《The Black Coast》


 Prologue

    Warning - This chapter contains child abuse, violence, blood/gore, mild torture.


    The cellar was dark and damp like usual. Roy always felt uncomfortable coming down into the bowels of the family hold, there was no wood or steel here, just rock. Growing up in a dry docked ship he had come to respect wood and metal, those were trustworthy materials for a home. Stone seemed too brittle, too hard to work with. You had to keep your eye on stone, he always said.


    He crept down the stairs, still wearing his sleepwear, trying to be as quiet as he could so he didn¡¯t wake anyone upstairs. The last thing he needed was his mother and father finding him down here again. His back still hurt from the last time. The steps were well worn by the servants who frequently came down here. His parents stored their imported wine down here, apparently the stone helped with the flavor, or at least that¡¯s what they seemed to believe.


    Roy came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, the cellar was filled with storage shelves and casks of wine, though lately they had been draining the barrels at an alarming rate. He carried a silver tray with food and water, it was much easier to carry this down here now that he didn¡¯t have to try and hold a lantern as well. Just this last year his body began to awaken to its gifts, including the incredibly handy dark sight. Now the cellar seemed as bright as day. He walked over to the last barrel on the right in the back of the room. Reaching down he fiddled with the hidden clasp, the front of the cask opened like a door revealing a rough tunnel beyond it. Squeezing through the opening he made his way to his goal.


    The jingling of chains told him that she wasn¡¯t yet asleep. The tunnel was about twenty feet long terminating into a small box of a room. The size of the room couldn¡¯t be more than six feet by six feet, Roy could reach the ceiling on his toes. There, sitting up against the far wall was a young woman. She had a lean body, with angular features, she wore a filthy dress that didn¡¯t suit her at all. Despite her clothes condition, she was almost completely unblemished herself, her green eyes held a dangerous edge, her face mostly covered by her white hair. It broke Roy¡¯s heart to see his sister in such a state.


    ¡°Good evening Fia, sorry I¡¯m late. Mother and father were having a screaming match so I had to wait till they tired themselves out.¡± Roy sat on the dirt floor; it was pretty cramped between his sister, himself, the pile of dirty clothes in the corner and the bucket in the other. He put the tray on his crossed legs as he scooped a spoon full of soup, carefully holding the spoon out towards his sister''s mouth. Fia looked down at the soup and with a sigh she took the offered food.


    After swallowing Fia spoke up, her voice was growing more and more horse lately. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here Roy, if your parents find you-¡±


    Roy shot her a pained look. ¡°They¡¯re your parents too! They just need to figure out how to help you and we can go back to how we used to be!¡± His voice cracked from the stress.


    Fia laid her head on the wall behind her, closing her eyes. ¡°Roy, we¡¯ve talked about this. I don¡¯t need help, this isn¡¯t an illness.¡± Her voice was like that of an adult talking down to him.


    Slamming his dead hand into the dirt Roy shouted. ¡°Then how do you explain what happened?! One day you¡¯re my little sister who looked up to me, the next you''re almost a head taller than me and act completely differently!¡± His eyes began to sting and water. ¡°I was your hero! Remember?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Roy.¡± Fia¡¯s voice was raw with emotion. ¡°I do remember those days, I¡¯m still your sibling. I just can¡¯t be your sister like before.¡±


    ¡°Why? Was it something I did wrong?¡± Roy sobbed into his hands, his nose running down his face.


    Fia tried to move her hands down, but the chains around her wrists prevented her from doing that. ¡°Roy, please. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. You have to calm down, if mother and father hear yo-¡± The cellar light flashed on. ¡°Roy! You have to hide, now!¡± She hissed quietly.


    Roy scrambled into the corner, covering himself with the dirty laundry, he pulled the tray into the pile to hide it. Closing his eyes he held his breath and prayed.


    A pair of footsteps made their way into the small cell. Roy already knew that it was his parents, they were the only ones allowed to visit Fia. There was a gagging sound from his father as he spoke. ¡°I have smelled latrines that were less offensive than this wretched shit hole. Tell me Fia, has your time here finally helped you see the error of your ways?¡± His voice was a nasally, pompous tone. The pair still wore their dinner attire, his father was in a vest and dress shirt, while his mother wore a red dress.


    ¡°Hello Nigel, June. How are you this evening? I was just counting the pebbles in the wall, again.¡± Fia said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.


    A crack of leather on skin quickly followed as his mother¡¯s voice boomed. ¡°Hold your tongue you parasite! Every moment you waltz around in my daughter''s skin is a disgrace to her memory!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I had nothing to do with your daughter''s death. She died in childbirth!¡±


    ¡°Lies! You stole her soul, you witch! Then you tricked us with some spell to have us raise you as our child!¡± June¡¯s voice was on the verge of hysteria.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Roy burst out from the pile of clothes, the insanity of what he had just overheard was too much for him to bear. His parents gave a shriek at his sudden appearance as they drunkenly stepped back. Fia looked horrified. Roy stared forward, his eyes dark with rage. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    Nigel regained his composure as he moved forward, reaching out to grab Roy by the hair violently. ¡°We forbid you from coming here! Is this how the heir to our great house acts? Sneaking around like a rat! Why did my only child have to be such a waste, after all of the time and resources we¡¯ve sunk into your education. This house is doomed with you at its head.¡±


    ¡°Let him go!¡± Fia roared. She pulled at the chains in the wall, but her arms shook and lost their strength.


    June smiled. ¡°Not so tough now hm? It was worth it to poison your food for the better part of the last year, even a resilient parasite like you has their limits.¡± There was a wild look in her eyes. Like something was on the verge of snapping. She looked through Roy. ¡°My sweet boy, my only child!¡± She shoved Nigel aside as she kneeled down before Roy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Roy, your sister is dead, this thing ate her!¡±


    Roy turned to Fia, he had no idea what in the hells was happening. ¡°What are they talking about, you are my sister? Right?¡±


    Fia lowered her head. ¡°Roy¡­¡±


    ¡°If you aren¡¯t my sister, what the hells are you!¡± Roy screamed. It felt like someone had stabbed him in the chest.


    ¡°You are my brother! I¡¯m just not your sister! Roy, we aren¡¯t Twins, you know that already! We don¡¯t have the link! We¡¯re triplets Roy!¡± Fia¡¯s voice was distraught.


    Roy heard the thing that upset him most. Real Twins always had the link, with no exception. But for some reason he had never been able to connect with Fia like he was supposed to. It had always been a sore spot, but his parents were quick with some excuse or another as to why the link might not have worked. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what happened to my real Twin?¡±


    Fia¡¯s face fell. ¡°She was stillborn. Our parents lied, made me live my childhood as your sister, forced me into fancy dresses and pretended that we were just normal Twins. I¡¯m sorry Roy.¡±


    Nigel kicked Fia in the face. Spittle covered his mouth as he shouted. ¡°Shut your mouth you lying worm! That wasn¡¯t our daughter!¡±


    Unphased by the boot to the face, Fia continued. ¡°They kept up the charade for twelve years, until I awoke to my powers. They couldn¡¯t excuse my oddities after that, and I refused to keep playing pretend.¡± June shoved Roy into the wall as she stood, slamming her fists into Fia¡¯s face, strike after strike landed with a dull thud, but they left no mark.


    Laying against the cold stone the world seemed to grow quiet. Roy retreated inside, he reached out to the unresponsive link, the part of his mind that should have allowed him to share his thoughts with his pair; just as he had countless times, he had smashed his mind into it so many times in the past, but now he simply leaned against it. He sent something into the cold nothingness, knowing now there was no one on the other side. I wish I had gotten to meet you, maybe we could have been friends.


    June stepped back as she nursed her bruised knuckles, she looked down at the cutlery on the ground. Reaching down and grabbing the spoon she muttered. ¡°This gives me an idea. I wonder if your cursed power still works when your insides are no longer attached to you.¡± Something had finally snapped in her mind as she laughed and cried eerily. ¡°Maybe when you die, the real Fia will come back to me. Nigel, hold her head still!¡±


    Without a moment''s hesitation Nigel wrapped his arms around Fia¡¯s head, holding her still as they thrashed.


    ¡°Hold still now.¡± June leaned in, sliding the spoon underneath Fia¡¯s eye as the dull metal entered her eye socket. Fia screamed through clenched teeth.


    Roy got up, walked over to behind his mother, and placed his dead hand behind her head. He tapped into his hollowness as he reached for his connection with the Night Father. There was a popping sound as his mother¡¯s head ceased to exist. The stump of her neck twitched and spurted as her corpse fell to the ground in a heap, a pool of blood slowly spread from what was once his mother.


    Roy¡¯s father screamed. Letting go of Fia as he backed into the corner. ¡°What the hells have you done! Why! You killed your mother! For what? For this imposter?¡± Nigel fumbled for his pistol, he pointed it at Roy and pulled the trigger without pause.


    The air in front of Roy screamed as he continually erased it from reality. The bullet touched the bubble of nothingness and vanished.


    Roy walked slowly towards his father, his face grim with determination. He refused to answer his father, even as Nigel raised his own dead hand to try and fend off Roy. Whatever emotion he could muster, his fear, his anger, it was nothing compared to the emptiness that Roy was tapping into. The green flames that burst to life along his father¡¯s hand were sucked into the vacuum of destruction, then his dead hand crumbled and was swallowed, and then the bubble reached Nigel¡¯s chest. A perfect circular hole appeared in his torso.


    His father slumped to the ground dead.


    Fia sat there, their jaw open, the spoon still dangling from their skull. Roy reached his dead hand towards them. With a flick of his hand he erased the chains that held Fia in place.


    Stammering, Fia tried to speak, but Roy cut them off. ¡°I never want to see your face again, now leave. Please.¡±


    They seemed to grasp the situation, Fia nodded slowly as they rose on uneasy legs. They made their way down the tunnel as they limped, they glanced back. ¡°You¡¯ll always be my hero Roy.¡± Fia left the tunnel, and disappeared.


    Roy looked down at his parents'' corpses, remembering their warm smiling faces when he was young. He walked back to the entrance, placing his dead hand on each support pillar as he passed, leaving a green burning hand print. As he closed the casks secret door, he felt the tunnel collapse, entombing his parents in the secret grave.


    Walking up the well worn stairs his mind wandered, there would be chaos of course; his parent¡¯s disappearance would spark mass confusion. They were the heads of one of the great houses, but Roy wasn¡¯t worried. No one would suspect he had a part to play in their vanishing, he could use that, leverage it to gain favor with the other houses. He would petition the ruling family for support in his house¡¯s trying times. If he played this right he could use this opportunity to propel his family to greatness.


    There was only one person Roy could rely on; himself.

 Chapter 1

    The midday sun beat down on Alnur, his neck and brow were covered in a thick layer of sweat and grime from the day''s work. Running a hand through his short black hair, he straightened his back as a series of pops and cracks echoed in response. Every year he marveled at how sore the field work made him, he allowed himself a moment to imagine the nice hot bath he would take when he returned to the Keel.


    Looking around the field, pride filled his chest at the sight of the many workers gathering this year''s harvest. All across the Black Coast, hundreds of such fields dotted the landscape, from the edge of the great city Navalia to the coral highlands encircling the nation, and every one of them was filled with every able bodied citizen doing their part to help with the Finis Messis, it was already the third day of the festival and this year was shaping up to be a bountiful harvest.


    A young girl clutching a basket of damp rags ran up to Alnur grinning from ear to ear. She lifted the basket to offer him a rag to cool himself off. He smiled and took two of the rags, ¡°Thank you, this is just what I needed¡±. The girl bowed her head slightly, then turned and bounded off to the next worker. Alnur reached one of the rags out to his right towards Fel, who took it without looking up, their back bent to reach the crops below. Alnur wiped his face, taking a moment to adjust the circlet on his head to clean his brow properly before fixing it back in place. ¡°Gods, I¡¯m afraid if I bend down again, I¡¯ll never get back up¡± he said with a chuckle.


    Fel took a moment to stand upright, they were a whole head and a half taller than Alnur, towering over him. They wore simple work clothes that did little to hide their imposing physique. Despite all the dirt their incredibly long white hair was pristine. Rag in hand, they tried to get the worst of the grime wiped away. Fel kept their eyes straight ahead, brows slightly furrowed, to anyone else that scowl would have seemed intimidating, but Alnur knew his not-so-little sibling well enough to know that they were just lost in thought.


    ¡°If you¡¯re already whining this much at twenty three I dread to see you when you get old¡± Fel spoke in their usual soft singsong tone. An odd juxtaposition considering how fierce they looked at a glance.


    Alnur let out a sharp laugh. ¡°You have me there, I¡¯m just trying to get my whining out of my system before the Court¡¯s representatives arrive.¡± His face soured, ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m excited for a week of bootlicking¡±, he said with an overly dramatic sigh as he snuck a glance to see Fel¡¯s response. They managed to crack a smirk, Alnur felt a bit of relief. He thought of the coming visit and how hard this would be on Fel. He wanted to reassure them, but Fel was ever stoic, their face looking more like it was chiseled from marble than flesh.


    Fel kept their gaze on the ocean, their voice dropping to a near whisper, ¡°I know you¡¯re concerned. I can¡¯t say I don¡¯t feel anxious myself, but we¡¯ll get through this. Somehow¡±.


    Alnur glanced down at Fel¡¯s hand, clutching the rag, shaking faintly. He reached out and placed his hand on Fel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re in this together.¡±


    A sudden cry of shock drew the pair''s attention as they turned towards the source of the sound. It didn¡¯t take long for Alnur to make out what was causing the uproar. In the nearby field an ox was thrashing wildly as it tore at the harness it wore to till the soil. The group of farmers backed away from the poor animal as they called for help.


    Alnur and Fel shared a glance as they both sprinted over to try and help. Even as they approached the farmers were hard at work trying to control the situation to their credit. Six of them had pulled out their thresher whips and were trying to restrain the ox; they made sure to avoid using the barbed hooks of the whips on the beast.


    One of the farmers looked over and made eye contact with Alnur. ¡°I don¡¯t know what came over him, he¡¯s as gentle as they come, sir.¡± The man said.


    Before Alnur could respond the cause of the animal''s ire became clear as jagged pillars of red crystal burst from the beast''s skin in a dozen different places.


    Another farmer cried out the obvious. ¡°Bloodstone! Don¡¯t let it touch you!¡±


    Alnur watched the ox¡¯s owner as his face fell; there was no treatment for bloodstone poisoning; it killed far too quickly for such a thing. The Ox must have been unlucky enough to step on a shard that had gone unnoticed.


    The beast roared as it lashed out wildly, ripping the whips from the hands of the other farmers as they cried out in alarm. Alnur reached down to his hip where his own thresher whip hung and unrolled the long black leather, being careful to avoid the wickedly sharp hooks that dotted the surface of the whip.


    He stepped forward as he held the beast''s eye; the remaining one that was. The other eye was now a branch of red crystal that was curling towards the sky. In the churning sea of rage he saw the ox¡¯s pain, its fear. There was only one thing he could do for it now, give it a quick end.


    With a lazy swing of his arm, Alnur let the whip float through the air above, an instant later he snapped his arm in a series of well-practised motions. The ox blinked in surprise as its head suddenly dropped to the ground. The body followed soon after.


    Alnur sighed as he stared at his thresher whip, the surface covered in the beast''s tainted blood. Reaching his left hand to his mouth he bit down on his glove as he pulled out the rotting blackened flesh of his dead hand. He grabbed the whip with the husk as he let the Nightfather¡¯s gift flow through him. Green flames spread from his dead hand as it coiled along the whip and burned away any traces of the infected blood.


    The farmers stared at Alnur. He had hoped he would have felt less nervous about the way people looked at him by now. Thankfully Fel was quick to step up and begin ordering the farmers to burn the corpse so that the infection couldn¡¯t spread. The ox was dead but the bloodstone was still hard at work twisting and growing from the beast¡¯s corpse as it knotted around itself, reaching up towards the sky like a tree. If left alone for too long the thing would eventually bloom as tiny shards were whisked away by the wind to repeat the horrid process again and again.


    Fel whispered to Alnur as they stood by his side. ¡°I could have dealt with it.¡± They said.


    ¡°I know. I just felt like I had to be the one to put it out of its misery.¡±


    As Fel opened their mouth to speak there was a tug in Alnur¡¯s mind. He let the connection through with a thought.


    Is everything alright? I felt something was wrong. His sister Tayla¡¯s voice rang in his mind. The message had a hint of concern intermixed in it.


    Fel and I were sharing our excitement of the coming visit from the Court when we had to deal with a small issue. He reached up to grab Fel¡¯s shoulder as the link shuddered with their joining.


    How goes the preparation for our proposal, Tayla? Fel sent as they changed the subject.


    Tayla replied with a sigh of frustration, I would prefer to be out in the fields with you two, it feels wrong to spend Finis Messis indoors. Father would never have let me hear the end of it. A twinge of sorrow and a hint of joy came across like the interweaving of branches.


    Well, if any of us can convince the fools in the Court of our crazy scheme it would be you Tayla. Alnur sent. Don¡¯t miss the fields too much. He shared his aching back pain. Speaking of, we should get back to - The thought was interrupted by the sound of the Herald bell, its pure note rang through the minds of every Twin. The sounds of field work came to a halt. Men and women stopped mid swing, children froze in place as the whole Coast held their breath for a moment. A second ring of the bell rang out, the feeling of anticipation rose in Alnur¡¯s gut. A dreadful excitement that caused his heart to race. The seconds stretched on for eternity. Slowly he released the breath he had been holding. Two rings, it was a call to attention, not an emergency, but a signaling that something of importance was happening. The other¡¯s in the field began looking to Alnur and Fel.


    Tayla, what¡¯s happened? Why was the bell rang? Alnur asked, his thoughts were focused and serious.


    Just a moment, oh no. Scouts have just sent word. The Court¡¯s representatives are early, they ignored the border guards plea that none may enter during Finis Messis. They will be at the Keel within the hour. Tayla¡¯s message carried the acrid scent of bitterness. Fel and Alnur locked eyes for a moment. Fel¡¯s eyebrows furrowed a fraction of an inch. They were furious.


    Alnur quickly sent back, Understood. We¡¯ll make our way back right away. I¡¯ll grab a horse or something. Alnur cut the link, removing his hand from Fel¡¯s shoulder as he looked around at those working the fields. They had stopped and were looking to the two of them for information and guidance.


    ¡°It would seem our honored guests have seen fit to come early. Be not alarmed, we will go to personally meet them.¡± He turned to those around him with a smile on his face as he tried to reassure them. He switched to a jovial tone as he looked down and grabbed the bottom of his tunic, ¡°Not my best attire, but I think this will make quite the impression on our honored cousins wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± The crowd broke into laughter, cutting the tension away with a calculated motion.


    The sound of hoofbeats came over the hill as a young field hand on horseback quickly approached Alnur. The horse came to a stop and the young man jumped down in a hurry. ¡°I heard you may need to get to town fast. Please, take my horse sir.¡± The young man was flush in the face as he reached the reins out to Alnur. The boy quickly glanced up at Fel and a look of shame crossed his face. ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry, I only had the one horse,¡± the boy said.


    Fel raised a hand to calm the boy. ¡°That¡¯s alright, I can make do.¡±


    Alnur grabbed the reins, and jumped onto the horse. ¡°You have my thanks, I¡¯ll make sure your horse is taken care of. Be sure to come by the Keel and I¡¯ll reward you for your kindness¡±. Alnur looked down at the boy with a smile for a moment, then he shifted his focus to the Keel on the horizon. He snapped the reins, urging the horse to a full gallop. The horse took off, thundering down the rough road towards the city. He glanced to his side, unsurprised to see Fel keeping stride with the beast. Anyone else and that would have seemed insane, then again, Fel was a special case. He knew from experience that they could keep up this pace for a few hours with little issue. He had long since stopped being surprised by his sibling.


    At full speed Alnur thought he might just beat the Court to the Keel, the staff were all working the fields, there would be no one to meet the representatives and give them a proper greeting. No doubt that would cause yet more friction and more headaches. Alnur still wore his filthy work attire, would he even have a chance to bathe? What in the world would he feed these nobles, the cooks were halfway across the coast pulling potatoes for crying out loud. Maybe Grandmother Rosel would be able to help. This wasn¡¯t the greeting he had envisioned. This could set the negotiations back wholesale. Well, if nothing else, he still had his crown on. That had to count for something, right?


    ¡ô¡ô¡ô


    Tayla slammed the doors control panel with her heel, nearly falling backwards from the shift in her balance. Her arms were filled with documents and maps, she tapped her foot as the door began to raise slowly; she could have sworn the doors were taking extra long today just to spite her. As it passed halfway she quickly ducked under the raising door to save a few precious seconds. Waddling over to her bed she released the culmination of the better part of three years of her life¡¯s work with all the grace of dumping a bin of laundry to be sorted. She bolted for the wardrobe, throwing it open with wanton disregard. While she had hated being cooped up the past few days while everyone else toiled away in the fields. She had enjoyed that without the staff present, she had been able to waltz around the halls of the Keel in her pajamas and slippers. There had been little need to brush and braid her hair, or bother with make up for that matter. Nightfather be praised, it had been wonderful.


    That was until the Herald bell had been rung.


    Was it so much to ask that the representatives of the Celestial Court, those that spoke for the very gods made manifest, be punctual? Tayla let out an exasperated sigh. Three hundred and sixty days of the year this wouldn¡¯t matter in the slightest. But no, they had to arrive during Finis Messis, the only five days of the whole year that they closed the border. If they happened to be this early couldn¡¯t they have found somewhere to wait the two days left of the festival?


    Tayla was ripping through her gowns and clothes looking for something that said ¡®We welcome you, we love the gods, but also, get bent for making me have to wear a dress¡¯. She came across her dress for the send off and paused. That¡¯s going to be a nightmare, even amongst her own people it could be a hard ceremony to watch, they might have to throw the Court¡¯s people in the brig for the evening. She smiled at the absurdity of the image.


    Tayla eventually settled on an outfit, nothing extravagant, pants and a dark red long coat with her family¡¯s seal on the back. The two headed snake. In her rush she had almost forgotten her glove, it was black leather and stretched to her elbow, she slid it over her right hand to cover the husk of her deadhand as was polite with outsiders. She couldn¡¯t be bothered to try and do her make up, there was simply not enough time. Her hair was wet from having to dunk it in cold water to try and give it some semblance of cleanliness, she brushed it while she ran down the halls.


    She took a moment to try and see where Alnur and Fel were. The cold rush of the link stretched out, a heartbeat later she could see the back of a horse¡¯s head, wind rushing through her face, the hairs on her neck stood on end from the sudden cold wind. She could feel the reins in her hands, the leather biting from the hard grip, the soreness from the field washed over her and she had to fight not to brace against the wall. Alnur was aware of her presence, the link was voluntary, you had to welcome the other in. He knew she wasn¡¯t linking to speak, but just to get an idea of his arrival time. Tayla closed the link with a brush of her mind. The weariness ebbing away, Alnur had pushed himself in the fields. Tayla had warned her brother to pace himself, but he wouldn¡¯t dare show himself slacking off to the people during harvest. Her siblings would be another ten minutes, hopefully that was enough time to get into their rooms and grab them something to change into.


    The Keel was an odd makeshift palace, from the outside it was a dark spire of dark purple crystal jutting out from the earth, its stern buried some hundred paces deep into the rock as the bow stuck out of the ground at a slight angle skywards, pointing towards the ocean below. Every surface of the Keel was plated in metal, despite being built by the ancients a thousand years in the past halfway across the stars, the Keel still shined as if it were new. Guests often found the most puzzling aspect of the Keel was the lack of windows. There were no exterior windows of any sort, many outsiders found the Keel to be a dark and menacing place. But to Tayla it was her home, she could navigate its winding halls and junctions blindfolded.


    Tayla turned a corner and saw a hunched figure in the darkness at the end of the hall. It¡¯s mangled body covered by robes and cloth. Tayla smiled ¡°Grandmother Rosel, what are you doing here?¡± She quickened her pace towards Rosel, embracing her gently. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°I¡­hear-r-rd we¡­hav-ve gues-s-sts. I.. wi-l-l ..hel-p-p. Cook-k-king¡­ never¡­ wa-was you-r-r-re st-t-trong suit¡­ Nor-r-r¡­ dr-r-ressing¡­ it-t-t seemsss.¡± Rosel reached a shaking clawed hand up to adjust Tayla¡¯s top button that was in the wrong hole. There was a time when her voice was warm and kind, before the flesh change had taken it away. ¡°G-g-go¡­ my d-d-dear-r¡­ I¡¯ll¡­ st-t-tay.. In t..th..the¡­ kit-t-t-chen¡­.¡±


    Tayla let the embrace end, while taking the clawed hand of Rosel in her own hand. ¡°You¡¯re a lifesaver Grandmother Rosel.¡± Tayla paused.


    Rosel placed her other hands atop Tayla¡¯s. ¡°Fr-r-rown¡­ and-d-d¡­ yo-ou¡¯ll¡­ end-d-d up ¡­ look-k-king¡­lik-ke m-me.¡± She raised one of her extra appendages while fluttering its clawed fingers. Rosel¡¯s bulbous body shuddered in what was left of her once beautiful laugh. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­k-k-keep¡­  t-t-to ..the ..kit-t-chen. Pr-r-r-omissse¡±. With two hands she shooed Tayla to be off, another hand waving Tayla goodbye.


    Turning to run, Tayla waved back, darting down the dark halls towards the main entrance. The sounds of skittering claws on metal echoed from behind her. She decided on a shortcut as she jumped into a small circular alcove in the wall. The alcove had a metal ladder bolted to the back with a hole cut into the floor and ceiling. The ladder stretched from the bottom of the Keel, all the way to the top. Throwing the clothes over her shoulder and holding the bundle with one hand, she gripped the ladders side, hooked her heels, and slid the half a dozen decks to the bottom level. As she landed on the ground floor, she ran into the main entrance. There, recessed in the wall beside the raised ramp, was a control console.


    Her hands flew across the keypad, entering command after command. She stirred the Keels¡¯ heart from its slumber, conduits of power thrummed to life in response. It was like coaxing a sleeping beast to wake and work the field. The walls and ceilings began to shine with embedded lights, illuminating the darkened halls; vents and air exchangers hissed as they turned the stale air into a perfectly controlled environment. The Keel seemed to resist the attempts to wake, lines of minor errors crossed the screen. Nothing major though, the beast was whining for a few more days of slumber to fix minor issues while it had some downtime. Tayla dismissed the errors, she would still only bring up a portion of the main systems. Just enough to be comfortable, but not enough to draw the Keels'' anger. She entered the command for the main ramp to lower. There was a loud pop as one of the many cables leading to the ramp sparked and fell lifeless on the floor with a thud. Glancing at the screen, a new error came up, almost as if the Keel was throwing a tantrum about its nap being interrupted. Tayla placed her hands on her hips, she leveled a withering look at the panel. ¡°Come on now, if I have to get dressed up for this stupid thing so do you! Don¡¯t give me any more lip, we have to appear like a ¡®normal¡¯ kingdom, even if just for a week¡±.


    The error disappeared without her touching the console. A shot of air blasted out from a nearby vent like a huff. Manipulator arms lowered from a hidden hatch on the ceiling, grabbing the dislodged cord and fixing it back in place in an overly dramatic fashion. The ramp began to lower to the street below.


    Tayla placed a hand on the console screen. ¡°Thank you. Now, how do I look?¡± the screen of the panel went dark, offering a semblance of a mirror. She ran a hand through her hair, still damp. Damn.


    The vent above her angled down and a blast of hot air bellowed out for a moment. Tayla blinked in surprise. Reaching up, her hair was much dryer. ¡°Thank you kindly¡±.


    Another huff of air belched from a vent.


    Tayla had been told her whole life that the Keel was just an advanced old world artifact. There was no intelligence in its code, just hundreds of thousands of lines of gibberish that no one could remember how to properly read since the exodus. Yet she still found herself humanizing the machine. Seeing little moments here and there that gave her reason to believe a spark of life yet existed in something that should not have it. Her Father had told her that she was just seeing patterns where there were none. Alnur and Fel humored her, but they didn¡¯t agree with her that the Keel had a spirit of its own. That didn¡¯t stop her from talking to it when she wanted to.


    From the bottom of the ramp there came a few staff members in various states of dress, frantically trying to get into their uniforms mid run. They came to a halt in front of Tayla, standing at attention. ¡°Sorry we took so long my lady, we came as soon as we could.¡± One of them said, trying to catch their breath.


    Tayla waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Nonsense, I¡¯m just thrilled some of you managed to get here as quickly as you did. Please take a moment to ready yourselves, I suspect it will be a long night for all of us.¡± The staff smiled in return, moving into the hold to finish getting themselves presentable.


    Tayla spoke to herself. ¡°Now, once Alnur and Fel arrive, we can go over the game plan¡±. She had barely finished saying those words as a golden carriage pulled up in front of the ramp below. The carriage was followed by a dozen others of equal size and splendor. Each had a different crest from one of the different Celestial clans.


    Tayla sent a frantic cry over the link. Alnur opened it immediately, Brother, we have a slight massive problem. It would seem the Court has sent representatives from every house. There was growing panic in her thoughts.


    Alnur¡¯s response was filled with dread. Oh Gods, Nightfather take me.


    ¡ô¡ô¡ô


    Alnur shot a worried look to Fel beside him, raising his voice to be heard over the horseshoes hitting the cobblestone. ¡°Tayla just informed me that we will be entertaining diplomates of each of the clans, and over a dozen other officials from all over the Empire. So much for just being the usual faces.¡±


    There was shock on Fel¡¯s face. ¡°We really need some more staff, this could get out of hand.¡± Despite the noise, their voice could cut through the wind and the ringing of hoofbeats while still sounding subdued. ¡°Should I try and gather some citizens from the nearby fields?¡±


    ¡°No. Maybe. I don¡¯t really know.¡± Alnur let out a grunt of frustration. ¡°The harvest is our priority. But there are simply too many nobles for us to handle on our own. Get a message to the House of whispers, see if any of the other great Houses can send us able bodies. I¡¯m sure Admiral Broadsen will make a scene, if he gives you any lip tell him that he can kiss his position in the new trade lanes goodbye. Also, see if we can get word to Uncle Cyrus and Lillian. I¡¯m sure they are busy on the outskirts, but they¡¯re probably confused at the ringing of the herald bell.¡± His frustration with the situation was growing by the second. He wished Lillian had stayed at the Keel. He knew that it was vital work, going around the outskirts to check on the clanless Twins. But still, he missed his fiancee.


    With a nod, Fel turned abruptly, changing course to the House of whispers without another word. Alnur noted that Fel seemed to have had little issue out pacing the horse when the need arose.


    He finally turned the last corner as he came to the large circular plaza that was the central hub of Navalia; it usually acted as a marketplace, surrounding the Keel¡¯s main entrance on all sides. Now, it was a parking lot for every noble this side of the Empire. He could see the ornate carriages pulled around the entrance to the Keel, the many flags and crests marking the many races of the Court. He slowed his horse, turning slightly, hopefully he could sneak in the side entrance and get himself looking a bit more regal.


    Some of the elders had come out of their homes and were gathering to watch the arrival of honored guests. It was true that everyone had an obligation to work during the festival, but these folks had given their all year after year, and with the send off in just two days, they had earned the chance to rest. Many saw Alnur and met him with bows, waves, or the occasional prayer. As he neared the last stretch, he got down from his horse, looking around for a good place to hitch it.


    An elderly man approached him. ¡°Your highness, can I be of service?¡± Alnur took a moment to recall the man''s name. A simple kindness that he found went a long way in making those around him feel appreciated.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you elder Braum, you should be resting. But I¡¯m afraid that our honored guests are in need of my hospitality. Would you do me the favour of caring for this horse, a young man will be by in a bit to pick it up.¡± He paused as his face felt flush. ¡°But, being the oaf I am, I forgot to ask his name.¡±


    Braum laughed, reaching a shaking hand to grab the reins from Alnur. ¡°I will keep an eye out, if anything, it¡¯s nice that I¡¯ll have some company with me before the send off¡±. Braum ran his ungloved hand through the horse''s mane.


    Alnur glanced at the growing crowd, he knew he didn¡¯t have time for idle chit-chat but he needed to help. He put his hand on Braums shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡¯ll be alone for the send off, but if you will allow me, I would be honored to give you your final goodbye.¡±


    Tears welled in Braums eyes as he stared at Alnur. His chin quivered. ¡°I could never thank you enough, your highness¡±.


    ¡°Nonsense, you have given your life to the Coast. You¡¯re the one in need of thanking. This is the least I can do for you.¡±


    Shouting broke the heartfelt moment. Alnur turned his head to the source, a terrible hunch crossing his mind. A man was standing at the base of the Keels¡¯ main ramp next to Tayla. From this distance Alnur couldn¡¯t make out what was being said, but could see how animated the man was. He instinctively reached out to link his senses with Tayla. A moment later her vision overlaid his own. He could see a man, he looked to be in his late twenties with short blond hair and ridged features; the gold trim on his white robes denoted him as a Secundus, one of the highest ranks in the Court''s holy order.


    Alnur¡¯s hunch had been correct. The man was a Stormpriest.


    The priest''s tone and cadence was akin to a sermon, broadcasting to the other nobel houses disembarking from their carriages. ¡°-The indignity that we have to face is unrivaled! This is what they think of the Gods, those that granted each of us purpose and life! The Holy ones that took us from the cold darkness of the old world and shaped us in their images!¡± The man continued to shout, never pausing for a breath.


    Alnur was already jogging towards the scene, he knew Tayla could handle this better than he could. She handled most of the diplomatic interactions on his behalf. Alnur had the terrible habit of being honest, which as Tayla had informed him, was not the goal in diplomacy. He had no doubt his sister had the situation under control, however, someone was yelling at his family, and that was unacceptable.


    As Alnur approached, he passed several of the other representatives, most of whom were frozen watching the spectacle unfolding before them. Tayla could be seen trying her best to politely interject the ramblings of the Storm Priest. By now a few of the staff members had made it back to the Keel, they stood in line with Tayla. The priest for his part seemed to care little that Tayla was there at all. Seeming more interested in the finer points of why the Gods should strike down every Twin in the land. The priest spun in place to face the other nobles. Readying yet another barrage of xenophobic slander. The priest was quite surprised to come face to face with Alnur instead. Finally stopping his impassioned tirade for a blessed moment.


    Looking Alnur up and down the priest responded with a click of his tongue, ¡°Well, this is the best you heretics can do? He looks able bodied enough but he¡¯s filthy. You would have such a disgraceful servant handle the precious belongings of an agent of the Gods!¡± The priest huffed. ¡°Fine, the All Mother has seen fit to give me the humility to look past this! Come now, grab my bags and let''s be off.¡± He pushed the bags he held in his hands into Alnurs chest, who grabbed them out of reflex as he processed what had happened. The priest turned on a heel towards the Keel without another word.


    Tayla and the staff bowed their heads. The priest smirked at the sight. ¡°We greet the King of the Black Coast, Alnur Ebontide.¡± She raised her voice, letting it reach the gawking diplomats. The priest froze in his tracks, slowly turning back to Alnur, the priest''s eyes bulged, almost popping out of his skull. His slack jaw moving up and down slowly.


    Alnur held the priest''s gaze. Raising an eyebrow, the rest of his face unmoving.


    I really want to punch him. Alnur sent over the still open link.


    Tayla laughed internally. Only if I get to hit him first. For now, any chance you can reign in the anger and be polite?


    By way of answering, Alnur slipped the bags under one arm. He beamed a jovial smile. ¡°Honored guests¡± Turning to meet the eyes of the growing crowd of representatives. ¡°We are humbled to have the pleasure of welcoming you all into our homeland. You have found us in the middle of our yearly harvest, Finis Messis. This is a special and holy time for us, for we are given the chance to pay tribute to The Celestial Court and all of the Gods'' children. To pay back the kindness and mercy that the All Mother granted us, her forsaken sons and daughters. We all take this tribute seriously, working tirelessly to give our thanks, even a simple ruler such as myself. These clothes are filthy, my brow covered in sweat, my hands stained with dirt and sod; for that is my commitment. To do all that I can do to provide for each of you and your people. You may see my appearance as disrespectful. But that couldn¡¯t be further from the truth, I came the moment I was made aware of your early arrival, wasting no time with outer appearances. I wanted to welcome each and every one of you, with open arms-¡± He paused, glancing at the arm still holding bags. ¡°-Open arm, welcome to Navalia¡±. There was a roar of laughter at his joke, the odd clapping of hands intermixed.


    He let his eyes pan across the crowd. Tayla was no doubt using his eyes, making note of everyone''s response, seeing who was sympathetic and who was hostile. The moment over, the crowd continued unloading and going about their business.


    Nice script, when did you have time to write it? Alnur sent.


    I¡¯ll have you know that that was off the top of my head. Well played with the joke, broke the tension nicely.


    Sorry for stepping in, I¡¯m sure you had it handled, but that lightning rod didn¡¯t seem interested in giving you a chance to rebuke his lunacy.


    Tayla sent a wave of frustration. I barely had a chance to wish him a good day before he went off. You presented me with the perfect way of shutting down his nonsense, while ingratiating yourself with the crowd. All I had to do was wait.


    Alnur chuckled out loud, doing his best to hide the odd outburst to any onlookers. So Tayla did have a plan to deal with the priest, wait for her over protective brother to waltz up; and he had played his part just like she wanted. This was why he left the complicated plans to her. And why she left the small talk to him.


    The link was convenient in many ways, but one of Alnurs favorite aspects was the speed. Entire conversations could be had in a fraction of the time. Alnur turned to face the priest, who was quickly shaking off his embarrassment, no doubt winding up for another monologue. Alnur was quick to interrupt the man, ¡°My honored cousin. Allow me to carry your bags into the main hold. There we can see about getting them ushered to your room in a more dignified fashion.¡± Alnur walked towards the ramp, pausing for a moment to walk in step with the priest before whispering. ¡°Let us try and put this behind us, cousin. This will be a long week for the both of us if we let this sour our interactions to come.¡± He still smiled, but it didn¡¯t reach his eyes.


    The priest allowed his voice to lower, a feat Alnur wouldn¡¯t have thought possible. ¡°That stunt back there may have gotten the others to overlook this insult, but I am not so quick to forget. Do you look down on the gods so much that you make light of their most favored servants?¡± There was bitterness in the man''s voice, a testament to his honest faith, and that he viewed this as all just a ploy to undermine his masters.


    Letting out a heavy sigh, Alnur pushed his anger and frustration down. It was not his goal to make an enemy out of the man. He came to stop at the top of the ramp, glancing to make sure they were out of ear shot of anyone else. He turned to the priest, meeting his cold gaze. Alnur took a moment to place the man''s bags on the ground of the hold. ¡°I will be frank with you, you have arrived during a time when our borders are closed, my people are working themselves to the bone from sunup to sundown to meet the growing tithes on us. I came as soon as I could, and when I get here I find a shepherd of the All Mother raising his voice at my own blood, at those that volunteered to come back to serve you and our very unexpected number of guests. Why? What more could be done with such little notice?¡±


    The priest for his part softened, ¡°You really didn¡¯t know we were coming? We sent word two days ago via the old network.¡±


    ¡°The old network?¡± Alnur said in disbelief. He raised a hand to his forehead. ¡°We only have one place able to receive such messages¡± gesturing around him to the Keel, ¡°which we have to shut down during the festival for maintenance.¡± The absurdity of it all was comical.


    ¡°What? But, we received a response. Stating that we would be met with great fanfare. How could this be? Can we check the logs?¡±


    It was Alnur¡¯s turn to be shocked; what message? There could be no way to send such a thing. Nothing else in the coast had the ability to access the orbital array. Such technology had been lost hundreds of years ago. ¡°I would very much like to verify this response as well honored cousin. But once the Keel has started its work, coaxing it back to life is outside our current understanding of its systems. In truth, getting the air and lights functioning is the limit during this time.¡±


    The priest''s face was twisted in confusion. ¡°There is truth in what you say, your highness. I don¡¯t doubt your kind is antagonistic towards the Court. But there would be little to gain in such a childish display.¡± The content of what he said was still grating, but the tone had shifted becoming much more approachable. ¡°Let me speak clearly and without formality. My actions were made with the gods in mind, but it would seem that I acted without a full understanding. That is to say, I owe you an apology for my outburst.¡± He seemed uncomfortable with the notion of being wrong, and more uncomfortable with having to speak humbly to a Twin.


    Alnur, for his part, was trying his best to follow his fathers advice of judging the ¡®what¡¯ someone said, and not the ¡®how¡¯. Brushing the mild insults aside, he focused on the apology. ¡°Thank you, I only ask that you offer the same sentiments to my sister and staff. Once the Keel is back up and running at full power we can try and get to the bottom of this, I would ask you to be present when we restore the link so that you can verify our claims.¡±


    Nodding, the priest said, ¡°A sound idea, one that I would gladly take. If there is someone attempting to slander or mislead the agents of the Court I would track them down and see that they are made to reflect on the gravity of such actions. I will also be sure to share my apologies with those I blamed unjustly. The All Mother would have it no other way.¡±


    ¡°I believe that we are long overdue for introductions, I am Alnur Ebontide, welcome to our home.¡±


    The priest clasped his hands together and bowed. ¡°I am Secundus Thoren of the Order of our Mother¡¯s holy remembrance.¡±


    ¡°Well Secundus Thoren, I must leave you now. As you have noted, I am in dire need of a change of clothes.¡± Alnur said.


    Thoren let a smile cross his face. ¡°Thank you for your time, your highness.¡±


    Alnur took the chance to slip away, guided by Tayla via the link, he found a nearby washroom. A pile of clean clothes, a few hot towels and some privacy were waiting for him. Not the hot bath he had been dreaming of, but it was a start.

 Chapter 2

    Alnur returned to the main hold feeling more human. Tayla had picked out his attire, she knew he preferred simple sensibility. His outfit consisted of a black coat that ended above his ankles, on its back was the two headed snake of house Ebontide. Hanging from his hip was his family''s heirloom sword. The sheathe did well to hide its true nature from prying eyes.


    By now the rest of the diplomats had disembarked and were making their way up to the hold. Alnur began the onslaught of greetings and polite small talk, trying to slowly ford the flow of people between him and his sister. Whom at this very moment was directing the growing number of staff in how to handle our unexpected guests. He didn¡¯t recognize some of the staff''s faces, the different hints of color on their uniforms indicated that many were from the other great Houses, there were even a few from Broadsen. Fel must have been successful in getting the stubborn fool to see reason.


    He was almost to Tayla when he noticed the two giants walking up the ramp; towering above the rest of the guests in full praetorian armor. The plates of the armor appeared like molten gold, swirling and churning as if alive. Beneath the molten gold was the burning brilliance of a captured star, radiating an aura of light all around them. Praetorian armor was the pinnacle of old world technology and Celestial power. If even half of the myths and legends were true, a single suit of armor could turn the tide of almost any battle. Only one race was given the honor of donning such artifacts, the Ono. Champions of the gods, the unparalleled hunters of the stars, paragons of loyalty and honor.


    Excusing himself, Alnur changed course towards the two warriors. The world seemed to grow quiet as he moved through the crowd towards the pair of golden giants. His mind buzzed as he tried to inch ever closer to the pair. Just as he was about to reach them the link gnawed at him with a burning sense of irritation. He clicked his tongue as he opened the link.


    Have you finally lost your mind! You ignored not one, but three important trade partners without bothering to give them a simple ¡®Hello¡¯! Tayla¡¯s inner voice filled with rage. Alnur shot a glance towards his sister. She was speaking to a woman across the main hold, the woman''s head was covered in patterns and runes tattooed into her bald head. Her white and red robes marked her as a Necromaster of the Blood swamps. What in the hell was she doing here so far from home.


    Tayla for her part wasn¡¯t showing any of her rage outwardly, she was better at that than Alnur. Even while she smiled and made small talk she continued to scold him. I know you love to fawn over anything Ono but meeting your idols and whatnot can wait. I can¡¯t have you leaving me to this mob to fend for myself. Need I remind you? You are the face of the nation, I am your shadow.


    Alnur felt his stomach knot up as his face grew red. Tayla was right, he had lost his senses when he saw the Ono in person. He had almost put all of his ancestors'' hardwork in jeopardy. They had waited almost eight centuries, there was no point in all that strife if he bungled it now. I¡¯m sorry, I lost sight for a moment. I¡¯ll be sure to make amends with those trade partners you mentioned. He tried to change the subject quickly. Any word on the great hall? Is it almost ready? The hold is a bit cramped with so many people in it.


    When Tayla responded there was no hint of her anger from before. She would always call Alnur out for his mistakes, but was never one to dwell on them. I¡¯m just getting word, it would seem they are ready. Would you do the honors?


    Alnur moved to the back of the hold, turning to face the crowd. ¡°My esteemed guests, I cannot thank you enough for your patience. I¡¯m sure you can all agree that although wonderful, our main hold is a rather poor reception hall. Our staff has readied rooms for all of you to relax and refresh yourselves. After which we would ask you all to join us in the gathering hall for refreshments and to discuss the details of your visit. The Keel can be a bit confusing, and as our staff is limited in number at the moment, guiding you all individually would be a timely undertaking.¡± He gestured above his head, where on cue a glowing orb of blue light appeared on the ceiling panel, its light pulsing gently. Another similar blue light appeared a slight distance beside the first, a line of lights danced one after another towards a nearby hallway, turning at an angle and progressing down the length of the hall. As the line of lights grew, the old ones faded, until after they had almost gone out, the cycle repeated again.


    ¡°These lights will guide you all to our guest deck. There you may each claim any of the rooms available. If any of you have any issues with your accommodations please let any of our staff know and we will do our utmost to rectify any issues.¡± As the gathered crowd began to turn towards the indicated hallway Alnur raised his voice once more. ¡°One last thing, I must humbly ask you all to please not wander off. The Keel is currently in a partial slumber, many decks and corridors may not be safe to those unfamiliar with them. Getting lost is all too common for newcomers, and that¡¯s when the lights are usually on. I ask that all of you keep this to heart during your stay.¡±


    ¡ô¡ô¡ô


    The gathering hall was abuzz with activity. It was one of the largest non-essential rooms in the Keel, the cold metal walls having been overlaid with rich imported wood, a large wall screen encompassed the port wall. The screen was set to show the view from the exterior of the palace, overlooking the city below. Navalia was unique for being a coastal city with no means of actually accessing the ocean. A massive wall of stone one hundred feet tall stretched in a large half circle roughly one thousand feet from the shore. The wall created a barrier between Navalia and the ocean beyond. In the space between, the rivers and streams from the coral highland flowed into the basin, forming a pool of water about shin deep. From this shoreline, the city was built into the steep hills, houses were built into the sides of the sharp incline. Each house was built in the shape of a boat of various sizes; paying honor to the ways before the Twin¡¯s fell from grace, their bows pointing oceanward, supported by wooden pillars.


    On the crest of the hill sat the great houses. These like the Keel had come to rest here at the nation''s inception, great warships that now housed the shipmasters and their families. Quazi nobles, these shipmasters made up the councils that oversaw the Black Coast¡¯s innerworkings, alongside the various guilds. The Keel looked nothing like the other warships, they were built for conventional naval warfare, while the Keel had a much more ancient purpose.


    That was long ago in its prime, now it simply sat idle, a strange purple spire of crystal from a forgotten age. A monument of a glorious past, and a tragic reminder of what had been lost.


    Tayla often loved looking out over the city, she also found that adding some views of the outside helped guests with the cramped nature of the Keel.


    Tayla pulled her attention back to the guests. They had been expecting a delegation of the same tired bureaucrats that came to check that the Empire¡¯s vassal state was still operating as intended. What they were met with was a little over two dozen nobles from every corner of the Empire. Tayla would have bet that many of those that had come wouldn¡¯t have been able to point to the Black Coast on a map before today.


    Not to mention the various representatives made up of all the Celestial Courts'' many children. Tayla had never thought she would find herself face to face with a Necromaster from the Blood swamps. It had been a pleasant conversation until the subject of family had come up. The woman, one Denesia Oaksbane, had been quite frank that in her luggage she carted about was in fact a pair of human skeletons. Apparently they belonged to her uncle and aunt who had wished their remains to be of use after their passing. The Necromaster had had enough common sense to not animate the pair for dinner, though they did ask if she could take them on a stroll around town afterwards to ¡®Show them the sights¡¯.


    Tayla, like all the Twins of the Coast worshiped the Night Father, a psychopomp and literal embodiment of death itself. Even with that in mind she still found the thought of walking the corpses of her family like pets on an evening stroll was an entirely different level of comfort with the dead that she had found extreme. Say what you will, at least this situation gave Tayla the chance to make new connections where she never thought possible before. That was, until Fel entered the hall.


    Tayla had warned her siblings that even amongst their own people seeing Fel in their full armor could be a bit hard to handle. Fel had chosen to ignore that advice, entering the hall in their full regalia. Standing at seven feet tall they towered over even the Ono in their praetorian suits. The armor was made of dozens of segments of overlapping black leather plates, like some sort of insect carapace. Their ankle length white hair was braided and fastened with iron bands, occasionally scraping the floor as they turned their head. A bone white mask hung from their belt, it had angular cheeks, a long narrow chin, and three evenly spaced holes in the place of eyes and a nose. Staring into those pits was like looking into an endless abyss, they sucked in any light around them, like holes punched in the fabric of reality itself, oozing some unseen energy. Even Tayla avoided looking at the mask for too long. On Fel¡¯s waist was a coiled thresher whip.


    The tool was for farming in the coastal hills, where quick kelp danced in the winds along the cliff sides. The kelp was a staple food for the Twins, it also had the annoying habit of retracting at the slightest vibration from approaching footfalls. Hence, the need for the bladed whips to harvest from afar. Many Twins were taught how to use the whips from an early age, most using them for farming, though amongst the guards of the coast, many still carried a whip on their belts. On Fel, it was akin to an executioner''s axe, not a direct threat, but a not so subtle reminder. Everyone in this room was within striking range, and while they were honored guests, Fel would not let anyone think twice of harming their king. Fel came to a stop beside Alnur at the end of the long table, standing at attention by his side. A mirror to the Ono, at the other side of the table.


    The silence was thick with tension. Tayla knew that something had to be said or done to break this awkward situation, her mind raced through every possible avenue of polite conversation starters. She hadn¡¯t noticed Alnur standing from his seat. She almost jumped when he raised his voice to the silent diplomats. ¡°It is my pleasure to introduce my younger sibling, Fel.¡± He gestured with his non gloved hand, his face beaming with pride.


    There was a chorus of confusion in the crowded room. Many looked amongst themselves in bewilderment. It was the delegate from the Trest that stood in response, a slab of rock in human form. The outer layer of the man''s skin was a rough stonelike substance, jet black in color with striations of grey and blue. He wore bands of iron in his long beard and along his exposed arms; revealing an admirable physique for a man of his age. Every inch of his skin from his bald head to his bare feet was covered in tattoos of gold, telling the man''s life story.


    The Trest man''s voice was like the grinding of stone, ¡°If you will excuse my ignorance your highness, but as your folks name suggests. I was under the assumption that you were always born as twins, I¡¯ve never heard of a triplet.¡±


    Tayla stood at this ¡°As you say. We are the Twins of the Black Coast. We aren¡¯t sure why, but the old ones who originally designed us made sure that we are always born as twins, a pair. We are born bonded, two halves of a single being. Blessed with the link, we are forever connected.¡± She tried to carefully step around the part involving the Nightfather. No need to give their enemies ammunition to throw back at them later. ¡°Once every generation, for unknown reasons. A triplet is born. The exact reason is unknown.¡±


    The Trest man nodded. ¡°I have never heard of such a thing. I, like many others, have heard tales of the Twins ability to communicate over vast distances in the blink of an eye. If I may ask, do you all share that connection?¡± The question was innocent enough, but Tayla still winced at hearing it. She had hoped to avoid making their personal family matters the business of the Court.


    ¡°They do not share it directly. We can partially connect by making physical contact though.¡± Alnur said..


    It was Denesia that spoke up next, ¡°You refer to your sibling as ¡®They¡¯? For what reason?¡± There was a hint of confusion in the woman''s tone.


    Before Tayla or Alnur had a chance to speak, Fel said, ¡°Twins are born as a pair. One the left hand, the other the right hand. One graced with the passion of the heart, the other blessed with the logic of the mind. Always, one is born female, and the other male, as a triplet, I am neither. I am simply me.¡± Fel¡¯s eyes never moved during their whole speech. Their voice calm and matter of fact.


    Some of the diplomats nodded their heads, accepting the explanation. Others looked confused, a couple had furrowed brows, anger written on their faces. Alnur cleared his throat, drawing attention. ¡°Fel is Fel, the why and how matters not. Moving on from that, my sister Tayla has been working on a proposal that I think you would all find most interesting.¡±


    Tayla felt her gut drop. She didn¡¯t bother with the link, staring daggers at her brother openly. This wasn¡¯t part of the plan at all. She wasn¡¯t ready for this. She had been preparing for a small group, one she could slowly work on, getting them to see the merits of such a bold plan without seeming crazy. Alnur had just thrown her in the middle of the ocean to sink or swim.


    Tayla turned to the waiting eyes of the diplomates. ¡°It is true I have been working on something that I believe could have far reaching potential, something that if I and my team are correct, will need to be addressed in the next few years lest we suffer a loss of life unseen since the century of strife.¡± At the mere mention of one of the darkest times in the history of the Empire many shifted in their chairs, it was a horrible time that wasn¡¯t generally discussed in polite company. ¡°I had hoped to have a bit more time preparing for a more in depth presentation after the festival.


    ¡°To cut to the chase, if our math is correct, the whole of the celestial Empire will face a crisis the likes of which we have never seen before. This will result in the deaths of tens, perhaps even hundreds of thousands over the coming decades.¡± She let the weight of her words hang in the air. The faces around the table were aghast, quickly they shifted to disbelief, an understandable reaction and one that she knew was coming. Tayla had reacted the same way when she had come across the numbers some months ago.


    Several diplomats were raising their voices in anger. Tayla ignored the cries of alarm as she walked towards the screen along the port side wall. She laid her hand on it, entering in sequences to open the data she had been formulating. In a moment the image of the city cast in the evening glow was replaced with graphs and charts. Tayla raised her voice, but over the heated rabble at the table her words fell on deaf ears. With a sigh she looked at Fel who met her gaze with a raised eyebrow.. Tayla nodded towards the table of growing voices. Fel walked forward, clearing half of the long table in a few strides, until they came to the source of the loudest voice. The voice belonged to an older woman, the representative of the port city of Freeholm, she was half raised from her seat yelling about something or other. Fel gently placed an unnaturally long gauntleted hand on the shoulder of the woman, the woman''s legs gave out as she fell back into her seat frozen in fear. Fel leaned over the woman from above. Towering over all those seated, they raised a long finger over their mouth, shushing them calmly like they were children speaking during a play. They then pointed their finger towards Tayla, the entire table turned their undivided attention back to her.


    ¡°As I was saying, to understand the issue we must look at the census data from the imperial survey. Looking over the data we found that the population of the nations under the Empire''s umbrella are growing at an alarming rate. The crux of the issue however is food, at this rate the Empire will simply not have enough food for all of its citizens. Our entire infrastructure relies on machinery from the old world, but after a thousand years these machines are breaking down more and more and we simply don¡¯t have the knowledge or resources to maintain them.


    ¡°These machines range from air ships, to mills, to power plants, but the one that has me most concerned are the machines capable of preserving food for long periods of time. Flash freezing, cold storage, and many simple processes that allow us to store food for winter or long periods are being lost year after year. If our population were to plateau now, we might be able to survive with the crops and food supply chains we have at our disposal. Once we pass the point of no return we will be unable to keep up with the demand for food throughout the Empire. While we have no way to replace the machines from the old world, we can develop new methods of storage and transportation of goods.¡± Tayla winced internally. She had wanted more time to refine her speech, areas that she felt were weak. But the foundation was solid, her math was accurate. The threat was a real and pressing one. She just hoped that the Court would listen.Stolen novel; please report.


    A quiet man stood from his seat as he adjusted his glasses. His robes and blue skin marked him as a high ranking Tideborn administrator from some imperial order or another. While the gods might rule the land, the Tideborn were the men and women that spent their lives ensuring that the massive beast actually ran smoothly as they saw to the various daily needs of the Empire.


    ¡°May I ask for a copy of the census you used to draw these conclusions. I would like an opportunity to verify your findings.¡± The man said.


    Tayla knew this could make or break her proposal, the Tideborn were one of her people''s sister races along with the Stormborn. The other two races regarded the Twins with hatred and scorn, which was understandable considering the part her people played in killing their gods.


    While Tayla prided herself in her skill with numbers and analysis, she paled in comparison to the graduates from the imperial academy of the Tideborn. Was it glamorous? No, but no one dared say they weren¡¯t the most efficient at it, they had had a millennium to perfect the craft of paperwork to an artform.


    Tayla nodded at one of her staff members who stood at the other end of the gathering hall. The young woman hurried forward to the administrator with a leather bound folder of documents. With a polite nod he sat down and began looking over the complex data. Somewhere from his voluminous robes he had made a calculator appear from thin air.


    The room was silent, the minutes grinding by waiting for the administrator to come to a conclusion. The only sound was the furious clacking of the calculator keys. Tayla had a moment of panic, perhaps she had been wrong. If it was found she had been mistaken, she would never live this down. It would be a new black mark on her people for years.


    The Tideborn reached up and took his glasses off, rubbing his brow. ¡°The numbers do not lie, according to this, the point of no return-¡±


    ¡°Was five years ago.¡± Tayla said, finishing the man¡¯s sentence in an attempt to steal back the weight of the declaration.


    The room was filled with cries of concern and frustration. Many took a moment to pray for divine guidance. Those in disbelief at Tayla¡¯s claim turned to the Tideborn, who nodded in agreement.


    Tayla slapped the screen to gain the room''s attention once more. ¡°We are faced with challenges that we could never have foreseen. Asking the gods to wipe away our blunder will not erase our inaction. We must work together to forestall the coming loss of life. The old ones made their machines to last, but it has been almost two thousand years since the exodus began. If we are to survive we cannot solely rely on them.¡±


    The representative of the free city of Valherst raised her hand. ¡°Could we simply not plant more crops here in the Black Coast.¡±


    Tayla responded quickly. ¡°The Black Coast was charged with providing crops for the Empire, for seven hundred years we have done all that we can, but when the All Mother made the Coast, it was as a punishment for us. The ocean is always within sight, but we are forbidden from the seas'' bounty, ample land to farm, yet we must import soil for our fields from elsewhere; a process we must repeat regularly as the ground below poisons the soil over time. We only have one main road through the coral highlands and that has to circumvent the great lake of wraith, which is a winding and unforgiving path, as I¡¯m sure you all have now found for yourselves. Simply put, we have almost reached our limit as things stand now. The main road is in constant repair and can be down for months. Even if we grow more crops, much of it will not survive the transportation to Fulcrest, where it must be ferried further up the elder and younger sister rivers.¡±


    The room fell silent once more.


    The person who broke the silence was the last one Tayla would have expected as Thoren said. ¡°You said you had a proposal. I feel like you¡¯ve done well with the build up. Let us hear the plan you¡¯ve come up with.¡± His face was one of deadly seriousness. Storm Priests could be zealots, but they took any threat to the Holy Empire as a matter of life and death.


    Tayla bowed slightly ¡°We have thought of a few solutions. I am sure every nation under the Celestial Courts Empire will have to take steps to prevent the worse that is to come. For our part, we keep coming back to one issue. The transportation of fresh soil to the Coast, and the transportation of crops in a timely manner to other major trade cities. As such, the solution we have to offer could be seen¡­ as bordering on heresy.¡± Tayla readied herself for the barrage of anger. Several chairs crashed to the ground as their occupants stood up in a frenzy.


    To everyone''s surprise it was Thoren that slammed his fist into the table, his eyes glowing with energy. His voice rumbled like a thundercloud. ¡°SILENCE!¡± The wooden table top had branching arches of black electrical burns in it around Thoren¡¯s fist. ¡°We are the children of gods, act like it!¡± Thoren said as he took a breath. ¡°I¡¯m as concerned at this revelation as anyone else, a revelation that went unnoticed by our greatest minds for years. I hold no love for the Twin¡¯s, but they have had the most time to consider solutions and we should hear them out.¡±


    Those that had knocked over their chairs sheepishly sat them back in place, trying to avoid the glare from the angry priest. Thoren turned to Tayla, his face serious, but the rage in his voice was gone. ¡°Please continue¡±.


    ¡°Thank you honored cousin, I understand that my wording may have been severe. But our proposal is not as insane as it might sound. It is true that we Twins were cursed by our maker, the All Mother. We may never eat the seas¡¯ bounty, nor may we cross bodies of water, we cannot even touch the ocean for that matter until the day we die and can be returned to the endless sea. But, we can cross the shallow tide.¡± Tayla said.


    At a flick of her fingers the image on the screen returned, but now a top down map of the Black Coast. ¡°The shallow tide is shin deep, and leads to the stone wall that makes up the barrier erected by the All Mother. We can tread freshwater without the curse claiming us. An oversight by All Mother, perhaps to allow us to still bathe, or be in the rain. Regardless of the reason, this would allow us to bring our goods to the edge of the barrier. Where I believe we should build a dock.¡± Many seemed uncomfortable by the notion that they should be allowed to build a dock, it was close to flying in the face of the All Mother¡¯s punishment.


    The Trest man raised his hand. ¡°Would your kind work these docks? How would you carry the goods across this shallow sea?¡± He said.


    Tayla was glad someone asked that, and seemed to be taking it seriously enough not to brush it aside immediately. ¡°We believe that we could not in good faith work the docks. We would offer to pay others to do so on our behalf. Perhaps hiring personnel from one of the port cities who already have experience. The building of said docks would be contracted out to artisans and engineers that could be trusted to oversee the construction. They would have to be trustworthy, as we would not be able to set foot directly on any such dock ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Hm, an interesting challenge. Having to get the goods up from the shallow sea, and loading it on ships outside. There are several factors that would be difficult to overcome. The ocean waves alone. Unless, we had the whole of the docks built on the top of the wall, using cranes and pulleys to lift and lower cargo. A worthwhile endeavor, I could recommend some of our finest engineers to oversee such an undertaking.¡± The Trest man was grinning from ear to ear, he waved some of the staff over to bring him paper and charcoal to draw with. He seemed the sort to love a challenge.


    Tayla took a moment to address the other question from earlier. ¡°As for crossing the shallow sea, that could prove challenging. We can¡¯t build a road, or structure spanning it. But we could build small skiffs, or floating sleds. Nothing that could be considered a boat, but just enough to allow us to pull goods across on the water''s surface to one of these lifts.¡± She turned to the Tidefolk and Stormborn. ¡°You are of the All Mother as are we, I would love your feedback on these ideas. Do you believe they fly in the face of what she would want?¡±


    The Twins had spent centuries being punished for their crimes against the gods, in that time her people had come to be viewed as lesser in the eyes of the Empire. They held little to no real power politically, but if this plan worked they might finally have a chance at redemption.


    Something itched at the back of her mind. Until the Heralds signal the tolling of the bell.


    The two men crossed their arms in thought, it was the administrator that spoke first. ¡°Truth be told, I don¡¯t know. I cannot speak for the All Mother, nor for all of my kind. But personally, I think we tread dangerous waters. Yet, we do so for the good of the empire, I am torn.¡±


    Thoren kept his eyes closed as he said. ¡°I am in agreement, when you mentioned heresy I was prepared for some scheme or grand plot to undermine our Mothers punishment. You have given this ample thought, the fact I can¡¯t just shut down the idea speaks volumes for its merit. If ships could dock here and ferry back crops, we could increase the food stores in the Empire drastically. I would ask time to think it over. This proposal of yours is worth discussing more.¡± He turned to Tayla, a smile crossing his face. ¡°If nothing else, you have given us a chance to save innocent lives. Of that, I am sure our Mother is proud of.¡±


    Tayla found herself feeling a bit choked up. She glanced at Alnur and Fel as they each gave her dramatic thumbs up.


    ¡°I believe that we should put this subject aside for now.¡± Alnur said as he stood up. He had let Tayla do the talking as they had planned originally. ¡°It has been a long day for us all, I¡¯m sure for some of you the long days of travel have worn down your usual composure.¡± He was giving those that had been quick to anger a chance to regain their dignity. ¡°For now, our grandmother Rosel has been hard at work in the kitchen, our main cooks will be back tomorrow for proper full meals. But grandmother Rosel¡¯s baking is the best in the whole of the Black Coast.¡±


    True to what Alnur had said, Rosel¡¯s baked goods were heavenly. Tayla observed many of the diplomats making quite the surprised look after taking a bite. Even Thoren had snuck two when nobody had looked. The staff had been sure to offer the Ono guards some, which took some convincing, but eventually they broke. Soon after they asked for seconds.


    Tayla had managed to spot that one of the Ono was a man and the other a woman but their helms obstructed too much to get a good look.


    ¡°Those were wonderful, your grandmother is an excellent baker.¡± The Trest man said, Tayla had finally gotten his name over dinner. Graum Bellowsbreath.


    Thoren spoke while licking his fingers. ¡°Yes, you must have your grandmother come out here so we may give her proper thanks!¡±


    Tayla¡¯s heart lurched. Grandmother Rosel¡¯s appearance would cause a state of panic. She sent her thoughts to Alnur who agreed. ¡°Rosel, though we call her grandmother, helped raise us from childhood after our mothers passing. She is family, and such a caring woman. Unfortunately she is ill, this illness can happen to our kind, and for outsiders, it can be¡­ disturbing.¡± Tayla didn¡¯t want to give too much away. Lest they found out the truth.


    Thoren wiped his mouth. ¡°She is ill? Perhaps we can offer help? I have studied some medical history, what kind of ailment?¡±


    Alnur sighed heavily, sending to Tayla. He is like a bloodhound given a scent, I doubt he¡¯ll give it up easily. We have already admitted there is some issue, this priest will want to be sure it isn¡¯t a sign of corruption, which we both know it is.


    They might strike her down! Perhaps we can grab someone to pretend to be he-


    The staff door swung open just then, the bundled form of grandmother Rosel shuffled in. In a moment, all hell broke loose, the Ono guards sniffed the air once, and without warning were running full tilt towards Rosel, swords drawn and raised to strike. Fel responded in kind, casting two whips out around the Ono¡¯s sword arms, Fel braced and pulled with enough force to hurl the two armored guards over the full height of the table. In unison the Ono righted themselves and quickly broke free from the restraints, wasting no time as they burst forward towards the new threat of Fel.


    In a heartbeat the Ono were on them. The blades fell as one, Fel took a half step forward as they grabbed the Ono''s wrists and stopped them dead in their tracks. The sound of servos and hydraulics screamed in distress from the arms of the Praetorian armor, over-taxing the intricate machinery as they fought desperately to overpower Fel. The wood between their feet buckled and splintered, the metal plating underneath straining against the force.


    ¡°Enough! You dare point a weapon at my Grandmother!¡± In the face of such an absurd spectacle no one had noticed Alnur leap from his chair, unsheathe his broad sword and bring it into the blind spot of the male Ono, the blade tip pressed into the soft seal of his throat between helmet and chest piece. Tayla for her part stood on the table, the barrel of her revolver pressed firmly against the female Ono¡¯s head.


    It had all happened in a few heartbeats, the guests were stunned. The standoff stretched on and on, each second felt like an eternity. Each party waiting for something to give.


    A clawed hand came to rest on Fel''s side, another on the female Ono. A raspy gurgling voice came from the bulbous Rosel. "..I¡­t-told¡­you¡­no-t-t¡­to..f-fight"


    With the sudden interruption, the tension vanished just as suddenly as it had appeared. Fel relaxed their grip, the Ono backed away slowly. Alnur and Tayla lowered their weapons, shifting to stand between the Ono and Rosel.


    ¡°This, is your grandmother? What has happened to her?¡± Graum said as he broke the silence.


    Thoren stood, his voice rumbling. ¡°What is the meaning of this? She has obviously been corrupted by the void!¡±


    The male Ono¡¯s gaze was fixed on Alnur¡¯s blade. The female''s voice barked through her chest piece. ¡°Do not deny it, we smell it¡¯s filth on her.¡±


    Tayla took her grandmother¡¯s hand in her own. Reassuring her.


    Alnur finally snapped. ¡°For the love of the All Mother, of course we have the voids stench on us! We don¡¯t go mentioning it because of how much it upsets you all, but we owe our lives as much to the All Mother as we do the Nightfather.¡± Alnur ripped off his gloved left hand, revealing the blackened shriveled husk from his elbow to his finger tips. ¡°This is our pact, we Twins offer to be His hands and in return he will usher our souls into the eternal sea.


    ¡°Sometimes, when our bonded twin dies, the survivor''s body undergoes a terrible fate.¡± He turned and laid a hand on Rosel¡¯s head, placing his forehead on what remained of her skull.


    Thoren¡¯s voice had lost some of the vitriol, but still had an edge of finality. ¡°If she is in so much pain, why let her live through this? It is obvious that she suffers greatly at the touch of the Night Father¡¯s evil.¡± He was walking around the table to stand closer to Alnur and Tayla.


    ¡°Could you do it? Could you kill the woman who raised you?¡± Tayla said as she took a breath instinctively calling on the part of her mind she called the tranquility as ice coursed through her veins and steadied her shaking hand.


    Fel turned to the bewildered guests. ¡°This is a private matter. I believe it is time for you all to retire for the evening.¡± They said. Their tone wasn¡¯t harsh, but their stare made it clear that it wasn¡¯t a discussion.


    The diplomats were quick to gather their things and make for their rooms, the Ono hesitated for a long moment before finally relenting as they sheathed their weapons and left in a huff.


    Tayla gestured to the staff who were quick to follow the guests and see them to their rooms.


    Soon there was only the four of them in the great hall as Rosel spoke to her three grandchildren. ¡°It-t-t¡­ is¡­.t-t-t-ime¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, grandmother, do you mean you wish to be sent off?¡± Tayla said.


    Rosel responded by way of nodding her misshapen head.


    The three shared a look as they fought to maintain their composure. Alnur nodded. ¡°The day after tomorrow, I will send you off. To be with those that left before you.¡±


    ¡°N-n-no¡­¡± Rosel turned to Fel. ¡°Wi-l-l¡­. You¡­ do m-m-me the¡­Ho-n-or¡­ N-n-now? I hav-v-v-e¡­hear-r-rd¡­ t-the¡­night-t-t ¡­fat-t-ther ¡­c-c-all.. me¡­ t-t-to¡­hisss ssside¡±


    Fel¡¯s face of stone nearly cracked. ¡°If that is your wish.¡± They said.


    Tayla hugged Rosel deeply. ¡°If that is what you need we won¡¯t hold you back any longer grandmother.¡± Rosel reached a hand to all of their faces, Fel leaning down to meet it.


    ¡°I¡­.I¡¯m¡­s-s-so¡­proud-d-d.¡± Rosel heaved slightly in soundless sobs.


    Without another word the triplets ushered their grandmother out of the hall. As they entered the corridor they found Thoren, who seemed to be waiting outside despite the gentle coaxing of one of the staff.


    He walked up to Rosel and reached for one of her many limbs. If he was disturbed by her appearance he didn¡¯t show it. ¡°I wanted to thank you for the lovely meal. I hope I can have it again before we leave.¡± He said.


    Tayla tried to open her mouth to speak but Alnur nudged her to leave it be. The priest bowed his head as he finally let himself be guided to his room.


    The doors to the chapel were made of a blacked warped wood. It was damp with moisture from no source. The smell of mildew hung in the air around it like a thick blanket. The doors opened, revealing the holy room used for communion. The air inside was heavy and cold. There was a clawing humidity and a smell that burned at the nose.


    The room was small, with an arched ceiling. There were a few benches on either side, facing a pair of statues. One was the All Mother, in all her radiance, a cloth of marble wrapping her mortal form, holding an urn of water that flowed into a basin in the center of the room. The stone work was almost life-like. The other statue was hard to look at directly, a hunched figure with a body of oozing liquid, the stone carving looked so real that it seemed to undulate, beads of moisture ran down the amorphous body, adding to the sense that it was in constant motion. The head was an elongated skull, three perfect circles carved into it in lieu of eyes or a nose. Its chin was narrow and long, no teeth, just smooth crevices on either side. Long Insect wings draped its body like a cloak.


    Fel moved to the pool, unbuckling the mask from their belt, a striking effigy of the Nightfather that was rendered a little too well.


    Alnur hugged Rosel. ¡°You have given me so much, I will always remember what you taught me. I love you so much.¡± Alnur did little to hide his tears.


    Tayla was next to hug Rosel. ¡°May the Nightfather reinate you with grandfather, and your children.¡± She let go and stepped back.


    Rosel shuffled over walking into the pool. It was barely knee deep. She grabbed Fels¡¯ face. ¡°I¡­hop-p-pe¡­ you¡­for-r-rgive¡­your-r-r-rself¡­¡± She turned to all of those in the room. Mustering her strength. ¡°I will always love you all.¡± Her legs gave out, her body collapsing into the pool below. Her body was twitching and convulsing, the water splashing and foaming in response.


    Fel put the mask on, and the world devolved into nightmares.

 Chapter 3

    The triplets made their way to their rooms in silence. None of them had spoken since sending off their grandmother. With this passing they were now well and truly alone, save for each other. The rhythmic sounds of the Keel seemed to echo the sadness in their hearts as even the ancient ship groaned like an injured animal.


    As they reached their rooms, the siblings made the briefest of eye contact as they each retreated to grief in solitude. Alnur stared at the door controls to his chambers, unable to muster the will to raise his hand. Even as he heard the others retire to their rooms he looked at the flickering screen, alone. A tendril of thought inched closer to the link in his mind; Alnur knew he could open it at any time and talk to Tayla, he knew that together they could comfort each other and that he would feel better afterwards.


    The truth was, he didn¡¯t want to feel better.


    He stood there as the seconds turned to minutes, waiting until he was sure that Tayla and Fel had gone to bed. Only then did he turn and walk away. While the idea of a good night¡¯s sleep after such a grueling day was tempting, he also couldn¡¯t stand the idea of sitting still. There was an inferno building in his veins and he wouldn¡¯t rest until it was allowed to burn.


    Reaching the lift he selected the observation deck. The small elevator lurched slowly as it ascended to the highest deck of the Keel. When the doors opened Alnur was met with a vast dark dome. His eyes adjusted to the pitch black as the complex secondary photosensors in his retina came to life. In an instant the darkness looked like a cloudy evening, not bright, but not dark either.


    Alnur walked to the center of the chamber as a console rose from the floor in response. His fingers danced across the well worn surface as the dome flickered to life. The hundreds of triangular panels cast images from the top of the Keel, revealing the starry night sky above.


    Taking a deep breath, Alnur drew his family sword. Despite the broadswords length and width, it was shockingly light; a testament to the skill of the craftsman that had forged it over a thousand years ago. He closed his eyes as he lowered into a stance, nothing flashy, nothing over the top. A simple yet sturdy stance that his aunt and uncle had taught him.


    With slow movements he transitioned from strike to strike, block to parry. The basics helped him think. He had done them so many times that he could turn his mind off while his body flowed from muscle memory alone. As he moved he felt the wildfire in his chest grow in intensity.


    This was his greatest shame, the fury. His kind could channel their emotions through their dead hand as a gift of the Nightfather, the eldritch powers drew from the realm of the mind to twist and contort reality. The fury however was something entirely different.


    Many forces had played a part in the forging of his kind. The Lifeweaver had birthed the first Twin¡¯s to ferry the survivors of the old worlds across the stars, the All Mother had granted them a new life as her children; and the Nightfather had saved them after their fall from grace as a shepherd for their eternal souls.


    Too many chefs in the kitchen. Alnur thought to himself. There had been too many modifications and meddling of higher powers. Was it any wonder that it caused some to mutate?


    Images flashed of Rosel, his hand faltered as a breath caught in his lungs. Whose bright idea had it been to link two beings together so closely that the death of one could destroy the other?


    He bared his teeth as the fury roared in reply. He increased the pace of his movements. Adding flair and spins to his otherwise basic practice. The flames in his chest demanded he move, they wanted his pound of flesh at the injustice his people had suffered.


    The crown on his head vibrated as thoughts poured into his mind. Two thousand years of loyal service, and for what? His people were seen as second class citizens for a crime that was seven fucking centuries ago.


    With a concentrated effort he soothed the flames, calming the tempest as he slowed his movements once more.


    Patience.


    He couldn¡¯t afford to lose control now, not when they were so close to their goal.


    The lift door opened.


    Alnur stopped mid swing as he turned to see who had come to join him. To his surprise he saw the hulking form of the Ono as they exited the lift. There was a dark look in their eyes as they glared at the sword in Alnur¡¯s hand.


    Shit. This looks bad. He thought.


    ¡°Evening. I wasn¡¯t expecting visitors.¡± Alnur said as he watched the two slowly move around to either side of him. ¡°To what do I owe the honor?¡± He said.


    The female Ono removed her helmet to reveal her long red hair, her face a tapestry of scar tissue. She glanced up at the stars and sneered, revealing her elongated canines. ¡°The corruption of your kind knows no bounds. First we encounter that voidspawn earlier you call family, only to find you in a room designed to defile the heavens above.¡± She said as she laid her hand on the hilt of her sword.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you are mistaken, this isn¡¯t a place to study the stars. I just happen to enjoy the view.¡±


    The male Ono pulled out his kafka, the ceremonial knife of the Ono, pointing the blade at the sword in Alnur¡¯s hand. ¡°And what do you have to say about that? Hm? Is there a reason you have one of the lost artifacts of my people?¡± There was no direct threat to the man¡¯s tone, but he did little to hide the bloodlust in his eyes.


    At a glance the two looked to be seasoned warriors, but Alnur knew enough of his distant cousins¡¯ traditions to know that there were only two kinds of Ono that wore praetorian armor, honor guards of the gods, and fresh cubs that were still too green to go without it.


    Judging by the whites of their fangs, he ventured a guess that these were newly blooded juniors. Probably somewhere in the lower claws at best.


    The fury whispered in his mind to test his strength, eager to fight worthy opponents and be free to let loose. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately his calmer side won out.


    ¡°This is a family heirloom. Passed down as a gift by the captain of the first fang himself.¡± Alnur saw his mistake as soon as the words left his mouth. He had hoped to awe the young Ono at the mention of their greatest leader. Instead he saw the flash of rage as they took his words as a bold faced lie.


    He watched as the male Ono leapt forward, his already superior speed enhanced by his armor. Alnur took a deep breath as he relaxed his muscles in anticipation.


    The man grabbed Alnur by the throat as he lifted him off the ground. The poor fool probably thought himself intimidating as he tried to squeeze just hard enough to prevent Alnur from drawing breath but not so hard that he might risk snapping Alnur¡¯s neck.


    Trying to suffocate a Twin? The idiot obviously wasn¡¯t aware of why that was such a miserable idea, if he had known he would have at least brought a book to kill the time it would take to render Alnur unconscious.


    ¡°I am Mikal of the seventeenth claw, and I will not sit idly by while you insult the first captain¡¯s legacy.¡±


    Alnur rolled his eyes as he looked up at the sky. If he was going to have to wait to pass out from oxygen deprivation for the next twenty minutes he would at least make the most of the time. His body was already hard at work filtering his blood through secondary organs designed for just such occasions as the carbon dioxide was scrubbed and reabsorbed as oxygen into his bloodstream. The process wasn¡¯t infinite, but so far Alnur¡¯s record for a single breath was twenty three minutes.


    Mikal for his part didn¡¯t seem to notice the glaring issue in his plan yet. Instead going back to the tried and true gloating. ¡°What kind of king doesn¡¯t have guards posted?¡±


    It was a valid point. Even on a normal day there was seldom any need for guards in the Keel. Alnur and Tayla usually traveled with Fel, which was all the protection they needed. Alnur knew he could wake his sister with a thought, but he wanted to hold off and see if he could resolve this himself.


    Besides, just because they couldn¡¯t see any guards didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t protected.


    The female Ono seemed to have a bit more common sense. ¡°Mikal, we can¡¯t harm their king. We will bring dishonor to our claw.¡±


    Right, because it wasn¡¯t the fact that killing Alnur was wrong, it was that they saw it as dishonorable that was the problem. Alnur may have had a mild obsession with the Ono, but even he could recognize their odd fixation with the concept of ¡®honor¡¯.


    ¡°Ophelia, we cannot allow an artifact of the lost to go unreclaimed. It would besmirch-¡±


    Let me guess. Your Honor?


    ¡°-Our honor!¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Called it.


    This had not been how Alnur had hoped his first meeting with Ono would go. Perhaps the old saying about not meeting your heroes held merit.


    The elevator opened once more to the surprise of everyone on the observation deck.


    Looming in the doorway was a cloaked figure straight from the depths of the deepest hells. Blue translucent skin pulled taut over a hulking frame of thick muscles. Chains dangled from where they were embedded with whaling hooks the size of a man¡¯s palm into the flesh of the creature. It stared with milky white eyes that showed no iris of any sort. Every breath was a ragged wet thing that emanated from its pair of gills along its neck. The most striking thing was the gaping maw that went from below its flat nostrils to its neck, row upon row of undulating teeth moving in rhythm to its breathing.


    ¡°Do you require assistance, your highness?¡± In juxtaposition to the creature''s appearance its voice was a calm dulcet tone that was strangely calming. Though the fact it came from the set of gills on its neck on not its mouth did take some getting used to at first.


    Alnur glanced at the Ono and back to the figure. He gave the universal sign of ¡®kinda¡¯ with his free hand as he waved it back and forth.


    The Ono might have been young, but they had enough sense to try and prepare for the coming attack. It was just a shame that nothing really prepared you for when you were beset by a thing like Phi.


    Ophelia tried to block as a sudden burst of white objects flew towards her. She did well to block so many, though she couldn¡¯t stop them all. She grimaced as one of the objects struck her in her cheek. Now that it was closer it was easier to make out that it was a long hollow tooth.


    She tried to reach up and remove the tooth but it was too late. The Ono weren¡¯t the only ones gifted with the powers of the gods. Phi lurched across the distance as he barreled forward, the missing teeth he had removed from his mouth already regrowing. His body grew hazy for a moment before it transformed into a mass of dark red liquid. The liquid oozed through the air as it found its target and poured into the hollow tooth and into the body of Ophelia.


    Mikal cursed as he watched in horror as his companion spasmed and convulsed uncontrollably.


    Alnur saw his chance as he placed his gloved dead hand on the wrist joint of Mikal¡¯s armor. He let the fury flare as he channeled his anger and frustration into a singular point. The golden armor bubbled and screamed in protest as it flowed around Alnurs fingers like water, falling to the floor.


    Mikal tried to pull away but found himself unable to break free as his flesh was the next to burn and wither. Skin peeled, muscles snapped, bone crackled like the dying embers of a fire. It was only when his wrist ceased to exist did Mikal finally break free enough to pull out his sword and try to defend himself.


    A look of horror crossed his face as Ophelia¡¯s body lunged at him with wanton disregard. Her face was frozen in a pained scream as she tried to fight against Phi, from Alnur¡¯s experience there was little hope in breaking free once he had control.


    ¡°Phi!¡± Alnur said. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    The body of Ophelia stopped in its place as she fell to the ground in a heap. The dark red liquid poured out from her cut as it reformed into Phi¡¯s usual self. The female Ono shook violently as she drew her weapon once more, it was impressive to bounce back so quickly after being attacked by Phi.


    Phi for his part offered Ophelia a scaled hand. ¡°I apologize for the discomfort.¡± He looked genuinely pained as she slapped his hand away.


    Alnur watched as Mikal drank a vial of liquid he had kept in his armor. The stump of his hand sizzled as the flesh reknit itself back into a hand in a matter of moments. From his research Alnur knew that the Ono could regenerate given proper DNA to absorb, though he had heard that the pain was excruciating.


    ¡°Alright, now that we¡¯ve gotten that out of our system can we please try this again.¡± Alnur said as he gave a dramatic bow. ¡°Hello, how are you this evening? Would you like to know more about the sword that was given to my ancestor by your captain?¡±


    Ophelia and Mikal shared a look as they sheathed their weapons.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t aware your nation permitted the existence of abominations so openly.¡± Ophelia said as she stared daggers at Phi, who in return tried his best to smile.


    ¡°Now now. There¡¯s no need for name calling. Phi is a hybrid, yes. He came to our nation seeking asylum and we are not ones to turn away those in need.¡±


    Alnur wanted to move the conversation away from the sensitive subject of hybrids and their taboo nature in the eyes of the gods. He gingerly tossed the blade to Ophelia who gasped as she grabbed it. Treating it like he had just thrown a newborn. The pair began to inspect the blade as their eyes grew wide.


    ¡°This is inscribed with a message from the first captain!¡± Ophelia said as she held a hand to her mouth.


    Mikal narrowed his eyes. ¡°A gift for the Lord Admiral Ebontide, for their many years of friendship.¡± His voice trailed off as a hint of red crossed his cheeks.


    Alnur fought to quill the urge to gloat or rub it in. He wanted nothing more than to scream ¡®I told you so!¡¯ but he bit his tongue and merely nodded.


    The pair of Ono seemed to realize the weight of their mistake as they dropped to their knees. ¡°We offer you our humble apologies, your highness. We accept any punishment as per your people''s laws.¡± Mikal said as he lowered his head.


    Alnur did his best to hide his smile. He could use this to his advantage. ¡°As per our laws, assaulting another citizen of the Coast can be punished up to and including the dismembering of one¡¯s hand.¡± He pointed with his chin at Mikal¡¯s freshly regrown hand. ¡°It would seem we have already covered that much.¡±


    Mikal tried to open his mouth to protest but Alnur continued. ¡°That being said. I would ask you a favor. I would have you deliver a message to the elders of your people. One of vital importance to me. I will have this message given to you before your departure and charge you with its delivery. Furthermore, I ask that you both keep this a private matter; I think we can all agree it would be best for us all if none were privy to what happened tonight.¡± Alnur said.


    The Ono shared a confused look, but to their credit they merely nodded as they swore on their honor to do so.


    Ophelia handed back Alnur his sword, though not without the briefest of pauses.


    ¡°What is its name?¡± She asked.


    Alnur smiled as he held it aloft in his dead hand. ¡°Riptide.¡± He said with a smile as he let the Nightfathers gift course through the hilt. The blade''s spine of bone white glowed in response as the whole of its edge began to burn an eerie green hue as flames of balefire danced across its surface.


    The Ono watched in awe and horror at the display. Some part of them understood that Alnur hadn¡¯t been quite so helpless as he had seemed and their faces grew hardened at their naivety.


    Without another word the pair left as quickly as they had arrived. Leaving Alnur and Phi in the quiet chamber.


    ¡°I feel awful for having puppeted that woman.¡± Phi said as his shoulder fell.


    ¡°I know you dislike your powers Phi, but you used them to help me.¡±


    ¡°It is the least I can do for all you have done for me, your highness. I just¡­ I know that the All Mother would look down upon me for using such a vile method.¡± Phi said.


    Alnur laid a hand on the large man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The fact you feel conflicted is exactly why she would be proud of you Phi, you only use your gifts to help others in need.¡±


    ¡°They are not gifts, your highness. They are a curse.¡±


    Alnur winced. He had walked right into that one. Phi wasn¡¯t a child of the gods, well not technically.


    The children of the gods were granted incredible gifts from their divine bloodlines, though the gods had overlooked one particular issue when crafting them. The mixing of said bloodlines and what would happen to those very gifts.


    Oftentimes the resulting children would be afflicted with one form of madness or another. Some of the mind, others of the body.


    It was a cruel fate, for human¡¯s by their nature loved whom they loved and trying to say that it was taboo did little to stop the whims of the heart. Alnur had made it his policy to welcome any and all hybrids that sought sanctuary from the persecution of the Empire and the Court as a whole.


    He couldn¡¯t offer them a treatment for their ailments, but it was amazing what treating them with respect could do.


    ¡°It is what we do with our powers that determines if they are gifts or curses Phi, I hope one day you will see that you are worthy of calling it the former.¡± Alnur said.


    Phi simply nodded as he pulled out a well worn book from his cloak and turned to a page by habit as he ran his finger over the lines of raised indents. Under his breath he began to recite verses from the All Mother¡¯s holy works.


    ¡°Would you join me for the walk to my chambers? I doubt anyone else will try and attack me tonight. But then again, I hadn¡¯t considered a pair of Ono would interrupt me during my evening meditation.¡± Alnur said as he began to walk towards the lift.


    Phi followed while reciting a verse about absolving one''s sins, pausing for a moment as he looked towards the severed hand of Mikal¡¯s. His teeth began to shake as he clenched his hands.


    Alnur walked over to the hand on the ground as he picked it up gingerly. ¡°I know the hunger is hard for you.¡± He said as he offered the hand to Phi. ¡°I also know that while unseemly, you still need a certain amount of flesh to survive.¡±


    Alnur entered the lift and selected the deck where his room was. He tried hard to ignore the sound of Phi drooling as he devoured his reward. Pausing as he cocked his head. ¡°Speaking of which. How did you know I was in need of help, Phi?¡±


    Phi didn¡¯t have to stop eating as he spoke in his calm voice through his gills. ¡°Simple. I was on the deck below watching to make sure you were safe.¡± Phi said.


    Anyone else and that would sound ridiculous. Though Alnur had never met another hybrid of Phi¡¯s particular bloodline. The man was blind, yet could sense bioelectrical signals around him, even through solid matter. Though the range wasn¡¯t incredible apparently.


    The walk back to the room was thankfully quiet as Alnur finally had the courage to try and go to sleep. Phi posted himself outside the door to keep watch which made Alnur feel a bit safer, and perhaps a bit embarrassed. The man could literally feel Alnur falling asleep through the wall.


    Without regard for decorum or grace he tossed his clothes to the ground as he fell to his soft inviting bed in an unkingly heap. He closed his eyes, and finally he was granted the sweet embrace of slumber. Yet even then, he would find no peace, his dreams were not his own, memories of distant battles, of brothers and sisters dead in his arms. Staring up as the thing behind the moon opened its eye and swallowed the stars whole.

 Chapter 4

    The morning air carried a chill of winters on its breath, the first signs of the changing of the seasons. Tayla kept her hands warm in her pockets as she walked down the Keels ramp into the plaza below. It was still early enough that folks hadn¡¯t left for the fields, many took the chance to relax and gather before another day of hard work. Today was the great hunt, as tradition she and her siblings would have to take part, if they were lucky it would be a perfectly boring day.


    Tayla had no particular destination in mind for her morning walk, she often let herself get lost as she explored the nooks and crannies of Navalia. The crisp morning air was nothing like the Keel¡¯s processed and recycled climate systems. There was a pleasant burning as the cold wind blew over her face, carrying the salty ocean air on its current.


    Pausing in the center of the plaza for a moment, she made up her mind to go down to the waterfront to take in the sunrise over the shallow sea. As Tayla walked to the edge of the plaza she took the time to look around at the citizens, while some shot uneasy glances towards the line of parked carriages on the far side of the plaza, most were smiling and jovial. Many crowded around elders, laughing while sharing stories from their past, trying to get a bit more time with them before tomorrow¡¯s send off. Eventually someone noticed Tayla, shouting a warm greeting towards her, which sparked most of the other Twins in the plaza to greet her in kind. Tayla made sure to smile and wave at any who greeted her, while she wasn¡¯t as great with people as her brother she still wanted to show them that she cared.


    The Twin¡¯s of the coast could be a bit reserved with unfamiliar faces, but once you got past the cold exterior you would find most to be some of the kindest folks in the whole of the empire. Unless you happened to be a triplet that was.


    Yes, growing up as children to a beloved king, Tayla and Alnur were treated like gifts from the gods. Doted on by any and all, they could do no wrong. Fel on the other hand, was seen as an eyesore, most ignoring their existence all together. Her father had on more than one occasion gotten into full on brawls over someone treating Fel poorly. As a king he would never use his crown to dictate what others could or could not believe, but as a father he would throw his crown aside in a heartbeat to give someone a fat lip if they spat at the sight of his darling child. Even after Fel had grown into a seven foot tall giant capable of breaking iron with their bare hands, their father would always stand up for Fel¡¯s fair treatment. Tayla let out a small sigh, gods she missed him.


    Tayla made it to the edge of the plaza and looked down the main road to the waterfront. A part of her regretted her choice in destination as she looked down the steep hill that stretched on and on. The road was too steep for wagons or carriages, instead four grooves were cut into the road the whole length of the hill, these grooves were used as tracks for the lifts; platforms built to be pulled or lowered along the roads by pulley stations. The sidewalks were long steps of stone, it was a considerable feat to climb the main road from the waterline to the main plaza. Tayla had tried dozens of times, eventually resorting to the lifts in shame each time.


    As she walked down, she passed the various store fronts that lined the main street, each one was built to be level with the steps out front, but after fifteen or twenty feet the stores would be supported by large pillars suspending the front of the buildings some dozen feet in the air. Some stores would simply build on top of a lower building, causing a staircase of buildings that cascaded down the hill like a waterfall. Unlike family houses these seldom kept with the tradition of building their structures to look like ships.


    She saw a woman sitting in front of her shop at a small table playing a game of chess by herself. At least, that was what appeared to be the case. Tayla saw the woman¡¯s lips moving silently, a common tell that a Twin was speaking to their other half. Many outgrew the habit, while many more went their whole lives not realizing they were doing it in the first place. The woman¡¯s sibling must have been somewhere else playing along with his own chessboard. It was a shame that he was falling right into his sister''s trap.


    That was how it was supposed to be. Twins usually kept their connection through the link open constantly. It felt natural to come and go through the doorway that joined their minds. With the exception of private moments of course; plus, even Twins could want some personal space from their sibling.


    Alnur and Tayla had an odd relationship to the link by comparison, they used it of course, but since Fel wasn¡¯t able to join on their own they tended to avoid relying on the link.


    The sound of an anvil being worked on dragged Tayla from her stupor. Most of the stores should have been closed during the festival. Though considering every year hundreds of tools would break in the fields, it was no wonder that some blacksmiths were trying to repair or remake some tools while they had the time. She went to walk past the open door of the smithy, glancing inside she stopped in her tracks, there were the Twin owners of the shop, but beside them was the Trest Graum, he was wearing his full regalia while standing next to the searing heat of the forge, completely unphased. The Twin blacksmiths by comparison were covered in sweat, cooling off with rags of cold water as they tried to beat the heat while they caught their breath. The first born was the female working the anvil, her second born brother was working on the mounting of the tools to wood. Tayla stepped inside, this was a golden opportunity to make some connections with the Trest, a rare chance indeed.


    It had nothing to do with the explosive ending the night before. Definitely not.


    Waiting for a momentary lull in the banging of what looked like a shovel, Tayla cleared her throat to not startle the blacksmiths before beginning. ¡°Good morning honored cousin, I hope you are finding our city to your liking.¡± Tayla looked at the blacksmiths, greeting them with a wave.


    The Trest man was enthralled watching the blacksmiths at work. He was so absorbed that Tayla wasn¡¯t sure if she should repeat herself. The blacksmiths looked to Tayla, hesitant to continue for fear of interrupting her. She shrugged to them, nodding for them to continue their work. For the next couple minutes Graum didn¡¯t move an inch, the reflection of the forge casting a red glow over his obsidian skin and eyes. The blacksmiths finished their work, turning to quench the metal. Graum held out a hand for them to stop, he reached out and before they could stop him, he grabbed the red hot metal with his bare hand. The blacksmiths stammered in protest as they worried for the man¡¯s well being. Tayla had heard that the Trest had been engineered to survive incredible heat, but it was another thing to see it in person as he inspected the work with a keen eye.


    Graum finally spoke, ¡°The steel''s carbon content is off, I take it you don¡¯t have a proper oxygen furnace but simple blast furnaces. With the amount of impurities in this it¡¯s no wonder your tools break often.¡± The man was speaking to himself more than anything it seemed. He looked lost in thought. Finally, he glanced over and noticed Tayla with a start. ¡°My lady, I am sorry, I had not noticed you. These fine smiths were showing me the techniques of your people.¡± He rubbed his head with his free hand. ¡°I can get a bit lost while in the forge. Your smiths,¡± He used the metal in his hand to point ¡°are fairly skilled, it takes a lot of experience to turn poor quality material into something serviceable like this. I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean that as an insult, I am just used to the forges of Mount Hearthhome.¡±


    Tayla laughed. ¡°There is no need to apologize, our iron and steel are indeed lacking. Despite our best efforts, we could never get a proper steel mill built. So we settle for pig iron and make do with cast iron or low grade rimmed steel if we can manage to get some. Trying to get large quantities of material through the coral highlands has always been taxing. Perhaps if our proposal for a dock is permitted we can finally get started on a proper steel mill.¡±


    Graum let out a laugh that was thunderous. ¡°You are quick to steer our conversation to this proposed trade route. I like that, I don¡¯t like the wishy washy language of the high court. Simple is best. You want this dock, the dock will help feed the empire, ensure work for my brothers and sister, and maybe we don¡¯t starve as much? Bah, I say it is a simple thing, if it serves the Empire, it is a good thing.¡± The man was quite animated while talking.


    ¡°That sounds like an endorsement to me? If so, I am most grateful for your favorable words.¡±


    Graum waved the cooling metal shovel head towards Tayla. ¡°As it is said in the book of Trest, ¡®keep things simple¡¯. Now, there¡¯s still the real chance that the low court or even the Minsetlla will put a stop to this notion of yours.


    Speaking personally though, the idea of building such a structure makes me almost wish I could retire as a diplomat and oversee the construction myself.¡± His smile was warm and wide. Everything Tayla had heard was that the children of Trest wore their emotions on their sleeves. If they liked you, they were the first to say so. If they didn¡¯t, well, the stories made it clear that it was never a great idea to get into a fist fight with a boulder.


    The man stroked his beard as the metal braids clacked together softly. ¡°I have been giving it some thought, why not use airships? It would avoid any risk of angering your maker and wouldn¡¯t require such an undertaking, just an open field for a landing pad.¡±


    It was the logical comeback to the issue, one that Tayla and her team of experts had been forced to come back to time and time again. ¡°We thought of the same thing, but the issues outweigh the benefits. When you take into consideration that our refined fuel reserves are dwindling with each year it would only be a matter of time until we are right back where we started; of course with the added issue of having wasted precious fuel.¡± Tayla could go on and on about the subject, there were dozens of pros and cons, but in the end she and her team always came back to the simplicity of using seafaring vessels.


    There was a scraping sound as Graum ran the now mostly cooled shovel head along his chin, the tip visibly dulling from the action. ¡°Valid points, the remoteness of the black coast is no doubt a large factor as well. Very well, I see your logic.¡± He glanced down at the deformed shovel in his hand. ¡°Oh my, I got carried away. I will reforge this myself to make amends.¡±


    Tayla stared in disbelief, for a moment, just a moment, she had the gut feeling that perhaps the destruction of the shovel had been no mistake. Perhaps the forgefather simply wanted a chance to show off his craft.


    The female blacksmith laughed at the absurdity, ¡°To see a Trest forgefather in action would be a dream of ours, if anything I would love to call some of the other smiths in the city to watch. I am sure there is much we could learn.¡±


    While Graum¡¯s cheeks were made of literal stone, there was just a hint of redness in the cracks between. ¡°Well, if you insist. Who am I to argue?¡± He turned to Tayla. ¡°I would love to continue this conversation another time my lady. The forge calls!¡±


    Tayla wanted to leave but she paused. ¡°About last nigh-¡±


    Graum raised his hand. ¡°Tempers flared, words were said, steel was drawn. But in the end there was no bloodshed, as far as I¡¯m concerned that was a pretty standard negotiation.¡±


    Bowing slightly, Tayla responded kindly. ¡°Thank you, sir Graum. Please let us know if you need anything else. We will most likely be meeting for breakfast in a few hours to discuss the day. Until then, good bye.¡± Tayla left the smithy, the cool air outside a much needed refreshment after the stuffy forge.


    Some time later Tayla made it to the waterfront. Along her walk she had heard some of the townsfolk talking about a specter some had seen the night before, an agent of the Nightfather, stalking the streets with the spirits of the ancients in tow. Tayla made a mental note to inform the townsfolk of the  Necromaster and her walks. At this rate there would be an urban legend of the walking dead.


    The waterfront consisted of a stone path that ran in a semi circle around the shallow sea along the city''s edge, along with a stone wall built some fifteen feet above the water below with several staircases leading to the shallow waters  below. Benches and trees dotted the edge of the wall. Quite the feat considering the effort it took to import natural trees and maintain them from being poisoned by the coral soil below. The main road opened into a second plaza at the bottom of the hill, its edge overlooking the waterfront some sixty feet above.


    Tayla walked the wall''s edge; if one didn¡¯t know better they could almost believe that the shallow sea was the ocean itself. That illusion was broken by the sight of someone sitting up to their neck in the water. Tayla felt her heart drop, no Twin would do such an act, it went against the All Mother¡¯s wishes. The shock of blond hair gave away the identity of the fool immediately.


    She called out to the storm priest. ¡°Honored cousin, I think you¡¯ll find that the Keel has working bathtubs!¡± A hint of sarcasm crept into her voice.


    Thoren didn¡¯t move.


    Well that was troubling, storm priests didn¡¯t take jokes well. Which either means he had not heard the joke, he didn¡¯t understand it, or he had passed out in the water. Tayla glanced around to ensure no one was around before running her hands down her face in an exaggerated fashion. She huffed as she walked towards the nearby staircase, she held her heel in place with her foot and pulled her feet out of her boots one at a time. She wasn¡¯t wearing a long skirt, or a dress, but her coat was on the longer side, so she took it off and tossed it with her boots. She called out one last time in a desperate attempt to avoid going into the water. ¡°Oh honored one! Thoren sir! HEY ZAPPY!¡±


    Great, wet pants it was. With a deep breath she walked into the water as the frigid liquid came up to her thighs. The shock of the cold was just enough to be brisk, but not enough to trigger her skin''s safeguard response. ¡°Dear genesmiths, why give us skin that can protect us from the cold, if we can¡¯t choose when to activate it!¡± She grumbled as she walked to the blond idiot.


    The priest was sitting so his head was the only thing not submerged in the water. Thankfully he had the decency to wear his robes at least. His eyes were closed, mouth chanting in the celestial tongue. Tayla was a bit out of practice, but it seemed like he was praying for guidance, that or he was asking how much it was to buy a horse. Probably the first one.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Tayla was about to leave the man, she had done her part in making sure he wasn¡¯t drowning, that was the extent of her duty at this time. To her disappointment Thoren spoke up, ¡°The water isn¡¯t that cold.¡±


    She froze, that had been the closest to a joke she had ever heard a storm priest make in her entire life. Her slack jawed face caught Thoren¡¯s side glance. Another shock, he laughed.


    ¡°So, what did you do to the man who owned that face before you?¡± Tayla realized she had made a mistake. The saying was common enough, a light jab at the idea that someone was so drastically changed that it was more likely that they had had their face stolen by a Faceless. Tayla just hoped the priest would take it as a joke and not an accusation.


    Thankfully, Thoren laughed again.


    Okay, the chances of him being an agent of chaos were suddenly not zero.


    Thoren stood up, his clothes absolutely drenched, though he didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°Just because I¡¯m a priest doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t enjoy a bit of levity from time to time.¡±


    ¡°Is soaking your clothes part of your idea of ¡®levity¡¯?¡±


    ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t sleep last night, so I¡¯ve been praying to the All Mother to try and help calm my mind.¡±


    ¡°How long have you been out here?¡±


    Thoren looked at the sun for a moment. ¡°About six hours. Give or take.¡±


    ¡°I take it back, nobody but a Stormpriest would sit in the cold water for six hours. Speaking of cold water, I¡¯ve been in here for all of a few minutes and I have had my fill.¡± Tayla said as she turned to make her way back to shore. She heard the splashing of Thoren following. Oh great, time for her yearly quota of theology and preaching. To her surprise the priest was silent the whole way back up the stairs, the blissful silence continued even while she tried to wring the worst of the water out of her pants. She sat down on the wall''s edge, waiting to put her boots on until she was a bit more dry. Thoren just stood nearby, staring introspectively.


    ¡°I know what you saw last night was a shock. I wanted to thank you for being respectful to my grandmother before¡­¡± Tayla struggled to say the words. There was no running from the truth, but saying it out loud made it seem more real.


    He continued to surprise her as he shifted the subject. ¡°I am one of the youngest of my kind to rise to my rank, I came here ready to be the instrument of the gods and put you heathens in your place.¡± He glanced at Tayla sheepishly as he cleared his throat. ¡°I came here with a narrative already in my mind of being some avatar of justice. I thought I would come to this land and find people in need of saving.¡±


    ¡°So what happened? Did you have a change of heart about us ¡®heathens¡¯? Because I seem to recall your little sermon yesterday, you had quite a lot to get off your chest about our evil and wicked nature.¡± Tayla said.


    Thoren turned to face her, several emotions fighting for control as his features twisted. ¡°I deserve that. Like I said, I have much to prove. There are two ways to raise to my rank amongst my kind. The usual method involves piety and theological study, and several decades of rinsing and repeating those principles.¡±


    Tayla took the bait and asked. ¡°And the other method?¡±


    With a flick of his wrist he summoned a bolt of lightning from the clear skies, a spear of molten gold appearing in his hand as he jabbed it into the stones below. There was a steel to his eyes as he met Tayla¡¯s. ¡°Martial prowess.¡± He said matter of factly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t say.¡± Tayla looked around at the shocked faces of those who were taken aback by the sudden thunderclap that had burst from thin air without warning. She spotted several shapes moving in the shadows, the House of whispers was hard at work keeping an eye on their guests it would seem. Somewhere amongst those shadows, probably one she couldn¡¯t even see, would be a member of the House of demons. Had Thoren showed any ill intent with that spear he would have found himself trying to scoop up whatever remained of the contents of his skull from the bricks below in quick fashion.


    Whispers and demons walk hand in hand. Tayla thought as she recited the old proverb.


    Checking to see if her legs were dry yet, Tayla leaned forward. ¡°I¡¯m failing to see the point to this honored cousin. You came to prove yourself and you rose in rank because you can stab better than anyone else; what am I missing here?¡± She knew she was being curt with the man, but there was something about him that made Tayla feel like she could be blunt with him.


    ¡°The point.¡± Thoren said as he began spinning the spear in place out of what seemed like habit. ¡°Is someone knows I am young, they know that I would be quick to temper, and I¡¯m betting they hoped that I would settle things with the tip of my spear as opposed to trying to talk things over. What they couldn¡¯t have foreseen was your grandmother.¡± His eyes softened as he continued some practised motions with the spear.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see some vile creature of the void; I saw a sick person, someone in need of help. I can¡¯t imagine the willpower it took to hold on while her body transformed before her very eyes until nothing remained of the person she was before, all the while caring for you and your siblings.¡± He lowered his spear.


    ¡°When the Ono charged I found myself wondering why I hadn¡¯t leapt forward as well? I should have, it was exactly what I was taught to do; show no mercy to the corrupt, bring vengeance to those that turn their back on the gods. Yet I remember looking down at the food your grandmother had made; if she was so evil, why did the food she made taste so warm and comforting.¡±


    Tayla cocked an eyebrow. ¡°You didn¡¯t attack my grandmother because she baked her food ¡®with love¡¯¡±?


    Thoren¡¯s face grew flush as he looked away. ¡°Something as simple as that should be impossible from what I was taught.¡± He pointed with his chin at the townsfolk. ¡°I expected to see a den of villainy, yet more and more I just see people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing, right?¡±


    ¡°Depends who you ask.¡± Thoren said as he continued to stare at the people going about their mornings. It was as though they were a puzzle for him to solve. ¡°The more I consider the facts, the more questions I have. I had hoped to clear my mind, but I don¡¯t think this is something I can reconcile as easily as I had hoped. I think someone is plotting behind the scenes.¡±


    Tayla digested what the man was saying, trying to see reason in the madness. If the priest''s hunch was right she was playing her part perfectly. Antagonizing Thoren, driving a wedge between their people because of her prejudice. It was exactly what someone wanted, and the thought that she was being manipulated was infuriating. ¡°It¡¯s almost ingenious, we were raised to hate one another, both of us are young and in positions to want to prove ourselves by not backing down. If that is the case, we can¡¯t let them get away with it.¡±


    A weight seemed to lift as Thoren looked genuinely glad to hear her words. ¡°Hence why I¡¯ve been sitting, freezing my ass off for the night lost in thought. Speaking of which.¡± He held his fist above his head as he closed his eyes. ¡°¡®Blessed lords of starlight, let your brilliance wash over me and warm my spirit.¡¯¡± His eyes began to glow a brillant kaleidoscope of hues, a myriad of lights appearing around his body from nowhere. Tayla let out a yelp as she tried to back away from the sudden display. She lost her balance, starting to flail as she was about to tumble backwards the dozen or so feet back into the water. Thoren reached out and grabbed her wrist, arresting her fall at the last moment. She pulled herself back in place.


    Tayla caught her breath and immediately shouted. ¡°What in the name of the All Mother was that! Was that magic!?¡± She had only met a few who could use magic, most of them were born with the innate arcane gift. The court Magos, Abigail, could use magical formula, but she was the only one in the Coast with that ability. It was a rarity in the Black Coast.


    Thoren stood back, his clothing and body were now bone dry. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s a common chant, back in the Spires even children can do that much. I didn¡¯t think it would be so shocking.¡±


    ¡°Need I remind you sir, that my people lost our connection to the divine. We can¡¯t just chant our problems away. Now, you have let me sit here with my legs freezing in the cold while you had the power to rectify this?¡± She gestured at her legs with both hands.


    ¡°Okay, okay. Fair point.¡± Thoren chuckled, for the first time all the stress and determination seemed to wash away from his face, revealing that underneath the scowl was a somewhat charming face. He chanted once more, this time holding out his palm towards Tayla. A moment later a flash of light, gone as quickly as it had appeared. She reached down and found to her immense satisfaction that her legs were dry, the warmth sudden and refreshing.


    ¡°Ahh, much better. Looks like you have your uses after all zappy.¡± Tayla caught herself, she was trying to egg him on out of habit. ¡°Right, that is my fault, giving Stormpriests a hard time just comes naturally to me.¡±


    Placing his fists on his hips, Thoren¡¯s face returned to his usual grimace. ¡°Believe me, I understand the feeling. If we are to foil this mysterious puppet master and their plans I propose a truce for the time being. I for my part will refrain from embarking on any holy crusades during my stay.¡±


    ¡°And I will try not to verbally harass you too much.¡±


    That caused a scowl to appear on the priest''s face.


    Crossing her arms, Tayla said. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. I¡¯m joking. This is me, trying to make peace. I promise I will endeavor to treat you fairly and to not antagonize you.¡± She was trying to be light hearted, but Thoren¡¯s words bothered her deeply. Who would have something to gain by bringing more strife to the Twins. They were a far removed people, they had little but crops for trade. Perhaps someone felt that the Twins were heretics, but the most likely to feel that way were the Stormpriests themselves. Something felt off about this whole thing.


    ¡°Now who¡¯s making sour faces?¡± Thoren said with a smirk.


    Tayla had hoped a walk would calm her mood, instead it had compounded the issues. ¡°Your scowl is infectious. A curse that has been passed to me.¡±


    A bell rang inside Tayla¡¯s mind.


    ¡°There¡¯s the morning bell. I should return to the Keel, it''s already six o''clock.¡± Tayla said.


    Looking around, Thoren scratched his head. ¡°Morning bell? I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡± A look of sudden realization crossed the man¡¯s handsome face. ¡°Wait, is that where the saying about asking a Twin for the time comes from? You hear bells?¡±


    She laughed. ¡°I can¡¯t explain the whole thing, but yes. We hear bells. One in the morning, one at noon, and another in the evening.¡±


    ¡°Sounds convenient.¡±


    As she was about to respond, there came another ringing of the bell. A sickening feeling of deja vu washed over Tayla as she waited for another ring of the Herald bell. Thankfully it stopped at two.


    There were more visitors.


    Tayla raised her voice slightly. ¡°Bynard!¡±


    One of the trees grew blurry around the edges as a cloaked figure peeled away from the bark with a sickening crack. Walking over at a relaxed pace the man approached, giving a lazy bow of the head. Bynard was a disheveled man, everything about him from his looks to his clothing spoke to his lax nature. He was Tayla¡¯s closest friend, as such she knew all too well that his laid back nature was a tool that he used for his own means.


    ¡°What can I do ya for Tayla?¡± Bynard said with his usual mumble.


    ¡°Do we have more guests arriving?¡±


    Bynard¡¯s eyes fluttered as he grew quiet. A rare occurrence that spoke to the fact the man was taking things seriously.


    Thoren took the chance to lean closer. ¡°I thought you said you didn¡¯t have magic here?¡±


    ¡°Bynard doesn¡¯t count. He¡¯s a runesmith.¡± She shrugged.


    Bynard clicked his tongue. ¡°Well, the good news is that the guards were actually ready this time so we have a chance to prepare. The bad news is that the visitors aren¡¯t from the Court. They¡¯re Cabal diplomats.¡±


    Tayla and Thoren shared a look. There was no doubt now. Someone was working very hard behind the scenes, the question was, what was their end goal?


    ¡°Should we tell the king about our theory?¡± Thoren said.


    ¡°No. Not yet.¡± Tayla said with a shake of her head. ¡°I want to try and do some digging before I bring it to his attention. Besides, I don¡¯t want to distract him on the day of the hunt. For now we need to return to the Keel and prepare for the new visitors.¡±


    Thoren glanced around for a moment. ¡°May I join you for the walk back?¡±


    It took every ounce of Tayla¡¯s willpower not to roll her eyes, or make some scathing remark. ¡°Of course, I would love the company.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I almost believe you. If not for the veins on your forehead looking like they are primed to burst.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying!¡±


    ¡°Do you treat all of your foreign representatives like this?¡± Thoren said, raising his eyebrows.


    Tayla pointed a finger at Thoren. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I am the pinnacle of politeness and diplomatic relationships. I am the Lady of shadows, the unseen hand, I have been trained since childhood to be a political machine! You¡¯re just insufferable.¡±


    The two paused, staring each other down before bursting into laughter. Without intending it, they seemed to have found some foundation to work from.


    Thoren held out his hands at his sides. ¡°I can take a hint, I will return on my own.¡±


    ¡°I will see you at breakfast.¡± Tayla said as she watched the man¡¯s body disappear in a flash as he transformed into a bolt of lightning that arced to the top of the hill in an instant. ¡°Show off.¡± She mumbled to herself.


    Bynard cleared his throat as he let a devilish grin creep across his face. ¡°You know. I can¡¯t count how many times I tried to set you up with someone. For a while I thought you might play for the other team if you catch my drift, but when that failed I thought you might be one of those folks that prefers to not play at all. But now, now I see the problem, we were trying the wrong sport to begin with.¡± He said, proud of his convoluted analogy.


    Tayla quickened her pace as she responded. Bynard¡¯s soft footfalls right behind her. ¡°You want to try that one more time without the cryptic nonsense?¡±


    ¡°Twin¡¯s aren¡¯t your thing. But a certain dreamy Stormpriest just might be.¡±


    She stopped in her tracks as she turned around. ¡°I do not have a thing for that self righteous dick!¡±


    Bynard raised his hands. ¡°Sorry sorry. I just thought as I was watching you from my hiding spot that you seemed to be getting lost in those big brown eyes.¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t brown, they¡¯re blue.¡±


    A shit eating grin formed on Bynard¡¯s face.


    ¡°You¡¯re the worst!¡± Tayla said in a huff as she hurried away, making sure to keep her face hidden from her friend.


    As the two caught the next lift up the hill, Tayla opened the link. Alnur¡¯s mind was a flurry of half thoughts and emotions, it felt like a screen that was playing white noise.


    The king was sleeping in.


    Tayla sent a pulse through her mind, a sudden jolt of focus that cascaded through her brother''s subconscious as it bounced around wildly. The static subsided as Alnur groaned in dismay.


    What.


    I¡¯m afraid we don¡¯t have time for you to sleep in Alnur, we have more guests arriving. Tayla sent.


    What now? The Faefolk? The Wyrmkin? No wait, let me guess, the Vex?


    Nope. It¡¯s the Cabal.


    Alnur grew quiet for a long moment before sending back a single word that conveyed Tayla¡¯s own feelings on the matter.


    Fuck.

 Chapter 5

    The day was shaping up to be another slog as Tayla walked the winding path to the hideaway. She had sent word to prepare for the coming diplomats, it would be a nightmare keeping the peace between the Cabal and the Court. While there were peace treaties that prevented things from getting bloody, that didn¡¯t stop the two groups from bickering and goading one another.


    There was about an hour before the Cabal arrived, followed by breakfast with the representatives, and finally topped off with the great hunt.


    She took a moment to catch her breath as she tapped into the Tranquility, a plume of frost escaped from her lips as she exhaled slowly. Hoarfrost spread from her boots as it crept across the steel plates below.


    In an instant there was clarity.


    Tayla continued her path as she began organizing a plan to tackle each issue individually. Each problem was a puzzle to be solved, an equation to dissect.


    She soon found herself outside the Hideaway, the hidden chamber that the triplets had snuck off to as children and continued to use as their haven when they needed privacy.


    Tayla entered the small chamber, the room had some basic furniture, a wardrobe for when they needed each other''s help to decide on an outfit, and a bookshelf. The contents of which ranged from historical books of their peoples legends, to the many editions of the Adventure of Kardaak. That particular collection of books had taken years to find in secret.


    Fel and Alnur were already in the room, preparing for the coming day. Fel was hard at work inspecting their armor as they laid out the many pieces on a small table. They gave a slight nod to Tayla as they continued their ritual.


    Looking like a proud father, Alnur was clutching a cup of coffee like a newborn as he tried to gather his wits. He sent a grunt through the link as a greeting.


    Walking to the bookshelf, Tayla grabbed a tome about the various sects of the Cabal and their sordid history. She quickly flicked through it as she tried to refresh her memory.


    Humanities'' journey from the old world to their current planet had been so horrific that most accounts tried their best to avoid any direct mention of the key events. The long and short of it was that their world had advanced to the pinnacle of science and reason, a utopia of progress where marvels of technology danced the thin line between science and magic. That was until they had discovered the method of harnessing real magic, and with it they had doomed their whole world.


    In less than a decade humanity had to flee their dying world as they crossed the stars in hopes of finding a new planet to support life. Millions fled, while billions more were left to wither and die.


    Along the way humans found the Celestial gods, who in turn took mortal form with the help of the saints. They used the genetic blueprints of the lifeweaver and his various variant human designs to forge the Celestial Court and its children.


    The Cabal were descended from the survivors of the old world, the lucky few that had managed to secure a seat for the journey. Though after being frozen cryogenically for the trip and waking up on their current planet were horrified to find out that most of the best and brightest minds had been lost on the trip. Along with most of the terraforming equipment and ships.


    These poor souls slept for centuries, only to wake up and be thrown back into their ancient history as they regressed back to farming and feudal states.


    Tayla clicked her tongue, the book conveniently left out the parts of the Cabal¡¯s history that turned them from ordinary folks into mutant sects of god-hating warbands who waged a war that almost brought the new world to ruins.


    It didn¡¯t matter how or why it happened, not today. Though Tayla had hoped to parse more information that she could use in the coming days to make peace with the foreign nations. She wasn¡¯t sure what had caused them to travel across the Empire to the Black Coast, but she couldn¡¯t let such a unique opportunity pass her by either.


    Alnur sat his empty cup down as he tapped his finger against the ceramic. ¡°So. Today is going to suck.¡± He said.


    Fel scoffed as they nodded in agreement.


    With a groan, Tayla threw the book back on the shelf as she walked over to the table and placed her revolvers on the opposite side from Fel. Fetching her pouch of tools to service the weapons. ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it. I know we had a setback last night with the talks, but I really felt like we were winning them over.¡±


    ¡°It was a good speech.¡± Fel said as they oiled a joint. ¡°Though it won¡¯t pass the high court.¡±


    ¡°We have to try. Tens of thousands of lives depend on it.¡±


    ¡°I agree. That doesn¡¯t change the fact that the gods won¡¯t change their minds. Even if it passes the low court, and the high court; the All Mother could still veto the proposal.¡±


    Alnur leaned back in his chair. ¡°You think she would do that? Personally get involved?¡±


    Fel stopped their work as they looked off into the distance. ¡°For this, absolutely.¡± They said.


    ¡°Well. I think we continue with the plan.¡± Alnur said, ¡°We butter the Court up for the week, and send an envoy to the capital afterwards to plead our case before the Minstella.¡±


    ¡°Who did you have in mind for this duty? Uncle Cyrus?¡± Tayla said.


    ¡°No. I think it should be me.¡±


    Fel and Tayla shared a look.


    ¡°You¡¯re the king Alnur, your place is here overseeing the Coast.¡± Fel said.


    Tayla added, ¡°Who would oversee your duties in your absence?¡±


    ¡°I thought you could.¡± Alnur said as he stared at Tayla.


    She dropped her screwdriver as her mouth hung open. ¡°What? Me?! I couldn¡¯t- I¡¯m just your shadow.¡± She stammered.


    This time it was Alnur and Fel that shared a look.


    ¡°We both know that father could have picked either one of us to bear the crown. The shadow is basically a second ruler in all but name.¡± Alnur said, ¡°Besides you handle most of the day to day needs already.¡±


    There was truth to what her brother was saying. Tayla had taken the role of shadow a bit further than most did historically, but she enjoyed having her brother be the face of the nation. She could prepare and plan, but she didn¡¯t want the spotlight itself, she was content with being second fiddle.


    Fel turned to Alnur. ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to be the one to save the world right? I agree we send an envoy, but if anything it should be Tayla.¡±


    ¡°Is that because you don¡¯t want me to go where you can¡¯t watch over me?¡± Alnur said, there was a hint of bitterness that seemed to surprise even himself as he looked away.


    The three sat in uncomfortable silence for a long moment before each placed a hand in the center of the table over top of each other.


    ¡°Three as one. One as three.¡± They said in unison.


    It was an embarrassing thing to say out loud, but the triplets had come up with the saying as children. They often used it when they bickered as a way of settling arguments and trying to focus their efforts on the real issues.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put aside the envoy idea for now.¡± Alnur said as he stood from his seat to open the wardrobe. ¡°How do we want to handle our guests and the hunt?¡± He grabbed a box of jewelry along with a brush as he walked behind Fel and presented the box.


    Fel pointed at the one Tayla was worried they would pick out. The iron sun. Alnur proceeded to brush Fel¡¯s extraordinarily long white hair as he began the lengthy process of braiding it into a tighter form that wouldn¡¯t get in the way during the hunt itself.


    To others it might seem odd to have their brother do their hair, even odder still to have it be their king doing it, but that was just how it was in their family.


    Tayla finished working on her guns as she pulled out her long rifle next, then her shotgun, until finally checking the cells that were charging in a nearby alcove. She hoped she wouldn¡¯t need to use her special fallback plan, but she had a few shots with it just in case.


    After finishing with their armor, Fel began to clean and oil Alnur¡¯s sword. The three enjoyed the quiet moments where they worked together in silence, away from the demands of their station.


    It made Tayla feel like they were a normal family.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Alnur wove metal pieces in between the braids as he finally slipped the iron sun into the center of the woven strands to hold the whole thing together. The result was a bun with massive spikes of black iron stabbing through like rays of sunlight, the rest of Fel¡¯s hair hung to their waist; ending in a ball of iron that in a pinch could be used as a weapon.


    Tayla wanted them to seem warm and welcoming to their guests, Fel had different ideas apparently, wanting instead to seem like an angry god that was prepared to strike down any that crossed them.


    Fel raised an eyebrow as they glanced at Alnur. ¡°Any word from your fiance?¡± They said, prodding a sore spot for fun.


    Grumbling under his breath, Alnur seemed to weigh his options, hoping perhaps to change the subject. Tayla let her own curiosity show as she stared at her brother.


    ¡°We¡¯re taking a break.¡± He said.


    Fel turned slowly, ¡°How did you fuck it up? Lillian is perfect for you!¡±


    ¡°Whose idea was it to go ¡®on a break¡¯?¡± Tayla pressed.


    Alnur turned away.


    ¡°It was you!?¡± Tayla said as she placed her head in her hands. ¡°Why? You two have been head over heels for each other since we were kids. Hells, uncle Cyrus and dad used to joke that it was only a matter of time.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t really explain it, I just need to focus on other things right now.¡± Alnur said, ¡°It''s complicated.¡± The look on his face made it clear that it hadn¡¯t been an easy choice to make; truthfully Tayla kind of understood her brother¡¯s reasoning. He had been trying for years to make his relationship with Lillian official, only to be met with one excuse or another.


    With their father¡¯s passing Alnur had been chosen to take up the crown, leaving him with little time for young love; and the two were in love, but it seemed like the universe was hard at work to prevent them from being together.


    Fel and Tayla knew better than to push the subject further, instead turning their attention back to the day at hand.


    The three completed their preparations, donning their hunting outfits of leathers and hardened shell plates.


    A knock at the door told them that it was time. Their guests had arrived.


    Tayla opened the door, letting light spill into the pitch darkness of the hallway. The shadows swirled hungerly, impenetrable even to her advanced eyesight.


    ¡°Abigail, how are the preparations for the hunt?¡± Tayla asked the darkness.


    The darkness replied in kind. A wisp of shadow arose, wrapped in a flowing cloth that hung around a body that wasn¡¯t there. A whisper like the last breath of a cadaver echoed in the emptiness. ¡°All is well, m¡¯lady. The House of Whispers will send its best to observe. The House of Demons will be ready as well.¡± Tayla hoped that there wouldn¡¯t be a need for the Demons to make themselves known.


    ¡°Very well. I will go meet our guests.¡±


    ¡°There is a slight hiccup m¡¯lady. The Shipmasters are assembling at the great hall for breakfast, they seem upset at being left in the dark.¡±


    Those sly eels. Tayla thought to herself. The Shipmasters were nobles in the eyes of the Coast, and like any noble, they were a dramatic bunch.


    Alnur approached the doorway. ¡°Tayla, take Fel with you to meet our new guests. I¡¯ll head to the great hall to appease the Shipmasters; I¡¯m sure Broadson put them up to this little display.¡± He turned to the darkness. ¡°Abigail, I need a word with you regarding our uncle.¡± He looked at Tayla and motioned for her to get going.


    Tayla nodded as she and Fel made their way to the hold. She hoped this time she would go better than the day before. At least this time if someone started to scream in her face Fel would be there to ¡®politely¡¯ rebuke them.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Tayla and Fel to make their way to the main hold, where a group of several oddly dressed folks of various shapes and sizes were marveling at the Keel¡¯s interior. The Court valued carrying themselves in a prim and proper fashion, each culture trying to capture a fraction of their maker''s grace.


    The Cabal on the other hand were brutal and efficient. Not dirty, or unclean, but their clothing and appearance had an edge, a humanity that spoke to their long heritage. These were not the children of Celestial gods, these were the imperfect last vestiges of the old world.


    While the Celestials owed their powers and gifts to the gods, the Cabal had been normal humans until their rebellion several hundred years ago. Through some unknown process they found themselves twisted and transformed into new forms that rivaled the power of the gods.


    The Cabals had sent representatives from each of their major sects, and to Tayla¡¯s surprise they were joined by an envoy of the free kingdom of Seru. Behind them was an iron casket, chains wrapped tightly around it. The diplomats wore furs and leathers, adorned with bones and effigies. The woman from Seru was wearing enough fine clothing and jewelry to purchase a small castle; her eyes glowing that telltale blue that spoke of her lineage.


    Upon seeing Tayla and Fel they each made distinct signs of respect. Before she had a chance to greet them in return, one of the guests strode forward staring at Fel. He was dressed in a loose silk robe, his dull red skin covered in scales, curled horns raised above his jet black long hair, braided over one shoulder. When he spoke you could make out his jagged fanged teeth. If Tayla remembered correctly the man was something called a Wyrmblood.


    ¡°Well shit, you must be the most handsome woman, or the most beautiful man I have ever laid my eyes on. Regardless of what you have between those sweet legs, you¡¯re just my type.¡± His voice oozed smarm.


    Tayla¡¯s jaw dropped as she tried to unpack what she had just heard.


    Before she had a chance to act, Fel looked down at the man with a bored expression. ¡°If I had a type, you wouldn¡¯t be it.¡±


    The man blinked in surprise. ¡°Normally this is the part where someone punches me.¡±


    Tayla stepped forward. ¡°I mean, if you insist. I could be convinced.¡±


    A large hand wrapped around the Wyrmblood¡¯s head from behind. Forcing him to a knee. ¡°We have been here for not five minutes and you would see us banished? Mind your tongue before I remove it for you.¡± The hand belonged to a giant of a woman, if Fel was tall and toned, this woman was just pure muscle. Her arms and chest were covered in bands of white porous material. It took a moment for Tayla to realize it was bone; a moment later still she realized the bones were growing out of the woman¡¯s skin. She must have been a Marrowhound.


    ¡°I do so love some good pillow talk.¡± The grinning man said, ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve heard that line, but I¡¯m into it.¡± The Wrymblood had an air that made one want to hit him, it was almost uncontrollable.


    Tayla sighed. ¡°I would like to welcome you all to the Black Coast, I am Tayla Ebontide. My brother the king wishes he could have been here to greet you but I¡¯m sure by now you¡¯ve all noticed the carriages outside.¡± She watched the representatives'' faces to see their reactions, and to their credit they managed to hide any anger or annoyance with the presence of the Court. ¡°Time is short I¡¯m afraid, as we are currently preparing for our yearly hunt as part of our festival.


    ¡°Our staff will see to your belongings, if you¡¯ll follow me I will take you to the gathering hall where we can discuss your stay.¡± Tayla said.


    The Wyrmblood to his credit brushed aside the hand holding him and rose, stooping into a bow. ¡°My heartfelt apologies your highness, I, Vauhn Brimrock, am glad to be here. My actions were most unbecoming.¡± He turned to Fel and offered another bow.


    The other guests bowed as well, offering their greetings in return.


    The casket began to shake. ¡°Might I ask as to the contents? As it seems to be shaking.¡± Tayla said.


    Vauhn sat on the casket''s lid, quieting the rustling. ¡°That would be my traveling companion. It is my bodyguard, in the unlikely event I require it, for obvious safety reasons, it has to be kept sealed as such.¡± His voice made it seem like common sense.


    ¡°There is a person in there?! Why would you treat them so cruelly?¡±


    Fel grimaced, staring at the casket, their eyes seeming to see past the casket at what hid inside. ¡°It¡¯s a hybrid isn¡¯t it?¡± The Wyrmblood gave a nod, causing Tayla to raise her hand to her mouth.


    ¡°Before you get upset, it isn¡¯t very stable. This casket is lined with arcane glyphs to keep it in a state of sleep.¡± Vauhn laid a tender hand on the lid, his voice sounding forlorn. ¡°It is the best I can do for my little brother.¡±


    Tayla felt sorry for whomever was inside of the coffin, though she could understand the reasoning behind the horrible act. Hybrids were extremely dangerous. Despite the Cabal¡¯s transformation not being related to the Celestial gods, they still suffered the same ill fate in the case of mixed bloodlines. While some managed to keep their minds intact, many others weren¡¯t so lucky.


    ¡°With your permission, we¡¯ll have your brother brought to your room for the time being. He will be handled with the utmost care.¡± Tayla said as she gestured to the waiting staff. ¡°For now, how would you all like to enjoy a warm meal after a long journey?¡±


    The representatives began following Tayla towards the gathering hall, while Fel stayed behind for a moment. Their eyes locked on the casket, and the poor soul inside. Under their breath they muttered to themselves. ¡°I know that feeling all too well.¡± Before turning and continuing on their way.


    Tayla opened the doors to the gathering hall, finding it to be as silent as a crypt. Two long tables were arranged with a slight gap between them. The Court¡¯s representatives were already sitting at their table to the left, while the Cabal¡¯s table was in the process of being laid out.


    The source of the awkward silence was made clear at a glance. Alnur sat on the far wall in his wooden chair; the closest thing they had to a throne. While beside him sat the Shipmasters in a line. The tension between the king and the great houses was enough to cow the entire chamber as they sat next to one another fuming politely.


    Tayla snapped the link open. What happened? She sent.


    Her brother¡¯s thoughts came across as a great inferno as he muttered curse after curse before regaining his composure. They were offended we did not invite them to dinner, now they demand to be involved in the discussions for the coming day.


    Wonderful, let me guess. Broadson said something to get under your skin?


    More or less. Alnur sent.


    The Cabal were shown to their seats, garnering a slew of stares from the Celestials across from them. The two groups seemed to be playing nice, for now.


    Tayla took her seat beside Alnur, pausing for a moment to find Thoren in the crowd before turning her attention back to the matter at hand. Fel made their way to Alnur¡¯s opposite side where they could stand at attention. Broadson clicked his tongue as he spoke under his breath. ¡°Must you bring that thing here? You shame our people by showcasing our greatest mistake before our guests.¡±


    Alnur smiled without it reaching his eyes. ¡°If you speak about my sibling like that again, I¡¯ll have Phi strip the flesh from your bones.¡±


    ¡°Now now, let''s leave the bickering for later.¡± One of the other nobles said as they leaned closer. ¡°When were you planning on involving us in these negotiations?¡±


    ¡°I had hoped.¡± Alnur said, ¡°That I could trust you all to watch over the harvest during the last few days of the festival. We can¡¯t afford to leave the fieldwork unsupervised.¡±


    Tayla continued as she pointed with her chin to the Celestial¡¯s. ¡°We had thought it best to lay the groundwork for our trade plan before introducing the person we wanted to oversee it.¡±


    Broadson nodded despite himself. ¡°A fair thought, and have you decided who you¡¯ll choose?¡± The old bastard rubbed his beard, trying his best to sound uninterested.


    Alnur met Broadson¡¯s cold eyes. ¡°We decided it should be you.¡±


    ¡°Finally saw sense for once. I¡¯m glad.¡±


    ¡°For the record I was outvoted.¡± Alnur said as he pointed with his thumb to Fel.


    The old Shipmaster did well to hide his disgust as he looked up at the towering Fel. ¡°Why the hells would you vote for me?¡±


    Fel shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re the best man for the job. Simple as that.¡±


    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve covered that.¡± Tayla said, ¡°Can we please focus on the problems at hand? We had to divert labor away from the fields so we could properly care for all these guests. At this rate we¡¯ll be behind on our harvest.¡±


    ¡°What do you suggest, m''lady?¡± One of the other Shipmasters said as they leaned back in their seat.


    Tayla smiled as she glanced at Thoren one last time. ¡°We put them to work.¡±

 Chapter 6

    Dark clouds churned on the horizon, it wasn¡¯t a question of ¡®if¡¯ it would hit the Coast, but rather ¡®when¡¯. Alnur stared at the encroaching storm from atop his horse, he knew how difficult it was to traverse the highlands on a clear day, the thought of trekking through the narrow passages in a downpour was concerning to say the least.


    Something glinted in the sky above; Alnur didn¡¯t need to look to know what it was, but he still found his eyes drawn to the speck of gold that hung unnaturally in the heavens. The home of the gods, Caelum Prime, danced across the vastness above. As the only remaining space worthy vessel that humanity could claim to have, it was the natural choice for the gods to select it as their holy temple.


    The sound of approaching footsteps drew Alnur¡¯s attention back to the matter at hand. He was currently in one of ten hunting parties that were making their way towards the coral highlands that bordered the Coast. They were nearing the point where they would have to dismount their horses and continue on foot.


    ¡°Ah! What a fine day to go fight carnivorous crustaceans.¡± The sudden voice came from the last person Alnur would have expected to join in on the day''s hunt. Vauhn the Wrymblood grinned from ear to ear as he rode his horse beside Alnur.


    ¡°Yes, all going well we should have quite the harvest with all the extra hands.¡± Alnur said. He wasn¡¯t sure what to make of the man, though Tayla had informed him of the odd flirting he had tried with Fel.


    The strange man held his hand towards himself in an overly dramatic fashion. ¡°That I am blessed with the chance to join you on such a hunt is truly a gift I shall not soon forget.¡± The man leaned in closer as a devilish grin crossed his face. ¡°Great move by the way, convincing all us diplomats to help you with your festival. The way you recited the All Mother¡¯s edict about every able bodied resident of the Coast lending a hand, turning their faith into a tool for your means; I mean it, that was some top shelf stuff.¡±


    Gods, could the man talk in a less aggravating way.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t some master plan. We really did need the help, especially with how much time we lost yesterday and today. Though I am curious why you chose to come along for the hunt? I did warn everyone that it was dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Hm, well it was either this or I spend the whole day picking potatoes. This seemed more interesting.¡± Vauhn said with a shrug. ¡°How bad could hunting some crabs really be?¡±


    ¡°I feel the need to remind you that these crabs are the size of wagons.¡±


    Vauhn paused as he pursed his lips. ¡°Fair. I¡¯ll still take wagon-sized crabs over dirt under my fingernails.¡±


    Alnur laughed despite himself. Few of the representatives had opted to join in on the hunt, instead wishing to work the fields. It would be easier to watch and keep track of the outsiders in the fields, but the same edict Alnur had used to rope the diplomats into lending a hand made sure that any and all were welcome to the glory of the hunt.


    After warning the guests about the danger he had assumed that none would join; he had been quite wrong.


    Aside from Vauhn, there were another ten that had taken the offer, including a certain Stormpriest that Alnur had noticed sharing looks with his sister. A fact he was trying very hard to ignore at the moment.


    The Seru merchant had all but demanded to join so she could discover the secret behind the Coast¡¯s main export. A type of crab meat that wasn¡¯t found anywhere else. Alnur wished he could see her face when she saw for herself where the delicacy came from.


    A few others claimed to have had experience hunting and thought it would be ¡®fun¡¯.


    Alnur let his curiosity get the better of him as he turned to Vauhn. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that your kind is gifted in the arcane arts?¡±


    Vauhn waved a hand in dismissal. ¡°Some are, though that number seems to be dwindling with each generation. Something to do with the gifts being diluted over time. Pretty soon the Sins of the Flotilla will be the only ones with the power left.¡±


    As much as Alnur disliked the man¡¯s attitude, he couldn¡¯t help but want to know more about his people and their culture. The Cabal were on the other side of the Empire, he would never have the chance to visit himself, so he wished to hear all about the far off lands. ¡°Are you blessed with the gift then?¡±


    A pompous chuckle was the man¡¯s response. ¡°Aye, I was lucky enough to be born with one of the gifts. There are three main blood lines for us Wrymbloods, each with a special connection to the Source Arcani. You have those that can amplify the currents of arcane magics in their vicinity. Those that can nullify them of course. Last but not least you have those like myself, the rarest of all. Do you have much knowledge of arcane spells?¡±


    Alnur thought back to Abigail''s lessons, as the court Magos she was the foremost expert on the arcane in the kingdom, he struggled trying to remember the basics, perhaps he should have paid more attention in hindsight. ¡°Well, there are those that have the innate power to draw upon their own magical energy to cast. Uh, there are those that study complex formulas, they draw out magic from ley lines right? Of course I know of divine miracles, through chants you ask one of the Celestial gods to grant you a fragment of their power, if they hear you, you are granted the power to cause a miracle. I guess I know very little actually.¡±


    To his surprise Vauhn simply nodded. ¡°You have the right of it, there are tons of variations to those basics, and a fourth school of magic that we can forget about for the time being. But yes, to make a long complicated story short. When you cast any spell, regardless of its source. There is a moment you touch the primordial Source Arcani, and in that instant, you finalize the shape of the spell, its characteristics; size, target, distance traveled and end result for example. I can see I¡¯m losing you, we¡¯re almost there. When you cast a spell, you can see what it will look like, we Spellwrights can at that moment, change the fundamental shape of the spell.¡± The Wyrmblood spoke passionately, his hands moving with every sentence.


    ¡°Not to sound like a fool, but you lost me.¡± Alnur felt his face flush with embarrassment.


    Vauhn slapped his knee. ¡°Hah! I am terrible at explaining magic, I do better over a drink I swear. Perhaps I can just show you.¡±


    Before Alnur could fully process what he had just said Vauhn held his palm up. A series of blue and red sparks appeared in the air above his open palm. A moment later a ball of water appeared, drawn from the air itself until it was the size of an apple. Alnur stared slack jawed, say what he could about the man, he had used magic without an incantation like it was the most natural thing, a truly shocking feat compared to the magic Alnur had seen growing up.


    Pointing to the ball, Vauhn said. ¡°This is a simple cantrip, it collects the moisture in the air. A staple for any young mage.¡± He flicked his wrist and the ball lobbed towards a rock, splashing on impact.


    ¡°Amazing!¡± Alnur spoke with childlike wonder.


    ¡°Now I¡¯ll cast it once more using my gift.¡± Once more the blue and red sparks appeared, once more liquid formed above Vauhn¡¯s palm into a perfect sphere.


    Peering closely, Alnur could not see any noticeable difference, perhaps the color was a shade off, but he could be imagining it.


    Vauhn smirked, he once again flicked his wrist throwing the ball of liquid at the rock. Only this time, when it splashed, the rock bubbled and frothed, the liquid eroding the rocks surface as it melted everything it touched. A scant moment later the reaction was over and a series of holes were burned into the rock face.


    ¡°What in the Nightfather was that!¡± Alnur said.


    The smirk on Vauhn¡¯s face seemed to lose some of its sleazy undertone, changing to one of honest enjoyment. ¡°I cast the exact same spell, but I used my gift to change the end result from a ball of water, to a ball of acid. Normally such a spell would require a much longer casting, but because I could simply tweak a lower grade spell to my needs it saves time and arcane energy. You can see how useful such a gift can be when used well.¡± He beamed with pride.


    ¡°I can see why your kind has some of the most feared mages. Casting the same spell but having the result change each time would be a nightmare on the battlefield.¡± The more Alnur thought about it the more glad he was that Vauhn wasn¡¯t his enemy. ¡°Thank you for the enlightening lesson.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, I love to jump at any chance to show off. Now, my turn for a question. Why do you Twins serve the Court?¡± The man was shockingly calm for asking something that rode the line of heresy.


    Alnur turned to the man slowly. ¡°I was just thinking a bit better of you, and you call my faith into question like it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to be rude your highness, I just don¡¯t like to dance around subjects. Twin¡¯s are seen as the lowest of the Empire''s many subjects, I was just curious why you folks have spent centuries under the boot of the celestials? I heard something about an act of treason or some grand heresy, nobody is ever really clear on the why.¡±


    Scowling, Alnur shot back. ¡°You can say you mean no offense, but that doesn¡¯t excuse being an ass. Yes, we are seen as sinners in the eyes of the court. As for the why, the exact details have been lost or expunged from the history books, what we do know is that our ancestors played a part in the deaths of the All Mothers beloved children.¡± Just saying that caused a knot of guilt and regret to form in Alnur¡¯s gut.


    ¡°I¡¯m confused.¡± Vauhn pursed his lips while squinting his eyes. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the All Mother responsible for making the Tideborn, Storm priests, and the Twins? Were there more kids she popped out in secret?¡±


    ¡°How are you a diplomat? Yes, to answer your question, we three races are her children in the fact that she took the existing blueprints of the Lifeweaver and used her divine power to breathe life into us. But she had actual children as well, two of them. These demigods were the first of their kind, made as leaders of the Tideborn and Storm priests. Until, we played our part in their deaths.¡± Something inside him raged at having to recall the great downfall of his people. The shame was suffocating.


    Vauhn nodded. ¡°Okay, but as far as I understand it, isn¡¯t death to the celestials a minor setback. Don¡¯t they just reincarnate, the whole eternal souls thing?¡±


    For someone who claimed ignorance in the field, Alnur couldn¡¯t help but note that the silver tongued bastard knew just enough to be annoying. ¡°Normally yes, but not this time. The gods were horrified, somehow they had been given a true death, the likes of which were not seen since the war of heavens. And so, for whatever part we played in the tragedy, my people were punished. Banished to the edge of the Empire, tasked to toil away generation after generation; never again could we partake of the All Mother¡¯s bounty of the sea, never again can we know the touch of ocean water upon our skin, and three quarters of the food we grow is given to the Empire as our tithe.¡±


    This caused Vauhn to bark a laugh. ¡°A cruel joke indeed.¡± He pointed towards the rough bleached coral that covered the land. ¡°They gave you soil that will kill your crops, and forbid you from fish? Sounds like a rigged game to me.¡±


    ¡°It is our duty.¡±


    ¡°You never answered my original question. Why serve when this is your treatment?¡±


    Alnur sighed. It wasn¡¯t an unreasonable line of thinking from an outsider''s perspective. ¡°Because, we hold nothing but love for the All Mother. Despite her anger and fury, she still loves us, even after we took her beloved children. We may not be as fervent as our cousins, but our faith is no less important to us. We just show it through our actions.¡±


    Vauhn looked deep in thought for a moment. ¡°Huh, fair enough.¡± He paused for a moment, leaving Alnur to think perhaps the conversation had run its course, but just as soon as he had gotten his hopes up, the man blurted out of nowhere, ¡°For being at the edge of society, you folks sure do have a lot of old world technology.¡± He said, staring just above Alnur¡¯s eyes with a stonelike expression.


    Taken aback at the abrupt change in subject and wanting to avoid the uncomfortable topic, Alnur responded quickly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean, after the exodus and the age of regression we were lucky some of the artifacts stored in the Keel survived intact.¡± He didn¡¯t like the look in Vauhn¡¯s eye, there was a coldness that made Alnur avert eye contact.


    ¡°That makes sense, explains why your sister Tayla is lugging around a weapon that belongs in a museum. Though last I checked we were fighting crabs, not tanks.¡± Vauhn said with a smirk, the cold look giving way to his usual smarm.


    ¡°What¡¯s a tank?¡± Alnur said, perplexed.


    Vauhn waved a dismissive hand. ¡°Oh, just some old world term. Basically a big armored wagon covered in guns. Pay me no mind.¡±


    Alnur had had little chance to study the old world in earnest, he had always wanted to learn more but there was precious little information available between the approved history texts and the Keel¡¯s data servers. The Cabal had the benefit of descending from those that had actually walked on the old world''s surface. ¡°It¡¯s a shame, I¡¯ve always wanted the chance to learn more about the birthplace of our people, maybe find out why we left. If the situation wasn¡¯t so hectic I would have loved the chance to pick your brain on the subject during your stay.¡±


    ¡°Well, we still have a bit of time till we reach the highlands, yes? I could answer a few of your burning questions in the meantime.¡± Vauhn¡¯s tone shifted, swelling with pride at the prospect of getting to run his mouth more. ¡°What would you like to know?¡±


    Stammering for a moment, Alnur tried to think of what to ask. He had so many questions, where to start? ¡°What was the homeworld like?¡±


    ¡°A good first question indeed, with a very long winded and complicated answer that we don¡¯t have time for. Let¡¯s go with the cliffnotes version shall we? We Cabal had the benefit that when our ancestors made planetfall, they had been in stasis throughout the long flight from the old world. Memories intact, they had the opportunity to record much of the old world''s inner workings from first hand accounts. Well, as much as they could recall, it''s amazing how many details people forget when asked to recount the most basic facts of their day to day life. Still, none of that helped us avoid the age of calamity and regression.¡± Vauhn for the first time had a look of genuine sorrow on his face, his tone dropping slightly, ¡°The homeworld was truly a sight to behold. Tens of billions of citizens living in enormous cities, some of which spanned entire continents, the whole of the world was so interconnected that it was more like a living breathing organism, trillions of machines working in unison to ensure that the ancients had any and every need met.¡±


    The sheer wonder of it all left Alnur filled with a deep sense of regret in his gut, compared to the meager lives they lived now it sounded like a paradise where no one would ever have to go hungry again. ¡°How-how did such a utopia come to be destroyed?¡±


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


    ¡°That part is the most unclear.¡± Vauhn said. ¡°The survivors aboard our ship were just working class folk. They had no idea the world was in such dire straits until one day they were told they had been randomly selected to leave. Given no chance to pack or prepare, out of the blue they were told that if they didn¡¯t leave right now, they would all die. Nobody knows for certain why, some claim they overmined the planet and it was collapsing in on itself, others claimed the moons were crashing into the world. The cult of Vex would tell you that it was our addiction to the arcane that led us to ruin and we were met with divine retribution.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Regardless of the reason, they truly felt our only hope for survival was to take to the stars and chase the impossible dream of finding a new suitable world to call home. And so began the long journey.¡±


    Alnur nodded at that. ¡°It¡¯s a shame we lost so much during the exodus.¡±


    With a sigh, Vauhn looked up. ¡°Our ancestors were geniuses, they used their vast knowledge to try and prepare for every possibility that could befall us on our lengthy trip. They hand picked the best and brightest to spearhead the massive undertaking, those who had the knowledge and skills to lay the groundwork to rebuild on whatever planet we found that could support us. But they couldn¡¯t prepare us for everything.¡± The loss in his voice was overwhelming.


    He took a deep breath before continuing, ¡°When our ancestors awoke from the journey, they were met with misery and misfortune on a scale unimaginable. The Cabal and its many houses hailed from a single ship, The Shepherd of Eternal Light. Before fleeing they had been told that they would awake on a new world, that the vanguard ships would ensure the basic infrastructure was in place to support them. Instead, we awoke to find nothing, the vanguard ships had been lost or destroyed in transit, and with them were lost the great machines designed to support us in rebuilding. We were met with an empty world with no knowledge of how to feed ourselves from the land, how to craft shelter to keep us safe from the cold, we were lost and afraid.¡±


    All of the emotion drained from Vauhn¡¯s face. ¡°And then, your gods appeared to save us, they had already colonized a portion of this world by the time our ship arrived. They proceeded to demand we serve, to build cities in their names, to feed and provide for their blessed children while our own starved.¡± There was a growing bitterness in his voice. ¡°When we refused, they showed us their divine judgment, we were made to serve by force, our meager supplies were taken as tithes. Anyone found to have information or skills they needed were taken away, dragged from their families to hells knows where. Our numbers thinned dramatically in those early years, many starved, many more simply disappeared, never to be seen again. This continued for quite some time. Until the day of awakening, when everything changed.¡± The way he said that final part made it clear he would say no more on the subject.


    It was quite the story to take in all at once, Alnur¡¯s mind was reeling from the implications. The long journey, the age of regression, the day of awakening and the following war were all shrouded in layers of mystery and misinformation. Trying to determine the difference between fiction and fact was all but impossible. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, the version of events he was taught through the Court''s approved history books was vastly different. Could Vauhn¡¯s version be trusted? Generations of stories and legends being passed down had a tendency to twist and inflate.


    No, chances are the truth lay somewhere in the middle, the exact nature and events were lost to all but the gods themselves, and he doubted they would ever mention a version that could call their divinity into question.


    Vauhn blinked a few times before his trademark smirk reappeared. ¡°Whoops, lost myself for a moment there. What were we talking about?¡± He chuckled as if nothing was amiss.


    ¡°Uh, well. I think you¡¯ve entertained my thirst for knowledge enough for one day, you have my thanks.¡± Alnur spoke with a bit of uncertainty, Vauhn was odd, but it was like he had been possessed for a moment there. Best to not continue prodding the man on such sensitive subjects for the time being. Perhaps he could ride in silence for the rest of the way.


    ¡°That makes it my turn for a question then.¡± Vauhn said, staring at Alnur out of the corner of his eye.


    Raising a hand in surprise, Alnur fired back. ¡°Now wait a moment, since when was that the nature of this conversation?¡± He didn¡¯t like where this was going.


    Vauhn turned to face Alnur, mock concern plastered on his face. ¡°But your highness, I thought this was a golden opportunity to share our knowledge and grow a lasting bond between our peoples?¡±


    Alnur knew the man was trying to get a rise out of him, better to simply play along and be done with it. ¡°Bah! How can you be so aggravating? Forget the gift of the arcane, the gods have surely seen fit to bless you with the power to annoy and harass! Ask your question!¡± He shook his head, this bastard was oddly effective at getting his way. Something about the way he spoke and acted made it hard to refuse him.


    ¡°Excellent! You¡¯re starting to get me!¡± He let out a loud laugh that drew a few eyes from those riding ahead. ¡°What should I ask? Hmm, I know.¡± His voice dropped to a whisper so no one else would overhear.


    Alnur¡¯s eyes went wide as he listened to the question, his mind simply refusing to fully comprehend the words he had heard.


    He didn¡¯t respond, he simply rode on like he hadn¡¯t heard anything.


    Seconds dragged on awkwardly, Vauhn eventually spoke once more. ¡°I take it I¡¯ve touched a subject you would rather not discuss. Say no more.¡± His voice dripped with superiority, a nagging tone that caused Alnur to grind his teeth.


    The fury was indeed rising inside Alnur, threatening to overcome his senses. His knuckles turned white from gripping his horse''s reins. He was fighting with every ounce of his willpower to not lose control. He couldn¡¯t even open the link lest he distract himself, and in doing so be consumed. He tried to think of Lillian¡¯s face, something to ground him. All that came was a smeared collection of hues. Blood trickled from where he bit his lip, tears welling from his unblinking eyes. The dam was about to burst when suddenly a hand was placed on the back of his head. With it came the sensation of ice water running down his spine, he gasped at the shock, the coolness spreading throughout his body quenching the fire that had been threatening to consume him, in an instant the Fury was snuffed out, his body felt cold, the only heat remaining around his head.


    The hand pulled away.


    Alnur turned to see Vauhn riding beside him closely, a strange look on his face. His eyes lacked the luster they had up until now, staring forward unblinking. When we spoke his voice was raspy and quiet, like he was struggling to speak. ¡°How much longer can you hold them back? Sooner or later you will find yourself a prisoner to another''s will; and there are few fates worse than that young man.¡± Without another word he let his horse slow slightly, falling behind until he was back to his original placement in the hunting party.


    Taking a deep breath, Alnur felt calm, for the first time since the Fury had awoken he felt at peace. Why had Vauhn goaded him like that, only to quell the inferno. How had Vauhn known about his burden? Alnur decided this wasn¡¯t the time to ask such questions, for now he simply wanted to enjoy the ride while his thoughts were truly his own, he knew the Fury would return, but for the first time in so long, he was just Alnur.


    God¡¯s he had missed it.


    The peace didn¡¯t last for long, by the time they made it to the coral highlands Alnur could once again feel the usual call of the fury, not enough to overtake him, just a dull burning at the back of his mind.


    The coral highlands were at the outer limits of the nation. The vast network of thousands of interconnected valleys and trenches made up the highlands, each surface teeming with multi coloured coral and fauna. The walls of the valleys reached up a hundred feet into the air before curling inwards slightly. The stone-like substance that made up the valley walls had a bluish hue, every inch of its surface was broken up by hexagonal holes of varying sizes, the whole sight seemed eerily unnatural.


    From above the highlands would look like a nearly perfect ring of blue stone encircling the coast, thousands of tiny cracks spread over its surface. Beyond the wall of stone was the great wraith lake, the source of all freshwater for the Coast. It was thanks to the lake and its many smaller streams that the Twin¡¯s could grow as much food as they did.


    Few outsiders got a chance to take in the breathtaking sight as the main road was a winding convoluted path that wrapped around the lake¡¯s edge before cutting through the thinnest part of the highlands.


    The fauna swayed in a weightless dance as if pushed and pulled by unseen currents, the sight gave the impression of being at the bottom of the ocean. Out of the corner of one''s eye were the many small fish that darted through the air, how they swam in the air, or why for the matter were questions that had no definitive answers. When the All Mother had raised the whole of the Coast from the seabed the land seemed to twist and contort from the upheaval of energy. Changing the creatures and plants that had called it home forever.


    Alnur loved the highlands, it was breathtaking every time he saw it, he looked at the guests accompanying his hunting party and was pleased to see all of them had slack jawed expressions as they took in the majesty of it all. Even the stalwart Ono raised their helmets to get a proper look at the reefs and their inhabitants.


    One of the scouts, Gregory, was walking towards Alnur. ¡°My king, we have arrived at our designated hunting area. Would you like us to begin setting up the base camp?¡± The scouts were tasked with patrolling the borders, on extremely rare occasions they were tasked at preventing bandits or the like from sneaking into the Coast. Most of the time they simply explored the highlands and kept an eye on the Krak¡¯un population, in the unlikely case that any of them were growing old enough to be a possible threat.


    Alnur jumped down from his horse. ¡°Yes, this looks like an ideal place to set up camp. Please see to it.¡± Gregory nodded sharply, turning to give orders to the others. Alnur glanced around till he came upon Zo.


    Dressed in the hunting garb of a first born, she was an intimidating sight to behold. Despite being only a couple inches taller than Alnur, her broad muscular frame gave her the impression of a towering wall. Her armor was made up from Krak¡¯un plating and hard treated leather to protect oneself while in close combat. She also happened to be their relay for this hunt.


    As Alnur approached he could see she was talking aloud to herself, no doubt lost in conversation with her brother.


    ¡°Yes, yes. For the last time, yes! Dolm for the love of the night yes I packed enough water! Will you stop!¡± Zo said, so engrossed in her talk with her brother she hadn¡¯t noticed Alnur standing beside her waiting to politely interrupt, he cleared his throat, causing Zo the jolt. ¡°Now look, the king is going to think we¡¯re fools!¡± She said while looking down. ¡°I am truly sorry, my king. You know how my brother gets when he¡¯s worked up. How can I be of service?¡±


    Laughing, Alnur waved his hand. ¡°That¡¯s alright, no need to apologize. Dolm does have a habit of thinking of the worst case scenario doesn¡¯t he? I was wondering if the other hunting parties have gotten into position yet.¡±


    Zo¡¯s eyes fluttered for a moment, her vision was connecting to her brothers, who had his hands in the cloisters suspension fluid back in the hall of whispers; as did the other nine relays with him. The process allowed the link to span across multiple sets of Twins. One by one she was seeing the other hunting groups through the eyes of the other relays as if she was standing with them. Her eyes stopped fluttering. ¡°All is well my king, the last of the parties are coming to their base camp as we speak.¡± Zo said.


    ¡°Excellent, thank you for your hard work Zo, and don¡¯t worry Dolm.¡± Alnur said, looking into Zo¡¯s eyes knowing that Dolm was watching. ¡°I promise your sister will return safe and sound. You have my word!¡± He turned away, making his way through the camp towards the guests.


    He spoke to them as he walked up. ¡°We have arrived at the site of our base camp, here we will hitch our horses and prepare to enter the valleys. Please feel free to rest for a few minutes, we will be leaving as soon as our Huntmaster arrives. Be sure to leave any non essential supplies here, don¡¯t let this particular valley mislead you. Most of the chasms and trenches are barely wide enough for a person to squeeze through.¡± Thankfully of the nobles that had volunteered to come hunting, none made a fuss about having to trek on foot.


    As if on cue there came a rhythmic scraping sound of hoofs on stone from deeper in the valley. The Ono seemed to stiffen as they sniffed the air, reaching for their swords out of habit. Alnur didn¡¯t want a repeat of last night''s dinner, reaching a hand up to calm them.


    ¡°That would be the Huntmaster.¡± He said.


    Ophelia sniffed the air again, her face grimacing in response. ¡°What in the hells are they? Another Hybrid? Just how many monsters do you have in your employ, your highness?¡± The other guests looked shocked at this, all except Vauhn.


    ¡°We have a firm stance on the matter, in keeping with Imperial law, any found guilty of such an unholy union that results in a hybrid birth are sent to the Court for penitence in the hopes the gods can see fit to forgive them. But, we are not barbarians.¡± Alnur¡¯s voice grew firm and bitter. ¡°While other nations would see fit to either put such children to death simply for the crime of being born, or to cast them out as exiles to die in the wilds; we treat them with every bit of compassion we can.¡±


    His eyes turned downwards for a moment. ¡°Even if it just means letting them die with dignity.¡± He could still see the hate and scorn on the faces of the nobles, hybrids were seen as afronts to the very gods themselves, the Cabal didn¡¯t treat them much better. They either killed the child, or sold them off as living weapons if they reached adolescence.


    The Ono gave a withering look as they slowly removed their hands from their sword hilts. Alnur turned to see the Huntmaster entering the camp. The outsiders gasped in shock. Understandably so.


    The Huntmaster was a thin figure, wrapped head to toe in wraps and cloth that covered every inch of their body. They rode atop a volburn, a massive horse-like creature that glided across the ground on six legs, each of which was bone white coral from the knee down. The beast''s body was scaled and bulbous, its blue skin pulled taut over its muscular frame. A thin whip-like tail swayed back and forth, but the most striking thing was its head. A narrow shape that ended in a point where its mouth should have been, two long ribbons of fibre grew from the sides of its head and floated ethereally in the windless breeze. Interlocking growths along its chest and neck hinted at the horrors it hid behind its allure.


    Volburn were mysterious creatures, native to the highlands and shockingly intelligent to the point of superstition. They refused to be domesticated, yet would allow some lucky few the privilege of their company as though on a whim. Some even thought they might be a sort of fae creature that had made their home in the Coast.


    Besides the striking volburn, the Huntmaster was accompanied by a pair of sea dogs and ravens. The sea dogs were a type of eel-hound that was native to the area. As the name implied they had the sleek body of a hound, with the tail and head of an eel.


    The ravens sat on either shoulder of the Huntmaster, one white, the other black. Each one keeping a close eye on the pair of Ono.


    Alnur heard a couple of the guests uttering prayers at the sight of the Huntmaster, he admitted that even he found the sight unnerving at times, that quickly disappeared as soon as one of the ravens piped up. ¡°Little Alnie! Oh gods did you grow again? You¡¯ve gotten so big, come here and let me have a good look at you!¡± The black raven spoke in a clear high pitched voice that oozed with maternal energy. Alnur quickly made his way to the Huntmaster, he had long since gotten over the embarrassing manner in which his aunt spoke.


    As he approached the sea dogs yapped in excitement as they shook back and forth, drooling as they sat and smiled. Showing row upon row of razor sharp fangs. Alnur made eye contact with the volburn who gave the slightest of nods. He took a deep breath as he prepared himself for what was to come, the Huntmaster¡¯s body bent in half, wrapping undulating arms that writhed with constant spasms of motion, with a heave they picked Alnur up off the ground and held him close. There wasn¡¯t the warmth one would expect from such an embrace, not physically speaking anyways. Emotionally however, he felt nothing but the overwhelming love from his aunt.


    He patted their ¡®shoulder¡¯ signifying the time for hugs was over. Once again being placed back on the ground. The pair of seadogs were rubbing their heads against his legs, he was all too happy to give them the affection he knew they sought. ¡°It is good to see you¡¯re all doing well. I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t had the chance to come and visit.¡±


    The white raven spoke. Its voice was harsh and rugged. ¡°A king does not apologize so easily, how many times must I remind you child?¡±


    ¡°I will try and be sure to take that to heart uncle.¡± He reached out his hand towards them, the clothed shape reached out a ¡®hand¡¯ and they shook in greeting. Alnur broke free from the seadogs, walking the Huntmaster towards the assembled nobles. ¡°It is my pleasure to introduce you to our honored guests from the celestial court, and from the great sects of the cabal.¡±


    Both ravens spoke in unison. ¡°Greetings, we are truly proud to be given this opportunity to meet you all and to act as your guide on this day''s hunt.¡±


    Alnur could see the assembled guests were in complete shock at the sight of the Huntmaster. He felt it best to try and soothe their concerns and calm their nerves. ¡°This is the Huntmaster! You will not find another soul in the whole of the Coast that knows the highlands as well as they do, we are lucky indeed to have them as our guide today.¡±


    Vauhn was practically dancing from excitement. ¡°The birds talk for you! Wait, are you the birds!? I have so many questions and I demand answers!¡±


    The white raven spoke. ¡°We will have time for such questions later, we need to leave as soon as you are ready. We are already running late and there are many beasts in need of slaying.¡± The raven puffed out its chest as it spoke.


    The black raven chimed in warmly. ¡°Oh and do bring some warm clothing just in case dearies, it can be quite cold in the trenches!¡±


    The guests turned to continue their preparations, they were still obviously unsettled, but thankfully kept any more questions or complaints to themselves. Alnur saw the Ono pair pull out carefully wrapped clay bowls, the care they took with them indicated they were treasured. He watched as they produced several vials of different reagents and liquids, mixing them into the bowls. They were offering prayers to something that Alnur couldn¡¯t quite make out. As they finished their chants they drank the contents of their respective bowls. It was interesting seeing their ritual, he wondered what purpose it served.


    He heard the flapping of wings as his uncle perched on his shoulder. The white raven spoke quietly, its eyes staying fixed on the Ono as they cleaned and put away their bowls. ¡°Before a proper hunt, Ono will mix their own special concoction of animal byproducts and blood. They offer a prayer to the animal''s spirits and thank them for the strength they will borrow for the hunt.¡± Leave it to his uncle to read Alnur¡¯s mind. Though the way he was staring it probably wasn¡¯t hard to figure out what he had been wondering.


    ¡°Interesting, how do you know about their ritual uncle?¡± Alnur said.


    His answer came in the form of a beak hitting him in the top of his head. ¡°You won¡¯t pry our past from me so easily boy.¡± The white raven returned to his usual perch without another word. Alnur had known the Huntmaster his whole life, they had been an old friend of his grandmother apparently. They had taught Alnur everything he knew about hunting and fighting from an early age. His father being a second born meant he was quite inept with a sword, instead favoring rifles or bows. In that whole time he had known the Huntmaster he had learned scant little about them, hells, he didn¡¯t even know which races they were a mix of. Still, it didn¡¯t matter much, they were his family even if they didn¡¯t share any blood.


    As the group finished their preparations, a scout ran up to the Huntmaster and gave a report. The ravens nodded as they raised their voices. ¡°We have found the first of our prey, ready yourselves.¡± They said as one.


    The black raven continued. ¡°Let¡¯s all be careful now!¡±


    ¡°If you have any final farewells you may wish to write them down.¡± The white raven said.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be sure to see them delivered to your next of kin.¡± The black raven gave a caw, as they laughed.


    In unison they stared at the pale faces of the nobles. ¡°For today, we hunt monsters.¡±

 Chapter 7

    ¡°Three juveniles ahead, a perfect chance to show our inexperienced guests the tactics needed to hunt these beasts.¡± The Huntmaster said, their ravens keeping their voices low as they signaled for the party to stop.


    Alnur looked down the valley ahead trying to spot the Krak¡¯un. Despite being told they were ahead, he couldn¡¯t make out a single one. He was always amazed at the Huntmaster''s senses. The rest of the party were scanning the seemingly empty valley as they tried to make out the hidden beasts.


    Between the Ono, the outsiders, and the usual hunters, the party was much larger than Alnur would have preferred. Though it was seen as a necessity to protect the nobles. Aside from those in his own party, the only other one was Thoren, who had volunteered to go with Tayla¡¯s group.


    Mikal grunted. ¡°Nothing is showing up on our suits sensors, what are we looking at?¡±


    The black raven flew over to land on Mikal¡¯s shoulder, he seemed to tense up but didn¡¯t stop it as it perched. ¡°Your sensors won¡¯t help much here young ones. Look ahead, you see those long thin yellow blades of kelp?¡±


    Lifting his helmet, Mikal scowled. ¡°The valley is full of that kelp, what are yo- Wait, I see it now. I can make out two of the beasts.¡±


    Ophelia raised her helm, her face squinting. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got eyes on one, they blend in so well, where¡¯s the third?¡±


    The black crow chuckled softly. ¡°You¡¯re too focused on the ground, you pups should look up.¡±


    The pair glanced upwards, Ophelia letting out a curse. ¡°Well damn, there¡¯s crab number three.¡± Some seventy feet up the wall was the third crab, waiting to get the drop on any unsuspecting prey.


    Even knowing the trick Alnur couldn¡¯t make out a single crab.


    Vauhn pursed his lips. ¡°You folks mind explaining it so someone dumb such as myself can understand? All I see is kelp.¡± He said as he cocked his head.


    Alnur looked back at him. ¡°The secret is that the Krak¡¯un have the same kelp growing from their shells, just thinner and a slightly different shade. They use them to search for prey while burrowed.¡± It was an important lesson to learn if you wanted to explore the chasms and not have a leg torn off.


    One of the nobles, a merchant lord, let out a frustrated cry. Alnur couldn¡¯t recall the man''s name, or the city he hailed from. He carried an ornate rifle that looked like it was more of a display piece than an actual weapon for hunting. ¡°Enough of this, why are we just standing around!¡± He shouted. The sudden noise reverberated down the valley, the kelp stopped its dance as it retracted at the vibrations, hiding back underground.


    Alnur was already reaching for his whip as soon as the hapless fool had opened his mouth, whirling around he launched his whip around the man''s legs and pulled them out from underneath him. Even as he fell a dozen blades of kelp flew by his face, missing him by mere inches, their aim had been right where his mouth had been. The man let out a gasp, the kelp blades flying over his head bent at a harsh angle, preparing to skewer the source of the noise. Right before they made contact the gloved hand of Ophelia grabbed them, holding them fast. A heartbeat later a series of whips cracked out wrapping around the kelp, the bladed edges of the thresher whips making quick work of cutting them, the severed ends falling limp to the ground.


    The kelp blades having failed, the Krak¡¯un responded by unburrowing from the ground revealing their hulking forms. Even juveniles like these were the size of a small cart, they had overlapping plates of chitin over their whole body, each one had four huge claws the size of a man¡¯s torso and a dozen smaller legs. They retracted the kelp blades inside their shells, waiting for a chance to launch another surprise attack. The strangest thing about Krak¡¯un was their lack of a face, the four claws were evenly spaced around the circular body, with no obvious front or backside. They had no eyes, instead they used a combination of the kelp on their back to feel changes in air current, and their myriad of legs to sense vibrations in the ground. The two crabs on the ground rushed towards the party, barreling forward at a speed that was shocking for their size.


    Alnur cried out. ¡°Form up, first born! With me! Outsiders, stay back and observe!¡± He ran to meet the crabs head on, the other first born following his lead. As he ran he pulled his broadsword out. The nearest Krak¡¯un came into reach, it swung its massive claws down, Alnur smashed his broadsword into one of the claws, even his ancient blade barely left a scratch, but that wasn¡¯t his goal. The claw''s momentum carried it down into the ground, Alnur used this chance to reach his dead hand out and grab the elbow joint of the crab''s limb. He focused the night fathers gift, the flesh began to pop and bubble, the plates eroding into dust, sinew tore as the elbow joint superheated, melting away to nothingness.


    Even as the other claw came crashing down, Alnur paid it no mind. A gauntleted arm caught the blow right before it hit him. Zo grunted with effort as she grabbed the massive limb with both hands. Another first born moved in to deliver a mighty blow from his warhammer as he shattered the elbow joint of the claw.


    Zo tossed the severed limb aside as she pulled out her warpick.


    The Krak¡¯un shuddered in rage, the kelp on its back grew rigid, preparing to run Alnur and Zo through. Again he paid it little mind, as before they could launch, a series of thresher whips snapped out cutting each one down. The second born of the party knew their part and played it perfectly. Now came the hard part. The crab spun around, snapping its remaining claws as it tried to smash them down into Alnur and Zo. The two dodged backwards as Alnur gave Zo and the hammer wielding Twin a look.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go for the killing blow, give me the chance.¡± He said.


    Zo grimaced. ¡°Sir, leave it to me, you should-¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t up for debate. Now move!¡±


    The Krak¡¯un lunged forward as Zo and the other Twin ran around either side of the crab, making sure to toss their whips around its remaining limbs as they did so. The beast threw strike after strike at Alnur who managed to parry or dodge each blow.


    This was the only time Alnur was happy to have the Fury, most days it tried to gnaw at his sanity, but in the heat of combat it sang, reveling in the thrill of battle. It drove him to be faster, stronger; fire burned in his veins he felt like he could fight for hours. There was a delicate balance to using the Fury in combat, giving in enough to heighten his power, but holding it back from clouding his mind.


    Time seemed to slow as he struck blow after blow against the massive claws, cracks began to form as the ancient weapon in his hands demanded its pound of flesh.


    As the beast raised both claws for another slam, the whips grew taut as Zo and the other Twin heaved with all their might. The Krak¡¯un thrashed as it was slowly pulled backwards, its smaller legs scraping against the stone as it desperately tried to find purchase. With a final yank, the beast tipped backwards onto its shell, revealing its underbelly.


    There in the center of its body was a gaping maw of gnashing teeth, the only opening in its armored form. Alnur leapt up onto the beast''s underbelly as he turned his blade and thrust the broadsword into the creature''s mouth. The blade sank deep until it struck the other side of the Krak¡¯un¡¯s shell. Alnur channeled the Nightfather¡¯s gift through his dead hand, the blade glowing in turn as the green flames flowed like liquid into the beast. The crab shrieked as its insides were boiled away in an instant, leaving the smouldering husk of its empty shell behind.


    Alnur finally let himself look at the other crab, the Twins were making short work of it, the beast was on its back, all of its claws were pulled in different directions completely immobilizing it. They didn¡¯t rely on their dead hands like he had as it spoiled the meat. He had only resorted to using it because they were caught out of position. Now the team could take their time safely killing it while ensuring it was in the best condition for salvaging.


    Letting out a sigh he looked back towards the Huntmaster, they had stayed back, ready to jump in if either team were in need. They had their arms crossed in annoyance. They pointed upwards as Alnur suddenly remembered. Oh right. The third crab.


    Snapping his head up he could just make out the shape of the crab falling from directly above. He willed his legs to move, to raise his sword and unleash the full might of the Nightfather¡¯s gift, he wanted to do something, anything, but he was out of time. A trickle of fear and shame flashed through his mind at the thought of such a pathetic death. A dark spear suddenly appeared beside him, growing upwards until it came to a point, the falling crab hit the spear with a loud crack, the force of the impact was enough to pierce the hard shell, causing the crab to come to a grinding halt mid air


    The Huntmaster loomed over him, with the butt end of the spear planted firmly in the ground below, the Huntmaster was able to hold the crab aloft with a single hand. The white and black raven looked at him, doing little to hide their disappointment.


    ¡°You did an excellent job dispatching that beast sweetie, but I¡¯m afraid you get a failing grade overall.¡± The black crow said.


    The white one shouted. ¡°All you had to do was give a simple command for one of the second born under your command to keep an eye on the last beast. Or better yet, you could have stood back and let your forces fight while you assessed the situation!¡± The crab suspended in the air twitched, its kelp blades growing rigid in preparation for an attack. The Huntmaster paid it no attention as they kept staring at Alnur. A ripple traveled up the length of the spear and suddenly the crab exploded, a myriad of black spears bursting from within, killing it instantly. With a flick of their wrist, the beast fell to the ground in a lifeless heap.


    Alnur looked over, his subjects were still handling the other crab and the guests were watching the spectacle from a safe distance. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a ruler that simply stands by while others risk life and limb.¡±


    ¡°You are a king, why do you insist on fighting on the frontlines? First born or not your place isn¡¯t in the heat of combat, tell me, who will give commands while you try and play hero!?¡±


    ¡°Tayla is more than capab-¡±


    The spear of the Huntmaster slammed into the ground. ¡°Your sister will not always be there to cover for you. Why do you feel the need to run in head first? Is it because you can¡¯t trust your soldiers to fight without you? Or do you throw yourself into combat so you can leave the less enjoyable aspects of leading to your sister!?¡± There was logic in what his uncle was saying, which made it hurt all the more to hear. Alnur wanted to tell them about the Fury, how he was worried he couldn¡¯t make sound tactical choices in combat but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to admit those doubts.


    Looking up at his uncle with a determined stare Alnur responded. ¡°I respect your opinion uncle, but so long as I wear this crown, I will put my all into protecting all of my subjects. That is the way I have chosen to lead.¡± He paused for a moment before continuing. ¡°Still, I will try and take your lesson to heart. Perhaps I do rely on Tayla more than I should.¡±


    The white raven huffed, preparing a rebuttal, but before it could continue the black raven interrupted. ¡°Can we please stop arguing? I don¡¯t like it when we fight.¡±


    Looking a bit sheepish, the white raven spoke up. ¡°Yes, well. Putting the matter of your lack of awareness aside. You fought expertly, I am proud to see the lessons we taught you being used so well.¡±


    Alnur chuckled slightly, feeling the stress and frustration leaving him. ¡°Considering how hard your training was, this is a walk in the park.¡±


    The last of the Krak¡¯un was put down, Alnur looked over the hunting party, there were no serious injuries, he couldn¡¯t ask for more. ¡°Good work everyone, take a moment to catch your breath. Zo, would you please leave a beacon?¡±


    With a swift nod Zo pulled out a cylindrical object the length of a forearm with a spike on the bottom. With a grunt of effort she drove it into the hard earth, she gave the top a twist and a light on the beacon''s top began to flash periodically. She closed her eyes for a moment. ¡°They¡¯re receiving the signal, the harvester team is on their way.¡±


    ¡°Excellent, get some rest Zo.¡± Trying to dissect Krak¡¯un in the field was a huge undertaking, this method was the best they had found thus far. Hunters go and kill, mark the bodies, and a team of harvesters come in after to do the time consuming part. Alnur sat down on a rock as he took a drink from his waterskin.


    Wondering how the hunt was going for Tayla he tried to probe the link. As it opened he overlapped her sight on top of his, a huge claw was heading right towards his face, causing him to try and duck instinctively. A whip caught it and with a horrible crunch the clawed arm was torn from its socket. Tayla was calmly aiming down her trusted rifle, waiting for the right time. The crab stubbled back, starting to tip, its underside beginning to show. As soon as the mouth was visible, Tayla snapped a shot into the maw. The beast shuddered and convulsed as its legs gave out. Alnur had no idea how she did it, but Tayla seemed to always know exactly where to aim to bring the beasts down.


    Her vision blurred as she spun in place, surveying the situation, which also gave Alnur a chance to see for himself. The hunting party was engaging four juveniles, the corpse of an adult laid slumped against a valley wall. Fel¡¯s handiwork if he had to wager a bet. Thoren and Graum were making quick work of one of the crabs, Graum¡¯s warhammer was as large as a person, yet he swung it with frightening speed as he smashed the crabs'' claws with ease. Thoren held a golden spear, his movements fluid and ever shifting, he seemed to be toying with the beast. Graum slammed his hammer into the ground as a pillar of stone erupted from beneath the crab, hurling it into the air. Thoren twirled his spear into a throwing stance, as the weapon left his hands it turned into a bolt of golden lightning, the bolt landed right in the crabs mouth, the spear impaling deep into flesh. With a snap of his fingers a streak of electricity rained from the cloudless sky, striking the weapon and electrocuting the crab to death. The spear rematerialized in Thoren¡¯s hand a moment later.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    By the All mother, remind me to never pick a fight with that Stormpriest. Alnur sent, a hint of wonder in his voice.


    Tayla chuckled. Alnur knew she wouldn¡¯t respond directly during combat, a loss of focus in battle could lead to injury or death.


    Out of the corner of her eye Tayla saw one of the remaining crabs grow enraged. From its shell a flurry of kelp blades burst forth, a last ditch effort to kill its prey. The second born on stand by cursed, there were too many for them to take down in time. Alnur felt a chill through the link, Tayla¡¯s mind growing cold and still. Quickly and calmly, Tayla dropped her rifle and reached down to grab her revolvers from her waist. She brought them up and let loose a rapid volley of gunfire, unloading both chambers in the blink of an eye. The rounds found their targets, ripping through the kelp blades at their base. The other crab answered in kind, its back ripping apart to reveal a storm of blades. The cold grew deeper as Tayla threw her pistols aside, reaching her hands behind her back she pulled yet another set of revolvers from under her coat.


    She wouldn¡¯t make it in time.


    Devoid of any emotion, Tayla fired at her target with left hand, her good hand. She grabbed her other revolver around the cylinder with her dead hand as she poured her gift into the bullets, aging them just enough to rapidly destabilize the bonds of the gunpowder within.


    Right as the blades were about to strike, she tossed the gun into the path. The blades pierced the revolver, causing an explosion that scattered the blades trajectory. The razor sharp strands flew past Tayla missing her by mere inches.


    The second born lashed out with their thresher whips, severing the remaining blades. With the threat passed, the cold began to ebb away, Tayla let out a freezing breath, the air fogging from the temperature difference. As feeling crept back, Alnur felt her pain, she glanced down to see a series of cuts, she had avoided the worst of the blades, but not completely. Blood dripped from a hole in her thigh. She reached her free hand and plucked a piece of steaming metal that was embedded in her cheek.


    Letting out a sigh, she reached up with her dead hand, there was still work to do, and she couldn¡¯t afford to wait for a healer. She ran a blackened finger over the wound, green light pulsing from the veins of the withered husk, as her flesh rapidly scarred. She did the same for her leg.


    As far as healing magic went, this was the furthest thing from it. Rapidly aging the cells and blood to quickly clot and scab, it stopped the worst of the bleeding, but it was only skin deep. As she walked Alnur could feel the stabs of pain from her thigh.


    Alnur wanted to ask his sister to take it easy, but just as he could be swept up by the Fury, Tayla could be swallowed by the Tranquility, and when that happened it was hard to pull either of them out of it.


    The end was in sight, the Krak¡¯un had spent the last of their energy on that desperate attack, growing tired and lethargic afterwards, making it easy to subdue.


    We¡¯re heading back out, be careful. Alnur sent as he stood up.


    Tayla responded with a grunt back, her focus still on the hunt.


    Alnur raised his voice, slapping his knees as he stood. ¡°Alright, let''s continue on, plenty more crabs waiting for us.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for the party to find another clutch of Krak¡¯un, this time it was two of them. Their size indicated that they were almost fully grown, by the spring these two would be adults, extra arms and all. The crabs were busy feeding on some beast that had mis stepped and woken the pair from their slumber.


    The party was watching from a safe distance, the fool of a noble that had alerted the last group of crabs was doing his best to be as quiet and still as possible. His face had almost regained its colour after his near decapitation. Alnur whispered to the Huntmaster. ¡°How should we proceed?¡±


    The black raven turned to eye the pair of Ono. ¡°I think we should give those two a chance to show their skills. What say you? Think you can take these beasts on your own?¡±


    The Ono shared a glance. They stood in unison, hands resting on their respective weapons. Which Alnur noted wasn¡¯t their traditional swords, but instead their personal weapons. In a blink of an eye they were off, propelled to inhuman speed by their armor. The crabs turned, towering at their full height, their backs rippled with dozens of blades as they fired a volley towards the approaching Ono. The Ono split up, each running towards one of the monstrous crabs, they showed no concern for the kelp blades, which struck the praetorian armor head on, shattering into pieces from the force of the impact.


    Mikal closed the gap in a heartbeat, he jumped, a thunderous crash of some unseen mechanism in the armor propelling him twenty feet into the air. When he came down, he swung a massive axe with overwhelming power. The impact against the Krak¡¯un plate let out a shockwave of force, shattering a large chuck of the plate into fragments. The crab''s legs buckled from the attack, dropping the beast to the chasm floor with enough force to kick up a huge cloud of dust.


    Ophelia ran towards her quarry with an equal zeal, she however chose to nimbly dodge the oncoming blades with a grace that was shocking considering the bulky armor she wore. Dropping low to the ground, the crab swung its massive claw down, but it was far too slow. Ophelia threw herself forward, sliding on her knees as she glided underneath the crab¡¯s body. She threw something small into the beast¡¯s open mouth as she came out the other side and flipped back to her feet. A moment later an explosion rocked the crabs body, its innards liquefying from the blast, pouring out as a bloody torrent from its destroyed underbelly.


    As the dust settled the pair stood unscathed next to the corpses of the mighty creatures. It had taken them only a few seconds to do the work of two dozen men. Alnur watched in wonder, he had grown up hearing the stories of the Ono and their prowess in combat, seeing them in person he started to think that the stories might have underplayed just how powerful they were.


    The Huntmaster approached them. The white Raven speaking, ¡°I see that the mighty hunters have fallen far, a sorry display indeed. What would the lost say if they saw pup¡¯s like you showboating like this, you must be new to your armor to be so eager to show off to a crowd.¡±


    The pair of Ono looked shocked to their cores. Mikal ripped his helmet off, the iris¡¯ of his eyes changing shape as he snarled. ¡°How dare you! What does an abomination like you know of our ways!?¡± He shouted.


    Ophelia pointed her curved sword at the Huntmaster. ¡°Where do you get the right to speak of the lost? A vile creature like you should think twice before dishonoring our blessed ancestors.¡±


    Alnur stepped forward, hoping to stop this before it got ugly, the pair of sea dogs blocked his way however as they pulled on his armor to stop him. He had never seen them act like this, his mind was running wild with the worry of what was about to happen, but they were making it clear that they didn¡¯t want him to interfere. He would trust them for now.


    ¡°Zo, take the rest of the party and continue, we¡¯ll catch back up when we sort this all out.¡± Alnur said. It was probably best if the guests didn¡¯t see what was about to happen. Zo nodded and took the group down a side path out of sight of the confrontation.


    The black raven cried out, a hint of anger tainting her usually calm voice. ¡°Where is your pride as hunters? You would respond with violence like brigands and cutthroats? Come then, we will gladly give you children a lesson in humility!¡± The Huntmaster slid off their mount, when they moved it was like the jerky movements of a puppet on strings, pulled by an unseen force. They walked towards the Ono, holding out an arm as a seven foot long spear grew from their body. They came to stand still a dozen feet from the Ono, waiting.


    Ophelia reached up to undo her armors locking pins. The pair of ravens took flight, circling above. ¡°Leave the armor on, the way you misuse it, it won¡¯t make a difference if you keep it on.¡± They said.


    That was the breaking point, crying out in anger Ophelia charged forward, raising her blade to thrust it forward. It turned out to be a feint to allow Mikal the chance to leap from atop the fallen Krak¡¯un, bringing down his axe. The Huntmaster struck out with their spear towards Mikal, the ravens calling out. ¡°You should never rush in assuming your armor will protect you from everything. Furthermore, jumping can be useful, unless your opponent knows you favor it.¡± The spear landed just below Mikals pectoral plating, the blade finding purchase in a nearly invisible seam. The butt end of the spear extended into the ground behind, acting as a wedge. Mikal came to a stop, his immense inertia driving the spear tip to bite, all of that force delivered right to the man''s solar plexus. The air rushed out of his lungs, he wheezed helplessly while suspended in the air by the spear he drove into the ground.


    Ophelia didn¡¯t stop her charge, she went wide trying to get into the Huntmasters blindspot, which if she knew more about the Huntmaster she would realize was impossible. She thrusted her sword, going for the kill. The Huntmaster shifted their weight at the last second, letting the blade pass before holding out their free hand towards Ophelia, a second spear fired out striking her in the bridge of her nose. ¡°What good is ancient near invincible armor if you throw your helmet away at the slightest provocation? Also don¡¯t assume your prey has the same senses you do, you¡¯ll just fool yourself into lowering your guard.¡± The raven¡¯s announced from above, seeing all. Ophelia winced in pain as she jumped back to gain ground, even blinded and in pain she still had the wherewithal to grab something from her wrist and throw it at the Huntmasters feet. She wiped the blood from her eyes just in time to see the explosive land at her own feet, the Huntmasters foot still raised from kicking it away.


    Panic in her voice Ophelia shouted frantically. ¡°Shields to maximu-'''' the rest was drowned out by the ensuing explosion, throwing her limp body back to the ground.


    Mikal caught his breath as he pulled himself free from the spear, dropping to the ground as he lowered into a defensive stance.


    The ravens let out a sigh. ¡°You even had the opportunity to watch me show my skills earlier and now you forgot them. Shameful.¡± The Huntmaster still had a hand on their first spear that was in the ground, its tip behind Mikal now. Along the shaft of the spear two new pointed tips fired out towards Mikal''s back, hitting him in the joints of his knees, the material there was softer and malleable, made to bend easily. The spears hit right when both of his legs were slightly bent, causing them to buckle, hurtling his upper body towards the ground. The Huntmaster turned slightly allowing the man to hit the ground, they then brought down their second spear into the back of Mikal, where it spread out, rapidly wrapping around the joints of his armor, incapacitating him.


    Mikal struggled for a moment before giving in. ¡°I yield, I admit defeat.¡± There was shame and disappointment in his voice. The Huntmaster put a hand on their hip.


    The Black raven landed on Ophelia. ¡°Are you well enough to stand? Shall we continue?¡± She said.


    Ophelias voice was a raspy mess. ¡°Still debating with myself.¡± With an exasperated sigh she finally let go of her sword. ¡°I yield, the victory is yours.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful, do you have any healing extracts child?¡± The black raven''s voice was back to being the kind and caring one Alnur was used to.


    ¡°Yeah, I just need to catch my breath and I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    The Huntmaster released Mikal from the hold he was in. The white raven took his usual spot on the Huntmasters shoulder. ¡°Alnur, give them a hand up please.¡±


    Alnur was finally released by the sea dogs, he jogged over to Ophelia to offer her a hand up. She took a moment to look at which hand he was offering, seeing that it was the safe one, she accepted the aid. Alnur made his way to help Mikal who waved him off before raising.


    Ophelia walked up, her face was already slowly reknitting itself. ¡°Even with praetorian armor we were completely outclassed, if the grey fangs saw our sad display we would never hear the end of this.¡±


    Alnur let out a quick laugh. ¡°You really want to feel bad, watch this.¡± He unsheathed his broadsword and tossed it gingerly at the Huntmaster, they seemed flustered as they grabbed the blade with both hands. The weight of the blade knocked the Huntmaster off balance causing them to fall backwards to the ground. Thrashing back and forth, they seemed completely pinned in place by the weight of the broadsword.


    ¡°Alnur! You wicked brat of a child! Now is not the time to embarrass us!¡± The white raven screamed in protest.


    The Ono looked down in shock. Ophelia reached down and easily lifted the blade, it wasn¡¯t light but it also wasn¡¯t enough to pin an adult to the ground helplessly. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, how did¡­ what is the meaning of this?¡±


    Stepping over to pull the Huntmaster up Alnur said. ¡°That¡¯s just how it is with hybrids, blessed with powerful gifts in some ways, cursed with weakness¡¯ in other ways. The Huntmaster here can barely lift any weight without extreme effort. Hence why they tend to brace their spears against the ground for support. It almost makes it worse losing to them, because you know that they used pure skill and prowess to beat you.¡± Alnur reached over and picked up the spear the Huntmaster dropped when they fell. Tossing it to Ophelia.


    She grabbed it and looked surprised. ¡°There¡¯s no weight at all to this. It¡¯s light as a feather.¡± She tried to bend it with her suits power, even as the hydraulics squealed with effort, the spear didn¡¯t yield at all. ¡°What is this made of? It isn¡¯t even metal, is this bone?¡±


    The black raven spoke up. ¡°How we make it is a secret, but I can tell you that it gets its strength from weaving carbon at the atomic level. Again, I won¡¯t say more than that.¡±


    ¡°So, do you all feel better after beating the shit out of each other?¡± Alnur¡¯s tone was part joking, part admonishing.


    The white raven spoke up. ¡°The tradition of resolving disputes through armed combat dates all the way to the founding of our people. Might seem barbaric, but the effectiveness of Armatus astutia is quite effective.¡±


    ¡°How do you know the old ways about Armatus astutia?¡± Mikal said as the pair of Ono looked up in unison.


    Alnur interrupted them. ¡°You¡¯re half Ono!¡±


    Ophelia looked horrified. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°There hasn¡¯t been a natural Ono birth in almost eight centuries! Unless, you¡¯re older than the age of regression! Before the gene sickness. No wonder you defeated us so soundly, you were trained by the ancients!¡± Mikal held a hand to his mouth, deep in thought.


    The white raven cawed. ¡°Enough, yes yes, we can talk about our life story later. For now, we have to continue our hunt. You pups better take our lessons to heart. I don¡¯t like to repeat myself.¡± To Alnur¡¯s surprise the Ono hunters snapped a sharp salute, one hand over their hearts. Maybe it was the fight, or perhaps it was learning that the Huntmaster was one of their honored ancients, but they seemed to have a newfound respect for them.


    As Alnur and the others marched to rejoin the others, he couldn¡¯t help but notice that the Ono were standing on either side of the Huntmaster, positioned as honor guard. He opened the link. Wanna see something unbelievable?


    He felt his sister sharing his sight. What happened!


    Ono seem to really get along if you give them the chance to smash each other in the face.


    Wait, you got to watch them fight? Ugh, what I would have given to see it. The disappointment in her minds voice was thick.


    I¡¯ll be sure to describe it in great detail later. How¡¯s it going on your end?

 Chapter 8

    Streams of water poured down the valley walls as Tayla and her group took shelter under a protrusion of stone. The party was taking a well deserved break as the weather had finally turned. It was still only a gentle downpour, but the ever darkening clouds made it clear that they had no intention of letting up any time soon.


    Things are going well. Tayla sent through the link. Though this weather could prove to be a problem. She let her eyes wander over to where the Serulian diplomat was inspecting their latest kill. The woman¡¯s eyes glowed that eerie blue as she stood under the rainfall without getting wet. It was one thing to hear stories of their luck magic, it was another thing altogether to see it in action.


    The woman looked pretty good for being over a century old; another of the perks of her kind.


    Alnur grumbled about the weather as he seemed to trail off. Well, I should hurry back to my group. Best of luck, and tell Fel I say hi. He said as he severed the connection.


    Tayla leaned against the wall as she sat down for a moment, taking a moment to remove the large case that hung from her back. She rubbed the spots where the straps had bit into her shoulders as she rested her head against the stone. Her eyes suddenly felt like they carried the weight of the world as she quickly found them closed without her noticing.


    ¡°Looks like a nasty cut.¡± She didn¡¯t need to look to tell that the voice belonged to a certain Stormpriest. There was a thud as he sat beside her.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t too bad.¡± Tayla said, hoping she sounded convincing.


    ¡°Want me to take a look at it?¡±


    She shrugged as she tried to ignore her heart pounding in her chest.


    Thoren clicked his tongue. ¡°What did you do to the wound? This will leave one helluva scar.¡±


    Tayla opened her eyes to look down, from the corner of her eye she saw Bynard and Fel staring from the far side of the shelter as they grinned like children. She gave them a dismissive gesture as she leaned forward to look at her thigh. The skin was a knotted mess of old and new flesh, beads of blood forming where the two met.


    ¡°Ah.¡± She said, ¡°It¡¯s a trick we use in combat to keep ourselves going until we can properly treat the wound. It isn¡¯t pretty, but it works in a pinch.¡±


    Thoren ran a finger along the raised tissue. ¡°A brutal method, but I can¡¯t argue with the results.¡± Tayla¡¯s breath left as a thick fog; moments like this made her glad to have the Tranquility to hide her embarrassment.


    The priest noticed the puff of chilled air. ¡°What¡¯s that about? You secretly part Invari? Maybe some ice in your veins?¡± He asked.


    ¡°No no.¡± Tayla said, trying to think of the best way to phrase her condition without sounding crazy. ¡°Triplets are an odd thing for my people. While Alnur and I aren¡¯t as special as Fel, we still have some quirks that make us stand out.¡±


    Thoren turned back to the wound as he began wrapping it, he mumbled to himself under his breath. ¡°I think you stand out plenty already.¡±


    The two glanced at each other before turning away.


    Tayla turned to find Fel¡¯s face right before hers. ¡°Hey.¡± They said, ¡°Not to interrupt this beautiful moment, but we need to get moving.¡±


    Looking around, Tayla noticed that the rest of the group had already left without her noticing. Her cheeks grew crimson as she hurried to her feet. A stab of pain shot through her leg as she winced. She would get proper medical attention at the Keel, for now she had to keep moving. Which meant she had to do something incredibly stupid.


    Cold stretched through her body as she felt her body grow numb and distant, the embarrassment ebbed away, the pounding of her heart shrank from a thundering drumbeat to an echo of an echo. She saw a look on Thoren¡¯s face, but she couldn¡¯t make it out; her mind was too focused on the task at hand.


    It was a dangerous game using the Tranquility like this, yet when the alternative was to simply grit her teeth in pain, it was hard to not use it for brief moments of rest.


    Despite the many years of research, she never had been able to find any reference to the affliction Alnur and herself suffered from. It was true that among the many children of the gods there were any number of minor mutations that could occur; she liked to think what the ancient Lifeweaver would have to say if they could see what had happened to their brilliant nearly perfect designs. Altered by beings from a higher plane of existence, and left to drift from their original purposes. The tranquility and the fury were the results of such drifting. It was like something went out of control. Passion and logic grew and festered into something entirely different.


    ¡°Let¡¯s catch up to the others.¡± She said, stopping to grab the heavy case once more.


    The three made their way down the valley towards the group, who oddly had come to a stop around the next bend. Bynard jogged over as he thumbed over his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ve spotted the next group.¡±


    Tayla and the others quickened their pace.


    For a few steps, before Tayla found her leg trying to give out on her suddenly. She could dull the pain, but that didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t injured.


    She cursed as she looked up to Fel, seeing a look she was all too familiar with.


    ¡°Bynard.¡± Fel said. ¡°Do what you can for my sister¡¯s leg. Thoren and I will go with the crabs.¡±


    With a half-hearted salute, Bynard led Tayla to where she could sit and rest.


    Once more she watched as her leg was unwrapped, the tissue was slowly pulling apart as the beads of blood had turned into gentle streams.


    Bynard gave a withering stare. ¡°Tay. How the hells did you think you could walk on this?¡± He was one of the only people that called Tayla by her real name without titles or the like.


    ¡°I thought it wasn¡¯t that bad.¡± She said sheepishly.


    ¡°No. You wanted to act tough in front of the group, especially that blond lightning rod.¡±


    She winced as Bynard pulled out a pouch and began rubbing cream on the wound to slow the blood loss.


    ¡°This won¡¯t stop the bleeding, but it should slow it enough to give you some mobility.¡± He pulled a pebble out, the rune on its surface burning brightly as it was reduced to ash. Which he then rubbed into the cream. ¡°We need to wait ten minutes, but after that you should be good.¡±


    ¡°I feel embarrassed.¡± Tayla said.


    Bynard finished bandaging the wound as he smirked. ¡°Why¡¯s that? Afraid tall blond and sparky won¡¯t be interested anymore?¡±


    Tayla fidgeted with her gloved right hand. ¡°We both know that even joking about me and Thoren is skirting heresy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Bynard said, his eyes growing distant as he spoke. ¡°But maybe that isn¡¯t a bad thing.¡± Before Tayla could tell her friend the dangers of what he was saying, he continued. ¡°At least you have the courage to say something.¡±


    ¡°Bynard! Do you have someone you fancy? What happened to ¡®being above romance¡¯?¡± Tayla paused. ¡°What a second, you never volunteer for relay duty, unless you wanted to-¡±


    Her friend tied the bandage a hair too tight as he pursed his lips. ¡°I just wanted to do my part for the great hunt, as any son of the All Moth-¡±


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


    ¡°Please, you are the least pious man I know.¡± Tayla leaned in. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll ask your sister.¡±


    That got his attention.


    ¡°Fine! It¡¯s Zo.¡± Bynard said, turning to look away.


    Tayla reached for the link but her friend knew the look on her face too well and reached out to stop her. ¡°Don¡¯t tell Alnur! He¡¯ll do that thing he does where he tries to fix the situation that doesn¡¯t need fixing.¡±


    ¡°Okay okay.¡± Tayla said. ¡°So what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Oh! I was planning on keeping it a secret and hoping to fawn over her from a distance for the next decade or so.¡± He put his head in his hands. ¡°Or¡­ I¡¯ll try and ask her out. Eventually.¡±


    Tayla stretched her leg, the pain was still there, but not as bad. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find a chance, what made you fall for her anyways?¡±


    ¡°Well if you must know. It¡¯s a pretty recent thing. Watching her fight was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen, her movements were beautiful-¡±


    ¡°You saw her fight, and that was all it took to fall head over heels for her?¡±


    ¡°Well, no. Maybe, I don¡¯t know. It was like this feeling you know?¡± Bynard was waving his hands while explaining himself.


    Tayla reached for some jerky that was wrapped in her jacket pocket. ¡°Oh yeah, sounds like true love to me, just like in the fairy tales.¡±


    Bynard deflated. ¡°Come on Tay, I mean it. After I saw her fight today, I knew it was the real thing-¡±


    ¡°Wait! Today?!¡± Tayla dropped her jerky, looking up at Bynard with disbelief. ¡°Bynard! Relay¡¯s share their thoughts with other Twins, you know it can muddle with your emotions! You watched Zo fight while her brain was sending a flurry of chemicals and you probably got battle high by proxy!¡±


    Growing quiet, Bynard¡¯s face was filled with worry. ¡°So is that a no to helping me get a date?¡± Bynard turned his head away while looking at her out of the corner of his eye, a coy look on his face.


    Tayla groaned. ¡°I¡¯ll help you, and then when this doomed ship sinks, I¡¯ll be there to pull you back aboard and remind you how stupid you¡¯re being.¡±


    Bynard pumped his arm in the air. ¡°I knew I could count on you Tay. When I get married, maybe you can be my oathbearer?¡±


    ¡°Baby steps Bynard, let¡¯s try and have you actually talk to her first, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t long before the two managed to catch up with the group, to Tayla¡¯s surprise they were still dealing with the latest Krak¡¯un. Perhaps Fel was stretching it out so she wouldn¡¯t have to walk as far to catch up. She would have to thank them later.


    As they approached, Tayla heard frantic yelling. The two wasted hurrying to see the source of the commotion.


    Tayla moved through the second born hunters as she tried to see what was happening. The adult Krak¡¯un was torn to pieces, Fel standing atop its corpse without so much as a blemish on their armor. The runts were being dealt with by the book. Teams working together to topple and restrain the beasts.


    The screaming was coming from further up the valley, as a stranger rode towards them on the back of a volburn. The ragged clothing was a dead giveaway that the man was a member of the clanless, those who called the highlands their home.


    The man had a haunted look on his face as he waved wildly.


    Bynard appeared without a sound, long rifle in hand from gods knew where. He aimed down the scope to get a better look. ¡°Clanless for sure. Though¡­¡± He trailed off.


    ¡°What?¡± Tayla whispered.


    ¡°Dunno. His face didn¡¯t look right for a second.¡± Bynard said with a shrug.


    Before she could ask him to elaborate, the strange man got close enough to hear, he was screaming a single word. ¡°Bloodstone.¡±


    Tayla cursed as she raised her voice over the sounds of battle. ¡°Fall back! They¡¯re infected!¡±


    As if on cue the adult¡¯s body shook violently as the plates along its shell began bulging from within. Fel managed to leap from the hulking brute as pillars of red crystal shot upwards. Tayla looked on in horror as the spires of crimson reached high into the air, when they reached a sufficient height, the tip branched out into hundreds of wispy tendrils that quickly hardened into razor thin spines. A vile light began to shine from within the crystal, a screaming wail of high pitched squealing rang through the valley as it built to a crescendo.


    Bynard turned and let loose a pot shot with his rifle at one of the pillars along its base, but the bullet didn¡¯t even leave a scratch.


    The others in the group scrambled for cover as they tried to back away, but those first born that were dealing with the runts were still holding the beasts at bay, if they released their prey, they would be torn to shreds.


    Everything happened so fast, most of the guests were watching in awe at the odd spectacle, unaware of their impending deaths.


    A crack of a whip echoed as one of the pillars shattered into million pieces. Another crack signaled the end of yet another pillar.


    While everyone else was frozen in place, Fel stood their ground.


    Whip in hand they launched a flurry of blows with enough force to shake the very ground itself. Their face showed no fear, no concern. Just a grim determination.


    Tayla watched the faces of the group, she had hoped to see awe or wonder at her siblings'' power, but instead she saw the usual looks of fear and disgust. Even Thoren held that same look of contempt.


    A sudden burst of movement caught Tayla¡¯s eye as one of the runts exploded into a smaller pillar of the same red substance. Fel was busy, that meant it was up to Tayla to do something.


    She ran in spite of the agony she felt in her leg, watching as the horrid crystal grew larger and larger. Desperately she leapt forward as she laid her gloved hand on the base of the crystal. There was no time for nuance, no gentle coaxing of her gift. She threw open the gates to the Tranquility as her jaw chattered at the sudden chill. The crystal seemed to resist her powers as it tried to continue growing, but Tayla dug deeper as she screamed.


    Somewhere in the distance she heard the beating of a drum. A rhythmic sound that reverberated through her bones, through her very soul. A song danced along the back of her mind as she let out a gasping breath.


    The piller stood still, frozen in place as the glow within began to fade into nothingness.


    Tayla fell to her knees as she tried to catch her breath. Before she knew it, she felt Fel¡¯s hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°Tayla, how did you- What did you do?¡± They asked.


    Looking up, Tayla found the bloodstone was completely inert, a thick sheet of ice covering its whole surface. A lone shard hung from the top of the crystal, it looked like dull glass. The shard broke free as it fell to the ground with a soft thud.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Tayla said, ¡°I just tried to stop it.¡±


    The others were gathering themselves as they took in the spectacle, Fel had shattered a dozen of the growths from the adult Krak¡¯un, a mountain of shards glowed ominously from where they laid on the ground. The hunters were quick to try and dispose of the crystals with the help of their gifts, the green flames burned the fragments away until nothing was left but dust.


    As Fel turned to oversee the disposal, Tayla reached out and wrapped the dull shard at her feet in a cloth. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but she felt the need to take it with her.


    The stranger dismounted the volburn as he approached Tayla. ¡°My lady, are you okay?¡± The man had a handsome face, framed with long black hair, the glove on his right hand marked him as a second born. Tayla didn¡¯t find him attractive herself, but could see how others would find his features appealing.


    She rose on shaking legs as she met the man''s eyes, and found something amiss. She couldn¡¯t place what exactly, but the more she looked the more the man seemed off.


    Deep in her gut a primordial fear churned. Was the man a Faceless? The children of the Old God of Chaos?


    Just as quickly as the fear had crossed her mind, so did she find herself shaking her head at the absurdity. She was obviously still reeling from the encounter with the bloodstone, she owed the man better than suspicion.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. I just need a moment to catch my breath.¡± Tayla said.


    She reached for the link to let Alnur know about the situation, he answered a moment later as he shared his vision.


    He was standing amongst a field of dead Krak¡¯un, she could feel his heart pounding from the thrill of the hunt as he grinned from ear to ear.


    That was until the nearby wall exploded.


    Alnur and the others turned to see the source and found something that should not have existed on this plane of existence.


    The link grew distorted and fractured, through the distortion she could make out the monolithic shape of the creature in front of her brother. It was like nothing she had ever seen before, a large spherical mass of barely contained flesh that was easily sixty feet in diameter suspended in mid air. Armored plates covered its entire outer form. Sixteen claws each the size of an adult Krak¡¯un hung from the outer carapace of the creature. Thousands of blades of kelp danced over the nightmares shell, but worst of all were its victims. A dozen tendrils of flesh hovered around the monster, each one sporting a Twin that had been impaled through the skull, their cracked rotting lips moved in unnatural ways as they sang in the tongue of the void.


    Alnur was screaming incoherent orders, garbled by the interference over the link. He was dragging Zo away from the beast, blood was running from her eyes and ears. He reached down and grabbed the flares she had in her bag, firing them into the sky to call for aid. When his gaze snapped back to the creature he could just make out the flash of blades, he tried to turn but was too slow to react. Through the link Tayla felt it all, a blade pierced the skin near the temple, severing the bone of the skull; she felt the odd pressure as Alnur¡¯s eye was cut in half, warm liquid pooling down his cheek. The sensation was played out again in reverse order as the thin blade cut through the cartilage of his nose and tore through his other eye as it exited the other side of his face. The link went dark, a moment later Alnur lost consciousness.


    Tayla heard a scream in the distance, a guttural thing that sounded like the death cries of a butchered animal. A ghastly wail of pain and misery that grew raw and bloody as the seconds stretched on and on.


    It took her a long moment to realize that she was the source of the scream.

 Chapter 9

    Denesia wiped the sweat from her brow as she took a moment to stretch her back. It had been some time since she worked a field, and longer still since she had to do so by hand. She wore a loose tunic and trousers, which felt wrong considering her station, but she didn¡¯t want to dirty her finer clothing. The Twins had been kind enough to lend her the outfit for the day, along with a much needed straw hat.


    She absentmindedly ran a hand across her bald scalp as she took in the scenery. The fields were filled with tens of thousands of Twins as they worked tirelessly to harvest the enormous amount of food it took to keep the Empire running. Children ran from worker to worker as they handed out food and water, along with much needed damp towels.


    One such girl, probably no older than seven, ran up to Denesia with a wide toothy grin. A bucket and ladle in hand, the girl held out the ladle as she tried to not stare at Denesia¡¯s companions. The girl did pretty well, for a child.


    Denesia took the ladle with a small bow of the head, the water was clear and delicious. As she drank, she looked at the small girl. Twin¡¯s and Sanguinites were pretty similar in appearance, aside from the hair thing. While Sanguinites were prone to albinism, Twin¡¯s were a different kind of pale, their skin was sickly and gaunt. In certain lighting their skin almost seemed translucent.


    The biggest difference was the whole rotting hand thing. It was hard not to stare at the blackened flesh, the symbol of the Twin¡¯s betrayal.


    The girl for her part leaned forward as she whispered. ¡°Do they need watering?¡± She gestured to the pair of skeletons on either side of Denesia who were hard at work.


    ¡°No.¡± Denesia said as she whispered loudly. ¡°They¡¯re okay.¡± She spoke a command out loud as the skeletons turned to the young girl and gave deep bows. The touching moment was undermined slightly as the straw hat fell from one of their heads.


    ¡°Why do they need hats? Or clothes for that matter? And why did you put sunscreen on their bones? Did you kill them yourself?¡± The young girl said, practically vibrating as she listed off question after question.


    Denesia walked over and replaced the hat that had fallen. ¡°My people choose to pass on our remains to our next of kin. These two are my great great aunt and her husband; they¡¯ve served our family for decades.¡± She said, ¡°As for the clothing and such¡­¡± She trailed off as she reapplied a bit of cream to her aunt¡¯s skull. ¡°We treat our deceased with honor and respect, we clothe them, and care for them as a way of thanking them for their service.¡±


    It was a tough thing to describe one''s culture to an outsider, especially a child.


    ¡°Kinda like gramgram! She was alive, but then she wasn¡¯t. Now we have to keep her cold and chilly until tomorrow. Mom said I could watch this year when she goes in the water; because I¡¯m a big girl. I¡¯m six by the way.¡±


    As Denesia tried to make sense of the young girl''s words, she watched the child¡¯s smile slowly fade as her green eyes grew vacant. She realized it wasn¡¯t just the girl, every single Twin had frozen as they each stood up in unison, turning towards some point in the distance silently.


    Denesia felt her stomach drop as she watched the eerie sight. The entire nation stopped in its tracks, a hundred thousand Twins stared at some unseen point without so much as blinking. A flock of crows flew overhead as they made their way towards the dark clouds that hung above the highlands.


    ¡°What in the hells is going on?¡± Denesia said as she tried to make sense of the ominous sight. Behind her the Keel let out a bellowing groan that echoed through the vast fields.


    The young girl turned, her green eyes glowing from deep within as a voice that was not her own escaped her lips. ¡°A god has fallen, so too shall a king. The path will be laid, the bells must ring. Until all world¡¯s crumble, at eternity''s end. ¡°


    In the distance Denesia saw what the Twin¡¯s were looking at, a massive dome of darkness had formed in the highlands, its surface dotted with ever shifting starlight. Her stomach churned as she fought back bile at the sight of the thing.


    Perhaps the stories about the Twin¡¯s and their dark practices weren¡¯t as far fetched as she once thought.


    ¡ô¡ô¡ô


    Tayla¡¯s consciousness floated aimlessly, the pain she felt through the link replaying again and again as she tried to reach for her own eyes. Fearing they too might be gone. She opened her eyes to find a door standing before her, a thick layer of ice covering the whole of the surface. From the other side she could hear a muffled sound that willed her closer.


    Before she could reach a hand out to the door she felt a painful burning sensation across her cheek, her mind was ripped back to reality as she blinked away the last of the fleeting vision she could no longer recall.


    Fel grabbed Tayla by the shoulders. ¡°Tayla! What happened? Is Alnur alright?¡± Their usual soft voice was hard as steel.


    ¡°He¡­ He¡¯s hurt.¡± Tayla tried to clear the last of the brain fog. Her eyes grew frantic as she clutched at Fel. ¡°An elder! They found a living elder!¡±


    Since Fel had awoken to their powers, Tayla had never seen her sibling look frightened; until that moment.


    The two exchanged a look, even without the link they knew exactly what the other was thinking. Fel wasted no time as they leapt towards the valley wall, scaling the sheer surface as they dug their fingers into the stone like it was made of mud. In an instant they reached the top and disappeared.


    Tayla for her part turned to the group, only to find her fellow Twins frozen in place. Even Bynard seemed to be babbling to himself about some ¡®day of judgement¡¯ or some such. The guests were looking around in terror as they tried to make sense of what was happening.


    Logically, Tayla knew what she should do. Stay with the guests, make sure they were safe, focus on her own safety in case the worst happened to her brother. That was the standard protocol. Never put both the ruler and their shadow at risk.


    Fuck the rules.


    Turning towards Thoren, Tayla pointed at the hunting party. ¡°Thoren, I need you to help guide them back safely to the main camp.¡± She gestured at the clanless stranger. ¡°I have to try and make it to the other party,¡± She motioned to the case on her back. ¡°This might be the only thing capable of killing the monster they¡¯re fighting. Will you act as a guide for the diplomats?¡± It may have seemed odd to the outsiders for her to ask one of their citizens, as opposed to ordering them; but the clanless were an odd bunch, as much a part of the Coast as they were a separate people.


    The stranger nodded, dismounting from his volburn as he offered the reins to Tayla. ¡°Here, take my mount.¡± He said, ¡°If she¡¯ll accept you that is.¡±


    Thoren was already issuing commands to the guests as they helped the shellshocked Twin¡¯s slowly regain their composure. Turning to Tayla for a moment as he said. Tayla made a mental note to thank the man after all of this was done.


    She approached the volburn as she tried to rest a hand on the creature''s neck. The volburn gave a withering stare as the joints along its chest clacked together gently. It was telling her to get bent.


    Unfortunately for the beast, Tayla was in no mood.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this stupid song and dance! My brother is laying on the ground bleeding to death as we speak, so either help me reach him, or fuck off and stop wasting me time!¡± As the words left her lips, hoarfrost covered her gloved hand, even the Tranquility couldn¡¯t soothe her rage.


    The volburn narrowed its eyes, huffing through its false mouth as it finally lowered to allow Tayla to reach the saddle.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Tayla said as she pulled herself up into the saddle. Without guidance, the volburn turned and took off at a harrowing speed. The sudden burst caused Tayla to let out a yelp as she held on for dear life.


    The beast glanced back with an amused look in its eye.


    Above in the sky she could see a new flare, the black flare hung in the sky casting an ominous glow. It was used when a hunting party had no hope of surviving, a warning to stay clear. Tayla wouldn¡¯t let her brother die that easily, not if she had anything to say about it.


    Between the crash of hooves and the torrent of rain, Tayla could barely hear much else. The link wasn¡¯t responding, either Alnur had passed out, or the elder was blocking the link. She knew he was still alive at least, the link was still there, just inert. If he died the link would crumble and vanish; survivors said it was an unimaginable pain, like something was being ripped out of one''s brain with red hot tongs. Even if you managed to hold on through the physical pain, it was the psychological trauma that usually killed the other Twin. Some would repeat the last words they heard over the link, the words and feelings repeating in an endless loop as the mind eroded. Others would still hear the voice of their sibling, a ghostly whisper that would never grant them peace. Some would simply find the isolation too much, feeling alone for the first time in their lives and taking their own life to escape the loneliness.


    The link was still intact, and so long as it was Tayla knew she had a chance to save her brother. She prayed that by now Fel had made it to the fight.


    ¡ô¡ô¡ô


    The thing that wore Vauhn¡¯s face looked around the carnage with a mirthless smile. The Twins were putting up a valiant effort to hold back the ¡®Krak¡¯un¡¯ as they called it. The ones really holding back the beast were the pair of Ono and the hybrid, though they would be overcome eventually.


    Laying on the ground covered in his own blood was the only reason Vauhn was here. The king had lost consciousness after receiving injuries to his eyes and face. He looked at the young man¡¯s crown, it was a thin circlet devoid of any regal decoration. Reaching out a hand towards it, the circlet sensed something was off and burrowed micro tendrils into the king''s head, anchoring it in place. It was an amusing show of defiance. So be it, it was more entertaining if the king had the chance to play the part to come.


    Vauhn¡¯s thought process was interrupted rudely by an enormous claw tearing its mortal husk in half. An adult crab had apparently answered the call of the elder one, it held his upper body aloft in one claw. Another claw was preparing to crush the crown, and the king it was attached to. ¡°Now now, I¡¯ve grown an interest in that one. Can¡¯t have you spoiling my fun.¡± He said.


    He cast a glance to ensure none were watching and then spoke a single unspeakable syllable, his mouth bursting from the profane energy, the ragged remains hanging uselessly afterwards.


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    The crab for its part ceased to exist.


    Vauhn landed in the wet ground, entrails spilling out from the force. He turned his backwards at an obscene angle to get a good look at the king; this body had served its purpose, now he simply had to wait for the other game piece to arrive.


    There was a loud crash, followed by a series of curses in the first tongue. Curious at the unexpected sound, Vauhn twisted his head even further, even as the mortal flesh screamed in protest. The elder was screaming in pain as something began tearing it to pieces. The Fallen one stood atop the creature''s back, screaming in rage and fury as it lashed out with thresher whips, tearing through the armored plates with inhuman strength.


    He furrowed its brow. Well that was unexpected. This is why he left reading future possibilities to the others; he was kinda shit at it. Best to lay low for now, it would be a poor choice to get on the wrong side of the dead sun.


    He scrunched his nose, Great, now my nose is itchy and I can¡¯t scratch it. You better hurry Tayla, forget the broken bones and blood loss; this is the real torture!


    ¡ô¡ô¡ô


    How long had Tayla been riding, five, ten minutes? Every second she felt more and more dread at the thought that she would be too late. She had been lucky so far, despite her blistering pace she had not seen a single Krak¡¯un. She was getting closer to the source of the flares now, just a little more and she would arrive.


    The volburn¡¯s hooves skidded across the smooth stone as it tried to take a tight corner at full speed. She had reached a main valley that would lead directly to the other group. The volburn grew agitated without warning, stomping as it turned in place. Tayla tried to calm the animal, unsure of what had spooked the poor thing. Now facing the other direction of the elder she glanced up, the blood froze in her veins at the sight. Hundreds of Krak¡¯un were rushing down the valley towards her, making their way to answer the elder one''s call. Most of the crabs were juveniles, but there were dozens of adults amongst their ranks. If these things made it to the elder, it would be catastrophic; forget losing a hunting party, if these things were led by the elder they could sweep across the Coast, wiping out everything in their path.


    Panic gripped Tayla, she couldn''t possibly hold back this horde on her own, but leaving them was out of the question. Even if she beat them to the elder, they would overrun the hunters before they could take down the beast controlling them.


    ¡°All Mother, what do I do?¡± She asked aloud, feeling the noose tighten around her neck.


    Thunder boomed above, Tayla watched as a spear of gold landed in front of her, embedding itself into the coral stone. A moment later a bolt of lightning struck the spear. The electricity coalesced into a humanoid shape, the blinding light fading to reveal a person holding the spear. Sparks of energy crackled over their body as they turned to face Tayla, it was Thoren.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m a tad late, but the other representatives are safe and sound. You said that weapon on your back was our best bet at killing this elder right? Well, I¡¯ll buy you as much time as I can so you can put it to good use.¡± He said.


    Tayla opened her mouth to respond, when she was interrupted by a crow falling to the ground, its corpse writhed for a moment before bursting in a shower of blood. Then another bird fell, and another. Looking up Tayla saw a flock of birds circling above, rapidly they all began to fall in quick succession. Each one bursting as they fell, their bodies seemingly overfilled with blood, some burst before they could land, causing a rainfall of viscera. The ground was slick with the thick liquid, the scene was straight from a depiction of the infernal realms. Thoren¡¯s face was stricken with fear at the sight.


    As the pool of blood grew larger and larger, a clawed hand, coated in crimson, reached out of the pool, followed by a cloaked head. Slowly, a towering monstrosity emerged, every drop of blood was pulled towards the figure by unseen forces and with each drop its body became more and more tangible. Thoren had his spear readied, watching in awe and fear at the graphic transformation.


    A second later, standing fully formed was a hulking monster, at least, that was how he appeared on the outside. ¡°My lady. I apologize for showing you such a ghastly display.¡±


    ¡°Phi!¡± Tayla felt her eyes water at the sight of the man, a rush of relief overcoming her. ¡°How did you know to come here?¡±


    ¡°Something¡­ called to me. I don¡¯t know, but for some reason I knew you would need help.¡± He said with the closest thing to a smile that he could form.


    Phi was by all accounts, one of the most terrifying looking people you could ever imagine. Tayla had long since grown accustomed to the man''s outer appearance and knew that what laid underneath that visage was the most devout, loyal, and caring man you could ever imagine.


    ¡°I need you to buy me time Phi.¡± Tayla said, knowing she was asking the man to risk his life.


    ¡°I life to serve my lady, I will make sure that not a single creature-¡±


    Thoren had obviously snapped out of his stupor as he shouted. ¡°The beasts will be on us in a moment. Leave the platitudes for later! We have work to do!¡± The Stormpriest fired his spear into the thrashing mass of claws approaching, following it up with a bolt of lightning.


    ¡°Forgive me oh righteous one, you are right. The God¡¯s have seen fit to ask much of us on this day, and I welcome the opportunity to serve!¡± Phi wasted no time running forward to meet the charging horde head on without hesitation.


    Tayla snapped the reins, leaving without another glance behind her. Between Phi and Thoren, she trusted that they would be able to hold back the swarming Krak¡¯un for long enough. There was nothing else that stood between her and the elder one.


    She finally turned the last bend, her volburn suddenly locked its legs as it skidded to a stop, hurling Tayla from the saddle to the unwelcoming ground below. Landing hard she came to a stop after rolling a few times, her wounded thigh screaming in pain. A few feet away from her was the source of the volburn¡¯s fear, a dark swirling dome stretching up above the valley walls. The surface was as black as the night sky, small motes of light moved along its surface.


    There was no time for delay, Tayla tried to stand and was brought down by the screaming pain of her now reopened cut. She grunted as she started breathing slowly, letting the Tranquility creep in quickly. Her breath bellowed a plume of vapor, the pain disappeared in the cold embrace. She stood without feeling much of anything. This was going to hurt like a bitch afterwards.


    Readying her rifle she walked towards the shimmering black dome, there was a chance this could just kill her, she had no real way of knowing what this was or what it would do to her. But, she wouldn¡¯t let some stupid wall stand between her and saving her family.


    Tayla reached a hand out towards the inky blackness, her hand passing into the dome, there was a slight feeling of resistance. She held her hand there for a moment, waiting to see if it would try and devour her.


    Nothing happened.


    With a deep breath, she readied herself; before plunging into the waiting darkness.


    ¡ô¡ô¡ô


    Thoren was mentally exhausted. He had expected his visit to the coast to be uneventful; giving sermons here and there, smiling and making friendly small talk, bringing the will of the Gods to those he had been taught were beyond help. He had envisioned himself as a shepherd, leading a wayward flock away from certain doom, yet instead he had been forced to see he was no leader of the blind but a pawn to some force with unknown objectives. He was still confused as to what the right path was; the Twins were a secretive people, each revelation showing just how close they walked the line of heresy. They hadn¡¯t crossed it yet though; harboring hybrids was not a crime, employing mutants wasn¡¯t either, and when it came to their pact with the Old God they seemed to still put the All Mother first. It would have been easier if he could simply hate them, but they had treated him with the utmost respect, and he would give them the same courtesy.


    The introspection had to wait though, his attention shifting back to the man eating crabs that wanted nothing more than to rip him limb for limb. Thoren was directing his spear from afar with one hand, spinning and propelling it to great effect. One of the Krak¡¯un managed to get close to him, it lunged at him with its claws, before he could recall his spear a chained hook came crashing into the shell of the beast. The crab spasmed from the sudden impact, as it was pulled off its stubby legs and hurled down the valley back into the oncoming horde.


    Thoren cast a glare to the source of the hooked chains, standing in a maelstrom of gore and blood was the hybrid Phi. Since seeing the abomination a few scant minutes ago, Thoren had been trying to remember the name of this variant, it was something like Crimson Corsair, or Scarlet Tide. He had been a terrible study, especially when it came to the tomes of chimeric research. If memory served, the last recorded instance of such a hybrid reaching adulthood was some two hundred and forty years ago. Coming about from a Tideborn and a Sanguinte joining in unholy union.


    Despite all of Thoren¡¯s misgivings about the hybrid, he could hardly refute the man¡¯s efficiency. As soon as any Krak¡¯un came within fifteen paces of the man, he would lash out with hooks of steel, or blades of blood, all of his strikes landing in spite of his apparent blindness. Hells below and above, the man didn¡¯t even flinch as he was skewered by volley after volley of kelp blades. He would just lazily cut the blades as his body regenerated from the wounds.


    The one failing of the hybrid was that they seemed incapable of sensing anything outside of that fifteen pace range, so Thoren had taken up the duty of clearing the Krak¡¯un on the valley walls with his spear. Sending the beasts tumbling down as he severed their anchoring legs, where they would thrash uselessly on the valley floor below.


    They were holding the torrent of creatures back for now, but it was only going so well because the adult Krak¡¯un were holding back, as if instructed by some guiding force.


    Thoren was caught off guard as the hybrid spoke without warning. ¡°I am reaching my limits of regeneration, I will most likely die soon.¡± The man spoke about his impending doom with the tone of someone mentioning they ran out of milk, a minor inconvenience.


    ¡°What! Why are you just mentioning this now? Your regeneration seems to be fine.¡± Thoren shouted back.


    ¡°These creatures have incompatible blood, it is copper based, not iron. My own reserves are nearly spent. When I parish, I pray that you will be successful in holding back this horde.¡±


    ¡°Then fall back! We can regroup and come up with a new strategy!¡±


    Phi turned to him, despite not looking forward anymore, it seemed to do little in the way of preventing him from sensing the oncoming Krak¡¯un and dispatching them swiftly. ¡°I lack the strength to outrun these beasts. I will hold them back and give you time to retreat to a better position.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a death wish? You wear the cloak of a priest of the tides, you claim to serve our Mother, you have her symbol etched on every link of your chains, and you think that the All Mother would be happy if one of her beloved children simply threw away their life!¡± Thoren said, watching Phi¡¯s shocked face. ¡°I will only ask you once, do you want to die? Or do you want to continue serving the All Mother?!¡±


    Phi stood straighter. ¡°If the All Mother still see¡¯s value in my life, I would happily continue to serve.¡±¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± Thoren called his spear back, he looked towards the dark clouds above, casting the spear towards them as a bolt of lightning. When he felt it had traveled far enough, he let his body dissolve into the storm as he gave his new form a simple command. -Travel to spear, then reform-


    As his body returned to its material state, he found himself floating in the clouds some few thousand feet above, gravity tried to grasp him once more and he shook it off with a thought as his body suspended itself. He twisted to look down, it wasn¡¯t hard to spot the valley he had been in just a moment prior; hundreds upon hundreds of the Krak¡¯un were funneling into the larger chasm. It looked like a colony of insects twitching and marching in unison. He spared a glance at their destination, gasping as he saw a sphere of starlight covering a large area. This threat was becoming more and more dangerous by the minute. All the more reason not to hold back.


    Letting go of his weapon, he brought his hands together, interlocking the fingers in prayer. He wished he had more time, he would have to rush the chant, which would leave him exhausted, or he would pass out and plummet to his death. Protecting the sanctity of life was more important than his own safety. He spoke in the holy language, ¡°Oh holy ones, hear my plea. I am lost in the darkness, bereft of your light. Grant me your strength so I might cast away our enemies and bring about your will! Make me but an extension of your righteous fury, deliver me from this cold night, raise me from the tainted sodden of the earth so I might cleanse its filth and be born once more, purified by your grace!¡±


    As the words left his mouth he could feel the gods turning their gaze towards him. Each one granted him a mote of power; this wasn¡¯t some childs chant, this was a war chant and with it came the full attention of the powers above. It was strange though, Thoren could not feel the All Mother¡¯s attention. She was usually the first to answer such a prayer from her own children.


    His body was bursting with borrowed strength, the chant he was using would normally take around ten minutes to complete all the verses, but he only had moments.


    He would pay the price for rushing things.


    Huge rings of light appeared in the sky behind him, holy sigils and scriptures running along their lengths. His spear began spinning around him like the hands of a clock as twelve golden spheres of light appeared as it passed each of the cardinal directions.


    It felt like the energy he was borrowing would tear him apart at any moment. He held his arm back as if to throw his spear, holding for a moment before screaming as he brought his arm forward. The twelve balls of gold erupted in a storm of lightning, raining down on the horde below with incredible power. The sky was aflame with blinding light, beams of holy energy crashing to the earth with ferocious force. The celestial¡¯s wrath made manifest.


    In a moment it was over, most of the horde had been reduced to ash, huge craters pockmarked the surface of the valley.


    ¡°Now, I just need to teleport-¡±, Thoren¡¯s vision went black, his body locking up. Gravity grabbed him hungrily as it sought to smash him into the earth below with haste. His mind shut down, helpless to arrest his fall.

 Chapter 10

    Tayla saw the horrors of the void in full display. The elder Krak¡¯un hovered above, unharmed and reveling in the carnage unfolding beneath it. The hunting party was barely holding out under the onslaught of a near endless barrage of kelp blades and lesser Krak¡¯un. The Ono did their best to fend off the elders gargantuan claws, it seemed to be taking all of their strength to simply deflect or dodge the blows. The Huntmaster was aiding the Ono where needed, their considerable skill being put to the test. Meanwhile the hunting party was holding the juveniles back with all their might.


    Further away was a group of six adult Krak¡¯un in a circle around something. One of the crabs was thrashing around wildly until it suddenly collapsed in a heap. There was a loud crack as a fist burst through its back plate. With a guttural roar Fel pulled themselves out of the beasts innards. Covered in blue blood and gore, steam rising from their armor. They looked like some sort of demon.


    Tayla couldn¡¯t help but notice that for the first time she could recall, her sibling looked tired. That didn¡¯t bode well.


    Laying to the side were the blooded remains of Alnur, he was slumped over Zo, protecting her with his own body. Something broke in Tayla, a noticeable shift in her mind. She hissed through bared teeth, her breath freezing the air itself. She turned her sights on the monster that had harmed her brother so deeply. Dropping her rifle, she ripped the strap off that held the metal case on her back, it fell to the ground with a light thud. She laid her trembling hand on the locking mechanism, it flashed green as it recognized her, unlocking the case.


    She grabbed the contents of the case as she spun to point the ancient weapon at the elder being, holding the weapon against her hip with one hand on the handle, and the other on the control stick. The complex machine whirled and hissed as it fully unfolded, it was a bulky hunk of intricate parts; yet by some advanced feat of engineering, it was also incredibly light for its size. The panel on the top of the weapon showed an array of arcane symbols and numbers, Tayla had worked for the better part of ten years trying to decipher all of the old world gibberish that spooled on the display. She understood half of the information, which made her the only one experienced enough to fire the thing without risk of being blown to pieces.


    The display showed the remaining energy in the fuel cells, she had three shots until it was empty. The Keel could recharge the ancient batteries, but it took almost a full month of trickling power into them for even a single shot, any faster and the fuel cells could overload and be destroyed. She aimed up at the infernal monster, it still didn¡¯t seem to have noticed her, or perhaps it didn¡¯t see her as a threat.


    She was about to make it rethink that.


    Glancing down she saw the weapon chime that it was ready for use. Tayla braced herself in a wide stance as she pulled the trigger. The gun screamed a high pitched sound, as it reached a crescendo there was a roar. In the dome of star light, a new sun was born, a ball of plasma streaked in a flash, melting everything around it as it traveled, casting light brighter than the noon day sun all the while. The elder didn¡¯t have time to react, the plasma ball struck the side of the nightmarish creature, everything on that half of the thing was liquified instantly. Flesh boiled, armored plates vaporized, the whole of the valley reeked of burnt ozone and charred flesh.


    Several of the elders'' claws fell limp as the tendons that connected them to the spherical body melted like candle wax, the claws drooping till they touched the valley floor. Many of the desecrated corpses that had hung from the creatures tendrils were turned to ash from the heat, those that remained were screaming in pain. The elder struggled to keep flight, having to use the claws remaining on its good side to hold it aloft.


    Did you notice me now you prick?


    Tayla raised her middle finger to the monster before putting her hand back down. The gun shook and wheezed as it began trying to cool down for another shot. Tayla threw caution to the wind, giving herself fully to the Tranquility. Her hands froze to the handles as she tried to force the ancient weapon to ready itself again.


    The elder recovered quicker than she had estimated; normally things didn¡¯t shake off balls of plasma with such ease. While the amount of surviving blades the things had at its disposal was much more manageable, Tayla wasn¡¯t in a position to dodge them. The Tranquility made her approaching doom seem like a trifling thing and not the terrible death that it was soon to be. A figure lept out in the path of the blades, shielding Tayla with their body. She lost grip on the Tranquility at the sight. Before her was Alnur, riddled with blades piercing his body, he brought his broadsword down, severing the blades that still skewered him as they fell limp.


    Tayla felt the link weakly react. She opened it, tears streaking down her cheeks.


    Gods, that gun of yours could wake the dead. Case in point. Alnur sent, his face had a cheeky grin, marred only slightly by the bloody mess of his empty eye sockets.


    Please, you can¡¯t di-


    Alnur coughed up a bit of blood. Tayla, could you lend me your eyes for a minute? I¡¯ll make sure you get another shot.


    She wanted to scream at Alnur to get to safety, to tell him that she would protect him, but the argument died in Tayla¡¯s throat, it was the logical choice, the elder had to be killed, it was too large a threat. She let out a shaky breath as she shared her sight with Alnur.


    Tayla spared a glance at Fel, who was frantically fending off the four remaining adult crabs. Between the frenzied cracks of their whips Tayla could see Fel staring at them, their face contorted in pain.


    The elder screamed in anger, throwing every last blade it could muster at the siblings. Alnur adopted a wide stance as he held out his broadsword to the side, igniting the edge with entropic energy, the blade''s white spine glowing with green flame down its length. Tayla focused her eyes on Alnur¡¯s back, it was an odd thing watching your body move through someone else¡¯s eyes. Alnur launched into a flurry of parries and strikes, broadsword in one hand, whip in the other. Tayla could not afford to blink, her eyes straining to stay open so as not to blind her brother.


    Despite his valiant efforts he could not hold off every blade. The cuts and slices were adding up quickly, with each one his reaction speed slowed by a fraction. Tayla¡¯s eyes burned, watering from the strain.


    She was so focused on Alnur and the rain of blades, that she completely missed the looming shadow of the approaching elder itself. It roared as it brought down a pair of its massive claws.


    ¡°What have we told you about keeping your eyes open to your surroundings?¡± The pair of ravens cried out as they swooped down beside Tayla. The Huntmaster landed between Tayla and Alnur as they brought out a spear in their hand. The ends grew outwards and struck the siblings, pushing each other apart as they were thrown away from the impending doom. The claw narrowly missed them, but struck the Huntmaster and their ravens with full force, hurtling their limp bodies into a nearby wall with a sickening crack.


    As Tayla landed on her back, she heard the chime of the plasma cannon, she gritted her teeth as she struggled to lift the weapon from her prone position, aiming the cannon up towards the elder. She pulled the trigger, another blistering corona came to life, the elder raised its arms to protect itself. The ball of plasma tore through half a dozen of the heavily armored claws with ease before expending all of its immense energy. It appeared the elder had learned the threat of the plasma cannon and seemed determined not to let another direct blow land.


    The corpses that hung from its body began to laugh in unison as the elder floated back a bit to recover its strength. It wouldn¡¯t take long for the beast to deal with them now.


    Tayla pressed the firing mechanism again desperately, the cannon flashed angry symbols in protest, refusing to fire until it was ready. She forced herself to stand on shaking legs, she would at least die a proper warrior''s death. Alnur lacked the strength to pull himself to his feet, his arms giving out as he tried to push himself up. In the distance Fel was howling, the number of adults they were fending off was down to three, but they still couldn¡¯t break free from the fight to come help Tayla and Alnur.


    A scraping sound caused Tayla to glance over, her eyes widening at the sight of the Huntmaster without their garbs. The source of the scraping was from a multitude of black spears extending from the center of the Huntmaster''s torso, the spears held them aloft in the air while also extending and contracting to propel them forwards in a bizarre form of locomotion. Tayla had always been curious what was under the wraps the Huntmaster wore. The whole of the Huntmaster¡¯s body consisted of thousands of writhing thick black worms.


    She had always wondered where the black spears had come from, she finally had her answer.


    They came close to Tayla, turning their bulbous misshapen mass of a head towards her. Without her uncle and aunt she couldn¡¯t be sure what the Huntmaster was trying to communicate, but she sensed a feeling of shame and guilt. They were probably afraid to show their true form.


    Tayla reached out a hand and grabbed the Huntmaster¡¯s own ¡®hand¡¯. She squeezed it a few times in rapid succession, just like she did when she was a child going for walks with her aunt and uncle. The Huntmaster¡¯s body shuddered in response, the worms that made up the hand wrapping around Tayla¡¯s and squeezing gently in return.


    Looking at the looming creature above, Tayla was unsure of what to do. She only had one shot remaining, she couldn¡¯t afford to hit the outer plating again. She looked around the battlefield to see if there was something she could use against the beast. The hunters and the Ono were still fending off the swarm of lesser Krak¡¯un, without the Huntmaster to back them up, they couldn¡¯t risk breaking free. She looked up towards the dark sky, was there truly nothing they could do?


    Her eyes caught shapes along the top of valley walls, a familiar voice booming from above. ¡°Our king needs us now more than ever!¡± Dozens of figures in the garb of the clanless leapt from the staggering height above, lashing out with thresher whips to swing as they fell, in perfect unison the strangers circled the elders main body in mid air. They landed against the beast and began attacking it with blades and picks. Back on the plateau tight formations of rifle squads launched volley after volley at the beast.


    The owner of the familiar voice simply stepped off the edge as he effortlessly cast his whip out to swing down and land in front of Tayla.


    Twins were generally small and lithe by nature. Well, no one seemed to mention this fact to this man, he was a towering wall of muscle. His aged face covered in creases and a thick beard. What was left of his grey hair was pulled back.


    Tayla smiled, ¡°I¡¯m glad you could join us uncle Cyrus, just in time for our final stand.¡±


    Her uncle looked towards Alnur, it was clear he wanted to rush to his king¡¯s side. Alnur was still watching through his sister''s eyes, he rolled on his back while holding up a hand. ¡°Leave me for now. Is Lillian somewhere safe?¡± He croaked out.


    Cyrus ignored the protests as he ran over and began treating the worst of Alnur¡¯s wounds. He scowled at the elder. His voice rumbling with rage. ¡°That such a foul beast could grow unnoticed is a shock. As for Lillain, do you really think she would stay back when she heard you were in trouble?¡±


    As if on cue a staccato of explosives rang out. Standing on the edge of the valley wall stood Lillian with her repeating cannon, firing volley after volley at the elder. Lillian always had an interesting sense of style, she wore hulking plate armor despite her thin frame, yet around her waist was a billowing skirt. She dressed as though she planned to attend a ball afterwards; but not before fighting a small army to get there. Currently she was shouting profanity and curses that could turn a priest pale. She stopped long enough to glance over towards Tayla. ¡°Tayla! Is Alnur alright!?¡± She yelled down.


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    Alnur coughed. ¡°Tell her I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Tayla shouted back. ¡°He¡¯s been blinded and he¡¯s losing a lot of blood! It doesn¡¯t look good Lil!¡±


    Lillian removed a hand from her oversized weapon, holding it over her mouth for a moment. Before turning back to the elder as she screamed, her voice overflowing with emotion. She continued raining explosive rounds and verbal insults at the Krak¡¯un, which shuddered in pain in response.


    Glancing at the plasma cannons display, Tayla saw it was primed for its last shot, but as it was now it was a waste to try against the elder. ¡°I¡¯ve got one shot left before this thing is useless. I say we go for the classic one, two combo; make the final shot count.¡±


    Cyrus¡¯s forehead furrowed in thought. ¡°We will do everything we can do to give you a clean shot.¡± He had finished dressing most of the wounds he could on Alnur, stabilizing him for the moment. He raised his voice so the clanless above could hear him. ¡°Ready whips, we must bind the beast!¡± There was a chorus of affirmation in response. ¡°I will stand guard for you my dear, you focus on getting a clear shot.¡± He said as he drew a blade, standing between Tayla and the beast.


    Taking a deep breath, Tayla lifted her plasma weapon towards the elder Krak¡¯un. She gave herself to the Tranquility once more. Her sole focus was the beast before her, she let all of her other thoughts and feelings ebb away. Time began to flow slowly, the clanless above cast dozens of whips around the two most forefront claws of the elder, pulling with all their might to try and raise them up. The elder responded quickly, using what few claws it had let to try and cut the whips binding it. A flurry of explosive shots from Lillian hit one of the claws in its partially melted joints, severing the tendons as it fell to the ground below.


    Another explosive struck one of the other damaged claws, this time the source was from Ophelia. Managing to make an incredible toss while still protecting the remaining hunters.


    There were still two more claws that flailed to free the elder.


    The Huntmaster launched itself at the beast, its wriggling mass struck against the elder¡¯s plating as the worms scattered and danced across the surface until they formed a makeshift net. All at once, the worms grew ridged as their bodies expanded outward, colliding with the remaining free claws as they held them in place.


    The clanless were shouting in effort as they heaved the two huge claws higher and higher. It wasn¡¯t enough though, the elder¡¯s maw was still hidden, its long flowing tendrils that used to be legs were anchored into the ground below. Slowly the beast was winning the tug of war, pulling its claws lower, bit by bit.


    The black spears groaned as they tried to hold the massive monster at bay.


    Two more whips appeared, each one wrapping around one of the claws. Tayla looked down to see Fel, seething with anger. They heaved, and the elders claws snapped backwards. The sudden jolt caused many of the Twins above to lose their balance, their whips went slack. It didn¡¯t matter, Fel gave another heave and wrenched the elder back towards them. The elders'' tendriled legs grew taught, then began snapping in quick succession. The corpses it used began to scream in frustration, the screams slowly devolving into incoherent babbling.


    It was afraid.


    Fel walked backwards slowly, pulling the full weight of the colossal monster. The screams turned to pleading, even without understanding the obscene tongue, it was clear it was begging for mercy. The air around the elder began to distort, the puppets began to chant in unison, it was attempting to cast some forbidden spell.


    Fel answered with a scream of their own, a guttural roar that shook the very air itself, hitting Tayla in the chest like a punch. Fel¡¯s body seemed to glow slightly as they screamed, the puppets exploded from the force of Fel¡¯s shouting. With that last push, Fel pulled with all their might, tearing the last of the anchoring legs out of the ground or ripping them to shreds, the elder tumbled backwards, exposing its underside.


    Tayla was calm, she had to be, this was the best chance they had to kill this wretched thing. She saw the maw, but she knew to wait a moment longer until she was sure she knew where the core was. It was now or never, she pulled the trigger, a final sun bursting into life. It seared a path towards its target, slow and sluggish to Tayla¡¯s perception. The white hot ball of energy struck true; right into the waiting maw of the elder.


    The immense heat and energy had nowhere to escape, the inside of the Krak¡¯un acting like a blast furnace, its flesh superheating to the point of vaporization. Steam and smoke billowed from the charred remains of the elder, its body dropped, no longer held aloft by whatever eldritch powers had been fueling it.


    The battle was finally over, and as the Tranquility disappeared, the pain and fear returned in full force. Tayla simply dropped her cannon, she was weeping as she hobbled over to her brother, her leg screaming in protest at her misuse of it.


    Alnur looked ghastly.


    She shook him gently, his head drooping limply. She screamed. ¡°Someone, anyone, help me!¡± No one responded. Confused, Tayla looked around, her uncle Cyrus and what remained of the Huntmaster were frozen in place. She turned to find the elder stopped mid fall, hanging in the air motionless.


    I¡¯m no doctor, but I don¡¯t think your brother is looking so hot right now. Tayla felt a chill as she tried to find the source of the mysterious voice. It dawned on her, something had pried open the link.


    She looked around frantically, she couldn¡¯t see anyone who wasn¡¯t frozen in place. I¡¯m over by that woman, what was her name, Zo? Yeah, over there. Tayla looked over, the only thing by Zo were the remains of Vauhn.


    Her heart leapt out of her chest, the upper half of Vauhn was waving at her.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be real, this is all in my head. What the fuck is happening!?¡± Tayla screamed as she clutched the sides of her head, grabbing fistfuls of hair.


    The waving hand reached down, grabbing its own limp head by a horn as it pulled the head upright, the neck was broken so the head was flopping around. Vauhn was staring at her, his jaw torn all the way down to his collarbone, leaving an enormous gaping wound. So, I couldn¡¯t help but overhear your dilemma, and since we happen to be in a position where the celestials can¡¯t see what we¡¯re doing. What if I were to offer you a way to save your brother''s life? Even as a disembodied voice, Vauhn¡¯s tone was ripe with self satisfaction and smug bravado.


    Tayla hissed. ¡°You¡¯re a demon, come to bargain for my soul. This can¡¯t be happening.¡±


    Hey now! I resent that! I assure you I have no ties to the infernal realm, I am just a wandering good samaritan looking to do his good deed for the day!


    Tayla got up, and started walking calmly towards the dead man.


    Excellent, now all you have to do is shake my han- He was interrupted by Tayla pulling out her revolver and putting a bullet between his eyes. The hand holding the head aloft lost its grip as Vauhn¡¯s face smashed into the ground.


    The hand spasmed for a moment before hurriedly grabbing the head by the horn again and lifting it once more. Hey! That hurts you know! Just because this vessel is dead, it doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t feel pain- Tayla fired again, hitting the same spot. Fuck! Ow! Can you not shoot me for a second while I finish my sales pitch! Nonono. Tayla fired again, thinking to herself that eventually this had to do something.


    Vauhn¡¯s voice took on a pleading tone. Time out! Just wait before you do that again! Holy shit I have such a headache now. Look, earlier you said you would do anything to save your brother, even if that meant a deal with the archenemy. Well? Do you want to save your brother or not?


    Tayla cocked the hammer of her revolver. The thing had a point, Alnur would surely die without intervention of some kind. ¡°You want my soul right?¡± She asked with dread in her voice.


    Vauhn¡¯s bullet ridden face narrowed its eyes in disbelief. What the hell would I do with a soul? No! I told you I¡¯m not a demon, you might want to stop with this prejudice, it is really offensive.


    ¡°What? If you don¡¯t want my soul, what do you want?¡±


    A favor! Gods above you are a shrewd one aren¡¯t you. I just want an exchange of favors. I give you the information that could save your brother, and you help me when the time comes.


    Tayla looked away, this felt wrong on every level, but if she could save Alnur. ¡°How would I have to help you?¡±


    Oh thank the gods, I thought you were going to keep shooting me. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re starting to see the logic in this trade. One day, you will be in a position to make a crucial choice, a decision that will have long lasting implications. When that day comes, I ask that you simply show mercy to those that need it, even if you normally wouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s all? I just have to be nice when the time comes?¡± Tayla said.


    Ya, that¡¯s the basic gist of it. So what do you say? Do we have a deal?


    Every fiber of Tayla¡¯s being screamed at her not to listen to this thing, but if this was all it took to save Alnur from death. She would gladly accept the risks. ¡°You have a deal. Now save him!¡±


    Wonderful, glad to hear it. We just have to shake on it, you know binding magic and all that nonsense. The hand holding the horn let go once more as Vauhn¡¯s head struck the ground once more with a dull thud.


    The hand extended outwards.


    Tayla was breathing heavily as she slowly reached out and shook the things hand. Vauhn¡¯s eyes began to glow, prismatic light spilling forth from them. Eldritch symbols appeared in the air around their locked hands, burning with foul magic as they worked to bind her to her word, forever more.


    It was all over in a moment, she pulled her hand back and rubbed her wrist. ¡°Now, save my brother!¡±


    Hm? Oh right, the answer you seek is in your pocket. Good luck! Vauhn¡¯s hand began to slump.


    ¡°What! Hold on, you swore to save his life!¡±


    Uh, no. I swore ¡®to grant you the knowledge to save his life¡¯, which I have done so. The things in your pocket, have fun.


    Tayla scrambled in her pockets, the only thing that stood out was the chunk of blood stone. ¡°How the hells do I save him with a fucking rock?!¡±


    The thing let out an over the top sigh. Fine! Use the blood rock along with the Nightfather¡¯s gift. I put your odds of success at about sixty percent, which is pretty good! I believe at you! Vauhn¡¯s corpse finally collapsed. Bursting into flames as it burned away, leaving only ashes where it had laid.


    Tayla was alone once more.


    Out of the corner of her eye she could see the world start to move once more. She had precious little time before her brother bled out. She bolted over towards Alnur, sliding to a stop on her knees beside him. She had no idea what to do with the stupid rock, but the slimy bastard was bound by magic to tell her the truth, so that meant that somehow this could work.


    ¡°If I ever see that bastard again, I¡¯m going to introduce him to the business end of my plasma cannon!¡± Lost as to what to do next, she cursed as she did the only thing that came to mind. She strained her hand, breaking down the small crystal into smaller pieces, shoving those shards into Alnur¡¯s mouth and coaxing him to swallow the blood stone.


    Almost immediately Alnur started to convulse, the blood stone was spreading quickly due to all of the open wounds. Tayla placed her dead hand on her brother''s chest. She closed her eyes, despite his state, Alnur had left the link open, Tayla used that to feel everything Alnur felt. She could feel the blood stone moving through his veins and arteries. She began reaching out with the Nightfathers gift, halting the bloodstone as it reached certain spots. She would let the blood stone grow, filling wounds, and then she would kill it so it couldn¡¯t spread further. Her forehead was slick with sweat from the concentration of the endeavor.


    Something inside of Alnur stirred. The Fury had been stoked to life again.


    The odd energy inside of Alnur burned as it rushed through his body and found the foreign bloodstone. The bloodstone in turn began to grow rapidly as it used the Fury and its power as a fuel source.


    Tayla cursed as she tried to stop the growing chain reaction, channeling the explosive energy to the worst of the injuries as the bloodstone grew to fill the wounds before using her own power to halt the reaction after it had served its purpose.


    It was hard to say how long Tayla continued the cycle of channeling the bloodstone and then halting it before it got out of hand, but eventually she was done. Alnur¡¯s breathing was less labored, the color slowly returned to his skin. Tayla let out the breath she had been holding the whole time, and relaxed.


    Which was enough for her body to decide it was time for her to pass out from the whole ordeal, as she fell over unconscious.

 Chapter 11

    Oblivion wasn¡¯t all that bad. As Alnur drifted along the eddies of reality he couldn¡¯t help but feel like he was floating in a vast body of water. Above him was the swirling beauty of the universe, galaxies and nebulas formed from dust, burst into being, and faded into dust once more in the span of seconds. Colours beyond human understanding danced in the darkness, even the black hues of the night sky seemed so much more alive than before.


    Something deep inside told him that he was dying, yet he couldn¡¯t seem to care. He felt peaceful.


    The stars above seemed to notice Alnur for the first time, they reached a tendril of light down towards him. Inviting him to join in their dance. He reached his right hand up as he tried to grab the light.


    The tendril of light paused just out of reach.


    Alnur tried to shift his body so he could grasp the light, but his left arm was stuck. He glanced down into the water below and saw a massive pillar of coral where his dead hand should have been. With a gasp he was dragged below the waves as his dead hand sank deeper and deeper.


    Frantically, he tried to break his arm free from the grotesque growth, thrashing wildly as he held his breath. His lungs burned impossibly as they demanded air. In a desperate attempt he leaned in and sank his teeth into his arm, gnawing as he tried to tear through the flesh.


    A burning sensation bloomed around his brow as the whispers that haunted his dreams began their chorus of cries. Pleading, demanding, even begging for him to free them. In response the fire in his belly formed, a vile heat that threatened to boil his innards in its attempt to escape. He bared his fangs as he roared at his arm.


    The flames swelled as they rose through his chest, he exhaled the last of his breath as he let the fire consume him. A torrent of heat poured from his mouth as the stream of fire melted through his arm, but not before melting most of his own jaw.


    The pain was unimaginable, but he refused to submit, the voices urged him on. Their fingernails dug into his head as they howled in rage.


    Alnur turned back towards the ocean''s surface, clawing his way through the water as his body pleaded with him to let go. Even as his vision faded he continued his torturous ascent inch by bloody inch. As he neared the surface, he felt a wave of relief. Despite everything, he glanced down at the dark depths one last time.


    What he found was a mask of bone staring back at him. Mere inches from his face. Three perfect circles cut into the surface.


    When the thing spoke, the stars above screamed in pain. The water shook in terror. The crown and its inhabitants grew quiet for the first time.


    The words were foul, Alnur¡¯s brain instinctively tried to not hear them for doing so would kill him. Though even still he knew the meaning behind the words.


    What awaits you out there is only pain and suffering. I offer you shelter.


    Alnur¡¯s eye burst from the pressure. There was no pain though, his body was too frightened to send the signals for such a thing. Instead Alnur fumbled with his broken mouth. The words formed in his mind and seemed to be enough for the being to understand.


    I need to go. They need me.


    The mask looked back at him. The darkness in those circles seemed to stretch on infinitely. Alnur couldn¡¯t help but think for a moment he saw something shift in that void. Maybe it wanted to convince him to reconsider, but if it did, it didn¡¯t push the subject.


    Seconds stretched on into what felt like eons as the mask moved a fraction of an inch.


    If you survive, we will meet again.


    The ocean heaved as Alnur was pulled out of the murky depths once more. He tried to find the light, but there was no sign of it anymore. He laid on his back once more as he let himself drift once more on the water''s currents, looking up at the celestial dance above.


    Alnur wanted nothing more than to snuff out every single one of those wretched lights. The whispers in his head demanded nothing less.


    ¡ô¡ô¡ô


    The extensive care unit of the Keels medical wing was silent aside from the mechanical whirling of the many machines that were hooked up to Alnur. The young king looked to be in a terrible state. A tube jammed down his throat, iv¡¯s delivering fluids and blood on his arms; not to mention the myriad of red crystalline growths that covered his body. Fel sat on a stool by their brother¡¯s side, holding his limp hand in theirs. They felt sick whenever they looked at their brother''s face, two large crystal spikes protruding out from where Alnur¡¯s eyes used to be. Tayla had saved his life, but the method in which she had used left Alnur fighting for his life.


    Fel seethed with anger, they had failed to protect their own flesh and blood. If only that wretched voidspawn had not put up a barrier, they could have used the Nightfathers effigy and made short work of the whelp. Instead they had been weakened to the point of struggling against Krak¡¯un of all things.


    What a pathetic display.


    The apathetic part of their mind gnawed at them. Why do you even care if this brother dies? In the end they always die, leaving you alone again. Fel took a breath and banished the unwanted thoughts. They placed a hand on their brother''s chest, closing their eyes they felt the ball of light in their own chest, they tried to tap into its power, but like always they were denied. It had been so long that Fel had forgotten what it felt like to be able to draw on their true strength, hells, with every cycle their memories seemed more and more diluted. A few more cycles and they might soon forget everything of their first life.


    They glanced over at the shades that stood in the corner of the room, dark shadows without features, casting eternal judgment.


    Well, they wouldn''t forget that part.


    Fel looked around the room, the extensive care unit was circular in shape, every surface stainless steel, filled with various machines and medical tools. The several beds each faced towards the center of the chamber, having curtains to separate them from each other. Next to the door were two hybrids on guard duty, at the news of Alnur and Phi¡¯s injuries the House of Chimeras sent some of their most loyal hybrids to help keep guard. Alnur held a special place in the hybrid''s eyes, before he became king they were a fractured lot that while not directly persecuted, were seen as lesser citizens. Alnur¡¯s connection with the Huntmaster had made him see the hybrids like none had before, offering them equal status and a house of their own, pledging to give his life to them like any other Twin. In doing so, he had gained a force that was second to none in strength and loyalty.


    Normally they avoided using these rooms if possible, but today''s patients required the greatest care they could offer; even if that meant using tools and machines that were irreplaceable. Tayla was being treated with fluids, asleep from exhaustion, her leg was elevated in a cast. The Stormpriest Thoren was covered in holy sigils and prayer seals, he had apparently cast a high level war chant without the proper amount of verses and was paying the price for his rushed spell. The hybrid Phi was undergoing blood transfusions to replace his spent stores of energy.


    There was the sound of shouting from outside the room. The hybrids turned to open the door, but Fel cleared the whole of the room in a few strides, bitter at whomever was making such a ruckus while their family was recovering. They opened the double doors, finding a frail second born arguing with the guards that were stationed outside the door.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if the wing is locked down! Where is my sister! I need to know if she¡¯s alright, and nobody is talking to us!¡± Despite his small stature, the second born was speaking with a commendable fury. Fel didn¡¯t need her second sight to know that the man was boiling with anger. Fel couldn¡¯t quite remember his name, but he looked familiar.


    The man finally cast a look over and noticed Fel. His face turned even paler. Though he quickly cast aside the fear to redouble his questioning. ¡°My lady, er, my lord- Bah, damn it all. Fel, you were with the king''s party after the battle with the elder Krak¡¯un earlier. Do you know what happened to my sister? Her name is Zo and she was the relay for the king¡¯s party.¡±


    Right, that¡¯s where Fel recognized the man. ¡°Dolm, behind me are those that need peace and quiet, I will not ask you again to keep your voice down.¡± They could see the man¡¯s will shake a bit, glancing worriedly behind Fel. ¡°Now, I remember them bringing your sister back. The elder¡¯s void magic did a number to her, the doctors were mentioning having to drill into her skull to relieve pressure.¡±


    Dolm¡¯s mouth dropped, gasping for air as he held a hand to his face. One of the guards put a hand on his back to try and comfort him. ¡°Nightfather, please, don¡¯t take her.¡± He managed to choke out the words between sobs.


    Fel should have felt more for the man, the only thing they felt was bitterness that they felt nothing. After this cycle, would they even have any emotion left at all? ¡°You have my permission to go and see the doctors about your sister¡¯s condition, I will send a guard with you so you can go without interference.¡± With a wave of their hand, Fel motioned for one of the guards to escort the crying man, the guard nodded sharply and left with Dolm in tow.


    Turning back, Fel returned to their siblings'' sides. There was nothing more to do but wait and see. As they sat between their brother and sister, they recalled their training from so many lifetimes ago, disconnecting their mind and body with a practiced ease. Their perception of time distorted; the physical world seemed to vibrate as time began flowing rapidly. To the mind, it was like stepping back and watching from afar. A second to the brain, an hour to the body. A sudden creak of a bed and Fel snapped back, time returning to its normal perceived flow.


    Tayla was struggling to sit up in her bed while grunting in pain.


    Laying a hand on her, Fel tried to stop their sister from moving too much. ¡°Easy now, don¡¯t try and get up yet, you¡¯re in pretty rough shape right now.¡± They said.


    Tayla¡¯s eyes shot open as she flailed and thrashed, but despite all of her efforts she could not move Fel¡¯s hand at all. After a moment her eyes finally seemed to focus, her breathing slowing as she noticed Fel was standing beside her. Tears erupted as Tayla looked around.


    They placed a hand on Tayla¡¯s cheek to pull her gaze gently back. ¡°Alnur is fine, well, not fine. But he¡¯s stable, relax, deep breaths okay?¡± The panic started to disappear slowly.


    Even as Tayla seemed to regain her composure, she gasped without warning, placing both of her hands on Fel¡¯s arm. ¡°What about you! Are you alright? Did you get hurt?¡± There was such genuine concern and worry in her voice and eyes that Fel had to look away.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright, it takes more than a few crabs to harm me. You should try and keep your voice down Tayla, let the others get some rest.¡± Fel gently patted Tayla¡¯s arm as they let go.


    A raspy voice coughed and spoke up. ¡°Yeah, some of us are trying to sleep here.¡±


    Fel looked over to see the voice belonged to the Stormpriest, one of his eyes struggling to peek over at the siblings.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let us stop you from getting your much needed beauty sleep.¡± Tayla said, doing little to hide her smile.


    Thoren tried to laugh, but was taken by a coughing fit as he rolled on his side facing away from the siblings. He seemed to settle quickly as faint snoring could be heard a moment later from his bed.


    Tayla turned back to Fel, it was obvious she had questions about their brother¡¯s condition. Fel interrupted her by saying. ¡°I¡¯ll call the doctors right away, we can also discuss your own condition while we¡¯re at it.¡±


    Blinking in surprise, Tayla threw off her blanket to reveal a temporary cast on her leg. Then as if remembering something, she quickly looked at her left wrist. Her face went pale.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, the doctors didn¡¯t notice any other major injury. Did they miss something?¡± Fel reached out to see the wrist with their second sight, but Tayla pulled back sharply. Fel could see the wave of fear wash over Tayla¡¯s soul, despite all of the numbness of their emotions, it was surprising how much it hurt to see Tayla recoil in fear at Fel¡¯s touch; they could take it from everyone else, but they thought their siblings understood.


    Tayla regained her composure, grabbing Fel¡¯s hand. ¡°Wait, it¡¯s not what you think, I just, I thought¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just still on edge after everything, I thought I felt something but perhaps the link is just sending me mixed signals.¡±


    Now this was new, Fel was still seeing with their second sight; Tayla was lying to them. It was one thing when Tayla would tell white lies, or small fibs, but the way her soul shook, this was something different. When things settled down Fel would press for more information, for now, it would only cause undue stress to push further.


    Fel looked to the hybrids that still stood at attention by the door. ¡°One of you go and summon the doctors at once.¡± The one on the left gave a sharp salute, their body suddenly disappearing in a splash of sea foam. Now they just had to wait to deliver the bad news to their sister.


    The room became incredibly cramped, what with the gaggle of doctors, a Sanguinte, and a Cabal bone shaman all standing shoulder to shoulder around Alnur¡¯s bed. Fel was fighting the urge to scowl, they had been warned that while it was effective at causing others to quiet down, it also caused some to faint spontaneously. So instead they resorted to crossing their arms and leaning, which seemed to still get the message across for others to keep their voices down.


    Tayla was sitting upright, her face frozen in thought, the doctors had tried to dance around the issue, bedside manner was all well and good, but sometimes you just needed to be blunt. ¡°Let me get this straight.¡± Tayla said. ¡°My brother is on the verge of meeting the Nightfather, and there isn¡¯t a single thing anyone in the whole of the Coast can do to help him? The Keel is full of wonders from the lost age, and you¡¯re saying not a single one can do anything to save his life?¡±


    The doctors hung their heads in shame, none were willing to speak up and offer any course of action. An older woman whose hair was thin and white cleared her throat. ¡°We have consulted the Keel¡¯s medical database, it advised putting the king into a medical coma until he can undergo the proper surgery. Your sibling, Fel, gave us their consent to have the king be put into the controlled coma for the time being, my lady.¡±


    ¡°Yes, until he can undergo surgery, right. And, remind me, what did you say about that surgery?¡± Tayla¡¯s tone was circling rage, growing more tense with each syllable.


    Another of the doctors stood forward, his gaze hardened. ¡°My lady, we mourn for the king''s condition. We are only offering you our educated opinions on the matter. No one has ever had bloodstone infused into their very body like this! We don¡¯t have the tools or knowledge to safely operate on him.¡±


    Tayla held her hands over her face as she shuddered, fighting back tears as she looked at the assembled doctors. ¡°Is there truly nothing we can do?¡±


    The two guests shuffled awkwardly, both seemed to want to bring something up while also trying not to seem disrespectful. The bone shaman rose a frail thin hand. The shaman stuck out like a sore thumb. Here in a stainless steel room, with advanced machinery from ages past covering every wall and surface, stood a small hunched man in sparse robes wearing a mysterious creature''s skull as a mask. The bones that were sewn into his garb clacked as he raised his hand to ask for attention. ¡°If I may speak my lady, my name is Wulvon. I hail from the Sunbleacher tribe. I would ask your permission to examine the king myself. I don¡¯t wish to discredit the fine doctors you have here; only to offer my own expertise in the hopes I can aid your king in whatever way I can.¡±


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    The doctors tensed up. Fel watched as they seemed to ready themselves to argue, only to slowly wilt as they turned their heads away in shame. Tayla simply waved a hand in consent.


    Wulvon shuffled over to Alnur¡¯s still body. He pulled out a rolled leather pouch, opening it to reveal various brushes and writing implements. The old man¡¯s hands were always moving, as he pulled out various reagents and vials and started to mix some concoction in a bowl that Fel had failed to notice the man grab. The last ingredient the shaman added was from a leather bag that hung around his neck, this was the only time he seemed to slow down and take extra care. The man dipped a single finger into the bag, pulling it out, there were a few specks of off white dust on the tip. He proceeded to mix the concoction with the same finger he had the dust on. Removing his finger, the liquid in the bowl bubbled and started to glow.


    Without looking, Wulvon grabbed a well worn brush, and began drawing runes over Alnur¡¯s body. When he was done, the king''s body was covered in various runes and glyphs of various sizes and shapes. He put his brush down, placing both of his hands on Alnur¡¯s chest. The runes and glyphs sprung to life, shaking with energy. They began moving over Alnur¡¯s skin as they danced and rearranged themselves. The shaman¡¯s eyes glowed a violet hue as he chanted in song, it was a mixture of several languages and cants mixed together with a sprinkling of arcane words thrown in for good measure.


    Fel rolled their eyes while no one was looking. More than half of the words and phrases the man was using were pure gibberish. They hadn¡¯t had the knack for the arcane themselves, but their old arcana studies master was spinning in their grave at this sorry display of ¡®magic¡¯. Though Fel had to give the shaman some credit, while his chants were gods awful, his alchemy and rune work was flawless.


    The runes danced faster and faster, glowing brighter until they seemed to be ablaze. Eventually they surrounded Alnur¡¯s heart as they spun, spinning until they were a circle of light that solidified into a ring. The shaman dropped to the floor from the effort of his spell. Gasping for air as he took an offered hand to help him stand. ¡°It is done.¡± The shaman whispered, his voice ragged from the spell.


    ¡°What is done?¡± Tayla¡¯s eyes were wide. ¡°What was that spell?¡±


    ¡°You are most lucky indeed my lady, had your medical staff not slowed your brother''s heart, he would surely be dead by now. I have no idea how you did it my lady, but it is nothing short of a miracle that he still lives. The amount of restructuring you did of his circulatory system is astounding. In your haste to help him however, you inadvertently caused his heart to be unable to keep up with the new structure of his body. With each beat, he is brought closer to death. I have used my magic to help ease the burden of his heart, hopefully it will buy us the time we need to save him.¡±


    Tayla clenched her jaw.


    Stepping forward, Fel placed a hand on their sister''s shoulder. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t acted, he would have died in the highlands. We will figure something out.¡± They tried to sound reassuring, yet they struggled to believe their own words.


    Through a ragged breath Tayla responded. ¡°So, how do we save him?¡±


    Now it was the Sanguinites turn to interject. ¡°Well, we could take him to the capital. They do have a fully operational autosurgeon, not to mention the Gene Smiths. That would probably be the best chance at his survival.¡±


    ¡°And how would we transport him to the capital in time? It would take weeks by horse.¡± Fel said.


    ¡°Either we call an emergency air ship, or¡­¡± The Sanguinite trailed off.


    Tayla leaned forward. ¡°Or what?¡±


    Tapping her fingers together sheepishly the blood priest spoke softly. ¡°We could try and teleport there¡­¡±


    The room exploded in cries of confusion and disbelief. Teleportation magic was incredibly dangerous, it was all but banned for good reason. Warp magic was essentially poking holes in the fabric of reality and hoping really hard that nothing catastrophic happened in response. Even if you managed to set the coordinates right, and somehow powered the spell, you still needed to then traverse the space between realms. It would take nothing short of a miracle to come out in one piece with your mind intact from the corruption of the void.


    The blood priest made a calming motion with her hands. ¡°Okay, okay. I was just trying to list our options. Given how little time the king has I wanted to make sure we considered all of our opportunities.¡±


    ¡°Realistically then, that leaves us to somehow get an airship.¡± Tayla said as she fell back into her bed. ¡°Fel, can you go to the hall of whispers and see if we have any agents in the capital at this time?¡±


    Fel looked at their sister. ¡°I will see it done. You get some rest now.¡± They turned and cast a dark look at the gathered guests as they spoke. ¡°I would ask that you all let my sister rest in peace. Please.¡±


    Soon the room was empty. Fel made to leave, only to feel a hand grab their own. Tayla¡¯s face was blank. ¡°Why does the All Mother and Nightfather test us so? Are we truly cursed?¡±


    Squeezing her hand gently, Fel tried to muster some encouragement, but nothing came to mind. The situation was dire. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I can say to help. I hope that Alnur pulls through, but regardless we have to keep it together until he¡¯s safe and sound once more. Our people need us to be strong for them.¡±


    Tayla simply nodded her head slightly as she released her grip on their hand. Fel for their part, turned and left quickly. If there was any chance of this airship idea working, they would have to hurry.


    They hadn¡¯t checked the time since Tayla had woken up, for all they knew it was the middle of the night, or noon the next day. The downside of using forced perspective to alter their perception of time was that it messed with the mind''s natural internal clock. It always took a couple hours to shake off the weird feeling. As Fel exited the Keel, they were met with the morning sun in all of its far-too-bright splendor.


    The square around the Keel was surrounded by Twin¡¯s, thousands of them. Each held a candle, or an effigy of the Nightfather, or the All Mother. Their eyes were filled with pain and sorrow. Fel allowed themselves to see with the second sight, and felt a lump in their throat at the sight. Every Twin had such pure colors of grief and sadness. A chorus of countless chants filled the streets, songs of prayer, wishing for Alnur to recover.


    Fel felt the thousands of eyes fall on them, most saw them as a walking omen of death, and low and behold here they were appearing before the masses just as they were praying for the health and recovery of their beloved king.


    This was a recipe for disaster.


    Hurriedly Fel walked towards the direction of the Hall of Whispers. Hoping to pass through the crowd of people without incident. The crowd did little to hide their disdain. Those in Fel¡¯s way quickly backed away; somewhere along the way it had become folklore that touching a triplet would cause tragedy to befall the poor fool that crossed their path. Some spat in their direction. Some whispered curses, wishing they had never been born.


    Fel kept a stoic look on their face. Even through all the apathy and unfeeling, this was the one thing that truly hurt them. Even after all these cycles. A burden they had to shoulder alone, a role they had to play time and time again for the good of a people that would only reward them with hatred and scorn. This was one of the luckier cycles, no manacles or chains, clean water and fresh food, as opposed to the squalor and rotten filth they were forced to eat in the past. No, Fel might be their name now, but the weight of all of their other lifetimes had robbed them of any tears they had left long ago; before any of these people were even born.


    One by one Fel tuned out the growing jeers and insults. Each person growing more emboldened by the one that came before. Soon the whispers grew to cries, which turned to shouts. Once again Fel was just an outlet for another in a long series of unfair injustices that had befallen the Twins of the Coast. The people could not change the status quo, nor could they do anything to help their king. So they turned that frustration towards a tried and true scapegoat.


    A sad display indeed.


    I do this for you all. Even if you can¡¯t remember why, I do. I love you all. Fel thought to themself.


    The crowd began to throw anything they could grab, volley after volley of refuse and trash came crashing into Fel. With an odd rock mixed in for good measure. Nothing the crowd threw would be of any actual risk to them, it took a lot more than a rock to actually injure them. As the crowd opened a path, a lone boy stood before Fel, refusing to budge. His eyes smoldered with an anger beyond his years. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t it have been you!¡± He said through gritted teeth.


    Fel opened their mouth, trying to think of a response. There was a hint of truth to the young man¡¯s words. Fel would have gladly traded their own life to save Alnur, yet even after being crushed and beaten by the Krak¡¯un, Fel didn¡¯t have even a blemish or scratch to show for it. They were supposed to be the king¡¯s protector. To the common-folk it appeared like they had failed in their duties spectacularly.


    The young man looked familiar. Fel realized this was the child that had given his horse to Alnur when the Court had arrived. Even as they were lost in thought the boy pulled out a knife that Fel had already noticed they were carrying. They made no motion to stop the boy¡¯s stab. The crowd gasped, brought out of their sorrow-drunken stupor by the act of sudden violence. The knife moved at a glacial pace to Fel, old training instincts had awoken without their conscious thought. Their mind slowing the perception of time to a crawl, giving Fel more than ample time to assess the non existent threat. Given their heightened reflexes, they could have easily stopped the attack a dozen different ways, but instead, they chose to simply wait and watch.


    To the onlookers, the attack was a flash of steel. The knife came to a stop as the hilt hit Fel¡¯s chest. Even the young man looked shocked by his success, trembling as he returned to his senses. Fel gently reached up, unphased by the apparent stab wound to the chest. They slowly pulled the boy''s hand back and turned it slightly to show the truth. What once was a thin knife was now a folded mess of poor steel.


    A horn blasted from behind. A dozen guards shouting at those assembled to make way as they tried to reach Fel. The guards were led by Lord Broadsen, his perpetually soured expression a lovely shade of red. His voice was booming despite his aged body. ¡°What in the name of the Gods are you fools doing?! Is this how you act when our king is a step away from the endless sea?! You would have the Celestial Court see as savages and lunatics! And on the day of the send off, have you no shame?!¡± His words cut deep, the crowd¡¯s emotions shifted to guilt and shame as they looked down sheepishly.


    Broadsen and his guards made it to Fel, the Lord glanced at the ruined knife in the young man¡¯s hand, his face twisted as he clicked his tongue.


    Fel held up a hand. ¡°Thank you for your help Admiral. I was just reminding this young man the dangers of walking around with a knife in one''s hand.¡± The boy looked up as Fel turned back to the child. ¡°Now, no harm was done. Run along now, young one, and do try to remember what you learned today.¡± Their tone was light hearted. The boy let go of the lump of metal that once had been a knife and ran, his face filling with tears as he left.


    ¡°Assaulting a member of the royal family is an act of treason.¡± The Admiral said in a hushed tone to Fel.


    ¡°Assault? He couldn¡¯t even cut a strand of my hair with that butter knife. What would our king say if he learned we hung a child while he was in a coma? Are we to take a life because of a momentary lapse in judgment?¡± Fel said.


    Broadsen scoffed. ¡°He lucked out, stabbing the one person that can¡¯t be stabbed. Anyone else and his ¡®momentary lapse in judgment¡¯ would have led to a murder.¡±


    Fel rubbed the bridge of their nose. ¡°Fine, have someone sent to talk to the boy. Not a guard to shackle him, but one of the maidens in silver, he needs therapy, not a prison sentence.¡±


    ¡°And if he does this again, the blood will be on your hands, my liege.¡± Broadsen turned to his guards. Giving one of them a command to send a silver maiden to the young man¡¯s house. ¡°Now, we will escort you to the Hall of Whispers so we don¡¯t have another riot on our hands.¡±


    Fel gave a sigh as they glanced back at the old man, whispering under their breath to themself. ¡°What would I do without you, my little hero.¡±


    ¡ô¡ô¡ô


    Tayla wanted nothing more than to crawl into her bed and sleep for the next week straight, but instead she was sitting in the war room surrounded by the leaders of each house, waiting for her to give them direction or reassurance of some sort. The war room as they called it was the center most part of the Keel, a command room where the whole of the Keel¡¯s systems could be overseen and controlled. Over the centuries it had kept its old name, despite not having been used for anything resembling war in nearly a thousand years.


    It had been a pain to get to the war room, her leg was an absolute broken mess, the doctors said that they could attempt surgery to remove the bone fragments and repair the tendons but also admitted that the Keel was nearing the end of its medical grade equipment. Tayla had told them to hold off on surgery, the injury wasn¡¯t life threatening, and the medical supplies should be saved for emergencies.


    That left her the fun of trying to traverse the myriad of hallways and lifts of the Keel with one foot. The doctors had an old wheeled chair brought out of some storage unit that had been untouched for the last couple decades. So that was how Tayla now traveled, wheeling around awkwardly while trying not to crash into a wall or corner and inevitably failing. While she never noticed the slight degree of slope the Keel had before, now she was keenly aware of it anytime she had to push herself uphill along the terribly long hallways.


    Word had arrived from the Hall of Whispers, the Celestial Court considered the health of one of its nations kings a priority of the highest order. Apparently they had dispatched a skimmer to grab Alnur. Though when pressed about when it would arrive they had been oddly cryptic, stating simply. ¡°Soon¡±. Tayla hoped that that meant within the next few days, and not in a couple weeks.


    She was only half listening to the many Houses bicker about what needed to be done about their situation, she was staring at her left wrist, more accurately she was staring at the eldritch runes that glowed and danced of their own accord. When she had first seen them she was sure that others would find out about her deal with whatever she had encountered in the hunt, but nobody else could seem to notice them. For the moment she wasn¡¯t in danger, she would have to study the markings later when she could finally find some time to do so.


    The master of the House of Mourning was raising her hand, hoping to be given the floor over the bickering of the family Houses. Tayla silenced the room with a raise of her hand, gesturing for the House master to speak, glad to have a distraction from her worries. Gale Goodmorrow was a quiet spoken woman of many years, her braided hair white and thinning. Despite her age she still held a healthy weight to her frame, her round friendly face was almost always beaming with a warm smile. ¡°I would like to offer you my most sincere- that is to say- oh gods, I am so sorry about your brother dear.¡± She reached up to wipe wisps of tears that tried to form. The other House masters nodded solemnly, Alnur was a beloved king, there were of course those that didn¡¯t see eye to eye with how he ruled, but they seemed to be keeping their mouths shut out of respect.


    Tayla cleared her throat. She had been fending off the well wishes and prayers of recovery since she left the medical wing this morning. How long had she been awake now, it felt like days, but a glance at the wall clock proved that false; she had only been awake for two hours. ¡°Thank you, Madam Goodmorrow.¡± She said, ¡°We can¡¯t afford to beat around the bush, my brother is unwell and I have called you all here to make sure that in his hopefully short absence that the nation does not implode. On that matter, how are we progressing for tonights send off?¡±


    The collective House masters seemed taken aback. The lord of the House of Guilds raised his voice. ¡°My lady, considering the events of yesterday, should we perhaps look into postponing the ritual?¡± The Guild master was an elective role, voted by the different trades and smithies in the Coast as their representative on the council. For now that role belonged to Grayson, a carpenter of some skill.


    Goodmorrow was the one to answer the lord''s question. ¡°We cannot afford to wait another year! Forgive me, but we are at eighty nine percent capacity in the cold storage, we would run out of space by winter''s end!¡±


    Grayson looked embarrassed. ¡°Apologies madam, I am afraid the inner workings of the House of Mourning are still lost on me, I was under the impression that the cryocrypt could store thousands?¡±


    ¡°Gods, I wish we had that kind of storage. Truth be told, the chemical we use for freezing those in our care is already being rationed as much as we can. We have thousands of tanks, but only enough power and freezing agent for a thousand or so at most.¡± She reached up and removed her glasses while she rubbed her eyes. ¡°Each year that number is shrinking rapidly, another three to five years and we won¡¯t be able to keep up with the yearly losses.¡±


    Tayla cleared her throat. ¡°I believe we must continue on with the festival''s end, we owe it to our lost ones to honor them and ensure they pass into the endless sea in their best condition for the afterlife to come.¡± Madam Goodmorrow seemed glad to hear that Tayla wanted to continue as planned. ¡°I will leave the details of tonight¡¯s send off to you Madam. Show of hands, are there any houses that can offer assistance to the House of Mourning?¡± A few lords and ladies raised their hands in support, including the guild master.


    There was an uneasy tension in the air as Tayla asked her next question. ¡°With all of the fighting in the highlands have we heard anything from the House of the Unseen?¡±


    The assembled lords and ladies grew still and serious. There were exchanges of looks and nervous wringing of hands. From one of the dark corners of the room approached a figure dressed head to toe in blast resistant leather satchels, covered in soot and grease. They wore a gasmask and heavy leather garb that left not an inch of skin exposed. From beneath the mask came the usual distorted voice of the Sap Master. ¡°My lady, my crew and I have begun a full readiness check of all of our devices. So far, thanks to the diligent work of the scouts, none of the hunting parties were in the vicinity of any of our caches. Though we are checking many of them to be sure.¡± Their voice was so garbled that it was impossible to tell who the voice belonged to; which was the point.


    ¡°So, are we ready for midnight?¡± Tayla asked, using the ancient codeword.


    ¡°We are always ready, by your word.¡± The usual response, at least that was something positive.


    With a nod of her head Tayla responded with another key phrase. ¡°May tomorrow bring our new dawn.¡± And with that the Sap Master vanished once more to continue their unseen work.


    Leaning back in the wheeled chairs back rest, Tayla looked to her house masters. ¡°I will be relying on each and every one of you for the foreseeable future. We must stand as one nation, unified under one purpose. Will you support me through these troubled waters?¡±


    By way of responding, each and every house master stood up at attention and gave a heartfelt cry of loyalty. Tayla was glad that she had such able and trustworthy members of her council to help her in the coming days.


    Or would it take weeks?


    Would her brother ever wake again? She had to focus to banish the intrusive thoughts trying to pour into her mind through any crack they could find. She wanted to go visit the injured to see how they were fairing.


    The Keel groaned to life as the screens snapped to show something approaching the coast. The automated systems blared early warnings of the intruding object. Tayla couldn¡¯t help but notice that the system also prompted a request to shoot it down.


    With a sigh, Tayla ran a hand through their tangled hair. It seemed the Celestial Courts idea of ¡®soon¡¯ was much faster than she had expected.

 Chapter 12

    The Keel groaned quietly as Tayla rolled her chair down the long hallway in silence. Lights flickered above as the hiss of the vents gently sighed. Perhaps the Keel was just a lump of metal, but in these moments it seemed to share in its people''s pain.


    The approaching ship wouldn¡¯t arrive for another half an hour, which gave Tayla just enough time to make a quick stop before she had to send her brother off.


    There was the issue of who to send as escorts for Alnur. Tayla had sent word to summon her uncle Cyrus and Lillian, there were few people she trusted more than them. Considering Alnur would be thrown to the wolves in the capital, he would need all the help he could get.


    Fel wasn¡¯t back from the House of Whispers yet, apparently they were having trouble with the crowd outside.


    It was an odd feeling being alone.


    How did the other races deal with the boredom and isolation? Tayla kept having to catch herself from trying to open the link to Alnur. She wanted to tell him a joke or quip she thought of, or ask his opinion on something, or just complain about the chair she was in. There wasn¡¯t anything in particular she wanted to talk about, she simply wanted to share the boring moments together with someone.


    It took a moment to realize she was crying. She grumbled as she wiped her puffy eyes again. She went to take a corner a bit too quickly and came crashing into something.


    The something grunted in pain. ¡°What in the name of-¡±. Hopping on one foot clutching his now bruised shin was Thoren. ¡°My lady, what did my shin ever do to deserve such cruel treatment?¡± He said.


    ¡°Well for starters, it was in my way.¡± Tayla said, glad to have someone to talk to and distract her from the stress of everything else threatening to crush her into dust.


    The pair laughed at the situation. Thoren shook off the pain quickly, his tone shifting to a serious one. ¡°My lady, I¡¯m-.¡±


    Tayla let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°Please, if I hear one more person apologize for what happened to Alnur and how much of a tragedy it is, I will lose it! I just can¡¯t handle the constant reminders of his condition, I already feel powerless and useless and everyone is already speaking like he¡¯s dead and trying to comfort me! All the while I feel like I¡¯m the only one trying to hold on to hope that he¡¯ll be okay and pull through. So please, don¡¯t!¡± Tayla said as she tried to catch her breath. The outburst had been sudden, and stupid.


    Thoren looked taken aback. ¡°I was going to say, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay.¡± He looked a bit sheepish, unsure of how to act after such a display of emotion.


    ¡°Oh. uh, Thanks.¡± Tayla felt her face go flush, her ears red and hot.


    ¡°I mean, I was going to follow that up with- well, you know.¡±


    ¡°Right, yeah. Can, can we just pretend I didn¡¯t just say all that? Is that an option?¡±


    Thoren nodded to himself. ¡°So, where are you headed? Back to the medical wing I take it?¡±


    Tayla reached for the Tranquility, but it was lethargic and muddled; between her exhaustion and the medications she was on she couldn¡¯t seem to grasp it. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m off to see the Huntmaster. My Aunt and Uncle were killed in the fight with the elder and-¡±


    ¡°WHAT! Why are you so calm about the death of your family!?¡± Thoren said.


    ¡°What? Oh, no no. My Aunt and Uncle were a pair of ravens- and you are looking at me like I¡¯m crazy. It¡¯s a long story, I¡¯ll tell you later okay?¡±


    Thoren simply nodded, he seemed to be getting used to the odd nature of events on the Coast. ¡°Well, I should be going. I have to meet with the rest of the delegates to discuss today¡¯s events.¡±


    ¡°Heh. I can only imagine the wonderful things they¡¯ll have to say.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Thoren said as he gave a wink. ¡°I¡¯ll put a good word in for you.¡± With a slight wave, the man continued down the hall on his way.


    It took a moment for Tayla to realize she was staring at him as he walked away. A nearby vent hissed as it blew a blast of hot air in her face.


    ¡°Come on. I was just making sure he was heading the right way.¡± She muttered. The vent huffed in response.


    A few minutes later Tayla came to the room where the Huntmaster was being treated. She knocked and waited a moment. After a few seconds she came to realize that the Hunt Master probably couldn¡¯t hear the knocking, on account of the no eyes or ears thing. She opened the door a crack, peering into the room. Kneeling on the floor was the Huntmaster, they were motionless, aside from the writhing and wriggling of the worms that made up its body. Laying beside them were the two sea dogs, they raised their heads at the sight of Tayla, tails wagging at her sight. The Huntmaster seemed to twitch as the dogs stood. Tayla rolled into the room, the sea dogs walking up to greet her; they had the habit of rubbing their faces across her own, it had taken her awhile to get used to their fangs.


    The Huntmaster was moving its head back and forth, reaching a ¡®hand¡¯ around in front of it. Tayla rolled close enough to grab the hand, squeezing it a few times. The other hand of the Huntmaster reached up to lay on her own. The worms that made up the fingers were hardened slightly, not quite as hard as the spears they could form, but not soft either. The Hunt master was tapping in patterned bursts, but if it was a form of communication, Tayla couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°I''m sorry, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying.¡± Tayla said, trying to raise her voice in the hopes that it would do something.


    The mass of worms seemed agitated, shaking violently. They kept squeezing her hand in short bursts.


    Tayla had a sudden hunch of what they were trying to get across. She raised her voice. ¡°Alnur? Are you asking about Alnur?!¡±


    The worms froze for a moment before exploding in activity. The ¡®head¡¯ bobbing back and forth limply.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look well, we have to send him to the capital for surgery! I- I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll make it.¡± Once again the tears came unbidden. A few drops hit the worms along the Huntmasters arms. Suddenly the Hunt Master moved in for a hug, stopping just shy, perhaps realizing that without its clothing it was a bit more unpleasant to embrace.


    Tayla couldn¡¯t take it any longer, she lurched forward from her chair, into the waiting arms of her loved one. She let the pent up pain and sorrow out, sobbing and heaving. The multitude of worms slithered around her, momentarily losing its human shape a bit as each one sought to embrace her and comfort her, to let her know she was loved.


    Eventually she broke away from the hug, wiping her tear streaked cheeks on her sleeves. She finally noticed what the Huntmaster had been facing before Tayla had entered. There, laying on the floor were the remains of a pair of ravens, one white, one black. Both were broken and still. She put a hand on the Huntmaster¡¯s shoulder, resting her head against it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, if you hadn¡¯t thrown yourself into the way to save me¡­¡±


    The ¡®head¡¯ shook violently. They held her hand firmly, trying to soothe her. The pair of sea dogs approached, looking towards the remains of the ravens. The Huntmaster pointed to the bodies, and with that signal the sea dogs made their way over. They seemed to hesitate; one nuzzled the black raven''s body gently.


    The beasts then set about devouring the remains. Tayla cried out in surprise, trying to scream and rush to stop them, but the Huntmaster squeezed her hand, reaching up to try and turn her gaze away from the unsettling sight. She stopped fighting, but still watched, she would not turn away from her Uncle and Aunt¡¯s final moments. The Sea dogs finished; they hung their tails and heads low, letting out slight whines as they laid back down at the Huntmasters side.


    Then came the convulsions. The sea dogs cried in discomfort as their bodies were wracked with seizures. Tayla broke free, launching herself to the ground while she ignored the pain from her leg. She held the dogs in her arms, frantically trying to see what was wrong.


    Just as soon as the seizures had started, they stopped. The sea dogs growing still once more, they opened their eyes and looked at Tayla, their eyes brimmed with something unnatural. One of them struggled for a moment, working their jaw slowly. It grunted and barked, then, without warning, it spoke. ¡°He-ello, Tay-la, my- dearie.¡±


    Tayla held her hands over her mouth. ¡°Auntie?¡± The Sea dog seemed to smile, nodding its head as its skin began to turn a dark shade of blue. Tayla hugged her around the neck. ¡°I thought I lost you. I thought you died because of me!¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that simple, we did die, we just have a way around it. With a willing host that is.¡± The other dog said, its skin now a pale white, staring at Tayla with its now red eyes.


    Breaking away from her Aunt, Tayla looked perplexed. ¡°Are the sea dogs okay? Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°They are gone I¡¯m afraid, it is painful for a moment, but they offered to host us willingly, and we must thank them for their sacrifice. We can discuss this later my dear, you must be with your brother! We will be here when things settle down.¡± Said the Black dog.


    The white dog rubbed against Tayla¡¯s face. ¡°Agreed, we will be fine, it will take time to get used to the change in bodies. We are just glad you are okay, we would happily do the same thing if it meant protecting our beloved niece and nephew.¡±


    Tayal went to crawl back into the chair, she was surprised when the Huntmaster helped her into the seat.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, we have much to discuss later. For now, I have to go get some rest-¡±


    There was a knock at the door as a guard peeked into the room. ¡°My lady, it appears the Court¡¯s ship is beginning its docking procedure.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Tayla readied herself.


    It was time to say goodbye to her brother.


    A group of two dozen gathered around the heavy hatch door as they waited in silence. There were a handful of guards, a few diplomats, the medical staff, and of course, Alnur. He was strapped to a gurney with various devices attached to the underside to monitor his vitals.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Tayla couldn¡¯t help but stare at the bloodstone growths that protruded from his body. Where his eyes had been were just a pair of curved stones that ended in sharpened points.


    I did this to him. She thought as she felt her chest tighten.


    The screen beside the hatch came to life as lines of letters spooled across its faded surface.


    CAUTION SHIP ID#0290 3948 2913 7485 HAS ENTERED CONTROL ZONE


    ID#0290 3948 2913 7485 REQUESTING DOCKING PERMISSIONS


    IFF TRANSPONDER = GREEN


    TESTING DOCKING SYSTEMS


    -TEST ARM.LT = FALSE


    -TEST ARM.RT = FALSE


    -TEST SEAL INTEGRITY = TRUE


    -TEST PWR.CPL = FALSE


    -TEST PRESSURE.VALVE = TRUE


    WARNING, CRITICAL DOCKING SYSTEMS SHOW FAILURE


    DO YOU WISH TO ABORT DOCKING SEQUENCE?


    Y/N?


    Tayla stared at the words as she tried to make sense of them. She rested a hand on the console as she leaned in to get a closer look. Her hand slipped as she ran her fingers over the embedded buttons. The screen spat back its response to her mistake.


    ENGAGING FINAL DOCKING SEQUENCE


    Tayla pulled back her hand, that sounded good. Without warning there was a violent grinding of something coming from beyond the wall. Bright light appeared from the circular doors'' small viewport. Tayla couldn¡¯t see what the source was from her chair, so she tried to lift herself on one foot to get a better view, leaning up against the door. Through the small glass viewport she could see a small cylindrical chamber some ten feet long, the other end was open to the outside world. The purple structure that acted as the Keel¡¯s outer shell had been pulled back. In the distance was a bright ball of light that was growing larger by the second, Tayla realized with a shock that it was heading directly towards her, and showed no signs of slowing down. She leapt at her chair and kicked off the wall with her good foot, trying to get distance from the outer wall.


    She braced herself for the impact. But there was nothing. The sunlight disappeared from the viewport, and a slight thud could be heard from the otherside of the wall. Looking around confused, Tayla threw back her chair once more as she bounced on one foot towards the window. The sight of the outside world was gone once again, the corridor was now dimly lit, a new door having appeared at the other end.


    Before she had a chance to pull back, the doors opened, both the one she was leaning against and the one at the other end of the short connecting corridor. She landed awkwardly on her stomach, the wind being knocked out of her. She looked up to see a woman walking into the short corridor wearing a tight military uniform of the imperial navy. Tayla blew the hair from her face as she wheezed a greeting. ¡°Welcome to the Black Coast oh honored cousin.¡±


    Well, that could have gone better.


    The pilot was a short, handsome Trest woman, she carried a look on her face that made it clear she was not one for pleasantries. Tayla had never met a Trest woman before in person, their skin was softer than the males of their race like Graum, though it still had the appearance of stone. Her skin gave off a slight glow from the boiling blood that raced through her veins.


    ¡°You might wanna watch your step kid.¡± The pilot said in a gruff tone as she reached down to help Tayla.


    Tayla nodded. ¡°Greetings, I am Tayla Ebontide, lady of shadows and acting ruler of the Black Coast.¡± She said, offering an awkward bow from her chair.


    The pilot''s eyes bulged slightly, she dropped to one knee with a crash, bowing her head. When she spoke it carried a thick accent of the north. ¡°My lady, I am truly sorry for my behavior. I am with the Celestial navy¡¯s seventy-fifth branch. Fin Dross at your service Ma¡¯am.¡±


    Tayla noticed a gaggle of medical staff pouring out of the ship, no doubt eager to get to their patient. ¡°There¡¯s no time to waste, please, my brother is right here.¡±


    Fin stood up, clasping her hands behind her back at attention. ¡°My lady, I have been tasked with escorting your king to the capital. We have enough room for two attendants as well to accompany him.¡±


    The medical staff made their way to Alnur as they discussed his current condition with the Twin¡¯s own doctors.


    Tayla turned back to Fin. ¡°We were surprised you arrived so quickly, we only just sent the call for aid.¡±


    ¡°Well, we were leaving Greywater isle when we got the call to change course, thankfully it wasn¡¯t much of a detour.¡±


    ¡°So this is a prison transport?¡± Tayla said, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Generally we use the skiff here for personnel rotations, though the gods must be watching over your king. Of all the rotations, it happens while we¡¯re transferring medical staff.¡± Fin said as they gave a slight chuckle.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    They had long since passed the point of this being a matter of luck.


    Tayla gave a silent prayer to the All Mother, hoping that this was her work and not something more sinister.


    Looking over, Tayla could make out the large silhouette of Fel as they made their way down the hall, Cyrus and Lillian at their side.


    Tayla excused herself as she wheeled over to meet them. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here. They have mentioned that we can send two attendants to watch over Alnur.¡± She looked to Fel.


    Fel crossed their arms. ¡°I would gladly go if I could.¡±


    ¡°Fel, this is Alnur we¡¯re talking about. He¡¯ll be alone in the capital, he needs you by his side.¡±


    A dark look crossed Fel¡¯s face as they seemed to grow in height, towering over Tayla. ¡°If it were up to me, I would go. My hands are tied.¡±


    Tayla had never felt afraid of Fel before, she knew they were enigmatic, but this was their brother they were talking about. ¡°We both have our duties to the nation!¡±


    ¡°If I could go, I would do so.¡± Their tone made it clear that this wasn¡¯t up for discussion.


    ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Tayla turned to Cyrus and Lillian. ¡°At least I can count on both of you to go and watch over him.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t.¡± Cyrus said as he cast his eyes down.


    ¡°What? What do you mean you can¡¯t? Have you all gone mad?¡± Tayla shouted.


    Lillian turned to hide her face.


    Tayla slumped into her chair. ¡°I don¡¯t believe this. Our king, our loved one, is on the brink of death and none of you will stand by his side?¡±


    Fel opened their mouth to speak but Tayla continued. ¡°Don¡¯t! I don¡¯t wanna hear whatever excuse you have. Unlike you I still have a responsibility to uphold. Now get the fuck out of my sight. All of you.¡± She hissed the words through clenched teeth, her fingernails digging into the arms of the chair as she stared daggers at those she thought she could trust.


    Lillian whispered. ¡°Please, at least let me say goodbye.¡±


    Fighting the lump in her throat, Tayla waved a hand dismissively. She turned away as she moved her chair to the assembled guards. They stood at attention as she arrived, but for some reason she couldn¡¯t find the strength to speak. Desperately she fumbled for the Tranquility, but all she found was a slumbering rock in her mind.


    Out of instinct, she reached for the link. All she felt was a strange hollowness, a vast cavern of static that twitched and convulsed. The odd whisper or shadow of an emotion echoing from the expanse.


    As she went to cut the link, she felt something strange. Like something was watching her from the depths of the eldritch connection. She severed the link as her breath caught in her chest.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± The words were a much needed distraction, and even as Tayla turned to see who spoke she found herself struggling to remember what had frightened her so.


    Limping down the hall was a tall first born, her long black hair still matted from her own blood. ¡°Night take me, Zo?¡± Tayla said.


    Zo was dressed in her military dress uniform, she chose to wear a cap, though there were some bandages peeking out from under the hat. She was trailed by her frail brother Dolm who was trying to stop his sister without much success. She stopped before Tayla and snapped a salute. Smashing her dead hand into her chest.


    ¡°I heard you were looking for escorts for the king, I wanted to come and request the opportunity to join.¡± Zo said.


    Dolm had his head in his hands. ¡°Please, my lady, talk some reason into my sister. She isn¡¯t fit for this!¡±


    Tayla sighed. ¡°Zo, I¡¯m inclined to agree with your brother. You just had surgery on your head.¡±


    A look of anger flashed on Zo¡¯s face as she looked down at Tayla¡¯s leg. ¡°I know, they used precious stem material to repair my skull. Meanwhile you¡¯re hobbling around on a broken leg. The doctors used every ancient tool they have in the Keel to put me back together, I feel fine. I want to go and watch over my king, he¡­ he saved my life when the elder attacked, he lost his eyes trying to protect me. I need to repay that debt to him. Please, my lady.¡±


    Even Dolm seemed hesitant to argue with his sister¡¯s reasoning. Which was telling indeed. Tayla looked at Zo and said. ¡°Don¡¯t kill yourself trying to repay a debt that you know Alnur isn¡¯t keeping score of. He helped you because he cares about everyone, not because he expected anything in return.¡±


    ¡°All the more reason I want to help him in his time of need, for everything he has done for our people.¡± Zo¡¯s face softened a bit. ¡°Is that a no then?¡±


    Tapping her finger on the chair''s armrest, Tayla tried to weigh the option.


    ¡°You can go.¡±


    A misting of water appeared in the corners of Zo¡¯s eyes. Gone just as quickly as they had arrived. ¡°I swear to the All Mother that no harm will come to him.¡± She snapped another salute and hurried to Alnur¡¯s side. Dolm moved to follow, catching Tayla¡¯s eye for a moment. There was a bitterness to them that she could respect. If the roles were reversed and she was in his shoes, she would probably feel the same.


    Now she just needed another volunteer.


    ¡°Well. I should get going.¡± Tayla turned to see Bynard peeling himself off of the nearby wall where she hadn¡¯t noticed him. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see the capital, finally a place of refined culture that better suits a man of my character.¡± He said as he walked over to Tayla.


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re volunteering to go?¡± Tayla laughed as she leaned back in her chair. ¡°You wanna be around Z-¡± Bynard moved faster than she could fathom. His hand came to rest on her mouth as he tried to shush her.


    Fast as he was, Fel was faster still. They had appeared out of thin air, their hand wrapped around Bynard¡¯s wrist as they towered over the man. It seemed like despite the little spat that Tayla and Fel were having, they were still keeping an eye out for anyone dumb enough to cause her harm.


    Bynard relaxed his body. ¡°My bad.¡±


    Fel huffed as they released their iron grip, they stood behind Tayla, looming above.


    ¡°Bynard¡¯s a good choice.¡± They said.


    Tayla put aside her anger as she glanced up. ¡°No offence, but he¡¯s¡­ well, he isn¡¯t my first choice.¡±


    ¡°Tay, just because you say ¡®no offence¡¯ doesn¡¯t mean it hurts any less.¡± Bynard said with mock pain.


    Fel continued. ¡°He is one of our best scouts, and he has trained in the unseen ways. It would also help for Alnur to have another familiar face to keep him company.¡± Fel had a point, Bynard was a good soldier despite his foolish nature, Tayla was just worried about how well he would do in the heart of the Celestial Court.


    Damnation. They had a point.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Tayla said.


    Bynard grinned as he wiped a rune off of his jacket. The image of his usual uniform melted to the ground like oil, revealing his dress uniform underneath. On his back was a weapons case from the good armory.


    ¡°I see you already had this all planned out. I¡¯m supposed to be the lady of shadows, but here I am having those I trust most sneak around behind my back hm?¡±


    Tayla was reaching in her pockets for something. ¡°Well I better write a letter of introduction for you, and maybe advise them to make ready a suitable jail cell for a man of your ¡®character¡¯.¡± The two broke into laughter as they hugged each other. While embracing Tayla muttered. ¡°Watch over my brother, as soon as he feels better I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll challenge someone to a duel over one thing or another.¡±


    As they pulled back, Bynard said. ¡°Well I¡¯ll make sure he doesn¡¯t end up back in a hospital bed after he recovers.¡±


    It was time.


    Wheeling over to Alnur, Lillian was at his side sobbing gently. Tayla grabbed her brother¡¯s hand as she whispered. ¡°You have to come back, I can¡¯t do this on my own.¡± She paused for a moment, making sure the Court doctors were out of ear shot. ¡°Remember our duty. May tomorrow bring the fourth bell.¡±


    The doctors began moving the gurney away, Zo and Bynard flanking it on either side as they entered the hatch. Cyrus walked over to usher Lillian away. He stopped, trying to speak, but with a shake of his head he walked off into the dark corridors.


    As the hatch closed, the assembled group began to make their way back to their duties. There was still the send off to prepare for. Tayla sat in her chair, staring at the steel door as she tried to muster the strength to move.


    She felt the shake of the Keel as the skiff broke away, the low rumbling as its engines burst to life and carried it away at a blistering speed.


    Fel tried to speak, but even they seemed at a loss for words as they left.


    Tayla sat there, truly alone for the first time in her life.


    Somewhere in the distance there was the beating of an ancient drum, with every second Alnur grew further the beat grew louder and louder.


    Soon, Tayla would finally hear it.

 Chapter 13 - END OF ACT 1

    The evening air had a cold bite to it, the first signs of the coming winter. Tens of thousands made their way to the sea wall for the send off, families and friends caught up with one another after days of field work, drinks and food were served to thank the people for their hard work. Small circles formed in the crowd where some played music or danced. The whole of Navalia was alive with laughter and joy. As the sun was falling low in the night sky, green lanterns came to life across the sea wall.


    All along the shallow sea were hundreds of linen covered bodies; it had taken the House of Mourning all day with the help of nearly a hundred volunteers to transport all of the remains from the cryocrypt to the shallow sea. The family of the dead stood in the ankle deep water sharing final goodbyes, or offering gifts for the dead for when they arrived in the endless sea.


    Even after all these cycles, Fel couldn¡¯t bring themself to tell anyone the truth of it all. The endless sea, the starless ocean, the abyssal depths, every few centuries the term would change slightly without anyone but them noticing. Fel had seen it with their own eyes, the countless dead, frozen in time, torn between realms. The sight was haunting.


    Walking along the railing of the upper plaza, Fel could see the whole of the sea wall. Thousands of candles were lit in honor of Alnur. Last they heard from Bynard and Zo was that they would reach the capitol by morning. Fel turned their gaze to the other guests of honor for the night. Those that felt they had lived long enough, and those that were too ill to keep going. They laughed and cried with their families, trying to squeeze every last second of time they could. It always feels like you have all the time in the world, until you¡¯re faced with the last moments. The old ones tended to accept the send off as a way of keeping their dignity, they had lived long enough that they wanted to leave before their bodies completely gave out. The sick ones however, those were the painful ones to watch. Some would have second thoughts, change their mind at the last moment, but if the send off was already on the table, they would simply be buying themselves a brief respite. There was honor in that though, trying to beat fate, to spit in the eye of your illness and fight on.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to see where Tayla was in the crowd, one just had to look for the largest gathering of people. She was walking the length of the sea wall in lieu of Alnur, it was up to her to say goodbye to those that were ready to move on to the next world. As tradition dictated. Though, Tayla didn¡¯t walk so much as hobble on crutches. The wheelchair they had dug up for her wasn¡¯t great at traversing uneven cobblestone.


    Fel for their part, was keeping an eye from up above. It would take truly deprived scum to try anything on the night of the send off, but they liked to keep an eye open just in case. Considering what happened during the morning, they felt it best to stay up here. Over the great ocean barrier, a sliver of the full moon began to appear, it wouldn¡¯t be long now.


    Soft footsteps from behind caused Fel to turn, expecting to see a guard. Instead, there was an old frail man, he must have been close to eighty years old. He walked towards Fel with a determined step.


    ¡°Venerable one, have you come to enjoy the view? Shouldn¡¯t you be with your kin saying your farewells?¡± Fel spoke respectfully.


    The man walked to the railing, leaning against it for support. Much of his hair was gone, but there was still a spark in his eye. He seemed to struggle to speak. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Fel blinked in surprise. ¡°What?¡±


    The man turned to her, his eyes filled with remorse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault that the king was hurt.¡± The man¡¯s eyes were watering, his voice came in bursts.


    Leaning down to speak closer, Fel spoke softly. ¡°How could that be? You are not to blame for what happens on a hunt honored one, calm yourself.¡±


    ¡°But I am! The gods chose to strike down the king because I had the nerve to ask him to see me off tonight! I am the reason he was nearly killed! Because of my audacity.¡± The man was clutching at what little remained of his hair.


    ¡°Please, breathe. The gods are not so petty as to harm our king because you asked him to show you kindness. Where is your family?¡± Fel glanced around, hoping to see the man¡¯s minders.


    He froze up. ¡°Dead, they¡¯re all dead. Taken from me in the purging crusades, those that survived fell to the fleshwarp. I¡¯m all that remains.¡± His voice was hollow now, devoid of any emotion at all.


    Fel reached out a hand, the old man smacked it away like it was a viper. With a sigh Fel continued. ¡°I am sorry for your loss, but you are not to blame for what happened to my brother. Are there none who will guide you to the shallow sea?¡±


    Shaking his head the man looked down. ¡°No, the king offered to do so for me, I could not dare ask the lady Tayla to honor such an arrangement.¡±


    ¡°So why did you seek me out?¡± Fel asked, returning to their full height, a suspicion growing.


    The man snapped his head up, a zeal taking over him. ¡°Kill me! You are an omen of death, the soul stealer! I know the legends, your kind is born without the Nightfather¡¯s gift, but instead are cursed to steal the souls of those you kill!¡± The poor old man was practically frothing at the mouth. Such a sad sight.


    There was a sliver of truth to the words the man spoke. The pair of shades hovering just out of the corner of their eye was testament to that. Fel reached down and removed part of their armor to reveal their bare arms, neither one had any rot or decay. ¡°You are right, I do not have the entropic touch of my Father. But I do have something else. I cannot steal souls, but I can help them find rest.¡± Staring at the bare flesh of their arms, Fel felt the wave of unwanted memories threatening to come crashing down on them and put their armor back on.


    ¡°Rest? I don¡¯t deserve rest! I deserve punishment!¡± The man was growing confused.


    ¡°What is your name sir?¡± Fel said, their tone soft and calming as they scanned the area with their second sight to be sure they were alone.


    ¡°Huh? My name, my name is Braum Wheatstone.¡± Braum seemed to visibly calm a bit after recalling his name.


    ¡°Braum, would you like to see your family again?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Fel reached for the effigy of the Nightfather, the white mask with three perfect circles cut into it. ¡°Are you ready to be sent off Braum? To the endless sea? To the embrace of your family? Close your eyes, can you see them, their smiling faces?¡±


    Braum closed his eyes. Fel kept one hand on the effigy, and placed the other on Braums chest gently. ¡°Yes, I can see them! Their smiling, gods, I forgot what they looked like after all this time!¡± Tears of joy ran down the old man''s face.


    ¡°Are you ready Braum, are you done with your business on this plane? Are you ready to rest?¡±


    Through a shaking voice, Braum nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    It was barely a whisper.


    As Fel tapped into the gift of their Father, they could see the realm beyond, vast and empty, no pain, no happiness, just a gentle nothingness. The last words that came from Braum were an almost silent. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The power surged for a split second, Fel¡¯s body bulging and breaking for a moment, Braum¡¯s physical form was unmade as a splash of seawater fell to the stones below. In a second it was over, Fel¡¯s form compressing once more, their flexible, expandable armor shifting back into place. They turned back to overlooking the crowd below, looking back towards Tayla, she was almost done with the final goodbyes, the ceremony would begin soon.


    ¡ô¡ô¡ô


    Tayla was almost at her breaking point. Between her leg that was screaming in pain, her body aching all over, the lack of sleep from the night before, and the pain she felt at blowing up at her Uncle and Lillian, she was feeling pretty done with all the crap life was piling on top of her. She struggled to climb the flights of stairs up to the ceremonial upper plaza of the main road. It was raised enough to give the best view of the send off. One could take in the whole of the sea wall from there.


    Her foot slipped for a moment, the guards on either side of her caught her mid fall. It was embarrassing how much she had to rely on others right now, what was next, Fel carrying her on their back. Regaining her balance, Tayla made it up the last flight of stairs, offering a word of thanks to the All Mother that it was finally over. She slumped into the wheeled chair one of her guards carried for her. ¡°Thank you all for your help, I know this isn¡¯t the most dignified of duties.¡± She said, wiping the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief.


    The half a dozen guards stood up straighter, their senior officer shaking her head. ¡°Nonsense my lady, it is a great honor to be trusted with watching over you while you recover. Though, I do ask again, that you be careful even in the Keel.¡±


    Tayla had already been given three separate lectures about that today, not including this one. She would have to be more careful now that she was the de facto leader of the Black Coast for the time being. No more strolls in the morning on her own for the foreseeable future. ¡°Yes, I will do my best not to try and sneak away from my escorts, though, if I do manage to lose you while stuck in this infernal chair. I would almost be proud.¡± She cracked a smirk while looking at the guards. A few of whom stifled a laugh. The officer simply raised an eyebrow. ¡°I will not try and slip away, I promise.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that my lady.¡± The officer said with a curt nod.


    Looking over to the other side of the plaza, Tayla saw Fel leaning against the railing. As awkward as things were between them, they were still siblings. Tayla wheeled over to join them. As they got closer Tayla noticed a large wet spot next to Fel.


    Fel answered her question without looking over at her. ¡°Mind the water, I spilled my drink earlier.¡±


    Tayla gave the wet spot a wide berth and came to stop next to Fel. The majestic view was a bit subdued on account of the fact that the railing was head level while she was sitting in her chair. She tried to crane her neck to get a better view of the festival down below, but it did little to help.


    There was something that was bothering Tayla. She wanted to ask Fel about it, but ever since they were kids, they had sworn to not ask too much about Fel¡¯s ¡®unique¡¯ quirks. Yet she still found herself wanting to ask regardless. The longer she went without saying something, the harder it became to say anything at all. Her mouth opened and closed over and over again.


    ¡°You wanna know why I wouldn¡¯t go to the capitol?¡± Fel said, their tone soft, with a touch of remorse.


    A feeling of guilt hit Tayla hard, she wanted to deny it but all she could muster was a meek. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Fel tapped the railing. ¡°You know I am not like other Twins. I can¡¯t answer all of your questions, I am sworn to silence, but you have to understand that the only reason I am able to live a quiet life is that I made certain agreements. One of those conditions is that I cannot leave the Coast, unless I am given permission.¡±


    Tayla wanted to ask a thousand questions. Fel was a mystery on so many levels, but Tayla had long since realized that her sibling didn¡¯t keep quiet out of choice. Now they spoke of swearing some oath of silence, like it was just a casual thing to mention. ¡°Is the word of your sister not permission? The word of the ruler of our people?¡± Tayla asked knowing that she would get no proper answer in response.


    ¡°I cannot say more.¡± Fel said with the usual line, in the usual pained tone. They averted their eyes.


    The urge to press the matter died as it always did. Tayla knew there was no force that could pry the whole truth from her siblings'' lips. Instead she cast her gaze at the full moon that was almost completely risen on the horizon. It¡¯s form almost sitting right above the barrier wall, the send off would be any second now.


    Tayla¡¯s heart leapt from her chest as she heard one of her guards let out a gasp in surprise. She and Fel turned together to see the source of the alarm. There, walking down from the main road''s staircase, were the diplomats.


    Before Tayla could scream, Fel was already shouting. ¡°You idiots! You were told not to come down here!¡± Tayla had never seen such anger from them.


    The diplomats were continuing on, their Ono guards in heel, with the Cabal sheepishly following last. Thoren looked cross, his body still covered in bandages under his robes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have tried to talk reason to my fellow members of the Court, but I was outvoted.¡±


    Fel crossed the plaza in the blink of an eye. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, turn around this instant and run, you need to leave before the ritual starts!¡±


    Tayla was trying to catch up. She looked over her shoulder, past the barrier the full moon was about to crest the wall. There was no time left. ¡°They are right! You were forbidden from joining us, I should have you all thrown in the brig for such a disregard of our laws and customs!¡±


    Thoren and Graum averted their eyes as they looked downwards. The lady merchant from Seru stepped forward. ¡°You said the All Mother demands that anyone in the Coast take part in your festival, we hunted, we worked the fields. Now, we shall watch the ending, it only seems fair.¡± Tayla wanted to crack that smug look off her face with the butt of her rifle.


    The guards looked confused, to lay their hands on the agents of the Court and Cabal could be a huge diplomatic issue. Fel¡¯s hand was as quick as a viper, wrapping around the merchant''s throat and lifting her off the ground with ease. ¡°I was not asking! You brainless fools have no idea what you are doing, you will  all die!¡± The Ono wasted no time, Ophelia brought down her blade at Fel¡¯s wrist. The sword was made from the finest steel, yet it shattered like glass. Leaving only a slight mark on Fel¡¯s hand.


    Fel dropped the coughing woman, paying no mind to the attack they had received. They turned to look at the full moon as it came to rest on the wall. ¡°It¡¯s too late.¡±


    There was still a soft glow above as the sun, although it had set, still cast a fraction of its light. Stars could be seen above dotting the sky, clouds hanging in the air here and there. The mountains in the distance were blue pastel shapes. The ocean beyond the barrier was a dark expanse. Then, everything froze for a moment, before slowly being pulled towards the ocean. No, not the ocean, the moon. The shape remained, but the white glow was gone, replaced by a perfect circle of nothingness. The clouds were the first to fall into the dark abyss, followed by the water of the Shallow sea as it was pulled upwards by the tremendous force, until the entire basin was emptied.


    The diplomats fell to the ground, gasping as the very air from their lungs was ripped out by the force. Nothing could escape the moon''s pull. The Twin¡¯s could survive without air for some time, the Ono seemed to regain themselves as their armor compensated for the lack of air. Thoren was turning blue, he held his hands together in prayer, arcs of energy cascading across his body as a globe of light burst forth surrounding the diplomats. The orb seemed to offer some protection thankfully.


    Tayla watched as they looked up in horror. As one by one the very stars themselves were sucked into the grasp of the moon¡¯s pull, streaks of light, millions of them cascading across the heavens as every mote of light was devoured, the sun''s dying light was long gone. Leaving the whole universe devoid of a single speck of radiance.


    All that remained was the Moon, a perfect black circle, somehow blacker than the darkness of space itself, like it was alive with power. The gentle green lanterns somehow kept their glow, casting an ominous light over the thousands below. Without air for sound to travel, Tayla could see those in the golden orb of light screaming or praying, but could not hear a single thing.


    Thoren looked haggard, he had somehow cast a chant without uttering a single word, a feat that should be impossible by Tayla¡¯s understanding. He walked to the edge of the globe, staring at Tayla with bloodshot eyes.


    Tayla floated out of her chair and bounded towards the globe. Floating between each step. Gravity was still there, but only a fraction of its usual power, the Moon¡¯s power was disrupting it. She stood there looking at Thoren, she was glad he was okay. She placed a hand on the globe''s surface. He was hesitant, but he placed his hand on his side opposite of hers. Mouthing the words slowly she tried to say ¡®I¡¯m sorry. Hold on.¡¯


    Thoren was looking worse by the second, but he nodded solemnly. Mouthing back, ¡®I¡¯ll try. No promises.¡¯


    Glancing to her side, Tayla could see the mountain ranges heave as they were sundered into chunks the size of cities, those pieces breaking up further and further until they too were consumed by the Moon. When it was done, there was nothing but the plaza, the barren shallow sea, the stone walls, and the Moon.


    A ripple broke across the surface of the Moon as a torrent of black liquid poured down into the empty shallow sea, quickly forming in a wave that spread outwards. It wasn¡¯t water, no, this cast no reflections, it was just oblivion in a viscous form. The families of those being sent off left to the high ground of the sea wall. The crashing torrent slowed to a gentle tide as it reached the edge of the sea walls base. The linen covered bodies were enveloped gently, pulled under the jet black waves. From the many stairs leading down, the old and sick began to wade into the consuming waves. A few steps in, and they simply fell forwards into the inviting current, never to be seen again.


    It lasted all of a few minutes in total, as the dark waters began to recede, back into the Moon that spawned it. The ritual was ending. Fel was looking with a forlorn stare at the Moon, the exact nature known only to them. The water had almost fully pulled back when it stopped.


    Almost immediately, the gathered Twin¡¯s below seemed to sense something was wrong.


    This was not part of the ritual.


    Fel took a step forward, a panicked frenzy on their face. As a thin line of the black water began to flow out once more, causing the crowd below to panic. The only benefit of the lack of air was that there was no way to hear the screaming that was surely taking place. The black line oozed up the sea wall, the onlookers below the plaza fell over one another trying to make a path for the dark tendril. Tayla leapt to the railing to keep sight of the tendril, only to watch in horror as it flowed up towards her like some insane waterfall in reverse.


    She threw herself back away from the railings edge as the black water flowed onto the plaza, moving towards the golden orb of light. Tayla kicked off the railing she was beside and flew towards the thing¡¯s path. Skidding her feet to slow to a stop directly in its path. It rushed towards her without signs of stopping, she felt the chill of death on her spine and knew she would surely die.


    Fel calmly walked between Tayla and the black water. It came to a stop at their feet. From the depths of the darkness rose a figure, it was from this shape the darkness spread, it was from this thing that the Moon seemed small in comparison. Although it wore no towering form, in truth only coming to a head taller than Fel, it was the white bone mask it wore that radiated a blinding amount of power and dread. Its body was an oozing mass of darkness that shifted constantly, the only thing that remained still was its mask, an elongated skull of off white, the only features were three perfect black circles. It was from these holes the endless darkness was pouring forth from.


    Tayla and everyone on the plaza fell to their knees aside from Fel, for standing there, was the Nightfather in physical form. Tayla wept as she bowed her head before her people''s God. Behind her, Tayla could see the orb of light fading, it wouldn¡¯t be long now until Thoren faltered. She stole a glance at her God, it remained motionless as it regarded Fel. Tayla¡¯s heart was pounding in her chest, she had to do something or everyone in the orb of light would die.


    Summoning all of her courage, she stood up, her body screamed at her for daring to stand before such a holy being. Knees shaking, she stepped towards death itself. She came to stand beside Fel, daring not to go any further. Still she did not have the Nightfather¡¯s attention. She tried to raise a hand, but still nothing. A thought dawned on her, that void sorcerer Vauhn had somehow used the link to communicate. Perhaps it would work here. Tayla tried to open the link, but willed it to speak to the Nightfather before her, to her shock, it opened.


    The Nightfather turned its gaze towards Tayla, as an incomprehensible series of voices smashed into her mind. With just a single phrase, it felt like the whole of her mind was filled to the brim with knowledge, a cluster of migraines burst along her skull as she fell to her knees racked in pain. Her eyes felt like they were about to burst from the pressure inside her skull. She clenched her jaw so tight that at least two of her teeth chipped from the force. At that moment Tayla would have gladly thrown herself into the shallow sea to end the pain.


    She flailed for the Tranquility, yet even that was simply a trickle of cold water being thrown on a raging wildfire. Mustering all of her strength she sent. Ancient one, please, we have guests of the celestials that will die if you do not return us to the mortal plane soon!


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    For the first time the Nightfather seemed to notice the people inside the golden orb, it cocked its mask in confusion as it took in the situation. Suddenly, the world exploded with light and sound once more, the stars and mountains returned in the blink of an eye. Tayla gasped as she realized she could breathe once more. She looked up in horror to realize that not everything was returned like usual, half of the world had been restored, while the side towards the ocean was still cast in darkness, overlooked by the frozen Moon.


    The world seemed to groan at this, it was one thing to pull a small part of the world away for the ritual, it was quite another for the world to be sundered in half. The Nightfather didn¡¯t show any signs of effort at having defied every law of the material plane.


    The light of the golden orb flickered and fell, revealing the terrified faces of those that had been inside. Now Tayla could hear their cries and pleading for mercy. The Ono stayed perfectly still, even with one of their arch enemies within striking distance, they knew that they were like insects before a storm. Thoren walked forward on shaky legs, just making it far enough to be heard when he spoke as he fell to his knees. ¡°Thank you for granting us your mercy.¡±


    It seemed not to matter to the Nightfather what anyone had to say, it simply turned back to face Fel. Then it spoke, the effect was similar to before, but much less agonizing. The syllables were of the void, but even if you tried with all your might you could not discern any pitch or tone. It was like the words just appeared in your mind fully formed, Tayla had a terrible realization, it was her own voice she heard speaking the Nightfathers words. No doubt her mind was trying to desperately hold onto its sanity by doing anything and everything to protect itself from the horror it was experiencing.


    The only one that seemed unphased was Fel, who seemed to fully understand what was being said. They even responded calmly. ¡°If what you say is true, I must go and stop whatever force is trying to upset the balance. I will be your hand Father, I will find those responsible and bring an end to this.¡±


    Tayla could feel her nose bleeding, just being close to an Old God could kill lesser beings, if not for the blessing of the Nightfather, she would have surely passed out by now. She turned to Fel, she wanted to ask what was being said, but she couldn¡¯t even speak over the pain in her head.


    Fel glanced down at Tayla with a concerned look. They turned back to the Nightfather and to Tayla¡¯s surprise, spoke the cursed void tongue fluently. Her brain still recoiled at the vile, shifting syllables, but at least it wasn¡¯t killing her. Whatever they said caused the God to turn towards Tayla once more, this time, it seemed to stare through her. There was a shudder that ran through the being¡¯s form, as claws of liquid night crept from its shell, reaching towards Tayla. She could do nothing to stop it, she simply watched as the fingers of death came closer. A claw opened wide as it ran a bladed edge against her chin, wiping the blood from it before lowering to her leg, with a tap her thigh burst open like a flower blooming. There was no blood as the skin peeled back, muscle loosening as they floated aside, and beneath it all, her shattered bones. Fragments and slivers of bone hung in the air, the claw grew dozens of new digits as it began to weave the broken pieces back into place with shocking speed. Just as soon as it had begun, it was done, as the flesh coiled back into its rightful place. The claw came to rest on her dead hand, as it gently tapped it in what Tayla could only imagine was some form of comfort.


    Another phrase burst into her head, thankfully this time it was less painful, the words meant nothing to her, but through the link she could feel the emotion, gratitude.


    The Nightfather turned back to Fel as it laid claws on their cheek, a gentle and paternal gesture from a thing that should be incapable of such things. Fel reached up and held the claw in their own hand. It pulled away, finally turning its attention towards the diplomats. The Nightfather didn¡¯t move, one moment it was standing beside Fel, the next it was standing in front of Thoren. He looked up, his face pale from overexerting himself again. Tayla noticed that there didn¡¯t appear to be any fear in the Stormpriest''s eyes.


    The masked face of the Night Father extended towards Thoren until it was inches away, a soft whispering escaped from the Old God, words only meant for him alone. There was a confused look that crossed Thoren¡¯s face as the Nightfather turned back to face the Moon, its body still connected by the dark tendril. Its body collapsed like water, flowing back towards the Moon, as it passed the people below that had had time to collect themselves and were now offering fervent prayers to their God as it passed them. Soon it had returned through the shallow sea and flowed back into the Moon. A moment later two more Moons appeared beside the first, three perfect circles in a triangular formation. The Moons pulled back, shrinking into the void, and with them the curtain of darkness was pulled back as well, the night sky returning once more to its rightful place.


    For a long few minutes there was only silence, the whole of the Coast was still and quiet. No one dared to move or speak, not wanting to be the first to break the reverence of the holy moment. Tayla stood on shaking legs, her broken leg a thing of the past as she walked towards Fel. She grabbed onto them for support. When she looked up at Fel, she felt like she was looking at a stranger, this wasn¡¯t something they could just look past, they would have to talk about this.


    Fel spoke in a quiet tone. ¡°I have to go.¡±


    ¡°What happened to your oath to stay in the Coast?¡± Tayla said weakly.


    ¡°Someone has stolen an artifact of great power from the Nightfather and he has given me a task that is vital to protecting the balance of our world. I cannot say more, but I need you to trust me, Tayla.¡±


    ¡°Who would dare?!¡± The sorrow that Fel was leaving was quickly moved aside by a blinding anger at the thought that someone had had the audacity to steal from their God. ¡°We will hunt down whomever did this and drag them to Xon¡¯tec so they may answer to the Old Ones for their crimes! We will send our bes-¡± Fel held up a hand for her to stop.


    ¡°No, I must go alone. Having a large armed force will only slow me down, and time is of the essence. I would also prefer not to draw attention to my movements, traveling alone will make that easier.¡±


    Tayla didn¡¯t like it, but Fel was making fair points. ¡°Will you at least take a member of the Hall of Whispers with you so you can check in?¡±


    Fel cast a look to their side towards the guests. ¡°It would be safer if you cannot get a hold of me, it gives you a chance to deny knowing where I am going, or what I am doing. I suspect the Court will be most interested in my mission, and I for one am keen to keep them out of it until we know who we can trust.¡±


    Tayla was still reeling from everything, her body and mind were at their limit after the last few days. She wanted to ask so many questions, what had the Nightfather said, what was their connection really; but she knew that right now wasn¡¯t the time for it. ¡°Go. And please be careful.¡±


    Leaning down, Fel gave Tayla a hug goodbye. As they parted, Fel¡¯s face took on a look of deadly seriousness. They held nothing back as they launched into a full sprint, bounding up the harsh slope of the main road in a few inhuman bounds. In a few seconds they were gone from sight.


    The diplomats were finally standing and calming down. Now that they knew they weren¡¯t going to die, they started screaming and shouting. Tayla tuned most of it out as she walked to the railing overseeing the seawall below; something about heresy or the perils of the void, she didn¡¯t really care much. Her mind was on her siblings, would they ever go back to the peaceful days of their morning routine together?


    Her thoughts were interrupted by one of the diplomats grabbing her shoulder violently and pulling her around to face him. He was a portly man, Tayla seemed to recall he was from a port town up north. For the life of her she couldn¡¯t remember the man¡¯s name, and frankly, didn¡¯t give a shit about him anymore. ¡°You vile creature! You lured us here to offer us to your dark God! If not for the miracles of master Thoren you would have seen us sacrificed!¡± Tayla reached a hand up to wipe the man¡¯s spittle from her face calmly.


    Her guards were stepping forward to grab the man, but Tayla held a hand up to stop them for the moment. Soon, almost every member of the Court and the Cabal were surrounding her and lashing out with some tirade or vitriolic sentiment. Aside from Thoren, Graum, the Sanguinite, the Ono and that shaman fellow. Though they did come to stand around her still.


    The lady merchant from Seru was rubbing her neck where a vibrant red hand print was still visible. She pulled a knife out from her dress and pointed it at Tayla. ¡°How dare you bottom feeding scum lay a hand on me! Where is that freak of yours going?!¡± A flash of black leather and her face grew still. Around her neck were the blades of a thresher whip, the sharp teeth of it gently digging into her skin drawing pinpricks of blood. It would only take a quick snap of the wrist and she would find herself in the unfortunate position of having her head and body separated from one another. Holding the whip was Admiral Broadsen, his face made it clear he was quite ready to carry out the deed if need be.


    The Ono were getting ready to protect their charges, everything was reaching a crescendo. Tayla spoke, drawing all attention to her. ¡°Honored guests, I cannot express how sorry I am that you were put in such danger, even after all of our warnings that the ritual was off limits to outsiders. Even after my sibling tried to stress on you the importance of leaving, even after I pleaded with the Nightfather to spare you. I think it¡¯s time we come to an understanding.¡± Tayla gestured to the seawall below. ¡°There is one very simple reason we Twin¡¯s have survived for as long as we have.¡± The guests looked at the tens of thousands below, the people of the Coast were abuzz talking about what had just happened, seldom few were looking up at the plaza.


    Tayla raised a hand towards the sea of people.


    A ripple ran through the crowd as the whole of the Coast froze, and turned their gaze¡¯s upwards towards the plaza. They saw the image of someone laying a hand on their leader, of a knife being drawn against their lady of shadows.


    The diplomats grew still as they looked down at a sea of glowing green eyes staring up at them, seething with anger. Almost every Twin had a thresher whip, it was commonplace, and now many reached for their farm tools, though none had farming in mind while doing so.


    Tayla turned to look at the fearful faces of the diplomats. ¡°We have survived, because we are of one mind. We are united in one purpose, to protect our people and home. From any threat.¡± Turning to the Ono she continued. ¡°Honored cousins, I think it¡¯s about time you disarmed yourselves. I am not my brother, I have little care for Ono tradition or the like.¡±


    The Ono shared a look.


    From the shadows dozens of cloaked Twin¡¯s emerged, their ancient weapons drawn and readied. The pair of Ono snarled as they held out their weapons for the guards to take.


    Removing his helmet, Mikal asked. ¡°Are we your prisoners then?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all! You are our Honored guests. We just need to reevaluate some of your privileges after recent events.¡± Tayla smiled, though it didn¡¯t reach her eyes.


    Ophelia narrowed her eyes as she spoke. ¡°Will we be permitted to send word of tonight''s events to the Celestial Court?¡±


    Tayla turned back to see her people. ¡°Of course, tomorrow we will bring the Keel back to full power and you can all have access to the transmission network. I am sure you will have plenty to say, just be sure to emphasize that when you were so wrongly mistreated it was only in response to your complete disregard of our customs and traditions.¡± Tayla¡¯s face was illuminated by the green glow from below.


    A pair of guards flanked the merchant lord of Seru as they removed her knife from her hands roughly. Holding her by either arm. She looked up at Tayla. ¡°What about me? My king will not take it lightly that you assaulted me?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Tayla said, turning to the woman. ¡°I will personally send a message to your king about your actions, and stress the need to strengthen the bonds between our nations. We just so happened to have come into a large quantity of Krak¡¯un meat recently, you said it was worth its weight in gold to your nobles yes? I wonder how many pounds of crab meat your life is worth to your king? I hear he isn¡¯t really the caring kind of man.¡± The blood drained from the woman¡¯s face as she realized how absolutely her life was ruined.


    The guards walked her away without another word, taking her to the Keel¡¯s brig for the time being.


    Tayla signaled for the rest of the guests to be escorted back to the Keel, thankfully none of them had the nerve to whine about their treatment. Thoren was silent, he simply stared forward while deep in thought. Tayla had hoped to ask him what the Nightfather had whispered to him, but that could wait.


    As the guests were escorted away, Tayla turned to face her people. She raised her voice, trying to be heard by as many as she could. The Heralds in the Hall of Whispers would make sure the message made its way to the rest. ¡°My friends, we have been blessed by the appearance of the Nightfather in the flesh!¡± She paused as a chorus of cheers rang out, the air seemed to shake from the combined voices of thousands. ¡°Someone has wronged him, they have stolen an artifact of great power!¡± At this the crowd gasped, a moment later the shock turned to rage as screams of revenge rang out. Some even calling out for a crusade. Though after the toll of the last crusade, she was hesitant to let such an idea take seed. ¡°The Nightfather came himself to choose his avatar, his champion. He has chosen my sibling, Fel as his hand, to go out and seek those responsible and bring them to justice!¡± She could see some confused looks in the crowd, but it was quickly replaced by a war cry from her people.


    It was hard to tell where it started, but a single chant began to win out over the myriad of others until it was the only word on anyone¡¯s lips. There were no cries of scorn or malice towards Fel, it had only taken the appearance of their literal God to stop all of the stupid superstition surrounding them. No, now they called for them as the champion of the Nightfather. They cheered Fel¡¯s new title, chosen by the people. Manus Mortis, the Hand of Death.


    Tayla heard a crack of thunder from up the hill, a flash of lightning illuminating the sky for a moment. She turned back to look but there wasn¡¯t even a cloud in the sky, for a moment she thought it an omen.


    Her stomach dropped as she realized what that sound meant.


    ¡ô¡ô¡ô


    Fel ran like the wind. Normally they had to be careful not to reveal too much of their physical skills, but now that didn¡¯t matter in the slightest. They held nothing back. They were already well on their way to the highlands in a matter of minutes, with their genetically altered constitution they should be able to keep this pace up for another eight hours before having to slow a bit to rest.


    A crash of lightning hit the ground in front of them, causing them to skid to a stop. Standing in the middle of the road was the Stormpriest Thoren, he had a grim look on his face.


    Raising an eyebrow, Fel called out to the man. ¡°To what do I owe the honor? I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have much time for chit chat.¡±


    ¡°Did you know that the study of the void tongue is still taught at the Spire¡¯s monastery?¡± Thoren spoke like he was sharing a fun factoid at a pub.


    ¡°Uh, no. I can¡¯t say I knew that. I don¡¯t really have time for this Thor-¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t make out the whole of the conversation, but I know that you lied to Tayla.¡±


    Fel let the smile drop from their face. ¡°I would choose your next words carefully Thoren, I would hate to have to carve them on your tombstone.¡± There was little time for this, if the need arose Fel was sure they could incapacitate the man without too much issue.


    Thoren for his part seemed to gloss over the threat of violence. ¡°I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t need to tell someone so fluent in the speech of the void that words and phrases can mean any number of different things depending on numerous factors. You see, as we speak, my fellow representatives of the Court seem to believe that the Night Father said something along the lines of ¡®The weapon that can snuff out the stars is within our grasp, we must retrieve it at any cost¡¯. I tried to tell them that it sounded to me like it was saying ¡®The weapon that can snuff out the very stars is no longer in our care, we must retrieve it at any cost¡¯.¡± He looked at Fel with a grim pleading.


    With a sigh Fel put their hands on their hips. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t speak for the Spire¡¯s curriculum, but you get a passing grade from me. As for the rest of those fools, they failed spectacularly. The truth is I can¡¯t tell you the exact words, it would put countless lives at risk. But I can tell you that what I am doing is for the good of everyone you love and care for, and that I really need to keep going. Now, are you still going to stand in my way?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Thoren looked up from his deep contemplation, his eyes were determined. ¡°I want to join you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Fel blinked in shock. ¡°Did the lack of oxygen earlier kill the brain cells in that thick skull of yours?¡±


    ¡°The Night Father whispered to me earlier. He asked me to join you.¡±


    Fel hadn¡¯t been able to overhear what their Father had said to the priest in private, but the fact he had chosen to speak to a mortal at all was almost unheard of. ¡°What did he say exactly, maybe you misunderstood.¡±


    Thoren shifted uncomfortably for a moment.


    ¡°You can say it in the common tongue, I can work with that.¡±


    That seemed to ease the man¡¯s nerves. ¡°I only got pieces of it. ¡®You show nemesis respect, your mother¡¯s pride, watch over my child on their journey.¡¯¡±


    Fel quickly switched the words and phrases into voidspeak, trying to see if the priest had misunderstood. Indeed he had, but not in the way Fel would have preferred. ¡°He said ¡®My respected foe, make your Mother proud and keep an eye on my child. They will need you.¡¯ Gods help me, he really did tell you to join me. Is this what you want? You might be seen as a traitor for running off with me to serve the Nightfather¡¯s will?¡±


    Thoren put a hand on his holy symbol. ¡°If this weapon can truly harm my Gods, then I owe it to them to make sure it is retrieved from the hands of those that would misuse it! The Nightfather could have simply said nothing and sat back while his arch enemies were struck down, but instead he sent you to try and retrieve it, to keep balance. I for one do not wish for another war between our Gods, there has been too much lost already.¡±


    The man was right, Fel couldn¡¯t argue that having his help could prove to be invaluable. ¡°Fine, you may join me. But I don¡¯t see how you¡¯ll be able to keep up on foot. Last I checked, you can¡¯t do that little lightning trick of your¡¯s for long.¡±


    With a look of pride Thoren held out a hand to his side as he chanted some spell of some sort. Fel hated listening to miracles, they were worse than arcane chants. At least with arcane chants you were saying something that sounded like magic, miracles were just telling a long winded story and hoping your God was listening at that moment and gave a damn enough to lend you a mote of power. Fel had lost focus for a moment as Thoren finished his chant and from the sky came a ball of light, landing beside the priest. The light swirled and shifted until it became the form of a horned horse.


    ¡°Oh neat, you made a pony.¡± Fel said unenthused.


    This is one of the most¡­ it¡¯s more than just a pon-. Bah! It¡¯s faster than a normal horse, it should be able to keep up with your ridiculous speed.¡±


    Laughing, Fel lowered into a starting position, preparing to sprint. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Just as they were about to take off, the sound of an approaching horse interrupted them. ¡°For the love of the night, what now?¡±


    There was a brown working horse running towards them, its head moving erratically. It came to a stop before them, awkwardly walking side to side in place. As it opened its mouth a torrent of blood flowed out.


    ¡°Oh not this again.¡± Said Thoren with a tone of disbelief.


    Fel knew who it was. The question was why were they here?


    From the pool of blood emerged the bandaged form of Phi. The horse looked shaken by the whole ordeal, but didn¡¯t flee.


    Phi spoke in their usual polite fashion. ¡°I am glad I was able to catch up to you my liege.¡± He said as he bowed to Fel.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you still in bed from your injuries?¡± Thoren said, chastising the man.


    ¡°Yes, but as I slept I had a vision. The All Mother appeared before me and told me to join you on your mission. A holy quest for me to prove myself in her eyes!¡± Phi was shaking just thinking about the dream. His voice was one of wonder and awe. Tears flowed from his blind eyes.


    ¡°Dream¡¯s are not the realm of the Celestials- I don¡¯t have time to explain,  and frankly, I don¡¯t care! You can tag along if you can keep up, but I do not have time for this!¡± With a twist of their heel Fel launched into a full sprint, leaving the two zealots behind in a cloud of dust. To their surprise, the two holy men wasted no time in following Fel. The horse of light true to Thoren¡¯s claims could outpace any mortal horse. Phi¡¯s stead was running like its life depended on it, its eyes white from fright. Phi seemed to be doing something to the horse to allow it to run much quicker than it had any right to, the real test would be to see if he could keep that up for the whole night.


    A priest of storms and a holy hybrid. Fel would never have expected to have such odd traveling companions. The threads of fate were being pulled from the sidelines, Fel only hoped that it was by those they could trust and not by this unseen foe that could steal from Death himself.


    ¡ô¡ô¡ô


    Alnur was fighting to not be drowned by thoughts and wills that were not his own. The pain was unimaginable. In his half sleep he heard Zo and Bynard talking, they were worried about him and were preparing to sedate him. As they grabbed his arm Alnur reached a hand up and grabbed the cuff of the person above him. Slurring, he begged them not to sedate him, but his words wouldn¡¯t come out. The needle sank deep as he hyperventilated, the nightmares were bad enough, when he was sedated they were maddening. He was desperately holding on to life, his subconscious dredging up random thoughts and images in a cascade of vivid nightmares, some real, some imagined, and others belonging to those long dead. One moment he was a child running through wheat fields with his father, the next he was back on the world of Helion two, running from the aggressive native lifeforms that were trying to devour him. He looked up to see the boulder suspended above him by calcium spikes shift to reveal a jagged mouth from within the rock. It dropped towards him, he thrashed in his fitful slumber as he avoided the creature. His subconscious brought up another memory.


    This time the memory was of Alnur, standing in one of the forgotten data access chambers of the Keel. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to expel this memory again. The screen in front of him showed the logs of encrypted transmissions from the Keel to the old network. There in front of his eyes were the signs of his subterfuge. Messages to each of the Celestial Courts children, and more yet to the great clans of the Cabal and free nations. The Keel was only minutes away from powering down for Finis Messis. He stared at the logs for a long time, dread, excitement, fear, shame. So many emotions swirling around his mind.


    He remembered the series of commands that the crown had revealed to him. ¡°Admin authorization, Lord Admiral Ebontide. Authorization code Upsilon one, Gamma six, Theta five. Purge all records of photon transmissions within the last hour. Confirm.¡±


    Alnur watched as the Keel scrubbed every trace of his act of treason. The die had been cast, just as the crown had pushed him to do so. Now he only had to play his part as the clueless pawn.


    His mind wandered again, he drifted between layer after layer of memory. He saw the old world from orbit, he saw the very stars consumed by the Old Ones, again and again he saw and felt the death of those that had come before him. The pain threatened to drive him insane; if he wasn¡¯t already. Tears fell down his face, in the real world he was being carted into a surgical suite to undergo an incredibly risky procedure to save his life. He wanted to offer a prayer to whatever would listen, but recoiled from that idea, he had lived a hundred lives and seen the truth of the so-called ¡®Gods¡¯ with their eyes. Perhaps he would be remembered as a heretic, but he would do so with his eyes open.


    ¡ô¡ô¡ô


    Tayla dragged her feet towards her room. The past few days had drained everything she had and more. She needed sleep, hells, at this point she cared little if she ever woke up again from it. The tiredness was bone deep, it had gone from tired, to over tired, to the point of energetic, to this new level of exhaustion that felt like it would take a week of sleep to recover from.


    Opening the door to her room she walked straight towards her bed. She barely had the strength to kick her boots off. Pitch black, windowless, the walls made of steel; to others her room seemed more like a prison, but to a Twin raised in the Keel, this was comforting. She was just about to fall face first into her bed when she remembered she still had her side arms on her person. Even as tired as she was, she mustered the power to ensure she locked those up properly.


    Swaying as she walked, Tayla made her way to her desk. It was real wood, with a mirror built atop it, it was perfect for paperwork or for trying to desperately get her unruly hair in check some mornings. She reached down and opened her safe, depositing her weapons in their homes. Now she could sleep, she stood upright facing the mirror, looking at her own reflection she frowned. And now we¡¯re all alone. She thought to herself.


    Then a voice responded in her mind that was not her own. Well, not exactly, you still have me! Tayla looked around the room in a panic, although in her head it had felt like the voice was right behind her. She whirled around. There was nothing, maybe the stress had finally broken her. She turned back to the mirror, and saw the decaying remains of Vauhn standing beside her reflection.


    Tayla¡¯s mind broke a bit.


    To keep her safe it caused her to faint, one of the oldest defense mechanisms of the mortal mind. Vauhn¡¯s voice was the last thing she heard as she blacked out. I can¡¯t wait to see what fun we get up to together, bestie!


    END OF ACT 1

 Intermission 1A

    Wren leaned against a railing overlooking the sea wall, he stared past the shallow sea and the stone barriers that encircled it. His gaze was transfixed on the rising moon, the symbol that the sending was about to begin. The evening air was starting to take on a bitter chill, a sign that winter was fast approaching.


    Below him were the tens of thousands of people gathered for the sending. He glanced over the crowd with a feeling of bittersweetness. When he was young he used to love the sending, it had filled him with pride to see his people come together to pay respect to the dead and dying. That was until he had been conscripted into the crimson hunt. Memories came flooding back of those horrid times, the weeks of marching without stop, the wet miserable nights of restless sleep, the cave systems filled with deadly traps, and the horrors that they had seen inside. Wren found himself gagging at the memory of the burn pits, his nose began to sting at the thought.


    He slammed his dead hand into the stone railing, the blacked husk didn¡¯t feel pain, but it still helped to center himself. After everything he had seen and done during those accursed years, It felt wrong to come back and take part in a ritual that treated death as something noble. His own sister had been lost in the hunt. Without thinking, he reached a hand up to touch the cold metal band around his brow, despite its small size the metal band weighed heavy on his head. Wren whispered aloud to himself. ¡°I wish you were here to share this burden, Lylah.¡±


    Someone cleared their throat behind Wren, causing him to turn and see the source. Before him stood Cyrus, his brother in all but blood; who happened to look rather sheepish at interrupting Wren¡¯s moment alone. Cyrus cleared his throat again. ¡°Is something bothering you brother?¡± He said with his usual thunderous cadence.


    ¡°I was just recalling less pleasant times.¡± Wren said with a mirthless smile.


    ¡°Any time in particular?¡±


    ¡°The events that lead to our meeting.¡± Wren saw the blood drain from his brother¡¯s face. He raised a hand to stop the inevitable apology. ¡°All is well Cyrus. Let''s focus on better things. The sending is about to begin, where are the children?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, I had honestly thought they were still with you. They might be off with Rosel?¡± Cyrus looked down into the crowded seawall, scanning his head back and forth.


    Wren shot a glance over his shoulder. The moon was quickly rising above the stone reef, this wasn¡¯t the time for the children to be off playing. He gestured to the guards that were standing at the other side of the viewing platform, the pair jogged up to him quickly and snapped salutes as they came to a stop. Wren nodded towards them. ¡°Do we have eyes on Rosel or my children? They seem keen on missing the ritual tonight.¡±


    The guards both closed their eyes as they checked in with the House of whispers. One of the guards grimaced. She looked up with a frown as she responded. ¡°Your majesty, Rosel has been spotted down in the seawall. Alone.¡±


    Cyrus turned on a heel. ¡°What! Those little¡­ Of all the times for them to sneak off!¡±


    Wren rubbed his eyebrows with one hand. ¡°They¡¯re twelve; I can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t do the same with Lylah when we were at that age. We will have to find them after the ritual.¡± He grumbled.


    The other guard glanced to the side, his mouth fell in shock. ¡°My lords! Look!¡± The man pointed toward the cliffs that stretched past the sides of the seawall. Wren looked over to see someone waving, their dead hand was wreathed in the green flames of the Night Father. From the clothing he could tell it was his daughter Tayla, she was waving frantically. Wren felt anger, he had told the kids not to go near the cliffs, time and time again. Oddly, he could only make out Tayla; where were the other three?


    Tayla pointed down towards the shallow sea below. Wren felt his heart stop. His eyes darted down, dreading what he would see. There, dangling from the cliffside were the rest of the children. Alnur was hanging by a single arm, his other hand was holding Lillian from falling into the shallow sea some fifty feet below. Fel was further down, their slight frame holding on for dear life.


    Without a word Wren and Cyrus broke out into a sprint.


    Cyrus spoke frantically. ¡°Wren, the ritual! If we don¡¯t get to them in time they¡¯ll be-¡±


    ¡°I Know!¡± Wren screamed. His heart was exploding in his chest as he ran, his head felt like it was about to burst. From where they were, they would be the only ones that could make it to the kids in time. He scrambled up the paved roads, taking side alleys and shortcuts to try and save precious seconds. He slammed into a wall as he tried to take a corner too quickly. There was a soft jingle as he glanced back and saw his crown on the stones behind him. Without a second thought he continued sprinting.


    Soon he was at the rock walls that encircled the sides of the city, he and Cyrus climbed like madmen. As they pulled themselves up to the raised cliff, Wren saw the sky darken. The sending had begun.


    The stars and sun vanished, the air itself was sucked away; without light and sound, the world was thrown into complete darkness. Wren didn¡¯t stop, the Lifeweaver had designed his people for this. His eyes adjusted to see in pitch blackness, his body frantically shifted to backup organs to function without air. It was nothing short of a miracle of bio engineering. Ahead he could see Tayla sobbing as she pulled at her hair. As they neared the cliff Wren pulled out his bladed thresher whip from his belt, he began tying it around his waist, ignoring the serrated blades that sank into his flesh. The cliff was right before them, he tossed the other end without looking and leapt. Cyrus managed to grab the whip and wrapped the end around his arm as he braced himself.


    Wren flew down the cliff side, he saw Alnur and Lillian below him, Alnur looked to be barely holding on. Fel was further down still, they looked terrified, but at least they seemed to be holding on well for now. Just as he was nearing Alnur and Lillian, he kicked off the cliff and flipped to right himself. The force of such a maneuver should have left him shaken and disoriented, if not for the improved vestibular system the Lifeweaver had seen fit to give his people. He knew that he was nearing the end of the whip''s length so he braced his legs outwards. Even knowing it was about to happen didn¡¯t stop it from hurting any less, he jolted to a stop, the blades in his waist biting deep, causing him to scream a silent shriek. He had come to a halt just beside Alnur and Lillian. Both of them had streams of tears down their faces, relieved to see him.


    He quickly reached out and scooped both of them up in his arms. Taking a moment to kiss them on the foreheads as his own eyes welled with tears. A moment later two ropes fell down the cliffside. Glancing up Wren could see the pair of guards had caught up and were ready to lift the children. Wren gave his thanks to the gods that they had managed to find some rope for the kids. He quickly tied the ropes around the kids. He waved when he was done, the pair were slowly lifted up the cliff to safety. Now Wren just had to wait a moment, as soon as the pair were safe they could toss down the ropes again and he could get Fel.


    Looking down, Wren saw something horrific. The water beneath them had turned jet black. The Nightfather was collecting the dead; if they fell now, they would be destroyed and ferried to the Endless Ocean. He saw Fel looking up. Their eyes started to flutter rapidly as they went limp.


    Fel let go of the cliff and began to tumble to their death.


    Wren screamed, he held his dead hand on the whip and poured his emotions into it. The whip disintegrated in an instant as he kicked off the cliff to throw himself down towards Fel. He reached a hand out as he slowly gained on his child. The water below coming up to meet him at a breakneck speed. Fel was almost in reach, just a few inches were between them when Wren felt a sharp stabbing in his ankle, he came to an abrupt halt, slamming into the cliff with his chest. He looked up to see another thresher whip around his ankle, the blades biting deep enough they had almost severed his foot. Cyrus hung from one of the ropes, holding the other end of the whip.


    Frantically turning to look down, he saw Fel hit the water, engulfed by the void itself. He clutched at his hair as he beat his other hand against the rocks. Wren screamed in his mind for the Nightfather to show mercy. Beneath him, a sliver of light appeared. A pinprick of green light shone from beneath the blackness. The light grew until it was a small ring maybe ten feet in diameter, right where Fel had hit the water. The shallow sea was called such because it was only two or three feet in depth, yet Fel had been completely swallowed, perhaps there was a chance.


    There was no time to hesitate, Wren locked his free foot under a rock and pushed with all his strength. He felt the thresher whip sink deeper and deeper and in a moment it went slack as it had ripped completely through his ankle. He was in free fall again, nearly blacking out from the pain. His body quickly sensed the lack of pressure, seeing the gaping wound as a substantial threat considering he was essentially in a vacuum; it went to work to quickly seal the wound to prevent any further blood loss.


    Wren aimed for the ring of light with the last of his strength as he came crashing into the water below.


    A hand gently tapped Wren on the arm, waking him from his slumber. He shot up befuddled and groggy. The suddenness of his sitting up garnered a surprised gasp from the person next to him. He looked over to see his wide eyed woman. He knew that face.


    It was his wife, Gabriel.


    He had been laying down using her lap to rest his eyes and must have fallen asleep. ¡°I¡¯m sorry dear, I didn¡¯t expect to fall asleep.¡±


    Gabriel laid a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Did you have a nightmare? You were fidgeting in your sleep like a madman.¡± Wren took a moment to look around, he felt disoriented after his nightmare. He was sitting in the main plaza at the top of the city, the Keel loomed overhead, the dark purple spire of crystal that was his home. Gabriel was wearing one of her loose fitting night dresses. They had been on a walk and came out of the Keel to get some fresh air before bed.


    ¡°Yeah, I had this incredibly vivid dream. How long have I been sleeping? We need to get you inside, you must be freezing!¡± Wren said as he rambled.


    The light laugh that came from Gabriel filled Wren¡¯s chest with warmth. He loved her laugh. ¡°You were asleep for only a few minutes. Now, tell me about your dream!¡±


    He tried to recall his dream, but it seemed to slip away like sand through his fingers. ¡°I can¡¯t remember now, must not have been that memorable.¡± Laughing as he turned to stand. He put his feet down and froze, something about his foot seemed off.


    Arms wrapped around him, holding him in place as his wife leaned in to cuddle. ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Let¡¯s just stay here for a while.¡±


    ¡°That would be wonderful, but we have to put the triplets to bed.¡± Wren moved to break free from Gabriel¡¯s grip, but she didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Triplets? What are you talking about Wren? That dream must have really frazzled your head, we don¡¯t have kids!¡± She said with concern.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Wren snapped around. ¡°What?¡± He looked at his wife in confusion. ¡°Of course we have kids! Their names are-¡± His mind went blank. Panic gripped him, what was happening? Was he still confused from his dream? He needed to stand up and clear his head. He broke away from Gabriel despite her protests, standing on his left leg, he put his right foot out to step forward and his leg gave out as he shifted his weight on it. He fell to the ground, knocking the wind out from him. His right foot was numb, he must have slept with it in an odd position and it lost circulation.


    Gabriel stood up. ¡°Wren! Are you okay?¡±


    Rolling on his back Wren sat up and braced himself with his arms. He looked up at Gabriel, her night dress looked odd, the fabric around her waist was folded and bunched up. Something in the back of his head was itching. Like he was forgetting something important.


    Gabriel reached a hand down to help him up, he tried to grab it but stopped. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do that when you¡¯re pregnant dear-¡± He froze. He remembered where he saw that night dress, it was the one Gabriel wore when she was late in her pregnancy, she had complained that nothing fit anymore and resigned herself to wearing loose night dresses as they were the only thing that felt comfortable. Looking up slowly he felt tears welling up in his eyes. ¡°This isn¡¯t real is it?¡±


    ¡°What? What are you talking about dear? You¡¯re scaring me!¡±


    Wren forced himself to stand on one foot, he looked his wife in the eyes, reaching up a hand to her cheek. She was just as beautiful as the day he lost her. ¡°You died during childbirth Gaby. I held you in my arms as you breathed your last breath.¡± His voice trembled as he spoke, his face streaming with tears. His wife''s face contorted in fear and sorrow. Wren looked around, the plaza had never been this silent and still. The clouds in the sky were frozen in place, it was like time had forgotten to move. Maybe this was all in his mind, his brain frantically stitching together something to calm him as he was dying. Or perhaps this was the Endless sea, the resting place for his people, either way, he had to resist its call, Fel needed him.


    As Wren tried to pull away Gabriel cried out. ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me Wren, I¡¯ve been so alone! I waited so long to see you again!¡± She was hyperventilating, shaking violently. She leapt forward to wrap herself around Wren.


    ¡°I have to go, our children need me. I wish you could see them Gaby, they¡¯re all so wonderful.¡± Wren ran his hand through his wife¡¯s hair. He could smell salt water in it.


    Gabriel broke away slightly to look up at Wren. ¡°What are their names? Did you use the ones we talked about?¡± There was a hunger in her eyes, a need to know more.


    Wren took a deep breath, if this was a place made by his mind, perhaps he could use that to his advantage. Closing his eyes he brought back his most cherished memories; the triplets'' first steps, their first words, their smiling faces. As the memories came back, the plaza around him crumbled and broke into pieces, rearranging itself into the Keel¡¯s interior, the memories playing out in front of them. ¡°The eldest is our son Alnur, named after your father, like you wanted. Our daughter is Tayla, I wanted a name similar to Lylah¡¯s to honor her, and our third child is Fel. The name just kinda came to me.¡± The three stood in line, smiling towards their mother.


    ¡°They¡¯re perfect!¡± Gabriel said between joyful sobs. ¡°I wish I could be there with you all!¡±


    ¡°I know dear, I wish you were with us too, but I have to go back, they need me, Fel needs me!¡± It took all of his willpower to pull away from his wife. ¡°When my time comes, I will see you again my love, but for now, I need you to let me go.¡± His voice was shaking.


    The illusions of their children began to crumble, the world eroding into dust. Gabriel looked Wren in the eye. ¡°Take your time, I¡¯ll wait as long as I have to.¡± She broke away from their embrace, her figure slowly turning translucent. ¡°Tell them I love them!¡±


    Wren nodded as he turned away, the edge of the plaza had vanished, revealing an endless chasm. Holding out his dead hand he summoned the Nightfather¡¯s gift, his hand erupting in green flames. The ground swallowed him as he fell into the waiting abyss.


    Wren¡¯s eyes shot open, he found himself floating weightlessly in a dark ocean, surrounded by something that was at the same time both water and not water. His dead hand was attached to coral that was holding him to the seafloor. Thankfully he was still holding his breath; his record was forty minutes, but that wasn¡¯t while running around exerting himself. He had maybe a few minutes of air left until he passed out. He looked around the ocean-like floor for Fel. There to his left was the glowing light, he tried to make out the source but couldn¡¯t see it past the spires of coral. His vision adjusted a bit, he had to fight not to gasp at the sight.


    The ocean floor was covered in hundreds and hundreds of mounds of coral reaching up, each one was capped with a bloated corpse held in place by their dead hands fused to the spires. The bodies themselves seemed to be pulled upwards by some unseen force but were unable to escape from the coral prisons.


    Looking back at his own dead hand, the coral was rapidly trying to grow over it. Fear gripped him, he couldn¡¯t afford to be trapped like those other poor souls. He poured the gift into his hand, beams of green light emerged from the gaps in the coral as it quickly disintegrated around his hand, he pulled away quickly, swimming upwards away from the sea floor.


    Turning quickly Wren swam with all his might towards the green light further ahead. He had never been allowed in the ocean, but strangely enough it felt perfectly natural to swim, it came to him effortlessly. He made his way through the spires of coral, taking care not to touch them lest he get trapped again. Rounding a spire he finally could see the source of the light, it was Fel. They hung there in a ball of light, every inch of their body was covered in blackened clawed hands, holding them in place. The twisted hands stretched from the very seafloor itself, slowly pulling Fel down towards the hungry coral below.


    Wren surged forward, closing the gap as fast as he could, the light was warm on his skin, soon that warmth was replaced by a wildfire that threatened to burn him to a crisp. He willed himself forward as he finally reached his child; frantically he started ripping at the claws that held Fel with all of his fury. For every one he removed another two came to take its place. He wrapped his hand in flames, burning through swathes of the nightmarish hands with every wave. It still wasn¡¯t enough. His skin began to blister and boil. His lungs were starting to reach their limits.


    Inside the cocoon of light Fel was undergoing rapid changes. They seemed to be growing taller, skin rippled like liquid as the muscles underneath rapidly tore and healed at such a rate that within seconds they went from frail and thin to toned and defined. Bones snapped and broke as they shifted size and density. Fel¡¯s long black hair was slowly glowing and changing to strands of pure white. In their chest was a ball of fire that seemed to be raging uncontrollably.


    Screaming in his mind, Wren opened the link. His sister was long dead and couldn¡¯t respond, but he prayed that something, anything, would hear his cries for help and save his child. Nightfather! All Mother! Anyone! Please, save my child!


    Somewhere off in the murky darkness, something heard his cry. The sound of crashing stone and scrapping coral caused him to turn and look. There, just at the edge of the light''s reach was a monstrous shape, a thing with countless mouths, jagged gnarled teeth, with tendrils of darkness that crept and crawled out towards Wren.


    Wren quickly moved between the beast and Fel. He couldn¡¯t hope to stop such a voidborn, but he would die before he let it hurt his child. The thing for its part came to a stop, eyes of starlight burst to life from its body. The thousand mouths sang in unison, forcing their voices into Wren¡¯s mind through the open link. The voices were gibberish, the tongue of dying stars, already ancient before the first living being crawled from the primordial ooze. Wren¡¯s brain fought back, trying not to bleed itself to death. It was useless, before such a being he was as insignificant as an insect.


    His death was assured.


    There was a shifting from within the cocoon, a glowing hand stretched out towards the voidspawn. A phrase was spoken in the inhuman tongue, this time from within the light. A shockwave ripped through the water as a spear of pure light pierced through the body of the monster, freezing it in place as a second wave of energy poured out. The ancient evil shook as every atom of its being was ripped to pieces, a million trillion explosions rang through it as it was reduced to oblivion.


    Shaking violently, Wren tried to steady himself as he turned to look at the light. Fel was still engulfed in the clawed hands, but between them he could see their eyes burned with anger and a steel that he had never seen in them before. Their eyes turned to meet his, and took on a look of sadness.


    He understood that look all too well; as a triplet, Fel was seen as an ill omen to their people. Many thought that Gaby¡¯s death was because of them. Fel was always worried that Wren resented them, seeing them as the thing that had taken away his love. Wren saw that look in their eyes, Fel was afraid he would fear them.


    Wren reached up and held Fel¡¯s blazing hand with his living one. His skin burned and seared, but he still held on, not breaking eye contact. He mouthed the words. I will always love you.


    Fel¡¯s face was one of anguish and relief. They mouthed back. Help me dad.


    The clawed hands had almost dragged them down to the seafloor. The coral was growing rapidly to embrace Fel. Wren didn¡¯t have time to think, he swam underneath Fel, putting himself between Fel and the sinister coral tomb awaiting them. He braced his legs as he fought to halt the claws from pulling his child any further.


    It was futile. Wren¡¯s legs began to buckle, his lungs burned from overexerting himself, his ankle was bleeding again, the temporary seal broken, his skin was burnt and blistered. He fell to his knees, the coral biting into his legs. He gritted his teeth.


    This was how he died.


    The claws and coral were blown away, reduced to dust in an instant. Wren looked up and saw a wall of blackness slowly moving towards them, as it moved it swallowed the light from the cocoon. Seeing this as his only chance, he wasted no time, he shifted to grab Fel; who were still in the throes of whatever transformation was happening and couldn¡¯t move. He grabbed them with his dead hand and started to swim up towards the surface with all the speed he could muster.


    Some part of him knew he should have already been dead, but perhaps there was something about this place that was keeping him going. As he swam, he could feel the darkness creeping in, this had to be the work of another voidspawn, he didn¡¯t feel like waiting around to see if his hunch was correct.


    A few painful moments later, they were almost to the water''s surface, he only had a couple more feet to go; he risked looking over his shoulder and immediately regretted it. Before him was oblivion itself, a wall of nothingness aside from a single shape at the ocean floor, a hunched figure with a bone white mask staring up at him. He froze at the sight, primordial fear gripping him. Just a scant few inches away from his hand was salvation. The masked thing looked up slowly, the weight of its mere existence suffocating. Yet it didn¡¯t move, it merely stood there, staring, waiting.


    The moment finally broke as Wren felt arms grabbing him from behind, pulling the pair up from the depths. As soon as he surfaced, some part of him finally had enough, his mind went blank as he passed out, finally succumbing to his injuries.


    The first thing that he felt when Wren awoke was that everything hurt. Every inch of his body screamed in protest at the abuse he had put it through, even parts he didn¡¯t know could hurt were in pain. The second thing he felt was the cold ground he was laying on. Around him were muffled voices yelling and arguing. He fought to open his eyes, only one responded to his request as he swept his blurred vision over the smudges that were crowding around him.


    There was Cyrus, barking about getting him medical attention. Alnur, Tayla, and Lillian were all crying around him; he fought to turn his head slightly. Thank the gods; there beside him was Fel. They looked nothing like they did when they had fallen in the water, but so long as they were okay, it didn¡¯t matter. Knowing that they were all okay, he could finally close his eyes and rest.


    ¡ô¡ô¡ô


    It opened its eyes. The transfer had been a mess, but at least they were in one piece. It slowly sat up taking in the scene around it. On the ground, bleeding and barely hanging on was this body''s father. The sight of him laying there caused its heart to ache, the body was still reacting on its own for the time being. Still, they owed the man for saving this life, it would be a shame if he ended up dying before they could repay him. Slowly turning it saw this body¡¯s siblings, they were huddled and crying. They looked up, it was time for the usual fear and resentment on their faces. To its surprise there was none, they lunged forwards and pulled it to the ground in an embrace.


    Between the sobs they were muttering about how scared they were of losing this body. How glad they were that it had survived. The body responded with tears of its own. That was going to take some getting used to; actual caring family members.


    How rare.


    It thought it should probably respond before they got suspicious. What were their names again?


    Slowly moving its jaw to get used to it, it spoke. ¡°I¡¯m okay, really. Alnur, Tayla get up, we have to get father help!¡±


    Alnur looked up, frowning as he quickly shook his head. Its second sight saw the child''s doubt, but it had only been for a moment. The poor boy must be rattled. It thought. The siblings got up and started to watch over their father as aid finally arrived.


    It looked down at its new hands. With a deep breath, it forced its mind to shift, completing the transfer process.


    Fel opened their eyes.

 Intermission 1B

    There was unease in the air as the contingent of guards made their way towards the guest wing of the Keel. Admiral Broadsen wasn¡¯t taking any chances with whatever monster he was dealing with, it pained him to do so but he had also brought half a dozen hybrids with him. They were always a volatile bunch but blind love for their king had kept them in check, now that he had been sent off to the capital, the hybrids were getting restless. Part of him had hoped to enlist Phi, the zealot was a bit on the preachy side, but overall he was good at controlling his inner demons.


    Shame the man had disappeared from the medical wing.


    They arrived at the door, the guards assembling on either side of it as they readied their weapons. Broadsen commanded the door to open, it argued for a moment about privacy before he gave the necessary commands to override the privacy settings. The door slid open begrudgingly, revealing the lone object of note in the room; a coffin.


    The now deceased diplomat of the Wrymblood¡¯s had brought this large box with him as his ¡®protection¡¯. A lot of good that did him. If the man¡¯s words were to be believed, there was an extremely dangerous hybrid inside; kept asleep for its own and everyone else''s safety. The other members of the Cabal had refused to take the coffin back with them to the Flotilla, stating that should the inhabitant wake up in transit there would be little they could do to stop its rampage without its brother.


    That left the Coast in an awkward position. They couldn¡¯t leave it alone, there was no telling when it would awaken. The thought had occurred to Broadsen to simply throw the coffin into the ocean, but aside from the moral reasons, he feared that whatever was inside would be only mildly annoyed at such an effort. No, this was the best solution he had come to. There was no telling how much longer the hybrid inside would sleep without Vauhn to watch over it, so it was best to rip the bandage off, get it over with while it was on their terms.


    Broadsen stepped into the small room, he gestured to the hybrids that were under his command. Without a word the six monstrous individuals made their way in, encircling the coffin as they readied themselves for whatever was inside. With a deep breath Broadsen reached down towards the chains and clasps that held the box shut. His dead hand glowed as he rapidly oxidized the steel chains, rust quickly spreading and eating at the metal until it crumbled to dust. He readied his hands to open the coffin, looking one last time in the eyes of the assembled hybrids, each of whom nodded slightly.


    Pulling aside the lid with a jolt, Broadsen prepared himself for whatever horror was awaiting him. The lid crashed to the metal floor. He readied his sidearm, but came to a halt midway as he looked inside the box. The coffin was filled to the brim with obscene machinery that looked more organic than artificial, various runes and sigils lined every inch of the box''s interior, the inside was filled with a milky liquid that reeked of decay. There, in the middle of the mass of wires and tubes and undulating plastics, was a horned man, at least, Broadsen thought it was a man. Everything but its face was covered in the viscous liquid, its mouth and nose obscured by tubes and wires.


    The hybrids looked towards Broadsen with uncertainty. He wasn¡¯t much better, his mouth hung open in shock at the nightmarish contents of the coffin. Before he could speak, the eyes of the man in the box shot open. They darted back and forth rapidly, he seemed to be trying to move his head but there was a clamp in the back of his skull holding him in place. The man met Broadsen¡¯s eyes and he could see the absolute terror in them. The pleading for help. Some machine inside the coffin seemed to sense that its victim was awake, there was a monotone voice that emitted from the nest of machinery. ¡°CARDIAC ARREST DETECTED, STABILIZING.¡± The viscous liquid was just clear enough to see small insect-like arms unfold from the depths of the coffin, each arm had a different unsettling attachment. It wasted no time cutting open the man¡¯s chest, blood quickly mixing into the murky waters as it a series of drills and blades got to work making a hole in the poor man¡¯s rib cage.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    A moment later the man¡¯s heart was floating in front of his own chest, the small arms of the coffin began to massage the heart back into rhythm as the arms injected various chemicals into the man. As the heart seemed to return to a normal beat, the coffin quickly returned it to the waiting chest cavity, there was a flurry of activity from the insectoid limbs as they made short work of repairing man¡¯s chest, they were so precise that despite knowing where they had operated, Broadsen couldn¡¯t see any signs of the procedure.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Broadsen shouted. He turned back to the waiting guards. ¡°We need a medical team. Send for Abigail and Master Bran as well!¡± He turned back to the coffin.


    What the fuck was going on.


    It had taken Abigail an hour to be sure that the arcane markings on the box weren¡¯t some kind of trap, and another two grueling hours for Bran and his engineers to try and make sense of how best to release the boxes captive. Mercifully the doctors were there to monitor the man and make sure the coffin didn¡¯t need to resuscitate him again. Broadsen was right that the poor soul had been a man, and judging by the horns, slit eyes, and the slight scales on the man''s body, he was a Wyrmblood. There was something familiar about that man, though he couldn¡¯t seem to place why.


    They had the man on a gurney as they double checked to ensure that removing him wouldn¡¯t trigger any other surprises from the hellbox.


    Broadsen was in the middle of speaking to his captains when he heard the man begin to stir. The doctors were quick to ready some more sedatives, there was no telling how the man would react after being trapped in that, ¡®thing¡¯. The man opened his eyes, looking around the room in confusion. When he spoke his voice was raspy and quiet. ¡°Where am I?¡±


    Moving to his side, Broadsen spoke gently. ¡°You are safe, you are in the capital of the Black Coast. Can you tell us your name?¡±


    Blinking for a moment, the man responded. ¡°The Coast? Yes, that¡¯s right, I was supposed to be sent there as a representative of the Cabal. But, but, I was attacked by something.¡± The panic was starting to creep back into his voice, the doctors primed to step in.


    Raising a hand for the doctors to wait, Broadsen pushed again. ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°My name, my name is Vauhn Brimrock.¡± The man was starting to hyperventilate, he sobbed gently as he began to thrash around. ¡°I remember answering the door on the eve of the trip, I saw it! The thing turned to me, it was wearing my own face! It smiled with my own smile!¡± Vauhn began to scream, a blood curdling, primal scream from the depths of his soul. The doctors cursed as they sedated Vauhn and tried to hold him down while he howled in anguish.


    Broadsen turned away, walking back into the corridor. There was something foul about this whole situation, how had a Faceless made its way through all of their security? How had the Ono, their archenemy, not realized that there was such a creature right next to them? Why bring a coffin with the person you are impersonating with you across the continent?


    Rubbing his forehead, Broadsen sighed. Troubling times were on the horizon, it felt like the whole world stood united against the Black Coast.

 Chapter 14

    The office was silent this time of night, aside from the incessant ticking of the wall clock. Fourteen months, that¡¯s how long it had been since Grisha had first filed the necessary paperwork to requisition a new clock for her office. They had informed her it would take two to six weeks for a quieter replacement; she was sure it would arrive any day now. That¡¯s what happens when you''re stationed in one of the further outposts from the capital, the city of Cainport wasn¡¯t exactly a top priority for the Court. She had tried to hide the thing in her desk once, but had been reprimanded for mishandling the Court¡¯s property. So there it hung, her arch nemesis; the worst part was it was a minute slow, the least it could do was tell the correct time.


    With a sigh Grisha leaned back in her chair, she knew that when she started fighting inanimate objects it was time for her to take a break. She stood up and hobbled on pins and needles as she walked her stiff legs to the window. Opening it she leaned out to get some much needed fresh air. These overtime shifts would be her death, though she was thankfully almost done with tonight''s work. Then she could try and run home and get a couple hours of sleep before Ida and the baby woke up. Lately she had been working so much that it felt like she never got to see her family, thankfully her wife understood why she had to work so much.


    Opening her eyes and looking up at the sky Grisha was filled with dread, the clouds were starting to shift to a dark blue. She ran to her desk and threw open her drawer, fumbling to check her pocket watch. The small silver watch told her a depressing truth, it was almost six in the morning. She looked up at the devil machine; it read two-forty.


    One minute slow my ass!


    Ida would be waking up soon, alone again. Grisha stormed over to the infernal source of her marital problems and ripped it off the wall. She hurried to the window and made ready to hurl the blasted thing into the ocean below, she knew that if she did, she would be written up for sure.


    As usual, bureaucracy won out. Grisha shuffled back to put the clock on the wall.


    The door burst open causing Grisha to squeal as she dropped her enemy to the stone floor, there was a moment of relief as the clock exploded into a thousand pieces. The moment was short lived as the person who had come into her office was her boss¡¯s boss. She quickly snapped a salute as she panicked inside, she was thankfully still in her full dress uniform, but she normally kept her excessively dark curly hair under her cap, which was hanging next to the door.


    The woman before her was the overseer of this whole city''s trade, which put her somewhere in the fifth circle of the Court¡¯s hierarchy, though Grisha couldn¡¯t remember the exact name of her title. The woman was a Tideborn like Grisha, she was also forty years her senior, her face was sharp and angular, her body rail thin, her hair kept in a perfect bun. A single look from her cold eyes could have a lesser official shaking in their boots.


    Grisha was shaking in her boots. ¡°Madam Harris, I was just finishing some paperwork!¡±


    Madam Harris looked down at the broken clock with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Grisha Salt, I need to have a word with you.¡± The woman spoke in her usual tense tone as she walked towards the office window. Grisha awkwardly dropped her salute as she followed the older woman. Harris was looking at the docks below with a calculating gaze. ¡°How is your faith Salt?¡±


    Blinking as she collected herself, Grisha responded. ¡°My faith? I mean, I would say I am as religious as most in the Empire.¡± She spoke quickly, wincing at her lack of conviction as she spoke.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I find that anyone who is too god fearing is blind, and those without faith are lost. A healthy balance goes a long way Salt. Look down there, the pair walking the pier. What do you see?¡± Harris said as she gestured with her chin in the direction she was staring.


    Following her eyes down, Grisha scanned the pier, this early in the morning there were seldom out, aside from fishermen. The only two that looked out of place were a man and woman, both of whom were pale to the point of looking sickly, black shaggy hair falling across their identical faces, each wore a glove on one of their hands up to their elbows. ¡°Twins. A rare sight indeed this far from the Black Coast. We are pretty much on the opposite side of the Empire from their home.¡±


    Harris scowled as she turned to meet Grisha¡¯s eyes. ¡°I see fanatics that border on heresy. Servants of the Old Gods. Betrayers of our beloved Mother. And perhaps, agents of some darker agenda.¡± Grisha held her tongue, it was a pretty common outlook among her people in regards to the Twins, normally folks at least had the sense to keep such rhetoric to themselves.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, what does this have to do with wanting to talk to me?¡± Grisha tried her best to not sound confrontational.


    ¡°There is news from the other side of the Empire, some sort of ritual took place that almost killed over a dozen of our diplomats. They are assembling a survey team to inquire as to what happened and track down those that are responsible. They will be heading to the Black Coast in person to carry out the investigation.¡± Madam Harris spoke calmly, which was a stark contrast to the weight of what she described.


    Grisha held a hand over her mouth. ¡°By the All Mother, this is horrible! But, Ma¡¯am, why did you want to speak to me?¡± No matter how she thought over what she just heard, she couldn¡¯t figure out how she played into it at all.


    Unless¡­


    Dread started to sink in as she had a thought.


    Harris sighed. ¡°The Holy Order of Infrastructure and Taxation has been requested to send a representative to assist the survey team. Our office was randomly selected from a list of possible candidates for this opportunity. Normally I would personally oversee this, but I can¡¯t due to health concerns. Plus,¡± For the first time the woman¡¯s tone softened. ¡°I know that you have a child at home-¡±


    ¡°Then you know that I have to refuse this!¡± Grisha said, her voice turning hard. ¡°I won¡¯t leave my wife alone to raise my child!¡±


    The steel in Grisha¡¯s voice seemed to put Harris off balance, her mouth hung open for a moment before she resumed her scowl. ¡°Now listen! Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t seen how much overtime you have worked! You and your wife must have taken out every loan you could get your hands on to pay to have a genetic child between the two of you. The cost for a Genesmith¡¯s services is astronomical!¡± Grisha grit her teeth. Harris was right about that part. Unless you wanted to use a surrogate, or a sperm donor, the only true way for two people of the same sex to have a pure genetic offspring was to pay one of the mythical Genesmith¡¯s to work their ancient magic.


    It had taken Grisha and her wife almost ten years to save enough money for the operation, not to mention the mountain of paperwork involved. If they were lucky, they would pay off the loans before they both passed away from old age.


    ¡°What¡¯s my financial situation have anything to do with this? So I get some travel pay? Maybe a food allowance? That hardly seems like it will make a dent.¡± Grisha was already doing the mental math, her mind summoning an abacus to crunch the numbers; it would only save them a couple months of payments. Compared to missing her child''s first steps, it wasn¡¯t worth it in the slightest.


    Harris grabbed her arm as she leaned in to whisper, her eyes darting back and forth. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, part of the assignment is that if you can uncover the evidence they need to finally bring the Coast to justice, you will be paid a hundred times your yearly salary!¡±


    Grisha felt the abacus in her mind stop dead in its tracks. ¡°What?¡± She said, her eyes floating off as she let the situation settle in. ¡°But, wait, what if I don¡¯t find anything? What if someone else on the team does?¡± She was worried, her mind was now shifting to how best to convince Ida that this might not be a bad idea.


    Flashing a sneer, Harris continued on. ¡°That¡¯s the best part, so long as the team as a whole succeeds, you all walk away rich.¡± Her smile fell. ¡°If none of you can find the smoking bullet, well, you¡¯ll still be paid overtime.¡±


    ¡°When would I need to decide? When would I leave?¡±


    Casting her eyes on the broken clock on the ground. Harris spoke gruffly. ¡°Right now. And you would leave in about two hours.¡±


    Grisha went pale. Walking over to her desk she fell into her chair as she stared blankly. This was the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance at a promotion, paying off her family''s debts all at once, ensuring that her daughter would grow up without the fears of money. It was both the simplest choice she ever had to make, and the hardest. ¡°I¡¯ll do it, but I have one more condition.¡±


    Harris blinked. ¡°Name it.¡±


    ¡°I need a new clock.¡±


    ¡ô¡ô¡ô


    Grisha stood in front of her home, her hand was raised to open the door but she was frozen in place. Fear gripped her heart. She had taken the offer for her family, but now came the hard part, convincing her wife to let her go without ending up without a home to return to. Taking a deep breath she went to reach for the knob when the door flew open.


    Ida was standing in the doorway, a housecoat loosely hung around her slim figure. She was around Grisha¡¯s height, with long red hair and a face that was always in a perpetual frown despite her usually cheerful deposition. For a moment Grisha just stared at her, she was beautiful as always.


    ¡°Another late night babe? I saw you hovering, I take it the paperwork didn¡¯t go well?¡± Ida said while gently pulling Grisha into their house and into a hug. ¡°Let¡¯s get you into bed, I¡¯ll see to Izzy while you get some rest.¡± Ida gave her a quick kiss and began to help Grisha out of her jacket.


    Grisha stepped away for a moment, putting up her hands. ¡°Wait, Ida there¡¯s something we have to talk about. I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have a lot of time.¡± She spoke quickly, fumbling over her words.


    ¡°What happened? Is something wrong?¡± Ida said as she grabbed Grisha¡¯s hands and pulled them together.


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    ¡°I have been given a new assignment, one that if it goes well, will pay us enough to wipe out all of our debts. Hells, we will have enough left over after to still buy a new house! Think about it, no more renting from other¡¯s!¡± Grisha¡¯s voice was frantic, the lack of sleep and abundant stress weren¡¯t helping sell her case.


    Ida pulled back. ¡°What? What kind of assignment? Grish, you have that look on your face when you don¡¯t wanna tell me something!¡±


    ¡°Uh, well. Oh god¡¯s, the assignment is to go to the Black Coast and investigate them for carrying out a possible ritual that almost took the lives of a bunch of diplomats and if I find evidence then I get paid a hundred years worth of salary¡­ Also I said yes, and I have to be at the dock in an hour and a half to take off.¡± She began hyperventilating between words. ¡°And, and, I¡¯m just really scared that you¡¯ll-¡± She was cut off by Ida wrapping her arms around her.


    ¡°Just breathe babe, I understand.¡± Ida said gently.


    Grisha was shaking uncontrollably. ¡°I thought you would be furious!¡±


    Ida held her tightly while whispering in her ear. ¡°Oh, I am incredibly upset. I carried our child for nine grueling months, went through the wonders of childbirth, and now you are leaving for an unspecified amount of time while our daughter is in one of the most important parts of her life.¡± Her voice was warm as honey as she spoke. Grisha tried to break away and apologize but Ida was stronger than she looked and kept a hold of her. ¡°But, I know you, you probably stood your ground and that bitch Harris told you how much you needed to take this job. When I see her at the market I¡¯m gonna give her a piece of my mind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Ida, I just, I don¡¯t wanna miss Izzy growing up later in life because I have to work till six in the fucking morning everyday! I promise I will make it up to you somehow!¡± Grisha felt her eyes starting to well up.


    Breaking away Ida gave her a long kiss before she stepped back. ¡°I¡¯ll grab your bags and start to pack. You go and explain this to Izzy.¡± It was obvious that Ida was putting on a strong face, she would have to somehow manage raising a child on her own while still working her own job at the local pub. Grisha made her way through the small house to the nursery.


    She crept into her daughter¡¯s room quietly. She made her way to the crib, looking down at Izzy¡¯s sleeping face. She loved looking at Izzy, she was perfect in every way. The Genesmith had done amazing work, ensuring that her daughter would have no health defects, no long term conditions, they even took precautions against health risks that could arise in old age. More than anything, it was just a miracle to see a child that was a mixture of her and Ida. Izzy was a Tideborn like Grisha, but with red hair like her other mother, which was definitely not a normal color for the All Mother¡¯s children. Ida wasn¡¯t a descendant of either the Celestials or the Cabal, she was a pure human of the old world.


    While the children of gods and demons had to be wary of interbreeding, there was no such concern with mating with pure human¡¯s. The Lifeweaver had actually planned for it. Apparently the original idea was to find a suitable planet, seed it with one of his variant races, and then slowly have the new planet¡¯s population breed with the pure human stock. Eventually the result would be a new generation of humans that could survive on the new home world without concern of less than hospitable conditions.


    Izzy began to stir, she looked up with her bright blue eyes; the same eyes that Grisha had. Scooping the bundle of joy into her arms Grisha began to whisper. ¡°Good morning bright eyes, mommy has terrible news, I have to go on a long trip. I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can, and when I get home, I will make sure to never leave your side again until you''re an adult!¡± She kissed Izzy on the forehead. ¡°My little Izabella, I love you soooo much!¡± Izzy¡¯s eyes fluttered as they fell back to sleep.


    It was hard to put Izzy back down in her crib, Grisha was filled with the urge to run back into the office and refuse this insane assignment, but she had to do this, this was the best way to provide for her family. She wiped tears from her eyes as she closed the door on the nursery.


    There was the sound of running water from the bathroom. Ida must have known that Grisha didn¡¯t have enough time for an actual bath, so she would have to do the next best thing. She walked into the tiny bathroom, the ¡®tub¡¯ was a barrel that came up to her knees. With a sigh she reached over and turned off the running water. At least it was warm water today. Lastly she reached over and put a few drops of soup into the water.


    Grisha closed her eyes as she reached out to her power. She issued a series of commands. Break down. Move into vessel. Rotate for ten seconds while expelling dirt and grime. Return to first location. Reform. There was a splash as her body and clothing transformed into a torrent of water and fell to the ground. The water moved as commanded, first entering the barrel before it started to spin into a whirlpool for ten seconds as the water in the barrel turned muddied, finally the water returned to where it started and Grisha emerged from the pool of liquid.


    As she opened her eyes again she began to shiver. Warm water just doesn¡¯t cut it. She tapped into her gift to expunge the moisture from her clothing with a thought. Technically, she was now clean. Though to be honest it felt gross, your body wasn¡¯t dirty, but you also didn¡¯t actually wash the dirt off, it just didn¡¯t reform in the process. Grisha walked out of the bathroom and found the woodstove now bellowing much needed warmth.


    Ida was the kind of person that was always thinking ahead how best to help others. Grisha beamed with pride at her amazing wife as she entered their cramped bedroom. Ida had already finished packing most of Grisha¡¯s clothing and travel needs.


    It dawned on Grisha, her wife was doing that thing again. As she walked out in the kitchen again she found Ida already cooking breakfast.


    She hurried over and wrapped her arms around Ida from behind. ¡°You¡¯re doing that thing you do.¡±


    There was a heavy sigh as Ida continued on with breakfast. ¡°What ¡®thing¡¯?¡±


    ¡°The thing where you keep working and working instead of taking a moment to actually talk about how you¡¯re feeling.¡±


    Ida dropped the spatula she had in her hand. ¡°I¡¯m just scared. I don¡¯t know if I can do this on my own babe!¡±


    Grisha grew quiet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m not angry at you, I just hate this situation. I wish we could come with you.¡± Ida said as she started shaking slightly.


    ¡°If only you cou-¡± There was a knock at the door that caused Grisha to jump slightly. ¡°Who is that?¡± She walked over to the window to see if she could get a look. When that failed she made for the door and opened it a crack. Standing in front of her was a woman dressed in various furs and leathers that stood whole head taller than her. The woman was covered in faded scars and had a massive hammer on her back, her pupils were slits. Her long gray and golden hair was tied in an elaborate braid. Grisha couldn¡¯t tell if she was young or old, she seemed to have a timeless face. One thing Grisha knew for sure, the woman before her was an Ono.


    ¡°Grisha Salt? I am Losol of the third fang, I am here to escort you to our waiting ship.¡± Losol said with a slightly broken accent, though they seemed to take great care to enunciate every syllable carefully.


    Ida walked towards the door with her hands holding her housecoat closed. ¡°I thought you still had a little time till the ship arrived?¡±


    Grisha turned to her wife and shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s what Harris told me.¡± She turned to Losol. ¡°I am sorry, I am still saying my goodbyes, I thought I had more time.¡± She tried her best not to let her voice shake too much in the face of such an imposing warrior.


    Raising an eyebrow Losol said. ¡°My apologies to you and your family. We managed to make better time than we first projected, but we must leave immediately. Please say your farewells and grab your things.¡±


    Cursing softly under her breath Grisha turned and embraced Ida. ¡°I will contact you as often as I can. I love you.¡±


    Her voice shaking, Ida responded. ¡°I love you too, don¡¯t make me wait too long now.¡± They kissed before they broke away, Grisha grabbed her bag and looked into Izzy¡¯s room one last time.


    Losol began to walk away from the open door without a word. Grisha hurried to catch up and match their long stride.


    ¡°I can see that you would prefer to stay.¡± The Ono spoke as they made their way down the roughly paved street. ¡°You are doing the Empire a great service, you came highly recommended for your analytical work.¡±


    Grisha was about to respond as they walked into the main street, looking towards the docks she stopped in her tracks at the sight of a white dwarf class cruiser floating in the air above the harbour. She had never seen such a beautiful craft before, the outer plating was all white, the metal treated to appear as marble. The trim work looked to be made from real gold. The whole ship was probably close to a hundred feet from end to end. It appeared to be shaped like a spear head.


    It took a moment to realize that Losol had continued walking while Grisha had stood there mesmerized, she swore as she hurried to catch up. There was a growing group of citizens that were amassing to stare at the cruiser. This far out on the fringes of the western coast it was rare to see such a sight. Many of the people in this city had never seen an airship in their lives.


    Cainport was technically a neutral city, the imperial office that Grisha worked at was a service that the town paid for to have the Empire¡¯s accountants and bookkeepers help them run their day to day trade. In return the Court was able to gather information from across the continent with ease. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement that many neutral cities used, some even eventually pledged themselves to the Empire after a time, well others simply enjoyed having someone else to review their paperwork.


    Reaching a hand up to her cheek Grisha pinched herself. She was doing that thing where she let her mind wander when she was overstressed. While the city and the Empire as a whole were fascinating subjects, her focus should be on how the hells they were going to get on a ship that large. They made their way through the crowd till they were on a pier directly below the floating vessel. A spherical pod emerged from a hidden panel in the ship''s hull, the sphere floated down until it came to rest in front of them. The sphere unfolded like a flower, the petals forming a staircase, the interior was open, revealing a pair of seats facing each other.


    Losol gestured for Grisha to enter. She did so, though she did carefully test the floating staircase to ensure it wouldn¡¯t fall away first. Losol entered the pod behind her and sat in the opposite seat. A moment later the petals closed around them as the pod propelled itself into the sky. The pod shook slightly as it docked back into its home. The door opened to reveal a shining interior.


    Once again Losol waved Grisha ahead, there was a slight smile on the Ono¡¯s face, she seemed to be enjoying Grisha¡¯s awestruck wonder. If the exterior of the craft had been a miracle of engineering, then the interior was a masterpiece of art. Every single inch was etched or embossed with iconography or holy scripture. Grisha felt a warmth in her chest, if this ship was a monument to the Celestials, then it had succeeded in every way imaginable.


    A hand fell on her shoulder as Losol pulled her back to reality. ¡°Come, you look tired child. I¡¯ll show you to your room, you should get some sleep while you can. We still have a couple stops before we head to Navalia. The ship tour can wait for now.¡±


    ¡°Right, I never did go to bed last night.¡± Grisha said aloud as she was led down a glimmering hallway. Eventually they came to a series of cabins, each had a sliding door that was closed. Placing her hand on the terminal the door slid open to reveal a small room. On one side of the room was a desk with a bunk above it, and the other side had a toilet and shower. All in all it had everything that Grisha could ask for in a room.


    ¡°Now, get some rest Salt, we will need you at your best when we arrive.¡± Losol said as they turned to leave.


    Grisha made her way inside, putting her bag in a closet beside the door. She didn¡¯t feel like fumbling with her uniform so she quickly shifted into her liquid state and then back to her physical form, making sure to not include her uniform in her transformation. It fell to the ground in a pile as she was now just in her underwear. She crawled into the bunk, ready for some much needed sleep.


    As she laid there, her mind went to Ida and Izzy. She had never been away from them before. It was going to be tough, but she knew that this was for them. If it meant she could help her family, she would gladly go halfway across the globe to do so. It was just a shame it meant having to go up against a possible cult of heretics that were trying to serve an eldritch god that had been around since before the stars had even been born.


    Best not to think about that part.


    A wave of sleep hit her like a brick to the head, she rolled over as her vision blurred, the last thing she saw before passing out was a digital wall clock.


    Gods, that would be perfect for my office.

 Chapter 15

    The morning sun was starting to creep over the horizon, as the sky began to lighten through the clouds. The trio had managed to make amazing time, they had already made it to the other side of the massive lake that acted as the final barrier for the Coast and were deep in the surrounding woods. Thoren¡¯s eyes fought to stay open, they had been riding hard for the whole night without rest. That, coupled with the fact that he had had to use chantless miracles twice in as many days meant that he was on the verge of collapsing. Even the summoned steed he rode on was starting to fade, it wouldn¡¯t be long until he fell out of the saddle.


    Even as the thought crossed his mind he slumped forwards and started to fall off his mount. A scaled hand caught him and propped him back in place. The monstrosity in the garb of a holy man turned its unblinking bloodshot eyes to regard him. ¡°Holy brother, you are unwell. You need rest. If you would like, I could take the reins of your steed for a bit while you close your eyes.¡± The gentle voice that came from the thing was off putting, it almost tricked you into thinking they were a normal man, if the voice didn¡¯t originate from the things gills.


    Thoren sat up and shook the hybrid''s hand off. ¡°I will make due; and do not call me your ¡®brother¡¯, you dirty the word when you speak it.¡± He said coldly.


    Phi cocked his head. ¡°My apologies oh great one. I would never consider myself your equal, I misspoke. I am well aware that in the eyes of the All Mother I am a blight upon her splendid children. Perhaps this pilgrimage will finally afford me the opportunity to give my life in her service!¡± As he spoke about casually dying in service to a god that didn¡¯t care about him he sounded almost excited.


    Thoren opened his mouth to ask him further but was interrupted by the leader of their little ¡®pilgrimage¡¯. Fel had been running at their inhuman pace for the whole night without pause, now they were finally slowing, holding their fist up to signal the other two to come to a stop. Thoren and Phi came to a halt just before them. Fel looked back at them, a smirk on their face. ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t think you two would last, well, congrats. We will stop here for a few hours to get some rest, when we continue we will be doing so on foot. No more horses.¡±


    Relief washed over Thoren as he dismounted, his body was stiff and sore as he tried to stretch out his numb limbs. He placed a hand on the head of the summoned steed, thanking it for its service as he dismissed it. Glancing over he saw Phi¡¯s steed collapse to the ground. The poor thing had been pushed past its limits by the hybrid¡¯s taboo magicks. Its eyes were rolled back in its head, foam spilling from its mouth. Phi for his part seemed genuinely remorseful for the beast, placing his clawed hand on the horse''s head.


    ¡°Rest now. Be at peace.¡± Phi spoke softly as he pulled a dagger from his waist, as he held the blade above the horse''s chest he hesitated for a moment before plunging the dagger into the beast''s heart. The frantic panting of the horse finally came to a rest. Phi lowered his head to touch the horse¡¯s.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± As he stood he raised a hand over the horse, his head turned towards Thoren. ¡°You may wish to avoid your eyes. This can be a bit unseemly.¡±


    When a six and a half foot tall fish man that survives on blood tells you something will be hard to watch, it would be wise to take his word. Thoren turned his back to prepare a place to get some much needed rest. Ignoring the sounds of flesh warping and tearing. Curiosity got the better of him as he snuck a quick glance.


    The horse was floating in the air, all of its blood draining into Phi¡¯s waiting maw, the different layers of muscle and bone began to break apart in segments. The skin peeled back in long strips, tendons unwound and grew loose, steam rose as the heat from within the beast was released into the crisp morning air. The scene was horrific and mesmerizing, the horse was being ripped into cross sections of different materials with ease.


    Thoren snapped his head forward. If he watched any longer he might have to swear off meat for the rest of his life.


    He put down his cloak as a blanket, it would be uncomfortable but hopefully with how bone tired he was he could still manage a bit of sleep. As he laid down he could still hear the fleshcraft of Phi, dreading the dreams that would come with such background noise. Memories of last night threatened to keep him awake, but his exhaustion won out.


    Oddly, as he finally teetered on the edge of sleep, it was Tayla¡¯s pale face that crossed his mind as he faded into a dreamless slumber,


    A boot nudged Thoren awake. He struggled to open his eyes, his body was demanding he continued his much needed rest for another day or two at least. Fighting the urge to go back to sleep he rolled over and looked up. Fel stood above him. They, for their part, looked well rested and ready for another day of running at terrifying speeds. ¡°How long has it been?¡± He asked.


    Without looking down Fel answered casually. ¡°About 3 hours, that should give you enough strength to make it to a real bed by nightfall.¡±


    Thoren struggled to stand as he processed what they said. A ¡®real bed¡¯, that didn¡¯t make any sense, the nearest city was Fulcrest, normally that was a four day trip from the Coast. The distance wasn¡¯t the issue, it was the fact that one had to take a winding path to avoid several large obstacles.


    Unless.


    ¡°Wait, do you mean for us to cut through the Fae lands?¡± Thoren said.


    Fel glanced down with a cocked eyebrow. ¡°Where do you think we are now?¡±


    His eyes went wide as he looked around. He had been so exhausted that it hadn¡¯t occurred to him that the only forest near the Black Coast was a part of the Fae lands. ¡°Why would you take us through a cursed forest of the Fae! If one of the spirits finds us trespassing we will be forced to wander till we die from exhaustion! Or worse, transformed into a bloodthirsty beast!¡± He hissed the words as he frantically tried to spot anything amiss in the woods.


    To his surprise Fel laughed in response. A genuine heartfelt laugh. ¡°You really must get out of your monastery more. I don¡¯t know what the Empire has been feeding you, but the Fae aren¡¯t going to kill you for walking through the woods. Now, you go and cut down a tree without offering compensation and yeah, they¡¯ll probably play a prank on you. If you tried to do more than that, yes, then they would kill you.¡± For the first time since meeting them, Fel had a real smile on their face.


    Thoren flushed with embarrassment. ¡°I see, it¡¯s true that the books of the Spire didn¡¯t mention anything about that. Do we have to pay tribute to pass?¡± He looked away sheepishly.


    ¡°Phi is already on it.¡± Fel said while gesturing over their shoulder. Where Phi¡¯s horse had once been was now a pile of neatly arranged bones laid out. Phi himself was tying up a series of bundles, each wrapped in the hide of the fallen beast, the remaining skin was left with the bones as tribute. ¡°Thanks to his foresight we now have some food for our travels as well. Honestly I thought him mad when I saw the state of his steed last night, but it would seem I misjudged him.¡±


    Looking up from his work Phi offered a wave. ¡°I hope you rested well, oh great one.¡± From anyone else that might seem like an offhand insult, considering Thoren was the only one that seemed to need any sleep; but coming from Phi it seemed to be a genuine sentiment.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me that, this isn¡¯t exactly the time for titles. Just call me Thoren.¡± He said with a sigh as he stretched out his sore muscles.


    ¡°I understand. I hope you rested well, oh great Thoren.¡± Phi said as he turned back to his work.


    Thoren was about to correct him when it clicked. The man had made a joke. The absurdity of the situation caused Thoren to snort out a sharp laugh. He quickly covered his mouth to hide his outburst. Best not to be too friendly with the abomination, the time might come when the creature would have to be put down.


    Phi finished his work, using a bit of cloth as a makeshift bag for the bundles of meat, he slung the sack over his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m glad we will be in town soon, I didn¡¯t bring enough salt to preserve this much meat.¡± He turned to Fel. ¡°I am curious, not to question your judgment. But why did we only use the horses for a single night?¡±


    The thought had crossed Thoren¡¯s mind as well. Fel looked at the pile of bones absentmindedly as they responded matter of factly. ¡°We¡¯ve already made more ground than they will expect, now we simply have to get to Fulcrest and charter transport to our destination before anyone can catch up to us.¡±


    ¡°When you say ¡®They¡¯, are you referring to the Court?¡± Thoren said.


    ¡°I¡¯m referring to everyone. We have no idea who stole from the Nightfather, and the more people that know what we¡¯re searching the more problems we¡¯ll have to face.¡±


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    ¡°Can I ask a stupid question?¡±


    ¡°Does that question count?¡±


    Thoren chose to ignore the jab and continued. ¡°What is our goal? Do you know where this weapon is hidden? Or who might be able to take it?¡±


    Fel turned towards Thoren, they towered above him. ¡°I have already told you enough for now, priest. You still have to earn my trust before I am willing to share anything more.¡± The tone they used told Thoren that that was the end of the conversation.


    To his surprise, Fel closed their eyes and put their fingers together in prayer. They spoke while facing the offerings, raising their voice to be heard. ¡°Oh great spirits of this sacred land, we humble travelers offer this tribute to you that you might see fit to grant us safe passage through your woods. We swear to respect your home and will leave it as we have found it, safe and whole.¡± Thoren and Phi copied Fel¡¯s pose and both swore similar oaths under their breaths.


    After a moment, Fel seemed satisfied. ¡°Last chance to ¡®freshen up¡¯ before we get under way fellas.¡±


    Clearing his throat, Thoren moved away from the group to relieve himself in privacy. A few moments later, having finished up, he turned to walk back to the group, only to find a strange figure leaning against a tree staring at Fel and Phi. The figure was a small child wearing a cloak of leaves and twigs, its head was covered by a deer''s skull, the many antlers adorned with bones and trinkets tied together with string. The child was barefoot, its hands and feet darkened with dirt.


    Thoren was the first to admit that his knowledge of the Fae was lacking, but even he could put two and two together. This was a spirit. He was unsure of how to act, choosing to clear his throat in hopes he didn¡¯t startle the spirit. The child leapt up in surprise, its many bones rattling with light clinking, it reached up to snatch the bones in an attempt to silence the sound. The spirit turned towards Thoren, it looked side to side before eventually pointing a finger towards itself in confusion.


    ¡°Uh, yes. I can see you. I am sorry I startled you, I do not wish to be rude.¡± Thoren hoped speaking politely was the right call, unsure of how best to address such a being, or if it even understood him for that matter.


    The child took a step back in shock. It cranked its head back towards the others, it seemed pretty on edge about them. He couldn¡¯t blame it all things considered.


    Thoren knelt down on one knee so as not to further stress the spirit. ¡°They may seem odd, but I promise you, we are only looking to safely travel through your woods. If you will let us.¡± Looking closer, he could see what looked to be a large cut down the child''s arm. ¡°May I see that?¡± He said pointing to the cut.


    By way of answering, the spirit simply raised its arm towards Thoren, refusing to take its eyes off of Fel and Phi. Thoren gingerly grabbed the spirits wrist, he half expected his hand to pass through it. The cut wasn¡¯t life threatening, but it was dirty and in need of dressing. Thoren pulled out his flask of ceremonial alcohol and ripped a bit of cloth from his sleeve. He would probably get chewed out for defacing his robes again, but he couldn¡¯t leave a child in such a state. ¡°This may sting, but please trust me.¡± He spoke softly, like he was talking to the neophytes of the Spire as he dabbed some of the alcohol on the cloth. The spirit seemed unphased as he cleaned the wound. Finally he used another strip of cloth to bandage the cut.


    The spirit finally glanced back to see what Thoren had done, it did a double take at the sight of the bandage. Cocking its masked head in marvel at the dressed wound. It poked at its arm and jumped in joy as the bandage held. The spirit shook its head slightly, the bones making a soft jingle in response to its happiness.


    A smile crossed Thoren¡¯s face as he stood up. ¡°I have to go, be safe little one.¡± He made to walk back to the waiting party when he felt something grab hold of his hand. The spirit began walking beside him hand in hand. ¡°Would you like to join us for a bit?¡± He asked.


    There was another jingle of bones as the child nodded enthusiastically at the idea. Thoren prepared himself to explain the situation as Fel looked up towards him, but oddly enough they didn¡¯t seem to notice the child at all. Instead they simply started to walk at a brisk pace. Phi also simply nodded to him and turned to match Fel¡¯s pace. Looking down at the child he saw it point towards the others then hold a finger up in front of its mouth. Apparently, it didn¡¯t feel like letting the others see it, and Thoren was to keep it a secret. He squeezed the spirit''s hand quickly to let it know he understood.


    As they walked, Thoren finally had a chance to be alone with his thoughts for the first time in a long while. He knew that what he was doing was wrong in the eyes of the Court. Following the will of the old gods went against everything he had been taught, but for some reason he found himself strangely calm. He should have been distraught, but there was a piece of him that knew that this was where he needed to be.


    His thoughts wandered as he remembered the elders of his kind warning him of the evil¡¯s he would come to face in the Coast. Yet, all he could think of was the smiling faces of the people. There was an old proverb he only half remembered, ¡®judge a kingdom not for their riches, but for the warmth of their poorest.¡¯ He had dreamed of bringing enlightenment to the Twin¡¯s, yet he had quickly realized his mistake. It was true that his cousins had strayed from the path of the All Mother and played their role in the death of his progenitor; but it was also true that they were an honorable people that carried their sins without shame.


    His mind bounced back and forth as he tried to come to terms with what he had seen and what he had been taught. Those in the Spire would have surely called him mad for even entertaining the thoughts he was having, yet even still he knew he owed it to the All Mother to keep his heart and mind open to the world and her children.


    A pang of regret struck his chest as he remembered that he had left without giving a proper reason to the other diplomates. It had happened all so fast. Though the pain in his chest seemed to linger as his mind conjured the image of Tayla once more.


    An uncomfortable warmth filled him as he quickly brushed the troubling thought from his mind. Only for it to claw its way back into his imagination once more. The trees and their lush green canopy reminded him of her eyes.


    Out of habit he turned to the many psalms he had been taught as he recited them in his head over and over again. For all the good it did.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the spirit began running around the trio, rolling through the grass in somersaults, climbing up trees and jumping down, acting like a normal child. Each time it did, it looked back at Thoren to make sure he was watching it.


    Thoren glanced at his pocket watch after a time, finding that they had already been walking for almost two hours. The spirit was in the middle of attempting to do a handstand when it noticed him looking away from it. The child ran up to Thoren and tugged at his leg while pointing to the watch.


    Without making it obvious, Thoren held out the watch for the spirit to see, it seemed mesmerized by the moving gears and the hands of the clock face. It pointed to it excitedly. Whispering just loud enough for the spirit to hear him he said. ¡°We are trying to make it through the forest as quickly as we can, I was just seeing the time.¡± The spirit cocked its head. Pointing towards itself and then waving its hand in mock goodbye. ¡°Well, yes, when we reach the edge of the forest I will have to say goodbye. But I would hope we have the chance to meet again.¡±


    The spirit¡¯s head sank, then just as quickly it seemed to stand up straighter. It reached its hands up before it, towards the direction they were walking. Thoren felt the ground beneath him shift as he was suddenly thrust forward with incredible force, only to be thrown to the ground as the force stopped abruptly. Fel and Phi both gasped as they too were equally cast to the ground.


    The trio shook themselves for a moment, looking up to find themselves having been transported to a completely different place. They were now laying at the edge of the woods, rolling hills stretching out before them surrounded on either side by mountains.


    Fel looked around in disbelief. ¡°What the hells just happened! Where are we?!¡±


    Phi was feeling around the ground, he had a pained look on his face. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Thoren blinked as he turned to the spirit who still stood beside him. It put its hand on its hips, radiating pride as it puffed out its tiny chest. ¡°You did this?¡± The spirit nodded as it crossed its arms, evidently it seemed to like showing off.


    A dark look crossed Fel¡¯s face as they turned to face Thoren. ¡°Who are you talking to? There¡¯s nobody here? Unless, can you see a spirit?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it was scared of you and didn¡¯t want me to say anything, but it seems to have wanted to help us.¡± Thoren said with a hint of embarrassment as he stood back up.


    Fel raised a finger towards him, readying themselves to lecture him, but the fire seemed to die in their eyes even as they opened their mouth. ¡°Yeah, actually that might have been smart. I don¡¯t like it, but playing along was the right call.¡±


    Phi turned around. ¡°I can¡¯t sense it at all. I mean, I didn¡¯t think I would be able to, but still, now I know for sure.¡±


    Thoren turned back to the waiting spirit. ¡°Thank you for your help! If there¡¯s anything I can do to repay you.¡± The spirit raised its hand, holding out its pinkie finger. Chuckling, Thoren reached down with his own pinkie and interlocked it. ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll come visit you again.¡±


    The spirit jumped up and down with joy. Reaching up it pulled off one of its bones and a leaf from its cloak and handed the items to Thoren who happily took the offered items. He opened his cloak, hoping to give the spirit his pocket watch as thanks, instead it quickly grabbed his flask and turned to run back into the woods.


    ¡°Hey! You shouldn¡¯t drink that! You¡¯ll get sick!¡± Thoren cried even as the spirit vanished into thin air.


    With a sigh he turned back to see the other two standing there, their faces showed their own bewilderment at what happened. Fel looked up towards the midday sun. ¡°Well, thanks to your new friend, we just shaved off half a day of walking. Can¡¯t say I love owing mysterious spirits favors, but I won¡¯t look a gift horse in the face.¡±


    The trio shook themselves off as they continued down the path towards Fulcrest. Thoren inspected the gifts he had received as he put them in his chest pocket, the bone was from an animal of some kind, but he couldn¡¯t figure out which. The leaf seemed normal enough, but as he turned it he found letters etched into it.


    BEWARE THE DEAD STAR

 Chapter 16

    Tayla felt like her entire world was capsizing. After the events of the last couple days she was nearing her breaking point. Today was already shaping up to be yet another terrible day. It had been quite the shock this morning to wake up to her guards standing over her, they had assumed she was recovering from the night before, but when it neared noon, they grew concerned and entered the room to check on her. It was embarrassing that she had slept through the Keel being brought back to full power. The many diplomats had wasted no time in making numerous encrypted communications before packing their bags and leaving in a hurry. Thankfully in her absence, the great Houses had stepped in to oversee the whole fiasco; she would have to thank them later for their hard work.


    Part of Tayla was saddened that Thoren had left without a word. She felt like they were on their way to becoming friends, something she had very few of. Thoren wasn¡¯t the only one that had left without a word. She had been told by the House of Chimera¡¯s that Phi had left a note stating he would accompany Fel on their journey; the two of them had never seemed close, so the thought of him running off with Fel was strange, but having Phi by their side made Tayla feel a bit less anxious for her sibling.


    The only good news that had come was a report from Bynard and Zo, Alnur was still undergoing surgery, with no foreseeable end in sight. As far as Tayla was concerned that was a good thing, it meant he was still holding on.


    There had been just one thing left behind by the guests, the coffin that Vauhn had brought with him. Tayla stood in front of the horrific box, staring down at the occult machinery and sigils inside of it. Both the Arcane and Engineering house¡¯s had stepped forward to demand they be allowed to investigate the contents of the coffin. As for the occupant of the box, shortly after his examination he had demanded to be given leave with the rest of the Cabal¡¯s representatives. The doctor¡¯s had tried to stress the trauma he had been through and the concerns they had at him traveling in such a state, but he had chosen to leave nonetheless.


    That left just one last problem that was weighing on her mind. Tayla turned to look to her side, hoping that this time she would be free. The floating decayed corpse of Vauhn waved back enthusiastically at her.


    Nope, still seeing dead people.


    Tayla was alone in the room with the coffin, she had asked to be given a chance to look it over on her own, ignoring the counsel from the Houses. She spoke aloud, still unsure of how this worked. ¡°So, if this was the real Vauhn, what the hells are you? My bet is still that you¡¯re a dem-¡±


    The thing that was not Vauhn quickly interrupted her. ¡°Hey! How many times do I have to tell you, I. Am. Not. A. Demon. You are really being insensitive y¡¯know!¡± Dead or not, he still spoke in his usual overly dramatic way.


    ¡°Then, if you would be so kind.¡± Tayla said, her voice sweet and kind. ¡°What the fuck are you! Furthermore, get out of my head!¡± She said, raising her voice while still trying not to alert her guards outside.


    ¡°Well.¡± Not-Vauhn said as he floated up to Tayla, the tendons in his hanging jaw were starting to rot yet that seemed to do little to stop him from running his mouth. ¡°Where¡¯s the fun if I just tell you! Why don¡¯t you try and guess and I¡¯ll tell you something if you guess it right.¡± As he spoke his eyes glowed in an ever shifting spectrum of light.


    Tayla sighed, she could do little to stop the thing, perhaps if she played along she could get some more information to use against him. At the very least maybe it would finally shut him up for five seconds. ¡°Okay, I''ll take a guess. Are you a demon?¡±


    ¡°You can stop that anytime y¡¯know.¡± There was a withering look in Not-Vauhn¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Can you at least tell me your name?¡± Tayla said with a sigh.


    The thing raised an eyebrow. ¡°What don''t you like calling me Vauhn?¡±


    Pointing to the empty coffin Tayla continued. ¡°Last I checked, the real Vauhn is on his way home for some much needed therapy because of you.¡±


    ¡°Please, he¡¯ll be fine. I made sure he would forget everything about his time in the stasis sarcophagus. Just takes a day or two for the subconscious mnemonic-engine to kick in.¡± He glanced back at Tayla, who continued to look at him with a cold expression. ¡°Okay, okay. Call me Dee.¡±


    ¡°Dee? Is that your name?¡±


    ¡°It is an acronym. It stands for ¡®Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m pretty handsome?¡¯ Clever eh?¡± Dee said with a giant grin on his rotten face.


    Squinting slightly, Tayla quickly retorted. ¡°That¡¯s not how acronym¡¯s work, like, at all.¡±


    There was genuine pain in Dee¡¯s eyes. ¡°Shut up! You¡¯re not how acronym¡¯s work!¡±


    ¡°If anything, I would have thought ¡®Dee¡¯ was short for demon.¡±


    ¡°You young lady, are an asshole."


    ¡°Coming from you, that¡¯s a compliment.¡± Whatever this thing was, so far it hadn¡¯t taken any aggressive actions towards her. For now.


    Dee flipped on his back, gently floating in a circle around the room, he had his usual smarmy look plastered on his face. ¡°So, are we gonna play this little game or not?¡±


    Tayla looked down at her living wrist, the eldritch script seemed to be dancing around her skin while laughing. If she wanted some way out of this, she would need to play along. ¡°What are the rules for this game?¡±


    Something shifted in Dee¡¯s demeanor. He turned to give Tayla his whole attention, there was a bottomless hunger in his eyes. ¡°Are you familiar with the children¡¯s game where you have to guess what something is in twenty questions using only yes or no answers?¡±


    ¡°Uh. Yeah, I know of it.¡± Tayla was relieved that it was such a simple game.


    ¡°Good. You seem like a smart woman, so let¡¯s say you have seven questions. If you can guess who and what I am with seven questions you will win the game.¡± Dee seemed smug, whatever he was, he assumed that there was little chance for Tayla to guess correctly.


    Tapping her foot for a moment Tayla looked up at Dee. ¡°Just so long as we aren¡¯t playing for any real stakes. I¡¯ve made enough bargains with you for one lifetime.¡±


    Dee grinned from ear to ear. ¡°No bargains, just a friendly game.¡±


    Tayla had a hard time believing that this game would be anything but friendly. ¡°I¡¯ll give it some thought. On to more pressing matters, I¡¯m guessing you won¡¯t tell me what this coffin is?¡±


    Dee nodded.


    Great, the only reason she had come here was in the hopes that Dee would give her some information about this accursed box. She turned to leave, there were more important duties she had to be attending to. As she left the room a pair of guards quickly fell into line behind her. Thankfully they were far enough away to give her the chance to whisper to her new ¡®friend¡¯.


    The bloated festering corpse floated down the halls by her side. ¡°Do you really have to use that form? Any longer and I¡¯ll be speaking to a skeleton.¡±


    Looking down, Dee said, ¡°This shabby form isn¡¯t my fault, this is because of your mind''s eye deciding to project me like this. I am just a meta-spiritual manifestation using a localized mnemonic anchor point. You can change this anytime you want.¡±


    It never ceased to amaze Tayla how Dee could speak the common tongue and still sound like he was speaking some foreign language. ¡°Stop using made up words to sound smart. How do I change how you look?¡±


    ¡°Just because you don¡¯t understand them doesn¡¯t mean they''re made up, though, I do sometimes have to make up new words to describe my brilliance.¡± Dee grumbled to himself. ¡°You need to clear your mind and tap into the old powers, the ancient ways. Or, in simple terms. You have to envision it until your individual perception of reality overpowers the actual reality.¡±


    ¡°How is any of that ¡®simple terms¡¯. You are the worst at explaining.¡± Tayla fought the urge to scream and pull her hair.


    ¡°Look. Maybe later I can give you a lesson or two in the eldritch arts, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love it. For now, you¡¯re stuck with me as I appear to you. Tough luck.¡± Dee spoke of heresy in a shockingly casual fashion.


    Tayla took a breath, she tried to tap into the Tranquility to ease her nerves, but her mind seemed to resist. The stress over the last few days was taking its toll in a myriad of ways. ¡°Can¡¯t you disappear for a bit? I really need to focus on running a nation and having a rotting corpse speak to me is a bit distracting.¡±


    Dee seemed to be weighing something in his mind. ¡°Well, like I was saying, you are in control here. Not just how I appear, but when. You just don¡¯t know how to control your new senses yet. For now, if you really want me to go away for a bit, you just need to clear your mind and forget I exist. Simple right?¡±


    Arguing with the man was getting Tayla nowhere. So, she decided to try and take the man¡¯s instructions to heart. Closing her eyes as she walked, she let her mind wander. Resting her hand against the corridor''s wall as a guide, she tried to put all of the terrible things she had seen lately behind her. She could feel the minor vibrations of the Keel¡¯s power core through her living hand, it felt like a beating heart. The beat seemed chaotic and random at first, but Tayla had gone to bed each night listening to that rhythmic beat. It was more akin to a lullaby to her; she could tell how much power the ship was using just by the vibrations alone. Memories of her lifetime in these halls came washing over her, and with them the pain and sadness of the day seemed to ebb away.


    Tayla opened her eyes as she continued to walk. For the first time in days, she felt at peace.


    ¡°Wow, for a second I really thought you had it!¡± Dee said.


    It had been worth a try.


    While there was much the great Houses could do to help with Tayla¡¯s duties, there were some things that she had to take care of personally. As she reached her destination she entered the small private communications chamber that would be her home for the next several hours. Dread crept up her spine at the thought of what was to come, the politicking and theological bootlicking she would have to endure to try and placate the other nations and governments.


    With a heavy sigh Tayla accessed the communication network of the Keel, patching into the Celestial network of satellites. A flood of encrypted messages appeared in rapid succession, there were easily close to fifty marked as ¡®Alpha Priority¡¯. This was going to be a nightmare. There was no time to waste, she had already lost her chance to strike first when she had slept in this morning, now she had to try and claw back some good will.


    A new message came in, this one was marked ¡®Omega Priority¡¯. That was extremely concerning, Tayla had never even heard of that level of communication. She opened it first, and as she read each line her heart felt like it was about to stop dead in her chest.


    Attention, in accordance with Celestial law, the vassal nation of The Black Coast has been marked for immediate inquiry by the most Holy Inquisition of the Celestial Court. By order of the Primarus¡¯ you are hereby instructed to give your complete cooperation in this investigation into the supposed acts of treachery and heresy. Failure to comply will be taken as an admission of guilt and grounds for immediate cleansing.


    An imperial cruiser has been tasked with carrying out this inquiry on behalf of the Court. May the Gods watch over you, forever and always.


    Tayla leaned back in her chair, her mind raced with the implications of the message and what was to come. This was the worst case scenario, having an official probe into the inner workings of the Coast was something her ancestors had always warned of. Now it was coming to pass, and she was at the helm.


    Everything had fallen apart during the visit, she had hoped to convince the Court of the impending food shortages and the threat that it would pose. With how terribly things had gone, the whole plan had been cast to the wind. Now it wasn¡¯t a matter of if there would be food shortages, but instead how many would die from them.


    The only good thing about this whole thing, was that Tayla was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn¡¯t even realize that Dee had ceased to exist.


    Staring at the communication terminal for the last four hours had left Tayla¡¯s eyes feeling like someone had taken sandpaper to them. She had done everything she could to try and ease tensions with the other races of the Court and the Cabal. The general sentiment she received in response to her messages were along the lines of, ¡®we¡¯re waiting for the inquisition to finish before we speak to you further¡¯. Even the Cabal were on the side of the Court on this, no doubt wanting to avoid any unnecessary stress on their relatively new peace treaty by siding with possible heretics. The only nation that had responded positively was the king of Seru, not only had he apologized for the actions of his representative, he requested she be sent back to Seru to stand trial for her crimes against the Coast. Tayla would send the woman back immediately, and as soon as their own food situation was sorted out she would make sure to send a generous offering of Krak¡¯un meat as a gift of goodwill to the Serulean king. If even half the rumours were true, the king of Seru was a monstrous being that ruled with an iron fist. He was also very easy to bribe.


    As for the other nations, Tayla would have to try and smooth things over once this investigation was done, if they didn¡¯t execute her first.


    There was a reason that Alnur was the Lord of Light and Tayla was the Mistress of Shadow, the old titles sounded grandiose but in actuality it simply meant that one of them was the face of the kingdom and the other was more focused on making sure things ran smoothly while not drawing too much attention to themselves.


    Tayla preferred it that way. Now that the harvest was over things were returning to normal, meaning the Keel was filled with swarms of people. As she walked down the hall she had to constantly stop and chat, or smile and wave. She didn¡¯t hate it, but she was used to sitting in her office and focusing on paperwork. Her jaw was starting to become sore from all the smiling. How did Alnur do this so effortlessly?


    Rubbing her face, Tayla made her way into the gathering hall through one of the hidden doors. As busy as they all were preparing for the coming inquisition, they couldn¡¯t ignore the day to day governing of the nation. That meant she had to act as arbiter and mediator for the common court. She reached a hand down to adjust her ceremonial robes for the fourteenth time, they seemed to bunch and ride up in the weirdest places. The robes themselves were a heavy dark fabric with golden trim. Atop her head was a headpiece with two serpents of gold and iron, intertwined and locked in an eternal battle.


    The gathering hall had been returned to the usual layout, three ornate wooden chairs stood at the far end of the room facing each other in a triangular fashion. Guards stood on either side of the chairs, ready to intervene if a disagreement devolved to fists. The wooden walls held the banners of the great Houses and their sigils. In the center of the far wall was the Ebontide family crest, its two serpents intertwined as a black sun hung above them.


    Sitting down in her chair, Tayla turned to the flanking guards. ¡°How many do we have today?¡±


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    The guard on her left rolled his eyes up into his head for a moment as he looked through his sisters eyes. Returning to normal he continued. ¡°As you commanded, we have sorted through the claims so that only the most pressing issues have to be addressed today. That still leaves half a dozen or so cases to judge on my lady.¡±


    There was something familiar about the guard''s face and voice, but Tayla was struggling to remember the man¡¯s name. The guard was staring at Tayla, like he was waiting for her to say something. Oh Hells, he wanted Tayla to thank him. There was a hint of panic as she instinctively reached for the link, Alnur knew everyone¡¯s name. Shame washed over her as she stopped, she would have to survive without her brother to save her from social awkwardness.


    Tayla opened her mouth to try and fumble her way through a thank you when someone spoke over her. ¡°Thank you for your service Franc.¡± Tayla snapped her head around to see her uncle standing to her side, he had come in his ceremonial armor, polearm at the ready. It was common during arbitration to bring at least one advisor, it would seem he was keen on filling that role today.


    It was painful to look at her uncle. Tayla¡¯s face grew flush, after the events of yesterday it was hard to look at him and not feel bitter anger. She lowered her voice slightly. ¡°Cyrus, I had thought it clear that I didn¡¯t want to see you again.¡± Something in her screamed at her to stop being so stubborn even as she spoke, but her pride won out.


    Cyrus for his part didn¡¯t seem fazed by the scathing tone. ¡°My lady, news of the coming inquisition has already spread through the kingdom. I only wish to do my part in supporting my home in these troubling times. Your father welcomed my counsel for many years, with Alnur and Fel gone, I thought it only prudent to offer any wisdom I may provide.¡± He was speaking too politely, it didn''t suit him at all.


    Tayla scoffed. ¡°Now you want to help? When it¡¯s convenient for you!¡± Despite her misgivings of her uncle, the fact of the matter was that Cyrus had been her father¡¯s advisor for almost two decades. With the pressure to get through these daily arbitrations as quickly as possible it would be a major boon to have his experience in settling these disputes.


    With a nod of his head Cyrus turned to leave, taking Tayla¡¯s comments to mean she wanted him gone. Her heart raced as she quickly held up her hand. ¡°Wait.¡± Her uncle stopped in his tracks and looked at her with a pained expression. ¡°I would have your counsel. Uncle.¡± The words were a struggle to force out, but she could see the relief on her uncle¡¯s face as she said them; like a weight being lifted from his shoulders. As he took his spot at her side again Tayla continued in a whisper. ¡°I don¡¯t know what possible reason you and Lillian have for refusing to be by my brother¡¯s side when he needed you most, and until I hear a good reason, I for one, still consider you to be an oath breaking piece of shit. Understood?¡± She said as the armrest of her chair was covering itself in hoarfrost, she was instinctively tapping into the Tranquility to try and quell the burning in her chest.


    It was nice to know that she was beginning to regain her ability to use her gift. Even if it was only under extreme emotional distress.


    Lowering his head Cyrus spoke softly. ¡°Tayla, I am only following your father¡¯s orders. We can discuss this later. Please.¡± Tayla blinked. She had to fight the urge to clear the room and hear the truth immediately, but even as she tried to wrap her head around what her uncle had said, the doors opened to reveal the first citizens and their advisors in need of arbitration.


    Tayla brought her dead hand down in a fist into the frozen armrest, shards of ice broke off from the impact. She was growing tired of all the secrets and cloak and dagger business that was going on around her. It was starting to feel like every single person around her had some ulterior motive. When this was over she would demand the truth, she was done with all the secrets.


    The group of three stepped forward. Two of them, a pair of women in their thirties, were dressed in fine imported silk robes. They held themselves with the dignity of nobles. The other representative was an older man in dirty linen and leathers who seemed uncomfortable to be indoors. One of the finely dressed women and the older man each took their respective seats, the other woman stood to the side of her companion.


    Tapping into the Tranquility to banish the rogue thoughts that still lingered about her uncle, Tayla cleared her mind, focusing on the task at hand. Trying to sound as authoritative as possible, she said. ¡°Greetings. What concern have you brought before the crown to be judged today?¡± She felt a bit silly considering she technically didn¡¯t have the crown, but hopefully no one was going to be stickler for such trivial details.


    Both parties in the other chairs attempted to speak at the same time, resulting in a pair of sneers to one another. Tayla raised a hand and pointed at the man to speak first. He looked like he wouldn¡¯t waste time with pointless lip service.


    The man leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees. ¡°My lady, I am Ton. I am here on behalf of the clanless, we-¡±


    The woman in the other chair suddenly shouted with a shrill grating voice. ¡°These bastards are refusing to let my salvage teams retrieve the Krak¡¯un remains from the great hunt! Every second we waste talking about this is more spoiled meat that we need, more plating that is just sitting out there waiting to be hauled back to the shipwrights and armorers!¡±


    Cyrus slammed his polearm into the ground, cracking the wooden floor. The woman for her part grew small and quiet, perhaps finally realizing how rude she was being. Tayla would let her uncle play the role of the villain, for her part she decided on taking on the more friendly and warm approach. ¡°You will have your opportunity to give your side ma¡¯am, next time you may wish to start with your name first though. Ton, you were saying?¡±


    Ton cleared his throat. ¡°Thank you, my lady. I¡¯ll cut to the meat of it, what this banshee says is the truth. Though she¡¯s leaving out the part where we tried to reason with her teams. They weren¡¯t keen on hearing the words of us clanless.¡± Ton rolled up his loose shirt to reveal a rainbow of bruises.


    Tayla gasped slightly. ¡°Is this true? Did your workers assault this man and his people?¡±


    The finely dressed advisor stepped forward, she seemed much more composed than her companion. ¡°My lady, I am Val Westwood, advisor to the trades guild. We have had conflicting reports as to whom started the fight. Though from what we have gathered, no one from either side was seriously injured.¡± Val was definitely the more level headed one of the two, which was a blessing from the gods.


    Nodding as he spoke, Ton continued. ¡°Aye, it''s true we don¡¯t know who threw the first fist, but we never wanted it to get to that point! My lady, the sheer amount of crabs that were killed this year is staggering, times are tough and food has been scarce. There¡¯s no way the kingdom will be able to recover this entire hunt¡¯s worth of food and materials.¡± Ton looked down at the floor, his voice growing quieter. ¡°We figured we could take some of the scraps, just enough to help us survive the winter.¡±


    The shrill woman raised her hand, perhaps she realized screaming wasn¡¯t going to get her anywhere. Tayla gestured for her to speak. ¡°I would like to offer an apology to you and the crown my lady. My name is Lady Fairweather of the House Fairweather.¡± Tayla winced slightly, she hadn¡¯t even recognized a member of one of the great houses, she was starting to see just how much of a crutch having Alnur around had been for her. ¡°I know my outburst may have seemed childish, but I cannot stress how important it is that my teams can continue their work!¡± Lady Fairweather turned to Ton. ¡°You may see me as just some heartless banshee, but your food supplies are not the only ones running low. The only difference is that we have the responsibility to feed the entire capital.¡±


    Tayla leaned her chin on her thumb and forefinger as she gave the situation some thought. ¡°Lady Fairweather, you and your teams have had almost two days to recover the remains of the hunt. Forgive me for my ignorance on the subject, but hasn¡¯t the meat already spoiled by now?¡± The hunt had never been a focus of Tayla¡¯s studies, she was realizing that there were many aspects of the kingdom that she knew seldom about.


    Cyrus was the one to speak up. ¡°The House of the Arcane has a few spellcasters that can help slow the rate of decay.¡± He turned to Lady Fairweather. ¡°My understanding however is that they only have a handful of such gifted individuals, surely there must be far too much Krak¡¯un to recover before most of it rots.¡±


    ¡°Lady Fairweather, by your estimates, what percentage of the remains will be usable?¡± Tayla said.


    Fairweather fumbled with a notebook for a moment. ¡°I can only give a rough number, but we should be able to recover fifty-seven percent of the Krak¡¯un fles-¡±


    ¡°Fifty-seven percent?!¡±


    Westwood was quick to step in. ¡°That is not an uncommon percentage my lady, but the key factor here is not just the meat. The plating of the Krak¡¯un is just as vital, arguably even more so. The concern with the plating is that as the flesh rots and decays, it releases certain chemicals that will cause the plating to become brittle and weak. Our salvage teams work hard to retrieve as much food as possible, but they also know when to try and save as much usable plating as they can.¡±


    Ton shook his head. ¡°Then why can we not simply take a few of the crabs for ourselves? It sounds like even with your best crews, there will be some waste. And that waste could be the difference between starvation for us clanless.¡±


    Tayla turned to the noble women. ¡°I find myself in agreement with Ton, by your own accounts there is too much this year for you to recover. What is the harm in allowing the clanless to take some of the excess?¡±


    ¡°The harm!¡± Lady Fairweather said, her tone growing more and more high pitched. ¡°The harm is that even the spoiled meat and weakened plating still has a use my lady! Where do you think our fertilizer comes from? We grind the remaining Krak¡¯un down and use the remains to tend our fields.¡± She continued under her breath. ¡°Even your brother knew that much.¡±


    Cyrus looked ready to berate the woman for her rude behavior but Tayla raised a hand to stop him. She stood up from her chair, removing her head piece as she put it on the chair behind her. She walked slowly towards Fairweather who was looking more and more uncomfortable at the silence. Tayla removed her living hand¡¯s glove as she walked behind Fairweather¡¯s chair. ¡°I¡¯m not good with people.¡± Tayla said without warning, causing those assembled to blink in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I can make a deal with potential business partners. But when it comes to being friendly with people, I struggle to care. I tend to think of people by their value to me. I don¡¯t even intentionally do it, it is like second nature to me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t underst-¡±


    Tayla continued without waiting for Fairweather¡¯s response. ¡°What I am trying to say-¡± she paused as she placed her hands on the backrest of Fairweather¡¯s chair, tapping into the Tranquility as her breath came out as a thick fog, the chair was quickly covered in a layer of frost. Fairweather gasped in pain as the ice grew along her exposed skin that touched the chair. Burning the flesh from the severe cold. It was a shame she chose to wear an open back dress today. ¡°-Is, what value do you hold for me?¡±


    The guards and Cyrus looked on in shock, unsure if they should step in. Westwood finally lost her composure as she backed away in fear, Ton tried his best to seem small. Fairweather spoke with shivering blue lips. ¡°P-please, my lady. I¡¯m sorry! I shouldn¡¯t have spoken so rudely.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass if you spoke rudely to me, you¡¯re right that I had no idea about the fertilizer thing. But, you chose to insult your king, who I will remind you is still fighting for his life. From my perspective, right this moment you hold absolutely zero value to me.¡± Tayla felt her power swelling, all it would take was a simple thought and she could kill Fairweather. The Tranquility consumed her, for a moment she felt nothing but the simplicity of logic. Gone were the nuances of political theater, gone were her emotions that held her back; the world seemed to fall into its rightful place.


    As Tayla prepared to remove Fairweather from her sight, something started to call out from behind her. It was the sound of flesh being ground, the gnashing of teeth, the creaking of chitin. To Tayla, it sounded like the song of a siren, she tried to turn her head to see the angelic choir but was only met with a frozen door in the middle of the room. The sickly sweet song continued, beckoning her to enter.


    ¡°Oh no you fucking don¡¯t!¡± A voice rang out as Tayla was ripped back to her senses. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she looked around trying to get her bearings. She found herself still sitting in the wooden chair, Fairweather looked concerned, but otherwise she was uninjured.


    Had that all been in her mind? It had felt so real.


    Cyrus looked worried. ¡°My lady, are you well? Do you need to take a break?¡± Just how long had Tayla been sitting there?


    The maggot infested form of Dee slid into view, whatever was happening to him it was accelerating at a rapid pace. ¡°That was close Taytay. A few more seconds and you would have tagged yourself for purging by the Angels! For now, just take a deep breath and try not to tap into the void for like, five minutes.¡± Dee said nonchalantly.


    Tayla shook her head of the vestiges of whatever spell she had been under. A part of her wanted to dwell on what had just happened, to try and understand it; but another part, a more primal animalistic part, quickly pushed the thoughts of what had just occurred to the back of her mind to keep her safe. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, what was the last thing you said lady Fairweather?¡±


    Stammering for a moment the woman responded hesitantly. ¡°I was talking about fertilizer, and how we use it to tend the fields.¡±


    ¡°Right, and then you insulted your king. I am going to pretend that I didn¡¯t hear that, because I am not in the mood for such backhanded comments towards my brother.¡± Tayla said, trying to keep her anger in check this time. Whatever was going on, it seemed tied to when she lost control of her emotions, it was a real shame that everyone seemed keen on pushing her to the breaking point lately. ¡°I have come to a decision.¡± Tayla announced while putting her hands in her lap. ¡°I am in agreement with Lady Fairweather, her family and the guild has overseen the harvesting from the great hunt since the founding of our nation, she has every right to the corpses from the hunt.¡±


    Ton immediately sank in the chair, there was hopelessness in his eyes as he looked around in anguish. The noblewomen puffed their chests out as they looked down at the older man.


    ¡°But.¡± Tayla continued with another pause, watching the women¡¯s faces sour instantly. ¡°There is the rite of the claimed kill to consider.¡±


    Fairweather hissed. ¡°What in the hells is that?¡±


    Tayla allowed herself a smile at the other woman''s distress. ¡°You don¡¯t know about one of our oldest traditions? How shameful for one from such a great house. The rite of the claimed kill is an ancient law of the hunt, it states that whomever lands the killing blow during a hunt is entitled to do whatever they wish with the remains of the creature they fell.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit! I have never heard of such a law!¡± Fairweather screamed. Even her advisor was starting to grow agitated by the look on her face.


    Cyrus stepped to one of the panels on the wall, retrieving an ancient leather bound book from one of the hidden alcoves. As he walked back he flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. Clearing his throat he began to read aloud. ¡°In honor of our close bonds with the Ono, we have seen fit to recognize the ancient rite of the claimed kill, let any who land such a killing blow be allowed to claim this right, in the eyes of the Heralds we do hereby decree.¡± Tayla was glad her brother¡¯s Ono obsession had finally paid off, she remembered all those nights of him reading anything and everything to do with them. He was the one that originally discovered the obscure lost rite, how he had found it in the many ancient tomes was a mystery all on its own.


    Westwood rushed over and snatched the book from Cyrus¡¯ hands, frantically reading the page with growing concern. ¡°Alright, so you found some ancient law. The majority of the Krak¡¯un were killed by the Stormpriest, last I checked he isn¡¯t around to lay claim. This law is useless.¡±


    Tayla smiled from ear to ear. ¡°Uncle, do you remember what I landed the killing blow on?¡±


    Realization struck Cyrus as he also began to grin. ¡°I do indeed.¡±


    The pair of women looked at one another trying to figure out what they were playing at when Westwood dropped the book to the ground. ¡°The Elder.¡± She whispered.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I was the one that landed the killing blow on that vile beast, and I invoke the rite of the claimed kill. The meat was probably turned to dust, but the plating, I¡¯m sure I can find a good use for it.¡±


    Fairweather screamed as she flew across the room at Tayla, a thresher whip snapped as it wrapped around the woman''s legs, she fell to the wooden floor, hard. With a bloody nose she looked up. ¡°My lady! The last Elder was killed almost two hundred years ago, their shells are vital in the process of constructing another capital ship!¡± Her voice was filled with desperation.


    Tayla could understand why the woman was so worked up, it was like Fairweather said, the shells of the Elder Krak¡¯un were integral to the construction of their capital ships, of which there were only six in the whole of the coast. Despite the name, the capital ships were more like fortresses, they were just built in the shape of ships out of tradition. To an outsider it may seem odd that a nation that had never known war would be so desperate to build such fortresses, but to the Twins, such creations were their greatest symbol of their faith to the All Mother.


    ¡°Well.¡± Tayla said after a pause. ¡°Perhaps you would be willing to trade for my spoils?¡±


    The other shoe dropped as Fairweather narrowed her eyes. ¡°Here I was thinking you were just a child playing pretend. Fine, you win. I¡¯ll give the clanless bastards twelve percent of the Krak¡¯un meat.¡±


    ¡°Make it ten percent of the meat, and five percent of the plating.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡± The word seemed to hurt Fairweather as she spoke it. Without waiting, she quickly undid the whip around her ankles and made to leave.


    Ton was wiping his face as he came up to Tayla to thank her. ¡°My lady, I swear it upon the Gods that I will never forget your kindness today. My people will sing songs of your generosity.¡±


    Tayla let out a sigh. ¡°Be at peace Ton. Even if you have no house to call your own, you and your kind are our brothers and sisters. Without the help of the clanless my family and I would have died to the Elder, this is the least I can do to try and pay back that kindness. Go, prepare for the coming supplies.¡±


    The older man knelt on the ground as he lowered his head. ¡°For as long as I live, I shall serve you, our Mistress of Shadows. This, I swear on the old ways.¡± Tayla cocked her head, she wasn¡¯t familiar with this tradition.


    Cyrus seemed upset with the man¡¯s display. ¡°Raise! What nonsense are you spouting? We have more problems to oversee today, you have a long road ahead.¡± It was a rare sight to see uncle Cyrus so flustered, perhaps this was some clanless ritual that they didn¡¯t show to others. She would have to ask her uncle about this later.


    Ton scrambled to his feet as he bowed again before leaving. Cyrus put the ancient law book back in its home. As he was walking back to Tayla¡¯s side, the doors opened once more. If the first case was any indication, this was going to be a long afternoon.


    Later that night as the staff cleaned up the gathering hall, the last of them went to gather the chairs so they may be placed in storage. They paused when they noticed something strange with one of the chairs, there, on the top of the backrest were two perfect hand prints burned into the wood. Curious, the staff member ran a finger over one of the prints, without warning their finger was frozen solid instantly. Shrieking in pain they pulled their hand back, the digit remained attached to the chair, snapping off their hand with ease.


    Gasping in pain, the staff member held their hand, frightened to see the damage from the frostbite. With shaking hands they mustered the courage to look down only to find that there was no missing finger, no frostbite, just their trembling hands. Snapping up to look at the chair, they saw the lines of the hand prints seemed to writhe and move of their own accord.


    The disappearance of one of the ornate mediation chairs would normally warrant a much more thorough investigation, but the sudden arrival of the Court¡¯s investigation team became the more pressing concern.

 Chapter 17

    It had been many years since Phi had been this far from the Black Coast. He had not been born in the Coast, but for him it felt more like home than his actual birthplace. The trio had been walking for the whole day, only stopping for short breaks. Phi for his part did not feel tired though, not because his body wasn¡¯t exhausted, but because he couldn¡¯t feel much of anything to begin with. In the face of his eternal hunger, everything else felt numb.


    Phi winced, there was nothing worse than thinking about how hungry he was to make him more hungry. He needed to distract himself, reaching a hand into his pocket he pulled out the well worn book inside. He flipped to a particular page as he ran his fingers along the raised bumps on the aged paper. He mouthed the words of his favorite scripture as he let the All Mother¡¯s teachings drown out his vile desires.


    ¡®To be a proper vessel of Her love, one must empty themselves of all other wants and vices. Only when one is empty of the evils of mankind can they truly fill themselves with Her holy light. Clear your mind, and your soul will follow.¡¯ His hand twitched as he reached hesitantly to the small markings that had been added in the margins of the page by hand.


    ¡®You are a good lad, don¡¯t let anyone else tell you otherwise. -H.¡¯


    Phi snapped the book closed as he returned it to the same pocket it had stayed in for decades.


    The temperature was dropping quickly, which probably meant that the sun was setting. Probably. Phi could never be sure though, between his skin always feeling cold and numb, and his blindness, he struggled to know what time of day it was. That wasn¡¯t to say he didn¡¯t have another form of sight to compensate for his lack of conventional vision, it was just limited. Phi didn¡¯t see spectrums of light, no, he could sense the bioelectric energy of all living things around him. The benefit was that he could sense this energy in a perfect sphere, the sphere was around thirty feet in diameter in size and could sense people, animals, hells, even many plants.


    Though he still struggled to not stumble as he walked.


    There was another aspect to Phi¡¯s sight that was tied to his power over blood. Under the soil Phi could sense a family of rabbits, he could pick out their numbers, their size, and a rough idea of their health. More than that, he could feel the blood coursing through the creature''s body, the heat and warmth of their muscles and flesh, the intoxicating beat of their tiny hearts. A thin line of drool formed along his perpetually extended mouth.


    He sighed as he reached a hand up to one of the chains that wrapped over his shoulder, he pulled at the chain as the hooks on the far end embedded into his back tore into his flesh. The act of flagellation helped center his mind when scripture wasn¡¯t enough to stave off the hunger.


    Perhaps some conversation would help, Phi thought as he cleared his throat to speak. ¡°Are we nearing Fulcrest? I cannot be sure, but it feels like night is almost upon us again.¡± He said.


    The voice that answered was Fel¡¯s. There was no mistaking their particular sing-song pitch. ¡°It pains me to say this, but I might have misjudged the distance to Fulcrest. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re making it tonight.¡± There was a hint of shame in Fel¡¯s voice, a rare thing indeed.


    Thoren spoke up next. ¡°It looks like there may be a small village up that way,¡± Phi felt the man¡¯s arm lift to point to the left of the group. ¡°We may be able to find somewhere to sleep for the night.¡±


    ¡°I would prefer it if we don¡¯t run into anyone until we get to Fulcrest. The last thing we need is a villager alerting someone of our location.¡±


    Phi had a thought. ¡°What is the geography of this path? Are we near any trees or the like? I only ask because it may be best to find a sheltered building to rest for the night, one that would protect us from any passing airships.¡±


    The silence that followed usually meant that someone was deep in thought; in his youth, Phi had had the bad habit of asking people what emotion they were showing on their faces. It had worn out its welcome quickly. Fel eventually spoke. ¡°You bring up a fair point, there is little in the way of cover, and tonight is much colder than the last. We need shelter for the night.¡± The words came out like a stubborn tooth.


    The group changed their course, turning off to the left towards the village. Phi could feel his legs cramp in response to the steep angle they now walked, his body had reached its limit. He stopped in his tracks, legs shaking violently. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I may need help reaching the village.¡±


    ¡°What are you-¡± Thoren stopped mid sentence. ¡°Oh Gods! Your legs!¡±


    Phi¡¯s knees buckled as he started to fall to the ground. At the last moment a set of hands grabbed him, swinging his weight until he was lifted onto the back of another. ¡°Why did you not say anything Phi?¡± Fel said. Phi didn¡¯t need to ask to tell that they were disappointed in him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t feel my fatigue, this was unexpected.¡± He awkwardly shifted around while being held aloft by Fel. ¡°And slightly demeaning.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep at all last night, hells, even I needed to sit down for a couple hours.¡± Fel sounded almost proud of Phi. ¡°When we get to town Thoren will watch over you while I go and ask about a room.¡±


    ¡°Fel, I don¡¯t mean to sound rude, but I thought we wanted to keep a low profile. Would it not be better to send Thoren?¡±


    The storm priest let out a slight laugh. ¡°He¡¯s not wrong. I would stand out the least.¡±


    Fel huffed. ¡°A blond haired man in the robes of the Spire, carrying the symbols of one of their holy warriors? You would stand out more than Phi.¡± There was a pause as they turned their head back towards him. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean any offense by that.¡±


    Letting out a laugh, Phi said. ¡°You merely speak the truth, I do tend to draw a lot of attention, the kind that causes angry mobs. I would argue Fel that you also tend to stick out like a sore thumb. At nearly seven feet tall with glowing white hair you would have a hard time blending into a crowd.¡±


    ¡°Which is why I will have to change that.¡± The way Fel said that sounded quite ominous. ¡°That¡¯s if I can trust you both to keep quiet.¡±


    Thoren crossed his arms, Phi could hear the man¡¯s heart rate increase. ¡°You speak of trust, but there is much that you keep hidden from us. Fel, can you speak plainly for once? Should we trust you?¡± Phi found himself nodding at Thoren¡¯s words. He had lived in the Black Coast for nearly fifteen years, and in that time he had come to learn that the Twins were a very secretive people. They took their time to warm up to outsiders, keeping newcomers at arm''s length for quite some time before opening up to them.


    None were more cautious than Fel.


    Normally Fel would have some snappy retort or some half hearted joke to deflect any direct scrutiny of their odd nature, but not this time. ¡°Trust, is hard for me.¡± They seemed uncomfortable, vulnerable even. Phi had never seen this before. ¡°I wish I could tell you more, but I am bound to certain oaths that make it impossible for me to elaborate.¡± Phi could feel them turn their head towards Thoren. ¡°The Night Father knew that I would need help to complete this mission, he was willing to risk breaking the accords between our gods to bring this information to us. He knew I would need your help. This is bigger than you or me.¡±


    The pause that followed was long and tense. ¡°If things had gone differently, I could have been your enemy. The truth is that I¡¯m still struggling not to see you as just some heretic, I was taught my whole life that the Twin¡¯s were a blight on the Empire, agents of the old gods that would stop at nothing to spit in the eye of the All Mother. Conspiring for the day that they would get their vengeance for being brought low.¡± Thorens voice was strained. ¡°Decades of faith shaken by a single person.¡±


    ¡°Tayla?¡± Fel said quietly.


    Thoren let out a sudden bark of laughter, the tension easing slightly. ¡°Gods no. I like your sister, truly, and given more time I would like to think we could even be friends. But no, I was talking about your grandmother Rosel. Despite all of my hatred and zeal, all of the bitter doctrine that I could muster, I still faulted in the face of such a kind and loving person.¡± Thoren grew quiet once more. ¡°Are you familiar with the Spire?¡±


    ¡°Not really, I know the name and that you Stormpriests and your Tideborn cousins call the place home, but there is little information in the Keel about the exact nature of the place.¡±


    Phi finally had an opportunity to speak up. ¡°I have heard the stories, The Spire is the holy land of the All Mother¡¯s children. The Tideborn live in grand cities beneath the waves, working tirelessly in their studies of how best to serve the Empire¡¯s needs, while above the clouds the Storm Priests that call those hallowed halls home are the backbone of the Court¡¯s faith. Despite being called ¡®the Spire¡¯, there are actually three such pillars. If the stories are true, the spires are made from a glass-like substance that predates the colonization of this planet, each one of these monolithic structures stretching from the ocean floor to the clouds far above.¡±


    Letting out a sigh Thoren continued. ¡°That is the gist of it, what they don¡¯t tell you is that only one in twenty of us make it to adulthood.¡±


    Fel stopped in their tracks. ¡°What! How?!¡± They sounded disgusted, though Phi wasn¡¯t as fazed; the mortality rate for Hybrid births was horrifically high, usually ending in the death of the child or parent; many times both. Though it was surprising to hear that such a loss of life was seen as acceptable in the Spire.


    ¡°Phi, when you shift into your elemental state do you give your body commands?¡± Thoren asked, changing the subject suddenly.


    ¡°Well, not really. I can issue my body specific commands to follow during my shift, but for the most part I still retain a basic level of consciousness. It is diminished without a host however.¡±


    Thoren raised a finger while gesturing with his hand. ¡°And that, is why our survival rate is so low. We are blessed by the storm, granted the ability to shift into pure electricity, with all of the pros and cons that come with it. If a Tideborn turns into a pool of water by accident, they simply fall to the ground and can reform in a moment. If a Stompriest turns into a bolt of lightning without giving their body a rigid set of commands, we are for all intents and purposes, at the mercy of the laws of physics. Faster than our brain can even process the situation, we are hurled along the path of least resistance and our energy is absorbed by whatever we strike. Once that happens, there is no reforming, there is no chance to go back, in the blink of an eye the Stormpriest is dead.¡± There was a slight tremor to his voice as he finished.


    Neither Fel nor Phi seemed to know what to say in response to such troubling information. Eventually Thoren continued after collecting himself. ¡°Do you know when the Celestial gifts manifest?¡± He asked aloud to no one in particular.


    Once again Phi felt his chance to speak up. ¡°Generally the gifts of the various gods manifest around the ages of ten to fourteen depending on the race and the child. Even hybrids like myself tend to fully awaken to our cursed powers around that range.¡±


    ¡°How would you prepare someone that is still on the tailend of childhood for such a miserable fate? How do you warn them that a single stray thought could lead them to oblivion? Centuries of such pointless deaths have made us callous. The Priesthood has used whatever method they could justify to stop the tragic loss of our young.¡± Without waiting for answers to his questions, Thoren seemed to fidget with his robes. Fel let out a gasp, whatever he was showing must be quite the shock. ¡°My people can absorb the natural currents of electricity, another of the Lifeweavers'' attempts at surviving on inhospitable worlds. We can use this energy to fuel our divine powers, there is one catch though; absorbing another Stormpriest¡¯s lightning is excruciating, our body tries to store it but in doing so it burns us from the inside out. This is how the Priesthood prepares us, by burning the grim lesson into our very skin.¡±


    Once more the trio grew silent, the only sound was the footsteps that brought them ever closer to the village. Phi was curious how close they were to reaching the village, but even he could tell that this wasn¡¯t the time to speak up.


    Eventually Fel cleared their throat, speaking softly. ¡°Why did you share this? I thought you wanted to know if you should trust me? Where did this all come from?¡±


    Thoren ran a hand through his hair. At least, Phi was pretty sure that¡¯s what he did, that or he liked waving his hand over his head. ¡°Because, that¡¯s how you get people to trust you, you share uncomfortable truths and bear your weakness¡¯.¡± He turned his head to Fel and Phi. He seemed to be waiting for something.


    ¡°I-¡± Fel started.


    ¡°I ate my way out of my mother¡¯s womb at birth.¡± Phi announced.


    Putting a hand over his mouth, Thoren retorted. ¡°By the Saints man! Why would you choose to tell us that now of all times?!¡± Even Fel stopped in their tracks to look back at Phi.


    ¡°You said that by sharing uncomfortable truths, we could trust each other. I thought it was my turn. Did I misunderstand?¡± Phi was perplexed; first Thoren had told of the ritual to grow closer to one another, and then he had looked towards Phi to bear his weakness¡¯. He had hoped that had finally found the secret to forming bonds.


    Fel shook their head. ¡°He was talking to me, Phi. Look, I would love to unpack everything that you two shared, but we are almost to the village. Thoren, I can¡¯t tell you my uncomfortable truths, but I can show you some of my secrets.¡± Before anyone could respond, Fel placed Phi down on the ground. With a gasp of air they groaned in agony as Fel shuddered and convulsed, their body transforming before Phi¡¯s very eyes. He watched in awe as their bones broke, compressing in on themselves till they were smaller, their organs shifted in the rapidly shrinking rib cage, their hips popped out of place as the pelvis¡¯ shape changed, their cheekbones and jawline seemed to soften slightly. Soon, Fel stood no taller than Tayla.


    Despite Phi focusing on Fel¡¯s stunning transformation, he could sense Thoren assuming a fighting stance as he raised his voice. ¡°You¡¯re a Faceless!¡± There was bitter fury in his voice as he raised a hand to summon his weapon.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Wait! Thoren, I am not a child of Chaos.¡± Fel''s voice was a noticeably higher pitch. ¡°Look closely, this is still my own face. All I did was repress my masculine traits! I know this seems crazy, but you have to believe me.¡±


    Phi looked towards Thoren and raised a hand to try and draw attention, but when no one noticed he spoke anyways. ¡°It¡¯s true, I was watching the whole transformation. Fel¡¯s organs didn¡¯t reconstitute. Which is a dead giveaway of a real Faceless.¡±


    Thoren¡¯s hand shook as he kept it raised. ¡°What about organs?¡±


    ¡°When Faceless transform they have to revert to their original form, when they do so their organs briefly turn back into a mass of stem cells, it¡¯s actually qui-.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Thoren shouted, interrupting Phi. Unfortunate, as the anatomy of the Faceless was actually quite an interesting subject, one that Phi had done a lot of research on. ¡°You can outrun horses, you can withstand blows from the finest Celestial steel, and now you can just casually change your body to suit your needs! I want answers, what are you exactly? And don¡¯t you dare say you ¡®can¡¯t say¡¯.¡± There was a raw pleading to the man¡¯s words, like his world was falling apart, desperately grasping at anything to ground himself again.


    Fel tied up their ample hair as they continued walking towards the village on their own, turning their back on Thoren. With an eerie calmness they called back in their new voice. ¡°I can¡¯t say. I¡¯ll run ahead and see about lodging for the night.¡± A moment later they were beyond Phi¡¯s senses.


    Thoren turned, balling up his fists as his body shook with frustration. ¡°I guess that¡¯s what I get for trying to build trust.¡± He hissed under his breath.


    Phi¡¯s legs had officially called it quits, the cramps were so bad that he could see every fiber of muscle in his leg convulse. The pain was quite excruciating, though it still paled in comparison to the hunger. He knew he should say something to Thoren, but he was struggling to know what the right thing was, thankfully he knew where to find the answer to this situation.


    Turning once more to his lexicon, he found the passage that mentioned just this situation.


    ¡®When friends fight, be patient, remember to listen to them!¡¯ Phi nodded at the sage advice.


    He turned to Thoren. ¡°Would you like me to listen to you?¡± He said beaming proudly.


    Thoren stopped his brooding as he faced Phi. ¡°What? Uh, no. I¡¯m alright.¡±


    Panic gripped Phi, he quickly ran his hand over the entry, had he misread the words of wisdom? No, he had read the words accurately. A wave of shame washed over him as he realized how foolish he was acting, this forced march had taken quite the toll on his mind. Turning back to Thoren once more he said. ¡°Of course, I understand. I can be patient¡± He tried to smile like he had been taught.


    The muscles in Thoren¡¯s face pulled and folded, the corners of his upper lip raised. Success! Phi had managed to bring a smile to the distraught man! Thoren shook his head, no doubt he was being bashful. ¡°We should start moving, hopefully Fel will be done by the time we make it up the hill. I swear I¡¯ll get my answers to whatever is going on, but for now, let¡¯s try and find somewhere to rest for the night.¡± He said as he walked over and kneeled down to offer his back to Phi. ¡°Try not to lose yourself and drink my blood.¡±


    ¡°I promise to try. Though, are you sure you can carry me? I am quite large.¡± Phi was half a foot taller than the priest, and much broader as well.


    ¡°You seem to forget what I am.¡± Thoren said while looking over his shoulder. He closed his eyes as he chanted. ¡°Grant me your strength.¡± Even with Phi¡¯s limited senses he could see a brilliant golden light flowing from Thoren¡¯s eyes, his whole body seemed covered in a thin film of liquid gold. The light flickered and dissipated without warning, causing Thoren to look down in shock. ¡°What? I must still be weakened after casting those miracles during the festival. Let me try the full chant. Oh All Mother, she whom granted the oceans their rich bounty of life, I beseech you to share your divine power with your humble servant. Grant me the strength to strike down your foes, to carry your burdens, to protect your children!¡±


    The golden light erupted as a raging torrent, this time it shimmered and flowed like a living thing as it coated Thoren¡¯s entire body in the warm glow. Phi held a clawed hand to his lamprey-like mouth. ¡°It¡¯s wondrous!¡± With trepidation he reached out to grab hold of Thoren, as he touched the golden aura, Phi felt his hand burn and blister. He recoiled in pain as he nursed the hand. ¡°Too wondrous for an abomination like myself it would seem.¡±


    The light vanished as Thoren let out a sigh. He moved over and grabbed Phi¡¯s arm, pulling it over his neck. ¡°Looks like we have to do this the old fashion way.¡± Grunting with effort he lifted Phi and helped support him as they stumbled onwards.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Phi whispered. He was deeply ashamed of himself for causing such a holy symbol to resort to such a demeaning act.


    ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped. We can¡¯t exactly leave you out here on your own. We¡¯re almost to the village, not much further now.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t long till Fel made their way back to the pair. Thoren seemed about to speak when Fel talked over him. ¡°Look, I know you¡¯re angry, Thoren, we can discuss this more after we get a good night''s sleep. Please.¡±


    Thoren huffed. ¡°I¡¯m sure the discussion will be cryptic and short. Whatever; did you manage to find somewhere we can rest away from prying eyes?¡±


    Fel didn¡¯t take the bait, choosing not to get into an argument for now. ¡°One of the villagers said we could stay in their stable for the night. Here¡¯s our story, my name is Fiona, you two are my traveling companions, and Phi here has sprained his ankle.¡±


    ¡°I get why you changed your appearance to not draw attention, but is there a reason you chose to look like a woman?¡± Thoren asked.


    ¡°Well, in my experience people are generally more sympathetic to a young woman in need of help.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and that segmented leather armor that stretches and contracts to match your body. Yeah, that won¡¯t stand out.¡± Thoren said sarcastically.


    ¡°I was sure to cover myself with my cloak. Here, let me give you a hand with Phi, it¡¯ll look more believable.¡± Fel moved to Phi¡¯s other side and helped support him.


    Soon the trio made their way into the village. It was refreshing to walk on even ground again after hiking up the hill for the last hour or so. Phi could sense the odd person as they passed what he assumed were houses, many of the people he detected seemed to be settling in for the night. Finally they reached the stables, and not a minute too soon. Phi wasn¡¯t the only one on the verge of collapsing, he could feel the high amount of lactic acid building up inside Thoren and Fel¡¯s muscles. They were putting on a tough face but their bodies couldn¡¯t lie; they needed a good night''s rest.


    The stables consisted of six stalls, two of the stalls were occupied by a pair of work horses. The other four stalls were empty; without a word, each of the trio took one of the stalls for their own. Phi struggled to the wall at the end of his stall, he leaned his back against the wall and slowly slid down till he was sitting upright.


    Phi didn¡¯t feel his eyes close, his head simply fell slightly as he succumbed to the exhaustion. The dream that followed was one of his fondest memories, balancing as he walked along the old log fence in his hometown. He tried his best to balance along the logs without help. Without warning he slipped on the log, it was still wet and slick from the ocean spray, even as he fell a hand reached out to steady him. Phi turned to face the man who raised him, yet he could sense nothing, he reached his own hand up to steady himself on the hand that was grabbing him, but all he felt was the smoothness of bone.


    Something stirred in the stables, waking Phi from his usual nightmare. It took a moment for his senses to focus, there was someone standing over him. Through sheer willpower Phi held still as his heart pounded. He took a moment to center himself as he tried to assess who this stranger was. They were small, barely up to Phi¡¯s waist. They seemed to be holding something in each of their hands. His best bet was that this was a child. Phi couldn¡¯t tell if it was morning, but the chill in the morning said otherwise.


    The child crouched down, placing something on the ground in front of Phi. They leaned in close to him. ¡°I brought you a snack.¡± The voice was that of a little girl. She whispered quietly. ¡°Are you a demon?¡± A hint of fear in her voice.


    ¡°No.¡± Phi said, hoping he wouldn¡¯t scare the child and cause a commotion.


    The little girl fell back, dropping the object in her other hand as she started to scoot away quickly. As she made it to the open stable door she ran head first into a wooden beam. She let out a gasp of pain as she started to frantically feel around the ground in search of something. ¡°Oh no, where is it? Not now!¡± The girl hissed, panic in her voice.


    Phi reached forward along the ground, he could feel the bowl that the girl had left, but moving past it he found the other object the girl had dropped. It was a long thin stick, he wondered what it was for a moment before a realization dawned on him. ¡°Are you blind, child?¡± He tried his best to sound comforting.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± The girl said, shocked.


    ¡°It would seem the God¡¯s have seen fit to bring us together. I remember using a similar stick when I was younger. Here,¡± Phi said, holding out his hand with the walking stick. ¡°I know how hard it can be to not have this.¡±


    The little girl hesitantly crawled forward until she could feel the walking stick. She snatched it back and held it close. ¡°Are you like me?¡± There was wonder in her voice. ¡°I¡¯ve never met someone with bad eyes like myself!¡±


    Hearing the joy in the girl¡¯s voice filled Phi with warmth. ¡°Yes, I am blind. Though I have other ways of seeing. Putting that aside, you should return home young lady, it¡¯s dangerous to talk to strangers.¡± He said as he recalled the lessons of his late teacher.


    Even as she nodded, the little girl continued undeterred. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± She asked.


    Raising an eyebrow, Phi answered the question despite his confusion. ¡°Phi.¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯m Alice, now we aren¡¯t strangers!¡± She said with a smile. Phi was impressed, he couldn¡¯t argue with her sound logic.


    Crossing his legs in front of him, Phi leaned against the wall again. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be in bed Alice?¡±


    Alice crossed her legs as well as she responded. ¡°How could I sleep? Nobody ever comes to our village, we live on the edge of the Empire!¡± She was shaking with excitement. Phi extended his senses, he could see Thoren and Fel were still fast asleep in their respective stalls. ¡°If you aren¡¯t a demon, what are you?¡± Alice gasped. ¡°Are you a half god?¡±


    Phi chuckled lightly. ¡°I think you mean to ask if I am a Minstella, the Celestial demigods. No, I am not such a holy being I¡¯m afraid. What makes you think so?¡±


    A frown crossed Alice¡¯s face as she seemed disappointed by Phi¡¯s lack of godhood. ¡°You don¡¯t look normal, I can¡¯t see much, but your skin looks the wrong color, and you wear the robes of a priest.¡±


    There was a sense of relief that Alice only saw Phi¡¯s skin as an odd color, her eyesight must be pretty far gone if she didn¡¯t notice that his skin was translucent and scaled. Still, it was probably a good idea to move the conversation away from his physical appearance, it would be wise to not scare the child by revealing his true nature. ¡°These robes belonged to the man that raised me, he was a cleric in the village I grew up in.¡±


    ¡°You were raised by a cleric!?¡± Alice squealed as she scooted closer to Phi. ¡°What was it like?¡±


    ¡°I would love to tell you more, but I really need some sleep. You should also return home before your parents get worried.¡± Phi said, struggling to stay awake.


    Alice fell on her side, kicking her legs in frustration. ¡°Tell me a story! Please, just one story and I¡¯ll leave!¡±


    Phi held his hands out to try and calm Alice¡¯s tantrum. ¡°Alright, alright. What would you like to know?¡± He whispered.


    ¡°Tell me more about that cleric!¡±


    With a sigh Phi rested his head in one of his hands. ¡°That¡¯s a bit of a complicated story. When I was born, my mother passed away. No one knew who my biological father was, so since I had no family I was surrendered to the local temple. The local cleric raised me as best he could. I wouldn¡¯t be the man I am now if not for his teachings.¡± Phi reached into his belt pouch and pulled out his lexicon. ¡°He even took the time to transcribe the holy lexicon into a form of writing that I could read.¡± He gently ran his thumb over the worn cover as he held it. Fond memories coming back to him as he did so.


    Alice had been quietly enthralled by Phi¡¯s story, suddenly she bolted upright. ¡°You can read?! Can I see the book?¡± She rushed over to Phi¡¯s side before he had a chance to respond.


    Holding out the book Phi said. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you take a look, but do be careful. This book means the world to me.¡±


    Alice gingerly reached out shaking hands to grab the book. Taking a deep breath she quickly flipped open the book in the middle. She stared down intently. ¡°There¡¯s nothing here!¡± She whined.


    There was something about a child¡¯s honest nature that never failed to delight Phi. He stifled a laugh as he placed his hand on the open pages. ¡°You read it with your hands.¡± Alice placed her hand on the page with a look of disbelief. ¡°Do you feel those small bumps? They can be used to represent the letters of the alphabet.¡±


    The small girl¡¯s face scrunched with effort. ¡°I think this one is an ¡®L¡¯!¡± She said with pure joy.


    ¡°That¡¯s a ¡®W¡¯.¡±


    Alice held the book up against her face. ¡°Hm, yeah. I see that now.¡± Putting the book back in her lap she flipped through the pages, coming to a stop on a random page. ¡°What do these words say?¡±


    Phi reached a hand out to the book, Alice had turned the book near the beginning. ¡°This part is about the long journey through the sea of stars that led us to the holy land.¡±


    ¡°No, not the dots. These words!¡± She said while pointing to the page. ¡°There¡¯s ink on this page, though, it looks like scribbles to me.¡±


    Blinking quickly, Phi reached out and took the book back. He ran his hands over the pages, but in the end he couldn¡¯t feel anything other than the holy text. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He whispered as he grew quiet. Were there other messages hidden in his book from Father Herschel? He would need someone to read this note when he got the chance, maybe it was best to wait till he returned to the Coast. Abigail would help him look through the book thoroughly, she had always been kind to Phi and was trustworthy.


    Putting that aside for now Phi turned to Alice. ¡°I think you should be heading home now Alice. I should also try and get some more rest.¡±


    Alice curled into a ball, holding her knees to her chest. ¡°I thought I could finally learn how to read.¡± She sniffled as she spoke, fighting back tears.


    Sighing, Phi reached for his lexicon once more, turning to the very front. He reached down and placed a hand on the first page, hesitating for a moment. ¡°Alice, are there ink scribbles on this page?¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no ink.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Phi said as he pulled the page out cleanly. ¡°This, is a very special piece of paper. It has everything you need to learn how to read and write in this script. Every letter in alphabetical order, every number, and when you get better it even outlines the special symbols and what they mean.¡±


    Alice froze, her body grew rigid as Phi handed her the page as she held it reverently in front of her. ¡°Can I keep this?¡± There was awe in her voice as she spoke.


    ¡°Yes. It won¡¯t be easy to learn on your own, but I think with enough time and practice, you¡¯ll do great.¡±


    Staring at the page unblinking, Alice stood. Without warning she leapt forward and hugged Phi. ¡°Thank you mister Phi!¡±


    The shock of it all caught Phi off guard. He could feel Alice¡¯s heart racing in her small chest, her blood pumping through her tiny frame just inches away from Phi¡¯s mouth. Phi began to hyperventilate, the world shrank until the only thing he could sense was the delicious crimson meal before him, his rings of hollow barbed teeth shook as they extended. The only sound he could hear was the rhythmic beating of Alice¡¯s heart. He reached his clawed hands around Alice, slowly bringing them closer to grab his prey, stopping a few inches from Alice¡¯s back.


    Lowering his head, his mouth extended forward, teeth twitching in preparation of the coming feast. With a jerk, he threw his head back into the stable wall with the last of his willpower, smashing himself so hard his vision swam with stars. Alice gave a gasp as she leapt back, crawling away from Phi. With a shuddering breath Phi curled into a ball, blood trickling down the back of his head. ¡°Leave!¡±


    ¡°Are you okay mister Phi?¡± Alice said softly as she tried to get closer once again.


    Phi bit into his arm, his teeth grinding and gnashing through his flesh till they found bone. Speaking through his gills, he mustered all of his composure. ¡°I¡¯m alright, I¡¯m just very tired. Now, please leave Alice.¡±


    Alice didn¡¯t seem to notice that anything was amiss, she grabbed her things, holding the piece of paper from the lexicon carefully in front of her. ¡°Goodnight mister Phi, surely us meeting was the work of the Gods!¡± She waved enthusiastically as she hurried off.


    Breathing heavily, Phi curled in on himself, still biting into his arm. He sobbed as he recanted the litany of sin over and over again, shaking uncontrollably as he rocked himself to some semblance of sleep.


    Across the building, through the crack in the other stable door laid Thoren. Phi was too shaken to sense the priest was awake, his eyes staring at Phi with bitter judgment. Thoren was holding his hand towards Phi, electricity slowly dissipating around his arm. With a sigh he lowered it back down, keeping a watch over Phi as he cried.


    It was sometime later that Phi awoke to the screaming.