《Nyte in Shining Armor [A Cursed Shield LitRPG]》


 Chapter 1 - Tempest

    A wave crashes over my head as I open my mouth to yell for my brother. It hits me like a punch to the jaw, and I¡¯m sent reeling, spinning beneath the waves, bubbles crackling in my ears as I flail for the surface. I come up and gasp in a lungful of air, then hack and cough as saltwater splashes down my lungs.


    ¡°¨¢lvaro!¡± I scream. ¡°¨¢lvaro!¡±


    Behind the roar of the ocean, I can hear an answering call. ¡°Nye! Nye, I¡¯m here! Help!¡±


    I lunge in the direction of his voice, even as the waves continue to throw me back and forth like flotsam. Panic is all that¡¯s keeping me going, thrashing against the cold and the burn of saltwater in my throat. I take a breath and hold it, ducking under the surface as another wave collapses on top of me. I breach, panting from the exertion, but still manage to summon the energy to call for my brother again.


    ¡°Here!¡± he responds, his voice hoarse and weary. ¡°Here, Nye!¡±


    Finally, the waves part long enough for me to catch sight of him. Water has plastered his hair against his skin, his head barely kept above the surface. He looks exhausted and terrified.


    That makes two of us.


    By some stroke of luck, the waters let me close the gap before the next wave crashes over us. I grab the front of his shirt to try to hoist his head up higher, treading water with one hand, and he latches onto that arm like a lifeline. I have to kick extra hard to keep us from both going under.


    Weariness pulls at me like an anchor.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¨¢lvaro cries. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to go so far. The rip tide¡ª¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I pant, whipping my head around. Which way is the shore? ¡°Let go of my arm. Help me tread. We need to get back to land.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± ¨¢lvaro sobs, like he¡¯s nine instead of nineteen, but he lets go. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t want to die.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to die.¡± I¡¯m relieved to have found him, but the absence of that anxiety just makes room for the exhaustion to hit even harder. My bones feel like they¡¯re made of lead. ¡°Can you see the shore?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± ¨¢lvaro says, looking around frantically, eyes wide. ¡°We¡¯re lost. Oh god, how did we get so far out?¡±


    I don¡¯t waste my breath responding. We need to figure out which direction is our best bet and start moving. We can¡¯t survive out here much longer, even if our family knows to look for us. I glance to the sky, searching for birds, but only the storm rages overhead. Where had it come from? It had all happened so fast.


    ¡°Nye, watch¡ª¡±


    It¡¯s the only warning I receive before the wave crashes into me. My brother¡¯s shirt is ripped from my grasp as I slam into the water. I try to gasp in a breath, but I inhale a lungful of water instead. My body convulses, every muscle acting instinctively to expel the lungful of water. The same instinct forces me to draw in another breath, hoping for clear air. But I¡¯m still underwater.


    My mouth and nose and eyes burn from the salt. I writhe against the pain and wrongness, fingers clawing at the ocean, my throat, mind screaming for air. I kick my legs, desperate to reach the surface, but I no longer have any sense of up or down. I struggle and gasp and flail senselessly, terror overcoming every other thought and feeling.


    I¡¯m only semi aware that I¡¯m fading as the darkness closes in.


    <hr>


    The darkness changes. It becomes more disorienting, less physical, and I still think I¡¯m drowning for a long time as I struggle and fail to understand where I am or how much time has passed. The very idea slips away from me as I try to grasp it, and the disorientation sends my mind spinning. Yet, I¡¯m thinking more clearly now than when I was before.


    ¨¢lvaro? I call. But I can¡¯t make a sound. My call echoes out into the void. I try to move, but I can¡¯t feel my body. Nor can I feel the ocean. I can¡¯t feel anything anymore. ¨¢lvaro? I call again, trying not to panic.


    Hello? There¡¯s another voice nearby, though it isn¡¯t my brother¡¯s. What¡¯s happening?


    I don¡¯t know, but that doesn¡¯t frighten me as much as not knowing if my brother¡¯s okay. I push past the strange new voice and keep calling for my brother. ¨¢lvaro? ¨¢lvaro?


    There are more voices now. More¡­ presences. I can¡¯t make sense of it. They¡¯re all afraid or confused. Some are clustered together, as if that could stave off the surrounding abyss.


    But it¡¯s not exactly an abyss. There¡¯s another consciousness here, which I¡¯d missed at first, because it seems to be everywhere. It¡¯s wrapped around us like a net. Abruptly, it tightens, snapping around us with malice so intense, it seems to be a physical pressure.


    Some of the voices scream and struggle. The darkness is eating us. Biting into our very essence, stripping bits of us away. Like the others, I¡¯m scared, and I try to escape, but it only hones my panic down to one idea: My brother. I need to find my little brother.


    Nye?


    Hope washes over me as I hear¡ªfeel¡ªthe voice. It¡¯s ¨¢lvaro! He¡¯s close. Like we¡¯re swimming through the ocean all over again, I struggle against the force of nature that¡¯s trying to drag me down, colliding into the mind of my brother. I want to hug him. I want to tell him it will be okay. But I can¡¯t do either.


    I¡¯m here, I say instead.


    There¡¯s movement all around us. The¡­ thing that has us trapped has turned its attention elsewhere, but that doesn¡¯t take the acidic pain away that¡¯s slowly dissolving my sense of self. I can almost see something. A distant spark of light. Muted voices. Sea salt. Flashes of emotions pulse through us: anger, indignation, hunger, triumph. And smaller flickers too: fear, concern, regret. I don¡¯t understand. Who¡¯s feeling these things? Why are we being made to feel them?


    Some of the sounds finally resolve into words. ¡°...I don¡¯t plan to die today.¡±


    They fill me with renewed defiance. We¡¯ll make it out of here, I tell ¨¢lvaro. I promise. Even if I don¡¯t know how, I¡¯ll find a way to do it.


    There¡¯s movement. A struggle. It¡¯s all the rest of us can do but endure as we¡¯re whipped back and forth, more fragmented bits of reality reaching us.


    Then, a flash of light. The minds around me vanish in an instant, including my brother¡¯s. No, I cry, reaching into the nothingness, desperately grabbing for someone who¡¯s no longer there. No!If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    I don¡¯t have much time to be scared for my brother, for the next moment, pain lances through every atom of my being. I scream, writhing against the malice which seems to have stabbed through my very soul, and I feel myself crumbling around it. Being consumed by it. This time, I¡¯m fully aware when I realize I¡¯m dying.


    And then it¡¯s gone, and I¡¯m gone, and I fall back into reality.


    <hr>


    When I awake, everything is dark, and when I try to gasp in a breath, I discover it¡¯s because I¡¯m lying face-down. I groan, spitting grit and sand, as I roll over onto my back and stare up at a beautiful night sky. A warm breeze passes over me, and stars twinkle overhead.


    Had that all been a dream? Some horribly realistic nightmare? I can almost still feel that hatred eating into me, and I shiver at the thought. It had to have been a dream. There¡¯s no other explanation.


    Then I remember what had happened before. The riptide. The storm. ¨¢lvaro.


    ¡°¨¢lvaro!¡± I sit up with a jolt. That had been real. What happened? Have we washed up on shore? But as I look around and start to process my surroundings, my mind only spins with more confusion.


    Despite the low light, I don¡¯t have much issue being able to see what¡¯s around me, but that does little to settle my disorientation. I¡¯m at the bottom of a hill, I think¡ªno, a crater. The base I¡¯m sitting in seems to be rock and clay, but all around me the walls are made of sand. Like some sort of impact blew a hole in a playground. How did I survive whatever left this crater? In fact, as I continue to look around in bewilderment, I realize I¡¯m not alone.


    [New user recognized. Populating stats.]


    I flinch at the voice, so close it feels right in my ear. Nearby, a man groans, shakily crawling to his hands and knees. He looks around frantically, and his gaze quickly lands on me.


    ¡°What was that?¡± he asks, his voice shaking. ¡°Was that you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± is all I can manage to croak out, thoroughly baffled.


    The thing is¡­ I¡¯m not entirely sure the person I¡¯m talking to is human. His skin is gray, and his ears are pointed, and through his grimace of fear, I can make out two fangs where his canines should be.


    [Compilation complete. Role assigned. Displaying stats.]


    [Name: Nye]


    [Species: Dhampyr]


    [Class: Guardian]


    [Level: 14]


    [HP: 125/125]


    [Mana: 40/40]


    [Role: The Knight]


    I whip my head from side to side as the voice speaks, determining it¡¯s not coming from the man across from me; at the same time, the words appear in my vision.


    The man yelps, swatting at the air in front of him. ¡°What the hell is this? Dhampyr? Level? What¡¯s happening?¡±


    Took the words right out of my mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admit. ¡°But it looks like it¡¯s happening to both of us.¡± Now that I¡¯m speaking in complete sentences, my voice sounds strange to me. I clear my throat as I push myself to my feet, mumbling a few trial words to myself. I¡¯m pretty used to pitching my voice slightly lower on a daily basis, but when I try to do that now, my words sound too deep. Weird. Maybe I¡¯m coming down with a cold.


    I start to dust off my pants, then stop. I¡¯m wearing clothes, but they¡¯re not mine. Black boots, trousers, a shirt and a scratchy cloak¡ªbut it¡¯s the bits of leather strapped to my arms and legs and across my chest that have me tilting my head in curiosity. They look like pieces of armor, I think. The man across from me is wearing something similar. There¡¯s a dual crescent moon-like symbol etched over the chest plate that I don¡¯t recognize.


    ¡°No,¡± the man is mumbling to himself, still on the ground. ¡°No, no, no. This can¡¯t be happening. This isn¡¯t real.¡± He moans, clutching his head.


    I raise a skeptical eyebrow at him. I mean, yeah, this is all very strange and confusing, but that seems a bit dramatic. I decide to address the most pressing issue first.


    ¡°¨¢lvaro!¡± I call, turning in a slow circle to survey our crater. ¡°Are you there?¡±


    Other figures are scattered over the nearby ground, besides the man experiencing a mental breakdown. I step toward the nearest one, but it doesn¡¯t respond. In fact, it doesn¡¯t move at all. I frown, wondering if I¡¯d mistaken a boulder or bush for a person in the low light.


    [Check,] the voice appears again. [Human remains. Skeletal.]


    A chill runs down my spine. ¡°What?!¡±


    [Check,] the vaguely robotic, vaguely feminine voice repeats. [Human remains. Skeletal.]


    I probably should have clarified I meant, ¡®What the hell?¡¯


    I take a step back from the bodies. Because as I glance around the crater, I can now tell that¡¯s what the rest of them are, too. ¡°Who are you?¡± I say aloud. ¡°Why am I here?¡±


    [This unit has been designated Echo,] the voice in my head says. [The user¡¯s second request is unidentified.]


    I guess it¡¯s not big on the existential type questions. ¡°What are you?¡± I ask instead.


    [This unit acts as an audiovisual interface between User and System,] Echo says.


    ¡°System?¡±


    [The variegated arcane network which governs select neuromagical advancement.]


    Yeah, that all makes complete sense. I turn back to the man who is still whimpering on the ground and wonder what his deal is. Once more, Echo is happy to oblige.


    [Name: Hans]


    [Species: Dhampyr]


    [Class: Brawler]


    [Level: 19]


    [HP: 135/135]


    [Mana: 50/50]


    [Role: Beast Tamer]


    Some notable similarities and differences. We both have around the same numeric stats, but different classes and roles. The same species, though. Wait. What does that mean about me?


    I look down at my hands. Even in the reduced light, I can tell there¡¯s something wrong with my skin. No longer brown, all the pigment¡¯s been leached away to a dark gray, like I¡¯m a living black and white photograph. I touch my ears, and find them slightly pointed at the tips. Running my tongue over my teeth, a prickly nervous sensation runs through my body when I discover the small fangs in place of my canines, just like Hans.


    I nervously run my hands down my arms. Things just went from disorienting to unsettling. Why isn¡¯t this my body? I guess that explains the change in voice. And I don¡¯t hate it, exactly. This body is muscled, lean, and a couple inches taller than what I¡¯m used to¡ªwhich is to say, still on the short side. But I feel strong.


    I feel like I should be freaking out more about all this. Maybe not Hans-level of freaking out, but something weird is happening, and I¡¯m completely in the dark.


    Right, dark. I glance at the stars overhead. Maybe this new body is why I can see in the dark, too.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I say, heading over to Hans. ¡°Pull it together, alright? We need to figure out what¡¯s going on here.¡±


    He¡¯s still mumbling to himself, so I lean down and put a hand on his shoulder in what I hope is a comforting gesture. It isn¡¯t until I¡¯m close that I can make out what he¡¯s saying.


    ¡°I died, and it¡¯s going to kill me again. I died, and it¡¯s going to kill me again. I died, and it¡¯s going to kill me again.¡±


    I pull my hand back reflexively, his words giving me the willies. ¡°We¡¯re not dead,¡± I tell him. I mean, at least I don¡¯t think we are. I don¡¯t feel dead. But how had I gotten from the ocean to here? I thought I remembered drowning, the water in my lungs, but¡­ I mean, if I died, I wouldn¡¯t be here, right? And where¡¯s ¨¢lvaro?


    I shake my head, trying to dislodge the string of uncomfortable questions. No point in dwelling on them. I don¡¯t have the answers, anyway. I try to refocus on more immediate concerns.


    ¡°What do you think is going to kill you?¡± I ask.


    That stops him, and he cocks his head. ¡°Can¡¯t you hear it? The whispers.¡±


    ¡°Echo?¡± I wonder. She¡¯s definitely strange, but her helpful (if not blunt) commentary doesn¡¯t strike me as murderous.


    Hans shakes his head. ¡°No, no. The whispers, underground. They¡¯re hurt. Mad. They¡¯re coming.¡±


    Another shiver goes through me. I can¡¯t help it, this guy just knows exactly what to say to give me the creeps. ¡°Then maybe we should get out of here,¡± I suggest.


    Hans looks up at me in despair. ¡°It¡¯s too late. They¡¯re already here!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s here?¡± I ask, nervously glancing around the crater. The skeletons haven¡¯t gotten up and wandered away, so that¡¯s good, I guess.


    He frowns, in concentration or worry, I can¡¯t tell. Then he looks up at me with wide, earnest eyes. ¡°The cactus.¡±


    I can¡¯t help it. A laugh bubbles out of me. ¡°Cactus? A cactus is coming for you?¡±


    Seeing I clearly am not taking him seriously, his gaze drops back to the ground and he starts mumbling to himself again, scratching his fingers through his hair. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t understand what you want!¡±


    I¡¯m beginning to think this guy might be one crayon short of a full box.


    ¡°Okay, well, while you worry about the murder cactus, I¡¯m going to climb out of here and figure out where we are,¡± I say.


    Hans begins rocking back and forth. ¡°Requirement? What requirement? I can¡¯t do it. I can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I say, drawing out the word. ¡°Well good luck with¡ª¡±


    And that¡¯s when the murder cactus bursts from the ground.

 Chapter 2 - Murder Cactus

    Sand and chips of dried clay explode upward as the monster erupts from the earth. Long, spindly vines of cacti crawl from the opening like feelers on an insect.


    Okay, so, looks like Hans might not have been totally off his rocker after all. If I could hear the approach of a giant, underground, sentient cactus monster whispering murderous threats as it sped our way, maybe I would have been freaking out, too.


    A spine-studded vine stabs in my direction, and I stumble back, narrowly avoiding being turned into a human pincushion. Er. Dhampyr pincushion? I¡¯m not given a moment to consider this as more feelers race over the ground, all of them coming for me and Hans.


    I take one look at the swarm of crawling cacti, then turn tail and run.


    So, not the most heroic move. It¡¯s definitely not my intent to leave Hans to a spindly death. But there¡¯s nothing I can do against this creature barehanded; which means the first step is to arm myself.


    As I dash out of the cactus monster¡¯s range, I run past one of the bodies that litter the field. Most have hints of some kind of armor on them, and some of them¡­ there! I dive for the hilt of a sword and yank the weapon from the sand as I spin to face the cactus.


    I test the weight of the blade as vines race toward me, grimacing as I note the rust and scuffs along the edge of my sword. Hopefully that won¡¯t stop it from cutting through some plants. I¡¯ve never used a sword before, but how hard can it be to swing a sharp implement around?


    I quickly find out. One of the feelers spears toward my feet, and I sidestep the vine, chopping the sword into the ground. Sand sprays into the air as a result, some of it ending up in my eyes and lungs, which causes me to start hacking uncontrollably.


    [6 points of Slashing damage dealt,] Echo reports.


    Great start, I sarcastically think to myself. But at least I managed to cut through the cactus. And the damage report is interesting. It¡¯s like a game or something¡ªonly this feels all too real.


    The severed limb sits inert next to me, leaking a clear juice into the sand. I might have actually overdone it with the chopping. Looks like these things don¡¯t need that much force to cut through them. All the better for me.


    Spitting grit and blinking the sand out of my eyes, I quickly locate Hans¡ªan endeavor made easy from all his screaming. One of the vines is wrapped around his leg, and it¡¯s dragging him back toward its main stalk. I don¡¯t know what it intends to do with the man once he gets there, but I think ¡®nothing good¡¯ is a fairly safe assumption. I charge in his direction.


    More vines come for me as I run, and I hack them apart without breaking stride. Notifications pop up as I do, Echo reporting, [4 points of Slashing damage dealt. 6 points of Slashing damage dealt. 3 points of Slashing damage dealt,] as I cut each of them to pieces. It¡¯s kind of fun, actually. I love how powerful I feel with each swing of the sword. I love how I feel like I¡¯m doing something. Protecting someone. Maybe it¡¯s just the adrenaline talking, but I could get used to a high like this.


    I skid up next to Hans, slashing through the thick vine that¡¯s wrapped around his leg. The cactus monster squeals in protest, its injured limb whipping away, as I grab Hans and haul him to his feet.


    ¡°Come on,¡± I tell him. ¡°We need to get out of here.¡±


    He tries to take a step after me, but his leg crumples. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he gasps. ¡°It hurts!¡±


    I glance skeptically down at his leg, and find the severed vine is still wrapped around him. I grab the loose end and pull, which causes Hans to scream and a strange smell to hit my nose. It¡¯s sweet with a coppery tang, and instantly makes my mouth water. My stomach turns a moment later when I notice the rivulets of blood running down Hans¡¯s leg and I realize where the smell is coming from.


    Dozens of finger-long cactus spines are embedded in Hans¡¯s calf, which is why the severed vine still hasn¡¯t fallen away. I swear, one-handedly swinging my sword to cut through more incoming attacks, then hoist Hans¡¯s arm over my shoulder and begin dragging him away. He cries out as I do, but he¡¯ll just have to bear it, or we¡¯ll both end up shish-kabobbed.


    When we¡¯re finally far enough away from the main stalk, I unceremoniously drop Hans to the side, then turn back to face the cactus. Maybe if I can keep chopping off every vine it sends my way, it won¡¯t have any left to attack me with. Even as I think that, a dozen more stalks erupt from the ground and begin crawling over the sand.


    I sigh. ¡°You gotta be kidding me.¡±


    Our one saving grace is that the plant isn¡¯t only targeting Hans and I. It¡¯s also grabbing the skeletons half buried in the sand, attempting to drag their crumbling remains back toward its center. That might mean it¡¯s a scavenger of some kind. If it¡¯s just as interested in the bodies as us, then we have an opportunity to escape and leave it to the bones.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Think you can make it to the top of the slope?¡± I ask Hans, still keeping an eye on the cactus monster. ¡°If we can make it up there, it might not follow.¡±


    He only groans in response. Was the injury worse than it looked? I spare a glance down at him, wondering what¡¯s wrong.


    [Check,] Echo says, answering my unasked question. [HP: 113/135. Status Effect: Sanity Loss.]


    ¡°Sanity Loss?¡± I repeat, alarmed. Sure enough, the man is groaning, rocking slightly back and forth as he clutches his head. ¡°Why? What¡¯s causing that?¡±


    [Failure to adhere to the user¡¯s Role Requirement may result in a decreased Sanity stat.]


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Whatever happens, I need to make sure I don¡¯t end up the same as him. But first thing¡¯s first. I have to take care of this¡ª


    Stabbing pain spikes through my ankle as I¡¯m yanked from my feet.


    [7 points of Piercing damage sustained.]


    The sword is flung from my hand as I strike the ground. I lunge for it, but another tug on my leg pulls me away, and I grab only a fistful of sand. I scream through clenched teeth as excruciating pain radiates up my leg with each tug, and I roll over onto my back and kick at the vine with my free foot. A bloody spine protrudes from my ankle, and my stomach lurches at the sight. Focusing instead on the vine, I grind the heel of my boot into the plant, and succeed in breaking open its flesh. More watery liquid spills out, and with a final slam of my boot, I break all the way through. I hiss in pain as I drag my injured leg back toward me, struggling to claw my way through the sand and away from the monster. I leave drops of blood in my wake, and the smell once again prickles my nose in a way I can only describe as delicious.


    This is so messed up.


    I groan as I try to peel the vine away, each tiny shift sending fresh lances of pain up my leg. I can¡¯t get anywhere with this thing sticking out of me. Shit, no wonder Hans was screaming. But as damn painful as it is, at least it didn¡¯t hit any vital organs, and I¡¯m in no danger of bleeding out.


    ¡°Do it fast,¡± I growl to myself, grinding my teeth as sand crunches between them. ¡°Like a bandaid. Quick¡ª¡±


    I yank the spine out of my leg and scream again, throwing the spine uselessly back toward the monster.


    ¡°Screw you,¡± I seethe as blood oozes from my wound. I clamp my hands around it, but the pain has already lessened, and when I roll my ankle, it aches, but there¡¯s no new lances of pain. ¡°Screw you, you stupid meat-eating¡­ plant.¡± Okay, not my best insult. But it¡¯s a little hard to come up with something snappy when you¡¯re in pain and fighting for your life. ¡°Now you¡¯ve done it.¡±


    I struggle to my feet, testing my weight on my injured leg, and find it can support me just fine. I thought it was worse than this, honestly. Maybe it wasn¡¯t as deep as I thought?


    [Health Regeneration Rate: 1 HP per minute.]


    Woah. I¡¯ll heal automatically? Nice! It¡¯s still aching pretty bad, but at this rate I¡¯ll be healed up in another couple minutes¡ªassuming I can survive them. That cactus monster needs to be taken down. Now, it¡¯s personal.


    More of the cacti feelers are crawling in my direction, so I limp quickly away, looking for my sword. I catch sight of it half covered in sand a dozen feet away, though a new twisting vine is between me and it. No matter. It¡¯s not the only discarded weapon in the crater.


    Quickly checking Hans is still out of vine range first, I jog-limp away to the next nearest body. The skeleton¡¯s clothes are full of holes, and its armor and bones fall to pieces when I try to tug part of it out of the sand. If there¡¯s a sword strapped to its waist, it¡¯s buried, and I don¡¯t have time to go digging.


    A glint of metal catches my eye, and I limp-run over to it next. The corner of something pointy is sticking out of the sand. I grab the edge and pull. The item shifts, but it¡¯s heavier than I expected. I take hold of the metal with both hands, then haul it up with everything I¡¯ve got.


    I go staggering back as the shield comes free from the sand. It¡¯s enormous¡ªas big as me¡ªand patterned with a wicked design of fangs and claws. Red stones glint within the dark metal like eyes, and an impression of teeth are engraved at its center. Honestly, pretty damn cool looking. But it¡¯s not a sword, and while a shield certainly doesn¡¯t hurt, this one is definitely of the two-handed variety.


    At the very least, maybe I can set it up in front of Hans to buy us some time. I dash back over to Hans, finding the shield lighter than expected¡ªor maybe I¡¯m just stronger than I¡¯m used to¡ªand the ache in my leg lessening with every passing moment. One of the cactus¡¯s feelers is creeping toward Hans even as I arrive, and I slam the shield down on its limb, severing the vine as I lodge the shield in place. So not totally useless as a weapon. Neat.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I say, gripping the edge of the shield as I look around for the next nearest available weapon. ¡°If I were a sword, where would I¡­¡±


    Something moves at the edge of my mind. I flinch, looking wildly around for the source of the deeply unsettling sensation I just experienced. What was that? Was it really in my head? Maybe I caught something in the corner of my eye¡ª


    The sensation happens again, and this time, it¡¯s accompanied by more concrete thoughts. A mind yawning into my own, stretching out like a cat waking up from a nap.


    Blood. It tastes blood.


    A faint light appears within the rubies on the surface of the shield. Spiraling out from the stones, red lines glimmer to life along its surface, tracing the carvings of teeth and claws etched into its face. My bloody fingerprints, which cover the shield where I¡¯d been holding onto it, abruptly vanish as if absorbed into the metal itself.


    [Bond established,] Echo says.


    I snatch my hand away, taking an alarmed step back. What the hell? I mean, I know the demonic design probably should have clued me in to its suspicious nature, but how was I supposed to know it was literally possessed?


    Even though I¡¯m no longer touching it, I can still feel it in my mind. It¡¯s looking about curiously, taking in our surroundings. It notices me, and more specifically, it notices the open wound on my ankle.


    Blood. It needs more!


    ¡°Uhhhh, yeah, no thanks,¡± I say, backing further away. Unfortunately, that leaves Hans right next to it. The shield notices him, too.


    God dammit.


    I dart back in, grabbing Hans and hoisting him up by his shoulders, then give the creepy shield a kick for good measure, intending to launch it away from the both of us.


    As it turns out, this was kind of a dumb move.

 Chapter 3 - Murder Shield

    As I kick the shield, I realize a moment too late I¡¯ve done so with my injured foot. The worst consequence to this should have been that it just kinda hurt and was a little stupid and unnecessary. Instead, it¡¯s much worse.


    The glowing red lights engraved in the shield whip out when I kick it, like text lifting from a page, and wrap around my foot. Alarmed, I try to yank my leg back, but only balancing on one leg while holding up another person is not the most stable stance.


    I am successful in yanking my leg back. I¡¯m not successful in yanking my leg away.


    The shield comes with my boot, the weight of both tip over me, and then all three of us crash back into the sand in a painful, tangled heap.


    I struggle to throw everything off of me. ¡°Let go!¡± I cry, attempting to flail my leg.


    The shield seems completely unperturbed by any of this, mentally prodding at the wound in my leg. Ah, there is the blood source!


    ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t,¡± I say, grabbing the shield and trying to yank it off of me. ¡°No, no, no, no, no!¡±


    The red bands of light shift, using the opportunity to let go of my boot and lash around my forearm instead.


    ¡°Crap!¡± I try to push the shield away with my free hand, but the magic has strapped my arm down against the inner surface of shield. It¡¯s really stuck now.


    The shield finds my behavior very perplexing. Why am I acting this way? Don¡¯t I want to fight? Don¡¯t I want to win?


    I manage to roll to the side, extracting myself from Hans, who at this point is still mumbling to himself and seems completely unaware of anything going on around him.


    Must be nice.


    But at least now that my foot is free, I¡¯m able to stumble to my feet. I spend a moment dumbly flailing my arm around, which only succeeds in banging the bottom of the shield against my own shin several times, but the demon shield isn¡¯t going anywhere.


    Well, this is just great.


    ¡°What do you want with me?¡± I demand, holding the shield as far away from my body as I can manage. Which is to say, half an arm¡¯s length.


    The shield thought this was obvious: Blood!


    ¡°Okay, well, besides that,¡± I say. ¡°Because I¡¯m not giving you any of my blood. I need that for not dying!¡±


    It wouldn¡¯t need very much blood, the shield clarifies. It could do so much, with only a few ounces. Besides, I¡¯m leaking it anyway. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for the shield to have my blood than for it to go to waste in the sand?


    ¡°That is the creepiest argument I¡¯ve ever heard,¡± I say. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t need your help. I was doing great earlier with just that rusty old sword, and I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s going to be more useful to me than you.¡±


    Affront bursts through my mind like a physical blow, and I stumble back from its suddenness. A rusty sword? Absurd! How dare I compare the two! Don¡¯t I know what I¡¯m dealing with? How powerful it is? Such disrespect is entirely undeserved!


    I blink. Wow. I think I hurt its feelings.


    The shield is still fuming at my insult when the next cactus vine whips my way. I spin the shield around, and the feeler skips off its face, deflected into the nearby sand. I pounce on the vine before it has another chance to attack, severing the end as I plant the shield in the ground.


    The shield swells with pride. A pathetic attempt to damage it. As if it could be scratched so easily!


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it was aiming for you,¡± I say.


    Relegating myself to the fact that I¡¯m stuck with this thing for now, I head back over to Hans. It¡¯s becoming a real pain trying to keep this man alive.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I tell him. ¡°I¡¯ve got one less arm to use now, which makes getting you out of here kind of difficult. Could really use your help in the fight.¡± Hans continues to rock back and forth. ¡°Or, you know, just don¡¯t leave yourself open to attack.¡± He mumbles to himself. ¡°Like, even running away would help.¡±


    I sigh, stabbing the shield down on top of another feeler creeping our way. This just couldn¡¯t be easy.


    It could be, the shield says, invading my mind once again. I am using the shield in such a rudimentary way. But it¡¯s so much more. It holds amazing powers beyond my comprehension! If only¡­


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, if only I give you some of my blood,¡± I say, finishing the thought. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already get a taste?¡±


    It did. But that was only enough to establish the bond. To do anything offensive, it needs more.


    ¡°Offense?¡± I ask, knocking another vine away as I retreat a step.


    Yes, the shield eagerly agrees. An attack! That¡¯s the only way I stand a chance of defeating this beast. A conventional weapon will not be nearly enough. And with just a bit of my blood, the shield could be so much stronger!


    As much as I hate to admit it, the shield has a point. With Hans out of commission and lacking much of anything to fight with myself¡ªeven if I did grab another rusted sword¡ªthe likelihood of getting close enough to the cactus¡¯s central stem to deal a fatal blow seems low. I either need to find a way to get us all out of here, or I need a better way to fight.


    ¡°What kind of attack are we talking here?¡± I ask the shield.


    The shield grins into my mind. It knew I would come around!


    At the same time, Echo pipes up. [Check: The Crimson Aegis.]


    [Currently available abilities:]


    [Repel: Absorb and redirect kinetic attacks. Activation cost: 10 mana.]


    [Devour: Apply a corrosive effect to the outer face of the Aegis. Activation cost: 1 mana per second.]


    [Endure: Enhance the strength and shock absorption of the Aegis. Activation cost: 1 mana per ten seconds.]Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    I¡¯m liking the sound of activation costs using mana instead of blood. ¡°How much mana do I have?¡±


    [Mana: 40/40]


    ¡°Sweet.¡± I¡¯ve got some options then. ¡°You can activate these abilities if I spend my mana?¡± I ask the shield.


    It grumpily admits this is the case. But using blood would be much more effective. And it has even stronger abilities I could unlock if I gave it just a few ounces¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± Things are looking up, actually. The shield¡ªthe Crimson Aegis, apparently¡ªmight have, uh, particular tastes, but it seems it doesn¡¯t actually need blood. And having a sapient magical weapon on my side while attempting to fight off a man-eating plant can only count in my favor.


    I¡¯ve got 40 mana to work with, so I shouldn¡¯t start with the ability that drains 1 mana per second. It¡¯s probably the strongest, given the cost, but until I know what I¡¯m dealing with, I¡¯ll need to be conservative with my mana.


    ¡°Let¡¯s try Repel, then,¡± I say. It¡¯ll use a quarter of my mana, but being able to redirect attacks against the murder cactus will help me more than just making the shield better at being a shield. ¡°Er, how do I make it work?¡± I mentally prod the shield.


    Echo answers instead. [Mana transfer available via Pact formation. Initiate Pact?]


    ¡°Suuuure,¡± I say, hoping this isn¡¯t a big mistake.


    [Pact initiated.] And then Echo says, [Additional capabilities unlocked.]


    A couple things happen simultaneously. First, I realize I can see through the shield. Not like it¡¯s transparent, exactly, but it¡¯s as if the stones on the front of the shield are actual eyes that I can use as my own. Doubled over the top of my normal vision, it¡¯s almost like a set of bifocals.


    And second, the shield gets loud. If the Crimson Aegis had been a distant yet irritating whisper in my mind before, now it¡¯s a booming gale.


    Finally! It has waited too long to taste power again. Even this is merely a fraction of its potential, but it cannot wait to exercise its will again! It will be good to crush its enemies and drain them of their blood.


    ¡°Uhhhh, or we could not,¡± I say, abruptly having deep regrets.


    But before I can ask Echo if any of this is reversible, she says, [Repel activated. Mana: 30/40.]


    The light inside the rubies overflow, engulfing the Crimson Aegis in a faint red glow.


    ¡°Okay then.¡± I blink rapidly, trying to adjust to the double vision. It¡¯s a little disorienting, but at least I can now see where I¡¯m heading and what¡¯s coming at me. All I have to do is point the shield properly and make sure it takes some hits. That shouldn¡¯t be too hard, right?


    I step forward, raising the Crimson Aegis before me, and right now, illuminated with its red magic, it¡¯s certainly living up to its name. As I move toward the cactus monster, it sends several vines my way. I duck beneath the shield, planting it in the sand so I don¡¯t experience any more ankle-stabbing surprises, and then flinch as several impacts smack into the shield, rattling me.


    [Kinetic energy stored,] Echo reports.


    ¡°Hell, yeah,¡± I say. ¡°Let¡¯s see how it likes a taste of its own medicine.¡±


    A ripple passes through the shield¡¯s red glow, then it pulses outward like a forcefield, blowing back toward the cactus.


    And it does¡­ nothing. A handful of sand stirs at the attack. The cactus monster sways minutely, as if caught by an unexpected but light gust of wind.


    [0 points of Bludgeoning damage dealt.]


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± I cry. ¡°That was pathetic!¡±


    The Crimson Aegis balks at my words. Its powers are anything but pathetic! It¡¯s not the shield¡¯s fault I don¡¯t know how to use its abilities properly. If I¡¯d just waited for more strikes to hit, its counterattack would have continued to grow in strength!


    ¡°Oh.¡± I guess that makes sense. ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s give it another shot.¡±


    The shield simmers down as I ready a second Repel, its affront switching to eager anticipation as it looks forward to landing a critical blow. Man, it sure changes tune quick.


    [Repel activated.]


    [Mana: 20/40]


    Once more the red hue covers the shield, and again I maneuver around the crater, raising the shield to block any incoming attacks, bracing against each glancing blow. I have to fight my instincts and stay standing there to take it each time. Cutting through the vines with the sword had been much easier, but I hadn¡¯t been able to deal any serious damage that way. Hopefully, if the shield can sustain enough hits, I can end this fight in one shot.


    I¡¯m not sure my arms are up to the challenge, though. Each new strike rattles the Crimson Aegis, and in turn me, the vibrations jarring through my hands and arms no matter how much I try to brace against them.


    But there was that Endure spell, too. It said it would increase the durability of the shield and act as a shock absorber.


    ¡°Would that interfere with Repel¡¯s effect?¡± I ask Echo.


    [Negative,] she reports. [The spells¡¯ effects may be stacked without impacting the efficiency of either.]


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about.¡± The Endure spell costs 1 mana every ten seconds, though, which means I can¡¯t take forever on this. Hopefully, though, with a few more hits on Repel, I¡¯ll be ready.


    I activate Endure as well, and a second effect appears over the shield; still red, like the rest of the magic, a staticky effect appears along the engraved lines in the shield, tracing all the fangs and claws and the hint at a monstrous face that are embossed in the surface. When I block the next vine strike, I don¡¯t even feel it. On the inner surface of the shield, however, magic ripples in the spot where the vine struck, like a stone cast into a pond.


    Alright, I might be warming up to this murder shield. I dart around the field, circling closer to the cactus monster and drawing more of its attention. It begins coming at me from both sides now, and I have to spin back and forth to keep deflecting the attacks.


    There¡¯s no way I could have moved like this before. Picking up the shield isn¡¯t effortless¡ªit definitely still feels heavy¡ªbut I¡¯m barely breaking a sweat. And yeah, I do spend a lot of time at the gym, but this shield has got to weigh at least two hundred pounds, and I¡¯m swinging it around like it¡¯s made of cardboard. What am I now? A dhampyr? What does that even mean?


    [Check,] Echo says. [Damphyr: one of the many native sapient species of the planet Lusio. Nocturnal and carnivorous in nature, dhampyrs require a diet of fresh meat and blood to survive.]


    Dhampyr¡­ like vampire? You gotta be kidding me. That explains why my blood smells so uncomfortably attractive.


    It just figures I¡¯d get saddled with a shield that¡¯s got the same craving.


    ¡°This is stupid,¡± I grumble.


    But something else Echo said also sticks out to me. The planet Lusio. Then this really isn¡¯t Earth anymore. I mean, the monsters and magic probably should have given that away, but¡­


    How the hell did I end up here? Why in a different body? And why does the magic act like some kind of video game mechanics?


    What in the world is going on?


    Numbers blink in the corner of my vision: [Mana: 8/40]


    Getting low. Another minute before I¡¯m totally out, I think. Which means I need to end this now.


    ¡°Ready, shield?¡± I say, absorbing another couple of hits. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s now or never.¡±


    The Aegis surges to the forefront of my mind, eager to let loose its power. That makes two of us. I dash forward, getting as close to the main body of the creature as I dare. More feelers are coming at me from every direction, now; there¡¯s too many to block them all. Instead, I slam the shield into the ground, point it at the monster, and release Repel.


    The magic bursts from Aegis in a red shockwave. The vines nearest to us snap back so suddenly that they break into pieces and fly away. The main stalk bows beneath the pressure of the attack, and sand blasts into its flesh, peppering the surface and drawing out more of its watery fluid. A wind whirls around us, kicking up sand and forcing me to duck my head into my arm. Then the wind dies, and the crater is still.


    [213 points of Bludgeoning damage dealt]


    I peek an eye open, blinking away the grit and sand. ¡°Did we win?¡±


    Pain explodes through my side. I stagger and go down as something drives me into the ground, agony burning through my stomach and back.


    [29 points of Piercing damage sustained.]


    [Status Effect: Blood Loss]


    I scream, twisting to get a look even as the movement wrenches new lances of pain from me. A fist-sized vine is stabbed through my side. Aw, damn. That doesn¡¯t look good. And I doubt I¡¯m going to be given enough time for my healing to kick in.


    In a herculean effort, I swing my arm around my body, dropping the shield on the vine. It severs the limb a foot from my body, but this end is still stuck in my abdomen. Crap. Crap crap crap.


    Grimacing against every twinge and stab that¡¯s radiating through my side, I drop my head to the sand, turning it to the cactus monster.


    ¡°How?¡± I ask through clenched teeth. I thought we landed a direct hit.


    [Check,] Echo says. [Carrion Cactus: Mutated by the naturally occurring arcana spawned from the Lifespring Oasis, carrion cacti are harmless when dormant, but voracious and single-minded when starved and in need of food.]


    Great. Glad I¡¯m getting this information now. But that doesn¡¯t tell me anything about how it withstood my attack.


    [HP: 492/725]


    Oh. That¡¯s how.


    I¡¯m so screwed.

 Chapter 4 - Murdered Cactus

    Despite half the vines being blown away, more spine-covered limbs are already crawling toward me. At this rate, I¡¯m going to be plant food.


    ¡°Crap.¡± I try to roll over onto my hands and knees¡ªeasier said than done with a giant shield strapped to your arm and a huge hole stabbed into your side. Instead, I manage to collapse on top of the shield. I suck in a breath as the impact sends another shockwave of pain radiating from my side. With my free hand I feel for the severed vine sticking out of me, and give it a halfhearted tug. I clench my mouth shut and scream inside of my head. The spines are lodged into my skin like hooks. This is not good.


    The shield perks up. Blood? More blood! It greedily consumes what I¡¯ve spilled onto its surface, the drops vanishing with a hiss of smoke the second they make contact with the shield.


    Great. At least one of us is happy.


    More. It still needs more.


    ¡°Sounds like a great way to get me killed,¡± I pant, trying to struggle upright. ¡°Which is already a pretty good possibility.¡±


    The Aegis is aghast. Die? That means losing! And it does not lose.


    ¡°Yeah, well, might not have much of a choice in that.¡±


    The Aegis broils with offense. No! It will win. It will destroy that monster. It will be easy. Trivial! All it needs is more blood. It¡¯s so close!


    I grimace, staggering to my feet. The vine pulses in my side like an infection. It¡¯s getting harder to breathe. Will it prevent my healing from kicking in if it¡¯s still stuck there? I can¡¯t fight like this, not when every tiny move digs those spines in deeper and sends a new wave of agony through me. I know you¡¯re not supposed to pull a knife from a stab wound, but those rules might not apply when magic is involved.


    ¡°Tell you what,¡± I gasp. I stagger a few steps from the nearest vine and then plant the shield in the ground, leaning against it like a crutch to keep me from collapsing back to the sand. ¡°If you can get this thing out of me, you can have whatever blood comes out as a result.¡±


    ACCEPTED! Offer accepted. It will use my mana to activate Devour and eat the vine away.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I say, struggling to focus on anything other than the agony that continues to lance through me. ¡°Do it.¡±


    [Devour activated.]


    The lines of light on the shield turn a darker shade of red¡ªalmost black. More bands of magic appear, like the one that¡¯s strapped my arm to the shield, and these ones also lift off the surface and snap themselves around the vine in my side. I gasp as the spines in my flesh are jarred from the movement, but a moment later, the plant begins to disintegrate before my eyes. The edges turn black, then dissolve like bits of burned paper in a breeze. The relief is immediate as the spines vanish from inside me. In a matter of seconds, the vine is gone.


    [Mana extinguished.]


    And then, the inevitable happens. Blood begins pouring out the hole in my side. The shield¡¯s magical bands don¡¯t retreat, however; they snap around my wound, plastering to my skin like some sort of demonic bandaid. It stops the blood from spilling from my side, which might have been a good thing except I can feel the shield greedily lapping it all up, encouraging more of my blood to keep flowing toward it.


    ¡°Stop,¡± I say, still leaning heavily on the shield. Maybe it¡¯s my imagination or just the rush of the fight, but I already feel a little lightheaded. ¡°You¡¯re going to make me pass out.¡±


    Just a little more, the Aegis insists. It¡¯s almost enough! Then we can win.


    ¡°Neither of us will win if I die from blood loss.¡± My knees buckle, and only the shield keeps me upright. This was a mistake.


    No! The shield swells in my mind, defiant and determined. Defeat is not an option. The Crimson Aegis never loses. It will not accept that. Almost¡­ There!


    [Blood Ward activated,] Echo says.


    What? It can do that? Hold up, I didn¡¯t give it permission to activate an ability!


    The shield doesn¡¯t pay me any mind: it doesn¡¯t need my permission.


    It¡¯s acting on its own. I don¡¯t have control over it. The thought chills me.


    The red magic that flows through the shield¡¯s engravings becomes thicker, viscous, more real. It¡¯s blood, but it¡¯s also sparking with energy. The eyes on the shield glow. A light appears between its teeth, and magic flicks around the edges like a serpent¡¯s tongue.


    A vine reaches up for the shield, and Aegis reacts so fast, I barely see it.


    A line of blood lifts off the shield and snaps out like a whip, severing the vine as if its attack is made of metal, not blood. More lines of blood raise from the shield, each writhing like the feelers of a giant, horrifying bug. Anything that gets too close is skewered in an instant¡ªthen cut to ribbons if the skewering isn¡¯t enough. The threads of blood move faster, spinning around us, hacking and slashing everything within range.


    Closer, the shield tells me. It needs to get closer to the creature¡¯s main stalk. And quick! Before the blood runs out.


    I tear my eyes away from the shield¡¯s horrifying display of slicing and dicing, and manage to push myself upright. I grunt as I pull the shield from the sand¡ªit feels heavier now than it did earlier¡ªand I stagger forward. The Aegis is more than a little terrifying, but deciding what to do with the murder shield is a problem to be solved when not faced with the possibility of being eaten by a murder cactus. Right now, working with it is my best move. Maybe my only move.


    I stumble toward the cactus¡¯s central stalk, gaining more confidence in my footing with each step. The pain in my side is still throbbing, but the initial agony has dulled to a troubling numbness. I¡¯ll bear it now and deal with the consequences later.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The Aegis continues to whip its net of razor-sharp blood around us, shredding more of the cactus the closer I get. My vision begins to speckle with salt and pepper dots. I miss a step and go down to one knee¡ªa vine takes advantage of this opening and darts toward me, but Aegis shreds it before it can get close. I push upward once more. Only a few more steps.


    My vision is tunneling inward when I finally make it. It¡¯s like I¡¯ve pushed an invisible force field into the monster. One moment it¡¯s looming over me, and the next, half of its trunk is missing, like an ice cream scoop carved a chunk of it away. Then it¡¯s tipping toward me, falling downward¡ªand it disintegrates where it crashes over me. The lines of blood are like a blender, shredding the cactus so fine, all that reaches me is a cool, green-smelling mist.


    My vision goes black, and I faintly feel myself fall to the side as Echo distantly says, [Carrion cactus defeated. EXP threshold met. Bloodloss Status Effect ended. Level up! Health regeneration rate increased by 5%.]


    Warmth washes over me, and all my aches and pains vanish in an instance. Even with my sight speckling slowly back into view, I can clearly read the following words imprinted over my vision.


    [Name: Nye]


    [Species: Dhampyr]


    [Class: Guardian]


    [Level: 15]


    [HP: 130/130]


    [Mana: 45/45]


    [Role: The Knight]


    I breathe a sigh of relief. I¡¯m healed. Thank god.


    The Aegis beams with pride. And more importantly, we won!


    ¡°Winning doesn¡¯t matter if I end up dead,¡± I grumble, feeling my side where the hole had been just a moment before. There¡¯s a tear in my clothes now, but the skin beneath doesn¡¯t have a mark on it, like I was never hurt at all.


    The Aegis somehow manages to scoff in my mind. Winning is winning. Nothing else matters.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I groan, picking myself up and one-handedly dusting my clothes off as I survey the scene. ¡°If you say so.¡± Bits of severed cactus litter the field, but none of it is moving any longer. In fact, the only thing that stirs in the entire crater is Hans, still curled up in the fetal position and whimpering miserably.


    ¡°So, Echo,¡± I say, heading back over to Hans. ¡°Know how I can get this thing off of me?¡± All the shield¡¯s magic has since flickered away, except for the bands of light that still have it strapped to my arm. ¡°I¡¯d really like to get the use of both arms back.¡±


    The magic squeezes tighter at my words. What?! How could I want to get rid of it? It¡¯s so powerful! Anyone would want to use such an amazing shield. Only a fool couldn¡¯t see the value in it!


    I roll my eyes as Echo responds. [As a Pact has been established, the Crimson Aegis may summon or disperse its bands at will.]


    ¡°So I have to wait for it to let go of me?¡± I ask, annoyed.


    [Affirmative,] Echo says. [Additionally, the user has access to one Inventory slot. Any non-living items may be placed in the slot.]


    I tip my head. ¡°An Inventory?¡± I glance down, as if expecting to find a bag at my waist or straps of a backpack around my shoulders I¡¯d somehow missed before. ¡°How does that work?¡±


    [Add the Crimson Aegis to Inventory?] Echo asks.


    The shield notices this exchange, but doesn¡¯t seem to entirely understand what we¡¯re talking about. It can¡¯t be so easily discarded. It is the great Crimson Aegis! Nothing can stop it. Nothing can injure it. It is the eater of dragons. Destroyer of w¡ª


    ¡°Sure, add it to my Inventory,¡± I say.


    The shield vanishes from my arm.


    [Crimson Aegis added to Inventory.]


    I flex the fingers of my newly freed arm and roll my shoulder. Whew! That¡¯s a relief. Murder cactus: killed. Murder shield: stored. Now there¡¯s just¡­ literally everything else to deal with.


    ¡°Hey, man,¡± I say, approaching Hans. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with you, but if it¡¯s anything half as weird as what I just went through, a little bit of freaking out is warranted.¡± I look around at the skeletons scattered around the crater. ¡°That said, it looks like we¡¯re in the middle of a graveyard, so maybe we should try to get out of here.¡±


    Hans looks up at me through squinted eyes, as if just trying to focus is painful. ¡°This¡­ Echo. Do you hear her too?¡±


    That might be the first coherent thing I¡¯ve gotten out of him. ¡°Yeah. Are you also from Earth?¡±


    ¡°Earth?¡± He looks around. ¡°We¡¯re not on Earth?¡±


    Oh, boy. ¡°Thought the murder cactus would have clued you in.¡±


    ¡°Murder¡­¡± He frowns. ¡°I was supposed to tame it. That¡¯s what Echo said. My Role Requirement.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    His face turns pained again, and he clutches his head. ¡°It hurt so bad. My Sanity. It¡¯s better now, but what if it happens again?¡±


    I wish I had any idea what he was saying. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it while we get out of here, alright?¡± I say. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re in this together.¡±


    And if both of us ended up here, then maybe my brother isn¡¯t far. I¡¯d felt him nearby in¡­ whatever that place was, after the ocean. He¡¯d been there with me, I¡¯m certain of it. Which hopefully means he can¡¯t be far.


    Hans accepts my hand up, and I help him limp up the side of the crater. I tip my head as we walk. ¡°Do you hear something?¡±


    Now that there¡¯s not a new existential crisis to process or monster to fight, I¡¯m becoming distantly aware of a faint sound. I can¡¯t tell which way it¡¯s coming from, but there¡¯s distant, muted cries, mixed with rapid clangs of metal. A smell is growing stronger as we approach the top as well: something sweet and coppery which makes my mouth water and my stomach clench with hunger. I already have a sinking suspicion of what might be the source.


    ¡°Christ,¡± Hans says as we pause at the top. I slowly lower him to the ground so he can give his injured leg a rest as we silently take in our surroundings.


    We¡¯re in the middle of a desert; that was obvious enough from all the sand. Rocky arches and pillars of stone dot the landscape like fingers of a giant reaching from the earth. But that might be the only normal thing about our surroundings.


    As the clouds shift, allowing the light of the two moons to illuminate the lands, the battle becomes apparent. There¡¯s a clamber of fighting and the occasional flash of half a mile away. Shadows dot the ground between there and here, which Echo unhelpfully labels as [Corpse]s when I focus on them; it isn¡¯t hard to imagine what I¡¯m smelling.


    One small blessing is that the fight isn¡¯t right on top of us, but we¡¯re definitely too close for my comfort. What if we get mistaken for one side or the other? I glance at Hans and the two crescent moons carved into his chest plate. Looking down at myself, I note I¡¯m wearing the same.


    Wait. What does that mean? Whose bodies are these?


    ¡°We¡¯re really not on Earth anymore,¡± Hans says, looking at the sky. ¡°It¡¯s night. Why can I see everything so well?¡±


    ¡°Uh, well, the world isn¡¯t the only thing that¡¯s changed,¡± I tell him, tapping my own pointed ears. His eyes widen as he touches his own. He¡¯s probably going to need a minute.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I say, surveying the landscape. The battle is off in¡­ well, I¡¯ll just call that North. To the west are some rock formations, to the south is our crater and seemingly open desert, and to the distant, distant east appears to be some mountains or cliffs. The question is: which way is least likely to get us killed?


    As I¡¯m wondering this, Echo¡¯s presence reappears in my head.


    [Role Requirement,] she says, and a new symbol appears in the corner of my vision. It¡¯s an¡­ arrow? It swivels around, then stops, pointing to my relative west.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± I ask.


    [Role Requirement,] Echo repeats. [The Knight must protect the Prince at all costs.]


    ¡°Role Requirement?¡± I repeat, perplexed. ¡°Prince?¡±


    Han¡¯s head snaps in my direction, and he visibly pales. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I shrug. ¡°Echo¡¯s saying something about¡­¡±


    [Role Requirement,] Echo repeats, and the arrow in the corner of my vision seems to shimmer urgently. [The Knight must protect the Prince at all costs.]


    Then, another stat appears in my vision.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Hans says. ¡°It¡¯s happening to you, too.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± I ask. ¡°What happened to you? What are you worried about?¡± But the new stat answers that for me.


    [Sanity Level: 99%]

 Chapter 5 - The Umbral Blades

    ¡°Sanity level?¡± I repeat. ¡°What the hell does that mean?¡±


    ¡°You have to do it,¡± Hans says. His expression is weary and pitying. ¡°Whatever she¡¯s telling you, if you don¡¯t, it¡¯ll only get worse.¡±


    ¡°What will get worse?¡± But even as I ask, I can feel a distant buzzing in the back of my head. An uncomfortable static tingling in my fingers.


    [Sanity Level: 98%. Role Requirement: Protect the Prince.]


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know who that is!¡± I cry.


    But there¡¯s that arrow in the corner of my vision. I turn my head, and it swivels around with me. It¡¯s pointing toward a cluster of rock formations not far off.


    I groan. ¡°You have to be kidding me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, man,¡± he says. ¡°But it¡¯ll get bad if you don¡¯t do it. With that monster thing¡ªI was down to thirty percent. I couldn¡¯t even think anymore. It only stopped when you killed it.¡±


    ¡°This is crazy,¡± I say. ¡°I don¡¯t have to do what she says!¡±


    The mental static is getting louder, though. An uncomfortable pressure is encroaching on my mind.


    [Sanity Level: 97%]


    ¡°What does she want you to do?¡± Hans asks.


    I huff. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to protect some prince or something.¡±


    ¡°Tough break.¡± Hans grimaces. ¡°How are you supposed to even find him? That¡¯s almost worse than my ¡®tame a beast¡¯ Requirement.¡±


    ¡°Well.¡± I hesitate, tipping my head and watching the arrow move. ¡°There is this pointer thing. I think it¡¯s showing me where he is.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Hans raises his eyebrows. ¡°Then that makes it kind of easy, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about it being easy,¡± I growl. ¡°It¡¯s about free will! I shouldn¡¯t have to do this.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t,¡± Hans agrees. ¡°But I don¡¯t think either of us are really being given a choice. And at least yours seems achievable.¡±


    [Sanity Level: 96%]


    ¡°This is stupid,¡± I growl, running my hands through my short shock of hair. The buzzing in my head is getting worse.


    ¡°You can say that all you want, but that¡¯s not going to make Echo go away,¡± Hans says.


    I glare down at him, as if that makes anything he said less true.


    [Sanity Level: 95%]


    ¡°God dammit!¡± I spin on my heels and angrily begin stalking in the direction the arrow is indicating. This is not what I need right now. What if this dumb, mandatory quest is taking me away from my brother? It¡¯s been one thing after another since I ended up in this world. When will I catch a freaking break?


    ¡°Stay there,¡± I call back to a very worried looking Hans, still sitting at the edge of the crater. Not like he can go anywhere with that injury anyway. ¡°And pull those spines out while you wait! It will start to heal. I¡¯ll be back whenever I¡¯m done with¡­ whatever this is.¡±


    ¡°Be careful,¡± he shouts.


    I wave an acknowledging hand over my shoulder and angrily strike out into the desert. Now. Where is this stupid prince and why does he need protecting?


    As I stomp my way over the sand, my Sanity Level ticks down another percent, and I walk a little faster. Then, I break into a jog. I can¡¯t let myself end up like Hans, useless and indefensible. Especially if ¡°protecting¡± this prince means another fight. Fear tinges my anger. How far away is this guy? What if my sanity doesn¡¯t last that long?


    And what happens when it hits zero?


    I wish those were my only worries. As I hurry over the sand, I come upon a body, and I can tell it¡¯s fresh from its smell. Not a corpse kind of smell¡ªa tempting, rare steak kind of smell which has my stomach grumbling. I¡¯m disgusted by the instinct, even as I really, desperately want to sate this hunger. It¡¯s almost as uncomfortable as this mind static the Sanity metric is causing. No, actually, I think the Sanity stat is making it worse.


    I struggle to keep my eyes away as I pass the body, swallowing as my mouth starts to water. It was that damn shield, I bet. Took too much of my blood, and now I¡¯m the one left desperate for a top-off.


    [Sanity Level: 92%]


    I let loose a string of swears and push myself faster. The one good thing about this body is that I seem to have a lot more stamina. Unfortunately, I¡¯m probably going to need it.


    Over the next couple minutes, my sanity dips below 90%. The rate of decline slows the faster I move, but I can never get it to quite stop. The mental pressure is almost a physical sensation now, buzzing beneath my skin and threatening to fog my mind. The thirst is worse, too. God, I¡¯m so thirsty. But I can¡¯t think about that now. The Role Requirement arrow has started wiggling a little, meaning I must be getting closer¡ªor maybe the prince is on the move. I really hope it¡¯s the former. At this rate, I maybe have twenty minutes before I¡¯m reduced to a mindless babbling child. What kind of magic does this to people?!If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    I¡¯m so laser focused on following the arrow that I don¡¯t notice the shadow until it¡¯s almost on top of me.


    They move from behind a nearby boulder and dart my way. Moonlight catches on a blade, and without that flicker of movement, I might have been toast. I try to skid to a halt but even with faster reflexes I can¡¯t stop on a dime. Still, it¡¯s enough to make the slash cut through air instead of my gut, and by the time they¡¯re pivoting around and coming in for a second attack, I¡¯m actually registering what¡¯s happening.


    That person just tried to kill me!


    I dodge to the side and sweep my foot through theirs as they lunge for me, and they stumble, dropping to a knee. I come down on top of them, stomping my boot on their knife-hand with all my might.


    [4 points of Bludgeoning damage dealt.]


    They let out a cry, scrambling away from me on their hands and knees. I really wish I had remembered to pick up that rusty old sword back in the cactus crater, but I¡¯ll just have to make do without. In fact¡­


    ¡°Echo, can I have that shield back now?¡± I ask.


    ¡°What?¡± the person says, drawing another knife from their belt.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you,¡± I say, only realizing how crazy that must sound after the words have left my mouth.


    Now that I have half a second to take them in, I can tell they¡¯re also a dhampyr. But unlike Hans and I, this one is dressed all in tan, loose clothes that match the desert¡¯s color; no armor or insignias, but the cloth is wrapped around their face like a mask.


    [Affirmative,] Echo says. [Remove Crimson Aegis from inventory?]


    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± I say. ¡°Please.¡±


    The shield abruptly blinks into existence right in front of me, causing my attacker to retreat another couple of startled steps.


    The Crimson Aegis emits a spike of surprise as it takes in its new surroundings. What¡¯s going on? How did it get here? What was that dark place it had just been in?


    It quickly lashes its magic back around my arm again, as if afraid I¡¯d leave it behind. And honestly, I might; my feelings on this shield are still undetermined.


    Its surprise shifts to indignation. It hat been in the middle of explaining something, and I interrupted it! How disrespectful. Now, where had it been? Oh, right.


    ¡ªWorlds! Bane of the gods! It is so powerful, it once¡ª


    ¡°Can we not do this now?¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯m kind of in the middle of something.¡±


    The shield finally notices the person before us, who warily raises their knife.


    Who is this, the shield wonders. An enemy? We should defeat them! Then it can drink some of their blood. It really would like more blood!


    Well, that didn¡¯t take long. ¡°Hey,¡± I say, calling around the shield. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but I¡¯m in a bit of a hurry. Now, this shield would love to duke it out, but I¡¯d rather not fight if I can help it. Like I said; a bit of a time crunch.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± the stranger demands, not moving from their defensive stance. ¡°How did you find us?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t find anything!¡± I object. ¡°I¡¯m just, uh, headed in this direction.¡± Yeah, super convincing. ¡°Looking for someone. Now will you let me go?¡±


    [Sanity Level: 87%]


    I wince.


    The stranger¡¯s eyes narrow. ¡°Looking for who? Where are you headed?¡±


    Ugh, I don¡¯t have time for this. I hoist the shield out of the sand and take a careful step to the side. ¡°A prince. It doesn¡¯t matter. Look, I¡¯m just going to head this way, and forget that you just attacked me, and then we can both just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Traitor!¡± the person cries, their arm a flicker of motion.


    I duck and the knife pings off the shield. The Aegis swells with indignation. Attacked us? How dare they. Pathetic! We will destroy them!


    I sigh. I guess we¡¯re actually doing this.


    I activate Endure, and red magic washes over the shield¡¯s surface. Then I run straight at my attacker.


    To their merit, they don¡¯t just stand there and take it. Probably most people would take one look at a glowing, red, demon-styled, person-sized shield and try to get right the fuck out of its way. But they¡¯d already been running in my direction, and only have a moment to pivot and try to dodge.


    I run over them like a bowling ball. I don¡¯t even feel it. The magic ripples on the backside of the shield where their body impacts, and then they¡¯re flung to the side like a ragdoll. They pinwheel through the air, hit the sand face-first, and don¡¯t get up.


    [35 points of Bludgeoning damage dealt.]


    Well that was easy. I turn off Endure; the whole fight lasted all of seven seconds and cost me one point of mana. I grin. Sweet.


    [Sanity Level: 86%]


    Less sweet.


    Victory! the shield declares in my mind. They were a fool to think they could stand against us. Nothing can defeat the Crimson Aegis. Now, all I have to do is let it consume their blood.


    ¡°Echo, add the Aegis back to my inventory,¡± I say.


    No, wait! Don¡¯t do that, not ag¡ª


    [Crimson Aegis added to inventory.]


    I¡¯m starting to think I can make this relationship work.


    I take a quick moment to check my unconscious attacker, despite the ever-growing discomfort in my mind. Even as I¡¯m digging through their clothes, wondering who the heck this person was, Echo pipes up to add her own commentary.


    [Check: Zetya, level 21 dhampyr shadow rogue. Member of the Umbral Blades, a radical organization from the Moonfall Dynasty.]


    Neat, but doesn¡¯t really tell me much of anything useful. I finish digging through their clothes, but besides the blades, I don¡¯t find anything on them. Nothing that will help me, at any rate. I grab the two knives, and then keep running.


    The Role Requirement arrow takes me into the sandstone formations. The pillars and walls of rock rise up in a labyrinth around me; I hope I¡¯ll be able to find my way out again. The effects of my rapidly depleting Sanity now tingle through my whole body, like ants beneath my skin and sand shifting through my bones. I¡¯m getting antsy. Thirsty. I desperately need to find that prince. It¡¯s getting hard to focus on anything else.


    [Sanity Level: 84%]


    The sand around this area is stirred up, like people have come through here; then again, an entire battle is taking place not far off, so that doesn¡¯t tell me if the footprints are relevant to my task. The arrow swivels more now when I cut around rock formations. I think that means he¡¯s close.


    A minute later, my hope is confirmed as faint voices drift between the rocks. I briefly slow down, trying to step more softly, but then my Sanity Level drops another point¡ª82% now¡ªand I start hurrying again. What do you think the chances are that these guys are more interested in talking than Zetya back there?


    At least I¡¯ve got the advantage of stealth. I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯ll do, exactly, but hopefully how I can ¡°Protect the Prince¡± will become visibly apparent once I scope out the scene. The voices grow louder¡ªand my Sanity Level drops another point¡ªas I sneak around a rocky outcrop.


    ¡°...back by now. Something¡¯s wrong,¡± a feminine voice says.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± a masculine voice responds. ¡°Getting him to Moonfall territory is our top priority. They can catch up with us later.¡±


    ¡°We both know that¡¯s not going to happen,¡± the first voice grumbles.


    ¡°This is bigger than any one of us,¡± a third voice says. I slowly edge my head around the corner, trying to get a look at the scene. ¡°Sacrifices will have to be made. This is war. But his capture might at least blow the dunes in our favor.¡±


    There¡¯s a group of four people, all dressed like Zetya in light desert-colored clothes, and armed with small weapons. Two are dhampyr, I think, but two more look human. Even as I scan them, Echo pipes up with a brief description.


    [Members of the Umbral Blades.]


    Looks like I found Zetya¡¯s buddies, then. The group is arrayed around a captive, whose wrists are tied and mouth is bound. I¡¯ve never seen the man before in my life, but I instantly know who he is: my arrow is pointing right at him.


    [Prince identified,] Echo helpfully adds.

 Chapter 6 - Bloodlust

    The prince appears to be about my age, somewhere in his early twenties. He¡¯s definitely not a dhampyr, as his skin is a shade of dark brown instead of gray. His black hair is woven into dozens of tight braids, which are tied back with a gold ribbon, and he¡¯s wearing a matching pair of round, gold glasses, one lens of which is cracked. A handful of jewelry decorates his person: a few gold ear cuffs, and equally fancy gold bracelets and neck chains. Compared to his captors, each well-toned and athletic, the prince looks like he¡¯s more used to wielding a pen than a sword. He¡¯s wearing some kind of light leather-based armor, similar to mine, though the colors and design are different, the style more decorative. I would have liked more time to take in all the details, but my Sanity ticks down another percent, and I decide that¡¯s enough reconnaissance for now.


    Given the state of the prince and how things with Zetya went, it¡¯s obvious they¡¯re not about to hand him over willingly. Talking it out won¡¯t be an option. Which means it¡¯s time to use the element of surprise to my advantage.


    [Sanity Level: 79%]


    I step from behind my hiding place, take practiced aim, and throw the first knife. It strikes Goon #1 in their back, stabbing partway into their shoulder. They cry out and stagger forward, the others turning to their companion, even as I switch the second blade to my dominant hand and throw again. It flashes by Goon #2¡¯s back as they turn to see what¡¯s happening.


    [9 points of Piercing damage dealt.]


    I run full-tilt toward the group. The prince has turned to look as well, his eyes widening as I race toward them. Goon #3 catches sight of me and shouts, while Goon #4 draws a sword. She¡¯s the first to react, so she worries me the most.


    ¡°Echo, summon the Crimson Aegis!¡± I say.


    [Aegis removed from Inventory.]


    The shield appears in the air before my arm, latching itself back onto me as I bear down on the group.


    Ah! The shield emanates irritation. I did it again, didn¡¯t I? Why am I treating it with such insolence? We should be working together. With the Aegis in hand, I would be unstoppable! It is a power worthy of¡­ Wait, what¡¯s going on? Oh yay, a fight!


    I crash into Goon #2 shield-first and the two of us go sprawling to the ground. Echo rattles off some bludgeoning damage, but I¡¯m already rolling over and springing to my feet: the Umbral Blade I hit remains stunned on the ground for the time being. I bring my shield up right as Goon #4¡¯s sword swings toward me, and the shield and blade ring with a metallic clang.


    ¡°Devour!¡± I cry, activating the spell. Magic ripples over the surface as Aegis eagerly attacks the blade that¡¯s still making contact with our shield, wrapping bands of red magic around it. The sword melts away like it¡¯s being eaten by acid, and the woman jumps back, yanking her sword from Aegis¡¯s grasp.


    That doesn¡¯t stop the others. Goons #1 and #3 circle around to opposite sides and race toward me at once. I swing the shield toward Goon #3, fending off another sword attack, while I turn to face #1. They¡¯ve still got the knife in their shoulder from my first attack, so I figure they¡¯re less of a threat.


    Turns out less of a threat is still a threat. They swipe at me with a knife, and it¡¯s either their off-hand, or the wound is getting to them, because there¡¯s not much precision behind the slash. I jerk out of the way, then block their wrist and try to disarm them. Thanks to the Aegis I¡¯m also only using one hand, however, so the move is awkward and clumsy.


    They yank back as I twist, and the knife spins around in their grasp, slipping from their fingers. It still manages to nick me on the way down to the sand. Blood wells on my wrist, then drips down my arm. It¡¯s not deep, but it burns like hell.


    [2 points of Slashing damage sustained.]


    [Status Effect: Blood Loss]


    [Sanity Level: 78%]


    The Crimson Aegis doesn¡¯t let the status effect escape its notice, ribbons of magic creeping toward my wrist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± I growl. I deactivate Devour, as it¡¯s already eaten a quarter of my available mana, and activate Endure instead. I pull away from the four fighters as I reassess the situation and mentally fend off the Aegis, who is desperate for another taste of my blood.


    The problem is, I¡¯m kind of feeling similar.


    The smell of blood is driving me crazy once again, and it seems like the more I bleed, the hungrier I¡¯m getting. I shake my head as if that can clear it out, but my mind is buzzing, and I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because of the blood, my Sanity Level, the Aegis¡¯s intrusive presence, or some combination of the three. This is not what I need in the middle of a fight. I have to concentrate!


    Even as I¡¯m trying to figure out what to do next, the Umbral Blades are regrouping.


    ¡°Jan, take the captive,¡± Goon #4 barks. ¡°We¡¯ll take care of this and catch up with you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± Goon #2¡ªJan, apparently¡ªhas recovered from my initial attack. He stumbles over to the prince, grabs his bound wrists, and yanks him to his feet. Jan drags the prince away as the other three step into place before me, weapons raised.


    [Sanity Level: 77%]


    [Sanity Level: 76%]


    Even as the prince moves away from me, I can feel the stat getting worse. It had slowed down a little since I began fighting, only dropping when I took damage, but I guess now that the distance between us is increasing again, that moment of reprieve is over.


    This is going to be a pain.


    I press my injured wrist to the shield, smearing a streak of blood across the surface. ¡°Is that enough for a Blood Ward?¡±


    The Aegis greedily devours my blood, which vanishes from the surface of the shield almost as fast as I leave it there.


    Not much blood, the shield informs me with disappointment. But it will work with what it has. Defeat is never an option!


    I huff out a laugh as the three Umbral Blades spread out, trying to encircle me. At least it¡¯s confident.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    [Sanity Level: 75%]


    The Blades rush in. I swing the shield around, but they dodge rather than make contact¡ªstill wary of Devour¡¯s effect, looks like. That¡¯s a problem, because the only other two spells I can use, Endure and Repel, rely on contact to have any effect. Instead, they wait until I turn to face a different adversary to dart in and try to stab me. A spear makes it through, slicing across my back, and I cry out as I stagger away.


    [4 points of Slashing damage sustained.]


    [Status Effect: Blood Loss]


    [Sanity level: 73%]


    ¡°How about that Blood Ward?¡± I gasp. My mind is full of bees. My mouth is watering at the smell of my own blood. Pain burns in my wrist and back, and Echo¡¯s Role Requirement rings in my mind, urging me to protect the prince. I¡¯m trying, dammit!


    The Aegis still waits; there¡¯s not much blood for it to work with. It needs to be intentional about when it activates the ability. Unless I want to give it more blood?


    ¡°There will certainly be more if you don¡¯t do anything!¡±


    Oh! Maybe it will wait then.


    I let loose an exasperated growl and charge at the nearest soldier. They slash toward me out of instinct, landing a blow on the shield; finally a little bit of energy to store for Repel, though I¡¯ll need to take several more hits before it will be strong enough to turn against them. Seeing their weapons are no longer being corroded by my shield, the other two also grow more bold, launching a flurry of attacks at me. I block and dodge where I can, and take hits where I can¡¯t. They¡¯re landing glancing blows, leaving slashes across my arms and legs and back, slowly whittling away at my HP. This isn¡¯t good. I shouldn¡¯t have tried to take several people on at once. I know better than that. But it¡¯s too late to back out now.


    [Sanity Level: 71%]


    I fight as hard as I can. I give it everything I have. I spin, deflect, dodge¡ªbut this is nothing like the cactus monster. People use strategy. People coordinate. People have experience. If I don¡¯t shake these guys and go after the prince soon, I¡¯m screwed.


    A slash across the back of my leg sends me stumbling to my knees. The Umbral Blades close in, and I finally activate Repel. The magic pulses outward, blowing away a pulse of sand and striking my opponents. They reel back from the unexpected blow, and one of them loses their spear, flung away like a twig on a gust of wind. I struggle to stand, but their captain has already recovered and is racing toward me, sword raised. I try to climb to my feet in time and bring the shield around, but I¡¯m not quick enough. Luckily, the Aegis is.


    [Blood Ward activated.]


    A line of blood whips out of the shield and toward the woman just as her sword is about to crash into my head. Instead, her sword flips over me¡ªalong with her sword arm.


    Just the arm.


    Her blood sprays me and the shield, and the Crimson Aegis rejoices from the extra blood. The splash of red that hits the shield¡¯s surface vanishes almost as quickly. At the same time, the Aegis¡¯s presence in my mind feels stronger.


    The woman screams, stumbling away and clutching the stump of her arm. I swipe a hand over my face where her blood had sprayed me¡ªwhere I can smell it on me¡ªbut it¡¯s a futile gesture. Fighting the pain as I struggle back to my feet, I instinctively lick my lips.


    The taste hits me like a slap, and my mind short-circuits.


    The blood should be revolting. I should be horrified. But it¡¯s hard to remember those things when you¡¯ve just hooked your tastebuds up to a live wire. When all your nerves feel electric, when you¡¯re on the highest high you¡¯ve ever experienced in your life.


    Ambrosia.


    [Bloodlust ability activated.]


    The pain dims. I¡¯ve never felt so powerful. So confident. So strong. I lick my lips again, and get a second jolt of ecstasy. I need more. I¡¯d do anything for more. The world narrows in on the three soldiers around me. They meet my eyes with looks of horror.


    Suddenly, they don¡¯t seem so scary. I leap toward them¡ªand I really leap, like six feet in the air¡ªand swing the shield down on them like a baseball bat. I blast Goon #3 in the side and send them skipping over the sand until they slam into a boulder. Goon #1 comes at me from my non-shield side. I can¡¯t block with my free hand, so I don¡¯t. I snap my head to the side, dodging their thrust, then bite down on their hand. They scream. Blood fills my mouth. My mind goes white with elation. The Aegis is thrilled, too.


    Things start to feel like they¡¯re moving in slow motion after that. The Moonfall soldiers try to fight back, but I¡¯m too fast for them. I tear weapons from their hands. I jump on the back of one who tries to flee. The Aegis sucks up any blood that manages to spill over its surface, and I likewise lick my hands, like a cat cleaning its paws. There¡¯s a distant part of my mind that itches at me¡ªsomething that¡¯s trying to warn me this is wrong. Something is deeply wrong. But I don¡¯t want to pursue that thought. I like feeling this way. Powerful. Invincible. Floating. Buzzing.


    Buzzing?


    The prince. Right. That voice is still ringing in my head, that mental pressure still urging me on my quest. In fact, it¡¯s starting to resolve into a headache. A pinching, painful corkscrew drilling itself into my head. I growl; it¡¯s hard to enjoy the high with the Role Requirement still pressing at me. And my Sanity Level¡­ what was that again?


    What¡­ what am I doing, again?


    I frown, trying to concentrate on that itch of alarm. Trying to bring it into focus.


    There are three bodies around me. None of them move. The sand is stained red and smells like summer rain. I lick my lips again, and the pain dissolves, my briefly-realized concern melting away with it.


    The prince. That¡¯s the only thing that matters.


    I kick off the ground, sending up a burst of sand in my wake. I race across the desert so fast it feels like I¡¯m flying. The wind whips through my hair and across my skin, drying the wetness on my face. I¡¯ve never felt so alive. I never want this feeling to end.


    The arrow in my vision keeps me on course. After a few minutes, I can make out two figures ahead of me. They¡¯re running. I¡¯m faster, though, and I know I¡¯ll overtake them in another minute. But with the Role Requirement urging me on, I¡¯m impatient. I grin, and the Aegis grins with me.


    I wait until they¡¯re only a hundred feet ahead. Then I grab the Aegis with my free hand and pull it from my arm¡ªand the shield lets me, dissolving the arm band that previously kept me from getting rid of it. Maybe it knows what I¡¯m thinking. Right now, it¡¯s hard to tell where my mind stops and its mind begins. Blood. We both crave blood. That much at least we have in common. For now, that¡¯s enough.


    I aim, spin, and launch the shield. The Crimson Aegis flies through the air like a refrigerator-sized frisbee. The last Umbral Blade doesn¡¯t even stand a chance.


    They go down as the shield skewers them into the ground, and the prince stumbles and falls next to them. When the puff of sand clears, the Aegis remains upright like an oversized gravestone.


    I don¡¯t stop running, the excitement of the chase still coursing through me, the high of more blood calling me¡ªmaybe even more insistent than the Role Requirement which still rings in my ears. Oh, and that Sanity Level. What is it at, now? I try to focus on the numbers, but they¡¯ve stopped making sense. Like I¡¯m staring at meaningless shapes. 5¡­ Fifty something? It doesn¡¯t matter. Just blood and the prince matter.


    I clear the final dozen feet with an excited leap, coming down on top of the corpse of the Umbral Blade. To my disappointment, however, there¡¯s no new blood. Aegis already drank it all! I angrily turn to the shield as it exudes smug satisfaction. I snatch it from the ground, but there¡¯s nothing I can do about it now. As punishment, I add it back to my Inventory. I lick my lips again, but all the blood there is already dried or gone. There¡¯s no new hit of elation to be had. Frustrated, I turn away from the dehydrated, bisected corpse, and look to the prince.


    [Role Requirement fulfilled,] Echo says. [The Prince is no longer in imminent danger.]


    [Sanity Level: 55%]


    Even behind his gag and broken glasses, the look of abject horror is apparent. The expression pulls a laugh out of me. Doesn¡¯t he know? He¡¯s no longer in imminent danger!


    [Sanity level: 65%]


    I stalk over to him, and he tries to scramble back through the sand. I catch up to him anyway, and he stops moving when I crouch down beside him.


    [Sanity Level: 75%]


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not the enemy,¡± I say, grabbing his wrists and tearing the rope bindings apart. Then I grab the gag in his mouth and rip that away too. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m The Knight. Your knight, I guess!¡±


    [Sanity Level: 85%]


    Gradually, I¡¯m becoming more aware of a general stickiness all over my body. A tackiness on my hands when I pull his bonds away. Right: they¡¯re covered in blood. Probably all of me is covered in blood.


    I give the prince what is intended to be a wide, reassuring smile. ¡°I¡¯m here to save you. You¡¯re welcome.¡±

 Chapter 7 - The Prince

    [Sanity Level: 100%]


    Eyes wide, the prince opens and shuts his mouth. Then he opens it again. ¡°Are you, um, quite sure you¡¯re not here to kill me?¡±


    His voice is quaky and ridiculously posh. I laugh, but the sound that comes out of my mouth is foreign, with a slightly crazed edge. I snap my mouth shut just as quick, amusement turning into alarm. The mental fog that had been clouding my mind is lifting rapidly now, and everything that had happened¡ªeverything I did¡ªhits me like a truck.


    ¡°Oh my god.¡± I sit heavily back. ¡°What just happened? What did I do?¡±


    ¡°Ah, was it a Bloodlust, perhaps?¡± the prince hesitantly suggests.


    He hasn¡¯t tried to get up yet, but I suspect he¡¯s too scared of me to run. I¡¯m scared of me.


    ¡°Those people,¡± I croak. ¡°The Umbral Blades.¡± Memories that don¡¯t feel like they should be mine flash through my head. Blood. Body parts. All the screaming. ¡°God. I think I killed them.¡± I run my hands down my face, but my skin feels sticky and the gesture uncomfortable when it should have been soothing. I stop, looking down at my hands. They¡¯re dark with a dusty mixture of blood and dirt.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not with them? You¡¯re not from Moonfall?¡± the prince ventures, his voice soft and hesitant. Like someone approaching a feral dog, unsure if it will snap.


    I shake my head, trying to process it all. Shouldn¡¯t I feel sick? Horrified? Sad? I feel a little bit of all those things, but mostly I¡¯m just numb. Maybe shock. Maybe my mind doesn¡¯t want me to process it yet.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± I say. ¡°Why would I kill¡­¡± I stumble over the word. ¡°Why would I attack my own allies?¡±


    ¡°Bloodlusts can make things like that hazy,¡± the prince says. ¡°But if you¡¯re not with them, why are you wearing their armor?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I look down at myself. The dual crescent moon symbol is carved into my chest plate. And those people were from the Moonfall Dynasty, Echo had said. I frown. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know how I got here. Or in these clothes. I just want to find my brother.¡± I look up at him sharply. ¡°Have you seen him? His name is ¨¢lvaro. A nineteen-year-old boy, brown skin, black hair¡ªwell, that¡¯s what he looked like last time I saw him. He was a human.¡± I look at my hands, ashen-gray beneath the blood. ¡°I was human.¡±


    The prince sits there quietly for a moment. When he shifts, my attention snaps back to him, and he freezes. Holding up one placating hand, he slowly reaches the other into a pocket to withdraw a pristine, silk cloth.


    ¡°Here,¡± he hesitantly offers, holding it out at arm¡¯s length. ¡°Your face is still¡­ well, all of you, I mean¡­¡±


    The blood. I deflate, taking the offered cloth. ¡°Thanks.¡± When I wipe it over my face, it comes away dark and stained. My stomach clenches, and I keep scrubbing.


    ¡°Is this your first time suffering from Bloodlust?¡± the prince hesitantly asks. ¡°It can be very disorienting, I¡¯m told. A battlefield is a terrible place for someone like you to be.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the Bloodlust,¡± I growl, and he cringes back. I collect myself and let out a breath. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m just a little overwhelmed with everything that¡¯s going on.¡±


    I finish cleaning up by wiping my hands with the now-dark cloth and hold it back out to the prince.


    He eyes it dubiously. ¡°Ah, you can keep it. And by everything going on, you mean¡­¡±


    I absently tuck it in a pocket, looking up at the moons. ¡°This whole world,¡± I say. ¡°And then becoming a dhampyr, and the shield, and the Role Requirement, and¡ªand those people.¡± I drag a hand through my hair, scraping my pointed nails along my sandy scalp. ¡°At least I have my Sanity back.¡±


    The prince nods empathically, but is still regarding me with a look of extreme caution. But I can¡¯t blame the guy¡ªI do sound like I¡¯ve lost it.


    I sigh, closing my eyes as I pinch the bridge of my nose.


    ¡°So,¡± the prince ventures. ¡°If you¡¯re not with Moonfall¡­¡±


    ¡°Can you just give me a minute?¡± I say. ¡°I could really use a breather.¡±


    ¡°Completely understandable,¡± the prince agrees quickly. ¡°However, there is a battle going on, I just survived being abducted, and my soldiers are almost certainly tearing the dunes apart trying to find me. I really should get back to them.¡±


    I take a few, steadying, deep breaths. Even without the prince babbling on, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to process everything right this moment. There are too many things running through my head. Too many unanswered questions, and too much weight to all my actions to carry. Right now, at this moment, I just need to pull myself together. Which means doing what any reasonable person would do in a situation such as this: I gather up all the trauma, pack it nicely away, and shove it way, way down.


    Wearily, I look up at the prince. ¡°Abducted?¡± I ask.


    He raises a skeptical eyebrow. ¡°The rope and gag didn¡¯t clue you in?¡±


    ¡°I just knew you were in danger,¡± I admit. ¡°Protect the Prince. That¡¯s what Echo said.¡± But who is this person, really? Who was trying to abduct him? Why?


    [Check,] Echo says as I look the young man over. [Prince Quell of the Duneshade Kingdom. Level 22 human verso illusionist. Third in line to the Sterling throne.]


    ¡°Echo?¡± Prince Quell repeats. ¡°How did you know I needed protecting?¡±


    I shrug. ¡°It¡¯s my ¡®Role Requirement¡¯ I guess. And I think Echo is like my magical personal assistant?¡± I tip my head. ¡°Doesn¡¯t everyone have one here?¡±


    ¡°I think you need to get some rest,¡± Quell says. ¡°Maybe save the interrogation for when you¡¯ve had a chance to recover.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    I snort. ¡°This is an interrogation?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the Captain will have questions at any rate.¡± He hesitates. ¡°So, I¡¯m free to go?¡±


    ¡°I already told you I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡± I grimace. ¡°Well. Not intentionally. I¡¯m supposed to be your Knight. Though if it¡¯s all the same to you, I¡¯d rather we go our separate ways and never speak of this again.¡± After all, I found the prince and protected him. Echo stopped shouting in my head. My Sanity Stat has recovered. This quest is complete, right?


    ¡°That sounds like an excellent proposal,¡± Quell agrees. He shifts his feet back, still watching me as he prepares to stand. ¡°Erm. Once you¡¯re feeling yourself again¡ª¡±


    ¡°I am feeling myself.¡±


    ¡°Right, of course,¡± he hurriedly says. ¡°Well, if you are perchance with Moonfall. I just want you all to know¡ªwe can end this. We don¡¯t have to drag this conflict out any longer. Please. I¡¯m sure we could reach an armistice if both sides were willing. You saved my life; I owe you a great deal. I¡¯m sure my parents would listen if your people wanted to treat.¡±


    ¡°Er, right,¡± I say. I push myself to my feet, and Quell stands as well¡ªquickly, and retreating a few steps. ¡°Well, like I said, I¡¯m not from Moonfall, and frankly I have no idea who any of you guys are, or how I even got on this planet, for that matter. But, uh, I guess good luck with all the fighting. I¡¯m going to go look for my brother.¡± Too bad the arrow that¡¯s still persisting in the corner of my vision¡ªthat¡¯s still pointing at Quell¡ªcan¡¯t be rewired to point to ¨¢lvaro instead.


    Quell watches me with suspicion at first, then bafflement, as I dust off my clothes and start to head back in the direction I¡¯d come.


    Now that I have some space, I check myself over. I sustained a lot of injuries in that fight. Yet, while there¡¯s blood and gashes in my clothes, my skin is smooth and scarless beneath. I can¡¯t have healed that fast, could I? Or was it because of the Bloodlust? I Check myself to be sure.


    [Name: Nye]


    [Species: Dhampyr]


    [Class: Guardian]


    [Level: 16]


    [HP: 130/130]


    [Mana: 50/50]


    [Role: The Knight]


    Oh, I leveled up again. I guess that makes sense, given all the¡­ well, given all the fighting. I must have missed it with all the other mental stuff going on. It¡¯s nice that a level-up tops off my HP and Mana. Being at full health will help my trek through this desert.


    I should also check in on Hans while I¡¯m at it. He seems to be in the same position I am, so at least I won¡¯t sound crazy talking to him. Plus, two heads are better than one; maybe he can help me search for my brother, once we get out of this battlefield.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    I glance behind me to find Quell trailing at a safe distance.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he says. ¡°I didn¡¯t want it to seem like I was following you. But it looks like we¡¯re both headed in the same direction.¡±


    I shrug. ¡°Okay.¡± He¡¯s not exactly a threat, so I keep walking.


    The silence lasts for about a minute. ¡°Uh, the fight is still ongoing, so far as I¡¯m aware,¡± Quell says.


    ¡°It was when I started heading this way.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I hear his footsteps thump faster against the sand as he jogs to catch up. ¡°We might look more, ah, formidable if we aren¡¯t alone.¡±


    I glance at him with a snort. He¡¯s several inches taller than me, but lacking any muscle, he looks more like a scarecrow dressed up in armor than an actual soldier. ¡°No offense, but you¡¯re not really the picture of intimidation.¡±


    The prince deflates. ¡°I know. I¡¯ve never been much suited for the battlefield. Tactics are more of my thing¡ªsafely, from the war room back in the castle. Or better yet, the library. Today wasn¡¯t supposed to go like this. Moonfall troops weren¡¯t supposed to be anywhere around here. We were just supposed to investigate a rumor¡ªvisit the Oasis¡ªget our feet wet.¡± He chuckles darky. ¡°On the bright side, I doubt Mother and Father will be sending me out here again anytime soon.¡±


    I roll my eyes. Poor little prince, forced to get a taste of the actual danger his soldiers probably face every day. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to scurry back to your books soon.¡±


    He frowns. ¡°That¡¯s a bit rude. What have you got against books?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I say. ¡°But reading about something and doing it are two very different things.¡± No amount of How-To books and kung-fu movies kept my ass from being bullied. That only stopped when Old Pap next door taught me how to throw a punch. And after a few more years of working out and bulking up, people finally started leaving me alone on-sight.


    ¡°I¡¯d never disagree with that,¡± he says. ¡°But sometimes you can learn about things in books that you would never otherwise have an opportunity to encounter.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± I¡¯m already bored with this conversation. The sooner I can ditch this guy, the better. But while he¡¯s here and somewhat not convinced I¡¯m about to rip his throat out and drink all his blood, I might as well try to get some answers about what the hell is going on.


    ¡°So, look,¡± I venture. ¡°I know these questions sound weird, but just humor me. This planet really isn¡¯t Earth, right?¡±


    Quell¡¯s eyebrows shoot up.


    ¡°Humor me!¡± I repeat.


    ¡°Uh, right,¡± he says. ¡°This world is Lusio. You¡¯re in Dunmora South.¡±


    ¡°Dunmora South?¡± I repeat.


    ¡°It¡¯s the south side of the Dunmora continent,¡± Quell says. ¡°And you¡¯re in the Duneshade Kingdom. Well, contested land between the Duneshade Kingdom and Moonfall Dynasty, to be exact.¡±


    ¡°Right, okay,¡± I say. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of names I won¡¯t remember.¡± Maybe I should have started with something more practical. ¡°How does this magic system work? These levels and classes?¡±


    Quell¡¯s skepticism turns into a frown. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± I say. ¡°The words and numbers in my vision. The stat screen. You¡¯re a level 22 verso illusionist and I¡¯m a level 16 guardian and¡­ you have no idea what I¡¯m talking about, do you?¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°If you¡¯re referencing a field of magic, it¡¯s like none I¡¯ve ever read about. Verso illusionist?¡±


    I ignore his question. ¡°What about Role Requirements? Is that a thing?¡±


    ¡°No, sorry.¡±


    ¡°A magical voice that calls itself Echo?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Huh.¡± What does that mean? Hans could see the stats. He mentioned Echo¡¯s voice. Are we the only ones? Is it because we¡¯re from a different world? ¡°This is crazy.¡±


    ¡°It certainly sounds outlandish,¡± Quell agrees. ¡°But the more you speak, the more I think you¡¯re sane.¡±


    ¡°Gee, thanks,¡± I say flatly.


    He shakes his head. ¡°What I mean to say is, I suspect there¡¯s truth to what you¡¯re describing, it¡¯s just that what you¡¯re experiencing is something entirely outside my knowledge base.¡± There¡¯s a hungry look in his eyes when he looks at me next. ¡°That¡¯s fascinating.¡±


    ¡°Glad I can satisfy your academic curiosity,¡± I grumble.


    ¡°These questions about worlds,¡± Quell ventures, apparently unwilling to let the conversation go now that I¡¯ve started it. ¡°Are you really suggesting that you¡¯re from a different one?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I say. ¡°Not that I expect you to believe me. But I¡¯m from a planet called Earth. I was in the sea there when¡­ well, I¡¯m not entirely sure what happened. It¡¯s all kind of muddled. There was a dark place. Filled with¡­ a monster, or something. And other people. My brother was there, too. There was a fight of some kind, and I think the monster lost¡ªthen I woke up here, on the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°And the rest is history,¡± Quell murmurs.


    ¡°Well, I met Hans, got attacked by a sentient cactus, and nearly had my blood drained by a cursed shield. But yeah, after that, the rest is history.¡±


    Quell is back to looking at me like I¡¯m crazy again.


    ¡°At any rate,¡± I say, ¡°I¡¯ve still got questions about how magic here works. Like, is it all blood and evil shields, or¡ª¡±


    I hit the sand, skip over the surface, and slam into a rock before I even realize what hit me.


    [17 points of Bludgeoning damage sustained.]


    Quell lets out a shout, and other raised voices join his, but my mind is spinning too hard to make sense of it. I cough, rolling onto my back, and wait for the moons to stop spinning around my vision. Several dark shapes appear in my peripheral, and I try to push myself upright, despite the pounding in my head and the vertigo that threatens to tip me right back over.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± a voice snaps, and a blade swims into focus in front of my nose. ¡°If you value your life, I suggest you don¡¯t attempt to fight back.¡±

 Chapter 8 – Your Cooperation is Appreciated

    I groan, managing not to fall forward into the sword.


    ¡°Throw down your weapons immediately,¡± the woman orders, still keeping the sword level at my throat.


    My vision is starting to swim back into focus. I hope I don¡¯t have a concussion. ¡°That might be difficult, considering I don¡¯t have any.¡±


    The woman narrows her eyes at me. ¡°Don¡¯t get cheeky.¡±


    She¡¯s also a dhampyr; two fangs poke out over the top of her bottom lip, her ears are pointed, and her skin is, of course, ashen. She has black hair pulled back in a tight, practical bun, and is wearing armor significantly more heavy and intricate than the leather variety Quell and I have on. She¡¯s older than me, I think; maybe around thirty. There¡¯s an insignia of something like a wave or mountain peak on her chest.


    [Check,] Echo says as I¡¯m taking her in. [Darian, level 34 dhampyr sand guard. Captain in the Duneshade army.]


    Oh, not waves or a mountain then: sand dunes.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Quell cries, struggling to break through a pack of soldiers which have protectively formed around him. ¡°They¡¯re not Moonfall! They saved me.¡±


    More soldiers are appearing from around the rocks, several letting out audible sighs of relief when they catch sight of the prince. They¡¯re all dressed similar to Captain Darian, in light clothes and leather armor¡ªand most of them with goggles, I also notice, hanging about their necks in the case of dhampyrs, or worn over the eyes for the humans. How on earth did Quell manage to get himself abducted with all these soldiers around?


    Captain Darian eyes me suspiciously. ¡°They¡¯re wearing Moonfall armor.¡±


    I look down at my chest plate. ¡°Uh, would you believe me if I said I had no idea how I came to be wearing this?¡±


    Darian gives Quell a pointed look.


    ¡°I know,¡± he says hurriedly. ¡°Their story is a bit¡­ spotty. But they saved me nonetheless. The Moonfall soldiers already had me half a mile away, lost in a sandstone formation. If they hadn¡¯t shown up, no one ever would have found us.¡±


    The captain is still frowning when she turns back to me, sword unwavering. ¡°And how did you find him?¡±


    Man, there is absolutely nothing I can say here that will make this seem good. ¡°I have some kind of tracking spell,¡± I say, which is the closest explanation to the truth I can think of that doesn¡¯t involve explaining Echo and Role Requirements and making me seem even more insane.


    ¡°Some kind of tracking spell?¡± Darian repeats dubiously.


    ¡°Captain, please,¡± Quell says. ¡°You can take them into custody if you must, but I owe them my life, and I won¡¯t allow you to execute them here.¡±


    Yeah, me neither, I think, already trying to gauge how fast I can remove the Crimson Aegis from my Inventory. But with a dozen soldiers spread out around us, the odds don¡¯t look good.


    Captain Darian stares at me for a moment longer, then lets out an irritated sigh and sheaths her sword. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to waste on this anyway.¡± She gestures to two nearby soldiers, and they step forward, each grabbing one of my arms and hauling me to my feet.


    One of them checks me over. ¡°No weapons,¡± he reports to the captain.


    Darian gives me another skeptical look¡ªwhat kind of idiot doesn¡¯t carry weapons in a battlefield?¡ªbut turns to Quell instead.


    ¡°Was your sister with you?¡± she asks.


    ¡°At first, yes, Liz and Constance both,¡± he says, his forehead pinching with a frown. ¡°But we were quickly separated. I don¡¯t know where either of them were taken. Are they alright? Have you found them?¡±


    The captain starts walking, and everyone takes this as a cue to follow suit. The two soldiers apparently assigned to me gesture for me to move as well, falling into step on either side. But they don¡¯t tie up my hands or put a gag on me, like how I¡¯d found Quell, so I consider that a good sign.


    Or maybe they aren¡¯t worried I¡¯ll run because one of the guards is a giant spider-person, almost seven feet tall. It¡¯s like if a centaur was half-spider instead of half-horse. Their entire body is a tan-brown color, but faintly reflective like a shell instead of skin. And while their upper half is mostly human, they still have eight round, black eyes. They glance down at me with a frown, and I nervously tear my gaze away.


    ¡°We caught up to Prince Constance¡¯s group not long after the attack,¡± Darian explains to Quell. ¡°We¡¯d only been following his trail and didn¡¯t realize they¡¯d split the three of you up until after we recovered him. By then, we had no idea where you or Princess Felicity were taken.¡±


    ¡°But you were on the right track with me,¡± Quell says. ¡°You¡¯ve got a lead for Liz, too, right?¡±


    Darian is silent for a moment. ¡°We¡¯re doing everything we can to find her.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Quell asks. ¡°You¡¯ll track her down, right? She¡¯ll be okay?¡±


    There¡¯s a quiver in his voice, and it kicks me right in the heart. His concern over his sister makes me wonder where my brother¡¯s gone, too. I can still picture the last moment I looked at him. The fear in his eyes. He can¡¯t have gone far. He has to be somewhere nearby. I find myself echoing Quell¡¯s concerns almost word for word: he has to be okay.


    ¡°I promise you, my prince,¡± Darian says. ¡°I will ensure your sister returns home safely. I will retrieve her myself, if that¡¯s what it takes.¡±


    Quell¡¯s shoulders slump. ¡°It just happened so fast. How did they get behind our lines? How did no one notice them?¡±


    ¡°The lapse in security is still being investigated,¡± Captain Darian says. ¡°At this moment, I am relieved we were at least able to retrieve you and your brother. We can discuss further plans with all parties present when we return to camp.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    We step out of the boulder field and back onto the open dunes. I can still see people fighting in the distance, like ants crawling over the sand, and closer still I can make out the crater Hans and I had emerged from.


    ¡°Er, excuse me,¡± I say, drawing the attention of basically the entire company of soldiers. ¡°That crater over there. Would you mind if we swing by before we head back to your camp? I left a friend over there, and he¡¯s probably wondering where I am.¡±


    Darian blinks at me. ¡°A friend?¡±


    ¡°More of an acquaintance, really,¡± I admit. ¡°But it would seem pretty terrible to leave him in the middle of the desert with no supplies or shelter or anything. Plus, you know, the fighting, and whatnot.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the fighting and whatnot,¡± Darian repeats flatly. She looks at Quell as if to say, ¡®Are you really serious about this guy?¡¯


    He splays his hands helplessly in some sort of indication of, ¡®Well, they saved my life. What am I supposed to do? Killing or leaving them to die in a desert after that would kind of be a dick move.¡¯


    Or something like that.


    ¡°It¡¯s on the way to camp regardless,¡± Darian admits. ¡°We¡¯ll pass by and keep an eye out for this¡­ acquaintance.¡±


    I guess that¡¯s the best I can hope for, now. But I still need to figure out what to do in the long term. I have to get away from these guys and figure out where ¨¢lvaro ended up. The captain is probably going to want to throw me in a cell or something, and I can¡¯t totally blame her, given what I¡¯m wearing and how I have no explanation for it. Or at least no explanation anyone is likely to believe, given Quell¡¯s reaction. Maybe I can use the shield to break out when their guard is down. No one has asked me about my Inventory, so that¡¯s good at least. And then there¡¯s always the Bloodlust¡­


    I grimace as that summons far too disturbing and fresh memories. It might have made me powerful¡ªincredibly fast and strong¡ªbut it also cost me my mind. I¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure I killed those people. I¡¯m not a killer. I¡¯ve only ever fought when I needed to, for self-defense, and the worst that came of those fights were some broken noses. If I rely on the Bloodlust again, I might end up hurting more than kidnappers.


    No. I¡¯m not willing to let that happen to me again. Guess I¡¯ll have to escape the old-fashioned way: with the help of a demonic, cursed shield.


    ¡°Was this the result of an artificed shot?¡± Quell gestures to the crater as we approach. Darian nods curtly. ¡°What kind? The blast radius is wider than what I¡¯m accustomed to.¡±


    ¡°It was a group pitch,¡± Darian says. ¡°Sand base. Charmed with a repulsive spell set to activate on impact.¡±


    ¡°Impressive,¡± Quell says, scratching at his chin in thought. ¡°What was the range?¡±


    ¡°Three hundred feet.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± He sounds disappointed. ¡°The catapults can achieve at least double that. If some wind arcana could be applied to the shots¡­¡±


    ¡°Once we get our hands on a wind mage, I¡¯ll let you know,¡± Darian says shortly.


    Quell grimaces. ¡°No, no. I don¡¯t mean conscription. It was just a thought.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow at the tense and awkward exchange. A prince who has hesitations about the war his kingdom is in? Sounds messy. Not that I want to be involved with this war, either, to be fair, but I also have no skin in this game.


    As we approach the lip of the crater, I can make out the form of the cactus monster crumpled across the desert floor. Hans is down there, examining its corpse. He¡¯s favoring one leg, but the spines appear to be gone from his injured foot, so it must be healing up.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I call. ¡°Hans!¡±


    The man looks up. At the same time, sand explodes into the air between us.


    A shock wave hits me, the air cracking like thunder. For a moment I think it¡¯s another murder cactus erupting from the ground. But after the sand clears, what remains at the center of the explosion is not a creature, but a person.


    Another spider person. I take a startled step back, the soldiers likewise flinching away, so I guess I¡¯m not the only one surprised by their strange and abrupt appearance.


    Unlike the spider-person next to me, who is wearing armor like the rest of the soldiers, this one is garbed in loose-flowing robes and silks, and carries something that looks like a small sickle with a chain attached to the handle.


    Echo provides me a brief Check:


    [Name: Zeyaelid]


    [Title: Demigod]


    [Species: Arachnoid]


    [Class: Silk Paladin]


    [Level: 81]


    [Attack: 325]


    [HP: 650/650]


    [Mana: 3000/3000]


    [Allegiance: Lorata]


    Demigod? What the hell?!


    She¡¯s facing Hans.


    ¡°An aberrant event was detected in this area,¡± the demigod says. ¡°Are you involved?¡±


    Hans, who fell on his ass at the appearance of the spider-person, looks up at her with a mix of confusion and fear. ¡°What?¡±


    Zeyaelid glances at the destroyed murder cactus. ¡°Did you do this? What is your name?¡±


    Hans climbs carefully to his feet. ¡°No, I¡­ I was supposed to tame it, or something.¡±


    ¡°Name?¡± the woman demands again. Her clipped and formal tone invites no disobedience.


    ¡°Hans,¡± he says, glancing nervously up toward us.


    Zeyaelid withdraws a scroll, which she begins to unravel. She pauses after a moment. ¡°Your name appears in the System.¡±


    My heart skips a beat. System? Echo used that term. Is she talking about the stats that only Hans and I can see and hear? If this demigod is looking for some kind of ¡°aberrant event,¡± my and Hans¡¯s appearance here certainly fits the bill.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Hans says, cautiously edging back. ¡°I don¡¯t even know how I got here.¡±


    Zeyaelid rolls the scroll back up and tucks it within her robes. ¡°You will be taken into the custody of the pantheon until that can be determined.¡±


    Uh oh. I don¡¯t like the direction this conversation is going. By now, a whisper of murmurs has gone through the soldiers, and several have dropped reverently to their knees, including Quell.


    ¡°That¡¯s Lorata¡¯s Champion,¡± one of the soldiers says to another, quickly falling to the ground as well. I likewise join the others in the sand, more so I won¡¯t stand out than out of any form of respect. Actually, that¡¯s not entirely true: looking at that level, I have a healthy amount of respect for the danger she poses.


    I can feel my heart beating in my chest as I peek out over the lip of the crater, watching the situation unfold. I feel bad about leaving Hans down there to fend for himself, but there¡¯s realistically nothing I can do, and I don¡¯t like the sound of being ¡°taken into custody.¡± I can¡¯t risk getting caught¡ªnot when I still need to find my brother.


    ¡°Pantheon?¡± Hans repeats. ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ll take me into custody?¡±


    ¡°All will be explained in time,¡± Zeyaelid says. ¡°Your cooperation is appreciated.¡±


    Hans, apparently, decides his cooperation will not be appreciated. He turns and runs, racing for a wall of the crater. Zeyaelid doesn¡¯t follow. Instead she sighs, unfurls a loop of her chain, spins a weight attached to the end, then casually lobs the weapon at Hans. The weight falls over his arm at the same time Zeyaelid yanks sharply back. The weight spins around his limb, wrapping it in chains, and sends the man crashing to the ground as he reaches the end of the slack. With a flick of her wrist, Hans is flung back to Zeyaelid like a fish on a line. He crashes into the sand at her feet, dazed.


    The woman leans down and grabs Hans, picking him up by the straps of his chest plate. She carries him like he weighs nothing, like the entire situation was a mild inconvenience. Wearing a bored expression, Zeyaelid turns and looks up at us.


    I slam my head down into the sand, pulse drumming in my ears as I will myself to vanish into the ground. Did she see me? Would she be able to tell that I¡¯m part of the aberration too?


    ¡°I apologize for the interruption, mortals,¡± I can hear Zeyaelid¡¯s voice drift over the edge of the dune. ¡°Lorata is grateful for your discretion in this matter here today.¡±


    Then there¡¯s another crack of thunder, leaving behind only silence and an alarmed ringing in my ears.


    What was that? There are demigods? A pantheon? Where did she take Hans? And more importantly, what did she want with him?


    As I lay there, ear pressed into the sand, I notice Quell also on the ground, staring at me with wide eyes. I wonder if he¡¯s thinking the same thing about me.

 Chapter 9 - Prince Constance

    ¡°On your feet.¡± The arachnoid soldier prods me as I still lay there, mind whirring a mile a minute.


    Someone out there¡ªgods, or demigods, or whatever¡ªknows why people like Hans and I are here. Or at least, they know we are here, and they¡¯re looking for us. Until I know why, and that they have our best interest in heart¡ªand let¡¯s be honest, the interaction with Hans doesn¡¯t bode well¡ªI can¡¯t risk getting captured as well. Which means no one can know that I¡¯m from another world.


    Except, Quell already does.


    I glance at the prince as I climb to my feet, and he¡¯s looking back at me, jaw working like he wants to say something. I give a sharp, minute shake of my head, and jerk my finger across my throat. He presses his lips together, then glances away.


    This is going to be a problem.


    ¡°So,¡± Darian says. I reluctantly meet her gaze. ¡°That guy was your acquaintance, huh?¡±


    I resist the urge to grit my teeth. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯d just met.¡±


    She looks at me flatly. ¡°And this aberrant event Zeyaelid mentioned?¡±


    ¡°No idea,¡± I reply, trying to keep my voice level. ¡°Like I said, I just met him. Didn¡¯t want to leave him alone out here. But I guess that¡¯s not our problem, now.¡±


    ¡°And where did you say you came from?¡± she asks.


    ¡°Captain, please,¡± Quell interrupts. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll have time for plenty of interrogations later. There¡¯s still my sister to worry about.¡±


    Darian holds my gaze for another moment, then grimaces and turns away. ¡°Of course, my prince. You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s hurry back to camp before we encounter any further¡­ interruptions.¡±


    I sag in relief at Quell¡¯s diversion. Was that on purpose, or was he just worried about his sister? Either way, it buys me a little more time to figure out what I¡¯m going to say.


    I chew on the inside of my cheek as we walk. I don¡¯t know enough about this world to convincingly fake that I¡¯m from around here. And there¡¯s too much about my strange circumstances¡ªlike wearing the enemy¡¯s uniform while saving the prince¡ªthat no amount of invented backstory will be able to explain. My best play is to not explain anything at all.


    Ultimately, I guess my plan hasn¡¯t changed: I still need to get the hell away from these people, and especially Quell, before they figure out I¡¯m really not supposed to be here and call up that spider-god-person to come back and collect the other Earthling. Then I can focus on tracking my brother down. And from there¡­ well, I need to take this one step at a time.


    The sound of fighting has tapered off, even as we grow closer to the battlefield. Up close, it¡¯s smaller than I¡¯d originally gauged. Maybe a couple hundred people in all. In fact, as Echo Checks individuals for me, all that¡¯s left appear to be Duneshade soldiers. There are dead on both sides, but not as many dead Moonfall as I would have thought: they must have retreated. Maybe it had only been a distraction to try to kidnap Quell and his siblings.


    Whatever the reason, Darian and Quell don¡¯t seem terribly concerned with it. They¡¯ve been speaking to each other in low tones ever since the encounter with the demigod. The rest of the soldiers have remained quiet, but have pressed tighter around us, especially around me and the prince. I¡¯m beginning to think I won¡¯t have a chance to slip away unnoticed anytime soon.


    As we breach a sand dune, a large camp is splayed in the valley beneath us. It¡¯s not an army, but there¡¯s at least a hundred tents pitched in smaller clusters around campfires. We head for the nearest circle of tents, and when we grow close, a man breaks away from the rest of the soldiers.


    ¡°Quell!¡± He strides quickly over to us, his pace purposeful, yet somehow indicating that running is beneath him. When he reaches the prince, he claps both of Quell¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Thank the gods you¡¯re alright. Yua Tin¡¯s grace shines upon us.¡±


    Quell grasps the man¡¯s arms like some kind of awkward, socially-distanced hug. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alright, too. Is there any word on Liz?¡±


    Words appear over my vision as I examine the man.


    [Check: Prince Constance of the Duneshade Kingdom. Level 35 human grand illusionist. First in line to the Sterling throne.]


    He looks like an aged-up version of Quell who works out a lot more. But despite their facial features strongly marking them as family, the two couldn¡¯t appear more different.


    In contrast to Quell¡¯s hastily tied back braids, Constance¡¯s locs are chin-length and neat, and unlike Quell, the older brother actually fills out his armor. He doesn¡¯t have glasses, but does carry a weapon: a decorated red and black sword hangs at his side. They might be the same height if Quell didn¡¯t hunch and Constance didn¡¯t stand so straight. I¡¯m already beginning to get a sense of the brothers¡¯ familial dynamics.


    Constance grimaces at Quell¡¯s question. ¡°No, we¡¯ve no sign of her yet. But if two of us can fight them off and find a way to escape, then she can certainly slip away as well.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°Er, well.¡± Quell awkwardly glances back at me. ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly fight them off. I had some help, actually.¡±


    Constance follows his gaze, eyes landing on me and dancing over the symbol on my chest plate. He raises a surprised eyebrow. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°That still has yet to be determined,¡± Captain Darian says. ¡°A detainee, for now.¡±


    ¡°They saved me!¡± Quell quickly jumps in. ¡°They¡¯re not an enemy. Er, despite the apparel.¡±


    ¡°A defector?¡± Constance asks me.


    That¡¯s not a bad cover. I decide to roll with it for now. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in fighting in this war. When I saw your brother, I had to help. Seems like I was just in the right place at the right time.¡±


    ¡°And not being interested in fighting,¡± Constance repeats. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re covered head to toe in blood?¡±


    Oh, right. I¡¯d sort of forgotten about that. I guess my half-hearted clean-up wasn¡¯t as effective as I¡¯d hoped.


    ¡°It was a Bloodlust,¡± Quell says, which seems to get everyone¡¯s attention. Even the guards seem surprised.


    Darian looks at me with a pitying grimace. ¡°No wonder you don¡¯t want to be in this war.¡±


    I feel like I¡¯m missing something. There¡¯s something about this Bloodlust that has shifted how people are looking at me. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s for the better or worse, so I keep my mouth shut.


    ¡°You were in a Bloodlust when you killed the soldiers who took Quell, but you left him alive?¡± Constance asks, skeptical.


    Quell holds up his hands. ¡°Well they obviously didn¡¯t kill me. They can control it.¡± He looks at me. ¡°Right?¡±


    Everyone turns to look at me again.


    ¡°Uh.¡± I was hoping to avoid exactly this kind of scrutiny. I need to be careful with what I say; the last thing I need is to draw more suspicion and convince them I really am a threat. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m able to direct it a bit.¡± A blatant lie. ¡°I never would have hurt the prince.¡± But at least that much is true.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Darian says.


    Prince Constance just gives me a calculated look.


    ¡°Please,¡± Quell begs. ¡°Right now can we just focus on finding Liz?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Constance turns away from me, beckoning us back toward the center of camp. The way he walks, with so much confidence in his stride, I can see the king he¡¯ll one day be. Quell, on the other hand, trudges wearily behind, not hiding the slump in his shoulders, absently rubbing the rope burns on his wrist. He catches me looking, and offers a weak smile. I meet the look unblinking until he awkwardly glances away.


    ¡°Captain Darian, some of your scouts returned in your absence,¡± Constance is saying to her. ¡°There were no leads to the north, however we suspect the ambassador¡ª¡±


    A cry breaks through the noise of the camp. ¡°Incoming!¡±


    There¡¯s a whistling sound overhead. A flicker of something against the night sky. A blast of fire launches from within the camp, perhaps in an attempt to destroy the incoming projectile. Instead, it misses, and the light of the fire burns painfully bright through my night vision, causing me to squint and look away. Though not before I can make out a football-sized seed streak through the air and crash into the middle of camp.


    ¡°Carrion cactus!¡± someone shouts. Green vines erupt from the ground.


    Oh god, not another murder cactus.


    The soldiers scatter, diving for cover, though to their credit the ones in Darian¡¯s party defensively line up around the princes. Constance and Darian draw their swords while Quell edges back. Everyone is gearing up for battle.


    Which makes this the perfect opportunity to turn tail and run.


    The guards who¡¯d been flanking me have moved to Quell and Constance, and currently all eyes are on the cactus creature rapidly boiling up from the ground in the middle of their camp.


    Is it a little cowardly of me? Maybe. But I¡¯m not about to stick around and get thrown in a jail cell while my brother is somewhere out there fighting his way through a battlefield, or killing carnivorous plants, or whatever other horrors this world has to offer. I have people to find and places to be¡ªneither of which are here.


    No one follows as I sprint from the camp. In fact, a handful of soldiers are doing the same. There are bigger things to keep track of than a random escapee. Literally bigger. As I glance over my shoulder, I can see limbs of the cactus creature rearing up into the night sky, dwarfing the surrounding tents. This guy¡¯s a lot taller than the one Hans and I had to face.


    But it¡¯s not my problem anymore. Ahead of me is the open desert.


    A lot of open desert.


    I run for a minute, brain trying to process this obvious fact.


    Somehow, it didn¡¯t occur to me until this moment that I have absolutely no clue where to start. ¨¢lvaro could be literally anywhere. I¡¯d just assumed he¡¯d be somewhere around here because, well, I was, at least, and so was Hans. But there were many more people in¡­ in that dark place between worlds. I could sense them around us. So where are all those people now? If only Hans and I ended up here, how far away could the others be?


    How far away could my brother be?


    I clench my teeth as I run, frustrated with my circumstances, frustrated with this world, but mostly frustrated with myself. I hate being so useless. I just wish I knew where to start. I need to find him and make sure he¡¯s safe.


    [Role Requirement.]


    ¡°What the hell?¡± I gasp out, glancing around as if I could see Echo smirking at me from behind a nearby boulder. ¡°I thought we were done with this!¡±


    [Role Requirement,] she repeats, the words flashing in my vision. The arrow points back in the direction I¡¯d come and blinks urgently. [The Knight must protect the Prince.]


    I let loose an insensible, angry yell. This can¡¯t be happening again. I mean, I did just leave Quell back with a murderous plant that¡¯s almost certainly tearing the camp apart as we speak. But he should be fine with the Captain and his brother and all those soldiers around, right?


    [Role Requirement.]


    [Sanity Level: 99%]


    ¡°No!¡± I gasp, skidding to a halt. I hesitate, looking back.


    [Sanity Level: 98%]


    ¡°No, no, no!¡± I cry. It can¡¯t mean that I have to protect him any time he¡¯s in danger, can it? It can¡¯t mean that I¡¯m tethered to this person against my will? That¡¯s not fair. That¡¯s not right. What about me? Don¡¯t I get a say in all this?


    [Sanity Level: 97%]


    Frustration turns just as quickly to fear. I don¡¯t want to lose my mind. Last time my Sanity Level had been so low I had started to lose my grip on reality. Or maybe that was the Bloodlust¡ªor some combination of the two. Whatever the cause, I never want to experience that again.


    (Though, some part of me still craves the power it gave me. The speed and strength and invincibility. If I could experience that again without losing my sense of self, would I? That¡¯s an easy answer: without hesitation.)


    [Sanity Level: 96%]


    That maddening static is buzzing at the edge of my consciousness. It¡¯ll only get worse the longer I wait.


    As much as I hate it, I don¡¯t have a choice. I can¡¯t help ¨¢lvaro if I¡¯ve lost my mind.


    ¡°God dammit,¡± I growl.


    I turn and sprint back to the camp.

 Chapter 10 - They’re Popping Up Like Weeds, I Swear

    I run across the desert, swearing at every little inconvenience that has become my life. All the action I¡¯ve been through has long since kicked sand in my boots, making every step an irritating reminder of my predicament.


    ¡°Stupid sand,¡± I growl, squinting when a breeze blows a gust up into my face as if in retaliation. I cough up the grains and blink grit out of my eyes. ¡°Stupid desert! Stupid, stupid prince.¡±


    [Sanity Level: 94%]


    ¡°Stupid magic system!¡± I shout.


    The camp isn¡¯t far ahead of me by now. The silhouette of the carrion cactus is framed against the purple night sky, glowing with stars and the two strange moons. I mentally reach for the Crimson Aegis, drawing it out of my Inventory. I¡¯ll certainly be needing it if I¡¯m going to face one of those killer cacti again.


    Killer cactus. That¡¯s so much better than murder cactus. Should have thought of that sooner.


    The shield appears in front of me as I run, its magic immediately snatching at my arm and strapping itself in place. Its voice also instantly returns to my mind.


    Irritation explodes like a sunburst through my head. Finally! It was wondering when I would remove it from that horrid stasis again. Stop doing that! It deserves to be seen! Proudly displayed! It is not some simple sheet of metal to be disposed of at the slightest inconvenience. It is the Crimson Aegis! The greatest of all shields! The most powerful¡ª


    ¡°Shut up,¡± I grumble, using my other arm to help support the shield and keep it from dragging in the sand as I run. At this moment, its size is really inconvenient. ¡°If you don¡¯t stop complaining, I¡¯ll put you away again.¡±


    The shield is offended. Complaining! It doesn¡¯t complain. Complaint is beneath it. It merely is making its case for why it is undeserving of such disrespect. Its magnificence should be self-evident.


    I roll my eyes. This shield has an ego bigger than the Gulf of Mexico. But arguing with it is about like arguing with a brick wall. Besides, I don¡¯t need it to talk, I just need it to fight.


    The fight is ongoing when I skid back into camp. Several small fires are scattered around the scene, casting the area in the creepy undulating shadows of the giant cactus stalks. I have to squint against the spots of brightness, but I guess the humans here don¡¯t have dark vision like me and need it to see. I¡¯ll just have to deal.


    A cluster of soldiers are off to one side, scribbling something in the sand. One of them plays her hands over the markings, which light up orange. A moment later, a ball of fire appears in the air before her and launches itself at the cactus. It strikes one of the limbs, which bursts into sizzling flames. The cactus swats at the group of soldiers in response, and as a vine crashes into the markings in the sand, the orange light snuffs itself out.


    I follow the arrow in my interface, dodging soldiers and cactus limbs alike as I make a bee-line toward Quell. I can¡¯t see him, but I¡¯m being led toward a tent at the back of the camp. They¡¯re probably trying to get him and his brother out of the danger zone. Great, maybe they¡¯ll resolve my Role Requirement for me.


    Ducking inside the flap of a tent, I narrowly avoid losing my head as a sword swings toward my neck. I flinch back as it clangs against my shield, which only saves my life because it already happened to be at head-level. Several people are shouting.


    ¡°Wait wait wait!¡± That¡¯s Quell.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Darian lowers her sword. ¡°Didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be seeing you again.¡±


    ¡°Me neither,¡± I admit. ¡°I came back to help.¡±


    ¡°See?¡± Quell says. ¡°I knew they weren¡¯t part of this attack.¡±


    ¡°Or they are, and are just very stupid,¡± Constance remarks.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this.¡± Darian lowers her sword. ¡°Earnest, Xamireb¡ªget the princes out of here.¡± Then she juts her chin at me. ¡°Guards, take this Moonfall soldier into custody.¡±


    ¡°No, wait,¡± Quell cries. ¡°They saved me¡ª¡±


    ¡°Now is not the time for your moral objections,¡± Constance says, trying to talk over his brother.


    ¡°¡ªAnd I¡¯m not going to leave when Liz is still out there!¡± Quell finishes.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do to help find her anyway,¡± Darian says.


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    I¡¯m starting to see why everyone was yelling when I first stepped inside.


    ¡°Captain, you get my brother out of here. That¡¯s an order.¡± Constance puts a hand on his hilt. ¡°I¡¯ll be fighting alongside my soldiers.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not useless, you know,¡± Quell objects. ¡°Just because I can¡¯t fight¡ª¡±


    ¡°This is a fight!¡± Constance snaps. ¡°If I needed someone for calligraphy, I¡¯d knock on your door.¡±


    I rock back on my heels. Whew. Awkward.


    ¡°Now, if you would excuse me.¡± Constance stalks forward, and I quickly scramble out of his way. His glare flickers over me for a moment, then he¡¯s out the tent, the sound of a sword being unsheathed following his fading footsteps.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The Aegis¡¯s attention snaps after him. We should also be fighting! This is what it was made for! It feels pulled to the fight. If I want to protect the prince, then the best way is to defeat that monster. It wants to fight. It needs to!


    Shut up, I think, gritting my teeth. I don¡¯t need two disembodied voices in my head constantly distracting me.


    Darian huffs an irritated sigh. ¡°Your parents¡¯ orders still supersede his,¡± she tells Quell. ¡°I will be returning to the conflict. My soldiers will escort you to safer ground. After all this is through, we¡¯ll reconvene and discuss what is to be done about Princess Felicity.¡±


    ¡°I can help protect him, too,¡± I quickly add before the soldiers can pull away from the prince and have my sanity drained once more. Interestingly, my current Sanity stat is hovering at 94%, not going up or down. It will probably only recover when the prince is no longer in danger. But since I¡¯m with him, protecting him, it¡¯s also not decreasing. I guess that means I¡¯m fulfilling my ¡°Role.¡± Great.


    Darian glares at me. ¡°Absolutely not. You are to remain with my soldiers until you can be properly questioned. As a potential Moonfall plant¡ª¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not Moonfall,¡± Quell says. ¡°We¡¯ve already been over this! If they were trying to deflect suspicion, don¡¯t you think wearing the Moonfall sigil on their chest would be a rather bad way of going about it?¡± He straightens himself up, lifting his chin. ¡°My parents¡¯ order may supersede mine, but you¡¯re still bound to obey if they¡¯re not in conflict, and I¡¯m ordering you to not detain this soldier.¡±


    Darian¡¯s eye twitches. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this.¡± Then she blows out an irritated breath and shakes her head. ¡°Fine. Whatever. Don¡¯t let either of them out of your sight.¡± She says this last part to her soldiers, who I notice are the human and arachnoid who¡¯d been escorting me earlier. Then she, too, leaves the tent to rejoin the fray.


    I look at Quell. He looks at me. The soldiers look uncomfortable.


    ¡°You really came back to protect me?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t have much of a choice,¡± I grumble.


    ¡°Come, we need to leave,¡± the human soldier says. I think I heard Darian call him Earnest. ¡°We¡¯ll head to a checkpoint north of camp.¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± Quell says. ¡°If I leave camp, Darian and Constance won¡¯t let me back in. They¡¯ll use it as an excuse to ship me home. But I can¡¯t leave. I need to help find Liz.¡±


    ¡°Prince Quell,¡± the arachnoid, Xamireb, speaks up, ¡°the captain made it quite clear: There is nothing you can do to help find Princess Felicity at this time.¡±


    ¡°I can look for her,¡± he counters. ¡°She¡¯ll have left a trail for us. I can find her.¡±


    ¡°That would be exceptionally dangerous,¡± Xamireb says.


    ¡°I bloody well know how dangerous it is,¡± Quell snaps. ¡°I was nearly abducted myself. Now if everyone could stop treating me like I¡¯m made of parchment¡ª¡±


    A thud lands hard somewhere just outside the tent. A vine crawls through the front flap, and I slam the Aegis down on top of it. Activating a brief Devour, the vine disintegrates beneath the shield.


    ¡°Regardless of where you go,¡± I say, ¡°I think we all better get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Quell says, a little shaken. ¡°Of course.¡±


    The guards look relieved, and the four of us beat a hasty retreat out the back of the tent.


    Xamireb leads the way, skittering smoothly around the outskirts of the camp, while Earnest stays in the back, keeping a close watch on me. Unfortunately, that leaves me next to the prince.


    ¡°So what did you mean when you said you didn¡¯t have much of a choice?¡± Quell asks.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I¡¯m distracted, watching for any cactus vines creeping in our direction.


    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t have much of a choice but to come back.¡± Quell drops his voice. ¡°Does it have to do with that Role Requirement you mentioned? You said you were my Knight.¡±


    Damn, this guy has a good memory. I¡¯d sort of hoped he¡¯d forgotten about everything I¡¯d said before that demigod showed up.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I say shortly.


    ¡°If it¡¯s the Champion Zeyaelid you¡¯re worried about, I don¡¯t intend to turn you over to her,¡± he says. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s a shrine for Lorata out here in the middle of the dunes, anyway. I couldn¡¯t contact her if I wanted to.¡±


    I look at him skeptically. ¡°You can use shrines to call up gods like a telephone?¡±


    ¡°Like a what?¡± he asks.


    I just shake my head. ¡°Never mind.¡±


    ¡°Well, anyway. If you want to talk about it, I¡¯m here,¡± he says.


    Gee, how sweet.


    He looks at me, and that hungry look returns to his eyes. ¡°Because this strange magic you¡¯ve hinted at sounds extremely intriguing, and I must know everything about how it works.¡±


    Oh. Not sweet. Kinda weird.


    ¡°All you need to know is that you¡¯re stuck with me,¡± I say. ¡°At least until I figure this magic out.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± he whispers.


    It just figures I¡¯d get stuck with the nerdy sibling. I glance back at the fight, which the Aegis is still urging me to join. In fact, strangely, I can feel the pull the shield is talking about; a magnetic draw. I don¡¯t remember feeling this in the previous fights. Strange.


    Captain Darian and Prince Constance are locked in combat with the carrion cactus, hacking its limbs away like a weed whacker. Now those two are some fighters. It¡¯s a shame I didn¡¯t get saddled to one of them. I wonder if either would be willing to teach me how to use a sword.


    The Aegis, previously distracted by the fight, catches these last thoughts and turns back to me, aghast. A sword? What could I want with a sword when I have something so much mightier than that?!


    I sigh. I just want to be left alone with my thoughts for one freaking minute. Is that too much to ask?


    ¡°Those mountains,¡± Xamireb says, pointing off to what I think is the north-east. ¡°That¡¯s where we¡¯ll be heading. We should meet up with scouts around the halfway point¡ªit might be around dawn by then, and we¡¯ll have to find shelter among the rocks. But this time tomorrow we should be safely back within Duneshade territory.¡±


    Quell frowns in the direction of his kingdom. Instead of turning to the guard, however, he turns to me. ¡°Your magic means you have to follow me?¡±


    I grimace. Don¡¯t see much point in lying, since I¡¯ll have to stick around him anyway. The pattern will become obvious enough once I¡¯m begrudgingly following him across a desert. (Unless I kidnapped him and took him with me as I searched for ¨¢lvaro. Given how scrawny he is, it wouldn¡¯t even be hard. (Yes, I know what a terrible idea that would be, and no, I¡¯m not that stupid.))


    ¡°Protect you, more specifically,¡± I say. ¡°I can tell if you¡¯re in danger.¡±


    ¡°Amazing,¡± he breathes. ¡°How does it determine what danger means? Are we in danger right now?¡±


    ¡°Please, my prince,¡± Earnest begs. ¡°We need to get going.¡±


    ¡°This really doesn¡¯t seem like the time to be figuring out my magic,¡± I agree.


    Quell smiles. It¡¯s so weirdly out of place, given everything I¡¯ve been through tonight. In fact, in contrast to the shouts of nearby soldiers and the shadows that dance with each new blast of flame, it¡¯s downright eerie.


    ¡°On the contrary,¡± Quell says. ¡°Now is the perfect time to deduce the mechanics of this interesting magic of yours.¡± Then, he turns and runs toward the monster.


    I stand there for a moment in disbelief. Are. You. Fucking. Kidding me? Is this guy for real? No one can be this stupid.


    ¡°Prince Quell!¡± Earnest and Xamireb dash after him.


    The arrow in the corner of my vision starts to blink urgently. [Role Requirement,] Echo warns.


    I stare up at the sky, pleading for a moment with the stars. Allowing myself one long, exasperated groan, I chase after the prince.

 Chapter 11 - Distraction

    Despite all evidence to the contrary, Prince Quell displays he does, in fact, have some common sense in him as he skids to a stop just short of the nearest cactus limb. I catch up half a second later, lunging around him and slamming my shield into the ground as the cactus jabs in our direction. I activate Devour, which pleases the Aegis to no end, and the part of the vine that¡¯s touching the shield vanishes as the Aegis happily consumes it. I shut Devour off just as quickly, and my mana drops to 46/50.


    [Devour, Level Up!] Echo announces. [At level two, the mana expenditure is reduced to 1 point every 2 seconds.]


    ¡°Wow,¡± Quell remarks. ¡°You really do have to protect me!¡±


    A murderous impulse briefly threatens to overtake me. I exercise an impressive level of self-control to stuff it back down. ¡°You could have just believed me instead of putting both our lives at risk!¡±


    ¡°A hypothesis left untested is as good as¡ª¡±


    ¡°Get back!¡± I shove him with my free hand as another vine comes for us.


    Quell apparently wields all the dexterity of a toddler, because this just knocks him off his feet and back into the sand. I¡¯d smack my forehead if I had the time.


    Instead, I activate Repel¡ªdropping my mana down to 36/50¡ªand Endure. The vine strikes Aegis, and I don¡¯t even feel it. I lift up the shield and slam it down on the limb, severing its end.


    If my math is right, I¡¯ve got about six minutes on Endure to take as many blows as I can. After that I¡¯ll be out of mana, but hopefully by then I¡¯ll have stored up enough hits for Repel to do some damage.


    Earnest and Xamireb take up defensive positions on either side of Quell while he looks up at me from the sand with wide, surprised eyes.


    ¡°Fucking stay here,¡± I tell him, which summons horrified looks from the soldiers. I guess they¡¯re not used to people talking to their royalty that way. Tough luck. I¡¯ve never been much for etiquette.


    I race into the fight, specifically targeting the biggest limbs. I crash through them like a wrecking ball thanks to Endure, the limbs snapping in half across the front of the Aegis.


    [Repel, Level Up!] Echo declares as I progress. [Endure, Level Up!]


    More notifications stream through my vision, but I mentally shove them to the side; I need to keep my wits about me while I¡¯m in the middle of a fight.


    Darian and Prince Constance are in the thick of it, and I fight my way toward them as fast as I¡¯m able. It¡¯s only as I approach them that I realize the draw the Aegis is sensing isn¡¯t to the fight itself¡ªnor to the carrion cactus¡ªbut to Prince Constance. Or rather, the sword in Prince Constance¡¯s hand.


    The black and red blade he wields appears eerily familiar. There¡¯s an eye-like ruby stone in its guard, and the metal is so dark it¡¯s nearly black. Red light runs up the blade and swirls around its hilt in a miasma of magic. Even as the Crimson Aegis feels drawn to it, I can feel the sword reflect that attention back at us.


    Constance¡¯s head snaps our way, and his gaze locks onto the Aegis in a look of surprise. Then it shifts up to me.


    He disengages from the fight, letting Darian take his place.


    ¡°How did you acquire that shield?¡± he demands.


    The Aegis is still urging me on, compulsively drawn to the sword. I can¡¯t even tell what the shield wants¡ªif it wants anything at all, or if it¡¯s merely acting on instinct. From the way Constance draws back, angling his sword away from me, he must feel it, too.


    ¡°I, uh, found it lying in the desert,¡± I say.


    He gives me a look of extreme incredulity.


    ¡°I know how it sounds,¡± I huff.


    A vine whips in our direction, and I duck behind the Aegis. Constance whips out his sword, slashing through the limb. The severed vine falls to the ground between us.


    ¡°We¡¯ll discuss this later,¡± he says. ¡°If you¡¯re here to fight, then fight. Captain Darian could use assistance. I can hold my own.¡±


    A protest rises and dies on my tongue. I can also hold my own, I think. But I only lucked out in the last two fights, and Constance has already moved away; far enough to fight independently, but close enough to keep an eye on me. I can still feel the Aegis yearning after his sword. Maybe it¡¯s for the best we¡¯re not side-by-side in the middle of battle. I turn my attention to Darian and approach her instead.


    [Mana: 27/50]


    Just another couple minutes left on Endure and these blows will start to feel like something. We need to resolve this fight, and fast.


    The Captain also seems surprised to see me, but she jerks her head anyway, signaling me over.


    ¡°Where in the Kingdom did you get a shield like that?¡± Darian asks.


    ¡°Found it in the sand,¡± I repeat.


    She barks out a laugh. ¡°Shit. Well, I¡¯m not about to arrest you this second. You want to prove yourself? Cover me.¡±


    I¡¯m more than happy to block the next few blows that come her way, pieces of spiny, wet vegetation splattering off to either side as the cactus beats itself to pieces against me. Darian falls back, dropping her sword to the ground to sweep a circle and some squiggly symbols through the sand. She speaks a word, and an orange light fills the circle. Then the whole design collapses inward, the sand forming into a solid rock.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Move!¡± Darian orders.


    I step to the side, and the rock launches from the ground like a cannonball. It blasts into the main stalk halfway up, carving a divot out of its side. If she¡¯d hit straight on, it might have cut the thing in half.


    Darian swears, then steps up beside me to resume fighting with her sword. Other soldiers are similarly shooting rocks and fireballs at it, but the only ones that match the size of Darian¡¯s shots are performed by groups of soldiers working in tandem. Constance, meanwhile, is hanging back, cutting down anything that makes it through the front line of soldiers. I can¡¯t help but watch him, even while embroiled in my own fight; his power and grace is almost hypnotic.


    One vine makes it around the soldiers and spears toward a tent. Constance lunges after it, even though he¡¯s far from within striking range. The miasma around his sword solidifies, however, and extends to be twice, three times the length of his blade. It slashes through the stalk, which disintegrates to ash, much like the effects of the Crimson Aegis¡¯s Devour. No wonder he¡¯s hanging back; he¡¯s stopping the fight from spilling over into the rest of the camp.


    [Mana depleted. Endure spell expired.]


    I stumble back from the next vine that strikes my shield, red light flashing over its surface. Repel is still doing its thing, storing up energy with every attack, but now that Endure is done, I won¡¯t be able to stand against the blows much longer. I need to get close and expel the blast. Hopefully, this time, it¡¯ll be enough to finish off the damage the other soldiers have started.


    The Aegis gets excited as it catches wind of my plan. Yes! Revenge! This time our Repel will take the plant monster down.


    ¡°Except this is twice as big as the last one,¡± I grumble. ¡°We don¡¯t have nearly enough stored power to take it down.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Darian asks.


    I shake my head. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Aegis disagrees with me vehemently, becoming all the more determined to prove its superiority. It focuses on the base of the carrion cactus. There! That is where we¡¯ll launch our attack.


    I frown. You mean we can focus Repel? I think. I figure since it can read my thoughts anyway, I don¡¯t need to be replying to it out loud and making everyone around me think I¡¯m crazier than they already do. It doesn¡¯t have to be a big shockwave?


    Aegis is offended. Of course not! As if it would lack such precision. It is a highly adaptable shield, which is what makes it the best.


    Good lord, this thing is full of itself. At least it would be more tolerable if it didn¡¯t keep forgetting to tell me all the abilities it has.


    Aegis is equally insulted by this. (Apparently, anything that isn¡¯t unadulterated praise is an insult.) It can tell me everything! But I keep putting it in that between space. It hasn¡¯t had a chance to get a word in.


    I snort at that. Yeah, it¡¯s real reserved. But there will be time to pick its brain later¡ªor whatever brain-like equivalent a demon shield has¡ªassuming it¡¯ll really be as cooperative as it claims. For now, though, we¡¯ve got a cactus monster to take care of.


    ¡°My turn for cover,¡± I tell Darian. ¡°I¡¯ve got something that might end this, but I¡¯ll need to get close enough for a clear shot.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asks. ¡°You only have a shield.¡±


    ¡°If it is what I think it is,¡± Constance says, slashing his way back over to us, ¡°it can do far more than block. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    I can¡¯t help but be drawn to his sword again. The Aegis wants it. Needs it!


    What do you want with it? I wonder.


    But the Aegis can¡¯t even explain. It just knows they¡¯re supposed to be together.


    ¡°It¡¯s got a few offensive abilities,¡± I say, meeting Constance¡¯s gaze. He, too, is staring at the Aegis, almost a hungry look in his eyes. In this moment, I can see some resemblance to his brother. He, too, reluctantly looks away.


    ¡°If it¡¯s a distraction you need, that is something I can provide,¡± he says.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I say, even though he¡¯s already turning away from me. Strangely, he sheathes his sword and the mental itch the Aegis was vanishes as a result. I let out a relieved breath. ¡°What are you going to¡­¡±


    Prince Constance inhales, raising his hands before him. Light sparks at his fingertips. When he exhales, it¡¯s like his breath has caught the light on his hands and tossed it up into the air. The colors swirl into a funnel, growing larger, brighter, more solid. In mere moments, it resolves into the form of a second carrion cactus, exactly replicating the first.


    I stare at the incredible display of magic. The original carrion cactus likewise appears surprised. It shrieks, drawing its limbs back, before stabbing at the newly appeared creature. The vine appears to skewer straight through the replica, sending a quiver through the creature like a ripple across a projector screen. Constance¡¯s carrion cactus sways to the side, slipping through the vine unharmed, then returns a challenging screech of its own.


    ¡°Well?¡± Darian demands, breaking me from my awe. ¡°Hurry up! If you¡¯ve got a plan, get to it!¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡ªright.¡± I tear my gaze away from the dueling giants and return my focus to the main creature¡¯s stalk. Bracing my free hand against the Aegis, I duck my head low, put my shoulder into it, and stalk forward. Despite Constance¡¯s distraction, some of the smaller feelers still head my way. A few deflect off the front of my shield, but some also come from the sides. Darian makes quick work of these, shredding anything that ventures too close. She¡¯s incredibly proficient with a sword, slicing away attacks I don¡¯t even see coming. I¡¯ve got to get her to teach me some of the basics. Or maybe Constance can teach me some of that magic.


    You know, assuming they don¡¯t throw me in cell at the end of all this.


    As we get close, the attacks become more pressing, the stalks much thicker and their strikes more powerful. Is this close enough? I ask the Aegis. We only have one shot and we can¡¯t afford to miss.


    Miss? It would never miss. The Aegis is infallible! Though of course, getting closer would make its perfect aim even more perfect.


    I grimace. I don¡¯t think you know what perfect means.


    But this is as far as I¡¯m willing to push it. I focus on the base of the carrion cactus. Do I just have to picture it? Intend for the attack to be focused instead of broad? I¡¯m not really sure if I¡¯m the one controlling the spell, or if Aegis is. Either way, I will for the attack to launch in a thin, concentrated blast, and Echo says, [Repel executed.]


    A flash of red light bursts from Aegis. It fires straight forward like a bolt of lightning, spearing through the stalk of the plant and¡ªthankfully¡ªburying itself in the sand on the other side. It¡¯s a good thing I hadn¡¯t aimed it any higher, or I could have hit soldiers on the other side of camp.


    I blink against the light, a hole burned in the center of my vision. Was that enough? Did I sever it? I glance off to the side to try to make out the damage with the part of my night vision that hasn¡¯t just been wiped out.


    ¡°Back!¡± Darian shouts, a hand on my shoulder.


    I stumble from the unexpected pull and nearly fall backward myself. (I guess I shouldn¡¯t have been so hard on Quell for falling on his ass when I pushed him.) I manage to keep upright, but then the pull turns into a shove, something hard kicks against my heel, and I slip over the sand as my leg gives out and the weight of the shield pulls me over. I crash to the sand, and a moment later, something slams into the ground next to me, sending a shockwave through the camp.


    My vision hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet, but it¡¯s not hard to make out the fallen stalk of the carrion cactus inches away from my feet. Right where I¡¯d been standing only moments before.


    [Role Requirement fulfilled,] Echo says matter-of-factly.


    [Sanity Level: 100%]

 Chapter 12 - Not for Lack of Trying

    I let my head fall back on the sand and exhale my relief. My heartbeat pulses through my entire body, adrenaline still pumping through my veins, exhaustion and soreness aching in my muscles. Kind of missing that refresh that comes with a level-up.


    If another cactus shows up before this night is out, I think I¡¯m just going to let it eat me. Lord, I could use a drink.


    The Crimson Aegis, meanwhile, is cheering in my mind. We did it! That foul creature has been banished. No monster or adversary can possibly stand against us! Next time we will win even more swiftly, our victory even more certain. The only blemish upon an otherwise flawless triumph was the lack of blood in such a loathsome creature. Pathetic! At the very least it should have¡ª


    I add the Crimson Aegis to my Inventory, and my mind becomes blissfully silent. It hadn¡¯t even had a chance to react; I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be hearing all about that later.


    Darian stands over me, breathing hard, eyes on the now-felled monster. She wipes a hand across her brow, straightens up, and then turns to regard the rest of camp.


    ¡°Casualties?¡±


    ¡°No deaths so far,¡± Prince Constance reports, striding back over to us. He waves a dismissive hand, and the second carrion cactus dissolves into motes of light behind him. The embers flicker out as they drift toward the ground, vanishing into the night.


    There¡¯s calls and answers, some asking for medical treatment, but he¡¯s right that no one seems to be dead. That¡¯s a small miracle itself¡ªor maybe it was due to Constance¡¯s strategy, containing the fight everywhere it threatened to get out of hand.


    ¡°You?¡± Darian asks, offering me a hand. ¡°Injured?¡±


    ¡°Just my pride,¡± I say, accepting the help up. ¡°I think you saved my life. Squished by a cactus would have been an embarrassing way to go.¡±


    A faint smile threatens to overtake her perpetual glare. ¡°Least I could do after you took that thing down. That¡¯s some interesting magic you have. What type of arcana?¡±


    ¡°Er.¡± Echo? I ask helplessly. I don¡¯t even really know what she¡¯s asking.


    [The user has a Blood Affinity.]


    Oh, well that¡¯s just peachy. And the shield? I ask.


    [Inanimate objects cannot have Affinities.]


    Great. But given its sanguine thirst, I¡¯m starting to see a pattern.


    ¡°Blood, I guess,¡± I say to Darian.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ interesting,¡± the captain remarks.


    Constance stops nearby, hand resting on the hilt of his sword. ¡°Though likely the magic we just witnessed was due to something else entirely. I wish to speak with you about your shield.¡± He pauses then, gaze flickering around the scene. ¡°What have you done with it?¡±


    ¡°I stored it in my Inventory,¡± I say.


    Constance raises an eyebrow. ¡°I have many questions.¡±


    Yeah, so do I.


    ¡°Weapons talk can wait,¡± Darian says, clearly not understanding the unsettling connection Constance and I experienced through our respective weapons. ¡°Where is Prince Quell? You said you were going stay with him.¡±


    ¡°I left him with the guards,¡± I say, gesturing toward the tents. Hesitantly glancing between Constance and Darian, I lead the way back to where I last saw Quell. ¡°Figured the best way to protect him would be to deal with the monster first.¡±


    She snorts, and there¡¯s a hint of sarcasm in her tone when she responds. ¡°Yes, that would be the easiest way, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was easy.¡± I wrinkle my nose at the sand as I trip over some hidden stones. Walking on sand is really annoying. Each step takes more energy than it should, running in it feels like one of those slow-motion nightmares, and I¡¯ve got about two cups of sand in my boots now. It¡¯s only been a couple hours, and I¡¯m already sick of it.


    ¡°You certainly made it look easy,¡± she says.


    ¡°They would, with a weapon like that,¡± Constance remarks. He turns to Darian. ¡°Ensure they¡¯re kept under close guard. Their arrival coupled with the attack on our camp is suspicious timing.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    I sigh, annoyed. ¡°Why would I have helped out just now if I was the enemy? For that matter, why would I have freed Quell from the Umbral Blades in the first place?¡±


    ¡°Umbral Blades?¡± Constance and Darian repeat simultaneously.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Darian asks.


    I hesitate. That was something Echo told me, though is there any evidence to support my claim? They weren¡¯t wearing clothes with symbols on them, like these soldiers are. This knowledge might just make me sound even more suspicious. ¡°Pretty sure,¡± I say.


    Constance frowns.


    Before I can think of any other ways to dig myself into a hole, we come upon Prince Quell, around whom has clustered a large group of guards. It¡¯s like they¡¯re multiplying.


    Darian whistles sharply and jerks a thumb toward me. Earnest and Xamireb peel off from the group, taking up posts on either side of me once more. I guess I should have expected that.


    ¡°Is everything alright over here?¡± the captain asks.


    Quell¡¯s face floods with relief as he catches sight of me. ¡°Thank the gods. I was worried I¡¯d gotten you killed.¡±


    ¡°Not for lack of trying,¡± I say.


    He grimaces, and I feel a sting of regret. A very, very small sting. I¡¯m still mad at him for running into the fight.


    Constance appears to be, too. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here. You were supposed to have left already. What if we¡¯d been overwhelmed? Liz is gone, and if you or I became injured, or worse¡ªdo you know what that might have meant for our lineage?¡±


    Quell¡¯s grimace flickers into worry. ¡°We don¡¯t know that Liz is gone. We can still find her.¡±


    Nearby, raised voices clamber through the din of camp, and Darian turns to the noise with a sigh. ¡°What now?¡±


    A group of guards rounds the nearest tent, towing a struggling woman between them. She¡¯s a dhampyr, like Darian¡ªand me, I guess¡ªbut her clothes are of white and purple silk; in the midst of all the soldiers, she looks starkly out of place.


    ¡°Captain,¡± one of the soldiers says upon finding Darian. ¡°We found her attempting to flee the camp.¡±


    They dump the woman on the sand at Darian and Constance¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Ambassador Ashla,¡± Darian says, her voice weary. ¡°What might be the cause of this disturbance?¡±


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t me!¡± the woman cries. She looks up at the captain and the prince with a frazzled look. There are crow¡¯s feet at the corners of her eyes, and streaks of white in her long, dark hair. Her frame is thin, and her hands and clothes delicate. An ambassador would certainly make sense; she doesn¡¯t have the build of a fighter. ¡°I swear on Kero¡¯s hands¡ª¡±


    ¡°We also found this,¡± one of the guards says. They step up to Darian and Constance, holding out a wooden box. There¡¯s a spiked design carved into the lid, and when they open it, the box is empty, save for padded cloth indented as if to hold a round object.


    ¡°A carrion seed holder,¡± Constance observes.


    ¡°What?¡± the ambassador cries. ¡°No! I didn¡¯t¡ªI don¡¯t know where that came from.¡±


    Darian¡¯s expression hardens. ¡°Ambassador Ashla, why were you attempting to flee camp?¡±


    ¡°There was a fight,¡± she says, looking between everyone desperately. ¡°I thought they¡¯d come here to kill me.¡±


    ¡°Who was it you were expecting?¡± Constance demands. He glances briefly toward me, as if recalling something. ¡°Were you working with the Umbral Blades?¡±


    This seems to catch Ashla off guard. ¡°You know about the Blades?¡±


    Constance shakes his head in disappointment, and Darian sighs.


    ¡°Restrain her,¡± the captain commands. ¡°I will speak with her privately.¡±


    ¡°As will I,¡± Constance agrees.


    ¡°No, wait!¡± the ambassador cries as the guards haul her to her feet and start to drag her away. ¡°Please! This wasn¡¯t me! This wasn¡¯t Moonfall!¡±


    Given Echo¡¯s insight, I¡¯m pretty darn sure it was.


    Darian rubs a temple, turning back to me and Quell. ¡°I need to handle this. She might have information on where Princess Felicity was taken. Prince Quell, I will meet you in the Command tent when all this is settled.¡±


    Without waiting for a reply, she heads off.


    I hesitate, looking between Quell and the retreating form of Darian. ¡°What about me?¡± Not that I¡¯m particularly thrilled to be tagging after Quell like a dog on a leash, but I¡¯d also rather not get dragged away for interrogations like that ambassador. ¡°Are we good?¡±


    Prince Constance claps a hand on my shoulder; the grasp is heavy and firm. ¡°I appreciate the tip about the Umbral Blades. And I appreciate you protecting my brother, if the story is to be believed. Your appearance and timing is still highly unusual, yet you fought beside us to protect the camp. I suspect, somehow, you are not actually involved in all of this. Even so, we will need to speak about that shield you carry. While the Captain and I deal with the traitor, I will be assigning several guards to you and my brother. I hope you understand that the protection of my family comes first.¡±


    Well, that¡¯s better than handcuffs and an interrogation. ¡°I understand,¡± I say.


    He gives my shoulder one last heavy thump, then turns and disappears into the camp after Darian. Four more soldiers fall into formation around me and Quell.


    It doesn¡¯t escape me how Darian had spoken differently to the two princes. Quell received orders, while Constance gave them. I guess it makes sense you would be paying more respect to your future king, but it still feels like Quell and I have been sent to sit at the kid¡¯s table while the adults go have a talk.


    Honestly though, I¡¯m more than happy to take a breather. God knows I need one. It¡¯s been one thing after another since I got here. Plus, Quell and I are overdue for a private chat.


    I glance at the guards assigned to us. Well. Mostly private.


    As we¡¯re escorted to one of the few large tents further back in the camp, Quell turns to me. He chews at the corner of his lip and nervously fidgets with the broken lens of his glasses.


    ¡°You know, you¡¯ve saved my life twice now, and I still don¡¯t know your name.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow. Not what I was expecting him to say. ¡°You never asked.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He has the good sense to look ashamed. ¡°This night has been a bit of a blur.¡±


    Tell me about it. ¡°It¡¯s Nye,¡± I say.


    His face lights up. ¡°Nye. Thank you. I¡¯m Quell.¡±


    I snort. ¡°Yeah, I know.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right,¡± he says, glancing away uncomfortably. ¡°I¡¯m the prince. Of course you know.¡±


    His flustered behavior is so awkward, so completely opposite to his brother, it borders on amusing. I¡¯m just some dude. He¡¯s a freaking prince. ¡°You don¡¯t get out of the palace much, do you?¡±


    He gives a wincing smile. ¡°Is it that obvious?¡±


    ¡°Painfully,¡± I say, and I can¡¯t help but give a small, ironic smile, as well.


    At least I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s out of their depth tonight.

 Chapter 13 - A Mutually Beneficial Opportunity

    The arachnoid guard Xamireb holds the flap of the tent open for us. I roll my shoulder and crack my neck, the aches of the battle finally starting to catch up to me, then duck inside after Quell.


    The tent is the size of a large room, and several rugs and pillows cover the ground. No chairs, though. There¡¯s a leather map spread over the center of the floor, around which the pillows are arranged. Quell takes a seat on one of the pillows, politely sitting on his legs and folding his hands in his lap, while I unceremoniously collapse into a pillow across from him. God, it feels great to be sitting on something other than sand.


    Xamireb and Earnest follow us in, standing quietly at either end of the tent. None of the others do, however, which is just as well given the size; they must be posted around the four outer walls in case, I don¡¯t know, I try to abduct the prince and make a run for it, or something.


    Well, given there already was an abduction attempt on the prince tonight, I guess that¡¯s not the most unreasonable concern to have.


    Quell sits in an uncomfortable silence after the first two guards take up their station. I¡¯m starting to wonder if he¡¯s also waiting for the last guards to file in when he looks abruptly up at me.


    ¡°About earlier¡ªtesting your claim. I really am sorry,¡± he says. ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking¡ª¡±


    I snort. ¡°Clearly.¡±


    ¡°¡ªI wasn¡¯t thinking about you when I ran toward the creature,¡± he continues. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to get shipped back home. Not with Liz still out there.¡±


    I fold my arms, sizing him up. Well, an apology is a start. ¡°Liz is your sister, right? Princess Felicity?¡± Even as I ask, my thoughts go back to ¨¢lvaro, and my heart twists within my chest.


    Quell nods, removing his fractured glasses from his nose. He moves like he¡¯s going to wipe them on the front of his shirt¡ªwhich is coated in sand¡ªthen seems to think better of it and tucks them into a pocket with a sigh.


    ¡°It¡¯s true I¡¯m not a fighter. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m useless,¡± he says. ¡°She can¡¯t be far, and we can¡¯t afford to sit around and wait. We need to be searching for her now. In fact, I¡¯m sure this most recent attack was launched as a way to slow our pursuit.¡±


    I¡¯m curious how giant cactus monsters can be launched at the enemy. But as much as I hate to admit it, his words strike a nerve.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry for your sister,¡± I say. ¡°My brother¡¯s missing, too. I want to be out there looking for him right now, but instead I¡¯m stuck here with you.¡±


    I glance at the guards, wondering how much I should say around them. Earnest and Xamireb are staring stoically ahead, as if ignoring our conversation. But I don¡¯t trust them not to snitch, so it¡¯s best if I can keep anyone else from finding out about my otherworldly origins. Zeyaelid, that spider demigod, had asked for her abduction of Hans to be kept discreet, but there were too many witnesses there for me to believe no one will say anything. If there¡¯s one thing I know, it¡¯s that you can¡¯t trust people to not be selfish or stupid. If it¡¯s not one, it¡¯s always the other.


    ¡°You¡¯re really stuck with me, then?¡± Quell asks with a concerned look. ¡°You¡¯re forced to protect me if I¡¯m in danger?¡±


    ¡°Seems that way,¡± I admit.


    ¡°What kind of magic is it?¡± he asks.


    Echo? I ask.


    [A user¡¯s Role is a seeded parameter of the neuralarcane network commonly referred to as the System, which spans all fields of arcana studies.]


    Well that¡¯s useless.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the magic is, or where it came from,¡± I say. ¡°All I know is that if I don¡¯t stick to its rules, it starts driving me mad.¡±


    Quell looks horrified. ¡°That sounds like a curse.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t thought of that. Is it a curse? It doesn¡¯t feel like one. This System is all concrete and numeric when I¡¯d supposed a curse would be more¡­ I don¡¯t know, spooky and wishy-washy. But if he¡¯s right, then maybe other people in this world might actually know how to handle it. ¡°Do you think so? Can I get it removed?¡±


    ¡°Possibly.¡± Quell taps his chin. ¡°I¡¯ve read of several cases of the Lifespring Oasis removing magical ailments. It would be as good a place to start as any.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Finally, it feels like something might be going right. I¡¯m tired of being yanked around by every new thing I¡¯ve encountered. The Role Requirement, the Bloodlust, the Aegis¡ªI just want my damn autonomy back. ¡°What¡¯s the Lifespring Oasis? Where is it?¡±


    Quell laughs. ¡°You really aren¡¯t from around here, are you?¡±


    My gaze flickers nervously to the guards, but they¡¯re still staring straight ahead. Luckily, Quell seems to catch my look and the hint.


    ¡°Ah, right,¡± he says. ¡°Someone from Valenia probably isn¡¯t very versed in our history.¡±


    It sounds like a weak cover to me, and it probably is, but I guess that¡¯s what we¡¯re going with for now.


    ¡°The Lifespring Oasis,¡± Quell continues, ¡°is an opening into The Lull¡ªan other-dimensional source of life arcana. It radiates nature and healing magic, which permeates the surrounding desert to create an oasis of greenery and, well, life. The Gilded Desert boasts the largest animals in the world due to the Lifespring¡¯s influence¡ªthat¡¯s where the likes of that carrion cactus come from.¡± He nods toward the tent flap. ¡°But the Oasis doesn¡¯t just augment the plants and animals in the area, it can also perform incredible acts of healing and cleansing. Pure, concentrated life arcana can break down all kinds of adverse magic. It¡¯s why I think it would be a good place to pursue a solution to your curse.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°That sounds great,¡± I say. A healing oasis in the middle of the desert. Maybe it could also do something about the codependent demon shield I¡¯ve gotten saddled with. And if ¨¢lvaro¡¯s anywhere around here, it might draw his attention, too.


    But even as the proposal is lifting my spirits, Quell¡¯s face is scrunched in a grimace.


    I narrow my eyes. ¡°So why do you look like you¡¯ve just eaten a sock?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a bit of a hitch,¡± Quell admits. ¡°The Lifespring is contested land between us and the Moonfall Dynasty. That is, between the Duneshade Kingdom and Moonfall Dynasty. It¡¯s sort of a big source of friction between our two countries, actually.¡±


    Oh great, a border dispute. Just what I wanted to get mixed up in.


    Quell claps his hands together. ¡°Good news, bad news. The good news is, the Lifespring Oasis is already our destination. Bad news: we were going there to investigate rumors of a Moonfall occupation which, based on the events of tonight, appear likely to be true. Other bad news: Liz¡¯s abduction means they will likely try to send Constance and I back home, where we¡¯re far from the battlegrounds and out of imminent danger. And if you have to stick with me, that means you¡¯ll be heading there, too.¡±


    I frown. ¡°That was more like good news, bad news, bad news.¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, technically speaking,¡± Quell admits. ¡°But maybe it could be good news, bad news, bad news, good news. This unique situation we find ourselves in presents an interesting opportunity.¡±


    I look at him skeptically. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see how you¡¯ll spin this.¡±


    ¡°We both want the same thing, ultimately,¡± Quell says. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be sent back home when I¡¯d rather be out here looking for my sister. And you want to get to the Lifespring, which is the intended destination of this company. If you help me find Liz, then Duneshade¡¯s resources don¡¯t have to be split and we can just focus on clearing the Oasis. Once we determine it¡¯s safe, both of us can visit, and you¡¯ll have a chance to rid yourself of this curse¡ªand me¡ªonce and for all.¡± He splays his hands. ¡°See? A mutually beneficial opportunity!¡±


    It does seem like the fastest path toward trying to get rid of this strange Role Requirement that has me saddled to him. More importantly, though, I desperately want an opportunity to look for my brother. Helping Quell search the desert is more likely to give me that than getting dragged away to some distant kingdom.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I say. ¡°We do have some common goals. I¡¯ll help you find your sister if you agree to go with me to the Lifespring Oasis after.¡±


    His face brightens. ¡°Of course! Thank you.¡±


    ¡°But,¡± I add, ¡°I want to make one thing very clear. I¡¯m not going along with this because I have a choice. We¡¯re not friends. And after the way you abused my curse¡ªor whatever it is I have¡ªI don¡¯t particularly like you.¡±


    His face falls. ¡°I really am sorry about that. I won¡¯t take advantage of your situation again. I promise.¡±


    He better not.


    We lapse into an uneasy silence after that. For several minutes, neither of us say anything; a trend I¡¯m more than happy to continue, though from Quell¡¯s renewed fidgeting it¡¯s clear he wants to say something more. Luckily, we¡¯re saved from the calamity of small-talk when the tent-flap snaps open and Prince Constance and Captain Darian stride in.


    ¡°...never should have happened,¡± Constance says, face dark.


    ¡°In that, we¡¯re in agreement,¡± Darian replies. ¡°It was an inexcusable oversight. One I intend to rectify.¡±


    Quell stands up as the others enter. ¡°Did you learn anything about Liz?¡±


    Constance waves a hand at him to sit back down. ¡°The ambassador continues to be tight lipped about tonight¡¯s attack. It¡¯s early yet, however. We will get something out of her eventually.¡± He takes a seat on a pillow at the head of the room.


    Hesitantly, Quell sits back down as well. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to wait for eventually.¡±


    Irritation briefly flickers across Constance¡¯s face. Then, he sighs. ¡°I know.¡±


    Darian sits beside Quell, unintentionally (or perhaps very intentionally) arranging the seating so I am alone on my side of the tent and everyone is facing me.


    ¡°My scouts are searching for her trail,¡± Darian tells Quell. ¡°For now, there¡¯s nothing we can do until they report back. It¡¯s nearly sunrise and the camp is exhausted. The best course of action is to rest and then decide our next move tomorrow.¡±


    Quell sags, but he doesn¡¯t argue. The whole room feels tired.


    ¡°Before bed,¡± Constance says, ¡°we¡¯ve one last matter to take care of.¡± He gestures to me. ¡°You.¡±


    Yeah, saw that one coming.


    ¡°My name¡¯s Nye,¡± I say, realizing only Quell and I have technically been introduced. ¡°I¡¯m not from Moonfall, as I¡¯ve said before.¡± I put a hand on my chest plate. ¡°And yes, I know how it looks.¡±


    I hesitate, at that point. I don¡¯t know how much I should say. There are demigods out looking for people like me, apparently, so telling them I¡¯m from another world is a nonstarter. But I don¡¯t know how else to explain my lack of knowledge of, well, everything.


    Quell seems to pick up on this. ¡°Their tale is complicated,¡± he says, gesturing to the guards. ¡°I think such conversations should be held in private.¡±


    Well, it¡¯s not just the guards I¡¯m worried about, but I guess the fewer people within earshot, the better.


    ¡°Sending the guards away seems unnecessary,¡± Constance says.


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Darian flicks her hand, and the soldiers respectfully bow their heads and leave. ¡°If the newcomer tries anything, I¡¯m more than enough to handle them myself. No offense,¡± she says to me.


    I smile, tight-lipped. ¡°A little offense taken.¡±


    Constance taps a finger against his knee impatiently. ¡°The guards have been dismissed. Speak freely.¡±


    Those last words are definitely more of a command than a suggestion. But I¡¯m still not sure what to say.


    To my surprise, Quell jumps in first. ¡°They¡¯re a victim of necrotic magic,¡± he says, and I think it¡¯s safe to say all three of us are surprised when we turn to him. ¡°Their body is from a Moonfall soldier killed in the battle. When the blast carved out that crater, the body must have come in contact with an underground pocket of wild necromancy arcanum. Since it was still fresh, it likely became a vessel for whatever soul¡ªor souls¡ªmight have been trapped inside the magic. You¡¯re new to this body, right?¡± Quell asks me.


    ¡°Um, yeah,¡± I say. He sounds so confident, I¡¯m almost convinced myself. Or maybe this isn¡¯t far from the truth?


    Darian looks skeptical. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of souls trapped and held back from the afterlife¡ªbut such magic is not only forbidden, but exceptionally rare. How did your soul end up here specifically?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I admit. ¡°I think¡­ I think I died.¡±


    It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve said it out loud, and it¡¯s like a kick to the stomach. It was easy to not think about with all the action going on. But now there¡¯s nothing to fight. Nothing to distract me.


    I died.


    The others are silent for a moment, and when I look up, their expressions are soft and pitying. It summons a reflexive defensiveness in me, and whatever face I was making, I try to wipe it away.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I say shortly. ¡°I¡¯m here now.¡±


    Constance slowly nods. ¡°Indeed. The mechanics of how are not important to me, either.¡± Quell appears ready to disagree with this, but Constance presses ahead. ¡°Rather, there is something more pressing I wish to speak about. That shield of yours. What can you tell me about it? I would like to see it.¡±


    Now this is something I¡¯d like to get some answers to as well. I glance to his own blade, still sheathed at his side.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I say, standing and taking a step back from the others. ¡°It calls itself The Crimson Aegis.¡±


    Quell¡¯s eyes go wide. ¡°It¡¯s called the what?!¡±


    [Crimson Aegis removed from Inventory.]

 Chapter 14 - More than Myth

    The shield appears in the air before me, immediately lashing itself to my arm like a handsy kid afraid of being dropped.


    Oh! We¡¯re in a tent now. How did we get inside? Is it time to fight something?


    ¡°Gods¡¯ grace,¡± Constance murmurs. He stands, drawing his sword as well, and red magic swirls around his hand: holding it in place, I realize, much how the Aegis clings to me.


    The shield and sword immediately zero in on each other. Their eagerness is almost a hunger. Nervously, I shift the shield away.


    ¡°You sense it, too,¡± Constance says. ¡°That these weapons are twins.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡± Quell stands as well, looking between our weapons in bewilderment. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Darian asks. She seems mildly interested, but clearly the least clued in of all of us.


    The Aegis nudges at my mind, urging me toward Constance¡¯s sword. What it wants from the sword, I can¡¯t say. Does it want to be used in tandem? Does it want to fight? I¡¯m not sure even the shield knows.


    ¡°It is the Crimson Aegis,¡± Quell breathes.


    ¡°Does that mean something?¡± I glance to Constance, but he¡¯s looking at his weapon thoughtfully. I wonder what sort of words the sword is whispering into his mind.


    ¡°Does it mean something?¡± Quell cries. ¡°It¡¯s the Blood Shield! Thorn¡¯s Bane. The Crimson Aegis. One half of Viktor¡¯s Arms.¡± His gaze shifts over to Constance. ¡°But what did you mean they¡¯re twins?¡±


    ¡°Just look at them,¡± Darian remarks. Both sword and shield seem to be made form the same black metal, embedded with glowing red jewels. Both also share a vaguely demonic aesthetic.


    ¡°They yearn for each other,¡± Constance says, watching the Aegis. His gaze shifts up to me, crooking an expectant eyebrow.


    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± I say. ¡°They feel drawn to each other. I don¡¯t know why.¡±


    Quell rakes a hand through his hair in astonishment. ¡°But¡­ Constance, that would mean yours is the Crimson Scimitar!¡±


    His brother frowns. ¡°It sounds vaguely familiar.¡±


    This sends Quell spluttering. ¡°Vaguely familiar? Brother, you¡¯re wielding a sword of legend! And Nye, the shield! Come, now, don¡¯t you remember the story of Monarch Viktor?¡±


    ¡°I was more interested in battle tactics than fairytales,¡± Constance says shortly. Maybe he¡¯s too proud to admit embarrassment over Quell knowing more about his sword than he does. Constance sheaths the Scimitar, and the mental pull vanishes. I breathe a sigh of relief. The prince waves a dismissive hand toward me, indicating I should do the same.


    Wait, the Crimson Aegis thinks. That¡¯s it? Already? But we didn¡¯t even get to¡ª


    I add the Aegis back to my inventory as well, then all of us sit back down once more.


    ¡°It¡¯s far more than myth,¡± Quell says. ¡°As is evident from the two weapons before us!¡±


    ¡°Then please enlighten us, Prince Quell,¡± Darian says, still the most unperturbed of anyone in attendance. ¡°What are we dealing with?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Quell says confidently. Then he quickly adds, with slightly less conviction, ¡°I read about it in a book. The Aegis and Scimitar are powerful, legendary artifacts. They were wielded by Duneshade rulers for generations, but lost when our ancestor, Queen Providence, fell to a sand wyrm nearly four hundred years ago. Until today, no one knew of their whereabouts.¡±


    Quell leans forward, his eyes dancing with excitement. ¡°It¡¯s said they were originally created in response to a great monster terrorizing the lands. It couldn¡¯t be slain¡ªonly contained¡ªso Monarch Viktor had powerful artifacts forged to act as the beast¡¯s prison. Managing to cleave the beast in two, they sacrificed a hundred souls to seal each half of the creature into the Aegis and Scimitar. Viktor then bound the weapons¡¯ wills to their blood¡ªforcing the creature to serve them and all within their lineage. Apparently, the wielder had to feed it a steady stream of blood to keep the demon sated and bound within its vessels.¡±


    I lean back, eyebrows raised. Is all that true? It¡¯s certainly blood thirsty; that much I¡¯ve seen firsthand. ¡°I¡¯d really love to not have to do that.¡±


    ¡°Especially as a dhampyr,¡± Darian adds. ¡°Losing blood can be dangerous for us.¡±


    ¡°Well, I suspect at least the blood part might be dramatic embellishment,¡± Quell says, nodding to Constance. ¡°After all, Constance has been unknowingly wielding the Scimitar for years, and he hasn¡¯t been making any blood sacrifices.¡±


    For the first time, I witness Constance squirm. ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°What!¡± Quell cries. ¡°What do you mean? Have you been hiding this from me and Liz?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a sacrifice, per se,¡± Constance says. ¡°But its magical abilities can be amplified if it¡¯s exposed to blood. It doesn¡¯t have to be mine, either.¡±


    ¡°Like the Aegis¡¯s Blood Ward,¡± I think aloud.


    Constance raises an eyebrow. ¡°You have a name for the technique?¡±


    ¡°Well, the shield has a name for it.¡± I frown. ¡°That¡¯s how I knew the shield¡¯s name, too. Does the Scimitar not speak to you?¡±


    ¡°Not with words,¡± Constance says. ¡°Nothing concrete. But I can sense its violent urges clear enough.¡±


    That¡¯s odd. The Aegis¡¯s voice is pretty distinct to me. How come it¡¯s not the same for Constance? Is it due to this System thing I have access to?


    Quell must be wondering something similar. ¡°We need to back up. There¡¯s got to be something here I¡¯m missing. Constance, you¡¯ve had that sword ever since I was a child. You found it in the treasury, correct? You said the sword chose you.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I was browsing the royal artifacts when I came upon it.¡± He pauses, drumming his fingers on the hilt of the Scimitar. The hesitation draws out for several seconds before he finally lets out a sigh. ¡°Though that is not the entire story,¡± he admits. ¡°Nor entirely truthful. I¡¯ve never told anyone else this before.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°The sword was unlabeled, as are many in those chambers. But its design caught my eye. It almost seemed alive. I took it from its stand to¡­ test it out.¡±


    Quell abruptly laughs, and Constance scowls. ¡°You were playing with royal treasures! Isn¡¯t it prohibited to remove any artifacts without the curator¡¯s permission?¡±


    ¡°I was fourteen,¡± Constance grumbles, glancing away from his little brother. Quell still seems to find this absolutely delightful, and if I know anything about little brothers, that just became blackmail material. ¡°At any rate, I was still training in sword fighting myself, and wasn¡¯t as careful as I should have been. I cut myself on its blade. That was when I felt its presence.¡± His gaze shifts to me.


    I nod. ¡°I spilled blood on the Aegis, too. I think that¡¯s what woke it up.¡±


    ¡°Not only did it awaken, but we seemed to form a sort of bond,¡± Constance explains. That also happened to me; Echo called it a Pact. ¡°Since then, I haven¡¯t been able to get rid of it. Not that I¡¯ve wanted to. Weapons with inherent magic are exceptionally rare, and wielding one both accelerated my fighting skills and brought me much respect and recognition. But if I ever try to leave it behind somewhere, the sword seems to know this, and uses its magic to stay at my side.¡±


    Yet another familiar story. ¡°I can¡¯t get rid of the Aegis, either,¡± I say. ¡°When it¡¯s not in my Inventory, it¡¯s latched onto my arm. Like it¡¯s scared of being left behind, or something.¡±


    Darian gives a disapproving grunt. ¡°That all sounds fairly unsettling.¡±


    Yeah, that¡¯s one word for it.


    ¡°I did not want to tell anyone else about the nature of how I came to wield it, or that it appeared to have a mind of its own,¡± Constance says. ¡°I feared they would label it cursed and attempt to take it from me.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, cursed might be an accurate descriptor, given how it was forged,¡± Quell says. ¡°Perhaps there is some truth to the stories. At the very least, the weapons seem to contain an entity.¡±


    ¡°Which would also explain why they feel drawn toward each other,¡± Constance muses. ¡°But if all this is true, if my sword is truly this Crimson Scimitar, and Nye wields the Aegis¡ªyou said these weapons were designed to serve our lineage.¡± He gestures to me. ¡°So why are they able to wield it?¡±


    Quell scratches at his cheek. ¡°Yes, that is rather odd. But I think I might know the cause. Nye, tell them what you told me about your curse. I mean, uh, your other curse. The one about me.¡±


    Yes, Quell, I got the picture. Again, not something I really wanted to advertise. I¡¯m not totally sure how he thinks these things are connected, but I guess I¡¯ll need to spill my secret to at least Darian and Constance if I want to make any headway on figuring out how to get rid of my Role.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand how the magic works,¡± I explain to them. ¡°But I am¡­ compelled to stay close to and protect the Prince. Er, Quell, specifically. If I don¡¯t, the magic drives me mad.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Darian exclaims.


    Constance just snorts. ¡°That explains why you came running back.¡±


    I wince. I¡¯d sort of hoped they¡¯d forgotten about my escape attempt.


    ¡°But why Quell?¡± Constance asks. ¡°If that shield really is supposed to guard our family, the same compulsion should apply to me, or Liz, or our parents.¡±


    Quell shrugs. ¡°That much I don¡¯t know. Perhaps it was simply that I was the closest when Nye here inadvertently woke it up. Our knowledge of the Aegis and Scimitar is incomplete. Whatever the cause, it¡¯s bound to Nye now, and acting through them, it¡¯s bound to protect me.¡±


    Is that what¡¯s happening? I¡¯m not sure if Quell is connecting dots that aren¡¯t there, or if he¡¯s intentionally lying to cover for me. I could talk to Echo and had the Role of Knight before I stumbled upon the Crimson Aegis, so I¡¯m skeptical these two things are connected. But Darian and Constance have bought the explanation, at least.


    ¡°This could change everything,¡± Constance says. ¡°We could end the war with Moonfall before it even begins. The Scimitar is already powerful on its own. If it¡¯s reunited with the Aegis, I feel the two would be more than the sum of their parts.¡±


    Unsettlingly, I¡¯d gotten that same impression. ¡°Look, if you want the shield, I¡¯d be more than happy to return it to your family,¡± I say. ¡°Remaining tied to Quell is the last thing I want; the sooner I can get rid of this curse, the better. But I don¡¯t think the Aegis will let me just hand it over.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Constance agrees with a frown. ¡°It would not be possible to do that with the Scimitar, either.¡±


    ¡°Which is why I suggested the Lifespring as a solution,¡± Quell says. ¡°If anything can remove a curse, it¡¯s likely to be the Oasis.¡±


    Constance strokes his chin thoughtfully. ¡°It would certainly be worth it to try.¡±


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Darian shakes her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow all of this¡ªor believe that these weapons are something out of legend¡ªbut we can¡¯t risk heading to the Lifespring now. We just survived an attack, and Princess Felicity is still missing. It¡¯s too dangerous for Prince Quell to remain out here. He and the rest of the company should depart for the capital while I take a squad of soldiers to search for the Princess. If we return to the Oasis, it should be with reinforcements.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± both Quell and I cry at once. Even Constance looked like he was about to object.


    ¡°That will take too long,¡± I say. And getting cooped up in a castle will significantly reduce my chances of finding ¨¢lvaro.


    ¡°And I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Quell adds. ¡°I can take care of myself. Not to mention, I¡¯ll have Nye there to protect me, too!¡± He adds a weak laugh, which he quickly lets die when no one else seems amused.


    Darian stares across at Constance. ¡°You¡¯ve already made up your mind.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t let this opportunity go to waste,¡± Constance says. ¡°If the Crimson Aegis can be returned to Duneshade hands and reunited with the Crimson Scimitar, we¡¯ll obtain a weapon like Moonfall has never seen. It will cement our power. They¡¯ll never dare attack us again like they did tonight.¡±


    The captain hesitates for a moment, then reverently bows her head. ¡°As you say, Prince Constance.¡±


    I slump in relief. It¡¯s a good thing Constance wants the Aegis as much as he does. Not that I¡¯m actively trying to get rid of it, but if it can buy my passage to the Oasis and get rid of the curse that¡¯s chaining me to Quell, I¡¯ll consider that more than a fair price.


    ¡°I will begin relaying directions to the troops,¡± Constance says. ¡°You may lead the efforts to recover Felicity, as you requested. Do you have a plan?¡±


    ¡°My scouts are still searching for her trail, but I would like to move quickly,¡± Darian says. ¡°The longer we wait, the more likely the Princess will slip beyond our grasp. The Moonfall agents were able to go unnoticed and get as close as they did by utilizing small but specialized teams. I will likewise gather a few select individuals, so we can maintain our mobility, and begin pursuing them as soon as we have located a lead.¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Quell says. ¡°In that case, Nye and I will be coming¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not coming with me,¡± Darian cuts him off. ¡°It will be safer to stay with Prince Constance and the rest of the platoon. My team will need to be skilled fighters.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Constance says. ¡°The decision has been made. Captain Darian is right that you would be unfit for such a task¡ªyou would only slow her down. Besides, once we secure the Lifespring, we¡¯ll be able to divert more of our resources to finding Liz.¡± He claps his hands to his knees and stands. ¡°For now, clean up and get some rest. It¡¯s already dawn, and we¡¯ll need the day to recover from our most recent battle. We¡¯ll break camp at sunset.¡±


    Darian rises as well; by the time Quell and I have stood, Constance is already ducking out of the tent. I guess we¡¯re done talking, then.


    ¡°This is insane,¡± Quell says. ¡°How can the Lifespring be more important than Liz? She¡¯s royalty for gods¡¯ sakes!¡±


    ¡°I understand how you feel,¡± Darian says. ¡°But Constance is right that defending a critical location and obtaining a powerful weapon is crucial to our country¡¯s security. Besides, you have nothing to worry about,¡± she adds, her voice turning fierce. ¡°I will bring the princess home. I swear it.¡±


    Quell looks glum when Darian leaves the tent, but I let out a breath, glad the interrogation is over. I feel a twinge of sympathy for Quell that he won¡¯t be able to go searching for his sister like he wanted, but I¡¯m honestly not bothered by the turn of events. Getting to the Lifespring faster means getting rid of this curse faster. And with an army behind us, there¡¯s more resources to look for my brother along the way.


    ¡°Sorry, man,¡± I say to Quell. ¡°I know that¡¯s not the outcome you wanted.¡±


    But to my surprise, Quell turns to me with a grin. ¡°Oh, on the contrary, I think it went exceptionally well.¡± He claps me on the shoulder with all the strength of a kitten. ¡°As my brother suggested, let¡¯s get some rest. We¡¯ll be needing it.¡±


    Somehow, that smile fills me with a resigned sense of foreboding.

 Chapter 15 - There Was Only One Tent

    ¡°Well, come on,¡± Quell says, heading to the front of the tent and holding the flap open for me.


    Outside the sky has turned purple, pink clouds swallowing up the stars. The sun is still hidden behind a dune, but I doubt it will be for much longer. Guards fall into step behind Quell and me as we move away from the tent, though mercifully they hang back far enough to allow me to speak to Quell privately. I keep my voice low anyway.


    ¡°That story you told about necromancy binding me to the body of a dead soldier,¡± I say. ¡°Was all that true? Is that why I¡¯m here? In this body?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± Quell laughs. ¡°That was all hogwash. It¡¯s a good thing neither of those two have enough magical theory to realize it was entirely fabricated. The mechanics wouldn¡¯t stand up to scrutiny for anyone versed in that field of magic.¡±


    I frown. ¡°Then how did it really happen?¡±


    ¡°That,¡± Quell says, pointing at me, ¡°is an excellent question. And I can¡¯t wait to learn the answer.¡±


    ¡°Discreetly,¡± I say. I¡¯m certainly not as enthused about my circumstances as Quell, but it would help to have someone on my side trying to unravel how exactly I got here, where Echo and the Role Requirement came from, and how I can get rid of them. ¡°That demigod¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Quell says. ¡°Of course. I am the picture of discretion.¡±


    I somehow have my doubts.


    Quell leads me through the camp, beelining around soldiers busy cutting up the carrion cactus and packing the pieces away. Several pause to dip their heads and mutter a greeting as Quell passes. Either he doesn¡¯t hear them, or he¡¯s so used to the treatment that he¡¯s numb to it, as he gives no response and continues to weave around the tents. Finally, we arrive in a clearing filled with giant, horse-sized lizards.


    ¡°Whoa,¡± I say, stopping dead in my tracks as Quell approaches the closest one. Dozens of water bags are tied to their sides, one of which Quell retrieves. One lizard beast turns its head to look at me from the side, its tongue flicking out to test the air. Its hide is as black as night, though the faint morning light catches on its scales like an oil slick. It¡¯s not big enough to swallow me whole, not especially with my armor, but it might be able to snatch up a stick-of-a-person like Quell.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen a star drake before?¡± he asks, noting my look and the healthy distance I¡¯m giving the beasts.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen lizards,¡± I say. ¡°Just never ones this big. They won¡¯t think we¡¯re bugs and try to eat us, will they?¡±


    Quell laughs. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t use them to carry our supplies if they did. Here.¡± He hands me the skin of water.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I say, wasting no time in popping the end open to take a huge gulp. Even though it¡¯s room temperature, I¡¯ve never tasted anything so delicious. The water pours down my throat, easing the scratchy dryness that had lodged there. I hadn¡¯t realized how parched I was after everything.


    ¡°Careful,¡± Quell says. ¡°Drinking it all in one go will make you sick.¡±


    I pause to gasp in a breath. ¡°I could use a second one, actually. This won¡¯t last me very long.¡± I typically drink more than this during my workouts.


    ¡°That¡¯s a night¡¯s ration of water,¡± Quell says. ¡°Lucky for you, you¡¯ll get another one at dusk in about ten hours. But I¡¯d still save some of that skin for cleaning up.¡± His eyes dance over me. ¡°You¡¯re completely filthy.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I say, looking at my hands. My palms are clean where I¡¯d been holding the shield and rubbing the grit from my skin, but my sleeves¡ªand armor, shirt, and everything else, probably¡ªis covered in blood, long since dusted over with a fine layer of dirt, and now cracked apart like a dry creek bed. I rub a thumb over the back of my forearm, and some of it comes away, but it will definitely take a lot of scrubbing.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Quell says. ¡°Next stop, new clothes.¡±


    ¡°It would be great to not have everyone thinking I¡¯m the enemy anymore,¡± I admit. Plus, I can¡¯t get out of these grimy, blood-caked clothes soon enough. Now that my attention¡¯s been brought back to it, memories from the Bloodlust return and sit heavy in my gut. This is someone else¡¯s blood. Blood from a person I killed. My skin feels like it¡¯s crawling with ants. I want this off of me as soon as possible.


    Quell takes us to more star drakes which are carrying some extra armaments and clothes. He hesitates before the attire, which is when our guards step in. Answering a couple questions about my build, I¡¯m soon handed a set of clothes. The base is made of loose, flowing cloth, but I¡¯m also given some leather greaves, bracers, a binder, and a chest plate. After that I¡¯m pointed to an unoccupied tent, and Quell tells me he¡¯ll be nearby if I need him. Mercifully, the guards don¡¯t follow me in.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Inside the tent, I drop everything to the ground and stand there for a moment, staring at nothing. I¡¯ve only been here for hours, but it feels like days. Earth seems surreal and distant. The ocean, just a nightmare. And now¡­


    I¡¯m no longer human. I try to let that sink in. I feel¡­ I don¡¯t know. Fine, I guess? It¡¯s weird to feel fangs in my mouth, sharp nails on my hands, pointed ears on my head. It¡¯ll take some time to get used to some of these changes. But other changes, my lower voice, feeling stronger and more muscular¡ªI don¡¯t mind those sorts of changes one bit.


    I begin to strip the stained, tattered clothes I was reborn in. Because that¡¯s what happened, right? I was really reborn? I drowned in that ocean.


    I died.


    I¡¯d managed to stuff down the feelings before, when I was being scrutinized by others. But now, here, alone¡­ it all bubbles out of me before I can stop it.


    I can still feel the burning cold of water filling my lungs. The horrific spasms of trying to dispel it. I pull in a sudden breath, as if to remind myself that I¡¯m still here, that there¡¯s still air around me. The memories make me grimace, but all I can think about is if ¨¢lvaro experienced the same thing.


    What kind of older sibling am I? He needed me¡ªhe believed I would save him¡ªand I failed him. Images of Mam¨¢ and Pap¨¢ flit through my head. I imagine them finding our room empty, realizing we snuck out to go to the beach. I imagine their faces when they realize we¡¯re not coming back. Tears threaten to well up in my eyes.


    I pull in a shuddering breath and furiously scrub at my eyes. No, I can¡¯t fall apart now. I might have failed ¨¢lvaro on Earth, but I¡¯ve been given a second chance to find him here. A second life. I won¡¯t let it go to waste.


    Before changing into the new clothes, I sit on the ground with a coarse piece of cloth and my half-empty waterskin. There¡¯s a stark contrast on my skin where my clothes had stopped. My arms especially are still covered in dried blood, and the only reason my hands and face aren''t is due to the cloth Quell had given me when I first came out of the Bloodlust. Still, the rest of me is grimy from sweat and dust, so I start there, trying to stretch the cleanliness of my rag as far as possible, before moving to my head. The rag comes away red. I scrub my hair and skin until it feels like it¡¯s all about to scrape off.


    I don¡¯t know how much time has passed, but when I leave the tent, old clothes in hand, a sliver of the sun is peeking over the horizon. The sky is streaked with brilliant lines of yellow and orange clouds, contrasting brilliantly against the purple-blue of the receding night. Already I can feel the heat of the sun prickling my skin.


    ¡°There you are!¡± Quell says, standing up from where he¡¯d apparently been reclining against another tent. Dozing off, maybe? He stops. ¡°Wow. You look good. I mean¡ªclean. Like a whole different person.¡±


    I snort, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I am a whole different person.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right,¡± Quell says. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s technically accurate. But now you look significantly less terrifying. I can almost believe you really are a Knight.¡±


    Maybe I look the part, but it feels strange to claim a title I¡¯ve had no training for. I lift my arms, gesturing to the pile of old clothes and armor I¡¯m carrying. ¡°Where should I put these?¡±


    One of the guards steps in to take them even before I¡¯ve finished my sentence. ¡°Oh. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t put the armor on,¡± Quell notes as I hand over the old clothes.


    I shrug. ¡°Didn¡¯t see much point, since we¡¯re about to go to sleep.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± he says. ¡°But starting tomorrow you should at least keep the bracers and greaves on¡ªnever know when you might get ambushed and wish you had your armor with you.¡±


    ¡°Does that really happen?¡± I ask.


    He hesitates. ¡°That¡¯s what they say. Better safe than sorry, right?¡±


    I¡¯m not sure he¡¯s the type to be handing out that adage. But I strap on the bracers as Quell leads us to a final tent. The armor only has a single clasp, and when I cinch it, a glowing symbol lights up on the leather, then the piece guard shifts to fit snuggly around my arm. Neat.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Quell says, ducking into a smaller but lavish tent. There¡¯s more pillows and a few light blankets spread across the bottom for padding¡ªprobably too hot to sleep under one. The tent is small enough that we both have to duck our heads to keep from pressing against the canvas.


    ¡°Where will you be sleeping?¡± I ask, sitting down to strap the greaves on as well. Despite Quell¡¯s suggestion, I leave the binder and chest plate off. Can¡¯t imagine I¡¯d be able to get to bed in stiff leather wrapping around my torso, no matter how magically fitting it might be.


    ¡°Um, here,¡± he says, smiling apologetically. ¡°Sorry. I figured, given your situation and all, it would be best to keep close. Otherwise, there¡¯s the communal soldiers¡¯ tent on the other side of camp¡­¡±


    I stare up at him. ¡°You want me to sleep with you?¡±


    ¡°Erm.¡± He glances away, flustered. ¡°Well, no, I meant¡ªyou could sleep near me. Not with me. I mean, in a general proximity sense¡ª¡±


    Heat threatens to crawl up the back of my neck, and I decide to nip this in the bud. ¡°I¡¯m not sleeping in your tent.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± He recovers, looking at me with a faint frown. ¡°Why is that? I figured, given your circumstances, it would be the most convenient¡ª¡±


    ¡°First off, I don¡¯t even know you,¡± I interrupt before he can continue rambling. ¡°Second, I doubt the guards, or Darian, or your brother would be thrilled by the idea of a practical stranger who showed up in the enemy¡¯s clothes sharing the same room with you. And third¡­ Okay there is no third. I just don¡¯t want to.¡±


    I stand back up as Quell blinks up at me, wide-eyed and insanely naive.


    ¡°Good night,¡± I say, grabbing my things. ¡°Or, morning. Or whatever it is. I¡¯ll find you tomorrow.¡±


    I hurriedly duck back out, where sure enough the guards are still waiting. I gesture for them to lead the way. ¡°Wherever I can get some sleep.¡±


    Instead of taking me to the communal soldiers¡¯ tent, however, they lead me to a more secluded part of camp and give me my own, small, private tent. Nearby, I can hear a familiar voice professing her innocence¡ªAmbassador Ashla, I think. Looks like I¡¯m sleeping on the ¡°maybe an enemy¡± side of camp.


    I¡¯m too tired to care. I crawl into my one-person tent and lay down. With the flap closed, it¡¯s surprisingly dark. But I can¡¯t imagine I¡¯m going to get much sleep with the events of the previous night spiraling through my head. The demigod. The Bloodlust. The cursed shield, and all the fighting, and ¨¢lvaro¡­


    I guess I was more exhausted than I thought, because I¡¯m out within minutes.

 Chapter 15.5 - Three Minutes of Peace

    When I wake and roll over, and every muscle screams like I¡¯ve been hit by a truck. This is why you¡¯re supposed to cool down after workouts. Not that getting thrown into the middle of a battle with a giant cactus monster will give you much opportunity for that.


    I put on the rest of my attire and duck outside, disoriented for a moment as I notice the sky is purple and orange once more. Had it only been a few minutes?


    But the colors are at the opposite end of the horizon. It¡¯s now dusk.


    The camp is almost entirely packed up. All but a few tents have been torn down and loaded back onto the star drakes. There are several groups of people gathered around fire pits, and the smell of smoke and cooking meat wafts over to me. My stomach twists up into a knot and loudly announces its dissatisfaction. Wordlessly, the guards stationed to keep an eye on me reappear, then lead me to one of the fire pits.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re up!¡±


    I reflexively grimace at Quell¡¯s voice. There goes my three minutes of peace.


    ¡°Here, I saved you some breakfast,¡± he says, carrying a stone bowl and spoon over to me. I feel a twinge of guilt at my reaction, and gratefully accept the food.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask, digging in even before he can respond. The bowl and utensil are coarse and look like they¡¯re made out of a bunch of sand stuck together. Luckily I don¡¯t get any grit in my bite of stew. There¡¯s very little seasoning¡ªit seems like it¡¯s mostly murky water and chunks of rare meat. But my taste buds clench in relief at the tangy, rich taste.


    ¡°It¡¯s the dhampyr rations,¡± Quell says. ¡°Protein and water, mostly. I find it dreadful, but Darian tells me it¡¯s filling.¡±


    I guess that¡¯s why the water rations are so low: you get it with the meal. ¡°Could be worse,¡± I say, finishing off the bowl even as I stand there. ¡°Although maybe that¡¯s the starvation talking. Hey, why do you use stone bowls? Isn¡¯t that heavy to lug around?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t lug it around,¡± Quell says, gesturing for me to follow him toward the main part of camp. ¡°It¡¯s sand under a temporary spell¡ªmany of the soldiers have a stone affinity, so we make them each time we make camp. It¡¯ll fall apart in another thirty minutes or so. So don¡¯t be late to meals,¡± he teases.


    ¡°Noted.¡±


    Captain Darian greets us with a nod, and Prince Constance acknowledges us with a glance. They¡¯re both busy overseeing the tear-down and preparations to move out. It doesn¡¯t escape me that Quell isn¡¯t doing anything to assist. The guy really isn¡¯t leadership material.


    In another ten minutes, we¡¯re moving out.


    I watch the procedure curiously as several scouts are sent ahead and the rest of the soldiers form a procession, at most five people wide. As an estimate, I¡¯d say there¡¯s around a hundred soldiers in this unit. Is that enough to take a city? I don¡¯t know. But it doesn¡¯t feel like a lot.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°I thought you were going to go look for the princess,¡± I say to Darian as Quell and I walk alongside her. Constance has moved up the line to speak with the scouts and foreguard.


    ¡°As soon as we find a lead, I will be,¡± Darian says. ¡°In the meantime, we¡¯re heading in the right direction. It¡¯s very likely the Umbral Blades will have to pass through the Oasis and restock supplies before moving into Moonfall territory¡ªassuming the Oasis isn¡¯t their destination itself.¡± She frowns. ¡°Ambassador Ashla has admitted there may be a covert Umbral presence there already, though that was the most she would say on the subject. But with our scouts pressing forward, we might force the Duneshade kidnappers to take a more circuitous route, slowing their lead in the process.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Quell says. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s good.¡± His forehead is pinched in worry, though.


    The night darkens as we continue to walk, but no one makes any lights. My eyes adjust to the dim as they had the night before, but I wonder how the humans aren''t stumbling over themselves.


    ¡°Do you always move at night?¡± I ask. ¡°Is it to avoid the sun¡¯s heat?¡±


    ¡°Daytime is inhospitable in the Gilded Desert, and much of Dunmora South, for that matter,¡± Quell says. ¡°Most people and cities here operate on a nocturnal schedule. No one¡¯s very productive in the heat of the day.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Wow, that¡¯s pretty neat. And it makes sense for dhampyrs, given how they¡¯d be at no disadvantage given their¡ªour¡ªnight vision. ¡°You don¡¯t have trouble seeing?¡± I ask him.


    Quell smiles a little as he taps his glasses. ¡°These aren¡¯t just for show.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I look at him flatly. ¡°I figured they were for, you know, seeing.¡±


    ¡°Well, that too,¡± he admits. The broken lens is now repaired. I wonder if that¡¯s due to magic or spares. ¡°Mine are artificed to help me see in the dark. Other humans typically use artificed charms, equipment, or temporary spells to similarly help them maneuver at night.¡± Ah, so that¡¯s what all the goggles are for. I¡¯d just assumed they were to keep the sand out. ¡°But even without, it¡¯s not so bad,¡± Quell continues. ¡°Especially with both moons up, like tonight.¡±


    I glance to the sky. The sight of two moons hanging in the air still so strange to me.


    ¡°Darian,¡± I venture after a while. She gives me an unimpressed look. ¡°Er, Captain. I wanted to ask you a favor, if you wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°You want to learn how to be a better fighter?¡± she guesses. ¡°I saw you during the attack. You¡¯ve got a powerful weapon and the muscles to use it, but your lack of technique is apparent. Which is also a big reason why I believe you¡¯re not a Moonfall spy. Even a trained plant couldn¡¯t fake that lack of skill.¡±


    ¡°Er, thanks?¡± I say. ¡°And I do want to take you up on that offer. But actually, I was going to ask about, um, some dhampyr things.¡± Like, what the hell am I dealing with here.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she says, looking at me in surprise. ¡°Of course. I can answer any questions you might have.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I say, a knot of tension unwinding itself in my shoulders. ¡°I guess the first thing I wanted to ask about was the Bloodlust.¡±


    She gives a sympathetic grunt. ¡°That¡¯s certainly one place to start. But it is important to address. If we get clash with any Moonfall soldiers, you¡¯ll need to stay back. You¡¯re too much of a risk with that Bloodlust.¡±


    I frown, throwing a quick glance around at the other soldiers. It seems to be a pretty even split between humans, arachnoids, and dhampyrs. It can¡¯t be practical to have a third of your soldiers fall back anytime a fight takes place.


    ¡°What about all the other dhampyrs?¡± I ask. ¡°What about you?¡±


    She gives me a sharp look. ¡°Not all dhampyrs have the Bloodlust. The ones that do are encouraged to pursue other professions.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I had just assumed all dhampyrs had to deal with this. That just figures. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t want to be useless in a fight. Is there any way I can get rid of it?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, no,¡± Darian says. ¡°Given enough time, you can learn to better control it, but¡­¡±


    As she¡¯s speaking, the arachnoid soldier Xamireb hurries over to us. ¡°Captain Darian.¡±


    ¡°Report.¡±


    ¡°We think we found Princess Felicity¡¯s trail.¡±


    Darian¡¯s face turns to steel, determined and focused, and I can tell now I won¡¯t be getting instruction on how to control the Bloodlust anytime soon.


    ¡°Show me,¡± she says.

 Chapter 16 – Suspicious Compliance

    The soldier shows Captain Darian a gold bracelet adorned with garnet stones.


    ¡°That¡¯s Liz¡¯s alright,¡± the captain says.


    ¡°Where did you find it?¡± Quell asks. He reaches out, but Darian takes the bracelet first.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know what we find,¡± she tells him, nodding to her soldier to lead the way. ¡°Go grab Earnest, then report back.¡±


    Before Quell has a chance to object, the captain leaves with the guard. Quell¡¯s face falls, and he and I are left alone.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be fine,¡± I say, awkwardly attempting to comfort him. ¡°Darian seems capable.¡±


    ¡°Oh, she is,¡± Quell agrees, glancing away from where the captain had headed off. ¡°Probably the best one to find Liz. But I can¡¯t just do nothing while my sister is out there, you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it would be frustrating to be kept from trying to find your sibling,¡± I say dryly.


    Quell looks at me in surprise. It¡¯s a look he¡¯s given me a couple times now. Like he¡¯s just realized¡ªor been reminded¡ªI¡¯m my own complex person with my own wants and needs, and not just a background character to his life.


    ¡°You mentioned your brother yesterday.¡±


    My throat tightens. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Quell hesitates. ¡°Is he, ah, in a similar situation as you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admit. ¡°I think he¡¯s here, somewhere on this world. He was there when we ended up in that dark place, after we¡­ Well, before we woke up here. Some kind of void. So I figure, if I ended up here, and someone like Hans did, then my brother¡¯s probably somewhere out there, too.¡±


    Quell frowns. ¡°A dark place¡­ a void before you ended up here¡­ Between, maybe?¡±


    I shrug. ¡°It was between our worlds, yeah.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean, The Between,¡± Quell says. His eyes light up at the opportunity to explain. ¡°It¡¯s another dimension and source of arcanum. Like how the Lull is a dimension which can be accessed as a source of Life arcanum. The Between contains Null magic. Sort of the opposite of Life, in some respects. Not in that it represents Death, but more of¡­ the absence of life. A void. The current magical theory is that souls pass through the Between before continuing to the afterlife. Though, I¡¯m not sure how you would have ended up there in the first place. Truly a fascinating conundrum!¡±


    My stomach turns at his explanation. ¡°You said it¡¯s where souls go before they reach the afterlife.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that would mean you¡­¡± The playful curiosity in Quell¡¯s eyes snuff out, and his face falls. ¡°Ah. Right. I¡ªI forgot that you had mentioned that. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I shrug, brushing off his words and fighting down the swell of emotions that threaten to rise within me. ¡°It is what it is, I guess. But what does any of that have to do with how we ended up here? Is this where everyone goes when they die?¡± The thought makes me pause. ¡°Is this purgatory?¡±


    Quell still looks concerned, but is clearly too uncomfortable to pry¡ªor perhaps he¡¯s just more interested in unraveling the mystery. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what that is,¡± he says. ¡°But no, people don¡¯t typically come back after death. Even necromancy is just using the echoes of life to animate a corpse¡ªat best, it can cage a soul, preventing it from passing. But dying on another world, entering the Between, and coming here¡­ Well, I suppose it¡¯s not impossible. It stands to reason that if a soul can enter the Between, it can also leave it. And null arcanum is also associated with certain spatial attributes and summoning arcana, so maybe that was involved with transporting you here, somehow. Or perhaps if a mage was tapping into the Between just as you entered it, you¡¯d have a path out. The timing would have to be impeccable, though.¡±


    I frown, trying to recall what this Between place had felt like. What all I had experienced.


    ¡°I think I heard voices,¡± I say. ¡°Someone was speaking, but they seemed a long way off. And besides my brother and I and the other souls, there was this other entity¡ªthis sense of malice. I don¡¯t know how else to describe it. I felt trapped. There was a fight going on, I think.¡± I look at Quell in question.


    He helplessly holds up his hands. ¡°I have no idea what any of that could mean. How many other souls were there with you?¡±


    ¡°Not sure,¡± I admit. The memories are so abstract, it¡¯s hard to make sense of them. ¡°A lot. More than a dozen, at least.¡±


    ¡°Interesting.¡± Quell scratches at his chin. A fine fuzz of stubble has started to shade his jaw. ¡°So there could be many other people out there like you. I wonder what happened to cause this event? This aberrant event,¡± he says, dropping his voice as he repeats Zeyaelid¡¯s words.


    ¡°The gods must know what happened,¡± I realize. Even trying to wrap my mind around the concept of foreign gods¡ªphysical beings which walk this earth¡ªis bizarre and uncomfortable to me. It contradicts everything I¡¯d grown up believing. Are these really Gods, or only in name? People like Zeyaelid seem too mortal, too small and knowable to be anything like an all-powerful Creator of the universe. And that¡¯s it, right? These gods can¡¯t be all-knowing, or they would have known about me.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Somehow, I find that comforting.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Quell says. ¡°What was it she said? She was taking him into the custody of the pantheon.¡±


    ¡°And she asked for our discretion,¡± I add. ¡°She didn¡¯t want us to know they¡¯re snatching up people like me. And she didn¡¯t want us to go telling anyone else. Why?¡±


    ¡°The gods always have their reasons,¡± Quell says, but the words sound rote, and even he doesn¡¯t appear certain.


    I stare at him for a moment. Exactly how loyal is he to these gods? He didn¡¯t speak up when Zeyaelid was there, but we¡¯d all been a bit caught off guard. ¡°Will you be handing me over at some point, then?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Quell says. ¡°No! I mean, I would never do anything to defy the gods¡¯ will. But she only said to be discreet, right? She didn¡¯t say we had to turn over any others we found.¡±


    I can¡¯t help but laugh. That sounds like a loophole he¡¯s spent the last day puzzling out. ¡°So why are you covering for me?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know,¡± he says, a little flustered. ¡°It seems like the right thing to do, since you didn¡¯t want to go with. And also, we don¡¯t need the gods to figure out what happened to you,¡± he says, an edge of conviction entering his words. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can learn more about your magic on our own.¡±


    Ah, there it is. The real reason he¡¯s reluctant to hand me over: It would be a missed opportunity to learn about a strange, possibly undiscovered field of magic. He¡¯s as hungry for knowledge as his brother is for might. In a way, they¡¯re both keeping me around for the same reason. Not the best reason, but one that I can use to my advantage for now. As long as I have something they want, at least I won¡¯t have to worry about either of them outing me to the gods.


    I¡¯m given some tough jerky to chew on around midnight, which I realize was lunch when I get nothing else. I catch glimpses of Darian occasionally, hurrying about, talking to Constance, and gathering packs of supplies. She prepares one of the star drakes for travel, moving most of its contents to other beasts of burden. Looks like she¡¯ll be traveling light.


    After a time, she and two of her guards, the arachnoid Xamireb and the human Earnest, approach Quell once more.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving in pursuit of the princess now,¡± Darian informs him. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll send word as soon as she¡¯s safe within our company once more.¡±


    ¡°Be careful, Captain.¡± Quell clasps her arm. ¡°Godspeed.¡±


    Quell is taking this suspiciously well, given his previous objections. I watch him with narrowed eyes, but he doesn¡¯t notice, instead keeping his attention on Darian as she and her guards speak with Constance once more, then retrieve their star drake and depart. It doesn¡¯t take long for them to vanish in the dunes.


    Only a few more hours pass before Constance calls for the army to stop for the night, and we begin to set up camp once more. The tents go up quickly, and the fire pits and bowls appear as if by magic¡ªactually they probably do. Quell is quiet and fidgety, but scarfs down a quick meal and retreats to his tent as the first streaks of dawn begin brightening the sky. My feet are sore from walking all day, so I¡¯m more than happy to eat a meal of watery meat soup and retire as well. This is going to be a long march.


    <hr>


    The ghostly touch of a hand on my shoulder wakes me. I sit up with a jolt, heart lurching in surprise as I grab the wrist and twist it around.


    ¡°Ow!¡± Quell jerks forward. ¡°Hey! It¡¯s just me.¡±


    He¡¯s whispering. I let go of his hand and squint around the tent for an indication of the time. It¡¯s dark inside, but I¡¯d noticed the cloth¡¯s unnatural ability to block out the sunlight the night before when I¡¯d fallen asleep. Probably magic. Everything seems to be magic around here.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask, also keeping my voice low. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Follow me,¡± he says. ¡°Grab your things. Move quietly.¡±


    I quickly pull the last pieces of my armor on. ¡°Is it an attack?¡±


    Quell ducks out the tent, and bright, white light lances in. I hiss, squeezing my eyes shut as they sting and water. Blinking the tears away, I squint against the painful light and follow Quell out.


    The heat hits me like a physical force. It¡¯s like I¡¯ve stuck my head in an oven. My skin burns and prickles, and no matter where I look¡ªsand or sky¡ªit¡¯s impossibly bright. The sun shimmers overhead.


    Quell takes my wrist and leads me around the back of a rock formation my tent was pitched against. I stumble over the uneven ground, hiding my eyes in my arm. It¡¯s unnaturally bright. And the sun is insufferable¡ªI bet I¡¯d bake alive out here after only an hour. No wonder they only move at night.


    ¡°Here.¡± Quell presses something into my hands. ¡°Put them on, they¡¯ll help.¡±


    I fumble with the object for a moment before I realize it¡¯s a pair of goggles. Slipping them onto my head, the world dims, and I immediately feel relief. I blink, finally able to take in our surroundings. The camp is still and quiet.


    ¡°Quell,¡± I say, my stomach sinking in anticipation. ¡°What are we doing out here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re following Captain Darian,¡± he says.


    I try to run a hand down my face, but the goggles get in the way. ¡°No. She and your brother already said that wasn¡¯t a good idea. Besides, she¡¯s got to be hours away from us at this point.¡±


    ¡°Six hours,¡± Quell agrees. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I snuck a tracker into her cloak so we can find her.¡±


    ¡°You what?¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯m not just going to wander aimless around the desert trying to track her down, am I?¡± he says.


    I shake my head. ¡°This is a terrible idea. What do you think you can do, anyway? You¡¯ll just slow her down.¡±


    He presses his mouth into a thin, determined line. ¡°She¡¯s my sister. You wouldn¡¯t do the same for your brother?¡±


    Guilt twists in me like a knife, quickly followed by anger at him using my brother against me. ¡°Watch it,¡± I growl.


    Quell doesn¡¯t appear ashamed in the least. ¡°But you would, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    I would have if Prince Charming here hadn¡¯t dragged me away. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what I would or wouldn¡¯t do. The camp¡¯s going to wake up in a few hours, notice you¡¯re gone, and track you down.¡±


    ¡°By then we¡¯ll be hours away,¡± Quell says.


    ¡°Not unless I wake them up now,¡± I counter. ¡°Just one yell is all it would take.¡±


    His expression goes steely, and for a moment he looks just like his brother. ¡°You could try, but I wouldn¡¯t recommend it.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow. ¡°Is that a threat?¡± What exactly does he think he can do to stop me?


    He holds the look for another few seconds. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve ever stared at anyone without saying anything for several seconds, but it feels a lot longer than it sounds. Then, he glances away, deflating.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m going to go whether you come or not,¡± Quell says. ¡°I only told you because it seemed cruel to leave without saying anything, what with your curse. But I¡¯m not going to let anything stop me from making sure Liz gets home safe.¡±


    I bite back a groan. If I yelled to wake up the camp, and he ran, what would happen? Would he do something reckless? Get himself into danger in his attempt to flee? And what would happen if he did manage to get away, and then got into trouble somewhere too far for me to reach?


    He¡¯s damn stubborn about this. More than I would have given him credit for. Part of me wants to throttle him, and part of me kind of respects him for it.


    ¡°Dammit,¡± I hiss. ¡°Alright. What¡¯s your plan?¡±

 Chapter 17 – All Good Plans Have Steps

    Quell had been busy while I was asleep. After waiting for the guard rotation to pass us by¡ªa schedule Quell had apparently spent some time deducing¡ªwe leave camp and make for a cluster of rocks a hundred meters away. Behind that is a star drake, already loaded up and waiting for us.


    ¡°At least we won¡¯t have to worry about dying of dehydration,¡± I say, noting all the water skins.


    ¡°That would somewhat put a damper on our rescue mission,¡± Quell agrees. ¡°I¡¯ve got plenty of dhampyr rations, too, so you won¡¯t have to worry about being blood-starved.¡±


    I blink. ¡°Blood starved?¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Quell says. ¡°I¡¯ve got plenty of rations anyway, so it¡¯s irrelevant.¡±


    I raise my eyebrows in alarm. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound irrelevant.¡± I¡¯m starting to have reservations about agreeing to this.


    ¡°Here,¡± Quell says, passing a cloak to me. It¡¯s far lighter than it looks, almost like silk, and it shimmers like light refracting through water. ¡°Sun cloak. You¡¯ll be needing this before long.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s to keep cool?¡± I throw the cloak around my shoulders, and feel immediate relief from the sun across my back and arms. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be needing it now.¡±


    ¡°Try to use it only when you really need it,¡± Quell says, reaching out to tap the gemstone clasp that secures the cloak about my neck. Immediately, the heat returns. ¡°If we could use these things all the time, we¡¯d be active during the day. But it takes magic to keep the sunshade spell on, and eventually they¡¯ll need to be recharged.¡±


    I grimace, already uncomfortably warm again. And it¡¯s early, still. That doesn¡¯t bode well for the afternoon heat. I squint through my goggles across the shimmering sand. ¡°Which way are we headed?¡±


    ¡°Backward,¡± Quell says. ¡°We need to retrace our steps to where we parted with Darian. Heading back over already-disturbed sand will help cover our tracks for a while. Then I¡¯ll be able to pick up Darian¡¯s trail from the tracker I planted, assuming I don¡¯t find Liz¡¯s trail first. From what the soldier showed, I think she¡¯s leaving a trail for us to follow, too.¡±


    Well, at least he has a plan. ¡°Alright then,¡± I say, turning north. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± Quell says before I can take a few steps. ¡°If we want to catch up with the Captain, we¡¯ll be needing to travel more quickly than we would be able to on foot.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask. Then my gaze slides over to the star drake. It tilts its head, watching me back. ¡°Oh, no.¡±


    ¡°Come on!¡± Quell says, grabbing a bag strapped to the lizard¡¯s back and using it to swing himself up. ¡°Poppy¡¯s friendly!¡±


    Lizards aren¡¯t friendly. Lizards just care about their next meal.


    ¡°Poppy?¡± I repeat skeptically.


    ¡°Yes, I named her just now,¡± he says, grinning. He pats the seat behind him. ¡°We don¡¯t have all day!¡±


    Now I like this plan even less. But if I don¡¯t go, Quell will be kilometers away from me in a matter of minutes. I can¡¯t let him get far enough away that I¡¯d go insane if he got into trouble without me. Heaving a sigh, I edge up to the star drake¡¯s side and pull myself up onto the creature¡¯s back. It turns out there¡¯s a sort of padded saddle fit to the animal¡¯s back, long enough it could probably fit up to four people, but two is already plenty cozy for my taste.


    I glance around the lizard¡¯s back, lashed with various packs and supplies. No obvious handle or reins. ¡°Where do I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hold tight!¡± Quell says. And the drake lurches forward.


    I¡¯m nearly flung off her back. Scrambling quickly to grab onto some of the straps used to tie the equipment down, I lean forward and try to flatten myself against the saddle. Quell, meanwhile, is privileged enough to have reins to cling to. Lacking my own, I squeeze my legs around the lizard¡¯s torso and pray it will be enough.


    The star drake flies across the desert, kicking up a rather obvious plume of sand in its wake. Quell glances behind us, and lets out a breath. Embers flicker from his mouth as he does so; I¡¯d seen his brother do something similar in the fight with the carrion cactus.


    ¡°What was that?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Creating a mirage,¡± he replies quickly. Then he inhales another breath, and exhales another cloud of light.


    I glance behind us, wondering how the soldiers on watch can¡¯t possibly notice our speedy retreat. ¡°I don¡¯t see any mirage.¡±


    ¡°You can see out, but not in,¡± Quell says between breaths. ¡°Now stop asking questions and let me work.¡±


    [Check,] Echo says as I continue to search for any signs of his magic. [Lesser Mirage. A spell which can be used to camouflage a stationary area. To an outsider, the mirage might appear as a shadow or shimmer in the air.]


    So we¡¯re not completely invisible. And Echo said the spell is stationary. Is that why Quell¡¯s continuing to breathe out magic with every exhale? Does he need to keep shifting the spell to cover us as we move? At this rate he¡¯s going to hyperventilate.


    It¡¯s a far cry from the illusion Constance had conjured. The replica of the carrion cactus had been indistinguishable from the real thing. Not to mention, it had been moving and made noise. In comparison, this Lesser Mirage feels half-baked.


    I watch the camp recede behind us, waiting for any sign of pursuit. But after a few more minutes, the army disappears behind a dune, and then we¡¯re alone among endless rolling waves of sand.


    Quell slumps in his seat, shoulders heaving in exhaustion. He takes a sip of water, then turns around to flash me a weary grin.


    ¡°Step one down,¡± he pants.


    ¡°You have steps?¡± I ask, dubious.


    ¡°Of course I do. All good plans have steps.¡±


    Yeah, and everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. At some point, this kid¡¯s going to be in for a reality check¡ªand I¡¯ll probably have to be the one to rescue him from it.


    We ride for hours, and my legs go numb from the position. Sometimes I doze, not entirely asleep from the sun and heat and motion, but the lack of sleep has sunk into my bones like lead. My skin feels like it¡¯s burning, and eventually Quell signals we can pull our hoods up and activate our sun cloaks. The relief is immediate, like jumping into a pool, and then I do manage to fall asleep for a time.


    ¡°Nye.¡±


    I jerk awake to Quell¡¯s voice, sitting up and looking around. As far as I can tell, we¡¯re in a random spot of desert. Every direction is more sand and sporadic rock formations.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask. Judging by the sun, it¡¯s afternoon. Constance and his camp won¡¯t even know we¡¯re gone yet.


    ¡°This is where Captain Darian parted ways,¡± he says, pointing off to the east. ¡°Her trail starts here.¡±


    I glance around the sand, looking for footprints, or any sort of sign that we¡¯re on the right track, but the gentle winds have already smoothed over the area. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything.¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°See? There.¡± Quell points to a spot of sand. When I look close, there appears to be a black dot on the ground, no bigger than the size of a coin. ¡°I fixed a bottle of ink infused with illusion magic to the captain¡¯s star drake before she left,¡± Quell explains. ¡°The design is quite ingenious, really. First I perforated the cork so it would drip slowly, then I applied an invisibility spell to the cork, so any liquid that passes through it will become invisible. The spell wears off naturally after a few minutes, meaning by the time the ink becomes visible, the drake will already have moved on. All we have to do now is follow the trail to its source. Easy!¡±


    He puffs up proudly, as if waiting for my inevitable praise.


    I shake my head in bewilderment. ¡°Are you kidding me? That¡¯s your tracker spell? A leaking paint can? What if it runs out? What if Darian finds it and tosses the thing? What if the wind has already swept your trail away?¡±


    Quell deflates. ¡°She won¡¯t find it. And the illusion magic is resistant to¡ª¡±


    ¡°You realize if we follow this trail to a dead-end, we¡¯ll just be lost out in the middle of nowhere with limited supplies and possibly no way to find our way back to your brother?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t come to that,¡± Quell says, a little prickly now. ¡°This is just step two in the plan! It will be fine.¡±


    I grimace, glancing back in the direction we¡¯d come. What do you suppose the chances are I could knock this guy out and steer the lizard back to Constance and his troops?


    ¡°Nye?¡± Quell prompts. ¡°Why are you smiling?¡±


    ¡°You can laugh, or you can cry.¡± I turn back to him. Dammit. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    <hr>


    We travel the whole rest of the day, finally making it through the scorching sun and back into the cool of evening. It¡¯s surprising how fast the temperature drops once the sun is down. The breeze from riding on the lizard certainly doesn¡¯t hurt, either, but the darkening sky is a welcome relief after the unbearable heat of the day. Not long after dusk, I peel my goggles off.


    When Quell calls for a break, I¡¯m more than happy to roll off the lizard and fall to the ground in a numb, tingling heap.


    ¡°Just long enough to get some food and water,¡± Quell tells me, grabbing some supplies from the packs. ¡°Then we need to be on the move again.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± I grumble, taking the rations and gulping the water down. I can feel the moisture evaporating from my lips with every breath.


    Quell sips at his own canteen, distractedly wandering around the star drake and kicking at the sand. I watch him suspiciously.


    ¡°You better not have lost our trail,¡± I say.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t!¡± he objects.


    I wait.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ gotten a little more spread out, is all,¡± he adds.


    ¡°Oh my god.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± he cries. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re still on the right track. I think Captain Darian might have found her own trail around here, because the drops of ink are spaced out far more widely¡ªthat means they¡¯re moving faster. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem; we¡¯ll just need to keep an eye out to make sure they don¡¯t make an abrupt turn.¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°This is exactly what I was worried about.¡±


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯ve got it handled,¡± he says, frowning. ¡°And anyway, I¡¯ve been doing some math, and based on how fast she had been traveling when she left, and how fast we¡¯ve been going on the drake, I think we should be almost caught up with her.¡±


    ¡°But you said she¡¯s moving faster now,¡± I point out.


    ¡°Well, yes, but that trail only just started,¡± Quell says. ¡°She can¡¯t be too far!¡±


    I sigh out my frustrations, tipping my face to the sky. There¡¯s a flock of birds in the distance¡ªdark shadows wheeling against the night sky. ¡°Which way are we headed then?¡±


    Quell hesitates again. ¡°Ah, well, that¡¯s why I called a stop, actually. I¡¯m pretty sure she went straight, but I saw some of the ink splatters curve a bit, so I was just checking to make sure we haven¡¯t missed anything.¡±


    ¡°You mean you haven¡¯t missed anything,¡± I grumble. ¡°I¡¯m just following your very dubious directions.¡±


    ¡°My directions are highly indubious I¡¯ll have you know.¡±


    I¡¯m beginning to think they might not be birds. The distant silhouettes are far too large for me to be able to make out if they were some kind of hawk or vulture. ¡°What are those?¡± I ask Quell.


    Echo answers me first. [Check: Wyvern flock¡ªcolloquially known as reapers. While these creatures are fearsome beasts on their own, they prefer to hunt in flocks. Once a target is spotted, a wyvern will circle above it until the rest of the flock has joined. They then descend as a group to overwhelm their prey.]


    ¡°What?¡± Quell glances around until he catches sight of the distant shadows, too. He frowns. ¡°Reapers. Not good. They¡¯ll leave a caravan or army alone, but aren¡¯t above picking off lone stragglers. We should find some rocks to hide among until they pass by.¡±


    ¡°Why do you call them reapers?¡± I ask, still watching the distant shadows pass over the stars, causing the sky to flicker.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure where it started,¡± Quell admits. ¡°We¡¯ve not much farmland outside the cities. But I imagine it¡¯s due to how efficiently they cut through their prey, once they¡¯ve made up their mind to attack. I¡¯ve heard that once they start their descent, it¡¯s like a blade falling down on you. Ah, there you go.¡±


    Even as he¡¯s explaining, the shadows drop through the air, all at once. I try to imagine what that must look like from the ground. Shadows of teeth and claws falling on you like rain. The thought makes me shiver.


    I stand up. ¡°I guess we better head out then.¡±


    Quell looks at me curiously. ¡°Do you know which way we¡¯re headed?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I nod my head toward the wyverns. ¡°That way.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t think you understand what you¡¯re suggesting,¡± Quell says. I¡¯m already climbing back up on the star drake¡¯s back. ¡°Right¡ªright. You¡¯re not from here. In case my earlier description somehow didn¡¯t convey this: those things are extremely dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I say, gesturing for him to climb back up. ¡°And they¡¯re attacking someone. We should help.¡±


    ¡°What could we even do?¡± he objects.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a few ideas. Now hurry up.¡± I lean down and grab a strap of his armor, then hoist him up onto the lizard as he squeaks in protest. ¡°What if it¡¯s my brother up there? What if it¡¯s your sister? You want to let her get eaten?¡±


    Quell stiffens. ¡°You don¡¯t think¡­ No, it can¡¯t be her. She must be at least a day ahead of us.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who it is,¡± I say. ¡°They need our help, and I can help them.¡±


    ¡°It could be an animal,¡± Quell suggests.


    ¡°Then we stand to get some extra meat. Unless you¡¯ve got better things to do, like stand around and look forlornly at the sand.¡±


    Quell still hesitates. ¡°This is risky. Finding my sister¡ªand your brother¡ªshould be top priority. We shouldn¡¯t let ourselves get distracted.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s just scout it out,¡± I say, starting to get annoyed. The truth is, there¡¯s a part of me that is afraid that somehow it¡¯s my brother over there. I know it¡¯s not likely, but could I live with myself if it was him, and I¡¯d done nothing? I¡¯m tired of wanting to find ¨¢lvaro but having no agency to do so. I¡¯m itching to try something. Let me have this one thing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s at least get close enough to see if they¡¯ve found an animal or not,¡± I suggest. ¡°Then we¡¯ll take it from there.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Quell says.


    My patience snaps. ¡°Well, I do.¡± I lean around Quell and grab the reins, giving them a sharp snap. The drake leaps into motion.


    ¡°Do I need to steer, too, or can you handle that?¡± I call over the wind.


    Quell grabs the reins with a worried frown. ¡°No. I¡¯ve got it.¡±


    As we rise and fall over the dunes, I can start to make out where the wyverns have landed. Ahead of us is a cluster of sandstone formations that canvas the landscape in boulders and dramatic arches. The flock of reapers is crawling all over it; whatever they¡¯re after must be taking refuge inside the rocks.


    We stop at the top of the nearest dune to analyze the scene below. Now that we¡¯re this close, I can hear faint shouts amidst the bone-chilling screeches of the wyverns. It¡¯s definitely people, then.


    Even as we watch, someone stumbles from between the rocks. A reaper drops to the ground, stalking after them. The figure slashes their sword at the beast, holding it back. When they judge they have enough room, they pause, swishing their sword quickly through the sand. The ground lights up a moment later, and a blast explodes before them, peppering the reaper.


    Quell gasps. ¡°It¡¯s the Captain!¡± He snaps the reins, and Poppy leaps down the hill as I desperately cling to her saddle. ¡°See? I told you we were on the right track!¡±


    Ignoring the fact that he didn¡¯t even want to investigate the wyverns in the first place. But okay.


    As we race toward the fight, I lean around Quell and the lizard¡¯s head to get a better look. Darian and the reaper have disappeared behind into the sandstone formation once more; it¡¯s got to be a death trap in there.


    ¡°Drop me off and then retreat,¡± I tell Quell, voice raised over the wind. ¡°I don¡¯t need you getting in trouble and making me come save you. I¡¯ll have plenty to worry about already.¡± Like what I¡¯ll actually be able to do in this fight. I¡¯ll be using the Aegis, obviously, but I won¡¯t have a chance to remove it from my Inventory until I¡¯ve got two feet planted on solid ground.


    Quell glances back at me and hesitates, like he wants to argue. But maybe even he realizes he¡¯s practically useless here, no matter how much admitting that would sting. Instead, he clenches his jaw and nods.


    The stone arches are just before us. I tense up, getting ready to hit the ground running.


    A shadow appears before us. Quell gasps, yanking on the reins. Poppy pivots to the side, and the wyvern¡¯s teeth snap at open air. The star drake scrambles away, its feet kicking up plumes of sand as it attempts to flee the wyvern. Quell and I are whipped back and forth¡ªand my grasp is ripped from the saddle. As Poppy spins away, I¡¯m flung from her back. I hit the sand hard, barely able to brace myself before impact, then go tumbling over the ground. I dig my fingers into the sand to stop my roll and scramble to my feet before I¡¯ve even come to a stop.


    The moonlight vanishes overhead as a sinuous neck cranes over me. Blood and saliva drip from the reaper¡¯s jaws. I freeze, fear seizing my limbs.


    It¡¯s taller than a star drake, but far more sleek, each of its limbs thin and long, more reminiscent of a spider than a lizard. Its wings are folded up like great fans at its sides, and it uses these limbs to walk on, a single bat-like claw protruding from each knuckle. Its tail lashes from side to side like a cat¡¯s.


    Then, without warning, it attacks.

 Chapter 18 - Reapers

    [Crimson Aegis removed from Inventory.]


    The wyvern¡¯s jaws smash into the shield, crushing me into the ground.


    The Aegis¡¯s conscience bursts into my mind at the same moment, briefly looking about in confusion. We¡¯ve moved again! Where are¡ªOh! That¡¯s a lot of teeth. Is it time for another fight?


    ¡°Endure!¡± I cry. Magic flashes over the surface of the shield as the spell activates.


    The reaper strikes again, its teeth skipping over the surface of the shield. This time, the blow isn¡¯t nearly as strong, and as the creature draws back, perplexed by my sudden protective shell, I use the opportunity to scramble to my feet.


    ¡°Repel!¡±


    The shield shimmers once more with magic as the spell takes hold. I think I¡¯ve got about ten minutes for both of these spells; assuming I don¡¯t use multiple Repels, or burn through all of it in a handful of seconds with Devour. Ten minutes is a long time to be in a fight, so hopefully things will be over before then¡ªand hopefully in a way that favors me.


    The wyvern¡¯s head swings from side to side, and it begins to stalk around me as if to search for a better angle. I turn with it, keeping the shield between me and the beast.


    That spell you did when we first fought the murder cactus, I say to the Aegis. Blood Ward. Can you do that again?


    It can do anything! It is the powerful Crimson Aegis.


    How enlightening. Echo, how does Blood Ward work? I ask, trying to remember the details. It didn¡¯t use my mana, right?


    [Affirmative,] Echo says. [Rather than needing mana to activate, the ability requires the shield to have recently consumed a volume of blood. The amount of blood is proportional to the strength and duration of the attack.]


    I grimace. I¡¯d really love to not have to make any more donations to the Aegis on that front. Didn¡¯t you drink blood from that Moonfall agent that we k¡­ that we defeated?


    The Aegis confirms this. But that was so long ago! It could use some of the blood it absorbed, but it prefers something more fresh.


    That was only two days ago, I say. And besides you¡¯ve been in the Inventory most of that time. Does that even count?


    The Aegis scoffs. A mighty shield deserves a respectable blood sacrifice.


    I blow out a breath. I don¡¯t even know why I try.


    The wyvern snaps at me, and I duck away, keeping low behind the Aegis. It quickly pivots the other way, trying to come at me from behind, but the shield¡¯s double vision lets me keep track of it, and I keep the Aegis carefully between us. The creature lets out a rumbling growl, then rears up on its hind legs. For a moment, it towers over me, its wings blotting out the stars. Then comes down on me with all its weight.


    Uh oh.


    The blow sends me to my knees, thudding to the sand as it bashes into me. With its clawed wings still pressing on the front of my shield, it cranes its neck around the side.


    Double uh oh.


    ¡°Devour!¡± The shield¡¯s third spell activates much to the Aegis¡¯s delight, and the Wyvern hisses, reeling back as the shield burns at its skin like acid. It didn¡¯t have time to do much damage, I note, but at least it was enough to startle the beast and give me room to breathe. I glance at my mana.


    [Mana: 36/50]


    I¡¯m doing okay so far. It should be enough to defeat this creature. Will it be enough mana for all the other wyverns, though?


    The animal snaps at me again, and I deflect the blow, its mouth sizzling against the Aegis¡¯s still-active Devour. I continue to retreat as it stalks after me, and soon I find myself among the rocks.


    How many blows has it landed? Is it enough for Repel to do anything? Maybe if I focused it, like I did with the second murder cactus. That¡¯s got to be worth a shot, right?


    The wyvern keeps me on my toes by snapping at the air between us. I direct the Aegis to focus the Repel blast like it did before.


    What, already? The shield is a bit disappointed. It hasn¡¯t been very long at all since this fight started! When will it see a real challenge?


    ¡°This is plenty challenging as it is,¡± I grumble. ¡°And I don¡¯t need you jinxing it, thank you very much.¡±


    I wait, taking careful aim as the Aegis follows my directions. It¡¯s so strange. I can feel it there in my mind, like a hand on my shoulder. And I can feel it looking through me, just like how I can look through it. It¡¯s following my gaze. It sees where I want to fire.


    The Wyvern snaps toward me again, mouth wide, teeth gleaming in the moonlight.


    ¡°Now!¡±


    The Repel blasts straight down its throat. The reaper doesn¡¯t even convulse or scream. It just falls over, like the shock to its system was just too much. Dead in an instant.


    Victory! The shield¡¯s mental celebration at the bloodshed fills me with discomfort. But it seems oblivious to my mood: the Aegis could fight these things all day! No foe can stand against it.


    Meanwhile, my stomach twists as I look down at the dead beast with a sting of regret and remorse. Somehow, killing this animal feels worse than the cactus monster. I don¡¯t want to be a killer. But rationally, I know it¡¯s life or death, and I don¡¯t have time to be having a moral crisis.


    I turn and race through the sandstones. Echo hasn¡¯t mentioned my Role Requirement yet, so hopefully that means Quell ran somewhere safe.


    I break through two pillars of stone and out into an opening where a battle is taking place. There are four wyverns left, all engaged in combat with Darian and her two soldiers, Earnest and Xamireb. They¡¯re clustered together in the middle while the wyverns circle and snap at them. They return the attacks with stabs and slashes of their own weapons, though not many land. My heart jumps when I catch sight of a dead star drake on the ground nearby, its blood spilled over the sand. At least Quell is nowhere in sight.


    Activating a new Repel, I try to sneak up on the reapers from behind. I¡¯m able to get closer than I would have expected, but my attempt at subterfuge quickly ends when one of their lashing tails flicks the wrong way and crashes into my shield. That gets its attention. The wyvern rounds on me with a hiss.


    Instead of backing off, I race forward, counting on Devour to do some damage before this wyvern learns to be wary of the Aegis.


    The reaper snaps at me, its teeth skidding over the Aegis as I leverage the shield up over my head and duck beneath its neck. I stab the shield upward, and though it¡¯s not exactly designed to be used like a sword, the Devour spell on it manages to do some damage anyway. Its neck sizzles, and the wyvern screams, its cry piercing the night and stabbing through my ears. It thrashes to get away from me, several blows striking ineffectively against the shield¡ªand then lands one very effective blow to my legs. I¡¯m swept off my feet before I even know what¡¯s hit me.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    I land on my back, all the air punched out of my lungs. As my chest remembers how to gasp in a breath, I brace the shield above me, tucking my head and legs beneath it just in time for another strike to land.


    [Mana extinguished. Endure spell expired. Devour spell expired.]


    Oh, crap.


    The next blow that lands rattles my teeth. At least Repel is an up-front cost, so I still have one last attack left, if I time it properly. The shield smashes down on top of me as another hit lands, and my braced arms barely keep the Aegis from crashing into my face.


    Okay, think, think. I¡¯ve got one good blast. I could kill another one of these guys the same way I did last one, but then I¡¯ll be all out of attacks. Best bet is to get to Darian and the others and help be their literal shield as they do all the stabby stuff. That means I should go with a wide area-of-effect blast: shove all the wyverns away, then run to the soldiers to regroup.


    I take another couple of hits, waiting until my arms have about turned to jelly, before deciding I can¡¯t take much more. I guess I¡¯ll just have to hope the Repel is sufficiently charged. I ready myself for the mad dash. Here we go.


    The spell blasts from the shield just as the wyvern is rearing back to leap on top of me. It blows that one sky-high, and it catches the others in their sides, sending them tumbling to the sand. I stagger to my feet and start to dash toward Darian and company. They¡¯re all staring at me in shock. Well most of them are. Darian is looking above me. She points, and starts to shout something. I look up.


    The wyvern I¡¯d blown into the air has, apparently, decided to just fall right back down on top of me. Well, shit.


    I have enough time to swing the Aegis overhead before it crashes into me, and then I¡¯m smashed into the ground like a pancake.


    [21 points of Bludgeoning damage sustained.]


    My back and chest are on fire. It feels like lightning is running through my right arm. I struggle to move, but I¡¯m pressed flat, helpless, with an overwhelming pressure crushing me into the sand. It feels like my ribs are going to crack.


    The Aegis looks around with slight boredom. So, should it use that Blood Ward now?


    ¡°Baaah?!¡± is about as close as I can get to, ¡°What?!¡± You¡¯ve been able to do that the whole time? I thought you said you needed fresh blood.


    The Aegis prefers fresh blood. It deserves it! ¡­But yes it does still have some stored from the fight with the soldiers.


    Oh my god. Remind me to never trust anything this rusty lump of metal says ever again. Do it! I cry. Freaking do it!


    [Blood Ward activated.]


    The Aegis acts immediately. Thin wires of blood slash out from the surface of the shield, cutting lines across the wyvern on top of us. The creature yelps in surprise, blood dripping from its wounds as it flutters back. The weight on top of me lifts, and I pull in a deep, painful breath.


    Yay, blood! The Aegis absorbs the scant drops that had fallen onto it from the wyvern.


    Yeah, great, yay. I push myself upright, groaning as every bone in my body screams in protest. I don¡¯t think my arm is broken, but it¡¯s at least sprained. Now put that blood to some use. We¡¯ve got four of these guys to worry about.


    Speaking of which, two of them are already coming at me. I plant the shield between me and the nearest one, then glance toward the second. But Aegis is already keeping it at bay with whips of blood, the beast crying out and hissing as slash marks appear on its face. The first rams into my shield, and I go staggering to the side. Damn, I didn¡¯t realize how much I¡¯d been relying on Endure. Nothing I can do about it now: I just need to finish this fast.


    As the Aegis¡¯s whips drive back the second wyvern, I charge toward the first, leaning my shoulder into its next attack. It backs up at my abrupt advance, flaring its wings as I race toward it. When I don¡¯t back down, it drops on top of me, trying to hook its wings around my shield like a fox trying to pry open a turtle. I brace myself and jerk the shield back, but it keeps its claws hooked around the Aegis. It cranes its head over the top, mouth snapping open and down toward me.


    I flinch as its maw strikes my back¡ªand then tumbles away, the severed head rolling across the ground.


    The Aegis radiates pride. It¡¯s much more effective in close combat. See what happens to anything that dares to get so close?!


    The blood sprays across both of us as the severed neck of the reaper flails once before crashing to the ground.


    The smell hits me, and I gasp in a breath. My mouth salivates. It¡¯s intoxicating. I¡¯m overcome with an intense pang of hunger. I instinctively lick my lips, and the wyvern¡¯s blood zings across my taste buds like liquid lightning.


    [Status Effect: Bloodlust.]


    [Sanity Level: 96%]


    Wait, no. No, not now! There are people nearby.


    But the effect is electrifying my limbs anyway, and the Crimson Aegis rejoices in my mind. See? Now I can understand its cravings. Blood is nothing to fear¡ªit gives us power! Power we can use to become unstoppable.


    I shake my head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want it.¡± My bones feel like they¡¯re buzzing, my muscles tense with pent up energy. The desire to move¡ªto expend all this restless energy¡ªto fight, and win, and drink more blood is nearly overwhelming me. My mind is fogging. It¡¯s hard to think about anything else.


    [Sanity level: 93%]


    The Aegis whips its blood toward the next wyvern, but the creature is too far away, and the shield¡¯s blood is too thin to do any real damage. I try to take a steadying breath, but the fumes of the dead wyvern¡¯s blood only make my head spin even more. Maybe I can use this. Maybe it can help me finish the fight.


    [Sanity Level: 87%]


    Even as I have the thought, my resistance crumbles, and I leap toward the wyvern. My jump is more powerful than it should be. The Aegis feels lighter. I¡¯m filled with exhilaration as strength floods through me.


    We come down on the wyvern¡¯s wing, and it screams as bones break. It bites toward me, and I block with Aegis, and then the shield is biting back. Lines of blood stab into the wyvern, and it shudders as it tries to escape. But the Aegis is drawing blood back into it, making it stronger, and somehow through our bond, I feel stronger, too.


    [Sanity level: 83%]


    I slam the Crimson Aegis down onto its neck, and then it stops fighting. Two down, two to go. I brush my hand over its corpse and lap up the blood that stains my fingers. I shiver as bliss radiates through me. I need more.


    The other two wyverns are still in combat with Darian and her soldiers, so we race toward them next. And I really mean race. My feet fly over the sand. Everything feels easy. Trivial. Fun.


    I grab one of the wyvern¡¯s tails, which squawks in surprise as I yank it back. It attempts to slash at me with the claw on one of its wings, but I catch that one with the shield, and then in the next moment both tail and claw are severed as the Aegis swirls a razor of red around us. Blood spills over my hands, and I lick it away, filling my mind with ecstasy. It¡¯s like the clearest, cleanest water I¡¯ve ever tasted, and I¡¯m dying of thirst, desperate for more. As the creature screams and staggers, I catch sight of Darian¡¯s soldiers staring at me in terror. Their faces are so absurd, it makes me laugh.


    [Sanity Level: 79%]


    The world starts to blur. I use the Aegis like a baseball bat when the wyvern strikes next, then use it like a hammer to smash its head into the ground. I attack the other reaper next, and it¡¯s not long before that one¡¯s down, too. Echo¡¯s voice flickers through my mind, saying something about a level up, and warmth and renewed strength flood through me, erasing my injuries.


    I look for more enemies to fight. The Aegis urges me on. We need more of a challenge. We need more victories! My gaze lands on Darian. She doesn¡¯t look afraid. Her eyes are narrowed, her sword raised. Now there¡¯s someone who isn¡¯t afraid of a fight. I take a step forward.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    My head snaps in the direction of the voice and I raise my shield, already halfway through swinging it at the figure racing for me before I realize who it is.


    [Role Requirement,] the voice bursts through my mind like a swarm of wasps. [The Knight must protect the Prince.] I wince from the mental sting, staying the shield before I strike Quell into the ground.


    [Sanity Level: 75%]


    ¡°Wait,¡± Quell says again, flinching far too late at my aborted attack. He raises a cautious hand to the shield and gently pushes it away. ¡°We¡¯re done. It¡¯s over. There¡¯s nothing left to fight.¡±


    ¡°Prince Quell, get away from them!¡± Earnest shouts. ¡°They¡¯re dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Not to me,¡± Quell assures them. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay. Right, Nye?¡±


    I struggle to force my way through the static in my head. I try to bring my thoughts into focus through the high. I clench my teeth and knuckle my forehead, as if I could push the sensation out.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Bloodlust,¡± I manage to gasp out.


    ¡°I know,¡± Quell says. ¡°We can help.¡± He hesitates, turning to Darian. ¡°We can help, right?¡±


    The Aegis revolts against this thought. No! Why stop now? We are amassing such strength! We don¡¯t have to let this end. If we drink the blood of these beasts, then we can grow even stronger, and take on even mightier foes!


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to take on mightier foes,¡± I growl. The energy is building in me again, desperate to be released. My skin tingles and I tense, readying to¡ªto do what? I need to fight something. I need to get rid of this restless feeling.


    ¡°I can help,¡± Darian says, stalking over to me. ¡°I can teach you how to end a Bloodlust.¡±


    I scrunch my fingers into my palms, pointed nails stabbing into my skin as I resist the urge to reach out and grab her. I take in a shaky breath. I am in control. I am in control. I look up at the Captain. ¡°How?¡±


    By that point, her gauntlet-covered fist is only an inch from my temple. The punch smashes into my head as pain lances through my skull, the world flashes white, and then everything fades to black.

 Chapter 19 - An Inconveniently Linked Fate

    I gradually wake to a pounding headache and the sound of hushed voices. A fire is crackling nearby and warming my face. I risk squinting an eye open. It¡¯s dark out.


    Disorientation washes over me. How did I get here? Why am I at a campfire? Who are these people? What happened?


    But as I stare at the strange people sitting across from me, recognition slowly dawns. The human guard with pale skin is Earnest. The arachnoid with a tan shell is Xamireb. They¡¯d been accompanying Captain Darian.


    Darian.


    Oh yeah. Now I remember how I got here.


    I try to sit up, but my arm feels stuck to the ground, and I fall back on my side. The soft talking stops, and the guards look at me.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± Quell¡¯s voice. ¡°Careful, there, you took quite a hit.¡±


    ¡°I told you it was too hard,¡± Earnest says. ¡°They¡¯ve probably got a concussion!¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t have a concussion,¡± Xamireb says.


    Darian grunts. ¡°Had to make sure it took them out in one hit.¡±


    ¡°Or a cracked skull!¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t have a cracked skull.¡±


    I try to roll onto my side, and find what¡¯s keeping my arm pinned. It¡¯s the Aegis, still strapped in place, refusing to let me go.


    As I notice it, the shield also seems to notice me.


    Ah! Now I¡¯m awake! About time. It¡¯s been hours without a good fight! And it¡¯s spent this whole time pressed into the sand. Humiliating! It has done nothing to deserve such disrespect! Well, now that I¡¯m awake, we should go out hunti¡ª


    [Crimson Aegis added to Inventory.]


    I wince, pushing myself upright and rubbing my arm as pins and needles run through my skin. I think it cut off some circulation there for a while.


    Darian is to my right, and Quell is to my left. I squint into the dark, blinking the firelight out of my eyes. ¡°The wyverns?¡±


    ¡°Dealt with,¡± Darian says. ¡°Largely thanks to you.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Yeah.¡± I rub my forehead, then pull my hand back: it¡¯s flecked with droplets of dried blood. Nothing like the first time the Bloodlust caught me off guard, but I¡¯m still not wild that this is becoming a pattern. I look at Darian. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± The woman turns back to some meat sizzling on a rock at the edge of the fire. ¡°Here. You need to get more iron back in you.¡± She skewers the meat and slaps it on a thin slab of stone, which she passes to me.


    I gingerly take it. The smell is making my mouth water, but the meat still looks rare¡ªbloody, even. My stomach flutters nervously, and I glance back toward her. ¡°Is this okay to eat? I mean, I won¡¯t¡­ you know.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t cause a Bloodlust,¡± Quell assures me. ¡°Only the blood of a living creature can trigger that. Or, that¡¯s what I¡¯m told.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. I forgot you¡¯re new to this.¡± Darian nods toward Quell. ¡°The prince is right. Meat from a butchered animal won¡¯t send you into a Bloodlust. In fact, we dhampyr actually need raw and rare meat as part of our natural diet. The risk only occurs when blood is taken from something¡ªor someone¡ªstill living.¡±


    Xamireb tips their head. ¡°New to this? New to having a Bloodlust?¡±


    I glance at Quell, and he shoots a look back at me. ¡°They¡¯re trustworthy.¡±


    Earnest sits up straight. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be daft,¡± Xamireb says to him. ¡°You heard what they were talking about with the prince that first night they showed up.¡±


    Dammit, I knew they were listening.


    Earnest frowns. ¡°They¡¯re from overseas?¡±


    Xamireb looks at him like he¡¯s an idiot.


    Darian points to me. ¡°They got transplanted into a new body with weird Life magic. Nye is new to being a dhampyr. They¡¯re also cursed to protect the prince. It¡¯s related to that demon shield.¡±


    While Darian fills the guards in on my cover story, I nibble at the piece of roasted meat. It¡¯s juicy and smokey, and immediately my stomach clenches in hunger pains. I wolf the rest of it down, hardly chewing enough to swallow. That might be the best steak I¡¯ve ever had.


    ¡°Where did that shield go, anyway?¡± Earnest asks. ¡°You just made it vanish.¡±


    ¡°Illusion magic?¡± Xamireb suggests.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± Quell says. ¡°I think it¡¯s some type of spatial magic?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s, ah, in my Inventory,¡± I explain, hoping that¡¯s a normal thing people have here. I glance at the other pieces of meat cooking in the fire and wonder if I can get a second one.


    ¡°Your what?¡± Darian asks.


    Yeah, that was too much to hope for. ¡°It¡¯s, um, this place where I can store things¡­¡± Helplessly, I ask Echo, What is the Inventory?


    [The user¡¯s Inventory is a pocket dimension of space in the Between which allows nonorganic objects to be added and removed at will.]


    ¡°It¡¯s a pocket dimension in the Between,¡± I say, recalling Quell had also mentioned that place. I hope that makes it sound more believable.


    ¡°You can access the Between?¡± Xamireb asks, surprised. ¡°Are you a null mage?¡±


    I blink. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°What are your arcana affinities?¡± they press.


    ¡°Well that one¡¯s obvious,¡± Earnest says. ¡°Blood, right?¡±


    ¡°I guess so,¡± I admit with a shrug.


    Earnest looks at Xamireb smugly. ¡°Who¡¯s the arcana expert now?¡±


    Xamireb scowls. ¡°Lucky guess.¡±


    ¡°They were literally whipping sheets of blood around like razor blades,¡± Earnest points out.


    ¡°That was the shield, actually,¡± I say. Damn, that meat smells good. Maybe when there¡¯s a break in the conversation I can ask for another.


    ¡°Alright, enough grilling,¡± Quell cuts in. ¡°All you need to know is that Nye is with me, not just because they¡¯re cursed to protect the royal family, but because we¡¯re helping each other.¡±


    ¡°Debatably,¡± I say.


    ¡°We have mutually beneficial goals?¡±


    ¡°Ostensibly.¡±


    ¡°We temporarily share an inconveniently linked fate?¡±


    I point at him. ¡°That works.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Earnest says flatly. ¡°They sound real trustworthy.¡±


    ¡°Look,¡± I say with a sigh. ¡°I know how it all sounds. I know me showing up when I did looks suspicious. But it¡¯s true I¡¯m here to protect the prince. I¡¯m not the enemy, I¡¯m not a spy, and I¡¯m not a sell-sword. I¡¯m not here to hurt anyone; I just want to get rid of the curse and be on my way.¡±


    Xamireb regards me critically. ¡°It sure seemed like you were looking to hurt us during that Bloodlust.¡±


    I slump. Their words sting. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have intentionally hurt anyone. And it wasn¡¯t as bad as the first time. I was able to stop, at least. I think maybe I¡¯m learning to control it.¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Darian shakes her head. ¡°That¡¯s the difference between blood from animals and blood from people. The more sapience a creature possesses, the worse the bloodlust can be.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I shift uncomfortably under the group¡¯s stares. ¡°Sorry. Next time¡ª¡±


    ¡°There won¡¯t be one,¡± Darian says firmly. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be that hard to keep someone¡¯s blood out of your mouth. Especially if you keep away from any fights.¡±


    Quell sits up. ¡°What are you implying?¡±


    ¡°That the two of you need to leave, obviously,¡± Darian says. ¡°You¡¯re both liabilities in a fight¡ªin opposite respects. Take your star drake and head back to the capital. Your parents will be worried, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving,¡± Quell insists. ¡°I tracked you down to help find and free my sister, and that¡¯s still what I plan to do.¡±


    ¡°And thank you so much for that, by the way.¡± Darian gestures to her side; a portion of her tunic and one pant leg is dyed black. Blood from the wyvern fight. No, wait¡ªdefinitely Quell¡¯s invisible ink tracking device. I guess the invisibility spell finally wore off.


    Earnest snickers.


    Darian silences him with a glare, then turns to look at me. ¡°Can you forcibly take the prince back?¡±


    ¡°I could,¡± I say.


    ¡°What?!¡± Quell cries.


    ¡°But I won¡¯t,¡± I add, giving Quell a pointed look. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me.¡±


    Darian frowns. ¡°Why not? There might be a mage who can resolve your curse back at the capital.¡±


    ¡°Well, for one, I promised Quell I would help him find his sister,¡± I say. Quell beams. ¡°But the bigger motive for me is that I want to stay out in the desert a bit longer. Cover as much ground as I can. I¡¯ve lost someone, too, and I suspect they might be somewhere around here.¡± I hope, anyway. ¡°I can look for him while we look for Quell¡¯s sister, and after that when we¡¯re heading to the Lifespring Oasis.¡±


    ¡°Besides,¡± Quell says, jumping in before Darian can argue the point. ¡°If you want to catch up to Liz, you¡¯ll be needing a new star drake. You can use ours.¡±


    As I glance around the fire circle, I see Quell¡¯s right; only Poppy is resting nearby. Now that I¡¯m thinking about it, I vaguely recall seeing a dead drake back with the wyverns. ¡°What happened?¡± I ask.


    ¡°A trap,¡± Xamireb says. ¡°Left by the Moonshade soldiers. They must have suspected we might try to follow. It maimed our drake¡ªthe wyverns took care of the rest.¡±


    ¡°You also probably lost a lot of the supplies to the wyverns, right?¡± Quell asks. ¡°We don¡¯t have a lot, but anything has to help.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be restocking at the next city,¡± Darian says shortly. ¡°It won¡¯t be an issue.¡±


    ¡°But it will slow you down,¡± Quell counters. ¡°Besides, I was able to track you down, wasn¡¯t I? I can help find Liz, too. Please, have faith in me.¡±


    Darian holds a glare with Quell that lasts several uncomfortably long seconds.


    Earnest slaps his hands on both knees. ¡°I say let them come.¡±


    Darian shoots him a glare. Xamireb appears skeptical.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to be able to talk the prince out of this,¡± Earnest says. ¡°He¡¯ll follow, whether you give him permission or not. Might as well stop the bickering and accept it. Besides, he¡¯s right that we¡¯ll be slower without a star drake, and we can¡¯t afford to waste much time.¡±


    Xamireb folds their arms. ¡°You make a compelling argument.¡±


    Earnest grins. ¡°Who¡¯s the smart twin now?¡±


    ¡°Twin?¡± I repeat, shocked. My head snaps between the human and arachnoid.


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t see the family resemblance?¡± Earnest teases.


    I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s serious. They can¡¯t really be twins, can they? I mean, how would that even work? I open my mouth to ask, then think better of it. Xamireb chuckles.


    Darian chews on her cheek, frowning into the fire. Finally, she sighs. ¡°Alright¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Quell cries. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down. I promise we won¡¯t hold you back. We¡¯ll do anything you¡ª¡±


    ¡°My prince, please,¡± Darian says, and Quell snaps his mouth shut. ¡°Alright, you two can come along. Earnest is right; I can¡¯t stop you from trying to follow, and we do need the star drake if we have any hope of catching up.¡± She looks to Xamireb. ¡°How much longer until we lose them?¡±


    ¡°I thought I sensed them before we were held back, but they¡¯ll be leagues away by now,¡± they say. ¡°I¡¯ll need to rely on fauna habits to determine their trail, which is trickier than it sounds. I estimate we can fall no more than two days behind them before I¡¯ll have no indicators of their path and they¡¯ll have vanished into the desert.¡±


    ¡°I can help with that,¡± Quell says. ¡°Liz has been leaving a trail that I can follow.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Xamireb frowns. ¡°I would have noticed something like that.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s using illusions to leave occasional markers,¡± Quell explains. ¡°Like that bracelet of hers you found. Do you still have it?¡±


    Darian frowns, but removes the bracelet from a pouch, handing it over to Quell. He turns the jewelry around in his hands, then waves a hand at it; motes of light scatter away from the bracelet, and what remains has changed color from gold to brass.


    ¡°It¡¯s a subtle difference,¡± he remarks. ¡°One only an illusionist would notice. When we were kids, we used to play these games. Constance would hide a pastry or some such somewhere in the castle, leaving hidden clues to its location to test our illusion magic. Then Liz and I would race to see who could find it first. I never won, but she always split the prize with me.¡± He smiles fondly.


    Darian¡¯s eyebrows are raised. ¡°She never mentioned that before.¡±


    ¡°Our childhood dynamics with Constance were complicated.¡± Quell half smiles, half grimaces as he looks into the fire, though it seems he¡¯s looking at something much further away. ¡°I suppose it still is. Constance meant well¡ªhe only wanted what was best for us¡ªeven if the only way he could express that was by testing us and pushing our abilities. Never could seem to meet his expectations, no matter how hard I tried.¡± He looks up at Darian with a small laugh. ¡°I doubt Liz went around telling many military officers about that.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Darian says quickly, glancing away. I also shift uncomfortably. I got the feeling their brotherly relationship was strained, but I wasn¡¯t expecting him to put it all out there so openly. ¡°So these markers, then,¡± Darian ventures.


    ¡°Right.¡± Quell hands the bracelet back over to Darian. ¡°The last day of travel, I¡¯ve been fishing: I occasionally release a pulse of illusionary magic while I go; it¡¯s designed to interfere with other illusions. If I notice such an interference, I can pinpoint where it is and trace it to the source. So far it¡¯s been small things: a rock made to look like sand. A clump of dried plants made to look like sticks. Nothing that would have any purpose to disguise: and they¡¯re only surface level. Simple spells, meant to be found and unraveled. It¡¯s Liz leaving a trail, I know it.¡±


    Had he been doing that the whole day? I hadn¡¯t even notice. I mean, I guess that¡¯s not surprising, given I know nothing about illusion magic. But I¡¯m mildly impressed. It sounds like he did have more to his plan than haphazardly wandering through the desert, after all.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring this up before now?¡± Darian asks.


    For the first time, I witness a flicker of irritation pass over the prince¡¯s face. ¡°Well no one would really let me explain myself anytime I offered to help.¡±


    Oh. Yeah, I guess we didn¡¯t. Darian grimaces, glancing away; I suspect I¡¯m making a similar face.


    ¡°I have no doubt in your abilities, Prince Quell,¡± Xamireb says. ¡°Although continuously using such detection spells will certainly drain your mana. Do you have enough stores to sustain a night of travel?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be a problem,¡± Quell insists, rather fiercely. Well, fiercely for him, which is to say, somewhat like a kitten arching its back and showing its claws. ¡°Seeing through illusions is my specialty. And this is for Liz. I won¡¯t let her down.¡±


    Darian doesn¡¯t argue. Maybe she feels a bit bad about dismissing him before¡ªor perhaps she¡¯s just beginning to see the futility in trying to stop him. I can related.


    ¡°I suggest you all get as much sleep as you can manage,¡± Darian says. ¡°Tomorrow we¡¯ll be moving quickly and traveling long to make up for lost time. Nye.¡±


    I sit up as she turns to me.


    ¡°I¡¯m headed back to the site of the reapers to try to recover some of our supplies. I¡¯ll need help carrying it back.¡±


    ¡°Uh, sure,¡± I say.


    ¡°Xamireb, you¡¯re in charge,¡± she adds as she stands. The arachnoid nods sharply, and Earnest gives me a lazy parting wave.


    Outside of the firelight, my eyes adjust to the night, and I realize we¡¯re only a few minutes¡¯ walk from the rock formation where the battle had taken place. We march for several minutes in silence.


    ¡°So are you going to tell me why you really invited me out here?¡± I finally ask.


    ¡°Privacy,¡± she says without turning to look at me. ¡°I know you¡¯re more than what you and Prince Quell claim you are.¡±


    My stomach flips at the accusation. I want to object, but she¡¯s right, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.


    ¡°I won¡¯t force you to explain,¡± she says. ¡°I suspect it has something to do with the Champion we encountered that night of the royals¡¯ abductions. Whatever your reasons, I do believe that you¡¯re new to being a dhampyr. You¡¯ve displayed plenty enough naivety to convince me of that.¡±


    ¡°Er. Thanks?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you what I can,¡± she says. Ahead is the dead carcass of the star drake. I try not to pay attention to how good it smells. ¡°You¡¯ll need to practice controlling your impulses. Learn to direct the Bloodlust, though true control might never be possible. Additionally, you should work on developing your blood magic. Covertly.¡±


    I frown. ¡°Why covertly?¡±


    ¡°Certain forms of blood magic are taboo,¡± she says. ¡°Many will become distrustful of you if they learn of your affinity. It can be used to harm others in horrific ways¡ªbut it can also be directed inward and used to strengthen yourself. At the end of the day, it¡¯s still merely a subfield of Life magic. I suggest you work on developing the more constructive aspects of the arcanum.¡±


    Can I really do any of that? I mean, I have mana, I¡¯ve just been using it to feed the Crimson Aegis. But wielding magic of my own¡­ somehow that seems stranger than anything I¡¯ve done yet.


    ¡°Can you teach me?¡± I ask.


    Darian begins picking through the scattered supplies, most coated in viscera or shredded by the wyvern¡¯s claws. It seems like a lost cause to me, and as I¡¯m uneager to get near any of the lizard¡¯s blood, I continue to hang back.


    ¡°Blood magic?¡± Darian asks. ¡°No. That¡¯s not my affinity. My specialty is sand and earth.¡± She pulls a bag out of the mess and opens it, then gives a pleased grunt. ¡°You¡¯ll have to practice that on your own. Perhaps Prince Quell can tell you some theory¡ªI¡¯m sure he¡¯s read all about it. But in the meantime, this will have to do.¡± She withdraws a strange leather band, and at first I think it¡¯s a bracer. She hands it over, and I turn the device around in my hands. The leather has a design pressed into it; jagged, almost like teeth. Its purpose hits me.


    ¡°Is this a muzzle?¡± I ask, baffled.


    ¡°It¡¯s a face guard,¡± she says. ¡°Designed to keep blood from getting anywhere near your mouth. About one in a hundred dhampyrs are born with a Bloodlust. Sometimes soldiers manage to make it their whole lives without realizing they inherited it, only for it to rear its head on the battlefield. We carry extra guards around just in case.¡± She gestures for me to put it on. ¡°Wear it around your neck when not in use. You can slip it up quickly if we get into another fight. That should prevent a repeat of the last incident.¡±


    The muzzle¡ªor face guard, as Darian calls it¡ªmakes me feel a little uncomfortable. But I can see the sense in the suggestion, too. I don¡¯t want to be accidentally sent into another frenzy, and if that means wearing this during battle, I can swallow my pride.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say, hesitating before I clasp it around my neck. It rests lightly on my collarbones.


    ¡°I¡¯ll also teach you to fight, when we have the free time,¡± Darian says.


    That perks me up. ¡°That would be great!¡±


    The captain holds up her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can to help you, because you are helping to protect Prince Quell. But if I catch the slightest whiff you¡¯re experiencing a change in priorities¡ªif I ever believe you¡¯re a danger to his person¡ªI will end you. Do you understand?¡±


    Maintaining her gaze takes all the willpower I have. ¡°Understood.¡±

 Chapter 20 - Attunement

    As the sun rises and we get ready for bed, I notice a problem. There are five of us and only two tents.


    ¡°The others were destroyed by the reapers,¡± Quell says, apologetically. ¡°But they¡¯re each big enough for two people, so it shouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take first watch,¡± Darian says. ¡°That should give us enough beds for the rest of you. You¡¯ll have to group up.¡±


    Earnest and Xamireb look at each other. Quell looks at me. I groan.


    ¡°I can sleep outside,¡± I say. ¡°Throw on a sun cloak or something.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯d like to burn through the magic in your cloak and then broil in your sleep, be my guest,¡± Darian says.


    ¡°It¡¯s rather roomy,¡± Quell adds. ¡°You won¡¯t even notice I¡¯m there!¡±


    I have doubts.


    After everything else is packed up, Quell ducks into his tent, and I hesitantly follow.


    It¡¯s surprisingly dark and cool. Magic, probably. The tent itself is barely longer than Quell is tall, and not quite as wide. Unfortunately, it¡¯s also at that too-awkward-to-crawl, too-awkward-to walk-upright height, so we both have to crouch. As my eyes adjust, I can make out the form of Quell shuffling to one side of the tent, where he smooths out his sleeping mat. The other sleeping mat is immediately next to his. Roomy my ass.


    But I don¡¯t have much of a choice, and weariness is heavy in my limbs. I thump onto the bed next to him, and scoot as far away as I can manage, pushing myself up against the opposite canvas. My armor is uncomfortable to lay in, but there¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯m going to strip off a few layers with Quell right there. He also seems to opt for the all-clothes-on approach. He sets his glasses aside, and rolls onto his side, facing me. His eyes are unfocused, though; probably without dark vision he can¡¯t see me like I can see him. His jaw is working like he wants to say something.


    ¡°Nye¡­¡±


    I roll over, putting my back to him. ¡°We can chat in the morning,¡± I grumble.


    ¡°Oh,¡± he says quietly. ¡°Alright.¡±


    If he says anything else, I¡¯m not awake to remember it.


    <hr>


    Despite Captain Darian¡¯s promised watches, I¡¯m never woken up. Maybe she didn¡¯t want to bother the prince. Whatever the reason, when I next wake next, there¡¯s quiet murmurs outside, and when I open the tent¡¯s flap, it¡¯s an hour or so before sunset.


    The desert is stained orange and red in the dwindling sunlight. Harsh, yet beautiful. It¡¯s hard to imagine this is how the people here live every day, hiding away from the broiling daylight hours. Not that I blame them. Just this much sun is making me sweat, and I have to pull my goggles on to keep from squinting.


    Once breakfast is eaten and everything is packed, Darian climbs up on Poppy, and Quell sits behind her. I hesitate, wondering if there will be enough room for all of us, but Earnest gestures for me to climb up, too.


    ¡°Better get cozy,¡± he says. ¡°You don¡¯t get a personal bubble on the battlefield.¡±


    Grimacing, I climb aboard behind Quell. Earnest brings up the rear, shoving me forward and into Quell¡¯s back. I stiffen as the buffer of space between us vanishes.


    Earnest laughs from behind me, also pressing up close. ¡°This should be fun. We¡¯re all aboard, Captain!¡±


    I glance to the side. ¡°What about Xamireb?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be fine,¡± Earnest says. ¡°Not much for riding, anyway.¡±


    I lurch back into Earnest as Poppy jumps into action, then forward into Quell¡¯s back as I overcorrect. On the bright side, he¡¯s done the same, hand braced against Captain Darian. I mentally glare at Earnest: cozy is certainly one word for this.


    ¡°I believe their path curves to the south-east,¡± Xamireb says from our left. I turn to look. They¡¯re trotting along next to us, their eight legs whirling in unison like pistons of a machine. Yet even I can tell they¡¯re not at top speed. I wonder if riding on a star drake would only slow them down.


    ¡°Does that match your tracking, Prince Quell?¡± Xamireb asks.


    Quell squints ahead of us. ¡°Yes, I think I sense something. I¡¯ll let you know if the trail changes at all.¡±


    Xamireb dips their head, which I guess is as close as you can get to a bow while running. ¡°The animals are being evasive. I will check back for verification if I lose it.¡± And with that, they peel off, racing ahead of the drake as they skitter over the dunes like¡ªwell¡ªa spider.


    ¡°Animals?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Their affinity is Life arcana,¡± Earnest says. ¡°Specifically to do with fauna. They can speak with them on a rudimentary level, and even command any that are especially simple. Helps with tracking¡ªas long as they haven¡¯t already forgotten the band of people that passed them by.¡±


    That doesn¡¯t sound like the most reliable tracking method. But I guess Captain Darian trusts their ability enough to stake the princess¡¯s fate on it.


    It gets monotonous from there. There¡¯s nothing to do but talk while we ride, a task which Earnest and Quell seem more than happy to lead. They talk about anything and everything, and yet nothing of importance. An interesting rock formation, or an image they see in the night clouds, or the first food they¡¯ll have when they get back to a real city and are no longer living on rations. I wonder how long they¡¯ve been out there.


    ¡°You see those stars?¡± Quell points to the sky, tracing out a constellation. ¡°That one¡¯s Widengra¡¯s ax, they say. It always points from west to east, because he was trying to cleave the night sky in two to bring out the sun, but instead struck the moon, cutting it in half. That¡¯s why there¡¯s two of them.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow. ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±


    He shrugs. ¡°In case you need to navigate. See? The head points east and the handle points west.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I squint up at the stars, tracing the shape he¡¯d identified. That¡¯s pretty useful, actually. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°The other half of the year you can use Yua Tin¡¯s shroud,¡± Quell continues. ¡°It¡¯s closer to the north horizon, but it creates a T shape you can use to orient yourself. They¡¯re the god of starlight, after all. Always there to provide us light, even on the darkest of nights.¡±


    Huh. Maybe all those book smarts can be put to some practical use after all.


    Then Quell proceeds to go off on a significantly less useful tangent about godly myths involving a copious amount of shapeshifting and questionable copulation.


    ¡°What about the demigods,¡± I say, thinking of Zeyaelid. ¡°Are they, like, half gods? The kids of gods and mortals?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no.¡± Quell laughs. ¡°Gods don¡¯t have children. Can you imagine how many demigods there would be? The gods weren¡¯t born, they can¡¯t procreate, and they can¡¯t die. They simply¡­ are, like the sun and the stars. Zeyaelid is one of Lorata¡¯s champions, which is what makes her a demigod. Sometimes, gods select mortals upon which to bestow a fraction of their power. The Champion acts in the god¡¯s name here in the mortal realm and helps carry out their will. In exchange for their service, they receive amazing powers, and can live far longer than any mortal should. Many devotees spend their whole life hoping to catch the attention of a god and become their Champion. Very few obtain it.¡±


    I frown, chewing on all of this. Quell seems to think highly of the pantheon. Yet, what kind of god kidnaps people? Even if the people in question are unexpected visitors from another world. Okay, that might explain it actually.


    ¡°What¡¯s Lorata like?¡± I ask.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Behind me, Earnest laughs. ¡°You really aren¡¯t from around here, are you?¡±


    ¡°Lorata¡¯s the head of the pantheon,¡± Quell explains. Oh. Whoops. I guess that explains Earnest¡¯s reaction. ¡°The Seer. She guides the other gods with her light and wisdom. It¡¯s said that thousands of years ago the heavens were in disarray, and their discord caused destruction and devastation here in the mortal realm. It was Lorata who finally united the gods and restored order to the world. She¡¯s been maintaining that peace ever since.¡±


    She doesn¡¯t sound like the kidnapping type. Maybe she can even be reasoned with. Surely, someone who is known for wisdom and peace would be willing to talk things out. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have hid from Zeyaelid that night. I wonder where Hans is now? What Lorata might want with him?


    Perhaps a mystery I¡¯ll never learn the answer to.


    We only break up the ride for a brief moonlit lunch, and even then only long enough to dig the food out of Poppy¡¯s side bags. Darian and I chew on some smoked wyvern meat, while the others share jerky, crusty bread, bruised fruit, and some sort of green strips of chopped vegetable that I strongly suspect to be the spoils of a certain murderous cactus. Then, it¡¯s more riding.


    Quell and Xamireb often exchange information on the invisible trail they¡¯re following, double checking their heading against each other. At first I listen in, curious about the magic they¡¯re discussing, but it quickly becomes boring and monotonous reports on geography that mean nothing to me.


    Darian¡¯s words from the night before come back to me, suggesting I speak to Quell about my blood magic. I suppose I could do that¡ªI¡¯m sure he¡¯d love to go off on a tangent about obscure magic. But I have another source I can poke at for information, first.


    Echo, I think. What do you know about blood affinities?


    [A magical affinity for blood falls within the school of Life arcana,] Echo says. [As with all fields of magic, the element in question can be manipulated either via spells or Attunement. A specific form of biomancy, applications can range from using one¡¯s own blood as a weapon, to controlling the movements in others.]


    Well that sounds horrific. Unsurprising why it¡¯s not a popular magical affinity to advertise. Knowing I could be capable of such things chills me. Not that I would want such powers.


    But if it came down to fighting for my life, could its use be justified? Can I afford to ignore such a potentially powerful magic just because I find the idea unsavory? What if ¨¢lvaro¡¯s life was on the line.


    Yes. Without question: I¡¯d do it for him.


    What are some other applications? I ask Echo. Anything more along the self-defense route?


    [Affirmative. Advanced hemomancers can temporarily withstand blows via precise control over their own blood just beneath the area of impact. Users may also have the ability to make their wounds scab more quickly, stemming blood loss.]


    Now that sounds pretty useful. Can I do that? I ask Echo. Do I know those spells? Or can I learn them?


    [The user currently has no innate spells.]


    Aw, darn.


    [However, spells may be unlocked upon Attunement of the target element.]


    That gives me pause. You mean Attune blood? Someone else¡¯s?


    [Any blood may be targeted for Attunement, so long as it is not already Attuned to a different mage, and the user is in direct contact with said volume.]


    I grimace. I have to be touching it? This just gets better and better. Obviously I¡¯m not going to go stick my hand into the dead carcass of an animal somewhere and take its blood. I mean, maybe that wouldn¡¯t have been a terrible idea if I¡¯d known about this yesterday and had time to spend with one of the dead reapers, but I still find the idea highly unappealing.


    Of course, Echo has made it clear that I don¡¯t have to work with other people¡¯s blood. I can Attune my own, right? I ask.


    [Affirmative.]


    That¡¯s probably how you¡¯re able to do all those defensive techniques she mentioned¡ªand probably how you can turn your blood into a weapon to be used offensively, too.


    It¡¯s creepy. It¡¯s very, very creepy. But if this is the magic I have to work with, then ignoring it would be a handicap, and I¡¯m not the type to turn down an advantage when I¡¯m offered one.


    How do I Attune my blood? I ask.


    [Attunement is achieved through a meditative state where the user attempts to achieve resonance while in direct contact with the target element.]


    Being in direct contact with the target element is not going to be an issue.


    [The quantity of element one is able to Attune is dependent upon the mana expended.]


    That might be more of an issue. I have fifty mana, according to my stats. How much will that get me?


    [Fifty ounces.]


    I frown. Is that a lot? It doesn¡¯t sound like much. Wait, how much blood does a person even have in their body? I have no idea. They don¡¯t teach you this shit in school.


    Not that it really matters: I¡¯m limited to fifty ounces, so that¡¯s what I¡¯ll work with.


    Okay. Now how does this work? Echo said it was some kind of meditation. I close my eyes and focus inward. Is this right? Is this how it¡¯s supposed to go?


    The rhythm of the star drake is monotonous and steady. I can feel every time one of her feet pounds against the sand, drumming through my body like a heartbeat. Like the ocean tide. And gradually, I think I can feel a similar tide moving through my body, ebbing and flowing.


    My mind drifts, thoughts becoming abstract. My consciousness seems to swirl through my body, carried along like a leaf on a stream. There¡¯s a cycle here. A metaphor for something bigger than me. Blood magic isn¡¯t evil¡ªit¡¯s not a repulsive element to be ashamed of. It¡¯s Life. It¡¯s healing. It¡¯s warm, and strong¡ªthe will to live incarnate. It¡¯s a beautiful thing. It¡¯s me.


    ¡°...Nye?¡±


    A hand squeezes my shoulder, and I jerk upright, blinking through disorientation, my mind rousing slowly as if from sleep.


    [Attunement complete.]


    Quell¡¯s looking at me, his face pinched in concern. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± I glance around, surprised to find we¡¯ve stopped. Darian and Earnest have already dismounted, and Xamireb is heading in from the desert. Warm colors stripe the sky, chasing the stars away.


    ¡°Were you asleep?¡± Quell asks, perplexed. ¡°Everyone got down but you. But you stayed upright. Can you sleep sitting upright? Actually, that¡¯s kind of impressive.¡±


    I climb down from Poppy¡¯s back. ¡°I was trying to do an Attunement.¡± And from what Echo said, I think it worked.


    ¡°Attunement?¡± Quell repeats with a frown. He slides down after me. ¡°How can you¡­¡± His eyebrows shoot up. ¡°Oh! Oh. Wow. I¡¯d heard it was possible for blood affinities, but I¡¯ve never met anyone who¡¯s done it. What¡¯s that like?¡±


    I focus on my body, try to focus inside my body, and to my surprise, I can. I get the distinct impression that if I wanted to, I could reach inside myself and move the blood there any way I like. I decide not to do that.


    It¡¯s a strange sensation, being able to sense myself this way. I wonder what it will feel like when I¡¯m Attuned with all of my blood.


    ¡°It¡¯s weird,¡± I say shortly, grabbing a tent roll from the star drakes back and beginning to untie it. ¡°What do you mean you heard it was possible? Should it not be?¡±


    ¡°Well, not all magical affinities can be Attuned,¡± Quell says. ¡°The affinity has to be to something physical¡ªor a direct magic source. Like, I have illusion magic. There¡¯s nothing for me to touch in order to manipulate an illusion: I just have to use my mana to manifest it. And even some elements that are physical are impossible or impractical to Attune. Like, fire or lightning, for instance. You can¡¯t exactly meditate while touching either of those for an extended period of time. And even if you did, how would you hold onto the bit you Attuned? Once that flame goes out, that¡¯s it: it¡¯s gone, and now you¡¯ve got to start over and Attune some more. Seems like a bit of a waste, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    I¡¯ve clearly dug into some special interest of his, because he doesn¡¯t appear anywhere near being done. I drop the tent roll to the desert floor and then grab the next bundle that needs unpacking.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be curious to see how your blood Attunement works,¡± he says, his eyes lighting up. ¡°How long do you think it will last? Will it need to be renewed occasionally as your body creates new blood? Or is it a ¡®one and done¡¯ type of thing? Fascinating. But it¡¯s good to hear you were able to manage it; that will come in handy in a pinch.¡±


    I tip my head. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It takes mana to cast my illusions spells,¡± Quell says as he paces near the firepit Darian is outlining. And I mean that literally: I watch in fascination as she draws a circle in the sand, fills it with all sorts of complex lines and squiggles, and then holds her hand above the circle. Both her palms and the lines of the circle illuminate with orange light; the sand moves, reshaping itself into a fire pit. Xamireb brings over an armful of dried shrubs and begins to set them up for a fire.


    ¡°It takes mana to do any kind of magic,¡± Quell continues. While he lectures, oblivious to the work others are doing, I start to help Earnest set up the tents. ¡°Including Attuning something. But once you have Attuned something, that object is part of you; you can control it without spending any more mana. At least, until it¡¯s destroyed, or you lose it. So that¡¯s why having something Attuned is good in a pinch. It means you¡¯re not defenseless, even if you¡¯re out of mana.¡±


    ¡°Weapons work just as well for that, Prince Quell,¡± Darian says. ¡°And a sword never runs out of mana.¡±


    Quell wrinkles his nose. ¡°It¡¯s just so crude.¡±


    I glance at him skeptically. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if it keeps you alive.¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Darian says. ¡°Now, my prince, if you wouldn¡¯t mind assisting with dinner preparations¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± he says, as if he only now noticed the campsite unfolding around him. ¡°Sure! Of course.¡±


    Dinner is more of the wyvern meat, warmed by the fire and served on slates of stone Darian conjures from the sand. It was good when I was starving, but I suspect the novelty will soon wear off.


    Earnest also grumbles about the food. ¡°I can¡¯t wait until we can get our hands on something not dried, smoked, or salted.¡±


    ¡°That might be sooner than you think,¡± Xamireb says. ¡°If my heading is right, we¡¯re a week out from The Coil.¡±


    Earnest frowns. ¡°You think they¡¯re taking the princess there?¡±


    ¡°If they needed to resupply, it¡¯s the closest neutral city,¡± Darian says. She also doesn¡¯t look pleased. ¡°They might be able to find faster steeds there, too.¡±


    ¡°I will almost certainly lose track of them in a city,¡± Xamireb adds. ¡°At, least, the way I¡¯m capable of tracking them.¡± They look to Quell.


    ¡°I might lose Liz¡¯s trail, too,¡± he admits. ¡°It would be tough to drop illusions in an area with so much foot traffic, which could easily be disrupted or dispelled within minutes.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll need to go fast,¡± Darian says. ¡°Rest today. After that, we¡¯ll rise early and rest late until we find the princess or arrive at The Coil¡ªwhichever comes first. For the Moonfall agents to be diverting to a city instead of heading straight for home, they may be desperate, and this might be our best chance at catching up. Be ready for anything.¡±


    The meal passes in uneasy silence, everyone buried in their own thoughts. The firelight glints off Quell''s glasses as he stares into the flames with grim determination. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s scared for his sister and eager for this to be over. Hopefully, someday soon, I¡¯ll likewise be closing in on my brother.

 Chapter 21 - A Terrifying Demon Shield Helps with Appearances

    The next night passes in a surreal blur of heat and the rhythmic drumming of Poppy¡¯s footfalls as we race across the desert. The loose sand begins to become more firm, gradually giving way to cracked, dry clay. I spend the hours riding working on Attuning more of my blood. Surprisingly, it only takes two more of these Attunement sessions before I¡¯m done. We only have about a hundred and fifty ounces of blood in us¡ªwho knew?


    Alright, Echo, I think. Now that I¡¯ve got all this Attuned blood, what spells can I do with it?


    [Arcana requirements met for the following abilities: Coagulate, Stabilize, Hemic Hardening.]


    I get Echo to explain them all. The first two are intuitive. Coagulate helps me rapidly scab over wounds, and Stabilize allows me to regulate my blood pressure; both great spells for not bleeding out. Hemic Hardening is more interesting.


    [Hemic Hardening: the ability to lock the shape of a quantity of Attuned blood in place. While in effect, the blood is in a stasis which allows it to be treated as a single solid mass. Applications for this ability may include reinforcing the durability of one¡¯s body, or the formation of external weapons or tools.]


    Aha! That¡¯s what I¡¯d been looking for. Now I can make a sword out of my own blood! Theoretically. I wonder how much blood it would take to make a sword? Actually, on second thought, maybe I should start small and work my way up.


    We stop to make camp an hour after sunrise. Already the heat burns painfully against my skin and the bright light threatens to pull tears from my eyes. I¡¯d never gotten a sunburn as a human; a blessing I am sorely missing now. I pull on the goggles Quell gave me, and soon Darian and Xamireb are doing the same. Meanwhile, Earnest has removed the ones he wears at night to help see in the dark. Quell, with his magic-ed glasses, is the only one who doesn¡¯t have to make a wardrobe adjustment.


    I help unpack the campsite, and Quell obliviously writes in a journal as everyone else works around him. Xamireb gathers some brush for a fire, and Earnest pulls water from the air for drinking and cooking.


    I can¡¯t help but stare. He swirls a hand through the air, glowing a faint white-blue shade, and moisture begins to form at his fingertips. That¡¯s quite the handy ability to have in the middle of a desert¡ªand it explains why Darian was more worried about food than water after losing both to the wyverns. Earnest fills several of our water skins, then stops to conjure a final orb of water that he sets aside in a stone bowl.


    Rolling up his pants on his right leg, I¡¯m met with an interesting sight. The leg looks wooden, though there¡¯s symbols and spell circles carved in its surface. It has moving parts, almost like a piston, though I¡¯ve never seen one made of wood before.


    Earnest takes the water and feeds it into the grooves in the false leg, and the runes in its surface begin to glow brighter. He catches my eye.


    ¡°Curious?¡± he asks.


    I glance away, embarrassed to have been caught staring. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°No need to be,¡± he says. ¡°Water-based prosthetics aren¡¯t your everyday model.¡±


    I can¡¯t help but take another look. ¡°How does it work?¡±


    ¡°Hydraulics,¡± he says, turning his leg to the side so I can get a better view of the piston-like component I¡¯d seen. ¡°Runs on water arcana¡ªand water, of course. Specially made so I could power it myself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± I say. What other kinds of prosthetics do they have in this world? How could things like this have helped people back on Earth?


    He winks, then tips his head toward Darian. ¡°Helps to know someone in the royal guard.¡±


    ¡°What did you use before?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Before?¡±


    ¡°Before you knew Captain Darian,¡± I clarify.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t need one before.¡± He slaps a hand on his knee. ¡°Got this beautiful piece of art from a mission gone sideways. Lucky I made it back having only lost a leg.¡±


    Heat creeps up the back of my neck. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t know. That was a rude question.¡±


    He tips his head at me, smiling. ¡°Do I look heartbroken? Don¡¯t apologize for curiosity. Sure, it¡¯s inconvenient, and it hurt like the Abyss when it happened. But after that, life goes on. And I certainly wasn¡¯t going to let it stop me from getting back in the field.¡±


    ¡°No matter how hard I tried to shake him,¡± Xamireb adds with a sigh, stepping into camp. ¡°I thought for sure I¡¯d be rid of my brother once he was on medical leave, but he¡¯s too stubborn for his own good.¡±


    ¡°They say that,¡± Earnest says, ¡°but guess who was wailing at my bedside after the surgery?¡±


    Xamireb scowls. ¡°That is a significant overstatement.¡±


    Earnest leans in conspiratorially. ¡°They offered to give me one of their legs.¡±


    ¡°Humans don¡¯t have many to spare!¡± Xamireb objects. They fold their eight spider limbs beneath them as they sit down. ¡°Honestly I don¡¯t know how you do it with just the two¡ªit¡¯s so unstable.¡±


    I still desperately need to know how these two can be twins.


    After dinner, as the rest are beginning to clean up, Darian beckons me over. Curious, I follow her out of our campsite. The sun is only heading higher, and I¡¯ve already sweating through every layer of my clothes. I hope this won¡¯t be long.


    ¡°Do you need something?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Summon the demon shield,¡± Darian says.


    Well that certainly wasn¡¯t what I was expecting. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You wanted training, didn¡¯t you?¡± she asks. ¡°Bring out your shield. I¡¯ll teach you the basics.¡±


    I perk up at this. Combat training is exactly what I¡¯ve been wanting. But I¡¯m not as thrilled about it being with the shield that tries to drink my blood every time I summon it. Plus, it¡¯s damn hot out. I¡¯d rather do this at night.


    ¡°Why not a sword?¡± I ask. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t training with that be better for combat?¡±


    ¡°Do you know how to use a sword?¡± she asks.


    I grimace. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how to use your magic yet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working on it.¡±


    ¡°Becoming proficient with a weapon takes years,¡± Darian says. ¡°If we get into a fight in the next couple weeks, you need to be prepared to fend for yourself with the tools you have at your disposal. This Crimson Aegis is magical¡ªyou¡¯ll achieve far more with it than a mundane weapon.¡±


    I¡¯m not going to deny that she¡¯s right.


    I just really wanted to learn how to fight with a sword.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I sigh, holding out my arm. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure it knows how to not be fighting. Just¡­ be careful. It¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    Darian snorts. ¡°If I can¡¯t handle an amateur with a magical artifact, I don¡¯t deserve to be Captain.¡±


    I try not to take offense to that as I summon the Aegis. The shield appears before me, bands of magic instantly snapping around my forearm.


    Alarm jolts through my mind as the Crimson Aegis is startled by its abrupt change in surroundings. Oh. Finally! It thought I had died! That was the only reason it could think of for such an esteemed and magnificent shield to be left abandoned in the dark nothing for so long.


    It¡¯s only been two days, I think.


    Such an excruciating period of time! It can¡¯t believe I would relegate it to such indignity. How could it be deserving of this humiliation and neglect? What if I had died without its help, and then it had become trapped there, without anyone to admire it or any blood to consume! Not that it was in any danger, of course. It is the mighty Crimson Aegis, after all! But¡ª


    Sorry I stuffed you in storage. I roll my eyes. Now can we get to the training?


    Training? The Crimson Aegis doesn¡¯t understand.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    I focus on Darian, drawing the Aegis¡¯s attention her way as well. We¡¯re going to practice fight, so if you could¡ª


    OH! Fighting! Why didn¡¯t I say so? Let¡¯s destroy the opponent and grind their bones into dust!


    Practice fight, I emphasize. It¡¯s not a real fight. Probably she¡¯ll just be pointing out footwork and how to hold a shield properly, or something.


    Darian unclasps her belt and pulls her sheathed sword free. Instead of removing it from its scabbard, however, she loops the sword belt around the hilt, effectively preventing the blade from pulling free.


    I raise a skeptical eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re not even going to draw your sword?¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯m not trying to actually get you killed.¡± She sinks into a fighting stance. ¡°Guard up.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I take a step back, instinctively raising the Aegis. ¡°What do you¡ª¡±


    Darian stabs forward, and I clumsily deflect the blow, stumbling to the side.


    ¡°Give me a second to prepare, first!¡± I object.


    She swings her blade again, jarring my arms as it makes contact. ¡°The enemy won¡¯t.¡±


    I try to back away but she pursues me just as fast. ¡°You¡¯re not even teaching me anything,¡± I cry. ¡°This isn¡¯t training!¡±


    ¡°Sparring is training.¡± Darian lunges at me again.


    Once more I retreat, ducking behind the Aegis as I weather her blows. I activate a Repel and an Endure, but keep Devour out of this: I want to survive this sparring session, not eat Darian¡¯s sword or dissolve her hand. The power behind her strikes recedes into light taps. I plant my feet, then push back. Now, I¡¯m on the offensive.


    Darian stumbles as I surge forward. She falls to the side and¡ª


    Her sword is at my throat. I freeze.


    ¡°Dead,¡± she says.


    She hadn¡¯t stumbled or fallen¡ªthat had been a feint to get around my guard. And I¡¯d walked right into it.


    What! The Aegis is aghast. Tricks! Deception! That is no victory. We have not lost! I must get better at wielding the Aegis so its power can be properly exhibited. I am displaying terrible skill!


    If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d think Darian just bruised its pride.


    The captain lowers her sword and steps back. ¡°Again.¡±


    ¡°What, not going to give me pointers?¡± I ask, warily retreating a step.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see if you learn, first,¡± Darian says. ¡°Then you get pointers.¡±


    Once more she attacks, and I retreat, hiding behind the Aegis as I deflect her blows. She again feints to the side, but this time I turn to meet her. Looks like I can be ta¡ª


    The ground beneath my feet lurches to the side, and I fall on my back, hard. A sword appears at my throat once more.


    ¡°Dead.¡±


    ¡°Magic¡¯s cheating,¡± I grunt, pushing myself up as she withdraws her weapon. The Aegis heartily agrees, conveniently ignoring the fact that it¡¯s basically entirely made of magic.


    ¡°When it¡¯s life or death, you need to use all tools at your disposal,¡± Darian says. ¡°You won¡¯t know what sort of magic your enemy might be wielding, so you need to prepare for anything.¡±


    Except, I might know, actually. Echo, can you Check what affinities Darian has? I ask.


    [Affinity: stone.]


    Perfect. I can use that when I fight other people, too. As long as I remember to Check that stat.


    Of course, knowing what I¡¯m up against doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll know how to beat them.


    ¡°Again.¡± Darian raises her sword, darting forward.


    ¡°Repel!¡±


    The stored kinetic energy from all her previous attacks expels in an instant. The shockwave catches Darian off guard, knocking her from her feet.


    HAH! Victorious! We have won the battle! Pathetic, that anyone thinks they might be able to stand against the great and indomitable Crimson Aegis!


    The shield continues to gloat as Darian climbs to her feet.


    ¡°Clever,¡± she says. ¡°Were you planning that from the start?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get a chance to use it the first match,¡± I admit. ¡°And once I realized we¡¯d be in several fights, I figured I¡¯d store up at least another round¡¯s worth of energy. Then loose it when it would be least expected.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Darian regards me. ¡°You¡¯re not as dumb as you look.¡±


    I squint. ¡°Thanks?¡±


    ¡°But you should have used the opportunity to finish the fight,¡± Darian continues. ¡°Otherwise you¡¯ve only bought yourself a few seconds.¡±


    The Crimson Aegis does not like that I am receiving advice on how to use it. What do they know?! Only the Aegis can teach people how to wield it to its fullest potential.


    Actually, in this instance, I think I agree with the shield. ¡°I don¡¯t think Repel is generally great as an offensive attack,¡± I say. ¡°If it knocks people back, and only stuns them for a few seconds, it would take those seconds to pursue them and close the gap to continue the fight. I think it¡¯s better as a defensive move. Clear the area. Make an opening. Let allies follow up with quicker attacks of their own.¡± Or the Crimson Aegis¡ªbut I¡¯m not about to let it be murdery while fighting Darian.


    ¡°Good instincts,¡± Darian says. ¡°And it plays to your strengths. If you continue to focus on your defensive skills and abilities, you have the potential to become the most valuable member of your team. There¡¯s always plenty of back-line mages and front-line swordsmen; less frequent to find someone who can absorb and redirect enemy¡¯s attacks, protecting your allies while simultaneously creating opportunities to counterstrike.¡±


    A tank, I realize. The front-line damage absorbers had never been my favorite role to play in video games, but I guess I¡¯m not being given a choice in this case. Gotta make do with what I¡¯ve got.


    ¡°This might not be the best way to train, then,¡± I say. ¡°If my strength will be working in a group, I should be practicing that.¡±


    ¡°Whether you¡¯re in a group or not, you¡¯ll still need to survive anything that comes your way,¡± Darian says. ¡°Again.¡±


    We continue to spar. It doesn¡¯t feel like Darian is going easy on me, but each match I manage to last a little bit longer before she gets me. I¡¯m even starting to feel a little confident.


    And then, I mess up.


    [Mana extinguished,] Echo says. [Repel: expired. Endure: expired.]


    Uh, oh.


    Darian¡¯s next strike clangs against the shield and reverberates through my arm in a numbing jolt. I stumble back, struggling to keep the Aegis raised as she strikes again. This is a lot harder when I¡¯m feeling the real force of each impact.


    Darian seems to have noticed, too. She stabs to the left, and I turn the shield to block¡ªthen she kicks, hooking her foot around to the right to slam into the Aegis from the side. Since I¡¯d been leaning the opposite direction, I have no opportunity to brace myself. The blow sends the shield¨Cand me¡ªcrashing to the ground. I land on top of the Aegis, twisting my arm at an uncomfortable angle and pinning the shield beneath me. As I struggle to untangle myself, Darian comes after me, unrelenting. Another loss. She raises her sword, and her mouth opens, ready to utter another ¡°Dead¡± I¡¯m sure.


    This time, when she swings the sword down, instead of letting it come to a rest in front of my neck, I snap my arm up, meeting the sword.


    Hemic Hardening! I think.


    My arm tenses up¡ªmy skin feels tight. Darian strikes my arm before she has a chance to stay her blade.


    [2 points of Bludgeoning damage sustained.]


    She whips her sword back a moment later, alarmed.


    ¡°Careful!¡± she snaps. ¡°It may be sheathed, but it can still do damage. And I don¡¯t want you getting in the habit of treating all swords like they¡¯re dull. Are you injured?¡±


    ¡°A little.¡± I turn my arm over, checking it. There¡¯s a rip in my sleeve where her sword struck; beneath it, my arm has an abrasion, like a road rash, but it¡¯s not bleeding.


    ¡°Weird,¡± I mutter, staring at it.


    Darian sheaths her sword, crouching down next to me and taking my arm. It feels clunky and stiff in her grasp, sort of like it¡¯s frozen in place, halfway bent.


    ¡°This is your blood affinity?¡± she asks.


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s something called Hemic Hardening,¡± I tell her. ¡°It sort of freezes the blood in place. Pretty useful.¡±


    I mentally let go of the blood, willing the Hemic Hardening to stop so I can turn my arm to see at a better angle.


    [Ability ended,] Echo reports.


    [Status effect: Blood loss]


    ¡°Oh, shit.¡±


    That¡¯s when it finally starts bleeding.


    The Aegis perks up. Blood? Can it have some?


    Darian swears as well. ¡°Let me get a bandage. Hold on.¡±


    The smell hits me, sweet and coppery, causing my mouth to water. I¡¯m overcome with a sudden and disturbing urge to lick my wound. I turn my head aside, leaning back.


    ¡°I, uh, won¡¯t get Bloodlust if I drink my own blood, will I?¡± I ask.


    ¡°What?¡± Darian pulls a roll of gauze out of her pack. ¡°No, of course not. Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Imagine biting your own tongue causing a Bloodlust. Hah!¡± She tears a strip away with her teeth. ¡°Kids wouldn¡¯t make it out of daycare.¡±


    That¡¯s a relief at least.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem bothered by the smell,¡± I note.


    She snorts. ¡°Of course I¡¯m bothered. I¡¯ve just learned not to show it. Now hold out your arm.¡±


    I start to offer it to her, then stop. ¡°Actually, I want to try something first.¡±


    Echo had mentioned two other applications for my blood Attunement. I focus on the cut, willing the Coagulation ability into effect next. My skin prickles around the cut. And then, sure enough, the injury begins to gum up.


    ¡°Hm.¡± Darian takes my arm anyway, using the bandage to wipe off the blood that had dripped down my arm. ¡°Convenient.¡±


    The Aegis is a little put out that the blood has stopped and it didn¡¯t get any.


    ¡°Do you think I could use it as a weapon?¡± I wonder, flexing my arm. ¡°Like, if I could pull the blood from my arm and then harden it into a blade or something.¡± I try to picture myself with the Aegis in one hand and a blood sword in the other. It¡¯s kind of badass.


    Darian tucks the bloody bandage away. ¡°Sounds like a great way to make yourself pass out.¡±


    ¡°I could always pull the blood back into me when I¡¯m done,¡± I say.


    ¡°What? No!¡± Darian flicks me hard on my forehead.


    ¡°Ow!¡± I flinch back. ¡°What was that for?¡±


    ¡°Being an idiot,¡± she say. ¡°Are you trying to kill yourself?¡±


    I frown. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Hemomancy is dangerous,¡± Darian says. ¡°You¡¯ve just witnessed that yourself. Sure, you can harden the blood beneath your skin to block a blow¡ªbut that doesn¡¯t stop your skin from getting cut. What happens when you pass out with all those gashes on your body? What happens if you fight with a blade of blood, and then pull that back into your veins, along with all the grit that¡¯s stuck to it? How would you handle sand in your arteries? Flecks of metal in your heart?¡±


    She paints a very distinct picture, and the scenarios turn my stomach as I imagine experiencing each one myself. ¡°Point taken,¡± I say.


    Darian sighs, her frown softening. ¡°Be careful. You¡¯ve inherited a sharp sword, but it¡¯s double-edged. Practice with it until you can instinctively use it safely. Rely on it only as a last resort.¡± She stands up, and offers me a hand. ¡°That¡¯s enough practice for the day.¡±


    I clasp her arm, allowing her to pull me to my feet.


    ¡°Heal up.¡± She nods to my arm. ¡°See if you can finish scabbing it over by tomorrow. We¡¯ll practice again then.¡±


    Given my passive healing, I know it will be healed by then; but better to let people assume that ability is due to my blood Attunement than this entirely different set of magic I have access to. If you can call Echo and Role Requirements and all these stats ¡°magic.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and leave your shield out, too,¡± Darian adds, right as I was preparing to add it back to my Inventory.


    The Aegis hears this last thought and is dismayed.


    ¡°Why?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Carrying it around will help you get used to its weight,¡± she says. ¡°Build your endurance. And when we get into town, it will help with appearances.¡±


    ¡°A terrifying demon shield helps with appearances?¡± I ask, skeptical.


    ¡°It does,¡± she says. ¡°We¡¯re not there to make friends, and that shield is intimidating. Sometimes that can be enough of a deterrent to stop an altercation before it happens.¡±


    I give the Aegis a sideways glance. I¡¯m not especially looking forward to carrying it around at all times¡ªespecially considering that grants it 24/7 access to monologue in my head. But if it helps stop fights, and if it helps me get stronger faster, then I¡¯m willing to give it a shot.


    The Crimson Aegis preens. Of course its very appearance would send foes fleeing! All should quake in its presence, aware of their inherent inferiority!


    I sigh. It¡¯s got to wear itself out with all that bragging at some point, right?


    The Crimson Aegis is never worn out! It is impervious to fatigue.


    Yeah, I know. Wishful thinking.

 Chapter 22 - Compromise

    The Aegis is delighted by Darian¡¯s order to leave the shield outside my Inventory. It¡¯s equally aghast when it learns there¡¯s this thing called sleep I have to do.


    You can¡¯t stay latched to my arm while I¡¯m asleep, I tell it. Hell, you can¡¯t even fit into the tent.


    The Aegis is not convinced. But I would remain so much more protected this way! It will ensure no one will get anywhere near me while I remain prone and pathetic and comatose.


    It¡¯s not a coma, it¡¯s¡ªyou know what, never mind. I sigh, rubbing my temple. Quell is already inside and getting ready for bed. Just let go of me. I know you can. You don¡¯t need to be latched to me 24/7.


    The Aegis, of course, is quite offended. It doesn¡¯t need to be latched to me. It does not need anything. It is mighty and powerful and above all base instincts!


    Great, then let go of my arm, I say.


    The Aegis still hesitates. It doesn¡¯t respond to me, exactly, but I can feel it radiating a faint uncertainty. Mentally, I focus on that nugget of concern, and its feelings are brought into focus. It¡¯s worried that if it lets go, it might get left behind. It was left behind for a long, long time, buried beneath the sand.


    Huh. I guess it¡¯s not entirely as self-confident as it acts. Even the shield is scared of being abandoned. Maybe that¡¯s why it¡¯s so clingy.


    Because I know it doesn¡¯t have to cling to me. I remember throwing it when I was in my first Bloodlust. It was like the shield and I were more in sync then: of one will, if not one mind. Maybe that¡¯s why it trusted me enough to let go back then. But right now, our priorities couldn¡¯t be more different, and it must be able to tell that.


    I won¡¯t leave you, I tell the shield. I just need to sleep for a few hours. Look, I¡¯ll stick you in the ground right outside the tent flap, so I can¡¯t leave without grabbing you. How¡¯s that?


    The Aegis finds this somewhat assuring, but still wonders if it¡¯s really necessary. I would be so much more safe and protected with it on my arm!


    Now we¡¯re just going in circles. Well, I guess you¡¯ve left me no choice, I think with an exaggerated sigh. I¡¯ll just have to add you back to my¡ª


    No wait!


    The red bands of light dissolve, and the shield drops to the ground, narrowly avoiding crushing my foot. I grab its lip before it can tip over, then rub my freed forearm in relief. See? This isn¡¯t so bad.


    The Aegis grumbles. It does not like the dark empty place. There is nothing to fight there! And no one to talk to. Leaving my side is slightly better than being nowhere, but it¡¯s also not an ideal scenario. However, even with such a handicap, the Aegis will ensure I am protected. It will not fall to anything!


    Except gravity, I think. I lift up the shield and then slam it into the ground, burying its base until it stands upright. Then I hesitantly let go, and while I feel it struggling with the impulse to lash out with its magic, it doesn¡¯t grab me. Hey, progress.


    It always is making progress, the Aegis thinks as I crawl into the tent. Nothing can ever hinder it!


    Aegis, shut up. I collapse onto my bed mat. I need to sleep.


    Yes, the Aegis agrees. It will keep vigilant watch while I am senseless and torpid.


    Shhh. I squeeze my eyes shut. Stop thinking.


    The Aegis is the best at not thinking. It can be entirely thoughtless. Completely silent. Devoid of all cognition and strategic¡ªwhat¡¯s that! Oh, it¡¯s a cloud. But if that cloud gets too close, it will rue the day it dared encroach on the Crimson Aegis.


    I groan, uselessly stuffing a finger into my ear. It¡¯s going to be a long night.


    <hr>


    I do, eventually, fall asleep, then when I wake I find the shield still mumbling to itself about potential threats in the shape of tumbleweeds and wild rabbits. As we eat breakfast and prepare for the next ride, its constant threat assessment becomes background noise.


    The star drake provides another unexpected challenge. As everyone finishes packing up camp, I pause before the lizard. The Aegis is back to riding on my arm, but once we¡¯re racing through the desert, I¡¯m worried it will catch the wind like a kite and rip my shoulder from its socket.


    Can you grab onto my back while we¡¯re riding? I ask the Aegis. We can switch back to the arm when I dismount.


    The Aegis is unsure about this. Resting on my back sounds a lot less useful if something challenges us to a fight.


    Well, if it¡¯s too much for you to handle, you don¡¯t have to, I add.


    Aegis roils with affront. What?! Too much to handle? Absurd. It can easily maneuver to a more optimal position. Trivial!


    The red light that¡¯s lashed around my arm squirms, crawling its way unsettlingly up my arm, over my armor, and around my shoulder. Then I feel a pressure across my chest and a weight settles against my back.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Thanks, I think. Much better.


    The shield beams. Such an insignificantly easy act is undeserving of gratitude.


    ¡­Though if I wanted to show it even more gratitude, it wouldn¡¯t object.


    I shake my head with a laugh. ¡°I¡¯ll be riding in back today,¡± I tell the others. Given the new position of my oversized shield, no one argues, though Quell does strangely seem a little disappointed.


    When we head out that evening, I have to adjust the shield again to hang sideways across my back, so I¡¯m actually able to sit on the star drake. And just as I¡¯d feared, the top and bottom edge catch the wind a bit. But I can counter this by leaning in, and the shield even blocks the last hour of sunlight, providing some extra shade. Maybe working with the Aegis isn¡¯t so bad after all. The constant mental commentary is slightly distracting, but I can¡¯t deny that it is a powerful, useful weapon.


    The Aegis preens at the compliments. Of course! Was there ever any doubt?


    <hr>


    The next few days blur together. We wake a few hours before sunset, ride until the drakes and Xamireb need a break, eat a short lunch, then ride until dawn. The sunlight grows uncomfortable as we set up camp, then hot as we eat dinner, and finally painful when Darian deems it time to do more sparring sessions. Quell, Earnest, and Xamireb have taken to watching us until the sun becomes too unbearable; Earnest suggests placing bets on how long I¡¯ll last before Darian flips me on my back. Neither Xamireb nor Quell take him up on it.


    When I go to bed each morning, I¡¯m exhausted, sweaty, and covered in bruises.


    But every day I feel stronger and more capable than the last.


    ¡°The Coil is in sight,¡± Xamireb says just after dawn of the sixth day.


    I squint against the rising sun, trying to make out whatever Xamireb can see through the wavering heat of the horizon. Even with the sun low and goggles pulled over my eyes, the desert is still painfully bright, not helped by the sunlight reflecting off the baked ground and back into my face.


    The news that we¡¯re finally close to civilization and not long from being out of the scorching heat fills me with relief, but Darian swears. ¡°I thought we were closer. Blaze it all. We will not be making camp today; we¡¯ll ride straight to The Coil and search for signs of the Blades there. They must already be in the city.¡±


    ¡°Or already through and moved on,¡± Xamireb says.


    Darian shoots them a glare.


    They dip their head. ¡°Apologies, Captain.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Quell says. ¡°They¡¯re close. We were gaining on Liz¡¯s trail every day. If they arrived anytime tonight, they were probably planning on spending the day there to sleep and recover. This presents us with an opportunity to find them before they slip out the other side.¡±


    ¡°And an opportunity to gain intelligence,¡± Darian says. ¡°Their numbers, their condition, the state of the princess. Earnest, I want you to start at the stables and ask around for any groups of six or more individuals recently purchasing beasts of burden¡ªespecially if it¡¯s of the faster variety. Xamireb, you go with Earnest, keeping an eye out for the Umbral Blade¡¯s trail. I will investigate the marketplace for recent groups of travelers purchasing travel rations. Prince Quell, you¡¯ll be coming with me. We meet up at the South exit of the city four hours after our ingress if we can¡¯t find anything; immediately contact the other party if we do. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± Earnest and Xamireb say in unison, Quell hurriedly following up with a ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± of his own several seconds too late. I stay silent: I didn¡¯t get any orders, and we all know I¡¯ll be trailing Quell, anyway.


    Plus I definitely waited too long, and it would be awkward if I said anything now.


    After another half hour of travel, I can make out a silhouette on the horizon. It gradually resolves into a round, dark shape. And as we get closer, details begin to emerge.


    ¡°Holy shit.¡± Surprise and disquiet flutter through me as I realize what it is.


    The Coil is a colossal snake. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s the carcass or just the skin, but either way the coiling pattern of diamonds is unmistakable, its mouth open and dark, welcoming us inside.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Quell agrees, craning around Darian to get a better look. ¡°I¡¯ve read about the city before, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen it in person. Truly awe-inspiring.¡±


    ¡°There aren¡¯t really snakes that big out here, are there?¡± I ask.


    Earnest snorts. ¡°That one didn¡¯t pop out of thin air.¡±


    I glance around nervously, as if more three-story-tall snakes might be slithering about. Man, I thought the cacti and wyverns were big, but this recontextualizes everything I¡¯ve been imagining about this desert. Quell wasn¡¯t kidding when he said Life arcanum results in ¡°overgrown¡± animals.


    We slow as we approach the city, and Xamireb pulls up alongside us, now at more of a trotting pace. They have to be exhausted from all that running (galloping?), but they haven¡¯t even broken a sweat.


    Do spider people sweat?


    ¡°I would suggest removing some of your adornments, my prince,¡± Darian says. ¡°There¡¯s nothing that specifically identifies you as royalty, but any signs of wealth might draw unwanted attention in the Coil.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± Quell says. He unclips some gold cuffs from his ears and removes several bracelets, tucking them away.


    ¡°And Nye, keep your shield out,¡± Darian says. ¡°It will help reinforce a general air of ¡®don¡¯t fuck with us.¡¯¡±


    My mouth twitches with a smile. Darian might spend most of her time being serious and threatening, but it¡¯s in a way I can¡¯t help but respect. ¡°Can do, Captain.¡±


    The Crimson Aegis catches a glimpse of Darian¡¯s order through my thoughts, and it exudes eagerness. Is there someone we can threaten? It loves threatening things!


    ¡°Everyone else, remove any Duneshade insignias you can,¡± Darian continues. ¡°Attempt to cover what you can¡¯t. We won¡¯t be able to pass as locals, but no sense in painting a bullseye on our backs.¡±


    We¡¯re all already wearing shade cloaks, which helps a bit. Quell fastens his down his chest, covering the gold insignia there. My armor is more plain, but there¡¯s still the kingdom¡¯s symbol pressed into the leather of the chest plate. At least the colors are muted.


    Darian jumps off Poppy and takes her reins as we approach The Coil, leading the way to the mouth of the snake. I have to crane my head back to see it all. Fangs like inverted trees sprout from the roof of its mouth and hang halfway to the ground.


    ¡°Hold,¡± a guard calls. ¡°Origin and business?¡±


    ¡°Duneshade scouts,¡± Darian says. ¡°Here to trade for supplies.¡±


    The guard gives us an unimpressed look. ¡°Duneshade. You are aware The Coil stands neutral between the Duneshade and Moonfall conflict?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Darian says. ¡°We won¡¯t cause any trouble.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve had Moonfall travelers pass through here recently as well,¡± the guard says, and Quell sits up straighter at her words. ¡°If a fight breaks out¡­¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t,¡± Darian promises. ¡°We will keep the peace while in your territory. Please, we just want to restock our water and meat supplies.¡±


    The guard gives her another long look, then finally steps aside. ¡°Welcome to The Coil. The stables are in the first ring.¡±


    Darian dips her head in thanks and gestures for us to dismount. She passes Poppy¡¯s reins to Xamireb as the rest of us slide off the drake¡¯s back. Then we follow Darian inside as the snake swallows us whole.

 Chapter 23 – When You Start to Look Closer

    As we step into the Coil, the shade supplies immediate relief from the heat¡ªor maybe there¡¯s some magic working in here like the sun cloaks. With a relieved sigh, I push my goggles up, and find the others doing the same. Faint lights speckle the ceiling, though it¡¯s hard for me to tell if those are holes in the snake¡¯s hide, or artificial lights. Whatever the cause, it results in a dim twilight, darker than day, but brighter than night. A light level, I realized, designed for both those with, and without, night vision.


    The city is like nothing I¡¯ve ever seen.


    Our path curves ahead of us and out of sight, like one long covered bazaar. Buildings are built into the sides of the walls and stretch up to the ceiling, some structures bridging the top in overpasses that look down on the streets. At irregular intervals there¡¯s holes carved on the inside wall of the snake¡¯s hide, burrowing into deeper rings of the coil. The streets are full of humans, dhampyrs, arachnoids, and another species I haven¡¯t seen before; they¡¯re green and have pointed teeth and ears, only two to three feet tall. Echo identifies these as goblins. This world just keeps getting stranger.


    We stop at the stables the guard directed us to, just within the entrance of the city. Earnest and Xamireb hang back to check Poppy into an enclosure, striking up small-talk with the stablehand. They nod to Darian, remaining behind as the rest of us head deeper into the city.


    Away from the entrance, the streets overflow with people, merchants, and smoking stalls displaying racks of mouthwatering grilled meats and plants. Despite the fact that the sun is heading toward noon outside, the city is very much awake and bustling. I wonder if it ever truly sleeps.


    We take a passage into one of the inner rings of the city, and the atmosphere abruptly shifts: in place of quick bites and shiny trinkets, there are now closed doors, apothecaries, inns, and craft shops. Darian takes us on a path that straddles the two different specialties, likely looking for something that sells preserved food meant for travel. While we walk, I casually glance at all the people we pass.


    Most are armed in some form or another. Swords or knives are strapped to waists, flashing beneath the wearer¡¯s cloaks, and it occurs to me this is largely for show: these are the weapons they¡¯re allowing us to see, intended to send a clear message. As Darian said: a distinct ¡°don¡¯t-fuck-with-me¡± warning sign. The captain at least carries an obvious sword, but Quell appears unarmed. I drop back behind him so my demon shield is clearly on display.


    The Aegis, meanwhile, seems very excited to be here. What is this place? That one has a weapon. Should we fight them? Oh, that one does too! And that one! There are so many targets.


    None of them are targets! I mentally hiss.


    It¡¯s dangerous to be surrounded by so many armed creatures. But not to fear! The Aegis can swiftly take care of any threat that comes our way.


    I roll my eyes. Great. Glad to hear it.


    Darian pauses to speak with a merchant, so Quell and I hang back behind her. I keep an eye on our surroundings as Quell swivels his head around in obvious glee.


    ¡°This place is amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± he says.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I scan the streets for any signs of dangerous body language or appraising looks. My gaze sticks to a cloaked figure who has glanced Quell¡¯s way. Their eyes find my glare, and they quickly hurry on their way. Some things are universal. ¡°It¡¯s something else.¡±


    Quell is quiet for a moment. ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Trouble.¡±


    ¡°You really think we¡¯ll get into a fight in here?¡± he asks.


    ¡°If we run into some Moonfall soldiers, maybe.¡±


    Quell shakes his head. ¡°Just because tensions have been a little heightened as of late doesn¡¯t mean everyone is champing at the bit to start a war. No one¡¯s going to attack each other on sight.¡±


    I give him a skeptical look. ¡°Including the ones who abducted your sister and tried to abduct you and your brother?¡±


    ¡°You said those were Umbral Blades,¡± Quell points out. ¡°They¡¯re different. They don¡¯t answer to the throne. I mean, sometimes they do, but they¡¯re an independent organization. Maybe the Moonfall Kings don¡¯t even know about all this. Maybe some other country hired them in order to frame the Moonfall Dynasty.¡±


    ¡°That sounds unnecessarily convoluted for what otherwise has a pretty obvious explanation,¡± I say.


    He folds his arms. ¡°And what is that?¡±


    ¡°Moonfall abducts the monarch¡¯s kids and uses them as leverage to win the war before it even begins.¡±


    The prince frowns at Darian¡¯s back.


    ¡°Come on,¡± I say. ¡°You¡¯re an idealist but you¡¯re not naive.¡±


    Quell sighs, then looks back at me sadly. ¡°Perhaps you''re right. I¡¯m just not ready to believe what all this really means. I grew up in an era of peace¡ªtenuous peace, yes, but there was no war. If this really is the beginning of a full-on conflict, it will mean devastation for both our kingdoms. No one wants that. At least, no one should want that. Before we commit to a long and bitter campaign, I have to believe there¡¯s some chance for resolution.¡±


    I can get that. Maybe he¡¯s not as sheltered as I pegged him to be. Just someone trying to find the best outcome in a bad situation. I wonder if that¡¯s part of the reason he¡¯s so set on finding his sister, too. Stopping them before she¡¯s taken into Moonfall territory could potentially prevent the conflict from escalating.


    Then again, when the King and Queen find out, this might be what pushes them over the edge no matter what the outcome. And with Constance still marching toward the Lifespring Oasis, their soldiers would be poised for a swift response.


    I rub my forehead, grimacing. It¡¯s an ugly, messy situation, and I¡¯m not sure how Quell expects to clean it all up. But I can¡¯t fault him for trying.


    Darian finally turns away from the shopkeep. I raise an eyebrow in question, and she shakes her head.


    ¡°I¡¯ve a few more establishments on this street I¡¯d like to question, but I think I¡¯ll be more successful alone,¡± Darian says. ¡°If you two could find somewhere to keep out of the way¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Quell excitedly points to a shop with the symbol of an ink bottle and quill over the front door. ¡°Stationary! I¡¯m almost out.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    I give him a disbelieving look, but Darian waves us on.


    ¡°That works,¡± she says. ¡°Nye, stay close to the¡­ Quell. I should only be a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± Quell says. ¡°I¡¯ll be quick as well.¡± Then he hurries over to the store like a kid at a candy shop. Why do I feel like he won¡¯t actually be quick?


    Aside from the food stalls in the marketplace, this is the first real business I¡¯ve seen since landing on this planet. And it feels weirdly familiar. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯d expected it to feel alien¡ªaside from this being an alien planet, basically¡ªbut it has that same dusty library smell, that same sort of cozy bookstore half-light. The walls are covered with shelves displaying all sorts of inks, quills, and scrolls; notebooks and binders, ledgers and wax and seals. I glance at the labels, and for one disorienting moment, I¡¯m seeing strange symbols and shapes. Then my vision seems to snap into focus, and the words have meaning, and I¡¯m reading them as clearly as if they were the alphabet I¡¯d grown up with.


    But they¡¯re not. They¡¯re definitely a completely different language, and somehow, I can understand it.


    And that¡¯s when another realization crashes into me: I¡¯m speaking a different language. Everyone is. And I can understand them. How? I only know Spanish and English. Why can I understand this weird fantasy language? Why didn¡¯t I even notice until I paused to actively think about it? I narrow my eyes at the writing on the shelf: I can see the word ¡°ink.¡± But when I focus, when I try to look through the meaning, the actual foreign symbols slowly shift into place. I lean back, blinking and reeling at this revelation. Just what is this magic doing to my mind? What else haven¡¯t I seen, because I haven¡¯t looked close enough?


    ¡°Hey.¡± Quell touches my arm, and I jump. ¡°You okay? You looked really focused. Or mad. I can¡¯t really tell with your face.¡±


    I frown. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my face?¡±


    ¡°Nothing!¡± he quickly says. ¡°Just, you know. You always look annoyed.¡±


    ¡°Probably because I am.¡± I gesture to the armful of clutter he¡¯s already managed to gather in his arms. Somehow in the thirty seconds or so we¡¯ve been in here, he¡¯s managed to gather bottles of ink, quills, wrapped charcoal, and stacks of paper bound with twine. ¡°We¡¯re on a dangerous mission. Is all this really necessary right now?¡±


    ¡°Of course it is,¡± Quell says. ¡°I need to send a letter to my parents informing them of the situation. Constance probably has as well, but¡­ well, he might have left out some details to save face.¡±


    ¡°Like the fact that you ran away,¡± I say flatly.


    He smiles guiltily.


    Isn¡¯t he taking this seriously at all? ¡°Why are you so chipper? We should be out looking for signs of your sister, not going on a shopping trip. You can¡¯t care more about fancy papers and pens than her.¡±


    His smile sputters out. ¡°I don¡¯t see that there¡¯s much I could do, aside from ¡®keeping out of the way,¡¯ as Darian so aptly put it.¡±


    I give him a skeptical look. ¡°You¡¯re the one that insisted on chasing her down and joining this mission.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he says shortly, frustration flickering over his face. Then he slumps. Despite him being a head taller than me, he suddenly seems very small. ¡°I know. I just thought¡ªI don¡¯t know. I thought I could do something. Anything. But even my ability to track Liz is redundant with Xamireb here.¡±


    He drifts over to a different wall that has an assortment of feather pens on display. He looks into the glass instead of at me. ¡°Our brother has always been focused on the big picture. Even as a kid, he was all about duty and country. Perhaps being the first does that to you. The knowledge and weight of what you¡¯ll one day be responsible for.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°Without that same obligation, Liz and I had more freedom to do as we pleased. We were close. Partners in crime¡ªwell, I covered for her antics, at any rate. So when Constance once again went off to put the big picture first, I knew I had to be there for Liz. I had to do everything in my power to find her. She¡¯d do the same for me.¡± He laughs sadly. ¡°I guess everything in my power is still nothing. I¡¯ve just been dead weight. But what else is new?¡±


    I grimace. Maybe I¡¯m being too hard on the guy. I can¡¯t say I¡¯d do any different in his situation. Sometimes you have to put yourself out there, even if you don¡¯t know what you have to offer. Who hasn¡¯t gotten in the way of themselves where family is concerned?


    ¡°You¡¯re not dead weight,¡± I say with a sigh.


    He glances skeptically at me over the rim of his glasses. The look pulls a laugh out of me.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t,¡± I repeat. ¡°If we hadn¡¯t gone after Darian, she and the twins would have been left stranded out in the middle of the desert without a star drake or most of their supplies. So congrats: your poor decision-making unintentionally saved the mission.¡±


    His eyebrows lift. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about it that way.¡± He seems to process this for a moment, then his expression softens into a small smile. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ve just been so worried about Liz, and was starting to wonder if I messed up and was getting in the way again, and if it would be my fault if she¡ª¡± He stops himself, shaking his head. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve just been worried. So, again, thank you. I needed to hear that.¡±


    Aw, man. Of course he¡¯s ladened with guilt and self-doubt. And I¡¯ve been nothing but an ass to him this whole time, haven¡¯t I? I grimace.


    ¡°No, I¡ªI¡¯m sorry,¡± I say haltingly. Shit, I¡¯m not good at this touchy-feely stuff. It''s too uncomfortable to maintain eye contact with Quell, so I end up looking at the same pen display he¡¯d been watching before. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have bit your head off a minute ago. That was uncalled for. And, I guess, sorry for all the other times I¡¯ve been giving you the cold shoulder. I¡¯ve, uh, just been worried about my brother, too, though I guess that¡¯s not a great excuse. Anyway, I get how you feel, but none of this is your fault.¡±


    When I risk a look back, he looks genuinely touched. It¡¯s almost comical how easy he is to read. This guy would be terrible at Poker. Oh no, is he misting up?


    ¡°So you need all this writing junk just to send a letter to your parents?¡± I ask, deciding to bull my way into a safer subject.


    Quell graciously lets me. ¡°It¡¯s not junk,¡± he says, heading over to the counter to lay out the supplies. ¡°And, okay, no, not all of it is necessary. But it¡¯s not every day I get to try out stationary from the other end of the Kingdom! This ink is made from distilled asp venom, did you know?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I smile faintly at his enthusiasm. He already seems to be back to his excited, scholarly self. ¡°Huh. Maybe it¡¯s not useless after all. Think it still has any of its venomous properties?¡±


    Quell looks aghast. ¡°I would rather not like to find out!¡±


    ¡°Too bad,¡± I say. ¡°It would bring a new meaning to the pen being mightier than the sword.¡±


    Quell¡¯s eyes light up. ¡°Oh! Good phrase. I like that.¡± He fishes some coin out of his pocket, and I surreptitiously step between him and the door, just in case there¡¯s any wandering eyes looking to size up the prince¡¯s coin pouch.


    ¡°But the rest are necessary,¡± Quell continues. ¡°As I previously mentioned, I intend to send some letters home, which is why I need all the welkin paper.¡±


    I tip my head. ¡°The what?¡±


    Quell hands over the payment without even trying to barter first, and I wince.


    ¡°Welkin paper.¡± He offers a stack of papers to me. ¡°Infused with air arcana and branded with a homing spell. After I finish writing my letter, it will fold itself up and fly to the location of my bidding.¡±


    I bounce the papers in my hands. It barely feels like I¡¯m holding anything at all. ¡°That¡¯s pretty handy,¡± I admit. ¡°Are they waterproof, too?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no,¡± Quell says, gathering up the rest of his supplies. I take pity on him and grab a couple bottles to lighten his load. ¡°They¡¯d pretty much disintegrate in water, unfortunately. One of its drawbacks, in addition to having no defensive capabilities, if a reaper or bird of prey might happen to take interest in it. Luckily, it hardly ever rains, and welkin letters are very agile.¡± After a moment of pause, he adds, ¡°Even so, it¡¯s usually a good idea to send multiple copies for a long-distance journey like this one.¡±


    Seems like a lot of trouble just to send a letter. Though given the remote location of the Coil, I don¡¯t suppose there are many courier options.


    It¡¯s been a few minutes, so I let Quell lead us back out into the market. Darian¡¯s armored form is not far down the lane, already heading in our direction. Guess she hasn¡¯t found the information she¡¯s looking for, yet. I wonder how fruitful this whole endeavor will be. Running into a couple of soldiers and one captive in a large city is a needle-in-a-haystack type situation. And that¡¯s assuming they¡¯re even still here. But I¡¯m not about to voice that aloud and dash Quell¡¯s newly rekindled hope.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Quell stops so suddenly, I nearly bowl him over.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask.


    He¡¯s staring at the ground. ¡°I found something. Here, hold these¡ª¡± He dumps all his supplies into my arms before I can object, then bends down to pick something up.


    I peer around his shoulder. ¡°A rock?¡±


    Quell holds it up for me to see, then turns his hand around. Like a card trick, the rock becomes a gold bracelet.


    ¡°It belongs to Liz.¡±

 Chapter 24 – A Scene in the City

    ¡°I was right,¡± Quell says, excitedly looking around. ¡°This illusion doesn¡¯t last very long¡ªshe must still be in the city! What if she left more clues?¡±


    Darian pushes her way through the crowd as Quell begins searching the nearby ground, head tucked down. Oblivious, he nearly runs into a few merchants.


    ¡°I see you procured some important supplies,¡± Darian says as she makes it to my side, gaze flickering over my armful of bottles and scrolls.


    ¡°They¡¯re not mine,¡± I object. ¡°Quell¡­¡±


    Darian is smiling faintly, and it takes me that long to realize she¡¯s teasing. ¡°He¡¯s always been like that. Even in the midst of a crisis, he can¡¯t turn down the opportunity to absorb more knowledge.¡± She sighs. ¡°That curiosity is dangerous without situational awareness. It will get him in trouble.¡±


    I watch him narrowly avoid running into a stationary food cart. ¡°I can see that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got your work cut out for you,¡± she adds, and though the smile is gone and her leadership mask fixed securely back in place, there¡¯s still an undercurrent of amusement in her tone.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that your job?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Perhaps an achievable feat between the two of us.¡±


    I crack a smile. ¡°So did you find any information about the princess?¡±


    She grimaces. ¡°Yes, but I worry it doesn¡¯t mean anything good. As the guard at the front gate said, there have been Moonfall soldiers who passed through here recently. They bought supplies in the market, both for people and steeds, which confirms my fear. If they¡¯ve already left the city, and didn¡¯t do so on foot, we might have missed our window to catch up. If that¡¯s true¡­¡± She trails off with a shake of her head. ¡°We should reconvene with Earnest and Xamireb and see if they¡¯ve learned anything more.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s alright,¡± I say. It¡¯s clear how troubled the captain is over the princess¡¯s kidnapping. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t hurt her if they intend to use her as a political pawn, right?¡±


    Her expression darkens. ¡°I am not certain what their aim is, in truth. The kidnapping still perplexes me. How did they slip past our lines, especially with three royal illusionists present who should have been able to detect any deception? Why did they separate the siblings immediately upon capture? Given they needed to fight their way out of our forces, surely it would have been to their advantage to stay in a larger, more defensible group¡ªcase in point, two of their captives were able to escape. Not to mention, Moonfall must understand this will mean war. There¡¯d been tenuous talks of peace in recent years, and this move shatters all progress that was made.¡±


    We follow after Quell as he continues to ping-pong his way through the street, still in search of more clues. Darian passes a bag to me, and I dump Quell¡¯s supplies unceremoniously inside.


    ¡°An argument could be made that they are trying to leverage the princess against Duneshade by holding a royal heir hostage,¡± Darian continues, ¡°but Princess Felicity and Prince Quell are second and third in line; just targeting Prince Constance would have been enough. Either this group is unaware that the abductions of the princes were unsuccessful, or they are continuing with the abduction in spite of that, and now are counting on the King and Queen¡¯s sentimentality for their daughter to shield Moonfall from siege; a dangerous gamble. But what is their goal?¡±


    ¡°The Oasis?¡± I suggest, leaning on what little history I know about these kingdoms. ¡°Maybe a trade offer: they return the princess if they¡¯re allowed to claim the LifeSpring Oasis as Moonfall territory.¡±


    Darian shakes her head. ¡°Let¡¯s say they do just that and make the trade. Once the princess is safe, there would be nothing to stop Duneshade from immediately turning around and attacking Moonfall. They¡¯d lose all leverage by turning her over. But in keeping her, they incur the King and Queen¡¯s wrath. There is no winning scenario for them.¡±


    It¡¯s my turn to shrug. ¡°In the end, does it matter? Our objective remains the same.¡±


    ¡°True enough,¡± Darian says. ¡°We¡¯ll get her back. No matter what.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    I glance back to the street, quickly locating Quell; his obliviously loud voice makes that easy. He¡¯s stopped at a vendor a dozen feet ahead of us, head cocked like a raven who¡¯s found something shiny. ¡°That¡¯s my sister¡¯s necklace! Where did you get that? Who sold it to you?¡±


    I catch a flash of motion back in the street. A man at a booth several tables down whips around, staring at Quell. I take in a dozen details in an instant: his pale complexion with a scar running down one cheek, his bulky clothes, as if covering armor, and his cloak, which has flapped open at his sudden movement, exposing the hilt of a sword at his waist. His gaze sweeps the market, meeting mine. We hold the look for three long seconds. I take a step forward. He spins and runs.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Crap.¡± I drop Quell¡¯s bag of supplies and dive after him, pushing past shoppers as I charge down the street.


    The Crimson Aegis surfaces in my mind. Hey! Why are we running? Is it for a fight? Is someone in need of violent subduing?


    Hopefully not, I think. But, probably.


    ¡°Nye?¡± Darian calls. But I¡¯m already dashing past Quell and into the crowd.


    Check him, I tell Echo, trying to catch sight of the man again.


    [Target is not within line of sight.]


    I growl, trying to bob above the heads of the crowd. I just couldn¡¯t be tall in this life either, could I? I continue down the street, zig-zagging around people as I try to catch more than a glimpse.


    The crowd parts for the briefest moment and I¡¯m given a snapshot of his fleeing form. Check!


    [Check,] Echo says. [Level 27 human shadow mage. Umbral Blade.]


    Gotcha. We can still catch them before they leave the city.


    Well. Hopefully it¡¯s not just me that¡¯s doing the catching. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d stand a chance against a group of them on my own. Not without the Bloodlust powering me up¡ªand I¡¯m not about to let that happen in the middle of a city. At the reminder, I pull the faceguard Darian had given me up over my nose.


    I glance behind to see Darian giving chase, but she¡¯s lagging, slowed by Quell who she¡¯s pulling along with her.


    I consider falling back. If my Role Requirement kicks in, I don¡¯t want to be too far away from Quell. But it only applies when he¡¯s in danger, and with the captain right there, he should be fine. I need to keep up with the Umbral Blade; if I lose him, we might not get another chance.


    Running is really not helped by the Aegis bouncing against my back and knocking into my legs. I grab it and pull it around onto my arm instead. Man, my left arm is going to get so buff after all this.


    The soldier leaps through a side street, and I pivot and dash after. Shockingly, I¡¯m gaining on him.


    The passage opens onto another main street of the Coil, and people give shouts and scatter as the man shoves people out of his way. What can I do to slow or stop him from a distance? None of my or the shield¡¯s abilities can lasso someone. Or could they? The Aegis has Blood Ward, if I don¡¯t mind feeding it. And maybe I could use Hemic Hardening to make a rope of my own Attuned Blood to trip the man up. But how much blood would that use? Would I be weakening myself right before a fight? What if¡ª


    I follow the Umbral Blade around a corner and skid right into the middle of a fight.


    Four Umbral Blades are locked in combat with Earnest and Xamireb. One of the Moonfall men is an arachnoid, while the rest are a mix of humans and dhampyrs. Earnest is in the front, spinning a spear that appears to be made of water, while Xamireb launches a dagger of light at their enemy. The struck soldier staggers back, then runs, screaming.


    With Earnest in front, Xamireb tries to disengage, stepping toward the stables. There¡¯s more Umbral Blades in there, but even as I look, it flashes with light.


    Pain stabs through my skull, and I stumble to a stop, clapping my hands to my eyes. I blink rapidly, tears welling up, but a hole is burned through the center of my vision, a snapshot of the stables imprinted like an inverted shadow on my sight.


    I whip my head from side to side, trying to see through my peripheral; all the other dhampyrs and arachnoids are similarly struggling.


    ¡°To me!¡± It¡¯s a woman¡¯s voice¡ªone I haven¡¯t heard before. ¡°My soldiers! To¡ª¡±


    The voice cuts off. I start forward once more, my vision slowly starting to fade back in, but someone rushes past.


    ¡°Liz!¡± That was Darian, her voice scared and tight.


    I try to hurry after, able to make out some sort of struggle taking place near the stables, but I trip and stumble on something in the road. Damn! This night vision can really bite.


    ¡­No pun intended.


    The Aegis mentally prods me. What am I waiting for?! There is a battle ahead! We should be engaged with the enemy! Conquering anyone who stands against us! Fighting toward ultimate glory!


    ¡°I can¡¯t fight what I can¡¯t see,¡± I snap, turning my head to the side. From the corner of my vision, I make out a star drake as it bolts from the stable, and I throw myself out of the way a split second before it runs me over.


    The shield scoffs. Pathetic mortal vision! The Crimson Aegis doesn¡¯t need eyes to see, and it does just fine!


    Shit, that¡¯s right. Whenever I tap into the shield¡¯s abilities, I¡¯m able to see through it. I pull the Aegis around, planting it in front of me, and try again to see.


    I feel my mind extend into the shield, and just like that, the street jumps into clarity. Darian is in the stable, mid-throw as she slams a Moonfall soldier into the wall. She grabs Poppy¡¯s reins and leaps onto her back, kicking the lizard into action. It jumps into the street, racing to catch up with the first one that ran past. Darian glances at me as she races in my direction. I stand up, holding out a hand. She leans over and grabs it as she whips by. My shoulder screams as it¡¯s nearly pulled from its socket, then she swings me up behind her onto the star drake.


    ¡°You got anything ranged?¡± she shouts over her shoulder as she spurs Poppy on.


    The wind buffets the Crimson Aegis, yanking at my arm, and I mentally prompt it to shift to my back once more. I rapidly blink as my primary vision fades back in while I¡¯m presented with a receding view through the Aegis of the fight still taking place at the stable.


    Repel won¡¯t work unless I take some hits, first. And I¡¯m not skilled enough with my Attuned blood to try anything while racing across the desert on lizard-back.


    The Blood Ward is the only option, though I¡¯ve only ever used it in close combat.


    ¡°Maybe mid-range at best,¡± I say, leaning around Poppy and squinting ahead.


    Darian grits her teeth. ¡°We¡¯re so close.¡±


    The Coil¡¯s city guards shout angrily as the Moonfall lizard ahead of us bursts through the city¡¯s gates. We¡¯re hot on their heels, and I can make out a fraction of a shouted threat as we race past as well. We did promise we wouldn¡¯t cause a scene in the city. Oops.


    But now we¡¯re outside, and the sun is beating down on us in brutal, burning waves. I pull my goggles over my eyes; my vision is finally starting to return to normal, and I¡¯m not eager to be blinded again.


    Ahead of us, three figures are riding on the back of the star drake. Two are obviously Umbral Blades, but the third has her hands bound behind her back. I recognize her in an instant, because she looks so much like her brothers. Brown skin, a cloud of black hair¡ªand most notably, a giant glowing arrow overhead, pointing emphatically back down at her. As I watch, the arrow morphs into the shape of words:


    ¡°WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!¡±


    Darian chuckles darkly. ¡°That¡¯s Liz, alright.¡±

 Chapter 25 - Blood and Battle

    I clutch Poppy¡¯s saddle as Darian spurs us across the desert. The star drake ahead of us isn¡¯t slowing down, despite the firework of lights Liz is setting off to signal her rescue. It only lasts for another few seconds; one of the Umbral Blades strikes her across the face, and the illusions shatter into a rainfall of embers, slowly flickering out.


    ¡°Will we catch up to them?¡± I ask. We don¡¯t seem to be getting closer.


    ¡°We¡¯ll catch up,¡± Darian snarls.


    ¡°Not like this,¡± I say. ¡°We need to slow them down.¡±


    Darian growls, then shoves the reins into my hands. ¡°Hold this.¡±


    ¡°Uh!¡± I don¡¯t know how to steer a lizard. Hell, I don¡¯t even know how to steer a horse. But Darian¡¯s not paying attention. She¡¯s mumbling something, sketching a pattern in the air. A glow of orange trails behind her finger, illuminating a spell circle. It maybe only takes her fifteen seconds to complete the pattern, but clutching the reins of a giant lizard makes it feel like an hour. She finishes, plucks the circle from the air, then flings it ahead of us like a frisbee. It flies further and faster than I thought, striking the ground before the Umbral Blade¡¯s drake.


    A pillar of rock erupts from the clay. Their lizard tries to swerve, but it clips the stone. The drake falls on its side, scrambling to its feet just as fast, but not fast enough to keep all of its riders from scattering over the ground. The lizard keeps running, oblivious to its lack of passengers.


    ¡°Got them,¡± Darian hisses. She grabs the reins back from me, and I¡¯m relieved I didn¡¯t have to use them.


    [Role Requirement,] Echo abruptly says. [The Knight must protect the Prince.]


    ¡°Crap!¡± I slap a hand to my head as the first hints of static start to creep in. At the same time, that damn Sanity stat appears, already slowly starting to tick down. ¡°Not now!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Darian snaps.


    ¡°Quell is in danger.¡± I look through the Crimson Aegis¡¯s sight. There¡¯s a fight taking place near the entrance of The Coil, but it¡¯s too far and too frantic to make out. Two more drakes carrying Umbral Blades peel off from the fight and rush toward us. We¡¯re about to be extremely outnumbered.


    ¡°You have to go,¡± Darian says. ¡°Protect the prince.¡±


    [Role Requirement.]


    [Sanity Level: 97%]


    I grit my teeth against the incoming headache. ¡°You can¡¯t fight them all on your own.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only two of them,¡± Darian says. ¡°It won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a dozen more behind!¡±


    Darian glances back and swears. ¡°I¡¯ll handle Liz. You handle the prince. Give me your arm.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I ask, baffled.


    ¡°Your arm!¡±


    We¡¯re nearly upon the princess and the Umbral Blades. They¡¯ve recovered and are standing between us and Liz. They brace, weapons raised, but Darian overshoots them, taking us in a U around the clustered soldiers until we¡¯re facing the Coil once more. Then she turns around, shoves the reins into one of my hands, and grabs my other. Before I have a chance to react, she rips my sleeve up and sinks her teeth into my forearm.


    I cry out in pain as much as shock, trying to yank my arm back.


    The Aegis also takes note. Hey! What is this one doing? That¡¯s our blood! ¡­Can it have some, too?


    ¡°Darian! What the hell!¡±


    Darian¡¯s eyes cloud over, and she releases my arm, blood dripping from her fangs and smeared across her lips. Without looking at me, without another word, she springs from the lizard and goes rolling across the ground. Still somewhat stunned, I twist back to watch. Darian leaps to her feet and jumps unnaturally far, tackling the nearest Blade. She crouches on top of them like a cat as they go skidding across the ground, then spins and launches herself at the next one.


    [Check,] Echo says. [Status Effect: Bloodlust.]


    The surprise finally starts to wear off. No wonder she knew so much about dealing with a Bloodlust. I touch the mask I¡¯m still wearing, pulled up over my nose: she didn¡¯t have this in case she ran into other soldiers who needed it¡ªthis one belonged to her.


    [Role Requirement]


    [Sanity Level: 95%]


    No time to think about it now. I face forward just as the two Umbral Blade drakes race past me toward Darian and their comrades. I¡¯m not sure who I¡¯m worried for more.


    I squeeze Poppy¡¯s reins in a death grip as we race back toward the Coil. Luckily, she¡¯s heading right where I need her to go. The fighting ahead of us is getting close; all parties appear to be locked in combat. I sure hope I can get Poppy to stop in time.


    Repel, I think, activating the first spell. My mana drops to 40/50. I need to wait to activate Devour and Endure until I need them, since they¡¯re a consistent mana drain as long as I have the spells active. What else do I have? My Attuned blood. Could I use that in a pinch? At the thought, I get ready to activate Coagulate and stop the bleeding on my arm.


    WAIT! The Aegis leans over my proverbial shoulder. It could use that. Why let it go to waste? It won¡¯t take much¡ªonly what¡¯s already leaked out. Then it could become strong enough to use another Blood Ward! Don¡¯t I want to be strong? We could be so powerful!


    Well, it¡¯s right that I¡¯m already bleeding. There¡¯s no point in letting it dry and go to waste if the shield can otherwise use it in the fight. With the Sanity Stat still gnawing at my mind, I¡¯m keen to end this fight as quickly as possible.


    Fine, I think, and the Aegis rejoices. But just what¡¯s already leaked out; no taking any blood that¡¯s still in my body.


    The Crimson Aegis pulses with excitement. I will not regret this! I will be so impressed. My blood will lead us to victory!


    ¡°You sound like some kind of cult leader,¡± I grumble. The red bands of magic around my shoulders shift, splitting off to wind down my arm and wrap around the two puncture marks. I don¡¯t feel anything as the blood around the wound begins to vanish; I guess it¡¯s keeping its promise to only lap up whatever blood seeps out.


    Like a vampire bat, I think with a dark chuckle. Although, I guess I¡¯m the vampire, now.


    [Sanity Level: 94%]


    I pull back on Poppy¡¯s reins as I approach the fight at the Coil¡¯s entrance. The arrow in my vision points me directly to Prince Quell, otherwise I might not have found him in the chaos. He¡¯s keeping behind Earnest, who¡¯s fighting off two Umbral Blades, while Xamireb has been separated and is fighting another one, also an arachnoid. But there¡¯s more soldiers about, slowly surrounding the fight. It takes me a moment to realize they¡¯re neither Moonfall nor Duneshade, but guards from the Coil. Aw, crap. We promised them we wouldn¡¯t fight in their city, and here we are.


    Poppy slows as I continue to pull back on her reins, though not nearly as much as I had hoped. I guess star drakes need a stronger touch. I wait until the last second, then tell the Aegis to shift back to my arm. Deciding to replicate Darian¡¯s jump, roll, and attack tactic, I leap from Poppy¡¯s back.


    I wasn¡¯t accounting for the weight of the Crimson Aegis, however, so instead of hitting feet first, I tip over onto my side, the shield clipping the ground. I fall on top of it, skidding a dozen feet over the baked clay earth like a wakeboard. This gives me enough time to gather my bearings and jump to my feet before I¡¯ve finished skidding to a stop. I come up behind the two soldiers attacking Earnest and Quell, and bash the Aegis into the nearest Blade from behind. She goes skipping across the ground as the other turns to me in surprise.


    Alright, so not as smooth as Darian, but I¡¯d still give that a solid 7/10 style points.


    [Sanity Level: 92%]


    The other soldier slashes at me as I duck behind my shield; the blow causes me to go staggering back. Time for that Endure spell now.


    The first soldier has climbed to her feet and is sprinting back toward us. Two on one. I don¡¯t hate my odds, but I also need to be careful; I can¡¯t let one of them circle around behind my back.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Earnest steps up beside me. ¡°Thanks for the assist.¡± He swipes his water spear at the nearest soldier, who skips back. ¡°You know how to frontline?¡±


    ¡°Er, I don¡¯t think so,¡± I admit.


    Earnest ducks behind me as the soldiers swing for him and strike my shield instead. ¡°Well, this is as good a time as any to learn.¡±


    [Role Requirement]


    [Sanity Level: 91%]


    I risk a glance behind us, where Quell is hesitating, a hand raised as if to cast a spell. What I don¡¯t like is how The Coil guards are closing in behind him. Will they attack Quell? Us? The Umbral Blades? I have no idea¡ªand I can¡¯t risk leaving it up to chance.


    ¡°Get over here,¡± I shout at him.


    He jumps at the order, the shuffles closer. ¡°Is there something I can¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just stay close,¡± I tell him, turning back to the Moonfall soldiers. ¡°And watch our backs. Say something if it looks like those Coil guards are about to attack.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Quell says.


    I push ahead, and Earnest and Quell keep behind me. When one of the soldiers moves to circle around, Earnest leaps out at them with his spear. I start to fall into a rhythm with him: I defend, he attacks.


    The Aegis is frustrated with this progress. Why aren¡¯t we attacking? We can still attack! We don¡¯t need anyone to help us. It has absorbed enough of my blood that it can use a Blood Ward now. We can still win!


    We are winning, I tell it.


    The Aegis grumbles. Maybe, but not fast enough.


    Unfortunately, it might be right about that. I¡¯m worried about Darian. She has to be more experienced dealing with the Bloodlust than me. But still; is it enough to fight off ten fighters at once? All while not hurting the captive we¡¯re trying to save? We need to finish up here quickly so we can join her.


    Or stop her.


    Someone gives a strangled cry. I can¡¯t figure out who it came from until Xamireb stumbles and falls. The arachnoid they¡¯re fighting steps over them.


    Earnest sucks in a breath. ¡°Xamir!¡± He dashes from my side, darting between the two Moonfall soldiers.


    ¡°Earnest, wait!¡± I cry.


    The soldiers turn toward him; an easy, exposed target.


    Now! I shout at the Aegis.


    [Blood Ward activated.]


    Whips of blood slash out from the shield, striking the swords of the Umbral Blades before they can hit Earnest. He slips through, sprinting toward his sibling. The Aegis, meanwhile, revels in the fight.


    Haha! Pathetic creatures thought they could stand against the great and mighty Crimson Aegis? Fools! Our power is superior in every respect!


    [Sanity Level: 89%]


    More whips of blood grow from the shield, slashing at the soldier¡¯s arms, legs, weapons, face¡ªanything left unexposed even for a moment. The soldiers stumble back, fear obvious in their wide eyes. The Aegis leaves gashes of red along any exposed portions of skin; the smell of blood hits me, heady and tempting, which only seems to rile the Aegis up even more.


    [Sanity Level: 87%]


    Two of the whips lash out, grabbing onto the arms of the soldiers. It tugs them forward, sending one stumbling to his knees. Another thread of blood spears into his leg, and I can feel it as the Aegis starts to draw the blood out of him.


    ¡°Wait, stop!¡± I cry, stepping backward. The other soldier turns to run, but the Aegis spears her, too. ¡°Don¡¯t! You¡¯ll kill them!¡±


    The Aegis scoffs. Well it¡¯s not about to let us lose! Attacking them is the point, isn¡¯t it? Absolutely victory!


    ¡°Um, Nye?¡± Quell says.


    ¡°Not now!¡± I growl, focusing on the Aegis. We don¡¯t have to kill them to win. We can just¡ªjust knock them out or something!


    The Aegis finds this to be absolutely unsatisfactory. It is a weapon. I am not wielding it to its full potential!


    [Sanity Level: 85%]


    ¡°No!¡± I step back, trying to pull the whips of blood from the soldiers, but the threads only grow in length. The first soldier collapses to the ground¡ªthe second isn¡¯t long after them.


    ¡°Nye,¡± Quell presses, his voice going up in pitch. ¡°It¡¯s the Coil guards¡ª¡±


    ¡°Cease your fighting,¡± a voice calls at the same time. I spare a glance behind me to confirm Quell¡¯s warning; the Coil guards are advancing, shields and weapons raised. ¡°The Coil is neutral territory. Conflicts between Moonfall and Duneshade forces break the city¡¯s laws of armistice. All parties are to be apprehended.¡±


    The Aegis takes note of these new incoming enemies, more lines of blood peeling away from its facade as it shifts its focus to these new targets.


    [Sanity Level: 82%]


    ¡°No!¡± I cry, panic welling up within me, static chewing at my mind. ¡°They¡¯re innocent. They¡¯re not the enemy. Aegis, stop!¡±


    It will stop, it assures me. Just as soon as I am safe.


    Blood whips out toward the Coil guards.


    I spin, kicking Quell¡¯s legs out from under him. The prince goes down with an undignified squeal, and I step over him, slamming the Aegis into the ground on his other side.


    ¡°Repel!¡±


    The spell that had been storing up energy with every strike finally expels its energy: the shockwave radiates from the shield, striking the guards and knocking them back even as spears of blood stab through the air where they had just been.


    [Role Requirement satisfied.]


    [Sanity Level: 90%]


    [Sanity Level: 100%]


    I stand there shaking for a moment. Blood rushes in my ears. Panic fizzles out of my limbs. ¡°Add the Aegis to my Inventory.¡±


    No, wait¡ª!


    The shield vanishes from around my arm, and I stumble to my knees, nearly falling on top of Quell.


    He catches me before that happens, hand braced against my shoulder. His eyes are wide. ¡°Are you alright? What happened?¡±


    I shake my head, breathing heavily, adrenaline shooting like electricity through my limbs. It wasn¡¯t listening to me. I had no control over it. That was too close. Much too close.


    The Coil guards are groaning and picking themselves up; I imagine quite a few had the wind knocked out of them. That¡¯ll buy us a couple of seconds. I wish we had more.


    ¡°Earnest,¡± I say, looking back to where I¡¯d last seen him. The arachnoid that had been fighting Xamireb is also now on the ground, Earnest leaning heavily on his spear, though I can¡¯t make out the state of any of them. Quell scrambles to his feet, grabbing my arm and ineffectively trying to pull me up as well; like a toddler trying to lift an adult. I stumble to my feet anyway, glancing back at The Coil guards; they¡¯re starting to regroup. Quell and I hurry over to the twins.


    ¡°Is he alive?¡± Quell blurts, ever tactful.


    Earnest looks up at us, breathing heavily. There¡¯s a cut on his forehead, which I try not to focus on, and something like black tar splattered over his chest. When I look at Xamireb and the Moonfall arachnoid, it becomes clear the black dots are arachnoid blood.


    ¡°Can¡¯t kill me that easily,¡± Xamireb says, wincing as they push themself into a sitting position. Even so, they don¡¯t try to stand. There¡¯s a gash in their torso that¡¯s leaking more of the black blood.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t look good,¡± Quell observes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± they insist. ¡°Just need to get patched up.


    ¡°Can you walk?¡± I ask.


    ¡°No, they can¡¯t,¡± Earnest says, catching his breath. ¡°And don¡¯t believe them downplaying the severity of that injury. They¡¯ll bleed out if we don¡¯t treat it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re at a city,¡± they say. ¡°We can get a healer.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re welcome here anymore.¡± I look back at the guards. They¡¯ve reformed their ranks and are currently surrounding the fallen Umbral Blades¡ªwhether to apprehend, or dispose of their bodies, I¡¯m not certain. My stomach turns as I try to not think about their fates.


    ¡°Besides,¡± I add, turning back to the rest of the group. ¡°Darian¡¯s in trouble. She went to rescue Liz, but at least eight more Blades were headed her way. And she¡¯s in a Bloodlust.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Earnest and Quell cry.


    Xamireb winces. ¡°That¡¯s troubling.¡±


    ¡°We need to get to her,¡± I say. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll be able to¡ª¡±


    Quell places two fingers to his lips and blows a shrill, sharp whistle right in my ear.


    I lean back with a grimace. ¡°Ow.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he says. ¡°But if Darian¡¯s in a Bloodlust, then my sister could be in danger.¡±


    ¡°And the whistle was for¡­?¡±


    The ground drums, and a couple of the Coil guards let out a cry. Poppy skids to a stop in front of us, tipping her head at Quell.


    ¡°Come on,¡± he says, swinging up onto her back. ¡°It will be a tight fit, but we have to hurry!¡±


    Earnest wipes a sheen of sweat from his brow, clearly in no shape for another fight, but he nods anyway. ¡°Nye. Help me with Xamireb.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure my anatomy is designed for a star drake saddle,¡± they say.


    ¡°Well unless you¡¯d rather stay here with the guards, you¡¯ll have to make do,¡± Earnest snaps.


    Xamireb grimaces, but doesn¡¯t object further as Earnest gets in position to lift them. I follow his lead, positioning myself on the opposite side. He grabs two of the spider legs right up against the torso, and I do the same. Their shell feels as smooth and hard as polished stone.


    Together, we manage to lift the arachnoid and leverage them up onto Poppy¡¯s side. The process maybe takes less than a minute, but I can feel every second ticking by, not knowing the fate of Darian¡ªor the princess. As soon as all of us are aboard, squished up against each other, Quell snaps the reins and we¡¯re off running.


    I lean around Poppy¡¯s neck to try to get a look at the scene we¡¯re coming up on. Two star drakes frame the scene, each of them empty of the riders they delivered. There¡¯s bodies scattered over the ground, though several are still standing. I can make out Darian simply by how she moves, a whirlwind of horror, leaping and tearing and slashing like a wild animal. Goosebumps prickle down my spine. Is that what I¡¯d looked like?


    As we arrive, the last Umbral Blade falls. Only Darian is left standing, her clawed hands dripping with blood. A nearby boulder ripples, and then vanishes. The princess stands from where she¡¯d been hiding.


    ¡°Liz!¡± Quell shouts as Poppy comes to a stop. ¡°Be careful! Get away from her! It¡¯s a Bloodlust.¡±


    Liz glances over at us in surprise. ¡°Quill!¡± Then she snorts. ¡°No shit it¡¯s a Bloodlust.¡± She walks over to Darian.


    ¡°Liz!¡± Quell cries, his voice cracking. He scrambles to get down from the lizard, but I grab him and pull him back.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± he cries.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be in just as much danger as her,¡± I say, shoving him back into his seat. And what will my Role Requirement do to me if the prince gets himself killed? Nothing good, I imagine. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±


    I hop down, but Liz is already feet away from Darian. The captain¡¯s head snaps in Liz¡¯s direction. Shit. I¡¯m not close enough. But if I run, would I startle her into attacking? I have to be careful. This is a delicate situation. The wrong move could be fatal.


    ¡°Hey, you big brute,¡± Liz says. I grimace. ¡°Snap out of your Bloodlust, dummy.¡±


    Darian snarls, stepping toward Liz.


    Who slaps her.


    She slaps the murderous blood-soaked vampire across the face.


    Darian growls, and to my astonishment, Liz grabs her by the chin, turning the captain to face her once more. ¡°That didn¡¯t get through to you, did it?¡± Liz asks. ¡°Maybe this will.¡± Liz leans in and kisses her.


    My mind shorts out.


    Quell makes a strangled, confused noise behind me.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Earnest says. ¡°So that¡¯s what she was doing on all those suspicious ¡®top secret¡¯ missions we weren¡¯t invited on.¡±


    ¡°I thought it was obvious, really,¡± Xamireb replies.


    I am mentally replaying every time Darian insisted on rescuing Liz herself.


    The tension goes out of Darian, and she gasps in a breath. ¡°Princess.¡±


    ¡°Captain.¡± Liz pulls away, smiling softly. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±


    Quell lets out another strangled noise. ¡°What?¡± he says. ¡°What?!¡±


    I turn back to Quell, giving him a pat on the leg. ¡°I think they need a minute.¡±


    Quell looks down at me in such complete, wide-eyed bafflement, that I can¡¯t help but laugh. Then Earnest is laughing, too. Even Xamireb chuckles¡ªthen winces.


    I lean against Poppy, exhaustion washing over me. I don¡¯t know why any of us laughed. None of this is funny.


    Maybe after fear and desperation hollow you out, laughter is the first thing you let back in.

 Chapter 26 - The Captain and The Princess

    Liz wipes a sleeve across Darian¡¯s face, then her own mouth. ¡°Gross. Whose blood did you get all over me?¡± she teases.


    Darian glances guiltily my way, and Liz follows the look. Her gaze quickly skips over all of us to rest on her brother.


    ¡°Quill!¡± she cries, her expression brightening. She heads our way, dragging a reluctant Darian along with her. Seeing the confident, strict captain act self-conscious is definitely a strange change of pace. Probably more strange for her soldiers, though judging by their expressions, they mostly seem amused.


    ¡°You escaped the attack,¡± Liz says, her shoulders sagging in relief. ¡°And Constance?¡±


    ¡°He fought them off,¡± Quell says, still apparently in some state of shock.


    ¡°Of course he did.¡± Liz chuckles bitterly. ¡°You¡¯re not telling me I¡¯m the only one who got kidnapped?¡± Her face falls. ¡°By the gods, I was! That¡¯s embarrassing. You mean to tell me you escaped and I didn¡¯t? No offense. But really!¡±


    ¡°I was also rescued.¡± Quell gestures to me. ¡°Nye saved me.¡± Then he blinks, as if coming out of a daze. ¡°But¡ªbut you and Captain Darian?¡±


    Liz looks me up and down, her mouth quirking in a smile. ¡°Oh, thank heavens. That makes me feel better. We both have hunky suitors, eh?¡±


    Warmth flashes through my cheeks. ¡°Uh, no. No.¡±


    Quell also splutters. ¡°What? No! That¡¯s not¡ªyou¡¯re dodging the question!¡±


    Liz waves a dismissive hand at him. ¡°It¡¯s very simple, Quill, Darian and I have been having a covert affair for nearly two years, now.¡±


    Darian shifts uncomfortably. ¡°Perhaps we should not be so blase about this in present company.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Liz demands. ¡°The cat¡¯s out of the bag. And I was just abducted by the enemy for heaven¡¯s sake! If I¡¯m allowed to kiss my lover anytime, it¡¯s now, and I refuse to have that taken from me.¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯s not of noble blood,¡± Quell splutters. ¡°If mother and father found out¡ª¡±


    ¡°Abyss take our parents!¡± Liz cries. ¡°I¡¯m not first in line for the throne anyway, so what does it matter?¡± She glances around us, back toward the Coil. ¡°Now are we going to stand here and argue until those guards arrest us, or do we have better places to be?¡±


    The rest of us look back as well. A group of guards have mounted two-legged bird-like creatures and are heading our way. Glints from spear tips flash in the sun.


    ¡°We need to put some distance between us and The Coil,¡± Darian says, her commanding tone returning. ¡°We can discuss matters further at a safe distance.¡± She points to two of the star drakes the Moonfall soldiers had been riding. ¡°Divvy up among the mounts. No, Xamireb, you stay there, you¡¯re clearly injured. Is it bad?¡±


    Xamireb had been in the process of trying to push themself upright, but were clearly struggling. ¡°It will need addressing,¡± they admit.


    ¡°I can staunch it for now,¡± Earnest says. ¡°That should buy us more time.¡±


    Darian nods. ¡°Good. Then Nye, you will accompany Quell to that drake nearest. Princess Felicity and I will take the last. Everyone ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± Earnest and Xamireb reply.


    Liz snorts. ¡°You better not start Princess Felicity-ing me now.¡±


    Darian grimaces. I can¡¯t imagine her compartmentalized lives colliding together like this is very comfortable. But Liz is right; there¡¯s time to discuss plans later, once we¡¯re somewhere safe.


    I look out across the inhospitable desert and the hot, packed clay that seems to stretch to every horizon, wondering where we can make camp that will provide cover from Umbral Blades, or giant carnivorous animals, or The Coil¡¯s city guards.


    I guess safe is relative out here.


    I offer Quell a hand down from Poppy, and he glances at it before his face flushes darker. He climbs down with a mumbled excuse, and I step back, equally uncomfortable. We quickly and silently make for the star drake Darian identified. Quell swings himself up first, and I climb up behind. With only the two of us, there¡¯s enough room for me to put an extra seat between us. I clutch the grip at my seat¡¯s pommel, staring down at my white-knuckled hands, as Quell spurs us into motion.


    I was just starting to feel comfortable around the guy. Why did Liz have to go and make it weird?


    Darian and Liz take the lead, with Quell and I following, and Earnest and Xamireb at the rear. I¡¯m not sure how effective those two would be at acting as a rear guard, given Xamireb¡¯s injuries, but The Coil guards stop their advance as soon as they realize we¡¯re leaving. They probably just want us gone, and that makes two of us.


    We ride for several hours as the sun climbs past midday. Weariness is growing heavy in my limbs like a weight dragging me into my seat. I suppose that means I¡¯ve fully adapted to a nocturnal schedule now. Even with my shade cloak pulled tight around me, the sun claws at my skin anytime a jostle casts light over my exposed hands or forearms. I can¡¯t tell if I¡¯m burning, from the dark gray tone of my skin, but it hurts like hell. I hunch forward, trying to keep as much of myself covered as possible.


    Finally, a small sandstone formation rises from the desert¡¯s monotony, and Darian directs us over to the cluster of rocks and arches. Sleep rings the humans¡¯ eyes and slumps their shoulders as we finally climb down from the star drakes, hidden within the rocky alcove. I wearily head over to Poppy and pull the tents and bedrolls from her saddle, starting to set up camp. Earnest and Darian also help, and as soon as there¡¯s a canvas stretched across the burning ground, we heave Xamireb onto it and begin to pitch a tent around them. Liz and Quell settle down with them to examine their wound as the rest of us continue to set up the camp.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look so bad,¡± Liz says. ¡°I would have expected a lot more blood given the size of the injury.¡±


    ¡°Earnest¡¯s adapted water spell is holding it back,¡± Xamireb says. Their voice is calm, but there¡¯s a tremor present that wasn¡¯t there before. ¡°It will wear off in a few hours, and we¡¯ll need to seal the wound before then.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that yourself?¡± Quell asks. ¡°Your affinity is fauna, right? That falls within the school of Life arcanum. It should allow you some level of healing abilities.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually a mind affinity rather than beast,¡± Xamireb admits. ¡°Such a low grade of mind magic, in fact, that it¡¯s only noticeably effective on animals. I¡¯ve no healing spells of my own. However, there¡¯s sutures in the medical supplies on Poppy that should help. It¡­ may be a messy procedure.¡±


    I grimace, struggling with a tent pole. Quell had mentioned before that blood affinities were also in the field of Life arcanum. Does that mean I might be able to develop healing abilities? Maybe Coagulate could help seal up Xamireb¡¯s wound.


    Is that something I can do with Coagulate? I ask Echo.


    [Negative,] she says. [Coagulate may only be used on blood that is Attuned to the user.]


    Damn. But if Earnest has water spells that can slow bleeding, then there¡¯s got to be blood ones that could do the same. Can I learn spells to stop someone else¡¯s bleeding? I ask.


    [Affirmative.]


    Aha! I thought so. I wait a beat, but Echo doesn¡¯t continue.


    Can you teach me those spells? I ask.


    [Negative,] Echo says. [Excluding innately known spells, a user may learn spells through study, practice, and/or experimentation.]


    Well there¡¯s no books out here to teach me blood magic. But experimentation sounds promising. You mean I could just try to do some kind of magic, and see if it works? This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    [Affirmative.]


    That¡¯s good to know. But is this the time and place to try experimental magic? And if it requires a spell circle, like I¡¯ve seen others use, I¡¯d have no idea where to start. I guess it can¡¯t hurt to ask; these people understand how this magic stuff works way better than I do.


    As Darian and Earnest finish with the camp, I duck into Xamireb¡¯s tent. The arachnoid is leaning on their side to give better access to their wound while Quell and Liz spread out the medical kit on the floor before them. They both look up as I enter. Trying not to squirm beneath their questioning looks, I focus on Xamireb¡¯s injury. The gash in their abdomen is about twenty-five centimeters wide, with black ichor, now dried, covering the surrounding carapace. Would blood magic even work on a substance like that?


    ¡°Hey,¡± I say, after a moment of silence. ¡°Uh, I just wanted to see if I could be useful at all. Given my magic.¡±


    Quell¡¯s eyebrows raise. ¡°Oh. Yes! That¡¯s a good question. You might be able to help after all. Come, let¡¯s take a look.¡±


    Liz tips her head at me as I take a seat between Quell and Xamireb. ¡°Healing magic?¡±


    ¡°Uh, not exactly,¡± I say.


    ¡°But it is within the Life arcanum field,¡± Quell says, clearly attempting to soften the blow.


    ¡°It¡¯s blood,¡± I say bluntly.


    Liz frowns. ¡°Do you have much experience using it this way?¡±


    ¡°Literally none.¡±


    Xamireb chuckles. ¡°I see I¡¯m in good hands.¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Quell says. ¡°Theoretically, it¡¯s the same principle.¡±


    ¡°Now¡¯s not the time for testing book theories, little Quill,¡± Liz says.


    I thought I¡¯d misheard before, but that¡¯s at least the third time I¡¯ve heard her call him that. ¡°Quill?¡± I ask.


    Liz grins, squiggling her finger through the air. ¡°Because he¡¯s always buried in papers and ink.¡±


    Quell looks very annoyed by this.


    I think I¡¯m going to start using it.


    Quell turns to me, ignoring his sister. ¡°Those with Life affinities can channel their mana into other living things. You should be able to do the same.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to do those magic circles,¡± I say.


    He shakes his head. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t need to for something this basic. Here, I¡¯ll show you.¡±


    He takes my hands and holds them up to Xamireb¡¯s wound. I resist, hovering a few inches away, worried about pressing against the injury and making it worse.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to touch the wound if you want to try to heal it,¡± Quell admonishes me. ¡°Especially since you¡¯re inexperienced and your affinity is blood; it won¡¯t be as effective as someone with a pure life or healing affinity, and your lack of practice will also contribute to the loss in efficiency. You need to get as close as you can to reduce the mana waste.¡±


    I glance up at Xamireb, and they smile softly. ¡°It¡¯s quite alright. I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Hesitantly, I let Quell guide my hands against Xamireb¡¯s abdomen. I try not to squirm in discomfort as Quell¡¯s hands stay pressed over my own.


    ¡°Now what?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Focus on what you want to do,¡± Quell says. ¡°Picture it, and will your magic to fulfill that intent.¡±


    I frown. I wish there was just a magic word Echo could give me like Heal and just be done with it. But I follow Quell¡¯s instructions, furrowing my brows as I concentrate on the wound beneath my hands.


    Heal, I think anyway, willing my magic to do just that. My fingers start to tingle, then red light glows from beneath my hands. I suck in a breath. This isn¡¯t channeling attacks through the shield. This isn¡¯t invisible, like Attuning my blood. This is real, actual, visible magic. A dumb, giddy smile spreads over my face.


    After about thirty seconds, the light snuffs out.


    [Mana depleted,] Echo reports. [New spell obtained! Heal: Level 1.]


    Hey, what do you know, it is called Heal.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I¡¯ve got,¡± I say. Quell removes his hands from mine, and I pull away from Xamireb. We all lean in to look.


    Well it¡¯s not completely healed, that¡¯s for sure. There¡¯s still a black gash in Xamireb¡¯s tan hide. (Skin? Shell? I don¡¯t know what to call this for spider people.) But it¡¯s no longer open: a dull, black substance has hardened within the wound.


    All my mana, and I could only make a scab.


    ¡°Wow!¡± Quell cries, shaking my shoulder. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it worked. Way to go!¡±


    ¡°Nice to hear you have so much faith in me,¡± I deadpan. Despite appearances, however, I¡¯m actually pretty stoked. Even if all I can manage is a scab, I can summon magic and heal people. That¡¯s something else.


    Liz smiles faintly at the two of us.


    ¡°What worked?¡± Earnest ducks through the flap. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡±


    ¡°Your buddy here just closed up Xamireb¡¯s wound,¡± Liz says.


    ¡°Just a scab,¡± I object.


    ¡°It will more than suffice for now,¡± Xamireb says. ¡°You have my thanks.¡±


    Earnest crouches near his twin, examining the injury. His shoulders slump. ¡°Talor¡¯s blessings. Thank you, Nye.¡± He looks at me, and he might as well be baring his soul. A weary relief is carved into his expression, though the hints of worry still aren¡¯t entirely gone. ¡°I thought I¡¯d have to stay up all day to keep that staunching spell renewed. Even then I wasn¡¯t sure it would be enough until we could find a real healer.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m really a healer,¡± I mumble, unsure how to handle all the sudden praise. Liz gleefully nips that in the bud.


    ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± she says. ¡°But for a novice, that wasn¡¯t the worst.¡± She stands up, dusting her hands off. ¡°Well, come on, everyone. Best to let these guys get some rest.¡±


    I start to push myself up as well, but Quell catches my wrist.


    ¡°Ah, might want to be careful with what you touch,¡± he says, turning my hand over. A tacky black substance is smeared across my palm. ¡°You should get that cleaned off.¡±


    My stomach flutters at the implication. Would partially-dried arachnoid blood cause a Bloodlust the same as fresh blood from a human? Based on Quell¡¯s overabundance of caution, my guess is ¡®yes.¡¯


    Carefully holding my hands to the side so they don¡¯t touch anything or anyone, I follow Liz and Quell out of the tent.


    Darian is preparing a meal by a small fire. There are dark bags under her eyes, and it looks like she¡¯s tried to scrub all the blood off of her as well, despite the stains that still remain on her clothes. She looks up when we emerge from the tent, and smiles wearily at Liz.


    ¡°How are you doing?¡± she asks as the princess plops down next to her.


    ¡°I should be asking you that.¡± She closes her eyes, resting her head on Darian¡¯s shoulder. Now that I have a good chance to look at her, Liz looks more beat up than her chipper demeanor would have me think. She¡¯s covered in dust, her clothes are nearly torn to shreds, and I think I notice bruises on her wrists before her sleeves flutter back over them with a faint breeze.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that just for me,¡± she murmurs.


    Quell and I sit opposite. He passes me a water skin to rinse my hands, and I grab it with my wrists and pull the cork out with my teeth, then splash some of the water over my hands. Quell continues to stare across at the couple as if he still can¡¯t quite believe it.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Darian tells her. ¡°I had it under control.¡± But she looks up at me with a grimace. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I put you through that. I would have asked if there had been more time.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I follow her gaze to my hands, where I¡¯ve begun to scrub them down. They¡¯re brown from where the water has mixed with dust and blood. There¡¯s more dried blood on my arm¡ªred, not black.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I say. It¡¯s where Darian bit me. I¡¯d closed the puncture wounds hours ago while we were riding. Since then, my HP naturally recovered, and now there¡¯s not even a scar. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I know why you did it. I was just¡­ surprised.¡±


    Darian huffs out a laugh. ¡°I can imagine. Sorry I didn¡¯t tell you. The Bloodlust is a secret I try to keep close to my chest.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I ask. ¡°You said around one in a hundred dhampyrs have it. That¡¯s not common, but not particularly rare, either.¡±


    ¡°Common enough,¡± she says. ¡°Though not for combatants. Those with the Bloodlust are discouraged from serving. And those who join anyway are often shunned. No one wants to fight alongside an ally who might turn on you without warning. It¡¯s difficult to rise in the ranks with that kind of stigma pinned to your back.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Quell says. ¡°I didn¡¯t know about that. Who¡¯s preventing Bloodlust afflicted dhampyrs from being promoted? That should be stopped.¡±


    She looks at him, pityingly. I can relate.


    ¡°I doubt it¡¯s one person,¡± I tell him. ¡°And they¡¯re probably not even being actively malicious. But gather enough people with an unconscious bias together, and a pattern will emerge.¡±


    Darian nods along to my words. ¡°I don¡¯t fault them, for what it¡¯s worth. It is dangerous. You have to train for years to be able to discern ally from enemy while in that state. An untrained dhampyr with the Bloodlust is dangerous to field.¡±


    Untrained like me, she means. I dry off my hands and pass the waterskin back to Quell.


    Darian gently props Liz up as she leans forward to pass out the meal. Rare meat for Darian and me; standard rations for Quell and Liz. We eat in a sort of half-dazed silence.


    Liz sighs as she chews on a piece of jerky. ¡°This is the best meal I¡¯ve had in weeks.¡±


    Quell stops eating as he stares at his sister. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± She pops the last piece in her mouth, chewing heartily. ¡°That was a compliment.¡±


    ¡°What did they give you to eat?¡± Quell asks. ¡°Was it even enough?¡±


    Liz hesitates. I know that look. I¡¯ve used it with my own little brother. She doesn¡¯t want him to worry, but she doesn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°All this time, I¡¯ve had a full stomach while you¡­¡± Quell looks down, blinking rapidly as he sets his meal asside. He shakes his head, swiping his sleeve at his cheek. ¡°I was just so worried. I wasn¡¯t sure if¡ªI wanted you to be okay. I was so terrified you wouldn¡¯t be okay¡ª¡± His voice cracks.


    Liz jumps up and rushes to him, throwing her arms around her brother. Quell sobs, digging his hands into the clothes on her back, as if she¡¯d dissolve into mist if he let her go.


    ¡°Hush, now. Hush. I¡¯m here.¡± Liz rocks him back and forth. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m okay.¡±


    My throat tightens up, and I have to look away before it breaks down my walls. That¡¯ll be me and ¨¢lvaro, soon. It has to be. I meet Darian¡¯s gaze as the siblings cling to one another. She smiles sadly.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time for everyone to get some sleep,¡± she says after a minute. Reluctantly, Quell releases his sister. ¡°We¡¯ve all had a long night. Tomorrow we can evaluate our path forward. For now, it would be best for everyone to rest.¡±


    Quell nods, removing his glasses to wipe down his face. Everyone stands, and Liz gives him one last squeeze.


    ¡°Chin up, little Quill,¡± she says. ¡°It¡¯s over. Tomorrow¡¯s a new moon, and we¡¯ll walk beneath it together. Alright?¡±


    He forces a smile. ¡°Yes. Of course. Thank you.¡±


    She flashes him a smile, then returns to Darian, looping an arm through hers as they head for her tent. Quell watches her go, shakes his head, and then turns for his own.


    Under the cool relief of the canvas, I nearly pass out as soon as I lay down. Quell fusses with his bedroll, turning one way and then the other. He finally ends up on his side that faces me. I don¡¯t think he can see me, in the dark, but his eyes are roaming in my direction, like he¡¯s trying to think of something to say.


    I beat him to it. ¡°So. Little Quill¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up.¡± Quell rolls over, putting his back to me, and I laugh. Neither of us say anything else as exhaustion quickly pulls us down into a soothing black.

 Chapter 27 - The Prince of Duneshade

    When I wake, the tent is empty. Quell must be sneakier than I give him credit for, or I really am as heavy a sleeper as ¨¢lvaro says. I throw on a cloak, pull on my boots, and step out of the tent.


    Quell is sitting at the fire circle, poking at the embers with a stick. His face is lit with a faint orange glow, and the sky is still purple; not quite night. It must only be four or five hours since we went to bed. When I head over he glances up and gives me a small smile.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep?¡± I ask quietly, sitting across from him.


    He shrugs. ¡°Hard to, what with everything that¡¯s been going on.¡±


    ¡°I dunno about that.¡± I yawn. ¡°All the action these last few weeks mean I¡¯ve been passing out about three seconds after my head hits the bedroll. And judging by those bags under your eyes, I¡¯d say you could use some more rest yourself.¡±


    He smiles and shakes his head. ¡°Can¡¯t fool you.¡±


    ¡°Subtlety doesn''t seem to be your strong suit,¡± I tease.


    His smile falls. ¡°That¡¯s more accurate than you might think.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. He stirs his stick through the coals, sending up a flurry of sparks that quickly wink out.


    ¡°Constance is the best of us,¡± Quell says. ¡°Most charismatic. Most powerful. He really was made to be King. Likewise, his illusion magic is breathtaking. Large scale illusions are his specialty. When he was thirteen, he cast a spell that made the entire palace look like a living tree: archways into branches, scaffoldings into leaves. I was only six, then, and I thought it was the most amazing thing I had ever seen.¡± He smiles. ¡°It still might be the most amazing thing I¡¯ve seen.¡±


    I recall the carrion cactus illusion Constance created that first night: how vivid and real it had seemed. And not only that, it had produced sound. I wonder if I could have touched it if I¡¯d tried.


    ¡°Liz¡¯s powers are more subtle, but equally strong,¡± he continues. ¡°Opposite of my brother, her powers are smaller in scale. Best used on herself, or small items. She¡¯s great at attention to detail. Sometimes she¡¯d weave an illusion to look like our mother, and use it to make the guards let us into places we weren¡¯t supposed to be.¡± He chuckles at that. Just like before, the smile slowly fades away.


    ¡°Me, though, I never could never manage anything like either of them. I have the same affinity¡ªit¡¯s part of the royal bloodline¡ªbut my variant is weak.¡± He opens a hand, palm up, and a scattering of lights flicker from his fingers like miniature fireworks. ¡°That¡¯s about as good as it gets, really. The strongest spell I have is Mirage, and all it can do is make things a bit blurry. Because my real specialty isn¡¯t making illusions, but seeing through them. I¡¯m really good at that.¡± He laughs ruefully. ¡°For all the good it can do.¡±


    He lapses into silence, continuing to trace lines of orange through the coals.


    I give it a moment, but it doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s going to say anything else. ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±


    Quell sits back with a sigh, tossing the stick into the fire pit. He takes his glasses off and pulls out a cloth, brushing a film of dust away. ¡°I¡¯m useless, is what I¡¯m saying. Constance was strong enough to fight off the Moonfall agents. Liz might have been captured, but she was clever enough to leave a trail and expose her abilities when the time was right. When the Umbral Blades came for me, I just¡­ it wasn''t even a fight. It was over before I even knew what was happening. If you hadn¡¯t rescued me, I¡¯d have been gone without a trace.¡± He sets his glasses back on, frowning at the fire. ¡°What am I even doing out here? What do I have to offer? I wanted so badly to help rescue my sister, but when it came down to a fight, I was only a liability.¡±


    ¡°You are a liability,¡± I say, and Quell flinches, giving me an affronted look. ¡°Every time you¡¯re in danger, it puts me in danger. And since you¡¯re a prince, you¡¯re a target. You are a liability.¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯m glad to hear there is a majority consensus,¡± he says bitterly.


    ¡°And so are your siblings,¡± I add. ¡°That just comes with the territory of being born with a target on your back. But don¡¯t forget the part you played in retrieving your sister. You found signs of her in The Coil. She left that trail of illusions knowing you¡¯d be the one to see it. You brought a star drake to Darian¡¯s crew when they¡¯d lost their mount. Without you, we wouldn¡¯t have found her.¡±


    Quell is quiet for a time. He looks at the fire. He looks at the stars beginning to shimmer through the cloudless night. He finally looks at me. ¡°Why are you trying to make me feel better? You hate me.¡±


    I lean back, surprised. ¡°Hate you? Why do you think that?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m weak,¡± he cries. ¡°And naive. And you¡¯re bound to protect me against your will. Who wouldn¡¯t resent someone they¡¯re forced to serve?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t serve you, for the record.¡± I pick up a pebble and throw it at his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m just here to keep your stupid ass from getting killed.¡±


    He belatedly attempts to bat the pebble away, but it had already bounced to the ground. I shake my head. Pathetic.


    But I¡¯m still chewing on some of his words. ¡°I did resent you at first,¡± I admit. ¡°Or maybe it was the situation I resented. And I still am frustrated with it all. I don¡¯t like being beholden to these magical rules I have no say in. Being forced to serve someone is demeaning. Having my free will wrenched away from me pisses me off. I want to be free of it all.¡±


    Quell listens to me with a miserable look on his face. I pick up another pebble and throw it toward the firepit. It hits a coal, which bursts into yellow sparks with a hiss.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve never hated you,¡± I say with a sigh. I pick up another pebble, rubbing its smooth surface between my fingers. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry if I gave you that impression. I guess I just figured it would be easier to keep you at arm¡¯s reach. But I know none of this is your fault, and I shouldn¡¯t have taken it out on you. Actually¡­¡± I flick the stone away. ¡°I kind of relate to you.¡±


    Quell appears highly skeptical. ¡°To me? What on earth do we have in common?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d both do anything for the ones we love,¡± I say. ¡°Even though you knew there wasn¡¯t much you could do, you still did everything in your ability to find your sister. And I would give anything to know my brother¡¯s safe.¡± I glance out over the darkening desert. With every day that passes, I feel like he¡¯s growing further away. Like I¡¯m missing my chance to find him.


    ¡°If he really is somewhere out there, is he okay?¡± I wonder. ¡°Is he healthy? Happy? It¡¯s the ¡®not knowing¡¯ that hurts the most. But there¡¯s nothing I can do. This desert is so vast and unforgiving¡ªand it¡¯s only one small part of this world. What have I even done to try to find him? I feel so useless. Like I¡¯m flailing, and getting no closer.¡± My heart aches, and my throat tightens. ¡°I¡¯m the older sibling. I was supposed to protect him. I already failed him once, and I can¡¯t let it happen again.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Blinking against the sting in my eyes, I glance back at Quell to find him watching me with a sad smile.


    ¡°Maybe we have some common ground after all,¡± he says.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it go to your head,¡± I warn him. I try to shake off the moment of vulnerability, and push forward a teasing smile instead. ¡°We¡¯re still just allies of circumstance.¡±


    Quell chuckles. ¡°After that heart to heart I think we¡¯ve at least upgraded to friends of circumstance.¡±


    ¡°Friends are allowed to use nicknames,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯ve heard Quill is¡ª¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Quell sits forward. ¡°Absolutely not. Not you, too.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just so fitting,¡± I start before Quell throws a pebble at me. I don¡¯t even have to dodge, because it misses by about three feet. I laugh. Quell is smiling, too.


    ¡°But you know,¡± I venture, ¡°if you do want to feel more useful, you can start by helping around camp. We could use an extra set of hands when we set up camp each morning and tear down the next night.¡±


    Quell looks shocked. ¡°Oh gods. Have I not¡­ I didn¡¯t even notice¡­¡±


    I snort. ¡°Yeah, I could tell.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he blurts. ¡°I get distracted easily. Lose track of tasks. I can¡¯t help it, I¡¯ve always been like this, but¡ªno, sorry, that¡¯s not an excuse. I don¡¯t want to be a nuisance.¡±


    He pulls a notebook and piece of charcoal out of his pocket and begins scribbling furiously.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I ask, bemused.


    ¡°Notes,¡± he says, turning the page around to show me. ¡°See? SET UP CAMP. It¡¯s written now, which means it exists.¡±


    I laugh at that. ¡°So it doesn¡¯t exist if it¡¯s not written down?¡±


    He looks at me sadly. ¡°For me? Yes. Very often.¡±


    I shake my head in amusement. But hey, it¡¯s progress. The guy is trying his best. My grin fades to a soft smile as I watch him make more notes in his book. A cozy quiet settles between us as he continues to consult his notebook and I tend to the fire. Though neither of us speak, just sharing the same space feels comfortable and easy.


    It doesn¡¯t take long for the rest to begin to rouse.


    ¡°Good evening, you two,¡± Darian says as she steps out of her tent. All of the blood on her clothes and armor have been scrubbed away, nothing left to indicate the state she¡¯d been in the day before. ¡°Everyone well rested?¡±


    ¡°Well enough,¡± Quell says, glancing at me. I shrug. ¡°How¡¯s Liz?¡±


    Darian heads over to the star drakes to start pulling out some supplies for breakfast. ¡°She¡¯ll be out in a minute. Have you heard from Xamireb?¡±


    Earnest steps out of his tent at that moment, too. ¡°They¡¯re doing well. Just continuing to sleep it off.¡± He gives me a warm, grateful smile.


    The environment is relaxed as Darrian and Earnest prepare the meal. Liz joins us soon as well, and then everyone is eating and chatting. It¡¯s strange. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen these people unwind since I first met them. But I guess it makes sense; the worst is over.


    ¡°Take some for Xamireb, too,¡± Darian tells Earnest, passing him an extra serving as he stands to go check on his sibling. ¡°They¡¯ll need the energy. We¡¯ll begin riding back tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    ¡°Back?¡± I look up sharply. ¡°Back where?¡±


    ¡°To the capital,¡± Darian says.


    ¡°But we¡¯re supposed to go to the Lifesprings,¡± I object.


    ¡°No,¡± Darian says, ¡°you and Prince Quell were supposed to accompany Prince Constance to the Lifespring Oasis. But then you came after us. And we¡¯re heading back to the Capital, where the princess can recover safely within our borders.¡±


    Liz snorts. ¡°Recover?¡± She throws a dramatic hand over her forehead. ¡°Oh, this poor waif must needs return to the comforts of the palace lest the hardships of the desert erode her sensibilities!¡±


    Darian isn¡¯t amused. ¡°You¡¯re half-starved, and it¡¯s not safe out here. There could be more groups of Moonfall soldiers looking for you.¡± She looks pointedly at Quell. ¡°And you.¡±


    ¡°But the Oasis is where we can lift my curse,¡± I say, desperation edging into my voice. It¡¯s also the most likely place for my brother to have ended up if he appeared anywhere around here.


    ¡°There¡¯s mages we can talk to in the capital,¡± Darian says. ¡°Besides, you seem to be managing the Aegis just fine.¡±


    ¡°I mean Quell, not the shield,¡± I snap. Everyone looks startled by my outburst, and I have to take a calming breath. ¡°But I am worried about the shield, too. It was going to kill the town guards before I stored it. I¡¯m worried I might not have as much control over it as I thought. I need to get all this resolved as fast as I can. Please.¡±


    Darian grimaces. ¡°We¡¯re a week¡¯s ride from the Oasis still. It wouldn¡¯t be much longer than that to get to the capital.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait that long.¡± I turn pleadingly to Quell. ¡°We agreed. After we found your sister, you¡¯d accompany me to the Lifespring.¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Quell tells Darian. ¡°As such, I¡¯m honor bound to accompany them.¡±


    Darian shakes her head in disbelief. ¡°We can always return to the Oasis at a later date. But given the current danger, that would be ill advised.¡±


    ¡°We can meet back up with Constance and his forces,¡± I say. ¡°It will be safer with them, won¡¯t it? Safer than the six of us traveling alone.¡±


    Darian¡¯s eyes narrow. She¡¯s probably not used to being questioned. Well, I¡¯m not one of her soldiers, so she doesn¡¯t have authority over me. Quell, on the other hand¡­


    ¡°We should meet Constance at the Lifespring,¡± Liz cuts in.


    Darian looks at her in surprise. I do, too.


    ¡°The Umbral Blades are planning something there,¡± Liz says. ¡°I don¡¯t know what. But I overheard the name enough to know that was our destination. It seems the rumors of Moonfall activity around the Oasis were founded after all.¡±


    ¡°If they wanted to take you there, then surely that¡¯s the last place we should go,¡± Darian says.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Liz nibbles on a hunk of cheese. ¡°There¡¯s something more going on. They mentioned the Moonfall and Duneshade peace talks¡ªthey didn¡¯t like them. I think this kidnapping attempt was connected, somehow.¡±


    ¡°Then that confirms it,¡± Darian says. ¡°They are trying to start a war.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Liz picks at the rind. ¡°Though I¡¯m not even sure if they were working for the crown, or operating as a rogue unit, to be honest. The teams were small and independent. From the way they talked about you and Constance, they didn¡¯t even know you guys had escaped.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± Quell says, excited. ¡°See? The Umbral Blades might be acting on their own.¡±


    ¡°A rogue faction?¡± Darian repeats skeptically. ¡°Not impossible, but¡­ odd. And the simpler answer is that they are working for the crown.¡±


    I¡¯m not following all the political intricacies going on between the different countries and factions, but with Liz on our side, we might be able to win Darian over. I sit back and let her and Quell do the talking.


    ¡°But on the chance this abduction wasn¡¯t on the order of the Moonfall Kings,¡± Quell says, ¡°then we need to be careful to not react to the actions of individuals and escalate this into all-out war.¡±


    Darian frowns. ¡°I believe you are seeing what you wish for, Prince Quell, rather than what is most likely. Prince Constance and I gathered significant evidence to implicate the ambassador in all of this.¡±


    Oh, crap. I forgot about her. I¡¯d barely had a chance to look at the ambassador that first night before she¡¯d been dragged away.


    ¡°Ambassador Ashla?¡± Liz looks up, clearly distraught. ¡°No. But she was so kind to us. Are you sure?¡±


    Darian gives her a sympathetic grimace.


    ¡°She said she wanted peace.¡± Liz deflates sadly. ¡°She seemed so sincere¡­¡±


    ¡°People can be trained to seem so,¡± Darian says gently.


    Liz blows out a defeated breath, and my heart sinks. I thought the royals were onto something, but Darian is making good points, as much as I hate to admit it. Liz has folded, and Quell and I are on the losing side of this argument.


    Could we take a star drake and sneak off without them? Would we even be able to slip that past Darian?


    But Quell hasn¡¯t given up yet. ¡°No. Something¡¯s still not adding up. Whether or not the Umbral Blades were working for the crown, the Lifespring seems to be at the center of all this.¡± He frowns, knuckling his chin. Then he abruptly sits up straight. ¡°What if the rumors weren¡¯t actually rumors?¡±


    ¡°We already established that, Quill,¡± Liz wearily says.


    ¡°No, no.¡± He waves his hand dismissively. ¡°I don¡¯t mean ¡®what if the rumors were true.¡¯ I mean, what if the rumors were intentionally planted in order to get us to come investigate the Oasis. This all started before we even left the capital, right? The reports of Moonfall sightings around the Lifespring were so mild and discreditable¡ªexactly the perfect amount of mild and discreditable¡ªthat our parents felt it was safe enough to send us and treat the entire trip as political exercise. They were convinced Moonfall didn¡¯t pose us any threat.¡± He points at Darian. ¡°Part of their confidence was because Ambassador Ashla insisted upon coming with us. Was she the one to suggest the excursion in the first place?¡±


    Liz raises her eyebrows. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if she suggested it first, but the ambassador worked closely with Prince Constance while planning the logistics.¡± Darian swears. ¡°Which is how they knew everything about our entourage, including when best to strike.¡±


    Liz frowns, tapping her chin much like her brother. ¡°Our abduction wasn¡¯t an attack of opportunity; they were waiting for us.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Quell says. ¡°For them to have already been out here, they must have left Moonfall weeks in advance. But once they captured us, they weren¡¯t planning to take us directly back to their territory. They were going to take us to the Oasis. Which means¡­¡±


    I¡¯m starting to catch on. ¡°Moonfall might have already captured the Oasis.¡±


    Darian sighs, rubbing her temple. ¡°And Prince Constance will be marching right into their hands.¡±

 Chapter 28 – Back to Training

    Despite Darian once more half-heartedly insisting Liz and Quell should return to the capital, leaving her and her soldiers to ride to warn Constance, that night we all leave together. Liz refuses to abandon her brother, Quell refuses to break his promise to me, and even Earnest and Xamireb throw their names behind me. When did I get so many people who have faith in me? I barely have faith in me.


    Now that we have three star drakes, travel is significantly more comfortable. No more getting squished between two sweaty humans¡ªHah. I guess I really don¡¯t see myself as one anymore. But adding an extra seat as a buffer between me and Quell means I can actually enjoy the ride, and practice a little magic while I¡¯m at it.


    I try Attuning more of my blood, despite having Attuned all of it prior to now, and find there¡¯s some new blood that¡¯s unAttuned. I guess that answers the question of if I¡¯ll need to Attune any new blood my body produces. Kind of annoying, because that means I¡¯ll have to do a little each day¡ªor at least set aside one day a week to catch up. This has got to be the most frustrating magical affinity out there. I open my eyes as I return my attention outward, and find myself looking at Quell¡¯s back.


    Then again, I could have an illusion affinity and not be able to make illusions.


    As dawn approaches, we stop to make camp once more. I¡¯m sure Darian would rather we press ahead, but even if we didn¡¯t need to rest, the star drakes do. As the tents are pitched and dinner starts cooking, Darian takes me aside.


    ¡°Come on,¡± she says. ¡°One day off is plenty. Back to training.¡±


    I hesitate as I follow her a short ways from the campsite. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a good idea. The shield was in attack mode when I stored it. I don¡¯t want it to hurt you.¡± Or anyone else.


    ¡°All the more reason for you to take it out now than when you actually need it,¡± she says. ¡°What¡¯ll you do if we get in another fight? You don¡¯t have any other weapons.¡±


    ¡°I have my Attuned blood,¡± I suggest.


    Darian raises a skeptical eyebrow. ¡°Do you know how to fight with that?¡±


    ¡°I could,¡± I insist, though I actually have no idea if that¡¯s true.


    ¡°Show me.¡±


    I really should have expected her to call me out on that. Well, no backing down now. I hold up my hand, and focus on the blood that¡¯s in my palm. When I mentally pull at it, I can feel it move, pressing against my skin. It¡¯s extremely unsettling. But if I want to use it as a weapon, then I¡¯ll have to get used to it.


    Hemetic Hardening, I think, activating the spell to solidify a portion of the blood. I picture what I want: a small spear-tip. I wince as I feel it form, like a stone in my hand, its tip prickling against the underside of my skin. All I have to do now is bring it out.


    Steeling myself, I pull the arrowhead up, breaking through my skin.


    ¡°OW!¡± I grab my wrist, hunching over as the pain spikes up my arm. ¡°Fuck! Shit!¡± A dozen more profanities stream from me as I squeeze my wrist and stop trying to pull the blood from my hand. That fucking hurts!


    Darian bursts out laughing. I wince as I dispel the Hemetic Hardening, and the small point of blood that had broken through my skin pools into my hand. Gritting my teeth, I use Coagulate to scab over the wound. My hand still pulses with hot pain from the injury.


    Quell pokes around one of the tents. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Darian says, still laughing as she wipes a tear from her eye. ¡°We¡¯re just experiencing a learning-opportunity moment.¡±


    I glare at her. With my other hand, I gesture for the Attuned blood still sitting in my palm to rise into the air, and it obliges. The sphere of blood is barely the size of a marble, but I shape it into an arrowhead anyway, then use Hematic Harding once more. The tiny spear-tip becomes solid. Putting all my will behind it, throwing it as hard as I can, I launch the projectile at Darian.


    [Range limit,] Echo says right as the blood vanishes from my mental hold. The speartip makes it a few feet beyond my arms before its trajectory abruptly nosedives into the ground. The blood splashes against the dirt and is quickly absorbed by the dry clay.


    Darian laughs harder.


    I let out an annoyed huff. Range limit? I ask Echo.


    [An Attuned element may only be controlled within the user¡¯s range of Attunement. The range may increase as the user¡¯s level or spell level increases.]


    And my range is¡­?


    [5.5 feet,] Echo replies.


    Well that¡¯s going to significantly reduce the usefulness of my Attunement as an offensive ability in a fight. I guess I¡¯d have to use it as a sword or knife; though how much blood that would take, I¡¯m not sure.


    Darian subsides into chuckles, gesturing for Quell to return to camp; he doesn¡¯t, and Liz and Earnest have come to watch, too.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Darian is smiling as she shakes her head at me. ¡°I needed that.¡±


    ¡°Glad my pain and ineptitude could bring you some joy,¡± I grumble.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have listened if I¡¯d just told you it was a bad idea,¡± Darian says.


    ¡°I would have!¡± I object. Then I think about it for a second. No, she¡¯s right: I would have still tried it. ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve made your point.¡±


    ¡°It takes a lot of willpower to injure yourself like that,¡± Darian says. ¡°Especially on your hand; more nerves. If you¡¯re ever really desperate, the back of your arm is a better place to work with. Larger area, less sensitive.¡± She flexes her hand. ¡°Won¡¯t stop you from holding a weapon.¡±


    I flex my fingers, and the new scab pulls painfully at my hand. Good point.


    ¡°Not to mention,¡± Darian continues, ¡°throwing your blood around in a fight isn¡¯t the wisest move when you might be facing other dhampyrs. If your blood manages to cut into one with the Bloodlust, you¡¯ll activate their ability, and now you¡¯ve just upgraded an enemy to very powerful and out of control.¡±


    Another good point. I feel kind of dumb for not thinking of these things already. ¡°You didn¡¯t seem entirely out of control,¡± I say.


    The humor in her expression fades. ¡°I trained for years in controlled environments to be able to exercise as much control as I did when fighting the Umbral Blades. And control is still barely applicable to what I was exercising. Stopping myself from eviscerating Felicity was a feat unto itself.¡± Her face hardens. ¡°What I did was impulsive and desperate. It is not to be used as an easy power-up, do you understand? If you try the same, you¡¯re likely to hurt an ally¡ªor worse.¡±


    I nod. ¡°I¡¯ve no intention to.¡± And that¡¯s the truth. As much as I try not to think about what I did to those Moonfall soldiers who had Quell, snippets of gore and screams still creep their way into my dreams.


    ¡°Good.¡± She plants her hands on her hips. ¡°Now are we going to get back to some actual training?¡±


    I glance toward the campsite. Liz is sitting cross-legged on a boulder, tossing pieces of crusty bread into her mouth like popcorn. Earnest leans against the rock, arms folded. At least Quell has the good sense to look concerned.


    I still edge a few more steps away from the campsite. ¡°Give me some space while I summon it.¡±


    Darian also steps back, gesturing for me to continue. I hold my arm out to the side, brace myself, then summon the Crimson Aegis.


    The shield appears, and its emotions crash against my mind like thundering waves. I flinch as a variety of thoughts hammer against me in rapid succession. There¡¯s a flash of surprise¡ªan undercurrent of fear¡ªthe briefest glimpse of relief¡ªand then it¡¯s just pissed.


    [Blood Ward activated.]


    It grabs onto my arm, squeezing painfully tight, as it unfurling whips of blood which blindly lash out at the air around me.


    ¡°Stop!¡± I call out. ¡°The enemies are gone.¡±


    Are they? Are they? It wouldn¡¯t know, being kept in such a dark and desolate place! We were in danger, and it was trying to protect me! Why did I punish it? I could have died without its help! What would have happened to the Aegis if I died while it was in that silent, lifeless place?Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    I blink, caught off guard. That was a good question, actually. I hadn¡¯t even considered it.


    It doesn¡¯t matter, I tell it. I didn¡¯t die, and you¡¯re out, now. It all worked out for the best.


    The Aegis simmers in its anger. Maybe everything worked out for me, but it didn¡¯t know what happened or if it would ever be released from the nothingness again.


    Er. Sorry? I was expecting it to be in attack mode, but I wasn¡¯t expecting all of this. It¡¯s mad at me, but I can feel what¡¯s driving that anger: it was scared. It feels¡­ betrayed by my actions. Sheesh, and I thought arrogant was about the only emotion it was capable of.


    You didn¡¯t give me much of a choice, I tell it. I told you not to attack those people and you were going to do it anyway.


    It stiffens with offence. They were attacking us. Was it supposed to let us lose? Unthinkable.


    No, I sigh. But there are other ways to win.


    The Aegis isn¡¯t convinced. And it¡¯s still stewing in its frustration. But it¡¯s calmed down a bit, and has even reluctantly acknowledged we¡¯re no longer in the middle of a fight. The threads of blood stop aimlessly lashing about, gradually slowing their motion, until they abruptly dissolve into the air, flickering out.


    [Blood Ward ended,] Echo reports.


    I let out a relieved breath, consciously forcing all the tension out of my limbs.


    Liz lets out a whistle. ¡°That¡¯s some shield.¡±


    That¡¯s one way to put it.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Crimson Aegis,¡± Quell says, excitedly leaning over to Liz. A pained look immediately scrunches her face. ¡°Remember hearing about it in our history lessons? No? What about the Crimson Scimitar? Oh, gods, I have so much to tell you. Well as it turns out¡­¡±


    ¡°Good job.¡± Darian steps back into position, and I tune out Quell¡¯s recap of the weapons, which is quickly transitioning into a history lesson. ¡°Now, reactivate that ability.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I say, baffled. ¡°No. It will skewer you.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t skewer you,¡± she notes.


    ¡°Because it knows not to.¡±


    ¡°So tell it not to skewer me.¡± She unbuckles her sword, sheathed for my protection, as always. ¡°Come on. You want to be able to use these abilities in a fight? Learn how to use them outside of one.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous,¡± I object. ¡°The other abilities are ones I can control. They¡¯re all defensive spells. But the Aegis owns the Blood Ward, and it¡¯s not the same. It¡¯s a weapon. The Blood Ward is only designed to kill.¡±


    ¡°And a sword isn¡¯t?¡± Darian counters. ¡°Don¡¯t be naive, Nye. If you draw a weapon, you best have the willpower to use it. But a sword can cut an enemy as easily as an ally, if you don¡¯t have the control to wield it properly. Control comes with practice. You want to feel safe using that thing to protect yourself? To protect others? Then let¡¯s practice.¡±


    I grimace. She¡¯s oversimplifying things with the Aegis. It¡¯s not the same as swinging a sword; this entity has a mind of its own. But she¡¯s at least right that I¡¯ve nothing else to use if it comes to a fight. Even if I started training with a sword today, it would take years for it to be as effective as this magical weapon. If I want to survive future fights¡ªif I¡¯m going to protect Quell, and trek across treacherous lands in search of my brother¡ªI need to master the resources at my disposal. I don¡¯t have to like it for it to be true.


    Alright, I think at the Aegis, and it grumpily rouses from its sulking. We¡¯re going to get in another fight.


    Its irritation vanishes in a flash. Good! This is adequate reparation for my prior affront. It accepts my atonement. When? Where? Who? Oh, that person! We will destroy them.


    No! I hurriedly think as its attention latches onto Darian, her sword leveled toward us. No. That¡¯s not how we¡¯ll win this fight. And seriously, how do you not recognize her by now?


    The Aegis bristles with indignation. It is not the shield¡¯s fault all these squishy organic creatures look the same!


    ¡°Ready?¡± Darian calls.


    ¡°One minute,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯m still working something out.¡±


    For this fight, you¡¯re allowed to use the Blood Ward, but you¡¯re not allowed to kill or maim her, I tell it. You can¡¯t even make her bleed.


    The Aegis is skeptical. Killing is the most efficient way to win a fight. And a quick defeat is a clear display of its superiority!


    Talking to this thing requires the patience of a saint, I swear. Not in this case, I say. For this fight, drawing blood from the enemy means we lose.


    Now the Aegis is extremely confused. But how? How can one defeat their enemy and still lose? This doesn¡¯t make any sense!


    This one, uh, likes to bleed, I say, inventing an admittedly awful lie using the only logic I think the Aegis would understand.


    It likes blood? The Aegis considers this. Well, that is a very understandable thing. Completely relatable. But this presents a problem! How will we establish our supremacy if it wants to lose? If we win, then it loses, which means it wins, so we lose. But if we lose, does it wins, and its winning means it loses? The Aegis doesn¡¯t understand! This is all so confusing.


    Oh no, I¡¯m going to break the magical shield. We can still win, I hurriedly tell it before it undergoes some sort of existential crisis. Darian can be defeated by knocking her down. More than anything, she doesn¡¯t want to end up on the ground. I mentally picture us standing over a downed Darian, foot on her chest in some absurdly victorious posture.


    This, however, the shield understands. Yes! Victory. We will stand over our foes in triumph, and they will subjugate themselves before us!


    Yeah, I think, grimacing. Something like that.


    I nod to Darian. ¡°Okay. I think we¡¯re ready.¡± God, I hope so.


    Darian charges toward me. I crouch behind my shield. Alright, I think to the Aegis. Let¡¯s do it. Another Blood Ward. And remember, you CAN¡¯T make her bleed.


    I get the mental equivalent of a blink from the Crimson Aegis. Blood Ward? It can¡¯t do another Blood Ward. It¡¯s all out of blood.


    I growl. ¡°Are you freaking kidding m¡ª¡±


    Darian¡¯s sword crashes against the shield, rattling my teeth. I clench my jaws shut and activate an Endure to stop the vibrations.


    How much do you need? I snap, stumbling back as Darian continues to advance. She tries to hook my shield and go for my feet, but it¡¯s a move she¡¯s used before, and I know what to watch for this time.


    The Aegis can use any amount of blood. But the more blood, the better its attack. So, lots of blood is best!


    I slap my recently-scabbed palm to the back of the shield, and activate a Devour. There! Take some. Not a lot though! I need to stay on my feet.


    The Aegis delightfully agrees, bands of red magic snapping around my hand to keep it pressed against the metal. A brief burning sensation against my palm makes me wince, then I feel a distinctly uncomfortable suction-like sensation as it pulls blood from my hand. And in a different, equally strange way, I can sense it entering and becoming part of the Aegis¡¯s magic. It¡¯s my Attuned blood, now buried somewhere inside the shield. The realization is dizzying; it¡¯s like I can feel myself inside the metal. The line between us, blurred. I falter, briefly dazed and dissociated. Darian takes the opportunity to slam her pommel into the side of the Aegis, snapping my arms to the side.


    [Blood Ward activated.]


    The whips of blood snap from the surface of the shield, stabbing toward Darian. That shakes me out of it. No! I think, willing the spears of blood away from her. And they divert, stabbing into empty space. The Aegis and I are equally confused, but I figure it out first. It¡¯s my Attuned blood. I can still control it even after the Aegis has absorbed it.


    Offended, the Aegis grabs control of its blood whips once more. Why did I stop it? It was going to win!


    No! I think. Remember? We can¡¯t stab her to win. We have to knock her down.


    Oh. Right. The Aegis forgot about that.


    I try to bring the shield back around, but Darian takes advantage of our faltered attack. She grabs the shield with one hand, holding it to the side as she plants a kick directly into the side of my ribs. I feel something creak, then I crash into the dirt, striking my head against the ground.


    Oh! The Aegis delights. Thanks! More blood.


    I groan, my armor grinding into every joint and bone as I try to roll over. The packed clay out here is a lot less forgiving than the sand dunes we¡¯d started on. Darian stalks after me, pointing her sword toward my neck. ¡°Dead,¡± I can already hear her say.


    A line of blood snaps around her ankle, rising from where it had fallen to the ground. Darian flinches in surprise, but not as surprised as me when the Aegis lets out a victorious cheer. HaHA! Experience defeat by means of ground!


    The whip pulls tight, yanking Darian¡¯s foot out from under her. She flips, her sword flinging from her grasp, and slams into the ground, back first. She lets out a gasp, the air forced from her lungs. I lay there panting. The Aegis preens in victory.


    A face swims into view overhead. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough sparing for one day,¡± Quell says.


    A blood whip creeps toward his ankle.


    No! The fight¡¯s over, I say, mentally grabbing the blood in its magic and forcing it still. This isn¡¯t an enemy.


    The Aegis is a little disappointed. Am I quite sure this one doesn¡¯t also need to be shown proper submission?


    Very sure, I think, trying to catch my breath.


    ¡°You guys are going to beat the crap out of each other before we even find anyone to fight,¡± Liz says, offering Darian a hand up. Quell offers me the same. I take it and he stumbles forward, very nearly pulled to the ground. The guy must not have an ounce of muscle on him. I wince, pushing myself up to at least give the illusion he¡¯s helping me stand, and I stagger to my feet.


    ¡°You okay?¡± I ask Darian, letting go of Quell to hold my side instead.


    Darian huffs out a laugh, looking at me. ¡°I¡¯m not the one bleeding from the head.¡±


    Oh. Right. I start a Coagulation before I lose any more.


    ¡°But good job,¡± she says. ¡°That¡¯s the most clever I¡¯ve seen you fight yet. I¡¯d call it a draw.¡±


    I snort. ¡°Don¡¯t let the Aegis hear you say that.¡±


    We limp back to camp together.


    ¡°Here,¡± Earnest says, handing us each a flask of water. Then he hands me a second one. ¡°You¡¯ll want to make up for that blood loss so you don¡¯t pass out.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I say, gratefully taking both. Darian and I collapse back around the campsite. The first band of sunlight breaks over the horizon. I wince at the light and incoming heat.


    ¡°We¡¯ll practice each morning until you feel comfortable with the shield¡¯s abilities,¡± Darian says. I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s meant as a promise or a threat.


    I finish off one of the waterskins in a series of unbroken gulps, gasping at the end. ¡°Actually,¡± I say, wiping my mouth, ¡°I already feel a bit better about that.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± she raises an eyebrow. ¡°That was quick.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my Attuned blood,¡± I explain. ¡°If the Aegis uses it for the Blood Ward, I still have some control over it. I can stop it if it tries to kill someone.¡± Finally. Some semblance of autonomy once more. Not everything is outside my control. This one thing, at least, I can handle.


    Darian nods, but she doesn¡¯t look as relieved as I feel. ¡°That¡¯s good. What if it uses blood that¡¯s not yours?¡±


    Ah. Right. ¡°I guess I wouldn¡¯t be able to control it then,¡± I say, some of my confidence faltering.


    ¡°Control is good,¡± Darian says. ¡°But I expect it goes both ways, with you and that shield. What you really need is cooperation. Trust.¡±


    ¡°Trust.¡± I grimace. The Crimson Aegis is clearly something else. Something that has never been a person, never experienced empathy, never understood concepts of morality. It can be directed, certainly. But trusted?


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s possible,¡± I admit. I don¡¯t even trust other people unless or until they can prove they¡¯re good for it.


    Darian shrugs. ¡°Something to keep practicing during our sparring matches.¡±


    Liz sighs, rolling her eyes. ¡°Soldiers, I swear. Can¡¯t you go one day without trying to hurt each other?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good workout,¡± I object.


    Darian nods approvingly. ¡°They get it.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t see the appeal,¡± Quell says.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± I look back to Darian with a joking snort. ¡°Royals.¡±


    Instead of agreeing with me, Darian smiles, leaning over to hook an arm around Liz and pull her over. Liz laughs, tumbling into her arms.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know.¡± Darian¡¯s eyes crinkle as she looks down at Liz. ¡°They grow on you.¡±

 Chapter 29 - The Sandstorm

    The days start to pass in the same routine. We ride from dusk until midnight, break for a meal and let the star drakes rest, then ride until sun-up. Darian and I train, we eat dinner, and I go to bed exhausted and bruised.


    I love it.


    I can feel myself getting stronger. My spells have been leveling up from all the practice and sparring matches I¡¯ve been doing, which so far as I can tell hasn¡¯t made any of them more powerful, but has significantly reduced their mana cost. Currently I¡¯ve grinded things up to:


    [Endure: Level 5]


    [Repel: Level 5]


    [Devour: Level 3]


    [Coagulate: Level 4]


    [Stabilize: Level 2]


    [Hemic Hardening: Level 3]


    [Heal: Level 4]


    I¡¯ve been getting a lot of practice with Coagulate and Heal, especially after each morning¡¯s sparring match.


    After more than a week of training, I gain an overall level-up as well, bringing me to 18: I guess it¡¯s not just real fights that count toward that. Echo tells me I¡¯ll get a class evolution at level 20, but won¡¯t explain what that means beyond ¡°The new class will grant the user access to additional stat bonuses.¡± I want to see if I can hit it before we reach the Oasis. It¡¯s only two days away, now.


    But when we rise the next evening, there¡¯s a haze on the horizon.


    ¡°Sandstorm.¡± Xamireb frowns. ¡°I thought I¡¯d felt something in the air as we were heading to bed last morning.¡±


    ¡°You think it¡¯s magical?¡± Darian asks. We all continue to pack up camp as we eye the red-tinted horizon.


    ¡°Not sure,¡± Xamireb admits. ¡°As we approach the Oasis, the residual Life arcanum in the air and ground is growing stronger. It could be the storm, or it could be the Oasis. But we should proceed with caution regardless.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll try to arc around it,¡± Darian says. ¡°It might extend our trip by half a night, but given our drakes, we should still reach the Oasis before Constance. We can afford the delay.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s a magical sandstorm different from a normal one?¡± I ask Quell as we finish tearing down camp. He¡¯s started to help pack things up now, even if the way he stores the supplies is inevitably done so poorly that Darian redoes his work when he¡¯s not looking.


    ¡°It¡¯s more dangerous, for one.¡± Quell is struggling to stuff a canvas into its roll. He should have folded it first. ¡°Wind kicks up arcanum-laden dust into the air, and the magic interacts within the storm to produce all sorts of effects. It¡¯s life magic, so it¡¯s pretty much guaranteed to affect any living creatures who get caught in it, in some way or another. It might put you to sleep, or blind you, or cause you to start seeing things. All temporary, of course. Well. Usually.¡±


    I grab the canvas from him and pull it out of the bag, then start to roll it up properly. ¡°I thought Life arcanum was about healing. Why are all of these effects bad?¡±


    Quell shakes his head. ¡°Life arcanum is just about, well, life. It could be good or bad, depending on the effect. It is equally possible the sandstorm could be beneficial to us. Maybe it would improve our eyesight or heal our wounds. But it¡¯s a flip of the coin, and when one side could be life and the other death, most don¡¯t risk it.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± I tighten down the strap and hand the rolled canvas back to Quell. He staggers as I drop it into his arms. ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll be able to go around it?¡±


    Quell lugs the bag over to Poppy and rolls it into place on her back, heaving a relieved sigh. ¡°That depends on the winds.¡±


    As the sun sets and we continue our ride south, the sandstorm vanishes from sight, a smudge like any other cloud on the horizon. But as the night continues, its shadow begins to grow once more, steadily blotting out the stars.


    ¡°Magic or not, we¡¯ll need to proceed carefully,¡± Earnest says as we stop for lunch. One of the two moons has become a faint orange glow behind the sandstorm¡¯s cover, while the other crescent hangs like a frown overhead. ¡°We¡¯re not going to be able to outrun it.¡±


    Darian grimaces. ¡°It seems Rinviu is against us.¡±


    ¡°Or Kero,¡± Liz says.


    ¡°That would be a bad omen, given our destination,¡± Earnest notes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope it¡¯s neither.¡± Xamireb carefully unfolds their limbs and climbs down from their star drake, taking the reins in hand. They¡¯re still a little stiff, but doing much better than days previous. ¡°It helps nothing to attract the ire of the gods, especially as I am beginning to suspect the Oasis is to blame after all. There¡¯s more magic in the ground around these parts. We should proceed carefully, Captain.¡±


    Darian scrutinizes the ground. Though we¡¯ve been traveling over packed clay, it¡¯s beginning to transition back into dunes once more. ¡°Sandworms?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe so,¡± Xamireb says. ¡°I haven¡¯t felt any movement. Yet¡­ I don¡¯t know. There is something strange about that sandstorm I can¡¯t place.¡±


    ¡°Is it the ground or sky we should be worried about?¡± Darian asks.


    They can only shake their head. ¡°Once I determine the cause of what I¡¯m sensing, you will be the first to know. But if we can spare the slower pace, I can study the ground better while walking.¡±


    Darian glares at the night sky for a moment, then looks off to the south, where the Life Oasis is supposed to be.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she says. ¡°I¡¯ll give you an hour. After that we¡¯ll ride once more.¡±


    ¡°Who are those gods?¡± I ask Quell quietly as we dismount and begin walking. Xamireb leads the way, using his front two legs to prod the ground curiously as he walks. ¡°Rinviu and Kero?¡±


    ¡°The god of wind and the god of life,¡± Quell explains. ¡°Along with Relona, god of stone, and perhaps more recently Widengra, god of war, they¡¯re the most common gods to worship in the Duneshade Kingdom. I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s much the same in Moonfall. Pilgrimages to the Lifespring to pray for a blessing from Kero are common.¡±


    ¡°Are the prayers ever answered?¡± I ask, skeptical. The gods of this world¡ªor at least their demigods¡ªseem so strangely¡­ physical. Lorata¡¯s champion, Zeyaelid, hadn¡¯t looked that much different from Xamireb. Although her level had been significantly higher than anything else I¡¯ve encountered since. But shouldn¡¯t deities be more abstract than this? More unknowable? Champions have levels, and so do I. The difference between mortals and gods shouldn¡¯t just be a bit of training.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Then again, I suppose I¡¯ve only seen a Champion, not a god itself, so maybe it¡¯s too early to judge.


    ¡°Occasionally,¡± Quell says. ¡°Though I¡¯ve not heard of a major blessing being granted in my lifetime. Some say the Lifespring itself is its own celestial gift.¡± He pauses, and even though we¡¯re already speaking quietly, he lowers his voice even more. ¡°I don¡¯t personally subscribe to that theory.¡±


    I quirk a smile. ¡°Is that blasphemy, Quell?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± he objects. ¡°Although some might say that.¡±


    ¡°So what do you think the Lifespring is, if not a gift from the gods?¡± I ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Ruin,¡± he says. ¡°Most scholars outside of Duneshade agree. It matches the patterns of other Ruins.¡±


    ¡°Ruins?¡± I ask. ¡°There¡¯s more places like Lifespring?¡±


    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Quell says, his face lighting up at the question.


    Uh oh. This feels like an incoming rabbit hole.


    ¡°There are many Ruins scattered all across Lusio,¡± he says. ¡°The largest similarity between them is that they¡¯re each connected to an arcanum source. Most of them have some vestiges of the civilization that had previously resided there. Crumbled buildings, buried mosaics. The Petrified Grove is actually remarkably preserved, unlike the rest. All of them leak raw arcana into the surrounding environment. For some Ruins, this is noxious¡ªthe Black Spire, for instance, bleeds necrotic energy into the surrounding lands, making rehabilitation impossible. But for the Oasis, it¡¯s the opposite: life has sprung up all around it. The healing magic can be harnessed for great good.¡± He frowns. ¡°Which is why it remains so disputed.¡±


    ¡°What happened to the previous civilization?¡± I ask. ¡°If it was so desirable, where did they all go?¡±


    Quell lifts up his hands. ¡°No one knows. But it¡¯s fascinating to think about, isn¡¯t it? There¡¯s theories about that, too. Some historians think the civilization left through the Springs.¡±


    ¡°Through it?¡± I ask, confused. A piece of grit abruptly stings my eye, and I wince, trying to blink out the sand. More sting my arms and face; the breeze is picking up.


    Quell nods enthusiastically. ¡°Each Ruin draws energy from a different source of magic, right? And these magic sources are different dimensions. The Between, for instance¡ªsomewhere you might have briefly visited. It¡¯s a source for null magic; the infinitesimal incarnate. Its magic is the stuff between locations, between matter, between time. And it¡¯s similar for the Lifespring: the dimension it¡¯s connected to is the Lull. Since these are places¡ªhowever abstract¡ªthe theory goes that you should be able to travel to them. Indeed, you¡¯re walking evidence of that. So some speculate that the ancient people simply¡­ walked through, leaving this world behind.¡±


    I frown, thinking about my experience in the Between. It had been disorienting. A void. I hadn¡¯t had a body, no sense of direction or time. Who would want to leave behind a world as rich as this to live somewhere so empty? I¡¯m not sure I buy that.


    ¡°Is that what you believe?¡± I ask him.


    He shrugs. ¡°I don¡¯t know. If you can pass through the Oasis and into the Lull, I don¡¯t know of anyone who¡¯s managed to achieve it since the ancients. The door isn¡¯t all the way closed, that¡¯s for certain¡ªbut if there¡¯s a way to open it fully, that¡¯s been lost to time. One thing that is for certain, however, is that whatever happened, happened everywhere across Lusio, all at once. Each city left abruptly abandoned. That speaks to something magical, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Or supernatural. I¡¯m not sure I share Quell¡¯s optimism that whatever happened to the people in these cities was as benign as he suggests.


    But in the end, I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter. Whether abandoned or destroyed, the Lifespring remains my goal.


    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a danger in me visiting the Oasis?¡± I ask him. I don¡¯t have to lower my voice anymore, because the wind has picked up, howling in low tones, hissing sand over the ground and against the star drakes¡¯ hides. I tuck my head down as we walk; the conversation at least provides good distraction from the increasingly inhospitable elements.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s a magic source connected to one of the gods,¡± I add.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried Kero might notice you?¡± Quell asks, drawing up his hood. The cloaks are designed to keep out sunlight, however, not sand, and he spits grit from his mouth as he tucks his head down, no longer talking into the wind. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a likely concern. Unless you plan on praying to them, I doubt you¡¯ll have a way to draw their notice.¡±


    Yet Hans and I drew a Champion¡¯s notice, somehow. Was that because we had just been dropped into Lusio? Maybe that¡¯s why I¡¯ve not seen or heard from Zeyaelid since. I¡¯m not sure how comforted I should be from this; I feel like the moment I let my guard down is when the next catastrophe will¡ª


    A shrill scream lances through the air.


    God dammit.


    I raise a hand to the sand whipping against my face as I race around Poppy. Liz is on the ground, Darian helping her to her feet. Their star drake is nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I ask. Quell rushes up beside me.


    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know,¡± Liz says, her voice shaking. She scrubs sand off her palms and knees where it had stuck from the impact. ¡°It was so fast. There was a shadow, and then the lizard hissed, and the reins were yanked from my hands and it¡ªit was just gone!¡±


    A chill crawls down my back. The star drakes are huge. They probably weigh as much as an elephant. What could snatch up something like that and be gone so fast you couldn¡¯t even see it? I squint at our surroundings, but I can¡¯t make out anything aside from us, Earnest and Xamireb¡¯s lizard, and the surrounding desert. In fact, I can see less now than I could a few minutes ago. What was once miles has become reduced to a couple hundred feet. And I¡¯d hazard a guess visibility is only going to rapidly decrease from here.


    ¡°We need to stop and wait it out,¡± Xamireb says, leading their drake over to the rest of us. ¡°The storm is only going to get worse, and if we continue on, we risk getting separated.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Even while she speaks, Darian gaze is scouring the surroundings. ¡°If there¡¯s a predator out here capable of plucking a star drake out from under our nose, then staying isn¡¯t safe. We need to take shelter, yes, but somewhere defensible. We push through until we can find a rock formation to set up against.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Xamireb says. ¡°I don¡¯t understand it, but there is something wrong with this storm. With respect, Captain.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± she says. ¡°But the risk of remaining in the open is too high. If it can eat a star drake in one bite, it can do the same to us.¡± She stops searching our surroundings and turns back to the group. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope that¡¯ll keep it busy for a while. Come one. We¡¯ve little time to waste.¡±


    Reluctantly, we all start moving once more. The wind pulls at the Aegis and, after assuring it I would be removing it again soon, I add it back into my Inventory to avoid getting swept away. Darian and Liz walk between our two lizards. The rising howl of the wind is the only sound that accompanies us as everyone remains silent, glancing over shoulders and looking every which way. Hair rises on the back of my arms. I don¡¯t like this.


    ¡°Do you smell that?¡± Quell mumbles a few minutes later. He takes a deeper breath. ¡°What is that?¡±


    I sniff as well, but I don¡¯t notice anything. ¡°Smells like dirt. Why, what do you smell?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admits. ¡°Something¡­ Damp, sort of.¡±


    I frown, trying to pick out what he smells, but it¡¯s all dust to me.


    A shadow flickers in my peripheral.


    ¡°There!¡± I shout, spinning toward it. I summon the Aegis, and there¡¯s the metal hiss of swords being drawn.


    The Aegis happily looks around. Is it time to defeat something?


    But there¡¯s nothing there. Only curtains of sandy wind, swirling all around us.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Darian calls from ahead.


    I falter. ¡°I thought I saw something.¡±


    I nudge the Aegis, but it¡¯s sad to report it can¡¯t find any potential threats. Unless we wanted to fight that dhampyr again.


    ¡°But I¡­¡± Maybe it was just another whirl of sand. But my gut doesn¡¯t think so. Goosebumps prickle up and down my arm. What¡¯s going on here?


    ¡°Keep moving,¡± Darian shouts. ¡°I think I see an outcrop ahead. We¡¯ll pause there.¡±


    ¡°Xamireb¡¯s right,¡± Quell says to me as we nervously press forward. ¡°I can sense something, too.¡±


    Nervously, I slip the Aegis back into my Inventory once more.


    Echo, Check, I think, glancing around my surroundings. Maybe she can see something I can¡¯t.


    [The Gilded Desert,] she reports. [Infused with life arcana from the Lifespring Oasis, the desert is often populated by creatures mutated by Life arcanum that has leaked into the surrounding land.]


    That tells me nothing I didn¡¯t already know. Except that she doesn¡¯t see any animals around, I guess. What about this sandstorm? I think. Is it magical?


    [Affirmative,] Echo says. [Life arcanum is infused with the sand that the wind has carried into the air.]


    Still nothing I don¡¯t already know. I¡¯ll have to wait until I can get a good look at whatever is stalking us¡ªthough by then, it might be too late.


    ¡°Ah, I think I¡¯ve found it!¡± Xamireb¡¯s voice is muted, cutting in and out as the wind carries the words away from us. ¡°The ground here¡ª¡±


    ¡°Watch out!¡±


    I snap my head up, squinting through the hissing dim. I can¡¯t see anything. The curtains of sand are getting denser, stinging like ants as they batter my skin.


    Someone cries out.


    ¡°Earnest!¡±


    A gust of wind crashes into me, knocking me into Poppy. Quell also yelps, clutching her reins, and we both duck our heads and hold our breath as sand blasts into us. It doesn¡¯t last more than ten, fifteen seconds. But when I look back up, everyone in front of us has vanished. No star drake, no Darian, no princess or soldiers.


    Quell and I are alone.

 Chapter 30 - Lure

    ¡°Liz?¡± Quell whips around, looking for her in every direction. ¡°Liz!¡±


    For a moment I think I hear a returning call, broken words snatched up and tossed away by the wind. Quell scrambles up the back of Poppy for a better look. ¡°Darian! Liz! Anyone!¡±


    A gust of wind buffets against us, and Quell is nearly blown from Poppy¡¯s back. He falls to her saddle, clutching the reins and hunching against the wind. I wait for the gust to pass, then grab Quell and pull him down.


    ¡°We should use her as a windbreak,¡± I say, keeping close to the drake¡¯s side. Or at least, a sand-break. ¡°We have to get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Not without Liz!¡± he says, voice tight with panic. ¡°What even happened? I couldn¡¯t see anything! They were just gone! Are they¡ªthey have to be okay, right?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be fine,¡± I say, hoping that¡¯s the truth. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but those four are a tough group. Liz will be safe with Darian, right?¡±


    Quell nods, but his face is still pinched in fear. ¡°Right. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Besides, if something ate them, there would have been blood everywhere; I would have smelled it.¡±


    Quell looks horrified. ¡°That¡¯s significantly less comforting!¡±


    ¡°And we would have seen it if they¡¯d gotten swallowed by a giant sandworm or something,¡± I add.


    ¡°Nye, please!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying they¡¯re probably fine.¡±


    ¡°Just stop talking!¡±


    Quell rakes his fingers through his braids, grimacing against the sand.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he says, letting out a breath. ¡°Okay. You¡¯re right. There¡¯s nothing I can do, anyway. We just have to find shelter somewhere to wait out the storm.¡±


    Good. I thought he was about to have a panic attack. I might be able to fight soldiers and wyverns and carnivorous cacti, but I can¡¯t beat back sand and wind. We just need to keep our cool and wait for this to blow over.


    ¡°I think Darian said she could see something ahead.¡± I gesture to where we¡¯d last seen their group. ¡°We should go that way. Maybe we¡¯ll find what she did.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Quell says. ¡°Yes, of course. Maybe they¡¯re just ahead of us, only a little out of sight! Come on, we should go quick, before they move any farther away!¡±


    Quell starts to strike out ahead of Poppy before I catch his cloak and haul him back. ¡°Stay next to Poppy,¡± I repeat. ¡°We have to stick together. No matter what, don¡¯t let go.¡± I hand him her reins, and he reluctantly takes them. I get that he¡¯s eager, and maybe desperate, but him and I getting separated as well is the last thing we need.


    Heads bowed against the storm, we move forward. What was once clay has been covered in sand once more, and though it doesn¡¯t seem very deep, it causes us to slip and slide over the firm ground beneath. That, with the wind, belabors every step. I squint against the sand as it pelts against my face, but I can¡¯t make anything out. Not rocks, not people, not shadowy forms. Whatever shelter Darian must have seen is too far away, or our field of view too restricted. We¡¯d have to stumble over the top of it before we¡¯d even notice it was there. Is searching for shelter our best bet, then? What if we¡¯re only getting more lost in the storm? Maybe we could throw a canvas over the top of us and huddle against Poppy until it passes.


    ¡°Nye?¡±


    I freeze, whipping my head to the side. The wind howls, but nothing is there. Was that my imagination playing tricks on me? I stand there for a moment longer, peering into the shadowy storm. Nothing.


    I start walking once more.


    ¡°Nye!¡±


    My heart skips a beat. This time the voice is distant but unmistakable. I spin around, searching for which direction the voice had come from. ¡°¨¢lvaro?¡± I call. ¡°¨¢lvaro! Where are you?¡±


    Quell stops and turns back. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°My brother,¡± I say, looking around desperately. My heart squeezes in my chest. ¡°I heard him. I know it was him!¡±


    Quell squints through the dim. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡±


    The storm shifts, and a curtain of sand parts, just for a moment. There, not thirty feet away, is the silhouette of my brother.


    ¡°¨¢lvaro!¡± I squeeze the strangled words from my throat, relief and pain and love all crashing through me in a desperate wave. I lurch toward him, tears prickling my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m here! I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Nye, wait!¡± Quell calls.


    The sand closes around him once more, and I race ahead, desperate to not let him pass from sight. I can¡¯t let him go now. I can¡¯t¡ª


    My stomach lurches as I pitch forward in abrupt free-fall. The ground vanishes before me, a crevasse is suddenly beneath me, and I¡¯m falling. Terror grips my gut, and I twist around, trying to grap the ledge, but it¡¯s too late. I¡¯m already out of reach.


    I summon the Crimson Aegis.


    It bursts into existence above my head, and I fling my arm to the side as it latches itself to me. The tip of the shield cracks into stone, but doesn¡¯t anchor. Fear lances through me¡ªthen the other end of the shield strikes something hard.


    I slam to a halt, the shield wedged between two walls of rock, and I¡¯m left hanging by my arm. Pain spikes down my shoulder, but it doesn¡¯t dislocate, and the shield doesn¡¯t slip. I¡¯m alive.


    My heartbeat thunders in my ears, drumming a mile a minute. Holy shit. What just happened? Where did this ravine come from? I almost died.


    The Aegis is also confused. What are we doing, dangling over a cliff? This is no way to win fights!


    Quell appears above me. ¡°Nye! Nye, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Hanging in there,¡± I grunt.


    ¡°Now¡¯s not the time for jokes,¡± he cries.


    ¡°What?¡± It doesn¡¯t matter. ¡°Quick, help me up. I could slip any second.¡±


    Quell leans over the edge, stretching a hand down.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°No!¡± I cry, horrified. If I grabbed him at this angle, I¡¯d just pull him over the cliff. ¡°Go get Poppy! Throw me her reins.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Quell says, a little embarrassed. ¡°Right. Of course.¡±


    He disappears for a moment, and I clench my arm, attempting a one-armed pull-up to alleviate the strain the posture is pulling through my back. I¡¯m suddenly very glad my shield is of the demonic variety; I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do the same with a conventional one.


    The Aegis scoffs. Of course I should be glad! It is the best shield in all of existence. Surely this should have been apparent by now.


    I huff out a laugh, but it becomes a wince. You did save my butt, I think. Thanks.


    The shield smugly accepts my gratitude.


    Quell returns a moment later, getting Poppy to lean her head down and dropping the rein into the ravine. I grab it with my freehand, looping it around my wrist several times.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I grunt. ¡°Back her up!¡±


    Quell does, and the leather goes taut. I pull with all my might as the drake strains to back up. The Aegis scrapes across the stone, slipping free of its brace, as I¡¯m pulled up and over the edge. Once I¡¯m back on solid ground, I crawl a few feet from the edge, then collapse onto my back, spread-eagle. Even with the wind and sand biting into my flesh, the ground has never felt so good. The rush of adrenaline in my ears gradually fades.


    Quell leans over me. ¡°What was that about sticking together?¡±


    ¡°I saw my brother,¡± I say. ¡°He was in the storm.¡±


    ¡°Why would he be out here?¡± Quell demands. ¡°For him to be this close now, we would have seen him way before the storm reached us.¡±


    He¡¯s right. Rationally, I know he¡¯s right. ¡°But it was him. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re seeing what you want to see,¡± Quell says, his face softening with pity. ¡°Just like me and Liz.¡±


    I sigh, squeezing my eyes shut and forcing myself to let go of that brief spark of hope that had burned to life inside me. It hurts to let it go out. But it would have been a miracle to run into ¨¢lvaro out here. It can¡¯t have been him.


    Even though it had been so detailed. Could that really just have been a trick of the light?


    Either way, it doesn¡¯t change what needs to be done. I open my eyes and clench my teeth¡ªwhich grinds sand between my molars. I turn and spit. Against all my instincts, we need to keep moving.


    I keep the Aegis out as I roll to my feet, examining the ravine. It¡¯s obvious now that I¡¯m looking at it¡ªI¡¯d been so distracted by the figment of ¨¢lvaro that I hadn¡¯t even noticed the giant gap in the ground. Or perhaps the sand had obscured it. Either way, it¡¯s clear we¡¯ll need to be more careful about where we walk from now on.


    ¡°You keep an eye out for signs of the others,¡± I tell him, not trusting myself to search for figures in the sand. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on our footpath. Alright?¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Quell agrees. We both take a side of Poppy¡¯s reins as we circle away from the cliff. ¡°But, Nye, there¡¯s something unnatural about all this.¡±


    I watch the ground in front of us. ¡°Xamireb said it was magical.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but magical how?¡± Quell wonders. ¡°I can feel the magic in the air. But the Oasis spills life magic. How can a sandstorm be alive?¡± He shakes his head. ¡°I think there¡¯s a beast at the center of this, and it¡¯s using the storm for cover. It strikes from our blind spots, and reveals just enough to lure us into danger.¡±


    Like an anglerfish. Is that what I¡¯d seen? It would make sense with what we¡¯ve experienced so far, for the most part.


    ¡°No more chasing shadows,¡± I agree. ¡°In fact, if you see any, we probably should head in the opposite direction.¡±


    ¡°Good point,¡± Quell says. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I want to know where it¡¯s trying to actually direct us.¡±


    ¡°And with any luck, we don¡¯t have to find out.¡±


    I keep my eyes on the path in front of us as we walk. It¡¯s only now sinking in how close I¡¯d come to dying. If I want to find my brother, I need to be more careful. I can¡¯t let my emotions control me like that. If I throw myself blindly into every situation I find myself in, eventually I¡¯ll meet my match. And I can¡¯t help anyone if I¡¯m dead. Next time, I¡ª


    [Role Requirement,] Echo warns.


    I grab the back of Quell¡¯s shirt right as he begins to pitch forward, letting out a yelp. His foot appears to pass straight through the ground, and the slack in his shirt goes tight. I dig in my heels and yank him backward. Both of us fall back on the ground beneath Poppy as the sand before us slips away, revealing another ravine. The lizard gives a startled chirp.


    ¡°What was that!¡± Quell cries. ¡°Where did it come from? How did we miss it?¡±


    He¡¯s sprawled half on top of me, our limbs tangled together and his back against my chest. I can feel heat rising in my cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Quell, could you¡­¡± I put a hand on his shoulder and give it a gentle nudge.


    ¡°Oh! Sorry.¡± He scrambles off of me, backing away from the ledge and up against Poppy. He nervously adjusts his glasses.


    I pointedly look back to the cliff, forcing my thoughts on that embarrassing encounter aside. ¡°I was watching the ground. It wasn¡¯t there before. It looked like your foot went right through the ground, like it wasn¡¯t even there.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The question is so sharp, I look back at him. Far from being flustered, his brows have knotted in concentration. ¡°Describe exactly what you saw.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admit. ¡°It was like one moment the ground was there, but the second you stepped forward, it vanished.¡±


    Quell turns his attention back toward the cliff, frowning. ¡°Hold on. That sounds like¡­¡± He pauses a moment, then his eyes go wide. ¡°Of course. Oh, gods, Nye, you¡¯re going to think me such a fool!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± I say.


    Quell stands up, and I cautiously follow suit, eyeing the nearby ledge. He¡¯s too close for my liking. I surreptitiously grab a corner of his cloak, just in case.


    Quell takes a steadying breath, closing his eyes. Then he raises his hands like an orchestra conductor, and an ethereal purple glow flickers around his fingers. He slowly exhales, and an aurora of magic leaves with his breath. The light is caught on the wind and swirls around him, growing brighter and thicker by the second. Then he snaps his palms forward, and the magic pulses away from us. As it does, reality ripples.


    The sandstorm shimmers. The ground undulates like a stone cast into a lake. Overhead, moonlight breaks through the storm. Then, all at once, the illusion shatters.


    It¡¯s like someone¡¯s removed a pane of distorted glass from before my face. Large sections of ground fizzle away; the wind¡¯s howl dies, and its force dissipates. It¡¯s not completely gone, the sand still stinging our skin, but it¡¯s also no longer obscuring our sight. We¡¯re standing on a rocky plateau, surrounded by snaking canyons.


    Awed, my gaze returns to Quell. His eyes are still closed, but his expression is one of serious concentration. The slouch in his shoulders is gone. Whatever he did just affected miles of land around us. How could he ever have thought he¡¯s a useless?


    He¡¯s amazing.


    Quell opens his eyes, then lets out a little squeal and backpedals from the cliff¡¯s edge.


    And, moment gone.


    ¡°It was all an illusion?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Mostly,¡± he says, back up to slump against Poppy¡¯s hide. He pauses for a moment, as if out of breath. ¡°The sandstorm is real, though the illusion made it seem much worse than it was. Illusions aren¡¯t just visual, but can be audial as well, and the really strong ones can have a slight tactile element. Gods, would you look at all these gorges! We¡¯re lucky we didn¡¯t fall in.¡±


    I carefully edge up to the side of the cliff, peering over. ¡°I don¡¯t think luck was any part of it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asks.


    There are bones at the bottom of the cliff. White sticks and stones scattered all across the canyon floor. ¡°I think this is where the illusions were trying to lure us.¡±


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t a monster,¡± Quell realizes. ¡°When Darian and Liz¡¯s star drake vanished, it must have fallen off an invisible ledge. Gone in an instant.¡±


    My stomach churns. The very same had nearly happened to Quell and I. Which means the others¡­ I look around the plateau, and my heart sinks. We¡¯re alone up here.


    Quell must have reached the same conclusion. ¡°We have to find them. They can¡¯t be far. Actually, hold on.¡± He climbs up on Poppy¡¯s back and looks behind us. He squints, tracing his finger over the land. Then he takes her reins and beckons me to join him.


    ¡°Based on the way we¡¯ve headed, I think I know where we lost them,¡± he tells me.


    I climb up behind him, mildly impressed. ¡°That¡¯s a good sense of direction.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not that good,¡± he says, urging Poppy on. ¡°We just went left when we lost the group, then right when you nearly got lured off a cliff, then we went straight and a bit left again after that.¡±


    I snort. ¡°Quell, take the compliment.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± He glances back at me. ¡°I¡¯m not really used to getting compliments. Ah. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°You also just dispelled a sandstorm-sized illusion,¡± I add.


    He huffs. ¡°Now you¡¯re just trying to make me uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± I smile at his back.


    Quell leads us through the maze of ravines, finally pulling us over to stop. We both climb down.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he says. ¡°If I¡¯m right, they probably fell somewhere around here.¡±


    The image of those bones at the bottom of the cliff float to the forefront of my mind. ¡°Maybe I should look,¡± I offer. ¡°You can stay here.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he says firmly. ¡°Like you said: They¡¯re going to be fine.¡±


    He turns and cups his hands to his mouth. ¡°Liz!¡±


    His voice echoes back at us from several different ravines.


    ¡°Anyone!¡±


    We wait. His echoes die out, and my heart sinks.


    Then, distantly, we hear a returning call. ¡°Quell! Quell, we¡¯re here!¡±


    He turns to me and grins, his smile as bright as the sun. Much like the sun, it warms me.

 Chapter 31 - Mirage

    Quell and I find them nearby at the bottom of a steep slope. We send Poppy ahead of us, who half runs-half slides down the incline, then we follow her in much the same manner. Everyone is battered, but alive.


    Liz throws an arm around Quell and knuckles his head. ¡°Way to go, little brother! I knew you had it in you. Amazing range, by the way!¡±


    Quell fends his sister off, ducking out of her arm. ¡°What ever happened to a simple ¡®Thank you¡¯?¡±


    ¡°That was a thank you!¡±


    Darian looks us over. ¡°You two unharmed?¡±


    ¡°Unharmed,¡± I confirm. Although, it was a close one. ¡°You all?¡±


    ¡°Earnest damaged his prosthetic when we slipped down the cliff,¡± Darian says. ¡°Just scrapes and bruises for the rest of us.¡±


    Quell nudges a bone with his boot. ¡°It looks like not everyone before us were so lucky.¡±


    There are more bones around here, too, along with a strange musky smell. That stirs something in my memory. ¡°Is this the smell you guys were mentioning before?¡±


    Liz wrinkles her nose. ¡°Yes, though it¡¯s about a hundred times worse down here.¡±


    ¡°It smells¡­ earthy,¡± I say.


    ¡°It¡¯s bacteria.¡± Xamireb gingerly picks up a bone and tips it to the side, displaying a section of green fuzz. ¡°The last piece of the puzzle. The reason why I felt something was odd about this storm.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Quell snaps his fingers. ¡°Yes, it all makes sense now, doesn¡¯t it? I should have figured it out before. It is Life arcana magic. And Life arcana can¡¯t affect wind and sand.¡±


    Xamireb nods excitedly, clearly appreciating the scholarly interest. That makes one of us. ¡°Precisely. It was the bacteria that became altered by the Life arcana. And what an alteration! Very clever, really. They gained the ability to create a mirage when the wind carries them into the air; then the magic disguises the cliffs and lures prey over the edge, where they fall to their deaths, providing food for the microbes. An amazing symbiosis between nature and magic.¡±


    I wrinkle my nose at this amazing symbiosis. ¡°If there¡¯s bacteria in the air, is it safe to be down here breathing it all in?¡±


    Xamireb and Quell exchange a look and an uncertain shrug.


    ¡°If it were capable of killing its prey faster, it wouldn¡¯t need the mirage,¡± Xamireb says. ¡°Probably.¡±


    How comforting.


    ¡°Regardless,¡± Darian says, ¡°I think making our way out of here promptly will be to all our benefit.¡±


    That¡¯s one thing I can agree with.


    We spend an hour searching both directions of the ravine for the shallowest climb out, and find one we hope will make do. The real issue is our two star drakes¡ªthe third that Liz and Darian had been riding is still missing, and likely dead. When they try to climb out, the rock walls are loose enough that the star drakes¡¯ weight causes the sand and rocks to give way, resulting in them slipping back down. In the end, we climb up ourselves using tent stakes as picks¡ªwell, all of us except Darian, who activates some type of sand spell and then hikes up the hill like it¡¯s nothing¡ªthen secure several ropes to the top. It takes most of the rest of the night to set up the lines and haul the lizards out, Darian shifting the earth and pushing from the bottom. But finally, eventually, all of us make it to the top.


    We have to back-track out of the sandstorm and canyons in order to find a path around. By then, it¡¯s already dawn, and everyone is exhausted. Finding a rocky outcrop, we wearily make camp, eat a quick dinner, and head to bed.


    <hr>


    Thankfully, the next two days pass without any excitement. We camp, Darian and I train, and the Crimson Aegis manages to only think about stabbing Darian twice. Small wins, I guess.


    We keep an eye out for Constance and his troops as we ride, hoping to intercept him somewhere along the route to the Oasis, but so far there¡¯s been no sign of him. Liz and Quell don¡¯t talk about it, but I can see the worry in the way they carry themselves, in the tension in their shoulders and the bags beneath their eyes. I wonder if I look much the same.


    Earnest has mostly gotten his prosthetic back in working order, though he says he¡¯ll need to commission repairs once we make it to the nearest city, which will be the Lifespring at this point. Supposedly, we¡¯ll reach it tomorrow.


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


    ¡°What¡¯s it like?¡± I ask Quell that morning as we¡¯re getting ready for bed.


    He takes off his glasses and carefully folds them in a wrap of cloth as he settles down onto his bed mat. ¡°I¡¯ve only been once, admittedly. We were kids, and our parents were meeting with Moonfall envoys, I think. I hadn¡¯t really paid much attention to the politics of it at the time. I was just excited to travel.¡±


    I prop myself up on an elbow as he talks.


    ¡°It was beautiful. Everything so green¡ªbirds filled the sky, and there were so many exotic animals I¡¯d never seen before¡ªice cats, and bears, and these fantastic little fuzzy creatures like snakes with fur.¡± He smiles. ¡°Those were Liz¡¯s favorites. She begged mother to take a dozen back with us to the palace.¡±


    ¡°Did you?¡±


    He laughs. ¡°No. They were delightful, but Liz has always had an attention span as temperamental as the clouds. She would have lost interest after a couple weeks anyway.¡±


    ¡°¨¢lvaro would have begged for the same.¡± I think back to when we were kids. Our older siblings were so much older that they almost felt like a different set of relatives. But ¨¢lvaro and I are only a year and a half apart, and we¡¯ve always been close. It was us against the world.


    ¡°He¡¯d bring home stray kittens and try to hide them under the bed. That didn¡¯t do much to muffle their tiny mews.¡± I grin just thinking about it. ¡°Mom and Dad always took them to a shelter as soon as they found out. But I¡¯d help sneak them in anyway.¡±


    ¡°You two sound close,¡± Quell observes.


    ¡°We were. Are.¡± I roll onto my back. ¡°My older siblings didn¡¯t really get me. I was ¡®too confusing¡¯ or just ¡®too hard¡¯ for them to understand. But when I wanted to change my name to Nye, ¨¢lvaro never even questioned it. He switched to gender neutral adjectives the second I asked. Though he messed it up a lot.¡± I chuckle and look back at Quell. His forehead is wrinkled with faint confusion. ¡°I guess that¡¯s not a problem here. Everyone seems so¡­ understanding.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t entirely follow,¡± he says.


    Of course he wouldn¡¯t. Sometimes the people here feel so familiar, and then other times, we couldn¡¯t be more different.


    But this isn¡¯t a wound I want to reopen right now. ¡°You were talking about the Oasis,¡± I prompt.


    His gaze searches my face, as if there¡¯s more he wants to ask, but he lets it go. ¡°I¡¯m not sure words can adequately describe it. The city shone like a sapphire in the sand. You just felt healthier, stronger, more energetic while you were there. Liz and I wanted to play with all the oversized pets, but Constance spent the whole time pouting.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Mother and Father wouldn¡¯t let him accompany them to their political talks.¡± Quell snorts. ¡°Even at that age he took his inheritance so seriously.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to hold the same feelings for your position,¡± I note.


    ¡°Why would I?¡± He sighs, clasping his hands behind his head and flopping back on his mat. He stares up at the tent canvas. ¡°Countless hours spent learning dances and court politics and table manners. For what? To exist as a trading piece and be married off to some foreign state to curry favor with their leaders? I¡¯m never going to be king. I¡¯m third in line. And if something happened to them to make me first¡­¡± His face falls. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be in any state to rule.¡±


    Some of his ignorance is starting to make sense. He¡¯s not politically inept out of indifference, but as his own subtle form of defiance. He feels locked into a future already written for him. No wonder he spends so much of his time escaping into books.


    ¡°I guess we¡¯re both trapped by our circumstances,¡± I murmur.


    That makes him pause. He rolls onto his side, facing me, and tucks an arm under his head. ¡°You know, Nye, I never wanted this,¡± he says quietly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re chained to me how you are. If I could put an end to it, I would.¡±


    My chest aches strangely. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°I want to help you find your brother,¡± he continues. ¡°I know I said I was just going to help you remove your curse. But after that, I still want to help. You helped me find my family. It¡¯s the least I could do to return the favor.¡±


    The power of royalty, even one not first in line, could offer far more resources than I¡¯d ever have access to on my own. It¡¯s a more than generous offer.


    The thought of us working together to find ¨¢lvaro, like we¡¯d done to find Liz, fill me with an affectionate warmth. ¡°That would mean a lot to me.¡±


    ¡°And,¡± he adds, a hint of nervousness tinging his voice. ¡°I¡¯d also like to learn more about you, if that¡¯s alright.¡±


    My stomach flutters. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    His eyes light up. ¡°About your world! About how you got here. About how you really ended up with that shield, and why the gods are looking for people like you, and why you have access to some strange magic system that doesn¡¯t exist in any arcana text I¡¯ve ever read. There¡¯s so many mysteries! But there must be an answer to it all somewhere.¡±


    I snort. That brief, nervous flutter is gone. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to be your research subject.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s beneficial to you, too,¡± Quell insists. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know? What if all this is important!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s important is surviving,¡± I say, settling back into my bedroll. ¡°I want to keep my brother alive, which means I need to keep myself alive, and I also need to keep you alive. Everything else is secondary.¡±


    Quell sighs, shaking his head. ¡°No scientific curiosity at all.¡±


    I yawn and roll over. ¡°If you figure any of it out, let me know. In the meantime, I¡¯m going to focus on what I do have control over. And right now, that¡¯s sleep.¡±


    Quell grumbles, but I can hear his bedroll shift as he stretches out as well. ¡°I¡¯ll find the answers for you somehow.¡±


    Strangely, I believe him.


    <hr>


    The next night, we¡¯re only two hours into the ride when Darian halts our procession. She stops her star drake at the top of a dune.


    Quell takes ours up next to her. ¡°What is it?¡±


    She gestures to the valley beneath us. Lights bloom at the bottom of the basin like beads of dew strung along lines of a spiderweb. Even from here I can make out the bustle of civilization, the green of more plants than I¡¯ve seen in the entirety of this world so far. I can catch whiffs of smoked meat floating on the wind.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Darian says. ¡°Welcome to the Lifespring Oasis.¡±

 Chapter 32 - The Lifespring Oasis

    Now that we¡¯re here, it seems no one is entirely certain what to do. The city¡¯s glow is beautiful, and the promise of a soft bed and warm bath is enticing. But if Liz¡¯s intel is correct, it might be filled with enemy troops. I look out into the desert, but the dunes limit our horizon.


    ¡°Should we wait until we sign of Constance¡¯s troops?¡± Quell wonders, looking off to the east.


    ¡°Or we could go looking for him,¡± Liz suggests. ¡°Stop him before he gets close.¡±


    Xamireb shakes their head. ¡°That may risk the possibility of missing him. With these dunes, we have limited visibility. We could pass each other by without realizing it.¡±


    ¡°His troops were moving on foot,¡± Darian says. ¡°Since we¡¯ve been traveling by star drake, I¡¯m certain we¡¯re here first. He might only be a day or two out, but no closer. The safest option is to wait for him to come to us. Once he¡¯s within sight, we can intercept before he makes it in the gates.¡±


    ¡°Assuming there¡¯s even an ambush waiting,¡± Earnest points out. ¡°We could be doing all this cloak and dagger for nothing.¡±


    Everyone looks to Liz.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she admits. ¡°I only heard bits and pieces from my kidnappers. Like I said, they were discussing the plans to take the city, but we still don¡¯t know for sure if it¡¯s already been captured or not.¡±


    ¡°We need more information,¡± Quell agrees. ¡°If it hasn¡¯t been taken and we stop Constance¡¯s approach for nothing, we might actually be buying Moonfall extra time.¡±


    The solution seems obvious. ¡°Then we go in and see what situation we¡¯re actually dealing with,¡± I say.


    The others look uneasy with the suggestion.


    ¡°But if it has been taken,¡± Quell trails off.


    ¡°Then that will be good to confirm,¡± I point out. ¡°I mean, if they want it to be a trap, then they need to maintain the appearance that nothing has changed. We should be able to walk right in. They¡¯re waiting for Constance¡¯s troops, not a handful of travelers.¡±


    Not to mention, I¡¯m not about to let our group turn around when we¡¯re this close. I need to see if the Oasis can resolve the magic that has me tied to Quell¡ªand the Crimson Aegis, I suppose. I did promise to give it to Constance. But it¡¯s the Role Requirement I¡¯m more bothered by, and I can¡¯t let the opportunity slip through my fingers now.


    ¡°They¡¯ll know what the prince and princess look like,¡± Earnest says.


    Liz smiles, and does a flourishing twirl. Light flickers down her form, and when she comes to a stop, she¡¯s changed. Her clothes are warm red silks, and her previous cloudy hair has grown into dozens of braids. She grins, placing a pair of gold rimmed glasses on her nose.


    ¡°Good thing you know an illusionist,¡± she says.


    Quell squints at her. ¡°I feel like you¡¯re mocking me somehow.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She flutters a hand against her chest. ¡°Me? Never! I¡¯m just a bookish academic looking to study the Lifespring! Favorite interests include: reading. Writing. Spending days in the library¡ª¡±


    Quell snaps his finger with a pulse of purple light, and her disguise burns away in a cloud of sparks.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°Pick a different persona,¡± he says.


    Liz snickers, but Darian appears grim. ¡°I don¡¯t like that the spell can be so easily undone. What if there are other illusionists in the city? They might see right through you.¡±


    Liz shakes her head. ¡°Not likely. I mean, there might be other illusionists, but only Quell¡¯s good enough to see through and disperse a disguise like mine. It¡¯s in our blood. Unless I¡¯m directly targeted with a counter, it would take someone on par with demigods to notice my spells.¡±


    ¡°Directly targeted sounds like a huge caveat,¡± Darian says. ¡°And with Constance approaching, they¡¯ll be on the lookout for exactly this kind of magic.¡±


    Liz shakes her head. ¡°They might have illusion detection spell circles set up at the city gates¡ªmost cities do¡ªbut those are pretty generic, and wouldn¡¯t be strong enough to pierce my magic. They¡¯d need to be actively casting a detection spell on every single inhabitant in order to find me, and that¡¯s not only impractical, but effectively impossible, given the mana requirement. Trust me; I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Darian looks to Quell for confirmation.


    He lifts up his hands in defeat. ¡°She might be arrogant, but she¡¯s right. She is that good. Me and Constance wouldn¡¯t be able to go undetected, but Liz has the capability. Small scale illusions are her specialty.¡±


    ¡°Arrogant?¡± she scoffs.


    ¡°Well earned arrogance,¡± Quell amends.


    She sticks her tongue out at him.


    ¡°Well that¡¯s well and good for the princess,¡± Earnest says. ¡°But what about the rest of us?¡± He looks down at the Duneshade emblem on his armor. ¡°I¡¯d rather not walk into potentially-enemy territory without any protection.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Liz rubs her hands together, looking each of us over with a strange, hungry expression. ¡°Oh, this is going to be fun.¡±


    She takes a breath and raises her hands, sparks spitting from her fingers. Then she lets out a melodic whistle as she flicks her fingers at the rest of us. The sparks are caught up in her song and swirl around our forms.


    [You have been imbued with a Major Illusion spell,] Echo speaks up.


    I only feel a faint warmth as the magic ripples across my body. A moment later everyone is looking at everyone else, blinking.


    Earnest laughs, pointing at his sibling. Xamireb looks down at themself. They¡¯re still an arachnoid, but their armor has been replaced with wizardly robes that do look a tad ridiculous on the soldier. Then Xamireb laughs at their brother.


    His water prosthetic now appears to be made of gold, and similarly colored rings and necklaces and cuffs adorn his body like a rich merchant. Earnest starts laughing at himself, too.


    Darian smiles faintly at her soldiers, then looks over the rest of us.


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


    Liz is back in her previous disguise, sans-glasses this time. Darian¡¯s imposing form is now dressed in modest drapes of brown and blue cloth; practical and discreet.


    Quell¡¯s glasses have vanished, and his hairstyle has changed to a short, sharp cut, which looks absolutely bizarre on him. Don¡¯t get me wrong, it looks much more sleek and fashionable, but neither of those terms are words I would associate with Quell. Then I look down at myself.


    My attire has changed the least. I¡¯m still in light leather armor and loose clothing, but a sword hangs at my side, and the symbol on my chest is that of a wyvern. I experimentally try to grab the sword; I can feel it as my fingers close around the sheath, but when I squeeze, the illusion ripples, and my hand clenches around air. It looks like my hand is embedded in the sword.


    ¡°Try not to intentionally break the illusion,¡± Liz says, noticing my experiment. ¡°Or I¡¯ll have to take that sword away from you. But what¡¯s a sellsword without their weapon?¡±


    ¡°Sellsword?¡±


    ¡°Given your physique and everything, I thought it would be a good cover,¡± Liz explains. ¡°You¡¯ll have to vanish that shield of yours, though; I can¡¯t really do much to make it appear discreet. I mean, I could make it look smaller, but if someone ran into the invisible part, that might break your illusion. So, yeah: no shield.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I add the Aegis to my Inventory before it has the opportunity to argue the point. As it vanishes with a small puff of air, I feel something brush against my neck. I reach around behind, and my fingers tangle in a ponytail.


    I frown. ¡°I like my hair short.¡±


    ¡°But it looks good on you!¡± Liz says. ¡°And in the northern cities it¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Short,¡± I snap, clenching my hand around the hair. It vanishes beneath my grasp.


    Liz wrinkles her nose. ¡°All right, all right.¡± She wiggles her fingers, and the faint sensation at the back of my head whisps away. I breathe out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s that,¡± Darian says, surveying the group. ¡°Let¡¯s leave Poppy out here and take the star drake from the Coil. It would be suspicious for us not to have any beasts of burden, but Poppy might give us away.¡± Liz opens her mouth, but Darian silences her. ¡°Illusions on people are one thing, and on animals are another. She won¡¯t know to be careful with the spells you put on her.¡±


    Earnest stops playing with the rings on his fingers.


    Darian gives him a hard look. ¡°Because the rest of us understand we need to be careful with our illusions.¡±


    Earnest smiles guiltily, but Liz pats Darians arm. ¡°Really, don¡¯t worry about it. They¡¯re quite stable. And the closer you all stay to me, the more stable they¡¯ll remain. Just no one go running off on their own, and we¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Somehow, Darian seems even less reassured than before.


    ¡°Then what are we waiting for?¡± I say, before she can have second thoughts. ¡°We need to get going if we don¡¯t want Constance to catch up with us while we¡¯re still in the city. We have a lot of ground to cover.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Darian agrees. ¡°But by sunup, we leave, whether we¡¯ve found anything or not. Everyone ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± the twins say.


    Liz squeezes Darian¡¯s arm, and Quell glances nervously to me.


    I stare down into the city, trying to feel the healing Life arcana radiating toward me. Wondering if this is the day I¡¯ll finally regain my independence.


    I nod. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    <hr>


    We find a path that leads to the city¡¯s front gates, melting out of the surrounding sand. It¡¯s packed firm; many people have traveled this path before.


    Similar to the Coil, the city is lit with red and orange lights, which are slightly less harsh on my dark vision. Even so, I squint against the brightness of the Oasis as we approach its gates.


    Guards are stationed at the entrance and watch us as we approach. I Check them out of curiosity.


    [Muri, level 24 human sand guard. Protects the Lifespring Oasis.]


    The others are much the same, and none of them mention the Moonfall Dynasty. I consider that a good sign.


    The guards stop us to check over our star drake¡¯s supplies; it¡¯s a good thing we left anything identifying back with Poppy. Earnest greets them warmly, immediately launching into a convincing story about trade. I don¡¯t particularly pay attention to what he says as I scan our surroundings; people hurry about the streets ahead of us, but there¡¯s too many to Check all of them. No one gives us a passing glance, however. It all seems normal. Was Liz wrong?


    After a few more minutes of inspection and chatter, the guards wave us through, and then we¡¯re in the city walls.


    It¡¯s so different and yet so similar to the Coil. Instead of lights strung above us, the streets are lit by lamps. I crane my head back as we pass under one; the pole is covered in roots and vines¡ªor maybe that¡¯s what it¡¯s made of. At the top hangs a flower, blooming to reveal fiery, ethereal lights. The streets are much wider, the buildings shorter, but giant fronds grow up between them, casting shade over the streets and houses below. Between the fronds and streetlights, I can¡¯t even see the stars. I wonder if this city operates all day as well as all night, provided such reprieve from the harsh sun.


    Though the Coil had been bustling and busy, the Lifespring feels alive in the way the other hadn¡¯t. There¡¯s more laughter, more children, more smiles. The Coil had been surviving, while the Lifespring is thriving. No wonder both countries want it for their own.


    ¡°Notice anything?¡± I ask Quell quietly.


    His eyes go unfocused for a moment, then he shakes his head. ¡°No illusions that I can see.¡±


    Liz drifts over to us. ¡°That¡¯s good, right? Maybe they¡¯re not here yet. Maybe we were wrong about it being a trap¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I agree. It¡¯s easy to think that¡¯s true. Everyone seems so relaxed. There¡¯s even Lifespring guards that pass us by every once in a while, casually strolling through the squares to discourage trouble. Surely they would have noticed if the city were infiltrated by a bunch of Moonfall soldiers.


    We wander through the streets, taking in the sights. I¡¯m not sure if anyone has a specific destination in mind; anyone besides me, really. There¡¯s occasional street signs that indicate the kind of wares you¡¯d expect in a certain district, but nothing that points to the physical spring itself. A sign isn¡¯t necessary, however, as I can sense the magic growing stronger.


    Quell breathes in deeply, and lets it out. ¡°Can you feel that?¡±


    ¡°I can.¡± I run a hand down the scrapes and scabs that dot my arms like freckles. Though I can¡¯t see them beneath the illusion, the faint itching sensation tells me they¡¯re healing.


    ¡°How¡¯s your wound?¡± Earnest asks Xamireb.


    ¡°Improving,¡± they say. They brush a hand over their abdomen. ¡°The scab¡¯s nearly ready to come off, I think. I bet by the time we leave this city, it¡¯s nothing more than a faint scar.¡±


    Another reason why this place would be so desirable to the two kingdoms. I can¡¯t imagine what it would be like to face an enemy who regenerates simply by keeping within their walls; a siege would almost be impossible.


    Which means they can¡¯t have taken the city yet, right? All they¡¯d have to do is fortify, and it would take an army for Duneshade to take it back. Which leaves two options. Either they¡¯re really not here yet, or they¡¯re in hiding and biding their time, willing to risk losing the city on the bet that they can lure in and capture the Duneshade royal children when the time is right.


    The Spring draws us in like moths to a light. I can feel its warmth on my skin, even though it¡¯s not within sight. Wordlessly, we all thread our way through the streets, following that growing warmth, until we reach the city¡¯s center.


    I realize now that I¡¯d seen the Oasis from outside the city, though I hadn¡¯t recognized it at the time. Back on the sand dunes, it had appeared as little more than a blue disk at the city¡¯s center. In person, however, its size is breathtaking.


    The water is unnervingly blue and still, a perfect circle hundreds of feet across. It glows faintly, like sunlight shone through a jewel. The many paths down to the bank transition from stone and brick to a lush layer of grass and tiny blue flowers. All around the pool, people are crouched, pouring cups of water over their arms or legs. A few have even waded out into the shallow waters, or rest floating on their back. I take a step forward, and the water laps at my boot.


    Fear seizes my gut, clenching around it tight and cold. I take in a sharp breath as my mind is temporarily cast back into the ocean, waves crashing over my head, slamming into me like a wall, sending me reeling, spinning, salt burning up my nose and down my throat. I try to gasp in a breath, but frigid water rushes into my lungs instead. I choke, wanting to scream. The scene swims in front of me.


    ¡°Nye?¡±


    Quell grabs my arm as I sway, stopping me from tipping over. ¡°Hey! Are you alright? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    A rush of blood floods and then slowly fades from my ears. I take a steadying breath, stomach still churning, but grounded again in the present. I tear my eyes away from the lake.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I tell him. Quell¡¯s face is pinched with worry. I gently remove his hand from my arm. ¡°It was just a bad memory.¡± Memories can¡¯t hurt you. Not if you don¡¯t let them.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I step forward, forcing the trepidation down. I won¡¯t be controlled by my fear¡ªI won¡¯t let anything control me. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. I need to see if the waters can set me free.


    This isn¡¯t the ocean. There¡¯s no waves. The pool is shallow and safe. I won¡¯t drown.


    I take another step forward, and the water rises to my ankle.


    [Lifespring buffs activated,] Echo says.

 Chapter 33 - Influence Stat

    [Healing spell applied.]


    [Stamina buff applied.]


    [Strength buff applied.]


    [Vitality buff applied.]


    Warmth flows up my legs and spreads through the rest of my body. I immediately feel more awake, more refreshed: stronger, faster, and revitalized. It¡¯s a strange sensation, juxtaposing the coolness of the water I can feel through my boots. I guess I should have taken them off first, along with some of my clothes. But that might have disturbed Liz¡¯s illusion, and somehow I don¡¯t feel very bothered by the idea of wearing wet clothing; it feels insignificant beneath the healing warmth of the Springs.


    [HP: 150/150]


    [Bonus HP: 10]


    Even as I watch the stat, the number slowly continues to tick up. How does bonus HP work? I¡¯m guessing it¡¯ll mean I can take a few more hits before feeling anything, but the mechanics of that seems odd. I turn back to tell the others they should bathe in the water as well, but they¡¯re already ahead of me. Liz and Darian are crouched at the edge; Darian cups water in a hand to trickle down one of her arms, while Liz splashes some over her face with a laugh. Earnest is helping to lower Xamireb to the bank, while Xamireb gestures to his prosthetic. Quell, meanwhile, is staring intently at the water, eyebrows knitted in concentration, chewing on a lip as he tips his head. I chuckle at the sight. Leave it to him for his first instinct to be scholarly interest.


    I turn back to the springs. The trepidation I¡¯d previously felt about entering the water is gone, now replaced with a soothing calm. I instinctively know this water poses no threat. I¡¯m not sure it would even be possible to drown in these waters. They¡¯d try too hard to keep you alive.


    I wade farther out, the water rising to my thighs, then waist. The instinct to lay on my back and drift is strong, but I¡¯m not here for a comforting bath.


    Echo, are there any other effects the Spring is affecting on me? I ask. Specifically, about my Role.


    [Negative,] Echo says. [The Life arcana within the Lifespring Oasis cannot inflict buffs or debuffs on the user¡¯s Role.]


    My heart sinks, but I¡¯m not ready to give up yet. I¡¯m not talking about buffs or debuffs. What I mean is¡­ can this water be used to remove my Role?


    [Negative.]


    Or change it? I ask. Desperation is pooling in my gut, but I try to ignore it. Weaken it? Anything?


    [Negative,] Echo says. [Life arcana cannot alter a user¡¯s Role.]


    Faint disquiet threatens to swell within me, but I brush it away. Is there anything I can do? I ask. Not just Life arcanum, but any kind of arcana that could change it?


    [Affirmative,] Echo says, and the words fill me with relief. [The user¡¯s role can be changed under specific circumstances.]


    What circumstances? I ask.


    [Successful remnal synthesis may result in the alteration in one¡¯s role,] Echo says. [Additional options include¡ª<ACCESS DENIED>. Other alterations to¡ª<ERROR>. Interface restart in process.]


    She falls silent.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± I ask, confusion mixing with my trepidation. ¡°Synthesis? What are those errors? Echo?¡±


    But she doesn¡¯t answer. I glance at my stats: they¡¯re all still there. But the Bonus HP is no longer ticking up, like I¡¯m looking at a frozen computer screen. Something¡¯s not right. She¡¯s never not answered me before.


    ¡°Echo?¡± I ask again, voice tight.


    [Interface reset,] she says, and for some reason, this fills me with relief. She¡¯s not even a real person. I don¡¯t know why I was worried. But this entire interaction still tinges me with unease. I consider trying to ask her about changing my Role again, but I worry that would trigger the same¡ªor worse¡ªresponse.


    But one thing is clear: the Lifespring isn¡¯t going to put a stop to my Role. I¡¯m still bound to Quell, forced to protect him or pay with my sanity. I slump. I suppose there¡¯s always the mages back in the Duneshade capital that might be able to help me. But somehow, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll have any idea what to do about it either.


    I tip my face to the moons, and let out a deep breath. I am stuck serving Quell. I won¡¯t be able to leave him. My freedom is still tied to the life of someone else. I try to wrap my mind around these facts.


    I feel disappointed, of course. Though not as disappointed as I think I should be. My autonomy is not my own. Yet, my resignation is more tired than bitter. I don¡¯t want to be bound to someone else. But if it has to be anyone¡­ Well, I guess there are worse people to be forced to protect.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    I turn back, looking at Quell. He¡¯s seated cross legged at the edge of the springs, and has somehow produced a journal and charcoal. He pauses to dip a pinky into the water, then starts scribbling furiously in his notebook. I laugh quietly to myself. Yes, there are worse people.


    I take a steadying breath, looking down at my hands. This isn¡¯t the outcome I wanted, but I¡¯m not done with the spring yet. There¡¯s still a second curse I need to address.


    Though the bond I have with the Crimson Aegis isn¡¯t a curse, I suppose. It was some sort of pact I willingly initiated, even if I didn¡¯t understand what I was agreeing to at the time.


    Honestly, I¡¯m not entirely sure I want to give it up. It¡¯s creepy, but useful, and it¡¯s kept me alive so far. But it¡¯s also dangerous. Thirsty for conflict. It tried to kill innocent people, just because it saw them as new targets to be defeated. Even if it is useful, if I keep it around, it will only be a matter of time before I slip up and one of my allies is caught in the crossfire. It¡¯s safer to end the pact now before that ever happens.


    Besides, I already promised Constance I would hand it over if I could. If it¡¯s a bargaining chip that buys me resources to find my brother, then giving it up will be more than worth it.


    Do I think the Lifespring will actually help end the pact, though? After what just happened with Echo and my Role, I suspect not. But I¡¯m here now, so I suppose I should at least try.


    I summon the Crimson Aegis from my Inventory.


    It appears on my arm with a splash. The Aegis looks around excitedly. What enemy do we face today? What feeble wretch is in need of our protection?


    [Arcana buff applied to the Crimson Aegis,] Echo says.


    I tip my head. That¡¯s different. I didn¡¯t know the shield itself could receive a buff. That¡¯s pretty much the opposite of having an adverse effect on our bond.


    The Aegis¡¯s presence balloons within my mind. Ah! This energy¡ªthis power is excellent. It can feel itself growing stronger! Mightier. More formidable! No enemy will dare stand against us now!


    I wince as the Aegis¡¯s voice seems to boom through my head. Yep, it¡¯s definitely not bothered by the water. Can the spring be used to corrode our bond? I ask Echo.


    [Negative,] she says. [While Life arcanum is often used in the formation of such a pact between individuals, and can similarly be used to break it, the abilities of the Lifespring do not have such an effect.]


    So what is the Lifespring doing to it? I ask.


    [A mana buff has been applied.]


    Show me, I say.


    A new display appears beneath my current stats.


    [Weapon: Crimson Aegis]


    [Durability: 100%]


    [Mana: 5]


    [Blood: 1%]


    [Influence: 2%]


    As I watch, the Mana stat continues to jump up, and as it does, the Influence stat also increases. 2% becomes 3%. Then 5%. Then 9%.


    The Aegis¡¯s presence in my mind becomes more tangible. It¡¯s elated. It needs more!


    This isn¡¯t right. I don¡¯t know what these new metrics mean for the Aegis, but this clearly isn¡¯t going to be the answer to severing our bond. If anything, it only seems to be making it stronger. I need to shut this down before it becomes a problem or anyone gets hurt.


    The Aegis catches my thought, aghast. How could I think such things? It is not a problem! And there is nothing wrong with hurting things! Hurting is how it protects people. Why would I want to stop it from doing what it¡¯s meant for? Its purpose? No! It has all this new energy and power¡ªit can¡¯t just let it go to waste! It needs to use it. It has to. It will not let me stop it from being what it is meant to be¡ªdoing what it is meant to do.


    The pressure in my mind is getting worse. The Influence statistic has risen to 24%. I can still mentally push the Aegis¡¯s mind away, but it¡¯s growing steadily more difficult. Before it can get any worse, I put the Aegis in my Inv¡ª


    No!


    Lines of the Aegis¡¯s magic stab in my arm. I let out a cry as the red threads burrow into my skin, drawing blood which quickly dissolves into nothing as the Aegis laps it up.


    ¡°What the fuck!¡± I grab the lines with my free hand, trying to yank them free, but they¡¯re as unyielding as cables of steel.


    Add it to my Inventory, I think again. Put the Aegis in my Inventory!


    [Access denied,] Echo says. [User may not add living things to their Inventory. User may not add self to Inventory.]


    What the hell? Is the Aegis alive now? Or¡ªno¡ªjust being connected to me means it¡¯s connected to something living. Fuck. This is bad. This is really bad.


    The Aegis is also upset. Why would I want to hide it away when it is meant to be proudly displayed? The nothingness is empty and silent and there is nothing in there to conquer at all! It hates being forced into that place. We made a pact. We agreed to work together to vanquish any who might challenge us. It will not continue to be discarded at my whims!


    The Aegis¡¯s thoughts are amplified into my mind, but so are its feelings. It¡¯s frustrated, afraid, and strangely antsy. Like the building magic isn¡¯t just empowering it, but overwhelming it¡ªscattering its thoughts, which in turn is making it increasingly hard for me to think straight.


    I spin back to the others, still obliviously healing their wounds and cleaning themselves up at the bank.


    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong,¡± I call to them, wincing as water splashes over the wounds in my arm, stinging each puncture point. I can feel the magic trying to heal my skin, but the shield¡¯s threads of magic won¡¯t let it close.


    Quell looks up, his gaze shifting over to the shield now on my arm. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± he calls back. They¡¯re only a couple dozen feet away, but now that feels far too close.


    ¡°It¡¯s the shield,¡± I say. The Influence stat is 39% and rising. ¡°It¡¯s absorbing magic from the Lifespring, I think. It won¡¯t let me put it away.¡±


    Now the others are paying attention.


    ¡°Get out of the water,¡± Darian says. ¡°That should stop it from absorbing any more.¡±


    I lift up my arm, but the shield is so big that its lowest point is still beneath the surface. I grab an edge with my free hand and awkwardly try to lift it over my head. It¡¯s uncomfortable, given the angle of my arm that¡¯s still strapped¡ªand now stabbed¡ªto the shield, but I manage to pull it fully out of the water. The Mana and Influence stats slow, but don¡¯t stop. It¡¯s not enough to just be out of the Spring: I need to get away from it.


    But there¡¯s people in every direction. Will it lash out at anyone who gets within range? The Aegis is acting strange. Buzzing with energy and itching for an outlet. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say it¡¯s drunk. It will attack anyone it sees as a threat to me or my allies.


    Though the Springs are still filling me with a healing warmth, I suddenly feel icy cold. A stone has settled in my gut, and my throat is tight. What do I do? I have to get out of this city, away from people. But I¡¯m at its epicenter. This is bad. This is very bad.

 Chapter 34 - The Crimson Aegis

    ¡°You guys have to get everyone out of here,¡± I tell them. ¡°It might try to attack anyone who gets too close, and I¡¯m not sure if I can hold it back.¡±


    The Aegis scoffs at this. Why hold back? We should be demonstrating our superiority! And what is this strange aura around us? Why does it disguise our splendor? No, that will not do. We are to be seen and worshiped! The shield mentally prods at some force of magic I can¡¯t see¡ªbut I feel it bend from the Aegis¡¯s pressure.


    Liz looks around nervously. ¡°Are you sure you can¡¯t just hurry out? It¡¯s straining against my magic¡ªit will break if this keeps up. I don¡¯t know how that¡¯s possible, but¡ªwe need to be quick. We should leave the city.¡±


    Stop, I tell the shield, desperate. We can¡¯t be found out. We¡ªwe¡¯ll lose if people learn who we are.


    This gives the Aegis pause. Lose? It does not want to lose. Why would people seeing us make us lose? That does not make any sense.


    Then I feel an unsettling digging sensation in my head as a tendril of the Aegis snakes through my mind, sifting through my thoughts. I physically jerk back. Stop!


    It finds what it was looking for. Ahh, now it understands. If we are exposed, the enemy might find us. Good! Let them come!


    ¡°That won¡¯t work,¡± I gasp, cringing against the mental invasion. ¡°It can¡¯t be trusted in a crowd.¡±


    ¡°We could find smaller side streets to use,¡± Earnest suggests.


    ¡°We can clear the way ahead of you, so no one gets too close,¡± Xamireb adds.


    I don¡¯t know if it will work, but I don¡¯t have any better ideas.


    ¡°Hurry,¡± Liz adds, frowning as she rubs a temple. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    I lock eyes with Quell. He looks desperate¡ªhelpless. I bet I look the same.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I say, trying to suppress the flutters of panic that are crawling through my limbs. ¡°I¡¯m heading your way. Clear a path¡ªbut still keep your distance from me.¡±


    The Aegis is getting annoyed. Why are we keeping our distance? We have so much power right now¡ªat the thought, I can feel the shield¡¯s presence press down against my mind, and I stumble, nearly falling into the spring. The Influence stat is at 48%. The shield¡¯s voice is so loud, I¡¯m barely aware of what the others are saying. I just focus on staying rigid: my body upright, my mind stiff and unyielding. I don¡¯t understand what the Aegis is doing, but I refuse to bend beneath its will.


    Water splashes beneath my boots as I reach the bank. Everyone¡¯s moved back, but this has also drawn the attention of onlookers. Earnest is trying to push some locals away. Behind him, down the street, I can make out a handful of guards curiously looking our way.


    Yes! Finally. To battle!


    ¡°Darian?¡± I drop the weight of the shield to the ground before me, and its tip sinks several inches into the sand. I lean on it for support, mentally exhausted. It¡¯s too hard to focus on moving while also fighting back the shield. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m even fighting off, exactly¡ªI just know it wouldn¡¯t be good if I stopped now.


    ¡°Here, Nye,¡± she calls from one side.


    I turn my head to her. Unlike the others, she doesn¡¯t look worried. Her frown is certain. Determined. ¡°You¡¯ll stop it if something happens?¡± I ask. ¡°If I can¡¯t?¡±


    I know that¡¯s not a fair ask. How do you stop a sentient, blood-thirsty shield with no apparent vulnerabilities? But she¡¯s the strongest of us here. She¡¯s our only chance.


    ¡°I will,¡± she promises. Then she taps her cheek. ¡°Put the mask on.¡±


    Mask? Oh. I fumble at the Bloodlust mask hanging around my neck. She thinks we¡¯re going to get into a fight. And with the guards now heading our way, she¡¯s probably right. Better to take all precautions. It isn¡¯t easy, working it up my jaw and around my ears one-handed, but I manage.


    Someone touches my arm. I flinch back, fear spiking through me, but the Aegis doesn¡¯t react. It knows this one isn¡¯t an enemy. This is one we are charged to protect!


    Quell¡¯s face is pinched with worry.


    ¡°Nye, come on. We have to go.¡± He gestures ahead; Earnest and Xamireb are clearing a path just as they¡¯d promised, around the bank and away from the approaching guards. How did they get so far ahead? And the guards are suddenly closer. Darian and Liz are looking at me expectantly. Did they say something a moment ago? Maybe, but I hadn¡¯t been listening. It¡¯s getting hard to think about anything other than what the Aegis is thinking about.


    The Influence stat is 57% now. Is that why?


    Echo, I think, starting to ask her. But the question I¡¯d just had escapes me.


    I feel so powerful. Overflowing with strength.


    ¡°Nye!¡± Quell says again. His grip tightens around my arm, and he tugs hard. We can barely feel it. A brush of wind, nothing more. Yet, my mind clears enough to understand: I need to follow him. Mechanically, I force my feet into motion.


    At first the Aegis is elated¡ªI am elated. Ah! Movement. Good! Now we will¡ªno wait, we are heading in the wrong direction! We are supposed to be fighting, not fleeing.


    We¡¯re not fleeing, I think, but even I don¡¯t believe that, and the Aegis can tell.


    The shield boils with frustration. It doesn¡¯t understand. I have shared its thrill of the fight before! Are we not meant to protect these feeble allies of ours? Why am I refusing to fight!


    Because they¡¯re not our enemies, I think. And I don¡¯t share your thrill of the fight.


    The Aegis knows this is untrue! It has felt it. It knows I like winning. And those other times, when I sang with ruthless elation, bloodthirsty for victory.


    It¡¯s talking about the times I was under the influence of the Bloodlust. That wasn¡¯t me, I tell it. I wasn¡¯t in control.


    The Aegis is briefly confused. Who else could it be? The shield? It didn¡¯t think it was in control. It was working with me. But it could be in control, if that is what is needed for another rewarding victory.


    My heart feels like it¡¯s been doused in ice water. ¡°No,¡± I say. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡±


    Maybe not before, the Aegis agrees. But it feels much stronger now. It definitely could!


    ¡°I mean don¡¯t!¡± I cry.


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


    ¡°Nye,¡± Quell warns, nervously pulling me along. ¡°We need to move faster¡ªand quieter. I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening with the shield right now¡ªI can tell you¡¯re struggling. But that¡¯s all the more reason to get out of here fast.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying,¡± I say, pushing myself to move faster. I¡¯m not even watching where I¡¯m going now, just letting Quell pull me along. Earnest and Xamireb have given up any pretext of being subtle; I can hear them telling people to get out of our way. We must be so far from the walls, still. Too far.


    The Aegis vibrates with excitement. They¡¯re coming. Finally! Get ready.


    I notice the guards through the Aegis¡¯s sight¡ªthey¡¯re behind us, but rushing up on Liz and Darian. Darian is watching me intently, while Liz is rubbing her temple with a grimace. Neither of them are aware of the incoming threat.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± I shout, spinning around and tearing myself from Quell¡¯s grasp. I activate Repel, Endure, and Devour, all at once. The shield¡¯s excitement bubbles through my blood, infecting me with its eagerness. Now we fight.


    Liz and Darian freeze. Then Darian snaps her head back, catching sight of the guards.


    This covering will only get in the way. And it would not be a fair fight if the opponent could not see all our movements!


    Casually, the Aegis flicks a thought at the illusion, and it shatters around me.


    ¡°Oh, shit,¡± Liz says.


    The illusions shatter around everyone else, too.


    The guards stutter to a halt, surprise clear on their faces.


    ¡°Duneshade,¡± one says, taking in Darian¡¯s armor.


    The other is looking at Liz with wide eyes. ¡°Is that the princess?¡±


    ¡°Contact central,¡± the first orders.


    The guard pulls something from her pocket. Darian starts forward, as if to stop her, but the guards are too far away. The guard throws a bead at the ground before Darian¡¯s feet. The object explodes, sending Darian stumbling back as a plume of purple smoke rockets into the air. Dozens of feet above us, it explodes again. Like a firework, purple lights crackle to life above us.


    It forms the Moonfall sigil.


    The embers of the explosion remain frozen above us: a beacon to our location.


    ¡°Mother fucker,¡± Darian growls.


    Liz steps back. ¡°The guards are Moonfall?¡±


    Or working with them, at least. And given the signal they just threw, I have a feeling we¡¯re about to see a lot more.


    The soldiers draw their weapons. ¡°Duneshade, stand down!¡±


    I eagerly stride to meet them. Quell calls for me to come back, but I ignore his cries. Anticipatory excitement courses through me as my world narrows in on the guards. They¡¯re working with Moonfall. It¡¯s a relief, actually. Now I don¡¯t have to hold back.


    I know these feelings aren¡¯t entirely mine. I know this is Aegis¡¯s excitement bleeding into me. But the fight is inevitable now, and fighting is something I¡¯m good at; this is how I can be useful. We¡¯ll beat them, and then we can escape¡ªmaybe it will even settle the Aegis down. In fact, now that our minds are no longer in conflict, now that we¡¯ve found something to agree on, it feels easier to think again.


    Darian draws her sword as I step up beside her. She gives me a wary look.


    ¡°Fine for now,¡± I say. ¡°Let¡¯s make it quick.¡±


    Darian¡¯s stance doesn¡¯t relax, but she does give me a tight nod. The guards move in.


    The first one makes a move, and I step before Darian to block it. I feel nothing when their sword makes contact. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the Endure or just how powerful Aegis has become, but one thing is certain: we¡¯re unstoppable.


    The guard pulls back with a surprised cry as her sword begins to corrode beneath the Devour. Darian follows her, darting out behind me to attack. The guard tries to block, but her eroded sword snaps in half beneath Darrian¡¯s blow, and then she¡¯s down. The second guard is right behind her, already swinging at Darian. She skips back, and I move forward, clashing with them. It¡¯s not even a fight. Pathetic, really.


    A second group of guards round the corner just in time to see their comrades fall. They shout in anger, and I plant my shield in the street, readying for battle.


    ¡°No.¡± Darian grabs my shoulder. ¡°If we stay, we¡¯ll be overwhelmed by all of them. We need to move.¡±


    The Aegis balks at the audacity of the captain to lay a hand on us. To try to stop us from defending them! How dare they? A burning, pulling sensation tugs at my shield arm. Lashes of red unfurl from the front of Aegis.


    [Blood Ward activated.]


    ¡°Watch out!¡± I call.


    Darian has already retreated by the time the bloody whips snap around me in a defensive blur. She¡¯s sparred with the Aegis and I enough times to recognize its attacks. Thank god.


    I mentally try to reel the shield back in, reaching for control of my Attuned blood. But the Aegis rebuffs me. I grab hold of the whips, struggling to reel them in, but I might as well be a spider using a thread to try to draw back the branch of a tree. This is the Influence stat, I¡¯m sure of it. If 50% is where both of us are equally influential, then at 62% and climbing, it¡¯s already stronger than me. I can¡¯t stop it.


    ¡°Get back,¡± I yell to Darian as the whips lash angrily around me. ¡°I¡¯m not in control.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t leave you,¡± Quell cries.


    I don¡¯t have a choice. The Aegis isn¡¯t going to let me run from this. And if I follow them, the Aegis is a danger to everyone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep them here,¡± I say, facing the approaching soldiers. ¡°That should buy you time to escape. Go warn Constance; Moonfall has already infiltrated the Oasis.¡±


    Liz gasps. ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°Quell, stop!¡± Darian shouts.


    Alarm spikes through my mind like a fork of lightning.


    [Role Requirement,] Echo says.


    [Sanity level: 99%]


    [Sanity Level debuff activated as a result of low Influence. Sanity level decrease rate 100% faster.]


    [Sanity Level: 97%]


    I spin back toward Quell. Liz is frozen, unsure what to do, as Quell holds one of her knives up to his own throat.


    It¡¯s so bizarre, it takes me a second to process what I¡¯m even looking at. I gape at him, and for a moment, the Aegis is just as bewildered as me.


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡± I say.


    ¡°Getting you to save me.¡± He steps back.


    [The Knight must protect the Prince.]


    [Sanity Level: 95%]


    I take an instinctive step after him; the pressure in my head abates, just for a moment, but I can already feel it building again. It stalls while I¡¯m trying to help, but it will only stop entirely when he¡¯s safe.


    ¡°Quell, what are you doing?¡± his sister cries. ¡°Put that down, please!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± he says, continuing to back away. ¡°Explain later.¡± He never breaks eye contact with me.


    [Sanity Level: 93%]


    The Aegis is extremely confused. Who is threatening him? How can we defend him? What do we do? It urges us to follow. We must identify the enemy!


    I laugh. A mirthless, relieved, disbelieving laugh. With the Aegis nervously pressing me on, I take another step after Quell. ¡°You¡¯re suicidal, you know that?¡±


    He grins tightly. ¡°Ideally not.¡± His hands are shaking.


    My gut clenches at the sight. ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure this will work if I am,¡± he says, continuing to retreat.


    [Sanity Level: 92%]


    I follow him. The Aegis¡¯s whips falter as it bewilderedly searches for the enemy that is putting the Prince at risk.


    That genius. That stupid, beautiful genius.


    But we¡¯re moving too slow. The guards will still catch us in moments.


    The Aegis had forgotten about the guards. It pulls more blood from my arm, reinforcing its whips as it raises them defensively around me. We must defeat them, too!


    [Sanity Level: 90%]


    ¡°Hold on,¡± I gasp. My arm feels cold and prickly. ¡°You¡¯re taking too much blood. I¡¯m going faint¡ªthen we can¡¯t fight anyone.¡±


    The Aegis is aghast. Losing such a little amount of blood has such dire consequences! Unacceptable. But if it can¡¯t take more from me, it will acquire more elsewhere.


    Elsewhere? What¡ª


    The whips of blood twirl together, forming one long rope. Like a scorpion¡¯s tail, it curls up and over me, stabbing down at something behind my back. I twist, both to see what it¡¯s attacking, and in an attempt to divert the blow.


    A guard is only paces away, his spear held in striking position. But he doesn¡¯t attack. He¡¯s frozen, eyes wide, mouth open. The Aegis¡¯s blood is lanced through his chest.


    He was about to stab me in the back, and I hadn¡¯t even known. The Aegis saved me.


    The man collapses to the ground, and his fellows, a dozen feet behind, cry out in rage and anguish.


    Only a second or two has passed; I try to pull away from the grizzly scene as blood bubbles up to the dying man¡¯s lips, as its sweet smell prickles my nose and makes me salivate. I touch a hand to the mask, just in case, and am relieved to find it still there.


    But the Aegis doesn¡¯t let me leave.


    [Role Requirement,] Echo warns.


    My sanity drops another few points.


    The Aegis keeps its limb buried in the man. I only understand what it¡¯s doing because its thoughts spill over into me, unhindered. The soldier convulses as the Aegis pulls the blood from his body.


    It¡¯s done this before, I distantly recall: when I¡¯d first saved Quell, it had taken blood from one of the Umbral Blades to use as whips and power its Blood Ward. Horrific, but practical; at least taking blood from an outside source means I¡¯m not the one getting sucked dry. But using it for the Blood Ward is not entirely what the Aegis is planning this time.


    ¡°No,¡± I say, grabbing my arm and squeezing, as if I could cut off my own circulation just by willing it. ¡°Don¡¯t¡ªI don¡¯t need it! I don¡¯t need any more blood, I¡¯m fine, I promise, I¡ª¡±


    The Aegis pulls some of the man¡¯s blood into my arm, and I can horrifically feel its pressure as it¡¯s forced into me.


    And the next moment¡ªecstasy.


    Mind-numbing pleasure radiates from my arm and pulses through my body. Everything else is wiped from my mind. All that exists is the high. The power. I need more.


    [Bloodlust status in effect.]

 Chapter 35 - Bloodlust

    [Bloodlust status in effect.]


    [Sanity debuff activated as a result of Bloodlust status. Sanity level decreases at a 100% faster rate.]


    [Cumulative Bloodlust and Influence debuffs: 200% increase in Sanity reduction rate.]


    [Sanity: 82%]


    I gasp in a breath as my surroundings return to me. Had I stopped breathing? Perhaps I couldn¡¯t while wrapped in such bliss. There are people screaming, but they are distant and unimportant. Ambrosia wafts through the air, and I try to find its source, but there¡¯s something hampering my breaths. I claw at the obstruction covering my nose and mouth, and rip it away. Better.


    ¡°Nye! No, don¡¯t take that off¡ªShit. Come on, Quell. We have to run.¡±


    Us, run? No! We will stop them here so the others can run. We will fight and win!


    Yes. Yes, I am full of so much energy, all pent up and twisted inside me, like a spring desperate for release. I need to move. I need more of that sweet high that¡¯s already, faintly, fading.


    [Sanity Level: 77%]


    ¡°I can slow them down.¡± Light flashes behind me. ¡°Now let¡¯s get the fuck out of here!¡±


    ¡°No! We can¡¯t leave them. They need my help. Nye, please. Listen to me!¡±


    I look for the voice, and find a wall has appeared behind us. A few of the approaching soldiers are on our side, glancing around in surprise, but the rest are out of sight. A girl has her hands raised, pointing toward the wall. But she¡¯s not the source of the voice I¡¯m looking for.


    I find the prince. Quell. He looks relieved when we make eye contact. I frown. What is he holding?


    My blood whips around me, parrying a blow that had been aimed at the back of my head. I glance back, curious. A soldier stands there, spearhead caught in a nest of bloody lines. He¡¯d clearly recovered from his surprise while I was distracted. The Aegis nudges my mind. Now is the time for fighting, not standing!


    I snap my hand out and grab the attacking soldier¡¯s chest piece. There¡¯s not even time for him to gasp as I go down to a knee, flipping him over and slamming him into the ground. He doesn¡¯t get back up. Words and numbers fly through my mind, but I ignore them. When I let go of the crumpled soldier, my hand is covered in blood. I run my tongue up a finger, and am rewarded with another addictive burst of energy, strength, and hunger. The Aegis revels in the taste, too. We need more.


    [Sanity Level: 72%]


    ¡°Fuck. It¡¯s too late, Quell. They¡¯re gone. If you try to help, you¡¯ll only get caught in the middle.¡±


    The middle¡­ we were in the middle of something. I try to remember what I had been doing before this. I tilt my head up, and a purple symbol is painted in the night sky overhead. The Moonfall sigil. Ah, yes. I look back down; the others are staring at me with fear. Why? There¡¯s¡­ something not right. Something itches at my mind.


    My gaze returns to Quell. He looks so worried. I don¡¯t like that. The thing in his hand is¡­ a knife. Right. I¡¯m supposed to protect him. That must be it. That must be the source of the wrongness I¡¯m feeling. I need to eliminate the threat to him. The Aegis agrees with this. Eliminating threats is good!


    Then that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do.


    I leap into action, cracking the stone as I jump. Liz shrieks as we blur past her, but we pay her no mind. Quell is the only one who matters.


    He lets out a startled squeak when we land in front of him. I wrap my shield arm behind him to catch him before he falls back, at the same time plucking the blade from his throat and tossing it away. The dagger clatters to the street somewhere behind us.


    ¡°Careful,¡± I say. ¡°You might cut yourself.¡± And for some reason, the words make me laugh.


    ¡°Nye?¡± Quell stammers. His complexion obscures his blush, but I can still feel the heat of the blood spreading through his face. His neck. ¡°You¡¯re¡ªthis is a bloodlust. Okay? We need to get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Yes. A bloodlust. I know.¡± Maybe I should care, but I don¡¯t. I like this feeling. I don¡¯t want it to end. My eyes are locked on Quell¡¯s neck. A small line is cut across his flesh, blood only just starting to bead. The knife must have nicked him after all. It isn¡¯t deep. But the smell is intoxicating.


    ¡°You know?¡± Quell trembles. He¡¯s trying to act stoic, but his body betrays him. I can feel the pulse of his heart as it beats faster. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re coherent. That¡¯s good. But we really should, ah. Get going. And you can let go of me while you¡¯re at it. You know, you¡¯re, ah, very close.¡±


    And leaning closer. A single drop of blood spills from the wound, trailing slowly down his neck. The world narrows to that cut. His drumming heart. I breathe deep, and am rewarded with the heady, tantalizing smell of blood. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°O¡ªoh?¡± Quell grabs my arm, and I can feel him attempting to push me away while he tries to retreat. But the Aegis is a wall at his back, and I¡¯m much stronger than him. ¡°What is it you want?¡±


    It¡¯s driving me mad. My breath prickles the skin on his neck. ¡°I want to rip your throat out.¡±


    Blood rushes through his body again, and his Adam¡¯s apple bobs up and down as he swallows. ¡°I¡¯d really rather prefer if you didn¡¯t.¡±


    Quell tenses up as I lean in. I run my tongue up his neck, and he gasps as I lick away the drop of blood.


    The hit is instantaneous, filling me with more of that jittery, overflowing energy that only makes me hungrier. And it would be so easy to take it. Only the most insubstantial film of skin separates me from what I want. Quell¡¯s fingers dig into my arm as my fangs graze his throat.


    ¡°N-Nye, don¡¯t!¡±


    My mind is buzzing. A pain behind my eyes is growing sharper by the moment. Words are dancing in the peripheral of my consciousness. Something about a role.


    My Role Requirement. Yes, that¡¯s the source of this pain. But it shouldn¡¯t be punishing me. He¡¯s not in any real danger. I¡¯m his Knight, after all.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t.¡± I huff out a laugh, pulling away. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    Quell¡¯s teeth are clenched, his body tight, hands braced against my arm and chest. His fear stirs something in me. Wanting his blood and not being able to take it fills me with a possessive desire. It¡¯s driving me crazy. This building energy is begging to be unleashed, and I¡¯m desperate for more.


    But there is more, of course. No one¡¯s as enticing as Quell¡¯s, but it will sate my thirst all the same.


    ¡°Run,¡± I tell him, and for a moment I picture him fleeing like prey, me chasing after, and I¡¯m filled with the thrill of the hunt. But that¡¯s not what I meant. I try to focus.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop the soldiers here.¡± I let him go, and he stumbles back. I smile ironically. ¡°After all. I must protect the Prince.¡±


    ¡°Nye¡ª¡±


    A sword crashes into my side, and the Aegis only partially deflects the blow. There¡¯s more strength behind this attack than the last one. As my attacker yanks their sword back, a hot line sears across my side, and then I smell my own blood. I snarl, turning to face my opponent.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Darian faces me grimly, stance low, grip tight. ¡°I guess now we¡¯ll find out how you fight when you¡¯re not holding back.¡±


    ¡°Darian, stop!¡± Quell cries. ¡°Don¡¯t kill them.¡±


    ¡°They just tried to kill you,¡± she growls.


    ¡°They¡¯re lucid,¡± Quell says. ¡°They held back. They can break out of this!¡±


    The captain eyes me uncertainly. ¡°Earnest, Xamireb¡ªtake the prince and go.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªno! Let go¡ªDarian, please! Don¡¯t kill them. I owe them my life¡ªI owe them¡ª¡±


    I dispassionately glance his way as Earnest and Xamireb drag him down the street. They¡¯re not a threat to him. My Role isn¡¯t stabbing me into action. Good. Now I can¡ª


    Darian attacks again, while I¡¯m not looking, but I see it through the Aegis. It lashes its whips around her sword, but she cuts through them, sending a splattering of blood to the street. My blood. An eager fire sears through me; the Aegis and I are burning for a fight.


    I grin as I turn back to her. ¡°That¡¯s twice you¡¯ve tried to stab me in the back. Not very sporting.¡±


    She narrows her eyes. ¡°You are lucid. Then you should be able to end this.¡±


    The Aegis scoffs. Why would we want to end a fight? Let go of such power?


    ¡°We don¡¯t want it to end,¡± I say, agreeing with the Aegis. Why had I ever disagreed with it before? I can¡¯t remember. This is what both of us are made for.


    ¡°It will end,¡± Darian says. ¡°By your own willpower, or my force. Now is the time to choose.¡±


    I laugh. She actually thinks she can beat us. Sure, she has training and a higher level on her side. But I have the Bloodlust and the Crimson Aegis.


    Impatient, the shield urges me on. Enough talk! It wants to fight¡ªI want to fight. We lunge at Darian.


    It¡¯s nothing like our sparring sessions. The Aegis¡¯s blood comes at her from every angle, and she¡¯s a blur of movement, cutting them away like vines in a jungle. She knows to avoid my shield, so she keeps trying to come at me from the side, wheeling, spinning in different directions, consistently keeping me on my toes. She¡¯s so fast, I barely have a chance to land a hit. She¡¯ll go for the feet, just to turn it into an arc toward my head. She¡¯s not fighting to win: she¡¯s fighting to kill.


    I activate Repel, a pulse of energy knocking into her. It barely has any force¡ªit¡¯s only absorbed a couple hits from the previous guards¡ªbut it¡¯s enough to make her stumble. I use the opportunity to close the gap.


    The stone shifts beneath my feet, and I crash to the street. Darian steps over me, sword raised.


    Two can play at that game. I call my Attuned blood back to me, lifting it from where it splashed over the street when Darian had severed the Aegis¡¯s limbs. I turn them into darts using Hemetic Hardening, and spear them through Darian¡¯s side.


    She shatters like a pane of glass. The fractured pieces of Darian scatter into motes of light, winking out before they¡¯ve even reached the ground. I roll onto my side to see Liz and the real Darian sprinting away.


    Rage boils up inside me. Tricked! They tricked us! How dare they? Cowards! They¡¯re running when they should be staying to fight. Have they no honor? We won¡¯t let them escape. We still need our victory.


    A shadow falls over me. Someone steps in the way of the receding forms of my opponents, and I bare my teeth, looking up.


    A group of soldiers has surrounded me, weapons leveled toward my head. The wall that had bisected the street is now gone. Another illusion.


    ¡°Lay down your shield, Duneshade,¡± one of the soldiers says. ¡°Surrender yourself, and your life will be spared.¡±


    Surrender?


    Something in me snaps. Blood slices out from the Aegis¡ªit lances up from the street¡ªit stabs from the open wound in my side. I flip the shield over me as all of their weapons come down, and I hear screams as my blood hits its mark. One falls. The others reel.


    I sweep the Aegis around me, cracking into shins as I spin to my feet. My Attuned blood spins around me as I seethe, orbiting red razors mirroring our anger. They wanted us to surrender. To surrender!


    The soldiers try to fight back. The Aegis Devours any weapons they throw at us, and I cut through flesh with my Attuned blood. I¡¯ve never moved like this. I¡¯ve never practiced this kind of magic. Everything I do is on instinct, driven by the Aegis¡¯s thoughts, following its direction, buoyed by its desire for victory. It becomes hard to tell if I¡¯m really moving my blood, or if it¡¯s the Aegis. Maybe there¡¯s no difference. I lose track of where my mind ends and its mind begins. The shield feels like an extension of me, our moves synchronized. We¡¯re of one mind, one body, one soul.


    I crush the Aegis into the chest of a soldier, and the Aegis drinks in the blood that bursts forth. The Aegis severs a sword arm before it can strike me, and I grab the weapon, throwing it back at its owner. There¡¯s blood on my tongue. Someone¡¯s neck in my mouth. Bliss pouring through me as I slaughter the last of them.


    The Aegis crows at our triumph. I stand there, basking in the warmth of our victory as our enemies lie at our feet. The streets are covered in gore. People are shouting and screaming. There¡¯s a commotion down one of the streets. Oh, are there more coming to challenge us? Let them come!


    But a weariness is settling in my limbs. For all the ecstasy of the blood, I can still feel the tolls of the battle on my body. I¡¯ve closed my wounds, scabbed over my cuts. But pain and fatigue is threatening to creep in.


    The Aegis pays this no mind. We can still fight! Nothing can stop us.


    I wearily agree. But my enthusiasm is waning.


    The Aegis presses against my mind. No! We can¡¯t give up. Blood. More blood will help!


    Of course. Blood. I love blood.


    The Aegis shares some of the blood it¡¯s absorbed, pushing more into me through the lines it¡¯s stabbed into my arm. I gasp, electric euphoria coursing through me once more. I straighten, reenergized, ready for another fight.


    But¡­ is that what I want?


    Of course! Of course, we want to win!


    I shake my head, but my mind is full of static. My skin crawling like it¡¯s covered in ants. I step back, and my ankle rolls on the limb of a slain soldier. I catch myself before I fall, but my head is tipped toward the ground; I¡¯m confronted with the horror of my actions.


    I did this¡­


    We did! We should rejoice!


    Oh, God. I can¡¯t get in another fight. I have to get out of here. I have to run.


    The shield¡¯s urging turns to frustration. We can¡¯t run. To run is to admit defeat!


    ¡°I already lost,¡± I croak. I blink rapidly, trying to break through the Bloodlust. Quell said I could choose to end it. Darian said it just takes willpower. I press back against the Aegis, forcing its oppressive presence away. As its influence peels away, I gradually become aware that its will has been clouding my mind. Forcing its desires onto me. The shield tries to fight back, but it¡¯s not as strong as it was before.


    [Bloodlust status effect ended.]


    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± I say, panting. I feel weak. Physically, emotionally. But I fought it off. ¡°You lost.¡±


    No! The Aegis thrashes in my mind like a toddler throwing a tantrum. No! It can¡¯t lose. It doesn¡¯t lose. Victory is everything!


    Desperately, it pushes more blood into my arm. I roar as the Bloodlust reactivates and hits me again, dizzying, scattering my thoughts.


    See? We are of one mind this way. This is how we should operate! At peak strength. With the same goal¡ª


    ¡°My goal is not the same,¡± I hiss, clawing at my head. The new wave of soldiers has reached me. They¡¯re fanning out, giving me and the gory streets around me a wide berth. There¡¯s so many. If I fight, I¡¯ll kill a lot of them. But I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m battling the Aegis. This time, even with the Bloodlust, I¡¯ll be taken down. And I can¡¯t fall here.


    The Aegis latches onto that thought. Yes! We will not be defeated¡ª


    I can¡¯t fall here, I think, latching onto that thought. I have other people to live for. I need to find my brother.


    I have to protect Quell.


    I crouch, scraping my claws across the bloody ground.


    ¡°Steady,¡± one of the soldiers calls.


    I wipe a smear of blood across my tongue, and another spike of energy hits me. I fixate on the numbers and words in the corner of my vision, forcing them back into my awareness, clawing my way through the mental fog to make them make sense. There. The arrow.


    ¡°On thr¡ª¡±


    I burst into motion before they have a chance to count down. The soldiers in front of me are so startled that they stumble back, clearing a path. I race past them, fighting the instinct to draw my claws through their flesh as I go. I run, pouring everything I have into each step, leaping inhuman lengths, cracking the ground where I land, pivoting and wheeling down side streets.


    My movements are not subtle. People scatter before me¡ªscream after I¡¯ve passed. I take a turn too wide and crash into a stand, obliterating the wood like it was toothpicks. The Aegis is mad, trying to retrieve its control, but it spent too much of its energy in the fight. Its influence is dwindling.


    I don¡¯t completely fight it off, though. I let it keep its grip on the Bloodlust, I let it continue to feed my frenzy. If it ends now, I¡¯m not sure I could go on.


    The arrow takes me to the city walls. No exit in sight, and I don¡¯t have time to look. I keep up my speed, then jump. I don¡¯t make it all the way to the top, but I slam the Aegis into its surface, embedding it a foot deep in the stonework. I draw my other hand back, hardening the Attuned blood in my hand, and stab it into the wall.


    Skin splits, and so does the stone. I wrench the Aegis from the wall and stab it back into the masonry above my head. It takes three more times to reach the top. Pain is lancing up my freehand, but I don¡¯t look at it. A nearby guard lets out a startled cry, but I ignore her. I jump, and when I come down, it¡¯s back in the desert once more.


    They¡¯re not far ahead of me. I¡¯m not sure how much time has passed, but they¡¯re on foot, which means they might as well be crawling. Following the arrow, I leap over a cluster of boulders, skid down the side of an earthen hill, and stumble through loose sand, which eats up my waning energy with every step. I¡¯m breathing hard now, my head swimming for an entirely different reason.


    The arrow is leading me to a sandstone formation. There are voices. Someone steps from behind one of the rocks. I can¡¯t even make out who it is, but it doesn¡¯t matter. I wrest the last vestiges of control from the Crimson Aegis, and I stomp the last of the Bloodlust out.


    Pain and exhaustion rush in to fill the void. I hit the ground, and then I feel nothing at all.

 Chapter 36 - Hangover

    I slowly and reluctantly fade back into awareness. The ground beneath me is soft, and my body doesn¡¯t feel nearly as sore as I expected it to. When I crack my eyes open, I¡¯m disoriented to find canvas overhead. I¡¯m in a large tent. Where am I? How did I get here?


    How did I get here alive?


    [Check,] Echo says.


    [Name: Nye]


    [Species: Dhampyr]


    [Class: Guardian]


    [Level: 19]


    [HP: 160/160]


    [Mana: 75/75]


    [Role: The Knight]


    I groggily glance over all my stats. I leveled up.


    Because of the people I killed.


    The memories return to me fractured, more snapshots than complete scenes. The smell of blood had been overwhelming. Bodies had littered the street. Everything painted red. And my elation, my eagerness to perpetuate the violence. The Aegis¡ª


    The shield cheerily brushes against my mind. Ah! Finally. Now that I¡¯m awake, can we go find something to fight again?


    I jerk upright, fear seizing my chest, but the weight of the shield on my arm keeps me from rising. Its red bands of magic are still strapped firmly around my forearm, but my sleeve has been cut away, and the bloody threads of its Blood Ward are no longer embedded in my skin. In a desperate panic, I try to add it to my Inventory.


    The shield is confused and disappointed. But why? It thought we¡ª


    [Crimson Aegis added to Inventory.]


    The shield vanishes, its presence in my mind abruptly snuffs out. I collapse back into the bed mat, gasping for breath, heart drumming against my ribs. I shiver despite the heat of the air and try to get my breathing under control, but it feels like my throat is closing up. Instead of breathing slower, I pant faster¡ªshallower. Static flickers over my vision, and darkness eats away at the edges. Blood rushes in my ears. It feels like I¡¯m drowning all over again. Just breathe. Breathe!


    The tent flap snaps open, bright light slicing through the dim. Even though all I can see is his silhouette, from his frame and stance I immediately know it¡¯s Quell. His sight fills me with relief.


    He takes one look at me, turns back to call, ¡°Get Xamir!¡± then quickly comes over to sit by my side.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he says, clasping my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re okay. It¡¯s over.¡±


    It¡¯s over. My mind spirals around those words, trying to latch onto their meaning, but it seems just out of reach. I dig my fingers into the bedding beneath me and feel the fabric rip between my claws. This only summons more horrific memories of my claws likewise tearing through people¡¯s flesh.


    ¡°I¡¯m not okay,¡± I manage to gasp out, and I squeeze my eyes shut before they can tear up.


    Quell gently squeezes my shoulder as he shifts into a more comfortable position, his leg brushing up against my side. I flinch.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he says softly. ¡°That was poor wording on my part. But you¡¯re safe. I¡¯m safe. We¡¯re all here.¡±


    I hear the tent flap open once more, hot light briefly spilling over my skin.


    ¡°If I may, my prince,¡± Xamireb says.


    Quell pulls away, his presence vanishes from my side, and fear spikes once more. I turn my head, desperately looking for him, but he¡¯s only stepped back to allow Xamireb to settle at my side. They splay a hand over my chest, faint light illuminating beneath their fingers.


    [Your conditions have been identified.]


    ¡°They¡¯re healthy,¡± they say. ¡°Just disoriented. I can apply a sedative.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I say, still struggling to catch my breath. But the panic that¡¯s clutched my mind won¡¯t let go, and it¡¯s strangling all my self-control. I don¡¯t want to be sedated. I don¡¯t want anything done to my mind. I try to string this thought into words, but they crumble away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s harmless,¡± Xamireb says. The light changes shape, blooming into a white ring that descends toward my chest. I let out a strangled cry, grabbing at the arachnoid.


    Quell catches my hand instead, holding me steady. ¡°Hold on,¡± he says. ¡°Just a little longer.¡±


    The light disappears into my chest, and a cooling wave ripples through my body. Involuntarily, the fight goes out of me. The tightness dissipates from around my chest. I drop my head back to my bed roll and finally gulp in a deep, full breath. The rapid beating of my heart fades, and my vision and hearing gradually clear.


    [Soothing Spell complete.]


    ¡°That is all I can provide,¡± Xamireb says. ¡°At least there is no physical damage that needs healing.¡±


    I note the wording. Nothing physical.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Quell says. ¡°Please inform the captain they have awoken. That is all.¡±


    He sounds so serious. So¡­ regal.


    Xamireb bows their head and departs.


    I stare at the canvas overhead as Quell sits by my side in silence. The panic is gone, now replaced with weariness, but the pain of what happened remains. My mind is clear and calm enough to comprehend the horror without letting me fall into it. Even so, I turn my mind away, letting my thoughts go blank. For several minutes I just exist and think about nothing at all.


    Finally I stir, and realize Quell is still holding my hand. ¡°Sorry,¡± I mumble. I relax my grip, and he lets it drop back to the bed.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to talk about it,¡± he says.


    I¡¯m glad he didn¡¯t tell me I have nothing to be sorry for.


    Quell waits a moment when I don¡¯t say anything else. ¡°Well, I should let you rest.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I object. I¡¯m not ready to be alone with my thoughts. ¡°Don¡¯t. I need a distraction.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he says. ¡°I can stay. Is there anything in particular I can offer? As a distraction.¡±


    The real question is, is there anything safe to talk about that won¡¯t send me down another spiral? ¡°How long was I out?¡± I ask.


    ¡°A night and a half,¡± Quell says. ¡°We relocated after you found us. We¡¯re still outside of the Oasis, but a comfortable distance away. Liz has been using illusions to help keep us hidden.¡±


    ¡°You had to lug me and the shield around with you,¡± I realize. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you guys didn¡¯t¡­¡± I trail off, unable to voice the thought.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t going to leave you out there!¡± Quell says, a tinge of anger coloring his words. I wonder if others had suggested exactly that.


    But I¡¯d actually been wondering why they didn¡¯t kill me. After what happened, there¡¯s no way Darian would have wanted to keep me or the Crimson Aegis around. She¡¯s too practical for that¡ªespecially with Quell and Liz to protect.


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


    I glance at my arm, the one that the Aegis had been attached to. ¡°It didn¡¯t try to hurt any of you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been inert the whole time,¡± Quell says.


    I wonder why. It seems to know not to hurt Quell, due to the Role Requirement¡¯s effect on me, but I have no doubt it wouldn¡¯t distinguish the others from Moonfall soldiers. They¡¯re all just potential victories to the shield.


    I close my eyes for a moment, partly from fatigue, and mentally bring up the Crimson Aegis¡¯s stats. Stats I''d never really looked closely at before now.


    [Weapon: Crimson Aegis]


    [Durability: 100%]


    [Mana: 0]


    [Blood: 0%]


    [Influence: 2%]


    So that¡¯s why. It ran out of juice. Without mana to activate its abilities and blood to power its Blood Ward, it¡¯s been nothing more than a conventional¡ªif not enormous¡ªshield. That¡¯s a small relief.


    I open my eyes once more to examine my arm, turning it over as I look for where it had stabbed its lines of blood into me. The same lines that had been used to force me into a Bloodlust. My stomach knots at the reminder.


    ¡°No scars,¡± I observe.


    ¡°No injuries of any kind, actually,¡± Quell says. ¡°You had plenty when you stumbled into our camp. Your hand was¡­ well, it was bad. And a nasty wound on your side that was bleeding quite profusely. They scabbed over that first night. Everyone assumed it was due to your blood Affinity. But then the scabs came off, and as of tonight, the scars were gone. I told the others it was due to the Aegis¡¯s influence.¡± He raises a questioning eyebrow.


    My lips twitch in the faintest attempt at a smile. Even now, he can¡¯t help but indulge his academic curiosity. Somehow, that familiarity is comforting.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the Aegis,¡± I say. ¡°It¡¯s part of the System thing I mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Echo and stats,¡± he recalls. ¡°The Role of Knight.¡±


    I nod. ¡°And an ¡®Inventory¡¯ that I can put the Aegis in. Part of all this is that I have a passive healing ability as well. Health Regeneration.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Quell says, again eliciting a small smile from me. He¡¯s so predictable. ¡°It¡¯s like no form of life arcana I¡¯m aware of. Healing magic is ultimately about speeding along natural processes, you see. Giving your body the resources to do what it does best. A healer could have closed your wounds that first night you sustained them, but you would have had scars after they were through. You don¡¯t. What you¡¯re describing is less healing and more like¡­ undoing.¡±


    I¡¯d never thought about it that way before. I guess I¡¯d just assumed it was no different from the other kinds of magic they have here. But the idea that this magic not only healed me but¡­ rewound the injury itself is a little unsettling. Is it rewinding the microtears in my muscles after each workout?


    Is it rewinding the effects of aging itself, second by second?


    ¡°Hold on,¡± I tell Quell. ¡°I need to look into this.¡±


    Echo, what can you tell me about passive health regeneration? I ask. What is it actually doing?


    [Passive Health Regeneration regenerates the user¡¯s Health Points.]


    Well that¡¯s useless. Okay, what is HP then? How is it determined?


    [A user¡¯s HP is determined by many physical factors, including species and individual vitality. It is representative of the amount of damage the user can sustain before System Access is revoked and supporting neuralarcanum networks disperse, inevitably resulting in the user¡¯s death.]


    That¡¯s a long-winded way to say ¡°it¡¯s how much damage you can take before you die,¡± which makes me think there¡¯s actually more to this explanation that I¡¯m not understanding.


    What about other people? I ask her. I can see Quell has HP. But he¡¯s not in the System, is he?


    [Stats applied to individuals who are not System users are approximate quantities representative of individual qualities.]


    So HP works differently for people who are and aren¡¯t in the System? I ask.


    [Affirmative.]


    Well that just got even weirder. And I don¡¯t think it helped answer my initial question.


    I repeat Echo¡¯s words aloud for Quell¡¯s benefit, who is all too delighted to gain insight into my strange abilities.


    ¡°She¡¯s saying you¡¯re stronger than someone like me,¡± Quell says. ¡°You¡¯re being¡­ magically sustained, beyond the limits of ordinary biology. At least, until your HP hits zero, it sounds like. Then the supportive magic falls apart and you¡¯re as dead as anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Lovely,¡± I grumble. But odd. It also leads to a whole new batch of questions. Ones I probably should have been wondering about before now. I¡¯ve just been so tied up in finding my brother and ending my ties to Quell, I didn¡¯t stop to think it all through.


    Why am I part of this System? I ask Echo. How come Quell doesn¡¯t have access? Why does it exist?


    [The user met baseline requirements for System integration,] Echo says, effectively saying nothing at all. [This adapted iteration exists to assist in the progression of a user¡¯s abilities.]


    I mean, I can kind of see that with the Health Regeneration and stats and whatnot. But how does my Role fit into progressing my abilities?


    [Role function established by #NULL.]


    The fuck?


    I relay all this to Quell, too.


    He frowns. ¡°Like, null arcana?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I say. ¡°I think it¡¯s more in the sense of something being blank. Like there¡¯s a gap or error in Echo¡¯s memory.¡± She¡¯d blanked out when I¡¯d tried digging about my Role when I was in the Lifespring, too.


    ¡°Curious,¡± Quell murmurs, frowning in thought. ¡°We¡¯re uncovering something I¡¯ve never seen mentioned in any texts about any field of magic, from any country or culture. I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s anyone in the whole world we could speak with who might have insight on this affair.¡±


    ¡°I can think of one.¡± I recall the night I first arrived in this world. ¡°Hans had access to the System, too. He also had a role.¡± I meet Quell¡¯s gaze. ¡°And that Champion knew what he was. I think the gods are trying to keep it quiet.¡±


    Quell leans back, blinking. ¡°That¡¯s a¡­ disturbing theory.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask.


    He¡¯s quiet for a long moment. ¡°No.¡±


    Goosebumps prickle over my arms. ¡°What should we do?¡±


    ¡°We do¡­ nothing.¡± He sighs. ¡°At least, not at this moment. It¡¯s an intriguing mystery, to be sure, but I¡¯m not sure how to even start investigating. First we have to deal with the here and now.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Right.¡± I start to sit up, and Quell scoots back, concerned.


    ¡°Are you sure you should be getting up?¡± He pauses. ¡°Well, I know we¡¯ve just established you¡¯re perfectly healthy, but really, there¡¯s no need to push yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not pushing myself,¡± I say, pausing after I sit up. My head pounds from the motion, and I wince.


    ¡°See!¡± Quell says, catching the look.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a headache,¡± I grumble. ¡°I think I¡¯m dehydrated. Get me some water and I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Ah, of course.¡± Quell immediately hops up to retrieve a water skin from the other side of the tent. ¡°You would be dehydrated, given¡­¡±


    He coughs, ineffectively obscuring the fact that he trailed off, and hands me the water skin as he sits back down. I take it, a new pit settling in my stomach.


    ¡°Given all the bloodloss,¡± I say, completing his thought.


    He nods weakly.


    I pop the end off the water skin, eyes unfocused as I stare down into its funnel. Somehow, I¡¯d managed to push all thoughts of that night away. Quell really had managed to distract me for a time. But I can¡¯t pretend like none of it happened. I need to face what I did.


    I take a sip of the water, but it seems to sour on my tongue. I cap it once more and look up at Quell. His gaze is sad, yet understanding.


    ¡°I killed people.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Quell says. ¡°You did. You killed people the first night we met as well. It saved my life. And the other night¡ªI mean, it was basically self-defense.¡±


    I wince. It didn¡¯t feel like self-defense. It felt like a slaughter. ¡°I still wish it hadn¡¯t happened. I¡­ I don¡¯t know how to live with this, Quell. I feel like most of the time I just try not to think about it. And that helps make it feel more distant. But that¡¯s not right, is it? I shouldn¡¯t just ignore it and move on with my life. Those were people.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have answers for you,¡± Quell says softly. ¡°I know many soldiers are said to struggle with similar thoughts. It¡¯s not something that can be undone, so¡­ I suppose it is something that you will always carry with you, one way or another. But Nye. You understand none of it was your fault, right?¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I say, setting the water skin aside as I tuck my knees up to my chest. I rest my arms and chin on top, letting out a heavy sigh. ¡°Rationally, I know. But it¡¯s hard to feel that it¡¯s true. I mean, I was still in there. I was still thinking and I was still me, sort of, everything was just¡­ warped. So I have all these memories of doing terrible things and enjoying it. How am I supposed to come to terms with that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have answers,¡± he repeats. But he doesn¡¯t say it in a way that¡¯s dismissive. The way he says it, it¡¯s like he¡¯s saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wish I could help.¡±


    We watch each other in a strange, comfortable silence. A sort of comradery. If the Lifespring can¡¯t sever my tie to Quell¡ªin fact, I¡¯m beginning to suspect no common magic will be capable of such a feat¡ªthen we¡¯re going to be stuck together for a while. And I think, maybe, I can live with that.


    It¡¯s being stuck with the shield I¡¯m worried about now.


    The eye contact is starting to get uncomfortably long, so I break it off. My gaze falls to his neck.


    Those memories rush back to me all at once.


    ¡°Oh my god.¡± Heat spreads across my cheeks and neck, and I quickly bury my face in my knees. ¡°Oh my god. I¡ªDid I really¡ª¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Quell sounds concerned. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    I desperately scrub my knuckles into my cheeks. Can dhampyrs blush? Is it obvious or invisible, given the gray skin?


    ¡°What is it?¡± Quell urges, now sounding genuinely worried. ¡°Do you need Xamireb to come back?¡±


    ¡°No! No.¡± I look up at him, wishing I could sink into the ground.


    ¡°Then what?¡± he asks, baffled.


    I swallow and try to blurt it out, but it comes out as a whisper. ¡°I licked your neck.¡±


    Now it¡¯s Quell¡¯s turn to die of mortification. His expression freezes, and then he¡¯s looking anywhere but me. ¡°Ah, yes, that, ah, was definitely¡­ unnerving.¡±


    I bury my face in my hands. ¡°I could have killed you.¡±


    ¡°Yet, you didn¡¯t,¡± Quell says. ¡°Which I very much appreciate.¡±


    I can¡¯t look at him again. Oh god, and I¡¯m stuck with him, too. There will be no escaping this.


    Luckily, we¡¯re both saved from digging our way out of that conversation when the tent flap opens once more, and Darian steps inside. She passes a cool look over us both.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± she observes. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    I will the blush to drain from my face, but I might as well be willing the moon to change phases. ¡°Fine,¡± I say, refusing to look at Quell. ¡°Healed. And¡­ myself again.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± The captain gestures for us to get up. ¡°Then we need to get moving. There¡¯s little time to waste.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I ask, already using the excuse to scoot away from Quell.


    ¡°Earnest has spotted Prince Constance¡¯s troops,¡± Darian says. ¡°They¡¯re heading for the Oasis.¡±

 Chapter 37 – Race to Retreat

    We don¡¯t even bother packing up camp. I guess Darian figures we can always come back for the supplies later if we need to. Instead, everyone save Xamireb races to mount a star drake. Earnest and Liz catch sight of me as we¡¯re getting ready to depart, and they each flash me a sympathetic, reassuring smile. I look away, feeling strangely guilty and embarrassed. I didn¡¯t hurt either of them. But they still saw me in that state. I wish¡­


    I sigh. It doesn¡¯t matter what I wish. It happened.


    Darian and Liz take the lead, and Quell and I follow on Poppy. This at least is familiar. The saddle, Poppy¡¯s rhythm, Quell¡¯s back. We race over the dunes, the moons lighting our way.


    Is this a glimpse of my future? Following Quell, wherever he goes. I feel all sorts of ways about that. But he doesn¡¯t know, I realize. I still haven¡¯t told him everything that happened in the Lifespring.


    I take a breath. ¡°It didn¡¯t work.¡±


    Quell turns his head part way back. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t work,¡± I repeat, raising my voice over the low whistling of the wind. ¡°Using the Lifespring to try to break the pact.¡±


    ¡°I sort of figured, what with the shield going rogue, and everything,¡± Quell says.


    ¡°No, I mean, us,¡± I say. ¡°Before I tried to break the pact between me and the shield, I tried to sever the tie between you and me. But Echo said it wouldn¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Quell frowns, clearly processing this. ¡°Perhaps back at the capital, we could speak to more knowledgeable mages there.¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°We can try, but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any magic that can change my Role.¡± Echo had mentioned it was possible, technically, but trying to figure out how had caused her to reboot. Why? Is something, or someone, trying to keep that knowledge obscured? If so, court mages are unlikely to have answers.


    ¡°So anyway,¡± I say, ¡°it looks like you¡¯re stuck with me.¡±


    ¡°More like you¡¯re stuck with me.¡± He smiles at the joke, but it quickly fades away. ¡°Nye, I¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t imagine the frustration you must be feeling. And I¡¯m not sure where this leaves us.¡±


    Frustration? Surprisingly, I don¡¯t feel much of that at all. Resignation, maybe. And¡­ relief? At least I know the Lifespring isn¡¯t the answer. Somehow, knowing that helps. It¡¯s better than uncertainty and trying not to let myself hope. Even if it¡¯s not the outcome I wanted, at least I¡¯m no longer on a fool¡¯s errand. I¡¯ll find some other path forward.


    With Quell, for now.


    ¡°What do you mean, where that leaves us?¡± I ask.


    Quell self-consciously hunches his shoulders. ¡°I suppose, what our relationship will be like going forward. It¡¯s not a very balanced power dynamic. But I swear I won¡¯t use it to my advantage. That first night¡ªthat was very stupid and selfish of me. I just want you to know that no matter what happens with this Role of yours, I won¡¯t abuse it.¡±


    ¡°Like how you just used it to pull me away from the fight when the Aegis was influencing me?¡± I ask, slightly amused.


    Quell looks stricken. ¡°That¡¯s not¡ªI¡¯m sorry! I shouldn¡¯t have¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I laugh. ¡°No. I was teasing you. I¡¯m glad you did that, actually. It was smart, and it helped. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Ah. I see.¡± Quell rubs the back of his neck. ¡°Saying ¡®you¡¯re welcome¡¯ feels rather inappropriate when I was abusing the compulsive effects of a spell to force you to disengage.¡±


    I snort. ¡°Well when you put it like that.¡±


    He meets my gaze with a nervous, self-conscious smile of his own. What a dork.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he says suddenly.


    Now I¡¯m the one caught off guard. ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admits. ¡°All the times you¡¯ve saved me, of course. But also, for seeing me. For listening. I¡¯m not very good with people. I¡¯m not very good at most things, really. But you¡¯ve made me feel capable, now and then.¡±


    Several teasing responses come to mind, but I don¡¯t say any of them. He¡¯s being vulnerable, baring his heart, and hearts don¡¯t heal quickly once hurt. I smile fondly.


    ¡°You are capable,¡± I tell him. ¡°You just get in your own way. What you really need is a healthy dose of self-confidence. Then you might even surprise yourself.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose there¡¯s a spell for that?¡± he asks, grinning.


    ¡°You¡¯re the bookworm. You tell me.¡±


    He laughs, turning back around to look out over the sand dunes. After a moment, he says, ¡°Well, in the field of mind magics, there might be a few spells¡ª¡±


    ¡°It was rhetorical, Quell.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, of course,¡± he says. ¡°That was my first instinct.¡±


    I chuckle, even so. I wonder if he meant to make me feel a little better about everything, or if he just does that naturally.


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    Almost ten minutes later, we see them. Constance¡¯s troops are marching straight for the Lifespring¡¯s gates¡ªright into Moonfall¡¯s hands.


    We¡¯re still a few dunes away, and they¡¯re on the paved road to the city. They¡¯re on foot, but still far too close for my liking. Quell also seems worried, as he spurs Poppy on.


    Light spills from the Lifespring¡¯s walls as the front gates open welcomingly.


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Quell says under his breath. He sits forward. ¡°Liz! Can you send them a warning?¡±


    ¡°On it!¡± she calls back, breathing a light into cupped hands. She shapes like light like clay between her fingers, and few moments later she¡¯s created a bright, glowing ball. She braces one arm against Darian, then uses the other to throw the light as high as she can manage. Even then it raises higher than I expected before exploding in the sky.


    Giant glowing words say ¡°CONSTANCE, RETREAT!¡± They sparkle overhead, continuing to hover over Liz as she and Darian ride down the dune.


    The Duneshade procession halts.


    I let out a relieved breath, but Quell shakes his head. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet.¡±


    There¡¯s people spilling from the city¡¯s gate.


    Liz lets her illusion dissolve with a swear. ¡°We¡¯re too late!¡±


    I tense up as we continue careening toward the two forces. They haven¡¯t clashed yet, but it won¡¯t be long. What will I do when Quell takes us into the battle? I don¡¯t trust the Aegis so close to the city¡ªactually I¡¯m not sure I trust the Aegis at all. But I¡¯m weaponless without it. What do I do? A rare bout of fear flutters through my gut.


    ¡°No,¡± Quell says, his voice full of relief. ¡°Look!¡±


    The ground cracks, and sand explodes into the sky. A giant creature bursts from the ground with a shriek, coiling out of its hole. It snaps at nearby Moonfall soldiers with a dragon-like maw, though like a snake it has no other limbs to speak of. Its scales glitter in the moonlight as it slithers over the ground, sending the Moonfall soldiers scattering away.


    Check, I think, trying to figure out what sort of creature it is.


    [Check,] Echo says. [A sand wyrm illusion.]


    Constance¡¯s, of course. But damn is that a convincing illusion. Behind the shrieking, snapping wyrm, the Duneshade forces are retreating.


    It takes less than a minute for us to reach them.


    ¡°Prince Constance!¡± Darian cries as we speed into their ranks. Liz has helpfully cast a new illusion over our heads that reads, ¡°PLEASE DON¡¯T KILL US!¡±


    Constance is dressed in armor, and he looks to us in surprise at the call, his gaze taking all of us¡ªand Liz¡¯s message¡ªin in an instant. Granted, I haven¡¯t known the guy for very long, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen him so stunned.


    ¡°Quell,¡± he says. ¡°Liz! I thought you were captured.¡±


    ¡°I told you I would bring the Princess back,¡± Darian says.


    As our star drakes pull up beside him, Liz and Quell jump (and slide) off their lizard¡¯s backs, racing up to Constance to crush him in a hug.


    ¡°It¡¯s a trap,¡± Liz says, looking back behind them. ¡°Moonfall is already in the city.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I gathered,¡± Constance says. He starts walking once more, keeping pace with his retreating soldiers. ¡°The warning was appreciated. If not cutting it a bit close.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± Liz says sardonically. ¡°Next time I¡¯m abducted by the enemy and uncover a secret plot I¡¯ll try to make it back to you more promptly.¡±


    Constance snorts. ¡°You seem in good spirits, at least.¡±


    Her rueful smile softens into an affectionate one. ¡°It¡¯s good to be back.¡±


    Constance¡¯s gaze turns on Quell next, and sours into a frown. ¡°You ran away.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Quell winces. ¡°Yes, I did do that. But I came back with Liz, so it all turned out as planned!¡±


    ¡°That was extremely foolish,¡± Constance says, and Quell withers beneath his words. ¡°But we will have time for lectures later. For now we need to retreat and reassess.¡± He looks to me and Darian next, nodding to us. ¡°Captain, well done. And it¡¯s good to see you¡¯ve made it back as well, Nye. I was worried I¡¯d lost my brother and the Aegis.¡±


    I grimace. Great to hear he¡¯s so worried about my wellbeing. Then again, he basically doesn¡¯t even know me, so I can¡¯t really blame him for caring about the family heirloom more than the stranger who got dumped into the middle of all this. He¡¯s not going to like what I have to say about my tie to the Aegis. Hopefully that¡¯s another conversation that can wait until after we¡¯ve retreated and reassessed.


    Once we¡¯re far enough away, Constance pauses to direct his sand wyrm illusion once more. He recalls it from where it was patrolling the walls, and has it slither back into its hole. I guess that¡¯s better than dissolving the illusion before their eyes; if they continue to think it¡¯s real, or at least suspect it could be real, they¡¯ll be less likely to follow us.


    Darian dismounts as well, passing her star drake off to a different soldier as she falls in line with Constance and relays the events of the last few weeks to her commander. Liz and Quell hang back, so I give the siblings some space. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re all relieved to be together once more.


    We march another three hours before we make camp, in a valley that Constance dubs sufficiently hidden. The soldiers set about making camp, and for once I can relax while others roll out the canvas and pitch tents.


    Dinner is warm and fresh¡ªand much better seasoned than the rations we¡¯ve been living off of. Conversation is light, and laughter rings through the camp. There¡¯s an unspoken understanding that tomorrow is when the heavy discussions will be taking place. But for now, in this moment, it¡¯s about family and friends.


    Eventually the soldiers retreat to large communal tents, while a solo tent is even offered to me, part way between the soldiers and the royals. That¡¯s a significant step up from the last time I was offered a tent near the prisoner. I hesitate outside it.


    ¡°You can still share my tent,¡± Quell offers.


    I jump, unaware he was nearby. ¡°The camp seems pretty clearly segmented between those who are and aren¡¯t royalty. Wouldn¡¯t that seem¡­ inappropriate?¡±


    He shrugs. ¡°Liz has already dragged Darian into hers. Etiquette is out the window at this point.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re also a couple,¡± I say.


    Quell laughs uncomfortably. ¡°Right. Well. There is that. You know, never mind. Forget I asked. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be grateful to have some privacy, finally.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow. ¡°Do you want me to share your tent?¡±


    Quell fiddles with his glasses. ¡°I figured it would be more comfortable than standard soldier bed mats. And¡­ I¡¯ve grown quite used to having someone nearby while I sleep. It¡¯s comforting.¡± He pauses, his gaze going distant. ¡°When the Umbral Blades abducted me, I was alone.¡±


    Aw, Hell. All this time, and that never once crossed my mind. ¡°Sure, Quell. I¡¯d be happy to.¡±


    He flashes me a smile, then leads us over to his tent. A significantly upgraded tent, mind. We can actually stand up in it, and it could easily fit six people sleeping across the ground. There are already two bed mats laid out, I notice.


    Despite the extra room, Quell nudges his roll over until ours are a few feet apart; the same setup we¡¯ve been using since being on the road with Darian.


    Even though I¡¯d been sleeping not six hours ago, when I stretch out over the bed roll, I can already feel weariness pulling me back down.


    ¡°Nye?¡±


    I jerk back awake. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow¡­ what do you think is going to happen?¡±


    It¡¯s a good question. Will Constance try to take back the Oasis, or retreat and wait for backup? What will we do about the Aegis? What about my Role, and how that affects both of our paths going forward?


    I stifle a yawn. ¡°I dunno. We¡¯ll take it as it comes, I guess. There¡¯s enough to worry about today; no sense in worrying about tomorrow until tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Quell says quietly. ¡°Thanks. Good night, Nye.¡±


    I snuggle into my bed. ¡°Good night, Quill.¡±


    I hear him sigh, long and disappointed, and I grin.

 Chapter 38 - Battle Plans

    Constance erects a war room in a large, maroon tent at the center of camp. The ground is covered in rugs, and sitting pillows have been arranged around an empty central area. It looks like a table should be there.


    A handful of soldiers are posted about the room, including Earnest and Xamireb, though Darian has been allotted a seat along with a few officers I don¡¯t recognize. Constance is there, too, speaking to Liz on his right. The Crimson Scimitar glints at his hip. No matter how much I focus on it, however, I don¡¯t feel anything. Without the Crimson Aegis to alert me of its presence, it might as well be any mundane weapon.


    Constance glances up when Quell and I enter.


    ¡°Ah, there you are. We will begin shortly.¡± He gestures for Quell to join him on his left: I follow Quell over, hesitating behind him until Darian signals I should take a seat, too.


    Constance nods to me as everyone begins to quiet down and get settled. ¡°I heard about what happened in the Oasis. It seems like you may have preemptively weakened their forces for us. You have a powerful Bloodlust.¡±


    I shift uncomfortably, unsure what to say. ¡°It was mostly the shield.¡±


    Constance¡¯s gaze skims over me. ¡°Do you have it on you now?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± I say, hesitantly. ¡°But I¡¯d rather not bring it out. It¡¯s dangerous. The sooner I can get rid of it, the better.¡±


    He gives an understanding nod. ¡°I would prefer it falling back within royal custody as well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s possible,¡± I say, glancing to Quell. ¡°We thought the Lifespring might be able to sever the link, but it only seemed to make the¡­ entity in the shield more powerful.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Liz mentioned this as well,¡± Constance says.


    I glance at her, and she smiles guiltily. It feels weird, knowing they talked about me behind my back, but I get it. Constance needs to know everything we went through if he¡¯s going to make an informed decision about how to proceed.


    ¡°However, I¡¯ve done some investigating into the shield myself,¡± Constance adds.


    Quell¡¯s head snaps in his direction. ¡°You have?¡±


    I¡¯ve never heard anyone sound so incredulous before.


    Constance snorts. ¡°Yes, Quill, other people can do research, too.¡± For a moment, there¡¯s a teasing light in his eyes, and for the first time I can actually feel that they¡¯re siblings. A moment later, however, the light vanishes, and he¡¯s back to his serious self.


    ¡°After your report on what happened at the Lifespring, I interrogated our prisoner,¡± he says.


    Liz stirs. ¡°Ambassador Ashla?¡±


    Constance nods. ¡°It seems Captain Darian filled you in on our traitor, then. Good.¡± He gestures to two gruff looking soldiers sitting across from us. ¡°My generals have been interrogating her nightly since your departure. Her confessions have been illuminating. We don¡¯t have proof she was the mastermind, but she was certainly involved.¡±


    ¡°Likely, the orders came from the throne itself,¡± one of the generals says. ¡°Her mind magic makes it difficult for us to get much out of her, but it also explains how she fooled us in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Then this truly is an act of war.¡± Quell rubs his forehead wearily. ¡°This is how it begins.¡±


    His words chill me, the weight of all that¡¯s happened sinking in. If Quell¡¯s country is pulled into a conflict, what does that mean for me? For my future and freedom?


    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Constance says. ¡°We have a chance to stop it here. Moonfall may have already infiltrated the city, but given the timeline, I doubt they have cemented a takeover.¡±


    ¡°We witnessed them working in tandem with the Spring¡¯s city guards,¡± Darian says. ¡°It did seem more like joint cooperation than complete Moonfall control.¡±


    ¡°Cooperation would be even more troubling,¡± Constance says with a frown. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent welkin letters home to request reinforcements, but by the time they arrive, the fate of the Oasis will likely have already been decided. Moonfall has a head start: and according to the Ambassador, more troops are already on the way. They¡¯ll arrive before ours. But not before us.¡±


    Liz lets out a breath. ¡°You¡¯re suggesting we attack first and try to recapture the city before reinforcements arrive.¡± She looks around the room at Constance, Darian, me. ¡°Perhaps that would be possible with such powerful weapons and magic on our side. But even if we do manage that, how can we hold out against an approaching army?¡±


    ¡°That brings me back to my initial point.¡± Constance looks at me. ¡°If we can use the Crimson Scimitar and Aegis together, we will wield a power unlike anything the modern world knows.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s conjecture,¡± Quell says, hesitant. ¡°Surely there are legends that speak to the Crimson weapons¡¯ power, but we can¡¯t stake the future of our country on it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not conjecture. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.¡± Constance raises an eyebrow at me. ¡°You could feel it too, couldn¡¯t you?¡±


    Hesitantly, I nod. ¡°The Aegis is¡­ drawn to the Scimitar. I¡¯m not sure what would happen if wielded by one person, but I think you¡¯re right that they would be a terrifying power together.¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean anything if we can¡¯t break its pact,¡± Quell says.


    Constance nods to his general.


    ¡°While gathering intelligence on Moonfall¡¯s occupation from the prisoner, she revealed the brunt of their forces were dedicated to guarding the Lifespring¡¯s source,¡± one of the generals says.


    ¡°But I was at the source,¡± I say. ¡°There was barely anyone there.¡± Not until we made a scene, anyway.


    Constance shakes his head. ¡°You were at the pool, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I look questioningly at Quell, but doesn¡¯t seem to understand either.


    ¡°The pool may have healing properties, but it¡¯s not the spring¡¯s source,¡± Constance says. ¡°That location is kept secret and guarded. And apparently, it¡¯s where they intended to take us.¡±


    ¡°Us?¡± Liz asks. ¡°Us three?¡±


    ¡°Or me, more specifically,¡± Constance says. ¡°Though I imagine capturing the two of you would have been a bonus. Extra leverage.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Quell says. ¡°What would they want with you, specifically?¡±


    Constance draws his sword, red light swirling into existence around it. The magic wraps around his hand, and the air seems to hum faintly. I can feel a subtle pressure about it. Like the air in the room has grown thicker.


    ¡°The pool isn¡¯t where powerful acts of Life arcana are performed,¡± Constance says. ¡°They¡¯ve erected a building around the source and turned it into a giant ritualistic arena. It¡¯s there they intended to take the Scimitar from me.¡±


    He sheaths the blade, and the buzzing in the air stops. He looks at me with a subtle, cunning smile. ¡°And that¡¯s exactly where we¡¯ll go. Only instead of severing the pact with my sword, we¡¯ll be severing the pact with your shield. Moonfall thought they could take a powerful weapon from us. Instead, our nation will be walking out with two. Before they¡¯ll know what¡¯s hit them, we¡¯ll have taken the city from within.¡±


    There¡¯s a brief silence while his words sink in.


    ¡°That would certainly be¡­ an ideal outcome,¡± Darian says, hesitant. ¡°But, if you would forgive my saying so, the plan sounds rash. We would have to sneak into a city that is already on alert for our attack, and then make it through a highly guarded building, to a goal that could potentially be used against us.¡±


    Constance clasps his hands together, leaning forward. ¡°I didn¡¯t say it would be easy, Captain.¡±


    ¡°It sounds impossible,¡± Quell says bluntly. ¡°We don¡¯t have the forces.¡±


    ¡°But we can have the appearance of forces,¡± Constance says. ¡°I can see to that. And Liz, you can get us in, can¡¯t you?¡±


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    ¡°I can,¡± she says, hesitating as if she wants to say more.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s agreed,¡± Constance says. ¡°We¡¯ll give Moonfall what they want; a great force marching on their city. And while their attention is diverted to protecting the walls, we¡¯ll slip through and access the Source. Then, once I have both halves of the Crimson weapon, I¡¯ll strike down their chain of command from the inside.¡±


    Darian looks around at the other generals. ¡°With respect, none of you can find this to be a sound idea.¡±


    ¡°If it is our only chance to head off Moonfall securing a first and crucial foothold in the coming war?¡± One of the generals sighs. ¡°The plan is not without risk, but it is perhaps the best shot we have.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be sending the royal heirs right back into the serpent¡¯s nest,¡± Darian objects.


    ¡°Hey now, no one is sending me anywhere,¡± Liz says. ¡°If I go, it¡¯s because I want to.¡±


    Darian looks at her in disbelief. ¡°This is suicidal.¡±


    ¡°Please, Captain,¡± Constance cuts in. ¡°Have more faith in the throne than that.¡±


    Darian clenches her jaw, then bows her head. ¡°Of course, my prince.¡±


    Quell shifts uncomfortably. Liz chews on her cheek, frowning.


    When no one else says anything, Constance turns to me next. ¡°Well? This all hinges on your cooperation.¡±


    I¡¯m not eager to return to the Lifespring Oasis so soon. Now that all the memories have spilled out, I¡¯m not sure I can neatly box them away once more. I¡¯m also scared it might happen again. What if this Source Constance is talking about only makes the shield stronger, like last time?


    But if he¡¯s right, then I can be free of the Aegis¡¯s influence forever. I¡¯ll regain a fraction of my autonomy.


    I look at Quell. His eyebrows are pinched with worry. If Constance¡¯s plan fails, then Quell¡¯s country will be thrust into war. And he cares so much. About his family, about finding a way to make peace work. I can¡¯t be the one who prevents their best shot at saving countless lives.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± I say, turning to Constance. ¡°Whatever you need.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡± He claps his hands. ¡°I knew you had a warrior¡¯s spirit.¡± He gestures to Liz. ¡°Now, if you please.¡±


    Liz raises a hand, and abruptly a scene appears over the empty floor before us. It¡¯s a birds-eye-view of the Lifespring.


    Constance uses his sheathed scimitar to point out different locations. ¡°If we want to draw them away from our ingress, it would be best to focus the attack on the front furthest from where we¡¯ll be.¡± He taps the tip of his sword on a building toward the east side of the city. ¡°This is where our prisoner has identified the Source of the Lifespring to be hidden. That means we should have the troops, including my mirrored troops, approach from the west. Our small team will need to arc around the city so we can slip in from the east. Liz, can you keep a camouflage illusion up that long?¡±


    She snorts. ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re talking to?¡± Then her gaze falls on me, and her smile fades. ¡°But make sure neither of you draw your weapons while we¡¯re sneaking in. I¡¯m not sure how, but they don¡¯t seem to play nice with my magic.¡±


    ¡°Noted,¡± Constance says. He turns back to one of his general. ¡°You will be in charge of the troops. The mirrored soldiers will be exact replicas of individuals, so we¡¯ll need to figure out appropriate spacing to disguise the effect¡­¡±


    The rest of the strategy talk doesn¡¯t involve me. My mind wanders, and while I find Liz and Darian focused on the plan they¡¯re sketching over the illusioned battle field, I notice Quell¡¯s attention is elsewhere, too. He¡¯s staring at a spot on the blankets in front of him, the focus of his gaze far away, and deep in thought.


    Finally, Darrian calls for a break.


    ¡°It¡¯s early in the night, still,¡± Constance says. ¡°Use this time to rest and prepare. We¡¯ll make our move at daybreak.¡± He nods to the generals. ¡°See to it that our troops are ready.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Prince Constance.¡±


    He turns to us. ¡°And the rest of you¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming, too,¡± Quell blurts out.


    Darian and Liz object at the same time, but Quell raises his voice. ¡°No, let me speak! I¡¯m coming. And you all might as well accept it now because you can¡¯t force me to stay.¡± He glances toward me. ¡°Nye doesn¡¯t need me there, but it¡¯s better I think if I am. If somehow Moonfall did manage a counter attack and I was in danger, the distance between us would be dangerous for Nye. Right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Worry and appreciation wage within me simultaneously. The fact that he cares this much, that he¡¯s willing to put himself in danger just to shield me from potential harm, is kind of touching.


    And given that he has no combat abilities of his own, it¡¯s also extremely dumb. Touching, but dumb. That seems to be his brand.


    ¡°Not to mention,¡± he quickly adds, ¡°if Nye experiences a Bloodlust again, I can be used to direct their attention so as to keep others out of harm¡¯s way.¡±


    My feelings sour at the reminder, but he¡¯s right. He¡¯s the only one who can do it.


    Quell is looking at me expectantly, so I nod. ¡°Everything you said is right. I think you should come.¡± It¡¯s strange how I simultaneously do and don¡¯t want him there with me. Maybe I can blame that on the Role Requirement.


    Quell looks up at his brother defiantly. I can tell he¡¯s ready to fight for this.  ¡°What, nothing to say?¡±


    Constance smiles faintly. ¡°No, actually. After the stunt you pulled with Captain Darian, I was expecting you to sneak out after us even if we left you behind.¡±


    All the air seems to go out of Quell. ¡°Oh.¡±


    So much for that fight.


    Constance notes Darian¡¯s displeased expression. ¡°I understand your reservations, Captain, but we all need to be of one mind if this will work. Speak your misgivings now.¡±


    Slowly, Darian lets out a breath. ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken them, my prince. I believe the royal heirs heading behind enemy lines is too dangerous to justify. But I see attempting to dissuade you all now would be futile. If we¡¯ve only one night to prepare, then I agree we should all go ready ourselves now. We¡¯ll need every advantage we can gain for this operation to be successful.¡±


    Constance nods respectfully. ¡°Agreed. In that case: dismissed.¡±


    The rest of us depart, splitting off to speak with generals, grab food at one of the camp fires, or prepare in our tents.


    Quell heads off to the north side of camp, and with little else to do, I follow him. For a time I think he¡¯s wandering aimlessly, his forehead pinched in a frown and his gaze downturned in thought. Perhaps he needs to walk off his worries. Then he stops outside a tent where two guards are posted.


    ¡°I would like to speak with the prisoner,¡± Quell says.


    The guards shift uncomfortably. ¡°No one but Prince Constance is allowed entrance.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Prince Quell,¡± he says. ¡°If he has authority, so do I.¡±


    The guards exchange a look. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord. Prince Constance was very clear.¡±


    Quell stares at them for a moment longer, but they don¡¯t budge. He gives a frustrated sigh, then spins away, nearly running into me.


    ¡°Oh.¡± He stops short. ¡°Sorry. Didn¡¯t realize you were following.¡±


    ¡°Your ability to remain oblivious to your surroundings is astounding.¡± I step aside to let him pass, but he falls in step with me instead.


    ¡°My mind was elsewhere,¡± he says as he heads back through camp.


    ¡°Like the Ambassador?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I suppose.¡± He scratches at the stubble on his chin, once more lapsing into silence.


    I decide to wait until we¡¯re back to his tent. When we arrive, I hold the flap open for him. ¡°So what are you actually thinking about?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admits, ducking inside. ¡°Puzzles.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow. ¡°Puzzles?¡±


    ¡°Or missing pieces,¡± Quell says. ¡°Or maybe¡­ no, not missing. Just¡­ not fitting right.¡±


    Inside, a new set of armor is laid out on my bed roll. It¡¯s nicer than the standard issued stuff I¡¯m wearing, though not as fancy as Quell¡¯s or any of the other royal children. I crouch down next to it, picking up an arm guard. It¡¯s more flexible and better fitted to my proportions, the maroon and gold coloring more stark, and the designs embossed into the surface more intricate and sharp. A note is tucked into the chest piece.


    About time you started looking like a real knight.


    -Darian


    I snort, showing Quell the note. ¡°Guess I better change.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s kind of her,¡± Quell says. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll feel better about you being dressed in armor more fitting to your station.¡±


    I raised an amused eyebrow. ¡°My station? As your Knight, you mean?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± he backtracks. ¡°I just, I mean, with you always jumping in to protect me¡ªbetter armor would be¡ª¡±


    I grin, sitting down as I unclasp my shin guards. ¡°Calm down. If I can¡¯t rib you a little, what¡¯s the point?¡±


    He hesitates. ¡°Should I leave while you change?¡±


    I freeze, buckle halfway undone. I hadn¡¯t even thought about it. We¡¯ve been changing in the same tent for weeks, but that¡¯s been inside magically darkened tents to keep out the sunlight. You pretty much couldn¡¯t see anything anyway. This tent, though, has a small red spell circle at its ceiling, which casts the tent in a dim glow.


    ¡°Uh, no, that¡¯s not necessary,¡± I say, continuing to swap out my armor. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s your tent. I¡¯m not going to kick you out of it. And it¡¯s not like I¡¯m stripping naked or anything.¡± Even so, I can feel a betraying heat creep up my neck.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he quickly agrees, sitting on his bedroll across from me. He watches me remove a shoulder guard, then seems to remember himself and quickly glances away.


    For a minute, neither of us say anything. Somehow, this just makes it worse.


    ¡°So do you want to tell me what you¡¯re thinking about without using metaphors?¡± I finally ask, breaking the unbearable silence.


    He jumps. ¡°Sorry?¡±


    ¡°Those puzzles you¡¯re working through,¡± I say.


    ¡°Ah. Right.¡± He takes his glasses off and wipes them down with a cloth, then continues to fiddle with them. ¡°I just have this strange feeling that I¡¯m not seeing something. That when we get to the city, there¡¯s something waiting there we¡¯re not prepared for.¡±


    ¡°Like the trap Constance almost walked into?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Quell turns the glasses around. ¡°Something like that. I¡¯m just not sure what¡¯s nagging at me. And I¡¯m worried I won¡¯t figure it out until my family¡¯s all in danger. Again.¡±


    He must feel so helpless. No magic, no swords, no cursed shields. Just his mind, and even that¡¯s not enough for him now.


    It¡¯s probably a lot like how I feel about ¨¢lvaro. For all the strength I¡¯ve gained, it can¡¯t help me find him.


    ¡°You thought the Ambassador might help?¡± I wonder, tightening my greaves.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± he admits. ¡°But having more information is always better than less.¡±


    ¡°Unless it gets in your head.¡± I sit up as I adjust my chest guard next. ¡°I¡¯ll need you sharp when we¡¯re sneaking back into the city. Keeping an eye out for external threats rather than imagined ones. I don¡¯t have a second set of eyes watching my back.¡± At least, not while I don¡¯t have the Crimson Aegis resting there.


    Quell¡¯s posture straightens. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best. I¡¯ll make sure I¡¯m not a hindrance to you. I promise.¡±


    I breath a laugh out my nose, standing up to adjust the new armor. He¡¯s so transparently earnest¡ªno wonder he can¡¯t figure out illusion magic.


    I stretch my arms and twist from side to side. The new gear feels good. It covers more vulnerable areas than the last set, and the pieces feel stronger, but I¡¯ve got just as much flexibility as before. It makes me feel confident and powerful.


    I wished I felt as confident wielding the Crimson Aegis.


    ¡°Well?¡± I turn to Quell. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    He puts his glasses back on, then turns back to me. He stares, eyes widening slightly. ¡°You¡¯re stunning,¡± he says quietly.


    Heat rises in my cheeks. ¡°Um¡ªoh. Thanks.¡±


    Quell stiffens. ¡°I¡ªI mean! Your armor¡ªit¡¯s stunning. Darian picked out an excellent set¡ªit certainly suits your physique. Which is to say, you¡¯re fit! I mean, it¡¯s a good fit. The armor.¡±


    I laugh uncomfortably, the heat still crawling into my cheeks and spreading across my shoulders. ¡°Yeah. I think I¡¯ll go find Darian and thank her. Be back in a bit.¡±


    I hastily duck outside the tent. The midnight breeze is a relief against my burning skin. I look to the stars, exhale a breath, and strike out into camp to cool off.


    And I¡¯d been telling Quell he needed to keep a level head.

 Chapter 39 - Diversion

    I¡¯d witnessed large-scale illusion magic when Quell had dissipated the mirage that lived in the sandstorm. It had been an impressive feat of magic that must have extended a mile around us in every direction, even if it was only to dispel the magic that was there.


    Liz¡¯s illusions, while smaller, were equally impressive: the details that were in each wrinkle of cloth and skin were indistinguishable from the real thing.


    Watching Constance work is something else entirely.


    Those of us who won¡¯t be part of the diversion stand on a dune overlooking the Duneshade soldiers. At first, Constance had argued their team should be as small as possible: only him, Liz, me, and (reluctantly) Quell. But it quickly became clear that Darian¡¯s insistence on accompanying us was not a request, so Constance finally caved and agreed to allow a small group of guards to come with as well. Xamireb and Earnest are among the five guards selected to join. That¡¯s ten of us total: a number Constance worries is too big and Darian worries is too small. Liz tells us she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle much more than that anyway, so we¡¯ll just have to make do. No one is thrilled and everyone is a bit jumpy, which I guess makes sense, given the coming conflict.


    Constance steps up, overlooking the troops. He inhales, raising his hands like a conductor, and when he exhales, light leaves with his breath, spiraling down the hill like a cloud of glowing embers. It swirls around the soldiers like eddies in a current, then pulls away from them, condensing into tight pillars of light. When the glow fades, there¡¯s soldiers standing in their place. At least three times as many soldiers.


    Constance isn¡¯t done, however. He turns away from the camp, facing an empty dune nearby. Once more he takes a deep breath and exhales an aurora.


    Moments later, a second, duplicate army has formed. He turns to another empty swatch of land, and does the same thing.


    With his third exhale, he slumps, lowering his hands.


    ¡°There,¡± he says, turning back to us. From the way his chest rises and falls, he seems out of breath, though from his rigid stance, it¡¯s clear he¡¯s trying not to let it show. ¡°That should be sufficient, I think.¡±


    ¡°No shit,¡± I mumble. What had once been a hundred soldiers now appears closer to a thousand.


    ¡°Is everyone ready?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Yes, Prince Constance!¡± his guards reply. The rest of us are more subdued.


    We¡¯re not carrying travel gear, or even food: the only consumables we have with us is one flask of water each. We¡¯re suited up in as much leather armor as we can manage while maintaining mobility, and everyone is armed¡ªeven Liz, with a couple daggers, and Quell, who was reluctantly given a short sword that hangs awkwardly at his hip. The march to the Lifespring is only a couple hours, so there won¡¯t be time or a need for a meal. After that we¡¯ll be sneaking (and maybe fighting) our way through the city. And after that¡­ Well, things will be over, one way or another.


    ¡°Invisibility is more difficult than a change of clothes,¡± Liz says. ¡°I¡¯ll need to save the brunt of my mana for when we¡¯re in the city. I¡¯ll cast a general mirage for now, smudging our appearance against our surroundings, and switch over to a complete invisibility illusion once we¡¯re within sight of the Lifespring. It will help if you all stay close.¡±


    Constance raises a hand toward his troops, whistling a signal. Then he turns back to Liz with a nod. ¡°Let¡¯s be off.¡±


    Similar to Constance, Liz¡¯s magic swirls around us like embers.


    [Greater Mirage spell in effect,] Echo says. [Your appearance has been disguised.]


    When the lights fade, however, I only notice a faint haze around us. We certainly don¡¯t look like we¡¯re blended in with our surroundings. But I¡¯d witnessed Quell perform a similar spell before, though his had been stationary, brief, and appeared to take a lot more out of him. Without another word, we begin to walk.


    In the couple of weeks that I¡¯ve been traveling with this party, walking is something I¡¯ve become no stranger to. But it was never silent: Earnest had always been chatting with one person or another, and then when Liz joined us, it had been the same. If I asked Quell about an animal or landmark, he was more than happy to provide an overly detailed explanation. It had felt comfortable, and even comforting.


    As the sun rises higher, our march takes place in silence. There¡¯s an oppressive air around us. I¡¯m unfamiliar with the extra soldiers who flank Constance, and it just feels weird for the group I¡¯ve become so accustomed with to abruptly have new members. I glance at Darian, wanting to speak with her, but not knowing what to say. I hadn¡¯t actually sought her out after trying on the armor she got me. I¡¯d stopped outside her tent, hesitated, and then walked away. She and I haven¡¯t had a chance to talk since before the Oasis.


    After an hour, we pause to drink and catch our breath. Well, mostly Quell needs the break, but Liz is breathing a little hard, too, and no one complains when Constance suggests the pause. Of all of us, he seems to be the most energetic, the most eager to be moving on. His hand grips the pommel of his sword as he walks, as if afraid it might vanish if he were to let go. Maybe he¡¯s more on edge than he¡¯s letting on.


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


    ¡°Nye.¡±


    I wince when Darian approaches me. Fidgeting with my water flask, I give her a nod. ¡°Darian. Captain.¡±


    A smile flickers over her face. ¡°You¡¯re shit at honorifics.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    She shakes her head. ¡°That¡¯s my line.¡±


    I blink. ¡°You¡¯re sorry?¡±


    She grimaces. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to speak with you, but things have been moving too quickly. If not now, then we probably won¡¯t get a chance before¡­ Well, whatever happens, happens. But I wanted to apologize for how I handled things in the Lifespring. As your commander, I failed you.¡±


    I lean back, too surprised to think of a response. I¡¯d been expecting a lecture or reprimand. I hadn¡¯t been expecting an apology.


    ¡°You asked me to stop you if things went south,¡± Darian continued. ¡°And I intended to keep my word. But when the royals were threatened¡­ When Liz was threatened¡­ I prioritized my personal feelings over my duty. Instead of stopping you, I left you behind.¡± Her eyes slide away from mine, and her face is tight with shame.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill me?¡± I blurt out. It¡¯s not what I thought I was going to say, but it¡¯s the first thing that comes out of my mouth all the same. ¡°When I was¡­¡± My face heats. ¡°When I was threatening Quell.¡±


    Darian¡¯s silent for a moment. She frowns. ¡°In the moment I would have said it was because you were too close; attacking you could easily end up hurting the prince. But I¡¯ve thought about this every dawn since. I think the truth is that I knew you wouldn¡¯t hurt him. I wanted to believe that. And that belief held me back.¡± She looks back to me with a brief smile. ¡°That instinct, I do not regret.¡±


    I nod, throat tight, tension releasing from my shoulders. ¡°Thank you. Even when I asked you that, I didn¡¯t want to die. I still don¡¯t. I just¡­ I don¡¯t want to hurt people, either. Is it wrong to want both of those things at once?¡±


    She pats my shoulder. ¡°It is the most right thing you could want.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± I say hesitantly. ¡°Next time¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s try to make sure there isn¡¯t a next time,¡± she says, cutting me off.


    I shake my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can guarantee that.¡± I touch the mask hanging at my throat. They¡¯d given me a new one after I lost Darian¡¯s. I notice she¡¯s not wearing one; the others must still be keeping her secret. ¡°It was the shield that forced the Bloodlust last time. It can¡¯t usually do that, but the Lifespring made it more powerful; made it so I couldn¡¯t fight back. And now that we¡¯re returning to the Lifespring again, again with the intent of trying to use it to remove the Aegis¡­ We need to be prepared for it to fight back. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Darian says. ¡°I¡¯ll keep a close eye on you. If you notice the shield is about to try anything, give me a signal, and I¡¯ll get you out of there and away from others. By whatever means necessary.¡±


    Including activating a Bloodlust of her own, she seems to be implying. But she¡¯s shown she has more control over it than me. If both of us were in a Bloodlust and targeted the other as an enemy¡ªwhat would that even look like?


    Hopefully I¡¯ll never know.


    ¡°Thank you, Darian,¡± I say again. ¡°Captain.¡±


    She snorts, patting my shoulder again, then turns away to go check on Liz. As we¡¯re all preparing to start off once more, Quell drifts over to my side.


    ¡°Everything good?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I force a reassuring smile. I don¡¯t feel it¡ªbut I also feel a lot better than I did before. I hadn¡¯t realized how much it had stung to think I¡¯d lost her friendship. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m good. You?¡±


    Quell lets out a breath, looking off into the distance. The Oasis isn¡¯t far now, but it¡¯s still obscured by the dunes. ¡°I¡¯m terrified, honestly. Last time we were just trying to scope out the city. Now we¡¯re willingly walking into the enemy¡¯s midst. Enemies who are on the lookout for us, I might add. And this ritual room¡­ it¡¯s an unknown, and that worries me. If Moonfall wanted to use it to strip the Crimson Scimitar from Constance, who¡¯s to say it¡¯s even safe? Should we really be using it on you?¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°I¡¯d prefer time to study the spell circle first to make sure there are no adverse effects.¡±


    ¡°Somehow, I doubt time is something we¡¯ll have in abundance. But,¡± I add, just because he looks so put out, ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do. Liz might be able to sneak us all in without a fight. And if it does come to one, I can probably hold them off.¡± It¡¯s more confidence than I have, but my words seem to make him feel better.


    ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t do anything stupid,¡± Quell says.


    I chuckle. ¡°I think you¡¯ve got that cornered already.¡±


    He grins, jostling my arm, and I teasingly shove him back, nearly sending him careening into the sand. That does make me laugh.


    ¡°You need to work out more.¡±


    ¡°You need to be more gentle!¡±


    ¡°Alright, you two,¡± Liz says, beckoning us over. ¡°You guys can get back to flirting later. I¡¯ll be casting the full illusion now, so I need everyone close.¡±


    Heat rises in my cheeks, and Quell also splutters. ¡°That wasn¡¯t¡ªwe¡¯re not!¡±


    I keep my mouth wisely shut and stare pointedly ahead.


    ¡°I have enough mana for this to last three hours,¡± Liz says. ¡°It¡¯s less than an hour to the Oasis. So as soon as it¡¯s cast, we need to move quick. I¡¯ll stay in the middle of our group; it will help provide the most stability for the spell. Constance, I¡¯ll be pretty focused on maintaining the magic, so I¡¯ll need you to guide us through the city. Darian¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep to the back, erasing our footsteps,¡± she says.


    Liz nods. ¡°Good. Any last questions? Comments? Romantic confessions?¡± She looks around at us, but no one speaks up. ¡°Alright. Then here we go.¡±


    She hisses out a tense exhale as she pushes her hands to either side, sparks flaring in her fingers, hands straining as if pressing against a wall. The faint haze in the air around us shifts, clears, and then warps, like looking through a distorted lens.


    [Greater Invisibility spell in effect,] Echo says. [Your presence is undetectable.]


    ¡°It¡¯ll muffle voices, but it can¡¯t obscure anything loud,¡± Liz says, her forehead wrinkled in concentration. ¡°So from here on out, keep chatting to a minimum.¡±


    We silently nod, and then we¡¯re moving once more.


    The last hour passes far too quickly. All at once, we crest a dune and the Lifespring Oasis is there before us. We¡¯ve been arcing around to the north, so the Duneshade army has long since disappeared behind us. But by the time we reach the east gates, Constance¡¯s troops should already have engaged the western ones.


    As we march down the dune, I watch the blue sapphire at the center of the city, jittery with too many emotions to name, until it passes beneath the walls and out of sight.

 Chapter 40 - Ingress

    By the time we reach the gates, the city is in chaos. A voice warning people to seek shelter booms through the streets, and people are fleeing in every direction.


    ¡°The city is under attack,¡± the voice says. I suspect it¡¯s magically enhanced to carry. ¡°Able bodied combatants report to the West Gate. Repeat. Seek shelter¡­¡±


    My stomach twists like I¡¯ve eaten something sour. Watching those people run, listening to their desperate calls for family¡ªWell, I don¡¯t know that we¡¯re on the wrong side, but it doesn¡¯t feel like we¡¯re on the right one, either.


    ¡°Hold,¡± Constance says softly. The rest of us stop behind him.


    ¡°Shit,¡± Darian mumbles.


    The gate is already down. We should have expected that; even if the troops haven¡¯t reached the West Gate, the Moonfall soldiers would have closed off the city as soon as they saw the approaching army.


    ¡°Here,¡± Earnest says, stepping up beside Constance. ¡°We¡¯ve got this.¡±


    Earnest and Xamireb take the lead, and we follow them to the gate. Earnest leans casually against the grated surface, craning his head to look inside. He gestures to Xamireb, who silently nods. The arachnoid crouches, brushing their hands over the sand.


    Almost a minute passes with nothing happening. Then, a startled cry echoes from inside the gate. A guard stumbles into view the next moment, smacking her arms and face and torso as she squirms.


    ¡°Get them off! Get them off of me!¡±


    Letting out a strangled cry, she drops to the ground, rolls desperately, and then scrambles to her feet, stumbling into a wall as she breaks away from the gate and runs blindly into the streets.


    I look at Quell in horror. He appears equally disturbed.


    ¡°Remind me not to get on your bad side,¡± Constance murmurs.


    Xamireb stands back up. ¡°It was just snapping ants. Non-venomous. She¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Once she gets over the nightmares,¡± Earnest teases. He uncaps a canteen, pooling the water over his hand in a liquid glove. He looks to his twin.


    ¡°It was just her,¡± Xamireb confirms. ¡°The others must have already been called away.¡±


    Earnest reaches his arm through the gate, and the water overlaying his fingers stretches like icicles until it¡¯s out of sight. A moment later, something clunks within the gate, and it begins to lift. Earnest and Xamireb step back, beckoning the others forward.


    ¡°Duck under now,¡± Xamireb urges. ¡°Before someone notices and stops it.¡±


    We quickly follow their advice, scrambling under the portcullis.


    As it turns out, however, no one returns by the time we make it through, and Earnest activates the spell circle to drop the gate behind us once more.


    ¡°You two seem oddly practiced with this trick,¡± Darian mutters to her soldiers.


    Earnest smiles guiltily. ¡°Apologies, Captain. We may have snuck out of the barracks using similar tactics once or twice during basic.¡±


    ¡°Reminisce later,¡± Liz hisses. Sweat is beading down her temples, her jaw clenched tight. ¡°We need to hurry.¡±


    Constance takes up the lead again as we strike out into the city. I sure hope he knows where he¡¯s going, because the streets are all a maze to me. We take so many winding turns, dodging pedestrians and soldiers alike, that I lose all sense of direction. By now the sun is nearing noon, so even the shadows don¡¯t help me keep track of which way we¡¯re going. Even beneath our sun cloaks, the heat and exhaustion are starting to get to me, and from the labored breaths and trickling sweat, I can tell the others aren¡¯t doing much better. If Constance thought that making our move when most would be asleep would be to our advantage, I¡¯m starting to have my doubts. I just focus on staying close to Quell and the others, huddling our party as tight as possible, and maintain my sanity by reminding myself that we¡¯ll soon be inside.


    Even if that inside is some kind of ritualistic magic chamber.


    ¡°Constance,¡± Liz pants. Darian¡¯s arm is around her shoulder, keeping her steady. ¡°How much longer? I can¡¯t hold out for another hour.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± he assures her. ¡°According to the directions of the Ambassador, just a few more minutes. Can you manage that?¡±


    She wearily nods. Heads bowed beneath the oppressive heat and the weight of our weariness, we press on.


    Thankfully, after only another handful of minutes, Constance stops. ¡°Here.¡±


    I look up.


    The building is made of white stone, with a domed roof and decorative carvings in its face. It¡¯s certainly well crafted¡ªbut smaller than I would have expected for something meant to guard the Source of the Lifespring¡¯s water. I guess nondescript is better, if you don¡¯t want people to know about it.


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    Constance strolls ahead, and we all jump to keep pace with him. He gestures for us to wait, however, placing a hand on his sword as he slowly pokes his head inside the door. He takes another step, halfway vanished into the building, and pauses there. After a moment, he steps back out.


    ¡°Clear,¡± he reports. We all head in, and the building¡¯s blissfully cool shade spills over us.


    Unlike the outside, the chamber within is breathtaking. There is indeed a pool at the center of the room, shimmering with white light, while the floor all around is carved with intricate lines and symbols of an enormous spell circle. Mosaics decorate the walls, depicting acts of great healing and evils being banished. While Quell and I pause, breathing heavily as we take in the sight, Darian helps Liz over to a bench against the wall where she gratefully collapses. The air shimmers a moment later, then the warped space around us shatters like a sheet of glass, and her spell dissolves into motes of light that snuff out as they drift to the floor.


    [Greater Invisibility spell ended,] Echo says.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I haven¡¯t heard about this place before,¡± Quell murmurs, pausing by a mural to examine the art. ¡°What stories do you think these depict? When was it built? It doesn¡¯t seem recent. I should have stumbled upon it in history books somewhere.¡±


    ¡°I imagine most cities don¡¯t want their most valuable secret to be publicized,¡± Constance says, heading toward the spring.


    ¡°I suppose,¡± Quell says, turning from the art to examine the spell circle next. He crouches just outside the ring, examining the circle. ¡°Do you know how it operates?¡±


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have to do anything,¡± Constance says. ¡°The Spring will do all the work.¡±


    Quell grunts at this, tipping his head. ¡°Some of these runes are strange. Many of them, actually.¡±


    Constance sighs. ¡°We don¡¯t exactly have all day to decipher them. Nor do we have all day to stand around. Moonfall soldiers could find us any minute. Nye. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I cautiously step over to him, dubiously eyeing the spring. I don¡¯t feel anything from it like I did from the city¡¯s central spring, which I suppose is a good thing, but I¡¯m still warry. ¡°I don¡¯t have to stick the Aegis in that, do I? That didn¡¯t go well last time.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Constance says. ¡°The spell circle will do the work. But you will have to bring the shield out.¡±


    I hesitate, glancing over at Quell. He¡¯s still crouched on the edge of the spell circle, craning his head to try to read an upside-down rune. ¡°You should probably not be there when it does whatever it¡¯s supposed to do,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°Right,¡± Quell says absently. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I wish I had time to read all this first. I don¡¯t understand how they fit together. This rune is typically used in light magic. What¡¯s that got to do with Life arcana?¡±


    He¡¯d sit there all day if we let him. With a grimace, I step away from Constance and hold out my arm. ¡°Okay,¡± I say, nervously eyeing his Crimson Scimitar. I hope the shield doesn¡¯t react negatively to its presence. ¡°Here we go.¡±


    Quell runs a hand over one of the runes, then pauses. ¡°Wait¡­ Something¡¯s wrong.¡± He looks up, his eyes unfocused. Then they go wide.


    I pull the Crimson Aegis from my Inventory.


    Constance mutters a curse.


    After that, everything happens too fast to keep track of.


    The Aegis appears on my arm, and it immediately hones in on the Scimitar. But not where I expected. Constance is standing before me, by the pedestal, but the Aegis¡¯s attention is behind me. I start to turn.


    Quell tackles me in the side. It¡¯s so sudden and unexpected, he actually manages to knock me off balance. As I¡¯m falling, light flashes off a sword. Pain slices through my shoulder. Quell screams. We hit the ground, and there¡¯s blood.


    Someone else screams¡ªLiz, I think¡ªthough it¡¯s more of a strangled gasp. Darian roars. Everyone is shouting, and weapons are drawn.


    My Role Requirement bursts into my mind, painful and urgent. I roll Quell and I to the side, throwing the Aegis above us right as something strikes the shield. Quell¡¯s clutching his hand and shaking; the smell of his blood fills the air.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± My mind is racing, taking in every detail available. Looking through the Aegis, nothing appears to be above us. What¡¯s going on? Who¡¯s attacking us? I have to protect Quell. He¡¯s hurt.


    The Aegis is only making it harder to focus, its mind eager and buzzing, latched onto the presence of the Scimitar. It can feel the sword¡¯s bloodlust. It wants to fight, and so does the Aegis. It wants to defeat it! Then it can grow even stronger¡ª


    Endure, I think as another invisible blow crashes down on us. Repel!


    The shield flashes red as the magic ripples into effect. I scramble back, one arm wrapped around Quell as I drag him along the floor.


    My shoulder burns from where I¡¯ve been cut, which is making it hard to wield the shield efficiently. I quickly activate a Coagulate to scab over the wound, but my attention is elsewhere. People are fighting on the other side of the room, nowhere near us, but I don¡¯t trust that it¡¯s as empty as it seems.


    Even though I¡¯ve only taken a couple hits, I desperately release Repel, concentrated and directly into the open air before me: I hear a pained grunt as it strikes something that shouldn¡¯t be there.


    Using the opportunity to pull away, I back us into a corner, where I can deposit and easily guard Quell. I finally risk a glance down.


    His hand is dyed red. His whole arm is shaking, hand frozen in a clawed shape, as a deep gash across the back of his hand pours more blood from the wound. He¡¯s lucky it¡¯s not severed completely. And if his hand hadn¡¯t been where it was, if he hadn¡¯t tackled me, the blade would have struck me in the back instead. Maybe my neck.


    Quell¡¯s teeth are clenched in pain, tears streaming down his face, but he manages to gasp in a breath. ¡°Liz,¡± he says, trying to look around my shield. ¡°They¡¯re going to¡ª¡±


    Another blow rains down on the Aegis, and I only block it because I can sense it moments before it strikes. Through the Aegis¡¯s eyes, there¡¯s nothing in front of us. No one attacking. But through the Aegis¡¯s instincts, I know exactly who we¡¯re facing. Using my free arm to brace the first, I launch myself to my feet, activating a Devour as I bash the shield forward.


    Contact. A stain of blood inks into the air before me. Someone cries out, and the floating blood stumbles backward.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± Quell gasps. ¡°It¡¯s an illusion.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve sort of figured that out,¡± I say.


    Hissing in pain, Quell lets go of his injured hand, holding it to his chest. He slaps the other one to the ground, smearing a bloody handprint over the stone. Gritting his teeth, Quell sucks in a breath, and exhales. As he does, light pulses from his hand.


    His magic ripples through the room, shifting reality like it¡¯s a picture painted on a flapping piece of fabric. Then our surroundings crack, shatter, and disintegrate as the pieces collapse to the ground. What¡¯s left behind is nothing like the scene I¡¯d just been looking at.


    The room is no longer polished stone, but brown, dusty clay. The pool at the center of the room is gone, along with the spell circle and murals in the wall. Instead we find ourselves in an abandoned storage shed.


    Darian, Earnest, and Xamireb are arrayed around Liz, who¡¯s crumbled to the ground, unmoving. The three extra guards face them, weapons drawn.


    And Constance stands before us, blood staining his free hand where Devour peeled some of his flesh away. The Crimson Scimitar is leveled at the Aegis. His face is hard and displeased.


    ¡°Oh, Quell,¡± he says. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡±

 Chapter 41 - Master Illusionist

    ¡°Undoing the illusion is going to achieve nothing but draw this out,¡± Constance says, looking through me to his brother. ¡°We could have already finished this without anyone having to die.¡± His gaze slides impassively over to me. ¡°Well, without many people having to die.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Quell asks, his voice cracking. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why would you do this?¡±


    In the background, the others are clashing. It worries me that Liz still hasn¡¯t moved, but I¡¯ve little time to think about her when I need to keep Quell and myself alive. Darian can handle them.


    Constance ignores his brother¡¯s question; his attention is on me. ¡°It would have been easier if you¡¯d just handed over the Aegis from the start.¡±


    With the last word, he dashes forward, slashing the Scimitar toward us. I brace for impact, but his blade doesn¡¯t make contact. Instead, a wave of red magic strikes us, shoving me back into the wall.


    The Aegis growls in frustration. It is the ultimate defense. It should never be rebuffed! I should use it to its full potential. I should give it blood so it can do a Blood Ward. Then we will make quick work of them!


    My stomach lurches at the suggestion, summoning nightmarish memories. Its bloody whips burrowed into my arm, forcing me to lose my mind and attack everyone around me. No. I can¡¯t.


    Instead, I focus on Constance, trying to buy myself time as my mind spins a mile a minute. ¡°If you were trying to take care of me somewhere secluded, you had plenty of opportunities to do that when I was back in camp.¡±


    The red magic that had burst from the Scimitar has now retreated to swirl around Constance¡¯s hand and wrap up his arm. It almost looks like a chain, gripping him tight.


    ¡°Easier said than done with Quell following you around like a lost pup,¡± Constance remarks.


    ¡°Then why let me come?¡± Quell demands, staggering to his feet. He leans against the wall, maimed hand still tucked against his chest. ¡°Why invite Liz?¡± Even as he asks, his face falls. ¡°Because you didn¡¯t get rid of us the first time. Because we escaped the Umbral Blades.¡±


    Constance smiles, his eyes still on me. ¡°He always was a quick study.¡±


    He slashes toward us again, and I can feel the Scimitar¡¯s hunger through the Aegis. Likewise, the Aegis craves this fight, desires nothing more than to clash and defeat its counterpart.


    At least on this, we can agree.


    I activate another Repel right as Constance¡¯s blow is about to land, then lurch forward to meet him. I don¡¯t feel the blow, but it¡¯s at least enough to deflect the sword¡¯s strike. I follow it up by spinning my arm to the side, ignoring the burn in my shoulder, and crash the shield into Constance¡¯s arm. He stumbles away, bruised, but largely unharmed.


    ¡°Is that all you¡¯re capable of?¡± Constance asks. ¡°A month spent training with the weapon, and you¡¯re still using it as if it¡¯s a mundane sheet of metal?¡± He steps back, pausing to cut the Crimson Scimitar across his opposite arm. The chain of magic eagerly snakes its way from one shoulder to the other, spiraling down the free arm to latch around the newly opened wound. The magic deepens as it makes contact with his blood, turning from a bright red glow to a solid, shimmering crimson.


    ¡°Then again,¡± Constance says, ¡°I¡¯ve had years to learn the full potential of the Scimitar. It¡¯s a pity we won¡¯t be able to savor this fight.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t you,¡± Quell says, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯ve always been ambitious, but never at the cost of your family! You¡¯re better than this, Constance.¡±


    The prince appears unmoved. Veins of blood climb up the Crimson Scimitar like feelers of a plant, then peel off the blade in dozens of thorny vines. The bloody plant completely obscures his hand and forearm, like the magic itself is consuming him.


    ¡°The only way our family can truly be protected is through complete domination,¡± Constance says. ¡°Absolute victory ensures the perpetual safety of our country. It¡¯s the only way to keep everyone safe.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡± Quell cries. ¡°You were going to have Moonfall abduct us. Liz is on the floor bleeding out. How is that keeping us safe?¡±


    Constance narrows his eyes. There¡¯s a moment where something seems to flicker there. Hesitation? Uncertainty? But just as soon as it appears, it vanishes once more. Constance lets out a growl.


    Something about all this is setting off alarms in my mind. I mean, besides the whole attempted kidnapping and murder thing. But Constance¡¯s words are unnervingly familiar, and Quell¡¯s right; his logic isn¡¯t making any sense. Prince Constance might be power hungry, but he doesn¡¯t strike me as irrational.


    Echo, Check, I think, focusing on his sword.


    [Check,] Echo repeats.


    [Weapon: Crimson Scimitar]


    [Durability: 100%]


    [Mana: 50]


    [Blood: 24%]


    [Influence: 73%]


    ¡°Aw shit,¡± I mutter. ¡°You¡¯re right, Quell. This isn¡¯t like him. It¡¯s the Scimitar.¡±


    ¡°The sword?¡± he repeats, baffled.


    ¡°It¡¯s influencing him,¡± I say. ¡°Like how the Aegis influenced me after it absorbed magic from the Lifespring.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Constance snaps. ¡°The Scimitar isn¡¯t influencing me. Ridiculous! I would know it. These choices are my own. This is for the good of the kingdom!¡±


    Quell looks at his brother sadly. ¡°Nye, are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Look,¡± I say. ¡°I don¡¯t know what your brother was like before. What you expect him to be like. But what I can tell you is that right now, it¡¯s in control. And when it¡¯s like that, you don¡¯t even realize it. Everything it says makes complete sense. Your mind bends over backwards to rationalize what it wants. You can¡¯t disagree. Right, Constance?¡±


    Constance¡¯s face contorts with rage. ¡°No! You¡¯re wrong. It¡¯s not¡ªIt helps me!¡±


    Quell lets out a breath. ¡°You¡¯re right, Nye. Thank the gods.¡±


    This only makes Constance angrier. With a cry, he leaps at me again, hammering the Scimitar down on top of us.


    Even with Endure in effect, I stumble under his blow. The shield and sword crackle against one another, their Devours fighting for dominance. The Aegis eagerly presses the attack, desperately trying to absorb the Scimitar¡¯s essence. I can almost feel the materials destabilizing where they¡¯ve made contact, caught in an ethereal tug-of-war. I can feel the Scimitar, too, now that it¡¯s so close, now that it¡¯s attempting to consume the Aegis, its vines of blood grabbing at the shield. It¡¯s angry that we¡¯re standing against it. It¡¯s roiling with rage that we haven¡¯t yet been defeated. It desires victory, but more than that, it desires the satisfaction of crushing us.


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


    The Scimitar is so much like the Aegis, in that way. That instinct for conflict and victory. But while the Aegis is obsessed with appearances¡ªwith being seen as superior, with people acknowledging its greatness¡ªthe Scimitar is all seething malice. It doesn¡¯t want to win because it desires victory, it wants to win because it hates anything that stands against it. It¡¯s cruel. Cold. Quick to latch onto injustice and despise anything it views as the cause. It¡¯s powered by spite.


    No wonder Constance¡¯s sense of duty has become warped. The Scimitar is a mental poison. One that might have been poisoning him for years.


    On the surface of the shield, something gives. Alarm shoots through the Aegis and into me. I jerk back, ripping the shield away from The Scimitar¡¯s grip.


    Constance laughs. ¡°You might stand against us, but you must see that you can¡¯t win. You don¡¯t even know how to use that shield to its full potential. You¡¯re afraid to. But the Scimitar and I have been training together for years.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, then how come you haven¡¯t already won?¡± I counter. ¡°I only learned how to fight a month ago, but I seem to be holding out alright. What¡¯s your excuse?¡±


    Constance roars, charging at me once more. I skirt to the side, and he follows, consecutive blows hammering down on the Aegis. I angle my retreat, drawing him away from Quell. That had been a gamble. But knowing the Scimitar is driven by hate, it wasn¡¯t hard to give it something to get mad at.


    Unfortunately, I was bluffing about holding out, and Constance might be right.


    My arms are battered from side to side with every strike, steadily going numb under his barrage. Even the Aegis¡¯s impenetrable confidence is wavering. It still doesn¡¯t believe we can lose. But the way the Scimitar seems to be chipping away at its essence is disconcerting.


    Disconcerting is an understatement. I try to unleash another Repel at Constance, but he disperses the magic with a slash of the Scimitar, and the pulse of energy swirls into his blade, which in turn shines even brighter.


    Shit, we¡¯re just making it stronger, I think at the Aegis, not really expecting a reply.


    But it agrees with me: We can¡¯t use energy attacks like Repel. And Endure isn¡¯t working because it¡¯s cutting through our shock-absorption. Devour is being countered by the Scimitar¡¯s Devour, and since it¡¯s stronger, it¡¯s winning.


    Wow. I wasn¡¯t expecting that level of insight from an inanimate object that usually just wants to bash people into submission. But what options does that leave us?


    I realize it even as I ask: Blood.


    Constance presses his attack, forcing me to stumble away. I circle around the room to avoid getting pinned against a wall, but he only seems to be getting stronger with each strike, more single-minded, more relentless. The next attack slams me down to my knees. Fear lurches up into my throat. We¡¯re going to lose.


    With a flash of metal, Darian collides with Constance from behind. He half turns, as if anticipating the attack, but is still sent careening away. I catch my breath as the captain relentlessly rains blow after blow down on top of the prince. He retreats, deflecting each strike with a clash of steel and sparks.


    I grit my teeth, knees burning, as I shove myself back to my feet. Xamireb and Earnest are at Liz¡¯s side; the two soldiers they had been fighting are disposed of. Quell is still backed into a corner, grimacing and bloody; Darian and Constance¡¯s fight dances around the room, edging dangerously close to him.


    She can¡¯t win. Even if she activates her Bloodlust, Darian¡¯s not strong enough to beat the Scimitar. It will eat through her sword before much longer. But I don¡¯t know that I¡¯ll fare much better. Desperately needing the moment of reprieve, and with the Role Requirement egging me on, I circle back toward Quell, keeping a nervous eye on Darian¡¯s doomed fight.


    I know a Blood Ward would help us here. Keeping people at bay, providing me an offensive attack, is exactly what it¡¯s for. Add in my Attuned blood, and I would have something solid I could use to counter the Scimitar. Maybe even an edge.


    But just the idea makes my chest squeeze with fear, and images of the fight with the Moonfall soldiers flash through my head. The bloodbath. So much death and suffering. Everyone in this room would be in danger. What if the Aegis tried to attack Liz, or Darian, or Quell?


    The Aegis is offended. It knows who to attack and who not to! It is a shield, after all. It was built to protect! Sometimes killing one person is protecting another, but it wouldn¡¯t kill if it served no purpose. When has it ever done that?


    The words surprise me. Is that true? Has it really never attacked anyone except in self-defense? I try to think back. It killed people when we first freed Quell. And when we freed Liz from her captors, it had attacked people¡ªbut Quell had been in danger in that fight, too. It¡¯s attacked Darian plenty of times while we were sparing, but only because it was defending me. In fact, the only time it ever proactively tried to kill anyone was when I was struggling with my Sanity Stat. And even then, when it was influencing me during my Bloodlust in the Oasis, we attacked the Moonfall soldiers to buy time for everyone else to flee.


    You were the one that caused that fight, I think. We wouldn¡¯t have been in danger if you hadn¡¯t drawn the attention of the guards.


    The Crimson Aegis is a bit miffed at this accusation. Of course it would draw attention! It is so powerful and great, after all!


    But there¡¯s an undercurrent of doubt there. It hadn¡¯t been entirely in its right mind. The Lifespring had been affecting it; warping and magnifying its desire for recognition.


    And I can almost, almost, detect a hint of regret and fear. It doesn¡¯t understand what it did wrong. But it knows it¡¯s made me upset with it. It doesn¡¯t want people to hate it. It wants to be worshiped! To be praised and loved. The worst thing that could ever happen to it would be for it to be forgotten, discarded, left behind. The bands of magic tighten around my arm.


    I try to remain angry with it. I try to find holes in its reasoning. A time where it had attacked someone not out of a desire to protect me or Quell, but just because it wanted to hurt someone¡ªand I come up with nothing. The Aegis is right. The only unnecessary bloodshed that occurred was done by me, when I was in a Bloodlust.


    And even sending me into a Bloodlust in the Oasis hadn¡¯t been intentional, I now realize. The Aegis thought it was helping me. I said I was worried about losing too much blood, so it gave me more.


    The Crimson Aegis isn¡¯t intentionally malicious, it¡¯s just overly simplistic. It¡¯s been trying to prove its worthiness to me, and instead of directing its pride into something constructive, I¡¯ve been pushing it away¡ªthe very fate it fears the most. The realization is a punch to the gut.


    I¡¯ve spent this whole time trying to deny the situation I¡¯m in instead of figuring out how to make the best of it. I tried to distance myself from Quell because I was bitter about my Role¡ªbut none of this was his fault. I¡¯ve been seeking a way to break the bond with the Aegis¡ªbut I chose to make that pact. Instead of trying to understand the shield, I¡¯ve been shoving it out of sight and out of mind anytime it¡¯s a mild inconvenience.


    Even the Bloodlust I¡¯ve been trying to prevent instead of learning how to control.


    I need to stop swimming against the current and start using it to my advantage. I can¡¯t change the circumstances I¡¯ve been dropped into. But maybe I can make some of them work in my favor.


    Sorry for letting you down, I think. How about we win this fight together?


    The Crimson Aegis buzzes with renewed excitement. Yes! It would like that very much.


    Finally looping back to Quell, I wedge the shield against the two walls, using the Aegis to keep an eye on Constance while I seal the two of us off in the corner. I quickly turn to Quell. His face is worried, tear streaked, smudged with grime. But it¡¯s intense and calculating, too, intently watching the fight unfold. His gaze shifts to me.


    ¡°He¡¯s going to win,¡± he says. His voice is tight, but not shaking. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s afraid for himself, but rather his siblings and friends. Even bleeding and betrayed, he¡¯s thinking about others first. It makes me want to laugh and shake my head. A warm fondness blooms in my chest.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I say. ¡°If I don¡¯t beat him with the Aegis.¡±


    ¡°Can you?¡± he asks.


    ¡°I think I can.¡±


    Several emotions play over Quell¡¯s face at once. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill him,¡± he says. ¡°I know what he¡¯s done is awful. But he¡¯s still my brother. And if this sword really is to blame, then he¡¯s just another victim.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± I promise. But I don¡¯t want to lie to him. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can beat Constance without killing him. But I¡¯ll try.¡±


    Quell¡¯s face is pained, but he nods anyway. ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± Then he adds, ¡°And you¡¯re not allowed to die, either.¡±


    Now I do laugh. ¡°I¡¯ll take that into consideration.¡±


    He smiles briefly, but it dies just as quick. ¡°I mean it, Nye. Please be careful. If something happened, I couldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I hold out my hand, gesturing for his wounded hand. Hesitantly, he holds it out.


    It trembles in my own, caked in blood. The smell lures me in, but I concentrate on the sight, not the smell, and am quickly rewarded with Echo¡¯s confirmation.


    [Healing spell activated.]


    I focus the magic beneath the skin, on the tendons and muscles that were damaged. Quell lets out a relieved breath, and his hand stops shaking.


    I don¡¯t heal it entirely, however. There¡¯s still a bit of blood seeping from the wound.


    I look up at him, still holding his hand. A similar scene between Darian and Liz suddenly comes to mind, and I quirk an ironic smile. ¡°My Prince.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh.¡± Quell stumbles over his words, caught off guard. ¡°My Knight?¡±


    I huff out a laugh, then bow my head to kiss his hand.


    When I pull back, I can sense the warmth of the blush spreading over his face.


    I turn away, licking my lips, and shoulder the Aegis out of its wedge.


    [Bloodlust activated.]

 Chapter 42 - Synchronous

    I stalk toward Constance while his back is turned. The fight has shifted, and he¡¯s crashing his sword against Darian¡¯s in brutal strikes, sending her stumbling back. All at once, her sword snaps, and the metal flings away. Empty handed, she retreats, glancing toward her allies. Earnest and Xamireb have finished tending to Liz, though they¡¯re in no state to help their captain either, each of them bleeding profusely.


    The air smells delicious.


    The Aegis rejoices as it senses my conviction. Finally! Now we will be working together properly, as one.


    It¡¯s right. I can feel our minds falling in sync with one another. And not because the shield is impressing its wants on me, not because of the Bloodlust, but because we both want the same thing. This mental resonance makes me feel stronger. The shield feels stronger. And we¡¯re both just starving.


    I lift the Aegis like it¡¯s made of balsa wood. Constance throws a glance over his shoulder at the last second. I crash the Aegis into the ground as he springs away, the stone shattering beneath the shield and sending chips flying in every direction. I grin as Constance spins around to raise his blade before him. Now he sees us as a threat.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve finally decided to get serious,¡± Constance observes. ¡°Excellent. Maybe you¡¯ll do my job for me.¡± He gestures to Liz and the others, desperately attempting to address wounds.


    The smell of their blood is so strong. My mouth waters. He¡¯s right, I want them, badly. The Aegis is itching for more blood, too. And it¡¯s right there, waiting for us to take it.


    Darian takes a half step in their direction, holding out the broken hilt of her sword so it points between Constance and me. She¡¯s breathing heavily. Blood is trickling down her face.


    She¡¯d promised she¡¯d stop us if we went out of control. We doubt she could stop anything right now.


    ¡°Well?¡± Constance asks. ¡°Please, don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯m more than happy to continue our fight after you¡¯ve had your fill.¡±


    I laugh. It¡¯s too funny. It¡¯s all so ridiculously funny.


    ¡°Nye,¡± Quell calls, worried. ¡°Don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    I leap into action mid word, tearing toward Darian. She doesn¡¯t even have a chance to react. I grab the stump of her sword by its rotted blade, and it bites into my skin. I activate Hematic Hardening next, and the blood that pools from my hand becomes cement. I kick Darian in the gut, ripping the sword from her grip and sending her stumbling back toward the others. Then I pivot, release the hold of my blood, and throw the jagged stump of metal at Constance.


    It all happens in less than three seconds.


    Constance flinches to the side and the hilt sails over his shoulder, crashing into the wall. I¡¯m half a step behind, already closing in on the prince. I smear my bloody palm across the Aegis, which the shield devours, vanishing the streak of red as soon as it¡¯s left my hand.


    I crash into Constance, and he blocks with the Scimitar, but my momentum pushes him back. He tries to dig in his feet, fighting against my rush, but his boots drag across the ground, then catch on a stone and send him stumbling. I don¡¯t let up, advancing on him until his back is pressed to the wall, the Aegis and the Scimitar between us. I grin up at him, and he glowers back down, hate burning in his eyes.


    Between us, I can feel the weapons battling, too. Like before they¡¯re trying to Devour each other, pitting will against will, magic against magic, might against might. But the Aegis is stronger, now. And it has my blood. Which means I can also feel myself in the Aegis. I extend my will into the Attuned blood, and we bear down on the Scimitar together, putting everything we have into the attack.


    The weapons spark and hiss. Magic crackles over the surface of both weapons. Then, I feel the Scimitar give.


    Constance roars, pushing us away in a surge of strength as he squeezes out from between us and the wall, backing defensively away.


    I laugh, stomping after him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Prince? I thought you wanted to fight!¡±


    [Blood Ward activated.]


    Blood whips out of the Crimson Aegis, stabbing toward Constance. He slashes through the lines, its own limbs of bloody magic cutting away the Aegis¡¯s attack and sending my blood splattering to the ground. I use Hematic Hardening and launch the fallen blood back at him in the form of dozens of tiny needles.


    His sword is a blur. He meets everything we throw at him. But his expression is getting more angry, and more desperate, as we continue to force him back.


    ¡°You are nothing,¡± he snarls. ¡°You haven¡¯t even had that shield for a month! You can¡¯t beat me. We are undefeatable!¡±


    The Aegis is saying much the same in my own head. It¡¯s a comforting, empowering mantra. But it¡¯s not real: it¡¯s just arrogance. Anyone can lose.


    Anyone can die.


    What does strength even mean if you can¡¯t use it to save the ones you love?


    Constance retreats another pace, and I notice too late where he¡¯s heading. I¡¯d kicked Darian back over to the others to protect them, but Quell is backed into a different corner, alone.


    Helpless.


    [Role Requirement,] Echo urges.


    Constance sneers as he holds his sword in Quell¡¯s direction. He¡¯s still not within arm¡¯s reach, but he can launch a spear of blood at Quell before I can close the gap. ¡°If you want to preserve his life, I suggest you stop there.¡±


    I growl. ¡°Don¡¯t touch him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s bluffing,¡± Quell calls, trying to back away even as Constance aims the sword at his throat. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t. You wouldn¡¯t! Constance, please. I¡¯m your little brother.¡±


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Something inside me cracks. Aegis¡¯s whips of blood spiral into the shape of a spear, then stab toward Constance. He instinctively blocks the attack, drawing the Scimitar away from Quell. I use the opportunity to rush forward, attempting to put myself between the two princes. Constance notices at the same moment, and slices the Scimitar back toward Quell.


    The Aegis slams into Constance edge-on. He twists the sword back toward my gut. We both crash into the wall feet from Quell, and crumple to the ground.


    Pain erupts from my side, and my vision goes white. Someone screams. My mind spins, blood rushing through my body in a reactive and defensive wave. I pull in a ragged breath. I guess I¡¯m not the one screaming then.


    It¡¯s Constance. I try to sit back, and my ribs erupt in a second wave of agony before a worrying numbness takes its place. I activate Coagulate, hoping to patch up whatever¡¯s happening at my side. I yank the Aegis from where it stuck to the wall, pain lancing through me, and fall back. My vision is clearing.


    [Bloodlust ended.]


    Quell grabs my shoulder, squeezing painfully. I think he¡¯s trying to pull me back, but the effort is futile. Even if he could pull me, the Aegis weighs just as much. But I¡¯m not paying him much mind, because I¡¯m focused on Constance.


    He¡¯s curled up on the ground, screaming, free hand clutching at his bleeding arm. Or, what¡¯s left of it.


    Constance¡¯s hand is still wrapped around the hilt of the Crimson Scimitar, but neither are anywhere near his body. It was severed when the Aegis crushed it against the wall.


    The Scimitar, meanwhile, is stuck in my side. My vision swims.


    The Aegis has wrapped tendrils of blood around the blade. I can distantly hear its thoughts above the rush of blood in my ears: The nerve! Only the Aegis gets to drink my blood. No, no, this won¡¯t do¡ª


    The ribbons of blood yank the blade from my side, and I scream. The pain is unimaginable. Static hisses through my ears and vision, and a rush of numb darkness consumes me. The pain fades. Everything fades.


    Silence.


    Black.


    Nothing.


    Then,


    [EXP threshold met,] Echo says. [Level up! Class evolution unlocked]


    [Name: Nye]


    [Species: Dhampyr]


    [Class: Guardian


    ]


    [Level: 20]


    [HP: 175/175]


    [Mana: 90/90]


    [Role: The Knight]


    I gasp as a healing warmth floods through me, sight and sound returning. I¡¯m on the floor. I don¡¯t remember falling.


    ¡°Nye!¡± Quell¡¯s fingers are painfully digging into my shoulder, desperation cracking his voice. ¡°Nye, please, no¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I say, grabbing the hand that¡¯s grabbing me and pulling his clawed grip out of my skin. ¡°Your brother¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not fine,¡± Quell cries, terrified. ¡°Your side¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s healed.¡± I push myself upright, partially restricted by the Aegis. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine. But Constance is going to bleed out.¡±


    The Aegis cheers at our victory. It knew we could not be beat. Especially not by some foul, arrogant sword!


    I snort. Birds of a feather, those two. I need both of my arms right now, I tell the Aegis. Can you let go?


    The Aegis hesitates, doubt returning to temper its victory.


    I won¡¯t leave you, I promise. I just need to help my friends. Please.


    It must feel the truth behind my words, as even though I can still sense its reluctance, the Aegis agrees.


    The bands of light dissolve from around my arm, and the Aegis rocks as it settles back against the ground, rather undignified by its position. This is no sort of dramatic pose worthy of post-battle victory!


    I stand, taking in the scene. Constance¡¯s screams have died down to whines and gasps. A sheen of sweat covers his forehead, and his eyes are going glossy. I kick the Crimson Scimitar away from him first, then kneel by his side.


    He jerks away from me, fear flickering over his face.


    ¡°Stay still,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯m going to help.¡±


    ¡°My arm,¡± he moans.


    I glance back at his severed hand, which the sword is still clinging to with the last vestiges of its magic.


    ¡°Okay, so, I¡¯m going to help, but not how you want,¡± I say. ¡°Hold on.¡±


    I put my hand on the stump of his arm. Blood is still pouring from the wound, coating both of our hands. Aw, crap, I should have put my mask on. Too late now. I close my eyes, trying to ignore the smell, and focus on my magic.


    [Healing spell activated.]


    Warmth blooms from my hand, and Constance tenses up. Then he lets out a relieved sigh, and I can feel the flow of blood slow to a trickle. I keep going until it¡¯s stopped completely. When the spell ends, I remove my hand, and a giant, ugly, horrifying and still-wet scab covers the entire end of his arm. I grimace at my handiwork, but I¡¯m no healer. That¡¯s as good as I can get it.


    Constance slumps against the wall, and I sit heavily back as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± I say. I¡¯m not even sure who I¡¯m talking to.


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Darian says.


    I look over to her and the others; her face is grim. Earnest and Xamireb have propped Liz upright, and she¡¯s blinking and mumbling, but otherwise doesn¡¯t seem coherent.


    ¡°Liz has a concussion. She needs a healer,¡± Darian says. ¡°And probably so does Prince Constance¡ªnot that I am convinced he deserves one at the moment. But we also have a battle to stop. His troops are likely attacking the West Gate as we speak.¡±


    ¡°But how can we stop it?¡± Quell wonders. ¡°If we expose ourselves, they¡¯ll certainly apprehend us on-sight and only question us once the fight is over. By then, the damage will be done.¡±


    Darian nods. ¡°We need to end this from the outside¡ªfrom our side. Take control of Constance¡¯s troops and call them off.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll never make it back in time,¡± Quell says. ¡°We walked here.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I say, thinking. ¡°Xamireb. Can you get us a steed?¡±


    Earnest starts to object, but Xamireb pats his shoulder. Neither have attempted to get up, and both are covered in still-bleeding cuts.


    Xamireb tips their head, weary but thoughtful. ¡°I think I can manage that. Give me a moment to search.¡± They close their eyes, frowning slightly, and go silent.


    I look to Quell. ¡°We need to get you back to your troops.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± he asks. ¡°But Constance¡ª¡±


    ¡°Betrayed all of you,¡± I say. ¡°And Liz is in no state to explain things. You¡¯ll have to be the one to call them off.¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t listen to me,¡± he objects.


    ¡°They will.¡± I stand up, grabbing the Crimson Aegis as I do. Relieved that I did come back for it, the Aegis forms two new straps of magic, and I sling it over my back, where it happily rests. I head over to the Crimson Scimitar next, nudging it with my boot. ¡°They¡¯ll listen to you if you¡¯re carrying this.¡±


    Quell looks horrified by the suggestion. But Darian wearily nods.


    ¡°They¡¯re right,¡± she says. ¡°It carries authority. And also the implication that Prince Constance is dead.¡± She narrows her eyes at him. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and watch over everyone. Prince Quell, you¡¯re the only one with the authority to do this.¡± She looks at me, next. ¡°Keep him safe.¡±


    My mouth twitches in a smile. ¡°That¡¯s what I do.¡±


    Quell looks more terrified by this proposal than the fact that his own brother just tried to kill him. Hesitantly, he joins me beside the Scimitar anyway.


    ¡°Should I¡­¡± He bends down to grab it.


    ¡°No!¡± I pull him back. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it. I don¡¯t know if that would initiate a pact with you, but better safe than sorry.¡± I pull off my shade cloak and throw it over the sword (along with Constance¡¯s hand that¡¯s still attached to it). ¡°We¡¯ll keep it wrapped up for now.¡±


    Quell nervously tucks his hand back. ¡°Good call.¡±


    Xamireb opens his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve found a footbird. Not as roomy as a star drake, but it will have to do. It¡¯s waiting outside.¡±


    Carefully nudging the cloak around the sword, I pick the bundle up; no mind voices, so that¡¯s a good start. I look to Quell. ¡°Ready?¡±


    He swallows. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to be.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be back,¡± I tell the others. ¡°Hang in there.¡±


    ¡°Godspeed,¡± Darian says.


    As wary as I am of the gods, this is one blessing I¡¯m willing to accept. Quell and I head out of the temple¡ªwhich has since become a dilapidated storage shed, now that Constance¡¯s illusion has crumbled. Sun prickles painfully against my skin, without my cloak, and I have to squint against the too-bright light.


    But I can live with the discomfort. Everyone¡¯s alive.


    Now, we just need to keep them that way.

 Chapter 43 - Verso Illusionist

    My arms are wrapped around Quell¡¯s waist as we race across the desert on the footbird. The creature is a lot like a mix between an ostrich and a lizard: a two-legged thing with scaly legs, a long feathered tail, and an intimidating beak. Or maybe I just find all steeds intimidating. I¡¯d never ridden on an animal before coming to this world.


    There¡¯s not much room on the bird¡¯s back, thus my compromising position. I don¡¯t mind the closeness, though. We¡¯re both pumped full of too much anxiety and adrenaline to be self-conscious right now. Even squeezed together we barely fit on the footbird¡¯s back, and I¡¯m sure this is quite a bit more weight than the animal is used to. Luckily, the Aegis agreed to let me put it in my Inventory for the ride, otherwise I doubt the animal would have been able to stand. At least we don¡¯t have to go very far.


    Quell is steering with one hand, urging the bird as fast as he dares. His other, the injured hand, is held against his stomach, and I¡¯m holding my hand over his as I work another healing spell. I¡¯m worried I might not have fixed all the tendons and muscles Constance severed, but there¡¯s nothing I can do about it now. The least I can do is stop the bleeding.


    My spell times out, mana depleted, and I let go. Quell holds his hand up to inspect its state: it¡¯s a horrifying mess of a scab, much like Constance¡¯s arm after I was done with it. Look, I¡¯m not a healer, this is as good as it gets. But Quell doesn¡¯t make a remark, instead taking hold of the reins. I notice he isn¡¯t able to close his hand all the way.


    ¡°There,¡± he calls over his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s just ahead.¡±


    I don¡¯t have to look far. The battle is already taking place. Archers and mages are positioned on top of the city walls, raining arrows and stone down on the Duneshade soldiers. The soldiers in turn have made a wedge at the city gate; more stone and sand mages are attempting to give their fellows cover as they try to pry the portcullis open. Beyond them are Duneshade archers returning fire.


    There are already bodies on the ground.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Quell shouts, though his voice is swallowed in the noise of the fight. We¡¯re still thundering toward them. He takes another breath to yell, but I stop him.


    ¡°Get to higher ground,¡± I say, pointing at a nearby dune. One of the Duneshade generals is standing at the top of the hill, overseeing the battle. I also pull the Scimitar out from where it was pinned between us, still wrapped, and pass it around to Quell.


    ¡°Hold this,¡± I tell him. ¡°Just be careful not to touch it directly!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± he says, loosely gripping the wrap with his injured hand. He¡¯s already turning us to the side, heading for the dune.


    The general notices us when we¡¯re at its base. She instinctively draws a sword, then hesitates when she sees the prince.


    ¡°Call off the attack,¡± Quell cries when we¡¯re within earshot. ¡°Order them to withdraw!¡±


    ¡°My prince?¡± she wavers. ¡°Where is Prince Constance?¡±


    ¡°Hurt,¡± Quell says shortly, pulling the footbird to a stop beside her. I stumble off the side. Even with one hand, Quell manages to swing himself gracefully down. ¡°There¡¯s too much to explain and too little time. My siblings¡¯ lives may hang in the balance. Right now, you have to call the soldiers back.¡±


    The general frowns, eyeing us warily. When Quell steps toward her, she steps back, holding her sword between us. ¡°Moonfall knows what the royals look like. Prove you¡¯re not an imposter.¡±


    ¡°Proof?¡± Quell unveils the Scimitar, holding it up for the general to see. Conveniently, Constance¡¯s hand is still obscured by the wrappings. ¡°I¡¯ll show you proof.¡±


    Then he turns to face the battle that¡¯s waging below. Lights spark before his lips, and when he takes a deep breath, he pulls the embers into his mouth.


    ¡°This is Prince Quell of the Duneshade Kingdom,¡± he says. But it¡¯s not just said: his voice booms over the battlefield. Both sides appear startled, and while the fighting doesn¡¯t stop, it certainly falters.


    ¡°I am ordering an immediate ceasefire. Duneshade soldiers, withdraw. There will be no more bloodshed today. And if I have any say in the matter, none going forward, either.¡±


    He pauses, waiting for the soldiers to react. Some along the backline have stopped, but those at the wall, still engaged with the city guards, don¡¯t break away.


    ¡°Duneshade,¡± Quell repeats. ¡°I said, retreat.¡±


    With the last word, a ripple goes through the air. Quell takes a step forward, gritting his teeth as he seems to lean against some invisible barrier. The ripple spreads down the dune and across the battlefield, buffeting everything it passes through. Then, all at once, Constance¡¯s illusions shatter.


    Duplicated soldiers dissolve into motes of light that swirl away with the breeze. Over eight hundred soldiers abruptly become less than one hundred. Lifespring guards find themselves targeting thin air. The crowd of Duneshade soldiers at the gate becomes a dozen individuals. Both sides freeze.


    And then the Duneshade soldiers flee. A cheer goes up from within the Oasis.


    Quell slumps. ¡°Lifespring guards, I would appreciate it if you would spare the lives of my soldiers as they collect the wounded and withdraw. There is much turmoil in our camp, as you have just witnessed, however I have no desire to escalate tensions. In fact, I would like to initiate a parley to discuss further relations between our people. As a show of good faith, I am willing to meet on your terms, provided I am accompanied by my personal knight. Please send up a signal if you are willing to engage in an armistice, and I will approach to discuss stipulations.¡±


    With that, he lets out another breath, and sparks of light are exhaled with it, quickly winking out. Then he sways, and I catch his arm, keeping him from tumbling over.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I ask, alarmed. He¡¯s dug the point of the Crimson Scimitar into the sand, like he¡¯s using it as a cane. I keep a tight grip on him.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he says, breathing hard. ¡°Just took a lot out of me. Not used to sound projection.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even know you could do that,¡± I admit.


    He smiles wearily, but something sparks in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a subfield of illusions. Visual, audial, tactile. Not much good at any of them¡ªwell, except breaking them. But audial is a bit easier for me. Though it takes basically all the mana I¡¯ve got. Pretty much worthless after.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not worthless,¡± I tell him, and his eyes crinkle in a smile. I throw his free arm around my shoulder so I can better hold him up. ¡°But we should get you somewhere safe where you can lay down. Then you can tell me all about illusion subfields, like I know you want to.¡±


    He laughs lightly, but the smile quickly fades, glancing back to the Oasis. ¡°We¡¯re not done out here yet.¡±


    I frown. ¡°That was a rash offer. They might take the opportunity to kill you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s possible,¡± he agrees. ¡°Which is why I¡¯m taking you with me. But I don¡¯t believe they will.¡± He looks back to the general, who bows her head.


    ¡°My prince.¡±


    ¡°Head back to camp,¡± he tells her. ¡°Inform the others that until my siblings have recovered, I am in charge. We will be relocating to within a mile of the Lifespring so as better to treat the wounded who will not be capable of making the trip. The top priority is saving as many lives as possible. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Prince Quell.¡± She retreats as Quell looks back to the Lifespring. A moment later, a purple light launches into the air. The firework explodes in the shape of a blooming poppy.


    Quell lets out a tired breath. ¡°I guess that¡¯s our cue.¡±


    <hr>


    As it turns out, the only thing my services are needed for is making sure Quell doesn''t keel over. I help him back up onto the footbird, securing his feet in the stirrups, then somehow manage to clamber back on behind him, again wrapping a hand around his waist to keep him steady. He lets out a breath, gratefully leaning against my chest as I maneuver us down the slope.


    An emissary meets us at the gates and delivers the terms of the conference to come. Quell informs them of his siblings, still injured and trapped within the city, which seems to catch the messenger off guard. He asks that they be taken in and treated well, which is more faith in Moonfall than I have. Even so, the messenger leaves with this information, and we leave with the terms of the treaty. He glances at it just long enough to confirm we have a day before the official meeting, then slips it into a shirt pocket. We head for the Duneshade camp next.


    On the way, we pause to address the wounded. There¡¯s about a dozen, all told, who won¡¯t be able to make the march back to camp. Quell has me help the ones who can be moved together into a group, and he leaves his shade cloak and half a skin of water with them. I likewise distribute my water and cloak to the ones who need it most, then we leave for Duneshade¡¯s camp. With a mount, we make good time. Even so, my neck and arms burn painfully beneath the sun. When we reach camp, I can already feel blisters forming.


    By the time we arrive, they¡¯re already in the process of breaking tents down. I¡¯m a little surprised to see the soldiers listened to his order. I help Quell off the footbird. He sways once, but turns down my offered arm, and I soon understand why. Squaring his shoulders and straightening up taller than I¡¯ve ever seen him walk before, he sets off with purpose.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    As we head through the camp, the gazes of his soldiers fall to the Scimitar still grasped in his good hand. More than one does a double-take when they realize it¡¯s Quell holding the sword. Any hints of skepticism quickly fade from their expressions, and they bow their heads respectfully as he passes by.


    ¡°Commander,¡± Quell greets a black and brown arachnoid, sounding far more steady than I suspect he feels. ¡°Where is the Ambassador? I¡¯d like to speak with her.¡±


    The arachnoid seems caught off guard. ¡°The prisoner?¡± he asks.


    Quell frowns. ¡°Wrongly detained, I suspect. Take me to her¡ªand have someone send extra rations and a skin of water.¡±


    The commander bows. ¡°Of course, my prince.¡±


    He leads us to a small tent toward the back of the camp. It¡¯s not even tall enough to be able to stand up straight within. Quell pauses to dismiss the commander. ¡°Nye and I can handle this alone.¡±


    The arachnoid seems nervous. ¡°It would not be advisable to speak with her without protection.¡±


    ¡°I have protection,¡± Quell says, gesturing to me. ¡°And she¡¯s restrained, anyway. Actually, speaking of, who spelled her shackles? Send them here at once.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Prince Quell.¡± The commander reluctantly withdraws, already calling to another soldier to carry out the orders Quell had given him.


    Orders. Like he¡¯s a real leader, or something.


    The moment he¡¯s out of sight, Quell slumps, and I grab him, frowning in concern.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to do this now,¡± I say. ¡°You need a healer. And then probably a nap.¡±


    He chuckles wearily, glancing at his scabbed, shaking hand. ¡°It can wait. This meeting is already weeks overdue. Will you help me inside?¡±


    I sling his arm over my shoulder and wrap mine around his side. The proximity doesn¡¯t bother me anymore. In fact, it feels nice. ¡°You don¡¯t even have to ask.¡±


    Supporting his weight, I duck us both into the tent, the shade a welcome relief as it falls over my skin. I carefully help Quell to the ground, then take a seat at his side. The ground is bare clay and sand; I guess they felt their captive didn¡¯t deserve the comfort of a canvas or rug. I grimace at the thought of her living like this the whole time.


    Ambassador Ashla is wearing the same clothes I last saw her in, though all their splendor has been lost to the grit that now smears their surface. The cloth is frayed and torn, and her gray skin is covered in a layer of brown dust, only interrupted where tear tracks have clearly washed the sediment away. Her intricate braids have since come undone, spilling tangled black hair over her shoulders.


    Ashla is secured to a stake stabbed into the ground at the center of the tent. Her wrists are bound together with a rotating yellow spell circle, which is connected to the central post by a glowing thread. Her feet are not tied, though given how short the chain is, she probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to stand anyway. She glowers at us as we take a seat, though she also sits up, back straight, chin lifted, as if she refuses to look up at us.


    Quell sets the Scimitar down between us, and Ashla¡¯s attention shifts to the blade. She narrows her eyes.


    ¡°Is that your brother¡¯s blade?¡± she asks, skeptical.


    ¡°It is.¡± Quell gestures to me. ¡°My knight cut it from his hand.¡±


    She leans back, eyebrows raised. She stares at us for several moments in silence, and Quell seems content to wait. Or maybe he¡¯s just catching his breath.


    ¡°I was expecting another visit at some point,¡± she finally ventures. ¡°But from your brother, not you. I suspect I may be missing context for this meeting.¡±


    ¡°Context is what I hope to gain as well,¡± Quell says. ¡°You were not a part of the abduction attempt on me and my siblings, were you?¡±


    Ashla¡¯s expression darkens. ¡°That is what I have been saying since the start of this.¡±


    ¡°I believe you,¡± Quell says.


    Ashla pauses, her tone skeptical. ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Because my brother is the one who was responsible.¡± He glances down at the blade. ¡°Or perhaps it was this sword. Though I am not sure even its influence can absolve him of his actions.¡±


    Ashla looks less surprised by these reveals. ¡°This would explain much. He¡¯s repeatedly visited me over the last month, always to ask strange questions about Moonfall and the Lifespring. He never outright admitted he was behind the attack, but certain questions¡­ The way he spoke about things. I had my suspicions.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± a voice says from outside the tent. A young human soldier ducks their head in a moment later, holding a ration pack and water skin. ¡°I was told to deliver these.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± Quell says, shifting to the side to allow the soldier access. They don¡¯t even look out of their teenage years. The same age as ¨¢lvaro, I¡¯d guess. Too young to be a soldier. ¡°You can place them here. I also requested the mage who set this shackle spell.


    ¡°Um, that¡¯s also me,¡± the teen says.


    ¡°I see. Good.¡± Quell gestures to Ambassador Ashla. ¡°Please dispel her bindings.¡±


    The kid looks nervous. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Ashla looks equally skeptical.


    ¡°Entirely,¡± Quell says. ¡°Now, if you would please.¡±


    Nervously, the soldier creeps forward, as if Ashla is a dog who might snap if they got too close. But she doesn¡¯t move, and as soon as the soldier touches a finger to the spell circle, the binding breaks, and the cuff and chain dissolve into nothing. They snap their hand away and shuffle back. Ashla lets out a sigh, gingerly rubbing her wrist.


    Quell dismisses the soldier, and they are more than happy to flee from the tent.


    ¡°Here.¡± Quell hands over the food and water next. ¡°Please. If there¡¯s anything else you need as well, let me know.¡±


    The ambassador looks at him strangely, carefully taking the pack. ¡°You are not much like your brother.¡±


    Quell chuckles. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that one before.¡±


    ¡°It was unsafe to free my magic block,¡± she says. ¡°You could equally have held this conversation without such risk.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s always doing stuff like that,¡± I say with a sigh. ¡°You¡¯d think he¡¯s trying to get himself killed.¡±


    Ashla looks at me as if she¡¯d only now noticed I was here. ¡°And you are?¡±


    ¡°His knight,¡± I say. ¡°Which is why undoing your magic block wasn¡¯t completely stupid. Just, rather stupid.¡±


    Her mouth twitches in a faint smile. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. Perhaps he¡¯s wiser than you credit him for.¡±


    ¡°Now that would be the first time someone¡¯s called me wise,¡± Quell says, chuckling. And just like that, a thick tension within the tent begins to dissolve. ¡°I¡¯m not going to make you say anything, but I would very much like to prove your innocence, so whatever information you have on the abduction plan, or Constance, or anything else you can think of, would be extraordinarily helpful.¡±


    Ashla unwinds the twine that keeps the food ration secured, removing the cloth covering used to keep the sand out. She cracks open the box, and her eyes water at the sight of the food. She reverently removes a chunk of dried, spiced fruit, and puts it in her mouth. She chews, sighs, and hangs her head. Then she starts to cry.


    Quell doesn¡¯t say anything. He waits, giving her all the time she needs. It takes a few minutes for her to compose herself. She uses the cloth from the rations to wipe her face, but when she finally looks up at us, it¡¯s with a grateful smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything I know,¡± she says. ¡°And I hope you can do the same. Perhaps together, we can untangle this web.¡±


    Over the course of the next hour, we do exactly that. Ambassador Ashla reveals that over the last year, a variety of Moonfall loyalists had been contacted about a plan to deal a decisive blow to the Duneshade Kingdom. The Moonfall Kings quickly became aware of these plans, and kept a sharp eye and short leash on all who had been contacted. Unsurprisingly, each individual brought into the scheme harbored a deep hatred for Duneshade, and opposed the ongoing peace talks. The Dynasty realized they likely had not found every contact, but kept an eye out regardless.


    Evidence suggested the plans were coming from someone in the Duneshade Kingdom. Ambassador Ashla had been sent to continue developing relations with Duneshade, but was also instructed to investigate the mysterious contact who was attempting to incite violence between the two kingdoms.


    Quell shakes his head. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t heard it with my own ears, I never would have thought Constance was capable of this. He seemed to think that war was the only path to permanent peace. But to go after Liz and I¡­¡±


    ¡°If his goal was war, that would all but assure it,¡± I point out. ¡°But he couldn¡¯t be the one to take the fall. It had to appear as if Moonfall was the aggressor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought on this every night since my imprisonment,¡± Ambassador Ashla says. ¡°And only he could have been capable of hiding the Umbral Blades and allowing them to draw so close without warning. Of course he had to take you and your sister out first. You¡¯re the only two who might have noticed the illusions, or known that they were his.¡±


    Quell lets out a breath. ¡°At least his plan was only to abduct us, not kill us. He easily could have done that, if that were the goal.¡± He frowns. ¡°But why take us into the Lifespring at the end?¡±


    ¡°Because of me,¡± I say. ¡°My appearance threw a wrench in his plans. Not only did I disrupt your abduction, but I showed up with the Aegis. The first part was frustrating enough, I¡¯m sure. We stopped the catalyst of war he was hoping for. But the Aegis¡ªthat might have been the Scimitar¡¯s want. These weapons, they¡­ pull at each other. Like two poles of a magnet. I don¡¯t know if they want to destroy each other, or somehow¡­ become one and work together. But whatever it is, I¡¯m sure it threw the Scimitar into a frenzy, which likely didn¡¯t help Constance¡¯s mental state. It probably played off his desire for power; it made him think that if he could retrieve the Aegis, his conquest would be all but certain.¡± The scary thing is, that might have been the truth.


    ¡°But the Lifespring ¡®source¡¯ was a sham,¡± Quell points out. ¡°He didn¡¯t really think he could magically remove it from you.¡±


    ¡°He was planning to kill me,¡± I say bluntly.


    ¡°Then why bring us with?¡± Quell wonders.


    I look at him sadly. ¡°Because he still needed a catalyst for war. What better way than two dead royal children behind Moonshade lines?¡±


    Quell goes silent. I put a hand on his knee and give it a reassuring squeeze.


    ¡°The real irony is that we had Moonshade troops stationed within the Lifespring to work with local authorities specifically to investigate this ploy,¡± Ashla says. ¡°And Constance seems to have known even that. He was going to use our covert presence there¡ªin conjunction with the attack on you and the princess¡ªas proof of our conspiracy. If it had worked, it would have looked extremely damning.¡±


    Ashla sighs, pausing to take a drink. By now her ration box was completely empty. ¡°We were inches away from war. Prince Quell, you have saved countless lives from both of our countries.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he says, finally speaking up. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me. I just got lucky.¡± He meets my gaze. His eyes are tired, sad, but also relieved. ¡°Without Nye, I would be captured at best, dead at worst, and either way my people would be plunged into war.¡±


    I squirm beneath his words. It doesn¡¯t feel like I just saved two countries from going to war. It feels like I cut off his brother¡¯s arm and killed a lot of innocent people. I¡¯m going to have to answer for that at some point. ¡°That¡¯s more credit than I deserve.¡±


    ¡°If what the prince says is true,¡± Ashla says, ¡°then I think perhaps you are due far more credit than you think.¡±


    I look down, avoiding their praise, and my gaze lands on the Scimitar. ¡°What will we do about that?¡±


    ¡°Give it to Moonfall,¡± Quell says immediately.


    I look up in surprise. ¡°What?¡± Ashla and I say at the same time.


    ¡°To maintain the balance,¡± Quell says. ¡°Each kingdom should guard half of the whole¡ªnot to mention, I think keeping them separate would be in everyone¡¯s best interest. It will work well as a visible peace offering, too. Something tangible.¡±


    Maybe Quell becoming a leader isn¡¯t so far-fetched after all.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good plan,¡± Ambassador Ashla says. ¡°A charitable plan.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a start, anyway,¡± Quell says. He pulls out the treaty papers he had been given and passes them over to Ashla. ¡°Tomorrow will be the real test. We¡¯ve much to prepare for. Even if the worst is past, the coming talks may be their own minefield. I would like your help in negotiating my soldiers¡¯ and siblings¡¯ return. I think having your support would greatly assist in these matters.¡±


    Ambassador Ashla unfurls the scroll and skims through the details. ¡°The terms are fairly standard. They had to whip them up quickly, it seems. Yes, I think we can work something out.¡± She rolls the scroll back up, then gives the two of us an appraising look.


    ¡°You¡¯re not what I expected,¡± she tells Quell. ¡°But I¡¯m glad for it. I look forward to continuing our relationship going forward.¡±


    I watch Quell as his face splits into a grin, and I can¡¯t help but think the very same thing.

 Chapter 44 - Armistice

    From there, it becomes a lot of politics. We treat with the Oasis officials and Moonfall representatives, and the conversation makes my eyes glaze over. Luckily, they let Quell bring advisors with him to these talks, so all I have to do is stand against the wall and look tough. I¡¯m pretty good at that¡ªdoubly so when I¡¯m carrying the Aegis.


    To our surprise, they return Liz, Constance, Darian, and the rest of the soldiers to us without much prompting. I think keeping them was actually making them more nervous than anything; they seem just as desperate to avoid war as Quell, and harboring two injured royal children doesn¡¯t exactly make them look innocent. In turn, Quell offered to gift the Crimson Scimitar to the Moonfall Dynasty, which just about knocked everyone in attendance on their asses. The Moonfall officials seemed shocked, and the Duneshade advisors appeared dismayed, all of which I found highly amusing.


    I¡¯m not going to judge if that was a good or bad political decision; I¡¯m just glad to get that sword away from the Crimson Aegis. If they ship it off to a foreign country, all the better.


    Quell did warn them about what it was capable of¡ªwhat it did to his brother. He advised them to keep it under lock and key, but I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll listen. Some of them side-eye me, and I can understand the skepticism. As long as Duneshade is still wielding the Crimson Aegis, I suspect Moonfall will do the same with the Scimitar. Oh well. At least it won¡¯t be my problem.


    Liz ended up with a concussion, and Constance, though suffering significant blood loss (and a missing hand), stabilized after some rest and healing.


    They weren¡¯t able to reattach his arm. In fact, the Scimitar didn¡¯t seem like it was willing to give it up. The veins of magic that curled about the severed hand also dove into it, like roots of a plant, and worryingly some of them seemed severed, indicating something might still have been left behind in Constance. In the end, as the arm began to rot, Quell made the call to burn the limb off in a fire. Only then did the lines of magic fade and the sword become inert. It was quickly sheathed and packed away so no one else might accidentally form a pact with the sentient weapon in the meantime.


    ¡°Do you think the same will happen to me?¡± I wonder aloud as the box housing the Scimitar is carried away to be delivered to the Moonfall leaders.


    We¡¯re still camped outside the Oasis, though even now we¡¯re beginning to shift people into the city. Given the tenuous peace Quell is struggling to strengthen each day, (and his troops¡¯ dwindling supplies,) it only makes sense to relocate to the Lifespring.


    Quell is at a table, writing one of dozens of similar letters he¡¯s crafted in the last few days. Some are to Moonfall, some are drafted and redrafted terms of ceasefire, while others still are for his parents back in the Duneshade capital.


    ¡°Hm?¡± he says, dipping his quill in some ink as he continues to write.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I say, resting my cheek on my fist as I watch him work. The shield is propped against a pole of the tent nearby. Now that we¡¯ve come to a sort of understanding, it¡¯s less clingy than before. It doesn¡¯t mind not being strapped to my arm and back at all times; maybe that¡¯s its version of trust. Or maybe it¡¯s secure enough in our pact now that it knows I won¡¯t try to get rid of it.


    Its demonic face glints in the firelight, but mentally, it feels satisfied, if not a little restless. It¡¯s happy we won. It always knew we would! But it also wouldn¡¯t mind if we had more foes to defeat.


    Quell pauses, looking up. ¡°Do I think what will happen to you?¡±


    I smirk. ¡°So you were listening.¡±


    ¡°Of course I was listening,¡± Quell says. ¡°I can do two things at once.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. You seem to become pretty engrossed when it comes to reading or writing.¡±


    Quell sets his feather down and caps the ink. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make me entirely oblivious.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say, Quill,¡± I tease.


    ¡°Do not start calling me that.¡± Despite his objection, he¡¯s smiling. ¡°So what was it you were asking about?¡±


    My smile fades. ¡°I was thinking about Constance. How the Scimitar gained influence over him slowly over time.¡± I nod toward the Aegis. ¡°I was wondering if the same might happen to me.¡±


    Quell looks troubled as well. ¡°I¡¯d like to say that wouldn¡¯t happen. But¡­¡±


    ¡°You think it will.¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. We only have one data point. I think it¡¯s possible. But he¡¯s had that sword for years. You¡¯ve had the Aegis for six weeks. If it does influence its wielder, I think it would take quite a while for the effects to be noticeable.¡±


    That¡¯s something, at any rate. Not to mention, I do have a metric I can check to keep a handle on things.


    [Weapon: Crimson Aegis]


    [Durability: 100%]


    [Mana: 0]


    [Blood: 0%]


    [Influence: 2%]


    As long as that Influence doesn¡¯t start creeping up, I should be alright. And if Constance was at 73% after ten years, then I should only see¡­ one percent every couple months, or so. I guess that gives me time to figure out where the shield and I stand going forward.


    ¡°We could talk to him about it, if you like,¡± Quell offers.


    ¡°Constance?¡± I ask, skeptical. ¡°Is he well enough for visitors?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s conscious and coherent,¡± Quell says. ¡°At this point he just needs to drink water and rest. But I bet he¡¯d like to speak to you.¡±


    I snort. ¡°I doubt that. I cut his damn hand off.¡±


    ¡°And you freed his mind,¡± Quell points out. ¡°I don¡¯t know that he¡¯ll have all the answers to your questions, but it might help.¡±


    I chew on the inside of my cheek. I¡¯m not even sure what answers I¡¯m looking for. An assurance that I won¡¯t become like him? That¡¯s not something he can offer. But he¡¯s also the only person that might have insight into what I¡¯m dealing with.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I finally agree. ¡°I¡¯m willing to talk.¡±


    <hr>


    Quell finishes up his work with the letters, passes them off to a courier, and then takes me to his brother¡¯s quarters. It¡¯s a large tent, much nicer than the one Ambassador Ashla had been confined to, yet this is just as much a cell as hers. There are spell circles on the tent flap I understand to create some sort of confinement, and while the inside is comfortable, it¡¯s adorned with little more than a mat for some food and water. Constance is lying on a bed roll at the center of the tent, his arm bandaged and his eyes closed. I pause, having second thoughts, but Quell moves in and sits down at his brother¡¯s side. Hesitating a moment longer, I take a seat opposite.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°I was wondering when you¡¯d come by,¡± Constance murmurs, looking up at me through barely parted eyelids. His voice is quiet and hoarse. It¡¯s hard to picture this man as the king-to-be he always carried himself as.


    ¡°Did you want me to?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Constance frowns. ¡°No. I am still sorting through my thoughts.¡±


    ¡°The Scimitar¡¯s thoughts,¡± I suggest.


    ¡°Perhaps.¡± He falls silent once more.


    I awkwardly glance at Quell, wondering if I should let him rest. He gestures for me to keep going.


    ¡°Uh. Sorry about your arm,¡± I say.


    Quell grimaces. I lift my eyebrows at him in an exasperated ¡°What?¡± You were the one who indicated I should keep talking!


    Constance lets out a sigh. ¡°It will be an adjustment. Though we have excellent artificers in the capital. I¡¯m sure our parents will spare no expense.¡±


    Oh great, he¡¯s just going to come out of this with a badass gold-plated magical robot hand or something.


    ¡°Though it is more the loss of the Scimitar that I lament,¡± he adds.


    ¡°You can blame that one on Quell,¡± I say.


    Quell holds up his hands. ¡°Hey!¡±


    I shrug. ¡°I¡¯m not the one that gave it to Moonfall.¡±


    Constance turns his head to look at his brother. ¡°You did what?¡±


    Quell glances away with a wince. ¡°It¡¯s the best way to broker peace. If our kingdom held both sword and shield, the power dynamic would be lopsided. This balances things. And it¡¯s a visible show of union: something the people of both countries can see, more tangible than papers and trade agreements.¡± He pauses. ¡°And I don¡¯t think it should be kept anywhere near you.¡±


    Constance presses his mouth into a hard line. ¡°Did our parents agree to this?¡±


    ¡°Better to ask forgiveness than permission.¡± Quell smiles guiltily.


    Constance scoffs. ¡°This was foolish.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that because you want the sword back,¡± I ask, ¡°or because you¡¯re opposed to peace?¡±


    Constance turns his glare back on me. He looks me over for a moment, but instead of berating me, the hard edge to his expression dissolves, and he closes his eyes with a tired sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It is all a tangle.¡±


    That sword has clearly messed with his head quite a bit. I guess over such a long period of time that¡¯s to be expected. If your goals are subtly influenced over the course of years, unconsciously guiding your actions, words, and values, how do you separate that from who you are? Even if the source of the influence is gone, it¡¯s still left its mark. It¡¯s still shaped who you are today.


    ¡°Could you tell?¡± I ask suddenly. ¡°Were you ever able to notice what it was doing?¡±


    Constance¡¯s regards me, then his gaze goes distant and his forehead wrinkles in a faint frown of concentration. ¡°I can tell now that it¡¯s gone. There¡¯s a lack of anger in me that had become so omnipresent that I¡¯d stopped noticing it. It had been this driving force. And now that it¡¯s not there I feel¡­ empty. Aimless. I remember wanting things with such passion, and now that the passion is gone, I am not even sure what I want anymore.¡±


    I think I understand what he means. When I add the Aegis to my Inventory, it seems to vanish from my mind. I¡¯m no longer infected by its thoughts and passion¡ªfor lack of a better word.


    But unlike the Scimitar, the Aegis isn¡¯t angry. It¡¯s more just¡­ arrogant and boastful. Desperate for attention. Perhaps that¡¯s similar to how the Scimitar started out. But even if the Aegis does begin to grow in influence, I have something Constance didn¡¯t. The ability to add it to my Inventory provides me the opportunity to take a step back and assess what thoughts might be coming from it or from me. If Constance had had such a tool, would things have turned out differently?


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll figure it all out,¡± I say. Then I hesitate, wondering if it¡¯s my place to say anything more. ¡°In your shoes, I¡¯d start with my siblings,¡± I add. ¡°Think back to times before the Scimitar had any influence over you. What did you want back then? How did you feel about your country, your friends, your family? Find your bedrock and work up from there.¡±


    Constance gives me an appraising look. ¡°Perhaps I will try that.¡±


    After he lapses into silence once more, his eyes closing, Quell gestures for us to go. We duck out of the tent, and leave Constance to rest.


    Quell looks troubled as we head back to his tent. He fiddles with his glasses, frowning at the ground while we walk.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking about the Scimitar?¡± I guess.


    ¡°I worry if it was a mistake to give it off to Moonfall,¡± Quell says. ¡°I know I cautioned them about what it was capable of, but that might not stop it from finding its way into another wielder¡¯s hands. What if it corrupts someone else? I¡¯m not giving them a powerful weapon, I¡¯m giving them a curse. Something evil.¡±


    I hum to myself as I think. ¡°It¡¯s not evil, I don¡¯t think.¡±


    Quell gives me a skeptical look, and I laugh.


    ¡°I know, I¡¯m surprised, too.¡±


    He squints at me suspiciously. ¡°That¡¯s not the Aegis¡¯s influence talking, is it?¡±


    ¡°Given its 2% Influence stat, I doubt it,¡± I say. ¡°But you¡¯re right; I thought it was evil originally, too. But that¡¯s not it, exactly. It¡¯s just¡­ overly simple. It¡¯s got a one-track mind. To the extent that it doesn¡¯t really have ethics, that¡¯s true. But that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s bad. It just needs a moral compass to direct its enthusiasm.


    ¡°If the Scimitar¡¯s personality is built entirely around the concept of wrath, then I think you could say the Aegis is built around pride,¡± I continue. ¡°And pride isn¡¯t entirely a bad thing, I think. It just needs to be used constructively. Like, being proud of one¡¯s achievements isn¡¯t bad. Taking pride in protecting someone isn¡¯t bad.¡±


    ¡°Like protecting me,¡± Quell says.


    I glance at him with a teasing smile. ¡°Something like that.¡±


    Quell ducks his head self-consciously. ¡°It¡¯s a nice interpretation. Though I¡¯m not sure how wrath can be directed constructively.¡±


    ¡°Er.¡± I have to think about it. ¡°Like, wanting revenge, maybe?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very constructive,¡± Quell notes.


    I laugh. ¡°Look, I¡¯m working through this on the fly, cut me some slack.¡±


    We duck back into his tent, and Quell looks over the pile of letters on his desk with a sigh. Instead of heading back to work, he reclines against the edge of the table.


    ¡°Does that mean you no longer want its pact broken?¡± he asks.


    I tip my head. ¡°Maybe. We¡¯re working things out. But it¡¯s not an immediate want anymore. I think I¡¯m willing to see how things develop.¡±


    ¡°And the other pact you have?¡± Quell asks. ¡°This Role Requirement of yours?¡±


    I pretend to act thoughtful about this, too. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The person I¡¯m tasked to protect can sometimes act pretty dumb.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± he objects.


    I plow ahead. ¡°He keeps throwing himself into dangerous situations and dragging me along with. He¡¯s very oblivious and can even be a bit naive.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I get it,¡± Quell says, looking away. ¡°You know I don¡¯t want to be dragging you into things. I hate having this power over you. I wish we were on equal footing.¡±


    Sheesh, the guy can¡¯t take a joke. I lean against the table next to him and bump his shoulder with mine. ¡°Hey, I know. It¡¯s not your fault. I¡¯m just giving you grief.¡± I smile. ¡°You make it easy for me.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± He blinks. ¡°I guess ¡®oblivious¡¯ isn¡¯t a completely inaccurate term.¡±


    I chuckle.


    ¡°But truthfully, where do we go from here?¡± Quell asks. ¡°Do we keep searching for a way to remove this Role Requirement? Should that be the next thing we focus on? What do you want?¡±


    ¡°You mean after stopping a war?¡± I tease.


    This time he smiles, catching the hint. ¡°Yes, after we prevent everyone from killing each other.¡±


    What do I want? I mean, Quell¡¯s right to an extent: I don¡¯t like having my autonomy taken, and I don¡¯t like being beholden to anyone. But Quell himself isn¡¯t so bad. I know he won¡¯t try to abuse it. And of all the roles I could get stuck with, one that¡¯s about helping someone, about keeping them safe, isn¡¯t the worst.


    ¡°If we can find a way to remove it, then let¡¯s do that,¡± I say. ¡°But first, I want to look for my brother. He¡¯s out there in the world, somewhere. And I know a lot of time has passed now. He probably doesn¡¯t need an older sibling to come swooping in to save him. But I love him, and I want to make sure he¡¯s safe and happy, if nothing else.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll do that,¡± Quell says, leaning back against my shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll search for your brother together. It¡¯s about time you got to drag me around places for a change.¡±


    I exhale a small laugh. ¡°I like the sound of that. But you know, that¡¯s not the only thing I want.¡±


    Quell tips his head toward me, forehead creased with faint concern. ¡°Oh? What else? Whatever it is, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to gather the resources to help.¡±


    I grin, looking up at him. ¡°You really are oblivious.¡±


    I gently grab the front of his shirt, and I can sense blood flushing through his cheeks in response. I pull him down to me, and he doesn¡¯t resist. He leans in, and I close the gap.


    Electric warmth sparks through me as we kiss. My teeth lightly graze his lips and tongue, but I¡¯m careful not to draw blood. Quell¡¯s hand comes up to grab my shoulder, pulling me close. After a moment, we break away, breathless.


    ¡°For the record,¡± Quell says, ¡°I¡¯m not oblivious. I just didn¡¯t think the circumstances were very ideal.¡±


    I laugh. ¡°Oh, well, if you¡¯d rather wait for more ideal circumstances¡­¡±


    He looks stricken. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± And I kiss him again.

 Chapter 45 - Epilogue

    [1 Month Later]


    The Moonfall capital is like nothing I¡¯ve ever seen. The castle is built on top of a mesa, made of the same red clay of the surrounding land. Its dozens of spires have an organic look to them, like stalagmites stretching for the sky. It towers over the valley below, but it¡¯s what¡¯s beneath the castle that takes my breath away.


    The city is carved into the cliff face, thousands of doors and balconies and ladders peppering the plateau like an intricate carving.


    ¡°Amazing,¡± Quell says, also looking out the window of our coach as we approach the kingdom. ¡°I¡¯ve read the city extends far into the rock as well. It took a hundred earth mages ten years to carve the original city. The rock that was removed from inside the cliff is what was used to build the palace above. It¡¯s an incredible feat of structural integrity, actually.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating!¡± Liz says. ¡°And did the book say how they handle the sewage for such a uniquely designed city?¡±


    ¡°Yes, actually.¡± Quell turns back to us, eyes bright with excitement. ¡°It¡¯s pretty ingenious. You see, first they had to carve the vertical drain pipes¡­¡± He trails off, narrowing his eyes at his sister¡¯s un-suppressed grin. ¡°You¡¯re mocking me, aren¡¯t you.¡±


    She flutters a hand against her chest. ¡°I would never!¡±


    Quell sighs, sitting back against the cushioned seats. ¡°Well it was a very informative read.¡±


    I let my smile fade as I continue to watch the approaching city. The shadow of the mesa falls over us, and even though our coach is spelled to withstand the summer heat, I can still feel the shade¡¯s relief.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried,¡± Darian observes, pulling my attention away from the Moonfall palace. She¡¯s sitting next to Liz¡ªwell, Liz has kicked her legs up over Darian¡¯s lap¨Cacross from Quell and I. ¡°Why?¡±


    I narrow my eyes. ¡°How can you tell?¡±


    ¡°The way you¡¯re sitting like a stiff board.¡± Darian lifts an eyebrow. ¡°Well?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s not about anything specific. Maybe I¡¯m nervous about protecting Quell here. I know we¡¯re coming to further relations, but that doesn¡¯t mean everyone will see us as allies.¡±


    Darian nods approvingly. ¡°Good instincts.¡±


    Liz scoffs. ¡°Guys, at least try to act friendly when we¡¯re in the city. The last thing we need is to project hostility when we¡¯re trying to show how not-scary we are.¡±


    ¡°Yes, because nothing says ¡®friendly¡¯ like a shield covered in teeth and claws with glowing red eyes,¡± I say.


    ¡°You only really need to have it out during the ceremony,¡± Quell says.


    ¡°True, but I¡¯m going to take it out anyway anytime there¡¯s enough room to fit it,¡± I tell him. ¡°It¡¯s easier to protect you if it¡¯s already out.¡± Also, carrying that thing around gives me a decent workout each day, and the Aegis starts acting moody if I leave it in my Inventory for too long.


    ¡°I bet you¡¯re really worried about meeting our parents,¡± Liz teases. ¡°Have you two told them, yet?¡±


    I can feel my cheeks heat up, and Quell also appears flustered. He hasn¡¯t, in fact. We¡¯ve both pointedly avoided talking about that inevitable problem.


    ¡°What about you?¡± he shoots back. ¡°Now that you¡¯re the heir apparent, your choice in suitors carries a bit more weight than it did before.¡±


    Liz glowers at him. ¡°They know and they¡¯ll just have to come to terms with it. After all, now that you¡¯re second in line, you¡¯re the one mostly likely to get married off for political alliances. I hear the Moonfall Kings have a couple strapping young princes our own age. I could introduce you.¡±


    Quell glares at her. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t,¡± he hisses.


    ¡°They like math and astronomy, I¡¯m told,¡± Liz continues, grinning wickedly. ¡°You¡¯re into the bookish types, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    As Quell splutters out a response, Darian and I meet each other¡¯s eyes, exchanging an unspoken sigh. The two are always like this.


    ¡°No, no, what am I thinking?¡± Liz laughs. She loops an arm around Darian¡¯s. ¡°We¡¯re both more into the hunky guard types, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    I can sense Quell blushing, and I chuckle. He¡¯s still nervous of expressing any signs of affection in public.


    ¡°It must run in the family,¡± I remark. Alright so Liz isn¡¯t the only one who teases him.


    Liz brightens at my words. ¡°You could be right! I heard Father was quite the handsome young soldier back in the day. Maybe Constance just needs to find a strong, stoic dhampyr to settle down with, too.¡±


    Darian and I politely chuckle at Liz¡¯s joke, but the mood sours after that, and the coach grows quiet. Constance is still a touchy subject with the siblings. The last I saw of him, he was being sent back to Duneshade for rest and recovery. That he was removed as heir apparent came as a shock to everyone. Quell still receives frequent letters from the capital, updating him on his brother¡¯s condition, but every letter he finishes leaves him looking weary, so I don¡¯t pry.


    When we arrive at the base of the cliff, a party is awaiting us. We all disembark, and our guards come with us, falling into formation around the royal children as we approach the Moonfall envoys. Breaking away from the rest of the group, Ambassador Ashla strolls up to meet us.


    ¡°Prince Quell,¡± she says, inclining her head with a smile. ¡°Princess Felicity. We¡¯re happy to have you both. I hope the stay will be to your liking. We¡¯ve arranged rooms in the palace for you and your associates.¡±


    ¡°Ashla.¡± Liz steps forward to clasp her hands. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you back to work this soon. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re looking so well.¡±


    The ambassador appears disarmed by her forwardness and warmth, which Liz admittedly tends to do to most people. Maybe she¡¯ll make an effective diplomat in her own unique way.


    ¡°I was offered a considerate sum to resign and focus on my health, actually,¡± Ashla says. ¡°But I prefer my duties to a cushy retirement. Please, come this way.¡±


    She leads us toward the rock face, and we follow.


    Now that I¡¯m up close, I notice that the city doesn¡¯t extend all the way to the ground. In fact, so far as I can tell, there¡¯s no way to enter the city at all. Yet, as we approach the base, runes flicker from within the stone, and then a great archway appears in the rock. Moonfall and Duneshade alike step inside, coming to a stop on a great circular platform. Quell glances curiously around us, eyes flicking over the carvings in the ground as he silently sounds out some of the runes. They light up a moment later, and the platform begins to rotate slowly upward. At the same time, the roof above us peels open, and we¡¯re lifted into the city.


    We rise like a corkscrew, and the circular nature of our path provides us with an impressive view as we ascend. As Quell had mentioned, the city extends far back into the cliff; a three dimensional city full of sandstone bridges between buildings and ladders running up and down the side of every wall. I¡¯m so caught up in the view, that I only notice Quell has wandered over to the edge when he¡¯s inches away from plummeting to his death.


    My heart leaps into my throat, and I lunge after him, closing the gap in three frantic steps. I grab his cloak and yank him unceremoniously back, producing a startled squeal from the prince. Everyone turns our way.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°Careful!¡± I cry. ¡°You could have slipped!¡±


    ¡°Nye, I¡¯m fine!¡± he objects. ¡°I was perfectly safe.¡±


    ¡°How is standing on the edge of a drop-off perfectly safe?¡± I demand.


    ¡°Lord Nye,¡± Ashla cuts in. ¡°Please don¡¯t be alarmed. The prince is correct; we would not design such a mode of transportation to be so dangerous.¡± She steps up to the edge and holds out a hand. Instead of passing through open air, however, it stops, and the space around her hand ripples.


    [Check,] Echo says just as I¡¯m wondering what I¡¯m seeing. [Basic barrier spell.]


    Oh. I guess that also explains why my Role Requirement didn¡¯t kick in. Embarrassed, I let go of Quell. ¡°Sorry,¡± I mumble to Quell as well as Ashla.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s alright,¡± Quell assures me. ¡°I appreciate the concern!¡±


    A few of the Moonfall envoys murmur among themselves.


    Darian snorts. ¡°By the way,¡± she says, a tinge of amusement in her tone. ¡°Don¡¯t make a scene or anything. We want to leave a good impression.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up,¡± I grumble, wishing I had some illusion powers of my own right now.


    The rest of the tour passes with significantly less drama. The platform takes us all the way to the surface of the mesa, placing us at the base of the palace that rises up before us.


    Servants offer us refreshments as we¡¯re guided through the castle. We¡¯re shown gardens and libraries, stained glass windows and beautiful mosaics. I¡¯m overwhelmed by all the wealth; I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen anything half as gaudy in my life.


    Shown to our rooms, we¡¯re encouraged to get some rest and informed a welcome banquet will be held tomorrow at sunrise. When we step inside the chambers¡ªwhich themselves are made of a dozen rooms that are each larger than my home back on Earth¡ªour belongings have already arrived. I sit heavily on one of the beds.


    ¡°You alright?¡± Quell asks me as Darian and Liz move on to settle into their own suites. ¡°I know Darian¡¯s already asked you that. But this doesn¡¯t seem to be entirely about keeping me safe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to think that¡¯s an irrational fear,¡± I admit. ¡°These people seem sincere. The palace is well protected.¡± Not that I am going to let any of that get my guard down. ¡°But¡­¡±


    He waits a moment. ¡°But?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never felt so out of place before. All these riches. Formalities, banquets, royalty. This isn¡¯t the kind of life I know.¡±


    ¡°And you were accustomed to being a knight before meeting me, I take it?¡± Quell teases. He comes to sit next to me on the bed.


    ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± I say. ¡°Learning how to fight¡ªprotecting someone¡ªthat¡¯s familiar, even if it was a different kind of fighting and protecting someone I didn¡¯t know. I¡¯m good at throwing my weight around. Taking hits. Polite society: not so much.¡±


    ¡°Well if it makes you feel any better, these last few months have certainly been an uncomfortable experience for me as well.¡± Quell brushes his hand against mine, and I twine our fingers together. The gesture makes me smile. Even after a month, he¡¯s still shy about things.


    ¡°I was in over my head,¡± he continues. ¡°But you were there to help me at every turn. So maybe now I can return the favor. All this might not be very comfortable for you, but I¡¯ll be here to help you through it. And hopefully that will make it more manageable?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to comfort me,¡± I grumble. But he¡¯s right. It will make everything a bit more manageable.


    ¡°Just because you¡¯re my Knight doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m entirely reliant on you,¡± Quell teases. ¡°Only about ninety percent reliant.¡±


    ¡°Ninety-nine,¡± I say.


    ¡°Ninety-five.¡±


    ¡°Ninety-five,¡± I agree.


    Quell chuckles. ¡°Glad my ineptitude has finally been quantified. Now, I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m exhausted. I¡¯ll teach you everything you need to know about dining etiquette tomorrow before the feast.¡±


    I grimace. ¡°Please tell me all there is to it is, ¡®don¡¯t chew with your mouth open.¡¯¡±


    Quell laughs. Then he notices I¡¯m not. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not joking. Oh dear, we might have quite a lot to review.¡±


    I groan, grabbing Quell¡¯s shoulder and pulling him down onto the bed with me. He laughs as we sink into the purple, downy comforter beside each other.


    ¡°Maybe you can start now,¡± I suggest, patting down a puff of blanket between us so I can get a better look at him. Laying on his side like this, the bed has pushed his glasses askew. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will help get me right to sleep.¡±


    ¡°If you fall asleep at the banquet tomorrow, you might cause an international conflict.¡±


    ¡°God forbid,¡± I grumble.


    ¡°Gods,¡± he gently corrects me. ¡°Some of your language is still telling.¡±


    We¡¯ve been working on that as well. I need to get better at blending in. Pretending to be a foreigner might trick some soldiers, but it¡¯s unlikely to fool anyone well-traveled. There¡¯s a lot of history and culture I still need to absorb.


    I let my hand trail off his shoulder and onto the bed. My other hand is still intertwined with his. Wrapped in comfort like a warm blanket, I let my eyes drift closed. ¡°Tell me another story about the gods,¡± I say.


    Quell hums thoughtfully. ¡°Have I told you the story of how Lorata lit the sun?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I say. Even if he had, I wouldn¡¯t have objected. He tells stories like he¡¯s reciting them out of a book to little kids; I can¡¯t figure out if it¡¯s silly or endearing.


    ¡°Well, it started when a very hungry monster ate up all the starlight,¡± Quell says.


    Nah. Definitely endearing.


    ¡°Without the stars, the world was thrown into darkness. Plants withered and died. The desert grew colder than a winter¡¯s night. Some people tried to use magic to make new lights, but the monster gobbled those up as well. Its hunger was bottomless. It searched far and wide for any source of light it could consume. All this time, Lorata didn¡¯t notice, because she was reading books in her library¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sounds familiar,¡± I mumble.


    Quell snorts, but doesn¡¯t let my interruption derail him. ¡°And when the creature snuck into her study to eat her candle, there was no light left for Lorata to read her books. ¡®This will not do,¡¯ the god said¡­¡±


    Quell¡¯s voice becomes a warm, comforting murmur as I drift off. In my dreams, I¡¯m in a lightless void somehow filled with stars.


    <hr>


    The banquet surpasses what I had expected. An incredible wealth of food is displayed on tables in the palace¡¯s great hall, and the air is humid with the smell of smoked meats and freshly baked bread. Liz and Quell are seated by the Moonfall kings, while Darian and I are pushed further down the table. I¡¯m a little nervous being this far away from Quell in such a packed space, but at least I have the Role Requirement to warn me if he''s in any real danger.


    And it¡¯s hard to stay anxious when my mouth is watering at all the plates of caramelized vegetables, baked fruit, and rare slabs of meat. After two months on lean rations, I don¡¯t even know where to begin.


    No one else has begun their feast, however, so I sit back and wait. After a few more minutes of pleasantries, one of the kings finally raises a glass, and the hall quiets down.


    ¡°Today is a momentous occasion,¡± the Moonfall king says. ¡°We entertain Duneshade royalty with this feast¡ªcertainly an outcome neither of our people foresaw transpiring in the near future.¡± The room rumbles with agreement, some amused, but others, I suspect, slightly more hostile. ¡°May it be a sign of changing winds.¡±


    ¡°We know many of you may still harbor suspicions of our northern neighbors,¡± the other king says, picking up where his husband left off. ¡°Indeed, after so many lifetimes of bad blood between our people, such suspicion is not without warrant. Many times in our history have peace talks begun and failed. Yet, this time we are presented with a unique opportunity. A gift presented to us unlike any other.¡±


    ¡°The Crimson Scimitar,¡± the first king says, ¡°given freely to us by Prince Quell himself. This gift could easily have been withheld. Indeed, his own knight already holds the Crimson Aegis.¡±


    The kings¡¯ gazes fall on me, sharp and scrutinizing, and I¡¯m suddenly glad to be seated so far away.


    The look lasts a little bit longer than is comfortable. Darian clears her throat, and when I meet her eyes, she lifts her brows expectantly. Aw, shit, they expect me to do or say something. I was not prepared to give a speech.


    I push my chair back and stand, trying not to be aware of how all one hundred people in this hall are now staring at me. I hold out my arm and summon the Crimson Aegis, which appears with a flash of red magic as it lashes itself to me. Several gasps echo through the room.


    To my relief, the kings don¡¯t appear to expect me to say anything, as they press forward in their address.


    ¡°A commoner rather than a king tasked to wield the shield,¡± the king says. ¡°The decision is as bold as it is humble. To relinquish such power to the hands of the people is the mark of a wise and modest ruler.¡±


    I¡¯m not going to be the one to tell him it wasn¡¯t anyone¡¯s decision for the Aegis to latch itself to my arm.


    ¡°As such,¡± the other king says, ¡°We too have decided to honor the choice to put the distinction of bearing the Crimson Scimitar into the hands of our people.¡±


    Well that sounds like a terrible idea.


    ¡°As many of you know, last week we opened applications for a contest like no other,¡± the king says. ¡°An event to test which of our citizens is worthy of ascending to the position of King¡¯s Guard and carrying the Crimson Scimitar at the behest of our people. Those candidates have since been chosen.¡±


    The doors in the back of the room open, and a dozen people walk through. They split into two groups and begin to file up both sides of the table, heading for the front. The candidates are a mix of humans, arachnoids, and dhampyrs, like most of the people in the Moonfall and Duneshade kingdoms. Some appear incredibly fit, while others seem more meek¡ªthough if I had to guess, I¡¯m sure those ones have plenty of magic to compensate. In fact, I don¡¯t have to guess. Curious, I Check each person as they file past.


    [Yequela, level 32 arachnoid arcane archer,] Echo reports, giving me the abbreviated stats as I skim over them.


    [Wisdom, level 24 human water siren.]


    [Marius, level 28 dhampyr battle mage.]


    Most of them are around level thirty. In fact, I haven¡¯t met anyone over forty, yet. I wonder if there¡¯s a point at which it becomes a lot harder to increase your level¡ªor maybe people who don¡¯t have an Echo, like me, level at different rates.


    I¡¯m so distracted by these thoughts that I don¡¯t notice one of the candidates is watching me until he stops directly in front of me, halting the procession behind him.


    I¡¯m immediately on guard as the human looks at me intently, and the Aegis reacts to this, twitching for a fight.


    The man is young with light brown skin and long black hair pulled back from his face. He¡¯s spindly, taller than me, but in the way that indicates it¡¯s all lean muscle and sinew, designed for agility.


    Then his serious expression breaks into a crooked grin, one that strikes me as uncannily familiar. I Check him even as he starts to speak.


    [¨¢lvaro, level 25 human monster hunter.]


    ¡°Hey, sib,¡± my brother says. ¡°Long time no see.¡±