《Tales of Eleutheros》


 Chapter 1

    Daniel groaned as he felt a cold and uncomfortable sensation on his face and neck. It was wet, like mud. He inhaled deeply at the sudden realization and awoke to full awareness. Small bits of the damp soil caught in his throat, and he coughed violently. Daniel sat up. He blinked away the fog in his mind and realized he was in the middle of what looked like a dark forest.


    ¡°What the?¡± he said aloud, looking from side to side. He panicked as he patted himself down, looking for his phone. After several moments of searching, Daniel cursed, not feeling the familiar shape in one of his pockets. Instead, he settled for pulling out his keys, upon which was a small LED flashlight that he lifted and activated. Confusion set in as the bright beam illuminated the dark silhouettes ahead. The trees before him looked very strange. The bark was a pale color, almost like human skin, and though he was too far away to see any details, what should have been leaves hanging from the branches, looked almost like long and thick strands of hair. With another glance around, Daniel realized he was in a clearing. Where the hell am I? he thought. He stood with a grunt, his chilled and stiff joints protesting the effort.


    His mind then began to assess the current situation. What¡¯s the last thing I remember? he thought. There was a convention; he had driven there with several friends. Then, there was a bright flash of light. His eyes widened as he brought his flashlight around him, searching.


    ¡°Henry! Angelo!¡± he yelled, frantically searching for the two friends he had with him. After realizing they weren¡¯t in the clearing with him, he returned to his mental assessment of his situation. He was alone, in a dark forest, in the middle of the night, without his phone or any food or supplies.


    ¡°Shit,¡± he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. His mind was still racing, thinking about how he got here and what or where exactly ¡®here¡¯ could be. Daniel always reverted to his training in times of stress and danger, and this situation was a prime example. He had served in the United States Marine Corps for eight years. He had seen many strange and terrible things throughout his career, granting him mental resilience in times of strife or confusion, like this.


    A high-pitched scream shattered the silence of the night. Daniel¡¯s heart began beating heavily in his chest, and he perked up to listen. There was a long pregnant pause as he stood perfectly still, holding his breath. The forest was silent again, eerily so, as there should have been an abundance of nocturnal wildlife making sounds. Then he heard the scream again. It sounded like a woman and a lot like a cry for help. He looked in the direction of the scream. Steeling his resolve, he dashed into the strange forest.


    Daniel made his way through the forest, trying his best to avoid any contact with the trees or their bizarre hair-like leaves. Again he heard the scream; it was close. Rushing forward, he entered another clearing. Daniel scanned the area.


    ¡°Hello?¡± he called out.


    ¡°Here! We¡¯re here!¡±


    Daniel aimed his flashlight at the far side of the clearing, where against the tree line he could see a young woman crouched next to a prone man. Breathing heavily, Daniel approached them. The woman held her hand in front of her eyes to protect herself from his flashlight. He recognized her from before the bright flash. She had bumped into him as it was happening.


    ¡°Thank God you¡¯re here,¡± she said, standing up to approach Daniel. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, we just appeared here. Robert needs help, he¡¯s hurt.¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Daniel said, lowering his light to look at the man lying in the mud. ¡°Let me take a look.¡± Stepping past the woman, he knelt beside Robert. At first glance, he just looked unconscious. Daniel saw a large gash above his left eye; it was deep.


    ¡°Is he going to be alright?¡± the young woman asked, wiping tears from her eyes, and sniffing.


    Daniel remained silent as he scanned the young man again, trying to observe any other wounds that may be present. There were slow streams of clear fluid dripping from his ears and nostrils. Daniel pressed his fingers against the artery in Robert¡¯s neck. He had a weak and irregular pulse and haggard breathing. Shining his light on the head wound, Daniel realized it was deeper than he had first thought. Opening one of the young man¡¯s eyes, Daniel shone his light into it, checking to see if there was any reaction. There was none, the pupil large and unresponsive.


    Daniel pulled the light away and thought for a moment. Clearly, this man was the victim of a severe head injury, and probably even with medical help, there was no hope for him. He glanced at the young woman beside him¡ªher eyes were filled with tears.


    ¡°I think he was just knocked out,¡± Daniel finally said, reassuring her and cursing himself secretly for his dishonesty. ¡°Let¡¯s elevate his head and shoulders for a little while before we try to move him. See if he regains consciousness.¡±


    Daniel removed his coat and bundled it like a pillow, carefully placing it under the unconscious man¡¯s head. At least he will die without pain, He thought.


    The young woman leaned in and wrapped her arms around the injured man. Daniel stood and began to once again ponder his situation.


    ¡°What do you remember about the convention?¡± he asked, looking down at the girl.


    ¡°I just¡­¡± She sat up. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ I remember a bright light¡­¡± She looked at Daniel. ¡°I woke up here next to Robert. I saw a lot of blood and¡­ I thought he was dead.¡± Tears began to well up again as she spoke. ¡°Where are we?¡±


    Daniel gazed off into the darkness, still in deep thought. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But we have to make some sort of shelter.¡± He was again reminded of the cold as it pricked at his skin. He looked up at the night sky through the canopy of the forest, attempting to find some sense of direction.


    ¡°My name is Katrina,¡± the young woman said, looking down at the unconscious man beside her. ¡°And this is Robert. He¡¯s, my boyfriend.¡±


    Katrina looked again at Daniel. He was spinning slowly and looking straight up to the sky. No matter how strange their situation was, finding any sense of direction would give him something to work with.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked curiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for the little dipper,¡± he said, still focused on the sky.


    ¡°The what?¡±


    ¡°You know, the star formation? At the end of the little dipper is a star called Polaris. Below that is the big dipper. Take the two stars at the end of the big dipper and make a straight line to Polaris. That always points north.¡± Daniel scanned the canopy of stars above and managed only to frustrate himself. There was nothing he recognized. While in the military, land navigation was one of the key elements of survival. But what he now saw made no sense. ¡°Where the hell are all of the constellations?¡±


    ¡°Are you an astronomer or something?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not.¡± Daniel hung his head and sat beside Katrina, unsure what to do next. ¡°My name is Daniel, I would say it¡¯s nice to meet you, but honestly, I don¡¯t think¡­¡± he gestured to their surroundings, ¡°¡­now would be an appropriate time to say that. I was at the convention with you and Robert.¡±


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    The young woman twitched a smile. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t remember you, but I figured you were there since you asked about it.¡±


    ¡°You and Robert bumped into me during that bright flash.¡±


    Katrina just shrugged, and pulled her legs up, hugging her knees; she was obviously cold.


    Daniel stood up. ¡°I¡¯d better find something to use as a shelter or at least start a fire.¡± He walked off into the forest¡¯s darkness from the small clearing. With each step, he took long breaths, calming his mind and steadying himself. He knew there were questions, but his priority was making it through the night. He used his flashlight on the forest floor to find some sticks or twigs dry enough to start a fire, but the alien forest refused to relinquish anything. Daniel examined the forest floor now, more closely as he moved. Some bushes seemed to react to his light. The sight froze him as he looked on at this unusual behavior. Turning his light on and off recreated the reaction every time.


    The bushes seemed to curl in on themselves as if to escape this unnatural light.


    ¡°What the hell...?¡± he said to himself. But before he could investigate further, he heard a faint whisper and a cracking noise behind him.


    Daniel whirled around, shining his light at a tree. There were what looked like several long and thick strands of the strange black hair growing out of the trunk. Daniel¡¯s eyes widened at the unnerving sight, and he stepped back as his pulse quickened. What the fuck? He thought. They continued to grow outward several feet until stopping and falling to the ground. Daniel slowly approached the tree; he had never seen anything like it. Several more hair-like branches began to extend from some of the trees before Daniel. They writhed like tentacles as they pushed out of the trunk and fell to the muddy ground. The tree looked smooth, like there was a skin covering it rather than the rough bark he was used to seeing. Strange aromas began to fill the air. Sweet smells confused his senses, and again, the faint sound of whispers and laughter haunted the night.


    Daniel looked at the towering trees surrounding him, and an unbelievable fear began to claw at his mind; the darkness taunted his thoughts and played with his perceptions. Finally, close enough to inspect, he knelt to the branches on the ground. Steeling himself, he reached down and picked one up.


    ~


    Katrina was still sitting on the ground, clutching her knees tightly; she was shivering now from the cold and had fallen into despair. Daniel had been gone for nearly twenty minutes in his search for firewood, and for all she knew, he was lost. More tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought of home. Her parents, her pet, her apartment. What the hell is going on? she thought. It seemed as though she was stuck in some nightmare, unable to wake.


    ¡°Pull it together, Kat¡­¡± she whispered. With weary eyes, she looked down, at Robert. His skin was now pale and slick with sweat. Seeing him in such a condition brought more waves of grief and sadness. She sniffed again, attempting to push it to the back of her mind.


    Katrina heard footsteps approaching from the darkness. She looked up quickly in fear and put her hand on Robert¡¯s chest. Then she saw Daniel¡¯s flashlight, its bright glow partially hidden by the trees. Katrina sighed in relief as he entered the clearing and placed several large pieces of what looked like wood, on the ground. He sat down beside her with a faraway look on his face.


    ¡°Wow¡­ That¡¯s a lot of woo¡ª¡± Katrina paused as she noticed how odd it looked. ¡°Is this wood?¡± She picked a piece up and examined it.


    ¡°It came out of a tree,¡± he said slowly. ¡°Look.¡± He lifted his light to point toward the forest¡¯s canopy.


    Katrina looked at him, confused, but followed the direction of his beam. Her jaw dropped as she saw the skin-like bark, the hair-like branches, and the leaves. A primal shiver of fear pulsed through her body like a bolt of lightning.


    ¡°What is this?¡± she said, frantically pulling Robert away from the tree he was lying next to. She had been so preoccupied with his well-being that she managed to miss the details of her surroundings. ¡°Where the hell are we!?¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Daniel said, doing his best to sound confident and in control. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re dangerous. Just strange looking.¡±


    ¡°Are they alive?¡± she asked, her panic beginning to subside.


    ¡°Well, trees are alive.¡± He paused. ¡°But we aren¡¯t sure if these actually are trees. So, who knows.¡± He pointed his light away from the trees and back to the strange branches on the ground. ¡°Like I said, these things grew out of a tree, right in front of me. Like tentacles or something, then fell on the ground.¡±


    Katrina shivered at the mention of it and leaned in to look at them again. ¡°It looks like some sort of hair.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the worst of it,¡± Daniel paused. ¡°There¡¯s something out there; I could swear there were voices in the wind. Laughter and some other creepy shit.¡± Daniel shook his head and pressed his hand over his eyes.


    ¡°Voices?¡± she said, her mind beginning to numb to every new detail. ¡°Like this is some sort of Goddamned haunted forest?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, ok?¡± Daniel continued to massage his brow. ¡°One thing I¡¯m one hundred percent sure of is that we aren¡¯t in California anymore.¡±


    The two sat in silence for a time, until a frigid gust of wind caused them to huddle. Katrina picked one of the branches out of the pile; shivering, she looked at Daniel. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care what the hell it is, as long as it burns. Can we get a fire going?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± He started to dig into the muddy ground with his hands.


    ¡°What are you digging for?¡± she asked, her teeth starting to chatter.


    ¡°I¡¯m making a fire pit. The last thing we need here is to burn down this forest while we sleep.¡±


    Katrina looked at their surroundings. It was still too dark to fully grasp the forest, but there was clearly damp mud beneath them. ¡°It seems pretty wet here; I don¡¯t think we have to worry about a fire.¡±


    Daniel just continued to work, placing rocks around the edge of the newly dug pit. ¡°From my experience, you can never be too careful.¡±


    Katrina didn¡¯t reply; she just focused on warming herself up any way she could. She was wearing a light sweater, but it did little to keep out the cold.


    He finally began to place the strange wood in the pit and prepared the site for a flame.


    ¡°How long will it take to make a fire like this?¡± Katrina asked, expecting him to pull two sticks out and rub them together. Then she realized that there weren¡¯t any real sticks around anywhere. ¡°Can you even make one with these?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it covered,¡± Daniel said, pulling a zippo lighter from his pocket.


    Katrina laughed a little, causing Daniel¡¯s grin to become a full-blown smile. The light laughter brought a much-needed change in the atmosphere. Still, it faded too quickly as he attempted to ignite the strange hair-like substance. The stubborn material refused to burn, even after several minutes of constant attempts.


    ¡°What the hell is this stuff?¡± Daniel finally said, frustrated.


    ¡°Well, it sure as hell isn¡¯t wood.¡± Katrina sighed.


    Daniel held his lighter to the branch until the little flame started to burn his fingers. Annoyed, he threw the lighter to the ground.


    ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± he yelled.


    Then, in an instant, the pile of branches burst into flames.


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Daniel yelled, falling back. Katrina screamed, her pitch high enough to ring Daniel¡¯s ears. The two then sat silent and wide-eyed. The material crackled and popped as the fire whirled about, warming all who were near.


    ¡°How the hell?¡± Daniel shouted, jumping back from the intense flame. Katrina did the same but in the opposite direction.


    Confusion swirled in Katrina¡¯s mind and was only amplified by the bright red inferno that danced between them. Whispers emanated from the dark tree line around them, this time louder and now clearly in a strange language.


    Daniel¡¯s eyes met Katrina¡¯s, and she saw the same terror she felt in his eyes. A cold wind howled past their shoulders, stinging their bare skin. Katrina experienced a sharp pain in her head, like someone was pushing a long needle into her brain. She winced at the sudden and invasive agony. Glancing at Daniel, she saw he was experiencing something similar.


    She pressed her hands to her ears as the numerous voices started to get louder. She couldn¡¯t even tell if it was in her head or not. ¡°Stop¡­¡± she whimpered in futility. ¡°Please, stop!¡±


    Then in a moment, the voices ceased. She opened her eyes in surprise but heard movement below her. She glanced to see Robert¡¯s hair and clothing blowing as if there was a much more powerful gust focused on the unconscious man. She crouched by his side in a feeble effort to shield him from the frigid assault, but as she did so, Robert¡¯s head shot up and he gasped. His eyes opened wide, and Katrina let out a startled cry. The wind ceased instantly, and the three were left in silence.


    Robert began frantically looking from side to side, mumbling as if confused. ¡°Where am I?¡± he asked through chattering teeth. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Kat?¡±


    Robert was obviously confused, cold, and scared, but Daniel looked more so.


    Katrina broke his daze, calling to him. ¡°Help me calm him down!¡± She was smiling, and tears dripped from her eyes.


    Daniel quickly moved around the fire and knelt by Robert, grabbing his shoulder. It took several minutes, but Katrina¡¯s frantic boyfriend eventually calmed down and sat up to look at her face. She pulled him in, wrapped her arms around his neck, and embraced him.


    Robert looked as though he was carefully scanning his surroundings, looking at the dark tree line around them, the bright fire that warmed them, and then at Daniel, who sat with his legs crossed.


    Katrina released him and shifted to the side, the three of them now in a small circle, facing each other.


    Robert asked again, this time with more clarity. ¡°What the hell happened?¡±

 Chapter 2

    Robert sat in silence as Daniel and Katrina explained all they could about their experiences waking up.


    ¡°So, no one remembers anything beyond the flash of light?¡± Daniel asked from across the fire.


    Katrina looked into the flame and shook her head, resting her chin on her knees.


    Robert took a deep breath and steadied himself. With a grunt, he stood while his knees popped. ¡°I feel¡­ pretty strange.¡± He wobbled a little. Feeling aches and pains all over his body. ¡°We¡¯ve been going over this crap for hours, and I still have a massive headache. Can we take a few minutes?¡±


    Daniel said nothing in response. There wasn¡¯t much he could do now, and their best bet was to wait and see what morning brought. If there even is a morning here, he thought. Daniel turned to Katrina. ¡°We¡¯ve been through a lot tonight; I think you all should get some rest.¡±


    Katrina looked at Daniel. ¡°You, ok?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said. ¡°Listen, you two should get some rest. There¡¯s no sense in everyone wasting energy.¡±


    Robert and Katrina glanced at each other and back to Daniel.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Robert was a little surprised at the offer.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m used to not getting very much sleep.¡± There was silence as he waited for more of an explanation. Daniel shrugged and pushed his hands into his pockets. ¡°I was in the Marines for a while.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Katrina and Robert asked almost simultaneously.


    ¡°Yeah. So, get some rest. I¡¯ll keep watch. We don¡¯t know where we could be. And seeing as how the trees look, I don¡¯t really want to get caught by surprise by any animals.¡± He lifted his left hand, showing a digital watch. ¡°So, I¡¯ll set an alarm in a few hours. Then we can go from there. Hey, do any of you guys have your phone on you?¡±


    Katrina reached into her back pocket. ¡°I¡¯ve got mine.¡±


    Robert did the same and produced his smartphone. However, as he pressed the button on the side to wake it up, he realized in horror that it was dead.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Katrina said. ¡°I just charged this thing before the convention.¡±


    ¡°Me too¡­¡± Robert eked; it didn¡¯t make any sense. How long was I unconscious? He thought.


    Daniel sighed. ¡°Shit. Well, I guess the watch will do.¡± He pressed some buttons on the side and Robert saw a mirrored look of horror; his digital watch was also dead. ¡°Are you kidding me? How the fuck is this even possible? These are supposed to last years.¡±


    ¡°So, all of our electronics are dead,¡± Katrina said, hanging her head.


    ¡°Looks that way.¡± Daniel turned to face Robert, who was staring blankly at his mobile phone¡¯s blackened screen. ¡°How are you doing, Robert?¡±


    Robert took several moments to reply, but he finally looked at Daniel, his eyes wild and filled with fear. ¡°I¡­ I guess I¡¯m alright. I just¡­ I can¡¯t believe this is all happening. That we aren¡¯t in some dream.¡± The situation was so unreal, so far outside of the base of reality that his thoughts moved at a snail¡¯s pace.


    Katrina put her arm around Robert and gave him a tight hug. The action brought him out of his stunned state for a moment, and he basked in the slight comfort it brought him.


    Daniel took a deep breath and closed his eyes, and Robert studied him for a moment. Any person would crumble under similar circumstances; He felt it himself. But Daniel was right. They needed sleep; it was the only thing left to do. Whether the morning came or not, rest would prepare them for the next step. Whatever that was.


    ¡°Alright, guys,¡± Daniel huffed. You better get some sleep now. I¡¯ll do what I can to stay awake. Also, I¡¯ll make sure the fire doesn¡¯t go out.¡±


    ~


    Although Robert felt uneasy about letting someone burden himself with all the watch for the night, he did little to dissuade Daniel from his generous offer. Katrina nestled against him as he was preparing to sleep, sitting down. He looked at Daniel from across the fire, his eyes fixed on it, clearly in deep thought. Robert cleared his throat, grabbing Daniel¡¯s attention. ¡°Thanks, man¡­ You know, for taking the watch for the night.¡±


    Daniel gave only a nod in return; with that, Robert put his head down on his forearms, resting across his knees, and tried to fall asleep. He shifted from one awkward position to the other, trying to get as comfortable as possible, but to no avail. His head was still pounding, and he was far too unnerved to relax.


    Should I even go to sleep? He thought. I heard you don¡¯t wake up if you sleep too soon after a head injury. The idea made him lift his head with a jerk.


    He felt a weight on his shoulder; looking down, he saw Katrina in a deep sleep, responsible for the stiffness in his neck. How can she sleep at a time like this? He thought. This whole situation is really overwhelming¡­ Probably just passed out from sheer exhaustion.


    Robert looked again at Daniel, who sat poking the flame with one of the strange hair-like branches. Holding it into the blaze, he pulled it out only to curse at the smoldering tip. The man looked perplexed by the outcome and continued his experiments. Robert rested his head again on his arms and pressed his eyes shut. Listening to the faintly whispered curses from Daniel, he finally managed to force himself to drift to sleep.


    ~


    Robert¡¯s eyes opened slowly, and he groaned while arching his back, which had gone stiff and knotted. However, his body and mind grew numb as he saw the strange forest. Dread bloomed in the pit of his stomach, and the foul taste of copper filled his mouth. God¡­ this¡­ it wasn¡¯t a dream. I¡¯m still here. He frantically looked down and saw Katrina was there too. ¡®We¡¯re¡¯ still here.


    ¡°Morning,¡± Daniel said, drawing his attention. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not a dream, and no, we¡¯re still not in California anymore.¡±


    Robert attempted to stand, in the process waking Katrina from her slumber. Her reaction was similar to Robert¡¯s but more vocal.


    ¡°I¡¯m still here!?¡± she shouted after several seconds of observation.


    A new day had come. The darkness did little to hide the nightmarish sight of the trees and vegetation surrounding them.


    Robert stood and gazed in awe at the trees that enclosed them. The mud and vegetation on the forest floor were equally outlandish. The soil shimmered every color of the rainbow as beams of light broke through the canopy. Strange flowers stood on long stems, dancing back and forth in almost a uniform motion. Presenting their petals as if proud of them and eager to show their unnatural colors to all who would behold them.


    ¡°Oh, God¡­¡± Robert said, bringing his hand up to his head.


    ¡°Now, you know,¡± Daniel said, poking the ashy remnants of the fire with his hair-like stick. ¡°I watched as the morning came. And trust me, I looked just like you do now.¡±


    There was a chill in the air, and the hours spent exposed to the elements had him cold to the bone. Robert saw that Daniel might have stayed awake all night, but he¡¯d been unsuccessful in his mission to keep the fire burning.


    Katrina massaged her arms and shoulders for warmth, mumbling disbelief to the two men. ¡°How...? I can¡¯t believe this is actually happening.¡± She turned to Daniel. ¡°What are we going to do now? We are going to freeze or starve to death out in this weird-ass forest!¡± There was a fire in her eyes as confusion turned to anger.


    ¡°Calm down, Kat,¡± Robert said, touching her shoulders. ¡°We¡¯ll figure something out; we can¡¯t afford to lose it right now.¡± Even as he spoke the words, he didn¡¯t believe them himself. He was just a normal guy. He went to college and had a job. He could barely do his own taxes. How the fuck am I going to do anything in this situation? He thought.


    ¡°I¡­¡± She choked on her words as they came, tears filling her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what we¡¯re going to do, Rob. How did we get here?¡± she sobbed, her emotions now flowing.


    Robert embraced her, and she buried her face in his shoulder. The act was just as much for him as it was for her. His eyes also began to tear, feeling his last grasp on sanity start to wane.


    Several minutes passed as the two gathered their emotions, while Daniel sat in silence until finally standing. ¡°Well, either way you guys look at it, we¡¯re alive and therefore have a chance. I don¡¯t know what the hell¡¯s going on here either. But crying about it isn¡¯t going to solve anything.¡±


    Robert shot a glare at Daniel. ¡°We just need a minute to get ourselves under control. This is all a bit much to take in.¡± He knew he was right. Still¡­ what can prepare someone for something like this?


    ¡°I get it,¡± Daniel said. ¡°Regardless, I need you guys to tighten it up. We don¡¯t know where we are, and there are certain pressing matters we need to attend to.¡±


    ¡°Like, food,¡± Katrina said, lifting her face from Robert¡¯s shoulder and looking at Daniel with red, swollen eyes. ¡°And water. It might take a while to find our way out of here.¡±


    ¡°Bingo,¡± Daniel said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but we need to find something to eat. Find some fresh water and build some sort of makeshift shelter.¡± Looking down at the remains of the fire, he sighed. ¡°And figure out how to recreate fire. Who knows how it happened last time.¡±


    ¡°What do you need us to do?¡± Katrina asked. Her face was now a mask of determination.


    ¡°I need you guys to explore the surrounding area on that side,¡± Daniel said, pointing to the opposite portion of the clearing.


    Katrina turned and gazed at the terrifying looking trees for several moments. Then she stood and began to march over to the other side of the clearing.


    Robert jumped to his feet and ran to catch up to Katrina.


    Daniel sighed, then turned to explore the other side of the clearing.


    ~


    For nearly an hour, Daniel searched his side of the forest. Though it didn¡¯t give him anything, he had a lot of time with his own thoughts. Going over his survival training in his head he ticked off all he could remember. Water, food, supplies, shelter, direction? He thought, or was it? No, water is first, you can die of thirst a lot faster than starving¡­ Fuck. There isn¡¯t anything here! He spat at the ground in frustration. Anywhere else and he could figure something out. Anywhere but in a forest made of skin trees with bad hairdos. He knelt to the muddy soil rubbing his hands in it. There¡¯s water here. How else is it this damp? After several more minutes of searching, He left, disheartened.


    Daniel returned to see Katrina and Robert sitting beside each other right where they had been before.


    ¡°Find anything?¡± Daniel asked, approaching with more hair-like sticks from the strange trees. To Daniel¡¯s surprise, as he got closer, he saw they held several fruits and bowls of water.


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    ¡°Dan!¡± Katrina called, waving a fruit that looked oddly similar to an ordinary apple. The familiar object was in stark contrast to their current surroundings. ¡°Look at what we got!¡±


    Daniel hurried to stand by their side. To his astonishment, he saw they had accumulated an impressive bounty of fruit and a few nuts.


    ¡°This is fantastic, guys,¡± Daniel said, grinning. He looked at the three large stone bowls filled to the brim with clear water, kneeling to inspect them further. The water looked completely clean and clear, but it was the bowls themselves that caught his attention. They were smooth stone, with lines carved around the rim. An indication that they were clearly created by someone or something with intelligence. Daniel picked one up, inspecting it further. ¡°Where did you find all this stuff?¡±


    ¡°We were just walking back,¡± Katrina said, ¡°After a while, when it was clear we weren¡¯t going to find anything, we turned to head back to the clearing.¡± She paused for a moment, looking back across the clearing. ¡°They were lined up right over there.¡± She pointed. ¡°The fruit was piled next to the bowls. We didn¡¯t know what to think about it, so we just carried everything over here and wanted to wait for you.¡±


    ¡°Strange¡­¡± Daniel said, scanning the tree line. ¡°Well, one thing¡¯s for sure, we¡¯re not alone in this place. The question is¡­¡± He looked again at the water in the bowl. ¡°What are their intentions?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think we should just go look for some fresh water from a stream or something,¡± Robert chimed in. ¡°I¡¯m not going to risk whatever this is. Could be poisoned for all we know.¡±


    Daniel took a deep breath and brought the bowl¡¯s rim to his lips.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Robert said.


    Daniel sipped the cool water first, letting it rest in his mouth for a moment before swallowing it. His parched lips sang in silent thanks, as the refreshing liquid brought instant relief. Katrina and Robert held their breath as he waited for any sign it was unsafe.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Daniel grunted, satisfied that there was nothing to worry about, and started drinking earnestly.


    Katrina licked her dried lips, grabbed another bowl from the ground, and started drinking too. Not long after, Robert did the same. There were several minutes of quietly consuming the meal until Daniel finally stood.


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t make much sense to me, but there you go.¡± Robert grunted, standing to join him.


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a free meal,¡± Daniel stretched, feeling satisfied.


    ¡°Well, that didn¡¯t stop you from eating or drinking it,¡± Katrina said.


    ¡°Priorities,¡± Daniel smiled. ¡°I was thirsty, and it didn¡¯t look like any of us could find anything. So, I took a chance to fill my belly before we went looking for a way out of here.¡±


    ¡°So, where do we start?¡± Katrina asked,


    ¡°Probably best to head in the direction you guys went,¡± Daniel looked to the other side of the clearing.


    ¡°So, we just pick a random direction and go? That¡¯s it?¡± Robert seemed perplexed, ¡°How do we know that¡¯s even the right direction?¡±


    ¡°Well, we don¡¯t have any way to find direction, you know? North, South, East, and West? We don¡¯t have any stars at night that would be useful either. So, with that, we don¡¯t even know if the sun up ¡®there¡¯,¡± Daniel pointed upward, ¡°can help us. So we head in whatever direction we might find something, and so far, that¡¯s the only one.¡±


    Robert shrugged and knelt, putting the remains of their meal and the stone bowl to the side. ¡°Lead the way, then.¡±


    Katrina stood as well, taking care to stack her bowl on Robert¡¯s in a strange attempt to tidy up. ¡°I¡¯m ready. Hopefully, we run into a village or something. These bowls look like they were crafted with machinery of some kind. We could¡ª¡±


    Her mouth froze, and her eyes widened. Daniel noticed she was looking just past his right shoulder into the tree line. He turned to see a strange creature perched on a low-hanging branch several yards from where they were standing. Its eyes were a dismal yellow with a dull glow. The beast was clearly twice the size of an average person, with arms and legs and a long tail dangling below the branch. It also had large wings pressed close to its back and a monstrous face with dozens of sharp teeth exposed from its lips. The creature had short grey fur covering its body and clearly visible muscles sculpted beneath it.


    ¡°What the hell...?¡± Daniel managed to say. His mind struggling to process what was before them.


    Katrina was still frozen, and Daniel moved before her, facing the creature. It remained still, studying them for several minutes until it turned its back and spread its massive wings to fly. There was a great gust of wind as it ascended through the forest¡¯s canopy into the sky.


    ¡°Oh my God,¡± Robert said. ¡°I thought¡­¡± He gagged, ¡°I thought it was gonna rip us apart.¡± His eyes moved to Daniel.


    ¡°We have to start moving, guys,¡± Daniel regained his composure. ¡°We don¡¯t know what that thing was, and I don¡¯t want to stick around to find out.¡±


    Not that it would have taken any convincing to persuade the others that it was time to move. The three gathered what little they had left of the fruit and headed for their chosen direction.


    As they moved, the sun made its way across the sky. Hours had passed, and there was no sign of any village or people of any kind. Daniel couldn¡¯t help but think of the creature in the tree; its mere existence meant they weren¡¯t in any place they knew. With another glance around the alien trees, he sighed. Either we¡¯re on another planet, or we¡¯re all dead. Or¡­ none of this is real, and I¡¯m in a coma or something.


    ¡°Can we stop here and take a rest? We¡¯ve been walking for a while, and I could use a break.¡± Katrina pointed down at her slip-on flats. ¡°These weren¡¯t made for foraging or hiking.¡±


    Daniel nodded and turned to rest against a tree. ¡°Let¡¯s take twenty.¡±


    Robert was further ahead and stopped when Katrina called to him. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I have so much energy now, I don¡¯t understand it; I¡¯ve never felt this alive before.¡± Robert sat down beside Katrina, fidgeting.


    She frowned at him, looking annoyed. ¡°You must have finally done some damage to that thick skull of yours. Why do you have so much damn energy now?¡± After several moments of silence, Katrina continued, ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be an end to this forest,¡±


    ¡°We need to find more food and water,¡± Daniel strained as he adjusted himself to a more comfortable position. As he groaned, his eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar shape hanging in the trees. The Gargoyle-like creature from earlier that morning was perched on another branch, its same stoic stare piercing the soul. Their eyes locked, and a terrible fear came over Daniel. Not this thing again, he thought. Its eyes were small and squinted but clearly intelligent, studying them very carefully.


    Robert and Katrina were still bickering about the direction and what they would do about food. But as Daniel peered into what he feared to be a dark and evil soul, their voices faded, becoming muffled and slow, until there was silence.


    ¡°You¡­¡± A harsh and raspy voice echoed in his mind. ¡°What are you?¡±


    A sharp pain flared in Daniel¡¯s temples. He winced and put his hands over them.


    ¡°Why have you come here?¡± it asked.


    Daniel glared at the creature, as this was clearly it¡¯s doing. Fear began to turn into anger as the pain continued, but he could not look away. Some outside force kept his eyes locked with the creature until suddenly Katrina¡¯s shriek broke the connection. Screw this bullshit! He thought.


    Daniel stood immediately and grabbed Katrina by the sweater, lifting her to her feet.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get the hell out of here!¡± Robert yelled, trying to get up.


    The three scrambled to escape the imposing creature. They ran as far and fast as they could, into a part of the forest that was thicker and darker than before. Now only small streams of sunlight pierced the canopy above, and even the air had a heavy feel. They panted amid this new scenery, gasping and sucking in air.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Katrina said between breaths. ¡°What the hell is going on here? That thing is just following us around!¡± She looked down at her sweater, now torn and stretched. ¡°Great, my sweater is destroyed now.¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Daniel said, wincing as he leaned against a tree to catch his breath. ¡°I just grabbed you and started running.¡±


    Robert said nothing. He stood facing the direction they had come from, scanning the forest for any signs of the creature. They then stood silently for several minutes, the adrenaline starting to fade.


    ¡°It¡­ spoke to me,¡± Daniel finally said. ¡°I heard it in my head. It asked me what I was. Like it had never seen a human being before.¡±


    Katrina looked at him, her face puzzled and twisted. ¡°What does that mean?¡± she asked, a quiver in her voice. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Robert finally sat next to her with an expression of worry. ¡°Where the hell are we?¡±


    Daniel shook his head, again rubbing at his aching temples. ¡°Listen, there are lots of questions we have, but I don¡¯t think that creature is going to harm us. It didn¡¯t sound hostile to me¡­ just curious. We might be able to speak with it, and find out more about where we are.¡±


    Robert looked at the ground, fear clear in his features. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going anywhere near that thing. You can try if you want.¡±


    Daniel started standing, but stopped suddenly as a deep rumble shook him to his core. All seemed to shake as a booming voice shattered the chaos into silence.


    ¡°Stop,¡± it said, echoing again in Daniel¡¯s mind.


    The three humans were frozen, and again, there was a sharp pain in Daniel¡¯s head. This time based on their reaction, shared by his two companions. He looked back to see if the creature was perched again, but it was gone.


    ¡°You wish to leave my forest?¡± the booming voice continued, each word bringing forth another wave of pain.


    Katrina looked at Robert, then at Daniel in confusion, her head clearly in pain. ¡°What is happening?¡± she screamed.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Daniel finally shouted, after mustering his courage. ¡°We need to find food and water!¡± he called out to the forest, not knowing exactly who or what he was talking to.


    ¡°Forget that!¡± Robert said in a panic. ¡°Where the hell are we? And how did we get here?¡±


    Katrina quickly put her hand over his mouth, silencing him. ¡°Shush, you want to piss this thing off?¡±


    There were several seconds of silence, each ticked by as an eternity. Daniel held his breath, continuing to scan the surrounding area. A faint rumble broke the silence; first just the sound, then the ground shook.


    Katrina clung to Robert and started to scream as shaking turned into violent thrashing. Daniel braced himself against a tree as best he could but lost his balance when it became more intense. He stumbled to the ground only to see hundreds of the strange alien trees before him uproot themselves and clear a path. Roots pulled from the soft soil like dozens of legs and relocated to the side. His eyes widened in awe and terror; he had never seen anything like this before, but the shaking ceased almost as quickly as it began.


    ¡°This path will lead you out of this forest,¡± the voice boomed. ¡°Now go.¡±


    It was silent again; the forest floor was still, and Daniel regained his bearings in the minutes following the strange event.


    He stood slowly, keeping his eyes on his surroundings. They made their way down the cleared path and out of the forest. First, at a slow walk, then as they progressed, they started to pick up speed. Daniel soon began dashing as fast as he could, pushing the fear aside. He could see it now; the light from ahead bleeding through the opening of the trees, welcoming them.


    Daniel was the first to break through the edge of the forest. To his amazement, he saw rolling hills covered in plain grass, shining with greens, blues, and reds blending perfectly into one another. The companions emerged in a small valley surrounded by mountains and patches of normal-looking trees; it was unbelievably beautiful. As Robert and Katrina left the forest, their jaws gaped with astonishment. However, as they scanned the hills surrounding them, astonishment turned to horror.


    A small group of creatures raced over the hump of a hill. They were large reptilian creatures, twice the size of an ostrich. They were hunched over with two powerful legs tearing chunks of dirt up as they hurtled toward them. The beings that sat upon them were even more alarming, bobbing up and down with each stride, billowing long crimson cloaks behind them.


    Daniel glanced back at the forest, weighing their options heavily. The steady thumping of talons on the rolling hills grew louder and louder with each passing second. His mind slowed as adrenaline pumped through his body. He needed to make a decision. Crap, fight or flight? He thought, looking at Robert and Katrina. Fighting isn¡¯t an option. ¡°Back into the forest!¡± he shouted, turning back to the alien forest. However, the rumbling returned before he stepped one foot further; Daniel¡¯s mind darkened with despair as the trees uprooted themselves again, blocking their path.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± Katrina cried as the giant creatures skidded to a halt behind them.


    Daniel turned to face them; now standing before them were six large and fearsome steeds. Up close, he could see the detail of the creatures¡¯ scaled bodies. Large hind legs thick with muscles, still pulsing from the exertion. A lengthy body with small human-sized arms hanging from the chest, all leading to a slender neck, and bulky, muscled heads with wide and fearsome jaws. Sitting on the creatures¡¯ backs and wearing smooth white helmets, face masks, and crimson cloaks, were riders of some kind. They each had an elaborate spear in hand and bone-like armor covering their chests.


    Moments passed painfully slow as Daniel, Robert, and Katrina stared.


    What do I do? Daniel thought, looking from rider to rider and at their mounts and weapons. He swallowed, and stepped forward.


    ¡°Hello,¡± he managed to say. ¡°I¡­ uh¡­ we are lost here in this strange land.¡± Daniel looked back to Robert and Katrina for support but only saw faces frozen with fear. ¡°We need food and water. We mean you no harm.¡± Great. If they decide to attack us, we¡¯re screwed. He thought,


    The riders before him seemed unwavering, staring at him from behind their pale masks. The dreadful silence stretched out, letting fear and uncertainty take hold.


    ¡°They don¡¯t understand me,¡± Daniel concluded, stiffening his posture.


    ¡°We need help!¡± Robert finally called out.


    All six of the riders¡¯ heads looked at him in unison.


    ¡°We woke up in this forest and have no idea where we are or how we got here!¡±


    Silence again fell.


    ¡°Vudarr gue mangurath espiritos,¡± said one of the crimson riders, who advanced with his mount, its feet thumping the ground with each step.


    Robert and Katrina stepped back as he approached. Daniel stood where he was, not sensing hostility but curiosity in the rider¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Vudarr gue satomo mangurath espiritos?¡± he said again, slightly louder, now clearly looking straight past Daniel to Robert.


    Robert¡¯s eyes blinked as he glanced at Daniel, ¡°Uh, yeah¡­ like I said, we need food and water, and beds, and, uh¡­.¡±


    The rider leaned forward on his mount and looked into Robert¡¯s eyes. ¡°Vudarr¡­ gue satomo mangurath espiritos?¡± it said again, this time with a slow and stern tone.


    Robert paused, and Daniel picked up some annoyance in the rider¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Robert said, glancing again at Daniel and Katrina. ¡°Yes...?¡±


    The riders in the back began to chuckle amongst each other, speaking in their strange language. But the one that had stepped forward still stared at Robert, only grunting as if acknowledging his words. The rider turned its body upon the creature they rode, hooking its spear into a clip on the side of its saddle, which held it in place. Then it removed its mask to reveal its alien features. Its skin was a brick red, with long silver hair pulled back into a ponytail. It had a stern brow and thin eyebrows that relaxed as a friendly smile crossed its face, revealing four sharp canine teeth. ¡°Coumeck gue vieta espiritos.¡± The strange creature chuckled.

 Chapter 3

    Daniel looked at the grass as he walked behind the riders. With a grimace, he glanced upward at the crimson-clad warriors surrounding them. They did not seem threatening now, but their weapons and armor cast a great shadow of doubt over him. Daniel¡¯s thoughts then turned to the possibilities of escape. We¡¯re on foot, in a territory we know nothing about, without food or supplies of any kind. If we ran, we wouldn¡¯t stand a chance out here. His thoughts were interrupted by a slight nudge from his companions, at his sides.


    ¡°Any thoughts?¡± Robert asked in a hushed voice, leaning in close to Daniel.


    Katrina mirrored his actions and leaned in closer to listen in.


    Daniel glanced around again. ¡°Well, at least they seem friendly right now. It¡¯s the best we could hope for. Other than that, I guess we just see what happens.¡± He scanned each creature again and assessed the clothing and weaponry more closely now that they weren¡¯t in imminent danger. The crimson cloaks that hung around them first. Only two seemed different from the rest; a deeper red, with golden embroidery around the hems. Of the two, one had more. This was worn by the creature that stepped forward and spoke, so he was clearly the leader. They stopped suddenly as the creature in front raised his hand, signaling a halt. He turned his head slightly and grumbled something in his language. The leader nodded and turned to the rest, relaying the message.


    So, he¡¯s giving orders as well¡­ And still has a fine cloak, second in command, maybe? Daniel thought.


    The lead creature trotted with his mount to the three humans. Looking at Robert, he spoke. His tone was sharper and with a little more authority.


    Robert stared back with a puzzled look, eyes wide and eyebrows up. There was a pause, then the creature spoke again as if asking a question.


    Robert was silent for another moment, then cleared his throat. ¡°Uh¡­ Yeah¡­ I got it.¡±


    The creature pulled on the reins of his mount, turned it around, and galloped back to his peers.


    Daniel and Katrina both stared at Robert.


    ¡°I think¡­ I mean, I¡¯m sure that I understood what it said¡­.¡± Robert put his hand on his forehead and looked at his companions. ¡°Did you guys understand anything?¡±


    Daniel shook his head, and Katrina did the same.


    ¡°Well, what did he say?¡± Daniel finally asked.


    ¡°He said that there are some important people ahead or something. I missed the last part.¡± Robert sighed after running his fingers through his hair. ¡°This is a fucking nightmare; I just want to get the hell out of here.¡±


    Before Daniel could comment on the fact that Robert could now understand their alien language, a low horn sounded from beyond a small hill ahead of them. Daniel looked over toward the direction of the noise and then at the riders, attempting to judge their reaction. Are we under attack?


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    The riders turned and faced the hill just as another group of crimson riders broke the crest. There were eight this time, all wearing the same cloaks and bone helmets. The two groups approached each other familiarly and exchanged greetings and laughs. All the riders dismounted and continued the pleasantries.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Katrina asked softly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure; there isn¡¯t much we can do. They could run us down with those creatures if we tried to escape.¡± Daniel said.


    ¡°That¡¯s assuming we¡¯re prisoners. They might just let us go,¡± Robert said.


    ¡°They¡¯re clearly warriors, and this is their territory. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a snowball¡¯s chance in hell they¡¯ll let three strange little monsters run around their lands unchecked. Our best bet is to go along with this; otherwise, we have little chance of survival.¡±


    Robert nodded in agreement. ¡°You¡¯re right; we should see where they lead us.¡±


    The two men quickly glanced at Katrina, who nodded drearily.


    As the three of them talked, Daniel saw several of the creatures approaching them out of the corner of his eye. The leader he recognized was walking in the center. To his left was the younger creature, and to his right were two he did not remember. All of them had removed their helmets and hung them on clips they had fastened to their belts.


    They stopped before them, and the two sides studied each other for several moments. Their faces were so very alien to Daniel. The younger one to the left had the same brick-red complexion as the leader, whereas the two unrecognized creatures to the right shared a paler blue skin. All of them shared snow-white hair that draped down the sides of their heads behind their ears, tied in the back to keep it out of their eyes. Daniel tried with all his might, discipline, and training to remain unfazed and confident in the face of these alien-looking creatures. His gaze met that of the leader, whose irises were a bright golden yellow, almost glowing, as he found them studying him right back.


    The leader gave a slight nod in recognition, then turned his attention to Robert. The man was visibly shaking under the scrutiny and heavy beads of sweat dripped down his face.


    The creature began to speak as if introducing himself and pointed to his comrades. Robert took a second and looked at his companions.


    ¡°My name is Robert,¡± he said, pointing to his chest. ¡°And this is Daniel and Katrina.¡± As Robert shared their names, the creatures said them aloud, pronouncing them reasonably well.


    ¡°The one in the middle, his name is Oros,¡± Robert said. ¡°The one on the left is his young brother Boros, and the other two are Eslan and Vikko.¡±


    Daniel looked at Robert, still completely confused as to why the man could understand them. ¡°So, you can understand them.¡± Daniel massaged his chin while he thought. ¡°Can they understand you?¡±


    Robert turned to Oros and timidly asked, ¡°Can you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    Oros chuckled at the question, and nodded.


    ¡°What about them?¡± Robert asked, referring to his companions. Oros paused, then began to speak a few sentences.


    Robert turned to Daniel and shrugged. ¡°He says they can only understand me, that I am the only one emitting some sort of energy or something.¡±


    Daniel rubbed his brow. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any damn sense; we¡¯re speaking the same goddamn language.¡±


    Boros interrupted Daniel by stepping forward and speaking to Robert.


    ¡°He is inviting us to eat with them tonight around a fire,¡± Robert said.


    The thought of food made Daniel¡¯s mouth water. He looked to Katrina, who nodded her head ¡°Tell him we would be more than happy to join him and that we would like to ask him questions about where we are. Maybe finally get some answers.¡±

 Chapter 4

    Robert raised a canteen of water to his lips; the cool and refreshing liquid brought insurmountable relief to him as he drank it. Oros and his warriors watched silently as he and his companions indulged themselves. The smell of roasting meat filled the air as well. A strange creature that resembled an armadillo, only much larger, was on the fire, held up by a large stone device, seemingly grown from the ground itself. In addition to the multitude of anomalies experienced in this strange world was the flame, seemingly burning with no fuel or wood beneath it. It just floated and raged as if encouraged by some invisible force.


    ¡°Tell us, friends, where do you come from?¡± Boros asked, sitting down with a filled canteen. The warrior pulled the cap and smelled the contents, closing his eyes and admiring it.


    Robert guessed it was likely alcohol from the intense and pungent aroma.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Robert said, gathering himself for what was sure to be an interesting conversation. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know how we got here or where we are. You see, there was a bright light where we were, and¡­¡± Robert struggled to find the words to describe their situation. He looked to Daniel for reinforcement, relayed the question, and he took over.


    Daniel took a deep breath before speaking. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re from a different world.¡± ¡°We have been transported here somehow. I woke up alone in that forest and found them.¡± He gestured to Robert and Katrina. ¡°We met a strange creature there; it spoke to us and led us out by moving the trees.¡± Daniel grimaced and looked intently into the fire. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem real.¡±


    Robert quickly relayed this message to Boros. The creature looked puzzled, glancing at Oros, who sat lazily to his left against his gear. There were a few seconds of silence while his words were processed.


    ¡°Well, we have never come across creatures that look as you do, so perhaps that would explain it,¡± Oros said, leaning forward to slice the meat on the fire for consumption.


    ¡°You say the forest led you out? None can enter that sacred place who do not possess impressive power,¡± Boros said. ¡°The Spirits do not allow anyone they deem unworthy to enter there. It is their haven. None have been allowed inside for hundreds of years.¡±


    Robert shrugged. ¡°Well, we didn¡¯t have much of a choice. Like I said, we just woke up there.¡±


    ¡°Why do your companions not possess the ability to speak proper words?¡± Boros asked, looking directly at Daniel. Daniel glared at him.


    ¡°What is wrong with him?¡± Boros asked, looking at Robert, then at his older brother.


    ¡°This one has seen battle,¡± Oros said in a low and weary voice. ¡°Be careful, Boros. We don¡¯t know what these creatures are or what they might be capable of.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± the young creature asked, looking closer at the human. Robert also couldn¡¯t help but look at his companion.


    ¡°I can see it in his eyes,¡± Oros said, standing with a large slice of meat in a bowl. The creature walked over to Daniel and handed it to him. ¡°Tell him we are not enemies here and would break bread.¡±


    Robert relayed the message, and Daniel took the bowl with a nod. ¡°Ask Oros why we¡¯re not enemies and why he¡¯s being so friendly to strange creatures in his land.¡±


    Robert turned to Oros and translated.


    The creature grinned and pointed out into the darkness. ¡°You came from the Spirits¡¯ Forest, unharmed, and with their blessing. I can only assume that you are not a threat to them, or you would have been killed. They are not angry with you either, just curious, as we are. Trust me when I say that they are very good judges of character. When we reach Vul de Rah and bring you before my father and his Espi-Dae, we will tell him as such. Still, until then, I can only go with what I know, and that is you are unarmed and have emerged with the Spirits¡¯ blessing.¡±


    Robert relayed the message to his companions, then turned back to Oros. ¡°What¡¯s Vul de Rah?¡±


    ¡°It is our city,¡± Boros said, handing Katrina and Robert bowls of cooked meat.


    ¡°Ask him how he knew where we were.¡± Daniel looked at Robert, who did what he asked.


    Oros looked at them. ¡°We have Espi-Dae who monitor the spiritual energy around this area very closely. Once the Spirit-Forest began to react strangely yesterday, I opted to investigate. We just followed the trail.¡±


    Robert again relayed the message, and Daniel looked confused. ¡°Well, none of what he said made any damn sense.¡±


    The two brothers sat back in their positions with bowls of food of their own and began to eat. Robert looked down at his food. Steam rose from the meal, filling his nostrils with the sweet smell of nourishment. Like their hosts, he began to tear into it with his teeth, grabbing the meat like a savage. It was tender and delicious, much like what he was used to tasting back home.


    After taking time to fill their bellies with several helpings, several warriors approached from another fire not too far away. Two were creatures Robert had already seen and been introduced to, Eslan and Vikko.


    ¡°So?¡± Eslan said. ¡°What are they? Have they told you?¡±


    Oros leaned back and rested his hands behind his head. ¡°We didn¡¯t want to be rude; it¡¯s easier to talk with a full stomach. Why don¡¯t you take a seat and ask them yourself?¡±


    The creature did so, finding a place next to Oros and sitting on a dismounted saddle.


    ¡°So,¡± Eslan said, folding his hands on his lap. ¡°What are you exactly?¡±


    Robert cleared his throat and drank water from a water skin. ¡°Well, we¡¯re human beings. From a place called Earth.¡±


    Eslan looked from Oros to his brother and back to Robert. ¡°So, where is Earth? And how did you get here?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t know,¡± Boros said.


    ¡°Earth is our planet¡­ or dimension¡­ where all of us live. What about you?¡± Robert asked, leaning forward to sit up straight. ¡°Where are we? And what are you?¡±


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    ¡°We are Dae. And you are in Pelemont, our world. Specifically, you are in Lokkadonia, our clan territory within a Kingdom called Eleutheros.¡± Oros said, gesturing into the darkness.


    While Robert translated, Katrina hung her head.


    ¡°What troubles that one?¡± Boros asked. ¡°That is a female, correct? She looks much like our own.¡±


    Robert reached over and put his arm around her shoulders. ¡°This has been extremely traumatic for us, as I¡¯m sure you can understand. Yes, this is a human female and, as I mentioned before, her name is Katrina.¡±


    ¡°Ask her if there is anything we can do to help,¡± Boros said, looking more closely at her.


    ¡°Robert, why is everyone looking at me now?¡± Katrina asked, nudging him with her elbow.


    ¡°They were just asking if you were a female, also if there is something they can do to help you, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Katrina forced a smile but declined any assistance.


    ¡°What of him?¡± Eslan said, gesturing toward Daniel. ¡°What of the warrior? Are we safe to keep him unbound? He seems rather coarse.¡±


    Robert translated and waited for Daniel to reply.


    Daniel stood, dusting off his peacoat. ¡°You are safe with me. There is nothing to worry about.¡± Daniel smiled, gesturing down at his now-empty bowl of food. ¡°You saved us from wandering an alien world without food or water. We¡¯re indebted to you for that.¡±


    Oros smiled as well after Robert relayed the message. He raised his canteen as if gesturing for a toast to drink in agreement. Daniel mirrored the Dae¡¯s gesture and took a long drink.


    ~


    Considering the circumstances, the night was surprisingly comfortable. Katrina stirred, feeling a soothing warmth on her cheek. She opened her eyes to see a beautiful blue sky, deep and filled with white pillowed clouds. She stretched her limbs, began to sit up, and scanned her surroundings. Like the previous night, it took her a few moments to come to terms with her new and strange reality. All around her, she could see the Dae packing up their campsites, rolling up bedrolls, dusting off gear, and mounting it on the beasts they rode. She sat for several moments, just observing and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She then spent the next few minutes helping the Dae warriors around her pack the blankets they had let her borrow for the night.


    She spotted Robert and Daniel talking to Oros. Robert was relaying the messages between them, but it looked as though they were in good spirits all the same. It was then that she saw, out of the corner of her eye, a long stream of what looked like dust floating through the air, several feet off the ground, like a serpent¡ªalmost as odd as the gargoyle creature that stalked them in the Spirit Forest.


    Katrina approached the extraordinary spectacle, excited yet apprehensive. The floating stream was about a foot in diameter and at least two hundred feet long. It moved slowly but in a steady, undulating pattern. She turned to look at the camp behind her¡ªno one even noticed it. She looked back at the stream; it seemed so alive. What the hell is this? she thought. Cautiously, she reached out, pushing her fingers into the flowing dust. It was cold, pulsing with a low electric current. The sensation startled her, and she snatched her hand away. Katrina whirled round at the sound of Boros shouting. The sight of the alien running toward her and waving his arms startled her, and she backed into the strange stream. A sudden shock coursed through her body, transforming her world into bright white and then darkness.


    ~


    There were muffled sounds of men yelling around her and dull movement as she was jerked around. Am I being carried? Her left shoulder burned with pain, and her fingers tingled with electric pulses that flowed numbly up and down her arm. She blinked her eyes open and began to take in blurred sights. Finally, focus came, and she saw a young red face looking down at her. It was Boros. Her gaze scanned his features. He had a strong and proportionate face. His hair was fine, like strands of silk that hung about his burning features, complementing the red with a pearl-white color. She met his eyes¡ªyellow and brilliant. They suddenly widened, and he smiled. Then Robert¡¯s face entered her vision, concern written on his face. He was saying something, but it was muffled; she could barely hear anything.


    The near silence was calming, so she closed her eyes again, basking in it. Then suddenly, her senses flared. Her eyes opened wide, and she shot up, almost smacking Boros in the face with her head. Her hearing was amplified, her eyes were extremely sensitive, and every inch of her skin was irritated by everything it came in contact with.


    ¡°Katrina!¡± Robert yelled, grabbing her shoulder. She winced in pain from the sudden pressure. ¡°Are you alright? Can you hear me?¡±


    Katrina raised her hand and nodded in assurance. ¡°What happened?¡± Her voice was raspy and weak. She heard Boros start to speak, and Robert translated.


    ¡°You approached a plains spirit. They are very dangerous and rarely seen. You scared it, and it attacked you.¡± Robert put his hand on Boros¡¯ shoulder. ¡°Boros ran over and calmed it. He saved your life.¡±


    Katrina looked at Boros and gave him a weak smile. ¡°Tell him that I said thanks.¡±


    Boros¡¯ eyes widened, and he began to speak excitedly to Robert.


    ¡°He says he understood you!¡± Robert said, looking at the young Dae, confused. ¡°Say something again.¡±


    Katrina paused. ¡°Uh¡­ I have a massive headache?¡±


    Boros laughed and stood from his kneeling position, confirming to Robert that he could, in fact, understand what she was saying.


    Robert rubbed his brow and contemplated. Then Daniel walked up, giving her a nod.


    ¡°Maybe it will develop the same way it did for Robert,¡± Daniel said, hands in his coat pockets. ¡°They can understand you now, and in time you will be able to understand them.¡±


    Robert stood as well, placing his hands on his hips. ¡°But she was attacked by a spirit; I wasn¡¯t.¡±


    Daniel looked to his feet. ¡°You were as good as dead when I found you, Robert. You had a bad head injury, cerebral fluid leaking from your ears and nose, and unresponsive pupils. If we were back home, you would have died without any treatment, and even with it, you probably would¡¯ve been a vegetable. Then all of a sudden, there was a gust of wind and voices. Then you woke up as if nothing had happened.¡± Daniel looked at Katrina on the ground. ¡°You remember this, right?¡± She nodded slowly, reliving the moment in her head. ¡°Maybe you were saved by a spirit. I mean, we were in the ¡®Spirit Forest¡¯ after all. What if contact with these things somehow augments us, and the result is us understanding them and vice versa.¡±


    There was a pause as she pondered Daniel¡¯s words. Katrina rubbed her head again, standing up with Robert¡¯s help. ¡°Robert, relay what Daniel just said to Boros, and see what he thinks about it.¡±


    Robert did so, and the Dae seemed just as puzzled.


    Boros muttered something in his language and motioned for the three of them to follow him. Katrina began to walk, refusing Robert¡¯s help. The rest of the Dae warriors were mounted on their steeds, everything was packed, and they were ready to move. Eslan made a few laughing comments as she passed him atop his mount. Robert placed his hand on her shoulder and asked her to stop. ¡°He wants you to ride on one of the Cro¡¯kan.¡± He said, facing her to one of the riders. He had pale blue skin and dismounted the Cro¡¯kan, gesturing to the creature.


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± she said casually, dismissing the offer. Eslan¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. He began to stutter something as Boros explained Daniel¡¯s theory involving the spirits and them now being able to understand her. Eslan then barked something to the warrior who had dismounted, then looked to Katrina and gestured again. She just shook her head and smiled. Eslan frowned and looked at Robert, saying something else in his language.


    ¡°Uh, Katrina?¡± Robert said, his voice trembling a little. ¡°Maybe you should get on the giant lizard. He¡¯s being pretty insistent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Robert. I don¡¯t need to ride that thing. Besides, it creeps me out.¡± Katrina turned to walk again but stopped as she heard Daniel grunt something. ¡°What was that?¡± She looked at him. His face was stern, and his eyes focused on her.


    ¡°Get on the creature,¡± he said in a low voice. He stepped forward and walked past her. ¡°Let¡¯s not argue with them.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s eyes flared with anger. I wasn¡¯t being rude. Who the hell does he think he is? It was then that she heard loud thumps behind her and felt the hot breath of a large and smelly animal. Her spine stiffened as she spun to see the Cro¡¯kan right behind her and its rider walking beside it, handing her the reigns.


    Katrina swallowed hard and resigned herself to riding the animal. She took the reins from the Dae, who helped her mount it. She gave a nod in thanks and let out a deep breath. Maybe this won¡¯t be so bad.

 Chapter 5

    Daniel let out a silent sigh of relief when the city of Vul De Rah finally came into view. The trip had been an extremely long and tiring one. From what Oros had told them, the ride from Vul De Rah to the Spirit Forest was around half a day, mounted and running at a decent pace. The slow trot that they traveled at resulted in almost a full day of travel, every moment of which was spent ignoring the occasional glare from Katrina atop her Cro¡¯kan. Over the course of the day she had learnt the language, and was now having full-blown conversations with the Dae riders, who treated her very respectfully. Especially Boros, who seemed to have taken a particularly close interest in her.


    ¡°Finally here,¡± Robert said, with a sigh. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like I imagined.¡±


    Daniel looked out at the valley before them. The land was draped much more naturally with green grass and trees. It looked normal compared to the colorful brilliance they had seen in and around the Spirit Forest. Oros told them that the spirits infused their energy into everything around that place. Even the air they breathed within the forest was infused with elemental energy. Daniel didn¡¯t quite know what that meant, only that it changed the way everything looked. Now trees looked like trees, and the grass was green.


    Daniel then focused on Vul De Rah. It was placed in a reasonably strategic position between two large hills fortified with massive stone walls. The walls curled up the hills, maintaining their height, standing thirty or so feet tall. Daniel grinned and looked at Robert. ¡°This looks a lot like a medieval city, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Oros rode up beside the two. He said something in his language, gestured down the hill into the valley and began to ride down.


    Daniel felt the nudge of a Cro¡¯kan¡¯s leathery face against his shoulder. He turned to see Katrina sitting atop it. She said nothing but shot Daniel a sharp glare. Daniel glanced at Robert, who shrugged and began walking after Oros and the riders who had passed.


    ~


    The massive gates of Vul De Rah swung open without so much as a creak. Daniel could hear warriors atop the palisades shouting down in their strange language. Oros shouted something in return and ushered the group into the gates as soon as they could fit inside. As they entered, Daniel saw small but sturdy stone structures rising from the ground, not like they were built, but grown, all with unique and beautiful designs. The first structures through the door looked like they belonged to traders and other merchants who displayed their wares and were seen haggling in front of their shops.


    It wasn¡¯t the strange structures that caught Daniel¡¯s eyes, however; it was the immense sight of the Dae who crowded the opening to this large city. The occupants were all different colors. Daniel saw people who were blue, green, red, yellow, and much more. They wore fascinating clothes as well; cloaks and colorful sashes, with jeweled hats and other adornments. Some warriors also patrolled, though they had cloaks of black instead of the crimson of Oros and his riders.


    The warriors ran toward Oros and his group, clearing people out of the way and making a path for them. As Oros passed, they brought their fists to their chests as some sort of salute. Trailing behind the Dae, Daniel turned to see if he could find Robert, but he had fallen behind in the group and was out of earshot.


    He looked up to his right and tapped Katrina¡¯s knee, gaining her attention. ¡°Hey, can you ask Boros why these warriors are saluting Oros?¡± It really didn¡¯t matter, but Daniel was curious.


    Katrina turned and asked Boros his question. He laughed and answered her. She turned to Daniel pulling her reins a bit to slow her mount. ¡°He says that Oros is the oldest son of their father Agron of House Ignos. So, I guess he¡¯s royalty or something.¡±


    Daniel rubbed his brow. ¡°Why would they send their Kryo out to go investigate a disturbance in the forest? Is that place really that important?¡±


    Katrina shrugged. ¡°I guess we¡¯re going to find out soon enough.¡±


    They worked their way deeper into the massive settlement, past the center, which looked much like the opening. Shops and merchants cluttered the area, bustling with colorful people going about their business. Then they approached a massive and well-defended gatehouse that blocked a road going up a steep hill. As they traveled up, Daniel admired the strategic significance of such a defense. Finally, they reached the seat of power, a large palace that looked like it was made of one giant solid piece of rock. There were two towers that covered the flanks of the opening, and several warriors and attendants gathered as Oros and his party entered the courtyard. Oros halted the group and dismounted. Daniel walked to Robert, who missed his chance to help Katrina from her mount. Boros had taken it upon himself to do so. Daniel approached her, then followed Boros to the small greeting party that Oros was already talking to.


    After some pleasantries were exchanged, Oros signaled Daniel and his two companions to follow through a broad courtyard lush with vegetation and into the magnificent palace. The first thing Daniel noticed when he entered the structure was how refreshing the air was. There was even a little breeze that blew past them. I wonder how they do that, he thought, impressed by the fantastic ventilation. As they walked through the halls, Daniel noticed small balls of flame that floated at the top of the walls. Every few yards on both sides, there sat another one, and then another, all the way to the end of the hall. Watching the Dae start the campfires for the last two nights had caused a great deal of confusion and contemplation in Daniel. They would look at a spot, point their palm at it, and a fire would burst from nothing. When asked about this, the Dae just smiled and said it was the power of the spirits, as though it was a foolish question. Finally, they reached what Daniel thought was the throne room. It was a massive space, with at least a dozen warriors on each side, all clad in the crimson cloak and bone helmets he had seen so far. As they walked past, Daniel could see they had full plate armor underneath but made from the same bone material as their weapons.


    Oros stopped before some steps that led up to the slightly elevated throne in the middle. Perched on this throne was a slightly older-looking Dae. His hair was still pearly white, his cloak a substantial and luxurious crimson. He looked a great deal like Oros and Boros, his complexion the same, only with some slight wrinkles on his face. Atop his head was a polished metal crown that gleamed with a golden light. His eyes focused on Daniel and his companions, and he sat forward.


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    ~


    Robert looked from side to side nervously. There were so many Dae standing around with weapons. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, he looked at Daniel, who was standing between himself and Katrina. His face was calm and collected, like he had seen this all before. He¡¯s either fearless, or he¡¯s very good at hiding it, he thought. He watched the older Dae on the throne study them, and he leaned forward as Oros introduced them.


    ¡°My Lord Ignos, Hego of Vul De Rah! We come before you, successful in our mission to investigate the disturbance in the Spirit Forest.¡± Oros bowed his head, and the rest of his party fell to one knee. Robert dropped to his knee, and soon after, Katrina did too. Daniel remained standing and bowed his head the same way Oros had done. The old Dae narrowed his eyes at Daniel but said nothing.


    Oros proceeded to explain what Robert had told him over the course of the last two nights. ¡°I have sensed the will of the spirits of the forest myself, father, and I do not believe these humans to be a threat to us. I have broken bread with them and can vouch for them myself.¡± Oros turned and gestured toward them. ¡°They are lost, and I would ask that we shelter them until we can learn more of what they are and how they have come to be here.¡±


    Robert¡¯s heart lifted at the words. Here was this creature from another world, sentient and honorable, trying his best to defend these strangers and help them in their time of need. The thought brought him hope.


    ¡°Avria,¡± the Hego called, looking to his right side. From behind him, a warrior walked into view and removed their mask. Her face was a mild gray, with delicate and smooth features and long white hair that was fastened behind her ears with fabric bows. She had brilliant yellow eyes and near-perfect features, save a scar that crossed the upper left side of her eyebrow, and a small one across her right cheek. She held herself with a feminine yet athletic form.


    ¡°Yes, Hego Agron?¡± she said, walking beside him and bowing slightly at the waist.


    ¡°Please tell my son what you have learned at Vul De Mar and from King Yomin.¡± Hego Agron looked at Oros grimly. ¡°As soon as the spirits told us of the disturbance, I sent Avria to the capitol to consult the King. What she discovered was troubling.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Hego.¡± Avria bowed and looked at Oros. ¡°It would seem that there have been several incidents in Lokkadonia involving unknown creatures falling from the sky after a bright flash. There was one who was brought before the king but was raving and uncooperative. The High Espi-Dae decreed that it was, in fact, a demon and was purified. King Yomin¡¯ then advised that all future incidents should be handled similarly.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Oros shouted. ¡°They burned them!?¡±


    The words caused Robert¡¯s heart to sink, and his eyes widened. Wait¡­ there are others? They burned one of us!?- Robert¡¯s heart began to beat faster as panic set in.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Daniel asked.


    Robert relayed the message in a whisper.


    ¡°They have been ordered to kill us.¡± Daniel clenched his fists, and looked around the throne room.


    Robert turned back to Hego Agron on his throne.


    ¡°We have been ordered to let our Espi-Dae purify them, Oros. They are demons. The High Espi-Dae has spoken,¡± Avria said, walking down a few steps. ¡°Will you deny the will of your King? Will you deny the will of your Hego?¡±


    ¡°I will not deny the will of the spirits!¡± Oros yelled, looking at his father. ¡°You must believe me, father. I am not some whelp whose opinion is to be discarded. You must believe me. I have seen it from the spirits themselves. Ask them! They are not demons, or the spirits of the forest would have purified them long before I arrived.¡±


    Avria scoffed and folded her arms. ¡°Neither am I, Oros. I saw the body. I watched the King make his offering to the spirits. Do you doubt their will?¡±


    ¡°Silence, you wretch,¡± Oros said, setting his jaw.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Hego Agron shouted after his son¡¯s insult. ¡°You will not speak to my Ward in such a way, Oros. She speaks correctly. We must honor the decision of the King.¡±


    ¡°Was it a command, father?¡± Boros asked, stepping from behind his older brother.


    Agron looked at his youngest son, his glare softening.


    ¡°Did the king command that you purify these humans? Or did he advise that we do so?¡±


    The Hego chuckled at his son¡¯s logic but sat silent, nodding.


    ¡°Young Kryo, it was not a direct command,¡± Avria said.


    ¡°Then we do not have to go about it the same way. Listen to us, father, please. There must be another way to test the humans, to see what the spirits truly favor?¡±


    Hego Agron took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His wrinkles became even more prominent for a moment. He opened them and exhaled, looking at Robert and his companions. ¡°We will let them face the trial of Doxo. If they succeed, then we will reevaluate the decision.¡±


    Oros and his brother looked at one another, then in Robert¡¯s direction.


    Robert could see it in both of their eyes¡ªthis was not going to be an easy task.


    ¡°What...?¡± Robert swallowed hard and looked back and forth between the two brothers. ¡°What is the trial of Doxo?¡±


    Oros hung his head and cursed. ¡°It is a trial of combat.¡±


    ¡°Long ago,¡± Boros began, ¡°there was a warrior named Doxo. He was said to have seduced and impregnated the Queen of Rexun when she visited his King on a diplomatic mission. The King demanded that he be brought before him and answer for his crime. Doxo approached the King¡¯s city with an army and challenged him to open combat for his honor. He announced that he not only would be victorious but that a spirit would appear and prove his innocence before all Eleutheros. The king chose a champion-- his greatest warrior. They had a fight, and Doxo defeated him. Before he could slay the King¡¯s champion, however, a spirit did appear and prevented the killing blow, saying that he was innocent and that the king must embrace the unborn child as his own.¡±


    Robert blinked his terrified eyes at the tale. ¡°What, so we have to fight your father?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Oros said, becoming more flustered and taking over for his brother. ¡°Over the centuries, it has become a sacred tradition. When one¡¯s honor is at stake or if you must prove your innocence, you challenge someone to the trial of Doxo, and prove you have the spirit¡¯s favor.¡± Oros looked at his brother. ¡°Fortunately for us, you are the ones being challenged.¡±


    Katrina pulled in closer to participate in the conversation. ¡°What do you mean, fortunately? I can¡¯t fight! I know Robert can¡¯t either.¡±


    ¡°That means you will be able to choose a champion to fight in your place,¡± Boros said, looking at Katrina. ¡°We will fight for you.¡± He gestured to his brother.


    Robert¡¯s heart lurched again, being thrown another scrap of hope that they may survive this terrible mess. He then looked at Oros. ¡°Thank you. I can¡¯t tell you what this means to us.¡±


    Oros smiled at them both.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Boros said. ¡°We need one more volunteer to fight for us.¡± The young warrior looked back at the group of riders with whom they had traveled. ¡°Who will fight with us?¡± he asked with a grin, but to his astonishment, he was met with blank stares. After several moments, it became apparent that they were not going to step forward. Boros looked to Eslan and Vikko, the other two leaders of their pack. ¡°Will you not help them?¡±


    The two Dae just looked away. Then suddenly, a young warrior behind them raised his hand and stepped forward, but before he could say anything, Eslan grabbed him and shoved him back into his place. ¡°Do not embarrass us in front of the Hego, you fool!¡±


    With that, Boros glared to the two men.


    Oros put his hand on Boros¡¯ shoulder. ¡°No worries, brother, we have another warrior who will fight.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Robert said.


    Grinning, Oros turned to Daniel, several feet away, looking utterly unaware of what was going on.


    ¡°What?¡± Daniel said.

 Chapter 6

    ¡°How did I get myself into this mess?¡± Daniel said, cursing his terrible luck. Robert had explained the whole situation to him.


    It didn¡¯t matter to him. He wasn¡¯t the type to let others fight his battles for him anyway, but he had no idea what these creatures were capable of. How strong were they? Could they all create fire from nothing? Could they use those abilities on him? Daniel looked at Oros, who approached him carrying a bone breastplate, and his brother behind him was holding a spear made of bone. Oros gestured for him to take the armor, unfastening latches near the shoulders so it could be easily put on. Daniel removed his peacoat and handed it to Katrina, who stood next to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Daniel,¡± she said, folding the dirty coat in her arms.


    Daniel sighed as he slid the armor over his head. It was incredibly light but had a solid and sturdy feel to it. ¡°It is what it is, I guess.¡±


    After the challenge had been issued, all the warriors in the throne room spread out into a large circle. They faced inward and allowed three crimson-clad Dae to enter and walk to the center. Boros spoke to his brother briefly, then turned to relay something to Katrina. She repeated it to Daniel. ¡°He says it¡¯s time to begin.¡± She put her hands on his shoulders, looked over his armor, tightened some straps, and tugged it to ensure it was secure. ¡°Be careful, we¡¯re counting on you.¡±


    Daniel nodded and grasped the spear from Boros. The young Dae gave him a nod, and the two Dae walked into the center of the circle as well.


    Daniel, Oros, and Boros stood shoulder to shoulder in the improvised arena. His eyes met those of his opponents one by one through the dark eye holes of their bone masks. Daniel swallowed the lump in his throat, and it fell into the churning mess that was his stomach. Smart thing to wear a mask he thought. They were almost unreadable. Daniel looked for a sign, any sign, of what was in these warriors¡¯ heads. He stayed utterly stoic all the same, doing his best to hide any shred of fear. He heard Avria begin to speak. Daniel exhaled angrily, unable to understand her words.


    ¡°How the fuck am I supposed to fight in a trial of combat, where I have no goddamn clue what the rules are?¡± He turned to Robert, who was standing a good ten feet behind him. ¡°Care to fill me in, Rob?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Robert said as if breaking from some sort of trance. ¡°She is saying that you are not to kill anyone and that¡­ uh¡­¡± The young man paused and looked a little confused. ¡°She said the use of the Dunamis is not allowed. Not sure what that means.¡±


    Daniel turned back to his foes before him. Dunamis? It has to be their abilities. He began to wring his fingers around the shaft of his spear. ¡°I guess that¡¯s something,¡± he whispered aloud.


    Avria shouted and raised her hand up in the air as if she were about to start a race. Daniel could hear Oros and Boros talking to each other to his left. He listened to them from habit, unable to understand a word of it, but wrote it off, thinking they were probably planning their attack. The two seemed calm and nonchalant, even seeming to joke about his current situation. He spread his feet into his warrior stance. Feet shoulder-width apart, grasping his spear in his hands, tilting it toward his enemies at an angle. At that moment, he was very thankful for the weapon they chose to give him. The spear was probably the best choice for him at this point. All he would have to do is wield it like a rifle with a bayonet.


    Avria shouted, dropping her hand, and Daniel saw the group of three Dae break in front of him and rush toward individual opponents. From his peripheral vision, he saw Oros and his brother break and do the same. Daniel then looked to the Dae warrior who had chosen to fight him. His heart beat like a war drum, pumping his blood through his body and strengthening him. Daniel had been in battles before but not like this. Combat in a desert with a rifle was a totally different way to fight, but still, the feeling was the same. Fear was always the same; the pit in your stomach, the slowing of time, the pumping of adrenaline, the urge to run. Those who have seen it and faced it know there are only two things you can do when faced with such a thing. You either fall victim to your fear and run from battle, bringing dishonor and shame upon yourself and live, or embrace your mortality with open arms, clench your teeth and try to kill your enemy with every fiber of your being. The Marines only taught Daniel one of these responses.


    Daniel dashed forward, bringing up his spear, taking a deep breath, and yelling at the top of his lungs. The war cry startled the Dae advancing toward him and he took one step back. That was all Daniel needed. He lunged his spear at the frightened creature¡¯s gut, right beneath the bone armor that just covered his chest.


    The Dae blocked the thrust with a quick parry from his own spear. This small setback did not halt Daniel¡¯s violent advance, however. He pushed through his target, knocking the Dae even further off balance, then taking the butt of his spear and cracking it across his face. The warrior fell to the hard stone floor of the throne room with a loud thud. The impact jarred his head and the bone mask flew off. Daniel raised his spear again to finish him. The Dae raised his hands up to protect his face. Daniel looked at the frightened young creature, his yellow eyes wide, his lips quivering. Adrenaline pumped through Daniel¡¯s body, his ears slightly muffled. He knew that look, the look of absolute and unrestrained fear. This opponent he was fighting may not have been accustomed to the amount of ferocity Daniel had displayed. He had caught him off guard and managed to win the first engagement. Looking down at the pitiful display, he clenched his teeth and relaxed his arms.


    The young Dae saw this and screamed. Daniel saw a bright light spark to life in the palm of the creature¡¯s already raised hand. A massive burst of electricity shot from his hand toward Daniel¡¯s face. Daniel turned away but the electric burst smashed into him and blew him off his feet. He crashed to the stone floor, convulsing and screaming.


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    Daniel writhed and twisted in agony, but managed to get his bearing and clambered to his feet. The Dae met his gaze and hurried to get on his feet as well and gain some distance between them.


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Daniel groaned in pain as he stood. ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± His legs wobbled and buckled as he tried to take a step. He could hear the muffled screams and shouts from his companions. Katrina¡¯s voice rang louder than the others. She was telling him to fight. He shook his head to clear it and glared at the young Dae. His left arm was still numb from the discharge, but he still managed to pick up his spear. I can¡¯t let one of those blasts get me. -A direct hit would do some severe damage. Daniel scanned the area. There had to be something he could do. He couldn¡¯t hear his allies¡¯ battles with their opponents raging behind him as he should have. I thought they weren¡¯t going to use their power. he thought, refraining from looking back. Daniel refocused on the current threat in front of him. Looking at the Dae¡¯s boots, Daniel gauged the distance between them, approximately ten feet. Easy enough for one to lunge across but also easy enough to get fried by strange sorcery.


    Daniel noted the Dae opening his hands again, conjuring light once more in his palms. Daniel grabbed his spear and lunged again at his opponent. He knew the same trick would not work twice, and though he had no real training with a spear, at this distance, if he threw it, it would probably hit its mark. Daniel let out a yell and hurled the spear as best he could at the warrior. The throw was hard but inaccurate. The Dae merely bobbed to the side to avoid the deadly airborne weapon. The extra second, however, was just enough to get Daniel close. The Dae pushed his hand out to unleash another blast of electricity, but Daniel grabbed his wrist and, with all his strength, pushed his hand up toward the ceiling. The discharge blasted upward and exploded on the roof of the throne room, bringing pieces of stone down to the makeshift arena. He could hear the creature babbling and grunting in his strange language. Daniel let out another roar of anger and brought his fist with all his might straight into the young warrior¡¯s face. The force of the blow sent the Dae to the floor again, but Daniel had a hold on his wrist. Pulling him up with his left arm, Daniel brought his elbow back and smashed it into his face. The Dae grunted, and a blue-colored fluid burst from his mouth. Daniel let him go at this point and watched him fall to the floor, unconscious. Daniel took a deep breath and picked up the Dae¡¯s spear from the stone floor. He had thrown his almost clear across the throne room.


    Daniel whirled around to engage the next enemy but only saw Oros and Boros standing and looking at him. Daniel could feel the whole room focused on him. There was a deathly silence as the seconds ticked by. It looked like Oros and Boros had handily defeated their opponents and had seen the tail end of Daniel¡¯s fight.


    ¡°We won?¡± he asked, looking at the two brothers.


    The silence continued until Hego Agron shouted something to his two sons. They began to argue back, and Avria entered the fray, yelling something in return. Daniel was still heated from the battle, which had ended only moments prior. There was chaos as they shot words back and forth; Daniel could see they were not happy. He then looked at Robert and Katrina, his companions who could understand their language¡ªmaybe he could read them and get a grasp on the situation. They looked horrified.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Daniel shouted. As he did, the surrounding guards brought their spears, which had been pointed up at a position of attention, down to point at him. Daniel stepped back and pointed his own toward them.


    ¡°Enough!¡± The voice rang out, like a blast from a cannon, loud and powerful, bringing silence to the chaotic throne room.


    Daniel grabbed his head; the overwhelming voice had caused a sharp pain, identical to what he had experienced in the Spirit Forest. Daniel looked around for the source of this intimidating voice. Hanging on the head of a statue that decorated the upper area of the throne room sat a gargoyle-like creature. It was the same creature that had stalked them in the Spirit Forest.


    ¡°That is quite enough,¡± the gargoyle said more calmly, in his deep and raspy voice. It let several moments pass before it spoke again. ¡°Since when does Agron, Lord of House Ignos, take the word of a known fool over the word of his own children?¡±


    Daniel reeled a bit from the words. He could understand this creature for some reason. Agron began to speak, stuttering slightly as he did. Daniel grimaced at the unknown words, looking back at the gargoyle.


    ¡°I have been following them, and as your brave son has said, these creatures were given my blessing.¡± The creature leaped from the statue extending its wings, and landed with a heavy thud before Daniel. The human stumbled from the sudden and direct approach but managed to stay on his feet.


    ¡°You, Lord of Ignos, will not harm them.¡± The creature then looked directly at Daniel. It¡¯s piercing yellow eyes entranced him¡ªhe was frozen and helpless. There was an energy that pulsed from the creature, weakening him.


    ¡°Be at ease, human,¡± it said, raising a long, muscled arm to Daniel¡¯s chest. ¡°It would seem that you require spiritual energy to communicate with the Dae.¡± The creature pressed his hand against Daniel¡¯s chest, and almost instantly, he was filled with a burst of wild and powerful energy. His eyes widened, and he grunted as the flow increased. Then, as quickly as it began, the flow stopped.


    Overcome with dizziness, stumbled to one knee. Something opened up inside of him.


    ¡°What¡­ did you do to me?¡± Daniel asked, breathing heavily.


    He heard Oros let out a cheer and begin to shout something.


    Daniel looked over to him, then grinned weakly. ¡°Understood that, did you?¡±


    Oros grinned in return, nodding in the affirmative.


    ¡°Human¡­¡± The gargoyle said slowly, getting Daniel¡¯s attention. ¡°I have exposed you to the energy of the spirits. I have watched its effects on your companions, and seen that you will develop this over a short time. I do not yet understand what you are or why you react this way to our power, but we will watch¡­ and learn.¡± The creature then looked at Agron. ¡°You, Hego Agron, will you appease the will of the spirits and watch over these humans?¡±


    Agron said something with a slight bow.


    ¡°Very good,¡± it said in response.


    The gargoyle turned its back to Daniel and sank into the floor. The sight disturbed him, but before anyone could react, it was gone.


    Everyone was silent again, and Daniel turned slowly to an approaching Oros. The Kryo placed his hand on Daniel¡¯s shoulder and let out a triumphant yell. Daniel looked at the Dae, who he had knocked unconscious. He was just now beginning to sit up with the assistance of two other warriors.


    Daniel glanced at the ground, exhaling loudly, then looked back at Oros. ¡°So¡­ what now?¡±

 Chapter 7

    Daniel leaned his head against the stone wall of his new accommodations¡ªa medium-sized stone room with next to nothing inside. He looked at the only piece of furniture that sat in the corner, a small stone stool. Oros was kind enough to lend him blankets and new clothing, but he had not seen or heard from the Dae in almost twelve hours; any attempt to leave ended with the guard who was stationed outside the door pointing a spear at him. Daniel sighed as he looked at his new attire: A plain brown and loose-fitting tunic that hung down to just above his knees. He had a long black sash that he used as a belt and baggy tan trousers that were tucked into his boots. The clothes were clearly not the most luxurious, but they were clean and warm. Daniel then looked at his fingernails, they were caked with dirt and blackened at the tips. He shook his head at the sight and tried to run his fingers through his hair. It was thick and clumpy with dirt. I need a shower. he thought. Feels like I¡¯ve been in here forever.


    Daniel looked at the door for what must have been the hundredth time since he first entered the room. I wonder how Robert and Katrina are doing? His mind began to wander again. He thought of home, the convention, the last thing he said to his friends who stood a few feet from him when the bright light sucked them into this strange world. They have to be here¡­ He flexed his fingers. He remembered the Ward of Agron talking about another human who was burned alive. A sudden pit formed in his stomach. I hope it wasn¡¯t Henry¡­ or Angelo¡­


    He heard footsteps outside. The door began to rattle, and the latch that secured it lifted from its lock. The door creaked open, and a Dae warrior stepped in.


    ¡°He¡¯s here, my Lady,¡± he said, looking out the open doorway. Daniel smiled at the words. He could understand them now.


    A slender female Dae walked in. She strode with the grace of a feline, swaying her hips, and her long pearl-white hair was tied back to show her face in all its beauty. She had delicate features and eyes that beamed with curiosity and sincerity. Daniel dusted himself off as he stood from the floor. She looked directly at him for a moment, then cocked her head slightly to the side.


    ¡°Can you¡­ understand me?¡± she asked, smiling.


    Daniel paused for a moment, before answering. She had the same sharp canine teeth as all the other Dae he had met. It gave her a beautiful but somewhat feral look.


    ¡°Yes, I can understand you,¡± Daniel finally said.


    Her eyes gleamed at his words, and she extended her hand, palm down. ¡°My name is Illya of House Ignos. I am sister to Oros and Boros.¡±


    Daniel raised his eyebrow and looked down at her hand. He knew it was some sort of greeting, but he wasn¡¯t sure how to proceed.


    She waited for several moments. ¡°Oh!¡± she said, bringing her hand back to her side. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it is a habit. I know you don¡¯t understand our customs at the moment.¡±


    Daniel raised his hand slightly to stop her. ¡°No worries, my name is Daniel. It¡¯s very nice to meet you.¡±


    She gave him a polite nod, still maintaining her smile. ¡°My brother sent me to fetch you. He said that they had come to some sort of understanding.¡±


    Daniel narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Illya, but I have to ask. Why did they just leave me here for a full day? And where are my friends, Robert and Katrina?¡±


    Illya stuttered a bit as she answered. ¡°Oh¡­ they¡¯re fine. Boros went to go get them already. Were you not properly fed? Oros gave strict orders to ensure that you were taken care of.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the food was delicious.¡± He had received several meals while waiting. ¡°Never mind,¡± he said, shaking his head again.


    Illya led him out into the stone hallway. The small balls of flame he recognized from the day before still floated near the ceiling, lighting their way.


    The two walked for several minutes, making a few turns, and finally came to a large wooden door. There were two warriors posted at either side, and one lifted the latch and pushed it open for them. Illya entered, and Daniel followed. Inside was a massive table set with enormous amounts of food arranged decoratively, with strange-looking animals arranged across platters alongside alien fruits and salads. He looked to the left end of the large table to see Hego Agron standing to greet them and his Ward, Avria, to his left, who did the same. Daniel walked in and looked to his right. Oros had already stood as well and was walking over to greet him. Behind him was Boros, Robert, and Katrina, who were talking amongst themselves.


    ¡°There you are!¡± Oros said, clasping Daniel¡¯s arm with a smile. ¡°It is good to see you again, my friend.¡±


    Daniel returned the gesture. ¡°It is good to see you as well, and finally good to have an actual conversation.¡±


    Oros laughed and gestured toward Hego Agron. Daniel approached and bowed his head, much the same way he did when they first met, though this was under many different circumstances.


    ¡°Please,¡± the Hego said, gesturing to an open chair next to him. ¡°Sit down.¡±


    Daniel sat and waited as servants came and fixed his plate for him. He looked across the table to Avria, who gave him what could only be perceived as a glare. He didn¡¯t look away. Illya took the seat next to Daniel, and Oros sat next to her.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Hego Agron began, ¡°I must apologize for the delay, but we needed to sort out our own affairs.¡± He motioned to several unoccupied seats. ¡°There are many of our holy men who are deeply offended that we have not followed the example of our king and purified you, but they weren¡¯t there. They didn¡¯t see Gro¡¯ak appear and bestow his blessing upon you.¡± The Hego looked off to the side slightly, seemingly lost in the memory.


    Daniel paused for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gro¡¯ak?¡± he asked, looking at Oros to his right across Illya.


    ¡°Gro¡¯ak is the elder spirit who intervened and saved your life,¡± Oros replied. ¡°He is one of the most revered and powerful spirits in the Spirit Forest.¡±


    Agron nodded in agreement with his son. ¡°The fool that Gro¡¯ak was referring to is the High Espi-Dae. He is the head of the Espi-Dae and all spiritual matters in Belous City, the capitol city of all Eleutheros. Let¡¯s just say¡­ he did not acquire his position from standing on a podium to preach words of wisdom to all of Pelemont.¡±


    ¡°Many see him as a corrupt fool,¡± Avria said. ¡°But still, he has the favor of the King, and we did what we had to in order to maintain our good standing with them.¡± She looked at Agron and frowned slightly. ¡°It is more than just the spirit¡¯s wrath we must fear, my Lord. The political repercussions will be¡­ severe.¡±


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    Daniel clenched his fist and scowled at her. The words angered him. Someone else, another human being, woke up in this strange and dangerous world, alone and afraid, and was burned alive. Daniel cursed under his breath at the thought.


    ¡°Is something wrong, human?¡± Avria said. ¡°You also must understand the situation we are in.¡± She placed her hands on the table. ¡°Hego Agron has agreed to shelter you, but this will put us at odds with our Clan leaders.¡±


    Daniel nodded. He looked at Hego Agron, who sat with his arms folded across his chest.


    ¡°I need more time to contemplate,¡± the Hego said, looking at his son Oros sitting next to Illya. The older Dae¡¯s brow furrowed, and Oros¡¯ did the same, but with fewer wrinkles.


    ¡°Father,¡± Boros called from across the table. Daniel looked over at the younger Dae. He seemed mostly excluded from the conversation, along with Robert and Katrina. Daniel took this moment to take note of exactly how close Boros was sitting next to Katrina and narrowed his eyes. He was interested in her¡­ very interested, it seemed.


    ¡°I would suggest,¡± he said, looking to Oros, then back to Agron, ¡°that we show our new guests how hospitable the house of Ignos can be.¡± Boros took a few moments and stood, holding a bowl of dark liquid. ¡°I can take them through our city. Show them who we are as a people.¡±


    Agron chuckled. He seemed to have a soft spot for his youngest son.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not, my Lord,¡± Avria said, leaning back in her chair. ¡°We have already done as much damage to our standing with the Espi-Dae that could be done. Parading these creatures through the street should at least quell some of the rumors with the common folk.¡±


    Agron raised his bowl of dark liquid to his son and nodded. Boros smiled at his father and sat back down next to Katrina. He began explaining excitedly to her everywhere he was going to take her. Robert nudged in around her to listen and include himself.


    Daniel let out a sigh and looked at his half-eaten plate of food. He had been attempting to nibble at it as much as he possibly could throughout the conversation but still found his appetite lacking.


    Agron stood from his chair at the head of the table. ¡°I must attend to business,¡± he said, finishing the last bit of beverage he had in his bowl. ¡°Feel free to explore¡­ but I do advise you to keep in the company of my children. We are not sure how the Espi-Dae will react to all that has happened.¡±


    Daniel nodded, and the Hego made his way out.


    ¡°I will escort you, my friend,¡± Oros said, ¡°There is much I¡¯m sure you are interested in seeing here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Daniel leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re stuck here for the time being. Might as well make the most of it.¡±


    Oros slapped his shoulder with a laugh. Daniel winced slightly from the sudden motion. This creature was stronger than he looked.


    ¡°Excellent! I¡¯ll meet you at the front gate,¡± Oros said, standing. ¡°I need to make some preparations first.¡± Oros glanced at Daniel¡¯s unfinished meal. ¡°You stay here and eat.¡±


    ¡°I want to go too!¡± Illya said, standing after her brother. ¡°I¡¯ll also get ready and meet you at the gates.¡± The two walked out of the dining area, talking and laughing with one another.


    Daniel smiled at the siblings and turned back to his food. He noticed that Avria had left the table as well. She hadn¡¯t announced her exit like the rest. He looked at his dirty hands in thought. Before, it felt like there wasn¡¯t any time to think. Now we have too much. Then, he turned to Boros, who still sat conversing with Robert and Katrina. ¡°Boros, I don¡¯t suppose there is a place to bathe around here.¡±


    Boros stood. ¡°Of course, my friend, I¡¯m sorry. It seems we forgot to ask you whether you wanted one.¡±


    It was then that Daniel noticed Katrina¡¯s hair and new attire. She looked like she had just recently bathed.


    ¡°I will take you,¡± Boros said, gesturing to Daniel to follow him.


    Daniel took one final look at his unfinished food and stood to follow Boros. As the Dae opened the doors leading out of the dining hall, they heard a small argument coming from beyond it. The doors swung open to reveal Avria speaking sternly to a young Dae who was apparently trying to pass her. Avria turned to Boros and Daniel.


    Daniel watched as she let out a sigh and stiffened her upper lip. The young Dae pushed past her. The Dae approached Daniel and looked him in the eyes. Daniel looked him over; he stood a couple of inches shorter than Daniel¡¯s modest six feet. He had eager eyes, pearl white hair and shared the same light gray complexion as Avria. He looked as though he would have been considered quite handsome, except for the large and appalling bruises that smeared his face.


    ¡°Well,¡± the Dae said, not breaking eye contact with Daniel. He looked as if he was searching for the right words to speak. Daniel recognized him; he was the Dae who fought him in the trial of Doxo.


    ¡°I wanted to say¡­ that it was a great honor to fight you,¡± he grunted, as if straining to say the words, and grinned unexpectedly. ¡°I have shamed myself before you by using the Dunamis when showed mercy, and I suppose this means I¡¯ve been disowned or something.¡±


    He glanced toward Avria and left the human puzzled.


    Daniel continued to look at Boros, who just shrugged, giving no advice on how to proceed.


    ¡°I will wait for you at the end of the hall, my friend,¡± Boros said, pointing to another set of doors at the end of the hallway. He gave Daniel a nod and left him to handle the situation on his own.


    Daniel sighed and looked again at the young Dae before him. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    The Dae reached his arm out for some kind of greeting. ¡°My name is Delmos, of House Regios.¡±


    ¡°And he is my brother,¡± Avria said, walking up beside him. She gave her younger kin an obvious look of disappointment. ¡°And we have important business to attend to.¡±


    Delmos tried to protest, raising his hands defensively and stepping away from her. ¡°I told you already, Avria, I wanted to see the Spirit-Sent face-to-face. It was no accident that I was chosen to fight him.¡± The young Dae looked at Daniel, his eyes filled with unreadable emotion behind them. Daniel wasn¡¯t sure if he was serious or merely making a mockery of him.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Avria roared, grabbing her younger brother by the collar of his tunic. The sudden movement startled Daniel for a split second. Like Oros, she was much stronger than she looked. With a turn of her body, her brother was sent tumbling down the hall. He didn¡¯t fall completely to the stone floor but skillfully used the momentum to get back to his feet. His face now showed fear, but with a clear edge of anger trying to take control.


    ¡°I will not tell you again, Delmos, get your disgraceful self back to father, or by the spirits, I will beat you unconscious and drag you there myself!¡±


    Delmos hesitated for a moment and glanced toward Daniel.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look to him for help,¡± she said coldly. ¡°Go.¡±


    Her brother clenched his jaw, turned around, and stormed out of the hallway. Several moments passed, and all that could be heard were his fading footsteps.


    Daniel swallowed dryly and looked past Avria, who had her back to him, facing down the hallway. He could see Boros near the exit, patting Delmos on the shoulder as he passed him.


    Avria exhaled slowly and turned to look Daniel square in his eyes. ¡°You disgraced him.¡± She took a step toward him and pointed at the center of his chest. ¡°You made my father¡¯s house look weak before the Hego, and if I weren¡¯t explicitly ordered by Agron to leave you be, I would kill you where you stand.¡±


    Daniel looked at her in confusion, but it wasn¡¯t difficult to grasp that she wasn¡¯t bluffing and would, in fact, try to kill him if she could.


    With that, she turned again and walked rigidly down the hall, and passed Boros without any acknowledgment.


    Daniel made his way down the hall slowly, to avoid any awkward catching up to Avria and her clearly hostile intentions.


    ¡°Well,¡± Boros said with a grin on his face, ¡°you survived.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it looks like I did,¡± Daniel said, trying to shake off the tension that had built up. ¡°What did I do to piss that one off so much? What¡¯s her problem?¡±


    Boros smiled again and put his arm around Daniel¡¯s shoulder, walking him out of the hallway.


    ¡°Well, as the spirits would have it, you fought her brother during the trial of Doxo and managed to defeat him handily, in spite of him violating the law of equal plain.¡±


    ¡°The law of equal plain?¡±


    ¡°It basically means we fight without using the Dunamis; it is a show of good faith, a sign of respect. Delmos violated that law when he tried to shock you; you had every right to kill him.¡± Boros thought for a moment. ¡°Actually, it probably would have been better if you had.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say that my father takes things like this very seriously. He humiliated himself and all of House Regios in the process. If you had killed him, at least the offense would have been rectified. Now, he has to face the wrath of his father.¡± Boros shuddered slightly. ¡°That is something that I would not want to ever take part in.¡±


    As he finished speaking, Boros led Daniel down another hall and in front of a smooth stone door.

 Chapter 8

    Katrina marveled at the sight before her once again. Vul De Rah was a magnificent spectacle from the battlements of the Ignos palace, which was on a modestly sized hill overlooking the city. The terror and confusion of the last few days seemed to be receding slowly as the days ebbed on. She thought briefly of the Trial of Doxo from the day before, and a shudder ran through her body. Daniel had fought against one of these creatures and defeated him, no less. She took a deep breath and exhaled sharply, pushing the thoughts from her mind.


    ¡°Hello there!¡± a cheerful voice called from behind.


    She turned her head to see Boros approaching with a large smile on his face. He was a good sort, she thought, returning the smile. Maybe he was a little over-affectionate, but in their current situation, it was a welcome demonstration.


    ¡°As soon as your friend is bathed and ready, we will be off,¡± the young Dae said as he took a spot next to her against the battlements.


    Katrina looked again over the city and her smile faded.


    ¡°You look troubled,¡± he said, facing her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± she said, ¡°Besides the fact that yesterday I wasn¡¯t sure if I was going to be burned alive or not. . .¡± She paused for a moment, sensing her usual sarcastic reply coming on. It wasn¡¯t really intentional, just a defense mechanism for high-stress situations. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ a lot to take in.¡± She forced a smile and looked at him. Keep it together, Kat.


    Boros opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the call of a young woman.


    ¡°Will you stop harassing the poor thing?¡± his sister Illya teased, walking toward the two. She wore leather breeches, a light tunic, and a deep green cloak. A very plain outfit, but it looked like it was made from excellent material.


    Katrina looked her over, another instinctual reaction for her to compare and contrast with herself, and the Dae girl was stunning. She suddenly felt a little self-conscious of her own attire and looks but suppressed it quickly.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she said as Illya came to a halt before them.


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    The Dae gave a gracious curtsy and smiled. ¡°You know, I was just talking to your companion¡­¡± She paused, trying to recall the name.


    ¡°Robert,¡± Boros chimed in.


    ¡°Yes! Robert. What a nice man he is,¡± she said,


    Katrina chuckled at the comment. ¡°Well, of course, you¡¯re talking about him. The mean one is Daniel.¡±


    Illya let out a very un-ladylike laugh and waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Well, he didn¡¯t seem that bad when I spoke to him. I take it he¡¯s your mate?¡±


    Katrina blinked awkwardly at the sudden declaration. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± she said, looking at Boros, who was visibly uncomfortable as well. ¡°No, actually. I really don¡¯t know him very well at all.¡±


    ¡°No?¡± Illya asked.


    ¡°I have only known him for a few days. Well¡­ basically from when I woke up in this world. Why? What gave you that impression?¡± Katrina asked, somewhat amused.


    ¡°Well,¡± she said, looking at Boros for support, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to assume.¡±


    Katrina began to laugh, breaking some of the rigidity that had begun to form. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°I do find it rather curious. I mean, it is odd to find a young woman like yourself accompanied by two males.¡±


    ¡°Curious?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°She means all she does is gossip about insignificant compost all day,¡± Boros said. ¡°For the sake of the spirits, Illya, we just met these humans, and you already are trying to find out who is mating who?¡±


    Illya gasped at the words. ¡°Boros! How inappropriate! And no, that is not what I am trying to find out. I would just like to get to know them better.¡±


    Katrina let out another laugh and leaned against the battlements again. ¡°Well, what about your father¡¯s ward? She¡¯s always surrounded by men; don¡¯t you find that ¡®curious¡¯ as well?¡±


    ¡°Avria?¡± Illya exclaimed with no small amount of venom. ¡°That woman, if you want to call her one, is one of the warrior class. She is expected to do these things. Most of us don¡¯t participate in fighting, and by us, I mean young women of the clan.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but notice your disapproval of her,¡± Katrina said.


    The young Dae girl regained her composure and took a deep breath. ¡°Well, it¡¯s because she and my father have been trying to marry her to my brother Oros. And don¡¯t let me get started on how ill-mannered she is. All people from the Regios house are like that; rude and unsophisticated.¡±


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Boros coughed, pulling their attention toward him. ¡°I think the real reason is that our father chose her to be his ward instead of Oros, but don¡¯t mistake me, those two have been at each other¡¯s throats since they were children. I don¡¯t have any real reason to dislike her¡­¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°Well, actually, I really do hate how condescending she is.¡±


    ¡°Well, I believe we have wasted quite enough time talking about Avria,¡± Illya said, drawing out the name. ¡°Now, where are those other humans? It seems like we have been waiting here for ages.¡± She tilted her head and looked at Boros expectantly.


    Boros sighed heavily and walked toward the entrance of the palace.


    Illya smiled and let out an overly childish ¡°Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 9

    Daniel ran his fingers through his hair, for the first time without tearing through tangles and matted dirt. The bath had been a strange one, with water flowing from several pipes at once entirely on their own at precisely the temperature he found comfortable. The strange substances they used for what he could only perceive as soap left him puzzled, but he could not argue with the smell; it was considerably better than before.


    Daniel was attempting to make his way to the courtyard to meet with his companions and see more of the city they would now be calling home for the unforeseeable future. Vul De Rah. He thought, picking up the pace. Would be great if I wasn¡¯t lost. He went over the directions the guard had given him again, but it was no use. There was too much on his mind. Beyond the staggering situation he found himself in, he couldn¡¯t shake the thought and worry for his friends, Henry and Angelo. Had they come here with him? The possibility was strong, as they were within reaching distance when he was transported here. He pondered this and looked again to the task of finding his way out of here.


    The seemingly endless twists and turns of halls and rooms all looked the same to him. The hall he was currently in was lined with several doors on either side, most of which were closed, but one was slightly ajar, and he could hear the sound of scratching parchment within. Daniel let out a sigh and knocked his knuckles on the door.


    ¡°Huh? What was that?¡± called a feminine voice from within the open room.


    Daniel stepped back and saw a Dae¡¯s head poke out from the open doorway. It first looked down the other side of the hallway, then turned its head to meet Daniel¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Oh, my goodness!¡± called the Dae. It stumbled from the doorway clumsily and dropped a stack of paper in the process.


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    It was a female Dae, though one could hardly tell. She wore a large and cumbersome cloak of dark green, with several belts across her chest that hung with multiple pouches. Her hair was a fine pearl white, like most Dae he had encountered up to this point, but her skin was a much darker grey than he had seen before.


    She fumbled to pick up her papers and stuttered. ¡°My, my, my, how clumsy I can be! I am so sorry.¡±


    Daniel couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly amused at the sight but moved to help her pick them up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I scared you,¡± Daniel said, picking up several pieces of paper. ¡°But I¡¯m lost in this God-forsaken labyrinth of a palace. Can you show me a way out of here?¡±


    The Dae girl held her papers to her chest, in what could easily have been a defensive gesture, but stared at Daniel. ¡°You¡­¡± she said as her eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re one of the creatures!¡± She took a quick step toward him and studied his face eagerly. ¡°Oh my! You are one. This is incredible, such a strange color.¡± She then extended her hand to touch his face, but Daniel pulled back before she could.


    ¡°Yeah, Uh¡­ I guess I¡¯ll¡­ just¡­¡± he said wearily.


    ¡°No!¡± she shouted, interrupting him. ¡°I apologize about the, uh¡­ well, I just have heard a lot. And I never thought I would get to actually meet one. The whole clan has been talking about you.¡±


    Daniel just stared awkwardly at her. ¡°Well¡­ uh¡­ I need some help getting out of here, and you¡¯re the only other person I¡¯ve come across so far.¡±


    The Dae girl paused for a moment, then pulled the papers from Daniel¡¯s hands and clutched them to her chest with the rest of her stack. ¡°Yes! But I would like to ask you some questions if you don¡¯t mind.¡± She motioned him to follow her and began walking down the hallway. ¡°My name is Amynta, by the way.¡± She turned to give him a gracious nod but continued moving.


    ¡°I¡¯m Daniel,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Daniel,¡± she repeated. ¡°What a strange name. Please, you must tell me where you come from or what you are. You see, I¡¯m a scribe for House Bodilla and would love to get some firsthand information from you.¡±


    Daniel had to pick up his pace to keep up with her as she led him out of the palace.

 Chapter 10

    Robert looked down at his hands as he curled them into fists, his mind far from this new and unfamiliar land and on more simple times. Tears welled in his eyes but he quickly wiped them away. He knew he needed to be strong, to find the anchor of resolve that would keep him sane through this. His thoughts again wandered home, to his family and friends, and his apartment. He rested his back against the battlements, making sure he was far enough away from the Dae palace that no prying eyes would find him and expose his weakness. At least Katrina is here, he thought.


    ¡°Robert!¡±


    Robert saw Katrina walking toward him, followed by a large company of Dae. Daniel was there as well. He hadn¡¯t quite formed a full opinion of the man. He was clearly capable and seemingly the most rational of the three, considering their situation. Robert closed his eyes and took a deep breath, putting on his emotional mask once again. As his eyes opened, his ¡®forced smile¡¯ returned, and he waved them over.


    ¡°Getting started without us, friend?¡± Oros said as he approached Robert, a grin stretching across his face. Robert shrugged, struggling to maintain his smile.


    Oros stopped in front of him and motioned one of the Dae who was following closely. The servant approached quickly, holding several bundles of dark green cloth in his arms. Oros grabbed one and held it out to Robert. ¡°Here. Wear this.¡±


    The human took it from him, unfolding it as he did. It appeared to be a long cloak.


    ¡°This is the color of our noble class,¡± Oros said, passing it to Daniel and Katrina. ¡°None will approach you while you are wearing this.¡±


    The two mirrored Robert¡¯s inquisitive but careful unfolding and inspection.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Daniel said, throwing it over his shoulders.


    ¡°Why are you wearing red then, Oros?¡± Katrina asked as she put it on as well.


    ¡°This is the color of our warrior class,¡± he said, smiling and grabbing at the crimson red cloak around his chest. The Dae motioned for the group to follow and began to make his way down the stone road to the town below.


    The city of Vul De Rah was a magnificent display of Dae architecture and innovation. It looked like a city that could rival any back home to Robert as they descended from the perched palace. They were solid pieces of stone, seemingly grown from the ground itself. Dwellings and taller buildings littered the area around them, showing a condensed and well-developed inner city, unlike the open but bustling entrance.


    Oros brought them into the streets of the community, past crowds of onlookers who murmured to each other and called to Robert as he passed them.


    ¡°Spirit-sent! Bless us!¡± called a Dae woman from his left. Robert turned to see her getting pushed back into the crowd by one of the warriors. They stretched their arms out to them and shouted.


    ¡°What the hell is this all about?¡± Daniel asked Oros.


    ¡°They have all heard what happened in the throne room. About Gro¡¯ak and his blessing.¡± Oros kept his eyes forward, ignoring the shouts and extended hands.


    ¡°This looks barely under control,¡± Daniel said.


    Oros turned down a larger street, and Robert was shocked at what he saw. Thousands of Dae standing on either side of the road, being held at bay by hundreds of warriors in black cloaks. The crowd¡¯s roar intensified as they caught sight of the group turning the corner.


    Robert grabbed Katrina by the hand and leaned in close. ¡°Look at this,¡± he whispered, smiling as he put his arm around her shoulder. ¡°Wow,¡± he said out loud.


    Katrina shrugged his arm off but did not turn to face him. It was a subtle gesture, but it screamed loudly to him. She had been acting differently since they arrived here, more distant. He wasn¡¯t blind. He glanced back at Boros. The young Dae seemed in good spirits, but his eyes were often on her, never wandering far from Katrina. Robert¡¯s smile vanished; instead, he clenched his jaw. He looked around to see if Daniel was nearby. He was, but he was facing away from them, speaking with Oros.


    Looking back at Katina, Robert opened his mouth to speak. He wasn¡¯t going to allow this division to continue. She had barely spoken to him since their arrival. His thoughts were interrupted as he was suddenly jerked backward. He grunted and gagged as he was pulled to the ground by the green cloak he now wore, tugging at his neck. There were several Dae who struggled above him, warriors in black and citizens that reached down to grab him.


    ¡°Robert!¡± Katrina called, grabbing at his arms to help him up. She then started to get pulled down as well and let out a terrified yelp.


    Robert struggled against the arms that held him down, some around his shoulders and cloak, others around his arms. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± he yelled, panic overwhelming him. He tried to look around and make sense of what was happening. There were two black-cloaked Dae that struggled above him, their boots stomping near his head as they fended off what looked like hundreds of Dae that were all trying to grab him and Katrina. Are they trying to kill us? he thought, his mind overwrought with fear. Then he looked closely at a young Dae girl¡¯s face. It was dirty with mud and grime, and her eyes weren¡¯t that of anger but of absolute sadness. She stretched her arm out around the side of one of the warriors and rested her hand on his cheek. She smiled for a moment, and tears began to stream down her face.


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    ¡°Bless us, Spirit-sent! Please!¡± she yelled.


    Robert stared back in terror and confusion. ¡°What?¡±


    The Dae girl¡¯s face was knocked back into the crowd by a warrior¡¯s spear shaft. The roar of the crowd intensified as more warriors came to force the crowd back. The few hands that remained holding Robert down clawed frantically at his clothes. Robert began to stand, shrugging off the last of the crowd¡¯s hold and looked up to see Daniel¡¯s extended hand.


    Robert took it and was hauled to his feet. ¡°Ugh,¡± he grunted, feeling a sharp pain where his tailbone had hit the stone pavement.


    ¡°You alright?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Robert said, brushing the dirt from his cloak and looking for Katrina. He saw her standing several yards from him, with Boros tending to her. He frowned and fought the urge to say something he knew he would regret.


    ¡°I know,¡± Daniel said, patting Robert on his shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s talk to her first. Before we do anything stupid.¡±


    Robert shook his head. He was about to say something, but Daniel interrupted him by shouting to Oros. ¡°Do you mind letting us know what the hell just happened? Your people just tried to strangle my friends.¡±


    Oros approached Daniel, his welcoming smile now replaced by the stone face of a veteran warrior. ¡°We must keep moving; the Doulos were not supposed to be here.¡±


    Robert looked back to where the crowd had been mere moments before, but saw no one, save the bodies of around a dozen Dae lying prone on the pavement, with blue fluid spilling from wounds and filling the cracks between the stones. Robert¡¯s eyes widened as his realization set in.


    ¡°Wha¡­¡± he stuttered, having never seen a dead body before, aside from the occasional roadkill passed while driving. but never a human being. These aren¡¯t human beings. he thought to himself, turning from the horrible sight regardless.


    ¡°Why did you kill them?¡± he asked Oros. His voice cracked slightly, taking any intended force out of his question.


    The Dae looked at him, puzzled, and replied as though it was common knowledge. ¡°These are Doulos. They are worthless.¡±


    ¡°What are Doulos?¡± Daniel asked, folding his arms across his chest.


    Oros turned to Daniel, ¡°They are the lowest caste of Dae in our clan. The descendants of the traitors who fought against us during our war with the Rexunii. They are the offspring of scum and traitors, and may only be redeemed by proving their loyalty to Lokkadonia in battle.¡±


    ¡°So, they¡¯re slaves,¡± Daniel said bluntly.


    Oros didn¡¯t answer immediately. He looked somewhat taken aback. He opened his mouth to retort when he was interrupted again by screams and shouts of the fleeing Doulos in the streets.


    ¡°They are paid for their work,¡± the Dae Kryo said, narrowing his eyes slightly. ¡°Which is more than they deserve, trust me.¡±


    Robert shook his head. -How the hell did we end up in a fucked-up place like this? - He thought, his mind a numb assortment of questions and complaints. Just a few days ago, he was worried about paying his rent for the month and if he should invest in a water purifier to cut his monthly expenses. Now he was here, in Vul De Rah, afraid of being burned to death or torn apart by slaves.


    He looked back at Daniel, who was still talking to Oros. Then, as he studied him, he realized that he now knew what to think of him. He was glad he was here, someone with more resolve and bearing than himself. Though he felt it selfishly, he was glad that he wasn¡¯t alone and that he didn¡¯t have to face the circumstances of this world and feign strength. Robert cursed himself for his weakness, for allowing himself to think something so pathetic.


    Oros finished his conversation with Daniel and began shouting orders to his warriors. Robert watched as Dae, clad in black cloaks, ran to the fallen Doulos and started removing them. Their movements were precise but showed no hint of respect for the way they treated these dead. His eyes focused on the face of one of the fallen women, smeared with mud and what he knew to be her blood. It was a dark blue color and streamed from a wound on the top of her head. Her eyes, a dull yellow, stared lifelessly into space, capturing in part, the moment of her death.


    Robert scanned the others, swallowing down bile as he fought the urge to vomit. His thoughts then returned to the young Doulos girl who touched his face. Was her body amongst the dead here? Robert let out an uneasy breath and walked toward Daniel, who he now noticed, was staring at the carnage as well. But he seemed different. Robert saw he was slightly pale, and sweat beads dripped from his head down the side of his face.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Robert asked, causing Daniel to jump slightly as he turned to face him.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He shook his head as if to regain his composure. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ~


    The walk through the rest of Vul De Rah was a solemn one compared to the energy-filled celebration that resounded through the streets mere minutes before. Katrina kept her eyes down, the stress and shock of the incident still lingering like a wet blanket.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for all of this,¡± Boros said, walking beside her. ¡°The Doulos were¡­ unexpected.¡±


    Katrina made no effort to acknowledge him; she had no reason to. There was a knot of fear making its home in her stomach that felt as though it would bring up the lunch she ate earlier if she opened her mouth.


    ¡°I wanted to show you our beautiful city and its people, but like all things, there is an ugly side.¡± Boros continued. ¡°The Doulos are descendants of the Dae who were loyal to the Rexunii when we fought them for our independence. The newly appointed King, Gurmo, decided to make an example of these people and their children.¡±


    Katrina swallowed hard. ¡°That¡¯s horrible,¡± she said weakly, looking up to face him. The Dae¡¯s eyes lit up, but it was brief as he quickly returned to his somber expression.


    ¡°These creatures deserve nothing more than they have. Even so, my father allows them to squire under the warriors of our clan. Many have proven themselves in battle and redeemed their bloodlines, but the majority continue to wallow in their misery and cowardice.¡±


    Katrina kept quiet this time, her mouth sour with the taste of bile. She clenched her teeth as her stomach turned over. Come on, Kat, pull yourself together. She supposed that for most of her life, she was what many would consider sheltered. Her parents were married still, her dad owned a successful business, and she lived comfortably. She had all the characteristics of a normal life; she went to college, got her degree in finance, and had spent the better part of the last year working at her first real job. So, why? she thought. Why is this happening to me? She looked around and saw Robert behind her. He was talking with Daniel, who didn¡¯t quite look like himself. His face, normally difficult to read, was now slightly pale and unsettled. Maybe this is getting to him as much as it is to us. Suddenly, she bumped into the Dae in front of her, who had stopped.


    ¡°Oh shit!¡± She said, startled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± She patted the Dae¡¯s armor instinctively, brushing off the area she had hit. The Dae chuckled but gave her a slight nod in reassurance.


    ¡°We are here,¡± Oros said, turning to the group.

 Chapter 11

    Daniel looked in awe as they entered a large, open area, somewhat like a massive stadium, but all the seating areas that surrounded the open center looked as though they were grown out of the ground. How do they do that? he thought. The odd bleachers were littered with many warriors in crimson cloaks, who observed hundreds of warriors in the center, who all wore black cloaks. There were what looked like stations of different combat techniques and executions; spears, swords, and various weaponry, all being used in different ways. Daniel noticed there were Dae warriors walking amongst the rest that wore dark yellow cloaks. They were carrying small batons and held themselves with an aura of authority. This was clearly a training field for their warrior caste.


    Oros led the party into the open field of the training grounds, and as he walked, he explained what he could of the surroundings. ¡°This is where our whelps come to practice their abilities.¡± Oros gestured to the mass of black-cloaked Dae. ¡°They are observed by our warriors in the hopes of being chosen to join one of their squads. It isn¡¯t easy for them, I assure you. Many of our squad leaders bid for some of the more talented whelps.¡±


    Oros walked over to one of the whelps, grasping his black cloak and turning him about. The young Dae¡¯s eyes widened with fear and shock.


    ¡°M-m-my Lord!¡± he said.


    Oros gave him a small nod in acknowledgment but continued, ¡°This young Dae is Norii. A fine example of the new generation of warriors.¡±


    Norii bowed his head graciously to the party but held it for just a bit too long. Oros gave him a small nudge and a grunt, and the young Dae raised his head back up quickly.


    Oros gestured his hand again to the surrounding stadium. ¡°To many of us, this was our home. The sand under our boots is packed with the blood and sweat of Vul De Rah¡¯s children, who honed and perfected the art of combat.¡±


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    Daniel looked down and saw the fine sand between his boots. Even here, he thought, even in a different world, strange and alien, even here there were warriors and conflicts. The thought brought a small bit of comfort. Even if it was a small one, at least there were some similarities. His thoughts turned dark for a moment, the smell of the sand bringing some of his mind back to the war he fought in the sands of the Middle East. He clenched his teeth together and shook it from his mind.


    ¡°Tonight, we dine in the hall of Lord Regios, the overseer of our warrior caste,¡± Oros said, patting Norii on the shoulder and leading the party further into the large stadium.


    Daniel looked up to Oros, gaining his composure and clearing his throat. ¡°Oros!¡± he said with less authority than he intended to muster. ¡°Where do your people train with¡­¡± He paused for a moment, wondering how he should refer to the strange power they possessed. ¡°¡­your magic?¡±


    Oros¡¯ face spread with a wide grin. ¡°Ah, of course.¡± Without saying another word, he changed direction.


    While walking through the stadium, Daniel had time to marvel at how large it was. Not necessarily tall, with massive walls and bleachers like the ones back home, but the field was vast, like several football fields side-by-side. His eyes studied the young trainees next. They had focus and discipline, bringing their weapons down and shouting. He then noticed the sweat that dripped down their faces. He noted another similarity the Dae shared with humans. They bleed, they sweat, they drink and eat. Obviously, they shared similar bodily functions. His mind began to wander again, but his eyes caught something large and looming before him. He looked up to see an enormous dome structure, made of what looked like stone. He blinked in disbelief; it was large and as smooth as marble. The daylight shined off its curved roof and sparkled strangely.


    Oros turned to the group and opened one of two massive stone doors as smoothly as though it were light as a feather.


    Daniel stood for a moment, not sure whether to proceed first or not. He noticed some of the Dae warriors around him, chuckling amongst each other. He looked at Robert and Katrina for a moment, only to see that they were already looking at him. It was clear they were waiting for him to make the first move. He sighed openly and pressed forward, walking through the large door and into the dome.

 Chapter 12

    Katrina watched Daniel walk headlong through the large doorway. She glanced at Boros, who stood beside her and gestured for her to enter with a charming smile and a nod. She sighed almost exactly as Daniel had and walked past Oros into the structure. She was suddenly struck by a cool blast of air that rushed by her, escaping through the open door. The sudden gust gave her goosebumps as the thin sheet of sweat evaporated on her skin and chilled her. Her jaw gaped at the inside of this magnificent dome. The air was cool, and it must have stood hundreds of feet above them. Her neck ached as she looked above to grasp the sheer magnitude of what she was now seeing. The dome draped above them, with bright balls of flame that hovered in midair, shedding brilliant light so you could see clearly inside. She looked to see a similar set-up within as the vast training field they had just seen outside. The bleachers on the sides that surrounded the vacant middle were much taller now. This was clearly an arena, with walls surrounding an area for combat and a portion of seats that were set apart, reminiscent of a Roman Podium for their emperors to lounge and watch gladiators fight.


    Katrina noticed Daniel in front of her, his head turning like hers, drinking in all that there was to see. By this time, Oros and the rest of the party were already inside, and the massive doors closed with a light thud.


    ¡°Mighty impressive, isn¡¯t it?¡± Oros said, looking and admiring the arena with a smile. ¡°This is called the Glade. It was built thousands of years ago by our ancestors. Powerful spirits protect it, and others outside, from the fierce battles that rage within.¡±


    The Dae Kryo led them to the royal box and to a large group of warriors that stood mingling just inside. The group of them grew silent as Oros and his party approached, save several hushed murmurs and a mix of smiles and sneers.


    It was then that Katrina noticed Avria standing among them. Her grey skin and brilliant eyes narrowed, unblinking, at Daniel. Her white hair was up in a sort of ponytail now, and her hand was on the hilt of the bone blade at her waist. She stood with an aura of confidence and skill, that Katrina found very intimidating. Katrina swallowed the lump in her throat and began walking toward her. Avria did not seem to notice Katrina as she approached, or perhaps she just did not see her as worthy of her attention. Either way, her eyes snapped to meet Katrina¡¯s, and she froze mid-stride. She did not speak, but it was obvious that she was thinking something like What the hell do you want? Katrina gritted her teeth and strode forward, knowing she must look the fool, being stopped by a glance. ¡°He¡­ Hello ma¡¯am,¡± she stuttered as she approached.


    Avria studied her for a long moment but did not reply. Instead, a thin line formed between her brow, and she looked at Katrina with clear displeasure.


    ¡°I wanted to have a moment to speak with you,¡± Katrina said dryly. She could hear her heart beating in her ears and feel sweat beading down her back. Holy shit, she¡¯s intimidating, she thought.


    ¡°What?¡± Avria said sharply, making it clear she had little patience. Her face looked hard as stone, and Katrina knew this conversation would be tricky.


    Katrina opened her mouth to speak but stood dumbfounded, realizing in hot terror that she had completely forgotten what she was going to ask. ¡°Uh¡­¡± she said.


    Avria looked somewhat puzzled by this, and her eyes softened just a bit in what Katrina hoped was amusement.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that I am impressed by you, that¡¯s all. You carry yourself with such confidence. I was hoping I might get to know you better.¡± Her words came out fast and unorganized, like a dam that had burst.


    Avria cocked her head to the side slightly, now clearly amused. ¡°Really,¡± she said, drawing out the word, not as a question, but more of a blunt statement.


    Katrina felt her ears burning as the silence lingered for eternal seconds after.


    Then, Avria¡¯s hard expression cracked slightly as a thin smile curved the edge of her mouth. The Dae warrior motioned Katrina to follow and turned to walk further into the royal box. Katrina was moving before she realized it and followed eagerly behind her. The two women sat down on some very soft sofas that faced each other. Katrina¡¯s mind briefly strayed from the situation, her hands sliding over the velvet-like fabric.


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    ¡°So,¡± Avria said, pulling her attention. She sat with her legs crossed and the grace of a lioness. Her crimson cloak draped around her had opened to reveal her torso. She was a slender woman, and even through the bone breastplate she wore, Katrina could tell that she had a near-perfect figure.


    ¡°Well.¡± Katrina cleared her throat. ¡°I have seen the way you have been looking at us. I know you probably don¡¯t like us very much, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t what you think,¡± Avria said, cutting her off. ¡°I do not look at you people as the herald of our end times like the Espi-Dae, but I don¡¯t trust you either. Our king gave us a command, and my Hego chose to ignore it.¡±


    ¡°The Hego is¡­ Agron, right?¡± Katrina said.


    Avria Paused a moment to gaze at Katrina. ¡°I keep forgetting that you creatures know nothing of our customs. Yes, Agron is our Hego and is the leader of the Ignos Clan, which resides here in Vul De Rah. Our King, Yomin, reigns from Vul De Mar, the Capital of Lokkon.¡± She pointed her hand behind her nonchalantly. ¡°He is also head of the Magune¡¯ clan, and we are ultimately his subjects, but my loyalty is to my Hego.¡±


    Katrina nodded, thinking hard on her next question. This world seemed to follow some definite similarities to Earth¡¯s ancient history, at least what she knew of it.


    ¡°And it isn¡¯t all of you,¡± Avria said, glancing at Daniel, who stood now talking with several warriors. ¡°This one I do not like.¡±


    ¡°He was just trying to keep us alive,¡± Katrina said.


    This seemed to amuse Avria again, even more than before, because she let out a sharp laugh. ¡°You are loyal to your mate; this I can understand.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°He isn¡¯t my mate. I don¡¯t even know him.¡± She gestured at him. ¡°We met only recently when we woke up in your world.¡± She pointed to Robert, who sat with Illya and Oros, seeming to enjoy a conversation. ¡°He¡¯s my mate.¡±


    ¡°Him?¡± Avria said.


    ¡°Yes, him,¡± Katrina emphasized the last word. ¡°And I don¡¯t know why, but I have had to explain this to Illya already.¡±


    The name seemed to sting the Dae woman a bit. She looked down and cleared her throat to continue. ¡°Well, I suppose it isn¡¯t any of my concern.¡±


    Suddenly Oros barked a loud laugh. Katrina looked at him, slightly startled.


    ¡°Nasha!¡± he yelled as a female warrior entered the royal box. She had long, flowing hair that shined a brilliant red.


    That¡¯s different, Katrina thought. Her skin was a paler red that looked soft as silk. Her eyes, though, were hard and almond shaped. She had a delicate face, with soft edges, and a slender neck. Her crimson cloak billowed in behind her, and she strode toward Oros with absolute confidence.


    ¡°My Kryo Oros!¡± she called, extending her right hand to grasp Oros¡¯ left shoulder; he smiled and mimicked the gesture.


    Katrina noticed Avria stand and captured a small glimpse of her stern face again as she moved out of sight of the reunion.


    Nasha released Oros¡¯ shoulder and smiled, revealing the Dae¡¯s signature canine teeth, giving her gentle smile a slight animal edge. ¡°I came as soon as I could, my Lord. There is so much I have been told since my return. Monsters from another world, spirits manifesting in the throne room, it seems so unbelievable.¡±


    Oros let his smile slip away and looked to his left.


    Nasha followed with her eyes and looked shocked to see Robert standing surprisingly close to her.


    Nasha¡¯s face went blank. ¡°So, it¡¯s true then,¡± she muttered. She looked around the room, first turning to Daniel, then her eyes met Katrina¡¯s.


    Not knowing quite what to do, Katrina smiled weakly and gave her most convincing and nonthreatening nod.


    Oros explained how they came upon the humans and all that had transpired since then.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± she said, sighing. ¡°There is too much talk of death on the road, my Lord. Raiding parties from the South of Goh River, no doubt the blasted Rexunii. Killing our people, capturing them, and now this.¡± She gestured to Katrina and her companions. ¡°These are becoming dangerous times.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, they are,¡± Oros said, nodding in agreement. ¡°But our human guests? They have been given the blessing of Gro¡¯ak, and my father has permitted them to stay with our clan.¡±


    The room began to fill as a steady stream of new crimson-clad warriors entered behind Nasha.


    ¡°One of the reasons I was glad you arrived was because our friends here are interested in observing how the Dunamis is used.¡±


    Nasha looked at Katrina. ¡°Do they possess no power of their own?¡±


    ¡°It would appear not,¡± he replied.


    The young woman sat down and leaned back in the chair. ¡°Well, my Kryo, you have but to ask, and your command will be followed without question.¡± She bowed her head.


    Oros chuckled. ¡°Very well, then pick an opponent, and give us a spectacular display.¡±


    Nasha stood up and looked around. She scanned every face in the room, and her eyes fell on the younger Kryo Boros. A smirk crawled across her delicate features. ¡°My young Kryo.¡± She bowed her head. ¡°Would you honor our guests with a display of your skill? I have not seen you grace the sands of the Glade since you won the red.¡±


    Boros¡¯ face went blank, save his eyes, which darted to his older brother, his sister, and then to Katrina. ¡°Well. It would be an honor to fight against one so talented.¡± Boros turned on them and walked out the door.


    ¡°Perfect!¡± Oros exclaimed. ¡°Sit, my friends; this will be a good show.¡±

 Chapter 13

    Daniel took his seat in the royal box, making sure to have a good view of the battleground below. Dae were filling the seats around him and making bets on the duel that was to come.


    Illya sat down cheerfully next to him with an exaggerated huff. ¡°This is so exciting,¡± she said, handing him a bowl of dark liquid. Daniel accepted the drink but looked down questioningly at it.


    ¡°Looks like wine,¡± he said, bringing it to his nose to smell.


    ¡°It is wine.¡± Illya¡¯s smile spread. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would know what it was. Do you have wine in your world?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but...¡± Daniel smelled it again. ¡°This definitely smells a little sweeter.¡± He took a sip and his mouth was filled with the sweet taste of some unknown fruit.


    Illya laughed as Daniel squinted his eyes and wrinkled his nose. ¡°I take it you are not particularly fond of the taste.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just way different from what I¡¯m used to. Our wine is very different.¡±


    ¡°This is my favorite,¡± she said, and took a long sip. ¡°It¡¯s made from Lylat fruit.¡±


    Daniel stared at the young Dae woman, her skin smooth and eyes bright yellow. The unnatural and feral characteristics laid in sharp contrast to her elegance and civility. She was a stunning creature. She looked down to the arena below and pointed lazily.


    ¡°Here he comes. The mighty warrior that is my brother.¡± She sighed, but with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t understand him. Nasha clearly wants to humiliate him, but he falls for her taunts.¡± Her smile melted away at the thought. ¡°She only wants to impress Oros.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? So she can help lead the clan from his right hand. He is the eldest child of Ignos, and therefore entitled to all of our lands and subjects. The creature wants to sink her teeth into him, the little harlot.¡±


    Daniel looked down to see Boros walking to the center of the arena. He was no longer wearing his cloak of crimson. This revealed the breastplate made from bone that all the Dae warriors had worn. It left his arms bare, and Daniel could see that the young Dae Kryo was in exceptional shape. He observed Boros begin to stretch and draw his bone sword in the process. The blade had a slight curve to it but had clear distinctions. It was all a single piece. No signs of hammering or tampering; also, the blade looked smooth and shined with the brilliance of polished ivory. It also appeared heavier than it should be. Looking as if it was made of bone, Boros hefted it as though it were made of strong steel.


    ¡°How would humiliating Boros impress Oros?¡± Daniel asked.


    Illya let out a sharp laugh that drew some attention from the Dae that surrounded them. ¡°Well, she would take any opportunity to prance around half-naked. My poor brother is a man, after all.¡± She chuckled to herself. ¡°But in all seriousness, Nasha has built up quite the reputation with our noble caste as somewhat of a bully. Boros is of the Ignos bloodline and very powerful. I suppose if she belittles him in front of Oros, she somehow believes it will elevate her station. I don¡¯t understand the workings of Dae like her, but she has made no friend out of me.¡± She sighed, looking at her brother in his preparation. ¡°I just hope she doesn¡¯t make a fool of him down there.¡±


    Illya was cut off by the sight of Nasha entering the arena, and as the Dae Krya predicted, she was wearing very little above her waist. Her trousers were normal enough, not disimilar to the light ones that Daniel himself now wore. Hers were considerably tighter and showed her feminine figure. Her feet were bare as well, wrapped around the arches tightly. Above, she wore only a wrapping of bandages that covered her breasts. The sight brought Daniel¡¯s unwavering attention.


    Illya scoffed. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Boros stopped his stretching when she approached. He narrowed his eyes at the girl, who just laughed. She held her sword in her right hand and crouched in a fighting pose, holding the blade above her head. Daniel noticed her sword was different; it was straight and thin but had barbs on the bottom near the handguard. The bone-like blades seemed to have a flawless edge and looked as though they were as smooth as marble.


    The Dae warriors sitting around Daniel roared. Many more were pouring into the Dome to watch the duel.


    Oros stood and called for silence. ¡°Let it be known that by the laws of our king, I hereby declare that this duel is held in formal standing! It will be recorded as such in the archives of this mighty and ancient arena! The rules and limitations are as follows. There will be no lethal or dishonorable blows given, whether by a blade or the Dunamis. If I feel as though one of you has violated this, I will intervene, and the violator will be disqualified.


    There were several moments of silence as the Kryo scanned the faces of the Dae, waiting patiently for the battle to begin. The two combatants bowed and faced each other again.


    The tension built, flooding the arena with heavy anticipation.


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    ¡°Begin!¡± Oros shouted.


    Nasha¡¯s head shot up from her bow, and within the span of a second, she was already moving to flank Boros. Her feet slid across the soft sand with a grace Daniel had never seen. It was smooth and fast, but terrifying. Boros did not mimic her movements, only casually lifting his weapon and crouching in a guarded stance.


    The female Dae leaped at him, rising unnaturally high as she did, and brought her sword down with a loud crack. It sounded like they were fighting with wooden sticks, but the clear weight and sharpness of the bone-like swords looked more like a metal.


    Boros blocked her blow easily, launching her sword away with a hard swing, and spun into a flurry of powerful counterattacks. The Kryo was clearly stronger than her, but she parried and deflected each swing with precision, all the while keeping a grin on her face.


    Her smirk disappeared as Boros shouted in anger and hit her weapon so hard she actually lifted off the sand and back almost a meter. The startled Dae withdrew from him and took a more cautious stance. Boros stood now more aggressively than before, leaning toward his opponent.


    ¡°You have been training,¡± she said, wringing both of her hands now around the hilt of her weapon.


    Boros said nothing and lunged in response. Before he could reach her, she tumbled out of the way and brought her hand up toward him with her fingers spread. There was a small spark, then a crackling stream of lightning that flashed from her palm. The bright spectacle brought Daniel to his feet in amazement. The deadly bolt hit Boros, but the young Kryo managed to block it with his hand. He fell back from the force and rolled again to his feet. Daniel could see that the hand he had used to block the elemental attack was covered in a gauntlet of stone, still glowing from where it hit.


    ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± Daniel said to himself, using only his human logic to process what he had just witnessed. But before he could, Boros stomped his foot into the sand, causing columns of stone to sprout from the ground around his feet.


    With a push of his hand, the columns broke into pieces and shot toward Nasha. The female Dae swung her blade in an arc, releasing a blast of electricity. This did not stop the heavy stones, merely pushed them slightly to either side to avoid her. She darted toward Boros as they thudded into the sand behind her, stabbing her barbed blade at his abdomen. Boros parried her strike to his left and brought his weapon back down in a seamless diagonal slash. Nasha leaned back as far as she could but could not avoid the precise blow entirely. His sword gashed her cheek, and a deep blue fluid sprayed from her face.


    The crowd roared in approval; Nasha did not scream or cry at the injury, retreated to a safe distance. She took a moment and stared at her opponent, the blood streaming down her face and dripping off her chin. Daniel saw no amusement anymore, only a hard calculation of someone she had clearly underestimated.


    Boros gave her no time to think and rushed toward her. He swung his fist as he ran, calling large stones to rise from the sand. They shot out like long, extending spikes at Nasha. She nimbly dodged the projectiles and unleashed a furious blast of electricity toward the charging Kryo. Boros lifted his sword in an arc, much like she had done before, and almost instantly, there was a large protective wall of stone that absorbed the powerful blast. Chunks of stone sprayed from the wall as her assault continued, but as he moved forward, the wall led him.


    Daniel¡¯s eyes soaked in the spectacle. These creatures had a power that, in his mind was impossible. Still, watching the battle unfold, he saw that they used it naturally and effectively.


    Boros let out a roar and pushed his battered wall of stone toward Nasha. She had easily dodged his spikes but had managed to let herself get trapped between them. She reacted too late as the solid wall closed in on her. In an attempt to break free of this outmaneuver, she swung her blade at the wall. Electricity flared from her weapon, and it crashed against the stone. There was a loud crash as the two powers met, and the already battered wall broke into pieces. Boros leaped at her swinging his blade downward; the impact against her weapon brought her to one knee, but she tilted her blade to let his slide to the ground.


    The two warriors exchanged blow after blow, in quick succession, but Boros was pushing his attacks more and more. Nasha swung her blade broadly, catching Boros¡¯ weapon in one of the barbs on hers. She pulled his away for an instant, just enough time to push her palm into his bone chest plate. Her hand exploded with electricity, and the Kryo was blown back from the surge of power, losing his weapon in the process. Boros fell to the sand, dazed. The crowd began to shout and cheer at the sudden and violent turn. The Dae clutched his hands to his chest, and there was a black scorch where her palm had struck. Gritting his teeth, Boros stood. He glared at Nasha, who stood now twirling her own barbed blade in one hand, and his in the other.


    ¡°That is not fair!¡± Illya yelled from her seat beside Daniel.


    Boros knelt to one knee and placed his hands in the sand. His fingers clenched around two small lengths of stone that rose. As he stood, the two lengths of stone followed, and from the ground came two polished and sharp swords. The Dae drew them in front of his body and charged towards his opponent. Nasha held her ground, crouching in a defensive stance while brandishing her two weapons as well.


    Boros came down like a meteor, swinging both of his stone blades with incredible force, but the bone weapons held them at bay. The blows cracked and thudded with each strike, and to Daniel¡¯s surprise, the stone swords were beginning to chip and break. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the hell those weapons were really made of.


    Chips and pieces of stone flew, more and more after the weapons collided. And Daniel noticed that the small pieces were not falling to the sand but floating in the air around the two Dae. It seemed like Nasha noticed this as well and began conjuring her own power to counter it, but Boros¡¯ onslaught was too fierce. The Kryo pressed his attack with merciless precision and strength, forcing her to stay on the defensive. With one final swing, Boros lifted both weapons to strike, Nasha held her swords up to defend herself in response.


    Boros opened his hands, letting what was left of his weapons break into small pieces, and slammed his hands into the ground instead. In an instant, the small bits of stone that surrounded them flew at her from all sides. She did what she could to deflect them but was pelted regardless. While she was distracted, a large pillar shot from the ground and struck her in her unprotected chest. Nasha grunted with the impact and fell to the ground. Boros seized his weapon back and pointed his blade to her throat.


    There were several moments of silence as the crowd processed what had happened. Then suddenly, Dae warriors from all around stood and cheered at the victory of their Kryo.

 Chapter 14

    Daniel¡¯s eyes blinked slowly as he stared at the pale ceiling above him. Since the duel in the Glade, he had struggled to comprehend what the incidents had brought. Blood in the streets, warriors training, and the rumble of power they did not understand. Night had come again, and though his afforded accommodations were comfortable, he still lay on his back, unable to sleep. There was a draw of constant intrigue in every aspect of this new world, but having spent a decent amount of time in it, Daniel began to see that it was an adaptable place. I wonder how Henry and Angelo are doing, he thought. His mind wandered to the words spoken of the other human who was killed. Daniel was startled by a light knock on his door. He grunted as he stood and opened it cautiously. There was a young Dae servant who stood wearing a smile on her face.


    ¡°I am sorry to bother you so late in the evening, my Lord, but Kryo Oros would like to speak with you. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s rather urgent.¡±


    Daniel nodded his head and turned to put on his boots and don his green cloak. She led him to a luxurious room lit by the same style of floating balls of flame. Daniel saw that his meeting with Oros would not be a private one. Seated before the Kryo was his younger brother, Boros; beside him sat Katrina and Robert, each with a golden bowl of wine in their hands. Across from Katrina, somewhat displaced but still a part of the conversation, was Avria and two warriors he recognized as Eslan and Vikko.


    ¡°Welcome, my friend!¡± Oros exclaimed, standing to greet Daniel. ¡°I do apologize for the late summoning, but there is something your companions brought to my attention that needs to be discussed.¡±


    ¡°And it couldn¡¯t wait until morning?¡± Avria said sarcastically.


    Oros didn¡¯t look at her, just responded while gripping Daniel¡¯s forearm. ¡°Well, I suppose it could have, but you know Royalty, we have no damned patience.¡±


    Daniel sat next to Robert and was offered a bowl of wine by the servants that stood around in attendance.


    ¡°My dear?¡± Oros said, gesturing to Katrina to begin.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Katrina started. ¡°We have been here in this world of yours for¡­¡± She took a moment.


    ¡°Seventeen days,¡± Boros said with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, thank you, Boros. We have been here for seventeen days, and though we don¡¯t know how we got here or if there is any hope of returning to our world, I¡¯m sure I speak for all three of us when I say that we should try to find a way to live here.¡±


    Robert sat uncharacteristically silent, merely looking into his bowl of wine.


    Daniel looked at her and then to Oros. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say that I don¡¯t agree with her. There is no certainty either way. We can sit here in your castle day in and day out and wear out our welcome, or find a way to make something of this. I, for one, would like to see if there are any other humans out there¡­ they could be in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Katrina continued. ¡°I have spent my last days going to your practice fields. I see so many warriors there, many of them women. And I¡¯ve decided that I want to learn how to fight.¡±


    Robert¡¯s head finally shot up to look at her. ¡°You left that part out of our conversation, Kat.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she said. ¡°Because I knew you wouldn¡¯t like it. But Oros, I¡¯ve gone over this with your brother, and he seems to think that it is at least possible to permit.¡±


    Oros pondered for a moment, then turned his head when he heard Avria let out a sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, girl,¡± she said. ¡°It just isn¡¯t possible. First, you would have to consider the fact that our traditions require more than just a few sparring matches in the Glade. Second, let¡¯s talk about the fact that you creatures don¡¯t even possess the Dunamis, an essential part of our life. Frankly, the fact that you don¡¯t have this ability brings further proof that the Espi-Dae are correct in their theory that you don¡¯t have a soul.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know that for sure,¡± Boros said. ¡°We all watched as these humans, who by the way were unable to speak our language, yet learned it somehow after coming in contact with spirits. I think that we should wait and see. And if they are able to? Then we allow them to take part.¡±


    Oros again said nothing, only nodding in his consideration.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t evil,¡± Katrina said, putting her bowl of wine on her lap, clearly emboldened by the alcoholic beverage. ¡°We didn¡¯t come here by choice either. Trust me, I would much rather be at my apartment doing my damn taxes than waking up in a strange forest or fighting for my life.¡±


    ¡°But learning how to fight?¡± Robert asked her. ¡°There are plenty of other things we can do with our time. I mean¡­¡± Robert looked to Daniel. ¡°Daniel¡­ come on, man.¡±


    Daniel inhaled deeply and shook his head. ¡°I agree with her. More so in the fact that we will be here for who knows how long. Like I said, though, my first concern is finding other humans.¡±


    ¡°What of your people?¡± Boros asked Daniel. ¡°Surely, you will be able to show us some of what humans are capable of?¡±


    Daniel was caught off guard by the question. ¡°Well, there isn¡¯t much I would be able to show you. Our technology is very different from yours.¡±


    ¡°We have seen you fight; unrefined, but your ferocity is not lacking,¡± Boros said. ¡°How is your technology different from our own? Aside from not possessing the Dunamis.¡±


    ¡°We have to create things in order to do what you might be able to do on your own,¡± Daniel continued. ¡°Creating fire, for example. You are able to use your magic¡­ or Dunamis to create it. We have to manipulate heat in order to get the same result, like rubbing sticks together until it gets hot enough to ignite. Or¡­¡± Daniel pulled his lighter from his pocket. ¡°Using a combination of chemicals and heat to create it.¡± Daniel flicked the lighter on, and a small but bright flame appeared. The Dae didn¡¯t seem terribly shocked by the flame that came but more intrigued by the lighter itself.


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    ¡°That is quite an interesting piece of equipment, my friend,¡± Oros said finally, breaking his silence. ¡°There is much we may be able to learn from each other, but without the Dunamis, there is not much I can do to convince my father that you should enter our training sessions. It would be too dangerous.¡±


    Oros sighed and glanced at his younger brother.


    ¡°Thank you for seeing reason, my Lord,¡± Avria said, standing to leave. ¡°Perhaps there are some other ways they may spend their time.¡±


    Again, Oros chose not to directly acknowledge Avria, only turning to Katrina. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this is my final decision.¡±


    Katrina lowered her eyes and nodded slightly. She had clearly been thinking of this for some time, but as Daniel watched the young woman, he could see that she was not yet finished with this.


    ~


    Katrina woke the next morning to a throbbing headache. It seemed the Dae wine that she indulged in after the disappointing news had taken its toll on her. She stretched her arms and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. As her mind recovered from slumber, she again came to the conclusion that she repeated every morning.


    ¡°I¡¯m still here,¡± she murmured, looking up to the ceiling. After bathing in the strange Dae fashion, something that she still found difficult to adjust to, she went to the dining hall to meet with the rest of her party. As she arrived, she was greeted by several guards that beckoned her inside. There she found Boros and his sister Illya enjoying a rather delicious-looking breakfast of fine meat and strong-smelling drink.


    ¡°Good morning, my Lady,¡± Boros said, with a charming smile on his face. His sister mirrored his smile. ¡°Please sit with us.¡±


    Katrina sat and began to fill her plate with the assorted food that was on the table.


    ¡°Katrina,¡± Boros said. ¡°I wanted to apologize for last night. It is unfortunate that my brother and Avria do not share our enthusiasm.¡± He gestured to his sister, who sat across from him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± she said casually and began eating her food.


    ¡°Well, we have been going over it this morning and, if our theory is correct, then you might need only a bit of direction to find your Dunamis. All creatures have it; all who walk in Pelemont share this in one way or another, even the Yorga you are eating.¡± He pointed to the meat on their table. ¡°So I am going to take you to the shrines of the great spirits today, and we will see what happens.¡±


    ¡°Great spirits?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°Yes, the guardians of the elements and the creators of our world.¡± ¡°But these shrines are also places of great spiritual energy. It takes time for our children to fully develop their power, but there is always something there, and even if it is just a bit, there is always something noticeable.¡±


    ¡°What he means is,¡± Illya said, ¡°everything in our world is connected to spiritual energy. All things have a unique connection, including our language. The fact that you were unable to speak our language, but gained this knowledge so suddenly, shows us that you have at least been introduced to this energy; it might be similar for the Dunamis. You only became attuned to this spiritual energy after you came in direct contact with a spirit.¡±


    Katrina stared blankly at the two Dae. ¡°Uh...huh.¡± Katrina was certainly not used to talk of magic and spirits but did her best to wrap her head around it. ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is, your language has¡­ power? What about other cultures? What about people who may speak a different language? Are there any other languages?¡±


    The barrage of questions made Boros laugh. ¡°No, there aren¡¯t any other languages. There is only one, and it has always been. There are words for all that we see, brought to us by the spirits. These words are known to all who share a connection with this energy.¡±


    ¡°Even the Yak or whatever the hell this is that I¡¯m eating?¡± Katrina pointed again to the meat at their table.


    Boros again laughed heartily. ¡°By the spirits, this is harder than I thought. No, I¡¯m afraid creatures like this don¡¯t have the intelligence to speak, but there are some who can understand our words to a degree.¡±


    ¡°Like dogs?¡± Katrina asked innocently.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what those are, but I¡¯m confident you are correct in your comparison.¡±


    It was then that the large wooden doors to the dining hall opened again, and Daniel was escorted through by the same guards as before. The man had his green cloak on and looked as though he was prepared for a day in the village. Boros, Illya, and Katrina then took a few minutes to explain the theory they had to him, and he looked more surprised than she expected.


    ¡°You think it¡¯s possible?¡± Daniel said.


    Again, the large doors opened, and Robert entered. Illya groaned.


    ¡°Why does it matter?¡± Robert asked the group, after they explained again. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you guys, but my goal is to get the hell out of here. I don¡¯t want to be involved in their magic or anything else. You all saw how dangerous that stuff is. I mean, we¡¯ve almost been killed twice here! And that¡¯s without looking for trouble; why would you want to go on inviting this? Because you¡¯re bored?¡±


    A pit of anger grew in Katrina¡¯s chest. ¡°So what? You expect us to just sit here in this castle and not make any effort to learn about where we are? I didn¡¯t ask for this shit either, Robert, but Goddammit, we need to do something. We are all changing!¡± Her words brought an eerie silence to the room. ¡°You both know it, don¡¯t pretend like you don¡¯t. I have lost weight and gained muscle where, believe me, there was none before.¡± She slapped her abdomen to further her point. ¡°But it isn¡¯t just my body that¡¯s changing. I feel like I¡¯ve gotten quicker mentally; my sight is better too.¡± She looked at Robert again, pointing at him accusingly. ¡°And don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t seen you admiring your arms, I have, and those muscles weren¡¯t there before. I would know.¡±


    Robert looked at the ground. ¡°I just don¡¯t see the reasoning behind your wanting to learn to fight. Back at home, you were against violence; we both were. Why the sudden change?¡±


    ¡°Because things change, Robert.¡± She gestured at their surroundings. ¡°I never thought in a million years I¡¯d be whisked away into another fucking world. I had a pretty easy-going comfort zone at home, but here I¡¯m vulnerable. And I don¡¯t want that.¡±


    There were several moments of silence as the two huffed in unspoken anger.


    ¡°Well,¡± Boros said, ¡°I will¡­ wait for you at the front gate. I¡¯m sure you will need some time to get ready.¡± Boros stood and bowed to leave.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Daniel said. ¡°I¡¯m ready, Boros. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± He stood, not having touched any food on the table. Boros nodded, and the two left the dining hall.


    Katrina still fumed at Robert, but he wouldn¡¯t meet her gaze. She scoffed at his unwillingness to confront her and stood as well. She fought the urge to leave and again looked at him. He was a gentle person she now saw, not hard and unreadable like so many faces here. Not a stranger in a strange world, but a familiar presence. How many times had she cried on his shoulder or laughed with him through the nights? Her face softened at the thought. Here was a man she had known for several years, who had been a modicum of strength for her in life. Now though, he seemed a ghost of what he once was to her. She hardened her mind and started toward the door. ¡°Illya, you¡¯re coming with us, right?¡±


    The Dae Krya had remained and seemed less uncomfortable than her brother.


    ¡°Oh, darling, I will be here when you return.¡± She looked at Robert, who still sat unmoving. ¡°I would like to speak to Robert, however.¡± Illya smiled at Katrina and looked at her expectantly as if politely asking for her to leave.


    Katrina exhaled deeply and turned to stride out of the door past the guards who held them open, to join Boros and Daniel.

 Chapter 15

    Katrina¡¯s eyes lingered on the smooth stone streets of Vul De Rah. She and Daniel followed Boros, who walked ahead with several royal guards. She¡¯d had some time to think about her words to Robert and all that was said. She remembered how they first met, in the university caf¨¦ while she complained about some assignment. He was so interesting then. His charms were undeniable. But here? In a world where charms and wit only got you so far. A pang of guilt harassed her; How did her opinion of the man change? When exactly? She remembered the trial of Doxo, and how helpless she was¡­ how helpless ¡®he¡¯ was. She tried to shake the thought from her mind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much,¡± Daniel said, walking beside her, his eyes still forward. ¡°There is so much here that we don¡¯t understand, but as far as priorities in figuring this out? I¡¯d say that their magic ranks pretty high. Robert is just scared; he wants to get back home in one piece.¡±


    Katrina glanced at Daniel, slightly irritated but glad that he decided to talk to her. ¡°What, and we don¡¯t want to get home? I am glad you¡ª¡±


    Daniel waved his hand, cutting her off. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean that what you said to him in front of these Dae was a good idea. It is important that from now on, we keep any disagreements with each other between us, and only us.¡±


    Katrina was shocked at the sudden dismissal and glared at him. ¡°First of all, Daniel,¡± she said, emphasizing his name. ¡°I don¡¯t know you very well, and I don¡¯t see how it¡¯s any of your damn business. Second, Boros has made every effort to help us, and I trust him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± Daniel said bluntly. ¡°We¡¯re in a world with creatures and powers completely new to us. We already know that we didn¡¯t come here alone and some humans have already died. One of them was burned at the damn stake.¡± He let his words linger for a moment as he turned to finally meet her gaze. ¡°We need to stay together as much as possible. This weird little fascination that Boros has with you has helped us a little in gaining their favor, but we need to have a united front. We need every advantage we can get, and right now, uncertainty and ignorance about us will keep us alive.¡±


    Katrina could barely keep from screaming at him, but she knew there was some truth to what he was telling her. The thought of the unfortunate human that woke in this new and strange world only to be savagely killed; this stole most of her anger. So, she clenched her jaw and spoke. Her words didn¡¯t come out as calmly as she¡¯d intended, but Daniel didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°Listen, I feel bad about what I said to Robert, ok? And you¡¯re right, but he has not really contributed to improving our situation. You did something at least; you fought for us, and trust me, I¡¯m thankful for that. But I¡¯ll be damned if I am going to sit around helpless while people try and¡ª¡± She realized before she finished that Boros was slowing down his walk, just enough to eavesdrop. Her mind raced for a moment. How much did he hear?


    ¡°And¡­ uh, well, I don¡¯t want to talk about that anymore. Tell me, Daniel, what did you do back at home? I barely know anything about you.¡± Katrina¡¯s abrupt change in the subject came just as the Dae Kryo was within earshot, and Daniel continued the conversation without breaking stride.


    ¡°Well, I guess we should get to know each other a little bit better. I was in the Marine Corps for about eight years, got out about six months ago, and have been going to school trying to find my calling ever since.¡± Daniel didn¡¯t say anything after the brief retelling of his life. He just walked on as though nothing else was necessary.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± Katrina asked, laughing a bit.


    ¡°Oh, sorry, I forgot. What about you?¡±


    Katrina laughed, the sound breaking the earlier tension. The two walked for almost a minute afterward in silence.


    ¡°I went to college after high school and got my degree in liberal arts not too long ago. Tried that for as long as I could on my own, but it turned out, that particular degree, is only useful if you happen to run out of toilet paper. My dad ended up hiring me as a consultant for his business, which as I¡¯m sure you can imagine, was boring as hell.¡± She looked up for a moment in contemplation. ¡°Met Robert in my freshman year at UCSB.¡± She closed her eyes, lost in a memory. ¡°How did this happen to us?¡± she murmured. ¡°Anyway, my life was nice and boring before I decided to go to that stupid convention in San Diego. Now, look where I ended up.¡± She gestured her hands around lazily, having complained about the same thing for as long as she had been in Pelemont; even she was getting tired of her constantly bringing it up. ¡°I still don¡¯t remember much about how we actually came here, just the bright flash. Robert and I held each other, and the next thing I remember is seeing him bleeding in that forest. And you, charging out of the dark.¡± Katrina sighed, the laughter she just had, a distant memory.


    ¡°That convention¡­¡± Daniel let out a deep sigh. ¡°Henry, Angelo and I, always used to go to those places.¡±


    Katrina turned to look at him, intrigued. A bit of unexpected excitement welled up in her. Daniel was always so stoic and silent about himself. She couldn¡¯t help but want to know more about him. ¡°They were your friends? ARE! Are your friends?¡± She winced at the verbal flub.


    Daniel chuckled, seemingly unaffected. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ve known each other since high school¡­ Well, I knew Angelo long before then, since we were kids. You know how it goes. Once you leave high school, your group sort of splits apart slowly. Not us. We always kept in touch. Even after I got deployed the first time and they went off to graduate from university. We still stuck it out. And we always went to conventions together. Just to have a good time. We¡¯d bring our girlfriends, and just have a blast.¡±


    Katrina listened intently to his words. Surprised at how genuine and normal he seemed. The thought of Daniel, laughing and hanging out with his friends seemed almost impossible. But he was a normal guy, underneath all that harshness.


    ¡°Anyway¡­¡± He continued. ¡°Part of me knows they¡¯re here. We were standing right next to each other when the flash came. It¡¯s mostly a blur¡­ but I swear I saw them reaching out as we got enveloped.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Katrina studied him. ¡°Do you think your girlfriends were brought here too?¡±


    Daniel seemed to straighten, and she could see his defenses rise again. Damnit, she thought.  He¡¯s so touchy about this stuff.


    ¡°Henry and Angelo¡¯s girlfriends were eating lunch or doing something. I don¡¯t know. They weren¡¯t there though. I was the fifth wheel, so.¡±


    ¡°So, no girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°No. She left while I was finishing up my last deployment.¡± He waved his hand. ¡°Enough about me.¡± He nodded toward their royal guide.


    Boros had slowed his pace enough to be almost beside them as they walked. He took this opportunity to speak for the first time during their trek through Vul De Rah. ¡°Your arrival here is not the end of days like the Espi-Dae have been saying. The intervention of Gro¡¯ak is proof enough of that. It has been a thousand years since a spirit has taken the time to manifest itself in the throne room, and that was to stop a very large and bloody war. My father will protect you from any who wish to harm you. I will, as well.¡±


    The Dae Kryo looked at them and stopped at a large crossroads. Katrina saw that there were far fewer shops and peddlers on the side of the street. Those that were present were wearing robes of various colors and were selling what looked like religious trinkets. Boros pointed to a very large structure that, as they were now becoming accustomed to, looked as though it had grown out of the ground. Katrina looked up in amazement at what she figured was a Dae temple of some kind. It was surrounded on all sides by pillars that spiraled out of the ground and were as smooth as marble.


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    ¡°This is the shrine to the great spirits in Vul De Rah. A holy site, where people from all of the surrounding villages come to pray and pay their respects,¡± Boros said as he climbed the steps to the large doors.


    Before they could reach them, however, the doors slid open smoothly, and several hooded and robed individuals came to greet them. The one in the middle had his hood pulled back and wore a large, rectangular hat on his head. His skin glistened a pale yellow, and his face was longer than the Dae she had seen so far.


    ¡°Welcome, my Lord Boros,¡± he said, without a smile. ¡°It is so nice of you to come here and grace us with your presence.¡± The robed Dae did not seem threatening but made no attempt to move out of the way. He maintained his polite and cordial manner.


    ¡°Espi-Dae, it is an honor to come and pray in this most distinguished and divine place. We only wish to enter and pay our respects.¡±


    The Espi-Dae looked at the Kryo, his bright yellow eyes unmoving. The moments ticked by in silence, and Katrina could feel the unease building between them. ¡°No,¡± he finally said. ¡°I am sorry, my Lord, but I cannot permit these creatures to enter this holy place. The High Espi-Dae and the King have given their commands on the matter.¡±


    Boros¡¯ Jaw tightened as the polite mask he wore faded away and revealed a will of iron. ¡°That is unfortunate, my friend, because I¡¯m bringing them in any way.¡± Boros smiled and began to climb the rest of the stairs. The Espi-Dae stuttered and did his best to halt the young Kryo, but he was easily pushed aside. He began to shout in protest, but when Boros turned to him, his words stopped in his throat.


    ¡°Listen, you arrogant fool, I was there in the throne room when the spirit Gro¡¯ak came to defend them. He asked my father if we would abide by the will of the spirits, and we agreed. Now, you can either stand aside and help us in our task, or I will skewer you on a spike as a heretic.¡±


    The Dae reeled at the sudden aggression and moved his mouth to speak but found that he couldn¡¯t.


    Boros waved his hand dismissively at him and turned to Katrina and Daniel. ¡°Please follow me, my friends.¡± His friendly smile appeared again.


    Katrina followed the Dae inside the massive shrine, and like the glade, there were large balls of flame that floated in the air, lighting everything within. There was also a large dome ceiling that draped over them, with paintings and references to what Katrina could only assume was their religion. It reminded her of something similar to the Sistine Chapel in her world.


    ¡°Now,¡± Boros said, standing before them, ¡°this room is the main hall of the shrines, where all of the followers come to worship together.¡± His hands spread to either side of him. ¡°And here, in the four corners of the main hall, are the individual shrines to the specific elements. Earth, fire, wind, and water. It is in each of these places that spiritual energy is the most potent.¡± Each shrine was different in its own way, with large archway entrances carved with complicated designs specific to each element but no doors.


    Katrina listened as the Kryo explained where they were and what he wanted them to do, but she found it hard to concentrate. The air was thick, she wasn¡¯t sure if she was hot or cold, and a small pulse began to flutter within her. His words began to go silent in a muffled mass when she felt a slight pull in the core of her body. Not as though something was tugging on her, but a subtle force was directing her towards the shrine on the right. What the hell? she thought in weary confusion. Her sight narrowed, and all else around her became insignificant to the moment she now had. Her legs carried her toward the shrine, and the closer she got, the more a light pulse began to beat in her chest. She stopped before a large bed of sand that surrounded an obsidian stone altar. All else was dark around her, and there was nothing but the altar and her body. She removed her shoes, as she was compelled to do so, and touched her bare feet into the soft sand; it was cold but refreshing. She approached the altar and placed her hands on it, and felt the fine grains between her fingers. The light pulse was now stronger, and she could feel it clearly. Her fingers were tingling, but she couldn¡¯t find the source. She grew frustrated. There was an ebbing of power that called to her, and she felt around the altar in an attempt to find it, but it wasn¡¯t there; it eluded her like an itch that you just can¡¯t find.


    ¡°Relax,¡± she heard from around her, a Lyth and rasping voice. ¡°There is nothing to fear, you¡¯re shaking, my dear girl.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± she called into the darkened haze around her.


    ¡°Worry not, girl, have a seat in the sand.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s heart beat rapidly in her chest, and her fear grew with every moment, but there was this insatiable need she felt to find the power that tugged just out of her reach. She felt as though her body would not be complete unless she could find it and take it.


    She obeyed the voice and sat in the soft, cool sand.


    ¡°There, now doesn¡¯t that feel better?¡± it said.


    Katrina noticed a stir in the sand at the base of the altar. A small head emerged from the ground, the head of a serpent with green stone-like eyes. The serpent itself looked as though it was made from sand but still gleamed in a strange way. Katrina¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of the snake, but she remained calm.


    ¡°We meet again,¡± the serpent said, coiling around itself comfortably.


    ¡°Again?¡± Katrina asked curiously.


    ¡°Oh yes, you touched me as I traveled in the Dallia plains. Sorry about the violent reaction, but we spirits tend to keep to ourselves, and the Dae are usually smart enough to let us be¡­ usually.¡±


    Katrina recalled the strange stream of sand that shocked her while they traveled to Vul De Rah after meeting with Oros and Boros. ¡°Oh¡­ so, you¡¯re a spirit? I¡¯m sorry for that, I got curious, and¡­¡± Katrina did her best to sound sincere.


    ¡°Well, I almost killed you, girl. But then I realized that I had no idea what you were. So I watched and followed you. Then I saw Gro¡¯ak confront the Hego, and my, my, what a scene that could have been. He is a very powerful spirit, and tends to keep to his forest.¡± The Serpent extended itself and inched closer to Katrina¡¯s face, it¡¯s green eyes boring deep into her. ¡°But here we are, and now I can see your power thrumming away like the beating of a new heart, it¡¯s¡­¡± The serpent came closer, now inches from her face. ¡°It¡¯s so strong¡­ this is highly unusual for a Dae, but you aren¡¯t one are you? You said you were called a human.¡± The serpent drew back and rested its head on its coiled body.


    ¡°Wait, I have the Dunamis? Or whatever you call it? I have this magic?¡± Katrina¡¯s eyes lit up as she put the puzzle of the serpent¡¯s strange words together.


    ¡°Why yes, I can see it in you. Can you not find it?¡± The serpent narrowed its green eyes.


    Katrina shook her head innocently. ¡°I didn¡¯t feel it until I came here. Now it¡¯s close, but I don¡¯t even know where to look. I thought it might be in the altar or something, but¡ª¡±


    The serpent chuckled. ¡°You are looking in the wrong place, my dear¡­ Close your eyes¡­¡±


    Katrina did so and began to focus on the pulse within her.


    ¡°You see? There it is, your power pulses with your heart, your passion, but it is not a part of you yet, so you can¡¯t use it. Clear your mind and take it¡­ it is yours,¡± the serpent said, his lithe voice ringing in her ears.


    She could feel it now. Like an earthquake priming itself, rumbling behind a mask of normalcy, hidden in plain sight. Then, as she reached deeper into her mind, she touched it. There was a sudden and sharp burst of pain that erupted in her head. Her eyes shot open, and the darkness was gone. Again, she could see the intricate paintings and statues that decorated the interior of the shrine. Beyond that, however, she could feel so much more. She could feel the sand beneath her in a way that was far different from before. She could feel the vast power that flowed through it and into her own body, like a strong and constant current, gentle, but terribly powerful. Her mind felt complete now, and every one of her senses flared like an exposed nerve. Katrina turned now with tears streaming down her face. She saw Boros and several Dae at the edge of the bed of sand near the entrance of the shrine she had entered while in her trance-like state. His face was a mask of worry at first, but upon making eye contact with her, he smiled broadly.


    ¡°By the spirits!¡± Boros said in relief, walking into the bed of sand.


    ¡°That is close enough¡­¡± the serpent said, erecting its head and body in a defensive and curved stance.


    Boros froze where he was. Katrina looked at the spirit but did not flinch in fear. Her mind was still recovering from the shock of the Dunamis. ¡°So, you weren¡¯t just a vision,¡± she said bluntly.


    ¡°Kat,¡± Boros said urgently, waving her toward him. ¡°Do as it says and get out of there.¡±


    Katrina looked at the serpent again. Its eyes narrowed, but still shone a brilliant green. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°You helped me find myself.¡± She rubbed tears from her eyes and stood. ¡°My name is Katrina.¡± She bowed at the waist deeply to the serpent and asked. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    The spirit¡¯s stone eyes seemed to soften at the gesture, and it bowed its head slightly in return. ¡°You may call me Koh, and we will meet again, my dear. There is much I would like to learn from you.¡± The serpent¡¯s body sank into the sand and quickly disappeared.


    ¡°By the spirits¡­¡± the Espi-Dae said with his hand on his forehead. ¡°A manifestation¡­ here! In my shrine! This¡­ is unbelievable.¡± His eyes glistened with tears, and he smiled.


    Boros ignored the man and walked to help Katrina out of the sand. She was still fairly discombobulated from the ordeal but walked out of the shrine into the main hall. As she emerged, there were gasps and murmurs from the observing Dae. Apparently, many had seen her walk away in the middle of Boros¡¯ explanation and watched the spirit emerge.


    Then she remembered her company. ¡°Wait, where¡¯s Daniel?¡±


    Boros stopped and looked around, puzzled. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ he was here with us just a minute ago.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s eyes scanned the main hall, and as her sight passed the entrance to another shrine, she saw Daniel stumble out and hold the archway for support. Sweat dripped from his face, and there were tears in his eyes as well. He looked up to meet her gaze, and she realized that he too must have experienced something similar.

 Chapter 16

    Robert sat in the dining hall of the keep, silent, but looking intently at his hands. His vision blurred as tears welled in his eyes. Again, he cursed himself for his weakness and looked around to see if any Dae were watching him. The words shared with Katrina were more than a bit hurtful; the two had been inseparable for years. Things had changed, though; in that respect, she was absolutely correct. His resolve hardened at that moment. He knew he had to find a way back home, find a way to return his life to normalcy. It was then that the door opened, and two Dae warriors entered. Behind them was a young Dae woman with large and cumbersome robes.


    ¡°Hello,¡± the Dae woman said, and looked at a small paper she was holding. ¡°Robert, is it?¡± Her smile widened as he nodded. ¡°My name is Amynta, I was told to meet you here by lady Illya. She said that you are in search of knowledge.¡±


    Robert looked at the girl; she was strangely rigid and looked like someone uncomfortable around people. ¡°I am.¡± He stood to greet her. ¡°I want to try and understand what happened to us; anything would be helpful. Is it possible to go back to that forest? Maybe there is some clue that we missed.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± she said politely. ¡°I am not sure Hego Agron would agree to an expedition like that.¡±


    Robert just blinked at her. He wasn¡¯t disappointed as much as he was frustrated. It seemed like every step he tried to take toward finding some answers brought some inconvenient obstacle to block him.


    ¡°First,¡± Amynta continued, ¡°the spirits there are not friendly. They tend to attack Dae that venture into their territory. Second, there are Rexunii raiding parties all near our southern border. And believe me, you do not want to run into them.¡±


    Robert sat down again, closing his eyes in deep contemplation. There has to be some way.


    ¡°Perhaps if we appeal to Hego Agron,¡± she said, ¡°he might provide us with a detachment of warriors for protection. After all, this might be a good opportunity to gain some knowledge about what you are and what your coming here might mean.¡±


    Daniel opened his hands and clenched them, still trembling from his experience in the shrine.


    ¡°Remarkable,¡± Oros said, looking him over. ¡°There is a clear difference in your energy, my friends.¡±


    Boros stood proudly before his brother, smiling broadly. ¡°It was the same spirit from the plains that we encountered. It manifested itself in the earth shrine and helped Katrina find her Dunamis.¡±


    Oros nodded. ¡°Was there a similar manifestation in yours?¡± he asked Daniel.


    ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°I¡­ followed the call¡­ and found myself in the fire shrine, but I managed to get it on my own.¡±


    Daniel, Katrina, and Boros had returned hastily to bring their discovery of their new power to Oros and their father Agron, who sat silently observing the conversation.


    The large doors of the throne room opened, and the grey-skinned Avria entered, flanked by Eslan and Vikko on either side. She walked before Hego Agron, pointedly ignoring Oros and Boros, and bowed deeply.


    ¡°You summoned me, my Lord?¡± she said, and stood upright.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the Hego said, finally breaking his silence. ¡°It would appear that the humans have found the Dunamis.¡±


    Avria¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and she looked at Boros, who stood still smirking. ¡°I¡­ are you sure?¡± she asked.


    Agron continued. ¡°It would seem that a spirit manifested itself in the earth shrine as well. The Espi-Dae there has confirmed this, as well as many Dae who were present. The humans have voiced a desire to learn from us in the ways of our abilities, to better understand our world.¡±


    ¡°But my Hego Agron,¡± Avria protested, ¡°we know next to nothing about them or their true intentions. It would seem a great misjudgment to further their knowledge in our ways, before being absolutely sure of what it is we are actually dealing with.¡±


    Several moments passed as Agron shook his head slightly. ¡°No, Avria, not only are we going to show them our abilities, but we are going to teach them how to use them.¡± He leaned forward in his throne toward her. ¡°There have been two manifestations of spirits in Vul De Rah in as many weeks. Something that has never happened here before. We all witnessed Gro¡¯ak appear, and now a plains spirit? Who, I might add, took it upon itself to help her find the Dunamis, and provide her with its name. When have you ever heard of that outside of a children¡¯s story?¡± The Hego leaned back into his throne and let out a long sigh. ¡°No, Avria, we will do what we can to help them. I trust the words and actions of the spirits we worship over the misguided thoughts of a Dae we all know to be corrupt.¡±


    Avria bit her tongue but bowed regardless of her objections. ¡°How should we proceed then, my Lord?¡±


    ¡°Katrina wishes to train under the tutelage of our steadfast and skilled ward,¡± Oros said, looking at her with a smug smile.


    Avria stiffly turned to him, not attempting to hide her irritation. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°She says she would like to become your squire. Learn the ways of the Dunamis, and the secrets of the great spirits,¡± Oros said, causing Boros to chuckle.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    The Dae ward scoffed and brought her hand to her forehead. Rubbing her brow, she shrugged her shoulders and looked to the Hego. ¡°Is this your command, my Lord?¡±


    ¡°This is not because she has asked for it, but because I would trust few beyond my children for such a task. Your power and judgment are what I am relying on, dear Avria, to watch over them and ensure that they are not harmed.¡± Agron looked at her softly, as a father would his daughter.


    ¡°They?¡± she asked, looking at Daniel. ¡°Forgive me my Lord, but I do not think that¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Oros said, cutting her off. ¡°We have already discussed it, Daniel will train under me.¡± He turned to look at him. Daniel nodded. During their short time here, Oros had proven himself to be, at least to Daniel, very honorable, and at least worthy of his trust. He couldn¡¯t think of anyone better to teach him.


    Agron raised his eyebrows at the words. ¡°You are sure of this? You would accept him as your squire?¡±


    ¡°Of course, father,¡± Oros said, striding over to Daniel and placing a firm hand on his shoulder. ¡°I could think of no one more worth my efforts. This will give us an opportunity to learn from them as well.¡±


    Avria sighed, heavily, glancing to Katrina, then Daniel. ¡°If this is your will, my Hego, I will of course abide.¡± She straightened. ¡°Though, I will expect my training to be unimpeded, by anyone.¡± She turned to face Oros.


    ¡°As long as you do your best to keep her from harm,¡± Agron said. ¡°You can train her at your discretion.¡±


    Avria bowed her head. ¡°Thank you, Hego Agron.¡±


    There was a long pause as they all stood in the throne room. Seeing the opportunity to voice his main concern, Daniel cleared his throat and spoke.


    ¡°I have two friends that must have come here with me¡­ to your world. I would like to go and find them if we can, or at least search for other humans that might have come here. I don¡¯t want them being killed like¡­¡± He paused. ¡°Like the other one.¡±


    Oros looked at his father. Agron just nodded.


    ¡°Daniel, we will do what we can. I will have my warriors find any information on humans that have been sighted. I promise you that if any information is found, I will take you with me to personally investigate.


    Daniel smiled at the Kryo. ¡°Thank you, Oros. I really appreciate it.¡±


    Then the doors once again slid open, and Amynta entered with Robert in tow. The robed scholar approached and bowed deeply to the Hego.


    ¡°My Hego Agron, thank you for accepting our audience. This human, Robert, has asked me to bring forth a proposition for you in regards to the mystery of their strange arrival.¡±


    She turned to Robert, who swallowed hard and stepped in front of her.


    ¡°Hego Agron,¡± he said, ¡°I have come to ask if you might allow an expedition of some kind to venture to the Spirit Forest and try to find anything that might give us some insight on how we got here.¡±


    ¡°Robert,¡± Katrina said, walking to him, her eyes filled with guilt from her earlier outburst. ¡°We found that we do have their magic.¡± She gestured to Daniel.


    Robert looked at her but said nothing, his eyes now cold and determined.


    ¡°Daniel and I are going to learn how to use it. We should wait a bit before we go on the expedition until we have a better understanding of it.¡±


    ¡°No, Kat,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m doing this now. Even if I have to leave by myself, I¡¯m going back there and finding out how the hell we got here and how to get back.¡±


    Robert looked again at Agron. ¡°Please, my Lord, this will serve to help explain your defense of us to your king. I heard from Krya Illya that he¡¯s not happy with how you are protecting us. There is a chance that you may also prove to him that we aren¡¯t actually demons.¡±


    Agron sighed and looked to Avria, who had her arms crossed over her chest. ¡°I don¡¯t see why we shouldn¡¯t, My Hego; this may, in fact, prove to be more beneficial to us than we realize. The king is sure to retaliate in some way, as having uncooperating clans does not show for a strong leader.¡± Avria walked over to where Robert was standing. ¡°If Hego Agron approves your little expedition, you will need some protection. The Southern border is not a safe or secure area at the moment.¡±


    Amynta stepped forward, looking apprehensive before Avria.


    ¡°My Lord and lady, we would only need a small detachment of warriors. Not even the Rexunii are mad enough to venture near the Spirit Forest. The dark spirit they worship is frowned upon by all the spirits who make that forest their home.¡±


    Avria turned to face the Hego. ¡°My Hego Agron, my advice remains the same. I know some adequate warriors who are eager to prove their worth to you. Say the word, and I will have them organize it.¡±


    Agron pondered heavily for a moment. ¡°These are troubling times indeed, but we must do what we can to pursue the truth in all of this. I give your expedition my blessing. Avria, appoint a warrior you see fit to lead them.¡± The Hego took this final word and stood from his throne. ¡°Now, I have some other pressing matters that I must attend to. Oros, see to our human guests.¡±


    All in the throne room bowed as the Hego made his exit, his six crimson-clad bodyguards close behind.


    Avria turned to Oros and Boros as the doors closed and gave her what looked like a death stare.


    ¡°This is all your fault, you fools. Your little games could bring down all that we have worked so hard to achieve. Peace with the Rexunii, an alliance with the Magune¡¯ clan, our sovereign king, all dashed with the appearance of these creatures, and the¡ª.¡±


    ¡°And the appearance of Gro¡¯ak before your damned eyes,¡± Oros said, stepping toward her. ¡°You can doubt all you want, you can complain and scheme to raise your station, but in the end, it is the spirits who guide my actions. You have been given a task by your Hego, to train and tend to this human to the best of your ability. Do so, or bring even more disgrace to the Regios family name.¡±


    Oros¡¯ last words seemed to light a fire in the Dae woman. Her eyes narrowed, clearly due to the inconspicuous jab at her younger brother¡¯s failure. She took a few steps forward and bared her teeth.


    ¡°I have it in my mind to challenge you to a duel in the glade, Kryo. You tread on dangerous matters.¡± She stiffened her neck but let out a deep breath. ¡°Either way, it is not our Hego Agron¡¯s judgment that worries me. Only that of his two bumbling sons.¡± She looked at Katrina, who flinched at the sudden attention. ¡°You will follow me from now on. You will live on my family estate, and you will obey my every command. As my squire, you will do as you are told, fight the way I teach you, and by the spirits, if you disappoint me, not even Gro¡¯ak will be able to save you from my wrath.¡± Avria¡¯s eyes then met with Daniel¡¯s, but her heated momentum was diminished by them. She said nothing to him, just motioned to Eslan and Vikko to follow, and turned to leave the throne room. Before stepping through the large doors, she stopped and turned back to see Katrina still standing where she was.


    ¡°Well?¡± she yelled, spinning to walk out the door.


    Katrina flinched, and darted after the Dae warrior.


    ¡°What a terrible fate,¡± Boros said, shaking his head while the doors slid closed.


    ¡°What the hell is she thinking?¡± Robert said. ¡°You¡¯re both crazy.¡± He turned to Daniel.


    Daniel sighed and shook his head. So much for sticking together.

 Chapter 17

    The first two weeks of Katrina¡¯s training were filled with menial tasks and mind-numbing exercises. Her body ached every morning in her new quarters at the Regios estate, but still, she woke eagerly to begin her days. She had not yet successfully used her Dunamis; the elusive power was always present but remained unused. Avria did little to coach her in this, but that did not keep her from spending long hours of the night using all her strength to try and manipulate a hand full of dirt that she¡¯d brought to her room. It felt as if every failure brought her just a little closer, so she would curl up and tend to it like a flame.


    This morning, Katrina sprinted to the main courtyard of the Regios estate, where she was supposed to meet with Avria at first light. Her boots threw clumps of dirt and grass up as she took a shortcut over one of the family¡¯s many lawns. It became somewhat of a challenge for her to arrive before her new master, but until now, she had always seemed to show up late no matter what time she woke up. Walking up slowly and naturally was not cutting it any longer; today, she was going to win.


    Katrina burst from the trees surrounding the courtyard. It was empty, and with a grin on her face, she stopped in the middle to stand at attention. Finally, she thought to herself.


    ¡°You¡¯re learning. That¡¯s good,¡± Avria called from behind her. Katrina spun to find Avria sitting on a stone bench that was against the tree line. Her grin disappeared, and she bowed hastily.


    ¡°My apologies, Lady,¡± she said.


    The Dae woman stood gracefully; she was not wearing her crimson cloak today. Only her bone breastplate over a purple tunic, leather pants, and fine boots. She was also wearing her bone sword across her hip and holding two wooden ones in either hand.


    ¡°Today, you will begin learning the incisor,¡± she said, tossing her student one of the wooden blades. Katrina caught it with relative ease. Her reflexes were becoming much faster. Things that normally would have been difficult to accomplish were becoming increasingly easier. Her body was stronger and faster. Exercises that normally would have caused her to collapse were now a mere inconvenience. She flexed her fingers around the wooden hilt. The leather wrapping around it creaked under the stress.


    Avria walked out of the courtyard toward her estate¡¯s practice field, and Katrina followed in tow.


    ¡°We will begin with the fundamental stances and forms,¡± Avria said, raising her sword above her head and crouching in a strange pose. ¡°This is called Crest form. It is designed to incorporate the Dunamis for defensive and countermeasures.¡±


    She arched her weapon broadly over her head and from side to side in a fluid motion.


    Katrina recognized this motion from the battle she had witnessed in the Glade. Nasha used it to defend against Boros¡¯ elemental attacks.


    ¡°The movements are smooth and precise; mastery of this form will grant you a dependable and near impenetrable defense.¡± Avria shifted her weight to her right leg and performed several different sweeps and slashes. She was graceful and elegant while executing the deadly dance. She stopped abruptly and pointed her blade at Katrina. ¡°Now you try. Widen your stance.¡±


    Katrina obeyed her mentor and went through the beginning motions of what she knew would be a long process. She had never picked up a weapon in her life, never having had the need to. She stood awkwardly at first, wobbling through the different movements, receiving hard hits from Avria¡¯s wooden sword when a mistake was too grievous to ignore. Still, however, she strode onward, practicing the sword Crest movements like a dance.


    Katrina practiced until mid-day; she looked up at the star that hung above them, warming them like the sun back home. Sweat was now dripping down her face, and she rubbed it from her eyes with a sigh. Avria was a harsh taskmaster, allowing few breaks, but she approached Katrina with a water flask and some food wrapped in a cloth.


    The two women sat in silence together on one of the stone benches that surrounded the courtyard, eating bread and small fruits with dried meat.


    ¡°Can I ask you a question, Lady?¡± Katrina asked, still getting used to the new customs she was now forced to follow. One of the more difficult was referring to her new mentor as Lady or Ma¡¯am.


    Avria just nodded, seeming disinterested, but still eating her food.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t seem to use my power. I know it¡¯s there, but¡­ I have been trying every night. It¡¯s driving me crazy.¡±


    Avria looked at her with eyes narrowed. It was clear to Katrina that she had not fully grown to trust her. I¡¯ll have to work on that, she thought.


    ¡°Well,¡± Avria said, swallowing her food. ¡°That will definitely be a problem. We must deal with this, and why haven¡¯t you told me?¡±


    Katrina looked at her squarely. ¡°Well, Ma¡¯am, you¡¯re not the most approachable person I have ever met, and I felt like I should try and solve this problem myself first.¡±


    Katrina braced herself for Avria¡¯s well-known temper to flare, but she said nothing. She shrugged her shoulders and looked forward again, taking another bite of the dried meat.


    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s a respectable reason,¡± Avria said,


    Katrina smirked as she saw, from the corner of her mentor¡¯s mouth, a small smile appear.


    The two finished their modest meal and resumed their training.


    Later in the evening, nestled in her quarters, Katrina found herself again holding the clump of dirt in her hand. Her eyes flared intensely at it, attempting to force her will upon it, and the blood vessels in her head began to bulge with the strain.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± she yelled in frustration. Stifling the urge to throw the dirt across the room.


    She closed her eyes and felt her power again, pulsing steadily behind a locked door. The feeling was maddening; why couldn¡¯t she reach it? Katrina again looked at the ball of dirt, then in a memory of how she found her power in the first place, she remembered the energy that ebbed from the sand below her feet in the earth shrine. How she felt its connection, the call of the element itself.


    She looked again at the dirt in her hand, and instead of attempting to push her own will upon it, she felt in the dirt itself. At first, there was nothing but the throbbing of blood pumping through her hand. But as she looked deeper, she could feel the light ebb of power from the element. She held it in her mind and slowly pushed with all the tedious control she could muster from the power in her body into it. As she did, the dirt rose from her hand into the air.


    Katrina let out a sharp laugh in defiance of her earlier struggles. She smiled and stood as the dirt obeyed her will to float. The feeling was strange as the Dunamis pulsed in her steadily. There was a unique sense of balance, chaos, and serenity as she watched the small bits of dirt dance in the air around her fingers. It was a balance that she felt would most certainly crumble if she lost her control, but for some reason, it all seemed so right. The risk was there; she could feel it clearly. However, regardless of this ever-present danger, it almost seemed easy to manage.


    ~


    The next morning brought another rush to the meeting area. Katrina bounded quickly through the estate grounds, all the while keeping that same ball of dirt in perfect stillness as it floated in front of her face. She had practiced all night, barely able to sleep from the excitement, and this little trick was something she was eager to show her master.


    She darted into the courtyard and saw Avria standing in the center, again holding the two practice blades in her hands. Her master¡¯s eyes widened as Katrina came to an abrupt halt in the center of the courtyard.


    Katrina¡¯s smile broadened, and with a slight gesture of her hand, brought the ball of dirt before Avria.


    There were no words that needed to be spoken. Avria¡¯s facial expression said enough.


    ¡°I found it, my Lady,¡± Katrina said, gesturing her hand and extending the ball of earth to float several feet before Avria.


    ¡°So it seems.¡± Avria stepped closer and inspected the ball of dirt, her eyes scanning over the rough surface.


    ¡°I must admit, Katrina, this is quite unusual for a Dae who first discovers her Dunamis.¡± She reached her hand out and touched the dirt, pushing with her fingers to see if it would move or not. The small clump of dirt did not budge, only shed bits that floated alongside it.


    ¡°The connection is strong.¡± Avria looked at Katrina with a hard glance. ¡°You will be very powerful, my dear.¡±


    Avria handed her the wooden blade she held in her left hand. ¡°For today¡¯s exercises, I want you to maintain your ball of dirt. Keep it as it is, unmoving and strong; I will test it from time to time, so be aware of that.¡± She gave it a light tap with the blade she still held.


    Katrina nodded eagerly and assumed her ready stance for the Crest form. Avria began going over the movements again, faster than she did the day prior, making quick strikes at her with the flat of the blade. Each time she did, Katrina¡¯s nerves flared at the sudden impact. The Dae woman was extremely fast, moving at a near blinding speed.


    The hours crawled forward, and the bruises multiplied, but she found that with every passing moment, her connection to the small and seemingly insignificant dirtball was growing stronger. Avria changed her tactics throughout the training sessions, incorporating a small bit of Dunamis in every aspect of her movements. Katrina found the change to be frustratingly difficult to manage. Diminutive changes to a person¡¯s body during combat can have an enormous effect on every move, granting incredible boosts to a person¡¯s strength or speed. It was absolutely nerve-racking to be at the receiving end of such tactics, but to Katrina¡¯s astonishment, her body and mind were starting to react much faster to the changes. Still, she found herself clumsily whirling her blade around, knocking it into her knees and the occasional hit on the head.


    Katrina sat on the stone bench next to her mistress, gasping for air as sweat dripped from her face. Avria handed her a canteen of water after taking a long drink, her own grey skin slick with beads of sweat. The two sat in silence as Avria unwrapped the bandages she had around her hands to protect them from the wooden blades.


    ¡°I must say, Katrina, I am very impressed with your progress so far.¡± She looked at her. ¡°And believe me, I do not say that lightly. I have trained with many Dae in the ring, from the greenest novices to the most infamous blade masters. I am not easily impressed.¡± She pointed at the ball of dirt still floating around Katrina. ¡°The fact that your Dunamis is still being used is remarkable. There are many limitations to the continuous use of this power. It weakens you over time and makes even the smallest movements difficult after extended use.¡± Avria raised her hand before her and gracefully opened her fingers to reveal her palm. There was a faint buzz that began to radiate, and before Katrina¡¯s eyes, a bulb of electricity bloomed. It wasn¡¯t the violent crackling she was used to seeing for this power. Instead, it flowed out like water and meticulously formed what looked like a flower that hovered above Avria¡¯s palm.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful¡­¡± Katrina said, her eyes gazing at the sight before her.


    ¡°This is called Amurii,¡± Avria said, flaring her hand and causing the bloom to expand and brighten. ¡°It exemplifies the purest form of our power.¡± Her eyes gleamed with the shaped web of energy, and for a moment, Katrina saw her not as the stern and feared warrior she had come to know but as a young and innocent girl. The moment ended as Avria clenched her fist, and the light faded.


    ¡°There are many in our society who strive to excel in this type of Dunamis. They spend years studying and practicing it to perfect elaborate and intricate shapes. Some of them are indeed quite beautiful.¡±


    ¡°So it is a form of art then?¡± Katrina asked.


    Avria smiled slightly at the statement. ¡°I suppose you could say that. It is absolutely some type of art, like music for your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me about the Dunamis?¡± Katrina asked, ¡°Uh, my Lady?¡± She added at the end.


    Avria exhaled. ¡°There are four groups within the Dunamis.¡± She held up her hand. ¡°I will start with yours, Dae-Voh.¡± She held out her index finger. ¡°Dae-Voh, as I¡¯m sure you have already guessed, have the power over the soil.¡± She held out another finger, counting off as she explained. ¡°Dae-jin, the power over the wind. Dae-Leu, over water, and Dae-Rah, over fire.¡± She paused to take a drink from her canteen. ¡°There are many variants of these, as, over the millennia, the bloodlines mixed and interbred. But mostly, they are of these four categories. The most common of the variants is, of course, mine. Dae-Jinroh, those of us who have the ability to harness lightning.¡± Avria paused again, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. ¡°There are some Dae who can use multiple elements of Dunamis, but they usually go to one of the Libreos to learn that.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a Libreos?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°A subject for another time, Katrina. What¡¯s important now is learning to control your Dunamis.¡± Avria returned to eating her lunch.


    Katrina willed the ball of dirt to float before her. The small collection of grains seemed much heavier than it had in the morning. She closed her eyes and tried to deepen her connection. It was then that she felt overwhelmingly exhausted. Her breathing became haggard, and her eyelids heavy. The sudden change caused her to slump, and the ball of dirt fell to the ground, only to break into pieces. Katrina struggled to hold herself up by stretching her arms to grasp the bench, but she began to crumple. Her body lurched over, and she hit the grass with a thud.

 Chapter 18

    Daniel took a deep breath, doing his best to ignore the stinging of sweat dripping in his eye.


    ¡°Come on now, Dan,¡± Oros said, moving casually in a circle around Daniel. ¡°Where¡¯s that fire that you had when you fought against Delmos?¡±


    Daniel shook his head, attempting to clear it. He¡¯s so goddamn fast. Daniel lunged forward again, swinging his sword diagonally. Trying to catch the Kryo.


    Oros dodged, spinning and hitting Daniel in the side of the head with the flat of his blade. Daniel¡¯s head flared with pain, and he fell to a knee. ¡°Son of a¡­.¡± he mumbled in frustration. He touched his head, and felt blood seeping from his scalp.


    ¡°Remember the forms I went over.¡± Oros said, ¡°Stop swinging it like it¡¯s a stick.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Daniel grunted as he stood. Then brought his sword up, adopting one of the forms he was taught. Krate form was aggressive, much like the battle stance of a samurai warrior that Daniel could recognize. It harnessed the forward momentum of a strike, using arcs and slashes from either side while keeping one¡¯s feet shoulder length apart.


    ¡°You do seem to favor that one,¡± Oros said, chuckling. ¡°Very well, let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got.¡±


    Daniel lunged forward again, swinging his sword diagonally to his left, overstepping his foot forward to create power for his strike. Oros again dodged the same way he had before. Daniel thought maybe to see if he would adapt or fall for the same trick twice. As the Dae twirled to swing at him with the flat of his blade, Daniel ducked his head and reversed the slash as fast as he could, turning it to the right in a vertical strike. Oros moved like water, reversing his own sword and parrying Daniel¡¯s. The movement was so smooth and efficient that he was stunned momentarily. Again, Daniel felt a painful strike to his head and fell to his knees.


    ¡°That was much better!¡± Oros said, enthusiasm in his voice. ¡°Though, once you can access your Dunamis, you will be quite the force. Your strength is already far beyond that of a normal Dae.¡± He held out his hand, and Daniel took it, then stood.


    They trained for another several hours. Going over forms and techniques with the blade. All the while, Daniel couldn¡¯t shake the words Oros said about his power. He couldn¡¯t access it. The thrum was there if he concentrated, a beat in his chest, but he couldn¡¯t reach it. Daniel sat against one of the many trees surrounding the sparing circle of Oros¡¯ estate. Drinking from a water skin greedily.


    ¡°You¡¯ve improved greatly over these last few weeks,¡± Oros said, tossing a bundle of food wrapped in a cloth to Daniel¡¯s feet. ¡°We¡¯ll go over your Dunamis more tomorrow.¡±


    Daniel nodded, recalling the lessons of the Dunamis that had been given to him by a very enthusiastic Illya. Both she and Oros were excited to see him finally access his power. Expecting him to be what they called a Dae-Rah, or a user of flame. Merely because he stumbled out of the Rah temple when his power was awakened.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how you move so fast,¡± Daniel said, leaning his head back against the tree trunk.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Oros said, sitting next to him. ¡°Without the Dunamis, I doubt there would be a Dae alive who could match you, humans, in speed or strength. The fact that your bodies could achieve it naturally is very interesting.¡±


    ¡°Without the Dunamis, you mean?¡± Daniel did notice. How his strength, perception, and overall speed had drastically increased. Compared to what would be considered normal back home.


    ¡°I am faster than you are,¡± Oros said, taking a bite of his food. ¡°And faster. But what would happen if you could master your Dunamis? The thought is frightening.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re still willing to train us,¡± Daniel said bluntly.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Oros shrugged. ¡°The Spirits sent you, why wouldn¡¯t we trust them?¡± He adjusted himself and leaned forward. ¡°That is the truth behind it, despite the command of our king and the high king above him. We have chosen faith. In the spirits, and of course, in you.¡±


    Daniel nodded, letting the words sink in.


    ¡°Also, it is very important to find the rest of you,¡± Oros continued. ¡°I fear any other clan or kingdom that were able to get their hands on your kind would kill them.¡±


    ¡°When can we leave?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°I have my agents scouring all of Eleutheros for any information,¡± Oros said, ¡°We need to wait to hear their findings. Until then, we train. You get stronger, and we are prepared for whatever comes our way.¡±


    ¡°Sounds fair,¡± Daniel said, taking several moments to eat. ¡°So, what¡¯s going on with Avria?¡±


    Oros coughed out of either surprise or choking on some of the food he was eating. ¡°What about her?¡± he asked, after composing himself, though his face looked more serious.


    ¡°She hates my guts, for starters,¡± Daniel said. ¡°And I noticed you¡¯re not her biggest fan either.¡±


    ¡°Avria is¡­¡± Oros took a deep breath. ¡°She is a fine ward, and extremely powerful.¡±


    Daniel waited for him to continue, but instead, he took another bite of his meal, looking away. ¡°And?¡± Daniel asked when he realized he wasn¡¯t going to say anything else.


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    ¡°And, she is also one of the most frustrating Dae you will ever meet,¡± Oros said. ¡°She and I were selected for pairing many years ago, in an attempt to join House Regios and Ignos by blood. It became clear that she and I didn¡¯t like the other, and now eyes have fallen on her brother Delmos and Illya to fulfill that. Her dislike of you is a fine example of why we don¡¯t see eye to eye. She sees you as a threat, and intended to kill you when you arrived. No questions beyond her direction, no hesitation. Your defeat of Delmos in the trial of Doxos has made you her enemy. She will not see you as anything more. Disgracing her family before my father and half the nobles in Vul De Rah is unforgivable.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t disgrace him,¡± Daniel said. ¡°He disgraced himself.


    ¡°Do you think she cares?¡± Oros smiled, and shook his head. ¡°That fact is irrelevant.¡±


    ¡°You know, Delmos came to see me?¡± Daniel said. ¡°The next day, he found me and apologized. Right before, she literally threw him out of the room.¡±


    ¡°Did he? I didn¡¯t know that.¡± He looked away, seeming to think hard about it. ¡°That is very interesting. I¡¯ll have to speak to my father.¡±


    ¡°Either way, I¡¯ll keep my distance from her,¡± Daniel replied.


    Several more hours passed as Daniel finished the day¡¯s training session. He made his way back to his lodging within the Ignos palace. A large room on the highest floor, where honored dignitaries and nobles were usually stationed. The room itself was spacious. With a high ceiling, a large sitting area, and a massive bed next to a window. Daniel sprawled on the bed, faintly reprimanding himself for not showering first, as he was covered in dirt and sweat. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind and focused on Oros¡¯ lessons. More so on the instruction of how the Dunamis functioned. As Oros described it, the Dunamis was the ability to manipulate the spiritual energy that was all around them. It was in everything and affected everything. Like gravity, it was constant, a natural law here. Each Dae was a type of filter. That changed the energy to their own unique power. This was why certain Dae could use different elements than others. And even wielders of the same element were different to some degree.


    Daniel closed his eyes, focusing on the thrum of power within him. Since the Spirit-temple, he had felt it. It felt like an itch that couldn¡¯t be scratched within him to varying degrees of intensity. Times like this, when he dwelled on it, it was almost unbearable.


    Finally deciding to get up, he went and bathed. After, he put on some of the clothes that were left for him and had begun to debate whether or not to ask one of the servants to bring him food, or just go to sleep.


    A sudden knock echoed in the room, and turned toward the door.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Sorry to disturb you, Daniel.¡±


    Daniel recognized the voice. It was Illya.


    ¡°My brother wanted to see if you had a moment to meet with him in the study,¡± she said. ¡°He said it¡¯s urgent.¡±


    With a grunt of frustration, he stood and opened the door. Illya smiled up at him.


    Daniel followed her down the hall to a study. Books lined the walls, and tables and couches filled the center.


    ¡°Daniel,¡± Oros said, nodding to him in greeting.


    Next to him was Avria¡¯s younger brother, Delmos, who grinned and gave what Daniel thought was an exaggerated bow.


    ¡°Oros,¡± Daniel nodded in response, then looked at Delmos. ¡°Good to see you, Delmos.¡±


    ¡°I assure you, Daniel, it¡¯s not as good for you to see me, than it is for me to see you.¡±


    Daniel looked at him, a bit confused, but walked over to sit on one of the couches facing them. ¡°So what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Two things, actually,¡± Oros said, pouring himself a bowl of wine. ¡°First,¡± he gestured to Delmos, ¡°I spoke with my father about this young Dae here. He suggested a rather interesting solution to his dishonor, and I agreed with him.¡± Oros smiled, clasping Delmos on the shoulder. ¡°He will stay with us and assist in your training.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Daniel said, unsure how to take the news. ¡°That sounds¡­ great.¡±


    ¡°Second thing,¡± Oros continued. ¡°Is the status of several sightings of humans in the far eastern border of Eleutheros, within the mountains of Rok¡¯tal. The Baa¡¯Yega clan¡¯s territory. Just East of their capital city, Vaa¡¯Gavon.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Daniel asked, anticipation growing inside him. ¡°Did they say how many? How long until we get there?¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Oros said, holding a hand up. ¡°It isn¡¯t easy to just go into another clan¡¯s territory. The Baa¡¯Yega will not allow us to go in just for a stroll. There are several problems with this. Firstly, they are tightly bound to the Torre¡¯ clan to their North. The current seat of the High King of Eleutheros, and you know how they feel about your people. Secondly, the political state of our house within the clan of Lokkon isn¡¯t high at present. Again, because of our assistance of you.¡±


    ¡°So what? We have to wait? For how long?¡± Daniel felt his blood begin to boil. ¡°If we just sit here, they could capture them and kill them, just like the one before. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll just go myself.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± Oros said, a firmness entering his voice. ¡°Allowing you to leave alone would most certainly cause problems for not just us, but for you as well. Word would get out. As much as we try to stem the tide, spies are all over our clan. They would hunt you down, and you would, of course, defend yourself. Potentially killing Dae, proving the Espie-Dae right, and further plunging our House out of favor. We must approach this delicately.¡±


    Daniel swore under his breath. He knew Oros was right. Tactically it would make no sense to venture out on his own, unfamiliar with the land, culture, etc. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°So we wait for the right moment.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Oros said, ¡°Until then, we train. We help you, Katrina, and Robert adjust to things here. And pray to the Spirits that things don¡¯t get more complicated.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of Robert,¡± Daniel said, changing the subject. ¡°Any news on his little expedition?¡±


    ¡°None yet,¡± Oros said, taking a long draw from his bowl of wine. ¡°Though I can assure you, he is in good hands. Lord Veol is quite powerful, and his warriors are formidable.¡±


    That brought a small measure of comfort to Daniel. Considering the circumstances, Robert¡¯s insistence on returning to the Spirit Forest seemed as rational as you could get. But Daniel decided not to accompany him. Ultimately it was brought down to a level of acceptance and curiosity. He was more concerned with finding other humans, accepting the current state of his life, and of course, his growing curiosity about the Dae and their culture. They would find their way home, eventually. Maybe, he thought.


    ¡°Well,¡± Delmos said, finally speaking up. ¡°My Kryo, Oros. Please let me know how I can be of assistance. As you know, I am currently not sitting on the highest level of prestige. So anything you need, I¡¯ll gladly do. Those words were not memorized from my father either¡­ so don¡¯t ask.¡±


    Oros chuckled, taking another drink. ¡°You will train with Daniel. He seems to be having issues finding his Dunamis. I thought you could perhaps help him.¡± Oros turned to Daniel. ¡°And I know you beat him senseless in your last confrontation, but I assure you. Delmos is a skilled warrior. You could learn a lot from him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was caught off guard,¡± Delmos said. ¡°And was also¡­ sick. And my armor was a bit too tight. And I stubbed my toe while entering the throne room.¡±


    Daniel blinked at Delmos; he was sure the Dae was joking, but his face was completely serious. Until a small smile creased his face. Daniel started to laugh, then Oros and Delmos followed.

 Chapter 19

    Robert stood before the Spirit Forest, familiar sights and smells teasing the senses as he remembered his startling awakening. The tall and bizarre trees were a bit frightening to see, but strangely, this place felt like home.


    ¡°Well,¡± Amynta said, walking from behind Robert. ¡°This is the closest I¡¯ve been to the forest. Usually, there is some warning from the spirits here, reminding us to stay away.¡± She stood next to Robert, looking in awe at the forest. ¡°I think they are happy to see you¡¯ve returned.¡±


    Robert nodded as he slowly approached the tree line. There was a feeling of peace coming from within, welcoming and warm. He got close enough to touch one of the trees and reached his hand out to feel the skin-like surface. It¡¯s soft, he thought. The bark felt as it looked. The contact brought a chill down his spine, and Robert brought his hand away, instinctively shaking it and wiping it on his cloak.


    ¡°Now then!¡± a tall and muscled Dae said, walking to Amynta and Robert. This was the only warrior he had seen so far who had pale yellow skin. ¡°Where shall we set up camp, my Lady? I have a few suggestions if you are interested,¡± he asked Amynta with a wink that was less than subtle.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± She replied timidly. Robert came to the conclusion that this was probably her first time being in charge of warriors. ¡°Lord Veol, thank you for getting us here safely.¡± She said with a smile.


    Veol bowed deeply to her and returned a smile. ¡°You will sleep like a Queen tonight, my Lady, safe and without worry.¡±


    Amynta laughed at Veol¡¯s comment. She seemed flustered to Robert, he figured she wasn¡¯t used to the rugged and obvious flirtations that the warrior sent her way.


    As the two traded flirts, Robert stepped his boot into the tree line and began to enter the forest slowly. There was an immediate change in the atmosphere. The air felt heavy and the trees seemed to close in around him. The breeze brushed past his skin, and he closed his eyes to breathe it in. For a moment, all of his fears and concerns disappeared; he could smell the sweet scent of flowers around him and hear the creaking of the branches above. He hadn¡¯t noticed before how stunningly beautiful the forest actually was. Robert¡¯s ears began to tingle as whispered voices of the spirits surrounded him.


    ¡°Our lost son¡­¡± one flared, louder than the others. ¡°¡­ you have changed much since we saw you last.¡±


    Robert was startled at the sudden clarity of the words. ¡°What?¡± he asked the air around him.


    ¡°I am glad to see you are no longer broken¡­¡± the voice said again. ¡°You are growing stronger¡­ but where is your power?¡±


    Robert hesitated for a moment, slightly confused. ¡°What do you mean, broken?¡±


    ¡°Dashed upon the rocks you were. Red blood¡­ pooling in your head. We saw you fall from the sky¡­ it was not of the spirits.¡± The spirit manifested before his eyes, a lithe and tall figure; it looked alien but had the curves of a woman. ¡°We saved your life, lost one¡­ but more than just healing you¡­ your body absorbed our power, and you began to change.¡± The spirit floated closer to him. He could see its face clearly now, though she shined a pale green. The spirit had long features, eyes a bit too large and far apart, a long and thin nose, but still, she seemed a vision of absolute beauty.


    The spirit halted before Robert and blinked her pale green eyes. She tilted her head slightly to look over his shoulder. ¡°Come¡­ come¡­ you are safe little Dae.¡± the spirit said to Amynta, who Robert noticed stood half-hidden behind a tree. ¡°I will permit you to enter.¡± The spirit raised her hand and gestured her in. Amynta timidly began walking in, raising her cumbersome cloak to step over bushes and stones. As she entered, several warriors began to follow her.


    ¡°No,¡± the spirit said sternly. ¡°I will not permit any of the warrior caste here. They must wait outside.¡±


    Amynta paused for a moment, then turned to Veol and his squad. ¡°I will be fine, Veol, just wait outside.¡± Amynta smiled and proceeded to move further into the forest.


    The spirit turned and led the two guests deeper into the trees. They traveled for several minutes with nothing but the sound of their trek echoing around them. Amynta seemed too afraid to say anything to her, so was he for that matter, but Robert finally gathered the courage to speak.


    ¡°Spirit?¡± Robert asked as they walked. ¡°I came back to find out how we got here, or at least find some clue. I still have no idea what happened.¡±


    ¡°You want to return to your world and have come here for answers¡­ I understand, but we do not know either¡­ The flash that brought you into this world was not of the spirit¡¯s power... it was something that we had never seen before.¡± She stopped and faced him. ¡°You came in a flash of light¡­ from a hole in the sky¡­ a place where time had no place¡­ no relevance¡­ this is why you intrigue us so... lost one¡­¡±


    Robert let out a sigh and looked at the bluish soil beneath his feet.


    ¡°Do not fret, little one¡­ there may be one who can help us¡­ this particular spirit has not spoken to anyone of us for nearly five hundred years¡­ she has laid dormant, slumbering silently¡­ that is, until you arrived. Since then¡­she has awoken¡­ but remains silent¡­ as though in a trance¡­ but if she meets you¡­ perhaps she will speak wisdom of your arrival.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, Robert, you see? There¡¯s some hope for you,¡± Amynta said, putting her hand on his shoulder. ¡°Excuse me, spirit?¡± she asked softly. ¡°What do we call you? The only spirit we know of in this forest is Gro¡¯ak, and I believe it would be a fantastic opportunity for Vul De Rah if I brought back a new name. They would worship you, and they would build shrines in your honor.¡±


    The spirit let out a hearty laugh, but it was strange, Robert thought, like she was a siren singing underwater. ¡°Oh, dear little Dae¡­ I do not dare impede on Gro¡¯ak. He has led us for many hundreds of years¡­ and he has earned our loyalty.¡± She chuckled again and smiled at Amynta. ¡°I am quite content without any shrines built in my honor, but you may bring back my name¡­ I am Mioh¡­¡±


    They were led to a clearing by mid-afternoon. Amynta sat down on a rock and used the sleeve of her large robe to wipe the sweat that dripped down her forehead. Robert joined her on the stone but looked far less exerted than his companion. He took a moment to scan his surroundings, which weren¡¯t familiar to him, but what would one expect in a forest filled with spirits on an alien world. Robert hung his head and let out a sigh.


    ¡°This is where the other human appeared,¡± Mioh said, floating before him. She held a leather sandal in her hand, which she brought up and presented to both of her guests.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Robert said, confused. ¡°This is¡­ wait a second.¡± He took the sandal in his hand and chuckled to himself. ¡°This is Daniel¡¯s, isn¡¯t it? Where¡¯s the other one?¡±


    ¡°This was the only one¡­ believe me, we would be able to find a sliver of steel in this forest¡­ it isn¡¯t here.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ I guess it¡¯s somewhere in Pelemont,¡± Robert said, standing to resume their trek.


    ¡°Hold on now,¡± Amynta said, still looking tired. ¡°I know you want to move, but I¡¯m still catching my breath. By the spirits, you have energy, you don¡¯t even look tired.¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe it¡¯s because you wear that ridiculous cloak,¡± Robert replied. ¡°It¡¯s way too big for you. Why don¡¯t you take it off, and I¡¯ll carry it for you.¡± Robert walked over to her with his hands outstretched.


    Amynta clutched her cloak and leaned back from him. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be possible,¡± she said, clearly embarrassed.


    Robert cocked his head, thinking for a moment; his eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ uh¡­ wearing clothes under that thing, right?¡±


    The Dae girl¡¯s dark grey face began to turn a light blue color. Is she blushing? he thought. ¡°Forget I said anything.¡±


    She stood abruptly and brushed her cloak with her hands. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m ready to go.¡± Her face was painted with a hint of defiance, but she still maintained her respectful tone. ¡°One must make sacrifices in the face of change. I have an amazing opportunity to study both a human and the Spirit Forest.¡± She smiled at him and bowed her head slightly. ¡°So lead the way, and I will do my best to keep up.¡±


    The two guests continued following Mioh through the forest. The surroundings were a beautiful agglomeration of colors and nature. Creatures of the Spirit Forest followed just far enough to be out of direct sight, but curious and displaying a level of intelligence Robert was unfamiliar with. Again, he took a deep breath, taking in the fresh air and the pleasant smells that lingered around them.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before,¡± he said to the spirit who led them. ¡°Everything is just so perfect and beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Why, thank you¡­¡± Mioh said, floating beside him. ¡°The serenity that you see is only due to our isolation from the Dae¡­ they bring war and corruption where they settle. So we keep them away¡­ to infect other lands with their indulgences.¡±


    Amynta started to fidget, clearly uncomfortable.


    ¡°So,¡± Robert said, noticing her distress. ¡°How do you keep them away? I have seen some powerful Dae.¡±


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    ¡°Haha¡­¡± Mioh laughed again, her high pitch stinging Robert¡¯s ears. ¡°Oh, dear human¡­ the Dae are not powerful enough to harm us¡­ they are merely an annoyance. If they trespass too overtly¡­ we just destroy them¡­ It¡¯s simple, really. They have known for a long time not to venture too close to our sanctuary here. Unless, of course, we allow them¡­¡± She made a disinterested gesture with her hand to Amynta, who walked several paces behind. ¡°Not all of the Dae are dubious wretches. I happen to like the Ignos family very much¡­¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Amynta said. ¡°What about the ascended?¡±


    Mioh stopped abruptly and turned with fire in her pale green eyes. ¡°Do not mention those foul creatures in this sacred place.¡± The air around thickened until the breeze disappeared.


    Robert began to feel heavy and could feel a strong pulse in his chest. Is this the power of the spirits? he thought, trying to find his balance.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, great spirit,¡± Amynta said, falling to her knees. ¡°I am ignorant of such things! Please forgive me.¡±


    Mioh floated above her in silence, looking at the small and fragile Dae as though she were as insignificant to her as the insects that crawled around in the dirt. Her nose flared in a huff, and she waved her hand. ¡°No harm, little one¡­ you may stand¡­¡±


    The ascended? Robert thought. Who the hell is that?


    Amynta stood slowly, keeping her gaze on the ground. ¡°Stupid¡­¡± she muttered.


    Robert extended his hands and helped her up. It looked as though the little hike had definitely taken its toll on the young scholar.


    ¡°My thanks,¡± she said to Robert.


    Mioh just started floating again through the forest; though she expressed indifference to the struggling Dae, Robert noticed that she was now moving much slower.


    Several more hours passed in travel. They hiked up steep hills and through heavily vegetated areas. The terrain became more difficult the further they went. Robert helped Amynta when he could, but eventually, she fell to rest on a large stone.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, trying to catch her breath. ¡°Just give me a minute; I promise I will be ready to go in no time.¡±


    Robert stood next to Mioh, who looked at him and shook her head. ¡°Your power is far beyond this one¡¯s¡­ and yet¡­ you do not help her.¡±


    ¡°What? I¡¯ve been helping her this whole time,¡± Robert said. He looked at Amynta again and realized what the Spirit was talking about. ¡°I see, you want me to carry her. No problem.¡±


    Robert walked to Amynta, who was leaning back and fanning herself with the oversized sleeve of her cloak. ¡°Just another minute, Robert, this forest is hotter than I thought, don¡¯t you think so? Hey!¡±


    Robert leaned in and picked her up in his arms. ¡°Come on, the spirit wants us to keep moving, so we keep moving.¡±


    ¡°Put me down. I can walk on my own; I just need to catch my breath.¡± She struggled to break free but she was clearly too tired to protest further. Her complaints stopped once he started moving ¡°By the spirits,¡± she said, covering her mouth as if she had spoken blasphemy.


    Mioh paid her no mind; it seemed to say that particular curse was not actually offensive to the Spirits. ¡°You are strong, like a Dae with a higher class Dunamis¡­ Fascinating.¡± She started poking at Robert¡¯s face, opening his eyes wide to look at them, prodding and inspecting.


    ¡°Good lord,¡± he said irritated. ¡°Can you please stop that? It¡¯s distracting.¡±


    Robert saw that the Spirit had picked up speed, and he took the opportunity to slow just out of hearing range. He didn¡¯t particularly know if it mattered to a powerful being like a spirit how far away he was, but he tried regardless.


    ¡°Hey, Amynta. I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you. Who were you talking about when you mentioned ¡®the Ascended¡¯?¡±


    The Dae¡¯s eyes flashed to Mioh, who just continued to float as if nothing had been heard.


    ¡°Um¡­ well... they are Dae¡­ who¡­¡± She looked again to the spirit, clearly fearful of the spirit¡¯s wrath. ¡°They are Dae who are so powerful that¡­¡± She looked again, clearly paranoid. ¡°They have killed and absorbed spirits.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Robert said, intrigued.


    ¡°No one really understands what happens to them after that. Once they have done so, they are unstoppable. There used to be many, who hunted and preyed on the weaker spirits to gain power, but there was a large war and much of Pelemont was burned in their wake. There are still many parts of our world where spirits and Dae are enemies because of this. They exact their vengeance on our people in retaliation for something that happened eons ago.¡±


    ¡°So they¡¯re all dead?¡± Robert asked.


    ¡°No, they still exist today. No one knows how many exactly because they live much longer than a normal Dae and find comfort in solitude. Their power is a curse, an abomination, so they are often hunted relentlessly by spirits when they reveal themselves.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Robert said, jumping over a large root that stuck out of the ground. ¡°So¡ª¡±


    ¡°Look at you two¡­¡± Mioh said, startling Robert out of his sentence. ¡°Whispering away like little spies¡­ you do realize that I do not have ears¡­ but can still hear everything that takes place in this forest?¡±


    Robert and Amynta froze wide-eyed, unable to speak.


    ¡°But I understand your curiosity¡­¡± she said, looking at Robert. ¡°However, I should recommend that you speak of those creatures when you return to Vul De Rah¡­ Many of the older spirits here have not forgotten those times. Especially Gro¡¯ak¡­¡±


    Robert nodded wearily. The last thing he needed was to piss off a bunch of spirits who had been listening in on their conversation. Mioh smiled as she turned and motioned him to follow her.


    They traveled for another hour through the worst of the terrain. Amynta just sang encouragement to Robert as he struggled up some of the steeper obstacles. They eventually came to a small clearing that held a beautiful pond and waterfall. The water had a bright sapphire color to it and sparkled with the sunlight that bled through the canopy of the forest.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Robert said, slowly putting Amynta down. and she whispered the words as well.


    Mioh floated above the water and approached the waterfall that rushed into the pond. She turned to her two guests and gestured for them to follow her.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Robert said, looking at the water and then at his heavy clothes. ¡°You want us to swim?¡±


    The spirit looked puzzled for a moment, then chuckled as she came to some realization. ¡°Forgive me, little ones, I have spent the majority of my time as of late with spirits.¡± She looked at the water below her feet. ¡°Can you help these poor creatures, Ji?¡±


    The water began to ripple and splash. Then it parted in the center, revealing a pathway straight to the waterfall, that elegantly draped to either side like a curtain. This revealed a cave that Robert couldn¡¯t help but think was a bit cliche.


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that original,¡± he said to himself.


    ¡°This is all so amazing,¡± Amynta said, ignoring his words. ¡°It is unbelievable how lucky I am, the first scholar to be allowed entry into such a place.¡± She picked up her cumbersome cloak and started to walk down the path eagerly.


    ¡°Ah. So now you can walk on your own?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Robert. You are quite the gentleman,¡± she said, looking at him briefly, her canine teeth shining brightly in a smile.


    Robert followed her down the path. It sloped down into the parted water until they were walking on the bottom of the pond. Robert looked to either side of him in amazement. The water was a beautiful teal color. Within it, he could see strange creatures swimming alongside him as he walked. They were humanoid, but the size of a small doll and vaguely translucent. The sight sent a clear chill up Robert¡¯s spine as he picked up the pace.


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Amynta said, stopping a moment and touching the water with her fingers.


    ¡°Do you have to prod everything?¡± Robert chided, moving her along.


    Amynta dragged her fingers across the water, eyes filled with wonder at the sight. As they approached the opening to the cave, Robert couldn¡¯t help but feel a tiny spark of fear. Robert stared at it, hesitating to step any closer. His mouth felt a bit dry, and he noticed that it had been hanging open for the duration. Instinctively he looked to see Amynta and saw that she too was unable to look away and was sporting the same open mouth as he.


    ¡°Come, little ones¡­¡± Mioh said, floating past them into the cave. ¡°You have nothing to fear.¡±


    Robert swallowed hard and put one foot in front of the other, starting his way toward the spirit. Amynta followed close behind.


    The cave was not nearly as shallow as he would have expected, but everything within was illuminated by Mioh and her faint glow.


    They soon approached a small pond at the end of the cave. The water here was also glowing, but instead of a teal color, it was almost violet. The wall of the cave behind it streamed a soundless and steady flow of water from above.


    Mioh floated to the small pond, and in her most gentle voice, called to the spirit who they were to meet.


    ¡°Miza¡­¡± she said, almost as though she were speaking to a small child. ¡°Are you here? I have brought some friends I would like you to speak with.¡±


    An eerie silence followed; Robert and Amynta shared several nervous glances, and uncertainty began to swell in him.


    Then a small bubble expanded in the middle of the pond. It grew to about the size of a basketball and began to form into a head. Pale violet eyes fluttered open, and Mioh smiled broadly.


    The bubble continued to grow and slowly took the shape of a body as well. When it had finished, Robert beheld a small girl of violet, sitting cross-legged on the surface of the water. Her eyes blinked innocently at her guests, but she remained silent.


    ¡°She has done this before¡­¡± Mioh said, leaning closer to the violet spirit. ¡°But¡­ she never speaks.¡± She gestured for Robert to come closer. ¡°Perhaps you will have a different effect lost one¡­ come, come.¡±


    Robert stepped closer to the spirit; her eyes seemed to be staring right through him, looking at nothing in particular. His heart began to race, beating harder with every step. There was an incredible sensation that started to overtake him, beckoning him to embrace a power that lay dormant beneath the surface of his consciousness. Robert shook it from his mind as best he could, struggling to stay on his feet.


    ¡°Robert?¡± Amynta asked, looking at him wobble from side to side as he walked. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Robert shook his head instinctively, trying to clear his mind. What the hell is going on? He tried to voice this but found that he couldn¡¯t hear or see anything clearly anymore.


    Robert mustered all of his strength and shouted, ¡°Stop it!¡± He fell to his knees. This brought immediate clarity to his senses. His eyes widened as he started looking from left to right. Mioh floated near him, a clear mask of worry painted on her face.


    ¡°So¡­ it was real...¡± a small and child-like voice said. Robert looked to see the violet spirit now looking directly at him. ¡°The coming of something unknown...¡±


    Robert focused on her eyes. They were small yet carried an incalculable depth to them, harboring centuries of knowledge and experience. She stood, walked to him, and brought her hands to cup his face. Her skin felt cool as she touched him, but he stared, unmoving, and unable to speak at what he could only comprehend as a vast and powerful being.


    ¡°What are you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Robert said, almost unable to keep tears from pooling in his eyes at the spectacle. There was something about her that was completely incomprehensible, the sheer level of unknown power that flowed from her. Robert felt all of it. Every wave of the alien Dunamis took yet more strength from his body. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ a human being,¡± he said finally.


    The violet spirit cocked her head to the side slowly.


    ¡°Miza?¡± Mioh asked, pulling her attention. ¡°It is so good to hear your voice again¡­ we have missed you so much.¡± The pale green spirit¡¯s face now shone with a smile, one that looked of genuine affection and happiness. ¡°This is a human¡­ there were many that arrived recently¡­ when they did, you began to stir again¡­ after so many years¡­ we believed you had gone with the great spirits.¡±


    Miza¡¯s gaze was lucid. She slowly turned again to Robert, who she still held gently between her hands. ¡°A¡­ human?¡± She looked closely into his eyes. ¡°But¡­ your eyes¡­ they are ancient¡­ before the Dae¡­ before the spirits¡­ before our world.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Amynta said, chiming in. ¡°Of what do you speak, oh great spirit of old?¡±


    Miza did not look at the Dae scholar, but she did smile at her words. ¡°Oh, daughter of Rajim¡­ I am not a great spirit¡­ merely an old one¡­¡± She took her hands away from Robert¡¯s face and sat on the grass before him.


    ¡°What do you mean¡­ ancient?¡± Robert asked his mind a whirl of wonder and confusion.


    ¡°Tell me of your arrival¡­ I would very much like to hear it,¡± she asked, ignoring his question.

 Chapter 20

    Katrina shifted uncomfortably from left to right as she stood in the Regios great hall. Avria sat on a small throne next to her father, Telmos, the lord of the House Regios, who now listened to his petitioning subjects. As she had learned, the high lords who served the Hego all governed different areas of their territory. They were ultimately beholden to the Hego but could cast judgment on nearly all matters within their territory. It was also law within Eleutheros for these high lords to make time to hear their subjects¡¯ grievances or settle disputes.


    Small beads of sweat trickled down her back, irritating her, but still, she remained standing at attention. This was her first official appearance as Avria¡¯s squire and, standing beside her father who offered very little in terms of encouragement, she felt even more nervous.


    ¡°Palen Gorrak, subject of House Regios!¡± called a crimson-clad warrior.


    A thin Dae entered the hall. He wore a colorful assortment of clothing and brandished a strange and floppy hat.


    ¡°My Lord Regios,¡± he said, bowing deeply.


    Avria¡¯s father waved his hand and gave a slight nod in reply.


    ¡°I have come before you today to bring up a grave matter. One of importance and absolutely in need of your immediate attention,¡± Palen said.


    Katrina saw that the Dae was holding back a great deal of anger and irritation.


    ¡°My family and I came to Vul De Rah to bring our goods here and increase profitability. I am a simple merchant and live a humble life, but came here from Vuk De Toh for a better one.¡± He sighed as he reached into one of his coat¡¯s pockets, bringing out a large slab of wood slightly burned on the edges. ¡°This, my Lord, is all that is left of my cart. I was beaten and robbed by Doulos thieves in the street. They took my goods and burned my livelihood into nothing.¡± He dropped the piece of wood back into his coat and hung his head. ¡°My Lord, I am here today because I have nothing left. Please help me.¡±


    The Lord of House Regios did not stir or react in any way to the Dae¡¯s woeful story. He just sat on his throne, imperiously. His skin was the same shade as his daughter¡¯s, and his eyes shared a similar harshness. But his gaze was one that could bring even the strongest warrior slight hesitation.


    ¡°Palen, was it?¡± Lord Regios asked finally.


    ¡°Yes, my Lord,¡± The merchant replied.


    ¡°I am deeply disturbed by this news.¡± He looked to his left and locked eyes with his daughter. ¡°Are there witnesses who can substantiate this claim?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lord. Many people watched it happen, and the crime was in fact committed within the Regios territory of Vul De Rah,¡± Avria said.


    Lord Regios pondered for a time, leaning back in his throne and adjusting himself. ¡°Let it be known,¡± he finally said. ¡°That all trespasses against my subjects are and will be considered a grievous attack against House Regios itself.¡± He looked at a scribe who sat in the corner, scribbling his words down on a scroll. ¡°We will find these Doulos thieves and skin them for their crimes, along with any who may have been involved in this. Avria, do what is necessary to bring them out.¡± He looked at Palen, who was wringing his hat in his hands. ¡°As for your wares? You may take one of the carts of my house, we should have some stored here. If not, one of my Stewards will commission one to be built. What did you sell?¡±


    ¡°Fine clothing, my Lord,¡± Palen said.


    Lord Regios hesitated a moment, looking at Palen¡¯s clothing again. Katrina thought she saw a faint forming smile on his stern face.


    ¡°In that case, I would like to extend an offer for your services as a designer for the ladies of my house. Speak with my Steward about that as well.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my Lord!¡± Palen said, falling to his knees. ¡°You are just and noble. May the spirits bless you for all your days.¡±


    Palen was escorted out of the hall by one of Lord Regio¡¯s Stewards, and the Lord let out a tired sigh.


    ¡°This is what you must expect,¡± he said, turning to look at his daughter. ¡°To come face to face with your subjects and rule fairly. To witness their anguish or joy at your judgment. You must not be affected by this.¡±


    ¡°I am aware of that, father. I see how you and Hego Ignos govern your people.¡±


    The mention of Agron gave Lord Regios a moment of pause.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said hesitantly. ¡°If only you weren¡¯t so stubborn, and would finally join our houses. Kryo Oros is a brash and arrogant Dae, but he is heir to the throne and needs a strong influence.¡±


    Avria scoffed at the mention of Oros. This was clearly not the first time her father had pushed the idea of her joining with the Dae Kryo.


    ¡°He does not like me, and to be perfectly honest with you, father, I loathe him quite the same.¡± She stood to leave, waving for Katrina to follow. She did so instantly, moving her stiff body after the several hours spent standing at attention.


    ¡°Hold yourself,¡± Lord Regios said sternly. ¡°I have not dismissed you.¡±


    Avria stopped and turned to him clearly irritated, but obeyed him.


    ¡°We must speak about your brother,¡± he said, glancing at Katrina with an unreadable gaze. ¡°Tell your squire to leave us.¡±


    ¡°Father, I will vouch for her. She has proven to be loyal and trustworthy.¡±


    Lord Regios sighed again. ¡°Must you challenge me at every turn? Very well.¡± He adjusted himself again in his chair.


    It must not be very comfortable, Katrina thought.


    ¡°As you witnessed firsthand, your brother was disgraced before the court several months ago. I did what I could to protect him, but he was dismissed by Lord Kanter as his squire. Now, Kryo Oros has asked for his assistance in the training of the other¡­ human, Daniel.¡±


    Avria¡¯s eyes widened at the news. ¡°What? Could we not do something to prevent it?¡±


    ¡°I tried, but it would seem Hego Ignos has it in his mind to insist on giving the human access to your brother. It seems he is content with the training and wants to stay.¡±


    Avria shook her head. ¡°Do you want me to go there? I will solve this.¡±


    Lord Regios nodded. ¡°I would like you to make an appearance. Show Kryo Oros that we are not at all pleased with this. Either way, it should keep the creature away from Delmos.¡±


    Katrina stiffened at the words. It was clear that Lord Regios did not see eye to eye with Agron¡¯s opinion of her and her companions.


    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Avria said, turning to leave.


    ~


    Daniel walked into the mess hall of the Palace. It was considerably smaller than where nobles and royalty ate, but being around the common warriors was comfortable to him. He was still at heart, just a grunt. After getting his food, Daniel looked down at his meal. A bowl of what looked like rice and meat, seasoned and smelling delicious. He also held a cloth-wrapped piece of bread and cheeses.


    ¡°Spirit-Sent!¡± called a familiar voice. Delmos, the brother of Avria and fellow outcast, waved him over. After his defeat at the hands of Daniel in the trial of Doxo, the young Dae had been ostracized by his family and by the court. It wasn¡¯t the defeat that brought him this shame. It was the fact that he broke the rules by using his power and still managed to lose.


    Daniel gave him a smile and walked to his secluded area at the corner of one of the far tables.


    ¡°Daniel, good to see you! Have a seat, my friend,¡± Delmos said.


    ¡°Likewise,¡± Daniel said, sitting down across from the Dae.


    The two had become quick friends since they began training together. For some strange reason that Daniel couldn¡¯t quite figure out, Delmos seemed eager to make this so. He apparently held no ill will or resentment to him after his defeat.


    ¡°Kryo Oros said that we are going to the Glade today, finally an opportunity to train more with the Dunamis,¡± Delmos said, taking a mouthful of food.


    ¡°Really?¡± Daniel said. ¡°That¡¯s great news.¡±


    Delmos shrugged his shoulders, taking a long drink from his bowl of wine. ¡°It¡¯s about time too; seeing you flail around with a blade is getting tiresome. The blade isn¡¯t for everyone.¡±


    Daniel chuckled slightly. ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡±


    ¡°Either way,¡± Delmos continued. ¡°I¡¯m determined to make this work. I¡¯ve arranged to have you train with members of the Proistem.¡±


    ¡°The what?¡±


    ¡°The Proistem,¡± Delmos said. ¡°It¡¯s where our officers and nobles train, far from the common whelps.¡± Delmos leaned back in his chair with a grin. ¡°Though you would probably fit in better with the commoners. Didn¡¯t you say you were one?¡±


    ¡°Well, in my world, things are different. I mean, they weren¡¯t always, but common people can rise to a high station if they work hard enough.¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­ and you said that they have no power like the Dunamis?¡± Delmos asked.


    Daniel nodded. ¡°No power at all like that.¡± He looked at his hand again, opening his fingers like he usually did when in deep thought.


    ¡°Well, hopefully we can solve that little problem today,¡± Delmos said. ¡°You¡¯ve been trying on your own right? And still nothing?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Daniel sighed. ¡°I can feel it there, pulsing, taunting me, but I don¡¯t know how to get to it. It¡¯s frustrating as hell.¡±


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    ¡°Yeah, well, too bad a spirit didn¡¯t appear and help you out like your friend. She was lucky. Which brings me to a question. Are there any spirits in your world? You haven¡¯t really mentioned that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s kind of a difficult question to answer.¡± Daniel said, ¡°Many people believe there are, but there are many who don¡¯t. We don¡¯t see them, and there are tons of different religions¡­ it¡¯s complicated.¡±


    Delmos nodded with a blank expression. ¡°It sounds so¡­ interesting. What a bizarre place.¡±


    After their meal, Daniel and Delmos made their way across Vul De Rah to the Glade. With their escorts keeping them far from the crowds, it was an uneventful journey.


    Approaching the Regios estate. Delmos explained that the overseer of training for the warrior caste was, of course, Lord Regios, his and Avria¡¯s father. The military facilities and training grounds all surrounded the large estate. Daniel¡¯s eyes drifted within the grounds, looking to see his companion Katrina, who he had not seen since they began training. Though they didn¡¯t know each other very well, Daniel still felt more comfortable dealing with her and Robert. I wonder how they¡¯re doing, he thought.


    Daniel found himself once again in the massive dome known as the Glade, only this time, he was standing in the center of the arena with a platoon of Cadets. Before them, their instructor was giving them an introduction of what they were going to be going over for the session.


    ¡°Today, we have a very special period of instruction,¡± the instructor said. ¡°Lord Regios has commanded that we begin this advanced training of the Dunamis under the tutelage of some of Vul De Rah¡¯s very best.¡±


    The instructor turned around to face the large door that opened into the arena and saluted with his arm across his chest.


    The doors slid open smoothly, and a crimson-clad Dae walked in with the grace and power of a lioness. It was none other than Avria Regios, ward of the Hego herself.


    Son of a bitch, Daniel thought. Behind her was a girl who looked vaguely like Katrina, Daniel noticed with surprise.


    Avria saluted to the instructor as she passed him and stood before the platoon of Cadets. Katrina did the same, standing to her right, just behind Avria and at the position of attention. Daniel stared at her in awe of the discipline she now displayed. Only two months, and she had already started to become a warrior.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Cadets,¡± Avria said, loudly. ¡°House Regios bids you welcome to this sacred ground and offers you an opportunity to learn from some of the finest warriors in Lokkadonia. Our clan has survived for many years because of our dedication to the warrior¡¯s code we all share.¡±


    She took a moment to scan the faces of the students. Daniel tensed instinctively as her eyes met his. They narrowed ever so slightly and continued past him.


    ¡°I see we have many loyal and honorable houses in this class,¡± she continued. ¡°Let us begin. Katrina?¡±


    Katrina bowed her head respectfully and stepped forward. ¡°All Cadets stand in a line facing to your left!¡±


    There was an immediate shuffle as the Cadets obeyed her command. Daniel stood for a moment looking at her; she seemed so different to him, sure of herself, commanding, confident. His daze was interrupted as Delmos grabbed his shoulder to get him moving.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he whispered.


    Daniel and the rest of the Cadets stood shoulder to shoulder in line, facing the wall to their left. The wall they were facing was several hundred feet in front of them.


    Katrina pushed her hands out, and before each of the cadets, about fifty feet away, rose large slabs of stone from the sand.


    Daniel¡¯s eyes widened at the display of power. ¡°What¡­?¡± It occurred to him that she had learned more than just military movements and commands.


    Many of the other cadets gasped as well.


    ¡°Thank you, Katrina,¡± Avria said, walking before the Cadets again. ¡°Today, we will go over the fundamentals of offensive executions of one¡¯s Dunamis.¡± She raised her hand toward the closest slab of stone. There was the crackling sound of electricity flaring, and a burst of energy shot against the stone. The casual display of power brought many Cadets to straighten their backs. ¡°Everyone, close your eyes, and focus on your Dunamis. Tend the power within, and feel the spiritual energy around you.¡±


    Daniel looked again at his hands, frustration gripping him. A Dae girl beside him had her eyes closed and followed the instructions of Avria with instant obedience. Her hands opened, and he could see a small cyclone of water forming in her palm. How is she pulling moisture from the air?


    He closed his eyes and attempted to do the same. The pulse was there, stronger now, but still elusive.


    ¡°Focus this power into your hands, and identify your target.¡± Avria paused for a moment, letting the students open their eyes and establish where they would unleash their fury. ¡°Attack!¡± she shouted.


    Cracks and explosions erupted around Daniel. He opened his eyes to see an amazing sight of all types of elemental destruction unleashed on the sturdy stone slabs. Fire and electricity scorched them, water and air cut them, and stones smashed against them. There were waves of power that were almost visible to him as the loose sand was sprayed in every direction.


    Delmos put a hand on Daniel¡¯s shoulder. The Dae looked as though he was going to say something to Daniel, maybe offer him words of encouragement, but stopped as he saw his sister approaching them.


    Avria stopped before Daniel and eyed him. ¡°Still unable to use it?¡± she asked him mockingly. She glanced over to Katrina, who stood a short distance away. ¡°Katrina, show this fool how you figured it out. I¡¯m not sure he has the same mental capacity as you do, but do your best.¡±


    Avria then looked at her brother. ¡°By the spirits, you just can¡¯t keep yourself out of trouble.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, sister?¡±


    ¡°You were supposed to stay away from this creature,¡± she spat. ¡°I thought you had more sense than to associate with him. People are already talking about it in court, and it isn¡¯t favorable, believe me.¡±


    Delmos scoffed. ¡°Please, this is ridiculous. I don¡¯t care what those fools say about me anymore. I have already been disgraced beyond repair, and Daniel happens to be a fellow outcast. We have become good friends!¡± He smiled at his sister and clasped Daniel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re inseparable! And let¡¯s not forget that it was Kryo Oros, and Hego Agron who suggested it!¡±


    Daniel couldn¡¯t help but smile at the words spoken by the younger Regios noble. He had proven to be a good friend and had earned what few people had in this new and dangerous world. He had earned Daniel¡¯s trust.


    Avria let out a sigh and abruptly turned toward the instructor, who was still waiting to proceed with the period of instruction.


    Daniel then looked at Katrina, who hadn¡¯t said anything at this point. She was well trained now, it seemed.


    ¡°So¡­¡± he said, not quite sure what to say to her. ¡°I see that you¡¯ve grown a lot since we last saw each other.¡± He gestured to the stone slabs that were now being assaulted by the rest of the cadets.


    ¡°Lady Avria is a skilled master. She has been treating me well.¡± Katrina said, her voice sounding a bit harsher than he remembered. ¡°I can show you how to use your Dunamis. It took me a couple of weeks to get it down, but Lady Avria told me that every element is very different.¡± She stepped closer to him and placed her hand on his chest, closing her eyes.


    What the hell is she doing?


    She was silent for several moments as she pondered. ¡°I can sense it here,¡± she said finally. ¡°It¡¯s steady but tense.¡± She opened her eyes and stepped to his right side, facing the stone slabs. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you through it. Just relax, and focus your mind.¡±


    Daniel let out a frustrated breath and closed his eyes.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t about forcing your control of the element. It is about coaxing and convincing it, using a subtle touch. Can you feel it?¡± she said softly, calming him.


    Daniel felt it there, a heart of fire raging beyond an invisible wall. Her voice became muffled as his mind cleared.


    ¡°For fire, you must calm yourself. Emotions are a large driving force for the Dunamis, but fire is particularly susceptible. Now¡­ look at the power within.¡±


    He now felt almost as he did in the shrine. Entering a trance-like state that brought clarity and inner focus. I¡¯ve been here before¡­ now what? How do I get this damn thing out?


    ¡°You can see it now, right?¡± Katrina said. ¡°Now¡­ don¡¯t try to force it out. Draw your power from outside your body.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Daniel said.


    ¡°Everything in this world is spiritual energy. When you use the Dunamis, it pulls from the energy around you and filters it through what you are seeing inside yourself. That is the source of your power, but it is an engine. It needs fuel to function.¡±


    Daniel changed the direction of his focus outward instead of inward. As he did, he felt an overwhelming sense of power. Gentle but almost infinite. It felt as though he was on a raft in the middle of an ocean of unfathomable depth and size. He began to call to it, bidding it come to him, but nothing happened. This he tried several more times to no avail.


    Every power is different, he thought. But not just every power¡­ every person as well perhaps.


    He steeled his resolve and grabbed the power around him with his will, commanding it to come to him, and this time it obeyed. He was hit with a burst of energy; his senses flared like he had been covered in ice.


    His eyes opened, and he gasped, then a slow smile crept across his face. He could feel it now, like never before, completely in control and eager to use it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± he said, looking at the stone slab in front of him. It was still unmarked.


    ¡°Good,¡± Katrina said excitedly. ¡°Now, for the moment of truth. Focus your energy, not into your hand, but through it. It must be used to direct your power for this attack.¡± She paused for a moment giving the anticipation its due. ¡°You may fire when ready.¡±


    Daniel released a blast of fire from his hands. The force and heat of the discharge showered sand on the surrounding cadets, pushing them back. It slammed into the stone, which melted away in seconds. Daniel froze at the display of power he had created. His fire did not look normal, either. It was a deep crimson and burned its angry blood color for all to see.


    ¡°By the spirits!¡± Delmos said, his mouth open in awe. ¡°Very impressive, my friend.¡±


    Katrina patted Daniel on the back, but he didn¡¯t move. He still stared at the damage he had caused.


    ¡°That was unbelievable,¡± she said.


    Raised voices of amazement and encouragement erupted from the surrounding cadets. They all crowded around Daniel, talking excitedly.


    Avria strode past the group of Dae and looked at the stone slab, her eyes wide. She turned and looked at Daniel, who met her eyes. She shouted, bringing silence to the clamoring.


    ¡°Instructor Yuka, please take the cadets outside for exercises on the importance of maintaining one¡¯s discipline.¡± She gave the instructor a hard look. ¡°They all seem to lack this quality.¡±


    The instructor shouted for the cadets to get in formation and directed them to go outside. Most did as they were told without argument, but some let out hushed curses and grumbles at their coming punishment.


    ¡°Once you¡¯re finished, bring them back in here to continue.¡± She stared at Daniel, who was on his way to the budding formation. ¡°You, stay.¡±


    He froze where he was. Only glancing to see Delmos, who had frozen beside him.


    ¡°Not you,¡± she said to her brother. ¡°Go outside with the others.¡±


    Delmos reluctantly began moving again, falling in with the formation and out the large doors.


    Daniel now stood in the massive arena, with Avria and Katrina before him.


    Katrina twitched, seeming very tense.


    ¡°What are you playing at?¡± Avria asked him, her eyes blazing with rage. She looked at Katrina as well. ¡°Both of you better tell me what, in the name of the great spirits, you are up to. I don¡¯t care what the Hego says; I will slaughter you both here and now if I don¡¯t get the truth.¡±


    Katrina turned to her, clearly afraid. Avria gave her a cold look in return.


    ¡°Listen,¡± Daniel finally said, ¡°we¡¯ve told you what we know and have been over this again and again. We don¡¯t know how we got here, only that there was a flash of light, and we woke up in the Spirit Forest.¡± Daniel started to think about the possible outcomes if she were to attack him. How would he fare? She seemed a much more capable warrior than any he had faced of the Dae so far. Still, his mind raced with the threat she posed.


    ¡°Lady Avria,¡± Katrina said, standing up straight. ¡°You know where my loyalties are. I am very grateful for all you and your people have done for us. We all are.¡± She gestured to Daniel. ¡°You were there when I discovered my Dunamis; you saw how powerful it was. How is it any different from Daniel¡¯s? He only did the same thing as me.¡±


    Avria¡¯s look softened a bit as her squire spoke. Daniel noticed it, a very subtle change, but it spoke volumes of the Dae.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t necessarily the power,¡± Avria said with a deep sigh. ¡°It is the color of it.¡± She pointed to the charred and melted stone. ¡°There are only a few creatures in our written history who have summoned crimson flame with their Dunamis. And every single one of them was said to be unspeakable horrors.¡±


    ¡°The color?¡± Daniel asked, tensely, but still genuinely curious.


    Avria paused for a moment. ¡°Yes, fire is a strange element, as it does not have any real variants to it like the others. Dae-Voh are able to manipulate different forms of the element, like vegetation or sand instead of stone or metal. Dae-Leu are able to manipulate the temperature of the element usually. Some are better than others at it, of course. Look, it is very complicated to explain now, but the point is¡­¡± She took a breath. ¡°Dae-Rah are able to augment their bodies to produce different colors of fire to accomplish different levels of strength. The common orange that you see is obviously what most are able to produce. We have seen white fire, blue fire, and green fire. These are not difficult to find; there are plenty of strong Dae-Rah in Pelemont. However, the stories of our history mention black and crimson as well, but only alongside some incredible evil.¡±


    Avria paused again after she finished. She turned toward Katrina. ¡°Don¡¯t find any discouragement from this, my squire. I have vouched for you before my father and the court.¡± A tinge of guilt crossed her face. ¡°I am sorry for threatening to kill you.¡±


    Katrina smiled at the words.


    Daniel let out a tense breath and gave an uneasy grin. ¡°What about me? You threatened us both.¡±


    Avria gave him a stern look, but her mouth betrayed a ghost of a smile.


    ¡°Forget it.¡± He raised his hands defensively.

 Chapter 21

    Robert awoke, squinting at the bright sunlight. What time is it?


    ¡°Good morning, Spirit-Sent,¡± Veol said, walking by his small sleeping area.


    ¡°Morning, Veol.¡± Robert rubbed the sleep from his eyes and attempted to tend to the terrible case of bedhead he now had. ¡°Where is Amynta?¡± he asked, looking at her vacant spot several feet away from his own. Her bedroll and gear were neatly organized and folded.


    ¡°She decided to take a morning stroll. I think she went over to the river.¡± His hand extended to point south of their current position. ¡°I warn you though, Spirit-Sent, she has not had her breakfast and is likely to be quite cranky.¡±


    Robert smiled and started to get dressed; in the middle of sliding his boots on, he took a moment to breathe in the air. It was a crisp and beautiful morning. There were many just like it since they arrived at the Spirit Forest. After their initial encounter with Miza, the elder spirit, Amynta, and Robert were given special access from Mioh to enter and meet with her as they pleased. They did this for the several weeks they had been here. Every morning, Miza and Mioh would meet them just within the forest, Robert would ask questions, and Mioh would do her best to answer them. Miza, however, remained silent for the most part. After her initial conversation with Robert, she seemed content just to observe. It was maddening. Eventually Robert just ended up telling them about himself and his situation. He told her how they arrived and that they had no idea how to get back. However, unlike the other spirits he had come into contact with since their arrival, Miza seemed much more casual about their sudden appearance in Pelemont. Robert often wondered what the ancient and wise spirit actually knew about it. Other days he spent relaxing and enjoying the view while Amynta studied the forest.


    He stood with a stretch and began walking through the makeshift camp they had made into their home for the expedition. There were eight Dae warriors who were their escort, including Veol, a powerful noble, who was the officer in charge of their protection. They had treated Robert with a surprising level of respect and gave him nods as he passed by.


    Robert found his way over a small hill that flanked their camp. On the other side of it was a river that glistened in the morning light and ran straight into the forest. Robert saw Amynta sitting on a small stool at the bank, writing in one of her scrolls.


    ¡°Well, you were up early,¡± he said.


    She yelped, nearly dropping her scroll on the ground. ¡°By the spirits, Robert! You can¡¯t sneak up on people like that! What is wrong with you?¡±


    Robert chuckled as he found a seat in the dirt beside her. ¡°Veol said you would be cranky this morning. I thought nothing got in between you and your breakfast.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have time this morning. I am on the verge of something magnificent!¡± She pointed excitedly at her scroll.


    Robert casually eyed the parchment. It was a jumbled mess of unintelligible scribbles. It seemed that the spiritual power that enabled all Dae to understand their speech did not extend to the written word.


    ¡°I can¡¯t read your writing, Amynta,¡± he said.


    Amynta sighed, gently rolled up her scroll, and placed it in a pack at her feet. ¡°Basically, it goes over the hierarchy of the spirits. They have a structure like we never dreamed of. Elder spirits, lesser spirits, and many more we don¡¯t quite know of yet. There are so many questions I have, things I want to understand better; not to mention the strange connection your kind have with them. How could an elder spirit, that is thousands of years old, look into your eyes and tell you that you are ancient?¡± She stood, smoothing her cloak. ¡°Are you ancient?¡± she asked playfully but with a hint of seriousness.


    Robert laughed. ¡°I¡¯m not. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    She smiled and leaned down to pick up her pack. ¡°You know, I have grown quite fond of you humans. I am sure we will find a way home for you.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± he said. ¡°Not that I don¡¯t think your world isn¡¯t amazing, but at the end of the day, I would like to lay my head down in my own bed.¡± He sighed. ¡°Seems a tall order from where I¡¯m standing now.¡±


    Amynta smiled apologetically and opened her mouth to speak, but froze as she looked behind him. Her eyes widened as some unseen realization flashed across her face.


    ¡°Amynta? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Robert turned to see dozens of riders coming over the crest of a hill across the river. Grey capes billowed atop the Cro¡¯kan he had come to know as the common mount for warriors.


    ¡°Who the hell?¡± he said, fear beginning to fill his heart.


    ¡°We have to run!¡± Amynta shouted, grabbing Robert¡¯s hand and forcing him up the hill.


    ¡°Rexunii raiding party!¡± she screamed as loud as she could. ¡°Veol!¡±


    Robert could hear the thumping of the Cro¡¯kan talons tearing the ground as they dashed behind him. His heart sank as he could hear them getting closer and closer.


    As the two came over the hill and saw the camp, Robert could see the eight warriors from Vul De Rah were just finishing their formation. It looked like a V with the single point facing the enemy charge.


    ¡°Get behind us!¡± Veol shouted, holding his spear in a defensive posture.


    Robert couldn¡¯t tell which one he was. The warriors had all donned their pale white helmets. Regardless, they both slid past the formation and skidded to a halt behind them.


    ¡°There are too many of them, Veol! We have to get out of here!¡±


    Before they were able to react in any way, the Rexunii warriors came streaming down the hill.


    There was one in the center of their charge that raised a sword and let out a howl. The others echoed the strange shout, and the sound sent shivers down Robert¡¯s spine. Suddenly there was a blast of energy from the front of the Lokkadonian formation. A cyclone of wind tore at the ground and forced the Rexunii warriors to break formation and dodge.


    As they got close enough, they leaped from their mounts and came down on the formation with violence and precision. Crackles of the Dunamis began to roar from the battle, and soon the formation was engulfed in the grey-clad Rexunii warriors.


    Robert¡¯s eyes squinted at the flashes of elemental bursts. Earth tore from the ground, launching spikes at warriors who dodged nimbly, escaping death. Electricity screamed past him, slamming into walls of stone or being swept away with wind and redirected into the ground. Robert held on to Amynta, whose scream was drowned out by the melee. Holding her hands over her ears, tears streaming from her face as the fear turned her into a shivering child.


    He mustered the courage to look at the battle. Amid all the chaos that raged about him, he caught the sight of Veol fighting, who he could only assume was the Rexunii leader. His mask had fallen off, and his yellow skin now shone brightly in the light. Veol wielded a large two-handed bone blade but used it in such a way that its cumbersome size did not leave him open for attack.


    The Rexunii leader wore a bone helmet as well; only it sported intricate designs of black paint and had long and short horns sprouting out, giving it a fearsome look. He had two smaller swords of bone, each curved outward, almost like a sickle. Veol roared as he skillfully brought his sword down toward the Rexunii warrior. There was a spray of water that shot from one of the sickle-like blades as the Rexunii swung it. The pressure was so high that it acted as an extension of the weapon and almost took Veol¡¯s head off. He ducked under the attack, interrupting his own, and retaliated with a blast of wind that knocked the Rexunii off his feet and into two other warriors who seemed to be waiting patiently to fight him.


    Veol¡¯s face was painted with a grimace, and he found Robert. ¡°Run to the forest!¡± he yelled, turning to block an overhead swing with his sword.


    Robert¡¯s legs moved like heavy stone as he started running. Adrenaline pumped through his body, and the world seemed to have slowed down to a crawl.


    ¡°Come on!¡± he managed to shout, hauling Amynta to her feet. They stumbled together toward the tree line that was several hundred feet away, and Robert¡¯s hopes rose as he saw there was no one in his path. ¡°We can make it!¡± he said, attempting to encourage the Dae scholar.


    They came closer, and the sound of battle began to die down. Robert kept moving despite the inevitable truth of the outcome. They were outnumbered, and though the Lokkadonian warriors were skilled, the Rexunii seemed to match them.


    Almost there! he thought.


    They were almost ten feet from the forest edge when the ground before him began to rumble. There was a moment of pause, but Robert knew what it was.


    ¡°No!¡± he screamed, feeling his already fleeting hope disappear completely. In a split-second decision, he grabbed Amynta, and with all of his strange and unnatural strength, he hurled her the rest of the way toward the tree line. She looked at him with wide eyes, streaming with tears. A massive wall shot out from the ground before him, smashing his extended arms as it shot almost twenty feet in the air.


    Robert cried in pain as he felt his arm¡¯s bones rattle with the impact. He flew backward and brought his battered limbs to his chest.


    Then, there was silence. Only the rapid beating of his heart remained. Robert whimpered as he lay on the grass, trying to see if his arms were broken. His hands tingled and were a bit numb, but as he opened and closed them, he could tell that they were not severely damaged.


    He opened his eyes slowly and saw the now silent battlefield. His heart sank at the sight of twenty or so Rexunii warriors all standing before him. Closest was the warrior with the bone mask who he had seen fight Veol. It was simultaneous, the brief thought of where the Dae noble was, and the gruesome recognition of a severed head the Rexunii leader held, bloodied in his hand. The butchered noble¡¯s face was now slack but still held in time the moment of his death in a terrified expression. The Rexunii warrior tossed it toward Robert, blue blood still spraying from the wound.


    Robert was frozen at the horrible sight, wanting to retch but being afraid to.


    ¡°How lucky we are,¡± said the leader. ¡°It would seem the reports were true. There is a demon here.¡±


    Robert trembled on the ground, unable to look away from the broken and ruined bodies of the Lokkadonian warriors he had come to know over the last month.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like much of a demon to me,¡± a female voice said. ¡°He¡¯s ready to piss his pants!¡±


    Laughter followed the Dae¡¯s remark.


    ¡°I want it bound,¡± the leader said harshly. ¡°Look for the other one!¡±


    The world around him began to move again, his eyes focused again on Veol¡¯s head. The man was always so cheerful and protective. Now all that remained of his enthusiastic smile was a look of horror. Robert vaguely felt hands grip him. His daze was interrupted, however, as the Rexunii warriors wrenched his arms back and pain shot through his body. Robert yelped as they lifted him up to his feet.


    A Rexunii warrior approached him and removed her bone mask, stained with blue blood. Her face was well proportioned. As Robert had by now noticed, most Dae women he had met had this in common. She had light grey skin, and her eyes were wild and green, with black face paint that surrounded them, further pronouncing the color. She smiled a feral smile, showing her canine teeth.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories of your kind, from all across the land. Demons, huh?¡± She grabbed his face and turned it to the side. ¡°You just look like a strange, sick creature to me.¡± She stared into his wide and terrified eyes. ¡°No, definitely not a demon. Whatever you are, you aren¡¯t much of a threat.¡±


    ¡°Demessa!¡± the leader shouted, causing the female Dae to flinch and let go of Robert. ¡°Don¡¯t speak to it. Just get it mounted and ready for travel.¡±


    Demessa saluted with a fist across her chest. ¡°Yes, my Lord,¡± she said crisply, pulling Robert to a Cro¡¯kan that had been brought by another warrior.


    Robert was tied down across the back of the animal and left for hours as they attempted to find a way into the Spirit Forest. It seemed that the spirits had fortified the tree line against the Rexunii and decided to protect Amynta. The raiding party did not wait for long.


    Robert had time to think as they traveled, but his mind was numb from stress and fear. He thought this was past him, the terrible danger of this new world just a footnote in his mind from after first waking up. Kat, he thought. We ended things on bad terms¡­ will she mourn me? The thought was painful, so he closed his eyes, but all he could see was the face of his brief friend Veol, butchered before him. What are they going to do to me? They keep calling me ¡®it.¡¯ That means they don¡¯t see me as a sentient creature. Are they going to kill me?


    Still, the hours passed, slowly but surely, until they stopped to camp for the night on the top of a hill, with decent concealment from some trees.


    They brought him down and tied him to one of the trees for the night. Robert sat with his head hung, looking at his boots, noticing at that moment that Veol¡¯s blood was all over them. Must have been when they threw his head at me.


    The Rexunii warriors set up camp and dug in. Robert realized they were still in enemy territory, so they took precautions; they built no fire and expressed effective sound discipline. Nothing more than periodic hushed voices met Robert¡¯s ears. He said nothing either, only pondered his predicament over and over again. His thoughts were dark, mainly on how he would meet his end. Still, he did his best to keep tears from pooling in his eyes. He was only marginally successful with this.


    ¡°Demon,¡± called a familiar female voice. Demessa walked over to him and crouched. ¡°What type of food do you eat? I have been told I must offer you some.¡±


    Robert did not respond. He just continued to look down at his boots.


    He was struck with a massive blow to the side of his face. His eyes flashed with light, and a daze came over him. He did his best not to cry out, but a grunt of pain escaped. She grabbed his face and forced him to look at her.


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    ¡°I asked you a damn question, demon,¡± she hissed, throwing his food to the dirt below. ¡°There, eat that off the ground.¡±


    She stood and walked away again into the darkness. Robert slumped and closed his eyes as tight as he could, stifling more tears and cursing his weakness again.


    The next two nights were very similar to this. The Rexunii found a defendable position, set up a concealed camp, and Robert was abused and taunted by Demessa. He had tried to speak to her as she approached, to ask her some earnest questions, but before a proper sentence could be formed, she punched him in the face, shouting that she hadn¡¯t given him permission to speak. During the day, they traveled long, and tied him up the same way they had before.


    It was on the fourth night that Robert guessed they had entered Rexunii territory, as they had a blazing fire going, and all sat around it, drinking wine out of skins in celebration.


    Robert saw them now, sitting together and singing strange songs of battle and vengeance. Demessa had removed her cloak and was dancing with several other warriors as they sang, and she took long drinks from her wineskin. Robert¡¯s eyes hardened at his tormentors, having such a blissful time. It was then that he noticed the leader of their raiding party sitting still with his horned mask secured to his face. He was the only one who did not celebrate, only watched his warriors with an unreadable posture.


    Almost as if he could sense Robert¡¯s gaze, the Rexunii looked to meet his eyes; only the black holes of the bone mask revealed none. He stood swiftly and strode over to where Robert had been tied for the night.


    The Dae stood before him, his grey cloak still stained with the blood of the Lokkadonian warriors Robert had called friends.


    ¡°Be careful who you look at with such hate in your eyes,¡± he said coldly, the fire behind him giving his form a frightening glow. ¡°Are you hungry? You look weak.¡±


    Robert said nothing, just stared at him with as much malice as he could muster. He¡¯s trying to trick me; as soon as I say something, he¡¯s going to hit me. he thought.


    ¡°Perhaps Demessa was not the right person to look after you; she can be extreme sometimes,¡± the Rexunii said, cocking his head to the side. ¡°It seems she hasn¡¯t been feeding you either. I¡¯ll see to that. Though your hunger won¡¯t matter much when we get to Thule.¡±


    Robert¡¯s eyes focused on the name. He had heard from Amynta that Thule was the capital of the Rexunii territory and that they worshiped dark spirits and were evil. He hadn¡¯t cared much to listen about the history and culture of a foreign clan, seeing as how he was trying his best to get home. It seemed so far that she had been accurate in her teachings.


    ¡°Why?¡± Robert said dryly, his voice cracked from dehydration and stress. ¡°Why did you take me? And why are you bringing me to your capital?¡±


    ¡°We have heard much of you. The King of Lokkadonia and the High King have spoken contradicting truths about what you are. Their High Espi-Dae has branded you demons, here to destroy us all. And the Hego of the southern territories in Lokkadonia has taken it upon himself to shelter your kind, despite orders from his masters.¡±


    He knelt down, closer to Robert. ¡°Our King has been most interested in seeing what you might bring us. We thought capturing you would not be possible, but here you are.¡±


    ¡°Then, why the mistreatment? Why have your warriors beat me?¡± Robert said with more defiance than he thought he could muster.


    The Rexunii warrior laughed at his little outburst. ¡°Because I don¡¯t know what you are. Demon or not, you are a creature I am not familiar with. So, I am being cautious.¡± He paused for a moment, as though in thought. ¡°I will tell Demessa to stop beating you. And to feed you more, she seems to have been taking your rations and using them for herself.¡±


    Robert was speechless at the sudden but strange gesture of kindness. He killed everyone¡­ and Veol, he thought, tending the fire of hatred in his heart.


    Then a thought came to him. The Dae did not know what he was, though the Lokkadonians showed curiosity in the form of scholarly intrigue, aside from the attempt on their lives the day of their arrival in Vul De Rah. The Rexunii may do something similar, but from the looks of things, more extreme.


    ¡°I will tell you what I am,¡± Robert said, fishing for a chance to get to know this leader. If he had enough compassion in his heart to offer food, maybe he could get more.


    The Dae said nothing, then cocked his head slightly to one side. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    Robert took a deep breath and did what he could to steel himself. ¡°I am what you call a human being, from a world called Earth. I was transported here in a flash of light, and awoke in the Spirit Forest. There were three of us there, and we were picked up by Oros and Boros as we made our way out of the forest.¡±


    ¡°Oros and Boros? Of House Ignos?¡± the Dae asked, sitting down before him, against another tree.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Robert replied. ¡°We were brought before the Hego and were forced to compete in the trial of Doxo.¡±


    The Dae chuckled at the mention of the trial. ¡°Some traditions never die. Do you know who Doxo was? A Rexunii warrior, that is ours from a time when this whole area was a part of our clan. Before the traitors from clan Lokkon rebelled and carved out Lokkadonia through blood and death. They enslaved our people who remained loyal to the true King of Rexunii.¡±


    ¡°The¡­ Doulos¡­¡± Robert said, slowly.


    ¡°Yes, the Doulos. They continue to commit crimes against us by forcing our lost brothers and sisters to remain slaves. Using the women and children for all manner of foul things, and the men, of course, to fight and toil.¡± The Dae paused again. He seemed to contemplate often, showing the heart of a very intelligent and determined leader. He removed his pale and terrifying mask. The Dae had pale blue skin and green eyes; he had rugged and handsome features and would have been a very attractive young man, save the massive and gruesome scar that tore its way across his face. Robert was not expecting to see it, and his eyes widened at the sight.


    ¡°You are an interesting creature,¡± he said, setting the mask to the side. ¡°And you seem intelligent enough to know that there are powers at work here that we cannot control. The High King has brought the Espi-Dae to Thule. What they decide to do with you¡­ I don¡¯t know what to tell you.¡±


    Robert¡¯s heart sank at the blunt declaration of his inevitable fate. The last person who was brought before them, that I know of, they burned at the stake. I¡¯m dead.


    The Dae must have noticed his obvious discomfort because he handed him a wineskin. ¡°We all have a duty we must uphold, creature.¡±


    Robert looked at the wineskin and shrugged, gesturing that he was bound. The Dae tilted it and let him drink from it.


    ¡°My name is Robert, by the way,¡± Robert said weakly, after the skin was pulled away.


    The Dae stood and turned to his warriors celebrating around the fire.


    ¡°Demessa!¡± he yelled, bringing silence to the festivities.


    Robert thought for a moment, on the sudden outburst, how powerful this Dae must be to command the immediate obedience of such fearsome warriors.


    Demessa came shuffling out of the crowd, her pearl-white hair disheveled and the smell of wine on her breath.


    ¡°Yes, my Lord?¡± she said, coming to attention before the Dae leader.


    ¡°The rest of you,¡± he said, pointing to the fire. ¡°You may continue.¡±


    The warriors turned as directed and continued to drink and enjoy themselves. However, there were many more eyes glancing in their direction, and the noise level had dropped significantly.


    ¡°I noticed here that our prisoner is not in the same condition as he was on the day of his capture.¡± He grabbed Robert¡¯s face and turned it from side to side, showing bruises, cuts, and a bad split lip. ¡°He also has not been fed properly for the last several days.¡±


    Demessa glanced a look of hatred at Robert and squinted her eyes at the accusation. She was clearly not entirely sober, but she said nothing.


    ¡°I was not clear in my order to refrain from beating him, so I will not bring that up further. However, from now on, I would like for you to do your best not to beat him. Unless he is disrespectful to you.¡±


    His eyes turned hard, and he grabbed the scruff of her grey tunic. ¡°But, I did give you instructions to keep him fed, and you have ignored it.¡± He tightened his grip on her and pulled her in close. ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn who your father is in court. I am second only to the king, and thus, you will obey my order as though I were a great spirit in the flesh. I have no qualms with tying you up and lashing you until your skin hangs from your bones.¡±


    Demessa¡¯s eyes flared with anger, but still, she said nothing. The Rexunii leader let go of her tunic and pushed her away. ¡°Now go enjoy your night. Have some wine, and find a mate for the night.¡±


    Demessa saluted him with an arm across her chest and stumbled back to the fire. She was drunk, but still, she turned to stare daggers at Robert. He knew this would have a terrible outcome.


    The trek after that improved with respect to Robert¡¯s condition, but still, he dreaded every step he took closer to his imminent death. Thule was known for two things by the Lokkadonians he had spoken to about it: The worship of dark spirits that resided beneath them and a hole in the ground known as the ¡®Pit of Mar¡¯ that served as some execution place. The limited knowledge he had of the Rexunii culture maddened him, but he could see how they were different from the Lokkadonians just from observing them. They had rituals and customs that were similar, of course; they had once been one nation. However, it was the distinct difference in how they acted and dressed that separated them the most. The Rexunii were passionate people, who lived in the moment more than the Dae he had come to know already.


    It wasn¡¯t long until Robert saw enormous spirals standing tall over the horizon. Thule. His chest ached at the sight. He hung his head and closed his eyes, hoping with some unknowable power that he would open them again and find himself back home.


    He was positioned behind Demessa on her mount, who had not spoken to him since the night with the bonfire. She had followed her orders robotically and without any further complaint. She was feeding him what she should and refraining from beating him, but today she had a smile on her face. ¡°You know they will not treat you well, demon,¡± she said, not attempting to keep her satisfaction hidden. ¡°They will torture you for information; they will cut your fingers from your hand.¡± She turned to look him in the eye. ¡°And you will beg them for the sweet release of death, during which I will enjoy every second they pull you apart.¡±


    Robert¡¯s insides churned with the thought, and his already racing heart began to double its efforts. She said nothing more as they approached the city. Its walls stood high above the ground, several hundred feet or so, with towers and large curved spikes of stone that jutted from the top of the wall and curved downward toward the ground in an unnatural way.


    As soon as the gates opened, Robert could see an immediate change in the manner of people that resided in the open area that surrounded the entrance. There were many shops and merchants that were crowded around, but they sold no merchandise or services. All that could be seen was a massive crowd of people who were split at the center, giving the Rexunii raiding party a clear way through their city. The buildings were much the same as Vul De Rah, looking as though they were grown from the ground itself. Some massive spirals loomed overhead, only larger, much larger. The city of Thule seemed to be near twice the size, if not bigger, than Vul De Rah. It was appropriate, seeing as how it was the capital city of Rexunii territory.


    The crowd around him was quiet. Only hushed murmurs and gestures could be detected. Robert tried to curl in on himself, instinctively attempting to hide from the thousands of peering and piercing eyes. His hands were shaking visibly, and he realized he must be a sad sight. -Here I am¡­ The Spirit-Sent¡­ pissing his pants before his death.


    Robert closed his eyes again, feeling tears pooling, causing his vision to blur. Why was this happening? Why did he come to this forsaken place? His mind began to go numb with the relative quiet. The slow and constant pattering of the Cro¡¯kan¡¯s feet and claws clicking on the stone pavement assaulted him. He kept his eyes closed as much as he could as they walked through winding roads and up steep inclines.


    He opened them when they halted, and he heard raised voices. Robert could see a large and imposing castle before him and saw its large doors swing open.


    ¡°Get off,¡± Demessa said, jumping from her mount.


    Robert did what he could to maintain his composure, but he found it hard to keep his legs from shaking.


    He wobbled through the door and into the massive halls of the castle. It had large rugs, and works of art decorated the walls. Not hanging paintings or fine pieces of furniture, but pristine sculptures made of crystal and massive stone murals that sported no paint but had colors all mixed together to create an image. It was as if some master mason melted the different colors of stone and mixed them together to show a beautiful picture.


    They brought him through the castle and finally into the throne room. Much like Hego Agron¡¯s, it was a large room with pillars and an entourage of nobles, warriors, and Espi-Dae. The man on the throne seemed like a young Dae. Compared to the seasoned look of Vul De Rah¡¯s Hego, this one had an aura of arrogance and youth that was difficult to measure. Robert still hadn¡¯t seen any extremely old Dae in his time in Pelemont. He had often wondered how old these people could get. There was a crown on his head and short-cropped hair, which was different compared to the majority of Dae he had seen, with their hair at shoulder length. He had light grey skin and piercing yellow eyes.


    ¡°Welcome back, Lord Turak!¡± The King said, standing to greet the band of Dae who entered the hall. The raid leader removed his horned mask and clasped forearms with the king in a very familiar gesture of friendship. The King¡¯s yellow eyes then turned to Robert, who stood wide-eyed and frozen. ¡°So this is the demon, correct?¡± He took a few steps closer to him.


    ¡°No, your highness!¡± called one of the Espi-Dae, the leader from the look of his garb. ¡°This is a dark creature. Don¡¯t let its timid and fearful exterior fool you. These are not to be trusted and can be quite dangerous.¡±


    The King ignored the Espi-Dae¡¯s words and approached Robert regardless. ¡°What do you think, Turak? You have been exposed to this creature for some time now. Is it dangerous to us?¡±


    Turak looked at Robert for a moment, his eyes showing none of his earlier compassion. ¡°He is harmless. He has not resisted us thus far. I don¡¯t think he is what they say he is. Espi-Arl should have investigated this a bit more.¡±


    There was a stammer of protesting from Espi-Arl, but it had little effect on Turak.


    ¡°That is my humble opinion, your majesty. I can, however, tell you with confidence that the reports of these creatures feeding on the flesh of our people, stealing children away, and being responsible for the misfortunes of businesses and crops are most likely¡­ fabricated.¡± He couldn¡¯t help a small smirk directed at the Espi-Dae. ¡°I would recommend more study¡­ and, of course, monitoring him for the duration. I volunteer to do so.¡±


    Robert¡¯s heart rose at the suggestion. There was still hope for him.


    Turak bowed his head slightly in respect, and the King squinted while rubbing his chin. ¡°So, this is your counsel then?¡±


    Turak nodded his head, eyes still stone cold.


    ¡°Your majesty, might I remind you of our agreement?¡± the Espi-Dae chimed in, stepping closer to the King. ¡°The High Espi-Dae has given his decree on these demons, and our cooperation with you is dependent on your decision here today. When you sent word to us detailing your intention to capture one, we came here. You gave us conditions for turning it over, and we have agreed and given our word. Your little conflict with the Lokkadonians will never develop into a war. The High King will never tolerate two of his most powerful clans slaughtering each other. But Vul De Rah and their heretic Hego have disgraced their clan and, as far as the High King is concerned, are fair game for your campaigns. We will support you if¡­¡± the Dae holy man looked at Robert, ¡°¡­you give us this demon.¡±


    The King¡¯s eyes narrowed at Espi-Arl. There was a short period of silence where Robert didn¡¯t breathe. His heart pounded in his chest with every second.


    ¡°What do you want to do with him?¡± the King asked.


    ¡°We wish to interrogate it¡­ and do our due diligence. Purification.¡±


    Turak scoffed at the words. ¡°We do not purify anything here. You are in our land, so you follow our laws. Our Espi-Dae do not burn criminals.¡±


    ¡°The Pits of Mar?¡± Espi-Arl asked, his face slightly disgusted. ¡°That awful place.¡±


    ¡°It is the test of our patron spirit,¡± Turak said, irritated.


    ¡°Yes, yes, I know. The dark spirit Dio¡¯Mar carved it out of the ground and made it her home. You throw criminals and deviants into the pits to be devoured by the creatures that live there and their own madness. We have all heard of it. However, we aren¡¯t fully in agreement with it. The monsters that are said to roam there are truly horrific creatures.¡±


    ¡°It is our way,¡± the King said, in support of Turak. ¡°So, if you want to have him, you may, but all we ask is that you respect our customs. We will honor no other spirits than Dio¡¯Mar. And your idea of purification is blasphemy here.¡±


    Robert inhaled sharply. The three Dae turned all at once to see him. He couldn¡¯t help himself; he was now crying openly. His sobs erupted as all the emotion and confusion of his situation poured out all at once. ¡°Just let me go!¡± He pleaded, with all he had, to the Rexunii before him. He begged for them to let him go; he couldn¡¯t bear this place any longer. His dignity, or all that was left of it, was gone now. Robert didn¡¯t care about customs or his image to these horrible creatures. He wasn¡¯t sure what he was trying to accomplish, but by God, he was going to do something, anything.


    For a moment, they listened. Soon after, though, the Espi-Dae signaled for his guards to take Robert from the raiders. He flung his arms in an attempt to fight off the warriors and even managed to toss a few to the ground with his unnatural strength, but eventually, he was overpowered and tied. His screams were muffled as well when a gag was put in his mouth, and they dragged him away.


    ~


    The King stood, staring at the large doors to his throne room, still open and echoing muffled screams. He was in deep thought.


    ¡°How very strange, the last one only spoke in gibberish. This is quite interesting. Please excuse me, your majesty. I have work to do.¡± Espi-Arl bowed and walked away, following the human.


    They waited for him to leave after his small entourage of holy men.


    ¡°This does not bode well,¡± Turak said. ¡°If I may speak freely.¡±


    ¡°Go on¡­¡± The King said.


    ¡°Alektor, we should have never spoken to these fools. I know it is important that we free our people from Lokkon, but these repugnant and decadent Espi-Dae? They are all from Torre¡¯... they are all corrupt. They do not believe in our ways, and they openly mock us. They will torture that creature and discard him. We could have learned much more if you had allowed me to work with him. Now who knows what will happen? I don¡¯t believe he deserves to be thrown into the pits, such a fate is reserved for only those who are irredeemable.¡±


    The King raised his hand for silence. ¡°I will do what is necessary to achieve my goals, the goals of our people. This is a win for the Rexunii, Turak. With the support of the High King and the Torre¡¯, we will finally be able to free our people from oppression and slavery.¡±


    ¡°And if this angers Dio¡¯Mar? What then if the spirit doesn¡¯t like our offering? She is a spirit of justice and vengeance. This creature may very well be innocent of any crime at all,¡± Turak said, frustration in his voice.


    Alektor looked at Turak with a chastising smirk. ¡°My dear friend, I think we both know that she doesn¡¯t live there anymore. Either that or she died a long, long time ago.¡±

 Chapter 22

    ¡°Excellent!¡± Avria shouted, thrusting her blade at Katrina, admiring her parry. Katrina had been training every day with her mentor, and over the countless hours spent, had become a formidable warrior. Not yet to the degree of lethality that was expected of the warriors of Vul De Rah, but she felt she was learning quickly.


    Avria swung her blade over her head, a shriek of electricity erupted from the weapon. Katrina arced her blade in the crest form, and a large pillar of stone shot from the ground at an angle and blocked her blade. The movement was flawless, and Avria followed up with several more Dunamis-enhanced attacks.


    After the session, Katrina soaked in the Regios bathhouse. A large room with dozens of baths masterfully made in the stone floor. Clearly, a powerful earth user had used the Dunamis to make them. Her body ached from the rigorous routine, but she floated now, carefree and relaxing in the warm water.


    ¡°I do find the Regios estate to be quite a lovely place,¡± Illya said, soaking in a bath next to hers. The Dae Krya had been spending a lot of time in the Regios estate lately. She insisted that she would accept the responsibility to teach Katrina the customs and courtesies of the Vul De Rah court, though it was most likely because she was bored. Katrina didn¡¯t mind the attention; she had an opportunity to indulge in the more feminine aspect of this world. Listening to court gossip was always fun, especially now that she had started to know many of the names that were mentioned. Avria seemed to encourage it as well, pushing her to spend time with more people and make friends. Friends, she thought.


    Her mind wandered to Robert. The man had been gone for nearly two months now, and there was little word on his progress. What would happen if they found a way back home? Her mind raced at the thought. The strange world she had woken up in was alien and terrifying, and yet against all her fear and uncertainty, she had come to enjoy her life here. She missed her parents and her friends, but her life on earth had been an uneventful one.


    Katrina let out a sigh and sank into the water, letting her mouth blow bubbles.


    ¡°Oh, come now,¡± Illya said, resting her arms on the edge of her bath. ¡°What ails you, my little human? Has Avria been pushing you a little too hard?¡± she said playfully.


    Katrina smiled as she rose a bit above the water again. ¡°Not really.¡± She stretched her arms up. ¡°It¡¯s been tough, but not too bad. Hey, is there any news from Robert yet? It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard much. Only that they arrived at the Spirit Forest a couple of months ago and have been actively studying the area,¡± Illya said.


    Katrina nodded her head. ¡°That¡¯s pretty much all I have heard too.¡±


    ¡°What about Daniel?¡± Illya asked with a sly grin on her face. ¡°How¡¯s his training going? I heard that he almost blew up the training field in the Glade.¡±


    Katrina chuckled; of course, Illya would know about this. It didn¡¯t matter how protected a secret like this was; she always managed to pick it up. Illya always had her ear to the ground in matters that interested her. After spending several sessions with the Dae Krya, she knew that Daniel was definitely on her radar as an interesting subject. She had asked about him every time she visited.


    With that thought in her mind, Katrina decided she would press that little button.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go see him?¡± Katrina said, turning to Illya and placing her elbows on the edge of the bath. ¡°You keep asking me about him. Why don¡¯t you stop by? I¡¯m sure he would love to see you.¡±


    Illya¡¯s face reeled at the bold suggestion. ¡°Well,¡± she said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if that would be¡­¡± She stopped for a moment and thought to herself. ¡°You know? That might be quite interesting. You think he might enjoy it?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes,¡± Katrina said, her smile deepening. ¡°You know, he asked about you last time I saw him.¡±


    ¡°He did?¡± Illya exclaimed.


    Technically she was telling the truth. In fact, the last time she saw Daniel, he had asked how everyone was doing. This, of course, would have included Illya.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll take your advice on this, Kat. You know, Oros was pretty disappointed that he didn¡¯t take him up on his offer to train him. I think that he would have fit in well with the court. I mean, look at you, Avria has nothing but good things to say.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s ears perked. ¡°Wait¡­ really?¡±


    ¡°She may be rude and about as feminine as a dehydrated Cro¡¯kan teetering on the edge of death, but she does have some soft spots. She is particularly fond of you. I must say, I was shocked when she told us that she felt your training was going far beyond her expectations. You, humans, are very strange indeed.¡±


    ¡°Sure, we¡¯re strange to you, Dae. Maybe that¡¯s why you are so obsessed with Daniel,¡± Katrina said.


    ¡°What?¡± Illya became slightly flustered. ¡°I¡¯m not ¡®obsessed¡¯ with Daniel. I just find him very interesting.¡±


    ¡°Seriously,¡± Katrina said, ¡°it has been months now; you are attracted to him. You should think about visiting him instead of me. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I love our conversations Illya, you always make me feel better after a tough day, but come on. Don¡¯t treat us like we¡¯re stupid.¡±


    Katrina paused. And for once, didn¡¯t hear one of the Dae Krya¡¯ quirky responses.


    Illya sat in deep thought, looking at a puddle of water beside her bath.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s a little strange. You are completely different creatures. I mean¡­ we don¡¯t even know if¡­ you know¡­ you have the same¡­¡± Illya gestured down toward her lower region.


    Katrina let out a laugh.


    ¡°Don¡¯t laugh! I¡¯ve been dying to know! I¡¯m serious, Kat, it is a very popular subject in court. I¡¯m not the only one asking either. My brother Boros has asked me more than a few times to tell him if you had the same¡­ you know¡­ everything as Dae women.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Katrina exclaimed, laughing at the thought. ¡°Boros asked you to see if I had a vagina?¡±


    ¡°Oh! So you do!¡± Illya said.


    ¡°I know that look, and if you¡¯re thinking to yourself that because I have the same, then surely a human male does¡­¡± Katrina held for a dramatic pause. ¡°¡­no they don¡¯t. I¡¯m sad to say that they have vaginas as well.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Illya screamed, completely shocked.


    Katrina laughed intensely. Grasping her sides and falling into the water of the bath.


    Illya folded her arms across her chest and shook her head in disapproval.


    ¡°You know that isn¡¯t funny. Tell me the truth.¡±


    Katrina finished up her laugh, wiping a couple of tears out of her eyes. ¡°No, I¡¯m kidding. Of course, they have penises,¡± she said, still stifling some giggles.


    Illya¡¯s face cracked, and she broke out in laughter as well.


    -


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Achoo!¡±


    ¡°Spirits keep you,¡± Delmos said.


    ¡°Thanks, someone must be talking about me,¡± Daniel said, hefting a wooden sword in his hands.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s my sister asking for the merciful Great Spirits to hurl a stone from the beyond and crush you. She would rejoice,¡± Delmos said.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daniel said.


    ¡°If it¡¯s any comfort to you, my friend, I would mourn.¡± the Dae said, exaggerating a bow.


    Daniel chuckled to himself and brought his weapon up in a readied stance. The training with Oros and Delmos, had been quickly excelling in all areas of battle. Daniel had found himself at a significant disadvantage, however, when it came to the blade.


    ¡°Keep your guard up!¡± Delmos yelled, giving Daniel another hit to the side of his head.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Daniel said, trying his best to block out the pain. ¡°That was a cheap shot, asshole.¡±


    ¡°If by cheap shot, you mean whooping your ass is like snatching sweets from a Dae toddler? Then yes, it is cheating for someone like you to step into the ring with me.¡± Delmos twirled his weapon playfully.


    ¡°Really? You weren¡¯t that smug when I bashed your face in during the trial of Doxo. Where was all this fancy skill then?¡± Daniel retorted.


    ¡°Ah, details¡­ oh well. I¡¯m getting my licks in now, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    Daniel continued his great effort and failed each time. It was maddening how quick the little bastard was. Still, though, it seemed much easier than it had when he first began to learn the sword. His reflexes were improving, and his strength had to be held back on just about everything he did.


    After the session, Daniel and Delmos started to make their way back to the Palace. As they approached the entrance, a Dae servant opened the doors and hurried to stand before them.


    ¡°Spirit-Sent,¡± the servant said with a bow. ¡°Hego Agron has requested your presence. It is quite urgent.¡±


    Daniel entered the Throne room and saw that it was full. There was shouting and chaos as many of the nobles and warriors shot slurs and insults toward one another.


    He was looking for Katrina in the crowd when he saw Avria standing next to Hego Agron and Katrina standing next to her. Of course, she¡¯s up there. He thought.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± a familiar voice called through the noise.


    He turned to see Oros striding towards him.


    ¡°I am glad you are here, my friend.¡±


    He clasped Daniel¡¯s arm in the now well-rehearsed warrior¡¯s greeting.


    ¡°Oros! Good to see you again, it¡¯s been a little while. What¡¯s going on here?¡± Daniel gestured around the room.


    Suddenly the Dae Kryo¡¯s face went solemn. ¡°It seems that an expedition that went to the south was attacked and slaughtered. Lord Veol was butchered and left to rot under the sun, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait a second,¡± Daniel said, his memory working to pull the name. ¡°Veol was in charge of Robert¡¯s expedition to the Spirit Forest. You mean that¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, it would seem that something has happened to your friend. However, we did not find his body among the dead, so there is still hope that the Rexunii have captured him.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s mouth hung open at the revelation. ¡°The Rexunii?¡± he asked. ¡°You mean that clan to the south?¡±


    Oros nodded and looked to his father, who sat in deep thought on his throne, seemingly ignoring the loud room around him.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Avria called out, her voice booming and bringing silence. She turned to Agron and bowed.


    Agron stirred for a moment, then stood to address the room.


    ¡°My fellow nobles, warriors, and Dae of the faith. This is a crisis, indeed, and I can understand why there is a call for action and blood. Lord Veol was¡ª¡±


    ¡°My son!¡± called a noble, cutting him off. ¡°He went out there with one of those demons! And lost his head to the blasted Rexunii.¡±


    Daniel could see tears in the noble¡¯s eyes; he was stricken with grief and lashed out at the Hego.


    ¡°Lord Sumander will watch his tongue!¡± Avria shouted. ¡°We mourn for the loss of your son, but he was a warrior of Lokkadonia and a hero of Vul De Rah. He knew the risks of this life when he took the red.¡± She took a step to the side of the Hego. ¡°You will remember yourself.¡±


    Murmurs echoed through the hall, and Agron shook his head in disappointment. ¡°This is not the first time they have tried something like this. You all remember their last king and his campaign for conquest when they tried to slaughter the Sabree to the East. Their king is dead, and a new one has risen, looking for blood. Our blood!¡± Agron began pacing, looking down at his fellows. ¡°They are oppressors and murderers, my friends, and have robbed us of one of our favorite sons.¡± His eyes turned to Lord Sumander. ¡°I mourn with you, brother. I will carve the eyes out of their king for what they have done. Raiding parties are one thing, crossing our borders to harass villages and burn crops, but to openly attack and kill our warriors is an act of war! This must be repaid!¡±


    He turned to Nasha, who stood at the front of the crowd. The Female warrior bowed her head. ¡°Nasha, you will bring your warriors to meet at Vul De Mar, petition the king for permission to repay this act of violence against us, in full. Tell him that I am doing this merely as a courtesy, and will attack them on my own whether he approves of it or not.¡± He turned again to the crowd, with anger in his eyes. ¡°I have lost confidence in King Yomin¡¯s ability to see reason, and you all know why.¡±


    He gestured to Katrina, who stood beside Avria. ¡°It is because of these humans that we are under siege. Not only from the Rexunii to the south, but from within, the King has proven his incompetence by siding with mortals. Look around you, friends, and see that the Espi-Dae have abandoned us. Those foolish Dae who wallow in corruption and decadence while the rest of us pay their way. Well, we do not need the guidance of mortal cravens.¡± He pointed his hands to the ceiling of his hall. ¡°When we have the guidance of the spirits themselves!¡±


    All eyes looked above to see a gargoyle-like creature perched above them. Gro¡¯ak nodded in approval at the words and slowly sank into the side of the dome roof he was near.


    There were gasps of surprise as the attending Dae saw the spirit make its exit. Based off their reaction, Daniel figured that was a first for just about everyone here.


    Follow up statements were made by Agron, and the call to war was resounding. After that, the nobles and warriors in the hall exited, but Oros made sure to keep Daniel with him. Daniel had been very silent for the duration of the speeches, not quite sure how to grasp the loss of his brief friend.


    ~


    Katrina sat in a chair in one of the Hego¡¯s many meeting rooms. Oros, Boros, Avria, and Daniel were all there. How could this have happened? she thought, feeling the pang of anguish in the absence of Robert. When she heard about the attack, overwhelming guilt struck her. The last time she had really spoken to him was in a terrible argument.


    ¡°Kat,¡± Daniel said, walking up to her, ¡°they don¡¯t think he¡¯s dead, so there could still be some hope.¡±


    ¡°Hope for what? They burn him alive? You remember what they tried to do to us?¡± She clenched her fists. ¡°We have to get him back, Daniel, I¡¯ll never forgive myself if we can¡¯t¡­¡±


    Daniel put his arm on her shoulder, to comfort her maybe. She could tell he wasn¡¯t the best at it, but she appreciated the gesture. Katrina put her face in her hands and let out a sigh.


    ¡°So, what do we do?¡± Boros said, walking to stand next to Katrina. ¡°Father wants to go to war, in retribution for the attack on our warriors, but how does that help us get Robert back?¡±


    ¡°He knew the risk when he left,¡± Avria said. ¡°He stood in the throne room before all of us and accepted that the dangers would be there. We cannot go galivanting around near the Rexunii territory and not expect the same ill fate to fall upon us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of a Rexunii raiding party,¡± Boros said boldly. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of any one of their fledgling little warriors.¡±


    Avria shook her head in disapproval, then looked pleadingly to Oros. ¡°Please help me talk some sense into this little fool. Have you heard what has happened in the last five years in Thule? Their warrior-king?¡± She glared at Boros¡¯ look of defiance. ¡°This is a Dae who carved the Rexunii elite out of their places of power and cast them into the flames. Who stood before the might of their clan and wiped out all who opposed his ascension. You can sit here and say what you want about fighting a warrior like that and call them weak, spitting baseless insults, but the reality of the situation, little boy, is that they are formidable opponents. So we can¡¯t make any mistakes, otherwise our clan will fall.¡±


    ¡°You are speaking as though he is ascended or something. If he had killed a spirit, they would have come down on him with the full might of their power.¡±


    ¡°Boros,¡± his brother Oros said sternly. ¡°It is time for you to shut up now. Avria is right.¡± The words brought silence to the room. It was the first time Katrina had heard Oros openly agree with Avria. Boros looked at him in shock.


    ¡°We absolutely must tread carefully. The Rexunii have been trying to appeal to the High King for many, many years to get him to force us to release the Doulos. A young and hot-headed king like Alektor will be more prone to act rashly. And we have to think as to why they would strike at our little expedition so directly.¡±


    ¡°They wanted to get Robert,¡± Daniel said. ¡°It was a planned and coordinated attack. Much more so than any of the raids in the South. Am I right?¡±


    Oros nodded his head in agreement as he replied. ¡°They knew he was there and sent a formidable warrior to confront Lord Veol. He alone should have been enough to fend off a force of forty or fifty warriors. With this in mind, I find it unlikely that they would harm him seriously in any way. They went to capture a human, and now they have him.¡±


    The room was silent for several moments.


    ¡°Unless they intend to trade him to the Espi-Dae for their support,¡± Avria said bluntly. ¡°A new king with a chip on his shoulder against us, and a new opportunity to gain favor with the Torre¡¯. The High King has little power in his land, and the Espi-Dae are attempting to rally support against Hego Agron for openly disobeying them.¡±


    Oros pondered at the thought. ¡°You are probably right, Avria, that does make sense. It would give him the High King¡¯s blessing to attack us without fear of retribution. Which means it¡¯s a fight he thinks he can win.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that, Oros,¡± Avria said. ¡°But although it is a fight he thinks he can win, I assure you that he will not. With you on the battlefield? Even Gro¡¯ak would feel fear.¡±

 Chapter 23

    Daniel made his way through the hallway toward Oros¡¯ favorite study. Yesterday¡¯s news of Robert¡¯s capture at the hands of the Rexunii made his blood boil. Though he didn¡¯t know him well, the thought of what they could be subjecting Robert to was more than enough to keep Daniel on edge. The Dae had brutally killed the last human they had in their custody. He hoped and prayed the same fate wouldn¡¯t meet Robert. Opening the door to the study, he found Oros, Avria, and Delmos in the sitting area.


    ¡°Daniel,¡± Oros said, standing to greet him.


    ¡°Good to see you,¡± Daniel said, and he clasped his arm. Then did the same to Delmos, who was uncharacteristically quiet. He looked at Avria, who had remained in her seat, only nodding at him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get straight to business,¡± Oros said, gesturing to a container of wine on the table between them. ¡°Wine?¡±


    Daniel shook his head. ¡°No thanks.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Oros said. ¡°From what we¡¯ve heard from our spies, Robert is in Thule. The capital city of Rexun. He¡¯s being held by the Espi-Dae, and though we¡¯ve tried to find out. There are no details of his state except that he¡¯s alive.¡±


    ¡°If the Espi-Dae has him, he¡¯s as good as dead,¡± Avria said, looking into her bowl of wine.


    Daniel looked at her, a pang of anger rising within him. He knew she was probably right. The Espi-Dae were the religious arm of the Dae, and saw him and his kind as demons.


    ¡°Avria,¡± Oros said, ¡°You could be a bit more optimistic. He¡¯s alive, and thus there is a chance to rescue him.¡±


    ¡°Rescue him?¡± she asked, looking up at Oros. ¡°You mean infiltrating Rexun? Sneaking into not only the capital city but the royal palace? Fighting our way through Rexunii elite and possibly the king himself?¡±


    Oros huffed, frustration clear on his face. ¡°If there is a chance, then yes. He¡¯s alive, and that is what¡¯s important. Gro¡¯ak tasked my family with protecting the humans.¡± He raised his hand to Daniel. ¡°We¡¯ve failed.¡±


    ¡°There are worse things than death,¡± Daniel said.


    Oros and Avria both looked at him.


    ¡°Who knows what they¡¯ve done to him?¡± Daniel continued. Taking an exaggerated glance around the study, then he focused on Avria. ¡°Where¡¯s Katrina? She should be here for this meeting.¡±


    ¡°I think not,¡± Avria said, her yellow eyes boring into his. ¡°She is too attached to him. And I ordered her to stay here. The less she knows of Robert¡¯s fate, the better.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t your call,¡± Daniel said, sternly.


    ¡°It is, actually,¡± Avria said. ¡°She is my student, and has at least some modicum of respect for her master¡¯s wishes.¡± She shot a look at Oros. ¡°Something you have yet to teach your charge. His lack of discipline is a clear reflection of your own.¡±


    ¡°Avria,¡± Oros said, beginning to stand.


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Daniel said, cutting Oros off. His anger was beginning to get the better of him. He was so sick and tired of this woman and her condescending attitude. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want to do anything about Robert because you told her not to, then so be it. But I¡¯m not going to sit around and do nothing.¡± He turned to face Oros. ¡°What¡¯s the plan? Are we going to get him?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving tonight,¡± Oros said, ¡°You and Delmos are coming with me.¡±


    Avria scoffed, shaking her head. ¡°Have you run this by your father?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission,¡± Daniel said.


    ¡°Wise words,¡± Oros smiled. ¡°You are correct, Avria, we won¡¯t be asking for my father¡¯s blessing. Rexun infiltrated our territory, killed Veol and his warriors, and abducted Robert, and I find the politics of it all tiring.¡±


    Daniel noticed a faint smile curl at the edge of Avria¡¯s lips. He knew at that moment, that Oros struck a chord in her.


    ¡°Very well,¡± she said, standing and looking at her brother, Delmos. ¡°Honor House Regios, Delmos. And stay safe.¡±


    Delmos bowed his head to her, his usual grin on his face.


    ~


    After the small meeting, Daniel and Delmos made their way to the palace Courtyard. There they found a war-group of Lokkadonian warriors atop Cro¡¯kan. Daniel marveled at their crimson cloaks and bone masks. They looked strong and capable. Just as the thought entered his mind, he felt someone grasp his shoulder.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Oros said, smiling and handing him a bundle of crimson cloth and bone armor.


    Daniel looked at the gift with no small amount of reverence.


    ¡°You are already a warrior,¡± Oros said, ¡°and on this journey, we will spill blood together. You will earn this.¡±


    ¡°I guess now we¡¯re brothers,¡± Delmos said, helping Daniel put it all on.


    They rode that night at a fast pace, making their way to the edge of the Spirit Forest by the time the light of dawn started to bleed over the grass fields. Daniel wasn¡¯t a seasoned rider by any means, and felt the punishment of the saddle far more than expected.


    As they approached the tree line, Daniel shivered at the sight of the hair-like branches of the trees. They still creeped him out.


    Oros rode toward several tents that were already erected around a fire, and a row of what Daniel assumed were bodies, covered by linen. A small formation of Lokkadonian warriors had assumed defensive positions, clearly not expecting their arrival. One of the warriors strode toward Oros, and saluted as he came to a halt.


    ¡°Kryo Oros, we were not expecting you or anyone else until well into the afternoon.¡± The warrior removed their mask, and Daniel saw it was a female Dae. ¡°Lieutenant, Vissa of House Kurt,¡± she said, bowing her head slightly. ¡°I led the scouting party that found the aftermath.¡±


    ¡°Well met, Lieutenant,¡± Oros said, dismounting. ¡°Put my warriors to work on your perimeter, and let¡¯s find a place we can speak.¡±


    Daniel, Delmos, and Oros made their way into the center tent with Vissa. Within was a small table with maps and parchment on it, and a small floating ball of flame lit the inside.


    Daniel took a moment to remove his helmet and mask and saw Vissa¡¯s eyes widen in surprise.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± she said, ¡°¡­you¡¯re one of the Spirit-Sent.¡±


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


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Oros huffed, ¡°Lieutenant, we don¡¯t have time to gawk. This is Daniel, yes, he¡¯s one of the spirit-sent, and no, there isn¡¯t time to go over it.¡± He tapped his finger on the map. ¡°Tell me everything you know about what happened here.¡±


    Any shock she might have had, quickly dissolved as she nodded and leaned over the map. ¡°We arrived after our Dae-Voh and Dae-Rin sensed the battle. We found the bodies when we arrived and sent word to Vul De Rah, then began our pursuit.¡± She pointed at a part of the map. ¡°We weren¡¯t sure they were Rexunii at first, but as we tracked them, we saw they were making their way South to Rexun. Once we got close enough to see their force, it was too late; they had already passed into their territory.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t engage them?¡± Daniel asked.


    Vissa looked at him, a hint of sympathy in her eyes. ¡°We couldn¡¯t; they were triple our numbers, and¡­¡± she sighed, ¡°¡­they were led by Lord Turak, of House Skotos.¡±


    ¡°Turak,¡± Oros said, gritting his teeth. ¡°They sent him for this?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s the right hand of the Rexunii King,¡± Oros shook his head. ¡°And one of the most skilled warriors in Rexun. If they sent him¡­ We must keep moving. We will rest here for a few hours, then continue into Rexunii territory.¡±


    The tent flap opened, and a Dae warrior entered, bowing and then looking at Vissa. ¡°Ma¡¯am, something is happening at the Spirit Forest¡¯s tree line.¡±


    Daniel looked at Oros, and they darted outside following the Warrior.


    ¡°Kholek!¡± Vissa yelled after the warrior. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°The trees are opening a pathway!¡± Kholek called back, leading them through the small encampment to the tree line.


    When Daniel saw it, he was reminded of when he first emerged from the forest with Katrina and Robert. The strange trees had opened again, only this time, there was a tall green figure floating there.


    The Dae slowed their pace as they approached the figure. Daniel noticed they had lowered their weapons, and many had fallen to their knees. A spirit, he thought, coming up behind Oros.


    ¡°Spirit!¡± Oros bellowed, bowing his head in reverence. ¡°How may the sons of Lokkon serve you?¡±


    The spirit floated closer, scanning her large green eyes over the assembled Dae. As they reached Daniel, she stopped and focused on him. ¡°Son of Ignos¡­¡± the spirit said; her voice was melodic, and Daniel couldn¡¯t help but feel a strong shiver crawl up his spine. She was speaking to Oros, but her eyes were fixed on him. ¡°I welcome you to our home¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Spirit.¡± Oros brought his head up and looked at her. ¡°We have come to investigate a murderous crime that took place upon your doorstep. Many sons of Lokkadonia were slain here, and one of our charges was abducted.¡±


    The spirit turned to regard Oros, ¡°Robert¡­ the human,¡± she said, sadness in her voice.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Daniel said, stepping forward. ¡°We¡¯re trying to get him back. Anything you can tell us would help.¡±


    The spirit floated uncomfortably close to Daniel, and she spread her hands to the side. ¡°I am Mioh¡­ one of the wards of this forest¡­ I spent many days conversing with your friend¡­ I was sad to see the Sons of Rexun come and take him. What may I ask, is your name?¡±


    ¡°Daniel,¡± he said, mirroring her stance, bringing his hands out to his sides. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±


    Mioh smiled and inclined her head towards him. ¡°I will tell you that Rexun warriors came and took him beyond our sight.¡±


    ¡°Beyond your sight?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°Rexun¡¯s capital city is a blind spot for the Spirits of this forest. We are not friendly toward the spirits there.¡±


    ¡°So, there are, what, spirit factions?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°Spirits are complex¡­ and our interactions with one another cannot be explained in a short time. I fear you have many things to do, Daniel¡­ I will tell you that any attempt to recover Robert from Thule¡­ will prove unsuccessful¡­¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°We need to try at least get him back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Spirit, Mioh,¡± Oros said. ¡°We made an oath to the Elder Spirt, Gro¡¯ak. That we would protect these humans. In failing to do so, I am obligated to do my best to return him.¡±


    ¡°You have already failed¡­ Son of Ignos¡­¡± Mioh said, her eyes glowing in what Daniel could only guess was anger. ¡°Your intentions are noted¡­ but your charge is well out of your grasp. They came for him¡­ and bringing another to their doorstep¡­ will not serve any purpose than to further disgrace your efforts¡­¡±


    Damn Daniel thought, at the harsh words. She isn¡¯t cutting him any slack at all.


    ¡°I am ashamed,¡± Oros said, bowing even lower than before. ¡°Is there some way to restore the Spirit¡¯s favor to us?¡±


    Mioh smiled again, and turned to the pathway from the forest. ¡°You will return your scholar¡­ to where she belongs¡­ Robert sacrificed himself to save her¡­ ensure it was not in vain¡­¡±


    Daniel looked at the opening and saw a Dae slowly walking from it, with dark skin and wearing a cumbersome cloak. ¡°Amynta?¡± He walked toward her.


    Amynta¡¯s eyes darted from one person to the next until they fell on Daniel. Tears welled, and she sprinted toward him.


    Daniel caught her as she lunged into his arms.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how happy I am to see you!¡± she said, pulling back to look at him.


    ¡°Yeah, you too,¡± he said, feeling a bit guilty for essentially forgetting that she was even on the expedition. ¡°Are you hurt at all?¡±


    She shook her head, then let go of Daniel, backing up and bowing as Oros and Vissa approached. ¡°Kryo Oros,¡± she said.


    Oros looked her over, then motioned for Vissa. ¡°Get her into the command tent. I want to debrief her as soon as we¡¯re finished.¡±


    Vissa saluted by bringing her fist across her chest. ¡°Yes, my Kryo.¡±


    ¡°I need not take any more of your time¡­¡± Mioh said, ¡°I have returned her to her own kind¡­ and can now be at peace.¡± She floated closer to Daniel; her eyes bore into him. ¡°My last words to you¡­ human¡­ be wary of Rexun. A cloud of corruption and darkness has its home there.¡±


    ~


    Daniel and Delmos entered the tent and saw Amynta sitting on one of the several chairs assembled. She looked tired and emotionally drained. She took a bite of food, then a long drink from a water skin.


    Oros entered after Daniel and sat down across from Amynta. ¡°Alright,¡± he said, giving her a moment to finish drinking. ¡°Let¡¯s go over it from the beginning.¡±


    Amynta sat up straight. ¡°Of course, my Kryo. Over the course of our time here, we discovered several interesting anomalies about the arrival of the humans.¡± Her eyes darted to Daniel¡¯s. ¡°First, and most intriguing is that the Spirit¡¯s here aren¡¯t familiar with the energy that brought them here. A source outside of the realm of the spirits.¡±


    Oros looked shocked. ¡°Power outside of the spirits?¡± He leaned closer to Amynta.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she continued, ¡°they aren¡¯t sure what the source could be, perhaps from your world.¡± She pointed to Daniel.


    Daniel shrugged. ¡°Maybe, I wouldn¡¯t know. The Dunamis is considered supernatural on my world. Though, I suppose the same could be said about our world to yours.¡±


    Amynta nodded, then looked again at Oros. ¡°Beyond that, one of the ancient spirits of the forest, Miza,¡± she bowed her head before continuing, ¡°mentioned that the humans were even older than the spirits. Again, a perplexing statement.¡±


    Oros turned to Daniel. ¡°Interesting.¡± He looked at him for several seconds. ¡°Strange indeed.¡±


    ¡°Ironically,¡± Delmos said, speaking for the first time since entering the tent, ¡°the only thing said to be older than spirits, are demons.¡±


    There was a long and pregnant silence that followed, as Amynta squirmed in her chair.


    ¡°I¡­¡± She hesitated. ¡°Yes, that would be correct. According to our scriptures, the only thing before the light of the spirits was the darkness, and within that were¡­¡± she glanced at Daniel, ¡°¡­demons.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s mind was racing at the implications. ¡°What exactly do you consider demons to be? Our world has versions of these as well. Or at least many believe it. Our religions are more elusive. There isn¡¯t just one, and they all have different beliefs when it comes to a higher power.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Amynta said, ¡°we believe they are entities of evil that corrupt and counter the will and grace of the spirits. They are their antithesis.¡±


    ¡°But the spirits themselves aren¡¯t all good, right?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°There are dark spirits from what I understand. If the spirits aren¡¯t an absolute good, then are demons not absolutely evil?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more for the Espi-Dae to answer,¡± she said, ¡°But we don¡¯t have enough interactions with them to know for sure. Every instance in history where Dae or Spirits have delt with them, it is always against terrible evil.¡±


    ¡°When was the last time you delt with an actual demon in your world?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Amynta looked at the floor. ¡°I think it¡¯s around a thousand years ago.¡±


    Daniel was a religious man, he was brought up catholic, but didn¡¯t consider himself the best of them. He had done things while in the military that many of that religion would not condone. Still, the events that he was experiencing on a daily basis here in Pelemont brought everything he had ever learned into question.


    ¡°Are the four great spirits the first?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Amynta said, ¡°they created our world, but have been asleep for thousands of years.¡±


    ¡°And who created them?¡± Daniel asked.


    Amynta shook her head. ¡°They have always been¡ª¡±


    The flaps to the tent opened, and Lieutenant Vissa stuck her head inside. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, my Kryo, but our forward scouts have just reported back. There are raiders from Rexun nearing our borders to the South. They look like scavengers, coming to pick the battlefield. Not Rexunii warriors.¡±


    Oros stood and placed his hand on Daniel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Despite what you heard here, know that I still trust you. You are no demon.¡±


    Daniel nodded, in appreciation.


    ¡°Now,¡± Oros continued, ¡°Let¡¯s spill some Rexunii blood.¡±

 Chapter 24

    Robert screamed and gasped from pain as the torturer stabbed another pin under one of his nails. He struggled to breathe but found it difficult to funnel air through his broken nose and blood-filled mouth.


    ¡°Shush,¡± the Dae said, taking a white cloth and dabbing at the blood that smeared his ruined face. ¡°We have learned much from you, my little demon. Just a bit more. We are almost there.¡±


    Robert¡¯s mind was in a shambles. He had lost track of time and buried his thoughts of home and loved ones behind a wall of despair. It had been what seemed an endless amount of time of the same routine; strapped to a stone slab in bonds of sand, every morning, the torturer known only as Gurt, would come into his cell, talk to him for a time about how he slept and how his dinner was. Then, in mid-conversation, he would casually begin to apply his terrible skill. The torturer was a Dae-Voh, and would create small pins of sand that would penetrate his skin and change size and shape while within. Large portions of skin were peeled off as well, using a similar method of manipulating sand. Regular beatings and questioning were sprinkled in between, and the fragile sanity he had held onto after waking up was all but shattered. He confessed to all they accused him of. Everything from plotting to destroy the Dae in collusion with dark spirits; to feeding on the flesh of their children. It didn¡¯t matter anymore to him. The first two days, he resisted, trying to muster his strength and break free. He screamed at first, telling them that he wasn¡¯t a demon, just lost. But the pain was too much, and it took its toll on him; it broke him down, and now he just wanted to die. Why won¡¯t they let me die? he often wondered to himself in the long hours of the night, weeping as his wounds burned and ached in agony.


    ¡°The Espi-Dae is coming today, isn¡¯t that wonderful?¡± Gurt said, manipulating another pin of sand into his flesh. ¡°I hope he lets you stay here a bit longer; I have enjoyed you the most, I think. More than anyone in a long time. I think it¡¯s your blood... your blood looks so interesting.¡± He touched his fingers to Robert¡¯s bloody hand and began to rub the blood between his fingers.


    Robert endured another several hours of the torture, rasping with pain as his tired body was stabbed, cut, burned, and beaten yet again until finally he heard the sound of boots echoing in the halls. Robert hoped it was the end for him; he silently prayed for it. While at home, he was a progressive student and believed in scientific innovation and social justice; here, under the knife of torture, in a world that could not be explained, with spirits and monsters, all he knew was that he knew nothing at all. That there were larger powers in the universe than the insignificant human being he was. He had never prayed as an adult, but recalling his childhood Sunday School classes, he prayed to whatever may be above to release him from this constant torment.


    The door opened, and Espi-Arl walked in with his entourage of holy men and several guards. Robert¡¯s eyes were swollen from the beatings, only his left eye still seemed to open now, but he saw that Demessa had made her appearance finally. She had warned him of this, telling him that they would pick him apart. They did, and now she had come to see the result. There was a moment while the visitors processed the sight before them. Many seemed disgusted at the gruesome scene, Demessa included. The scent of death and defecation was overwhelming. She flared her nose at the smell of it all and turned away after making brief eye contact with Robert.


    ¡°Good work, Gurt,¡± Espi-Arl said, stepping closer to see the details of his performance. ¡°Its blood is¡­ red. Do we know why yet?¡±


    ¡°No, my Lord, I do not yet know why. If I had more time, I could¡ª¡± Gurt was cut off by Demessa as she stepped forward.


    ¡°The King has demanded that he be purified immediately. We are here to bring him to the temple,¡± she said.


    Relief flowed over Robert. The thought of an end to this living hell was more than he could bear. He smiled a broken smile, and tears again began to well in his eyes.


    ¡°The King does not command me,¡± the Espi-Dae said defiantly. ¡°I serve the High Espi-Dae, who advises the High King and answers to the Spirits themselves. You can tell Alektor that I will do what I deem most appropriate with this creature.¡±


    Demessa¡¯s eyes flared at the insult to her King. ¡°You should remember where you are. The Espi-Dae are not as widely appreciated here as in Torre¡¯. Our King rose to power to end the foolish corruption of Dae like you, and we threw them into the pits to answer for their crimes. Do not disrespect him here, or you will find yourself in a similar position.¡± She paused for a moment, then nodded to the rest of the guards. ¡°You have ten minutes to finish your work, Arl, then he comes with us to the temple of Dio¡¯Mar.¡±


    She turned and exited the cell with her guards, leaving the Espi-Dae and his followers alone with Robert.


    The Dae fumed silently as he looked at Robert. ¡°Finding a live specimen has been extremely difficult. Unfortunately, the Rexunii found him, and we are stuck here in this dung heap of a territory. These people have no class. All they want to do is kill each other.¡± The Espi surrounding him nodded in agreement. ¡°We will let them kill each other all they want.¡± He looked at Robert again. ¡°We will do what we must. Obey the orders of the King, but bring a piece for study. We need to get as much out of this as we can.¡±


    ¡°A piece, my Lord?¡± Gurt asked.


    ¡°Take his hand. We will leave the rest for the pit.¡±


    Robert¡¯s heart began to race again. He knew more pain was coming and struggled against his bonds.


    Gurt raised his hand, and a blade of sand formed around it. With a rough grip, he lifted Robert¡¯s right hand.


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    ¡°No!¡± Robert gurgled but was cut off by a sickening crunch and pop. Pain shot through his right arm. He screamed, but only a desperate wheeze came out.


    Gurt held up the severed appendage with unrepentant indifference and admired his work. ¡°A clean cut,¡± he said with a smile.


    ~


    Robert was dragged from the cell and brought into the sunlight after what seemed like weeks of the dimly lit dungeon. He couldn¡¯t feel the warmth as it hit his face; there was too much pain. He had been pondering how he could have survived for so long after the amount of trauma he had endured and the amount of blood that seemed to have seeped from his body. Nothing made sense anymore. Nothing worked as it should in this world, it seemed.


    They brought him into a large temple located in the center of the city. With the familiar spiral towers erected as if grown from the ground, Robert could tell that this was a very important structure to the Rexunii. He finally entered a large room; it was filled with Dae from all levels of the Rexunii hierarchy. Gasps could be heard as they saw the bloodied mess of what was once a human being dragged by his arms.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Turak called, stepping from the crowd to the Warriors carrying Robert. ¡°How did¡­?¡± His face was one of disbelief. That face turned to anger as he looked at Espi-Arl. ¡°You have overstepped! You have ruined him.¡±


    Arl seemed puzzled at the outburst. ¡°What are you talking about? We conducted our experiments and questioning.¡±


    ¡°Dio¡¯Mar is a spirit of Justice; she will see this and bring retribution to us,¡± Turak said, gritting his teeth.


    Espi-Arl sighed. ¡°The Spirits don¡¯t work like that, Lord Turak; she is no longer here. How many of the criminal scum that you throw down there come crawling back up? None, they are judged by the creatures down there, not your spirit.¡±


    King Alektor approached from behind Turak, his face also twisted in disgust. His eyes lingered on Robert, then shot to Arl. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡±


    ¡°Since when do so many attend the casting ceremony?¡± Arl asked.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t every day we cast a creature like this into the Pit of Mar. Many of our people wanted to see him. They are calling these creatures the Spirit-Sent in the North; many of our enslaved brethren in Lokkadonia are worshiping them. I¡¯m still not quite sure what to make of it.¡± Alektor put his hand on Turak¡¯s shoulder to calm him.


    Espi-Arl smirked condescendingly, ¡°It bleeds like any other creature. After this, your highness, you will see that there is nothing to be afraid of. Your spirit Dio¡¯Mar will be at rest, and you will have what you want for your war with Lokkadonia.¡±


    -


    Turak took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he now watched the ceremony take place. The Dae had been conflicted with his alliance with the Torre¡¯ Espi-Dae. The High King ruled the other clan territories by commanding the money and trade. Torre¡¯ had maintained dominion this way for hundreds of years, and every Moot that was held was now just a formality for the new ruler from that territory. Turak hated the Torre¡¯ and the Espi-Dae leadership for their malfeasance and debasement, but they were not yet strong enough to free their people from their ancient rivals, the Lokkadonians. He shifted in his seat next to his King and longtime friend, Alektor. The Ruler looked conflicted as well by this grotesque display of cruelty by the Torre¡¯ Espi, and though a generally practical ruler, Turak could see through his yellow eyes that he feared the wrath of Dio¡¯Mar.


    Robert¡¯s flayed skin hung off of his body as they removed his clothes. Turak grimaced as he saw the human was in too much shock to scream at what was most certainly extremely painful.


    ¡°How does he still live?¡± Alektor asked, beside him. ¡°I have never seen a creature endure such violence without the aid of the Dunamis. There must be something else.¡±


    Turak didn¡¯t answer; he was angry enough watching this.


    ¡°I know you are disappointed, my friend,¡± Alektor said quietly. ¡°But we don¡¯t have much of a choice. Our people endure far worse at the hands of the Lokkadonians, we must keep that in mind as we watch. Whether this creature is a demon or a savior sent by the Great Spirits themselves, his sacrifice will bring our people the freedom they have not tasted in hundreds of years.¡±


    Turak swallowed hard as he watched them bring the wretched creature to the closed pit in the center of the room. Massive stone doors on the floor slid open to reveal a round opening into the dark nothing below. The room was filled with a horrid stench, and many of the attending Dae covered their faces.


    Then they heard Espi-Arl speak.


    ¡°To the Great Spirits, we offer this creature of darkness, to bathe in your glorious light!¡±


    Turak shook his head at the irony of the words. Arl was using the same passage they used to purify with fire, but seeing as how the human would be thrown into complete darkness, it took much of the meaning out of the holy man¡¯s words. He would be thrown to be devoured by the Cugorii, vicious meat-eating monstrosities that plagued the Pits of Mar since they were first discovered a thousand years ago. Still, the monsters that lurked there weren¡¯t the reason the Pit of Mar was so famous. It was the fact that any Dae, no matter how strong, could not use their Dunamis while in there. Many attempted to explore the caverns at first, but with the Cugorii attacking in the darkness and the lack of the Dunamis, many died horrible and violent deaths.


    ¡°May your many blessings rain upon us under the glorious protection of Belous, and it¡¯s High King Phobos, of Torre¡¯.¡±


    Again Turak scoffed, earning a chastising glare from his King.


    Espi-Arl finished the final words of his passage and turned toward Robert, who stood now wearing only a ceremonial robe and shaking uncontrollably due to his wounds, exhaustion, and fear. With a nod, two of his Espi walked to him and, with little resistance, threw him into the black void below.


    Turak shook his head, noting that he didn¡¯t hear a scream from the human. He must have been waiting for death, he thought.


    After the ceremony was complete, and Espi-Arl finished his final words, they found their way outside, and Turak decided to walk on his own back to the palace. As he did, he reflected on his actions in the South, how he had come to tolerate the human for his travels. He pitied the thing. He had been torn apart by his captors and probably hadn¡¯t been guilty of any of the vile things he confessed to.


    ¡°My Lord Turak!¡± he heard from a voice behind him. The Dae turned to meet the eyes of Demessa, who ran to him in a careful stride.


    He nodded his head in acknowledgment of her arrival.


    ¡°My Lord, the King has requested that you join him at the northern towers.¡± She huffed, slightly out of breath. ¡°He wishes to discuss the current military capabilities of Hego Agron¡¯s forces. Apparently, he is positioning himself for war.¡±


    Turak sighed, glancing at the sky above. ¡°Back to business then, I suppose.¡± He looked darkly at Demessa. ¡°You got what you wanted, the human ruined and cast into the Pit.¡±


    Demessa reeled in surprise. ¡°My Lord¡­ I didn¡¯t mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore, Alektor is probably correct in saying that Dio¡¯Mar has left us. The Spirits are fickle things. I had always believed she was here, looking after us in some way.¡± He ran his fingers over the gruesome scar across his face. ¡°Perhaps it was all just dumb luck.¡±

 Chapter 25

    Robert¡¯s body swirled with pain. He groaned weakly, trying to move his limbs; they were slow and nearly unresponsive. As he had fallen, he tried to land head-first to kill himself on the impact. This, it seemed, hadn¡¯t worked. His body was far more resilient than what should normally be possible for a human being.


    He attempted to open his eyes; only one did, and a strange and invasive light shined above his head. At first, he thought it was the opening from the temple, but as he looked up, he saw only darkness. He then assumed they closed the massive doors after he was thrown in. The nobles and aristocrats above could only suffer the nauseating stench for so long. He looked then to the source of the light; large crystals that jutted out of the cavern ceiling, glowing a pale blue light.


    Robert tried to move again but froze as the distinct sound of feet and claws could be heard and felt thumping heavily on the dirt of the cave. Fear burned in him again, and the tales of strange creatures in the pits came to his mind. He started to rise as best he could, but every inch of his body burned with pain. He strained to stand but only managed to get on his knees. The purple robe he wore was cumbersome and had strange depictions of certain spirits embroidered on it. He could now hear snarls and screeching voices echoing through the tunnels leading to where he struggled. He tried to stand again, his mind telling him to run, to escape these new and vicious sounding predators, but he just couldn¡¯t muster the strength. Robert stopped at that moment and panted, staring at the damp soil beneath him. Why run? he thought. He knew they would catch him and devour him. It was at some point during his torture that he had lost his will to live, and nothing sounded better to him than rest¡­ rest from the constant pain and torment he had endured¡­ rest from the world that held him in its clutches. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. Just one more bout of agony¡­ then nothing, he thought.


    The creatures stormed into the cavern from the tunnels. They sounded big to him; the ground vibrated violently with their masses, and they surrounded him. His eyes were clenched shut in anticipation of the first attack, but the seconds ticked by, and all he could hear was the heavy and rasped breathing of dozens of creatures around him. His fear turned to curiosity as he wondered why he wasn¡¯t being torn apart. It got the better of him, and he opened his eye slowly to see what was going on. Before him, all around him, were large humanoid creatures. He focused on the one that was closest to him. It stood almost eight feet off the ground, hunched over with heavily muscled shoulders and powerful arms, and it heaved with each rasped breath. He looked from its vicious claws on its hands and feet to the snarled maw that brandished hundreds of razor-sharp teeth, no doubt meant for rending and tearing flesh from bone. It had a massive bone plate that covered the upper half of its face, and within were a dozen or so black eyes that stared back at him. There was no assortment or order to them. They just looked as though they were sprinkled there.


    The sight brought unparalleled terror to Robert. He still didn¡¯t move, fearing that any small movement might bring their wrath upon him.


    Robert sat still for countless seconds, blood and sweat streaming down his face. Still, they stood, rasping and growling, but not moving against him in any way. His fear and frustration finally got the better of him.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± he wheezed, holding his arms out to his sides. ¡°I¡¯m right here!¡± he yelled, a sharp pain slicing through his ribs.


    It was at that moment that he saw the bloody stump that used to be his right hand. The blood had stopped flowing from the wound, which caused him to pause still in disbelief. He had forgotten that he had lost his hand. Shouldn¡¯t I have bled to death by now? His mind a groggy and fear-stricken mess, he inspected the wound. Unable to despair anymore, he fell forward, face-first into the dirt, overwhelmed by his situation and exhausted.


    ~


    ¡°What are you?¡± a small and timid voice whispered in Robert¡¯s mind. The tiny voice was nearly undetectable. He wasn¡¯t sure when he passed out, but he woke in a spasm of pain and groans. Confused, he tried to open his eyes; only one did again. ¡°Where? Wha¡­?¡± His gaze focused on the dozens of pale legs that still surrounded him, and he looked up to see the horrible monsters still there, breathing and rasping around him.


    ¡°You¡­ are alive,¡± the small voice said, with surprise. ¡°Why do the Cugorii not feast on your flesh?¡±


    The voice was fragile in his mind, but he had experienced enough of it while in the Spirit Forest to recognize this was the voice of a small spirit.


    He took a moment to clear his thoughts, to push the pain of his broken and battered body aside. ¡°I¡­¡± he said weakly, ¡°¡­I am a human being¡­¡±


    Silence ensued.


    In the dimly lit cavern, Robert saw a small slinking form hiding behind one of the legs of the Cugorii. ¡°If you are going to have your monsters kill me, then do it already¡­ I have nothing left,¡± he said, cradling his right arm.


    The spirit said nothing still, only peeked a little head from behind one of the legs. It looked as though the spirit was wearing a small cloak, but he couldn¡¯t make it out.


    It finally floated out and stopped right before him. The spirit was about twelve inches tall and did, in fact, have a cloak made of black mist that swirled around it. Its face was a pale white, but he could see no eyes.


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    ¡°I have never heard of a human being before,¡± it said, its voice now louder, with a distinctly female tone to it. ¡°How did you come here? To the prison of misery¡­ and death?¡±


    Robert pondered a moment. ¡°Are you¡­ Dio¡¯Mar?¡±


    The name caused her to flinch, and she raised her small hand to him. ¡°Dio...Mar¡­¡± she repeated slowly to herself, as if remembering every sound in it. ¡°I am? I¡­ I am¡­¡± She floated toward his face and cocked her head to look at him more closely. Still, Robert saw no eyes, just a pale white face, and a small, faded mouth that didn¡¯t move when she spoke. ¡°You know me then? The eternal prisoner here?¡±


    ¡°The¡­ eternal prisoner?¡±


    ¡°I have been here¡­ for thousands of years¡­ watching¡­ these foul creatures devour every living thing that entered here¡­¡± Her little hand gestured to the Cugorii around them. ¡°They are the guardians of my prison¡­ to keep them away... You are the first I have seen¡­ remain unscathed¡­¡±


    Robert glanced at the creatures again; they regarded him with no hint of intelligence, only an unrelenting presence of pure instinct. He focused again on the razor-sharp teeth that seemed to pour out of their mouths.


    She brought her little hand closer to his bloodied face. ¡°There¡­ is something¡­ I can feel it¡­ emanating from you¡­ it¡­ it can¡¯t be¡­¡± Her little fingers stretched to his skin; with the contact, a painful jolt of electricity shocked him. Robert yelped and flinched at the sudden pain. Her small form went limp, and she fell to the cavern floor, dissolving into black smoke.


    Robert stared at the spot where she disappeared, stunned. What the hell just happened? he thought, believing that he had somehow killed the little spirit. He waited for several minutes, listening intently to everything in the cavern. He finally tried to stand again, struggling against his shaking and wounded legs.


    ¡°God¡­ dammit!¡± he cursed through clenched teeth.


    His limbs ached with the exertion, and he panted. He glanced at one of the Cugorii who still stood, looking at him with its dozen black eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you could give me a hand?¡± he said with a self-loathing chuckle. But to Robert¡¯s absolute astonishment, the creature reached its clawed hand out and grasped his shoulder. Using its immense strength, it pulled Robert to his feet, and he stared at it, dumbfounded.


    After several moments of speechless contemplation, he spoke again.


    ¡°Y¡­ you¡­¡± he stammered, ¡°¡­you can understand me?¡± The creature said nothing, only stared at him with the same passive intensity. ¡°Is¡­ is there a way to get out of here?¡± he asked it, clearly a shot in the dark, but what other option did Robert have? He was thrown down here to die, and against all expectations, he still lived, so he had to try. To his surprise yet again, the creature lifted his clawed hand again and did what it could to point above him, to the opening that was now closed. Robert looked at the darkness above solemnly. There wasn¡¯t much hope in trying to escape that way.


    ¡°There¡­ is¡­¡± a small familiar voice called in his head. Robert turned around, startled. ¡°There is hope for me¡­ and for you¡­¡± The small form of the cloaked spirit materialized before him again, floating in the air.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Robert asked, surprisingly relieved to see her again. ¡°I thought I hurt you somehow.¡±


    Dio¡¯Mar floated to him, with more life now than she had before. ¡°You¡­ are a creature of the heavens¡­ surely¡­ you must be. You are here in this desolate place¡­ and still, I can feel the Dunamis coursing through you¡­ only the divine could hope to use their power here.¡± She gestured to the large crystals that lit the cavern. ¡°These are the Ugoto crystals¡­ created and placed here to seal me in this prison¡­ by draining all spiritual energy around them¡­ from Dae¡­ from Spirits¡­ they make it impossible to leave.¡±


    ¡°Who? Who did this to you?¡± Robert asked.


    She cocked her head again and began to float freely around him, inspecting with her eyeless face. ¡°My brothers and sisters betrayed me¡­ I know not why¡­ only that I had come to love the people of this world¡­ and they hated them. They lured me here with the suffering of the Dae¡­ and as I came to aid them¡­ they sprang their trap. I suppose they knew they could not kill me¡­ so they created a fate worse¡­ than death¡­¡±


    ¡°To watch them die, and suffer for thousands of years,¡± he finished. ¡°That¡¯s terrible.¡±


    ¡°For eternity,¡± she corrected him. ¡°At first I tried to help¡­ but my power was drained to near nothing¡­ I had only the strength to watch¡­ and weep¡­ I have not stopped¡­ and I remember the faces of all who have perished at the mercy of the Cugorii¡­¡±


    Robert shook his head, noticing that it hurt less than it had before. ¡°So, what about these crystal things? How do we get out of here?¡±


    ¡°There is no way out¡­ other than where you came¡­¡± She came to a stop before him and seemed to give him a strangely puzzled look. ¡°How did one such as you¡­ get so badly injured? The Dae were never so cruel¡­¡±


    Robert braced himself and told yet another ancient spirit the tale of how he came to be in his current predicament. Dio¡¯Mar just listened to him, asking no questions and nodding with the understanding of his plight. It also became apparent that the Cugorii obeyed simple commands of his and followed him wherever he went in the cavern. There were only basic responses to his questions, but it showed that they at least had some intelligence beyond a snarling killer instinct. It was also the first time Dio¡¯Mar saw them behave in such a way. Though she tried for centuries, they never made an attempt to communicate with her. She said she knew next to nothing of them, not even where they came from.


    Robert huddled against the cavern wall now, his wounds still aching with the slightest movement.


    ¡°Why do you still toil so? The power you possess should be enough to heal your wounds,¡± she said.


    Robert paused at her words; his right arm cradled gently with his left. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    She stared at him for a moment. Robert knew that if she had eyes, she would have blinked them in puzzlement.


    ¡°What has changed in the world beyond this dreadful prison? Are the Dae still wielders of the Dunamis? Can you not use it to escape here?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I guess I have it, but I never learned how to use it.¡± Robert hung his head. ¡°If I had, maybe some of my friends would still be alive.¡± His mind flashed again to the severed head of Veol being thrown at his feet. ¡°Kat was right. I should have stayed with them.¡±


    ¡°You have this power¡­ and I would give you an offer¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said, her small and unmoving mouth curling up into an almost sinister smile.


    Robert looked at her cautiously. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I will teach you¡­ how to use your Dunamis¡­ and in return, you will help me escape from here¡­ I do not know where you came from¡­ human, but I know that this did not happen by chance. Perhaps the Great Spirits have awoken again in our world¡­¡±


    She extended her tiny hand and pressed it to his forehead. Robert could feel the strange power coursing through his body, a sensation that seemed to almost strengthen him.


    ¡°Is that your power?¡± he asked, astonished at the feeling.


    ¡°No¡­ it is yours¡­ all I have done is shine a light on what you already possess¡­¡± she replied.

 Chapter 26

    Daniel squinted through the thick vegetation as he sat with the rest of his squad, waiting for the prey they had been stalking to waltz unwittingly into position. Before them were dozens of armed Rexunii raiders walking in a loose formation down a road. Albeit not members of the Rexunii forces, the feeling was the same. An air of vengeance hung around them as the Lokkadonian warriors hid. Daniel felt a pit of anger rising in his heart. He hated these people. They had captured one of his own and killed many warriors from the clan that had been kind enough to house and protect them. Daniel took a deep breath and let it out slowly in an attempt to control his rapidly beating heart.


    ¡°Dan,¡± Delmos whispered from within the vegetation, hidden from Daniel¡¯s sight. ¡°Thirty seconds,¡± he said.


    ¡°Got it,¡± Daniel responded, looking toward the raiders. He inspected them again, analyzing their weapons and gear. Few had the iconic Dae armor, made from bone. Instead most were clad in thick clothes, or armor made from hardened animal hide.


    A Lokkadonian horn blasted, and Daniel leapt from his hiding spot and into the road. Drawing his blade, he charged with Lokkadonian warriors to his left and right straight toward a startled enemy. The raiders clambered to form up, stumbling to draw their weapons. Their execution was sloppy at best, and the warriors of Lokkon took full advantage of it. Dae-Voh created a waist-high wall on both sides of the road that began to move with the Lokkadonian charge, forcing the raiders to either back up into each other, or get over the wall. They attempted to use their own Dunamis to counter it, but to no avail. The Lokkadonian warriors began to hurl fire and wind into the mass of raiders. Small defenses rose to block the attack, but they melted away at the onslaught.


    Daniel raised his hand at the raiders and felt the power of the Dunamis rising within. As he got closer, he unleashed a ball of crimson fire at them. A small wall of stone rose to meet the attack and Daniel watched as his fire exploded, melting the wall in seconds, and disbursing red, fiery death to half a dozen Dae around the blast. In a single stride, he leapt over the short wall, and into the fray. A raider raised his spear and thrust it at Daniel¡¯s chest. With practiced ease, Daniel parried it to the side and swung his blade through the Dae¡¯s neck, parting his head from his shoulders. Time slowed as the adrenalin pumped through his body. A fleeting feeling of remorse passed through Daniel¡¯s mind. He hadn¡¯t killed in years. But he was conditioned for situations like this. Numb to any momentary hesitation that might plague others in battle.


    Daniel pressed on, changing through the many forms Oros and Delmos had taught him. Two new opponents met him, one with another spear, and the other with a short blade. Strength and speed surged in Daniel¡¯s body as he deftly maneuvered around their attacks, knocking the short blade aside while entirely dodging the spear. In one motion, he swung his sword horizontally to the left, passing through both of their unarmored abdomens. The two Dae crumpled to the bloodied soil below, screaming in agony as they attempted to hold their innards in place.


    A massive explosion to Daniel¡¯s left halted his deadly advance. Daniel turned to see a large plume of smoke billowing into the sky. A Dae-Rah had used a potent attack, and he searched for whether the culprit was a friend or foe.


    ¡°Dan!¡± a familiar voice called from behind him, just as the roar of battle was beginning to resume.


    Turning, Daniel saw Delmos, covered in blood, fighting his way toward him.


    ¡°That¡¯s got to be their leader,¡± Delmos said, clasping Daniel¡¯s shoulder as he approached. ¡°There aren¡¯t enough of these bastards left to fight.¡±


    Daniel glanced around and noticed that the battle was quickly coming to a close. Rexun raiders were strewn about the soil beneath, some writhing in pain, others still.


    Daniel and Delmos made their way toward the scene of the explosion and found an armored Dae lying on the ground, grasping his stomach in pain. Above him, looking no worse for wear, was Oros.


    ¡°Will you surrender?¡± Oros asked, his voice calm. ¡°You won¡¯t have another chance.¡±


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    ¡°Curse you!¡± the Dae said, spitting blue blood toward Oros. ¡°Lokkadonian filth!¡±


    Daniel pressed forward, removing his helmet and looking at Oros. ¡°We need him alive,¡± he said, turning to face the Dae. ¡°You¡¯re the leader of this raiding party, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The Dae looked at him with his eyes wide, fear began to show on his face, and he shook his head. ¡°You¡­¡± he said, before coughing up blood. ¡°You¡¯re one of the Spirit-Sent.¡±


    ¡°Seen any others?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°Your people captured one not too long ago.¡±


    The wounded Dae shook his head, seeming to stem another cough. ¡°We¡¯ve heard nothing. We were paid to clear the battlefield, we know nothing else,¡± he said, lurching forward and hacking up more blood.


    ¡°Paid by who?¡± Oros asked, stepping closer.


    ¡°Obviously by Lord Turak,¡± Delmos said, as he approached the downed raider and knelt to meet his eyes. ¡°We have healers, friend¡ªno need to die here in the mud. We need information on the forces behind this atrocity you and your kind afflicted upon us. We¡¯re short on time and don¡¯t have any issues killing you here if you give us nothing.¡±


    Several moments passed as the dying Dae thought. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯ll heal me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Delmos said with a smile creeping its way on his face. ¡°We¡¯re not savages like the Rexunii.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it,¡± the Dae continued, ¡°I did pass several armies on the way here. Hundreds of thousands of warriors, waiting for you Cro¡¯kan fuckers to make your way south.¡± The raider grunted in pain, then began laughing. ¡°You¡¯ll never reach Thule. Kill me now or later. I¡¯m at peace with the great spirits.¡±


    Oros shook his head in frustration. ¡°We¡¯ll get nothing more from him. Delmos, assist this filth in his departure to the afterlife.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Kryo,¡± Delmos said, standing and drawing his incisor.


    ¡°You¡¯ll all burn in the end!¡± the raider shouted, before two Lokkadonian warriors grabbed him by the arms and leaned him forward, exposing the back of his neck.


    Delmos raised his blade and brought it down in a quick strike, severing the raider¡¯s head.


    Daniel didn¡¯t look away from the execution. The Dae died bravely, but held any secrets he might have known. ¡°What now? Do we keep pushing south into Rexun?¡±


    Oros pulled a water skin from his belt and took a long draw. ¡°Perhaps. We need more information. Alektor no doubt has warriors patrolling their borders. We can¡¯t simply sneak in.¡±


    ¡°Not only that, but we would have to devise a plan to sneak into Thule itself,¡± Delmos said, cleaning his incisor on the cloak of the executed raider. ¡°Then, into the Palace, find where Robert is being held, rescue him and bring him back. Ah, and while we¡¯re there, we could also kill King Alektor.¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Oros said. ¡°We knew this would be a difficult task when we set out.¡±


    ¡°If only it were just difficult, my Kryo,¡± Delmos said. ¡°The task is impossible. And though it brings me unfathomable amounts of pain to admit it, my sister is correct. This is an impossible mission.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Daniel asked, anger rising within him. ¡°We just wasted our fucking time? We¡¯re out here; we might as well try.¡±


    There was a loud growl behind him, and Daniel turned to see the large, muscled form of Gro¡¯ak resting on the ground amidst the battlefield. Lokkadonian warriors gasped and fell to their knees as they noticed him. Oros and Delmos did the same. Daniel was surprised by the spirit¡¯s sudden appearance but remained standing.


    ¡°Do not risk yourself¡­ human,¡± Gro¡¯ak said, his voice like gravel. ¡°Your safety is what I care for and that of your female companion.¡±


    Daniel took a moment to gather himself. This was the closest thing to a Deity he had ever directly come in contact with, after all. ¡°But what about Robert? He¡¯s one of us; he¡¯s a human too. Isn¡¯t he worth protecting?¡±


    ¡°Robert is beyond you¡­¡± Gro¡¯ak said. ¡°My spirits failed to protect him, instead choosing to protect themselves within the safety of the forest. They failed him¡­ and you.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s heart sank at the words. There had to be something he could do. ¡°So I¡¯m supposed to just leave him there?¡±


    ¡°There is a darkness within Thule¡­ human. The spirits of the forest have no power there¡­ a timeless and nameless evil corrupts it,¡± Gro¡¯ak said. ¡°I will not allow you to wander blindly into its midst.¡± Gro¡¯ak turned his head to Oros. ¡°Kryo, Oros of House Ignos. I charge you with the well-being of the humans. You are to escort him back to Vul De Rah immediately.¡±


    ¡°I will do as you command,¡± Oros said, raising his head to look at the Spirit.


    ¡°Do not look so sullen.¡± Gro¡¯ak continued. ¡°Your mission here was not wasted¡­ these raiders were no doubt on their way to pillage and defile any poor village that they came across. Who would fall to their knees in reverence if they knew. And you have your blood.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Great-Spirit.¡± Oros said, ¡°Thank you for your kind words. I only wish we had more blood from them. The Rexunii have taken a great many warriors from us.¡±


    ¡°Enough for now¡­¡± The Spirit shifted, spreading his wings wide. ¡°Your blood toll will be paid in time, Son of Lokkon. Perhaps sooner than you might think¡­¡±


    As the words finished, Daniel saw the immense spirit begin to sink into the ground. Several moments later, there was nothing; save the lingering presence that could barely be explained. The kind that sent shivers down your spine.

 Chapter 27

    Katrina¡¯s eyes filled with tears as she heard the news. She had been training with Avria when Boros decided to visit. Though usually a pleasant surprise, today, he brought grave news from the Rexunii capital.


    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s not possible.¡± Katrina said in disbelief.


    Boros shifted, looking at Avria.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kat, these are from very reliable sources, they were present when he was thrown into the pit,¡± Boros said.


    ¡°No! You said that he would be safe!¡± Her tear-filled eyes turned angry as she stepped toward him. ¡°That¡¯s what you said! That we had time to prepare!¡±


    Boros stepped back, unable to speak.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Avria shouted. ¡°You will control yourself, Katrina! Do not disgrace yourself over grief.¡±


    Katrina stopped and closed her eyes. She counted in her head, doing her best to stem the tide of anger and fear. Robert was here, a living, breathing man. Now, just a memory to be mourned. It wasn¡¯t fair. This world had given her a new life, but stolen her old one away, now completely.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my Lady,¡± she said, hanging her head. ¡°We have to tell Daniel.¡±


    Avria looked at Boros.


    ¡°He¡¯s in the middle of a very important exercise. He won¡¯t be reachable for several days.¡± Boros said. ¡°But Kat, I am sorry for this. We truly believed that the Rexunii would not follow the doctrine of the High Espi-Dae. They hate the Torre¡¯ Espi and have always been unique in their beliefs. This is highly unusual for them.¡±


    Avria¡¯s eyes widened with a sudden realization. ¡°Unless the Torre¡¯ are there. Which wouldn¡¯t make any sense at all, seeing as how they hate¡­ Or the Rexunii would be in collusion with them.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°I knew it, I knew your father¡¯s open defiance of the King would have consequences! They are going to help the Rexunii attack Lokkadonia!¡± She turned to retrieve her cloak.


    ¡°Avria, that¡¯s ridiculous,¡± Boros said, crossing his arms. ¡°Our spies would never have left out such an important detail. The Torre¡¯ have been keeping the Rexunii in their place for hundreds of years, everyone knows that.¡±


    ¡°Now, things are different, Boros.¡± She huffed. ¡°Ever since the Hego made the decision to harbor the humans and defy not only the King of Lokkadonia but the High King as well, things have been moving against us. The Rexunii were never so bold as to openly attack our warriors in our territory.¡±


    ¡°Well, weren¡¯t you going on about their new King, Alektor? How he was not to be underestimated? Perhaps it is he who decided to go along with killing Robert on his own.¡± Boros looked at Katrina and winced.


    ¡°That is possible,¡± Avria said. ¡°But we cannot be sure.¡±


    ¡°I will send a message to our spies in Thule,¡± he said. ¡°Find out if this is true.¡±


    ¡°Wait on that,¡± Avria said. ¡°We cannot be sure that they haven¡¯t been compromised. Keep sending them information, but mention nothing of our military preparations. Take care of Katrina; I am going to see my father.¡± She looked at the human girl with sympathy in her eyes. ¡°I am sorry for your mate. I promise you we will avenge him.¡±


    Katrina just nodded slightly but kept her eyes lowered.


    Avria moved out of the courtyard where they were conducting that day¡¯s training session and strode toward the manor of the Regios estate.


    Boros stood in the awkward silence, even after the sound of Avria¡¯s feet on the stones faded.


    ¡°I know you did what you could,¡± Katrina said, a steady flow of tears dripping down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for yelling at you, Boros.¡± She lifted her eyes to meet his. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you or your family enough for what you have done to help us.¡±


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    ¡°Of course,¡± Boros said, putting his hand on her shoulder. ¡°We are not the savages the Rexunii are. We hold dear the gifts from above, and strive to serve the spirits.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s heart whirled with sorrow and grief, but her mind did its best to bring reason to her thoughts. She knew that Boros had tried his best to push for the return of Robert, whether out of devotion to the Spirits or the strange attraction that she knew he had for her.


    ¡°I have to catch up with Lady Avria,¡± she said. Turning to move, she was surprised by the sudden tightening of Boros¡¯ hand on her shoulder. She stopped for a moment and looked at his hand, then at his face.


    ¡°Kat, I want you to know that I will do everything in my power to bring justice to those monsters. These are not just words said in the moment to bring some comfort to you; what I am telling you is a solemn vow; they will pay for this.¡±


    With that, he relaxed his grip, and the two of them followed Avria to the Regios manor.


    ~


    ¡°I understand how you may feel, but we have not heard anything of the sort,¡± Lord Regios said, rubbing his tired eyes.


    ¡°Well, where did they go? Where did the Espi-Dae from Torre¡¯ go who were at Vul De Mar? After they burned the first human, they didn¡¯t return home.¡± Avria paced back and forth before her father. ¡°I think they went to Thule and made a deal with the Rexunii. Why else would they execute the hum¡ª¡± She caught herself, and glanced at Katrina, who was sitting in the corner of the room with Boros. ¡°Why would they execute Robert? They do not follow the same customs as the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°They did not purify him Avria, they threw him in the blasted pit!¡± Lord Regios glared at her. ¡°The Torre¡¯ burn demons.¡±


    Avria returned his intense gaze, and the two stared at each other for several seconds.


    Finally, her father grinned and leaned back in his large chair.


    ¡°I think that wouldn¡¯t matter, Father. Even if the Torre¡¯ told them, I don¡¯t think the Rexunii would burn anyone. They base their whole religion on Dio¡¯Mar and her supposed resting place.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me¡­ my Lady,¡± Katrina said, her voice small and respectful. ¡°What is this pit you are speaking of?¡±


    Avria looked at her student. Her eyes, still red and puffed from the time she had spent crying over her lost mate. Avria¡¯s gaze held strong, and she narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°The ¡®Pit of Dio¡¯Mar¡¯ is supposed to be the resting place of the ancient spirit, obviously named Dio¡¯Mar.¡± Avria looked at her father, who only closed his eyes and shook his head, giving her the impression he was only slightly annoyed. ¡°It is a terrible place, with monsters and demons who dwell there. The Rexunii believe that Dio¡¯Mar still resides in its depths, judging the victims who are cast in. I am sorry for the loss of your mate; I said it before, but to be thrown in the Pit of Dio¡¯Mar is certain death. Some of the most powerful Dae have been cast down there and have never been seen again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Boros said, speaking for the first time. ¡°There is no need to elaborate, Avria; she gets it.¡±


    Boros put his hand on Katrina¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The real question is, what do we do now? If we can¡¯t rely on our spies in Thule and assuming the Torre¡¯ have given their support to the Rexunii, what are we supposed to do?¡±


    Lord Regios shook his head and let out a great sigh. ¡°If what we are theorizing is true, then support from the Torre¡¯ forfeits any support from our own King. Yomin will not go against the High King¡¯s will. He is far too reliant on trade from the Torre¡¯.¡±


    He shifted in his great chair. ¡°This puts us in a very difficult position¡­ a position that leaves Vul De Rah, and all of the southern region of Lokkadonia, without any official support from King Yomin or the High King.¡±


    Avria was still, her brilliant yellow eyes intense and her mind racing. She looked to Boros. ¡°We must speak with the Hego. This information has to be discussed. Where is he?¡±


    ¡°He is in the war council,¡± Boros said. ¡°My brother should be there as well. We will need to see them both.¡±


    Lord Regios huffed and stood from his chair. ¡°Well, let us go speak with them.¡±


    ¡°Daniel should be here, but I haven¡¯t seen him in a while,¡± Katrina said. The Dae in the room looked at her. ¡°I should probably tell him.¡±


    ¡°You will do nothing of the sort,¡± Avria said sternly. ¡°He is being tested at a very difficult level, against one of the strongest nobles across the southern region of Lokkadonia. Oros is training him fiercely, he needs to be well trained if we are to succeed in the coming conflict. He needs to focus on that if he has any hope of success.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Boros grunted. ¡°He¡¯s with Delmos, isn¡¯t he? Oros is using him to help train Daniel?¡±


    Avria nodded. ¡°He is doing his part to restore his honor, as well as the honor of our house. Oros is also making use of his thick skull. Don¡¯t concern yourself.¡±


    Avria bowed to her father and gestured to Katrina that it was time to leave. Deep inside of her a pang of guilt thrummed. She knew that Katrina would eventually discover the true whereabouts of Daniel, Oros, and Delmos. But bringing it up now would only cause more complications. They had left her here at Avria¡¯s own suggestion. She refused to risk her life just as she was beginning to get a firm grasp of their training.

 Chapter 28

    Daniel stumbled to the dirt, barely dodging another swing from his opponent. He cursed loudly and attempted to roll to his feet. The Dae he faced was a skilled swordsman and had almost defeated him more times than he could count. If not for the months of training with Oros, Delmos, and his much-improved reflexes, he would already be dead.


    ¡°Spirit-Sent!¡± Vissa yelled, running to help him.


    On their way back to Vul De Rah, they had traveled in densely vegetated areas. High trees or tall grass had masked their movements. That was until their rear guard had spotted two groups of raiders in pursuit. As they pushed forward, they quickly turned and attacked their would-be ambushers.


    Daniel raised his weapon in just enough time to block a downward swing. He was on his knees, and in what he knew to be a compromised position. He flexed his muscles and flung his sword upward, trying to use his strength to disarm and surprise his opponent. The Dae raider anticipated this and relaxed his arms enough to let Daniel¡¯s blade brush his aside with none of his intended effect. Oh, Shit, he thought, as he realized he had lost. The Dae poised himself to strike but turned his body and blade just in time to parry a thrust from Vissa as she stormed in at the last moment, surely saving his life.


    ¡°Get up, you fool!¡± she yelled at him, exchanging several blows with the Dae. Even in the few moments she spent fighting him, it was clear he was a better swordsman than her as well.


    Daniel shot to his feet and began to press the attack on his side. Holding nothing back in terms of his strength and speed, the raider was a skilled warrior, but he could not hope to take on both of them.


    Vissa struck his shoulder, and he reeled in agony as her weapon sliced into his flesh. As he stumbled, Daniel finished him with a thrust to his abdomen. The Dae grunted with the impact, letting muffled grunts of agony out as he did. Daniel felt his body go limp as he slid from his blade and fell to the soiled dirt below.


    The blood pumped through Daniel¡¯s body as the battle raged around him. It was not unlike what he had experienced before, though the battles he fought in the deserts of Iraq in his own world seemed tame in comparison. However, the carnage and fear of unseen death brought that experience into a category far beyond this. There were shouts and screams as the battle raged on; it was utter chaos. Lokkadonian warriors slicing through lesser trained raiders, Dae crying as they fell. They weren¡¯t distant enemies that you killed from afar, using a rifle or indirect fire; they were in your face, trying to hack away at you.


    ¡°Vissa!¡± Daniel yelled, noticing she was in a dazed state. She flinched as he called her name, and she looked at him with almost vacant eyes. ¡°Where is Delmos?¡±


    At the mention of his name, she snapped back. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know!¡± She turned frantically to scan the battlefield. The reverse ambush was perfect, but they were vastly outnumbered. They had split their forces, leaving Daniel and Vissa in the center, exposed to take the brunt of the assault. As the battle began, Oros and Delmos came from opposite sides. The flanking maneuver halted the assaulting group¡¯s momentum and put them in a desperate battle for survival.


    ¡°There!¡± Vissa called and pointed with her weapon.


    Delmos danced between several raiders, his sword cracking as he deflected blows and swung for counterattacks. Daniel hurried as fast as he could, charging past several warriors engaged in their own battles. As he got closer, he could see his friend¡¯s face. There wasn¡¯t the fearful intensity that one would expect in that position, but an ear-to-ear grin that showed only insurmountable glee.


    Before Vissa and Daniel could even reach him, he had already dispatched all but one and was holding his blade to the throat of the survivor, who now sat on the ground without his weapon.


    ¡°Anything else to say, fool?¡± Delmos said, panting heavily and taking that moment to look at the rest of the battlefield. It was over, and it looked as though the Lokkadonian warriors had again completely annihilated their foes.


    ¡°By the spirits!¡± Vissa said as she came to a stop. ¡°You definitely are a Regios, my Lord.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t feed his ego,¡± Daniel said. ¡°He¡¯s already hard enough to deal with as it is.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said, turning to Delmos. ¡°What in Pelemont are you doing, letting yourself get surrounded like that?¡±


    Delmos chuckled but tilted his head down to the raider, who sat in defeat. ¡°May I introduce you both to Lord Maki of House Reevus, a spindly and cunning little stain but a worthy opponent. And a young noble of Rexun.¡±


    Daniel also looked down and appraised the Dae; he had pale, almost white skin, a very thin nose, and brilliant yellow eyes. ¡°He¡¯s a Rexunii noble?¡±


    ¡°The battle is over, Maki. You should probably start talking before Kryo Oros arrives. He¡¯ll gut you like the last one if you don¡¯t have any useful information.¡±


    Daniel took a step closer to Maki, his anger beginning to rise. ¡°They embedded a Rexunii noble with these raiders. That means these aren¡¯t just random groups of scavengers looking for loot. Someone gave you orders.¡± He brought the tip of his blade to press against Maki¡¯s neck. ¡°What were your orders, and who gave them?¡±


    Maki¡¯s eyes widened in fear and he swallowed hard. ¡°I¡­ we¡­¡±


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    ¡°Out with it!¡± Vissa yelled, moving to stand behind him.


    ¡°We were ordered to create chaos at the border of Lokkon,¡± Maki finally said. ¡°We were told to raid villages and keep any Lokkadonian forces chasing us. That¡¯s what we were told to do. We hired mercenaries and raiders.¡±


    Delmos¡¯ face scrunched into a sneer. ¡°You disgust me.¡±


    ¡°And who gave the order?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°Lord Turak,¡± Maki said, hanging his head.


    ¡°Spirit¡¯s damned Turak,¡± Oros said, approaching, cleaning his blade with a cloth. He halted beside them and tilted his head down toward Maki. ¡°What else did he say? I just caught that last part.¡±


    ¡°Only what we already knew, Kryo,¡± Delmos said. ¡°They were sent here to create as much trouble as possible. Kill villagers, keep us confused. The real question is why.¡±


    Oros knelt and brought his face uncomfortably close to Maki¡¯s, Daniel thought. ¡°Well then? Rexunii gurrank? Why were you sent here in the first place?¡±


    ¡°Kryo,¡± Maki said, his eyes looking up to the sky, and unrestrained fear painted on his face. ¡°After the purification, we were given leave to do so. I don¡¯t know why. I¡¯m just a squire for a small house. Lord Turak, gave¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Oros said, grabbing Maki by his chin and wrenching his face to look directly at him. ¡°What do you mean ¡®purification¡¯? Purify who?¡±


    ¡°The¡­¡± Maki¡¯s eyes were wide but highly focused on Oros¡¯s. ¡°The¡­ Spirit-Sent,¡± he finished, his words barely a whisper.


    Delmos sighed heavily, then cursed. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Daniel asked, confused as to why. Then, slowly, realization dawned on him. He remembered the term used when describing the human who was taken then burned alive. ¡°You burned him?¡± Daniel lunged forward, pushing Oros out of the way and wrapping his free hand around Maki¡¯s throat. He squeezed, watching the young noble¡¯s eyes bulge. ¡°You fucking killed him?¡±


    Vissa darted to Daniel and grabbed his arm. ¡°Daniel!¡± she said, attempting to break his grasp on Maki.


    Daniel took several more moments, glaring at the helpless Dae, then released his hold on him. Maki coughed and sputtered as he fell to the soil, heaving.


    ¡°Answer him,¡± Oros said, his voice low.


    Maki rose slowly, tears flowing from his eyes as he looked back up at them. ¡°He¡­¡± he coughed out. ¡°He wasn¡¯t burned¡­ he was cast into the Pit of Mar. That¡¯s all I know. We were given that information this morning. That¡¯s all I know, I swear.¡±


    ¡°Better to be burned than devoured by mindless monsters,¡± Delmos said through grit teeth.


    ¡°The Pit of Mar¡­¡± Daniel repeated the words, his mind racing at the implication. His worst fears were realized. Robert was dead, and there wasn¡¯t a damn thing he could do about it. And in an even worse way than he could have imagined. ¡°God damn it. All this, days of wandering around, fighting you bastards.¡±


    Delmos rested a hand on Daniel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my friend. We did all we could.¡±


    ¡°From the sound of it, it was done at the behest of the Torre¡¯. High King Phobos must have made a deal with the Rexunii,¡± Oros said. ¡°This is a serious problem.¡± He turned to look at Daniel. ¡°We must get back to Vul De Rah as soon as possible. My father needs to be notified.¡±


    ¡°What about him, Kryo?¡± Vissa asked, gesturing to Maki.


    ¡°We must move quickly,¡± Oros said, turning to walk away. ¡°Leave none alive.¡±


    ~


    Avria walked out onto the large balcony of the Hego¡¯s tower. She beheld the plethora of stuffed and snobby nobles she had come to despise. They were always scheming, planning something despicable. As she scanned the crowd, she saw the Hego of Vul De Rah, Hego Agron of House Ignos.


    ¡°Lady Avria!¡± a familiar voice called from beside her.


    The ward looked to see Illya Ignos, the daughter of Hego Agron, standing with her arms outstretched in what was most certainly a forced greeting.


    ¡°It is good to see you here. Have you come to see the trial?¡±


    ¡°No, we haven¡¯t, Illya,¡± Boros said, walking from behind her with Lord Regios and Katrina in tow. ¡°We have come to see father.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Illya glanced at Katrina¡¯s puffed and bothered face. ¡°Well, what happened?¡±


    ¡°The Rexunii have purified Robert. It seems he¡¯s dead,¡± Avria said bluntly. She nodded in respect to the Krya and walked past her.


    ¡°Wait! You¡¯re joking, right!?¡± Illya called after her.


    Avria ignored her and strode to meet with the Hego, who was seated at the edge of the balcony with several other high nobles in a rather animated discussion.


    ¡°Excuse me, my Lords, but I have urgent news,¡± Avria said, bringing her arm to her chest in a salute.


    ¡°Avria!¡± Agron said, greeting her with a clasp on the arm. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived just in time. We are discussing the current situation and preparing our petition to the High King.¡±


    ¡°My Lord, we have urgent news from the Rexunii capital.¡±


    Agron¡¯s face turned serious, and he motioned her to continue. Avria began to explain the news she had received, along with her theory on the reasoning behind the uncharacteristically sudden execution of Robert.


    Agron listened with a thoughtful expression. He didn¡¯t interrupt her or comment in any way. As Avria spoke, she could tell he believed her. There was no doubt that this was not only possible but, in fact, likely to happen.


    ¡°This is quite the bit of news, Avria,¡± said Lord Glause of House Regias, Avria¡¯s cousin, and advisor to the Hego. ¡°We will have to verify it. I will go to the southern forts and prepare a¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, you will not,¡± Agron said, interrupting Glause. ¡°We can not march straight into a war. The Torre¡¯ would not allow it. Every clan in Eleutheros would come down on us. We must first appeal to them.¡± Agron looked at Avria. ¡°Where is Oros? I haven¡¯t seen him in days. He was supposed to be at these meetings.¡±


    Avria was silent for a moment, but she cursed under her breath. Oros should have been back long ago, but he still hadn¡¯t returned from his now obviously failed rescue mission. ¡°My Hego¡­¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°He took his war group south to investigate the massacre at the Spirit Forest. He intended to infiltrate Rexun and rescue Robert. I do not know where he is now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Agron shouted, slamming his fist on a small table beside him.


    Avria bowed her head in shame. ¡°I was aware of this, my Hego. I carry the blame for not informing you.¡±


    Agron¡¯s eyes burned like hot coals, boring into her as he spoke. ¡°You forget your duties as my Ward, Avria. You don¡¯t serve Oros; you serve me. And you have failed.¡±


    Avria¡¯s heart sank at the words. She could almost feel the disappointment and anger from her father behind her, and the shock that Katrina must have felt as well. ¡°I apologize, my Hego. I will resign from my position if it pleases you.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Agron said, turning then to Telmos behind her. ¡°It most certainly would not please me to see you go. You will make it up to me by finally putting your damned pride aside and bonding yourself to my house with Oros. I don¡¯t care if you hate each other, you will bond, and that is final. If he doesn¡¯t manage to get himself killed.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Telmos said, moving to stand beside Avria. ¡°I apologize on my daughter¡¯s behalf Agron, I didn¡¯t know.¡± He paused for a moment, then turned to face her. ¡°Avria, is Delmos with him?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, doing her best to maintain her composure.


    ¡°If Delmos and Oros are together,¡± Katrina said, in a voice so soft it was barely audible, ¡°where is Daniel?¡±


    Avria winced at the words. And heard both Agron and Telmos let out a curse.

 Chapter 29

    ¡°I think you should eat it, human¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said, hovering around Robert¡¯s head.


    Robert appraised the strange food that was brought for him by the Cugorii. It was an absolute mystery where they got it, and to make it even stranger, it looked as though it was cooked.


    ¡°Mushrooms¡­ and some kind of meat?¡± Robert looked at the Cugorii again. ¡°Where did you get this?¡±


    The creature just lifted its clawed hand and pointed into the darkness of the cavern. Robert looked again at his strange meal. It had felt like forever since he had eaten anything, and he was going mad with hunger.


    ¡°Screw it,¡± he said, biting down hard on the meat. His mouth filled with a strange and sour taste, almost like vinegar. He gagged as he forced himself to consume it. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± he asked Dio¡¯Mar. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know. You¡¯ve been down here for thousands of years.¡± His eyes widened as a thought crossed him. ¡°Wait¡­ this isn¡¯t Dae meat, is it? Of the dead that are down here?¡±


    The Cugorii shook its head slowly.


    ¡°No¡­ that is not the flesh of the Dae¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said. ¡°There are many creatures that scurry in the darkness¡­ just be thankful that you are not starving to death now. We found you a source for clean water¡­ food to eat, and still you complain¡­ what a troublesome creature you are.¡±


    Robert looked at the water dripping down from a low hanging stalactite. His only source of the precious liquid; it tasted like metal and, for all he knew, was sewage leaking from the streets above, but he had been drinking it for several days now and seemed to be fine.


    He quietly finished what he could of his meal and leaned his head back against the cave wall with a sigh. He cradled his right arm, something he did now constantly, wallowing in the despair of losing his hand. The wound was gruesome and needed to be tended, Robert knew, but it seemed to remain uninfected. Considering the filth of the cavern, he was quite confused.


    Dio¡¯Mar floated in front of his face. ¡°Get up¡­ you have eaten; now we can begin our training again.¡±


    ¡°I need more time to let it digest, if it can be digested. We mortal organics have our limitations. Lots of them.¡± Robert looked again into the darkness above him. He contemplated his life and his choices. How he ended up in this strange and cruel world still eluded him. What would happen to him if he died here? He began to ponder. He was never a religious man, but he had contemplated the existence of a higher power for many days since he arrived here. At home, he never gave it much thought. It all seemed so strange to him, so backward to put your faith in something that you couldn¡¯t see. After all that, he found himself here, where there were spirits, magic, and monsters. The irony of it all brought him back to something his father told him before he left for college. That people who fancy themselves intellectuals often find that they are the most ignorant of all. Things may not be as they seem because there could always be an unseen or underlying equation. He sighed and groaned as he adjusted his battered body. ¡°Wish you were here, dad¡­¡± he said to himself softly. And chuckled at the foolishness of it. ¡°Never thought I would say that out loud.¡±


    ¡°You creatures are so strange¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said. ¡°We must continue with the instruction¡­ you can listen, can¡¯t you? Your ears still work.¡±


    ¡°Listen¡­¡± Robert said, still looking up. ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore. I¡¯ve got nothing left. This damn cave can have me. Just let me starve to death. It would be better than eating this shit.¡± He tossed away what was left of the strange meat.


    ¡°You must not give in to despair, human¡­ you must continue¡­ we made a deal, remember?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t care,¡± he said.


    Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s almost non-moving mouth turned into a frown as she got above him in his line of sight. ¡°I will not accept this¡­ you must¡ª¡±


    ¡°Fuck off,¡± Robert said, cutting her off. ¡°There is no deal!¡± As the last words left his lips, the cave erupted with the sounds of growls and snarls from the Cugorii. Robert jerked back in fear, looking frantically at the creatures, but quickly saw that they were focusing their attention on Dio¡¯Mar. The small spirit noticed this, as well.


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± she said, turning to face the aggravated creatures.


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    As quickly as the aggression of the Cugorii came, it disappeared, alongside Robert¡¯s anger, it seemed.


    ¡°Did I do that somehow?¡± he asked, shaken.


    ¡°It would seem that you have the ability to command these creatures, human¡­¡±


    ¡°But how? I haven¡¯t done any real training. I don¡¯t even understand this power that everyone has.¡± He began to stand, but the spirit halted him.


    ¡°It would seem that I have been approaching this from the wrong direction,¡± she said, floating to him and putting her hand on his cheek. ¡°The Dunamis can do many things, much even the spirits do not know of¡­ but of what knowledge I have¡­ I can promise you, it will change your life.¡± Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s mouth tilted up in a strange smile.


    Another sinister-looking smirk, Robert thought, still not sure whether or not he could trust this little spirit.


    ¡°It can even replace your hand¡­¡± she said, her little tin voice ringing in Robert¡¯s ears.


    He looked at her now seriously.


    ¡°You can¡­ what?¡± he said, his voice quivering with muted and guarded hope. There was no hope. There couldn¡¯t be. After all the pain and suffering he had endured, all that he was still enduring, how could there be any?


    ¡°I said¡­ if you listen¡­ and follow my instructions¡­ heed my wisdom¡­ you will be able¡­ to replace your hand,¡± she said, slowly.


    He stared at her, still unsure how to proceed. She lifted her hand and outstretched her little fingers. ¡°Stand, human¡­¡±


    ~


    Robert found himself floating in the sky and surrounded by clouds. A light breeze gently caressed his skin as he stared in confusion at the seemingly impossible circumstance.


    ¡°This is your Dunamis¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said, inside his head. ¡°This is the vastness of the power here¡­ spiritual energy that has been in this cave¡­ unused and dormant for thousands of years. None who have come here have been able to use it¡­ even I have not been able to do more than sustain my existence with my own energy. But you¡­ you can tap into it¡­ you can control it.¡±


    Robert took a deep breath and looked into the vast sky around him. He looked down, expecting to see the surface below, but still saw nothing but the blue, vacant sky. He felt the pulse again, one that he had felt many times before but never fully understood. It was intoxicating, but he was terrified to take it. Terrified that if he indulged in this world¡¯s fruits, it would lay claim to him, and he would never return home again.


    ¡°Why do you hesitate¡­?¡± Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s voice rang out again.


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t,¡± he told her, closing his eyes to the beautiful sky, struggling against the pulse, the beat of his own heart.


    ¡°You are trying to deny that which is already within you, human¡­ you would have better luck running from your own shadow. You are afraid?¡±


    Her voice began to deepen from the small and fragile sound he had come to know to a harsh and vile one. The change made his skin crawl.


    ¡°Do you not hate them? For all they have done to you, do you not wish death upon them? The vile Dae who broke your body and your spirit! Who cast you down to be devoured by monsters? Who branded you a demon?¡±


    Her voice was now a shout, dripping vile hatred. This was the true form of Dio¡¯Mar, not the simple and gentle spirit of the forests, but one who had been tormented for millennia.


    But her words began to take hold. His thoughts did turn to the tormentors who butchered him. He opened his eyes now and beheld a dark and stormy sky, violent with fury. The wind now tore at him, feeding off this anger he felt, the resentment at all involved.


    ¡°I want¡­¡± he said, his mouth dry, ¡°¡­I want to go home¡­ if you can help me do that, then I will help you. I will do everything that I can, but I need your word¡­ you need to swear to me that you will help me with all of your power.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± she said, rasped and jagged.


    ¡°Swear it¡­ Swear to God!¡± As the words left his mouth, the turmoil around him came to a halt, and all that was chaos became clear and beautiful again. The blue sky returned, bringing forth warm rays of light that soothed Robert.


    ¡°I¡­¡± said Dio¡¯Mar, her voice now normal and small again. ¡°¡­I swear.¡±


    Robert found himself back in the dark of the cave. He blinked in confusion at the strange vision, but within his chest, he could feel it. The Dunamis beat with a rhythmic boom, and a power that he could never have imagined seemed to be at his fingertips.


    A small shape shifted on the ground. Robert looked to see Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s tiny form floating just above the ground. She tilted her head toward him, and her eyeless face seemed to be in great pain.


    ¡°I have used¡­ much of my strength to bring myself before you. It is all I have been able to accumulate over the years¡­ it is gone now. Human¡­ Robert¡­ you are my last hope for salvation. Will you help me?¡±


    Robert looked at the spirit in her pitiful state, and he knew she was not what she claimed. Perhaps at one point, she was an innocent spirit who loved all around her, but she was broken now. A shell filled with nothing but regret and hatred for all things in this world. All things except for me, he thought.


    He reached his hand down and touched her. Feeling another painful jolt, she shrieked but did not dissipate as she had before. He didn¡¯t quite know what he was doing, but he suspected the act of making contact with this spirit somehow gave her strength.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± he asked, attempting to cradle her with his left hand, only to see his fingers slip through her as though she were made of smoke.


    She solidified and sat on the palm of his hand, her sinister smile returning. ¡°You are a very smart thing,¡± she said. ¡°I will recover¡­ the energy you have given me was more than last time¡­ and more than I have felt in thousands of years¡­¡±


    The two were silent for several seconds as Robert stood, this time on his own. ¡°So, where do I start?¡±

 Chapter 30

    Turak woke from his slumber in a cold sweat, nearly jumping out of his bed. It was usually this way for him. The demons of his past came to visit while he slept; this was a common occurrence for many who have seen battle. Most of these nightmares he would shrug off as nothing of great importance, but lately, he had been plagued by visions of guilt, having thrown an innocent creature into the Pits of Mar. Several weeks had passed since the ceremony, but time had done little to quell the guilt he felt.


    Turak stood from his bed, trying not to wake the two female companions he¡¯d had for the night, who stirred peacefully, still in a deep sleep. He made his way into his chamber¡¯s bathroom and looked at himself in a massive reflective stone. With a flick of his wrist, water began to flow from several tubes that protruded from the wall. As he washed his face, he heard a distinct and loud knock on his large door. Grumbling, he opened it to see Demessa standing there, wearing her bone plate mail and her grey cloak.


    ¡°Good morning, my Lord,¡± she said with a salute, pounding her fist against her chest. ¡°His Highness, King Alektor, wishes to speak with you. We have received riders from Torre¡¯, emissaries of the High King, supposedly.¡± She leaned slightly to her right, then she saw the forms of two naked Dae women, sitting up from his bed and stretching. Her eyes widened, and she looked at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. I will be there shortly, you are dismissed.¡± Before she could finish her salute, he closed the large door on her.


    Turak finished bathing, which took longer than usual as it would have been terribly rude not to invite his guests to join him. He made his way to the palace of his friend and the King of Rexun, Alektor.


    ~


    ¡°Lord Turak of House Skotos!¡± called the announcer as he entered the throne room. There were hundreds of nobles and officials present already. Turak did love the sight. It never got old seeing all of Thule¡¯s nobility standing awkwardly, waiting patiently for their commoner King to begin.


    ¡°Very nice to see you this morning, Lord Turak. You are looking well,¡± said a noblewoman, wearing fine, fashionable clothing.


    ¡°Lady Daiees, it is good to see you as well,¡± he said, trying to make his way past the crowd toward the throne. Before the king were four Dae warriors, all with fine and deep purple cloaks that seemed to outshine all who stood around them, even the king, who sat upon his throne contemplating the discussion that was taking place. Besides the warriors were Espi-Arl and his entourage of Espi-Dae.


    ¡°Your Highness, it is a great honor to see you this morning,¡± Turak said, bowing in respect. The warriors turned to face him as the king nodded in recognition of his arrival.


    ¡°Turak, this is Lord Bosmun from Torre¡¯. They are emissaries to the High King, and have come all this way unannounced, to speak with us.¡±


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    Bosmun bowed to Turak. ¡°Lord Turak, you must be very important indeed for your king to postpone our message until your arrival.¡±


    Turak bowed in return and looked around him at the crowd of nobles. ¡°Your Highness, may I ask whose idea it was to ensure that the entire court was here to see this?¡±


    Alektor sighed and gestured to Lord Bosmun.


    ¡°It was the High King¡¯s wish that we address this matter with all the lords and ladies of note in Thule. I am sure that your majesty will enlighten the rest of your court?¡±


    Alektor nodded.


    Bosmun opened a satchel at his side and pulled out a golden scroll that bore a large royal seal. ¡°His majesty, High King Phobos, ruler of all the clans in Eleutheros, thanks you, here and now, formally, for clan Rexunii¡¯s cooperation in dispatching the demon that you had in your custody¡­ However, it has been brought to our attention within the court of the Torre¡¯ that violence was committed against distinguished warriors and a High Lord of Lokkadonia in order to obtain it. This has been reviewed by the high council, and has been deemed a war crime, in violation of the Belous decree of non-action against a rival state without explicit permission from the High King himself.¡±


    The nobles around began to shout in protest.


    Betrayal. Why am I not surprised? Turak thought. Feeling hatred build in his heart, his eyes darted to Espi-Arl, who stood with a grossly smug look on his face.


    ¡°Silence!¡± Alektor roared, bringing order to the throne room.


    Bosmun continued. ¡°Because action was taken before any true agreement could be made, our High King orders that you compensate the Lokkadonian crown for your trespasses against them, in whatever form they deem appropriate.¡±


    ~


    Turak sat in one of Alektor¡¯s many fine chairs in his chamber. His high council had been present earlier, but he sent them away. None of them truly understood the King, not like Turak did. They had known each other since they were children, brought together in a twist of fate when Alektor¡¯s father freed a Doulos camp in the southern region of Lokkadonia.


    ¡°Why do you say nothing?¡± Alektor said, pacing back and forth. ¡°Go ahead! Say it, say I was wrong for trusting these noble fools.¡±


    Turak sipped his bowl of wine and said nothing.


    ¡°They made a fool of me in front of my own court. The bastards, I will see them all dead.¡± Alektor closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. ¡°I should have listened to you at the start. Used the human as leverage against the Lokkadonians; instead, I handed it over to the damned Espi-Dae.¡± He looked to Turak, still sitting there. ¡°Turak, for the love of the great spirits, if I have to stand here and look at your passive-aggressive face for another moment, I will kill you.¡±


    ¡°What would you do after that? Ask Lord Reddun for council? Or perhaps Lord Mullo?¡±


    Alektor fumed silently for several moments.


    ¡°Listen, I am not going to say anything like that to you. I only hope that you now have the sense to take my advice every now and then,¡± Turak said.


    Alektor looked daggers at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your Majesty,¡± he added, giving his friend a mocking smile.


    Alektor grinned. ¡°So, what do we do now? We have lost any edge we once had.¡±


    Turak inhaled to speak but was cut off by a loud banging on the door to the King¡¯s chambers.


    ¡°Enter!¡± Alektor shouted.


    A young palace guard entered the room and bowed his head. ¡°I am sorry for the intrusion, your highness, but we have a disturbance at the Temple of Mar!¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Alektor said, looking at Turak. ¡°What kind of disturbance?¡±


    ¡°Demons! Creatures are pouring out of the pit! They are attacking everyone inside!¡±

 Chapter 31

    Robert held his right arm out to the Cugorii. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±


    Dio¡¯Mar floated beside him. ¡°These creatures are very special¡­ they were created by several very powerful spirits¡­ for reasons that are not known to me, they seem to obey your commands¡­ even react to your anger¡­¡±


    The Cugorii took its right hand, and with a sickening display of violence, began to gnaw on its wrist. Flesh and black blood gushed from wounds that were made from its hideous teeth.


    The sight made Robert reel back in disgust, but he didn¡¯t protest. With a pop, the creature pulled its right hand from a bloody stump. The cut was not a pristine and surgical one like when Robert lost his own hand, but Dio¡¯Mar said that it would make little difference.


    ¡°It does not matter if clay is cut or torn¡­ it can be melded¡­ shaped¡­ repaired¡­¡± The spirit said, gesturing for Robert to take the hand from the creature.


    ¡°But¡­ what about its hand?¡± Robert looked at the monster, a pang of guilt crossing his face. The feeling was a relief to him in a way. He hadn¡¯t lost his humanity¡­ yet.


    The Cugorii turned and walked back into the darkness of the cave, out of sight.


    Robert looked at the large and gnarled hand; black blood still dripped from the wound onto his now tattered and dirty ceremonial robe.


    ¡°It¡¯s too big,¡± he said, looking at the oversized appendage. ¡°How the hell is this thing not supposed to make me look ridiculous?¡±


    ¡°Robert¡­ you are far too picky¡­ you have lost your hand¡­ I can show you how to reattach this one to you¡­ the Cugorii body is malleable and extremely susceptible to spiritual energy¡­ it will meld to you¡­ now stop complaining and close your little mortal eyes¡­¡±


    ¡°Least I have eyes,¡± Robert grumbled, closing his eyes to focus.


    ¡°The energy is not here¡­ around you¡­¡± Her voice echoed in his head as he began to enter another Dunamis induced trance-like state.


    ¡°Why does this always happen?¡± he asked her, his mind clouding.


    ¡°Every creature in Pelemont has the ability¡­ to tap into the Dunamis¡­ most find it in the easiest places¡­ the world itself bleeds spiritual energy¡­ what many forget, however¡­ is that they can find it within themselves¡­¡±


    ¡°But why this?¡± he asked, now finding himself again floating in the blue sky.


    ¡°The Dae call it Dunum Dae Espae¡­ power¡­ Dae¡­ spirit¡­ it is a state of total self-reflection¡­ but it is terribly misunderstood¡­ it is from this state that power can be accessed, that few of even the most learned Dae could hope to understand¡­ it is here where the true might of the Dunamis is revealed¡­ and where we will heal your hand. The Dae have always been this way¡­ following the path to power¡­ least resisted¡­ it is for this reason that they began looking elsewhere for more power¡­ the truth is within their hearts¡­ but one does not truly know themselves unless they are shown the way¡­ I will show you the way¡­ I will make you see¡­¡±


    Robert¡¯s right arm burned with sudden pain. It was nothing compared to the constant searing agony of his trials above, but it startled him. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°You are repairing your body¡­¡± she said,


    ¡°How? I¡¯m not doing anything.¡± Robert started panicking as the pain increased. ¡°I don¡¯t like this! How do I get out of this state? What do I do to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Calm yourself¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar interrupted. ¡°You must listen to me¡­ breathe¡­ you are not in the Pit of Mar here¡­ you are free¡­ in the sky above Pelemont¡­ you are soaring above the mountains and valleys¡­ trust in yourself¡­ when you awaken from this¡­ you will be whole¡­ you will be strong¡­ Let me guide you¡­¡±


    Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s voice faded into nothing, and Robert floated on his own in the sky of his Dunamis. This has to be some strange trance. Trust in an evil little spirit? he thought. Of course, he did not trust anyone or anything in this new world, but he was left with little choice. His thoughts turned to Katrina again, and his heart started to harden. She had abandoned him in this world, turning to other people for comfort and strength. He often thought of better times, listening to her laugh as they watched their favorite shows together, hearing her talk about a tough day she had, or an argument with her parents. It seemed in a different life to him¡­ it was a different life now. Here, in the depths of this pit, he was now truly alone.


    ¡°Robert¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s voice echoed again. ¡°Open your eyes¡­¡±


    As if being pulled from a deep sleep, he found himself back in the cave. He was surrounded by the Cugorii and the little floating spirit before him. With hesitation, he lifted his right arm and beheld a monstrous-looking hand that was unfamiliar to him. The fingers were smaller now, as though the size had been adjusted to meet the proportion of his human arm, but still, it had a pale grey color and razor-sharp claws that made it painfully apparent that this was not a human hand. Robert¡¯s face grimaced as he moved the fingers and joints, discovering them again for the first time.


    ¡°It will do¡­ for now, Robert¡­ do not fret¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said, floating in front of him.


    ¡°How do we get out of here?¡± he asked her, still inspecting his new appendage.


    ~


    Turak charged through entrance of the Temple of Mar as Espi-Dae passed him, running for their lives. Within the massive structure, he could hear the screams of Dae and monstrous growls and snarls. He ran in with several Rexunii warriors, following the commotion into the great hall where the Pit of Mar was housed and protected. He did not know what he would find when he entered. Demons? he thought. A feeling he had not experienced in some time crept its way back into his being: Fear. Was it retribution for the blatant disregard of our sovereign spirit¡¯s will? His mind raced with each hastened step he took.


    He ran into the main hall and saw dozens of strange monsters over the bodies of fallen Espi-Dae. They gnawed and tore at their flesh with vicious precision.


    ¡°By the Spirits,¡± he said to himself, his eyes wide and full of fear. ¡°What are these creatures?¡±


    The warriors stormed in behind him, gasps and hushed words could be heard as they surely took in the same sights.


    The monsters looked at the new group of Dae and turned to leap upon them. As they did, a massive burst of fire blew past Turak from behind. The orange flame scorched the creatures, and they fell to the stone floor without so much as a sound.


    Turak glanced back to see King Alektor standing. His face grimaced with the same shock as the rest.


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    ¡°Kill them as they emerge!¡± he yelled to Turak.


    Turak looked to see the large sliding doors of the pit were smashed open. One of the pieces had been torn off and had clearly fallen down into the dark hole.


    More monsters began to pour from the opening, leaping with immense strength into the air to avoid the Dunamis of the warriors. As they did, they were burned by massive waves of fire. The air burned with energy as Turak watched his King effortlessly dispatch the creatures. Steeling himself, Turak drew his dual blades and let out a yell before charging at the danger. Suddenly there was a shout that echoed loudly from the hole.


    ¡°Stop!¡± it echoed through the massive room, booming with unnatural volume.


    The creatures halted their advance, and Turak turned to see a clawed hand grasp the lip of the entrance to the pit.


    ¡°Get back here.¡± it said again, prompting the creatures to obey him and help the figure out of the hole.


    Turak saw a tattered and filthy ceremonial robe behind the creatures as they carried the form. Then his eyes met familiar ones, deeply brown and full of rage.


    ¡°By the spirits,¡± Turak said, taking involuntary steps back. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s the human!¡±


    Alektor¡¯s eyes narrowed at the sight. ¡°So¡­ you truly were a demon.¡± He lifted his hand, and heat began to blur Robert¡¯s features. ¡°I will not allow this!¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± A booming voice called from all around them. The power brought all in the room to freeze, even Alektor.


    ¡°You¡­ will not touch him¡­¡± The voice echoed.


    A massive form began to conjure behind Robert, its face shrouded in black smoke and reaching the high dome ceiling of the temple. Turak fell to his knees at the sight. In all the days of his life, he had prayed to this spirit. He knew who it was, knew what this meant. All his fears had been realized; at this moment, he knew he had failed her. Throwing the human into the pit had brought forth the wrath of Dio¡¯Mar.


    ¡°Long have I slept¡­ in the Dark of this world¡­ in the bowels... of your¡­ city¡­ content with the judgment¡­ of your kings¡­ until now¡­ until your arrogance took¡­ f¡­ form¡­¡± Her voice was terrifying to all who beheld it. Etched with immeasurable power and wrath, she shook Turak to his core.


    ¡°You have betrayed what you stand for¡­ oh, mighty king¡­ and cast down one sent by the great spirits¡­ themselves¡­¡±


    Turak glanced to see Alektor, for the first time, looking small at something he faced. Uncertainty¡­ and fear? That was something new.


    Silence ensued as the Dae warriors cowered before this ancient and benevolent spirit.


    ¡°Well¡­? How do you plead?¡± she said finally.


    ¡°I did what was best for my people! For the children of Rexun! And I would do it again if I knew it would help them. But great spirit, we were all deceived by the¡ª¡±


    ¡°I am not¡­ a great spirit¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar replied, hate in her words.


    Alektor blinked, looking confused, and he turned to his friend for help. Turak was frozen in fear and had no snide remark or sarcastic quip to soothe his king this time. It was at that moment that Turak saw Alektor¡¯s demeanor change. The confusion and fear turned to anger, and he looked again to the massive spirit before him.


    ¡°What would you have me do?¡± he said, opening his arms to either side, revealing his vulnerable chest. They had been called from the king¡¯s chamber and hadn¡¯t had time to don their armor. Alektor had even arrived at the temple without the crucial protection of his sword. Though as Turak had come to know his friend over the years, he could be sure that he did not need it. The man was a prodigy of elemental power, dispatching all who had ever stood against him in battle, even the most seasoned warriors of the old regime in Rexun.


    ¡°I would have you stand¡­ oh, great king of the Rexunii¡­ stand for all the injustice you have caused¡­ and accept my judgment.¡± Dio¡¯Mar began to shrink in size and floated to the king with her hand extended. ¡°I love my people¡­ the faithful who have kept their morals and dignity pure¡­ for all the years I have been here¡­ you can be redeemed¡­ you can show me your true character.¡± Dio¡¯Mar touched his face and gave a sinister smile. ¡°What will you choose?¡±


    ~


    Robert sat before a large fire in Alektor¡¯s chambers. He had a warm embroidered blanket wrapped around his shoulders, and he stared at the hypnotizing flame.


    ¡°I knew it,¡± Turak said to him, his eyes red with fury ¡°I knew they were wrong about you. The damned Espi-Dae! Those bastards from Torre¡¯ betrayed us, forced us to go against our teachings, go against the will of Dio¡¯Mar, but¡­¡± The Dae man looked thoughtfully into the flame as well. ¡°Perhaps there is some divine plan she has yet to reveal to us. If not for your suffering, she would never have revealed herself to us, to bring the Rexunii back to the path.¡±


    Robert looked at him with malice. ¡°My¡­ suffering?¡± He grimaced at him. ¡°You have no fucking clue what kind of suffering I endured ever since I got to this shithole of a world! You people are savages!¡± He stood, his rage building to the boiling point. ¡°I have¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Alektor called from across the room, cutting him off. ¡°I understand your plight, Spirit-Sent,¡± he said, closing the large doors behind him and walking to Robert. ¡°You have a right to be angry, for all that has been done to you. I can say that we are deeply sorry that it unfolded the way it did. But you will not speak to us so. Dio¡¯Mar has asked that I house and protect you from harm, assisting you in every way I can in your quest to return to your world.¡± He paused, trying to understand that fact. ¡°It is the Espi-Dae who tortured you and cast you into the pit; your fury will be best directed at them. If you do, then we share a common enemy.¡±


    Robert huffed as he sat down again, closing his eyes. Is it over? Is this suffering truly over? he thought. He glanced down at his monstrous hand and shivered at the sight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I just.¡±


    ¡°We will start over,¡± Alektor said, walking before Robert. His eyes were a brilliant yellow, a true symbol of the Dae people, the embodiment of their strength and ferocity. ¡°I am King Alektor of House Roh, ruler of the Rexunii, servant of Dio¡¯Mar, and now¡­ friend of the Spirit-Sent.¡± Alektor extended his hand to him, not unlike a handshake, but more of a clasp of friendship. Many of the warrior Dae he had seen in Lokkadonia did much the same. He looked at it for several seconds, his face a twisted display of hundreds of emotions. ¡°How?¡± he finally asked. ¡°How the hell can I trust any of you people now? What will you do to make sure that some crazy Espi-Dae fanatics don¡¯t show up and haul me off again!? What can you do?¡±


    Alektor narrowed his eyes. Robert could see he was angered by the comments, but he could see the king knew they were true.


    ¡°I offer you not only my friendship, but my family as well. I offer you the name of Roh.¡±


    Turak stood and spoke for the first time. ¡°This¡­ this is the right thing to do, Alektor.¡± He looked at Robert. ¡°You will be brothers; this is a bond that is not made lightly.¡±


    Is he offering to adopt me or something? Robert thought, somewhat caught off-guard by the bold display.


    ¡°This will make you family, and I would topple kingdoms for my family.¡± Alektor gestured again to his still outstretched hand.


    Robert hesitated again, looking at his hands, then sneered as he grasped the King¡¯s hand with his Cugorii hand. Alektor didn¡¯t even flinch at the foreign tissue, but he smiled at Robert.


    ¡°While you are here in Pelemont, you are my brother. I swear to all the spirits, ancient and great that I will protect you. Also, while you are here you will be Reku of House Roh.¡±


    ¡°Reku?¡± Robert asked.


    ¡°As long as you are a member of my house, this will be your name. You are a Prince and brother to the King, Spirit-Sent, and Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s chosen, Reku of House Roh.¡±


    What choice do I have? Robert thought. His mind raced at the implications of it all. He knew that this would provide him with the protection he needed, or at least hoped it would. ¡°I¡­¡± Robert said, unable to finish his thought. ¡°I accept your offer.¡±


    ~


    After the emotional exchange, the King and Turak left the room, while several of the palace servants bathed and clothed Robert. He found himself in a large and comfortable bed that night, but sleep could not take him. There was too much on his mind. His thoughts wandered then to Amynta, the Dae scholar who joined him in the Spirit Forest. He knew she was alive¡­ they had searched for her, but the spirits protected her. She will be alright¡­ I hope.


    ¡°You know¡­ this is the best for us¡­¡± spoke a familiar little voice. Robert felt a cold presence beside his head. Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s little form sat on his pillow. ¡°But I must tell you¡­ we must be careful with the king of Rexun¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Robert asked, staring at the ceiling.


    ¡°His power is immense¡­ he hides much of it in front of the Dae around him¡­ but spirits can sense much more¡­ he could have killed us both if he chose to attack us in the temple¡­¡±


    Robert turned to look at her eyeless face, only a pale blur in the darkness of the room. ¡°Even you? An ancient spirit?¡±


    A small laugh rang in his ear as she floated to touch his forehead. ¡°My sweet mortal¡­ I have lost much of my power¡­ and though the spiritual energy I absorbed when leaving the cave made me much more than I was¡­ it will take time to return to even a fraction of my former self¡­ we must be careful¡­ we must protect each other¡­¡±

 Chapter 32

    Katrina fidgeted, uncomfortable wearing the long evening gloves that extended to her elbows. Pleasant music played from the strange live band that performed at the dinner party she was now attending. She had grieved for days after hearing the news of Robert, but after many sleepless nights of regret and guilt, she had finally come to terms with his loss. She still cried at night, thinking of all the times they had spent together, but things were different. Life had changed, and she would survive. She glanced at Daniel, who sat several tables away from her. The man was not much of a pillar of emotional support, but he was all that remained of her old life on Earth. That wasn¡¯t saying much as she only met him when they arrived in Pelemont, but still, it was good to talk to another human being every now and then. She was still angry at him and Oros for leaving her behind on their mission to save Robert. But after some thought, she could sympathize somewhat. She noticed that he had turned and had been looking at her, staring at him for some time now. She just smiled awkwardly and looked back down at her gloves.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this just spectacular?¡± Illya said, sitting to her left. ¡°I love this music; it¡¯s always so calming to listen to.¡±


    Katrina nodded her head. The music was a strange mix of jazz and classical, played with instruments of wood and bone. One did look like a flute, but the musician who played it used his Dunamis to propel the wind through the instrument. Others were contraptions that she couldn¡¯t even compare to anything on Earth. She couldn¡¯t argue with the sound, though. It was pretty catchy.


    ¡°Do they have things like this on your world?¡± Illya asked, sipping from her bowl of wine.


    ¡°Of course they do, and I think this might actually be a popular genre of music too. The people where I¡¯m from would eat this up.¡± Katrina took a long drink from her wine.


    ¡°So, how are you feeling now? It has been ages since we¡¯ve been able to just relax.¡± Illya shifted playfully in her seat, adjusting her very fine velvet-like gown. The Dae Krya was a truly stunning woman and made no attempt to hide her body. Though the attire was not necessarily revealing, it was pressed close to her and complimented the curves of her body very well.


    Katrina sighed and drank the rest of her bowl. ¡°I have been terrible, Illya; what do you want me to tell you? There is a lot on my mind lately, as you know. Robert and I did not end on good terms, we had a huge argument, and he left. I was waiting for him to come back so I could apologize for how I treated him, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Say no more.¡± Illya put her hand on Katrina¡¯s shoulder. ¡°These things happen. Well¡­ not exactly the same way, I mean, you are from a different world and all, but you know what I¡¯m talking about. Dae men like to get themselves killed all the time¡­ well, the women do too, but¡­ wait¡­ where was I going with this again? Never mind, the point is not to fret and to look forward. When my mother died, I was devastated. She was my inspiration, and not a day goes by that I don¡¯t think of her.¡± Illya looked down at her empty bowl of wine, lost in some distant memory.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Katrina said.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ve healed. She died some twenty years ago.¡± Illya signaled for one of the Doulos slaves to bring more wine.


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ I keep forgetting how old your people can get.¡± Kat turned to her friend with a smile and nodded in the direction of Daniel. ¡°So, are you going to talk to him tonight?¡±


    ¡°By the spirits, Kat, you are relentless¡­ I love it! A woman after my own heart. Well, you see, it isn¡¯t that simple. I can¡¯t just go over there and speak to him anymore. He doesn¡¯t seem very¡­ uh¡­ interested.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Katrina said.


    ¡°Well, I mean. I wore my best dress tonight! And the oaf hasn¡¯t even taken so much as a glance! It is quite infuriating. Besides, if not to make matters even more complicated, he is always with Delmos of House Regios, and everyone in the court knows that he is absolutely in love with me.¡±


    ¡°Daniel!¡± Katrina called, bringing some inquisitive glares in her direction from the surrounding partygoers.


    ¡°Katrina! What are you doing? Shush, stop it!¡± Illya whispered.


    Daniel turned to her with a surprised look on his face. She motioned him to come sit next to her. The man didn¡¯t move; he just looked on with great confusion plastered on his face. After several embarrassing moments, she began to worry. Is he seriously going to ignore me? Katrina thought, irritated. He finally stood and began to walk to her table. Like clockwork, however, his new friend Delmos stood and followed him with his usual passive smug look.


    ¡°Why?¡± Illya pleaded desperately.


    ¡°Kat,¡± Daniel said, nodding his head. ¡°Illya.¡± The man wore his new officers¡¯ cloak, a deep crimson color with black leathers beneath. After the mission to rescue Robert, he was granted the red of the Lokkadonian elite, and promoted to junior officer of the Lokkadonian military. Delmos and Vissa were both given accolades as well, for their bravery. Only Oros seemed to have been punished by Agron. Being forced to finally bond with Avria, the two of them accepted their responsibility, and had since been trying to spend time together to smooth out their obvious distain for each other.


    ¡°My Lady!¡± Delmos proclaimed, bowing deeply to Illya.


    ¡°Oh, by the spirits,¡± Illya said, putting her hands on her face.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit here with us, Dan? We haven¡¯t spoken much lately. I think it would be good for us.¡± Katrina gestured to the open seat to her right.


    ¡°That is impossible,¡± Delmos said. ¡°There is only one seat! I refuse to let lady Illya sit on my lap; it is inappropriate!¡±


    Illya groaned from underneath her hands.


    ¡°Delmos, can you do me a favor?¡± Katrina asked. ¡°Can you please let me speak with Daniel for a few minutes? I hear you are quite the jester, and normally that wouldn¡¯t bother me, but we have some important things to discuss.¡±


    Daniel looked at him and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Give me a minute.¡±


    Delmos rolled his eyes and turned to walk toward a large group of young nobles.


    Daniel sat down next to Katrina and adjusted his red cloak. ¡°So, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Well, I thought it might be good to chat; Illya has been trying to speak with you for some time.¡± Katrina looked to the Dae Krya.


    She fixed her pearl hair and gave her best smile. ¡°Thank you, Kat, I appreciate it, but I know that Daniel has been very busy lately. Fighting Rexunii warriors and all and winning your first battle, congratulations, by the way.¡±


    Daniel was silent at first, but his face began to darken. ¡°Yeah, if only the mission hadn¡¯t failed. Robert ended up¡­¡±


    ¡°Dan¡­¡± Katrina said, returning his look, wordlessly trying to convey her appreciation.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a tragedy.¡± Illya said, somberly. ¡°We know you all did your best. And regardless of what my Father says, it was a very noble thing you and my brother did.¡±


    Daniel again fell silent, looking at the assembled plates and food on their table.


    ¡°That aside, Dan,¡± Katrina continued after several moments, ¡°Illya has been trying to see you. But you¡¯re a hard man to approach.¡±


    ¡°Kat!¡± Illya said, her face turning a shade of blue. ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that, I just wanted to extend a hand of friendship, and ensure he is doing well. After such a traumatic ordeal for both of you. It is my duty to¡ª¡±


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    ¡°Come on, Illya,¡± Katrina said, cutting her off. ¡°Companionship is important for people to stay positive and in a good frame of mind. Illya seems to be very fond of you, and I think it might be interesting for you two to maybe, I don¡¯t know¡­ have dinner or something? Alone? Just to get to know each other.¡±


    Daniel sighed and shook his head. ¡°Illya, I don¡¯t mean to offend you in any way, it¡¯s just a bit much now. Aside from the obvious situation; you¡¯re a Dae and I¡¯m a human. We don¡¯t know if something like that could even¡­ work.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have a penis! So, you don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± Illya said, nervousness and embarrassment taking over her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Her face turned an even deeper shade of blue.


    Katrina began to laugh, nearly spilling her wine on the table. Daniel just looked at the two, confused and uncomfortable.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± he asked, seeming completely unsure how to respond.


    ¡°Don¡¯t laugh at me, Kat! I am trying my best here,¡± Illya said, nudging her friend¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You may not know this or understand it, but Dae find you humans to be very attractive creatures. There is something about you all that seems so alien but familiar at the same time. I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Daniel, it may do you some good to release the stress.¡± Katrina wiped the tears from her eyes as she spoke. ¡°Clean the pipes out.¡±


    ¡°You are ridiculous,¡± Daniel said, trying not to laugh too loudly.


    ~


    Avria adjusted her gown as she entered the hall. There was music, and festivities that, of course, made her feel quite uncomfortable. She cursed under her breath as she tried again to adjust her gown. They never seemed to fit her comfortably. She wore a deep blue velvet-like gown that was the latest fashion in Torre¡¯. Nearly all the attending women wore these. The fabric clung tightly to her curves, and despite all her efforts to the contrary, she drew the attention of many male patrons in attendance.


    ¡°You look absolutely divine, my Lady,¡± a sly and somewhat nasal voice said from beside her. Avria looked to see Lord Bodilla, the father of Eslan and Vikko, bow his head to greet her. ¡°It has been some time since we have all been blessed with the presence of so many of Vul De Rah¡¯s high nobility. Even the Spirit-Sent are here tonight; quite exciting, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    Avria bowed her head in greeting but held back a snide remark about how this party was in honor of the Hego¡¯s bold plan to turn the Torre¡¯ against the Rexunii and not an excuse to bloat Lord Bodilla¡¯s ego in court. ¡°I am very happy to be here, my Lord,¡± she said, nodding as she used her usual technique of escaping uncomfortable situations by acting as though she were on her way to meet with very important people.


    As she made her escape, she scanned the faces of the hundreds of nobles who were in attendance. Looking at where the largest groups were, she could tell where most people of import were. Which was where she would need to avoid going anywhere near. She grimaced as she felt the tight gown irritate her ribs under her bosom. ¡°Damn this spirit-forsaken¡ª¡± In the midst of her frustration, she looked up and made eye contact with a pair of familiar yellow eyes. She recognized them and the confident grin that accompanied them. Oros made his way to Avria, greeting nobles as he did, but did not stop to chat with anyone. She brushed her gown and straightened it as he approached and gave him a courteous bow. ¡°My Kryo Ignos?¡±


    ¡°Avria.¡± His smile deepened. ¡°I must say that you look¡­ absolutely stunning tonight.¡±


    Avria blushed uncomfortably as the Kryo complimented her. She was not used to the attention she had been receiving lately from the man. What was once always a coarse and difficult cooperation had become something of a contradiction with what she now knew were open displays of affection toward her. After his return from the south, and Agron forced them to begin the courting process, Oros had expressed a growing genuine interest in her. She had rejected the thoughts at first, but as the frequency of these advances increased, she could not help but share some feelings of her own for him. He was, after all, a handsome Kryo.


    ¡°You are too kind, my Kryo,¡± she said, looking at him with an exaggerated sneer. ¡°I can¡¯t let you get too emboldened now, can I? People will start to think I¡¯ve gone soft.¡±


    Oros let out a laugh and extended his arm, a gesture meant to escort her through the party. She hesitated at first but took his arm.


    ¡°It would seem that our efforts in Torre¡¯ were a resounding success. The Baa¡¯Yega have proven to be fair and just allies in this conflict supporting us through a difficult time. Nasha has served us well. She managed to convince the High King to rescind their agreement with the Rexunii and support us instead.¡± Oros said, trying his best to keep the conversation flowing.


    ¡°Yes, I suppose the harlot has some ability after all. Perhaps she spread her legs for the high council, though I hear it isn¡¯t much of a view.¡±


    ¡°Avria!¡± Oros said, shocked at the vulgarity. ¡°Where is this hostility coming from? I have never seen the two of you argue or fight. I¡¯m surprised.¡±


    Avria huffed. ¡°You know she has never liked me. She always attempted to outshine me at every turn.¡± She grinned. ¡°But I always win. In power, favor, and now of course¡­¡± She gestured toward him.


    ¡°Me?¡± he asked, feigning ignorance.


    ¡°Yes, you. I never thought I would see the day, Oros, that I actually developed feelings for such a foolish man, but here I am, disappointed in myself again.¡±


    Oros coughed. ¡°You were never one to mince words. So here we are then, just saying it out in the open. And here I thought I would have to spend months courting you.¡±


    Avria opened her mouth to speak when she heard a loud bang on one of the tables nearby. She turned to see Boros, his fist on the table, and a drunken smile on his face. ¡°By the spirits!¡± he said, a slight slur behind his words. ¡°My brother and the fabled Lady of House Regios! I didn¡¯t know you had it in you, Oros. She looks like she could eat you alive! Best to wear your plate on the wedding night.¡±


    Boros¡¯ words brought loud laughter from surrounding nobles. This caused Avria¡¯s face to flush and her temper to rise.


    ¡°You little¡­¡± She hissed, releasing Oros¡¯ arm and striding toward the drunk Kryo.


    ¡°By the Spirits!¡± he yelled, turning and running into the crowd in an exaggerated manner. This brought even more laughter from the spectators, and even Oros was laughing.


    ~


    Katrina sat between Illya and Daniel, pleased with herself as she prodded him with questions. I knew I was a great matchmaker.


    ¡°I mean, how is it even possible? I heard you blew up half the glade! You must be very powerful, indeed. Is Katrina that powerful as well?¡± Illya looked at Katrina closely, raising her eyebrows. She knew the drill; after all, she did invite Daniel to sit with them. Now she was happy to have been reduced to a wingman.


    ¡°Oh no, I don¡¯t think so,¡± Katrina said, taking another gulp from her wine bowl. A warm fuzzy feeling that had been slowly building throughout the night finally started to affect her.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± Daniel finally said. ¡°This is just¡­ getting ridiculous. No, I did not blow up half the glade. I used a power that I did not understand or have the ability to control.¡± Katrina heard annoyance start to enter his tone. ¡°I should probably get back to the party. I have some people I invited who should be arriving any minute.¡± Daniel stood, bowing his head to the Krya. He looked at Katrina. ¡°I need to talk to you, though, so when you get a chance, come find me.¡± With that, he walked back into the party and out of view.


    Katrina could feel the rage from the Dae girl next to her. It was almost palpable. She looked over slowly, afraid of what she would see.


    ¡°Utter¡­ rejection¡­¡± Illya said slowly, her eyes flashing with anger. ¡°I will not accept this!¡±


    Katrina put her hand on Illya¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ uh, alright. There are plenty of men out there.¡± This had clearly not gone how she had planned. This guy is complicated, she thought. Illya was gorgeous; Katrina couldn¡¯t believe that he wouldn¡¯t be attracted to her, Dae or not. Maybe he¡¯s into me?


    ¡°No... now I just long for him more.¡± Illya put her head down on the table. ¡°Why am I so foolish?¡±


    ~


    Daniel waded through the crowd of assembled Dae, trying to shake off the uncomfortable conversation with Illya. It wasn¡¯t any surprise to him that she was interested, she had hardly made any attempt to hide it, but it was still something he found difficult to get past. These creatures were not human. They looked a great deal like them, with the exception of some obvious differences, the most blatant being their strangely colored skin, eyes, and of course, the long canine teeth. All that being taken into account, Daniel felt on a daily basis the lack of companionship in this world. He had spent many months on his own while on deployment in the Marines, but this was different. There, he was surrounded by his fellow warriors, all suffering the situation together; misery loves company.


    Daniel heard the raised and arrogant voice of Delmos speaking to someone. He looked to see his friend greeting several Dae who were at the entrance to the party.


    ¡°I am honored that you have come to see me, Vissa! I knew you fell in love with me the moment I strode into your camp. I could feel it happening,¡± Delmos said.


    She ignored him for the most part, patting him on the shoulder as she walked past him. Behind her was another familiar face, the young Lokkadonian warrior Kholek, Vissa¡¯s second in command. The Dae looked extremely uncomfortable at the party and had probably been dragged there by Vissa. So far from what Daniel could understand of Dae culture, specifically that of Lokkadonia, they followed a strict caste system, and commoners like Kholek were looked down upon. The man had proven himself invaluable during the battles in the south, holding a not insignificant portion of the raider¡¯s war groups on his own. Daniel felt strongly that valor of such a degree should be recognized and rewarded, one of the reasons Delmos invited him.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± Vissa said, striding over to give Daniel a tight hug. ¡°It is good to see you well.¡±


    Daniel greeted her and looked at Kholek. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came.¡±


    ¡°Not of his own accord,¡± Delmos chimed in. ¡°To deny an invitation by the Spirit -Sent would have been unwise.¡± He looked at Kholek, a fair amount of true disdain on his face. ¡°You will do well to remember your place.¡±


    ¡°My apologies, my Lord,¡± Kholek said, bowing his head.


    ¡°Well, the only way he would be allowed to such an event would be under the guise of my personal guard. You owe me, Spirit-Sent.¡± Vissa smiled mischievously. ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡±


    Daniel shook his head and snorted. ¡°Whatever, you let me know what you want. And I¡¯ll see if Delmos can do it for you.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Delmos protested.

 Chapter 33

    Robert fidgeted with nervousness in the throne room. He stood at the left side of King Alektor¡¯s throne, while Turak stood to his right. The room was filled to the brim with hundreds of Rexunii nobles and warriors of note. All of them stared now, in absolute astonishment and horror, at Robert. There was silence for many minutes as the king waited for the purple-clad Torre¡¯ warriors to finally enter.


    ¡°Lord Bosmun of Clan Torre¡¯, emissary of the High King Phobos!¡± called the announcer guard at the entrance. The silent mass of Dae turned to see the Warrior and his entourage enter, followed closely by a still smug Espi-Arl, whose face went ghostly as he met the steely and hate-filled gaze of Robert.


    ¡°Thank you for responding to my summons, my Lords. I am glad I caught you before you left Thule,¡± Alektor said, a smile creeping its way onto his face.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Espi-Arl asked. ¡°How has the demon returned?¡± There was distinct fear in his eyes now.


    ¡°It is as we feared,¡± Alektor said. ¡°The human emerged from the pit, having been saved by the ancient spirit Dio¡¯Mar. At first, I thought he was truly the demon you claimed he was and prepared myself to fight him, but Dio¡¯Mar, after untold centuries, thousands of years in a deep slumber below us revealed herself. And she told me that we have been fools.¡± Alektor¡¯s eyes turned dark, and he slowly stood to his feet. ¡°She told us that the human was a creature sent by the great spirits themselves! And you tortured him, butchered him for the High Espi-Dae, for your false religion in Torre¡¯. I want you to tell the High King that I do not intend to compensate the Lokkadonians for the blood we spilled. Those murderers have been raping and killing our brothers and sisters in Lokkon for hundreds of years! And the Torre¡¯ do nothing! We did your bidding in capturing the human, listened to the promises of a corrupt fool.¡± He looked at Espi-Arl. ¡°But it seems that we have been granted a second chance. Robert has forgiven us for our part in your treatment of him, and I have sworn to protect him with my life.¡±


    He stepped forward and held his right hand out. Turak drew his incisor and gave it to him. Alektor brought the weapon before him and pointed it at Lord Bosmun, who looked on, unimpressed by the display.


    ¡°The Torre¡¯ have no power here anymore,¡± he said, taking a step toward the Lord. ¡°I hereby renounce any oaths held in standing to the Torre¡¯ High King. The Rexunii have been tormented enough by your corruption and arrogance.¡±


    Gasps and loud murmurs rippled through the crowd, and Lord Bosmun narrowed his eyes. ¡°You would forsake the lives of your subjects? For your pride? You truly are a foolish man, unfit to rule your people.¡± He opened his purple cloak and held out the golden scroll with the declaration from the High King. ¡°This is the word of your High King, the word of law,¡± he said, his words seething. ¡°And the word of law will not be tarnished by a spoiled and arrogant child who feels he has been mistreated. You can rest assured that this insolence will be punished, Alektor. To the highest degree.¡±


    Robert felt a heat emanating from the king. At first, it was as soothing as a warm ray of sunlight, but as the words continued, it became a scorching wave.


    ¡°You know nothing of the struggles of my people. Oppressed by our rivals and our High King, starved by trade and political restrictions. Enslaved by the Lokkadonians for hundreds of years¡­ I care nothing for the words of a false king or his threats. You think I fear the wrath of the Torre¡¯? I will show you wrath!¡± A burst of energy blew into the crowd from his body, knocking several of the nobles on their backs. Lord Bosmun held his ground, but he had to steady himself. Robert beheld the fear in their eyes. These Dae feared him; they had seen this power before and knew to cower. They dashed away from Lord Bosmun and his small group of warriors. ¡°You can tell your king that all children of Rexun are free, and all emissaries from Torre¡¯ will be turned away from our borders. I have the urge to burn you all here for your crimes and insolence, but the honor of your station demands that I let you leave unharmed.¡± Alektor let out a deep breath and returned to his throne. ¡°Farewell, Lord Bosmun of Torre¡¯, I hope we never do meet again.¡±


    Bosmun and his warriors were led out of the throne room, again followed closely by Espi-Arl; however, his expression was much less pretentious than it was when he entered. The room erupted in shouts and cheers, a welcome sight after the tension-filled exchange with the Torre¡¯.


    ¡°There will be war!¡± one of the nobles called from the crowd, followed by yells of support.


    ¡°Are you sure this is wise? another said, stepping closer to the king. ¡°The last thing we want is for our people to starve because of politics they have no control over. Your Highness, we must think about this. How will we maintain our economy? Without the Torre¡¯ traders and funding, we will surely be wounded by these actions.¡±


    Much of the room was silent as he spoke, and Alektor nodded his head in respect to the Dae. ¡°Lord Irro, I understand your concerns on the matter. You have many friends in your dealings with the Torre¡¯. We have you to thank for much of Rexun prosperity. However, we must find another means of supporting our people. We have been slaves to the Torre¡¯ for far too long, thralls to their every whim. No longer¡­ we will speak with other clans, perhaps the Visgo will be willing to work with us.¡±


    Lord Irro, Robert thought. Demessa¡¯s father? The Dae girl had been the focus of much of his rage since she tormented him on the road to Thule, but in the short time he had been with Alektor since his return to the surface, she had been out of the city running errands for the King. He was conflicted on how he should react to seeing her again. He was, after all, now a Kryo of Rexun.


    ¡°It will be very difficult to facilitate such an agreement, in blatant defiance of the Torre¡¯. We would have to travel there and meet with Queen Mundiri in person,¡± Lord Irro said, his tone tired.


    ¡°Mundiri is no friend of the Torre¡¯. She will at least listen to us,¡± Alektor said.


    ¡°And if she won¡¯t?¡± Irro crossed his arms.


    ¡°Then we carve our fortune from the Torre¡¯ and Lokkadonians¡¯ destruction.¡±


    ~


    After the announcement in the throne room, Alektor took Robert to the training yard in the palace. He hadn¡¯t spoken to him since the night prior, and even now, he followed him in awkward silence. Turak was with them as well, but he was giving instructions to several of the guards.


    ¡°So,¡± Robert said, walking on the sand of the large indoor training area. It looked much like the glade in Vul De Rah, complete with a high domed ceiling, only this was much smaller.


    Alektor turned to him. ¡°I apologize, Reku. I have had much on my mind. I have brought you here to better understand the power you possess, and I think with some time, we might discover what you are truly capable of.¡±


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    Robert sighed and shook his head. ¡°You people just don¡¯t get it. I don¡¯t want to learn more. I want to get out of this world. I want to go home.¡±


    Alektor rolled his shoulders and looked squarely at Robert. His focus now completely dedicated to him. ¡°We aren¡¯t sure of how to do that yet, and I promised you that I would do my best, but do you expect to do nothing then? I am still attempting to grasp the fact that you are from another world, who was suddenly spirited here by some inexplicable force.¡±


    ¡°So am I,¡± Robert said, his voice little more than a whisper.


    Alektor removed his royal cloak and handed it to an attendant who had approached, holding a thin bone armor vest. ¡°These are things we must cope with,¡± he said, donning the armor, sliding over his fine tunic. ¡°If I were in your position, I¡¯m sure I would miss my home as well, but you must think beyond yourself. If all you say is true, then you were brought here for a reason.¡±


    ¡°There is none!¡± Robert said. ¡°There never is. My world has dealt with idiots who said that same exact thing for thousands of years. We are what we make ourselves, and no matter the situation, you¡¯re always alone.¡±


    ¡°Then make it mean something,¡± Alektor said.


    Robert scoffed and looked to the sand.


    ¡°If you truly do believe such a thing, then you should be able to stand above it all. To steel your resolve and rise to show all who behold you that you cannot be destroyed. You were thrown in the Pit of Mar, tortured beyond recognition, butchered, and still, you breathe, spouting nonsense about how all is for nothing, all is chance. It is not all chance, and you are here for a reason. The chosen of the spirits, regardless of your prior station, your life in your world, what you were, you have become someone of great importance here.¡±


    ¡°And yet you all tried to kill me¡­ I can¡¯t sleep at night anymore.¡± Robert said, his voice now quivering as he remembered the horror of the ordeal.


    ¡°Nothing good in this world comes without suffering. Besides, some of us have experienced far worse than torture under the hands of the Espi-Dae.¡± Alektor gestured to Turak, who did not acknowledge the comment. Alektor then handed Robert a wooden blade, clearly meant for training.


    Robert hesitated as he looked down at the weapon. It was more than just a training session; it was the further acceptance of this world and of his situation.


    ¡°Take it¡­¡± the cold voice of Dio¡¯Mar whispered in his ear. ¡°We must get stronger¡­ you promised¡­¡±


    Robert closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He grabbed the handle of the weapon, and clumsily brought it up before him.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Alektor said, bringing his weapon up as well.


    Robert was walked through the forms and strikes. According to Turak, these were the very same drills that young Dae nobles used when they would begin learning the blade. Alektor took his time, explaining every movement of the first form, going over principles and footing. Turak chimed in every so often but mostly hovered around them, spectating.


    Dio¡¯Mar also floated beside him, invisible to all in the room, but making small comments in Robert¡¯s mind about how the fighting styles have changed over the years.


    After several hours, Alektor decided to take a long break. Many attendants approached them, carrying plates of food and flasks of wine and water. The King sat on a bench they had brought for them as well, placing several of them for the party to sit in the middle of the large arena.


    Robert wiped the sweat from his brow and sat down across from Alektor.


    ¡°Would my Lord like some refreshments?¡± one of the attending Dae women asked him.


    Robert nodded and accepted the bread and cheese from her. She turned to get some dried meat from another attendant, and Robert couldn¡¯t help but admire the shapely form of the girl.


    Turak let out a snicker as he saw the small reaction from Robert, who just accepted his food awkwardly and started to eat.


    ¡°Nothing to be ashamed of, my friend,¡± Turak said. ¡°They are fine specimens indeed.


    ¡°And not to be touched,¡± Alektor chimed in, taking a long drink from his wine bowl. ¡°Many of these attendants are freed Doulos, or family of the Doulos in Lokkadonia. They have seen enough subjugation in their lives. Here they are treated fairly and with appreciation.¡±


    The Dae attendant bowed deeply to the King, and Robert knew that the common folk had much respect for the man. He had come from common birth himself and somehow managed to overthrow the previous king and his court.


    ¡°Um¡­ your highness,¡± Robert said, unsure of how to refer to Alektor.


    ¡°Reku, you are a Kryo of this clan, a son of the Rexunii now. You do not have to call me that,¡± Alektor said. ¡°I told you, you are now my brother, so you may speak to me as such.¡±


    Robert nodded and continued. ¡°I spent a decent amount of time in Lokkadonia. The people there treated us well.¡± Robert took a drink of wine, his mouth feeling drier than usual. ¡°I mean, I didn¡¯t really think about it at the time, we had so much going on, but there was an incident with the Doulos.¡±


    Alektor narrowed his eyes and glanced over at Turak. ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°It happened when Oros and Boros showed us Vul De Rah. They reached for us¡­ crowded around us, and the Lokkadonians responded with violence. I don¡¯t know how many of them died, but there was a lot of blood. I tried my best to ignore it, and as I said, there was a lot on my mind, so much of the injustice of it all went unnoticed, but I can¡¯t tell you that I am one hundred percent behind your campaign against Lokkadonia. My friends are still there, who knows what they are up to now?¡±


    Turak Grunted. ¡°We knew that Agron was harboring Spirit-Sent, or¡­ humans, but,¡± he looked at Alektor, ¡°this is something we will have to address.¡±


    Alektor rubbed his chin, thinking on it. ¡°What can you tell me about these humans, Reku?¡±


    Robert paused for a moment, remembering Katrina. Her smile crossed his mind in a flash of memory. ¡°Well, there is Katrina, who was my girlfriend, but that ship has sailed, I¡¯m sure. She has a good heart though, all she has done is try to survive in this world, I can¡¯t blame her for that.¡±


    ¡°A female?¡± Turak asked, no small amount of intrigue in his voice. Robert nodded. ¡°Interesting. What does she look like?¡±


    ¡°Turak¡­¡± Alektor said, shaking his head.


    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful but very stubborn. Also, she¡¯s the student of Avria Regios.¡±


    Turak raised his eyebrows, and Alektor narrowed his again. ¡°Avria,¡± the king said.


    ¡°We have heard stories of her. She is apparently very strong.¡± Alektor took another sip of wine. ¡°What of the other human?¡±


    ¡°You mean Daniel.¡± Robert thought of the man. He still wasn¡¯t quite sure what to think of him. ¡°He¡¯s pretty serious. Apparently, he was a Marine before we came here.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Turak asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about them. I didn¡¯t pay attention to conflict and that sort of stuff while I was in my world. All I know is that they are highly trained warriors.¡±


    ¡°A human warrior?¡± Alektor leaned forward. ¡°Interesting, how powerful is this human?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I mean, he fought well enough to win the trial of Doxo against his Dae opponent, so, I guess he can handle himself in a fight.¡±


    ¡°He fought in the trial?¡± the king asked. ¡°Who was his opponent?¡±


    ¡°I think it was Delmos, Avria¡¯s brother,¡± Robert said.


    ¡°I must say, I am curious to see this human warrior for myself,¡± Turak said.


    ¡°Listen,¡± Robert said, ¡°we need an opportunity to speak with them. I¡¯m sure that we can convince them to stay out of the conflict.¡±


    Alektor sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that is possible. If Avria has her claws in Katrina, then she is lost to you. We have to face that possibility.¡±


    ¡°The lies they spread about our people are well known.¡± Turak chimed in. ¡°And completely false, as you might know already. We pride ourselves in our prowess on the battlefield, but we aren¡¯t the monsters they say we are. If they find out you have joined us, they might react poorly.¡±


    Robert looked to the ground and heard the whisper of Dio¡¯Mar in his ear. ¡°These humans you call friends¡­ may not be who you remember¡­ you need only look at your own development over these months¡­¡±


    Robert winced at the thought. ¡°They probably think I¡¯m dead still. I¡¯m sure word travels quickly around here.¡±


    ¡°It certainly does,¡± Turak said.


    ¡°Speaking of which, have there been any other humans that have appeared in Pelemont? I know we aren¡¯t the only ones, the Espi-Dae burned someone else already, so I¡¯ve been wondering how many there might be.¡± Robert had always been curious about this but never had an opportunity to speak to a king about it.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Alektor said. ¡°There have been numerous reports of human appearances. From all corners of Vohnarahv, from Dominicia to Wabita. Even Vohnavix has claimed one, the Libreos in Delmaya has seemed to have taken quite the interest in him. Unfortunately, he is in the hands of the savages over there, doing spirits know what to him.¡±


    Robert chuckled. ¡°You know, I¡¯m sure people were saying the same thing about your people and my being imprisoned here.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Alektor said, a smile creeping on his face. ¡°You¡¯re probably right about that.¡±

 Chapter 34

    Katrina did her best to concentrate on the wall of earth before her. She had been training for days with Telmos Regios, Avria¡¯s father and lord of House Regios. She couldn¡¯t say that she wasn¡¯t enjoying herself. The man who was once a cold and uninvolved spectator to her presence at his estate had proven to be a very good teacher. With war on the horizon and her courtship with Oros, Avria had been spending much of her time with the Hego and his children, leaving her little time to properly train Katrina. Her father graciously accepted the responsibility, and the results were noticeable.


    ¡°Do not force it,¡± Lord Regios said, pacing back and forth, observing her training. ¡°Using the Dunamis isn¡¯t about force, Katrina, it is about persuasion, it is a mutual understanding between you and the spiritual energy that surrounds you. Didn¡¯t my daughter teach these fundamentals?¡±


    Katrina closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, making sure to hold the large wall in the center of the glade upright. It was harder than it looked. The element itself seemed to react to its size. The larger the expanse of energy, the harder it was to focus. It felt to her like the wall was trying to break itself apart.


    ¡°She went over it, my Lord,¡± Katrina said through gritted teeth. Sweat started to drip into her eyes. ¡°But she never asked me to practice this level of Dunamis.¡± She strained.


    ¡°Come now, you humans are supposed to be sent here by the spirits themselves. You should impress me at every turn.¡±


    With a grunt, Katrina began to lift the large slab with her hands. It stood a hundred feet high now and was about half as wide. Lord Regios¡¯ smirk disappeared when the bottom of the slab lifted entirely from the ground. Sand and small bits of stone slid to the ground as it was elevated.


    ¡°By the spirits¡­¡± he said, unable to keep the amazement from his voice. ¡°This is what I was talking about.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s arms began to shake, and her eyes bulged under the strain. Finally, she fell to a knee, and the slab crashed to the sand. Lord Regios poised, she figured, to assist her in making sure it didn¡¯t fall on her, but dozens of smaller pillars shot out diagonally and supported the massive piece of stone.


    She fell on her back with an exasperated sigh. Breathing heavily, she looked at the dome ceiling of the glade, again marveling at the incredible structure.


    ¡°Very impressive,¡± Lord Regios said, approaching her. ¡°There are many Dae I know who would have not been able to accomplish what you just did. Your control and power are well above the average warrior.¡± He looked at her, rubbing his chin. ¡°But why? That¡¯s the question, Katrina. Why are you able to excel this quickly? I suppose we¡¯ll know more as your powers continue to develop¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because she is not of our world,¡± an enthusiastic voice interrupted.


    Katrina shot up to look at the familiar form of her friend Boros.


    ¡°Boros!¡± she said, smiling.


    Lord Regios looked at the young Kryo with an ounce of disdain. ¡°Boros.¡± He nodded his head in greeting. ¡°What brings you here today?¡±


    Boros bowed respectfully to Lord Regios. ¡°I am happy to see you well, Lord Telmos.¡±


    The Lord¡¯s eyes narrowed at Boros, giving him a look of enmity. ¡°That is still Lord Regios, Kryo. You are not yet your father.¡±


    There were a few moments of awkward silence while Boros recovered from the rebuke. ¡°I apologize, Lord Regios. I misspoke.¡± Katrina could see the wounded pride of the Kryo on his face. There seemed to be a little history between the two.


    ¡°No matter,¡± Telmos said, waving his hand. ¡°Katrina is in the middle of some very strenuous exercises and needs to focus, so say your business and leave us be.¡±


    Boros clenched his teeth, clearly not used to being spoken to in this manner. ¡°Very well,¡± he said stiffly. He looked at Katrina, who sat in the sand still. ¡°Avria has asked for you. Apparently, there are representatives from Torre¡¯ who are here. They wish to speak with all Lords of note, and the Spirit-Sent.¡±


    ¡°From Torre¡¯?¡± Telmos asked.


    ¡°It would seem so,¡± Boros said.


    ~


    Katrina ran to bathe as quickly as she could. She knew that if Avria asked for her, she would have to look the part of her squire. She would need to appear well-dressed and refined, especially before the Torre¡¯. She donned her best cloak; it was black, still the color of the whelps, but it held gold embroidering around the edges, showing her status and position within the nobility.


    Katrina entered the throne room and saw many nobles standing in assembly, the crowd still growing as more poured in through the large doors.


    ¡°Katrina!¡± Boros called, waving her up the steps near the throne where Agron sat, his face troubled.


    Oros stood beside Avria, and Daniel was beside her. She remembered Daniel¡¯s request to speak with her at some point after the party, but over the past few weeks, the two of them had been so busy, it was nearly impossible to get a moment in private. She ran up the stairs and placed herself next to him.


    ¡°Hey, Dan,¡± she said, slightly out of breath. ¡°How¡¯ve you been? It¡¯s been a little while.¡±


    Daniel looked at her with a strained expression. ¡°Kat,¡± he said, inclining his head toward her. ¡°You look pretty fancy tonight. Sorry I haven¡¯t come to see you. It¡¯s been¡­ busy lately.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she said, waving her hands at him. ¡°I should have come to see you. But, Telmos has been pushing me pretty hard, though, so¡­ you know.¡±


    They stood next to one another for the next several minutes, looking around, in what Katrina felt an increasingly awkward silence. Daniel finally broke it. ¡°I had a dream last night,¡± he said, looking at the clamoring crowd of nobles, still streaming into the great throne room.


    Katrina looked at him, inquisitively. ¡°And?¡± she asked, raising her eyebrows.


    ¡°I was back home,¡± he said, his eyes distant as though he were a thousand miles away from where they were standing. ¡°I saw my friends, my family. Everyone I ever cared about in my life back home. I missed them, more than I let on¡­ but I stood there, watching them beckon me over, to join them, to be with them all again. I turned.¡± He looked to her now, his eyes steely in his resolve. ¡°And I saw this world, its power, everything that I had gained in the past ten or so months, and I hesitated. I woke up after that, and I gotta say I¡¯m pretty ashamed of it.¡± He shook his head, exhaling hard. ¡°I want to go home. Robert died for it, so the least we can do is keep searching for a way.¡±


    Katrina felt a pang of guilt and sadness at the thought of Robert. Her eyes welled again, and she did her best to keep herself composed.


    ¡°We will find it, Dan,¡± she said, clenching her fists. ¡°We are going to figure it out for him. And make those bastards pay for killing him, I swear it.¡± A tear spilled from her eye, and Daniel nodded his head in agreement.


    After the nobles had all arrived, the large doors slid open again to allow several purple-clad warriors into the hall. Katrina noticed the cloaks they wore were extremely well made and looked quite expensive, though they seemed to be dirtier than they should be. Like they had been traveling without proper rest for some time.


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    ¡°Lord Bosmun of clan Torre¡¯, emissary of High King Phobos!¡± an announcer called to the silent hall. There were seven warriors all together, and an Espi-Dae that trailed behind, wearing their signature, brightly colored cloak.


    Lord Bosmun himself strode intently toward the throne and bowed to Hego Agron, making his greeting.


    ¡°It is an honor to finally meet you, Hego Ignos. Your reputation for being a respected and powerful leader of Dae is not exaggerated.¡± Bosmun opened his cloak to reveal a fine leather satchel and drew from within it a beautiful golden scroll with what Katrina recognized from her studies with Avria, the sigil of the High king upon it, a winged creature with two long tails that spread out into a half-circle around it.


    ¡°I have come today to bring you grave news, on the order of the High King himself.¡±


    There were murmurs from the nobles in the room, not sure what to make of the display.


    ¡°The High King does know that the King of Lokkadonia is several leagues North of here, doesn¡¯t he? Why would a distinguished Lord like yourself waste your time visiting a mere Hego?¡±


    Bosmun placed the golden scroll back in his satchel and shook his head. ¡°My Lord, we both know that King Yomin is not the true ruler of Lokkadonia, and only there because he has friends in high places in Torre¡¯. Let¡¯s not insult each other by ignoring this fact. I have come here because the High King is in need of your expertise.¡±


    ¡°Meaning?¡± Agron asked.


    ¡°I have come from Thule. The King of the Rexunii, if you can call him one, has declared independence from Eleutheros, from the High King. and has boasted that he will wage war on Lokkon and all clans who oppose him.¡±


    Shouts came from the crowd, curses, and insults directed toward the Rexunii king. Katrina saw that many of the nobles just laughed. She also noticed that Agron, quite pointedly, did not.


    ¡°Why would he do such a thing?¡± Agron asked, rubbing his chin. ¡°The clans would converge and destroy him. My armies defeated the Rexunii on their own in the last war against them. Is he truly so arrogant?¡±


    Bosmun shook his head in frustration.


    ¡°It¡¯s that demon,¡± the Espi-Dae said, glancing at Daniel and Katrina. ¡°He has corrupted his mind!¡±


    Everyone looked at the Dae. His face was stricken with stress and fear like he hadn¡¯t slept in days.


    ¡°This is Espi-Arl, the Espi-Dae who initially made contact with the Rexunii,¡± Bosmun said.


    ¡°And the man who killed Robert,¡± Avria said, her face twisted with anger. ¡°You are not welcome here.¡±


    Katrina flashed with hot anger. She gritted her teeth, tempted to use her newfound power to crush this Dae. ¡°You killed Robert?¡± she asked, louder than she intended. The hall grew silent, and all eyes rested on her. Her stomach ached with unreadable emotion as she took several steps forward. None around her attempted to stop her.


    Espi-Arl looked at her in disgust but shook his head. ¡°He is not dead, demon. We threw him in the Pit of Mar, but he emerged again, somehow seduced the king, and was even adopted into his family. Alektor believes that Dio¡¯Mar rescued him from his fate and has commanded him to protect him.¡±


    It took several seconds for the words to sink in, but Katrina found herself stunned. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ alive?¡± she said, her mouth agape.


    ¡°It would seem so,¡± Bosmun chimed in. ¡°We last saw him at the right hand of King Alektor, looking quite alive and well. We are not sure how. For thousands of years, every single person who has ever entered the Pit of Mar has died a gruesome and horrible death at the hands of the creatures there, but this human, demon or no, has somehow managed to survive it.¡±


    Katrina put her hand over her mouth as tears began to stream from her eyes. She was in disbelief at the sudden but prodigious news. Robert was alive and with the King of Rexun no less. Happiness flooded her heart. He was alive!


    ¡°High King Phobos has given me the authority to make you an offer. If you are able to defeat the armies of the Rexunii again and kill this rebel king, he will back you and your house as the new King of Lokkadonia.¡±


    There were several gasps and murmurs heard around the large room.


    Agron looked puzzled at the words. ¡°Why?¡± he asked ¡°He knows I oppose him on many issues. Why would he make such an offer?¡± He took several moments, looking at Avria and then at his son Oros on his left. ¡°How much of a threat is this, King?¡±


    ¡°We do not know the details, but the houses of Rexun fear him. Old and powerful houses who have ruled that clan for thousands of years are afraid of a child with a crown. We do not understand it, but it is that way for a reason. We do not want to disrupt the order of Eleutheros any more than we have to.¡±


    Bosmun looked then to Daniel and Katrina, his expression unreadable. ¡°We also would like for you to assist us in studying the humans, as a gesture of good faith.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Agron said sternly. ¡°They have proven to be loyal friends of Vul De Rah and of my house. I will not subject them to the cruel torment of your Espi-Dae.¡± He stared daggers at Espi-Arl. ¡°Besides, Gro¡¯ak holds me responsible for their safety, and unlike the phantom spirit Dio¡¯Mar, he is very real and has been witnessed by every noble in this room.¡±


    Bosmun bowed his head and carried on. ¡°I will give you until tomorrow to decide what you will do, Hego Agron. Then we must mobilize our forces to destroy this threat. This will obviously be much more difficult than having you deal with them, politics, and all that¡­ it will be a complicated mess if we have to ask the other clans for assistance.¡±


    ~


    Katrina found herself in the Hego¡¯s conference room again and in disbelief at the news she had heard. Robert was alive.


    ¡°This is the opportunity we have been waiting for,¡± Avria said, walking around a large table where Agron, Oros, Boros, Daniel, and Katrina sat. There were several other nobles seated around in various chairs that looked on in silence. Her father, Telmos Regios, was present as well but had said nothing.


    ¡°In his inexperience and foolishness, he has made enemies with the Torre¡¯ and put us back in the High King¡¯s favor. We can use this, my Lord. Your house can rule Lokkadonia. High King Phobos will be in your debt!¡± Avria paced in deep contemplation. ¡°We could not have hoped for a better outcome.¡±


    Oros nodded his head in agreement. ¡°This is an opportunity we cannot pass up. I can assemble the warriors from many other houses in Lokkadonia. We can march south and show the Rexunii how true warriors fight.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you both cautious of this man not so long ago?¡± Boros chimed in. ¡°Last I heard, he was a dangerous monster who we could not hope to defeat.¡±


    Avria smiled at the comment. ¡°Alone, it would have been a different story, but with the might of all Lokkadonia behind us, there is no threat.¡±


    Daniel cleared his throat, causing the focus of the room to go to him. ¡°I may be speaking out of place,¡± he said, looking at Avria. ¡°But you all asked Katrina and me to join this meeting, so I can only assume that you were prepared to hear what either of us have to say about it. I am no expert on Dae politics, but I am a little experienced in terms of warfare. Alektor doesn¡¯t strike me as someone who would lose his composure and make such a blatant mistake. This is a guy who was willing to ally himself to the Torre¡¯ to defeat you. He knew that he could not do it alone. So why the hell would he make enemies of the Torre¡¯ and declare that he is going to invade Lokkadonia for no good reason? He knows something, there is some advantage that he has that we aren¡¯t seeing here. So, I don¡¯t believe it is the best outcome because we don¡¯t know all the variables. Now we know that Robert is alive and has allied himself with Alektor, but who the hell is Dio¡¯Mar?¡±


    Avria gave Daniel a dark look but did not speak against him. Katrina turned toward him. ¡°What are you talking about? Robert hasn¡¯t allied himself with anyone. He only wants to stay alive and safe. Of course, he¡¯s going to do his best to do that.¡± Katrina adjusted herself in her chair, slightly flustered.


    ¡°He was adopted into House Roh,¡± Oros said, looking at Daniel with an approving nod. ¡°Something like that does not often happen here. Robert would have had to swear allegiance to him and to the Rexunii.¡±


    Katrina gaped at the statement. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that can¡¯t be true.¡±


    ¡°We have to assume that it is true. You humans are very strange creatures,¡± Avria said. ¡°Perhaps he has promised him something.¡± She turned to Daniel. ¡°As far as your assessment on the situation, I will not disagree with you, we do not know all that he is capable of, but there is very little he can do in terms of numbers. We have more. Not only that, but many of the most powerful warriors in Rexun either died in the last war with Lokkadonia or were purged in the ascension of Alektor himself. If you look at his position from a political and military perspective, he is surrounded, has no means of trade, and is hopelessly outnumbered. He may have a human, but we have two.¡±


    Oros looked at Daniel as well. ¡°One who has proven himself in battle already against them.¡± Oros¡¯ face broke into a smile and he wrapped his knuckles on the table.


    ¡°Good,¡± Avria said, turning to face Agron, who, to this point, had remained silent. ¡°My Hego? What are your orders?¡±


    Agron let out a deep breath and rose slowly to lean over the table on his fists. ¡°The Rexunii have overextended. I don¡¯t care what political tricks that whelp of a king has up his sleeves. We will crush him. To the last warrior, we will crush them all. As we should have done the last time we went down there. Rexun will never be the same after this.¡± He turned to Oros. ¡°Oros, begin assembling the bannermen. Send riders to the villages surrounding Vul De Rah. I want every able-bodied warrior here to begin our preparations for invasion.¡± His gaze moved to Avria next. ¡°Tell your father to prepare our forces here for the campaign. I want all of our whelps¡¯ training completed and our war-groups ranks filled with them.¡±

 Chapter 35

    Turak chuckled as he watched Robert try to balance himself on the Cro¡¯kan. This particular beast was a bit on the edgy side, but it was the only one that was in the royal stable at the time.


    ¡°Use your legs!¡± he yelled, trying his best not to laugh.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying!¡± Robert yelled, hanging off the side of the creature.


    Turak watched for several more minutes until finally Robert was able to keep himself upright. They had spent the afternoon training with the incisors and different techniques of the blade that Alektor thought he might find useful. However, Robert made it clear he did not want to train with the Dunamis. This was something Turak found very odd; he was clearly learning how to control and utilize the power, but on his own? It was impossible.


    Turak heard the sound of talons impacting on pavement and turned to see Demessa entering the riding area. Oh, spirits¡­ He thought. This won¡¯t be good.


    Demessa had been on the King¡¯s errands for the last month or so and had not been in contact with the new Kryo of Rexun. A shiver went down his spine at the thought of the last time Demessa and Robert had any interaction.


    She pulled her Cro¡¯kan to a halt before the two. Her bright green eyes were fierce as she looked over Robert, though she didn¡¯t seem as surprised as he would have thought. They stared at each other for a time, until Turak finally coughed.


    ¡°Demessa? This will not be a problem, do you understand?¡± He looked at Robert, who looked as though he wanted to strangle the girl.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be a problem,¡± Robert said. ¡°But she and I need to have a conversation.¡± He looked at Turak, who sighed and nodded. He led his mount to walk directly past Demessa, who still stared intently at Robert.


    He leaned in close and spoke to her. ¡°Do not make this difficult.¡± With that, Turak rode past her and out of the gate.


    ~


    Robert¡¯s eyes narrowed at the Dae girl. ¡°So,¡± he said, his anger building with each breath. ¡°It seems you were right about me. They did pull me apart.¡±


    She sneered at him, but he could see a shimmer of guilt on her face. ¡°I will not apologize,¡± she finally said. ¡°You may have fooled the King and even Turak, but I know what you are. A demon, just like the Espi-Dae say you are. No one could have recovered from what I saw. You were broken. I watched you fall into the Pit of Mar. I watched you beg for death.¡±


    ¡°But here I stand.¡± He smiled wryly. ¡°Dio¡¯Mar saved me.¡±


    She scoffed. ¡°Dio¡¯Mar. Don¡¯t use those religious fanatics¡¯ patron spirit against them. Dio¡¯Mar does not live in the pit.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that,¡± Robert said, looking above his right shoulder. ¡°Either way, I am where I am, and you have to accept it. Alektor has asked me to see past any trouble you¡¯ve caused me, and I¡¯m willing to do that, if you are.¡±


    Demessa was silent for a time, her face twisting with frustration. ¡°I will do as my King commands,¡± she finally said, bringing her mount around to leave the riding area. ¡°But don¡¯t think for a second that I believe any of this. Something is not right here, demon, and I¡ª¡± Demessa¡¯s words fell silent in an instant as she saw what looked like a woman, shrouded in black smoke, peering back at her with an eyeless face.


    Robert smirked ruefully at Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s antics; the spirit had grown again to stand several feet higher than he was, even mounted on his Cro¡¯kan.


    ¡°Do you not¡­ have faith¡­?¡± the spirit asked, her voice a terrifying hiss. Demessa reeled back from the form, nearly falling from her saddle.


    ¡°By the spirits!¡± she said, fear filling her voice.


    Dio¡¯Mar cocked her head to the side and slowly dissipated like fog under the afternoon sun.


    Demessa turned to see Robert smiling darkly, his eyes meeting her own.


    ¡°Y-you,¡± she said, her voice quivering.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Robert said, his smile broadening. ¡°She is here now, I can see her, and trust me, she is a vengeful spirit. She knows your name, knows your crimes.¡± Robert began walking past her with his mount. As he did, he leaned in close so she could hear him. ¡°But I told her that I have forgiven you, and so she has allowed you to live. Not even Alektor would go against the word of that spirit.¡±


    Uncertainty painted her face as she looked at him, her fierce green eyes burning with a hundred different emotions behind them.


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    ¡°What are you? Really?¡± she asked him earnestly.


    He leaned back and looked at the sky. Memories of the last several months flashed through his mind; the fear, the pain, the loss. ¡°I told you already,¡± he said. ¡°I am a human¡­¡±


    ~


    Turak continued toward the palace at a gentle trot, passing vendors trying to sell goods, and crowds of people going about their daily business. He inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of Thule, in all its musky glory. It was real, honest, and held nothing back from all who beheld it. He often liked to make this trek through the streets. It reminded him of where he came from, that he was not born in the golden sheets of royalty, but in the filthy gutter of the world, a Doulos to the Lokkadonian taskmasters.


    He worked his way up the main streets of the city until he reached the imposing palace that sat at Thule¡¯s center. He dismounted his Cro¡¯kan, silently handing the reins to a stable boy, and entered the vast halls. He looked at every detail and took note, remembering the first time he¡¯d laid eyes on them. They were smeared with the blood of the old regime. Their bodies littered the smooth stone floor, and their blood soaked the fine carpets. Now he walked them freely as the right hand of the new king.


    ¡°Lord Turak,¡± a seductive voice called from in front of him. He looked up from the floor, which had been the focus of his gaze as he pondered the past, and saw that Lady Daiees was standing before him.


    ¡°Now, what would trouble my Lord Turak so much that he completely ignores me when I pass him in these halls?¡± she said, a wry smile etched across her face.


    Turak chuckled at the comment. He was known in court as a bit of a womanizer but had made sure to steer clear of Noblewomen at this level. Lady Daiees was the daughter of an old and powerful house. She was older than he was but had a certain undeniable charm to her that she was well aware of.


    ¡°I have had much on my mind as of late,¡± Turak said, seriousness in his voice. ¡°There is a great deal of bloody business that seems to be looming just around the corner, I¡¯m sure you can understand.¡±


    Daiees inclined her head in acknowledgment and began walking past him. Turak felt a pang of guilt and turned to intercept her. ¡°Not to push you away, of course, my Lady, I am a responsible representative of Rexun now, burdened with these problems. Along with the King, that is. Perhaps we should speak about it sometime soon if you are willing.¡±


    Her eyes narrowed, and her lips curled at the thought. ¡°I believe I would like that very much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he will be too busy,¡± a voice called from down the hall.


    The two Dae turned to see Alektor walking with two grey-clad warriors at his flanks. Turak and Daiees bowed their heads as he approached. ¡°Your Highness,¡± they said in unison.


    ¡°Turak, Lady Daiees,¡± Alektor said, greeting the two. ¡°My Lady, I¡¯m afraid I need to borrow Lord Turak for a moment. I will have time shortly to discuss your trade dispute.¡±


    Daiees glanced at Turak and bowed her head again, turning to walk down the hall.


    ¡°You just can¡¯t seem to help yourself, can you?¡± Alektor said, shaking his head. ¡°Daiees is heir to a powerful house. You can¡¯t treat her like you do the others.¡±


    Turak gave an expression of genuine shock. ¡°What? Alektor, I would never¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Alektor said, cutting him off. ¡°Never mind that; how did it go with Reku?¡±


    Turak paused, taking a deep breath. ¡°Well enough, I suppose. Demessa arrived, as you predicted. I left them to hash it out.¡±


    Alektor raised his eyebrow.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Turak continued, waving off any doubt. ¡°Demessa is many things, but when I give her my serious face, she does what she¡¯s told. Besides, Reku is royalty now. I doubt she would try anything foolish.¡±


    ¡°I need you to go to Visgo. Lord Irro may be a spineless gurrank, but he is a smart man. The trade situation could be dire; I don¡¯t want my people starving because of this.¡±


    ¡°Then why proclaim independence before the Torre¡¯? You knew this would happen. The trade situation isn¡¯t the only dire situation. We are outnumbered and surrounded as well.¡± Turak crossed his arms and shook his head. ¡°You never told me.¡±


    Alektor sighed and put his hand on Turak¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Because Dio¡¯Mar is with us.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Turak said. ¡°We have her blessing, but blessings can¡¯t win this war for us.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Alektor said, his face serious. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. She is literally here, with Reku. It was difficult to notice at first, just a blur floating around him, but I saw her and heard her speaking to him. She is hiding her presence from us, but she is here.¡±


    Turak looked at his friend for a moment, stunned. ¡°You saw her? How is that possible? Spirits can hide their presence if they wish¡­ it is something we don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Alektor waved off the question with his hand. ¡°Either way, you put far too much faith in the Torre¡¯s ability to control the other clans. If the Visgo join us, we will be able to convince more to join our cause. We aren¡¯t the only clan who have been mistreated by the Torre¡¯.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think the Visgo will join us? Our dealings with them have been good, but they make far more profit trading with the Torre¡¯ or Lokkadonia.¡±


    Alektor sighed again. ¡°Because profits and trade aren¡¯t everything, and the promise of something far greater will appeal to them. Have you met their Queen?¡±


    Turak shook his head silently, letting the king finish.


    ¡°She has been friendly with us since my ascension here, offering us far more leniency than we should merit. Though I have not met her, this leads me to believe that she at least has some favor toward our goal here. The goal is freedom from the oppression of the Torre¡¯ and from the lash of the Lokkadonians. So, we approach her with this and give her the opportunity to join us.¡± Alektor turned halfway to leave. ¡°Even if she does not, we may ask only for a guarantee that they do not invade us from the south. I would prefer to fight a war on only one front.¡±


    Turak let the words sink in, nodding his head. ¡°So, what would you have me do?¡±


    Alektor retrieved a fine leather satchel from one of his guards and handed it to Turak. ¡°I would like you to take this message, on behalf of all Rexun, and give it to Queen Mundiri of the Visgo and come to an accord with her.¡±


    Turak tried to take the satchel, but Alektor clenched his fist around the strap and held it firmly. ¡°Turak, you cannot fail at this task. The Visgo are key to defeating the Torre¡¯ at sea.¡±


    Turak nodded in agreement and took the bag.


    ¡°Oh, and Turak,¡± Alektor said, halting his friend once again. ¡°Bring Reku and Demessa with you. I want the Spirit-Sent to show himself, and Demessa needs to learn to play nice with him.¡±


    Turak sighed but nodded again, this time turning to leave un-harassed.

 Chapter 36

    ¡°Shit,¡± Daniel said, using his weapon to block another attack from Oros. The two had constantly been sparring since the call to war was made official and the preparations were being made. This had brought even more tension to Daniel¡¯s already strained relationship with Avria. The woman was now competing for time with Oros against Daniel, and he felt her gaze every time she came to visit.


    ¡°Keep your guard up,¡± Oros said, thrusting his weapon toward Daniel¡¯s abdomen. With lightning speed, Daniel brought his sword down with the force of a hammer. Oros was a bit stunned when his incisor was deflected to the sand below but quickly pulled back and stood in a more defensive posture.


    ¡°You are just full of surprises,¡± Oros said with a grin. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could move that fast. It takes much practice to enhance your speed using the Dunamis and use it correctly. I underestimated you.¡±


    Daniel tightened his grip on his weapon but relaxed a bit. Maybe I should lighten up. I am here to learn, after all, he thought.


    ¡°So,¡± he said uncomfortably, ¡°how is everything going with the new girlfriend?¡± He grunted as he blocked another attack from Oros.


    Oros chuckled at the term. ¡°Avria is fine, though I am not sure she would like you calling her my ¡®girlfriend¡¯. That does not mean anything here.¡±


    ¡°Well then, why wouldn¡¯t she approve? I mean, if it doesn¡¯t mean anything,¡± Daniel replied. ¡°Where I¡¯m from, it basically means the girl you¡¯re with at the time.¡±


    ¡°At the time?¡± Oros asked, curiously, throwing a flurry of blows that Daniel again surprisingly blocked. ¡°You don¡¯t court your females before they become your mates?¡±


    Daniel lunged forward with his sword, sweeping for Oros¡¯ leg. He felt a sharp pain on his shoulder and at the base of his neck before his weapon hit the dirt and he tumbled to the sand. Oros had moved in an instant, so fast that even with his seemingly heightened senses, Daniel could barely react in time. He closed his eyes, enduring the throbbing pain as best he could, and cursing for letting himself get defeated so soundly.


    That is going to be sore tomorrow, for sure.


    Climbing to his knees, Daniel let out a deep breath. ¡°Of course, we still court girls. Just, you know, sometimes two people meet who are just looking for a little fun, and¡­ ah, never mind.¡±


    Oros chuckled again, his laugh genuine. ¡°Well, that type of behavior isn¡¯t foreign to us. I am a Kryo, after all.¡±


    Daniel laughed and held out his hand, which Oros took and proceeded to help him to his feet. ¡°Yeah, well. You¡¯re a Kryo with one hell of a swing. What the hell do they feed you in this world?¡±


    Oros stared blankly at Daniel, confusion plain on his face. ¡°Daniel¡­ you know exactly what they¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Daniel said, interrupting him. ¡°It¡¯s just an expression, never mind.¡±


    ¡°Daniel,¡± Oros said, his voice changing to a more serious tone, ¡°I wanted to speak with you about the term you mentioned before, about the friends who might have come with you to this world.¡±


    Daniel brushed dust from his cloak and looked at him, intrigued. ¡°Yeah, Henry and Angelo. They were near me when we got sent here, we really don¡¯t know how many of us there are here, but,¡± he shrugged, ¡°it¡¯s really the only thing I want to do, but we haven¡¯t been in a position to do much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking into something that might be¡­ substantial.¡± Oros continued. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious now, but I have heard some very credible rumors. I am close to something, so just be aware that I have not forgotten our agreement. Once we have something more, we will explore it together.¡±


    ~


    The two went to the baths to clean up and prepare for the tasks of the day. Daniel¡¯s schedule had become much more complex since all the business with Rexun, but his main focus was preparation for combat; he needed to learn more. That being said, the less glorious tasks were often given priority. Oros was a great teacher in the ways of battle but often had to be reminded of certain appointments he was on the verge of missing. So the tempo of the day would be very extreme, going to a meeting with a Lord of Vul De Rah, then relaxing as though nothing were to follow. Then realizing that he was about to miss another engagement and going through hell to make it on time and preserve the good name of his father. Though it was frustrating, Daniel was used to it from the military, something he ¡°fondly¡± remembered as ¡®hurry up and wait¡¯. On this particular day, Oros had not forgotten his appointment, mainly because it was with a very strong-willed woman he was looking to make his mate.


    After they cleaned up, the two made their way to the Regios estate and into the gardens, where Avria and Katrina usually trained in a practice field that was in the center.


    As they arrived, they beheld a fearsome battle between the two women. Katrina grunted and yelled as she swung her weapon, very athletically and skillfully, Daniel observed. Avria was defending and swinging counter-attacks as she saw openings. Openings that Katrina quickly closed before actually being struck.


    Wow, Daniel thought. He knew she was growing more powerful every day, but he had never really seen her in action. I need to train harder, a lot harder.


    Oros said nothing as they approached, only took a seat on one of the many stone benches that surrounded the practice area.


    Neither Avria nor Katrina lost their focus. It seemed to Daniel that they weren¡¯t even aware of his or Oros¡¯ presence.


    Katrina leaped forward, bringing her weapon down with immense force. As the two swords made contact, several pillars of earth shot from the sand and curved directly toward Avria. The ward stomped her foot into the sand, and a high-pitched screech erupted as massive pulses of electricity slithered from the ground and shattered the pillars of stone into a fine powder that flew harmlessly past her. She stepped forward, knocking Katrina back and away from her with a strong push. With a swing of her own, electricity whined and shot from her weapon, slamming into the discombobulated girl. Katrina fell to the sand, skidding several feet back, but still managed to use her momentum to get back on her feet. She stood, smoke curling from her skin, and brought her weapon up, assuming a defensive stance.


    ¡°Spirits, you humans are resilient things,¡± Oros said, clapping his hands together. ¡°Very impressive display Avria, I can see why you are so proud of her.¡±


    Avria did not look at Oros or acknowledge his comments. She just placed her sword at her side and waited for Katrina to do the same, then bowed to her. After Katrina bowed, she mirrored it and then turned to Oros.


    Interesting, Daniel thought, admiring the sheer level of respect the master and pupil had shown for each other.


    ¡°It is good to finally see you at House Regios after so many years, Oros. My father will be thrilled that you are here.¡± Avria gave a surprisingly feminine smile as Oros took her hand and kissed it.


    ¡°It has been far too long indeed,¡± Oros said. ¡°I am glad I made it in time to see the tail end of your lesson.¡± Oros looked at Katrina. ¡°And I must say that your progress is very impressive. Never have we seen any Dae excel as quickly as you humans. It would seem you have some innate capacity for the Dunamis.¡±


    Katrina bowed her head to him, placing her left hand over her heart.


    She has completely gone native, Daniel thought. He knew that she had been attempting to cope with the loss and sudden reappearance of Robert, but looking at her now, she had adopted the culture of the Dae faster than he thought possible.


    Avria looked at Daniel, her face now more serious. ¡°Why do you allow him to wear the red again?¡± she asked Oros, looking at Daniel¡¯s crimson cloak that he had been awarded after their battles in the South.


    Daniel bit his tongue, holding a snide comment back. Oros must have picked up on this, as he spoke quickly.


    ¡°Avria, you know why. Daniel has proved himself in battle against the enemy and has earned the right to wear the crimson of a Dae officer, so I would say he is above the average squire,¡± Oros said, putting his hand on Daniel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°He is also a very skilled warrior. Your brother and I have taught him much over the months.¡±


    ¡°Really,¡± Avria said, crossing her arms. ¡°I have always been curious to see what you are made of, Daniel. Katrina has told me a bit about your warrior caste in the human world. She says they wouldn¡¯t be worth much here.¡±


    Shit, Daniel thought. He sighed at the blatant taunt. Who the hell does she think I am? He knew she was trying to bait him, most likely into a fight between Katrina and himself. He knew what she was doing but still found his pride prodding him to retaliate.


    Daniel looked her in the eye but still said nothing.


    ¡°Well?¡± she asked. ¡°How would you like to test yourself against my student?¡±


    ¡°No, Avria,¡± Oros said, smiling. ¡°I don¡¯t think that is necessary.¡±


    ¡°Why not? There isn¡¯t any harm in a simple test of skill. Katrina would love to do it.¡± Avria looked at her student.


    Katrina hesitated for a moment, looking at Daniel, then at Oros, and back at Avria. ¡°I¡­¡± she stuttered, ¡°¡­I would be honored, my Lady. If Daniel is willing.¡±


    Oros sighed, glancing over at Daniel. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Daniel exhaled deeply and shook his head. ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to do, Avria.¡±


    ¡°Lady Avria, to you,¡¯ she said.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Daniel continued. ¡°I am not going to fight my friend for your amusement. So, the answer is no.¡±


    Avria¡¯s face turned to anger at the barbed comments. ¡°Such indignant and disrespectful words.¡± She looked at Oros. ¡°So, this is how you allow your student to speak? All I did was ask for a friendly sparring match between two pupils. Not to fight to the death. You take yourself far too seriously, human.¡±


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    ¡°Daniel,¡± Katrina said, bringing her weapon up in a fighting stance. ¡°Come on, it might be fun.¡±


    Oros stepped away from the two, giving them space to fight. Avria gave a look of praise to her student and proceeded to do the same.


    Daniel cursed to himself, then reluctantly unpinned the clasp for his cloak and folded it in his arms. Two Doulos servants came from behind and took it from him, giving him a small breastplate made of bone and a training sword. As he took the time to put on the bone plate, he heard the sound of many feet approaching. He turned, and much to his dismay, saw a group of Dae nobles entering the little training area. At the head was Boros, brother of Oros and Kryo of Vul De Rah. Beside him were Illya, his younger sister, and Nasha, a revered and now celebrated warrior due to her successful negotiations with High King Phobos, which resulted in a clear turn in the situation with the Rexunii. Trailing behind were Delmos, several Dae he didn¡¯t recognize, and Telmos Regios, the Lord of House Regios.


    The whole damn party is here, he thought, cinching the straps down angrily.


    ¡°Boros,¡± his brother Oros said, embracing him. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what brings you here.¡±


    Boros smiled. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be a scholar if you did.¡±


    ¡°How did you all get here so quickly?¡± Avria asked, amusement on her face. ¡°It has only been several minutes since Daniel finally agreed to this little match.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I was in the area meeting with your father and several nobles when a servant came in and made sure to tell everyone that the two Spirit-Sent were about to engage in a sparring match. We just couldn¡¯t resist.¡±


    Delmos approached the two with his arms outstretched. ¡°Sister! It is so very wonderful to see you.¡± He embraced her, but she did not seem to return it, just cringed as he squeezed. ¡°Was it your idea to pit these two against each other? It¡¯s damn devious; I didn¡¯t know you were into this kind of sport.¡±


    ¡°Delmos,¡± Avria said, seemingly at a loss for words, ¡°just go over there with father.¡± She pointed toward the cluster of nobles. Delmos held his hands up defensively and began to walk toward them.


    ¡°Spirits, he knows just how to annoy me in public,¡± Avria said to Boros, then noticed Nasha approaching Daniel, And she raised an eyebrow.


    Daniel shook his head as Katrina chatted with Illya. There had been a distinct change in behavior toward him, since the party a month ago, from the Dae Krya. No longer did she try to speak with him or vie for his affection; that ship had sailed. This was for good reason, and Daniel understood. She had been humiliated by him after he essentially told her he wasn¡¯t interested. He was, of course; her beauty was beyond anything he had seen on earth. Most of the Dae women he had met were at least well above the average earth woman. Even Avria had a primal allure to her.


    As his mind wandered, he watched out of the corner of his eye as Nasha walked to stand next to him.


    ¡°Well, look how far you¡¯ve come,¡± Nasha said, her hands on her hips. ¡°Last I saw you, you were just a scared little creature. Now you are getting ready to do battle.¡± Her mouth curled into a wry smile. ¡°There is something about you humans, though; I can¡¯t quite put my finger on it. So¡­ exotic.¡±


    Daniel looked at her with his most convincing ¡®get the hell away from me¡¯ look, but only got a loud laugh from her in response.


    ¡°Relax, human, I am not trying to offend you. Just trying to get a laugh or two, but you don¡¯t seem to be in the mood. Mind if I give you a bit of advice?¡±


    Daniel said nothing but shrugged his shoulders as he continued to tighten his armor straps.


    ¡°If she fights anything like Avria, she is going to focus on Dunamis control. She may be a horrible little creature, but Avria is a very powerful fighter. She will have taught her pupil how to use her blade and Dunamis together. Also, Boros loves to use stone pillars. I¡¯m sure you remember the bout we had. Be careful of that as well.¡±


    Daniel looked at her, surprised. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    She smiled and turned to walk back to the group of nobles that were gathering.


    ¡°Dan!¡± Katrina called from a dozen feet away. ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    Daniel looked up at her just in time to see Illya leave. Her eyes met his, and an eager smile took him by surprise.


    ¡°Everything you¡¯ve got, Katrina,¡± Avria yelled from the sideline. ¡°Just remember what I taught you.¡±


    Daniel brought his sword up to signal he was ready to begin. Katrina bowed slightly and dashed toward him, leaving a trail of sand behind her. With a whirl, she slashed downward, meeting Daniel¡¯s blade. The bone material cracked like wooden sticks and echoed through the small training area. There were cheers from the growing crowd as the two finally began their fight.


    Katrina attacked with deadly accuracy against Daniel, but he held his ground, refusing to give even an inch to her. She was using a style Daniel was familiar with, arcs and long swings, easily recognizable as the gale form. She would be using her Dunamis to attack him from the sides.


    I guess Nasha was right, he thought.


    ~


    Avria looked on with immense pride in her pupil but equal frustration at the stubborn skill of her opponent. She thought, with fair certainty, that this battle would be over quickly; It needed to be. She had seen the destructive power of Daniel¡¯s Dunamis in the Glade, and though she had confidence in Katrina¡¯s ability, she was human after all. She was not sure how it would play out if they compared raw strength. She knew it would be determined by skill.


    ¡°She is amazing,¡± Boros said out loud. His eyes fixed on the human girl. ¡°You have done very well, Avria.¡±


    ¡°Oh please,¡± Delmos said, standing beside him. ¡°Dan is just playing with her. She doesn¡¯t stand a damned chance!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, both of you,¡± Avria said, not taking her eyes from the fight.


    Katrina took a broad swing to the side, launching pillars of stone from the sand, a common attack used by Dae-Voh.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Avria said to herself as Daniel easily avoided them.


    ¡°Come on, Dan, you¡¯re holding back,¡± Katrina said, clearly frustrated. ¡°Stop being such a bitch and fight back. You know you can¡¯t tire me out; we¡¯ll be here all damn day.¡±


    Daniel laughed, but didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°That bastard,¡± Avria said, causing Boros and Delmos to look at her. She knew he wasn¡¯t taking this seriously, but for him to insult her? ¡°Katrina! He is playing with you! Hold nothing back!¡± Avria shouted.


    Avria¡¯s fury seethed at the arrogance of this human. Katrina could destroy him if she wished; she knew the power of the girl was incredible in comparison to the average Dae.


    Several massive boulders broke from the ground and levitated around Katrina. The smooth sand that made the floor of the arena was pouring off the sides, and Daniel¡¯s smile faded slightly.


    Many of the spectators cheered and began to clap. Telmos and Oros took a moment to use precautions of their own to prevent any of the gawking nobles from being injured by accident. These were humans, after all, and might lack the proper control.


    Katrina pushed her hand forward, and the boulders flew through the air at Daniel. The man dodged by ducking under the onslaught. With a spin of her hand, the boulders separated and began to come at him one at a time. Daniel deflected one as it nearly hit him and tried to roll forward to avoid another. As he did, he found his footing disappear as the sand opened into a large hole that he fell into unexpectedly.


    ¡°Excellent!¡± Avria shouted, hearing Daniel, yell as he fell.


    Katrina slid her foot across the ground, causing the opening to close around him, trapping Daniel underground.


    Again, there were cheers and laughs from the crowd.


    ¡°What!?¡± Delmos yelled. ¡°Seriously, Dan? Who doesn¡¯t look where they¡¯re rolling when they¡­ come on! You¡¯re embarrassing me! Get out of that damn hole!¡±


    Katrina raised her hand again, positioning the boulders above where Daniel was buried.


    The sand seemed to bubble and glow underneath them, only to explode out, spraying sand everywhere. Katrina clenched her fist, and the boulders slammed down where Daniel was. There was a loud crunch, and for a moment, Avria raised her hand, afraid that she had seriously wounded or killed him. But before she could say a word, an immense blast of fire shot from the sand. Katrina had moments before she arched her blade, and a sturdy half-sphere of stone covered her. The fire flared a bloody crimson color and quickly melted the wall.


    The onlookers gasped at the lethality of the attack. And Avria took several steps forward, prepared to intervene.


    Katrina stepped back, letting her damaged wall sink back into the sand. As it did, Avria saw Daniel standing, his eyes narrowed, and his smile gone.


    What is that accursed red flame? How does this human possess it? Avria thought. The fire was not normal. It could not be mitigated like the normal flame of the Dunamis. This was wild and dangerous.


    Daniel moved forward now, and a tinge of fear prodded Avria¡¯s mind. He looked different, focused. She had seen this look before, but only in those who have seen many battles. She wondered then how much this human had seen.


    Katrina brought her weapon to bear, and Daniel dashed forward with a sudden burst of speed. The precipitous movement took her by surprise, and before she could react, Daniel had swept her legs out from under her with the flat of his sword. Katrina fell hard to the sand but slammed her fist into the ground as her body hit. This time, sharp spikes flared from the ground, and he jumped to avoid them. As he came down, fire burst from his body, blowing the sharp pieces of earth to dust. On her feet now, Katrina attacked, stabbing her training weapon toward his legs. Her bone sword met his in another fierce collision, and the two began swinging at each other, trading slashes and blows. Katrina¡¯s weapon seemed to get closer and closer to finding its mark after every attack, but still, Daniel was able to deflect and counter with surprising strength.


    Finally, she spun with a hard swing, using only her left hand. The strike was powerful, but it slid off Daniel¡¯s blade. As she continued to spin, her right hand came down hard, holding a large stone club. This crashed into Daniel¡¯s defenses, and his sword fell to the ground.


    The crowd gasped, and Avria felt her triumph, but as soon as his weapon fell to the ground, Daniel¡¯s fist struck Katrina in the face. Sparks flew from the Dunamis infused attack, and she stumbled. Daniel leaned forward, pushing her further off balance, and followed up his attack with a strike from his elbow. She flew to the ground, hitting it hard and dropping her own weapon.


    There was stunned silence from all the onlookers. They watched, as Katrina stirred after several taut seconds and sat up slowly, shaking her head; she was clearly dazed.


    Anger flared in Avria once she saw her cheek beginning to swell.


    Daniel walked up to her, his weapon again in hand, and held his blade to her throat.


    ¡°Hah!¡± Delmos yelled, raising his hands in the air. ¡°I knew you had it in you!¡±


    Nasha let out a cheer and clapped as well.


    Katrina looked up in absolute shock, the side of her face swelling. ¡°You... fucking¡­ you punched me in the face,¡± she said, still in disbelief.


    ¡°I thought we were fighting as equals here,¡± he said, pulling his sword back and replacing it with an outstretched hand.


    She hesitated, clearly angry, but took it anyway.


    ~


    Avria smeared healing cream on Katrina¡¯s face.


    ¡°What does this do again, my Lady? It smells like... well, it smells like shit,¡± Katrina said, sitting in her master¡¯s personal quarters. It was actually the first time she had ever been there.


    ¡°This is called Murudi paste. It will draw your Dunamis out in this area and heal your wound quickly.¡±


    Katrina nodded but said nothing. It had been nearly a half-hour since the fight with Daniel, and still, she could not bear to look at her master. She knew it was only a sparring match, but Avria made it seem like something much more. It was a matter of pride before her father and the nobles, but still, she lost.


    ¡°Katrina,¡± Avria said, her voice soft and caring. ¡°Do not let this stifle your progress and success. There are always people who will defeat you in the arena. It is better to fight them, learn from them, and receive their bruises, so you don¡¯t lose your head in a real fight. I should have known better than to let you fight Daniel.¡±


    ¡°I could have beaten him,¡± Katrina said, pain in her voice.


    Avria sighed, and she put her hand on Katrina¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Oros tried to tell me, in his cryptic and subtle way.¡±


    ¡°Tell you what?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°That Daniel was a seasoned warrior, even before his training with Oros. No wonder he let him wear the crimson cloak. It was a sign of mutual respect. I saw it in his eyes, once he changed, once he saw you as an actual threat.¡± Avria continued to apply the paste. ¡°You were better at the blade though, the savage had to resort to using his fists.¡±


    ¡°Just like when he beat Delmos,¡± Katrina said slowly.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Avria said angrily. ¡°He is exceptionally skilled without a weapon. I will be sure to keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°But that fire,¡± Katrina continued. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the Dunamis, but from what you told us in the Glade when he first discovered it, it isn¡¯t normal. Why?¡±


    Avria finished applying the paste and dipped her hands into a large bowl of water to rinse. ¡°No one really knows for sure, but it is said that one¡¯s soul is the filter in which the Dunamis flows. There are many instances where corruption of a Dae¡¯s soul will affect the type of Dunamis that a person is able to use¡­ but the crimson flame. Like I said before, it has only been referenced in stories of demons, before even the war of the ascended. And after seeing what it did, only a weak blast of it, I believe those stories.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that I have something similar?¡± Katrina asked. ¡°That maybe it¡¯s a human thing?


    Avria said. ¡°Well, I suppose it¡¯s possible. Only time will tell.¡±

 Chapter 37

    Robert squinted his eyes at the strange sunrise before him. He had been asked by Alektor, his new brother, to accompany Turak and Demessa to meet with Queen Mundiri of the Visgo, a powerful seafaring clan directly to the south of Rexun. There was no hesitation in the man. He knew it would give him more insight into the world he now called home. To make things more appealing, he was treated extremely well.


    ¡°My Prince Reku.¡± A young Rexunii warrior called from behind him. ¡°Lord Turak wishes to speak with you.¡±


    Robert nodded, turning to walk toward Turak¡¯s tent, which was large and in the center of the small encampment of around thirty warriors, a sizable fighting force, all of them elite.


    As Robert opened the cloth flap, a gust of warm air blew past his face. Within, he saw a large stone table that had been grown from the ground itself. On the surface of the table was a detailed map of the surrounding area, with small villages and mountains that were surprisingly realistic looking.


    Turak, Demessa, and two Rexunii officers stood around the table, all pointing and discussing something. Robert approached, and Turak looked up to greet him.


    ¡°Ahh, Reku. So nice of you to join us,¡± he said, waving him over. ¡°We were just discussing the best possible route to Pontos, the capital city of Visgo.¡±


    Robert approached the table, standing between Turak and Demessa, who greeted him with only a small bow of respect.


    ¡°This is Lord Richoro and Lady Yadri.¡± Turak pointed at the two officers, who saluted as their names were called.


    Turak placed his hands on the stone table. ¡°Today, we will be entering Visgo territory. We have an agreement with Queen Mundiri for safe passage, but there still may be trouble. Several houses that border our lands have called the Rexunii their sworn enemies and have not taken kindly to this truce. They would not dare attack us using the clan colors, so beware of ¡®brigands¡¯ on the road.¡±


    Richoro chuckled. ¡°They would be fools indeed if they wished to fight this force.¡±


    ¡°We must not wander into any area where they can easily exploit our lack of numbers,¡± Turak said. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t be a band of outlaws, but trained warriors disguised as them. I have it on good authority that they will attempt this attack as soon as we enter their territory. So, in order to avoid this bloodshed, we must find a way into Visgo they do not expect.¡±


    ¡°On good authority?¡± Robert asked. ¡°You have a spy?¡±


    Turak shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°No doubt one of your lovers,¡± Demessa said, almost under her breath.


    The two officers chuckled slightly, scoring a glare from Turak.


    ¡°She is not a lover. She is a very reliable source of information.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Yadri said, her voice much softer than Robert was expecting. She was a tall and imposing-looking woman with an air of authority about her, several small scars on her face. ¡°There are several small villages that dot the border. We should avoid them at all costs, under the assumption that they are all of questionable loyalty. Perhaps over the mountains.¡± She pointed to some very large looking mountains on their stone map. ¡°It will be difficult, but I think this is the best way to go. Even if they decide to attack us in these mountains, it is far enough from any of the villages that they will lack proper support. The attacks will be weaker and less often.¡±


    Turak rubbed his chin, looking at Demessa and Richoro. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    As they began to speak, Robert¡¯s hearing began to fade. After several moments, all he could hear was the beating of his heart.


    ¡°The mountains are not the way¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s voice hissed in his mind. ¡°They will find you there¡­ they will ambush and kill many of your warriors...¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Robert asked, not sure if he had spoken the words out loud.


    ¡°Mundiri is tricking you¡­ she doesn¡¯t want you to reach her capital... cunning will save the lives of your warriors, but that alone will not win the heart of this Queen¡­ she will have to see your power¡­ she must fear you¡­¡±


    ¡°So, what do we do? If she doesn¡¯t want to meet with us, then why would she ask for us to go and promise us safe passage?¡± Robert asked, his voice slightly afraid.


    ¡°She¡­. is trying to appease supporters of your king¡­ this way, she can show she made an attempt to meet, but also remain loyal to the Torre¡¯... attack¡­ show them¡­ that the Rexunii do not cower from battle¡­ that you thirst for it¡­ destroy one of their villages¡­ they will not expect you to attack one of them¡­ then disappear into their wilderness¡­ I can shadow you¡­ we must reach the capitol¡­ she can¡¯t harm you there¡­ lest she lose the support of half her court.¡±


    Robert came to his senses, and his hearing came back in a split second. To his surprise, he saw the four Rexunii warriors all looking at him, confused.


    ¡°Are you alright, Reku?¡± Turak asked, concerned.


    ¡°No¡­ I mean, yes! Never mind, listen to me!¡± Robert put his hands on the table and closed his eyes. Be brave. You have to be brave, he thought. ¡°It¡¯s a trap, Mundiri has betrayed us. There are warriors all over that border, even in the mountains, just waiting to ambush us.¡±


    ¡°The Queen. Who promised us safe passage?¡± Demessa asked, sarcasm in her voice.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Robert said. ¡°She knows about the rogue lords. In fact, she¡¯s behind the whole damn thing.¡±


    ¡°Why would she attack us after promising us safe passage across her lands? That makes no sense,¡± Yadri asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Robert continued, ¡°it makes sense. She never wanted a treaty with us, but half of her court does. She¡¯s been struggling to maintain her power for many years, holding on only by the continued support of the Torre¡¯. If she defies them, they pull their support, and she eventually loses power. If she openly attacks us, the balance is tipped by her political enemies who support us and hate the Torre¡¯, and she might lose power that way. This way, she can blame rogue lords who have a grudge, keeps both parties happy, and she is free to stay in power another day.¡±


    All the Dae stared blankly at him for several moments, the expressions on their faces one of amusement and disbelief.


    ¡°How do you know all this?¡± Demessa asked. ¡°These are very detailed accusations. I wasn¡¯t aware you had such an in-depth understanding of Dae clan politics.¡±


    Robert sighed and hung his head. ¡°Dio¡¯Mar told me,¡± he said, bringing an eerie silence to the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what did you say?¡± Yadri asked.


    ¡°Dio¡¯Mar told me we have to attack one of the villages. They are not expecting us to attack them, that maybe even the fact that we were fed this information could be a part of their plan. She said we have to attack, draw blood, and show them that we are not afraid of this war, that we welcome it.¡±


    Turak looked at the stone table, his face one of deep contemplation. ¡°This is insane,¡± he said.


    ¡°Why does she not appear now and tell us this herself?¡± Richoro asked. ¡°I would be more inclined to believe it if this spirit showed herself!¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t have to,¡± Demessa said, taking a step closer to Robert. ¡°Prince Reku has a connection with this spirit. I have seen Dio¡¯Mar, and I will prove to her that I am faithful.¡± She turned to Robert and put her hand on his shoulder. ¡°What else did she say?¡±


    Robert took a deep breath, not fully trusting the words that came from his own mouth. ¡°She said we should hit one of the villages. Destroy it, kill the warriors, and hide in the shadows. Make our way to the capital, then reveal ourselves. Once we reach the capital, there isn¡¯t anything she can do to stop us. She will be forced to hear our side.¡±


    ¡°How the hell do we hide from them in their own land? We have no real knowledge of this territory,¡± Yadri said. ¡°Visgo is mountainous, yes, but even with these maps, we can¡¯t hope to outsmart people who have lived here all their lives!¡±


    ¡°She will help us stay hidden,¡± Robert said.


    Richoro and Yadri both scoffed and looked at Turak, who was still in deep thought. ¡°My Lord,¡± Yadri continued. ¡°The best course of action is stealth, I agree, but if we are going to be fighting our entire way to Pontos, we can not hope to reach it. I thought it was just several rogue lords with a bone to pick, but thirty warriors against an army? We must reconvene with King Alektor, see what he says.¡±


    Turak grunted. ¡°I know exactly what that¡ª¡± He caught himself. ¡°What our king will say. He will agree with Reku; we must have faith in Dio¡¯Mar.¡±


    ¡°But my Lord!¡± the two officers said almost in unison.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Turak said, slamming his fist on the table. ¡°Return to your war-groups. Tell them that we are no longer here on a diplomatic mission. Tell them that we are here to spill the blood of our enemies, no matter which land they call home. Tell them that we will live in the shadows and eliminate all who stand against us. Tell them to prepare for battle.¡±


    -


    Robert struggled with the bulky bone armor under his cloak while shifting from left to right on his Cro¡¯kan as they moved toward their objective. The beast was much more disciplined than the near-feral one he was forced to ride with Turak, so there was at least that.


    ¡°Let me help you to adjust your armor,¡± Demessa said, striding beside him on her own mount. ¡°You aren¡¯t accustomed to wearing such things, I take it. Worry not, I shall help you.¡±


    Robert was silent as she worked but did manage to smell the faint, alluring fragrance she was wearing. ¡°Why are you being all¡­ nice to me now? We didn¡¯t exactly leave our last meeting on the best terms.¡±


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Demessa sighed as she finished her work. ¡°You know, I had never seen a spirit before that day. To be honest, I never quite believed they had as much power as all the Espi-Dae said. I thought it was all foolish nonsense that people believed in to keep themselves and others in line. We all knew they existed, but¡­ you know.¡± She paused. ¡°Then I met you, a strange and vile creature from another world. A demon, we called you. You didn¡¯t look like much to me, but you know that already. I didn¡¯t hate you, just thought nothing of you. Then I saw you broken and bloodied on that table, your body was torn to shreds, and I felt such guilt that I could not look at myself in the mirror after. I knew then that I was right, that the stories I had been told of demons and spirits were all just a fantasy. Their power was inferior to that of the Dae and should not be revered.¡±


    Robert listened carefully, afraid to even breathe lest he interrupt her.


    ¡°Then Dio¡¯Mar appeared before me, and I felt¡­¡± A tear began to roll down her cheek, and for a moment, her green eyes gleamed like the purest emerald stones. ¡°I felt¡­ the most immense power, a strength that shook me to my core, even still. A vast, ancient ocean of Dunamis that seemed almost endless. I thought it was her power, the true power of a spirit. I had been wrong, until she disappeared, and I realized that it was you that I felt. She showed me your power, and it made me thankful that I would have a second chance to prove myself to you.¡± She looked Robert in the eyes, stone determination on her face. ¡°I will follow you, Prince Reku, and I will redeem myself to you.¡±


    ¡°There it is!¡± Richoro called from the front of the formation.


    Robert looked on to see a village in the distance, sitting snug between two mountains. This was the only passable route for probably a hundred miles, according to the map that Robert had studied. He looked at the structures and defenses, and he could tell that this was once a strong defensible position many hundreds of years ago. Its wall was about ten feet high, in serious need of repair, but he could see the outlines of dozens of warriors on top.


    ¡°They wear no clan colors,¡± Richoro said, ¡°yet they act as a garrison to this village.¡±


    ¡°It looks more like an outpost,¡± Yadri said, striding to the front. ¡°Are you sure this is wise, Lord Turak?¡±


    Turak followed slowly, and Robert could see that he had donned the strange horned mask he had worn the day they met. Memories flashed through his mind, of blood and fire, of the severed head of his friend Veol at his feet, staring up at him with vacant eyes.


    Demessa removed a helmet from her pack and handed it to Robert. ¡°My Lord.¡± She gestured for him to take it.


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked, hesitantly taking it.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fobos,¡± she said. ¡°A helmet that has been tradition throughout all Eleutheros for thousands of years. We wear these into battle.¡±


    Robert took a deep breath and slid it over his face. It was surprisingly comfortable, sitting snug around his ears but not impeding his hearing. He looked then at Demessa, her bright green eyes almost glowing from behind the eye holes.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± she asked him, her voice slightly muffled from the helmet.


    Robert nodded and checked his armor once more.


    Again, his hearing faded, and he could feel the presence of Dio¡¯Mar around him. She appeared sitting atop the head of the Cro¡¯kan he was riding, her small form a welcome sight to him.


    ¡°Remember what I taught you¡­ Robert¡­ you do not have to explain yourself to them¡­ just use your power¡­¡± she said, her unmoving mouth curling into a smile.


    Over the time Robert had known this little spirit, she had taught him things about the Dunamis that apparently had been forgotten over thousands of years. Today, he was going to use his power to shroud their attacking force, something he had practiced many times, unbeknownst to his traveling companions. Why learn from a Dae warrior when you could learn from a spirit?


    ¡°I got it,¡± he whispered to her.


    ¡°Be safe, my little human¡­ I cannot intervene much now¡­ as you know¡­¡±


    Robert opened his hand and summoned a small cyclone of black mist. He would use this as they charged, and the defenders wouldn¡¯t know what hit them.


    ~


    Turak reached back and grabbed the handles of both his swords that he wore, crossed on his back. They slid from their scabbards easily, and he hefted them as he usually did before battle. It was always the same feeling to him, the curdling of one¡¯s stomach before the inevitable clash of Dunamis and bone. He inhaled deeply, raising his right arm high, brandishing his curved blade for his warriors to see. Then he brought it down and kicked his Cro¡¯kan in the sides, causing it to jolt forward with a burst of speed. All the elite warriors of Rexun followed in tow.


    There was a thunder of heavy feet slamming into the grassy soil as the Rexunii warriors galloped down a hill into the valley that led to the fortified village. It was a killing ground for any who dared charge the walls. The village was positioned between two mountains, with a wall before it, facing the valley, a defender¡¯s dream. It would be a difficult attack, and Turak knew that he would have to face the inevitable possibility of losing some of his warriors; it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    As they came into view of their enemy, Turak heard a cheer from behind him. He turned to see Robert riding high on his Cro¡¯kan, holding on for dear life, but raising his hand above him. There was a dark wind blowing from him and blanketing the attacking force of Rexunii warriors. Turak looked forward in amazement as he saw the air before him shimmer as though distorted. What in all the great spirits names is he doing? he thought. Then he noticed something very odd to his left. About three hundred feet away, there was an exact replica of his attacking force; he even saw himself at the fore. What¡­? What is that?


    Then as the realization set in, he was filled with almost overwhelming confidence. He was not sure how, but Robert had managed to create a mirage of some kind, a false image of their warriors, several hundred feet to their left.


    He looked forward again at the enemy, a grin now hidden behind his horned mask, and saw the warriors atop the walls of the village begin to assemble to repel this seemingly small and overly exposed force. Then the air began to scream as bolts of lightning and balls of fire shot from the wall and straight into the projections. They didn¡¯t even shimmer as rocks and Dunamis shot through them. They looked so very real to Turak, and the thought of how they were created sent a chill down his spine.


    The wall closed in, and he turned to signal several warriors behind him. They were Dae-Voh and raised their hands in unison. The ground began to shake around them, and a massive ramp broke from the soil below. It shot out in front of them and slammed against the wall. The defending Dae reeled back in horror at the sudden appearance of an identical attacking force charging up the ramp and jumping into their midst.


    Turak bellowed a war-cry as he leaped from his Cro¡¯kan, stabbing his two swords into the chest of one of the defending warriors. The man didn¡¯t even have time to scream before falling to the ground, blood gurgling from his mouth. Turak pressed on, summoning water from the spiritual energy around him to encircle his blades. He was atop the wall now and could see into the small village. There were civilians emerging from their stone dwellings and turning to run in terror.


    ¡°Press on!¡± he yelled, watching his comrades pour over the wall and engage the rogue Visgo warriors.


    He turned just in time to see a massive boulder hurled at him. He slashed his swords at it, and arcs of water blasted towards it, cutting the mass of stone into several pieces. The force of his attack blew them away to fly harmlessly around him. Then he jumped off the wall into the village, closely followed by several of his warriors.


    Almost immediately, dozens of Visgo warriors charged forward, raising their hands and unleashing a massive elemental barrage. Two of the Dae-Voh that accompanied Turak raised walls of stone from the ground, several layers of them, deflecting and stopping the deadly blasts.


    Turak shouted again, raising his swords in the air, a hint of madness in his voice. The two Dae-Voh pushed, their hands outstretched, and their walls of stone exploded outward, launching thousands of razor-like shards toward the enemy.


    Many screamed as their flesh was torn by the shards. Others used defensive measures of their own, raising walls of stone, creating barriers of wind or fire. It mattered very little to Turak. He knew these Dae were lowly warriors of the Visgo, ordered into their master¡¯s political schemes against their will. For their loyalty to their lords and ladies, they would die today. They faced off against Rexunii Elite, powerful wielders of the Dunamis, and the strange sorcery of an ancient spirit.


    They wore no colors, no cloaks of their house or clan¡ªjust the pale bone armor of Eleutheros. Still, when Turak surged forward whirling his incisors, using his Dunamis to extend massive blades of water, he felt no pity.


    One of the surviving warriors leaped forward. With a large bone ax in hand, he swung the weapon toward Turak¡¯s face. The Dae nimbly dodged to the side, using his Dunamis to enhance his speed. In a flash, there was a spray of water, and his attacker fell to the ground in two pieces. Blood and water flowed around Turak as he worked, his precision and skill a marvel to be seen by all around him. The Visgo warriors realized at that moment that they were being overwhelmed at the wall and turned to regroup, but they were not fast enough. The Rexunii forces moved like wildfire, killing all who ran with short and controlled bursts of Dunamis. They were trained to use precision instead of raw power, which was only for the foolish duels that the nobles seemed so fond of. Here, on the battlefield, they were trained to conserve their energy as much as possible. They never knew when they would get a full night¡¯s sleep again, after all.


    Turak saw a flash of lighting beyond the village, behind the retreating forces. It was Yadri¡¯s signal that they had successfully flanked the enemy and halted their retreat. They could leave no survivors, lest they give crucial information about the Rexunii tactics and the Spirit-Sent¡¯s strange power.


    They moved past the dwellings and saw several hundred civilians halted and crowded in a large group. Women wailed, clutching their children, and the men shouted in terror at the Rexunii, who now blocked them in. Turak could see that there were about twenty or so warriors who hadn¡¯t died in the attack and who were standing between the Rexunii and the civilians on both sides.


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t this unfortunate,¡± Richoro said, striding up behind Turak. Blue blood dripped from his cloak and armor as if he had bathed in the gore. ¡°Wrong place, wrong time.¡±


    Turak shook his head, feeling guilt and pity for the doomed civilians. ¡°Do what you have to do,¡± he said.


    ~


    Robert stumbled out of the village behind Turak and Richoro. Demessa had been his shield throughout the battle, cleaving her way through nearly a dozen attackers who tried to kill him. They knew who he was; the expressions they wore on their faces told him as much. The carnage of the battle brought him to empty his stomach several times already, but now he saw a large crowd of civilians. He sighed in relief that the end of the battle had finally come. It looks like they surrendered.


    To his surprise, Richoro strode forward, a large bone mace in his hands, and began to attack some of the remaining defenders. The earth shook as Dunamis was exchanged between them, but the Visgo defenders were no match.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Robert yelled, running past Turak and toward the Rexunii warriors. ¡°Stop!¡± he screamed again, but no-one seemed to hear him. ¡°Stop!¡± A burst of black wind and smoke shot from him and blew several of the warriors off their feet. The canyon echoed with his booming voice.


    All fighting ceased, and the eyes of the survivors and Rexunii warriors alike fell on Robert.


    There was silence that seemed deafening to Robert, but his rage was liberated, and all he could see was the violent treatment that he had endured at the hands of these creatures.


    ¡°I said stop,¡± he said, his body trembling with anger. ¡°They¡¯re beaten. We aren¡¯t slaughtering them.¡±


    Richoro stood from the mud, his eyes wide and full of rage as well. He had been struck from behind by one of his own. ¡°What did you say!?¡± he bellowed. ¡°What in ge¡¯enna do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Turak came beside Robert, grabbing him by his shoulder. ¡°Reku, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Why are you letting this asshole and our warriors kill everyone?¡± he asked. ¡°We aren¡¯t doing this, not while I¡¯m here!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t let them live, Reku. They¡¯ve seen your power, and they¡¯ve seen how we fight. We can¡¯t take so many captives. This is the only way.¡± Turak removed his mask and looked into his eyes.


    ¡°No,¡± Robert said, walking toward Richoro. ¡°Stand down.¡±


    Richoro removed his helmet and sneered at Robert. ¡°I don¡¯t answer to you, demon.¡±


    Robert¡¯s heart raced as he stared at the blood-soaked Dae. He had been enjoying himself. He¡¯s a monster.


    ¡°That¡¯s Prince Reku to you!¡± Demessa said, standing beside him. ¡°You dare speak to the King¡¯s brother in such a way? To the Spirit-Sent!?¡±


    Richoro squeezed the handle of his mace in frustration but stood down. ¡°Well then, ¡®my Prince,¡¯¡± He said, with as much hatred as he could muster. ¡°What would you have us do with a couple hundred civilians? Carry them on our backs?¡±


    Turak strode forth, his face unreadable. ¡°This was your idea to attack this village. To strike fear into the hearts of the Visgo. And you want us to take prisoners?¡±


    Robert hesitated, unsure of himself. ¡°Well, I¡­¡± he said.


    ¡°Calm¡­ little human¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s voice said in his head. ¡°I know what we¡­ shall do¡­ have them imprisoned¡­ create cages of stone¡­ guard them¡­ I can help¡­ but it will take time to teach you¡­¡±


    ¡°How long?¡± Robert asked, relief flooding him.


    ¡°That¡­ is up to you¡­¡±


    Robert looked at Turak. ¡°Create cages from the stone. Get our Dae-Voh to do that. We will put a watch on them tonight.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡± Turak asked, his irritation starting to show.


    ¡°By then, I¡¯ll have a solution,¡± Robert said, with much more uncertainty than he intended. ¡°Trust me.¡±

 Chapter 38

    Robert closed his eyes and tried to relax as best he could. After the battle, he had taken refuge in one of the dwellings that had been abandoned; Turak only gave him until morning to come up with his plan. Otherwise, they would be forced to kill the captives. Robert understood his reasoning. They could not stay in a place where more enemy warriors might show up at any moment. Still, he felt like it was too cruel to even consider killing everyone.


    ¡°Concentrate, Robert¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said her spirit now the size of a grown woman.


    Robert opened his eyes and found himself again floating in a sky. Back in the dream world.


    Often, he found himself in this place. The ¡®Dunum Dae Espae¡¯ was where he was able to tap into and learn directly from Dio¡¯Mar herself. He had grown very fond of it. After she had shown him how to come here mentally, he made it a point to return when he could.


    ¡°Very good¡­¡± she said, floating up to him. ¡°What I am going¡­ to teach you¡­ is a technique used by a very strong Dae¡­ a man that nearly conquered all of Pelemont.¡±


    Robert nodded, doing his best to pay attention.


    ¡°He is remembered as a demon¡­ but he was only a Dae who acted like one¡­ this knowledge... will¡­ change your perspective on many things, Robert¡­ are you ready?¡±


    Robert hesitated, her words and their implications heralding caution. He swallowed hard and said, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Dio¡¯Mar lifted her hand and used her power to summon a small cyclone in her hand. A vision of a dead Dae then manifested itself before him, bloodied and cleaved in several places.


    ¡°The Dunamis can be used for many things¡­ as you well know by now¡­ the Dae have forgotten how to do more than just hit each other with large blasts of it¡­¡± She extended her hand toward the corpse, and a stream of wind flew into the wounds and orifices. Suddenly the body jerked; Robert was startled by the movement but stayed calm. The body then began to stir, lifting its head and then beginning to stand.


    ¡°What?¡± he said, his mouth agape. ¡°Oh my god¡­¡±


    The corpse, now standing, looked at him with glowing green eyes. It stood normally, as though it were a living and breathing Dae, save its glowing eyes.


    ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± Robert stretched his hand out to touch it but watched his hand go through the projection. ¡°So, I would be able to animate the dead?¡± The words left his mouth, and a chill entered his body. This was something very dark.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar let her hand fall to her side, and the corpse faded into nothing once more. ¡°It is extremely difficult to maintain¡­ but you, as a human, have a significant advantage over many of the Dae¡­ not to mention¡­ I have an idea how to keep them active while you travel¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, how is this going to help me save these villagers?¡±


    Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s small mouth again curled into a smile.


    ~


    Turak sat against the wall of one of the dwellings. He ordered his men to create cages from stone and imprison them until Robert had his plan ready, something that took every ounce of strength he had to agree to. Of course, this was probably a terrible idea and a blatant waste of time. Still, he had to have faith in the Spirit-Sent; he had proven himself once before, during the attack, so the least he could do was wait until morning.


    Fires burned around the village to make it look normal to any scouts or warriors who saw it from a distance. This gave the Rexunii elite an opportunity to hide in plain sight.


    ¡°Lord Turak,¡± Yadri said, rounding the corner of the structure he was resting on. Following close behind was Richoro, still clearly angry from his confrontation with Robert earlier.


    Turak waved them over and adjusted himself. As he did, he saw one more person follow the two officers. It was Demessa.


    ¡°My Lord,¡± Yadri saluted. ¡°We have many concerns about the¡­ um, Prince Reku. We have spent the entire rest of the day creating cages for people we should have dispatched during the attack. This puts us in a very vulnerable position. What if their patrols return? What if one of them escapes and runs for help?¡±


    ¡°You have guards on them,¡± Turak said, leaning back and looking at the night sky above. ¡°We also have lookouts and can use Prince Reku¡¯s ability to conceal ourselves. As long as you don¡¯t screw up in watching those prisoners until morning, we will be fine. I told Reku that if he hasn¡¯t come up with a solution, we dispose of them and move on with our mission.¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous,¡± Richoro said under his breath.


    ¡°Is there a problem, Richoro?¡± Turak asked calmly.


    The Dae captain shook his head, sitting down across from Turak. ¡°Nothing, my Lord. I just think taking the hum¡­ ah, Prince Reku, was a bad idea, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°It was not an idea,¡± Demessa chimed in. ¡°It was an order from our King. and you might not be standing here if it wasn¡¯t for the prince. Have you ever seen a Dae use the Dunamis like that? Or ever seen a Dae-Jin use black wind before? No, we were able to sneak up on the enemy by running directly down their throat, and we didn¡¯t lose a single warrior.¡±


    ¡°Lady Demessa, we don¡¯t mean any disrespect,¡± Yadri said. ¡°We just don¡¯t see how we can solve the problem of the prisoners.¡±


    ¡°Lord Turak has given Prince Reku until sunrise to solve this problem; I think it would be best to save our doubts and wait until then.¡± Demessa proceeded then to sit against an assortment of boxes across from Turak.


    Hours passed as the Rexunii warriors waited for their human Prince to finish his meditation. Turak noticed how his warriors were skeptical of his strange behavior; locking yourself in a small hut for a day and night with no food, water, or interruptions was bizarre, to say the least. Regardless, they waited, keeping a close eye on the civilian Dae. They wailed and screamed as they were packed in like animals, but what did they have to complain about? They were alive, and that was more than Turak had expected for them at this point.


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


    Throughout the night, several of the captives attempted to escape by using their meager Dunamis to try and break free of the cages, to no avail, of course; these were created by extremely powerful Dae-Voh. The Rexunii guards made quick examples of them as to deter any further endeavors. After that, only the weeping and moaning remained.


    Turak opened his eyes, taking in the cool morning air. The first beams of light were beginning to shine over the large mountains that surrounded the village. Time¡¯s up, he thought. He stood from his makeshift bedroll, just a blanket and his cloak that had been rolled into a pillow. All their normal field equipment was packed and stored for a quick getaway.


    Turak made his way to the small hut where Robert had been meditating. Nothing had been seen or heard from the man since he¡¯d locked himself inside the afternoon before. He knocked heavily on the door. ¡°Prince Reku! Are you in there?¡± He waited several moments, hearing nothing from within. ¡°It is dawn! We need to move as quickly as possible. Do you have your solution?¡± Nothing still. Turak raised his hand to knock harder when the door opened suddenly, and a very tired looking Robert greeted him.


    ¡°Hey, Turak,¡± Robert said, quite informally. ¡°Morning already?¡±


    Turak looked at him, crossing his arms over his chest. ¡°Yes. Do you have anything?¡±


    Robert stepped from the hut and yawned. Turak noticed that he was far from calm but completely exhausted.


    ¡°I do,¡± Robert said, turning to meet his eyes again. ¡°Just be ready for it¡­ it¡¯s pretty strange.¡±


    Turak raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± Robert began to walk but stopped, turning again. ¡°By the way, where are the bodies from the battle yesterday?¡±


    ~


    Demessa clenched her fists in frustration, listening to the disgruntled blasphemy of the two officers Yadri and Richoro. She was far enough away that they believed she couldn¡¯t hear, but their raised voices and insults directed at Prince Reku were too much to ignore. She sat up from where she had been attempting to sleep through the night and strode over to them.


    ¡°Good morning, my Lady,¡± Richoro said, bowing his head. ¡°Seems that morning has come. Does the little demon prince have a plan yet? Perhaps he will think better after he has had some breakfast.¡±


    Yadri giggled behind him. ¡°Why waste good food? One look at the corpses again, and it¡¯ll all come back up!¡± Her giggle turned into a laugh, and the two of them erupted. Demessa even saw the warriors who were around them stifle laughter of their own.


    ¡°Impotent fools,¡± she said. ¡°You know nothing of what he is. I will have words with the King when we return.¡± She turned to leave and saw Robert walking with Turak toward where they had hidden the bodies, in a large warehouse for food storage. Richoro and Yadri must have seen as well, as they quickly began moving toward them.


    ¡°Here,¡± Turak said, pointing to the door. ¡°They¡¯re piled in there like shit. I wouldn¡¯t open the doors; the smell will knock you on your ass.¡±


    Demessa walked up behind them, followed by Richoro and Yadri. ¡°Good morning Lord Turak, Prince Reku,¡± she greeted them.


    Robert looked at her and smiled. It was a genuine smile, it seemed. But spirits, he looked tired.


    ¡°Do you have a plan, Prince?¡± Yadri asked, looking less than happy.


    Robert ignored her question and looked again at the door. He approached it slowly and placed his hand on the stone handle. He hesitated for a moment, then spoke over his shoulder. ¡°Whatever you see come out of here, don¡¯t attack it.¡±


    The Dae looked at each other in confusion. What? Demessa thought. What is he talking about?


    ¡°Do you understand?¡± he said, clearly waiting for a response.


    They just nodded, bewilderment still plastered on their faces.


    Robert creaked the door open, and almost instantly, the air was filled with the foul smell of death. He took a step back and lifted his hand toward the opening and closed his eyes to concentrate. Again, Demessa saw the strange black wind flow from him into the stone warehouse. Robert¡¯s hand began to shake, and sweat beads began to form on his face. He was clearly struggling. What in the name of all the spirits was he doing?


    Robert let out a cry as he fell to a knee. More wind blew from him, and it was now a gale.


    Suddenly it stopped, and Robert¡¯s hand fell to his side. Demessa watched as he heaved for breath, his body now completely exhausted.


    ¡°What was¡ª¡± Richoro began, about to ask a question when he was interrupted by a body stumbling from the darkened opening. The Dae officer¡¯s eyes widened at the sight he now beheld. A warrior, who was clearly dead, standing on his feet again. He had been impaled by a stone spike from the looks of it, his abdomen opened at the belly, and some of his innards still hung out. Still, though, he stood, looking at them with black eyes.


    ¡°By the spirits!¡± Yadri shouted, pulling her blade and pointing it at the creature.


    ¡°No!¡± Robert wheezed. ¡°What did I tell you?¡±


    Demessa looked on in horror as the corpse took steps outside, allowing another to follow behind him.


    Turak was frozen, his face a mask of fear and astonishment.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Richoro said, his eyes fixed on the strange sight. ¡°By the spirits¡­ this is unnatural.¡±


    ¡°Reku,¡± Turak managed to say. ¡°What have you done?¡±


    Robert began to stand, wobbling as he did. ¡°This is the only way I could think of...¡± He strained to stand, and Demessa leaned in to help support him.


    Turak¡¯s mouth still hung open as more of the things began pouring out of the structure. ¡°How many are there? And what exactly are you planning on doing with them?¡±


    Robert pulled a skin canteen from under his cloak and began to drink, seeming to savor the taste in his mouth before he spoke. ¡°I re-animated about thirty, I think. As far as what I am going to do with them? I¡¯m going to send some to escort the civilians over the border and back to the nearest Rexunii fort.¡± With a shaky hand, he pointed at Richoro. ¡°And he¡¯s going back with them.¡±


    Turak raised his eyebrow again, and Richoro looked even more shocked at the statement than the literal walking dead before him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my Prince, but what exactly do you mean by that?¡± He said, his voice seething with anger.


    ¡°Exactly what I said.¡± Robert turned to look him in the eye, leaning on Demessa¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You and your bloodthirsty bullshit are going back to Rexun. I don¡¯t have any need for someone like you here.¡±


    ¡°But I do,¡± Turak said, stepping before him. ¡°He was following my orders, Reku, and though you are King Alektor¡¯s brother now, I am in charge of this expedition.¡± He turned to Richoro over his shoulder. ¡°Go, gather the rest of the warriors. We will be marching soon.¡± Turak focused his attention back on Robert. It wasn¡¯t clear exactly what Turak was thinking, but it was obvious he was not happy about their current situation. ¡°What of these creatures? What do you think our warriors will do when they see clanless corpses escorting civilians across our borders? Invite them in with open arms? They will slay them all as they approach, and I will not allow a single warrior of mine to accompany them.¡±


    Robert stared for a moment at him, digesting the words. ¡°Then let¡¯s move on,¡± Robert said. ¡°Leave them here, alive and well. I can use the animated warriors to go off in several directions. Lead anyone who might be looking for us on wild goose chases.¡± He paused, probably realizing they had no idea what a goose was. ¡°A fool¡¯s errand,¡± he corrected. ¡°They will be confused, and we can monitor their movements.¡±


    Turak thought in silence, and while he did, Yadri spoke up.


    ¡°You have no respect for the dead,¡± she said, hatred burning in her eyes. ¡°This is why the Espi-Dae called you demons. Maybe they knew something like this was possible.¡± She turned then, walking with Richoro to assemble their warriors.


    ¡°She isn¡¯t wrong,¡± Turak finally said. ¡°But this does provide us with a tactical advantage. Demessa.¡± He turned to her. ¡°Gather as many spare Rexunii cloaks as you can. We will make them look the part. Reku,¡± he looked back to Robert. ¡°How much control do you have over these creatures?¡±


    Robert Sighed. ¡°Not much. I can give them basic commands, like run in that direction until you reach a certain spot, that¡¯s about all I can do for now.¡±


    Turak grunted, obviously mulling over ideas in his head.


    ¡°But I can learn more,¡± Robert continued. ¡°I just need to practice.¡±


    ¡°There will be plenty of time for that.¡± Turak looked again at the strange undead creatures standing before him. Their eyes were a dark reminder of their wicked existence. ¡°Stay with us, Prince. I¡¯m sure there will be more dead to practice on.¡±

 Chapter 39

    Katrina took in the sight of Vul De Rah from her vantage point; she stood atop the wall of the large palace of House Ignos. Though the view of the bustling city below was quite beautiful and captivating, she had been waiting to see Hego Agron for nearly two hours now and was extremely agitated. After the battle with Daniel, she had been training nonstop with Avria, pushing her body and mind to the limit. The harsh regimen had taken its toll on her, but in the end, it would be worth it. At least that¡¯s what she told herself.


    When she first found herself in Pelemont, Katrina, along with Daniel and Robert, had struggled to find their place in this new world. That seemed so long ago. Illya had told Katrina that next month would mark the anniversary of their arrival here. A year, she thought. A full year had gone by already. Her thoughts turned to her family back home; did they mourn her? Would they ever know what happened? She still didn¡¯t even know. The cogs of her mind spun again, and the first and most frustrating question she had, emerging from the deepest depths of her mind, How the hell did we get here? She looked at her hands, now calloused and worn from training; she didn¡¯t even recognize them anymore.


    Somehow, we all started to find our place here, she thought. Robert¡¯s face then appeared, and a mixed cocktail of emotions roiled. Sadness, love, hatred, compassion, confusion. She focused on the latter. Why would he join the enemy? After they tried to kill him?


    ¡°Excuse me, Spirit-Sent,¡± a young Doulos servant called from behind. Katrina turned to her, wiping a stray tear that was welling in her eye. ¡°The Hego will see you now.¡± The servant bowed to her, gesturing for her to proceed.


    She strode into the Hego¡¯s throne room. The vast area was filled with only a few honor guards, plus Avria and Oros standing before Agron. She stiffened when she saw Daniel there as well, not standing to the side like a normal squire, but with his arms crossed and conversing like normal. Why the hell did Oros allow him to do that? she thought, frustrated.


    ¡°Ah, Katrina,¡± Agron said, waving her over. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to keep you waiting.¡± She approached and saluted, an appropriate greeting. Katrina stood next to Avria and glanced at Daniel, a bit irritated that he had been allowed to attend the meeting before she was.


    ¡°Now, then,¡± Agron started. ¡°We have received several messages from emissaries of the High King. According to the Torre¡¯ messages, High King Phobos has offered a substantial reward for crushing this Rexunii rebellion. He has even given me permission to use the resources and support of his southern regent, Hego Vonos.¡±


    Avria nodded. ¡°My Lord, this will be very helpful for us. Lord Vonos is extremely wealthy and has no love for the Rexunii. Also,¡± she looked at Oros, ¡°he promised you would be elected King of Lokkadonia at the next moot. Does the High King still plan on making this a reality?¡±


    Agron sighed heavily. ¡°It is not a position I want to hold. That is why I turned down my nomination at the last one. However, that was before I had my children.¡± He looked to Oros with a fondness in his eyes that only a father could have. ¡°Now, I would like to see my line carry on as rulers of Lokkadonia. So yes, he will keep his promise. I will make sure of it.¡± He pointed to Avria with a slight grin on his face. ¡°Now, hurry up and marry. I¡¯ve been waiting forty years to call Telmos my brother and to bounce a grandchild on my knee.¡±


    Avria¡¯s face blushed a deep blue, and Oros just barked a laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, father, we will have many children.¡±


    She glared at him.


    ¡°Many,¡± he said, doubling down.


    Agron chuckled but quickly returned to the subject at hand. ¡°I want to send someone to see Cato; one of you.¡± He looked at Daniel and Katrina. ¡°He has asked that a Spirit-Sent go to meet with him. He didn¡¯t say why, but I¡¯m guessing he wants to see one for himself. Hego Vonos has always been more levelheaded than the rest of his peers.¡±


    ¡°Father,¡± Oros said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit reckless? We do not need to send them to Torre¡¯ where they will be exposed to unnecessary danger. And during our preparation for war?¡±


    Agron shook his head, leaning back in his throne. ¡°We must send one of the Spirit-Sent. That was non-negotiable. We must make sacrifices like this to secure proper funding for the campaign. We¡¯ll manage without them.¡±


    Daniel looked at Katrina, a certain undeniable eagerness plastered on his face. Damn him, she thought.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Katrina said, stepping closer to Agron. ¡°It will not be a problem, my Hego. Also, I¡¯m curious to see the rest of Eleutheros.¡±


    Oros grinned. ¡°Boros has been looking for an opportunity to prove himself, father. Perhaps he could escort her. It would be a wonderful opportunity to show strength while cooperating with the Torre¡¯.¡±


    Avria sighed. ¡°I suppose it isn¡¯t a horrible idea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going too,¡± Daniel said, drawing looks from the rest.


    ¡°Daniel,¡± Katrina said, giving him her most convincing smile. She didn¡¯t want to argue about who would go. ¡°It¡¯s fine; I can handle it. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Kat, but I¡¯m not letting you go alone. The last time one of us left to run an errand, he never came back.¡± Daniel crossed his arms. ¡°I¡¯m going.¡±


    The words cut to her core, the deep wound in her heart pulsing again. Katrina would have done the same thing if she could go back to when Robert left. She nodded and looked at the Hego. ¡°Then it will be the both of us, my Lord.¡±


    Avria pursed her lips, clearly irritated at the intrusion, but nodded in agreement. Oros just shrugged and turned to one of the honor guards. ¡°Send a runner to bring Kryo Boros here, immediately.¡±


    The masked warrior bowed and strode through the massive doors. Several minutes later, Boros entered and strode up to them with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Well, of course, I¡¯ll go, father!¡± he said after they explained the situation to him. ¡°I can continue their training as well.¡± He looked at Katrina. ¡°If you¡¯re up for it.¡±


    Katrina nodded. Less about the training part, and more in terms of a Kryo accompanying them. It was no secret that Boros had an interest in her that was beyond friendship. Illya had been trying to get her to pursue something for several months now. Though tempting, the man was handsome, and his attraction to her was flattering, but the memory of Robert always seemed to emerge. She thought of him again at that moment. Would he be the same man he was? The stories she was told of his interrogation were gruesome, and now he was fighting for the enemy. Katrina shook the troublesome thoughts from her mind. Who knew what was going on over there? She only hoped that he would survive the coming conflict.


    ~


    They left the next morning at first light. Boros assembled a hefty force of three hundred warriors to escort Daniel and Katrina and all accompanying dignitaries to the southern region of Torre¡¯. Commanders from some of the most infamous war-groups in all of Vul De Rah were brought along as well. This was a show of strength to the Torre¡¯, a display to solidify the confidence that the feeble rebellion to the south could be swiftly dealt with. At the same time, a clear reminder to the Torre¡¯ that Daniel and Katrina were well protected.


    As they traveled, Daniel found himself mostly ignored by the Kryo. He had insisted that he would be a better teacher to another Dae-Voh like Katrina, their mutual earth Dunamis being the perfect excuse. She didn¡¯t seem to do much to protest the arrangement, so Daniel trained with some of the other commanders and officers in the company, one of them being Lord Glause of House Regias. The man was extremely powerful and well-deserving of his position as head of military training. Daniel was also surprised to find that he was a cousin of Delmos and Avria. Seeing how he was treated during the training; he never would have guessed.


    The trek would only take several days; according to Boros, a high march through Lokkadonia into Torre¡¯ was an easy one. Daniel observed much of the landscape of the territory he now called home and was quite jubilant to find the striking similarities it had to Earth. Lokkon was a grassy and green countryside, abundant with trees and a constant but pleasant breeze. The only thing that really stood out was the presence of large stone structures that littered the road. Commensurate to the Dae infrastructure, all the buildings were grown out of the ground itself. This was not surprising to Daniel anymore. Human beings¡¯ technology was driven by the need to solve the problems they faced. They built tools to build more tools, and over thousands of years, achieved stunning feats in their technology. The Dae had the Dunamis, and they used it as a tool to develop their society in a way that was completely different, but also, strangely, not any less efficient.


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


    As they crossed the northern border of Lokkadonia into the southern Torre¡¯ region, Daniel noticed that the presence of military fortifications and structures had all but disappeared. Instead, he saw dozens of caravans and merchants on the border; all the Dae seemed well dressed and content. There was no doubt that the Torre¡¯ took pride in their industry and trade, not their military prowess.


    During the travels, Daniel had been filled in a bit on who they were going to see and where it was. Hego Vonos¡¯ estate was more of a plantation than the seat of power Agron held, a fortified palace in the center of a bustling city. Lord Vonos was a reasonable distance from his regional capital of Hur¡¯dalan, leaving the majority of his duties to subordinates who made policy decisions on his behalf, and only bothered him when it was entirely necessary.


    Daniel entered the grounds and was shocked to find the gardens and vegetation that led to the main estate were nearly identical to the Spirit Forest. He saw the same strange trees, blooming with explosive colors that seemed to captivate the senses, along with the bizarre bark that looked like skin and hair like branches. Katrina nudged his arm, looking at the display with the same astonished expression.


    As they entered the strange building, instead of being led to a throne room of some kind, they were directed to a large dining area where they sat in large and luxurious chairs, surrounded by finery. Servants wearing trousers and jackets, made out of what Daniel could only describe as velvet, entered to serve refreshments.


    After several tense and silent minutes, two large stone doors slid open soundlessly, and a handsome Dae entered with warm features and light blue skin. He was wearing a deep purple toga across his chest, had a fine tunic with brilliantly polished buttons, riding trousers, and leather boots. Daniel couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes at the sight of such regalia, though the toga reminded him of an ancient Roman emperor or politician.


    ¡°My dear Kryo Boros,¡± the Dae man said in a deep, almost royal sounding voice, giving his guests a slight bow. ¡°It is so very good to see you again.¡± His eyes went to Daniel and Katrina, who sat next to one another. ¡°These must be the humans.¡±


    Boros stood to bow, considerably deeper than his, and turned to introduce them all. ¡°Katrina and Daniel? I would like you all to meet Hego Cato, of House Vonos. Southern ward of clan Torre¡¯, and friend to all of Lokkadonia.¡±


    Katrina bowed, and Daniel followed. ¡°It is very nice to meet you, my Lord,¡± she said.


    Cato smiled brightly and gestured for everyone to sit down. ¡°So, my young Kryo. Last time I saw you, you were only this high.¡± He lifted his hand to around the height of his lap. ¡°And you ran around, terrorizing my poor daughter with a wooden stick.¡± He chuckled. ¡°She is not here, unfortunately, traveling to the capital you see, but is due back any day. I am confident she will join us shortly, along with my wife.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Boros said, clearly embarrassed. ¡°Well, yes, that would be very nice to see Phenia again. It has been a long time. How is your wife, Zinnia? And your son, Kryo¡­ uh...¡± He struggled to remember. ¡°Pyxxis! Yes, how does he fare these days? He and Oros got along quite well, last I heard.¡±


    Cato¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°They are all well. Pyxxis is all the way in Delmaya now, studying at the Shayak Libreos, no less. Spirits know it is a strange place, what with the heretic savages and all.¡± He looked at Daniel and Katrina again. ¡°I hear he has met a human over there as well, he has written the most peculiar things. This is partly why I have asked to meet one of you. I am blessed that Agron decided to let me meet them both.¡± He looked closer at Daniel, studying him. ¡°You seem to have adopted the culture of Vul De Rah quite well.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s mind raced at the mention of other humans, but before he could speak, he was interrupted by Kat.


    ¡°We have,¡± Katrina said, her eyes narrowing and her tone going serious. ¡°No thanks to your clan.¡±


    Boros shot her a fierce glance, warning her against further disrespect.


    Cato sighed and nodded. ¡°Very unfortunate. And I must apologize for my clan. They are blinded by fear. Fear of something they do not understand.¡± He took a long drink from a bowl of wine. ¡°I assure you, they do not know that you are both here with me. Like I told you before, my son has told me very interesting things about you humans¡­ world changing. I trust my son, and I know he would not say these things unless they were true.¡±


    ¡°What was the human¡¯s name?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°Did he mention that at all?¡±


    Cato looked up and scratched his chin. ¡°Something like¡­ Malex¡­ I must apologize. Human names are remarkably interesting, but new to me.¡±


    ¡°Alex?¡± Daniel answered, trying to spark the Dae¡¯s memory.


    ¡°Yes! That was it. I was close,¡± he said.


    Daniel nodded, and Katrina put a supportive hand on his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll find them, Dan.¡±


    Daniel and Katrina both shook their heads afterward in silence, and Boros leaned forward. ¡°My Lord, we are here to discuss the wishes of High King Phobos as well. The rebellion of the Rexunii is the greatest threat to Eleutheros.¡±


    Cato laughed. ¡°My young Kryo, if what my son has told me is true, and I certainly believe that it is, this little rebellion is nothing compared to the true threat to not just Eleutheros, but all of Pelemont.¡± The Hego paused, letting his words sink in. ¡°There is a great threat that has been seen by the human, Alex, in Vohnavix.¡± He looked at Daniel and Katrina, seeing their confusion. ¡°My apologies, I know you aren¡¯t familiar with our maps and territories. Vohnavix is a large island to the Northeast of Vohnarahv, the continent where we are. This is where my son met this human¡­ and he tells me that human has a particular power, gifted to him by one of the Great Spirits. The power of sight.¡±


    Boros looked on, his face one of strong skepticism. ¡°A Great Spirit?¡±


    Cato saw this and sighed again. ¡°There are forces gathering against the Dae, a true evil that would see us all dead. The humans¡¯ arrival here isn¡¯t a coincidence; they are heralds to our salvation. You don¡¯t have to believe me, but please pass these words on to your father. I pray that he will understand. For he is one of the few Dae I know who will heed the call of the Great Spirits, and defy those in power to do what is right, not what they want.¡± He pointed to Daniel and Katrina. ¡°Your being here is proof enough of that. He could have listened to the fools in the capital of Belous and killed you, but instead, he heard the words of the spirits and protected you.¡±


    Several moments passed in silence as they contemplated his words. Boros finally spoke. ¡°Well, my Lord, I will pass this to my father, with the same urgency and care that you have displayed here. However, I still must return with information for the rebellion. We were promised your support.¡±


    Cato waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Yes, yes, of course. You all are treating this little rebellion like it is some cataclysmic event. Trust me when I say this. I have seen a hundred would-be conquerors rise, burning brightly at first, like a raging fire. Only for us all to see them smolder and fade as they are snuffed out. This child king to the south has nothing we haven¡¯t seen before, even less in fact. He has no allies, no trade, no navy, and is surrounded by clans that want nothing more than to pick the corpse of his territory once he is killed. Once his meager forces are defeated, loyal clans will march in and reap the spoils. It is unfortunate, but the Rexunii people will suffer for the sins of their arrogant king.¡± Cato stood from his chair, waving to a servant to hand him a bowl of wine. ¡°Enough of this business. I would like to speak to the two of you and learn of your people. Please, allow me to show you my gardens.¡±


    ~


    As they walked, Boros took a moment to speak with the Hego. Judging from the hushed voices and informal body language, Daniel could see that this was something he probably wanted to keep private. He pulled Katrina by her arm and slowed her pace. ¡°Another human. With strange powers?¡± Daniel mentioned, not really as a question, but more as a statement. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Katrina pondered for a moment, shaking her head slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It looks like there¡¯s more to us being here, but what the hell do humans have to do with the great spirits? We all lived normal and separate lives from each other. How we got to this world, or why, is still a mystery.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we aren¡¯t even sure where ¡®here¡¯ actually is. Are we in another dimension? Or another planet in our galaxy?¡± Daniel massaged his forehead. ¡°The question of the century.¡±


    Katrina stopped and looked up at Daniel; her eyes held an aspect of determination, but also a deep sadness. ¡°Dan, we have to face the fact that we are never going to get home. We probably won¡¯t even know how we got here.¡± She grabbed his arm. ¡°We have to find a way to live here and stick together.¡± She looked toward Boros and lowered her voice. ¡°We have to think about the future, and¡­¡± she paused, ¡°¡­and try to get Robert back¡­ again. God knows what they did to him, but we have to do something.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°We aren¡¯t exactly in a position where we can just walk up to him and take him back. What if he doesn¡¯t want to come? Hell, they said he¡¯s a Kryo now. Don¡¯t ask me how that works because it¡¯s a goddamn mystery to me. Not to mention the other humans that are out there. I¡¯ve been thinking about that a lot¡­ you know that, though.¡±


    Katrina turned to walk again, letting go of his arm. Daniel could see her eyes were starting to redden and well with tears. He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder, keeping her from walking away. ¡°We¡¯ll figure something out, ok? Things are complicated right now, but I know we can make it work. I mean, look how far we¡¯ve come.¡± She stopped but didn¡¯t look at him. Daniel figured it was probably because she didn¡¯t want him to see her cry. ¡°Whether by luck or sheer willpower, we have managed to survive here, thrive even. But you¡¯re right; we need to stick together.¡±


    She turned slowly to look at him, having composed herself mostly. ¡°We will,¡± she said. ¡°No matter what happens.¡±

 Chapter 40

    Robert cursed the sweat dripping into his eyes. He crouched with his hands outstretched, concentrating as best he could on maintaining the illusion he had been holding for the last thirty minutes in the tree line of a forest bordering the capital. Turak¡¯s group of elite Rexunii warriors had finally arrived at their destination, the city of Pontos, the capital of Visgo, and the seat of power for Queen Mundiri. After days of sneaking and raiding the countryside, terror had been strewn across the land, and miniature rumors of the living dead could be heard whispered on the lips of villagers and warriors. Robert had been extremely efficient in his task of keeping the Visgo forces in the dark. Using his abilities, he was able to keep the Rexunii warriors hidden, passing barricades and checkpoints completely unnoticed while ensuring that his undead decoys kept any pursuers off balance.


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Demessa whispered into Robert¡¯s ear. The woman had been a pillar of support for him since they left on this expedition. She showed dedication and loyalty to his position, often reminding the others of any trespasses they made.


    Robert looked up above his right shoulder to the familiar sight of Dio¡¯Mar. She floated leisurely, as if sitting on the air itself, her tiny pale legs crossed. ¡°There are many ways¡­ to accomplish what you ask¡­ but I know this will work...¡± she said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about this plan,¡± Robert said, his heart heavy with the task before him. ¡°It seems pretty complex¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can do it.¡±


    ¡°You can,¡± Demessa said, putting her hand on his shoulder. ¡°We believe in your power, Prince. Dio¡¯Mar has given you her wisdom on this, and she would not give you a task she does not think you are capable of accomplishing. Have faith, in yourself, and in all of us.¡±


    ¡°I like this one¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said, floating, invisible in front of the Dae woman¡¯s face. ¡°She will be¡­ useful.¡±


    The Rexunii warriors that were around him, hiding behind trees and stones, voiced their agreement with Demessa, and mumbled a few words of encouragement as well.


    Turak approached him from behind, patting him on the back. ¡°Our lives are in your hands, Reku. You¡¯re sure you can handle this?¡±


    Demessa gave him a glare, deriving a laugh in response.


    ¡°I jest, I know you will do fine.¡±


    Robert nodded his head. ¡°Yes, well¡­ now all we have to do is find a way to convince all the nobles of Visgo to go against their Queen¡­ easy.¡±


    Turak took one last look at the large city, its walls strong and its spires reaching high into the sky. ¡°This is the easiest way, with far less swinging of blades and killing. Believe me when I say that if we succeed in this, it will be a feat for the histories.¡±


    ~


    The group of Rexunii warriors assembled into a marching formation. Their spears were at their shoulders as they rode on the Cro¡¯kan mounts. At the front, Turak and Robert headed the two columns, and they progressed lazily toward the main entrance to the city. They saw warriors with yellow cloaks, who manned checkpoints on the road, looking on in stunned alarm, unsure of what to do.


    ¡°Halt!¡± one of the sergeants called, raising his spear, along with several others. ¡°State your business!¡±


    Turak raised his hand in a fist, signaling for the column to stop moving. He reached into a leather bag hooked to the side of his mount and removed a large scroll with the Visgo royal seal upon it. ¡°We are here to meet with your Queen. We have permission to enter your city and special privileges of safe passage.¡±


    The warrior took the scroll and looked it over. His eyes were wide and uncertain. It was, in fact, the royal seal, apparently written by the Queen¡¯s scribe. He turned toward his warriors and asked one to go and fetch the captain. This was something he was obviously not willing to take the blame for.


    Several minutes passed, and then a Visgo officer rode out on a Cro¡¯kan of his own. His dark yellow cloak billowed behind him as he skidded to a stop before the Rexunii band. The sergeant handed him the scroll and relayed the words that Turak had spoken. He looked over it and gave Turak a sneer. ¡°You are well past the date of arrival, my ¡®Lord,¡¯¡± he said, malice in his voice.


    ¡°Your clan¡¯s territory seems to be in a bit of disarray. Are you having trouble with something? Rampant brigands, perhaps?¡± The captain looked at him slowly, his eyes burning with anger.


    Turak extended his hand, asking for the scroll again. ¡°You may lead us to our host.¡±


    Without any reason to keep them, the captain led them into the city. Massive doors slid open, larger even than the ones at Vul De Rah. Soundlessly, they slid outward. Robert now knew they were powered by many Dae-Voh. In fact, in terms of importance, the earth wielding Dunamis users were the most recognized for the infrastructure of Dae cities. They could manipulate the stone around them or even create it out of thin air using the spiritual energy at their disposal, the latter being much more difficult. Robert saw a much more light-hearted interior than the Rexunii capital of Thule. The merchants and peasants of Ponto seemed to wear much brighter colors and had attire that looked much different from the normal Eleutheros styles he had grown accustomed to. It¡¯s a port city. These people must be from completely different countries.


    Children ran through the streets, playing with sticks and shouting youthful nothings toward one another. The sight brought a warmness to Robert¡¯s heart and a smile to his face. After what he had seen over the past few months, children frolicking while oblivious to the horrors of the world were a welcome sight.


    They made their way to the large palace in the center of the city. Royal guards, wearing dark yellow, ran out to greet them and insisted on escorting Turak the rest of the way.


    ¡°Prince Reku is coming as well,¡± Turak said, pointing to Robert. ¡°He is our royal representative, and I am the King¡¯s emissary.¡±


    They hesitated, but agreed, as he had an official document from Alektor supporting the claim.


    When they entered the throne room of the palace, Robert was surprised to see hundreds of nobles on either side of the vast hall. In the center sat a Dae woman. She was beautiful and regal looking, with a large gown of golden velvet. Her skin was a pale blue, and her hair, of course, was the pearl white color of most Dae. She wore a troubled expression but waved at the two men to approach. To her left was another woman, with a black gown, and to her right, a man with a fine purple tunic and trousers.


    Turak bowed his head as he approached, and Robert mirrored his action. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he began, aware that they had arrived unannounced, so he would have to introduce himself. ¡°I am Lord Turak of House Skotos, emissary to the King, and high general.¡± He gestured to Robert, who bowed his head lower. ¡°This is Prince Reku of House Roh, brother of King Alektor, Spirit-Sent, and prophet of Dio¡¯Mar.¡±


    The crowd gasped at the title and introduction of Robert, one of the infamous humans they had no doubt heard so much about. Robert clenched his teeth together, feeling the gaze of every noble in the room. It brought back extremely uncomfortable memories of his capture, torture, and subsequent failed execution.


    Turak continued, ¡°Your Majesty, we have traveled from Thule and brought the written word of our sovereign King, Alektor.¡±


    Mundiri was higher than Turak and Robert, her throne being placed on a platform with several large steps being required to reach it. She looked down at him, her eyes harder than bone. ¡°Lord Turak, I am quite surprised to see you have arrived here,¡± she said, her voice imperious, but taking very little care to hide her agitation. ¡°We have heard extremely disturbing reports of your clan reaping destruction across our lands.¡±


    ¡°Reports of what, your majesty?¡± Turak asked, his eyes narrowing to her.


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    ¡°Villages burned!¡± She hit her fist on the arm of her throne. ¡°Demonic creatures, ravaging and terrorizing our people! Is this how you repay my invitation to parlay? With a blade in my back? And you still come here before me? Speak your lies, son of Rexun, so I may decide how best to kill you.¡±


    Turak took a deep breath but glanced at Robert. He looked confident and sure, as though everything had gone according to his plan.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Turak said, grinning and looking at the Queen. ¡°What you say is true.¡± The hall erupted in outrage. Shouts and curses echoed in the hall, but Turak raised his voice in a booming shout. ¡°Silence!¡± The voices ceased, and the walls of the throne room rattled with the Dunamis-enhanced power of his voice.


    Robert stepped back, slightly startled by the outburst.


    ¡°You people are rotten,¡± Turak continued. ¡°Scheming behind the scenes, to ruin any chance of brokering a peace between our clans. Your lies are convincing, dear Mundiri. This, though, is not something that can escape the vision of someone like me; of the Rexunii.¡± He turned, looking at the faces of the nobles in the hall. ¡°Dio¡¯Mar has revealed your treachery to us, and she now plagues your lands with the creatures you speak of, warriors under the command of rogue lords, who died attempting to fulfill their orders. That¡¯s what is terrorizing your people. You should know this since you are the one who orchestrated this.¡±


    The Queen¡¯s eyes bulged at the claim. ¡°Excuse me?¡± she asked, shocked. ¡°You dare attempt to blame me for such a thing? My council and I agreed to accept your inquiry and grant you an audience. We extended our hand in friendship, despite the Rexunii reputation for death and destruction.¡±


    ¡°Well, I am happy to hear our reputation precedes us,¡± he said, pointing at the Queen. ¡°With that thought in mind, you must know that we are not afraid of our enemies. See how your clan scrambles, afraid of unseen bereavement. We were able to avoid any unwanted contact with your murderous brigands and approach your capital with little resistance.¡± His smile darkened. ¡°Your betrayal is not unexpected, Mundiri, but it does hurt us, knowing that the word of a Queen means very little in Visgo. We could have turned around and gone back to Rexun, pondering all the way what it is we could have done that would have merited such a diabolical reaction.¡± He held his gaze on her, and Robert could feel the pulse of his heart in the silent room. ¡°But no, we decided to come here, to brave the threats of your treachery and look you in the eyes when I say that your reign is finished, your line is finished, you have made enemies of the Rexunii today, and I will not stop until you are cast from your throne, and a true monarch of integrity sits upon it! If you wish to join the Torre¡¯ and find us on the field, you will find nothing but failure and death. If it comes to that, Visgo will burn, its waters of trade will be oceans of blood, we will dance the corpses of your dead warriors like puppets to the tune of your wailing women and children.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± the Queen finally said, standing in outrage. ¡°You dare speak to me in such a way? In my halls? My people have suffered your arrogance and villainy for too long!¡± She raised her hand to them. ¡°Here is my answer, you cur!¡± Her hand hissed, and a massive blade of wind slashed toward Turak and Robert. Robert raised his hands to defend against it, but the blade slid through his hands and his body, crashing into the door behind them, sending pieces of stone and wood flying across the crowded hall.


    There were screams at first, as the violent attack was unexpected, but silence ensued from the onlookers when the two victims of her attack still stood, completely unaffected.


    Queen Mundiri adopted a look of horror as she saw the malicious smile of Turak beaming back at her. ¡°How...?¡± she mumbled, lashing several more blades of wind at them. Still, they stood, as though nothing had happened.


    ¡°Well then,¡± Turak began again. ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised.¡± He turned to look at the woman in the black gown who stood to her left. ¡°You are Thalassa, are you not? Daughter of the Queen?¡± The frightened girl nodded circumspectly. ¡°Do you wish to see your people suffer?¡± She shook her head slowly. ¡°Did you know that your mother was plotting against us?¡± She hesitated. ¡°Answer,¡± Turak growled. ¡°I have no time for more foolish politics.¡±


    She jumped at the words and looked at her mother, but still said nothing.


    Turak then turned back to the Queen. ¡°I see, this is how it is going to be then. Tell us Mundiri, admit that you plotted this, before me, and before your court. If you do not, I will kill your daughter.¡±


    Yellow clad guards lunged forward with spears and swords, stabbing them at Turak and Robert. They looked on in shock and confusion as their blades passed harmlessly through the images, causing Turak to laugh darkly.


    He looked at Robert, who sighed deeply, then stretched his arms toward Thalassa. Black smoke shot from his hand and began to writhe around the girl. She screamed in terror and fell to the ground, scrambling to escape. The crowd of nobles began to shout, and the Queen panicked, grabbing her daughter in her arms and cursing.


    ¡°Mother! Help me!¡± she screamed as the smoke entered her mouth, cutting off her voice.


    ¡°Say the words, Mundiri!¡± Turak snarled. ¡°Or she dies a horrible death! If you still refuse to speak, I will raise her corpse, and you will watch as she tears herself apart!¡±


    The Queen used her own Dunamis, powerful as it was, but to no effect. She tried to fill her daughters¡¯ lungs with air, to bring the horrible smoke out, but her efforts were in vain.


    Tears flowed from Mundiri¡¯s eyes as she tried in futility to keep the black smoke from entering her daughters¡¯ mouth, smothering her. ¡°You monster!¡± she screamed.


    ¡°Speak!¡± he shouted again.


    Thalassa¡¯s eyes bulged in fear as she choked and gagged. She wept, unable to make a sound. Her mother whimpered at the sight, unable to do anything to stop it. It happened in the span of a few seconds; she had no time to think.


    ¡°Yes!¡± she cried. ¡°I did it! I ordered the southern lords to attack you! Now please spare her! She is with child!¡±


    In an instant, the smoke in her lungs shot out, and she began to cough violently. Mundiri cried out in relief and hugged her daughter tightly, weeping.


    There was silence in the throne room. Turak approached the queen, kneeling down beside her. The guards attempted again to stop him, but he walked right through them, like a ghost.


    ¡°You all heard it,¡± he said. ¡°Not only did she betray the Rexunii, but all of Visgo as well. She has dishonored you.¡± He stood again, looking at the nobles in the room. ¡°Hear me now, oh great Dae of Visgo. This filth does not deserve to sit on your throne! We are not asking you to go to war with us against the oppressors; we know that to commit warriors against the Lokkadonians is foolish if you are not prepared. We only ask that you watch, that you wait to engage us as puppets of the Torre¡¯, so that we may prove to you that we are worthy of your loyalty. I will be hard-pressed to trust you after this, seeing the honor of your Queen, but if you choose this, you will not be disappointed.¡± Turak stepped down from the throne and opened his arms to the Dae. ¡°I leave the rest of this in your hands. Send word to Thule once your council has made up their minds.¡±


    With those words, the images of Turak and Robert faded and disappeared into thin air.


    ~


    Robert gasped as he opened his eyes, looking frantically at everyone around him. Faces of the Rexunii warriors stared back at him, relieved.


    ¡°Shush,¡± Demessa said, holding his head on her lap. ¡°Calm yourself, Prince Reku.¡±


    Robert¡¯s mind was exhausted, and his vision blurry from the exertion. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t believe I did that...¡± he croaked, guilt flowing over him in a terrible wave.


    ¡°We did what we had to do,¡± Turak said, laying down beside him, equally drained. ¡°The girl will live, so stop worrying about it. They won¡¯t attack us, that was what we needed to ensure.¡±


    The screams of a desperate mother echoed again and again in Robert¡¯s mind. What have I done?


    ¡°She has lost credibility,¡± Turak said, attempting to sit up. ¡°If they wish to retaliate, we will have no choice but to conquer Visgo as well.¡±


    ¡°My Lord,¡± Demessa said, her voice unsure. ¡°King Alektor told us that it was imperative that we gain the support of Visgo. Did we accomplish this?¡±


    Turak grunted. ¡°We don¡¯t ¡®need¡¯ them, and Alektor only said that because he did not see the full picture. None of us did.¡±


    Demessa nodded her head. ¡°Prince Reku¡¯s abilities.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Turak said, looking at Robert, who still rested his head on her lap. He was traumatized by the experience. He was powerful and had abilities Turak could only dream of, but regardless of all he had endured Robert felt he still had a softness in his heart.


    ¡°Deceptions and lies, Reku. That¡¯s all it was,¡± Turak continued. ¡°Mundiri will be able to hold her daughter tonight, alive and well. Unlike the warriors who stood against us, the same Dae whose bodies still roam the countryside. They were sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers, who will never come home to loving arms again. Because of her treachery, hundreds of families are denied such a blessing. She doesn¡¯t deserve your sympathy.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t become a monster,¡± Robert said, more to himself than anyone else.


    Turak shook his head. ¡°You are not a monster. You proved as much when you went out of your way to spare the lives of nearly three hundred Dae. Something that not one of us even considered. It is we who have turned into monsters, gorging on the blood of our enemies to satiate our lust for vengeance, and for the justice that has been denied our people.¡± He adjusted himself, leaning against one of the trees. ¡°Lokkon is my enemy, all of ours. You must come to terms with this, despite what our King tells you. At the end of the day, it is your decision to make. I know you have friends there, other humans who you may care for, but our goal is to topple that clan, and free our people.¡±


    Robert looked at the leaves and branches of the trees above him, lost in memories of his friends. He felt the urge to close his eyes and sleep. His fingers and toes were tingling, and a strange euphoria came over him. He imagined Katrina¡¯s face again, her smile, her laugh.


    ¡°My Kryo?¡± Demessa asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful¡­¡± Robert said, still seeing Katrina¡¯s face in his mind.


    Demessa was taken aback by the bold statement, blushing.


    ¡°Let him rest,¡± Turak said. ¡°We will need him well rested for our travel back to Thule.¡±


    Robert heard the muffled words of Turak after that but couldn¡¯t seem to make them out. His heavy eyelids began to droop, and his vision began to darken. How the hell did I get¡­ so damn¡­ tired¡­ he thought, just before he fell into a deep sleep.

 Chapter 41

    Katrina sat on a stone bench in Lord Vonos¡¯ gardens, listening to the amiable sounds of the dozens of fountains he had decorating the area. She plopped another unknown fruit in her mouth, chewing it absentmindedly. They had been guests of the Torre¡¯ Hego for several days now, and though the immediate awe of his palace was powerful, she had been bored out of her mind. Daniel had spent most of his time with the warriors, who were camped outside of the estate, and Boros had been occupied with his stately duties. So, Katrina had been left to her own devices. She¡¯d been mulling over sorrows and regrets that she had at first, but then quickly realized that sitting in a beautiful garden alone would be a waste if all she did was feel sorry for herself.


    She heard a latch open from the entrance to the garden, and several pairs of footsteps entered. She perked up, looking to see who had invaded her tranquil environment, and was surprised to see Daniel, accompanied by several warriors. He took a moment to admire the scenery, then nodded to Katrina as he approached.


    ¡°Enjoying yourself?¡± he asked, a smile on his face.


    ¡°Oh yeah.¡± She plopped another grape-sized fruit in her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m having the time of my life here.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Sitting here, in the lap of luxury, eating fruit and bored out of your mind, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± she said, lazily.


    Daniel chuckled and crossed his arms. ¡°Well, you¡¯re in luck. Boros is finished with coordination and funding. He just gave the order to pack it up and move out.¡±


    ¡°Thank God,¡± Katrina said, standing with a stretch. ¡°This place is nice and all, but I think I prefer a good practice field.¡±


    Daniel nodded, and they left the garden, running into Cato and Boros, who were having a conversation with two finely dressed Dae women.


    ¡°Ah! Daniel and Katrina,¡± Cato said, opening his arms and grinning broadly. ¡°I would like you to meet my wife, Zinnia.¡± She bowed elegantly and smiled. ¡°And my daughter, Phenia.¡± The girl mirrored her mother¡¯s gesture but seemed a little timid. ¡°We are fortunate that they arrived to meet you before your journey back to Vul De Rah.¡±


    ¡°It is very nice to make your acquaintance,¡± Phenia said.


    Katrina and Daniel greeted them in kind, offering bows and prevalent words.


    ¡°I am sad to see you leaving so soon, but I know you all have work to do.¡± Cato put his hand on Boros¡¯ shoulder. ¡°Remember what I told you, young Kryo. We are approaching desperate times, so I need an answer from your father as soon as possible.¡±


    Boros nodded, seeming as though he was a little uncomfortable.


    ¡°And think about my other offer as well,¡± Cato said, giving his back a heavy slap. ¡°It would be good to join our houses! Phenia would be more than happy to do so. Isn¡¯t that right, dear?¡±


    The girl blushed and smiled awkwardly.


    Boros coughed, glancing at Katrina. ¡°It¡¯s about time we left, my Lord. You will hear from us soon, and again, thank you for your hospitality.¡±


    ¡°You are all welcome in my land anytime, son of Ignos. Your father should be very proud of his son.¡± The Hego gave Boros one final pat on the back and bid them all farewell.


    As they left, Boros seemed a bit uneasy. Katrina walked beside him, happy to finally be on their way back to Vul De Rah.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± she asked, playfully. ¡°Your father¡¯s trying to marry you off?¡±


    Boros looked at her gawkily, unable to hide a slight blue blush.


    That¡¯s so adorable, she thought.


    ¡°It was inevitable,¡± he said with a sigh. ¡°Spirits know the political placement of certain unions brings benefits to houses. House Ignos will be the ruling faction of Lokkadonia before long. It¡¯s only natural that suitors will begin coming my way.¡±


    ¡°It must be so hard, having to fight off droves of beautiful women. You poor man,¡± she quipped.


    Boros laughed, but quickly returned to a more solemn mood. ¡°It is difficult when you have feelings for someone but are unable to express them.¡± He looked at her, and Katrina braced at the uncomfortable topic of discussion. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to make you feel uneasy. I apologize for that. It¡¯s just¡­ difficult to go on about my business as a Kryo. Everyone in court is talking about you. You are the most beautiful creature on Pelemont for many of us. I¡­¡± He stuttered for a moment, seeming to force the words from his mouth. ¡°I find myself thinking of you constantly, unable to act on it for fear of how you would react. I know you are mated with Robert, and that situation is¡­ complicated, to say the least.¡± He sighed, looking at his boots. ¡°Anyway, I felt I had to get that off my chest. Do not judge me too harshly.¡±


    Katrina watched as he picked up his pace and walked to the front of the small group on their way to the main force¡¯s encampment. She had the urge to tell him to wait, to grab his arm, and console him, but she said nothing. Her mind was a writhing mess of emotion and confusion, and she just let him walk. I¡¯m sorry, she thought.


    ~


    Daniel found himself back in his quarters at the Ignos estate; being the squire to the heir of their clan had its perks. He had a large and lavishly furnished room, with a large balcony, and Doulos servants at his beck and call. He rested his worn body on his bed and removed his cumbersome boots.


    ¡°Finally,¡± he said to himself quietly.


    He laid his head on one of the soft pillows and let out a relaxed sigh. As he closed his eyes to let sleep take him away, there was a knock on his door. He groaned, looking toward the large doors, and watched one of the servants enter.


    ¡°My Lord.¡± The servant bowed. ¡°Kryo Oros has requested your presence. He asks that you respond with some urgency.¡±


    Daniel sat up from the comfort of his bed and slid on his boots again. Stifling a grumble to himself, he made his way to Oros¡¯ chamber, which was located at the top of one of the towers, one of the highest points of the palace. He was irked to find that the Kryo had left and was now waiting for him in the main hall. This time, he did grumble aloud and walked his way down to where he saw Oros speaking with several dozen nobles and dignitaries.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± Oros called, waving him over. ¡°Welcome back. The road wasn¡¯t too harsh on you, was it?¡± The handsome Dae gave him a grin and gestured Daniel to walk with him, excusing himself from the conversation in the middle of one of the nobles¡¯ sentences. The man protested, but Oros just continued to walk out of the main gate and in front of the keep.


    ¡°All this business of war has given me a great deal to¡­ well, deal with here. This is why I petitioned my father to always go on the missions,¡± Oros complained, leading Daniel across the massive stone bridge that led into the city of Vul De Rah below. ¡°Ever since my joining with Avria has been announced, I have been stuck here, listening to bloated nobles and dealing in mind-numbingly tedious politics.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to hear that,¡± Daniel said, not quite sure what to say. He figured he would keep his answers short. The Kryo more than likely wanted to just vent.


    ¡°It¡¯s torture, I tell you!¡± Oros continued. ¡°It has only been a few months, and I long for the smell of the field, wet grass beneath my boots, and the sound of cursing warriors.¡± He inhaled deeply through his nose, then let it out, slightly disgusted. ¡°Not the same.¡±


    By the time they got to the city itself, two dozen guards had hurried to catch up with them. Oros didn¡¯t acknowledge them in any way, as they fell into a formation around the two of them. Oros lifted a hood from his cloak and concealed his face. Daniel did the same, though it seemed pointless; it would be difficult to miss the entourage of warriors that surrounded them.


    ¡°Boros told me of what Hego Vonos had to say,¡± the Dae Kryo pressed. ¡°And frankly, I¡¯m pleased with the news. Having an ally like Cato will be a great advantage to us in the Torre¡¯ court. He¡¯s a member of the High King¡¯s council, you know?¡± he trailed off.


    ¡°He was talking about another human,¡± Daniel said.


    ¡°Yes. Very peculiar, indeed. All this strange talk of dark forces and whatnot.¡± Oros turned toward a large stone structure, a restaurant of some kind. ¡°I think we should take heed, and work more closely with him in regards to this. Sending an expedition to Delmaya, for example. Finding other humans, seeing what we might do to help. All this, after the Rexunii are crushed, of course.¡±


    ¡°You said,¡± Daniel pressed, ¡°before I left, you had been looking into some rumors. Something that might have to do with my friends here.¡±


    Oros stopped before entering and turned to him. ¡°Yes, I was going to bring that up after I had some wine, but I guess now is as good a time as any. We have found traces of another human in Baa¡¯Yega territory. For reasons that are understandable, the existence of this one was guarded very carefully. All we know is that it is a female and that she has been virtually imprisoned for a long time by one of the far Eastern Hegos.¡±


    Daniel paused to contemplate this. It was a woman. I guess that rules out Henry or Angelo.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Well, we should go to retrieve her anyway. She needs to be here with us.¡±


    ¡°We will have to leave at first light, as there is only a very small window. They are apparently moving her, according to my informants,¡± Oros said, looking apologetically at Daniel. ¡°I have much to do here in Vul De Rah. Preparation for the coming conflict must take precedence, but as I mentioned, my promise to you will be fulfilled. So get your rest tonight, and meet me in the square in the morning.¡±


    Daniel shrugged. ¡°Not the first time I¡¯ve had to leave on a mission right after returning from one. I¡¯ll be ready.¡±


    Oros chuckled, and they entered the restaurant. ¡°Good.¡± As they strode in, the owner, a shorter Dae woman with dark red skin, ran over to greet him.


    ¡°Oh, your highness!¡± she said, flustered. ¡°Welcome, welcome! Please, come inside.¡±


    She gestured for several of her slaves to come. ¡°Go prepare the royal room!¡± she yelled at them, ¡°And hurry, or I¡¯ll have your fingers.¡±


    The Doulos ran up a set of stairs as fast as they could. The other patrons of the business gawked at the new arrivals. It looked like any time one of the royal houses came into town, it was a big deal. Oros gave her a pleasant smile. He knew the woman; Daniel figured it wasn¡¯t his first time visiting.


    They made their way up the stairs, and two slave girls took the cloaks from both Oros and Daniel. As Daniel handed his over, the slave took a closer look at his face as his hood was removed. Her eyes widened, and she began to shake. ¡°S¡­ Spirit-Sent¡­¡± she stuttered.


    Daniel did his best not to react as she brought her hands to cover her mouth and saw tears welling in her eyes. The cloak fell to the floor, and the owner of the establishment began to scream at her.


    ¡°Look what you¡¯ve done! You piss-filled Cro¡¯kan! Get downstairs now!¡± she screamed.


    Daniel was taken aback by the extreme outburst and looked at the older Dae woman with anger of his own. ¡°What the hell?¡± he growled. ¡°Relax, she just dropped a piece of cloth.¡± He bent down to pick it up and held it out to the Doulos girl. She looked at it and then back to Daniel¡¯s eyes. She fell to her knees and wept. Ragged sobs escaped the woman and left Daniel puzzled as to what he had done.


    The owner stormed over to the disabled girl and grabbed her wrist. She didn¡¯t resist, only let her arm get yanked upward. ¡°Get up!¡± the woman snarled.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Daniel said, stepping closer.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± Oros called from behind him, already sitting at the table. ¡°Leave her be, do not waste your efforts on that one.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Daniel asked, looking back at the sobbing girl. ¡°Waste my¡­ I¡¯m not wasting my effort on anything, she just dropped my cloak, and this crazy bitch just started yelling at her.¡± He gave the woman an irate glare. ¡°Is this how you treat your servants?¡±


    ¡°She isn¡¯t a servant,¡± Oros continued, eating bread from the table he now sat at. ¡°She¡¯s a Doulos. And like I said, not worth your time.¡±


    Daniel stood there for a moment, stunned at the words coming from Oros¡¯ mouth. ¡°This¡­ is one of your slaves?¡± The thought churned grotesquely in his mind. He wasn¡¯t keen on the idea of such things. Then again, he was in a foreign land and knew he probably shouldn¡¯t involve himself in a crusade for the morality of their culture. He looked at the girl, and she finally looked back at him again. Her yellow eyes glowed with admiration and gratitude. Why did she start crying like that? he thought. She looks like she¡¯s happy to see me now.


    ¡°Gronda,¡± Oros said to the older Dae woman, not looking up from his meal at the table. ¡°Give this one to my squire. He seems on a mission to defend her. I¡¯ll pay you for her.¡±


    Gronda bowed her head graciously. ¡°Of course, my Kryo, my apologies again.¡±


    Oros swallowed a mouthful of bread that he washed down with a gulp of wine. He wiped his mouth, looked at the Doulos girl, and frowned. ¡°Listen to me, you wretch.¡±


    She flinched, bowing her head to him.


    ¡°You are the property of the Spirit-Sent now. Serve him as you would me. Do you understand?¡±


    She nodded her head. ¡°Y¡­ Yes, my Kryo¡­¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Oros went back to eating and gestured for Daniel to sit. ¡°Come on.¡± he spoke around another mouthful of food. ¡°This establishment has the best meat in Vul De Rah. I would hate for you to miss it over this nonsense.¡±


    ~


    As Daniel finished his food with Oros, he noticed the Doulos girl was standing quietly behind him, her head hung, staring at the floor. He listened to the Kryo¡¯s woes as attentively as he could, considering the hideous pit he felt in his gut after the altercation earlier. How could this man, a good one, be completely content with the Doulos?


    After dinner, they made their way back to the Ignos keep. Oros bid him farewell, stumbling up a large flight of stairs to his tower, a bit weak at the knees after a few too many bowls of wine.


    Daniel made his way up to his chambers as well. Looking behind him, he saw the Doulos girl was following him, her face still down, staring at her feet.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he said, causing her to jump. ¡°Sorry about that.¡±


    Great. How the hell did I end up with a slave? Son of a bitch.


    He turned to one of the many Doulos servants who walked the halls, carrying a plate of food down the hall. She was an older woman in a simple dress.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± He asked her. She jumped at the words as well.


    Why do they keep doing that?


    ¡°I need her cleaned up and clothed. Can you do that for me? Have her brought to my quarters when she¡¯s finished.¡±


    The other servant bowed her head. ¡°Of course, my Lord. Come with me, dear,¡± she said to the girl. She scurried behind her, and Daniel finally entered his room.


    He pulled off his boots again, falling to the soft mattress the way he had earlier in the Day. What the hell is going on? His blood began to boil with the Doulos now on his mind. The very concept was disgusting to him, owning another person, dictating the lives of people. In his world, they had struggled with this as well. Hell, it still existed in many parts. He contemplated this for nearly an hour before finally standing to remove his traveling clothes. He went into the strange Dae washroom, used his Dunamis to will the water to emerge from the tubes, and washed his face. There was a knock on his door, and one of the guards outside entered with the Doulos girl in tow.


    ¡°Your entertainment for the night, my Lord,¡± the guard said.


    Daniel looked at him in confusion, noticing the girl again, looking at her feet, her white hair down around her face. ¡°What the¡­? No, you get out. It¡¯s nothing like that.¡±


    The guard stared at him blankly for a moment, then rolled his eyes. ¡°As you say, my Lord.¡± He left the girl standing in the doorway but closed the door behind him as he left.


    Daniel sighed deeply and pointed at a large chair in a little meeting area at the corner. ¡°Sit, please.¡±


    She listened to him, moving as quickly as she could.


    He finished washing his face and went to sit down across from her. She made no attempt to look at him, still looking down, staring at her feet.


    She had been bathed, her hair still slightly damp, and had been given a fine silk dress to wear. It was short. In fact, it looked more like lingerie of some kind. The thought of what they expected him to do with her crept into his mind slowly. -Good God.


    ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t have to be afraid of me. I won¡¯t hurt you. What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked, attempting to make her feel a bit more comfortable.


    She didn¡¯t speak, only clutched her short skirt tightly.


    Daniel coughed intentionally, something he always did when the tension was high around people. He could fight in a battle, watch men die, and still maintain a cool focus. Put him in an awkward situation with normal people, and he was a mess.


    ¡°My¡­¡± she said with a fragile voice, ¡°¡­my name is¡­ Rin, my Lord.¡± She glanced at him, her hair falling to the sides, revealing her face.


    ¡°Great,¡± he said, giving her his most convincing smile. ¡°My name is Daniel. I¡¯m a human, as you¡¯ve probably guessed.¡±


    She was silent for the next few moments. Daniel adjusted himself, ready for another question.


    ¡°So, Rin. Why did you burst into tears the way you did earlier? You got into a lot of trouble for it.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ are a Spirit-Sent¡­¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, nodding dubiously.


    ¡°Spirit-Sent¡­¡± she said, again. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯ve come¡­ just as they said you would¡­¡±


    Daniel cocked his head at her. ¡°Who said what now?¡±


    ¡°To free us¡­ the Doulos.¡± she finished.


    Daniel felt a stab at his heart. He was in no position to help anyone in this world. He felt much the same when he was in Iraq, watching the people there do terrible things to one another, unable to interfere. He was told by his platoon commander that they were not conquerors, so they couldn¡¯t impede on the culture of that country. Here, he was a refugee, just trying his best to survive.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± he said, trying to find the words, ¡°¡­I¡¯m new to your world still. I don¡¯t think I have the influence to free the Doulos. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Rin stared at him blankly. ¡°My Lord?¡±


    ¡°Who told you that we were going to free you?¡± Daniel asked.


    She licked her lips, eyes darting around the room.


    She doesn¡¯t want to say, he thought.


    ¡°You can trust me. I am not here to make your life more difficult. I can help you if I know more.¡±


    Rin took another few moments, then nodded her head in determination. ¡°Our¡­ King.¡±


    ¡°Your King?¡± Daniel looked puzzled.


    ¡°King Alektor¡­ he¡­ he told us that the Spirit-Sent would save us from the Lokkadonians. That¡­ we would be free.¡± Rin¡¯s eyes widened as she spoke, and her voice was slowly getting more confident. ¡°Many of our elders were saying that when you arrived. We watched you enter the city¡­ and...¡±


    ¡°Rin,¡± Daniel said. ¡°Were you in the street the day we got attacked?¡±


    She looked at him, slightly confused. ¡°My Lord, we were not attacking you. The Doulos were celebrating your arrival¡­ some of us have¡­¡± She hesitated.


    ¡°Go on,¡± he said, leaning forward.


    ¡°Some of us were sure you would bless us¡­ it was worth the danger¡­ worth being killed by the masters¡­ I suppose they just got a bit overzealous.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say.¡± Daniel stood and walked to a large basin filled with fresh water. He filled two large bowls and handed one to Rin. She hesitated again, clearly not used to being treated so well. She shied away from it as he pressed it a bit further. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Rin. Take it, you must be thirsty.¡±


    She took it finally, bringing it to her mouth and drinking it all down in one gulp. She handed it back to him, using her hand to wipe some water that had dripped down her face. Daniel chuckled and went to fill it up again, bringing it back to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be honest with you Rin, I don¡¯t know what to do with you. I don¡¯t like the idea of owning someone, so I am going to free you,¡± Daniel said, sitting back down.


    ¡°My Lord,¡± she said, with fear, not surprise, in her voice. ¡°That is not possible. The Lokkadonians would not accept this.¡±


    He looked at her, confused again. ¡°But you just said I was here to free you. So that¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do. Oros will listen to me if I ask it.¡±


    ¡°No, my Lord¡­ it is against their laws for a Doulos to be freed without proving themselves in battle. Even if I was freed for some reason¡­ I wouldn¡¯t survive in the city. There are groups of Dae that hunt us¡­ make sure we stay in our place.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with the Doulos anyway?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°Why are you slaves in the first place?¡±


    She shifted her legs, nearly bare.


    She must be cold. Daniel lifted his hand and created a small orb of fire in the air above her to keep her warm. It was a small display of power, but her face was one of wonder.


    ¡°We are descendants of the Rexunii rulers and loyalists of this territory,¡± she said, staring at the fire in astonishment. ¡°They say we must suffer for the sins of our ancestors.¡±


    Daniel looked at her in bewilderment. ¡°That¡¯s it? How long ago did this happen?¡±


    She thought for a moment. ¡°Perhaps, six hundred years ago? I¡¯m not quite sure, my Lord.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Daniel said, leaning back in his chair. ¡°That¡¯s a long-ass grudge to hold.¡±


    They sat for a few minutes in silence, and she fidgeted while holding the bowl.


    ¡°What would you like of me, my Lord?¡± she said finally, breaking the silence. ¡°I have been trained as a barmaid mostly, I am not studied in the art of pleasure, so I do not believe I will be enjoyable in that regard.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± he asked, nearly spitting water out of his mouth. ¡°No! No, no, no, nothing like that is necessary. I wouldn¡¯t take advantage of you like that at all.¡± He coughed again, uncomfortably. ¡°Do¡­ ahem, excuse me. Um, do you know where the Doulos quarters are?¡±


    She nodded her head slowly, unsure of why he was reacting so strangely.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s, uh, getting late. You can meet me here tomorrow morning.¡±


    She stood from her seat and bowed to him, then turned and left his room with a slow creak of his stone door.


    He fell into his soft bed again, letting out an exasperated sigh. ¡°What the hell?¡±

 Chapter 42

    Daniel strode out of the palace doors into the courtyard the next morning. Before him was Oros and six of his elite guards, with Cro¡¯kan for all of them tied to posts. Walking forward Oros noticed him and opened his arms to greet him.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± the Kryo said, moving to meet him. ¡°Slept well I hope?¡±


    ¡°As best I could,¡± Daniel said, reaching his hand out and clasping Oros¡¯ forearm in greeting. ¡°I¡¯m ready to get this started.¡±


    ¡°As am I,¡± Oros said, leading him to the rest of the party. ¡°We have all of our supplies, and weapons. All we need to do is get moving.¡±


    Without wasting any more time, Daniel and the party mounted and left the palace grounds. The travel to Eastern Baa¡¯Yega territory would be several days of hard riding. Nothing Daniel wasn¡¯t accustomed to at this point, and of course the prospect of finding another human and rescuing them from torment or imprisonment made any discomfort well worth it.


    After the first day, they made for camp. Daniel leapt from his Cro¡¯kan and groaned as his stiff back and legs creaked as he landed on the ground. ¡°Damn, this never gets any easier does it?¡±


    Oros just laughed, and ordered the warriors to set up camp.


    As they finished, a fire was started, by Daniel this time, reminding him of when he first shared a fire with Oros, and how fascinated he was with the floating blaze that night.


    ¡°Ahh,¡± Oros said, leaning back on his travel bag situated around the fire. He had a bowl of meat in his hands and took a deep breath. ¡°This is what life is all about, Daniel. The road, a long day¡¯s ride, and mission to complete.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve just been cooped up for too long,¡± Daniel said, chuckling as he leaned back against his own bag, with his own food in his hands.


    ¡°Warriors need fresh air, and space to ride,¡± Oros said, taking a mouthful of food. ¡°Holding up in a palace is too constricting.¡±


    ¡°So how do you expect to take control of Vul De Rah someday? Let alone the prospect of being king of Lokkon?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°You¡¯ve got to get used to it eventually.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Oros said, looking up to the night sky, ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll deal with that when it comes.¡±


    They sat in relative silence for a bit after, finishing their meal and finally pulling out the wine to help digest the food. One of Daniel¡¯s favorite things about the Lokkadonian military, wine was an essential part of their kit. Back home, alcohol was forbidden in the field. Surprising to some, as the Marines had quite a reputation with drinking it.


    ¡°So, Daniel,¡± Oros said, breaking the silence. ¡°Tell me more about the human friends you¡¯re hoping to find here. I¡¯ve only heard bits and pieces from Illya, who heard it from Katrina.¡±


    Daniel took a long drink of wine before answering. ¡°Henry, and Angelo, they¡¯re¡­ well, we¡¯ve been friends for years. Went to school together, got our first cars,¡± he paused, looking at Oros, ¡°uh, a car is like a large machine that you travel in. Like a Cro¡¯kan, on wheels, that moves really fast.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡± Oros raised his eyebrows, and nodded before taking a drink of his own wine.


    ¡°Anyway, we were friends. Are. Are friends, I mean. I think they¡¯re still alive. Henry came to Angelo and me with an idea for a trip. There was a large convention, or, a gathering, rather. We¡¯d thought about going for a while. It was in a city South of where we lived called San Diego. We thought it would be great to go. I was fresh out of the military and trying to get back on my feet. So I agreed, and we went. Next thing I know, we¡¯re at this convention, looking at an exhibit and a massive blinding flash of light hits us. Then I was falling in darkness. It was so damn cold. Then it was hot. I can¡¯t explain it. Then there was nothing. I opened my eyes and I was in the Spirit-Forest, alone.¡±


    Oros nodded his head, his face one of deep contemplation. ¡°A very strange event, to be sure.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Daniel said, feeling the frustration of the whole mystery weigh him down again. With a shake of his head he forced it to the back of his mind. ¡°Well, here I am. In Pelemont, in the middle of a war, drinking wine with a friend I never in a million years would have imagined I¡¯d have.¡±


    Oros smiled then, his expression genuine happiness as he raised his wineskin. ¡°Here¡¯s to unexpected friendships.¡±


    ¡°Amen to that,¡± Daniel said, mirroring his movements and taking a long drink.


    ¡°And the Doulos?¡± Oros asked, his face growing more serious. ¡°The guards said she came to your chambers last night.¡±


    Daniel laughed. ¡°It isn¡¯t what you think, I promise you. I just wanted to talk to her. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Dan,¡± Oros said, shaking his head.


    ¡°Look, I get it,¡± Daniel said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to sit here and tell you how to run Lokkon after hundreds of years of you guys going about it a certain way. But I¡¯m not on board with the whole slave thing. I have my own reasons.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Oros said, his voice sounding a bit resigned. ¡°What about Illya, then?¡±


    Daniel looked numbly at Oros. ¡°Really? What¡¯s to say about her?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Oros continued. ¡°Only that she has been venting to me for some time about how you¡¯ve been ignoring her. She just wants to be friends, Dan. What¡¯s the harm in it?¡±


    Daniel let out a sigh of exasperation and then drank some more wine. ¡°Oros, she made it pretty clear she¡¯s looking for more than that. Same thing with Boros and Katrina.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I heard about that.¡± Oros chuckled. ¡°Cato offered Boros his daughter¡¯s hand. Politically he would be a fool to ignore joining with one of the wealthiest and most prominent families in Eleutheros. Father might force him in fact. But still, he thinks he¡¯s in love. That aside, it would do you some good to spend time with Illya. She would appreciate it, and so would I.¡±


    ¡°She asked you to talk to me, didn¡¯t she?¡± Daniel said, flatly.


    ¡°If I were to answer that question, Dan. I would be breaking a sacred vow,¡± Oros said, laughing then pulling another drink of wine.


    ~


    The next day was as rough as the first. They rode without incident, until they reached the Baa¡¯Yega border. A large fort stood before them, with warriors clad in blue cloaks and bone armor manning it. Oros flashed his credentials as a Kryo of Lokkon, and pulled a sealed scroll with his house sigil upon it. Oros told Daniel before they arrived that he needed to keep himself concealed, as bringing a Spirit-Sent into their territory would cause more trouble than they needed right now. Daniel obliged, wearing leather riding gloves, a bone mask, and a hood to cover any exposed skin. As they rode past the fort, and into Baa¡¯Yega territory, Daniel admired the scenery. Much the same as Lokkon, it was very green and lush. Only Baa¡¯Yega had more trees. Many more. By the third day, they were surrounded by a large forest, following a narrow road through it.


    Before long they approached a stone building. From a distance it looked like it was a bit old. But as they got closer, Daniel could see that it seemed damaged. From the scorches and broken walls, from a battle of some kind.


    Oros held his hand up for a halt, and the warriors pulled back on the reigns of their Cro¡¯kan. Dismounting, Daniel drew his blade, and fell into a formation behind Oros beside the six other warriors.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Daniel asked, as they cautiously approached. ¡°Is it supposed to look like that?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Oros said, ¡°I was told this was the headquarters of some Espi-Dae cult group.¡±


    They closed in on the ruined structure and peered inside through a rather large hole in the wall that faced the road. Daniel was immediately hit with the smell of death, decomposition and blood as he looked into the dark interior.


    ¡°Give us some light,¡± Oros said, moving around Daniel, preparing to enter.


    Daniel lifted his hand, and willed a small ball of crimson flame to brighten the darkened building. As he did, he saw the bodies of Dae scattered on the floor. ¡°What the hell happened here?¡± he asked, stepping inside. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like there are any survivors.¡±


    ¡°None that we can see here at least.¡± Oros gestured to a set of stairs that went up to a second level. ¡°Look for anything or anyone that might help us figure out what happened here,¡± he said to the six warriors who stood behind them.


    As one, the elite warriors of Lokkadonia answered, and immediately moved toward the stairs. Two remained below with Daniel and Oros, leaning over some of the bodies on the far side of the room.


    Daniel turned to look at some of the corpses more closely that lay around them. He saw they wore thick robes. And wore large metal chains around their necks, each link with a different sculpted symbol.


    ¡°Spirit types,¡± Oros said, from behind him. ¡°Each symbol represents a different type of spirit. These are cultists of the ¡®Espi-Dunam¡¯ extremists who believe the Spirits should essentially wipe Dae culture out. And that Dae should live as mindless servants to them.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense why they would seek out a human,¡± Daniel said, turning to face Oros. ¡°Considering what they¡¯re saying about us.¡±


    Before Oros could say anything in response one of the warriors from above called out. ¡°We¡¯ve found someone!¡±


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    Daniel and Oros shared a look, and quickly made their way up the stairs to the second floor. It didn¡¯t take them long to find the room above where the other Lokkadonian warriors were.


    Daniel strode in to find a severely wounded cultist, groaning in pain with half of his left arm torn clean off, and a shard of stone jutting out of his abdomen.


    ¡°Heal him as best you can to keep him breathing,¡± Oros said, and one of the warriors who came up with them darted over to lay his hands on the Dae.


    After several minutes, the cultist seemed to relax somewhat and his eyes opened to take in the room. ¡°Who?¡± he said, weakly. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°We are warriors of Lokkadonia,¡± Oros said, kneeling next to him. ¡°We were in the area, and saw signs of a battle. ¡°Can you tell us what happened?¡±


    ¡°Lo¡­¡± The Dae looked bewildered. ¡°Lokkadonians? What are you doing all the way¡ª¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Oros said, pushing further. ¡°What happened here?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re here for the Spirit-Sent,¡± the Dae said.


    Oros sighed and put his hands on the Dae¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re here for the Spirit-Sent. Where is she?¡±


    ¡°Too late,¡± the Dae said weakly. ¡°We were all too late.¡±


    ¡°Too late for what?¡± Daniel asked, pulling a canteen of water from his belt, opening the cap, and bringing it to the Dae¡¯s lips.


    He let out a desperate gasp and began to drink greedily. Daniel waited several long moments before pulling the canteen away.


    ¡°No,¡± the Dae pleaded. ¡°Please. I need more.¡±


    ¡°Then answer our questions,¡± Oros insisted. ¡°What happened here, and where is the Spirit-Sent?¡±


    The Dae looked at Daniel then, seeing the pale bone mask, he wore. Then to Oros. ¡°We were trying to transport her to the south¡­ far from anyone who might take her. We only wanted her to lead us. But she kept trying to escape.¡± He took several heavy breaths, and licked his lips dryly. ¡°Then they came¡­ more¡­ more of them.¡±


    Several silent moments passed as Daniel leaned in closer. ¡°Who? More of who?¡±


    ¡°Spirit-Sent.¡± he said, starting to wince in pain.


    ¡°More of them?¡± Oros asked, grabbing the canteen out of Daniel¡¯s hand and bringing it to the Dae¡¯s lips again. ¡°Have some more.¡±


    After another lengthy drink, he continued. ¡°Yes... more Spirit-Sent¡­ three of them. They blasted their way in, like nothing I¡¯ve ever seen. They were so powerful.¡±


    Daniel and Oros shared a glance.


    ¡°They slaughtered us¡­ I ran here, and barely managed to take cover in time.¡± The Dae lifted his left arm¡¯s stump. ¡°Not nearly fast enough¡­ but they took her.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what her name was?¡± Daniel asked, ¡°How did you find her anyway?¡±


    The Dae coughed. ¡°Her name was Ashly¡­ and¡­ and we found her in a village outside of Eleutheros within the borders of Visoth¡­¡±


    ¡°Visoth?¡± Daniel asked Oros.


    ¡°The Kingdom the East of Eleutheros. The largest kingdom on this continent.¡± Oros answered quickly.


    ¡°We went there¡­ to the village where she was¡­ we heard there was a Spirit-Sent there. Some of the traders who frequented there, offered information for extra payment.¡± He took a moment to catch his breath, taking in as much air as he could. ¡°We raided the village. And rescued her.¡±


    ¡°Rescued,¡± Daniel said under his breath. ¡°Any idea where they might have gone? The other Spirit-Sent?¡±


    The Dae winced in pain as he shook his head. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know. Please¡­ please let me have more water¡­¡±


    Daniel nodded, and pressed his canteen into the cultist¡¯s good hand. ¡°Here. Drink all you need.¡± With that, he stood, taking a moment to ponder all he had just learned.


    Oros soon followed and placed a hand on Daniel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This is good news,¡± he said. ¡°If she¡¯s with other humans, then she is safe.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Daniel agreed. ¡°But who are the other humans?¡±


    ¡°Three of them,¡± Oros shook his head. ¡°And if they were powerful enough to do this?¡± He gestured around the building. ¡°I¡¯d say we might have to tread carefully while searching. They are clearly dangerous.¡±


    ¡°My Kryo,¡± one of the warriors said, getting Oros¡¯ attention. Daniel turned to see him looking out of a window at the edge of the room. ¡°We have company.¡±


    Daniel and Oros moved swiftly to look out the window. There were near a dozen or so cloaked Dae riding in on Cro¡¯kan. Daniel figured they were Cultists as well, reinforcements perhaps.


    Daniel and the rest of the warriors made their way down the stairs, and out of the building. Oros strode out first and planted himself at the head of a small formation, with Daniel and the other six at his flanks.


    A cloaked rider led his Cro¡¯kan forward to halt before Oros. ¡°Name yourselves,¡± he said, clear anger in his voice.


    ¡°I am Oros, Kryo of Vul De Rah, and the southern region of Lokkadonia. These are my personal guards,¡± Oros said, resting his right hand on the handle of his blade. Seeing him do so, Daniel followed suit, along with the other warriors. Then Daniel noticed the cultists had brought with them a large stone box that seemed to slide gracefully over the road. It looked sort of like a wagon, but it moved on its own and had no wheels. Then it hit Daniel. This was the group sent to transport Ashly. Poor timing, he thought.


    ¡°What is a Kryo of Lokkon doing this far into Baa¡¯Yega? And why does he exit the ruined remains of our temple?¡± the Cultist asked, drawing a blade from his side.


    ¡°We came upon it,¡± Oros said, using his thumb to point behind him. ¡°You have a survivor in there, who can verify. We are not responsible for this destruction.¡±


    The cultists followed their leader¡¯s example and pulled weapons, causing Daniel¡¯s blood to pump harder. Shit, he thought, wrapping his hand around the handle of his incisor.


    ¡°What have you done with the Spirit-Sent!?¡± the Dae bellowed.


    Daniel saw out of his peripheral, Oros¡¯ face go deathly serious. Turning to his left and right. He let out a breath. ¡°Don¡¯t do this, friend,¡± he said calmly. ¡°You will all meet death, I assure you.¡±


    ¡°I doubt you are who you say you are,¡± the Dae said. ¡°Lokkadonia has its hands quite full at the moment with Rexun at its doorstep.¡± He lifted his blade and pointed it directly at Oros. ¡°Which means you have come here for our prize.¡±


    ¡°Believe what you want. But the result will be the same if you attack us,¡± Oros said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Where did you take the Spirit-Sent?¡± the Dae said again, this time with more malice.


    This time Oros said nothing, just drew his blade, and Daniel and the other warriors did the same.


    ¡°Brigands!¡± the Dae yelled, and he thrust his blade toward Daniel and his party. Kicking the sides of his Cro¡¯kan, all of the mounted cultists charged forward. Behind them a dozen dismounted cultists charged as well.


    Daniel braced for the impact.


    Oros, however, lifted his free hand and a massive line of spikes shot from the ground at an angle directly at the charging Cro¡¯kan. The animals screeched in agony as the spikes tore through their hide, and as they came to a sudden stop, riders were tossed from them. The one in the middle shot a blast of fire out, blowing the spikes in front of him and several cultists to his flanks, leaving them a clear path through.


    One of the unluckier riders slammed to the ground right in front of Daniel. In a skilled feat, the Dae used the momentum of his fall to roll to his feet, swinging his blade from left to right. Daniel blocked one of the horizontal slashes and punched him in the face with his left hand, knocking him off balance for a moment, allowing Daniel time to swing his own blade back, slashing him deeply across his chest. The cultist screamed as he fell back clutching at the gaping wound across his body. Before he had a moment to think, the rest of the cultists were on their small group. Daniel blocked the swings of two of them. They were surprisingly well trained, but after all the time spent training with elite warriors like Oros and Delmos, their blows were slow. Daniel parried and slashed, sending one to the ground, then, as the second brought his blade down in a vertical two-handed slash, Daniel dodged to the left, slashing his own incisor up, bringing the end across the Dae¡¯s abdomen. The second Dae gasped. It was a female Dae, and she crumpled to the bloody grass below with a gurgled whimper.


    Turning then to find his next opponent, a blast of wind caught him in his side. Daniel grunted as he flew back from the impact. Cursing, Daniel managed to stay on his feet, quickly inspecting the impact area. His cloak was torn, but his bone plate had absorbed the blast, preventing any serious damage. He looked up to find the culprit, a Dae man staring daggers at him with his hands raised toward him. With a shout the Dae unleashed another blast of air, this time aimed directly at his face. Daniel roared, swinging his incisor, and pouring his Dunamis into it. Crimson fire exploded from the blade, dispersing the Dae-Jin¡¯s attack, and hurling toward him. The Dae screamed as his body was engulfed and began melting before Daniels eyes. Within moments, he was a silent heap of burning remains.


    The cultists who witnessed the savage attack, halted their advance, and looked to second guess attacking Daniel. Using the moments he bought himself he turned to survey the rest of the battlefield. Of the six Lokkadonian warriors who accompanied them, all still stood, with bodies of cultists around them. Oros held the suspected leader by the throat and had him on his knees before him.


    ¡°Get the hell out of here,¡± Daniel said to the few cultists who still stood, hesitating. ¡°Go!¡± he shouted, allowing a bit of his crimson fire burst from his hand, as he raised it toward them. That was apparently all the cultists needed, as they turned and began running away.


    Daniel strode toward Oros, and got close enough to hear what they were saying.


    ¡°I told you,¡± the cultist leader said, struggling to get the words out while being choked. ¡°We were trying to take her outside of Eleutheros.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± Oros said, his hand squeezing just a bit more. ¡°You¡¯re just repeating yourself.¡±


    ¡°We were going to the port in Exous territory,¡± he gasped, ¡°And getting on a ship to Dominicia.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s that?¡± Daniel asked Oros standing beside him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a kingdom to the South of Visoth, in a Peninsula,¡± Oros said. ¡°Why?¡± he asked, directing his attention again to the cultist.


    ¡°Why else?¡± he spat. ¡°We have a sect there. Eleutheros is about to erupt into war.¡±


    ¡°Do you know of any Spirit-Sent outside of the one you had here?¡± Daniel asked.


    He saw the cultists bulging eyes dart to him. Anger and defiance shot back at him. Screw this, Daniel thought, pulling his hood back, and removing his bone mask. Instantly the cultist¡¯s expression changed to one of shock and amazement.


    ¡°Spirit¡­¡± he sputtered, until Oros released his throat. ¡°Spirit-Sent,¡± he said, hacking and coughing around the words. When he looked up again, he smiled, almost looking in a state of bliss.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking because I need to find more of my kind. We¡¯re scattered,¡± Daniel said. ¡°Now stop being so fucking difficult and answer my goddamn question.¡±


    ¡°There are several reports we¡¯ve received from around the continent. Dominicia has one for certain,¡± the Dae said. ¡°Vohnavix, has another. And of course the four here in Eleutheros.¡±


    ¡°Do you know any of their names?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°I do. The ones I mentioned are well documented. As are you, Daniel,¡± the Dae said.


    Daniel flinched slightly at the use of his name.


    The Dae grinned at his reaction. ¡°There are only two with Lokkadonia, one female, named Katrina, and one male.¡± He tilted his head toward Daniel. ¡°Daniel.¡± His grin was broken as he began coughing again, but quickly quelled it. ¡°The other is in Rexun; his name is Robert, and Ashly was here at this temple.¡±


    ¡°What about the others?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°Alexander in Vohnavix, and Angelo in Dominicia,¡± the Dae said.


    Daniel¡¯s eyes widened as the name of his friend, Angelo left his lips. ¡°Angelo,¡± Daniel said, turning to look at Oros. ¡°I¡¯ve got to get to Dominicia.¡±


    Oros tensed at the statement. ¡°It¡¯s quite the journey, my friend.¡± He turned to the cultist again. ¡°What do you know of his situation there?¡± Oros asked. ¡°Is he in danger?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°Not that we¡¯ve heard. Our sect in the area has told us that he is among one of their noble houses. Being sheltered, much like yourself.¡±


    ¡°Dan,¡± Oros said, ¡°I promise you that we will go. Together. And find your friend. But we must deal with the threat at hand. Once Alektor is defeated, we will go.¡±


    Daniel took a deep breath and closed his eyes. At least Angelo was in no immediate danger, if the cultist was to be believed. But he did mention Alexander in Vohnavix, and that had been verified when Cato said the same. Reluctantly, Daniel thought better of it. He owed Oros and everyone in Lokkadonia as much; he would stay till the end of the conflict in Eleutheros. ¡°Ok. Till the end of this conflict. Then we go get them.¡±


    Oros smiled, and clasped Daniel on the shoulder. ¡°Good.¡± Then he turned to meet the gaze of the knelt cultist. ¡°Gather the survivors here and go. Most of your followers would still be alive if you had spoken to us before charging into battle. But as I said before, your temple had already been attacked before we arrived. They took Ashly and left one of your members alive.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± the cultist said, his eyes unfocused, ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­ we just¡­ wanted to get her out. She didn¡¯t want to go¡­ she still had attachments in Visoth. In the village, we found her in. She tried to escape. Daniel¡­ you must believe me. We didn¡¯t mean for her to¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Oros said, cutting him off. ¡°Your people need tending to.¡± Then he turned to Daniel. ¡°We¡¯ve got all we can from here. It¡¯s time we started heading back.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Daniel said, sheathing his incisor. ¡°Let¡¯s head back and get this shit with Rexun over with.¡±

 Chapter 43

    Katrina held a fine velvet gown up, looking over the material with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°So?¡± Illya said, leaning back and sipping on a bowl of wine. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ really nice,¡± Katrina said, laying it on her bed.


    ¡°It¡¯s the latest fashion in Torre¡¯, and I wanted to make sure I looked presentable.¡± The Dae Krya smiled.


    ¡°What¡¯s the occasion?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°Well, tonight¡¯s ball, of course,¡± Illya started. ¡°Honestly, Kat, you can¡¯t seem to keep your head from drifting away lately. It¡¯s my brother, isn¡¯t it¡­ I knew it. You shouldn¡¯t take any offense from Boros¡¯ confession. If I reacted in such a way every time a young and handsome noble attempted to court me, I¡¯d be undoubtedly brain-dead.¡±


    Here we go again, Katrina thought. ¡°It isn¡¯t Boros, Illya. Trust me. That was a while ago. Why are you still on that?¡±


    ¡°Because! As soon as my poor brother returned, he told me all about it, and I know that he¡¯s sensitive about such things. The poor boy was so angry at himself. I told him that you would come around eventually. Spirits¡­ you humans are strange, infuriating creatures.¡±


    Katrina sighed, sitting on her bed.


    ¡°Did you know that Daniel got a slave from the city?¡± Illya said, looking at her sidelong.


    Katrina perked up. ¡°Daniel did what?¡± The words didn¡¯t register in her mind properly.


    ¡°Oh yes¡­¡± Illya continued. ¡°He went to a bar with Oros and came back with her a few nights ago. Even slept with her that night! Can you believe it!? He refuses me, then takes some filthy Doulos trash from the streets. It¡¯s maddening, I tell you.¡±


    Katrina sat up, looking her in the eyes. ¡°Wait¡­ do you mean to tell me that Daniel, our Daniel, got a slave? And slept with her?¡±


    Illya sat up in excitement. ¡°I know, right? It¡¯s so disgusting,¡± she said, though not with as much anger as she had when she first had said it.


    Katrina held her forehead, shocked at the news. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s pretty crazy. I didn¡¯t think he was even capable of something like that.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t repulsed?¡± Illya asked. ¡°I was mortified when I heard.¡±


    ¡°And who told you this, exactly?¡± Katrina smiled.


    ¡°Oh, just¡­ people. I have many eyes and ears in Vul De Rah.¡± She began to stir her wine with a finger.


    ¡°You are having him watched,¡± Katrina jibed. ¡°That¡¯s so bad.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡± The Krya grinned.


    Suddenly, there was a knock on her door. Katrina called for them to enter, and one of the guards stationed outside her quarters poked his head in. ¡°My Lady, Kryo Boros, is here. He wishes to escort you to the Ignos Palace. There¡¯s a meeting of some kind.¡±


    ¡°Finally,¡± Katrina said, standing to grab her cloak. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Keep. I¡¯ve been waiting for days to hear what¡¯s next.¡± Katrina grabbed her incisor, placing the sheathed blade on her hip.


    Illya stood up as well. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going too. I can¡¯t miss an opportunity to hear all the latest gossip straight from the source.¡±


    The two met with Boros, who bowed his head but made very little attempt at conversation. He had been this way ever since he confessed his attraction for Katrina in Torre¡¯. The issue was incredibly frustrating to Katrina. She did like talking with him; she just wasn¡¯t ready to have ¡®that¡¯ conversation yet. They made their way across the city, flanked by several guards, and into the Ignos palace above. They found Daniel and Oros, having just returned from Baa¡¯Yega clan territory, sparring in the practice field near the gardens, and Katrina walked right up to the sidelines. Illya came up behind her, panting but still holding her bowl of wine.


    ¡°Spirits,¡± she huffed. ¡°You move so quickly.¡±


    Katrina folded her arms, watching the two men duel. Daniel was fast and aggressive, using impressive speed and control. She remembered her own duel with the man and shook her head. Standing on the other side of the small field, she saw a Doulos girl, holding Daniel¡¯s officer cloak, folded in her arms while she sat. That must be the slave, she thought.


    ¡°Daniel has really improved,¡± Illya said, looking at him, her face gleaming.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Katrina narrowed her eyes, studying the movements. ¡°He didn¡¯t move like that when we fought.¡±


    ¡°Think you can beat him now?¡± The Krya smiled.


    ¡°Of course she can,¡± Avria said, walking beside Katrina, who promptly bowed her head and saluted.


    ¡°Lady Avria, it is good to see you again,¡± she said.


    ¡°I trust you enjoyed your time away from me,¡± Avria said, placing her hands on the small stone barricade. ¡°Have you been keeping up with your forms?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lady, of course I have.¡± Katrina had spent much of her time training with Boros, who was a fine warrior but had a completely different style than Avria. She could use some refreshers.


    Katrina heard the fight intensifying and turned to see Oros go on the offensive. The Dae Kryo whirled his blade with a speed she had never seen before. The Dae was a blur of bone and crimson. To Daniel¡¯s credit, he blocked a few of them but was soundly hit and tumbled to the sand below, grunting and cursing. Oros stood over him, breathing heavily, and beamed with that infectious grin he always wore. He extended his hand, and Daniel took it, groaning as he stood.


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    Katrina heard Illya chuckle as the Doulos girl ran to Daniel, giving him a large canteen of water. He took it, thanked her, and began to drink from it.


    Illya hissed something under her breath, something Katrina couldn¡¯t quite make out. It was no doubt directed toward the slave.


    ¡°We must meet with the Hego,¡± Avria said, watching Oros intently as he patted Daniel on the back, and they laughed back and forth. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ~


    Daniel found himself once again standing beside Oros at the flank of the Hego. The throne room was in the process of being filled with nobles and military leaders, invited to hear the Hego¡¯s grand plan on how to deal with the Rexunii threat to the south. It wasn¡¯t so long ago that Daniel found himself here, afraid, and fighting for his life against Delmos. He glanced to his right, seeing Oros, a man who had stood to defend him even against his own father, the Hego.


    ¡°My Lords and Ladies,¡± Agron began, standing from his throne to address all present. ¡°It is with great pride that I see you all here, the future of Lokkon, the leaders of our court, and prominent houses all. Your loyalty and your faith in the house of Ignos will be rewarded.¡±


    This brought cheers and applause from the crowd.


    ¡°High King Phobos has asked me to lead a coalition of honor-bound clans, to march south and eradicate the treacherous Rexunii. They are a stain on all of Eleutheros! They, who corrupt with disingenuous words, and murder honorable sons of Lokkon.¡± He turned to face his sons, who still stood on either side of his throne. ¡°Oros,¡± he said, putting his hands behind his back. ¡°You will lead this force.¡±


    Oros bowed his head, and Daniel knew, having spoken to him at length about the monotonous affairs here at court, this was an answer to the Kryo¡¯s prayers.


    ¡°I will not fail you, father. The Rexunii will tremble at the sight of our army,¡± he said.


    Agron turned back to the crowd of nobles. ¡°With the support of the Torre¡¯ financing and unparalleled warriors of Lokkon, this will be a short and swift engagement.¡±


    ~


    After the grand announcement, a much smaller group of high lords and generals remained for strategy and council. Daniel was dismissed and found himself sitting on a comfortable stone chair, padded with feathers of some kind, sitting outside the throne room.


    Beside him stood Rin, who held several things for him. Daniel didn¡¯t like the idea of having her stand or hold anything for him, but she had insisted that it would look strange to the other nobles and might invoke a complicated situation.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going, Dan?¡± Katrina asked, walking up to him. ¡°A little strange that they leave us out now, huh?¡± She looked at Rin, who bowed her head.


    ¡°Spirit-Sent,¡± she said, ¡°you are a blessing to us all.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh,¡± Katrina replied, her eyebrow raised. ¡°So, when were you going to tell me you got a¡­ an assistant?¡±


    Daniel shrugged. ¡°I really didn¡¯t have a choice, Kat. It was either that or let her old master pull her fingers off.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Katrina said, ¡°I think Lokkadonia is great and all, but this business with slaves¡­ is just ugly. I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he agreed. ¡°We can¡¯t do much about it, though, Kat. We aren¡¯t in a position to help much. Hell, we¡¯ve been here all of five minutes; we can¡¯t expect to change hundreds of years of Lokkadonian culture.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean we have to contribute,¡± she said, looking at Rin.


    ¡°What? Her?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°I told you already, it wasn¡¯t my choice, and If I treat her differently, the other Lokkadonians will make a big ass stink out of everything. I am treating her well, though.¡± He looked over at Rin, who seemed to be blushing. ¡°Right? I¡¯m not mistreating you, right?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, my Lord. You¡¯re very generous to me.¡±


    ¡°People have been talking, Dan,¡± Katrina said, putting her hands on her hips. ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that you took her to your bed a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°Good God,¡± he said, letting out a heavy breath. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t do anything inappropriate with her. And you can tell these gossipers, or gossiper, to mind her own damn business.¡±


    ¡°Aw, come on, Dan. She¡¯s just a bit jealous, that¡¯s all. Maybe if you paid a bit more attention to her, it would be better,¡± Katrina teased.


    ¡°Why are you so interested in it?¡± Daniel leaned back in the stone seat. ¡°I don¡¯t see you on the arm of Boros right now. Why are you holding back?¡±


    The amusement left her face, and she stared at him warningly. ¡°You know why.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, you have your reasons. I have mine as well,¡± Daniel said. ¡°You think I don¡¯t find them attractive? Every single Dae woman here is nearly a solid ten on earth, but seriously, do I look like Captain Kirk?¡±


    Katrina laughed heartily, then sat down next to Daniel. ¡°Oh, Dan, to think it¡¯s taken almost a year to get your dry sense of humor out of hiding.¡±


    Daniel grumbled, yet couldn¡¯t help but let a smile crack his demeanor.


    Katrina looked up at the ceiling above them. Vaulted and colored with a strange Dae style of artistic masonry, the melding of different colors of stone swirled together to create images and patterns, and was intriguing. ¡°We¡¯ve come a long way, haven¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Daniel said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. ¡°I just hope this rebellion business doesn¡¯t cause too much of a problem. The last thing we need is another upheaval.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t be anywhere near this,¡± she said, still looking up. ¡°Avria said that Oros will take care of this pretty easily. He¡¯s probably the most powerful warrior in Vul De Rah, aside from Agron and Telmos.¡± She closed her eyes, resting her head against the stone wall. ¡°She told me that Oros will do everything in his power to bring Robert back. I hope he can, having him back here would lift a weight off my shoulders.¡±


    ¡°Guilt?¡± Daniel asked.


    She looked at him, her head canted. ¡°Yeah,¡± she said. ¡°I want a chance to tell him I¡¯m sorry. For everything that happened. Everything I said to him.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Daniel said, standing and stretching. ¡°I hope it works out. Robert didn¡¯t deserve anything like that.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going? I wanted to ask you what you found on your little excursion into Baa¡¯Yega? You got back last night, right?¡± Katrina said, standing as well.


    Daniel¡¯s face darkened. ¡°It was in response to information Oros got of a human girl in over there.¡±


    Katrina blinked. ¡°Oh¡­ Oh! So what happened?¡±


    ¡°By the time we got there the temple she was being held in by some cultists was destroyed. And she had been rescued, by, get this, three other humans.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± she said, her face a mask of disbelief. ¡°There are more of us. Here in Eleutheros. Dan we need to find them, we need to bring them here!¡±


    ¡°I know, Kat.¡± Daniel huffed in frustration. ¡°And it isn¡¯t just them. One of the cultists rattled off the names of all the humans they¡¯re keeping tabs on. You and me included. They¡¯re watching us.¡±


    ¡°Scary,¡± Katrin said, shivering.


    ¡°But most importantly he gave me one of the names I¡¯ve been waiting to hear since I got here. Angelo.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Dan that¡¯s incredible! Wait, he¡¯s alright¡­ right?¡± she said.


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s fine. After all this nonsense with the Rexunii is dealt with, Oros and I are going to go get him back.¡±


    ¡°Dan, that¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s really great news.¡± Katrina leaned back and smiled. ¡°I might just come with you guys. See more of Pelemont. Might be fun.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Daniel said. ¡°You¡¯d be more than welcome to. I just need to figure out what to do now that Oros is going to be gone, kicking the crap out of Rexun.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Maybe Avria will let you train with us. Might be interesting to see how you fare against her.¡±


    Daniel chuckled. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that. She may decide to slip and chop my head off.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s really not that bad, Daniel. She may be tough on the outside, but she has a tender side.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not really interested in seeing her tender side,¡± Daniel said.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Katrina prodded again. ¡°She is one of the full tens you were talking about, right?¡±

 Chapter 44

    Robert sat in silence at his royal table while the festivities erupted around him. Drums beat, and singing played chorus to a turmoil in his heart that could not be numbed by the company he now kept. He looked at his wretched hand again, a constant reminder of what he had endured, and perhaps what he was now becoming.


    ¡°Fret not, human¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said in his mind, sitting elegantly on his shoulder, invisible to everyone except Robert. ¡°We have accomplished a great task¡­ something that has not been done in thousands of years¡­¡±


    By the time Turak and Robert had arrived back in Thule, word of their exploits in Visgo had made its way back to the ears of Alektor. They had apparently accomplished what they wished, in ensuring not only the guarantee that the Visgo would not attack them in the coming conflict but that they would join them as well. Queen Mundiri had been forced to step down, and thanks to Alektor¡¯s swift response, she still lived. Honor had been restored to the crown of Visgo, under the watchful eye of the Queen¡¯s cousin, Athica, a younger Dae woman who was more of a warrior than her predecessor.


    Robert¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by Richoro, who sat before him, offering a bowl of wine. ¡°My Kryo?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± Robert said, instinctively pulling his monstrous hand under the table.


    ¡°My Kryo, I wished to apologize to you, my behavior during our time in Visgo was unacceptable,¡± he said, placing the bowl in front of him. ¡°I just wanted to come to you and say this.¡±


    Robert hesitated, still feeling the effects of his internal dilemma. He nodded, trying his best not to portray any insincerity. ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Those people,¡± he continued, ¡°should pray to you every night, Spirit-Sent. For saving their lives. I may not understand it, but I can respect it.¡±


    Robert nodded but said nothing. Noticing he was not in the mood to talk further, Richoro stood, bowed, and found his way back to the party.


    ¡°You should be¡­ happier?¡± Dio¡¯Mar spoke again. ¡°Is that the word you would use for this?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do it,¡± he said, hesitantly taking the bowl of wine in his hand. Why did they use bowls instead of cups? The thought perturbed him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to war with Lokkadonia. I mean, what about Katrina? And Daniel?¡± He paused, thinking of his time in the Spirit Forest. ¡°And Amynta¡­¡± He looked into the crowd of Dae. They danced together, laughed, and drank. It was almost primal, the way they moved about. The music was fitting for what he saw in the dancing Dae. A loud beating of drums, and other strange instruments, made from bone and animal skins. He was reminded of the primitive tribal music he had heard back home. His focus landed on a beautiful Dae girl, who, in the midst of an elaborate dance, whirled to meet his eyes. Demessa, he thought. The woman¡¯s piercing green eyes captured him as she smiled and bowed her head, turning to resume her dance. She moved with grace, but with a ferocity that could humble any man. He swallowed hard, trying to find the strength to pry his gaze from her.


    ¡°I like her¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar whispered. ¡°But not ¡®that¡¯ much¡­ do not get any strange thoughts¡­ Robert¡­¡±


    He looked away, scanning more faces in the crowd. ¡°What, you can read my mind now?¡± he huffed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Humans have needs, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Needs¡­¡± she hummed curiously.


    Robert hung his head, trying to hide the fact that he was talking to an invisible spirit. ¡°Yes¡­ you know, desires for¡­ physical contact with another.¡± He choked the words out, embarrassed to be speaking with a being that most likely had no idea what he was talking about.


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± she said. ¡°If it is important to your¡­ mental stability¡­ then perhaps you should try it¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± He looked back to Demessa. ¡°It seems a bit¡­ strange.¡±


    ¡°Strange? You seem to have the same reproductive organs as a male Dae¡­ I think it would be interesting to see if it was, in fact¡­ possible.¡±


    Robert grabbed the bowl of wine that Richoro left for him, downing half of it in one gulp. ¡°I didn¡¯t take the ancient spirit Dio¡¯Mar for a pervert,¡± he said under his breath.


    ¡°Even Turak seems to be indulging himself¡­¡± she pointed out, ignoring his comment.


    Robert glanced to see Turak, on the other side of the large hall, laughing at some unheard joke with a Dae girl on either arm.


    ¡°Is it perhaps¡­ that you are unable to dance¡­?¡± Dio¡¯Mar asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Robert said defensively. ¡°Hey, back in my world, I was a pretty good dancer.¡±


    ¡°Then perhaps¡­ apprehension about speaking with females¡­?


    Is she just messing with me now? he thought.


    ¡°No,¡± Robert said. ¡°I am fine with girls too, I just¡­¡± He looked at Demessa again, her hips swaying back and forth to the beat of the Rexunii music, her pearl-white hair a chaotic but beautiful mess. ¡°Fuck it,¡± he said, standing and removing his cloak. Katrina¡¯s probably moved on, anyway, he thought, then pushed her memory from his mind.


    Dae warriors parted as he walked toward her, bowing to him and speaking words of respect. The gestures were still new to him, but he did notice that he walked a bit straighter when it happened.


    Demessa turned to see him and again smiled, showing her canines. ¡°My Kryo, I was wondering when you would join us. This celebration is for you! The savior of Rexun!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, uh¡­ great,¡± he said, licking his lips.


    ¡°Comfortable around females¡­ of course,¡± Dio¡¯Mar whispered in his ear.


    ¡°So, I was wondering if you could teach me some Rexunii dances,¡± Robert said, ignoring the spirit. ¡°I¡¯ll be here for a while and need to know this sort of thing, right?¡±


    She grabbed his hands and pulled him closer. ¡°It is not like the dances of the Lokkadonians, my Kryo. They prefer the civilized ways of the Torre¡¯, wearing fancy dresses and dancing like stone statues. We like the feel of passion in our celebrations, to feel the heat of our movements in every step.¡± She started to move her hips from side to side, like waves of water going back and forth. The motion was mesmerizing, and Robert caught himself staring.


    ~


    Alektor drank from his bowl of wine, tasting the fermented liquid in his mouth. He wasn¡¯t a big advocate for the sweeter wines, but this particular blend had a kick to it. He scanned the vast hall¡¯s occupants, sipping again.


    ¡°Your majesty,¡± a servant said from behind him. ¡°The emissaries from Clan Sabree have arrived.


    Alektor nodded. ¡°Send them through the back. I want no announcement, not until they leave.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your majesty.¡± The servant pulled back and walked into a small door, stationed behind the king.


    He began to watch his subjects again, enjoying their victory, a small one, but more than enough to embolden their passion for a conflict. He looked then at Reku, who was locked in one of the simpler dances of the Rexunii people. The sight impressed him. He had always thought of the human as a solemn creature. He was actually smiling now, and dancing with¡­ his eyes focused on his partner. Spirits, he thought. Demessa whirled around Reku, in no way hiding the provocative nature of her dance. That was quick, he thought. They had been gone for several weeks. Apparently, over that time, the two had made up, and even developed an attraction for one another. How strangely the great spirits worked. Suddenly he saw a blur over Reku¡¯s shoulder. A small thing, more of a feeling than something physical. Could it be? The faint outline of a woman ebbed into existence, and with it, the sense of boundless power. It was her again, the patron spirit of his clan, Dio¡¯Mar. The sight of her unnerved him but also gave him encouragement. She seemed to have attached herself to Reku, and in doing so, blessed him with unknown powers.


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    ¡°Your majesty,¡± the servant said behind him again. ¡°I present to you, Princess Ambrosia of House Akio, and Lord Nasus of House Karo.¡±


    ¡°Princess?¡± Alektor asked, turning to the two hooded Dae standing behind him. Feminine amber eyes glowed from underneath the concealing cowl and stared at him. The two figures approached and, almost in unison, drew back their hoods to reveal the light violet skin of the Sabree clans.


    Ambrosia bowed her head respectfully but maintained a stiffness that showed her skepticism. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± she said, in a fluid but slightly hostile voice. ¡°It is good to finally meet you. We have heard much of the famed King Alektor in Sabree.¡±


    Alektor nodded his head, gesturing for them to sit before him. They did so, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the large table and steepleing his fingers. ¡°Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, and I apologize for the secrecy. These are dangerous times, and the protection of any other clan¡¯s emissaries are extremely important to me.¡± He took a deep breath, preparing for his next words. ¡°Our people have suffered a troubled past together. We share a history rife with war and conflict between the Rexunii and the Sabree, and this¡­ I find unacceptable.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Ambrosia replied. ¡°I mean no disrespect when I say that the Rexunii have been the cause of most of what you speak of. Our ¡®troubled¡¯ past that you have brought up to show how our clans have lived analogously is¡­ exaggerated, to say the least. To the Sabree, we were defending against your raids and invasions. It was a valiant fight against the barbaric warmongers to the west. Your predecessor was the last to test our borders, and if it were not for the Lokkadonians, we might have lost much more than we did. So, tell me then, King of Rexun, why should the Sabree even entertain the idea of not exacting our vengeance upon those who have tormented us for so many years?¡±


    Alektor narrowed his eyes at the Princess. She was sent here for the purpose of negotiation, but also, perhaps to express the true intention of the crown of the Sabree. Her words were likely a reflection of her father¡¯s, and he had not forgotten the trespasses against their clan.


    ¡°Princess Ambrosia,¡± Alektor began. ¡°I hear your concerns, and to be completely honest, I expected a much more brash response from the Sabree. I find the fact that your father sent you, in person, to speak with me, to be a great gesture of trust, and I appreciate it.¡±


    Ambrosia adjusted herself, clearly surprised by the more pleasant response.


    ¡°But you have misjudged me,¡± he continued. ¡°I am not one to be compared with the former rulers of Rexun, seeing as how I usurped their power and cast them into the Pit of Mar, I feel my reputation should be slightly different. I am the first King of Rexun in centuries to host Sabree dignitaries in an effort to establish peace.¡±


    ¡°Peace,¡± she interjected. ¡°Only because you have overextended your resources and counted your enemies poorly. You are surrounded, young king, and in over your head.¡±


    Alektor raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his throne, his face one of stern confidence. ¡°Perhaps it may look like that to some, but these things are more complicated than just the numbers you perceive. The Torre¡¯ have done their best to stifle the growth and development of my clan. The Lokkadonians enslave thousands of them. True that our list of friends has dwindled, as you so eloquently pointed out, but the caliber of friends is what concerns me, not the number of them. The loyalty of the other clans is bought by the trade and riches of the Torre¡¯. In exchange, they protect them from any and all opposition, rendering themselves docile servants. The resilience of your people is widely known, and I would seek your friendship in these troubled times. Not only because it would be a hard-fought contest, but because I know our two clans could be unstoppable together.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± she said slowly, after long contemplation, ¡°¡­would not be possible¡­ your majesty. We will not betray the trust of our High King. I am sorry, but¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°It has not gone unnoticed that you have been trying to close the rift between our two clans. In fact, my father sees it as something quite noble. But it is still vastly insufficient to justify betraying the vows of loyalty to our High King.¡±


    Alektor nodded, letting out a deep breath. ¡°I see, so there it is then.¡± He took a moment, then looked at Ambrosia. ¡°You have my solemn vow as a king, and a man of honor, that I will not attack your clan. The Sabree, as far as I am concerned, are spectators to this fight; this I swear by all the spirits, great and ancient.¡±


    The Krya bowed her head, much lower than she had before.


    ¡°But,¡± he continued, ¡°if your clan does attack, and attempts to invade Rexun for the Torre¡¯ masters, I will be a force of death and unimaginable sorrow against your people.¡± His eyes bored into her, and he peered into her very soul with the resolve of a wild beast. ¡°I will say again that I am not as my predecessor, I am a man of honor, but in the light, you will find that I am much more capable of eradicating my enemies than he. The Torre¡¯, the Lokkadonians, no matter who tries to break me, will find an immovable stone. This I also swear to you, as a wretched creature of war; you will find this perhaps one day when you become a queen. They are both sides of a common coin, each to serve a purpose as a ruler, the honorable ally, and the terrible foe. To my friends, I am a savior, a beacon of hope and love for all the world to see, but to my enemies, I am a storm, a cataclysm of hatred and war that will weep no tears for the flames.¡±


    Ambrosia blinked nervously at him, beads of sweat beginning to form on her forehead.


    ¡°Now,¡± he said, more cheerily, ¡°please, enjoy yourselves at my party. We have made a pact with the Visgo and are happy to host you here as friends!¡±


    With that, he stood and bowed to her, excusing himself and walking into the crowd of his celebrating subjects.


    ~


    Robert felt the heat of Demessa¡¯s body as she writhed around him. The dance reminded him of a tribal mating ritual, as it seemed to require the two dancers¡¯ bodies to be in constant contact. Robert had to keep himself under control several times during the smoldering dance. But he found himself slightly intoxicated by not only the wine he had been drinking but the smell and feel of this Dae woman he now found himself more than a little attracted to.


    She turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close as she danced. He stared into her green eyes, bright and beautiful. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what it was, but they drew him in, taking his senses away.


    ¡°Well, Reku.¡± Alektor¡¯s familiar voice chimed from behind him, muffled under the music. Robert¡¯s back stiffened, and he jerked away from Demessa to whirl toward the King.


    ¡°Hey!¡± he said, nervously. ¡°Alektor, how¡¯s it going?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Demessa said, bowing and panting slightly.


    ¡°Lady Irro,¡± Alektor continued. ¡°I was hoping to borrow your dancing companion for a moment. I¡¯ll bring him right back.¡± He smiled.


    ¡°Of course, your majesty!¡± She blushed and walked back into the crowd.


    Alektor looked at Robert, who was left stunned at the strange exchange. He put his arm around his shoulder and began to walk toward a less boisterous area. ¡°I know I¡¯ve been busy, Reku, but there are a great many things I have been meaning to ask you. I am curious as to the nature of the abilities my warriors described in Visgo. I am not sure what to think about it at the moment.¡± He led him to a small area near the entrance, where the pounding of the party¡¯s music was less astounding. ¡°Dio¡¯Mar seems to be much more complex than I first assumed,¡± he said.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t her power,¡± Robert said. ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    Alektor raised his eyebrow.


    ¡°They are¡­ uh¡­ ancient abilities that she showed me. Abilities that Dae used in the past.¡±


    ¡°Dae?¡± The king didn¡¯t look convinced.


    ¡°Yes, I trust her.¡± Robert stiffened at the words, but he was sincere.


    Alektor let out a deep sigh and looked at his fellow clansmen and women, enjoying the successful mission in Visgo. ¡°Do you know the reason for this war?¡± he said, changing the subject. A servant came to the two men and held out two bowls of wine. Alektor took one and handed the other to Robert.


    Robert hesitated, looking at the Dae. ¡°Yes,¡± he finally said.


    ¡°I can see the doubt in your eyes, Reku. You don¡¯t need to hide it.¡± Alektor drank deeply from his bowl of wine. ¡°Freedom,¡± he said.


    ¡°Really,¡± Robert said, more sarcastically than he intended. Perhaps he had drunk too much wine. ¡°Freedom? This coming from a ¡®king¡¯? Sorry, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m convinced.¡±


    Alektor scoffed. ¡°Arrogance. Your words lack wisdom. Ideals and clans are more elaborate than what you can see, Reku.¡±


    ¡°I had to stop your warriors from murdering a couple hundred civilians, all because it was more convenient for them to complete the mission.¡± Robert caught himself, seeing the expression on Alektor¡¯s face. He drank half of his wine bowl in one gulp and pressed on. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to care about innocent people, so why should I even take your cause seriously?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Alektor said calmly. ¡°An easy solution to a problem that was the product of one of ¡®your¡¯ plans. I care for my people and would sacrifice theirs if it meant it would lead to the salvation of my own. That does not make me unmerciful or eager for slaughter. The Visgo chose a path, and we reacted. I mourn for their dead, but I feel more anger toward those who made their deaths possible.¡±


    Robert shook his head, having heard much of the same argument from Turak before.


    ¡°Hearing words are meaningless to your people, it seems,¡± Alektor continued. ¡°You must see.¡±


    ¡°What else do I need to see?¡± Robert asked.


    ¡°The death.¡± Alektor¡¯s eyes grew distant. ¡°The suffering of my people at the hands of the Lokkadonians. How they are tortured and violated by them. They may have attempted to seduce you to their culture and ways of thinking, but they are all deceivers. Hypocrites, who feign piety by honoring the spirits, but turn around and forsake the Doulos for nothing more than the simple need to dominate those weaker than themselves.¡± He looked at Robert, seriousness on his face. ¡°You must see it, as a man of mercy, which I know you are. One of great compassion and love; you have to see it to believe it.¡±

 Chapter 45

    Daniel stared in astonishment at the mass of Lokkadonian warriors assembling outside of Vul De Rah from his vantage atop the main city gate. The call had gone out to the southern Lokkadonian provinces after Hego Agron declared his intentions to invade the Rexunii to the south, and every day, more and more warriors trickled in from the surrounding territories. There were many varieties of warriors, as well. There were the easily recognizable crimson-clad line troops he was all too familiar with, standing in straight and orderly lines or using their Dunamis to create tent-like shelters. There were the reserve contingents as well, who wore black and crimson striped cloaks. These were made up of regular citizens who possessed impressive Dunamis capabilities, and much like the reserve units of the US military back home, the Lokkadonian reservists would train with instructors several days out of the month. Then, there were the assorted mercenary war-groups, from many different clans, looking to make a hefty profit from the Torre¡¯ investors.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± a voice called from behind him. Daniel turned to see Boros, walking to stand next to him. He leaned his elbows on the bulwark and gazed for several moments. ¡°My brother is going off to lead warriors against the Rexunii for the second time,¡± he said. ¡°And I find myself thinking more and more, how I would do the same. I don¡¯t think I could.¡±


    Daniel nodded in understanding. ¡°It¡¯s always the same when you¡¯re put in command of warriors. You fantasize about being this great leader, then when you¡¯re wearing the chevrons, and shit hits the fan, you realize that it¡¯s a lot more than you bargained for.¡±


    ¡°Oros is a great Dae,¡± Boros continued. ¡°I have watched him all my life, always feeling like I had something to prove. When I finally was released as a squire and stood beside him as a peer, I thought that things would be different, but still, I felt like a fool in comparison. Like I was trying to catch the wind in my hands.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Daniel said, ¡°one day, when he¡¯s King of Lokkadonia, it¡¯s going to be up to you to fight his wars.¡±


    ¡°I wonder where we will truly be at that time.¡± Boros turned toward Daniel, leaning on one elbow now. ¡°That will surely be many years from now.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully, old, fat, and lazy.¡± Daniel chuckled.


    There were cheers down below as Oros walked through the developing camp. Thousands of warriors turned to greet and show their respects to the man.


    ¡°Mighty shoes to fill,¡± Boros said, gesturing down to the commotion.


    Daniel and Boros then made their way down from atop the wall and through the bustling encampment to where Oros had set up his headquarters, a large stone structure erected using the Dunamis. This was a COC to Daniel, or ¡®Command Operations Center.¡¯ It was a place that he had tried his best to avoid back home. It was where all the brass and staff NCOs congregated, and they were usually bored and looking for some poor hapless junior Marine to torment. Now, in this world, he strode toward it without even a thought of hesitation.


    Within, there were dozens of generals, junior officers, and clan leaders, all mingling and conversing with one another. They were distracted enough to let Daniel¡¯s and Boros¡¯ entrance go unnoticed.


    ¡°Brother!¡± Boros called when he saw Oros speaking with Avria near the center of the room. The two embraced, and Avria nodded toward him in greeting; she did not acknowledge Daniel¡¯s presence at all, and here he¡¯d thought she was warming up to him a bit.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be with father?¡± Oros asked, a handsome grin on his face. ¡°Snuck away, did you, to see your brother off?¡±


    Boros laughed but shook his head. ¡°No, father sent me to find you, actually. We have news from the other clans. It would seem the Visgo have decided to withhold any support for fear of retaliation. The Sabree have pledged their allegiance to us but have expressed that they are not yet ready to commit warriors. As it stands, we have been reinforced by the Baa¡¯Yega, Exous, and the Torre¡¯. Clan Volsung has denied any comment on the matter; they seem to be in league, perhaps, with the enemy.¡±


    Oros nodded. ¡°Well, we have more than double the number of warriors, even without any of the other clan¡¯s assistance. However, if the Volsung have joined the rebels, they pose a great threat to Exous and the Sabree. Try to establish more of what their intentions may be. I don¡¯t wish to march into another clan territory to quell another failed uprising.¡±


    Boros nodded and looked at Avria. ¡°Also, my father has asked that Lady Avria take over the training of both the human squires in your absence.¡±


    Avria glanced at Daniel and frowned. ¡°If that is what he wishes of me, I will, of course, obey,¡± she conceded.


    ¡°Try not to hurt him,¡± Oros said, still grinning. ¡°There is much I still need to teach him.¡±


    After the exchange, Daniel was sent back to the Ignos keep with Avria. The ward was silent for much of their walk. They were accompanied by a dozen or so guards, but this was essentially the first time Daniel had been alone with the Dae for any extended period of time.


    ¡°So,¡± he said, breaking the overbearing silence. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re stuck with each other for a little while before¡ª¡±


    ¡°You will not speak to me with the same familiarity you have with Kryo Oros,¡± she chided, not even taking the time to look back at Daniel. ¡°If you are going to be a squire of mine, you are going to change the disrespectful manner with which you speak. Whether it¡¯s for a day or until the end, I expect you to obey me and work on your lack of discipline.¡±


    Daniel held his words in his mouth, not seeking to further instigate any harsh response.


    ¡°Am I speaking to myself?¡± she asked.


    Still, he said nothing. God, this is going to be a long few weeks, he thought.


    She stopped abruptly and whirled toward him, her eyes burning brightly. She crossed her arms, blocking his path, and waited.


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    Daniel sighed and shook his head. ¡°Listen, I know you have your rules and regulations. I get that. Katrina was someone who hadn¡¯t known anything like this before; she came from a wealthy family and longed for adventure, yadda, yadda. I think you have probably found her pretty malleable. But for me? I¡¯m a stubborn asshole, and I respond only to other stubborn assholes who have earned my respect. So far, all I know about you is that you¡¯re entitled, annoying, extremely judgmental, and competitive as hell. So no, I am not going to do any of that crap you¡¯re making Kat do. She can sit here and drink the Kool-Aid all damn day, but if you try to force it with me, I¡¯ll make myself scarce. Now, if you want to do what Hego Agron asked you to do and help train me in your ways without this bullshit? I will be your best student, I¡¯ll listen to you and learn quickly, that I promise.¡±


    Avria fumed but seemed to be studying him with a bit more intrigue than she had before. Daniel could tell she was formulating a response, but he struck while the iron was hot.


    ¡°And you and I have to hash out this problem you¡¯ve had with me since I got here. I¡¯ve stayed out of your way and made a concerted effort to get on your good side. This can¡¯t still be about Delmos, can it?¡±


    ¡°My brother,¡± she said slowly, ¡°as I told you, many months ago, was squired under the greatest swordsman in all of Lokkadonia. He does not take many pupils and had taken a great liking to him. Then, you showed up, and he disgraced himself during the trial of Doxo.¡±


    ¡°So, what was I supposed to do?¡± Daniel interjected. ¡°Let him beat me? Let you burn me like your piece of shit king did to some innocent and scared human, who woke up in a world they didn¡¯t understand?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she said, angrily. ¡°But still, you ruined any chance he might have had at ascending higher than anything more than a mere general. I guided him, groomed him with my father to be something great, and in a moment, it was all taken away. So yes, whether by foolish pride or unmerited enmity, I hated you; I still do to some degree.¡±


    Daniel paused for a moment, realizing that he could not win an argument against someone who was antagonized regardless of knowing it was irrational. He struggled to find the words to continue.


    Seeing his words falter, Avria pressed on.


    ¡°Fine, I will agree to your demands, under several conditions, however.¡± She held out her hand with its index finger extended. ¡°First, you will show me ample respect while we are in front of Katrina. I don¡¯t want your fractious ways rubbing off on her.¡± She extended another finger, counting off. ¡°Second, you do not speak to me outside of training unless it is otherwise unavoidable.¡± She extended a third finger and narrowed her eyes. ¡°And third, never look at me like that again.¡± With that, she turned again and continued walking.


    ¡°Wait¡­ what?¡± he said, caught off guard. Look at her like what?


    ~


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see it?¡± Telmos asked Katrina, his eyes focused on his fine cloak. ¡°I¡¯m sure there is a stain of some kind! Look, it¡¯s slightly darker here.¡±


    Katrina held the piece of cloth up toward one of the floating spheres of light in his chamber. She strained her eyes and faintly saw an outline in his crimson cloak that seemed a slightly darker shade of crimson. ¡°Maybe?¡± she said, unsure of herself.


    ¡°It¡¯s all of these damned parties we¡¯ve been having lately. I keep telling Agron they are completely unnecessary, but still, he insists on having them.¡± Telmos stood from his chair and walked toward a large balcony attached to his room. ¡°These times of cheer and happiness will be coming to an end for many of us, you know? War is a bloody business, and I can only hope that we don¡¯t make the terrible mistake of treating this rebellion business like a minuscule problem. Descent in Eleutheros will be our downfall. We are perhaps one of the most powerful territories in all of Pelemont. But fractured as we are?¡± He shook his head. ¡°We would stand no chance against a full invasion from any eastern empire.¡±


    Katrina stifled a yawn but nodded her head. She enjoyed her time with Telmos, most of the time. But when he was like this, it was difficult to pay total attention.


    ¡°I have been meaning to ask you some things, Katrina,¡± he said, changing the subject. ¡°About the nature of your arrival here, and possible reasons as to why it might have occurred.¡±


    Katrina shrugged respectfully. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my Lord,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°But it is a mystery to all of us.¡±


    He found his way back to his seat and leaned forward. ¡°Tell me about your world, more this time. You were very vague about it the last time I asked.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± she started, remembering the life she had left behind against her will. ¡°¡­it was a different world from this one, by far. We had no Dunamis, but that you already knew. It was a world filled with conflict and division. We used machines to do amazing things, like travel and for entertainment. We could communicate with each other across long distances.¡± She strained, thinking of ways to explain these concepts to someone who had no idea about any of them. ¡°We had many different countries as well. We are all from a country called the United States of America.¡±


    ¡°My, that¡¯s a mouthful, isn¡¯t it?¡± he interjected.


    Katrina chuckled. ¡°I suppose. I thought it was flawed and all, but it was home. I¡¯m sure Daniel would have a better grasp of it than I would. He fought for it. Of course, his political opinions are probably different too, but I guess that doesn¡¯t mean a damn thing here.¡±


    Telmos thought for a while, just looking out of his balcony in deep contemplation. ¡°A different world,¡± he said to himself softly. ¡°I would like to see it one day.¡±


    Suddenly there was a knock at his door. Telmos invited whoever it was in, and the door opened to reveal a stern looking Avria.


    ¡°Father,¡± she said in greeting. ¡°Katrina?¡± She nodded to both of them.


    ¡°How is Oros, my dear?¡± Telmos asked, leaning back in his chair with a grin.


    Avria entered and went straight for Telmos¡¯ assortment of wine, set up on a small table.


    ¡°Anxious,¡± she said, pouring herself a bowl. ¡°Excited, how else would one react when going to war?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡± Telmos rubbed his chin. ¡°And you?¡±


    Avria sipped her wine thoughtfully. ¡°I wish Hego Agron would have allowed me to go as well. I can¡¯t help but worry about him.¡±


    ¡°It is perfectly normal to worry about those you love.¡± Telmos smiled. ¡°I have waited a long time to hear these words from you, my dear. But fret not over such things; Oros is a very powerful warrior. He has experience fighting the Rexunii already, and trust me when I say that this rabble to the south is nothing compared to how they were before. The Rexunii, who we fought in the last war, were ruthless and overbearing. It took all of Lokkadonia¡¯s might to bring them down. Now, they have a fraction of their old strength, none of their powerful warriors, and no allies.¡±


    Avria sipped again, narrowing her eyes at the thought. ¡°Then why would they go about everything so aggressively, with no regard for their current state? If Alektor is at as much of a disadvantage as you say, then why would he be so eager to destroy his own clan?¡±


    Telmos sighed. ¡°He¡¯s a¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because he¡¯s a fool. This is a man who, either by wit or sheer power, overwhelmed the old regime and took power. A man who conspired with the Torre¡¯ to bring House Ignos down. I do not believe for a moment that he is this much of a fool. We must have missed something.¡±


    ¡°Avria,¡± Telmos said, his voice now stern, ¡°Do not worry yourself. One cannot expect to explain things like this or to know the hearts of madmen. Alektor is young and na?ve. You can say what you will about his apparent cunning, but that will not give him the funding or the forces he needs to defeat Lokkadonia in a war, let alone with the support of the Torre¡¯.¡± He stood from his chair and placed his hands on Avria¡¯s shoulders, looking her in the eye. ¡°So rest easy, and take your squire somewhere nice.¡±


    She huffed, forcing a smile. ¡°I have more than one squire for now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Daniel. Oros¡¯ charge. Try to be gentle, my dear. He will soon be out of your way.¡±

 Chapter 46

    ¡°They march,¡± Alektor said, his eyes going over the report from his scouts and spies in Lokkadonia.


    ¡°This is sooner than expected, but still according to our plan,¡± Turak said, sitting across from him.


    Robert sat next to them, listening. They had spent the last several weeks in energetic preparation for the coming conflict. He said nothing, still not fully able to support the war effort against the clan that had formerly housed him and protected him from the dangers of this world. Alektor had told him that it was irrelevant to the true nature of their people.


    ¡°This is very aggressive, still.¡± the king rubbed his chin. ¡°I must have hit a nerve.¡± He smirked at the parchment and tossed it on the table.


    ¡°Why?¡± Robert asked. ¡°Why are they so eager to attack now?¡±


    ¡°Because they¡¯re afraid,¡± Turak pointed out, pouring a bowl of wine for himself. ¡°The Torre¡¯ know how much of a threat we can be, unshackled and angry, so they sic the Lokkadonians on us, like Mo¡¯ hounds.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, they have offered Hego Agron the throne if he is able to destroy us. He is sending his son, Oros, to fight in his stead,¡± Alektor said.


    ¡°Oros,¡± Robert whispered to himself, remembering the proud and friendly Dae, who defended him and his companion¡¯s lives against his own father.


    ¡°He¡¯s quite formidable.¡± Turak drank his wine, pausing to taste it. ¡°It was his army that crushed the Rexunii in the last war. He has no doubt gotten stronger since then. Some would say he could be the most powerful Dae in all of Eleutheros one day.¡±


    Alektor grunted, steepling his fingers before him. ¡°We will not underestimate him, his power has been tried and tested against Rexunii warriors before, but power is not everything.¡± He looked at Robert. ¡°We will need your help in this fight, Reku; your abilities could help us a great deal and save many lives.¡±


    Turak looked at him as well, his eyes hard but earnest. ¡°You no doubt spared the lives of both Visgo and Rexunii alike during our mission. And¡ª¡±


    ¡°What will you do, Alektor?¡± Robert asked frankly, cutting off Turak. ¡°What will you do with the innocent people of Eleutheros once you¡¯ve conquered everyone? Become some shitty tyrant? Retaliate against Lokkon by subjugating them? Don¡¯t become the thing you hate.¡±


    ¡°Reku,¡± Alektor said, ¡°the Lokkadonians must answer for their crimes against the Doulos, against my people. Their crimes are too heinous to overlook. The common people may not suffer too much, but the royalty must die. King Yomin being first among them, the Hegos as well. This includes the Ignos family.¡±


    ¡°What about my friends?¡± Robert clenched his teeth with the words. ¡°They are going to defend them. Your spies are saying that they are heavily involved in court politics there.¡±


    ¡°There are rumors that your former mate, Katrina, is being courted by Kryo Boros as well,¡± Turak chimed in.


    The words pierced Robert like an arrow. He looked at him, stunned for several moments. ¡°Boros,¡± he said to himself, fierce anger boiling within.


    ¡°Mere rumors, mind you,¡± Turak continued. ¡°But you never know with such things. Boros has to die, along with everyone else in House Ignos. They are too dangerous to keep around. You will have to convince her, somehow, to see reason.¡±


    Robert said nothing, but his eyes turned dark at the thought of Boros trying to court Katrina. ¡°They know I¡¯m alive, right?¡± he asked, a quiver of anger in his voice.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Turak said.


    Robert was silent again, and Alektor leaned forward to speak to him. ¡°One thing you must realize, Reku, is that we,¡± he gestured to Turak, ¡°have been here for you as well. Regardless of how it started out, you are here now and a member of my family. I told you before the significance of this, but you have to understand what it all means. I cannot win this war without you. They are coming here to fight us. We aren¡¯t some invading force, marching to pillage and rape our way across the Lokkadonian countryside. I stood up and declared that Rexun is free. I told them that I will no longer stand by as my people are subjugated and treated unfairly in their court. The Torre¡¯ offered to help us, promising many things, but when they were discovered, they changed sides.¡± He held his gaze, his yellow eyes burning with angry passion. ¡°The Torre¡¯ betrayed us, and that falls to me. I trusted them, listened to their promises of honey and wine, all for a chance to save my people. But when Dio¡¯Mar saved you from the pit and brought you back, I knew that it was for a reason.¡±


    Robert opened his mouth to speak but was cut off.


    ¡°The Lokkadonians serve the Torre¡¯. The Torre¡¯ are the Espi-Dae, and the Espi-Dae want you dead. How long do you think your friends will live under the protection of Lokkadonian rule before they are turned over? They abandoned you quickly enough after your supposed death.¡±


    ¡°Why, though?¡± Robert huffed. ¡°Why do they want me dead? Humans, I mean.¡±


    Turak interjected. ¡°Our spies indicate it was a response to a vision the High Espi-Dae had, supposedly granted by one of the Great Spirits. Something about a tattooed demon, who would come to bring destruction to not just Eleutheros, but to all of Pelemont. This was preceded by the arrival of, well, you humans. They were ordered to act immediately, to prevent this terrible future.¡±


    ¡°Lies, all of it,¡± Alektor said fiercely. ¡°The Espi-Dae are corrupt monsters now. Maybe several thousand years ago, they were the heralds of our salvation during the war with the spirits, but now? They are little more than decadent fools who hold on to their vices and perversions with riches, murder, and their puppet High King.¡±


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    Robert sighed, resting his face in his hands.


    ¡°Reku,¡± Alektor continued, ¡°they are coming for us now. I know I can beat them in the field. I am confident that I can defeat any warrior Lokkadonia has to offer, but they will send more and more until our warriors are dead under their heels. But with you, we can win.¡±


    ~


    Over the next few days, Robert found himself struggling deeply with the fact that he now had to choose a side. He heard the words of the king, thought his cause was just, yet couldn¡¯t help but remember the slack expression of Veol¡¯s face while Turak tossed his severed head to his feet. The image seemed to reappear when he least expected it.


    He lay on his large bed, staring up at the ceiling, each side clawing at his soul. He thought of Katrina, on the arm of some Dae creature. Boros¡­ that son of a bitch, he thought. He knew he had let her down before he left. He should have been stronger, more reliable. He then remembered Amynta, who had been so eager and energetic to learn about him and the spirits.


    ¡°You are thinking of her again¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said softly.


    Robert grunted in the affirmative. ¡°She¡¯s probably dead by now.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± she said, perking his interest. ¡°She still lives and has made quite the impact on the spirits there. She is no longer there however, she was rescued by your friend¡­ Daniel.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± he said, sitting up. ¡°How do you know this?¡±


    The little sprite of Dio¡¯Mar materialized before him, lounging on his pillow, her pale legs crossed. ¡°Robert¡­ I am not something that can be considered as¡­ limited as Dae¡­ or even your kind, for that matter¡­ I can move through this world with ease. I see many things¡­ She has spoken much of you¡­¡±


    ¡°When did Daniel find her? How did it happen?¡± he asked, excitedly. ¡°Dammit! I should have pressed harder to go earlier. And why didn¡¯t you tell me this before?¡±


    ¡°To be honest¡­ I wasn¡¯t looking. That¡­ and I wasn¡¯t confident, at the time, that I could mask my presence to the more¡­ powerful spirits who reside there¡­ recently though¡­ I have seen much there.¡± Dio¡¯Mar floated up in front of him, her black smoke billowing around her. ¡°As for when Daniel rescued her? When you were first captured. Daniel attempted to rescue you¡­ fighting his way into Rexun even¡­ Until he heard of your supposed death. But¡­ Alektor is correct¡­ Robert¡­ The Lokkadonians will eventually be forced to hand over Daniel and Katrina both¡­ They fear them too much. If Rexun falls any hope you have of keeping them alive¡­ and returning home together will be gone¡­ Not just in the event of your capture¡­ but of yours and their inevitable return to the hands of the Espi¡­ Dae¡­¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± he said angrily, more to himself than to her. ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡±


    There was a sudden burst of resolve that took him, and he sat up straight. He had contemplated too long about what to do. He needed to make a decision. His thoughts turned to Katrina. No, I need to get back to them, he thought. His mind was made up he would make his way back to Lokkadonia, and either convince the Lokkadonians to pull back, or find a way to take Kat and Daniel out of there. He knew the time for thinking was over; now he had to go.


    ¡°I could go back to Lokkadonia, to Katrina and Daniel,¡± he said. ¡°If they really are both in danger from the Espi-Dae, I can¡¯t just sit here and do nothing.¡±


    ¡°Now, why would you do that?¡± Dio¡¯Mar asked, floating around him. ¡°First¡­ those people¡­ are not worthy of you. Second¡­ Rexun will fall without you¡­ Robert. Everyone here will suffer the same fate as those poor wretched slaves you saw in the streets of Vul De Rah¡­¡±


    ¡°How? How the hell do you know about that? About any of this?¡± Robert asked. ¡°You weren¡¯t even freed from the pit back then, or when Daniel came to rescue me. You know what? It doesn¡¯t matter. I need to pack. I can¡¯t waste any more time.¡±


    ¡°If you were planning on leaving all this time¡­ then why stay at all? Alektor has treated you well¡­ given you his name¡­ made you a person of importance here,¡± she asked, her small form buzzing with what Robert guessed was irritation. ¡°We can go and retrieve them¡­ bring them here and defend against the coming onslaught¡­ after we have accomplished our obligation¡­ we can further explore how¡­ to get you home.¡±


    ¡°No, Dio¡­ I am not going to wait for this to end.¡± Robert shook his head, anxiety building in him. ¡°I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯ll survive this war. The best thing for me to do is make a break for it now. I couldn¡¯t before because I was afraid that he would stop me by force, but now¡­ now he can¡¯t stop me. I could slip out of this entire city completely unnoticed. And there isn¡¯t a damn thing they could do about it.¡±


    ¡°Robert¡­ leaving now would doom these people. They will need your help to win this war¡­ I have seen what the Lokkadonians do to their Doulos¡­ it is something that would cause any with a conscience to pause. You¡¯re better than this¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s image began to grow until she stood face to face with him, her eyeless face, stoic and unmoving, but somehow bristling with emotion. She was passionate about this, for some reason.


    ¡°These people captured and tortured me,¡± Robert said, the memory of his ordeal creeping back like a weed.


    ¡°No¡­ the very same people who now march on this kingdom¡­ they are the ones who did that to you¡­ I am the patron spirit of Rexun¡­ and I will not leave them.¡±


    Robert looked to the ground, his mind a mess of thoughts and feelings. ¡°You said you would help me return home. You swore to me that you would do that if I helped you out of your prison. Well, you¡¯re out now, and I need to get back to my friends. Rexun survived without you for thousands of years¡­ what¡¯s a few more days?¡±


    Dio¡¯Mar was silent for several tedious moments until she finally nodded her head. ¡°I will follow you, Robert¡­ I will help you escape¡­ but I know you will never forgive yourself for this¡­ that woman, those people¡­ they are remnants of your past now, irrelevant splinters. Relics of a time when you were weak and powerless¡­ here, you are a Prince and a man of strength¡­ if you are looking to revert yourself back to who you were¡­ then so be it¡­¡±


    ~


    Robert grabbed his cloak and packed a large bag of supplies. He was going to leave before he had a chance to change his mind. He left his room at a half run, his heart beating in his chest like a bass drum. He smiled, passing guards and nobles in the halls who looked at him curiously.


    ¡°My Prince?¡± a familiar female voice called from in front of him. His eyes met with the dynamic green ones of Demessa, who looked at him in confusion. ¡°Where are you off to?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I, uh¡­¡± he stuttered, trying to think of an excuse, ¡°¡­I need to leave the city; there are, uh¡­ some very dangerous abilities Dio¡¯Mar is trying to show me. It could help change the course of the war!¡± He spit the words out in a jumble, he never was a good liar, but her curious look turned into one of understanding.


    ¡°Yes, of course. Would you like me to accompany you? I have been instructed to look after you, after all.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous, and I don¡¯t want to accidentally hurt you. You know how it is. Besides, Dio¡¯Mar is with me. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    This time Demessa raised an eyebrow at the stuttering words and erratic behavior of Robert. ¡°My Kryo, are you well?¡± Her eyes glanced to the large bag he had on his shoulders, and he saw her expression change as the pieces started to come together. ¡°How long will you be gone, Prince Reku?¡±


    Robert¡¯s eyes glazed slightly, and she opened her mouth to speak again. This time, her face was stern. Robert cut her off before she could.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ Demessa. Goodbye,¡± he said as he disappeared before her eyes.

 Chapter 47

    Alektor closed his eyes and rubbed at his aching brow. Hours of meetings and staring at maps and charts had taken its toll on him, but still, he had a long line of representatives and politicians waiting outside his chambers to meet with him. He sighed heavily and looked at several tomes that were stacked on his desk. They were bound in tattered leather, but still clearly very high quality. He rested his hand on them, remembering his father¡¯s words when they were gifted by him. He closed his eyes and immersed himself in that moment again. Using the memory to calm his frayed nerves.


    Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door and some commotion outside. His eyes opened to find he was still in his chambers, and he growled for whoever it was who disturbed his thoughts to enter. The door slid open, and Demessa approached and bowed her head.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I fear there is something very wrong with Prince Reku,¡± she blurted out before Alektor had a chance to complain about her intrusion.


    Alektor¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he sat up in his chair. ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°I saw him in the hall, not too long ago. He was carrying a large bag and seemed to be very flustered. Before I could confront him, he¡­ he disappeared. I do not want to believe that he would abandon us, but I felt I should speak to you directly.¡±


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    Numbness followed the news, and he knew that his worst fears were coming to fruition. The one true advantage he possessed in the coming war was now on its way to his enemy. A pang of doubt battered him, and a familiar emptiness grew in the pit of his stomach.


    ¡°Let him go,¡± he said, after several moments, no sign of his inner turmoil in his voice. He waved his hand dismissively at her, and she turned to leave.


    ¡°Oh, and Demessa,¡± Alektor called, stopping her in mid-stride. ¡°Do not let Turak pursue him. We will find our own way.¡±


    ~


    ¡°Like hell!¡± Turak raged. ¡°I will not accept this betrayal!¡±


    ¡°My Lord, King Alektor, explicitly requested that we refrain from following him. This is¡ª¡± Demessa was cut off by a bag of gear being thrown at her.


    ¡°Damn him for his inaction. This is not just a tactical disaster; it is treachery of the highest order! He would choose these humans over us now? After all this time? After all we have done for him?¡±


    ¡°My Lord,¡± Demessa continued. ¡°With all due respect, we don¡¯t even know where he¡¯s going. He didn¡¯t really say much in that regard. We will be running off, blind, and against the king¡¯s orders.¡±


    Turak scoffed. ¡°You have little faith in me Demessa, I¡¯m wounded by this.¡± He looked at her, true fury in his eyes. He seemed to be taking this quite personally. ¡°I have my own ways of finding him. He thinks he is undetectable with these new powers, but he can be seen. His illusions do have weaknesses. Only to those who know what to look for.¡±


    ¡°There really isn¡¯t much to find,¡± Demessa said, curious. ¡°Not even a shimmer in the air.¡±


    Turak finished assembling his gear and walked next to her. Placing his hand on her shoulder, he sighed. ¡°We aren¡¯t looking for him with our eyes.¡±

 Chapter 48

    Robert poked at his small campfire with a stick, losing his thoughts in the bright, dancing flames. He had been traveling virtually alone for countless hours now, keeping himself hidden for most of the time. Dio¡¯Mar was there but said very little to him since their first discussion on his somewhat recklessly planned escape from Rexun. He knew she wouldn¡¯t understand; she lived here. Robert had thought about going home every day since his arrival. And though he had become fascinated with the powers and people of Pelemont, he longed for the normalcy of his old life.


    ¡°How far?¡± he asked, casually drinking water from a canteen around his waist.


    ¡°Another day¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said, her voice tiny and small.


    Robert nodded, refusing to continue the conversation further. He began to open his pack to pull out his blankets for sleep but paused when he saw the form of Dio¡¯Mar appear before him, looking to the north.


    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, pausing as he grew stiff with the tension.


    ¡°Something¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°Something terrible is happening there¡­¡±


    Robert looked in the direction of her intrigue, standing to get a better view. ¡°What? What¡¯s happening?¡±


    Her small form turned to face him. ¡°It is none of your concern¡­ human.¡± Her voice was still small, but there was no small amount of rancor present.


    The words stung Robert, and he recoiled a bit.


    ¡°I must go stop this¡­¡± she continued.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Robert stood in front of her. Not as though it would have stopped a spirit in the first place, but it got his point across. ¡°Tell me what¡¯s happening. Maybe I can help.¡±


    She stared, eyeless at him for several long moments. ¡°A Rexunii village is being raided by Lokkadonian scouts¡­ their main force is close behind, but there is still time¡­ you can do what you will¡­ but I must save my people¡­¡±


    There was a chorus of distant shrieks that could now be heard over the valley. The sun was on its way down, but this would be a bad place to be either way. It must have just started, he thought. Robert looked at his deformed hand again, clenching it in frustration. God damn it, you lose your shit in Visgo when they almost kill innocent civilians, but you want to leave these people to die helplessly? His mind raced at the terrible choices before him. ¡°What kind of a man am I?¡± he said out loud, mostly to himself.


    ¡°I hope¡­ not a selfish coward¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said, zipping toward the sound of screams and terror.


    ~


    Robert wheezed as he raced behind the spirit, after his introduction to the spiritual energy in this world. He, along with his companions, had experienced great changes within their own bodies. One of these changes was a modest increase in strength, coordination, and overall endurance. Even with these advantages, Robert still found himself struggling to keep up. He could smell it now, scorched buildings and the stinging invasive stench of burning flesh. He had been running for twenty minutes or so but couldn¡¯t seem to see anything.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Dio¡¯Mar shouted.


    Robert skidded to a halt before a vertical drop, masked by waist-high grass that he had been running through. A hundred feet below him was a small village, probably home to a few hundred, burning and ravaged by large pillars of stone that jutted out at unnatural angles. There were dozens of bodies strewn about the winding roads, and still, there were moans and screams, many of them women by the sounds.


    Cursing himself, Robert leaped off the drop, using his Dunamis to glide him safely down to the chaotic mess. Black wind billowed around him, and Dio¡¯Mar floated beside him, her thin, usually unmoving mouth, twisted in a clear grimace.


    He slowly worked his way across the mounds of death, working his way to where he heard the last gasps of life of this village, pleading and begging for mercy.


    Robert leaned against the edge of one of the stone dwellings that bordered the village center. Within, he saw a dozen crimson-clad warriors systematically killing the few remaining villagers. They shouted obscenities and taunted them while they acted their bloody work, one by one, as though they had all the time in the world.


    Further to the right of the killing, Robert¡¯s heart sank at the sight of several younger Dae girls being ravaged by warriors. ¡°These fucking bastards,¡± he said aloud. ¡°I¡¯ll kill them!¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said, putting her hand on his chest. As she spoke, her form began to grow again. ¡°They would kill you¡­ Robert¡­ your powers are different, and could affect the course of a large battle¡­ but even one of these warriors could kill you¡­¡±


    ¡°What do we do then!? I can¡¯t let them do this and just stand around doing nothing!¡± he shouted, causing several of the warriors to look in his direction.


    ¡°You¡­ have little faith¡­ I am an ancient spirit of this world¡­¡± She turned from him and screamed, in a voice that was so dark and vile, it caused him to fall to the blood-soaked mud below, heaving violently.


    ¡°Holy¡­ ack¡­ fucking shit¡­¡± he hacked. Robert looked up through watering eyes to see a monster before him. Not the benign little form of his closest companion here, but a forty-foot monster, with black tentacles and spikes that seemed to split her skin in every surface of her gruesome body. She let out another shriek, and this time, Robert did vomit from its sound. Her small mouth was now a deathly maw, filled with razor-sharp teeth, and black smoke seemed to seep from it.


    The Lokkadonian warriors stood, stunned and in terror. Some bent over, puking much like Robert had, but most had managed to stay on their feet.


    ¡°You¡­¡± the vile voice of Dio¡¯Mar bellowed. ¡°¡­have come here¡­ to commit these crimes¡­ against the people of Rexun¡­ now¡­ you will find death¡­¡±


    Before Robert could regain his composure, he felt the heat of several blasts of flame slam into Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s monstrous form. She lunged forward at the warriors in the square, seemingly unphased by the attacks. The ground rumbled and screamed as large spikes of earth shot from the ground at her, bolts of lightning, blasts of fire, and blades of water all began bombarding her at once. She slid a large, spiked hand toward two warriors at near blinding speed, skewering one of them and smashing the other into a wall. The warrior stuck on her spike was a woman, who screamed in gruesome agony as she was flung into one of the burning structures around them.


    There were shouts of panic and surprise from the confused Lokkadonian warriors as Dio¡¯Mar struck with blinding speed and accuracy. Robert¡¯s vision was blurred from some power she was emitting, but still managed to gawk at the sheer power of the ancient spirit. She was horrifying in her appearance, and he knew deep down that this was the closest thing he had seen to Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s true form.


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    Heated air blasted him onto his back as two of the warriors combined their powers to attack her. One used fire, creating a pillar that stretched into the air, and another used their Dunamis to form a gale of wind that fed and spilled the flames over to her. Despite their efforts, Dio¡¯Mar seemed completely unfazed by the attacks that struck her, only turning her grotesque face to them, screaming another terrible, gut-wrenching scream, and lunging to attack.


    Robert heaved again, dryly, dragging himself across the bloodied mud. What the hell is this power? he thought. Getting up on his knees, he gasped for air, choking on the thick and smokey fumes that invaded his lungs.


    ¡°To the side!¡± a Lokkadonian warrior shouted to his left, hugging the building for cover but still attempting to command the battle. ¡°Get your asses out of there!¡± He ducked as a massive, spiked hand crashed through the stone structure he was hiding behind, cleaving the top of it off and crumbling its remains to the mud below. He grunted as he leaped to the side, dodging the rubble that fell heavily around him. The sight brought unbridled rage to Robert¡¯s mind. These Lokkadonians had raped and murdered the poor people of this village, for no other reason than that they were of a different clan. There was a moment in his mind that froze with the sudden realization that this small event could represent the potential future of all Rexun. For Alektor and his court, for Turak, for Demessa¡­


    ¡°Dio¡¯Mar¡­¡± he croaked. The spirit paid no heed to his words, only continued her bloody work in dispatching the warriors, one by one. ¡°Dio!¡± he yelled this time, still in vain.


    A Dae woman screamed as she was torn clear in half, spilling blood and flesh on her companions below. Dio¡¯Mar roared again, splitting the night with her voice, and finally, Robert saw the uncertainty of the warriors set in. Her hideous form bent and writhed with each attack, causing a scream of agony and spraying blood. Soon, the apparent commander of the remaining warriors called for retreat. They all began to run from the fighting, using their various powers to leap or move quickly to the north of the village.


    Dio¡¯Mar heaved herself upright and looked at the fleeing warriors growing smaller in the distance. She cocked her head as if amused at their feeble attempt to escape her wrath. A massive hand rose toward the backs of the Lokkadonians, and a gigantic burst of black energy exploded from it, sending shockwaves throughout the village and launching a glowing projectile toward the fleeing formation. It struck the center, and a blinding flash of light erupted, followed by an atrocious explosion.


    Robert stared in horror at the display of sheer destructive power the little spirit had made. He had only glimpsed her true face once, while in his trance-like state at the bottom of the pit, but it terrified him then; now Robert wiped dripping sweat from his eyes and blinked at where Dio¡¯Mar had been a moment before; she was gone. Robert began to look around the ruined village, seeing only rubble and corpses strewn about. Where? he thought.


    ¡°Here¡­¡± a small voice called from beside him.


    Robert spun toward her, startled at the close proximity of her form. ¡°Dio,¡± he said, eyes unfocused. ¡°What¡­ what the hell was all that?¡± He clasped his hands together, trying to keep them from shaking. ¡°You killed all of them.¡±


    ¡°Did they not deserve their fate?¡± She floated to a small clearing and pointed to a group of twenty or so survivors from the village, all huddled together in a stone dwelling. Some were male, but the majority were female, many looking like they had been the victim of sexual abuses.


    ¡°My God,¡± Robert said, his senses clearing a bit more. ¡°How did they get here? The fighting was so intense.¡±


    Dio¡¯Mar turned to him and buzzed with exhaustion. ¡°I was able to guide them here with a portion of my consciousness¡­ I am only dangerous to those who I wish to be, Robert¡­ I would not bring such fury down on the perpetrators of these terrible crimes, and then kill those I wished to avenge¡­¡±


    Her small mouth curled into a smile, and she floated to rest on his shoulder. ¡°I am still not at full strength, Robert¡­ I must recuperate¡­ also¡­ it would seem that you have been followed.¡±


    ~


    Turak walked his Cro¡¯kan through the blood-soaked mud of the village. Anger boiled in his chest like heated oil, and he seethed with every beat of his heart. No one in his party of eight said a word as they followed, but he could tell they felt similarly. Passing the corpses of Rexunii citizens, hacked and mutilated by the various Dunamis elements, his anger began to peel off into immense sadness. Then, as they continued, they reached the town center; it looked as though two giants had a fight to the death within it.


    ¡°What in all the great spirit¡¯s names happened here?¡± Demessa asked, fear striking her features.


    Turak said nothing. He couldn¡¯t. Did the Lokkadonians do this? he thought, fear creeping into his mind as well. The idea that this could have been caused by one of their warriors was terrifying. Suddenly he saw the tattered scarlet of a Lokkadonian cloak stamped into the mud, blue blood staining it. He halted his mount and held his arm up to stop the rest of his party.


    There were several moments of shock as he took the time to examine the rest of the battlefield. There were many dead Lokkadonian warriors but killed in the most horrific ways possible. They were torn, crushed, eaten, and eviscerated. Innards and blood littered the area, and confusion set in.


    ¡°What could have done this, my Lord?¡± one of his warriors asked, his voice cracking slightly.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Turak said, swallowing hard, ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Turak!¡± a familiar voice called from his right. Turak turned to see Prince Reku walking from between two shattered structures. He was holding a wounded Dae child in his arms and led what looked like two dozen, who trailed behind him, shaken and silent.


    ¡°Prince Reku?¡± Demessa asked cautiously.


    Robert walked up to the mounted warriors, his grey cloak stained with ash, Dae blood, and some other questionable blotches. ¡°These people need help,¡± he said.


    ¡°Reku,¡± Turak said, ¡°what happened here? It has been completely destroyed. Did¡­¡± He paused at the question. ¡°Did you do this?¡±


    Robert shook his head and let out a long breath. ¡°It was Dio¡¯Mar¡­ She lost it when she saw what the Lokkadonians were doing here.¡± He paused, as if lost in the memory. ¡°She killed them all¡­ every one of them.¡±


    Turak reeled back at the news. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ impossible¡­ this doesn¡¯t happen here in Eleutheros. Spirits slaughtering villages is¡­ it just doesn¡¯t happen here. Vohnavix maybe, but here.¡±


    ~


    ¡°I saw it with my own eyes, Turak.¡± Robert placed the child in the saddle in front of Turak. ¡°You really think a Dae warrior could do something like this?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar whispered in his mind. ¡°There are some who can¡­¡±


    The words made Robert flinch, and he looked back at the surviving civilians. They wept and grabbed at him, thanking him for their salvation. The gratitude was somewhat unwarranted, as he had nothing to do with it. Seeing the pain in their eyes, however, he knew that he could not leave them. Why save these few if I will leave them to die anyway? The thought tormented him, but he decided the moment he saw the bodies on the ground.


    ¡°Why did you leave?¡± Demessa asked, an intense fury in her eyes. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    Robert looked at her, with more resolve and determination than he had ever felt since he had come to this terrible and wonderful world, and spoke. ¡°I needed to see for myself why I was fighting. If I was throwing in with the right side.¡± He glanced again at the survivors. ¡°I know now that I am.¡±


    ~


    Alektor massaged his brow again, his headache had been much more irritating than usual, but now it was damn near unbearable. The stress he had felt after the sudden disappearance of Robert had caused him to formulate new defensive strategies, but here he was, back in his palace with renewed resolve.


    ¡°You gave us quite a scare,¡± Alektor said, doing his best to remain calm.


    ¡°You said I needed to see it for myself¡­¡± Robert looked at his feet, acting visibly embarrassed by the whole situation. ¡°I did, and I wanted to do it alone. No outside influence.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°So? What did you discover?¡±


    Robert licked his lips. ¡°Well, for starters, spirits are extremely powerful, and we shouldn¡¯t fuck with them.¡±


    Alektor nodded.


    ¡°And that if I sit around and do nothing when those bastards get here, I don¡¯t think I would ever be able to forgive myself.¡± Robert looked to Turak, who still looked a bit distant after returning. ¡°They were killing everyone. Men, children. And raping the surviving women; I have never seen anything like that before in my life.¡±


    ¡°So now you see.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°Now you see the level of character these monsters have. The light in which they see our people. In our borders, we are villains. In theirs, we are slaves. Now they come here to visit their wrath upon us.¡± He stood from his chair and slammed an angry fist on the stone table. ¡°They will find death here! In my land, we will churn their warriors into pulp and spit them back out. I don¡¯t care how many they send!¡± He pointed his finger at Robert and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you with us, Reku? Can we count on you in this coming battle?¡±


    Robert swallowed hard, thinking of the companions he once called his friend and lover. He thought of Amynta, who was safe in her forest, studying the ways of the Spirits and more. Then, in a moment, they disappeared into the void of memory, and he said to Alektor, with absolute conviction, ¡°Yes.¡±

 Chapter 49

    Daniel groaned as he brought his crimson officers¡¯ cloak over his shoulders, feeling the terrible bruises and pain that were the result of a full week¡¯s training with Avria. The troublesome woman had been harsh with him after the temporary transfer of responsibility from Oros, and she did little to hide any contempt she may have had.


    ¡°Let me,¡± Rin said, helping him in his struggle.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daniel said awkwardly. He had been doing his best to cope with the fact that he now had a servant, but still, he found it very difficult.


    Daniel adjusted his belt and blade that now hung at his side and looked at Rin. ¡°So? How do I look?¡±


    ¡°Like a general, my Lord,¡± she said, bowing her head.


    ¡°I told you to call me Daniel.¡±


    ¡°But you are an officer in the Lokkadonian military and the squire under the Kryo of all Vul De Rah. How can I not show you the utmost respect? My Lord.¡±


    Daniel sighed. ¡°Ok, well sir maybe, but I sure as hell am not a ¡®Lord,¡¯ you can trust me on that one.¡±


    Rin smiled but continued to straighten his cloak, tightening the straps across his shoulders and smoothing wrinkles. ¡°It is all about perspective, I suppose. From where you stand, there are none here who you would truly call your equal. Well, perhaps Lady Katrina, but everyone here, whether royalty or spirit, pay you a respect that is not common in this land. So, I believe you may not be able to understand. From my perspective,¡± she bent down to pick up Daniel¡¯s small satchel of daily supplies and put it over his head and across his chest, ¡°I am a Doulos, and I have many betters. So someone like you, who has shown me more kindness than I have ever received, more than I knew was even possible in this cruel world, deserves to be called Lord. You are probably the only man here who truly deserves the title. So yes, my Lord, you sure as ¡®hell¡¯ are one.¡±


    Daniel contemplated her words. He never was good at taking compliments. Usually, he would smile and say thank you, back home at least, and that was hard enough.


    ¡°Well,¡± he said before being interrupted by his door swinging open, revealing a clean and very imperious looking Delmos.


    ¡°By the spirits, I miss this!¡± he shouted boisterously. ¡°Here I am, living in the officers¡¯ quarters, and you are living in the palace. Life just isn¡¯t fair, my friend.¡± Delmos smiled a toothy grin and looked to Rin. ¡°Servant, get us some wine. And make it quick, I¡¯m terribly parched. I haven¡¯t been drunk in hours! Ridiculous, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Delmos,¡± Daniel said, unable to keep a smile of his own from crawling across his face.


    Rin bowed and hurried to a small table that had a large pitcher of wine and several very fine-looking bowls.


    The two men embraced, and Delmos took it upon himself to lay down on a couch facing Daniel¡¯s balcony. ¡°So, how¡¯s my sister treating you? Harshly, I hope. I can¡¯t bear the thought of you living like this and not being absolutely miserable.¡±


    ¡°You would.¡± Daniel sat across from him on a chair. ¡°Aren¡¯t warriors like you supposed to ask for permission to come see important people like myself? I need a letter, at least a week in advance.¡±


    Delmos barked a laugh. ¡°My dear Dan, don¡¯t you remember what I said about knowing people? Everyone likes me too, so that¡¯s a plus.¡± He looked over his shoulder. ¡°Girl! Wine! I¡¯m dying here!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Delmos, good lord,¡± Daniel said, glancing over at Rin, who hurried to give Delmos one of the bowls of wine she balanced in her hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s so strange to see you with a Doulos, Dan,¡± Delmos said, taking a long drink. ¡°You always seemed to have something to say about it. I never thought Oros would get you to keep one.¡± He sat up, suddenly changing his expression. ¡°Have you finally done it?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Daniel said sharply.


    ¡°What? No? You mean to tell me you¡¯re still a virgin? Dan, I¡­ this is just unbelievable to me. You have a Doulos here, who obeys your every command, and you have done nothing¡ª¡±


    ¡°Delmos, I¡¯m not a virgin. How many times do I have to tell you?¡± Daniel shook his head in frustration.


    ¡°Oh? You have not slept with a Dae girl yet. So, to me, you¡¯re a virgin. Human girls don¡¯t count. My world, my rules.¡± Delmos crossed his arms smugly. ¡°So.¡± He looked at Rin. ¡°Is he telling the truth?¡±


    Rin lowered her eyes and nodded. ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡±


    Daniel cringed at the exchange and stood to face her. ¡°Rin, can you go to the market and bring some food back for me?¡± He handed her his royal squire¡¯s seal. ¡°Take this with you. They will know that you¡¯re there on my behalf and will give you all the supplies you ask them for.¡±


    She nodded and smiled. ¡°Of course, my Lord. I will be back shortly.¡± Taking the seal, she donned a cloak of her own and strode out the door, holding a large basket in her hands.


    ¡°My, my,¡± Delmos said after the guards outside closed the door. ¡°You are serious, aren¡¯t you? You are trying to treat that Doulos like a normal Dae?¡±


    ¡°You see,¡± Daniel turned to him, his expression serious, ¡°where I¡¯m from, we don¡¯t have slaves anymore. And frankly, I find the practice to be disgusting.¡±


    ¡°Dan, I¡¯m not going to sit here all day and argue the reasons we do what we do, but I can say this at least. The Rexunii were a terrible and savage group of people who warred and killed for hundreds of years. Their clan would enslave and burn whole cities, clans, houses! It didn¡¯t stop until the Lokkadonian houses stood up and fought back. We used our military might and tactical prowess to kill their king and push them to the south. Any who remained here were given the same treatment they gave others. They were made into second-class citizens, forced to work against their will, and if you ask for my opinion, which I know you will, they haven¡¯t yet suffered enough. Lokkon used to be a part of Rexun. Now we are our own clan, stronger and more sophisticated. And soon, all of Rexun will be under our control. They won¡¯t stand a chance. My soon-to-be brother-in-law will see to that.¡±


    ¡°Do the Rexunii have slaves?¡± Daniel asked.


    Delmos sighed and drank from his bowl of wine again. ¡°No, but they used to. I can assure you that the only reason that is, is because we have kept them in check for so many years. If Lokkadonia had left them to their ways, they would have conquered all of Eleutheros by now.¡±


    Daniel still shook his head but did not press the issue further. At the end of the day, this was not his world, and it was the way it was. What power does one man have to change it? What right would he have, as an outsider, to judge them?


    ¡°Never mind this ridiculousness,¡± Delmos said, standing. ¡°I came here to see my friend, not argue about politics. I promise I will leave your Doulos girl alone; you have my word. Besides, if I¡¯m serious for more than a few minutes, I get physically ill, so let¡¯s try to move on to more positive things.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Daniel said.


    ~


    The two left the palace and proceeded to go to the Regios estate, where Katrina and Avria were performing a strange exercise in the training area. Normally, this would have been an unremarkable spectacle. Daniel had seen them training together countless times now. However, this time, they were wearing only cloth wraps around their chest and a very fine towel tied around their waists. The two were locked in a battle stance with their arms outstretched and their eyes closed. Sweat beaded down their bare skin while they concentrated on some unseen force.


    The sight shocked Daniel, to the point where he stopped mid-stride and stared.


    ¡°By the spirits!¡± Delmos called in horror. ¡°Avria! Put some damn clothes on! What¡¯s wrong with you!¡± He turned to Daniel, who did his best the hide his expression. ¡°Can you believe these women? And getting poor Katrina to join you as well!¡±


    Avria¡¯s eyes opened, and her brow furrowed in pure displeasure. ¡°Delmos, would you please be quiet? Your obnoxious voice makes it extremely hard to concentrate,¡± she growled. Her eyes turned to Daniel, and though it looked as though it wasn¡¯t possible, her frown deepened. ¡°Daniel, I told you to spend today with commander Glause. What are you doing here?¡± She stood up, out of her battle stance, and put her hands on her shapely hips. The sight brought Daniel¡¯s heart to rest in his throat, and he gulped it back down.


    ¡°Sorry about that, Avria. I uh¡­ guess I forgot.¡± He said, cold sweat dripping down his back.


    ¡°Are you¡­?¡± Delmos said, his face disgusted. ¡°Are you looking at my sister!?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Daniel said. ¡°Come on.¡± He turned and headed over to the Proistem headquarters.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± Avria called, causing him to turn back around. ¡°I suppose since you¡¯re here, you could help us with something. Katrina!¡± She turned toward her, and she stood somewhat sheepishly behind her. ¡°Why are you hiding?¡± Finally, she saw her covering herself as best she could with her hands, and Avria uncharacteristically blushed a hot blue. ¡°I¡¯m surrounded by fools. Get in there and put some clothes on.¡± She turned to meet Daniel¡¯s eyes, ¡°And you! Wait here until we get back.¡±


    ¡°Of¡­ of course.¡± He said, clearing his throat.


    ¡°Betrayal,¡± Delmos said dramatically.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Daniel huffed.


    ~


    The two waited for some time as Avria and Katrina bathed and donned more appropriate attire. During this time, Delmos managed to make no less than a hundred comments, jabs, jokes, and jibes about Daniel and his apparently disgusting and obvious gawk at his sister. It seemed like a hundred, at least, to Daniel. Still, he took it in stride; he¡¯d not even attempted to hide the fact that he did check her out. He had never seen Avria in such a state, and though she had a hard and deplorable attitude, she was a beautiful woman. Woman? Daniel thought, catching the use of the word in his mind. Was he thinking of Dae females as women now? It had been a while, after all. He shook the thought from his mind and tuned in to Delmos¡¯ continuous banter.


    ¡°I mean, seriously, does she want us to sit here all day? I have things to do, people to meet, girls to woo. My sister has a tendency to give orders to people first and think very little about how it could affect their schedules,¡± he scoffed. ¡°Typical.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Daniel said unenthusiastically. ¡°I know what type of person she is.¡±


    ¡°Do you?¡± Delmos asked, unfamiliar seriousness entering his voice. ¡°She is a terror to those who she doesn¡¯t seem to like. And you, my friend, are high on that list; trust me. I saw her several days ago, we had dinner, and by the spirits! She hates you. Whew! Don¡¯t let it affect you, though; I rather prefer it that way. Avria and I never really mixed friends much.¡±


    Daniel grunted. ¡°I don¡¯t care how she feels about me. There are a whole lot more problems going on than Avria¡¯s feelings.¡±


    ¡°Dan,¡± Delmos said, putting his hand on his shoulder. ¡°Tell me, please. In all seriousness¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°Were you¡­ admiring my sister, in that way?¡±


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    Daniel shook his head. ¡°You just don¡¯t give up, do you? No, Delmos. The answer to your question, for the fiftieth time, is no.¡±


    ¡°I thought you said hundredth?¡± he shot back.


    Footsteps on the sand broke the conversation, and the two men looked up to see Avria and Katrina approaching. They wore fine training leathers, with their weapons at their hips.


    ¡°Finally!¡± Delmos exclaimed. ¡°Did you have to take an hour to bathe? It takes me five minutes.¡±


    Avria ignored her brother and crossed her arms when she stood in front of Daniel.


    ¡°I want to sate a curiosity I have,¡± she said, gesturing to Katrina. ¡°We have been discussing some of the differences between you humans and the Dae, and some theories have formed. One of them is potentially dangerous, and I would like you to try it for me.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Daniel said, annoyance in his voice. ¡°Why the hell would I do that? Are you a scientist now or something?¡±


    ¡°Dan, this could be interesting. Trust me,¡± Katrina said.


    He furrowed his brow and looked at Avria again. ¡°Well, what is it?¡±


    ¡°What we were doing when you rudely interrupted us. It is a type of meditation, but very few Dae of my level are able to achieve it easily,¡± Avria explained. ¡°It is called Dunum Dae Espae, and in words that you might understand, it is the area within a different plane of existence where the Dunamis can be manipulated, or taught. Normally you would have to travel to one of the Libreas to achieve this knowledge, but we don¡¯t have time for that. The Torre¡¯ would never allow it, even if Agron becomes king. Dae have difficulty finding this, but from how Katrina described your experiences in the Espi-Dae temple when you discovered your power, I believe you both may have inadvertently entered this state.¡±


    Daniel nodded, intrigued. ¡°That still doesn¡¯t explain why you need me for this, Katrina was there too, and she¡¯s a human, and she¡¯s your pupil.¡±


    ¡°I was successful, Dan,¡± Katrina said. ¡°I already managed to get in. She just wants to know if it¡¯s easy for ALL humans to do this. That way, it¡¯s more likely that it¡¯s a unique ability for humans, and not just me being amazing.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Really. So, you were both in the¡­ Dunum Dae, whatever?


    ¡°Yes,¡± Avria said. ¡°You are able to enter the state together with someone if you concentrate enough. It is very difficult, and easily broken if one of your rude and obnoxious brothers starts yelling about nonsense.¡±


    ¡°It was not nonsense!¡± Delmos protested. ¡°I saw more skin of yours than a brother ever should. I thought you¡¯d be sympathetic!¡±


    Avria rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Well,¡± Daniel continued, ¡°why were you both dressed like that?¡±


    ¡°Because it was hot, Dan. We were sweating like crazy,¡± Katrina barked. ¡°And we didn¡¯t expect two perverts to waltz in unannounced.¡±


    ¡°Whoa!¡± Delmos shot back, in his most offended voice. ¡°Daniel is not a pervert. I am, but was too disgusted at seeing my sister to notice you.¡± He grinned. ¡°However, now that the horror has passed, I must say you look amazing.¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Avria huffed. ¡°Will you help me with this, Daniel?¡±


    ¡°I suppose. I mean, Katrina did it. I should be able to as well. Why did you say it was going to be dangerous, though?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± she said, ¡°in this state, you are technically in the same plane of existence as the Spirits. If you aren¡¯t prepared, they might come to see what all the fuss is about. Not all Spirits are¡­ well, as understanding and nice as Gro¡¯ak or Koh. There is also the chance of attracting a¡­ well, a demon.¡±


    ¡°A demon?¡± Daniel asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°They are never seen anymore, really. However, there are several tales of Dae who were devoured while exploring powerful abilities in that state. They were possessed and tried to kill everything around them back in this world.¡±


    ¡°So, when everyone was calling us demons, they thought we were¡­¡±


    ¡°Physical embodiments of these things.¡± Avria actually seemed a bit disturbed by the topic and took in a deep breath. ¡°Anyway, nothing like that has happened for at least several hundred years, so the risk of that is very low. And, I will be there with you to ward off any curious Spirits. Also, I¡¯m sure that Gro¡¯ak is observing from somewhere and will keep any harmful ones away.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡± Daniel thought, his face twisting. ¡°You don¡¯t need me to¡­ you know.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Avria said hotly. ¡°You do not have to remove any clothing.¡±


    ~


    Avria closed her eyes, again in the center of the training field at her estate. She sat now with her legs crossed, and Daniel across from her in an identical posture. Katrina and Delmos were nearby as well but thankfully gave them space to work.


    ¡°Just breathe,¡± Avria said, doing her best to sound soothing, something she found extremely difficult to do. ¡°You can see it within yourself, can¡¯t you? The flame? That same heartbeat of power you felt?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Daniel said.


    ¡°Good, now focus on it. Do you remember the first time you saw it? The first time you felt its power coursing through your veins?¡±


    Daniel didn¡¯t answer right away. He sat for nearly a minute in silence and finally responded with soft words. ¡°I see it,¡± he said.


    ¡°Very nice, now follow my lead. I am going to¡ª¡± She was cut off by a swirl of light in her mind. She was hit with immense power and screamed as it tore at her skin. She felt it boil and melt with an extreme heat, then she suddenly found herself in a vast and hot desert.


    Avria looked from side to side, startled by the sudden and horribly painful transfer to the Dunum Dae Espae state. Every state was unique, depending on who was the figurative captain of the ship. She was just a passenger in Daniel¡¯s journey and was in his version.


    ¡°Daniel?¡± she called, looking for the man. This was hot. She looked up at a blazing and unrelenting sun. Katrina¡¯s was pleasant, a meadow filled with flowers and streams that brought cool, refreshing water to them. It took much longer with her, she thought. How did he manage to get here so fast?


    She turned around and was startled by the sight of a man in very strange attire. He had a helmet on his head and was covered in a strange digital looking uniform. There were gadgets and pouches all around him, and he held a strange tool in his hands that was strapped to his chest; it all looked cumbersome and uncomfortable. He was facing her but looking to his right. He turned once she took a step closer, and she paused when she noticed that the strange man was, in fact, Daniel.


    ¡°There you are,¡± she said. ¡°That was quick, and you proved my theory, I think. I must say that I¡¯m very impressed with how fast you¡­¡± She looked closer and noticed that he was not looking at her; it was almost as though he was studying something through her. His eyes were hard, younger, but within, she saw unimaginable pain and sorrow. Un-blinking, they smoldered with an intensity she had never seen before.


    Suddenly the world around her began to change, and buildings of stone and wood began to form around her. She was standing in the middle of a strange street, in a world she now was starting to think was his home, Earth. Strange machines appeared that had wheels and were controlled from within by men in identical uniforms. They rumbled loudly and were extremely disconcerting to look at. On top of them were humans who sat in a small hole, holding the same strange black tool Daniel was, but behind a shield of some kind. The town or city she was standing in was covered in trash. Many of the buildings or dwellings looked as though they were damaged or poorly built. She saw strange wires and poles erected at their flanks, and a strong smell hit her nose.


    By the spirits, she thought. This is his home, but how did¡­ oh no! She tried to walk to him, to snap him out of it. The Dunum Dae Espae state was not widely understood, and those who ventured in needed to have a purpose. Katrina obeyed Avria¡¯s instructions before and followed her in. Daniel dove in on his own and merely pulled her along for the ride. He had no anchor and must have fallen into one of his memories by accident. Why are we back in his world? she thought, frustration setting in. She lifted her hands up to put a stop to it, using her own power but hesitated. What was a pinprick of curiosity turned into a torrent, and she could not help but wonder what kind of world these humans came from. The sights were strange enough, and from what she was seeing, it looked hideous.


    Suddenly Daniel was walking in a formation, with several dozen other humans, all staggered around one of these machines, that lumbered along slowly down the middle of a road.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± she yelled, snapping her fingers and trying to touch him, but he didn¡¯t seem to notice her. Instead, he lifted a black box attached to his left shoulder and spoke into it.


    ¡°One-actual, this is Stallion, come in, over,¡± he said. She almost didn¡¯t recognize his voice. It was coarse and tired.


    Suddenly another voice chirped from the strange black device. ¡°Send it, Stallion, this is One-actual, over.¡±


    ¡°Be advised, there are several high-rise buildings about three blocks north of our current position. I would advise taking it slow. It looks like this is where those shots were coming from, over.¡±


    ¡°Roger that Stallion,¡± the device said. ¡°C.O.C. is saying this is one of the points of interest from an intel brief this morning. We got some time; let¡¯s move in, set up security, and start making friends. How copy, over?¡±


    ¡°Roger. Full copy, out,¡± Daniel said.


    What are they talking about? she thought, unable to understand the strange vocabulary they were using. She walked for several minutes with the humans she was now assuming were warriors of some kind. No matter what she did, she couldn¡¯t seem to get Daniel¡¯s attention. She knew she couldn¡¯t linger much more as the longer she spent in here, the more dangerous it was for both of them. This must be when he was a warrior in his world. A Marine, she thought, remembering one of Katrina¡¯s conversations, and feeling somehow guilty for peering into the mind of someone she knew was very private and isolated, without his knowledge or control.


    The formation approached the tall buildings she heard him talking about, and they reached up about fifteen or twenty stories. They looked very blocky but seemed somehow out of place in this city.


    The machines stopped moving, and the human warriors on this patrol fanned out. Having grown up in a military family and seen battles of her own, she knew that this was an exercise that was well-practiced.


    ¡°Fives and twenty-fives, gents!¡± Daniel yelled, causing other men to echo his command and to follow it. She wasn¡¯t sure what they were doing exactly, but the discipline and instant obedience to his order made her understand a bit more why he had been so difficult to control. This was a man who had clearly held great respect in his command over his fellow warriors and was by no means a ¡®whelp¡¯ by Lokkadonian standards.


    Suddenly there was a loud crack that split the air, startling Avria. The sound was so sudden and thundering, it hurt her ears. One crack turned into many, and the warriors began shouting and finding cover. Projectiles moving faster than anything she had ever seen before began to impact around them, slamming into the pavement at her feet and clanging against the metal machine. Daniel and his Marines moved methodically, and Avria could see Daniel behind what looked like a wall of stone. He held up his strange tube-like tool and aimed it upward toward one of the buildings. Avria looked up to see flashes of fire, and projectiles impact against the wall he was taking cover behind. She fell to the sand but rolled to where Daniel was, shaken by the intense battle that was now raging.


    ¡°Suppress those mother fuckers!¡± he yelled, belching fire of his own out of the black tool he carried across his chest. Glass shattered where he was aiming, and a torn body hung lifelessly out of a window, his head open, and blood streaming out.


    The utter chaos of the battle terrified her. They had no power, no way to protect themselves from this weapon. She saw one of the human Marines struck by an unseen projectile. They were moving too fast to catch with her eyes. Red blood gushed from the wound in his shoulder, and he cursed loudly at the agony he surely felt.


    ¡°Sergeant Peirce!¡± one of the warriors called from behind, causing Daniel to turn towards him. ¡°We got hostiles coming in from the south! Second section was hit at the same time! A goddamn coordinated attack!¡±


    ¡°What are we looking at, Lopez!?¡± Daniel asked, launching projectiles back at the building.


    ¡°Small arms and RPGs! We got no air support or RT, you can thank the brass for that shit, Sergeant.¡±


    ¡°Fuck ¡¯em, we can handle these assholes!¡± Daniel spoke into the black box at his shoulder, and it squelched its muffled responses.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t they hit us with those RPGs!? We¡¯re sitting ducks out here. We¡¯ve got to take that building quick. Better cover!¡±


    ¡°Maybe they fucked up?¡± Lopez yelled, ¡°I¡¯m not gonna question it!¡±


    Daniel yelled commands over the ear-shattering chaos, and methodically and efficiently, the warriors began to attack the building. They suppressed the areas that their enemies had a foothold on and moved under the cover of their own fire. Once one small group moved, they fired, and another would move. Bounding to the entrance, they began to enter.


    She turned to the machines behind as they began vomiting flames from the weapons atop them. The sound rattled her to her core, and she reeled in response, following Daniel into the building.


    I have to stop this, she thought. I wanted to see more, but this is too much! She closed her eyes and focused on her own Dunamis. It thrummed at her attention, and she brought it forth. It looks like I¡¯ll have to hijack him from here by force. Electricity bulged from around her, and she unleashed it in a fury. Suddenly the chaos of the battle ceased, and all the human warriors who were doing their bloody duty were frozen in place¡ªall except Daniel, who looked around in confusion.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± he said, looking at his companions in shock. ¡°How the¡­ what the fu¡ª¡± He froze when he saw Avria. She glowed with power, and electricity flowed around her, the sight must have been terrifying. At first, he looked at her, confused and startled, but as he met her eyes, she saw the Daniel she knew come back. He melted back into existence right before her.


    ¡°Avria¡­?¡± he asked, a quiver in his voice. ¡°What are you¡­? How did I¡­?¡± He looked around the inside of the building, at the frozen faces of his old comrades, and fell to his knees. ¡°Oh¡­ God¡­¡±


    Avria approached him and put a glowing hand on his shoulder.


    Suddenly she gasped and opened her eyes to find she was back in the training area in the Regios estate. She let out a relieved breath and noticed that Katrina was holding her shoulders. And saying something.


    ¡°My Lady! Are you alright!?¡± she shouted.


    ¡°What?¡± Avria said, confused. ¡°What happened?¡± She looked at Daniel, across from her, who was sitting up and staring at the sand.


    ¡°What happened!?¡± Delmos roared at her. ¡°You were both gone for hours! We were starting to think we lost you!¡±


    Avria reeled at the information. ¡°Hours?¡± It couldn¡¯t have been more than thirty minutes or so, she thought. She stood on shaky legs and stumbled to Daniel. ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked softly and with genuine concern in her voice. The fresh images of his alien war flashed in her mind.


    ¡°Now you know¡­¡± he said, almost in a whisper. ¡°Now you know me more than anyone here¡­¡± He looked up at her, his eyes red and filled with the same rage she saw in the Dunum Dae Espae. It was the same distant, callous hatred he had while he looked upon his enemies in that violent desert city. He said nothing more, only stood and strode away from them and the training field, ignoring calls from Katrina and Delmos for him to stop.


    ¡°Now I know¡­¡± Avria said softly to herself.

 Chapter 50

    Oros wrung his hands around the leather reigns he held atop his Cro¡¯kan. Battle was no stranger to him, but no matter how many times one faced it, the familiar pang of fear was always present. He gazed onward toward the Rexunii army that had assembled to challenge him. The force was much smaller than he had expected. One of his aides used her Dunamis to create a magnified image of where he looked, and he focused on their general.


    ¡°So that¡¯s Turak, hmm?¡± He grunted. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like much.¡± He smiled at the sight of his adversary¡¯s strange mask. Its horns were exaggerated and looked quite ridiculous to him.


    Nasha shifted beside him, her own mount fidgeting with the pre-battle tension that filled the air. The squires and generals that loitered around seemed confident and content with the arrival. They had been burning their way through Rexunii territory for nearly a week and were almost upon Thule, their capital city, before any real opposition could be mustered. That was a good sign to him; it meant the Lokkadonian blitz into their territory was well executed and effective. Let¡¯s hope they are in a panic over there, he thought.


    ¡°No sign of their King?¡± Oros asked no one in particular.


    ¡°He¡¯s hiding behind their walls,¡± one of the surrounding generals said. Oros turned to see Lord Rugio, one of the Torre¡¯ nobles who had hired a force of mercenaries to come. He wore a large and extravagant purple cloak, embroidered with gold thread and finery. His hair was long and interweaved with fine stones and pearls. ¡°They know their end has come. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they sent a runner over here to surrender. That would be a shame, seeing as how we came all this way.¡± Rugio barked a laugh, and many others joined him.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t their way,¡± Oros said, peering through the magnified vortex at their line. ¡°They look disciplined enough. I think we can expect a hard fight today.¡± Oros waved his hand, and his aid released the vortex, causing it to puff into thin air. He turned toward the generals and nodded. ¡°How are our warriors? Do we have our battle lines and flanks established? The Rexunii like to charge and flank. Make sure our scouts are out at least a mile in all directions to prevent any unwanted surprises. These people are desperate. Best remember that today.¡±


    Oros gave his final orders before the start of the battle and rode across the line of his forward war-groups. He had brought thousands of warriors to the field today, enough to carry a victory beyond any shadow of a doubt. His spies on Thule had been silent for the last week, but the last word they gave was that the King of Rexun, Alektor, had decided to split his army in half, one to weaken the Lokkadonian force on the field of battle, and the second to defend the walled city. This was a troublesome tactic, but it would not save them for long. It would lead to a lengthy siege against them, and no doubt cost many more lives. Oros thought it would be better to end it right here and now. At least you would have the honor of dying on the battlefield, rather than starving to death hiding behind your walls, he thought.


    ¡°My Kryo,¡± Nasha said, keeping pace beside him. ¡°Why would they bring so few? Our scouts have reported back, saying there is no flanking force. This is all they have.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they did run.¡± Oros pulled his reigns to stop his mount. He was now on a hill behind his main force, where his command-and-control unit would remain for the duration of the battle. He looked at the terrain surrounding them and remembered studying the stone map for hours the night prior. The enemy army was directly to the south of them. To the east was a large river that flowed north and south, flanked by a thick forest. To the west was an open field, littered with hills and large stones. Oros had arranged his warriors as such, knowing that the river would play a large tactical role. He had assembled his best Dae-Leu, who had the power of the water there to prevent any surprises from across or from within. Anything they threw at him, he was confident that they could fend it off, or perhaps use the river itself to weaken the flank of his enemy. The Western flank was made up of mostly mercenaries hired by the Torre¡¯ Lords and reserve units from around Lokkadonia.


    He raised his hand to the signalmen beside him, each equipped with large horns to pass on commands in code to the rest of the army. ¡°Advance,¡± Oros said with confidence, prompting loud blasts from the horns that echoed across the battle lines, and they started to move forward as one.


    The center was where he had his veterans and regulars. The sight of them was sure to bring fear to the hearts of their enemies. A wall of crimson and bone, marching forward with merciless determination. They began to pull ahead until the whole battle line looked almost like a wide arrow. Oros licked his lips and raised his hand again, watching them march closer and closer. He heard a defiant shout from the enemy army, one that boomed over the land as they screamed in unison ¡°To your death!¡± over and over again. This brought a smile to Oros¡¯ face. At least they weren¡¯t going to just lay down and die. He brought his hand down, and the signal horns sang loudly, bringing the battle to a start.


    ~


    ¡°Steady!¡± Turak called across the line. He silently cursed his over-eager warriors as they shouted to the enemy that marched toward them. Thousands of warriors shouted with all the hatred and malice they could muster, to defiantly reject their invaders. The war had truly come to Rexun, and it was worse than they had initially believed. In the past, there was always an attempt at parlay or an offer of surrender. This morning, when the armies came across one another on the field, there was only the formation of the battle lines. The Lokkadonians came for blood, not words.


    Turak adjusted his posture and drew both of his blades from his back. He hefted them in his hands and whirled them around to get his arms used to the weight.


    ¡°My Lord! Won¡¯t you come back to the command position?¡± asked one of his officers, who stood next to him at the front of their center line.


    Turak shook his head and extended his weapons out to his sides. ¡°Steady!¡± he shouted again.


    In a single crashing moment, the battle had begun. Flashes of fire and electricity slashed from one line to the other, slamming into defensive barriers brought up and made of various elements. Elements of the Dunamis did not have specific roles dedicated to either of them, like earth for defense or water for healing. Each one had the potential to cover a wide spectrum of possibilities in terms of their use. Instead, it was the individual Dae who trained with their power to fit within a specific role. Turak had put his best Dae-Voh up in the front line, so they could use their abilities to create instant barricades and launch spikes from them offensively, a tactic that was actually used against the Rexunii hundreds of years ago by the Lokkadonians. The irony was not lost on Turak, and as he ordered it, he smiled behind the strange bone mask he wore.


    Surrounded by his elite warriors, Turak lunged into the line of crimson clad Lokkadonian warriors, his two curved blades in hand. He called upon his Dunamis, and two long extensions of water erupted out like geysers to slash at the charging enemies. In moments they were engulfed in a flurry of chaotic explosions and noise. This was how all battles were done by the Dae. Their power was the key, and oftentimes a warrior would die in an instance of elemental fury instead of a prolonged duel with weapons. The wall of stone he had planned for, shot up before him, behind the first wave of Lokkadonian attackers. It parted the soil and knocked Lokkadonians high into the sky. Turak¡¯s blades of water parted an unsuspecting warrior¡¯s head from his body, spraying droplets of water and gouts of blood around the chaotic scene. The wall shot up fifteen feet and extended only a few hundred feet in either direction. It didn¡¯t protect the whole of their army, which was now totally engaged in combat, but it was extremely effective in stunting the advance of their center line. Warriors caught on the Rexunii side of the wall were surrounded and killed. They fought like cornered animals, but there was little they could do in the face of such a tactic.


    Turak turned to his left and right, counting his elites. All still here, he thought. With a Dunamis-enhanced leap, he scaled the wall in a single bound. As he landed, he saw that the Lokkadonian warriors had done the same, only faster. He cursed as he began slashing his weapons, which launched highly pressurized blades of water at them, and several warriors were sent screaming to the battle below. Quickly, the wall became a battle of its own as the two sides struggled for the high ground. A Lokkadonian officer leaped to the top and fired a massive blast of fire at Turak. With a flick of his sword, the fire was extinguished with a wave of water that materialized before him. He pressed the attack but took a split second to scan the surrounding enemies in order to determine if this was the only officer present. You could tell by the gold embroidery they had on their cloaks. Usually, the high born Lokkadonians who wished to distinguish themselves in battle joined the Proistem officer core and would wear their family crest on their cloaks in gold. This officer was a female Dae and had apparently thought she could roast him with a concentrated blast. Fire, he thought with a grin. Alektor was the strongest Dae-Ra he had ever seen living in Eleutheros. To him, her attack was nothing more than a slight breeze of hot air.


    The woman reeled back from his deflection and drew her sword in an instant, preparing for a fight. Turak brought his blades down on her with lethal efficiency. To her credit, she blocked the attacks for some time but was pushed to the edge of the wall. Turak spun his blades and again extended a jet of water. His left blade was blocked, but his right came short across his chest, just short of her defenses. The jet of water sliced across her belly, and she grunted in shocked pain. She dropped her weapon, clutching her wound, attempting to hold her innards within. Taking a step back, she fell off the side of the wall.


    ¡°Lady Kurt! Vissa!¡± called one of her warriors, who lunged at Turak, his eyes full of rage. The warrior carried a single blade, but it was large. He was young and had lost his mask in the fighting atop the wall.


    ¡°Kholek!¡± the surrounding warriors called. ¡°That¡¯s their general! Get out of there! You fool!¡±


    Kholek pressed his attack, but for all his assumed power, he was outmatched. His rage was a smoldering flame that was bright with energy, but against Turak, he was a child.


    Turak parried his blows with ease using his left blade. Then with a laugh, he slashed up at his face to decapitate him, his favorite thing to do against arrogant Lokkadonian warriors. To his surprise, the young warrior dodged the attack and rammed his shoulder into Turak¡¯s chest. Turak began to laugh loudly and brought one of his blades through the Dae¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You are a brave one!¡± Turak shouted over the sounds of combat. ¡°But you have found yourself outmatched! Rage will not save you or your people!¡± He twisted his blade in the flesh and heard Kholek scream in agony. ¡°Join your Lady!¡± he said as a blast of water shot the wounded man from his weapon and over the wall.


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


    ~


    ¡°The bastards!¡± Nasha cursed, looking at the battle from the Command position atop a hill behind the Lokkadonian lines. ¡°That was a cheap trick to use.¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­¡± Oros said slowly, observing the battle through another magnified vortex created by one of his aides. ¡°The wall was used against the Rexunii in our war of independence. How fitting they would use that tactic here.¡± He turned to Nasha. ¡°Their general isn¡¯t a tactical fool.¡± He gestured through the magnification. ¡°He is quite reckless, however. Fighting against our centerline like that is very dangerous.¡±


    Nasha huffed. ¡°My Lord, admiration is only appropriate after the battle is won. We should send in our reserves to the flanks. That wall will be difficult to destroy.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Oros said, using his heels to kick his Cro¡¯kan in the sides. The animal shrieked and bolted forward, jogging down the hill.


    ¡°My Lord!¡± Nasha called after him, the rest of his entourage of guards dashing forward to follow.


    ¡°Ready your blades!¡± Oros called over his shoulder. ¡°We must do something about that wall! Our brothers and sisters are dying!¡±


    The group of warriors began to push toward the rear of the advancing force in the center. Before joining the fray, Oros grabbed one of the returning scouts who was in communication with the satellite patrols to the north of their position, still watching for any flanking maneuver.


    ¡°What news do you bring? Are there any signs of a second force?¡± Oros asked, trotting by.


    ¡°My Lord, there is no sign of any enemy movement. The remainder of their force seems to be held up behind the walls of Thule.¡± The scout responded.


    Suddenly there was a massive crash of power on their western flank. Oros looked over to see a massive explosion like he had never seen before. Bodies of warriors flew through the sky in every direction. Limbs and other pieces of Dae rained down on the field.


    ¡°Damn!¡± Oros shouted, knowing that the western flank of mercenaries would have no course to fight against such an overwhelming force. They were focusing their long-range Dunamis against their weak side. Whoever the Dae-Rah were who executed that attack, they were extremely powerful.


    ¡°Nasha!¡± Oros called. ¡°I want our reserves to focus on the Western flank. Send them in. We should end this as quickly as possible if we want any chance of sieging Thule.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lord!¡± Nasha called, spinning to the signalment and relaying the message.


    With a shout, Oros again kicked his heels into the sides of his mount and surged forward.


    ~


    Turak laughed again as he used his Dunamis to slice a pillar of ice that was launched at him into pieces. They had taken the wall and were using its advantage to bring death to the Lokkadonian warriors below who attempted to retake it. His original plan was to erect this wall and have his Dae-Voh launch pillars and spikes of stone from it, causing as much damage as possible to the enemy. But the Lokkadonians were quick in their response and had attempted to use their own Dae-Voh to hijack control of the structure. When a Dae, or group of Dae, used their Dunamis to create or influence an element around them like water in a river or rocks on the ground, it was susceptible to others as well. In the end, it was a tug of war for control of the wall, using the spiritual energy of the Dae. For now, it was a stalemate. The Dae-Voh on both sides were using their focus and power to try and win against the other. Turak looked at the silent warriors who stood with their hands outstretched.


    ¡°Kill the Dae-Voh!¡± he yelled, prompting an immediate response from the Rexunii atop the wall. A concentrated flurry of elemental blasts showered the groups of Lokkadonian earth users, but an equal amount of defensive abilities were used by the enemy warriors. Turak cursed at the stubborn resistance and glanced to his left. The western flank was the enemy¡¯s weakest point, and if he had any hope of winning this battle, it would be in drawing the rest of the Lokkadonian reserves there. The first massive explosion was enough to rattle the non-regulars who were fighting his line war-groups. The bastards from Torre¡¯ seemed to be unaccustomed to this kind of brutal combat. Now, all Turak had to do was lure as many of them there as possible. Then he could spring the real trap.


    He grinned under his mask. I can win this! Then there was a shudder under his feet as the stone wall jerked. Turak looked at the sea of enemy warriors below and saw a large part in their ranks. A pompous looking Dae sat on a Cro¡¯kan with his hand outstretched, and he knew this was Oros Ignos, the leader of this army and the Kryo of Vul De Rah.


    Turak opened his mouth to give his next order but was cut off by the crashing of the stone under his feet. Impossible! Turak thought, falling with the crumbling wall. A large chunk of warriors had been perched atop it, now they all fell, screaming in terror at the awesome display of power. No Dae is that strong! The world spun in slow motion until he landed harshly against jagged rocks of the now broken wall. Pain shot through his body, and he lay dazed for several moments. He heard screaming and shouts from all around as his blurry vision saw only blotches of the colors around him. A wave of crimson-clad warriors charged now, diving into the shattered rubble and trying to kill those who were trapped in it.


    ¡°My Lord!¡± He heard several warriors calling for him in the chaos. He felt multiple hands grab him from under the rocks, and he gasped at a sharp pain in his leg as they did. His vision returned to normal, and he saw the masked faces of his elites. One, two, three¡­ He counted the six of them. All still here, he sighed in relief.


    ¡°Oros is here! We have to move, my Lord,¡± one said, lifting him to his feet.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Turak groaned, shielding his mind from the pain he felt throughout his body. ¡°No! Stand your ground! This isn¡¯t over!¡± Shrugging his arms away from his warriors, he knelt down to find one of his curved weapons he had dropped in the fall.


    Dazed Rexunii warriors rallied around their general, shouting and launching Dunamis attacks at the charging Lokkadonians. Turak clenched his teeth, scanning the enemy ranks for his target, Oros. His gaze fell on the man, still perched smugly on his Cro¡¯kan, but keeping his distance from any actual fighting. This¡­ arrogant bastard, he thought, roaring in defiance. With a burst of energy, Turak leaped at the charging line, slashing massive waves of water out of his blades. Most of the attack was deflected by a lightning response from the well-trained warriors of Lokkon, but some fell back, bleeding from slashes across their bodies. As he landed, he was immediately in the fray of battle, swinging and slashing his swords against multiple opponents. The violence of the attack shocked even the veterans and stunted much of the center line¡¯s charge.


    ¡°Oros!¡± Turak yelled, deflecting two attacks with his left sword and swiping in a broad arch with his right, cleaving two attackers with a jet of water. ¡°Face me!¡± Blue blood dripped down his mask, giving his presence an even more feral and fearsome aura. He breathed hard through his mouth, keeping the rhythm of battle in his mind, the tempo of strikes and counters. The air was hot and filled with debris from the constant usage of the Dunamis. Corpses and a shattered massive wall were strewn about the once delicate green field, causing all who walked upon it to stumble. Suddenly, there was a loud screech, and Turak blocked a blast of electricity with his weapons. It was extremely powerful and caused him to completely focus on his defense. After a long moment, the stream of energy subsided, and Turak looked angrily at his attacker.


    She had bright red hair and wore a very fine crimson cloak, embroidered with more golden thread than he had ever seen. Her features were smooth, and she was indeed quite beautiful. She must have known this since she refused to wear a mask into battle. Turak grinned at the recognition that this was Nasha of House Adomo, a highly respected and pompous little brat from Lokkadonia¡¯s elite caste. She didn¡¯t lack power, that he could be sure of, but was she capable of facing off against him? The thought pulled at Turak¡¯s curiosity, and he wanted to have some fun with her. He shook it from his mind as he looked at Oros¡¯ attention, brought to another portion of the battle. The western flank must be doing well.


    Without warning, Turak dashed toward Nasha, bringing his blades up to defend against any more Dunamis attacks. To his surprise, she pulled two blades from her back as well and smiled gleefully. Who does she think she is? he fumed.


    Their incisor blades met in a clash of muted thuds as the bone weapons connected over and over again. Turak refrained from using his Dunamis in those first moments, trying to test the skill of the woman he now faced. She did the same, continuing in an unspoken agreement like the trial of Doxo.


    ¡°You¡¯re not half bad, slave!¡± Nasha taunted. ¡°Who taught you to fight like this?¡±


    Turak didn¡¯t respond, ignoring her childish banter. Instead, he focused on learning her movements and patterns; he smiled under his mask, realizing that she did, in fact, have many patterns. All nobles did, as they were taught by the same sword masters, and after so many years of facing them, Turak had become quite accustomed to killing them.


    ¡°So, you know of me!¡± Turak called out. ¡°I never thought the Lokkadonian royals would pay me any mind; I¡¯m flattered.¡± He parried several of her strikes and danced over the dead bodies at his feet. Still, the battle raged around them, but there was an unspoken agreement between all warriors of Eleutheros. Any time your leaders found others of their caste on the field, the common warriors would stop and let them battle it out. The warriors from both Lokkadonia and Rexun stood around them in a circle, dangerously close because of the Dunamis, but due to the scope of the battle, this couldn¡¯t be helped.


    ¡°You can take it how you please,¡± she replied. ¡°Just know that this will be the last day you see the sky. I will reap vengeance on you for what you did to Veol. It¡¯s no secret you were the one who killed him.¡±


    Turak laughed at the words and brought both his blades down in a furious attack. Then he saw the moment of realization in her eyes once his real offensive started; her eyes widened, and she knew she was clearly outmatched.


    ¡°You nobles are all the same! Absolutely certain you have the upper hand. Veol did too! He knew he was strong, and in the end, that¡¯s what killed him. You will learn the truth as he did, that royalty is no match for power!¡± Turak yelled.


    Nasha tried to leap backward using her Dunamis to blast him, but Turak had read her movements and stabbed forward with his weapon, extending a concentrated blast of water out and through her abdomen, just below the protection of her bone breastplate. She gasped and flew to the bloody grass below. With an unexpected endurance, she leaped up again, ignoring her wound, and began to run.


    ¡°Oros!¡± she screamed. ¡°Help me!¡±


    Turak slashed his blades again, and a high-pressured blast of water went toward her. She fell to the ground roughly, but immediately tried to stand. She couldn¡¯t, and looked down to see that her left leg was gone. Terror and shock painted her face, The sight brought another smile to Turak¡¯s lips, and he dashed toward her.


    A massive wall of stone shot from the ground between the two, and Turak skidded to a halt. Oros was now off of his Cro¡¯kan and looking at Turak through the darkened eyeholes of his mask.


    ¡°You!¡± Oros said, his voice seething with hatred. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for that.¡±


    Turak remembered the wall under his feet crumbling beneath the power of this man¡¯s Dunamis. He knew he would be strong; this was the son of Agron Ignos after all. But this was his chance to win the battle. Even if his own forces retreated, killing Oros would be enough to halt to advance of his army.


    Turak dashed again, his sore and fatigued body starting to slow a bit. The battle had been a brutal one so far, and he had been in the thick of it since it started.


    Oros hadn¡¯t drawn his weapon, he only stretched his hands out, and massive pillars of stone shot at him from every direction. The attack was well-known to Turak, but the sheer volume of spikes that came at him was something he had never faced before. He spun to deflect and slice them as they came, but while he did so, he was struck with a pillar from the ground below him. Turak grunted as he flew nearly thirty feet in the air. As he fell to the ground, he saw dozens of spikes racing up at him, and he knew he was as good as dead. I... hate... Dae-Voh¡­ he thought, closing his eyes to accept his fate.


    Suddenly he was jerked in another direction, and he realized that his elites had come to his aid. He opened his eyes again to see them with him in their arms. One¡­ two¡­ three¡­ He counted all six of them again. All still here¡­ thank the Great Spirits.

 Chapter 51

    ¡°A resounding victory!¡± Agron proclaimed to the hall, filled to the brim with nobles and warriors. He raised a bowl of wine and toasted with the celebrating crowd of Dae. ¡°Oros has once again subdued the reckless and villainous Rexunii, bringing peace to our region and to all of Eleutheros.¡±


    ¡°May he live long!¡± one of the nobles yelled, prompting cheers and applause.


    Katrina stood next to Avria, who was beside Agron¡¯s throne. There were several other people of importance up there as well, but she recognized very few. They wore different colored cloaks, blue, purple, green. The man in purple she knew, Lord Cato of House Vonos, the Torre¡¯ financial supporter of the military campaign in the south, and self-appointed Human enthusiast. They must be representing different clans, Katrina thought.


    Avria gave her a nudge and gestured toward the other Dae. ¡°Don¡¯t stare. You¡¯ll meet them all soon enough.¡±


    ¡°What clans are they from?¡± Katrina asked, in her lowest tone.


    ¡°The ones in blue are from the Baa¡¯Yega clan. They are to our East, and just South of Torre¡¯. The ones in green are from Exous, a small but wealthy clan far to the South. There aren¡¯t any representatives here from the Sabree, Visgo, Volsung, or of course the Rexunii.¡± She stopped speaking as Agron said something else that caused the crowd to cheer loudly. ¡°By the way, have you seen Daniel? I sent a runner to fetch him. He should be here.¡±


    Katrina shook her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t really spoken to him lately. He has been keeping to himself.¡± She saw a softness in her mistress¡¯s eyes, almost pity as she looked away. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fine. We just have to look out for him.¡±


    After the initial speech from Agron, all the attending Dae were escorted to a large ballroom, where they began the true celebratory party. The festivities were informal due to the short notice, but many of the women and men had managed to find fine clothing to wear. Katrina always found these types of events fun. No matter how much she learned to fight or how deeply she tried to hide it, she still felt like a Krya while here.


    She mainly followed Avria around as she made her rounds through people of importance and admirers. Avria was showered with praise, congratulations, and affection from all she approached. Katrina smiled and greeted as well, doing her best to mirror the impressive woman¡¯s demeanor.


    ¡°There he is,¡± Avria said, pointing to Daniel.


    Katrina heard her mutter something under her breath as she strode forward to intercept him. By the time they did, he was in the middle of a conversation with Cato. The cheerful man was flanked by his daughter Phenia, the girl who he was attempting to marry off to Boros.


    ¡°Of course, we knew it would be an easy fight. The Rexunii have not been at their best in many years,¡± Cato said with a chuckle.


    ¡°But what about Robert?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about the battle, no real details on anything, except that Oros crushed their army and is sieging Thule.¡±


    ¡°Details, my dear Dan, you mustn¡¯t worry about such things. All we needed to know is that the battle is over, and it will be only a matter of time before they parade Alektor through these streets as a corpse or a prisoner. We have to worry about the real threat to Pelemont.¡±


    ¡°And what threat would that be?¡± Avria said, bowing her head to Cato in respect.


    ¡°Ahh, Avria. You have grown so much since we last met. More beautiful than I could possibly have imagined then. I am so happy for you and Oros.¡± Cato returned the bow but clasped her hands in his. ¡°And Katrina.¡± He looked at her warmly. ¡°Your exotic beauty is the talk of many here, let me just say.¡±


    ¡°Father,¡± Phenia warned, rolling her eyes.


    ¡°I am just speaking the truth, love. No need to get offended,¡± he said, defensively.


    Katrina blushed, but laughed it off. ¡°No worries. I appreciate it. All human girls love to be admired, whether they like to admit it or not.¡±


    ¡°You see?¡± Cato looked at his daughter with his eyebrows raised.


    ¡°Lord Cato,¡± Avria interrupted. ¡°May I borrow my squire for a moment? I have to discuss something with him.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Lady Avria.¡± Cato smiled again. ¡°I shall be around, mingling with the richest people I can find from Exous. I can already smell new trade deals being made. Come, my dear.¡± He touched his daughter¡¯s shoulder, who bowed, and they both walked back into the crowd of Dae.


    Daniel looked at Avria, his expression unreadable. ¡°What do you need?¡±


    ¡°Why were you late, Daniel?¡± she asked, crossing her arms. ¡°It is important for all representatives of our caste to be present. And one of the Spirit-Sent being absent will not go unnoticed. There are some very powerful people from other clans of Eleutheros here. Agron will be named king of Lokkadonia soon, so we need to be at our best.¡±


    Katrina listened to her light chastisement, somewhat baffled at her calm tone. She was usually much more intense than this.


    ¡°I was meeting with one of the Lords from¡­ uh¡­ well, one of those other clans. Sorry, he caught me in the hallway. I probably could have told him to piss off, but he was representing the King of Baa¡¯Yega. I figured I would play nice.¡± Daniel shrugged.


    ¡°I see.¡± Avria nodded. ¡°Well, in that case, you did well.¡±


    ¡°Avria,¡± Daniel said. ¡°What happened at the battle? I haven¡¯t heard anything about the details. I have¡­ you know¡­ friends there.¡±


    Avria looked at Katrina, seeing the same curiosity in her eyes. ¡°Well, it was several days ago, and we are now in the process of sieging Thule. That could take a while, however, and there are more forces from other parts of Rexun that have apparently been assembling to fight. It looks like we got there before they could fully mobilize their forces.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Katrina said, looking at Daniel.


    ¡°And there isn¡¯t any news on Robert?¡± he asked.


    ¡°As of right now we think he¡¯s in Thule. But other than speculation, there isn¡¯t much to go on,¡± Avria said. ¡°Agron is pulling Oros back and leaving the other generals to handle what remains of the siege. He should be here in a few days, so,¡± she looked at Daniel, ¡°you will be back with your master soon, it seems.¡±


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    ¡°And you with your husband to be,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Husband?¡± she asked, confused.


    ¡°Mate. I meant to say, mate. On Earth, when you are mated with someone, it¡¯s called getting married, and the woman is a wife to the man, and the man is a husband to her.¡±


    ¡°What strange words,¡± she said. ¡°Anyway, please enjoy yourself, Daniel. I will let you know if there is any word on your friends.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± he said, turning to walk into the party again.


    Katrina was stunned and completely confused at the strangely pleasant exchange between the two. Ever since they had that incident at the practice field, Daniel had been moping around, and Avria had been really nice to him. She fumed at the fact that Avria hadn¡¯t told her what happened. It wasn¡¯t fair, some things she just had to know.


    ¡°Katrina.¡± Avria interrupted her thoughts. ¡°I need you to speak with Boros, make sure he prepares a full military reception for his brother¡¯s victory. Spare no expense. This squashed rebellion will be remembered for many years to come, so we need to be sure that it¡¯s done right. Tell him also that if he screws this up, I will have his head.¡±


    Katrina nodded. ¡°Of course, my Lady.¡± She bowed and turned to complete her task.


    ~


    Daniel stood on one of the many large balconies attached to the ballroom. There were several nobles scattered around him, but none had even acknowledged his presence. That was fine with him. It was what he preferred. With a sigh, he leaned forward and rested his head on the ledge, letting his thoughts flow uncontested. A very private part of his life was now exposed to someone he did not trust with it. Though Avria might not have understood exactly what she had seen in his mind, he had not brought it up with anyone outside his brothers-in-arms, who had experienced the war in Iraq beside him. Now¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He groaned at the thought again. To make things even worse, Avria was treating him differently now. Like a wounded puppy.


    ¡°Dan?¡± a soft, familiar voice called from behind him.


    Daniel turned to see Illya standing timidly behind him, her usual confident demeanor absent. ¡°I¡­ I wanted to speak with you. Do you have a moment?¡±


    This just keeps getting better and better, he thought, but nodded his head to her.


    She stepped closer and rested her elbows on the ledge beside him. She paused for several moments as if gathering her strength.


    ¡°Listen,¡± she started, ¡°I know things have been awkward between us the last few months. And I¡¯m not sure how you feel about me right now, but I can¡¯t sit here and pretend everything is alright. You¡­ you should have just told me outright that you had no interest in being my friend. Instead, you embarrassed me in front of the court by ignoring my advances, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Illya¡ª¡± Daniel said tiredly but was shut down.


    ¡°No, you listen, I have been thinking of what to say for weeks now, and finally have the courage to say what I need to. I don¡¯t know why you seem so repulsed by me, but I need to know. Why? What is it about me that offends you so?¡±


    ¡°Oh, lord,¡± Daniel said, finally turning to look at her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have anything to do with you, Illya. Holy shit, I have been here for only about a year now, and the rate in which you Dae started showing interest in us humans is pretty impressive. Boros started the moment he saw Kat. I mean, he didn¡¯t even know what she was, just that she was attractive and different. Or,¡± he used his hands to make air quotes, ¡°¡®exotic,¡¯ as you so bluntly described.¡± He saw her lower lip start to quiver and suddenly felt horrible.


    ¡°Look,¡± he continued, ¡°the reason I tried to avoid it is because it stressed me out. I mean, you¡¯re beautiful and smart and proper in every way. But you¡¯re also the only daughter of the man who decides if we live or die, so as my old platoon sergeant used to say, ¡®Don¡¯t shit where you sleep.¡¯¡± He reached his hand out and rested it on her shoulder. She shuddered for a moment but didn¡¯t make any move to stop the contact. ¡°I couldn¡¯t risk that, and trust me, a part of me really wanted to, a part of me still does. Maybe once this war business is all cleared up, and Kat and I are a little more stable here.¡±


    Illya didn¡¯t say anything for a long moment, just stared at him with tears welling in her eyes.


    ¡°I want you to answer some questions for me then,¡± she finally said, her voice shaky.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Daniel said, trying to be as comforting as possible.


    ¡°Are you, or are you not, sleeping with the Doulos you were given?¡± she asked, in all seriousness.


    ¡°What?¡± Daniel was more irritated than shocked that he had even been asked this by Katrina. ¡°No, of course not. I don¡¯t take advantage of people. She isn¡¯t mistreated in any way, and I don¡¯t sleep with her.¡± He tapped his boot on the floor of the balcony, his annoyance starting to return.


    ¡°Ok,¡± she said, her tension starting to fade a bit. ¡°Second question. Are you in love with Katrina?¡±


    Daniel looked at her blankly and said simply, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Lastly, would you consider going to dinner with me, as a friend, for now? Just to get to know each other better. I can understand that my position might scare you a bit, but if we could work that out, would you consider it? You could do a lot worse than being mated with a Krya, after all.¡± A thin smile crested her lips.


    Daniel sighed. ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll go to dinner with you. But this talk of being mated needs to stop. I know that means marriage here, and we are from completely different species. Why would you marry or¡­ mate with someone who you can¡¯t even have children with?¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± she asked, cocking her head. ¡°It might happen. Humans and Dae are very similar.¡±


    ¡°I guess science doesn¡¯t exist here,¡± he mumbled to himself, rubbing his face in frustration. ¡°Alright, after this is over.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± she said, obviously doing her best to contain a large smile. ¡°I am very happy we had this conversation, Dan. I want you to know that I admire you very much and will do everything I can to help you and Katrina.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Illya, I appreciate it.¡±


    Illya nodded to him and turned to leave the balcony. Daniel let out a quiet sigh of relief until he saw the two dozen peering eyes of nobles and spectators who were all shocked at what they had just seen. This woman, Daniel thought in horror. She had clearly planned to make this a public spectacle and had done just that. She wasn¡¯t as timid and innocent as he might have believed once; she was becoming a smart politician.


    Son of a bitch, he thought, knowing that this would spread across the court like a wildfire.


    -


    Over the next several days, word of Oros¡¯ victory over the Rexunii army had spread all throughout Eleutheros, bringing clashes of resistance and cheers of support from the people of the various clans. Agron asked Oros to return, seeing as how the hardest part was over, and to finalize his joining with Avria. Katrina had not been able to get any gossip from the stern woman with regards to her true feelings on the matter, but she knew she was excited about it.


    Katrina found herself glancing uncomfortably at Boros and Phenia as they talked in the long hallway that led to Agron¡¯s throne room. The girl had opted to stay, to represent her father, when he decided to go back to his estate in Torre¡¯. Katrina felt some relief in the fact that Boros was now being directed at mating with a Dae girl from a different clan. The constant attention he had shown her over the past year was now starting to subside. Phenia was a nice girl, young and a bit wide-eyed, but she would be a good match for Boros.


    ¡°What are you still doing here?¡± Avria asked, stepping out from a long-winded meeting with the Hego. ¡°I thought you would be resting by now.¡±


    Katrina bowed her head. ¡°My Lady, I decided to wait for you. It just wouldn¡¯t feel right taking an afternoon nap while you had to endure hours and hours of politics.¡±


    Avria cracked a thin smile and gestured for Katrina to follow her.


    ¡°Any word on Oros?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, as her brow furrowed. ¡°It just seems like he doesn¡¯t want to come back. Every reply he sends seems to be rushed, like he doesn¡¯t have the time for it. I don¡¯t know, it just isn¡¯t normal.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s trying to coordinate his siege?¡± Katrina shrugged.


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Avria straightened up as they walked as if realizing she was showing too much emotion and changed the subject. ¡°What about Boros?¡± she asked as they passed him in the hallway. ¡°Has he finished the preparations? Aside from all this stalling nonsense, Oros should be here by tomorrow afternoon. I want everything to be ready.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s on it, my Lady.¡± Katrina hoped this was true. ¡°He told me he had everything under control. I believe his exact words were something like, ¡®If Oros can conquer a clan in a month, then I can plan his damn victory party.¡¯ Don¡¯t quote me, but that was pretty much it.¡±


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll see,¡± Avria said, shaking her head.

 Chapter 52

    Avria gazed past the city walls from her perch at the top of the highest tower of Agron¡¯s palace in Vul De Rah. She watched as the distant blob of crimson clad Lokkadonian warriors marching back from Rexun slowly came closer and closer, becoming more distinguishable and detailed. She smiled as she saw Oros riding upon his Cro¡¯kan, in the center of the column, looking just as clean and regal as she remembered him.


    ¡°Kryo Oros has returned!¡± she heard watchmen calling from their posts on the palace walls. There was a general excitement in the air. He had gone to do battle with the Rexunii and defeated their meager resistance yet again. They were not the formidable force they once were, but still, Avria had worried for his safety.


    She found her way down the tower and into the front courtyard of the palace. Hundreds of warriors and nobles stood crowded around the entrance, waiting patiently for the triumphant return of Vul De Rah¡¯s son. Avria scanned the faces of all who attended and saw poor Boros yelling at servants and guards, still trying to perfect the organization of this reception. She then noticed that she had been wearing a rather foolish-looking smile for the better part of an hour, and her face was sore.


    As the minutes passed, she could hear the cheering of Vul De Rah¡¯s citizens down below and how the voices seemed to get closer and closer as he and his entourage found their way to the palace.


    She turned quickly then and marched into the palace doors to make her way to the throne room, where Agron would officially receive his son. She ran into Katrina on the way there and grabbed her by the arm. She seemed to be nervous and looking for someone.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Avria asked. ¡°Oros is back; we have to greet him in the throne room.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I can¡¯t find Daniel anywhere,¡± Katrina said, her face red with frustration. ¡°He is always doing stuff like this. Where the hell does he go?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s hiding from Illya,¡± Avria joked, uncharacteristically.


    Katrina stopped for a moment, looking taken aback.


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding, Katrina, don¡¯t be so sensitive. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s around here somewhere. Keep looking. If you don¡¯t find him, forget him and come to the throne room. I want to at least make sure you are there.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my Lady.¡± Katrina bowed her head and grumbled something as she strode off.


    Avria didn¡¯t even feel annoyed at the absence of her charge; she felt like there was nothing that could stifle her mood. Oros was back and in perfect form.


    She found her way to the throne room, which was crowded with the elite nobles and rulers of the various houses. Representatives of high lords and Hegos from across Eleutheros were present, and even members of King Yomin¡¯s court. This day would mark the ascension of the Ignos family to true royalty and would be talked about for years to come.


    Suddenly her eyes caught sight of a brown-haired, solemn-looking human standing next to her goofy brother Delmos. That¡­ she thought, chuckling to herself. He¡¯s been here the whole time poor Katrina has been looking for him. His skin was a peach color but a bit tanned. Illya had been overtly attracted to the man since they arrived, and Avria never truly understood why, but there was¡­ something that she couldn¡¯t put her finger on. She hadn¡¯t gotten to know Robert well, but Daniel definitely had an allure to him.


    She walked up through the center of the crowd, where there was a large opening for Oros when he arrived. Agron sat on his throne with a large grin on his face, speaking with Telmos, her father. The two always seemed like brothers, and now they would truly be able to call one another family. After the mating ceremony, she would be a member of House Ignos, and the two men could not be more excited.


    ¡°Ah! Avria!¡± Agron called. ¡°How is my future daughter doing? Come, come stand next to your father.¡±


    Telmos laughed and slapped Agron on the back. ¡°She¡¯s still my daughter as of yet, and Oros had better treat her well. He may be a successful conqueror now, but I can still give him a run for his life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can, old friend.¡± Agron laughed. ¡°Just don¡¯t throw out your back. I seem to remember you complaining about that before.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I remember telling you that in confidence. I don¡¯t want everyone to know, next thing you will see all these young Dae scrambling up here to give me a chair.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with that, Telmos, just as long as it¡¯s smaller than mine. I have my image to look after!¡±


    They laughed loudly. It was fitting to see that. Avria smiled and stood next to Agron, on his right side, while her father remained on his left. They waited for what seemed an eternity before she heard the group of warriors enter the hallway. The large doors slid open, and Boros walked in and announced loudly, ¡°Oros, of House Ignos!¡±


    The crowd erupted in cheers, and a clean and crimson clad Oros walked in, still wearing his battle garb, bone plate, bone mask, and a golden embroidered cloak. He was flanked by two dozen warriors who ceremoniously marched in and arranged themselves on either side of the Kryo. Oros strode confidently to the steps leading up to Agron¡¯s throne and stopped. The Hego stood from his royal seat and walked down with his arms outstretched.


    ¡°Welcome back, Hero of Vul De Rah!¡± he called, embracing him. Agron pulled back with a smile. ¡°Come now, remove your mask and let us celebrate!¡±


    Oros reached up and removed his mask, placing it on a latch on his belt.


    ¡°Son?¡± Agron said, his face now serious. ¡°Your eyes¡­ what happened to your eyes? Are you we--¡±


    In an instant, Oros pulled his blade from his belt and cleaved the head of his father from his body. Gouts of blood sprayed over Avria, and she didn¡¯t have a moment to react. She realized that she still had the same stupid smile plastered on her face, and Agron¡¯s blood had gotten in her mouth. In what seemed like an eon, she looked at the head of her Hego roll across the stone floor, spilling blue blood in its wake. The realization hit her, and she looked at Oros in horror. It was him, but his eyes¡­ his eyes were a deathly black. She screamed in horror, anger, shock. There were hundreds of emotions flashing through her mind as she witnessed the man she had come to care for deeply, murder his own father before her eyes.


    ¡°Agron!¡± Telmos yelled.


    Without warning, Oros lunged at Avria, and she saw no hatred in his expression. Nothing but cool, calm, indifference to the atrocity he had just committed. A pair of arms wrapped around Oros from behind, and the man was pulled to the bloody floor. There were screams and shouts of panic from the crowd. Then the small room started to erupt in blasts from the Dunamis. Avria looked up to see the two dozen warriors who came with Oros turn their deadly fury on the unsuspecting crowd. Blasts of heat and electricity boomed in the throne room, and utter chaos ensued.


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    Avria attempted to get her bearings as she looked down at the headless body of Agron, slumped forward, and beside him, his son Oros, wrestling emotionlessly with his brother Boros and her father, Telmos. Hot tears began to run down her face, and for the first time in her life, she was at a complete loss at what to do.


    ¡°Avria!¡± Boros screamed. ¡°Help us!¡± He cried in pain as Oros¡¯ blade slashed across his leg in the struggle.


    Avria dashed to their aid and grabbed his sword hand. ¡°What happened to you!? Oros! What¡¯s wrong!?¡±


    She met his eyes, and at that moment, he froze. Tears continued to pour as she cried out to him, ¡°What have you done!?¡±


    There was a shimmer over his perfect red face, and she saw the precision of his features melt away. Oros¡¯ eyes faded from black into a dull grey, and his skin looked as though it had been melted and charred. The rest of his body changed as well as if an illusion had blanketed it to reveal the long-dead corpse of her once handsome and powerful Kryo.


    ¡°What¡­ what is going on?¡± Boros shouted, standing in horror. ¡°Brother! Oros!¡±


    ¡°How is this possible?¡± Telmos raged, looking at the battle in the throne room. Bodies and blood flooded the now cramped-looking space, and the warrior imposters were fighting their way out, having been overwhelmed by the powerful Dae who were present.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let them escape!¡± Telmos bellowed, charging forward.


    An unbridled and feral rage built in Avria¡¯s chest as she saw the warriors fighting their way out of the throne room. Her heart began to thunder in her chest as the multiple emotions in her mind started to focus and meld into one: Hate. She stood slowly from the gory scene and took one more look at her beloved Oros¡¯ lifeless body and the slumped remains of her Hego. Her resolve set in, and she dashed toward the opening of the throne room. Her body was enhanced by the Dunamis, and she crossed the distance in moments. As she ran, she picked up a bone spear from one of the fallen imposters and lunged into the fray. She stabbed her weapon in the neck of one of the warriors and screamed as a burst of electricity erupted through the tip of the weapon and into the small formation. The unfortunate victim was blown nearly in half, and the rest were knocked to the bloodied floor. Avria screamed again, her throat burning with the exertion, but she felt nothing from it. Lost in the moment, the singular purpose of killing these murderers was all she could see. Her spear slashed back and forth, deflecting and parrying blows from the warriors. Then out of the corner of her eye, she saw the form of her father smash his hands together and blast his Dunamis into the rest. The palace itself was shaking from the battle, and the walls crumbled with every attack. Soon, the last of the warriors were dead, and Avria breathed heavily, her body and weapon soaked in the blood of her enemies.


    Then, as the sound of huffing nobles around her began to subside, they heard more crashing and screams from down the hall.


    ¡°Are there more of these fiends?¡± Gruthen of House Sumander asked through gritted teeth.


    ¡°There could be attacks like this all throughout the palace,¡± Telmos said. ¡°Avria, we need to get to our estate. To the Glade and the barracks! I don¡¯t know what happened, but we have been tricked somehow.¡±


    Avria didn¡¯t respond. She wrung her hands around the bloody shaft of her spear, then her eyes widened, and she frantically started looking for her apprentice. ¡°Katrina!?¡± Her eyes scanned the dozens of faces of nobles around her. She glanced back at Oros¡¯ and Agron¡¯s bodies and breathed a sigh of relief.


    Boros was on his knees beside them, sobbing uncontrollably next to his sister Illya, who was clutching her father. Katrina stood behind Boros and had a hand on his head.


    ¡°Avria,¡± Telmos asked. ¡°Where is Delmos? And where is Daniel?¡±


    ¡°I saw the human and your son dash down the hall after several enemy warriors, my Lord.¡± One of the nobles pointed in the direction. It was Eslan of House Bodilla.


    Without saying a word, Avria bolted down the hall in pursuit.


    ¡°Avria!¡± her father called in warning, but she ignored him. Her fear had started to return to her at the thought of her brother being killed. She could not handle another death of a loved one. She dashed around corners, down hallways, following the sound of battle, but something seemed off. The closer she got to the entrance of the palace, the louder it became. She came to the reception area near the entrance and found it was crowded with frightened nobles and servants who were trying to escape the violence. The large doorway leading out of the palace was a battleground. There, she saw her brother fighting. The warriors he fought wore the grey of Rexunii warriors, and the sudden realization hit her. We¡¯re under attack¡­ the whole city is under attack, she thought, lunging toward the battle.


    Delmos fought his opponent and managed to slice him across one of his biceps. The warrior grunted and retreated back, being immediately replaced by another eager ally.


    ¡°Coward!¡± Delmos shouted, fighting the newcomer.


    ¡°Duck!¡± Daniel bellowed as he swung his weapon over Delmos¡¯ head and into the neck of his enemy. The man gurgled and was flung to the ground by the force of the blow. Blood sprayed into the chaos.


    ¡°Delmos!¡± Avria called, bringing his attention. ¡°What is the situation?¡± She stabbed her spear forward and unleashed another blast of electricity. This time it was mostly deflected by the enemy, and only one flew back out of the doorway.


    ¡°The whole damn place is under attack. As soon as Dan and I got here, they were already trying to enter into this first room!¡±


    Crimson and grey-cloaked warriors struggled beside her. The palace guard had reacted quickly in repelling the violent assault from outside the palace. Unfortunately, many nobles had died in the process. Avria peered out the door, past the shoulders of the Rexunii, and saw the courtyard was littered with bodies, most of them dressed in fine clothing.


    ¡°How did they get in here!?¡± Avria asked, stabbing her weapon again at an enemy. ¡°Our walls are impenetrable! There is no way this many warriors could have gotten in unnoticed!¡±


    ¡°They materialized out of thin air!¡± Daniel grunted while blocking an attack that would have severed Delmos¡¯ arm. ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but they were invisible! They walked through the door and started killing everyone!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Avria was stunned. ¡°How do you know this?¡±


    Daniel gestured with his head to a dead Lokkadonian officer. ¡°The captain of the palace guard watched it happen. He told me right before he took a sword to the head.¡±


    ¡°Dan!¡± Delmos shouted, getting his attention. ¡°Blast these bastards! Don¡¯t hold back. Use your fire!¡±


    Daniel closed his eyes and raised his hands at the formation. Again, the enemy did their standard defense by bringing up Dunamis enhanced barriers of their various elements. What they didn¡¯t expect was the crimson flame that burst from Daniel¡¯s palms. The blast was so intense that their whole line was blown out of the entrance, and even the Lokkadonian palace guards scrambled back from him and shielded themselves.


    Avria¡¯s eyes widened as she saw the massive display of power. How? she thought. He was not this powerful when we practiced.


    After the initial shock, the Lokkadonians cheered and dove to kill their burning and wounded opponents.


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Delmos shouted. ¡°Let¡¯s go! We need to rally our defense!¡±


    Avria stabbed her spear down into the throat of a wounded Rexunii warrior and looked back at Daniel. He seemed a bit out of breath from the large attack but shrugged it off and continued.


    Avria, Daniel, Delmos, and their group of palace guards cleared the courtyard and did what they could to help the wounded nobles that were butchered unexpectedly by the attackers. Among the wounded was Phenia of House Vonos, Cato¡¯s daughter. She groaned as they lifted her up, and they saw that she had been stabbed through the leg. She whimpered at the sight of the wound and hid her face in Delmos¡¯ bloody cloak.


    ¡°Thank the spirits you¡¯re alive,¡± he said. ¡°Lord Cato would have never forgiven us if we let you die.¡±


    ¡°We need to move,¡± Daniel said, looking down into the city below. The vantage point from the elevated palace was always a beautiful view; now, all they saw below were explosions of elemental fury, screams, and warriors fighting in the streets.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Avria said, straining her eyes. With a whirl of her hands, the air and light before her began to bend and swirl until a small vortex appeared before her. It was magnified, and she used it to study the battle below. ¡°By the spirits,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°What?¡± Delmos asked, ¡°What is it?¡± He stepped next to her and peered through the magnified vortex.


    ¡°I see Visgo warriors down there¡­ and Sabree¡­ and Volsung! When did this happen!?¡± Avria¡¯s eyes bulged with confusion. ¡°Why would they do this to us!? And how did they get into Vul De Rah!?¡±


    ¡°A coordinated attack,¡± Daniel said. ¡°They must have been planning this in secret. You mean to tell me our spies didn¡¯t pick up on this? How did four clans sneak up on us like this without being seen?¡±

 Chapter 53

    Robert panted heavily, feeling the stinging of sweat dripping in his eyes.


    ¡°Rest, my Lord.¡± Demessa put her hand on his head, doing her best to comfort him. ¡°You have done very well.¡±


    He lifted his head and looked down at the now burning and devastated city. Immense guilt gripped him, and he prayed silently that Katrina was alright. They were inside the city now, and at the top of one of the tall Espe-Dae temples near the center.


    Alektor stood behind him, looking upon Vul De Rah as well. Robert had nearly passed out from the exertion in cloaking the massive army that crept to invade the city. But they had succeeded in their plan, and Robert had almost single-handedly brought ruin to those who once called him their guest.


    ¡°Contact Captain Richoro,¡± Alektor said to a runner who stood behind him. ¡°I want the Regios portion of the city quarantined; that is where their military resistance will come from and spread that to the Sabree as well. I don¡¯t want them to bite off more than they can chew and get slaughtered.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your highness.¡± The runner bowed and made his way down the spire to carry out his order.


    ¡°I have waited many years for this moment,¡± Alektor said, clasping his hands behind his back. ¡°The chance to see the most powerful city in Lokkadonia, crumbling before my eyes. It¡¯s a beautiful sight.¡±


    ¡°You said you would spare the civilians,¡± Robert croaked, still on his knees.


    ¡°I have given that order, Reku. If there is any unnecessary violence toward them, the perpetrators will pay dearly.¡± Alektor sighed and looked toward the palace, perched on its seat atop a large hill. ¡°Agron is dead? You¡¯re sure of this?¡±


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    Robert nodded. ¡°The connection to me was broken when the thrall did what I ordered it to do.¡±


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t directly control them?¡± Alektor asked.


    ¡°No, not really. I can sense them, all of them, but it¡¯s strange. Like they have a will of their own but are also a part of me. Oros¡­¡± he struggled to say the name, ¡°¡­killed some people in the throne room, Agron, but that¡¯s all I know.¡±


    ¡°And it looks like we have lost the force that entered the palace,¡± Yadri said, approaching from a position within the temple. ¡°They were killed by the nobles who were gathered. We tried to hold them up in there, but one of the other humans used some unnatural abilities, and broke our small blockade.¡±


    ¡°One of the other humans?¡± Robert asked, his voice starting to regain its strength. ¡°Which one? Was it a male or a female?¡±


    ¡°Male,¡± she said sternly. ¡°We lost many good warriors in that attack, I know the chances were slim, but out of the seventy that volunteered, only thirteen made it back.¡±


    ¡°Daniel¡­¡± Robert said. ¡°I need to see him! Where were they going?¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Reku,¡± Alektor said. ¡°I will not allow you to go galivanting around a warzone like this. The safest place for you is here with me. Once we secure the city, we will bring them here.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Alektor!¡± Robert stood, his legs shaking, and Demessa put her arms out to support him. ¡°This is Daniel! He¡¯s a warrior from our world and won¡¯t likely surrender to anyone. I have to talk to him. He will definitely get himself killed if he is confronted by our warriors.¡±


    Alektor sighed and shook his head, clear disapproval in his expression. ¡°I promised you that I would ensure their safety, and I regret doing so, but my word is my bond.¡± He looked at Yadri. ¡°Escort the Kryo to the opposition, and bring your best warriors.¡± He then turned to Demessa. ¡°I want you to watch him as well. He is in your care, don¡¯t fail me.¡±


    Both women bowed their heads.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡± Yadri asked. ¡°Where will you be? In case we need you.¡±


    He pointed at the large military section of Vul De Rah. ¡°I am going to break their back.¡±

 Chapter 54

    Daniel used his blade to block an immense blast of fire. Embers seared the skin on his hands and face, and he grunted to shrug off the pain. The Visgo war-group they were currently skirmishing with had been harassing them for some time from atop structures. Avria wanted to ignore them at first, but when one of the palace guards was skewered by a spike of stone, she turned her rage to them.


    ¡°Dan!¡± Delmos called out, sliding a dead warrior from his blade. ¡°Are you alright!?¡±


    ¡°Fine!¡± Daniel yelled in return, gritting his teeth and returning the attack with one of his own. Crimson flames belched from his left hand, and all in the direction of the blast seemed to melt. He heard a sickening scream and watched as three warriors crumpled to the stone below.


    There was a small pause after his attack, and the shocked Visgo took the opportunity to retreat down one of the many alleys before them.


    ¡°Let them go!¡± Avria commanded. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this. Push forward. We must reach the barracks to join the defense.¡±


    ¡°We have wounded,¡± Delmos said, kneeling beside one of the injured guards.


    ¡°Leave him. We can¡¯t afford to be slowed down by this,¡± she said coldly.


    ¡°What do you mean, leave him?¡± Delmos protested. ¡°We have seven wounded here, and three can¡¯t move. I am not leaving them here.¡±


    Avria turned to him, her face a clear indicator she wasn¡¯t going to accept any questioning of her orders. ¡°It¡¯s either their lives or our city. Get up, and follow me.¡±


    Delmos narrowed his eyes and shook his head. ¡°You are the only one who is truly needed there. Your leadership is what¡¯s important.¡± He looked at the wounded Lokkadonian palace guards. ¡°I will meet up with our father, who should be escorting the people from the palace out of the city. He will have people who are skilled at healing with him.¡±


    ¡°Delmos,¡± Avria said sternly. ¡°Leave them!¡±


    ¡°Avria,¡± Daniel said. ¡°Let him take them to your father. We can still make it if we hurry.¡±


    ¡°Daniel, we need his sword, there is only a handful of us left, and we need every advantage we can get.¡± Avria¡¯s eyes bulged with anger.


    ¡°Daniel?¡± a familiar voice called from down the street.


    The party whirled around, brandishing their weapons and assuming combat stances.


    There was a shimmer in the air about fifty feet from their position, and twenty Rexunii warriors bled into existence.


    Avria extended her hands, and Daniel did the same.


    ¡°Wait!¡± the man in the middle of the formation called out. Daniel paused at the sound of his voice. It can¡¯t be¡­ he thought. ¡°Robert?¡± he asked, squinting at the man, who was well dressed. ¡°Is that you!?¡± Daniel lowered his hands and took several steps forward.


    ¡°Daniel! Get back here! Those are Rexunii elite!¡± Avria yelled.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Robert said, his face one of relief. ¡°I¡­¡± His voice cracked, and Daniel could see tears welling in his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how good it is to see you again.¡±


    Daniel was speechless, happy to see his friend again, but his vision turned to the warriors at his flanks, and he hesitated. ¡°Why are you here with so many warriors?¡±


    ¡°We are here to ensure Prince Reku¡¯s safety.¡± one of them said, a female, by the sound of her voice.


    ¡°Prince¡­ Reku?¡± Daniel suddenly remembered the briefings he had with Oros about how Robert had been adopted into the King¡¯s family in Rexun. ¡°You¡¯re a part of this? You¡¯re helping them attack us?¡±


    ¡°Not you,¡± Robert said. ¡°Just them.¡± He pointed to Avria. ¡°I came here to get you and Katrina out of here. If you come with me, you will be safe. I know you¡¯ve seen what the Lokkadonians do to people. The Doulos were just the beginning. How they treat the vanquished¡­ is something else.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Avria spat. ¡°You helped these people!? After all, we did for you?¡± Her rage came out with every word. And she bared her teeth. ¡°So you have decided to side with them?¡±


    ¡°I had to choose,¡± Robert said, a true conviction in his voice. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy¡­ but in the end, friends were going to die on either side.¡±


    Avria stepped forward and stretched out her hand again. ¡°I should kill you for this.¡±


    ¡°Daniel, we can find a way home!¡± Robert said quickly.


    Daniel looked up at him, intrigued. ¡°You, what?¡±


    Robert nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes, we have some of the best minds in Rexun working on it right now. And spirits! We can find a way home. Please! You need to listen to me. The Torre¡¯ and the Espi-Dae, they want us all dead, Lokkadonia can¡¯t protect you, they¡¯re allied with them.¡±


    Daniel paused for a moment and saw Avria look at him. Her eyes were filled with many intense emotions: shock, sorrow, hatred, fear; all seemed to pour out as she looked him in the eye. ¡°I can¡¯t abandon these people either. They¡¯re family to us here. And you have no idea what they¡¯ve been through to protect us.¡± he finally said. ¡°It looks like we chose different sides, Rob.¡± He raised his weapon and pointed it at the other human. ¡°You haven¡¯t won yet.¡±


    Avria turned toward them and did the same.


    Robert¡¯s eyes darkened, and his face sagged. ¡°No, please. I¡¯m begging you. Dan! You have to come with me! And where¡¯s Katrina? Why isn¡¯t she with you?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s safe,¡± Daniel replied. ¡°She¡¯s with Boros.¡± He knew the words would sting, and it seemed appropriate to him.


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    Suddenly a booming voice broke the conversation. ¡°Human¡­¡± It was the familiar roar of the gargoyle looking spirit Gro¡¯ak. And once again, Daniel felt that same pit in his stomach. ¡°You have gone too far¡­¡± The strange form grew from the ground between the two forces and looked directly at Robert. ¡°You have brought this war into our lands¡­ and threatened the lives of your friends?¡±


    Everyone on the Lokkadonian side froze in fear and astonishment. Gro¡¯ak, an ancient spirit, had taken this moment to intervene on what looked like their behalf.


    Robert didn¡¯t flinch though, only narrowed his eyes at him.


    ¡°Gro¡¯ak¡­¡± A harsh and vicious voice echoed, as well. The sound sent a shiver down Daniel¡¯s spine, and he watched as another spirit formed beside Robert. She was the size of a human but had no eyes and was shrouded in what looked like a cloak and cowl made of black smoke.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Gro¡¯ak seemed to freeze at the sight of this other spirit, and Daniel looked again at her. Anything that could make Gro¡¯ak pause must be extremely powerful. ¡°You aren¡¯t supposed to be here¡­¡±


    Suddenly both of them disappeared into thin air.


    Both sides were left stunned and in silence after the strange exchange.


    Robert looked to his right at one of his guards. ¡°Get Daniel, in one piece, please,¡± he warned.


    Avria lifted her weapon. ¡°Get out of here, Daniel. Go with Delmos, and get back to my father! We will hold them off.¡±


    ¡°What? No way. I¡¯m not leaving you here to fight these assholes alone,¡± Daniel protested.


    ¡°Go!¡± she yelled, and electricity started to shriek around her.


    Delmos grabbed Daniel¡¯s shoulder and stood beside him. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere either, so you better accept it.¡±


    Avria didn¡¯t respond; she only slashed her weapon forward and launched a massive wave of electricity that shrieked its way toward the Rexunii. The blast tore the stone from the ground and shattered the walls of the buildings on either side of the street. Daniel gaped at the display of power and watched as the Rexunii worked together to block it.


    There was a bright explosion and a screech as the two opposing powers collided. Then screams could be heard as the light faded. Avria leaped forward with her spear in hand. Delmos and Daniel did the same, along with the remaining fifteen warriors of the Palace guard that were able to stand and fight.


    The Rexunii had quickly formed a collective defensive barrier to absorb the majority of the attack, but several who were on the sides, where the barrier was weakest, were torn apart. Avria aimed her spear at Robert as she descended but was blocked by two of the warriors at his flanks. Robert flinched at the advance and stumbled back.


    ¡°Prince Reku, get out of here! Let us handle this!¡± one said.


    The rest of the Lokkadonian warriors clashed into their defensive line, and again they found themselves in a chaotic battle in the middle of the street. Daniel swung his sword at one of the Rexunii and met his blade in a thud. Blasts of energy deafened him, and a faint voice in the back of his head cursed his already tinnitus-ridden ears.


    Delmos had already slain one of the warriors and flew with a Dunamis-enhanced blade straight into the next one. The man Daniel faced swung his weapon at him eagerly, but he could tell he wasn¡¯t trying to kill him. They want me alive, he thought. Taking advantage of that fact, he pressed forward, focusing his power into his left hand, and slamming it into the chest of the Dae. He grunted and flew back into the warriors behind him, knocking Robert to the ground.


    ~


    Avria fought hard against the two guards, both of them female, and fighting with all of their might. They were not average warriors by any means, using powerful and precise techniques to enhance their abilities, and attempted to overpower her. Avria screamed in anger as they tried to stab her at the same time. An eruption of power sent their blades to the side, and she swung her spear in a broad arch, trying to cut them both down. The tip of her blade dug into the abdomen of one, and she groaned in pain as blue blood gushed from her wound.


    ¡°Yadri!¡± the other yelled as she drove her weapon again at Avria. With the tip still embedded in Yadri¡¯s stomach, Avria lifted the shaft of her spear to block the attack. The terrible movement brought the wounded woman to the ground, and she screamed in pain as the blow from the other drove the spear deeper into her.


    Avria reached her hand out and grabbed the face of the remaining Rexunii guard. Screaming, a burst of electricity blasted her point blank, and her head shot back, sending her to the stone below.


    Suddenly Avria found herself being flung back and into one of the stone buildings. Her head was foggy, but she saw black streaks of wind streaming past her. Angrily she looked up to see Robert kneeling beside the downed guard, trying to revive her.


    ¡°Demessa! Get up, we have to get out of here!¡± he said, pulling her limp body over his shoulder.


    ¡°You!¡± Avria raged, standing and shaking off her dizziness. She used her Dunamis to bound again, faster this time. Robert made eye contact with her, and in an instant, was no longer there. Avria slammed her spear into the stone where the man stood moments before, shocked and confused at this strange ability she could not figure out. She looked around frantically, trying to find any trace of him.


    Then she felt the familiar heat of Daniel¡¯s Dunamis and saw the unnatural crimson flame flow over several warriors. Two blocked it with their own and countered using wind and stone. Daniel was slashed with the wind across his chest, his bone plate absorbing the majority of the attack, but it knocked him back. The wind attack hitting him first saved his life, as the stone spike that was sent his way narrowly missed his neck. The human flew into the ground and was still.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± Avria called in alarm, then turned her fury on the Rexunii warriors again, Robert all but forgotten.


    After several more minutes of intense fighting, the remaining Rexunii warriors fled down the street. They had fought hard against Avria and the palace guards, but in the end, her power was too great. They did not leave without taking their share of Lokkadonians, though. Out of the fifteen that joined the battle, only six remained.


    Avria walked tiredly to Daniel, who was moving around again, but his trousers were stained red with his blood. ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked him, sitting down for a moment on a large piece of rubble from one of the surrounding buildings that had been significantly damaged by the battle. She hefted her bone spear in her hand and stabbed the point into the stone. The once white weapon was completely stained blue with the blood of Dae.


    Daniel shrugged. ¡°Yeah.¡± He coughed. ¡°Guess I still have a lot to learn about fighting your people in actual combat.¡±


    ¡°You did well.¡± Avria looked back to Delmos, who was looking over several wounded warriors. ¡°You did too, Delmos. I am always impressed with how you perform in real situations.¡±


    Delmos scoffed and looked like he was about to reply when a massive explosion rocked the street. The boom was so immense, it caused several weak structures around them to collapse. If not for a very quick Dae-Voh palace guard, several wounded men would have been crushed.


    Avria stood again and saw a pillar of flame and smoke plume into the sky from the southeastern part of the city.


    ¡°Regios estate!¡± Avria screamed in horror.


    ¡°By the Spirits¡­¡± Delmos stared in awe at the sheer force of the explosion. ¡°What could have done that!?¡±


    ¡°Our forces...¡± Avria turned to Daniel and Delmos. ¡°The city will fall. Get word of this to father. We need to get as many people out of the city as possible.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he would have missed that.¡± Delmos pointed at the pillar of smoke. ¡°He knows.¡±


    ¡°Either way, get back to the palace. That is the only secure position we have at the moment.¡± Avria spun on her heels and ran down the street alone.


    ¡°You fool! Get back here!¡± Delmos cursed. ¡°She always does this! I have to follow her; my father will kill me if she dies.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow her,¡± Daniel said, stopping him. ¡°You get everyone back to the palace. Your father is the only one strong enough to defend against whatever the hell that was, right?¡±


    Delmos paused and gave him a skeptical look. ¡°You want me to do all the hard work? It would be much easier for me to chase down my hot-headed sister than to ensure all these wounded men get back in one piece.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll manage,¡± Daniel said, and dashed after her.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Delmos cursed again.

 Chapter 55

    Katrina used her Dunamis again to send dozens of pillars and spikes at a force of advancing Sabree warriors who were trying to make their way up the main path to the palace. They turned and retreated back below the forward gatehouse, where they took shelter. She took deep breaths as her exhaustion started to set in and looked to see how the other warriors who had been defending the position with her were doing. They looked much the same, breathing heavily and sweating profusely.


    ¡°Kat!¡± Boros yelled from the courtyard of the Palace. She turned to see him standing on the steps. ¡°Get over here!¡±


    Maybe it¡¯s something about that huge explosion, she thought, wearily. She stood from their small barricade and walked past her fellow defenders. ¡°Let me know if anything else happens, we can¡¯t allow them to make it past this point.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lady,¡± one of the warriors said.


    She jogged her way up to Boros, who looked like he had been through hell. ¡°That explosion was at the Regios estate, from the looks of it, the majority of our forces are being overrun as we speak. Their defenses were obliterated in an instant, and the Rexunii are pouring in. We can only assume that our fight for the city is lost.¡±


    Katrina hesitated. ¡°Wait, that isn¡¯t possible. Daniel and Avria went there. They must have arrived. They will be organizing a counterattack of some kind.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Boros choked. ¡°I told you. If they aren¡¯t dead already, they soon will be. We watched it from the palace tower. We must evacuate. There are tunnels from the palace out of the city. Vul De Rah has never been conquered before, so the deep tunnels will be tricky to navigate; we¡¯ve never had to use them for this, but I¡¯m sure we can manage. The remaining forces within the palace are gathering provisions for our departure.¡±


    ¡°Abandon the city?¡± she said slowly and looked out over Vul De Rah¡¯s battered body. ¡°I can¡¯t leave my master or Daniel here. I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t sit here and wait. Once whatever destroyed Regios estate comes here, no amount of defense could stop it. We must act. As of now, I am the acting Hego, and I need you to evacuate with me.¡± Boros let a tear stream down his cheek but wiped it away quickly.


    Katrina nodded but still couldn¡¯t bring herself to leave yet. ¡°Have them finish their preparations. I will stay out here with the defense until they¡¯re finished. Then I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Boros nodded reluctantly and turned to go back into the palace.


    Katrina walked slowly back to the defensive barrier and slumped against the stone. Taking a moment to herself, she cursed the terrible turn of events and again felt the same pang of fear she had been quite familiar with when first arriving on this world. She heard sniffing and crying then, just within earshot, and perked up to see where it was coming from. She followed the noises around the stone barrier to find Illya sitting in a corner. She had her knees pulled up, and her face was buried in them.


    ¡°Illya?¡± Katrina said softly. How did she get out here?


    Illya looked up, and to no surprise, her face looked much the same as Boros¡¯.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard,¡± Katrina said. ¡°I can¡¯t even begin to know what you might be feeling right now, but¡ª¡±


    Illya grabbed her by her hand and pulled her down with her. Katrina did her best to not flinch as she sobbed into her shoulder. Consoling wasn¡¯t one of her strong traits, she remembered her mother crying after her grandmother passed away several years ago, but this was different. Illya¡¯s agony was apparent with every heave, and all Katrina could do was hold her.


    They both sat there for the better part of an hour, silent, except for the cries from Illya, until one of the defenders shouted, ¡°Steady! Here they come!¡±


    Katrina struggled to stand but was held by Illya. ¡°Kat!¡± she said pleadingly, ¡°Please don¡¯t die!¡±


    Katrina stared back blankly, up to this point too shocked to truly contemplate her own mortality. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll try not to,¡± she stuttered, pulling her arm free and rushing to the barricade. She saw the thirty or so Lokkadonian guards locked in a heated battle with an advancing force of Sabree warriors. The pathway up to the palace was narrow and easily defendable from where they were positioned. According to Avria, the stone of the hill had been augmented thousands of years ago with the spiritual energy of the builders, making it impossible for Dae-Voh, or any wielders of the Dunamis, to manipulate it. This made coming up the sides and flanking extremely difficult. The same techniques were used in the creation of the Glade¡¯s massive dome.


    Katrina skidded to a halt and readied her hands to assist in the defense. She saw what looked like a massive boulder rolling its way up the pathway, slowly, and being bombarded by fire, lightning, blasts of water, and blades of wind. She was the only earth user in the defensive line and quickly added her own element to the fray. She closed her eyes and used the spiritual energy around her to form stone pillars. The pillars shot from around her and slammed roughly against the lumbering boulder. With a movement of her hands, the pillars angled downward and wedged against the wall, halting the advance. The Lokkadonian warriors cheered and redoubled their efforts.


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    Then, several holes formed in the boulder, opening to reveal several warriors within who blasted bolts of lightning out at the defenders. Katrina flinched as a man who was standing next to her was struck by one of the bolts. He screamed and fell to the stone, writhing in pain. It¡¯s a Dae tank, she thought, unable to find any real comparable equivalent on earth. She stood again, ignoring the crashing sounds and shouts around her. She used all her strength to push against the boulder, attempting to roll it back down the pathway. Seeing this, the defenders within the tank began blasting the pillars she had created. To her own amazement, they were much more durable than she had expected.


    The boulder moved a bit but stopped as the Dae within began to counteract her technique. She cursed loudly, and in frustration, she clenched her fists, and the tips of the pillars shed pieces until they were spikes. If it was hollow, she wondered if she could pierce it and get the warriors within. She strained against the stone boulder and pushed again with all her might. Sweat poured down her face, and finally, as her endurance came to near depletion, one of the spikes shot through the shell of the boulder, and she heard a muffled scream from within. Hearing the sound, she paused, but the others broke through as well, potentially skewering the operators within. The bolts of lightning ceased, and there were shouts of alarm from inside.


    One of the palace guards leaped over the barricade and ran as fast as he could to the boulder. His crimson cloak flowed behind him, tattered and worn, and he pressed his hands into one of the openings. He yelled in anger and released an eruption of fire directly into the boulder. Billows of flames plumed from the other openings, and screams could be heard.


    Again, there were cheers from the Lokkadonians, but the celebration was short-lived as dozens of warriors charged from around the boulder. They had apparently been using it as cover to get closer to the defenses before they launched their attack. They had no choice now but to attack. Within moments, the surge of Sabree warriors was upon the weary defenders. Katrina tiredly drew her sword and felt the thumping of her heart throughout her entire body. As adrenaline was pumped throughout her system, the scene seemed to slow, and her hearing became slightly muffled.


    ¡°Stand your ground!¡± one of the Lokkadonians yelled, using his spear to fight two enemies. Then out of the corner of her eye, she saw a blade swing directly at her head. The year of intense training with Avria and her strangely enhanced reflexes saved her life as she brought her weapon up to block it and stumbled back at the force. The Sabree wore tan cloaks, and their bone weapons, armor, and masks were not the same pearl white as the Lokkadonians or Rexunii. They were a strange gray color and had a different texture to them. Katrina blocked several attacks from the Dae, who obviously was trying to kill her quickly, and press on. He was not particularly skilled with the sword, but he was making up for that with his aggression. His blade came down again, and she deflected it, but she angled her sword, so it glanced off and slammed into the stone. The force of his strike was so strong that it embedded into the barricade. The instant he tried to pull it free but couldn¡¯t, Katrina swung her weapon up, slashing his abdomen and spilling his innards out, then came down again and cleaved his head. It was a standard deflection and counter technique that Avria had taught her and made her do thousands of times. It had become muscle memory at that point. Even with the hours and hours of practice, she had still managed to screw it up by slicing into the man¡¯s head instead of decapitating him. The moment she saw the gouts of blood spew from the wounds she had inflicted, she froze. The adrenaline helped by slowing her mind a bit, but the realization that she had just taken a life ¨C up close and personal ¨C came in and struck her like a train. She watched the blue blood gush from where her sword was still stuck in his head, and as the corpse fell to the ground, it jerked her weapon from her hands.


    ¡°My Lady!¡± One of the Lokkadonians grabbed her. ¡°We need to get back to the palace! We are overwhelmed here!¡±


    Katrina shook the shock from her mind as best she could and tried to respond. As she did, she was struck in the stomach by a spear that had been hurled at her. It entered her body with a thud, and she crumpled to the stone.


    The warrior who she was speaking to covered her with his own body, as another spear meant for her lodged in his back. He grunted but managed to stay rigid above her. Her vision blurred as the weapon still stuck in her stomach was jostled around. She didn¡¯t feel it though, it was more of an acknowledgment that it had happened with her brain, and her body was still waiting to catch up. After several moments of contemplation, the pain flooded in, and she choked on blood that flowed up from her belly. She blinked in confusion, watching the chaos around her as the defenders of the barricade were overrun by their enemies. Daniel¡­ Robert¡­ Avria... she thought, knowing that she was going to die now. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry¡­¡±


    She flinched as a muffled blast of electricity struck several Sabree warriors around her. Her vision was going black. Am I going into shock? she thought vaguely. Her mind then turned to her life back home. Her father, sitting behind his desk and working on his computer late again. She smiled a bloody smile at the fond memory of seeing him after coming home from school and spending time with him. The smell of her mother¡¯s cooking and her perfume when she hugged her. Suddenly she was jerked up but wasn¡¯t quite sure why.


    ¡°Hey!¡± a familiar and annoying voice called out to her. ¡°Don¡¯t die, you hear me? I¡¯m getting you out of here!¡±


    ¡°Del... mos¡­?¡± she asked, tasting metallic blood in her mouth.


    Suddenly her vision focused, and she realized she was being carried on his back.


    ¡°Shut up! You need to save your strength! I don¡¯t want a human dying on my back,¡± Delmos yelled.


    She closed her eyes, trying to remember what Avria had taught her about self-healing. It wasn¡¯t much, just enough to stop the bleeding and bring your mind out of shock using the Dunamis to augment her body. She felt the warmth of her power flow through her, and her mind suddenly became clear again.


    ¡°The¡­ palace,¡± she said weakly, realizing she was being carried away from there.


    ¡°We can¡¯t get to it!¡± he panted, running as fast as he could. ¡°We have to find another way out of the city!¡±


    ¡°Where are Daniel and Avria?¡± she asked, fearing for their safety.


    ¡°Hey! I said, shut up!¡± he snapped. ¡°Let me handle this, ok? I can¡¯t navigate with you bleeding all over me and yapping my ear off!¡±

 Chapter 56

    Avria and Daniel ran over hundreds of bodies in the wide street that lead to the Regios estate and the barracks. The sight was a humbling one, with the buildings on either side now little more than piles of rubble, and the stone below slick with blood and littered with the fallen. The sounds of fighting could be heard further up ahead, consisting of yells, shouts, screams, explosions, all of which would normally be indicators for normal or sane people to run away from. Daniel found himself running toward the fighting, much as he did back home. Running away just wasn¡¯t his style.


    Daniel stopped and leaned against a ruined shop at the corner of the street. From here, they could see clearly the extensive force that had been brought to snuff out the Lokkadonians in Vul De Rah. It mainly consisted of Sabree and Visgo warriors but was clearly being led by the Rexunii. At the rear of the offensive, Avria pointed out a man who stood with multiple guards, his hands clasped behind his back and a small crown on his head.


    ¡°Alektor? The king?¡± Daniel asked, incredulously. ¡°What the hell is he doing here? Shouldn¡¯t he be back in his castle or on a hill somewhere?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an arrogant warrior king, remember?¡± Avria seethed. ¡°He isn¡¯t on the front lines, and they must believe this sector is secure.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Daniel huffed. ¡°Good thing we were able to sneak by the rear guard.¡±


    When they were getting close to the Regios estate, they observed that the Rexunii had several elements protecting their flanks. Being such a small group, Avria and Daniel managed to slip by undetected. As many of the warriors were fresh from the front and taking time to rest and recuperate, it wasn¡¯t too difficult.


    ¡°Complacency kills,¡± Daniel echoed words from his old platoon commander.


    Avria nodded, then turned to Daniel. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, you know? We won¡¯t survive for long after it¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that matters, Avria,¡± he said, doing his best to smile. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve been thinking about my existence since I got to your world, and I¡¯m not sure I was meant to live this long. Every day I¡¯ve lived here felt like borrowed time¡­ so¡­ fuck it, right?¡±


    Avria stared at him, seeming to study him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Oros,¡± he said before she could speak. ¡°He was one of my only friends here. He deserves to be avenged.¡±


    She blinked a tear away in her eye but looked away toward Alektor. ¡°He will be.¡± ¡°And thank you, Daniel, I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t have to do this on my own.¡±


    ¡°No one should die alone,¡± he said darkly.


    With that, she took a deep breath and pressed her hands together. ¡°We both hit him with everything we have. Then we charge in and finish him. Understand?¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± he said, closing his eyes to focus.


    The air around her seemed to vibrate with the power she was building up, and Daniel once again saw how terrifying this woman was in power. There was a screeching crackle around her, and she opened her eyes to meet his. As one, they turned the corner and blasted with all of their strength. Daniel¡¯s crimson flame erupted from his hands and spiraled toward the King¡¯s back. Avria¡¯s blast of lightning was several times the size and tore the ground up where it passed. As they both struck their mark, a blinding flash of light burst, and all went silent.


    Daniel fell to one knee, gasping for air, but was grabbed by Avria and hauled up. ¡°We¡¯re not done yet!¡± she yelled, and they charged into the glowing furnace they had created.


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    The rear part of the Rexunii force that engaged the Lokkadonian barracks had been shocked by the massive attack. There were bodies of Dae scattered all around the street, and hundreds of warriors were dazed and confused. Avria charged in with her spear in hand to do as much damage as she could, but as she cleared the smoke and flames, she skidded to a halt before Alektor, who was surprisingly still in one piece.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Avria said, as Daniel stopped beside her.


    Alektor stood before them, his face unreadable, and his body completely unphased by the massive attack. Even his six guards were unaffected, looking as though they had hidden behind him for protection.


    ¡°What are you!?¡± Avria screamed, her rage flowing out.


    ¡°Avria Regios,¡± Alektor said, his voice calm and unrelenting. ¡°I must say I am surprised to see you here.¡± He examined her, she must have seemed a sight to him, Daniel thought; covered in blood and her ceremonial uniform torn and tattered. ¡°You are a resilient one.¡±


    She lifted her spear and pointed it at him. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you for what you¡¯ve done here. Rexunii scum!¡±


    Daniel lifted his blade as well, and Alektor¡¯s gaze turned to him.


    ¡°You must be Daniel,¡± he said. ¡°The other human who came with Reku.¡±


    ¡°Where is that traitorous scumbag?¡± Daniel spat. ¡°Last I saw, he was running for his life.¡±


    Alektor ignored his words and continued. ¡°You cannot hope to win. Your city has fallen, your Hego is dead, and you have no chance to defeat us. Lay your arms down, and we will relent. Convince your warriors here to surrender, and they will be treated with respect.¡±


    ¡°We will never surrender.¡± Avria dashed toward him, her weapon launching another blast of electricity ahead of it. Daniel blinked as she attacked, and in an instant, she was brushed aside by a wave of fire that scorched everything around him. Daniel choked from the smoke and coughed uncontrollably. What the hell is this guy? he thought, looking for Avria in the flames.


    Seeing her form on the ground, he dashed as fast as he could to get to her. His legs surged with the Dunamis, and in moments he was next to her, but now face to face with Alektor. Daniel reeled, surprised the man had moved so quickly, so he swung his blade at him. The Rexunii king swept his hand again, and fire burst from it to engulf Daniel and Avria at his feet.


    Suddenly there was a blast of energy that deflected it to the side. Alektor looked up in shock at the culprit, and Daniel turned to see Gro¡¯ak snarling at him. He was much larger now, at least the size of a building, but looked as though he had been severely wounded.


    ¡°Human!¡± he bellowed. ¡°Come to me!¡± The ground shook at the presence of the Spirit, and Daniel grabbed Avria¡¯s smoking body in his arms. As he ran toward Gro¡¯ak, he fell into a portal of light, much like he did when he remembered first coming to this world.


    ~


    He fell through it and landed on a grassy field. He had broken Avria¡¯s fall with his own body and groaned in pain.


    As quickly as he could, he sat up and examined her. ¡°Avria,¡± he said, trying to be as calm as possible. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± He felt for a pulse in her neck, and let out a breath of relief when he found one. Her chest rose suddenly, and she took in a breath with a gasp, her eyes shooting open.


    ¡°Dan¡­¡± she said, looking around in confusion. ¡°What¡­? What happened?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± He was cut off by Gro¡¯ak, who grew from the ground to their left.


    ¡°I had to intervene,¡± he said, in his usual imposing and terrifying voice, but more subdued.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Daniel sputtered. ¡°Intervene? You couldn¡¯t help protect the city? Why didn¡¯t you kill Alektor?¡±


    ¡°I would have,¡± he grumbled, ¡°but they¡­ had an ancient spirit with them¡­ somehow¡­ I tried to fight her¡­ but she would have killed me¡­ I took an opportunity to escape, and save you in the process¡­¡±


    Avria tried to sit up but winced at some burns across her left side. Daniel held his arm out and helped her up. ¡°They had a spirit?¡± she said weakly.


    Gro¡¯ak slumped. ¡°The creature is ancient to even me¡­ she was a terror to us and the Dae¡­ many thousands of years ago¡­ why she has chosen to follow the whims of a Rexunii king¡­ I do not know¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Gro¡¯ak,¡± Daniel finally said. ¡°Is everyone else alright?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°That¡­ I cannot be sure of either¡­ her presence has masked the city¡­ there is nothing more we can do but escape this place and go to a more secure location¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave,¡± Avria protested. ¡°My brother and father are still in there; Katrina is too! We can¡¯t just leave, we have to¡ª¡± She winced again, holding her wound.


    ¡°Calm down, holy shit,¡± Daniel chided. ¡°I¡¯m sure they got out of there. Your dad was putting together the withdrawal plan when we left. They¡¯re probably on their way to one of the other cities as we speak. So don¡¯t worry.¡± He looked at Gro¡¯ak. ¡°What now?¡±

 Chapter 57

    Robert stared down at a pool of red blood behind a barricade in the courtyard of the palace in Vul De Rah. His mind was numb from the battle and the terrible guilt he felt for what he was now wholly responsible for. That¡¯s a lot of blood, he thought, knowing that it could only be Katrina¡¯s. Daniel was facing off with Alektor during this little skirmish, and there were only three people here that he knew of that bled red. He held in his sorrow, knowing he would have plenty of time to reflect on it later.


    ¡°She lives¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said, appearing on his shoulder. ¡°She has made her choice though¡­ and it was not you¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± Robert said, his throat dry. ¡°You had me worried. You just disappeared on me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m touched¡­¡± she said blithely. ¡°Gro¡¯ak and I fought in the spiritual realm¡­ we would have destroyed this city if it had been here, and we both could not risk that¡­¡±


    ¡°I know he isn¡¯t dead,¡± Robert continued, walking toward the palace. ¡°He saved Daniel from Alektor, apparently.¡±


    ¡°He managed to slip past me once he knew he would not win¡­ his only option was to save his human¡­ and hide,¡± she hissed. ¡°I will find him again¡­ do not worry. He will probably go back to his forest¡­ and rally support against me¡­¡±


    Robert nodded and entered the palace, remembering the first time he walked in the large doors, being escorted by Oros and Boros. He strode through the halls, bloody and littered with the bodies of warriors and nobles. He found his way to the throne room, where he saw Alektor standing on the throne platform, looking down thoughtfully at it.


    ¡°I have dreamed of this moment,¡± Alektor said as Robert approached. ¡°The moment where I would vanquish the evil tyrant of Vul De Rah and sit on his throne with his blood soaking the floor beneath it.¡± He extended his hand to touch the smooth stone it was made of. ¡°But here I am, and the feeling I imagined is not here. Only the emptiness of this chamber, of those who loved him, of those who tried so hard to kill me because of what I had done.¡±


    ¡°Not just you,¡± Robert said.


    ¡°Reku¡­¡± He turned to him and narrowed his eyes. ¡°I must apologize to you, I had thought to capture Daniel, but in the end, he chose to die rather than to submit. And¡­ I do not know where your former mate, Katrina, is. I¡¯m afraid the only trace we have of her is that puddle of blood in the courtyard. She may very well be dead.¡±


    Robert shook his head. Holding in his emotions.


    ¡°But you have also shown me,¡± he continued, ¡°that there is much I need to work on as a ruler. There are sides and perspectives that I find difficult to see.¡± He took a deep breath and finally sat on Agron¡¯s throne. Leaning back in it, he rested his arms and looked as regal as he possibly could. ¡°I will heed your counsel, and the people of Vul De Rah will not suffer harshly. You have my word on that. However, we will investigate any mistreatment of my people while in the service of them. They will be held accountable.¡±


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    Robert nodded and let out a breath. ¡°I suppose that¡¯ll do.¡±


    ¡°How fares, Demessa?¡± the King asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s alive,¡± Robert responded, clenching his fists. ¡°Damn Avria.¡±


    ¡°Go to her,¡± Alektor continued. ¡°She will need your strength.¡±


    ~


    Robert made his way through the ruined corridors of the palace, absentmindedly avoiding pools of blood. The violence that he so adamantly avoided back home had become so commonplace here that he now was barely affected by the sights. He approached one of the royal chambers, a place he vaguely remembered. The room was large, with beds and tables that had been brought in to turn it into one of the many field hospitals created to tend to the countless wounded warriors who were left in the wake of the battle. Robert walked past the dozens of bustling medical Dae that did their best to tend to the groaning and pleading warriors, easing their pain with their own spiritual energy. Near the back of the room, lying on one of the larger beds, was Demessa. The right side of her face was covered in bandages, leaving a hole for her eye. Robert could see small areas where her blue blood had seeped through the bandage, and wounded tissue that was not completely covered. She met his eyes and then turned away. As if ashamed of being viewed in such a vulnerable state.


    ¡°Good to see that you¡¯re up,¡± he said, taking a seat next to her. ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡±


    She took several moments before responding, inhaling deeply, with her eyes closed. ¡°I suppose I should thank you, Kryo.¡± Her voice was ragged. ¡°You saved me¡­¡±


    Robert said nothing. He just looked at her, nodding.


    ¡°We have taken the city then.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°Alektor is enjoying his victory in the throne room.¡± He gestured to the wounded around them. ¡°We took a beating, though. The Lokkadonians didn¡¯t give up this place without a fight.¡±


    ¡°This was their home.¡± Demessa opened her eyes then and adjusted the pillows she was using to prop herself up. ¡°They fought for it with conviction and strength, but in the end, we were victorious.¡±


    She studied his face for a few moments, then she put her hand on his.


    He flinched at the touch but accepted it. ¡°I¡¯ve lost everything from my old life now. Completely. I was confident in what I had chosen to do, after seeing what the Lokkadonians did in that village.¡± He shook his head. ¡°But now¡­ I just feel like I have done something terrible.¡±


    ¡°Terrible?¡± Demessa asked, grunting in pain as she sat up further. ¡°You have freed tens of thousands of people, Reku. You have done something that none thought possible, that all in Eleutheros thought to be madness; this was all because of you! Don¡¯t think for a moment that what we did here today was terrible.¡±


    ¡°All the death,¡± he said in frustration. ¡°All the pain. Look at what we¡¯ve done to this place.¡±


    ¡°Every transition is a painful process, filled with uncertainty and regret. You¡¯re not the only one who is thinking what you are. I assure you that your brother, the King, is fending off his own guilt and turmoil now.¡± She squeezed his hand. ¡°The Lokkadonians were murderers in their own right, oppressors, and violators. Go outside, walk among the Doulos you freed today. Accept their thanks and their praise. Hear the stories of the atrocities against them. Then you come back here and tell me that what you did was terrible.¡±


    Robert looked at her for a long moment. Wounded as she was, she was still breathtakingly beautiful. Her battle against Avria to protect him was one of the many things that prodded his guilt, but he knew she was right. Daniel and Katrina had chosen to side with these people, who casually stood for something he hated. He had lost the only connection to his old life, but now he had a new one. He lifted his hand to Demessa¡¯s wounded face and cupped her exposed cheek. She looked at him, confused for a moment, but was interrupted by a kiss he planted on her lips. Robert pulled away and stood, leaving Demessa speechless. With that, he smiled at her and made his way back into the palace halls.

 Chapter 58

    Katrina opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was the damp stone ceiling of a cave. She blinked in confusion for several moments before attempting to sit up, something she immediately regretted when her abdomen flared in pain.


    ¡°Stay down,¡± Delmos said, sitting next to her. He was tending a pot of something that smelled delicious. Katrina perked up at the fragrance, unable to remember when she last ate. She laid her head back down on her rolled-up cloak that he had fashioned into a pillow for her.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± she croaked. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°You survived.¡± Delmos turned to her with a bowl of soup. ¡°Here, drink this. It will help heal your wound.¡±


    She reached out and noticed that the usually humorous and boisterous man was serious and solemn. ¡°Delmos, what happened?¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything for a long moment, just hung his head and shook it. ¡°We lost everything¡­ the city, our families¡­ Avria, apparently, she was killed by Alektor¡­ Dan too. That¡¯s what people are saying.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Katrina shot up, enduring the searing pain. ¡°You¡¯re lying, it¡¯s not possible.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not even the worst part,¡± he continued. ¡°Survivors of the battle in Rexun have started to trickle back; there aren¡¯t many. And details of his victory have come to light.¡±


    Katrina didn¡¯t say anything. Her eyes began to well with tears at the thought of her lost friend and master.


    ¡°The one responsible for their victory was Robert.¡±


    She shot him another look. ¡°What?¡±


    He took a drink from his own bowl of soup and continued. ¡°He learned some strange new abilities; he¡¯s able to animate the dead, to create illusions, to mask whole damn armies.¡±


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    ¡°No.¡± The tears began to stream down her face now. ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ he was the one who controlled Oros¡¯ body when he killed Agron¡­ the son of a bitch killed our Hego, got those bastards into Vul De Rah, and pretty much single-handedly butchered our whole army in Rexun. They never even knew what hit them, the survivors said a second force materialized out of thin air behind them and broke their back. Oros turned to fight them, but Alektor¡­ that¡­¡± He swallowed hard. ¡°He killed him, burned him alive with his Dunamis.¡± He looked at Katrina, his eyes full of rage. ¡°I didn¡¯t think there was any Dae alive, save an ascended, who could kill Oros with their Dunamis. He was¡­ he was powerful.¡±


    Delmos wiped his mouth and placed his bowl on a stone next to the pot he used to cook. ¡°My father made it out, though. I guess that¡¯s the only good news I have. We¡¯re separated from them, though.¡± He pointed to the small cave¡¯s opening. ¡°We have the survivors of the palace guard who fought with me, most of them are injured and useless. And about fifty survivors from the battle in Rexun, all tired and weary from their travel back. We ran into them by chance. There is a camp outside, but they aren¡¯t in any condition to fight. We have to rest up, heal up, then¡­ we¡¯ll see.¡±


    Katrina laid her head back down and wiped her eyes. ¡°Avria¡­ Dan¡­¡± she said quietly. ¡°What are we going to do now, Delmos?¡± She put her hand on his. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Avria, I¡­¡± The words couldn¡¯t come out. She wanted to be supportive, but she was once again broken.


    ¡°I know,¡± Delmos said. ¡°I mean, she was a mean and terrifying bitch, but she was my sister and always looked out for me. Always defended me when I was in trouble.¡± He sighed heavily. ¡°And Dan¡­ that poor bastard.¡± He stood up. ¡°Once we¡¯re healthy enough to travel, we make our way to Vul De Mar. It¡¯s to the north, somewhere. I¡¯ve never been there, but hopefully, King Yomin isn¡¯t a coward like everyone thinks he is. If he¡¯s useless? Then maybe to the Torre¡¯, who knows¡­ damn it all! I¡¯m not a leader. This was Avria¡¯s thing. I just make jokes and look pretty.¡±


    ¡°I heard you were a pretty good officer,¡± Katrina said, earnestly. ¡°Daniel said it was your leadership that won the day against the raiders.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± He scoffed. ¡°It was Dan and his crazy tactics from your world. I just took the credit, which was fine with me, but now that things are on my shoulders?¡± He sighed. ¡°Great, now I¡¯m sighing like Dan. Look what he¡¯s done to me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll figure something out.¡± She sniffed, wiping away more tears. ¡°We have to.¡±

 Chapter 59

    ¡°The Sabree, the Visgo, and the Volsung,¡± Avria said, grimacing in pain as Daniel wrapped her wound on the side of her stomach. ¡°We¡¯ll make them pay. I swear it.¡±


    Daniel said nothing, only nodded and fumed while he wrapped her wounds. She had burns that reached from her left hip, up her side, and around her back. She had used her Dunamis to heal what she could, but her skill in the art was lacking, and Daniel had no idea of the complex art. Instead, he cleaned the wound and attempted to wrap it. Seeing she had no choice, she shed her torn ceremonial blouse so he could reach her damaged areas.


    She was silent then, for a time, Daniel figured she was reliving the moments in the throne room in her head. She shuddered with anger and grief with each breath she took, and Daniel searched his mind for something to say. He¡¯d been here before, consoling friends and brothers who had lost people close to them. He was never any good at it, but sometimes all people needed was someone to be there.


    Daniel finished his work and helped her put her blouse back on. They had escaped, thanks to Gro¡¯ak, to the edge of one of the surrounding forests, far enough away from the city that they would not be detected, and took some time to rest.


    ¡°So how did they switch sides without anyone getting wind of it?¡± he finally asked. ¡°The Torre¡¯ have spies in every clan for specifically this reason.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m guessing they compartmentalized, keeping only those who needed to know informed. That with the sheer amount of disinformation they were clearly spewing,¡± she said, after a long pause. ¡°Alektor must have allied with specific people in Volsung and Sabree. We knew about the Visgo, but the others¡­ that was a surprise. I mean, the Sabree hate the Rexunii. They have hated them since the last war. They were invaded, and the Lokkadonians rode in to save them. It¡¯s just¡­ very unexpected.¡±


    ¡°Alektor must be a damn good politician,¡± Daniel said, checking what gear he had left. All they had were their weapons and Daniel¡¯s bone breastplate, along with his shredded officer¡¯s cloak. He looked at his hands, caked and matted with dried blue blood.


    ¡°We have to find my father,¡± she said. ¡°If there is anyone who could rally the remaining lords of Lokkadonia, it¡¯s him. We can¡¯t rely on King Yomin to do anything. He¡¯s a political puppet and terrified of the Rexunii.¡±


    ¡°So, we find him,¡± Daniel said,


    Avria stood and turned to face Vul De Rah again, it¡¯s once brilliant skyline an angry tear in the serene landscape. Smoke billowed from dozens of structures, and tears began to spill from her eyes.


    Daniel followed her gaze and shook his head at the destruction. They took several long minutes of silence before Avria turned to him, her face now a mask of steely resolve.


    ¡°No matter what it takes, I will return,¡± she said, then turned her back on the smoldering city.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± Daniel said, before he took a deep breath and led her into the forest.


    The End

 Chapter 1 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel felt the cool water on his fingers as he pressed them into the stream. The water skin he held in them began to fill, and he looked to the forest''s canopy above him. It had been several weeks of movement in the concealment of the Rukui forest to the Northeast of Vul De Rah. Avria had suggested that they travel as long as possible using the forest for safety and slowly make their way to one of the Northern Hego¡¯s territories. It was a sound plan, and Daniel found it appropriate for their situation. The fall of Vul De Rah and the death of both its Hego and his heir had shaken all of Lokkon. It had shaken everyone. Daniel turned his head over his right shoulder to see Avria leaning against a tree, adjusting herself to find a comfortable spot. He sighed. Avria had been extremely isolated since the incident and had barely spoken to him about anything but their mission. He knew she was hurting inside. She had watched her Hego get decapitated by his son, the man she loved.


    ¡°Avria,¡± Daniel said, tossing the water skin to her. The ward deftly caught it in her hand and nodded thanks to him.


    Daniel filled his own and stood to return to their small camp. They still had no supplies and had been surviving on wild animals and the many riverways and streams that spread throughout Lokkadonia. He sat down with a huff across from Avria. He drank water and ran his fingers through his hair to clear the tangles and grime.


    ¡°Avria.¡± He said, getting the woman¡¯s attention. ¡°We¡¯ve been moving for three weeks through this forest. We passed several towns that would have definitely given us supplies and shelter. We are not being followed by anyone. Alektor has a lot of other things to worry about than the two of us.¡±


    She shook her head and put the cork into the mouthpiece of her water-skin. ¡°We can¡¯t stop. The moment we do, we will be recognized.¡± She glared at him. ¡°Especially you.¡±


    Daniel shrugged. ¡°We can¡¯t stay in the forest forever. While we¡¯re concealed here, our progress is slow. Before we know it, the Rexunii will be marching troops right past us. Then, we¡¯re really screwed.¡±


    Avria nodded her head solemnly. ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡± her eyes glistened, but she blinked it away. ¡°I¡­ I haven¡¯t been thinking properly. These last few weeks have been¡­ well, I¡¯m sure you know.¡±


    ¡°Listen to me.¡± Daniel leaned forward. ¡°I know it hurts. I¡¯ve been there myself, but we need you to be in top form. You are a force of nature when you¡¯re focused and determined. Lokkon needs that ferocity now. We need to rally support, build something to fight these assholes that killed your people.¡±


    ¡°Our¡­¡± Avria said stiffly.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Daniel leaned back.


    ¡°Our people.¡± She continued. ¡°You are a Lieutenant of clan Ignos and clearly have a good head on your shoulders.¡± She sighed and leaned her head against the tree behind her. ¡°All this time we spent in Vul De Rah, I never thought it would be you, to snap me out of such an embarrassing state. I had never opened myself up until him. Oros was my rival for so many years¡­ so when he opened up to me, I accepted it¡­ knowing I was vulnerable to something like this. To watch him¡­ kill Agron¡­ his own father.¡± She blinked away more tears. ¡°My father always taught me to be guarded against such things. Emotion clouds your judgment, makes you act rashly. I don¡¯t know what to do. I never thought much about how I would react if something like this happened.¡±


    ¡°Avria.¡± Daniel took in a deep breath. ¡°Oros is gone, and I understand what you¡¯re going through. So, let¡¯s do what we can to avenge him. And he ¡®will¡¯ be avenged. That, I can promise you. He was my friend and mentor, and I am going to kill that son of a bitch, Robert, for what he did.¡±


    ¡°One of your own?¡± Avria asked, her face turning dark.


    Daniel did not reply, he only stood and held his hand out to her. Avria didn¡¯t hesitate to clasp it and pull herself up.


    ¡°Let''s go then.¡± She said,


    The two worked their way North from their position, following the stream. Daniel trailed the ward several paces behind her, ensuring there was enough dispersion between them in case of an attack. An old habit from his time in the Marines. Avria told him that there would be another village called Vul Dema on the way. This one was a bit larger than the last few they had passed and closer to the Eastern Hego¡¯s territory. There would be warriors there as well.


    Avria raised her hand to halt them as they crested the final hill. Below was a large village that was halfway surrounded by the forest. It was an excellent position for concealment but left it vulnerable to enemy troops who attacked from the forest. They made their way around the Western side of the ten-foot-high earth wall surrounding it and approached the large gate.


    ¡°Halt!¡± A crimson-clad guard shouted from the guard post before them. ¡°State your business!¡±


    Avria strode up, and waved her hand to them. ¡°I am Avria of house Regios! Ward to the Hego, Agron. I command you let me speak to your captain!¡±


    There were several moments of silence as more guards came out to see what the commotion was.


    ¡°How do we know you¡¯re telling the truth?¡± One shouted.


    ¡°Captain Merith will know me.¡± She said confidently. ¡°Now go get him. We are short on time.¡±


    There were more precious seconds of silence as they deliberated. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Another asked, referring to Daniel.


    ¡°This is Lieutenant Daniel. One of the Spirit-Sent.¡± She responded.


    There were several gasps from the growing number of warriors, and several darted back into the fortifications to retrieve their commander.


    ~


    ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Captain Merith said, slumping in his chair. ¡°So the stories were true¡­ Vul De Rah has fallen.¡±


    ¡°You were right to seal the village,¡± Avria said, sipping hot tea from a bowl. ¡°But Vul Dema will not be safe from a full force of Dae warriors.¡±


    ¡°Well, what can we do, my Lady? We have only fifty warriors or so here. We cannot defend against such numbers. And these are not the elite warriors you are used to in Vul De Rah, trust me.¡± Merith shrugged. ¡°After so long without incidents of note, they have gotten a bit, lax.¡±


    ¡°Well, things have changed. How many people are here in the village?¡± Avria asked.


    ¡°Four-hundred and ninety-three.¡± A smooth voice said from behind them. Avria and Daniel turned to see a tall Dae with light grey skin standing in the doorway behind them. He wore a long grey robe with silver embroidery etched around the hem and cuffs. ¡°Lady Avria.¡± He said, bowing his head slightly.


    ¡°Lord Atun.¡± She said, standing to greet him. ¡°It is good to finally meet you.¡±


    ¡°And you as well.¡± His eyes shot to Daniel, who was still sitting. ¡°My condolences for the loss of your Mate, the Kryo, and our honorable Hego. I wish we could have been introduced under better circumstances.¡±


    Avria clenched her jaw but nodded and sat back down. ¡°We need to start thinking about either building the defenses of this village, or traveling to one of the larger and better-defended cities. How many Doulos do you have here?¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    Atun shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure my Lady, perhaps one hundred and fifty. We don¡¯t pay them much attention. They mostly work west of the wall in our fields, or in the forest to the East for hunting and gathering herbs. Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°They are what Alektor is after.¡± She said. ¡°He is set on freeing them, so if you have them here, they will turn on you when he comes. We can¡¯t rely on their labor anymore.¡±


    Atun was shocked. ¡°Doulos? Rising up against us? Ridiculous, they would never do such a thing. Even if they did, we couldn¡¯t just let them all go; they would give away our position to any of the Rexunii scum who picked them up.¡±


    Avria¡¯s eyes met with Daniels, and he shook his head. ¡°We are going to let them go. Last thing you want is for them to find a mass grave of a hundred and fifty Doulos here, not to mention, it¡¯s disgusting. The people of Lokkadonia are going to pay for their crimes against Alektor¡¯s people. It might be seen as a gesture of good faith to let them go.¡±


    ¡°Good faith?¡± Atun chuckled. ¡°He slew our Hego and Kryo, sacked our city and you expect us to just let his people go free? These are Doulos we¡¯re talking about here.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re innocent people.¡± Daniel hissed. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Alektor¡¯s power first hand. He could come to this village, and burn you all to a crisp with a wave of his fingers. This man killed Oros, and swept the two of us aside like we were nothing. It does no one here any favors if we kill the Doulos.¡± He leaned closer to Atun, but looked at Avria. ¡°Either way, we have to move. My suggestion is to find a way to one of the larger cities. We go east, if we can. If not, then we go deeper into the forest. Set up a concealed settlement, someplace safer for your people. If the Doulos do end up telling the Rexunii about this place, we won¡¯t be here to see them if they come knocking.¡±


    Avria nodded, in deep thought.


    ¡°Leave our village? Become homeless vagrants in the forest? Or refugees to Hego Jiro? I think not.¡± Atun sputtered, looking to Captain Merith. ¡°We must build our defenses Captain.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Avria said. ¡°Daniel is right. We will send several scouts North East to check the route to Hego Jiro¡¯s territory. If the path is clear, we will march to Vul De Toh, their capital and take refuge there.¡± She looked to Atun. ¡°Ensure that your people are aware of the situation. They must be ready to move.¡± She turned to Daniel. ¡°You want to free the Doulos? Let them run back to their masters? Fine, but know that you will take responsibility for their actions.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± Daniel said. ¡°I take it gladly. I need to speak with them though. From what Rin told me, the Doulos believe that the Spirit-Sent were brought here to free them. So let me do that.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± Avria nodded. ¡°But not now; we need to send our scouts first. I don¡¯t want anything getting out just yet. Once we know where we can go, then we release them. Now, Atun. Kindly point me in the direction of your nearest bath.¡±


    ~


    Daniel found his way to one of the bathhouses in Lord Atun¡¯s estate. The structure was far more luxurious than the rest of the village, and stuck out like a sore thumb. The man must have decided that if he was going to be stuck in a small village at the edge of Ignos territory, then he would do it in style. Removing his clothes, Daniel waded into the warm water and sank in with a contented sigh. That¡¯s more like it, he thought. There were bottles of soaps and fragrant perfumes stacked on the side on shelves. Daniel picked some up and sniffed. He shuddered at some of them, a few were extremely strong. I don¡¯t smell ¡®that¡¯ bad, holy shit.


    There was a creek from the stone door to the bathhouse, and Avria walked in, looking clean and refreshed. She wore a luxurious looking crimson cloak, and fine leather clothes. ¡°Daniel.¡± She said, striding to his bath.


    Daniel sank deeper into the water and tried to look as normal as possible. ¡°What''s up?¡±


    ¡°Here are your new clothes.¡± She said, tossing a clean pile down. ¡°They don¡¯t have any Lieutenant cloaks, so your old one will have to do. They also seem to have a lack of armor. Damn backwater villages. Anyway, hurry up and get dressed. We need to go over our battle plan.¡±


    ¡°I''ll be there in a minute. I literally just got in here.¡± He said, inspecting more soaps.


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have time to sit and soak all day. We have work to do.¡± She said, her voice sounding frustrated.


    ¡°Did you even bathe?¡± He asked. ¡°You left like a minute before I did, but you had time to clean yourself, get a new uniform, find one for me, then bring it here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called efficient time management, I didn¡¯t sit here smelling soaps for the one I liked most, now hurry up.¡± She turned on her heels and strode out.


    ¡°Good lord¡­¡± He sighed, finally picking a soap he liked.


    ~


    Daniel made his way through the halls of the estate, finally entering a small gathering chamber. Avria was sitting on the center chair. Which was fitting, as she had taken command of the small village. Around her were, Captain Merith, Lord Atun, and several civilian Dae, as well as a few Lieutenants. Daniel walked around the group to sit in front of Avria.


    ¡°Excellent.¡± She said, leaning back in her chair. ¡°Captain, have you chosen your scouts?¡±


    Merith stood and brushed his cloak. ¡°My lady, it is difficult to muster enthusiasm from these warriors. They are still deciding amongst themselves.¡±


    ¡°Deciding?¡± She asked, her face turning into a scowl. ¡°These whelps think that they have a choice in this?¡±


    The captain opened his mouth to speak, but Avria cut him off with a gesture of her hand. ¡°They are not to blame in this instance captain. Warriors emulate the habits of their officers; in this case, you and your lieutenants. If you cannot instill the proper discipline, I¡¯m sure Daniel will be able to do so.¡± She looked over to him and took in a deep breath. ¡°Daniel, as the senior member of Ignos clan present, and seeing as how we are now in a theater of war. I am granting you the rank of Captain. Also, as you hold the title of royal squire, you are the senior officer present. Do you accept this responsibility?¡±


    ¡°A Spirit-Sent? Being in charge of our warriors?¡± Atun said, his tone one of pure disdain. ¡°My Lady, I do not think that-¡±


    ¡°I accept.¡± Daniel said confidently. ¡°I¡¯ll whip em into shape.¡±


    Avria nodded, and turned back to the focus on the group. ¡°Captain Daniel will assign several scouts to see the extent of our enemy''s movements. If the route is blocked, we will abandon the village to find a more secure location deeper in the forest.¡±


    Atun grumbled under his breath, but said nothing to object.


    ¡°What if we are attacked?¡± One of the civilians asked.


    Avria looked at the man and nodded. ¡°We are in no position to fight off a group of elite warriors from the Rexunii. They will cut down our own warriors with little effort, leaving the villages defense mainly resting on my shoulders, and that of Captain Daniel¡¯s. We must pray to the spirits that we are not put in that position.¡±


    The group continued to speak back and forth. As they did, Daniel pondered the situation. They were isolated from their other forces most likely. If the Rexunii knew what they were doing, they would have sent mounted raiding parties, to halt any movement on the main roads. A fast moving element to prevent the more fortified positions in the North from being bolstered by fleeing Lokkadonians. Alektor was surely a man of tactical prowess; he must have seen this. The village needed to find a way to build a defense that could hold up against powerful warriors. There were just under five hundred villagers, only fifty or so warriors, all of which seemed below average. And a hundred and fifty Doulos. A shitty situation, he thought. Then out of the corner of his eye, he saw a long tube resting against the far wall. It was made of metal. He followed it down, and saw that it was actually a broom. The odd shape of the tube gave Daniel a crazy idea, and he stood abruptly. The room was washed over in silence, and they all looked at him in bewilderment.


    ¡°Daniel, what is it?¡± Avria asked, recognizing that he was in deep thought.


    ¡°Avria¡­¡± He said slowly. ¡°This might sound crazy, but I think I know how to increase our ranks.¡± Walking across the room, he picked up the broom, and shouldered it like a rifle. ¡°Do you have Dae-Voh who are skilled at craftsmanship? Could they produce tubes like this? If I drew out a design?¡± He was staring at Atun, who looked completely surprised.


    ¡°I¡­ um¡­¡± He shrugged.


    ¡°Yes, of course we do.¡± The same Dae civilian from earlier spoke. ¡°We have a whole family of Dae-Voh craftsmen who can do that.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s face was painted with a grin as he looked at the broom.


    ¡°Daniel.¡± Avria said, adjusting herself in the chair. ¡°What are you thinking? You look like you¡¯ve figured something out that might help us a great deal.¡±


    ¡°Guns.¡± Daniel said confidently, but no one in the room reacted.


    ¡°Guns?¡± Atun asked, his mouth struggling to pronounce the word.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Daniel looked at Avria. ¡°Do you remember the vision you saw in my head? In the desert?¡±


    Avria¡¯s eyes darkened, and she nodded slowly.


    ¡°The weapons we used, those black tubes. Those were guns, the weapons of my people.¡± He said, moving next to her. ¡°I don¡¯t know if your world follows the same laws of physics or combustion that mine did, but the concept remains the same. Firing projectiles out of a barrel at an extremely high speed and velocity. We could hold a position, and even the weakest villager could use one. It¡¯s the ultimate equalizer when facing warriors who will gut you if they get in your face.¡±


    Avria pondered for nearly half a minute. The room was silent, and many of the Dae present, seemed confused. ¡°Could you make them?¡± she asked, looking at him.


    Daniel smiled. ¡°I spent the best parts of my adult life dealing with the things. I know how. We might need to get creative with some of the components, but yes. Our biggest problem will be figuring out what to do for ammunition. I can design a crude rifle, if your craftsmen can make it.


    ¡°Then do it.¡± She said. ¡°If it will help us, then we will use it.¡±


    ¡°Demon weapons?¡± Atun asked, his face twisted.


    ¡°Human.¡± Avria corrected. ¡°Human weapons.¡±

 Chapter 2 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Katrina shook her head in disappointment. ¡°We aren¡¯t turning back.¡± She said, angrily. The action causing the wound on her stomach to ache.


    ¡°Why not? There are rules that prevent the Rexunii from slaughtering soldiers. We haven¡¯t heard any reports of this. We are being surrounded as we speak, by raiding parties. We must turn back and surrender.¡± A Lokkadonian lieutenant said, several civilians and warriors behind  him, nodding in agreeance.


    ¡°You can leave if you want.¡± Delmos said, lounging against a tree behind Katrina. ¡°We don¡¯t need cowards to fight with us anyway. Lokkadonia expects more from its warriors.¡±


    The lieutenant clenched his fists and raged within at the insult. Katrina took in a deep breath. ¡°I know it¡¯s been a while since we last were able to rest, but we can¡¯t stop now. As soon as we make it to Vul De Mar, we can mount a counterattack against Alektor. And as for those rules you mentioned. Those were made by the council of Eleutheros, and enforced by its subjects. You think Alektor cares about the rules anymore? He will probably ask you to swear allegiance to him, and if not, burn you alive.¡±


    ¡°You are a pillar of support my dear.¡± Delmos chimed in. ¡°Just let them go.¡±


    ¡°Please, Delmos.¡± She hissed.


    ¡°We are being guided to the West, further and further away from any real support.¡± The lieutenant said. ¡°We are going to be killed anyway¡­¡±


    Delmos grunted and stood to confront the man, walking within several inches of his face. ¡°You can leave.¡± He said slowly. ¡°But as you do, you will leave your cloak. The cloak of a warrior has no place on the back of such a sniveling fool.¡±


    He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Delmos wrapping his hands around  his neck. ¡°My sister and friend died fighting that monster. I don¡¯t want to hear your feeble excuses. You are relieved of your command.¡± He looked to the warriors behind him. ¡°All of you are if you decide to follow this man.¡±


    Katrina was taken aback by the sudden change in Delmos¡¯ demeanor, he had been somewhat calm for most of the conversation. Something had finally snapped in him.


    The lieutenant stared daggers into Delmos¡¯ eyes, but raised his hands defensively. ¡°Very well¡­¡± He said lowly, as he unclasped the pin that held his cloak around his neck. With a shrug, the crimson cloth slipped from his shoulders and into the mud below. ¡°I will be leaving here. My Lord.¡± He said the last two words with as much venom as he could muster.


    Delmos narrowed his eyes, but released his neck. ¡°Go then.¡±


    They watched as the man turned and began walking through uneven and muddy ground, out of the small encampment they had created. As he walked beyond earshot, Delmos turned to the remaining party. ¡°Any more deserters?¡± He asked, folding his arms across his chest. There was silence from the rest of them, and several looked down to their feet, avoiding his gaze.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He said, turning to Katrina. ¡°My father would have killed him here. Avria too. I find it difficult to chop someone''s head off for something like this¡­ probably why I¡¯m not cut out for this kind of thing.¡± He waved his hand dismissively. ¡°The rest of you get the hell out of my sight. I expect this camp packed up, and ready for travel within the hour. Pass the word.¡±


    He shook his head and walked to rest on a small bench of stone, grown by one of the surviving Dae-Voh from the battle. He sighed and rubbed his forehead. Katrina walked behind him and rested her hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°I know it''s hard¡­¡± She said, trying to be as gentle as she possibly could. She knew he was still reeling from the loss of Avria and Daniel. He acted like he didn¡¯t care much for his sister, but it was evident now that she was one of the most important people in his life. ¡°We have to be strong Delmos. For them¡­¡±


    Moisture formed around the edge of his eye, and she could tell there was a torrent of emotion behind his features. He blinked it away in a moment, and turned to her. ¡°How¡¯s your wound?¡±


    Katrina looked down to her abdomen and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s doing alright I guess. Doesn¡¯t hurt as much anymore. Whatever those healers did, it worked.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± He raised his eyebrow. ¡°How are you with everything else? Have your nightmares continued?¡±


    Katrina blinked uncomfortably. ¡°My¡­ uh¡­¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re having nightmares Kat.¡± He met her gaze. ¡°War can do that to a person, and when I wake up in the middle of the night to a woman screaming I get concerned. Especially if she isn¡¯t in my bed.¡±


    Katrina shook her head, half chuckling and half reeling. ¡°I uh¡­ can¡¯t stop seeing his face¡­¡± She licked her lips and looked away from him. ¡°The man I killed. The way his eyes bulged when I sliced into his stomach¡­ and the look on his face when my sword lodged into his head¡­ There was so much chaos and death around me¡­ I didn¡¯t know what to do. I froze¡­ and almost died.¡±


    ¡°Do not be ashamed of regret, Kat.¡± Delmos stood and placed his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Taking a life comes as no small burden to those of us who are tasked with the defense of our people. You chose to fight, made a concerted effort in fact, to become my sister¡¯s squire and learn. You have, and you fought well, considering it was your first battle. You also learned a valuable lesson.¡± He lifted his index finger up. ¡°You hesitate, you die.¡±


    ~


    The small camp gathered their belongings and continued to make their way North-West, attempting to avoid the raiding parties of Rexunii warriors that scoured the Lokkadonian countryside for any group of resistors.


    ¡°My Lord!¡± a rear guard shouted to Delmos, who turned to see a young warrior sprinting to him. ¡°Volsung warriors to the East! They¡¯re coming this way!¡± He screamed.


    ¡°Damnit!¡± Delmos cursed. ¡°How many? Did you see?¡± He asked, drawing his weapon.


    The warrior skid to a halt before him, gasping for air, he said. ¡°Maybe, a dozen or so¡­ my Lord.¡±


    As the information was processed in his mind, he looked over the shoulder of the horizon to the East, and saw a small group of mounted warriors dashing toward them. He turned to Katrina who was just approaching from further ahead of him.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on Delmos?¡± She asked, jogging toward him.


    ¡°We¡¯re under attack.¡± He said, shouting at several warriors around to move the civilians faster. ¡°Get them out of here! Those who can stand and fight, stay behind with me.¡± He then looked to Katrina. ¡°You better go with the civilians. You¡¯re injured still, and I don¡¯t want you to get killed.¡±


    Katrina narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. I¡¯m staying right here and we are going to kill these bastards.¡± Her voice trembled with hatred, and Delmos looked at her for a long moment.


    ¡°Very well.¡± He said, gesturing to move past the civilian Dae; most of which were now running in terror away from the approaching riders. Eight Lokkadonian warriors stood with Delmos, all on foot, and two were still badly injured from the battle of Vul De Rah. Energy began to crackle around Delmos, and his eyes turned cold with determination.


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    Katrina¡¯s abdomen ached still, but as the adrenaline pumped through her body, any pain she felt faded to the background. Fear took its place, and staring at the twelve mounted warriors who approached rapidly, she struggled to maintain her composure. The ground shook as the Cro¡¯kan they road got closer, and the yells and snarls of the riders got louder.


    ¡°When they get close enough Kat, I need you to create a lot of spikes around us. As many as you can. The Cro¡¯kan will try to jump over them, when they do, make them longer. Skewer the bastards. We can¡¯t fight them while they¡¯re mounted.


    Katrina nodded, and readied her trembling hands.


    ¡°Everyone else.¡± He said to the remaining warriors. ¡°I need you to use your Dunamis as much as possible, keep them from getting over Katrina¡¯s spikes. Leave the melee combat to me.¡± He looked at the battered group of men and sighed. ¡°A noble should die nobly I suppose.¡±


    They could see the dark orange cloaks of the Volsung warriors clearly now as they were only fifty yards away. Katrina closed her eyes and pushed her hands out. As she did, hundreds of razor-sharp spikes shot from the ground around them in a circle. Delmos reeled in response to the sudden and precise display of power. The warriors reacted by accelerating their charge, to overshoot it. One of the lead riders lifted his hands and a large ramp shot from the ground in front of them, creating a sturdy bridge over the deadly spikes.


    ¡°Kat!¡± Delmos yelled, his body roiling with electricity now.


    Katrina grunted and yelled as she focused now on the ramp itself. The Dae-Voh who created it was strong. She could feel his own spiritual energy within it, bending the earth to his will. With a push, she bled her own energy into it, and easily hijacked it. The raiding party of mounted Volsung warriors charged up the ramp, but just as they were about to leap into the center of the spikes, to slaughter the Lokkadonian defenders, the ramp bucked, and launched them over the sides into the deadly spikes below. Katrina stomped her foot on the ground, and the spikes launched toward the falling warriors.


    The party whooped and cheered, as more than half fell to an agonizing death below. Blood poured and screams could be heard as the Dae enemies were impaled by spikes. Six of them managed to use their own Dunamis to evade the surprise, and leapt into the center of the spikes. Delmos extended his left hand, and released a blast of electricity that looked as though it could kill any who stood before it. The unfortunate Dae who found himself the target of the blast, screamed in scorched terror as he died instantly. The others landed within, and unleashed powers of their own on the defenders.


    Katrina lifted her hand, and a wall of stone shot from the ground to protect her from a blast of fire. The orange flame licked around the edges of her defense, but she smiled at the lack of bite in the attack. Daniel¡¯s fire was way more deadly than this, she thought to herself. She pushed her hand forward, and the wall exploded into deadly shards of stone that were pushed outward. The warrior lifted his hands to protect his face, and was skewered by half a dozen blades. Katrina was surprised to hear a female scream as the warrior fell to writhe on the ground.


    Delmos lunged forward at the four remaining foes. They were outnumbered now, and only one of them was mounted. With a flick of his blade, the throat of the Cro¡¯kan was slashed. The creature gurgled as it choked on its own blood, and the warrior atop slashed in retaliation. Delmos spun to the left of the warrior, and stabbed upward. The blade lodged between his bone plate, and his ribs. The rider gasped at the sudden invasion of a deadly blade into his body, and crumpled over to slide off the dying Cro¡¯kan.


    Delmos looked up to find his next opponent, but saw none left standing as the Lokkadonian warriors obliterated them with their Dunamis. He sighed in relief, looking at the battlefield. ¡°By the Spirits.¡± He said with a smile curling across his face. He turned to look for Katrina, but she was no longer standing in the formation. His eyes focused on her kneeling above a still living Volsung warrior.


    ¡°Hold on!¡± Katrina said, placing her hands on the dying warrior. She lifted her helmet from her head, to reveal a young Dae girl. Her eyes were wide with surprise and fear, as she gurgled blood at an alarming rate.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± She gasped. ¡°Don¡¯t let m.. me die¡­¡± She blinked tears from her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m s¡­ s¡­ sorry.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s mind raced at the purpose of saving the girl''s life. ¡°Delmos! Get over here and help me!¡±


    Delmos approached, his face uncharacteristically serious. ¡°Why are you trying to save her life? Kat, she¡¯s our enemy, she tried to kill us.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, help me heal her.¡± She snapped.


    Delmos lifted his eyebrow, and  looked to the girl. She had half a dozen shards of stone sticking out of different parts of her body. The wounds on her legs and arms were not particularly life threatening, but the three in her torso were. Two stuck out of her stomach, and one right above her armor in her clavicle.


    Katrina placed her hands on her chest, not knowing quite what to do. She turned to Delmos, her eyes pleading. ¡°Help me!¡±


    Delmos shook his head and sneered. ¡°No.¡± He said, venom in his tone. ¡°These bastards killed my sister and best friend. They can all bleed out like animals.¡±


    Katrina cursed and closed her eyes. Trying to focus on her power. With little effort, she found her way back into the trance like state of Dunem Dae Espa. Time seemed to slow to a near standstill, and the muffled sounds of those around her faded away. She opened her eyes to see a beautiful meadow, with brightly colored wildflowers, and a clear refreshing looking stream that rushed near her. Standing before her in sheer bewilderment and terror, was a young Dae woman wearing the dark orange colors of the Volsung clan. She spun around, absorbing the world around her in moments. Then her gaze fell on Katrina, and tears welled in her eyes.


    ¡°Am¡­ am I dead?¡± She asked, holding back further tears.


    ¡°No.¡± Katrina said, more calm and collected than she thought she was capable of. ¡°I¡¯ve brought you here, to my Dunem.¡±


    ¡°Your¡­ what?¡± The girl was still confused, but relaxed slightly at the pleasant tone of Katrina¡¯s voice. ¡°I was dying. A warrior¡­¡± She focused on Katrina. ¡°It was you, you¡¯re the one who attacked me.¡±


    Katrina nodded. ¡°I was defending myself and my friends. You¡¯re the one who attacked us. Right now though I¡¯m trying to save your life.¡±


    ¡°Save me?¡± She asked again.


    ¡°The Dunem Dae Espa is a spiritual plane of existence. Everyone has a unique interpretation of it, but all are part of the spiritual realm. Kind of like different rooms all in the same palace.¡± Katrina slowly started to step toward her. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to heal you. All I do know, is that it can be done by coming here. A place where spiritual energy is more malleable.¡±


    ¡°Y¡­ you¡¯re a spirit-sent aren¡¯t you?¡± She stuttered. Tears flowed from her eyes and she fell to her knees. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Katrina smiled awkwardly, and knelt down to embrace the girl. ¡°I¡¯m nothing special, trust me. The only reason I know any of this is because I had a good teacher.¡±


    The girl sobbed heavily in her shoulder, and Katrina felt her spiritual energy within. It was weaker than she thought it would be. The pulse of power inside her was more like the fluttering of a butterfly¡¯s wings than the beating of a great drum. She had only her own to compare it to, Avria had masked hers very well. Are we this much stronger than the Dae? She thought.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Katrina asked, bringing her face up to look at her.


    ¡°Malla¡­¡± She said, wiping tears from her face. ¡°Of house Yu.¡±


    ¡°Well Malla. I¡¯m not going to let you die. I just need time to figure out how to heal you properly. Will you help me?¡± Katrina put on her most convincing and confident smile.


    Malla nodded, and Katrina put her hands on the girls face. Reaching her spiritual energy inside her, she could feel the many wounds on her body. Jagged stone tore at her muscles and broke her bones, her blood was pouring from them, and Katrina knew she didn¡¯t have much time. Gritting her teeth she plunged deeper, looking for any sign that Malla¡¯s body would react to her energy; it didn¡¯t. It felt like pouring water onto soil that was too hard to absorb it. Her power was within Malla¡¯s body, but it needed to be in her core. Her soul? at the source of her Dunamis. She tried to force it deeper, but Malla gasped in pain. Katrina pulled back on her efforts, and thought of some way she could attempt it without hurting or killing Malla in the process. Suddenly she felt a small bit go through. Some of her energy leaked into her core, and almost immediately she found that she could still control it. How? she thought, attempting to repeat the anomaly. Flooding her spiritual energy over the protected surface of the core. It fluttered under the pressure, and again, some seeped in. Katrina then realized, that with her own spiritual energy in Malla¡¯s very soul, she had uncontested power over her. The thought of how she could accidently kill her, or do irreparable damage was terrifying. She swallowed hard, and willed the energy within her to heal her damaged body. Her core blazed with light, and a refreshing torrent of power poured from it. It coursed through her veins, but was halted by the lodged shards of stone. Katrina noticed the stone still hummed with her own spiritual energy. With a mental snap of the finger, the shards of stone evaporated into spiritual energy, and joined the torrent that went on to heal Malla¡¯s wounds.


    Katrina gasped as she opened her eyes, back in the battlefield and looked down to see Malla¡¯s body. Her eyes were closed, but the stone shards that had impaled her before, were now gone. The holes in her clothes showed nothing but smooth tan skin beneath. Her chest rose and fell calmly, and Katrina knew she was soundly asleep.


    ¡°What¡­ in all the Great Spirits?¡± Delmos gaped at the display of power. ¡°Kat¡­ where did you learn to do that?¡±


    Katrina¡¯s eyes suddenly felt heavy, and she looked to Delmos, struggling. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ kill her¡­ Del¡­ mos¡­¡±


    With those words, she fell to the bloodied grass below, unconscious.

 Chapter 3 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Robert sipped from a bowl of wine and leaned back in a large leather chair. The smell of the alien fruit calmed him as he once again found himself observing the King of Rexun, who was also his adopted brother, Alektor. Dealing with the local nobility of Vul De Rah.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± A stout Dae noble said, bowing his head. ¡°The people of this city are struggling to find their way. Many do not have the reserves to tend to their families. With all of our labor force gone, and many of our people fearing persecution, productivity has declined to a complete stop. It will not be long until the streets are filled with the bodies of  your new starved subjects.¡±


    Alektor squinted his eyes at the noble, observing the party that was with him. All wore the latest Eleutheros fashion, originated from the wealthy and ruling clan Torre¡¯.


    ¡°These people are not our subjects.¡± A wrathful voice called from Alektor¡¯s left. Robert looked to find Princess Ambrosia of the Sabree clan, sitting with an aggressive posture. The Sabree had joined the Rexunii in this war against the Lokkadonians, with the promise of great prosperity after the fall of the Torre¡¯. Ambrosia¡¯s father had agreed to their alliance and terms, but only if Alektor entertained the idea of marrying his daughter.


    ¡°They are lucky they are not being made into Doulos. You all are.¡± She continued. ¡°Let them starve, your majesty.¡± her eyes flashed to Alektor who sighed.


    ¡°Reku.¡± He said, in his commanding voice.


    Dammit, Robert thought.


    ¡°What is your council?¡± The King continued.


    Robert cursed under his breath. Alektor¡¯s eyes were calculating, as usual. He already had made up his mind on what to do. This was probably another test, or an opportunity to show that he respected the opinion of the ¡®Spirit-Sent¡¯.


    ¡°I suggest we help them. Task some of our nobles to work with theirs in building a new society.¡± Robert said, then drank a large gulp from his wine bowl.


    ¡°And let them go unscathed?¡± Ambrosia asked. ¡°Prince Reku, you cannot suggest that we turn a blind eye to the horrific treatment of your people. The Doulos have suffered under the totalitarian regime of the Lokkadonians for hundreds of years. Besides, why would we work with their nobles at all? What can the conquered teach us about how to rule a kingdom?


    ¡°Does Rexun have any real experience with their level of trade or industry? They are a well-rounded clan, with customs that could help us in many ways.¡± Robert shook his head. ¡°All the Rexunii have are warriors. It takes a whole lot more to rule a kingdom that is prosperous.¡±


    Ambrosia poised to retort but was cut off by Alektor standing.


    ¡°We will help them¡­ if they are willing to prove they are worthy of it.¡± He said. ¡°Lord Bodilla, If you wish to save these people, I suggest you convince them to swear allegiance to me. Disavow all Lokkadonian kings and nobility. Those who refuse will be treated as refugees in my Kingdom. I do not like refugees.¡± Alektor walked forward to approach Bodilla. ¡°This, of course, begins with you.¡± His eyes narrowed and he stared daggers at him. ¡°Will you kneel? Will you swear your allegiance to the Rexunii? To my people, I am a compassionate king, who rules with fairness and a kind heart. To my enemies, I am a blazing inferno of destruction. Those who make this vow will eat. Those who do not will be left to fend for themselves.¡±


    Lord Bodilla swallowed hard but did not waver. ¡°I will do what I must for our people.¡± He fell to one knee. ¡°I swear fealty to the crown of Rexun, King Alektor, and all his chosen. This I swear on my life.¡±


    Alektor looked down on him with an unreadable expression. ¡°Rise, Lord Bodilla.¡±


    The Lord did so and quickly bowed again. ¡°Please my King. Do not let these people starve.¡±


    ¡°If they do as you have.¡± Alektor took a moment to return to his throne. ¡°They won¡¯t.¡±


    ~


    Robert strolled down the hall afterward, making his way to the courtyard of the palace. A place where he had found peace before he was captured by the Rexunii. The sun was bright in the sky as he exited the two main doors, and warriors moved out of his path, bowing their heads in respect. Against all Robert¡¯s attempts to remain impartial to his new treatment as Rexunii royalty. He found that he walked with a bit more of a regal posture. ¡°Prince Reku!¡± A familiar face called. Robert¡¯s mouth curled into a smile at the recognition of Turak.


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    ¡°Turak.¡± He said, clasping the man¡¯s arm as he approached. ¡°I thought you were back in Thule, keeping the nobles in line.¡±


    ¡°I was, but found their stale politics and arrogance a bit too restrictive. I was also ordered by Alektor to come to the warfront to lead the rest of the invasion.¡± He grinned, ¡°I knew he couldn¡¯t do it without me.¡±


    ¡°Well, either way it¡¯s good to see you. It¡¯s been what? A month or so?¡± Robert turned to walk through the courtyard, Turak following.


    ¡°A bit more. It¡¯s a shame I wasn¡¯t here for the battle. I heard it was one for the histories.¡±


    Robert was silent for a moment, remembering the screams and blood of the massive battle for Vul De Rah. ¡°Yes¡­¡± He said.


    ¡°Come on now, don¡¯t go losing your lunch on me. War is war, what matters is how we rebuild.¡± Turak reassured him.


    ¡°How we treat the vanquished more like. I¡¯ve been doing my best to make sure the Lokkadonian¡¯s aren¡¯t turned into slaves and forced to starve. But Ambrosia¡­¡± He shook his head in frustration. ¡°That bitch is trying way too hard to impress Alektor. Worst part is I think he¡¯s falling for it. You have to help me do something.¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me to seduce her?¡± Turak raised his eyebrows. ¡°Because you don¡¯t have to ask. Alektor knows all are fair game until he¡¯s married.¡±


    Robert chuckled, and looked over the courtyard wall, to the sprawling city below. The Palace¡¯s hilltop vantage point provided a breathtaking view. ¡°I don¡¯t think that is what we need right now, but if you find yourself in that position. Sure, go for it.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± Turak asked, looking past him.


    Robert raised an eyebrow and turned to see who he was looking at. Demessa stood in her full armor and cloak. Her face was still as beautiful as he remembered, only now a cracked scar from Avria¡¯s electric blast crawled on the right side of her face. Robert¡¯s mind focused on her, and he smiled awkwardly. He hadn¡¯t seen her since after the battle, while she was recovering. She had been moved to one of the city hospitals below, then sent on raids after her recovery.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you get on with it then.¡± Turak said, nudging Robert. ¡°Word of wisdom, if you wish to heed.¡± He whispered as he walked. ¡°As a prince, you will be expected to save your marriage bed for a higher noblewoman. Have fun, but keep that in mind.¡±


    Robert looked at him as he walked away. His words repeating in his head. Turak approached Demessa and stopped to speak with her briefly, then she saluted and he walked past her into the doors of the palace.


    ¡°My Prince.¡± Demessa said, bowing her head to him. ¡°It is good to see you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Robert said, looking around at the Dae present in the courtyard. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do all that, we¡¯re friends.¡±


    Demessa smirked. ¡°Yes my Prince, I get your meaning. However, here in the public¡¯s view, I must adhere to the customs of our people. Your royal position is worthy of-¡±


    ¡°Ok, good lord.¡± Robert chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere we can talk.¡±


    Robert led her to the far end of the battlements, where workers were using their Dunamis to repair the damaged stone.


    ¡°Can you guys take a break?¡± Robert asked. The workers turned to him, stunned at his sudden approach and attention.


    ¡°Leave us! Go to your taskmasters, tell them you have been ordered by Prince Reku to return within the hour.¡± Demessa said, her commanding voice unchanged.


    The dozen workers dropped what they were doing and hurried to leave, bowing and praising Robert as they passed him.


    ¡°There.¡± Demessa said, her smirk returning. ¡°All alone now. What do you wish to talk about, Reku?¡±


    Robert shrugged, feeling a bit uncomfortable. ¡°The last time we spoke, you know I uh¡­ kind of left you at a bit of a cliffhanger. What you said to me really helped me cope with what I was going through and I uh--¡±


    He was cut off by a sensual embrace, and her warm lips pressing against his. His eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly fell in line. Her scent flowed over him, one of some alien flower; sweet, but with a sharp edge to it. He was intoxicated by it, and found himself in a passionate daze. She pulled away from the kiss and looked into his unfocused eyes.


    ¡°There.¡± She said. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting to do that for a while now.¡± Her smile broadened, showing her sharp canines. ¡°You surprised me Reku, in your affection before. I can¡¯t say that I was expecting it.¡± She leaned up to whisper in his ear. ¡°But I loved it.¡±


    Her breath against his neck sent shivers down his spine, and he pulled her face towards his. Again he kissed her, his passion taking over. His mind raced and his body responded accordingly.


    ¡°Prince Reku!¡± A voice called from around the corner.


    Demessa jerked away from him in an instant and stood several feet away, completely composed and normal. A young Dae noblewoman turned the corner to find them both conversing ordinarily, looking as though they were going over the repairs.


    ¡°Prince Reku.¡± The noblewoman bowed. ¡°I have been sent to retrieve you. King Alektor requires your council.¡±


    ¡°Of course he does,¡± Robert said, turning to face her.


    She raised an eyebrow at the sight of his messed hair, and untucked tunic.


    Robert casually fixed it as he walked forward. ¡°I will meet him in the throne room. Let him know I¡¯m on my way.¡±


    The Dae woman bowed and turned the corner.


    ¡°That was close,¡± Demessa said, holding back a laugh.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the big deal is Demessa,¡± Robert said, frustration clear in his voice.


    ¡°The deal is the King doesn¡¯t want you getting too close to me.¡± Demessa walked forward and helped Robert tuck in his tunic. ¡°He was the one who ordered me away. I supposed he was told by someone in the infirmary what you did. He can¡¯t have his brother, the spirit-sent, fooling around publicly with a lower noble like myself.¡±


    ¡°Lower? I thought your family was well connected in Thule?¡± Robert lifted his hand to cup her face. ¡°Besides, he hasn¡¯t ever told me not to do anything.¡±


    ¡°Reku.¡± She said, pulling his hand away, and clasping it in her own. ¡°I will not disobey the king''s command. Then again, he did use the word public, and didn¡¯t forbid it.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡± Robert smiled.


    ¡°So that means we might have to do things out of the public eye for a while¡­ and keep your chambers unlocked tonight.¡± She grinned mischievously.

 Chapter 4 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel marveled at the crude rifle he held in his hands. ¡°Nice.¡± He said, a foolish looking grin on his face. It looked somewhat like a musket, but with a Winchester-like lever at the grip. The barrel was rifled, and the sights were nowhere near as accurate as he would have hoped, but it would serve. They could make improvements, and it had the potential to help the war effort exponentially.


    ¡°Are you sure this is going to work?¡± Avria asked, her lack of confidence blatantly obvious. ¡°You have never augmented materials before. This could literally blow up in your face.¡±


    Daniel examined the hand-full of ammunition that he had made. ¡°Well¡­ if something happens, then it happens.¡±


    The ammunition was the trickiest part. Like one of Daniel¡¯s first experiences in Pelemont, materials didn¡¯t ignite normally here. It had to be flame with a great deal of spiritual energy infused in it to stay alight or ignite other materials. So they created a crude casing for the rounds, and a metal bullet that was placed as the tip. Within though, he had to get creative. As a Dae-Rah, or fire user. Daniel was able to augment materials to explode with his spiritual energy. The process was tedious and consumed a great deal of his reserves. With Avria¡¯s guidance however, and his substantial supply of spiritual essence, they created augmented pellets of earth that could explode when triggered with a spiritual spark. The mechanisms inside were similar to that of his own rifles. But instead of a firing pin hitting a primer, and igniting gunpowder within. The pin was more of a needle that injected ones spiritual energy into the bullet. Causing the fire infused pellets to explode, shooting the bullet out of the barrel, and at the enemy down range.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Daniel asked, shouldering the weapon.


    Avria just folded her arms, and took a tedious step backwards. ¡°Go right ahead.¡±


    ¡°Here goes nothin¡¯.¡± Daniel squeezed the trigger and heard the audible click of the pin stabbing into the bullet. ¡°Hmmm.¡± He pondered, and then remembered he needed to infuse it with his energy. With a bit of control, his energy bled into the weapon. This was something he was used to. While training with Oros and Delmos, the Dunamis infused practice weapons he used had a similar mechanic. Suddenly the rifle bucked, and a loud bang broke the tense silence. Flame vomited from the barrel, and the stone target grown from the ground cracked with the impact of a metal bullet.


    ¡°Hah!¡± Daniel yelled in triumph. He cocked the lever, loading another round into the chamber and fired it again. Then again, and again. The stone target was cracked and broken, but had eight holes on its face.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little rusty.¡± Daniel grinned, ¡°But my grouping isn¡¯t too bad.¡±


    Avria¡¯s eyes were wide with surprise, and probably had the largest smile he had ever seen on the stern woman¡¯s face.


    ¡°So?¡± He asked her, handing the weapon over. ¡°Want to give it a try?¡±


    She looked at the weapon, then to him, uncertain.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll show you how it works.¡± He said, loading eight more augmented rounds into the chamber under the barrel and handing it over to her.


    She took it and mimicked his stance, aiming the rifle at the stone target.


    ¡°Good, now close your left eye and line the rear sight up with the front sight. Her elbows stretched out awkwardly and he could see she was anticipating the recoil.


    ¡°Wait.¡± He said, stepping in and pulling her elbows close to her body. ¡°Lean forward a bit and breathe slowly. If you anticipate the shot, you¡¯ll aim low, might even shoot the ground in front of you. As you inhale, take your aim, then as you release your breath, fire before you inhale again.


    Avria breathed in slowly and released through her nose.


    ¡°Good, now slowly pull the trigger.¡± Daniel said.


    The rifle cracked with an explosion, but a chunk of one of the trees far to the left of the target indicated her aim was a bit off.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± She looked down at the rifle. ¡°That is amazing. It seems so¡­¡±


    ¡°Mechanical?¡± Daniel smiled with a nod.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She shouldered the weapon again.


    Daniel did his best to coach her through the rest of her loaded rounds, and to his surprise she managed to hit the target a few times.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll get the hang of it.¡± He said, taking it from her.


    ¡°A very impressive weapon, Captain.¡± Avria brushed her cloak, then opened her hand toward the target. A screech of electricity blasted the stone into a cloud of dust, and she looked at him smugly. ¡°However, I think I prefer my own Dunamis. It will be quite effective for the civilians though.¡± She put her hand on his shoulder. ¡°Good work.¡±


    Daniel raised his eyebrow skeptically, then took in a breath. ¡°Sure, no problem.¡±


    Avria began to walk away, but stopped by Daniel clearing his throat. ¡°Something else?¡± She asked, turning to face him.


    ¡°As a matter of fact.¡± He took a breath, then put the rifle on a worktable to his left. ¡°We need to go over a few important things here. I know it¡¯s soon, and we are all trying to cope with what happened, but I want to talk to you about Oros, there were some important things that we were working on together¡­ now since, you know. I was hoping we could continue that.¡± Avria¡¯s jaw tightened at the reference to her dead fianc¨¦.


    Her eyes hardened and she opened her mouth to speak, but he held up his hand.


    ¡°I know that look.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to get defensive every time we have a discussion that is sensitive, or goes beyond a hi or hello. It is possible for the two of us to become friends, you know? Oros and I were friends¡­ he wasn¡¯t just my teacher here. We talked about a lot of different things. One thing being that he felt like he never really knew you. That was something I could sort of relate to, seeing as how I¡¯m pretty introverted myself. And I wanted to keep it that way.¡± He pointed his finger at her. ¡°But you went snooping in my head, and saw some very personal things.¡±


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    He waited for Avria to speak, but she didn¡¯t. She only stared at him, her eyes cold.


    ¡°You owe me.¡± He finished.


    ¡°I owe you nothing.¡± Avria hissed. ¡°Captain.¡±


    ¡°Oh that¡¯s how it is?¡± Daniel folded his arms across his chest. ¡°I dragged your ass out of the fire, literally. After I followed you into certain death. And now I¡¯m just one of your lackeys? Bullshit. I showed you where my loyalties lie, and I think I deserve a bit more than that.¡±


    ¡°What do you expect me to do?¡± Avria pointed her own finger at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you and Oros were working on.¡± Her voice broke at his name. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean much now. He¡¯s dead, and even if he weren¡¯t we don¡¯t have the time to deal with it. Human problems are miniscule in comparison to the big issue here. Our clan is on the verge of collapse!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying that we should just leave all this and do something else.¡± Daniel brushed his hands through his hair in frustration. ¡°But dammit, Avria.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She asked impatiently.


    Daniel sighed and shook his head again. ¡°Never mind.¡± He picked up the rifle and a box of ammunition. ¡°I¡¯m going to tend to these lazy pieces of shit, so excuse me.¡±  He walked past Avria, and started yelling for the other Dae officers to line up.


    ~


    Avria fumed as she watched the frustrating human walk away. Her eyes darted to the dozens of Dae who had witnessed their little argument.


    ¡°Is the human that important to our mission?¡± Lord Atun said, approaching from the rear. ¡°The Torre¡¯ have again urged that all association with the demons be ceased. Because of the role the Rexunii human played in the destruction of our city.¡±


    Avria turned her fiery gaze to him. ¡°He is not a demon, and the Torre¡¯ are fools. You will do well to know that he fought with me against Alektor himself and did not cower. He also is helping to preserve what remains of our divided clan. You should show some respect.¡±


    ¡°I apologize, my lady.¡± Atun bowed. ¡°I only thought to bring forth information you might need to better make decisions. We will be hard pressed to defend our land against the Rexunii, and even the possibility that the human is not on our side is something to keep in mind.¡±


    ¡°He is on our side.¡± Avria turned to walk, then paused as she heard Daniel yelling at one of the Lokkadonian warriors. She turned, intrigued at the vulgarity of his words.


    ¡°You useless sack of shit!¡± He yelled. ¡°All of you! Every single one of you should have been clawing for the chance to prove yourselves to Lokkadonia! Instead you¡¯re all sitting here with your fucking thumbs up your asses, hoping this all blows over! Did you complete the Egeiro!?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The assembled warriors said, enthusiastically.


    Daniel¡¯s hand raised toward the formation, and crimson flame burned around his arm. He held it there, and flames began to drip from his arm like lava. Avria¡¯s eyes widened at the alien Dunamis. What the? She thought, stepping closer to observe.


    The warriors all backed up from him, terror etched on their faces.


    He continued his tirade, but his words were drowned out by Avria¡¯s study of the strange behavior of his Dunamis. It did not behave like normal flame, but more like liquid.


    ¡°Those are the flames of hell.¡± Atun¡¯s face was etched with fear. ¡°I have never seen anything like that before.¡±


    Avria nodded in agreeance. ¡°Be glad it is on our side.¡± She said, then turned to leave.


    ~


    The next day Daniel selected a group of five warriors to move swiftly over the terrain and gain intelligence on the location of where the Rexunii were focusing their strength. They returned after four days with news that the raiding parties were capturing or killing hundreds of fleeing Lokkadonians, and all the main roads leading to Vul De Toh were heavily guarded.


    While the scouts were away, Daniel had been working non-stop on the firearms he promised, as well as using them to drill with the existing warriors and bolstering their ranks with volunteers. Of the five hundred villagers, almost half accepted the responsibility to their clan and joined. Daniel threw out the tactics he learned from Oros and Delmos, and used the military small unit structure of the US Marine Corps from back home. It was all he knew when fighting this kind of war. He broke the Lokkadonian warriors and villager volunteers into four platoons. Each platoon was made up of three squads, and each squad was made up of three fireteams. Each fireteam was led by a team leader. Each squad, a squad leader, each platoon, a platoon sergeant and a platoon commander. Out of the roughly three hundred bodies he had to work with, he only needed about one hundred and sixty. The rest were used as reserves, and for supportive roles.


    After another several days of preparation, Daniel found himself the commanding officer of a full company of Lokkadonian warriors. Granted, they were untrained and undisciplined warriors, three quarters of which were villagers who had never fought before. Regardless, He was optimistic about it. Daniel sat at a large table, going over designs of various improvements to his rifle. Around him were three Dae officers, Captain Merith sat to his right, lieutenant Carrasi beside him, and to Daniel¡¯s left was a lieutenant Rorick beside an empty chair.


    The officers sat in silence, watching Daniel examine the designs while sipping a bowl of wine. After several awkward minutes, footsteps could be heard approaching the door to their room. It swung open to reveal the same civilian man who had been so vocal during their first meeting. The group stood to greet him, all but Daniel, who only leaned back and folded his hands.


    ¡°Welcome, Jori.¡± Daniel gestured to the open seat.


    ¡°Good day to you.¡± Jori bowed his head before walking around the table and sitting.


    ¡°Well then.¡± Daniel leaned forward and eyed the officers. ¡°I want you all to welcome Jori as our fourth platoon commander. I know he¡¯s a civilian, but I have extended to him the rank of lieutenant.¡±


    There were grumbles from the other officers, but Daniel continued. ¡°This promotion is temporary, as he has not completed the proistem academy. However it may become permanent if he proves himself a capable leader of warriors. We already know he is a well-respected Dae in Vul Dema, let¡¯s just hope that extends here.¡±


    Merith raised his hand respectfully, and Daniel nodded toward him. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, uh¡­ sir. I wanted to ask about the training regiment. You seem to be focused on the importance of familiarity of these new weapons, as well as accuracy. All very important I grant you, but the fundamentals of combat in Pelemont revolve around ones mastery of the Dunamis.¡± Merith shrugged. ¡°The difference in abilities between our warriors and civilians is vast. We must also take the time to bridge that gap.¡±


    Daniel nodded. ¡°True, but we don¡¯t have time for a full regiment dedicated to the Dunamis, Merith. The enemy could be at our walls at any moment, and we need to focus on how they could be most effective in a fight. One thing I can say though, is that we need a command element of Dae-Voh to train as much as possible. Creating barricades and cover in the midst of battle will be a huge advantage. I want them to train every day for that. How many do we have in the company?¡± Daniel looked to Jori, who pulled out a scroll and opened it.


    ¡°We have twenty two, my Lord.¡± Jori said


    ¡°Sir, is fine.¡± Daniel looked back to Merith. Defensive Dunamis will be much more effective in this kind of fight. So they will be more geared toward the use of their power. Everyone else though? I want them as accurate as we can get them.¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡± Lieutenant Rorick said. ¡°What about uniforms? My platoon looks like a group of mercenaries. A minor issue I know, but it is very symbolic to my warriors.¡±


    Daniel sighed. ¡°That really isn¡¯t a priority Rorick.¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°What if we dyed the cloaks the troops already have? Do we have red?¡±


    Jori shook his head. ¡°No, sir. We don¡¯t have any dye here in Vul Dema, the crimson of the Lokkadonian warriors isn¡¯t found in our areas. There are several plants around however that could be used to Dye the cloaks green.¡±


    ¡°Green?¡± Carrasi asked. ¡°We can¡¯t shed the crimson of Lokkon.¡± Rorick and Merith nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Green will work.¡± Daniel interrupted. ¡°As long as it¡¯s dark enough, concealment is paramount for us right now. If we can¡¯t defend the village, then we have to fight in the forest. Camouflage will be helpful for us.¡±


    Jori nodded, and jotted down a note in his scroll.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Daniel stood. ¡°Let¡¯s go inspect the troops.¡±

 Chapter 5 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Robert pressed his hands against the stone door of the meeting room. It slid open to reveal a familiar scene within. The same study he had found himself in many times while still with the Lokkadonians. Alektor was sitting on a large chair, furthest from the door. Turak and Ambrosia were at either side of him and an unfamiliar Doulos girl stood across from them, alone.


    ¡°Reku.¡± Alektor said, waving him in. Ambrosia lifted her nose at him, and Turak gave him a nod.


    Robert walked in, giving his wordless greeting to the room and turned to face the girl.


    ¡°This is Rin.¡± Alektor nodded toward her, ¡°One of the Doulos agents who fed us information from within these walls.¡± He gave her a pleasant smile. ¡°It is only because of loyal subjects like yourself that we were able to conquer our old enemy, and free you all. You have my deepest thanks.¡±


    Rin dropped to her knee and bowed like one who had truly spent her entire life in servitude. ¡°My King.¡± Her voice was quivering. ¡°I do not deserve your praise for something like this. Any true subject in my position would have done the same. I feel I am not worthy of even being in your presence.¡±


    ¡°Rise, Rin.¡± Alektor lifted his hand. ¡°Nonsense, you have more than earned your place as a free citizen of Rexun.¡±


    Rin rose on shaky legs, standing as straight as she could, but still looked extremely uncomfortable.


    ¡°Rin, do you know why I asked to meet with you?¡± Alektor¡¯s smile remained, and he leaned back in his chair. His calm and pleasant demeanor helped take the edge from the tension.


    ¡°N¡­ no, my King.¡±


    ¡°There were thousands of Doulos in this city that did their part for Rexun.¡± He continued, ¡°But out of all of them, you were the personal servant to the human who trained under the prince. I wished to ask you of him.¡±


    Rin¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Of course my King, I will tell you all you wish to know.¡±


    ¡°You were Daniel¡¯s servant?¡± Robert asked in surprise. ¡°I didn¡¯t think he would have put up with something like that.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t, my Prince.¡± Rin bowed to him. ¡°While Lord Daniel was alive, I tended to him, but I only found myself in his service because he saved me from my old master. He and Prince Oros found themselves in our tavern, and¡­¡± She paused, remembering the ordeal. ¡°My old master was going to punish me¡­ Lord Daniel prevented it, and Prince Oros purchased me for him. He refused at first, but when he saw what would have been done to me, he chose to accept. He was kind to me¡­ and ensured that I was well taken care of.¡± Tears welled in her eyes, and she looked at Robert. ¡°But he was the only truly good person I had ever met in life here. Genuine and caring¡­ He was worthy of his kind, a Spirit-Sent¡­¡±


    ¡°He lives.¡± Alektor said, folding his hands.


    Rin¡¯s eyes widened further, and she was at a loss for words. ¡°H¡­ He¡­ lives?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It is as you say, he was worthy of his kind. The spirit Gro¡¯ak manifested and saved him from what certainly would have been his death. With that knowledge, I would like you to tell me of him. What was he like?¡±


    Robert raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. I¡¯ve already told him about Daniel. Is he trying to get a second opinion? He thought.


    ¡°Well, your highness. I believe he was a kind hearted man, he offered me freedom the first day of my service¡­ Without hesitation¡­ even though he was my master.¡± Her eyes were unfocused, as she remembered their conversations. ¡°He was surely sent by the great spirits to help our kind. Why else would they intervene to save him?¡±


    ¡°What of his relationship with the eldest Ignos brother, Oros?¡± Turak chimed in.


    ¡°They were very close.¡± Rin answered, regretfully. ¡°Prince Oros and Lord Daniel would often train together, and spoke of many things.¡±


    Turak gave Alektor an ¡®I told you so¡¯ look. ¡°What of his relationship with the Lady Regios?¡±


    ¡°They did not get along. Lady Avria was fiercely loyal to the female Spirit-Sent, Katrina, but didn¡¯t seem to like Daniel much.¡± She wrinkled her nose at the memory. ¡°She was a very frightening woman, your highness.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Robert said, thinking of Yadri¡¯s death and Demessa¡¯s wound. ¡°She¡¯s a damn force to be reckoned with.¡±


    ¡°And she should be one of our first priorities in capturing.¡± Ambrosia said, leaning closer to Alektor. ¡°Telmos Regios is our greatest threat, true, but he has already amassed a force large enough to defeat all but a full attack. We need time to prepare for that, but we must keep Avria from joining forces with him at all costs.¡±


    ¡°According to our spies, he believes she is dead. Along with both Spirit-Sent.¡± Turak looked to Robert. ¡°Katrina was last spotted in the West.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Yes.¡± Alektor interrupted. ¡°I am not finished with our guest. Leave this talk for the war-room.¡±


    Turak snorted, and Ambrosia bowed.


    ¡°Now then.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°Rin, I want you to know that you have been very helpful to me in giving me this insight. I wish to reward you, by extending a position in my court.¡±


    Ambrosia raised an eyebrow. Robert thought she may say something in protest, but if she thought it, she kept it to herself.


    ¡°I need a young and trustworthy representative for the Doulos who have been freed in this City.¡±


    Rin¡¯s mouth gaped, and she was left stunned. ¡°My King¡­ I.¡±


    ¡°I believe as you do.¡± He continued, ¡°The Spirit-Sent are heralds of the Great Spirits, and must be saved at all costs. You have a loyal heart, filled with compassion and wisdom far beyond your years. This is why you will tend to your people. Speak to them, bring their concerns and needs to me, and council me in their ways. I am their King, and they are rightfully Rexunii. However, they have lived here for generations, and I will need guidance to properly rule them.¡± He stood from his chair, and extended his hand. ¡°Do you accept this responsibility?¡±


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


    Rin fell to her knees again, and took Alektor¡¯s hand. ¡°Tears poured from her eyes and she kissed it. ¡°I will do as you command, my King. I will do everything in my power to serve you.¡±


    ~


    Robert made his way back to his chamber, shaking his head. Alektor sure knows how to put on the charm when he needs to, good lord. He thought.


    ¡°What an interesting man¡­ don¡¯t you think?¡± Dio¡¯mar said, floating near his head.


    ¡°And where have you been all day?¡± He said, smiling to see her again. ¡°You¡¯ve been spying on the nobles again, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I have other things to do Robert¡­ I am an ancient spirit after all¡­¡± Her small mouth curled in a smile. ¡°Besides¡­ You don¡¯t need me around all the time¡­¡±


    Robert turned a corner and walked to his room. He was told that it was Daniel¡¯s old one by Rin. The thought brought him a bit more peace, as he was afraid it was some noble¡¯s, who had been killed, and the thought of sleeping in a dead person¡¯s bed unnerved him.


    ¡°My Prince.¡± The two guards in front of his door said with a salute.


    ¡°Hey guys¡­¡± Robert looked uncomfortable. ¡°Can you, uh¡­ you know. Take off for a bit? You can come back in the morning.¡±


    The two warriors looked at each other and shook their heads. ¡°I¡¯m sorry my Prince.¡± The one to the left said. ¡°We were ordered by the King to protect you, whether you like it, or not.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Robert thought for a moment. ¡°See, here¡¯s the deal. I might have some company tonight, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Company¡­?¡± Dio¡¯mar asked.


    ¡°Company?¡± The two guards asked simultaneously.


    ¡°Yeah, company.¡± He said, to both the guards, and Dio''mar, who was invisible to all but him. Robert sighed and shook his head. ¡°Never mind.¡± He grumbled, brushing past them to walk into his room. With a huff he slid the doors shut and sat on one of the couches in the living area.


    ¡°Robert¡­ who are you expecting?¡± Dio¡¯mar floated in front of his face.


    ¡°Demessa.¡± He said, looking at her eyeless little face.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± She paused for a long moment. ¡°OH¡­ I see.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you see.¡± Robert leaned back in frustration. ¡°Alektor doesn¡¯t want us to see each other. That¡¯s probably why he has his two goons out there. He knows that a few guards aren¡¯t going to stop that though, I literally cloaked an entire army.¡±


    ¡°So you wish to mate¡­ with her?¡± She floated to the center of the room. ¡°I must admit¡­ I have been curious as to why you have not¡­ mated since you have become a Prince¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh, maybe because I think it¡¯s wrong for someone to use their position to take advantage of people like that?¡± Robert squirmed where he sat.


    ¡°Why is that¡­? It is only fair that those who have influence¡­ use it for what they want¡­¡±


    ¡°What? No, geez.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t really want to talk about this with you. Also, I was hoping you could take off too, not to be rude or anything, but if you¡¯re hanging around, it¡¯s going to be weird.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense¡­ you won¡¯t even know I am here.¡± Her tiny voice rang mischievously.


    ¡°No.¡± Robert folded his arms. ¡°I am going to need privacy.¡±


    Dio¡¯mar floated silently for nearly a minute.


    ¡°Dio.¡± Robert pointed at her. ¡°Please, I want your word.¡±


    She sighed a very human-like sigh. ¡°Very well¡­ I will leave you to your¡­ fun¡­ but I will find some way for you to repay me for my kindness¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure, thank you.¡± Robert stood to go over his room. ¡°There isn¡¯t much here to work with.¡± He sighed at the lack of candles and romantic lighting.


    ¡°I thought¡­ all you would require was a bed¡­ is that not the human custom? Most Dae mate in their beds¡­ sometimes¡­ in other places¡­ but mainly-¡±


    Robert cut her off. ¡°Do you just float around and watch people screw or something? I didn¡¯t know you were into that sort of thing.¡±


    She hummed in irritation. ¡°I am not¡­ IN to anything¡­ I am merely observing behaviors of lesser beings.


    ¡°Do Spirits¡­ you know¡­ have sex?¡± Robert asked, genuinely curious.


    ¡°We do mate¡­Though it is different from what you may think. It isn¡¯t so¡­ uncivilized as the Dae do.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°You would not be able to comprehend it¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve seen a lot of shit.¡± He chuckled.


    Dio¡¯mar hummed again, and floated toward the door.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Robert waved, smiling as she disappeared like a ghost through it.


    He closed his eyes and willed his Dunamis to create a mirage around the warriors who guarded him outside. What was once something that took great concentration and effort, now seemed second nature. They would see each other, but would be unable to see any who approached. Likewise, any who approached would not be able to see them. Robert shrugged. If assassins come to kill me today, please make it after. He thought. Besides, what assassin worth his salt would come through the front door? He looked at the massive open balcony for several seconds. Then shrugged again. ¡°Whatever.¡±


    After nearly two hours of waiting, when the sun was well down, the door to his chamber slid open.


    Robert was lying on his bed and had nearly dozed off when he sat up to see Demessa standing in the center of the living area. She wore a fine grey robe that glittered in the light of several floating flames that lit his room. His eyes scanned over her slender form and then met her bright green eyes. She smirked at him, and began to walk forward


    ¡°Well, hello my Prince.¡± She said, folding her arms under her breasts pressing them against the smooth fabric.


    Roberts eyes widened as he realized she had nothing on under the robe. ¡°Uh¡­ Hey.¡± Was all he said. Shit¡­ he thought, wincing at his lack of creativity.


    She let out a genuine laugh and her smile broadened as she lifted her hand to beckon him. Her pearl white hair was no longer tied in braids, or clipped to keep it from her eyes. As a warrior, this was a common practice. Instead if fell delicately around the sides of her face, framing it. Her scar was emphasized by this, but the crawling cracks seemed to be of little significance in Robert¡¯s mind.


    Robert moved to the foot of the bed and sat, admiring her beauty. ¡°I have to say Demessa, you¡¯re one of the most beautiful creatures I¡¯ve ever set my eyes on.¡± Nice. He thought, more pleased with himself. There he is. The smooth talker¡¯s back.


    ¡°Why thank you, my Prince.¡± She stepped forward and placed her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him. ¡°You flatter me.¡±


    Robert stared at her eyes, their brilliance shining back at him with eagerness.


    She leaned in to kiss him, and again he found himself lost in her scent and taste. The moments ticked by, each their own fleeting century. She pulled away and her hands rose to the sides of her robe.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Robert said, his mind screaming at him for not letting her continue. She paused and looked at him curiously. ¡°It¡¯s uh¡­ been a while since I¡¯ve done this.¡±


    Demessa rolled her eyes and pulled her robe off of her shoulders, and the fabric slid to the floor in a soundless bundle. Robert stared at her naked body in sheer amazement. He knew the Dae were beautiful creatures. Each nearly perfect in their builds. Something to do with the Spiritual energy of this world; Dio¡¯mar told him. The Dae bodies were identical to a human¡¯s, save the skin color. She had ample breasts, and nipples that were a darker shade of her skin color. Her body was fit, and her waist slender, but slightly muscled. His eyes wandered lower to her sex, and he noticed that there was no sign of pubic hair. Robert was by no means a virgin, he had multiple partners in his life, but regardless, he had not seen a woman naked since he came to Pelemont, and with one so beautiful, his body reacted like it was his first time again. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Was all he could say. Her grey skin glistened in the low light of the room as she reached for his tunic.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    She huffed and gave him a stern look. ¡°Reku. I am standing here, naked in front of you. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Her eyes wandered to his gloved right hand. Her expression became one of sympathy and she met his gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that.¡± She said, and pulled his tunic off to reveal hundreds of red scars across his chest and arms. His left hand went unconsciously to cover his right, though the glove remained on. She smiled again, gently pulling his hands apart, and slid the glove free. A scaled grey hand was revealed, though the claws were filed down, it still had a grotesque look to it. Noticing his tension, she lifted it and kissed it gently.


    Robert quivered at the gesture, and embraced her in a passionate kiss, pulling her onto his bed.

 Chapter 6 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Delmos wiped the streaming water from his face, cursing the foul weather that had followed them here. ¡°Do you see them up there?¡± He squinted through the heavy rain and low light at the face of a large hill. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re out there somewhere.¡±


    Katrina sighed, sitting back against one of the trees their dwindling group was using for cover. Over the course of the last week, after they were attacked. More than half the fleeing group had decided to give themselves up to the pursuing Volsung warriors. Most of them were just civilian¡¯s trying to flee to safety, but as the threat of attack increased, and the lack of rest pushed them past their limits, they began to leave and surrender.


    ¡°Who cares at this point Delmos¡­¡± Katrina¡¯s eyes closed, and she mumbled ¡°Wake me up if they attack.¡±


    ¡°Of course everything¡¯s left up to me.¡± Delmos said, irritation in his voice. ¡°By the Spirits, I wish Daniel were still alive to see this. I¡¯m sure he would be telling me I deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Deserve what?¡± Katrina¡¯s left eye popped open to glare at him.


    ¡°To be pestered and cold shouldered to death by a scornful human woman. Nothing worth mentioning to the likes of you.¡± He squinted again.


    Katrina grunted and turned to face away from him.


    ¡°Just because I suggested we kill the girl, you have been treating me like a monster ever since.¡±


    She turned to face him abruptly. ¡°Because you ARE a monster. Malla was injured, and even after I healed her you wanted to kill her.¡±


    He pointed out into the darkness. ¡°Because I knew if we let her go, she would tell her clansmen where we are! Now look, we¡¯re surrounded, starving, and haven¡¯t slept in days.¡±


    Katrina sighed and rested her head on her forearms across her knees.


    Delmos fumed at her, wondering why he allowed this na?ve human girl to overrule his decision. There were several shouts in the distance, and his eyes flashed to the darkened hillside again. They were searching for them, but with Katrina¡¯s Dunamis they had managed to erase all tracks, and even mask their position to any Dae-Voh who went looking. He let out a breath he hadn¡¯t known he was holding.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Delmos. I know we¡¯re suffering for it, but I don¡¯t regret my decision.¡± Katrina said, still resting her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to murder anyone.¡±


    Delmos didn¡¯t say anything more. He just continued his vigilance, all through the night.


    When Katrina awoke, several hours later. She groaned at the bitter cold that bit at her. Delmos yawned, his tired mind barely recognizing her emergence from slumber.


    ¡°What I wouldn¡¯t give for some coffee.¡± She croaked


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± He responded unenthusiastically.


    Katrina rolled on her knees to sit upright; wincing at the feeling of her soaked cloak pressing against her bare skin. She stood, cupping her hands to her mouth and blowing into them. She walked over to Delmos, who¡¯s eyes blinked dryly while looking over the hillside.


    ¡°Thank you Delmos.¡± She said, putting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I really needed some sleep. ¡°I¡¯ll take watch tonight. Maybe some of the others will-¡±


    ¡°There aren¡¯t any.¡± He said, interrupting her.


    She paused, processing the information. ¡°Aren¡¯t any, what?¡±


    ¡°Last night, the rest of our party surrendered to the Volsung.¡± He said coldly. ¡°They swore that they were the last, and all the warriors had left them long ago, along with you, the spirit-sent.¡± He pointed to four bodies that laid prostrate on the muddied hillside. ¡°They didn¡¯t believe them.¡±


    Katrina gasped at the sight. Her mind racing at ways this could have been avoided. ¡°Why would they surrender like that!?¡±


    ¡°They couldn¡¯t handle it, Kat.¡± Delmos said, using her nickname. ¡°The cold, the stress. Those four remaining warriors gave their lives so the thirty civilians could be captured and live.¡± He looked at her finally. ¡°But again, we¡¯re alone out here.¡±


    Katrina hung her head and held back tears. ¡°This whole damn situation¡­ Fucking Robert and his bullshit.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Delmos grunted while he stood. ¡°Your mate deserves to die a traitor¡¯s death for what he¡¯s responsible for.¡±


    ¡°He isn¡¯t my mate.¡± Katrina¡¯s eyes were filled with fury. ¡°And if I ever come across him again, he¡¯s a dead man.¡±


    ~


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Delmos and Katrina were able to continue their trek, now with much more speed, and less of a headache dealing with the constant groaning of the civilians. Katrina was now able to use her Dunamis to mask the miniscule tremors each step made while walking on the ground. With a group of nearly a hundred, it made the task of masking them nearly impossible. The Volsung had Dae-Voh scanning for such things, and could easily determine the location of groups of people. This was why they could never seem to escape the various raiding parties. With this new found flexibility they were able to work their way East. They spent several nights hiding in small hovels, dug out by Katrina¡¯s Dunamis so they could sleep in relative comfort and safety, but as they moved, it became clear they needed to find a village and have a true night¡¯s sleep.


    Delmos lifted his hand to shade his eyes from the sun above. ¡°There¡¯s a village¡­ or something ahead.¡±


    Katrina walked beside him and squinted. ¡°Don¡¯t you know which one?¡±


    Delmos gave her an irritated look. ¡°I don¡¯t know every backwater village in Lokkadonia, Kat, I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t have a damn map with me.¡±


    Katrina rolled her eyes and started to walk forward.


    ¡°Wait a second.¡± He said, folding his arms. ¡°We can¡¯t go waltzing in there looking like we are. You¡¯re a human and are easily recognizable.¡±


    She groaned and flung her hands in the air. ¡°Okay, then what do we do? Because I don¡¯t know about you, but I am in desperate need of a bath.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed.¡± He wrinkled his nose.


    She glared at him. ¡°Do you have a plan or something? Or are you just stating the obvious and waiting for me to think of it.¡±


    ¡°I was hoping, but alas, these tedious details usually fall to me.¡± Delmos brought his hand up to his chin and thought. ¡°Perhaps you could stay on the outskirts of the village, and I secure a room. Then we could sneak you in and-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She folded her arms. ¡°I¡¯m not sitting out here in the cold again.¡±


    He bit his tongue. ¡°We¡¯re in enemy territory. There is a good chance there are several raiding parties taking refuge there. So that probably wouldn¡¯t work anyway, seeing as how a warrior like myself and a human would be immediately caught and thrown in chains.¡±


    Katrina let out an exasperated sigh, and slumped to sit on the ground. ¡°If only there was some way I could disguise myself. Maybe a really big cloak?¡±


    ¡°That would be difficult, seeing as how in villages, the people all know each other.¡± Delmos tilted his head to the side. ¡°Though there are plenty of newcomers arriving every day as refugees.¡± He bent down to look closely at her face. ¡°Damn, if only you could use the same technique as Robert. Mask us in some shroud or illusion.¡±


    Katrina paused for a moment. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± She looked up to the sky, in deep thought. ¡°We might have to just move on, until we get out of enemy territory¡­ I guess I will have to go without a nice hot bath.¡±


    Delmos suddenly began looking around. His expression one of anticipation. ¡°Maybe¡­ hmm¡­¡± He grabbed her arm and hauled her up. ¡°Can you perhaps try to manipulate your spiritual energy again?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Like you did when you healed the Volsung girl. You know what I mean, instead of willing your energy to heal, perhaps you could use it to¡­ I don¡¯t know, alter your body or something.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to do that.¡± She protested, shaking her head.


    ¡°Well I didn¡¯t think it was possible to heal someone without any practice or knowledge! But you managed to do it! Your power has been growing stronger everyday, and as a human, maybe you can figure it out.¡±


    ¡°Delmos, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how it works.¡± Katrina paused for a few moments.


    ¡°It won¡¯t hurt to try at least.¡± Delmos stood back and crossed his arms. ¡°Go for it.¡±


    Katrina grumbled and closed her eyes. She knew it was a good idea, but was more irritated that Delmos thought of it first. She had grown to like the eccentric Dae, but still he annoyed her to no end. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡± After several long moments of concentration into the Dunam Dae Espea state. The transition was becoming something she was able to do more and more easily each time she entered.


    She opened her eyes in the beautiful plain again. Still the flowers danced around  her, and the stream surged past. ¡°Hmmm.¡± She pondered at how to pull this off. It could not be done with spiritual energy the way Delmos was imagining. She was no expert to be sure, but it seemed like spiritual energy in its raw form here was far too wild to manipulate for something like this. When she healed Malla¡¯s body, she merely willed her body to return to its perfect form. That was done through the girls soul, or the core of her Dunamis. Katrina had no idea how to do something like that to herself. A doctor can¡¯t perform heart surgery on themselves either. She thought.


    She lifted her hand, and a pillar of stone rose from the soft grass below. She examined it, and used her fingers to sculpt it into a person. She cursed as she realized she was no sculptor, and it looked like a fat monkey. Then she remembered Avria¡¯s display of art when she first became her squire. The images and movements of her electricity came from her mind, she didn¡¯t physically move her fingers to create the shapes. She focused then on the pillar and closed her eyes. She imagined the first person that came to mind, Daniel. A pang of sorrow lanced through her as she remembered his face. His light brown hair that hung, nearly parted to the right side. She smiled, even when they were out for days or weeks at a time, his hair would maintain its shape. She then imagined his eyes; brown and interesting. He always squinted though¡­ like he didn¡¯t trust anyone. She thought. Who could blame him? His lined cheeks and squared jawline. More pain surged in her stomach as she remembered. She saw his face in her mind now, perfectly formed. He had been there for her, even after Robert had left. And now he was dead, another victim of this world.


    She opened her eyes to see the pillar had transformed into a life-sized image of Daniel. Tears flowed from her eyes as she reached out and touched his face. ¡°Wow¡­¡± she said, ¡°That is amazing.¡± The earth had not only taken on his form, with every detail and hair on his head, but also had changed color. ¡°I wonder if¡­¡± She willed the pillar to move to her, and she felt the stone separate into individual grains of sand. They flowed over her body and she walked toward the stream. Looking into the water, she gasped at her reflection.


    When her eyes opened back in the real world. She looked to see a dumbfounded Delmos.


    ¡°By the Spirits¡­¡± He said, his hand on his forehead. ¡°How¡­?¡±


    She took a step forward and cocked her head. ¡°So? Did it work?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Delmos cheered. ¡°You humans are truly amazing creatures. ¡°Though I would suggest using another image for your disguise. Not only are you another human, which seems counterproductive, but your voice coming from Daniel¡¯s likeness is just unnerving.¡±


    Katrina nodded, closing her eyes again to concentrate.

 Chapter 7 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    ¡°So what are you saying exactly?¡± Avria asked, digging her fingernails into her palm. Her frustration mounting at dealing with the village nobles. ¡°The Rexunii could be here at any moment.¡±


    ¡°That is irrelevant, Lady Avria, what matters is we entertain the thought of diplomacy. The Rexunii are terrible indeed, but even your own scouts have reported that they are treating the captives with mercy and fairness.¡± The young noblewoman bowed her head after. ¡°All I am saying is, we cannot expect our village to turn into a fortress.¡±


    ¡°With respect, of course.¡± Atun said, sitting to her right.


    Avria ground her teeth together. ¡°Why am I surrounded by cowards and fools?¡± She glared at the girl. ¡°If you wish to surrender to Alektor and the Rexunii, I will not stop you. However I will not allow traitors to live, if I can help it.¡±


    ¡°Lady Avria.¡± Atun rested his hand on hers. ¡°We must not say things like this. Please understand that we are not as attuned to warfare as yourself. Many of our people are frightened, and will seek to preserve themselves. Lady Munic is only voicing her concerns.¡±


    Avria jerked her hand away from Atun¡¯s in frustration, and massaged her brow. ¡°Where is Daniel?¡± She asked, letting out a deep breath. ¡°I can¡¯t bear another moment of conversation with these fools.¡±


    The young noblewoman stood, offended, but bowed and left the room.


    ¡°He is training with the new company of warriors.¡± Atun exhaled in disappointment. ¡°Would you like me to send for him? Again?¡±


    Avria shook her head. Ever since they had their little argument, Daniel had been making himself scarce. But for the last two months of preparation and training, who could blame him? She couldn¡¯t put her finger on it, but the man had grown on her a bit. He was stoic and irritating to be sure, but he was a stable warrior, and had been a friend to her. The pangs of guilt and pain at the loss of Oros were still throbbing within, but with so much to do, and the support he had provided, it hurt less. ¡°No¡­ I¡¯ll go myself.¡±


    Avria stood and grabbed her blade from a small stand near her desk. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°My Lady, I would like to accompany you.¡± Atun stood as well.


    Avria shrugged as she walked out of the door. Making her way to the practice fields was easy enough.  She just followed the cracks and bangs that came from the new human weapons they had made. She walked into the command tent, and saw Daniel around a Dunamis grown, three-dimensional map of the surrounding area. There were two guards at the entrance who saluted and opened their mouths to announce her arrival, but she silenced them with a gesture.


    ¡°Fortifications to the North of the village could be used in egress.¡± Daniel said to Lieutenant Jori, the new civilian officer he had promoted. ¡°As we fall back, we can use them to defend. Make sure they are effective in both directions.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Jori¡¯s head turned to meet Avria¡¯s gaze. ¡°My Lady!¡± He bowed his head.


    Daniel turned to see her, but just took in a deep breath.


    Avria narrowed her eyes. ¡°Lieutenant Jori, please take your leave with these guards. I wish to speak with Captain Daniel alone.¡±


    Jori bowed deeper and scurried out of the tent, ushering the two guards out as well.


    Daniel folded his arms and leaned against the stone map. ¡°What is it this time?¡±


    Avria cleared her throat and sat down on one of the stone chairs. She looked as though she were about to speak, but she only looked at him blankly.


    Daniel¡¯s eyes flared in a gesture that could only mean, ¡®well?¡¯


    ¡°Daniel I wanted to apologize to you.¡± She finally said. ¡°I treated you poorly, and for that I am sorry.¡± She let out a deep breath, like she had just done something physically painful. ¡°There, I said it.¡±


    He raised his eyebrows. ¡°So you came all the way down here. Interrupted my training operation to apologize?¡±


    She looked at him in irritation. ¡°Yes. I thought that we could--¡±


    ¡°Avria.¡± Daniel interrupted her, waving his hands. ¡°I accept your apology. There is no need to explain it. I¡¯m sorry too. I know I can be a dick sometimes.¡±


    Her face looked confused. ¡°A what?¡±


    ¡°Never mind.¡± He shook his head.


    Nearly a minute of silence ensued as they awkwardly looked around the command tent.


    ¡°So.¡± He finally said, ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to get to the estate, to go over some things with you, but¡­ I¡­¡± He shrugged. ¡°We never really got along well Avria. We had a rocky start, and it never really got better. After our last discussion, I figured it was best to just stay out of your way.¡±


    ¡°That is of course, my fault, Daniel.¡± She said. ¡°You have proven yourself to be a trustworthy friend and companion. I should not have reacted so defensively.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really blame you. You¡¯re dealing with a bunch of village idiots. You look like shit.¡± Daniel immediately regretted the words as they left his mouth.


    Her hand subconsciously raised to brush some of her dangling hair from her eyes. ¡°Things aren¡¯t going well¡­¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you been getting rest? You look like you haven¡¯t slept in days.¡± He winced slightly as he worded his phrase more carefully.


    ¡°I can¡¯t deal with these fools. I thought Vul De Rah was bad, but these backwater village nobles are far worse.¡± She sighed, closing her eyes. ¡°I just need to vent, though I suppose I could just walk outside and speak to a tree.¡±


    Daniel chuckled, walking to sit across from her. ¡°The tree would probably give you better advice. I would like to think that I helped you out though, you know, over the last few months. If you want to vent about stupid poe-dunk nobles? I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    Avria¡¯s face smiled, an expression that was so uncomfortable to her it nearly brought pain. It was gone as quickly as it came. ¡°Don¡¯t let this fool you, I¡¯m nowhere near overwhelmed. I just need people at my side that I can trust.¡±


    ¡°I feel I¡¯ve proven that.¡± He said. ¡°You know I¡¯m not going anywhere, Avria. Without Oros, and everyone dead or missing, you¡¯re the closest thing I have to a friend out here. I know it sounds campy or whatever, but in my world¡­ in the Marines. There was no such thing as a one man army. It took cooperation of  the unit to win battles. That also applied to when we got back home. We relied on one another for support.¡± He leaned back appraising her. ¡°You look like you¡¯re on your last legs, whether you¡¯d like to admit it or not. So crack that shell a bit, vent to me. Tell me what you¡¯re thinking, help me help you.¡±


    Avria clenched her jaw. ¡°And what about you? You have the same air about you, showing all that you are an unbreakable and immovable object. Do you not also need support?¡±


    Daniel took in a deep breath. ¡°Well--¡±


    He was interrupted by a loud horn that blared. The two of them shot up in an instant and looked to the entrance of the tent.


    ¡°That is the Western watchtower.¡± Avria said. ¡°Daniel?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on it!¡± He ran with her outside the tent, and immediately began assembling his warriors. ¡°Get the company off the range and geared up! I want the platoon commanders and platoon sergeants up here ASAP!¡±


    ~


    As Daniel made his way up the Western watchtower, he was saluted by several of his own warriors. He cursed the numerous stairs as he took long strides, finally opening a small wooden door to see the tower¡¯s vantage point. There were three of his warriors, and his second platoon commander, Lieutenant Carassi.


    ¡°Captain.¡± He saluted.


    Daniel returned the salute and walked to look over the western landscape. ¡°Report.¡±.


    ¡°Multiple groups of warriors have been spotted over the horizon. Warriors, and mercenaries it looks like.¡± Carassi said.


    ¡°Clan?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°Visgo¡± Carassi gave a grim nod. ¡°It looks like they are probing for an assault.¡±


    Daniel let out a sigh. ¡°Well at least they aren¡¯t Rexunii.¡±


    ¡°Sir, any group of warriors has a good chance to slaughter us.¡± Carassi turned to look over the landscape again. ¡°We can only hope that they are not here in force.¡±


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    ¡°Secure that talk Lieutenant.¡± Daniel pointed a finger at him. ¡°They come here, we kill them. That¡¯s it. Even if we face certain death, I expect you to keep your damn bearing in front of the warriors. Got it?¡±


    Carassi gave him an unreadable look, then nodded. ¡°Yes¡­ sir.¡±


    First, second, and third platoon mounted the walls and barricades on the North, West, and Southern fronts of Vul Dema. Fourth platoon took up the eastern side, giving one of their squads the task of skirmishing with any flanking elements that ventured into the Forest to the East. As Daniel made his rounds atop the walls and battlements, he could see that many of his warriors were silent, some even shivering with fear. This was to be expected of warriors who had never seen battle, but if left unchecked, it could lead to defeat.


    Hours passed in trepidation, and all the defenders of the village could do, was wait. Finally, nearing dusk, the first signs of enemy formations could be seen marching down the road toward them.


    Avria approached from behind and leaned against the battlement beside Daniel. ¡°I doubt it, but perhaps they will send someone to negotiate.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t see that happening.¡± Daniel turned to face her. ¡°I thought you were going to protect the nobles.¡± He grinned.


    She gave him a look of irritation, but it soon melted into a genuine smile. ¡°Please, those fools would have a better chance at killing me from boredom than the enemy would with blades. I¡¯m far safer here, in the midst of battle.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He looked out to the advancing forces. He counted as best he could, the even ranks of yellow clad Visgo. He came to the conclusion that there were close to three hundred against them. Standard formations and war-groups. ¡°We can take ¡®em.¡± He said.


    ¡°You think so?¡± Avria leaned back. ¡°You and I might have to dive into the fray again. Do you think you¡¯re up for it?¡±


    ¡°Bring it on.¡± He said.


    Then the advancing force halted and raised spears against their defenses, nearly a hundred yards out. They were well within range of the rifles they now had, but seeing as how they most certainly had Dae-Voh with them, he wanted them close before they revealed their secret new weapons. A Visgo warrior atop a Cro¡¯kan strode to the front of the war-groups and drew a sword that was sheathed at his side.


    ¡°Defenders of the forest village!¡± He yelled, his voice enhanced by his Dunamis. ¡°I am Commander Domic, of House Thadis, of clan Visgo! And I have come to claim this village for the Visgo forces here in Lokkon! You have our word that you will not be harmed! All you must do is lay down your arms, and cooperate with our coalition¡¯s demands! This is your one and only warning. If we are forced to scale your walls, we will kill you to the last child! Make your decision! You have ten minutes!¡±


    ¡°Well that was to the point.¡± Daniel said.


    Avria stood on the battlement in full view of the enemy forces. ¡°Commander Domic of the Visgo cowards! I am Avria of house Regios! And I reject your terms! If you dare to approach these walls you will find nothing but death and blood! Do your worst!¡±


    Domic looked on in silence for several moments, then turned to ride to the rear of his formations.


    ¡°Maybe not the best thing to say, Avria.¡± Daniel grunted, ¡°Now they know you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°We would have had to abandon this village regardless.¡± She drew her blade and closed her eyes. ¡°I refuse to lose this battle Daniel, and I refuse to hide. They will know the name of the one who will slaughter them.¡±


    With a mighty shout, the war-groups of the enemy forces charged toward the walls of Vul Dema. Not so quickly as to stumble over themselves, but like a steadily moving battering ram.


    Daniel turned to either side of himself, watching his fearful warriors. ¡°Steady!¡± He yelled, using is Dunamis to enhance the volume of his voice. He raised his hand and began to summon the crimson flame of his power. Aiming it at the nearest formation he grit his teeth. ¡°Fire! At will!¡± He yelled, flame vomiting from his hand down toward the enemy.


    In a cacophony of gunfire and screeching Dunamis, the wall of Vul Dema erupted violence against the Visgo attackers. They had been expecting an attack from the wall, so the Dae-Voh were quick to respond to any aggression. What they did not expect was the speed of the bullets fired at them. Dozens of warriors crumpled to the ground, blue blood gushing from wounds. Within moments the earth around the war-groups wrapped around the enemy, covering them from the bullets raining from above.


    Rifles barked around Daniel with a level of chaos that seemed familiar to him. The fire he launched, crashed hard against the earth wall. Chunks of molten stone spewed from the impact and with little resistance the crimson heat melted through. Screams could be heard from under the protective shell, but Daniel did not let up. Suddenly there was a blast to the right of his attack that shattered a portion of the defense. Daniel glanced to see Avria charging for another one. He marveled for a moment at the sheer power of her attack, then his focus returned to his own.


    Portions of the Visgo defense broke off into jagged spears and launched their way up to the top of the wall. One warrior further to the left of Daniel was impaled by the attack, and squirmed in anguish while it lifted him over the inner wall. Immediately after the large spears reshaped into stone ladders of some kind. Genius, Daniel thought for a moment. ¡°Pull back! Get off the wall!¡± He roared running down the line. In the initial planning of the village defenses, Avria had warned that the enemy would be barely slowed by the wall. The Dunamis of this world made static defenses like this nearly obsolete. With that knowledge, Daniel decided to split his forces. All of his defenders couldn¡¯t fit on the wall anyway, so half of each platoon was stationed within the wall, behind barricades that had been grown before the battle. Daniel¡¯s warriors withdrew from the wall down ropes and ladders of their own. The element within covered their withdraw by shooting at the Visgo warriors that climbed over the edge.


    Avria slid beside Daniel and unleashed another blast. A massive chunk of their own wall was blown away with half a dozen enemy warriors being flung into the air. The fire from the defenders was impressive, and took a large toll on the Visgo, but as they came over the wall, Dunamis attacks of their own began to rain down on the defending warriors. Blasts of wind and fire smashed against the barricades. Daniel watched in frustration as his own men began to die in droves. He clenched his teeth at the inevitable truth of their situation. The guns just weren¡¯t enough against this kind of power. Maybe in the hands of battle hardened warriors, but in the hands of villagers with two months of training?


    ¡°Sir!¡± Lieutenant Carassi yelled, gaining his attention. ¡°We have to withdraw! They are killing us here!¡±


    Suddenly a massive bolt of lightning arced across the top of the wall. Again Avria was displaying her power. Another dozen or so warriors screamed as they were charred by the energy, and the attack provided a moment for the defenders to gather themselves. The window wasn¡¯t long, and almost immediately the fallen warriors were replaced. Daniel then saw the truth of this battle. If the Visgo continued to hold the wall, and launch their elemental fury down on them, they would lose. It was a slugfest at this point, and they had more to give. If they fled, they would not be able to escape these warriors. It was win or die. Daniel sighed in resignation, he knew they had to disrupt the elemental attacks from the wall. Only he or Avria would be able to do that. Fuck it, He thought.


    ¡°No!¡± Daniel replied, drawing his sword. ¡°We stay here!¡± He grabbed the Lieutenant by his cloak. ¡°Keep them here! Keep the fire up!¡± With that, he charged at the wall and used his Dunamis to enhance his legs. In a burst of speed and power, Daniel lunged to the top of the wall before the Visgo could react. He slashed his sword down, and fire exploded from the edge as he landed. Two warriors were engulfed in flames and screamed as they fell into burning heaps to the stone. Daniel brought his eyes up just in time to deflect a spear thrust from another Visgo that had scaled the wall. More seemed to pour over, stabbing and lashing at him with their Dunamis. Daniel did what he could to defend against them, but the attacks were too numerous. A spear slipped his guard and jabbed into his stomach. Blood poured from the wound and he grunted in pain. Using his left hand he grabbed the shaft of the spear and wrenched it from his body, then he used his impressive strength to pull it from the warrior¡¯s grasp. The man backed up and went to draw his sword. Daniel leapt forward, stabbing him in the neck. Blue blood poured on him as he lashed his blade out, decapitating the man. Pain surged through his body, and Daniel screamed with vile rage at his enemies. They drew back a moment at the sight. Daniel reached both of his arms out to his left, down the length of the wall, and with another yell, unleashed a massive burst of crimson flame. Dozens of warriors were enveloped in the fire, many attempting to use their own power to defend against it. The alien fire though, could not be stopped. It evaporated water barriers, rushed through wind walls, and melted through earth defenses. The attack stopped suddenly as another spear was lodged into Daniel¡¯s neck. He fell to one knee, gargling blood, but blasted fire behind him. The warrior holding the spear fell from the wall ablaze, but another replaced him and blasted him with a bolt of lightning. Daniel¡¯s body was blown into the aftermath of his own attack, and fell to the charred stone limply.


    ~


    ¡°No!¡± Avria screamed, lashing her power forward against the Visgo. She had followed Daniel as quickly as she could, but had been unable to reach him in time. She found herself atop the wall now, slashing her blade and killing enemies with her lightning. Suddenly the rate of fire from the Lokkadonian side increased, and the disrupted Visgo warriors on the wall began to fall to the newly invigorated hail of bullets.


    Avria cleaved her way through warriors, to get to Daniel¡¯s prone form. Skillfully deflecting attacks, and dispatching all who stood against her with brutal efficiency. Then, as she slashed across a warrior''s abdomen, spilling his guts and spinning to decapitate him, the wall suddenly shook violently, and dozens of projectile impacts peppered the attackers, now with more accuracy and desperation. Bodies littered the top, and the battlements were slick with blue blood. She pressed forward, and as she did, the warriors she faced turned to escape over the wall. The Visgo blew horns for retreat, and she dashed toward the fallen human. She slid against the scarred stone to rest beside him.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± She yelled, shaking his body. He was lying face down with the broken tip of a spear lodged in the back of his neck in a large pool of red blood. Carefully turned him over to look into half opened and lifeless eyes. ¡°No¡­¡± She said, her eyes filling with tears. ¡°You fool! Why would you do that on your own!?¡± She shook him, and his eyes focused for a split second on her. She gasped as she realized he was still barely alive. She pressed her hands on his head and closed her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not dying!¡±


    In a flash of light she found herself once again a guest in Daniel¡¯s Dunem Dae Espa. Here, she could tend to him and hopefully stabilize him. She looked at the barren desert around her for any sign of him.


    She turned to see him standing behind her, looking off into the distance. ¡°Daniel!¡± She yelled, but he didn¡¯t respond. She moved to touch him, but he began to fade. He¡¯s dying! She thought. Gritting her teeth she grabbed hold of his form. Daniels body didn¡¯t react. His face still stared into nothing. She felt for his core, the source of his Dunamis within. It breathed powerfully behind an internal barrier, that she couldn¡¯t seem to get through. She pressed her own power into him, and it broke across the barrier like a wave against a cliff. How is this possible? She thought, taken aback by the sheer power that lay within. ¡°Daniel¡­ please. You have to open yourself! If you don¡¯t I can¡¯t heal you. You¡¯ll die here!¡± She yelled into the vast desert, but no response came. Suddenly a faint light blinked to life before her. Not the familiar power of the Dunamis, but something different. Avria lifted her hand to touch it, and when she did, burst into tears. The light brightened into a small sun, and radiated a power that brought the Dae woman to her knees. It was gentle, but infinite in its scope; terrifying, but beautiful. Through tears, she brought the light in her hand to Daniels core, and watched it react. The barrier fell, and his power flowed out, surrounding her. The fire was intense, and she held her hands out to defend herself, but found that it was not burning her.


    Her eyes opened and she fell back to see him still lying on the ground, only now he was engulfed in flames.


    ¡°What¡­¡± She said. ¡°What are you?¡±.

 Chapter 8 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Robert awoke to a gentle breeze from his open balcony. His eyes blinked open, and he smiled at the sweet aromas that could be smelled from the kitchens. With a yawn, he attempted to stand to relieve himself but was halted by a slender arm around his chest. Demessa¡¯s warm body was pressed against his, and his smile broadened. Gently he removed it, and made his way to the bathroom. By the time he returned she was already standing, attempting to get dressed.


    ¡°Woah, hold on a second.¡± He said, grinning as he approached. ¡°You¡¯re going already? You usually stay for a bit.¡±


    Demessa shrugged on a tunic and gave him a playful smile. ¡°I would, but today I have a meeting with Turak. It¡¯s the moot, remember?¡±


    Robert hung his head. ¡°Yeah¡­ I forgot about that. All the kings from the coalition clans are coming here to vote on the new High King¡­ got it.¡±


    ¡°Which means you¡¯ll have to go without your morning exercise.¡± She leaned in to kiss him. ¡°My poor spirit-sent.¡±


    Robert tasted her lips in utter satisfaction. The last two months had been amazing for him. Alektor had barely even asked for his presence on the hundreds of menial tasks of rule. He essentially had nothing to do except wave his hands to a few people and sleep with Damessa. He felt that he had a lot of time to make up for.


    ¡°Remember, you¡¯re supposed to be there too. The king needs you there to support him.¡± She pulled away.


    ¡°Uh huh.¡± Robert inhaled deeply. ¡°I¡¯ll be there, don¡¯t worry. Let¡¯s just get this over with. You and I have unfinished business.¡±


    Demessa laughed as she put the rest of her clothes on, and turned to kiss him one last time before climbing from his balcony. The situation was a bit strange, and it made him feel guilty for hiding this whole affair from Alektor, but he didn¡¯t care. Alektor hadn¡¯t said anything about it, and he wasn¡¯t going to bring it up. He stood for a minute, looking out at the city below him, then went to bathe.


    ~


    Robert sat down in a chair behind Alektor in the conference chamber, waiting for the Kings from the coalition clans to arrive. He was a bit early, and was hoping to see Demessa here, but she had yet to show up.


    ¡°Reku.¡± Alektor said, resting his hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°Morning.¡± Robert stifled a yawn. ¡°An exciting day isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Alektor stood beside him, then turned to face him.


    ¡°What?¡± Robert could tell something was bothering him. ¡°You¡¯re wearing your political face.¡±


    ¡°Reku, I know what you have been doing with Demessa. I¡¯ve known for some time.¡± Alektor turned his large chair around and sat in it, still facing Robert. ¡°I said nothing because I figured you would have your fun, and then move on. However, since you have continued to spend¡­ time together, there is something I must tell you.¡± Alektor¡¯s eyes closed for a moment and he breathed in irritation. ¡°As a prince of house Roh, you will be expected to mate with those of equal status. I know it isn¡¯t your custom, and that your people may bond with any they choose¡­ but this is our way. We have been put in a dilemma of sorts.¡±


    ¡°Oh Lord¡­¡± Robert rubbed his face with his hands. ¡°Alektor, I¡¯m not going to be married off like some fucking princess. I¡¯ll sleep with who I choose to sleep with, and that''s it.¡±


    Alektor shook his head, sighing. Robert could tell he didn¡¯t want to have this conversation, but felt he had to. ¡°Listen, the king of Sabree wishes to join our houses, and bring his daughter¡¯s offspring into the line of succession. I will be high king after today, and must think about a broader picture.¡±


    ¡°Other provinces¡­¡± Robert hung his head. ¡°I¡¯m not marrying, or mating, or anything with Ambrosia, that woman is a power hungry snake.¡±


    ¡°Reku.¡± Alektor leaned forward and placed his hands on his shoulders. ¡°Please, as your friend, and your brother, I am asking you to do this. You may continue your relationship with Demessa if you wish, but she will never be recognized by any royal family. Her house is prestigious, but of low birth.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you too?¡± Robert shrugged off his hands and crossed his arms. ¡°You told me that your dad was a general, who was killed by the last king of Rexun. That¡¯s why they call you the common king. Why can¡¯t she do the same? If we joined, her house would be elevated.¡±


    ¡°But what would that do for our kingdom?¡± Alektor¡¯s anger began to show. ¡°My father was a commoner, yes. But those around me fear my power. All who stood against me I have destroyed. All who doubted me, are now silent in their submission. Royalty is no match for power, Reku. She is not who we are, she does not share the gifts we are bestowed. And a joining with her will not advance our kingdom.¡±


    Robert said nothing, he just fumed silently.


    ¡°I need an answer from you, right now.¡± Alektor leaned back in his chair. ¡°Before the kings arrive. It will determine my next move.¡±


    ¡°What if I say no?¡± Robert said.


    ¡°If you say no, I will respect your decision, but I will think very poorly of your judgment. Love does not conquer all, I¡¯m afraid. What does, is cunning and power.¡± He leaned forward again, close to Robert. ¡°And loyalty.¡±


    With that, he turned his chair around to face the table again.


    God damn him! Robert clenched his fists in anger. Who the hell does he think I am!? I am not a piece to be used on a chessboard. He thought


    ¡°He is correct¡­¡± Dio¡¯mar¡¯s voice whispered in his mind. ¡°Your joining with Demessa will bring nothing new to the kingdom, in terms of power. Ambrosia will be queen of Sabree when her father expires¡­ making you¡­¡±


    She doesn¡¯t want me! He said to her, in his head. She wants Alektor, and I don¡¯t want her here, period. You¡¯ve seen her! She¡¯s a freakin¡¯ ice queen.


    ¡°Alektor is indeed very smart to make this move¡­ Her father planned on making his grandchildren¡­ heir to the throne in Rexun¡­ instead, Alektor will have you marry her¡­ and you will rule Sabree instead¡­ it is quite genius¡­¡±


    I¡¯m not a political tool. He told her.


    ¡°You would give up¡­ your own kingdom?¡± Dio¡¯mar appeared on his lap.


    Robert just hung his head, his leg twitching in frustration.


    ¡°Do not be a fool Robert¡­ This would make you¡­ a king¡­ a man of importance and influence¡­ You could change your fate¡­ the fate of all humans in Pelemont.¡±


    We can¡¯t even have children. Robert said, fidgeting.


    ¡°That you know of¡­ besides¡­ they do not know that. You certainly have been taking precautions¡­¡±


    Wait¡­ you¡¯ve been spying on Demessa and I?


    ¡°Well¡­ You only made me promise for the first night¡­ it is nothing to be embarrassed about Robert¡­ but my statement stands¡­ you have not planted your seed in her womb¡­ so you can¡¯t know if you are able¡­ to have children¡­ with the Dae¡±


    Robert just shook his head in disappointment.


    ¡°Besides¡­ you got very creative with where it did go¡­ I was impressed.¡±


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    ¡°Good lord!¡± He said out loud. Several of the Dae servants and assistance looked in his direction, but he ignored them.


    Alektor finished speaking with a servant, and turned again to face him.


    ¡°I hope you make¡­ the right decision¡­¡± Dio¡¯mar¡¯s small form faded out of existence in a puff of black smoke.


    ¡°Son of a bitch¡­¡± He said through grit teeth.


    ¡°Have you made your decision?¡± Alektor asked.


    With a sigh of resignation, he nodded. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t give me any crap for seeing Demessa, then yes. And¡­ I don¡¯t have to keep Ambrosia here in Vul De Rah.¡±


    Alektor smiled genuinely. ¡°She will be your mate, you can do with her what you will. And I promise not to interfere with your¡­ uh¡­ relationship with Demessa. However, I cannot promise how Ambrosia will react to how you treat her. You will be expected to appear as a happily married couple. For the Sabree, and Rexun.¡±


    Robert remained silent, his mind swirling with conflicting thoughts and emotions. After nearly an hour he pondered in annoyance at his most current dilemma. As he did, the three other kings and Queen of the Rexunii coalition, arrived with their staff and wards. Ghomar of house Akio, the King of Sabree sat in the middle, across from Alektor who was alone. To his left was Queen Athica, of the Visgo clan, cousin of the former Queen Mundiri. And to his right was King Tophen, of house Varn, of the Volsung. Robert studied them all one by one. Ghomar was one of the oldest looking Dae he had ever seen. With long pearl hair, pale red skin and strong features, but was visibly tired. It was still so strange to see how old the Dae could actually get. Even so, they always seemed to look far younger than they were. Tophen seemed a near the same age as Agron. His eyes distrustful, and skin that looked slightly orange. Like most Dae, save Alektor, he styled the long hair of the nobility, braided behind his ears.


    Roberts eyes rested on Queen Athica, who was looking directly at him. For an instant he panicked, and almost looked away. Instead, he forced himself to look at her as confidently as possible. He was among the leaders of clans. People who could find weakness and exploit it easily. He knew he had to appear strong before them; he was, after all, the only human in the room. He swallowed and marveled at her elegance, and stunning beauty. Not raw and untamed like Demessa, but calm and collected like a serpent. Her eyes focused on him, and a smile curled at the edge of her lips. Her pearl hair was styled elaborately, but not too much as to appear ridiculous. Her face was beautiful and slender, and her skin was a pale yellow. It was her eyes however, that caught his attention most. They gleamed a brilliant red and bristled with vibrant intelligence and curiosity.


    ¡°Thank you for coming, my friends.¡± Alektor began, bringing the attention of the room to him, and silence to the conversations. ¡°As you all have made the effort to meet with me in the former house of Ignos. I greet you with open arms, and gratitude.¡±


    The leaders bowed their heads in acceptance, and King Ghomar laughed loudly. ¡°You have brought us a great victory, Alektor, one we did not think possible.¡±


    ¡°It was made possible, by the blood of our warriors.¡± Alektor said.


    ¡°And your cunning.¡± Athica chimed in, her voice lithe and calculative.


    Alektor took a moment to nod at her, then continued. ¡°We each sacrificed much to get here. To sit in the very chairs of those who had enslaved my people, and fulfilled the will of the tyrants to the North. But the war is far from over. Even now, the forces of Lokkadonia are gathering strength and preparing a counter attack against us. They are not alone; they are being bolstered by Torre¡¯, the Baa¡¯Yega, and clan Exous to the South. They have more to bring against us, and an organized front.¡± He gestured with his hands. We are not yet unified, and must choose today, a High King of our province. One that will not kneel to the Torre¡¯ or their corruption, or to the Espi-Dae! Who pollute our minds with vile actions against those sent to us by the spirits themselves!¡±


    Eyes glanced at Robert, who remained unreadable and still.


    ¡°I will submit to your decision, my friends.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°We should move forward with the vote as soon as possible.¡±


    Tophen shook his head, and chuckled. ¡°So let''s be done with it then.¡± He turned to the others. ¡°I am ready to vote, who is the coordinator?¡±


    Alektor looked to Turak, who stood behind him.


    ¡°I am.¡± He stepped forward. ¡°Turak, of house Skotos. Chief of all military operations in Rexun, and right hand of the King. I will be the arbiter of this moot, and will honor the customs of our people.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Ghomar said, pointing to Alektor. ¡°My vote is obvious. I would like to see Alektor as High King. He has proven to be a cunning and worthy military leader, and has inspired vast loyalty in even my own people.¡±


    Alektor bowed his head respectfully.


    ¡°There is a formal procedure, your highness-¡± Turak said, before being cut off by Tophen.


    ¡°I would see Visgo at the fore of this conflict.¡± He looked to Athica. ¡°Forgive me, but the manner of your ascension was questionable. The Spirit-Sent used evil powers to coerce your cousin into stepping down. Do you not deserve something for this?¡±


    Athica looked to Alektor, who remained expressionless. ¡°I will.¡± She began, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Require compensation from the Rexunii.¡±


    ¡°Lord Turak and my brother, exposed your cousin¡¯s treachery.¡± Alektor said. ¡°She intended to betray us from the beginning. As far as Prince Reku is concerned. He saved many of your people in using his unique abilities. As a Spirit-Sent, he bestowed great mercy upon them.¡±


    ¡°I do not question this.¡± She said.


    ¡°Then what is your choice?¡± Alektor leaned forward. ¡°Will you support the effort of the Rexunii, and pledge your support to me? Or see yourself as High Queen?¡±


    Her face relaxed, but Robert could see that her eyes were irritated. ¡°I will cast the vote for myself then. Unless the king of Rexun can persuade me otherwise.¡±


    Alektor looked on for several moments, contemplating. ¡°So we are at an impasse.¡± He shifted in his chair. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I want the Spirit-Sent.¡± She said, looking to Robert. ¡°He will serve me in Visgo.¡±


    Alektor clenched his fists. ¡°My brother--¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t for sale.¡± Robert cut in. ¡°I¡¯m not someone you can just pay for, like a slave. I¡¯m a human being, and I am done playing these games.¡± He looked to Alektor and shook his head.


    ¡°My Brother.¡± The Rexunii king continued. ¡°As he said, is not a slave. He is a member of my house, and will be treated as such. He serves his own purposes.¡±


    Athica sniffed. ¡°Then it looks like we will be here for a while.¡±


    ¡°I may have a solution, Athica.¡± Alektor said. ¡°If you wish to have the council of my brother, and submit the title of High King to me, then perhaps you would join my house?¡±


    Athica raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°My brother is unwed, and you have yet to choose a mate.¡± He said.


    ¡°I will not submit my rule to any man.¡± She snarled. ¡°Your people have much to learn of the Visgo. Our power-¡±


    ¡°Your power will not be taken.¡± Alektor interrupted. ¡°But Reku is a legitimate member of house Roh, as well as a Spirit-Sent.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t I get a say?¡± Robert said angrily. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m not a pawn.¡± He stood. ¡°And you can¡¯t fathom what you¡¯re dealing with.¡± he pointed to Athica. ¡°What I did to your cousin, I did without breaking a sweat.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± She looked at him, drawing out her last word. ¡°Prince Reku, I mean you no offense. I only wish to glimpse at the power you hold.¡±


    ¡°So why not join our houses Athica.¡± Alektor said.


    ¡°No.¡± Robert barked. ¡°Seriously? I thought we already decided?¡±


    ¡°Plans change with circumstance Reku. We must adapt.¡± Alektor looked to Athica. ¡°He will be your king, but second to your rule.¡±


    ¡°None would be second if he speaks for you.¡± She said. ¡°As High King, you could dictate much.


    ¡°I could dictate much, now.¡± He folded his arms. This brought silence to the room. And the three leaders looked around uneasily. ¡°My power is not something you must fear. I am here as a friend, and your peer. And we must learn to trust each other.¡± He looked to Tophen, ¡°Taking back the southern reaches of your land.¡± Then to Ghomar. ¡°Bringing your people from financial destitution.¡± Then to Athica. ¡°Making Visgo the center of trade in Eleutheros, again, rightfully.¡±


    She took in a deep breath. ¡°Your words move me, Alektor. But I am surprised you do not offer yourself to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I am spoken for.¡± Alektor bowed. ¡°But that is why I must ask again for you to consider Reku. Having you as a sister would bring me much joy.¡±


    She wrinkled her nose at him, and looked again to Robert. ¡°Prince Reku¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°Would this be something you would consider? I can see that you have a mind of your own, and will not be coerced into something you do not wish to.¡± She sat up straight and examined him. ¡°I would be willing.¡±


    Robert grit his teeth. Ambrosia or Athica¡­ God damn¡­ this is a fuckin mess. He thought. Demessa¡¯s going to flip the hell out when she hears about all this. He glanced around the room again, seeing the unfamiliar faces. Maybe that¡¯s why she isn¡¯t here¡­ She probably already knows. Shit¡­ her meeting with Turak.


    ¡°You know you don¡¯t like Ambrosia¡­¡± Dio¡¯mar chimed, hidden from sight. ¡°This could accomplish your goal faster¡­ this way¡­ you wouldn¡¯t have to wait for King Ghomar to die¡­¡±


    She isn¡¯t gonna share her power with me, you heard her, He thought to her.


    ¡°She says that¡­ but we will make it so¡­¡±


    Robert swallowed and nodded.


    Alektor cracked a smile and clasped his hands together. ¡°Excellent, we will plan a wedding here, perhaps tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Robert and Athica said simultaneously.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I will need some time.¡± She said, reeling.


    ¡°Time is of the essence.¡± Alektor pressed. ¡°I wish for you to be contented, so that this vote may become final. Why wait on something so important? You must return to your clan, and Reku should go with you. You will return with a King, and a spirit-sent with you. Visgo will rejoice at your joining, and your people will celebrate.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Ghomar said, slapping the table. ¡°Now change your vote for High King to Alektor, and finish this. You have gone a hundred years without a mate Athica. What better way to end up with one from the spirits.¡±


    A hundred years? Robert thought, examining the woman again, she did not look anywhere near half that age.


    She shook her head, clearly strained at the pace. ¡°Very well¡­ I suppose if true change is to come to us, it might as well come quickly.¡± She looked to Alektor. ¡°I hereby support you as our High King. Now, you have until tomorrow to plan a royal wedding.¡±

 Chapter 9 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Robert drank deeply from his bowl of wine. Shaking his head at what had taken place. This morning, he was enjoying a beautiful woman in his bed, and looking forward to the potential of what his new life would bring.


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± He sighed.


    ¡°You poor man¡­¡± Dio¡¯mar mocked. ¡°It looks like¡­ you will have to settle for JUST¡­ a queen¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up¡­¡± He said, his mind lubricated by the alcohol.  ¡°It¡¯s more than just that and you know it. I actually like Demessa, is that so hard to believe?¡±


    ¡°Alektor spoke words of wisdom¡­ love does not conquer all¡­ Your former mate Katrina¡­ she said she loved you¡­ and now she is gone.¡±


    Robert scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t care. She can do what she wants, fuck who she wants to fuck. I moved on, and that¡¯s it.¡±


    The door to the study he was currently occupying opened smoothly, and Robert turned to see Demessa enter with a slight bow. Her face was straight, and unaffected, but her eyes harbored a torrent of emotion.


    Robert hung his head and took another long drink. ¡°So you¡¯ve heard¡­¡± he said, after putting the bowl on a small table.


    ¡°I have.¡± She said, walking to stand before him.


    He looked up at her from where he sat, but couldn¡¯t bear to meet her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re all just¡­ pawns to these people. Worthless to them all in the end.¡±


    ¡°Reku, you don¡¯t have to justify yourself.¡± She said, kneeling to clutch his hand. ¡°We knew this day would come. The King was very understanding to our situation, and allowed it for as long as he did¡­ I¡¯m  thankful for that¡­ and the time we¡¯ve spent together.¡±


    ¡°This is bullshit.¡± He clenched his jaw in frustration. ¡°He told me he was going to marry me off to Ambrosia! Then, he changed his fucking mind! To send me to Visgo, with a woman I don¡¯t even know!¡± He lifted his hands and scoffed. ¡°I mean, what the hell am I supposed to do about this? I guess just sit here and take it, because I let him talk me into agreeing with him.¡±


    Demessa¡¯s eyes focused on his, and tears welled in them. ¡°Your passion is understandable, but we do what we must for the clan. Rexun will benefit greatly from this union¡­ and¡­ and that¡¯s what¡¯s important.¡±


    Robert leaned forward to embrace her, she did the same, but pulled her face away when he tried to kiss her. Robert¡¯s face soured at the gesture, but he said nothing.


    ¡°We can¡¯t see each other like this anymore¡­ Perhaps with Ambrosia we could have¡­ but Athica is different. She will be difficult to deal with. Honestly I don¡¯t know how you¡¯ll manage¡­ you¡¯re sweet, and gentle at heart.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll manage.¡± He said.


    ¡°The Visgo are treacherous, you¡¯ve seen that for yourself. Mundiri found herself at the end of such a plot, that you only played a part in. The nobles will scheme to manipulate you, to gain leverage over you.¡± She looked at him, almost in pity.


    ¡°I¡­ will not allow it¡­¡± Dio¡¯mar said, manifesting on his shoulder.


    Demessa quickly stood to her feet, and backed away in shock. ¡°Dio¡¯mar¡­¡± she said, falling back to her knees and pressing her head to the stone floor.


    ¡°Please¡­ child¡­ that is¡­ unnecessary.¡± She said, her little mouth curling. ¡°What you say is true¡­ The Visgo will  try¡­ to move against you¡­ They are known for this¡­ But I see all¡­ I hear all¡­ they will never have what they want¡­¡±


    Robert looked at Demessa and leaned forward to help her from her low bow. ¡°Dio¡¯s just a little dramatic, that¡¯s all. You can relax around her.¡± The Dae girl followed, but was visibly shaken.


    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯ll manage. Mainly because I have something they don¡¯t. An ancient spirit as a friend. And with you watching my back as well, they won¡¯t stand a chance.¡±


    ¡°Reku, I can¡¯t go with you. Athica will have me killed if she knew about us. Even if she had no interest in you at all, you¡¯ll be the King.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t go¡­ I wouldn¡¯t¡­ the temptation would be too great for us both¡­ please. You must let me stay here.¡±


    Robert let out a deep breath and embraced her. ¡°I hate this.¡±


    ~


    The next day brought a sufficient amount of movement in preparation for the royal wedding. It was both acting as a celebration of the election of a new High King of the coalition, and a joining of two royal members of Eleutheros¡¯ clans. Robert drank himself to sleep the night prior, and struggled to get from his bed.


    ¡°Good morning!¡± Turak said, throwing his blankets from him. ¡°It is time for you to wake yourself, and prepare for the big day.¡± His feral grin brought a scowl to Robert¡¯s face, but with great effort, he roused himself finally.


    Dozens of servants poured in, dressing and preparing him for what would surely be a long and abhorrent experience. He was clad in a fine grey cloak, that almost shined like silver in the light. Embroidered by golden patterns of large beasts, and depictions of the great spirits. Beneath, he wore smooth, silk-like clothing, and a thinner bone breastplate, carved with magnificently small and detailed designs. In the end, he could not help but to admire himself in the mirror, and nod in approval.


    ¡°There.¡± Turak slapped him on the back. ¡°Now you look like a king.¡±


    They moved their way out of the Ignos palace, and onto a large garden that also overlooked the city below. The area was packed with hundreds of nobles and warriors, wearing colors of all clans in the coalition. As he approached, Robert found that the joining or marriage ceremony of these people was very similar to that of his own world. The thought brought little comfort however, he had never believed he would marry until much later in his life, even back on Earth. Now here he was, about to marry a stranger, and a Dae. He was brought before a large altar, where Alektor stood, wearing a more impressive crown than usual, and dressed similarly to Robert.


    ¡°Reku.¡± Alektor nodded, smiling at him. ¡°You certainly look the part.¡±


    Robert nodded in return, but said nothing. He felt numb inside; nothing but a pit of despair that clawed at him, urging him to escape this madness. What the hell have I gotten myself into this time? He thought.


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    As they waited, music was being played, and the crowd of guests swelled even larger. Finally, the music changed, and a score of Dae children began to sing a hymn of some kind. Athica began to move forward, wearing a dress that billowed behind her as she walked. It rose high around her neck, and of a deep shade of yellow. The color complimented her skin, and more than amplified her fiery red eyes. She strode to stand beside him, looking to Alektor with a nod. The music stopped as she settled, and several moments passed in silence.


    ¡°My friends!¡± Alektor said, his voice booming over the crowd. ¡°Today is a day of celebration and festivities. A day of love, and loyalty, to those who would see our clans risen by a tide of favor and success!¡±


    The crowd applauded, and shouted praise at the words.


    ¡°We are truly blessed by the spirits.¡± He continued. ¡°That my brother! Reku of House Roh would enter the House of Krat, by joining with the beautiful and noble, Queen Athica. And I would be remiss if I were to deny that it brings me great pleasure to welcome her, into my house as well. A sister, of great wisdom, and mercy.¡±


    More cheers and applause ensued. Robert closed his eyes and breathed hard. Attempting to keep his expression neutral. He sure knows how to put on a damn show. He thought.


    Alektor blustered for nearly twenty minutes more, softening the crowd, and finally held his hands out to the two. ¡°Will you swear, to be faithful and just to each other, as partners in this great life? To rule your hearts in all ways, so that love may flourish above temptation or anger?¡±


    Athica looked to Robert finally, something she had clearly refrained from doing thus far. Her eyes blazed at him, with pure determination and fear. ¡°I swear¡­¡± She said, her voice strong, but unsure.¡±


    All eyes fell on Robert, who spent precious seconds in contemplation. He blinked rapidly, and felt the sweat dripping down his back. ¡°I¡­ uh¡­ I swear.¡± He finally croaked.


    There was a cheer from the crowd, as Alektor bound their hands together in a long ribbon. With a gesture of his hand, the ribbon burst into flames, and evaporated in a puff of black smoke.


    The ceremony then moved to the large throne room within the palace, that had been filled  with tables and chairs to host their guests. Another several hours of entertainment and festivities occurred, thankfully pulling the two apart to mingle with other attendees. Robert did his best to stay interested in the menial conversations that came his way, cursing himself for getting drunk last night, and souring his stomach to wine today. As the time passed, he looked as hard as he could for someone that he knew to keep him company. There was no one, Alektor was meeting with the other kings, and Turak was no doubt surrounded by noblewomen, trying to seduce them.


    ¡°Do not fret¡­¡± Dio¡¯mar¡¯s voice rang.


    Right on cue. He thought to her. I don¡¯t know what I would do without you¡­ seriously.


    ¡°Please¡­ you know exactly what¡­ you¡¯d be dead.¡± She giggled. ¡°Where is your new mate? She has barely acknowledged your existence today¡­ perhaps she is as scared and uncomfortable as you¡­¡±


    What? No, she¡¯s maybe a bit up tight, but I wouldn''t say she¡¯s scared. Have you seen the way she is?


    ¡°It is all a front¡­ Robert¡­ do you think she does not fear Alektor? He made it clear to her¡­ that she must follow his lead¡­ or suffer for it¡­¡±


    When? They went back and forth about it. He didn¡¯t threaten her at all. He looked around at the guests, trying to excuse himself as they approached to congratulate him. They had no idea he was having a full telepathic conversation with an ancient spirit already.


    ¡°The dance is more complex than what you observed¡­ She agreed to this¡­ because Alektor willed it¡­ She wanted you as a pet, not a mate¡­ she was out maneuvered¡­ not because he is more cunning than she¡­ but because she recognized the ruthlessness behind his smile¡­¡± She chuckled a tiny chuckle.


    Robert said nothing, but looked to find her, somehow feeling sorry for the queen. Or his wife now, he supposed. That¡¯s gonna take some getting used to.


    As the hours ticked by, Alektor appeared again, and announced that it was time for the party to come to an end. At least for the two mated rulers. Rexunii elite guards arrived, and cleared a path for them both, showing them to their room.


    They met in-between the columns of warriors, and walked side by side through the palace, before coming to his chamber door. The guards that escorted them, stood on either side of it, and with a smooth sound, the entrance slid open. Robert gulped and held out his hand, allowing her to enter first.


    The door slid closed, and for the first time. He was alone with his new wife.


    Silence surrounded them, and she faced the balcony, looking at the night sky.


    ¡°Look.¡± He said, unsure of what to say exactly. ¡°You know¡­ I uh¡­¡± He stopped, looking around for something, anything to help the situation.


    ¡°Reku.¡± She said, turning to face him. Rolling his name in her mouth, as if testing it out. ¡°We are both aware of what this is. And I am sure you are as skeptical as I am about this. I must admit that I underestimated your clan.¡± She took a step toward him. ¡°But not you¡­ I knew that the Spirit-Sent, who walked into my palace in Visgo, and toppled a Queen without spilling any blood¡­ would be impressive. But you were a curiosity, and your power something we did not understand.¡± She raised her hands to touch his. ¡°I am your Queen now, and we must find a way to live with one another.¡±


    Robert opened his mouth to speak, but changed his mind and said nothing.


    She glanced toward the large bed, and took in a deep breath. ¡°How many have you been with in our world? Alektor assures me that you will be able to¡­ mate with Dae.¡±


    Robert coughed. ¡°Well, I mean¡­ uh¡­ Dae girls? Only one other.¡±


    She studied him, his face in all its detail. ¡°I must admit, I am quite curious about it.¡± She smiled and held her arms out to the side. ¡°Very well then, you may undress me.¡±


    Robert¡¯s face twisted into a forced smile. Not very romantic. He thought.


    ¡°Stop stalling¡­¡± Dio¡¯mar said in his head. ¡°Get to it¡­¡±


    Dio! Get the hell out of here! He thought to her.


    She paused for a long moment, then bluntly said, ¡°No¡­¡±


    He took in a deep breath and pushed the little annoying spirit from his mind. Looking at the Queen, he resolved to do his duty. He had been in his small relationship with Demessa, but now? Again, he was torn. He took several moments to process, then came to his decision. He had to do it. And if he was, it was best to prove himself to her. He would not be belittled by her, or anyone else ever again. And if he was going to spend his life with this woman, she would respect him as he would her. He began to unlace the elaborate dress around her, and decided to impress her with a display of a bit of his power. Black wind began to swirl about her body, and it seemed to all come apart at once. Within a few moments she stood before him, in her undergarments, stunned at the efficiency.


    ¡°It took me twenty servants and two hours to put that on.¡± She said. ¡°I am impressed.¡±


    Robert smiled, and held his arms out to the side as she did.


    She cocked an eyebrow at him, and his smile broadened. ¡°Well, Mine won¡¯t take too long.¡± He said.


    She pondered a moment, clearly not used to being treated this way, but began to disrobe him. He looked over her body in its entirety. She was smaller than Demessa, but he found her slender beauty more than alluring. Her garments covered most of her body still, but he could see her shape clearly. Her hips were wide, but tame, and her breasts, though smaller than Demessa¡¯s, were quite distracting.


    She removed his cloak and shirt, revealing his many scars and wounds from his torture at the hands of the Espi-Dae. She paused for a moment, glancing up at him sympathetically, but continued. After his trousers and boots were removed, she stood back to admire him. Her eyes rested on his right hand, and he held it up to her.


    ¡°If this bothers you.¡± He closed his eyes and it blurred into a normal looking hand.


    She shook her head and smiled. ¡°I find it quite attractive actually. It seems so¡­¡± She looked at him, hunger now in her eyes. ¡°Masculine.¡±


    Masculine? He thought, remembering that back on his own world he was of more of a liberal mindset. There, he thought negatively of the word, but here? Standing in front of a beautiful woman, his manhood hanging out? He thought he finally knew what it meant. With that, he smiled and took her in his arms. Her eyes locked with his, and he saw them brighten with delight. He kissed her then, testing her gently at first, then slowly deepening it with passion. While embraced he felt her garment fall to the floor, and her warm body press against him.


    ¡°Remember¡­¡± Dio¡¯mar said in his mind. ¡°In the--¡±


    Go away!  He thought to her.

 Chapter 10 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Avria let out a deep breath and gathered her thoughts. She picked at the dried blood, still caked in her fingernails and looked at the group of nobles before her.


    ¡°My Lady.¡± Atun said, ¡°The battle is won, but the enemy is not broken. We must consider our evacuation of Vul Dema.¡±


    Avria¡¯s eyes closed, but she remained silent. The events of the day had dragged on through the night. She had spent hours clearing dead and wounded Dae from both sides of the battered and broken walls and now she sat in utter exhaustion. Daniel had survived but was now unconscious in his quarters.


    ¡°My Lady.¡±  Atun pressed, his persistence winning him a cold glare from Avria. ¡°Are you listening to me? Our people are exhausted, and I know you wish to contemplate the day¡¯s events¡­ but the time is not now. We must evacuate. It is the only way we survive.¡±


    Avria stood in frustration and stormed out of the room. Her boots thudded on the stone floor as she moved and entered where Daniel was resting. There were several warriors within and a healer who sat beside him on his bed. All in the room looked at her and bowed. Lieutenant Rorick and Jori stood to salute, and she returned it with little enthusiasm.


    ¡°How is he?¡± she asked, her voice dry.


    The healer stood and bowed again. ¡°My lady, his body is healed. It was quite miraculous actually. He should have been dead¡­ any normal Dae would have been. But the spirit-sent is extremely durable¡­ and of course his strange power¡­ well, all this to say that he is resting peacefully.¡±


    ¡°Can you wake him?¡± She asked.


    The healer¡¯s eyebrows raised, and she looked at Daniel¡¯s unconscious body. ¡°Well, I believe so. Normally I would insist that we let him rest, but then again¡­ there is much about these spirit-sent that I do not know.


    ¡°Do it.¡± Avria crossed her arms.


    The healer put her hands on Daniel¡¯s bare chest and closed her eyes. After several moments of silence, his eyes shot open and he sat up abruptly, nearly knocking the healer over.


    Daniel took several moments to orient himself, and he looked at each of the warriors in the room with him. Then his eyes set on Avria.


    ¡°Are you done taking a nap?¡± she asked, her face twisted in frustration.


    Before he could answer, she barked. ¡°Leave us.¡± and the room was cleared by all but the two of them.


    ¡°So, I take it we won?¡± Daniel asked, rubbing his face with his hands.


    ¡°Dan, what you did was the stupidest thing I have ever seen in battle.¡± She snarled. ¡°I asked you to be weary, and told you that you were worth more to all of us alive than dead. Yet you throw your life away on some small battle.¡±


    Daniel sighed and hung his head. ¡°I needed to disrupt their advance. If they had taken the top of the wall, we would have all been killed. I made a choice, and we won the battle.¡±


    ¡°I cannot do this alone.¡± she said, her stern and obstinate voice cracking for the first time.


    Daniel saw her eyes begin to moisten, and he knew she was on her last legs emotionally. She had been through so much since the fall of Vul De Rah. Her entire world had been shaken, and Daniel saw that she had begun to lean on him for support.


    ¡°Avria¡­¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He began to remove his blankets so he could stand, but realized he was naked underneath. ¡°Uh¡­ where are my pants?¡±


    ¡°You burned them off.¡± She said, her face was now completely normal. Any trace of her emotions now gone.


    ¡°I see.¡± Daniel looked around the room for something he could wear. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you could get me some?¡±


    Avria shook her head. ¡°I will have someone get you some. That isn¡¯t our concern at the moment, we need to talk about what happened.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not concerned about it Avria, we won the battle. I know you aren¡¯t happy with what I did, but it seemed to have worked.¡±


    ¡°They will be back.¡± Avria pressed. ¡°And Atun keeps telling me that we have to evacuate. I don¡¯t want to admit it, but the man is probably right. We need a direction on where we¡¯re heading. Next time the Visgo return, we will be in no position to fight. We lost sixty of our warriors, and many more were injured. We had to bring in your fourth platoon to bolster our inner defense. Your weapons are effective, but our people are still new to them.¡±


    ¡°Ok¡­ slow down.¡± Daniel began to stand, pulling the blanket around his body to cover himself.


    ¡°Daniel, just sit down and let me finish. I need your input.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± He insisted, looking through drawers for clothes. ¡°When they come back, we can¡¯t be here. We should probably make our way to one of the other clan territories. They have blocked all of the major paths North, last we heard from our scouts.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking.¡± Avria started to rub her chin. ¡°Perhaps the Baa¡¯yega would welcome us. We could work with their warriors to retake some of our territory. I don¡¯t see Alektor moving too quickly now that he has to split his forces. These small raiding parties and war-groups will be of little use against a true defensive force.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Daniel lifted a small pair of pants. ¡°You think these would fit me?¡±


    ¡°By the Spirits.¡± She huffed. ¡°You are being ridiculous. It is just a body, I have seen plenty. Why are you humans so obsessed with covering yourselves up?¡±


    ¡°Ahhh, so that¡¯s why you barge into my room unannounced, or when I¡¯m bathing. For all your talk about how we cover up, I¡¯ve been here a while now and still haven¡¯t seen a naked Dae.¡±


    ¡°Can we finish our conversation please!?¡± She asked angrily.


    Daniel turned in frustration and let the blanket fall to the floor. Crossing his arms, he looked at her in irritation. Avria¡¯s face stiffened, and she ceased all argument. ¡°I¡¯m all ears now. Go ahead, I would love to hear your plan.¡± He said sarcastically.


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    Avria¡¯s eyes wandered over his naked form, but brought them back to his eyes when he snapped his fingers. ¡°Hey! Stop looking at my junk and get to the point, I thought this didn¡¯t bother you.¡±


    Avria growled and turned to slide the stone door open and leave. As she did, she said. ¡°Meet me in my office with Atun and your platoon commanders in twenty minutes. And find some damned pants!¡±


    ~


    Daniel made his way to Avria¡¯s office after acquiring some clothing. The situation was bad. What else was new? He thought. The battle ended in a victory, albeit a very costly one. He brought his hand instinctively up to his throat where the spear had pierced him. The thought brought shivers down his spine. He had come so close to death, but somehow Avria had saved him.


    He knocked on the door and heard a muffled ¡°Enter.¡± From the other side of the door. The door slid open, and he saw Avria sitting at her desk looking over a stack of papers and scrolls. ¡°Alright.¡± Daniel said, making his way to one of the empty chairs in front of her. ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡±


    Avria¡¯s eyes darted through the letters before her, then she glanced up at him. ¡°These are all reports from Vul De Rah. Old intelligence, but still very terrifying to look at.¡± She sighed, leaning back in her chair. ¡°The noble houses have pledged themselves to Alektor. We¡¯ve lost any hope of a true resistance in the city.¡±


    ¡°Shit.¡± Daniel picked up the paper, looking at the words, reminding himself he couldn¡¯t read their language. ¡°We need to move. You mentioned Baa¡¯Yega territory. How far is the trek?¡±


    ¡°About four days on foot.¡± Avria leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk. ¡°We won¡¯t make it. Our scouts are telling us that they have blocked every main road. Which means we will be traveling through dense forest and marshes.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s mind went back to his time in the Marines. He remembered slogging through the swamps in Estonia for a bilateral training exercise with the Estonians. There weren¡¯t any good ways to put it. It sucked. Wet boots, cold feet, misery. ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice. We can¡¯t stay here. They almost broke through last time. If they come with a similar force, we¡¯ll be overwhelmed.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± She stood abruptly, placing her hands behind her back. ¡°If only we had stronger warriors. Lokkadonian elite could annihilate these Visgo whelps without so much as breaking a sweat. Instead, we have civilians, and the poorest excuses of warriors of Lokkon I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    Daniel reached over to her desk and brought one of her maps to look at it. Vul Dema was at the Eastern edge of Lokkadonia. The forests made sense to him. The last time he ventured into Baa¡¯Yega the trees were dense. ¡°When do you want to leave?¡±


    ¡°I want us to leave tonight. Under the cover of darkness.¡± She turned to face him. ¡°Be prepared to fight. They¡¯ve more than likely surrounded us.¡± She paused for a moment, looking him over. ¡°Are you fit to fight?¡±


    Daniel met her eyes then rolled his shoulders. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Fit or not, we¡¯re fighting. We¡¯ll kill any of these bastards who get in our way.¡±


    ~


    The hours ticked by, and Daniel with his remaining platoons organized their egress. The women and children were massed in the center, two platoons on each side to cover the right and left flank. And He, Avria, and the remaining Lokkadonian warriors were at the front. The idea was simple. Move silently and swiftly through the bordering forest and head East to Baa¡¯Yega. Several scouts had reported back that there was, in fact, a blockade of sorts surrounding the village. They would have to punch through; kill as many of them as possible and escape into the darkness without getting overwhelmed.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Daniel asked, walking toward Avria mid argument with Lord Atun.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She said, giving Atun a very terrifying look. ¡°We push through. And no more talk of surrender. Remember what I told you. Traitors die.¡±


    Atun¡¯s body stiffened, then he bowed and turned to go to the center of their formation.


    ¡°Coward.¡± She spat.


    ¡°He¡¯s a Lord. What do you expect?¡± Daniel shook his head.


    ¡°I expect the sons and daughters of Lokkon to rise with courage and fight these invaders. Not cower and beg for mercy from them.¡± She drew her blade, signaling the rest of the Lokkadonians to do so. ¡°Our clan will not be destroyed, Daniel. I won¡¯t allow it.¡±


    Daniel drew his own incisor and signaled for the large group to move into the forest.


    The air was heavy as they moved. Faint curses and cries from children could be heard, but the discipline they displayed was admirable. The darkness of the forest reminded him of his first night in Pelemont. How the trees and alien world he found himself in brought him a fear and uncertainty he had never faced. But he had come so far since then. He had found his place in this world; found something to fight for.


    Ahead, they could see the glimmer of campfires through the trees. There were dozens of them stretching to either side of his vision. Vul Dema was completely surrounded. But this was also a bit of an advantage. They were more than likely spread thin to encompass the entire village. They should be able to break through if they focused all their strength in one spot.


    Daniel had taken point, and lifted his hand up, bringing all of them to a halt. He turned and silently made his way back to Avria. ¡°This is it.¡± He pointed. ¡°There aren¡¯t as many fires this way. Which means there are less warriors here, or a bunch of them are asleep. Either way, this is our spot.¡±


    Avria nodded, then passed the word down the line.


    They creeped forward until Daniel could see the outlines of warriors sitting and conversing around the fires. Some were laughing, others eating and drinking. Not even a proper sentry. Visgo was severely lacking. Daniel brought his hand up and began to channel his Dunamis. Within moments, his body was filled with roiling energy, ready to be unleashed.


    With a savage yell, Daniel shot forth a massive blast of crimson flame. Beside it was an even larger blast of electricity that screeched as it slammed into the camp of Visgo warriors. An ear bursting boom echoed throughout the night, shaking the ground and trees all around them.


    The Lokkadonian warriors bellowed war-cries as they charged into the obliterated camp. Daniel leapt over several burned and scorched bodies searching for any resistance. He scanned the area, glowing crimson with the fires that now burned. He saw a flash of white as a blade swung right at his face. He brought his weapon up and felt the impact in his arms. There were shouts and yells as Visgo warriors came from all sides engaging with the Lokkadonians. Daniel focused on the Dae he now faced. He was injured by the looks of it. Blue blood streaming from a wound somewhere on his head. He snarled and started to swing his blade at Daniel, who blocked the clumsy attacks easily.


    Daniel parried a horizontal strike and sliced the Dae¡¯s abdomen open. He had a moment to gasp in pain before Daniel reversed his swing and cut the Dae¡¯s head from his shoulders.  He scanned for his next opponent, and saw the crimson cloaks of Lokkadonian warriors overwhelming the Visgo. Then cracks and pops started to pepper the night. This told him the flanking platoons he put in place were being engaged by warriors from the surrounding camps. We¡¯ve got to move, He thought.


    Daniel fought two more warriors as he slogged forward. Horns were now blaring in the distance. A call for battle. Shit, we¡¯ve got to move! Turning, he saw Avria blast several warriors with electricity. ¡°Avria!¡± He yelled over the chaos. ¡°Let¡¯s get the civilians through here!¡±


    Seconds ticked by, agonizingly slow. Each moment there were more and more warriors coming to surround them. Before long, the platoons fortified on either side. Using their rifles to keep the tide at bay, but he knew they couldn¡¯t hold forever. If they got too entrenched, leaving would be much harder. Civilians started to pour through the camp into the darkness beyond. ¡°Let¡¯s move!¡± Daniel roared, commanding the rifle wielding warriors of his platoons to get up and move. They bounded into the darkness. Squad by squad, one stopping and firing at the Visgo while the others moved, then repeating the process. It was an efficient method of fire and maneuver he learned in the Marines.


    Avria ran up to him and grabbed him by his cloak. ¡°They¡¯re through! We need to move faster. It will take them some time to organize a proper chase.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡± Daniel lifted his hands behind them and unleashed a massive wave of crimson fire from left to right. The trees burst into flames and a barrier was created. ¡°That should hold em for a bit!¡±


    Daniel could hear the terrified cries and wailing of the citizens of Vul Dema as they made their way through the dense forest. It¡¯s gonna be a long night. He thought.

 Chapter 11 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Greyson took a deep breath as he walked. He maneuvered through the trees toward a location that was given to him by a group of Exous traders who he came upon. The thought caused anger to rise within him. The thought of Dae always did that. Since he arrived in this strange world, he had seen nothing but the worst of these creatures. He glanced back and saw his three companions. Dorian, an older Asian man whom he had met after his escape from Visoth. He shuddered at the memories. Torture, pain, isolation and violence. Beside Dorian was Lauren. A younger woman with light brown hair and blue eyes. He met her while rescuing her from slavers in Dominicia. He grinned at that particular memory. Those bastards suffered. And finally, heading up the rear of their small group, was Ashley. A girl who shared his ebony complexion, and who had been rescued here in Eleutheros from a group of cultists. The same cultists he was now hunting.


    Greyson raised his hand toward a small building partially covered by trees. ¡°This is the one.¡± he said, looking back toward his companions. ¡°They¡¯re in here.¡±


    Dorian walked up to him, followed by Lauren and Ashley. ¡°Are you sure?¡± The older man crossed his arms and sneered. ¡°It just looks like one of their shitty houses.¡±


    ¡°This is it.¡± Greyson reached down and unsheathed his blade. ¡°We were told by that last group that this is where the Espi-Dunam were hiding.¡±


    Ashley spat at the mention of the cult. After her experience with them, she wanted nothing more than to kill them all, Greyson knew. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°A-are you sure?¡± Lauren asked, grabbing Greyson¡¯s arm. ¡°The other humans in Eleutheros are scattered. After the battle, they could be anywhere.¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re anywhere.¡± Dorian chimed in. ¡°Then these bastards will know where. If you¡¯re too scared to get your pretty little hands dirty, just sit it out, like last time.¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± Greyson barked, shooting Dorian a cold look. ¡°She¡¯s not used to this sort of thing. If she wants to hang back, let her. We can handle it.¡±


    Dorian shrugged, drawing his own weapon. Ashely followed, baring her teeth. ¡°Let¡¯s go make some friends.¡±


    ~


    Greyson made his way toward the dwelling. His heart pumped in his chest as it always did before a fight. The Dae¡¯s power was something that perplexed him when he first arrived. Waking in the midst of a desert, surrounded by coarse sand and nothing as far as the eye could see. The Dunamis was dangerous. He had seen what it could do to living things. With that on his mind, he stopped several paces from the structure. He extended his hand and began to channel the spiritual energy from around them. He felt the pressure building within him, and he forced it into his hand. With a snarl, a massive blast of murky water shot out from his palm and slammed into his target.


    Chunks of stone exploded from the house, and almost immediately, screams followed. He charged in, followed by Dorian and Ashley, and leapt into a hole he had just blasted into the wall. His boots splashed in a large puddle of water, curtesy of his attack, and he scanned the inside for threats.


    A Dae was writhing in the water on the ground. Blue blood gushing from a wound at his wrist. Greyson didn¡¯t hesitate as he stabbed his blade into the Dae¡¯s back. The unfortunate creature gurgled in protest but fell silent. He only needed one of them alive. Several more scrambled through the flooded interior toward the entrance of the house, trying to escape.


    Dorian and Ashley pounced on them, butchering them as they screamed and pleaded for mercy.


    ¡°No!¡± The last remaining Dae screamed as she was picked up by her robes and thrown outside into the mud. She struggled to stand, her feet slipping and bringing her to her knees.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Ashley said, raising her blade to strike.


    ¡°Hold it!¡± Greyson yelled, closing the distance between them. ¡°Did you forget why we¡¯re here?¡± He gave her a stern look, and she cursed, bringing her blade back to her side.


    ¡°P-please!¡± The Dae cultist pleaded, holding her hands up defensively. ¡°What do you want from us?¡±


    ¡°Shut the hell up.¡± Dorian kicked her side, harshly. Causing her to gasp in pain.


    Greyson knelt down to her while she recovered. Soon her yellow eyes met his. ¡°We need some questions answered.¡± He held up his hand and pointed his finger at her. ¡°There are three humans in Eleutheros. We need to know where they are.¡±


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°The¡­¡± She looked at him, shocked. ¡°The Spirit-Sent?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Greyson¡¯s voice was calm and collected. ¡°It¡¯s a simple question. We may just let you live, if you answer me truthfully.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She swallowed hard, the realization of her situation dawning on her. ¡°We only know where one is right now. The Spirit-Sent named Reku of house Roh. He¡¯s in Vul De Rah with King Alektor. He will be going shortly to Visgo though! He was just married to Queen Athica. They are set to leave to Pontos soon.¡± She winced, ¡°As for Daniel and Katrina¡­ we don¡¯t know. Daniel was believed to be dead, but has recently resurfaced in Eastern Lokkadonia. We believe he¡¯s going to Baa¡¯Yega. And Katrina¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°We¡­ we don¡¯t know where she is. All reports of her ceased in the Northern province of Lokkadonia. I swear, that¡¯s all I know. Spirit-Sent, please have mercy!¡±


    Greyson took his time to process what he¡¯d just learned. Part of him hoped they would have one or more of them here. He took a deep breath as he stood. Then looked at Dorian and Ashley. ¡°Any other questions?¡±


    Dorian shrugged. ¡°Other than why she just wasted our time with bullshit? No.¡±


    ¡°I got one.¡± Ashley leaned down and got right in her face. ¡°Where the fuck is your leader?¡±


    The Dae girl reeled back in fear, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. After many of our members were killed in Baa¡¯Yega, he fled. He¡¯s probably in Dun Vel!¡±


    ¡°You mean after we killed them.¡± Dorian chuckled.


    ¡°I¡­ He said it was Daniel and Prince Oros of house Ignos.¡± The girl said.


    ¡°Daniel?¡± Greyson was surprised at that. ¡°You mean the temple in Baa¡¯Yega? Where you were holding Ashley captive?¡±


    Ashely grunted something, but Greyson didn¡¯t catch it.


    ¡°He¡­ He said that the Spirit-Sent, Daniel, and Prince Oros came to rescue¡­¡± Her eyes glanced at Ashley. ¡°I only know of you by your description, Spirit-Sent. Please you must¡ª¡±


    She was cut off by Ashley punching her in the face. The Dae girl cried as she fell into the mud below.


    ¡°You pieces of shit held me captive!¡± Ashely roared. ¡°You tortured me! Put me in a fucking cage!¡±


    Greyson turned away from the scene and looked at Dorian. ¡°So, Daniel went there to save Ashley. That¡¯s a new development.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Dorian rubbed his chin. ¡°Of all the things¡­ Maybe he¡¯s looking for humans too.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve gotta find them.¡± Greyson knew why, of course. Humans were essential for their plan to defeat the Dae. Mu''Dok made that clear. Humans were the key to opening the gates. His mind drifted then, back to his time in captivity. When he awoke in the desert, found the Dae, and was captured by them. He didn¡¯t know at the time, but he was in a Kingdom called Visoth; and was brought before one of their nobles. Jegh, he thought. Lord Jegh of house Tross. The memory again brought up feelings of rage that burned his insides. He had been brought before him, unable to understand them and pleading for his life. Only for the bastard to throw him in a dungeon and torture him for months. Mu''Dok had saved him¡­ The spirit found him in his dream state¡­ the only place he could go to escape the pain. The loneliness and despair.


    He was brought out of his introspection at the muffled sound of the Dae sobbing and Ashley screaming at her. He looked to see Ashley pushing her face in the mud. ¡°We¡¯ve got to move, Ash.¡± He said, turning to leave the house. These new developments were actually pretty interesting, but made their situation so much more complicated. Every other human on their radar was in a secure position. Now, in Eleutheros they would need to find a way to locate Daniel and Katrina. And if they could, rescue Robert. If he can be rescued. He might have gone totally native.


    ¡°What do you want me to do with this bitch?¡± Ashely asked,


    ¡°Make it quick.¡± Greyson said, his mind racing at the obstacles they now faced. ¡°There¡¯ll be plenty more for you to kill.¡±


    He heard the desperate pleading of the Dae cease with a distinct slice from a blade. Greyson didn¡¯t look back; he made his way to the tree-line, where Lauren was standing, her gaze downcast.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to kill them.¡± she said, meekly.


    ¡°Not now.¡± Greyson pushed past her.


    ¡°Greyson! This isn¡¯t right. We can¡¯t keep doing this.¡±


    ¡°Right!?¡± He whirled on her, his fury spilling out. ¡°After what they did to us? After what they did to you? They were going to put you in a brothel as a sex slave, Lauren. If Dorian and I hadn¡¯t been led to you by Mu''Dok, you would have been fucked. Literally, by every Dae noble in Visoth. Fuck these people. You know the plan, and you know what we have to do. The only way home is to open the gates. And the only way to open the gates is to get humans. That or kill as many of these bastards as possible.¡±


    Her eyes glistened, but she sneered. ¡°I know that, Greyson. How many times do I have to say thank you? You guys saved me from a fate worse than death, but¡­ I can¡¯t just sit by and watch you  slaughter these people. It¡¯s¡­¡±


    Greyson shook his head, calming himself. ¡°I know you have reservations about it, but we¡¯re in it for our survival. Don¡¯t you want us to find your brother?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She said, looking at the grass again.


    ¡°Good. Then we need to follow the plan. Get the humans and open the gates. That includes Alex.¡±


    ¡°What are you bitching about now?¡± Ashely asked, walking up to them with Dorian in tow.


    Lauren shot Ashley a look of pure hatred and opened her mouth to speak but was cut off.


    ¡°Enough.¡± Greyson held his hand up. ¡°No more fighting between you two.¡±


    ¡°Well.¡± Dorian dusted off his cloak. ¡°I take it you know where to go?¡±


    Greyson took a moment to think, then grinned. ¡°We need to get into Dun Vel.¡±


    ¡°The capitol.¡± Ashely sighed. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be dangerous.¡±


    ¡°If the Espi-Dunam leader is there, we¡¯re going to find him.¡± Greyson turned and started to walk. Finding the other humans was paramount. And the Espi-Dunam knew where many of them were. Whether they liked it or not, they were getting that information.

 Chapter 12 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Katrina blinked tears of rage out of her eyes while she stood outside her small dwelling. She and Delmos had assumed the identities of two Volsung scouts, waiting for assignment in the village of Vul Rama. Using her new ability, she was able to alter her own appearance and look like a Dae. The several weeks of rest that the two weary travelers enjoyed were shattered by news from Vul De Rah.


    Delmos stood next to her, looking at the bustling village around them. The orange he wore now didn''t suit him, and he had often groaned in disapproval while donning it, but that wasn''t what soured his mood. He held up a small scroll, with the announcement of the new King of Visgo.


    "Unbelievable¡­" he said, squinting his eyes. "The man betrays us¡­ essentially kills my sister, Daniel, our Hego, and conquers our city." He held the scroll up and crumpled it in his hand. "And gets mated to a damn queen. There is no justice in this world."


    Katrina hissed and began to walk, then stopped and turned around. "We can''t let this go, Delmos. We have to do something¡­ he doesn''t deserve this."


    "What are we going to do?" Delmos shot back. "You''ve seen the frequency of the patrols all over this area. We can''t just sneak our way to Vul De Mar. We''ve discussed this; our best bet is to wait for the counterattack and join the fray."


    Katrina clenched her fists and let out an angry groan. "This is bullshit."


    "Well, it''s certainly something''s shit," Delmos growled, unable to control himself.


    "I need a drink." She looked to the small inn of the village that had been giving them free room and board since they arrived. The innkeeper was, of course, assured by them that clan Volsung would reimburse them for their troubles.


    The two of them went into the inn and took seats at the tavern on the first floor. As always, the Dae who were sitting at various tables stood and moved as far away from them as possible. This always made Delmos shake his head in disappointment, but it was for their own good. The occupying forces of Volsung warriors were convinced of their identities, and they were content to play the part.


    Katrina raised her hand as they sat, and a young Dae serving girl placed a plate of bread and a jug of wine down before them. They nodded in thanks and silently began to drink. Katrina still struggled to wrap her mind around the strange circumstance of Robert''s ascension into Rexunii royalty. The whole story just didn''t seem believable. Then again, their entire situation was strange and unimaginable.


    "I know it''s hard," Delmos finally broke the silence, but kept his voice low. "But we have to keep to the shadows. Better to do that for now, and do our part when the time comes."


    "I just wish we had some guidance¡­" Katrina drank deeply from her bowl of wine. "Everyone''s dead or scattered to the wind."


    Delmos nodded in agreement, and the two remained silent until they finished another jug of wine. As the sun receded, and night fell on the village, Katrina retired to her room. She took a moment to let the illusion of her disguise fall away, and her pink human skin reveal itself. She let out a sigh of relief and began to disrobe.


    "That is quite¡­ a neat trick¡­" a lithe and small voice said.


    "AHH!" Katrina yelped, startled by it. She looked to the floor to find a strangely familiar serpent creature looking at her with green gems for eyes.


    "Koh?" she asked, leaning forward to get a better look. "What are you doing here?"


    "So¡­ you remember me¡­ that is good." The small spirit raised its head and cocked it to the side. "I had hoped¡­ you would¡­"


    Katrina let out a deep breath and sat on the side of the bed.


    "I have been looking for you¡­" Koh said, sliding up the leg of the bed, and coiling himself beside her. "For a human¡­ you are quite hard to find."


    "Well, I guess that''s a good thing." She sighed, "You haven''t answered my question yet though. What are you doing here? And how did you find me?"


    "You are not as concealed as you believe, child¡­ the spirits can see through your little disguise fairly easily. However, it was¡­ unexpected. As for¡­ why I have come¡­ you must know that I do not condone what happened to Vul De Rah¡­ I was quite fond of all that had been accomplished by the Hego there¡­ and his children¡­"


    Katrina nodded, her thoughts drifting to Boros.


    "The line has nearly been severed¡­ With the Hego and Prince Oros dead¡­ Prince Boros finds himself in a dangerous situation in Vul De Mar¡­ with King Yomen attempting to take advantage of his age and¡­ inexperience¡­" Koh''s voice rang with apparent apathy. "He is too far for you to help him¡­ but his sister, Princess Illya¡­ you can help her."


    "Illya?" Katrina asked, her back straightening. "What happened to her? I thought she was with Boros?"


    "I''m afraid not¡­ she was mourning the loss of her family when the final push came¡­ she was outside the safety of the palace¡­ and was nearly killed. She has managed to hide her true identity however¡­ and remains a refugee a day''s travel¡­ to the North of Vul De Rah¡­"


    Stolen novel; please report.


    "But¡­ Vul De Rah is weeks away from here." Katrina bit her nail. "I can''t do it alone either. I''ll have to convince Delmos to help me."


    "If he chooses to help you¡­ or not¡­ there is a fast-marching Volsung war-group that is heading back to Vul De Rah to rest and recuperate¡­ this is how you will get back¡­ I will do what I can to help you¡­ but you must attach yourself to them¡­ I can create false credentials for you¡­ just keep to yourself¡­ and you will be undetected."


    Katrina stood to exit her room, but stopped and looked at the little spirit. "Why are you going through all this trouble for Illya? I thought spirits didn''t care much for the Dae."


    "She belongs to a family that I wish to live on¡­ for many more generations¡­" He bristled. "Any other reasons¡­ are my own. Your reasons however... are quite clear¡­ she is your friend¡­ and is in need of help."


    Katrina took a moment to use her power to create her disguise again. She entered the hallway and knocked loudly on Delmos'' door, which was right across from hers. She heard shuffling inside, and he opened it with a puzzled look on his face.


    "Well, isn''t this a surprise." He grinned. "I was wondering how long you could resist my charms."


    "Shut up." She huffed, pushing past him and explaining the situation in his room.


    Delmos'' expression turned dark at the news, and didn''t quite believe it until Koh manifested before them. After several moments of trepidation and cursing, he began to calm down. Katrina had to remind herself that the Dae rarely had much contact with the spirits. They were worshipped in most cases, so to be confronted by one was a major deal.


    "So that''s it." Katrina said. "Are you in? Because I''m probably leaving tonight."


    Delmos pondered, looking at her, then to Koh who stared at him. "I''m not sure about this. It isn''t in our original plan; it''s also not going to be easy¡­ at all."


    Katrina nodded, understanding his hesitation, it was going to be extremely difficult. "I think we should do it anyway. Look how much use we are here. And we aren''t sure if Lokkadonia even has the strength left to fight four invading clans. This way we might be able to sneak in and get her out."


    "But why?" Delmos asked, "Not to be heartless or anything, but she isn''t necessarily the secret weapon we should be looking for here."


    Koh raised his head and hissed. "She is more than you know¡­ the house of Ignos is a powerful symbol in Lokkadonia."


    Delmos bowed his head to the serpent. "I am not saying I won''t go. Just that this doesn''t make sense to me."


    "Great." Katrina said, slapping his shoulder. "Then pack your stuff, and let''s go get her."


    Katrina and Delmos packed what little supplies they had and staged themselves outside of the village. Koh had insisted that the Volsung element that was on its way back to Vul De Rah for rest and recuperation was indeed on its way. The little serpent spirit had also somehow come across credentials in the form of a scroll, sealed with the mark of house Varn, the seal of the Volsung King, Tophen. After several hours of waiting in silence, mostly due to Delmos'' passive-aggressive attitude, they saw a long line of mounted warriors, making their way across the dark valley. The lights of floating orbs around the contingent made them stick out quite well, but with no real threat in this part of Lokkadonia, speed was much more of a priority than stealth.


    "Here they come." Katrina said, looking to Delmos. "You got this right?"


    Delmos took in a deep breath and slowly stood, moving to the middle of the road. With a snap of his fingers, a long bolt of lightning shot into the sky, illuminating the blackened landscape around them. Katrina noted that this was a signal to the approaching element that friendly warriors were in their path. After several moments, there was a jet of fire that shot up from the column, a response from them, confirming they had received the message.


    As the group approached, Katrina and Delmos held fast on their Cro''kan. Having taken the liberty of borrowing them from the village garrison, Delmos had suggested that it would look rather suspicious if an elite scouting team like the one they were posing as, didn''t have a proper means of transportation.


    The column did not stop for them as they passed, but several officers did, and approached them without hesitation.


    "Hello there!" The one in the middle shouted as he pulled before them. "We saw your signal, but expected more of you." He looked at them both, and raised a skeptical eyebrow. "What''s this about?"


    Delmos cleared his throat and dug into a slung pack at his side. "We are on a mission of great importance for the King. There have been rumors of high-blood resistance fighters in this region, as well as a spirit-sent." He held out the sealed scroll that Koh had provided, revealing the mark to the officer. "We are on our way back to Vul De Rah to pass on our findings to the King."


    The officer inspected the scroll and took several glances at Katrina and Delmos. "What are your names?" He asked.


    "I am Sterion, Mal of house Recco." He said, using the title Sterion which Katrina recognized as the Dae equivalent of an agent of the king. "And this is Sterion, Juyo of house Marva." Delmos pointed to her, then looked back to the officer. "The details of our report are for specific ears only, I''m afraid."


    "Of course." The officer said, bowing slightly.


    "And you are?" Delmos asked, leaning forward.


    "I am Captain Urik of house Gotto." He said, nodding toward the passing column of warriors. "Feel free to tag along if you would like, Sterion. We have plenty of food and water for the trip. All I would ask is that you submit yourselves to my authority for the duration. In case we are attacked."


    Delmos shook his head. "I''m afraid that is impossible, Captain. We are subject to the king''s will, and his alone. If that is something you are unwilling to adhere to, then you may carry on without us."


    Urik took a deep breath, then nodded. "Very well." He turned and gestured for them to follow. "Come on then."


    "Such a strange request." Katrina whispered.


    "Not really." Delmos shrugged, "He''s afraid that we''ve been sent to root out corruption or possibly assassinate him, or someone in his circle. If we were to bind ourselves to his authority, we could be held accountable. Since I have refused, he has to take the chance. If word got back that he denied a Sterion team passage, especially one with the King''s seal, his career would be over." He turned to look at Katrina, and smirked. "We better keep to ourselves as much as possible."

 Chapter 13 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Robert adjusted himself in his new royal garb. A large cumbersome cloak blanketed his shoulders, and stylized armor covered his entire form.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± An attendant bowed to him.


    Robert groaned at the formality of it all, but stood from his carriage-like mode of transportation. It was an extravagant block of stone that essentially slid across the terrain, powered by the Dunamis of half a dozen Dae-Voh. He looked at what would be his new home, and sighed. The last time he was here was with Turak in the dead of night, undoing a plot by the former queen to undermine Alektor¡¯s plans for invasion. It seemed so long ago to him as he approached the palace.


    ¡°Queen Athica is waiting for you, Your Highness.¡± The attendant said, ushering him past dozens of guards and gawking nobles. Athica had insisted that she leave first, to arrive beforehand and soften the shock of the return of a new King. Especially one of his unique standing. Alektor had agreed with her wisdom, but cautioned Robert to return to Thule or Vul De Rah if anything were to look suspicious to him.


    As they approached the main gate to the palace, a large group of nobles was assembled before it, blocking his entrance. Robert glanced to his left and right, looking at his six Rexunii honor guardsman who had not said a word to him throughout his travel. He took a deep breath and pressed forward.


    A yellow-skinned Dae, wearing fine clothes and with guards of his own, stepped from the crowd and bowed his head to greet him.


    ¡°Your Highness, it is so good to finally meet you.¡± The man said, his voice calm and calculative. ¡°I must say, we were quite stunned to hear that our beloved queen had married royalty, let alone one of the Spirit-Sent. Please let me be the first to welcome you to Pontos, the capitol and jewel of our clan territory. I am Lord Pilyur, of house Mohe¡¯.


    Robert didn¡¯t bow his head; he just nodded at him, showing as little respect as possible. This is what Alektor had advised. His reasoning was that the Visgo clan was far more political than most others in Eleutheros. Lords and nobles had great sway with the common folk, and there had already been several queens who had been deposed in the last hundred years or so. This brought severe uncertainty when dealing with them, as you could never quite rely on their promises. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you Pilyur. As you know, I¡¯m uh¡­ King Reku of house Roh.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can see that you still wear the colors of your home clan.¡± Pilyur said, standing up straight to look Robert in the eye. ¡°It would be in good standing to perhaps change that as soon as you are able, your Highness. We are a proud people, and do not much care for the influence of foreign clans.¡±


    Robert glanced at his grey cloak and smiled. ¡°Well, if it means getting out of this oversized blanket, then point the way.¡±


    Pilyur¡¯s eyebrow raised at the strange change in direction. He was clearly expecting a different response to his slight jab. ¡°Of course.¡± he said, standing aside and gesturing behind him with his hands. As he did, the rest of the crowd parted, and a path was cleared.


    Robert kept his smile and casually walked forward through the main gate.  He made his way through the same winding halls from before, until finally walking into the familiar throne room. It was much like he remembered, a bit brighter now. He looked up to see Queen Athica perched on a beautifully decorated throne, her face a mask of happiness, but only through great effort. One look at her, and immediately he knew something was amiss. What did these bastards say to her? He thought, his mind flaring with anger. Something was definitely wrong here. Further observation of her body language told him she was under a great deal of stress. Twitching fingers, sweat on her face and neck. He hadn¡¯t known her for more than a few weeks, but still. This woman was his wife now, and he felt obligated to protect her.


    ¡°King Reku! Of house Roh!¡± an announcer shouted from beside him, bringing applause and cheers from the nobles present.


    Athica stood from her throne and stretched her hands out. Her elaborate gown glistened in the light. ¡°Welcome, King Reku. To your new home in Pontos. We are so very pleased to have you.¡±


    Robert smiled, but his temper boiled. She was speaking in a strangely monotone and almost robotic voice. Great¡­ what the hell am I doing here!? These damn people. He thought. He walked forward and made his way up the stairs to her elevated platform. He reached out and embraced her, bringing his face to her ear. ¡°What are you people hiding?¡± He whispered. She said nothing to him in response but pulled out of the embrace, smiled again at him, and gestured to a smaller throne beside her.


    Robert clenched his jaw but did as she instructed and sat. The crowd cheered and applauded as he did so. He scanned their faces, until landing on Lord Pilyur; who was smiling at him with an almost sinister intent. Dio. He sent a mental message to her. Should I be worried?


    Several moments passed before her small voice echoed. ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    After several more announcements of returning warriors and news from the war in Lokkadonia, the queen stood to excuse herself, and dismissed the remaining nobles to their tasks.


    Robert stood as well, but noticed that she had already made her way out through a back entrance behind them. Robert grabbed one of his guards and pulled him in close. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Lieutenant Malak, your Highness.¡± He said, through his bone helmet.


    ¡°I think something¡¯s wrong here.¡± Robert whispered, ¡°Be ready for anything.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, your Highness.¡± He said, no hint of hesitation in his voice.


    Robert walked through the rear entrance, brushing past the guards there and hurried to catch up to Athica. As he saw her entourage, he sped up, glancing to see his guards close behind him.


    ¡°Athica!¡± He shouted, causing the group to stop and look at him.


    Athica turned, her smile now gone, and worry displayed openly on her face. ¡°Reku, I am very busy at the moment. We will have to speak later.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Robert said, forcing his way past to stand before her. ¡°We need to talk right now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it will have to wait, Your Highness,¡± Pilyur said, placing his hand on Robert¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The Queen is very busy, and we have important clan matters to attend to.¡±


    Robert let his fury show in his eyes as he stared at Pilyur. ¡°Who are you exactly? What is your job here? Or duty or whatever.¡±


    ¡°I am hand to the Queen.¡± He spoke with pride.


    Robert nodded and looked at all of the faces around him, glaring at him with mistrust.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure whatever it is you have to discuss, it can wait.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Pilyur said, now with more force in his voice. ¡°It cannot.¡±


    Several royal guards stood in between them, and Robert took a tentative step back.


    ¡°These men will escort you to your quarters, your highness.¡± Pilyur¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°We will send for you, once we¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°They will attempt to capture you¡­ Robert.¡± Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s voice whispered to him. ¡°We must get to the Queen¡­¡±


    Robert¡¯s right hand lifted toward the guards who now blocked his path and black smoke began to pool around him.


    The crowd gasped and leapt away in terror, Pilyur included. Robert used his ability to disappear, dashing between the confused guards, and grabbing Athica before they could react.


    Robert was running with Athica in his arms, and his guards following closely behind. Dashing into an open study, they all piled in and closed the door. In an instant, Robert used his Dunamis again, creating a mirage in the hallway, making it as though the room they entered didn¡¯t even exist. After several seconds, they could hear shouting outside and an alarm being raised.


    ¡°What have you done!?¡± Athica yelled, slapping his face. ¡°You are going to get us all killed!¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Robert yelled, lifting his hand toward her. Her eyes widened in fear and the color drained from her face. ¡°I knew there was something wrong when Alektor set this up. I knew you people couldn¡¯t be trusted. But to attempt to put me back in chains the moment I arrive? That¡¯s some bullshit.¡± Robert¡¯s heart thrummed in his chest. His fury and rage pouring off him. ¡°You think what I did to Mundiri was bad? I could smother this entire palace without breaking a sweat. Raise their corpses from the ground and wreak havoc on Visgo!¡± Memories of his torture and mistreatment from the Dae started to resurface, causing sweat to pour. ¡°I won¡¯t let it happen again. Do you understand me!? I¡¯ll tear this fucking place to the ground if I have to.


    ¡°Reku!¡± Athica¡¯s voice was strained and overflowing with fear. ¡°Please! I had no choice. The politicians of Visgo are the ones who control everything. They ascend royalty to help them maintain control. They always have. I was selected, against my will! You must believe me. I thought I could fight them but¡­ They¡¯re too powerful.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s they?¡± Robert asked, his breathing beginning to slow.


    Athica shuttered and shook her head. ¡°Pilyur and his nobles. They ascended me to the throne after you exposed Mundiri in her plot. Embarrassing her in front of the entire court. I was only put here to further their goals. None of which include Alektor remaining as High King, or you, as King here.¡± She sat down on a large chair in the study and rubbed her eyes. ¡°I thought I could convince them, to show them that Visgo could still prevail despite their plan failing. But they turned on me instead. There was nothing I could do.¡±


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    ¡°Go on¡­ why would they send you to deal with Alektor. Knowing full well he planned on ascending to High King? Why send armies to support the war in Lokkadonia?¡±


    Athica hung her head, ¡°They were¡­ planning on betraying Alektor. Once his forces were spread thin¡­ But he called the moot too quickly. He pushed the Lokkadonians back too far¡­ and the Sabree were too loyal to his cause. So, they decided to bide their time. They knew that you were the key to the war effort. So, they asked me to procure you.¡±


    Robert snarled. ¡°Procure me? Who the fuck do you think you are?¡±


    ¡°When Alektor offered me your hand, I thought it was in accordance with their plan! So, I agreed. I didn¡¯t know what they planned on doing with you, Reku. I swear it.¡±


    ¡°So, they want to use me as a bargaining chip with the Torre¡¯. Over my dead body.¡±


    ¡°Reku¡­ please. I¡¯ll help you escape. I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Robert cut her off. ¡°You can¡¯t do anything. You¡¯re a damn puppet.¡± He lowered his hand, but Robert¡¯s mind raced. There¡¯s still a way we can pull this off. We just need to take these nobles out, he thought, before continuing. ¡°But you can still be useful. Tell me how intricate Pilyur¡¯s hold is. Are they officially recognized by the court?¡±


    Athica blinked. ¡°No¡­ but his influence is vast. They control our entire economy. Our labor, nearly every aspect of our clan is influenced by him. We would collapse if...¡±


    Robert closed his eyes, thinking of Alektor¡¯s words. Royalty is no match for power. He thought. I¡¯m a member of house Roh. Like what happened when Turak and I first came here. They must fear me. He took a deep breath, steeling his resolve. ¡°Alright.¡±


    He fixed his gaze on her, pouring his determination and anger into the act. She flinched back suddenly.


    ¡°Please¡­ Reku, I am¡­ We¡¯re.¡± She whimpered.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to help me take this clan back from the bureaucrats.¡± He turned to Malak and the rest of his guards. ¡°Prepare yourselves for a fight. We¡¯re taking all these bastards out, right now.¡±


    Malak nodded. ¡°As you wish, your Highness.¡±


    Dio. Robert called for the little spirit with his mind. I need you to pick out every Noble who is a part of Pilyur¡¯s cabal. We can¡¯t miss any of them.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already done so¡­¡± The spirit answered. ¡°There are hundreds¡­ you can¡¯t destroy all of them and expect the clan to stand afterward¡­ Make an example of the leaders¡­¡±


    Robert turned his attention again to Athica. ¡°You are going to follow my lead. Got it?¡±


    She seemed confused, but nodded. ¡°I will¡­ What are you planning?¡±


    ¡°This is all going to be brought out into the open. When we leave here, act as though everything is normal. The guards are clearly looking for us. We get to the throne room again. Assemble as many traitors as possible, and rip the heart out of these parasites.¡±


    ~


    Robert walked out of the room slowly and casually, holding Athica¡¯s arm in his hand. They were alone and looking as though they were having a normal conversation. Several palace guards ran by, and nearly fell over in surprise at seeing them.


    ¡°My Queen!¡± One said, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Athica looked at him in annoyance. ¡°Of course I am you fool, what is all this about? Why are you running through these halls? You could have run into us!¡±


    The guard knelt before her. ¡°My apologies your highness, we were told you had been abducted by the demon. The whole palace is searching for you.¡±


    Demon¡­ these bastards. Robert fumed.


    ¡°Watch your tongue! That is the King you¡¯re referring to. I am quite well, tell your superiors that I was spending some quality time with my new mate! The arrogance of you all, I wish to see your superiors at once in the throne room!¡±


    ¡°Yes, your Highness!¡± He said, scrambling to stand and dash down the hall.


    Athica let out an exasperated breath.


    ¡°Easy,¡± Robert said, tightening his grip on her arm. ¡°Just do what I told you, and we¡¯ll all come out of this alive.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Robert nodded, and they walked through the halls toward the throne room. Many nobles and guards were stunned to see them, and again she repeated much of what she said to the first palace guards they had come across. Once they entered the throne room, dozens of warriors lined up, facing the throne. Athica was calm as she sat and looked at all of them. Robert stood behind her, looking over the faces before them.


    ¡°It has been brought to my attention that Lord Pilyur has sounded a false alarm throughout the palace.¡± She said, ¡°This seems to have been in error, as I was spending some much-needed time with my newly mated King, Reku.¡±


    Suddenly the doors to the throne room slid open, and Pilyur stormed in with another group of warriors. His face was twisted in anger as he stopped before the throne.


    ¡°My Queen.¡± He said through gritted teeth. ¡°You will follow me out of here to my estate, and give your guard orders to not protect the King as he is apprehended for treason.¡±


    Athica swallowed hard, but lifted her chin. ¡°No, my Lord, you are in no position to make demands here. I will be the one to decide who is guilty of treason.¡±


    Pilyur lifted his finger toward Robert. ¡°You are to surrender yourself to us, here and now, demon. We will not hesitate to destroy you if you refuse.¡±


    It was then that Robert¡¯s eyes found a set of familiar ones, cowering behind Pilyur. Espi-Arl¡­ you¡­ mother¡­ fu¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do not resist!¡± Pilyur shouted.


    Robert stepped forward from behind Athica and let all of the rage he had, billow out in a torrent. All of which was focused on Espi-Arl. ¡°So, they called you up here to collect me, huh? Arl?¡±


    Espi-Arl reeled back. ¡°You- You¡¯re surrounded, demon!¡±


    Robert barked a laugh, gesturing around him. ¡°You¡¯re threatening me? Really? You? Do you know what I am? What I can do?¡±


    Pilyur¡¯s eyes narrowed, and the warriors behind him tensed.


    ¡°I came here once, to your city! I stood where you are now and stared your former queen in the eyes; she begged me to spare her daughter! I was too lenient with her. I won¡¯t make that mistake again. Now, I stand here, defiant against your treason!¡± Robert raised his hand and pointed it at Pilyur. ¡°My brother, Alektor, is High King of Visgo, whether you like it or not. Any action against me, is action against him. And any action against him, will be met with swift and brutal retaliation.¡±


    Athica stood then and pointed at the warriors around Pilyur. ¡°You are all complicit as well, as traitors to me as well as the High King. Guards!¡± She shouted, prompting the dozens of palace guards to turn and face Pilyur and his warriors. ¡°Place Lord Pilyur under arrest, and kill any who prevent it!¡±


    Pilyur¡¯s eyes widened at the command, and he took several paces back. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡±


    Two guards walked forward to apprehend him, but in an instant were cut down by the warriors surrounding him. Blood sprayed as they fell to the stone floor below and the room erupted into chaos. Palace guards leapt forward, slashing weapons and blasting their Dunamis into Pilyur¡¯s warriors, who in turn, did the same.


    Robert stood firm, feeling the same familiar pull of fear in his core. The sickening hesitation and debilitating numbness that came from a threat to one''s self. But at this point in his life, after all he had seen and endured. He swallowed and steeled his resolve. The effort brought his mind for a split-second back to Daniel, his former companion. The man always seemed to be in control of his fear and his emotions. Be strong, He thought. They must fear you.


    ¡°Reku!¡± Athica called, standing in fear. ¡°We must get out of here!¡±


    Robert¡¯s eyes scanned the bloody conflict. The palace guards were being cut down faster than he had expected. ¡°Malak!¡± He yelled.


    The air around them shimmered, and six grey clad Rexunii warriors shimmered into existence. As one they raised their hands and blasts of elemental energy vomited into the battle. Warriors around Pilyur were swept away by fire and lightning, along with blades of water and wind. Massive spikes of earth plunged into the stone surrounding him, with two stabbing through both of his legs. He screamed in agony and grasped at his wounded limbs.


    Robert held his own hands up, and a stream of black wind blasted into the fray as well. Dae screamed as the strange power draped over their eyes like a blindfold. Within seconds, the warriors against the palace guards were swinging and blasting their Dunamis seemingly blind. The palace guards halted their fighting to stare on in complete horror.


    ¡°Finish these traitors!¡± Robert shouted, ¡°I want Espi-Arl and Pilyur alive!¡±


    The guards quickly regained their composure, and charged in to slaughter the helpless and blind warriors that remained. In the end, only Espi-Arl and Pilyur remained alive. Blood pooled and drenched the now destroyed throne-room.


    ¡°Spirits curse you, Demon!¡± Pilyur screamed, grasping at his ruined legs.


    ¡°Me?¡± Robert asked, stepping down the steps, closer as he continued. ¡°I came here as your King. I came here as a gesture from your High King, of friendship and unity with the Visgo. And again.¡± He turned around waving his hands at the throne room. ¡°You traitorous bastards tried to pull something. To send me back!?¡± Rage rose in Robert like a volcano bubbling its lava to the surface. ¡°To send me back to the Torre¡¯? To the Espi-Dae!?¡± Robert lunged forward. Grabbing Pilyur by the throat. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got news for you, asshole. I¡¯m gonna root you all out. Don¡¯t worry; no torture is required. I have my own ways of figuring out who all your buddies are. I¡¯m gonna root you out and shove you all in the deepest, darkest hole we have here in Visgo. If there isn¡¯t one deep enough, I''ll make it.¡±


    Pilyur gasped, struggling to speak, but gurgled out. ¡°You can¡¯t¡­ our people will never submit to.¡±


    ¡°No one is asking for you to submit, you piece of shit,¡± Robert said. ¡°Athica is your queen, and that¡¯s it. I¡¯m not some great political mastermind. I¡¯m a hammer.¡± The words brought a level of certainty and pride in himself he hadn¡¯t felt in years. Alektor¡¯s rubbing off on me, He thought. ¡°And everyone who stands against me or those I care about, are nails.¡±


    Pilyur screamed as he was roughly picked up and dragged out of the throne-room. Robert¡¯s eyes fell on Espi-Arl. The Dae was shivering in fear between the two Rexunii guards who held him. ¡°Now.¡± Robert said, walking up to him. ¡°You and I have some unfinished business. Don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°G-great Spirits! Protect me from this d¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it!¡± Robert punched the Dae across his cheek, snapping his head back. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking call me a demon, you piece of shit. You degraded me and tortured me for God knows how long in that cell. Now let¡¯s see how you like it.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s voice rang in his ear. ¡°Do not¡­ become¡­ the thing¡­ he thinks you are¡­¡±


    Robert paused in that moment. Slowly looking around the battlefield. There were dozens of dead warriors and a multitude of wounded. Crawling and moaning on the stone floor. His senses began to clear and the red that blanketed his eyes faded away. God¡­ I¡­ I think I went a bit¡­ overboard. What¡¯s happening to me?


    With a shake of his head, he refocused on Espi-Arl. ¡°Take him to the dungeons. I¡¯ll figure out what to do with you later.¡±


    ¡°He will suffer¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said, a softness in her voice. ¡°But you must proceed carefully¡­¡±


    Silence ensued once Espi-Arl was removed. But after nearly a minute, Athica finally spoke. ¡°What¡­ will you do now?¡± her voice was still wrought with fear.


    Robert looked at her, then to Lieutenant Malak. ¡°You did very well today, Malak. I¡¯m glad Alektor thought to tag you along with me.¡±


    Malak bowed his head but said nothing.


    ¡°As for what to do now?¡± He continued, ¡°We take back your clan from these assholes. Alektor did something similar in Rexun when he came to power. They either bow to you, and give you their loyalty, or fight. And trust me when I say they aren¡¯t going to want to do that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­¡± Athica said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen power like that before Reku¡­ I heard stories¡­ of the night you nearly killed Thalassa, Mundiri¡¯s daughter, right in front of her, but I wasn¡¯t here to see it.¡±


    She looked at him, a strange mix of emotions in her eyes. ¡°What do you wish of me?¡±


    ¡°Go to your quarters. I have to speak with Malak.¡± Robert said, waving his hand at her dismissively. ¡°For now, just stay there and stay safe.¡±


    Athica nodded and after a small pause, walked with several Royal guards to her chambers.


    Dio, Robert said, using his mental connection to communicate. Did you find any turncoats in the guard?


    ¡°Of course¡­¡± She said, her little voice bringing ease to Robert¡¯s nerves. ¡°They are marked¡­ all of them¡­¡±


    With? he thought to her.


    ¡°They all have a cross burned into their cloaks¡­ on their backs¡±


    ¡°Malak.¡± Robert said, turning again to the Dae. ¡°I want you to assemble the palace guards after this. Find any with crosses burned into their cloaks, put them in chains. If they resist? Kill them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your Highness.¡± Malak said, bowing his head, then turning to accomplish his mission.


    ¡°A man of few words.¡± Robert said out loud to Dio¡¯mar.


    ¡°I like him¡­ He is strong¡­ very strong from the looks of it¡­ he will serve you well¡­ I¡¯m sure.¡± She appeared on his shoulder, and rested her little head on his cheek. ¡°We are in a dangerous place now, Robert¡­ we must be careful¡­ I did not expect them to move against you so quickly¡­ or boldly¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll watch your back if you watch mine.¡±


    She floated in front of him and her small mouth curled into a smile. ¡°Of course¡­¡±

 Chapter 14 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel deflected another blow from the Visgo warrior he now faced. The Dae had admirable skill, using many of the same forms he learned in his time training with Oros and Delmos. He was by no means a master swordsman, but he could more than hold his own against the average warrior. The Dae thrusted forward, using his Dunamis to enhance his speed. Daniel deftly dodged to his right, letting him pass. Using his left hand, Daniel unleashed a blast of crimson fire at him, causing his attacker to scream for a moment, then melt away into a heap of burning flesh.


    ¡°Move!¡± He yelled, over the cracking of rifles and blasts of Dunamis.


    The last several days had been spent on the run, doing what they could to avoid open terrain, and larger patrols. The village of Vul Dema had been abandoned, and its inhabitants were on their way to Baa¡¯Yega territory, to hopefully find refuge from the constant harassment from the raiding parties. At first their pursuers were mere observers, but as they came closer and closer to the Eastern Clan¡¯s border, the skirmishes began, now they had attacked them with all they had.


    Mounted warriors had charged them from the rear, attempting to run them all down. A quick and sturdy defense by Avria and Daniel¡¯s forces halted their advance, and the still misunderstood human weapons kept the brunt of the attackers wary.


    ¡°Bound! I want all the squads in each platoon alternating with fire and movement as we go!¡± Daniel yelled again, watching Lieutenant Jori pass the command to his own platoon.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there, sir!¡± Jori said, ¡°The villagers are in front, we just need to hold out here a bit longer!¡±


    Another wave of warriors moved forward, and blasts of Dunamis erupted around the fleeing defenders. Daniel watched in anger as several more of his warriors were killed by the onslaught. Much of the focus was on him, but his own power was more than enough to defend against it. Suddenly there was another shout from further to his right, one enhanced by Dunamis.


    ¡°Watch the flank!¡± He heard Lieutenant Carassi yell. Suddenly large swaths of earth fell away, and attacking Visgo warriors sprung from the holes right on top of Carassi¡¯s platoon.


    ¡°Shit! Get some support over there!¡± Daniel bellowed, knowing full well, that platoon was already lost. At a distance, their rifles were effective at killing or wounding the enemy. Up close and personal against trained Visgo warriors however, they stood little chance.


    ¡°Carassi!¡± Jori called, ordering his troops to support the dying platoon.


    ¡°They came out of the fucking ground!¡± Daniel rushed to aid as fast as he could, but as he arrived, only a few were left standing.


    Daniel let out a blast of fire into several warriors who turned to face him. Two were killed by the attack, the last having barely been able to bring up a defense of water around him. Steam hissed, and Daniel leaped through it, lodging his blade into the warrior¡¯s neck. The Dae¡¯s helmet was knocked off as he fell to his knees, and he stared up in sheer terror, until the life faded from his eyes. As Daniel looked up, he watched as the last few warriors in his second platoon were cut down. Wiped out¡­ he thought, holding back waves of rage that crashed against his composure. He let out a roar in defiance and swung his blade in a broad arch around him. Flame spilled from the tip and burned several enemies around him.


    ¡°You sons of bitches!¡± He yelled, before being interrupted by a crash of lightning.


    Avria charged into the fray, blasting clusters of enemies away and dodging counter attacks. She was moving toward Daniel, surrounded by a dozen or so of their more talented warriors.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± She called, ¡°We must move! We¡¯re broken! We have to run!¡± She slid to his side, grabbing his cloak and pulling with surprising strength.


    Daniel grunted as he was yanked toward her. Without breaking stride, they turned and started to run as fast as they could. Daniel looked behind him to make sure that Jori¡¯s platoon had gotten the message and started running. Many of them had already thrown their rifles into the dirt, and started sprinting with all of their might. It wouldn¡¯t be enough. The mounted Visgo warriors were gaining ground, passing those who were on foot. Daniel knew he had to do something; something stupid again. Dammit, he thought, stopping to face the Visgo.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± Avria yelled, ¡°Not this again! Let them fall!¡±


    Fire began to swirl around him as he focused his power, letting the torrent of flame consume his thoughts and actions. His enemies were bearing down on him, and dozens of lives were sure to be lost if he did nothing. He closed his eyes, letting the heat of his power blanket his senses, and Avria¡¯s protests began to fade. He saw the line of warriors that charged in his mind, and found himself standing in the middle of the desert of his Dunem Dae Espea. Here he could feel his power, the deluge of spiritual energy he could still barely tap into. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw what looked like a glowing orb of light. The sight caused him to pause for a moment, he blinked, and when his eyes refocused, it was gone. Strange, he thought.


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    ¡°If Robert can cloak a damn Army, I can stop these assholes.¡± He said to himself. He raised his hands and felt the tether to his power tighten. He began to pull with his mind, exerting great effort to bring it under his will. He opened his eyes and saw the line of enemies approaching, nearly upon his fleeing warriors. He began to scream, a feral and terrifying outburst, and raised his hands to the sky. As he did, a wall of crimson flame erupted from the ground right across the line of charging Visgo. The ground below them shook with power, and screams could be heard just under the crashing explosion. Daniel¡¯s eyes flared with satisfaction at the display, and with a snarl he pushed his hands forward, commanding the flame to flow backwards right into the pursuing Visgo. Horns blared, signaling a frantic retreat, and Daniel fell to his knees, suddenly drained of all energy.


    ¡°By the Spirits¡­¡± Avria said, walking beside him, her focus on the billowing torrent of death that covered the landscape. ¡°This¡­ is unreal.¡± She turned to him, reaching her hands down to grab his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s go, they might be back.¡±


    Daniel grunted, but his sight began to blur. ¡°Can¡¯t¡­ move my legs¡­¡± He croaked. Then his vision faded to black, and he fell into unconsciousness.


    ~


    Daniels eyes fluttered open to see a starry sky above him, and he felt warmth on his right cheek. He blinked and turned to see a small ball of electricity humming to his right, with Avria tending to it with a finger. He groaned and tried to sit up, but felt immense pain shoot through-out his body. ¡°Shit¡­¡± He said, sliding back to the ground.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Avria said, the pale light of her electricity giving her face an eerie glow. ¡°Welcome back¡­¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Daniel asked, turning to his side to look at her.


    ¡°You won the battle.¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°Spirit¡¯s know how you were able to muster that much power, but you wiped out most of their force in a single blast.¡±


    Daniel said nothing for several moments, then took a deep breath and answered. ¡°I dug deep for that one.¡±


    ¡°Well now we know that you humans really do possess amazing power.¡± She stood and walked to sit beside him. ¡°Robert is said to have done similar things¡­ the rumors of how he was able to conceal the attacking forces might actually be true.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter at this point.¡± Daniel did his best to look at her. ¡°We have to assume he did, and is that much more of a threat.¡±


    Avria nodded, then held out a bit of cooked meat and bread in a bowl. ¡°You must be hungry.¡±


    Daniel graciously accepted the food, grunting as he scarfed down the small meal.


    ¡°The Visgo haven¡¯t followed us after the attack.¡± She continued. ¡°I have scouts covering all our flanks. It seems we¡¯re now more trouble than we¡¯re worth. Thanks to you.¡±


    ¡°I aim to please.¡±


    ¡°We will be in Baa¡¯Yega territory tomorrow morning. We must immediately do what we can to muster a counterattack and invade.¡± Avria handed Daniel a water skin, and he drank deeply from it.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t they done anything to help yet? The Baa¡¯Yega clan supported us heavily at the beginning.¡± Daniel asked, ¡°Now they¡¯re doing what? Protecting their borders?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they? They are afraid of Alektor¡¯s power now, and want to ensure they aren¡¯t the next target.¡± Avria clenched her fists. ¡°He knew they would react like this; and is benefiting from their inaction. But if we can turn the tide in Baa¡¯Yega, and convince their clan to commit warriors¡­ we could probably push them back into Rexun.¡±


    ¡°Thats assuming he doesn¡¯t kick our ass again in an all-out battle.¡± Daniel struggled as he sat up, putting his hand on Avria¡¯s shoulder and looked into her brilliant yellow eyes. ¡°We can¡¯t let what happened to Oros happen again.¡±


    Avria¡¯s eyes drifted downward, and sadness etched her already exhausted face. ¡°I know. I won¡¯t let that happen.¡± She turned to look into the night, dotted with small campfires and hushed conversations of the survivors of Vul Dema. ¡°At least these people will be safe. You could join them if you wished Daniel; you still aren¡¯t bound to us in Lokkadonia.¡± She met his eyes. ¡°You have only been here a year and a few months. There is much more for you than to be caught up in a Dae clan war.¡±


    Daniel scoffed. ¡°Please, spare me the speech. I came into your world, and didn¡¯t know what the hell was going on. One minute, I¡¯m at a convention with my friends, then I remember a bright flash of light, the next I¡¯m lying in the mud, here in Eleutheros. Oros found us, showed us kindness, and stood up for us more than I probably know. I came to terms with my purpose here a long time ago. There¡¯s a lot I have to make up for. I¡¯m one of you now.¡± Daniel tried to smile, but found his face was also too sore for the gesture. ¡°As for you and me? I already told you that I¡¯m not going anywhere. We got off to a rocky start, but I think you are probably one of the most noble people I¡¯ve ever met.¡±


    A thin smile curved across her face, and at that moment, Daniel felt something he really hadn¡¯t since coming to Pelemont. He saw the curve of her jawline, almost perfect compared to all he knew, her eyes that shone a golden yellow, and her delicate features that hid under a hard shell of character. He was starting to have feelings for her; more than just the admiration of a beautiful woman that came with most men in the military. This was enough to send a shiver down his spine and scare him. Daniel blocked his cogitation and with a shake of his head, the thoughts subsided. He laid back into the dirt and brought his cloak to cover him like a blanket. ¡°I¡¯ve got to get some rest Avria, my body feels like it was hit by a freight train.¡±


    She grunted as she stood. ¡°I don¡¯t know what a freight train is, but I agree you look like you could use some rest. Just make sure you don¡¯t slow us down tomorrow. Last thing we need is for the Visgo to get us before we reach the border.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, whatever¡­¡± Daniel grunted, rolling to his side to go to sleep.

 Chapter 15 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Katrina Turned to look at Delmos. She had been waiting for nearly twenty minutes for him to finish his conversation with Captain Urik, and even her Cro¡¯kan was getting bored enough to try and wander. They had reached their destination in only a week of hastened travel. Being mounted, and not having to worry about being attacked made for a much more pleasant trip. The village was called Vul Req, and it was where Koh had insisted that Illya, the daughter of the former Hego Agron, was being held captive.


    Delmos finished his conversation with a salute, and rode up beside her holding a leather bag.


    ¡°About time, I almost left without you.¡± Katrina huffed.


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡± He said with a grin.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± She asked, looking to what was in his hand.


    ¡°This.¡± He held it up, ¡°Is a big bag of coins. Urik was kind enough to bribe us to keep our encounter with him secret.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Looks like he wasn¡¯t supposed to be returning so soon from the front.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll come in handy.¡± Katrina shook her head. ¡°Koh? Where to now?¡±


    The spirit materialized on her lap and looked around the Cro¡¯kan¡¯s thick neck. ¡°We must enter the village¡­ she is at the manor of the lord here¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Katrina strode forward. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡±


    The two approached the wall of the village slowly, but with the confidence of Sterion. These agents were apparently very cold, and dedicated entirely to their missions. Orange clad Volsung warriors saluted them as they approached, asking for their paperwork. Without a word, Delmos lifted the scroll with their king¡¯s seal and the gates were opened to them without hesitation.


    ¡°Carry on, my Lords.¡± The guard said, bowing to them as they entered the village.


    Delmos cursed under his breath as they passed the weary villagers, who looked to the dirt below them.


    ¡°They¡¯re terrified of us.¡± He said, anger boiling over. ¡°What are these Volsung bastards doing to them?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it can¡¯t be good.¡± Katrina shook her head and pressed forward. There wasn¡¯t anything she could do for these people now, but she made a solemn promise to help them get their home back.


    They rode slowly through the winding streets of the village, until they reached a large spiral structure near the center. Judging from the guards assembled around it, and the extravagance not seen anywhere else in the village, Katrina guessed this was the Lord¡¯s manor. The two of them halted their Cro¡¯kan and gave them to several servants that approached. They strode up steps and up to several guards who looked less than happy to have been interrupted from whatever menial task they were doing.


    ¡°Papers.¡± One of them said, bluntly.


    Delmos pulled the scroll with the King¡¯s seal on it out of his bag and grabbed the cloak of the guard. ¡°Is this how you greet your betters?¡± He shoved the guard, and spat on the ground. ¡°We have been sent here by the King himself, and you insult us with such a disrespectful greeting?¡±


    The guards around bowed their heads, fixing their wrinkled and unkempt uniforms and armor. ¡°My apologies my Lord!¡± The Dae scrambled, ¡°It has been some time since we received anyone of importance here, please forgive us.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care for your excuses, fool. Tell the Lord of this village that Sterion have come to see them. And hurry, we¡¯ve been on the road for days and have little patience.¡± Delmos crossed his arms and waited, while the guards stumbled to enter the structure. Several minutes passed, and finally a servant came out to retrieve them. They were led up several flights of stairs, and found themselves before a large study. Within was a beautiful Dae, who sat behind a large desk with statues and scrolls sprawled across it. She stood and bowed her head slightly as they entered.


    ¡°Good day my Lord and Lady, I am Lady Vurllia of House Morri, the Lady of this quiet little village, Vul Req. How may I be of service to the King¡¯s agents?¡±


    Delmos turned his head to the servant behind him and glared. ¡°Leave us, and close the door.¡±


    The servant hesitated for a moment, glancing to Vurllia who seemed calm, but also startled by the sudden request. Vurllia nodded in agreement, and the servant left, closing the door behind her.


    ¡°It¡¯s been some time Vurllia.¡± Delmos said, looking to her, grinning. ¡°You don¡¯t recognize a member of House Regios?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ what are you¡­?¡± She squinted, looking closely at Delmos¡¯ face. ¡°Delmos?¡± She asked.


    ¡°In the flesh.¡± He bowed


    ¡°What¡­? How have you¡­? This is impossible, how are you here right now? In the middle of enemy territory! Disguised as a damned Sterion!?¡± Vurllia sputtered, and sat down in her large chair, letting out a long breath.


    ¡°None of that is important now.¡± He said, ¡°What is, however, is Illya. We know you have her.¡±


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    ¡°Illya?¡± She asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I have insider information.¡± Delmos pointed to Katrina, who let her own disguise fade away.


    Vurllia¡¯s eyes widened, and her jaw dropped. ¡°A¡­ Spirit-Sent¡­? We¡­ oh my¡­¡±


    ¡°I know this is a lot to take in, Vurllia, but we don¡¯t have much time. We¡¯ve come to get her out of here¡± Delmos stepped forward. ¡°You are welcome to come with us, by the way. Before the Volsung could blink, you¡¯d be far out of their reach. You could travel with us to Vul De Mar.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the offer Delmos, but I can¡¯t leave my people here.¡± Vurllia clenched her fists on the table. ¡°The Volsung are cruel taskmasters.¡±


    ¡°Is it like this in Vul De Rah?¡± Katrina asked, fearing the worst.


    Vurllia smiled at her. ¡°No, I was there to meet with several Rexunii officials last week. They seem to be treating the people of Vul De Rah with respect, so long as they swear allegiance to Rexun and the new coalition. I heard it was due to the council of Lord Reku¡­ eh, King Reku now I suppose. The Rexunii are much more accommodating to our people than these savages here.¡±


    ¡°Robert¡­¡± Katrina said, hatred clear in her voice.


    ¡°Never mind that.¡± Delmos interrupted them. ¡°Can you bring Illya out? We should really get going.¡±


    Vurllia stood and walked past them out the door of the study. Several more minutes passed, and thudded steps could be heard as Illya ran into the room and skid to a halt before the two.


    ¡°Kat! Delmos!¡± She yelled, tears in her eyes. She ran towards them and hugged them both in a bone breaking embrace. ¡°I thought you were all dead! By the spirits, you came back for me!¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Delmos said, struggling to get out of her grip.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re alright Illya.¡± Katrina said, tears forming in her eyes.


    After a long minute of emotional sobbing from Illya, she pulled away and sat against the wall on a couch.


    ¡°How¡¯d you get out, Illya?¡± Katrina asked, ¡°When we got overrun, I thought you were in the Palace.¡±


    Illya sniffed, and wiped tears of joy from her eyes while she answered. ¡°They were ordered not to kill any nobles, only assemble us for the Rexunii. I was with Vurllia, who said I was her daughter, back from the Libreos of Artistry in Baa¡¯Yega. She¡¯s still there of course, keeping far away from this madness.¡±


    ¡°No one recognized you? You didn¡¯t come across Robert? Or anyone?¡± Katrina sat down next to her and hugged her.


    ¡°No, I was mostly hidden by the nobility here¡­ I owe them all so much¡­¡± Illya rested her head on Katrina¡¯s shoulder, still fighting back tears. ¡°I thought I was all alone¡­ I didn¡¯t think I could go on¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here now.¡± Delmos said confidently. ¡°We¡¯re going to get you back to Boros. It¡¯s going to be a long trip though, so I hope you¡¯re ready for sleeping under the stars for a while.¡±


    ¡°Anything is better than living under the heel of these savages.¡± Illya sat up straight and looked at both of them. ¡°I met¡­ Alektor¡­ well, not face to face, but I saw him.¡± She took a moment to calm herself, then continued. ¡°The man who killed Oros¡­ who destroyed everything I love, is in Vul De Rah. And I will do anything to get as far away from that monster as I possibly can.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Katrina said in disbelief. ¡°King Alektor is here, The king of Rexun?¡±


    Illya nodded slowly. ¡°He¡¯s here¡­ living in my father¡¯s¡­ in our palace.¡±


    Katrina could see the rage in her eyes, she wanted nothing more than to kill that man.


    ¡°Delmos.¡± Katrina said, resolve on her face.


    ¡°No.¡± he shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it, Kat.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± She spat, ¡°That son of a bitch deserves to die for what he did.¡±


    ¡°Because that son of a whatever you just said, killed Oros! The strongest warrior in Vul De Rah besides Agron. And then he killed him too! You think he¡¯s just going to sit there and let you kill him?¡±


    ¡°He won''t see me coming, Delmos.¡± She said,


    ¡°Wait, Kat.¡± Illya pleaded. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious. Trust me, I would love to see him dead for what he did to us, but it just isn¡¯t possible. He¡¯s far too dangerous, and you don¡¯t exactly blend in.¡±


    Katrina smirked, then closed her eyes, letting her power flow over her. Again, she took the appearance of a Dae woman, and Illya was left stunned.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ something.¡± She said, at a loss for words. ¡°When did you learn to do that!?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a human thing¡­ eh, I think.¡± Katrina looked again to Delmos, who was standing with his arms crossed.


    ¡°Still no.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your permission, Delmos.¡± Katrina turned to Illya, ¡°Go get Vurllia, we need to figure this out.¡±


    ¡°Kat.¡± Delmos took a deep breath, calming himself. ¡°I like you; I really do. But you drive me absolutely crazy sometimes. If you travel to Vul De Rah, to kill Alektor, you will be putting us all at risk. How is Illya going to be reunited with her brother? This is nothing but a fantasy, and I do not recommend it.¡±


    ¡°Katrina thought for several seconds, then looked him in his yellow eyes. They seemed more tired and weary than she had ever noticed before. ¡°Delmos, I appreciate everything you¡¯ve done for me. You saved my life at the Palace, helped nurse me back to health, and have been a good friend. Which is why I¡¯m doing this, myself.¡±


    Delmos scoffed and shook his head. ¡°You are so stubborn.¡±


    ¡°This is as close as I¡¯m going to get to him if I go with you to Vul De Mar. I wouldn¡¯t be able to look at myself in the mirror knowing that people are dying every day because of him. Our people are suffering, at the hands of monsters, Delmos.¡± Katrina realized that she referred to them as ¡®our¡¯ people, and knew that, that is how she truly felt. She was a part of this world now, and was fully invested in the people she had come to love and respect. ¡°I¡¯m going¡­ I have to do this.¡±


    Vurllia stepped in from outside the room. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but to hear your¡­ conversation¡­ please forgive me, but I must agree with the Spirit-Sent. I am not sure of the King¡¯s level of power, but if there is any hope at all to end this¡­ well, it would be to kill him.¡±


    Delmos shook his head again, his face donning a weary and irritated look.


    ¡°If he is killed, the entire coalition would fall into chaos.¡± Vurllia continued, ¡°As far as I can gather, some of the clan leaders are vying for power. Alektor only ascended to High King because of how he put this all together. With him gone, there would be infighting and that would pave the way for an adequate counterattack.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Katrina agreed.


    ¡°That still requires you to go in there and do it.¡± Delmos said, ¡°That¡¯s the part I¡¯m not keen on, of course they would crumble if he fell. I just don¡¯t want you to go and get yourself killed.¡±


    ¡°Delmos.¡± Katrina walked over to him and put her hands on his face, cupping his cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re a good man, and I¡¯m in your debt, a hundredfold.¡± She leaned forward and planted a kiss on his forehead. ¡°But I¡¯m going to do this, and you need to get Illya back to her brother.¡±


    Several tedious seconds passed as Delmos contemplated. ¡°Kat...¡± He sighed, ¡°Only the forehead? I¡¯m sure I deserve better than that.¡±


    Katrina chuckled and stepped away, looking to Vurllia. ¡°Can you get me into the city?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yes, we can leave right away.¡± Vurllia said, as she clasped Katrina¡¯s hands. ¡°Our hopes are with you.¡±

 Chapter 16 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Katrina¡¯s eyes opened to a bump in the road she traveled on. Vurllia had arranged for a meeting with one of Alektor¡¯s highest officers to discuss the treatment of her people in Vul Req. Using wind talking, she was able to make the proper arrangements for the meeting and leave right away. They traveled in her finest cart, an elaborate stone carriage that slid across the ground, powered by several Dae-Voh. It was comfortable and large enough that they slept throughout the night, without stopping.


    As Katrina¡¯s mind began to clear and wake, she saw the familiar shape of Vul De Rah¡¯s spires and structures. The sight brought tears to her eyes, and hardened her resolve to see her task completed. She had taken on the cloak of Vurllia¡¯s House Morri, and was under the guise of her niece, Mitha. The Sterion identity could roam freely through the fringes of enemy territory, but here, where there were true officials and agents that lurked, it was far too dangerous.


    They entered the city gates smoothly, and made their way through the streets toward the palace. Katrina made sure to note the state of the people. Many looked troubled, like anyone would, living in an occupied city. However most seemed to be going about their business normally. There were many more merchants than she remembered from before, wearing sigils and colors from nearly every clan in Eleutheros. Odd¡­ trade is flourishing? For a city that was recently conquered¡­ this isn¡¯t normal.  She thought.


    Soon they found themselves going past the gatehouse to the palace that rested at the base of the steep hill. After a flash of credentials and a few smiles from Vurllia, they were let through and stopped at the top in the courtyard she remembered defending many months ago. She stepped out of the stone carriage, and turned to help Vurllia out. Several attendants came to guide them in, and brought them to a waiting room in the main hall. To Katrina¡¯s surprise it looked almost the same as she remembered.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Vurllia said, ¡°I¡¯ve arranged this meeting, with the King¡¯s right hand, Lord Turak, I believe his name is.¡±


    ¡°What do you know about him?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°Only that he led the Rexunii army against Prince Oros, is a very dangerous warrior, and apparently has a weakness for attractive women.¡± She winked at Katrina, and nodded toward her. ¡°You are quite beautiful Spirit-Sent, I¡¯m sure he will be happy to join us for this. He could also get you closer to Alektor.¡±


    ¡°If not, I¡¯ll have to change my appearance to someone he knows.¡± Katrina said.


    The two women waited patiently for another twenty minutes, until the door of the hall opened, and an attendant beckoned them forward. As they moved, Katrina guessed they were being led to the same conference room she had been in many times before. As they entered, she saw a handsome Dae man sitting behind a large stone desk. He had light grey skin, and a terrible scar across his face. He was wearing a fine grey cloak, and had his bone armor hung on a stone stand behind him.


    ¡°Enter, Lady¡­¡± He looked closely at a scroll on his table. ¡°Vurllia?¡±


    Vurllia bowed as she entered and let Katrina in behind her. ¡°I am very happy you agreed to meet with me Lord Turak. The situation is dire. I¡¯m pleased that Rexun is taking this matter seriously.¡±


    Turak sighed heavily and looked up from his papers. His eyes focusing intently on Katrina. ¡°Yes, we do take these matters quite seriously. As lords of this land, all here are to be treated fairly under the law. However, we cannot expect to be able to tend to every trespass against Lokkon¡¯s people by other clans.¡±


    ¡°Which is why I¡¯m here,¡± Vurllia said, sitting on a chair before him.


    ¡°And who is this?¡± Turak asked, gesturing toward Katrina.


    ¡°Ah, yes. Forgive me. This is my niece, Mitha of House Morri.¡± Vurllia smiled broadly. ¡°She is going to be helping me with many of our dealings in Vul Req, I thought she would do well to see how things are done firsthand.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Turak¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°So, tell me then, what the issue is.¡±


    ¡°Well, to start, the Volsung garrison in Vul Req has been regularly stealing food and supplies from our people. They accost us at every chance they get, and don¡¯t pay for any goods. Our merchants have all left to Vul De Rah, where the honorable Rexunii treat their charges fairly. My people are not so flexible with where they are able to live. Our home has become a prison. Lord Turak, we only wish to be treated fairly.¡±


    Turak nodded as he took notes detailing the grievance. ¡°I will see to it that the clan Volsung representative is made aware of this issue.¡± He said, looking back up.


    ¡°Things are difficult my Lord, we know you¡¯re very busy.¡± Katrina said, speaking for the first time. ¡°We would be forever in your debt if you resolved this for us.¡±


    Turak leaned back in his chair, looking at her skeptically. ¡°We are doing what we can to maintain order here. Mere months ago, this was the heart of power in Lokkadonia. We have been fighting resistances and treachery at every turn. You must consider yourselves lucky that the High King has shown this level of mercy. I will do as I said and bring this to the Volsung, but if they choose to do nothing, I¡¯m afraid it will be sometime before anything changes.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll let people starve in the streets? Is that what Rexunii are?¡± Katrina said through grit teeth, fury boiling over.


    Turak leaned forward and looked directly at her. ¡°You are very bold to say these things to me, Lady Mitha. You¡¯re lucky your people are even breathing.¡±


    ¡°My Lord!¡± Vurllia said, bringing her hands up defensively. ¡°Please forgive her, she is young and na?ve. She will leave with me at once.¡±


    ¡°I have never met a Rexunii warrior before.¡± Katrina said, standing to leave. ¡°Now I have, and am unimpressed.¡±


    Turak let out a loud laugh that caused Vurllia to jump. ¡°By the spirits you have guts.¡± He said, letting the laughter stop. He took a breath and looked at them seriously. ¡°If that is all you have, then get out. I have much more important things to do than to deal with pompous little nobles.¡±


    The two women bowed and left, but not before Katrina gave him a look of sheer disgust. As they were escorted into the main hall, their attendant turned and left them to find themselves out.


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Katrina said, closing her eyes and taking on the form of another Dae woman. ¡°You head back to Vul Req. I¡¯ll find Alektor.¡±


    Vurllia sighed, holding Katrina¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Katrina. Please end this. Kill that monster and help free us.¡±


    Katrina nodded, and turned to walk further into the palace. She made her way to the higher floors through the winding halls of the palace, hiding in plain sight. The guards did not recognize her, but she moved with a purpose, and it was not uncommon to see unfamiliar nobles meet with Rexunii officials. She was left un-harassed until she neared the King¡¯s chambers. At first, she wasn¡¯t sure where he would be, so she moved toward Hego Agron¡¯s old quarters. She soon realized, due to the overwhelming presence of guards here, that she had guessed right.


    ¡°Stop.¡± A Rexunii warrior said, through his helmet. ¡°What business do you have here?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Katrina said, feigning ignorance. ¡°I was told to meet with the High King on behalf of house Morri, I¡¯m Mitha of House Morri. There were certain matters regarding the Spirit-Sent that escaped I was sent to share, details for the High King¡¯s ears only.¡±


    The guard cocked his head at her. ¡°Where¡¯s your escort? You aren¡¯t supposed to be wandering around the palace unattended.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, they just pointed the way and let me go.¡± She said, looking bashful.


    ¡°Damned, lazy fools. All of them are useless.¡± The guard turned to the rest. ¡°Escort her to the High King in his study.¡±


    Six of the guards broke off and surrounded her, leading her down a different path to Agron¡¯s old private study. She entered to find a meeting already taking place within, between a Dae woman, dressed in an extremely extravagant gown, three other attendants and a Dae man wearing a fine grey cloak. All eyes looked to her as she entered, and she bowed deeply.


    ¡°Apologies, your highness.¡± One of the guards said. ¡°Lady Mitha of house Morri is here to see you regarding the missing Spirit-Sent.¡±


    Katrina beheld the man, Alektor, High King of the Rexunii coalition, and murderer of Oros Ignos. He had a strong and handsome face, with red skin, and uncharacteristically short hair for a Dae. He wore a thin crown on his head, made of white bone, etched with unrecognizable characters across it. He looked at her, with darker yellow eyes, and raised a brow skeptically.


    ¡°Really¡­¡± He said, looking her over.


    Katrina felt sweat dripping down her back as the tension rose.


    ¡°Very well.¡± He finally said, after what seemed an eternity.


    Alektor gestured for her to come forward and nodded to the guards, who bowed, then left them in privacy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall hearing of this meeting.¡± The finely dressed Dae woman said, staring daggers at Katrina. ¡°When was this approved? Your highness I need to know of these things.¡±


    ¡°Ambrosia.¡± Alektor sat down on a large chair, facing Katrina. ¡°Leave us, we will continue our meeting afterward.¡±


    Ambrosia¡¯s face twisted in anger. ¡°Your highness, am I not your council? I can¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°After.¡± He said, more sternly. ¡°This is something I must attend to immediately.¡±


    Ambrosia bit her lip, then scoffed as she turned to leave, bringing the three attendants with her.


    As the door slid back to close, Katrina felt a sudden weight of dread on her shoulders. This was it; she was here now, alone with Alektor. Holy shit¡­ she thought, he¡¯s actually here. Right in front of me... it¡¯s now or never. She closed her eyes and remembered all this man was responsible for. The death of Daniel, of Avria. Oros, the entire Lokkadonian clan. He needed to die.


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    ¡°That¡¯s a technique I¡¯ve never seen before. How did you manage it?¡± He asked her.


    Katrina¡¯s eyes shot open in surprise. Wait, he saw through me? She thought frantically.


    ¡°A very convincing disguise, whoever you are, but I know strange spiritual energy when I see it.¡± Alektor lifted his hand toward her. ¡°You can drop it now, and we can speak. Unless you wish to fight. In which case, I¡¯m afraid you will find me a difficult target.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s heart beat faster and faster in her chest, and she closed her eyes again to calm herself. In the instant she did, she found her resolve to face this man. Her body glowed with power, and her pink human skin, and brown hair revealed themselves.


    Alektor looked at her, shock and surprise plastered on his face. He leaned forward. ¡°You¡­You¡¯re Katrina, are you not? The human?¡±


    Katrina¡¯s eyes focused on him, and she raised her hands. ¡°You, killed my friends, conquered my city, and turned Robert against me. You fucking piece of shit.¡± Fury poured from her as she spoke, and she saw him stand.


    ¡°I wish to speak with you, Katrina. There is no need for this.¡± He said,


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± She screamed, sending dozens of massive spikes of earth at him. The stone of the room crashed as Alektor lifted his hand, and a blaze of fire sent her attack in every direction. Spikes of earth stabbed into the ceiling and floor of the study. Surprise painted her face at the ease of his deflection. She had hit him with everything she had, and he waved his hand like it was nothing. Fear blazed in her again, and she realized that she had severely underestimated this man.


    With a growl, she shook off her fear. She waved her hands horizontally, tapping into her spiritual energy to create more and more stone. Razor sharp spikes again hurled toward the king. But again, flame engulfed him and deflected her attack. This time the shock of his ability blew her back and into the stone wall behind her. Her eyes flashed as she felt her head slam against the hard surface. She tasted blood in her mouth as she fell to the floor. She wobbled, trying to stand. Fuck¡­ he¡¯s so strong. She thought, panic taking hold again. I¡¯m gonna die here. As she opened her eyes her vision was swimming. She lurched forward and fell on her hands and knees, panting.


    Then the door slid open, and his guards charged in, brandishing weapons and poised to strike.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Alektor shouted, staying their hands. ¡°Do not harm the Spirit-Sent!¡±


    Katrina summoned a blade of stone in her hand and stood on shaky legs. She took a defensive stance, cursing herself for her arrogance. This is what you get, Kat. You dumb ass.


    ¡°Katrina.¡± He said, folding his hands behind his back. ¡°Please, I only wish to speak with you. You have no chance to kill me, let alone make it out of here alive.¡±


    Katrina grimaced and looked at the dozen guards that were now pointing their weapons at her. Well this went perfectly. She thought, part of her knew it would end this way. Facing off with elite guards, and the strongest Dae in Eleutheros.


    ¡°You will not be harmed.¡± Alektor said, ¡°I promise you that.¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t anything for us to talk about, murderer.¡± She spat.


    ¡°Oros was a warrior, and fought with honor. He had the chance to defeat me, and lost. That hardly makes me a murderer.¡± He replied.


    ¡°What about Daniel!? And Avria!?¡± She pointed her stone blade at him, and could feel tears welling in her eyes.


    ¡°Daniel? Avria?¡± Alektor¡¯s face softened a bit, and he took in a deep breath. ¡°They are not dead Katrina. They are currently leading a resistance group in Eastern Lokkadonia.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s mind raced at the unexpected news. ¡°What?¡± She mumbled, without realizing it.


    Alektor raised his hands up, opening them defensively. ¡°We can talk about this. I¡¯m sure there is much you would like to know.¡±


    As he said that, Ambrosia stormed into the room, pushing past the guards. ¡°What in all the Great Spirit¡¯s names is going on here!? You dare try to assassinate the High King!?¡±


    ¡°Ambrosia!¡± Alektor barked,  irritation clear on his face. ¡°Hold your tongue.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s blade was steady, but her heart was beating out of control. This is not how she imagined this going in the least. ¡°Alright.¡± She said finally, and lowered her blade. ¡°But I want to speak with you alone.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Ambrosia yelled, ¡°You just tried to kill him! Your highness, we must apprehend her immediately! guards?¡±


    ¡°Leave us.¡± Alektor said, his tone permitting no question. ¡°She cannot harm me.¡±


    The guards without hesitation escorted Ambrosia out of the room amidst her protests and yelling.


    ¡°I was told you killed them.¡± Katrina growled angrily. ¡°Every report we got was¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wrong.¡± He said, bluntly. ¡°Daniel escaped with the help of a spirit, and saved Lady Regios in the process. I would know; I was witness to it all.¡± He went to sit, but realized that his chair had been destroyed by one of Katrina''s spikes. ¡°He was in no real danger from me, I do not wish to kill humans.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s fine to slaughter Lokkadonians, right? I don¡¯t believe you by the way, I have no proof that Daniel or Avria are alive.¡±


    Alektor reached in a pouch he had to his side, and brought a rolled up report from each front, abbreviated for his convenience. ¡°Read this then, it is unaltered, and stamped by the commander of Visgo forces in the region.¡± He tossed the scroll to her, and she caught it.


    Opening it, she was suddenly very thankful that Avria and Telmos had taken the time to teach her the written word of the Dae. She read through a dozen smaller reports about other areas of Lokkadonia, when she came to one with Daniel¡¯s name in it:


    ¡°14th Day of Turnith, Year 756


    Forces met with harsh resistance from the fleeing defenders of Vul Dema, Spirit-Sent among them, believed to be the one known as Daniel. The strange weapons they are using seem to be effective at long ranges and are catastrophic for morale. Avria of house Regios has named herself, and leads the resistance. A third of Visgo War battalion was wiped out in a massive Dunamis explosion, caused by the Spirit-Sent. Commander Domic has ordered a halt to any engagement, but continues to observe enemy movements. Resistance element is believed to be heading to Baa¡¯Yega clan territory for refuge.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s eyes began to water as she read the report. ¡°They¡¯re alive¡­¡± She whispered, smiling.


    ¡°And causing more trouble than I anticipated.¡± Alektor took a step forward and opened his hand toward her.


    She looked at him and found that much of her hatred had dissipated. She handed him the report, and looked to the stone floor. ¡°We all thought¡­¡±


    ¡°I thought you were up North. We had dozens of war-groups scouring the land for you. I had no idea you could conceal yourself so effectively.¡± Alektor clasped his hands behind his back and turned away from her. ¡°I made Reku a promise that I would find you. I like to keep my promises.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t found me, asshole. I came here to kill you, and if I find a way to do it, I will.¡± She spat. ¡°You still killed Oros, and destroyed this city.¡±


    ¡°Destroyed?¡± He chuckled. ¡°Vul De Rah¡¯s people have food in their bellies and homes to sleep in. More than they allowed the Doulos.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s face twisted at the mention of the slaves. She always pitied them, but Daniel had told them not to interfere with the culture of their hosts.


    ¡°Yes, they are MY people. Rexunii, held here as slaves to the masters of this land.¡± He turned to face her. ¡°They called to me, for decades, sending messages and escaping. Those that I brought before me were pleading with tears in their eyes to free them... and so I did. I came here for my people, and killed those who stood in my way. You saw them every day here, and did little to ease their pain.¡±


    ¡°What was I supposed to do about that?¡± Katrina hissed. ¡°My people were being hunted down like animals when I first arrived. How was I going to call out the people who were kind enough to give me a place to feel safe? The people who fed me and trained me how to use my power?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunate that you were caught up in this mess, Katrina, but Reku saw our plight, and accepted his role in freeing us.¡± Alektor took in a deep breath, as if remorseful. ¡°He was broken when I saw the truth, and that is something I must atone for. He longed for you, for many months. You were always on his mind¡­ but he thought you saw him as weak. He isn¡¯t, of course. Too often people mistake kindness for weakness.¡±


    ¡°I never thought he was weak.¡± Katrina blinked tears away, thinking of Robert again, not as an enemy, but as a scared and tortured man, bringing emotions to the surface she thought were long buried. ¡°I knew he was gentle¡­ and kind¡­ but coming here, seeing everything we¡¯ve seen and--¡±


    ¡°Daniel?¡± He asked.


    Katrina snarled, ¡°I saw gentle people get bowled over in life. Robert got captured and tortured because he didn¡¯t want to accept our being here; because he was afraid of change! And I wept for him, like you wouldn¡¯t believe, when I heard he died! And even more so when I heard that he was a traitor! I still haven¡¯t moved on because I loved him. Daniel though... was a pillar.¡± She paused, He¡¯s still alive. ¡°IS a pillar.¡± She corrected. ¡°He¡¯s alive¡­ by God, he¡¯s alive and still kicking the shit out of you people.¡± She smiled at the thought. ¡°You won¡¯t stop him, or Lokkadonia from coming at you again. That I can promise you.¡±


    ¡°They will find that Rexunii, who can defend themselves are much more of a threat.¡± Alektor bristled with the words, stepping toward Katrina. ¡°This is where you choose, Katrina. Choose to stay in the palace, as my guest, a Spirit-Sent who will have status and respect, from the people of Rexun and Lokkadonia? Or as my enemy, in chains.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll always be your enemy.¡± She stepped toward him as well, mustering as much hate as she possibly could into one stare. ¡°But trying to kill you here would just end up with me a burned corpse. So now you get to choose. To have me locked up, like the tyrant I know you are? Or let me go.¡±


    Alektor studied her, his eyes narrowing as he was no doubt weighing his options. ¡°You don¡¯t even wish to speak with him? Reku?¡± Alektor asked, sadness in his voice.


    Katrina hung her head, and tossed her stone blade to the ground. ¡°I¡¯d like to think he died in the pit¡­ that was when I just hated myself for the way I treated him the last time we spoke¡­ Now¡­ I just hate him for what he did to us¡­¡±


    ¡°You know, in your heart. That he was doing what he knew was right.¡± Alektor looked again at the room, destroyed by her Dunamis. ¡°I think you will find me, not to be the monster you believe I am.¡±


    Katrina scoffed, and turned away. Then they heard shouting outside of the door, and a very angry Turak stormed in. ¡°What in all of Pelemont is going on here, Alektor!?¡± He strode up to Katrina, but paused as it registered what she was. She held her hands up in a defensive stance and stepped back.


    ¡°A human? Here?¡± He asked, in confusion.


    ¡°She came here, under the guise of Mitha of house Morri.¡± Alektor said, walking past her and placing his hand on Turak¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ not being serious. It was you!?¡± Turak turned to Alektor, in bewilderment. ¡°She was pretending to be a noble¡¯s daughter or niece¡­ or something! She insulted us, called us savages! Wait¡­ are you Reku¡¯s old mate?¡±


    Katrina said nothing, but held her stance. She didn¡¯t really believe he would attack her, but the situation had gone far from what she had envisioned.


    ¡°Katrina,¡± Alektor faced her. ¡°I will insist that you stay here for the time being. I will not imprison you, but you will not be permitted to leave this palace. I know you can change your image now, so do not attempt to fool me.¡± He turned to Turak and whispered in his ear. The scarred man nodded in compliance and turned to leave. ¡°I hope to see you for dinner tonight. I¡¯m sure there is much more we can discuss¡­ perhaps you could negotiate on behalf of the people here. I am always open to the council; Reku found me to be quite receptive.¡±


    With that he strode out after Turak, and after several moments, twelve guards stepped in and grabbed her by her arms. Katrina was led to Daniel¡¯s old quarters, and was made to sit on one of the couches. She waited in silence, surrounded by guards, for nearly an hour. When suddenly the door slid open, and an armored Dae woman entered.


    ¡°You may go.¡± She said, and the guards bowed and left the room.


    The woman crossed her arms and looked at Katrina appraisingly. ¡°I must hand it to you.¡± She said with a smirk. ¡°You certainly have guts.¡±


    ¡°Who are you supposed to be?¡± Katrina asked, crossing her arms as well.


    ¡°I¡¯m Demessa. Your handler, apparently.¡± She walked to sit down on the couch across from her. ¡°The High King has given me the task of both protecting you and ensuring you do not attempt to escape. A task I am well versed in. King Reku was once under my charge.¡±


    Katrina raised an eyebrow, acknowledging Demessa¡¯s devious smirk. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not going to escape. Alektor said something that got me thinking it might be better to wait. About negotiating for the people here, in Lokkadonia.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Demessa nodded, ¡°You will find he is good at taking advice¡­ as long as it meets his goals.¡±


    ¡°And his goals right now, what? Don¡¯t include slaughtering people?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Demessa said, standing and walking to a small table where they had stone jars of wine. She poured two bowls, and gave one to Katrina, who accepted it. ¡°His goal, for now, is you. So, if he must ease the lives of a few people here, then he will do so. And IN doing so, keep you here and obedient.¡±


    Katrina caught obvious anger in her voice, giving her the idea that perhaps Demessa was not the High King¡¯s biggest fan. ¡°What¡¯d he do to you?¡± She asked without hesitation, seizing the opportunity.


    Demessa drank deeply from the bowl and leaned her head back. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that he took someone I loved¡­ and sent them away¡­ to Visgo in fact¡­ into the arms of a Queen¡­¡±


    Katrina¡¯s eyes sparked with the realization of her words. ¡°Wait¡­ you, you¡¯re not talking about Robert, are you?¡±


    Demessa looked at her and rolled her eyes. ¡°If by Robert you mean Reku, then yes. I am.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s mind reeled at the revelation. ¡°You were¡­ his lover?¡±


    ¡°I hear we have that in common.¡± Demessa smiled, and raised her bowl. ¡°To love lost.¡± she toasted.

 Chapter 17 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Screams echoed through the dungeon while Robert made his way down a long series of steps. He had never been down here before. And the dimly lit halls brought back wretched memories of his own ordeal at the hands of Espi-Arl and his torturer, Gurt. Espi-Arl¡­ He thought, as another shrill scream echoed.


    Turning down a hallway, several Visgo guards stood from a table and brought their hands across their chests in a salute.


    ¡°Your highness!¡± They both shouted in unison.


    Robert nodded to them. ¡°Where are they?¡±


    The guard on the right, hesitated for a moment, clearly not expecting the king to venture down here on his own. ¡°I¡­ the royal prisoners are right this way, your grace. Please, follow me.¡±


    After another several minutes of walking, the screams he had been hearing began to get louder and louder. ¡°I told them not to torture anyone.¡± Robert huffed, causing the guard to stiffen.


    ¡°Apologies, your grace. We were¡­¡± The guard turned to look at his companion. ¡°We were ordered by the queen to extract any information we could from them.¡±


    As Robert entered the dark and secluded cell, he saw two Dae men, hung by their wrists, naked, and streaming blood from a multitude of wounds on their bodies.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Robert whispered, looking at the horrific sight.


    A masked Dae turned to face Robert, then bowed. As he came up, he lifted his mask to reveal his pale gray face, and looked no older than Boros. ¡°Your highness.¡± Was all the man said, his voice monotone.


    Robert studied the man for several moments. His eyes lacked any enthusiasm or joy. It was as though he were looking at a husk. One of his undead creatures, void of life. Doesn¡¯t surprise me. A fucking torturer.


    ¡°This ends now!¡± Robert shouted, walking toward a barely recognizable Pilyur. ¡°Bring them down!¡±


    The two guards scrambled, but did as commanded. Bringing down Pilyur first, then Espi-Arl. Robert looked at them and felt a terrible lump in his throat. He had done this to them. For all his bluster and rage in the throne room those weeks ago. He felt his heart soften at the sight of them. Why the hell does something like this always happen? He thought, kneeling. Dio, can we heal them?


    Before long, a small form appeared before him. Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s legs were crossed as she floated in his vision. ¡°Yes¡­ we can. Though I would advise against it¡­¡±


    I want them healed. This isn¡¯t how I get revenge. Not with torture.


    ¡°How, then?¡± She turned to face him. ¡°Espi-Arl is responsible for everything you experienced¡­ how will you exact revenge against him if not in a similar way?¡±


    Robert closed his eyes. Feeling his guilt and confusion bubble over within him. I can¡¯t let this world turn me into a monster¡­ I can¡¯t allow it to.


    ¡°Sometimes¡­ the world needs¡­ a monster.¡± Dio¡¯Mar said, floating to touch the two groaning men. Black smoke billowed over them, and they both weakly protested, but soon calmed as their wounds closed and healed.


    ¡°Wha¡­?¡± Espi-Arl mumbled, sitting up straight. ¡°What happened!? How did I!?¡± His eyes bulged in fear as he met Robert¡¯s. ¡°No! Please!¡± He screamed, scrambling backward. ¡°Please, Spirit-Sent! I beg you! No more pain!¡± He pressed his forehead to the stone floor, sobbing uncontrollably.


    The memory of his own sobs and cries filled his mind as he looked at the pathetic display. He had cried and begged; and admitted every crime and trespass they accused him of. Anything for them to stop peeling his skin off. Anything for them to stop stabbing into him, or pull another fingernail. He hated this man. For all he had done to him, the endless hours of merciless and meaningless pain.


    ¡°He would have done it all again¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s voice whispered in his head.


    He would have. Robert knew it in his heart. Those who were the least merciful, begged for mercy the hardest in the end. Was this not justified? Was this not appropriate for such a monster? Robert¡¯s eyes turned to Pilyur, who hadn¡¯t said a word at this point. He was looking at Robert wearily, but nothing more. This man knew. He knew the politics of it all. Knew the consequences of his actions, and that Robert could have him killed at any moment.


    What the hell do I do? He thought,


    ¡°If you aren¡¯t going to kill them¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar chimed in. ¡°Then use them¡­ Pilyur is a very influential figure in this clan. If he could be controlled¡­ your position would greatly strengthen¡­¡±


    Robert nodded in contemplation. He turned again to the weeping Espi-Arl. And a spy in the Espi-Dae ranks would be invaluable, he thought.


    He stood then, resolve in his heart. This was the best course of action. ¡°Pilyur.¡± He spoke with as much authority as he could muster. ¡°Do you want to live?¡±


    The politician stared at him; his face twisted in thought.


    ¡°I need an answer.¡±


    ¡°Why ask me such a useless question, demon?¡± Pilyur spat.


    ¡°Silence, you fool!¡± Espi-Arl snarled at Pilyur. ¡°You dare speak to the Spirit-Sent in such a way!¡± He looked up at Robert. All semblance of his former arrogance now a memory. ¡°I want to live!¡± He pleaded. ¡°Please, Spirit-Sent! I was wrong to hurt you¡­ I was wrong to think you a demon! I will serve you! Anything!¡±


    Robert shook his head. ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you, Arl. I was asking a very simple question to this would-be usurper.¡±


    ¡°I will not do anything for you, demon.¡± Pilyur said. ¡°I wo¡ª¡±


    There was a loud hiss that echoed in the cell, and Dio¡¯Mar appeared before them all, standing taller than usual. Her head nearly touching the ceiling. Pilyur, Arl, the two guards, and even the torturer scrambled back in terror.


    ¡°Arrogant fool!¡± Her voice rumbled deep in Robert¡¯s core. Like he heard back in the Rexunii village, where she annihilated the Lokkadonian warriors that set upon it. ¡°You¡­ will serve¡­ the Spirit-Sent¡­ You will grovel¡­ and BEG for his forgiveness¡­ Or you will suffer¡­ unimaginable pain¡­¡±


    Pilyur¡¯s face was pale with fear, and he blinked several times, completely shocked at what was before him. But after a time, his breathing started to slow, and he took a deep breath. ¡°I¡­¡± He croaked out, before his eyes turned to steel. ¡°I will NOT!¡± He shouted. ¡°You are a foul spirit!¡±


    Robert reeled a bit from the Dae¡¯s outburst. This is odd, he thought. He had never seen anyone do more than grovel at Dio when she appeared.


    ¡°A spirit cannot harm a Dae; I invoke the rite of Gu¡¯tave! At the close of the war of the ascended, the Great spirits bound all spirits within the bounds of the accord! You will leave me. I have not trespassed in your land. I have not threatened you. You have no authority over me.¡±


    There were several seconds of silence as Dio¡¯Mar loomed over him. ¡°You are¡­ an educated one¡­ few remember the accord of the life spirit¡­ You dare speak the name of Gu¡¯tave before a spirit?¡±


    ¡°Leave me¡­ spirit.¡± Pilyur said, a grin on his face. ¡°You are forbidden to harm me.¡±


    A loud cackle boomed from Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s form, sounding distorted and wrong. ¡°Foolish Dae¡­¡± She hissed, her small mouth now open and smiling from one side of her face to the other. Within her mouth were hundreds of razor-sharp teeth. ¡°All that knowledge¡­ all that power¡­ and you throw it away¡­ over pride¡­¡±


    A clawed hand reached down and grabbed Pilyur around the torso. ¡°You can not harm me! You cannot frighten me! You¡­¡± His eyes widened as he looked upon Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s grotesque form. ¡°You¡­ are not¡­ a spirit¡­¡± He whispered, tears falling down his cheeks.


    With a vicious snap, her jaws ripped Pilyur¡¯s head from his body. Blood gushed onto the stone floor, and Arl screamed in terror to escape the carnage.


    Robert reeled in true fear of the display. He had seen this side of her once before, but never like this. Never so close. ¡°Dio!¡± He yelled, his voice cracking.


    Dio¡¯Mar growled, dropping Pilyur¡¯s headless corpse to the ground. It landed with a wet thud, and she turned her attention to Espi-Arl. ¡°Will you¡­ obey?¡±


    ¡°I-I WILL!¡± He shrieked. ¡°I am your servant!¡±


    ¡°Not me¡­¡± She purred, her voice shrinking with her size, until she was no taller than Robert himself. ¡°The¡­ Spirit-Sent¡­¡±


    ~


    Robert walked in silence back to his quarters. The horrific ordeal still playing in his head, over and over. What the hell is she? He thought. He stopped and held himself against the wall.


    ¡°I did not mean to frighten you¡­ Robert¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar appeared in front of him. ¡°An example needed to be made¡­¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°I.¡± Robert wasn¡¯t sure what to do. She can read my mind. He thought.


    ¡°I can¡­¡± She answered. ¡°But I will never harm you¡­ Robert¡­ I made you a promise¡­¡±


    ¡°Your highness!¡± A shout came from down the hall, breaking Robert from his thoughts. He looked to see a royal guard rushing toward him. ¡°A messenger from Vul De Rah, your grace. We¡¯ve been looking for you. He¡¯s in the throne room with the queen as we speak. He refuses to relinquish his message to any, but you.¡±


    Robert nodded, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m on my way.¡± He stood and straightened his cloak, doing his best to settle his churning stomach and frayed nerves.  He followed the guard closely until he entered the throne room.


    He saw Athica on her throne, surrounded by nobles and her guards.


    ¡°His royal highness! King Reku! Of house Roh!¡± The guard at the door announced.


    Robert nodded as he made his way to the throne. That¡¯s when he noticed their guests from Vul De Rah. Several warriors, wearing the grey cloaks of Rexun stood before Athica. At the head of them was a Dae Robert recognized. As he walked up the steps and sat in his throne beside Athica, the Dae bowed and held out a scroll with the royal seal of High King Alektor.


    ¡°Richoro¡­¡± Robert said, his tone less than excited.


    ¡°It is good to see you well, King Reku.¡± Richoro replied.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m here now. So, what¡¯s the message?¡± Robert asked,


    ¡°Your Highness, we bring news from Vul De Rah.¡± Richoro bowed.


    ¡°You could have saved some time and just used wind talking to pass a simple message.¡± Robert said.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid this is far too sensitive to be sent in such a way.¡± Richoro pulled a scroll from his satchel and unrolled it, holding it before him. ¡°Your Highness, this was written by High King Alektor himself, to you.


    ¡°Reku,


    I hope you are well¡­ I don¡¯t know whether this news will bring you joy, or sadness, but I must tell you. Katrina attempted to assassinate me several days ago. She failed in her attempt, obviously, but remains in my care. She is well and unharmed but has refused to speak to me since our initial meeting. She is in good hands, as I have instructed Demessa to look after her. I know it will be difficult for you to see her, but it might be in our best interest if you came here. She does not understand our cause, and though she denies it, still longs to see you.


    Your brother, Alektor of House Roh.¡±


    Robert was stunned at the news, remaining silent for several minutes after Richoro¡¯s reading. Katrina was in Alektor¡¯s custody, after she came to kill him? The thought brought on a wave of strange feelings within him. She was within reach though. He could go and see her right now if he wanted.


    ¡°Reku.¡± Athica said, turning to face him. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to burden you further, but we need you here. After what happened with Pilyur and his loyalists¡­ we need a strong front here. I don¡¯t know who to trust.¡±


    Robert turned to look at her, but said nothing. His mind was a maelstrom. Great¡­ this is just what I needed after¡­


    ¡°I will wait here until the end of the day, your Highness.¡± Richoro returned the scroll to his satchel, ¡°Then I will leave back to Vul De Rah. You are welcome to join me if you wish.¡±


    ¡°Son of a bitch¡­¡± Robert covered his face with his hands. ¡°This is such a goddamn mess.¡±


    Richoro bowed, and quickly left the throne room.


    ¡°Athica, I need some time alone to think.¡± Robert said, standing. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡±


    Athica gave him a worried look, but nodded.


    Robert stood and strode out of the throne room unceremoniously, to his quarters.


    When he arrived, he let out a long breath he hadn¡¯t realized he had been holding.


    Dio¡¯Mar materialized before him, again, not as the small sprite she usually was, but the size of a human.


    ¡°This¡­ is quite the unfortunate turn¡­¡± She said, floating toward him.


    ¡°Yeah...¡± Robert shifted away from her slightly, rubbing his eyes, doing his best to control his discomfort of her presence. ¡°I guess I should have expected this possibility.¡±


    ¡°I told you¡­ you have nothing to fear from me Robert¡­ Your former mate has returned¡­ and Alektor wants you¡­ to speak with her¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s mouth curled into a smile. ¡°What will you do?¡±


    Robert looked at the spirit, his mouth suddenly dry. ¡°I¡­¡± He said, doing his best to keep his emotions in check.


    ¡°You have found your way¡­ far beyond that of even Alektor¡¯s ambitions¡­¡± She reached a pale hand toward him, and touched his cheek. Robert flinched at the touch and feel of her strange skin. ¡°Do not¡­ let them control you¡­ not anymore¡­¡±


    Robert took in a deep breath, steadying himself. This was a reunion he was not quite ready to have. And leaving now would cause more complications than he needed. ¡°I¡¯ll see her. Just, not now.¡± He swallowed down a lump in his throat. ¡°You¡¯re right Dio¡­ I have responsibilities now. I should really take this seriously, you know¡­ the whole being a King thing.¡±


    ¡°Visgo favors their Queen¡¯s power¡­¡± Dio¡¯mar said, ¡°You will¡­ be hard pressed to win the hearts of the people¡­ it is their tradition¡­ But you, Robert¡­ you can do all that you desire...¡±


    ~


    Robert took some time to rest and gather himself, before making his way back to the throne room. When he returned, he found Athica sitting before a large delegation of nobles and high-ranking warriors. They were discussing everything from the war, to the political turmoil currently plaguing their clan.


    ¡°With this news, your Highness.¡± A well-dressed noble said. ¡°We are sure to see more power consolidated in Thule. The High King has played his cards well, and though we¡­¡± He trailed off at the sight of Robert entering the room. All eyes shifted to him as he sat beside Athica and straightened.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± He said with a nod.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± The noble grumbled.


    ¡°King Reku is to be given the same respect and loyalty as I.¡± Athica said. ¡°He is a Spirit-Sent, and a member of house Roh, yes. But he is my mate, and my right hand. He shall be trusted by all of us.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± A younger looking Dae spoke up from their left. ¡°We are a very independent people, as you well know. Your cousin saw fit to keep our lands free of most other clans. This rebellion has changed a great many things here, our new king being one of a multitude of them. It will take some time before we have¡­ adjusted.¡±


    ¡°I hear your concerns Lord Lygus, but we must also focus on the good this has brought us. We now have unlimited trade with the Volsung and Sabree for the first time in nearly a thousand years. High King Alektor has released all previous restrictions that High King Phobos had, and our people are already seeing a large influx of trade and travel.¡±


    ¡°At the cost of our son¡¯s and daughter¡¯s lives.¡± Lygus said, ¡°The news of our losses in Lokkadonia are not to be taken lightly. The Spirit-Sent that fights for the resistance is said to have power like some of our strongest Dae. And where are the Rexunii? They have taken Vul De Rah, and sit in comfort while our warriors enforce their authority.¡±


    ¡°Rexun fought and annihilated the Lokkadonian army at the River-Espea.¡± Athica pressed. ¡°They took on the weight of that attack, and led the charge into the city. High King Alektor himself fought to break them in both conflicts. If they are able to accomplish these tasks, then we should see fit to handle a few rebel cells across a broken clan¡¯s lands.¡± Lygus bowed as she stared him down. ¡°You all would be wise to keep in your thoughts, that we were terribly oppressed by the Torre¡¯. Perhaps not many of you, nobles of worth, but our people suffered, greatly.¡± She looked at Robert, who nodded in agreement.


    ¡°You are indeed wise, your highness.¡± Lygus¡¯ voice seemed to be somewhat condescending, but he kept his head bowed respectfully. ¡°However, we wish to hear the council of Lord Pilyur as well. He has done many things for our clan and provided great wisdom of his own to the former Queen.¡±


    Athica tensed at the request, but kept her composure. ¡°If we knew where he was, his wisdom would surely be appreciated. Unfortunately, Lord Pilyur¡¯s whereabouts are not the main concern of the clan, and we must press on.¡±


    ¡°His disappearance comes at a peculiar time, your Highness. After he¡­¡± Lygus looked at Robert and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Made some suggestions regarding our new King, and High King.¡±


    ¡°And what suggestions were those?¡± Robert asked, drawing the attention of the assembly.


    Lygus didn¡¯t speak for several moments, having apparently not expected Robert to say anything. ¡°That the decision might have been made in haste, and under the influence of those who do not have our Clan¡¯s best interest in mind.¡±


    Robert leaned forward angrily. ¡°I want you to know that I have, OUR clan¡¯s best interest in mind. And the Queen negotiated hard for this. The only reason you greedy ass nobles weren¡¯t happy about it was because the Torre¡¯ are lining your pockets.¡±


    Lygus¡¯ face twisted in anger at the accusation, but he remained silent.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry though. You¡¯ll get your money.¡± Robert continued, ¡°With the new trade freedom Visgo has, we will become more prosperous than you could have imagined. Pilyur left because I knew about your plot.¡±


    A deathly silence took the room as Robert finished his last statement. Heads turned from side to side, and looks of panic could be seen.


    ¡°Yeah, you wanted to turn me back over to the Espi-Dea.¡± Robert¡¯s face turned into a sneer. ¡°But I¡¯m not like you people¡­ I can see what you don¡¯t want me to. I can hear your thoughts, your lies.¡± He stood, and looked down at all the nobles and warriors assembled. ¡°I am a Spirit-Sent, not some fucking useless politician, just waiting to get stabbed in the back. You all better remember this.¡±


    Robert took several moments to pause and scan the Dae¡¯s faces. No one spoke, and the tension in the room was palpable. ¡°So today you have a choice, all of you. To support this change, and enjoy the wealth and prosperity that comes with it? Or you join Pilyur, in exile.¡± Robert pointed to Athica¡¯s feet. ¡°Come up here and swear loyalty to her; make your oaths, or you can leave the city tonight.¡± As if rehearsed, Malak and the other five Rexunii honor guard stepped forward, making it known that any order given to them would be enforced with lethal efficiency.


    Murmurs began to emanate throughout the throne room. Some more panicked and blatant than others. Robert knew that he was making a gamble here, confronting the nobles in person, but he was done with running. Done with sneaking and scheming behind the scenes. The fact that he was Alektor¡¯s brother now, and a Spirit-Sent with strange and unnatural powers, he hoped would be enough. All they really had to do was leave and try and storm the palace with warriors that were loyal to the house, and not the throne. Robert was confident he could escape either way, but still. Visgo would be in chaos, and they needed a unified front in this war.


    ¡°I will swear loyalty, of course.¡± A Dae nobleman said, walking forward. He strode up the steps and knelt before Athica, he bowed his head and recited an oath of fealty. ¡°I, Lord Rymo of House Lorex. Do solemnly swear my everlasting loyalty, and devotion to the throne of Visgo, I make this oath in the presence of all here, and before the Great Spirits.¡±


    Athica lifted her hand, gesturing for Rymo to rise. ¡°Lord Rymo, you have my gratitude and loyalty as well. And as the first to make this oath, I offer you the position of Royal Ward, advisor to the Queen, and head of my council.¡±


    Rymo bowed his head lower. ¡°I accept, your highness.¡±


    As Rymo stood and walked back into the crowd, many more began to pour forward. Robert made note of all those who came, and was pleased that every single noble and high ranking warrior who was present, took the oath. Even Lord Lygus knelt before them, though with no small amount of reluctance. After roughly an hour of ceremony, Athica stood to retire. Robert did the same. His mind and body exhausted from the day¡¯s events.


    ¡°Reku¡­ I must speak with you.¡± She said, catching him before he left.


    ¡°What?¡± He answered her coldly. He didn¡¯t have energy or patience for whatever she was going to ask him.


    ¡°Please, if you would. I must speak with you in private.¡± She looked at her guards pointedly, and without hesitation they turned to leave the throne room.


    Athica watched them as they left, and as the door slid closed, she looked Robert in the eyes. ¡°Please don¡¯t go to Vul De Rah.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Robert crossed his arms. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on going yet, but I will be going soon. Alektor asked me to go. Soon that request won¡¯t be one anymore. You know that better than anyone. He¡¯s going to need me to go there sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ well¡­¡± Her eyes bulged for a moment, and she put her hands up to cover her mouth.


    ¡°You alright?¡± Robert asked, a bit of real concern in his voice.


    She turned away from him and scrambled through her ornate dress to empty the contents of her stomach on the floor next to her throne.


    ¡°You sick or something?¡± He asked. Wait¡­ he thought. The Dae don¡¯t get sick. Something about the spiritual energy keeps them always healthy. No¡­ As the puzzle pieces found their place in his mind, another pit formed in his gut. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡±


    ¡°Reku.¡± She said, wiping her mouth. ¡°I am¡­ with child.¡±

 Chapter 18 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel let out a deep sigh as what was left of the defenders and citizens of Vul Dema finally came to a halt before the great barrier that protected Baa¡¯Yega territory. Anxious cheers and gestures of celebration erupted throughout the Dae survivors, but the faceless glares of the Baa¡¯yega warriors atop the wall told Daniel a different story. This was not sure to be their salvation. Daniel scanned the bone masks of the warriors as they peered down. Not what I expected, but I guess they aren¡¯t attacking us so¡­ He thought.


    Avria walked beside him, a grimace on her face. ¡°Something is wrong.¡± She turned to wave over Lord Atun, who hurried to meet them. The once regal and well-dressed Dae looked ragged and weary. Of course, he was. They all were.


    ¡°Yes, Lady.¡± He bowed as he approached.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what we can do to get these people inside.¡± She strode forward, Daniel in tow, walking beside Atun.


    Avria stopped at the gate and raised her voice. ¡°I am Lady Avria, of house Regios! I am followed by refugees of Vul Dema, who seek sanctuary within the borders of Baa¡¯Yega! Send an officer out immediately to negotiate our peaceful entry!¡±


    There were several moments of tense silence, until the warriors atop the wall began to move. Daniel couldn¡¯t tell what was going on from his vantage, but soon a gate opened and a Baa¡¯Yega officer exited, flanked by several other warriors.


    ¡°To whom am I speaking?¡± Avria asked as they all approached each other.


    ¡°I am lieutenant Troq, of house Melious.¡± The officer said, his faceless mask turning toward Daniel for several moments. ¡°Where did you say your people were from?¡±


    ¡°Vul Dema.¡± Avria gestured behind her. ¡°We¡¯ve been fighting Visgo raiding parties and have run out of supplies. I demand you allow them entry to rest and feed themselves.¡±


    The officer shook his head. ¡°That will not be possible until we¡¯re given the order. My apologies, my Lady.¡±


    Avria fumed, crossing her arms. ¡°You would subject these people to further strife? Upon who¡¯s order are we waiting?¡±


    ¡°That would be Prince Tegan, my Lady.¡±


    ¡°The Prince¡­¡± Avria turned to Daniel, ¡°This will take forever.¡±


    ¡°My Lady,¡± Atun spoke up. ¡°I will go in to negotiate on our behalf. I¡¯m sure the Prince will be satisfied if a noble he¡¯s familiar with advocates on our behalf.


    ¡°You should go.¡± Daniel looked at Avria. ¡°You¡¯ve met the Prince, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I will not enter these walls, until every single person is behind them.¡± Avria¡¯s eyes were serious, and Daniel appreciated the honorable gesture. Avria truly was a testament to the house of Regios.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Daniel looked at Atun. ¡°If she¡¯s staying here, you¡¯re probably the best choice.¡±


    ¡°He is.¡± Avria faced the lieutenant. ¡°I am sending Lord Atun to advocate for us. He is a well-known noble and was the governor of Vul Dema. I¡¯m sure Prince Tegan will appreciate the gesture.¡±


    ¡°That is acceptable, my Lady.¡± Troq bowed. ¡°I will escort him to the prince myself. And we will bring food and water out for you all, while you wait. This might take some time.¡±


    Nearly nine hours later, Avria paced, ¡°Warriors of Baa¡¯Yega!¡± She shouted in frustration. ¡°We have given you the proof you need to verify we are who we say we are!¡±


    The Baa¡¯Yega did honor their word and provide some food and water to the people, but after nearly half the day, the weary hearts of Vul Dema¡¯s survivors were beginning to wane.


    ¡°Damn them¡­¡± Avria cursed, ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.¡±


    Daniel grunted as he walked to her side, his body still wracked with pain from his battle with the Visgo. ¡°No word yet from Atun or anyone?¡±


    Avria shook her head in disgust. ¡°You never can trust politicians.¡± She grumbled and continued to walk back and forth, like a lioness.


    Another hour passed and finally a portion of the wall separated, and a troop of Baa¡¯Yega warriors poured out.


    Daniel tensed as they approached, painfully aware that this wasn¡¯t a friendly assortment. Their lieutenant strode to the front of the formation, a standard war-group. ¡°Lady Avria.¡± He said, revealing a scroll from beneath his blue cloak bearing the seal of the King. ¡°Prince Tegan of House Rogima has granted your request for asylum here, within the safety of Baa¡¯Yega¡¯s territory. His grace and mercy, however, does not come without conditions.¡±


    Avria stiffened, but nodded. ¡°What does he ask?¡± Disappointment was clear in her voice.


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    The Lieutenant¡¯s featureless helmet shifted to Daniel¡¯s general direction. ¡°All are welcome here¡­ with the exception of...¡± He hesitated, searching for the proper word. ¡°This creature.¡±


    Avria¡¯s eyes widened at the condition. ¡°What?¡± She asked, in shock. ¡°No, that¡¯s ridiculous. Daniel is a member of the Lokkadonian warrior caste, and a Captain. He will be given the same treatment as the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that isn¡¯t possible.¡± The Lieutenant said. ¡°High King Phobos himself declared that all of the Spirit-Sent were to be detained, and sent to Torre¡¯ for further study. After the role they played in the destruction of Vul De Rah. Even your own King, Yomen, has echoed the order.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Avria bristled. ¡°They also risked their lives defending that city!¡±


    ¡°Looks like we missed a lot.¡± Daniel said with a grimace. ¡°No rest for the weary.¡±


    ¡°I will not-¡± Avria pressed, but was cut off by the Lieutenant.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lady. But my orders are clear. We are not to allow the creature to enter our lands. This is our price. If you comply with this, then the full support of the Baa¡¯Yega will follow. Your people here will be given shelter, and you will be given a full escort to Vul De Mar, where you may join the counter-offensive that is building there.¡±


    Avria¡¯s mouth hung open for several long moments.


    ¡°Avria...¡± Daniel said.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking!¡± She snapped, her eyes darted to the survivors of Vul Dema, then to Daniel.


    ¡°Avria?¡± Daniel asked again, this time with anger building in his voice.


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, my Lady, I understand your predicament.¡± The lieutenant said, ¡°Prince Tegan has expressed his dissatisfaction with the order. He very much wanted to meet one of the creatures himself. But the war effort needs you; and we must ensure the safety of our clan by enforcing the High King¡¯s law.¡±


    After several more minutes of contemplation, Avria clenched her fists and cursed in frustration. Electricity crackled around her, manifested by her fury. ¡°Nothing is ever easy¡­¡± She said, ¡°Lieutenant¡­ take the survivors into your territory¡­ They are in desperate need of rest and recuperation¡­¡± She sighed again, turning to Daniel. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s eyes narrowed as she began to walk toward him, now looking deflated and weary. He knew she had been put in a terrible position, and to her credit, she chose him over the safety and promise the Baa¡¯Yega offered.¡±


    ¡°My lady?¡± The Lieutenant asked, surprise clear in his voice. ¡°Are you, yourself, declining our offer?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Daniel said, sternly. ¡°She isn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Daniel, no.¡± She closed the distance and grabbing his shoulder. ¡°I am not going to-¡±


    ¡°Avria!¡± Daniel shouted, interrupting her. The sudden outburst something she had never seen from the man. ¡°We¡¯ve been through a lot these past few months.¡± He said, regaining his composure. ¡°But you¡¯re needed elsewhere. You heard him; your family needs you, and Lokkadonia needs you. We¡¯re useless out here. Seriously, what the fuck are we going to do? You have to get to Vul De Mar, help them take Vul De Rah back, for Agron. For Oros¡­¡±


    She shook her head as he spoke the words. ¡°I can¡¯t just leave you out here.¡± She said through clenched teeth. ¡°By the Spirits, Daniel, I owe you, my life. I can¡¯t just abandon you out here. I won¡¯t.¡± She turned to the Lieutenant. ¡°You must give us more information about this royal decree.¡±


    ¡°As I told you already, my Lady. High King Phobos and the High Espi-Dae have declared that all of the so-called spirit-sent are to be sent to Torre¡¯, detained, or killed on sight. The roll they played in the destruction of all of Southern Lokkadonia is proof enough.¡±


    ¡°This is foolishness.¡± Avria hissed. ¡°After everything you have done for them. For our clan.¡±


    Daniel looked at his filthy hands. Caked in blood and grime. What the hell am I going to do now? My allies want to kill me more than my enemies. He thought. ¡°What about Boros, what does he have to say about this?¡± He asked the lieutenant.


    ¡°Hego Boros is adamantly against the ruling but has no say. The Ignos seat of power is gone, more than half their warriors are dead or missing. King Yomen has ensured his safety, but maintains the High King¡¯s wishes. The House of Ignos is all but destroyed.¡±


    ¡°What about Illya?¡±


    ¡°Lady Illya is missing. She is presumed dead at this point. If Alektor had her, he would have used it against Lokkon by now.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Daniel whispered; she can¡¯t be dead. He thought, fury roiling in his chest. Just another reason why Robert and the Rexunii had to die. He looked back from where they¡¯d come. The forests were dense around here. He could maybe survive out there for a while. Find some way to help eventually. He let out a deep breath.


    ¡°Daniel.¡± Avria snapped her fingers, getting his attention. ¡°I will fix this. I will speak with King Yomen. I will go to the High King himself if I have to. This foolishness will not stand.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ok.¡± He said, then took a deep breath and grasped her shoulders. ¡°If there¡¯s anyone in this world who can do it; it¡¯s you.¡± He looked into her eyes and nodded his assurance. ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±


    ¡°There is much we still need to do.¡± She grunted. ¡°Don¡¯t die on me out here.¡±


    Daniel pulled away and smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me, and you know it. Rally the Lokkadonian forces, kick King Yomin¡¯s ass into shape, and get to Vul De Rah. That''s what you need to do; make Alektor pay.¡±


    Fury and resignation filled her gaze, and her yellow eyes focused on him intently, as she scanned his face. ¡°Stay alive.¡± She said, her voice hard and determined. ¡°I will need your power to take the city. Is that understood?¡±


    Daniel chuckled. ¡°Understood.¡±


    She brought her fist across her chest in a salute, and turned to face the Baa¡¯Yega Lieutenant. ¡°Tell your Prince we will comply with his condition.¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡± He said, turning to walk back through the open portion of the wall. ¡°Please, will everyone follow me!¡±


    At that, there were cheers of joy as the refugees began to clammer behind him through the opening.


    Daniel watched as the exhausted survivors walked through the gate into safety. Avria stood in the rear, ushering them through. True to her word, only after every single Dae had entered, did she finally start to move. She turned to face Daniel, holding his gaze for several moments. He nodded at her, doing his best to look confident and reassuring. He felt neither. Then, without a word or gesture, she spun on her heels and walked through into Baa¡¯Yega territory.


    A gust of wind  blew past Daniel as he stared at the wall, and it¡¯s now closed gate. He felt empty inside. For the first time since arriving on Pelemont, he was truly alone in this world. He had no real allies to speak of. No real heading anymore. He glanced back toward the forest, now painfully aware of the state of his body, which was utterly drained.


    Fuck¡­ he thought, taking a deep breath, and forcing his battered legs to move.

 Chapter 19 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Katrina looked again at the assortment of fine clothes laying across her large bed. She sighed in annoyance and then turned to face Demessa.


    ¡°Just pick one and be done with it.¡± She huffed, ¡°He won¡¯t stop asking.¡±


    Katrina clenched her teeth in irritation. After nearly a week of being back in Vul De Rah, she had not seen Alektor once. Though he had made many attempts to. Demessa had acted as a liaison between them, and to her obvious disappointment, had been forced to endure Alektor''s cold retaliations. Katrina had been invited to a royal dinner, where many of the city¡¯s and Rexunii royalty would be present. Her reasons for avoiding him were obvious, but the longer she insulted him, the higher the risk that she would end up in chains.


    ¡°This one looks quite beautiful,¡± Demessa said, lifting a form-fitting silken gown. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it on and see if you change your mind.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t go,¡± Katrina said, her voice low and resigned. ¡°These are mind games, he¡¯s feigning kindness.¡±


    ¡°High King Alektor is many things, Katrina. And being considered a manipulative tyrant would not be far from the mark. But he does truly have a genuine interest in you humans.¡± Demessa held out the dress to her and gave her a forced smile. ¡°And if I have to be told to try and relate to you on a feminine level again, I will lose my mind. Please just go, entertain their curiosity.¡±


    ~


    Katrina grumbled as they entered the dining hall. She had taken Demessa¡¯s advice and worn the dress she had suggested. A silken gown that looked as though it glowed a deep blue. The fabric rested against her skin tightly, but not in a way that felt uncomfortable.


    ¡°Lady Katrina! Spirit-Sent!¡± An announcer called out, bringing all the heads in the large ballroom to turn and look at her.


    The clamoring and conversation of the partygoers died at that moment, and all that could be heard was the sound of her evening shoes on the stone floor. She paused at the attention, feeling the pit in her stomach drop into an endless void, then watched as the crowd parted and Alektor approached her.


    ¡°Lady Katrina, I am grateful you decided to grace us with your presence tonight.¡± He said, bowing his head slightly. ¡°Please, follow me.¡±


    Katrina did what he asked, but kept herself as quiet as possible. He strode in front of her, clearing a path through the nobility, and made his way toward a large table, somewhat elevated from the floor. He wore a fine grey cloak embroidered with gold designs of curling wings and vines. Simple in comparison to the rest of his guests, but his presence was not stifled in any way. He seemed to overwhelm all who beheld him with how he carried himself. She shook her head at the realization of how much she actually hated this Dae. He was a manipulator, and a tyrant as far as she was concerned. Murderer¡­ she reminded herself.


    ¡°Please.¡± He said, lifting a hand toward a golden chair that was held out by a servant.


    Katrina looked at the people who were at the table. She recognized only two. Turak, his highest ranking commander, and Ambrosia, princess of the Sabree clan. Aside from them, were six others who looked on in tempered curiosity. She took in a deep breath and sat. Alektor took his seat across from her, between Turak to his right, and Ambrosia to his left.


    ¡°So good to see you again, Katrina.¡± Turak said, his words filled with irritation. ¡°We were wondering when you would finally decide to emerge from your isolation.¡±


    ¡°It is quite disrespectful to act this way to your hosts. Especially those who hold your life in their hands.¡± Ambrosia chimed in; her yellow eyes focused intently on her.


    This bitch is right¡­ Katrina thought. I better keep my cool as best I can. He could fry me in a heartbeat if he wanted to.


    ¡°Enough.¡± Alektor said, shaking his head. ¡°You have nothing to fear from me, Katrina. Unlike the Torre¡¯ we value the presence of humans.¡±


    Katrina closed her eyes for a moment, readying her mind. ¡°I¡¯ve done as you¡¯ve asked and come to meet with you, Alektor. What is it you wanted to discuss?¡±


    Ambrosia scoffed, ¡°You are speaking to the High King, and yet you treat him this way.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to speak to you about several important matters.¡± Alektor said, leaning back in his chair. ¡°First, I believe you have misplaced your loyalty. You owed Agron much, in how he protected you against the Torre¡¯. I admired that about him, along with his method of rule and his loyalty to his family.¡±


    Don¡¯t talk about Hego Agron, you bastard. Katrina thought, hatred flowing from her.


    ¡°With that admiration, however, I despised him as well. His treatment of my people under his rule was despicable.¡± Alektor¡¯s voice remained calm, but Katrina¡¯s began to rise as she responded, letting her emotion get the best of her.


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you fight him? Why did you have the reanimated corpse of his own son cut his head off?¡± Katrina caught herself, shit... she thought, cursing her lack of self-control. She took a breath, then looked into his eyes. They were unreadable. Indecipherable as marble as they stared at her. Unrelenting, and unremorseful. In that moment, all semblance of self-preservation disappeared. She might not be able to kill him, but if she was going to die. She¡¯d give him a piece of her mind. ¡°You¡¯re a coward, hiding behind this bullshit story of how you came here to save your people. The Rexunii didn¡¯t give a damn about the Doulos either, until it suited your needs. Until you needed a reason to invade your neighbors and conquer! All you wanted was power. And Robert was stupid enough to go along with it.¡±


    ¡°Reku-¡± Turak began, his face twisted in anger but was cut off.


    ¡°Robert was weak.¡± Katrina continued. ¡°And naive enough to believe he was doing something right.¡± She paused for a moment. Letting the memory of the incident in the throne room play in her mind. Then, before she knew it, tears were rolling down her cheeks. ¡°I watched it happen¡­ I saw the moment Agron realized something was wrong with his son¡­ then I watched the horror in Avria¡¯s face as she saw the illusion fade, and her fianc¨¦¡¯s burned and disfigured corpse appear. I heard the sobs of Boros as he held the bodies of his father and brother.¡± She turned red and her eyes bulged at Alektor, and said with as much hatred as she could muster. ¡°You¡¯re a damn monster; and I hope you burn for it.¡±


    Alektor¡¯s face was the same unreadable and stoic mask. Katrina then noticed a deathly silence that hung over them. She glanced around and found that nearly everyone in the party was looking at her. If this is my last moment in this world, she thought, at least I¡¯d have made an impression. She couldn¡¯t take back her words. She had been stewing with them rattling around in her brain since she was captured. Still, regardless of the consequences, it felt good to get it all out.


    ¡°There is nothing I can say to calm the fire in your heart.¡± Alektor finally said, ¡°I know you were close to them, and for that I can only say that I am sorry you lost people that you cared about. But I will not have you assume that my coming here, was for the sole purpose of conquest. I watched as the Rexunii abandoned their own¡­ there is truth in what you say. My father was no one of importance in Rexun¡­ He was a warrior, and lived by the code his father passed to him, and his father before him.¡± He paused, and glanced to his right, toward Turak, who was looking at the table, anger still on his face.


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    ¡°One day on patrol of the Northern border, he came across a group of bodies that was strewn out near the edge of Lokkadonian territory. His war-group crossed the border briefly to investigate, and found they were all Doulos¡­ with only one survivor among them. A young boy¡­ with a terrible wound across his face. Our family took him in, and fed him until he was strong enough to join our warrior caste. Since that day, my father petitioned the King to negotiate on behalf of our lost Rexunii brethren in Lokkadonia. After the atrocities were brought to our attention, it was something he refused to ignore.¡± He clenched his fist and narrowed his eyes. ¡°One day he was taken before one of the King¡¯s council. An honor and privilege for one of such low birth. He made a case, and asked if something could be done. Hours after he had left our home, we were given word that he was executed as a traitor.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°I met those Dae¡­ years later, as I cleaved my way through their warriors. I watched them beg me for mercy before I threw them into the Pit of Mar, to be devoured by the Cugorii.¡± Alektor¡¯s voice finally rose a bit as he became caught up in the memory. ¡°After I took the throne, I swore I would do whatever I could to bring my people home. And I did. You can say what you will, about me and my methods, Katrina. But I do not regret what I did to achieve my goals. Lokkon, is a blight on Eleutheros as far as I am concerned. And I will see them all submit. If they do not, they will die.¡± He stood from his chair suddenly and looked at the silent nobles around him, many of whom were Lokkadonian. ¡°Those who resist, will be rendered to ashes.¡± He then locked eyes with Katrina. ¡°Reku made sure to temper my fury against them. You call him weak, and look down on him, but he is the only reason Lokkon is not a lifeless wasteland.¡±


    The two looked at each other for several tense moments, until Alektor gathered his composure, and sat back down. ¡°I will ask nothing more of you. I can see now that you are so embroiled in your hatred that you cannot see the truth. I have sent word to King Reku of your arrival here, and he has not given us a response. I will send you word if he does. In the meantime, you will be free of further inquiries to join us. We will not stop you if you change your mind, but that will be entirely up to you.¡±


    Katrina said nothing, her heart beating heavily in her chest. Knowing full well she most likely had made things more difficult, not only for herself, but for the Lokkadonians around her. Her childish outburst now seeming more foolish than ever. So¡­ stupid.


    ¡°You are still not permitted to leave, however.¡± He continued, ¡°I cannot have a human with strange abilities roaming around our territory, and least of all, in enemy hands.¡±


    With that, he looked at his untouched plate of food and sighed. ¡°I feel as though I¡¯ve lost my appetite. Please excuse me.¡± He stood and turned to leave, being followed by a dozen heavily armed warriors. Ambrosia gave Katrina another glare, and stood to follow him.


    Turak exhaled and watched as they left, then brought his attention back to Katrina. ¡°I know what you¡¯re going through.¡± He said, taking a few moments to gather his thoughts. ¡°Your passion is unmistakable, and you are justified to think the things you do. But life is more complicated than villains and heroes. There are reasons and motivations you cannot see¡­ That applies to both sides. Reku saw this¡­ he was able to put his feelings for you, and his loyalty to the people who took him in, aside for what he believed was right.¡±


    Katrina looked at her plate solemnly. Like Alektor, her appetite no longer evident. This was going to be extremely difficult. She needed to put her feelings aside as best she could. And focus on advocating for Lokkadonia. There were so many scenarios she could see where thousands ended up dead at the hands of the occupying Rexunii.


    She poked at her food for a time, while all around her ate in awkward silence. After nearly a half hour, she stood and excused herself. Being escorted back to her chambers by several royal guards.


    ~


    Back in her room she sat on the bed and fumed silently, looking at the ceiling.


    ¡°I must say, I¡¯m impressed.¡± Demessa said, chuckling in the corner. ¡°You called High King Alektor a coward in front of all of Vul De Rah¡¯s nobility.¡± She laughed loudly. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him get angry like that before. I think he¡¯s finally met his match. Though, I suppose you being a Spirit-Sent had a great deal to do with it. Any other person in all of Pelemont would have paid a deadly price.¡±


    Demessa strode over to Katrina and stood before her. ¡°I think you¡¯re wrong, of course, but I admire your passion. Reku is not weak, Katrina¡­ what they did to him, the Torre¡¯ was unspeakable¡­ He was begging to die in the end, pleading with them to end his suffering.¡± She paused to relive the sight of him strapped to the torture table. ¡°They cut, prodded, and flayed his skin¡­ His face was unrecognizable¡­ They bled him for days on end. While he screamed and begged. They asked him questions about his purpose here, and no matter the answer, he was tortured further. Anyone would have broken, Katrina. Anyone would have given up¡­ but they didn¡¯t even give him the option. They kept him alive. And when I showed up and saw him there on that slab of stone¡­ I felt a wave of guilt so intense; it haunted me for days. When they were finally ordered by Alektor to end the meaningless suffering, they kept a piece of him¡­ to study.¡± Demessa lifted her right hand and opened her fingers. ¡°They chopped his hand off.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s mind was blank as Demessa spoke. Her words being spoken about someone else, it couldn¡¯t be about Robert. The implications finally started to set in. And Katrina could again feel tears rolling down her cheeks for the man she had cried so many nights over.¡±


    ¡°The Torre¡¯ did this.¡± Demessa continued. ¡°That was their condition. Of course Alektor jumped on the opportunity. How often does the High King make requests of this level? It gave Alektor everything he needed to make his demand to them. All he wanted was to be allowed to free his people in Lokkadonia¡­ by force if necessary. Then, when they thought they¡¯d got what they wanted. They betrayed us. Turning on Rexun again, but we had, had enough!¡± Demessa¡¯s eyes bulged with fury as she stood, staring out the balcony of Katrina¡¯s room. ¡°It was one of the proudest moments in my life when I heard  that my King told them in his throne room¡­ with Reku by his side, the creature, the demon they thought they¡¯d had us kill. That he would defeat them all¡­¡±


    Katrina stared at her a bit dumbstruck. She had been captured in the woman¡¯s moment, and allowed herself to get swept away. ¡°I¡­ Didn¡¯t know. About Robert¡¯s¡­ I didn¡¯t know it was that bad.¡±


    Demessa slumped into a chair beside Katrina. ¡°I tell you, whatever you''re imagining, it was worse. Much worse. I had him for a moment... he was mine, for just a breath. I was able to hold him and tell him he was safe¡­ tell him that he could always rely on me.¡± She put her left hand on her face, letting out a deep sigh. ¡°It was worth it though.¡±


    Katrina noticed then that she had also put her right hand on her abdomen.


    Curious¡­ She thought, ¡°You really care about him, don¡¯t you?¡± Katrina asked,


    ¡°I love him.¡± Demessa said, bringing her hand down, her eyes distant. ¡°I think I always will.¡±


    The words brought Katrina to look at her in surprise. ¡°Wow.¡± She chuckled, ¡°I guess he made an impression. Seems more like a fling to me though, than true love.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± She stood again and walked across the large room to the table with the wine displayed on it. ¡°Now he¡¯s a King, I am stuck here, given menial tasks and treated like a harlot.¡± She poured a large bowl and drank deeply from it.


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine why?¡± Katrina murmured.


    Demessa looked at her with a raised eyebrow. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Never mind,¡± Katrina said, standing and walking to pour her own bowl of wine. ¡°At least one of us was getting laid here. I never thought he had it in him.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Demessa asked.


    ¡°You know, have sex. He was always so concerned about everything back home. Self-conscious about everything. Now he¡¯s the only one getting any around here.¡±


    ¡°What about you and Prince Boros?¡± Demessa drank again, and began to pour another. ¡°Reku was certain that you were intimate with him.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Katrina barked. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t do anything with him. He made an attempt to tell me how he felt, but with everything with Robert. And the fact that I really didn¡¯t have any interest in him.¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Demessa brought the bowl to her lips and drank slowly, her mind working.


    ¡°Daniel hasn¡¯t done anything either, as far as I know.¡± Katrina walked to sit on one of the two couches near the table. ¡°I tried to get him to as well. With Princess Illya, but he refused her.¡±


    ¡°Daniel is the other human who came with you¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Katrina studied the Dae¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯ve met him?¡±


    ¡°Once.¡± Demessa recalled her fight with Avria, and Robert¡¯s confrontation with Daniel. ¡°I met him in Vul De Rah during the battle. He was¡­ interesting.¡±


    Katrina took a deep breath, and rubbed her eyes.


    ¡°Regardless.¡± Demessa continued, ¡°You have had a taxing evening. I will leave you to rest.¡±


    Katrina waved her hand in farewell as she stood to get more wine. Alone now, with her thoughts whirling in her mind. She thought of her friends and hoped that they were alright. Daniel¡­ Avria¡­ Delmos¡­ Illya¡­ She closed her eyes. Please be alright.

 Chapter 20 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Robert sighed again sitting beside his wife while she dealt with the nobles of Visgo. As they recounted the many tedious exploits of his former companion, Daniel.


    ¡°There is much we could learn from the incident, your highness.¡± A noble said, his head bowed in respect. ¡°It looks as though the Baa¡¯Yega chased him off. Spirits know where he is now.¡±


    Athica pondered for several moments, then looked to Robert. ¡°King Reku, do you have some input on this? Daniel was one of your friends after all.¡±


    Robert shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know where he¡¯ll go. He¡¯s most likely going to try and make his way up North though. That''s the only place left where they would have any support.¡±


    ¡°The King of Lokkadonia, King Yomin, has declared that all Spirit Sent are to be turned over to the Torre¡¯. He will not go there.¡± The noble said, a grin appearing on his face.


    ¡°Then send out word that Visgo welcomes all Spirit Sent,¡± Robert declared, ¡°We are a haven for them, should any who have been in hiding show themselves. Maybe he¡¯ll come to his senses and travel out here. I also want all military action against Spirit-Sent to be halted.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my King.¡± The noble bowed deeply and turned to leave the throne room.


    As the large doors slid closed, a palpable silence ensued. After Athica¡¯s rather dramatic announcement of her condition, Robert had done his best to treat her with more patience and respect. The thought still irked him; the reality and implication of her carrying his child came with more trouble than he knew what to do with. He had made the decision to lay with her on their wedding night. Albeit more because of his vague understanding of the custom. He found himself regretting that choice the more he thought about it.


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Athica exaggerated a cough to get his attention. Slowly, Robert looked at her, his gaze cold. ¡°I know you have a great deal on your mind, Reku. But this news is troubling. With the other Spirit-Sent roaming freely about Lokkadonia, we should be careful in announcing anything. We are still his enemy. His seemingly effortless destruction of our war groups a strong statement to that fact.¡± Athica¡¯s eyes went over him, looking for a reaction.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what threat he poses.¡± Robert shot back. ¡°He needs to be reasoned with. That¡¯s all. Daniel is a smart guy. He¡¯ll see reason.¡±


    ¡°And if he doesn¡¯t?¡± Athica asked, ¡°What if he comes here seeking vengeance? I would hate to see that level of destruction and death brought here. Especially if he is just allowed to walk in.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a discussion, Athica. Alektor made his order clear.¡± Robert shifted in his throne, facing her fully. ¡°Katrina is in Vul De Rah. Daniel won¡¯t do anything to threaten her safety.¡±


    ¡°Does he know that she is there?¡± Athica¡¯s eyes darted around Robert¡¯s face. Her expression earnest.


    Robert thought about it for a moment. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know.¡± The question gave him pause the more he thought about it. ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t know about it. There are way bigger fish for him to fry first. His target will be Vul De Rah, most likely.¡±


    Athica looked at her fidgeting hands, resting on her lap. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right¡­ Though¡­ that further justifies your summons by the High King.¡± She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. ¡°I am a target here, Reku. I¡¯ve made many enemies since bringing you here. And now with¡­¡± She placed her hands on her growing belly. ¡°I fear I will not survive being left alone.¡±


    Robert stood abruptly. His frustration starting to take control. ¡°I know, ok? I can¡¯t be everywhere at once.¡±


    ¡°Reku¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let anything happen to you, alright?¡± Robert huffed.


    ¡°But how?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re coming with me. That¡¯s how.¡± Robert faced her, determination on his face. ¡°Leaving you here is too dangerous. For you and the baby. I can protect you if you¡¯re with me.¡±


    ¡°But who will run our affairs?¡± She asked. ¡°With Lord Pilyur absent¡­ there are none with enough skill or influence left who are capable of ruling our entire clan in our stead. And at such a tumultuous time. Half of the nobles who swore loyalty to me wish to see me dead. The only reason they do not act on this desire, is because they fear you.¡±


    Robert shook his head, but reached out to Dio¡¯Mar mentally. What do you think? I¡¯m caught between a rock and a hard place here.


    The spirit shimmered into existence before him, her black cloak billowing as she crossed her tiny arms. ¡°There are many nobles who are truly loyal to her¡­ Though they lack the skill of the more experienced statesman loyal to Pilyur¡­ I feel that is of little consequence¡­¡±


    Why is that?


    ¡°Because the old ways are backward¡­¡± She said, floating closer to his face. ¡°Lord Rymo, of house Lorex¡­ The Dae who was first to bend the knee should suffice¡­ He is loyal to you both¡­ and will be easier to mold¡­ The nobles who ran Visgo¡¯s infrastructure did so out of corruption and manipulation¡­ You must show them a better way¡­¡±


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    I mean¡­ technically this is still corruption and manipulation¡­ Robert thought to her.


    ¡°Yes¡­ but it is your corruption and manipulation¡­ There is quite a large difference¡­¡±


    ¡°Reku?¡± Athica asked, pulling Robert from his silent conversation with the little spirit.


    Robert glanced at her, painfully aware of how ridiculous he must have looked, staring into nothing. ¡°Rymo will do it.¡± He said, looking at one of the royal guards around them. ¡°Go get Lord Rymo, and bring him here.¡±


    ¡°Rymo?¡± Athica¡¯s face was one of bewilderment. ¡°We know very little about him. He could¡ª¡±


    ¡°We know that he was the first one to kneel when instructed to do so.¡± Robert said, And of course, Dio is vouching for him, so that means he can be trusted¡­ I hope.


    Athica said nothing to that. Instead they both looked separate ways and waited. After what seemed a silent eternity. The doors of the throne room slid open, and Lord Rymo entered; approaching him and Athica and falling to his knee.


    ¡°You summoned me, my King and Queen.¡± He said, his breath short, no doubt from his hasty arrival.


    ¡°Lord Rymo of House Lorex.¡± Robert gestured for him to rise. ¡°The Queen and I are needed in Vul De Rah. High King Alektor has asked that we both travel there immediately.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ your Grace¡­¡± Rymo spoke slowly, seemingly unsure of how to respond.


    ¡°That means.¡± Robert continued. ¡°We need someone here to take responsibility of all Visgo¡¯s affairs.¡±


    Rymo¡¯s face paled at the statement. ¡°I¡­ your Grace¡­ you don¡¯t¡±


    ¡°I want that someone to be you.¡± Robert said, then turned to Athica. ¡°What position would that be? I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Athica stiffened, clearly reluctant, but sighed and answered regardless. ¡°He would need to be given the title of Hego. Since we have none in Visgo, this would give him authority over the regional lords and nobles.¡±


    ¡°No Hegos?¡± Robert asked, ¡°I thought every clan in Eleutheros had them.¡±


    ¡°Visgo, Rexun, and Exous are the only clans who don¡¯t have any¡­¡± Athica answered unenthusiastically. ¡°Our governing structures don¡¯t need them. As I mentioned before, we rely on regional lords and nobles.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Robert focused on Rymo again. ¡°Do you think you can handle it?¡±


    Rymo bowed his head to the floor. ¡°Your Grace, I will serve you well! If you grant this title to me, I will not fail you. Visgo will be as prosp¡ª¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± Robert cut him off. ¡°I now pronounce you a Hego¡­ or give you the title¡­ or¡­¡± He looked at Athica. ¡°You know how to do it.¡±


    She sighed again. ¡°I will bestow the elevation.¡±


    ~


    The next day, after painting a clear picture for Rymo, and Athica mapping out what was expected of him, Robert assembled their traveling party. There was an entourage of a hundred or so warriors who escorted them. Along with his own Rexunii honor guard, Malak included, Robert felt they would be prepared and protected enough for anything. Athica traveled on a very luxurious carriage, or as Robert saw them, basically a large hollow rock that slid across the ground. He himself opted to ride a Cro¡¯kan. It gave him the freedom to do as he needed, and spare himself awkward conversations with Athica for days on end.


    After the first day of travel Robert set up a small camp away from the Royal tent. Still within sight of the guards of course, but far enough away that he could have his privacy. Setting up his bed roll and gear, a guard approached using his Dunamis to light a small campfire for him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Robert said, leaning against his travel bag.


    ¡°Of course, Sire.¡± The guard said, making his way back to the rest of the guards.


    ¡°You are nervous¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s small voice said in his head as the little spirt appeared before him just above the flames.


    ¡°Oh please.¡± Robert spoke aloud. Taking his travel cloak and wrapping it tightly around him. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to be nervous about. It¡¯s got to be done¡­ either way. Kat is probably more nervous than I am.¡±


    ¡°And yet¡­¡± She hummed and floated closer to his face. ¡°You can hide your feelings from them, Robert¡­¡± Her little hand pointed to the warriors. ¡°But not me¡­ I can always see you¡­ the real you¡­¡±


    ¡°Dio, seriously. I need to get some sleep.¡± Robert grumbled, turning his head away from her and trying to close his eyes.¡±


    ¡°Robert¡­¡± she said, a bit more insistent than usual.


    The change in her caused Robert to sit up again and look at her. ¡°What?¡± He asked, now a bit tense.


    ¡°Demessa¡­ is with child¡­¡±


    Robert¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he froze. ¡°W¡­W¡­ what!?¡± He yelled, causing his guards to leap from their relaxation and dash toward him.


    Robert quickly stood and waved them off. ¡°It¡¯s all right!¡± He yelled, ¡°just scared myself, that¡¯s all.¡± He sat back down and leaned in uncomfortably close to Dio¡¯Mar. ¡°Dio¡­ I swear to everything and everyone that is holy in this universe. If you¡¯re bullshitting me, I¡¯m gonna¡ª¡±


    ¡°I speak the truth¡­¡± She floated to sit on his shoulder. ¡°Apparently, in spite of your¡­ precautions¡­ your seed has taken hold.¡±


    Robert leaned back and put both of his hands on his head. ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± He let out a deep breath, then jolted back up quickly. ¡°How do you know? And why am I just hearing about this now?¡±


    ¡°I left a bit of my consciousness in Vul De Rah to watch her¡­ as I was always curious if a human and Dae could create offspring. After Athica¡¯s confirmation I was hopeful¡­ however, she found out for certain this evening¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh my GOD.¡± He buried his face in his hands. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening!¡±


    ¡°This¡­ was always a possibility... As it is the result of such¡­ activities.¡± She said, floating in front of him. ¡°Demessa will now be forced to accompany you¡­ and you can legitimize the child as your own¡­ the beginning of your Dynasty.


    ¡°But what about Athica?¡± Robert snapped. ¡°Wont she freak out? What about our kid?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ is something you must discuss with Alektor¡­ He will have some wisdom, I¡¯m sure of it¡­ Though I don¡¯t think she will have much to say¡­ You have clearly taken control¡­ she fears you¡­¡±


    Robert thought then, for a moment, drowning out Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s voice. Unsure how this would work in Pelemont. Do they view bastards the same way? With a steadying breath, he steeled himself. If Demessa was pregnant, then he had to take care of her. And protect his child. Good GOD, He thought, What a mess.


    ¡°Quite the mess¡­ indeed.¡±


    ¡°Get out of my head!¡± He spat at the annoying spirit. ¡°I¡¯m trying to think.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­ your noble side is coming out¡­¡± She said, ¡°I do¡­ love it when you think like that¡­ It makes me believe there is hope for this world¡­ So many struggle with it¡­ but to you it comes naturally¡­ The need to protect your child¡­ and their mother¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to.¡± He said, his heart churning a bit as the words left his mouth. ¡°I made the choice. Now I¡¯ve got to live with it.¡±

 Chapter 21 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel sat in silent contemplation, staring into the fire he had been warming himself with. After his separation from Avria and the surviving villagers of Vul Dema, he had been aimlessly traveling alone through small forests. The realization of his current predicament had settled in hours ago. He was now cut off from his former allies of Lokkadonia. Since the Death of Agron and his heir, Oros, the Torre¡¯ High King, Phobos, had again declared that all Humans would be turned over to the Espi-Dae. Only this time without the protection from Agron, he was on his own. He said a silent prayer for Katrina, whose whereabouts were unknown to him. He hoped she hadn¡¯t been turned over to the Torre¡¯.


    He let out a sigh and looked up to the sky. Finding the tiny lights of stars through the canopy of the trees. Again, he prayed. He was raised Catholic by his parents, but since joining the Marines, he had found himself a less-than-stellar example of the faith. He was lost now; surrounded by enemies, and at probably his lowest point since coming to Pelemont. Here, in this world, he found his original faith shaken by the existence of Spirits. How did they all fit in?


    Clearing his thoughts, he sat up and closed his eyes. He felt the almost instinctive pull into the Dunam Dae Espa and allowed himself to slip into the trance-like state. He opened his eyes to find himself again in the desert of his power. Rolling dunes as far as the eye could see. And a blazing-hot sun above. This is where he could focus on his power, on himself. Having no real guidance in the state, he began walking. After what seemed to be a long time, he noticed a pillar of stone in front of him. Was that there before? he thought, picking up his pace. As he approached it, he saw that it was covered in scorches and cracks, obscuring what looked like carvings. Words he didn¡¯t recognize, but he felt he should. For several minutes, he inspected the pillar, moving his hand across the battered surface, trying to determine its purpose, if any.


    ¡°Have you found it?¡± A voice said, behind him.


    Daniel whirled around only to see a cloaked man standing before him, his hood up, but his face visible. He looked human. His features one of a young man in his early twenties.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Daniel asked, suddenly feeling strangely afraid. ¡°How did you get here?¡±


    ¡°And where is that?¡± The man asked, his voice sounding pure and almost songlike.


    ¡°My¡­¡± Daniel paused. ¡°My Dunam Dae Espa.¡±


    ¡°Is that what the people of this world call it?¡± He asked before continuing. ¡°This is a reflection of your soul, Daniel. This is who you are in your entirety.¡± Raising his hands, he gestured to the vast desert around them. ¡°This is what you have become.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Daniel took a moment to look around. Taking in the vastness of it all. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense. Who are you?¡± he repeated.


    ¡°I am¡­ what you asked for.¡± The man said bluntly.


    Daniel raised his eyebrow in confusion. ¡°Are you a spirit?¡± he asked, remembering that Avria said spirits would sometimes wander into people''s Dunam Dae Espa. And the results would vary depending on its intent.


    ¡°No.¡± he said, bluntly.


    ¡°Then what?¡± Daniel tensed, slowly falling into a fighting stance. ¡°A demon?¡±


    ¡°You may call me Raguel.¡± The man said, ¡°And I am what is needed.¡±


    ¡°Needed?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°You feel lost¡­¡± The man continued. ¡°But do not fret. You are not alone. You are never alone.¡±


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    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Daniel asked, beginning to get a bit frustrated at the strange cryptic words coming from the intruder of his realm. ¡°You¡¯re not making any sense, Raguel.¡±


    Raguel lifted his hand and pointed at the cracked and damaged pillar. ¡°This¡­ should be a tower of your feats. A symbol of your might, and a monument to your fortitude, Daniel. Look at it¡­ barely a shard of broken stone.¡±


    Daniel turned to face the pillar again. And for a reason he couldn¡¯t explain, immense sadness came over him. He saw in the stone his own life. His failures and shortcomings, all his wrongs and inactions. For the first time since he could remember, tears began to flow from his eyes, and he fell to his knees. The feeling intensified as it poured from him, the countless sins and wrongs. ¡°I¡­¡± He sobbed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He said to no one. To himself, he guessed. He felt alone, truly alone, and felt a deep, unfathomable darkness around him. Then, almost as soon as the feeling came, it was lifted from him, and his strength began to return.


    He looked to his right shoulder and found the hand of Raguel on it, comforting him in his weakness and lifting the darkness from him.


    ¡°You are not alone¡­¡± He said, his words strong but gentle. ¡°You never have been. And never will be. You can travel untold distances and fall to unknown depths¡­ but still, you will find strength¡­ When darkness holds your heart, and fear consumes you¡­ you will never fall. Look at the stone.¡±


    Daniel did as Raguel asked and looked upon the pillar. As he did, he saw a sliver of golden light beneath the cracked surface. Barely visible to him. His heart was filled with courage and steel. Daniel rose to his feet and drew his fist back. With a yell, he slammed it into the pillar, and to his surprise, broken pieces fell from it, revealing gold beneath. Again, he hit it, then again and again, until all of the broken and damaged pieces of the stone were gone. And before him was a small obelisk of solid gold.


    ¡°I¡­¡± He said, turning to find Raguel smiling. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°You are free.¡± He said, ¡°And suited to your purpose. Now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Daniel asked, ¡°What purpose?¡±


    ¡°The reason you have come. To this dying world. To save it.¡± Raguel said. ¡°Extend your hand¡­ and grasp what is yours.¡±


    Daniel looked to the golden obelisk and reached his hand out to it. It felt warm to the touch as his palm pressed against it. Then it began to vibrate, and change it¡¯s shape. White light glowed from it, and before his eyes, it turned into a metal sword with a golden handle and pommel. Without any hesitation, he grasped the handle, and a torrent of power flowed into him. He used his strength to pull it from the sand, and marveled at the sight.


    ¡°This, is amazing!¡± He exclaimed, turning to face Raguel. Only to realize that there was no one there. Confused, Daniel scanned the area, but the man was nowhere to be seen. He looked at the sand below, and saw only a set of footprints where he¡¯d been standing moments ago. He turned then to where the sword had been stuck in the ground, and within the print the blade left behind, Daniel noticed a tiny sprout of greenery. He knelt to inspect it and saw that it was, in fact, a small sprout of a plant of some kind. Then, it grew several inches, causing Daniel to stand and take several steps back. The plant grew more, faster this time. Within several mesmerizing moments, a large tree appeared before him. The sight was fascinating. And Daniel noticed that there were bulbs of fruit that hung from the branches. Reaching his free hand up, he grasped one of the hundreds of fruits and plucked it. A fig? he thought. Then took a bite. Immediately, his mouth was filled with the sweet flavor of a fig.


    ~


    Daniel jerked up out of a slumber. He found himself lying on the ground and unsure of when he fell asleep. Moments ago, he was in his Dunam Dae Espa, and then¡­ Was it all a dream? he thought, looking around his small makeshift camp. Then, to his surprise, he felt a weight in his hand and looked down to see a long metal blade with a golden handle and pommel grasped tightly by his fingers. He shot to his feet, hefting the blade in his hand, and looked around. It wasn¡¯t¡­ He thought, numbly. ¡°This is so crazy.¡± He said aloud, testing the balance of the strange weapon.


    There was an unfamiliar power that emanated from the sword. Something he couldn¡¯t quite define. Like it was there, but not at the same time. But he felt he had control of its power. Closing his eyes and willing the blade to return to his Dunam Dae Espa, he felt a strange heat, and then the weight of the blade disappeared. He opened his eyes and saw that the blade had vanished. Sudden panic struck him as he feared he might have lost it somehow. Reacting accordingly, he held his hand out and willed it to return. To his astonishment, a bright flash of white flame burned above his palm, and the blade returned. The shock of the sudden appearance caused him to drop the weapon, and its point slid deeply into the dirt below. ¡°Crap!¡± Daniel said, grabbing the handle and lifting it out, looking at it again.


    ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± he said, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

 Chapter 22 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Sweat dripped down Katrina¡¯s face as she went through her forms for what seemed the hundredth time. She had made herself scarce since the incident with Alektor. Doing what she could to get out of the palace and train in some of the many sparring fields House Ignos had on the grounds beside it. She looked up through several strands of hair at her opponent. Demessa breathed heavily but held her practice blade at the ready. Katrina steadied herself and focused on her with the intent to kill.


    ¡°Again!¡± a voice called from beside them. The referee of their little match was a royal guard named Vericia, of house Terois. She had fought Katrina before Demessa, and was still nursing multiple bruises.


    Katrina dashed forward, swinging her blade horizontally to the right. Demessa blocked the strike while spinning in the opposite direction of Katrina¡¯s swing. Katrina gave a bit extra in her legs, and pressed forward, completely dodging the counter swing that would have taken her in the back of her head. Spinning on her heel and reversing her momentum, she again lunged for Demessa. This time she focused on quick swings of her blade, forcing Demessa to meet her head on. Katrina growled as she landed blow after blow on her blade, seeing the Dae girl straining with every counter. She increased her speed and intensity, attempting to overpower her.


    Demessa feigned a block but spun to dodge an overhead strike, bringing her sword around again to hit the back of Katrina¡¯s neck. Katrina used the momentum of her strike to fall into a roll, just missing Demessa¡¯s blade by mere inches. Again, she was on her feet and whirled to lock eyes with the Dae. After a moment, Katrina found herself on the defensive as Demessa lunged, this time toward her. Their weapons met with a loud crack, and again, they were slashing and stabbing at one another, Katrina trying to land a killing blow against the stubbornly skilled Rexun warrior. Finally, Demessa feinted a diagonal swing but turned into a forward thrust. Katrina saw the move too late, but lifted her leg to catch the blade between her thigh and calf. Then, with a quick strike, landed a sound blow right on Demessa¡¯s forehead.


    Demessa let out a grunt as she fell backwards into the sand below.


    ¡°Well done.¡± Vericia said, clapping her hands together. ¡°Masterful, Spirit-Sent! Just masterful.¡±


    ¡°Damn¡­¡± Demessa groaned as she covered her wounded head.


    Katrina let out a whoop of celebration, then walked over to help her vanquished opponent back to her feet. Demessa cursed as she took her hand and stood.


    ¡°Nice one there, you almost had me.¡± Katrina said, feeling a slight pang of guilt after seeing a large lump on Demessa¡¯s forehead beginning to form.


    ¡°You Humans are ridiculous,¡± Demessa chuckled. ¡°You just weren¡¯t getting tired. I had to try and outmaneuver you, but you¡¯re so damn fast.¡±


    Katrina laughed, and accepted a water skin from Vericia, and drank deeply from it. ¡°You want to go again, Vericia?¡±


    ¡°Oh no!¡± The guard said, ¡°I need at least a day or two to recover from the beatings I received. You¡¯re far beyond my skill. I thought Demessa would have you though. She¡¯s one of our best swordsmen.¡±


    ¡°Oh please.¡± Demessa said, ¡°I¡¯m not half as good as that. The best swordsmen we have protect the High King. Now, THOSE Dae,¡± She pointed a finger at Katrina. ¡°They would have YOU on your backside faster than you could blink.¡±


    ¡°Or Lord Turak!¡± Vericia said, ¡°He¡¯s supposed to be the best there is with a blade.¡±


    Katrina looked at her. ¡°Turak.¡± She said aloud but thought for a moment. ¡°What about Alektor?¡±


    Demessa paused, holding a cool waterskin to her wounded head. ¡°The High King¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen him with a blade more than a handful of times. And that was only when he trained with King Reku.¡±


    The name caused her to tense involuntarily. There was a rumor that he was actually on his way to Vul De Rah. Katrina was still preparing herself for that possibility, unsure of how she was going to react if she actually came face to face with him. She clenched her jaw, suppressing the urge to attempt to kill him. That was still a good possibility. But after the long hours spent talking about him with Demessa, the rage she had felt toward the man had waned somewhat. She battled internally with herself, reliving the moment Agron was cut down by Oros¡¯ corpse. An act that Robert was apparently directly responsible for.


    ¡°Ladies.¡± A familiar voice called, knocking Katrina out of her thoughts. She looked up to see Lord Turak, one of the very subjects of their conversation. Katrina sneered at him, but quickly regained her composure, her face falling into something resembling a disinterested stare.


    ¡°Lord Turak!¡± Varicia said, bringing her fist across her chest in a salute.


    Demessa did the same, but with much less enthusiasm.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you all in the practice field.¡± Turak nodded toward Demessa. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you here in quite some time. He looked closer at her, obviously inspecting her swollen wound. ¡°I see you¡¯ve been taught a few new things.¡± He glanced at Katrina and smiled. ¡°I take it this was your doing?¡±


    ¡°What is it, Turak?¡± Katrina asked, a bit of her annoyance coming out. ¡°We were just finishing up and about to head back to clean up.


    ¡°Save the barbed tongue for Reku, Katrina.¡± Turak shot back, ¡°He¡¯ll be here within the hour.¡±


    The words brought Katrina¡¯s thoughts to a halt, and she widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°He¡¯s what?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s almost here.¡± Turak said, his grin widening. ¡°High King Alektor has asked me to bring you to the throne room where we are to receive him.¡±


    Katrina panicked. Unsure of how to proceed. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Demessa said, grabbing her by the arm and starting to drag her toward the baths. ¡°Lord Turak, we¡¯ll bathe quickly and be on our way.¡±


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    Katrina took deep breaths, the cacophony of emotions she felt battling for control within her mind. Ok, he¡¯s here. Now what? She thought, doing her best to stoke the flames of her hatred, and keep them alive. He¡¯s a traitor; he¡¯s a monster for what he did. You swore you¡¯d kill him. Delmos¡­ Delmos is counting on you. All of Lokkadonia is counting on you.


    ¡°Katrina.¡± Demessa said, bringing her from her daze. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time to prepare.¡± She gestured her toward a bath. ¡°We talked about this, remember?¡± Demessa¡¯s eyes looked pleading. ¡°You promised you would at least hear him out.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Katrina spat. ¡°I know what I said. I¡¯m not going to kill him¡­ at least not in the throne room with everyone there.¡± She huffed, and quickly disrobed, stepping into the bath. ¡°I promised that I would hear him out, Demessa. But there¡¯s a lot he has to answer for.¡±


    ~


    Katrina finished her bath and donned her finest attire. A black Lokkadonian squires¡¯ cloak, combat leathers beneath, and a bone breastplate.


    By the time she and Demessa both entered the throne room, there were already hundreds of nobles and warriors lining both sides of the entrance. Demessa waded through the crowd and stepped up the stairs toward Alektor, sitting on Agron¡¯s old throne. The sight sickened Katrina. And flashes of the chaotic battle within this room played in her mind. Alektor himself was dressed in a fine gray cloak, with gold thread embroidering the edges. He had a larger crown on his head than usual, and sat with an unreadable look on his face.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± Demessa said, bowing her head to the High King. ¡°May I present, Lady Katrina, as requested.¡±


    Alektor nodded at her, then brought his gaze to meet Katrina¡¯s. She tried not to react. Only narrowing her eyes at him. Without a word, he motioned with his hand for them to approach, and Demessa led them both to stand to the left side of the throne. After several more minutes of waiting, the large doors of the entrance slid open soundlessly. And an unrecognizable Robert strode in, flanked by a finely dressed Dae woman with brilliant red eyes, and a dozen warriors, all but one, clad in the deep yellow of the Visgo. Katrina studied him as he entered, hearing the royal ward announce him.


    ¡°His highness, King Reku, of house Roh. King of Visgo, and Spirit-Sent.¡± She heard him say. Then followed with, ¡°Queen Athica, of house Krat. Queen of Visgo, and mate of the Spirit-Sent!¡±


    Katrina studied Athica more closely now. She had heard a bit about Robert¡¯s new wife; none of it flattering. Demessa had a very strong opinion of the Dae. Often having to reel herself back in, after a tirade. But Athica was every bit as beautiful as people said. Her ornate pearl white hair was done up, with golden clips and decorations holding it in place. With her pale-yellow skin and vibrant red eyes, her beauty was fully encapsulated. Sheesh, Rob. She thought. With that she focused on him.


    Robert¡¯s face looked alien to her. His features hard and confident. He wore a darker yellow than the others, with silver thread designs around his cloak, and even a small bone crown on his head. At about halfway to the throne, his eyes fell on her, and she saw in the briefest moment his shock and hesitation. He made his way to the base of the stairs, and he and Athica bowed their heads to Alektor. The High King stood in response and began making his way down the stairs toward them, taking his time with each step. When he approached him, Robert lifted his head, and the two embraced, bringing a thunderous reaction of cheers and celebration from the crowd of nobles. Releasing Robert, he then took Athica¡¯s hand, gently kissing it. Katrina winced as they turned to wave at the crowd and waited for the cheering to die down. After a time, Alektor motioned for them to stop.


    ¡°My brother, Reku has returned to us, with the Queen no less! Though their visit will be brief, he brings good tidings from the South.¡± Alektor took a step away from Robert, and motioned for him to continue.


    ¡°I have returned, to bring assurance of Visgo¡¯s continued support to our High King, and the war effort against the Torre¡¯!¡± Robert said.


    ¡°Now let us allow our guests to rest!¡± Alektor said, ¡°They¡¯ve been traveling for many days and could use a good bath!¡±


    The crowd laughed. But almost immediately the large doors of the throne room swung open again and the Royal guard began ushering them out in an orderly fashion.


    Katrina saw Alektor and Robert at the base of the stairs, talking to each other in hushed tones while the room was cleared, and Robert glanced over his shoulder at her, holding her gaze for several moments before looking back to Alektor.


    Katrina took deep breaths, calming herself in preparation for what would surely be a difficult conversation.


    As the doors closed with the final trickle of nobles, Alektor and Robert turned and made their way up the stairs.


    ¡°Kat.¡± Robert nodded, coming to a stop before her.


    Katrina¡¯s mind boiled at the casual greeting. And again, flashes of Agron¡¯s severed head rolling on the floor crossed her vision. She held it in, only sneering at him.


    ¡°So¡­¡± He continued, his gaze distant and cold. ¡°I heard you were¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± Katrina said, closing her eyes for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say to you. Everything you did¡­ here in this room.¡±


    ¡°Kat, I¡ª¡± He started, but was quickly cut off again.


    ¡°I was here, Rob.¡± When your abomination cut off Agron¡¯s head. When this whole place erupted into chaos.¡± She held his gaze, not letting him look away. ¡°You destroyed everything we worked so hard for here.¡±


    Robert was silent then, and she could see the turmoil in his eyes as the words she said began to sink in.


    Katrina scoffed. ¡°I swore I would kill you if we ever crossed paths again.¡± Her eyes flicked to Alektor, then to the plethora of royal guards no more than a swords length away from him. Then to Athica. ¡°But I made a promise to someone, to hear you out.¡±


    Robert''s eyes darted to Demessa, who stood next to her. Katrina turned to see barely restrained happiness in the Dae woman. The sight deflated her rage, and Katrina let out a sigh.


    ¡°Kat.¡± Robert said, his voice sounding more confident. ¡°I want you to know¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. I didn¡¯t want¡­ I¡¯m sorry. For everything that¡¯s happened to you. But I don¡¯t regret freeing the Doulos. And I don¡¯t regret taking a stance against the Torre¡¯. You may not know it now or be too blinded by your anger at me. But those bastards¡­ what they did to me. What they were going to do to you and Dan.¡±


    Part of her, deep within, knew that what he was saying made sense. But the sight of those she cared for, all the Dae who she had laughed and lived with for over a year, dead and broken on the ground. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. She couldn¡¯t let herself forget. She stole a glance at Demessa, who nodded to her slowly, then continued. ¡°I¡¯ve heard your say¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you haven¡¯t.¡± He stepped closer, looking directly into her eyes. ¡°I just wanted to go home, Kat. And you belittled me, called me a coward basically to my face. Well, I went to the spirit forest; at least I tried to do something about it. While you and Dan were so caught up in this fantasy. What did you think was going to happen? My introduction in this world was being picked apart by those sons of bitches and then being thrown into the deepest darkest pit you can fucking imagine. But I survived.¡± His eyes hardened, and the uncertainty and regret she saw in them mere moments ago vanished. ¡°I crawled out of that fucking hole and told this world they couldn¡¯t have me.¡± He stepped back and held his hand out to his sides. ¡°I did what I felt was right, and what I thought I had to do. If you can¡¯t bring yourself to forgive me for that, then good luck.¡±


    ¡°Lets¡­ Take a moment to cool our heads.¡± Alektor said, finally inserting himself into the conversation. ¡°We aren¡¯t going to get anywhere, standing here in the throne room. Let¡¯s move to a more comfortable setting.¡±


    Katrina was stunned at Robert¡¯s sudden change in demeanor. She realized she had been holding her breath, and let it out slowly. She nodded and Alektor led them out of the throne room and toward the Palace study.

 Chapter 23 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Robert¡¯s mind burned with the many ways this reunion could have happened. Katrina was understandably angry with him. He knew that going into it. What did I expect? He thought, as he walked down the hall. He noticed movement to his left and glanced over to see Demessa who met his eyes briefly and nodded. The Dae girl hadn¡¯t said anything to him since his arrival, but her look told him all he needed to know. She was happy to see him.


    Opening the door to Agron¡¯s old study, Alektor instructed his guards to wait outside and sat down across from him in one of the large chairs and couches assembled there. Katrina entered as well, but chose a seat as far away from Robert and Alektor as she could find. Which, as Robert noted, was next to Athica.


    ¡°Now then.¡± Alektor began. Pouring bowls of wine for everyone. Robert saw him hesitate ever so slightly at the presence of Demessa but handed her a bowl of wine, then poured one for himself. ¡°We have much to discuss. The four of us.¡± He glanced at Demessa again. ¡°Demessa, would you mind¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Robert said, interrupting the High King. ¡°She needs to be here.¡±


    Alektor raised an eyebrow at him but pressed on. ¡°Katrina has brought up, since coming into our care. Her many issues and objections to the methods of our victory here in Vul De Rah.¡± He turned his focus to her, and she seemed to harden her gaze at the attention. ¡°I don¡¯t believe there is anything I or Robert can say to you to justify what we did. But, we must press on regardless. You are here now, and there is nowhere for you to go. Even if you somehow were to leave, you would be captured by any clan or warrior who support the Torre¡¯.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, Kat.¡± Robert continued, ¡°Daniel was almost captured at the border of Baa¡¯Yega territory. They tried to capture him, with standing orders from High King Phobos to turn over all humans to the Espi-Dae.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± She said, fiercely. ¡°How can you expect me to believe anything you say? Last I heard, he was with Avria. And even though they didn¡¯t get along. She would never betray us.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Alektor cut in. ¡°That¡¯s because she didn¡¯t betray Daniel. She protected him. Our spy, who was present, said she even tried to leave with him. He of course declined and convinced her to stay with the Baa¡¯Yega. No one knows where he is now, but he is well aware of the treachery of the Torre¡¯ and the price on the heads of you humans.¡±


    Katrina deflated slightly, looking down at her hands. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean he or I are going to join you.


    ¡°I am not asking you to join us, Katrina.¡± I am asking you to remain here, safe from the Espi-Dae.¡± Alektor nodded toward Robert. ¡°From what Reku has said, they even made a deal with several of the more influential politicians in Visgo, in a plot to turn him over to them.¡±


    Robert clenched his fists and grimaced. ¡°They tried.¡±


    ¡°And they failed.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°In no small part to your power, Reku. We must do what we can to preserve you, and create a haven for the humans that are still scattered in Pelemont.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Katrina asked, looking at Alektor. ¡°Why the hell do you care so much about us?¡±


    ¡°Because, unlike the Espi-Dae.¡± Alektor said, in between taking a drink from his bowl of wine. ¡°I actually have met a Spirit. One who tasked me with this.¡±


    ¡°So did Agron!¡± Katrina spat. ¡°He was told by Gro¡¯ak to keep us safe. He went against the Torre¡¯ for us, because he was a man of faith and mercy.¡±


    Alektor let out a very uncharacteristic scoff. ¡°A man of faith and mercy? What mercy did he show the vanquished? What justice did he bestow upon fellow Dae of Eleutheros? None. He kept them chained, and in servitude. Tell me, Katrina. If I had pleaded with the Hego and begged him to release my people. And supported him in his task to keep you safe, would he have?¡±


    Katrina glared, seeming to be at a loss for words.


    ¡°He would have turned me away and told me to come and get them.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°This was ¡®our¡¯ fight. And I¡¯m sorry you had to be caught up in it, but it is done. Agron is no more; and your allies with any influence at all are not in the North. They are here, sitting before you.¡±


    ¡°Just look at Vul De Rah, Kat.¡± Robert said, ¡°Look at how well they¡¯re doing. Trade is booming, its people are fed and content. Would Agron have done the same in Thule?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only because of you.¡± Katrina said, ¡°You intervened and convinced him.¡± She pointed to Alektor. ¡°Not to slaughter or enslave everyone.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Alektor said. ¡°I had him, to convince me of a better way. But Agron had you and Daniel.¡±


    Silence ensued for several tense seconds as Robert could see Alektor¡¯s words tear into Katrina.


    ¡°What did any of you do to influence him?¡± Alektor continued. ¡°At least Reku had the courage to tell me that it was wrong. At least he made a stand for something.¡± He leaned forward forcing Katrina to meet his eyes. ¡°Stand for something, Katrina. Stand for what you know is right.¡±


    Katrina was silent then, only holding Alektor¡¯s gaze for several seconds after he finished.


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    ¡°Now.¡± Alektor said, turning to face Robert. ¡°Reku, tell me what else you had. Your message several days ago was quite cryptic.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Robert said, his eyes flicking to Katrina, then to Demessa. ¡°Well, it¡¯s kind of a sensitive subject.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind her.¡± Alektor waved his hand at Katrina, ¡°she is a Spirit-Sent, and will be treated as one.¡±


    Robert took a deep breath. This is such a bad idea, he thought. ¡°Dio¡¯Mar told me that¡­ well.¡± He did his best to just spit the words out, but with Katrina right there, it was awkward. Robert rested his hand on Demessa¡¯s and pressed on. ¡°Demessa is pregnant.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s eyes became so wide it looked as though they would pop out of her head. ¡°Are you serious!?¡± She shouted.


    Alektor looked confused, and turned to Athica and Demessa who also looked to be lost. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow. I don¡¯t know what that means.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s with child.¡± Katrina said, a mix of emotions playing across her features.


    Alektor was still as he processed the words. Then he looked between the two. ¡°You¡­ you mean.¡± His eyes widened as well. ¡°Are you sure?¡± His glare fell on Demessa. ¡°Is this true?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She stammered, looking frightened. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ I mean, I suspected, but¡­¡±


    Robert stole a glance at Athica. Who¡¯s face was sunken as she processed the news.


    ¡°Reku.¡± Alektor¡¯s mask of control shook a bit as he looked at Athica. ¡°Perhaps this is a conversation best had in private. I¡¯m sorry for not heeding your words.¡±


    ¡°No. Cat¡¯s out of the bag now.¡± Robert said, ¡°And it doesn¡¯t matter if Athica hears this. It really doesn¡¯t have anything to do with her.¡±


    Robert saw Alektor¡¯s eyes bulge at his obvious disrespect for the Queen. But it didn¡¯t matter. Athica had been a key conspirator in Visgo. As far as he was concerned, she was lucky to be alive. ¡°Athica is also with child.¡± Robert waved his hand at her. ¡°She knows I had a relationship before her, and that this was a possibility.¡±


    Alektor¡¯s face hardened and he looked at Athica. ¡°Athica¡­ I would like to apologize for my brother. He¡ª¡±


    ¡°Highness¡­¡± Athica said, her voice small. ¡°Please do not trouble yourself over me. King Reku is right. I knew about Lady Demessa beforehand, and will accept her as he sees fit. Visgo is ever at the disposal of Rexun and its High King.¡±


    Alektor¡¯s mouth hung open at her words. His mind clearly racing at the implications. ¡°I¡­¡± He took a breath. ¡°I suppose then, we must discuss the next course of action. Aside from the obvious political ramifications this will have. The mere fact that humans and Dae can procreate is world changing.¡± Seeming to find his stride, Alektor turned to pour another bowl of wine for himself. ¡°They will be targets for the Torre¡¯ and the Espi-Dae. We must keep them safe.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Robert nodded. ¡°And that¡¯s why I think we should be here in Vul De Rah.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Alektor drank deeply from his bowl. ¡°Visgo is far too dangerous for something like this. Here we can have more control.¡±


    ¡°Highness,¡± Athica spoke up, ¡°Vul De Rah is still a warzone. We could be attacked at any moment. There could be a servant or a traitor at every corner who could put a knife in my belly. Would it not be safer back in Thule?¡±


    ¡°There is no safer place in Pelemont.¡± Robert pointed at Alektor. ¡°Then being next to this guy. Trust me.¡±


    Athica nodded, but glanced at Katrina.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Katrina looked horrified. ¡°No, I would never do anything like that. I¡¯m happy for you. You don¡¯t have anything to fear from me.¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡± Robert asked, looking directly into her eyes.


    Katrina hesitated as they looked at one another. He could see the turmoil within her. She wanted to hurt him; kill him even. But with everything happening, Robert could see the voice of reason taking hold.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Katrina resigned, looking down to the carpeted floor.


    ¡°Wonderful.¡± Alektor placed his bowl on a table. ¡°Now if you would all excuse me. I have some pressing matters to attend to.¡± He made eye contact with Robert. ¡°Reku, would you mind joining me for a moment outside.¡±


    Robert sighed, and followed him out of the study. This wasn¡¯t surprising to him, but he also wasn¡¯t fully comfortable leaving the three women alone in the study.


    ¡°What have you done?¡± Alektor asked him as soon as the door slid closed.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Athica is essentially one of your undead thralls now. What have you done to her?¡±


    ¡°I spared her life!¡± Robert seethed. ¡°That bitch tried to have me captured by the Torre¡¯. She¡¯s lucky to even be here.¡±


    ¡°Reku, that is irrelevant. She is a Queen, and is above you in the eyes of the elite in Eleutheros. I need her in top form as a stout supporter of my position as High King.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s given it to you.¡± Robert crossed his arms. ¡°And more than that, she is obedient. No more schemes or treachery to worry about, so just relax.¡±


    Alektor narrowed his eyes, but remained silent.


    ¡°He is not in control¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar whispered as she appeared over Robert¡¯s right shoulder. In that moment Alektor¡¯s eyes glanced in her direction, but it was so fast, Robert wasn¡¯t even sure he saw it. Does he see you? He thought to her.


    ¡°Impossible¡­ No Dae can see me if I do not wish it¡­ He does not like that he isn¡¯t in control of her¡­ or you anymore¡­ He must learn that you are not to be controlled¡­¡±


    ¡°You have the support of Visgo.¡± Robert sighed. ¡°What more could you ask for?¡±


    ¡°It is the manner in which she has been brought to heel.¡± Alektor said. ¡°The manner in which you conduct yourself, reflects upon me as well, Reku. If you behave as a monster; that is all you will ever be in their eyes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a product of my surroundings.¡± Robert scoffed. ¡°You married me off to her to help the cause. Convinced me to cloak your army and slaughter the people who gave me shelter and safety here to help your people. All the while, I¡¯m still sitting here, waiting for a way to get home. Which no one has even lifted a finger to help me with yet, by the way.¡±


    ¡°I see your line of thinking, Reku. Though it is more complex than that, I see your point. But there are things that need doing beforehand. What about your friends? Katrina, or even Daniel who is wandering the forests of Lokkon? Do you intend to leave them here?¡±


    ¡°Daniel tried to kill me the last time I talked to him.¡± Robert spat. ¡°He¡¯ll probably try it again. And Kat¡­¡± Robert felt a pang of guilt surge within him. As much as he wanted to cast her aside and leave her to her own devices. There was still a soft spot for her in his hardening heart. ¡°I wish she saw it differently¡­ but I can¡¯t force her to change. If she wants to hate me, then so be it.¡±


    ¡°We must win this war first.¡± Alektor put his hand on Robert¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Once we are free from the threat of death at the hands of the Torre¡¯ we will focus all of our energy on getting you home. I promise you this. Until then, please treat Athica with the respect and honor she deserves as a Queen. Can you at least do that?¡±


    Robert shrugged, letting Alektor¡¯s hand fall. ¡°I won¡¯t kill her. And I¡¯ll treat her well enough. She¡¯s the mother of my child after all.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Alektor nodded, then turned to leave. ¡°These are dangerous times, Reku. We must stay together and protect one another if we are to survive.¡± With that, he strode down the hall, his royal guards following in tow.

 Chapter 24 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Avria walked up the steps to the Palace of Vul De Mar. The seat of power in Lokkadonia. The city itself was a fortress now, after the fall of Vul De Rah; All of the remaining forces of Lokkadonia, and the coalition brought from Torre¡¯ had assembled there. Thousands of warriors were camped outside the city, and thousands garrisoned within. Avria had been escorted there by Baa¡¯Yega warriors after she separated from Daniel. A pang of guilt settled in her, as she entered the palace itself. Leaving him there wasn¡¯t right. Part of her wanted to stay, she owed the man that much.


    ¡°Lady, Avria.¡± A young noble said, approaching her with a greeting. ¡°King Yomin and the other Hegos are waiting for you in the war room.¡±


    Resigning herself, she cleared her mind and followed the noble through the winding halls of the palace. They entered a large room with a massive stone map of Eleutheros in the center, elevated like a large table. Around it were dozens of warriors and members of the Lokkadonian military. At the front of the table sat King Yomin, flanked by her father, Telmos of house Regios, Boros, who was now Hego of the southern region of Lokkadonia. Grophen of house Ruge, Hego of Eastern Lokkadonia, and Magde, of house Ruffus, Hego of Western Lokkadonia.


    Telmos looked up and met her eyes. It took him several moments to register, but his face brightened, and he opened his arms toward her. ¡°Avria!¡± He exclaimed, bringing all of the heads within the room to turn toward her. In an instant, he dashed across the room in a Dunamis-enhanced frenzy. Before she knew it, Avria was locked in an incredibly powerful embrace. ¡°Avria! My daughter. Thank all the spirits you live. We thought you were dead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, father,¡± Avria said, ¡°I¡¯ve only just arrived, but there is a great deal we need to discuss.¡±


    ¡°It is good to see you, Avria.¡± Boros said, approaching her as well. Avria could see a great deal of emotion behind his eyes. But he remained composed and strong, every bit looking the part of a Hego. ¡°We could certainly use your support. Right now, we are planning our offensive against the Rexunii to retake Vul De Rah.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± King Yomin said, bringing Avria¡¯s attention to him. ¡°Very good to see you again, my dear.¡± The leader of Lokkadonia wore heavy robes and a rather large bone crown on his head. Being only slightly older than Oros had been, he had maintained a reputation of being somewhat of a party goer. Not the stern and calculated warrior that Avria felt was needed now. ¡°When we heard you were alive, Telmos and I could scarcely believe it. And surviving for so long with a Demon no less. Quite a feat.¡±


    Avria bowed her head deeply, holding for several moments. Then returned her posture, saying. ¡°Forgive me, your highness. I believe the reports you have are wrong. Daniel, who I believe is the ¡®demon¡¯ you¡¯re referring to, helped me during the battle. We managed to confront King Alektor himself¡­ It was only because of him that I managed to escape.¡±


    ¡°Avria, we have heard different reports.¡± Yomin said, ¡°The perpetrator of the attack itself was non-other than, the now, King Reku of Visgo.¡±


    ¡°Or as we used to know him.¡± Boros chimed in, ¡°Robert, the demon.¡± Boros clenched his fists and brought them up. ¡°He possessed Oros¡¯ corpse, Avria. He made him decapitate my father. It¡¯s sickening what he did. Our spies in Rexun tell us he was also solely responsible for the cloaked army that defeated Oros, and the cloaked warriors that assaulted Vul De Rah itself.¡±


    Avria nodded, knowing full well these reports were true. Robert had betrayed them all. And nearly singlehandedly defeated their army, and taken their city. ¡°I have heard as much.¡±


    ¡°The High Espi-Dae believes all of those creatures have similar abilities.¡± King Yomin said. The Torre¡¯ have ordered us to kill them or capture them if possible.¡±


    Avria looked at her father, who didn¡¯t meet her eye. ¡°Father, you can¡¯t possibly be alright with this. You saw Katrina, you knew Daniel. They were our loyal friends. They fought to protect us.¡±


    ¡°We are still trying to piece everything together¡­¡± Boros said. Avria looked at him, puzzled. ¡°They might have tricked us¡­ It is a possibility we must investigate.¡±


    ¡°Boros, how could you say that?¡± Avria was stunned at his words, of all Dae. ¡°You realize we¡¯re talking about Katrina here. We all know how fond you were of her.¡±


    ¡°I said that I don¡¯t know, Avria.¡± Boros huffed. ¡°Our reports are very troubling. Do you know where she is right now?¡±


    Avria hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.


    ¡°She is currently in Vul De Rah. At the right hand of King Alektor himself.¡± Boros sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to believe it either. But every single source we have within the city. Those who are still within the court circle have all independently verified this information.¡±


    ¡°Katrina wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± Avria said, bluntly. ¡°There must be an explanation, Boros. She could very well be a prisoner. I¡¯d like to see those reports myself.¡±


    ¡°Those reports are none of your concern, Avria.¡± Yomin said. ¡°What I need is great military minds formulating a plan to bring this clan back from the brink of destruction. We need to outmaneuver them, assassinate this demon king in Visgo, and take back Vul De Rah. Your father is doing a very good job in bringing our warriors into form, but he can¡¯t be the only military commander. You have the experience and the will to do so, I''m sure. Lokkon needs you, Avria. She needs all of us to be at our best.¡±


    ~


    Avria tilted her head back and closed her eyes. She had barely slept throughout the night, and now she lay in bed, just looking at the stone ceiling at a loss of what to do. Thoughts of betrayal and memories of Oros and Agron lying dead on the throne room floor haunted her. She saw the shock on Katrina¡¯s face; she fought side by side with Daniel against the enemy. She saved his life, and he saved hers. She imagined his face at that moment. His brown hair and intense brown eyes. Such a strange-looking creature, but¡­ she found herself unable to stop thinking of the man. In the months after the attack, he had been there for her. In her moments of weakness, he told her she needed to be strong. She found herself feeling guilty of such thoughts. She hadn¡¯t liked him when they first met. Going as far as wanting to kill him at the beginning, after seeing what he did to her brother. But now?


    There was a sudden knock at her door. ¡°Lady Avria, your presence is requested.¡± A servant called from the other side.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± She said, before quickly getting dressed and presentable.


    She made her way from her quarters to a large breakfast area, where King Yomin, her father, and all the Hegos of Eleutheros were sitting around a massive table.


    ¡°Avria!¡± Telmos said, motioning for her to sit beside him, he had saved a seat between himself and Boros. Avria did so, feeling her appetite wasn¡¯t quite there. She bowed her head in greeting as she approached and took the seat.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Yomen began, ¡°to bring you up to speed on these bastards to the South, Avria. Troubling news came this morning, that Reku is in Vul De Rah again. He arrived suddenly, and no one knows when he intends to leave. Alektor knows we have many spies in Vul De Rah, and is doing his best to protect any sensitive information that might spread to us.¡± Yomin smiled and took a large bite of meat, then spoke around it. ¡°But he doesn¡¯t know how observant we really are. For example, he has been hidden in his study since Reku¡¯s arrival. Having secret meetings, not even his guards are allowed to attend. Strange, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°And we know who has been with him in these meetings.¡± Boros said, lowly. Venom in his words. ¡°Robert, Athica, Queen of Visgo, Demessa of house Irro, and Katrina¡­¡±


    ¡°The very same Katrina you spent your final days in Vul De Rah training.¡± Yomin said, smiling. ¡°They underestimate our resolve and our resourcefulness. Within the walls of our own territory, we know how many shits Alektor takes a day.¡± Yomin began to laugh loudly. ¡°They are struggling to maintain control. Now is the time to strike.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Avria said, her mind racing. There had to be more to Katrina¡¯s involvement. There isn¡¯t any way she had so grossly misjudged, not just Katrina, who had been with her night and day over the course of her stay there. But Daniel as well. I don¡¯t believe it. She thought.


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    ¡°Lady Avria?¡± Yomin asked, leaning closer to her. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear that.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± she said, louder. ¡°They are prepared for any counterattack. The number of patrols Daniel and I saw on our way to Baa¡¯Yega tells me this. There were hundreds. Their main forces are camped outside of Vul De Rah. And even if we were somehow able to destroy a fortified force that is roughly the same size as our own. Robert¡¯s abilities aren¡¯t understood. If he can cloak an entire army well enough to infiltrate one of the most fortified cities in Eleutheros¡­ He can¡¯t be underestimated.¡±


    ¡°So, what then?¡± Yomin asked, irritation crossing his features. ¡°We let them, have it? Send in our emissary and sue for peace? We must fight them before they are so dug in that we have no chance for victory.¡±


    ¡°Because there is none!¡± Avria shouted, suddenly catching herself she cursed under her breath. She bowed her head and apologized. ¡°My King, I am not myself. I beg your forgiveness.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean there is no chance of victory?¡± Boros asked, turning to her. She saw the anger in his eyes, the emotion and sorrow still fresh.


    ¡°Your lack of respect and insolence will be dealt with, Lady Avria.¡± Yomin said, pointing his finger at her. ¡°But you will answer your Hego¡¯s question. ¡°Why do you say there is no chance for victory?¡±


    Avria took a deep breath, then pressed on. ¡°Because you are all looking in the wrong direction. Vul De Rah isn¡¯t the only objective. You are gathering information on our enemy¡¯s leadership, pontificating on why certain things are taking place within the walls while his armies are being stationed around our region.¡± She looked at Boros. ¡°Do you know where his armies are? Do you know where the Visgo forces are? Where the Sabree or the Volsung are? No, none of you do. None of your spies know either, I¡¯ll bet. You¡¯re too focused on the man himself. On Robert, and Katrina. Turak controls the armies of Rexun, not Alektor. He gives his mission to Turak, and he executes. That should be our focus. Besides that, we could know where all his warriors are and still be outmatched because of Robert. That brings me to the true reason we can¡¯t defeat them. You see the humans as demons; they aren¡¯t. See them as weapons. Robert is a weapon to our enemy, and has been convinced to be one. We had a human with us. Daniel. Who I saw do incredible things against the forces that pursued us. I saw him fight against Alektor himself, and we turned him away. We turned away the only true way we could even the field of battle.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t go against High King Phobos, Avria.¡± Boros said, ¡°The risk is too great. The next betrayal of his will in our current state could cost us everything...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough of this weakness from you Oros, it is unbecoming.¡± Avria said, her temper beginning to flare again. ¡°All you spoke about for the last year was Katrina. You dreamt of her, day and night, begging for her affection. She isn¡¯t a traitor to our cause. She¡¯s proven that time and time again, and she fought for us when we were invaded.¡±


    ¡°Then how did she come to the enemy?¡± Oros stood, and faced her fully. ¡°Why di¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because she went to kill him!¡± A resounding voice called from the entrance of the room.


    Avria turned and was shocked to see none other than her brother, Delmos. Standing, rugged and disheveled, but alive and well before her.


    ¡°Uh¡­ L¡­Lord Delmos, of House Regios.¡± The attendant stuttered as Delmos strode in.


    ¡°Delmos!¡± Telmos shouted, rushing around any obstacle he had and embracing his son. ¡°My boy! My son is alive!¡±


    Avria stood and made her way over as well. The three of them shared a long moment as they embraced each other. The Regios house again reunited.


    ¡°You¡¯ve looked better.¡± Avria said, pulling away.


    Delmos smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how good it is to see you both.¡± He gave one last hug to his father and Avria, then stepped toward the table of King Yomen, and the Hegos. ¡°But I am disturbed at what I¡¯m hearing coming from the leadership in Lokkon.¡±


    ¡°Delmos.¡± Boros said, nodding in his direction.


    ¡°You think that Katrina joined them?¡± Delmos scoffed. ¡°I saved her during the battle for Vul De Rah. She had a spear in her guts and was gasping her last breath on the barricade before the palace. Fighting for you.¡± He pointed at King Yomin. ¡°We escaped the city and fought off dozens of attacks while we fled. For weeks, we starved and suffered. Until she heard the news. That the traitor, Robert had been married off to the queen of Visgo.¡±


    Illya entered soon after, her white hair, usually composed and orderly, was as Delmos¡¯ disheveled and unkept, along with her attire.


    ¡°Uh.. Krya¡­ Illya of¡ª¡± The attendant began to say before being cut off by Illya.


    ¡°Boros!¡± She screamed, lifting her dress and running across the dining hall toward her brother.


    Boros stood, his face one of absolute shock and relief. ¡°Illya!?¡± He gasped, standing to embrace her as she leaped into his arms.


    The two took many silent seconds, speaking to each other softly, and crying. Avria shifted a bit, afraid to ruin the moment of their reunion with an unexpected breath or sound.


    Finally, Illya pulled away and placed her hands on the sides of Boros¡¯ face, looking into his eyes. ¡°Brother¡­ we must save her.¡± She said, her smile still broad, and tears still flowing from her eyes. ¡°Katrina tried to assassinate Alektor¡­ I heard what you said. She isn¡¯t a traitor. She must have failed and been captured. She saved me.¡±


    ¡°Ahem!¡± Delmos coughed loudly, shrugging.


    ¡°And Delmos too.¡± Illya said, going in again for a hug. ¡°I would still be trapped in Vul Req if it weren¡¯t for them. Katrina is good, she would never join the enemy.¡±


    Boros stared at her, his eyes dancing between hers. Avria looked then to Delmos, He was grinning, as usual, she didn¡¯t know why, but the sight brought a smile to her face.


    ~


    After some time, Delmos and Illya retired to rest and clean up after many days of their harsh travel. Avria made her way to the far end of the palace, a place where she could be left with her thoughts. She often found solace in places like the practice yards or fighting pits. But now, after so much time spent under constant stress, she found it on a balcony, Overlooking Vul De Mar. She sighed and wrung her hands, trying to do her best to relax. But she couldn¡¯t. Daniel was still out there. Alone, and¡­ she shook her head, cursing herself. Why did that human always find his way into her thoughts? She wondered. His eyes crossed her vision, blazing with determination. The thought brought a sudden heat to her cheeks. A feeling she was not familiar with.


    ¡°So, you found my spot?¡± A familiar voice called from behind her.


    Avria whirled to meet the eyes of Nasha. She sat on a chair against the wall near the entrance. She must have missed her as she entered the balcony. Avria looked her over. Her red hair was shorter now, and she had a pair of crutches resting next to her. Avria then noticed she was missing a leg. ¡°Nasha¡­¡± She nodded in recognition. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you there.¡±


    Nasha smiled, and grabbed her crutches, stood, then moved toward her. ¡°I come here a lot too. After the battle¡­ I was brought to Vul De Rah, only to see it under siege. So, we left and came here.¡±


    Avria looked at her missing leg. ¡°It must have been quite the battle.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Nasha chuckled. ¡°This was a souvenir from Turak. A far more formidable foe than I thought. Kryo Oros saved me before¡­ well¡­ you know.¡±


    A pang of sadness wrenched Avria¡¯s heart and thoughts of the late Kryo rushed through her mind.


    ¡°I watched as our victory was snatched away from us.¡± Nasha continued. ¡°As warriors clad in grey cloaks materialized out of thin air. Then Alektor appeared¡­¡± She paused for a moment, looking lost in the memory. ¡°Avria.¡± She said, turning to meet her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s the most powerful Dae, I¡¯ve ever seen¡­ He¡­¡±


    ¡°I know what he did.¡± Avria said, cutting Nasha¡¯s words off. ¡°I saw as much in Vul De Rah as what was left of Oros cut Agron¡¯s head from his body. I don¡¯t care how powerful he is. We must defeat him.¡±


    ¡°Well, he also has the human on his side.¡± Nasha shrugged. ¡°A shame both of ours are lost now. Either to the Rexunii or to our own High King¡¯s foolishness.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Avria took a deep breath. ¡°We must make them see reason, Nasha. We won¡¯t stand a chance any other way. Robert is too powerful to ignore. The Rexunii and their King, allied against us with him is too great an adversary.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention the other clans who have united with them.¡± Nasha sighed, ¡°I know what you¡¯re saying. But Phobos is¡­ well.¡±


    ¡°How did you convince him to side with us against the Rexunii before?¡± Avria asked, genuinely curious. The details of her compelling argument were never truly revealed.


    ¡°Well.¡± she said, a sly smile crossing her face. ¡°I did something that few could.¡±


    Avria raised an eyebrow. ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t have anything to do with spreading your legs.¡± She gestured down. ¡°Because that won¡¯t work this time around.¡±


    Nasha¡¯s face suddenly went deadpan. ¡°First of all, that was uncalled for. Second, who do you take me for? I am a noble lady of Lokkon. And would never stoop so low.¡±


    ¡°So, what was it then?¡± Avria asked.


    ¡°I simply appealed to his good nature.¡± She smiled. ¡°I won¡¯t lie to you and say that he may or may not have found me attractive. That was entirely out of my control. I was sent to do the bidding of my Hego. I accomplished my mission. It was much easier once his High Espi-Dae was far removed from us.¡± Nasha shook her head. ¡°That man is poison¡­ and is going to get us all killed.¡±


    ¡°You still sound so vague.¡± Avria huffed. ¡°I only ask, because that will most likely be my next destination. I must get him to change his mind on the humans. Katrina fought hard for us, and Daniel¡­¡± She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°We need to find him, and get him back here. Without a doubt, we will not survive without them. Katrina might be out of our reach, but Daniel, he can still be found.¡±


    Nasha was silent, and Avria turned to see her smirking.


    ¡°What?¡± Avria asked,


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard you speak of him that way.¡± Nasha said, ¡°Did something happen between you two? I heard you were both alone on the road for some time.¡±


    Avria scoffed. ¡°You are speaking nonsense. This is a serious situation.¡±


    ¡°Obviously.¡± Nasha moved closer and leaned in. ¡°I know we haven¡¯t liked each other much, and we never spent much time together, but I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever seen you this flustered.¡±


    Avria narrowed her eyes at her, issuing a warning. She would not be poked fun at.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Nasha resigned. ¡°I will accompany you when you see High King Phobos. I know him, and will do my best to help you push your case. Then, we will find Daniel.¡±


    Avria softened a bit, and let out a very small sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you Nasha, your help, would be appreciated.¡±

 Chapter 25 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    ¡°Thank God.¡± Daniel said, looking at a village below. After another two days of travel through the sparse forests, he had made his way to a small village that was nestled in a small valley. The danger of revealing himself to the Dae, while in Lokkadonia, still loomed, but the prospect of a village, with a real meal and bed to sleep in caused him to push any worry to the back of his mind. With determination, he strode down toward the village. It was very small. Home to probably less than a hundred Dae. As he walked closer, he could see people, going about their daily tasks, and children playing around what he assumed was a well.


    As he entered the village the Dae residents started to notice him and quickly ran to enter their homes. Crap, he thought, before the area was empty. Walking directly to the well, he leaned in, pulling a small bucket up from within using a rope tied to a wood beam. After several gulps of the cool water, he let out a sound of satisfaction.


    ¡°Hello stranger.¡± He heard from behind him.


    Daniel turned to see a Dae man, wearing a robe, most likely the village leader, or elder. As he made eye-contact with him, he saw the Dae¡¯s surprise.


    ¡°You!¡± He stuttered, ¡°You¡¯re a Spirit-sent!¡±


    Daniel nodded and went in for another gulp of water.


    ¡°I¡¯m just passing through.¡± He said, his voice calm and collected. ¡°I could use some food, and directions if you would be so kind.¡±


    Daniel noticed the people of the village begin to start leaving their homes, and approached slowly, he figured after hearing the Elder¡¯s outburst.


    ¡°O¡­ of course!¡± He said, falling to his knees. ¡°We will do all we can for the Spirit-Sent. Anything you require of us, we will provide!¡±


    ~


    Daniel found himself in the largest dwelling of the village. In their feasting hall. The Elder had insisted he come there to eat and rest. Several Dae women scurried about, bringing meat and other assortments of food to his table. Daniel¡¯s mouth watered as the smell of it entered his nostrils.


    ¡°Eat!¡± The Elder said, striding into the hall from the entrance. ¡°Do not waste any time, Spirit-Sent. We know you must be hungry.¡±


    Daniel didn¡¯t need any more convincing, he dug in and sunk his teeth into the nearest slab of meat.


    ¡°Please, Spirit-Sent, tell us how you came to be here. After the fall of Vul De Rah, we all feared the worst.¡± The Elder said, pulling up a seat across from him. ¡°We only heard that the Rexunii have invaded our land, killed our Hego, and are now attempting to subjugate any resisting villages.


    Daniel nodded and swallowed his mouthful of food. ¡°First, thank you for the hospitality. Second, I¡¯m unfamiliar with the land here still, so I¡¯m not sure where here is.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± The Elder chuckled, ¡°of course. I am Elder Rolo, and this humble village is Vul Espe. Also known to some here as the Village of the spirits.¡± He pointed to his left. ¡°Over that hill is the border of the Spirit Forest.¡± He pointed to his right. ¡°And several leagues that way is the border of Baa¡¯Yega. We are very secluded here, and get very few visitors, save the occasional pilgrim, coming to pray near the forest.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Daniel said. ¡°Have any warriors come through here yet?¡±


    ¡°There were warriors of Sabree, who came through here maybe ten days ago.¡± The Elder said, his expression getting more serious. ¡°They were pleasant enough. We fed them and gave them shelter. They told us we were now part of Rexunii territory and went on their way.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Daniel took another bite of his food and washed it down with water. ¡°Other villages weren¡¯t so lucky.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Rolo said, before turning to the entrance of the Hall. ¡°Not all of them left.¡±


    Several moments later, the doors slid open, and two warriors entered, wearing brown cloaks, with bone plate underneath.


    Daniel shot up from his seat, spitting any food in his mouth out and drew his blade.


    Both warriors held their hands up defensively. ¡°Hold!¡± A female voice cried out.


    Daniel met eyes with the source. The warrior to the left. A Dae woman. ¡°Please, Spirit-Sent, we mean you no harm!¡± She said, slowly grasping the blade at her side, removing it, still within the scabbard, and placing it on the floor. ¡°We only want to speak to you. Please, there is no need for violence.¡±


    Daniel narrowed his eyes, and looked at Rolo. ¡°Well played, asshole.¡± He said to him. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much to discuss with you. The last warriors I met from your little coalition, were trying to kill me. So, forgive me if I have trust issues.¡±


    The woman looked at her male companion, then back to Daniel. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I don¡¯t know anything about that. There are only the two of us here. Left to watch over this village, in case of brigands or¡­¡± She nodded toward him. ¡°One of the Spirit-Sent arrived. We heard you were turned away at the border of Baa¡¯Yega. So, our captain placed small groups of warriors in all the southern villages.¡±


    Daniel looked between the two. Just my luck, he thought, didn¡¯t even get a chance to finish my meal. ¡°How many of you are there in this village?¡± He asked.


    She pointed between herself and the other warrior. ¡°Only the two of us, I swear it. Please, we mean you no harm. We would only like to talk. You can finish your meal.¡±


    Daniel looked down at his unfinished food, and then back up to the warriors. ¡°Alright, fine.¡± He sheathed his bone blade, and sat back down. ¡°You have until I finish this, then I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Only the Dae woman approached, leaving her weapon on the floor behind her. Rolo stood from his seat and offered it to her, then slunk away, seemingly ashamed of himself.


    ¡°I am corporal Matea, of house Grotish, by the way.¡± She said, sitting and extending her hand across the table.


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    Daniel hesitated a moment, looked at her, then grasped it, giving her a firm shake. ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    ¡°Daniel!¡± She said, a bit of excitement escaping her. ¡°We¡¯ve been briefed on all the known Spirit-Sent in the area. And you were the only one not accounted for.¡±


    Daniel met her eyes, his expression turning dangerous. ¡°What do you mean by that? Where are the others?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She paused for a moment, then gulped. ¡°Both King Reku, and Spirit-Sent Katrina are accounted for, and safely in Vul De Rah.


    ¡°Shit.¡± He said, shaking his head in disappointment ¡°So she didn¡¯t get out.¡±


    ¡°Katrina is treated quite well!¡± she said quickly. ¡°We were also told that you were turned back at the border of Baa¡¯Yega territory. As you may or may not know, High King Phobos has declared that all Spirit-Sent are again enemies of Eleutheros.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. I wonder why.¡± He said sarcastically. ¡°Because that piece of shit Robert helped Rexun take Vul De Rah. Now they think we¡¯re all the same.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She hesitated for a moment, then gave him a determined look. ¡°We did what had to be done. The Lokkadonians sent warriors into Rexun, what were we supposed to do? Let them kill everyone?¡±


    Daniel held her gaze for several moments. The reality of war was always the same. Horrors on both sides, causes, death. He knew Oros went down there to eliminate the Rexunii King, Alektor. The only outcome was death and destruction. He went down there and lost the fight. Then they retaliated. He remembered the streets of Vul De Rah in tatters, bodies and blood streaming in every direction.


    ¡°Were you there?¡± He asked her calmly.


    ¡°Was I, where?¡±


    ¡°Vul De Rah, were you in the battle?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She hesitated for a moment, ¡°No¡­ I wasn¡¯t there. I came up afterwards with the reinforcements. I¡¯ve only been here several weeks.¡±


    ¡°If you were me, and you saw what you bastards did to the people I grew to care about.¡± Daniel leaned in closer to her. ¡°You¡¯d feel the same way I do right now. So, if you think that I am somehow going to follow you back to Vul De Rah willingly, you can fuck right off.¡±


    Matea stared at him, seemingly at a loss for words. ¡°I¡­ we were given orders to give you the offer. Nothing more. You¡¯re far too powerful to force, so¡­ we¡­ I mean, I was told to.¡± Sweat was dripping down her face, as she struggled to find the words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± She hung her head, ¡°We only go where our King commands. I didn¡¯t mean to bring you any discomfort. I¡¯ve heard a great deal of your kind, and¡­ Please forgive me, Spirit-Sent.¡±


    Daniel sighed, somewhat guilty of his angry outburst. She was just following orders. They all were, to some degree. ¡°Are you a noble?¡± he asked, his expression softening.


    ¡°Me?¡± She asked, surprisedly. ¡°No! By the spirits, I am just a commoner of Sabree. From Se Dume, a small village just to the North of Londur, our capitol city. I¡¯m nobody.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Daniel said, ¡°Matea, if what you¡¯re saying is true. You are just going to let me leave here. And go on my way, right?¡±


    She swallowed hard, and nodded to him. ¡°There isn¡¯t much I could do anyway. After what we¡¯ve heard you are capable of. All we can do is make the offer. The rest is up to you. High King Alektor has said that all Spirit-Sent are welcome in our territories, so¡­ if you are being pursued by the Torre¡¯ or any clans who ally with them. You may find refuge here.¡±


    Daniel looked down at his plate of food. Having been emptied several minutes ago. ¡°Well, your time is up.¡± He turned to the Elder who was several feet away. ¡°Rolo, I need supplies and a nice warm sleeping kit. What can you do?¡±


    ~


    Daniel hefted a full pack of gear and supplies on his back. Nodding in thanks to Rolo and the now assembled villagers. ¡°Thank you, for everything. I¡¯ll be on my way now.¡±


    ¡°Spirit-Sent!¡± Matea said, walking up to him. ¡°You said yourself, you aren¡¯t familiar with this land. Let us accompany you, at least until you get to your next destination.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance.¡± He said, turning to look back where he came from. ¡°I will take a map though, if you have one.¡±


    Matea huffed. ¡°You are just going to head back to the North? There are Vulsung and Visgo patrols all throughout that direction. It will most definitely lead to bloodshed.¡±


    Daniel turned South, looking to head through the village. ¡°And what¡¯s down there?¡±


    ¡°Baa¡¯Yega territory as well. Spirit-Sent, you have nowhere to go.¡±


    Daniel turned to the East, toward the hills. ¡°Rolo said the Spirit Forest is over there.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ true, but¡± She took several steps toward him. ¡°The Spirits, surely, they won¡¯t allow you to enter. We stay far away from there.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m planning on.¡± Daniel said, possible scenarios playing in his head.


    ¡°So, you will hide there?¡± she asked, a bit more insistent. ¡°Even if that were the case. You won¡¯t be able to help your friends in Torre¡¯. Who want to kill you, by the way.¡±


    Daniel grit his teeth. This Dae was really starting to annoy him. Not just because she wouldn¡¯t shut up, but because she was making sense. ¡°It isn¡¯t your problem.¡± He said.


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Matea asked. ¡°I swear to you, we are only here to help you. Tell me what your plan is, and we can work together to solve it.¡±


    ¡°And if my plan is to sneak into Vul De Rah, rescue Katrina, and Kill Alektor?¡± Daniel turned to face her, looking into her eyes. ¡°What then?¡±


    She paused looking a bit surprised. ¡°That would make no sense at all. High King Alektor is¡­ he wouldn¡¯t be easy to reach. You¡¯d be facing certain death. Also, he is the only thing protecting your kind now.¡±


    Daniel scoffed, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not buying that. Also, your mission is to protect this village, isn¡¯t it? Why leave your post?¡±


    ¡°Protecting this village is only half of our mission.¡± She replied, pointing toward him. ¡°You are the other half. Which is why we¡¯re separating. Yogo will stay here to protect the village, while I go with you.¡± She pointed her other hand back toward her male companion.


    ¡°The answer is still, no.¡± Daniel said starting to walk toward the Northern tree line. Waving his hand over his head as a farewell, Daniel strode back to where he had come from. With supplies he would at least be better prepared for his survival in the wilderness. The fact of the matter was, he was still unsure of what his next move would be. He couldn¡¯t stay in one spot for long, and any attempt to enter Baa¡¯Yega or Torre¡¯ territory would be impossible. Not while the High King and High Espi-Dae wanted his kind dead. Traveling to the North would bring him into contact with the Lokkadonian forces, which was also bad. Any attempt to approach the other side would be too horrible to imagine. Not after the events of the last few months. Not after Oros. Not after his time with Avria. You promised her revenge. He thought, but how is that going to be possible if they won¡¯t even let you join their side. So, what am I supposed to do? There was the sound of crunching branches behind him, and Daniel whirled around to find Matea hurrying to follow him.


    ¡°I thought I told you to get lost!¡± Daniel fumed, stopping to face her fully.


    ¡°I can¡¯t allow that.¡± She said, slightly out of breath.


    She must have grabbed her gear and chased after him.


    ¡°Son of a bitch, you people are stubborn.¡± Daniel cursed, ¡°Don¡¯t make me, make you stay here. I will.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Spirit-Sent. That would have to be your only option. I can¡¯t in good conscience allow you to leave without doing my duty.¡± She strode up to him. ¡°I am bound by honor to follow you, or bring you back with me to Vul De Rah. If for nothing else, then to rescue your companion.¡±


    Her words halted Daniel¡¯s thoughts. Maybe there was something to that. He looked at his hands. His abilities had changed drastically since his vision in the Dunem De Espea. He could now summon a metal blade at will, anywhere. And the flames that were once a violent crimson, now blazed a golden white. He hadn¡¯t had a chance to truly test the full capabilities of this power, but he could feel the slight change within himself. The rage and hatred that fueled his Dunamis before had been replaced by a feeling of calm and serenity. Maybe that¡¯s where I should be headed. If I can get into Vul De Rah, I can rescue Katrina. He thought.


    He looked at her again. ¡°You think I should go back?¡± He asked.


    She hesitated, clearly not expecting him to change his mind so flippantly. ¡°Yes.¡± She said, her resolve setting in. ¡°I think you should. You would be safe there, and the proper care could be given to you.¡± She bowed her head. ¡°I will show you the way.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡± He turned and pointed into the forest. ¡°Lead the way.¡±

 Chapter 26 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Katrina stirred in her bed. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw beams of sunlight shining through the large balcony opening of her room. She let out a groan and turned away from it, covering her face with a pillow. She didn¡¯t want to get up. Or to leave her room. Ever since Robert¡¯s arrival in Vul De Rah, she had been filled with a torrent of emotion. Plagued by the internal struggle of hatred and compassion for her former lover. Robert had changed. Become someone almost unrecognizable to her. But there were still moments. Glimpses of the man she once loved behind it all. A laugh, or a smile. The way he frowned or turned to face her. She let out a deep breath, she didn¡¯t feel like it, but she had to get up.


    After her morning routine she left her quarters. The two guards outside her room bowed and fell in behind her without so much as a word. She made her way down to the dining hall, noticing to her surprise that no one was there. For days now, Robert, Alektor, Demessa, Athica, and Ambrosia had all been here, discussing the war or other topics upon her arrival. She took the seat she usually did. At the far end of the table, furthest from where Alektor sat, usually. She finished her breakfast alone, and finally stood to make her way to the gardens. The whole palace seemed to be empty, save the guards and scribes that roamed the halls.


    Soon her curiosity got the better of her, and she began to search for where they might be. ¡°Excuse me.¡± She said to a passing guard. ¡°Do you know where Alektor is?¡±


    ¡°Spirit-Sent.¡± The guard bowed. ¡°He left early this morning to meet with some of the Lords of the Sabree and Volsung. I believe they¡¯re at the Glade now. Would you like me to escort you there?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± she said, nodding in thanks. ¡°I know the way.¡±


    She made her way across the city to its seat of military power. The Glade. The large dome structure sat as a permanent reminder of the resilience of this city, she felt. It was nearly indestructible, and would no doubt still be standing, long after they were gone. Within were a vast assortment of warriors from every clan that pledged loyalty to Alektor and the Rexunii. Volsung, Visgo, Sabree¡¯ and of course the Rexunii themselves. Making her way up to the royal box she finally found Alektor, Robert, Athica, Demessa, and Ambrosia within. Along with many other lords and ladies of the other clans. Alektor was in a conversation with Robert, the two sitting in the very same area she and Avria had when they first spoke. Demessa was sitting awkwardly with Ambrosia, the two barely able to look at one another. That¡¯s my cue. She thought, walking toward them.


    ¡°Well, I feel a bit left out.¡± Katrina said, taking a seat next to Demessa. ¡°You guys just decided to leave me behind?¡±


    ¡°Katrina!¡± Demessa said, a wide smile across her face. ¡°Well, I suggested it, but our High King told us that you would most likely decline the invitation.¡±


    Katrina shrugged, ¡°Understandable.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Ambrosia said, turning angry eyes toward Katrina. ¡°You have thrown any attempt from our High King at reconciliation back in his face over and over again. Even through the disrespect and insolence you have shown him, he still graciously provides you with every need. He asks nothing in return from you.¡± She spat. Which Katrina thought was very un-ladylike. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve any of this.¡±


    Katrina opened her mouth to retort, but was cut off by another voice.


    ¡°Princess Ambrosia.¡± Alektor said, taking a seat next to Katrina. ¡°We do what we must for the Spirit-Sent, and that is all. Asking for something in return would be highly inappropriate.¡±


    ¡°Well, your highness, I believe that it is also proper for one¡¯s actions and intentions to be acknowledged.¡± Ambrosia said, smiling at Alektor.


    Oh brother. Katrina thought, she¡¯s got it bad. ¡°Well, I have my reasons, don¡¯t I Ambrosia?¡± Katrina stood to leave but Alektor held his hand up.


    ¡°Katrina.¡± He said, getting her attention. ¡°I wonder if you might spare a moment.¡±


    Katrina raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°There is something I wish to discuss with you.¡± He said, standing from his place and gesturing to her to follow. Ambrosia began to stand as well, but he looked at the princess. ¡°I would speak to her alone, for now.¡±


    Ambrosia looked puzzled, but ultimately bowed her head in acceptance.


    Katrina followed him to the far corner of the royal box, where two chairs were set up for them.


    ¡°So, what is it, Alektor?¡± Katrina said as she sat, crossing her arms.


    ¡°It is about Reku.¡± Alektor said, taking a seat across from her. ¡°He has been¡­ different since returning from Pontos. I was hoping to gain some insight from someone who knows him well.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡± Katrina shook her head. ¡°Not anymore at least. His time here has made him basically unrecognizable to me. So, I don¡¯t know how much help I¡¯ll be.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Alektor said, several moments of awkward silence following.


    ¡°Well.¡± Katrina finally spoke. ¡°Tell me about it anyway; I guess it wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    ¡°He seems a bit more aggressive than normal.¡±


    Katrina waited for him to continue, but when it became clear that was all he had to say, she shrugged. ¡°I mean, back home Robert wasn¡¯t aggressive at all. So, any form of aggression now is more than he used to have for me. He has been through a lot though.¡± She paused, catching herself. He doesn¡¯t deserve any sympathy, what the hell are you talking about, Kat? She thought.


    ¡°How he¡¯s treating Athica, the Queen of Visgo. And the reports we¡¯ve been receiving about how he consolidated power in Pontos.¡± Alektor lifted a hand getting a servant¡¯s attention. Who promptly laid out two bowls of wine for them. Alektor nodded in thanks, and proceeded to take a long drink.


    ¡°What did he do?¡±


    ¡°Well, let me start with this. Visgo is a clan that differs greatly from most of Eleutheros. They have a complex political infrastructure that favors a small group of Dae who control their clan¡¯s industry and economy.¡±


    ¡°Like a shadow government.¡± Katrina said, picking up her bowl of wine and drinking. ¡°Or a cabal or something.¡±


    ¡°Precisely.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°This has been their way for centuries. The Kings or Queens of their clan are selected and controlled like this. Reku wasn¡¯t selected; they took issue with this. They attempted to betray us by capturing him and selling him to the Torre¡¯ for their forgiveness and support.¡±


    Katrina finished her bowl of wine and crossed her arms. Leaning back in her chair. ¡°Had to throw that in there, huh?¡±


    ¡°I wont lie to you, Katrina.¡± Alektor folded his hands and leaned forward. ¡°It is in my best interest to get your support. The Torre¡¯ want to kill you. They believe you¡¯re demons.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. Because¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re going to say it¡¯s because of Reku.¡± Alektor interrupted her. ¡°You¡¯ve already made your point. Reku did what he did because we asked him.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t join you.¡± Katrina said hotly.


    ¡°Whether you like it or not, Katrina. We are the only friends you have.¡±


    Katrina sighed, feeling her interest in the conversation start to wane. ¡°Can we talk about something else, please? What are you going to do about Robert and his baby mamas?¡±


    Alektor raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°The two mothers of his children.¡± Katrina clarified. ¡°You¡¯re keeping them here, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Athica and Demessa will remain here, under my direct protection.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but notice you weren¡¯t too happy about Demessa, and her being pregnant too.¡± Katrina prodded.


    ¡°There are complications to be sure, but the child is my kin and will be well taken care of. Demessa as well.¡±


    ¡°Another member in the ranks of your flourishing house.¡± Katrina said, shaking her head.


    ¡°I do not have a flourishing house.¡± He responded quickly. ¡°I was the last known member of house Roh. After my father was executed by the former King of Rexun.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Katrina said, unwanted sympathy creeping into her mind.


    ¡°That is, until Reku became my brother. And now of course, the prospect of a niece or nephew. My house has a promising future to be sure.¡±


    ¡°What about your own kids?¡± Katrina looked over her shoulder at Ambrosia, staring daggers at them from across the room. ¡°Princess sourpuss over there would love to help you grow your house.¡±


    Alektor looked on, seeming to be a bit uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. ¡°That option is being considered. But it is not the only one.¡±


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°The hand of a king, or a High King, rather. Must be held for the most eligible candidate.¡± Alektor looked toward Ambrosia. ¡°The princess of Sabree has many qualities that I find formidable. But her clan is already allied to us, and mating with her would bring little political value or further our position.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty screwed up.¡± Katrina said, ¡°so who are your other options?¡±


    He narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°Within the realm of possibility? None. Either a joining with a rival clan, the Lokkadonians or the Torre¡¯ perhaps.¡± He shook his head, and leaned back. ¡°As I¡¯m sure you agree with me. Each option is impossible at this time. But I cannot jump into anything rashly.¡±


    Katrina took several deep breaths, letting her surprise at the man¡¯s words settle. ¡°I can see how that would be a problem. It¡¯s kinda fucked up, but I get it. The only prospects that make any political sense are out of the question.


    ¡°Perhaps an opportunity will present itself. King Phobos has many members of his house that would be eligible to marry. Once this war is coming to a close, I might have to use that to bring peace. It would unite Eleutheros again, and solidify my position to my subjects.¡±


    ¡°That is assuming you don¡¯t get your ass kicked by the counterattack.¡±


    ¡°Unlikely.¡± Alektor replied. ¡°They are far less organized now. After the death of Agron, I can¡¯t see any in their military caste who would pose a threat.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit.¡± Katrina spat, feeling hot anger building within her.


    ¡°These are the facts, Katrina.¡±


    ¡°Boros is still out there. He¡¯ll get his revenge.¡±


    ¡°The last son of Ignos is of little concern to me.¡± Alektor¡¯s voice was cold as he spoke. And this brought Katrina¡¯s temper to rise further. ¡°He should have died defending his city beside his father and brother. Instead, he ran away like a coward. No, Katrina. A Dae like that could never hope to defeat Rexun.¡±


    ¡°You have no Idea what it¡¯s like to watch your entire family get murdered in front of you.¡± Katrina seethed, her eyes bulging with rage.


    ¡°I watched as my entire house was murdered by the old King of Rexun.¡± Alektor leaned forward. ¡°Those I loved, and cared for all my life, snuffed out before my eyes. In an instant, I was alone. My father, dead. My uncles and cousins, all dead. Cast into the Pit of Mar, because of a plot, orchestrated by the Torre¡¯.¡± Alektor beckoned a servant with his hand, and he was brought another bowl of wine. He took a long drink and met Katrina¡¯s eyes. ¡°I never knew my mother. And my father never told me anything about her. Other than, she was a very powerful Dae, who abandoned me after I was born.¡±


    ¡°You were wronged by the Rexunii King, and the Torre¡¯.¡± Katrina said, taking slow breaths. ¡°And what exactly did you do to the Rexunii King?¡± She narrowed her eyes.


    Alektor sighed then drank from his bowl again. ¡°I got my revenge.¡± He said, ¡°I reaped a terrible vengeance upon them for what they did to my family, and their betrayal of Rexun. That is why I do not chastise your ire toward me. You are entitled to your revenge. If you can take it, that is.¡±


    Katrina took a deep, calming breath and stood from her seat. Without a word she turned and walked back to Ambrosia and Demessa.


    ¡°You should go talk to him.¡± Katrina said, looking at Ambrosia. Then promptly left to return to the palace.


    ~


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I agree with you, Kat.¡± Demessa said, pouring wine for herself.


    Katrina lounged on her couch, facing the large balcony of her quarters. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to. I don¡¯t have anyone to vent to, but I needed to get it off my chest.¡±


    ¡°Well, he has his reasons for hating house Ignos. I certainly can¡¯t blame him.¡± Demessa sat next to her, looking at the bowl of wine, sighing, then handing it to Katrina. ¡°I keep forgetting I can¡¯t drink this while I¡¯m with child.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do.¡± Katrina deftly grabbed the bowl and took a swig. ¡°It got awkward though. I mean, he started talking about not being able to find a wife.¡±


    ¡°Did he ask if you were interested?¡±


    ¡°What!? Ew, no.¡± Katrina thought for a moment, ¡°I mean, he didn¡¯t say it out right, but I guess it could have been him projecting it? I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Demessa asked, leaning in. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    Katrina shot up. ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Alektor is my enemy. I hate him. That¡¯s it, end of story.¡±


    Demessa smirked. ¡°Reku was my enemy too, at one point. But we saw past our differences. And the passion that sparked from that union was.¡± She smiled, looking up at the ceiling. ¡°Amazing.¡±


    ¡°Gross.¡± Katrina said, laying back down on the couch. ¡°I like you and all, Demessa, but Robert used to be my boyfriend. It¡¯s weird talking about his sex life.¡±


    ¡°The circumstances are difficult to be sure.¡± Demessa put a reassuring hand on Katrina¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But you should get out more, find a mate for the night, and enjoy yourself. It isn¡¯t the Rexunii way to hold yourself back like this. Though you aren¡¯t of our clan, you should try it. I¡¯m sure you will feel better.¡±


    ¡°No thanks,¡± Katrina said, ¡°Too much to do. You know, training and whatnot.¡±


    Suddenly there was a loud pounding on the door to her quarters. The two women looked at one another, and Katrina shot to her feet. ¡°Lady Demessa! Spirit-Sent!¡± One of the guards said, opening the doors and poking his head inside. ¡°High King Alektor has requested an audience. Immediately, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°What the hell!?¡± Katrina shouted, ¡°You scared the shit out of us!¡±


    ¡°My apologies, Spirit-Sent.¡± He said, ¡°It appears that a third Spirit-Sent has approached the gates of Vul De Rah with a rather large escort of warriors.¡±


    ¡°D¡­ Daniel?¡± Katrina asked, in shock. ¡°Daniel is here!?¡±


    ~


    Robert strode into the throne room flanked by his Visgo honor guard. Alektor sat on the throne, and was locked in a conversation with Turak.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± Robert said, walking up the steps to stand beside them. ¡°Another one? Who is it? Daniel?¡±


    Turak shook his head. ¡°I swear I don¡¯t understand anything anymore. First Katrina, showing up and trying to kill Alektor, here. Now Daniel walks right up to the main gate.¡±


    ¡°Has he made any demands or statement?¡± Alektor asked, steepling his fingers in thought.


    ¡°None that we know of.¡± Turak said, ¡°He just walked up with a bunch of warriors who he picked up on the way here, and basically knocked on the front gate.¡±


    ¡°Something is wrong¡­¡± Dio¡¯mar whispered in Robert¡¯s ear. ¡°I do not sense him¡­ There is nothing there¡­ it is almost like he doesn¡¯t exist in the spiritual realm.¡±


    What? Robert asked in his mind, shocked. What does that mean?


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± she said, floating over his shoulder. ¡°This is troubling.¡±


    ¡°Apparently Dio¡¯Mar is saying there is something wrong with him.¡± Robert said aloud.


    ¡°Elaborate.¡± Alektor grumbled.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know. She just says that she can¡¯t sense him. It¡¯s as though he has no Spiritual energy at all. Like when we first arrived. I guess.¡± Robert shrugged. ¡°His Dunamis is erased or something.¡±


    Just then, Katrina and Demessa entered the throne room. ¡°Where is he?¡± Katrina asked, climbing the steps.


    ¡°Not here yet.¡± Robert said, turning to Malak, the head of his royal guard. ¡°Be ready for anything. The last time I saw this guy, he tried to kill me.¡±


    After another ten minutes or so of waiting. The doors of the throne room slid open, and a grizzled and worn-looking Daniel walked in, flanked by warriors from several different clans. He strode up to the steps and stopped, looking up at everyone.


    ¡°Kat.¡± He said, with a nod. ¡°You alright?¡±


    Katrina smiled from ear to ear, and she leaped down the steps embracing him tightly. ¡°Oh my God, Dan. I thought you were dead! Everyone said you and Avria were killed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright, Kat.¡± Daniel said, tightening his grip. ¡°We gave them hell. Avria is safe and sound with the Baa¡¯Yega. Probably already linked up with Lokkadonian command.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± she said, bringing teary eyes up to meet him. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± She asked, a bit of frustration in her voice. ¡°You should have stayed far away from here.¡±


    Daniel looked up, his cold eyes meeting Robert¡¯s


    Fuck, Robert thought. That¡¯s not good.


    ¡°I came for you.¡± Daniel said, calmly. ¡°Well, that, and there isn¡¯t anywhere else to go. We¡¯ve got problems with the Torre¡¯ again.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Katrina stepped back from him, then turned to lock eyes with Alektor.


    ¡°We welcome you, Spirit-Sent, Daniel.¡± Alektor said, standing from his throne and bringing his arms out to his sides. ¡°We welcome you into our protection.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Daniel grunted, taking several steps up toward the throne. ¡°Long time no see, Alektor.¡±


    Almost two dozen royal guards tensed at that moment. Robert could hear the creak of armor, and the grasping of bone handles.


    ¡°I have come here to sue for peace.¡± Daniel said, turning to glance at Katrina.


    Several moments passed, as Alektor seemed to gather his thoughts. ¡°Do you? And do you speak for the High King of Torre¡¯ as well? Or the Baa¡¯Yega, or Lokkadonia? Or Exous?¡±


    ¡°I speak, with the authority of a Spirit-Sent.¡± Daniel commanded, his voice sounding strong. ¡°I would see this land at peace. United again, under a single banner.¡±


    Alektor seemed taken aback by Daniel¡¯s words, this was something he clearly did not expect or anticipate happening. ¡°And what if that banner is mine?¡±


    ¡°Then at least we humans don¡¯t have to worry about being dragged off and tortured to death.¡± Daniel replied. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t really care who sits at the top. As long as they¡¯re friendly to us.¡±


    ¡°Daniel!¡± Katrina hissed, but he ignored her.


    ¡°So?¡±


    Alektor looked at Turak, and then to Robert. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t see any reason why we can¡¯t work together in that regard. But it will be difficult to navigate the political landscape. The Torre¡¯ are refusing to give up their power. And of course, the Lokkadonians would seek revenge for what took place in this very room.¡± Alektor¡¯s eyes focused on Daniel.


    ¡°I know what happened here.¡± Daniel replied, his face unreadable. ¡°You killed my friends. Tried to kill me and Kat. That¡¯s war though. Now the people we thought we were fighting for, turned around and branded us demons again.¡± He put his hand on Katrina¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll be damned if I¡¯m going to sit back and let that bullshit happen again.¡±


    ¡°If that is the case.¡± Alektor said, his face stern. ¡°Then I welcome you as a brother, and will protect you as I protect Reku and Katrina. As a member of my house.¡±


    ¡°I will need a few things though.¡±


    ¡°Which are?¡±


    ¡°First, I need a shower.¡± Daniel held up a finger. ¡°Second, I need my old quarters back. And third I want Rin as my steward, and I want corporal Matea here to be my squire.¡± Daniel pointed behind him to a female warrior, who was knelt down, and clad in a Sabree cloak.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t see any issue with that.¡± Alektor looked at the girl. ¡°Corporal, Matea.¡± He said, and she shot up from her knee, and bent at the waist.


    ¡°Your majesty!¡± She blurted out.


    ¡°A Spirit-Sent has named you, his squire.¡± Alektor said, ¡°That is a great honor to be had. Serve him well, and your house will be granted a title, and risen to the rank of nobility.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, your Majesty! I will not fail!¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± Daniel grabbed Katrina by the arm and started to turn away. ¡°I¡¯ll head back to my room then.¡±


    ¡°Spirit-Sent.¡± Alektor held a hand up. ¡°I¡¯m afraid your old quarters are being utilized by Spirit-Sent, Katrina. It will take us some time to move her to other accommodations.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Daniel said, ¡°We¡¯re basically family. She doesn¡¯t mind. Do you?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± She replied, not missing a beat. ¡°We¡¯ll bunk together for now. No problem here.¡±


    ¡°Well, there is the matter of your weapon.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°We provide the most effective protection for our guests. So, there is no need for you to carry one.¡±


    Daniel made a clear glance at Robert¡¯s blade at his hip. ¡°Very well.¡± He unclasped his belt and dropped it on the floor. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Alektor crossed his arms and started walking down the steps toward Daniel and Katrina. ¡°I need your solemn oath that you will not attempt to harm us here. Either myself or my warriors, or any of my people. I know you were close to many of Lokkon who perished in the battle. I need to know you do not seek retribution.¡±


    Daniel held Alektor¡¯s gaze for some time. ¡°I said my peace, and you have my word I won¡¯t try to harm you or anyone here while I¡¯m under this roof.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°But if we meet on a field somewhere in the future for some reason. That¡¯s a different story.¡±


    ¡°Does that go for me as well?¡± Robert asked, finally speaking.


    Daniel¡¯s cold eyes met his, and a small shiver shot down his back. ¡°No.¡±


    Alektor sighed, ¡°I will need you to swear to me that you will not harm King Reku in any way. He is a¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who the hell he is now.¡± Daniel spat. ¡°I can swear that if you keep him away from me, I won¡¯t kill him.¡± His eyes again locked with Robert¡¯s, his intent clear. ¡°But count your days, you piece of shit. Sooner or later you¡¯re gonna pay for what you did.¡±


    Robert felt a large lump in his throat drop into the pit of his stomach.


    ¡°He will try¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar whispered in his ear.

 Chapter 27 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel and Katrina made their way to his old quarters. Which of course, she now occupied. They were escorted by nearly twenty royal guards, but as they opened the doors he quickly walked inside. Katrina followed and slid the door shut, leaving their ¡®protection¡¯ outside.


    ¡°Alright, Dan. What the fuck, are you doing here!?¡± She said, grabbing his shoulders. ¡°This is literally, the last¡ª¡±


    Daniel held his finger up to his mouth, bringing her to silence. He slowly shook his head and motioned her toward the large couch in front of the balcony. They sat together and he held her hands in his. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes, trusting she knew what he was trying to do. Within several moments, he opened his eyes and found himself, and her, in his Dunem Dae Espa.


    ¡°There we go. Now we can talk.¡± He said, seeing her expression of surprise. ¡°This way they can¡¯t hear us.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, Dan. This is genius.¡± She smiled. ¡°I never thought of using the Dunem Dae Espa as a way to have a private conversation.¡± She looked around at the vast and empty desert. ¡°This is uh¡­ kinda bleak though, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it. Regardless, I need to speak to you without any curious ears. As to why I¡¯m here? There is literally nowhere else to go, Kat. All of the Torre¡¯ forces are looking to kill us now, and I found out you were captured.¡±


    ¡°So. You came to¡­ what? Rescue me?¡± She smirked.


    ¡°Is that so surprising?¡± Daniel asked, ¡°Once I found out you were here, alive, but in the ¡®protection¡¯ of the Rexunii.¡± He emphasized the word with air quotes. ¡°I made the decision to come. It wasn¡¯t even a decision, actually. I¡¯m here to get you out.¡±


    Katrina looked at him for a bit, her eyes lingering on his while her smile grew. ¡°That¡¯s sweet and all, but now we¡¯re both stuck here.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°So how do you plan on getting us out of here?¡±


    Daniel grinned, ¡°We don¡¯t¡­ just yet.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s smile fell. ¡°Really. That¡¯s your plan? We sit here and wait? Wait for what? They need us up there.¡±


    ¡°Oh, ye of little faith.¡± Daniel jibbed. ¡°Trust me on this. It¡¯s dangerous out there right now. The Torre¡¯ have lost their damn minds again. If we leave now, where are we gonna go?¡±


    ¡°Avria, Telmos, and Boros won¡¯t let anything happen to us, Dan.¡± Katrina huffed, turning to face away from him. ¡°We can¡¯t just do nothing. I can¡¯t bear to sit here, walking around these halls with our friends¡¯ murderers just going about their daily lives. It¡¯s too much.¡± She shook her head then looked at the sand below. ¡°Speaking with Alektor, while he¡¯s perched on Agron¡¯s throne makes me sick to my fucking stomach.¡±


    ¡°Alektor isn¡¯t the problem, Kat. Not to me at least.¡±


    Katrina whirled on him, her face one of shock. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Robert¡¯s the one I want. Alektor was a common denominator in Pelemont long before we arrived. It¡¯s the law of these lands. We need to focus on Robert.¡±


    ¡°Robert¡¯s situation is complicated, Dan.¡± She didn¡¯t meet his eyes as she spoke. ¡°So much happened to him here. He¡¯s changed so much.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve gotten to you.¡± Daniel said, lowly.


    ¡°What the fuck is that supposed to mean!?¡± Katrina shouted. ¡°I¡¯ve had time to think about it, that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve had time to let Alektor and the rest of them give you some sob story about how much of a tortured soul he is. I don¡¯t fucking care. He killed my best friend in this world. We were on the verge of something, Kat. A way to find my friends. To get more of us here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Katrina hissed, ¡°And what about the Doulos, Dan? The people we just walked past every single day who were suffering in slavery. The Dae are people, Dan. We¡¯re new here, but I know you felt the same way I did about them when we first saw them.¡±


    ¡°We would have figured something out, Kat. We weren¡¯t in a position to do anything about them.¡±


    ¡°Keep telling yourself that. Robert was fighting for his life. He¡ª¡± Katrina stopped speaking abruptly, as if realizing what she was saying.


    ¡°Yeah, you hear yourself now.¡± Daniel clenched his jaw. ¡°You¡¯re spouting the same crap the Rexunii are. This asshole was responsible for killing everyone who protected us when we arrived. We could have ended up just like him, or worse. The human that was burned alive in Torre¡¯.¡±


    Katrina sighed clenching her fists. ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with you about the morality of it all. Since I¡¯ve been here, I¡¯ll admit, Alektor kind of got to me. And Demessa¡­ She¡­ she¡¯s been talking a lot about him.¡±


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    ¡°Who¡¯s Demessa?¡± Daniel asked, genuine curiosity in his voice.


    ¡°Robert¡¯s baby mamma.¡± She chuckled, ¡°one of them, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Daniel¡¯s mind reeled at the statement. ¡°Hold on a second. Back up. His what?¡±


    ¡°Robert slept with a Dae girl named Demessa.¡± Katrina shrugged, ¡°didn¡¯t know she got pregnant. Then Alektor married him off to Queen Athica of Visgo. Slept with her also. She tried to kill him, blah blah blah, she¡¯s pregnant too, but he hates her. That about covers it.¡±


    Daniel blinked in stunned silence for a long moment. ¡°Uh¡­ ok. Lots to unpack there. First off¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Katrina interrupted, ¡°Dae and humans can make babies, apparently. And yes, our value to these people just skyrocketed. If our abilities can be passed on¡­ yeah there¡¯s a good chance, we¡¯ll be sold off to the highest bidder for our¡­ services.¡±


    ¡°Not gonna happen.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what Alektor said. Eh, in not so many words. But he was pretty clear that we needed to be protected. And that particular information. Trust me, I won¡¯t let it happen either. I don¡¯t care how powerful they are. I¡¯m not gonna be some Dae¡¯s baby machine.¡±


    Daniel brought his hand to his chin, now in deep thought.


    ¡°Ugh! It¡¯s so frustrating.¡± Katrina ran her fingers through her hair. ¡°I hate them so much, Dan. For everything they did. But¡­ you¡¯re right. We can¡¯t just leave without a plan.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Daniel mumbled, half paying attention. ¡°I think we need to get word to Avria somehow. We can gather information in the meantime.¡±


    ¡°How do we do that?¡± Katrina asked, ¡°the only way I¡¯ve seen it done here is by a Dae-Jin. They use wind-talking; basically, sending their voice through the air to pass messages to specific locations of specialized spiritual energy. It¡¯s actually pretty complex.¡±


    ¡°Are there any other elements capable of something like that?¡± Daniel knew he couldn¡¯t do it. Dae-Roh weren¡¯t exactly known for such things. Then again, he was far from a true expert in the Dunamis.


    ¡°Other than examples of Dae-Leu using it while on the water; like to pass messages from ship to ship.¡± Katrina shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t really know.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we can use a similar method through the ground. You¡¯re a Dae-Voh, so maybe that¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Katrina pondered. ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot. The problem is, even if we could somehow figure out how to do it. Would they be able to reply?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe we¡¯re overthinking it. I¡¯m sure Lokkon has spies here still. If we can find someone here who could help us pass word.¡± Daniel perked up. ¡°That¡¯s gotta be it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll start asking some nobles.¡± Katrina smiled, ¡°It feels good to finally talk to someone I know, Dan. You have no Idea.¡± She reached her hand out toward him, and clasped his own. ¡°I really missed you, you know.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Daniel rubbed his head awkwardly. ¡°We had a rough few months for sure.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you had a fun time.¡± She chuckled. ¡°I heard you were traveling around with Avria. How was that?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­¡± He shrugged. ¡°She took some getting used to. But in the end, we really ended up relying on each other a lot. Even going so far as to be called friends¡­ maybe?¡±


    Katrina let out a laugh, and was about to continue, when Daniel held up his hand and looked at the sky above.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s at the door.¡±


    With a bright flash, they found themselves back in reality, and he heard the knocking.


    The doors swung open, and a Dae woman strode in, with piercing green eyes. Daniel blinked several times as his consciousness adjusted to the transition, but he faced her.


    ¡°Am I interrupting something?¡± She asked.


    Daniel stared daggers at her, but answered. ¡°Actually, yes.¡± He crossed his arms. ¡°We were trying to catch up. What the hell do you want?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Demessa.¡± Katrina said, placing her hand on Daniel¡¯s chest and glaring at him. ¡°Dan is just a bit tired from his trip. What did you need?¡±


    ¡°This can¡¯t wait.¡± She said, looking directly at Daniel. ¡°I don¡¯t know you, and it¡¯s irrelevant to skirt around the issue, so I¡¯ll just come out and say it. I need to know if you¡¯re planning something. I know you must hate Reku, but I can¡¯t have you harming him. There are things he needs to live for. Things that go beyond his crimes against you.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re his girlfriend, huh?¡± Daniel snorted. ¡°Is it true? You¡¯re carrying his kid?¡±


    Demessa placed her hand on her belly instinctively. ¡°I am¡­¡±


    Daniel took several seconds to answer, his eyes hard and unwavering. ¡°I¡¯m not a monster, I wouldn¡¯t hurt you or your baby.¡±


    Demessa tensed. ¡°And Reku?¡±


    ¡°He has to pay for his crimes. Today or some time down the line. He¡¯s gonna find someone there to collect. It may be me; or some very pissed off Lokkadonian. Either way, it¡¯s coming.¡±


    Daniel could see the uncertainty and despair in her eyes as she processed the words. ¡°Please¡­¡± She said, her voice soft. ¡°I¡¯ve only just got him back¡­ Spirit-Sent, please. There is far too much at stake for us. Katrina promised me she wouldn¡¯t harm him. Please¡­¡±


    ¡°Dan¡­¡± Katrina whispered, squeezing his arm. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be today.¡±


    Daniel felt a pit in his stomach as he looked upon the Dae girl. Fuck, why can¡¯t shit like this ever be simple, he thought. ¡°Fine.¡± He grunted. ¡°But keep him away from me, and Katrina. I don¡¯t want to see his face.¡±


    Demessa¡¯s face visibly sagged in relief. ¡°Thank you, Spirit-Sent. I am in your debt.¡±


    Daniel turned from her, and walked out onto the balcony. Patience was key in situations like this. He looked up to the sky, now dark and filled with a sea of stars. Robert would get what was due, eventually. Then there was that strange spirit that was floating around his head in the throne room. It didn¡¯t seem as though anyone else had noticed it. But it was there; clear as day. Speaking into his ear like some little gremlin.


    ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡± Katrina said, standing beside him, and looking up at the stars. ¡°Thanks for that, Dan¡­¡±


    Daniel grunted in response, too lost in his thoughts to comment further.


    ¡°You remember when we first met?¡± She nudged him. ¡°I asked if you were an astronomer?¡±


    This brought Daniel¡¯s attention back to her, and he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Yeah¡­ that was.¡±


    ¡°Idiotic.¡± She laughed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to deny it. I actually felt stupid as soon as the question left my mouth.¡± She turned to face him, and he looked at her. ¡°You helped us so much back then. Fought for us and kept us together. Even though we were strangers. I¡¯m not the scared girl I was, Dan. We¡¯ll get through this. Together.¡±


    She leaned in and embraced him. ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back.¡±


    Daniel let out a deep breath. The weight of their situation lifting slightly.


    ¡°Dan.¡± she said, letting go and backing up from him. ¡°It¡¯s a touching moment and all. But you really, REALLY need to take a shower.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± he said, chuckling and turning to walk back inside the room. ¡°I¡¯ll go do that. Also, I¡¯ll take the couch.¡±

 Chapter 28 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Avria stood before the doors of High King Phobos¡¯ throne room. After several days of travel, she had finally arrived at Belous City. The capitol of the Torre¡¯ clan, and the seat of power in all Eleutheros for centuries. The doors began to slide open, and she glanced at Nasha, who was standing to her left. The two of them had left Vul De Mar without so much as a word to King Yomin, Hego Boros, or anyone else. In the hopes of appealing to the High King, and somehow bringing the humans back into the fold.


    As the doors fully opened, she began to walk forward, past numerous royal guards, clad in a deep purple. The color of wealth in Eleutheros, and the color of the Torre¡¯ clan. She looked up to see High King Phobos, one of the youngest High Kings in the history of Eleutheros, sitting upon his throne, looking down at them from an elevated platform.


    ¡°Lady Avria, of house Regios, Ward of Hego Boros, of Lokkadonia.¡± A Dae guard announced. ¡°And Lady Nasha, of house Adomo, of Lokkadonia.¡±


    High King Phobos raised a hand to greet them as they entered. ¡°Lady Avria, and Lady Nasha. I am honored that you have made it here to Belous, and am happy to grant you the audience you requested.¡±


    Avria stopped her approach, and knelt. ¡°My High King, we are honored that you would take time for us, in our humble request.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± He said, leaning forward in his throne. ¡°It has been some time since I have seen you, Lady Avria. And Lady Nasha is always welcome.¡±


    ¡°You flatter me, your Grace.¡± Nasha said.


    Avria noticed from the corner of her eye that Nasha was struggling to manage kneeling with one leg. She could see, based on the High King¡¯s expression, he had noticed as well.


    ¡°I was horrified to learn what injury you sustained, Lady Nasha. The Rexunii beasts that did that to you will surely pay the highest price. You have my word.¡±


    ¡°You are too kind, your Grace.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Now, to what do we owe the pleasure of such fine servants of Eleutheros, coming all this way to see me?¡± Phobos asked.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± Avria started, ¡°we are here today to appeal to you in regard to the Humans. The reports you have sent us about them, we feel have been greatly inaccurate. I personally have spent a great deal of time with both Katrina, and Daniel over the course of their time here in Eleutheros; and can personally vouch for them.¡± She looked up at him, searching his face for any reaction. He had light blue skin, complimented by pearl white hair, and intense yellow eyes. The crown he wore was more like a helmet, with a nose guard, and plates that came down the sides of his cheeks to his chin. ¡°I beg you to listen to our firsthand accounts, and implore you to extend a hand of friendship to them, instead of the blade. We need their strength and power more than ever in the fight against the false King, Alektor, and his allies.¡±


    Phobos said nothing for a time, his gaze constant and acute. ¡°Lady Avria, I see you are wasting no time in getting to your point. So, I will be equally direct. The Demons you claim you know are a threat to our world and our way of life. The late Hego, Agron, denied our command to purify these monsters and it quite literally cost him his head. And not just his own, but thousands of sons and daughters of Lokkon. Warriors, women, children. All owe the death and destruction they have suffered to the stubbornness and defiance he showed us.¡± He flicked his wrist as if dismissing any argument. ¡°I will hear no more of this.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, please.¡± Avria said, standing. ¡°Katrina nearly gave her life defending the city, and saved the life of Krya Illya, then attempted to assassinate Alektor himself! Daniel and I fought against him, and he saved my life in our escape. We fought for months on the road, bleeding together against our foes. My honor demands that I share their determination and loyalty. It is the least I can do!¡±


    ¡°Even if any further words cost you your life?¡± Phobos said, his voice deathly serious.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Avria said without hesitation. ¡°If I stand and do nothing, while Alektor defiles the land of my people. And the people who I¡¯ve grown to trust, and love, suffer at not just his hands, but the hands of my own clan. I would gladly give my life to spare them.¡±


    Phobos was again silent for several moments, then tilted his head at her. ¡°You truly believe they are not demons, sent to destroy us.¡±


    ¡°With all my heart. As I said, Daniel saved my life. And would be here now, with me to plead his case, if he weren¡¯t sent away at the border of Baa¡¯Yega.¡±


    ¡°And the reports that he is now in the hands of the Rexunii as well?¡± Phobos asked.


    Avria¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she didn¡¯t show it. She had no idea that Daniel had made his way there. ¡°If Daniel is with them at Vul De Rah, it is not to join Alektor. The same goes for Katrina. He must have a plan.¡± She said, showing far more confidence than she felt.


    ¡°By the Spirits.¡± Phobos shook his head. ¡°You truly have been put under their spell. And you, Nasha?¡±


    ¡°I also feel the same way, your Grace. I agree with Lady Avria, we have little hope against the Rexunii or other clans as long as they have Robert on their side. He is the only one who raised a hand against us, and is the only human who should face the judgment of Eleutheros. Even so, the words of Spirits should speak better than we can. On several occasions they presented themselves to us in Vul De Rah. One such occasion I witnessed myself. The Spirit Gro¡¯ak bid Hego Agron to protect the humans and named them Spirit-Sent. How are we to deny the words of a Spirit?¡±


    Phobos nodded, and took a deep breath. ¡°It is quite unfortunate that our High Espi-Dae isn¡¯t present to refute any of these claims. But I trust you, Lady Nasha. I know your heart and your mind are true.¡± He sighed and stood slowly from his throne. ¡°I will issue a task to you then. Bring me one of the Demons, or, humans, as you call them. I wish to speak to them myself. I will send an Espi-Dae with you as well. To advise and observe your interaction with them.¡± He turned to a scribe to his left and nodded toward him. ¡°This is the word of your High King, Phobos of House Domina. The humans are not to be harmed until my final judgment has been made. Unless they are directly aggressive toward us.¡±


    Avria¡¯s heart surged with relief and happiness. She had accomplished what she sought to do. Now she could focus on rescuing Daniel and Katrina from Vul De Rah. A task that seemed impossible from her current place, but the hardest part had been solved. Phobos had granted them safe passage. Albeit temporarily, but it was more than enough to work with.


    ¡°Thank you, your Grace!¡± Avria said, bowing her head. ¡°I will not fail you in this task.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± Nasha spoke, standing with her crutches. ¡°There is the matter of King Yomin, as well. We did not exactly, request permission from him to travel to Belous for an audience with you. His word might, contradict, our mission for our High King.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Phobos said, beginning to step down toward Nasha and Avria. ¡°You will both be given a title in the name of your High King,¡± He turned briefly around to his scribe. ¡°I declare that Lady Avria, and Lady Nasha be given the title of ¡®Sterion¡¯, Agents of the High King of Torre¡¯, who answer only to me, and are not subject to the command of anyone other than myself. Give them the proper credentials.¡± He reached Nasha and placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I will give you authority to enact my will, and complete the task I have given you; that will help you see this mission through, regardless of Yomin¡¯s or any other¡¯s objections. But, as I said, I will assign you an Espi-Dae, who will act as our church¡¯s representative. That should at least appease our High Espi-Dae.¡±


    ¡°You are too kind, your Grace.¡± Nasha smiled, bringing her crutches up. ¡°Though I don¡¯t see how I could be much help, in my current state.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± He smiled. ¡°My healers will have you fixed up in no time. It won¡¯t be your old leg, but you¡¯ll be as good as new. Even better, in fact. Now join me for lunch, and lets discuss more pleasant things.¡±


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    ~


    Avria paced her temporary accommodations, waiting for Nasha to return from the healers. She heard a wrap on her door, and opened it to find the red-haired Dae standing there, on two legs.


    ¡°It worked then?¡± Avria asked, letting her enter.


    ¡°As best as they could.¡± Nasha said, knocking her knuckles against her leg, a hollow wooden sound echoing. ¡°Imbued Rug¡¯ia bone, molded with imbued clay and wood for durability. What wonders they can do now.¡±


    ¡°So, you can fight?¡± Avria smirked.


    ¡°Like never before.¡± Nasha returned the smile.


    ¡°Good. We need to discuss our mission.¡± Avria turned and walked toward a table, littered with parchment and scribbles. ¡°I have been thinking about it, and if we are to make our way toward Vul De Rah, we should go under the banner of peace. The Volsung and Visgo have patrols that cover the main roads. So, a direct approach will put us in contact with them.¡±


    ¡°A direct approach?¡± Nasha asked. ¡°You don¡¯t think we should use stealth? Make our way down using the forests and wilderness?¡±


    Avria turned toward her. ¡°No, it would take far too long.¡±


    ¡°Avria, we need to think about this.¡± Nasha pointed at the map. ¡°If we get caught by them, there will be no choice but to fight.¡±


    Avria shook her head. There was no need to sneak around. This would be an official mission. ¡°We will go straight to them, as emissaries of the High King.¡±


    ¡°As emissaries¡­¡± Nasha said it more as a statement, but didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°There are many who would call that foolish. We don¡¯t want peace with Alektor, we want to defeat him and see him pay for his crimes.¡±


    ¡°Not for peace.¡± Avria shook her head. ¡°To rescue Daniel and Katrina. Alektor will see nothing from us. We will present demands and see them through.¡±


    ¡°And if Alektor finds your demands disrespectful, and kills us?¡±


    ¡°Alektor is many things.¡± Avria continued. ¡°But he has always upheld the customs and traditions of our people.¡±


    ¡°The same way he upheld our traditions and slaughtered our people using forbidden Dunamis?¡± Nasha crossed her arms. ¡°Besides, he isn¡¯t the only one who might wish to do us harm. The human might have something to say about it.¡±


    There was a knock at their door that sounded before Avria could reply. ¡°Enter¡± She called out, and an Espi-Dae entered the room and bowed.


    ¡°Lady Avria, and Lady Nasha. I am Espi-Drake. I was commanded by our High King to accompany you on a mission of sorts.¡±


    Avria looked at Nasha, who shrugged. ¡°We welcome you, Espi-Drake. You were expected hours ago.¡±


    ¡°Our High Espi-Dae sends his apologies.¡± Drake continued, ¡°He believed that a proper representative should go in place of someone who didn¡¯t truly understand what was at stake.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s at stake, is our very survival.¡± Avria stated.


    ¡°I agree with all my heart.¡± Drake bowed again. ¡°Which is why we must ensure that these demons are purged from our world, and our end, diverted.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you think?¡± Avria asked, concerned that she had been sent someone who would derail their entire plan.


    ¡°That is what I know, Lady Avria. Our High Espi-Dae¡¯s visions left little room for doubt.¡±


    ¡°What exactly did he see in these visions?¡± Nasha pressed, looking just as frustrated as Avria.


    Drake took a breath and began. ¡°It was just before their arrival. He awoke one night, slick with sweat, babbling about how Eleutheros would be doomed. About how the demons from hell would pour through portals, devouring all who were in their path. The heralds of this apocalypse would be like us in many ways. Some with light, and others with Dark skin. But they would be different... powerful and ruthless.¡±


    ¡°Did he have any other descriptions?¡± Avria asked. ¡°That all seems rather vague.¡±


    ¡°He described twelve of them.¡± Drake paused, squinting his eyes as if trying to remember. ¡°One who commanded the darkness, with fire painted upon their skin. One who could raise mountains and crush armies with a wave of their hand. One who could steal the breath from your lungs. And one with a blade of light¡­¡± He looked at Avria, a serious look on his face. ¡°That is all I can remember at the moment.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like them at all.¡± Avria said.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Nasha shrugged. ¡°We really don¡¯t know what they will become.¡±


    ¡°Either way.¡± Drake made his way toward the map. ¡°It is not a risk we can afford to take. If we make even the smallest mistake, these creatures will end us.¡±


    ¡°The High King has given us leave to bring our case to him, Espi-Drake.¡± Avria made her way beside him. He looked at her, his yellow eyes unreadable. ¡°We must be sure that you can keep your personal opinion in check. I will not have you interfere with our mission. Am I clear on that?¡±


    Drake kept eye contact, and several moments of tense silence passed. ¡°You truly believe in them?¡± He finally asked.


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°You have my word that I will not interfere, Lady Avria.¡± Drake bowed his head. ¡°If they do not attack us, I will stay my hand.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Espi-Drake.¡± Avria turned toward the door as another knock echoed throughout the room. ¡°Enter.¡±


    The door slid open, and a servant entered holding a large stone orb. ¡°Your speaking stone, my Lady.¡± He bowed his head. Nasha thanked him, taking the stone from him and placing it next to the map on the table.


    ¡°About time.¡± Nasha chuckled. ¡°This should have arrived hours ago as well.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s here now.¡± Avria placed her hands on the stone, and it began to glow a pale green light. ¡°This is Sterion Avria, of house Regios.¡± She spoke into the stone. ¡°I am requesting an audience with King Yomin, Lord Telmos, and Hego Boros. We will stand-by for your response.¡±


    She removed her hands from the stone and let out a sigh. Speaking stones were the fastest way to communicate long distances. They weren¡¯t as secure as wind talking, but between secure locations within the kingdom, they were very efficient.


    ¡°Your message is received, Sterion Avria.¡± A voice sounded from the stone. ¡°We have relayed your message, and will alert you when or if, they are available to hear you.¡±


    ¡°I guess we wait.¡± Nasha said, finding a seat near Avria¡¯s bed.


    ¡°What do you wish to accomplish, Sterion?¡± Drake asked.


    ¡°I must inform Lokkadonia of our status. As well as our mission from High King Phobos.¡±


    ¡°King Yomin will not be pleased.¡± Drake warned. ¡°He has many informants within Belous, there is a good chance he already knows of your actions here.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± Avria brushed his words off. ¡°We no longer answer to him. He doesn¡¯t have to like it. As long as he obeys.¡±


    ¡°Avria?¡± A voice again sounded from the stone. Younger than she expected. It was Boros.


    ¡°I am here.¡± She said, putting her hands on the stone.


    ¡°By the Spirits.¡± Boros¡¯ voice said. ¡°What have you done? King Yomin is furious with you. Your father is doing what he can to calm him, but it doesn¡¯t look good. This was a political play we could not afford now.¡±


    ¡°Hego, Boros. I understand his anger, but we must be patient. Daniel and Katrina are key in winning this war.¡±


    ¡°We heard about his arrival.¡±


    ¡°Boros.¡± Avria closed her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t lose faith in them.¡±


    ¡°Avria, Yomin is mobilizing our armies.¡± Boros¡¯ voice rang.


    ¡°What? That¡¯s ridiculous!¡± Avria tightened her grip on the stone. ¡°High King Phobos would never¡ª¡±


    ¡°He has already given us the order. We leave at sunrise tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Why would he give such an order?¡± Nasha asked, moving to stand next to Avria. ¡°He knows of our mission!¡±


    Avria relayed the message from Nasha to Boros, then waited for his response.


    ¡°As good as your intentions were,¡± Boros¡¯ voice sounded. ¡°The whole of our counter-attack could not wait on the idealistic mission you put together. There are too many moving pieces. That and¡­ news of Daniels arrival has forced Yomin¡¯s hand. He¡­ He wants to destroy the threat all at once.¡±


    ¡°Boros¡­¡± Avria couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. The High King had offered one hand in friendship, and plunged a blade in her back with the other. ¡°He¡¯s trying to kill them all at once.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I tried to stop it, Avria. I just¡­¡± Boros¡¯ voice trailed off. ¡°Your father and I are powerless at the moment. Every Hego, but I, supported the campaign.¡±


    ¡°Do they have a chance against Alektor?¡± Avria asked, her voice starting to rise.


    ¡°Our force is nearly double the size of his, according to our scouts. We have many more reserves on the way, but as it stands right now. We will arrive at Vul De Rah before Alektor can assemble his forces.¡±


    ¡°How long?¡±


    Boros¡¯ voice vibrated through the stone. ¡°Maybe two weeks. King Yomin is ordering you to stay in Belous. If you attempt to interfere, there will be dire consequences.¡±


    Avria cursed. ¡°And disobey the High King¡¯s mission?¡±


    ¡°You are supported by the High King in name only.¡±


    Avria calmed herself, taking a deep breath and blowing it out. ¡°Who was it, Boros? Who changed his mind?¡±


    The stone was silent for a time, then it glowed. ¡°It was the High Espi-Dae. He convinced the High King to sanction it¡­¡±


    ¡°Damn that man!¡± Avria cursed, ¡°Why is Eleutheros filled with such weak-willed fools?¡±


    ¡°Avria.¡± Boros¡¯ voice came with more urgency than before. ¡°Do not go to Vul De Rah. I¡¯m begging you. I don¡¯t know what Yomin will do.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Hego Boros.¡± Avria hissed. ¡°Your advice will be taken into consideration.¡± She lifted her hands from the speaking stone and snarled. ¡°They are all weak and spineless fools.¡±


    ¡°The warning is quite clear.¡± Drake said, crossing his arms.


    ¡°If they think they can defeat Alektor, they are mistaken.¡± Nasha¡¯s eyes were wide with worry. ¡°The power of the human¡­ Avria, they¡¯ll be slaughtered. I watched¡­ as thousands of Rexunii warriors materialized out of the air. I saw our own warriors blinded by black smoke as they were cut down, mercilessly. Numbers are not a factor in this battle. You know what he is capable of doing, Avria. What you saw¡­ with Oros. He can do that in the midst of battle as well. The fallen become puppets.¡±


    ¡°That must be an exaggeration, Lady Nasha.¡± Drake turned to her. ¡°Our reports were mixed from¡ª¡±


    ¡°Espi-Drake, I watched it happen.¡± Nasha barked. ¡°I witnessed it with my own eyes! The fall of some of our strongest warriors!¡±


    ¡°If what you say is true¡­¡± Drake said, ¡°Then they truly are the demons of the vision.¡±


    ¡°Either way.¡± Avria turned to start packing for what would no doubt be a hard trek. ¡°We must get to Vul De Rah before the army. Gather your gear¡­ we leave within the hour.¡±

 Chapter 29 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel sat up from his sleeping accommodations. He had opted to sleep on the couch near the large balcony of his old quarters, letting Katrina take the sizable bed. It was only proper. The last two days had been the best rest he had had in months, and had barely left the room at all. There was too much to consider. Their situation had changed drastically, and he now had to prepare for his and Katrina¡¯s escape. He heard muffled sounds from the bathroom, and glanced over just as Katrina exited, wearing a towel. Averting his eyes, Daniel started to organize his pillows and blankets.


    ¡°All yours, Dan.¡± Katrina said, using a smaller towel to dry her hair. ¡°You finally going to leave the room today?¡±


    ¡°Not sure.¡± Daniel said, finishing his task and standing to make his way into the bathroom.


    ¡°We should hit the practice fields today.¡± She punched his arm as he walked past her. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a good match since I got here.¡±


    Daniel smirked, but said nothing as he entered to take a shower and prepare for the day.


    After he finished, he strode out and began equipping his gear. He had been provided with new leathers, and a bone plate to replace his damaged one. He dawned his old crimson officers cloak, that had been torn and tattered during his journey. The Rexunii offered to replace it with either a new one, or a grey one, the color of their clan. He opted just to have this one cleaned. If anything, it was a testament to his continued loyalty to the Lokkadonians, and his struggle thus far.


    They exited the room, and made their way to the dining hall, Where Alektor, Turak, Ambrosia, and a familiar Rin sat just starting their meals.


    ¡°Lord Daniel!¡± Rin said, shooting up from her seat and rushing to bow before him. ¡°Thank the Spirits you are alright. I have been praying day and night for your safe return.¡±


    ¡°Good to see you, Rin.¡± Daniel said, lifting her from her bow and embracing her. ¡°I figured that if I¡¯m going to be here again, I might as well have someone I trust by my side.¡±


    ¡°Please join us,¡± Alektor said, standing and gesturing to two open seats.


    Daniel nodded, and picked a seat right next to Ambrosia, who seemed a bit uncomfortable at the sudden proximity of him.


    ¡°I take it you are well rested, human?¡± Turak said, taking a drink from his bowl.


    ¡°After months on the road, I needed some time to recuperate.¡± Daniel held out Katrina¡¯s chair, next to himself, and she gracefully approached, letting him seat her.


    ¡°Months of battle.¡± Katrina said, a smug look on her face.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Alektor said, leaning forward. ¡°I am glad you accepted our invitation so quickly. It took Spirit-Sent Katrina quite some time to warm to our hospitality.¡±


    ¡°I see no reason to.¡± Daniel shrugged, starting to fill his own plate with the assorted food. ¡°You know how I feel. You know where my loyalties lie. Why starve myself to show you what you already know.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Alektor looked slightly puzzled at Daniel¡¯s words. ¡°Very wise to come to such a conclusion.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve also heard that you¡¯re a man of your word.¡± Daniel continued. ¡°Aside from all the horror and all. We can at least rely on your honor.¡±


    Alektor¡¯s face broke into a smile. The first Daniel had seen on the man. ¡°I hope that over your stay here, we might come to more of an understanding. I know so little about you, and would like to know more.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me.¡± Daniel said around a mouthful of food. ¡°What about the rest of you. I don¡¯t really know who you guys are.¡± He pointed at Turak. ¡°I know you¡¯re Turak, and you?¡± He pointed to Ambrosia.


    Ambrosia cleared her throat, and turned toward him. ¡°I, am Princess Ambrosia of the Sabree clan. Loyal ally and subject to our High King Alektor, and the Rexunii.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Daniel nodded, hearing a chuckle from Katrina who was beside him. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Daniel.¡± He held out his hand; she stared at it for several moments before awkwardly taking it in hers and shaking it. This brought Katrina¡¯s laughter to bubble up a bit more, getting her an angry glare from Ambrosia.


    ¡°Reku has said what he knows about you, which truthfully wasn¡¯t much.¡± Turak said, ¡°I was always curious to meet you.¡±


    ¡°What is your plan today, Daniel?¡± Alektor asked. ¡°You have our leave to do anything you wish.¡±


    ¡°Not sure, to be honest with you.¡± Daniel scratched his chin. ¡°I was invited to the practice fields, so, probably spend some time there. Catch up with Rin, and.¡± He looked around. ¡°Where¡¯s Matea?¡±


    ¡°She is being housed in our officer¡¯s quarters.¡± Turak chimed in. He looked at one of the guards. ¡°Bring squire Matea here, the Spirit-Sent wishes to train with her.¡±


    The guard bowed and made a swift exit.


    ¡°Great.¡± Daniel said, standing up, after having finished his meal in record time. ¡°Take your time, Kat, I¡¯ll meet you in the courtyard.¡± He looked at the rest of them. ¡°Thanks for breakfast.¡±


    ~


    Daniel wrung his hands in the courtyard, resting it on one of the stone walls, overlooking the city below. This is going to be harder than I thought. The fact that he forced himself to make nice with these people churned his stomach. And the fact that Alektor seemed just as cunning and calculated as Avria feared, made this all the more dangerous. He needed to maintain a pleasant demeanor, and perhaps even make an attempt to befriend some of these people. Suddenly the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He spun quickly and spotted a small figure floating in the air, wearing a black dress made of smoke. The figure cocked it¡¯s head and Daniel noticed it had no eyes.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ can see me¡­¡± The figure said, floating closer. Daniel observed it was a small woman, maybe twelve inches tall. The very same spirit that had been whispering in Robert¡¯s ear. ¡°That is quite impressive for someone¡­ who has no Dunamis¡­¡± It said.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Daniel asked, his hand poised to summon his metal blade.


    ¡°I am Dio¡¯Mar¡­ Patron spirit of Rexun¡­ we¡¯ve met before¡­¡±


    Daniel recalled the battle of Vul De Rah, when she appeared and fought Gro¡¯ak within the spirit realm.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he said, slowly. ¡°I remember you. What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I am merely here¡­ to sate a curiosity¡­¡± She said, floating to his right. ¡°Though¡­ you weren¡¯t supposed to see me¡­ that is very interesting that you can.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Daniel shrugged, ¡°Ask away. It¡¯s better to be direct anyway.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± She said, a little hand stretched out, and he backed away before she could touch his skin.


    ¡°No touching, please.¡± There wasn¡¯t any telling what this spirit was capable of. She looked small now, but he saw what she did to Gro¡¯ak, one of the strongest spirits in Eleutheros. She was not to be underestimated.


    ¡°My apologies¡­ I suppose my relationship with Reku¡­ has spoiled me¡­¡±


    ¡°And what ¡®is¡¯ your relationship with Robert?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°Are you the reason he¡¯s gone nuts? Or are you his spirit concubine?¡±


    There was a high-pitched ringing sound that briefly confused Daniel, as he didn¡¯t know what it was. Until he realized that Dio¡¯Mar was actually laughing.


    ¡°My¡­ you are very direct¡­ I like that¡­ no¡­ I am not¡­ mating with Reku¡­ I am his guardian¡­ and his friend¡­¡± She floated back. ¡°I wonder if you would answer a question for me¡­ Daniel.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Daniel tensed, flexing his fingers to draw upon his blade.


    ¡°Why do you not possess the Dunamis anymore?¡± She asked,


    ¡°What?¡± Daniel was confused. ¡°I never lost it.¡±


    Dio¡¯Mar cocked her head again. ¡°That is impossible. I can sense no spiritual energy from you¡­ it is as though you are dead¡­ not even a spark of life.¡±


    Daniel held his finger up and willed a small golden white flame to ignite.


    The little spirit flinched back from his display of power. And her mouth, which had been unmoving to this point, opened and she let out a sound that he could only describe as a hiss.


    Daniel brought his finger down, extinguishing the flame and smiled. ¡°As you can see, I still have my power.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°This¡­ should not¡­ be possible¡­¡± She said, turning toward the large entrance of the palace where Katrina, Matea, and Rin exited and were now on their way to Daniel.


    ¡°If¡­ I have your permission¡­ Daniel¡­¡± She said, ¡°I would like to speak with you again¡­ in private.¡±


    Daniel shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t see any reason why I should do that.¡±


    ¡°The power that you possess¡­ Do you even know what it is?¡±


    He thought on it. He wasn¡¯t sure why the color of his flames changed, or why he now had access to a metal blade, but he figured it had to do with Raguel somehow. Ever since he met the strange spirit within his Dunem Dae Espa, he had changed. The question now was whether or not he could trust this little spirit. After several moments of consideration, he concluded that he couldn¡¯t. Whatever she had to say to him might be more dangerous. And if she was somehow controlling or influencing Robert, he needed to stay far away from her. ¡°Stay the hell away from me and Katrina.¡± He warned. ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing more to say to you about it.¡±


    ¡°Dan!¡± Katrina waved her hand as she approached.


    Daniel looked at her for a moment, then back to where Dio¡¯Mar had been. Unsurprisingly, she was now gone.


    ¡°Dan, you didn¡¯t tell me that Matea was so damn cute!¡± Katrina said, putting her arm around the Sabree¡¯ warrior. ¡°Good choice for a squire.¡±


    Daniel nodded, scanning the surrounding area for Dio¡¯Mar. Unsure of how he could protect himself from her if she chose to harm them.


    ~


    Robert looked down at Daniel and Katrina from his perch on one of the towers of the palace. The sight of them infuriated him. Since his return, Katrina hadn¡¯t said a word to him. Going so far as to ask Alektor to order him back to Visgo. He of course refused. Daniel¡¯s arrival had truly complicated things here. Just when Katrina was starting to warm up to him again. This son of a bitch, he thought.


    Just then, Dio¡¯Mar appeared before him. ¡°We must speak¡­¡± She spoke without her usual greeting or quip.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Robert asked, a bit of concern crossing him.


    ¡°I have discovered something quite interesting about your fellow human, Daniel¡¯s power.¡± She floated to his shoulder and rested on it, crossing her legs. ¡°He no longer possesses the Dunamis¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It is not as you believe¡­¡± She warned, ¡°He still possesses power¡­ just not of the Dunamis¡­ It should not be possible¡­ Our realms are separate¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Robert asked, his attention now fully on her. ¡°What realms? What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    She was still for a time, as though pondering what to tell him.


    ¡°You know something, you aren¡¯t telling me, Dio. Spit it out.¡±


    ¡°I do not know of your world¡­¡± She finally said, ¡°But I do know that you were sent here for a reason¡­ You freed me¡­ something I thought impossible¡­ And now¡­ a power that has not polluted Pelemont for thousands of years¡­ has again shown itself¡­¡± She floated up to face him fully. ¡°I do not know what you humans are¡­ saviors¡­ or destroyers¡­ Perhaps both¡­¡±


    Robert blinked in confusion. ¡°Dio, I don¡¯t understand. What are you talking about?¡± She said nothing to him, only stared with her eyeless face, unmoving. Something had changed, and she knew something. He always suspected she knew more than she led on, but this was starting to bring the same chill down his spine he felt when he watched her bite off Pilyur¡¯s head in Pontos.


    ¡°We must leave the city¡­¡± she said, breaking the silent tension. ¡°We may not have time¡­ as much time as I believed¡­¡±


    ¡°Leave the city?¡± Robert was stunned. ¡°I can¡¯t leave the city. Demessa and Athica are here. They¡¯re¡ª¡±


    ¡°If you want to return home¡­ There is only one way¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Robert said, sudden anger building within him. ¡°You know how to get us home!?¡±


    ¡°You are not yet ready¡­ it is very dangerous¡­ But yes¡­ You must trust me¡­ There is a reason for my secrecy¡­¡±


    ¡°You... You lied to me.¡± Robert clenched his fists.


    ¡°Do not be so dramatic¡­¡± She waved her little hand at him. ¡°There is much I can tell you¡­ But not here¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Robert fumed. ¡°Not while Demessa and Athica are here. And not while Katrina is here with that asshole, Dan.¡±


    Dio¡¯Mar tilted her head down, looking at the group of humans and Dae below. ¡°Katrina¡­ has chosen Daniel¡­¡± Her words stabbed into Robert like a blade. He shook his head, feeling his rage start to build. No¡­ I got over her. I don¡¯t care what she does anymore. But why am I feeling this way? He thought. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± He said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°She will lay with him this night¡­¡± Her mouth curled into a smile. ¡°She is not worth your time¡­ or efforts¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re full of shit.¡± Robert cursed.


    ¡°If she does¡­ you will leave with me¡­ and I will show you¡­ how to get home¡­¡±


    ~


    Katrina grinned as she looked across the practice field at Daniel. ¡°You ready?¡± she called. Daniel nodded, bringing his practice weapon up and advancing toward her. She matched him and started toward him as well. Daniel had asked that they refrain from using the Dunamis for this fight, saying his power had changed drastically, and wished to keep it as a secret. This was irregular, but she agreed anyway. Scores of Dae now surrounded them, observing the two Spirit-Sent in their fight. Turak, Ambrosia, and even Demessa had joined the audience. That was fine with her.


    Daniel lunged forward, his blade quick as lightning. Katrina parried to the side and slashed at Daniel¡¯s throat in a quick counter. Which he of course dodged. She changed her form to one of Avria¡¯s favorites, Vonix form, which was excellent for attacking a single opponent. Bringing her blade directly above her head, and holding it with two hands, she brought it down at him. He blocked, letting it slide to the side and kicked at her. Then she performed a series of strikes, as fast as she could muster. The Dunamis coursing through her muscles, granting her speed and strength.


    Loud cracks echoed throughout the field, as their weapons collided at incredible speeds. Daniel was matching her with every strike. He had improved quite a bit since their last bout. She intensified her effort, switching forms at random to attempt to confuse him, slashing from side to side, trying to hit his legs or disarm him with a powerful strike. Stubbornly, he wasn¡¯t allowing anything to get through. And unlike the Dae she had been facing here, he matched or possibly exceeded her stamina. She smiled. Finally, she was being challenged. Finally, she wasn¡¯t overwhelming her opponent with her strength and speed. The thought brought a surge of aggression to her as she gleefully continued her assault.


    Daniel blocked one of her horizontal strikes and pushed his shoulder into her chest, knocking the wind out of her, and sending her tumbling to the sand below. With a curse, she used the momentum of his attack to roll back to her feet, but not before he was on her. His blade came down with such force, she almost dropped her own when she blocked it. Pain shot through her fingers, and she rolled to the side, to avoid any further attacks. ¡°Finally! A challenge!¡± she shouted, her smile now stretching across her whole face. He was good. Very good.


    With a grunt, she went on the offensive again. He was stronger than her, that was obvious, but she still had confidence that she had better technical skill with the blade. Pushing herself, she used her Dunamis to leap at him at incredible speed. Air roared past her ears as she slammed into him. This seemed to catch him off guard, and he stumbled a bit, bringing his foot back to brace himself. She wrapped her legs around his waist and hit the back of his knee with her blade, causing him to fall on his back, with her straddling him. He grunted as they hit the ground, and she brought her incisor to his neck.


    There was a loud cheer from the surrounding Dae when they saw her victory and she lifted her hands in the air shouting in her triumph. She had won. It was a shame that Avria wasn¡¯t here to see it.


    ¡°You got me.¡± Daniel said, his smile wide. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that last move.¡±


    She laughed, and looked down at him. There was a sudden heat in her cheeks as she realized their position, and quickly rose and helped him up. ¡°I should have landed one right here.¡± She pointed to the left side of his face. ¡°To repay you for that last one you gave me.¡±


    ¡°You can try.¡± he said, chuckling. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy though.¡±


    ¡°Very impressive.¡± Turak said, walking up to them. ¡°You are both very skilled with a blade. You were both taught well.¡±


    Daniel seemed to tense for a moment.


    ¡°Yeah, well. Maybe next time you can fight me yourself.¡± Katrina said, not hiding her dislike of the man.


    ¡°That would be, interesting.¡± He replied. ¡°Perhaps in the near future we can have a proper bout.¡±


    Rin and Matea approached Daniel, and Turak nodded to her, taking his leave.


    ¡°Are you well, Spirit-Sent?¡± Rin asked, looking him over.


    ¡°Fine.¡± he said, giving her a nod. ¡°Let¡¯s go again, Katrina.¡±


    Katrina laughed, ¡°Nope, I think I¡¯m good. I want to try and bask in my victory a little longer. I know you¡¯ve got something up your sleeve. You¡¯ll have to wait till next time to knock me on my ass.¡±


    Daniel raised an eyebrow. ¡°Alright, fine. But we¡¯ll settle this tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You fared better than I did, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Demessa said, a smirk on her face.


    Katrina turned to face her. She wasn¡¯t sure when she approached. ¡°Oh please.¡± She scoffed and waved the Dae girl off. ¡°Relax.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s always been a tricky one to fight.¡± Daniel chuckled.


    ~


    After the sparring match. They walked the city together, talking about the old times. It seemed so long ago to Katrina, that they arrived in the city and were brought before Agron. Even the Spirit temple seemed a distant past, when she first awakened her Dunamis. This world had changed them both. Katrina could see it in herself, and in Daniel. They were no longer the weak and powerless creatures who couldn¡¯t fight their own battles now, but formidable warriors. Katrina thought of Avria, then. She was so grateful to the woman for making her who she was now.


    As the sun began to set, they made their way back to the palace. Katrina opened the room door and walked in, heading straight for the bathroom. She heard Daniel talking to the guard outside the room, but ignored it and strode inside. Disrobing, she entered the shower, and felt the warm tendrils of water on her skin. She took a moment to breathe, as a formless whisper crept into her mind. She felt a pulse course through her, and feelings she didn¡¯t know she had, manifested themselves. Maybe it wasn¡¯t such a bad idea, she thought. She trusted Daniel. Again, she heard the whispers. He was a very handsome man. What harm would it do them? It didn¡¯t have to be anything serious, right? She put her hand on the lever of the shower, and felt as the Dunamis left it, returning to her, and stopping the flow of water. ¡°What the hell are you even thinking?¡± She whispered to herself.


    She looked at the smooth stone below, panting as the feeling grew stronger. What the hell is going on with me? she thought. A wave of chills shot up and down her body, further increasing her condition. ¡°Screw it.¡± she said, drying herself with a towel and looking to see her own red-faced reflection in the mirror. I need this, and I¡¯m sure he does too. She thought.


    Opening the door, she saw him sitting on his couch going over several pieces of parchment in his hands. He had removed his armor and cloak, but still wore his leathers. Taking a deep breath, she approached him, walking until she was right in front of him. Daniel¡¯s eyes looked up, and they widened slightly at the sight of her.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked, a bit of hesitation in his voice.


    She exhaled deeply and let her towel fall to the floor. Daniel¡¯s eyes bulged, looking as though they might fall out of his head. ¡°Kat? What are you doing?¡± He eked out.


    She straddled him and put her arms around his neck. ¡°Listen.¡± She said, bringing her forehead to touch his. ¡°This doesn¡¯t have to be awkward. I know you need this too.¡±


    ¡°Kat, we really shouldn¡¯t¡± he said, starting to lift her off of him.


    Katrina leaned in and planted her lips on his. Instantly she felt the strength in his arms fade while she kissed him. That¡¯s more like it. She thought, satisfaction crossing her mind. When she finally pulled away, she could see the desire in his eyes as he examined her bare skin. Then his strength returned, and he picked her up into his arms as though she weighed nothing and led her over to the bed. They fell upon it in a tumble, and Katrina used her dexterity to remove Daniel¡¯s blouse. She paused for a moment, her face flush and pulled away from him, admiring the man¡¯s form. Yeah, she thought. I really need this. She gave him her most seductive smile, and they again locked in a passionate kiss.

 Chapter 30 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Robert looked down at the bowl of wine he had yet to finish. ¡°I still don¡¯t trust a word he says.¡± he said, looking over at Alektor and Turak who sat across from him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave Demessa here, or Athica, while Daniel is in this Palace.¡±


    ¡°I agree with Reku.¡± Turak said, lifting his own bowl of wine to drink. ¡°He was surely holding back today during his fight with Katrina. Which, by the way,¡± Turak pointed at Robert. ¡°Reku, you ¡®really¡¯ need to work on your swordsmanship. Both Katrina and Daniel could destroy you within seconds.¡±


    ¡°The incisor was never my strongest subject.¡± Robert shrugged. ¡°I think we should send him somewhere else. Maybe to Sabree¡¯ or I don¡¯t know¡­ Anywhere but here.¡±


    ¡°Come now!¡± Turak said, drinking from his bowl of wine. ¡°You¡¯re just jealous he¡¯s getting close to Katrina. Don¡¯t worry about it. She¡¯s only trying to get a reaction out of you. Right Alektor?¡± Turak turned to Alektor, but the man was staring off to his right, his hand on his chin, seemingly in deep thought.


    ¡°He concerns me.¡± Alektor finally said. ¡°There is something off about him. His power, his behavior. I think you may be correct, Reku. The problem is, I don¡¯t want to send him far enough away from me that he is able to cause trouble somewhere else. At the same time¡­ that might be our only option now. With Yomin on the march, we must figure him out.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s hard to read, I¡¯ll give him that.¡± Turak said.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ve got to think of something.¡± Robert shook his head. He knew it was over between him and Katrina, but the thought of them, sleeping in the same room these past several days, and what Dio¡¯Mar had said earlier, had been causing him a great deal of discomfort.


    There was a light knock on the door, and Ambrosia entered quietly. ¡°I hope you all didn¡¯t get started without me.¡± she said, pouring herself a bowl of wine. ¡°We really should allow the servants in; it would make food and refreshments so much easier.¡±


    ¡°It would also make our private conversations, a lot less private.¡± Turak said.


    ¡°Well,¡± she mumbled, sitting down near Alektor. ¡°Reku, we received word this evening from Pontos. Lord Rymo of House Lorex reports that all is well; the council he has appointed to assist him in governing in yours and Queen Athica¡¯s absence is working well.¡± She smiled. ¡°So, there is no need to worry.¡±


    Robert felt a surge of relief. He had sent them a message earlier in the day to gauge how they were doing. He trusted Rymo, but not those around him. The last thing they needed was more political upheaval in Visgo.¡±


    ¡°Reku,¡± Alektor turned toward him. ¡°I would like for you to try and include Athica in more of your stately affairs as well. She is your queen and needs to be more involved.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know.¡± Robert said. ¡°She has declined my invitations each time I ask her. She seems content just to be hold up in her room all day.¡±


    Alektor¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Please do your best to fix that¡­ problem, Reku. I don¡¯t want her drifting too far off.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of problems,¡± Turak said, glancing at Ambrosia. ¡°Alektor, we have been petitioned again by several eligible ladies who are requesting an audience. I think the reason is obvious.¡±


    Alektor let out a deep sigh. ¡°Yes. Troublesome indeed.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± Ambrosia started. ¡°This would not be an issue if you would just hear our own petition out. The Sabree¡¯ are eager to join houses with you. I am your willing wife, if you would have me.¡±


    Alektor looked at her, his eyes cold and calculating. ¡°I am well aware of your standing. And your availability, Ambrosia. Politics, as you know, must be handled with care. You are third in line of your throne, after your two brothers. Your father knows the value of your place, and he understands that you would best be served as a member of a higher or equal house.¡±


    Damn, Robert thought. Harsh.


    Ambrosia shrunk at the words. But nodded her acceptance.


    ¡°That does not mean that I do not see your value.¡± Alektor said, leaning closer to her. ¡°You are an integral part of my council, and a trusted friend.¡± He pointed to Robert and Turak. ¡°They are also in this circle. Out of everyone in my Kingdom, the three of you are all I trust. Do you trust me to take care of you? Do you trust that I will honor my words and give you what I have promised?¡±


    She looked at him, her eyes wet with tears, but she had a smile on her face. ¡°Of course, your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He said, leaning back. ¡°You all don¡¯t think I feel the pressure of this, but I do. I sent Reku off and he is reproducing at an alarming rate.¡±


    Robert groaned, and Turak let out a loud laugh.


    ¡°The man can look at a woman and give her a child. Be careful Ambrosia.¡± Turak joked. ¡°Some special Spirit-Sent technique, to be sure.¡±


    ¡°Seriously though.¡± Robert added, ¡°You need to think about it soon. Being without an heir is dangerous. If something happened to you, what would happen?¡±


    ¡°That is a conversation for another time. I have preparations in place, but nothing I would like to discuss at this moment.¡± Alektor stood to pour a bowl of wine for himself.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Robert said, ¡°The longer you wait, the harder it¡¯s gonna be though.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your concern, Reku. Though, I am in no danger at the moment.¡± Alektor turned his gaze to Turak. ¡°And what of you? Shouldn¡¯t you be considering options of your own?¡±


    Turak raised his hands. ¡°I will wait as long as I possibly can, before you finally find someone for me, and force me to marry. Until that day comes, I¡¯ll enjoy myself.


    ¡°That day may be coming sooner than you believe.¡± Alektor warned. ¡°But I understand your hesitation.¡±


    ¡°Can we get back to the topic please?¡± Robert asked, interrupting the two Dae. ¡°What are we going to do about Daniel?¡±


    ~


    Daniel¡¯s eyes opened to find the sun shining brilliantly through the balcony. The warm rays playing softly on his cheek. He took in a deep breath, and smelled a very pleasant fragrance. What¡¯s that? He thought, attempting to stretch, when he felt a weight on him. He looked down and saw Katrina¡¯s hair, the source of the fragrance, resting peacefully on his chest. A moment later, the memory of the prior night¡¯s activities ran through his mind. Damn, he thought. It wasn¡¯t a dream. His movements must have woken her, because she started to stir. She hugged him tightly, then her eyes shot open, and she looked up at him, her face a mask of surprise.


    ¡°Uh.¡± He said, ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°Morning.¡± She said, slowly.


    There were several seconds of awkward silence as she lifted off him and sat up. ¡°Well. That happened.¡± She looked slightly troubled. ¡°Dan¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I really don¡¯t know what came over me.¡± She was silent for a few moments. Her eyes darting around the room as she no doubt pondered the night¡¯s events. Her eyes met his briefly, and she again looked away. ¡°I felt like¡­ I felt like I wasn¡¯t myself.¡±


    Daniel raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°That bad, huh?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t. It was actually, incredible. It¡¯s just I¡¯ve never¡­ You know.¡± She took a deep breath.


    ¡°Never really thought we would go that far.¡± Daniel finished her thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m kinda glad it did though.¡± She chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re probably one of the only people I trust in Pelemont. That, and your pretty easy on the eyes, I guess.¡±


    Daniel shook his head. ¡°So, what now?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Everything last night was a blur, but¡­¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°But?¡± Daniel drew out the word.


    ¡°But I guess we just sort of play it by ear?¡± She winced.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Daniel stood, starting to gather his discarded clothes. ¡°I feel the same way.¡±


    Katrina sighed, looking toward the bathroom. ¡°I guess, I¡¯ll just go take a shower and get ready for the day.¡± She stood, bare skinned, and walked toward the open door to the bathroom. Daniel caught himself staring at her while she walked, He corrected his gaze and shook it off.


    Just as the thought left his mind, her head poked out. ¡°This doesn¡¯t have to be weird, Dan. Are you going to join me?¡±


    With only a minimal amount of hesitation, Daniel ignored his better judgment, and did in fact, join her.


    After a very pleasant and lengthy shower. He left the bathroom, and Daniel heard a knock at the door. Sudden panic entered his mind, and the door slid open, and Lord Turak entered, looking at Daniel.


    ¡°Spirit-Sent, your presence has been reqe¡ª¡± He was cut off mid-sentence, when Daniel felt Katrina¡¯s arms slide around his waist.


    Daniel coughed, and she poked her head around his body to look directly at Turak. ¡°Oh¡­ Hey Turak.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ Give you two a minute¡­ Or five¡­ Or however long you need.¡± Turak said, ducking out and closing the door behind him.


    Crap, Daniel thought.


    ¡°Well, it won¡¯t be long before Robert hears about this.¡± Katrina said with a sigh. ¡°Hopefully it ruins his day.¡±


    Daniel and Katrina both got dressed, and made their way outside, after several minutes. Turak was talking to one of the guards, and he glanced at Daniel, before finishing his conversation up, and walked toward them. ¡°All freshened up, I see.¡± he said, crossing his arms.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Daniel asked, ignoring the statement.


    ¡°High King Alektor wishes to speak with you.¡± He glanced between him and Katrina. ¡°Both of you.¡±


    Alektor was waiting for them in his study; where Daniel and Oros used to have many of their own conversations, back when Lokkon still ruled Vul De Rah. A bitter and hot feeling flooded Daniel as he entered the once warm and comforting room. That hot feeling boiled over when he met the brown eyes of Robert, sitting next to Alektor with Demessa and Ambrosia also sitting among the comfortable chairs.


    ¡°Hell no.¡± Daniel spat. ¡°I told you guys I didn¡¯t want to see this son of a bitch.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid he must be here for this conversation, Daniel.¡± Alektor said, standing to greet them. ¡°Please, sit. It will only be for a short time. I need you all here for this.¡±


    Daniel narrowed his eyes, but felt Katrina tug his arm slightly and whisper. ¡°Come on, Dan. Just for this.¡±


    With a resigned sigh, Daniel walked toward the chairs. Katrina followed and they took their seats on one of the short couches, next to each other.


    ¡°Thank you for coming at such an early hour.¡± Alektor said, moving and placing his hands on the back of his chair. ¡°I have been speaking with my council this past night. And many ideas and plans have been pushed back and forth.¡± He pointed to Robert, ¡°King Reku, wishes for Katrina to join him in Pontos, down in Visgo.¡±


    ¡°Over my dead body.¡± Katrina said.


    Ignoring her comment, Alektor continued. ¡°Princess Ambrosia, suggested that Daniel, join her back in Sabree, to live in the court of her father, King Ghomar of house Akkio.¡±


    Daniel blinked in surprise. ¡°She, what?¡± He said, completely blindsided.


    ¡°These things and many more were suggested to me.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°I have, however, come to different conclusions. But I need your advice on how to proceed.¡± He paused for a moment, and clasped his hands behind his back.


    ¡°I received word, from our spies in Torre¡¯ that Lady Avria and Lady Nasha had a secret meeting with High King Phobos in Belous city. They were granted the title of Sterion, agents of the High King himself, and have apparently disappeared from the sight of our spies. Though I do not know what transpired during this meeting. I can only guess to its nature, because that very day, High King Phobos announced that all hostilities to the Spirit-Sent shall be halted until further notice.¡±


    Daniel felt a surge of pride for Avria; she had kept her word. God, that woman is amazing, he thought.


    ¡°This has changed many things. And I would like your opinions on the matter.¡± Alektor looked at Daniel, then at Katrina. ¡°What should I do?¡±


    Daniel hesitated. Alektor was a cunning and adept ruler. What was his angle? How does this benefit him? ¡°First, I guess I should ask you,¡± Daniel started, ¡°what your thoughts are on the war?¡±


    ¡°I wish to be independent of the Torre¡¯ and for my people, the Doulos, to be freed from Lokkadonian servitude.¡± he said, without an ounce of hesitation.


    ¡°Ok.¡± Daniel took a deep breath. ¡°I suppose my suggestion would be to let us go back to the Lokkadonian side, to sue for peace. Maybe we can come to an agreement with Phobos, and end this war.¡±


    ¡°Peace is not possible at the moment.¡± Turak interceded. ¡°King Yomin has assembled a rather large host of warriors from every clan. Including a massive number of warriors from our neighbors, the Kingdom of Visoth. Again, we find ourselves vastly outnumbered. Exous has also launched a full offensive against our allies, the Volsung. King Tophen has recalled all his warriors to defend against the assault. This leaves us even more vulnerable against the main host.¡±


    ¡°So.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°We must figure out our next move.¡±


    ¡°And you want our help?¡± Katrina asked, ¡°Why the hell would we do that?¡±


    ¡°Because if you don¡¯t¡± Robert said, anger in his voice. ¡°Thousands will die.¡±


    Daniel breathed calmly. As much as he disliked the treacherous bastard, Robert was right. Thousands of lives hung in the balance. Only, what could they do to stop the coming battle? What could they do to stem the tide of war that was marching their way? I need contact with Avria. He thought. Maybe she knows what we can do.


    ¡°How long before they reach us?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°Three days, at best.¡± Turak said, ¡°That is why we need to know what your intentions are.¡±


    ¡°Stop asking.¡± Daniel shot back. ¡°My intentions are to survive. And to keep Katrina alive any way I can. Being caught in another battle isn¡¯t something I want, for either of us.¡±


    ¡°Daniel¡¯s right.¡± Katrina said. ¡°Look, at this point, there is only one option. Meet with High King Phobos and plead our case for peace.¡±


    ¡°Even if you wanted to.¡± Robert spat, ¡°There¡¯s no way you could make it to Vul De Mar in three days. Not a chance in hell. We need to send one, or both of you to the Army that¡¯s marching here.¡± He looked at Katrina. ¡°You would be the best candidate.¡±


    ¡°Why the fuck is that?¡± Daniel asked, narrowing his eyes.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s being led by, fucking, Boros of House Ignos, who is the right hand of Yomin. That¡¯s the fuck why, Daniel.¡± Robert stood abruptly. ¡°He sees her, and he might actually listen to her, instead of marching here to kill us.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll pass up an opportunity to try and win Vul De Rah back.¡± Daniel said. ¡°No matter what Kat says.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth a try.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sick of hearing your fucking voice, Robert.¡± She¡¯s not going anywhere alone. ¡°Do you understand that?¡±


    Alektor held his hand up. ¡°Enough. Reku is right. That is the only way we can guarantee they will at least listen. Daniel also has a point though, Reku. If he wishes to accompany her, then so be it. It is either that, or we fight. Both outcomes come with great risk. The choice is yours.¡±


    Katrina took a moment, then looked at Daniel. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Daniel felt a pit of anger rising in his stomach. They had a mission; one that was so clear mere days ago. Now it seemed everything was spiraling out of control. This though, didn¡¯t seem like the worst option. It brought them out of the clutches of the Rexunii. Away from Alektor, and back into the vicinity of their Lokkadonian friends. Boros was a friend to them. And it was that fact that gave Daniel pause. Why would Alektor release them, willingly?


    ¡°I¡¯m going with her.¡± Daniel said.


    ¡°No.¡± Robert quickly responded.


    ¡°You think you can stop me?¡± Daniel turned a cold gaze toward Robert.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Robert said, his fists clenching. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I can.¡±


    ¡°Reku.¡± Alektor chimed in, ¡°There is no need to keep Daniel here, As I said. If he wishes to go, then we must oblige.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Robert yelled. ¡°What if he joins them? What if we see his crimson flames burning our warriors as we defend this city? They are coming to take it back, Alektor. We can¡¯t just sit back and let that happen!¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Alektor shouted, his usually calm demeanor breaking momentarily. ¡°Your High King has spoken!¡± Turning to Daniel and Katrina, Alektor continued. ¡°You are free to leave. Anything you need from us before you depart, we will provide. I will see that all you are guided as well, our scouts know the way to their main host.¡±


    Daniel was stunned at the sudden support from Alektor, but this was too good an opportunity to pass up. ¡°I need my weapon back. We need Cro¡¯kan, and supplies.¡±


    ¡°Done.¡± Alektor said


    ¡°I also want Matea, my squire, and Rin to come with me.¡± Daniel continued.


    There was a flash of sadness that crossed Alektor¡¯s face. But was gone in an instant. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ~


    ¡°What the hell!?¡± Robert raged, throwing his bowl of wine at the wall. ¡°Katrina might see reason. We know she will do her best to bring peace; but Daniel!? That son of a bitch wants to kill us. Dio¡¯Mar told me his power is incredible, undetectable to even the spirits!¡±


    Alektor heard his comments, heard the anger in Robert¡¯s voice, but this needed to be done. ¡°Reku.¡± he said, sitting on his chair and massaging his brow. ¡°This must happen.¡±


    ¡°Why!?¡± Robert shouted.


    ¡°Just shut up, Reku!¡± Turak finally spoke. ¡°Listen to your High King! Your rivalry with Daniel is clouding your judgment.¡±


    Robert fumed, but eventually sat and looked at Alektor expectantly.


    ¡°Do you remember the village you saw?¡± Alektor asked, ¡°The warriors of Lokkadonia terrorizing its inhabitants? How that changed you?¡±


    Robert hesitated, then nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯ll never forget it.¡±


    ¡°That also, needed to happen.¡± Alektor looked into Robert¡¯s eyes. ¡°The army that is approaching was not sent by the High King. King Yomin, and Hego Boros have gone against his orders, constructed a masterful plan of attack, splitting our forces in the process.¡±


    ¡°What does that matter?¡± Robert asked,


    ¡°Our spies have also confirmed that they have no intention of honoring High King Phobos¡¯ command to withhold violence towards humans.¡±


    Robert¡¯s eyes blinked, and Alektor saw as the sudden realization took hold. ¡°No¡­ Alektor we can¡¯t allow this to happen. Katrina will be--¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Alektor said, ¡°But we must allow this to happen. They are capable warriors and will most likely not be killed. The High Espi-Dae wants them purified anyway, so capture is the most likely outcome.¡±


    ¡°But why!?¡± Robert shouted.


    ¡°Because they must see!¡± Alektor¡¯s temper started to rise, an intense heat building in his chest. ¡°They must see the depravity of the Lokkadonians! They must experience the horror of their wrath. Only then will they truly join our cause.¡±


    Robert let out an angry sigh, venting his frustration. ¡°I need to get out of here, Alektor. I need to go out on my own for a few days.¡±


    ¡°On the eve of battle?¡± Turak asked, irritation in his voice. ¡°Reku, we will need your power if we are to survive.¡±


    ¡°Dio¡¯Mar says I should leave.¡± He said, bluntly. ¡°There are things I need to do. And sitting here, worrying about things that are clearly out of my control isn¡¯t helping.¡±


    ¡°If you leave now, Reku.¡± Alektor said, ¡°Then everything will truly be out of your control. Wait another several days. Until the battle is over. Then you have my leave to do as you wish.¡±

 Chapter 31 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel went over his assorted gear. Alektor had provided everything he asked for. Food, supplies, his weapon, even Rin and Matea were ordered to join him.


    ¡°Spirit-Sent?¡± Matea asked, approaching from behind him. ¡°I believe I¡¯m all packed.¡±


    Daniel turned to see her standing, her pack strapped to her back, along with her bedroll and several other pieces of gear.


    ¡°You look like it.¡± Daniel smiled. ¡°First mission as my squire. How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°I feel that you have a great deal to teach me, Spirit-Sent.¡± She smiled back. ¡°Though I would like to know when the actual training is going to start.¡±


    Daniel laughed, and looked up just as Rin walked in, followed by Katrina.


    ¡°We¡¯re all ready.¡± Katrina said, ¡°It feels good to get back on the road.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself.¡± Daniel groaned, ¡°I could use another week or two of this bed.¡±


    Katrina grinned. ¡°Well, you¡¯re used to sleeping on the ground, I¡¯m sure. So don¡¯t be too sad.¡±


    ¡°As long as we get back to Lokkadonian forces, It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Daniel was prepared to do far worse things to get back to his allies. Sleeping on the ground would be a piece of cake.


    Rin walked over to Daniel, looking over his attire and gear. Much like she did before the fall of Vul De Rah. ¡°Spirit-Sent, you forgot your bedroll.¡± She reminded him, turning to find it.


    ¡°It should be over there.¡± He pointed toward the right side of the bed.


    Rin walked over, inspecting the area, before finding the bedroll, tucked between the mattress and the bed-side table. As she picked it up, Katrina approached from behind, and extended her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it, Rin.¡± She smiled, and Rin handed it to her.


    Katrina brought it over to Daniel, who hefted his bag up onto the couch. As she started strapping it down, she leaned in close to Daniel to speak with him.


    ¡°Are you sure there won¡¯t be any issue with Rin, a former Doulos, or Matea, an enemy warrior?¡± She whispered. ¡°Lokkadonia is a lot of things, but gentle to people they see as an enemy isn¡¯t one of them. It might be better to leave them here, Dan.¡±


    Daniel raised an eyebrow. ¡°You think so?¡± He looked at the two Dae girls, his mind now going over the possible risk. ¡°Alektor seems to be a bit hesitant as well.¡±


    ¡°Spirit-Sent.¡± Matea said, approaching them. ¡°Wherever you go, I will go also. Until I met you, I was less than nothing. Now I am staying in the palace. Being given favor from the High King himself, and my family has been elevated to nobility.¡± She smiled. ¡°It is a dream that I could not ever have imagined. And it is all thanks to you. So, come what may; I will follow you, my Lord. Whatever danger there is.¡±


    Daniel blinked, stupefied. He was unsure how to respond to her. He always had difficulty doing so, after being given praise or a compliment. ¡°I¡¯m glad I could help.¡± Daniel scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s just, I don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡±


    ¡°You know what happens when you try to leave me behind.¡± She crossed her arms.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Daniel acknowledged, remembering how stubborn she was at the village. ¡°Alright, then. Just make sure you stick with us. The Lokkadonians are a rough bunch.¡± He looked over at Katrina, who shrugged. Clearly unhappy with the turn of events.


    ¡°Well, Spirit-Sent.¡± Rin said, handing his pack to him. ¡°I would be a fool to miss the opportunity to travel with you as well. Like Matea, I was nothing before meeting you. I now have a purpose in life. And I will follow it. Besides, you will need a scribe, and an attendant to keep track of the mundane things. For example.¡± She pointed to their gear. ¡°Spirit-Sent Katrina forgot to pack herself a tent.¡±


    Katrina looked up in surprise. ¡°Oh¡­ yeah. I guess I did.¡± Glancing around, she chuckled awkwardly.


    ¡°They don¡¯t need two tents, Rin.¡± Matea said, shaking her head. ¡°Lord Turak was telling half the officers and nobles what he found this morning. You can¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t hear.¡±


    ¡°Hear what?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Daniel and Katrina both barked in unison.


    Rin looked at Matea, who smirked, then back to Daniel and Katrina. Who were doing their best not to look at her. Her face looked puzzled for a few more moments, then her eyes widened. ¡°Oh¡­ You¡¯re mated now?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Daniel huffed, ¡°Can we just get a move on? Our scouts are probably outside waiting for us.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Katrina said, grabbing her pack and slinging it on her back. ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    ~


    They gathered their gear and made their way to the gate of Vul De Rah, where an assortment of warriors and Robert himself stood waiting.


    Daniel halted their small party before them, looking suspiciously at the strange group. Particularly Robert, who looked worse for wear. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± He asked.


    ¡°This.¡± Robert pointed to the warriors behind him. ¡°Is your guide to the enemy host that is making their way here. And I.¡± He pointed to himself, ¡°am here to wish you all, good luck. Please be careful.¡± He was looking at Katrina when he said it. ¡°I¡­ Just watch your back. The Lokkadonians aren¡¯t merciful to those they dislike.¡± Robert took several steps forward, and reached out briefly toward Katrina, only to bring his hands back down to his sides. Clearing his throat, he turned to Daniel. ¡°You better protect her.¡± He said, his eyes were deathly serious. ¡°No matter what, you better protect her.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Daniel said, a bit confused at the strange encounter.


    Robert said nothing else as they left the city and took to the road.


    ¡°What the hell was that all about?¡± Katrina asked, strolling beside Daniel.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a clue.¡± Daniel said, still thinking about it. ¡°He does know that we¡¯re going to meet with Boros, right? High King Phobos did command we couldn¡¯t be touched too, so. I mean, that is if Alektor is telling us the truth.¡±


    ¡°Alektor is a lot of things, Dan. A liar isn¡¯t one of them.¡± Katrina said, ¡°at least as long as I¡¯ve known him. He¡¯s a straight shooter.¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll see soon enough.¡± Daniel looked at the grey clad scouts who had not said a word to them at all. Worst case scenario he would have to fight these guys. There were only three of them. And between him and Katrina, he felt confident they could take them out if need be.


    They spent the rest of the day traveling on their Cro¡¯kan, then they set up a small camp when the sun got low. Daniel took the time to go over several forms that Oros taught him with Matea in an attempt to actually begin training her. After several minutes of the ¡®training¡¯ he concluded that she was NOT an elite warrior at all. He was also intrigued to find that she was in fact a very young Dae. It was hard to tell with Dae, as they lived for so long, and aged very well. Avria herself was over fifty years old. Though she looked as though she were in her mid-twenties. Dae matured at around the same time as a human being. Between eighteen and twenty years old, they were considered adults. Matea was twenty one, and had joined the Sabree¡¯ warrior caste right before the war.


    ¡°Well done.¡± He said, putting his hand on her shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re gonna keep practicing that.¡±


    Matea panted, her face dripping with sweat, clearly exhausted after several hours of training. ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± She said between deep breaths.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for today. We¡¯ll continue tomorrow. Go get some water and get ready for bed. We¡¯ve got an early rise.¡±


    Matea bowed her head and ran off toward her tent.


    ¡°You are very kind with her.¡± Rin said from beside him. She had been observing the training session from a tree stump. ¡°We are lucky to have you, Spirit-Sent.¡±


    ¡°Please, I heard what you did after the fall of the city.¡± Daniel grabbed a canteen made of animal skin and drank deeply from it. ¡°You saved thousands of lives, even though you didn¡¯t have to. You could have gotten your revenge against the Lokkadonians, but you didn¡¯t.¡± He smiled.


    Rin blushed and shook her head. ¡°I only did what I thought you might approve of. And more violence didn¡¯t seem the answer. That isn¡¯t the way I want to win.¡±


    ¡°Either way, I wanted to thank you, Rin. You¡¯re a good person.¡± Daniel turned and began walking toward his tent. Opening the flap he saw Katrina lying in the blankets. ¡°So, this is how it¡¯s gonna be now, is it?¡± Daniel shook his head. ¡°Not taking your tent was pretty on the nose, Kat.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°It is,¡± she said, rolling to her back to face him. ¡°But I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d mind. You know¡­ seeing as how.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m going to be honest with you, Dan. I think something messed with my head the other night¡­ I felt¡­ uneasy when I woke up. Like I was waking up after drinking a lot or smoking too much weed.¡± She paused, and Daniel felt the bottom of his stomach drop out. ¡°I jumped all over you¡­ and, I know you were just being a good friend and¡­¡± She sat up and rested her chin on her knees. ¡°I just wanted to apologize, ok? I shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡±


    ¡°You think something messed with your head?¡± Daniel asked, his thoughts falling on a number of possibilities.


    ¡°Y- yeah. I think so.¡± Katrina took a deep breath. ¡°It was almost like something was whispering in my ear. Egging me on, getting me¡­ you know.¡± She gestured down with her nose. ¡°In the mood.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me this. And still didn¡¯t bring a tent? Knowing full well that we¡¯d be sharing one?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Dan.¡± She shot back. ¡°All I know, is that I felt happy for once since we lost everything.¡±


    ¡°But the feelings weren¡¯t real.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. I said the push felt forced.¡± Katrina¡¯s eyes met his. ¡°But the feeling of security and companionship? That was real. I just, didn¡¯t really know how to talk to you about it. Everything started happening so fast. Now we¡¯re on our way to see Boros.¡±


    Daniel sighed heavily and moved to sit down next to her.


    ¡°It¡¯s just.¡± She started, ¡°I¡¯ve never felt so alone, Dan. During the battle, I was laying on the ground with a spear in my guts. I could feel the blood pouring out of me and felt myself slipping away. I knew I was dying.¡± Daniel felt a tension in his chest, from her words. ¡°I tried to reach out, for someone. Anyone who could save me. I thought of my mom and dad, how I would probably never see them again. I thought of Robert.¡± Then she tilted her head up. ¡°Then I thought of you. As grumpy and stern as you¡¯ve been since I¡¯ve known you. I always knew I could count on you.¡±


    Daniel nodded. ¡°Well¡­ considering it was Delmos who rescued you. I¡¯d say you should be daydreaming about him instead of me.¡±


    Katrina started to laugh, and leaned her head on his shoulder. ¡°Yeah, Delmos. He¡¯s something else.¡±


    ¡°Held back by the world.¡± Daniel smiled, ¡°That¡¯s what he¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°Please. The only thing holding Delmos back, is Delmos.¡± Katrina said, through her bouts of laughter. This carried on for a time, but as the laughter died, a heavy feeling of sadness started emanating from her.


    ¡°That was the first time I killed someone¡­ Dan.¡± She spoke the words slowly. Her eyes staring off at the entrance of their tent. ¡°During the battle¡­ human or not¡­ I killed someone. I saw the horror in his eyes as my blade entered his flesh.¡± She paused again, and Daniel could feel a slight tremble in her body. ¡°I froze, and nearly lost my life because of it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an easy thing, Kat. To take someone¡¯s life.¡± Daniel exhaled sharply. ¡°The only advice I can give you, is to keep your guilt at bay. Don¡¯t let it overwhelm you or cloud your actions moving forward. Where we are, and what¡¯s happening here. We¡¯ll be in that kind of danger again. Do what you have to do, and save the remorse for those moments of safety; where you can afford to lower your guard and let it all out.¡±


    He heard a sniffle from her, and felt her arms tighten around his waist.


    ¡°Thanks, Dan.¡± She whispered.


    He knew how she must feel. But this world, much like their own, never held anything back. He knew that the first time he saw one of his friends die back in Iraq. The feeling of helplessness as Sergeant Brown died choking on his own blood in his arms. He had never known quite how he felt about Katrina; at least in ¡®that¡¯ way. Until last night, he only saw her as a friend and companion.


    She looked up at him, her eyes full of tears, and her face flushed. He didn¡¯t say anything. There was no need. This world was just as harsh as his own. And every chance he had to enjoy peace and a bit of joy, he would take.


    ~


    Katrina stirred the next morning, her eyes fluttering open at the sound of commotion outside the tent. She felt with her hand the empty space next to her, where Daniel should have been. She exhaled, running her fingers through her hair. Guilt began to creep into her mind, the emotions of the night beginning to surface again. What the hell am I doing? She thought about it the night prior. As well as the morning after they shared each other¡¯s bed the first time. And still, the feeling of guilt persisted. She was, in essence, taking advantage of him. In more ways than one. She needed support, and companionship. The whispers and urges from the first night weren¡¯t her own. She was sure of it now. Something had played with her perceptions and given her a push she wasn¡¯t expecting. But what now? Her mind raced. She fell into his arms again, and this time completely of her own mind. She shook her head. Maybe I¡¯m over thinking it. Spirits don¡¯t just mess with people¡¯s minds like that. It was probably just a moment of weakness.


    The flaps of the tent opened and Metea poked her head in. Spirit-Sent Katrina. We must move shortly. Master requested I let you sleep in a bit, but we just heard from the scouts, the Host is still encamped several hours north. We must meet them before they begin marching again.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Katrina said, sitting up. She began to frantically look for her clothes, eyeing the inside of the tent.


    After several minutes, she exited the tent, and immediately started to break it down, folding the blankets, and strapping the gear on her Cro¡¯kan.


    Daniel walked his own Cro¡¯kan next to hers and gave her a friendly nod. ¡°Morning,¡± He said, cheerfully.


    Katrina smiled and walked over to him. They looked at one another for several seconds, Katrina unsure of how to proceed. What do I say? What do I do? She thought.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± he said, looking as awkward as she felt. ¡°So, did you sleep well?¡± He asked.


    The question brought a lump into Katrina¡¯s throat. ¡°I guess so.¡± she replied, sheepishly. ¡°It was good, you know¡­ I¡­¡± She met his eyes, and saw him raise an eyebrow. ¡°Look¡­ Dan¡­ I¡ª"


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± he said, turning and tightening the straps on his Cro¡¯kan. ¡°It¡¯s like you said, it doesn¡¯t have to be serious.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, Dan.¡± Katrina felt another pang of guilt stab into her. ¡°There¡¯s just a lot going on right now.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I get it.¡± He said, ¡°We¡¯ve got a mission to focus on. Let¡¯s keep on track. We¡¯ll deal with whatever ¡®this¡¯ is after.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She eked out, turning to finish breaking down their small camp.


    Several minutes later, they found themselves on the road again. After an hour they could see the encampment in the distance. Thousands of warriors, as far as the eye could see.


    ¡°Oh my God.¡± Daniel said, pulling his Cro¡¯kan to a halt. ¡°This is much larger than the army that left to Rexun the first time.


    ¡°Yeah¡± Katrina said, a sudden fear creeping into her mind. This army would be at Vul De Rah by tomorrow night, if they didn¡¯t do something now to stop it. How the hell do we even do that? She thought. they were out for blood. Convincing Boros would be near impossible. Alektor killed his brother, then his father, using the animated corpse of his brother. Then conquered his home. ¡°This is going to be tough.¡± She huffed.


    ¡°Spirit-Sent.¡± One of the Rexunii scouts said, riding next to Daniel. ¡°This is where we depart. You should have no trouble making your way down there.¡±


    Daniel nodded to him. ¡°Alright, thank you for taking us this far.¡±


    The scout brought his fist across his chest in a salute and rode off with his companions.


    Katrina and the rest made their way down to the encampment. And it wasn¡¯t long before horns began to blare, and warriors clad in crimson surrounded them.


    ~


    Daniel held his hands up. ¡°Woah! We¡¯re here to see King Yomin, and Hego Boros.¡±


    The warriors around them held their weapons up, poised to strike. Then, Daniel recognized the golden hemmed cloak of a Lokkadonian officer, a lieutenant. ¡°Spirit-Sent!¡± He yelled, approaching aggressively. ¡°Send word to the King, that Spirit-Sent have come.¡±


    Daniel tried to reason with them, but all of his efforts of communication were met with silence. After several minutes of waiting, a runner returned, and spoke quietly with the Lieutenant.


    ¡°You will dismount and follow me to the King.¡± The officer said, turning on his heels and moving toward the camp.


    They were led through the camp, thousands of warriors peered as they opened a path directly to a large stone structure, probably created as a shelter by Boros himself, or another powerful Dae-Voh. Upon reaching it, they were disarmed, and led inside. Within, there was a throne made of stone, also grown out of the ground, where atop sat a Dae, wearing a crown. That¡¯s got to be Yomin, Daniel thought. Studying the King of Lokkadonia. Beside him, standing on his right, was Boros of House Ignos.


    ¡°Boros!¡± Katrina said, excitedly. She attempted to walk toward him, but was blocked by several royal guards. ¡°What the hell?¡± She said, ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    ¡°Silence! Demon.¡± The man on the throne said. ¡°I am King Yomin, of house Megune¡¯, ruler of Lokkadonia, and loyal servant of the Espi-Dae.¡±


    Those last words caused Daniel to tense. He glanced to his left at Katrina, who seemed to have a similar reaction.


    ¡°I¡¯m Daniel,¡± he said, then pointed to his left. ¡°This is Katrina. And behind me are, Rin, my attendant, and Matea, my squire.¡±


    ¡°You have been branded, Demons, by the High Espi-Dae.¡± Yomin continued. ¡°And we have been ordered to detain and interrogate you.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s mind slowed at his words. ¡°Wait, what!?¡± He shouted, fury starting to build. ¡°High King Phobos¡ª"


    ¡°Any resistance will be met with violence.¡± Yomin cut him off and leaned forward. ¡°Take them!¡±


    ¡°Boros!¡± Katrina yelled, ¡°Do something! You¡¯re just going to sit there!?¡±


    Boros looked away from her, and stayed silent.


    ¡°You are a coward!¡± Daniel yelled at Boros. ¡°Oros and Agron are spinning in their graves!¡±


    Boros¡¯ eyes blazed with fury as they met Daniel¡¯s, but he could see the regret and sorrow in his eyes. Gone was the confident and honorable Dae that stood before his own father to protect them. Now he saw a broken shell of the man he once was. Daniel¡¯s glare intensified, and Boros¡¯ eyes fell to the floor, his shame now on full display.


    ¡°The Espi-Dae will take them shortly. Please refrain from unnecessary bloodshed.¡± The King turned his attention to Rin and Matea. ¡°Interrogate these, Dae. I want to know everything they know.¡±


    Daniel raged, but held his power in check. A fight here would no doubt get Rin and Matea killed. Themselves too for all they knew. Lokkadonian royal guards were extremely powerful themselves. FUCK, he thought, what do I do? The last thing he expected was to be detained by Lokkadonians, while Boros stood by and watched. He thought they would be celebrated and welcomed with open arms. Did Alektor lie to them about Phobos? No¡­ he warned us that the Lokkadonians were servants of the Espi-Dae. Son of a bitch!


    ¡°Master, don¡¯t worry about us.¡± Matea said, while guards grabbed her by her arms. ¡°We¡¯ll sort this out.¡±


    ¡°Lord Daniel.¡± Rin said, terror in her voice. ¡°I thought that¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± One of the guards barked, roughly pulling them both away.¡±


    As they were led out, he heard Katrina screaming profanities at Boros, calling him something along the lines of a coward, and a fool. They were brought outside the stone structure and brought to another one. Clearly a prison of some kind. They were tossed in a cell, and Dae-Voh bound their hands against the wall with their Dunamis. Soon after, there were large glowing crystals that were brought in, and placed next to them both. ¡°Good luck getting out of here with these around. These are Ugoto crystals, they sap the Dunamis right out of your bodies.¡± One of the guards taunted. Soon after, they were gone. And Daniel and Katrina were left alone, and in shock.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck is going on here, Dan!?¡± Katrina yelled, struggling against her bonds. ¡°What the hell happened to Boros!?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He said, looking around the cell. It was entirely made of stone. Dae-Voh and their annoying ass structures. ¡°We need to get the hell out of here though. I need to get to Rin and Matea. God knows what¡¯ll happen to them if we wait too long.¡±


    ¡°Shut up in there, Demons!¡± An unseen guard yelled from around the corner.

 Chapter 32 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Boros cursed under his breath as the screams and insults of Katrina faded into the distance. She was right about all of it. Every vile word cast toward him held truth. But he could do nothing. He glared sidelong at King Yomin, the architect of this latest ploy. When word of Avria¡¯s successful negotiations with High King Phobos reached him, he flew into a rage. Vowing to march the full might of Lokkadonia and the supporting units to Vul De Rah immediately. He and Telmos urged caution as best they could, but it fell on deaf ears. Telmos went as far as to challenge the king¡¯s authority openly, in front of the Hegos.


    Yomin then arrested Telmos as a traitor, and put Illya under house arrest as a clear and real threat to Boros.


    ¡°You see how diabolical they are, Boros?¡± Yomin asked, turning toward him.


    Boros said nothing, his rage barely held in check.


    ¡°Speak, Boros.¡± Yomin insisted.


    Boros calmed himself with a breath, then responded. ¡°I believe they sincerely thought we would accept them to our side. After escaping from Thule. Instead, we arrest them.¡±


    ¡°The Espi-Dae will be here shortly,¡± Yomin continued. ¡°Then they will be out of our hands, and your sister will be free to travel as you see fit. Back to Vul De Rah, once it is recaptured, perhaps.¡±


    ¡°At the cost of our souls.¡± Boros spat.


    ¡°Careful, Hego,¡± Yomin warned. ¡°You are lucky you¡¯re the last son of Ignos. Or I would have thrown you in with the traitor, Telmos.¡±


    ¡°Avria will not take this lightly.¡±


    Yomin barked a laugh. ¡°That petulant brat? She is nothing to Lokkon anymore. She¡¯s a Sterion of the Torre¡¯, and that is all. Her lands and titles forfeit. Her whole traitorous house can crumble to the ground. For years the Regios taunted and leered at me from within the protection of Vul De Rah, and your father. No longer.¡±


    Boros clenched his fists.


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for the fall of your city or the death of your family, Boros.¡± Yomin stood, walking to pour himself a bowl of wine. ¡°I warned your father about the demons. All of us did.¡±


    ¡°It was the Rexunii who toppled our city,¡± Boros shot back. ¡°They tortured and subdued a human, forcing him to use his power against us. Which was brought on by the Espi-Dae themselves.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool,¡± Yomin chuckled. ¡°The Espi-Dae¡¯s only flaw was that they weren¡¯t allowed to purify him properly. The Rexunii and their primitive pit spared the creature¡¯s life. Then he enthralled the King and began to execute their true purpose here. Destruction of the Dae. Starting with the very people who took him in.¡±


    Boros deflated, knowing full well he couldn¡¯t say what was truly on his mind. What¡¯s the point of this conversation? He thought.


    ¡°We will save our world, and Lokkon from destruction within the next few days.¡± Yomin pressed on. ¡°You and your sister will thank me, and all this nonsense will be put behind us.¡±


    ¡°May I take my leave?¡± Boros asked.


    ¡°You may,¡± Yomin gestured toward the door. ¡°But keep clear of the demons, Boros. If you don¡¯t, I will have Illya executed on your behalf as a traitor.¡± His gaze pierced him, and Boros¡¯ heart sank. He had to save Katrina and Daniel somehow, and end this foolishness. Even if it cost him his life, he needed to try. But it wasn¡¯t only his life on the line. Illya and Telmos were in Yomin¡¯s hands. And their lives could be snuffed out with a word from his lips.


    ¡°Yes, your highness.¡± Boros bowed, then turned to leave.


    ~


    Avria rode into the Lokkadonian war camp, accompanied by her fellow Sterion. Nasha, and Espi-Drake. During their travels, they met no resistance on the road. More than likely due to the consolidation of forces by the Rexunii. With an army this size at their doorstep, they needed every sword they could muster. She had obtained a title from the High King that put her beyond the authority of Yomin and most others, but in the end, it was just a lie. She never would have imagined that the High King could be influenced and turn on her, so quickly. Instead of listening to reason, he bestowed his blessing on King Yomin and his campaign and had launched a full invasion with two goals. Take back Vul De Rah, and obliterate the humans.


    Making her way to the command center, she picked up her pace. The guards at the entrance slid the doors open and she strode in, determination in her eyes. King Yomin and Hego Boros were sitting at a makeshift table, drinking bowls of wine, and both turned to greet her.


    ¡°Sterion Avria.¡± King Yomin said, ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised to see you here. You are your father¡¯s daughter after all.¡±


    Avria saw the expression of the King shift. Turning dark at her presence. Boros¡¯ face seemed a mixture of excitement and sorrow.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Avria started, ¡°I have come at the behest of High King Phobos, to gain your assistance in the deliverance of the humans, Daniel and Katrina. I understand they are both within Vul De Rah.¡±


    ¡°You are in no position to ask anything of me, Sterion.¡± Yomin said, holding his arms out. ¡°High King Phobos already has given us his orders. And they have nothing to do with the likes of you. We received word that the Volsung forces had left Vul De Rah, in response to an attack by our allies, the Exous to the South. The High King agreed, it was an opportunity that was too good to pass up. We obediently executed his orders, and those of the High Espi-Dae.¡±


    ¡°Those orders do not undermine our mission in any way, your highness.¡± Avria said, ¡°Nor do our orders contradict each other. We even have a representative of the Espi-Dae with us.¡± Avria gestured back, toward Espi-Drake, who bowed his head. ¡°Surely there is no reason for any hostility.¡± Her eyes scanned the room, suddenly realizing there was someone important that was missing. ¡°Where is my father? He, I¡¯m sure, will have some wisdom to share on the matter.¡±


    ¡°Telmos, has been relieved of his command and duties.¡± Yomin spat.


    ¡°Relieved?¡± Avria asked, ¡°What do you mean? He is the head of your military strategy council.¡±


    Yomin¡¯s face turned into a snarl, and he stood to approach her. ¡°Telmos became an obstacle. I attempted to reason with him. Instead, he became, disrespectful, and dishonored himself before all of us, and committed treason.¡±


    Avria¡¯s fury began to rise. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid action had to be taken, Avria.¡± Yomin continued. ¡°He had grown far too comfortable serving under the late, Hego Agron. When speaking to royalty, one must watch their mouth. He didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Your highness.¡± Nasha said, chiming in. ¡°Wha¡ª¡±


    ¡°He has also lost his lands and titles,¡± Yomin continued, interrupting her. ¡°Telmos is no longer a Lord of Lokkadonia, and neither are you.¡±


    Avria¡¯s mind started to race. These fools were so sure of their position, so insulted by her maneuver to speak with the High King, that they sought retribution. They had single handedly and swiftly destroyed the entire House of Regios. Where is Delmos? She thought, sudden fear gripping her.


    ¡°This¡­ Will not go unanswered.¡± Avria said, her voice seething with rage.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Perhaps you can appeal to High King Phobos for land and title.¡± Yomin said, ¡°you will find nothing here in Lokkon. You Regios showed your colors, and now after fifteen hundred years, your line is worthless, Avria.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Sterion, Avria to you, your highness.¡± Avria growled.


    ¡°Your station won¡¯t protect you here,¡± The King pressed. ¡°One more insolent word or threat, and I will have you thrown in with those Demons you seem to be so fond of.¡±


    Avria¡¯s mind went blank for a moment. ¡°Wait. Which Demons?¡±


    ¡°Katrina and Daniel,¡± Boros finally spoke up. ¡°They are here, in our dungeon.¡±


    Daniel, and Katrina were here? She thought, ¡°When did they arrive?¡±


    ¡°Maybe eight hours ago or so.¡± Boros adjusted himself awkwardly. ¡°They await interrogation by the High Espi-Dae. One of their representatives should be here by morning to receive them. Once he does, we will move on Vul De Rah.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Avria seethed, her face a mask of barely restrained rage. ¡°You, have gone too far. This is a direct violation of our High King¡¯s command! This is treason!¡±


    ¡°The High King has passed all discretion in regards to the demons to the High Espi-Dae. Who has ordered them detained and interrogated before purification.¡± Yomin¡¯s voice started to rise while he spoke, his temper flaring. ¡°We are loyal sons and daughters of Eleutheros, Sterion. We are the will of the Espi-Dae, and honorable warriors trying to destroy an evil that threatens our world! And you, for reasons that baffle me, stand against us. Against your own King! We are fighting this war, we are bleeding for it. Lokkon was wounded; and Lokkadonians will take it back!¡±


    ¡°Sterion Avria is correct,¡± Nasha pleaded. ¡°As Espi-Drake can attest. We were given this mission and have received no orders to the contrary. Please, highness, let us take them, as your High King has commanded, and any misunderstanding can be avoided. Please!¡± She turned wide eyes to Boros, who seemed to stiffen under her gaze. ¡°Boros, don¡¯t throw away the legacy of your father! Don¡¯t besmirch the house of Ignos!¡±


    ¡°You are no longer welcome here, Sterion.¡± Yomin said, signaling his guards. ¡°You will be escorted out of this camp, and sent on your way. If you decide to remain, or interfere any further, you will be executed.¡±


    Several royal guards forced Avria and her companions out of the command tent and began leading them out of the camp.


    ¡°Nasha, we can¡¯t just let them do this!¡± Avria said, ¡°Yomin has lost his damn mind! The Espi-Dae will torture and burn Daniel and Katrina, we can¡¯t allow this.¡±


    ¡°Avria... But, your father. Arrested as a traitor? It¡¯s unheard of.¡± Nasha shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, Avria. We are powerless.¡±


    ¡°It would seem that your loyalty to the High King, is being tested.¡± Espi-Drake added. ¡°King Yomin is well within his rights to detain the creatures. I am sorry about your family though. Treason is a serious crime, Avria. Of which the punishment is death.


    Avria¡¯s mind was racing at the words of the Espi-Dae. There was too much to consider. Daniel and Katrina¡¯s safety, and her father and brother. ¡°Delmos¡­¡± She spoke the name without even realizing it.


    ¡°Yomin would have mentioned him, if he were detained.¡± Nasha reassured her. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°I pray to all the spirits, you¡¯re right.¡± Avria resigned.


    ¡°The question still remains, Avria,¡± Drake said. ¡°What do we do now? I would suggest going back to Belous. Speaking with the High King and petitioning him to spare your family any further dishonor.¡±


    ¡°Avria!¡± She heard a voice call. She whirled around to see Boros running toward her. ¡°Wait!¡±


    ¡°Boros.¡± Avria grit her teeth as he came to a halt before them. ¡°How could you have allowed this to happen!? My father¡ª¡±


    ¡°He has Illya, Avria.¡± Boros cut her off. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time, so listen to me carefully. He¡¯s holding her in Vul De Mar, under house arrest. He made it clear that I needed to support him, or he would have her executed.¡±


    Avria was taken aback. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. House Ignos has far too much influence in Lokkon. He wouldn¡¯t dare harm her.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s mad, Avria.¡±


    ¡°What of Delmos? Where is my brother?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± Boros pointed behind him. ¡°He became unruly when Telmos was arrested. He¡¯s been traveling with us, as a prisoner.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Avria felt the rage building within her again.


    ¡°Think of your mission, Avria.¡± Espi-Drake interjected. ¡°There is little you can do for him, or your father here. By tomorrow, Vul De Rah will be under siege. King Yomin has forbidden you from interfering in any way.¡±


    Suddenly there was a massive explosion from the eastern part of the camp. Avria ducked, but saw a ball of flame, the size of Vul De Rah palace roiling into the air. There were horns that blasted then, and shouts and screams could be heard from that direction.


    ¡°What the hell was that!?¡± Boros yelled. Looking at the guards sent to escort them out.


    ¡°Those horn signals,¡± Avria recognized them.


    ¡°We¡¯re under attack.¡± Nasha finished.


    At that moment, Yomin and several officers ran from their stone command tent.


    ¡°Report!¡± Yomin yelled.


    ¡°We seem to be under Rexunii attack, your highness!¡± A runner said, pointing to the East. ¡°They¡¯ve begun their assault on the Visoth quarter of the camp.¡±


    ¡°Assemble our forces and crush them. They are fools to attack us directly! Bring me my armor!¡±


    Avria looked around the now chaotic camp, hundreds of warriors were running to gather their weapons and assemble in formations with their officers. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± She yelled, turning to Nasha and Boros. Then, she shifted a hard gaze to Espi-Drake. ¡°Head back to Belous city and tell the High King what you will. I will not leave my brother or my friends to die at the hands of your people or mine, or the blasted Rexunii!¡±


    Espi-Drake did not hesitate. ¡°This is foolish Avria! You know that this goes directly against the will of¡ª.¡±


    ¡°As far as I am concerned, my mission still stands! To bring the humans before the High King. Now get out of here, or help me complete my mission!¡±


    Espi-Drake cursed, but did not run.


    ¡°Then shut up, and follow me!¡± Avria dashed into the mass of moving warriors. Running to a Lokkadonian Captain, she grabbed his arm. ¡°I am Sterion Avria, agent of the High King! Where are the Demons being held!?¡±


    The captain blinked, confusion clear on his face. ¡°They are over there. He pointed to a large square building off in the distance.¡±


    Avria dashed toward the building as fast as she could, her Dunamis enhancing every stride she made. She went straight past the guards at the front door, and sped inside.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Was all they managed to say, as she and her companions began navigating the interior.


    ¡°They¡¯re this way!¡± Boros pointed down a hall, but stopped and started to move back the way they came. ¡°Save them Avria. I need to get to my men.¡±


    ¡°Stay safe, son of Ignos.¡± Avria gave him an approving nod, then followed his direction.


    She slid to a halt when she saw Daniel and Katrina fastened to their cell wall.


    ¡°Daniel! Katrina!¡± She yelled, then was flooded with relief when she saw their surprised faces.


    ¡°Avria!?¡± They both said in unison. ¡°What the hell are you doing here!?¡± Daniel asked, his face transforming from surprise to happiness.


    Avria then noticed a guard standing before the entrance of the stone bars. ¡°I am Avria Regios, Sterion of High King Phobos, I demand you release these humans into our custody.¡±


    ¡°Impossible.¡± The Guard said, ¡°I have strict orders from King Yomin himself, to keep them here until he comes for them with the Espi-Dae¡±


    ¡°Your orders have changed.¡± Avria said, ¡°We are under Rexunii attack, release them immediately or by the authority of High King Phobos, I will kill you where you stand as a traitor.¡±


    The Guard balked at that, now looking a bit nervous. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know if I should.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, warrior.¡± Espi-Drake stepped forward. ¡°I am Espi-Drake, of the order of Reguotii. I am of the authority to collect them on behalf of the Espi-Dae.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡± The guard stuttered.


    ¡°Quickly man! There is no time.¡± Avria shouted. ¡°Do you want the Rexunii to get them again? Step aside!¡±


    ¡°Sterion!¡± A voice called from behind them.


    Avria turned to see ten crimson clad warriors making their way toward her. Damn¡­ Where was Boros? She thought.


    The one in front shouted with authority. ¡°King Yomin has warned you to leave. Your interference with the Demons is a violation of his command. You will surrender immediately or face the consequences.¡±


    She glanced over her shoulder at Daniel and Katrina, then to Nasha, who looked at her, took a breath and nodded sharply.


    ¡°I cannot comply, warrior.¡± Avria said, defiantly. ¡°You and your King¡¯s order go against that of my own.¡±


    ¡°Then by order of King Yomin of Lokkadonia,¡± The warrior said, drawing his incisor. ¡°You are hereby sentenced to death.¡±


    All of them readied their weapons but before they could attack, a massive spike of stone shot from the prison cell lodging into the wall, separating the two groups. Avria looked to see Katrina and Daniel free of their bonds and moving toward the gate.


    ¡°Impossible!¡± The guard shouted, before Avria thrust her blade through the back of his neck. Blue blood sprayed and he gurgled a scream before falling to the stone floor.


    ¡°Hurry!¡± She shouted while Katrina and Daniel forced their way out of the stone bars.


    Before they could react, the Lokkadonian warriors broke through Katrina¡¯s pillar and unleashed a flurry of elemental attacks of their own at them. Avria swung her blade, bringing forth a shield of electricity that redirected most of the attacks into the walls. The building shook with every hit and she pressed forward into the fray. Her incisor danced from one warrior to the next, cracking as the opponent¡¯s blades met hers. Soon, Nasha followed her, along with Daniel and Katrina. The tight quarters of the hallway prevented any large scale Dunamis attacks, but it also prevented them from being overwhelmed by the numbers they faced.


    Avria¡¯s weapon sank into the flesh of one of the warriors, and he screamed a death cry, before she finished him with a slice through his neck. Daniel dashed ahead, plunging his blade into the stomach of another one, and Nasha decapitated two at once with a swing from her dual incisors. Again and again, they attacked, until the Lokkadonian guards started to lose ground. The several remaining warriors backed up in the cramped hall, and Avria lifted her hand toward them. With a savage yell, her hand erupted with a terrifyingly powerful blast of electricity that obliterated every warrior in its path. Avria looked at the carnage she had caused, then turned back to her team.


    ¡°Is everyone alright?¡±

 Chapter 33 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel''s eyes widened in sheer awe as he beheld the warrior before him. Avria was not just an average warrior; she was an unstoppable tempest on the battlefield. Her prowess and ferocity, a spectacle so formidable it instilled a primal fear in any who dared to watch.


    ¡°We have to get out of here, fast! Our only hope is to use the chaos of the battle to escape.¡± She said wiping the blood from her incisor.


    ¡°Is that what¡¯s going on out there?¡± Daniel asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Nasha said, ¡°The Rexunii are attacking, and there is no time to dally here.¡±


    ¡°The Rexunii?¡± Katrina asked, her face twisted in confusion. ¡°They must have mobilized as soon as we left, Dan.¡±


    ¡°Fucking, Alektor.¡± Daniel cursed.


    ¡°Well, whether by chance, or some master-stroke of Alektor.¡± Avria sheathed her blade. ¡°This attack is the only reason you aren¡¯t in the clutches of the Espi-Dae now.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Daniel paused. ¡°I have to find Rin, and Matea!¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Avria asked, her face turning to her signature scowl.


    ¡°My attendant, and my squire.¡± Daniel responded. ¡°Don¡¯t ask, it¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll tell you all about it once we get the fuck out of here. Where are the interrogation rooms?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Avria scanned the bloodied hallway. ¡°Delmos should be in here as well. Usually, the interrogation rooms are in the same building as the dungeon. We can check the other side.¡±


    ¡°Delmos?¡± Daniel and Katrina asked at the same time.


    ¡°A lot has happened,¡± Avria sighed. ¡°I will fill you both in on the entirety of it later, but simply put. Delmos and my father were arrested by Yomin.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit.¡± Daniel swore. ¡°He¡¯s lost his fucking mind.¡±


    ¡°My father is back in Vul De Mar, but Delmos is here.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go find him,¡± Daniel said as he dashed down the hall, dodging the remains, and started going through hallways, opening doors and peeking inside. ¡°It¡¯s crazy how they can just grow buildings like this just for a camp. This place is huge!¡±


    ¡°All it takes is a strong Dae-Voh!¡± Katrina said.


    They soon came across a far more comfortable part of the building. With larger cells and more extravagant furniture. There, within the first cell, was none other than Delmos Regios, frantically looking for a way to escape.


    ¡°Dan!¡± He exclaimed as their eyes met. ¡°Sister! Katrina!¡± Delmos ran to the bars and let out a victorious yell. ¡°Thank the spirits you¡¯ve come!¡±


    ¡°You done laying around?¡± Daniel grinned. ¡°There¡¯s a war on outside, and you¡¯re sitting here like a damn king.¡±


    Delmos laughed, but his face turned serious as he focused on Avria. ¡°Sister, they¡¯ve taken father! Yomin¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Avria seethed. ¡°We will explain it to them later. For now, we need to find a few more people who are supposed to be here.¡±


    ¡°Well get me out of here, then!¡± Delmos shook the bars. ¡°Give me a blade, and let¡¯s make our escape.¡±


    With little effort, Katrina manipulated the bars of the prison, making an opening for Delmos to easily walk out.


    ¡°Thank you, my dear.¡± He bowed as he stepped out, and was promptly handed a blade from Nasha.


    Delmos stopped for a moment, looking at Espi-Drake. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I am Sterion Avria¡¯s Espi-Dae representative.¡± He spoke through tight lips. ¡°I am here to oversee the transportation of the¡­ humans, back to Belous city.¡±


    Daniel glanced at Katrina, then narrowed his eyes at Espi-Drake. ¡°Fat fuckin chance of that happening, after all this.¡±


    ¡°Our mission is clear, human. Do not resist.¡± Drake¡¯s voice was low and dangerous.


    ¡°Enough.¡± Avria spat, standing between the two. ¡°We will figure this out after we make our escape.¡±


    After several minutes of searching for his two charges, to no avail, Daniel started to lose hope; until he came to the end of the last hallway and pushed a heavy door open. His eyes bulged, and his heart sank at the sight before him.


    He saw Rin, suspended in mid-air with stone hooks through her wrists, fastening her to the roof. Her fingers and toes had all been cut from her body, her nose, and ears as well. The horrific sight brought Daniel to his knees as he gazed at her mutilated body. Looking down, he could see the pile of her intestines on the floor where they had fallen after disemboweling her. Tears flowed from his eyes as the realization set in. ¡°No¡­¡± He said, his voice trembling. ¡°Rin!¡± Frantically looking around to see if he could find Matea, Daniel yelled. ¡°Matea!? Matea!?¡± Finally in the corner, he saw the slumped form of the Dae girl with her back to him. Beside her, a tattered and blue-stained Sabree cloak. Daniel rushed to her, she was chained to the wall, but Daniel grabbed her shoulders, then felt her neck for a pulse. ¡°Matea?¡± he asked, tilting her head to him. He peered into empty sockets, where her once beautiful yellow eyes had been.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Daniel¡¯s mind turned upside-down at that moment. She had been butchered as well. Probably before Rin, but they left her here, in the corner, alive, blinded, cradling her own intestines while she slowly bled to death. A rage that had never before been felt by him bubbled to the surface in a guttural yell. His voice echoed in the dark and bloodied room. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw hardened and furious eyes; Avria¡¯s eyes. Staring back at him. Past the anger he saw in them, was compassion and sympathy. But his mind turned to blood and fire. Compassion was for the dead. Daniel stood and looked at her.


    ¡°Alektor warned us. He said they might do something like this.¡± Daniels voice cracked and scraped like he had gravel in his throat. ¡°These fuckers are all going to die.¡± Daniel unclasped his Lokkadonian cloak, and tossed it to the blood soaked floor. ¡°Yomin and the Espi-Dae did this. All those mother fuckers out there did this.¡± Daniel extended his hand and in a flash of white-gold flame, his metal blade appeared.


    Avria took several steps back as confusion set in her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m going out there. And I am going to kill every single Dae I see wearing a red cloak.¡± He looked at Avria, Delmos, and Nasha. ¡°Take em off. Today I¡¯m fighting with Rexun.¡±


    Daniel lifted his hand toward Matea¡¯s lifeless body and closed his eyes. He said a silent prayer for her, the anger giving way to grief momentarily. When he finished, a white-gold flame engulfed her. Repeating the action, Rin¡¯s body was also engulfed, and turned to ash in an instant.


    Daniel looked at Avria again and began walking past her. ¡°Take your cloak off.¡± He said, ¡°This clan doesn¡¯t deserve you.¡±


    Avria hesitated, reaching up to the clasp at her neck. ¡°Daniel¡­ this wasn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Off.¡± He insisted.


    He could see the internal conflict being waged within her. She let out a deep sigh, but ultimately unpinned her cloak, and let it fall to the floor below. Nasha did the same, followed by Delmos, who shook his head.


    ¡°No one has to follow me out there.¡± Daniel said, ¡°Kat, you should probably make it out of here. Avoid everyone out there. Lokkon, Rexun¡­ they¡¯re both the same.¡±


    ¡°No, Dan.¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯m in this with you. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m leaving you here.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t hesitate to leap into the fray with me.¡± Avria said, sincerity on her face. ¡°The Lokkadonians have abandoned house Regios. I have already committed treason against Lokkon... Delmos and I are with you.¡±


    ¡°Dan... I¡¯m sorry about all this, but after everything. These are our people.¡± Delmos said.


    ¡°The Lokkadonia of Agron and Oros is dead.¡± Daniel spat. ¡°Those fuckers out there aren¡¯t my friends or allies. And the only allegiance I had toward them is in here with me.¡± He pointed to Delmos and Avria. ¡°And they¡¯ve cut you off. Fuck Yomin.¡± He looked at Espi-Drake, pointing his metal blade at him. ¡°And fuck the Espi-Dae.¡±


    ¡°A blade of light¡­¡± Espi-Drake murmured. ¡°I had nothing to do with the death of your friends. I am a servant of the High Espi-Dae, and of Sterion Avria. I am here to ensure your safe arrival to Belous city.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going anywhere near there.¡± Katrina crossed her arms.


    ¡°Then stay out of my way.¡± Daniel growled as he strode toward Nasha. ¡°What about you?


    ¡°I...¡± She nearly crumpled under his gaze, ¡°I will not stand in your way, Spirit-Sent¡ª do what you must.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Daniel said, walking out the door of the interrogation room and through the winding halls toward the entrance. The closer he got, the fiercer the battle became. Now in the hallway, they could hear the chaos outside. The screams of men and women, and the booming of Dunamis attacks.


    Daniel forced the door open and beheld a massive battle. Warriors from Lokkon, Rexun, Visgo, Baa¡¯Yega, Sabree and Visoth all struggled in a violent melee of Dunamis and bone. Daniel¡¯s mind took measure of the situation. They were roughly in the center of the camp. If the Rexunii forces made their way here, their initial push seemed to have been effective. Though it looked as though their forces were being decidedly pushed back and were heavily outnumbered.


    Daniel yelled, holding his hand forward, and unleashed a blast of white-gold flame directly into the backs of a group of Lokkadonian warriors. They didn¡¯t even scream as they were consumed by the fire. Burning to ash in an instant. This was also the first time he had used his Dunamis against a foe since his metamorphosis. The effect of his power seemed more merciful than before. The crimson flames burned and melted everything in it''s path. Causing incredible pain and suffering. The white-gold flame vaporized, burning with a heat so intense his victims didn¡¯t have a chance to scream.


    Two large bolts of lightning flashed by him from either side. Delmos and Avria had entered the battle. Then A wall of pillars surged past slamming into the Lokkadonian forces from behind. There was a cheer from the Rexunii forces, and they seemed to redouble their efforts.


    Daniel charged in, his metal blade held high, glowing a golden light. The Lokkadonians turned to face the charge bringing their weapons up and using their Dunamis to stop Daniel. Avria charged beside him, flicking her blade and deflecting several large blasts of wind and fire. Daniel brought his blade down with all his strength. The warrior before him lifted his incisor up to block the strike, but to his horror, watched Daniel¡¯s sword pass through his bone incisor like it was made of paper. The glowing sword went through the block, and sliced clean through the bone mask protecting the warrior¡¯s face. No blood sprayed or seeped from the cut. Instead, the wound glowed the same color as the blade, and within seconds the body was engulfed in a golden flame.


    The act caused the surrounding warriors to stumble back in fear of this new and unfamiliar power. Daniel dashed forward swinging his sword horizontally, cutting two across the abdomen, who screamed in brief agony as they too burst into flames. Seeing this, Avria slammed her fist into the ground, causing bolts of lightning to shoot from beneath the feet of the enemy. Dae warriors scrambled as they lost their footing, only to get cut down by Rexunii blades and Dunamis.


    ¡°The Spirit-Sent are with us!¡± A Rexunii warrior shouted using a Dunamis enhanced voice.


    The words somehow emboldened Daniel, letting the rage and sorrow he felt pour out of him. He bellowed out a yell of triumph and unleashed another blast of white-gold fire. Half a dozen more warriors evaporated like water under a blazing sun. The powerful flank caused many of the warriors to turn and start running. The warriors of Visoth were the first to turn. Daniel recognized them by their painted bone plate mail. They wore no clan colors, but had a great deal of armor on, covering their arms, and legs. Daniel thought they looked like knights from his own world.


    There was a small lull in the fighting as the warriors fell back to another fortified position.


    ¡°Spirit-Sent!¡± A Rexunii warrior called, running to Daniel. His armor was soaked in blue blood, his mask had been lost, and one of his ears was missing. ¡°We are honored to have you with us.¡± he said, bowing his head.


    Daniel looked at the warriors, all of them tired, bloodied and battered. There was a brief moment where Daniel considered unleashing his furry upon the Rexunii as well. But the tactical side of his mind took hold, and the path to victory, now, seemed clear. He would use them, for now, at least. The Rexunii weren¡¯t his enemies. ¡°Follow me!¡± He yelled, holding his blade high into the air.


    Cheers rattled from all the Rexunii, Sabree, and Visgo warriors in the area. And Daniel turned back to charge toward the Lokkadonian line which had reformed maybe one hundred yards away.

 Chapter 34 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Robert felt the familiar feeling of fear that attempted to weaken him. The same force that he battled with every time he was involved in a conflict of some kind. He swallowed hard as he looked at the ranks of warriors who charged forward.


    ¡°Again, your ability has given us the advantage we needed to attack.¡± Turak said, bringing his Cro¡¯kan to a halt beside him. ¡°Let the warriors do their work.¡±


    The Rexunii army had mobilized the moment Daniel and Katrina had left the city. Alektor knew, somehow, that the army would not march once they arrived. Robert only prayed that they would be safe. Considering how unnerved Dio¡¯Mar had been with Daniel¡¯s powers, he couldn¡¯t see him laying down and dying without a fight. They¡¯re fine, He thought. They¡¯re probably with Yomin or Boros in the center of the camp. We¡¯ve just got to get there.


    ¡°Lord Turak!¡± A Rexunii captain yelled, riding his Cro¡¯kan to a halt before them. Our center column has been halted by Hego Boros and the Lokkadonian Elite! We¡¯re being pushed back!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, captain.¡± Turak said, turning to Robert. ¡°It¡¯s time we ended the line of Ignos once and for all. Reku, we need your power.¡±


    Robert sighed, ¡°One of these days, you¡¯re going to have to fight your own battles, Turak.¡±


    ¡°I can do it with or without you, Reku.¡± He said, drawing his two curved incisors. ¡°But you can save many lives.¡±


    Robert took a moment to consider it. The guilt of his abuse of the ability seemingly bubbling up at the most inconvenient times.


    They had attacked from four different directions. Two from the sides, one from behind, to keep them from forming battle lines as they withdrew. And the element that he was currently attached to, the center, main attacking force. Robert had again cloaked the entire army. Allowing them to approach the camp unnoticed, and unopposed. The down-side, was it drained him, immensely. He needed time to recover his strength.


    Turak kicked the sides of his Cro¡¯kan, dashing toward the front line, and Robert followed. The roar of battle intensified as they got closer to the thick of the fight, and Robert did his best to steel himself. The cacophony of screams and elemental explosions engulfed his senses, but he scanned the battlefield as best he could from his vantage. He saw where the problem lay. Boros was heading a charge that broke the center line of their main attack force. Robert lifted his hands and black smoke billowed from him, spilling over the battlefield. Boros¡¯ advance stopped as the smoke flowed past the Rexunii warriors, and his rage-filled eyes met that of Robert¡¯s. There was a split second of recognition, before the light of reason diminished within him. Boros unleashed a feral yell and charged headlong into the black smoke. A pang of guilt throbbed within Robert as he saw the once boisterous and eager Kryo rush so readily to his doom.


    ¡°The fool is dead.¡± Turak said, dismounting from his Cro¡¯kan to join the battle.


    The Rexunii started to push forward, cleaving through the blinded and discombobulated Lokkadonian forces.


    Suddenly an intense heat rushed in from Robert¡¯s left side. A shockwave hit him so hard that he fell from atop his Cro¡¯kan, landing painfully on the bloodied grass below.


    Robert took in a deep breath, and immediately started coughing as the sharp smell of ozone invaded his lungs.


    ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± He coughed violently, ¡°What was that?¡± Robert scrambled to get to his feet and find his mount before it fled, only to realize that the smoke he unleashed into the Lokkadonian forces had been nullified. With renewed vigor, the Lokkadonians surged forward, killing Rexunii warriors as they started to fall back. Oh fuck, Robert thought frantically as a Pillar of stone shot toward his face.


    ¡°Robert!¡± A guttural voice yelled.


    Robert stumbled back from the attack, looking toward his attacker. He wasn¡¯t surprised to see Boros rushing toward him at full speed. His brick-red skin, caked with blue blood and grime. With a startled shout, Robert raised his hands toward Boros and unleashed as powerful of a blast as he could manage in the split second he had. Boros erected a stone shield that cracked and exploded against the intense power of Robert¡¯s wind Dunamis. As the pieces fell away, Robert¡¯s eyes widened as he realized the man wasn¡¯t there. Where¡¯d he go? Robert thought, scanning the battlefield.


    ¡°Reku!¡± Turak yelled, locked in battle with several red-clad Lokkadonian warriors. ¡°We need to fall back! Back to Alektor¡¯s line!¡±


    Robert turned to run, but the ground beneath him began to vibrate, and his feet sank into what was essentially quicksand. A blade shot from the ground below, and lodged itself directly into Robert¡¯s stomach. The shock of the attack, and the crippling pain that instantly exploded from his midsection almost caused him to pass out. He grunted as his vision blurred, and the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.


    ¡°Got you, you bastard.¡± A voice with barely restrained hatred growled, as Boros¡¯ face emerged from the ground. Within a moment, his whole body was out, and he cruelly twisted the blade in his guts.


    Robert gasped in pain, and felt his knees weaken. ¡°D-Dio!¡± He croaked, as his eyes glanced around, looking for the little spirit. ¡°Help me!¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Boros said, pulling the blade out, slicing his abdomen open.


    Robert fell to his knees. Doing his best to hold his innards in place. Time seemed to slow for him, then. And he took a moment to observe the losing battle that was taking place around him. Is this as far as I go? He thought, reliving the moments of his life. Before the arrival, and after. I¡¯ve done so many things wrong¡­


    ¡°We took you in!¡± Boros shouted, raising his blade. ¡°We fed you! Protected you! Fought for you!¡± Robert raised his left hand instinctively, shaking his head.


    ¡°Please¡ª¡± He gurgled, before Boros brought the blade down, and a sharp pain shot up his arm. Robert looked on in a daze at the stump of his left arm, cut off at the elbow. As he studied it, the realization set in, and he began to scream in agony.


    ¡°Scream all you like, you gurrank.¡± Boros spat. ¡°You killed my family. And today you meet the spirits, or demons or whatever brought you here.¡± Boros reached out and grabbed Robert¡¯s hair, wrenching his head back and exposing his neck.


    Robert knew what would come next. His life was over, and part of him even welcomed it. He relaxed his neck, and resigned himself to death. Alektor would care for his children. Daniel would care for Katrina, and he could finally get out of this god-forsaken place.


    ¡°You would give up¡­ so easily¡­¡± The tiny voice of Dio¡¯Mar whispered in his ear.


    Let it be done with, he thought to her. He deserves his revenge.


    ¡°You are not allowed to die yet¡­ King Reku¡­¡± Her voice rasped, and as Boros¡¯ blade came down to cleave off his head, Dio¡¯Mar appeared before him, her incorporeal hand solidifying and catching the deadly strike.


    Boros¡¯ eyes widened in surprise, and he released Robert, dashing back to take up a defensive stance.


    ¡°My Hego!¡± A Lokkadonian officer shouted, falling in around him with dozens of warriors, facing the steadily growing form of Dio¡¯Mar.


    ¡°You are unworthy to slay him¡­¡± She said, her small mouth splitting open at the cheeks, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth within a terrifying maw. ¡°You are marked, son of Ignos¡­ your family, now cursed for this transgression¡­¡±


    Robert blinked, doing his best to stay conscious. ¡°Dio¡­¡± He said weakly. ¡°Please¡­ let¡­ me¡­ die¡­¡±


    With a low growl, her body engulfed him, and he felt himself sink into a black void of nothingness. It wasn¡¯t the warmth he was expecting, upon death. It was cold, uncaring, and vile. He attempted to resist it, but he was just so tired now. He struggled to stay awake, but he couldn¡¯t. Is this what happens to us when we die? He thought. Just before finally succumbing to the cold, dark, unending void.


    ~


    Daniel closed the distance between the Lokkadonian line, quickly. Using his Dunamis to create an impenetrable wall of white flame. Every element that was unleashed against him, dissipated as soon as it came in contact with it. Daniel swung his sword down, causing the wall of white flame to spill into the Lokkadonian line. Dae screamed as they were caught aflame, and the line was vaporized before him. Daniel rushed over the burnt remains of several warriors and directly at an officer who was trying to organize and form up his warriors after the attack. He brought his incisor up just in time to block Daniel¡¯s diagonal swing. Again, Daniel¡¯s glowing sword cut right through it, slicing into the Lokkadonian¡¯s shoulder. The golden flames billowed out of his body as he fell, turning to ash as he hit the ground.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Daniel then heard the Rexunii forces slam into the line. The sound was overwhelming. Warriors screamed and shouted, Dunamis exploded and screeched from all sides. It was utter chaos. Daniel bathed in the feeling. The smell of war filling his nostrils, the sounds that clattered all around him. He had held back for so long here. So long he had been afraid of offending or mis stepping, so long had he been at the mercy of others, not been in control of his own life. Here though, in the carnage of battle. He was free. He held his own life in his hands.


    The Rexunii warriors pressed forward, finally breaking through the already shattered line and coming to stop beside Daniel. ¡°Spirit-Sent!¡± They started to cheer, holding their blades in the air.


    Daniel scanned the camp, it was so large, there were a dozen similar battles being fought on every side of this place. He saw billows of black smoke spiraling into the air, to the east. It was difficult to see, through the high-grown structures, smoke and dust in the air, but there was no mistaking it. That was Robert¡¯s black wind ability. ¡°Robert.¡± Daniel growled.


    Daniel charged again, dashing toward the black smoke. He broke into the clearing and saw nearly a thousand warriors engaged in a massive battle. The Rexunii forces were being overwhelmed. This must be the main host of Lokkadonian elite. The Dunamis exploded much more powerfully here, and warriors of Rexun were dying at an alarming rate. Daniel again raised his hand, digging deep into his soul to unleash a powerful blast of power. A massive ball of white-gold flame shot from his hand, so bright that it temporarily blinded him. As it slammed into the side of the Lokkadonian warriors it exploded, killing dozens of Dae in the process. Suddenly there was silence, and almost every warrior not caught in the blast turned to see Daniel and the small Rexunii contingent with him.


    Daniel, with a fierce cry, lifted his sword high, the metal glinting under the sun as he charged into the fray once more. The battle erupted around him, a symphony of chaos where every note was a scream or the crack of bone. He fought with a relentless fury, his blade finding its mark again and again, felling the Lokkadonian warriors like trees in a storm.


    However, in his zeal, he pushed too far, the momentum of his attack and bline rage, isolating him from his allies. He now stood encircled by the Lokkadonian elite, their sharp gaze fixed on him. The realization struck as a bone spear suddenly pierced his hip. Sending a crippling jolt of pain through his body. Another spear grazed his forehead, splitting his skin to the bone. Pain and anger surged within him, and in a burst of golden flame, he unleashed his Dunamis all around him. The warriors closest to him ignited, their screams mingling with the battle''s cacophony as they were consumed by the golden blaze.


    Then, above the din, there came distant shouting. Through the red wave of enemies, three massive figures emerged, breaking through the line with the force of a rockslide. Daniel, his vision momentarily clearing from the haze of battle, saw them for what they were¡ªstone golems, their eyes glowing with an eerie green light. They moved with a purpose, tossing warriors aside as if they were leaves in the wind.


    Daniel''s confusion peaked as he saw Katrina, standing atop one of these golems, her presence a beacon of hope amidst the turmoil.


    ¡°Dan!¡± she yelled, pointing her finger at a group of Lokkadonian warriors. A swarm of golems shambled toward them, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± She yelled.


    Daniel ran toward her, ignoring the blazing pain in his hip and his forehead. He nimbly climbed the golem and held on next to Katrina.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could do this!¡± He shouted over the clash of battle.


    ¡°Yeah, I could say the same about you.¡± She said, before pointing to their right, her eyes widening in surprise. ¡°Look out!¡± she screamed as a bolt of lightning slammed into the side of the golem, sending chunks of stone, and both of them tumbling to the ground.


    Daniel landed awkwardly on his side, narrowly deflecting a spear thrust aimed at his chest with his metal blade. With a forceful kick, he connected with the Dae warrior''s bone chest plate, using his enhanced human strength to send the warrior reeling back into the throng of battling fighters.


    Springing to his feet, Daniel raised his blade defensively, channeling his power into it until it again glowed with a fierce, golden light. Katrina''s voice cut through the din, shouting something urgent. Spotting her engaged with two Lokkadonian warriors, Daniel sprinted towards them, his speed supernatural despite the throbbing pain in his hip. He thrust his radiant blade into the back of one adversary, causing the warrior to erupt into flames and fall to the soil with a fleeting ghostly wail.


    The remaining Lokkadonian, stunned by the sudden death of his comrade, stumbled backward over the battlefield''s carpet of corpses. Katrina seized this moment, her blade slicing cleanly through the warrior''s neck. Without pause, she plunged back into the melee. The warrior clutched futilely at his wound, the bone mask impeding his grasp, and soon collapsed, adding more blood to the already foully saturated ground.


    As Daniel turned from the fallen Dae, he took a moment to assess the battle''s progress. The Rexunii and Lokkadonian forces were deadlocked, neither gaining ground. With a swift motion of his glowing sword, Daniel followed Katrina¡¯s path through the chaos, his blade easily dispatching several warriors who attempted to stop him. Until he found Katrina, who was easily distinguishable by her black cloak and brown hair. He felled several more red-clad Lokkadonian warriors, their bodies turning to ash as they fell.


    ¡°There¡¯s no end to this!¡± She shouted over her shoulder at him. She did her best to wipe her bloodied hands on her pants to keep them from slipping off her already soaked handle. ¡°Dan, we need to do something.¡±


    ¡°Any ideas?¡± Daniel answered, slicing an incisor in half and cutting off the hand of the one warrior who had attacked him. To his surprise, he didn¡¯t burst into flames as the others did. His blade merely cauterized the wound, and the Dae screamed, holding the stump and falling backward. Promptly being slain by a Rexunii warrior¡¯s spear.


    ¡°Hold on!¡± She shouted, then pointed her hand at him. ¡°I need to give you a better vantage! I¡¯ll raise you up, and you use your power.¡±


    ¡°I am using my powers!¡± Daniel shot back.


    ¡°You know what I mean! Do something that a Spirit-Sent is capable of! They¡¯re scared of your new abilities! Use them.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Daniel said, before the ground beneath him started to rumble, and a large pillar of stone shot into the air, with him at the top of it. Queasiness lurched within his stomach as he was raised nearly thirty feet into the air.


    Fighting the vertigo, he took a deep breath. Raising his sword high, Daniel let out a yell, amplified by the Dunamis, which paused the combat around him. His blade shone with the intensity of a miniature sun, halting all action as both Rexunii and Lokkadonian warriors fell to their knees in a mix of fear and reverence. A beam of light pierced the cloud cover above.


    As his breath gave out, an eerie silence enveloped the battlefield. Daniel surveyed the faces around him, warriors who had moments ago been in full combat now staring at him in awe and terror.


    Then, horn blasts echoed across the field, signaling something significant. The Rexunii warriors erupted in cheers, and Daniel guessed this was the call for the Lokkadonians to retreat. From his vantage atop the pillar, he watched as the enemy began their withdrawal, still fighting as they fled. After some time, a heavy calm settled over the battlefield, and the surviving warriors began to celebrate their costly victory.


    The pillar began to descend, and Daniel leaped off when it was a more manageable distance from the ground. His feet squelched in the blood soaked soil , and looked around him to behold the now silent battlefield. Thousands of bodies littered the landscape, also torn and broken by the use of the Dunamis. A heaviness came over Daniel as he took it all in. A firm hand grasped his shoulder and turned him around. He stared into the furious yellow eyes of Avria, as she scowled at him angrily.


    ¡°Once again, you charge off into the thick of battle on your own!¡± She yelled. ¡°You were nearly killed, Daniel.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He said, looking at Delmos who approached behind Avria, his chest heaving.


    ¡°Thank the spirit¡¯s you¡¯re alive,¡± Delmos panted. ¡°Dan, I¡¯ve never seen anything like that before in my entire life. What is this new power you have?¡±


    ¡°We all have questions.¡± Avria snapped. ¡°But we will ask them after we¡¯re out of here.¡±


    ¡°And where would you be going?¡± A distinct voice asked from behind.


    Daniel turned to see Turak, walking toward them, dragging the unmoving body of a Lokkadonian warrior by the boot.


    Avria tensed as he came to a halt before them, then her eyes widened as she recognized the Dae he was dragging.


    Turak unceremoniously tossed the unconscious form of Boros into the mud between them. Daniel winced at the wound on his head, a massive gash across his forehead, still leaking blue blood across his face. It was then that Daniel¡¯s inspection revealed a large amount of red blood on the Hego¡¯s chest plate. He was about to speak, but Katrina beat him to it, seeming to have noticed the same thing.


    ¡°Who¡¯s blood is that?¡± She pointed.


    ¡°You know who¡¯s it is.¡± Turak spat, kicking Boro¡¯s unconscious body. ¡°This bastard gutted King Reku.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Katrina asked, horror and sadness painted on her face.


    Damn, Daniel thought. Boros got his revenge.


    ¡°He sliced him up, right before Dio¡¯Mar materialized and consumed him


    ¡°Dio¡¯Mar consumed him?¡± Daniel asked, narrowing his eyes to Turak.


    ¡°Not sure if he¡¯s dead or not.¡± Turak shook his head. ¡°But it didn¡¯t look very good from where I was standing. His guts were all in the mud, and he was missing half an arm.¡±


    ¡°Robert¡­¡± Katrina whispered, her face now looking ghostly.


    ¡°What about Boros?¡± Daniel asked Turak.


    ¡°If I wasn¡¯t explicitly told not to kill him, I would have taken his head. Alas, our King has some use for him. He¡¯ll probably want to do something special.¡±


    Daniel looked at Boros again, and found he couldn¡¯t feel sympathy for the Dae Hego. Every time he tried, the images of Rin and Matea¡¯s mutilated bodies entered his mind. And any semblance of sympathy turned into a furious rage.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you decided to join us though.¡± Turak interrupted his thoughts. ¡°It was a difficult fight to be sure. And I feel we might not have been victorious if it weren¡¯t for your abilities.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do this for you.¡± Daniel gave him a dangerous look. ¡°I fought to survive and to keep more of my friends from dying.¡±


    Turak took a moment to look at Daniel, his calculating eyes narrowing slightly, before glancing at Avria, Boros, and Nasha.


    ¡°They¡¯re not to be touched.¡± Daniel growled.


    ¡°Very well, Spirit-Sent,¡± Turak conceded. ¡°I would ask that you join me back to our camp. High King Alektor, I¡¯m sure, will be most eager to speak with you.¡±


    Daniel thought about it. After such a battle, they needed rest and recouperation. As long as they kept their hands off of Avria and Delmos, it should be fine.


    ¡°We can¡¯t trust then, Daniel.¡± Avria whispered insistently from behind him. ¡°We would have a better chance on the road.¡±


    ¡°Road to where?¡± Daniel asked her. ¡°We have nowhere to go, Avria. Alektor will at least hear us out.¡±


    ¡°I would rather die than break bread with that monster.¡± She hissed.


    ¡°Would you rather your father dies as well? Or Delmos?¡±


    She hesitated at his words, then cursed under her breath. ¡°We are just as likely to die by his hands as we are Yomin¡¯s.¡±


    Daniel again considered, then glanced back toward Katrina, who was still dazed, but nodded toward him. Daniel nodded in return, then faced Turak again. ¡°We¡¯ll join you.¡±

 Chapter 35 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Katrina splashed water onto her face, trying to wash away the remnants of the battle. This was only her second major engagement, yet her hands trembled uncontrollably. Glancing at her fingers, she saw the congealed blood of the Dae, dark and sticky between her nails. Panic surged through her, and she frantically scrubbed at her skin, desperate to cleanse herself of the grim reminder of what she had done and what she had taken part in.


    ¡°Use your Dunamis.¡± Avria said, walking to stand beside her. ¡°Infuse it with the water, and you will see it fall from your skin with little effort.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s eyes watered, and she lunged in to hug her master. ¡°Lady, Avria!¡± she said. ¡°God, I missed you. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re here. I thought you were dead.¡±


    Avria let out a deep sigh. Her body seemingly drained of all energy. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too Katrina.¡± Her words lacked any enthusiasm, and her eyes were distant. ¡°Though¡­ Delmos and I are as good as dead¡­¡± She spared Katrina a weary glance. ¡°The things we have done¡­ The things I¡­ have done.¡±


    Katrina did her best to get her emotions in check. With the events of the battle, and what led up to it. She knew Avria and Delmos would need support from everyone. ¡°Where is Dan?¡± Katrina asked, wiping her cheeks.


    Avria shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t seem to find him anywhere. I¡¯ve been looking for him.¡± She reached her hands into the basin Katrina was using to wash her face. Cupping the cool liquid, she did the same.


    ¡°Avria¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­ about everything.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing that you could have done, Katrina.¡± Avria rested her hands on the sides of the Basin, and hung her head. Letting the water drip down. ¡°I don¡¯t want you blaming yourself.¡±


    ¡°Daniel¡ª He¡­ He acted on impulse. I couldn¡¯t.¡±


    Avria turned toward her, ¡°That is precisely why I need to speak with him. The things that Yomin did, are horrible. But we are traitors now, Katrina. There is no viler a thing to be called in Eleutheros.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­ and I¡¯m sorry.¡± Katrina let out a huff. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what you¡¯re going through right now. You, and Delmos, and¡­ and Boros!¡± Her eyes locked with Avria¡¯s. ¡°Him being here complicates things too. What he did to Robert¡­ and the way he stood by and watched us get dragged away like that. I can¡¯t believe Boros would do such a thing.¡± Katrina said, shaking her head.


    ¡°The loss of his brother and father killed him, Katrina.¡± Avria said. ¡°His sister is now the only family he has left. And she will most likely be killed by Yomin regardless. The House of Ignos is a powerful name. Many want to see it rendered to ash. The same is definite for my father.¡± Avria clenched her fists. ¡°My father¡­ the head of House Regios. A traitor¡­ the sire of traitors¡­¡± She narrowed her eyes. ¡°I must find Daniel.¡±


    Katrina nodded, then turned toward where the Rexunii royal camp was set up. ¡°Have you checked with the Rexunii yet?¡±


    Avria breathed hard, but shook her head. ¡°I have avoided that place.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s most likely there.¡± Katrina gestured in the direction, and began walking toward it. Avria followed, and they walked side by side in silence.


    As they entered the camp, Katrina saw that they had several assorted stone structures, grown out of the ground. They were large and spacious, filled with lavish rugs and comfortable cushions and beds. Wow. She thought, this sure beats the tents we used coming here. In the center of the camp, they found who they were looking for. Daniel was there, and was sitting alone, staring at a large free-floating flame.


    She hesitated for a moment, thinking whether to leave him alone or not. But Avria strode forward. She walked directly to him. Huh¡­ she thought. They have a lot to talk about.¡±


    Katrina noticed his head wound was gone, then looked to see that his hip was no longer bleeding. He must have healed himself; she thought. She strode behind them, sitting far enough away to not be a part of the conversation, but close enough to hear them.


    ¡°This is where you¡¯ve been hiding?¡± Avria¡¯s words were angry, her usually composed speech now seethed with barely concealed rage. ¡°Daniel.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± He spoke sharply, staring into the fire.


    ¡°Daniel, I need to know what happened.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°Your actions¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for what happened, Avria. Delmos told me what happened to your father. How your lands and titles were stripped. The Lokkadonians abandoned you.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t what this is about, Daniel.¡± She stepped closer to him. ¡°My entire family has been destroyed. And loyalty is more than that. Retaliating if you are wronged by your liege lord... It renders oaths meaningless.¡±


    Daniel turned toward her, his eyes red with anger. ¡°Oaths. Don¡¯t talk to me about that bullshit. You swore an oath to Yomin? To Phobos?¡±


    ¡°It goes deeper than your emotion, Daniel!¡± She barked. ¡°We are Dae. And more than that, we are Lokkadonians. We honor the spirits, and our kings!¡±


    ¡°Which do you honor more?¡±


    Avria paused. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said, which do you honor more? Your kings, or the spirits?¡±


    Avria¡¯s jaw tightened, but she clearly knew where he was going with it. Katrina did too. Not to say she approved of it, but Daniel did have a bit of a point.


    ¡°We, of course, honor the spirits first and foremost.¡± Avria said through tight lips.


    ¡°And did a spirit, not appear out of thin air all that time ago? And charge Agron with protecting us? Yomin was going to kill us, Avria. Phobos, had no intention of honoring whatever fucked up bargain you struck with him, and now two more people that I care about are dead.¡±


    Avria shook her head, exhaling sharply as she sat down next to him. ¡°This whole situation is out of our hands. My father is¡­ he won¡¯t survive the night. And the fact that I am now a traitor to my people¡­ I am having a difficult time rationalizing this, Daniel. I helped you kill hundreds of my fellow clansmen, because I felt I had no choice. My instinct as a warrior took over, and I did what I had to do¡­ But now.¡± She looked up toward the darkening sky. ¡°I feel empty inside¡­ which is something that I have never truly experienced. And that power that you used.¡± Her eyes shot back at him. ¡°What in all the realms was that?¡±


    ¡°When you saved my life in Vul Dema.¡± He said, ¡°You did something in my Dunamis that healed me. Ever since then, my power seemed¡­ different. Then, after you left me at the border of Baa¡¯Yega territory. A spirit visited me in my Dunem Dae Espa. I can¡¯t explain it¡­¡± He turned toward her. ¡°Besides that, I¡¯m sorry about your family. I know it¡¯s my fault¡­ And I didn¡¯t mean what I said about your oaths. I know they¡¯re important to you.¡±


    Avria seemed to deflate. Her previous anger dissipated as she leaned forward and rested her face in her hands. ¡°Nothing is as I thought it was, anymore. But you are right¡­ Gro¡¯ak tasked us with protecting you. Agron knew it was the way. And went against Yomin and Phobos regardless of the threat he faced. How can I turn away from such a sacred mission?¡±


    ¡°Sacred?¡± Daniel raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°You know what I mean. You humans are special, albeit very strange.¡±


    ¡°Strange indeed.¡± A deep voice said from behind them.


    Katrina turned, and saw High King Alektor, walking up with his entourage of warriors and politicians. Lord Turak, Princess Ambrosia, several nobles she didn¡¯t recognize, and about twelve royal guards.


    Avria stood, whirling to face the High King. Daniel just turned around on the small bench he was sitting on. It was then that he noticed that Katrina was there. His gaze lingered on her for a moment, then went back to Alektor.


    Alektor appraised the two for a time but ultimately turned his attention to Avria. ¡°Lady Regios. I am surprised to see you here.¡±


    Avria tensed. Her fingers flexing instinctively.


    ¡°Your defensive posturing is meaningless.¡± He continued. ¡°You are not here as my enemy, today. Your assistance of the Spirit-Sent today on the field of battle proved your intentions. And the depth of your character.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She hissed. ¡°After everything that has happened.¡±


    ¡°Accept it, or don¡¯t.¡± He turned toward Daniel. ¡°Now, Spirit-Sent Daniel, strange though you may be.¡± Alektor sat across from Daniel, using his Dunamis to lower the intensity of the flame. ¡°Your power today, changed the course of the battle.¡± His eyes scanned all of the members before him. He looked from person to person, then gestured for everyone to sit around the fire. ¡°I would like to address everyone here.¡±


    Alektors people sat on the surrounding benches. Turak and Ambrosia on his right, and the other nobles to his left.


    ¡°I understand we have agents of the Torre¡¯ here today.¡± Alektor again looked directly at Avria. ¡°It is rare that I am pleased by the actions of the Torre¡¯, but you have my thanks, not just for rescuing the Spirit-Sent, but for your role in the battle.¡±


    Avria could barely look at him, her face a mask of rage and disgust.


    ¡°We attacked because of the Spirit-Sent.¡± Alektor folded his arms. ¡°Our preparations were already completed for a surprise attack. But word from our spies that Daniel and Katrina were promptly imprisoned for the High Espi-Dae came to us, and we had no choice but to push the attack. I will not sit by and watch them destroy another Spirit-Sent¡­ Never again.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Daniel said, his eyes low. ¡°I just wish you showed up a bit earlier.¡±


    ¡°Rin and Matea.¡± Katrina said, her heart sinking at the memory of their mutilated bodies.


    ¡°What happened to Rin and Matea?¡± Alektor asked,


    Daniel¡¯s face shot up, ¡°They fucking tortured them both, to death. For hours, they sliced them up, gouged out their eyes and spilled their guts all over the fucking floor!¡±


    ¡°They, did such heinous acts?¡± Alektor looked truly infuriated at this news. ¡°I knew I should have forbidden them to go. This is my fault. I knew they would not look kindly on a Sabree warrior and a former Doulos, slave.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Daniel shook his head. ¡°I would have challenged it. I didn¡¯t trust you. I thought I was making the right call. I thought I could protect them. But I don¡¯t know shit. You knew the Lokkadonians. Knew how they treat those who they see as enemies¡­ This is my fault.¡±


    Alektor stood, and beckoned servants to come with bowls of wine for everyone. Holding his bowl high, he said. ¡°I hereby declare that Rin, and Matea of house Grotish.¡±


    Interesting, he remembered her house name, Katrina thought.


    ¡°Be risen to the rank of Nobility.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°Rin had no house name, or family to speak of. But Matea had a younger sister, and her father and mother. I will send word of her heroism and bravery, and I offer them the territory of Vul Dema. To rule over as Lords. Forever will the actions and sacrifice of these two Dae be remembered.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Daniel raised his bowl of wine and drank deeply. Then held it out to the servant, who promptly poured another one for him.


    ¡°You are all welcome to join the celebrations tonight.¡± Turak said, standing. Our warriors are celebrating a great victory today, as you all know. They are eager to meet the heroes of the battle. The Spirit-Sent who felled hundreds of foes using a blade of light.¡±


    Daniel looked up at him and shook his head. ¡°I think what I need right now, is as much wine as you can give me, and a warm bed to sleep in. Thanks for the offer, though.¡±


    Alektor nodded, but again, looked at Avria. ¡°Lady Avria. I would ask that you swear on the lives of your charges, and on the honor of your house, that you will not do harm to any member of my clan, or any who we call ally.¡±


    Avria breathed hard but nodded. ¡°I will refrain from any such actions. You have my word, your highness.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± Alektor nodded. ¡°Though I am sure you will ignore the invitation. You are welcome to participate. As are your charges.¡± With that, Alektor turned and started to speak with several Rexunii clansmen Katrina recognized but couldn¡¯t remember their names.


    An attendant scurried over and bowed. ¡°Lords and Ladies. High King Alektor has requested also, that you join us in camp tonight. Accommodations have been prepared for all of you.¡± With swift words, he pointed in the direction of their different stone dwellings and left as quickly as he arrived.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Daniel said, raising his bowl of wine to the attendant as he left.


    ¡°Here you all are.¡± The easily recognizable voice of Delmos called as he approached from behind them. Katrina turned and saw Nasha was with him as well.


    ¡°There you are.¡± Katrina said, giving Delmos a hug. ¡°I was wondering where you went.¡±


    Delmos¡¯ eyes looked tired, but he smiled. ¡°I¡¯m here now, aren¡¯t I?¡± As he spoke, she could smell a strong scent of wine on his breath.


    ¡°You forget yourself.¡± Avria hissed. ¡°We are surrounded by enemies, and you diminish your mind with wine?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Delmos shot back. ¡°I¡¯ve fought and killed my clansmen, Avria. I¡¯m a traitor who¡¯s life is worth as much as a Cro¡¯kan¡¯s shit, perhaps less. And to be truthful. I don¡¯t care what happens to me anymore. Father will most likely be dead by morning, and we have no lands or clan to call home.¡± He grabbed a bowl of wine from an attendant and drank from it. ¡°So, I will enjoy my night as best I can, with the only people left in all of this putrid world I hold dear.¡±


    ¡°Here¡ª here.¡± Daniel grunted, clanking his bowl against Delmos¡¯ and following his friend¡¯s example.


    ¡°Besides,¡± Delmos grinned. ¡°I heard that Boros killed Robert. Fulfilling all my fantasies of vengeance.¡±


    A flood of confusing emotions passed through Katrina¡¯s mind. She glanced over at where Alektor was conversing, hesitated, then decided to approach them.


    ¡°Alektor.¡± She said, interrupting his conversation. The High King eyed her suspiciously, but gestured for the people he was conversing with to leave.


    ¡°Spirit-Sent.¡± He nodded toward her. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She choked on her words, trying to recall what she had planned to say. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Robert.¡±


    Alektor¡¯s mask of calm cracked for a moment as the words left her mouth. ¡°The criminal responsible for that will be delt with accordingly. I can assure you that. Though I¡¯m sure you were pleased to hear of his misfortune.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Katrina shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know anymore.¡±


    ¡°Well, I had to convey the news to Demessa, that the father of her child, would not be returning to her tonight.¡± Alektor took a calming breath and shook his head. ¡°I know you hated him for what he did. But his crimes against your friends brought so many people freedom and joy.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Katrina said, her voice soft. ¡°I think I finally understand him. After the years I¡¯ve known him. His struggle showed me who he truly was. His duality. He was put in such a difficult position¡­ and as much as I hate what he did¡­ I can¡¯t for the life of me hold it against him¡­¡± Tears started to fill her eyes, and she did her best to blink them away. ¡°He saved people¡­ at the end of the day¡­ he was a hero to some.¡±


    ¡°We all are.¡± Alektor seemed to let his mask fall again. Looking toward the roiling fire in the center of the camp, she saw real emotion in his eyes. ¡°Heroes and villains. Monsters and saviors. The only thing we can do, Katrina. Is pray that in the end, our side is the righteous cause we hope it is.¡±


    ~


    Avria fumed, but found herself numb to it all. Such overwhelming loss in such a short period of time had pushed her mind beyond the limits of what she thought possible. All the same, she couldn¡¯t sit by and let herself give up. She looked at Delmos, Katrina, Nasha, and Daniel. She couldn¡¯t allow any of them to give up.


    ¡°This is not the time to drown your sorrows, Daniel.¡± She said, leaning in close to him, irritation clear in her voice. ¡°We must be focused and ready for what might befall us tonight. As I said, we are surrounded by enemies here.¡±


    Daniel turned toward her and frowned. ¡°Alektor isn¡¯t going to try anything, Avria. The Rexunii have bigger shit to worry about than us.¡±


    ¡°Too much wine weakens you, Daniel.¡± She spat, ¡°These are the people who killed our Hego. These are the fiends that stole Oros from us. They can¡¯t be trusted. We must leave. Tonight.¡±


    ¡°And go where, Avria?¡± Daniel said between drinks. ¡°Vul De Mar? Belous? By the way, your little Espi-Dae friend is gone too. The fucker. There¡¯s nowhere for us to go. And yes, I hate these people for what they did. But what do you want us to do?¡±


    Avria¡¯s mind raced, going over dozens of potential options. None seemed realistic. At least compared to their current position. Her thoughts were interrupted though as Alektor approached them again. This time with Katrina by his side.


    The High King¡¯s yellow eyes rested on her and he spoke. ¡°It has been brought to my attention, Sterion Avria, that King Yomin has, with the blessing of King Phobos, revoked your titles, and repossessed your lands.¡±


    Avria blinked. The manner in which to respond crossed her mind. But to keep up appearances and preserve what little respite they now had, she did so respectfully. ¡°That is correct, your highness.¡±


    ¡°Those fuckers destroyed her house for trying to help us.¡± Daniel grumbled, angrily.


    ¡°Is that so.¡± Alektor said. ¡°Very well, Lady Avria. I would offer you a position in my court, and all of your previous lands within Vul De Rah. Yomin cannot repossess what is no longer in his possession. You are a noble Lady of Eleutheros, and honorable. Your dedication to the Spirit-Sent has moved me. I would not see a house like yours fall to ruin.¡±


    Avria¡¯s mind raced at the High King¡¯s words. No! not the High King; he¡¯s a traitor! She thought. ¡°Forgive me, your Majesty.¡± Avria said, bowing her head. ¡°I am afraid that I cannot accept. I am honor bound to my High King, and must accept the fate of House Regios, for the time being.¡±


    ¡°You do not understand, Lady Avria.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°You can say what you will. But I am still granting you these things. Your titles are hereby restored, by my Authority as High King. And if Phobos does not recognize my authority as High King, to bestow land in Lokkon? I am granting you land in Rexun. The territory of Dio Rego, our furthest northern settlement. My position as King in Rexun is still recognized by the High Court in Belous. By this, you are again among the nobility. Enemy or not, you are worthy of this gift, and much more. Your service and loyalty to the Spirit-Sent far exceeds any gift that I can give.¡± Alektor turned to one of his royal guards. ¡°See to it that our scribe prepares the proper documents.¡±


    Avria¡¯s head hurt. This was clearly an over the top gesture, to win Daniel and Katrina over. The empty words disgusted her. But she kept her mouth shut, and bowed her head. ¡°Thank you, your Majesty. I am not worthy of such praise.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Daniel said, downing another bowl of wine. ¡°You deserve it. You deserve that and so much more, Avria. Thank you Alektor.¡±


    ¡°Well, if that is everything, I must retire for the night.¡± Alektor said, turning and whispering something to Katrina, who nodded. Then he turned, and made his way away from the firelight, and into the darkness.


    ¡°Great.¡± Daniel stood, swaying a bit as he walked toward one of the servants. ¡°I¡¯ll take that.¡± He said, grabbing the jug of wine out of her hands. ¡°He¡¯s got the right idea.¡± He said, making his way toward one of the luxurious stone huts.


    Avria shook her head. ¡°As always,¡± she said, under her breath. ¡°You are making things so much harder on yourself.¡± She stood to go follow him, maybe to smack some sense into him. But she stopped when she heard Nasha¡¯s raised voice. She turned to see her in a heated argument with Turak, Alektor¡¯s right hand.


    ¡°Say that again, we¡¯ll see what happens!¡± She shouted.


    ¡°I said,¡± Turak bent closer to her. ¡°That I hardly recognized you with both of your legs. Maybe if you had been running away, it would have been easier.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Nasha brought her fist back to punch him, but Avria caught it before she could throw it.


    ¡°That is uncalled for, Lord Turak,¡± Avria said, her gaze falling hard on the man.


    ¡°Yes, the great Avria, of house Regios. They say you are quite the warrior.¡± Turak said. ¡°Alektor can talk all he wants about how great you are. But you Lokkadonians are all the same. Murderers and rapists. Slavers and scum, all of you. It was a shame I couldn¡¯t kill more of you today.¡±


    ¡°You might have your wish, Turak.¡± Avria said with barely concealed hatred. ¡°Look for me on the battlefield, next time. You¡¯ll find me at the front.¡±


    ¡°All of you people are so arrogant. I like that.¡± He turned to Nasha. ¡°It is always so satisfying to see the look in their eyes when they realize they¡¯ve chosen their foe poorly.¡± He smiled, and the sight brought an involuntary chill down Avria¡¯s spine. This man was dangerous. And could not be underestimated.


    ¡°Have a good evening, Turak.¡± Avria said, bowing her head. ¡°We are grateful to be your guests for the evening.


    Turak lingered a moment longer, then walked away, slinking into the darkness of the night.


    ¡°Be careful tonight, Nasha. I want everyone on high alert. I don¡¯t care what Daniel says.¡± Avria grasped her shoulder. ¡°We all lose. I am lucky that you lived. If you hadn¡¯t, I would never have gotten to know you.¡±


    Nasha, smiled. ¡°Aw, Avria.¡±


    ¡°Enough of that.¡± She said, looking at Katrina. She was standing awkwardly, waiting to speak with Avria.


    ¡°Avria.¡± Katrina said, her face apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I spoke to Alektor about a few things¡­ and your situation came up. He insisted¡ª¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Avria cut her off. ¡°We can speak about it in the morning. Go to your dwelling, and get some sleep.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ um.¡± The human girl stuttered.


    ¡°Go.¡± Avria insisted, and Katrina obeyed, disappearing into the darkness.


    Then she looked toward where Daniel had gone. There was a small light on, in the furthest stone shelter. She shook her head, determined to talk some sense into him and make sure he didn¡¯t drink himself to death. With purpose, she strode across the camp and opened the flap of cloth that covered the open doorway. She saw Daniel, sitting on a loveseat, drinking wine straight from the jug.


    ¡°Daniel.¡± she said, sternly. ¡°That¡¯s enough. You need to stop and get some rest. We¡¯ve already been threatened tonight by a very powerful warrior. I can¡¯t have you unable to defend yourself properly if you need to.¡±


    ¡°How many months have we been here?¡± Daniel asked, his words sluggish. ¡°I know it¡¯s almost been two years, but¡­ I don¡¯t really know.¡±


    ¡°What? Daniel, didn¡¯t you hear what I said?¡± Avria huffed, realizing that he was already far beyond his limit with alcohol. ¡°Of course, a warrior of your caliber, and you can¡¯t hold your wine.¡±


    ¡°The weird part is¡­¡± He continued, ignoring her comments. ¡°I don¡¯t even remember my old life much anymore. None of the good at least¡­ only the pain.¡± He lifted the Jug to drink, and Avria dashed over and snatched it out of his hands. Pouring it on his face in the process.


    ¡°What the fuck, Avria!?¡± Daniel shot up, looking at her now. His eyes were hard and angry. She didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Do I have your attention now?¡± She said, ¡°Get your ass to bed. Sleep off this foolishness, and get a hold of yourself. You¡¯re stronger than whatever this is.¡±


    Daniel leaned in close to her, his eyes focused and filled with rage. ¡°No,¡± he said.


    ¡°What? What do you mean, ¡®no¡¯?¡± Avria asked, perplexed.


    ¡°I said I¡¯m not going to see that piece of shit High King in Torre¡¯.¡± Daniel spat. ¡°He can go and fuck himself! Him and all his Espi-Dae who want us dead!¡±


    ¡°Daniel, I am not here to ask you to go to Belous and see High King Phobos. I admit that it is too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you doing here?¡± He growled.


    ¡°To make sure you don¡¯t drink yourself into oblivion. We need to be as alert as possible tonight.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit.¡± Daniel cursed, ¡°Why the hell would you even care? You hated my guts when we first met. Treated me like shit. Not until I risked my life to save you, did you warm up, even the slightest bit.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Avria knew he was drunk. And probably wasn¡¯t sure of what he was saying. Either way, he had crossed the line, and he needed to sober up. She pulled her fist back and punched him in the face as hard as she could. To Daniel¡¯s credit though, he didn¡¯t fall over. He reeled back but looked at her in surprise.


    ¡°I sacrificed my whole life for you!¡± She yelled. ¡°My house! My family¡¯s honor! I saved your miserable life! I fought against my own people for you! And this is the thanks I get!? My father is sitting in a prison in Vul De Mar, right now, because he trusted me, because I had faith in you.¡± She was again, overwhelmed with rage and pulled her fist back to punch him, but he dashed forward, using his superior hand to hand skills, he held her arm up, then brought it behind her head, while forcing her against the wall of the hut.


    Avria was so angry, she forgot herself. She had let him outmaneuver her. Sloppy, she thought.


    ¡°Avria¡­¡± he said, staring into her eyes. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it. None of it.¡±


    Avria struggled to free herself but found his strength far more than she expected. Granted she wasn¡¯t using her Dunamis to enhance her muscles, but he also had the power to do that now. ¡°Let me go.¡± she said, narrowing her eyes at him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why, maybe it¡¯s the wine, or, almost getting killed again, or losing Rin and Matea.¡± He shook his head. ¡°But I can¡¯t do it anymore. I can¡¯t let people die for me anymore. I can¡¯t be beholden to someone again. Oros died for me, and so did Agron. And so did Matea, and¡­ and Rin. Avria, she was so pure, and innocent. She was a good person.¡± He met her eyes again. ¡°Like you.¡±


    Avria felt a heat in her cheeks as he gazed into her eyes. ¡°Wha¡­ what do you mean?¡± she asked, with a lot less force than she intended.


    ¡°You are a good person.¡± He said, ¡°And, so beautiful.¡±


    Avria¡¯s heart started to beat uncontrollably. Feeling as though it would burst out of her chest. Not in fear; but in confusion, and some unwanted anticipation. Before she could finish a thought, he pressed his lips onto hers. She felt a bolt of lightning go up and down her body. And she lost all will to fight it. He slowly let go of her hand, and she found herself instinctively grasping his neck, pulling him in closer. She couldn¡¯t think, it was as though her body was moving on its own.


    ¡°Dan~~!¡± A slurred voice called from outside the hut.


    Avria¡¯s eyes shot open, and she pushed him with Dunamis enhanced strength across the room, just as her drunk brother, Delmos, opened the flap.


    ¡°Come on!¡± He hiccupped. ¡°There is some fantastic wine out here! Some I¡¯ve never tried before; I need to get you one immediately¡ª¡± His eyes focused for a moment, and he saw Avria leaning against the wall. ¡°What, the hell are you doing in here, Avria!?¡± He looked over at Daniel. ¡°Dan!? Explain!?¡±


    ¡°She punched me, Delmos.¡± Daniel said, holding his cheek where she had in fact punched him.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± He said, his face looking less sober now, and back to it¡¯s true drunken form. ¡°Well in that case, good! Now let¡¯s go!¡± He said, leaving as abruptly as he had entered.


    Avria¡¯s heart was still beating, and she looked up at Daniel, who rose shakily.


    ¡°I¡­¡± She said, her eyes darting around the room. ¡°I- I have to go.¡±


    With that, she sped out of the hut, walked several feet and looked up toward the night sky. What the hell am I doing? She thought.

 Chapter 36 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Greyson stifled a yawn as he rose from the comfort of his bedroll. The cool morning air sent a familiar chill down his spine, but it did little to dampen his spirits. He had been sleeping outside under the elements for countless nights. Though the makeshift shelters Dorian created made things a whole lot easier.


    He stretched his body and proceeded to dress himself. He had a smile on his face as he exited his small shelter and took a breath of the clean air. There had been a massive battle the day prior, and their plans had again moved forward nicely. Mu¡¯Dok had given them the task of opening the gates, cleansing this world of the evil that plagued it. The only problem was, the gates required an unimaginable amount of power. More power than he or his companions could muster. So, to compensate for their lack of power, they siphoned the Dunamis from dead Dae. Why let their spiritual energy go to waste? As long as he was close enough to use the technique Mu¡¯Dok taught him, he could store the energy of the Dae who died.


    ¡°You look happy.¡± Ashly greeted, sitting down in the grass and brushing her teeth.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± Greyson¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°We got a shit load of energy yesterday. As long as these people keep killing each other, we¡¯ll be home in a few months.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ashley gargled some water and spit it out. ¡°You said that six months ago. I¡¯ll believe it when I see it.¡±


    Dorian entered the camp from the surrounding woods, carrying some supplies. ¡°Killing Dae isn¡¯t fast enough.¡± He grunted, placing the supplies down in an orderly pile. ¡°What we need, is more humans.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t get to them.¡± Greyson¡¯s smile faded, and an annoyed scowl replaced it. ¡°I told you already, it¡¯s impossible. They¡¯re in too deep.¡±


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± Ashley said. ¡°Bring them in or not, as long as we open the gates, we can get home.¡±


    Greyson sighed, feeling a bit disappointed that his companions had managed to sour his morning. He scanned the area, and frowned, noticing Lauren was missing. ¡°Where¡¯s Lauren?¡± He asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s coming back from the river.¡± Dorian pointed without looking, staying focused on the pile of supplies he was organizing.


    On cue, the slender form of Lauren entered the camp from the forest. ¡°Got breakfast!¡± She said cheerily, holding up a dozen large fish, which were conveniently already cooked.


    Greyson chuckled, happy that at least one of them was able to properly use fire magic.


    Ashly rolled her eyes, mockingly mouthing the words Lauren had spoken.


    ¡°Perfect timing.¡± Dorian said, gathering some plates and utensils.


    The smell of the fish reached Greyson¡¯s nose, and immediately his mouth began to water. They distributed the food and sat themselves around in a circle, but just when Greyson lifted a savory piece of meat to his mouth, there was a cold gust of wind that blew past him. Immediately the hair on the back of his neck stood up, and he whirled around, summoning his magic into his hands. He blinked in confusion at what he saw. A woman, standing nearly twice his height, with no eyes, and a black gown made of smoke that billowed around pale skin.


    ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± Ashley said, no small amount of fear in her voice.


    ¡°Who are you!?¡± Greyson yelled, fully prepared to hit her with everything he had at his disposal.


    ¡°Finally¡­¡± The woman said. Her mouth unmoving, but her voice loud and terrifying. ¡°You are a difficult bunch to find¡­¡±


    Greyson¡¯s senses flared as her power flooded his perceptions. She was much more than she seemed. But her power was unmistakable.


    ¡°Is that a spirit?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Greyson let his hands fall to his sides, allowing the power being channeled in them to dissipate. ¡°She¡¯s a demon.¡±


    The woman¡¯s small mouth curled into a smile. ¡°I am no enemy of yours¡­ That is all you need to know¡­ for now¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Greyson asked.


    ¡°I wish to ask you for¡­ a favor¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to get in line, demon. Mu¡¯Dok is already at the top of our list in favors.¡±


    ¡°What I ask¡­ does not impede on his mission¡­ in fact¡­ it will help you in its completion.¡±


    Greyson raised an eyebrow. ¡°How so?¡±


    The woman lifted her hand, and her dress began to swell, until the form of a man tumbled out onto the grass. ¡°This¡­ is Robert¡­ one of the Spirit-Sent¡­¡±


    Greyson¡¯s eyes bulged. ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± He said, looking at the terrible state of the man. ¡°What the hell happened to him?¡± His clothes were shredded and soaked in blood. And his left arm was gone, looking like it had been lopped off by a blade.


    ¡°He was nearly killed by Boros of house Ignos¡­ the Hego of Southern Lokkon¡­ during yesterday¡¯s battle¡­ I was able to rescue him¡­ and brought him here¡­ to you¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Dorian asked.


    ¡°Because Mu¡¯Dok¡¯s plan to open the gates seems to be the only way forward now¡­ I had other plans¡­ plans that would take longer to develop¡­ but the other side is moving¡­ and we must accelerate.¡±


    ¡°Other side? What the hell are you talking about? The Dae? They have no idea what we¡¯re doing.¡± Greyson crossed his arms.


    ¡°It is not the Dae¡­¡± The woman floated a bit closer to them. ¡°The human, Daniel¡­ has developed a power¡­ something that will be a problem, if we allow it¡­¡±


    Greyson¡¯s interest was peaked. ¡°What kind of power?¡±


    ¡°The kind that makes him dangerous to¡­ spirits¡­¡±


    ¡°And demons?¡± Ashley asked.


    ¡°I do not know¡­¡± The woman pointed a pale finger toward Robert¡¯s prone form. ¡°I can¡¯t be sure¡­ but I think he is the reason Robert¡¯s power failed him during the battle.¡±


    ¡°W- what do you want us to do with him?¡± Lauren asked, sheepishly.


    ¡°I want you to wake him¡­ and get his help in your mission¡­ It will be difficult¡­ as he has a great deal of sympathy for the Dae¡­ But he must help¡­ whatever it takes¡­ you must convince him. His power will be more than enough to open the hell gates¡­¡± She started to shrink to a much smaller size. ¡°I healed his wounds¡­ but he will need tending too¡­ Do not¡­ fail¡­¡±


    Greyson saw her shrink so much that she literally disappeared into thin air. ¡°Hey!¡± He reached out instinctively. But the creature was gone.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°What the fuck was that all about?¡± Ashley said, walking up to Robert¡¯s prone form. ¡°I don¡¯t trust it. It¡¯s gotta be a trap.¡±


    Greyson quickly approached Robert; nudging Ashley aside, he knelt and inspected his face. Then closed his eyes, extending his magic into his body. ¡°I don¡¯t sense anything out of the ordinary.¡± He grunted. ¡°He¡¯s definitely human.¡±


    ¡°And a Dae sympathizer, apparently.¡± Ashley spat. ¡°Look at what they did to him though.¡± She shook her head. ¡°what if we can¡¯t convince him?¡±


    Suddenly Robert¡¯s eyes opened, and he shot up, nearly smacking Greyson in the face.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± He screamed, his voice dry and hoarse. Robert¡¯s eyes darted between all of them, ¡°W-where am I?¡± he stuttered, bringing his hand up to his head, then seemed to notice his left hand was missing. Because he let out another terrified yell and scrambled to get to his feet.


    ¡°Calm down!¡± Greyson shouted, reaching to restrain him. ¡°We¡¯re humans! You¡¯re safe now.¡±


    Lauren rushed forward, ¡°It¡¯s ok, it¡¯s ok. You¡¯re alright. You¡¯re with friends.¡± She spoke softly and gently grasped his shoulders. ¡°Robert, you¡¯re alright.¡±


    Her presence seemed to work, as Robert began to calm down. Taking deep breaths to control the shaking of his body. ¡°Where the hell am I?¡± he asked through chattering teeth. ¡°And why is it so damn cold?¡±


    ¡°Here.¡± Lauren smiled, holding her hands out and creating a small ball of flame, that had an immediate effect.


    Greyson put his hand on his chest. ¡°I¡¯m Greyson.¡± Then pointed to each companion as he named them. ¡°This is Dorian, Ashley, and Lauren. And you¡¯re in our camp.¡±


    Robert eyed him suspiciously. ¡°How did I get here?¡±


    ¡°A demon brought you here,¡± Greyson replied. ¡°She showed up, told us you could help with our mission and disappeared.¡±


    Robert thought for a moment. ¡°Did this thing have no eyes and a smokey black dress?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a spirit.¡± Robert shook his head. ¡°And her name is Dio¡¯Mar¡­ and she saved my life, apparently.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Greyson glanced at Dorian, who shrugged. ¡°Well, she wasn¡¯t a spirit. I know a spirit when I sense one. And she was definitely a demon.¡±


    Robert¡¯s face seemed to go slack. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Look,¡± Greyson gestured toward their unfinished breakfast. ¡°We¡¯ve got plenty of food. Let¡¯s sit down and talk. You must be hungry. Then we can get you cleaned up, get you a fresh set of clothes. What do you say?¡±


    Robert¡¯s eyes focused on the fish, then nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­ that sounds good.¡±


    They all resumed their spots around the food, this time with Robert, who sat between Greyson and Lauren. They didn¡¯t speak for the first several minutes. Allowing Robert time to adjust and start eating. Once Greyson felt it was appropriate to continue, he pressed on. ¡°So, tell us what happened. How did you get so badly wounded?¡±


    Robert glanced at him, finishing the bite of fish in his mouth. ¡°I was in a battle¡­ I don¡¯t know how long ago it was.¡±


    ¡°It happened yesterday.¡± Lauren said. ¡°If it¡¯s the big one that happened between the clans down here¡­ thee¡ª uhh.¡±


    ¡°Rexunii and Lokkadonians.¡± Dorian interjected.


    ¡°Yeah, them.¡± She winced. ¡°We travel a lot. Too many clans to keep track of. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only been a day?¡± Robert looked perplexed. ¡°It felt like I was asleep for¡­ a lot longer.¡± He pressed his forehead with his hand. ¡°I was helping the Rexunii in the battle. I used my Dunamis.¡±


    ¡°Your magic.¡± Greyson nodded.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Then I was knocked on my ass by some powerful technique. The next thing I knew¡­ Boros¡­¡± Robert sagged. ¡°He almost killed me.¡±


    ¡°One of the Dae?¡± Greyson grimaced, looking at Dorian and Ashley.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± Robert let out an exasperated breath, then brought up his arm¡¯s stump to look at it. ¡°I guess I got what I deserve.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Ashley growled. ¡°The Dae have fucked over every single one of us. How did you deserve what you got?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± His eyes turned steely. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°Regardless.¡± Greyson eyed Ashley. ¡°You¡¯re here now. And that will help move things along well.¡±


    ¡°Move what along?¡± Robert asked.


    ¡°Getting us all home, of course.¡±


    Robert¡¯s eyebrows raised.


    ¡°Got your attention, did I?¡± Greyson grinned.


    ¡°How?¡± Robert leaned closer. ¡°I was working with some Dae and spirits on trying to figure it out. But they didn¡¯t even know where to start.¡±


    ¡°Because it wasn¡¯t their power that sent us here.¡± Dorian said. ¡°Of course they wouldn¡¯t understand it.¡±


    Greyson nodded, ¡°We were sent here, by demons.¡±


    Robert¡¯s face morphed into one of shock, then disbelief, then finally to severe skepticism. ¡°Bullshit.¡± He spat.


    ¡°Nope.¡± Greyson stood, wiping his hands on his trousers before drawing his incisor. ¡°You see, I met one of them. A demon named Mu¡¯Dok, who helped me escape my captivity and torture at the hands of the Dae who got me when I first arrived. He told me that they used their power to bring forth the heralds of the Dae¡¯s destruction. The only problem was, instead of them opening portals to hell and bringing forth the eldritch horrors they were expecting. Our dumb asses popped out of their portals, all over Pelemont.¡±


    Robert¡¯s face scrunched. ¡°That still sounds like bullshit to me. How do you get something like that wrong?¡±


    ¡°Spiritual energy makes it difficult for them to operate here. They can''t really use it.¡± Greyson lifted his blade in the air. ¡°Because of that, It¡¯s almost impossible for them to cross over. They need immense power to do so. They accumulated it for thousands of years, little by little, until they were able to open portals large enough to bring their kind through in massive numbers. But, like I said, humans came out instead.¡±


    ¡°But why though?¡± Robert shook his head. ¡°Why the fuck would something like that even happen?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t know.¡± Dorian shrugged. ¡°But, we¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°And the only way to get home.¡± Greyson continued for him. ¡°Is for us to open these portals back up.¡± With a grunt, Greyson brought his blade down in a perfect horizontal strike. Slicing the air itself, and leaving a glowing gash, that started to expand. Clawed hands grasped the edges of the portal from within, and pried it open even further. Until a gruesome face poked out, stepping through it onto the grass.


    Robert scrambled to his feet and held his hand up defensively.


    Greyson laughed, waving him off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this guy. He¡¯s a thrall.¡± He gestured to the creature, who was now standing outside of the portal he had created. The demon thrall stood seven feet tall, had massive horns that protruded from his head, and a spiked tail that extended nearly ten feet behind him. That, with his scaled red skin, and razor-sharp teeth. He looked every bit, the classical image of a demon.


    ¡°You see.¡± Greyson continued. ¡°We humans don¡¯t have the same drawbacks as demons do here. We aren¡¯t negatively affected by Spiritual energy like they are. We can actually use it! Which means, we can open these portals up ourselves, and control these weaker ones to do our bidding.¡±


    Robert narrowed his eyes. ¡°Wait. You can¡¯t be suggesting we help actual demons open portals up, and pour through to destroy this world, right?¡±


    Greyson took a steadying breath, then waved his hand toward the thrall. The creature turned back toward the portal and passed back within it. Then as quickly as it was created, the portal closed. ¡°Robert, it¡¯s the only way to get home.¡±


    Robert scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re serious. You guys are talking about Armageddon here. Millions of dead people. Billions, maybe!¡±


    ¡°Not people.¡± Ashley hissed. ¡°Dae.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Robert lifted his hand. ¡°There¡¯s a difference!? You¡¯re all fucking insane.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more complicated than that, Robert.¡± Greyson narrowed his eyes at the man. This wasn¡¯t far from what he expected. After what Dio¡¯Mar said to them, but it didn¡¯t make this any less annoying.


    ¡°No.¡± Robert¡¯s eyes started to scan the surroundings more carefully. ¡°It¡¯s not the reason I was brought here.¡±


    ¡°Look.¡± Greyson held his hands up. ¡°I¡¯m not going to argue with you about this right now. You¡¯ve got nothing to fear from us. We¡¯re on the same side.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like it.¡± Ashely, chuckled.


    ¡°Ash! Would you kindly, shut the fuck up, please!? You¡¯re not helping.¡± Greyson let out an exasperated sigh and looked back at Robert. ¡°Rest here for a few days at least. Let¡¯s talk about it some more. Maybe there¡¯s a way we can get home without unleashing the end times on the people here. I don¡¯t know. But please, don¡¯t just run off.¡±


    Robert¡¯s face seemed to twist while he thought about it.


    ¡°Robert.¡± Lauren spoke, approaching him slowly. ¡°Just give us a chance to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Robert retreated a step, his voice firm. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s going to happen. There¡¯s a lot more at stake for me here than you realize.¡±


    Shit, Greyson thought, bracing himself for what appeared to be an unavoidable conflict. We can¡¯t kill him. Maybe if we can overpower him, we can restrain him somehow. But we definitely can¡¯t let him leave.


    Robert, seemingly sensing the shift in Greyson¡¯s stance, attempted a swift dodge but was halted by some unseen force. He clutched his head, letting out a pained cry, then crumpled to his knees and collapsed, unconscious.


    ¡°W-what just happened?¡± Lauren asked, her voice trembling as she edged forward.


    ¡°That demon is what happened,¡± Greyson answered, his eyes sweeping the area. ¡°She must still be lurking nearby. I felt her presence just now.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Dorian said with a nonchalant shrug as he approached Robert¡¯s limp form, ¡°we¡¯d better secure him then.¡±


    ¡°Make sure he¡¯s comfortable, Dorian,¡± Greyson said, his voice heavy with reluctance. ¡°We¡¯re not like the Dae. We¡¯ll treat him humanely.¡± He knew it felt like a compromise of their ethics, but they were out of options. They needed more humans to fulfill their mission, and this was only supposed to be temporary. At least, that was what Greyson hoped.

 Chapter 37 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel jolted awake, his heart racing from the remnants of a dream that clung like cobwebs. He sat upright, the room spinning slightly as his vision struggled to focus. Where the hell am I? The question echoed in the silence of the unfamiliar room. As his eyes adjusted, fragments of yesterday¡¯s battle filtered through the haze. The clash of bone, the booming power of the Dunamis, blood and violence, and then... nothing.


    He found himself on the floor, not in the luxurious bed that dominated the room. Why the hell did I pass out here? With a groan, he pushed himself up, his muscles protesting. The room was opulent, with tapestries and ornate furnishings, a stark contrast to the rough conditions he was accustomed to.


    Stumbling slightly, Daniel made his way to the washroom at the back of the dwelling. The cold water from the basin was a shock to his system, but it helped clear the fog from his mind. He looked at his reflection, noting the weariness in his eyes. Back home, that much drinking would''ve knocked me out for days.


    After freshening up, he stepped out into the morning air. The coolness of the dawn bit at his skin, and a gentle mist cloaked the treetops, creating an ethereal canopy above. He breathed deeply, trying to shake off the remnants of his hangover.


    Nearby, he found one of the Dae-Leu¡¯s flowing basins. Again, he splashed water on his face, the chill invigorating him, then drank deeply, feeling the water cleanse his parched throat.


    Footsteps approached from his left, and he turned to see Nasha and Avria walking towards him.


    "Morning," he greeted, rubbing the last of the sleep from his eyes.


    "Good morning, Daniel," Nasha responded with a nod, her voice steady and calm.


    "Good morning..." Avria''s voice trailed off, her gaze averted, lacking her usual assertiveness.


    "What¡¯s going on?" Daniel sensed something amiss, his instincts prickling.


    "Alektor has requested our presence this morning, before we proceed with any travel plans," Nasha explained.


    Daniel''s eyes lingered on Avria. "And what''s wrong with you?" he asked, noticing her subdued demeanor.


    Nasha¡¯s attention turned to Avria as well. ¡°Yes, you have been acting strange this morning, Avria. What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Avria said, ¡°Nasha I would like to speak to Daniel alone. If that is alright.¡±


    Nasha looked between the two, and then nodded. Walking back to her stone hut.


    Daniel¡¯s fuzzy memory suddenly was jerked, as she looked at him. Her eyes, her mouth. Oh shit. He thought, his blood pressure rising. I think I fucking kissed her last night. Me and my stupid drunk ass. He silently cursed himself.


    ¡°Listen.¡± He said, suddenly feeling like he wanted to fall on the nearest blade. ¡°About last night¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª"


    ¡°No.¡± Avria interrupted him. ¡°Things were said last night, and¡­ passions were high. You were not yourself.¡±


    Daniel scratched his head awkwardly. Fighting the urge to hide under the nearest rock.


    Avria cleared her throat, and her face turned a shade of blue. ¡°I am not used to this sort of thing Daniel. I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    ¡°Well.¡± he sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll start by saying, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s still really hazy for me, but I know what I did.¡±


    ¡°Save your apology, Daniel.¡± She shook her head. ¡°What I want to know, is why?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Daniel¡¯s mind raced as he pulled the memory up from the muddied depths. ¡°I guess¡ª¡±


    ¡°You know what?¡± She held her hand up to stop him. ¡°I changed my mind. I don¡¯t want to know why. We can sum it up to an inebriated state of mind, and your base instincts.¡±


    ¡°Now hold on a second.¡± Daniel narrowed his eyes. ¡°I was drunk off my ass, yes. But I distinctly remember not being the only willing participant.¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± Avria huffed, bringing an end to the topic. ¡°Aside from this nonsense. We have not received word this morning from Vul De Mar about my father or Illya. But Alektor has requested our presence.¡± She inhaled deeply, looking up toward the ethereal canopy above. ¡°I fear what he will say. Now that he¡¯s had time to think about what to do with us.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine.¡± Daniel spoke confidently, attempting to reassure her. ¡°Alektor made it pretty clear last night how he feels about you and your family. My concern isn¡¯t what he¡¯ll do, but what Yomin and Phobos will do to retaliate. Your dad and Illya are in serious danger.¡±


    ¡°If they aren¡¯t dead already.¡± She turned toward Alektor¡¯s stone tent. ¡°I suppose we should make our way there.¡± She faced Daniel again, looking him up and down. ¡°You look terrible. You should at least attempt to bathe and find something better to wear. Do so, and I will meet you there.¡±


    ~


    Daniel trudged back to his stone tent, each step heavy with the weight of his recent encounter with Avria. How could I have been so careless? he berated himself. How could I let things spiral out of control like that? Avria was more than just a friend and ally; she was a cornerstone of their group, a beacon of stability. With the current turmoil surrounding her family, she deserved better than the confusion and distraction he had inadvertently caused.


    Upon entering his luxuriously furnished hut, Daniel''s eyes landed on a neatly folded stack of clean clothing laid out on his bed, paired with a black cloak. He lifted the cloak, appreciating the dense weave of the fabric. The color was significant; black bore no clan allegiance in Eleutheros, a neutral choice for warriors and squires alike. It seemed an appropriate selection. At least Alektor had the tact not to thrust the Rexunii colors upon him. Daniel exhaled a ragged breath, his emotions a tangled mess, and shifted his attention to the clothing. Though not opulent, the garments were of an impeccable quality, testament to the care taken in their preparation.


    He took his time in the washroom, letting the cool water wash away the blood and grime of the day prior, and perhaps some of his turmoil. He dressed slowly, the fabric fitting snugly yet comfortably, a silent armor against the world outside. With each piece he donned, he felt a bit more prepared to face what lay ahead.


    Clad in his new attire, Daniel stepped out of his hut, the cloak sweeping behind him. His path was set for Alektor¡¯s stone tent. The walk there was short, but in his mind, it was a march towards a confrontation or perhaps a reconciliation. Only time would tell.


    Daniel entered and bowed his head. He observed the many occupants; besides Alektor, who sat in the center of the room on a stone chair; he was flanked by many Rexunii nobles. Turak and Ambrosia among them. He saw Katrina and Avria, standing side by side, both looking at him expectantly. Behind them was Delmos and Nasha, who both looked nervous. Particularly Delmos, who seemed to be nursing a significant hangover. With a quick pivot on his heel, he made his way to stand beside the two women.


    ¡°Now that we are all assembled,¡± Alektor began, his voice carrying the weight of authority, ¡°Lady Avria, I trust your accommodations were to your liking?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Avria replied with a stiff bow, the formality in her tone masking the turmoil within. ¡°Your hospitality is most generous.¡±


    ¡°It was no trouble,¡± Alektor continued, his gaze sharpening as he fixed his eyes on her. ¡°But enough pleasantries, Avria. You must be curious as to why I''ve summoned everyone here this morning.¡±


    ¡°I assume you bear news, Your Majesty,¡± Avria responded, her voice tinged with a cold edge, ¡°given my family¡¯s current predicament.¡±


    With a nod, Alektor turned to his right. ¡°Princess Ambrosia, please share our morning''s intelligence.¡±


    Ambrosia stepped forward, her eyes meeting Avria''s with a mix of sympathy and resolve. ¡°Our agents in Belous report that you and your Sterion companions have been officially disavowed. Following your involvement in yesterday''s battle, King Yomin has informed the High King that you aided the Rexunii against him, conveniently leaving out his own treachery and the Spirit-Sent''s involvement.¡±


    Daniel watched as Avria''s eyes flared with anger, her usual composure slipping. ¡°I would need to verify this,¡± she said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Our Dae-Jin are at your service, Lady Avria,¡± Ambrosia offered. ¡°Send word to anyone you wish. They will confirm our report. Additionally, preparations have begun for the execution of Lord Telmos from House Regios.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Avria and Delmos exclaimed in unison, shock and horror etching their faces. Avria''s fa?ade began to crack under the weight of the news.


    Alektor rose from his throne, his presence filling the room. ¡°Upon learning of this, I immediately sent a message to King Phobos, requesting an audience. I''ve also informed him that my army is advancing on the Torre lands. His numerical advantage has vanished. I''ve made it clear: his survival hinges on meeting with me to negotiate peace. And of course, preserving the life of Telmos in the process.¡±


    Avria looked at him, her expression clouded with concern. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°But this does not come without a cost. I require something from you, Avria,¡± Alektor finally stated, his eyes piercing. ¡°I require your loyalty.¡±


    Daniel swallowed hard. This guy doesn''t play around, he thought.


    ¡°Your clan has forsaken you. The High King has branded you a traitor. Your High Espi-Dae has defied the Spirits!¡±


    ¡°I am sworn¡ª¡± Avria began, only to be interrupted.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°You are sworn to protect them,¡± Alektor gestured towards Daniel and Katrina. ¡°As I am. And the rest of Rexun.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Avria''s voice rose with anger. ¡°Why do you want me? I''m a Lokkadonian murderer, aren''t I? You hardly know me. I even attempted to kill you during the Battle of Vul De Rah.¡±


    ¡°I need you because of them.¡± He pointed again. ¡°They trust you. They believe in you, as does Vul De Rah! Your family is revered; the people still speak of your father''s time in power over the Glade. I need an old family, respected by the Lokkadonians, yet loyal to me.¡±


    Alektor clasped his hands behind his back, a strategist laying out his plan. ¡°Consider my situation. You meet all the criteria. Rexun has never had a Hego in charge of regions. I will appoint your father as the first Hego of Rexun, making your family the rulers of Vul De Rah.¡±


    Avria''s eyes darted around, her mind racing. Daniel could see the news had thrown her off balance, with everything happening to her father and her house, now abandoned by the High King, she looked about to crumble.


    ¡°Alektor, can we have a moment?¡± Daniel asked, gently taking Avria''s arm and guiding her outside.


    ¡°Avria, you have to take this deal,¡± he urged, facing her.


    ¡°I can''t, Daniel!¡± She spat out. ¡°That man killed Agron. He killed Boros! I would never forgive him for that. I''d rather wander Pelemont as a beggar than pledge allegiance to him.¡±


    ¡°You have to,¡± Daniel said, his grip firm on her, forcing her to meet his gaze. ¡°We need you. We need you alive and powerful. You''re the only Dae I trust fully. Yes, that includes Delmos. But I believe that things happen for a reason. You can hate him,¡± He pointed at the entrance of the stone hut. ¡°But, for the love of all that is holy, plan his downfall later, right now, we need to be in a position of strength. Go back in there and accept the offer.¡±


    ¡°Daniel¡­¡± She struggled to find the words. ¡°You are asking me¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you to save your father¡¯s life, Avria.¡±


    She grimaced, closing her eyes and growling in frustration.


    Her expression shifted from anger to determination, and with a nod, newfound confidence entered her eyes. She re-entered the tent.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± she announced, bowing, ¡°I accept your proposal.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Delmos and Nasha exclaimed together, even Alektor showing surprise.


    ¡°I accept on the condition that you plead for my father''s life, and you honor your commitments to Daniel and Katrina for the entirety of your reign.¡±


    ¡°I am¡­ very pleased to hear that,¡± Alektor said, a silent acknowledgment passing between him and Daniel. ¡°I will dispatch the message at once. Lord Telmos'' fate is now linked directly with High King Phobos!¡±


    Ambrosia bowed and turned to relay the orders to nearby attendants.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Alektor concluded. ¡°Lady Avria, may we convene later this evening? Much needs to be discussed.¡±


    Avria bowed her head in agreement, then turned and walked out, her steps deliberate, her mind undoubtedly on the precarious path ahead.


    ~


    ¡°What are you doing, Avria!?¡± Delmos hissed, ¡°You are not the family head, Father is! You can¡¯t do that!¡±


    ¡°I had to!¡± Avria snapped. Daniel was right, she needed to seize power. And from the looks of things, Torre¡¯ had lost their honor long ago. ¡°There is no other way to complete our mission, Delmos. Father has been captured, and is on the verge of death.¡±


    ¡°So ¡®he¡¯ says.¡± Delmos said, ¡°Have you forgotten what Alektor did to us? The thousands dead? Oros¡¯ dead body at your feet?¡±


    Avria felt a pulse of anger within her. ¡°No¡­¡± She responded, hotly. ¡°But how can I do anything as a peasant? How can we make a difference with no house? How can father make a difference if he¡¯s dead!?¡±


    ¡°If that is true.¡± Delmos said, ¡°I will agree. Saving father and keeping Dan and Kat safe are our priorities.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Nasha said, interjecting. ¡°We need to survive. I seem to have been also disavowed by the Torre¡¯. So, we now have a shared predicament.¡±


    ¡°And after all that time spent on building a relationship with Phobos.¡± Delmos mocked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait to see what Alektor does.¡± Daniel said, approaching them. ¡°He just said his message was received by Torre¡¯. They should respond quickly.¡±


    ¡°Is the army really moving, Dan?¡± Delmos asked,


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t doubt it.¡± Daniel shrugged. ¡°He always is a straight talker.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Nasha asked.


    ¡°It means everything he¡¯s told us so far, has been mostly true.¡± Katrina said, joining the conversation. ¡°It makes sense that Yomin would lie about your role here. Anything to get back in the High King¡¯s favor. It¡¯s his word against yours.¡±


    ¡°It seems a bit too convenient for my taste.¡± Delmos said, ¡°But I guess we will see. It isn¡¯t like I have a choice in the matter. Elder sister has sworn oaths. Though, from what I¡¯ve been hearing, oaths mean little these days.¡±


    Avria fixed him with a severe glare. ¡°I will go see what Alektor wants tonight. Then we¡¯ll figure out our next move.¡±


    ~


    Avria returned to her hut, her steps heavy with the day''s revelations. Slumping onto the couch, exhaustion washed over her. It looks like we''ll be staying put for now, she thought. Yet, the idea of reclaiming land and restoring her family''s status brought her a flicker of hope. With this position, she could make significant changes in Vul De Rah, protect its people. She imagined Daniel settling back into his old room at the palace, Katrina perhaps taking up residence in the Regios Estate. The struggle was only beginning, but with the right support and the proper planning, they could make it work, somehow. She started going over the plethora of obstacles that they might face. They were daunting to say the least, but she wouldn¡¯t be alone. Her mind snagged on Daniel''s image, and she caught herself falling into the memory of the night prior. Damn that man! He must have tricked me last night.


    She sat for several more hours, summoning a Dae-Jin to dispatch a message to an ally within Vul De Mar''s court. Meanwhile, she sought confirmation of Alektor''s claims about her father and her own standing. When the truth returned, it felt like a physical blow. Her father was indeed slated for execution the very next day and she and Nasha had in fact, been disavowed by the Torre¡¯. Being branded traitors and heretics by both the crown and the Espi-Dae.


    A knock at the wooden plaque beside her hut''s entrance pulled her from her brooding. "Come in," she called, and Alektor entered, his presence filling the space.


    "I hope I am not intruding," he said, scanning the room.


    "No, Your Majesty," Avria replied as she stood to greet him, her head bowing in respect.


    Alektor clasped his hands behind his back, a gesture she had noted he favored, and approached one of the large couches without sitting. ¡°I need to know I can trust you, Avria," he began. "There are sensitive matters, things you would have discovered in time, but must be safeguarded at all costs.¡±


    Intrigued, Avria nodded. ¡°I have pledged my service to you, Your Majesty. I am not without flaws, but I will strive to uphold your expectations.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Alektor stepped closer. ¡°We''ve learned that Reku, or Robert, as you knew him¡ªhad sired children with not one, but two Dae women: Demessa of House Irro and Queen Athica of House Krat.¡±


    Avria blinked. Surprised at the news. Then her eyes widened. ¡°Humans and Dae¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He said taking a moment. ¡°It seems the Great Spirits have blessed us with the ability to mate with these creatures. Which.¡±


    ¡°Which makes them, extremely valuable. Based on the abilities they have been developing. This is very interesting news.¡±


    ¡°Very Dangerous news as well.¡± Alektor said. ¡°If the offspring have some of the same abilities as Reku, or Daniel, or Katrina. They will be¡­ a new species.¡±


    Avria¡¯s mind was racing at the implications. A new species, she thought.


    ¡°Any event like this has not taken place since the first ascended walked our world. Absorbing the very essence of the spirits themselves.¡± Alektor walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. ¡°I am going to need you to help me with them. They seem to be very fond of you. You are a mentor and friend to them.¡±


    ¡°I am what I need to be.¡± Avria said. ¡°But yes, I am fond of them both.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He spoke, then turned to leave.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Avria called out, causing Alektor to pause and face her once more. ¡°I must inform you that I''ve confirmed your claims. My father¡­ is indeed scheduled for execution tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Alektor responded decisively, ¡°He is no longer in any danger.¡±


    Avria¡¯s heart surged with hope. ¡°They¡¯ve responded?¡±


    ¡°Only an hour ago.¡± He smiled. ¡°Phobos has agreed to meet with me in three days at the border of Torre¡¯ land. And I was sure to mention that Telmos will not be harmed. Or I would commit the same punishment to him, once our conquest of Belous was completed. His lack of an army at the moment proved quite the motivator.¡±


    ¡°This one defeat shouldn¡¯t have been enough to eliminate the Lokkadonian¡¯s ability to fight.¡± Avria raised the question. ¡°There are thousands more warriors in reserve.¡±


    Alektor acknowledged her point with a nod, his smirk revealing more. ¡°I did not mention it earlier, because I needed to be sure of your loyalty. But there have been thousands of warriors and nobles from all around Eleutheros, who have pledged themselves to our cause. They are arriving by the hundreds every hour.¡±


    Avria¡¯s curiosity was peaked, and she tiled her head to the side.


    "They''ve come after witnessing or hearing tales of the Spirit-Sent¡¯s divine intervention in yesterday¡¯s battle," Alektor elaborated. "Daniel¡¯s summoning of a holy flame, and Katrina raising mountains to fight their enemies, are said to be the work of the great spirits themselves."


    "That''s..." Avria shook her head, skepticism in her tone. "Quite the exaggeration. Did your agents help spread this narrative?"


    "Winning a war encompasses more than just combat, Avria," Alektor''s gaze locked with hers, intense and calculating. "I''ve only nudged the story along. It has mostly grown on its own. We now have thousands from every clan in Eleutheros coming to pledge their faith to the Spirit-Sent."


    ¡°And many of those¡­ are from Phobos¡¯ reserves, I take it.¡±


    Alektor didn¡¯t respond, only smiled and turned again to leave. ¡°Enjoy the rest of your night, Lady Avria. We will march at first light.¡±


    ¡°Of course, your Highness.¡± She bowed again, and before she brought her head back up, he was gone.


    She walked outside and looked up at the darkening sky. Humans and Dae could have children. She thought, how very strange. She turned to her left, toward the bonfire in the center of their camp. Katrina and Daniel were there, Delmos and Nasha. Talking about something. She looked at Daniel. And the thought of him from the previous night crept into her mind once more. She shook her head. Stop being foolish, she told herself. There is no chance of that. And no time for it. She looked again at the fire and saw Daniel, who must have noticed her, approaching. By the Spirits... She thought, bracing herself.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you come and join us?¡± he asked, walking up to her. ¡°You¡¯ve had a pretty intense day. You should sit with us by the fire. It might do you some good.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the offer, but no.¡± She said, turning her head to look anywhere but at him.


    ¡°You sure?¡± he asked,


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Look. I don¡¯t want it awkward between us, Avria.¡± He said.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t¡­ ¡®awkward¡¯ between us, Daniel. I just have a great deal on my mind. And to be completely honest with you, I would prefer to sort this out on my own.¡± She tried to sound unperturbed but couldn¡¯t help a bit of frustration from bleeding out in her words.


    ¡°That¡¯s fair, I guess.¡± He said bluntly. ¡°After a day like yesterday¡­ and all the shit going on, I could use the distraction.¡± He turned toward the fire, his eyes lingering on Katrina, who was sitting next to Delmos. And now looked to Avria like she was distressed.


    Avria let out a sigh, sensing there was more he wanted to share. ¡°Alright, Daniel, what''s going on over there?


    He didn¡¯t answer, just turned from Katrina and exhaled heavily.


    ¡°Did something happen between you and Katrina?¡± she asked, genuine curiosity raising itself within her.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He answered, but with a great deal more gruffness than usual. ¡°But It¡¯s not something important enough to mention now, though.¡±


    Avria raised an eyebrow. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s at their wit¡¯s end over there, Avria.¡± Daniel gestured toward the fire. ¡°Delmos is going through the same shit as you right now, but only has a fraction of your poise and control. Nasha, who apparently was the only member of her house in Lokkadonia, has been completely abandoned by them. Katrina, is suffering from major PTSD after the battle yesterday, not to mention the death of Robert. And I can¡¯t close my eyes without seeing the hanging and butchered corpses of two people I was supposed to protect.¡±


    Avria nodded along, a deep pang of sadness suddenly reaching her heart as he spoke. ¡°I see¡­¡± She eyed the group at the fire again, noticing Delmos was again indulging himself in copious amounts of wine. ¡°We are all suffering, Daniel.¡± She said, unusual softness in her tone. Which surprised even her. ¡°But at least we are together¡­ The same could not be said for the thousands of Dae who died yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Daniel looked at her. His brown eyes blazing with intensity. ¡°We¡¯re dealing with it all right. But we¡¯ll keep pressing on. Fighting the battles as they come. We¡¯re going to figure this all out. We¡¯re going to save your father, and get you back to where you belong. In Vul De Rah.¡±


    His words resonated like thunder in her ears, each one accelerating her heartbeat; and she looked at him, and his fiery stare, and the determination in his eyes. She breathed in deeply, doing her best to bury her childish thoughts.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± He concluded, his words bringing her back to reality. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it. If you change your mind, you know where to find us.¡±


    He turned from her with a wave of his hand, and strode back to the fire. leaving Avria to respond with little more than, ¡°Alright then, see you in the morning...¡±

 Chapter 38 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Nasha held out her hand. ¡°Come on. You can¡¯t be serious, Kat.¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Katrina said, her vision slightly blurred from the alcohol. ¡°Even if I could, I wouldn¡¯t go home.¡± She lifted her jug of wine. Taking another deliberate sip.


    ¡°I mean¡­ I do miss going out to a restaurant or something with my friends. Or curling up on my couch and watching a movie or a show.¡± She looked up at the night sky, her voice caught slightly as she added, ¡°Actually¡­ I do really miss my car.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a car?¡± Nasha asked.


    ¡°A car, my dear, is a machine. Made out of metal and plastic, and all sorts of other materials. You fill it up with petrol, and the engine converts it into energy, which pushes the car forward. You use it to get around in our world.¡±


    Nasha looked at her and smiled. ¡°That sounds like you just made it up.¡±


    ¡°You know?¡± Katrina chuckled, pointing at her. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. Maybe it is. Maybe this is real life, and our old lives were just a fantasy. Huh? Did you ever think of that?¡± She suddenly looked up past Nasha¡¯s shoulder and saw Daniel walking toward them. Her smile faded a bit when she saw his face, her small moment of levity being crushed by reality.


    He sat down beside Delmos, who had been sulking on the other side of the fire for the last ten or so minutes. He was taking the recent events pretty hard. Katrina wanted to help in some way but couldn¡¯t bring herself to. Daniel nudged him on the shoulder, looking somber himself, and started speaking to him. She sighed, glancing at the open seat next to her. What the hell am I going to do about Dan? She thought.


    ¡°So, what happened between you two?¡± Nasha''s question pulled Katrina from her reverie.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Nasha gestured with her head toward Daniel. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed you two have been¡­ oddly distant.¡±


    Katrina felt a weight of guilt rest on her shoulders. That was an elephant in the room that she wished she could ignore right now. ¡°What gave you that idea?¡± She said, awkwardly drinking more wine.


    ¡°I know it isn¡¯t just the battle.¡± Nasha said with a knowing look. ¡°You may be humans, but I know these things. I¡¯m very perceptive.¡±


    ¡°Dae women¡¯s intuition huh?¡± Katrina sighed, ¡°Well, we had a little bit of a¡­ thing a little while ago.¡±


    ¡°A thing?¡± Nasha¡¯s mood seemed to lift, the prospect of gossip taking her full attention.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I don¡¯t know what happened.¡± Katrina resigned herself, figuring confiding in someone would probably help in some way. ¡°One minute I was in bathing, after a sparring session. The next¡­ I couldn¡¯t control myself. It was like something was whispering in my ear. Egging me on.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Nasha¡¯s smile turned into a grin. ¡°So, what did you do about it?¡±


    Katrina eyed Nasha, wearily. ¡°What do you think happened? We slept together.¡±


    Nasha raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°So you went that far?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡± Katrina took another deep drink from her bowl of wine. ¡°It just felt¡­ wrong. I don¡¯t know what came over me.¡±


    Nasha¡¯s expression turned sour. ¡°You are thinking too much on it, Katrina. We all have needs. You sought yours in the arms of someone you¡¯ve come to trust. There¡¯s no harm in it. It¡¯s perfectly normal.¡±


    Katrina shrugged. ¡°Yeah¡­ well I told him that I wasn¡¯t interested in continuing anything, and now I feel horrible. Like I took advantage of him or something. We haven¡¯t spoken about it since before we were captured. And now after the battle¡­ with everything. I don¡¯t know how to talk to him anymore. It seems like such an insignificant issue compared to what we¡¯re facing right now. He probably¡ª¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about him either way.¡± Nasha waved her off. ¡°He¡¯ll be just fine.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know¡­ but.¡± Katrina raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a strong man, from what I can tell.¡± Her smile widened mischievously. ¡°Also, I think he¡¯s got someone else who might be vying for his affections.¡±


    ¡°What? Who?¡± Katrina leaned forward, curiosity overtaking her reluctance.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kat. I really shouldn¡¯t say.¡± Nasha turned her head dramatically. ¡°It¡¯s far to scandalous.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me hanging like that, Nasha.¡± Katrina frowned, ¡°Spit it out.¡±


    Nasha cracked like an egg, as she whirled back to face Katrina, a glint in her red eyes. ¡°Fine, but you didn¡¯t hear this from me.¡±


    Katrina nodded, suddenly unsure if she wanted to hear this.


    ¡°Last night, Avria came back to her hut a bit out of sorts.¡± She whispered, ¡°I was waiting for her outside, but noticed something was off. I approached her, intending to go over the night¡¯s watch. She seemed flustered, and told me to forget about it. I decided to leave her alone for the night, but the thought stuck with me. This morning, we went together to get Daniel, who was nursing quite the hangover. And the two of them were acting strangely; this, of course, piqued my interest. Avria asked me to leave them be, while they discussed something in ¡®private¡¯. I obeyed, stepping away, but just so happened to linger within earshot of their ¡®conversation¡¯.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s face twisted in shock. ¡°Wait¡­ You don¡¯t think that.¡±


    ¡°They were talking about something that happened between the two of them last night.¡± Nasha shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly what happened, but it was enough to make her blush bluer than the fruit of a Yordac bush. And let me tell you, Kat. I have never seen that woman blush¡­ EVER.¡±


    ¡°Katrina paused, her mind reeling as she tried to digest the revelation. The idea of Avria and Daniel together seemed to defy logic, like a puzzle piece that didn''t fit into the picture she had constructed of their dynamics. ¡°That can''t be right,¡± she murmured, more to herself than to Nasha. ¡°Avria... and Daniel? It''s just... it doesn''t make sense. There has to be another explanation. Maybe it''s a misunderstanding or something else entirely. Avria isn''t one to... I mean, they''re so different. It''s¡­ I can¡¯t even¡ª"


    ¡°Is that a tinge of jealousy I hear in your voice?¡± Nasha teased.


    ¡°What?¡± Katrina balked, ¡°No. It¡¯s just beyond weird to even imagine something like that.¡±


    ¡°Then forget I said anything.¡± Nasha raised her hands up in surrender. ¡°Perhaps I misjudged.


    ~


    The next morning didn¡¯t come quickly. A sleepless night of terrors and blood plagued her mind until she had consumed enough wine for them to fade into the background.


    Katrina groaned while she rode her Cro¡¯kan, holding her stomach, cursing her indulgence. Every step the beast took made her stomach more and more likely to empty itself. They had left early that morning, their small retinue trailing behind the main army of Rexun. They were on their way to the Torre¡¯ Border. At their current pace, they would catch up to the main army by midday tomorrow. Then, at a much slower pace, they would reach Torre¡¯ in around three days after that. Katrina hated marching with large groups of warriors. They slowed everything down, everything took time.


    That night she rolled out her bedroll, and slept under the stars, no tent required. Daniel slept far away from them, that night. His distant behavior, still evident. The bodies of Rin and Matea flashed in her mind, causing her to shake her head, willing the haunting memory back into her subconscious. Katrina knew how he felt. She hadn¡¯t had a full night¡¯s rest since then either. When night came, so did the dreams, and the memories of death and destruction.


    The next day, they reached the army. Then after another three days, the tall spires that indicated the border of Torre¡¯ poked over the horizon.


    Alektor called an assembly that night. Where they prepared for the negotiations. Daniel and Katrina didn¡¯t stay for long. The morning of, everyone was quiet. They got up, put on their armor, and made their way toward a massive spiral right on the river that separated Lokkon, from Torre¡¯.


    Alektor brought only a small group of elites with his council, Turak and Ambrosia. Including Katrina, Daniel, and Avria.


    Entering the spire, they found themselves in an enormous open space. In the center were two very tall white thrones that faced each other. A Dae with an elaborate crown sat on one already, behind him, his royal guard. A dozen warriors, clad in purple cloaks. Katrina Recognized King Yomin, and a Dae she did not know, wearing the colors of Baa¡¯Yega.


    The Dae Katrina was now sure was High King Phobos, stared at their party with calculating eyes. He scanned them all, his gaze lingering on her and Daniel a bit longer than the rest.


    The tension was thick within the vast hall. As the two sides stared each other down. Alektor strode forward, placing his hand on the white chair and running his fingers across it¡¯s surface, before sitting.


    ¡°Alektor of house Roh!¡± a Torre¡¯ attendant announced loudly. Causing Ambrosia to bristle.


    ¡°That is High King Alektor, of House Roh.¡± Ambrosia replied loudly, while Alektor took the seat.


    Katrina could see the yellow eyes of Phobos crease in displeasure at Ambrosia¡¯s words, but his attention fell fully on Alektor as he settled. The man¡¯s presence was undeniable.


    ¡°High King.¡± Phobos finally spoke, breaking the tense silence. ¡°High King of what, exactly?¡±


    ¡°High King, of Western Eleutheros. At the moment.¡± Alektor¡¯s words were as cold as ice, and held no hint of humor in them.


    Phobos didn¡¯t react to the unveiled threat, but responded. ¡°Very well, ¡®High King¡¯ Alektor, we have all arrived as you requested. Please, tell me what your proposition is.¡±


    ¡°My list of demands are as follows.¡± Alektor began, wasting no time getting to his point. ¡°I want the Doulos in Eleutheros freed and returned to my care. Every single one. I want the lands of Lokkadonia as well. Rexun and Lokkon were once one clan. I wish to make it so again. I want Telmos Regios freed. And all hostilities against the Spirit-Sent abandoned, indefinitely.¡±


    King Yomin, who stood to Phobos¡¯ left, started to laugh loudly. ¡°You expect us to just give Lokkon to the likes of you? You¡¯re out of your mind. And no, Telmos Regios is a traitor.¡± He turned toward Avria. ¡°His daughter is a traitor! The whole Regios line must be snuffed out. Starting with Telmos.¡±


    ¡°Enough, Yomin.¡± Phobos barked with authority, ¡°The King is right, though. I cannot do any of those things. I will not give up an entire clan territory. I cannot release all of the Doulos either. The Economy of Lokkon, as well as their exported labor to the rest of our clans would be obliterated. There is no realistic world where that can be achieved. As for Telmos, and the Regios family.¡± He looked at Avria. ¡°Your house has betrayed Eleutheros for siding with Rexun. You attacked your own warriors.¡±


    Avria looked like she was about to speak. But Alektor took over. ¡°That is a lie. She is only here with me, because her lands and titles were revoked by Yomin. She was sentenced to death for trying to carry out your will.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Phobos had no reaction, but his silence spoke volumes.


    Alektor continued. ¡°Daniel and Katrina had surrendered themselves to your host, led by King Yomin. They were detained, and were awaiting collection by the Espi-Dae.¡±


    ¡°You garrank.¡± Yomin spat, his words seething with hatred ¡°We did the High Espi-Dae¡¯s will, at the request of our high king.  Then the demons attacked  us with your army! The slaughtered hundreds of honorable sons of Lokkon!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re full of shit!¡± Daniel shouted, his Dunamis enhanced voice echoing in the vast room. ¡°You captured us, and tortured my attendant, AND my squire, to death!!¡±


    Alektor leaned forward and spoke before Daniel could continue. ¡°You dishonored yourselves when you changed your command to your own appointed Sterion. Who had come to collect them, with an Espi-Dae representative who they had been appointed.¡± Alektor narrowed his eyes, his words cutting deep. ¡°I did my duty to them, in allowing the Spirit-Sent to leave. These humans were loyal to you and attempted to comply with your own declaration, Phobos. Instead, you captured them, and murdered his loyal companions.¡±


    ¡°Your people are a blight in our lands!¡± Yomin raged, looking at Phobos. ¡°You will all be put to the skinned and fed to the garranks.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Daniel growled, his body steaming with the fury that was no doubt raging within him. ¡°I challenge you to a duel to the death. Right here, right now, Yomin. You piece of fucking shit.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Phobos exclaimed, ¡°You can sling insults at us all you want, Alektor. But it gets us nowhere. Let us, get back to the issue at hand.¡± Phobos said, lifting his hands toward him. ¡°So far, your demands are unacceptable. I have denied them. How do you intend to resolve this issue without further violence?¡±


    ¡°The issue at hand,¡± Alektor¡¯s voice was low and dangerous. ¡°Is that your army is destroyed, or has joined me. Mine is outside your very walls. And my conditions are non-negotiable. If you do not wish to grant me Lokkon, I will take it. If you do not release my people? I will free them, one by one. Killing all who oppose me. If you do not recognize my throne? I will take yours. These are very simple realities. I am not asking for you to give me your land in Torre¡¯. He looked to the King of Baa¡¯Yega. ¡°King Tegan, I am not asking anything from you either. You have always been a fair arbiter in political disagreements between us. But today you must choose.¡±


    Phobos clenched his fist. ¡°You would threaten me here, during our peace talks?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Alektor said. ¡°This is how Rexun negotiates for peace. Your armies are scattered and will take time to recover. So, I am here to either make peace with you with words and an agreement. Or I will destroy you. It is very simple.¡±


    Katrina could tell Phobos was losing his composure. Alektor¡¯s words stung. But there was a clear truth to them.


    ¡°You would destroy Eleutheros.¡± He finally said. ¡°We won¡¯t survive a schism of this size, Alektor. The Visoth would invade us and obliterate us! Even now, they are probing our Eastern strongholds.¡±


    ¡°Then,¡± Alektor said, his voice now calm. ¡°All you must do, is step down as High King.¡±


    Phobos looked shocked. His eyes blinking. ¡°That is¡­ that would go against our traditions! We always elect our High Kings, you cannot conquer Eleutheros with an incisor in hand.¡±


    ¡°Then we will hold a moot,¡± Alektor pressed. ¡°We will summon the remaining kings of Eleutheros and vote as soon as they arrive. Though, we can save them the long trip, if you step down, and name me as your successor.¡±


    King Tegan took a deep breath and looked at Phobos. ¡°Your Majesty, it is clear we are at a disadvantage. Thousands already lie dead. And it will take months to recuperate our forces enough to challenge the host that is literally camped outside your walls.¡± He then turned to Alektor. ¡°I will not see my people slaughtered senselessly. High King Alektor, you have our oath of fealty, if High King Phobos steps down.¡±


    Phobos sighed heavily, his head hanging with the weight of this immense decision. ¡°What guarantee do we have that you will not kill us all in our beds once you ascend the throne?¡±


    ¡°What guarantee do you have now?¡± Alektor said, ¡°I could have you all slain within the month. But my word and my honor are enough. The fact that I am here, and not currently burning Belous to the ground should be testament enough. You will remain as King of Torre¡¯, your people will continue their trade, and your allies will stay intact.¡±


    ¡°What about King Yomin?¡± Phobos asked.


    ¡°There is no place for him or his family in Eleutheros.¡± Alektor turned to look at Katrina and Daniel. ¡°I will leave his fate up to the Spirit-Sent.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Phobos spat. ¡°This is an affront. You are a¡­¡± Suddenly Katrina saw him sag, and resignation cross his face. ¡°You leave me with very little choice, Alektor. But for the sake of my people, and my friend, Tegan. I will step down as High King, and name you my true successor.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Yomin said, stepping back. ¡°We cannot give in so easily! We must fight! The High Espi-Dae said he would be here! Perhaps we should wait for him? His council would be most informative!¡±


    ¡°Then my first command as High King!¡± Alektor stood, ¡°Detain King Yomin, and release Telmos of House Regios!¡±


    Within the hour, documents were brought forth, and each party put forth their seal. And just that, with a stamp, and an oath to the attending Espi-Dae, Alektor had become the true High King of all Eleutheros, ending the bitter conflict that had been the source of so much pain and suffering. The war had ended. Within another hour, Telmos Regios was released, and met them in Alektor¡¯s royal tent.


    ¡°Father!¡± Avria yelled, dashing in to embrace him. The man had been beaten badly, but smiled and scooped her up in a hug. Then Delmos joined in, and Katrina couldn¡¯t help but shed a tear of joy. The reunion was poignant, a moment of pure relief after days of uncertainty and strife.


    As night fell, there were celebrations. With the Rexunii camp at the center of it all, the atmosphere transformed from one of tension to one of jubilation. Fires were lit, casting a warm glow over the faces of warriors and civilians alike, who had gathered from all the neighboring lands and clan territories, drawn by the news of peace. Musicians played their instruments with vigor, filling the air with melodies that spoke of freedom and hope.


    ~


    Alektor drank his wine, observing the festivities. As he usually did, alone and on his perch. He enjoyed watching his people celebrate. And today was truly a day to be celebrated. He looked up at the stars above and said a prayer to the Great-Spirits for his father. He swore he would get revenge on those who had trampled him and his people for so long. And today, he could say he completed his mission.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± A feminine voice called out.


    Alektor looked to see Princess Ambrosia, bowing to him.


    ¡°May I sit with you?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Alektor said, silently wishing to be left to his thoughts.


    ¡°I would ask you again if you have considered anything in regard to my bond?¡± she asked, sitting beside him. ¡°My father keeps inquiring about it, and I still am at a loss about what to tell him.¡±


    Alektor inwardly groaned, but smiled at her. ¡°I have been thinking about it. There are several prospects who might suit you. Did you have anyone in mind?¡±


    She nodded, looking at the sea of people in celebration below. ¡°My father wants one of the Spirit-Sent.¡±


    Of course he does. Alektor thought. ¡°Princess, I must be honest with you. That does not seem likely. The only eligible candidate is Daniel, and I have little control over him. Unless he chooses you for himself, I am powerless.¡±


    She deflated at that a bit. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°What of Delmos, of house Regios?¡± Alektor asked.


    ¡°Delmos?¡± she replied, looking as though she were trying to remember his face.


    ¡°House Regios will be a powerful player in Eleutheros soon.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°I plan on ascending Telmos to King of Lokkon within the month. Delmos will be a prince and is quite the charming young Dae.¡±


    She nodded, ¡°I suppose that would please my father... But I thought you were planning on absorbing Lokkon with Rexun. Why the sudden change of heart?¡±


    Alektor nodded, ¡°A good question. Eleutheros has changed much since the last time Lokkadonian lands were called Rexun. I needed King Yomin in a weakened state before Phobos. Declaring Lokkon, essentially an insignificant bargaining chip, helped with this. It forced them to see the next real objective of our aggression.¡±


    ¡°Belous¡­¡± Ambrosia said, understanding coming to her. ¡°So, you never intended to merge the two clans.¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Alektor had a sip of wine. It would only lead to more conflict and division. That is why I need house Regios at the head of that clan. They will keep them in line and rule them well. Which is why you must be prepared to join them.¡±


    ¡°I am at your disposal, your highness.¡± Ambrosia bowed.


    ¡°I am happy you agree. I will arrange it immediately.¡± Alektor nodded, then looked back down to the party. After several moments, he noticed that Ambrosia was still sitting in the chair. ¡°Princess?¡± He asked, ¡°Was there something else?


    ¡°Your Highness, I was just curious if you had considered your own bond, yet?¡±


    Alektor again groaned internally. ¡°I am not sure as of yet.¡± He smiled. ¡°Options are being considered.¡±


    She sat for several more seconds, then stood, bowed, and left him to his peace.


    Alektor sighed heavily. This was a topic that would never cease until he had a mate. He scanned the crowd again. He had never considered himself a romantic man, his only desire was to provide for his kingdom, for Rexun. Now, he had to extend that care and commitment to all of Eleutheros. A marriage from within would provide little advantage to him. And a wedding to a foreign kingdom would take time.


    His eyes settled on Katrina. Truth be told, he did not like this Spirit-Sent. She was a far cry from Reku, who was understanding and willing to negotiate. She was brash and full of an energy that quite frankly, he would be happy to avoid. But she was a Spirit-Sent. And the prospect of having her as his mate, and the potential for offspring made her value incalculable.


    He shook his head, not even wanting to consider what he would have to do in order to make that a reality. He was also fully aware of her relationship with Daniel, the other Spirit-Sent. He needed to find a solution to this predicament, and quickly. Preferably one that did not involve her at all. With Reku dead he had no heir. Sadness pulled at his heart. Against all odds, he had managed to grow quite fond of Reku. According to Turak, Dio¡¯Mar had engulfed him just before the killing blow, so there was a strong possibility he wasn¡¯t dead, but not knowing where he was, irked him. He looked over the crowd again, there must be an answer. His eyes falling on Delmos of house Regios, dancing, or trying to dance, in the way of Rexun. He put aside his worries of offspring and mating. Opting to focus on his duties, as he usually did. He turned to one of his royal guards. ¡°Bring me Delmos of House Regios.¡±


    Now was as good a time as any to tell the youngest son of house Regios that he was now betrothed. Technically he needed Telmos¡¯ approval. But it was unlikely he would object.


    He watched as his guard made his way down from his royal platform, pushed his way through the crowd, and spoke with Delmos. The Dae turned briefly to look up at him, nodded, and spoke to Katrina, who he hadn¡¯t noticed was next to him. Of course... he thought, hoping the human would not follow Delmos. He sighed when he saw his hopes dashed. She followed him. And he watched as they made their way up to the platform.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Delmos said, bowing his head.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Katrina followed with a nod.


    He was slightly surprised at her display of respect. She usually had a blatant disregard for etiquette when it came to him. Though it didn¡¯t really bother him; she was a Spirit-Sent after all. ¡°Lord Delmos. Please sit down.¡± Alektor looked at Katrina, and also gestured for her to sit.


    ¡°I have spoken to several people about the fate of not only House Regios, but also the future of Lokkon itself.¡± Alektor began. ¡°I suppose I should bring this up to Avria and your father, but they aren¡¯t here, and the subject involves you.¡±


    Delmos looked puzzled, but bowed his head. ¡°I am at your disposal, your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°I am naming Telmos, as King of Lokkadonia.¡± Alektor said, bluntly.


    Delmos¡¯ eyes widened with expected surprise. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± He sputtered.


    ¡°I am putting House Regios in charge of the development and care of Lokkon.¡± He said, ¡°In my mind, there are no other candidates that even come close. With that being said. Princess Ambrosia has expressed a great interest in being mated with you, specifically.¡±


    ¡°Me!?¡± Delmos said, his eyes widening even further.


    ¡°Yes. You will be a prince of Lokkadonia, and third in line to the throne. As she is in Sabree.¡± Alektor smiled. ¡°I wanted to ask your opinion on the matter before I made it official.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Katrina asked, putting her hand on Delmos¡¯ shoulder. ¡°She¡¯s not really the warmest person, Alektor. Do you think that she¡¯ll be a good match for him?¡±


    ¡°Katrina.¡± Alektor narrowed his eyes. ¡°Ones love of another is often not taken into consideration when forging political bonds. Lord Delmos understands that it will increase his House¡¯s influence and position to join so formally with the Sabree. Lokkon will quickly return to its former strength under the guidance of House Regios, and they will have children that will eventually ascend to higher stations. These are normal in Dae society. Here in Eleutheros, love comes to those who work to find it.¡±


    Katrina gave Alektor a dangerous look. ¡°Is that what you think? Is that why Robert was married off to some Queen?¡±


    ¡°That ¡®Queen¡¯ is Queen Athica of Visgo. And yes, Reku did his duty, for his own House.¡±


    ¡°You mean, your, house?¡± She said.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Alektor took a drink from his wine. ¡°Reku was of House Roh. He was my brother, and he trusted me. Ever since I brought him into my House, I had done everything with his best interest in mind.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Katrina hung her head, no doubt memories of Reku in her mind.


    ¡°Do not fret, Katrina.¡± He said, reassuringly. ¡°I do not know the true fate of Reku; And even if he is truly dead, his children will carry on his legacy. And will be cared for.


    Katrina smiled after that, seeming to perk up again. ¡°You think he might still be alive?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be sure, but his body wasn¡¯t recovered. Which gives me hope that there is still a chance. The Ignos traitor will pay for it either way.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of the Ignos.¡± Katrina winced. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you, Alektor. What will happen to Illya?¡±


    Alektor blinked, unfamiliar with the name. ¡°You must forgive me. I don¡¯t know who that is.¡±


    ¡°Illya, of House Ignos. Agron¡¯s daughter.¡± Katrina said.


    Alektor took a deep breath. ¡°Yes¡­ her. Her fate is up to you, I suppose. She isn¡¯t a warrior if I recall. But was quite talented within the Lokkadonian court, was she not? She might pose a threat to us¡­ with¡ª¡±


    ¡°I want her with me!¡± She said, a bit too forcefully.


    Alektor made it a point to seem as though he were considering it. Then nodded. ¡°Very well. I will have her sent to Vul De Rah immediately. All I ask is that you ensure she does not disrupt Rexunii rule in some crusade for vengeance.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Katrina said, smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her. I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t want to cause any problems.¡± She looked at Alektor expectantly, ¡°And Boros?¡±


    Alektor¡¯s expression turned dark. ¡°He is a threat, Katrina. And a criminal.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t just let him die.¡± Katrina insisted. ¡°I know you hate the Ignos family. But there¡¯s got to be another way. We owe him so much. Aside from your personal vendetta, Agron served the spirits faithfully. Oros and Boros did the same.¡±


    Alektor furrowed his brow, cursing himself for even considering another option than execution. ¡°I will think on it¡­¡± Was all he said.

 Chapter 39 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel scooped another handful of water out of the Dae-Leu basin in his tent, splashing it on his face. He could hear the pounding of music in the distance, the Rexunii celebration of their victory. Part of him wanted to take part in it. Drown his sorrows in as much wine as he could get his hands on, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. He felt disconnected from them. In the back of his mind, he still saw them all as enemies. Destroyers of what he once held in high regard. The Ignos family. He remembered Oros, and his promise to help him find the other humans after the war. Sadness crept into his mind. The memory of his late friend, standing with confidence before the invasion.


    There was a sudden knock on the wooden plank outside his hut.


    Daniel turned to face the door, his hand poised to summon his blade. ¡°Come in.¡± He called.


    The fabric flap was pulled to the side, and Katrina¡¯s head poked in. Looking at him apologetically. ¡°Hey, Dan. I¡¯m¡­ not interrupting anything, am I?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Daniel relaxed, grabbing a towel from beside the basin to dry his face. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ you know.¡± She entered, but had the undeniable air of discomfort about her. ¡°We haven¡¯t had a chance to speak, since everything happened.¡± Her eyes fell to the floor. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was important enough.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t.¡± Daniel shrugged, his melancholy on full display. ¡°And there really isn¡¯t anything to talk about. It was a one-time thing, right?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡± She stiffened, a bit of her fire starting to return. ¡°I don¡¯t know. With the war being over now, we can discuss it, properly.¡±


    ¡°Kat.¡± He looked at her, his face deadpan. ¡°Come on. You told me that something whispered in your ear, forcing you to jump me. I mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°Something did, Dan.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°You know there¡¯s some weird shit in this world. I felt it. It was unmistakable.¡±


    ¡°Alright? So, what the hell am I supposed to say to that? Sorry, someone or something forced you to sleep with me?¡± Daniel lifted his arms in frustration.


    ¡°Well, no, but.¡± She winced. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Dan, ok?¡±


    ¡°Look.¡± Daniel took a calming breath, collecting his thoughts. ¡°We don¡¯t have to worry about it. We can chalk it up to a mistake and leave it at that.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it like that.¡± Her eyes met his, several unreadable emotions behind them. ¡°So, you wouldn¡¯t be interested in pursuing something further?¡±


    Daniel blinked at her, ¡°Are you serious? After the foul play involved in getting it started?¡±


    ¡°Dan, whatever happened, happened. We¡¯re here now and, I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have feelings for you, that are completely my own.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea, Kat.¡± Daniel¡¯s expression was deathly serious. ¡°I think we should try and figure out if something actually did control you. And if so, how to prevent it from happening again.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s eyes widened, his words seeming to ring true to her. ¡°How do we do it then?¡±


    Daniel thought for a moment. With his new abilities, he had been extremely perceptive to spiritual energy. Even residual energy. Going so far as to see a spirits when they didn¡¯t want to be seen. Looking at her didn¡¯t set off any alarm bells. But maybe from within? ¡°Let me examine your Dunem Dae Espa.¡± He said, holding his hands out toward her.


    She glanced down at his offered hands, trepidation clear on her face, but placed her own in them. Daniel felt the callouses on her skin, the mark of a trained warrior, and someone who put great care and effort into everything they did. At the same time, they were delicate and feminine. He closed his eyes and poised himself to follow her into her version of the spiritual realm.


    With a flash of light, he found himself standing in a meadow. With a pleasant breeze and a stream flowing with crystal clear water.


    ¡°Wow.¡± He said, admiring the serene setting they now found themselves  in. ¡°This is way better than mine.¡±


    Katrina smiled, a small amount of pride on her face. ¡°It¡¯s come a long way.¡±


    Before he answered, he felt a tinge of foulness to his left. His words caught in his throat as he turned toward the source.


    ¡°What is it?¡± She asked. ¡°Do you sense something?¡±


    He narrowed his eyes, scanning the lush vegetation for something that might be out of the ordinary. ¡°I think so.¡± He said, starting to move in the direction.


    Katrina followed behind him as he went searching for the anomaly like a hound. He came upon a tuft of grass that peaked out, seemingly benign to anyone who didn¡¯t have the ability to perceive spiritual energy the way he did. He reached out his hand pressing grasping the grass, and yanked it up with all his strength. There was an explosion of dark energy that swirled around them. Katrina shrieked in surprise, raising her hands in a readying stance.


    Daniel immediately recognized the energy as it assaulted his senses. A wave of nausea hit him, but he held firm, feeling his own power within diminish any harm it would have done to him. Dio¡¯Mar¡­ He thought, rage bubbling within him. The little spirit had a very distinct energy signature. At least to him. Like an easily recognizable flavor of food. He grimaced as he lifted his hands, willing his flame to engulf the swirling black energy.


    He heard Katrina gasp in pain as the golden flames flared out, purifying the stain in this otherwise tranquil realm.


    As the flames subsided, a sense of satisfaction came over him. The feeling swiftly left him as he heard whimpering behind him and turned to see Katrina curled up on the grass, her face twisted in pain.


    ¡°Kat!¡± He said, rushing to her. ¡°You alright? What happened?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She said through gritted teeth. ¡°I-it hurts¡­ everywhere.¡±


    The sky above them started to flicker. Like a lightbulb that was on the fritz. Daniel stood away from her, looking up to the sky, unsure of what he had truly done. Suddenly out of the corner of his eye he saw a small glint of light floating several feet from her. Immediate recognition hit him, a power signature that was nearly identical to his own. He reached out and grasped it, feeling a calm warmth emitting from the ball of light. With a surge it erupted out of his grip, golden light smothering her. She shot up abruptly, her eyes glowing with the same light as the ball.


    ¡°Kat!¡± he reached for her, but stopped as she spoke.


    ¡°Oh God¡­ Dan.¡± She said, her voice shaky with emotion. ¡°I see it¡­¡± She whispered, tears trickling down her cheeks. ¡°I see the downfall¡­¡±


    Daniel raised his hand into the air, using his Dunamis to eject them from the Dunem Dae Espa. Within moments, and after a flash of light, he found himself back in his tent, holding her up. She looked at him, her eyes still glowing. ¡°What the fuck did I do? I¡¯m sorry, Kat. I thought¡ª¡±


    ¡°We need to get to Avria!¡± She shouted, her eyes fading back into their original brown.


    ¡°We what?¡± He stuttered.


    ¡°Hurry!¡±


    ~


    ¡°What the hell is going on, Kat?¡± Daniel called after her as they rushed past dozens of tents. She didn¡¯t answer him, just picked up her pace, using her Dunamis to power her movements. They made their way into the royal section, where all the members of Rexunii and allies of import were set up. Passed several guards who called out commands to halt, before realizing who they were. Katrina bounded past them toward the only stone hut that had lights shining through closed windows. There was a plaque above the door that read, ¡®Avria of house Regios¡¯.


    Katrina burst through the entryway, which was nothing more than an elaborate curtain that hung, and Daniel followed shortly after.


    Avria had been sitting at a desk on the far side of the room, and she shot up in an instant, her blade in her hand, ready to strike.


    ¡°Avria!¡± Katrina shouted, skidding to a halt before her stunned master.


    ¡°Katrina? What is the meaning of this?¡± Avria attempted to protest, but Katrina started looking around her room, until her gaze fell on an extremely expensive looking Jar of wine.


    Katrina rushed to it, picking it up and inspecting it. She sighed in relief as she fingered the top, seeing it was still sealed.


    ¡°They¡¯re trying to kill us!¡± Katrina shouted, lifting the Jar. ¡°I saw it, Dan. I don¡¯t know how. But I had a vision. Of the downfall of this world.¡±


    Daniel reeled. ¡°You had a vision?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Katrina?¡± Avria huffed, walking toward her, reaching for the wine.


    ¡°No!¡± Katrina shouted, pulling it away. ¡°They were supposed to poison us tonight! Everyone. You, me, Dan¡­ and¡­ And Alektor! And Telmos and Delmos! Everyone!


    ¡°Who!?¡± Daniel asked, his adrenaline starting to pump throughout his body.


    ¡°The Espi-Dae.¡± Avria hissed, glaring at the Jar. ¡°This was a gift from them. A sign of their acceptance, and a gesture of peace.¡± Her eyes widened, ¡°Where are my father and brother?¡±


    ¡°I saw Delmos at the main celebration.¡± Katrina said, ¡°He was with me and Alektor.¡±


    ¡°Come on!¡± Daniel yelled.


    The three of them burst out of the stone hut, running with Dunamis enhanced speed to the center of the celebrations. While Daniel was running, he saw hundreds of Dae in various states of the festivities. Dancing around floating balls of flame, playing music and drinking the night away.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    They entered the large clearing in the center of the camp. Thousands of Rexunii were in the midst of their celebration. More bonfires blazed, and the booming rhythmic music of the Rexunii blared. Daniel looked over the top of the sea of people and saw Alektor¡¯s royal platform, raised near the center. They pushed through the crowd shouting for people to get out of the way. As they approached the platform, Royal guards blocked their path.


    ¡°Out of the way, fools! Your High King is in danger!¡± Avria yelled pushing them aside.


    They dashed up to the top of the platform, where Alektor was sitting at his small table with Delmos of House Regios, and Telmos, his father. Alektor looked at the three of them, in surprise.


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡± He asked, concern starting to show.


    ¡°You are all in danger.¡± Daniel said.


    ¡°Who told you such a thing?¡±


    ¡°I did!¡± Katrina moved to the front.


    Alektor¡¯s face suddenly became very serious. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The Espi-Dae are trying to poison you.¡± She said, looking down at the center of their table, where several ordinary jars of wine sat.


    Alektor cocked his head. ¡°The Espi-Dae were just here. We spoke about you all in fact. They just left.¡±


    ¡°Did they say anything?¡± Daniel asked, ¡°Do anything out of the ordinary?¡±


    ¡°No, they just gave us all their support.¡± He gestured to Telmos and Delmos.


    ¡°Did they give you that wine?¡± Daniel asked.


    Alektor looked down at it, and his eyes suddenly went wide. ¡°They did.¡±


    ¡°The Espi-Dae wouldn¡¯t dare attempt such a thing.¡± Telmos said, ¡°They would be hunted down.


    Alektor nodded, ¡°It would indeed be foolish of them to make an attempt on my life.¡±


    ¡°I saw it.¡± Katrina shot back, grabbing the jars from the table and inspecting them.


    ¡°There are very few poisons that would escape my senses,¡± Alektor declared, his bowl hovering near his nose as he inhaled cautiously. ¡°Yet even fewer that would¡ª¡± His voice cut off, eyes widening in sudden alarm. ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    Telmos choked, a cough racking his frame as blood seeped from his lips, staining his chin. His eyes, filled with a mix of terror and rage, met Delmos''. ¡°Avria¡­¡± he managed to whisper, his voice fading.


    Delmos, in an attempt to aid his father, reached out but was seized by his own violent cough. His hand, stained with his blood, paused mid-air, unable to assist.


    Alektor clutched his chest, his face contorted in agony. ¡°Clever¡­ fools,¡± he gasped out, before a blue wave surged from his mouth.


    Around them, the royal guards burst into frantic motion. Their Dunamis flared, as they tried to counteract the poison .


    ¡°We were too late!¡± Katrina''s voice shattered the chaos, her tone sharp with panic.


    ¡°Too late?¡± Avria''s voice broke, her face a canvas of confusion and dread. ¡°What do you mean too late!? We got here as fast as we could!¡±


    Daniel''s heart felt like it was trying to escape his chest. Not again, he thought, the weight of recent struggles pressing down on him. They had barely survived the last upheaval, and now this. ¡°What is it, Avria?¡± he demanded, desperation threading through his words. ¡°What kind of poison? How do we save them?¡±


    Avria dropped to her knees beside the victims, her hands shaking as they hovered over their writhing forms. Her gaze was wild, tears threatening to spill. ¡°Please,¡± she begged, her voice a desperate plea, ¡°by the Spirit¡¯s mercy, please no! If it¡¯s what I fear, they''ve been poisoned by the blood of a Reg¡¯kula... a spirit beast... it will turn their own Dunamis against them, corrupting them from within... Once ingested, there is no cure.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Daniel''s cry was raw, his hand gripping Delmos''s shoulder with a strength born of denial.


    His mind reeled, thoughts tumbling over each other like stones in a storm. There must be a way, he insisted silently, his resolve hardening against the tide of despair. How could he save this world, protect those he cared for, when chaos loomed so near?


    Daniel closed his eyes and let himself fall into his Dunem Dae Espa. The bright sun above was shielded now by hundreds of lush trees. What was once a desert, was now a paradise. He took a moment to look around, then found the pillar of gold, standing tall in the middle of a spring, that flowed with clear and cool water.


    ¡°Raguel!¡± Daniel called, ¡°I need your help! Please!¡± Daniel frantically looked around the oasis, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn¡¯t know how long he had, but from the state of them, he knew somehow that they would be dead soon.


    ¡°Raguel!¡± He yelled again, unsure if the mysterious being was even present.


    ¡°I am here.¡± A voice said from behind him.


    Daniel whirled around and saw the cloaked man sitting on a rock.


    ¡°Raguel¡­¡± Daniel said, walking up to him. ¡°I need your help. My friend, and his father, and Alektor! They¡¯re dying. This world will be plunged into chaos if they die right now. You have to help them!¡±


    Raguel¡¯s blue eyes studied Daniel for several moments. ¡°The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice. And the earth melts.¡± He said, standing and walking toward Daniel.


    ¡°The earth?¡± Daniel asked, unsure if he heard the man¡¯s words correctly.


    ¡°You hold in your hands, the power of life and death. A flame that has seen the ages of man turn to glory, and to ash. And you call out to me, to help you.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Daniel held his hands up. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°It is not the power of man that grants strength. It is the depth of one¡¯s faith. Fear will alter your heart. It will corrupt you. Do not fear. You already know what you have to do.¡±


    Daniel gazed at his hands, the words of the strange being echoing in his mind. Looking up, he found himself alone; Raguel had disappeared. He closed his eyes, taking a long, steadying breath. "The power over life and death," he whispered, feeling the echo of those words within him, like a solemn oath.


    Looking within himself, he saw the golden light of his power, not merely a flame, but a blazing white star. This power had been his weapon on the battlefield, its light the harbinger of his enemies'' end. But now, he pondered its softer, healing potential. He thought back to moments of self-healing, to the cleansing touch it had brought to Katrina''s Dunem Dae Espa. A resolve hardened within him, fortified by the urgency of the moment.


    Opening his eyes, he returned to the grim scene before him. He reached out, his hands finding the shoulders of Delmos and Telmos. As he made contact, a bright, white-gold light enveloped them, emanating from Daniel. The onlookers recoiled, not from fear but from the overwhelming presence of his unfamiliar energy. Daniel''s heart swelled with purpose as he guided the cleansing fire into their bodies, watching as the golden light flowed through their veins, eradicating the darkness of the poison with each pulse.


    Moving to Alektor, who lay still, Daniel''s hands once again glowed, the light a beacon of hope in the bleakness. The healing light entered Alektor, seeking out the last vestiges of corruption.


    With a heavy exhale, Daniel''s strength waned, and he slumped, the emotional and physical toll evident in his weary posture.


    "Dan?" Delmos''s voice, now clear of the poison''s grip, was laced with awe and confusion. "What¡­ what did you just do to us?"


    Telmos looked at his once bloodied hands, now clean, then at Daniel with eyes filled with wonder. "Spirit-Sent," he said, his voice carrying the true weight of the title.


    Avria, overcome with emotion, threw herself into the arms of her father and brother, her cry a testament to the relief and love that overwhelmed her.


    And there, Alektor, his eyes now open, wide with a newfound understanding and respect, met Daniel''s gaze. "You... you saved our lives... Spirit-Sent," he said, his voice a mixture of reverence and gratitude, the words trembling with the depth of their implications.


    ~


    After the harrowing incident, the group sought refuge in Alektor¡¯s personal hut. The spacious interior had been transformed by Dae-Voh, who manipulated the earth itself to sprout additional seating and tables, accommodating the solemn assembly.


    Alektor, his face still pale from the poison''s touch, sat rigidly on his throne, surrounded by the tense figures of Turak, Ambrosia, and a cadre of Rexunii nobles whose expressions were a mixture of relief and simmering anger. Daniel, his strength sapped, sat at a table with Katrina, Avria, Delmos, and Telmos, the latter two still bearing traces of blood on their clothes, a grim reminder of the evening''s incident. The room buzzed with low, urgent whispers, the atmosphere thick with the scent of impending retribution


    Alektor raised a hand, silencing the room. ¡°I will start,¡± Alektor''s voice boomed, resonating with gratitude, ¡°by thanking Daniel, the Spirit-Sent, for saving not just my life, but also those of Telmos and Delmos.¡± He paused, his eyes meeting Daniel''s. ¡°We are in your debt.¡±


    Delmos, with a hearty slap on Daniel''s back, beamed with a mixture of relief and camaraderie. Telmos, his gaze still carrying the weight of reverence, watched Daniel with a newfound respect.


    ¡°And to Katrina.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°Whose intuition and quick thinking, much contributed the same.¡±


    Katrina nodded with a weary smile, placing her hand on Daniel¡¯s.


    Alektor''s face hardened as he then spoke of their adversaries. ¡°We are continually appalled by the Espi-Dae¡¯s depravity. Their evil truly knows no bounds. I did not think they would stoop to such vile methods as poison, especially something as rare and deadly as Reg¡¯Kula blood in Eleutheros.¡± He lifted his bowl in a toast towards Daniel. ¡°What you did, Spirit-Sent, is nothing short of a miracle.¡±


    The room erupted in cheers and affirmations, but Daniel felt a disquieting weight with each accolade. He simply nodded, his silence revealing nothing of the burden he carried.


    ¡°I am well,¡± Alektor declared, his voice firm with resolve. ¡°And rest assured, that the perpetrators of this heinous act will pay dearly for their lack of success. and I will ensure that tonight, every one of us has a double the guard. Tomorrow, I will name Telmos of House Regios as King and protector of Lokkadonia. We will then return to Vul De Rah for his coronation.¡± He scanned the room, his gaze fierce. ¡°They are already preparing for our return. We will have peace in our time; and any subterfuge, poison, or sabotage will break upon us like waves on a cliffside! Eleutheros will be united!¡±


    The declaration was met with a fervor of agreement, the collective spirit of the room rising to meet Alektor¡¯s call for solidarity. Daniel, amidst the fervor, felt a complex mix of pride, duty, and the somber realization that his journey, and the tests it entailed, were far from over.


    Daniel stood, his movements slow, then bowed to Alektor. The murmurs of the crowd faded as he walked out of the hut, each step a deliberate choice to contemplate the questions burning within, in solitude. Outside, the cold night air seemed to welcome him, the darkness somehow soothing after the intensity of the night. He watched as people dispersed, their silhouettes merging with the shadows, seeking the comfort of their own spaces.


    He glanced at his hands again, the power of life and death... The cryptic words of Raguel echoed in his mind, an enigma that gnawed at his understanding. What was he? What did it all mean? His contemplation was cut short by a gentle touch on his shoulder. Turning, he met Avria''s gaze.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he managed, trying to smile, though the effort felt hollow. ¡°You alright?¡±


    Avria sighed, then suddenly embraced him, her grip firm, her head buried against his chest. ¡°Thank you, Daniel,¡± she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.


    He felt the dampness of her tears soak through his tunic. Avria crying was a rare sight, a stark contrast to her usual stoic demeanor, the closest he''d seen being when Oros had died. Daniel wrapped his arms around her, offering silent comfort. She had endured much since the fall of Vul De Rah, and now, with the weight of uncertainty and fear pressing upon her. Fear corrupts the heart, he recalled Raguel''s warning.


    ¡°You saved my family,¡± she said, lifting her head, her eyes now dry but still reflecting the storm beneath. ¡°I am in your debt, again.¡± With a nod, she released him and stepped back, her figure quickly swallowed by the night. Daniel remained, the chill of the evening air now matching the numbness in his mind.


    Alektor approached, his guards flanking him. With a dismissive wave, they halted, allowing him to speak privately with Daniel. ¡°Daniel,¡± he greeted, his voice carrying a note of solemnity.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Daniel replied, somewhat subdued.


    ¡°I meant what I said in there,¡± Alektor stated, his eyes on Daniel, then shifting to where Avria had vanished. ¡°I am pleased that you are so close with Lady Regios. She is vital to Lokkon''s future, as are you.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s strong,¡± Daniel said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯ll help her any way I can.¡±


    Alektor''s expression became serious. ¡°I must be honest with you, Daniel. I have been contemplating what you and Katrina will do now that the war is over, and some semblance of stability is within sight. I will not make this decision for either of you. So, I must ask; what do you plan to do now?¡±


    Daniel thought about it, somewhat unprepared for the question. What would they do now that the war was over? With determination his original mission came to mind. That¡¯s right, he thought, then met Alektor¡¯s eyes. ¡°I was promised by Oros, before the fall of Vul De Rah. That He would help me find the other humans. I want to find them. As many as I can, and bring them to Eleutheros. I need to. If you say you¡¯re in my debt, you will help me do this. I want every resource.¡±


    Alektor took several moments to contemplate. ¡°Do you know where they are?¡± ¡°No.¡± Daniel said, ¡°But I know who does. A cult of Espi-Dae out of Baa¡¯Yega, and Exous. They are tracking us. They know where at least some of us are.¡± ¡°Do you intend to take Katrina with you?¡± Alektor asked, surprising Daniel.


    ¡°She told me she wanted to go, way back when I first mentioned it to her.¡± Daniel said, ¡°But if she changes her mind. I¡¯ll go about it on my own.¡± Alektor nodded, and looked up toward the night sky. ¡°You have my full support on this. But depending on who you want to take. There are some needed here to help rebuild Eleutheros. We are weakened, and cannot remain so. Foolish kings of Eleutheros are not the only threat we face.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°When we return to Vul De Rah.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°I want you to rest. Take some time to build your plan. You will have every resource I have at your disposal. Then, when you are ready, you can embark on your mission.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Alektor.¡± Daniel nodded, the comforting prospect of a new mission before him.

 Chapter 40 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Robert''s eyes fluttered open, the lids feeling as if they were made of sandpaper. His vision was a murky blur, the harsh light from above stabbing into his retinas like needles. A groan escaped his lips, the sound muffled by the dryness in his throat. As he attempted to move, he felt the unforgiving tightness of bonds around his body, chaining him to what felt like a cold, stone pole. Panic surged through him like an electric current; he jerked upwards, but his head was immobilized as well.


    Where the hell am I? The thought echoed in his mind, each throb of his headache pulsing in time with his heartbeat. He tried to piece together the fragments of memory: the chaos of battle, the searing pain of his encounter with Boros Ignos, and the feeling of his mutilation at his hands. The vivid recollection sent a wave of despair crashing over him.


    But then, there was something else. Images, vague at first, began to coalesce in his mind''s eye. Humans; What started as a ghost of a memory sharpened into view. "Humans," he croaked, his voice barely a whisper. The word seemed to carry some significance, because he heard commotion behind him.


    ¡°Hey!¡± He heard a feminine voice call out. ¡°Guys! He¡¯s awake!¡±


    There was movement behind him, and hushed tones. Then a familiar face came into view. A man, with dark complexion, a solid build, and flaming tattoos that went from his wrists to his elbows.


    ¡°Finally awake now, huh?¡± The man said.


    ¡°Where¡­ am I?¡± Robert asked, the fog in his mind slowly clearing.


    ¡°Do you remember anything?¡± He asked, leaning in to inspect Robert more closely.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Suddenly Robert¡¯s eyes focused, and recognition came with a rush of memories. ¡°You¡¯re Greyson.¡± He said, anger building within him. ¡°What did you do to me?¡±


    ¡°Relax, friend.¡± Greyson held his hands up defensively. ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything to you. You passed out.¡±


    Robert¡¯s eyes flared, his Dunamis roiling within him. ¡°Then why the hell am I tied up like some fucking prisoner!?¡±


    Greyson crossed his arms. ¡°Because that demon who brought you here told us to keep you here at all costs. It said you were important for some reason or another.¡±


    ¡°Dio¡­¡± Robert recalled being told about her. Was she really a demon? The thought wasn¡¯t too surprising if it was in fact, true. After what he had seen her do, both in the Rexunii village, as well as what she did to Lord Pilyur in the dungeon of Pontos. He also said she wasn¡¯t a spirit¡­ before she bit his head off. He sighed deeply. He couldn¡¯t accept that he had so willingly been colluding with something as vile as a demon. But from where he was now, it looked more than likely to be the case. I¡¯ve got to get out of here, he thought. Alektor needs to know what¡¯s really going on.


    ¡°We¡¯ve made some breakfast for you, if you want it.¡± The same feminine voice from before said, before a girl with blonde hair and blue eyes popped into his peripheral. ¡°It¡¯s not steak and eggs.¡± she said, cheerily. ¡°But it¡¯s not bad either.¡±


    She lifted a plate of food near his face. Robert¡¯s senses immediately reacted to the aroma of the savory meal before him. He salivated as he inspected the meal. The girl seemed to notice his reaction because she chuckled. ¡°Come on, lets get you out of those bonds.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Greyson said, eyeing Robert suspiciously. ¡°We tied you up for our own protection. We don¡¯t really know who you are or what you plan on doing. I need some sort of guarantee that you won¡¯t try to kill us or escape if we untie you.¡±


    Robert¡¯s face went sour as he glared at the man. It¡¯s not like I could escape from here anyway. Dio¡¯Mar was the one that probably put me out of commission in the first place, he thought. ¡°I won¡¯t run or try to kill you. The only guarantee I can give you is my word.¡±


    Greyson looked over Robert¡¯s shoulder, probably looking for the approval of his unseen companions.


    ¡°Oh, come on, guys!¡± The blonde girl said. ¡°How are we going to build some sort of trust with someone If we don¡¯t make at least some effort!¡±


    ¡°Because!¡± Another female voice answered from behind him, sounding more aggressive. ¡°He¡¯s clearly been influenced by the Dae, Lauren! Don¡¯t be an idiot.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡± Lauren hissed. ¡°He¡¯s a human being, isn¡¯t he? Doesn¡¯t he deserve to be treated right?¡±


    Robert couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the bickering. ¡°You guys are supposed to be the bringers of destruction?¡± His chuckle turned into a full-blown laugh. ¡°This is rich.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s so funny about that?¡± Greyson¡¯s gaze intensified. ¡°You have no idea what we¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°I could say the same to you.¡± Robert¡¯s laugh continued.


    ¡°I know enough.¡± Greyson nodded to Lauren, who thanked him and started to untie Robert, despite objections from the other companion. ¡°I know that you were captured and tortured by the Rexunii. Ended up joining them for some reason, and apparently are single handedly responsible for taking down Vul De Rah.¡±


    Oddly accurate, Robert thought. ¡°You¡¯re decently informed, but lack details.¡±


    Lauren finished untying him, and Robert groaned as he attempted to stand, again becoming painfully aware that his left arm was no longer there. The girl helped him stand, speaking soft words of encouragement.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Robert said, turning to see the other two companions who had been out of his line of sight. Recognition came at seeing their features. An Asian man who looked to be in his late thirties or early forties, and a dark skinned woman who looked to be in her late twenties, who also happened to be scowling at him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Lauren smiled, leading him toward the center of their camp.


    Robert took a moment to sit, eyeing everyone suspiciously. He knew he could escape them if he wanted to. But he doubted he could escape if Dio¡¯Mar wanted him to stay put. She had clearly proven that when she knocked him out for¡­ ¡°How long was I out?¡± He asked Lauren.


    ¡°About three days.¡± She said, putting a full plate of food in front of him. ¡°I was starting to think you were in a coma or something.¡±


    ¡°Three?¡± Robert whispered. I was out for three whole days? What happened with the battle? The thought brought him unease.


    ¡°I know you have reservations about our purpose here, Rob. Can I call you Rob?¡± Greyson sat beside him on a stone stool. One of them is clearly a Dae-Voh, Robert observed. Scanning for evidence of other elements. Dae-Rah, he noted, looking at the fire. Dae-Leu, he saw a makeshift basin of water. Who¡¯s the last one?


    ¡°But this is the only way we get home.¡± Greyson continued.


    ¡°At the expense of millions of lives.¡± Robert shot back. ¡°Dooming an entire people. It¡¯s pure evil.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more complicated than that, Robert.¡± Greyson took an irritated breath. ¡°We were summoned here, for this purpose. And the Dae¡ª¡±


    ¡°The Dae are people, Greyson.¡± He interrupted him. ¡°You¡¯re talking about colluding with demons. ACTUAL demons, to slaughter countless people.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea what they¡¯re capable of?¡± The dark-skinned girl barked. ¡°What they did to us?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what was your name again?¡± Robert¡¯s irritation was boiling at this point.


    ¡°It¡¯s Ashley.¡±


    ¡°Ok, Ashley. I don¡¯t fucking care what they did to you.¡± Robert pointed to the stump of his left arm. ¡°They¡¯ve done far worse to me.¡± He eyed everyone, ¡°But there are good people here. Loving and caring people who I have come to love in return.¡± He remembered the unbridled hatred and rage of Boros as he plunged his incisor into his guts, spilling them into the battlefield. ¡°I¡¯ve committed horrible acts against them, myself¡­ I won¡¯t do it again¡­ Ever.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Greyson shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice, Robert. Our very presence here will eventually doom this world.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that.¡± Robert insisted. ¡°I don¡¯t believe in fate.¡± He looked over at Lauren, who was staring at the ground. ¡°You can¡¯t expect me to believe that you¡¯re on board with this too.¡±


    She glanced at him, her face one of shame and regret.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try and confuse her.¡± Ashley said, ¡°She¡¯s already a problem.¡±


    Robert ignored Ashely¡¯s words, but instead, leaned toward Lauren, doubling down. ¡°Even the small bit of kindness you showed me, speaks volumes. You don¡¯t want to kill these people. You know better than that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Greyson stood, posturing over Robert. ¡°I think you¡¯ve given me enough information to conclude you aren¡¯t going to be an ally to us. That I can accept, but don¡¯t you dare try and confuse one of my people.¡±


    Robert stood, meeting his gaze head on. ¡°I agree. So, I¡¯ll go ahead and take my leave.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not gonna happen.¡± Greyson tensed.


    ¡°Are you quite finished¡­¡± A familiar voice echoed through the clearing. Then the small form of Dio¡¯Mar appeared between them. She faced Robert, her small black gown billowing around her pale body. ¡°This¡­ is the only way¡­¡±


    ¡°Was this your plan all along?¡± Robert asked her, feeling genuine regret at her betrayal of him.


    ¡°There are powers at work here¡­ Robert¡­ things that you can¡¯t even fathom¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, Dio. I¡¯m not going to be a part of this.¡± Robert had come to terms with his actions before. The crimes against the Lokkadonians were justified by the freeing of the Doulos and oppressed people all over Eleutheros. What was the point of all that, if he sat here and allowed something like this to happen. Let alone contribute to it.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice.¡± Lauren said, tears starting to fill her eyes. ¡°We made a deal¡­¡±


    ¡°Lauren!¡± Ashley barked, ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar hummed, ¡°Mu¡¯Dok made you an offer¡­ did he not?¡±


    Mu¡¯Dok? Robert thought, who the hell is that? Another demon?


    ¡°We did what we had to do to survive.¡± Greyson grit his teeth. ¡°Now we need to hold up our end of the bargain. That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately for you¡­ Robert¡­ you and I also made a pact of sorts¡­¡± Her eyeless face turned towards him. ¡°You saved me from my imprisonment¡­ and in return I promised I would help you return home¡­¡±


    ¡°We promised to protect each other.¡± Robert glared at her, knowing deep down where this was headed.


    ¡°We did¡­ and I have done so¡­ preserving your life on many occasions¡­ Now it is time for you to uphold your end of it¡­¡±


    ¡°Like I said.¡± Robert¡¯s resolve solidified. ¡°I won¡¯t have any part of this. I didn¡¯t sign a fucking contract with you. You have no power over me. You should have let me die at Boros¡¯ hands.¡±


    ¡°The Dae¡­ will fall¡­ And your arrival here will play a large part in it¡­ whether you will it¡­ or not¡­ When Mul¡¯Dok attempted to open the gates before¡­ he believed he failed¡­ instead, bringing you to our world¡­¡± Her small voice started to grow in intensity as she spoke. ¡°That was not a mistake... There are no mistakes¡­ you are here for one purpose¡­ and one alone¡­ you saved me¡­ freed me from thousands of years of captivity¡­ of all the creatures on this world¡­ it was you¡­¡± Her form began to grow, as it often did, to around six or seven feet. Looming over Robert as she continued, her voice harsh and vile. ¡°You will help us¡­ or you will suffer, Robert¡­ Your children will suffer¡­ and any who you hold dear to your heart¡­¡±


    ~


    Daniel exhaled in relief as the familiar spires of Vul De Rah came into view over the horizon. After several days of travel, following the unification of Eleutheros under Alektor¡¯s crown. He longed for the soft comfort of his own bed again. He had managed to keep to himself, mostly. Dealing with Alektor on several occasions in preparation and planning for his mission. At first, the High King attempted to dissuade him. Telling Daniel to wait until he had rested in Vul De Rah for a time. But after a while, he realized it was no use. He needed to find the other humans. Henry and Angelo among them.


    ¡°What a sight.¡± Delmos said, riding next to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful city.¡± Daniel smiled, admiring the scenery.


    ¡°Yes, though I can¡¯t pretend it doesn¡¯t fill me with conflicting emotions.¡± Delmos¡¯, voice was serious. Something that before would have been unheard of, now commonplace. ¡°The last time I saw this city. She was in flames. Now, I ride back to her, under the banner of the man who committed the act.¡±  He scoffed. ¡°What kind of people are we to allow such a thing?¡±


    ¡°The kind who want to see tomorrow.¡± Daniel¡¯s voice was direct and full of purpose.


    ¡°And what kind of tomorrow would that be, Dan?¡± Delmos looked toward the sky and let out a breath of annoyance. ¡°All I have to look forward to is a joining with a Sabree princess. Who Katrina seems to think is one of the most pompous and annoying Dae she¡¯s ever met.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Delmos.¡± Daniel tried to reassure him. ¡°It can¡¯t be all that bad. She¡¯s a princess after all. And not bad on the eyes.¡±


    Delmos laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve known many Dae princes who have fallen into the same trap. Looks aren¡¯t everything, Dan.¡±


    They bantered back and forth for the rest of the journey towards the city gates, which slid open almost soundlessly, ushering them into the heart of the metropolis. Alektor and Telmos led the small formation, their presence commanding as the crowds in the square erupted in cheers, their voices blending into a welcoming chorus.


    Delmos let out a dismissive grunt. ¡°See how quickly the people forget?¡± he remarked, his voice thick with disgust. ¡°A year ago, they were fleeing from this man¡¯s invasion. Now they¡¯re cheering for him like trained animals.¡±


    ¡°Easy, Delmos,¡± Daniel warned, his tone carrying both caution and understanding of his companion''s frustration.


    They passed through the throng of thousands of citizens. Through the meticulously formed streets of the districts until they finally reached the palace on top of the large hill in the center. Hundreds of nobles crowded the courtyard, clapping for the triumphant return of their new High King. It wasn¡¯t like they had a choice. Most of these nobles were loyal Lokkadonians, who no doubt harbored a great deal of ire toward their conquerors; but they clapped all the same, knowing that any dissent would be dealt with swiftly.


    Daniel wasted no time dismounting. Nodding as he was assaulted by a cacophony of well wishes and congratulations. Sprinkled with declarations of his status as a Spirit-Sent and requests for blessings. He ignored them as best he could. He never would get used to it. He wasn¡¯t the holy man or messiah, they all believed he was. He was just a man, far from home and trying his best to survive.


    As they entered the palace, he attempted to make his way to a room or study where he could rest and be alone with his thoughts. He groaned however, as he heard Alektor¡¯s voice call for him.


    ¡°Daniel.¡± The High King said, causing him to turn toward him. ¡°I would ask that you join me for a moment.¡±


    Daniel took in a breath, annoyed by the request, but nodded. Walking to join him and Katrina, who was standing with him. For whatever reason, she had been extremely distant lately. He was partly to blame as well, but Daniel was curious what actually transpired in her Dunem Dae Espa. When he broached the topic the day after the assassination attempts, she refused to speak about it. Since then, she had essentially been avoiding him.


    He gave her a nod in greeting, which she returned, not meeting his eye. Alektor turned down a familiar hall, no doubt heading toward one of his favorite studies. Daniel¡¯s suspicions were proven right, as they entered one of the larger ones. Within, were several guards, wearing Visgo colors, along with Queen Athica, who sat in the center on a large couch. She looked up as Alektor entered, and she bowed deeply.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± She said.


    ¡°Please, Queen Athica.¡± Alektor replied, gesturing to her to raise her head. ¡°None of that is necessary.¡±


    Daniel and Katrina took their seats, and Alektor claimed a large chair in the middle of the room.


    ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure, Highness?¡± Athica asked, taking her seat again, and eyeing Daniel and Katrina suspiciously.


    ¡°If you would wait a moment.¡± Alektor said, raising his hand. ¡°We are awaiting some more arrivals.¡±


    They all sat in silence for several long minutes, until the door opened, and Turak, Ambrosia, and Demessa entered. The latter had an expression of elation, which shifted to confusion when she scanned the room¡¯s occupants. They all sat, and Alektor began.


    ¡°Thank you for coming on such short notice.¡± He said, making it a point to look at Athica and Demessa. ¡°Though, I¡¯m afraid I bear grave news.¡± He took a moment to gather himself before continuing. ¡°King Reku¡­ fell during our attack against the Lokkadonian host. His body was carried off by the spirit, Dio¡¯Mar. And his whereabouts and condition are yet¡­ unknown.¡±


    Demessa gasped, her face turning to one of horror. ¡°You¡­ your highness¡­ you can¡¯t be¡ª¡±


    ¡°We do not have his body.¡± Alektor pressed. ¡°So, I can not verify his survival. But there is a high chance of it. Dio¡¯Mar is an ancient and powerful spirit. If anything could have saved him from the clutches of death, it would be her.¡±


    Athica¡¯s face was one of shock. ¡°I¡­¡± She placed her hand on her belly. ¡°What do we do about this?¡± she asked, fear and uncertainty clear in her voice. ¡°A dead king of Pontos, and a Spirit-Sent will bring untold chaos to the people.¡±


    ¡°My thoughts exactly.¡± Alektor agreed. ¡°We must keep the fate of Reku a secret¡­ Whether he lives or has joined the Spirits, we must not allow this news to spread.¡±


    ¡°There are already rumors.¡± Turak chimed in, his voice low and full of irritation. ¡°It¡¯s hard to hide when you have Boros of house Ignos celebrating spilling his guts on the field. Let alone the hundreds of warriors who witnessed it.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Demessa whispered, her eyes filling with tears. ¡°What happened to him? Did Boros¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so.¡± Turak replied. ¡°I¡­ I haven¡¯t seen anyone survive wounds like that. No matter how skilled the healer. Once your guts are in the mud¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s, quite enough, Turak.¡± Alektor gave him a warning glare. ¡°We have seen him endure far worse and return to us. We must have faith.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ must return to Pontos then.¡± Athica said, shaking her head.


    ¡°No.¡± Alektor shot back. ¡°You must remain here. At least until the child is born. There is no wisdom in exposing your condition to your court at this moment. The fact that you bear his child makes you an enemy to many who would love nothing more than to see you killed as a heretic.¡±


    Daniel nodded; the Espi-Dae were still the dominant religion in Eleutheros, and had enough influence to pose a real threat. And had the will to carry out those threats, the attempt on Alektor¡¯s life was evidence enough.


    ¡°I know it will be hard.¡± Alektor¡¯s voice was more soothing now. ¡°But we must maintain appearances. We are throwing a banquet tonight in the palace. I would require you all to be there, and with high spirits.¡± He looked at Katrina and Daniel. ¡°Especially you. Both of you have been morose since the battle. Please at least make an attempt to show the people of Vul De Rah that you are above such things. Perception is reality, my friends.¡±

 Chapter 41 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Several days following their arrival in Lokkadonia, the grand coronation ceremony for Telmos Regios as the new King took place. Daniel watched with genuine pride; the House of Regios had always commanded his respect for their wisdom and valor. The event was a spectacle of pomp and tradition, with every monarch from every clan of Eleutheros present, save Phobos from Torre¡¯, who regretfully declined the offer. The air was festive, filled with the harmonious sounds of the strange and unique instruments the Dae used, the rich scents of exotic spices, and the warm laughter of nobility.


    Once the celebrations concluded and the guests and dignitaries from the other clans had departed, Daniel''s focus shifted. He needed to prepare for his departure, driven by a mission that had been weighing on him since first waking up in the Spirit Forest. To find the other humans scattered across Pelemont. Using Alektor¡¯s spy network, a resource so vast it both impressed and unnerved Daniel, he learned that the Espi-Dunam cult had established a significant presence in Exous. This would be his first stop.


    With this information in hand, Daniel made his way through the ornate corridors of the Palace of Vul De Rah towards Alektor¡¯s study, to attend a meeting he had called with all members of Alektor¡¯s council. Upon arriving, he saw that everyone was present. Alektor himself, of course, along with Katrina, Turak, Delmos, Avria, Ambrosia, Queen Athica, and the newly crowned King of Lokkon, Telmos.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late.¡± Daniel said, finding a seat. ¡°I got a last-minute report from Exous.¡±


    ¡°What is this about, Daniel?¡± Avria asked, crossing her arms, ¡°We have several trade meetings with the Visgo and Volsung that we are already late for.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Daniel said, waving his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll make this quick.¡± Daniel pulled out a map of Eleutheros and laid it on one of the tables between them. The group gathered around it, and Daniel began. ¡°As some of you know, I had a mission with Oros into Baa¡¯Yega before the start of the war. We discovered that there was another human being held there by a cult called the ¡®Espi-Dunam.¡±


    "Wait." Delmos interjected, his tone sharp. "Another human? Why am I just hearing about this now?"


    ¡°Well, when we got there, the place had been destroyed and she had been rescued.¡± Daniel continued. ¡°By, according to one of the survivors, a group of three other humans.¡±


    Delmos slapped his forehead. ¡°Are you serious, Dan? I¡¯m never¡ª"


    ¡°Let me finish.¡± Daniel huffed. ¡°We made a plan to go after them, and make contact with the human group. After the war. Obviously, after the fall of Vul De Rah, that became an impossibility. Until now.¡± Daniel paused and looked at everyone in the room. ¡°Alektor has granted me permission to go on a quest to find these humans; and offered the full support of Eleutheros in doing so.¡± He tapped the map at Exous, the smallest and southernmost clan of Eleutheros. ¡°Our intelligence points to this as the location of the Espi-Dunam''s main headquarters. They have the records we need. Once there, I can determine our next steps in locating the other humans in Vohnahrav.¡± Everyone was silent for several seconds, before Katrina spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m in, Dan. I already told you before.¡±


    ¡°Now hold on a second.¡± Delmos held his hands up. ¡°We can¡¯t just jump into this, Kat. Daniel is most likely going to be heading out to different countries, different Kingdoms on this continent. The risk is insane. Here in Eleutheros would be fine, but out there? Who knows what will happen.¡±


    ¡°I agree with Prince Delmos,¡± Alektor interjected, his tone carrying the weight of his authority. ¡°Sending both of you on this mission together would make you an incredibly valuable target for our enemies. The risk is too substantial. I would insist that you remain here, Katrina.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª,¡± Katrina began, her eyes flashing with a mix of frustration and resolve. Her voice was cut off by the overlapping sentiments in the room, but her posture suggested she was far from convinced or resigned to staying behind.


    ¡°Regardless.¡± Daniel pressed on, pointing to Exous again on the map. This is something I need to do. I know for sure that at least one of my friends is in Dominicia. So, I¡¯m going no matter what. But I also agree. You need to stay here, Kat.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s face twisted into an angry scowl, but she didn¡¯t press the issue further.


    ¡°Daniel.¡± Avria said, ¡°why didn¡¯t you tell me about this?¡±


    Daniel shook his head. ¡°Because we had pressing matters, Avria. I wanted to survive this war first, and deal with the rest after.¡±


    Avria looked at the map, seemingly in deep thought. ¡°And Oros promised he would go with you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He confirmed.


    ¡°If that is the case. Then I will go as well.¡± Avria said, turning to Telmos. ¡°Delmos will make a fine prince, father. He and Princess Ambrosia can handle affairs until my return.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Telmos barked with authority, his voice echoing slightly in the room. ¡°This is too soon. We have only just reclaimed our position in Vul De Rah, Avria. You are needed here. I need your counsel, and your strength. Our House was on the brink of destruction. We cannot afford to be without you, especially not now when we are still piecing together what remains of Lokkadonia.¡±


    ¡°King Telmos.¡± Alektor interjected. ¡°Your daughter must embark. Her duty to the Spirit-Sent supersedes that of her council here. Delmos and Ambrosia will be up to the task. Ambrosia is a member of my council, and well versed in stately matters.¡±


    Telmos shook his head, ¡°But there is so much that needs to be done. Avria is my heir, and must be here to support the intricacies of our court. We can¡¯t just¡ª¡±


    ¡°You will have ample support, Telmos.¡± Alektor reassured him. ¡°I promise you, you will not be left ill-equipped for what lies ahead.¡±


    Telmos didn¡¯t look convinced, but nodded reluctantly. ¡°It seems I have no choice in the matter. Very well.¡±


    ¡°As this is a matter of great significance.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°You will need the highest level of protection I can personally offer. Lord Turak will accompany you on this mission.¡±


    Turak¡¯s eyes bulged, and he looked at Alektor in complete and utter shock. ¡°What!?¡± he sputtered. ¡°Alektor, I¡¯ll marry the girl! For the love of the Spirits this is unnecessary and childish.¡±


    Alektor looked at Turak, his face serious. ¡°You WILL bond with the girl, AND you will go on this mission. Turak, this is not a punishment. I need you to protect them. You are my most trusted friend and advisor. None other are more suited to go.¡±


    Turak looked up to the ceiling. ¡°Why do the Spirits hate me so? First you ask me to bond with a Lokkadonian woman. And second you ask me to go on a quest that could quite literally take months, or even years.¡±


    ¡°That Lokkadonian woman, is a way for us to heal our damaged Kingdom. You know your duty.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Lokkadonian woman?¡± Daniel asked, his curiosity piqued.


    ¡°Illya of House Ignos.¡± Alektor declared, earning a few gasps from the table. ¡°I will not discuss this now with any of you. My decision is final. Turak, please continue.¡±


    Illya was being forced to marry Turak? Daniel¡¯s mind raced at the revelation. Damn, that¡¯s not going to end well at all.


    Turak sighed heavily, and looked around the room. ¡°Fine. But I¡¯ll need someone powerful to help me.¡±


    ¡°Name them.¡± Alektor said.


    ¡°I need Malak.¡± Turak looked at one of the royal guards standing at the edge of the room. Daniel turned and saw just another elite warrior wrapped in a grey cloak, wearing a bone mask. The warrior nodded.


    Alektor turned to Athica. ¡°Are you alright with this, Athica? He is your royal protector after all.¡±


    The Visgo queen nodded. ¡°He will be of a lot more use, protecting a Spirit-Sent, than hovering around me all the hours of the day. Let him go.¡±


    ¡°Very well. It is settled then.¡± Alektor brought his hands together. ¡°In addition, I will be sending two squads of my personal royal guard. As well as diplomatic orders to meet and deal with the three kingdoms in Dominicia. If you intend to go somewhere else. Send me word, and I will ensure the proper documentation is made.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Alektor,¡± Daniel said, his voice laced with determination. ¡°We¡¯ll find who we can, and bring them back here.¡±


    As Daniel left the study, making his way to the practice yards where he could clear his mind through physical exertion, the political weight of his mission settled upon him. He moved through his forms, each motion a blend of combat practice and a meditation on the challenges ahead.


    Footsteps approached, breaking his concentration. Turning, he saw Katrina approaching with a practice blade of her own in hand, her presence both comforting and challenging.


    ¡°You look tense,¡± she remarked, her voice subdued as she stepped into the practice circle.


    Daniel started to stretch, feeling the tension in his muscles. ¡°We¡¯ve got lots to prepare for. Just making sure I¡¯m not getting rusty with all this sitting around.¡±


    Katrina chuckled, a sound that momentarily lifted the weight of his responsibilities. ¡°We just got back from the road, Dan. We haven¡¯t had a chance to just sit around.¡±


    Daniel shrugged. ¡°You want to have a match?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± She gave him a fierce look, ¡°Why do you think I came out here?¡±


    The two fought three bouts. Daniel managed to eke out two victories of the three. But the one he lost left him with a painful reminder on his head that she was not to be underestimated.


    The two sat panting on one of the stone benches. Katrina drank deeply from a water skin, and handed it over to Daniel, who did the same.


    Now that the elation and adrenalin from the fight was starting the fade, the familiar awkward silence fell over them, blanketing them in melancholy.


    ¡°So, when are you going to talk about what happened?¡± He asked her, staring at the torn sand of the practice circle.


    He felt the sudden change in the atmosphere as soon as the subject was broached. She sighed, glancing at him. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ I saw things, Dan. I can¡¯t explain it. It was¡­ a vision or something. I saw how Pelemont fell into darkness. I saw millions of Dae, being torn apart by monsters. Cities burning¡­ and. I saw everyone dead.¡±


    Daniel didn¡¯t speak, just gave her time to continue.


    ¡°I saw how it all began¡­ with the death of Alektor and Avria. I saw how it plunged the entire kingdom into a second civil war. Then the creatures came; pouring out of portals or something. Dan, it was so horrible¡­ I saw¡­¡±


    Daniel put his hand over her shoulder, doing his best to comfort her. ¡°I also saw what happened to me¡­ you know, when you and I...¡±


    Daniel coughed, ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°It was this horrible looking monster. With writhing tentacles and eyes all over it¡¯s body. It planted something in my Dunem Dae Espa. Like a seed that was gently influencing me but growing. It made me think things I shouldn¡¯t. But.¡±


    ¡°So, it was what you said.¡± Daniel nodded, feeling a pang of something he couldn¡¯t even recognize in his chest.


    ¡°Dan,¡± She put her hand on his and gave him a reassuring smile. ¡°I don¡¯t care what that thing did to me. I don¡¯t regret what happened. It was amazing, and it showed me what type of man you are. I¡­ actually would be willing to continue that, you know¡­ if you wanted to.¡± She shrugged in embarrassment.


    Daniel was caught a bit off guard at the admission. He had thought she had moved far beyond any such thoughts. ¡°I- uh.¡± He stuttered, a sudden weight settling in his chest. ¡°Kat, that¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know it''s out of the blue,¡± Katrina said, her words escaping in a rush, tinged with a defensiveness that masked her own vulnerability. She looked away briefly, as if gathering her resolve. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it right now. You¡¯ve got your mission to focus on, and you don¡¯t need the distraction. I don¡¯t know how long you¡¯ll be gone.¡± Her gaze returned to him, softer now, carrying a depth of understanding and acceptance. ¡°But just know that things will be taken care of here. No pressure.¡±


    Daniel blinked at her, still at a loss for words. ¡°I get it.¡± He said, finally finding his tongue. ¡°And I think you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°It was dumb of me to mention anything now¡­ right before you leave. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, Kat. It¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡± A forced cough stole their attention.


    Daniel turned to see Avria and Nasha standing at the edge of the training field.


    ¡°Sorry to interrupt.¡± Nasha said, smirking. ¡°But we have some pressing matters to go over with Daniel.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Katrina said, pulling away from Daniel and approaching the two.


    Daniel felt a tightness in his chest at the sudden intrusion, but made his way to them as well.


    Avria nodded to him in greeting, and Nasha began. ¡°From our reports of the Espi-Dunem, they have been extremely active in Visoth. Mainly in their western provinces. The Hegos there have been making quite the effort to eradicate them, but from what our spies are telling us; despite their efforts, their numbers have been growing.¡±


    ¡°Ok.¡± Daniel said, not really seeing how this information would change his mission in any way.


    ¡°They have also been reported, by our spies.¡± Avria interjected. ¡°Using force on Spirit-Sent to keep them there. They have apparently used force on two different Spirit-Sent, in an attempt to bring them under their control.¡±


    ¡°So, what are you saying exactly?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°We are saying,¡± Nasha continued, her tone now laced with urgency, ¡°is that we would recommend extreme caution, and perhaps consider a different mission altogether.¡±¡±


    Daniel crossed his arms. ¡°I don¡¯t think there will be a problem. We have some of the strongest Dae in Eleutheros with us, and I can take care of myself.¡±


    ¡°You also stick out like a pregnant Cro¡¯Kan.¡± Avria said, ¡°The risk is too great.¡±


    ¡°I might have a solution, Dan.¡± Katrina spoke up, bringing everyone¡¯s attention to her. ¡°I learned a really nifty ability a little while back.¡± Katrina smiled.


    Avria raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°Explain.¡±


    Without saying a word. Katrina closed her eyes. She strained a bit, but within several seconds, she transformed into a complete copy of Avria herself.¡±


    Daniel took a step back, shocked at the ability and Avria and Nasha¡¯s eyes widened, in clear surprise.


    ¡°See?¡± Katrina chuckled, her voice carrying a hint of mischief. She stood before them, her form perfectly mimicking Avria down to the smallest detail. Even the way she imitated her signature scowl was an exact replica. ¡°I can take on the form of anyone. I guess only powerful Dae can sense the disguise. I mean, Alektor saw through it, but if you can learn to use it, it would be really helpful in staying hidden. They won¡¯t even know you¡¯re a human being. Just tell everyone that you decided to stay in Vul De Rah with Telmos. Or go with Alektor back to Thule.¡±


    Avria seemed to regain her composure, her initial shock giving way to a more analytical gaze as she studied Katrina''s mirrored features. Daniel couldn¡¯t blame her, the sight was bizarre, like looking into a living mirror, yet the reflection moved independently. ¡°This is¡­ unnerving,¡± Avria admitted, the word slipping out as she touched her own face, then Katrina''s, confirming the illusion was indeed perfect.


    ¡°It really does look like you, Avria,¡± Nasha commented, her eyes twinkling with amusement. ¡°Maybe a bit less wrinkles though.¡±


    Avria rolled her eyes. ¡°Well, as far as an alibi.¡± She leaned back and brought her hand to her chin, still looking at Katrina. ¡°If you are insistent on going, then we will have to recreate your presence somewhere else. Vul De Rah has too many spies. The only solution is to say you are going to Thule with Alektor.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Nasha laughed. ¡°This will be fun for me. All I have to do is create little scenarios for you. Attending a party or having a small practice bout with witnesses. Something of that nature. Leave it to me.¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± Daniel groaned.


    ¡°I trust you.¡± Katrina said to Nasha, starting to walk away. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a quick shower. Come by later for some training, Dan.¡±


    ¡°Katrina!¡± Avria barked after her.


    Katrina turned around, alarm and confusion on her face.


    ¡°You will not walk around with my likeness.¡± Avria¡¯s stern look, sent a shiver down Daniel¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Katrina laughed, ¡°Sorry.¡± She closed her eyes, and a sheet of sand fell off her skin, revealing her own human skin beneath.


    ¡°That is a terrifyingly effective ability.¡± Nasha chuckled, watching Katrina turn and continue to leave. ¡°It could be used for all kinds of mischief.¡±

 Chapter 42 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel had spent the next several days working with Katrina to try and perfect the ability she was said to have developed in mere minutes. It was more difficult for him, as his Dunamis was a far more volatile element. But in the end, he managed to change his skin color and hair to match those of a Dae. He now had a yellow complexion, and pearl white hair. Though not the common length of a Dae, which hung down past their shoulders, it would pass. Alektor had shorter hair too, so he would just say he styled it after his. He also had assumed the identity of a Visgo prince named Pol¡¯medus, younger brother of Queen Athica. And second in the line of succession, after her unborn child. It was a strange sensation, changing his appearance; but also, somewhat liberating.


    After another two days of preparation, Daniel and his party were ready to embark. Having been briefed on their route by Turak, assigned a retinue of twenty-four elite warriors, and provided with as many supplies as they could carry; the time had come to finally leave.


    Daniel rode at the head of the column, next to Turak. In the rear were Avria and the hand-picked elite warrior, Malak, riding just behind a stone carriage that slid across the road. The trek to Exous would be a long one. Being a small kingdom at the far South side of Eleutheros, they would have to journey through Baa¡¯Yega territory, then through Sabree, and through Volsung. Turak told Daniel it would be weeks of travel, at their current speed.


    Within two days, they approached the familiar pale walls of Baa¡¯Yega. A long barrier that had been erected centuries ago, back when Lokkon and Rexun had been the same clan. They approached the large gate house that would be their entrance, and found a full entourage of blue clad warriors and what Daniel thought were noblemen and women.


    ¡°Here we go.¡± Turak said, bringing his Cro¡¯kan to a trot.


    As they approached, one of the Baa¡¯Yega warriors held his hand up and the party came to a stop.


    ¡°Please state your business.¡± He announced.


    Turak removed a scroll from his satchel, and presented it to the warrior. It was golden, and held on it the royal seal of House Roh. It was Alektor¡¯s decree and proof of their identity as ambassadors of the High King himself. ¡°I am Lord Turak, of House Skotos. We come on behalf of our High King, Alektor. We bid passage through your lands to fulfill our diplomatic mission to Exous.¡± Turak lowered the scroll, and the warrior before him bowed his head.


    ¡°We welcome you to the territory of Baa¡¯Yega.¡± The warrior said, ¡°Princess Avria, and Lord Turak as well as all members of your party, are invited to rest here for the remainder of the day. Our Prince and Princess have overseen the construction of a small site. They wish to meet with you.¡±


    Daniel shrugged when all eyes turned toward him. Turak¡¯s look was unreadable. And Daniel let out a sigh. He really wasn¡¯t going to make this trip easy on him.


    ¡°We¡¯re alright.¡± Daniel said, ¡°We¡¯ve got a strict schedule to meet. Tell them we¡ª¡±


    Daniel was cut off when Avria rode next to him. ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish.¡± She said, her voice hushed. ¡°The Prince and the Princess are both here. They expect an audience.¡±


    Daniel scowled at her. ¡°Avria, we don¡¯t have time for this. We don¡¯t know how long our spies can keep tabs on the cultists. lives are at stake here.¡±


    ¡°Daniel.¡± She said firmly, ¡°Our mission here is not just to find your friends or these other humans. It is also to conduct ourselves with our neighboring clans. They have gone through the trouble of setting this up. It would be greatly offensive to deny them this.¡±


    Daniel stared at her for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°Fine.¡± He said, then lifted his head up to speak to Turak. ¡°Tell the Prince and the Princess that we would be honored to accept their hospitality.¡±


    Turak nodded with a grin and relayed the message.


    The warrior bowed his head again, even lower this time, and turned to guide them through the gate.


    As they moved past the wall, Daniel was again struck by how beautiful the Baa¡¯Yega territory actually was. The trees littered the valleys below. There were long spiraled towers that stood hundreds of feet in the air throughout the valley as well, sticking out of the canopy of the trees. Tearing his eyes from the scenery, he saw that just outside of the gate, there was an assortment of luxurious huts made of stone. Nearly identical to the ones Alektor had been using with them lately. There were six large houses that surrounded a massive fire pit in the center. Daniel had to admit he was growing very fond of these royal camping spots. Just outside of the huts were two dozen small tents. Daniel figured they were for the warriors they had accompanying them.


    After dismounting, and turning their Cro¡¯kan over to several Dae handlers, Daniel, Turak, and Avria made their way toward the center of their royal encampment. Standing there were two Dae in luxurious clothing, a man, and a beautiful woman, surrounded by attendants.


    ¡°Lord Turak of House Skotos!¡± One of the attendants announced. ¡°Princess Avria, of House Regios! And¡­¡± He looked at Daniel expectantly.


    ¡°Oh, uh¡­ Prince Pol¡¯medus of house Krat.¡± Daniel whispered.


    ¡°And Prince Pol¡¯medus of house Krat!¡±


    The two well-dressed Dae approached with the grace of nobility, their attire shimmering under the soft light of the sun. Their smiles were warm, inviting, and as they neared, the air seemed to carry a hint of anticipation.


    ¡°Welcome! I am Prince Reni of House Rogima.¡± He greeted, his voice resonant yet gentle, bowing his head slightly in a gesture of respect.


    His companion, equally regal, followed suit. ¡°And I am Princess Tali, also of House Rogima,¡± she announced, her voice melodious as she mirrored her brother''s bow. ¡°We are so happy that you have accepted our invitation.¡±


    Avria responded with a courteous bow of her head. ¡°Prince and Princess,¡± she acknowledged, her tone respectful yet weary from her journey. ¡°Thank you for your hospitality. It is a welcome respite from the road.¡±


    Tali, unable to contain her excitement, pranced over to Avria, her movements light and almost dance-like and took Avria''s hands in hers. ¡°Princess Avria!¡± she exclaimed with a genuine warmth that seemed to light up her eyes. ¡°I am so pleased to finally meet you. And congratulations to your father for his new appointment as King of Lokkadonia.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Reni added, turning his attention now to Daniel. His gaze was appraising, perhaps curious about the unexpected presence of a royal from Visgo. ¡°And it is wonderful to finally meet one of the royal members of House Krat. Visgo royalty seem to all be isolationists.¡±


    Daniel felt the weight of the situation. He was not born into this life, and every word he spoke was a learned response, not a natural one. He bowed slightly, trying to mimic the practiced ease of those born into nobility. ¡°Thank you for your hospitality,¡± he managed, his voice steady but lacking the natural flair of his peers. He was acutely aware of his own limitations in the art of courtly conversation. ¡°A respite from the harshness of the road is more than welcome,¡± he added, inwardly congratulating himself on sounding somewhat regal. However, he caught Avria''s subtle eye roll, a silent critique of his performance.


    ¡°Please, please!¡± Reni said, ¡°Change from your travel clothes, bathe. Today you are our honored guests! You have a long road ahead of you yet, so rest and leave your worries for tomorrow.¡±


    Daniel was approached by several attendants and looked behind him briefly to catch Avria¡¯s eye. She nodded toward him, and they followed their guides to their royal accommodations. The stone hut he was brought too was far more luxurious than the ones he had used previously. It even had a stone door that opened and closed when you placed your hand on an imbued plate that sat in the center of it. When he entered it, Daniel could hardly believe his eyes. Velvet-like curtains hung from the ceiling, and lush rugs covered the floor. There was a massive bed in the center with fine pillows and sheets as well.


    ¡°The bathing room his here, my Lord.¡± The attendant who led him there said, bowing his head. ¡°Feel free to use any of the clothes that have been left for you. Leave your travel clothes here, and we will have them cleaned for you in time for your departure tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Thanks¨C eh, Thank you.¡± Daniel corrected himself, looking again at how amazing his accommodation was.


    After bathing and putting on the most normal looking clothes he could find from the assortment provided for him. Daniel made his way outside and saw Turak in a discussion with Malak, the one in charge of their warriors. Daniel approached and greeted them both.


    ¡°How¡¯s everything coming?¡± Daniel asked,


    ¡°Oh, hello Daniel.¡± Turak said, forcing a smile across his face. ¡°It would seem our hosts are insisting our warriors and guards stay out of the royal area here. They keep assuring us that we are well protected here and have no need for any extra security. That isn¡¯t the point though. As up until a short time ago, the Baa¡¯Yega were our enemies, and I would like my own warriors to protect us while we sleep.¡±


    ¡°Seems rational,¡± Daniel agreed. ¡°Who¡¯s in charge?¡±


    ¡°An annoying woman, who¡¯s name I didn¡¯t care to remember.¡± Turak spat in annoyance.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Daniel nodded, ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°Back at the tents.¡± Malak said, ¡°She is helping our warriors organize our sleeping arrangements...¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Daniel said, ¡°Tell her that it would greatly offend the princess of Lokkon if she doesn¡¯t have her warriors present. Make sure to convey that it is a great insult to a warrior princess like her.¡±


    ¡°I will relay the message, my Lord.¡± Malak said, then bowed to him and Turak and left.


    ¡°Warrior princess, huh?¡± Turak said, letting out a chuckle.


    ¡°She fits the bill.¡± Daniel shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she does.¡±


    Daniel noticed a slight grimace on Turak¡¯s face. ¡°Well, you look like you could use a drink. Care to join me?¡±


    Turak turned to meet his eyes. ¡°I would be honored. And truer words have never been spoken.¡±


    Daniel and Turak made their way to an assortment of stone benches in the center. Avria sat with Reni and Tali, sipping wine and talking amongst themselves.


    ¡°I hope we aren¡¯t intruding.¡± Turak said, bowing as they approached.


    ¡°Lord Turak! Come, sit!¡± Reni said, gesturing to the empty benches. ¡°We were just discussing the war.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ a fine topic to start the night.¡± Turak remarked sarcastically.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Princess Avria was a warrior.¡± Tali said, smiling at them. ¡°It is so rare to find royalty that fights with the warriors as well.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Turak chuckled, ¡°Highness, in Rexun all who wear the crown are expected to fight. If you cannot fight for your people, how can you expect them to fight for you?¡±


    There were several seconds of silence as Turak¡¯s words sank in, and Daniel noticed Tali¡¯s smile slip, ever so slightly.


    ¡°Well, none of us here can deny the battle prowess of Rexunii royalty.¡± She said, then looked at Daniel. ¡°And Prince Pol¡¯medus.¡±


    ¡°Pol, is fine.¡± He added, already tired of people pronouncing his entire name.


    ¡°Pol.¡± She repeated it, ¡°What a strange name. I am most curious about you. There are many rumors in our court. Would you be willing to answer some questions?¡±


    ¡°With all due respect.¡± Turak interjected. ¡°Your Highness, I think we should hold the questions until Pol¡¯medus at least holds a bowl of wine.¡±


    Reni and Tali laughed, and motioned the attendants around them who held jugs of wine. ¡°Let¡¯s solve that problem.¡± She chirped happily,


    Daniel accepted a bowl and took a long drink from it. To his surprise it was very sweet and refreshing. More like punch than wine. He also noted that it was ice cold.


    Tali, seeming to have observed his reaction, giggled. ¡°Do you like it?¡± She asked, ¡°It is one of Baa¡¯Yega¡¯s most popular blends of wine. We imported imbued containers from Vohnavix. The civilized settlement of Delmaya has many interesting trinkets from the savages who live there. It keeps everything very cold. Perfect for a day like today, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Daniel drank the rest of his bowl and held it out to fill it again. ¡°Wow. This has got to be the best damn wine I¡¯ve had since I got he¡ª uh left Pontos. Nothing like this on Visgo, let me tell ya.¡±


    Avria took a shaky breath, most likely restraining her unyielding desire to reprimand him. ¡°Be sure to slow down then, Prince Pol. This wine is rather strong. I would hate to see you stumbling around here drunk.¡± She said, before whispering ¡°again.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, Avria.¡± Tali smiled, her eyes turning predatory. ¡°Let the poor man enjoy himself.¡±


    ¡°Tali.¡± Reni chuckled. ¡°Have you forgotten your questions?¡±


    ¡°Ah~!¡± She lifted her finger dramatically, ¡°You¡¯re right dear brother.¡± She looked Daniel in the eyes and smiled. ¡°We have heard from several people in court, that you are well acquainted with the Spirit-Sent. Particularly you, Avria. We heard you trained one of them how to fight!¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± she managed to say. Attempting and failing to hide her obvious discomfort. ¡°I did, in fact, train Spirit-Sent Katrina in the ways of her blade.¡±


    ¡°Oh! How exciting!¡± Tali exclaimed. ¡°Is it true they don¡¯t sleep?¡±


    Turak almost spit his wine out at the question.


    Daniel chuckled. ¡°That, is uh¡­ untrue. Humans sleep, some way too much.¡±


    ¡°I see. So, you are familiar with them as well. That would make sense, given King Reku is your brother-in-law after all.¡± Tali leaned back, her smile unwavering. ¡°This is so thrilling! Alright, next question. It''s said they possess strange and unnatural abilities. We''ve heard tales of their deeds in the last battle¡ªcalling forth golden flames, raising mountains from the ground, or even resurrecting the dead! Is there any truth to this?¡±


    Daniel hesitated for a moment, not quite sure how to answer.


    ¡°The Spirit-Sent have abilities that are different from the Dae.¡± Avria interjected mercifully. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean that they are unnatural. Spirit-Sent Daniel is a Dae-Ra, and his control over fire is strong. Spirit-Sent Katrina is a Dae-Voh, but as far as slaughtering swaths of warriors with flames or raising the dead, the answer is no; nothing else need be said.¡±


    Tali gave a slight look of disappointment. ¡°That¡¯s a shame, I suppose. We heard that one summoned a spirit blade in the second battle for Vul De Rah, and blasted hundreds of warriors to a fiery death.¡±


    Daniel swallowed hard.


    ¡°I was there, Tali.¡± Avria reaffirmed, her voice serious. ¡°Daniel is a skilled warrior. not an unnatural one.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I will accept your answers, though I think you¡¯re holding back.¡± Tali raised a mischievous eyebrow. ¡°That brings me to my next question. Why are they here? Humans, I mean. How did they get here, and why?¡±


    Daniel took a deep breath and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we really don¡¯t know. According to them, they woke up in this world with no recollection of how it actually transpired. There isn¡¯t much more information we can give you. It¡¯s a real mystery¡±


    ¡°But where did they come from?¡± Reni asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it odd that they arrived, just after the High Espi-Dae¡¯s vision?¡±


    Daniel laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. So far, they haven¡¯t done anything to show me they¡¯re demons.¡±


    ¡°They are just like you or I.¡± Avria continued for him. ¡°They eat, sleep, just like a Dae.¡±


    ¡°It seems so surreal.¡± Tali said, ¡°From how the Espi-Dae said it, they were all demons and monsters. But you¡¯re making them out to be¡­ just normal.¡±


    ¡°Well, they can¡¯t be all that different. King Reku has mated with the Visgo queen.¡± Reni said, ¡°That can only mean that humans and Dae have the ability to reproduce together.¡±


    ¡°These questions are making me feel a bit uncomfortable.¡± Turak said, turning to look at Daniel. His look was obvious. Don¡¯t say anything. Daniel took the hint, and again shrugged, feigning ignorance.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know about that either.¡± He said, ¡°If it¡¯s possible, I guess we¡¯ll just have to see.¡±


    Tali sighed, ¡°I suppose.¡± She glanced at Avria. ¡°I would propose another game then. I think my curiosity has been sated, for now.¡±


    Avria gave her a blank stare, clearly not enjoying the attention.


    Tali snapped her fingers, and five jugs of wine were placed on the table in front of each of them. ¡°The game is simple. We drink and drink, until each of these jugs are empty.¡± She giggled eagerly pouring wine into her bowl.


    Avria rolled her eyes, looking as though she were about to decline.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about backing out, Avria.¡± Tali said, ¡°We are celebrating your ascension into true royalty as well. It would be very rude to decline.¡±


    Avria grimaced, but filled her bowl of wine and started to drink.


    After what felt like hours, Daniel¡¯s vision started to blur, and the smell of sweet wine had completely filled his senses. They had laughed and conversed with the siblings, mainly Daniel and Turak. Avria seemed to be sulking on the sidelines, slowly sipping her wine. Darkness had started to embrace the land, and small bulbs of fire were made around them to keep the light. It wasn¡¯t until Turak started to talk about his new mate to be. With that, Daniel¡¯s attention was brought back to the conversation.


    ¡°Well, who is it then!?¡± Rani asked. ¡°Spit it out, Turak!¡± He laughed.


    ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t.¡± Turak grinned, leaning back. After some time, one of the attendants was pulled into the festivities, and had been given permission to drink, but only if she sat on Turak¡¯s lap. By this time, she giggled and held him like he was a king.


    ¡°It must be someone high in the ranks. And you said she was Lokkadonian¡­¡± Tali pondered, her face flushed blue. Then her eyes widened. ¡°I know! It¡¯s Illya of House Ignos!¡±


    Turak smacked his forehead dramatically but groaning in feigned defeat.


    ¡°Wait¡­ it is!?¡± Reni seemed surprised. Daniel sighed heavily, the topic one of genuine concern for him.


    ¡°Alektor is making you mate with her!?¡± Reni continued.


    ¡°Scandalous.¡± Tali laughed, ¡°Why in all the names of the spirits would she agree to something like that. After what happened.¡±


    ¡°Well, it was either that, or her brother face the consequences.¡± Turak¡¯s face split into a grin. ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t until I return from this mission, so.¡± He grabbed the attendant¡¯s rear, and she let out a yelp. ¡°Until then, I will have my fill where I can.¡±


    Daniel was still a bit shocked from learning this before, but Alektor¡¯s strategy made sense to him. Illya was still from an old and powerful House. No doubt Alektor believed he had every right to punish her for her family¡¯s crimes. But this way, she still retained some political value. And in a way it would elevate her family to a higher status. Turak was Alektor¡¯s second after all, though his discomfort with the whole situation was evident.


    ¡°Well, my dear?¡± Turak asked, looking at the attendant, a hunger in his eyes. ¡°Would you mind showing me to my hut? I tend to get lost when I drink too much wine.¡±


    She giggled and stood from his lap and pulled him by his hands out of the light, and into the darkness of the camp.


    Tali stretched her arms and looked into her empty jug of wine. ¡°Well, I must say, it has been quite a pleasure meeting all of you. But there are still a few things we absolutely MUST go over together.¡±


    ¡°It is a bit late.¡± Avria spoke, her eyes betraying her feelings. ¡°And we have an early start tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come now~¡± Tali''s voice took on a conspiratorial tone as she scooted closer, her eyes twinkling with mischief. ¡°I want to tell you the real reason our father insisted we come here to meet with you.¡±


    ¡°Tali,¡± Reni interjected, his voice carrying a note of caution. ¡°It¡¯s too late for this.¡±


    ¡°No, Reni. You know what father said. You can''t get out of it.¡±


    Avria shifted, her discomfort palpable. She sighed heavily, clearly bracing herself for what was to come as the effervescent princess continued undeterred.


    ¡°Father said,¡± Tali paused for dramatic effect, her voice lowering to a whisper, ¡°that he wanted to propose a marriage between our families!¡±


    Avria, caught completely off guard, spat out her wine, her eyes wide with a mix of shock and indignation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±


    ¡°Our father, King Tegan, sent a formal request to your father, King Telmos, this morning.¡± Tali''s smile was broad, almost triumphant. ¡°He wants you to marry Reni here!¡±


    Avria''s face contorted into a complex tapestry of emotions; offense, disgust, hatred, and a flicker of fear, all mingling together in a single, intense expression.


    Despite the tension, or perhaps because of it, Daniel couldn''t suppress a laugh. The absurdity of the situation, coupled with Avria''s priceless reaction, was too much for him.


    ¡°Pol!¡± Tali chided. ¡°Don¡¯t laugh, it¡¯s serious!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that would be possible.¡± Avria replied, glaring at Daniel. ¡°With my¡­ mission¡­ or.¡± She narrowed her eyes. ¡°My father wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Time for bed, Tali.¡± Reni stood, his face one of complete embarrassment. ¡°I must apologize, Princess. My sister tends to be a bit brash and overzealous when drunk.¡±


    ¡°Oh, stop it.¡± She giggled. ¡°It was just a bit of fun.¡± She lifted her arms in the air dramatically. ¡°Very well, I am tired now. Reni!¡± She called, ¡°Take me to bed.¡±


    Reni sighed heavily and picked her up off the stone bench. ¡°My sister seems to have had too much to drink. I better get her to bed before she vomits all over me. Please accept my sincerest apologies. Sleep well my friends!¡±


    After, Daniel was left with Avria and several attendants who still stood around them. ¡°You all can go.¡± He said to them. ¡°We¡¯re fine.¡±


    The attendants all looked at one another nervously, then bowed and walked away.


    ¡°You alright?¡± He asked her, and she tilted her head toward him. Daniel noticed then that her eyes were a bit hazy, and she had a deep blue blush on her face. ¡°Hah! I can¡¯t believe Kat is missing this, you¡¯re drunk!¡±


    Avria scoffed, turning away from him. ¡°I am not ¡®drunk¡¯, Daniel. I just haven¡¯t had the misfortune of indulging in childish games and drink in many years.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on, it¡¯s not that bad.¡± he said, chuckling. ¡°I thought it was fun.¡±


    ¡°Of course you would.¡± She stiffened, ¡°You can¡¯t hold your wine though, so I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re still standing.¡±


    ¡°Hey now.¡± Daniel held his hands up defensively. ¡°I can hold my wine just fine. I just.¡± His eyes became distant as the memory of Rin and Matea flashed across his mind. Avria must have noticed this because she immediately turned to face him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Daniel. I didn¡¯t mean to bring that up.¡± She looked at him sympathetically.


    ¡°No, Avria. It¡¯s alright. I know you know what I¡¯m going through. Seeing people you care about die, is¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen comrades die, Daniel. Friends and family on the battlefield¡± She took another small sip of wine. ¡°But, you said something to me after the death of Oros. That for whatever reason stuck with me. You said, ¡®You are a force of nature when you¡¯re focused. Keep their memory alive in your deeds. Fight on and lead your friends and companions to victory. And complete your mission¡¯.¡±


    Daniel smiled, happy that he was at least somewhat helpful to her during that difficult time. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± He said, ¡°But don¡¯t tell me I can¡¯t hold my wine. Last time was a fluke.¡±


    Avria seemed to bristle at the words. ¡°It certainly was.¡±


    Daniel sat for several seconds, drinking more wine to numb his thoughts. ¡°Come on.¡± He finally spat. ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been that bad.¡±


    Avria raised an eyebrow, her golden eyes glaring at him. ¡°I hope you aren¡¯t talking about what I think you are.¡±


    ¡°And what would that be?¡±


    Avria sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t play stupid with me. We agreed never to speak of it again.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t make it seem like I was the only one at fault.¡± Daniel¡¯s eyes blazed with defiance. ¡°You kissed me back. I also seem to remember you wrapping your arms around my neck and pulling me in too.¡±


    Avria¡¯s face went completely blue, and she fumed. ¡°We are not having this conversation, Daniel.¡±


    ¡°No, we need to clear the air.¡± He continued. ¡°The first time you brought it up, I let it slide, but at least I had an excuse.¡± He held up his bowl of wine. ¡°I was drunk off my ass. You were sober.¡±


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Avria growled. Daniel¡¯s words caught in his throat, at the sight of her eyes flaring with anger. ¡°I am struggling with my own obstacles, Daniel. My family, my status, my clan,¡± She paused for a moment, and her posture softened ever so slightly. ¡°You¡­ I don¡¯t know the right way forward. I have been a strong and reliable ward for decades, advising the will of my Hego and my father. Now I am a princess who has responsibilities beyond anything I would have imagined.¡± She shook her head, ¡°And you keep prodding me with this nonsense. Pushing me because of a foolish moment of weakness.¡±


    ¡°Avria.¡± Daniel said, unsure how to proceed. How to reassure her. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a moment of weakness, Avria. I am not your weakness.¡±


    She looked at him, puzzled


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you label me as such either.¡± Daniel took a long drink from his wine and slammed his bowl on the table. ¡°I am a strength. And I always will be. You fuckin¡¯ know that, because of all the shit we went through. Just like you are a strength to me. You¡¯re the one who always is talking about honor and duty and all that other bullshit. Maybe your own insecurity is the weakness.¡±


    Avria narrowed her eyes. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°That night we both reached out for our strength.¡± He said, ¡°I looked in your eyes, and saw one of the most beautiful and trustworthy people I¡¯ve ever met. And whether through a lapse in judgment, or the wine or whatever, I went in. And when you reciprocated? I knew that I made the right call.¡± He stood and tossed the remaining wine in his bowl on the grass. ¡°But you moved on, told me to call it quits.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me this way, Daniel.¡± Avria stood angrily as well. ¡°I will not sit here and be spoken down to, by you or anyone else.¡±


    Daniel waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Then you should go to bed. Let¡¯s cool our heads and. I don¡¯t know¡­ deal with this shit in the morning.¡±


    Avria huffed, and left Daniel there alone. He watched as her silhouette faded into the night and cursed at himself internally. This mess was definitely becoming a distraction. He didn¡¯t have time to focus on feelings or any other meaningless drama. He let out a sigh, suddenly regretting tossing the last of his wine in the grass.

 Chapter 43 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel lifted his face toward warm water running from his luxurious hut¡¯s shower. The hangover that now harassed his senses was far less than his last indulgence of wine, but no less irritating. He shook his head, recalling the unnecessary argument he had with Avria the night prior. The stubborn woman really knew how to push his buttons. But emotions were high, and with the not-so-subtle lubrication of alcohol on one¡¯s senses. He wasn¡¯t surprised at her anger.


    Irritation flared within him at her words all the same. She was enduring a lot right now. Going so far as to snap at him the way she did. Why the hell did she come with me then? The thought perturbed him. She had been travelling nearly at a constant rate since the fall of Vul De Rah. He had been as well, but that was beside the point.


    Releasing his flow of spiritual energy, the water subsided, and he dressed himself in his riding attire. The trip would be hard from here on out. Dense forests lay between where he was and the Volsung border. Volsung was said to be harsh terrain as well. Bare farmland and plains, where grazing spirit beasts roamed in massive herds.


    He checked his reflection before he said goodbye to the last comfortable bed, he would see for at least a few weeks. Noting his complexion and hair were appropriate for his new identity he made his way out.


    The door slid open, and Prince Reni was standing there, with his hand raised, about to press the plate to open the door.


    ¡°Oh.¡± He said, his face one of surprise. ¡°Hello, Pol. I was¡­ about to¡­ well, I was wondering if you had a moment to¡­ speak about something.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh- sure.¡± He said, a bit taken aback by his sudden appearance. ¡°Well, I guess you caught me. I had a bit too much wine, and well. It¡¯s a long road ahead.¡± Daniel chuckled awkwardly.


    ¡°Ah~ yes, of course.¡± Reni grinned. ¡°We¡¯ve all been a bit sluggish this morning. Anyway, I have a question for you if you don¡¯t mind. My father had a bit of an ulterior motive in sending us here. As¡­ Tali mentioned last night. I am not quite sure of it, but I needed your opinion on the matter. You see, I was pledged to a certain princess Ambrosia before the war. Then she betrayed the Torre¡¯ and so on. Now that things have settled, he requested that I try my hand with the newly elevated princess Avria.¡±


    Daniel tried to hide his amusement, and nodded in understanding. He liked Reni, at least so far, based off what he knew of him. But this little prince wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against someone like Avria.


    ¡°Yeah. You mentioned that.¡± Daniel chuckled


    ¡°I spoke with her again this morning¡­¡± Reni seemed to deflate, embarrassment flushing his face. ¡°I¡ª"


    ¡°I know it¡¯s tough.¡± Daniel did his best to reassure him. She probably let him down; and not easily, he thought. ¡°She was pretty harsh last night. Barely said a word to me either.¡±


    ¡°If I had known that... well.¡± Reni winced. ¡°I just wanted to apologize. It is only proper that I tended to this myself.¡±


    Daniel raised an eyebrow. ¡°What are you apologizing to me for? You didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°I am apologizing for not connecting the pieces.¡± Reni cocked his head. ¡°That you are already betrothed to her.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I should have seen it last night,¡± Reni continued. ¡°You both arriving together and traveling on a diplomatic mission. When she informed me this morning, I was mortified that we had overstepped.¡± He looked at him with the utmost sincerity in his eyes. ¡°Again, I apologize. I would never attempt to¡ª¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what she said, huh?¡± Daniel¡¯s irritation started to boil over, his human way of speaking bleeding through just a bit. She screams at me last night when I dared to bring up the small moment we shared. Then turns around and uses me as a shield to deflect a suiter she doesn¡¯t want? Hell no.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Reni.¡± Daniel reassured the prince. ¡°No harm was done. Now if you would please excuse me. I need to get back to Turak and the rest of the party.¡± With a stiff nod, Daniel strode forward, his mind set on clearing the air.


    Reni looked puzzled at that, but bowed his head. ¡°Thank you, Prince Pol¡¯medus. I wish you all the best on your journey.¡±


    Just outside of the main royal camp, the Rexunii elite warriors were nearly finished breaking down their tents and loading their gear into the stone carriage. A bit to the side was Avria, who was loading her Cro¡¯kan with her own gear and supplies.


    ¡°Morning.¡± Daniel said gruffly, doing his best to contain his growing irritation.


    Her yellow eyes flashed as they met his, and she responded shortly. ¡°Morning.¡± Before turning back to continue her task.


    Daniel took a calming breath, thinking about how he would approach it. An angry confrontation would no doubt cause more problems than he or anyone here needed. With a flash of determination, he decided that a stoic humor would probably be the best way to ease into it.


    ¡°So, when¡¯s the date?¡± He asked, no hint of humor in his voice.


    Avria finished strapping down a satchel full of parchment and maps, then turned to him with a stern eyebrow raised. ¡°What date?¡±


    ¡°Our wedding, date.¡± Daniel mirrored her expression, one of irritation.


    ¡°Our what?¡± She snapped, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I was just informed by our gracious host.¡± Daniel looked up in mock speculation. ¡°That he was recently, or, very recently, rather. Denied the proposed joining of your two houses. Due to the fact that the great and powerful Princess Avria of house Regios was already betrothed to a member of house Krat.¡± He looked at her in mock surprise. ¡°And imagine my shock, when I learned that it was ME.¡± His eyes narrowed, all semblance of humor now gone. ¡°Mind explaining it to me?¡±


    Avria was fuming, but she unexpectedly deflated a bit, and turned back to finish the last of her packing. ¡°Are you finished yet?¡± She said, her back to him.


    ¡°No.¡± Daniel shot back. ¡°What gives you the right to say that shit to me last night, then turn around and use me as a shield. Pol of house Krat doesn¡¯t even exist, Avria. What the fuck¡ª¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°I had to think of something, you¡ª¡± She caught herself from calling him something foul. She took a moment to calm down, then glared at him. ¡°Joining with the Baa¡¯Yega would be a fantastic political move for my father. They are second only to the Torre¡¯ in wealth, and are looking to find their way into the new High King¡¯s good graces.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Daniel crossed his arms.


    ¡°And, what?¡± She scowled.


    ¡°And, why would that be a bad thing? Shouldn¡¯t you be pushing for it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± She said, simply. ¡°There is far too much for me to do at this current time. Besides¡­¡± she paused for a moment, ¡°I don¡¯t like him.¡±


    ¡°Ok.¡± Daniel scoffed. ¡°Are you sure it isn¡¯t because of something else?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about now?¡± She growled.


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± Daniel pressed, determined to get this nonsense resolved.


    ¡°I told you, to forget about it.¡±


    ¡°Stop being defensive about it and just tell me, Avria.¡± Daniel leaned forward. ¡°You¡¯re always direct, but you keep dancing around this issue.¡±


    ¡°Because I know what happened, Daniel.¡± She shot back, suddenly self-conscious.


    Daniel blinked, ¡°know about what?¡±


    Avria shook her head, cursing under her breath. ¡°Nasha told me what happened between you and Katrina. About how she was coerced by some unseen force into your bed.¡±


    Daniel winced in confusion. ¡°And? What does that have to do with anything. Katrina and I aren¡¯t together.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, anyway.¡± Avria huffed, ¡°and this conversation has about run its course.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure.¡± Daniel snapped. Then turned and stormed off toward his Cro¡¯kan.


    He spent the next ten minutes or so stewing in his irritation while he packed his equipment for the trip. The situation with Katrina was tiresome to say the least. First, she pushes him away, granted, not without good reason. But gossips to someone else about it, also pretty normal, he guessed. His anger at the situation started to wane the more he thought about it. Katrina was in a difficult position. Her mind had been invaded, her actions manipulated for some reason or another. Why would Dio¡¯Mar want Katrina to sleep with me? He thought. The fact that she succeeded was also disturbing.


    Then a thought hit him. Robert¡­ She did it because of Robert? The two of them had been mending slightly. Knowledge of something like that would certainly cause some issues between them all. Not like there weren¡¯t plenty of those to begin with.


    ¡°Are you well?¡± Turak¡¯s gruff voice called from behind, tearing Daniel from his introspection.


    ¡°Fine.¡± He said sharply. ¡°I just want to get back on the road. Sitting around drives me crazy.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Turak leaned into his vision, his scarred face one of amusement. ¡°Though I am curious what¡¯s going on with you and our new Princess.¡±


    Daniel groaned. ¡°The last thing I want to talk about is her right now.¡± He finished tying down the last of his gear and turned to face him. ¡°I don¡¯t do well with drama. It¡¯s just the way I am. Give me a mission and a weapon. An impossible task, even. I¡¯d take that any day over drama. Especially with women.¡±


    Turak chuckled. ¡°You and I agree on that. I have made it clear to Alektor that I preferred a life without the bonds that come with marriage. But, alas, I too am being forced to partake.¡±


    Daniel gave him a stern look. ¡°You mean with Illya.¡±


    ¡°The very same.¡±


    ¡°I know you hate Lokkon, Turak.¡± Daniel felt a great deal of unease when it came to this revelation. Though he had dismissed her advances toward him in the beginning. He had a soft spot for the former Lokkadonian Krya. ¡°But she¡¯s innocent, and deserves to be treated well.¡±


    Turak was silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing. ¡°I would not betray the trust of my High King and friend. She has nothing to fear from me.¡±


    ~


    Avria seethed with frustration at Daniel¡¯s blatant disregard for protocol, decorum, and, most gratingly, her own feelings on the matter. Still so immature and foolish, she thought bitterly. The mission was paramount, yet this childish dynamic between her and Daniel had cost them precious time. She growled internally, her disappointment in herself and these troublesome emotions palpable. She had allowed someone to interfere with her performance. Daniel, the night prior, had claimed he was not her weakness but a strength, yet how could something not be a weakness if it chipped away at your resolve?


    She navigated through the ranks of Rexunii warriors, now fully armored and prepared for their departure. Spotting Turak and Daniel conversing, she approached them with purpose, her steps echoing her irritation.


    "We should get underway; the warriors are ready," Avria announced, her voice tinged with anger. "The long trek through Baa''Yega''s wilderness will do us some good."


    "You and Daniel seem to have something against rest and relaxation," Turak observed with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Our warriors needed this downtime."


    "It''s not the point, Turak," Avria retorted, her sigh heavy with impatience. "The faster we get there, the sooner we can begin our true mission."


    ¡°I see your point, Avria.¡± Turak smiled, looking at Daniel who grumbled something under his breath and mounted his Cro¡¯kan.


    ¡°Is this going to be a problem?¡± He raised an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°What?¡± She and Daniel asked at the same time.


    Turak shook his head, mounting his own Cro¡¯kan and giving the signal to move out. ¡°Forget it.¡±


    After some less than enthusiastic goodbyes to the royal siblings. Avria and the rest of their party found themselves back on the road. Their next destination, the territory of Sabree. The home of Princess Ambrosia and her family. The Sabree¡¯s betrayal against Lokkon and Vul De Rah was one of the more surprising events of the attack on the city. Before the war, Sabree and Rexun were bitter rivals; and had been for nearly a century. How Alektor managed to secure their loyalty was a mystery to her. And a testament to how savvy a ruler he truly was.


    Several hours into their trek, a commotion stirred from the rear of the column, breaking the steady rhythm of their march. Avria, Daniel, and Turak turned simultaneously, spotting one of their warriors racing forward on his Cro''kan, his urgency palpable.


    "My Lord, Spirit-Sent!" the warrior shouted, his mount skidding to a halt. "Urgent word from our spies! The Espi-Dunam sect within Exous has been wiped out."


    "What!?" Daniel''s face registered shock. "What happened?"


    "They hadn''t seen any activity from their base in days," the warrior continued, catching his breath. "They investigated further and found the entire convent slaughtered. They''ve been dead for nearly seven days, if our observations are accurate."


    "Seven days..." Avria echoed, disbelief coloring her voice.


    "Fuck!" Daniel cursed.


    "That is troubling news," Turak said, his gaze shifting to Avria. "We must maintain our course to Sabree; we are expected there. But this changes our mission''s scope."


    "Yeah, I''ll say," Daniel muttered, then his eyes widened in realization. "It''s like when Oros and I found their temple here in Baa''Yega. Everyone was dead... You think?" He looked at Avria. "It might be the humans."


    "Would these humans have that level of power?" Turak asked, skeptical. "You, Katrina, and Reku have all been trained by Dae elite. But there were over a hundred cultists reported there. Even elite warriors would struggle to kill them all. Some were said to be highly trained warriors of Exous."


    "Humans are powerful," Avria countered, her brow furrowed in thought. "Who''s to say they don''t possess abilities like Daniel, Robert, or Katrina?"


    "Send word back to them," Daniel instructed the warrior. "Tell them to investigate further, see if they can ascertain who''s behind it. Maybe one of the clans in Exous wiped them out."


    "Yes, my Lord," the warrior bowed, turning his Cro''kan around to relay the message.


    "Daniel," Avria''s voice was laced with warning. "These humans might be very dangerous. We should proceed with caution."


    "Caution?" A voice echoed from ahead, chilling the air around them.


    Avria, Daniel, and Turak looked forward but saw nothing. The silence that followed was unsettling.


    "Did you all hear that?" Turak asked, his eyes scanning the road intently.


    Daniel''s expression shifted, a sign he had seen something. "What is it, Daniel?" Avria asked.


    "We''ve got company," he said, his gaze narrowing.


    "No point in hiding ourselves from you, then," the voice declared, and with a subtle disturbance in the air, four figures materialized before them, shrouded in black cloaks, their faces hidden by deep hoods.


    "To arms!" Turak bellowed, and the Rexunii warriors swiftly dismounted, forming a defensive circle around their leaders.


    "State your business!" Avria commanded, her voice ringing with authority. "I am Princess Avria of House Regios, with Prince Pol''medus of House Krat, and Lord Turak of House Skotos. We are on a diplomatic mission to Exous. Identify yourselves or be eliminated!"


    "They''re humans..." Daniel murmured, his eyes locked on the enigmatic group.

 Chapter 44 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel could feel the grotesque power emanating from the four figures before him. As strange as their Dunamis was, it was definitely not of the Dae. More similar to Robert¡¯s, but far more potent. ¡°They¡¯re humans¡­¡± He said, his voice full of tension, and Avria and Turak looked at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re every bit the person she said you were.¡± The figure in the middle said, his voice distinctly male. ¡°No Dae could have sensed us.¡±


    The figure pulled the cowl back and revealed a man, with ebony skin and short cropped hair. The three others did the same, and Daniel confirmed they were all human. One was a young woman with white skin, and light brown hair, the other an older looking Asian man, maybe in his mid-forties. The third was a dark-skinned woman, with her hair tied tightly back.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you, Daniel. There¡¯s no need for the disguise.¡± The man in the middle said, taking a step forward. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡± His dark eyes scanned the warriors around him, and he smirked. ¡°And the company you keep.¡±


    ¡°I see you already know who I am. No doubt from the Espi-Dunam.¡± Daniel said, leading his Cro¡¯kan forward. ¡°We were on a mission to find you. There is a safe place for humans here in Eleutheros. Tell me your names.¡±


    The man barked out a laugh. ¡°A safe place for humans?¡± He turned his head toward his companions. ¡°I think that¡¯s a bunch of bullshit. The Dae aren¡¯t our friends.¡±


    ¡°We are honor bound to support the Spirit-Sent.¡± Avria said, ¡°Daniel can attest to that. We mean you no harm.¡±


    The man''s eyes locked onto her, his gaze sharp as a blade, radiating a hatred so palpable it seemed to scorch the air between them. "I don¡¯t believe you." With a swift motion, he flung open his cloak, revealing an incisor blade which he drew with a hiss of scraping bone. His companions mirrored his action, their blades singing as they were unsheathed, the air now thick with the threat of violence.


    "This doesn¡¯t have to go this way," Daniel interjected, his hands raised in a gesture of peace. Shit, he thought, feeling the tension escalate. "Let¡¯s just take a second here, we¡¯ve got a lot to discuss. I¡¯m just glad we found you guys. There are more humans in Eleutheros. We have a home here. And the Dae have been helping us."


    "The Dae are a blight," the man spat, his voice dripping with contempt, his eyes never leaving Avria.


    "At least tell us your names," Daniel pleaded, trying to defuse the situation. "We don¡¯t need to do this."


    The man let out a slow and sinister laugh. ¡°They¡¯ve poisoned your mind, Daniel. If you had any idea what we¡¯re really doing here, you¡¯d think differently.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    "I am Greyson," the man in the center declared, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. He gestured to the brown-haired girl, "This is Lauren," then to the middle-aged man, "This is Dorian," and finally to the dark-skinned girl, "And this is Ashley." Greyson''s smile was cold, mocking. "There. Happy?"


    "Alright," Daniel managed, swallowing hard against the lump rising in his throat. The power radiating from them was intensifying, a dark, coiling force that felt like corruption incarnate, making his stomach churn with revulsion. "Great, now let¡¯s sit down for a bit, have some wine and talk."


    "We can talk, Daniel," Greyson responded, his tone laced with a chilling certainty, "But this isn¡¯t going to go the way you want. You have a decision to make. Right now." He aimed his weapon at Avria, his intent clear. "You have to choose; between us? Or them."


    Daniel''s eyes found Avria''s, her fierce yellow gaze meeting his. He could see the conflict in her, the dawning realization of what this encounter might mean for them all.


    "We''re not going anywhere," Turak countered sharply. Daniel glanced back to see Turak, his hands tightening on the reins, every muscle ready for combat. "Our High King has charged us to protect and serve Daniel. We will not allow him to be turned over to the likes of you."


    "This is ridiculous!" Daniel snapped, frustration boiling over. "I brought them out here to find you and as many other humans as possible. For safe harbor and a way for us to figure out what¡¯s really going on." His words were tinged with desperation, the hope of unity clashing against the looming threat of violence.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t an answer, Dan.¡± Greyson smirked. ¡°What if I told you we know how to get home?¡±


    Daniel¡¯s train of thought came to a screeching halt as they processed Greyson¡¯s words. ¡°What?¡±


    "There it is." The man''s smirk widened into a pleased, predatory grin. "Yeah, we already figured it out. And this is just another step in order to make that a reality."


    "You guys, actually¡ª" Daniel started, but his words were cut off by an abrupt shout.


    "Make up your damn mind!" Ashley bellowed, her anger palpable, and her face twisted in frustration. "It¡¯s simple. Come with us; your own people, and go home? or stay with them."


    "Thanks, Ash," Greyson snapped, turning to glare at her with a warning in his eyes. "I¡¯m handling this."


    "He¡¯s a Dae lover. Just like his buddy, Robert," Ashley retorted, stepping forward aggressively, her body language screaming readiness for a fight. "The only difference is, we were told to kill him. So why are we sitting around here and playing twenty questions? We already know what we have to do."


    "Because he¡¯s a human, Ash!" Lauren interjected, her voice rising from the side, laced with a plea for reason. "He deserves a chance!"


    "Wait." Daniel''s eyes narrowed, his intent clear. "What did you say about Robert?"


    Greyson met his gaze, accepting the challenge. "That¡¯s enough, Ash. We all agreed to talk to him first. Robert is with us."


    "Traitor," Avria snarled, her voice dripping with contempt.


    "Not a traitor," Turak countered. "She called him a Dae lover. He must be being held against his will."


    "Where is he?" Daniel demanded with authority. "I want to see him!"


    "That¡¯s not gonna happen," Greyson sighed, the finality in his voice like a door slamming shut. "Unless you come with us."


    Fucking bullshit, Daniel thought, his frustration boiling like lava within him. He had yearned for this moment, to find other humans since he''d arrived here, and now, here they were, batshit crazy. "What happens if I come with you?" His question was both a challenge and a desperate plea for some semblance of reason.


    ¡°We sit down and go over the details of how to get home.¡± Greyson shrugged.


    ¡°Greyson.¡± Dorian spoke for the first time, giving the man a warning look. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what she said.¡±


    ¡°Who is she?¡± Daniel asked, not missing the clear indication of a ringleader not present. ¡°And why would someone want me dead?¡±


    ¡°Are you coming with us or not!?¡± Ashely yelled, taking another aggressive step forward.


    Daniel''s eyes narrowed on Greyson, noting how he didn''t even try to rein in Ashley''s outburst this time. There was something else at play here, a directive Greyson seemed desperate to avoid. But who was this mystery woman they kept referring to? The question gnawed at Daniel. He cast a quick glance over his shoulder, meeting the eyes of Avria and Turak, their bodies tense, muscles rigid with anticipation. Avria''s head moved, a slight, almost invisible shake, her yellow eyes conveying a silent warning.


    ¡°No.¡± He finally said. They were clearly hostile, and the aggression displayed thus far left him with little choice. ¡°But I will sit down and talk to you civilly. Or you could come back with us to Vul De Rah.¡±


    Greyson let out a long, disappointed sigh, his shoulders slumping. "That''s too bad." With a swift, practiced motion, he slashed at the air with his incisor, and a glowing tear appeared before him, shimmering like a mirage. Daniel recoiled slightly, not anticipating such a bizarre move. The tear expanded silently, the surrounding light distorting as if being pulled into a dark vortex. The interior was pitch black, and from it seeped an overwhelming, corrupt power that assaulted Daniel''s senses.


    A clawed hand then emerged, gripping the edge of the tear, then another, which began pulling it open. A shadow emerged from within, followed by a grotesque face, a vision from nightmares, with two long, twisted horns curling upwards, casting eerie shadows. Its eyes, black and soulless, found Daniel¡¯s, and in that moment, the world grew colder, the air thick with dread. The creature''s gaze was a physical force, a palpable chill that raced down Daniel''s spine, the silence around them now charged with the ominous promise of chaos unleashed.


    ¡°What in all the?¡± Turak said, reeling. ¡°It¡¯s a demon!¡± He drew his blades from his back and readied himself.


    Avria''s voice shook, but her command was clear, "Daniel! We can''t fight a demon here! We must flee!"


    "No chance of that!" Dorian bellowed, his blade slicing through the air with a precise arc. At first, nothing seemed to occur, but then a new tear shimmered into existence to their left, the air warping around it like a mirage.


    Soon, all around them, humans were slashing at the air, each cut spawning more of these eerie portals. The atmosphere buzzed with the chaotic energy of the unknown, and dozens of the foul monsters began emerging rapidly.


    "Enough!" Avria''s shout was almost drowned by the cacophony of opening portals and snarling abominations. She thrust her hand forward, and with a screech that pierced the air, a bolt of lightning surged from her palm, aimed directly at Greyson.


    Greyson, impossibly fast, countered with a swift slash of his blade and power, intercepting the bolt. The collision resulted in a deafening blast, the shockwave sending everyone staggering. Yet, Greyson stood firm, his smile one of grim satisfaction.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "These aren''t demons, Dae," Greyson declared, his voice cold as he raised his hand towards Avria. "This is."


    The ground beneath them trembled, not from fear but from the birth of something ancient and malevolent. A pale, ghastly form began to emerge from the earth, growing with an eerie grace. It was a creature of nightmares, its face and head adorned with seven black, soulless eyes that watched without blinking. The air around it shimmered, distorting as if the very light recoiled from its presence, and it ascended to a towering height of over twenty feet.


    Its skin was like a thin, translucent membrane, stretched taut over a dark, skeletal frame that was visible beneath, giving the creature an almost skeletal appearance despite its bulk. Its lips, black as midnight, were pulled back in a perpetual snarl, exposing rows of razor-sharp teeth that promised death. A cloak, made of the same pale flesh that covered its body, draped over its shoulders, adding to its otherworldly horror.


    Daniel felt his heart plummet, a cold dread washing over him as he beheld this abomination. "Oh my God¡­" he whispered, his voice barely escaping his constricted throat, his eyes unable to look away from the menacing figure.


    "This is Ool''ak," Greyson said, his hand now pointing directly at Avria, his finger like the blade of a guillotine. "Kill them all."


    The command was issued with such finality that it seemed to echo in the charged air, sealing their fate as the monstrous Ool''ak stood, an embodiment of terror, ready to fulfill its master''s bidding.


    The Demon opened its maw, unleashing a howl that resonated with such force it seemed to vibrate through Daniel''s very bones. His Cro''kan, overwhelmed by terror, bucked and tried to flee despite Daniel''s desperate attempts to keep it in place. The sound was so piercing, it could have shattered glass; Daniel pressed his hands against his ears in a futile attempt to shield himself from the sonic assault. Through his half-closed eyes, he caught a blur of motion; Ool''ak, the massive creature, rushing past him, its form a terrifying comet of death aimed at Avria.


    Avria, with reflexes honed by countless battles and decades of experience, leaped from her Cro''kan just as Ool''ak''s jaws, expanding to an impossible width, clamped down on the creature. The Cro''kan let out a howl of agony as Ool''ak''s teeth tore through its flesh, shredding it with voracious bites until the mount was nothing more than a gruesome memory.


    "Defend the Princess and the Spirit-Sent!" Turak''s voice cut through the chaos as he leaped off his own panic-stricken Cro''kan, his hands conjuring two blades of water that he sent hurtling towards the four humans. But a hulking creature stepped in the line of fire, its body erupting in a fountain of black blood as the water blades sliced through it. The creature''s dying screech was a grim herald of the carnage to come.


    In that moment, the air was filled with the rush of bodies as every single creature that had emerged from the portals launched their attack. The ground trembled with their charge, the air now thick with the scent of blood and fear. Daniel''s party was suddenly at the epicenter of a maelstrom of claws, fangs, and dark magic, each creature driven by a singular purpose; to destroy them.


    Daniel dismounted and sprinted towards Avria, who had just evaded another deadly strike from Ool''ak. "Avria!" he shouted, his fear morphing into seething anger at the sight of the demon attempting to consume her. Avria, quick as lightning, infused her blade with electricity, slashing at Ool''ak''s side. The creature recoiled, growling in pain from the electric assault. Daniel slid in beside her, assuming one of his practiced combat stances with his incisor blade ready.


    "We need to escape, Daniel!" Avria panted, her face now slick with sweat, more so from fear than exertion. "This creature is beyond any of us!"


    Before Daniel could respond, his instincts screamed danger; he spun, releasing a blast of white-golden flames that intercepted a water attack from Greyson.


    Greyson laughed, the sound chilling. "I knew you had something up your sleeve!"


    Daniel quickly scanned the battlefield. The Rexun warriors were locked in a desperate struggle against the horned creatures, with Captain Malak''s commands booming above the chaos of Dunamis and otherworldly howls. Turak leaped towards the humans, felling two creatures with swift, bloody strokes. Seizing Greyson''s momentary distraction, Daniel imbued himself with speed, dashing forward to strike at Greyson''s throat. His hope was simple: kill the summoner, and hopefully, disrupt the control over the creatures.


    But as his blade flashed, Ashley''s sword intercepted, blocking his attack. Greyson, now alert, blasted Daniel with a wave of water. "You son of a bitch!" he roared, his voice thick with fury. "You want to die with these fucking things so bad, huh?"


    Turning to Ashley, Daniel''s attacks were relentless, now seeing her only as an enemy. After several exchanges, it was clear she was outmatched; her movements were clumsy against his strength. He nearly disarmed her but was thwarted by Greyson''s swift intervention, who knocked Daniel back with a shoulder charge that felt like being hit by a boulder. His bone breastplate absorbed much of the impact, but Daniel still stumbled, raising his sword once more.


    "Greyson!" Lauren''s voice cut through the din from their left, her arm bleeding profusely as she scrambled away from a blood-soaked Turak. The Dae Lord, resembling a demon himself, with the black blood and viscera of his foes coating his body, cut down two more creatures who attempted to stop him with lethal efficiency. Dorian, in retaliation, sent a barrage of spikes and stones at Turak, who dodged with terrifying agility before impaling Dorian''s thigh with one of his blades. Dorian, in pain, encased himself in stone armor to fend off the next attack.


    "Ool''ak!" Greyson''s command was sharp, redirecting the demon''s attention. "Kill this one!"


    Daniel lunged at Greyson, their blades clashing in a flurry. Greyson was a formidable opponent, yet Daniel''s rage-fueled attacks pushed him back. Suddenly, a blast of black energy from Greyson sent Daniel staggering backward. The air around Greyson twisted with the dark Dunamis of a Dae-leu, the water black and viscous like tar.


    Daniel gritted his teeth and blocked the attack with a wall of white flame. The corrupted water hissed, and steam covered their surroundings. In that time, Daniel realized that this battle was more than they could handle. He needed to take it seriously. He dropped his incisor blade and summoned his metal sword in a flash of light. He focused his power into it, and it glowed golden like a beacon in the darkness. Greyson¡¯s form appeared as the steam blew away from them, and Daniel saw his eyes widen at the sight of his new weapon.


    There was a loud screech behind him, and Daniel turned just in time to dodge the gaping maw of Ool¡¯ak. The attack was so sudden, he had to leap to the side without hope of finding his footing. He slid on the blood soaked grass, and struggled to get up. The Demon turned back to him, poised to strike again. Shit! Daniel thought, unable to dodge in time.


    "Daniel!" Avria''s voice cut through the chaos, her command clear as she sent an incredibly potent bolt of lightning crashing into Ool''ak. The Dunamis struck the demon with a blinding flash, eliciting a screech of pain as it stumbled backward. "Focus on the beast!" she shouted, not to Daniel, but to the Rexunii warriors who had just finished off the last of the lesser creatures, now rallying around Daniel. They unleashed their Dunamis in a concerted effort against the towering menace.


    Ool''ak, in response, raised its colossal arms for the first time, the flesh cloak on its shoulders unfurling like horrific wings of pale, almost translucent skin. With a bone-chilling screech, it brought these wings down, releasing a wave of black flame that surged towards Daniel and his allies.


    Daniel''s response was immediate and fierce, his body alight with an eruption of white-gold flame. His determination was palpable; he would not let this abomination claim any of their lives. As the two opposing forces clashed, Daniel felt immense pressure; it was like holding back an avalanche with his bare hands. His screams were of pure rage, a battle cry against the overwhelming force. But just as he felt himself about to be consumed by the power, the assault ceased abruptly, leaving him drained and collapsing onto the blood-soaked grass.


    As he fell, time seemed to slow. His body felt weak and heavy, and as he glanced up at his opponent, he realized he was too slow to react as Ool''ak lunged with its gaping maw towards him. Fear, raw and consuming, filled Daniel as he reflected on his inadequacy against this creature.


    Then, in a blur of motion, he felt a hand grasp him, and with immense strength pushed him to the side. The demon''s jaws snapped shut with a wet crunch, just missing him. Blue blood sprayed across his face as he stumbled, but turned to see Avria caught in the demon¡¯s maw. Time seemed to stop as the sight was processed before him. He looked into her eyes; those beautiful, yellow eyes that had been his beacon through so many dark times, full of determination and strenght. They were now wide and filled with fear, tears and sorrow.


    Her scream tore through the air as Ool''ak''s jaws bit down once more, its razor-sharp teeth slicing into her flesh and bone. Blue blood, vivid and horrifying, cascaded from her wounds, with half her body now consumed by the monstrous abyss.


    "Avria!" Daniel''s voice was a mix of terror and heartbreak, his hand stretching out in a futile attempt to reach her. "No!"


    "Daniel!" Her voice was desperate, filled with a trembling fear that plunged like a dagger into Daniel¡¯s heart. ¡°Da¡ª"


    The demon opened its maw once more, and with a finality that echoed through Daniel''s soul, it swallowed Avria whole. The world around him seemed to darken, the noise of battle fading into a somber silence as the reality of her loss sunk in, leaving only the echo of her last, unfinished call for him.


    Time itself seemed to freeze for Daniel as the horrific images of Avria''s last moments replayed in his mind, each flash a torment. Grief clawed at him, morphing his sorrow into an inferno of rage. With a scream that tore from his soul, he charged at Ool''ak, the embodiment of his anguish, his golden sword swinging with the fury of a vengeful god. The creature, seemingly surprised at his sudden surge of power, raised its arm to block, but Daniel''s blade sliced through it like paper, severing the limb with a spray of black blood.


    Ool''ak''s roar was one of agony as it staggered back, clutching at the stump where its arm once was. Daniel, driven by loss, leaped for another strike, but the demon, in a desperate escape, sank into the earth, evading him. As it disappeared, its seven eyes locked with Daniel''s, filled not with malice but with fear: fear of him. The ground erupted with an explosion of flames where Daniel''s sword struck, dirt and grass flying in all directions.


    Daniel raged at the monster¡¯s escape, turning to find another target for his wrath. But the battle was over, and with it, his enemies had vanished. Greyson, along with his companions, was nowhere to be seen. And the last of the monsters from the portal had been dispatched. Daniel''s shout was raw, "Fuck!" he screamed hoarsely. As an eerie silence came over the battlefield.


    Tears welled up, not just from anger but from a profound sense of loss. "Avria..." he whispered, collapsing to his knees, the name a lamentation. "Avria..." His grief consumed him, the reality of her brutal end by a demon, summoned by humans, shattered his spirit.


    "Please!" The desperate cry of a woman cut through the haze of Daniel''s grief. His gaze snapped to the source, landing on Lauren, one of Greyson''s group, her knees embedded in the blood-soaked dirt. Turak''s incisors were buried deep in her guts, the flesh around the blades torn and seeping. She clutched at them with her bare, bloody hands, coughing up a froth of blood as her body convulsed with pain.


    "Not so tough now, are you?" Turak''s voice was a venomous hiss as he twisted the blades, the sound of grating against bone and muscle sickeningly clear.


    Daniel''s rage ignited anew, his focus narrowing to her. He stormed over, his sword a flash of gold against her throat, the metal cold against her skin. "Where the fuck did he go!?"


    She sobbed, the pain making her words stutter. "P...please!" Blood flowed freely from her mouth, painting her chin red. "Don¡¯t k-kill me!"


    "Tell me where Greyson went!" Daniel roared, his voice raw with hate. "Tell me, you piece of shit!"


    "Daniel!" Turak''s shout was like a physical blow, pulling Daniel from the brink. "We need her alive."


    The words were a harsh reminder, but Daniel''s vision was still clouded with red, his desire for revenge nearly overwhelming.


    "We need her alive, Daniel," Turak repeated, his tone firm as he yanked his blades out of her stomach. The sound was wet, gruesome as flesh and organs gave way. Lauren screamed, collapsing into a fetal position, her cries a mix of pain and terror. "Humans are resilient," Turak growled to the warriors around him. "I''ve seen them take far worse. Bind her. Keep her wounded. If she starts to heal, cut her open again. We don¡¯t know her powers or if she can bring more of those foul creatures upon us. We need to keep her weak."


    "Yes, my Lord," Malak responded, his voice steady as he and two others moved to bind Lauren. She was soon hauled off toward the carriage, her sobs and cries of pain fading.


    Daniel''s senses were dulled, and the world around him a blur of sounds and motion. He rubbed at a wetness on his cheek, and his hand came away stained blue. It was the blood of a Dae. Avria¡¯s blood, he realized. A lump grew in his throat, and his heart turned to ice. She¡¯s gone¡­ he thought. She had been ripped away from him in the most violent and gut-wrenching way possible. The thoughts left him hollow, as he recalled it over and over again. He growled in futility against the fates, closing his eyes as tight as he could, until all that remained was the haunting image of her terror-stricken eyes, and her voice calling his name in those last, desperate moments.

 Chapter 45 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Katrina navigated the north hallway of the Palace, her steps echoing against the ancient stone as she approached the royal guest-wing. Clutched in her tense fingers was a small piece of parchment, its contents bearing news that quickened her heartbeat with each step. The morning had brought word that Illya, once the Krya of Vul De Rah, and someone she considered to be one of her closest friends in this world, had arrived in the city and was to be placed under Katrina''s care. A tumult of emotions; eagerness, guilt, and sorrow; swirled within her.


    As she neared the designated room, she spotted several royal guards standing sentinel. Their backs stiffened as she approached, and they saluted with fists across their chests in unison, "Spirit-Sent." They grunted.


    Katrina dismissed them with a slight nod, her mind too occupied to engage in courtly formalities. The door slid open as she approached, revealing the room''s interior.


    "Kat!" The voice was familiar, filled with both joy and pain. Illya dashed across the room in an instant, enveloping Katrina in a fierce embrace.


    Katrina inhaled sharply as Illya''s grip tightened, her sobs muffled against Katrina''s cloak. "Illya..." Katrina murmured, her hand finding comfort in the girl''s pearl-white hair.


    "It''s so good to see you, Kat," Illya managed between tears, pulling back to look into Katrina''s eyes. "So much has happened... I."


    "Let''s sit," suggested another voice, deep and calm, belonging to Delmos, who had apparently arrived before her, and wore an unusually grave expression.


    Katrina, still holding Illya''s hand, led her to the seating area by the balcony. Delmos sat opposite them, his gaze heavy with unspoken thoughts.


    "I thought you were dead," Illya whispered, her eyes fixed on the floor, her grip on Katrina''s hands tightening. "We all did. For a time. It was chaos in the final days, Kat. Yomin went mad. Once he heard that you and Daniel had returned here. And that Avria had gone straight to the High King." She paused, meeting Katrina''s gaze. "What happened? Why did you stay?"


    Katrina swallowed hard, the truth like a stone in her throat. "Illya... we. I tried to kill Alektor¡­ But I failed." Shame painted her features as she struggled to maintain eye contact. "He kept me here as a sort of prisoner. And¡­"


    "A lot happened, Illya," Delmos interjected, his tone one of quiet support. "Needless to say, we don''t want to be here, but as the spirits will it, our path has been chosen for us."


    "Lokkon lives on, through you," Illya said, her voice softening. "It will be in good hands."


    "We will ensure it thrives, Illya," Katrina assured, squeezing her hands. "And the house of Ignos will survive. Through you and Boros. I promise!"


    Illya''s face fell, despair shadowing her features. "They said Boros was due to be executed. And I am to marry¡­ Turak of house Skotos."


    "We''ll do something about that," Katrina declared with fierce determination. "I¡¯ll talk to Alektor, force him to stop it."


    "Easier said than done," Delmos murmured, shaking his head. "Boros is the last son of Ignos. Politically, Alektor would be a fool to leave him alive."


    "Delmos!" Katrina''s voice was sharp, her eyes blazing with fury.


    "We can''t lie to her, Kat," Delmos responded earnestly. "We will do what we can, but this is beyond what we want. What I am more concerned about is Illya''s betrothal to Turak. He''s a savage, and he hates the house of Ignos with a burning passion."


    "I¡­" Illya sighed, her voice weak with worry. "I don¡¯t know what to do."


    "We will figure something out, Illya," Delmos said, his eyes darkening as he leaned forward, fingers steepled. "Turak is dangerous, but I will not allow you to suffer his torment."


    "Me neither," Katrina affirmed, giving Illya a reassuring nod. "Whatever it takes."


    A sudden knock at the door broke the moment, followed by an urgent call, "Spirit-Sent! Prince Delmos!"


    Rising quickly, Katrina and Delmos readied themselves for anything.


    "What is it?" Katrina demanded, her irritation clear.


    "Spirit-Sent Daniel''s party has returned!" The voice behind the door was frantic. "They have apparently been attacked!"


    Katrina slid the door open to reveal a timid Dae attendant, eyes wide with alarm.


    "H-High King Alektor and King Telmos are requesting both of you to return to the Throne room immediately."


    Katrina and Delmos, using their Dunamis-enhanced speed, rushed to the throne room. The large doors slid open to reveal an almost empty chamber, where Alektor sat upon the throne with Telmos beside him, caught in what appeared to be a heated debate.


    "Where are they?" Katrina inquired, scanning the room for signs of Daniel or his party. "Is everything alright?"


    "They are on their way here," Alektor responded, his voice gruff. "But the reports are not promising¡­"


    "They simply can''t be true," Telmos countered, his disbelief evident.


    "Why?" Delmos asked, stepping closer to his father. "What reports? What happened?"


    Alektor raised a hand for silence. "We received word just before their arrival. It stated that the party had been attacked by humans." He paused, glancing at Telmos. "Who were said to have summoned demons from portals, setting them upon Daniel and the group."


    "Preposterous!" Telmos spat out.


    "Turak is a member of their party, Telmos," Alektor retorted, his gaze stern. "The letter bore his seal, and I trust him."


    "So, demons attacked them," Katrina said, taking a deep breath, her concern for Daniel palpable. "Are they alright? Is Daniel ok?"


    "They didn''t give details," Alektor admitted, shaking his head. "Only that there were casualties."


    "Shit¡­" Katrina muttered, a wave of fear washing over her. Daniel¡­ please be ok.


    The silence stretched, thick with tension, until the massive doors opened once more. Daniel, looking weary and rage-filled, entered with Turak and Malak.


    "Daniel," Alektor greeted, standing from his throne. "The report we received was quite troubling. Could you¡ª"


    "We were attacked on the road to Sabree," Daniel cut in, his voice laced with exhaustion and anger. "The attackers were humans who wielded demonic powers."


    Alektor nodded, then glanced at Telmos, who narrowed his eyes.


    "Where is my daughter?" Telmos demanded. "She should be here to give her account of this report."


    "During the attack," Turak explained, his voice heavy with fatigue. "We lost three members of our party. Two of the Rexunii elite caste, and the third¡­ was Princess Avria herself."


    A gasp escaped Katrina, and Alektor''s eyes widened in shock. Telmos and Delmos looked on in stunned silence, their expressions turning to panic and sorrow.


    "That can''t be true!" Telmos shouted. "Where is she!? What happened!?"


    Daniel shook his head, his eyes falling to the floor, his face etched with the weight of what he had witnessed. "When we set out that morning, we had just spent the night with the prince and princess of Baa''Yega. After some time on the road, we... I sensed something in front of us." His voice trembled slightly, the memory fresh and raw. "It turned out to be a group of four humans. Words were exchanged..." He paused, his gaze distant as he pieced together the horror. Katrina watched him, her breath hitching in her throat; his pain was palpable.


    "They turned hostile," Daniel finally said, his face twisting into a grimace of remembered fear. "Before we knew it, they were slashing their swords... and opening portals or something. These horned creatures started to pour out of them, dozens of them."


    "They were demons," Turak interjected, his voice dripping with disdain. "Foul monsters who bled black."


    "Whatever they were," Daniel continued, "they paled in comparison to what they summoned next. Greyson... I think he was their leader, said it was a demon named Oo¡¯lok. It was... monstrous."


    "At least twenty feet tall," Turak added, his tone grim.


    "It had this massive mouth... filled with razor-sharp teeth," Daniel described, his eyes haunted by the vision. He seemed to be reliving every terrifying moment. "It lunged at Avria first, and she dodged. It consumed her Cro¡¯kan... whole." His words caught in his throat, a moment of silence stretching as he struggled with his emotions. "Avria saved me from the creature. It unleashed a powerful attack..." He inhaled deeply, steadying himself. "It took everything I had to stop it... I collapsed, and it lunged again¡­ I couldn¡¯t dodge it in time. But she... she pushed me out of the way. That¡¯s when..."


    "That''s when the beast bit down on her," Turak concluded, his face a portrait of solemnity.


    "It consumed her," Daniel confirmed, turning to meet Katrina''s gaze. Her eyes were blurred with tears, the shock and sorrow of the news hitting her like a physical blow.


    "No..." Delmos whispered, his voice breaking as he slumped to the stone floor, overwhelmed by the gravity of their loss.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "What happened to the humans?" Alektor asked, his face one of cold determination.


    "We fought them off," Turak said with a slight grin, a hint of pride in his voice despite the sorrow. "And we managed to capture one."


    "Did you?" Alektor perked up, interest sparking in his previously stony expression.


    "She¡¯s being held with our warriors right now," Turak gestured toward the door, the implication clear: they had a chance for answers or vengeance.


    ~


    Daniel stepped out of the throne room, the weight of his revelations trailing behind him like a dark shadow. Alektor, Katrina, Telmos, Turak, and Delmos followed, their faces a mixture of grief and resolve. Suddenly, Delmos grabbed Daniel by the arm, pulling him back with a grip that spoke of desperation.


    "Dan, look at me," Delmos demanded, his voice laced with earnest pain. Daniel''s gaze reluctantly met Delmos''s fierce yellow eyes, which seemed to glow with the intensity of his sorrow.


    "You saw it eat her?" Delmos''s words were heavy, each one a burden.


    "Yes¡­" Daniel''s response was barely audible, his voice low and rough as if his throat were lined with gravel. "I was right there, Delmos."


    "Then, that''s it." Delmos shook his head, his face contorted with despair. "You know what they say about demons here, right?"


    Daniel hadn''t delved into the local lore concerning demons. His knowledge was limited to what he''d learned in his own world, and he wasn''t sure how much of it applied here. He knew enough to understand that demons were universally bad news. He shook his head, indicating his lack of understanding of the local beliefs.


    "They say that if you are killed by one, you are damned," Delmos explained, his voice barely above a whisper as he turned his gaze down the hall, staring into space. "It consumes your very soul. And casts you into a deep, dark pit for all eternity¡­ where it feeds on your energy." His eyes met Daniel''s again, filled with a mix of disbelief and horror. "I never believed in them, Dan. They were used to scare us as children, nothing more."


    Daniel grimaced, the words sinking in like a cold blade. The possibility that Avria could be suffering an eternal torment because of what he witnessed was almost too much to bear. His mind reeled with the implications, his heart heavy with guilt and sorrow.


    Delmos then abruptly turned down the hall, following the path where Alektor and his father had gone, leaving Daniel with a moment of solitude amidst the chaos of his thoughts. Daniel stood there, the silence around him feeling more oppressive than the battle he had fought the day prior, the weight of loss and the unknown pressing down on him. He took a deep, shaky breath, steeling himself for what might come next, knowing that the path ahead was fraught with more than just physical dangers but also the horrors of the unseen, the truths of this alien world he now called home.


    ¡°She¡¯s damned?¡± Daniel whispered to himself. A cold fury settled on him as he closed his eyes. No way, he thought, I can¡¯t allow that. He fell to his knees, and found himself within the oasis of his Dunem Dae Espa. He looked at his surroundings; at the lush trees and streams that crossed this growing paradise within him. He began walking toward the center. Toward the fig tree, and the golden pillar that shined with his inner light. He fell to his knees there and prayed for her soul. Begging God, or whatever would listen to spare her from an eternity of torment. Please¡­ let her rest¡­ don¡¯t let her suffer like that. She doesn¡¯t deserve it.


    He took a deep breath, and placed his hands on the cool metal of the pillar. ¡°I will defend this world. Like you said, Raguel. I promise you.¡±


    ~


    Daniel approached the room where Lauren was being held. Katrina stood in front of it and looked at him. With a nod she slid the door open and muffled screams could be heard from within. Daniel entered and saw Lauren strapped to a stone slab that was tilted at a steep angle. She was gagged and looked like a mess. Her abdomen still bled profusely from where Turak had gutted her, and her face was a mask of pain and fear. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she fought against the bonds that held her. Then her eyes met Daniel¡¯s and they widened. She began to whimper and struggle even harder. Katrina followed behind her and motioned at two guards who stood at her flanks. They both bowed and left immediately.


    Daniel walked toward her slowly. His face a mask of indifference. She followed him with her gaze, and flinched as he pulled the gag out of her mouth. She coughed up blood and let out a cry. ¡°P¡­ please! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m so sorry, please don¡¯t hurt me anymore!¡± She cried, ¡°I¡¯ll do anything you want, please!¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Daniel said, coldly. ¡°Greyson. Let¡¯s talk about him for a bit. I want to know about him. How you met him, how he started associating with demons. What his plan is.¡±


    Lauren''s lips quivered, and she exhaled a shaky breath, her voice trembling with the weight of her fear. "He¡­ uh¡­ He was captured pretty quick when he arrived. We all were. I was taken by some people¡­ I don¡¯t know who t-they were. Slavers, I think." She winced, the pain of her experience etched into her face. "They were trying to make me into some sort of sex slave or something. I was being prepared to be sold off, I-it was horrible. Greyson though, he had it really bad. He was captured by some Visoth noble, and tortured day and night."


    "Where were all of you when you woke up?" Daniel asked, his voice a blend of concern and urgency.


    "I was in Northern Visoth," Lauren said, coughing up more blood, the act seeming to drain her strength. "Ashley was in Western Visoth, then got captured again and brought to Eleutheros. Dorian was in Dominicia, and I don¡¯t really know where Greyson was. He didn¡¯t say exactly where. He only said that he was tortured over and over again by them."


    "How did he ally with demons?" Daniel''s question was direct, his eyes searching for the truth in Lauren''s pained gaze.


    "He¡­ uh." She paused, licking her bloody lips, gathering her thoughts. "He said one found him in his spirit-realm."


    ¡°The Dunem Dae Espa.¡± Daniel exhaled. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°It taught him how to escape.¡± She continued, her face twisted in pain. ¡°Taught him abilities and showed him our purpose here. Humans, I mean.¡±


    "And what is our purpose supposed to be? And how the hell would it know that?" Daniel asked, his arms crossed, skepticism written across his features.


    ¡°It knew that because¡­ it was the demons that brought us here in the first place.¡±


    "What?" Katrina''s eyes bulged, her gaze locking with Daniel''s in disbelief. "That¡¯s got to be bullshit."


    "It isn¡¯t¡­" Lauren whimpered, pain wracking her body as she tried to find a more comfortable position. "They tried to open the gates themselves. Using their own power¡­ I don¡¯t really understand the details, but it was because of the spirits. They act like a sort of anti-virus for this world against the demons. Preventing them from using spiritual energy. So, they can¡¯t do much here. They couldn¡¯t even get here on their own. So, it took them thousands of years to accumulate enough power to open the gates, and unleash a flood of demons here. Instead¡­ we popped out of the portals."


    The revelation hung in the air, heavy and unsettling. The idea that humans were not the result of some cosmic mistake or divine plan, but rather pawns in a demonic scheme to breach this world''s defenses, was chilling. Daniel felt the ground beneath his understanding of their situation shift. Katrina stared at Lauren, the horror of their plight reflected in her wide eyes. The room seemed to close in around them, the walls of their reality now painted with the potential dark truths of their existence in this alien world.


    ¡°I still think it¡¯s bullshit.¡± Katrina shook her head. ¡°Dan, you can¡¯t believe this crap.¡±


    ¡°You saw it yourself¡­¡± Daniel looked into Katrina¡¯s eyes. ¡°You saw the end of their world¡­ and we were there.¡±


    Katrina sank at his words. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Lauren, what did the demon say our purpose was here?¡± Daniel turned to her, his face stoic.


    We were brought here to¡­¡± She glanced around the room. ¡°Destroy the Dae.¡±


    ¡°You are all insane.¡± Katrina hissed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Lauren sobbed, her voice breaking. ¡°I¡¯m really scared, okay?¡± She coughed again, the sound harsh and painful. ¡°Greyson and Dorian killed my captors and saved me. He can track humans with his abilities. I don¡¯t really know how. But he made an agreement with the demon he was dealing with. The deal can¡¯t be broken. And now we¡¯re all a part of it. Greyson is a good person! He doesn¡¯t want to do these horrible things, he has to!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a piece of shit. Who let himself get manipulated by a fucking demon,¡± Daniel growled, clenching his fists. ¡°Now, how exactly does he plan on destroying the Dae?¡± he demanded.


    ¡°He needs to open the gates, like I said,¡± Lauren''s eyes blinked rapidly, her anxiety making her words rush out. ¡°Gates to hell or something. I don¡¯t know where it leads to, but that''s where the Demons are. He said there were areas of high spiritual energy around Pelemont, the same places we exited. There is a really big one in the center of Visoth though, and in the forest here in Eleutheros. The one with all the spirits in it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± Katrina spat, her frustration boiling over. ¡°Are we really talking about this? You want to open literal portals to hell!?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice!¡± Lauren pleaded, her voice rising in desperation. ¡°Greyson rescued me, and I got caught up in all this. There are people here who were trying to make me a sex slave. Then I was surrounded by monsters and demons and magic. What was I going to say!?¡± Her sobbing turned into uncontrollable cries, then a sharp cry of pain as she coughed violently, her face turning even paler. ¡°I just wanted to go home! And to save my brother, who came with me here!¡± Her coughing intensified, blood spotting her lips. ¡°Please. Don¡¯t let me bleed to death like this. I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡±


    Katrina stepped forward, placing her hands on Lauren, her eyes closing as she channeled her healing abilities. Lauren let out a relieved cry. ¡°Thank you¡­ the pain was¡ª¡±


    ¡°Where is Robert being held?¡± Daniel interrupted, his focus on the rescue.


    Katrina¡¯s eyes shot up, glaring at Lauren as she momentarily halted her healing.


    ¡°He is being held with us in our camp in Baa¡¯Yega.¡± Lauren started to panic as she realized Katrina had stopped. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re still there or not. We move around a lot, but he was there. The demon Dio¡¯Mar brought him to us. He was injured pretty bad.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± A deep voice called from across the room, startling everyone.


    Lauren turned, her eyes wide with fear, scanning the empty space where the voice had come from. ¡°W-who¡¯s there?¡±


    The wall shimmered, and Alektor strode out of an illusion, his hands behind his back, his presence imposing. ¡°What did you say about Dio¡¯Mar?¡± he asked, his face a mask of barely contained emotion. ¡°You called her a demon.¡±


    Lauren, now in full panic at the sight of Alektor, stammered, ¡°She is one. That¡¯s what Greyson said, he knows their energy. Robert didn¡¯t want to admit it either.¡±


    ¡°So, she brought him to you¡­¡± Alektor¡¯s gaze dropped, his hand moving to his chin in deep thought. ¡°Why would Dio¡¯Mar do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s a demon?¡± Daniel replied, his voice laced with urgency, his resolve hardening. ¡°We need to get there immediately and stop this insanity.¡± He turned to Katrina. ¡°You with me?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Katrina responded, her determination clear.


    ¡°We must execute caution,¡± Alektor warned, giving Daniel a very stern look. ¡°I cannot permit you both to leave at such a time. With so many revelations being made, pertaining to not only your purpose here, but the potential threat to our existence. We must discuss this more.¡±


    ¡°Robert could be long gone by the time we get there,¡± Daniel sighed, the weight of urgency pressing against the walls of protocol and caution.


    ¡°I do not take the words of a wounded prisoner at face value,¡± Alektor¡¯s eyes narrowed at Lauren, who seemed to shrink under his intense gaze, her vulnerability stark against his authority. ¡°But further questioning is required before we move forward with any decision.¡±


    ¡°Alektor,¡± Katrina moved her face in front of his, forcing him to meet her eyes, her expression fierce. ¡°We aren¡¯t demons. I don¡¯t care what she says, or what she says the demons are saying. Don¡¯t believe it.¡±


    ¡°We were sent here for a purpose,¡± Daniel spoke up, feeling a rise of hope build up within him. He thought of Raguel, and his words to him in the Dunem Dae Espa, the memory fueling his conviction. ¡°We¡¯re not going to abandon the Dae. We¡¯re going to save this world.¡±


    The room felt charged with the weight of their words, the air thick with the tension of decisions that could alter the fate of not just individuals but potentially the entirety of Dae civilization. Daniel''s assertion was more than just a statement; it was a declaration of intent, a beacon of hope amidst the revelations of betrayal, manipulation, and dark forces at play. Katrina''s support was unwavering, her eyes reflecting a shared commitment to what they believed was their true mission.


    Alektor''s expression softened slightly, considering the gravity of their words. Daniel knew his role was not just to rule but to protect, and the information laid before him was a labyrinth of potential dangers and solutions. The mention of demons, the manipulation of humans, and the spiritual energies that could either save or doom them all; these were not matters to be rushed into without careful thought.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Alektor finally said, his voice a mix of caution and resolve. ¡°We will question Lauren further, but I will not delay your mission indefinitely. Prepare yourselves, gather what you need. We will convene soon to discuss our strategy.¡± He turned to leave, but halted, and faced them again. ¡°I believe you both. With every fiber of my being, I know there is a purpose to your arrival here. If not for the steadfast loyalty of Robert, and the compassion he showed a people who cruelly received him at first, I would perhaps believe differently. But remember, I watched him rise from the pit. I saw the Doulos weeping tears of joy for the Spirit-Sent who helped free them from centuries of slavery¡­ No¡­ The spirits sent you here. I¡¯m sure of it.

 Chapter 46 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Darkness... Pain... Sorrow... Avria struggled to breathe, engulfed by relentless waves of anguish that felt like the tearing claws of a storm. Curled into a ball on the cold, damp grass, she writhed, her cries for her mother and father piercing the night. She lifted her trembling hands, now stained with her own blood, and saw them as the hands of a child. She begged for death, pleading with the great spirits to release her from this unbearable torment. How could she endure this? How could her frail body survive the relentless onslaught of pain?


    She scanned her surroundings, only to confront a darkness so profound it seemed to consume all light, an abyss that was unimaginably deep and encroaching ever closer. Memories surged; her being devoured by the demon, its razor-sharp teeth shredding her flesh before she was swallowed into the void. She gasped for air, but her lungs filled with nothing but despair. Then, the screams and torment of millions of souls filled her ears, their cries gnashing and wailing, a cacophony of eternal suffering.


    She had escaped from her death by falling into her Dunem Dae Espa. But it followed her here, and had corrupted everything in sight. The closer the darkness came to her the more feeble and terrified she felt. Now she was a child, and her last glimpse of sanity was slowly being chipped away. She couldn¡¯t fathom it¡­ being consumed by that darkness again.


    Then, from the void emerged a figure; a woman with grey skin and hair like pearl-white silk. She seemed eerily familiar, and Avria winced, struggling through the haze of pain to remember her. ¡°M-mother?¡± Her voice was barely a whisper, feeble as she extended a trembling hand towards her, craving any escape from the relentless agony. ¡°Please, help me.¡±


    Her mother''s eyes, filled with the same indifference and fierce coldness Avria remembered from years ago, before her tragic death, bore down on her.


    ¡°You are fighting in futility¡­¡± Her voice was as cold as a winter''s bitter wind, leaving a silence in its wake that nearly stopped Avria¡¯s heart. ¡°You always have¡­ the champion of nothing¡­ the daughter who always left me wanting. You thought that coming here would save you? That you would somehow escape the void and fire that awaits you now?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Tears carved paths down Avria''s cheeks, each word from her mother slicing deeper than the last. Avria had never known much warmth from her, nor tenderness for her or her brother, but her mother''s death had still left her devastated. Now, here she was, adding to her torment and pain. Twisting the knife in her weakest moment. ¡°Please... mother, help me!¡± She begged through her sobs.


    ¡°I am¡­¡± Her mother''s smile was a grotesque tear across her face, stretching from ear to ear. ¡°You are a stubborn little one¡­ but you will give in¡­¡±


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re not my mother.¡± Avria''s mind, muddled by pain, fought through the fog to grasp this truth, yet doubt lingered. ¡°Please!¡± She screamed, her fingers digging into the grass, clawing at the earth beneath her. ¡°Make it stop! Help me!¡±


    Her mother, or the entity masquerading as such, let out a laugh, dark and vile, the sound like venom dripping into Avria''s ears. This monster before her wore her mother''s face like a mask, tormenting her in her darkest hour.


    Then, suddenly, the pain, wailing, and laughing ceased, leaving Avria gasping in the unexpected silence of relief. Her vision cleared, focusing on a pair of sandaled feet before her. Her gaze climbed the folds of simple, unadorned robes to meet the eyes of a man; his gaze a piercing blue, neither cold nor cruel, but filled with a knowing warmth.


    "Who?" Her voice trembled with a mix of fear and reverence. A human? Why is a human here? she thought. "Who are you?"


    The man knelt beside her, his hand gently resting on her shoulder. At his touch, clarity washed over her like a morning tide, pulling back the fog of her mind. "Favor has found you, Avria, daughter of Telmos," he said, his voice as soothing as the sweetest wine. "So, do not despair. For within you burns the spark, the light of life that ushers in new eras."


    Avria''s heart, beat with a newfound rhythm, and a warmth spread through her, bringing peace she had never known. "I..." she whispered, her voice steadier now, "I need help... please... I don¡¯t know how to escape¡­ I¡­¡± She looked out into the boundless nothing, and the fear came rushing back. ¡°Don''t let the darkness claim me¡­ please."


    His crystal blue eyes swept over the darkened expanse around them before returning to her. "Eternal darkness awaits those who shun the light. Those without purpose, without sacrifice, will gnash against the void in vain. But you, one who has paid in blood to save those who would save your world, have been granted grace." He stood, offering his hand.


    Avria found strength within her to rise, her hand clasping his, pulling herself to her feet. As she did, she felt her body transform, returning to her adult form.


    "Darkness cannot extinguish light," he declared, his voice resonant. "No matter how faint, how dim, it persists. You need only to kindle it, and your soul will be illuminated anew."


    She gazed down at his hand within hers, watching as it slipped away like a faint but powerful memory, leaving her touch bereft. She glanced back to where the man had stood, but he was no longer there. Panic surged through her, her eyes darting through the void, but only the relentless darkness embraced her. Her fear, now twice as fierce, escaped in a whimper, "Please! Please don¡¯t leave me here alone!"


    Yet, in that moment of despair, she felt a warmth where his hand had been, like the lingering kiss of sunlight on a cold day. She turned her palm upward, and there, nestled within, was a tiny light. It flickered like a candle in a storm, so fragile, yet familiar. It was the same light she had seen in Daniel¡¯s Dunem Dae Espa, the very essence she had touched to mend his mortal wounds. A sudden resolve hardened within her as she gazed upon this feeble glow. Brighten it, she thought, kindle it. Her hand closed over the light, and she lifted it high like an offering to the heavens.


    She concentrated, her power converging on that small beacon. Then, with a force akin to the birth of a star, a burst of light exploded from her. The screams of the tormented souls faded into silence, their cries drowned by the dawn she summoned. Her Dunem Dae Espa, once dimmed, now shone with the radiance of the sun above, casting away the shadows that had bound her.


    The pain that had once consumed her was no more, and in its place surged a power she had never known, vibrant and untamed, a river of light flooding through her, illuminating not just the darkness around her but the darkness within. She stood, reborn in this new-found strength, a beacon in the night, her heart beating with the rhythm of life itself.


    Without warning, Avria felt a visceral tug, her body, her very soul, being dragged into an alien realm. The lush, verdant meadows of her Dunem Dae Espa vanished, replaced by an expanse of infinite sky where she floated, devoid of weight. This new world, though vast and open, was tainted by the same corruption as her own, the stench of malice and darkness like a festering sore in the air.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± A voice, tremulous and uncertain, called out from behind her.


    Avria spun around, her own body glowing in this shadowed sky, illuminating a pitiful figure curled into a fetal position, adrift in the darkness. She propelled herself closer, her eyes narrowing to discern the form. It was a man, unmistakably human. Recognition dawned on her, and with it, a surge of anger. ¡°Robert?¡± she questioned, her voice quivering with a mix of emotions.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Robert''s voice was laced with fear, ¡°I can¡¯t see you. Is that you, Dio? Let me out of here!¡±


    She floated nearer, the light from her form revealing his eyes, cloaked in a thick, black smoke that seemed to writhe. What is he doing here? She pondered, her gaze sweeping the desolate expanse. And where exactly is ¡®here¡¯?


    ¡°I won¡¯t help you,¡± he declared, his voice gaining a steely resolve. ¡°I told you already, I don¡¯t care what you do to me.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Avria''s response was sharp, her tone harsh.


    Robert¡¯s face contorted with confusion, then a flicker of recognition at her voice. ¡°Avria?¡± He shook his head, rejecting the possibility. ¡°You can¡¯t trick me, Dio. That isn¡¯t going to work.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not Dio, or whoever you think I am.¡± She spat, then felt a sudden urge. A small voice within her, that compelled her to use her power on him. Why do I want to help him? She thought, struggling against this instinctive surge. She looked at her hands, then to the darkened sky around her. She could feel his despair, then. Like a festering wound that seeped bile; she could sense it. The feeling was nearly overwhelming at first, but she steeled herself and confronted it. He was afraid; tormented by darkness that had nearly consumed him. Like she had been, just a short while ago. She lifted her gaze above him, looking for the sign she hoped to find; a faint light, flickering in the darkness. At that moment, she felt she knew him. More profoundly than she thought possible. She saw his heart and soul, bare against the struggles and suffering he had endured.


    No, she thought. This man killed Oros¡­ This man betrayed you. Destroyed your world, and¡­ Her rage battered her senses like crashing waves in a storm. This monster! She snarled within, this¡­ demon¡­ A sudden feeling of immense guilt and pain stabbed at her. No¡­ this is what they want. He isn¡¯t a demon¡­ he¡¯s a man¡­ misguided and afraid. She gasped as the feeling of anger started to subside, replaced by the warm and gentle pull of¡­ mercy?


    Robert gasped, as if in pain. ¡°I-I feel something. What are you doing?¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure where she was. If this was some kind of test or if she had already gone to rest with the great spirits. But the feelings and emotions were so powerful here; she could sense his thoughts, his fear and guilt. It tore at him from within. It was tragic for her, to see such despair in a person. Yet he fought against it, challenging the tormentor who had clearly imprisoned him here. She sighed, allowing herself to embrace the small pull that had led her out of the darkness, here.


    She extended her hand, touching Robert''s face, and like a morning mist under the sun, the darkness around his eyes melted away. He blinked, his gaze now clear, confusion washing over him. ¡°Avria?¡± he managed to utter, his voice cracking, ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± she replied with a simplicity that reminded her of Daniel. ¡°I¡¯m not completely sure, to be honest with you.¡± Her eyes drifted to the faint, almost ethereal light above him. ¡°But I believe I¡¯ve been sent here for a reason¡­ if indeed this is real.¡±


    Robert''s eyes followed hers, looking up. ¡°Dio¡¯Mar imprisoned me here,¡± he confessed, his voice heavy with dread. ¡°They have such horrible things planned.¡± He squinted, seemingly noticing the light for the first time. ¡°I need to stop them. But Dio¡­ I can¡¯t beat her. She¡¯s too strong; she¡¯s in my head.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the spirit,¡± Avria clarified, a flicker of memory surfacing. ¡°That¡¯s the patron spirit of Rexun, is it not?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not a spirit,¡± Robert corrected, his voice laced with deep-seated anger. ¡°She¡¯s a demon.¡± His eyes locked onto hers, his expression hardening with a steely resolve. ¡°What is that light up there?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s the answer,¡± Avria said, feeling an intense, almost magnetic pull towards the light above. It was as if an invisible force was urging her to reach for it. ¡°I think it¡¯s called the spark of life.¡±


    ¡°The spark of life?¡± Robert echoed, skepticism coloring his tone. ¡°That sounds crazy.¡±


    Avria ascended towards the light, extending her palm outward. The light flickered once more, then settled gently into her hand, its glow was weak, like a tiny flame fighting against a draft. The words of the mysterious man echoed in her mind. ¡°Darkness cannot extinguish light,¡± she murmured, almost to herself, ¡°No matter how faint, how dim, it persists.¡± She brought the light down, holding it before Robert¡¯s face. ¡°This is your spark,¡± she declared with conviction, ¡°Take it.¡± She didn''t fully grasp its nature, but it had healed Daniel when he was on the verge of death and saved her from the engulfing darkness. Despite the pain and suffering this man had caused her, she now felt compelled to save him, no matter the cost.


    ¡°Take it?¡± Robert strained, his voice tense as if exerting all his will to move. ¡°I still can¡¯t move my limbs. Fucking Dio has me trapped here.¡±


    Avria shook her head, her eyes scanning the vast, empty expanse around them. She inhaled deeply, then pressed her palm against his chest. Robert gasped, his eyes suddenly widening in shock or revelation.


    ¡°What the¡ª¡± the words fumbled out of his mouth. But soon she saw the warm recognition and understanding in his expression. He closed his eyes and let out a guttural yell. As if straining against the chains that bound him in place. Much like her own experience. She saw light begin to flood from him, casting the shadow of the darkened expanse away. The stream of light became a torrent, and he wrenched his arms up with a triumphant cry.


    Avria had to shield her eyes from the brilliance that flowed from him, only to open them and see the sky of his Dunem Dae Espa had become a bright and beautiful sunrise. Robert blinked away tears as he gazed upon it as well. Disbelief and happiness on his face.


    ¡°H-how is this possible?¡± His words were full of emotion. ¡°I can¡¯t feel her anymore. I feel¡­ nothing.¡± He breathed in deeply, shuttering as he exhaled.


    Avria smiled, but started to feel something within her. A slight pinch in her abdomen. She pressed her hand to it, then felt another pull, far more painful and urgent this time.


    ¡°Avria?¡± Robert asked, sudden concern on his face. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Avria tried to speak, but the pain was too intense. She screamed as she fell to her knees. ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on!?¡±


    ~


    Avria''s eyes snapped open, her vision swimming back to reality, only to be met with an overwhelming pressure that seemed to squeeze her very soul. She was engulfed by an impenetrable darkness, the void she had escaped from, after being devoured. Her body refused to move, bound by an overwhelming force, her heart pounding with a terror that tasted like bile in her throat. I''m still in Oo''lak! she thought, the realization slicing through her like a knife.


    She clenched her jaw, defiance flaring within her like a beacon against the dark. She reached inward, seeking the power she had found in her Dunem Dae Espa, hoping it wasn¡¯t a dream. She felt a flood of relief as she found the light, which pulsed like a heart made of starlight. With a guttural grunt, she unleashed this energy, a blinding wave that shattered the oppressive gloom around her. The darkness groaned, the pressure fracturing like glass under a hammer. A scream tore through the void, a sound so foul and vile, it caused her to gag, bringing a wave of nausea that she fought with a growl.


    Summoning every shred of her will, Avria channeled her Dunamis again, the force erupting from her like a supernova. There was a sound like the world itself being torn asunder, and suddenly, she was falling, landing hard on a bed of grass, now a grotesque tapestry of entrails and black, oozing blood. She scrambled to her feet, her eyes darting back to the source of her escape.


    There, writhing in agony, was Ool''ak, the demon, clutching at its guts, a yawning chasm where her power had ripped through it.


    "Demon!" Avria''s voice was a roar of vengeance, her hands thrust forward. Lightning, no longer the blue she was accustomed to, but a fierce, golden-white, erupted from her palms. The light was blinding, the sound like thunder clapping inside the demon''s skull. The Dunamis seared into Ool''ak, its flesh charring, its screams a cacophony of pain and defeat. She poured her rage into the attack, unrelenting until the demon slumped, lifeless.


    Before her lay the ruin of Ool''ak, its body a grotesque sculpture of charred flesh, its mouth locked in an eternal scream of agony, the last echo of its existence.


    She fell to her knees, her breathing heavy, feeling nothing but her blood pumping through her body. She took a moment to look at her surroundings. She was in a forest. Most likely still in Baa¡¯Yega, she thought.


    The sound of feet pounding through the underbrush snapped Avria''s attention away from Robert. She turned to see Greyson, Ashley, and Dorian burst through the tree line, their momentum carrying them to a sudden stop in front of her.


    Greyson''s eyes widened in shock, darting between her and the grotesque remains of Ool''ak. ¡°You!¡± he exclaimed, his hand instinctively reaching for his blade. Ashley and Dorian mirrored his action, white bone glinting in the dim light. ¡°How the hell did you¡ª¡±


    Avria didn''t let him finish; she unleashed a surge of electricity, the force of it crackling through the air. She could feel her strength pulsing, rekindling like a stoked fire. All three humans countered with their own abilities, weaving defenses of their Dunamis. They retaliated with a barrage of their own attacks, lightning, blades of water, and stone spikes clashing against her golden power.


    Frantic, she scanned for her blade, which must have been lost either on the battlefield or still lodged within the demon''s charred insides. She''d have to fight without it.


    A thunderous explosion erupted to her left, a wave of black energy slamming into her, sending her tumbling. She tried to roll with the blast, using the momentum to regain her footing, but she stumbled, crashing into a tree with enough force to knock the wind out of her. Pain seared through her as she gasped for air, but her breath halted when she sensed a presence far more ominous than Ool''ak had ever been. With a mix of fear and dread, she turned towards the source of the explosion.


    There, floating in the air, was a woman encompassed by swirling black smoke, her face devoid of eyes, an abyss where they should have been.


    ¡°Foul little creature¡­¡± the being hissed, its voice like the whisper of death as it drifted closer.


    ¡°Dio!¡± Greyson''s voice cut through the tension, his figure appearing beside the monstrous apparition.


    Dio¡­ Avria thought, her heart sinking into her stomach as she connected the dots. Is this¡­ monster, Dio¡¯Mar? Yet, she willed her heart to steady, her resolve to harden like bone. She had just clawed her way out of a fate worse than death; she would not succumb to this creature.


    She rose to her feet, embodying the fierce spirit of a Lokkon warrior, her stance unyielding against her adversaries.


    A chilling, distorted chuckle escaped from Dio¡¯Mar, the sound grating against Avria''s senses. ¡°I sense the power of Daniel within you¡­ very curious¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that how she survived!?¡± Greyson gasped, his breath heavy, his eyes reflecting a storm of doubt and fear.


    ¡°You are the first Dae¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar''s voice carried a mocking edge, ¡°to ever slay a demon¡­ even a lesser one as Oo¡¯lak was¡­ Avria of House Regios¡­ I am impressed¡­¡±


    ¡°Silence, you foul creature!¡± Avria''s shout was defiant, her body tensing for attack, though her words rang hollow even to her own ears. This entity was beyond comprehension, beyond what should exist.


    Dio¡¯Mar raised a pale, almost ghostly hand towards Avria, her eyeless face twisting into a grotesque smile. ¡°My words¡­ are the least of your worries. For your crimes and defiance¡­ I will keep you alive¡­ trapped in a hole so deep¡­ you will never escape¡­ your screams and torment will be music to my ears¡­¡±


    Avria''s eyes widened, horror dawning as dark energy pooled in Dio¡¯Mar''s palm, the very air shivering with the anticipation of the coming blow. She found herself immobilized, panic seizing her. She cursed silently, her mind racing with the realization of her possible end. How can one fight against something so powerful?


    ¡°Dio!¡± A voice thundered beside Avria. She spun around to see Robert materialize from nothingness, his form caked in mud and grime, his hands raised in defiance. ¡°You won¡¯t have her.¡±


    Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s eyeless visage contorted in what could only be shock as she swiveled towards him. ¡°Robert¡­ This is a surprise¡­ so you were able to escape your prison¡­¡±


    ¡°You have been in my head for far too long,¡± Robert seethed, positioning himself as a shield for Avria. ¡°Since the pit, was there ever a time you weren¡¯t manipulating me? Dripping your poison in my mind? I fucking trusted you!¡± His eyes flared with an inner fire as he spoke. ¡°When I had nothing¡­ when I was at my lowest point¡­ I found you. I thought I had someone I could confide in. Someone I could believe was with me when everything else was a fucked-up mess.¡± He clutched his forehead, barely containing his rage. ¡°But it was all a lie. You were the parasite I should have avoided at all costs.¡±


    ¡°You think¡­ that I controlled you?¡± Dio¡¯Mar hissed, her voice like venom. ¡°You¡­ think that I made you do the things¡­ that keep you awake at night? You are a fool¡­ account for your sins¡­ Robert¡­ I was only the breeze that whispered¡­ you were the force that made it all so¡­ Do not hide from what you have done¡­¡±


    ¡°Bullshit.¡± Robert placed his hand on Avria¡¯s shoulder, his touch grounding her. ¡°We¡¯ll see you soon, you fucking piece of shit. And when it happens, we¡¯re going to destroy you.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ are a fool¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar aimed her hand at him, and a high-pitched ringing sliced through the air, assaulting Avria''s ears. She winced but stood firm.


    Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s face twisted further into confusion. ¡°You¡­ are different¡­¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t control me anymore, bitch.¡± Robert spat, his grip on Avria¡¯s shoulder tightening. The air around them began to shimmer, distorting like heat waves on asphalt. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he whispered to her, and with a speed that seemed impossible, they were propelled through the air, several feet above the ground, leaving the malevolent presence of Dio¡¯Mar behind.


    ~


    ¡°No!¡± Greyson yelled, his voice cracking as he watched Robert and the Dae princess vanish into thin air. His eyes darted frantically, searching for any clue of their destination.


    ¡°It¡¯s not possible¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar hissed, her voice like the sound of glass shattering under pressure. ¡°How did he change?¡± She let out a howl of rage, so vile that it forced Greyson to his knees, the sound like a physical assault. ¡°Summon your familiars¡­ find them¡­ they cannot be allowed to escape!¡±


    Greyson, struggling back to his feet, began slashing his sword through the air, each swing creating a portal. Ashley and Dorian did the same, their movements synchronized as they opened their own portals. Within moments, dozens of demonic familiars materialized, their forms grotesque and eager, awaiting their orders.


    ¡°Find Robert and the Dae princess who¡¯s with him,¡± Greyson commanded, his voice stern. ¡°They couldn¡¯t have gotten far. Look for any signs of their passing.¡±


    The creatures responded with a collective growl, then scattered into the forest in all directions, their dark forms melding with the shadows.


    Greyson exhaled heavily, dread like a vice around his heart. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± he whispered under his breath.


    ¡°How the hell did he escape?¡± Ashley asked, her steps echoing beside him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Greyson admitted, his head hanging low, ¡°I¡¯m less surprised about how he escaped than how the Dae girl survived Oo¡¯lak.¡±


    ¡°Nothing like that¡¯s ever happened before,¡± Dorian remarked, sheathing his blade with a sigh. ¡°Oo¡¯lak has devoured dozens of Dae since he joined us. And probably hundreds or thousands before that.¡± He shook his head in disbelief. ¡°She fucking ripped out of him, and blew him apart.¡±


    Greyson glanced back at the charred remains of the lesser demon, a sight that defied his understanding. ¡°I didn¡¯t even think that Dae could kill demons. Cast them out, maybe¡­ but this?¡± He gestured towards the corpse. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡±


    ¡°Dio¡¯Mar said she had the same power as Daniel,¡± Ashley mentioned, her arms crossed, her face contorted in disgust at the mention of the name. ¡°What the hell does that mean?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Greyson''s frustration erupted as he kicked the ground. ¡°All I know is that we¡¯re down two humans now! Lauren¡¯s fucking dead, and Robert has the ability to hide from everyone.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not¡ª¡±


    ¡°She will be!¡± Greyson interrupted, his voice sharp. ¡°She¡¯s in the heart of their city. She won¡¯t last long.¡± He clenched his fists in frustration. ¡°We need to change our plans.¡± He faced Ashley and Dorian, his eyes gleaming with determination. ¡°We aren¡¯t going for the Visoth main gate. Our new target is in the Spirit Forest.¡±


    ¡°The small one?¡± Ashley questioned, ¡°I thought Dio said it wouldn¡¯t be enough to do anything. We needed the big one. If we open that, then all of them open.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice.¡± Greyson spat out. ¡°Without Lauren, and without Robert, we don¡¯t have enough power to do it. This one will have to do. If we kill enough Dae, we can siphon their power, maybe making up the difference.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot,¡± Dorian agreed with a shrug. ¡°If we don¡¯t¡­ we¡¯re screwed.¡±


    Greyson¡¯s heart plummeted at the thought of facing Mu¡¯Dok with this news. ¡°Yeah¡­ we really don¡¯t have a choice anymore.¡±

 Chapter 47 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Robert slumped against a tree, his breath protesting the evening chill in large plumes of steam. With each breath, a new layer of awareness seemed to fill the gaps in his mind, like memories hiding in plain sight. He was free now, liberated from the subtle manipulation of whispers and doubt. It was like waking from a dream; only being aware of how wrong and twisted it was, after the fact.


    The crackling of branches and twigs to his left snapped him out of his reverie. He opened one eye to see Avria, leaning against her own tree, her silhouette outlined by the moon''s pale light. A wave of dread gripped his heart like a vice. She had saved him from torment and darkness, descending like an angel from heaven to clear the perpetual fog that had clouded his mind. After everything he had done to her and her people, she had chosen the path of righteousness, a path he once thought he understood.


    ¡°I¡ª¡± He started, clearing his throat with a cough. ¡°I think we lost them back there. We¡¯re cloaked completely now, so, even if they somehow get here and walk up to us, they won''t be able to see us.¡±


    Her golden eyes shot towards him, creasing with clear irritation and anger. Her mouth opened to speak but closed again with a hiss, while she turned away.


    Robert felt the grip on his heart tighten, an urgency building within him. ¡°Avria¡­¡± he spoke softly, waiting for her to turn back. ¡°Nothing I can say will undo what I¡¯ve done to you¡­ And¡­ somehow, you managed to save me from my prison, despite all of it. Something you shouldn¡¯t have done¡ªbut did.¡± He hung his head, searching for the right words. ¡°What can I do to repay you? I wi¡ª¡±


    ¡°You are a fool, Robert,¡± she hissed, her voice trembling between fury and fatigue. "I saved you¡­ not for you, but for what you are and what you are capable of doing. Your power, your help ¡ª that''s all I need to end this nightmare."


    The scent of trees mingled with the cold air, each breath feeling like inhaling shards of ice, sharp and clarifying. The trees around them creaked in the chilling wind, a chorus to their fraught conversation. Shadows danced across their faces, as if the forest itself was listening, waiting for her to proceed.


    ¡°I want your power,¡± Avria continued, her voice a mix of anger and something unspoken, perhaps a plea for redemption or understanding. ¡°I need it to destroy whatever evil has been unleashed in our world. Beyond that, there isn¡¯t anything I want from the likes of you, Robert, or Reku, or whatever they call you now.¡±


    Memories of his actions flooded back like a river breaching its banks, each one a sharp reminder of the man he had been, the one who had caused such pain to Avria and her kin. But now, things were different. And it would take all of their combined power to stop what now threatened them. The creatures they fled from were not merely hunting them like a pack of wolves; they were the harbingers of a darkness that could snuff out the light of their entire world if not stopped.


    ¡°I will do everything I can. I promise. But¡­¡± His voice trailed off, the gravity of the situation clear in his nod. ¡°What they have planned, Avria, it¡¯s beyond anything we''ve ever faced.¡±


    ¡°What exactly is it?¡± she asked, rising from her seat with a fluid motion, signaling her readiness to move on.


    ¡°They want to unleash demons on this world,¡± Robert confessed, standing with a grunt, his body echoing the weight of his words. ¡°Unlimited hordes of them.¡±


    Avria''s eyes flared with a mix of anger and fear as she turned to confront him. ¡°They want to unleash the nether realms upon Pelemont? That''s impossible. The great spirits would never permit such an atrocity.¡± She turned away, her steps quickening as she resumed walking.


    Robert hastened to keep pace, the urgency in his voice clear. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta stay close to me. Otherwise, your disguise fades.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you cloak an entire army?¡± She spat, her tone mocking.


    ¡°The smaller stuff is harder.¡± He sighed, ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain in terms a Dae would understand.¡±


    Avria¡¯s yellow eyes flashed toward him, but quickly focused forward again.


    ¡°I mean, If I were to tell you, it¡¯s like using a big paint brush to color a canvas, instead of using a pencil to sketch a detailed picture, you probably wouldn¡¯t get what I¡¯m saying.¡±


    ¡°I suppose.¡± She scoffed.


    Robert winced, the awkwardness palpable in the air. He knew he needed to mend what he had broken with her clan, though it seemed an insurmountable task. The silence that followed was like a lead blanket, heavy and oppressive. After several minutes, driven by a genuine curiosity and a desperate need to connect, he finally spoke.


    ¡°You said the great spirits wouldn¡¯t allow demons to be unleashed on Pelemont. How come? Have they ever intervened before?¡± His question hung in the ai


    Avria took several moments to answer. Grumbling something under her breath before she did. ¡°The four great spirits rule over all our world. Their words spoken down through the ancient spirits, then down the line of spirits to the Espi-Dae. As far as direct interference from the great spirits? They interceded only once in our recorded history. During the war of the Ascended.¡±


    Robert nodded, ¡°Five.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Avria turned toward him, her face twisted in confusion.


    ¡°Five great spirits.¡± Robert answered. ¡°There are five of them.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Avria waved her hand dismissively toward him. ¡°There are only four of them. The Great spirit of fire, of water, of stone, and air.¡± She held four of her fingers up toward him for emphasis.


    ¡°And life.¡± Robert held out his thumb. ¡°Misa, the elder spirit within the Spirit-Forest told me about them. She said there were five. Fire, water, wind, earth, and life.¡±


    Avria stopped dead in her tracks, her boots crunching the underbrush as she faced him, her expression unreadable but eyes blazing with intensity. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡±


    ¡°You remember when I went to the Spirit-Forest with Amynta? To search for a way to get home, right?¡± Robert asked, his voice leveled. ¡°Well, we were allowed by the spirits there to go deep in it; like all the way to the center. We spoke to several of the younger spirits, most could barely communicate, but there was one that was really old. Her name was Misa. She didn¡¯t know how to get us home, but we learned a lot from her. One thing she mentioned that, Amynta thought was ¡®very¡¯ interesting was her history of the five great spirits.¡±


    Avria blinked, her face now clearly in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. The Espi-Dae would have written it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Robert shrugged, ¡°Maybe I misunderstood her or something. Either way, I don¡¯t think she would just make something up like that. I mean she was a really old spirit.¡±


    ¡°If there was such a thing.¡± Avria shook her head. ¡°It would be a great discovery. Who did you say you were with?¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Uh¡ª Amynta of house¡­ uh. Sorros or¡­ Sozo! Yeah, House Sozo.¡± Robert¡¯s thoughts turned to her, she had been such an instrumental part of his early days in this world, but all thought of her had seemed to take a back seat after the battle of Vul De Rah. ¡°I heard she was rescued by Dan and¡­ uh¡­ you know¡­ I wonder where she is right now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Avria nodded, ¡°I remember her now. She should be in Vul De Mar with house Bodilla. I will send for her as soon as I am able.¡± With that, she turned and continued walking.


    Robert caught up with her again, and she resumed speaking as though nothing had changed. ¡°All this talk of demons is troubling. We now know they are a real threat. And humans are helping them.¡±


    ¡°Not all of them.¡± Robert added, the barest hint of desperation in his voice.


    ¡°Enough to put some merit behind the High Espi-Dae¡¯s words.¡± Avria¡¯s response was quick, ¡°If it comes to it, we must keep Greyson and his group of humans a secret for as long as possible. The Espi-Dae would use it, ¡®can¡¯ use it, to sow further discourse.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s true?¡± Robert¡¯s question came with a high level of tension. He knew what the High Espi-Dae thought of humans all too well. But the fact that he might have been correct haunted him. They feared that humans were demons. And as it turned out, humans were brought here by demons and were now actively helping them to destroy their world.


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Avria snapped back, her voice fierce. ¡°I saw something... before I came to your Dunem Dae Espa to rescue you. It left no doubt in my mind about your true purpose here.¡± She shot him a glance, her eyes burning with a sudden fury. ¡°Well, at least for Daniel and Katrina. For you... I need more time to decide.¡±


    Robert exhaled a heavy sigh, his head shaking in a cocktail of disappointment and frustration. ¡°You never really explained how you found me.¡±


    Avria''s steps faltered, her pace slowing as if each word was a burden. ¡°I was¡­ devoured by a demon.¡±


    Robert¡¯s face contorted into a mask of disbelief. ¡°How the hell did that happen?¡±


    ¡°I was part of an expedition, led by Daniel,¡± she answered, her voice quick, betraying her discomfort. ¡°We were on a mission to find humans, to bring them back to Vul De Rah. But Greyson and his group ambushed us on our way south¡­ They summoned creatures from the void¡­ and then, a demon.¡± Her eyes lost focus, as if she was back in that moment of terror.


    ¡°And the demon¡ª devoured you?¡± Robert asked, his tone as gentle as he could manage. ¡°That sounds, uh¡ª uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°It was the most horrific thing I¡¯ve ever experienced¡­¡± She shook her head, a shudder running through her. ¡°I''ll never forget it. The feeling of its teeth tearing into me¡­ or the hopelessness I felt as the darkness enveloped me.¡±


    ¡°But you survived,¡± Robert stated, his curiosity genuine.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how¡­¡± Avria¡¯s voice was barely above a whisper. ¡°I tried to escape the darkness, to die in peace, I suppose, by fleeing to my Dunem Dae Espa. But the darkness followed. I was tormented by unbearable pain. Visions and¡­¡± She winced, signaling her reluctance to delve deeper. ¡°I can¡¯t speak of it any further.¡±


    ¡°How did you escape, Avria?¡± Robert''s voice came out sterner than he intended, driven by a need to understand, haunted by the possibility that this could be another one of Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s tricks.


    Avria shot him a glare, her anger and irritation palpable, but then her expression softened as she pondered. ¡°I was saved by¡­ a spirit of some kind. It guided me to find the light within my core.¡± She halted, turning to face him fully. ¡°The same light I saw within you when I saved you. Daniel had it too, in his Dunem Dae Espa. It saved you both. Changed your powers.¡± She glanced down at her hands. ¡°It changed mine as well. My Dunamis was ineffective against the demon before. After, it destroyed it.¡±


    ¡°A spirit saved you?¡± Robert pressed, skepticism threading his words. ¡°And found this¡­ light within you? How do you know it wasn¡¯t a demon playing tricks? Did the spirit identify itself? What did it look like?¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Avria said, her hand raised in frustration. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of spirit it was. I just know it wasn¡¯t a demon. The feeling was unmistakable.¡±


    ¡°But how can you be certain?¡± Robert''s doubt earned him another sharp look.


    ¡°You will just have to trust me, Robert,¡± she declared, turning to walk away, her steps now more resolute. ¡°Just as I''ve chosen to trust that you aren''t merely a betrayer, but a man who was tormented into actions he didn''t fully understand.¡±


    There was very little chatter after that. Robert¡¯s thoughts now dwelled on her last words to him. Part of him wanted to believe her, that he was manipulated by Dio¡¯Mar and Alektor, but he feared the truth was far less convenient. He had made the decision to help the Rexunii over Lokkon. For better or worse he chose to free a people who were oppressed, and ultimately betrayed not only his friends, but the people who had harbored them. Were these thoughts your own though? His mind raced, unsure of what feelings were truly his and not the manipulative whispers of a demon he had foolishly chosen to put his trust in.


    ¡°There.¡± Avria''s voice sliced through the quietude of the forest, drawing Robert''s attention to a break in the treeline, a sliver of light against the dense foliage.


    Robert followed her gaze, squinting slightly as his eyes adjusted to the sight before them. There, in the distance, was the unmistakable outline of a massive wall, its smooth stone gleaming with a pale, almost ethereal white that stood in stark contrast to the encroaching darkness of the horizon. ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± he asked, a mix of awe and relief in his voice.


    ¡°The border of Baa¡¯Yega and Eastern Lokkadonia,¡± Avria replied, her tone laced with a satisfaction that seemed to lighten the weight of their journey. ¡°I¡¯ve never been so happy to see it.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get down there, then.¡± Robert''s words were followed by action as he channeled his Dunamis, feeling the surge of energy that propelled him forward with unnatural speed. Avria was right behind, her movements graceful yet urgent, matching his pace with the ease of an elite warrior.


    The path to the wall was not a straight one; it meandered through the last vestiges of the forest, finally opening onto a well-trodden road that led towards a fortified guard house. This structure, built against the great wall, was a testament to the defensive prowess of Baa¡¯Yega, its architecture both imposing and welcoming to those who came in peace.


    As they approached, the silence was shattered by a sharp command. ¡°Halt!¡± A young warrior stood before them, clad in bone armor and wearing a blue cloak that fluttered in the evening breeze as he pointed a spear at them. ¡°Identify yourselves!¡±


    Robert raised his hands in a non-threatening manner, ready to speak, but Avria''s commanding voice boomed out, silencing any need for him to explain.


    ¡°I am Avria of House Regios, Princess of Lokkon!¡± Her declaration was not just words; it was a force, a reminder of her royal lineage that made even the spear in the warrior¡¯s hands waver. ¡°And this is King Reku of Visgo, Spirit-Sent, and your High King¡¯s brother. I demand you bring us to your captain immediately.¡±


    The young guard, clearly taken aback by such an unexpected encounter, paused, his youthful features reflecting his inner turmoil. He reached for a horn at his belt, a carved bone piece that looked ancient yet functional, and blew three long, resonant blasts into the air. The sound was a call to arms, or in this case, a call to attention.


    From the guard house and the surrounding structures, more warriors emerged, their armor a mosaic of bone and metal, their cloaks varying shades of blue, each moving with purpose towards the newcomers. Robert and Avria, drained from their ordeal, could only sigh, too weary to protest the sudden mobilization.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look like a princess to me,¡± the young warrior remarked, his voice betraying his youthful disbelief. ¡°And he doesn¡¯t look like a king. So, stay where you are, and the captain will get this sorted out.¡±


    They were quickly bound, the ropes tight but not uncomfortable, at least compared to Robert¡¯s last captors. They were led into what appeared to be the officers'' quarters of the guard house. Inside, the room was austere, the walls lined with weapons and banners, and at its center, two stone chairs where Robert and Avria were placed, under the watchful eyes of several Baa¡¯Yega warriors.


    ¡°At least we can finally sit down,¡± Robert whispered, his feet aching from the long trek.


    Avria responded with a faint smirk, a brief moment of camaraderie that spoke volumes about how far they had actually come, in such a short amount of time. Small victories, Robert thought, just as the stone door of the room slid open.


    A figure entered, his cloak a darker navy blue, adorned with golden embroidery that spoke of his high rank. His eyes, sharp and assessing, scanned them before recognition dawned.


    ¡°Princess?¡± he asked, confusion etched across his face. He then turned to Robert, then back to his men. ¡°Unbind them, you fools!¡±


    ¡°Your highness, I must apologize for your treatment,¡± he said, bowing slightly, his voice carrying the weight of sincerity. ¡°Everyone said that you had fallen in battle against a demon.¡±


    Avria shook her head, her long, tangled hair moving with the gesture. ¡°I was only imprisoned. I escaped from them, managed to free King Reku as well. I recognize you, Captain. Weren¡¯t you among our hosts when we passed through here last?¡± Her gaze drifted down to her own attire, once regal but now tattered and stained with blood and grime, then to Robert¡¯s equally disheveled state. ¡°We¡¯ve both been through quite the ordeal. Do you have facilities where we can freshen up?¡±


    ¡°We will draw you a bath this instant,¡± the captain assured, his tone respectful yet efficient. ¡°I am Captain Pe¡¯ton, of House Bute¡¯. You look exhausted.¡±


    Avria, after a moment of collecting herself, looked up at him, her request simple yet poignant after their trials. ¡°Could we trouble you for a water skin, Captain?¡±

 Chapter 48 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel held his hands out again, feeling the roiling power within him build. With a strain of mental effort, he pushed it to the palms of his hands, and unleashed a focused blast of white-gold fire. The beam, more like a lance of energy than the flamethrower-like techniques he''d been practicing, struck the hillside nearly a hundred meters away. He watched as the smoke cleared from the impact area, where dozens of similar looking craters scarred the hillside. He both nodded and shrugged at the result; not fully there, but far better than where he started earlier in the day. In the time since returning from the expedition, Daniel had secluded himself. He had seen good friends die in war. It was an inevitable probability when subjecting yourself to such things.


    But it always hurt; it always churned in his heart like hot coals in a fire. And Avria was different to him. She had been devoured by a demon before his eyes, after saving him from the very same fate.


    ¡°You are getting quite good at that.¡± A familiar voice called from behind him.


    Daniel turned to see Illya of house Ignos, approaching from the tree line. He had found this little spot, just outside of the city, hidden by a large cluster of trees. There was a vast clearing against a rather steep hillside that reminded Daniel of a shooting range back home. How¡¯d she find me? He thought, turning to look at the charred hillside, a trail of smoke billowing into the air. Well, that explains it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to intrude, Daniel.¡± Illya¡¯s words came out uneasily. ¡°Its just, I¡¯ve been trying to see you¡­ since your return.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Daniel responded, turning to face her. ¡°I tried too. But you were always busy, apparently.¡±


    Illya let out an exasperated laugh, ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s what they told you. Do you know what they told me? That if I am caught with you, they will throw me in the dungeons and have my brother executed.¡±


    Daniel sighed, walking toward her. ¡°That sounds like something they would do.¡± Before she could respond he wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. Illya gasped in surprise at the sudden show of affection, but quickly returned the gesture. After several moments, he could feel her trembling in his arms, and hear the muffled sobs she let out against his chest. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± He said, tightening his hold. ¡°They aren¡¯t going to kill Boros, Illya. I swear to you.¡±


    Several more tense moments passed as she finally looked up at him. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how good it is to see you again, Daniel.¡± She said through several sniffles. ¡°There has been so much death¡­ and our family is all but gone. They want to destroy us¡­¡±


    ¡°Alektor seems to really have it out for your family.¡± Daniel agreed, his voice gentle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry though, I¡¯ll protect you and Boros. After everything that¡¯s happened, it¡¯s the right thing to do.¡±


    ¡°But how?¡± Illya pulled away but still held onto him, as though afraid he would leave her. ¡°I¡¯ve been promised to Lord Turak of house Skotos. And Boros has been marked for death. Despite the efforts of not only Lord Telmos, but also of Katrina.¡± She leaned forward, pressing her forehead into his chest. ¡°Spirit¡¯s bless that girl¡­ Katrina has been a true friend through all of this.¡±


    Daniel sighed, feeling the weight of new responsibility start to lift the burden of grief and anguish he felt over Avria¡¯s death. He knew he had a duty to protect the last remaining members of house Ignos. He was sick of the politics. Sick of the endless conflict and death. This needed to change; with the revelations brought by Lauren during her interrogation. There was so much more at stake than the meaningless squabbling between houses.


    They spent another hour or so together in the clearing. Illya vented her worries and woes to him, all the while clutching to him like her life depended on it. Daniel allowed her to indulge, knowing that it brought her a bit of comfort in her new harsh reality. But as the morning chill started to subside and the early afternoon came, he gently let her know that it was time to get back. She did not protest in any way; allowing him to lead her through the small cluster of trees back toward the gate. She had a small smile on her face as they walked together, her arm linked with his the whole way. When they approached the gate, a group of crimson clad warriors met with them, and escorted them back to the palace, where a retinue of Rexunii warriors blocked their path.


    ¡°Spirit-Sent.¡± The Rexunii officer who led the group greeted him, bowing his head, deeply. ¡°Thank you for bringing Lady Illya back to the palace safely. We will take her from here.¡±


    Daniel narrowed his eyes at the warrior, feeling suddenly very uneasy about letting her out of his sight. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Daniel¡¯s words were direct, but held a touch of warning within them. ¡°I¡¯m taking her to see Alektor.¡±


    The officer was taken aback by his response, looking unsure of how to answer. ¡°I don¡¯t believe the High King is expecting¡ª¡±


    ¡°Look.¡± Daniel cut him off, his warning tone turning dangerous. ¡°If you want to take her, you can try. But believe me, after the week I¡¯ve had, you wouldn¡¯t even get close.¡± He took a threatening step toward the warriors, his expression displaying the promise of violence. ¡°Don¡¯t test me right now, Lieutenant. She¡¯s coming with me. You can tell your superiors, or whoever gave you the order, that I said ¡®no¡¯. If he or she has a problem with it, they can take it up with Alektor.¡±


    Without so much as another glance at him, Daniel strode through the cluster of warriors, straight into the entrance of the palace.


    ¡°Daniel¡­¡± Illya whispered to him, tightening her grip on his arm. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re ending this bullshit, right now.¡± He grunted, the grief he felt in his heart turning into an anger he wasn¡¯t sure he could contain. With each step he took, the flames of his resolve flared within him. Before long they found themselves at the entrance of Alektor¡¯s study. The half dozen guards standing sentry outside, were a good indicator that Daniel¡¯s prediction of where they could find him was correct. Alektor always spent the afternoon in this particular study, unless called elsewhere.


    ¡°We¡¯re here to see Alektor.¡± Daniel said to the guard closest to the door.


    The warrior stared back at him through the eyeholes of his bone helmet. Showing only the briefest hesitation before sliding the door open slightly.


    ¡°Highness, Spirit-Sent Daniel is here to see you, with Lady Illya.¡±


    Daniel heard an unintelligible response from within, but the guard nodded toward him and slid the door all the way open. As he entered, Daniel saw Alektor was in the middle of a small meeting, with Athica, the Queen of Visgo, and Robert¡¯s widow.


    The Dae Queen nodded toward him as he entered, her hands gently held over her now swollen belly. Also in attendance was Ambrosia, the Princess of Sabree¡¯, and several Rexunii nobles he didn¡¯t know the names of.


    ¡°Daniel.¡± Alektor¡¯s voice seemed far more worn than usual, further emphasized by his tired looking eyes. ¡°I am glad you decided to join us.¡± He glanced at Illya, a flash of irritation crossing his features. ¡°Though I would prefer you had come alone. Lady Illya has no business attending this meeting.¡±


    ¡°Well, she needs to be present for this conversation.¡± Daniel said, his voice calm but commanding. ¡°We need to talk about what she¡¯s doing here. And what you¡¯re planning to do with Boros.¡±


    Daniel didn¡¯t miss the inward groan that the High King attempted to conceal with his stoic expression. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware there was anything we had to discuss.¡± He said, in a level tone. ¡°Lady Illya is betrothed to Lord Turak. She knew of this long before coming here, and is well aware that it was one of my conditions for keeping her from sharing the same fate as her brother.¡±


    Illya seemed to shrink behind Daniel as Alektor¡¯s gaze intensified toward her. ¡°She is also aware,¡± Alektor continued, ¡°That I gave her specific instructions to stay far away from you and Katrina. It seems she has no intention of honoring any part of our agreement. Which is regrettable.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°Would you cut the bullshit, please?¡± Daniel snapped. Alektor¡¯s eyes narrowed at the outburst, but Daniel was past caring anymore. ¡°Your vendetta against house Ignos has been paid in full. You killed Oros, her brother. Slew her dad, Agron, in the middle of his court, conquered Eleutheros, and still want blood? What the fuck is wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°How dare you speak to the High King in such a manor!¡± Ambrosia shouted as she stood from her seat. ¡°We have been tirelessly going over this very real threat that we now face. A threat that you endured at great loss, Daniel. We simply don¡¯t have the time or energy to waste on the Ignos harlot!¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you.¡± Daniel growled, ¡°And you don¡¯t need to lecture me on what kind of threat we¡¯re facing. I fucking fought it!¡± His gazed turned toward Alektor, ¡°And I¡¯ll be damned if I¡¯m going to just sit back and let you people torment or kill one of the only Dae left that I care about in this world. Illya is off limits.¡±


    Alektor rose from his seat, his eyes blazing now with unmasked fury. ¡°You will remember yourself, Daniel.¡± He fumed, ¡°House Ignos has a great many crimes that they have committed. Crimes that span over hundreds of years.¡±


    ¡°Illya isn¡¯t responsible for any of them.¡± Daniel retorted, ¡°And as princess bitch over here put so eloquently, we have bigger problems than a four-hundred-year-old grudge against a defeated house.¡± Daniel let out an angry breath, shaking his head. ¡°I know how powerful you are, Alektor. Everyone here does. But you don¡¯t scare me.¡± Daniel¡¯s eyes locked with Alektor¡¯s and A mixture of indifference and apathy poured from him. ¡°I¡¯ve looked into the abyss, and seen what stares back. And it wasn¡¯t some High King with a fucking chip on his shoulder. It was a demon¡­ a real fucking monster. And there will be millions more of them, pouring out of gates all over Pelemont if we don¡¯t get our heads out of our asses and stop it.¡±


    Daniel pointed his finger toward the High King. ¡°I saved your life, Alektor. I asked you for a favor, and it turned out to be a bust. But if you want to make it up to me, and prove that you¡¯re the leader we all hope you are. You¡¯re going to have to forgive them.¡± Daniel gently pushed Illya in front of him, having her face Alektor. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to move past whatever pain they have caused you for the greater good¡­ Because the evil that¡¯s coming? You heard Lauren¡­ it¡¯s here. And if we¡¯re not prepared¡­ we¡¯re all dead.¡±


    Alektor¡¯s eyes remained fixed on Daniel. Studying him with a virulent intensity. But there was clear understanding in them, and Daniel saw the wheels turning. Alektor was a lot of things, but Daniel truly believed he was a fair and good leader at heart. If he could overcome the personal issues he had, Eleutheros could be stronger than it had ever been. But there was a hint of hesitation that rose within Daniel as Alektor¡¯s expression changed. The tiredness that hung around his features suddenly lifted, and he nodded. Great¡­ he¡¯s figured something out. And I¡¯m probably going to hate it. He thought.


    ¡°Your etiquette is lacking.¡± Alektor started, his voice now calm and collected. ¡°However, your words are true; at least in terms of the threat we face. But this is something that cannot easily be forgiven, Daniel. And saving one life, even mine, doesn¡¯t erase the crimes of her family.¡± Daniel was about to speak, but Alektor held up a firm hand, preventing any interruption. ¡°But in these times, we must do unthinkable things for, as you put it, the greater good.¡± His gaze turned to Illya, who seemed to struggle to hold it. ¡°You are here, as the sole representative of house Ignos, Illya. So, I will not hold anything back. Your family has haunted me and my people for hundreds of years; committing atrocities beyond words and until recently had been one of the strongest in all of Eleutheros.¡± He paused, waiting for Illya to respond.


    ¡°Y-yes.¡± She eked.


    ¡°I killed your brother.¡± He continued, his voice holding no hint of mockery or anger. It was merely a statement of fact. ¡°I slew him in single combat, then orchestrated the assassination of your father, Agron.¡±


    Daniel, who still had his hands on Illya¡¯s shoulders, could feel them start to tremble. Mirroring the torrent of rage that was surely building within her.


    ¡°I wanted to kill you all.¡± Alektor pressed, ¡°And if not for the council of Katrina and Daniel, I would have. But we are here now, and you stand before me with one of the most influential men in our world, Daniel, the Spirit-Sent. Who is urging me to allow you to live freely in a city that your family once ruled over. I want you to answer me truthfully now. On your honor as a member of house Ignos. How can I trust that the offspring of my greatest enemy will not seek retribution? How can I rule Eleutheros, knowing that there will always be a threat of violence against me or my kin? Because, I do not see many options from where I am.¡±


    Daniel held his tongue; this was her battle to fight and win. He squeezed her shoulders as a sign of support, but she stepped forward, leaving his grasp.


    ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± She declared, strength entering her voice. ¡°I can never forgive you for what you have done, your Highness. But Eleutheros is beyond the pettiness of houses and clans. And with the threat we now face, I would be a fool to attempt any descent.¡±


    ¡°And what of Boros?¡± Alektor asked, his face still stoic and unreadable. ¡°He is a powerful warrior, and well loved by the people of Lokkon. How should I ensure that he sees reason, and submits to my rule?¡±


    Illya answered without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°You can¡¯t, do that either. And I can¡¯t guarantee it.¡±


    ¡°I can.¡± Alektor snapped. ¡°Eliminating him would ensure peace. And you as well for that matter. But again, we are here.¡± He gestured toward Daniel. ¡°And for obvious reasons, killing you both, or marrying you off to a powerful Rexunii house seems to be out of the question. So, what do you think we should do?¡±


    Daniel sighed, knowing full well that Alektor already had a solution in mind. And was merely toying with Illya, perhaps to make a point.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Illya¡¯s fire started to flicker, under Alektor¡¯s scrutiny. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± The High King said, ¡°It is a conundrum indeed. And you?¡± Alektor looked at Daniel, his eyebrow raised.


    ¡°Send him to another clan.¡± Daniel answered without hesitation. ¡°A place where he could thrive in his own right, but still not have the same support as he would in Lokkon.¡± Daniel glanced down at Illya, and she turned to meet his eyes. ¡°And have her marry into a powerful house. But not Turak¡¯s.¡±


    Alektor seemed to have been caught a bit off guard by Daniel¡¯s answer, but he barely showed it. ¡°Then who?¡±


    ¡°Have her marry Prince Reni, in Baa¡¯Yega.¡± Daniel¡¯s words came with a pang of guilt he felt within. He didn¡¯t want to offer her up like some piece of furniture, but there was really no other option for her. Reni was a bit strange, like his sister, but he was a nice enough guy. And the Baa¡¯Yega were still very fond of house Ignos. ¡°I met him during our travels. He¡¯s a good man and would treat her well.¡±


    ¡°Reni?¡± Ambrosia interjected. ¡°That would be greatly raising her station. Reni is next in line for the throne of Baa¡¯Yega.¡±


    ¡°Ambrosia is correct.¡± Alektor agreed. ¡°Doing so would require a great deal of trust and sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°Then stop beating around the bush and tell us what you have in mind.¡± Daniel snapped, his patience for politics and the constant maneuvering waning. ¡°You clearly already know what you¡¯re going to do. So, just tell us already.¡±


    Alektor sighed, taking a moment to walk and pour himself a bowl of wine. ¡°I will need something from you, Daniel. If I am to take such a risk.¡±


    ¡°Here we go.¡± Daniel rolled his eyes. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I need you to join my clan, officially.¡± His words came out smoothly as he sipped from his bowl.


    ¡°Join your clan?¡± Daniel asked, the request being probably the last thing he had expected him to say. ¡°You want me¡­ to join the Rexunii?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Alektor turned to Ambrosia, who nodded in approval. ¡°I want you to become our first Hego.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Daniel found himself at a loss for words, so Alektor pressed on.


    ¡°As you are a Spirit-Sent, your position is somewhat ambiguous.¡± The High King continued. ¡°And without a true position, your political power rests in the ether. With this, you will have a true position. A true purpose and responsibility to care for and develop a territory of your choosing.¡±


    ¡°That¡ª¡± Daniel balked, ¡°Is completely ridiculous. I don¡¯t know the first or last thing about governing people. How the hell do you expect me to do something like that?¡±


    ¡°It is a role you will come to know.¡± Alektor sat, taking another drink of wine. ¡°With the proper guidance, of course. But this is my condition, if you wish to see the house of Ignos endure.¡±


    Son of a bitch, Daniel thought. He¡¯s holding the lives of Boros and Illya hostage. ¡°What choice do I have?¡±


    ¡°It would certainly simplify Lady Illya¡¯s current predicament, as well as Boros¡¯.¡± Alektor¡¯s tone was again commanding and in control. ¡°And help me in rationalizing the great risk I would be taking, keeping the house of Ignos relevant within the boundaries of Eleutheros.¡±


    Illya reached down and squeezed Daniel¡¯s hand, her bright yellow eyes meeting his. ¡°Please.¡± She whispered, ¡°Not for me, but for Boros.¡±


    ¡°What about Katrina?¡± Daniel asked Alektor, ¡°She should have a position too.¡±


    ¡°I have been thinking about that.¡± Alektor¡¯s response was quick, almost as though he had been waiting for that exact question. ¡°Any position she likes, I will bestow. I, of course would have some suggestions.¡±


    ¡°I want to talk to her first.¡± Daniel¡¯s mind was racing. As much as he wanted to help Illya and Boros, he couldn¡¯t just agree. The fact that it was Alektor¡¯s plan, alone, gave him pause.


    ¡°As you wish.¡± Alektor waved his hand, ¡°Let us speak on it further, tonight. Until then, Illya, you are free to do as you wish. I will treat you as any foreign dignitary, or royal guest. You are free to come and go as you please, barring you stay within the city limits, and have an escort with you at all times.¡±


    Illya bowed her head, clear tension in the motion. ¡°Yes, your highness. Thank you.¡±


    Suddenly the door to the study slid open, and the guard from outside entered the room. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, your Highness. But we have an urgent message from the city gates.¡±


    Alektor and Daniel shared an uneasy glance, and the High King nodded toward the guard. ¡°Proceed then.¡±


    ¡°There is a full war-group of Baa¡¯Yega warriors there¡­¡± The guard said hesitantly. ¡°And they are allegedly escorting King Reku, and¡ª and Princess Avria.¡±

 Tales of Eleutheros Map and Art post

    Hello Everyone! Since several of you have requested I share what I have in terms of art, I thought it would be appropriate to share some of the concept pieces we''ve been working on with a few people. Obviously, Most of it is AI generated, but with heavy editing for accuracy from an artist for maximum immersion! I hope you all enjoy this little surprise post, and take some time to get to know what the world looks like and what some of the characters look like.


    First up is a fairly detailed map of Eleutheros that shows all the major cities and provinces that are relevant at this point in the story. (This is long overdue, I know. And I¡¯m sorry.) It consists of all the clans within the kingdom and should be a good guide for anyone looking to orient themselves while the story proceeds.


    This is the fabled city of Vul De Rah. Complete with the Palace atop a hill in the center of the city, as well as the Dome arena in the Regios area called the ¡°Glade¡± This was generated via AI, but is pretty spot on as far as the overall look and feel of the city.


    Next up is Katrina. This picture might be a bit too beautified, but it¡¯s nearly exact to the original concept art for her. She¡¯s sporting her black squire''s cloak, and wearing the bone breastplate of the Dae made Rug¡¯ia bones. (The Material is harder than steel, and a fraction of the weight.)


    The second Picture is her AI version, which is more photo realistic. I think it¡¯s pretty close to the original art too.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    On to Robert, the focus of copious amounts of love or hate. Hate him or love him, here he is in all his glory, wearing his Royal Rexunii cloak and armor. Again, he¡¯s a bit too handsome, but it¡¯s very close to the original art. There isn¡¯t another picture of Robert at the moment, but we¡¯re working on it.


    To round off the three main human characters, we have Daniel. This was actually the original cover on Royal road that was used. AI assisted of course, but it depicts his battle at the end of book 1 during the siege of Vul De Rah. Daniel is in battle, splattered with the blue blood of his Dae foes. It was heavily edited by an Artist to make it more accurate to his concept art for the scene.


    The second picture is his full AI version. Pretty accurate, save the longer hair.


    Finally, we have Avria. The now ¡®warrior princess¡¯ of Lokkon. The first picture is her concept art piece. It shows her in her battle attire.


    The second picture is a more straightforward depiction of her. This is completely AI, with no edits at all, but I feel it accurately depicts her fierce nature and beauty. It¡¯s very close to what her concept art looks like.


    Yes we also have a picture of our good ol pal Oros of house Ignos. (RIP Oros) This is one of the first pieces we made (Back when he was alive) and it holds a special place in my heart.


    To finish everything off, we have a couple AI images of what the warriors look like.


    Lokkadonian warrior


    Rexunii warrior (Accurate to the story, their helmets are different, and they look a little rougher around the edges.)


    That¡¯s all we have for now! I hope you all enjoyed this visual delve into Tales of Eleutheros. Stay tuned for more!

 Chapter 49 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel''s heart hammered against his chest, each beat a drum of war as he moved with enthusiastic purpose toward the throne room, followed closely by Alektor and a myriad of nobles and guards. Avria alive? The thought was a flicker of hope in the dark recesses of his mind, yet he snuffed it out quickly. He''d seen her die, the image seared into his memory like a scar. The demon''s teeth tearing into her flesh, the blood and pain in her eyes, the finality of it all. Now, with this news, it was a knife twisting in the wound of his loss. Rage surged through him like wildfire, but beneath it was a river of sorrow he dared not acknowledge.


    As the doors to the throne room slid open, Alektor grasped Daniel by the shoulder, his grip firm, but somewhat reassuring. ¡°I will need you to stay calm, Daniel. Your power is practically streaming from your body.¡±


    Daniel grimaced at the request, but knew the High King was right.


    ¡°Whatever this is, we will find the truth of it,¡± Alektor stated, his tone steady as he moved to take his seat on the throne. His words were meant to be reassuring, but they only added to Daniel''s inner turmoil.


    Daniel would know, one way or another. The power signatures of spirits or demons were easily recognizable to him now. And after the in-depth training from Katrina about altering his own appearance, he doubted any Dae could escape his scrutiny. He slowed his pace as he approached the throne, realizing that they now had to wait for their arrival.


    After what seemed like an eternity of silent pacing, the doors reopened, revealing a visibly agitated Telmos. Behind him, Katrina, Delmos, Athica, and Demessa entered, each bearing expressions of curiosity or concern.


    ¡°What is this news!?¡± Telmos asked, his voice both a mixture of anger and excitement. ¡°Why am I being told that Avria is at the gates?¡±


    ¡°The person claiming to be Avria is currently on their way here.¡± Alektor said, coolly. ¡°I have both Turak and Malak with them, so there is no need to worry about security.¡±


    ¡°And King Reku?¡± Demessa stepped forward, her swollen belly identical to Athica¡¯s. ¡°We were told he was also here.¡±


    ¡°Allegedly.¡± Alektor sighed, bringing his hands together. ¡°Again, we don¡¯t know who they are. This could be an elaborate ploy of some kind, or an attack.¡±


    ¡°And you allowed them to enter the city?¡± Athica asked, her face a mask of worry. ¡°There are monsters and demons that want us dead, your highness. If a fight were to break out with them here, in the heart of Vul De Rah, it would be catastrophic.¡±


    ¡°It was not my determination, Queen Athica.¡± Alektor responded, ¡°I left that decision to Lord Turak. If he believes it is safe for them to enter, then I trust him. It is as simple as that.¡±


    ¡°Do you think this is actually her?¡± Telmos spoke again, his question blanketing the room in an eerie silence.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡± Daniel answered, after several seconds. ¡°I know it isn¡¯t what you want to hear. But it can¡¯t be. I saw her killed right in front of me. Everyone who was there saw it.¡±


    ¡°But there might be a chance.¡± Delmos stated, putting his hand on his father¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how.¡± Daniel shook his head, the images of her final moments playing in his head. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry Delmos, I really don¡¯t see how she could have survived it. She was torn to pieces and swallowed by a demon. This has to be an imposter.¡±


    ¡°But this could be Reku?¡± Demessa took several steps forward. ¡°You said¡­ you said that he was alive, but being held by the other humans.¡±


    Daniel shrugged. ¡°It could be. But I don¡¯t know that either. They could have been lying or¡­ I suppose it¡¯s possible.¡±


    Katrina, who had been silent up to this point, approached Daniel, and clasped his hand in hers. She gave him a reassuring smile and nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll know soon enough.¡±


    Telmos and Alektor began speaking again, but their words and the conversations among the rest of the people present faded into the background as Katrina leaned in closer to Daniel.


    she whispered, her voice laced with a mix of hope and dread.


    "Like I told everyone, I don''t see how," Daniel replied, his words heavy with pain, feeling Katrina stiffen beside him.


    "Robert might have something to do with it..." Katrina''s next words carried a dangerous edge, hinting at possibilities Daniel wished to deny but knew were plausible. If Robert was indeed involved, the consequences would be dire. The thought came with the memory of Oros¡¯ pitch-black eyes, the only indication he was not himself. His temper began to boil


    "Kat," Daniel growled, his voice low and menacing, "if there''s some shit going on with Robert, and I find out he''s responsible, I don''t care who''s here to plead his case. He''s done."


    Katrina fell silent, allowing the gravity of his words to sink in. After a moment, she inhaled deeply and faced him. "Let''s not jump to conclusions just yet. We need to speak with them first."


    Daniel shook his head but let out a scoff adding to the tension. "One of those visions of yours sure would be handy right about now. Any chance you could save us all the anxiety?"


    Katrina¡¯s expression was serious as she answered. ¡°You know I wish I could help in that regard. And when were you such a pessimist?


    Daniel shrugged, glancing at the throne room doors. ¡°This is how Marines deal with stress. We can¡¯t help it.¡±


    "Well, I haven''t had a vision since... you know." Katrina nodded subtly toward Alektor and Telmos, still engaged in their heated debate. "I don''t know where it comes from or how to do it again, but I agree, it would be helpful right now."


    Daniel nodded, "Any more word from Lauren?"


    Katrina shook her head. "She hasn''t said anything else... Alektor has her set up in a comfortable room on the far side of the palace, but to my knowledge, he hasn''t been back to visit her."


    ¡°Well¡ª¡± Daniel was cut off by the doors of the throne room sliding open again, and he looked up to find a rather large entourage of warriors, some clad in blue, and others in grey. At the head, he saw Turak, then, as he looked at who followed just behind, he saw Avria, alive and well. And Robert walking beside her. He instinctively looked at Avria¡¯s eyes, his memory of Oros¡¯ black eyes a scar in his memory.


    ¡°Avria¡­¡± Telmos murmured, his voice thick with emotion as he scrambled down the stairs from Alektor''s throne, but he halted mid-step, visibly wrestling with his composure.


    Avria and Robert approached with measured steps to stand before them. Her eyes, a striking yellow, locked with Daniel¡¯s, holding back a storm of feelings.


    "Your Highness, High King Alektor," Avria acknowledged, bowing her head respectfully before greeting each of the figures flanking the High King.


    ¡°Avria,¡± Telmos said again, his voice cracking as he descended the remaining steps and placed his hands on her shoulders, his touch desperate.


    ¡°King Telmos,¡± Alektor cautioned, his voice carrying a warning.


    Telmos, ignoring the admonition, squeezed her shoulders tighter. ¡°Is it truly you? Not some vision or apparition sent by demons to torment me? I¡­¡±


    ¡°Princess Avria,¡± Alektor''s voice boomed once more, cutting through the tension. ¡°Your presence here is quite the surprise.¡± His eyes flicked to Daniel, then back to Avria. ¡°As you can imagine, we all believed you dead. Devoured by a demon. How is it that you have survived, and returned to us whole and alive? As you can imagine, we are skeptical of such a miracle.¡± His gaze then shifted to Robert, who stood with a calm, almost smug confidence. ¡°And King Reku, it is good to see you free from your captors, returned to us. I am curious about the circumstances surrounding this, as I¡¯m sure we all are.¡±


    ¡°She is who she says she is.¡± Robert replied, stepping forward. ¡°I was imprisoned within my Dunem Dae Espa, by the demon, Dio¡¯Mar. The details of which are probably better discussed behind closed doors.¡± He turned and pointed to Avria. ¡°Avria rescued me from my prison, after her own escape from the Demon who devoured her.¡±


    Alektor raised an eyebrow, turning to Turak, who nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s him.¡± Turak said, bluntly. ¡°As crazy as it sounds, it¡¯s really him. But he¡¯s right. We really need to have a private discussion about the details.¡±


    Daniel stepped forward, causing all eyes to focus on him. He didn¡¯t pay them any mind, as he approached Avria. Her eyes met his, and he felt a tight knot form in his stomach. He ignored it until he stood directly in front of her. He studied her in her entirety, searching for any hint of evil power. Instead, he felt a pulse of energy that was similar to his own and Katrina¡¯s. Even Robert, who¡¯s power once had the stench of Dio¡¯Mar seemed pure and stable.


    ¡°Daniel.¡± Avria¡¯s words were soft as she spoke his name, and she held her hands out.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Daniel looked at them blankly. It shouldn¡¯t be possible. Couldn¡¯t be possible after what he witnessed. A surge of hope rose within him, and he clasped her hands in his. With a flash of light, they slipped into her Dunem Dae Espa, and Daniel found himself standing within a realm of beautiful meadows and flowers. He scanned the horizon, looking for any hint of corruption or dark power, but found nothing of the sort. The exact opposite, in fact.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Avria started, bringing his attention to her. ¡°I¡¯ve thought of this moment¡­ since I was devoured.¡± Her eyes softened as they met his. ¡°And I find myself unable to speak of anything.¡±


    ¡°Avria.¡± Daniel said, holding himself back from embracing her. ¡°How are you here? How the hell did you survive?¡±


    She took a deep breath, trying to find the words. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was in complete darkness, Daniel. Surrounded by the most agonizing pain imaginable. And I came here to escape it.¡± She turned to her left, admiring the scenery of her own realm. ¡°The darkness followed me here, and nearly consumed me. Then¡­ then someone appeared. Told me that I had been given favor. I can¡¯t explain it¡­¡±


    Daniel¡¯s eye¡¯s bulged, and he grabbed her arms. ¡°Was it a man named Raguel?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know his name. He looked human, and had¡ª¡±


    ¡°Blue eyes?¡± Daniel asked, tightening his grip on her.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Avria nodded. ¡°Do you know him? Who is he?¡±


    Daniel¡¯s face broke in a smile, and he looked up toward the sky. ¡°I know him. But we¡¯ll have to discuss it after.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± Avria huffed.


    Daniel closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was in the throne room once more. There was absolute silence as he turned to face Alektor.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ really her.¡± He said, with a smile.


    Telmos lunged forward, wrapping her in an embrace, as Delmos and Katrina followed to do the same.


    Daniel took several steps back, overwhelming relief washing over him.


    ~


    Avria said a word of thanks to her escorts as the door to her room slid open. She felt an overwhelming sense of relief when the ambient sounds from the hallway ceased with the soft scrape of the closing door. She was home again, the horrific ordeal behind her. She shook her head at the silly thought. This was no time for rest. No time to seek the safety of a warm bed. Because the reality was, there was nowhere safe. Her eyes spanned the vast room, the furniture and artwork perfectly assorted. This place isn¡¯t safe either, she thought. The was a darkness so profound that existed in this world. So depthless, it could overwhelm and swallow even the most stout warrior. She had stared it down, and nearly been lost to it.


    A shutter ran up and down her spine as the memories of the numerous choruses of tormented voices, pleaded for mercy. Begged for relief and salvation from their endless suffering. Tears began to pool in her eyes at the memory.


    ¡°All those people¡­¡± She whispered, with a tremble. Then the thought came of her father, and brother, and everyone she ever knew or loved facing the same torment. No, her heart surged with resolve at the prospect. They would not be victorious. Evil would not triumph over them, today, or any day after. She was here for a purpose, and so were Daniel and Katrina¡­ and Robert too, she supposed. Even he had a part to play; why else would the spirit lead her to him?


    She turned toward the large balcony, the warmth of the day receding with the orange radiance of dusk. She felt suddenly weary then, as if her body had finally realized it needed rest.


    She bathed first, much longer than she usually did. Feeling the warm water on her skin brought on more comfort than she ever thought possible. Then she dressed in her evening attire, a simple tunic and trousers, and went to bed. As she lay in the midst of the blankets and pillows, her mind turned to the day¡¯s events. Her father and brother¡¯s arms wrapped around her in love and relief. The cold, mistrusting gaze of Alektor and the rest of the Rexunii. Katrina¡¯s tear-filled eyes as she smiled at her. And Daniel¡­ his strong presence and clear relief at her return. He thought I was dead, her mind raced with every second of the early evening. A warmth came over her while her attention lingered on the man. Such troublesome feelings, she thought. But they were there, now more-so than ever.


    Her introspection was cut short by a firm knock on her door. Avria groaned as she stood to open it, only to see the High King himself in the doorway.


    ¡°Princess, Avria.¡± Alektor greeted, nodding toward her. ¡°My apologies for the late interruption, but I have some pressing matters I wish to discuss with you before the morning.¡±


    Avria bowed her head, concealing her irritation. ¡°Of course, your highness. I am always at your disposal.¡± She stood to the side, allowing him to enter, and made her way toward the small meeting area near the jars of wine, which is where he stopped first.


    ¡°Do you mind?¡± He asked, gesturing toward the jars.


    Avria shook her head. ¡°Of course not, your highness. Please, help yourself.¡±


    Alektor nodded, pouring himself a bowl, then a second one, which he placed in front of her on the stone table between where they sat.


    ¡°Avria, I wanted to speak with you about, not just your ordeal, but the political climate we now find ourselves in.¡± Alektor took a sip from his bowl, letting the taste of the alcohol rest in his mouth before he continued. ¡°Daniel is less than cooperative, even in the best of times. So, his briefs about the enemy we now face, have been somewhat lacking. I would like for you to tell me what you know.¡±


    Avria tensed, the memories playing in her head again and again. ¡°If we do not stop them, the whole of our world will be consumed by darkness¡­¡± She said, her voice trembled with a mixture of anger and fear. ¡°They are extremely powerful, your highness.¡±


    ¡°Enough of that.¡± Alektor waved his hand dismissively. ¡°I am speaking to you as a peer, now. I need you to be truthful with me, in every aspect. Do not worry about titles or ceremony. I need your unfiltered thoughts.¡±


    Avria took a deep breath, but nodded, and pressed on. ¡°Very well, Alektor. We are unprepared. Profoundly so, partly due to our Kingdom¡¯s inner turmoil. If the people were to hear of this, there would be panic. Demons, roaming the fields of our clans. Attacking cities, devouring them. And this is not an idle threat. I¡¯m sure you know that, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t be here at this hour speaking to me about it.¡±


    ¡°But what can we do?¡± Alektor leaned in, uncharacteristic uncertainty on his face. ¡°Lauren, the human Turak and Daniel captured has given us a great deal of information but is withholding many things, I believe.¡±


    ¡°I heard of her. My father mentioned the situation to me briefly.¡± Avria reached down and picked up her bowl of wine. ¡°I would like to speak with her, myself.¡±


    ¡°I will arrange it.¡± Alektor¡¯s eyes were unfocused as he stared off to the side. ¡°You fought one of them, with Daniel. How powerful are they?¡±


    ¡°Nearly impervious to the Dunamis.¡± Her answer was swift, and he turned back to her with narrowed eyes. ¡°The smaller ones¡­ familiars, I think is what Greyson called them, can be killed quite easily by skilled warriors. But the real demon we fought¡­ I hit it with everything I had, and only managed to annoy it. It wasn¡¯t until¡­¡±


    ¡°Your power changed.¡± Alektor finished for her. ¡°That you were able to destroy it and escape.¡±


    Avria glanced at him, a bit surprised. ¡°You spoke with Daniel already?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Alektor drank again from his bowl of wine. ¡°I figured that out on my own.¡±


    Avria grimaced, leaning forward. ¡°Since I have your permission to speak candidly, Alektor. I want you to tell me a few things.¡±


    Alektor raised an eyebrow, but did not interrupt her.


    ¡°You want something else.¡± She pressed, pointing at him. ¡°You mentioned our political climate, I would like you to elaborate.¡±


    Alektor¡¯s face didn¡¯t twitch or show any emotion of any kind as he answered. ¡°Daniel pressed me, firmly, this morning in fact. In regards to the preservation of the Ignos bloodline.¡±


    It was Avria¡¯s turn to raise an eyebrow at him. This was an important subject for her and her family as well. And something that She and Telmos had been quite insistent on since their ascension to true royalty. Alektor though, would hear none of it. ¡°So, what did he say?¡±


    Alektor scoffed, something she had never heard from the usually stoic and austere man. ¡°He barged in, interrupting a very important meeting with Queen Athica, and started making, enthusiastic demands.¡±


    Avria grinned, the mental image of Daniel berating Alektor in the middle of a meeting, hilariously appropriate.


    ¡°But he has made a bargain with me, to protect the house of Ignos. Much like your father, Katrina, and Delmos had attempted.¡± Alektor shook his head. ¡°He was right, of course. The hatred I have for Lokkon seems such a small thing now¡­ after all the death and destruction. All the subterfuge and political poison that was unleased in both directions.¡± Alektor clenched his left hand into a fist, while drinking from the bowl of wine in his right. ¡°I have named him the first Hego of Rexun.¡±


    Avria was shocked at the sudden revelation. ¡°You made him a Hego? Of Rexun? And he agreed to this?¡±


    ¡°In return, I have agreed to free Illya, and withhold the execution of Boros.¡±


    Avria stared at the High King in disbelief. ¡°But, why? What does having him join Rexun have to do with anything? We need him here, in Vul De Rah to help us fight against the demons.¡±


    Alektor shook his head, standing to pour himself another bowl of wine. This time when he returned, he had the jar with him. ¡°It is more than just where he is on the map, Avria. You know this. Though you may not think it, I know the future of our world rests in the hands of the humans. Lauren said they were sent here by demons, in a turn of fate, the humans arrived instead of hordes of fiends to slaughter us all. I don¡¯t believe in accidents, Avria. They truly were sent to us by the spirits, to fight these monsters. To save our world.¡±


    Avria appraised Alektor then, the words he spoke and his body language. He was telling the truth, and for some reason he was choosing to share this with her. Someone who until recently, was his most vehement enemy.


    ¡°That is why, when Reku was able to successfully plant his seed in both Demessa and Athica, I saw the path.¡± He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath, before continuing. ¡°Their bloodlines will shape the future of Pelemont, Avria.¡±


    ¡°So, you intend to breed them.¡± Avria scowled.


    Alektor¡¯s expression went sour at her comment. ¡°I intend, to ensure that their lines are secured, within Eleutheros, and with the proper houses.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t control them, Alektor.¡± Avria crossed her arms, suddenly regretting her previous, albeit brief, admiration of the man. ¡°Robert might have been easily convinced, but Daniel won¡¯t be. And certainly not Katrina.¡±


    ¡°Daniel doesn¡¯t need to be manipulated or coerced.¡± Alektor answered, his tone more commanding again. ¡°It is only Katrina who needs consideration.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Avria asked, tension building in her gut.


    Alektor leaned toward her, his gaze knowing. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be coy about it, Avria. I know how you feel about him. And I have observed that he feels quite the same way about you.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡± Avria tried to retort but was swiftly cut off with a gesture from his hand.


    ¡°I will hear nothing more to the contrary. Truth be told, even if you had no feelings for him at all, I would still insist on it. This just makes things easier.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª Katrina.¡± Avria sputtered, trying to regain her composure. ¡°Nasha told me that they were lovers.¡±


    ¡°They shared each other¡¯s bed on several occasions, yes.¡± Alektor finished the last of his bowl, filling it again. ¡°But that is of little importance. They have not done so for some time now, and from what I¡¯ve learned, it was due to the influence of Dio¡¯Mar.¡±


    Avria grit her teeth, a myriad of emotions tearing through her mind like a storm.


    ¡°But, as I mentioned before.¡± Alektor continued, ¡°It isn¡¯t Daniel who is the problem. It is Katrina. The only Dae she has expressed even a modicum of affection for is Boros of house Ignos, and that¡­ Isn¡¯t a conversation I am willing to have, at the moment.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t¡­ well¡­¡± Avria winced as she started to ask the obvious question.


    ¡°No.¡± Alektor said firmly. ¡°As much sense as that would make, Katrina is not a person that I would consider mating.¡±


    Avria hung her head, the early signs of a headache building within. Either from the wine or exhaustion.


    ¡°Do not fret, Avria.¡± Alektor said, reassuringly. ¡°I will call a council meeting by mid-day tomorrow where we can discuss this more officially.¡± He glanced at her balcony again, most likely gauging the time. ¡°Either way, I will leave you for tonight. I thank you for lending me your ear and wine.¡± He placed his empty bowl on the table, somewhat sympathetically. ¡°I will have someone come to refill this for you.¡±

 Chapter 50 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Katrina exhaled in relief as Illya cried on her shoulder. Not because further tragedy had struck her family, or for some new and sorrowful plight. But because they had just learned that Alektor had agreed to Daniel¡¯s bold demand from the day prior.


    Delmos paced back and forth near the balcony of her quarters, as though in deep contemplation. Along with the news of Illya¡¯s and Boros¡¯ new lease on life came the catch to this new stroke of mercy from the High King. Daniel had been ordered to assume the position of Hego in none other than Rexun itself.


    Katrina pat Illya on the back affectionately, while sifting through the whirlwind of thoughts and concerns she now delt with internally. As much as things had changed here, she didn¡¯t feel comfortable with Daniel suddenly leaving and becoming some leader of a group of Dae in a completely different clan.


    This new appointment put him in the food-chain of Eleutheros politics. A place she knew for a fact he wanted nothing to do with.


    ¡°So, what do you know about¡­ uh.¡± Katrina winced, trying to remember the name of the prince in Baa¡¯Yega she was due to marry.


    ¡°Prince Reni.¡± Delmos said, halting in mid step to face Katrina. His voice was tight, and full of tension. ¡°This is certainly better than the alternative. But Reni isn¡¯t much of a¡­ What would be the best way to put this? Man.¡±


    Katrina raised an eyebrow, but chose to ignore the flippant comment. ¡°Will he treat her well?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt it.¡± Delmos let out a sharp breath, flexing his fingers. ¡°He¡¯ll probably give you anything you ask for, Illya.¡±


    ¡°So, what? He¡¯s a pushover?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°I think the term you¡¯re looking for, Katrina. Is flower.¡± Delmos grinned. ¡°He is a prince of Baa¡¯Yega, who opted not to learn the ways of battle in either clan.¡± He lifted a finger. ¡°A choice, mind you! And has since contributed, what, to his father¡¯s clan? Absolutely nothing. He and his sister have attended parties and foolish events.¡± Delmos scoffed, looking at Illya. ¡°But¡­ I suppose you will be safe and¡­ well taken care of.¡±


    Illya rubbed the last bit of tears from her eyes and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on him, Delmos. Not everyone in Eleutheros can be a great warrior. He¡¯s a scholar, and a student of history I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be safe, so that¡¯s all that really matters at this point.¡± Katrina affirmed, giving Delmos a glare. ¡°The rest we can figure out later on.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, Kat.¡± Delmos reeled back in mock surprise. ¡°I only speak the truth.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Katrina stood from her seat next to Illya, glancing out the balcony to gauge the time. ¡°Well, we need to make our way to the council meeting, Delmos.¡± She sighed, but looked down at Illya and smiled. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Dan since yesterday. He pretty much disappeared after Avria left, but when I see him. I¡¯ll let him know what you said.¡±


    Illya returned the smile. ¡°Thank you, Kat. I didn¡¯t get a chance to thank him at all because of how quickly he ran out of the room. I hope to see him again soon.¡±


    ¡°Is it time, already?¡± Delmos groaned, ¡°All we seem to do now is sit around tables with old nobles and listen to Alektor grumble about something I couldn¡¯t care less about.¡±


    ¡°No doubt it¡¯s because of Avria¡¯s return.¡± Katrina chuckled as she waved a final time at Illya and left her quarters.


    ¡°I¡¯m happier than anyone else that my sister is alive, Kat. Trust me.¡± Delmos followed behind her, then came to match her stride as they walked toward the palace council chambers. ¡°But she has accepted our whole situation far too easily. Even father has! He kisses ¡®you know who¡¯s¡¯ boot any chance he can get.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Delmos.¡± Katrina shook her head, ¡°Lokkon was on the brink of destruction.¡±


    ¡°Yes, because of them.¡± He pointed to several Rexunii nobles that were speaking to each other down the hallway. ¡°And now we serve them. After everything they¡¯ve done to us.¡± He growled, anger starting to show on his face.


    ¡°Cut it out.¡± Katrina chastised, grasping his forearm tightly. ¡°You know, Alektor has spies everywhere. And the last thing we need is you getting on his bad side.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not the one he¡¯s forcing to marry someone, who very well might be, the most irritating person, I¡¯ve ever met in all my life.¡±


    Katrina winced slightly, ¡°I can only imagine.¡±


    Delmos¡¯ foolish grin appeared again as he leaned toward Katrina. ¡°So, you and Dan, huh?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I heard you and Dan were.¡± His smile deepened, and he raised both his eyebrows in quick succession. ¡°You know. together now.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that simple.¡± Katrina shot back, her face reddening.


    ¡°I do think this is the first time I¡¯ve seen a human blush.¡± Delmos barked a laugh.


    Katrina looked at him sternly. Attempting to display her clear displeasure of his teasing. ¡°I said, it isn¡¯t that simple, Delmos. There was a lot going on when we first, you know. Got together. And since everything, we¡¯ve barely talked about it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Delmos¡¯ face turned suddenly serious as he brought his hand to his chin.


    ¡°Uh oh.¡± Katrina jibbed, ¡°He¡¯s wearing his serious face now. That¡¯s never a good sign.¡±


    ¡°If you and Daniel aren¡¯t fully¡­ engaged with each other, at the moment.¡± Delmos tapped his finger on his chin, a habit Katrina had noticed during their time together in the wilds of Northern Lokkon. ¡°Then, Alektor¡¯s demand of him becoming a Hego makes sense.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Katrina asked, a bit of real concern starting to build with his words.


    ¡°It means, Kat. That Daniel is now a piece to be played in the grand political scheme of Eleutheros.¡± He glanced at her knowingly. ¡°And the only way to use pieces as valuable as a Spirit-Sent would be to?¡±


    ¡°Fucking, marry him off¡­¡± Katrina¡¯s heart sank as the words left her lips.


    ¡°Right you are.¡± Delmos nodded. ¡°Alektor never does anything unless he¡¯s thought it through.


    ¡°But, Dan wouldn¡¯t do something like that.¡± Katrina¡¯s heart started beating hard in her chest. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t let Alektor manipulate him.¡±


    ¡°He has a political hook on him now.¡± Delmos shrugged. ¡°Sparing Illya and Boros was all he needed to gain an advantage. If he tries to defy an order like that, he¡¯s putting their lives at risk again.¡±


    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before you get into a similar situation, Kat.¡± Delmos warned. ¡°He¡¯s had his eye on you since you arrived here. Believe me on that.¡±


    Katrina didn¡¯t reply, her thoughts a torrent of fear and doubt. Delmos must have picked up on her inner turmoil, because he remained silent until they turned the final corner toward the council chambers. Katrina¡¯s eyes brightened as she saw Daniel standing in the hallway in front of the door, speaking with Turak. The two seemed to be having a pleasant conversation, because Turak suddenly burst out into laughter and slapped Daniel¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± Delmos said, pulling her attention back to him. ¡°See you inside, Kat.¡± He grinned and gave her a wink.


    Katrina nodded in thanks, but strode toward Daniel and Turak with purpose. Hiding any anxiety or fear she might have felt. ¡°Hey Dan.¡± She said, smiling. Then nodded to Turak. ¡°Lord Turak.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Kat.¡± Daniel returned the smile, and the two embraced. She tightened her grip on him, and leaned toward his ear, whispering. ¡°We need to talk.¡± Before pulling away and extending a hand to Turak.


    ¡°Well, someone¡¯s in a good mood.¡± Turak¡¯s face twisted in feigned suspicion. ¡°You usually greet me with a scowl and a curse.¡±


    ¡°Well.¡± Katrina batted her eyes playfully. ¡°Avria is alive, and Illya is no longer engaged to a lunatic. So, I¡¯m in a particularly good mood.¡±


    ¡°There it is.¡± Turak shrugged. ¡°I was actually just discussing her with Daniel here. I know she will be in good, albeit soft hands.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s back straightened. ¡°I¡¯m sure the prince of Baa¡¯Yega is up to the task.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a daughter of Ignos.¡± Turak chuckled, mockingly. ¡°I may hate them, but I know how powerful their bloodline is. She and her children, if they have any, will rule Baa¡¯Yega within the next fifty years.¡±


    Daniel coughed, bringing a quick end to their little conversation. ¡°Mind if I have a second with Kat?¡± He asked Turak.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Turak raised his hands defensively. ¡°I will be inside.¡±


    Katrina waited for Turak to be well out of earshot before she started speaking. ¡°Dan, I need to talk to you about this Hego appointment.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s expression sagged with the introduction of the topic, but he nodded. ¡°I know. I didn¡¯t have a choice, Kat. Alektor was going to kill Boros, and have¡ª¡±


    ¡°Delmos and I think he¡¯s planning on marrying you off today.¡± She blurted out, bringing him to silence. His face twisted in confusion, then disbelief, then anger.


    ¡°I doubt he¡¯d try something so soon.¡± He crossed his arms, but his expression told her exactly what was on his mind. ¡°But if he does, I¡¯m not going to stand for it. He¡¯s full of shit if he thinks I¡¯m going to be some pawn like Robert.¡±


    ¡°We need to tell them we¡¯re together.¡± She also blurted out, grasping his arms. ¡°That¡¯s the only way he won¡¯t do it.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°What?¡± Daniel¡¯s expression softened at her touch, but he looked confused.


    ¡°I thought you¡ª¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what I said before.¡± She cut him off, stepping closer. ¡°I¡¯ve had a lot of time to think about it since our last conversation.¡± Her eyes fell to her feet, while she mustered the courage to speak her next words. ¡°And I want us to be together.¡±


    Daniel was silent for several seconds, until she turned up to look him in his eyes. She saw uncertainty in them, but also saw the wheels of his thoughts turning. She hesitated then, suddenly feeling as though she had made a huge mistake. Did I misjudge this? She thought, frantically. ¡°I-I mean.¡± She stuttered, attempting to backtrack. ¡°That is, if you want to. I¡¯m not going to¡ª¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t it, Kat.¡± Daniel sighed, shaking his head. ¡°It makes sense. What you¡¯re saying. We need to stick together. Especially if Alektor tries to send me off somewhere.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Katrina nodded.


    ¡°I want all of us to stay together.¡± Daniel¡¯s words were full of conviction and strength. And her heart swelled with them. ¡°So, whatever he says or wherever he tries to send me, we go together.¡±


    Katrina smiled up at him, her face burning. ¡°So that¡¯s a yes, I take it?¡±


    Daniel¡¯s mouth curled into a smile, and he opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a very loud and purposeful cough to their left. Katrina snapped toward the source, and found Alektor and an entire entourage of nobles and scribes behind him. Including Telmos, and Avria, who seemed to both be aware of her proximity to Daniel.


    ¡°Sorry to interrupt.¡± Alektor¡¯s expression was stoic and unreadable as he gestured toward the entrance to the council chambers. ¡°But we are running behind schedule.¡±


    ~


    Daniel tensed internally, now suddenly and painfully aware of the dozens of eyes now glued to him and Katrina and how close they were. With a mental shrug, he pulled Katrina even closer, clearing the path toward the entrance. ¡°Apologies.¡± He said, keeping any hint of uncertainty from his tone.


    They streamed inside, and Daniel followed with Katrina after the last scribe. As he entered, he saw that the vast council room was filled with nobles from every clan in Eleutheros. All standing in a crowded circle around a large table in the center. Daniel and Katrina found their spot near the far side, near several nobles from Baa¡¯Yega and Torre¡¯.


    The table in the center was oval shaped, with a large throne at the head, and dozens of smaller stone chairs that went around it. All of them, save the throne, were empty. Alektor lifted his hand toward a Dae in a grey cloak who slammed a stone staff on the floor several times, bringing the low murmurs and whispers of the nobles to complete silence.


    ¡°Esteemed nobles, scribes, and people of import.¡± Alektor began, his booming voice bringing all attention to him. ¡°I welcome you all, to the first official high-council of my reign as High King of Eleutheros. As is tradition, I will select my council of twelve before you all today, and move on to the various tasks, issues, and points of the day.¡± He held his hand out, and a scribe approached, carrying what looked like a large scroll.


    Taking it in his hands, Alektor pulled the parchment open, and began to read off the names, one by one. ¡°As is customary! The King of the home clan of the council shall be the first. King Telmos, of house Regios. Please, take your seat at my right hand.¡±


    Telmos stepped from the surrounding crowd, bowed, then sat to Alektor¡¯s right.


    ¡°Next.¡± Alektor continued, naming Avria, Robert, Athica, Ambrosia, Turak. Then the rest came as a surprise. Princess Tali of the Baa¡¯Yega, whom Daniel was happy to see. Then someone he vaguely remembered from his trip to Torre¡¯ to meet with Hego Cato; his daughter, Krya Phenia. Then he called two he didn¡¯t recognize at all, a prince from Volsung named Leorus of house Dregos. And another prince from Exous, named Mercelious of house Ka¡¯ar. ¡°Looks like just about every clan is represented here.¡± Daniel whispered to Katrina, who nodded enthusiastically before they both froze at Alektor¡¯s next names. ¡°Hego Daniel of house Peirce! And Lady Katrina, Spirit-Sent!¡±


    Hundreds of eyes turned to stare at them in expectation. And Daniel suddenly felt a large lump in his throat. Great, he thought. Just what we need right now.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Dan.¡± Katrina whispered, pulling him by the arm toward the table.


    Daniel wasn¡¯t surprised at the appointment. But he was disappointed. Alektor had chosen him to be a Hego of Rexun. Which was a stately position, and held great authority within a kingdom or clan. Maybe this was his way of trying to get him acclimated to political matters. Understandable, but no less irritating. Daniel cursed internally as he followed Katrina to the last two open seats at the table.


    ¡°Now then.¡± Alektor looked at each of the members of his new council. Taking several seconds more when he and Daniel met eyes. Daniel did his best to refrain from any further disruption, by looking as unbothered as he possibly could. ¡°As members of this high council, you are all expected to uphold the greatest interest of our Kingdom. It¡¯s people within, and the morals and mercy befitting followers of the great spirits.¡± Alektor reached over and picked up a smooth stone object that had been resting on the table near him. With a loud bang that echoed throughout the chamber, he slammed it on a designated area before him. The action reminded Daniel of a judge striking his gavel for order in a courtroom.


    ¡°First, I would like to extend a formal and fond welcome back to Princess Avria of house Regios.¡± Alektor turned toward her, allowing all in attendance to applaud for several long moments. ¡°Though we thought her lost to us, the great spirits often have plans of their own. We thank you for your dedication and diligence, princess. And agreeing to join us, so soon after your endeavor.¡±


    Avria bowed her head deeply as another thunderous applause erupted from the surrounding nobles and council members.


    After another several moments, Alektor raised his hands, calling for silence. ¡°Let us begin.¡± He announced, bringing his attention to Telmos. ¡°King Telmos, if you would be so kind.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your highness.¡± Telmos said, before being handed a large scroll from an attendant who was positioned behind him. The scroll was opened with a scrape, and Telmos began reading. ¡°Our first order of business, would be that of the labor shortage throughout Lokkon, as I am sure you are aware. The freeing of the Doulos caste has created somewhat of a vacuum in a multitude of industries. We have attempted to entice our citizens with bountiful incentives for such work, but it has proven¡­ ineffective, thus far.¡±


    Alektor looked across the table toward Ambrosia. ¡°Princess, I believe you said you had a thought on this.¡±


    Ambrosia bowed, then leaned forward to speak. ¡°I have, your majesty. Having spoken to many of the house leaders within the Doulos caste, I believe that offering inflated wages to them to return would solve much of these issues.¡± She paused, seeming to further gather her thoughts. ¡°Regardless of our efforts in liberating them from their servitude, most of these people have lives here. And are reluctant to return to Rexun and uproot themselves. The house leaders, as well as myself, believe this is our best course of action.¡±


    Alektor glanced at Avria, who nodded. ¡°It won¡¯t solve the issue entirely, but it is a good start. It should at least pacify the lords and regents until our trade reform can be fully enacted.¡±


    Alektor nodded, looking in turn at each of the other council members. ¡°Are there any objections to this?¡± His words hung in the air, tempting any to break the silence that followed them. ¡°Very well.¡± He said after several seconds, then banged the smooth stone on the table. ¡°I hereby put my full support behind this plan of yours Ambrosia.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡± Telmos said, looking back at his scroll and moving on to the next issue. ¡°Our next item is one that is a bit more delicate. We must select a new house to inherit the role and responsibilities of house Regios, prior to the fall of Vul De Rah.¡±


    The atmosphere within the chamber was immediately saturated in tension, as nobles and council members looked at one another awkwardly. Daniel took a deep breath, feeling the pit in his stomach begin to ache as the too fresh memories of the fall of Vul De Rah and the violence that had taken place rose to the forefront of his mind.


    ¡°I know this is a subject of great contention¡­¡± Telmos continued, ¡°And part of me wanted to handle this within the royal circle of Lokkon alone. But I feel this is an important topic for this council. If we cannot handle a subject as sensitive as this, how can we hope to resolve some of the more¡­ delicate issues that need to be addressed.¡± He made it a point to look at Athica, who sat cradling her growing belly.


    ¡°An astute observation, King Telmos.¡± Alektor agreed, looking again to Avria. ¡°Princess, I feel you would have a great deal of insight on this issue.¡±


    Avria nodded, and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. ¡°I do, and I believe that the answer is clear. House Regias should assume the titles associated with the glade, and all former Regios estates. Glause should be more than up to the task. He was already the commander of our training regiments, and should have little to no trouble in assuming any further responsibilities.¡± Alektor turned to Telmos, who simply nodded in approval, and looked back at the scroll.


    This repeated for nearly two hours, as points were brought up, and the council made multiple decisions on them with little disagreement between them. Each Clan had issues that were presented, and each seemed to be unanimously voted upon. Daniel, however, sat practically silent for the whole of the meeting. Nothing pertained to him, save one moment when Alektor announced his appointment within Rexun as a Hego. This was met with several whispers and murmurs of descent from the crowd, but was soon forgotten as more pressing matters were brought up.


    ¡°Lastly.¡± Telmos said, his voice a bit dry from the afternoon¡¯s efforts. ¡°Is the point of¡­ marriage.¡± His eyes flicked up toward Alektor, before he leaned back in his stone chair. ¡°There are several joinings I would like to focus on during this council meeting, your majesty. Per the recommendation of several royal members of the clans, as well as my own concerns, mainly in your own prospects.¡±


    Alektor shifted uncomfortably in his throne, a sight not often seen from the man, but he quickly recovered and gestured toward Telmos. ¡°Please, King Telmos, by all means, continue.¡±


    ¡°We have already discussed the joining of Prince Reni and Lady Illya of house Ignos at great length. And seeing as how both parties have agreed wholeheartedly, we can move forward with that immediately.¡± Telmos looked back at his scroll. ¡°As well as my son, Prince Delmos, and Princess Ambrosia. But it is quite important for our Kingdom that our High King also be mated. Leading by example and bringing stability to the clans.¡± Several moments of silence ensued while Alektor seemed to ponder his response.


    ¡°As the spirits would have it.¡± Alektor began, a plastic smile creasing his face. ¡°I have not given it much thought, Telmos. I am open to suggestions if the council has any. But as of now, I do not have an answer for you.¡±


    Telmos smiled broadly, his gaze turning toward Princess Tali, who turned several shades of blue as all eyes rested on her.


    ¡°I-I¡­¡± She stuttered. ¡°M-me? I don¡¯t think that¡ª¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Alektor interrupted. ¡°I will take it into consideration, but.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± Telmos pressed. ¡°Princess Tali is a wonderful choice. She is young and energetic. And the Baa¡¯Yega are a key element in our plans to bolster trade throughout Eleutheros. I feel this gesture would be greatly appreciated.¡±


    Daniel felt a grin appear on his face as he watched Alektor squirm under the scrutiny. Good one Telmos, he thought. Finding a newfound appreciation and respect for the man.


    ¡°Again,¡± Alektor continued. ¡°I will consider it. Baa¡¯Yega¡¯s value is incalculable in this time of reconstruction and reunification. But the princess is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is capable enough that you appointed her on this council.¡± Telmos¡¯ words held weight of authority and strength. Enough so that Alektor paused to all but glare at him.


    ¡°I believe your argument is sound.¡± Alektor said, his calm demeanor returning with an eerie ease.


    ¡°He¡¯s trying to press him.¡± Katrina whispered, leaning toward Daniel. ¡°He wants Alektor to choose Avria.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Daniel¡¯s response was swift. ¡°You think so?¡± The pit in his stomach lurched as the thought of Avria standing arm in arm with Alektor came to mind.


    ¡°Telmos is a pretty sly politician, don¡¯t you think?¡± Katrina smirked.


    ¡°Why the fuck would Telmos want Avria to marry Alektor?¡± Daniel hissed.


    ¡°Because Alektor is a strong Dae, and the High King.¡± Katrina chuckled. ¡°And it would put house Regios on the top of the food chain. Alektor doesn¡¯t have a real house, Dan. He¡¯s the sol member of house Roh¡­ well, if you don¡¯t include Robert.


    ¡°I will agree to it, for now.¡± Alektor stated, bringing Daniel and Katrina¡¯s attention back to him. ¡°Princess Tali, I would very much enjoy a meeting afterward, in private. To discuss our compatibility, and the potential future of such a union.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡± Tali attempted to respond, her blushing face turning around to several of the more senior members of her clan.


    ¡°Your father will of course be present as well.¡± Alektor gestured toward King Tegan of the Baa¡¯Yega, who was among the crowd.


    ¡°Very well.¡± Telmos said, a bit less confident as he began to roll up his scroll, but Alektor reached over and placed his hand on it.


    ¡°There is one more issue I would like to bring up, King Telmos.¡± Alektor¡¯s eyes turned predatory as they shifted toward Avria. ¡°Your heir is also without a mate.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t take the bait.¡± Katrina whispered.


    ¡°She and I have not yet discussed this topic at any length.¡± Telmos replied, attempting to push the issue aside.


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Alektor leaned toward Avria. ¡°I¡¯m sure the princess has given this much thought. I will approve any union you request, Princess. As long as it is within reason.¡±


    Avria seemed to stiffen as the full attention of the council and the myriad of nobles and scribes in attendance fell on her. She closed her eyes, seeming to steel herself before she spoke. ¡°I have thought on it, your highness¡­¡± her words seemed forced, but she sat up straight and turned to fully face Alektor. ¡°I believe that the only selection for my own mate would be¡­¡± Her eyes shifted toward Daniel as she paused. They seemed to glow a fierce yellow as they locked with his own, and a numbness came over him. He lost himself in them as her next words came. ¡°Hego Daniel of house Pierce.¡±

 Chapter 51 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Avria¡¯s words hung in the air, leaving Daniel, and all in attendance in shock. Katrina visibly balked beside him, her surprise evident in her expression. If not for the clear reaction from everyone present, he would have thought he misheard or misunderstood her declaration.


    ¡°Avria.¡± Telmos said, his voice tight with restrained anger. ¡°We have not discussed anything of the sort. Let us adjourn for now and resume once we have spoke more of it.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Alektor smiled. ¡°Princess Avria has made a fine decision. And one that I will support fully.¡± His eyes turned toward Daniel, who struggled to maintain any semblance of composure. ¡°That is, if Hego Daniel would agree to such a union.¡±


    All eyes fell on Daniel, the invisible weight of their scrutiny nearly crushing him. What the hell is going on? He thought, sweat starting to pour out of every part of his body. Why would she bring this up now? She didn¡¯t even talk to me about it! She told me she wasn¡¯t interested, before¡­ His thoughts churned as the memory of her near death at the hands of Oo¡¯lak surfaced. Before she almost died¡­ maybe something changed in her? He looked at her, her gaze downcast, seemingly uncomfortable. It was then that it all made sense, and Daniel turned a fierce gaze toward Alektor.


    He must have put her up to it. He fumed, being torn by the obvious manipulation of Alektor, and the longing for someone he genuinely cared for. ¡°I will not give a response now.¡± Daniel¡¯s voice was akin to a growl, as his response rippled through the hall. ¡°King Telmos is right. We should take a break to discuss it.¡±


    ¡°I find no need to.¡± Alektor replied coolly. ¡°Princess Avria has named you as her choice. Do you accept, or not?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the way its going to be.¡± Daniel narrowed his eyes, ¡°Then I do not accept.¡±


    There were gasps and loud murmurs from the surrounding nobles and council members. And Avria looked up at him in surprise.


    ¡°There!¡± Telmos exclaimed, relief clear in his expression. ¡°Hego Daniel has refused. ¡°Let us take a small recess to discuss amongst ourselves, and continue afterward.¡±


    ¡°There is no need.¡± Alektor said, his words were stern and weighted, but his eyes never left Daniel¡¯s. ¡°We have gone over many important issues, King Telmos. I feel that the less pressing matters can wait until next week, or be solved by your own council.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± Telmos said, clearing his throat awkwardly. ¡°I hereby declare this council session ended, and bid you all a fond farewell. We will assemble again next week.¡±


    The sound of Alektor¡¯s stone orb slamming on the table caused several members to jump, but he stood unceremoniously and made his way out of the chamber. Daniel stood as well, trying to make his way to Avria, but she had quickly followed Alektor out of the door, leaving Telmos and Daniel both attempting to catch her.


    Something was out of place in Daniel¡¯s mind. The whole declaration stank of Alektor¡¯s manipulation. And regardless of his feelings toward Avria, he couldn¡¯t allow himself to just fall willingly into such a plan.


    Katrina grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the nobles and council members who were funneling out. ¡°What the hell was that!?¡± She hissed, trying to keep her voice low. ¡°What¡¯s going on with Avria? Why would she ask for something like that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she did.¡± Daniel sighed, ¡°This has Alektor written all over it.¡±


    ¡°You think he put her up to it?¡± She shook her head, looking unconvinced. ¡°Avria isn¡¯t someone who just gets ordered to do things and agrees out of nowhere, Dan. You know her as much as I do.¡±


    ¡°Then I don¡¯t fuckin¡¯ know, Kat.¡± Daniel snapped. ¡°I was caught off guard, just like everyone else here.¡±


    ¡°And you said no.¡± Robert¡¯s voice rang, as he approached them.


    Daniel and Katrina¡¯s heads snapped toward him, but he closed in closely to continue. ¡°I gotta say, Dan. That was pretty badass.¡±


    Daniel sighed, clearly irritated at the unwanted intrusion into his and Katrina¡¯s conversation.


    ¡°Before you guys bite my head off, just listen.¡± Robert pressed, ¡°The last time Alektor pulled something like that in the middle of a bunch of people was when he married me off to Athica. I didn¡¯t have the guts or the wherewithal to tell him to go screw himself then, but I wish I had.¡± He paused, looked Daniel directly into his eyes. ¡°This is not the same thing, though. You need to talk to Avria.¡±


    ¡°What the hell do you know about it?¡± Daniel shot back. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about her.¡±


    ¡°I know a lot more than you think.¡± Robert crossed his arms. ¡°That woman saved me from a fate worse than death. Despite everything I did to her and her clan. She chose to show me mercy, and beyond that, forgiveness. So go talk to her and find out exactly what is going on.¡± He turned toward Katrina, ¡°Both of you should.¡± With that, Robert turned on his heels and left them in silence.


    ¡°He¡¯s right, Dan.¡± Katrina said, her voice soft. ¡°We need to talk to her, as soon as possible.


    ~


    Robert made his way down the hall toward the royal wing of the palace. His heart was heavy with his task, but this was a trial he needed to endure. With each step he felt the sour bile in his guts churn in fearful anticipation. As he turned the final corner to his destination, he was hailed by the two Rexunii guards who stood sentry before the door.


    ¡°King Reku.¡± The both said, bowing in unison.


    ¡°I have come to see her.¡± Robert nodded toward the door. ¡°Don¡¯t announce me, and whatever you hear in there, don¡¯t enter or interfere.¡±


    The two guards glanced at one another nervously, but nodded again, and stepped out of his way.


    Robert took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come and slid the stone door open. As he entered, the soft smell of some unknown flower played at his senses, calming him. He heard the door slide closed behind him, and then heard the rustling of someone on the balcony.


    ¡°Kat, is that you?¡± A vaguely familiar voice called.


    A feminine form stepped from the balcony into the room, and stopped mid stride as she met his eyes. Robert¡¯s heart sank into depths unknown as he locked eyes with the former Krya of Vul De Rah, Illya of house Ignos. She stood in silence, her perfect face, which started with a pleasant and beautiful smile, slowly turned dark with sadness and rage. Her radiant yellow eyes pooled with tears, that spilled over and began running down her smooth red cheeks.


    ¡°What¡­¡± She croaked, trying to keep the emotion from overwhelming her. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Robert held his resolve, knowing there was nothing he could say that would truly make up for the pain he had caused her. He remembered her gentle council when they first met. When she came upon him in this very palace nearly two years ago, broken and feeling sorry for himself. She sat down with him and consoled him, as a friend and an ally. Now she looked at him with pure and unrelenting hatred.


    ¡°I came to see you.¡± He said, stepping closer.


    ¡°Guards!¡± She yelled, stepping back in panic.


    Robert stopped his advance and took another deep breath, letting it out slowly. Several moments passed as she kept glancing frantically from the door of her quarters, which remained unopened and him. ¡°So, you are here to kill me then?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Robert replied, looking again into her eyes. ¡°I am here¡­ to offer myself to you.¡±


    Illya¡¯s face twisted in confusion. Any fear she had before, turning to rage. ¡°What do you mean by that? What do you have that I would ever want, you murderer!?¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°My life.¡± Robert declared, his voice bringing even further confusion to her expression.


    ¡°Y-your life?¡± She shook her head in disgust. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I remember,¡± Robert began, turning to examine the late afternoon sky outside her balcony. ¡°When I first met all of you¡­ how scared and feeble I must have seemed. Like a lost little animal.¡± He paused, letting the memories of his first experiences in Pelemont come to the fore of his thoughts. ¡°You showed me so much kindness then¡­ but I was afraid, and desperate to get home.¡± He met her eyes again, attempting to portray his sincerity as best he could. ¡°What I did to you and your family, Illya. Nothing I can say will make up for it. And the only thing I have to give, is my life.¡± He stepped forward again, causing her to back up again, but he pressed on. He grasped her hands in his remaining one and brought them to his forehead.


    ¡°S-stop it.¡± She protested, her words little more than sobs.


    ¡°Avria forgave me for what I had done to her, and to your clan.¡± Robert declared, holding her gaze. ¡°But she can¡¯t forgive me for what I did to you and your family. So, I offer you, my life. And the choice, Illya.¡± He knelt before her, his face quivering with subdued emotion, and when his hand slipped from hers, there was a bone dagger left in them. He held his arms out to the side, baring his chest as his royal cloak fell, and revealing that he was missing an arm. ¡°You can kill me, right now. Or take your pound of flesh too, Illya. I deserve it, either way¡­ but¡­ but if you choose to forgive me, I swear to you, I will do everything in my power. Everything, to ensure your house survives. That your children are protected and want for nothing. That your world survives what¡¯s coming.¡±


    He swallowed the lump in his throat, as he tried to read her thoughts through her horrified expression, which turned into a sneer. She glanced at the dagger in her hand and gripped it tightly. ¡°Curse you.¡± She snarled, raising it up above her head. ¡°You took everything from me. My father, and my brother. My house¡¯s honor! Everything we had spent hundreds of years building! And¡­ and my freedom.¡± Her body jerked with her sobs, but she tensed her muscles, in preparation for a strike.


    Despite what he had allowed to unfold, and his imminent demise before him, Robert felt no fear. To the contrary, he felt more at peace and relieved than anything. Then he saw the hatred in her eyes break, like a fever in the night. And her expression changed to one of unfiltered rage to guilt. She let out a cry of anguish and fell to her knees before Robert.


    He held out his arm and embraced her while she cried. Everything she had endured over the last year or so, came out in a wave of sadness and pain. He felt her arms wrap around him and tighten with each breath.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± He whispered, feeling an unfathomable peace wash over him. ¡°I will not fail you, Illya... I swear it.¡±


    ~


    Daniel stared at the Lokkadonian guard who now stood in his and Katrina¡¯s way. ¡°I said I need to see her.¡± He snarled, his last bit of patience fading with each moment his path was impeded.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Hego Daniel.¡± The guard replied. ¡°The Princess has expressed strict instructions to remain undisturbed.¡±


    ¡°Avria!¡± He yelled past the guard¡¯s shoulder toward the door. ¡°Are you seriously hiding from us right now!?¡±


    The door slid open, and Avria pushed the guard aside in a Dunamis enhanced rage. Her face left little question to her mood as she stared daggers at Daniel. ¡°I am not hiding from you!¡± She bellowed. ¡°I am in the middle of a meeting with my father, the KING! And I do not have time to deal with you right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± Daniel stepped closer to her, his face defiant. ¡°After what you pulled in there, you better make time for me. I don¡¯t care who¡¯s in there with you, we¡¯re going over a few things, right now.¡±


    Avria¡¯s face turned an angry blue as she growled in frustration.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving until we talk about what the fuck just happened in there.¡±


    ¡°Let him in, Avria! For the love of the spirits!¡± The sound of Telmos¡¯ voice boomed from within the room, and Avria sighed in resignation before standing aside, allowing Daniel and Katrina to enter.


    Within, Daniel saw Telmos sitting on one of the couches of the small meeting area within Avria¡¯s room. He looked tired and irritated, but Daniel didn¡¯t care as he sat down across from him. The two shared a silent glare at one another, until Katrina¡¯s form sat down next to Daniel. Avria sighed as she returned to where she had probably been sitting before they were interrupted, but she didn¡¯t sit.


    ¡°Alright,¡± She declared, crossing her arms, her signature scowl on her face. ¡°Get on with it.¡±


    Daniel scoffed. ¡°Fine. Tell me what the hell happened in there?¡±


    ¡°I was asked a question.¡± Avria spat, ¡°And I answered.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t dance around the question, Avria.¡± Telmos interjected, ¡°Alektor put you up to this, didn¡¯t he? You made a fool of us in there.¡±


    ¡°I did no such thing.¡± Avria retorted, her fingers flexing with her words. ¡°You made a fool of us by attempting to outmaneuver Alektor, and turn our first public council meeting into a political spectacle!¡±


    Telmos balked in surprise. ¡°I only intended to show him that we were not to be trifled with.¡±


    ¡°You were baiting him, father.¡± Avria fumed. ¡°Attempting to force him into a union with me. We all saw it; you aren¡¯t as subtle as you think.¡±


    ¡°I only want what is best for our house.¡± Telmos looked at Daniel for support. ¡°A union with Alektor would put house Regios into the highest position within Eleutheros. And he knows that you are the only true option for him. No other lady in our entire kingdom comes close.¡±


    ¡°He would never accept it.¡± Avria shook her head, unsaid words plain on her face.


    ¡°You¡¯ve spoken to him, haven¡¯t you?¡± Daniel asked, his tone a bit more relaxed.


    ¡°I have.¡± She turned to him, her fierceness also subsiding a bit. ¡°And his words within the meeting were true. He told me he would support my decision; whomever I chose.¡±


    ¡°And you chose, Dan?¡± Katrina asked, her face one of confusion. ¡°Why?¡±


    Avria sighed, meeting Daniel¡¯s gaze. ¡°Because a union with him seemed the most acceptable. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t speak with you sooner, Daniel. I was going to.¡± She glanced at Katrina. ¡°But when we arrived, I saw you with Katrina¡­ and didn¡¯t feel it would have been appropriate.¡±


    ¡°Avria.¡± Telmos interjected, leaning forward. ¡°What did Alektor tell you?¡±


    Avria seemed incredibly uncomfortable as she pondered an answer, but a loud knock at the door pulled all of their attention from her.


    Alektor strode in, his face one of determination and anger as he approached them. Telmos attempted to stand, but was waved off quickly as Alektor came to a halt. ¡°You are very clever, Telmos.¡± He stated, his eyes narrowing toward the King. ¡°But this is not going to go as you think it will. I will not marry with Avria, or be forced into marrying the Baa¡¯Yega princess.¡±


    ¡°Enough of this nonsense, Alektor.¡± Telmos scoffed. ¡°You know as well as I do, she is the best choice.¡±


    ¡°She has made her choice.¡± Alektor pointed toward Daniel. ¡°And I think it is a far better union than I. The power your family would wield is incalculable. High Kings come and go, Telmos. Even if we managed to have children what more could we offer to Pelemont?¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Daniel yelled, pulling both of their attention. ¡°I¡¯m standing right here, guys. How come no one asked me about any of this?¡±


    ¡°Because you are a thickheaded and stubborn man, Daniel.¡± Alektor spat, all semblance of his normally cool and calm demeanor gone. The words were so jarring to Daniel, he couldn¡¯t find any words to respond.


    ¡°We are so close.¡± Alektor fumed, wringing his hands in frustration. ¡°But none of you can see it. Our world is on the brink of destruction! And you are bickering about political security, or being told who to marry. Avria is in love with you, you fool.¡± Alektor pointed to Daniel. ¡°And you feel much the same, don¡¯t deny it. I have tried to be understanding and patient with you, all of you. But the only one here who seems to see the true threat we face, and make the sacrifice to counter it, is Avria!¡±


    Daniel stared on in stupefied silence as Alektor¡¯s words cut into him like a blade. He had never seen him so angry in all the time he had known him. A fact which, alone, spoke volumes of the severity of their predicament. Katrina shifted uncomfortably beside Daniel, the words clearly having an affect on her as well. Crap, he thought, glancing toward her and seeing her mortified expression.


    ¡°Now.¡± Alektor continued, taking a calming breath. ¡°Telmos, your daughter has chosen Daniel as her mate. He is a spirit-sent, and is one of a very few of us who can actually kill demons. The Dunamis is nearly ineffective against them. As the spirits would have it, the human¡¯s possess an innate ability to purify and destroy them. As he displayed when he saved our very lives from the fatal poison we consumed! She has made this decision based off of that fact, and the fact that she happens to be quite fond of him.¡± He paused, taking another breath, then turned to Katrina.


    ¡°I know that the two of you have been together.¡± He said, causing her to stiffen. ¡°But I am asking you, to let this go forward, Katrina. Unless you wish to declare to me and everyone in this room right now, that you are willing to marry Daniel instead, and assume a true courtly position. If not? Please, allow it.¡±


    He turned to Daniel, his eyes hard and unrelenting. ¡°As for you. Make up your spirit-forsaken mind. We cannot win this fight without you, and by all the spirits, you know I have gone out of my way to ensure that you are cared for and given every resource you could imagine. Look at her.¡± He pointed toward Avria. Daniel did, and saw her eyes rise up from the floor to meet his. Their golden glow calming the torrent that swirled within him. ¡°She shares your fierceness and conviction, Daniel. But has something you lack greatly; tact. Look her in the eyes and tell her that you would deny her.¡±


    To Daniel¡¯s surprise, he saw no dismissal or irritation in her eyes. No reluctance to the words Alektor was saying, or denial at all. Instead, he saw an eagerness, and barely restrained fear of his answer. She has changed¡­ so much. He thought, before being pulled from her by a light squeeze on his hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright...¡± Katrina said, weakly. Tear-filled eyes meeting his, as he turned toward her. ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Katrina smiled at him, before turning toward Alektor. ¡°I won¡¯t interfere with a union between them.¡± She turned then toward Avria, ¡°There isn¡¯t a better woman in this entire world, as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Katrina.¡± Alektor said, bringing his hands together. ¡°You are the last piece, Daniel. This choice is yours alone. Do not fear any retribution from me, either way. Illya and even her brother are safe from any harm. I am a man of my word, and will honor my oaths or be struck down by the spirits themselves.¡±


    Why is this so damn important? He thought, turning back to her. Then with a shiver, he felt the pull of something from within. His power, or something far greater urging him forward. He acknowledged it with a mental nod, then took a deep breath, before answering. ¡°Alright, Avria.¡± He said, standing. ¡°I accept.¡±

 Chapter 52 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Greyson held up his hands toward the alien and bizarre tree-line of the spirit-forest. Which had closed itself before him during his approach. The sight of hundreds of the strange trees uprooting themselves and moving together to create an impassible wall had given him, as well as his companions, pause. The prospect of entering the forest seemed more and more of a difficult task.


    ¡°Well, this fuckin¡¯ sucks.¡± Ashley cursed, coming to stand next to him. ¡°How are we going to get past this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking.¡± Greyson grumbled, focusing his power into the palms of his hands. A highly pressurized blast of water burst from his outstretched hands, slamming into the wall of trees, slicing their skin-like bark open, revealing what he could only describe as the insides of a living creature, not a tree, that oozed blue green blood.


    ¡°That¡¯s nasty as hell.¡± Ashley shook her head, her face one of disgust. ¡°But cleaving our way through these trees isn¡¯t going to work, Greyson. We need some help.¡±


    Greyson sighed, his frustration starting to burn like hot coals in his heart. ¡°I thought the hard part was just getting here, undetected. Now we have to figure out how to get in without burning this whole fucking place to the ground.¡±


    ¡°They monitor the spiritual energy here, for anything that might be off.¡± Dorian said, standing on his side, opposite of Ashley. ¡°There¡¯s no telling how long we will be able to keep ourselves hidden.¡±


    ¡°Lauren would be great right about now.¡± Greyson sighed, a pang of guilt and regret assaulting him at the loss of her. She had a delicate way of approaching things, and tended to be the voice of reason in their group.


    ¡°Please.¡± Ashley scoffed. ¡°That bitch couldn¡¯t fight her way out of a paper bag. You saw how quick she got her ass kicked by that Dae.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± Dorian warned. ¡°That fuckin¡¯ Dae kicked both our asses, and almost killed me too. I don¡¯t want to hear it. She held her own as best she could.¡±


    Greyson whirled on her, his face contorted with anger. ¡°I also remember Daniel almost killing you too, Ash.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡± She huffed, turning away from him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want from me.¡±


    ¡°How about you show some fucking respect to someone who is probably being tortured beyond comprehension, as we speak!¡± Greyson shouted. ¡°Not everything can be solved by slashing it with your sword, Ash. Or blasting it away with your powers. Lauren had a way with things like this. Things that were tedious and required some damn finesse. Something none of us have.¡±


    Ashley¡¯s posture was stiff while he scolded her, but softened after several seconds and she met his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ok?¡± She shook her head, seemingly embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯m just so frustrated with all this. I didn¡¯t mean it¡­ I kind of miss her too.¡±


    Greyson let out a tense breath, nodding in approval of her apology. She¡¯d come a long way from when they first rescued her, but things had gotten a lot more complicated since then, so, he supposed it made sense.


    ¡°I just hate it, Ash.¡± Greyson clenched his fists as the thought tore at him. ¡°She¡¯s probably begging for death right now¡­ I can still sense her energy, so I at least know she¡¯s alive. But it¡¯s flickering, like it¡¯s a candle struggling to keep itself lit in a breeze. God only knows what they¡¯re doing to her.¡±


    ~


    Daniel smiled at the sound of Lauren¡¯s laughter. Katrina joined in, her joke seeming to be exactly what she needed to hear. Daniel didn¡¯t think it was that funny, but Lauren¡¯s reaction was enough to make him chuckle.


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Lauren said, wiping a tear from her eye. ¡°God, it¡¯s so good to hear something positive for once.¡± She sighed, letting the previous levity fade away. ¡°Everything with Greyson was so dire and serious. I get it though. It¡¯s life or death, but there has to be a moment or two where you can just sit down and laugh about things. Tell a joke or two.¡±


    ¡°Amen to that, sister.¡± Katrina agreed, raising a half-filled bowl of wine in a toast before taking a drink. ¡°So, you¡¯ve been treated alright here? Nothing negative to report?¡±


    Lauren smiled, but shook her head. ¡°No¡­ everyone¡¯s been pretty nice to me. Especially High King Alektor. I don¡¯t know what to say¡­ the Dae are so different here than from where I woke up.¡±


    ¡°It really depends.¡± Daniel grunted, ¡°It wasn¡¯t always like this here. Just ask Robert.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of whom, where the heck is he?¡± Katrina asked, taking an impatient glance at the door. ¡°He¡¯s supposed to be here already.¡±


    ¡°Beats me.¡± Daniel shrugged, ¡°He¡¯s been acting all weird since yesterday.¡±


    Katrina went silent, sipping deeply from her bowl.


    Daniel winced a bit, recalling the incredibly awkward events that transpired between them with Avria¡¯s proposal, and his subsequent acceptance. Even though she had given him her blessing, Katrina was still hurting from it. He knew this based on how hard she was trying to seem normal and fine with everything.


    ¡°Anyway~¡± Lauren interjected, no doubt feeling the subtle tension. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll show up soon. Um¡­ will Alektor be joining us too?¡±


    Daniel and Katrina shared a puzzled glance, but he just shrugged. ¡°Not really sure. I haven¡¯t seen him at all today. It¡¯s possible though.¡±


    ¡°You, uh¡­ want to see him for something?¡± Katrina asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°He¡¯s been really nice to me¡­¡± Lauren said, shrugging, but looked to the floor. ¡°And clarified a lot about what humans mean to the Dae here¡­ despite the whole¡­ being summoned by demons thing. He told me that we¡¯re here to save this world, instead of destroying it.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Daniel confirmed, nodding along with her words. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what brought us here or how.¡±


    ¡°I just wish I could talk to Greyson somehow¡­¡± She said, her voice laced with regret. ¡°Convince him to stop with all this craziness¡­ He¡¯s not a bad person, guys. He¡¯s just misguided.¡±


    ¡°After what he¡¯s done, though.¡± Katrina winced. ¡°I think it¡¯s going to be hard for the Dae. Even Alektor to get past it all.¡±


    ¡°We just need to stop him, Kat.¡± Daniel said, standing from his seat. ¡°Whether it¡¯s with diplomacy or by killing him. Your vision can¡¯t come true.¡±


    Katrina nodded with conviction, standing as well. She smiled at him, then glanced at the door. ¡°Would you mind going out to see where everyone is? I¡¯ll wait here with Lauren. It¡¯s been forever since I¡¯ve had a chance to talk to a human girl, and I can totally say that I missed it.¡± Katrina turned her smile toward Lauren, who only giggled in response.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Daniel nodded, then stepped outside, looking for where the rest of their group was, and why they were so late. It didn¡¯t take him long to find them as he made his way down the halls. Alektor and Robert were in the middle of a heated discussion with Avria, who seemed to stiffen as her eyes met his. Soon, all three of them were staring at him as he approached, and Daniel immediately felt the change in atmosphere.


    ¡°Something going on, guys?¡± He asked, stopping before them.


    They all shared an uneasy glance, before Alektor spoke up. ¡°We¡¯ve received word from Baa¡¯Yega, that there is evidence of a group crossing their border wall. With strange power signatures.¡±


    Daniel raised an eyebrow. ¡°Haven¡¯t they been crossing that huge wall this whole time? How come they are just now bringing it up?¡±


    ¡°Think of it as a huge security system, that takes up a massive amount of power.¡± Robert explained, holding his hand up for emphasis. ¡°They haven¡¯t kept it on because of the amount of Dunamis it takes to keep it running. After this whole situation with you and Avria getting attacked.¡±


    ¡°I ordered King Tegan to reactivate it, just in case.¡± Alektor interjected. ¡°And it would seem that we now have an invisible group of hostile humans within our borders.¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be that easy to know if it¡¯s actually them though, right?¡± Daniel looked at Avria, who shook her head in response.


    ¡°The Dunamis of human beings are very unique, Daniel.¡± She said, solemnly. ¡°It¡¯s nearly impossible to miss for those who are looking. And now that we have had time to analyze your kind properly, I can say with near certainty, that it is them.¡±


    Daniel was about to ask another question, when Robert huffed and waved his hand in frustration. ¡°Look, Dan. It¡¯s complicated how it works. I only know because they took the time to explain it to me earlier, which I will convey to you and Kat shortly. Right now, we need to get to that meeting room and speak with Lauren. We need to know where they would go.¡±


    ¡°Whatever they¡¯re planning to do within these borders, can¡¯t be good.¡± Alektor grumbled. ¡°I will not allow a demonic incursion within Eleutheros. It would be absolutely devastating.¡±


    ~


    They returned to the meeting room, where Katrina and Lauren were in the middle of a conversation. Alektor and Robert took a few moments to bring them up to speed in regards to the new information they had been provided, then all eyes rested on Lauren. Who seemed to want to curl in on herself to escape the scrutiny.


    ¡°Well?¡± Robert asked, his voice was gentle and understanding. ¡°Where would they be going? Greyson mentioned the Spirit-Forest before, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Her voice quivered with emotion as her eyes darted from face to face. ¡°I don¡¯t know, really. I know there is a gate in the Spirit-Forest, but it¡¯s a small one. The real gate is in the center of the continent. That was our real mission. The only reason we were here in the first place was to find, you guys.¡± She pointed to Daniel, Katrina, and Robert. ¡°Other than that¡­ I think.¡±


    ¡°They might be attempting to rescue you.¡± Alektor interjected, placing his hands behind his back. ¡°If that is the case, we must be extremely cautious.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they would do that.¡± Laurne shrugged, ¡°but maybe. I knew Greyson liked me, but the other two¡­ especially Ashley, I¡¯m pretty sure they hated me.¡±


    ¡°They were blinded by their hatred and lack of understanding, Lauren.¡± Alektor declared, giving her a rare smile. ¡°Your true worth, and the worth of all your kind is far beyond anything you realize.¡±


    Sheesh, laying it on a little thick there, brother. Daniel thought, before seeing her face blush a bright red as a large smile creased her face. I see now. Daniel chuckled inwardly. Alektor was actually putting on the charm for her. She was a spirit-sent after all, and seemed to think the world of him. This guy is looking for a spirit-sent queen.


    ¡°Regardless,¡± Robert pressed. ¡°We need to send a detachment to the Spirit-Forest.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Alektor nodded, ¡°Though, I need you all here with me. For yours and our safety. With Dio¡¯Mar also helping them, and countless demons at their disposal, I don¡¯t want to take any chances. I will have an entire detachment sent there as a precaution. But I still believe their true goal is rescuing you, Lauren.¡±


    ¡°Alektor¡­¡± She said, her voice soft and anxious. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill them. If you can help it. They¡¯re misguided and being manipulated by these demons.¡±


    Alektor¡¯s expression softened at her words, and he looked down thoughtfully. ¡°I will do my best to prevent any further violence, Lauren. But I will not hesitate to kill them if they force my hand.¡±


    ¡°Same.¡± Daniel agreed, giving Alektor an approving nod.


    ~


    Greyson let out a deep breath in satisfaction. His raised hands slowly dropped revealing a torn and bloody entry into the Spirit-Forest. After hours of careful application of his power and the rest of his group, the persistent defense had finally faltered. Without any other options, they had decided to continue applying force. And after a nearly exhausting several hours, they had finally succeeded. ¡°Let¡¯s go, guys.¡± He said with an air of triumph.


    He and his two companions carefully stepped through the entry into the forest, that looked like it was a page out of a science fiction novel. The trees from within looked like strange creatures that loomed over them, blocking the light of the sun¡¯s rays and darkening everything in view.


    ¡°You may not enter here.¡± A voice boomed both in and out of Greyson¡¯s head. The sound of which caused him to wince in pain, but did little more than annoy him. ¡°You bring darkness with you, humans.¡± The voice continued, ¡°Evil that has not tainted this sacred ground in thousands of years.¡±


    ¡°Stand aside, spirit!¡± Greyson shouted around him. Trudging forward with newfound purpose and determination.


    ¡°If you will not leave. Then we will¡ª¡± The voice was abruptly cut off as Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s form appeared out of thin air. Her body was writhing in black smoke and radiating a foul energy that made Greyson¡¯s stomach churn with disgust.


    ¡°You¡­ are far too sure of yourself¡­ Gro¡¯ak¡­ son of Dro¡¯gon¡­¡± The demon¡¯s words echoed throughout the forest with a hiss. There was an immediate reaction to her presence, as all of the vegetation seemed to reel back from her in fear. ¡°I remember a time¡­ when the spirits of this forest welcomed my visit¡­ and paid their respects¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡ª are corrupted.¡± The other spirit, said, growing out of the ground before them, it¡¯s form one of a muscular looking gargoyle, with massive wings and a snarled face. ¡°This was not the doing of any in this sacred forest. Only from you, and the ones you chose to ally with.¡±


    ¡°And yet my brothers and sister sleep still¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar replied, drawing closer to him. ¡°Powerless to stop what is coming¡­ what is destined to come upon all who resist¡­¡±


    ¡°There are those of us who will resist you¡­¡± The spirit¡¯s words seemed weaker, rattled with fear and uncertainty.


    ¡°What will you do, then. Gro¡¯ak?¡± Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s body began to grow, the swirling smoke around her solidifying into tentacles that snapped and writhed. ¡°You can do nothing¡­ but watch¡­ and live¡­ The spirits of this world are not our enemy¡­ only the sons and daughters of Pelemont. Who¡¯s souls demand punishment for millennia of sin and debauchery¡­ No¡­ Gro¡¯ak¡­ you will not impede our task¡­ in fact¡­ you will help us complete it¡­¡±


    Greyson looked on in astonishment as the gargoyle-like spirit, Gro¡¯ak, fumed in anger, but ultimately bowed his head to her in submission. What the hell? Greyson thought, noting the strange interaction between the two. Spirits were not subservient to demons in any way, shape or form. They would have fought them, tooth and claw to keep them out of here. What was she, really? If she were a demon, this would have gone down differently. He acted like he knew her.


    ~


    Daniel leaned his head against what had quickly become his favorite tree outside the city. The shape fit his body perfectly, and always seemed to have it¡¯s leaves in the perfect spot to give him shade from the sun above. After the morning¡¯s meeting, he found his way back to his personal training ground in the clearing he had become so fond of. The politics and direness of it all took a toll on all of them. Alektor had his study, and the company of his scrolls and a nice big jug of wine. Katrina and Robert found solace in the company of their Dae friends and loved ones, but he? Daniel found the peace and quiet of isolation far more soothing. It was something he understood; something he was used to. He remembered the long hours he spent on post, in Iraq. While stationed at his forward operating base, outside a small village called Tosh, near Ramadi proper.


    He took in a deep breath, letting the memory of the heat and sand wash over him like a pleasant tide. He didn¡¯t fear the memories anymore. The images of death and violence that haunted him so many nights now seemed nothing more than a monument to his growth and salvation.


    ¡°There you are.¡± A stern voice called to him, breaking his reverie.


    Daniel¡¯s eyes opened in a squint, toward the direction of the voice. He knew who it was, of course. His gaze fixed on the form of Avria of house Regios, standing with her arms crossed, and a disappointed look on her face. ¡°How¡¯d you find me?¡± He asked, closing his eyes again, in a futile attempt to resume his rest.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t hard once I asked around.¡± Avria said, her steps getting closer and closer to him. ¡°More than a few people know of your ¡®secret training spot¡¯, Daniel.¡±


    Daniel huffed in irritation, and opened his eyes again, meeting hers. ¡°Isn¡¯t a man entitled to a little break every once in a while?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been avoiding me.¡± She stated, her golden eyes narrowing with intensity.


    ¡°I¡¯ve done everything you¡¯ve asked of me.¡± Daniel¡¯s words were laced with his frustration. ¡°And I needed time to think and gather my thoughts for once. Instead of just reacting to everything, Avria. Alektor can just conjure up plans upon plans at the drop of a hat. Maneuvering through politics and everything without even taking a breath; I can¡¯t. I¡¯m not used to this.¡±


    ¡°So, this isn¡¯t about¡­¡± She stiffened her posture, a flash of uncertainty crossing her features. ¡°About our marriage? I thought, you would at least be¡­¡±


    Daniel sat up, looking at her intensely. He felt a surge of emotion come upon him as he recognized what she must be feeling. He then stood, and closed the distance to her. He felt the change in her posture as he did so, like she was holding something back, a question she didn¡¯t quite know how to ask. ¡°After our last conversation.¡± He started, his voice gruff but not unkind. ¡°You told me to, basically, let it go. I would have respected that request. To try and ignore the feelings I have for you. But I want you to tell me, right now. How you feel. Forget the politics, and everyone else. What Alektor was telling you to do, or what your father or the clan or the whole fucking kingdom think. Tell me what you feel.¡±


    Her cold stare slowly melted under his gaze, and she brought her hands out to rest on his chest. ¡°I¡­¡± She started, her face flushing a bright blue, complimenting her grey skin. ¡°I want to be with you, Daniel. Despite my efforts to the contrary, I have grown to like you a great deal. And though this¡­ situation is not what you or I probably had in mind. I believe this was always meant to be.¡± She turned away from him, her eyes lost in a memory of some kind. ¡°After I¡ª survived, my ordeal with Ool¡¯ak. I think I started to truly understand your purpose here, as well as how I fit in with it all.¡±


    Daniel¡¯s intense gaze softened, as a smile creased his face. He reached his arms around her waist and pulled her into an embrace. She didn¡¯t resist him, and returned the embrace with affection; resting her head on his shoulder. They stood there for a time, letting the pleasant breeze of the clearing caress their bodies as they both enjoyed the silent company of one another. Daniel had fallen for this woman. A warrior who had seemed the antithesis of his efforts at the beginning of his time in Pelemont. A woman who had kept him alive and moving forward, as he did for her. When they had no one but each other in the wilderness, and in the violence of combat.


    Daniel pulled away, looking her in her eyes, then kissed her softly on her lips. She quivered at the touch, melting in his arms as his passion started to rise. Suddenly, she pulled away, looking as though she had come to her senses. ¡°That¡¯s enough, for now, Daniel.¡± She said, weakly. ¡°We have a great deal of things to do.¡±


    Daniel smirked. ¡°I can only think of one¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± She narrowed her eyes, but he saw that there was a smirk on her face as well. ¡°Your charms are powerful, Hego. But in Lokkon, we save such things for the wedding night.¡±


    Daniel barked out a laugh, feeling her leave his embrace.


    ¡°I am a Princess of house Regios.¡± She said, her smirk growing into a smile. ¡°You will just have to wait.¡±

 Chapter 53 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Greyson wiped sweat from his brow as he trudged along behind the spirit, Gro¡¯ak. They had been traveling for hours, and the day before. Spending a sleepless night among the otherworldly trees and fauna of the Spirit-Forest, did little to calm his nerves, but their task was near to its end. Within the center of this forest was a gate. The opening that would bring forth a great horde of demons to help push their plan forward.


    ¡°Are we almost there?¡± Ashely huffed, her voice filled with irritation and fatigue.


    ¡°We should be.¡± Greyson looked again at the broad back of Gro¡¯ak, who had said nothing to them after Dio¡¯Mar had confronted him. He was a silent sentinel, who stopped when they did, provided food and water when they needed, but didn¡¯t acknowledge them in the slightest. Despite Greyson¡¯s attempts to communicate with the being.


    ¡°So, what do you think she is?¡± Ashely asked Greyson, her voice low as she closed the distance between them. ¡°Dio¡¯Mar, I mean.¡± She clarified.


    ¡°Who knows.¡± Greyson shrugged. ¡°At first, I thought she was just another demon, but now? I don¡¯t really know.¡±


    ¡°The way she commanded this one.¡± She pointed toward Gro¡¯ak, who lumbered before them. ¡°You¡¯d think she was actually a spirit, after all.¡±


    ¡°You do not even know whom you follow?¡± The booming voice of Gro¡¯ak resonated around them, causing Ashley to jump.


    ¡°Who is she?¡± Greyson asked, genuinely curious as to what the answer might be.


    ¡°She is beyond you¡­ or me¡­¡± Gro¡¯ak said, his voice everywhere all at once. ¡°But also, it is not my place to enlighten you if she does not will it.¡±


    ¡°But she isn¡¯t a demon though, right?¡± Ashely asked, earning an unintelligible grumble from their guide.


    ¡°We are here.¡± Gro¡¯ak boomed, turning to face them. ¡°Here lies the broken remains of Dre¡¯denisen, an ancient spirit who fell at the hands of the Dae, during the war of the ascended¡­ He was ever a champion of theirs¡­ even until his dying breath.¡±


    Greyson¡¯s mouth hung open in astonishment as he beheld a massive skull that was half buried in the soil. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s huge.¡± He said, noting that even what was visible of the skull was the size of a massive house.


    ¡°I have done what the lady has commanded me¡­¡± Gro¡¯ak said, ¡°I have preserved you and guided you here. Now I must, again, lead the spirits of this forest away, in an attempt to preserve what little dignity we have left.¡±


    Greyson raised an eyebrow at the statement. But before he could counter, the large spirit had disappeared,


    ¡°Well, what do we do now?¡± Dorian grunted, placing his hands on his hips as he approached the skull.


    ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Greyson replied, closing his eyes and raising his hands toward the skull. He could feel power that emanated from the remains, along with a feeling of cold emptiness and regret. There was a harsh draw of power from him suddenly, and he gasped at the unexpected pain it caused him.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Dorian asked, as Ashley reached out to support him.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Greyson reassured them, looking again at the massive skull, a bit of frustration starting to fill him. ¡°This is going to be tough on all of us.¡± He turned to face his companions. ¡°We should rest here until the morning. Cultivating our power as best we can.¡±


    ~


    Alektor let the sour taste of the wine rest in his mouth for a time; it was a new blend, of which he was still getting used to, but was quickly becoming his favorite. He leaned his head back on the headrest of his chair, allowing his thoughts to dawdle on nothing for once. He cherished moments like this; when the weight of the world seemed to float around him, suspended in time, while he contemplated nothing, and everything at the same time.


    There was a light knock on the door of his study. And with great effort, he brought himself back to the present. ¡°Enter.¡± He said, gruffly. The intrusion of his meditation grating on his mood. He waited, expecting to hear his guards announce who had come to pay him a visit, but he heard nothing. Alektor perked up, standing from his chair, and walking to the door, which slid open easily.


    To his surprise, there was no one outside his study. Considering the fact that he was the High King, and now had no protection, this was quite alarming. He turned from side to side, looking down the empty hallways, noting the atmosphere was distinctly darker, and far more quiet than usual. ¡°Interesting.¡± He said, calmly, as he closed the door again. He turned to sit back at his chair, but was somewhat startled to see a hooded and cloaked figure standing before him. Alektor felt his nearly bottomless pool of power stir within him as he analyzed the intruder. They were small in stature, most likely a woman; but he could feel nothing from them. No hint of power or trace of their existence outside of what he was able to see with his eyes.


    ¡°I am impressed you managed to get past my guards.¡± He said, without a hint of emotion in his words. ¡°More yet, I am impressed you managed to get past my senses. You must be very skilled.¡±


    ¡°High praise, coming from you.¡± A distinctly female voice replied. Alektor¡¯s mind again churned, unable to recognize the voice. He had no idea who this person was, standing before him.


    ¡°You have me at a disadvantage.¡± Alektor said, his body subtly preparing for battle. ¡°You seem to know who I am, but I am at a loss as to who you are, or what you are doing here. State your name, then your business.¡±


    The figure lifted their hood from their face, revealing a young and stunningly beautiful Dae woman. ¡°You have nothing to fear from me.¡± She said, a faint smile creasing her face.


    Alektor¡¯s eyes widened as he studied her. Her skin was a pale grey, with pearl white hair that hung down, framing the sides of her face. She smiled at him, genuinely, with love and affection, but her eyes are what gave him pause. Her eyes, glowed a bright white, which could only mean one thing, if the stories were true.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡ª¡± Alektor¡¯s words caught in his throat as the realization dawned on him. ¡°You¡¯re an ascended!¡±


    The woman chuckled. ¡°You are a sharp one.¡± She tilted her head, looking him up and down. ¡°The fabled Rexun king does not disappoint.¡±


    Alektor narrowed his eyes, his posture becoming more aggressive. ¡°Who are you? And what is an ascended doing here, in my study? The spirits¡ª¡±


    ¡°Calm yourself.¡± She held her hands up, interrupting him. ¡°I am more than capable enough of hiding myself from the presence of the spirits, your highness. Let alone any Dae who might know that I am here. As for who I am, and why I am here?¡± Her face went more serious. ¡°I will not stand by and watch as this kingdom falls into darkness, Alektor. I have done that before, and have regretted it every day since. There is so much more at stake than you realize.¡±


    ¡°Enlighten me, then.¡±


    ¡°These creatures you¡¯ve chosen to ally yourself with.¡± She started, walking toward his assortment of wine, and pouring herself a bowl. ¡°Are they friend, or foe to the Dae?¡±


    ¡°They are ultimately our salvation.¡± Alektor replied, earning a sharp exhale from the woman.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me these things you want to believe, but don¡¯t, Alektor.¡± She waved her hand dismissively. ¡°You can lie to them out there. To the myriad of fools and bootlickers or politicians who surround you. But you can¡¯t lie to me. They scare you.¡±


    Alektor looked at her for a moment, unsure how to respond. ¡°It would help if you told me who you were.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡± She chuckled between sips of wine. ¡°You lack information, and therefore can¡¯t properly gauge the field, right? How could you possibly determine what your next move will be without all the information at your fingertips?¡±


    ¡°Information is essential.¡± Alektor placed his hands behind his back as he made his way back to his chair. ¡°For example, how will I know if you are a threat or not?¡±


    The woman narrowed her white eyes, her small smile widening slightly. ¡°My dear Alektor, I have walked this world for millennia. Seen countless generations of kings and heroes rise and fall. Some of whom have deeds that will never be known to all but the oldest of us. You have nothing to fear from me.¡±


    ¡°So, then why have you come?¡± Alektor took his seat, picking up the bowl he had left there and taking a sip from it. ¡°If I am just another one of these kings or heroes, why would you care? Ascended don¡¯t normally get involved in the affairs of mere mortals.¡±


    The woman looked at him thoughtfully, her unreadable eyes seeming to study him with great intensity before she sat down across from him in an empty chair. ¡°I wish to speak to you about these creatures that have seemingly appeared out of thin air, Alektor. About the monsters you face, and about the trials that still lay ahead of you. But first, I wish to tell you a tale of a hero who changed my life. A man who¡¯s strength and determination showed me more in the short time I knew him, than in the centuries before.¡± Her words hung in the air like a great stone; the gravity in them a promise of wisdom.


    Alektor nodded toward her, gesturing for her to continue.


    ¡°As you can imagine, being an immortal isn¡¯t always decades of meditation or isolation.¡± She pressed, her eyes drifting above his shoulder, as though lost in a memory. ¡°We often interact with Dae society, as low-level warriors, or sometimes merely as observers. It was one such occasion, that I had masked my presence. And was enjoying the streets of Thule as a common girl. I had never been there before, though I had heard much of it.¡± She leaned forward. ¡°I never did much like Eleutheros, or Visgothia, as I remember it. Before the rise of the first High King.¡± She waved her hand, ¡°But that¡¯s another story for another time. Here, I was happily enjoying the pleasantries of the markets. When a group of Rexun warriors began shouting at another assortment of warriors. Intrigued, I stayed close to see what all the fuss was about. To my delight, it seemed that a fight was brewing between warriors of different clans.¡±


    She took a long sip from her wine, her smile one of genuine happiness. ¡°That is the first time I saw him. A young officer of Rexun, who commanded great respect from all of them, came and defused the disagreement. At the time I was disappointed, you see. I thought it would have been fun to watch the brawl. But, alas, it was not meant to be. Instead, my focus was shifted to the handsome young officer. Something that I didn¡¯t expect, and caught me a bit off guard. We ascended don¡¯t have the same vices as normal Dae. The need for such things is obsolete in the face of immortality.¡±


    Alektor leaned forward, his interest peaked, but his patience was starting to wane. ¡°Is there a point to this story?¡±


    The woman chuckled, ¡°Mortals are always in such a hurry. I didn¡¯t know why, but I became infatuated with him. I orchestrated a meeting between us, and we fell deeply in love with one another. Passions and feelings that I thought long removed from my ability to comprehend, overtook me in the bliss of a union that to this day, words cannot describe. We were in love.¡± She hummed pleasantly, before taking another drink from her bowl. ¡°In fact, we got married to each other. I played the part of his loving wife, and he, the dutiful and protective husband. I didn¡¯t have the heart to tell him that as an ascended I was sterile. The spiritual energy changes us in ways that make it impossible to conceive. Until it wasn¡¯t.¡±


    Alektor¡¯s ears perked, ¡°You had a child?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She affirmed, her eyes wistful. ¡°We had a wonderful son, who¡¯s power was far beyond that of a normal Dae. It was this fact that led to the revelation of my true identity. Still, he did not turn away from me. But instead, loved me all the more. We lived together like this for another year, before the spirits started to come knocking. As skilled as I am at hiding myself, they always find me, eventually. He told me that he would wait for me. That he would raise our son to be a great warrior, and a great man.¡±


    Her white eyes locked with Alektor¡¯s as a hint of emotion entered her voice. ¡°I departed, and isolated myself for many years. Until the spirits finally relented, only to return and see that the love of my life had been killed by the ones he swore his allegiance to. I cursed them for their sins against me, promised retribution¡­ but I was afraid. Afraid of the persecution of the spirits should I reveal myself and bring my wrath upon those who took him from me. I then cursed my foolish weakness¡­ then.¡± A single tear rolled down her cheek as she raised her hand toward Alektor, and his heart dropped into the pit of his stomach as the pieces started to come together in his mind.


    ¡°Then I saw as our son...¡± She continued, her voice tense with pride and emotion. ¡°Rise against them, and bring the wrath of the ascended upon them in righteous fire.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡± Alektor¡¯s mouth dropped and his grip on his bowl of wine slipped as her words echoed in his mind. ¡°M¡ª mother?¡±


    ¡°I have waited many long years to meet you, my son.¡± She smiled, her hand reaching across the table to rest on his.


    ¡°What? why?¡± He stuttered, his normally resilient mind falling to pieces. ¡°Why have you not revealed yourself? Why now? I could have¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much time, son.¡± She squeezed his hand. ¡°There is a great imbalance of spiritual energy, that has prevented me from revealing myself. Even when I saw you¡­ nearly perish at the hands of the Espi-Dae. I was powerless to help you. Thankfully, you have greater things watching over you.¡±


    ¡°The humans¡­¡± Alektor slumped, feeling the warm touch of his mother¡¯s hand disappear as she lifted her hand toward him.


    ¡°In all my years of life, I have never seen anything like these humans before.¡± She continued, her voice serious. ¡°Their power, and their purpose are a mystery to me. And thus, I watched with great fascination how they developed and how they might change our world. They are both the saviors of my son, and the heralds of demons.¡±


    ¡°What does it mean?¡± Alektor asked, his composure returning.


    ¡°It means that there are greater powers than even the great spirits, my son.¡± She declared with conviction. ¡°And they are both, for us, and against us.¡±


    ¡°What about the demons?¡± Alektor asked, ¡°how do we defeat them?¡±


    ¡°They are a force that has always been held in check by spirits.¡± She shook her head, ¡°But now, with the arrival of the humans, they are free to enter our world, uncontested.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Humans are not of our world.¡± She shrugged, sipping more wine. ¡°But there is a connection, somehow. The true reason I revealed myself to you tonight, my son. Is because, as we speak, the gate within the Spirit-Forest is being opened. By this time tomorrow, your kingdom will be nearly overrun by demons.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Alektor¡¯s question came as an outburst. ¡°I am under good authority, that they wouldn¡¯t attempt to open the gate in the Spirit-Forest. How do you know this?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that you can comprehend the power that we ascended wield, son.¡± His mother said, standing from her seat. ¡°I can see them, as they are now. And you must believe me. You will never make it in time to stop them. The forest itself obeys their commands. You may not enter.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, we, can¡¯t¡± Alektor¡¯s eyes brightened as a thought occurred to him. ¡°But the other humans can, surely.¡±


    She smiled at him approvingly. ¡°Your deeds will go down in history as one of the greatest heroes the Dae have ever seen, my son. And I will do what I can to help. Though, that might not be in a physical way as of yet, there are still things I can do. For now, you must gather your forces and prepare to repel an onslaught of demonic minions. I know that you can survive and defeat this threat, my son. You have the might of the greatest among us flowing through your veins.¡±


    There was a slight rumble that jolted Alektor, and his mother¡¯s gaze snapped toward the entrance of the study. ¡°It would seem my time is up, son.¡± She said, her voice tinged with sadness. ¡°I will visit you again soon.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Alektor reached toward her, grasping her hand. ¡°My father said your name was Erendi. Tell me your true name, mother.¡±


    Her white eyes softened as his words were registered, and she pressed her hand against his cheek. ¡°I never told your father my true name, Erendi was one that I liked, so I became her. My true name is Delphina¡­ but please, call me Erendi. It is how your father knew me. And how I wish to be remembered.¡±


    With her final words, she slipped from his grasp, and disappeared before his eyes, and the rumbling ceased. Moments later his door slid open, and several royal guards dashed in.


    ¡°Your highness!¡± One shouted, ¡°Are you well? The palace was shaking!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He responded, the urgency of the matter at hand taking precedence. ¡°Asemble everyone immediately. I don¡¯t care about the time. I want all of our officers, royalty, and the three spirit-sent. Now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your highness!¡± They replied, funneling back out into the hallway.


    Alektor looked at his hand, the one that he had touched his mother with before she disappeared. To his surprise, there was a small scroll within it. The only real evidence that what had happened was actually real. ¡°Thank you, mother.¡± He said softly, clutching the rolled parchment as though it were the most precious thing in the world to him. ¡°Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 54 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel made his way through the hallway toward Alektor¡¯s favorite study. Stifling a yawn, he glanced at several Dae officers who surrounded him. All of whom were also awakened from their sleep, and ordered to come to an emergency meeting. Daniel knew Alektor well enough to know that he wouldn¡¯t do something like this if it weren¡¯t dire. The only question now, was what was so important that the High King would call an assembly in the middle of the night.


    He entered the study, and saw that Robert, Athica, Ambrosia, Turak, and King Telmos had already arrived, along with a multitude of Rexunii officers and nobles. He entered, made some quick greetings, and found a seat on the far side of the study, where he then waited for the rest of the summoned individuals to arrive.


    Avria entered with Katrina in tow, and made her way to the front, sitting next to her father, beside Alektor. Katrina scanned the room¡¯s occupants until she saw Daniel, then made her way to sit next to him.


    ¡°Did he say anything yet?¡± She asked, her eyes looking as tired as he felt. ¡°What¡¯s this all about?¡±


    ¡°No idea.¡± Daniel shrugged, but his voice was serious. ¡°It¡¯s got to be important though. Look at all these people. He called the whole fucking chain of command out of their beds.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Katrina answered, but started looking around the room, as though she sensed something was off. ¡°Do you feel that?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Feel what?¡± Daniel tried to follow where she was looking, then opened his mind to the spiritual energy in the room. There was the familiar assortment of energy that resonated with every gathering of a group of this size. Then he felt it, like a sharp tinge that cut through his senses, causing him to straighten up; a power signature that resonated like a lit torch in the night. ¡°Yeah¡­ what the hell is that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She said, softly. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt anything so potent before.¡±


    ¡°Apologies for rousing you all from what I¡¯m sure was a pleasant slumber my friends.¡± Alektor began, abruptly. ¡°But dire news has reached me this night. News of the movements of our enemies, and where they will strike.¡± He stood from his seat, letting his words capture everyone¡¯s attention before continuing. ¡°Normally, I would have waited until a more appropriate hour, but time, it would seem, is not on our side. I have just learned that the rogue group that attacked Princess Avria¡¯s diplomatic detachment in Baa¡¯Yega, has crossed into our borders. Moreover, they have entered the Spirit-Forest and have begun the process of opening a gate to the nether realm.¡±


    There were gasps and murmurs of alarm from all present, and Daniel sat up straight, a pit forming in his stomach.


    ¡°It is too late for us to stop this action, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Alektor continued, ¡°leaving us no choice, but to prepare for the onslaught that is sure to follow. Generals, and esteemed nobles. Now is the time to rally and deploy our forces, in preparation of this attack, and strengthen our defenses, as best we can.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about this, your majesty?¡± King Telmos raised the question, his weary eyes and expression showing his disbelief. ¡°Only mere hours ago we had determined that the main objective of our enemy was to rescue their captured companion. What has changed since then, and why?¡±


    ¡°This is not up for debate or discussion, Telmos.¡± Alektor shot back, his irritation and lack of patience clear in his tone. ¡°They are there; and if we do not send a military detachment to stem the tide of death that his coming, no one will be able to stop it.¡±


    Telmos scoffed, ¡°You have not answered my question, your Highness. How did you come by this information? Only a short time ago there were reports of a quake of some kind within the palace. Our scholars believe it to be the work of spirits.¡±


    ¡°I do not have time for your foolish insubordination, Telmos.¡± Alektor growled, ¡°Nor will I tolerate it any longer. My word is law, and shall be followed, without further question or descent!¡±


    What the fuck is going on? Daniel thought, his body tensing at the sudden change in the two men¡¯s behavior. Alektor has never lost his cool like that before, and Telmos is usually a whole lot more subtle with his backtalk.


    ¡°Let us take a moment to cool our heads.¡± Avria said, standing to intervene.


    ¡°No, dear.¡± Telmos shook his head, his anger visibly rising. ¡°This man only takes what he wants. And kills those who get in his way. He doesn¡¯t have time or patience enough to rule.¡±


    ¡°If I had known the trouble you would be, Telmos. I would have left you to the fate of Phobos and his murderers.¡± Alektor shot back.


    ¡°I agree, oh great High King! It is far better to be slain by a murderer with some semblance of honor. Then a murderer from Rexun!


    Then the whole room erupted in outbursts of anger and argument as slurs and curses were thrown between everyone. Robert looked on in horror as he tried his best to deescalate the now raging argument between Alektor and Telmos, and Katrina stood to add her own voice of reason to the cacophony of shouts.


    No¡­ Daniel thought, feeling the wrongness of it all, and closed his eyes to concentrate. Then, as a cluster of insects being revealed underneath a large rock, the distinct and foul feeling of demonic energy began to show itself to him. Daniel¡¯s senses screamed as the invasive taint clawed at his probing presence, and he realized the sudden discourse was not at all natural.


    Daniel stood abruptly, his stone chair skidding back, and crashing into the wall behind him, making a noise that brought the attention of the entire room to him. He raised his right hand and willed his power to flood the room. In an instant, a bright, golden light, shone through the expanse of the study.


    ¡°Show yourself!¡± Daniel shouted, with a power and authority in his voice that he had never felt, but now came to him as naturally as breathing. The room was still as the eyes of every Dae and human alike were fixed on him. Then a swirl of black power formed in the center of the room, above the table where Alektor was standing. The High King, and all around him stepped back in alarm as the energy writhed and squirmed as though in agonizing pain. It soon changed into the form of a strange little creature. A creature that Daniel could only describe as an imp of some kind. With a bulbous head, sharp claws, wings, a whipping tail, and eyes far too large for its face. It screeched unintelligibly as it was forced from the shadows into the light.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Daniel shouted, and the creature was silent. Its body going rigid in obedience to his command. He walked toward it, slowly, his boots echoing in the now silent room as his hand reached toward it. With little effort, he closed his hand into a fist, and the creature was engulfed in a white flame. Evaporating into dust without so much as a sound to signify its death.


    ¡°What in all the spiritual planes, was that?¡± Telmos asked, his face beaded with sweat as he steadied himself. ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ I didn¡¯t even realize what¡­ did it make us all¡­?¡±


    ¡°That, was the enemy.¡± Daniel said, sternly. Turning to look at the crowd around him. ¡°This is the darkness that threatens your world, people. Monsters who hide in plain sight. Who sit on your shoulders and whisper lies and evil into your ears. They cause you to fight amongst one another. To kill and enslave one another. Alektor is right.¡± He pointed to the High King, then focused his attention on Telmos. ¡°The fact that this thing showed up here, to cause you all to fumble around like idiots, should prove beyond a doubt that what he is saying is true.¡± He turned to face Alektor, and felt that same power he felt in his voice, resonating through him, emboldening his words and actions.


    ¡°We will lead the army South to the forest.¡± Daniel declared, gesturing to Katrina, who was now standing next to him, and Robert who was next to Alektor. ¡°Our powers can kill these things. And if we¡¯re going to stand any chance at all of repelling them. We¡¯ll need to be there. To fight them back. And close that fucking gate.¡±


    Alektor¡¯s eyes were locked with Daniel¡¯s and he saw the man¡¯s normally stoic face break into a pleased smile. ¡°As you wish, Hego Daniel.¡± He said, slamming his hand into the table in satisfaction. ¡°We will assemble as many forces as we can muster. The three spirit-sent will lead our assault against this evil, and we will crush it before they have a chance to wreak any real havoc throughout our lands.¡± He turned toward Turak, ¡°Lord Turak, assemble my personal guard as well. It is high time we joined the fray.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your highness.¡± Turak said, with a savage grin stretched across his scarred face.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Robert interrupted, placing his hand on Alektor¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What about Demessa, and Athica? Dio¡¯Mar threatened them both, and the children they¡¯re carrying. I can¡¯t allow them to be unprotected.¡±


    Alektor deflated slightly, taking a deep breath as he pondered the situation.


    ¡°I can stay behind.¡± Robert said, looking apologetically toward Daniel. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dan. I can¡¯t let that fucking thing kill my kids, man.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Alektor interrupted, ¡°You must go to the forest. Your powers will be essential in defeating the demons. I will leave my personal guard behind to protect them. My guard should be more than enough to defeat anything that slips through. They are quite capable, you know.¡±


    Robert hesitated as he processed his words, but Alektor grabbed him by his shoulders. ¡°We can only do what we are able, Reku. You are needed to win the battle. If we are defeated and are unable to close the gate, you will all die here regardless of your protection of them. These are the choices we must make. I want to protect them too, Reku. They are my kin; but it is a greater risk to not fight this evil with everything we have.¡±


    After several tense moments, Robert nodded in acceptance, and gave a quick glance toward Athica. ¡°Fine¡­ but please leave some powerful Dae behind to protect them.¡±


    ¡°I will stay behind as well.¡± Telmos said, striding forward and placing his hand on Robert¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I may not be as strong as Hego Agron was, but I gave him a great deal of trouble back in the day. I will defend them with my life. You needn¡¯t worry, Reku.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ~


    Within the hour, formations of the war-groups garrisoned in Vul De Rah were lining up in preparation for their deployment South. Shouts and commands echoed through the Glade as officers expedited the process, providing ¡®encouragement¡¯ to the weary warriors.


    Daniel strode toward the head of the formation, where Turak and Avria were discussing something. To Daniel¡¯s left, Katrina¡¯s face was a mask of purpose and determination. And to his right, Robert did his best to hide the worry for his family. It was a hard thing to ask a man to leave those he loved to fulfill a greater duty. Something Daniel was familiar with, but hated all the same. Robert though, seemed to be carrying the burden well. Part of him still held resentment toward the man, for his part in the death and betrayal of Oros and Agron. But Avria had forgiven him, and that spoke volumes. Even Illya had apparently extended him grace. How could he not?


    ¡°How¡¯re we coming along?¡± Daniel asked when they stopped before Avria and Turak.


    ¡°Not fast enough.¡± Turak grunted, turning toward the forming ranks. ¡°The Spirit-Sent are here, you Garranks! Move with purpose, or be left for the demons!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re managing.¡± Avria sighed, her irritation about their progress evident. ¡°We sent spiritual probes to the forest after our meeting with Alektor, and at first we found nothing¡­ until nearly ten minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°There is a blasted exodus of spirits.¡± Turak barked, his voice barely containing his rising anger. ¡°Thousands of them are streaming out. It¡¯s madness!¡±


    ¡°It means Alektor was telling the truth.¡± Avria continued, her voice calm and leveled. ¡°And that we need to move as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°How many warriors do we have?¡± Daniel asked, turning to face the ranks.


    ¡°Nearly a thousand.¡± Turak sighed. ¡°Most of them are Lokkadonian reserve units from within the city itself. Only a small detachment of Elites are here from Vul De Mar, along with some of Reku¡¯s personal guard, but they¡¯re all staying behind to protect the palace itself. We¡¯re desperately alone in this fight. We needed more time to prepare for a threat of this magnitude. We¡¯ve sent word to the other clans¡­ but it will take them days to reach the forest. Possibly weeks for Volsung and Exous.¡±


    ¡°So, this is it.¡± Daniel crossed his arms. ¡°Well?¡± He turned to face Katrina and Robert. ¡°You guys think we can handle it?¡±


    ¡°Not like we have a choice.¡± Robert shrugged, adjusting his armor.


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna have to make it work.¡± Katrina smiled reassuringly.


    ¡°You all need proper protection.¡± Avria said, nodding toward Katrina, who¡¯s armor was a bit too small for her, and then to Daniel who wasn¡¯t wearing a breastplate or a cloak at all. ¡°You¡¯re leaders of this element, and should look the part.¡± She turned to an attendant who was standing behind her. ¡°Fetch the crates.¡±


    ¡°Highness.¡± The attendant bowed, then darted into the darkness.


    ¡°Come on, Avria.¡± Katrina spread her hands apart, revealing her barely protected chest. ¡°This should be fine, right?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Avria¡¯s answer was direct and humorless. ¡°Also, before we stride headlong into battle, there is something I must do.¡± She turned to face Katrina fully, and gestured to another attendant, who opened a scroll, readying to write in it. ¡°As princess of Lokkon, and your master. I hereby declare that you, Katrina, Spirit-Sent. Are elevated to the nobility within Lokkadonia, and are immediately appointed to the rank of Hego, of Vul De Mar. I also grant you the lands and titles that go with such a station, all of Northern Lokkadonia.


    ¡°Excuse me¡­ WHAT!?¡± Katrina balked, her eyes bulging with so much surprise, they looked like they would fall out of her head.


    ¡°Damn, Kat.¡± Daniel chuckled, ¡°Congrats.¡±


    ¡°Avria¡­ I don¡¯t¡­ there¡¯s no way I¡¯m ready for something like that. I can¡¯t rule a territory, I¡¯m just a¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t hear anything to the contrary.¡± Avria snapped. ¡°I am doing this, because you are an extremely powerful warrior now. And need a true station and rank. I also don¡¯t want Alektor to surprise us with anything else. After what he pulled with Daniel, and his elevation to the rank within Rexun¡­ this seemed the best option. Also, it doesn¡¯t matter if you think you¡¯re ready or not. You will have all the support you need in governance. I¡¯ll ensure that you won¡¯t be overwhelmed.¡±


    ¡°Avria¡­¡± Tears started to form in Katrina¡¯s eyes as she leaned in to hug her former master. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    ¡°How about ¡®thank you¡¯.¡± Daniel said with a smile, ¡°I mean, she just promoted you from a squire to a Hego. That¡¯s a big ass jump.¡±


    Robert stifled a laugh, but pat Katrina on the shoulder. ¡°This will work out fine, Kat. It could be worse.¡±


    Then, a small group of Dae scurried toward them from the darkness, carrying crates and boxes that looked full of equipment. They placed them down before Daniel and Katrina, then proceeded to open them.


    ¡°Katrina, these are for you.¡± Avria reached down, and plucked a cloak of deep crimson from one of the crates. ¡°This belonged to Agron¡­ I had it adjusted several days ago when I decided to do this. I wanted to announce it at the next council meeting¡­ but, things happen, and since we aren¡¯t sure if there will be a next council meeting. There is no better time than now.¡±


    ¡°Agron¡¯s¡­ cloak?¡± Katrina held it with reverence. Running her fingers over the rich fabric.


    ¡°It was made for war.¡± Avria continued, pulling a fine breastplate from another crate. ¡°As was this. It belonged¡­ to my mother.¡±


    ¡°Avria.¡± Katrina sobbed, earning her an eyeroll from the stern woman.


    ¡°It will serve you well. My father made it for her many years ago. And she wore it in many battles. Now.¡± She turned toward Daniel. ¡°For you, a gift from my father.¡± She pulled a large and elaborate bone breastplate from another crate, and handed it to Daniel, who inspected it closely. There were detailed carvings throughout the whole of the armor piece, which also came with pauldrons and a set of bracers.


    ¡°This is fantastic.¡± Daniel said, hefting the material and immediately starting to put it on. ¡°Tell your dad, thanks for me when you see him.¡±


    Avria smirked, as he adjusted himself, and started going through sword forms. ¡°It suits you.¡±


    ¡°Best hold on to that, Dan!¡± The booming voice of Delmos echoed through the glade. Causing Avria¡¯s face to turn sour in an instant. ¡°You¡¯ll need it for the wedding night. My sister thinks everything is a battle. Spirits know how she¡¯ll manage something as simple as love making!¡± He laughed mockingly as he approached and slapped Daniel on the back; there was a sharp thud as his armor absorbed the blow. ¡°Spirits know how you managed to seduce her in the first place, Dan.¡± He shook his head, looking at her with exaggerated disgust. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you see in her.¡±


    ¡°Delmos!¡± Avria snapped, earning a burst of laughter from everyone. ¡°Did you prepare everything with father?¡±


    ¡°All taken care of.¡± Delmos bowed. ¡°We¡¯re only waiting for the signal to move out from Alektor.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± Avria nodded, reaching down to another crate and pulling out another deep crimson cloak. ¡°I know you are now technically a Hego of Rexun, Daniel. But today you are leading Lokkadonians into battle, and you will soon be a prince of Lokkon anyway¡­ so.¡± She held it out to him. ¡°I know the last time you wore one was¡­ traumatic; and I know why you discarded it. But I would be honored to fight beside you in the crimson against this evil. Lokkon is made anew, and will be a beacon for the innocent and the just. I swear it to you, and to everyone here.¡± She looked at Turak, who held her gaze for several seconds, then nodded sharply, acknowledging her oath.


    Daniel flung it around his shoulders, letting it drape around his body. He felt like a Spartan as he adjusted it. Recalling the fabled battle of Thermopylae, where King Leonidas and his three hundred Spartans, held their ground against the overwhelming numbers and strength of Xerxes and the Persian empire. He basked in the thought of it, allowing the promise of the battle to come, to fill his heart with energy and his blood with adrenaline.


    ~


    Greyson fell to his knees, slumping forward as sweat poured from his face, dripping onto the soil below him. The exhaustion he felt was nearly overwhelming and with each labored breath his blurred vision began to clear again. Mustering his strength, he glanced to his left, seeing Ashley¡¯s heaving form, prone in the mud. They had given everything they had and more to open the gate, but it still wasn¡¯t enough. He lifted his gaze toward the skull of Dre¡¯denisen, scanning for any indication their efforts weren¡¯t in vain. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± He cursed, weakly digging his fingers into the mud.


    ¡°Still¡­ nothing?¡± Ashley croaked, barely able to turn to her side. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this shit.¡± She said between heavy breaths.


    ¡°We need¡­ more power.¡± Dorian grumbled, laying on his back to Greyson¡¯s right.


    ¡°No.¡± Greyson spat, his denial of their predicament on full display. ¡°This should have been enough, I could feel it. I could fucking feel it!¡±


    ¡°We should rest and try again.¡± Ashley said, straining to sit up. ¡°Give it a few hours or so.¡±


    ¡°There is no need¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s voice hissed, her form appearing before them, facing the skull. ¡°You¡­ have all done well¡­¡± She reached a pale hand toward the skull, then floated forward. ¡°Dre¡¯denisen¡­ how strong you once were¡­ rendered to this¡­ a monument to the treachery of the Dae. You will serve¡­ once more¡­ to bring our fury upon them.¡±


    ¡°We succeeded?¡± Greyson asked, his legs wabbling as he tried to stand.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s fingers pressed into a nearly invisible shimmer in the air. A deep rumble resonated throughout the forest, causing Greyson¡¯s heart to nearly drop into his stomach. Then, a burst of bright orange light illuminated the forest. Incinerating the trees in close proximity, and blanketing Greyson in a heat so intense, he had to scramble back with a burst of adrenaline.


    ¡°What the fuck!?¡± Ashley yelped, as she too seemed to have been singed by the heat.


    The gate widened, enveloping the skull of Dre¡¯denisen and Greyson¡¯s eyes did the same, but in horror. The edges of the portal itself were a viscus black. That writhed and bubbled like living tar; clawing the gate wider and wider. Within, screams and agonized wailing echoed into the forest, so terrible and vile that the weight of what he had done gave Greyson a brief moment of clarity. This¡­ is hell¡­ he thought. This is literally hell. ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± he whispered, as tears began rolling down his cheeks. ¡°What have I done?¡±


    ¡°What you promised¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar said, resting her hand on his head. ¡°And there is yet more to do¡­ This will weaken the spiritual barriers of this world¡­ and with the death that shall follow¡­ the main gate will be easier to open¡­¡±


    The sounds of wailing gave way to the snarls and roars of creatures and beasts who began pouring out of the gate. Steam rose from their bodies, as the familiars he had come to recognize, clawed and gnashed upon emerging. Then, different beasts began to appear. Things that looked like Oo¡¯lak, and far worse, with tentacles and spikes of bone, and eyes that covered their entire bodies. One large one rose out, standing nearly fifty feet in the air, and looked down at Dio¡¯Mar with seven monstrous heads, sprouting horns on each of them.


    ¡°Spirit¡­¡± The heads all rumbled in unison. It¡¯s voices causing Greyson¡¯s stomach to roll end over end.


    ¡°I have freed you¡­ demon¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar replied, growing in size to meet its height. ¡°I ask that you fulfill your purpose here¡­ and that you give me¡­ two of your strongest¡­ to command¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Its words cut Greyson¡¯s ears like razorblades, and he grasped them as the pain of hearing this creature¡¯s speech was nearly too much to bear. ¡°We have no such pact with the likes of you¡­¡±


    ¡°And yet¡­ you needed the help of the spirits to emerge¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar replied. ¡°This world is yours for the taking¡­ should you grant me what I ask¡­ if not¡­ I will close this gate¡­ and you will continue to burn¡­ in your failure¡­¡±


    The demon seemed to ponder her demand, then after a short time, reached its hand out, drawing two of the large demons to him, though they only reached to around it¡¯s torso. ¡°As you wish¡­ with this¡­ consider our debt paid¡­¡±


    Dio¡¯Mar held her hands out to the two demons. One who had the body of a woman, voluptuous and enticing, but her head was grotesque, like a human head that had, had all of its skin melted off. The second had a dozen tentacles that it used as legs, and the upper body of a human man, with its head completely concealed behind a spiked box made of metal.


    ¡°The enemy is forming a resistance¡­ I want you to ignore them¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar commanded, ¡°You have one goal¡­ to consume the life of the mates¡­ and the children of the human, Robert¡­ conceal yourselves and use the battle to get through¡­ Kill any who resist you¡­ or who impede your path¡­ I will instruct you on where to find them¡­¡±


    The two demons bowed their heads, and wordlessly began moving with the main horde through the forest.


    ¡°Why?¡± Greyson asked, his throat tight with fear. ¡°Why would you send them after Robert¡¯s kids?¡±


    ¡°Because their blood¡­ will ensure the main gate will open¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar turned her eyeless face toward him, causing his blood to run cold. ¡°And also¡­ because I warned him what I would do to him¡­ if he betrayed our pact¡­ Keep that in mind¡­ and think of what Mu¡¯Dok will do to you¡­ if you do not fulfill your end of your bargain with him.¡±


    She held his gaze for a moment, before slowly disappearing into a swirling stream of black smoke.


    ¡°We fucked up¡­¡± Ashley said, crawling beside him. ¡°Greyson, we fucked up so bad¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late to go back.¡± Dorian chimed in, limping toward them both. ¡°This is the only way home, guys. And we don¡¯t have a choice.¡± He pointed toward the gate. ¡°Unless you want to spend eternity in there.¡±


    Ashely looked up toward the sky through the canopy of the trees. ¡°I think we¡¯re going to end up there anyway¡­ after all this.¡±

 Chapter 55 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel tightened his grip on the reigns, steadying himself as his Cro¡¯kan came to a slow stop. Dawn had come, and with it, an eerie wailing on the wind. The morning¡¯s cool breeze pricked at the skin on his cheeks, but all other sensations were numb. Of the nearly one thousand warriors from Vul De Rah who had set out to meet the demons on the field of battle. Not a single one spoke a word; the sound of boots, rumbling on the earth was the symphony of their trek. For Daniel could imagine, all of their minds lay on what was ahead of them. The single focus of their mission; to destroy a great evil that now threatened to obliterate, not just their home, but the entirety of their world.


    Alektor strode beside him, pulling on his reigns to bring his Cro¡¯kan to a halt. ¡°Do you hear that?¡± He asked, his eyes looking toward the brightening sky above. ¡°The voices on the wind?¡± He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. ¡°Part of me was hoping I would be wrong, you know? That we would arrive to find nothing but the irritated forms of spirits. Ready to turn us away for invading their space.¡± His eyes opened and he turned toward Daniel. ¡°Alas, blood must be spilled all the same.¡±


    ¡°We all hope.¡± Daniel¡¯s words were rasped as he answered. The silent hours he spent riding with his thoughts alone making his throat feel as though it were filled with gravel. ¡°But hope doesn¡¯t win battles, now does it?¡±


    Alektor¡¯s eyes narrowed as he leaned forward. ¡°I trust you will have more encouraging words for the warriors. Before they fight creatures that are, quite literally, from their nightmares.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me.¡± Daniel sighed, ¡°Hoping for the outcome we want is part of the equation, yes. But that just gets you to the fight. Once you¡¯re there, you¡¯ve got to give everything you have to win it.¡± Daniel locked eyes with Alektor, the familiar numbness before a battle washing over him with a serene comfort. ¡°Hope got us here. Now, we¡¯ve got to fight. Besides, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s got to make a speech or something to motivate everyone, right?¡±


    ¡°I suppose that responsibility would fall to me.¡± Alektor said, turning as the sound of Cro¡¯kan talons impacting on dirt echoed from their right. Daniel turned to see Avria, Katrina, Robert, Delmos, and Turak making their way towards them.


    ¡°Our scouts have reported back!¡± Avria¡¯s voice was laced with tension as her mount skid to a halt before them. ¡°Thousands of demons now march toward our position. Straight for the city.¡±


    ¡°A city that would be much easier to defend, than an open field.¡± Delmos grumbled.


    ¡°The threat to the citizens of Vul De Rah is too great.¡± Alektor replied with a glare. ¡°If even one of these monsters were to get there, they could slaughter countless innocence before we could stop them. In the same note, our most powerful Dunamis abilities can be unleashed here without fear of too much collateral damage.¡±


    ¡°We will have to fortify ourselves, here.¡± Avria interjected, scanning the open field around them.


    ¡°That might take far too long, with the Dae-Voh we currently have at our disposal.¡± Turak huffed. ¡°Most of them are reserve warriors.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡± Avria turned toward Katrina. ¡°We have one of the most powerful Dae-Voh in Eleutheros with us.¡±


    Katrina smiled, turning toward Daniel. ¡°You know about military fortifications, right, Dan? What would be the best way to defend against these things?¡±


    Daniel pondered for a moment, looking at the field as well. ¡°We need high walls, Kat. Really high walls. Oo¡¯lak was like twenty feet tall. He could fly too, but the smaller ones can¡¯t. We also need to be able to imbue our powers into the stone. I want them to pay for every inch of ground here.¡±


    ¡°Their goal most likely is the city.¡± Alektor added. ¡°According to Lauren, they just need to slaughter as many of us as they can, in the hopes of opening another, larger gate. If we prove too hard a target for them, they might just try to go around us.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t only defend.¡± Robert said, pointing toward the horizon. ¡°To stop them we need to close the gate. And the gate is in the forest somewhere.¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be too hard to find.¡± Daniel shrugged. ¡°I know I¡¯m not the only one who can sense it over there.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Katrina shivered as the words left her mouth. ¡°I feel it over there alright. Like an open wound that¡¯s festering. And that sensation is getting closer by the second.¡±


    ¡°Then we have no time to waste.¡± Alektor nodded toward Katrina. ¡°Make us a wall, as high and as strong as you can manage around our forces, my dear. Show the warriors the strength of a Spirit-Sent. It will embolden their hearts.¡±


    Katrina nodded, then dismounted her Cro¡¯kan. Daniel watched as she strode several paces forward, flexing her fingers in anticipation.


    ¡°I heard a report before our departure.¡± Alektor said, his eyes not leaving Katrina while she prepared herself. ¡°That dear Katrina had been ascended to the rank of Hego within Lokkon.¡±


    ¡°We have the authority to appoint whom we wish, your Highness.¡± Avria answered, her voice was steady and confident. ¡°I was unaware of any complications.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for political sparring here, Avria.¡± Alektor¡¯s answer was laced with irritation. ¡°Were she anyone else, I would have welcomed the appointment. However, like your father, you seem determined to attempt to outmaneuver me at every turn.¡±


    ¡°Quiet.¡± Daniel said, nodding toward Katrina. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with all that nonsense if we survive. Until then, lets focus on the mission.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Alektor seconded, while Avria only rolled her shoulders.


    Katrina clasped her hands together, bowing her head in concentration. After several seconds, she shot her hands out. Extending them toward the open field before them. A deep rumbling shook Daniel to his core as the ground beneath them began to shake violently. Then a massive wall of stone burst from the ground, spanning hundreds of feet in either direction. Encircling their entire army completely. There were audible gasps and cheers from the assembled warriors as the wall ascended nearly fifty feet in the air before stopping.


    Katrina gasped and fell to her knees after what Daniel knew must have been an incredible strain on her powers. He leaped from his Cro¡¯kan and was beside her within moments.


    ¡°Damn, Kat. That was incredible.¡± He said, putting his arm around her shoulders. He craned his neck looking up at the immense structure she had created. And pride surged within him at her accomplishment. ¡°You alright?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Peachy.¡± She groaned, resting her head on him. ¡°Let¡¯s hope they take the bait. I don¡¯t know if I have another one of these in me.¡±


    ¡°You think they¡¯d just pass us up?¡± Daniel chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re a pretty juicy target.¡±


    ¡°A fine achievement, Katrina.¡± Alektor said, walking up to them. ¡°The histories will speak of this; there is no doubt.¡±


    ¡°Now we need to ensure that there is someone to write those histories.¡± Avria said, approaching the wall and inspecting it with her hands. ¡°Your Dunamis courses through this structure.¡± She said, turning to face them. ¡°The demons and their minions will have a difficult time breaching it.¡±


    Daniel stood, his focus now on the wall. The structure was smooth and sturdy looking. Even more impressive were the impressions that ran the length of it, reaching the top, acting as hundreds of ladders for the convenience of the warriors. ¡°Let¡¯s start setting up our defense.¡±


    Over the next hour or so, hundreds of the defending warriors positioned themselves atop the wall. Mainly the more powerful Dunamis users, including Daniel, Alektor, Robert, Avria, and Katrina; who could unleash their powers from the high ground, raining death upon the attacking demons. The remaining seventy percent of the warriors remained below, digging in smaller defensive positions for fallback points and acting as reserves for the warriors above or in case of a breach.


    ¡°Highness!¡± A warrior called down the line on the wall.


    Daniel and Alektor turned to see him as well as dozens of other warriors pointing out at the horizon. A pit formed in Daniel¡¯s stomach as the sheer number of creatures came into view. There were thousands of them; a sea of black and grey that oozed over the hills in the distance. Like a great ink stain spreading over a pure piece of parchment.


    ¡°Holy¡­¡± Daniel whispered, his eyes squinting to see the makeup of their forces. As he had suspected, the vast bulk of the enemy forces were the smaller, though no less intimidating, familiar creatures Greyson and his group had summoned before Ool¡¯ak had been called. This would have been a wonderful development, as they were vulnerable to the Dae¡¯s abilities. If not for the hundreds of hulking forms that traveled amongst them. No doubt demons, in the same, or greater class as Ool¡¯ak had been.


    ¡°By all the spirits¡­¡± Alektor said, his voice seeming small in the face of such overwhelming adversity. ¡°There are thousands of them¡­ tens of thousands.¡±


    ¡°And more on the way.¡± Avria said, coming to stand beside Daniel. ¡°If we don¡¯t close that gate, Daniel. We¡¯re all doomed.¡±


    ¡°How do we get through them?¡± Daniel asked, unable to pry his eyes from the terrifying sight before them. ¡°It took everything I had last time to fight back Ool¡¯ak. And he still managed to escape.¡±


    ¡°Our abilities can kill them¡­ weaken them even.¡± Avria declared, turning to a warrior to her right. ¡°Find Hego Katrina, and King Reku. Bring them here immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes, highness.¡± The warrior bowed and disappeared into the crowd of warriors who peered in fear at the demon horde.


    ¡°When I killed Ool¡¯ak,¡± She continued. ¡°I felt as it crumbled under the onslaught of my power, Daniel. We can weaken them if we change the field. Katrina¡¯s power flows through this structure.¡± She stomped her boot on the wall. ¡°It will surely be painful for them to touch it.¡± She pointed out at the approaching horde. ¡°If we can imbue her Dunamis into the ground, as far as we can. It might help weaken them. And if Reku can do the same, but in the air.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°They will be sure to feel it.¡± Alektor finished for her, nodding. ¡°I believe you are on to something, Princess.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot.¡± Daniel said, leaning forward on the battlements. ¡°I don¡¯t see how a force like this could be stopped any other way. There are just too many of them. And this is one of the small gates?¡±


    ¡°Lauren said the main one would be a hundred times more potent.¡± Alektor stated, grimly. ¡°Meaning more powerful demons as well.¡±


    ¡°Dan!¡± Katrina shouted, pushing her way past the mass of warriors on the wall, with Robert in tow. Daniel and Avria took several moments to explain her theory, and both Robert and Katrina nodded along in consideration.


    ¡°I suppose it could work.¡± Robert tilted his head from side to side. ¡°We know that demonic energy is basically ineffective against our power. Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s reaction when she tried to put me back in that prison at Greyson¡¯s camp should be proof enough of that. If it can stop abilities like that, it should also disrupt these smaller demons well enough.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Katrina nodded, ¡°So, how do we do it?¡±


    ¡°The same way you imbued your power into this wall, Katrina.¡± Avria stated. Press your hands to the ground and flood it with as much as you can. Spread it as far as you can. And you too, Robert. I believe you have a bit more practice with this sort of thing, correct?¡±


    Robert nodded, his face grim. ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°We should wait until they are closer.¡± Alektor interjected. ¡°It also might act as a deterrent if we use it too soon.¡±


    Katrina and Robert shared a tense look. ¡°Ok.¡± She said, taking a deep breath. ¡°How close are we talkin¡¯ here?¡±


    ¡°When their mass makes contact with the wall.¡± Alektor turned again to the approaching army. ¡°They are clearly heading directly towards us. So, at least we know that they plan on killing us first, before moving on the city.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what we wanted, right?¡± Robert asked, before Katrina let out a sharp breath.


    ¡°Got it.¡± She grimaced, ¡°So, when they¡¯re right on top of us.¡±


    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be too long.¡± Daniel said, gazing out to see the mass of demons flowing toward them like a surge of tar. ¡°They¡¯re speeding up.¡±


    There were cries and whimpers from the warriors around them, several clearly considering fleeing.


    ¡°Raise me up, Katrina!¡± Alektor demanded, turning to face the warriors.


    Katrina didn¡¯t hesitate, as she lifted him up another fifteen feet on a pillar, so he could be seen by all of the warriors.


    ¡°Warriors of Eleutheros!¡± Alektor¡¯s voice boomed over the assembled Dae, hundreds of heads turning to see him standing on his new perch. ¡°Calm your hearts, and steady your blades! For beyond this wall, lies the death of all you know. The destruction of not only our beloved Kingdom, but of our entire world! But what can darkness such as this, do to warriors of the light!? Nothing! For all things are through the spirit¡¯s will, and we are here, with their chosen! So, let no fear conquer you today. But be emboldened by the faith of our great spirits! And the duty we have to hold this position!¡± He held his gaze before them, raising his hands in the air toward the enemy. ¡°And they will break upon this wall like crashing waves on a cliffside! Shattering beneath our strength, and cowering before the power of true sons and daughters of Eleutheros!¡±


    A cacophony of cheers and shouts erupted from the defenders, emboldened by Alektor¡¯s words. Even Daniel felt a surge of energy jolt through him as his anticipation for the battle grew.


    Alektor descended, clearly basking in the effects of his words. ¡°To our bloody violence, warriors.¡±


    ¡°To our bloody, fucking, violence.¡± Daniel growled, building his power within him.


    ~


    Monstrous growls and screeches echoed in a nearly deafening wail as the hordes closed in. Daniel tensed his entire body as they got closer and closer.


    ¡°Steady!¡± He shouted, his voice booming over the noise. He could see the larger demons now, much more clearly. Each one of them, their own nightmare. Horrendously misshapen and wretched beings that towered over the smaller familiars. They began to howl even louder as he could feel them building their demonic energy, in preparation for what would no doubt be a volley of power.


    ¡°Kat! Robert!¡± Daniel shouted, turning toward them.


    ¡°Hold!¡± Alektor shouted, ¡°Keeping his arm raised.¡±


    ¡°Spirits save us!¡± One of the warriors next to Daniel cried, as the energy began to pool to a breaking point.


    ¡°Now!¡± Alektor shouted, bringing his hand down.


    A burst of golden light poured from Robert as his Dunamis flooded over the demon horde just as they slammed into the wall. Howls of pain and gnashing replaced their previous eagerness for blood, and even the larger demons faltered in their accumulation of power. Then, moments later, hisses and screeches of agony came as the ground beneath them glowed as well.


    Daniel stood from behind the small cover of the battlements atop the wall and let out his built-up fury in a massive blast of golden flame. The demonic forms that were unfortunate enough to be in its path evaporated as the flames consumed them. Then, an eruption of power surged from the warriors on the wall. Their elemental attacks striking soundly into the mass of familiars, but landing harmlessly on the larger demons.


    Then a massive explosion sent a shockwave past Daniel and the warriors around him. Some nearly losing their balance and toppling over the side. Daniel blinked at the size of the explosion in awe, then recognition came. It was the same explosion that rocked the glade during the first battle of Vul De Rah. The power that broke the back of the Lokkadonian defense. Alektor¡¯s power. Holy, shit¡­ Daniel thought, as another explosion rocked him. I forgot how fucking powerful he is.


    Daniel smiled in satisfaction at the near helplessness of the demon¡¯s attack. They couldn¡¯t get past the wall and were being slaughtered by the hundreds with each powerful attack. This is winnable, he thought, just as an enormous lance of black energy slammed into the wall just below him. Immediately the sturdy foundation beneath his feet gave way as it crumbled, and he, along with a dozen warriors, fell onto the rubble below.


    Daniel winced as he landed on a rather jagged shard of wall and rolled to his feet, catching his breath. ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± He cursed, as another lance of energy pierced the wall again, allowing yet another section to crumble. He recognized the signature of power that pulsed from the wall¡¯s wounds. ¡°Dio¡¯Mar¡­¡± He seethed, before a wave of howling demons charged over the rubble of the hole and straight for him.


    Daniel called his metal blade to his hands; it shining like a star against the unending void of space. He leapt at the surging demons, using his power to blast them back, taking advantage of the bottleneck. Daniel swung his sword, dispatching several familiars before a wave of Lokkadonian warriors charged past him, slamming into the enemy. Daniel immediately dashed forward, determination clear on his face. ¡°Push them back!¡± He bellowed, followed by a shout of affirmation from the warriors.


    Body after body fell as black blood and entrails now coated the rubble and grass. Daniel¡¯s heart beat like a war drum within his chest as he enacted his bloody work. They were slaughtering them, weakened as they were, from Robert and Katrina¡¯s abilities, but there was just no end in sight. Daniel heard a cry of pain to his right, and turned to see a demon savaging the arm of a Dae warrior. He dashed over with Dunamis enhanced speed, cleaving the demon¡¯s head from its body. ¡°Are you alright!?¡± Daniel asked, over the chaos of the battle.


    The warrior nodded, cradling his damaged left arm with his right. ¡°I can still fight, my Lord!¡±


    Daniel held his hand out to him, using a bit of his power to heal the wounds. ¡°Good, let¡¯s get back to it then!¡± Daniel stood to dash back into the fray, only to see a thirty-foot demon, covered in spikes and oozing wounds, lumber into the gap of the wall. Crap, Daniel thought. Let¡¯s hope he¡¯s weakened enough to go down easy. Readying himself, he leapt into the air toward it. His blade¡¯s glow intensifying in preparation of a powerful downward strike.


    With unnatural speed, the demon lashed an unnervingly long arm at Daniel who turned his blade sideways to block it. It hit him with all the speed and power of a freight train, flinging him into the side of the wall. Daniel gasped as intense pain wracked his body. ¡°Fucking, bullshit¡­¡± He croaked, his blurry eyes focusing just as it began lashing its arm at the Lokkadonian warriors below. He heard cries of pain and fear as Dae were eviscerated by the demon¡¯s attacks, sending sprays of blue blood with each kill.


    ¡°No, you piece of shit!¡± Daniel roared, using the technique he had been practicing on his own against the demon. An intense beam of light burst from his hand, lancing through the demon¡¯s body. Causing it to howl in pain. Then he saw a Dae leap at the demon as it fell to a knee. His blade was glowing with golden light as he plunged it into its grotesque head. Fire burst from its eye sockets, and it slumped over, dead.


    Daniel blinked in confusion as he moved toward the Dae who had felled the demon. As he closed in, he recognized him as the warrior he had healed. ¡°That was incredible!¡± Daniel shouted, clasping the Dae¡¯s shoulder. ¡°How did you?¡±


    ¡°It was your power, my Lord.¡± The Dae said through an ear-to-ear smile. ¡°I can¡¯t explain it; I felt your power within me and focused it on my blade. I can still feel it!¡±


    Daniel looked at his hand, then to the fifty or so Dae warriors who were around him. ¡°Everyone, hold your incisors into the air!¡± He shouted, and they did so. He closed his eyes, focusing his power on each of the warriors. He streamed it into them, feeling the immediate drain on his strength. Damn, he thought. I better hold out. This is pretty taxing on my powers. This should do the trick though.


    ¡°It¡¯s working!¡± One of the warriors shouted, allowing his blade to glow in his hand. ¡°Incredible, Spirit-Sent!¡± He exclaimed, then was followed by the rest of them.


    ¡°You are all in charge of holding this breach!¡± Daniel commanded. ¡°Don¡¯t let a single one through! Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Lord!¡± They responded, their voices filled with reverence.


    ¡°Good.¡± Daniel said, before turning and dashing toward the other side of the wall. I¡¯ve got to find Robert and Katrina, he thought, leaping up the notches in the side of the wall until he reached the top. We can¡¯t hold this position forever. We¡¯ve got to close that fucking gate. ¡°Kat!¡± He yelled, looking for the sign of her Dunamis. He was rewarded with a massive portion of the wall that lashed out like a spike into the chest of a large demon. Right there! He thought, dashing toward it.


    ~


    Katrina unleashed a yell of triumph as the demon¡¯s life drained from it, and it fell to the mass below. ¡°Take that, you piece of shit!¡± She laughed, turning to find another demon to kill.


    ¡°Kat!¡± She heard from behind her, and she whirled around to see a blood-soaked Daniel skid to a halt in front of her.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Dan?¡± She smiled, feeling the fatigue of the battle starting to get to her.


    ¡°I need you and Rob, right now.¡± He urged, pointing toward the direction of the forest. ¡°If we don¡¯t close this damn gate, we¡¯re never gonna see an end to these things. Rob can get us there fast. But we need to close it.¡±


    ¡°Dan, I can¡¯t leave this wall!¡± Katrina protested, ¡°Those blasts of energy or whatever, nearly took the whole damn thing down. If the wall crumbles, we¡¯ll be surrounded and completely screwed. I¡¯ll help you find Rob though.¡± She looked further down the wall to her right. ¡°Last I heard, he was over there somewhere with Avria or something, covering that flank.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± Daniel barked before bounding past her.


    She followed him, using her Dunamis to enhance her body with speed and strength to keep up. As he moved, he unleashed powerful beams of white fire, that ripped right through some of the larger demons as though they were made of paper. Holy crap, Katrina thought. Unfamiliar with that particular ability.


    Daniel skidded to a halt again, this time right next to Robert. Who turned toward them, looking very much like a real warrior, Katrina thought.


    ¡°Hey, guys!¡± Robert greeted, wrenching his hands into the air, unleashing his Dunamis into the body of a flying demon, tearing its wings from its body, and sending it wailing to the teeming ground below.


    ¡°Rob.¡± Daniel nodded, ¡°I need you to help me get to the forest.¡±


    Avria approached from the other side of Robert, her face, cloak and armor coated in a black, viscus fluid. ¡°The western breach is looking very bad right now.¡± She said, her voice laced with tension.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we need to close the gate.¡± Daniel said, placing his hand on Robert¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You said you could get us there fast, right?¡±


    Robert nodded, his eyes turning toward Katrina. ¡°All of us, right?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Katrina shook her head. ¡°I need to keep this wall up, and keep those demons from breaking through.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to need more than just the two of us, Kat.¡± Daniel shot back. ¡°We don¡¯t know what we¡¯re going to find over there.¡±


    ¡°I can go, in her stead.¡± Avria said, walking up to Daniel and Robert. ¡°My abilities are now similar to yours, and Katrina can remain here, to keep the wall up.¡±


    Daniel turned to Katrina, his gaze speaking volumes to her. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, Dan. You guys need to get your asses moving though. Every second we sit around talking about this, we¡¯re putting people¡¯s lives at risk.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Robert said, taking a deep breath and placing his good hand on Daniel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Avria, you kind of know what to expect. Dan? Hold on, bro. This is going to feel a little weird.¡±


    Katrina watched as the three of them shimmered and disappeared into thin air. And an immense weight descended on her shoulders at that moment. Ok, Kat. It¡¯s up to you to keep this wall up, she thought. Don¡¯t fuck it up. She turned to see the number of larger demons that were still littering the field. Most of the ones close enough to do damage were already dead. We really put in some work, she thought, before seeing a group of them heading straight for one of the breaches. ¡°Shit¡­¡± She cursed. ¡°Here we go.¡±

 Chapter 56 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Telmos let out a deep sigh as another report crossed his desk. The battle had commenced nearly halfway to the Spirit-Forest, and from the looks of these quick reports from the wind talkers, they were vastly outnumbered. He cursed under his breath, knowing that if the High King, and his warriors failed to defeat the demons and close the gate. The defense of Vul De Rah would come down to him alone. And the nearly two thousand warriors who had been trickling in from the surrounding villages and cities.


    ¡°We must send half of our warriors to bolster the High King¡¯s forces, your highness.¡± Demessa said, wincing as another contraction pulsed through her body.


    ¡°I know.¡± Telmos huffed, looking side-long at his charge. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent word. They will be leaving within the hour.¡± He placed the report on the desk and folded his hands, leaning toward her. ¡°Any more pain?¡±


    ¡°Every few minutes now.¡± Demessa grunted. ¡°The spirits have a cruel sense of humor indeed if I give birth while Reku is away.¡±


    Telmos closed his eyes, and squeezed the bridge of his nose in frustration. ¡°I would most heartly agree with you, my dear. Considering there is a good chance we may need to evacuate the city, if word comes that they are defeated.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t come to that, your highness.¡± Demessa urged. ¡°We have the strongest among us there, fighting them with all they have. And the spirit sent are with them as well.¡±


    ¡°I admire your faith, Lady.¡± Telmos perked up as a knock at his door echoed through his study.


    ¡°Princess Ambrosia, Highness.¡± The royal guard outside the door relayed.


    ¡°Send her in.¡±


    Ambrosia entered the study, bowing slightly at the waist before speaking. ¡°Highness, I¡¯m sure you are reading the same reports we are.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I am.¡± Telmos grumbled. ¡°Though I doubt it is as grim as they are reporting.¡±


    Ambrosia scanned the room, her eyes resting briefly on Demessa before she turned back to Telmos. ¡°Where is Queen Athica, highness? Was she not instructed to be with you at all times?¡±


    Telmos groaned as he sat back in his chair. ¡°It would seem that Queen Athica is content to rely on the protection of her own guards.¡±


    ¡°She denied you?¡± Ambrosia seemed shocked, ¡°After the High King¡¯s command?¡±


    ¡°The High King is not here, and I can¡¯t force her to do anything.¡± Telmos pointed at Demessa, who now had her head between her legs. ¡°Besides, Lady Demessa here seems to be in labor.¡±


    Ambrosia¡¯s eyes widened as she dashed toward the Rexunii noblewoman. ¡°By the spirits, this child has timing! How are you feeling, Demessa?¡± she placed an uneasy hand on her head, while she turned toward Telmos. ¡°And you haven¡¯t called for the physicians!?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine, Ambrosia.¡± Telmos chuckled. ¡°Her water still has yet to flow; these are merely contractions. There still might be time before the child comes.¡±


    ¡°Guards!¡± Ambrosia shouted; her voice filled with fury.


    Two Lokkadonian royal guards hurried through the door, nearly bumping into one another as they came to attention.


    ¡°Find the midwives! And fetch the physicians! Lady Demessa is having her child!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overreacting, Ambrosia.¡± Telmos attempted to explain, but was sharply cut off with a deathly look from Ambrosia.


    ¡°You have no idea what she is going through, Highness!¡± Ambrosia snapped. ¡°We can risk no harm to the child, regardless of whether King Reku is here or not.¡±


    ¡°Please!¡± Demessa barked, looking up, her face twisted in pain. ¡°Please forgive my words, both of you, but for the love of all the spirits, please stop talking.¡±


    Telmos¡¯ eyes wandered down to the couch where Demessa was sitting and saw that it was soaking wet. ¡°My apologies, Lady Demessa. I thought we would have more time.¡± He sighed again, ¡°Princess Ambrosia is correct. Let¡¯s start the preparations.¡±


    Within several minutes, Demessa was moved to her personal quarters, where nearly a dozen midwives and the royal physician tended to her. It had been so long since he remembered Delmos, let alone Avria entering the world. But their mother never complained to him about it. She went about her day as though nothing had changed; then without ceremony or complaint, she had them. He closed his eyes, remembering her. My sweet Darvilla, he thought. Memories of his late wife flooding back to him in a torrent. He missed her terribly, though the same could not be said for his children. Avria didn¡¯t even shed a tear upon hearing of her passing. She was a hard woman, but not without her loving moments.


    Demessa screamed, pulling him from his thoughts. Ambrosia was by her side, clasping her hands and speaking words of encouragement to her.


    ¡°You are doing well, Demessa.¡± She said, her words comforting and gentle. ¡°This will all be over soon. Before long, you will hold your baby in your arms.¡±


    ¡°Spirits, this pain is unbearable.¡± Demessa hissed through gritted teeth. ¡°If only Reku had stayed. He should be here for the birth of his child.¡±


    Demessa smiled, brushing her white hair from her sweat soaked forehead. ¡°He is fighting for us as we speak. We must have faith in him, and do our duty.¡±


    Demessa nodded, taking deep breaths before letting out another guttural yell.


    ¡°Keep talking to her!¡± The physician yelled, ¡°That was an amazing push, my Lady. When you feel the pain begin to rise again, push with all your strength.¡±


    Demessa squeezed Ambrosia¡¯s hand, as she strained through the pain.


    ¡°There you go!¡± Ambrosia encouraged her. ¡°Just like that! Think of Reku, and how proud he will be when he returns to see you and your baby. Hold onto that thought.¡±


    Demessa growled with determination after several more seconds, again straining with all her might.


    ¡°Just a bit more, my Lady!¡± The physician said, ¡°It¡¯s coming out very fast!¡±


    Telmos froze as he felt a tremor under his feet. The room went silent, except for Demessa, who wailed in what he could only imagine was complete and utter agony. Another tremor came, stronger than the first, jolting him as he dashed toward the entrance. This can¡¯t be happening! He thought, sliding the door open. He was about to shout a command to the guards outside when they heard a blood curdling scream further down the hall. They froze before the body of one of the midwives who had been running in and out of the room was slammed violently into the wall beside them.


    ¡°To arms!¡± The guard captain shouted, as the midwives¡¯ blood sprayed over them.


    Telmos¡¯ heart began pounding in his chest, his denial of what was unfolding before him slowly giving way to the truth. A demon was here. He grabbed the hilt of his incisor at his waist and drew the blade in a fluid motion. Decades of practice and experience in battle, the only thing keeping his hands from fumbling his weapon. His eyes widened as a strange metal box turned the corner of the hallway. It was nearly the size of a stone carriage and looked as though it had been melted and damaged. Soon after, writhing tentacles, barbed with vicious claws and covered in blue blood, streamed past the box, pulling a massive upper torso that looked rotten and vile. It had two arms that dragged the hulking body through the hall that was far too narrow for it.


    The box was merely the creature¡¯s head, and it reached its hands towards them, its fingers pale and grotesque, missing its fingernails as black blood and pus seeped from where they should have been.


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    ¡°Defend the child!¡± Telmos shouted, raising his hand toward the hideous monster. He bellowed in defiance while unleashing a powerful blast of electricity. Holding nothing back in terms of his power. The palace had been built by the ancient Dae, and much like the Glade¡¯s dome, was nearly indestructible. His power exploded against the being, the shockwave of the attack nearly knocking him off his feet at such a close proximity. Seconds after, his royal guards unleashed their own abilities, blades of wind and water crashing into the demon¡¯s form, and bursts of fire and pillars of stone bathing it in a flurry of violence.


    Tentacles lashed out of the dust in the aftermath of their attacks, nearly catching several guards in the deadly strike before they nimbly dodged to the sides. These halls are too narrow to fight, he thought, cursing at their rotten luck. How did it get past the outer defenses!? How did it manage to break through the guards outside of the palace? We would have heard such a commotion. He grunted as a barbed tentacle struck the wall above his head. He ducked away, just as the massive body of the demon surged toward them. He looked up just as one if its massive hands caught a guard, crushing him in an instant and throwing him at his comrades. Blood trailed behind the body as it passed them and Telmos blasted it with another attack at point blank range.


    The demon seemed unbothered by the powerful attack, and merely struck at him in irritation. Telmos dodged the grasping hand, swinging a Dunamis enhanced blade directly at one of its fingers. The blade landed soundly against its skin, lodging deeply into the flesh, but not severing the digit as he intended. Black blood sprayed over him, its foul smell making him gag as he dashed away from it.


    ¡°Again! Hit it with everything you have!¡± He yelled.


    More blasts of fire and wind rang against the demon¡¯s metal head, but it ignored them, reaching then toward the door to Demessa¡¯s chambers.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± He shouted in desperation. Pouring all of his strength into his next attack. The demon bucked from the impact as his surge of electricity hit it directly on the side of its head. It turned the box toward him, and a sudden and unimaginable fear plunged his heart into despair. This¡­ is impossible¡­ he thought, feeling the helplessness of his efforts against such a powerful foe. How can we defeat such a vile creature?


    As though reading his thoughts, the demon wordlessly turned back to the door and slammed its arm through it with a savage strike. There were screams of terror from within as it brought its hands to the door frame, ripping it apart to make way for its massive form. Telmos shook his head, attempting to cast the fear aside, and pointed his blade at the creature once again. ¡°No!¡± He bellowed as he dashed towards it with blinding speed and power. A tentacle attempted to stop him, but merely slammed into the floor behind him as he plunged his blade deep into the demon¡¯s chest, and unleashed a burst of electricity directly into its body. He felt the massive fingers of its hand grasp at him, and attempted to dash away, but his leg was caught, and immediately crushed. He screamed in agony as he felt the bones and muscles of his leg crumble under the immense strength of its squeeze.


    Then with a violent thrash, he found himself colliding against the wall of the inside of the room. His body screamed in pain as he slumped against the wall, blood streaming down his face, and struggled with all his might just to stay conscious.


    His royal guards engaged then, slashing and blasting it with their power.


    ¡°Get the child out!¡± He heard Ambrosia¡¯s voice yell. She dashed into the fray, using her own Dunamis against it. Blades of water shot from her hands, splashing against the demon¡¯s torso, leaving deep gouges that seeped black blood that flowed down with the water.


    ¡°We can¡¯t get past it!¡± He heard another voice yell, as it was quickly cut off by a swipe of the demon¡¯s tentacle.


    Telmos watched in helpless horror as his guards were slaughtered, one by one by the creature. Being eviscerated by the barbed tentacles, crushed, and torn limb from limb by its massive hands.


    ¡°Get the¡ª¡± Ambrosia¡¯s words were cut off as a tentacle struck her legs, severing one of them from her body. She screamed as she scrambled to escape, before the demon batted her aside, silencing her in an instant as she slammed into the stone wall.


    ¡°Get back!¡± He heard Demessa scream. Holding a blade against the creature as it towered over her; its metal head pressed against the ceiling.


    ¡°Run¡­¡± Telmos croaked, scanning the room as darkness again began to claw at the edges of his vision. ¡°Take the¡ª¡± Telmos¡¯ words caught in his throat as he saw a bundle cradled in her left arm. The baby¡­ he thought. The weight of his failure now pummeling him. No¡­


    ¡°You can¡¯t take him!¡± She screamed, tears streaming from her eyes. ¡°This is the son of King Reku! A Spirit-Sent! A blessing to this world. You will not have him, you foul creature!¡±


    The demon didn¡¯t move as it stared down at her, seeming to bask in her terror and desperation. She held the child to her face as she kissed him, sobs escaping her. ¡°My son¡­¡± She cried. Before placing it on the bed behind her. The child began to cry as she did so, and the demon shifted to strike.


    Its hand swept toward her and the bed with overwhelming strength. But Demessa unleashed a burst of fire that blasted its strike to the side. The midwives and physician, who were cowering at the side of the room tried to scramble past it to escape, but were savagely torn asunder by the lashing tentacles of the demon. Nothing was escaping this room alive it would seem. Again, it struck, this time with both of its hands and several tentacles. Demessa exploded her Dunamis outward again, knocking its arms away from her, but was struck in the side by a tentacle, that caught her on one of its barbs.


    She screamed as she was slammed into the wall, and abruptly went silent. It turned toward the bed, where the child lay, its cries echoing in the room and the demon raised its hand to strike.


    Telmos strained with all his strength to intervene, feeling every broken bone and ruptured organ as he did so. He flooded his body with his Dunamis to keep himself awake and raged at the demon. Suddenly, there was a burst of fire that slammed into the demon¡¯s back, and to his amazement, it let out a hollow scream of pain from beneath the surface of the metal box. It squirmed as it turned to see this new threat, but was struck again and scrambled to escape the fire. Its hand swung toward the bed in a desperate attempt to kill the child, but Telmos, fueled with his Dunamis and rage, dashed in, scooping the baby in his arms, seconds before the bed shattered into pieces.


    He cried as his ruined leg and broken body screamed in pain at his exertion, but fled to the corner of the room, determined to protect the innocent child in his arms. He felt a flash of heat as another blast of fire flowed over the demon, and it screamed in agony while its rotten flesh bubbled and popped under the power. Telmos¡¯ eyes darted toward the source of the attack, and was amazed to see a human woman, with blond hair and crystal blue eyes, locked with hatred on her target. She let out a scream that rattled his ears, followed by an attack that put her previous ones to shame.


    The heat of the flames was so intense, that Telmos had to shield himself and the child with his Dunamis. But to his amazement, the demon¡¯s wailing ceased, and when the flames subsided, all that remained was a charred and lifeless corpse.


    Silence followed as the woman, Lauren, he remembered her name was, ran to him with tears in her eyes. ¡°Are you ok!?¡± She cried, ¡°Is the baby alive!?¡±


    Telmos looked down at the form in his arms, and saw two large brown eyes, staring up at him. His heart dropped as he turned to where Demessa had been struck and struggled to stand. ¡°His mother!¡± He croaked. ¡°She¡¯s over there!¡±


    Lauren turned to where he had pointed, and ran to an unmoving form on the floor of the room. She knelt over Demessa, and pressed her hands against her body. Telmos strained, again flooding his body with his Dunamis, numbing the immense pain, and limped across the room to where Demessa lay.


    ¡°Come on!¡± Lauren shouted, clearly trying to use her power to heal her, but began to cry. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry... I didn¡¯t get here in time¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± She said through sobs. ¡°Please forgive me¡­¡±


    Telmos slumped down beside her; tears filling his eyes as he looked down at Demessa¡¯s lifeless body. ¡°Spirits¡­ I tried to protect them both.¡±


    ¡°Highness!¡± A guard yelled, dashing through the ruined doorway. ¡°There is another demon! On the other side of the palace!¡±


    Telmos turned toward him, his eyes bulging in fear. ¡°Athica¡­¡± He whispered, ¡°We must save the other one!¡± He looked at Lauren in desperation. ¡°Please, hurry! You¡¯re the only one who can stop it!¡±


    ~


    Athica whimpered in fear as she heard the screams and cries of her personal guard being slaughtered within the palace. She had run from the creature when it arrived, narrowly escaping its wrath, but it had followed her, and now, cornered her within the throne room, where she now hid. She had heard there was a secret escape route within the room, but to her dismay, hadn¡¯t been able to find it in time. She held her hands against her belly, feeling the life of her child inside thrum with power. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, little one.¡± She whispered through shaky breaths. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    The doors to the throne room burst open with a spray of blood as the last of her guard was thrown to the floor below, nearly cut in half.


    The demon hissed in satisfaction as it crouched to enter, its body one of a naked woman, with its skin stretched and torn and spikes that looked like many legs jutting from its back. Its head swiveled around the room, then focused on her hiding place behind the king¡¯s throne, and her heart sank as its melted eyes seemed to focus on hers. The head itself was skinless, but the ruined muscles of its face still expressed the smile it gave upon seeing her.


    It strode forward with purpose, but stopped suddenly and turned back toward the broken doors. A warrior stood at the entrance; a Dae, who¡¯s eyes were locked with the monsters. It hissed as he stepped forward, drawing his blade and pointing it toward the demon. Athica studied the man for several moments, then recognized him. It was Reku¡¯s personal guard, Captain Malak.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never face one of your kind before.¡± He said, his voice cold and stoic. ¡°In all my years of life, I¡¯ve always wondered what strength you might possess, to strike fear into so many.¡±


    Athica leaned forward, the crippling fear she felt keeping the strength from her legs. She focused on Malak, the hopelessness of her situation on full display. She wept, cursing herself for her weakness. He would surely be slaughtered, she thought. Just like the rest of them. Then she blinked in surprise as his eyes began to glow a brilliant white, causing the demon to growl in response.


    What? She thought, her fear morphing into confusion as she beheld the sudden change.


    ¡°Now, let us see how strong you really are.¡± Malak declared, before dashing toward the demon with blinding speed.

 Chapter 57 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Katrina fell to her knees in exhaustion as the body of the thirty-foot demon she had been battling, slumped dead over the rubble of the newest opening in their defensive wall. There¡¯s just not any end to them¡­ She thought, straining to stand as a dozen warriors fought a multitude more familiars all around her. The battle had now been raging for hours. And though the warriors had been fighting well, the constant combat, and fatigue that came with it, was taking its toll. Despite all this, they had managed to keep the demons at bay.


    Another earsplitting explosion rumbled in the distance. Alektor, she thought. How much energy does that guy have? To her astonishment, Alektor¡¯s abilities seemed to do actual harm to the demons. Despite the fact that every other Dae¡¯s abilities essentially bounced off of them.


    ¡°Hego, Katrina!¡± A Dae officer called, slicing the head of a familiar from its body as he dashed toward her. ¡°We received a runner from the North side of the wall. A mass of demons is converging on the High King¡¯s position! You must get there as soon as possible. We can hold them here as long as no more of the larger demons arrive.¡±


    Katrina panted, looking at the expansive wall that towered above her. ¡°Where is the North side again? I¡¯m turned around here, Lieutenant.¡±


    The officer pointed to her left, and she stood with a grunt. ¡°Hold this position at all costs.¡± She declared, before leaping into the air and landing on a small platform that she created out of the side of the wall. As she landed, she slid across the surface of the side at incredible speed. Within a minute or so, the wind that roared passed her ears ceased as her speed slowed. With a final leap, she was atop the North side of the wall. From there, all she had to do was follow the explosive use of Alektor¡¯s fire.


    There was a concussive boom that rippled through the air, causing Katrina to wince. ¡°Alektor!¡± She shouted, but the sound of the constant barrage of Dunamis from the warriors was too great. She began pushing past them until she found an officer, who brought her hand across her chest in a salute as Katrina approached. ¡°Hego, Katrina!¡± the woman barked.


    ¡°Where is the High King?¡± Katrina simply asked, taking a moment to scan the sea of demons still scrambling to breach their defenses. There was no sign of the larger demons anymore, at least for now. She and Alektor had killed them all.


    ¡°He should be on the far side.¡± The officer replied, I can escort you to him, my Lady. If you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°Lead the way!¡± Katrina nodded, and the two made their way to an open section of the wall. Where no one other than Alektor stood.


    ¡°He told us to keep away from him.¡± The officer said, bowing as she stepped aside, clearing Katrina¡¯s path to him. ¡°Lest we get caught in some of his abilities.¡±


    Katrina gave a quick thanks to the officer, before running to stand beside the High King. ¡°Hey!¡± She shouted, causing him to turn toward her.


    ¡°Hego.¡± He nodded in greeting. ¡°It would seem that our enemy is finally starting to realize that they can¡¯t just bash this wall down with a mass of bodies.¡± He pointed out towards the charred field beneath them.


    Katrina whistled in amazement at the aftermath of Alektor¡¯s power. There was nothing but a blackened wasteland of charred bodies and desolate ground for miles and miles. She turned then to study the High King, who seemed no worse for wear. Other than a bit of his hair being out of place, and a thin sheen of sweat on his brow. ¡°You look like you¡¯re holding up fine. Why did you send a runner for me?¡±


    ¡°Focus your senses over here.¡± He pointed to their right, and Katrina did so. Almost immediately she sensed a mass of foul demonic energy, quickly approaching them. ¡°Shit.¡± She cursed, flinching slightly at its potency. ¡°That is heading directly toward us. It¡¯s got to be a bunch of them.¡±


    ¡°It is one, actually.¡± Alektor sighed, ¡°And it seems to be leagues more powerful than the demons that we have been slaying up to this point.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re getting desperate.¡± Katrina said, closing her eyes again while she extended her senses. ¡°The flow of demons is slowing down.¡± She tilted her head to the side to try and focus. ¡°Not from the gate itself, but because it looks like Dan, Robert, and Avria are putting in work over there. Killing a bunch of the larger demons to ease the pressure.¡± She smiled at the thought. ¡°Kick their asses, guys.¡±


    ¡°Well, that is wonderful news.¡± Alektor sighed, ¡°But our defenses here must be prepared for whatever monstrosity comes dashing towards us from over those hills. Save your strength, Hego. You seem to be nearly at your limit.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± Katrina chuckled. ¡°Not all of us have bottomless pits of Dunamis, Alektor. But you¡¯re right; I¡¯m gassed.¡±


    ¡°Considering the number of demons you managed to hold off on your own, I am actually impressed.¡±


    Katrina rolled her eyes, but sat against the battlements, resting her head on the hard stone.


    ¡°I am curious though.¡± Alektor began, as he approached her. ¡°Why have you not used the golem constructs that Daniel mentioned? A bolstering of our ranks would be quite helpful in this current situation.


    Katrina let out a tired laugh, and slapped her hand on the surface of the wall. ¡°It took so much of my power and concentration to create this thing here. Even now, part of my focus is maintaining the spiritual energy¡¯s integrity within it. Otherwise, these little familiars would be tearing it into pieces. And the constant imbue of my power in the ground itself¡­ it¡¯s a lot to do at once.¡±


    ¡°Reku¡¯s ability in the air seems to be holding well.¡± Alektor gestured upward, and again Katrina rolled her eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s got better control than I do, ok?¡± She shook her head. ¡°All the stuff they say he¡¯s able to do¡­ I can¡¯t even imagine being able to manage all that in my head.¡±


    ¡°If the time comes.¡± Alektor pressed, kneeling to meet her eyes. ¡°You might need to convert your energy in this wall into those golems. A broken wall is useless. But more warriors, imbued with your powers will be a good last resort.¡±


    Katrina blinked under the intense gaze he gave her. His eyes shone a brilliant yellow, conveying his earnestness, and she nodded in acceptance. ¡°Fine, as a last resort.¡±


    ¡°You must preserve your energy as well.¡± He continued, standing again. ¡°I should be able to hold them off without you if the need arises.¡±


    Katrina chuckled, ¡°Have you ever been tired? Because you fight like a machine.¡±


    ¡°Of course I get tired, Katrina. I sleep, don¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Katrina joked, ¡°I¡¯ve never actually SEEN you sleep. So, the jury is still out on that.¡±


    Alektor¡¯s stoic expression cracked slightly as a smile teased at the edge of his lips. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right then.¡±


    Katrina was about to quip further, but faltered as a terrifying roar echoed over the clamor of the battle. ¡°What the hell?¡± She muttered as she stood, facing the direction of the sound. ¡°Well, that¡¯s gotta be¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Alektor cut her off, ¡°And the closer it gets, the stronger it seems.¡±


    The wall began to rumble as the clear thuds of a bipedal creature of massive proportions seemed to be sprinting at full speed toward them.


    Within moments, the looming form of a monstrous demon, burst over the crest of a hill in the distance. It let out a howl of pain as it entered the effects of Robert¡¯s airborne ability, but seemed to redouble its efforts, pushing harder. Much like the others, it was otherworldly and horrifying to look upon. With charred skin and what looked like half of a head, cut off just below where the nose would have been. It had a dozen arms that flailed through its exertion, sprouting from its back. And two muscular ones that pumped back and forth as it ran. It also had two powerful legs, with two sets of knees, and hooves like a satyr.


    The moment it entered the range of her earthbound ability, its speed slowed, and its howls intensified.


    ¡°Brace yourselves!¡± Alektor¡¯s voice boomed in a Dunamis enhanced shout.


    The demon trampled over dozens of its own kind, as its massive hooves crushed and battered the teaming familiars that swarmed over the ground below it. Blood, limbs, and entrails were sprayed in every direction with each heavy stride. When it was only several hundred meters from the wall, it let out a sudden burst of speed, and slammed into it with incredible force. The wall bucked underneath Katrina, and the portion where the demon had impacted, shattered with a cascade of stone. Sending half a dozen warriors who were too slow to move, flying through the air.


    ¡°We must hurry!¡± Alektor warned, dashing over the top of the wall at blinding speed toward the break.


    Katrina cursed, but leapt over the side onto another platform she grew out of the inner wall. The moment her boots landed on it, she zoomed toward the demon, following Alektor, sliding against the wall itself. A wave of black energy poured from the demon, melting several warriors who attempted to flee from it. They screamed in agony as their skin bubbled and slid from their bones, leaving steaming husks behind.


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    A powerful blast of fire struck the side of the demon, causing it to dash to the side, avoiding the majority of the attack. That¡¯s new, she thought. Noting the sluggish movements of the demons she had previously fought. This one¡¯s definitely smarter, and more powerful than the others.


    It poised its arms for a strike, aimed at Alektor, who was standing atop the wall. ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t!¡± Katrina shouted, pushing her hands forward causing massive spikes to shoot from the broken wall itself toward the demon. In an instant, its arms swung around its body, intercepting each spike, and shattering them into dust. Katrina blinked at the quick and violent display of power. It¡¯s so fast¡­


    But the attack left it open to another blast of fire from Alektor. The demon howled in pain as it spun away, breaking another large portion of the wall, causing it to fall. Now, with such a large opening, hundreds of familiars streamed into the inner wall, clashing with the reserve warriors within.


    Katrina hopped off her platform and landed next to Alektor, who held his hands up for another attack. ¡°This one is far more powerful than the others, Katrina.¡± He growled. ¡°We must keep it from killing any more of our warriors!¡±


    ¡°How do we stop it?¡± Katrina asked, watching as the demon turned back toward their direction.


    ¡°I¡¯ll distract it with my flame. You try to kill it as best you can.¡±


    Before she could answer in the affirmative, the demon dashed toward them, its arms billowing black energy. Katrina leapt from the wall to avoid it, but saw Alektor only lift his hands, summoning an intense shield that fully absorbed the demon¡¯s strike. A shockwave hit her, knocking her a bit off her mark, and she tumbled end over end all the way down to land painfully into the bloodied grass below.


    Katrina gasped in pain, rolling to the side as a familiar¡¯s claws raked where she had just been. It was soundly cleaved in two by a crimson clad Dae who followed up with a powerful burst of electricity, charring dozens more who were clustered together.


    ¡°Get up, Kat!¡± Delmos yelled, grasping her by her cloak and pulling her to her feet. ¡°We¡¯re being overrun, damn it! Kill this blasted thing, or we¡¯re all dead!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying!¡± Katrina shot back, taking precious seconds to assess the battle. There were hundreds, maybe thousands of familiars now pouring through the wall¡¯s breaches, and the Dae defenders were being completely overwhelmed. Shit! She thought, looking again at the massive demon, who was reeling back from a sound strike from Alektor.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Turak!?¡± She asked, as she plunged her sword into the chest of a familiar, unleashing a wave of spikes through its body, impaling a group behind it.


    ¡°He¡¯s on the other side!¡± Delmos pointed toward another breach across the battlefield. ¡°Last I saw, he was defending that break with Nasha. The bastard can fight, I¡¯ll give him that.¡±


    Katrina¡¯s attention was brought back to the towering demon, as it roared in rage. ¡°Hold out here as best you can!¡± She yelled, summoning a pillar beneath her feet that shot her into the air, toward the monster.


    As she soared, she stretched her hands out, again causing a dozen spikes to shoot out toward the creature. Again, it spun, breaking them into pieces, but one shot from beneath it, glowing white as it plunged through the demon¡¯s leg.


    It squealed in agony, grasping the spike with one of its massive hands, the skin sizzling as it made contact. And Alektor blasted it again directly into its chest. The force of his attack knocked it over, breaking the stone pillar she had impaled it with; and it tumbled to the ground in a heap.


    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Katrina shouted, landing against the inner wall. ¡°Nice one, Alektor!¡±


    The demon stirred, before he blasted it again; sending a shockwave across the battlefield. A strange hum started to come from the creature, and in the blink of an eye, a lance of black energy shot toward her. She dodged as best she could, but was pelted with shards of the wall. ¡°Shit!¡± She cursed, leaping back to the ground, wincing in pain as she pulled a pencil sized shard from her shoulder. She looked at the top of the wall, then back to the demon¡¯s smoldering body, only to see Alektor slam into it with the force of a meteor. Flames poured from him as the demon¡¯s body bucked.


    The dozen hands on its back grasped at him, but were batted away with a wave of flames. Katrina narrowed her eyes at it as she extended her hands again. This time, the spikes that shot from the ground beneath it, tore through its body with a squelch, spraying black blood like massive fountains, out from the wounds. Alektor cursed, dashing away from the body to stand next to her. He was covered in black blood, his once pristine cloak and armor now a mess of gore.


    Katrina bent over, heaving at the exertion. She was nearly tapped out from everything, and prayed that Daniel and the rest could do something to close the gate quickly. She looked up at Alektor, who scanned the battle around them. At least we¡¯ve still got this guy, she thought. He¡¯s so powerful, we might have a chance even if I use everything I got.


    Another hum rippled in the air, and Alektor spun around toward the demon¡¯s body. A powerful lance of black energy tore through the air. Alektor brought his hands up, blocking the immense attack with a shield of flame. Katrina winced at the shockwave, but blinked in confusion as she was sprayed with blue blood. She looked toward Alektor, who had unleashed a final stream of flames into the demons body, and gasped at the hole through him.


    ¡°Alektor!¡± She shouted, as he slumped to the ground. ¡°No!¡± She turned him over to face her, and he coughed up a surge of blue blood. ¡°Oh God, hang in there, Alektor.¡± His yellow eyes fixed on her, acceptance in them. And understanding.


    ¡°Save¡­ our world¡­ Kat¡­rina.¡± He gurgled, ¡°Your kind are¡­ our only¡­ hope.¡±


    ¡°No, no no no!¡± She looked down at the baseball sized hole in his chest. She had seconds to act. She closed her eyes, remembering how she healed the Volsung warrior from her wounds all those months ago. She pressed her hands into him and tried to go into his Dunam Dae Espa. But cursed as she realized she couldn¡¯t. His power was too great for her to penetrate. ¡°Let me in!¡± She shouted, cradling her head on her lap. ¡°Let me heal you!¡±


    Alektor¡¯s eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he slumped back, the last vestiges of life draining from him. ¡°No!¡± She raged, closing her eyes again and forcing her will upon him. She would not let this happen; she refused to let this man die. Too much was at stake. She pressed her power against the immovable wall that was his core, and pushed with all her might to pierce it. Again, it refused, stubbornly. Then she remembered the ball of dirt she had used to practice her abilities when she first awakened her Dunamis. How she tried to force her will upon the element, and how it refused her, time and time again. I need to coax it, she thought. Letting her power gently flow over Alektor¡¯s core. ¡°Please¡­¡± she whispered, ¡°let me in¡­ let me save you¡­¡±


    As though an answer to her request, the impenetrable wall eased slightly, and in a flash of light, she found herself in a strange world. She was on a large rock, in the middle of an ocean, vast and endless. She smelled the salty spray of the sea as waves crashed upon the rock where she stood, and she scanned her surroundings, looking for him.


    ¡°Alektor!¡± She yelled, attempting to walk, but nearly slipped on the rocks.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± A voice asked from behind her.


    She spun, and saw him lying against a stone, blue blood seeping from his mouth and his eyes half closed.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Alektor.¡± She said, rushing to his side. ¡°It¡¯s Katrina.¡±


    ¡°Katrina?¡± he asked, confusion in his face. ¡°Are you a spirit?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ a human.¡± She said, pressing her hands against his chest. ¡°I¡¯m your friend¡­ you don¡¯t remember me?¡±


    He looked at her, then his eyes widened. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I could ever forget such a beautiful creature. You must be a spirit.¡± His blue stained lips curled into a smile.


    Katrina blinked, slightly caught off guard by this completely unfamiliar behavior. ¡°You must really be on the brink of death, if you¡¯re hitting on me.¡± She chuckled.


    ¡°Well, my dear spirit. I would be a fool to deny what is clearly before me.¡± He started to laugh but began to cough up blood.


    ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡± Katrina pressed, ignoring his comment. ¡°I¡¯m here to heal you.¡±


    ¡°Who am I to deny the will of the spirits?¡± He laughed, looking past her shoulder towards the endless sea. ¡°I am not sure how I got here¡­ or who I am, to be honest with you. But I know I am dying.¡± His eyes met hers again. ¡°But if you are here to heal me, then do your best.¡±


    She nodded, and again focused her power into him. There was an ease that came to her care now. Where once she struggled, she now moved with skilled efficiency, melding his body with her own power. It was then that she glimpsed his core in its entirety. It was an endless ocean of flame. Bottomless and unfathomably strong. ¡°What are you?¡± She asked, feeling his wounds begin to close.


    ¡°I was hoping you could tell me.¡± Alektor smiled, but he turned to look over her shoulder, and she felt a presence behind her.


    She spun around, only to see another Alektor standing before her, his familiar stern and stoic expression displayed.


    ¡°What?¡± She asked, glancing back and realizing that the Alektor she had been tending to, was no longer there. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Katrina¡­¡± Alektor said, his face twisted in confusion. ¡°You made it here¡­ to my Dunam Dae Espa?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She answered, looking around awkwardly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see multiple personalities in here. But, I¡¯ve healed you I think, so¡­¡±


    Alektor sighed, ¡°It isn¡¯t what you think, Katrina. My mind is my own¡­ but there are parts of me that must be set aside.¡±


    ¡°Set aside?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°You mean you cut off parts of your personality to become more, what, efficient?¡±


    ¡°Not to be put so simply.¡± He replied, ¡°I don¡¯t detach anything from my person, just subdue it slightly. In times of strife, or stress. A level head is needed to prevail.¡±


    Katrina chuckled, pointing back with her thumb. ¡°So, that other you, that was sweet talking me just now is¡­ suppressed?¡±


    Alektor shifted uncomfortably, then took a deep breath. ¡°Have you completed your task?¡±


    ¡°I have.¡± She replied, suddenly being struck by a wave of sadness as she looked upon him.


    ¡°Then let us be on our way.¡±


    She closed her eyes, and after another flash of light, found herself back in the thick of the battle. The roars of familiars and shouts and booms of the Dae warrior¡¯s Dunamis rattled in her head. She opened her eyes and looked down at Alektor¡¯s face, whose eyes slowly opened and locked with hers. She held his gaze for a moment, smiling at him. ¡°Welcome back.¡± She said, seeing the flicker of the other Alektor she met in his Dunam Dae Espa behind his yellow eyes.


    ¡°Alektor!¡± A voice called, before Turak skid to a halt at his side. ¡°How is he!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Turak.¡± Alektor groaned, lifting his head from her lap. ¡°Katrina has¡­ saved my life.¡±


    ¡°Thank the spirits.¡± Turak let out a shuttering breath. ¡°There is another wave of larger demons coming; more than before. Without your power, we wouldn¡¯t be able to survive.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re breaking through!¡± A familiar female voice called as Nasha grasped Turak¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ve lost too many warriors, and this wall is all but useless now.¡±


    Alektor nodded, as he stood, cracking his neck. ¡°Katrina¡­ now would be a good time to pivot, like we discussed.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She replied, straining to stand. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I have the strength, but I¡¯ll make it happen.¡±


    She closed her eyes, raising her hands toward the sides focusing on the broken and battered wall that surrounded them. With a surge of power, she yelled, feeling the last of her strength deplete. She crumpled to the ground. But watched as the massive wall around them separated into thousands of pieces, and slowly began to flood the battlefield with golems that glowed with a pale light. The hundred or so warriors who were left upon the wall were gently carried down by numerous golems, and the immediate panic of the warriors turned to cheers of triumph as they began laying into the familiars with violent efficiency.


    ¡°We must hold them back!¡± Alektor shouted, turning to Turak and Nasha. ¡°Protect Hego Katrina until she is recovered.¡± He commanded, before dashing into the fray of battle once more.

 Chapter 58 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Daniel grasped Robert¡¯s shoulder, hefting him up to a perch on a large boulder. ¡°Come on, Rob.¡± He whispered as another mass of demons charged past them, no doubt on their way to the battle. Daniel brought Robert next to him as he scanned their surroundings, attempting to use his senses to regain their heading. The forest was close, now only mere meters away from their position. Daniel felt a strange sense of comfort come over him as he looked upon the unnatural looking trees. Their hairlike branches and fleshy bark bringing back a flood of memories from his abrupt arrival.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to keep hiding, Dan.¡± Robert said, standing in full view of the demons that were streaming past them. ¡°I¡¯ve cloaked us.¡±


    Daniel looked over at Avria, who just shrugged. ¡°Well, it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry. No need to tempt them with anything.¡±


    ¡°We were slaughtering them a few miles back, and they didn¡¯t see us.¡± Robert pressed, leaping from the boulder onto the grass. ¡°We¡¯ve got to hurry.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Daniel followed, then Avria after him. ¡°This is just strange. What if Dio¡¯Mar senses us?¡±


    ¡°Spirits help us if she does.¡± Avria huffed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she can.¡± Robert replied, coming to a halt before the tree line. ¡°We were able to escape her before, despite her trying to keep us there. She should have been able to find me, through my cloaking ability.¡± Robert turned to face Daniel, gesturing into the forest. ¡°Are we ready for this?¡±


    Daniel looked closely at the trees, then up toward the canopy, which looked subdued somehow. Faded and lifeless compared to the last time he saw them up-close like this. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡±


    ¡°Be mindful of your surroundings in there, Daniel.¡± Avria said, grasping his arm before he stepped forward. ¡°The enemy knows we¡¯re coming and will stop at nothing to keep that portal open.¡±


    Daniel nodded, placing his hand on hers briefly before stepping into the forest. There was an immediate change in the atmosphere around him as the once vibrant forest now seemed lifeless and desolate. The flowers and strange vegetation were withered and dead, and an overall foulness hung in the air.


    ¡°Damn¡­¡± Robert whispered, running his hands across the surface of one of the trees. ¡°It¡¯s dead¡­ the whole damn forest is dead.¡±


    ¡°The spirits have fled.¡± Avria stated, picking up her pace. ¡°And with them, the spiritual energy that kept this holy place alive. This is actually my first time being allowed to enter here. It is a shame that it should be in such a state.¡±


    ¡°Maybe closing the gate will bring them back.¡± Daniel wasn¡¯t sure if that was the case, but he sincerely hoped it was true.


    They traveled at a brisk pace through the forest, following their senses. Little was said between them, and Daniel preferred it that way. In no small part due to the nearly endless stream of demons that passed them. Snarling and barking at one another in what Daniel believed was some form of communication or language, but he wasn¡¯t sure. Before long, the feeling of darkness became nearly overwhelming; and a bright orange glow radiated all around them.


    ¡°Look.¡± Robert whispered, pointing through a break in the trees.


    Daniel looked in awe at the massive portal, which was suspended in the air and the size of a large house. The edges looked like solidified tar, cracked and damaged; with spikes that pointed inward. The portal itself radiated heat like a furnace, and bled crimson smoke. Aside from the disturbing look of the portal itself, was, of course, what poured out of it; Hundreds of demons. The smaller familiars were the bulk of the forces that emerged, with a few larger demons that periodically exited.


    ¡°Look at all these things.¡± Robert said, turning toward Daniel, his eyes wide and full of uncertainty. ¡°How the hell do we stop this?¡±


    ¡°We must use our abilities the way you and Katrina did before the battle.¡± Avria answered. ¡°Otherwise, we will be quickly overwhelmed.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Robert nodded. ¡°I can do that again, no problem.¡±


    ¡°I uh¡­¡± Daniel winced, ¡°I¡¯ve never done anything like that before. All of my abilities are basically¡­¡±


    Avria gave him a deadpan stare. ¡°Shooting balls of fire and blowing your enemies to bits?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Daniel shrugged, feeling somewhat embarrassed. ¡°Other than my healing techniques, I¡¯ve never done anything more complex.¡±


    ¡°Reku.¡± Avria turned towards Robert, ¡°Perhaps you could instruct this poor fool in some meaningful way that could help us. Dae-Rah have incredible usefulness in infinitely more ways than launching blasts of flame toward the enemy. You must learn this right now, Daniel. Or we will not survive what may come.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Robert said slowly, coming in close to Daniel. ¡°So, first thing you¡¯ve got to understand, is compartmentalization. Without it, you won¡¯t be able to do anything more than a few things at once. Separating your consciousness, and essentially isolating it in limbo within your Dunam Dae Espa is the key.¡±


    Avria tilted her head, also seeming a bit surprised at his answer. ¡°That is¡­ actually quite interesting. I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever heard of it being used in such a way.¡±


    ¡°So¡ª¡± Daniel pressed. ¡°You basically create little versions of yourself, within your Dunam Dae Espa, that are on autopilot, maintaining your ability?¡±


    ¡°In the most basic understanding.¡± Robert smiled. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How the hell did you figure that out?¡± Daniel chuckled.


    ¡°Dio¡¯Mar helped me¡­ showed me the ancient way Dae used to augment items and structures.¡±


    ¡°Like the Glade.¡± Avria finished, shaking her head in disbelief. ¡°Reku, that is incredibly valuable information. You must teach it to some of our artisans and builders when we return.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Daniel waved his hands, bringing the focus back on their task. ¡°So, all I need to do, is figure out which ability I should use.¡±


    ¡°I would suggest something on the ground like Katrina.¡± Robert said. ¡°If you and Avria can do something to the ground together, it¡¯ll really mess up their ability to fight. I¡¯ll stick with the air like last time, and we should be good to go.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Daniel glanced at Avria, then closed his eyes. He focused on the ability he wanted to try. Spreading his spiritual energy throughout the ground, disrupting and damaging anything with demonic energy that came in contact with it. He let his Dunamis pool within, creating a rather large reserve. ¡°Alright.¡± He said, his eyes still closed. ¡°My ability is ready.¡±


    ¡°Mine is as well.¡± Avria parroted.


    ¡°Fantastic.¡± Robert clapped his hands together.


    Daniel opened his eyes and placed his hands on the ground. Avria did the same, and Robert extended his into the air. ¡°So, we just, isolate the control of the ability in our Dunam Dae Espa, right?¡±


    ¡°Yup, piece a cake.¡± Robert smiled. ¡°On three, alright? One, two, three!¡±


    Daniel¡¯s power flowed into the ground like water into a sponge. To his surprise, the soil seemed to lap up his power like a dog dying of thirst. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because the spirit forest was different, or if all places in Pelemont absorbed spiritual energy in the same way.


    The result of the collective use of their abilities was immediate. Howling and screams of pain echoed throughout the forest, and the flow of demons ceased from the portal itself.


    ¡°Look out!¡± Robert yelled, as a massive arm swept past them, breaking the trees and shaking the ground as it impacted. There was a roar of pure fury that sounded more like a vile chorus.


    ¡°It can sense us, Rob!¡± Daniel spat as he leapt to the side, narrowly dodging debris. As he rolled back to his feet, he looked up to see a blistered shin, towering above him. His heart skipped a beat as his gaze rose higher and higher, until he was looking into a myriad of eyes of a massive demon, with seven heads, whose eyes were all fixed on him. ¡°It can definitely sense us, ROB!¡±


    ¡°Nothing I can do about it now, Dan!¡± He screamed in reply.


    Again, the demon howled. The sound causing Daniel¡¯s ears to ring as each of the seven heads gnashed at him. It raised a massive fist again, and brought it down towards Daniel with surprising speed and incredible force. Daniel flooded his body with his Dunamis, managing to dash out of the way just as the limb crashed into the soil where he was standing seconds prior.


    In a flash, he summoned his metal blade with a burst of fire. And aimed it at the creature, letting it glow with a golden light. ¡°Come on!¡± He raged at it, as it kicked a ten toed foot at him.


    Daniel let fire erupt from his hands, as he dodged again. The demon growled in pain as the flames burned its flesh, popping and sizzling in the intense heat. As soon as Daniel¡¯s feet found solid ground, he blinked behind it, using his blade to sever the achilles tendon behind its foot.


    Then he saw as a blast of golden electricity slammed into the side of the beast. It bucked to the side, before a blade of wind sliced at its legs, causing it to come crashing down with the force of a toppling mountain. Daniel let out a defiant yell as he leaped into the air, raising his blade of fire above his head and brought it down with all his strength upon the prone demon.


    Daniel¡¯s sword pierced the flesh of the beast, his flames billowing into it. It¡¯s screams of agony and pain died nearly as soon as they began. As its massive body turned into a chard husk, before crumbling under his weight.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Robert yelled, turning to see hundreds of demons struggling to move under the effects of their abilities. ¡°They can¡¯t even move, guys. Let¡¯s close this fucking gate and get back to the fort!¡±


    ¡°Our abilities weren¡¯t this potent during the battle.¡± Avria said, as she helped pull Daniel from the charred remains of the demon. ¡°I believe it is the Spirit-Forest that is responsible for this.¡±


    ¡°Good to know.¡± Daniel shook his body, ash and filth billowing from him. ¡°Rob¡¯s right, lets close this gate and get back as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere!¡± a familiar voice screamed from their left.


    Daniel took a deep breath, clenching his fists as he turned to see Greyson and his two companions standing with their weapons drawn. ¡°Greyson.¡± Daniel growled, as he pivoted towards them, bringing his sword up in a battle stance.


    ¡°This has gone on far enough!¡± Greyson urged, his expression one of fear, instead of anger. ¡°I can¡¯t let you close that gate, Daniel.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t stop us.¡± Robert shot back. ¡°You lunatics are done! You understand? Done! You know how many people you killed? How many warriors have died fighting against this horde?¡±


    ¡°Their blood is on your hands, you piece of shit.¡± Daniel took a step forward.


    Greyson started to chuckle, ¡°You think you scare me?¡± His chuckle turned into a hearty laugh as he pointed towards the gate. ¡°I¡¯ve stared into hell, man! Seen shit you can¡¯t even imagine!¡±


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t too late.¡± Avria spoke up, stepping forward to stand next to Daniel. ¡°Whatever they¡¯ve threatened you with. Whatever they¡¯ve promised, it doesn¡¯t matter if we defeat them.¡±


    ¡°Defeat them?¡± Greyson sneered. ¡°You can¡¯t defeat them, you fucking idiots. This was just a taste. All they need is a bit more energy, and that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d damn your soul, for this?¡± Daniel shook his head. ¡°For the empty promise of going home? How stupid can you be, man? They aren¡¯t going to honor a bargain, or any other bullshit deal you¡¯ve made.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice!¡± Greyson shouted, his hands squeezing around the handle of his blade. ¡°I was in a living hell when I woke up here, alright? I was being tortured, every single day. After months of it, I met an entity that found me in the dream world. It offered to free me from the torment¡­ offered me revenge against the bastard who inflicted it¡­ and offered me a way home! It came through with the first two promises, and I had no reason to doubt it wouldn¡¯t come through with the third¡­ but now? I can¡¯t even think about deviating from it. It¡¯s painful to even consider it.¡±


    ¡°All that aside!¡± Ashley shouted, ¡°You took Lauren!¡±


    ¡°God, you guys are lost.¡± Daniel spat in disgust. ¡°If you¡¯re too far gone to even resist the evil shit that¡¯s taken control of you? Then we¡¯re gonna have a problem.¡± He pointed to the gate with his sword. ¡°Because I¡¯m closing this fuckin¡¯ thing, no matter what. And if you¡¯re standing in the way? You¡¯re dead.¡±


    Greyson seemed to be straining against something, his brow dripping sweat as he gritted his teeth. ¡°I won¡¯t be¡­ the only thing¡­ in the way¡­ you¡­ fuckers!¡± He stabbed his blade into the ground and a burst of black water seeped through it.


    The hundreds of demons that were frozen or immobilized started to stir as they growled and raged towards Daniel and his group.


    ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡± Robert said, raising his hands up, preparing for a fight.


    ¡°Daniel.¡± Avria crouched in a blade form. ¡°We will handle the demons. You close the gate.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Daniel said, as he dashed toward the gate. Almost immediately after, the snarls and roars of demons erupted all around them, followed by the concussive blasts of Avria and Robert¡¯s Dunamis.


    Daniel saw out of the corner of his eye a flash of white, and brought his sword up to block a strike at his head from an incisor. With a quick perry, he knocked Ashley¡¯s blade aside, but before he could counter, blocked another strike from Dorian, then another from Greyson, who used his Dunamis to enhance the power of his strike.


    Son of a bitch! Daniel thought, as he now found himself in a desperate battle against all three of Greyson¡¯s group. They were clumsy at best with their strikes, focusing more on their strength and Dunamis to win than skill. Daniel ducked a strike that soared past his head, surging with electricity. Ashley overshot her swing, and nearly toppled over, but Daniel used the momentum of his evasion to spin with a roundhouse that connected squarely with her jaw. There was an audible crunch as her head snapped to the side, and she fell to the soil below in a heap.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Greyson cursed, quickly running to get in between her and Daniel. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for that, asshole!¡±


    ¡°You want to play like that?¡± Dorian smirked as stone from the ground began crawling up his body, covering it like a suit of armor. ¡°You seem pretty well trained.¡±


    Dorian leaped forward, extending his hand and a surge of spikes and shards of stones flew at him. At almost the exact same time, Greyson unleashed a highly pressurized blast of water at him.


    Daniel¡¯s sword flashed as he swung it horizontally, a wave of white flame exploding from his body, not only absorbing the attacks, but blasting the three of them away. In a fluid motion he extended his palm out towards Dorian, who quickly regained himself and charged again. A beam of white power lanced from Daniel¡¯s palm, and Dorian had milliseconds to bolster his defenses before he was knocked back with a thunderous explosion. The man slammed into a tree, his stone body glowing with the heat from Daniel¡¯s blast. He landed onto the ground with a thud, but was unmoving.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill you.¡± Daniel growled, aiming his palm toward Greyson, who was crouched in front of Ashely, who was staring daggers at Daniel, nursing what was most likely a broken jaw. ¡°But you leave me with no other choice.¡±


    ¡°You do what you have to do.¡± Greyson spat. ¡°Better that, then getting dragged back to some Dae city in chains, and getting fucking tortured again, like what you¡¯re doing to Lauren.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious!?¡± Daniel fumed. ¡°You have no idea what the hell you¡¯re talking about. Lauren is fine! She¡¯s not even in a prison. She¡¯s being treated like royalty over there for God¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit.¡± Ashley mumbled through her wounded jaw.


    ¡°Why should we believe you?¡± Greyson responded, his hard expression faltering ever so slightly.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter anyway.¡± Daniel narrowed his eyes, focusing his power back into his palm. ¡°You surrender, or you die. Simple as that. Either way, this ends now.¡±


    Before Greyson could respond, a chill ran up Daniel¡¯s spine and he whirled around to see Dio¡¯Mar floating inches from his face. In the blink of an eye, a pale hand grasped his face, and he was wrenched to the ground. Her fingers squeezed into his skull with the pressure of a vice. Daniel couldn¡¯t even scream for help as the demon¡¯s fingers tore through his skin and began cracking his skull. Blood poured from his head, running down his face and dripping to the ground below.


    ¡°Get¡­ the fuck off of me!¡± He finally shouted, as a blast of white flame burst from his body. Dio¡¯Mar didn¡¯t flinch at his attack, but lessened her grip, and pulled him close to her face.


    ¡°You¡­ cannot¡­ save them¡­ human¡­¡± She hissed. ¡°They are fallen¡­ decadent¡­ vile¡­ and wretched blights upon this world¡­¡±


    Daniel could barely process the words she spoke into his mind. His head was pounding with the most intense headache he had ever experienced.


    ¡°Dan!¡± He heard from the side, as Robert shot a blast of wind toward Dio¡¯Mar.


    With a wrench, she pulled Daniel by his head and put him in the way of the blast. He braced himself for impact, but to his surprise, the wind passed through him harmlessly, and instead a blast came from behind her, connecting with her back. She hissed at the ability, but held Daniel still.


    ¡°Fuck, you!¡± Daniel cursed, and swung his metal blade upward, severing her hand from her body.


    This time she recoiled in pain, her body disappearing into a puff of black smoke and appearing a dozen paces away from them.


    ¡°You alright, bro?¡± Robert said, kneeling next to Daniel. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding all over the place.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Daniel grunted, struggling to stand. ¡°Nice touch with the mirage. I thought you were gonna kill me.¡±


    Robert smirked as he helped him to his feet. ¡°This is it. We¡¯ve got to take her out.¡±


    ¡°That weapon¡­¡± Dio¡¯Mar¡¯s words echoed in Daniel¡¯s mind, and he glanced at the metal blade he held in his hands. ¡°Where¡­ did you acquire such a thing?¡±


    Daniel watched as the stump of where her hand was severed, grew back in an instant, and he sighed heavily. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if we live or die here, Rob.¡± He whispered to Robert. ¡°We¡¯ve got to close that gate, no matter what.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Robert huffed, hanging his head.


    Dio¡¯Mar suddenly held her hand out and blocked a stream of golden electricity that burst towards her from their left. Dio¡¯Mar retaliated with an incredibly powerful blast of her own, and Avria flashed to the side with blinding speed, avoiding the explosion.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± She shouted, ¡°One of you fools needs to complete this mission!¡±


    Robert held his hands out and closed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll hold her off, Dan! Go!¡±


    Daniel didn¡¯t hesitate as he turned toward the Gate, and dashed with all his might directly at it. The air shimmered around him, and He saw Dio¡¯Mar launching attacks in every direction. There was a split second of recognition that Robert was using his mirage ability to confuse her. Daniel redoubled his efforts when he heard Avria and Robert fighting behind him. They stood no chance against a creature that powerful, but they could at least accomplish their mission.


    Daniel skidded to a halt before the gate. Staring up into its billowing orange heat he clenched his fists. He wasn¡¯t even sure how to close the damn thing, but he knew what his power did to demons, and that it stopped the flow from the gate. Maybe I just need to flood it with my power, he thought.


    He closed his eyes, concentrating on his Dunamis, feeling the thrum of power within. As he opened them, a pillar of white flame shot into the portal itself. There was a roar of resistance as the demonic energy fought against the invasive flames. There was a loud screech all around him and in his head as Dio¡¯Mar raged in frustration. ¡°Too late, bitch!¡± Daniel yelled in response, before using a final surge to flood the gate.


    As if turning off a light, the orange glare and the heat ceased. Soon after, the border of the gate began to crack and crumble. Then, toppled to the soil below in a heap of shards. Then, in an instant, the foulness and demonic presence in the forest disappeared.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Daniel said in triumph, and turned to see Dio¡¯Mar turning into a massive monster.


    ¡°Dan!¡± Robert said, right next to him. ¡°Time to go, time to go!¡±


    Daniel blinked in surprise to see Robert and Avria were standing with him.


    ¡°It will take her a while to find a way out of the hallucination layers I¡¯ve put her in.¡± Robert grasped their shoulders, and in a gut churning moment, was sped away at what felt like the top speed of an F-22 raptor.


    ~


    Daniel spilled to the ground below in a heap. Coughing and gagging at the sudden change in speed.


    ¡°Sorry man.¡± Robert gasped, falling to his hands and knees in exhaustion. ¡°I can¡¯t use that ability too much. It takes so much out of me.¡±


    Avria hunched over, gagging as well. ¡°I¡­ hate¡­ that ability¡­ Reku.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still getting the hang of it, ok?¡± He replied.


    A massive explosion of dark energy erupted in the distance, and Daniel¡¯s head snapped toward the source. ¡°Dio¡¯Mar¡­¡± He said, standing on wabbly legs. ¡°We¡¯ve got to keep moving. Can you keep us cloaked, Rob?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I can.¡± He sighed, standing as well. ¡°We¡¯ve got to get back to the battle. And get far away from that monstrosity.


    ¡°Can¡¯t she follow us?¡± Avria stated, her words a cold reminder of their situation. ¡°We must be prepared for her if she does.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Daniel sighed, turning toward the direction of the battle. Then, he noticed something strange. The horde of demons that was hastily marching in the direction of the battle had suddenly scattered. Thousands of familiars began charging in confusion in every direction. Then the booms of Dunamis began erupting throughout their ranks.


    Daniel¡¯s heart surged as from over the crest of the hills in the distance an army of Dae charged into the fray. Many were mounted on Cro¡¯kan, and many on foot. But they all were clad in the grey cloaks of Rexun.


    ¡°Oh, hell yeah!¡± Robert pumped his fist into the air. ¡°Reinforcements from Rexun, baby!¡±


    ¡°A wonderful surprise.¡± Avria let out a tense breath, then crossed her arms. ¡°But we must hurry still. Let us join their battle, and make our way back to the High King.¡±


    Daniel narrowed his eyes at the scrambling demons and summoned his metal blade once again. ¡°Sounds good to me.¡±


    ~


    Robert let out a breath of relief as he straddled the Cro¡¯kan he was given by the Rexunii warriors they had met with. He, Daniel, and Avria had joined the battle against the demons and quickly vanquished the larger ones who were seemingly immune to the Dae¡¯s Dunamis. Much to the surprise and praise of the warriors who were engaged with them. Afterwards, they began the several hour march to where Alektor had led the defense against the main host.


    ¡°There it is.¡± Daniel said, leaning forward and squinting at the ruined wall in the distance. ¡°And it looks like they¡¯re still standing.¡±


    ¡°A great many are not.¡± Avria stated, the solemn reality of the battle hitting home. ¡°But from the looks of the field, I would wager that Alektor is among the survivors.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look good.¡± Robert tensed, wringing the reigns in his hands. ¡°We should probably hurry and see what the damage is, right?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Daniel kicked the sides of his Cro¡¯kan, breaking into a faster pace. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    As they arrived, the number of dead familiars and demons was staggering. There were tens of thousands of them, strewn about the field of battle; Broken, burned, battered, and cut.


    A horn blast rang from a Lokkadonian warrior, standing atop a large mound of rubble. Followed by a response from the Rexunii army they were traveling with. The Rexunii army halted before entering, leaving Daniel, Robert, and Avria to do so on their own. As they made their way in, the survivors looked like death. Covered in black and blue blood, their cloaks were torn and shredded, but many stood. Robert¡¯s heart surged at the sight, and he smiled. ¡°We won, guys. We defeated them.¡±


    ¡°Looks that way.¡± Daniel responded, his eyes distant as he scanned the faces of the Lokkadonian warriors. ¡°These guys have literally been through hell.¡±


    ¡°You there!¡± Avria called, causing a Lokkadonian warrior to spring to his feet.


    ¡°Highness!¡± He shouted, bringing a weary fist across his chest in a salute.


    ¡°Where is the High King?¡± She asked, slowing her Cro¡¯kan.


    ¡°He is further in, Princess.¡± The warrior¡¯s response was worn. ¡°He will be happy to see you¡¯ve returned.


    They made their wait to the center of the fort, and a familiar voice called their names.


    ¡°Dan! Robert! Avria!¡± Katrina shouted, sprinting towards them.


    Without ceremony, Daniel and Robert dismounted and dashed to her. Avria taking a little more time to stop, and proceed with a bit more of a regal air.


    ¡°Kat!¡± Daniel shouted, as she jumped into his arms, embracing him.


    Her eyes turned to Robert, and she grasped him with her arm and brought him into the embrace.


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re all alright.¡± She said, her voice sounding hoarse. ¡°We knew you guys did it when the flow of demons stopped.¡±


    ¡°It looks like you had it rough.¡± Daniel said, pulling away and gesturing around them. ¡°The whole wall is gone.¡±


    ¡°It was close.¡± Alektor said, approaching with Delmos, Turak, Nasha, and several officers. ¡°But we managed to survive.¡±


    ¡°Alektor¡­¡± Robert said, seeing the state of the High King. His cloak and armor were covered in blood and all but destroyed. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve really been through it.¡±


    ¡°Nothing you three weren¡¯t exposed to.¡± Alektor turned to Katrina, ¡°But we owe our victory here to Hego Katrina. Without her, we surely would have perished.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡± She turned towards him, her mouth spreading into a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t do half as much as you did.¡±


    Alektor chuckled, taking a deep breath before meeting their eyes. ¡°I will assume, since you are all standing here, alive. That the gate has been closed successfully?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Daniel answered, grasping Robert by the shoulders. ¡°And this fucker right here, made sure it happened. He fought off Dio¡¯Mar, basically by himself. Gave her a taste of her own medicine.¡±


    ¡°Highness.¡± Avria interjected, her expression grim. ¡°What of our losses here?¡±


    Alektor¡¯s expression turned sour, and he shook his head. ¡°We lost nearly four hundred of our warriors, Avria. They fought bravely and are heroes of all Eleutheros.¡±


    ¡°Nearly half¡­¡± Avria sighed, looking down at the ruined ground. ¡°So many souls lost.¡±


    ¡°They shall not be forgotten, Princess.¡± Alektor declared, ¡°I will ensure that. I hear also that you have arrived with a host of Rexunii warriors.¡±


    ¡°They came just in the nick of time.¡± Robert smiled, ¡°Killed thousands more of the demons before they could reach you.¡±


    ¡°They will be commended for their bravery as well.¡±


    ¡°It would have been tougher for all of us if they hadn¡¯t arrived when they did.¡± Robert said, a wave of relief washing over him.


    Alektor was about to speak, when a Lokkadonian runner slid to a halt before them. ¡°Pardon the intrusion, my Lords! But we¡¯ve just received word from the wind talkers in Vul De Rah. It would appear there was an attack at the palace!¡±

 Chapter 59 - Book 2 (Hell Gates)

    Robert held the lifeless hand of Demessa in his own, where her warmth once filled him, now gaped a hollow ache. Tears brimmed as he gazed down at her, serene atop a cot in the palace¡¯s medical wing. Around them, Dae warriors and guards groaned, their wounds a grim chorus to his grief. Dio¡¯Mar had attempted to slaughter his family while he was away. She had failed, for the most part. But scored a sound blow against him. He lifted her hand to his mouth, kissing the cold skin, and felt the torrent of tears in his eyes finally start streaming down his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± He whispered, placing her hand back beside her, and turning to leave, each step heavier than the last.


    He made his way back to the royal wing, his tired mind dull to all the world around him. As he approached the final hallway, he could see the aftermath of the battle that took place. Scorch marks and gouges in the stone floor, and blood splattered on every surface. He hardened his resolve as he walked past the violence. It wasn¡¯t the first time he had done so in these same halls.


    ¡°Highness.¡± Several guards bowed, allowing him to pass and enter the quarters of Telmos of house Regios.


    There was a crowd of people around him as he lay on his bed, groaning assurances that he was well while simultaneously being chastised for attempting to stand.


    ¡°You must get some rest, father.¡± Avria urged, sitting by his side. ¡°You¡¯ve been through quite a lot.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Telmos spat. ¡°This is nothing compared to the others.¡± His eyes rose to meet with Robert¡¯s as he approached. And his words caught in his throat. ¡°Reku¡­ I.¡±


    Robert nodded, looking at the stone floor. ¡°I know you did your best, Telmos¡­ I don¡¯t blame you for this. You put your life on the line for them¡­ all I can do is thank you.¡±


    Telmos¡¯ expression cracked as he was nearly overwhelmed with emotion. ¡°I tried, Reku. I swear on all the spirits, we tried to kill that vile creature¡­ but it was so powerful. Nothing we did could stop it. Until¡­ Until Lauren arrived. She killed it, and saved the baby.¡±


    Avria stood from her father¡¯s bed and placed her hands on Robert¡¯s shoulders, looking him in the eyes. ¡°Do not feel guilt over this, Reku. Without you, we would all have died at the hands of the demon horde. You saved countless thousands of Dae.¡±


    Robert tried to smile at her, but his face felt as though it were carved from stone, and his heart was an empty husk. ¡°I wanted to come and thank you, Telmos. For risking your life to save them¡­ That¡¯s all.¡±


    Before the man could respond, Robert had turned from them and left the room. Again, he walked the hallways, toward his personal quarters. He had been told the child that survived the attack was there. Along with Alektor¡¯s most elite guards. As he turned the corner to his room, the hall was filled to the brim with warriors, clad in grey, crimson, and yellow cloaks. In unison they saluted while he passed them, opening his door and stepping inside.


    Within, he saw Daniel, Katrina, and Alektor standing off to the side of the room, locked in some discussion. In the center of the room, was a large bassinet, flanked by Athica and Lauren. All in the room turned toward him as he entered.


    ¡°Robert,¡± Katrina breathed, rushing to him. Her arms wrapped tight around his chest. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Rob.¡±


    He gave a stiff nod, disentangling himself, drawn inexorably to the bassinet. Peering over its edge, he froze. There lay a child¡ªtiny, serene, his chest rising and falling in gentle sleep. Robert¡¯s pulse thundered, a surging tide of emotion crashing through the numbness of his grief. He sank to his knees, overwhelmed by it. This fragile, perfect being; his son, his blood, was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. He was his legacy, and his family. A hand settled on his, gripping the bassinet¡¯s rim. He flinched, then met Athica¡¯s gaze, her eyes shimmering with sorrow and a fragile joy.


    Robert glanced down at her swollen belly, and again was nearly overwhelmed with emotion. Emotion that turned into pure and unfiltered rage as the thought of Dio¡¯Mar plotting against his children came to mind. That monster, he seethed within. Is going to pay for what she tried to do here.


    He stood quietly, as to not wake the child, and turned to face Lauren. Who was pointedly looking at the stone floor. Robert grasped her hands in his and forced her to meet his eyes. ¡°Thank you.¡± He whispered, barely holding back tears. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been there. I would have lost everything.¡± He squeezed tighter and gave her a reassuring shake. ¡°Anything you need, Lauren. Anything, and I¡¯ll do everything in my power to get it done.¡±


    She didn¡¯t speak. Only nodded and turned her gaze to the baby. Robert joined her in that; looking down at his son, then suddenly realized he hadn¡¯t thought of a name yet.


    ~


    Katrina stared at the ceiling of her quarters, unblinking and unmoving. Her thoughts whirled with images of death and blood. Of demonic creatures and monsters from the battle of the day prior. Come on, Kat, she thought, turning to her side, and forcing her eyes closed. Get a hold of yourself.


    After a sleepless night, she bathed, then made her way to the breakfast hall as she usually did, and found no one except Alektor, sitting at his place at the head of the table.


    He looked up from a scroll he was reading, locking eyes with her. ¡°Morning.¡± He said, gruffly. Adjusting himself as she came to sit next to him.


    ¡°Morning.¡± Katrina replied, having chosen a seat to his left. ¡°Everyone¡¯s still out, I take it?¡±


    ¡°Daniel was here earlier.¡± Alektor placed his scroll on the table, giving her his full attention. ¡°Other than that, you are the only soul who seemed to have an appetite this morning.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really want to eat.¡± Katrina looked down at the delicious looking food. ¡°I just¡­ didn¡¯t know what to do today. The palace seems¡­ so empty and¡ª.¡±


    ¡°Wounded.¡± Alektor finished for her, taking a sip from his drink.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess that would be a good word to use.¡± Katrina shook her head, willing the flashes of violence from her mind.


    ¡°I see that you are suffering from the visions of battle.¡± Alektor sighed, pouring a cup of some unknown tea for her. ¡°Here, take some of this. It helps.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Katrina asked, picking the bowl up with both her hands and blowing on it to cool it down. She inhaled through her nostrils, and her senses were flooded with the smell of some wonderful flower or herb.


    ¡°It is of the Dresk¡¯uta flower.¡± Alektor said, ¡°Which is native to Eleutheros, and is known to greatly help with the visions and nightmares of war.¡±


    ¡°It smells wonderful.¡± Katrina commented as she sipped the tea, letting the strong but pleasant flavor fill her mouth. ¡°It really has a kick to it.¡± She smiled, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It is a drink that I am well accustomed to. You may feel a bit strange the first time you drink it, so go slowly.¡± Alektor shifted in his seat, and a short silence fell between them.


    Katrina continued to take sips of the tea, while Alektor picked up the scroll again and began reading it. Nearly a minute later, her head started to swirl with a pleasant feeling, followed by a warmth that spread throughout her body. Wow, so this is like a drug of some kind, she thought. She looked up to study Alektor then, somehow seeing him in a new light after the battle. What am I thinking? Of course I see him differently; I saved his life. And he saved mine too.


    His yellow eyes glanced up to meet hers, and he looked a bit uncomfortable. ¡°Is there something wrong, Katrina?¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, sorry.¡± She chuckled, ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything, really.¡±


    Alektor sighed, again placing the scroll on the table. ¡°If this is about what you saw in my Dunam Dae Espa, think nothing more on it. That version of me is often a nuisance, and whatever he said to you is meaningless. These are sacrifices that people in my position must make. I have no time for distractions, or foolishness.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what you call it.¡± A wry smile came across her face. ¡°Come on, he wasn¡¯t so bad. I thought he was kind of charming. You should let him out once in a while.¡±


    Alektor¡¯s face twitched in irritation as he shook his head. ¡°I do, let him out, most of the time in fact. But when I am in battle, or speaking with foreign dignitaries, or generally can¡¯t be distracted, he goes away.¡±


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Katrina knew he was probably telling the truth. And from what she knew of the man, it really made sense. He was a generally stoic guy to begin with, but sometimes he was just a blank slate of reason and logic. But he wasn¡¯t all bad she supposed. When she healed him, she was genuinely relieved that he survived. A bit of heat rose in her cheeks as she looked at him. No! she thought, surprised at her reaction. Ew, absolutely not. Alektor was the High King, and far too cold and calculative. She tilted her head, then again. He was strong, and reliable, and handsome too. NO! She thought again, what the hell is going on with you, Kat!?


    ¡°Are you well?¡± Alektor leaned forward, narrowing his eyes at her. ¡°You seem¡­ a bit off.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good!¡± She blurted out, a bit louder than she intended. ¡°I was just, uh¡­ thinking about what you said.¡± She started to feel a bit of panic coming over her, but the warmth of the tea numbed her inhibitions. Was she starting to have feelings for this guy? After everything they had endured? No, she thought. You¡¯re just lonely after Daniel ran off with your master. She groaned inwardly, God this is so ridiculous.


    ¡°So¡­ is he in there right now?¡± She wasn¡¯t sure why she asked as soon as the question left her lips. But again, the warm feeling from the tea kept her anxiety at bay.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You know, you said that he¡¯s out most of the time.¡± She gestured around the empty room. ¡°No one¡¯s here for you to fight, or scheme against politically. So, are you whole, right now?¡±


    Alektor all but rolled his eyes. And took a long breath, no doubt preparing himself for an uncomfortable conversation. ¡°I am whole at the moment, yes.¡±


    Katrina smiled, ¡°Good, so we can continue our conversation then. The one we had in your Dunam Dae Espa? I believe we left off when you were calling me a beautiful spirit.¡± She looked up in mock contemplation. ¡°Or was it, I was the ¡®most¡¯ beautiful creature you¡¯d ever seen before? I don¡¯t remember. Could you remind me?¡±


    Her smile disappeared when she noticed his expression. It was one of horror and¡­ was that embarrassment?


    ¡°This is highly inappropriate, Katrina.¡± He grumbled, his fingers fidgeting.


    ¡°Oh, relax.¡± She waved him off. ¡°I¡¯m just teasing you. You don¡¯t have to be a sourpuss all the time, you know? We can make jokes every once in a while. We saved the entire kingdom from a demonic invasion. We deserve to laugh about something don¡¯t we? God, you remind me of Daniel when I first met him. All business.¡± She made a serious face, mocking Daniel¡¯s glare. ¡°We¡¯ve got a mission, Kat. We¡¯ve got to stick together.¡± She said in a low and ridiculous voice.


    ¡°Sound advice.¡± Alektor leaned back, crossing his arms and seeming to relax slightly.


    ¡°Yeah, well it took me months to get his sense of humor out.¡± She leaned forward, grinning. ¡°So, consider this challenge accepted.¡±


    Alektor¡¯s mouth curled into the barest of smiles. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ve ever been this open or casual with me, Katrina.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡± She blew a raspberry. ¡°We fought a demon horde together. I saved your life. You saved mine, we¡¯re besties now.¡±


    Alektor¡¯s smile finally broke into a smirk. ¡°It¡¯s the tea, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Katrina hung her head. ¡°It¡¯s strong stuff. But hey, it worked. I¡¯m feeling pretty warm and cosey.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it.¡± Alektor stood, making his way toward the entrance. ¡°After some time, your body will no longer react this way. I¡¯ll have an attendant bring you some.¡± The doors slid open, and just like that, he was gone.


    ¡°Sheesh.¡± Katrina let out a held breath. ¡°I am so out of practice.¡±


    ~


    Daniel stared coldly at the dozens of flaming balls that hovered in the air around the stone box that held Demessa¡¯s body within. After three days of mourning, Alektor and the council had pushed forward with her funeral. A chorus of haunting wails set the tone of the event. One of great sadness and remorse, but also, strangely told a story of her bravery in the face of such evil. The Rexunii custom in Thule, was to lower the body into a great tomb, where the spirits would judge them, before guiding them to the spiritual realm. Where they would live in paradise, and eventually become spirits themselves.


    An odd custom, but no stranger than anything he had seen back home. He said a silent prayer for her, hoping that she would find her way.


    ¡°She died defending her child from the demon.¡± Avria whispered beside him. ¡°Moments after giving birth¡­ Such a tragic fate.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Daniel agreed. ¡°But she will be remembered forever for this.¡±


    ¡°Athica survived only by the barest of margins, apparently.¡± Avria continued. ¡°She hasn¡¯t said who it was who defeated the demon. And Lauren has denied that she was responsible.¡±


    ¡°So, who was it?¡± Daniel tilted his head toward her. ¡°What Dae has the power to defeat a demon? And defeat it outside of the influence of any weakening abilities?¡±


    ¡°I do not know¡­¡± Avria furrowed her brow. ¡°But the thought is troubling. Did you sense anything on its corpse when you inspected it?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing.¡± Daniel shook his head. Truly puzzled by it. ¡°There was absolutely no residual energy. And considering how badly broken the body was? I¡¯m surprised.¡±


    Daniel observed the rest of the funeral, and made his way with Avria to the gathering afterward. There, he met with Katrina, who was already partaking in the wine, as well as Delmos, who seemed oddly sober at such an event.


    ¡°I mean, we thought we were screwed, guys.¡± Katrina elaborated, spilling a bit of wine on her evening dress. ¡°But man, you should have seen him.¡± She smiled; her cheeks rosy, no doubt from the alcohol she had been drinking at an alarming rate. ¡°He just blew them away by the hundreds.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating.¡± Delmos mumbled, seeming morose. ¡°Alektor would have been overwhelmed like the rest of us if Daniel, Robert, and Avria hadn¡¯t closed the gate.¡±


    Katrina tilted her head at him, giving him a stern look. ¡°You¡¯re awfully sour tonight, Delmos. What the hell¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°Ambrosia.¡± Daniel coughed, nudging Katrina. Whose eyes bulged as she started to apologize.


    ¡°Oh yeah, I¡¯m so sorry about that.¡± She winced. ¡°How¡¯s she doing?¡±


    Delmos took an irritated breath but answered her. ¡°She¡¯s alive¡­ but lost her leg in the battle. She isn¡¯t a fighter¡­ but fought anyway; she almost died defending Demessa.¡±


    ¡°Merits of a brave warrior, regardless. She will be honored for her deeds.¡± Avria said, her voice full of sincerity.


    Delmos hung his head. ¡°I feel like a fool for how I talked about her. She¡­ isn¡¯t who I imagined I would be with. But I respect her, and pray the spirits grant her a speedy recovery.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of not imagining who would hit it off.¡± Katrina nudged Daniel, gesturing with her head toward the far side of the gathering.


    Daniel turned to see Turak and Nasha leaning against the wall, and standing very close to one another. ¡°You don¡¯t say.¡± He said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Didn¡¯t he almost kill her during the battle of Vul De Rah.?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, he did.¡± Avria replied, ¡°Nasha is a complex creature though. She likes men who can overpower her. So, I am not surprised.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Katrina said, rolling her eyes. ¡°What girl in her right mind would start out hating someone, then suddenly realize they had a huge crush on them from the beginning?¡±


    Daniel stifled a laugh as he took a sip from his bowl of wine. Earning him a glare from Avria.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough of that.¡± She huffed at Daniel, then turned to Katrina. ¡°And you have had far too much to drink already. This is a funeral for Demessa, for the sake of the spirits, compose yourselves.¡±


    ¡°We meant no disrespect, Avria.¡± Katrina said, scanning the room. ¡°But you¡¯re right. We should probably find Robert and pay our respects.¡±


    After several minutes of searching, they found Robert on an adjacent balcony, speaking with Alektor and Athica. Daniel, followed by Katrina, Avria, and Delmos approached them hesitantly as to not interrupt any private conversation. Once they were noticed, however, Robert waved them over.


    ¡°Hey Rob.¡± Daniel greeted, ¡°How are you holding up?¡±


    ¡°Alright, considering everything.¡± He answered numbly.


    ¡°We¡¯re so sorry.¡± Katrina said, hugging him. ¡°Anything you need, you let us know.¡±


    ¡°I hope we aren¡¯t interrupting anything.¡± Avria said, bowing her head toward Alektor.


    ¡°No.¡± Alektor glanced at Robert and Athica. ¡°In fact, we were going to come find you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Katrina perked up. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about the other demon.¡± Alektor said, his voice was low and serious. ¡°And who managed to destroy it.¡±


    ¡°We were just talking about that.¡± Daniel nodded toward Avria. ¡°Any thoughts on who or what it was?¡±


    Alektor turned his head toward Athica, who took a calming breath before answering. ¡°It was¡­ Captain Malak, of King Reku¡¯s personal guard.¡±


    ¡°Malak?¡± Daniel asked, somewhat in disbelief. ¡°I knew the guy was a capable warrior, but powerful enough to kill a demon?¡±


    ¡°As you are all aware, only spiritually augmented Dunamis can harm true demons¡± Alektor stated. ¡°Normal Dunamis is almost entirely ineffective. Hence, why a Dae as powerful as Telmos wasn¡¯t able to stop the demon who attacked Lady Demessa.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Katrina nodded. ¡°So, how were you able to kill them? You¡¯re just a normal Dae¡­ aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I am¡­¡± Alektor paused, considering something before he continued. ¡°I am not a normal Dae. My mother, was¡­ IS an ascended.¡±


    Athica covered her mouth in surprise. ¡°Highness¡­ that is¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing about them a lot.¡± Daniel crossed his arms. ¡°Aren¡¯t they ancient Dae who killed and absorbed spirits or something?¡±


    ¡°With the most basic explanation, yes.¡± Alektor continued. ¡°But, I will explain that later. We believe that Captain Malak is an ascended as well.¡±


    ¡°His eyes glowed white before he attacked the demon.¡± Athica interjected. ¡°It didn¡¯t even stand a chance against him. After it was slain, he asked me to keep it a secret¡­ but I just couldn¡¯t. He saved my life, and the life of our child. We must speak to him.¡±


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Daniel held his hands up. ¡°Can you enlighten me, please? Why are the ascended not helping us right now? The spirits sure as hell aren¡¯t. They just abandoned their forest when the gate was opened.¡±


    ¡°Another mystery we must solve.¡± Alektor sighed. ¡°I will save the history lesson about the ascended for another time. For now, we must find Malak, and convince him to help us recruit the rest of the ascended who still live. With Dio¡¯Mar still out there, and the other humans still scheming against us. We must be prepared for another incursion. Which means gathering as many powerful allies as possible.¡±


    ¡°Lauren said the main gate is somewhere in the center of our continent.¡± Robert said.


    ¡°Right in the middle of Visoth territory.¡± Alektor grumbled. ¡°We have a hard road ahead if we are going to stop it from opening. The Visoth are¡­ troublesome, even in the best of times.¡±


    Daniel walked toward the edge of the balcony, placing his hands on the stone railing and looking down at the palace courtyard. ¡°So, we¡¯ve got our work cut out for us. It can¡¯t be worse than what we¡¯ve already been through, right?¡±


    ¡°It is my experience.¡± Avria started. ¡°That asking such a question usually brings a disappointing answer. It can always be worse, Daniel.¡±


    ¡°At first light, we will assemble the council again.¡± Alektor said. Joining Daniel at the edge of the balcony. ¡°From there, we will formulate our next move.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Daniel sighed, looking out over the city of Vul De Rah, a place that had become his home. In a Kingdom he was now sworn to protect. ¡°Let¡¯s get started then.¡±


    THE END of book 2

 Chapter 1 - Book 3 (Revelations)

    Daniel stared up at the sky, dark and foreboding. The sun, a black stain on the once luminate heavens above them. He could hear snarls and monstrous curses from all around him. The screaming of people, old and young, tore at his soul, yet still he gazed above, unable to tear his eyes from the horror of what he saw. Locusts and flying beasts that brought violence and death to everyone around him. He couldn¡¯t breathe, for the fear that gripped him was too heavy upon his chest. How could this happen? He gnashed his teeth in futility at the wrath that bore down upon the world. It¡¯s vile festering now too obscene to ignore. ¡°I¡­ must¡­ save them¡­¡± He croaked through a dry throat. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ let them¡­¡±


    Daniel¡¯s eyes opened as he woke with a heavy breath. He sat upright, wiping his drenched forehead, and sighed in relief. ¡°Just a dream¡­¡± He whispered to himself, the last vestiges of the horrific and vivid nightmare he had, fading to his subconscious. He turned to his open balcony, noting the early hour, as the sun was barely peaking over the distant hills. He shook his head, knowing that sleep would be nearly impossible now, and resigned himself to starting the day.


    After bathing and donning his Rexunii Hego¡¯s cloak, he made his way down to the lower floors of his new accommodations within Rexun. Alektor had seen fit to name him Hego of any territory he wished within Rexun. He chose the furthest northern city, more of a fortress than a city, really. But droves of Rexunii clansmen flocked to the territory when word had spread that a Spirit-Sent would be leading them. Daniel grumbled at the thought; he wasn¡¯t a leader, or didn¡¯t feel like one at least. The position had been thrust upon him, but whether he liked it or not, he had a duty to these people.


    He opened a heavy stone door that slid to the side, granting him access to his breakfast hall.


    ¡°My Hego.¡± The monotone voice of his ward rang like a dull scrape.


    ¡°Morning, Seth.¡± Daniel replied, being rewarded with the slightest twitch of annoyance at the use of his abbreviated name for the man. Seruthos, was just too much of a mouthful to say every single time.


    ¡°There are a great many things we must attend to today, my Lord.¡± Seruthos turned and made his way to a large table, laid with a sparce assortment of food and drink. Daniel couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly guilty with the constant abundance of food that was on the table when he first arrived here. He made it a point to tell the cooks only to prepare meals for people who were present; so as not to waste. It was a futile gesture, but it made him feel a bit better.


    He sat with a grunt, said a silent prayer, then began eating. As he did, he waved his hand to get Seruthos to start with the morning¡¯s report.


    ¡°As the week before, my Lord. We have another large group of pilgrims who have arrived from the South.¡± Seruthos lifted a scroll, his light blue face a mask of pure indifference. ¡°Only this time there is a rather large group from Visgo territory. Nearly four hundred. Most likely an entire town that decided to migrate.¡±


    Daniel nodded along. A whole town just uprooted themselves and left to come here. For me? He thought, shaking his head. ¡°How many in total?¡± he asked around a mouthful of food.


    ¡°Altogether, they are numbered three thousand two hundred and forty-seven; Men, women, and children, my Lord.¡±


    ¡°Do we even have room for them all?¡± Daniel sat back in his chair, wiping his mouth with a cloth. ¡°Or jobs? Or food? Last week there were two thousand, fifteen hundred in the three weeks before that. We need some help here.¡±


    ¡°As much as it pains us all to see such things, my Lord.¡± Seruthos shrugged, examining the scroll further. ¡°This was not unexpected. Might I suggest appealing to the High King for artisans and builders?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Daniel shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to call Alektor just yet. Let¡¯s try and figure this out ourselves. If we can¡¯t, then we can reach out.¡±


    ¡°I fear that by the time we finally decided to do that, it would be too late¡­ my Lord.¡± Seruthos gave Daniel a blank stare, but he was right.


    ¡°No pressure.¡± Daniel chuckled, taking a sip from his morning brew. I know how to delegate, he thought. I mean, it was only a platoon of Marines, but I was able to train, maintain, and care for them. What¡¯s the difference between thirty and thirty thousand?


    ¡°I want you to reach out to the migrants, Seth.¡± Daniel spoke with determination and authority. ¡°Assemble any and all Dae-Voh craftsmen or builders they have with them. The first thing we need to do is establish permanent housing. As for food and supplies?¡± He tilted his head to the side, a slight grin appearing on his face. ¡°We¡¯ll open a trade route straight to Vul De Rah. It¡¯s only a few days travel from here, and they¡¯ve got plenty.¡±


    Seruthos raised an eyebrow at his last statement. ¡°Are you sure the Lokkadonians would freely trade with Rexunii merchants? It hasn¡¯t happened in quite some time.¡±


    ¡°They better.¡± Daniel chuckled. ¡°My fianc¨¦ is the princess after all. She¡¯s got some weight behind her. I trust her to make it happen. Besides, we¡¯ve got lots of new and exotic things the Lokkadonians have never seen before. They¡¯d love to trade with us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure¡­¡± Seruthos drew out the last word. ¡°They will be lining up to purchase our finest furs and bone trinkets¡­¡±


    ¡°Sarcasm does not do you justice, Seth.¡± Daniel stifled a laugh but gestured for him to continue.


    ¡°As you command...¡± Seruthos¡¯ eyes fell back to the rolled parchment in his hands and began again. ¡°Next is the matter of your betrothal to Princess Avria. King Telmos has suggested a date of later this year, but High King Alektor is pressing to have it done within the month.¡± His eyes lazily lifted to meet Daniel¡¯s. ¡°The final decision is yours, my Lord. Princess Avria has apparently left it to your discretion.¡±


    ¡°What was Telmos¡¯ reason for pushing it back?¡±


    Seruthos took a slow breath, before squinting at the scroll again. ¡°Something along the lines of¡­ having time to warm the seat you now sit upon before moving. And High King Alektor¡¯s argument is that high courtly matters are far more complex than the area you now find yourself in. He believes the experience you gain here will be¡­ a waste of time.¡±


    Daniel shook his head, a bit of guilt creeping in. ¡°It kinda sucks though; me taking off, just as a bunch of people are leaving everything behind.¡±


    ¡°In all honesty, my Lord. If they came all this way to live in an underdeveloped town¡­ They would most likely follow you to Vul De Rah as well. Which, I might add is a far better place for them than here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right, Seth.¡± Daniel stretched as he stood. ¡°Is that everything?¡±


    Seruthos blinked lazily and let a large portion of the scroll unravel to the floor. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, my Lord.¡±


    ~


    It took another two hours or so for Daniel to finish with his testy ward. Seth was a very capable Dae, but had never fully adapted to Daniel¡¯s arrival here. This was something he was more than familiar with. Any time he was promoted in the Marines, or moved to another squad as a squad leader or a platoon as a platoon sergeant; It always rattled some cages. He wouldn¡¯t have to deal with it for much longer though. Daniel would be gone soon, back in Vul De Rah where he belongs, and Seth could again resume his governorship of this territory.


    He made his way to the practice yard, going over forms and blade exercises before he could be pulled away for another meeting. Things always seemed simpler when a weapon was in his hand. After another hour he sat on one of the surrounding stone benches, letting his thoughts wander before a familiar voice intruded upon his solitude.


    ¡°Just barely given a chair of authority and already running away to hide?¡± Daniel turned around to see the grinning face of Delmos of house Regios, sauntering toward him with an exaggerated gate. ¡°What would my poor sister think of you?¡±


    Daniel shot from his seat and clasped Delmos¡¯ arm in greeting. ¡°I was wondering when your lazy ass would make it out here. You were supposed to be here days ago.¡±


    ¡°Days?¡± Delmos reeled. ¡°I recall our last communication was along the lines of, ¡®I¡¯ll see you next week.¡¯ Technically, I am still honoring that commitment.¡±


    ¡°Well, at least you¡¯re here. I¡¯m dying of boredom with all this.¡± Daniel gestured around. ¡°There isn¡¯t anything to do anymore except listen to Seth mule on about bullshit, and practice my forms out here.¡±


    ¡°Dan, it¡¯s only been a couple months since the battle.¡± Delmos¡¯ face went more serious than usual, which was significant for the man. ¡°We¡¯re rebuilding in Vul De Rah, and the people expect us to show them that peace can prevail. Boredom is the least of your worries.¡± He placed his hand on Daniel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Besides, Katrina is fitting into her role as Hego far better than you are. She and Avria are speaking daily on many issues; She¡¯s a natural.¡±


    Daniel chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not doing a bad job out here, Delmos. The people have been happy so far. It¡¯s just after everything that happened. Adjusting to peacetime is difficult. I¡¯ll manage though; I always do.¡± Daniel looked at Delmos, a bit unsure if he should even ask his next question. After several moments, he decided to just go for it. ¡°How¡¯s Ambrosia doing?¡±


    Delmos tensed at the question and his demeanor changed completely. ¡°She¡¯s recovering still. After you healed her, I thought things would go back to normal. But she is haunted by that night.¡± Delmos shook his head, letting out a deep sigh. ¡°She¡¯s here with me if you¡¯d like to speak with her.¡±


    ¡°I would.¡± Daniel said, patting Delmos on the shoulder. ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    Ambrosia was still sitting in the stone carriage that had brought them. As Daniel approached, she made eye-contact with him, and much to her credit, she exited the carriage, bowing at the waist. ¡°Spirit-Sent.¡± She began; her voice far more subdued than Daniel remembered. ¡°It is a great honor to see you again.¡±


    ¡°And you, Princess.¡± Daniel said, smiling at her. ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re moving around again. I¡¯d like you both to join me inside; maybe grab a late lunch?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± She bowed again, raising her arm up. Delmos dashed forward, locking it within his own. As they began moving, Daniel noticed a very distinct limp from her. During the attack, she had apparently defended Demessa with all she had. Before the demon crushed her body against the stone wall and sliced her leg off. Daniel did what he could to heal her when he returned, but there wasn¡¯t anything he could do about her severed leg; at least for now.


    They made their way back into the keep and sat in the dining hall for their late lunch. A healthy assortment of food was placed there already. Daniel took his seat at the head of the table, after Ambrosia and Delmos had found their own.


    There was very little conversation between the three of them while they ate, a morbid atmosphere seemingly too thick around them to breach. Daniel cleared his throat, getting their attention before breaking the awkward silence. ¡°I have been told that you are having trouble sleeping, Princess.¡±


    Ambrosia¡¯s hands stopped mid-motion while trying to finish the last of her plate. And her eyes darted toward Delmos, then back to Daniel. ¡°I¡­ am still recovering from my¡­ ordeal, Spirit-Sent. As you can imagine, there are some things we wish we could forget¡­ but can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I can imagine.¡± Daniel nodded, ¡°and we all have our own, personal, demons to battle. That used to be a figure of speech, where I¡¯m from, you know? But here, it¡¯s a dark and horrible reality.¡± Daniel could see her start to squirm under the scrutiny but pressed on. ¡°You cannot allow them to win, Ambrosia. They will claw at you, taunt you, curse you, and try to break you at every turn. If you let them, they will absolutely devour you. More than the scars of the body are the wounds within the mind. Wounds that I know all too well.¡±


    ¡°Why are you saying these things to me, Daniel?¡± She asked, her uneasiness turning to irritation. ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°You fought against a demon, Ambrosia.¡± Daniel interrupted her, leaning forward on the table. ¡°No matter the odds, you stood between IT and Demessa and her baby. An act, so brave and selfless, it would put any of the Dae heroes of your past to shame.¡± He locked his eyes with hers, seeing the emotion building behind them. ¡°That strength doesn¡¯t just disappear; it¡¯s who you are. Use it to win your mind back.¡±


    ¡°You make it sound so simple.¡± Ambrosia bristled, but it had no bite. ¡°How do you stop the visions? The flashes of memories that appear when you least expect it?¡±


    ¡°There is no definitive answer.¡± Daniel replied, sitting back in his chair. ¡°Everyone has their own way of getting past it. But it does help to talk about it. And you will always have an ear for that with me. And with your dutiful fianc¨¦ here.¡±


    Delmos placed his hand on hers. Genuine sincerity in his expression.


    A single tear spilled down her cheek, before she wiped it away quickly and her steely expression returned. ¡°I thank you for your kind words, Daniel. They mean a great deal to me. And I am happy that my mate-to-be is so concerned that he would discuss my wellbeing with his friends.¡±


    ¡°We need to look out for each other.¡± Daniel continued, an air of warning coming from him. ¡°Because our enemy is still out there. Waiting for a chance to strike against us, and if we¡¯re not prepared? We lose everything.¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ~


    Katrina let out a burst of laughter, nearly spilling the contents of her wine bowl all over her evening dress.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ruin your dress, Kat.¡± Nasha teased, trying desperately not to laugh at her own joke. ¡°It looks fantastic on you. I¡¯d hate to see it destroyed.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine.¡± Katrina waved her off, then wiped a wayward tear from her eye. ¡°God, I¡¯m so glad you decided to come up here with me, Nasha. I¡¯d be dead meat if you hadn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You would have survived, Kat.¡± Nasha batted her eyelashes, taking a sip of wine. ¡°Albeit, not as easily. Ruling a territory is hard work, you know? And the dry old nobles that live up here are dreadful.¡±


    Katrina smiled, then took a moment to look over the grand hall, where the party that she had organized was in full swing. Dae lords and ladies were dancing in the center of the hall to a very sophisticated piece of music. Servants weaved in and out of tables and groups of nobles who sat or stood, locked in conversation.


    She let out a breath of satisfaction. The last two months had been a verifiable nightmare of logistics and on-the-job training as Hego of the Northern provinces of Lokkadonia. But Vul De Mar was a magnificent city; just a bit larger than Vul De Rah, the new capital of their clan. However, King Yomin, the previous ruler of Lokkon, had spent decades transforming this city into the quintessential hub of culture and wealth within the clan. He was a fool and a tyrant, but Katrina could appreciate his accomplishment.


    ¡°Gone somewhere again?¡± Nasha asked, pulling her from her thoughts.


    ¡°No, I just¡­ it¡¯s amazing what we¡¯ve been able to do here.¡± Katrina recovered, pulling her bowl of wine up to drink.


    ¡°You have done a wonderful job, Katrina.¡±


    ¡°Please, me? Not a chance.¡± Katrina laughed, ¡°I just sat here losing my mind while you did all the heavy lifting.¡±


    ¡°My success is your success.¡± Nasha joked, shrugging her shoulders.


    Katrina took a tentative look at the entrance to the main hall. Then brought her attention back to Nasha.


    The Dae noble narrowed her eyes and grinned a sinister smile. ¡°Who are you waiting for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for, you, to go get us some more wine.¡± Katrina laughed, pushing the empty jar toward her.


    Nasha waved down one of the serving girls, then handed her the jar. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with the fact that our High King is due to join us tonight, but is fashionably late, would it?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Katrina narrowed her eyes warningly. ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t go around spreading any rumors either, Nasha.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who has noticed, by the way.¡± She said, wistfully stirring her wine with a finger. ¡°Turak has been telling me all~ about it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still seeing him?¡± Katrina was genuinely surprised at that. Turak was usually far away from a woman once he had gotten what he wanted from them.


    ¡°Is that so surprising?¡± Nasha asked, ¡°He is actually quite the charmer, once you get past the Rexunii savage aspect of him. And as for his fascination with me? Let¡¯s just say, I am more than capable of making sure he has nowhere else to look, when I¡¯m through with him.¡±


    Katrina raised an eyebrow, her interest peaked. ¡°Gross,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°Tell me more.¡±


    ¡°Trade secret, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Nasha pouted, ¡°but he has been talking about you and Alektor¡¯s sudden interest in you lately. Our esteemed High King doesn¡¯t have many confidants now that Reku has isolated himself, and Turak has been traveling up here every month. I noticed you two were getting a bit closer after the battle. But I thought it was just my imagination. It turns out my intuition was right once again.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stretch too far to pat yourself on the back yet, Nasha. You might pull something.¡± Katrina shook her head, but smiled at her ward¡¯s jabs. As much as she hated to admit it, she had found herself thinking about the man more often than she would have liked. But something romantic with him? It was out of the question. ¡°He and I are friends now. Is that so bad?¡±


    ¡°Men don¡¯t have ¡®friends¡¯ that are women, Kat.¡± Nasha rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re always a prospective mate to them. No matter who they are. Trust me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I will.¡± Katrina shivered at the thought. ¡°I¡¯d like to think the world isn¡¯t so black and white as that.¡±


    Nasha smirked and opened her mouth to answer, but the large doors at the grand halls¡¯ entrance slid open, revealing a Dae man, clad in fine velvet clothing and an elaborate grey royal cloak wrapped around his shoulders. Trimmed with thick white fur, and with golden embroidery that traced the edges. He wore a thin crown of bone upon his head, and strode into the hall with the confidence of a true warrior.


    ¡°High King, Alektor of house Roh!¡± The announcer called, before every occupant turned to face him, and bowed deeply at the waist.


    Katrina stood from her seat at the royal platform, an unintentional smile creasing across her face.


    Alektor walked forward, parting the partygoers as he moved past them, straight toward Katrina and Nasha¡¯s elevated position.


    As Alektor ascended the steps, the music and festivities continued. ¡°Hego, Katrina.¡± He said, nodding toward her in greeting. ¡°It is wonderful to see you again.¡±


    ¡°High King, Alektor.¡± She bowed, her smile growing. ¡°Likewise.¡±


    Alektor removed his cumbersome cloak, handing it to several serving girls who practically ran over each other to get it. ¡°I must admit, you have done a truly admirable job in organizing this territory. The council members are all impressed.¡±


    Katrina pointed toward Nasha, whose eyes widened in surprise. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have done any of this without her. Nasha has been invaluable to my efforts here.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Alektor shifted his gaze toward her. ¡°Then you are also due praise, Nasha of house Adomo. Thank you for your assistance and loyalty to the Spirit-Sent.¡±


    ¡°Anything for the crown, and the Spirit-Sent, your majesty.¡± Nasha said, bowing her head.


    ¡°I am pleased to hear it.¡± Alektor replied, ¡°Would you mind allowing me to speak with the Spirit-Sent in private, Lady Nasha?¡±


    ¡°Of course, your majesty!¡± Nasha sputtered, standing quickly and excusing herself from the table.


    Katrina placed her elbows on the table, steepling her fingers. ¡°So, what brings you all the way out here? It couldn¡¯t just be something as simple as you missed my company?¡±


    Alektor nodded, his stoic expression barely hiding his fatigue. ¡°I wish it were as simple as that, Katrina.¡±


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± She asked, more sincerity and concern in her voice than she intended. ¡°You don¡¯t look like you¡¯ve been getting any sleep, Alektor.¡±


    Alektor waved her off with his hand. ¡°Things have been hard to manage back in Vul De Rah. Or in Thule, for that matter. Multiple assassination attempts, on not just, my life, but Telmos and Avria as well.¡±


    ¡°The Espi-Dae again?¡± Katrina growled.


    ¡°We believed so at first. But upon further investigation, we determined that it was made to look like them for a reason. The source is outside of our borders, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°Out¡­ outside?¡± Katrina asked, puzzled. ¡°Who? Why?¡±


    ¡°We believe it is from our Eastern neighbors.¡± Alektor lifted his hand to gain the attention of a serving girl, who poured him a bowl of wine. ¡°The Visothian empire has long been our rival. Going as far as to meddle in our political affairs from time to time. But to attempt to assassinate kings and high kings? It is far beyond anything we believed them capable of.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the history there?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°Visoth is a temporal neighbor.¡± Alektor started, ¡°They¡¯ve been a thorn in our side for many centuries. But the last true war against them was nearly a thousand years ago. We¡¯ve had border skirmishes and violence since then; quite often actually. But never a full-scale war. Something else has spurred this on. I think you know where I am going.¡±


    ¡°Dio¡¯Mar.¡± Katrina spoke the name like a curse, feeling a deep anger rise from within her. ¡°That demon has caused so much death already.¡±


    ¡°And, if it is indeed her, will likely cause a great deal more.¡± Alektor shook his head, letting out a deep sigh. ¡°You are the first I have told of this, Katrina.¡±


    Katrina was taken aback and looked at him in astonishment. ¡°Really? What about Turak?¡±


    Alektor made it a point to glance at Nasha who was across the hall, conversing with several noble ladies. ¡°He has been quite occupied as of late. A strange development, given his nature. But a welcome one, I assure you.¡±


    ¡°Well.¡± Katrina smiled again. ¡°I appreciate your confidence in my ability to listen, and keep this information. But we need to tell the council about it, right?¡±


    ¡°We will.¡± Alektor pulled a small bit of parchment from his pocket, and handed it to Katrina.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± She asked, taking it and looking at the royal seal that was stamped on it.


    ¡°It is a royal summons.¡± He said, finishing off his wine and lifting his bowl to have it refilled. ¡°Our first full council meeting since before the battle. I wish to bring these findings up fully, during the meeting.¡±


    Katrina broke the seal, and pulled open the rolled paper, reading its contents. ¡°So, it¡¯s going to be next week?¡± Her eyes widened as she continued to read. ¡°Right before Daniel¡¯s wedding? He¡¯s getting married to Avria so soon?¡±


    Alektor nodded. ¡°It was his choice. Avria left it to his discretion, and he followed my advice to make it as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Katrina let the parchment fall to the table, a stab of emotional pain finding its way into her heart. ¡°I¡¯m happy for them.¡±


    ¡°I know it is difficult, Katrina.¡± Alektor said, reassuringly. ¡°What you did was admirable.¡±


    Katrina let out a sarcastic laugh. ¡°Yeah, he chose her over me. And I let him go with the person he really wanted; really admirable¡­¡± She caught herself, then hung her head in embarrassment. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± She brought her hands up to her cheeks and slapped them a couple times, regaining her composure. ¡°Forget about all that stuff. You and I need to relax a bit.¡± She stood, and made her way around the rather large table to his side. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She extended her hands to him, and he looked at her skeptically.


    ¡°Go, where?¡± He raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°To dance; this is my song.¡± She smirked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t dance, Katrina. And I don¡¯t believe you do either.¡±


    ¡°Slander.¡± She giggled, ¡°I absolutely have been learning. And I know you¡¯re all tough and too cool for school. But you need to relax a bit. Shake off all this stress that¡¯s killing you. Come on.¡±


    Alektor seemed to grumble inwardly while preparing his next protest, but Katrina reached down and grabbed his hands. Then she lifted him to his feet and began dragging him down to the dance floor.


    There were gasps and murmurs from all the surrounding nobles who frantically made space for them. Katrina quickly fell into step with the dances she had been learning, or, the dance that went along with this particular song at least. And was pleased to find that Alektor did, in fact, know the steps as well. The music was slow and emotional as she held on to him, allowing him to lead her. She felt a warmth in her chest as he did so, noting the cologne he wore, and how it sent a slight shiver down her spine. She wanted to tell herself that she was just searching for someone to hold onto, after Daniel had left her. But in truth, after the battle, she had been thinking about him quite a bit.


    ¡°You seem very tense, Katrina.¡± Alektor commented, as he took her through a twirl.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± She laughed awkwardly. ¡°You¡¯re pretty good at this.¡±


    ¡°As a member of the royal house, it is my duty to know these things. Though I would prefer never to set foot on a dance floor.¡± He grumbled.


    ¡°You¡¯re fine. Just live a little. Enjoy this with me.¡±


    They danced together for nearly an hour, making light conversation as they did so, until finally they both decided it was time to take a break, and moved back to the royal platform.


    Katrina sat with a huff next to Alektor, and before she could even raise her hand, serving girls brought them chilled wine to cool off. She drank deeply of the refreshing beverage and let out a breath of satisfaction. ¡°That hits the spot.¡± She tilted her head towards Alektor, who was enjoying his own chilled wine. ¡°Feel better?¡±


    He took a long breath, before nodding. ¡°I will say that it was¡­ pleasant.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Katrina smiled, then leaned back in her chair. ¡°You know¡­ I¡¯m glad you came out here, Alektor. I didn¡¯t realize how much I missed our little conversations. And now that I know you can dance?¡± Her smile broadened.


    ~


    Robert winced at the sharp pain that shot through his left arm.


    ¡°How¡¯s that, your highness?¡± The physician asked, standing back from him to observe his work.


    Robert lifted the prosthetic arm, flexing it and moving his fingers, amazed at the strange sensation of feeling again. ¡°It¡¯s very good.¡±


    ¡°Excellent! I am so pleased you like it, your highness.¡± The physician practically bounced with joy. ¡°It was made to fit your body specifically. My team and I worked tirelessly on it for weeks.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate it.¡± Robert said, standing and putting his leather shirt back on. ¡°My attendant will take care of the payment.¡±


    ¡°A thousand thanks, your majesty! Please keep us in mind if you have any issues, you would like tended to in the future.¡±


    Robert left the facility, a renowned physician¡¯s office in the center of Vul De Rah, where he was referred by King Telmos. Guards fell-in beside him as he made his way back to the Palace, but he hardly noticed them. Each step he took was hollow, much like he felt after the battle. Demessa¡¯s death had broken something within him, turned his thoughts from pain to indifference. And he would have fallen completely into darkness were it not for his children, who needed him, now more than ever.


    He had almost made his way back to Pontos the month before. At the request of Queen Athica, who was very homesick at this point. But after the attempts on Alektor¡¯s life, as well as Avria¡¯s and Telmos¡¯ near assassinations, he decided to air on the side of caution and stay in Vul De Rah.


    As he made his way into the palace, a servant approached him, bowing at the waist and handing him a small piece of parchment, rolled and sealed. ¡°Highness, your presence is being requested in the council chambers.¡±


    Robert took the scroll from the servant, then made his way to the council chambers, finding several people already there. King Telmos, Princess Avria, Lord Turak, and Queen Athica all sat at the large table in the center of the room.


    ¡°Reku.¡± Telmos said, raising his hands in greeting. He grunted in pain as he attempted to stand, but Avria put her hand on his shoulder, keeping him in his chair. ¡°How did it go with Dego? He¡¯s the best physician in Vul De Rah for that sort of thing.¡±


    Robert lifted his new prosthetic arm, flexing his fingers for Telmos. ¡°He did a fine job. I appreciate your recommendation.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful.¡± Telmos gestured to an open seat. ¡°Now, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wondering why you¡¯re here. As you might know, that little letter that you got, we all have. It¡¯s a council summons from the High King. Who is currently on his way back from Vul De Mar, with Hego Katrina. He wants to have the meeting before or after Avria¡¯s and Daniel¡¯s wedding.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to jump on it so quickly.¡± Avria huffed. ¡°There are so many things that we need to do in preparation. But Daniel is anything but patient when it comes to things like this.¡±


    ¡°It was your decision to leave it up to him, my dear.¡± Telmos chided. ¡°I told you to wait for some time.¡±


    ¡°Regardless, here we are.¡± She waved her hand in frustration, then turned to Athica. ¡°Have you been in contact with Lord Rymo in Visgo?¡±


    ¡°We have,¡± Athica gave Robert a tentative glance. ¡°All reports from Pontos seem to be well in order. What about from Daniel? How is he faring in his new position?¡±


    ¡°A position he won¡¯t have for much longer.¡± Turak commented, earning a chuckle from Telmos.


    ¡°Why is Alektor calling this meeting?¡± Robert asked, his voice gruff and tired. Everyone looked at him, seeming to take note of his foul mood.


    ¡°We were going to get to that, Reku.¡± Avria said, narrowing her eyes. ¡°It most likely has to do with the attempts on his, and our, lives. Our findings were disturbing, and he is most likely trying to prevent another war.¡±


    ¡°They think we¡¯re weak.¡± Robert said, tapping his finger on the table. ¡°They believe that killing one of us will destabilize us enough for them to invade, right?¡±


    ¡°That would be my conclusion, as well.¡± Avria agreed, ¡°but we must be sure. The Visoth are a powerful people. Their empire has been breathing down our neck for centuries.¡±


    ¡°So, why now?¡± Robert asked, looking at each of them. ¡°Why not attack when we were in the middle of a civil war? It would have been much easier to do then.¡± His gaze intensified, as each of them shifted uncomfortably. ¡°This has Dio¡¯Mar written all over it.¡± He clenched his fists in anger. ¡°If she¡¯s pulling the damn strings, there isn¡¯t any hope for peace.¡±


    ¡°If that is the case.¡± Avria met Robert¡¯s eyes. ¡°Then we will have to defend ourselves.¡±


    Robert said nothing for the rest of the meeting, allowing the others to make the decisions for him. He didn¡¯t care about the little things. There were far more qualified people on the council for things like that. Afterward, he made his way to Athica¡¯s chambers. Passing a dozen royal guards, he entered her room, and saw his children in the hands of two wetnurses, who were pleasantly chatting with one another. As soon as he entered, they both shot up and bowed to him.


    ¡°Highness.¡± They both said in unison.


    Robert nodded, approaching them slowly. A smile creased his face as he looked down at his children. ¡°How are they doing?¡± He asked, the weight of sorrow being lifted the moment he saw them.


    ¡°James is well, your highness. Hungry and strong.¡± The wetnurse said, holding his and Demessa¡¯s son up so he could see him more clearly.


    Robert gently brushed the child¡¯s head, then turned to the other.


    ¡°Diana is faring exceedingly well too, your highness.¡± The other nurse said.


    Robert peaked into the bundle, seeing his daughter with Athica, sleeping soundly within the comfortable blanket. She had been born only three weeks ago, and Robert made sure he was there for it. Nothing would have stopped him.


    The door slid open again, and Athica entered, stopping in surprise when she met his eyes.


    ¡°Reku.¡± She said, stepping forward slowly. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    He nodded, looking again at his children, feeling the warmth of love in his chest. ¡°Yeah, everything¡¯s great.¡±

 Chapter 2 - Book 3 (Revelations)

    Daniel stepped from his stone carriage, stretching his arms and legs out after hours on the road. He looked up at the tall spires of Vul De Rah¡¯s palace and let out a sigh of relief. Home sweet home, he thought. It feels good to be back. He made his way inside the palace from the courtyard and was greeted at the door by a group of half a dozen royal guards. Daniel greeted them with a salute before they led him inside. He passed the familiar halls of the palace. Halls that now felt as much a home to him as his old apartment back in his own world. My old world, he corrected himself. Pelemont, for better or worse, was his home now. And any thought to the contrary, he now rejected.


    He entered the council chambers; where Telmos, Turak, Athica, Robert, Delmos and Ambrosia were now sitting. They paused from their discussion, bringing their attention to him, and Daniel greeted them each as he approached the table.


    ¡°It is so good to see you again, Daniel.¡± Telmos spread his arms out in greeting.


    ¡°King Telmos.¡± Daniel smiled, grasping the king¡¯s arms before he could attempt to stand. His body was now mostly healed. But from the pained look on his face, there was still a fair bit left to go.


    ¡°Avria is out at the moment, but should be back any minute.¡± Telmos continued. ¡°She would never admit it, but she has missed you greatly.¡±


    ¡°Of course she has.¡± Robert said, approaching Daniel and embracing him. ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t miss a mug like this?¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s everything, Rob?¡± Daniel asked, just low enough that only Robert could hear him.


    ¡°Surviving.¡± He smiled, but there was no emotion behind it. ¡°What about you? It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±


    ¡°Eager to get things moving, finally.¡± Daniel shrugged. ¡°Been sitting on my ass for the last few months.¡±


    ¡°Well, there won¡¯t be much more of that.¡± Delmos chimed in, ¡°From what people are saying about this meeting Alektor called. There¡¯s trouble to the East.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s High King Alektor, Delmos.¡± Telmos corrected sternly. ¡°I will not have you speaking in such a casual manner when he arrives.¡±


    Daniel shook his head, unable to keep a grin from his face. ¡°High King Alektor should be here, shouldn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been up North.¡± Robert said bluntly. ¡°With Katrina, for probably four or five days now. He should be back today, from what we¡¯ve heard.¡±


    ¡°Interesting.¡± Daniel perked up.


    ¡°This was something you all should not be surprised by.¡± Ambrosia said, pouring herself a bowl of wine. ¡°High King Alektor has expressed interest in mating with a human for some time now.¡±


    ¡°I only thought she was a lost cause.¡± Delmos chuckled. ¡°After everything that happened. With her trying to kill him and all. I thought he was more interested in the other human.¡± He snapped his fingers, ¡°What was her name?¡±


    ¡°Lauren.¡± Robert answered, his voice low. ¡°And she is still the most likely choice. He hasn¡¯t expressed any romantic interest in Katrina as far as I know.¡±


    Daniel grunted in approval as he made his way toward the large table, reaching for the wine. As he started to pour it into his bowl, he noticed Athica sitting to his right. Quietly reading a scroll.


    ¡°Hey, Athica.¡± Daniel greeted her, gaining a puzzled look in return.


    ¡°That¡¯s Queen Athica.¡± Telmos corrected again. ¡°By the Spirits, you¡¯re all terrible at this. Etiquette is essential for a functional government.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Telmos.¡± Athica waved him off with a small smile. ¡°I am well, Hego Daniel. Thank you for asking.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Daniel took a sip of wine and sat down next to her. ¡°Congratulations, by the way; I heard you and Rob have a beautiful and healthy daughter.¡±


    Athica¡¯s face brightened with joy and she put her scroll down on the table. ¡°Thank you. Yes, we are very proud. You should come to see her soon.¡±


    ¡°Both of them.¡± Robert interrupted; his voice carrying a tinge of harshness.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Athica deflated slightly but recovered with a broad smile. ¡°It would be wonderful if you came to see them both.¡±


    Daniel was about to continue conversing with her but was interrupted by the slide of the main door to the chamber opening. A stern looking Avria strode in, pulling gloves from her hands and tossing them on a table as she passed.


    ¡°Another bloody skirmish on Baa¡¯Yega¡¯s Eastern border, Father.¡± She spat, pulling a report from a satchel at her side and scanning over its contents. ¡°Visoth bandits and brigands they¡¯re saying. Far too organized and well equipped if you ask me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, dear.¡± Telmos said, clearing his throat afterward.


    She glanced up from the report, looking slightly irritated but paused as her eyes met Daniel¡¯s. ¡°Daniel.¡± She said, much of her bluster now gone. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you so soon.¡±


    Daniel crossed his arms, appraising her. ¡°Nice to see you too.¡±


    She let out a small scoff as she made her way to him and captured him in an embrace. ¡°Forgive my absentmindedness. It has been extremely difficult these past few days. I am happy to see you.¡±


    ¡°Missed you too.¡± Daniel grinned, tightening his hug before releasing her and stepping away. ¡°So, what¡¯s all this business to the East?¡±


    ¡°Several violent skirmishes between Baa¡¯Yega border forces and Visoth bandits.¡± She replied with a tired sigh, turning to her father. ¡°Fifteen warriors are dead, father. It is a terrible tragedy.¡±


    Telmos grumbled, shaking his head in disappointment. ¡°And their losses?¡±


    ¡°Nearly fifty, according to the Baa¡¯Yega.¡± She turned back to Daniel, ¡°So, to answer your question, Daniel. It would seem we have our work cut out for us. If we are to maintain peace.¡±


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


    Daniel groaned inwardly at the prospect of another conflict. They had just finished with the last one, and that almost destroyed everything they held dear. Granted, that was technically not a war, and more of a valiant defense against an apocalyptic horde of demons. But the one before that was a war. Either way, it sounded like trouble. And if they could do anything to stop it, he was all for it.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do what it takes to keep it from getting out of hand.¡± Daniel declared, feeling a hand rest on his shoulder.


    Telmos had made his way to them and squeezed Daniel¡¯s shoulder affectionately. ¡°That is correct, Daniel. But we can speak more on that after High King Alektor arrives. For now, I want you and Avria to rest from your time on the road. I will arrange a private dinner for the two of you, tonight.¡±


    ¡°Father.¡± Avria said with reluctance. ¡°That is entirely unnecessary. There is still so much to do.¡±


    ¡°I will hear none of it.¡± Telmos gave her a stern glare, silencing any resistance. ¡°The two of you have not seen each other for months and will be joined in matrimony in a matter of days. This will do you both well.¡±


    ~


    Evening came, and true to his word, Telmos ensured that Daniel was escorted to the large balcony, adjacent to the ballroom in the palace. Daniel was actually very happy to abide by the King¡¯s demand that he and Avria spend some quality time together. After the battle, and the subsequent chaos, he was sent to his new territory. The preparations for their wedding were put on hold while the kingdom came back from the brink. During which time, Daniel had not seen Avria, and barely heard from her.


    He was not a sentimental man, by any means. But seeing her again earlier in the day stirred something within him. As he was led through the large opening to the balcony, a single table was assembled. Avria herself was standing at the far end of the balcony, resting her arms on the railing, overlooking the palace courtyard. She turned to face him with an elegance and grace that could humble any man. She wore a form fitting deep blue dress, her favored color, Daniel was starting to realize. With a silken shawl that hung around her shoulders to combat the night¡¯s chill.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Daniel said as he approached her, at a loss for words.


    Avria tilted her chin up at him, unable to keep a sly smile from her lips. ¡°Good evening.¡±


    Daniel caught himself staring at her, then gestured toward the table behind them. ¡°You hungry?¡±


    Avria¡¯s brilliant yellow eyes shined mischievously at him as her smile grew. She merely nodded at him and began walking toward the table. Daniel remembered his manners, pulling the chair out for her, which gained him a raised eyebrow. He shrugged it off thought; Dae custom or not, he was a gentleman.


    Daniel sat down across from her as a myriad of servants began laying an assortment of dishes before them. Immediately the aromas began to cause his mouth to water. After months of bland Rexunii food, he had forgotten what the esteemed cooks of Vul De Rah were capable of.


    ¡°I must apologize for earlier this afternoon, Daniel.¡± Avria broke the silence, her expression sincere. ¡°I find it difficult to change the functions of my mind so easily. I was very happy to see you again.¡±


    ¡°No worries.¡± Daniel replied, sipping from a freshly filled bowl of wine. ¡°We¡¯ve got important stuff going on. And the last thing we need is another war.¡±


    ¡°Yes, peace would do us all some good.¡± She agreed, then turned her face to the side, allowing Daniel a perfect view of her profile. ¡°Peace gives us all a chance to re-evaluate ourselves. To see our purpose and establish our goals.¡±


    He gave her a few seconds before he said anything, not wanting to interrupt her. ¡°And what have you figured out?¡±


    ¡°That life is fragile¡­¡± She said softly, continuing to stare off to the side. ¡°That, no matter what choices you make¡­ sometimes you are doomed to suffer.¡±


    ¡°That sounds pretty morbid.¡± Daniel grunted. ¡°We all suffer from one thing or another. Worrying about it is pointless.¡±


    She turned toward him, her eyes serious and focused. ¡°It isn¡¯t a weakness to worry for those you care about. Or want to be spared the spirit¡¯s judgment against you.¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you stop moving forward out of fear.¡± Daniel leaned forward, the true meaning of this conversation starting to reveal itself.


    ¡°I suppose you know a bit about what I am speaking on.¡± She sighed, picking up her bowl of wine.


    ¡°I lost everything when I came to this world, Avria. My family and my friends. Everything I knew, gone in an instant.¡± Daniel took a moment to gather his thoughts before he continued. ¡°Then I made friends here, and I met you. And I was able to move on¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever see my home again. But, after the time I¡¯ve spent here, I¡¯d be happier if I stayed.¡±


    Avria smiled at him knowingly, appraising him for several long moments. ¡°So, where do you see your future here?¡±


    ¡°Hopefully, fat and happy; surrounded by as many loving children as I can make.¡± Daniel chuckled, leaning back in his chair and staring at the sky. As he did, a subtle sense of dread began creeping into his mind like the silent march of spiders. War was coming, and he and everyone else knew it. Dio¡¯Mar wouldn¡¯t rest until their world was a smoldering ruin, covered in ash and death.


    ¡°Though it¡¯s unlikely.¡± He continued, looking back to meet her eyes. ¡°I want to live that life with you, Avria.¡±


    ¡°It will be hard fought.¡± She said solemnly.


    Daniel nodded in agreement. It would be hard fought indeed. But it was worth it, if the outcome was peace. At least for a while, he thought. Quickly quelling the pessimist in him that doubted. ¡°Then we fight for that future, with everything we have.¡±


    ¡°I agree, of course.¡± Avria¡¯s eyes looked distant again, as though a painful memory was just beneath the surface of them. ¡°Not just with the specifics of your future¡­ but with the unsaid truth of our potential demise. Even so, I will not allow fear to overcome the good that will come of it.¡± Again, her eyes focused on his; their glow pulling him into the memories of his time here with her. ¡°I trust you, Daniel.¡± Her voice was sincere and filled with a confidence that spread warmth throughout his heart. ¡°And I know that whatever may come our way. Whatever threat or violent foe may menace us, we will defeat it, together.¡±


    Daniel smiled at her words, letting the effect they had on him remain hidden under a mask. She was truly the most remarkable person he had ever met, in this world, or his last. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.¡± He said, taking another drink from his bowl of wine.


    ~


    As morning came, Daniel found himself revitalized and filled with confidence. His brief, but very welcome ¡®date¡¯ with Avria had done wonders for his mood. At set him on a proper path to begin the day, that was until he found himself alone in the breakfast hall. After a quick bite to eat, he made his way to the council chambers, where again, he found himself alone.


    Where the hell is everyone? He thought, asking a guard if he had seen anyone that morning. He was directed to the courtyard, where he was finally able to meet up with Avria, Robert, Delmos, and King Telmos. They were in the midst of some sort of preparation; overseeing a dozen Dae workers who were using their Dunamis to construct several elaborate archways.


    ¡°Morning.¡± Daniel called out as he approached.


    They all turned and greeted him appropriately, with the exception of Robert, who gestured toward a large stone archway. ¡°So, what do you think?¡±


    Daniel looked up at the masterfully constructed stone structure, admiring its detail and care. ¡°Looks¡­ nice. What is it?¡±


    Avria looked at him incredulously. ¡°The beginnings of our ceremony.¡± She said with a hint of irritation. ¡°High King Alektor should be arriving within the next several hours. Also, he has sent word that he wants to proceed with the ceremony as soon as tomorrow.¡±


    Daniel huffed, ¡°He never was very patient, was he.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Telmos chimed in, ¡°And he is determined to make this a ceremony to remember. Much like yours, Reku.¡±


    Robert shook his head, his eyes betraying his irritation at the memory. ¡°It was a damn spectacle, that¡¯s it. Your wedding will actually mean something.¡± He huffed the last words as he turned to face Avria and Daniel.


    ¡°Come on, Rob.¡± Daniel replied, ¡°You¡¯ve got to work something out with Athica sooner or later; if for anything, do it for the kids, man.¡±


    ¡°She tried to kill me, Dan. Tried to send me back to the Espi-Dae.¡± Robert narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Please.¡± Daniel scoffed. ¡°Avria tried to kill me at one point too; or¡­ wanted to. I can¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡± Delmos announced cheerily. ¡°I tried to kill you too; Dan. Must be a Regios tradition at this point.¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± Avria waved them off, locking eyes with Daniel. ¡°We should finish this up as quickly as possible, then make preparations for the High King¡¯s royal arrival. We can discuss Reku¡¯s spousal troubles at another time.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Robert crossed his arms, giving Avria a nod.