. To the point that you could recreate it if required."


    Lyn chuckled. "I hope I don''t have to do that. I''d rather fight those enormous, star-sized creatures like the first chamber."


    Raevan shook her head. "Your mana will draw more. Such is the nature of that level of power. I fought them, as Aelor and mybined presence drew them. But when Aelor split himself into pieces, we stopped being such a bright beacon. Expect to fight more."


    "Well, at least I won''t ever be bored," Lyn replied. "Whatever happens¡­thank you both. We''ve done great things for Ghomar, but I couldn''t have done it without you both with me."


    Yheron smiled, and his enormous teeth shone with a white pearlescence. "You''re very wee, Lyn Rivers. Once Scout, now Destroyer, and soon single deity of this world."


    Raevan bowed slightly. "''In the new age where heroes vanquish the Destroyer, whatever form it may have taken, a new vessel will rise. Thus, the cycle will continue endlessly, until all arebined.'' I can''t be prouder."


    "Thank you," Lyn said as she felt herself tearing up. "You know, I think of you both like mentors¡­parents, even. Guiding me over these past years."


    Yheron chuckled. "Oh? Daddy dragon, am I?"


    Lyn flipped him off, and the trio shared augh. "I mean it," Lyn said as they all regained theirposure. "I can''t be more grateful."


    Raevan hugged her. "Go and take what is yours. You paid the price for saving this world. And now¡­you have the right to rule it. Forever. We''ll be with you."


    "From now until the end of eternity," Yheron added. "And, if you decide to take over your old world¡­we''ll keep doing what we do best ¨C providing you guidance."


    Lyn willed herself back to her body and stood up. She walked down the hallway and entered the reward chamber. Upon it was a single, pure white box made of stone. She opened it and saw a simple ring. Here goes nothing.


    She slipped it on her finger.


    And waited.


    Five seconds¡­


    Ten seconds¡­


    Thirty seconds¡­


    Then, it blended into her body and melded with her.


    I don''t feel any different, Lyn thought. She reached into her locket''s storage dimension and pulled out a full-length mirror. After setting it down, she took a step back and sucked in a breath of shock.


    Her horns and scales werepletely ck with what looked to be sparkling cosmos and starlight within. The ws for her hands and feet were the same color, save for the tips, which shifted across a rainbow spectrum. Her horns were replicating the color shifting. Pulling out Cataclysm, she poured her mana into it.


    The de was no longer of blueva mixed with elements. Instead, a pure, ck de of sheer darkness ¨C the same as her scales ¨C imbued with sparkling starlight jutted out of the hilt. It crackled with slight gray, prismatic energy. I guess I did it. I don''t feel any different.


    She focused on her Destroyer core and found herself in the ck space again. Raevan and Yheron manifested once more. "Oh, would you look at that, we are still here," Yheron muttered. He looked to Raevan. "I win."


    Raevan smiled and looked at Lyn. "We bet to see if we would still be here once you imed divinity. I''m happy to be wrong. Go, go back to Lynhold. See your friends. We''ll be around."


    "Together forever," Lyn replied as she returned her consciousness to her body. cing her hand on the altar, she was ejected from the dungeon and began to free-fall toward Shiverburn Summit. The inscribed cloak billowed from her armor and slowed her descent. First things first, she thought.


    I have promises to keep.

 B2 – Chapter 30

    [Year 1 of The Eternal Age]


    Lynnded atop the fortress at the heart of Lynhold and made a beeline for Kory''s cell. She pushed open the door and walked over to the still-sleeping man. This is for you, Gina. She held her wed appendage over him.


    "Gwin tho tauns / hen i l¨²g Gina Peterson." She felt the very slight outpouring of mana that ¨C thanks to her new divinity ¨C she could see as a clear stream floating through the air. It surged down into Kory, and he rolled over in his slumber. She then saw the stream stay connected to his chest, his mana core, before it extended and shot off into the distance. One promise kept.


    She walked to the small writing desk and left Kory a note advising him of the spell being performed, and then left the fortress. It waste in the night, and none except the guards were awake, and they saluted Lyn as she passed by. They took in slight inhales at what she assumed was their reaction to her cosmetic changes. Turning to one, she saw the look of wonder in his eyes.


    She continued onward into Lynhold proper, approaching the Baxter house. She extended her wings and pped up to the small balcony next to Ben and Trisha''s room. Landing, she knocked gently on the door and waited.


    Ben slid the door open, dressed in pajamas, and wiped the sleep from his eyes. "Lyn? What''s up?" he asked in English.


    "Do¡­do you not see this?" she asked as she gestured to the horns.


    He yawned and rubbed his eyes once more before blinking them clear. Then, his jaw dropped. "Holy shit¡­you actually did it? And you''re still¡ª"


    "I''m still me," she replied as she grinned. "I did the spell for Gina. I can do it for you and Trisha now."


    Ben let her inside and gently woke Trisha. She rolled up in bed as Ben rapidly exined what Lyn had said. Her eyes went wide, and she sat next to her husband. Looking up at Lyn, she smiled with tears in her eyes. "Thank you for this. Keeping us together forever."


    "You''re wee." Lyn repeated the spell as she held her hand over Trisha, recing Gina''s name with Ben''s. "And now your souls, consciousness, whatever it is, they''re bound together. You''ll find each other in every next life you have." She smiled. "It''s not as good as eternity in my eyes¡­but I must admit there''s a bit of a romance allure to finding your soul mate over and over again."


    Trisha got up and hugged Lyn tightly, weeping for joy as she whispered thanks over and over. Ben came over and held the two women, and Lyn let herself sink into the embrace of true friends.


    [January 28, 2026, 7:46 a.m.]


    William Westerly, former Artificer hero, got to school and went right into the gym locker room on the boys'' side. First one in, he thought as he pocketed his phone.


    He had woken up in bed in his room. An hour ago, he had returned to when he would have been woken up by his rm. As Gina had put it when he flew into her as a mana core, "We will wake up the same morning we were summoned. Whoever the first Artificer hero was that made the summoning statue of Aelor¡­he was gentle for that."


    William sighed as he put the phone in the locker. He had enjoyed his time on Ghomar, but he wanted to really bring some new concepts back with him. All of his experiences, all of his knowledge, all of his ideas spurred by the Artificer core''s ability to create innovations based upon desires ¨C they were etched into his mind. I can fix things, he thought.


    After waking up an hour ago, he had immediately put pen to paper and wrote out every single piece of information he could pull up from his brain. He hid theposition book in his special hiding spot, behind a picture frame on the wall so his siblings wouldn''t find it.


    But now, he was back at school. All you have to do is graduate, he thought. Get into college with one of those inventions boosting your cred. Then, you can make inventions to help save the world. The thought of being an innovator and inventor unlike any other filled him with a giddiness, and he caught himself chuckling as he dressed for P.E.


    Elias and Darius walked in and looked at William. "You too?" Elias asked.


    William nodded. "Yeah. I learned so much I coul¡ª"


    Elias just huffed and walked to his locker. "Fucking waste of time. The only good thing from that whole experience was I got to have a few years of fucking around before I died."


    Darius looked over at William and shrugged. "I got to bang a lot of chicks while I was there, so that''s a massive plus." Heughed and began dressing in his own set of gear.


    William shook his head as he closed his locker and slipped his phone in his pocket. "We had an experience¡­no one else has. We literally were in another world. And that''s all you two took away from it?"


    Elias mmed his locker shut and stomped over to William. "I fucking died! You died! Darius died! It was a cruel, fucking joke, and I can''t wait to forget about it. Don''t you fucking bring it up around me!"


    Darius walked over and pushed Elias back. "Chill dude. We won''t bring it up." As Elias turned to walk out to the field, the sportsman looked over to William and pped him on the shoulder, "I don''t mind talking about it if you need to."


    William nodded. "I''m good for now. But¡­thanks."


    "No problem, bro. I wonder which girls came back?"


    William followed therger man out to the field. He saw Ms. Gundy waiting at the start of the track, holding her attendance clipboard, dressed in a full set of joggers. William began stretching out alongside Darius, but Elias just stood there at the start line, stewing as he stared ahead. "The rest of the senior ss must have had a wild night, eh?" Ms. Gundy asked.


    "Yeah," Darius replied. "Wild partyst night."


    "You guys made it back!" William looked to the voice and smiled as he saw Ashley walking over from the girls'' locker room. "It''s good to see you!" She hugged William, then Darius, and gave a slight side-hug to Elias, who shrugged her off.


    Ms. Gundy chuckled. "We had ss yesterday." She eyed the young woman. "Ah, unless you''re¡­well, none of my business. Alright, warm-upp ¨C you know the drill."


    Elias put in his headphones and began jogging, and Darius bolted past him as he moved much quicker. William walked next to Ashley. "So¡­what are you going to do with what we experienced? What we learned?"


    Ashley grinned and pulled out her phone. "I already started writing down a story. I''m going to write an amazing book and use that to propel myself to influencer fame and glory."


    "That''s good!" William said enthusiastically.


    "What about you?"


    "I have all these neat inventions figured out. I can fix emissions that contribute to climate change. I''ve figured out a fusion reactor that will work¡­I really think I can fix Earth."


    Ashley smiled. "Well, at least you''re doing something useful." She pointed at Darius who was halfway around the track. "What do you think he''ll do?"


    "Honestly? He''s going to be some type of fuck boy."


    Ashleyughed in a mesmerizing way. William always found her attractive. "I''m happy you chose toe back," she said softly as she reached for his hand. "When you die and have years to reflect¡­you realize there''s no point in waiting. So, how about it? Want to date?"


    William grinned like an idiot. "I''m all for that."


    They both looked over as Ms. Gundy was yelling at Julie, who waste as usual. The ss bitch ¨C one of Cecily''s best friends, go figure ¨C jogged up to the duo holding hands. "Can you believe Lyn? That bitch."


    William frowned, and was about to say something, but Ashley stepped in. "She''s not around anymore. So, you can stop ming her for, quote, ''taking your man.''"


    Julie flipped her off. "Fuck you, you ugly bitch."


    Ashley shrugged. "You wouldn''t have a chance in hell even if I was into women."


    Julie mumbled something under her breath and fast-walked in front of the duo.


    William leaned over to Ashley and whispered. "You handled that well."


    She whispered back. "I know. I''m good at deescting situations." She rubbed his hand with her fingers and the touch sent shivers down his spine. "I want to make the most of this life. I want to tell our story. Get rich. Do something good with my money."


    William smiled and looked up at the sunrise that began to crack over the mountains in the distance. "We''ll make this world better."


    [Year 6 of The Eternal Age]


    Trisha rolled out of bed and stretched. She was pulled back into bed and giggled as Ben assaulted her with kisses and snuggles. "Hon, I''ve got work today," she said in English.


    "Mmmm, five more minutes," Ben mumbled into the pillows.


    Trisha lightly pped him on the thigh. "You have work today also. Elies home from mandatory service today."


    Ben shot up in bed. "Shit! I forgot. We have to make sure the cake is ready!" He shot out of bed and ran into restroom. Trisha followed him in and began brushing her teeth as he activated the inscription on the tub, filling it with hot, soapy water as he washed up for the day. After a few minutes, the two swapped.


    "What vor does Eli like? Was it chocte and blueberries?" Ben asked.


    "No, that''s Gil. Eli is chocte and ckberries."


    Ben spat out the toothpaste that Brad had developed to improve dental health across Ghomar. It tasted foul, but cured all cavities and prevented all manner of gum and mouth diseases. "Alright. I''ll make sure I get the baker to make a good one."


    Trisha got dressed and went downstairs. Lyndra was standing in the kitchen, dressed in warrior''s leathers. She looked back at her mom and gave her a quick hug. "Soon enough, right? At the end of the week?" she asked in Triskol.


    Lyndra nodded. "Yeah. I''m off in three days." She sighed and turned around, leaning against the countertop. "Two years of service?"


    "You know it''s required," Trisha reminded her daughter. She began to set out tes for the two youngest who were just waking up judging from the sounds directly above her. "Everyone serves from eighteen to twenty."


    Lyndra sighed. "Even prodigies like us?"


    "Especially us."


    Lyndra crossed her arms. "I''m named after Empress Rivers, right? I never asked¡­but why?"


    Trisha gave her daughter a warm smile. "You were named after someone else. A woman named Lyn. A hero, just like your dad and me." None know save the heroes, she thought.


    Lyndra nodded and grabbed a hunk of bread, thering on jam as she gave her dad a nod, the tall man descending the stairs in a hurry. "Alright. Well, I''m off to the training field."


    Ben tutted. "Nope. You''re with me today. We have to get the stuff for Eli''s cake. Plus, I talked to Lyn¡ª"


    "You did?!" Lyndra eximed as she squealed with delight. "Yes! Did she say when?"


    "Today. After Eli''s party." Ben gave Trisha a look of "I''ll handle this" as he led his eldest daughter out of the house.


    Trisha just chuckled slightly. Lyn had offered Lyndra something special: a spear artifact. She had offered to make an artifact for each of the Baxter children at the start of their service. In her words, "I made a promise to William that I would do all I could for your kids. This is part of that."


    The two youngest girls ran downstairs, all dressed up and ready for school. Misty sat down and began scarfing down the food Trisha set out, but Ginavieve slowly, methodically ate her meal. "Excited for today''s lessons?" she asked the girls.


    Both nodded enthusiastically. Ginavieve might be more measured and slower-paced of the two girls, but she did show her own type of enthusiasm ¨C her feet tapping the floor the indicator of her anxiousness to leave.


    Misty, however, was a bundle of energy and just went off with a rapid flurry of words. "Today we are supposed to learn how to do something in Elenthir I''ve been wanting to try! Internal spells! I get to be big and strong whenever I want! Just like Empress Rivers. And even better, the teacher told me that I might be able to do shifting spells!"


    Trisha leaned back and smiled softly. "That would be something incredible to experience. Flying and all that."


    "Why can''t you do that?" Ginavieve asked.


    Trisha sighed. "Well, I have a good mana core, but I''ve focused on honing my mind. You two, though, every day I''ve had you doing that mana exercise. I bet you both can do spells I couldn''t dream of."


    She stood up and walked to the staircase as Gil came down. He was twenty-one, and the only one of the Baxter family that stood out as not their gic child due to his crop of curly hair. But he was still her son, despite being adopted, and she gave him a hug. "It''s good to have you home," she said softly.


    He returned it. "Good to be home, Mom." He had finished his mandatory service a month earlier and had spent two weeks gallivanting around Kor''s Hold, visiting King Marshall''s sons and experiencing the joys of being pampered like royalty. "No ce like home," he said with a light sigh.


    Trisha nodded and pulled away. "Do you mind walking your sisters to school today?"


    "Mooom, we''re old enough," Mistyined.


    Ginavieve nodded as she cleanly wiped her mouth with a cloth napkin. "Lynhold is the safest ce in the empire, Mom. We''ll be fine."


    Gil chuckled and walked past Trisha, turning back to her and mouthing "I''ve got this" as he herded the two girls toward the door and walked them down the boulevard.


    Trisha stood at the doorway and let out a contented sigh. Where is Lawry? she thought. She grabbed themunication amulet. "Lawry, are you in the Raven Tower again?"


    "¡­ Yeah," the teenage boy''s voice came through the amulet next to her ear.


    "Did you sleep up there again?"


    "¡­ Yeah."


    She sighed. "You''ve only got a year until your mandatory service."


    "I talked to Miss Fin about that. She said that I can serve the empire under her instead of joining the military."


    Trisha felt a slight bit of confusion but arge amount of relief. Military service wasn''t necessarily dangerous given the peace that reigned in the empire, but keeping ravens was much safer. "Alright. As long as she approved it."


    "Spymaster Velenna approved it. Right from the top!" His enthusiasming through his words was palpable. "Empress Rivers asked for me specifically to be her underling on the council!"


    "That''s wonderful news, honey!"


    "I''lle by hometer. Gotta go! I have a new brood that''s waking up."


    Trisha let the amulet slip from her fingers and looked at the massive fortress at the center of Lynhold. You''ve done so much for our family, she thought. Smiling, she closed the door of the Baxter home and headed to the hospital.


    [Year 6 of The Eternal Age]


    Ben walked with his daughter through the bustling capital city of Lynhold. She was right behind him, and the two popped into a bakery. Ben quickly detailed the order and pulled out a pouch of coins imprinted on one side with Lyn''s profile, and the other side the symbol of her empire ¨C three inteced triangles reminiscent of an old band logo.


    "What''s it going to be like?" Lyndra asked. "Serving, I mean."


    Ben finished with the clerk and grabbed the receipt before turning to his daughter and walking outside with her. "Let''s find a ce to sit," he said as they made their way to a small caf¨¦, sat down, and ordered some tea. He stirred the drink slightly trying to think of how to best approach his response. "Well, in all honesty, it''s going to suck. You probably won''t see muchbat ¨C most likely you''ll be doing training and drills. But because you''re my kid¡­you''ll be targeted by others."


    "Howe Gil didn''t get that same level of treatment?"


    Ben grimaced. "He''s not my biological kid, sweetie. Even dumb grunts ¨C sorry, fellow citizens ¨C who know little about the heroes from thest cycle know that. But Eli¡­and you¡­you are unmistakably our kids. You''ll be put through the wringer."


    She leaned back and took a sip of her own tea. "I''ll be fine. I''ve been training with someone special."


    Ben leaned forward and took another sip. "Oh? Who is that?"


    Lyndra leaned in and whispered. "Empress Rivers."


    "Really?" Ben was floored. I had no idea Lyn was doing that. What the fuck? She could''ve told me. "So that''s where you''ve been every day after sses."


    She nodded and kept her voice low. "I go into the Conve of the Fortress, to this really old cavern with a weird inscription at the end, and a pool of obsidian. She''s been giving me lessons. An hour a day, but I''ve learned a ton."


    Ben nodded and took another sip. "Just don''t forget your roots. Weapons can get lost, but¡ª"


    "I''ll always have my fists," Lyndra finished. "Yeah, I know. You drilled it into all of us. Except Lawry."


    "He''s a softerd. Not like Gil or Eli¡­or you," he said with a chuckle. "I think Ginavieve will be like Lawry in that regard."


    "Is that some type of joke?" Lyndra replied haughtily. "Calling me a hard woman?"


    "It''s apliment," Ben replied as the twoughed. "Come on, finish your tea. I''ve got a surprise for you."


    She gulped it down, and Ben tossed some coins on the table, nodding at the Newen server who scuttled past. The duo walked down to thergeke at the edge of Lynhold, and he led her to a warehouse partially in the water. Pulling out a key, he unlocked it and led her inside. "I know you''ve always wanted to explore the sea, so I asked Thomas¡ª"


    She squealed with delight and ran over to the partially submerged metal vessel. "How''d you get this?! One of the submersibles?!"


    "Like I said, Uncle Thomas made it. It will seat two people."


    "Can we take it for a spin?"


    "I don''t see why not." Ben helped his daughter in, sealed the small hatch, and poured mana into the inscriptions as fresh air circted around them, the space pressurized, and he pointed out the small joystick in front of her. "Go on, give it a go. Pour mana into it to make it move."


    Lyndra took hold of the stick and pushed forward and down as the vessel shot off toward the bottom of theke. She was giggling ecstatically, and Ben couldn''t hide his grin.


    [Year 6 of The Eternal Age]


    It''s time, Kory thought as he stood up. He looked out the window one more time as he prepared to go through with his n.


    The idea of ending it all himself had gone through his mind several times. Lyn had tied his soul to Gina''s ¨C they would be together in their next life or the one after. But she was living that new life and already five years ahead of him. If I died today, I''d be reborn hopefully within a few weeks. That puts me within a few years'' range of her. A five-year age difference isn''t too creepy.


    He began to slowly tie the knots in the rope of the bedsheet. For five years he had been a prisoner in the fortress. After years of circting mana to try to build arger reservoir, he had maybe as much as a dog or cat. Animal cores were very, very weak. Fuck you, Lyn. You gave me a shitty-ass core.


    He slung the rope through a very small hole he had been picking around one of the support beams above him. He finished tying the knot and sighed. He had spent the past years of his life doing nothing but listening to Gina''s message, reading, writing, and staring out at Lynhold. The world that moved on without him. He was only remembered in history books and stories. Kory Smith, Berserker hero¡­locked away and forgotten.


    He slipped the noose around his neck and stood up on the chair. This is it¡­I''m really doing it.


    The door opened, and he looked over. Lyn stood there, tapping her wed foot as her horns glowed with a ck, cosmic radiance. "Really? Taking the bitch''s way out?" she asked in English.


    Kory frowned. "Shut up. This is my life. I''m going to choose my death."


    Lyn walked over to him and looked into his eyes. Her irises were surrounded by multicolored sparkles that showed countless possibilities. "I wouldn''t advise it. Hanging, I mean. Unless your neck snaps, you''ll go painfully." She flicked her wrist, and the rope vanished.


    Kory got off the chair. "You¡­you''re a bitch."


    "Yup. But this bitch is a goddess. You are only alive because I am fine with Lawrence''s decisions about how to treat you. And I only tied your soul to Gina''s because she loves you." She reached into a pocket dimension and pulled out a pill. "Brad made this at Lawrence''s request. My seneschal has been keeping an eye on your mood and behavior. We all saw thising. This is the only mercy I give you. A peaceful death."


    Kory grabbed the pill and nodded. "Fine." He put it into his mouth and swallowed.


    Lyn gestured to the bed, and Kory sat down on it, feeling sleepiness overtaking him as hey back. "Anyst words?"


    Kory let out a weak chuckle. "Tell Lawrence¡­he''s a good guy." He weakly pointed to the nearby desk. "I wrote letters¡­to everyone." The darkness began to close in on his vision, and he felt his heart slow as his breathing faded.


    This is it.


    I''ming, Gina.


    [Year 10 of The Eternal Age]


    James stood up from the throne and took Maria''s hand. The two were dressed in their most resplendent attire, and both walked down the dais to the waiting couple.


    Tevol stood, arm in arm with a beautiful Raptol woman who he had fallen for when he was on diplomatic mission up in Trisk. His brother stood nearby, the best man, and the broad smile on his face reminded James of his own wedding.


    There was a sh of blue, and within an instant, Lyn Rivers, the Empress of the Eternal Empire, stood next to James opposite Maria. She looked at the two and nodded. "Sorry I''mte," she whispered in Khrrdian.


    James shook his head. "We are just about to get started." He looked out to the gathered crowd in the throne room and raised his hands for quiet. He raised his voice. "Thank you foring to this momentous asion! We will move on to the ceremonies in just a moment. But first¡­" He turned to Maria, and she handed him an elegant brooch with a matching belt. James walked down to the happy couple and attached the belt around his son''s waist. He then pinned the brooch on Tevol''s new wife.


    He stepped back to the dais. "The ceremony will now begin!" He stepped back and waved a man over ¨C his seneschal that doubled as a master of ceremonies. He stood behind the man as he began to go through marriage vows.


    Maria squeezed his hand, and he turned to his wife, the love of his life. The woman who had saved him from the corruption of his persona through the Paragon core. The person he trusted most in the whole world. And here he was, at something he never expected in his wildest dreams back on Earth. Watching his son get married off.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    As the seneschal concluded, Lyn walked forward ¨C much to James''s surprise. What is she up to?


    She raised her hands, and a prismatic flourish arced through the air. "As you know, my empire will choose the next ruler of Khrrdia based upon my determinations through a meritocratic process. Tevol has exceeded my expectations, and I wish to encourage him ¨C with the assistance of Marcelline, his lovely partner ¨C to continue with his path of learning from his father." She turned to James and gestured to him. "King Marshall, you have guided Khrrdia these past years with grace and wisdom. And your wife, Queen Maria, has been an inspiration to mothers across the empire."


    There were cheers and shouts of approval, and she raised her hands for silence once more. "Continue on the path you tread, and your sons will seed you." She turned to Tevol and ced a hand on his shoulder. "You, young man. Treat this woman well." She looked to Marcelline. "And you, treat your man well."


    Lyn walked over to Tovol, who stood at rapt attention, straightening up when she approached. She whispered something to him, and he nodded enthusiastically. Lyn returned to the dais. "I have taken the liberty of providing a feast unlike anything Kor''s Hold has tasted." She raised her hand, snapped her fingers, and spouted off a multi-verse Elenthir phrase faster than James could follow.


    There were shouts of joy and celebration from outside, and the crowd began to funnel out to see the fuss. James looked at her. "What did you do?"


    "Lined the streets with tables full of all types of delicacies."


    "A bit over the top," James replied. "Plus you''re taking the attention off my son."


    Maria shook her head and giggled. "Sweetie, just look at the two. They''ve only had eyes on each other. They couldn''t care about the crowd."


    James did follow her gaze, and felt a flutter of happiness as his son just stood there, staring at his beloved.


    "I told Tovol that I have passed along his request to try out for the Riverguard. I don''t know if he told you he wanted that."


    "He did," James replied. "I had hoped to train him up to co-rule with his brother."


    "Let him follow his dreams," Maria replied. "You know he has a romantic interest in Ginavieve Baxter. If he''s part of the Riverguard, he''ll be at Lynhold and can court her."


    James smiled at the thought of tying his family together with Ben and Trisha''s. "Alright."


    Lyn nodded and smiled softly. "I''m off. Enjoy the festivities." She vanished in a sh of blue light.


    James looked at his wife and into those gorgeous eyes, leaned in, and kissed her. "Thank you for saving me from myself," he whispered.


    [Year 10 of The Eternal Age]


    Vaely on the hammock spread between two trees on a tiny spit of sand and trees a few hundred feet from the shore of Sidalon. She was sure to stay in the shade so she wouldn''t get sunburn. She was reading a book written by Schr Thomas with input from Ben the Guardian, and Marshal Remora. A new field manual to the next generation of warfare on the seas.


    She looked up as she heard the slight sshing. Na walked up out of the waters, the moisture dripping off of her tanned bronze skin and muscr physique. She walked over and hopped into the hammock next to Vael, absentmindedly letting her hand dangle next to Vael''s before grabbing it softly.


    "How was the dip?" Vael asked as she dog-eared the book page and closed it.


    "Excellent," Na replied as she leaned back into the soft fabric. "We have what, two days left for this rotation?"


    Vael nodded. "Yes. Then I have to go back. It''ll be a week before we see each other next."


    Na sat up out of the hammock and looked over at Vael, brushing the Duskari woman''s hair out of her face. "Then we have to make sure we really spend every moment we possibly can doing whatever we want." She got out of the hammock and pulled on Vael''s hand. "Come one! You''re going for a dip!"


    Vael giggled as she extricated herself from the fabric. "You know I am not a skilled swimmer."


    "Then just sit in the sand in the water," Na replied, dragging her to the shadows in the surf on the leeward side of the small spur. Their little ind getaway from therge harbor-city on the western coast of Sidalon. The two sat in the gentlypping, warm water as they looked off to the west. "It''s gorgeous," Vael muttered.


    Na brushed Vael''s hair with her fingers, letting the tips of her nails trace upon the back of her neck with each stroke, sending chills down her spine. "It is even better from my view," she replied.


    Vael looked back at the taller woman and saw that she was unabashedly staring down at her bosom. She acted aghast, and sshed Na.


    "Why you¡ª" Na yfully tackled Vael into the shallows and the twoughed as they twisted in a passionate embrace in the shallows.


    [Year 10 of The Eternal Age]


    Gael took in deep, heavy breaths as he finished ascending the summit. Bolvon was even worse off, and looking behind him, he chuckled as the slimmer Duskari slumped down on the rocky slope. "Come on, you''re almost there!" Gael extolled him.


    Bolvon nodded and crawled the rest of the way up to the top, copsing once more and taking heaving breaths. "This¡­was¡­shitty¡­"


    Gael took a deep breath of the crisp, clean air. The top of Shiverburn Summit was, as usual, covered in snow. But Lyn had done him a favor for this special asion. His and Bolvon''s ten-year anniversary. He went over and scooped Bolvon up in his arms, walking him toward theva.


    "What are you doing?!" Bolvon shouted as he registered the bubblingva.


    Gael chided him. "Shush. It''ll be fine. We are just going near it so we don''t slip down the mountain." He walked along the edge of the caldera ¨C high enough to not be roasted, right on the borderline where the snow melted and the stone was beneath. They went around the exterior and all the way to an outcropping of rock that hid below an overhang. Gael set Bolvon down, reached into his pack, and pulled out the climbing spike, tapping it in as he threw down the knotted rope and descended to the small ledge.


    Bolvon scampered down, drawing on his expertise in climbing, and gasped. There was arge room carved out of the side of the volcanic summit ¨C a sumptuous setup with luxurious fur-lined bed, stove with plenty of wood, and a fullrder of supplies. "This is all for me?"


    "Happy anniversary," Gael said as he kissed his beloved. He grabbed Bolvon by the shoulder and turned him out to face the gorgeous view. Below them was the fortress, and beyond Lynhold, and further out the whole of the Valley of the Volcano, out to the Dragon''s Maw, and then the horizon off in the distance.


    "It''s¡­gorgeous."


    "You always said you wanted to have a day to just stare out¡­well, here it is." Gael reached into his pack and pulled out several bottles of wine, setting them into the small cubbies on the wall. "Empress Rivers said I can take a whole week off to spend with you up here. I n on making use of it."


    Bolvon chuckled. "Really? You told her about that fantasy, too?"


    "Which one? The one where you get to fuck on dragon-back flying through the sky? Or the one where you are chained up to a chair? Or the one¡ª"


    Bolvon stepped forward and silenced Gael with a kiss before pulling away. "Making love at the top of the world."


    "Well¡­we are slightly below the summit."


    Bolvonughed and embraced Gael, the two losing themselves in each other''s body.


    [Year 10 of The Eternal Age]


    Brad cracked his neck as he got out of bed. Well, not his bed. Lyn''s bed. She had taken to bringing him into his quarters quite frequently ¨C especially since her usual bed fellows Vael, Gael, Rashanna ¨C were all busy with their duties and their own significant others. He pped her on the rump, and she shot up.


    "Hey! I''m still your empress. And a goddess."


    "With a fine ass."


    Lyn flipped him off, and he just chuckled as he entered her luxurious bathroom, pouring mana into the inscribed tub and washing up. She walked over and leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms and pushing her breasts up into quite a scious position. "You are incorrigible, you know that?"


    "You started this by inviting me into your bed. Over, and over, and over, and¡ª"


    She shook her head. "Yes, I get it. Just remember¡­I don''t mind us talking like this in here, but out there? You have to be a bit more careful. You slipped up yesterday at the council meeting, and when you walked by you were a bit too close." She raised her fingers and did air quotes "''identally brushing my horns with your arm''? Seriously?"


    Brad chuckled and got out of the tub. "You know you love it when I use your ''love handles''."


    Lyn groaned and put her face in her hands. "Why did that catch on with you lot?" She was, of course, referring to the twins and Rashanna, who all had this secret pact of only referring to her horns as her "love handles" during their amorous activities.


    Brad pushed her toward the tub, then wrapped a towel around his waist. "You know, you are one finedy."


    "Yup, and you''re a goody. Nothing more."


    Brad nodded. "I''m good with that. No strings attached. Just like we agreed to. Plus, immortal rtionships would turn out messy, I''m sure."


    "No shit. Oh, that reminds me, did you check your clone backup?"


    "Yes. Every year. Trisha insists and reminds very consistently."


    Lyn submerged herself into the tub beforeing up. "Good." Her eyes went pure ck for a moment, and she stood up, her armor manifesting around her as she looked at him. "One of the creatures approaches."


    Brad smiled and pointed up to the ceiling. "Don''t mind me. Go protect the world, oh mighty goddess."


    Lyn smirked and vanished in a glimmer of multicolored sparks. Brad imagined the fight above in the heavens, beyond the''s outer limits. Lyn would be manifesting Cataclysm''s de of pure destruction and fighting off the creature from who-knows-where, drawn to Ghomar because of her mana-heavy world, which ¨C until Lyn ascended to godhood ¨C had no singr beacon of mana. Like a moth to a me, Brad thought.


    He left her quarters after dressing and made his way to the apothecary and pharmaceutical building. He checked in on the production lines and was quite pleased to see that his universal cancer vine was alreadypleted and going into mass production. We need more horses to create more of them faster.


    He drew up the order request and walked it over to Steward Mol, dropping off the paperwork before he went for lunch at a restaurant in the capital. He had his pharmaceutical industry. He could make clean-high, non-addictive substances. He had created medicines and vines ¨C with Trisha''s help ¨C against practically every single disease. Those that weren''t already prepared for were in the testing stages.


    Plus, he was banging the empress herself. Not to mention he would live forever if he checked his clone backup consistently.


    Life was good for the once tortured and maimed hero.


    Note to self, she screams louder in doggy style¡­he cackled as he pulled out his notebook and jotted down some ideas for the bedroom.


    [Year 15 of The Eternal Age]


    Lawrence walked out into Lynhold. He went to the new construction that Lyn was working on with the help of the feysmiths of Feylin. A massive triangr structure that was erected on the east side of the Valley of the Volcano. "How goes it?" he hollered up to the foreman in the Sloren tongue.


    The Sloren leaned over the railing. "Puttin'' tha finishin'' touches on it!"


    "Yes!" Lawrence shouted as he gave a thumbs-up. Finally, after fucking years of asking for it. Lyn had finally given in and allowed him to implement a rail system. A way to cross Ghomar quickly and efficiently. This central hub would power everything ¨C a massive inscription that would require an enormous amount of mana.


    But that is why the feysmiths were there. They could turn it into an artifact with enough time. That would reduce the mana requirement by an enormous amount. This eastern tower would take people up to the top of the valley''s fortified walls. On the inner edge, rails were installed as a floating train system was ready for the cars to be added. Rapid transit across Ghomar, Lawrence thought with a smug grin.


    He knew that logistics were king, and this would reduce the requirement to rely on the raven delivery services. The rail lines would follow the walls over The Rill, the Azure Divide, and the Flontar River, before circling around the exterior of Ghomar itself. Smaller lines would split off to the various duchies, minor kingdoms, and vassal states. Ravens would still be used to deliver goods and services ¨C and act as a taxi service ¨C for more flung-off ces. Viges and smaller towns where a rail system wouldn''t make much sense.


    Lawrence rode the elevator up and emerged atop the enormous wall overlooking the whole of the Shattends. The remains of Vgonia. Some people had settled there, and it was under Lyn''s control. The Eternal Empire ruled Ghomar.


    But¡­the Shattends were not really needed. There just simply wasn''t a use for all that space. However, Lawrence nned to change that. He knew that open space was perfect to prepare for a spaceport. Centuries, possibly millennia down the line of Ghomar''s history. But, with backup bodies, he was practically immortal.


    Spaceships neededrge areas to be built, maintained, andnd. That abandonedndscape was perfect.


    Soon enough, he would be ying city-builder with the whole of Ghomar, instead of just Lynhold. And that filled him with a sense of fulfillment he had craved.


    And with Lyn, he had the cheat code to reality. Anything he needed, she could provide. He could finally, finally, do something he loved doing in video games.


    Build.


    [January 30, 2026, 9:00 a.m.]


    Stes checked the clock as she walked into the enormous, metal and stone city. Her ears were assaulted by the countless noises of honking, grinding, shouting, screaming, and music. It was a cacophony unlike anything she had ever encountered, and she stumbled into an alley as she tried to tune it all out.


    "Heydy," a voice said. She looked up and saw a Human dressed in near-rags, holding a bottle. "You look pretty. Whatcha doing in a dump like this?"


    She muttered an Elenthir verse to stabilize her senses, and to her relief felt her mana core within respond, pushing the mana up through her channels and into her brain as her senses were suppressed. "Just getting my bearings," she replied.


    "Ah. So¡­you some type of performer?" he asked as he took a swig from the bottle.


    She nodded. "Yes. A cosyer," she replied. That was the answer Thomas had told her to use as an excuse for her unique attire. Nothing on Ghomar quite matched what Empress Rivers and Thomas had described, but it was close. Obviously, something was off. Perhaps the fabric? she thought. "Would you know where the nearest pawn shop is?"


    The man nodded and pointed down the road as he stepped away from the alley. "Two blocks that way." He trundled off with a wave, and Stes slipped out of the alley. The city was cold ¨C snow covered the streets, and she saw several enormous towers just like what Thomas had sketched out in preparation.


    Nheless, she was stillpletely overtaken by the sheer size of the structures around her, and she spent several minutes taking in the architecture. The vehicles that whizzed by. Cars, she thought. Propelled carriages. The sheer number of people was more than she had ever seen before.


    Walking down the street, she came across a group of people waiting in front of a street. A green image of a man walking appeared, and she shuffled along with the rest of the people. Keep calm, she thought as she checked the odd device Thomas and Lyn had designed for her. An inscribed item that kept track of time down to the second. Thirty minutes already? That meant two and a half years had passed back on Ghomar.


    She saw the symbol of golden scales and walked into the shop, hearing the ring-ring of bells as she entered. There were ss windows ¨C thick ones ¨C all around the small entryway, with holes poked out of them and slots in the bottom. A portly woman with swarthy, dark skin sat behind the window. Stes walked up and ced the gold and gemstones into the slot. "I need money," she stated.


    The woman nodded and pulled out a small, t, silver pad with numbers across the front. She ced the gold on it, made some notes on a sheet of parchment, and then pulled out a jeweler''s loupe and inspected the gems. "High quality," she croaked out, her voice scarred from some type of screaming or yelling, perhaps. "You look like a country girl. From out of town?"


    "Yes," Stes nodded.


    "Go across the street to the jewelers for the gemstones," the woman said with a soft, warm smile as she slid the gemstones back under the window. "I can take the gold. Standard market rate."


    Stes nodded and scooped the gems back into her pouch. "That''s fine."


    The woman counted out some type of paper currency, slid it under the window, and handed her a card with writing on it. "Tell the owner I sent you."


    "Thank you," Stes said with a small bow as she left the building. She saw these cars racing across the street, and looked both ways when there was a gap ¨C like she was taught ¨C before running across. She entered the jewelry store and saw a vast amount of wealth on disy. Manyrge ss cases were filled with gold, silver, gemstones, and more. She walked up and set the card on the counter. "The shop across the street sent me over."


    The shopkeep took the card and nodded. "That''s me. What you got?"


    Stes pulled out the gemstones and poured them onto the small, padded mat. The man produced another jeweler''s ring and examined them. "Did you wantmission? Consignment?"


    "Just money, please."


    The man nodded. "Can do. One minute." He went into a back room with the gems and came back with a pouch. He opened it and counted out more paper currency, setting it on the counter as he counted, before putting it all back in the pouch and zipping it. "Pleasure doing business."


    "Can you point me to a ce I can buy aptop?"


    "There''s an electronics store about a half mile down the street," he replied, pointing down the road. She thanked him and went on her way. One hour gone. Five years passed.


    She found the shop quickly enough. She went inside and purchased thisptop ¨C an odd, ck, t device in a padded box ¨C and also bought this "hard drive" she was told to purchase.


    Last is this generator, and then getting onto this world wide web. Thinking of those words made her shudder as she instinctively thought of spiders that covered a whole world in their webbing ¨C but she knew that it was just a nickname for an informationwork. One that promised near-limitless knowledge.


    She easily enough purchased a portable, hand-cranked generator, and then found a restaurant with arge, golden pair of arches marking the location. She set up in the corner, and pulled out her notebook, following Thomas''s instructions exactly.


    Two hours passed. Another ten years, she thought. But after the time had psed, she downloaded this entire database. An online encyclopedia that, ording to Thomas, had practically unlimited knowledge. She then copied that to this hard drive, packed up the supplies, and headed outside.


    Now to find a quiet ce to return. She made her way through the city and found a park in the center. It was filled with many, many people. But she found a space underneath some bushes and poured mana into her ring.


    She felt the world shift around her and was suddenly inside the Conve of the Fortress. ncing back, she could see the tiny pinprick of green ¨C barely the size of a pinhead. The world-bridge stayed! she thought with excitement. She grabbed her amulet and willed it to contact Thomas and Lyn. "I''m back!" She reached over and grabbed the lever that would copse the bridge behind her. But it was stuck. Damnit.


    Lyn appeared almost instantly, and she looked¡­different. Her eyes were different, as were her horns and scales. "Report."


    "First, the lever," Stes gestured. Lyn reached over and pulled it. The bridge vanished. Stes then gave a detailed ount of everything. Every little detail. Thomas arrived halfway through her recitation. "Forgive me," she said as she concluded. "How long has it been?"


    "Twenty years," Lyn replied.


    Stes looked down at the device Thomas had given her.


    [January 30, 2026, 1:00 p.m.]


    "This says four hours."


    Thomas smiled. "Good! We know the time dtion. How do you feel? Any side effects? Dizziness? Headache?"


    Stes shook her head. "No, I feel just how I felt when I departed."


    Thomas reached for the objects she held and opened theptop. He cackled with delight. "We got it! The blueprint to modern society. And¡­practically endless knowledge for you, Stes."


    Lyn smiled, "Great job, Stes." She looked to Thomas. "It is one hour for five years?"


    Thomas nodded. "Yup. One hour there, five years here. I don''t want to get too much into the numbers, but just keep halving it. Thirty minutes there, two and a half years here, and so on."


    Stes felt faint and began to copse. Lyn stepped forward and caught her. "Fuck!" She waved her hand over Stes and muttered something. Stes caught her breath and sat up in Lyn''s hands. "What was that?"


    "You just aged," Lyn replied as her eyes were covered with a pink hue. "You instantly aged twenty years¡­minus the four hours."


    Thomas clicked his tongue. "So that basically means that only Ari or Duskari could make the journey to Earth without issue."


    Stes coughed slightly and pushed herself up off the ground with Lyn''s help. "I''m sorry."


    "Why? You did just what we needed," Thomas replied. "You scouted out the time dtion and brought back a trove of knowledge."


    Lyn nodded. "Come on, take some time off and rx. Maybe visit the hot springs."


    Stes shook her head and walked over to Thomas. "Let''s get that up to the archive and read it!"


    Stes pulled Thomas up from the ground as she picked up the hand-crank generator. "Come on! I need to see what all is in there!"


    [Year 20 of The Eternal Age]


    Thomas heard a knock at his hidden door within the archive. He stood up and walked to the lever, pulling it as thetch opened and the door swung open.


    Stes was there, smiling, with slightly grayer fur ¨C a physical sign of her rapid aging. "It''s my turn."


    Thomas nodded and gestured into the room as the Vharthon woman went into where they kept the few technological items from Earth. The duo were taking turns finding various technologies from the article pages and figuring out a progression path that wouldn''t cause any sudden "shock" to the popce. The trains were just teetering on the razor-thin edge of that de. Let alone Lawrence''s n of going for spaceships ¨C that would need to wait a long time.


    He shut the door to the hidden chamber and sighed as he left the archive. I should¡­


    He felt restless. The type of restlessness where you want to do something but there''s nothing to do. He had no projects, no goals, and no real¡­desire. I need to talk to someone, he thought.


    The city was buzzing with activity, and Thomas found himself wandering the streets aimlessly, just letting his feet take him where they would. Trisha was probably busy, as was Ben, Lawrence, and Brad. Lyn was doubtless embroiled ¨C he only saw her at council meetings as ofte.


    He walked to the nearby forest and found a smooth log that he sat upon. A ce where countless others had no doubt sat, and he looked up at the canopy. The chirping of birds and the sing-song nature of their sounds and calls were soothing.


    But he still felt restless. I need to do something.


    He sat there, contemting what he could do, when he caught sight of a group of children from various races running through the tree line. They were shouting in delight as they yed some game, and he felt a sense of satisfaction. He had helped make this ce something special.


    And yet, the boredom and desire to¡­do anything still pestered him.


    He picked up his amulet and focused on Lyn. "Hey, you free?"


    "Sure, give me a moment."


    He set the amulet down and five secondster, in a sh of blue light, Lyn was sitting on the log next to him. "That was fast."


    "I did say a moment. I wasn''t busy." She looked over at him and crossed her legs. "What did you want?"


    "I¡­" Thomas looked forward into space. "I''m restless. But I don''t know how to fix it."


    "You need a hobby."


    Thomas chuckled. "Really? Please. I just finished the third volume of the history of Ghoma¡ª"


    "No." She cut him off. "That''s a job. I mean a hobby. Something you just¡­enjoy."


    He looked at her before shifting his gaze to the ground. "I¡­I don''t know what, though."


    Lyn smirked. "I can think of something." She held her hand up in front of her with the palm facing up. There was a prismatic sparkle of energy that surged up from her palm before churning around in a circle and forming a spherical shape.


    "Holy shit. You''re serious?!"


    She handed him the dragon egg. "You were the happiest when you had Hector, and were left to your own devices. You''ve done a lot for the empire¡­and I never truly paid you back. So¡­thank you, Thomas." She put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "You deserve this."


    Thomas was awestruck. "I¡­I don''t know what to say."


    Lyn tapped the top of the egg, and it began to hatch. Thomas held his breath as a small set of horns poked through the shell. Silver horns. They wiggled back and forth for a few seconds before the eggshell began to give way and little, wed feet pulled at the edges of it. The hatchling that stared up at him was deep, ocean blue with silver edges on the scales. Its eyes were a piercing silver, just like the horns and tips of the ws.


    "Erp?" It made an¡­interested noise. Lyn waved her hand over it, and sparkles descended from her palm as the dragon''s eyes widened before returning to normal. "Oh¡­hi," it said in Arinol.


    Thomas felt a surge of emotions within his torso and hugged the small dragon to his torso. His dream since arriving on Ghomar, granted. Thomas could feel the tears rolling down his face as he took in shuddering breaths. He pulled away, and the hatchling cocked its head sideways. "Why sad?" it asked.


    Lyn snapped her fingers and the hatchling''s attention was riveted to her. "He is happy. Go ahead, tell him your name."


    The hatchling turned back to Thomas. "I''m Hector."


    Thomas looked to Lyn. "Is he-"


    She nodded. "I brought him back for you. Your Hector, in a dragon''s body. He''ll remember you, given time; I didn''t want to rush things too fast and would rather your bond developed nat¡ª" She was cut off as Thomas hugged her.


    He was choking back sobs. "You¡­gave me back my best friend," he whispered in English. "I¡­I can''t ever pay that back."


    "You''ve more than paid for it. And you''ll keep helping the empire. Dragons live a long, long time. He can be with you for all of your lifetimes." She slowly pulled away. "I have to go," she muttered as her eyes shed a deep, abyssal ck. "Ghomar needs protecting." She vanished in a glimmer of bright blue.


    "What''s wrong?" Hector asked in Arinol as he dug his ws into Thomas''s pant legs and the skin underneath.


    Thomas looked back at his support animal¡­reborn with intelligence as an actual dragon. "Nothing¡­life is perfect, now." He stood up and hoisted Hector in his arms like he was holding a baby. "Come on. I want to show you all the wonderful friends we have."


    "We have more friends?"


    Thomas nodded and headed toward the Raven Tower. "Yes¡­we do, best buddy."


    [Year 20 of The Eternal Age]


    Lyn floated above Ghomar and held Cataclysm, the de of neon-blueva cascading with pure, destructive power. She had fully activated every single internal spell at her disposal. A true deity. Inexorable and unstoppable.


    Despite her vast, enormous powers over the very fabric of reality itself, the entity before her was still a threat. She had named them Mana Devourers, as they were drawn to her as a moth is drawn to a streemp. She had dealt with five in the past twenty years, each at a varying interval.


    This Mana Devourer was a colossal serpent that wended its way across the ck of space. The only indication it was present was when its sinuous, gigantic form would dash in front of a distant star.


    Lyn smiled and flew forward toward the creature. Itshed toward her ¨C the mouth the size of the behind her ¨C and she went right inside of it. Dumb creature, she thought. She shot through the back of its neck as her de of pure destruction carved a path that disintegrated the creature wherever the de impacted.


    She floated behind it as it wheeled around and struck out once more. Standing her ground, she willed the de to expand in length until it was the same size as a ring around Saturn ¨C dwarfing the creature and Ghomar. She chopped into it and severed the head cleanly in two. The form writhed before vanishing into ck motes that slowly faded away.


    Lyn put Cataclysm away and willed her focus back to Ghomar. Within an instant, she was back in Lynhold where she had left Thomas. The man was walking away and talking to his new pet. Happy I could help you out, she thought.


    She walked through Lynhold, and the people bowed, singing her praises as she passed by. Being worshipped did nothing for her power-wise¡­but damn was it one hell of an ego booster.


    "Empress Rivers!" a voice called out behind her in Triskol. A familiar voice. She turned and spotted Lyndra ¨C now a young woman of twenty-eight and member of her Riverguard ¨C approaching as she saluted.


    "Yes?" Lyn prompted.


    "I had a request."


    "Do tell."


    "Empress¡­may we talk in private?"


    Lyn nodded and gestured for Lyndra to follow her into the fortress, to the throne room, and ordered the Riverguard to seal the chamber, leaving her and Lyndra alone. "What do you want to talk about?"


    Lyndra took off her helmet and held it under her arm. "I¡­I want to ask for permission to leave the Riverguard."


    "Why would you want that?"


    "I want to join Gil and Eli."


    Lyn chuckled and turned in the throne so she could let her legs dangle over the armrest. "You three want to go looking for dungeons, don''t you?"


    Lyndra nodded. "We know that there is not any purpose to acquiring dungeon cores¡­so I would ask that you allow us to be your dungeon hunters. We''ll find them, defeat them, and then bring any mana cores back to you. But¡­we want to keep the other loot."


    "Why would you want to take such a risk? Dungeons are dangerous, you know."


    Lyndra sighed in frustration. "We were¡­we''ve been told all our lives about what amazing deeds our parents did. We want to make our own mark on the world."


    I can''t me them for wanting prestige. Hell, I wanted the same when I first returned. That was the whole point ofing back. "Very well. I ept. You will report to High Riverguard Vael. Keep the armor and inscribed items¡­you''ll need them." She held her hand up and incanted a spell.


    Lyndra stood stock-still before she gasped. "I can see¡­streams of light on the ground. Like paths. There''s¡­hundreds! But they are faint."


    "This is my gift to you for your service these past eight years. You will see the path to dungeons. Stay safe on your travels. Oh, but first, talk to Brad and get all the healing concoctions he has and is willing to give you. And, give my best to your parents."


    Lyndra bowed and grinned. "Thank you, Empress!" She formed her hand into a w over her heart and then left the chamber.


    Lyn shifted her position on the throne to sit upright and pushed her consciousness down into her mana core. The spectral forms of Yheron and Raevan appeared.


    "What can we help you with?" Raevan asked in Arinol.


    "I''ve made up my mind."


    Yherony down and rested his massive head next to the two Duskari. "Good. About time. What is the n?"


    Lyn crossed her arms. "Now that I know about how the time dtion works, I have inscribed items that will revert the effects. My concern is that when I make the bridge more permanent¡­will mana¡­I don''t know, "awaken" on Earth?"


    "I never tried reaching out to other worlds," Raevan muttered. "I can''t speak to what would happen. Are you sure you don''t want to focus on expansion in this reality? The space around Ghomar?"


    Lyn nodded. "I need to fix Earth. They need direction and guidance, like what I provide to Ghomar. And I can''t send divination sensors far out enough in this reality to find other inhabited worlds. I''d rather go for the sure-shot ce I know can be saved."


    Yheron chuckled. "What of these technologies? They sound quite difficult tobat."


    Lyn waved her hand dismissively. "I could crush them."


    "Is that the wisest move though?" Raevan muttered. "Crushing them? Wouldn''t you rather descend from on-high as a deity and fix all their problems, turning them to you with love and affection?"


    "Yes," Lyn replied. "I''d like that. But realistically, the people in power there won''t give it up that easily and be subservient to another foreign entity. We know the lesson that Yheron''s mere existence caused." She turned to the true dragon. "The world united against amon threat. I would be considered thatmon threat."


    Yheron nodded. "True. And with the way information spreads on Earth from what we''ve seen in your memories¡­the masses can be mobilized against you by fearmongering propaganda."


    Lyn nodded. "It would have to be a slower, insidious process. But it can be done¡­I want to do it." She sighed. "In a few hundred years. I want to let the Eternal Empire advance further technologically."


    Raevan smiled. "Your return could have been ruinous to all on Ghomar if you had chosen that path¡­but you chose a more enlightened path. I am proud of you."


    "Thanks," Lyn muttered.


    "You''ve done your dragon daddy and Duskari mommy proud," Yheron said jokingly.


    Lyn flipped him off and focused on returning to her body,ing back to herself in the throne room, seated upon the powerful object. Once we hit the Industrial Age, I think. Maybeter¡­if I''m patient enough.


    She nodded and stood up, walked to the doors, and threw them open before walking out into Lynhold. She manifested her wings and pped up until she was far, far up above the Valley of the Volcano.


    Lyn looked to the southwest, toward Khrrdia and the Free City of Bashinol. Memories of her first arriving as the Scout hero flooded her mind and she smiled as she remembered her allies being weed in a huge parade. I came here to save the world. And I did so.


    She looked north, to Trisk, Vharthos, Raptol, Fosk, Feylin, and the Ruins of Elent. The memories of her near-immediate return sparked into her mind, and she smiled at the recollection of traveling with allies once more. I proved my dominion over others¡­and my benevolence.


    She lookedstly to the southeast, the abandoned kingdom of Vgonia ¨C formerly Shereld ¨C now called the Shattends. Her defeating of the Elenthians in their ethereal forms, and capture of Cecily yed through her mind. I saved it a second time.


    Lastly, she looked up into the skies above. Her eyes could make out the countless stars and wonderous disy above ¨C a tapestry of creation and possibility. All of that could be mine to rule.


    Then, she thought of Earth. The heroes that had chosen to return. By this point, approximately four hours would have passed since they woke up on the day of their summoning. She envisioned descending from the skies above Earth ¨C maybe a big city, like Los Angeles, London, or Tokyo ¨C and dering her new world order. Now, with the inscribed "bridge" between worlds¡­she could reliably send people back and forth.


    I''ll return there eventually. I''ll destroy and ruin all those who oppress the innocent. I''ll set that world to right, just as I have Ghomar.


    It''s my right to rule everything.

 Epilogue

    [Year 21 of the Eternal Age]


    Gil took in a deep breath as he walked through the thick jungle. He struck out with his greatsword over and over, carving a path for the rest of his siblings behind him. He pped the insects that buzzed around, and growled. "Fucking insects. Why didn''t we acquire something to keep them away from Alchemist Brad?" he asked in Triskol.


    Lyndra was right behind him, and she shrugged. "They''re not bothering me."


    "That''s because you have that armor," Gil replied as he stopped his chopping and took a few deep breaths. "Not that I''m jealous," he huffed out in between breaths.


    Lyndraughed slightly as Eli pushed past her. "It''s alright, Gil. We''ll get our own artifact-tier gear soon enough." The slightly slimmer man was dressed in scale armor that was reminiscent of Empress Rivers''s coloration, deep ck with blue ents. He had his father''s tower shield and spiked mace. "Want me to take over for a bit?" He chuckled. "Old man?"


    Gil nodded and took the gear from Eli as his brother took over the job of chopping a path. "I''m not old," Gil replied as he crossed his arms and resented his decision to wear full te armor. The bulkiest of the Baxter children due to his dedication to work with the biggest weapons possible. His adoptive father had told him stories of a character that wielded a fifty-pound sword¡­and he had been captivated ever since.


    Lyndra walked ahead of him. She had trained with High Riverguard Vael and was quite skilled with shield and spear¡­but had also obtained lessons from Empress Rivers herself. "Just look at the bright side," shemented as she nced back at Gil. "You have all the opportunities in the world ahead of you. You''re only thirty-two, after all."


    "Oh, fuck you both," Gil said with only slight irritation. They had engaged in this type of banter for years now, but he felt actual irritation this time because some fucking insect had gotten inside the armor. "And fuck these mosquitoes. Ringa thi gwaew / fengngal." He felt his mana slightly drain as the air around him chilled to below-freezing temperatures, the sweat instantly freezing as he felt relief from the itching and other pain. The insects also died off instantly.


    The trio were heavily body enhanced with peerless alchemical concoctions made by the empress herself. This level of cold was tolerable. Lyndra looked back at him. "Really? You couldn''t just deal with it?"


    "You two are full up."


    "Found it!" Eli announced as he carved away thest few trees and the trio walked into a clearing. He swapped his gear back with Gil, and the trio faced a stone archway with Elenthir carved into the top. A purple film covered the aperture.


    Lyndra cleared her throat. "This door marks the dungeon of Sealna, the Seeker of Truth. Threat within ¨C monsters. Reward ¨C artifacts."


    Eli rolled his shoulders and muttered the improved, internal spell that they all had learned in school. His muscles bulked up, and he walked through the film. Lyndra was just a step behind, muttering the same spell.


    Gil chuckled and whispered his own variant, one that had had begged his father to teach him. Sacrificing speed for raw power. He entered the purple film behind his siblings.


    Eli thudded forward under the weight of his heavy setup. He had trained for the past eleven years, since leaving mandatory service, with his father, working on boxing in heavier and heavier equipment until now he could spar in full te barely breaking a sweat. But, he chose to wear scale armor for the maneuverability it offered.


    That training meant that he could swing his shield and mace like a wrecking ball. He willed mana into both objects, and they glowed with a deep green hue. ncing back, he saw Lyndra had done the same with her spear and shield, mana-charging them to a bright yellow, and Gil''s de was a bright red.


    "Ready?" he asked his siblings as they took up their usual positions around the pir: Eli in front to activate it and be the "tank" of sorts, Gil and Lyndra nking and slightly behind him with weapons at the ready.


    "Of course," Gil said as he took a few practice swings with his massive, almost unreasonably sized sword.


    Lyndra grunted in affirmation, going into a mode of total focus. Eli let the mace dangle from the wrist strap, and ced his palm on the pir. It sank into the floor, and the whole room shifted. The trio immediately found themselves beset upon from all sides by a ferocious pack of enraged Foskor. The bear-men were dressed in tribal clothing from their distant past, and were frothing at the mouths as they set upon the trio with ws, teeth, andrge clubs.


    Eli interposed his shield between him and the iing attacks, barely feeling the dull thud of impact upon the bulwark. He swung his mace around in an arc as the spikes mmed into one of the Foskor warriors, feeling the crunch of bones underneath the weapon as he bull-rushed forward, bashing another with his shield.


    "Duck!" Gil shouted.


    Eli and Lyndra both knelt down, and Gil unleashed a spell that amplified the mana charging his weapon, enabling it to project beyond the de. It carved into the rushing horde, buying the three a chance to group together tightly. Back-to-back-to-back, as they bashed, chopped, or stabbed at the horde.


    "How you both doing?" Eli asked as he weathered the storm of blows.


    Lyndra just grunted, but Gil was panting and growled out, "I''ve taken some hits."


    Of course you did. Eli doubled as their healer ¨C even though they all could heal with the same efficiency. He focused on defense and healing and let the other two be more damage oriented. Letting his mace hang down once more, he turned slightly ¨C trusting his massive shield to cover him ¨C as he put a hand on Gil''s back. "Nestad!" he shouted.


    The deep green mana surged out, and Gil breathed more easily as he continued his bloody work. Eli''s attention was returned to his front as he felt his shield being tugged. Swinging his mace around on the strap attached to his wrist, he sent a walloping blow around the barricade that crunched into the Fosk who was gripping the item.


    Lyndra stabbed forward with methodical efficiency. She kept her shield up as she was taught, kept it slotted into one of the notches, and pumped her arm back and forth. Each time the tip shot out, it pierced a vital spot. Each thrust, a quick kill.


    Easily the deadliest of the trio, thanks to her training with the empress herself, she felt nothing during battle. Vael had taught her in the Riverguard how to control her emotions wholly in battle, and be a perfect killer. One who could do what needed to be done without question, and who would not be distracted.


    Not even Gil''s asional grunts or cries of pain concerned her ¨C she knew that Eli would take care of him. And his reckless style was perfect for thisrge group, as hisrge, cleaving strikes could deal with dozens of opponents at once.


    Lyndra was more suited to small groupbat in a narrow corridor, and thus she eventually had to pour mana into her spear to swap to a short sword configuration, shing at foes that approached her from both sides. She nced over at Eli and saw that he was starting to be overrun. "Up!" she shouted as she turned to him, leaving her exposed for just a moment.


    Eli took a knee, and she put a foot on his shoulder, thenunched with her other foot off of the top of the shield.


    Lyndra closed her eyes as she sailed above the fray. "Natha rim nin / ech l¨²g hiril / feng mellonh." She opened her eyes as the spell went off and she felt her mana drain precipitously.


    An arcing cascade of yellow lightning bolts shot out from her and impacted the Fosk below, zapping them as they were fried in an instant. The cascading electricity jolted from target to target ¨C chaining together through the enemies as it wended past her brothers. Shended gracefully and swapped her sword back to the spear as thest of the Fosk fell.


    "Showoff," Gil huffed out as he nted his de in the ground.


    Eli smiled. "We would''ve been fine."


    Lyndra shrugged as the walls returned around them. "I know. Come on, we have to finish this dungeon to get home in time."


    The two boys looked at each other then back to her. "Why?" Eli asked.


    "You forgot? Mom''s birthday is in two weeks. We have to clear this dungeon, then travel a day straight if we want to get back to the boat."


    Gil groaned. "A whole day without sleep?"


    "Look at the bright side," Eli replied as he led the way to the next chamber. "We don''t have to cut a path back to the shore."


    Gil groaned again as Lyndra and Eli shared augh.


    "Alright. Let''s try this again," Lawry said in Triskol to the line of ravens. They were all perched atop one of the high walls of the Valley of the Volcano. "From the top." He held up his small conductor stick.


    The ravens began singing like songbirds. A song that his mother had hummed to him when he was a child. There was a sour note and he cut them off. "No. So close though!" He walked down the line to the bird that was out of tune. "You need to be up an octave."


    The bird nodded and replied in an effeminate voice. "Okay! Sorry!"


    "Don''t be," Lawry replied as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pouch of seeds, walking down the line and giving a small palm-full to each raven. "Let''s take it from the top, again¡ª"


    A shadow passed overhead, and Lawry turned and bowed as Lyn Rivers, Empress of the Eternal Empire stood atop the wall next to him. "How is the surprise performanceing along?" she asked.


    Lawry sighed. "Well, it''s not perfect, but it will still be better than any person singing."


    She nodded. "What about you? Are you ready?"


    "Of course, my empress."


    "Good. We want Trisha to be blown away by this. I received word from Gil, Eli, and Lawry ¨C they will arrive on time. But¡­" She turned and looked out in the distance. "Hmm, odd."


    "What is it?"


    She turned back to him, and her eyes were dark ck. "I have to go. Keep up the good work." She muttered a spell and vanished in a burst of blue light.


    Lawry craned his head skyward and could faintly see movement far off in the bright, clear sky. He turned his attention back to the ravens on the wall when he heard another pping noise. Whisperwingnded next to the other ravens.


    "Oh, hi! How is the rehearsal going?" Whisperwing asked one of the other ravens.


    "Crappy."


    "Not good."


    "I got seeds!"


    Lawry rolled his eyes and walked over to Whisperwing, offering his shoulder for therger raven to perch on. It walked up his arm and settled in ce on his shoulder, digging talons into the leather pad he wore under his clothes for that exact purpose. "Come here to help out?"


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    "No, I have a message! Miss Fin said the next brood is about to hatch!"


    "Shit, why didn''t you say that first?!" Lawry waved his hands to the other ravens. "Practice is over. I''m sure it''ll be fine. Dismissed." As they began to fly off, he looked at Whisperwing, "What are you waiting for? Let''s go."


    The raven lifted off, carrying Lawry aloft, and flew him toward the fortress at Lynhold. He felt the giddy sense of gravity and the slight turning of his stomach at the great height below to the valley floor.


    The tower had arge tform built out the side where the wagon-sized ravens roosted, waiting for express deliveries from Lynhold to other parts of the empire. The railwork was great for delivering bulk goods, but it ran on a timetable. If, say, a certain type of life-saving medicine was needed in a specific location, then these ravens would be employed. They could also go and pick up people and bring them back to Lynhold.


    Whisperwing stopped pping as Lawry''s feet touched down, and Lawry walked inside, past the few others who were working in the expanded facility. Fin was standing in the hatchery, back to him, as she leaned over arge table.


    She nced back as he walked up. "Ah, you''re just in time. They''re starting to poke through."


    Lawry immediately set to casting spells alongside her. Spells that were ingrained into his memory from repeated use.


    The new hatchlings began peeping, and Whisperwing set about to helping feed them as the two finished casting their spells. Over the next few days, their intelligence would increase, and they would be imbued with the ability to learn and understandnguages, as well as speak like a person could.


    "Good job," Fin stated.


    Lawry smiled as the woman, his mentor, put her hand on his shoulder. "Thanks," he replied.


    "Oh, hush, little one," Ginavieve muttered in Triskol as she sat in the rocking chair of the Baxter household. The same one that her mother had rocked her to sleep in twenty-one years ago when she was just an infant.


    Trisha walked downstairs. Her hair had grayed out, but her exuberant expression of pure joy was written on her visage. "How did my daughter farest night?"


    Ginavieve shook her head. "I''m bone-tired. He kept me up all night fussing."


    Trisha extended her arms and took her grandson, rocking him gently in her arms as the baby near-instantly stopped fussing and fell asleep. "Would you look at that," Trisha whispered.


    Ginavieve got up and stretched. "How do you do it?"


    "No clue," Trisha replied with a smirk. "Have you decided on a name yet?"


    Ginavieve nodded and walked to the kitchen, reaching into the pantry and pulling out a hunk of bread and a marmde spread. "Tovol wanted to name him after his father. I think we should keep with family tradition and name him after one of the fallen heroes."


    Trisha nodded. "That would be a sweet consideration to make. Freddy, Zack, Darius, Elias, and William are all the boy heroes that perished. We''ve got Elias covered with Eli."


    "Lawry''s name is for which fallen hero?"


    "Ah, Lawrence, the Shifter. But we didn''t know he survived when your brother was born."


    Ginavieve munched on the bread and nodded, feeling a twinge of pain in her abdomen. The delivery was only two weeks ago, and despite magical healing, she had a rough go of things. Her mother had sorrowfully informed her that she would never have children again¡­well, the natural way. She could always use the new "tube" method that enabled cross-race offspring.


    And Ginavieve already had her hands full with the one baby. "How''d you do it?" she asked her mother. "Deal with all us kids?"


    Trisha smiled. "It takes a vige. I had many, many nurses to help out since I was training up healers."


    "Didn''t you¡­barely sleep?"


    "Your father and I traded off nights of sleeping. And sometimes we would use a mind spell to put you down."


    Ginavieve scoffed. "Really? Forbidden magic just to put an infant to sleep?"


    Trisha shrugged. "Well, it wasn''t done with ill will. And it''s not like it hurt you."


    Ginavieve sighed. "Right. So, if keeping to tradition, I could go with something based on Freddy, Zack, Darius, or William."


    The front door opened, and Tovol walked in. He was dressed in his Riverguard armor and set his sword on the weapon rack at the front entryway. "Hi, honey," he said as he came over and gave her a kiss before turning to his baby boy in Trisha''s arms. "And how''s my little man?"


    Trisha lightly pped his hand and whispered, "He''s sleeping."


    Tovol nodded and grinned. "Sorry," he whispered as he walked back to Ginavieve. "So¡­what did I miss?"


    "Talking about names," Ginavieve replied.


    "Right¡­I''ve been thinking on that," Tovol replied. "I talked to my father, and he agrees with what you''ve been pushing for. We should honor one of the fallen heroes. I''m preferential to William or Darius."


    Ginavieve smiled and kissed her husband. "Let''s go with Darius."


    Misty ran through the halls of the mage school in Lynhold. In one hand, she had her mom''s birthday present. It had gone down to the wire, but she had finally done what she wanted. Now¡­she had to get going, fast. Everyone will be there already, she thought.


    She giggled and kept running until she made it outside. She sprinted down the roads and arrived in front of the fortress. Empress Rivers had set aside her throne room as a grand banquet hall to honor the Healer hero''s birthday. She ran past the bustling people of all manner of races and sizes.


    But she stopped when she arrived at the main doors that were pushed wide open. She eyed the passage leading into the conve to her left, guarded by four Riverguard. I''ve always wondered what is in there, she thought.


    "Misty!" a voice called out. A voice thatmanded respect. Her father''s voice. "Come on! We''re getting started soon!"


    "Coming!" she shouted over the din of the hall as she made her way through the gathered guests. Some she knew ¨C like the council members, Archmage Stes, Schr Thomas, and dozens more. She greeted them as appropriate in their homenguage, and eventually got to the high table right below the dais which held the empress''s throne.


    The empress was seated upon it and looked down upon the gathered guests with a bemused look. High Riverguard Vael was at her left hand, and the two quietly conversed in Arinol that Misty couldn''t make out over the crowd. She instead focused on her father, who was waving her over.


    She went along the table and circled around the back, giving her dad a hug. "You arete," he muttered into her ear in Triskol.


    "Sorry! I had to finish Mom''s gift!" She held up a small pouch she gripped tightly in her left hand.


    "What is it?" Ben asked with a mischievous grin.


    "A surprise!" she whispered back with a giggle. She walked down the line and hugged Gil, then Eli, then Lyndra ¨C lingering with her older sister. "How was the dungeon?"


    "Great. When will you be ready toe with us?"


    "Mmm¡­soon. I think I want to do a little bit more research and Elenthir study before I go with you all."


    Lyndra smiled and hiked her thumb back. "What do you think of our new nephew, Darius?"


    Misty sighed. "Really? Darius? After one of the heroes?"


    Lyndra shrugged. "Hey, I didn''t make the choice."


    Misty walked past her sister and hugged Ginavieve. "Hi, sis."


    "We chose a name! It''s¡ª"


    "Darius, Lyndra told me." She stepped over to Tovol who was holding the baby boy that was babbling incoherently. "How is he doing?" she asked.


    Tovol grinned. "Great. We got him to finally¡ª" He was interrupted as the baby hupped and vomited over his shirt. He groaned, and Misty just chuckled before whispering a spell that cleaned up the spill and eliminated the smell. "Thank you," Tovol said softly as he wiped Darius''s mouth with a cloth.


    Misty nodded and went back to her father. "Where''s Mom?"


    "She''s on her way. She wanted a bit of time to herself before the festivities."


    Lawrence, seneschal and Shifter hero, tapped arge staff on the ground, and the crowd silenced. "Please make your way to your tables! The guest of honor has arrived!" he spoke in Triskol, which had be a moremon tongue across Ghomar.


    The party quieted, and people rushed to their seats. Lawrence tapped his staff once more, and Trisha walked into the room, dressed in a resplendent blue dress.


    Lyn Rivers stood up from her throne and spoke. "Today, we celebrate the fifty-third birthday of Trisha Baxter, Healer hero, founder of the hospital at Lynhold. Author of the definitive medical texts used across all Ghomar¡­and my personal friend." She began to p, and soon the whole hall was filled with thunderous apuse. "This asion, of course, is special; we wouldn''t put on a birthday bash like this for any single birthday. No, she has just finishedpletion of the Cross-Race reproduction project! Soon, people from all over the Empire will be able to have children, regardless of the gender or race of their loved one - and without having toe to Lynhold to do it!" Again, thunderous apuse.


    Misty nced at Tovol, who was covering baby Darius''s ears, before looking back to her mother who walked into the room with a steady step, but she could tell that the woman was extremely happy. The two had discussions in the past about dreams and goals, and Trisha had confided in her youngest child that she wanted to be renowned for her medicine and contributions to training healers. You did it, Mom. You made it.


    Misty looked up at Empress Rivers, who was staring at her. Not Trisha¡­her. With piercing eyes that seemingly stared into her soul. The look sent a chill down her spine. The empress had interacted with her twice during her youth, despite having wrestled with her siblings when they were children ¨C as they told her teasingly growing up.


    Trisha got to the table and sat down next to her husband. "And now, let the feast begin!" the empress shouted as she raised her hands. She incanted a spell with speed that Misty had never heard of before, producing a ten-verse spell in under two seconds. Misty only caught a handful of words in the rapid incantation.


    In a sh of prismatic sparkles, all the tables were full a wide variety of foods. People began digging in ¨C Misty included ¨C but she kept ncing back at the empress, who was just staring at her.


    Misty turned back once Lyndra nudged her with her elbow. "Why are you staring? That''s rude."


    Misty frowned. "She''s staring at me."


    "Hmm. Well, tit for tat, I suppose. Just remember¡­she might be ''Auntie Lyn'' to us¡­but she''s an empress and goddess."


    Misty nodded and devoured her meal, keeping her present to her mother on herp. Hours of feasting, camaraderie, and eventually games and performances went on in the main hall.


    As the third hour went on, Lawry left the table and returned to the center of the hall with a flock of ravens circling above him. A few Duskari pulled out several wooden stands and ced them down, and the ravens lined up. He produced a small wand, tapped the wooden stand, and began conducting a chorus.


    Everyone sat, entranced, as the most pleasant sound to ever grace their ears sounded all around them. Divine was the only way to describe the lilting, hauntingly happy melody. Itsted for ten minutes straight, and at the end there was such a tumultuous apuse that the building seemingly shook from the vibrations in the air. Lawry bowed ¨C as did his raven chorus ¨C and he walked them out of the room before returning and taking his seat.


    Empress Rivers stood up, and the room quieted. "Now, we move on to what I think is the best part of any birthday celebration, the presents."


    Trisha went red with embarrassment, but there were shouts of encouragement, as diplomats from across Ghomar had sent her astonishing presents. One after another they were opened¡­and then Misty''s turn came. She walked up and opened the pouch, setting the smooth, polished sphere of obsidian in her mother''s palm. It was inscribed with Elenthir verses that came to Misty in a dream.


    "What does it do?" she asked the young mage.


    "It''s a scrying orb. I spent thest year working on it. You can use it to see any of us. Anywhere. Plus, you can rey memories on it."


    Trisha''s eyes teared up and she embraced Misty, and the whole hall went "aww" at the gesture. The two separated and went back to their seats.


    "Would you like to say any words?" Empress Rivers asked once the presents had been finished off.


    Trisha nodded and stood up. "It has been a privilege to serve the Eternal Empire. I thank you all so very much foring to celebrate. But most of all, I''m thankful for my amazing family ¨C which just a few weeks ago added a new member!" There was scattered apuse before she continued. "And, of course¡­" She turned and saluted to Empress Rivers, hand formed into a w gesture over her heart. "I thank you, my friend. That gift you gave me all those years ago is all I could ever want."


    What gift? Misty thought as the empress smiled and stood. "Of course. Now please, enjoy the desserts." She waved her hands, incanted at extreme speed, and the tables were flooded with all types of pastries, confections, and foods.


    People began to dig in, but Misty met the empress''s gaze once more. She gestured for Misty to approach, and the young mage did so. "Why do you stare at me?" Misty asked.


    Empress Rivers, her Auntie Lyn, had a pained expression on her face. "Youe with me and I''ll exin." She walked down the dais and left the chamber ¨C Misty hot on her heels. She led the young mage down into the conve. Misty took in the dark tunnels, thanks to her body enhancements¡­and it wasn''t as grand as she envisioned. Why is it so¡­in? She rules the world! It should be covered with¡­I don''t know, gold and gems.


    Auntie Lyn opened a door, and Misty followed her in. Ah this is more like it. The bed chamber was massive and adorned with rich furniture ¨C gold shing against ck obsidian. She took a seat at a table and gestured to the other chair. Misty slipped into it and stared into the Destroyer''s gaze.


    "You deserve to know the truth. You are old enough to learn," Lyn stated.


    Misty gulped. "What truth?"


    "You are not your parents'' child. You were adopted, just like Gil."


    Misty shook her head and felt panic rising in her chest. "No¡­that''s not true!"


    "It is. I know this because I saved you. You were once a mighty, powerful mage¡­and a close friend of mine. That is why I stare¡­you look just like you used to when we were friends and allies." She sighed and leaned back. "I apologize if my gaze has made you ufortable."


    "Wait, so I was the Mage hero? The Mage hero? Misty Misery? Thedy who made the mage school with Schr Thomas?"


    Auntie Lyn nodded and held up a slip of paper. "You were once my close friend and ally. Just like Trisha, Ben, Lawrence, Brad, and even James." She nodded curtly. "You attempted a forbidden spell. One that not even I will dare use, despite being able to, because the damage could be irreversible. The spell backfired¡ª"


    "Time," Misty muttered. "That''s the only one that can backfire as far as I know."


    Lyn nodded. "Correct. You are you. Not the old Misty. You are¡­you. And I am sorry for staring at you, again. But you look just like she ¨C you ¨C used to." She handed Misty the parchment, and the young mage held it hesitantly. "That parchment contains the spell to unlock your memories. Trisha and I do not know if your memories survived the time bacsh¡­but if you choose to, this is a way for you to learn of your past life."


    Misty took a deep, shaking breath but nodded in resolve. "I understand." She looked down at the sheet of paper, and muttered a simple Elenthir verse to light it ame. She tossed it on the ground and let it burn to ash. "I am me. I won''t risk losing who I am to possible-locked-away memories."


    Lyn''s expression was cid and filled with understanding. "The decision was yours to make." She gestured to the door as she stood, "Shall we?"


    Misty nodded and stood up, but before she followed Lyn out, she paused. "Could¡­could we be friends¡­for old times'' sake?" I have to be able to leverage this somehow.


    "Ah, but you''re not really my old friend. I suppose, though, I could take you on as a pupil like I did with Lyndra."


    Yes!


    The idea of being taught by the most powerful being on Ghomar filled Misty with a sense of excitement unlike any she had ever felt before. "Deal!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!